‘Gloves are off’ if detainee tells all?MINDEF linked migration agent R.Chelliah ignores DUTY to "tell all", Dutton has duty to prosecute,and explain how and why taxpayers have suffered the Sirul Azhar debacle
by Ganesh Sahathevan
Amanda Hodge of The Australian reported on 15 February 2016:
Robert Chelliah, the Australian migration consultant for Sirul Azhar Umar, yesterday threatened to reveal the extent of access high-ranking Malaysian officials have been granted to Sirul inside Villawood if he is among five people named by the former commando as trying to coerce him into linking Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to his crime.
Mr Chelliah told The Australian yesterday that if Sirul tried to “politicise my professional help then the gloves will be off. I will be forced to reveal the nature of conversations he had with me and that we had with his Malaysian lawyers … I would have thought a platform would not be freely granted to a person in detention to propagate his version of the story. If the Department of Immigration does not know the extent of Sirul’s freedom of communication with the outside world … they would be derelict in their duty.”
Robert Chelliah, the Australian migration consultant for Sirul Azhar Umar, yesterday threatened to reveal the extent of access high-ranking Malaysian officials have been granted to Sirul inside Villawood if he is among five people named by the former commando as trying to coerce him into linking Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to his crime.
Mr Chelliah told The Australian yesterday that if Sirul tried to “politicise my professional help then the gloves will be off. I will be forced to reveal the nature of conversations he had with me and that we had with his Malaysian lawyers … I would have thought a platform would not be freely granted to a person in detention to propagate his version of the story. If the Department of Immigration does not know the extent of Sirul’s freedom of communication with the outside world … they would be derelict in their duty.”
The problem for Mr Chelliah , given his outburst,is that as a registered migration agent he is under a duty to "tell all" . He does not get to play legal professional privilege (LPP) games for he is not a lawyer. He is a migration agent.
As previously noted, Mr Chelliah has rather interesting connections in Malaysia (see below) but as many have learnt, these do not always translate into privilege (no pun intended) and wealth.
END
by Ganesh Sahathevan
Adding to the mystery of Sirul Azhar Umar's advisers is this photo of Robert Chelliah , his migration agent from Perth,taken in 2010.
(From left) Robert K. Chelliah, Major (rtd) Anthony Joseph Lim, Rear-Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri K. Thanabalasingam, Brig-Gen (rtd) Datuk Soon Lian Cheng and Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Noor.
Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Noor is a former Chief Of Navy and Chief Of Armed Forces (CAF). Rear-Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri K. Thanabalasingam was Malaysia's first Chief Of Navy and the others in the photo were all gathered to honour Robert's late brother Pangadasaram Joe Chelliah a decorated member of the Malayan and Singapore Navy's special forces. Robert was guest of honour at the event.
Others present were Rear Admiral Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, First Admirals Datuk Nick Peterson, Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohd Dom and Datuk Noor Azman Othman, Brig-Gen Datuk Soon Lian Cheng from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, naval Captains Cheah Leong Voon, Dick Khoo Tee Chuan, Commander Ghiathuddin Zainal Abidin, and Lieutenant-Commanders Tan Siew Thye, Puah Bok Chuan, Syed Salim Osman, Chan Moon Fook, M. Velu and Phua Hean Sim, and Major Anthony Joseph Lim from the Army, who was the oldest at 80 (see also photos below).
Some , if not all of the above ,being senior military officers reporting to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) , would have had contact with Prime Minister Najib Razak during the many years he served as Minister For Defence. The same can be said of contact with Razak Baginda, Najib's adviser who was co-accused with Sirul and another, but the only one who was acquitted without even his defence being called.Baginda also headed a defence think tank.
Robert Chelliah's involvement in the matter of Sirul Azhar has always been curious given that he operates out of Perth,4000 km away from where Sirul is detained at the Villawood Detention Centre near Sydney. Professional and social circles in Malaysia are small and it is often the case that everyone knows everyone. The circles tend to be even closer and long lasting within the defence forces and Robert it appears has gained an entree into those circles on the back of his brother's fame.
It is not improbable therefore that Robert might have been assigned the task of handling Sirul by any of the above named persons, and//or others acting for them, but ultimately under the direction of Najib or Razak Baginda.
One recalls that it was Robert who was most vocal in his insistence that Sirul not speak to media. That has since ensured that Sirul does not have the protection of a high media profile.
END
(From left) Capt (rtd) Dick Khoo Tee Chuan, First
Admiral (rtd) Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohd Dom, First
Admiral (rtd) Datuk Nick Peterson and Capt (rtd)
Cheah Leong Voon. — Pictures by Adrian David
(From left) Lt-Cdr (rtd) Phua Hean Sim, Rear
Admiral (rtd) Datuk Danyal Balagopal
Abdullah, Lt-Cdr (rtd) Puah Bok Chuan, Lt-Cdr
(rtd) Chan Moon Fook and First Admiral (rtd)
Datuk Noor Azman Othman
Adding to the mystery of Sirul Azhar Umar's advisers is this photo of Robert Chelliah , his migration agent from Perth,taken in 2010.
(From left) Robert K. Chelliah, Major (rtd) Anthony Joseph Lim, Rear-Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri K. Thanabalasingam, Brig-Gen (rtd) Datuk Soon Lian Cheng and Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Noor.
Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Noor is a former Chief Of Navy and Chief Of Armed Forces (CAF). Rear-Admiral (rtd) Tan Sri K. Thanabalasingam was Malaysia's first Chief Of Navy and the others in the photo were all gathered to honour Robert's late brother Pangadasaram Joe Chelliah a decorated member of the Malayan and Singapore Navy's special forces. Robert was guest of honour at the event.
Others present were Rear Admiral Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, First Admirals Datuk Nick Peterson, Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohd Dom and Datuk Noor Azman Othman, Brig-Gen Datuk Soon Lian Cheng from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, naval Captains Cheah Leong Voon, Dick Khoo Tee Chuan, Commander Ghiathuddin Zainal Abidin, and Lieutenant-Commanders Tan Siew Thye, Puah Bok Chuan, Syed Salim Osman, Chan Moon Fook, M. Velu and Phua Hean Sim, and Major Anthony Joseph Lim from the Army, who was the oldest at 80 (see also photos below).
Some , if not all of the above ,being senior military officers reporting to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) , would have had contact with Prime Minister Najib Razak during the many years he served as Minister For Defence. The same can be said of contact with Razak Baginda, Najib's adviser who was co-accused with Sirul and another, but the only one who was acquitted without even his defence being called.Baginda also headed a defence think tank.
Robert Chelliah's involvement in the matter of Sirul Azhar has always been curious given that he operates out of Perth,4000 km away from where Sirul is detained at the Villawood Detention Centre near Sydney. Professional and social circles in Malaysia are small and it is often the case that everyone knows everyone. The circles tend to be even closer and long lasting within the defence forces and Robert it appears has gained an entree into those circles on the back of his brother's fame.
It is not improbable therefore that Robert might have been assigned the task of handling Sirul by any of the above named persons, and//or others acting for them, but ultimately under the direction of Najib or Razak Baginda.
One recalls that it was Robert who was most vocal in his insistence that Sirul not speak to media. That has since ensured that Sirul does not have the protection of a high media profile.
END
“Please do not simply shoot one’s mouth and damage Sirul’s impending resolution of his status,” migration expert Robert Chelliah from Australian Migration Agents said in an email directed at PAS.
“The proper way to say what he (Sirul) has to say is in consultation with his Australian barrister by a sworn affidavit that says nothing but the truth in detail,” he continued in the email that was also extended to Malay Mail Online.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/media-tell-all-will-sink-siruls-chance-to-seek-refuge-in-australia-pas-told#sthash.2NTibG16.dpuf
“The proper way to say what he (Sirul) has to say is in consultation with his Australian barrister by a sworn affidavit that says nothing but the truth in detail,” he continued in the email that was also extended to Malay Mail Online.
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/media-tell-all-will-sink-siruls-chance-to-seek-refuge-in-australia-pas-told#sthash.2NTibG16.dpuf
(From left) Capt (rtd) Dick Khoo Tee Chuan, First
Admiral (rtd) Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohd Dom, First
Admiral (rtd) Datuk Nick Peterson and Capt (rtd)
Cheah Leong Voon. — Pictures by Adrian David
(From left) Lt-Cdr (rtd) Phua Hean Sim, Rear
Admiral (rtd) Datuk Danyal Balagopal
Abdullah, Lt-Cdr (rtd) Puah Bok Chuan, Lt-Cdr
(rtd) Chan Moon Fook and First Admiral (rtd)
Datuk Noor Azman Othman
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