Thursday, March 28, 2024

UNCLAIMED MONIES RM11 Billion - Find the owners or their heirs, and return it. Do not take the people's monies?

UNCLAIMED MONIES - now the government is making plans to take people's monies after 10 YEARS. After all, we are talking about RM11 billion Plus.

The government has all the information of people in Malaysia(especially citizens) - therefore FINDING the people to return UNCLAIMED Monies really should not be a PROBLEM. If the owner of the monies is DEAD, then return it to the heirs.

Bank Accounts - Many people have many different bank accounts, including fixed deposits. They may change banks and open new accounts when they move to a different location, or even change an employer (as many employers desire the employee wages to be deposit in a account of particular bank). This means that they will have many bank accounts, and they may forget more so since most banks have stopped sending monthly bank statements.

Some account holders may have DIED - and their family/heirs are unaware of these 'other' bank accounts/etc.

Some may have become OLD and forgotten about their accounts, maybe by reason of Alzheimer, Dementia or simply old age..Even young people can forget.

This is similar with other investments, shares and stock. 

When they changed address, some may have failed to inform the bank of their change of address. Further, the postal service is not as good as it was before - and most times, they do not even send by A.R.(acknowledge receipt) Registered Post, where the recipient will have to acknowledge receipt of the letters/statement by SIGNING on the A.R. Registered Card.(After the Covid 19 pandemic, things have changed - now letters are just dumped into letter boxes(without any confirmation of receipt by the receiver)

PROBLEMS 

# Bank Statements - well, now the bank does not send out monthly paper printed statements > so people can forget(Maybe, Banks should at the very least send statements once in every 6 months - this will help people remember, and also allow them to check the statements to find out is there is anything wrong. YES - it is possible to get statements online, but the process is NOT EASY especially for those not internet savvy. {Personally, I too do not know all the Bank Account numbers and it is difficult to even access statements online). With no statements or bank books, it becomes more difficult to remember bank accounts and their numbers - then, it was easier, just check your passbook or the recent bank statement. ATM or Debit Cards do not disclose the account numbers...mmmm

2nd problem - is bank accounts and even fixed deposits are becoming 'inactive' faster these days - and then the RISK of being send to UNCLAIMED Monies. A bank officer said for an account to be 'active' there must be deposits and withdrawal. Last time, this was not an issue and then they said that if there is 'no activity' for 1 year, and now someone said it has been shortened to 6 months - the said monies will be sent to UNCLAIMED MONIES. For FD, it is 5 -7 years for some banks. EITHER way, at least once a year, banks should send a statement to the owners. This could also be GOOD for tax purposes, where the owner will be able to more accurately calculate taxable incomes.

Sadly, when the monies are sent to UNCLAIMED MONIES, the monies stop earning INTEREST that banks will provide > no more income generating. {Suggest that even these UNCLAIMED Monies should continue to be income generating for the TRUE owners - not just the government. Maybe unclaimed monies should remain in banks to continue earning interests?

Last year, the Deputy Finance Minister said the amount of monies belonging to Malaysians(and/or their families, heirs and dependents is about RM11 BILLION.

So, the government, rather than TAKING IT should really return all these 'unclaimed monies' to their owners(or those now entitled). The government, with all the personal data, will be in the position to identify/find these owners(or their heirs, family) and return it.

It is so SAD that the government is now trying to amend the laws, so that these UNCLAIMED monies can be absorbed by the government sooner - reducing it from 15 years to 10 years. The amending Bill is in Parliament.

PROPOSED amendments to the Unclaimed Moneys Act 1965 will allow the government to consider unclaimed money as revenue after 10 years.

Under the existing law, unclaimed money previously held by companies and lodged with the Registrar of Unclaimed Moneys is to be credited into the Consolidated Trust Account.

After a lapse of 15 years, the unclaimed money under the trust fund is to be transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Account.

The proposed amendments to Section 11 under the Act will see the 15-year period shortened to 10 years.
 
Like KWSP/EPF and TRUST FUNDS, unclaimed monies should generate REVENUE for the owner(or their heirs) - not REVENUE for the Government - for these are people's OWN money.


More than RM11 billion unclaimed by Malaysians, says Deputy Finance Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM11.2 billion in unclaimed money belonging to the public has not been claimed as of April 30, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said out of the amount, 70 per cent of the money was from inactive bank accounts of seven years and more.Ads by

He also said the unclaimed money was mainly made up of bonuses and dividend payouts as well as trading accounts.

"A total of RM3.2 billion was returned to the public as of yesterday.

"The unclaimed money involved bonuses and dividend payouts in a year's period as well as money in trading accounts between companies and suppliers.

"Of the total amount, 70 per cent of the unclaimed money is from inactive bank accounts of seven years and more," Ahmad said.

He was responding to a question by Fong Kui Lun (Pakatan Harapan-Bukit Bintang), who asked the government to state the amount of accumulated unclaimed money and the proposals on how to utilise the money for national development.

The unclaimed money, said Ahmad, is being held in a consolidated trust account by the Registrar of Unclaimed Moneys in the Accountant-General's Department.

He added that RM10 billion has been put under a fixed deposit account and the yearly profit of RM250 million will be channelled back after 10 years for the development and wellbeing of the people.

Meanwhile, he said that the government will consider setting up an educational fund and scholarship to assist students with financial implications through the unclaimed money.

"It can be considered. However, we have no plans at the moment (to establish the fund) as our focus now is to return the unclaimed money to the public.

"Hence, those who want to claim their money, please go to the Accountant-General's Department official portal and claim your money.

"You can fill out the form and once it is completed, you will receive the money between 14 to 30 days time." - NST, 24/5/2023



Unclaimed money set to go to govt after 10 years




PROPOSED amendments to the Unclaimed Moneys Act 1965 will allow the government to consider unclaimed money as revenue after 10 years.

Under the existing law, unclaimed money previously held by companies and lodged with the Registrar of Unclaimed Moneys is to be credited into the Consolidated Trust Account.

After a lapse of 15 years, the unclaimed money under the trust fund is to be transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Account.

The proposed amendments to Section 11 under the Act will see the 15-year period shortened to 10 years.

Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan (pic) tabled the amendments for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

He informed Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor that the government intends to pass the proposed amendments during the current Parliament meeting.

Also to be amended is the definition of unclaimed money under a new Section 2A.

The term “unclaimed moneys” will refer to all sums of money legally payable to the owner and have remained unpaid for a period of not less than two years after they have become payable.

The existing definition under Section 8 states that the period when payable money is deemed unclaimed if it remains unpaid is not less than one year.

Unclaimed funds to the credit of an account that the owner has not used in any way for a minimum of seven years are defined as being “unchanged”.

This also includes the credit of a trade account that has remained dormant for a period of not less than two years.

Other notable proposed amendments include the inclusion of a new Section 4A that gives power to the Finance Minister to appoint any officer in the government service to be the Registrar of Unclaimed Moneys.

The Minister may also appoint officers in the government service to be Deputy Registrars and Assistant Registrars.

The current Parliament meeting started on Feb 26 and ends on March 27.  - Star, 12/3/2024







Wednesday, March 27, 2024

赵明福命案的转型正义:起诉造成他死亡的反贪会官员及尽速公布真相 - covered by Chinese language media - Oriental Daily, China Press and Malaysiakini

When the Media fails to report on Human Rights and Justice issues, even when Groups issue statements, is not the Media shirking its responsibilities, especially in upholding the cause of justice. 

#The statement was carried in media listed below

Malaysiakini: https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/700504

 


国际真相权日公民社会联合声明,2024年3月24日于吉隆坡发出。

 

赵明福命案的转型正义:起诉造成他死亡的反贪会官员及尽速公布真相

 

我们,签署此联合声明的民间组织,对15年前于反贪委员会拘留所致死赵明福的加害人至今未被提控杀害或其它罪名表达极大关注。正义原则要求犯罪者必须受到起诉,受到公正审判,如果罪名成立,则应受到相应的判决。

 

赵明福是时任雪州行政议员兼州议员欧阳捍华的政治助理。2008年,欧阳捍华所属的反对党联盟民联,首次击败由巫统领导的国阵政府,赢得雪兰莪州政权。当时国阵仍掌控联邦中央政权。

 

2009年,联邦政府管辖的反贪委员会正式对7名雪兰莪州民联州议员展开调查,其中也包括欧阳捍华政治助理赵明福。外界普遍认为反贪会的行动是国阵政府在州选举失利后进行的政治报复行为。

 

赵明福于2009715日被反贪会逮捕并拘留。2009716日下午130分他被发现卧尸于玛莎南大楼5楼的开放阳台上。雪兰莪反贪会的办公室位于同座大楼14楼。赵明福被指从 14 楼的窗户被扔下、推下或跌下,并坠落到 5楼的公开阳台上。

 

2011 年,赵明福案件皇家调查委员会在结论中指出,赵明福是“被迫自杀”或因反贪会官员采用过激审讯方法而导致其死亡。皇家调查委员会指名致死赵明福过程中扮演积极角色的三个反贪会官员:Hishamuddin Hashim以及他的下属Mohamad Anuar IsmailAshraf Mohd Yunus这意味该行为已触犯法纪,并且可能存在造成死亡的酷刑。我们认为,皇家调查委员指赵明福“自杀”的说法是错误的。

 

虽然死因调查庭做出悬案判决,但是201495日上诉庭推翻该判决。上诉庭裁决赵明福的死亡是由一名或多名身份不明的人加速和导致的,其中包括反贪会官员。决定性的证据是赵明福颈部有坠楼前的伤口。

 

2015512日,已故赵明福家属提出民事诉讼,要求反贪委员会、政府及其他12人因疏忽导致赵明福的死亡负上责任。案件还未进入全面审理的情况下,被告与家属达致协议,同意向原告支付 60万令吉赔偿金,高庭法官 Rosnaini Saub 也指示被告支付 6万令吉庭费。这笔赔偿金极有可能仅由政府支付,其他被点名的反贪会官员无需分担赔偿金和庭费。

 

转型正义旨在承认受害者,提升个人对国家机构的信任,加强对人权的尊重并促进法治,以此作为实现和解及防止新的侵权行为的一个步骤。转型正义有四个支柱,即:(一) 寻求真相、(二) 起诉、(三) 赔偿、(四) 制度改革。

 

尽管2015512日的民事诉讼可能已解决了赔偿问题,但转型正义的其它支柱,特别是寻求真相和起诉涉案者仍未实现。

 

迄今为止,尚未有人因杀害或致死赵明福,或者其他违法行为(包括违法盘问行为和剥夺获得自己选择的律师的权利)而受到起诉和审判。加害人不能“被庇护”或以“受到纪律处分”的方式敷衍带过。触犯法纪者必须依法被起诉和审判,一旦被定罪则受到公正的裁决。

 

支付赔偿或损害款额,却让真正的加害人免于惩罚,这不是正义。

 

2009年的第一次警方调查没有导致任何人被起诉和审判。

 

2014年上诉庭裁决赵明福的死亡是 “由一名或多名身份不明的人包括反贪会官员所导致”后,警方启动另一轮调查,但也没任何明显结果。

 

当反对党联盟希盟于2018年大选击败国阵及入主布城后,警方对赵明福案件展开另一次调查。2024311日,内政部长Saifuddin Nasution在国会上表示,警方已完成调查,并已于20238月将报告提呈给总检察署。警方的拖延调查令人难以接受。

 

警方报告提呈给总检察署已将近8个月,却还没人因违法杀害赵明福及相关事项而在法庭上被起诉。

 

整个调查过程缺乏透明度,也根本没有理由拖延。

 

因此,我们,签署此联合声明的民间团体呼吁:

 

1.  立即起诉所有杀害或导致赵明福死亡的反贪委员会官员或其他人;

 

2.  立即起诉所有以违法方式进行盘问的官员,包括可能造成赵明福坠楼前颈部受伤的酷刑;

 

3.  立即披露导致赵明福死亡的全部真相;

 

4.  落实必要的制度改革,以确保未来不再有人在反贪会的拘留下或在反贪会死亡。整个反贪会办公室或建筑物都必须设有闭路电视监控系统,以保障嫌疑人或证人的权利,同时阻止反贪会官员进行不当行为。反贪委员会绝不能否决嫌疑人或证人立即联系自己选择的律师的权利

 

5.  不仅是政府和反贪委员会应该向赵明福的家人和朋友真诚道歉,所有涉案的个别反贪会官员也应该道歉;

 

6.  呼吁马来西亚修改相关法律和实践,以确保执法机构遵守法律,并且不再发生警方或反贪委员会侵犯嫌疑人或证人权利的情况。扣留所死亡必须被终止;

 

7.  呼吁马来西亚核准联合国《禁止酷刑和其他残忍、不人道或有辱人格的待遇或处罚公约》。 


List of Endorsees 联署单位:

 

1. Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement (TBH-ADA) 赵明福民主促进会

2. Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET) 马来西亚反对死刑和酷刑组织

3.    Advancing Knowledge in Democracy and Law (AKDL) initiative

4.    Agora Society 群议社

5.    Aliran

6.    Baramkini 当今峇南

7.    Beyond Borders Malaysia

8.    Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) Asia Pacific Regional Office

9.    Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC) 

10. Citizens Against Enforced Disappearances (CAGED)

11. Civil Rights Committee of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall 隆雪华堂民权委员会

12. Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH) 干净与公正选举联盟

13. Eliminating Deaths And Abuse In Custody Together (EDICT) 消除拘留所死亡虐待阵线

14. Empower

15. Freedom Film Network

16. G25 Malaysia

17. GERAK

18.  Happy Learning Books 學樂書苑

19. Hayat

20. Johor Yellow Flame 柔南黄色行动小组

21. Lightup Borneo

22. KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) 吉隆坡暨雪兰莪中华大会堂

23. Malaysia Muda

24. Malaysian Action for Justice and Unity (MAJU)

25. Mamas Bersih 净选盟母亲团  

26. Melaka Chinese Assembly Hall 马六甲中华大会堂

27. Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN)

28. National Union of Transport Equipment & Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW)

29. Negeri Sembilan Chinese Assembly Hall 森美兰中华大会堂 

30. New Era Power Alliance新院新时代力量联盟

31. New Generation of Universiti Malaya 馬大新世代

32. New Student Movement Alliance of Malaysia (NESA) 大马新学运联盟

33. North South Initiative

34. P320 Community Space (P320社区空间)

35. Pemuda Pertubuhan Penganut Dewa Heng Soon Kong Tai Bak Gong Senai Johor柔佛州士乃恒顺港大伯公庙青年团

36. Persatuan Amal Progresif

37. Persatuan Bertutur Bahasa Mandarin Malaysia 马来西亚讲华语运动

38. Persatuan Komuniti Prihatin Selangor, KL & Perak 雪隆社区关怀协会

39. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor

40. Persatuan Siswazah-Siswazah Taiwan Cheng Kung Universiti, Malaysia馬來西亞留台成功大學校友會

41. Persatuan Tiong Hua Negeri Sembilan  森美兰华人益赛会

42. Persatuan Wanita Maju Selangor & Kuala Lumpur  雪隆妇女前进会

43. Pusat Komas

44. Rahman Solidarity League 拉曼团结联盟

45. Rahman Student League 拉曼学生联盟

46. Sahabat Rakyat Working Committee 人民之友工委会

47. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)

48. Sedarjat

49. Society for the Promotion of Human RightsProham

50. Stateless.my

51.  Student Progressive Front (SPF) 北方大学前进阵线

52. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) 人民之声

53.  Sunflower Electoral Education Movement(SEED) 向日葵选举教育运动

54. University of Malaya Association of New Youth (UMANY) 马大新青年

55. WH4C (Workers Hub For Change)

56. Youth Section of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall 隆雪华堂青年团

 


Civil Society Joint Statement on International Day for the Right to Truth, on 24 March 2024 in Kuala Lumpur.

 

Transitional Justice for Teoh Beng Hock must include the prosecution and charging of the individual MACC officers who caused his death, and a disclosure of the TRUTH. 

  

We, the undersigned groups and civil society organizations, express our grave concern that the perpetrators responsible for the wrongful death of Teoh Beng Hock, fifteen years after his death whilst in the custody of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), have yet to be prosecuted for the killing or matters related. Justice demands that those that committed crimes must be charged, accorded a fair trial, and if convicted be sentenced accordingly.

 

Teoh Beng Hock, was then the political aide to the Selangor State Executive Councilor and State Assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, from the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition that finally managed to win the 2008 State election defeating the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional (BN) government for the very first time, The BN, however retained power at the Federal Government.

 

In 2009, MACC, under the federal government, launched an investigation into 7 Selangor State assemblypersons from Pakatan Rakyat. Teoh Beng Hock was an aide of one of them. Many perceived the actions of MACC as a retaliation by the then BN government that lost the Selangor State elections.

 

Teoh Beng Hock was arrested and detained by the MACC on 15/7/2009, and he was then found dead at 1.30pm on 16/7/2009 on a ledge outside the window on the 5th Floor of Plaza Masalam, where the Selangor MACC office was on the 14th floor. He was allegedly dropped, pushed or fallen out of the 14th floor window and landed on the 5th floor ledge.

 

In 2011, the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) concluded that Teoh was “driven to suicide” or death due to aggressive interrogation methods deployed by MACC officers. It named three officers as playing a role in his death: Hishamuddin Hashim, and his junior officers Mohamad Anuar Ismail and Ashraf Mohd Yunus. This implied that the law had been broken, and possibly there was torture that may have caused death. The RCI, in our opinion, erred in suggesting that it was suicide.

 

The Coroner gave an open verdict, which was varied by the Court of Appeal on 5/9/2014 that ruled that Teoh’s death was accelerated and caused by one or more unknown persons, including MACC officers. The decisive evidence was that Teoh’s neck had a pre-fall injury.

 

On 12/5/2015, the civil suit brought by the late Teoh Beng Hock's family against the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Government and 12 others for negligence over his death was settled by the Defendants without the case going to full trial. The defendants agreed to pay the plaintiffs RM600,000 in damages, and High Court judge Justice Rosnaini Saub also instructed the defendants to pay costs of RM60,000. It is most likely that the Government only paid, and none of the other Defendants including the named MACC officers had to share in the burden of payment of damages and cost.

 

Transitional justice aims to provide recognition to victims, enhance the trust of individuals in State institutions, reinforce respect for human rights and promote the rule of law, as a step towards reconciliation and the prevention of new violations. Transitional justice has four pillars: 1) Truth seeking; 2) Prosecution; 3) Reparations; and 4) Institutional reforms.

 

Whilst the settlement in the Civil Suit on 12/5/2015 may have settled the question of reparations, the other pillars of transitional justice especially truth seeking and prosecution remains.

 

No one to date has yet to be charged and tried for the killing/death of Teoh Beng Hock, or other matters that broke the law including illegal interrogation practices and the deprivation of access to a lawyer of his choice. The perpetrator cannot be simply be ‘protected’ or dealt with ‘disciplinary actions’. Those who broke the law must be charged and tried in accordance to the law, and if convicted be sentenced justly.

 

Paying of compensation or damages, and allowing the actual perpetrators off scot free is not JUSTICE.

 

The 1st police investigation in 2009 did not result in anyone being charged and tried.

 

Another police investigation was commenced in 2014 after the Court of Appeal’s finding that the death was ‘caused by one or more unknown persons, including MACC officers’ also did result in any visible outcome.

 

When the Opposition Pakatan Harapan came into power after ousting the BN in the General Elections in 2018, the police commenced another investigation into the death. On 11 March 2024, in Parliament, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution said the police had completed the investigation and submitted the report to the Attorney-General Chamber (AGC) in August 2023. Such delay in police investigation is not acceptable.

 

Almost 8 months have passed since police report has been submitted to the AGC, and no one has yet been charged in Court for the killing and/or related matters surrounding the extrajudicial killing of Teoh Beng Hock.

 

There is a lack of transparency as to what is happening, and simply no justification for the delays.

 

Therefore, we, the undersigned call for

 

1)    The immediate charging and prosecution of all MACC Officers or others that killed and/or caused the death of Teoh Beng Hock;


2)    The immediate charging and prosecution of all Officers that broke the law in their conduct of investigations, including possibly torture that may have caused the pre-fall injuries on Teoh Beng Hock’s neck;


3)    The immediate disclosure of the full TRUTH of what happened that led to the death of Teoh Beng Hock,


4)    Ensure the needed institutional reforms so that no one else will ever die in MACC’s custody or at MACC. CCTV in the entire MACC office/building is needed to protect suspect or witness rights and to deter wrongdoings of MACC officers. The right to immediate access to a lawyer of the suspects/witness’s choice must never be denied;


5)    For a sincere apology be given to the family and friends of the late Teoh Beng Hock not just by the government and MACC, but also by the individual MACC officers responsible;


6)    Call on Malaysia to amend needed laws and practices to ensure that law enforcement complies with the law, and there is no more violation of suspect/witness’s rights in police or MACC’s custody. Death in custody must end.


7)    Call on Malaysia to ratify The Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

 

END