Malaysia reportedly asks Japan for Lockheed-made P-3 Orion aircraft

By: Mike Yeo, May 9, 2017 
MELBOURNE, Australia — Malaysia has reportedly asked Japan for some of its retired Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion anti-submarine aircraft, as the Southeast Asian nation seeks much-needed improvement in its maritime domain awareness. 

A P-3C Orion of Patrol Squadron 22 (VP-22) flies over Japan, 1 December 1991.

Role Maritime patrol aircraft

National origin United States

Manufacturer Lockheed

Lockheed Martin

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

First flight November 1959[1]

Introduction August 1962[1]

Status Active

Primary users United States Navy

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

Royal Australian Air Force

Republic of Korea Navy

Produced 1961–1990

Number built Lockheed – 650,

Kawasaki – 107,

Total – 757

Unit cost

US$36 million (FY1987)

Developed from Lockheed L-188 Electra

Variants Lockheed AP-3C Orion

Lockheed CP-140 Aurora

Lockheed EP-3

Lockheed WP-3D Orion

Developed into Lockheed P-7

According to Japan’s Nikkei Asian Review, Malaysia approached Japan for a donation of its retired P-3Cs. However, Nikkei noted that Japan’s parliament will need to revise the foundational law of the Ministry of Defense that would allow equipment to be given to other nations at no cost, as currently some form of compensation is required by law for the transfer of Japanese national assets. 

Japan

Country in East Asia

Japan is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean with dense cities, imperial palaces, mountainous national parks and thousands of shrines and temples. Shinkansen bullet trains connect the main islands of Kyushu (with Okinawa's subtropical beaches), Honshu (home to Tokyo and Hiroshima’s atomic-bomb memorial) and Hokkaido (famous for skiing). Tokyo, the capital, is known for skyscrapers, shopping and pop culture.

Capital: Tokyo

Population: 127 million (2015) World Bank

Currency: Japanese yen

Emperor: Akihito

Prime minister: Shinzō Abe

It added that if the deal should materialize, Japan will remove sensitive equipment such as the radar from the aircraft prior to transfer. The Nikkei report did not say how many P-3s are being sought by Malaysia, and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency did not provide specific numbers or a time frame for the transfer when asked by Defense News. However, sources in Malaysia had previously said it was looking for four aircraft. 

Malaysia is one of the six claimant countries to the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, and a recent report by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative revealed that Chinese Coast Guard vessels have been conducting near-constant patrols around Luconia Shoals, which is claimed by both China and Malaysia. 

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. Wikipedia
March: "Off to Sea"
Founded: July 1, 1954, Japan
Chief of Staff, Joint Staff: Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano
Chief of the Maritime Staff: Admiral Yutaka Murakawa
Minister of   defense: Tomomi Inada
Fleet: 19



Malaysian naval power suffers budget woes
The shoal is 62 miles from the coast of Malaysia’s state of Sarawak in Borneo, and as such is well inside Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone. This is the second time Chinese Coast Guard vessels have been noted maintaining an extended presence in the area with little interference from Malaysia’s own ships. 

The country also straddles the strategic Strait of Malacca chokepoint, through which a significant port of global maritime trade passes. Its unique geography also presents a challenge, with its territory split by the South China Sea into two separate landmasses 365 miles apart at its narrowest point. 

With these factors in mind, maritime domain awareness is a key concern for the country. The Royal Malaysian Air Force operates a single, modified Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules aircraft as well as three Beechcraft B200T King Air aircraft for maritime patrol and surveillance duties, short of what is required given the multitude of maritime issues such as cross-border crime and piracy that Malaysia has to tackle. 

Japan’s P-3 aircraft were locally manufactured under licence by Kawasaki Heavy Industries between 1982 and 2000. Defense News understands that Japan has retired 28 aircraft as of 2016, with airframes that have logged above 15,000 flight hours being progressively pulled from service. If Malaysia does end up taking the former Japanese P-3s, it may find itself with high-time airframes with much of the most capable equipment removed; although there are options for airframe life-extension and avionics upgrade packages available. 

Lockheed Martin is offering a midlife upgrade to the Orion that it says removes all current airframe flight restrictions and provides 15,000 additional flight hours by the installation of new, enhanced design wings and horizontal stabilizers built with improved corrosion-resistant materials. Several P-3 customers including Taiwan and Norway have already re-winged their fleets or are in the process of doing so, while the U.S. Navy has done so for part of its fleet. 

 Royal Malaysian Navy
The Royal Malaysian Navy is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Wikipedia
Captain-in-Chief: Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor
Chief of Navy: Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin
Motto: "Sedia Berkorban" (Ready to Sacrifice)
Anniversaries: 27 April
Headquarters: Lumut, Malaysia

Founded: April 27, 1934
Allegiance: Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Several nations that use the P-3 have also carried out upgrades to the aircraft’s avionics, with a majority opting to replace most of the aircraft systems, including the radars. The Elta EL/M-2022 multi-mode radar is a popular choice, equipping the upgraded aircraft of Australia, New Zealand, Spain and others. However, the Israeli-built EL/M-2022 is a definite nonstarter for Malaysia, and it will need to look for an alternate radar, as the Muslim-majority country has no relations and forbids any sort of dealings with Israel. 

However, Malaysia taking up any of these upgrade packages for the P-3 will be contingent on its budget, bearing in mind its defense spending is currently at historic lows. Any additional costs for the refurbishment and upgrades to the aircraft will require additional funding allocations from the government and will not likely be cheap. As an example, the Taiwanese program for structural service life extension and avionics modification of its 12 aircraft cost more than $665 million in 2009 alone. 

Army, DRS Set To Integrate New Bridging System on Tanks

WASHINGTON – The Army is readying production of a new bridging system used by Armored Brigade Combat Teams after awarding DRS Technologies, Inc., a $400 million production contract to integrate the bridge platform onto an M1 Abram tank

M1 Abrams tank. 
Mission: Ground Combat Fire Support, Anti-Tank
Manufacturer
General Dynamics Land Systems
Service
US Army, USMC
Engine
1500 HP Gas Turbine
Armament
120mm XM256 Smooth Bore Cannon; 7.62 M240 coaxial Machine gun; .50 cal M2 Machine gun
Maximum Speed
42 mph
Range
265 mi 
Crew
4
Categories
Tanks, Military Vehicles, Army Vehicles, Marine Corps Vehicles, Army Equipment, Marine Corps Equipment


DRS was selected at the end of an engineering and manufacturing development phase competition where General Dynamics Land Systems also was competing. DRS and GDLS were both selected to produce the Joint Assault Bridge for the course of the EMD phase in 2012. 

The Marines led the technology development effort with BAE Systems prior to the EMD phase, Donna Morgan, the program officer for Army bridging, told Defense News last week. 

M60 AVLB (Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge)

An M60A1 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB), deploying its scissors-type bridge.
Type Armored vehicle-launched bridge
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1967–present
Used by See operators
Wars Gulf War
Iraq War
Production history
Manufacturer 1967–1996: Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, Chrysler Defence (now General Dynamics Land Systems)
1996 onwards: Anniston Army Depot
Unit cost US$749,000
Produced M60: 1967
M60A1: 1987
Variants See variants
Specifications
Weight Loaded: 56.6 short tons (51.3 t)
Length Overall: 9.44 metres (31 ft 0 in)
Width 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
Height 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
Crew 2 (Commander and driver)
Main armament None
Secondary armament None
Engine Continental (now General Dynamics) AVDS-1790-2DR V12, air-cooled Twin-turbo diesel engine 750 horsepower (560 kW) Power/weight 13.2 hp/t
Payload capacity 1× scissors-type folding bridge ,Transmission CD-850-6A 2 speeds forward, 1 reverse 
Suspension Torsion bar suspension , Ground clearance 457 mm (1 ft 6.0 in)
Fuel capacity 1,419 litres (312 imp gal; 375 US gal) ,Operational range 290 miles (470 km)

Speed 30 miles per hour (48 km/h)


The JAB system is a track-wheeled vehicle designed to carry and deploy a heavy “scissor” bridge that provides Army Mobility Augmentation Companies supporting ABCTs the ability to cross over wet or dry chasms. 

M104 Wolverine Heavy Assault Bridge from 59th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, U.S. Army.


The JAB will replace a couple of older bridging systems – the Armored Vehicle Launch Bridge (AVLB) and the Wolverine – because the older AVLB “doesn’t quite keep up to the other vehicles in the brigade combat team formations like the M1 tank or the Bradley,” Lt. Col. Jeff Biggans, the product manager for Army bridging, said in the same interview. 

United States Army
Emblem of the United States Department of the Army.svg
Seal of the Department of the Army
Founded 14 June 1775; 241 years ago[1][2]
Country United States of America
Type Army
Role Ground-based warfare
Size 460,000 Active personnel (2017)
530,000 Reserve and National Guard personnel (2017)
990,000 total (2017)[3]
4,836 aircraft[4]
Part of
U.S. Department of Defense

Dept. of the Army (since 1947)
Headquarters The Pentagon

Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.


The AVLB system is on an M60 chassis, which is not only slower than the rest of the vehicles resident in an ABCT but is also becoming more difficult to maintain and sustain, according to Biggans. “A lot of the parts are becoming obsolete,” he said. 

The JAB will also replace the Wolverine bridging system which came online in the late 90s and early 2000s with the intention to replace the AVLB, but “we found out it was hard to operate and maintain, and we couldn’t afford it at the time,” Biggans said. 

The Army built over 400 AVLBs for its own inventory and foreign militaries and produced only about 40 Wolverines. 

The JAB is the assault bridge for the heavy

maneuver force. It is capable of keeping

pace with current Abrams Legacy Fleet. The

JAB will be assigned to the Mobility

Augmentation Companies to support Heavy

Brigade Combat Teams (HBCTs). Current

allocation of JAB is 6 per MAC. The AVLB

bridge has recently been successfully tested

up to MLC-85.

Abrams M1A1 Chassis

New Launcher

MLC-85 AVLB

“The JAB is a compromise” between the aging AVLB and the Wolverine that is too expensive and complicated to operate, Biggans said. 

DRS has a public-private partnership with Anniston Army Depot in Alabama to manage the chassis assembly and worked with Israel Military Industries Systems (IMI) on the design and engineering of the system, according to a DRS statement.  The Army wanted the winner of the contract to include Anniston Army Depot’s organic industrial base experience in the JAB’s production, Biggans noted. 

The new bridging system, which is 18.3 meters long, will improve deployment time with a set-up of three minutes compared to AVLB’s six-minute set-up. The Wolverine – not a “scissor” style bridge – spans 26 meters and takes three to five minutes to deploy. Wolverine was built by GDLS. 

Biggans added that the competition and source selection took pages in the procurement book from the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle and the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle when considering best value across the program’s full life cycle. As a result, the Army expects to spend $300 million less than originally anticipated to buy the new JAB systems. 

The Army plans to take delivery of the first vehicle in the third quarter of 2017, according to Morgan, and expects to reach low-rate initial production in 2019.

DRS TECHNOLOGIES AWARDED UP TO $400 MILLION U.S. ARMY CONTRACT TO BUILD NEW JOINT ASSAULT BRIDGE SYSTEM


ARLINGTON, VA, August 23, 2016 - DRS Technologies, Inc., a Leonardo-Finmeccanica company, announced today that the U.S. Army has awarded it a competitively-bid  indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract worth up to $400 million to build the new Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) system. 

MORE ABOUT THIS CONTRACT

The Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) system is a track-wheeled vehicle built on a modified M1 Abrams platform.  It is designed to carry, deploy and recover a heavy “scissor” bridge that provides gap-crossing capability for combat vehicles to cross wet or dry chasms.  The system is an important tool for U.S. military ground forces, giving combat vehicles the ability to freely navigate the battlefield.

“The ability for combat vehicles to navigate easily on the battlefield is critical to the success of our armored vehicle warfighters,” said Joe Matteoni, vice president and general manager, DRS Sustainment Systems. “This is an important program for our ground combat units, and DRS Technologies and Israel Military Industries Systems are proud to support our heavy armor combat teams by providing this technology to assist them in achieving their missions,” he said.

DRS Technologies’ Sustainment Systems business unit, based in St. Louis, MO., will be responsible for the overall production, management of the M1A1 chassis assembly, hydraulic bridge launcher production and the entire system integration. Production will occur in West Plains, Missouri, and Anniston, Alabama.

DRS has a public-private partnership with Anniston Army Depot for the management of the chassis assembly and worked with Israel Military Industries on the engineering and design of the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) system.

US tipped France to Russian election hacking, says Cyber Command chief

WASHINGTON — The U.S. watched as Russia “penetrated” French systems during the election run up and gave French officials “a heads up,” Adm. Mike Rogers said Tuesday.

Rogers, who also serves as the director of the National Security Agency, said the U.S. is also cooperating with Britain and Germany amid fears that Russia will attempt to sway the outcome of their elections.

United States Cyber Command

Seal of the United States Cyber Command.png

Emblem of U.S. Cyber Command

Active 23 June 2009–present

Country United States of America

Type Subordinate Unified Command

Advanced Persistent Threat Unit

Role Cyber Warfare

Administration

Part of U.S. Strategic Command

Garrison/HQ Fort George G. Meade, Maryland

Nickname(s) USCYBERCOM or CYBERCOM

Commanders

Current

commander Admiral Michael S. Rogers, USN

"We had become aware of Russian activity. We had talked to our French counterparts prior to the public announcements of the events that were publicly attributed (to Russia) this past weekend and gave them a heads up. Look, we're watching the Russians; we're seeing them penetrate some of your infrastructure," Rogers said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Russia

Country

Russia, the world’s largest nation, borders European and Asian countries as well as the Pacific and Arctic oceans. Its landscape ranges from tundra and forests to subtropical beaches. It’s famous for Moscow's Bolshoi and St. Petersburg's Mariinsky ballet companies. St. Petersburg, founded by Russian leader Peter the Great, has the baroque Winter Palace, now housing part of the State Hermitage Museum’s art collection.

Capital: Moscow

Population: 144.1 million (2015) World Bank

President: Vladimir Putin

Currency: Russian ruble

Government: Semi-presidential system

GDP per capita: 9,057.11 USD (2015) World Bank

Continent: Europe, Asia

Tens of thousand of internal emails and other documents were released online ahead of the French elections May 5, 2017. Cyber research firms have reportedly linked the coordinated cyberattack on France’s president-elect, Emmanuel Macron, to a group affiliated with Russia that is blamed for meddling in U.S. elections.

Rogers told lawmakers that the pace of cyberattacks by Russia has not slackened since the U.S. elections and that the new administration is developing a cyber deterrence policy and strategy that spells out what constitutes an act of war in cyberspace.  

United States of America

Country in North America

The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.

Capital: Washington, D.C.

Dialing code: +1

President: Donald Trump

Population: 321.4 million (2015)

Gross domestic product: 17.95 trillion USD (2015) World Bank

GDP per capita: 55,836.79 USD (2015) World Bank

He added that Russia's goal in manipulating the U.S. election was to undercut America's democratic principles, to weaken Hillary Clinton and — more broadly  — to help leaders who might be more supportive to Russia. Lawmakers of both parties pressed Rogers that such a policy is long overdue. 

"We have a new team in place and they are working through this," Rogers said. "I know these discussions are ongoing. ... I don't want anyone walking away thinking nothing's going on ... that we're not grappling with these very tough problems."

Second German soldier is arrested over far-right plot to assassinate a politician and blame it on migrants

 As fears grow that there is a neo-Nazi uprising within its military

German police have arrested second soldier, Maximilian T, over far-right plot

Was stationed at same Franco-German base as lieutenant Franco Albrecht

Albrecht, 28, who managed to create false identity of Syrian fruit seller, was arrested in April 

Their plan, prosecutors claim, was to commit an attack, for which they had obtained a pistol and drawn up a hit list of pro-refugee politicians 

By Allan Hall In Berlin for MailOnline and Afp



Germany
Country in Europe
Germany is a Western European country with a landscape of forests, rivers, mountain ranges and North Sea beaches. It has over 2 millennia of history. Berlin, its capital, is home to art and nightlife scenes, the Brandenburg Gate and many sites relating to WWII. Munich is known for its Oktoberfest and beer halls, including the 16th-century Hofbräuhaus. Frankfurt, with its skyscrapers, houses the European Central Bank.
Capital: Berlin
Dialing code: +49
Population: 81.41 million (2015) World Bank
President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Chancellor: Angela Merkel



German police have arrested a second soldier over a far-right plot to assassinate politicians and blame it on migrants.

The suspect, identified only as Maximilian T., 27, was stationed at the same Franco-German base near Strasbourg as army lieutenant Franco Albrecht, who was arrested on April 26. 

Albrecht, 28, had managed to create the false identity of a Syrian fruit seller from Damascus and to register himself as a refugee who was granted asylum, a space in a shelter and monthly state benefits.

Their plan, prosecutors claim, was to commit an attack, for which they had obtained a pistol and drawn up a hit list of pro-refugee politicians, including former president Joachim Gauck and Justice Minister Heiko Maas.

The pair, along with 24-year-old student Mathias F., had hoped the murder would 'be seen by the population as a radical Islamist terrorist act committed by a recognised refugee,' said a statement from the prosecution.

Their plan, prosecutors claim, was to commit an attack, for which they had obtained a pistol and drawn up a hit list of pro-refugee politicians, including former president Joachim Gauck +2
Their plan, prosecutors claim, was to commit an attack, for which they had obtained a pistol and drawn up a hit list of pro-refugee politicians, including former president Joachim Gauck

Prosecutors said the three suspects 'planned an attack against a high-ranking politician or public figure who was supportive of what the accused saw as the failed immigration and refugee affairs policies'.  

Albrecht 'was meant to carry out the attack' and had created the fictitious identity of a refugee who was meant to be seen as the perpetrator.


Maximilian T., who served in the same infantry battalion, allegedly made excuses for him during his absences from the Illkirch base, just across the border from Kehl in France.

He apparently penned the death list, and helped Albrecht procure the French-made handgun in Vienna, prosecutors said.

News portal Spiegel Online said the newly-arrested suspect was also a lieutenant and a close friend of Albrecht, and that both were part of an online chat group in which they shared right-wing extremist content.

The pair also allegedly traded Nazi photos and far-right speeches online.

One investigator told Spiegel: 'They were prepared to kill for their cause, or at least that's what they claimed.'  

After Albrecht's arrest at a Bundeswehr barracks in French Alsace, investigators said they found a lounge where he and like minded officers shared their enthusiasm for the Nazi Wehrmacht.

They called their retreat the 'bunker' and there they stored pictures romanticizing World War Two German troops alongside original steel helmets, guns and medals.

Defence Minister Ursula von Der Leyen (pictured) this week ordered the army's inspector general to search every army barrack, storeroom, munitions depot and training area in a bid 'to restore the reputation of the Bundeswehr'

Defence Minister Ursula von Der Leyen (pictured) this week ordered the army's inspector general to search every army barrack, storeroom, munitions depot and training area in a bid 'to restore the reputation of the Bundeswehr'

The case is particularly shocking for the military leadership, because German soldiers have only been stationed in the Leclerc barracks in Illkirch since 2010, so there are no historical roots to the Wehrmacht.

'Anyone who decorates an entire room with devotional objects in such a barracks must be deeply convinced,' said Germany's MoD in Berlin.

In 2012 at the site soldiers made a huge four foot swastika on the ground outside a training site. 

Defence Minister Ursula von Der Leyen this week ordered the army's inspector general to search every army barrack, storeroom, munitions depot and training area in a bid 'to restore the reputation of the Bundeswehr.'

She has come under fire for her handling of the case, with some saying her harsh tone towards the armed forces implied most soldiers were right-wing radicals. 

Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the minister today.

She told the broadcaster WDR: 'This is an unbelievable story with a right-wing extremist background and it was right that the defence minister did not try to minimize it but rather called it what it is, and we say we have to investigate whether such thing occurs often.'

Von der Leyen has apologized for her blanket criticism of the military, saying she regretted remarks that military leaders were weak and unable to deal with problems like sexual harassment claims and right-wing extremism.

The scandal has also raised questions about the competence of staff at shelters where migrants first register before they can apply for asylum. 

Germany has taken in more than one million asylum seekers since 2015, many from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, amid an initial wave of goodwill followed by an anti-foreigner backlash and a spate of racist hate crimes.  

Thug is jailed for life and another for 10 years after beating paedophile so badly he could not walk or be recognised

Marcus Hartley and Richard Lowry discovered their friend was a paedophile 

They beat Anthony Bullough to a pulp on a deserted wasteland in Chorley

A police officer said he could not recognise Bullough when he saw him 

He still remained in hospital six months after the attack 

Marcus Hartley, who had previously assaulted his father, was jailed for life with a specified term of five-and-a-half years 

A man has been jailed for life and another for 10 years following a vigilante attack which left a paedophile so badly injured he can no longer walk.
Marcus Hartley, 24, and Richard Lowry, 33, took the law into their own hands when they discovered their friend Anthony Bullough was a convicted child sex offender.
A police officer who knew Mr Bullough said he could not recognise him when he saw him unconscious on the ground.


Marcus Hartley, who had previously assaulted his father, was jailed for life with a specified term of five-and-a-half years 
Marcus Hartley, who had previously assaulted his father, was jailed for life with a specified term of five-and-a-half years 

The men met at the accommodation they shared for ex-offenders in Chorley, Lancashire and became friends, Preston Crown Court heard.

But when Hartley and Lowry discovered Mr Bullough's convictions were for possession of indecent images of children, their attitudes towards him changed.


They began to harass him, playing loud music and shouting insults at him through the door of his ground floor flat.

On November 3 last year, Hartley and Lowry were drinking and playing loud music in the flats upstairs from Mr Bullough.

Mr Bullough, who had previously spoken to the housing association about threats from his neighbours, became so concerned by their behaviour he climbed out of the window and fled the flat.

But Hartley and Lowry followed him and attacked him on wasteland close by.
Hartley punched him to the ground and the men set about punching and kicking him to the head and face in a brutal attack.

At around 1.50am on November 4, two workmen discovered Mr Bullough lying unresponsive on the ground.

He was taken to hospital in a coma and underwent CT scans which showed bleeding to his brain and fractures to his jaw, eye socket and cheekbones.
Six months after the attack Mr Bullough remains in hospital and needs assistance with walking and daily care.

He started eating solid food last month but is not expected to be able to leave hospital until June, at the earliest.

Hartley and Lowry pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and appeared at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced.

The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Mark Brown, said: 'It was clearly a brutal, nasty and sustained assault and such was the nature of it that when he was observed lying unconscious in the street his injuries were so bad he could not be recognised.

'There was an element of premeditation, and certainly a sense of revenge because you understood him to be a convicted sex offender.

'You were taking the law into your own hands.'
Judge Brown said Hartley was a dangerous offender who had previously served a prison sentence for an attack on his own father.

He said: 'You have no victim empathy and you clearly have very serious issues with temper control and the situation is made worse because you are a heavy alcohol user.'
Lowry had convictions for domestic violence and arson, the court heard.
Judge Brown jailed Hartley for life with a specified term of five and a half years. Lowry was jailed for 10 years.

GORY MURDER AT CHERAS FLAT, 4-DAY-OLD DECOMPOSED BODY FOUND

KUALA LUMPUR – A decomposed body was found in a unit at Flat Sri Penara in Bandar Permaisuri, Cheras here, today.

Cheras, Kuala Lumpur

Cheras is a district of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The township is located to the south-east of Kuala Lumpur. Wikipedia

Postal code: 56000

Area code: +603

Mayor: Mhd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz

Local authority: Kuala Lumpur City Hall

The body of a 32-year old man, was found sprawled face down in his room. His wrists were tied with a hair dryer and mobile phone power cords.

Cheras police chief Assistant Commissioner Chong Kok Sin said the victim is believed to have been murdered.

Chong said a pathologist from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia medical centre has verified that the victim died about four days ago.

Chong said police broke into the unit at 2pm today and found the body after the victim’s neighbours alerted police on a foul smell coming from the home.

It is understood that the victim had lived alone.

A post-mortem will be carried out tomorrow.

– NST

SNATCH THIEVES, BEWARE! MALAYSIAN FIRM HAS CREATED WORLD’S FIRST DEVICE TO CATCH YOU

PETALING JAYA – A Malaysian sportswear brand has developed the world’s first device designed to mark snatch thieves after they have committed a crime.

Called the Handbag Dyetonator, it can be remotely detonated via an SMS from any phone. It then releases coloured dye and a smoke flare, marking the thief permanently and making it easy for police to spot and apprehend the criminal.

Local sportswear brand, Ash Be Nimble, is collaborating with Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia in promoting this device that can be masked an inconspicuous handbag accessory.

“We’ve always believe in empowering women and going the extra mile. We hope that the Handbag Dyetonator will act as a deterrent to snatch thieves,” Hui Mathews, founder of Ash Be Nimble said.

In an effort to further protect women, the company has also partnered with the National Council of Women’s Organisations Malaysia (NCWO) on a petition to call for stricter laws on snatch thefts in order to further deter anyone from committing such a crime.

Snatch thefts are rampant in Malaysia. In January 2016, 365 cases were reported in the Dang Wangi district of Kuala Lumpur alone. That same year, snatch thefts increased 36% nationwide.

– Sundaily