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The Assassination of Bill Kayong, PKR Miri branch secretary…
June 21, 2016
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7 June 2017
FMT News @fmtoday 2 hours ago
Amnesty calls for reopen of investigations into Kayong murder
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PETALING JAYA: The discharge and acquittal of three men, one of whom is said to be the mastermind, of the murder of PKR politician and Sarawak human rights activist Bill Kayong suggests there is no accountability for the crime, says Amnesty International (AI)
Urging the authorities to reopen investigations into the murder, AI Malaysia executive director Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu said it would ensure the perpetrators involved in Kayong’s death be brought to justice.
“The Malaysian authorities must strengthen measures to protect all human rights defenders in Malaysia from attacks, intimidation and harassment.
“Any action in the interest of justice in this case would also ensure Kayong’s family are provided reparations for their great loss,” Shamini said.
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6 June 2017
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Bill Kayong murder: Protests after main suspects freed
Dayak rights activists and late PKR man’s family and friends are angry and distraught as businessman and two others are discharged and acquitted due to lack of evidence.
PETALING JAYA: Protests erupted outside the Miri High Court after three men, including a Sarawak businesman with a ‘Datuk’ title, were discharged and acquitted, on the charge of abetting the murder of Miri PKR secretary and social activist Bill Kayong last June.
The protesters, comprising Dayak rights activists and Kayong’s family and friends, were especially angry and distraught over the release of the businessman, who was said to have masterminded the murder.
While Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, Lie Chang Loon and Chin Wui Chung were all discharged and acquitted without having their defence called, the man accused of pulling the trigger in the mafia-style murder was ordered to enter his defence, The Star reported.
Kayong, 43, whose Muslim name is Mohd Hasbie Abdullah, was gunned down while in his Toyota Hilux vehicle about 8.30am on June 21 at a traffic light intersection at Lutong near E-Mart supermarket in Jalan Miri-Bintulu.
The killing of the Miri PKR leader was believed to be linked to his work as an advocate of social issues, especially on indigenous rights and land issues.
In acquitting the trio, High Court Judge P Ravinthran ruled that the prosecution had failed to furnish evidence linking the trio to the murder.
“The prosecution had failed to establish any evidence linking the trio to the murder. I have to discharge and acquit the three without calling for their defence.
“However, for the first accused Mohd Fitri, I find credible evidence to call him to enter his defence on the murder charge,” Ravinthran was quoted as saying by The Star.
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Tuesday, 6 June 2017 | MYT 1:08 PM
Bill Kayong murder trial: Datuk and two others go free
MIRI: Sarawak businessman Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, who was charged with abetting the mafia-style murder of land activist Bill Kayong last year, has been discharged and acquitted by the Miri High Court.
Lee, 46, was discharged and acquitted without his defence being called.
Two other accused, Lie Chang Loon, 38 and Chin Wui Chung, 51, were similarly discharged and acquitted.
However, the main suspect, Mohamad Fitri Pauz, 30, was ordered to enter his defence and his trial will continue on June 14.
High Court Judge P. Ravinthran ruled that the prosecution had failed to furnish evidence linking the trio to the murder.
He told prosecution officer Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Fuad Abdul Aziz that the court had no choice but to discharge and acquit the three men.
“The prosecution had failed to establish any evidence linking the trio to the murder.
“I have to discharge and acquit the three without calling for their defence.
“However, for the first accused Mohd Fitri, I find credible evidence to call him to enter his defence on the murder charge,” he said.Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/06/06/bill-kayong-murder-trial-datuk-and-two-others-go-free/#Yfij0CtdwUBda4iW.99
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30 Dec 2016
Bill Kayong murder case transferred to High Court
MIRI: Sarawakian businessman Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang – classified by the police as the main suspect in the mafia-style killing of land activist Bill Kayong – had his murder case transferred to the Miri High Court Friday.
He was brought to court Friday morning and produced before magistrate Zuraini Ali Musa for his case to be transferred to the High Court for trial dates to be fixed.
In the charge, the prosecution led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Fadzilla said that Lee together with Lie Chang Loon, Chin Wui Chung and another person still at large had on June 21 at the traffic light near E-Mart at Kuala Baram abetted Mohamad Fitri Pauzi in the murder of Bill Kayong.
The offence is under Section 302 of the Penal Code that carries the mandatory death penalty.
Lee did not make any plea.
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15 Dec 2016
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PKR leader in trouble over FB posting
KUCHING: A state PKR leader has been summoned by police to have his statement recorded over a Facebook posting in which he blamed elected representatives and government officials for the murder of Bill Kayong.
Sarawak PKR deputy information chief Vernon Aji Kedit was accompanied to the police One Stop Service Centre at Simpang Tiga here this evening, by PKR Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, who acted as counsel.
The Facebook posting, made yesterday, was accompanied by two photos of the arrest of murder suspect, Stephen Lee Chee Kiang.
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Vernon, who was PKR’s candidate for the Layar seat in the May state election, said he wanted to raise a “rhetorical” question and did not intend for the posting to be taken literally.
“Maybe, my choice of words were harsh and caused discomfort to some people. So, maybe I should not have used those words. But my point is that it was a rhetorical statement and not a literal statement,” Vernon said.
The police report against Vernon was lodged by Athanasius Audie Chua, a former Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) leader who runs a blog called “Rakan Best Nye Sarawak”.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/12/15/pkr-leader-in-trouble-over-fb-posting/
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Cops to question FB user claiming Datuk ‘not the real criminal’
KUCHING: Police say they will question a Facebook user who posted today that the “Datuk” charged with the Bill Kayong murder was “not the real criminal”.
The person instead blamed elected representatives and government officials.
Sarawak CID chief SAC Dev Kumar said a police report was lodged at the Sekama police station about the Facebook post by a person with the profile name Vernon Aji Kedit.
The post was accompanied by two photos of the arrest of suspect, Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, today.
“He is not the real criminal. The real thieves and murderers are the government/YB/Menteri that gave him the provisional lease over legitimate Dayak NCR (native customary rights) land,” the user posted.
“Which YB/menteri approved the PL and bulih kangtow?”
Dev said police were investigating the report for defamation under Section 500 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.
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Datuk charged in killing of Sarawak activist http://dlvr.it/MtZqSs
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14 Dec 2016
Bill Kayong murder: Prime suspect arrives in Miri, to be charged immediately
MIRI: Dato Stephen Lee will be charged at court at 2pm today for the murder of PKR Miri branch secretary and Bekenu-PKR candidate Bill Kayong, who was shot and killed on June 21.
Lee appeared sullen with his head lowered as he arrived at Miri Airport this morning from Fujian Province, China, where he was caught by the Chinese authorities and subsequently deported.
He had entered China on July 18 and had been there illegally as his passport was terminated by the Immigration Department.
Accompanying Lee was a special police team led by state CID chief Datuk Dev Kumar.
“We had information that the suspect arrived in Fujian Province after he made trips to Singapore and Melbourne,” he told reporters at the airport.
“Perhaps he had relatives or friends there, but the important thing is that we caught him.”
The CID chief had travelled to China to apprehend the suspect, who was then arrested on Dec 12 after the Chinese authorities completed his deportation papers.
Dev added that another suspect, Kong Sien Ming, is still at large and that police are currently tracking his whereabouts.
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Principal suspect caught
Alleged mastermind behind Bill Kayong’s murder caught in China, handed over to Malaysian police
KUCHING: The alleged mastermind behind the murder of Bill Kayong, Dato Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, was arrested last night at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) following his deportation from China.
Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mazlan Mansor confirmed via a press statement that Lee was detained at 7.45pm upon his arrival at KLIA following his arrest in China a day earlier.
“Lee was caught by the Ministry of Public Security in Putiian Fujian Province on Dec 12 and was subsequently handed over to the Malaysian authorities,” Mazlan said.
He added that Lee was deported from Xiamen back to the country under the escort of a special task force led personally by state CID chief Datuk Dev Kumar.
Lee is slated to be escorted to Miri this morning (Dec 14) where he will be immediately charged in court with Bill’s slaying.
When asked whether Lee had just arrived in China, Dev Kumar said the fugitive is believed to have been in hiding there ‘for a while’ prior to his arrest.
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Lee was previously believed to have been in hiding in Melbourne, Australia following the broad-daylight shooting in Miri on June 21.
Information gathered by police at the time indicated that he had flown to Singapore two days after the murder before departing to Australia on July 3.
http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/12/14/principal-suspect-caught/?platform=hootsuite
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GONE TO AUSTRALIA! Learned from Sirul?
See Sirul, our killer in Australia…
The Datuk is now named as Stephen Lee Chee Kiang of Tung Huat Plantation.
Malaysia and Australia have a formal extradition agreement but the latter does not recognise the death penalty – which is sometimes imposed on murder suspects in Malaysia.
It is this setback that has prevented Australia from extraditing former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar, who ran away to the country before his conviction for the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu was upheld.
In Kayong’s case, the mastermind, a Datuk, is said to have fled to Singapore two days after the murder on June 21, before eventually flying to Melbourne, Australia.
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25 September 2016
The state police has stressed that efforts to track down fugitive businessman Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang
KUCHING: The state police has stressed that efforts to track down fugitive businessman Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, the alleged mastermind in the murder of PKR activist Bill Kayong, is ongoing via Interpol Malaysia.
In a statement issued yesterday, State Police Commissioner Datuk Mazlan Mansor said police would not stop in their attempts to pursue Lee, who is currently believed to be in Australia, as well as another still-at-large individual implicated in the murder.
“State police wishes to confirm that efforts are underway through Interpol Malaysia to track down Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, who is now overseas.
“Our efforts will not cease until Datuk Stephen Lee and another still-at-large suspect are brought to face justice,” he said.
Mazlan was responding to a statement by state PKR chief Baru Bian who, in an online news portal, questioned why the alleged mastermind continued to remain free three months after Bill’s slaying.
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23 September 2016
PKR: Why is ‘mastermind killer’ still at large?
Sarawak PKR leader Baru Bian also questions why so many firearms were issued to the suspect’s plantation company.
KUCHING: It has been three months since Bill Kayong was murdered in cold blood, yet the mastermind of the heinous crime remains scot-free, Baru Bian lamented.
The Sarawak PKR leader said he had last month asked whether Interpol had requested for assistance from its Australian counterpart to arrest the chief suspect and whether the Malaysian Government had made a request for the extradition of the suspect.
“However, there has been no answer forthcoming and I wish to ask these questions again.”
Baru said there had been no word or any communication between the Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar and the office of the Federal Commissioner of Police in Australia.
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29 August 2016
Bill Kayong murder: Interpol tracking fugitive Datuk
Sarawak CID chief says no extradition request made as suspect’s whereabouts still uncertain.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Police are liaising with Interpol to track down a fugitive with the title of “Datuk” for allegedly masterminding the murder of Miri PKR Secretary Bill Kayong in June.
Sarawak CID chief Dev Kumar M M Sree Shunmugam said police were awaiting Interpol feedback on the 45-year-old man’s current location after he was last spotted in Singapore on July 3, enroute to Australia.
“We are still in touch with Interpol but have not received any information to date,” he said when contacted by Bernama here today.
Asked if the fugitive would be extradited, he said no decision had been made since his whereabouts were unknown.
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24 August 2016
Malay Mail Online @themmailonline
Sarawak cops in the dark over Aussie sighting of brains in PKR man’s murder
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Sarawak police have no confirmation from their Australian counterparts or Interpol regarding an Australian high commissioner’s revelation that the mastermind in Bill Kayong’s murder has been located.
Commenting on Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Rod Smith’s remarks to the effect during a press conference in Kuching yesterday, Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mazlan Mansor said they needed corroboration to proceed.
“The disclosure was made by Smith, but we are still waiting for official word from the Australians. Investigations are still ongoing but there has been no update from Interpol either,” he was quoted as saying by The Borneo Post news portal.
He also denied that authorities here have frozen the bank accounts and assets of the fugitive, a “Datuk”, but said the move was being considered.
When asked about the possible issues with extraditing the man said to have planned the murder of the Sarawak PKR leader, Mazlan said the police will work within the constraints of existing laws, both domestic and international.
Smith yesterday hinted at the “legal process” of extraditing the fugitive from Australia. Australian law prevents the country from returning a fugitive to any nation where the person may be subject to the death penalty.
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23 August 2016
Bill Kayong’s murder mastermind located in Australia
However, Australia may have issues sending the suspect back here for questioning as the country does not recognise the death penalty in Malaysia.
PETALING JAYA: Australian police have tracked down the whereabouts of the mastermind said to be behind the murder of PKR’s Bill Kayong and hiding there.
However, it is not that easy to bring him home to face justice.
The Malay Mail Online quoted Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Rod Smith as saying the suspect’s extradition to Malaysia “is subject to a legal process in Australia”.
Smith said this after paying a courtesy call to Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem in Kuching today.
He did not elaborate further but the “legal process” could be in reference to the part in Australian law that prevents the country from returning fugitives to any nation where the person could be subject to the death penalty.
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Boss apek bayat tok, Stephen Lee Chee Kiang …http://ec2-54-251-147-140.ap-southeast-1.compute.amazonaws.com/2016/07/plantation-boss-wanted-over-bill-kayong-murder-world-exclusive/
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steadyaku47: Sarawak Report : DATO LEE CHEE KIANG and others at large abetted Fitri Pauzi in murder of Bill Kayong. …http://steadyaku-steadyaku-husseinhamid.blogspot.com/2016/07/sarawak-report-dato-lee-chee-kiang-ic.html?spref=tw
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Boss apek bayat tok, Stephen Lee Chee Kiang …http://ec2-54-251-147-140.ap-southeast-1.compute.amazonaws.com/2016/07/plantation-boss-wanted-over-bill-kayong-murder-world-exclusive/ …
Lee is believed to have fled Sarawak for Australia at about the time Kayong was shot dead in his car at a traffic light in Miri, yet there has been no public notification so far that a Red Notice Alert has been issued for his arrest and we ask if the Australian police are aware that a wanted Malaysian suspected killer is at large and believed to be in their territory?
After all, the charge sheet against Lie Chang Loon who appeared in court last week together with the man accused of shooting Kayong plainly reads:
“..you together with Lee Chee Kiang (I.C. No.: 710816-13-5079) and other persons at large.. abetted one Mohamad Fitri Pauzi ..in the commission of murder of Bill Anak Kayong..”
Named as an abettor in the murder of Bill Kayong in the charges laid against Lie Chang Loon
Tung Huat Plantation Battle
The murder of one of Sarawak’s best known land rights figures was immediately widely suspected as being linked to the gangster timber politics of the state.
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18 July 2016
malaysiakini.com @malaysiakini
S’wak NGOs not surprised by plantation link in Kayong’s murder
A key person of a plantation company had allegedly abetted in the murder of PKR leader Bill Kayong and several environmental NGOs based in Sarawak are not surprised.
As an environmental activist, Kayong had long been involved in defending the locals against land encroachment by plantation companies.
Peter Kallang, chairperson of Save Rivers, said the matter did not come as a surprise as the case in which Kayong was involved in was replete with incidents.
He claimed that a village headman was slashed with a samurai sword and there were threats to torch his house.
Despite police reports lodged, Kallang claimed there were no arrests since the police cited a lack of evidence.
“Kayong didn’t have any enemies, at least not those who would want to kill him.
“So this is not a surprise for us. The land dispute issue has been going on for more than 10 years,” he told Malaysiakini.
Meanwhile, Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (Joas) secretariat director Mark Bujang said after Kayong’s murder, those who knew the Miri PKR branch secretary had suspected that the killing was related to plantation issues.
“But we couldn’t confirm it during the first few days of the murder because we weren’t sure whether it was actually due to this or because of something else.
“Now we can safely say that the company is suspected because the boss, Lee Chee Kiang’s name was mentioned in the charge sheet when the suspected murderer was brought to court the other day,” he said.
Lee had allegedly abetted in the murder of Kayong. He is believed to have fled to Australia, two days after the murder.
Mohamad Fitri Pauzi, 29, was charged with murdering the PKR leader while Lie Chang Loon was charged with abetting in the murder.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/348957
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17 July 2016
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17 July 2016 | MYT 7:41 PM
SUPP denies ‘Datuk’ suspect in Bill Kayong killing is a party member
MIRI: The Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) has reacted angrily to the allegation that the alleged mastermind of the murder of Miri PKR secretary and land rights activist Bill Kayong was a member of the party.
In an official statement released via the party information chief Adam Yii, the party leaders said that the Datuk, who is believed to be in Australia, is not a member of SUPP.
“SUPP is furious with the Sarawak Report for linking the party to the alleged prime suspect in the murder of Bill Kayong.
“The Sarawak Report on July 16 maliciously authoured the article to implicate SUPP with the murder of Bill Kayong. The report was aimed at tarnishing the party image.
“We do not condone the use of any violent acts. In fact SUPP has strongly condemned the killing of Bill Kayong. We want to see justice served and those responsible brought to justice,” said Yii on Sunday.
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Plantation Boss Wanted Over Bill Kayong Murder – WORLD EXCLUSIVE | Sarawak Report …http://ec2-54-251-147-140.ap-southeast-1.compute.amazonaws.com/2016/07/plantation-boss-wanted-over-bill-kayong-murder-world-exclusive/ …
So politically well-connected is (the Dato) that it seems that no one has so far dared to name him in Malaysia.
However, we can reveal that he is squarely cited in the charge sheets against others arrested over the fatal shooting of the land rights hero Bill Kayong, where he is named for having abetted the murder.
Lee is believed to have fled Sarawak for Australia at about the time Kayong was shot dead in his car at a traffic light in Miri, yet there has been no public notification so far that a Red Notice Alert has been issued for his arrest and we ask if the Australian police are aware that a wanted Malaysian suspected killer is at large and believed to be in their territory?
After all, the charge sheet against Lie Chang Loon who appeared in court last week together with the man accused of shooting Kayong plainly reads:
“..you together with Lee *** *** (I.C. No.: 710816-13-5079) and other persons at large.. abetted one Mohamad Fitri Pauzi ..in the commission of murder of Bill Anak Kayong..”
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‘Datuk’ suspect in Kayong’s murder believed to be in Australia
Police have confirmed that a suspect with the title of ‘Datuk’, who is being hunted for the killing of the Miri Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) branch secretary Bill Kayong, is believed to be in Australia.
Sarawak CID chief SAC Dev Kumar MM Sree Shunmugam said the suspect fled abroad on June 23, two days after the incident.
“We will use the existing legal channels to bring the suspect back,” he said when contacted today.
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/348851?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
New Straits Times Slaying of Bill Kayong: Suspect with ‘Datuk’ title believed to be in Australia
When asked about two other suspects who were also being hunted, Dev Kumar said they were believed to be still in the country and efforts to detect them were ongoing.
Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/07/158967/slaying-bill-kayong-suspect-datuk-title-believed-be-australia
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