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Suicidal S. Koreans plunging into Seoul waterway

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 10:23 PM PDT

SEOUL: A total of 301 South Koreans tried to kill themselves by jumping into the Han River in Seoul last year and 115 of them succeeded, a lawmaker said, calling for extra precautions.

Kim Choong-Joh, a legislator with the opposition Democratic Party, wants the early installation of CCTV systems on major bridges or weight sensors on railings to detect suicide attempts.

Kim, citing data from police and the Seoul rescue agency in a statement seen Tuesday, said a total of 1,480 people had plunged into the broad Han River, which bisects the capital, between 2006 and last month.

Of these, 522 died, he said, giving figures which indicate a suicide death every four days.

The figure for suicide bids in the Han grew from 261 in 2006 to 301 last year.

Police said earlier this year that suicidal people were increasingly choosing the river instead of subway stations after platform screen doors were installed at many stations.

South Korea has one of the world's highest suicide rates, with 15,413 taking their lives in 2009 in the country of 48.6 million. -- AFP

Former UKM lecturer freed after winning appeal against cheating

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 10:20 PM PDT

SHAH ALAM: The High Court today acquitted and discharged a former Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia lecturer whom a lower court had sentenced to six years jail in 2009 for cheating.

Judge Datuk Siti Mariah Ahmad, in delivering the judgement on the appeal, said the Ampang Sessions Court had erred in terms of law and facts when convicting Dr Shaharuddin Datuk Aziz, 62.

The Sessions Court had sentenced Dr Shaharuddin to six years jail on Dec 3, 2009, after finding him guilty of having cheated businessman Cheah So On of US$300,000 (about RM1.14 million then) at the office of Sedaran Timor Sdn Bhd in Taman Melawati in February 1996.

Dr Shaharuddin was charged with having deceived Cheah into believing that he was the holder of the power of attorney with regard to 27 hectares of land belonging to Peramah Setia (M) Sdn Bhd in Sungai Buloh, Perlis, which, it was said, could be developed for housing after getting a bank guarantee of RM6 million from the Kangar (Perlis) branch of Public Bank.

Dr Shaharuddin was alleged to have induced Cheah into handing over the US$300,000 by way of a bank draft issued by the Leboh Pantai (Penang) branch of then Bumiputra Commerce Bank Bhd to obtain approval of the RM6-million bank guarantee.

Siti Mariah said she gleaned from the oral and written arguments of appeal that all payments between Dr Shaharuddin and Cheah had been made based on a memorandum of understanding between them.

Dr Shaharuddin, when met outside the court later, said he was grateful for the court's decision and expressed his intention to pursue his career in genetics in which he had the expertise.

Dr Shaharuddin was represented by lawyer Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman while Deputy Public Prosecutor Norshuhaida Zainal Azahar appeared for the prosecution. -- BERNAMA

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Isnin, 26 September 2011

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