Customs officer falls to death during MACC probe

KUALA LUMPUR — A Customs officer died today after falling from the third floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building on Jalan Cochrane where he was being investigated with others for over a billion ringgit in unpaid taxes.

The deceased was Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed, a 56-year-old assistant director from Customs Department in Selangor. Ahmad had returned to the MACC building at 8.26am today unannounced and requested to meet with the investigation officer.

Ahmad had already given his statement to MACC and released from custody at 12.30PM on Saturday. He had been remanded on March 29 following an MACC-led swoop on Customs staff, resulting in the arrests of 62 officers.

An officer then accompanied Ahmad to an office room before leaving to collect the case file but found him missing when he returned. Ahmad’s body was later found sprawled on the badminton court at the first floor.

Note: Ahmad Sarbani sentenced himself with mandatory death (if suicidal) and lost everything including Muslim status. May Allah blessed him.

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Meanwhile his childhood friend, Ridzuan Mohamad told of his disbelief when received news today.

“I was close to him and he was very humble. I think the charge against him by MACC is nonsense. He was just a scapegoat for someone else,” said the 46-year-old former reporter.

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April 7 — MACC has suspended two officers for leaving Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed unattended before he fell to his death from the MACC office. They are supposed to accompany witnesses in MACC premises at all time. The suspensions are to assist internal investigations related to this matter and it will last until an internal probe is completed.

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April 8 — The main Customs officers union decided today to seek an explanation from Datuk Seri Najib Razak and clear the department’s name after the fatal death plunge of a senior officer being investigated for suspected corruption over billions of ringgit of unpaid tax.

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April 9 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak is prepared to meet Customs representatives to thrash out issues after its union said morale was damaged by the death of senior officer Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed and allegations of billion-ringgit corruption.The Prime Minister also said that Customs not to be concerned about the allegations they adhered to regulations.
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April 10 — PAS pusat mahu SPRM memastikan setiap siasatan ke atas suspek atau saksi dibuat secara telus supaya tiada lagi kematian — selepas nasib menimpa Teoh Beng Hock dan yang terbaru Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed.

Mufti Perak pertahan keputusan haramkan poco-poco 20 April ini

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 April : Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria sekali lagi menegaskan tidak akan menarik balik keputusan mengharamkan tarian poco-poco, sebaliknya bersedia untuk memberi penjelasan kepada Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan akhir bulan ini.

Mufti Perak berkata Jawatankuasa Fatwa negeri itu membuat keputusan mengharamkan tarian poco-poco selepas membuat kajian dan penelitian mendalam.

Keputusan ini bukan keputusan main-main, kita tahu dan sedar apa yang kita buat, jika ada sesiapa yang tidak faham saya sedia jelaskan dan bersedia memberikan sebab kenapa ia diharamkan termasuk kepada Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan, kata Harussani yang kemungkinan akan membentangkan keputusan mengharamkan tarian poco-poco pada mesyuarat Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan 20 April.

Katanya, adalah  lebih selamat dan lebih berhati-hati dengan cara menjauhkan diri daripada menyerupai mereka, lebih-lebih lagi setelah mengetahui asal usul poco-poco yang mempunyai unsur keagamaan dan pemujaan roh, sebagai beramal dengan hadis.

Islam juga telah melarang tegas sebarang penyerupaan dengan golongan kafir walaupun hanya dari segi rupa dan bentuk.

Adalah lebih selamat jika umat Islam menggunakan tarian atau senaman yang jelas cocok dengan agama, budaya dan warisan bangsa sendiri daripada meniru dan memperlakukan sesuatu perbuatan yang boleh menimbulkan keraguan dan kecelaruan dengan syarat kita memelihara diri dari percampuran yang diharamkan, batasan aurat dan larangan-larangan yang telah ditetapkan oleh syarak.

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Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia juga menggesa Harussani agar memberi penjelasan terperinci secara terbuka ekoran keputusan Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Perak mengharamkan tarian poco-poco berkuat kuasa Januari lalu.

Presiden Abim Muhd Razak Idris berkata, walaupun Jawatankuasa Negeri Perak telah membuat keputusan mengharamkan poco-poco, namun ia perlu dijelaskan supaya tidak menimbulkan kekeliruan.