The EU ambassador’s office says Malaysia needs to be politically stable.
PETALING JAYA: The European Union (EU) ambassador to Malaysia today claimed she had been misquoted by an Umno portal.
It was reported that the EU ambassador, Maria Castillo Fernandez, had made a statement that the EU hoped Umno would stay strong and continue heading the current ruling government coalition, Barisan Nasional, to ensure Malaysia’s stability as a country.
She was reported to have said this when meeting Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor during her official visit to the Umno headquarters at Menara Datuk Onn on Monday.
The comments were carried in a recent article on Umno Online titled “Kesatuan Eropah Harap UMNO Terus Kukuh Untuk Terus Terajui Negara” (“European Union hopes Umno will continue to be strong to lead the country”).
Fernandez, through the EU media office here, said she will not take any action that could escalate the matter into any serious issue.
The office said they would handle this matter delicately and take appropriate action to rectify the matter.
“We did not state our support for Umno as per the published writing.
“We, however, said that Malaysia needs to be politically stable and Umno has played the role
KUALA LUMPUR, 14 Ogos – Kesatuan Eropah berharap UMNO akan terus kukuh agar dapat terus menjadi tunjang dan teraju Barisan Nasional (BN) bagi…
umno-online.my
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Kesatuan Eropah Harap UMNO Terus Kukuh Untuk Terus Terajui Negara
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KUALA LUMPUR, 14 Ogos – Kesatuan Eropah berharap UMNO akan terus kukuh agar dapat terus menjadi tunjang dan teraju Barisan Nasional (BN) bagi memastikan Malaysia dapat terus stabil, kata dutanya, H.E Maria Castillo Fernandez hari ini.
Ujarnya, kestabilan Malaysia memberi sumbangan yang sangat besar kepada Kesatuan Eropah lantaran banyak hubungan ekonomi dan sosial berlangsung membabitkan mereka.
“Malaysia menjadi pintu masuk utama kepada negara-negara Kesatuan Eropah untuk menjalinkan hubungan dengan negara Asean malahan banyak komitmen Malaysia dalam penyepaduan Asean yang menjadi asas kepada dasar Kesatuan Eropah terhadap Asia Tenggara, di sini.”
Beliau berkata demikian dalam kunjungan hormatnya kepada Setiausaha Agung UMNO, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor di Ibu Pejabat UMNO, Menara Dato’ Onn hari ini.
Several infrastructure projects along the East Coast, such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the Central Spine Road (CSR), are expected to impact Bentong.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said Bentong was a gateway to the rest of the east coast as well as a satellite town for the Greater Kuala Lumpur region.
“With the ECRL and the CSR, travel times will be shortened and we need to ensure that we don’t end up becoming a concrete jungle,” he said, adding that Bentong should focus on agro-tourism and eco-tourism.
Blue shirted man: Uncle, you don’t even have a shirt. Please trust us. Vote BN and your life will be better.
Uncle: If we’re to trust you one more time, I won’t even have trousers to wear‼
👇👇👇
Khairuddin saman Rosmah, tuntut kembalikan berlian
Bekas ketua bahagian Umno Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan memfailkan pernyataan tuntutan terhadap isteri perdana menteri Rosmah Mansor supaya mengembalikan berlian merah jambu bernilai AS$23 juta dan rantai AS$4.3 juta kepada 1MDB.
Khairuddin juga memohon perintah supaya hartawan Pulau Pinang Jho Low untuk membayar wang yang didakwa digelapkan, dicuri atau disalah guna dari 1MDB.
Rosmah dan Low juga dituntut membayar pampasan munasabah daripada segi ekuiti terhadap 1MDB, kos tuntutan dan relif lanjut dan lain-lain relif yang ditentukan mahkamah.
Khairuddin files suit against Rosmah over US$23m pink diamond
Former Umno division leader Khairuddin Abu Hassan today filed a suit at the High Court in Shah Alam against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s wife Rosmah Mansor for the return of a pink diamond worth US$23 million and an accompanying necklace worth US$4.3 million to 1MDB.
He also wants Penang-born businessperson Jho Low to return the money which he had allegedly misappropriated from the state fund.
Khairuddin further seeks for both of them to pay an equitable compensation to 1MDB over the misappropriated money they had allegedly taken.
In the 2008 general election, he won the seat with a 3,020-vote majority garnering 17,842 votes against his sole opponent, then Saidil Simoi of PKR. Saidil chalked up a respectable 14,822 votes.
KOTA KINABALU – Hujan berterusan sejak tengah hari semalam mengakibatkan banjir di Kota Belud sehingga 37 mangsa daripada tujuh keluarga terpaksa dipindahkan.
Pengarah Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia (APM) Sabah Kol Mulliadi Al-Hamdi Ladin dalam kenyataanya hari ini berkata, mangsa banjir itu dipindahkan ke Dewan Masyarakat Tun Said, Kota Belud, kira-kira 73 kilometer dari sini sejak awal pagi tadi.
Tujuh kampung terjejas akibat banjir itu dan sebuah jambatan gantung di Kampung Botung Narinang turut terputus dan dihanyutkan air.
Di Papar pula, seramai 50 mangsa dari beberapa kampung ditempatkan di pusat pemindahan banjir di Dewan Penampang Baru, Kimanis.
Daripada jumlah itu, 47 orang daripada 18 keluargadari Kampung Penampang Baru Kimanis manakala tiga mangsa lagi dari Kampung Lingan Baru. – Bernama
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Forum organiser to blame for lack of security, says Rahman
PUTRAJAYA: The Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum organiser failed to provide the best security leading to the chaos yesterday, said Barisan Nasional strategic communications director Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Rahman, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said that security issues should have been given priority because it involved leaders like Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) youth wing (Armada), as the event organiser, failed to ensure security for all parties involved, he said.
“It was the responsibility of Armada. If I am the organiser, I will check all the bags, one by one.
“Yet, a few could smuggle in flares to the event,” he said commenting on the fracas that erupted at the forum in Shah Alam, Selangor, yesterday.
Sungai Besar Umno leader Jamal Md Yunos is planning to organise a “Nothing to Hide” forum himself, where DAP’s father and son Lim Kit Siang and Guan Eng would be invited to attend.
He added that Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali would also be extended an invitation.
Calling it Nothing to Hide 0.3, he said the forum would be held in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur, in the middle of next month.
However, Jamal, who also heads the red-shirts movement, said Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad would not be invited.
“We are not inviting Tun Mahathir because we are worried that if he attends, there will be trouble.
“We will only invite those whom we consider being well-mannered,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
Jamal also revealed the possible questions to be raised at the event, including whether Kit Siang was born in China and how does Guan Eng, who is Penang chief minister, administer the state.
“The questions to be asked are about Guan Eng’s identity, where is Kit Siang from?
“We see a lot of questions on this on social media. Was he born in China? How does (Guan Eng) administer Penang to the point that Malay housing areas are almost wiped out?
“As for Azmin, we will ask him to explain to Malaysians and the people of Selangor regarding the promises in the GE13 manifesto which have not been delivered,” he added.
Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant (May until August 2018); Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Glucose (May until August 2018); Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Strawberry (February until March 2018); Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Blueberry (February until March 2018); Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Apple (April until May 2018).
Japanese company Suntory says it has temporarily stopped deliveries for the affected drinks from its factory in Shah Alam to distributors and trading partners.
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PETALING JAYA: The producer of Ribena has recalled some of the brand’s cordial drinks in the Malaysian market following a purported “error” in the manufacturing process.
Japanese beverage company Suntory said it had moved to withdraw the drinks voluntarily, but did not reveal the exact problem.
Its regional general manager for Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore, Lee Hon Tong, was quoted by Channel NewsAsia today as saying that all Ribena cordial drinks with specified expiry dates from Aug 12 were being recalled.
“We wish to announce that during a routine quality check in our factory, we found one error in our manufacturing process,” he said, without giving any further explanation.
He said the “voluntary decision” would involve batches of the brand, comprising Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant (expiry from May until August 2018), Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Glucose (May until August 2018), Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Strawberry (February until March 2018), Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Blueberry (February until March 2018), Ribena Cordial Blackcurrant and Apple (April until May 2018).
Lee was quoted as saying that the company had temporarily stopped deliveries for all the affected drinks from its factory in Shah Alam to its distributors and trading partners.
Some batches of Ribena recalled in Malaysia after ‘manufacturing error’
KUALA LUMPUR: Japanese beverage company Suntory has issued a recall for some of its Ribena cordial drinks in Malaysia.
In a press release on Friday (Aug 11), Suntory’s regional general manager for Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore Lee Hon Tong said: “We wish to announce that during a routine quality check in our factory, we found one error in our manufacturing process.”
Suntory did not elaborate or disclose further details of the error.
The company said it had taken “a voluntary decision” to withdraw all Ribena cordial drinks with specified expiry dates from Aug 12.
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The Selangor menteri besar is seeking a court order to compel IGP Khalid Abu Bakar to take the necessary actions to locate, arrest and produce Low before a magistrate to face various criminal charges.
KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali today made good his threat of legal action against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) by suing him in court after the police chief refused to heed a call to arrest businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low over his alleged wrongdoings involving 1MDB.
Azmin is seeking a court order to compel Khalid Abu Bakar to take the necessary actions to locate, arrest and produce Low before a magistrate to face various criminal charges.
Speaking to reporters after his lawyer filed the judicial review application at the High Court, Azmin said he had no personal motive against the IGP but was merely exercising his right as a Malaysian taxpayer.
“I want to remind the IGP that he has a duty under the Police Act to bring culprits to justice,” he said.
He also said he had given sufficient notice to the IGP to take action against Low.
“His explanation that he had to turn down my demand as the 1MDB investigations are ongoing is unacceptable.
“The authorities in several other countries have already prosecuted those involved in the 1MDB scandal,” he said.
Azmin Ali files Jho Low arrest notice to Malaysia’s IGP
Chong Jin Hun
theedgemarkets.com
August 02, 2017 13:47 pm MYT
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 2): Selangor Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s lawyers filed a notice to Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to arrest and extradite Low Taek Jho for alleged “illicit appropriation of funds” from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
According to a statement from Azmin’s office today, his lawyers had filed the notice yesterday. Low is popularly known as Jho Low.
Today, the statement said: “It is the duty and responsibility of the IGP under the Police Act 1967 and the Federal Constitution to take action, including a formal request for assistance from international police agency Interpol.”
“The IGP has been given 14 days from the date of the notice (1 August 2017) to take appropriate steps, failing which legal action will be initiated against him,” the statement said.
At the time of writing today, Khalid and Low had not issued statements in response to Azmin’s notice and allegations.
Nationwide hunt for brain behind outbreak of violence at forum
Muzliza MustafaUpdated 19 minutes ago · Published on 16 Aug 2017 7:00AM
POLICE have arrested 10 suspects linked to the fracas at Sunday’s Nothing To Hide forum in Shah Alam, and are now zooming in on nabbing the instigator of the incident.
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The Malaysian Insight learnt that following the arrests of three youths at the scene on Sunday, Selangor police have gone as far as Kangar, Perlis to nab others in follow-up operations.
“One was picked up in Kangar while six others were picked up at various locations in the Klang Valley yesterday,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.
The seven are aged between 20 and 30.
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“We are not only looking for the troublemakers but also those behind these youths. That is part of the investigations,” Fadzil told The Malaysian Insight.
It is understood that police have seized the suspects’ handphones.
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PETALING JAYA: Seven more men have been arrested in connection with the ruckus at the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum on Sunday, bringing the total number of individuals detained so far to 10.
Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm Fadzil Ahmat said remand would be requested for the suspects, aged between 20 and 30, who were picked up by police yesterday, The Star reported.
He told the daily that police are also looking for several other people to assist in the investigation.
“We are also investigating the rioting aspect as well as the use of flares during the fracas,” he was quoted as saying.
Shah Alam police chief gets flak for blaming fracas on organiser’s security lapse
Bede HongUpdated about 23 hours ago · Published on 14 Aug 2017 11:29AM
LAWMAKERS and activists have slammed Shah Alam police chief Shafien Mamat for zooming in on the organisers instead of the troublemakers over yesterday’s fracas at the Nothing to Hide forum.
“He is not behaving like a top cop should,” said DAP leader Zaid Ibrahim.
“The organisers did not cause the mayhem, so the police should be more interested in finding the troublemakers,” said the former federal minister who was present at the forum at the Raja Muda Musa Hall in Shah Alam.
Shafien said yesterday police would quiz Bersatu members for the security lapse and failure to prevent the disturbance caused by at least five youths throwing shoes and chairs and lighting up flares while Dr Mahathir Mohamad spoke on stage during a Q&A session.
Shafien said police had permitted the forum to take place upon the condition that the organisers guaranteed the safety and security of the participants.
“The organiser’s responsibility is to ensure public safety and that no one will cause trouble and so forth,” he said.
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Hakam president Ambiga Sreenevasan said police did not prioritise the victims.
“I cannot understand the reaction of the police, which is telling in itself. Is it because Umno may be involved? What does this mean?
“What happened could constitute rioting and is extremely serious. The priority must be to apprehend and investigate the perpetrators of the violence.
Ambiga, who is former president of the Malaysian Bar, condemned the police’s failure to open a formal investigation into the three detained suspects.
“I understand that the IGP has said there is no investigation yet because there is no police report.
“This is simply outrageous as they are obliged to act when an offence is committed without the need for a report,” she said.
In a Facebook post, Petaling Utara MP Tony Pua said, “Instead of saying we will track down the rioters, first thing the Selangor CPO says he wants to do is to question the organisers for ‘failing to ensure security’.
Activist and lawyer Siti Kasim said: “This is like accusing the owner of a house who got burgled and grilled them on why they don’t secure their house like a fortress instead of questioning the burglars.
“Nothing he said makes sense if they want to question the organiser on their so called ‘lapses in safety’. It’s a forum lah… open to public…”
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Professor of law at University of Malaya, Azmi Sharom quipped, “because if a person gets mugged you investigate him for not learning martial arts!”.
Muzliza MustafaUpdated 3 hours ago · Published on 14 Aug 2017 6:59PM
THE suspects who allegedly started the fracas at the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum yesterday were paid RM50 each to attend the event, police said.
It is learnt that they were among a group of youths asked to wait in Setiawangsa, where they were handed out T-shirts with the Bersatu logo, sources close to the investigation said.
Selangor police, with Shah Alam police taking the lead, are currently going through photos and recordings to identify others in the group. Only three youths are currently in remand. Their four-day remand ends on Thursday.
The trio in police custody are being investigated under Section 15(2)d of Peaceful Assembly Act, Section 153 of the Penal Code for rioting and Section 8 of Corrosive and Explosive Substance and Offensive Weapons Act.
Annuar Musa: Irresponsible to blame Umno for Dr M forum violence
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — Accusing Umno for the ruckus at yesterday’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) “Nothing To Hide 2.0” forum was irresponsible and unfair, Tan Sri Annuar Musa said.
Despite that, the Umno information chief admitted he viewed the forum as a “provocative” event, and pointed that the organisers seem to have purposely welcomed the problem.
“Umno would like to remind the organisers, especially PPBM, not to simply accuse Umno Youth that is becoming viral on social sites.
“It is an irresponsible act [to blame Umno], so let it be investigated. We can also say that this is staged to develop accusations [against Umno],” he was quoted as saying in Berita Harian today.
Annuar also questioned the purpose of holding another event when the first of such gathering also resulted in problem, referring to the unrelated “Nothing to Hide” forum in 2015 that was inevitably cancelled.
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Syed Saddiq: PPBM youth wing has no teenage members
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 14 — The three teenagers detained on suspicion of attempted assault towards Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the “Nothing To Hide 2.0” forum yesterday were not Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) members, its Youth wing chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said.
“They were just teenagers aged 17,18 and 19 years old. For your information, there is an age requirement to become an ARMADA member, and we had also checked the trio’s membership with PPBM. They are not in any way PPBM members.
“They were merely hired teenagers to masquerade as ARMADA members, armed with an ARMADA t-shirt, and the ARMADA t-shirt they wore is not the official t-shirt,” Syed Saddiq said in a statement.
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Prominent lawyers Eric Paulsen and Ambiga Sreenevasan condemn attack during Nothing to Hide 2.0, saying it is continuation of ‘thuggish’ behaviour which went unchecked previously.
PETALING JAYA: Lawyer-activist Eric Paulsen believes the chaos that broke out at a forum attended by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is an “escalation of violence” due to inaction by authorities in the past.
He condemned the direct attack on the former prime minister, who was accompanied by his wife Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali at the Nothing to Hide 2.0 forum in Shah Alam today.
“It’s one thing to heckle a 92-year-old, but another to throw projectiles at him and also Siti Hasmah, who was on stage with him,” said Paulsen, who is the executive director of Lawyers for Liberty.
“What were the culprits trying to accomplish?” the human rights lawyer asked over the incident.
Paulsen added that authorities must view this as a serious incident and take action against the culprits.
He added that the perpetrators had committed several criminal offences and can be investigated and charged with rioting, creating public mischief, assault, attempted arson and the possession of illegal weapons, like flares.
“If this happened at any event in which a minister was present, I’m sure the police and Attorney-General would waste no time in coming down hard on the perpetrators.”
Paulsen said the bigger question was why an escalation of violence like this was happening.
“To me, people have been emboldened because, in the past, acts of violence against opposition leaders or provocative actions of Umno members haven’t been taken seriously.”
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Meanwhile, former Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said the incident was reminiscent of the same thuggish behaviour exhibited during the last general election.
“It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who are the culprits behind this incident.
“This has to stop. Enough is enough,” she told FMT, adding that violence cannot be condoned under any circumstances.
The human rights activist also called for the public to reject such behaviour, while leaders must disassociate themselves from it as well as condemn the incident.
“The police must act swiftly and decisively.”
Meanwhile, Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) chairman Ramon Navaratnam said the incident was unacceptable.
“This does not reflect moderation, it is not the Malaysian way.
“The police must exercise great diligence in apprehending the culprits and preventing future incidences.”
Navaratnam said that should the authorities fail to act fast, it will erode public confidence.
SHAH ALAM, Aug 13 — A Chinese DAP youth worker was hailed as a hero for risking his life to save a group of Malays from assailants that violently disrupted a forum here that featured Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the main speaker.
A teary Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman told reporters after the incident that the DAP worker, by the name of Danial, did his duty as a security worker by taking a beating to protect a group of Malays from getting hurt.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Youth T-shirts were distributed for free amongst alleged agent provocateurs prior to the Nothing to Hide 2 event in Shah Alam today, claimed Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman.
Syed Saddiq said the intent was for them to slip into the function, organised by Bersatu Youth, and cause harm to party chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“There was a systematic element of sabotage… We believe it was meant to sabotage this program and hurt Mahathir.
“From initial police investigations, they wore Armada T-shirts,” he told a press conference after order was restored at the function.
Armada is the official name for Bersatu Youth.
Piles of red t-shirts, allegedly worn by the provocateurs, were put on display during the press conference.
“Why do we say that? Because when they ran they took off the Armada shirts,” added Syed Saddiq.
Earlier police escorted two suspects from a VIP holding room at the venue. The two were wearing Bersatu Youth T-shirts.
Named as defendants are Najib, Rosmah, Najib’s brothers Ahmad Johari, Mohd Nazim, lawyers Cecil Abraham, Sunil Abraham, Arunampalam Mariampillai, commissioner of oaths Zainal Abidin Muhayat and businessman Deepak Jaikishan.
However, the nine defendants have applied to strike out the ‘intentional harm’ suit and defer filing their defence, says lawyer Americk Sidhu.
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PETALING JAYA: The family of late private investigator P Balasubramaniam has again filed a suit against Prime Minister Najib Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and seven others, this time for suffering intentional harm as a result of their exile in India.
A Santamil Selvi, who is also acting for the estate of Balasubramaniam and their minor child, said the nine defendants uprooted them from their home in Malaysia, deprived them of their normal lives, and caused them to suffer financial and non-financial losses.
They claim to have suffered trauma and mental anguish caused by the defendants and deprived of a home in familiar surroundings.
Santamil, together with her two children, Kishen and Menaga, are seeking damages with interest for losses suffered from July 2008 as a result of their five-year displacement.
“The defendants and each of them is liable for the intentional harm or injury caused to and suffered by the plaintiffs,” they said in the suit filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court last month.
Lawyer Americk Sidhu said the counsel for all defendants during a case management yesterday had applied to strike out the suit.
“They also wanted a stay to file their defence pending the outcome of the striking out application,” he told FMT.
Americk said lawyers for the defendants also questioned his authority to act for the plaintiffs.
Kulim district office orders statues removed after complaints
KULIM (BERNAMA) – A theme park in Kedah has been ordered to remove 20 statues after complaints that they were “god-like” and inappropriate.
On Thursday (Aug 10) the Kulim district office made the decision to direct property developer ECK Sdn Bhd to remove the statues erected in a Bali-themed park at Taman MBI Desaku in Padang Meha, Kulim. They have until Sept 30 to do so.
Kulim district officer and administrator Mohamad Che Nai said: “We have also instructed the developer to provide the district office with a written list of the statues and new ones which they plan to build for submission to the state mufti for consideration on its suitability,” he told reporters on Thursday.
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Last Tuesday (Aug 1), the district office had ordered the theme park to be closed and that two statues of winged women be removed, following complaints on social media from people who were uncomfortable with the display of god-like figures.
Kulim authorities order removal of god-like statues from theme park
Last Tuesday, the district office ordered the closure of the theme park and removal of two female-winged statues following complaints lodged by netizens who were uncomfortable with the display of god-like figures there.
The unique park developed by the company had attracted visitors with display of more than 30 figures and sculptures of numerous sizes such as characters like ‘Optimus Prime’ from Transformers, Spiderman and Snow White.
