Allegations of graft flood in

The lead story in Guang Ming Daily today reported that a flood victim, Wong Yee Ken of Segamat, had lodged a police report on how he was forced to bribe a military officer to take food and drinks to his customers and staff who were trapped in his hair salon and also to rescue them by boat.

The report, lodged at 5.20pm yesterday (Police Report Number SEGAMAT/007292/06), confirms widespread rumours about military personnel demanding bribes from flood victims in Segamat last week. The allegations had also appeared in a Chinese-language website, www.segamat.8talk.net.

The content of the police report is as follow:

“Pada 20/12/2006 jam lebih kurang 2130 hours semasa saya berada di simpang jambatan kedua ke Sri Genuang. Ada 2 buah bot tentera ada di situ dan saya minta pertolongan mereka untuk menghantar makanan dan minuman kepada pelanggan dan orang kerja saya di kedai gunting rambut Feiwan, Jalan Genuang. Salah seorang daripada tentera tersebut yang berpakaian uniform telah meminta wang kepada saya untuk pergi
menghantar makanan ke kedai tersebut. Saya terpaksa membayar RM250 kepada tentera tersebut. Tujuan saya buat laporan ini kerana tidak puas hati terhadap perkara ini. Sekian laporan saya.”

Guang Ming Daily today reported how Wong said that on the night of Dec 20, the military personnel agreed to rescue seven people who were stranded in his saloon in return for a RM250 bribe. But after money exchanged hands, only three persons of the seven were moved to safer grounds.

Last week, after I highlighted claims military personnel were taking bribe from flood victims, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak immediately denied the allegations. It is very irresponsible of him to deny the allegations without first carrying out an investigation.

As a police report has now been lodged, I urge Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, as Defence Minister, to order a thorough investigation into the allegations and to take stern action against those involved in the alleged bribery incidents.

Army Lacking in Rescue Strategies

During a visit by DAP leaders to Segamat on Dec 24, victims told us they hardly saw any military rescue boats on the first day of the flood. We were also told that the rescue teams were not well-versed in rescue strategies and lacked coordination. For example, there were seven or eight soldiers in some of the boats, which made it impossible for them to ferry more flood victims in the boats.

Many of the townspeople were rescued by a group of fishing enthusiasts using their private boats. It appears they, not the soldiers, were the first group of rescuers on the scene who risked their lives going out in their under-powered boats to help save lives. I strongly urge the government to give special recognition to this group of unsung heroes who rescued hundreds before official rescuers arrived.

Relief Funds should also be given to Victims who did not stay in Government-run Relief Centres

The flood victims in Segamat are dissatisfied that the relief fund application forms require flood victims in Johor to name the location of the relief centre. This means victims who did not stay in official relief centres are not entitled to funds. This is very unfair on those who have sought refuge in NGO premises, temples, commercial buildings, relatives’ and friends’ homes. There was a report in the press about a generous couple in Segamat who housed 90 flood victims on the first day of the flash floods. These 90, and many more, are likely to miss out on relief fund if commonsense does not prevail.

As a second wave of floods may be coming, it is imperative that Najib looks into all the complaints made by the flood victims, particularly the cases involving military personnel who demanded bribes from the victims. He should immediately carry out a prompt investigation into the issue and take the necessary disciplinary action against the culprits, as their actions have seriously tarnished the image of the military and the flood rescue efforts by the government.

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http://www.guangming.com.my/content.phtml?sec=16&artid=200612282276

（昔加末訊）昔市水災區的一名理髮廳經理，今日（週四，28日）向警方舉報一名向他索取250令吉才肯開艇救人的軍官。

這是柔佛世紀大水災爆發以來，首宗舉報軍人索賄救人的案件。軍人未善盡救人之責，反而趁”水”打劫的謠言自水災爆發以來便傳遍柔佛，但當地卻遲遲未有受害者挺身舉報歛財軍人。

較後，首相阿都拉更呼吁那些發現有人趁水災發災難財的公眾即刻報警。

首相的呼吁激發了46歲男子黃裕權的勇氣，他週四下午在《光明日報》昔加末主任黃勝龍的陪同下，向警方和盤托出他遭軍官索賄的過程。

黃裕權是昔市銀旺路旺帝高級女子理髮廳的經理。案發時，理髮廳樓下水浸至4呎高，導致7名顧客和十餘名職員被困在樓上。

水災隔天，即上週三（20日），他在麻坡路一間雜貨店買了3箱快熟麵和1箱礦泉水，然後設法托人乘艇送到理髮廳給受困顧客和職員食用。

他說，為了把7名顧客救到安全之處，他曾嘗試撥電到救災中心求助，結果和大多數人一樣，求助無門。過後，他在一名當消拯員的朋友的建議下，向昔市警局投報和求助。

兜轉2小時只救一家五口

下午3點多，他離開警局時，一批軍人和6艘軍艇的出現讓他靈光一閃。他馬上跟著這群軍人到斯里銀旺廣場銜接第二橋的積水處，苦苦請求軍人讓他上艇，以把糧食送到理髮廳去。很幸運的，這批軍人允許他帶著糧食上艇。

他披露，軍艇載著他兜兜轉轉兩個小時間，只在一個花園救出一家5口。較後，軍人更聲稱因水流湍急，不能載他到理髮廳送糧，接著便直接把軍艇駕回銀旺廣場小路。

他下艇後又苦苦哀求一名軍官相助，軍官表示天色已暗，且同僚也十分疲倦，所以他們無法再繼續救災。正當他失望地準備離開時，這名軍官忽然改口，叫他”繳付一點費用”，救人心切的他馬上將250令吉交給對方。

斥軍官收了錢不守諾
說好載7人卻只載2顧客

英勇舉報軍人索賄的理髮廳經理黃裕權說，軍人收了他250令吉後，答應把他的7名顧客救離災區，可是軍人言而無信，只載走3名，留下4名顧客繼續受困。

他說，軍艇可載14人，當時艇上只有7人，他和索賄的軍官達成協議，要把他的7名顧客救出來。他撥電聯絡員工，要7名顧客準備好上艇。

軍艇從斯里銀旺廣場小路開駛，從麥氏藥房以蛇形在急流中行駛，好不容易才泊在銀旺路多多投注站旁。他把糧食交給店員，叫7名顧客準備上艇時，一名軍人卻說只能載兩名顧客，而且要他從7名中挑選2名。

他聽了怒火高漲，心想︰軍人怎能言而無信，明明講好載7人，如今要他選2名，他如何在顧客中挑選？

經過一番爭執理論，軍人答應把2名顧客增加1名，即讓3名顧客上艇，另4名顧客失望地看著軍艇離開。

過後，軍艇到100公尺外的文華酒店，載兩名巫裔女郎離開。

他相信，軍人是為了載送兩名女郎，才棄下他的4名顧客不理。他在斯里銀旺廣場小路下艇後，無奈的向收賄軍官攤開雙手，
向對方表示他怎能言而無信。這名軍官面無表情說對不起。

黃裕權聲明

我看到副首相叫災民拿出軍人索賄才救人的證據的報導後，決定報警請政府徹查此事，以揪出那名”吃錢”的軍官。

我曾聽到不少”軍人收錢才救人”的謠言，而我個人也親身經歷了”軍官收了我250令吉才答應救人”的事件。

我是一名納稅人，每年繳稅給政府，這些軍人竟然乘水災斂財。
人在現場
抖出真相讓當局知道

軍人索賄救人的傳言在昔縣災區傳開，如星火燎原。我決定要查出真相。採訪經驗告訴我，這是一項不簡單的任務，試問有誰敢敢站出來舉報軍人？

我借用人際網絡放出風聲，要他們找出受害者。同村一名王姓友人爆料，聽說銀旺路旺帝理髮廳的經理阿旺，繳付了一些費用給軍人。

週一（25日）下午，我登上這間在二樓的理髮廳，櫃台一名小姐說經理不在。我把我的職業、姓名和聯絡方法交給她，晚上接到阿旺的電話，我就過去找他。

他一五一十陳述案發經過，說他如何到雜貨店買快熟面和礦泉水、如何求助無門、如何到警局報警、如何向軍人求助、如何把250令吉交給對方等。

我聽完後，很認真地告訴他︰希望你去報案，讓政府知道真相。

他回報一個微笑，不置可否。我那時猜想，說不定這條漢子膽敢去報案。

週二（26日），我約了他在麻坡一間馬來食店喝茶，他說朋友都鼓勵他去報案，把這些事情都抖出來。我問他要幾時去報案？他說︰不是不報，時機未到。我只好等他的時機來到。

這兩天，他一邊打掃水劫後的家園，一邊四處徵詢律師友人的意見。週三（27日）晚上，時機終於到了，他答應︰”好，明天（28日）我們去報案。”

週四（28日）下午，我陪他報案後走出警局，互道再見時，他的嘴角又揚起那個熟悉的微笑。我不禁豎起拇指告訴他︰你真的是一條漢子！

點評
他，是”勇氣”的代言人

文：黃嘉芳

一場毫無預警的水災，牽出人性的善，也引出人性的惡。

這場肆虐南馬的洪水，一邊廂牽動萬民善念，讓南馬頻頻上演溫馨水中接送情，但另一邊廂卻誘發一些無良人士的惡念，導致一些災民被迫”繳錢”乘船保命。

許多災民雖面對不合理的要求，但卻為了自保而默不作聲，助長這些斂財軍官的氣焰。所幸，我們還有不畏強權的黃裕權。

他勇敢挺身舉報軍官索賄救人的事件的作法，不僅有助政府對付這些斂財軍官，同時也足以激發沉默群眾的公民意識，向他們宣示”發聲維護民眾權利”的實質意義。

在這場南馬世紀大水災中，他，是”勇氣”的代言人。 （光明日報‧2006/12/28）