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WORLD NEWS Saturday 20 OctOber 2018

Malaysia ex-deputy PM charged with graft, money laundering

By EILEEN NG placards accusing the new
Associated Press government of adopting a
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia “rule of the jungle” in an at-
(AP) — Malaysia’s former tempt to cripple the party.
deputy prime minister was UMNO was the linchpin of
charged Friday with abuse the former ruling alliance,
of power, corruption and which has since disband-
money laundering involv- ed, but the party still holds
ing millions of dollars in an- about a fifth of parliamen-
other graft investigation tary seats.
against leaders ousted in Zahid, 65, was freed after
elections earlier this year. posting bail. He told sup-
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who porters that he considered
now leads the opposition the 45 charges against him
after his party was de- as a “test from Allah.” He in-
feated in the May general dicated most of the money
elections, was brought to was meant for charity such
court a day after he was as to build orphanages,
detained by the anti-graft mosques and other welfare
agency. programs, and that he will
Zahid pleaded not guilty clear his name in court.
to 10 counts of criminal “Whatever the public opin-
breach of trust involving ion is, I leave it to Allah to
nearly 21 million ringgit ($5 United Malays National Organization’s (UMNO) Pexresident Ahmad Zahid Hamidi waves as he decide. Allah willing, with
million) in his family-run wel- walks into courtroom at Kuala Lumpur High Court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. all the good things I have
fare group, eight counts of Associated Press done with the intention of
abusing power as home 72 million ringgit ($17.3 mil- support his former deputy. time since independence upholding Allah’s religion,
minister to receive bribes lion). Zahid took over as presi- from Britain in 1957. I hope Allah will protect
worth over 21 million ring- Former Prime Minister Na- dent of the United Malays Dozens of UMNO mem- me,” Zahid said. Each of
git for various projects in- jib Razak, who along with National Organization, or bers rallied outside the the charges against him
cluding the supply of pass- his wife was also charged UMNO, after Najib stepped court complex, slamming carries a prison term of
port chips, and another 27 with graft after the elec- down following their coali- the charges as politically up to 20 years, plus heavy
counts of laundering about tions, appeared in court to tion’s defeat for the first motivated. They carried fines.q

Japan orders maker to fix questionable quake shock absorbers

By MARI YAMAGUCHI ed apartment buildings,
Associated Press hospitals, sports halls, hotels
TOKYO (AP) — The Japa- and other facilities. Those
nese government on Fri- were the only facilities that
day ordered a company had given permission to be
that falsified quality data identified publicly, KYB ex-
for earthquake “shock ab- ecutive Keisuke Saito told
sorbers” used in hundreds reporters in a news con-
of buildings to speed up ference at the Ministry of
an investigation and fix any Land, Infrastructure and
problems quickly. Transportation. The ministry
KYB Corp. said this week was among the buildings
that it and a subsidiary identified as one of 11 sites
had been faking data on whose quake-absorbing
the equipment designed equipment failed to meet
to absorb quake shakings government quality stan-
since the early 2000s. The dards. A fire station in Ao-
materials allegedly were mori in northern Japan, the
used in some venues for Aichi prefectural govern-
the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, ment building in central Ja-
including a swimming pool pan and prefectural build-
that is under construction, ings in Osaka and Kobe
and the Tokyo Skytree, the were also on that list.
city’s landmark 634-meter “We are so sorry for our in-
(2,080-foot)-high broad- appropriate actions,” Saito
cast tower. KYB Corp. Senior Managing Executive Officer Keisuke Saito, right, and its affiliated firm Kayaba said. KYB said another 17
It’s the latest in a slew of System Machinery Co., Ltd. President Shigeki Hirokado attend a press conference in Tokyo Friday, local government buildings
data manipulation cases Oct. 19, 2018. had failed to meet higher
at automakers, steel mak- Associated Press standards set by building
ers and other manufac- in Japan, where densely earthquakes. the shock absorbers would owners, while the status of
turers that have tarnished populated cities are care- The construction minister fail. KYB on Friday identi- 42 others, including the Fi-
Japan’s reputation for hon- fully engineered to take and experts say the false fied only 70 central and nance Ministry building in
est craftsmanship. The is- into account risks from data do not mean the local government offices downtown Tokyo, was not
sue is of special concern frequent, often powerful buildings equipped with among nearly 1,000 affect- known. q