The second part of the PI Bala story

Actually, Bala was not my responsibility. I did not ask him to go to India. But when he got into financial problems I helped sort it out for him. That was why I was quite upset when he made that statement about me doing things for money. What he failed to mention is that I helped him with quite a large sum of money and instead of showing gratitude he chose to slander me.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Sarawak Report has asked where my money comes from. They want to know whether I bought my car from my monthly welfare cheques or whether Rosmah Mansor is financing me. Actually, Sarawak Report is not the first or only one asking these questions. Many others, in particular the DAP Chinese supporters, have posed the same question.

To be honest, I have received quite a number of e-mails from people who have offered to send me money if I could give them details of my bank account. But each time I thanked them and politely turned down their offer. Those people who have contacted me know who they are. And I have explained to them why I do not want to accept their money.

Many Malaysians also visit me in Manchester and go to our family kopitiam, Gossip, for dinner. That was the business I set up when I sold my house in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, three years ago. I poured all the money into the business and left hardly anything for myself.

Those Malaysians who went to Gossip actually wanted to meet me so I offered to belanja them dinner. But most of them refused. They insisted that they pay for their meals and added a big tip for the staff on top of that. They did not come to Manchester for a free meal but to meet me. So they did not want to walk away without paying.

Anyway, talking about money, the news item below reminds me of when the late private investigator P. Balasubramaniam first went to India. According to Bala, his stay in India was supposed to have been financed by Deepak Jaikishan. In the beginning Deepak sent Bala money every month but eventually the money stopped coming and Bala was in dire straits.

Then a lawyer contacted me and asked whether I could help. So I arranged money for Bala, which he received every month. It was quite a substantial amount and enough for him and his family to survive.

Then Bala had to transfer his children to an international school, which is quite expensive. I arranged to pay for that as well. Then he needed to move house and, again, I arranged for that money. When he needed to buy a car I also arranged for the payment.

Bala then came to London and I arranged for his lodging plus gave him some cash. I also arranged to finance his trip to Paris to testify at the inquiry being conducted by the French court.

Actually, Bala was not my responsibility. I did not ask him to go to India. But when he got into financial problems I helped sort it out for him. That was why I was quite upset when he made that statement about me doing things for money. What he failed to mention is that I helped him with quite a large sum of money and instead of showing gratitude he chose to slander me.

Anyway, I am used to such allegations. People assume I am bangsat and therefore would sell my soul for money. What are never mentioned are the large sums of money that I have arranged for people like Bala who were stranded in India after his sponsor abandoned him.

I also sponsored the fund raising dinners for Nurul Izzah Anwar during the 2013 general election. I paid for the whole thing and the proceeds of the sale of tables went to Nurul’s campaign fund, 100%. There were no costs involved because I carried all the costs. And I never received a thank you message from Nurul, not even once.

People would believe what they want to believe, and that is why we have so many nonsensical and ridiculous religions. And if you spend all your time trying to rebut allegations you will have very little time left to do anything else. So let them say what they want to say. What is important is that people who matter know the truth. Those who whack me really do not matter in the greater scheme of things.

By the way, Bala, too, never thanked me for all that help and for the large amount of money he received, and neither has his wife, Santamil. His lawyer also acts as if arranging money for Bala was my sacred duty, whereas it is not. I did it to help a friend, whom in the first place I was never close to and hardly knew.

But that is life. People forget the good things you do for them. But they are quick to whack you when you no longer send them money every month. And they forget that you helped them not because it was your job to do so but out of the kindness of your heart. This is what politics is all about.

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(Free Malaysia Today) – A. Santamil Selvi, widow of the late P. Balasubramaniam or PI Bala, can now sue businessman Deepak Jaikishan, in her own capacity, over his role with seven others in sending her family of five into exile from 2008 to 2013.

The Court of Appeal on Friday allowed her appeal to reinstate the suit against Deepak, in her own capacity, on the grounds that the allegations of conspiracy in Santamil’s statement of claim require substantive argument.

“The allegations are subject to be proven at the trial (in High Court),” said Justice Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, who chaired the panel.

However, Justice Vernon along with Justices Abdul Rahman Sebli and Zamani A. Rahim, disallowed her appeal to sue as the estate holder of her late husband. “The High Court ruling was affirmed on Santamil having no locus standi to sue on behalf of her husband as she did not have the letters of administration in her affidavits.”

No cost was ordered.

Deepak’s lawyer, Wan Azmir Wan Majid, said now both parties will have to return to the High Court to file their defence. “The court of appeal gives us 14 days to file our defence in High Court. We will talk to Americk Sidhu (Santamil’s lawyer) on that.”

On December 2, the Federal Court dismissed Santamil’s application to amend her notice of appeal to reinstate the lawsuit against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, his wife Rosmah Mansor and five others for sending PI Bala and family to exile.

On December 11, 2014, Najib, Rosmah and seven others succeeded in striking out the lawsuit by Santamil.

The High Court ruled that PI Bala’s family has no locus standi to initiate the lawsuit because they did not have the letters of administration issued by any court to do so.

Justice Hasnah Hashim also said the family had failed to state in detail the what, when, how and where of the conspiracy among the defendants who had allegedly caused harm to Balasubramaniam and his family.

In June last year, Santamil filed a lawsuit that could expose roles of the individuals in sending Bala and families in exile after he retracted his statutory declaration on Najib’s alleged involvement in Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu’s death and why Balasubramaniam was forced to retract his statutory declaration.

The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court decision early this year.