Nuraina A Samad's 3540 Jalan Sudin

Rocky's Defamation Case Concluded....Finally

2012-02-01T20:38:00.008+08:00

Blogger Rocky AKA Ahirudin Attan, in a long-drawn (5 years) defamation case against him by Kalimullah Hassan and three other former New Straits Times Press executives -- finally had it settled amicably.

(The three are Syed Faisal Albar, Hishamuddin Aun and Brenden Pereira.)

Actually, the NSTP was also a plaintiff in the suit but withdrew it in 2010 -- A good thing too!

In a statement of settlement tendered Tuesday to the High Court by counsel for both parties, Rocky stated that he apologised for considerable distress, embarrassment and inconvenience caused to the four.

"I recognise, acknowledge and empathise with the considerable distress, embarrassment and inconvenience caused to the plaintiffs resulting from the publication of the statements."

In 2007, Kalimullah, then NSTP deputy chairman; Hishamuddin, then group editor-in-chief ; Syed Faisal Syed Albar, then director and CEO; and Brendan John Pereira, then group editor - filed the suit against Rocky over defamatory postings in his blog.

According to the statement of settlement, which was made available to the media, Rocky also expressed his sincere and utmost regret for the consequences caused to the plaintiffs.

He withdrew all allegations and imputations against the four and agreed not to further publish any similar allegations on his blog, Rocky's Bru, or other blogs or websites.

He was present in court yesterday with his lawyer, Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos.

Counsel Rishwant Singh appeared for the four plaintiffs.

High Court judge Datuk Asmabi Mohamad made no order as to costs.

Jahaberdeen said his client was also required to publish the statement of settlement on his blog.

In the suit filed in January 2007, the plaintiffs alleged that Rocky caused to be published certain defamatory posts on his blog regarding the plaintiffs between June 8, 2006, and Dec 2, 2006.

They further alleged that the defamatory articles, which appeared on the blog, should be read alongside and when read as such, demonstrated a clear pattern of consistent and continuous conduct by the defendant to defame and injure the plaintiffs' personal and professional reputations, property, trade as well as goodwill.

Hell yeah, Rocky, you sure caused them a lot of distress and embarrassment....

And oh...I remember that night....

Also read The Mole, Rocky's Bru, BigDog's and Apanama

2012-02-01T20:32:00.002+08:00

Here's an interesting read -- something on the US presidential race:

10 most Racist Moments of the GOP Primary (so far)

One cannot forget that the contemporary Republican Party was born with the Southern Strategy, winning over the former Jim Crow South to its side of the political aisle, and as a backlash against the civil rights movement. This is a formula for a politics of white grievance mongering and white victimology; a dreamworld where white conservatives are oppressed, their rights infringed upon by a tyrannical federal government and elite liberal media that are beholden to the interests of the “undeserving poor,” racial minorities, gays, and immigrants.

The rest of the article HERE

Way To Go AZ!

2012-01-30T16:58:00.003+08:00

Indie guitarist, composer and educator Az Samad is teaching music in the virtual world.

Az, 31 is a guitarist-composer. His name maybe unfamiliar in Malaysia but he is quite well known internationally, especially among music schools, for his skills in playing jazz and contemporary acoustic and classical guitar.

He has a Master’s degree in Music (Jazz Studies) from San Jose State University, Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition and Performance (Summa Cum Laude) from Berklee College of Music, Boston, and Bachelor of Music in

Arranging from University of Westminster, United Kingdom. Since coming home, Az has been busy with not just composing and performing but also teaching.

The gigs and recording experiences he got overseas had also given him an edge. Az didn’t perform with just any ordinary musician but top artistes and songwriters like Grammy winners Flaco Jimanez and Max Baca, singer-songwriter

Tara Linda, Rick Vandivier, Hristo Vitchev, world Music Ensemble Bogofusion, electronic jazz-funk group Planet Loop, and string jazz ensemble JazzMine.

Read the NST article by Izwan Ismail HERE.

Just So Many Fairy Tales...

2012-01-28T20:26:00.002+08:00

"There is speculation that I have a Ferrari. I have never even sat in one. They say my salary is RM45,000 a month... there are just too many fairy tales." - National Feedlot Corporation executive director Wan Shahinur Izmir Salleh.

He denied any misappropriation of funds as "every sen from the RM250 million government loan must be repaid or else we will be declared bankrupt or sent to jail".

The project NFC was handling is a 30-year contract with the government.

Taken from this NST report.

2012-01-27T18:25:00.004+08:00

Has the Club of Obedient Wives (COW) gone a bit too far with their new campaign?

I'm no ulama. Really, you don't have to be one to know that this is all so wrong.

Pas think so too.

And, well...you asked for it, really....

This Man Is......

2012-01-25T17:45:00.005+08:00

...never mind, your choice of adjective.

His name is Kamal Ashnawi (in picture). He is from Perak and he claims to have Euro 5 TRILLION (gasp) (savings) which amounts to RM20 trillion.

Now -- just on that line...can you believe him? I mean DUUH.

He was interviewed by Mingguan Malaysia. He showed the reporters copies of bank statements from HSBC in London to back his claim of having the dough.
So, that would make him a "trillionaire".... far far richer than Forbes' richest people on earth. Man, he's richer than Malaysia.... He's like a very rich country.

Kamal said that he is the president and chief executive officer of Sierra Petroleum (M) Sdn Bhd.

In 2005, he claimed to have proposed an oil refinery project in Kedah but that did not fall through and, according to him, after that, some people spread tall tales about him.

That's why he decided to talk to the newspaper. Here's where he lost me..

"Saya terpanggil untuk tampil bagi menolak segala tuduhan buruk yang dilemparkan sebelum ini ekoran cadangan projek pada 2005 yang tidak berjaya dilaksanakan kerana dihalang oleh pihak-pihak tertentu."

Kamal said he is now offering to make mega investments in three projects in Perlis, Johor and Kelantan soon.

The business, he added, would be handed over to SAS Group, a group of former students of Sekolah Menengah Sains Alam Shah.

Kamal said he will be staying in Hong Kong in March with his family before going to Indonesia.

Now, get this : his wealth was derived from the royal heritage through the accounts of the Combined International Collateral Global Debt Facility in 1875.

Here's another one : he also claimed that he is a royal descendant from Java, Indonesia with the name Raden Mas Prabhu Gusti Agung Ki Asmoro Wijoyo and was expected to be crowned as King of Indonesia in the next few years.

Aduh!

Sounds so bizarre and far-fetched to me. You may laugh but there are enough people who believe in him...

I've been told by a friend in London that everyone who knew him say that he's a xxxxxx .....yep, just as I thought.

The Star has the story as well

(Photo from Mingguan Malaysia)

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-22T23:11:00.002+08:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Kong Hee Fatt Choy!

To all my Chinese friends - have a wonderful new year!

May the year of the water dragon bring you good health, prosperity and all good things!

To everyone else -- happy holidays!

An Irish Story: Revenge of the Fairies....

2012-01-20T17:01:00.002+08:00

...and how Sean Quinn, once Ireland's richest man, lost his billions.....

You're not the only ones who belive in "orang bunian" or "orang halus". But, you know, Ireland --land of leprechauns and fairies........

Read this:

HE was once Ireland's richest man, with a fortune of €4.7bn, before his huge gamble on Anglo Irish Bank shares toppled him into bankruptcy.

But for some in his heartland on the Cavan/Fermanagh border, the downfall of Sean Quinn has more to do with the wrath of the fairies than risky business moves.

According to these locals, it was the decision to move a megalithic burial tomb 20 years ago which led to the fall of his cement, hotels, and insurance empire.

The Aughrim Wedge Tomb stood for 4,000 years in the townland after which it is named, two miles outside Ballyconnell, Co Cavan.

Siapa Kata Hang Tuah Tak Wujud...

2012-01-20T12:27:00.003+08:00

"Hang Tuah existed in flesh and blood.
Hang Tuah was a legendary Malay warrior as proven in the research.

-- said State Museums Department director Khamis Abas .

The NST report:

Khamis said the state government recognises Hang Tuah as a Malay warrior and he is not mythical.

"We recognise Hang Tuah as a living person and, upon his death, Hang Tuah was laid to rest at makam Hang Tuah in Tanjung Kling here," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Historian Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim had said that Hang Tuah and his companions -- Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu -- never existed.

The NST visited the Hang Tuah mausoleum and noted that the inscription near Hang Tuah's tomb described him as a legendary Malay hero during the Malacca sultanate and he had served under three sultans.

The rest of the article.

I'm no historian but Hang Tuah as a Malay warrior had always been a historical fact to me....

Is there proof that he never existed?

Photo above of Makam Hang Tuah in Tanjung Kling, Melaka...

Shahrizat Sues PKR's Rafizi and Zuraida

2012-01-19T15:25:00.003+08:00

Just a brief item here:

Shahrizat Abdul Jalil who is on leave from her duties as Women, Family and Community Development Minister has filed a RM100mil defamation suit against PKR strategic director Mohd Rafizi Ramli and Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin over their allegations on the National Feedlot Corporation issue.

The allegations of corruption and abuse against NFC are now being investigated by the police and the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC).

Kodak Files For Bankruptcy Protection

2012-01-19T15:08:00.003+08:00

Over lunch today, a buddy went online and read aloud "Kodak files for Chpater 11...."

"You mean, they just did? I thought they were already down and out...couldn't keep up with the competition, the game...", I remarked. Surprised, sad...

That remark was not at all to disparage Kodak. I mean, I grew up in affinity with Kodak. Who didn't?
You're the film pioneer, man...

Kodak. oh Kodak. You had a damn good run for more than 130 years. Lasted as long as you did, didn't you? And as long as you could.

An icon. Synonymous with cameras and films. Films? Remember those things?

You invented the digital camera but you just could not keep up with modern technology. I don't know why. It's not an American thing, is it?

Is there a future for you?

Here's the Reuters story:

Eastman Kodak Co, which invented the hand-held camera and helped bring the world the first pictures from the moon, has filed for bankruptcy protection, capping a prolonged plunge for what remains one of America's best-known companies.

The 130-year-old photographic film pioneer, which had tried to restructure to become a seller of consumer products like cameras, said it had also obtained a $950 million, 18-month credit facility from Citigroup to keep it going.

"The board of directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak," Chairman and Chief Executive Antonio M. Perez said in a statement.

Kodak said that it and its U.S. subsidiaries had filed for Chapter 11 business reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Non-U.S. subsidiaries were not covered by the filing, it added.

Kodak once dominated its industry and its film was the subject of a popular Paul Simon song, but it failed to quickly embrace more modern technologies such as the digital camera -- ironically, a product it even invented.

Its downfall has already hit its Rust Belt hometown of Rochester, New York, with employment there falling to about 7,000 from more than 60,000 in Kodak's halcyon days.

In recent years, Chief Executive Perez has steered Kodak's focus more toward consumer and commercial printers.

But that failed to restore annual profitability, something Kodak has not seen since 2007, or arrest a cash drain that has made it difficult for Kodak to meet its substantial pension and other benefits obligations to its workers and retirees.

Perez said bankruptcy protection would enable Kodak to continue to work to maximize the value of its technology assets, such as digital-imaging patents it licences for use in mobile and other devices and its printing technology.

Kodak said it was being advised by investment bank Lazard Ltd, which has been helping Kodak look for a buyer for its 1,100 digital patents.

Other advisers included business-turnaround specialist FTI Consulting Inc, whose vice chairman, Dominic DiNapoli, would serve as chief restructuring officer for Kodak, supporting existing management.

No More Shark Fin Soup In Shangri La Hotels Worldwide

2012-01-19T11:17:00.003+08:00

It's good to know that Shangri La Hotel and Resorts yesterday announced its decision to remove shark fin soup from their restaurants' menu worldwide.

The Hong Kong-based luxury hotel group has 72 hotels worldwide.

In November, the Peninsula hotel became the first traditional hotel in Hong Kong – the centre of the trade – to remove the dish from its restaurants. It was followed by 112 companies which signed up to a "Say No" initiative to remove shark fin from corporate banquets.

This is somewhat significant ahead of the Chinese spring festival which happens to be the main season for shark fin soup consumption at banquets in Hong Kong and the mainland.

It is estimated that between 26 million and 73 million sharks are killed each year to supply this billion-dollar industry. Almost a third are consumed during Chinese new year.

I've stopped eating shark fin soup for a long time now. Yes, in support of the worldwide campaign against killing of sharks for their fins.

The Guardian Story is HERE

and also the AFP article is HERE.

So, it goes without saying that you'll not be served shark fin soup at the Kuala Lumpur Shangri La...

Next question: when will other hotels be brave enough to do the same?

2012-01-19T10:50:00.006+08:00

David Marshall In 1994 (when PAP ministers started enjoying their high pay schemes):

"I never earned $60,000 a month or $90,000 a month. When I was Chief Minister, I earned $8,000 a month. Look, what is happening today is we are encouraged to and are becoming worshippers of the Golden Calf.

We have lost sight of the joy and excitement of public service, helping our fellow men. The joy and excitement of seeking and understanding the miracle of the living, the duty and the grandeur. We have lost taste for heroic action in the service of our people.

We have become good bourgeois seeking comfort, security. It's like seeking a crystal coffin and being fed by intravenous injections through pipes in the crystal coffin; crystal coffins stuck with certificates of your pragmatic abilities.

It's time we start to clean up Singapore politics and get rid of the greedy self-serving politicians."

The Voice Of Moderation Must Be Heard LOUD..

2012-01-18T11:34:00.005+08:00

Someone tweeted: "The challenge is to make this all happen."

I agree. If the world agrees that moderation is the way forward, how can we fail?

THE world has to accept moderation in all aspects of life to fight extremism and the challenges it faces, said Prime Minister Najib Razak in his keynote address when opening the inaugural International Conference on Global Movement of Moderates yesterday.

Good speech.

I'm a moderate. Are you?

Read the full text of Najib's keynote address here.

The Jakarta Sandal Scandal..

2012-01-17T11:58:00.001+08:00

Well...here's how you show your disgust and contempt...

2012-01-16T11:37:00.009+08:00

UPDATE:

KUALA LUMPUR (BERNAMA) -- Khazanah Nasional Bhd has announced that it will divest its 42.74 per cent stake inProton Holdings Bhd toDRB-HICOM Bhd via a conditional sale with a price consideration of RM5.50 per share or RM1.291 billion.

n a statement today, Khazanah said the decision was made following due deliberation and detailed evaluation of various proposals to ensure that due process was observed, proper financial value was received and that the new shareholder would be able to bring the national auto maker to the next level of strategic growth in line with the aspirations of the industrial development of the national automotive sector.

The divestment is still subject to, among others, the approval of the shareholders of DRB-Hicom.

"Upon completion of the sale and purchase agreement, DRB-Hicom will be obliged to undertake a mandatory general offer on the remaining Proton shares," the government's investment arm said.

Khazanah Managing DirectorAzman Mokhtar said pursuant to a thorough assessment of its proposal, which offered a defined and executable business strategy, DRB-Hicom was identified as the appropriate party to acquire the interest in Proton.

Earllier posting:

Khazanah Nasional Bhd will announce today that DRB-HICOM Bhd has won the bid for the 42.7 per cent stake in national car maker Proton Holdings Bhd.

For weeks now, we're been hearing talk and reading about parties interested in the deal. Among them are DRB-Hicom Bhd are and Naza.

DRB-Hicom seemed to be the front-runner.

Last week, it was reported that Khazanah, the government's investment arm would be announcing Khazanah Nasional Bhd today that DRB-Hicom has won the bid, with the sale price said to be at RM6 a share for a total of RM1.4bil.

The deal would require that the buyer make an offer to buy out the rest of Proton’s shareholders.

Bernama reports that trading Proton Holdings Berhad and DRB-Hicom Bhd were suspended from 9am to 5pm today pending an announcement.

The companies did not give details in a filing to Bursa Malaysia today.

DRB-Hicom asked for a suspension in trading, saying the company will be proposing a corporate exercise involving a very substantial transaction.

Proton shares closed at RM5.18 a share Friday and DRB-Hicom at RM2.17.

The Star reports that the take-over price is likely to be between RM5.50 and RM6 per share.

It quoted a banking source that Malayan Banking Bhd would be providing most of the funding for the deal.

It also quoted an industry source familiar with the deal that "the buyer had a comprehensive bid to consolidate the domestic automobile industry and to steer the national carmaker into profitability via strategic foreign partners and joint ventures."

You know, nobody seems to be able to say what really went wrong with Proton. So many scenarios. So many scapegoats.

Nobody wants to take the blame.

Has Khazanah been doing the right thing(s) all this while?

What a waste of investment in a great iconic national project....I covered the announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister Musa Hitam in 1982 that "a national car project is on the drawing board."

Well...what's done is done. That's last century. Here's hoping for better and bigger things for Proton and the country....

Business as usual, says National Feedlot Corporation

2012-01-16T11:34:00.000+08:00

Only assets frozen, not operations

KUALA LUMPUR --- The operations of National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd are continuing uninterrupted.

In a statement issued today, National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd executive director Wan Shahinur Izmir Salleh said, "Business is as usual in the company. Inventory of beef will continue to be supplied and all customer orders will be fulfilled. There is no interruption nor disruption."

Clients, employees and vendors were reassured that its operations remain on-going as a business concern despite a freeze on its assets.

“In fact our assets have been frozen by the relevant authorities since December 2011, in the effort to facilitate smooth and thorough investigations. We have extended our fullest cooperation from the outset. However, our operations have continued to function normally, and in this respect I would like to reassure our clients and vendors as well as our employees that they will continue to be served and gainfully employed,” added Izmir Salleh.

National Feedlot Corporation supplies beef to more than 160 customers that include hypermarkets, supermarkets, mini markets, wet markets, processed meat manufacturers, hotels, restaurants and cafes.

The company also clarified that its 4,500 heads of cattle at the National Feedlot Centre in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, continue to be nurtured and cared for to meet beef supplies on target for the country.

The company had only recently last week received a further import shipment of 1,500 heads of cattle from Australia.

Its chain of Meatworks restaurants is also opened for business at its regular hours, the statement added.

Ambiga On Corruption: It's Okay For The Small Fry..

2012-01-16T11:07:00.001+08:00

“We must punish the big fishes, but we can forgive the ‘small fry’ so that we can move forward without any obstacles.”

Sorry, lady, I can't agree with you.

The Bersih 2.0 chief, representing NGOs, was speaking at the at the third Pakatan Rakyat convention at Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah in Alor Star yesterday.

Ambiga also suggested that Pakatan also consider setting up an independent body similar to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, to implement a policy to pardon the “small fry” involved in corruption cases,
Huh? A commission to implement....whaat?

I'm against corruption, Big or small. Small fry or big sharks.

You see, they usually start small. And if they're small fry in an organization, collectively, they can ruin that organization, especially if it's a government agency or department.

We talk about a new dawn, a new Malaysia. Wipe out corruption, and then we say that it's okay for the small fry. Just go for the sharks. Yes. Go for the big fish. But a crime is a crime.

They all start small and when they assume bigger and more powerful positions, they carry "that" with them.

I'm no lawyer. But lawyers themselves tell me that it is not easy to convict people for corruption. It is exhaustive and lengthy. Tons of documents to peruse and study.

Besides the fact that the accused usually have damn good lawyers to defend them.
Get off on some technicality. Hostile witnesses and so forth.

Nevertheless, we've seen some high profile cases.

When the culprit get off, we criticize the DPPs and government lawyers. We call them fools.

Perhaps, yeah. Perhaps some of them are not as good as some of those big names in the legal fraternity. (The government should hire them damn good lawyers!)

We cannot approach the war on corruption by naively (and Ambiga is not naive) saying that - oh forgive the small fry. Okay-lah you get the votes from the small fry.

Okay -- forgive the policeman for taking bribes from us? Forgive the RTD guy for asking for duit kopi. Forgive that land office boy fro asking "tips" for handling your application?

It all starts small and grows to become big. And a culture.

That said -- I can see why the small fry are corruptible and look to bribes as easy money. No increase in pay structure for centuries (I exaggerate, but you get my point) and cost of living getting higher and higher.....

Anyway, that call for a truth and reconciliation....??? I don't see any parallel, any commonality.

Okay. Enough said.

By the way, I have never offered a policeman a bribe. Never had to. Never

Have you?

2012-01-14T19:21:00.003+08:00

Aah....to live to 100.
Do you really want to?
Anyway, here's an article about why some people live to, not just 100, but 110....

SUNDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- People who live 110 years or longer have as many disease-associated genes as those in the general population, but they may also be blessed with protective genes that help them live so long, researchers report.

The team of U.S. scientists noted that supercentenarians, as they are called, are extremely rare, with only one per 5 million people in developed nations. There is growing evidence that genetics play a major role in living to such an old age.

In what they describe as a first-of-a-kind study, the researchers analyzed the whole genome sequences of a man and a woman who lived past the age of 114 and found that they had as many disease-associated genes as other people.

For example, the man had 37 genetic mutations associated with increased risk for colon cancer.

"In fact, he had presented with an obstructing colon cancer earlier in his life that had not metastasized and was cured with surgery. He was in phenomenal cognitive and physical shape near the time of his death," study senior author Dr. Thomas Perls, director of the New England Centenarian Study, said in a Boston University Medical Center news release.

The woman had numerous genetic variations associated with age-related disease, such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. She did develop congestive heart failure and mild cognitive impairment, but these conditions didn't become evident until she was more than 108 years old.

"The presence of these disease-associated variants is consistent with our and other researchers' findings that centenarians carry as many disease-associated genes as the general population," Perls said. "The difference may be that the centenarians likely have longevity-associated variants that cancel out the disease genes. That effect may extend to the point that the diseases don't occur -- or, if they do, are much less pathogenic or markedly delayed towards the end of life, in these individuals who are practically living to the limit of the human lifespan."

The study was published Jan. 3 in the journal Frontiers in Genetics, and researchers will be able to access the information at the U.S. National Institutes of Health data repository.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians discusses good health habits at age 60 and older.

FROZEN: NFC's Assets

2012-01-14T18:38:00.004+08:00

National FeedLot Corporation: read HERE

Asset: A resource with economic value that an individual, corporation or country owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit.

Freeze:
*An action taken to prevent any transactions from occurring in the account. .

*Essentially, freezing is the denial of ownership rights.
* May mean anything from suspending access to a bank account to seizing a piece of real estate.
*Maybe frozen by government or regulatory authorities because of suspicious activity, suspected criminal activity, civil actions or liens filed against the company/account.

*The government can put a freeze on someone's assets if they owe money for several different reasons. Meaning that person cannot touch their money until their debts are paid.

I'm sorry. I put all those up not to insult your intelligence. I'm sure you all know what "freezing XXX's assets" means. In fact, I'm sure that you can come with better definitions.

Anyway, today the Prime Minister Najib Razak said that the NFC's assets had been frozen for the time being.

He said that he had asked his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Noh Omar to study how best can the NFC issue be resolved.

Someone remarked that Najib and Muhyiddin cannot put all the blame on Shahrizat because they were also responsible for awarding the project to her family in the first place.

They cannot wash their hands off this project because of their "oversight and negligence that all these monies were misappropriated and transferred out in the first place."

I don't think anyone's washing their hands off this whole thing. And all that "oversight blah blah blah...." -- you think the PM, MBs and CMs should be micro-managing projects awarded to people.

And I don't think the PM and DPM are putting the blame on Shahrizat.

Anyway, that's why we have the *auditor-general's report.

Besides, the project was awarded when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was PM.

But of course, it's all on Najib's shoulders now.

*The 2010 Auditor-General’s Report pointed out that the NFC had failed to meet production targets.

Investigations by the MACC and police on allegations of bribery, abuse and corruption involving the RM250 million NFC project.

Really, Mr Malott...

2012-01-13T20:18:00.005+08:00

The 13th general election will be Malaysia's dirtiest?

Because everyone's desperate?

It's do or die?

But, yes, it will be the most important in Malaysia's political history. Even the kids will agree.

On Leave For Three Weeks

2012-01-13T20:05:00.002+08:00

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil begins her leave today.

In a statement yesterday, Shahrizat who is Wanita Umno chief, said this was to facilitate investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into her possible involvement in the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) case.

She said she had submitted her request for leave to the Prime Minister.

Shahrizat is right smack in the centre of the NFC controversy which exploded after the Auditor-General's 2010 Report on the project was made public.

The AG described it as "messy" and had failed to meet targets set by the government.

She immediately became the target of attacks from opposition party leaders because her husband Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail is the executive chairman of NFC and their three children are also directors of the company.

In December 2007 under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration, a soft loan of RM250 million - with an annual interest of two per cent for 10 years - was approved for NFC to start a national feedlot centre in Gemas, Negri Sembilan, to help reduce beef imports.

The initial target was to produce 60,000 head of cattle a year.

Investigations by MACC and police are ongoing.

2012-01-13T20:00:00.002+08:00

It's Friday the 13th..

How has the day been so far?

Bad Translation, No Translation

2012-01-11T11:50:00.004+08:00

After this, we should be seeing the correct English translation of its official website.
But, no...the Ministry of Defence has not not done it.
In fact, the entire English version of its website - as of 12 noon today - is in BM.

As a way of "explaining", you'll find the articles and writings with a preceding note:There are no translations available.

Perhaps, it's still being done manually as explained by its minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Hard work, I reckon.

What gives, man? Google translation all this while?

I suggest the ministry gets the right people to do the job...

Kalau tidak, 0ne word: Malu.

2012-01-10T19:54:00.004+08:00

Three university students who shoplifted have been given a second chance by the magistrate's court in Malacca.

They were released on a two-year good behaviour bond and ordered to do 240 hours of community service.

Magistrate Syajaratudur Abd Rahman reminded the three students to abide by the conditions set.

Aina Mardiah Mohd Khairi, Nor Atika Alem Abd Halim and Nur Ira Natasha Abdul Kadir, all 18 years old, pleaded guilty to stealing cosmetics at the Jusco Bandaraya Shopping Complex in Jalan Panglima Awang near Malacca at 7.45pm on 20 Sept, last year.

Aina Mardiah pleaded guilty to stealing three women's branded T-shirts, two cosmetic products and six packs of facial masks worth, RM291.90, Nor Atika Alem stole two women's T-shirts, one pack of eye-shadow, valued at RM146.80, and Nur Ira Natasha told the court she had stolen a T-shirt, a pair of shorts, two mascara pens, two packs of facial masks, a bottle of make-up remover and three other cosmetic products worth a total of RM392.

The three, who were represented by counsel Nor Fazlinda Alimad and Syed Mohd Dzahir Syed Abdul Razak, told the court that they had repented and regretted their actions.

Nor Fazlinda asked that they be given a second chance.

"They have admitted to the offence and by doing so they have not wasted the court's time. "They are also still studying and I hope they will be given the minimum sentence," she appealed.

Prosecuting officer Chief Inspector Muhather Mohd Kudus, however, requested the court to impose a sentence which would act as a deterrent to others.

I'm so pleased that the court did not sentence them to jail. I'm sure the girls learnt their lesson.

Verdict 901: Acquitted And Discharged

2012-01-09T16:06:00.007+08:00

How many of you were so sure that Anwar will be damned today?

Hah! Gotcha!

Anwar's a free man.

This morning, the High Court discharged the Opposition leader after acquitting him of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah took three minutes to deliver his judgment.

He said there was no collaborating evidence to support Saiful’s testimony and no proof to support his testimony.

"The court cannot rely solely on his testimony."

Anwar, after his acquittal, said he was thankful that justice has been served.

“Thank God, I have been vindicated. My focus now will be at the coming elections,” he said.

Saiful, in an immediate response, tweeted that he will continue to remain calm, pray and accept the court decision.

"Not in this world, but definitely in Masyar (after life)."

Long-drawn case. Too long. So politically-charged. Relieved it's over. Too many details. Too much information. Yet not enough.

In Twitter, people were giving their two cents' worth. Anwar's supporters/detractors, anti-BN, pro-BN. It was madness.

Yep. As Art Harun said, the washing machines from both sides started spinning with gusto.

Here's a take on the kangaroo court that acquitted Anwar.

So,..is this all really over?
Can we move on?
But, everyone, it seems, is waiting for the written judgment.

And, the general election.

New DAP Members: Sak And Aspan

2012-01-08T19:23:00.003+08:00

Bloggers Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz , or better known as Sakmongkol AK47 and Aspan Alias, who blogs under www.aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com, have joined the DAP.

They submitted their membership forms to party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng at its convention today.

Sakmongkol, a former Pahang Umno state assemblyman said he was "impressed by DAP", describing the party as principled.

"I like their professionalism," he remarked.

Aspan, who is closely linked to Umno Gua Musang MP and former Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, said he joined DAP without any pre-conditions.

"We are not looking for any seats to contest. We will be contributing to the party's cause through various channels, including our writings."

I'm a little surprised. I know they both seemed to be kinda frustrated with Umno and the BN but I didn't think that they'd join DAP.
Also, Sak and Aspan were long-timeUmno members.
Does make me wonder.

Oh well, to each his own. May they find fulfillment in their new party and with their new comrades.

Happy 2012!

2011-12-31T17:41:00.003+08:00

Wow. Time flies. A cliche I will continue to use without apologizing.

So, how have the last 12 months been for you?

Well, some very famous and infamous people passed away in 2011. One person I had known personally --- Indonesian writer and journalist, Rosihan Anwar. Al-Fatihah.

By the way, those resolutions you made in December 2010 -- you fulfilled them? Do you even remember them?

Oh...don't go believing that the world will end in December 2012, although with all the natural disasters across the globe brought about by crazy climate change, it makes you wonder whether it's all hogwash....

Anyway -- be a good citizen and vote in the 2012 general election. In 2008, "your vote counts" could never have been so APT.

So, here's goodbye to 2011 and HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A&W Restaurant Will "Disappear" in 2012?

2011-12-29T23:48:00.003+08:00

...along with nine other products/brands including Sony Picture and Saab.
Really?
This list was compiled by 24/7 Wall St.com .

Each year, 24/7 Wall St. regularly compiles a list of brands that are going to disappear in the near-term.
It compiled a list last year -- predicting the demise of T-Mobile among others.

Here's 24/7 Wall St's take on A&W:

A&W All–American Food Restaurants. A&W Restaurants is owned by fast food holding company giant Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) which has had the firm for sale since January. There have been no buyers.
The chain was founded in 1919. The size of company grew rapidly, and immediately after WWII 450 franchises were opened.
The firm pioneered the “drive in” fast food format.
A&W began to sell canned versions of its sodas in 1971 – the part of the business that will survive as a container beverage business which is now owned by Dr. Pepper/Snapple.
The A&W Restaurant business is too small to be viable now.
It had 322 outlets in the U.S and 317 outside the U.S at the end of last year. All were operated by franchisees.
By contrast, Yum!’s flagship KFC had 5,055 stories in the U.S. and 11,798 overseas. Two massive global fast food chains are even larger. Subway has 35,000 locations worldwide, and McDonald’s has nearly as many.
A&W does not have the ability to market itself against these chains and at least a dozen other fast food operators like Burger King. And, A&W does not have the size to efficiently handle food purchase, logistics, and transportation cost compared to competitors many times as large.

All I can say is, I'll just wait and see...

Here's the rest of the article on the 10 brands that will disappear in 2012.

Cannot Be Sandiwara...

2011-12-26T18:05:00.003+08:00

I'd really like to see where all this and this are going? One's been told to shut up and the other's been to told to quit.

Ain't looking good....

SELAMAT MENYAMBUT HARI NATAL!

2011-12-24T23:47:00.002+08:00

Merry Christmas, Everyone......

Peace and God Bless...

Netherlands Apologizes For 1947 Massacre

2011-12-10T19:46:00.002+08:00

Late. Very Late.

But in this case (tragedy, so wrenching) -- never too late.

2011-12-09T22:55:00.003+08:00

The Sultan Of Selangor: On covert attempts to convert Muslims and Apostasy.

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has ordered the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) to take strategic steps to root out a subtle attempt to proselytise Muslims. "I was informed that the proselytisation of Muslims, which occurred over the last few years, was done covertly and those involved were cunning in concealing evidence," he said when opening the RM5mil Kampung Gulang-Gulang Mosque in Tanjung Karang today (Friday).

The Star has the story HERE.

2011-12-09T16:05:00.001+08:00

We're Worse Than Myanmar, Ambiga?

2011-11-29T12:04:00.010+08:00

Come on, Ambiga. You actually believe that?
You are very mischievous and doing the very thing that you have blasted others for.

We have less freedom under the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 compared to Myanmar's new legislation that allow street protests?

Even if you put that side by side, surely that's misleading and an erroneous conclusion.

But what you want is to hold street protests? And when you're not allowed, it is shameful? But you're allowed to assemble peacefully . Maybe that's not enough?

You want to hold street protests anywhere and at anytime without having to meet any requirement?

You take exception that we are not allowed to gather at petrol stations?

In other words you want this government to accede to all your demands and when it cannot, it is a bad undemocratic government.

So, you cavalierly say it is so shameful and that Malaysia is worse than Myanmar?

I've taken part in protests and walks before. They - penguin walk and walk for freedom (the one Ambiga/Bar Council cancelled) in 2007 - were peaceful.
The penguin or yellow walk with the lawyers in Putrajaya was memorable. Motorists honked in support. Passersby waved at us.
The Bersih 0.1 was not that peaceful. I think with such a huge mass of people, you'd expect things to get a little bit out of hand. Also politicians hijacked the whole thing...
However, I knew we were a nuisance because traffic was disrupted, among other things.

The requirements under the Peaceful Assembly Bill are nothing to get excited about. Yes, indeed, we should not stop at this.
Let's push and press for freedom.

But let's not get confused. And let's not be mischievous.

Whose freedom are you fighting for when you insist on holding street protests and gathering at petrol stations?

I think we all can make ourselves heard without protesting in the streets. Peaceful assemblies work well and effectively too.

Don't think that wanting reforms and freedom is your exclusive right or that of a few. Others before you have fought the way you would never be able to do.
Others today are less combative than you and are probably more sincere than you, and without an agenda.

You may think we're worse than Myanmar but hell, we're a lot better than the US! In this first world country whose great democracy some people worship -- you can't even assemble peacefully. Of course, it is debatable whether or not the Occupy protesters are depriving others' their freedom to go to the park.

By the way, how was the walk to parliament yesterday? Any problems along the way?

Peace.

Kedah May Implement Hudud, After Kelantan

2011-11-18T17:59:00.002+08:00

Kedah Islamic Religious, Education and Cooperative Committee chairman Mohamed Taulan Mat Rasul said this in Alor Star yesterday.

Kedah will implement hudud law after Kelantan has done so, he said.

Mohamed Taulan remarked that although Kelantan had passed the law, it could not be implemented as the Federal Government had yet to give its approval.

“We want to see how Kelantan does it, then we will do it here,” he said in his winding-up speech for the 2012 Budget meeting at the State Assembly.

(source:The Star)

Bush and Blair On "War Crime Trial" In Malaysia

2011-11-18T17:07:00.007+08:00

Tomorrow, Saturday (Nov 19),The Malaysian Kuala Lumpur Foundation to Criminalise War (KLFCW) will hold a symbolic four-day war crimes trial against former US president George W Bush, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and some former US officials on charges in connection to the March 2003 invasion of Iraq.

It will be held in an open court at the headquarters of the Al- Bukhary Foundation in Jalan Perdana, Kuala Lumpur and is open to the public.

The trial will be adjudicated by the Kuala Lumpur War Crime Tribunal (KLWCC). It will be conducted by seven senior judges headed by retired Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman.

Bush and Blair will be tried in absentia as they and other defendants have yet to respond to the tribunal's notice.

The KLWCC is charging Bush and Blair with crimes against peace for invading Iraq in violation of the UN Charter and international law.

The KLWCC is also charging Bush and seven other former US officials, including former Vice-President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, with the crime of torture and war crimes for their treatment of prisoners throughout the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The group alleges that the US leaders acted in violation of the UN Charter, the Geneva Convention of 1949 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

KLFCW secretary-general Datuk Dr Yaacob Hussain Marican said the tribunal was being convened for the third time since 2007.

Yaacob said the tribunal of conscience was modelled on the one convened by philosopher Bertrand Russell in 1966 to try the perpetrators of the Vietnam War.

Yaacob said although the tribunal lacked enforcement powers, it would publish the verdict to get the world community to treat the accused as guilty persons.

"The charges are being brought against the accused by the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission, which comes under our foundation, following in-depth investigations into complaints received from war victims in 2009.

"The commission acts as a peoples' initiative to provide an avenue for victims to file their complaints and let them have their day in a court of law."

Professor Gurdial S. Nijar, a law professor and author of law publications, and Professor Francis Boyle, an American professor, practitioner and advocate of international law, will head the prosecution during the trial.

The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal is an initiative of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who staunchly opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Survey: Penang Malays feel Marginalised

2011-11-18T16:00:00.000+08:00

A survey by the Ilham Centre, an emerging think-tank with ties to PAS, shows that 80% of Malays in three constituencies – Kepala Batas, Tasik Gelugor and Bayan Lepas – believe they have been marginalised under the Pakatan Rakyat government. This is in contrast to 47% who think that Umno had not fulfilled their expectations.

The issue of PAS becoming a puppet of the DAP and PKR was listed as the top national issue for them. A total of 55% said they were concerned PAS was being used by its Pakatan partners.

The survey was carried out early last month in the parliamentary constituencies of Kepala Batas and Tasik Gelugor and the state seat of Bayan Lepas, all of which are currently held by Umno.

Former premier Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop are the respective incumbents in Kepala Batas and Tasik Gelugor, which were won with big majorities. However, Barisan Nasional won Bayan Lepas by only 399 votes.

PAS is believed to be looking for a safe seat for its deputy president Mohamad Sabu in Penang where Mohd Salleh Man is its sole assemblyman in Permatang Pasir.

Race and other communal issues figured prominently as priorities among the Malays. For instance, in terms of national issues, 47% said race and ethnicity issues would affect the way they vote, followed by Malay supremacy and special rights (43%), development (36%) and Malay welfare and Islam (29%).

Only 16% named PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as a national issue and 9% thought that the sodomy and sex video was an issue.

However, Anwar was not seen as a state or local leader whom they looked up to, although 30% said they respected Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and 13% recognised deputy Chief Minister Datuk Mansor Othman.

For more than 50% of those interviewed, local Umno figures in their vicinity were regarded as those whom they recognised and respected. Only 3% regarded state Opposition chief Datuk Azhar Ibrahim as their leader while less than 3% saw Penang Umno chief Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman as a local leader.

Of the local factors that would affect the way they vote, 55% of them said it was about the Malays being sidelined by the DAP leadership. This was followed by the Chief Minister’s personal image and the perception of DAP cronyism (52%), cost of living and opportunities (45%), Chinese dominance if Pakatan wins again (40%), the Penang economy and people’s welfare (29%), and inadequate infrastructure and ame-nities (25%).

The report noted that PAS did not enjoy a high profile in Penang and was not seen as a champion of Malay interests. Local PAS leaders like Mat Sabu and Parit Buntar MP Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa were not perceived as Penang leaders although the latter was from the state.

According to the report, Anwar’s influence in Penang was confined largely to Permatang Pauh where he is an MP. PKR’s multi-racial outlook also did not appeal to the Malays.

The Malays interviewed still looked to Umno for Malay leadership although they did not like the way the mamaks or Indian-Muslims dominate Umno politics in the state. About 53% said Umno looked after them well compared to 26% who said Pakatan had done the same.

(source: Joceline Tan of The Star)

We're Not In A Mess, Says National Feedlot Corp

2011-11-17T19:19:00.005+08:00

NFC executive chairman Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail met with the press today:

Here's the NST report:

GEMAS: Insisting it has nothing to hide, National Feedlot Corp has come out to counter allegations levelled at the nation’s biggest cattle farming company.

Salleh revealed that the company bought two condominiums for RM6.9million each in Bangsar, a move he considered as a “good business decision” as it gave better investment returns than keeping NFC funds in fixed deposits.

He denied opposition allegations that the cattle-rearing venture in Gemas was a failure, saying that it would start showing profits from now on after a two-year start-up and some teething problems.

“I am a scientist and businessman. I started the Technology Park. I was there for 18 years. It is successful. When I put up my business plan for this feedlot, I knew I would make it successful. We are now expanding in the third year of our business.”

In an intense two-hour press conference at the sprawling farm, Salleh, who had previously headed Technology Park Malaysia, said NFC did not make money in the first year as they were starting from scratch, “fork to farm”.

He said his company had secured the project in a selective tender, where five other companies had also put in bids, and not because his wife was a minister.

His wife Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, the minister of women, family and community development.

Salleh said the company’s presentation during the selection process was clear, simple and had noble plans of helping to transform cattle-rearing in rural areas into a business and to see a reduction in food imports.
“Our goals are clear.”

The media were also taken on a tour of its mini-abattoir to watch the slaughtering and packing process. Later, they were taken to the 607ha centre that holds about 1,500 head of cattle. The next batch of cattle will be arriving at the end of this month bringing the number in the feedlot to 4,000.

The centre also has offices, a lab, feed store and accommodation.

Salleh kept his composure throughoutthe two hours as he was grilled by reporters on the assortment of allegations made by the opposition and on the running of the project.

He explained that the company has a special loan account under the soft loan facility amounting to RM250 million, of which there was still a balance of RM69 million.

"We take the money when we need it. We have not started paying yet," he said to print and electronic media in a small meeting room at the NFC.

Under the agreement, he said the company will start paying for the private project with a two per cent government interest a year once they have used the entire loan and after the government builds a large abattoir at NFC. Now, the centre has a mini abattoir.

The company will pay RM7 million for 17 years to clear the debt taken from the government in 2009, he said.

He revealed that NFC owned not one but two luxury condominiums in Bangsar, One Merenung.

On the two units of luxury condo, he said it was a good investment made under the company's name and not under an individual.

"If we keep the money in FD (fixed deposit), we make 3.5 per cent a year. But rental is giving us RM12.9 per cent returns.

"We also have rebates from the developer. It is a business decision.

"Furthermore, if anyone asks why is it in Bangsar? Because property prices here do not drop.

"Even if we sell at the same price, we make money because the rental for each unit is RM17,000 a month," he said.

He was also asked on the 2012 Auditor-General's Report this year which had said the NFC was in a "mess".

He said if one were to look at the details at the A-G's report, NFC had met the target.

He explained that the centre had 8,016 cows as compared with the target of 8,000 cattle last year.

"The problems were the road leading to NFC which are not tarred. That road is under the government."

The report also highlighted on the poorly kept grass and the unkempt pond.

"There was nothing we could do because the A-G came to visit us just after the Gemas floods."

On the A-G's report which stated that the NFC only reached 41.1 per cent of its target for last year, he said there were two ways to look at it.

The first was the cattle, which were from Australia, took about four to six months before it could be slaughtered.

Furthermore, he said they were new in the business and did not have the market to sell their meat.

"We did not have proper certification from the Veterinary Department.

"That took six months. No one wanted to buy from us until we had approval for the meat sold from the department."

Last year, he said the sale of meat went up after receiving approval from the department.

He said even though it was a home-based meat production venture, but for a start they had to visit several countries, one of them being Australia to secure the cattle.

He said the feedlot was crucial for food security of the country.

At persent, the local consumption was 29 per cent while the remainder was imported.

The company, which started in 2009, was given a 30-year contract by the government with an extension of another 30 years.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat had also said the company's record showed a further RM2,640.93 of cattle was donated on Nov 30, 2009 to Yunus Rahmat, a Klawang assemblyman and a state executive councillor in Negri Sembilan.

However, Salleh said one cow was given to both for korban purposes.

"The donation was from us. It is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility. We sit in their area. It is a good gesture. We cannot give any less. So that is why we gave one cow."

He said former Federal Territories minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique had also taken on credit several thousand ringgit worth of cows two years ago.

"He has settled his debt," said Salleh.

He was also asked on the opposition's claim that Shahrizat had taken RM26, 400 from the NFC account for her personal use.

An Appeal from Wikipedia's Founder Jimmy Wales

2011-11-17T17:00:00.000+08:00

You may have already read this everytime you click on Wikipedia.
Just in case you have not, here's Jimmy's appeal for us all:

Google might have close to a million servers. Yahoo has something like 13,000 staff. We have 679 servers and 95 staff.

Wikipedia is the #5 site on the web and serves 450 million different people every month – with billions of page views.

Commerce is fine. Advertising is not evil. But it doesn't belong here. Not in Wikipedia.

Wikipedia is something special. It is like a library or a public park. It is like a temple for the mind. It is a place we can all go to think, to learn, to share our knowledge with others.

When I founded Wikipedia, I could have made it into a for-profit company with advertising banners, but I decided to do something different. We’ve worked hard over the years to keep it lean and tight. We fulfill our mission, and leave waste to others.

If everyone reading this donated $5, we would only have to fundraise for one day a year. But not everyone can or will donate. And that's fine. Each year just enough people decide to give.

This year, please consider making a donation of $5, €10, ¥1000 or whatever you can to protect and sustain Wikipedia.

Thanks,

Jimmy Wales
Wikipedia Founder

Should Malaysians Abroad Vote?

2011-11-15T19:35:00.001+08:00

No, says M Bakri Musa, a Malaysian abroad.

This is his point of view:

Malaysians Abroad Should Not Vote
M. Bakri Musa
www.bakrimusa.com

Malaysians abroad are misguided and plain wrong in agitating for exercising their right to vote in Malaysian elections.

I can the see the validity for students, diplomats and others on temporary assignment abroad demanding such rights, but then they already have them. For others, especially those who have acquired permanent resident status elsewhere, their clamor for retaining their right to vote in Malaysian elections is misplaced for at least three major reasons.

The first and most important is that since they do not live in Malaysia, they would not have to bear the burden of the consequences of their voting decision. Second, those Malaysians are essentially seeking representation without taxation; that is presumptuous. Third, since they had sought permanent residency status abroad, their focus should now be to prove to their new host country that they are deserving of such a status. Meaning, they should focus their attention, indeed loyalty, to their new adopted land.

My last reason is not major but merely financial. There are considerable added costs to have Malaysians abroad vote in Malaysian elections; I would rather have the government spend that money and resources in Malaysia.

Elections Have Consequences

For an action to be meaningful its consequence must affect the participants, otherwise the exercise is merely academic or worse, a game. It may be a fun game for those abroad to vote in Malaysian elections, but for the locals who have to live with the consequences, it would not be so. In short, Malaysians abroad participating in Malaysian elections are engaged in a fraudulent act besides muddying the waters for the “natives” who have to live with the results.

It is also the height of presumptuousness for those residing abroad to seek political representation but at the same time dispensing with paying their share of the costs, meaning, Malaysian taxes. Americans abroad have a right to vote not only because of the fact that they are citizens, but also because they are taxed on their worldwide income. An American may earn her entire income in Malaysia and in ringgit, nonetheless she still has to pay her share of income tax to Uncle Sam as if she had earned that income stateside. So I can see her demanding her right to vote and that the American embassy provides her the necessary facility so she can readily exercise that right.

Malaysians abroad in contrast do not pay any Malaysian income tax, unless they have Malaysian sources of income, and those Malaysians already retain their right to vote. If the rallying cry of those original New England “Tea Party” colonists back in the 17th Century was “No taxation without representation,” today we have Malaysians abroad who pay no Malaysian tax yet perversely are demanding their right for representation without taxation. Absurd if not arrogant!

The Election Commission’s retort to them should be, paraphrasing the famous words of John Hampden uttered at the height of the English Civil War, what a Malaysian abroad has no right to demand, their home government has a right to refuse.

Malaysians abroad on permanent residency visas should not seek or be given the right to vote in Malaysian elections because they have essentially decided that there is no hope for them in Malaysia. If they were to harbor any sliver of hope for change, then they would have stayed behind and agitated for change from there, where their efforts would have the potential of having the greatest impact.

Besides, having made the emotionally wrenching decision to emigrate, their main focus now should be to adjust to that decision and make the best of it. Thus they should endeavor to plant roots in their new adopted community, be an active and contributing member, and not be bothered with matters (especially political ones) they left behind.

If they should be clamoring for any voting rights, it should be for the right to vote in the affairs of their new community, if for no other practical reason than that those decisions will now directly impact them.

If after adjusting well in their new adopted community, these émigré Malaysians still retain a reservoir of goodwill and gratitude for their homeland and wish to contribute, then there are other more productive avenues to do so than to agitate for the right to vote in Malaysian elections.

Eradicating the “Temporary Abode” Mentality

There is something irritating when I see Malaysians holding green cards or otherwise having permanent resident status being more concerned with Malaysian affairs then they are with those of their adopted homeland. If as a non-native in a new land I feel that way, imagine what the real natives would feel. In America I see frequent backlashes against Mexican-Americans for example, who are more concerned with affairs south of the border than they are with matters American.

A green card (or any permanent resident status) is a privilege; literally millions in the world would give anything to secure one. Having secured one and then to treat it so cavalierly is being disrespectful to the grantor state. Worse, that is the height of ingratitude. In fact in some jurisdictions, any political involvement with affairs back in the “old country” would be grounds for rescinding that permanent resident status.

Permanent resident status is more than a long-term permit to work; it is a statement of your intent to be a permanent resident of that country, as the terminology of the document implies. In many countries permanent residents are granted nearly as full a privilege as citizens. Thus it behooves the holders of such visas to exercise their privileges in such a way as to demonstrate to the host country that they value and thus are deserving of such a status.

If I were a native Singaporean, for example, I would not be too happy to see the republic’s permanent resident visa holders more interested in Malaysian rather than the island’s elections. Indeed there is now a palpable backlash among the republic’s citizens to these new permanent residents who treat the affluent island merely as a place to earn a good income and nothing more.

Malaysians would not be too enthralled either if foreigners granted Malaysian permanent residency status were to preoccupy themselves with matters in their former native land while ignoring local affairs.

A common complaint among Malays is that too many non-Malays treat their Malaysian citizenship merely as a stepping stone for them or their children to emigrate to the West. Thus Malays see the lack of enthusiasm by non-Malays to learning our national language as a manifestation of this “temporary abode” mentality. So when these Malaysians emigrate and then agitate to have the right to vote in Malaysian elections, they are reverting to their old stereotypical “temporary abode” behavior, albeit not in Malaysia this time but in their new home country.

Just to be clear, I am directing my comments not to those Malaysians on temporary assignment abroad as students, civil servants and company employees. For students especially, I would encourage and give them every facility to vote. Doing so would be the best way to get them engaged in the affairs of their homeland. God knows, if they were back in Malaysia their political activities would be severely circumscribed. At least abroad they would be free to partake in full in the political affairs of Malaysia.

If the Malaysian government were to give in and pander to those abroad (parties in power tend to do that!) then I suggest that those voters be made to pay for the full costs of making the necessary accommodations. In my estimation, a fee of US$100.00 per voter would be appropriate, at least in America. That fee would of course be waived for those with proof of payment of their Malaysian income tax in the preceding year.

Impose that fee and then see how many abroad still remain “passionate” about Malaysian affairs to demand the right to vote in its elections. Now if those expatriate Malaysians were as passionate in seeking amendments to the Income Tax Act to making their global income subject to Malaysian taxes as they are in clamoring for their rights to vote in Malaysian elections, then I would salute them, but I would still not support it simply because of the costs it would impose on me.

The Malaysian Election Commission faces a host of monumental problems not least of which would be to clean up the electoral roll and streamline the postal voting process for those already in Malaysia, as with the police and military personnel. The clamor of Malaysians abroad seeking the right to vote is so far down the list that I can hardly see it. Further, I see little merit in representation without taxation.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 6th, 2011 at 7:30 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

We Got It Wrong, says The West Australian.

2011-11-04T14:58:00.000+08:00

...over its report on Monday that the (Malaysian) Prime Minister's daughter went on a AUS$60k shopping spree at a shopping centre - David Jones - in Perth.

Good that the newspaper quickly published the correction.

But, c'mon, mate. No sorry? You published a false report.

WHERE's THE APOLOGY, mate?

Below is the newspaper report that appeared on Monday, Oct 31.
You know, while her dad was busy at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), she was with the Commonwealth leaders' spouses shopping like there's no tomorrow.

Oooh...nice juicy colour story.

But, it was not true.

And, oh, a little naughty on the part of the newspaper for mentioning that First Lady, just before mentioning Najib's daughter.

So, some people who've got a problem with Najib being the PM and Rosmah being the woman behind the power, or just (with) Rosmah because they are convinced she is the power, happily and so readily accused Rosmah of being that first lady who bought those darn pearls.

Tsk tsk..

Anyway, the daily, in its letters page, has acknowledged its error and that Najib's daughter was not in Perth at the time. This followed a letter sent to the them by Malaysia's Consul-General in Perth, Hamidah Ashari, to say that it was not true that Najib's daughter went on that shopping spree in Perth at that time.

She said her office was appalled upon reading the article.

"The consulate-general wishes to put on record that the daughter of the prime minister was not part of the prime minister's delegation attending CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) 2011 nor was she ever in Perth at that time.

"Therefore the allegation of her making the purchase is not true," Hamidah said in the letter.

Below is the Letters page of The West Australian. The correction is at the bottom right under the heading "Corrections & Clarifications".

I remember reading the report (when in Perth for the CHOGM) and was wondering who it was that The West Australian reporter thought (or was convinced) was Najib's daughter because we all knew that she was not in the city.
Najib, (everyone knew), was accompanied by Rosmah, besides the Malaysian delegation among whom were two Cabinet ministers -- (foreign) Anifah Aman and (International trade and industry) Mustapa Mohamed.

How did the newspaper get it wrong? Did they really see someone resembling Najib's daughter and assume it was Najib's daughter or did someone feed them that wrong info?

Whatever it was, the newspaper did not check their facts.

Anyway, Najib who is in Mecca to perform the haj, was asked a question in twitter on Wednesday. It was from @LawRyan34.

The tweet was: "@NajibRazak according to news, your lovely wife purchased a neckless worth a whopping 150k. Your daughter spend bout 60k."

He replied on the same day:"@LawRyan34 ....Don't believe n spread lies. My daughter was not even in Australia n my wife did not buy any jewellery."

Naah...he didn't threaten to sue anyone.
He didn't even bark or create a damn fuss or made a political issue out of it.

Some people must be really disappointed that the report was not true.

COW's Sex Book Banned....

2011-11-03T19:54:00.002+08:00

A day late...but never mind..

I posted about the explicit sex guide book by the Club of Obedient Wives (COW) recently so I thought I should post this follow-up : that the Home Ministry has banned the book and anyone in possession of it can be fined RM5,000.

Home Ministry official Abdul Aziz Md Nor was quoted by the Star newspaper as saying that the book was banned because its content infringed censorship laws and because it was linked to the banned Al-Arqam group.

Okay...now that the book is banned, don't go trying to get one..

My opinion -- so misleading in most parts as the writer tries to weave sex and Islam, that the arguments got to be so ridiculous and hilarious.

Joondalup and Kuantan : Top Liveable Cities in the World

2011-11-03T19:04:00.011+08:00

Joondalup and Nansha (Guangzhou in China) got gold and Kuantan got the silver in the International Awards for Liveable Cities.

The first time a Malaysian city ever got an award since LivCom Awards - endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme - was launched in 1997.

Syabas, Kuantan!

Anyway, I was in Perth, Western Australia for the CHOGM assignment last week. I stayed in a regular hotel in the city - about a five-minute walk to the Perth Convention and Exhibition centre where the summit was held and the venue of the media centre.

A few close friends of mine arrived a few days later, also for the summit. They were not in the media delegation so they were staying elsewhere -- far from the madding crowd.

And where were they staying, these friends of mine?

"Ooh...some place called Jundelup or something," one replied.

As it turned out the place was called Joondalup. The name sounds strange to a non-Australian but certainly not to Aussies -- aboriginal words and names are all part of their psyche and culture.
To me, it was musical...Aussie aboriginal names are not unfamiliar to me.

Joondalup is an aboriginal word , (according to wikipedia to possibly mean "place of whiteness or glistening".^{)

For a bit of time, that word tickled us. They kept mispronouncing it, or pretending to.

I asked them how the place was.

"Oh...somewhere far...isolated. There's nothing here," was the very early description, on their arrival there.

A day later, they found the place to be "not so bad for a faraway place".

Later on, the place probably grew on them because they kind of liked it.

"We found some really nice restaurants...."

I decided to check out the place. A 30-minute train ride from Perth.

Although I arrived there about 8pm, I was impressed by the little that I saw. From the train stop, I walked into a nice shopping centre which was not too large. I past several restaurants, a supermarket and so on. Outside towards my destination, I walked along a row of shops, and I thought "this is a nice small town".

It was well-designed.

Well, it is not "just a small town" -- it is a city. And a very nice one too.

While I was there, I read in the papers that Joondalup was listed the most liveable city in the 150,001 to 400,000 population category, at the LivCom Awards held this year in Songpa, South Korea.

Read it here, here

Some small town!}The awards recognize communities with the best lifestyle for its’ residents.

Kuantan, as I have mentioned, got third billing after Joondalup and Nansha.

The news report read:

"WA cities have been voted among the most liveable places in the world, winning five medals at the United Nations-backed Livcom Awards.

In the competition's largest ever pool, Joondalup was named the most liveable city with a population of 150,000-400,000.

It beat second-place Nansha, in Guangzhou province, China and Kuantan, Malaysia."

^{Not bad. Not bad!

Way to go!}

PERTH - and why they all stayed and stayed....

2011-11-01T08:35:00.009+08:00

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting last week , ended Sunday.

The flags and banners are still up everywhere in and around the city. Everyone knows about CHOGM.
Foreign journalists and delegates were going around the city with their tags on them.

Security was tight but not as, say, in the US, where the President would be staying or be going to. They're paranoid, these Americans. Can't quite blame them. But so over and over cautious and, yep, paranoid.

And their (American) security guys and gals, very FBI-like (maybe they are FBI), look fierce and unfriendly.
They look at you like you're going to, er, blow up their buildings or, er...you know do some mischief to their president.

Over here, well, at least in Perth, don't know about the other Oz cities -- the policemen and women, those uniformed security guys -- they are nice when keeping the peace during CHOGM. They are friendly. And they talk nice to you.

Actually, come to think of it -- most people in Perth are nice. never met a not-nice person in Perth.

I tell you, if you have no commitment in Malaysia, or you have nolove for your tanah tumpah darah and you have great skills and talents (don't know whether this is a requirement), you'd want to come here and stay.

In my short stay here, I've met so many Malaysians -- of all races, and surprisingly a lot of Malays who are permanent residents here or who are Oz citizens.

Unlike most Malaysians I've met in the US, the UK and some European countries, (so many of) the Malays (I'll touch on them because I spoke to many of them) here, have been living in western australia for decades..

"I've lived here for 40 years," said one.

"30 tahun dah", said another.

They've got families here.

"It's a good place to live", they seem to echo.

Also there are quite a number of Malaysian including Malay restaurants. There's Insan's Cafe run by a guy from Shah Alam, Makan-Makan Cafe (run by a guy from Terengganu) that's hugely popular with Malaysian and foreign students because it closes at 11pm and several others.

A new one, Makan-Makan Bistro just opened about a week ago. It is run by the Makan-Makan Cafe guy and his partners, one of whom is a lady from Shah Alam.

Back to the the Malays here -- The Malays who've been here the longest, originate from Singapore and Malacca who were working in the phosphate mines in Christmas Island.

They came to Perth -- some after the Japanese occupation of Christmas Island, or following some dispute with their employers -- and were given an option -- to return to Malaya or to come and reside in Australia. That was decades ago.

Some were working as divers and after they retired, they stayed on.

So I was told.

Then there are former students of Australian institutes of higher learning who continued staying here, found good jobs, married Australians, had families etc. But many Malaysians married Malaysians they met here as well.
And, of course, the immigrants (from Malaysia) who came to this part of Australia looking for greener pasture and found it.

I was told that there are some 20,000 Malaysians in western Australia, out of whom around 10,000 are Malays.

And I believe that this is the biggest number of Malays, and Malaysians in one single place, living off Malaysian soil and shores.

I do not wonder at all why they like or love this western Australian city.

I've always liked Australia the first time I visited the cities. Then, when I went to Canada, I liked it, a little bit more than Australia. So, if I were compelled to make a choice of residing abroad, it would be either a Canadian or Australian city.
The downside about Canada, is that it is so far away....

I've lived in the US, visited several major European cities including the UK several times. But, never felt like I'd want to stay longer than I should. Maybe London because of familiarity and people I know.
Or Boston (where I went to study) maybe. Or New York -- love the energy, the vibrance...
Not even Paris or Rome (great places to visit).

Certainly not in the way I'd speak of Canada or Australia.

Canada (well at least in Ontario) and Australia are nice places to live, to raise your kids. Great public transport, education, traffic...so many good things. The people are nice. Well, the ones I've met and come across with, anyway. And there are many.

Now, in PERTH -- it is a really good, decent city. You get the feeling that the local government and authorities are doing so much for the people.

Public transport (bus) in the city is free. No traffic jam in the city.

Ok...so most shops and businesses are closed by 5 or 6pm. You'd get used to that. Only visiting Malaysians complain about this.
Anyway, going home when you should means that you know how to work and live your life.
Man, the Aussies (in Perth) sure do.
(I bet they live longer than us here in KL)

You can see them working out in the mornings and evenings -- running or cycling around or in their great public parks.

People are not rude. Motorists are not rude.

They don't look stressed. They look happy. Always smiling. Always polite....

Haven't met a rude Australian, though I'm sure there are some not nice things (and people). Just haven't come across any..

Oh..maybe that news report about a certain daughter of a certain PM who was said to have spent $60,000 shopping?
And she wasn't even in Perth. The newspaper got that wrong. Hate to think that they didn't check their facts first.....

Anyway....I know why these Malaysians (and others) decided to stay on in this lovely city.

But one thing is a bummer -- rising property prices....

(By the way...Sheila Majid was here performing here for two nights, one of which was for Malaysian businessmen's dinner...)

(And also -- the Al-Aqram outfit -- Club of Obedient Wives (Cow)? They got a restaurant here -- "Love and Care" right in the centre of the city...I'll ask them to change the name to "Love, Care and Share".)

Perth is getting more and more prosperous. I wonder whether the city will one day pay the price of "progress". Or it will be wise in dealing with "progress".

Happy Deepavali!

2011-10-26T15:10:00.001+08:00

Wishing my Hindu friends a happy Deepavali!

And happy holidays!

CHOGM 2011 Perth

2011-10-24T19:24:00.006+08:00

Well here I am in Perth, Western Australia to cover the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
This is the third time I've been assigned to cover the event.
The first was when KL hosted CHOGM in 1989. At the end of the meeeting, the Langkawi Declaration on Environment was issued.
The Kuala Lumpur Statement - "Southern Africa:The Way Ahead" maintained pressure on the Pretoria regime and endorsed the programme to bring peace and democracy to South Africa outlined in 1986.
And as we all know, in 1990, South Africa's beloved son, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, and later was to become the country's first black President.
It was memorable for me as I covered press conferences by the late Benazir Bhutto (then Pakistan Prime Minister) and Margaret Thatcher (then British PM).
Also met with many anti-Apartheid activists from South Africa.
And yes, Dr Mahathir was our PM then.

My second time was in 1999 in Durban, South Africa. Just a couple of days before the meeting, I received a call from my boss that Dr Mahathir would not be attending CHOGM because he was going to announce the general election.
I was to have met up with (then Business Times journalist) Fauziah Ismail who was then in Johannesburg and was to come to Durban to cover the meeting but our plan was cancelled as both of us were called back home to get prepared for the elections.

So, I've decided to post a report on CHOGM in Perth.

PERTH (Monday Oct 24): The 2011 *Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) begins Friday but celebrations in this western australian city began yesterday evening with the colourful and exuberant "Commonwealth Festival".

The Supreme Court Gardens was filled with crowds of people as they watched performances and listened to music in the cool spring evening.
The event will go on for the whole week.

CHOGM banners and flags of the **53 commonwealth member nations are flying high in this city of lights, as Australia plays host to CHOGM this year.
The theme, "Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience".
This is the third time Australia is hosting the event. The first two were in Melbourne (1981) and in Coolum (2002).

This makes Australia the first nation to host CHOGM three times.

Perth, known as the city of lights, is already on security lockdown with police and military deployed in and around the Perth Convention and exhibition Centre where the main events will be held as well as the Pan Pacific Hotel where the leaders -- mostly presidents and prime ministers -- will be staying.

Some leaders have already arrived.

Helicopters are seen hovering over the city. Even the water police are actively patrolling the waters.

Reportedly costing AUS$37 million,this is the highest ever spent for security in Australia.

Policemen are not only from the state but the rest of the country and from overseas, according to TV reports.

"Every bag searched and every person scanned around the security areas," said a broadcast journalist.

Queen Elizabeth who is Head of the Commonwealth, arrives here on Wednesday. She is already in the country for a six-day visit.

On Thursday, foreign ministers of the Commonwealth will hold their customary meeting known as the pre-CHOGM foreign ministers meeting.

*Every two years, Commonwealth leaders ,eet to discuss global and Commonwealth issues and to agree on collectiev policies and initiatives. this summits provide a unique forum for consultation at the highest level of government. They are organized by the host nation in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat.
**(There are 54 members, but Fiji was suspended in 2009 pending the restoration of a democratically elected government)

Surely Good News For Many Malaysian Families

2011-10-21T20:06:00.002+08:00

I still think we should put into place a support system for families who need domestic help, particularly, working mothers, for the long-term.

We cannot go on with this freeze, no more freeze, freeze.....on maid recruitment.

Handbook On Islamic Sex....

2011-10-21T19:43:00.003+08:00

I thought it was a normal-sized book. But "Seks Islam" published by the Club of Obedient Wives (COW) is a booklet, 115 pages. Eleven chapters.

Here's how it looks like:

You see who's on the cover?
Anyway on the back cover is written:

"Selaku pemimpin roh, kebolehan yang Allah izinkan kepada mereka ialah boleh serentak dengan semua isteri-isteri melakukan hubungan jenis. Manakala kalau isteripun orang roh, lagilah hebat. Ke mana-mana terbang untuk atau sambil melakukan hubungan sulti itu dalam keadaan lebih nikmat dan lebih ringan dibanding dengan perlakuan yang menggunakan fizikal. Untuk itulah Abuya sedang proses isteri-isterinya ke arah roh."

Eerie.

This handbook is sold only to COW members and those already married.
"Hanya untuk ahli dan mereka yang sudah kahwin".

Odd. Cow members are all married, right?

Anyway, they still have to fork out RM50 for a copy.

These people...they're a cult. Practising an Islam I'm not familiar with.

I Want To Join A Sex Club, I mean ..CULT

2011-10-14T11:48:00.004+08:00

The Club Of Obedient Wives (COW) should be renamed The Cult Of Obedient Wives. But even the name is a misnomer.

They are really a bunch of women who have got sex on their mind. Well, mainly sex.
I wish, though, that they don't use Islam to explain why they do what they do. Also I wish they'd just take off their "jubah" and veil and just come clean.

So, COW, no pretenses - about yourselves, your views on marriage and everything else on the planet.

Just say that - hey: the panacea to everything bad in this universe is, sex. Good sex. And we'll tell you how.
Also, please be a slave to your husband. Especially in bed. That way. they'll never leave you for another woman.

But, hey...most, if not all, of the marriages COW members are in, are polygamous. So how's that as a guide to a blissful and long-lasting marriage? Share and share alike?

So, excuse me if I think that these women are actually sex pots in jubah and veil. With equally sexed-up spouses.

Oh...by the way, COW has just published a book: Seks Islam, Perangi Yahudi untuk Kembalikan Seks Islam kepada Dunia ("Islamic Sex, Fighting Against Jews To Return Islamic Sex").
I have no idea what it means except that it must be about Islamic sex and that we must fight the Jews so we can return to Islamic sex.

What a struggle!

I haven't read it. But according to those who have, the 115-paged book is all about -- surprise, surprise, sex.
There is a part that encourages a polygamous man to have an orgy with his wives.

Oh dear, oh dear....how far behind have these cows made us go?
Yes, yes...sex therapists will tell you that intimacy, physical contact etc is important in a marriage...but no...you must not be a sex slave to your husband...

Women are screwed if COW appeals to many of our sisters...

COW claims to have 800 members in Malaysia and branches in Singapore, Indonesia and Jordan.

PKNS! Mana Boleh Macam Ini!

2011-10-13T14:50:00.006+08:00

So, what is your excuse, PKNS, for approving a mega project on this padang?

When the LDP was first built years ago, it was wonderful. I could get to Kelana Jaya from Taman Tun Dr Ismail or Section 16, in PJ, in 10 minutes. It was a breeze.

Then surely and steadily, projects -- residential and commercial -- began to be built along and around the LDP. Before long, the LDP became congested...worse and worse, until today.

And you approved a mega project on the padang!??

How would all this "enhance the living standards of the residents"?

The NST report:

PETALING JAYA: The 30-year-old Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) field in Kelana Jaya is likely to make way for a mega mixed- development project.

The project comprises five 35-storey apartment blocks and two 15-storey business complexes.

The move has irked the 10,000 residents of SS7 near the 7.55ha field.

The development was "discovered" when five residents in the area received a feedback notice on the project from the Petaling Jaya City Council dated Sept 23. The notice stated that the residents had 21 days to provide feedback on the project.

SS7 neighbourhood action committee chairman Datuk Zul Mukhshar Md Shaari said the construction would lead to pollution of the area.

It would also worsen the traffic congestion on the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP) as well as SS7's inner roads.

"According to the circular, 2,891 units will be built. Imagine the huge number of cars then."

Zul said it would be a great loss to the sporting arena if the project took off.

The PKNS field and the sports complex have a legacy spanning three decades, besides being one of the venues for the Commonwealth Games in 1998.

"We would like to appeal to the state government to look into this issue as it is built on state land and to consider the effects on the residents," Zul said.

He said residents had put up with numerous projects in their area in the past.

"We had suffered and there should be a stop to this. This area is getting saturated."

He urged the city council to listen to the residents as the land was designated for sports or recreational use.

Zul also said the district land office had classified the PKNS field as a "clubhouse/recreational" zone. He said by law, it could not be sold or change hands without the permission of relevant authorities.

"We are not against development but we urge authorities to build more sustainable projects which protect the greenery and improve the overall living standards."

Committee member Datuk Bahador Shah Md Isa said Kelana Jaya residents were already facing many high-rise developments in the area.

"PKNS should be building public amenities that would benefit residents. They should not just clear greenery for the sake of raking in profits."

SS7 resident Maria Samad was disappointed that the city council only sent out circulars and feedback forms to a few houses.

"Only five received the letters. Most are left in the dark," she said.

Kelana Jaya member of parliament Loh Gwo Burne said the residents claims were legitimate and the developers would have to explain the development in detail.

He said the residents' views were important and the developers should also upgrade the residential inner roads to prevent bad traffic flow.

Loh said he was informed that the council would call for a meeting with all the stakeholders of the project by the end of the month.

A PKNS spokesman said the whole area would be redeveloped to enhance the living standards of its residents.

He said the project would include sports facilities as well as a dedicated ramp connecting the area with the LDP to disperse the anticipated increase in traffic.

"The SS7 residents' privacy will be guaranteed. Cars will not pass through the area as they will use the ramp from LDP," the official said.

Waiting For Hudud.....

2011-10-13T04:00:00.006+08:00

Hudud Or No Hudud --
I'm not worried about Hudud ever being implemented in the country. I'm no constitutional lawyer but I've been reading articles by lawyers, including constitutional experts who have said that it cannot be implemented because to do so would run against the Federal Constitution which stands supreme.

Besides the fact that no one qualified to talk about the Shariah has offered an explanation of what Hudud is and how it is going to be implemented and enforced.

There are so many questions that are unanswered. Simple questions.

All we've seen are examples of the enforcement of the Shariah in some African countries. Afghanistan and Pakistan, showing such barbarism, cruelty and inhumanity (beheading, stoning and execution by a shooting) that if those are a reflection of what Malaysia is going to be with Hudud, then it will be one time, Malaysians of all races and beliefs will come together and national protests and rallies will be made lawful.

Is there a Malaysian version of Hudud? What about the Kelantan version?

Anyway, I will not go into details on this because the opinions of legal experts are all over print publications and the internet.

And even if the opposition grouping wins big in federal seats, I'm pretty sure the Pan Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS or Parti Se Islam Malaysia) will not get a two-thirds majority for Hudud.

I mean, I've read enough to also know that even Muslims (and there are many) are against the implementation of Hudud laws.

So far, the enforcement of (enactments of) Shariah in the country has been selective, petty and unpleasant and smacked of arrogance on part of officers . Thus, even if at the end of it I am convinced that Hudud is good for the country, I will still not be convinced that it will be enforced fairly. Simply put, I don't have faith in our religious authorities to implement it.

This talk of Hudud resurfaced last month, following a pronouncement by Pan Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS or Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) spiritual guide Tok Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat who is the Kelantan Menteri Besar, that the party and its partners in the opposition grouping should resume talks on Hudud.

Nik Aziz sent shock waves among the opposition grouping, especially the DAP because Pas' struggle to set up an Islamic state and implement Hudud was supposed to have been "irrevocably laid to rest" (to quote DAP chairman Karpal Singh) with the welfare state resolution held by the Pas muktamar this year. Besides, the opposition partnership is based on common political framework. And Pas' Islamic state and hudud agenda is not in it.

Karpal, to say the least, was taken aback, and described Nik Aziz's pronoucement as an "outburst". Of course, the Bukit Gelugor MP was not the only one.

The chorus of attacks from DAP was loud and clear.

Meanwhile, Nik Aziz attempted to reassure his friends. In his Facebook, he said: I guaranty if hudud punishment is being implemented in Kelantan, it would not take effect upon the non-Muslims because this punishment only governs Muslims.

The issue became so contentious between PAS and DAP with PAS tellling DAP that they could leave the opposition grouping if they objected to it, and DAP threatening that they might just do that. All this really is not good for Pakatan Rakyat, especially with the general election just around the corner.

Another surprise from Nik Aziz when he expressed his wish to see Hudud implemented throughout the country. Not just in Kelantan but at the federal level.

An emergency meeting was called. The Pakatan leaders deliberated for four hours but ended without coming to a consensus on the matter.

DAP remained firm. PKR, on the other hand, played it safe. De facto leader Anwar Ibrahim skirted the issue and did not commit PKR's stand. But I've been made to understand that PKR leaders are not happy with this development.

In fact, just recently DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng announced that PAS and DAP "agree to disagree" on Hudud. Nicely said. But that surely means that the issue is not resolved.

Some people have dismissed all this as just a "sandiwara" by Nik Aziz who needs to reinforce his relevance and convince his supporters that Pas Islamic agenda remains. That PAS is trying to distract the people from the problems in PKR.

So far, it's still a stalemate. Nobody's giving in.
It remains to be seen whether any kind of agreement can be made on this. Or a compromise. Or whatever.

Sandiwara or not, we all agree that it is playing badly.

As for me -- I'm not the least worried about Hudud coming our way. The way things are playing out, it needs more than threats and sandiwara to endear Hudud to Malaysians.

Besides, don't you think you should get your act together?

The World To Steve Jobs -- Thank You For Everything!

2011-10-06T11:13:00.004+08:00

What would the world have been without Steve Jobs -- this amazingly visionary human being? He left us all yesterday (Wednesday -US time).
We all say to him -- thank you, thank you...for everything. And may you rest in peace.
You rock 'em there, Steve.

Just remembering what he said about death in his 2005 Standford University c0mmencement address: "No one wants to die. Even those who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there....."

What They Say:

Bill Gates

"I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.

Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.

The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.

For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely. "

Jerry Yang, Yahoo! founder

"Steve was my hero growing up. He not only gave me a lot of personal advice and encouragement, he showed all of us how innovation can change lives. I will miss him dearly, as will the world."

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO

"Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you."

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen

"My condolences to Steve Jobs family and friends. We've lost a unique tech pioneer and auteur who knew how to make amazingly great products."

Condolences On Twitter

Arianna Huffington, Huffington Post CEO

"@ariannahuff: My thoughts go out to Steve Jobs' family and friends. Thank you for changing our world."

Steve Levitan, co-creator/executive producer of ABC's "Modern Family"

"@SteveLevitan: I'm so sorry to hear about the death of Steve Jobs. He was truly one of my heroes. He leaves one hell of a legacy. #iSad"

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

"@Schwarzenegger: Steve lived the California Dream every day of his life and he changed the world and inspired all of us. #ThankYouSteve"

Former California first lady Maria Shriver

"@mariashriver: I'm going to turn off my Apple computer, iPhone and iPad tonight at 8pm and honor Steve with a moment of digital silence. Will you join me?"

"@mariashriver: I'm so happy that I knew him and was so blessed by his friendship. He impacted all of our lives and changed the world."

"@mariashriver: My heart weeps for all who worked with Steve and who loved him, especially my friend Laurene and their children."

Jon Huntsman, Republican presidential candidate

"@JonHuntsman: Sad to hear about the passing of Steve Jobs, a true inspiration and a great American innovator."

Ryan Seacrest, "American Idol" host/radio talk show personality/producer

"@RyanSeacrest: 'Have the courage to follow ur heart & intuition. They already know what u truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.' - Steve Jobs"

Nancy Grace, TV host, "Dancing With the Stars" contestant

"@NancyGraceHLN: About to go to air & discovered news about Steve Jobs - My heart goes out to his family tonight. #RIP Steve Jobs"

Lebron James, Miami Heat forward

"@KingJames: R.I.P Steve Jobs. Someone who definitely left his mark on this world! Innovations that will live and last forever!!"

Neil Patrick Harris, Actor on "How I Met Your Mother"

"@ActuallyNPH: Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. Your genius will live on for generations to come..."

Zach Braff, Actor

"@zachbraff: RIP Steve Jobs. A legend. A visionary innovator."

Nick Lachey, singer, host of "The Sing-Off"

"@NickSLachey: Best wishes to the family of #stevejobs. What an amazing man and amazing life! Certainly, his legacy will be with us all forever. #RIP."

Steve Jobs - R.I.P !

2011-10-06T09:41:00.004+08:00

If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com.

The story HERE.

To him, I say: "Thank you, Steve. For everything..."

"Steve Jobs Was An Arab-American"

2011-10-06T08:17:00.000+08:00

Steve Jobs who was born to a 23 year-old unwed German-American, was adopted when he was a baby.

According to Shirin Sadeghi of THIS online journal, his father was Abdul Fattah Jandali, a young Syrian Muslim immigrant in Wisconsin.
His biological mother was Joanne Schieble. In those days (the year was1955) "there was no chance he'd be able to grow up with his biological parents."

Here's the article:

SAN FRANCISCO -- Abdul Fattah Jandali, a young Syrian Muslim immigrant in Wisconsin, never met his son Steve Jobs. When a baby was born to the 23-year-old Jandali -- now known as John -- and his 23-year-old German-American girlfriend, Joanne Schieble, in 1955, there was no chance he'd be able to grow up with his biological parents.

Joanne, who belonged to a white, conservative Christian family could not convince her parents to marry an Arab, a Muslim, according to Jandali, who called her father "a tyrant" in a New York Post interview in August 2011. In fact, according to Jandali, she secreted off from Wisconsin to liberal San Francisco to sort out the birth and adoption without letting either him or her parents know.

And so it was that a nameless Arab American baby was adopted by an Armenian American family. Clara Hagopian and her husband Paul Jobs had been married around seven years and had not been able to conceive. The little bundle that would be Steve, was very much wanted in the Jobs household.

Steve Paul Jobs, as they named him, grew up without ever knowing his biological father. It seems he had no interest in knowing him later in life, either. When, in August 2011, the London tabloid The Sun, contacted Jandali, he publicly reached out to Steve saying, "“I live in hope that before it is too late he will reach out to me. Even to have just one coffee with him just once would make me a very happy man.”

But Steve never replied. Less than two months later, he has passed away.

Read the rest of his story HERE.

You APOLOGIZE to the New Straits Times!

2011-10-01T18:20:00.004+08:00

Yes you, Wong Kim Fei!

Let me refresh your memory.

You said on Tuesday that the New Straits Times lied when reporting local online news portal, The Mole, had contacted your boss (Lim Guan Eng) on his disparaging remarks about Johor.
You know the remarks for which he had to apologize to the Johor Sultan and Johoreans.

By the way, Wong is Guan Eng's press secretary (II)

How did the NST lie, Wong? We said what The Mole said.
If The Mole had lied, then it was the Mole that lied.
But you see, The Mole didn't lie. They did try to contact your boss through his political secretary Zairil Khir Johari but was told that "YB would not like to comment".

Read THIS.

Why putar-belit2?

Jangan senang-senang tuduh orang menipu!

Guan Eng Apologizes to Johor Sultan and Johoreans

2011-09-30T18:23:00.004+08:00

I suppose Penang chief minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had to say sorry because the Sultan said that he was offended by (Guan Eng's) remarks disparaging Johor.

This has somewhat put a closure to the issue. Some champion of free press! Surely not with his utter readiness to sue and sue the media (mainstream only). Not because they misquote him but because they are, simply, mainstream. More a champion of putar-belit!

All this brouhaha arose from a Bernama report saying that he made those contentious remarks in an interview with an Australian radio station.

If the Sultan had not said anything, I wonder whether Johor baru-born Guan Eng would even bother to apologize, or admit that he did say all those things.

If I Were The Johor MB....

2011-09-27T15:09:00.013+08:00

... I'd get very very p*ssed with remarks about Johor made by Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng in Singapore recently.

Really p*ssed.

At least, it is believed that Guan Eng uttered those offensive remarks about Johor.

Bernama sent out a report on this.

In response, Guan Eng demanded an apology from Bernama, or he will sue the news agency. This seems to suggest that Bernama sent out a false report.

As it turned out, the only false thing (in the report) was the place where he was said to have uttered the remarks.

Bernama had quoted Guan Eng, as saying in an interview with an Australian radio station, that Johor was not a safe state where the chances of being kidnapped were high.

Well, maybe Guan Eng never gave that interview. But, according to new kid on the blog -BigCat - who did some digging, the chief minister did make remarks about Johor when addressing the Foreign Correspondents Association of Singapore at a luncheon in the republic.
(It is a fact that Guan Eng was at the luncheon and he did speak at the function).

BigCat, it seems, got the whole story. In his posting, "This Is Another Crook", the blogger quoted Guan Eng.

""Iskandar is seen as a very strong competitor ... but if you look in terms of safety and using the Crime Index, Penang was Number 1 in terms of cutting crimes, so you don't have to worry about your safety when you come to Penang.
In Johor, if you are a Singaporean, you are likely to get kidnapped ... you ask any Singaporean they would know but you don't have that problem when you come to Penang.
I am sure investors want to deal with an honest government and not to deal with crooks.
Lynas the rare earth factory in Pahang ... they don't see this huge premium facility benefiting the people as they pose a serious threat to their health and of course safety."

Ouch!

Yesterday, TV3 during its prime time news Buletin Utama, played an audio recording of someone who sounded unmistakably like Guan Eng, purportedly at that venue and event.

Okay, if it was Guan Eng who uttered those words, then I can only say that he must feel that as the DAP secretary-general, attacking Johor, Pahang etc, is fair game. Never mind if he is a MALAYSIAN chief minister.

You have the chance to whack your enemies, you whack kow-kow!
That's the way the cookie crumbles.

The NST carried a report as well. But did not try to contact him as the MOLE did.
Guan Eng, you see, has been boycotting the NST over a commentary the NST's Penang correspondent, Sharanjit Singh, wrote in the "100 days in office" series.
Guan Eng took offence to Sharanjit's remarks that the DAP in Penang was playing favourites with certain companies. This was written not without basis.
Following that, he has banned the newspaper from covering official or private functions (in which he is guest), and I believe has given instructions to private companies and so on, to not invite the NST , if they want him to grace their event.

I say that is not the way a leader should act. Frankly, I was utterly surprised by his action.
I expected him to be bigger than this. I thought he was, er....different...champion of free press etc....

But, oh well, to each his own. This is a free country.....

And Guan Eng (it it was him in that audio recording and if BigCat's posting is true), it seems, has taken the liberty to call some people "crooks"...

So, as I said...if I were the Johor MB....

"Undi-Lah" Okay, What!

2011-09-27T10:23:00.002+08:00

Well-known and popular personalities took part in the now controversial "Undilah" video.

If people had not known about Pete Teo's video, many do now because of the unnecessary fuss caused by the Malaysian Communications and Multi-media Commission's directive that broadcasters not carry the clip.

The video - a very catchy public service announcement - was launched on Sept 16, Malaysia Day.

Some people said that it had "underlying messages and supported the opposition". Maybe so. I suppose if you scrutinize the clip, you can assume a lot of things.

Personally, I see a lot of fun in getting that message across. maybe I'm thick-skinned, a little blind for not seeing the subtleties in the provocative political messages.

I'm not sure whether people would rush to register to vote (for the opposition) after seeing the video.

Anyway, here is The NST report.

KUALA LUMPUR: Politicians and local artistes described Pete Teo's Undilah video as one great way to stress the importance of voting.

The video, launched on Malaysia Day on Sept 16, however, was withdrawn by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission because its public service announcement (PKA) has yet to get the approval from the Film Censorship Board for broadcast on television.

Those interviewed by the New Straits Times agreed that the four minutes and 42 seconds video, featuring politicians and celebrities, carried a clear-cut message for the people to register as voters.

The video shows politicians from different political parties and celebrities encouraging the people to exercise their rights as voters, said Puteri chief Datuk Rosnah Shirlin.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong said the MCMC owed the public an explanation for withdrawing the video.

"It was said the organiser did not go through the regulator. If that is the case, MCMC should have advised the organiser right from the start."

He said the withdrawal prompted more people to watch it via YouTube. "Now, people think there is an agenda and MCMC's action may be wrongly interpreted."

Singer Reshmonu said the video was a great way to highlight the importance of voting, disagreeing with the statement by Kota Belud member of parliament Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan that the video had underlying messages and supported the opposition.

"It is pro-government because it tries to educate the many unregistered citizens about their rights and roles to elect the government of the day."

Actor Afdlin Shauki said the video aimed to educate Malaysians to register as voters. "If we love the country, we must act fast for the future of our children and peace of the country."

Undilah producer Pete Teo said he and his team approached both Barisan Nasional and the opposition leaders before filming the video.

"It is not intended to favour anyone over the other. It is simply to spread the message of democracy and so that the people will exercise their rights as voters."

Syariah Charge: Teen Mum Who Had Baby Out Of Wedlock

2011-09-24T18:57:00.003+08:00

In the name of kindness and humanity, don't charge her!

I know this is falling on deaf ears. You're going to charge her anyway, in the name of Syariah and Islam.

So, why don't you get the boy who fathered the child. Charge him too!

Religious authorities in Tumpat, Kelantan are charging an 18-year-old student for having a child out of wedlock last month at her religious school.

Kelantan Syariah prosecution chief Che Hashim Derahman said (reported in the New Straits Times) that the student is expected to be charged next month under Section 16 of the Syariah Criminal Code 1985 of the Kelantan Syariah Enactment.

Read the NST report HERE.

This girl made a mistake. How did she get to make that mistake?

I think society has failed her. Along with the school, the community. And I can go on.

She needs counselling by professionals to get on with her life.
She does not need to be punished this way.

She is the first to be charged under the Syariah for the "offence".

But you know, she is not the first teenager to have committed the "offence". Will she be the last?

Undi Lah! Damn Cool!

2011-09-24T16:12:00.004+08:00

What the fish is the fuss about "UndiLah" - Pete Teo's public service announcement video? Not the "good" fussing about it but, oh you know, the "ban".

I missed the launching on Sept 16 (Malaysia Day) for very obvious reasons (kerja-lah).
I like the video!
I'm biased. My friends are in it.

But seriously, it's good. Nothing contentious. Not anti-national.

Not anti-Barisan Nasional -- unless "you" find it not suitable for general viewing because Nurul Izzah, Tony Pua, Nik Nazmi, Khalid Samad (ooh.. check him out with Daphne Iking) and oh..Namawee are in it.
(Namawee, I want to see to rap his knuckles for insulting our Negaraku, Islam, Muslim women, in the name of art or artistic freedom - oh please. Never mind if he has apologised.)

Puteri Umno chief Rosnah Abd Rashid Shirlin and MCA's Wee Ka Siong are also having a good time rapping away.
So sporting.

And man, you have Afdlin Shauki, Yasmin Yusoff, Sharifah Amani, a very pregnant Daphne Iking and yesss...Tony Fernandes.

(To name a few...)

Unless, unless....you find Tengku Razaleigh's appearance odious.
Takkan, kot...

(I think he was so cool...)

Or that the part that Ku Li said that our country "ada banyak masaalah".

It can't be that the song sung started out not in Bahasa Malaysia...
Takkan, kot...

Look...the video is for everyone...EVERYONE-lah.

Artistically-speaking...I don't know. Looks good to me those few minutes of it.
Politically? Who cares.

So, I was stumped that there was some "controversy" over the airing of the video which is on Youtube.

Actually, the video, in the first place, was not meant for TV broadcast. Frankly, it doesn't need to be.

So, the issue of it being banned shouldn't even arise.

But, as we know, someone in power through the very powerful Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) issued a directive to not allow it to be aired by TV stations.

No need to issue the directive.

But here's the statement to explain why they did what they did -- issued by Bernama:

Pete Teo who, as everyone else, was surprised by this whole thing, tweeted:

"MCMC: ban ws cos #Undilah didn't get LPF approval. But we hvnt contact tv stations yet let alone apply 2 LPF. So hw did LPF 'not approve'?"

and then:

"We don't know if LPF wld not approve the present version - cos er... we hvnt applied yet. That's Y mcmc story is nonsense. :)"

Sometimes, you wonder why people keep on tripping and tripping and giving a bad name to the government they serve.

If you haven't watch THE VIDEO, what are you waiting for?

Anyway, my only regret -- Pete doesn't know me...so that's why I wasn't in the video...:-))

World Carfree Day : Are We Ready For It?

2011-09-22T15:02:00.008+08:00

First off....World Carfree Day is not to be mistaken for World Carefree Day (none yet) or World free Car Day (none yet either...).

A little bit from its website:

"Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighbourhood blocks to remind the world that we don't have to accept our car-dominated society.

But we do not want just one day of celebration and then a return to "normal" life. When people get out of their cars, they should stay out of their cars. It is up to us, it is up to our cities, and our governments to help create permanent change to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and other people who do not drive cars.

Let World Carfree Day be a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars…365 days a year."

So today, we're supposed to do that. You know, get by with our lives, our routine sans those smoke-spewing vehicles we call automobiles.

We can either stay at home (lucky you if you could!), cycle or take public transport. However, in order to do that on this day, we need some months of planning to actually make it work for ourselves and everyone else.
In fact, we're supposed to also organize activities in our neighbourhoods.

Are neighbourhood residents' associations aware of this Day?

I bet they are not.

Are our transport and traffic systems ready for this? Well, not where I'm staying and working. No.

The reality is, this Day ain't working.

In fact today, especially today, the roads were congested. Could the heavy rain in the morning be the cause?

It seems Malaysians in this part of the country are just not bothered. They need their cars. They do. And I don't blame them.

Take me: cycling to work or to the nearest LRT station is out of the question. Apart from the distance, I'd get killed on the very busy LDP, celebrating World Carfree Day. No thank you.
(I have two kids who need me, you know).

Without the bicycle, I'd have to depend on RapidKL to get to the LRT station or to get a connecting bus to Bangsar.

I'd need walk to the bus stop which is a five-minute walk (near the school) or a 15 minute-walk (at another location) just after Subuh because the entire journey takes two hours, what with the rain and traffic.

(Note: In my neighbourhood, we have security guards manning entrances at certain roads. Despite this, there have been reported burglary and robbery cases committed early in the morning.)

So. How?

In other countries, people have been celebrating it on a wide scale. They started small - in neighbourhoods or sections of the towns or cities - and grew from there as people realize the benefit of going about their lives without automobiles.

It's all towards having a greener world.

So we - the people, the government, everyone-lah -- should do our groundwork if we want to take it seriously and celebrate it.

Certainly, we will all benefit from this.

I'm all for the cause. But with present circumstances, it just ain't happening.

I'm not alone, mind you.

Read THIS in the Malay Mail.

What about you? Are you ready?

"You've Got Your Facts Wrong, Fuziah"

2011-09-19T18:10:00.005+08:00

..so says an expert.

I'm no expert in radiation. But Mr Nick Tsurikov is. He is a consultant with Calytrix Consulting Pty Ltd, based in Western Australia.

He sent Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh an open letter, in response to an interview she gave TV Pas with Gilbert Almeida on July 29 with regards to the Lynas rare earth processing plant project in Gebeng, Pahang.
The plant will process ore from its Mount Weld mine to produce rare earth products essential for making hi-tech gadgets.

Tsurikov said Fuziah was misleading her constituents with flawed and inaccurate technical comments on the proposed Lynas rare earth plant.

"I consider several statements made by Almeida that you (Fuziah) appear to agree with, such as 'Australia exporting radioactive earth' and that some people (presumably associated with Lynas) should be tried for crimes against humanity, as ill-informed and offensive."

Tsurikov said: "On radiation protection issues, I believe that as a member of the Malaysian Parliament, you would not intentionally seek to mislead the people of Kuantan.

"I, therefore, assume that you have been poorly and inadequately advised on the issues of rare earth processing."

This is his letter:

Dear Madam,

This letter relates to your interview with TV PAS, Mr Gilbert Almeida, on 29th of July 2011, and provides a follow up to comments that I posted on YouTube within days of its broadcast.

Firstly, I would like to state upfront that I am not an employee of Lynas Corporation; however I have been independently advising Lynas on the management of radiation protection issues for some time.

I provide this kind of technical advisory service to a large number of mining and mineral processing companies, national and international organisations and government departments around the world.

With all due respect, I find many of your technical comments in the abovementioned interview to be fundamentally flawed and inaccurate.

In addition, I consider several statements made by Mr Almeida, with which you appear to agree, as ill-informed and offensive.
I refer particularly to comments such as Australia exporting ‘radioactive death’ and that some people (presumably associated with Lynas) should be tried for ‘crimes against humanity’.

On radiation protection issues, I believe that as a Member of the Malaysian Parliament, you would not intentionally seek to mislead the people of Kuantan.

I therefore assume that you have been poorly and inadequately advised on the issues of rare earth processing, and I provide the following comments to specifically address the seven issues you highlight in the interview.

ISSUE 1: BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES
The very first finding of the IAEA mission to review the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant is that “the review team was not able to identify any non-compliance with international radiation safety standards”.

These same standards are applicable to the treatment of radioactive ores – uranium, tin, titanium, phosphate, rare earths, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, etc.

The list of seventeen international (IAEA) documents that are applicable is provided on pages 8-9 of the IAEA Report.
Therefore, your comment that there are no benchmarks or best practice guidelines is incorrect and invalid.

ISSUE 2: ALLEGED USE OF THE STANDARDS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA BY LYNAS
You state that “I have the evidence that Lynas is going to use China standards”. This allegation is quite extraordinary, as no document from Lynas or the IAEA has ever mentioned the use of standards other than Malaysian, Australian or International standards.

If you do have such evidence, it would be appreciated if you would make it public.

Until then, your statement cannot be taken seriously. It is clearly nothing more than an unproven and unjustified assertion.

ISSUE 3: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN RARE EARTH OPERATIONS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS
The statement that “in Australia even to extract the rare earth elements it is mandatory for the operations to be located 35 km from residential areas” is a fabrication.

There is no law, regulation or even a guideline anywhere in Australia containing this requirement. Even the research nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights on the outskirts of

metropolitan Sydney, is located within two to three kilometres of residential areas.

Your have obviously been misled. Your statement is incorrect.

ISSUE 4: DISCUSSION AND EXPLANATION OF RADIOACTIVITY CONCENTRATIONS
It seems to me that your technical advisers are confusing numbers and different methods for calculating specific activity of materials.

There are two ways of calculating this value: the out-dated method of using ‘total’ activity, versus the current standard that uses concentration of a ‘parent’ radio-isotope.

This international standard has been in use since 1997-1998.

On this basis, if a material contains 400 parts per million of thorium – its specific activity is calculated as follows:

a) Outdated method – 400 x 4.09 (specific activity of Th-232) x 10 (number of radio nuclides in the thorium decay chain) = 16,360 Bq/kg, or 16.4 Bq/g

b) International standard (IAEA, AELB and Australia) – 400 x 4.09 = 1,630 Bq/kg, or 1.64 Bq/g.
The internationally accepted standard for the material to be considered for regulation is 1 Bq/g.

However, if the specific radioactivity of the material reaches or exceeds the value of 1 Bq/g, it does not necessarily mean that material is regulated and/or should be classified as ‘radioactive’.

There is a provision in the IAEA document RS-G-1.7 that the value may be up to 10 Bq/g and material may still be exempted from regulations when certain provisions are met.

Either someone misinformed you, or you have misunderstood the situation.

The Lynas Water Leach Product (WLP) at 6.1 Bq/g is, of course, classified as a ‘radioactive material’.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no documents where it was claimed that the Lynas residue is “under the Chinese standard” and therefore “can be disposed as any other waste”.

Your comment is incorrect. If, as you claim, Lynas is saying that the waste is not radioactive, then why did Lynas develop the radiation impact assessment for approval by AELB in 2007?

ISSUE 5: ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THE LYNAS RAW MATERIAL
It appears that you have again been misinformed - this time with regards to the processing of the Lynas ore. The ore is crushed in Western Australia, prior to being processed at the concentration plant, also located in Western Australia.

The material will then be transported in the form of a wet paste inside double-layered plastic bags, which will be sealed and placed into sea containers.

Therefore, your comment about the danger of dry dust particles is alarmist and misleading.

It also appears you may have misunderstood the danger of different types of radiation.

Contrary to your statement that “alpha is not as dangerous as gamma”, there is only one scientific opinion about ‘radiation weighting factors’ and that is that alpha radiation is actually twenty times more dangerous than gamma radiation.

ISSUE 6: CONCERNING THE POSSIBILITY OF URANIUM ESCAPING INTO WATER AND INTO THE SEA
I feel compelled to point out that your comments on the risk of uranium escaping into water are so outlandish that I would like, once again, to question the competence of your technical advisers.

It is clearly stated in the RIA that any water discharged will not exceed the standard specified by AELB of 1 Bq/L.

The most environmentally mobile, and thus potentially dangerous radioactive element is not uranium but radium, and by a considerable margin. Without detailed quoting:

*The limits set by AELB are within the range of concentrations allowed in the drinking water by both the Australian Government and the World Health Organisation (0.1 – 1.0 Bq/L);

*The limits are significantly below the natural concentration of radionuclides in drinking water in some areas of the world, as reported by United Nations Scientific Committee onthe Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) in its 2000 Report.

Effectively, you are claiming that if someone brings to Kuantan one tanker per year of the drinking water from certain locations in Finland (up to 150 Bq/L of uranium and 49 Bq/L of radium) or Switzerland (around 1 Bq/L of uranium and up to 1.5 Bq/L of radium) and pours it into the river near Kuantan, the fishing industry of all South-East Asia would be destroyed?

As I presented to the International Symposium on Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material in Spain in 2007, phosphate fertilisers commonly used in agriculture normally containbetween 50 and 500 Bq/kg of uranium, with the highest value being over 2000 Bq/kg. So, if we are to follow your logic, then a ship carrying phosphate fertiliser that loses its cargo near Kuantan would completely decimate the fishing industry due to extremely high radiation levels.

Your comment on the possible destruction of the fishing industry in South-East Asia is wide off the mark and I do not believe that you, as a Member of the Malaysian Parliament, would mislead people this way. I therefore suggest that and your technical advisers re-examine data to the utmost detail prior to repeating this kind of extreme and alarmist comment in public.

ISSUE 7 – ON RADIOACTIVE WASTE
I wish to draw to your attention that numerous industries within Malaysia, and around the world, generate radioactive waste. And if your comments are to be taken seriously, by shutting down industries that produce radioactive waste, a vast array of products, goods and services would no longer be available to society.

These include:
* Hybrid cars, energy-saving light bulbs, mobile phones, electricity-generating wind turbines, and almost all electronic and computer equipment

* Petrol and diesel fuel, all other mineral oils and natural gas

* Airplanes, space vehicles, white pigments, toothpaste

* Phosphate fertilisers for agriculture

* Ceramic tiles, porcelain

* Electricity generated by burning coal or geo-thermal sources

* products made from or with an addition of iron, copper, tin, aluminium, zinc, lead, tantalum, etc

* Clean drinking water produced from water treatment.

I am confident that you are “not against progress”; however, in following your own logic, the oil and gas industry in Malaysia should be shut down and people should be banned from using phosphate fertilisers, living in houses with ceramic tiles, driving cars, flying on airplanes, and using any kind of electronic equipment.

This is no exaggeration - simply an extension of your own logic.

As an expert in radiation protection, I would welcome the opportunity to provide you and your technical advisory team with any additional information and clarification you require.

I would also welcome an opportunity to discuss all radiation related issues in an open forum, without any pre-conditions. I am not an employee of Lynas Corporation and do not need to seek any approval to participate in such a discussion.

I am absolutely confident that a frank and open discussion about radiation-related issues surrounding not only the Lynas plant in Kuantan, but also in general terms, will be beneficial for everyone.

If you have any interest, please let me know and I will try to include a stopover in Kuala Lumpur into my schedule in the next few months.

Yours sincerely,
Kind regards
Nick Tsurikov
Calytrix Consulting Pty Ltd
Perth, Western Australia
4th August, 2011

"Towards A Mature, Modern And Functioning Democracy"

2011-09-15T22:50:00.003+08:00

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced on TV about 2 hours ago -- the repeal of several outmoded and draconian laws including the ISA and the three Emergency proclamations.

These are historic changes and are being made to "to accommodate and realise a mature, modern and functioning democracy; to preserve public order; enhance civil liberty and maintain racial harmony."

The PM made the announcement on the eve of Malaysia Day -- the first time the country is celebrating the anniversary of the foundation and formation of modern Malaysia.

The changes include:

*Total repeal of the Internal Security Act

The legislation, introduced in 1960 in the wake of an armed insurgency by Communist rebels, gives the police wide-ranging powers to detain suspects indefinitely.

It will be replaced by a new law that incorporates far more judicial oversight and limits the powers of the police to detain suspect for preventive reasons.

37 people are currently being held under the ISA. There will be a six-month transition period while the new laws are introduced, after which their cases will be considered under the new legislation.

*Total repeal of the Emergency Ordinance

Introduced following race riots in 1969, the Emergency Ordinance, which allows suspects to be detained without charge for up to two years if permission is granted by a Minister.

This too will be replaced by a law that will not compromise on national security and terrorism while increasing democratic accountability and judicial oversight.

*Removal of annual renewal of press and publication permits

All licences will now remain valid indefinitely unless they are revoked, in common with broadcasting regulations in many Western nations.

*Government to review Section 27 of the Police Act 1967

The Malaysian constitution guarantees the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. The law requires police permission before gatherings can go ahead, including on private land such as stadiums. This law will now be reviewed to bring Malaysia in line with international standards while ensuring that the police retain the power to prevent violent scenes on the nation's streets.

A host of other laws, including those governing banishment and residence, will also be abolished or reviewed. Any law found to be no longer relevant or justifiable will be repealed.

Please go online for the full text of the PM's address.

And I thought America Has Moved On.....

2011-09-11T23:04:00.003+08:00

I thought they don't do this no more. I thought America has wizened up and is paranoid no more. I thought after 10 years, and a hard lesson, America has moved on.

I thought America has come to terms with the fact that Arabs are among its citizens.

Soon after 9/11 when America and Americans were gripped with fear and later, Islamophobia, I told my son that it was not a good idea for him to visit the US, given that he has a very common Arabic name that probably fills the US terrorist database.

My son's name is Adel Hakim. I named him after an Egyptian journalist friend.

It is also a name favoured by Pakistanis.

Sometime in 2004, in a chance meeting with the acting US ambassador to Malaysia, the issue of terrorism and Islam etc was predictably raised. I was reassured (by him) that nothing of the sort (arrest without reason or grounds) that I feared would befall my son if he travelled to the US.
But I was not reassured.
Guantanamo came to mind.

Many times, I have been proven right. US authorities had made many arrests of innocent Muslims.

And now THIS. Shame shame shame.

Read Shoshana Hebshi's ordeal in her blog HERE.

...and the world was never the same again

2011-09-11T14:47:00.000+08:00

Someone wrote - "There cannot be many adults in the western world who do not remember where they were on September 11, 2001, specifically @9.03am."

Indeed. How could we?
That was one morning we all cannot forget.

I remember well that lazy Sunday morning.

I was in London (a few days' transit), preparing to leave for Moscow for an assignment.

I was with two other people - NST London correspondent Tony Emmanuel and Business Times editor Ahirudin Attan - at the New Straits Times apartment in Bayswater. To be precise I was watching TV with Tony while Ahirudin was in the kitchen making himself a cup of coffee.

It was so surreal, come to think of it. That morning.

Tony and I was watching the news. Saw the visuals. We thought it was a helicopter flying close to the World Trade Centre building. It didn't look like a huge airplane. Still, we were glued to the TV because the commentator spoke in hurried and excited tone.

Then, wham...we were stunned when everything just clashed, exploded.....like a movie. I think we were momentarily paralyzed.

By then, Ahirudin was with us. The air was then so palpable with our shouts and screams of shock and horror. Reality set in.

If there was a giant loudspeaker in space, earth would have emanated the chorus of the cacophony of shocked voices.

It was one crash after another.

And the world was never the same again.

We had arrived in London and had undergone the routine that visitors to the city had gone through for years. Until 9/11, departures from London were also mundane affairs.

Needless to say, our assignment to Moscow (PM Dr Mahathir's first official visit to Russia) was cancelled. Postponed, rather (because he made the trip a year later).

Our departure from London was nothing short of bizarre. Heathrow seemed like a crazy place. New rules were put in place and immediately effected. Customs checks were
maddeningly long because so many people had to unpack and/0r repacked because a lot of items that were allowed before had been banned in hand-carried bags.
I had to unpack and convert my bag into a checked-luggage. My habit of carrying extra luggage locks helped.

Life was never the same again for travellers, and especially those carrying Muslim names or looking Middle-eastern.

Even 10 years on. We're still picking up the torn and shredded pieces of 9/11.

To those who perished in the attacks - in the US and elsewhere (because of 9/11) - May you rest in peace.

Wahai Mat Sabu, Minta Maaf Saja-lah,.....

2011-09-03T17:37:00.004+08:00

...sebelum isu ini menjadi lebih serius. Betul kata Karpal Singh.

Just say you're sorry for saying that thing that you said, and be done with it. And, oh yes, admit that you made a mistake.
It's no longer that you "allegedly" said. It's on Youtube.
You did say what you were accused of saying, as reported by Utusan Malaysia.

So, go sue Utusan Malaysia. I mean, really sue.

Mat Sabu who is PAS deputy president said at a ceramah in Penang on Aug 21 that the communist terrorists who attacked the Bukit Kepong police station in the 1950s were the true heroes of the country, not the policemen who defended the station because they were British officers.

I agree with NST columnist and peace activist Shamsul Akmar who wrote:

"Although Mat Sabu disparaged the Bukit Kepong policemen on grounds that they were working for the British, it did not make them any less heroic.

In fact, if the statistics and details of the fateful day of Feb 23, 1950 were to be of essence, how can a company of 200 CPM members attacking a police station and barracks defended by less than one tenth of the attackers be heroic?

Furthermore, if those killed included women and children (some burnt to death), what is so heroic of the CPM bandits who attacked Bukit Kepong?

By any count, it is the 20 odd policemen and their families who defended the station from the time the attack started at 5am until they were murdered and the station burnt to the ground. So who are the heroes.

The sheer fact that they were outnumbered and yet determined to hold their ground to the end, proved courage beyond compare in facing such extreme adversity."

Read his column HERE.

I'm still wondering why he said what he said....

BernamaTV Cameraman Killed In Somalia

2011-09-03T11:16:00.005+08:00

...while TV3 journalist Ali Saregar Mazlan is injured.

Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, 41, was killed by stray bullets fired by rebel forces while he was in a vehicle on the way to Mogadishu's commercial centre.

According to media rights watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, the BernamaTV cameraman "joins the long list of journalists killed in the course of their work in Somalia, Africa’s deadliest country for media personnel with 23 killed since 2007."

The NST report:
BernamaTV cameraman Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, 41, was killed, while TV3 cameraman Aji Saregar Mazlan was injured, after the Malaysian media team’s truck was hit by stray bullets during an attack by rebel forces in Mogadishu, Somalia, last night.

The two were in Somalia to provide media coverage for the Putera 1Malaysia Club for the humanitarian aid mission in the African country.

The truck they were in was hit by stray bullets.

Khairulanuar said the shots were fired at a government army truck that was accompanying the media vehicle, and a stray bullet hit Noramfaizul, who was seated by the door.

Read the NST report here.

The BBC also has the story .

Reporters Without Borders Here

(Photo of Arwah Noramfaizul)

2011-08-30T23:51:00.003+08:00

HAPPY MERDEKA, MALAYSIA!

Hari Raya 2011

2011-08-30T00:09:00.003+08:00

It's 12.25am, Tuesday. It's Hari Raya.

How swiftly time flies. Somehow you could feel it this Ramadan. It's amazing.

Also Ramadan has been notably good. Could be the weather. Mostly cool days.

People I talked to agree that this time they could feel how time swiftly flew by.

Hari Raya 2011. Another Hari Raya? Always another Hari Raya.

I am now at Bapak's place. Our customary Raya eve at Bapak's.

There was a time, Raya eve was noisy and riotous. We'd be firing crackers and making a din. It was fabulous.

These days, we play "bunga api". Good enough. Still fabulous.

I usually visit Mak's (and then Kak Piah's, and much later, Bapak's) grave early Raya morning around 7. There'd be people but not too crowded. A little later and the cemetery would be brimming with visitors. And parking would be a nightmare.

This year, we decided to visit the graves a day before Raya. It seems sensible and practical,.

I thought, in all my wisdom, that we should have always done this.

So, at about 10 yesterday morning, we visited Mak, Bapak and Kak Piah. Our other sister, Kak Eda is buried in Subang Jaya.

We all feel the oldness of our lives. In Singapore, we've left with only one aunt and an "aunt-in-law" - Cik Ah and Cik Zai (Bapak's younger sister and sister-in-law).

Bapak's older sisters and younger brothers have all died.

Our older cousins have all passed on.

Mak is survived by her older sister, Wak Nah and youngest sister, Mak Busu.

Now, the kids have all grown up. How they have grown up.

The younger ones still remember Bapak. Soon, he'd be a fleeting memory. That comes with time.

Another Raya. Always another Raya. But never the same.

We miss you Bapak, Mak, Kak Piah and Kak Eda. Al Fatihah.

Anyway, here's wishing everyone a Selamat Hari Raya.

Have a blessed one.

Salam Aidilfitri!

2011-08-29T09:42:00.002+08:00

Have a blessed Aidilfitri.

Safe journey and keep well!

JAIS Church "Raid" - No Answers To Questions Yet!

2011-08-29T08:53:00.005+08:00

It's no trivial matter that JAIS - the Selangor Islamic Religious Department - gate-crashed a dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya on Aug 3- and alleging that not only were Muslims at the function, but that the church was converting Muslims.

JAIS has claimed that it did not raid the church, as widely reported but went there, and entered the premises within the ambit of the syariah law of the state.

Its director Marzuki Hussin had said the “check” to look for Muslims was conducted together with the police and that this was provided for under the Syariah Criminal Enactment (Selangor) 1995.

Predictably, the incident sparked outrage - largely from the Pakatan Rakyat leaders and supporters and the Christian community.

Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, of course, immediately apologized for such an unacceptable action by JAIS.

He ordered JAIS to submit a report. A preliminary, according to sources, has already been submitted to Khalid, who also issued a gag order to his executive councillors. Tsk tsk tsk.

Khalid had also met with the Sultan of Selangor on the matter.

Then he announced that a "majlis syura" - as advised by the Sultan - would be formed to deliberate on the matter. A boo-boo because the Sultan immediately issued a denial, saying that he had advised nothing of the sort.

A swift fix by the Selangor government. It's not a "majlis syura". So sorry about that. We don't want to confuse the people. Actually, it's a "hearing committee".

Clearly, this is a serious issue. It must be very difficult to resolve because straight answers have not been offered to simple questions.
Was it a raid? Or did JAIS conduct the inspection lawfully? Were the 12 Muslims at the event breaking fast in conjunction with what the church claimed to be a "unity dinner"/attending the dinner in conjunction with breaking fast or part of their proselytising ceremony?
Was the church converting "needy' Muslims?

Frankly, I find it odd that it is taking this long for the state government to wrap up investigations. I know JAIS had difficulty in interviewing the Muslims who were at the function they were all represented by their lawyers.

So, I've come to the conclusion that all's not well....

PAS MP Speaks Out ..

2011-08-25T11:52:00.002+08:00

...against Fuziah's scare tactics about the Lynas Corporation rare earth plant.

Fuziah Salleh is of course the Kuantan MP who has been vocal against the construction of the plant, especially as it is located in Pahang.

The PAS MP is Dr Che Rosli Che Mat (Hulu Langat) who is an expert in nuclear science.
He has come out in defence of the Lynas Corp rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.

He said that Fuziah has been “frightening the public” by misleading and misinforming them about the plant.

Che Rosli has had enough and feels that he has to speak up and speak out.

"As the issue was brought up by the PKR, I've kept quiet and even been given a warning by the PAS information department not to comment.
"I've been silent so far, but this is unfair. They've been making comments in every issue of Harakah in a tone we are uncomfortable with."

Here's the Star report:

“She is frightening the public by saying that Lynas is a nuclear plant when its function is only to process natural materials like rare earth from Mount Weld in Western Australia, which has less radiation compared to an ore mine.

Che Rosli said as a PAS member, he felt embarassed by the stance taken by PKR's Fuziah.

“So, I've made the decision as a nuclear scientist to come forward to comment today,” he said in an interview over TV3 news here yesterday.

He said residents in Kuantan need not worry about the safety of the Lynas plant.

“The accusations made are unscientific and not at all academic.

“The people need not be worried. Once Lynas is built, they can go into the plant and see for themselves the safety measures put into place for both the workers and the public,” he said.

Fuziah had earlier spoken out against the project, citing health concerns and radiation fears from the rare earth plant.

Asyraf Haziq Bears No Ill Feeling Towards His Attackers

2011-08-12T12:35:00.005+08:00

Asyraf Haziq, the 20 year-old Malaysian student who was attacked and then mugged by rioters in East London is determined to continue his studies there.

Asyraf who is recuperating after undergoing surgery to his jaw, told a Press conference that he still thinks Britain is great.

He said he bears no ill-feeling towards his attackers and in fact feels sorry for them, especially the kids among them.

Meanwhile, police have arrested a 20 year-old man over the attack.

The footage of Asyraf after the attack and being"helped" by a group of youths (who actually robbed him) is on Youtube.

A website was set up to help him.

A message on the "Let's Do Something Nice For Asyraf Haziq" site said just less than £4,000 had been donated by Wednesday night.

Read more HERE.

Never Seen London Like This...

2011-08-09T16:15:00.004+08:00

Zaharah Othman wrote in her Facebook status today:

"Never in 31 years here have we seen anything like this in London. We hear sirens, apparently on police and army on the way to the nearby town of Ealing. Its getting too close for comfort."

Indeed, if you read about what's going on, you cannot imagine that something like THIS is taking place in London.

Here's an excerpt from a news report:

"The riots started over the weekend in London's Tottenham area. The riots originally started as a protest against the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan by armed police.

Monday's violence started in Hackney after a man was stopped and searched by police but nothing was found.

Groups of people began attacking the police in Hackney at about 16:20 BST, throwing rocks and a bin at officers.

Police cars were smashed by youths armed with wooden poles and metal bars. Looters also smashed their way into shops before being dispersed by police.

Nine police forces from other parts of the country have assisted in providing support to the capital city, as well as the City of London Police and British Transport Police.

However, eyewitnesses have reported that as trouble spread across the city, there were often few police officers around when violence flared."

(Photo is of a woman jumping for her life from a building. source: Daily Mirror)

Stop The Lies - stopthelies.my

2011-08-09T11:22:00.005+08:00

I read everything and anything...including THIS BLOG

..and you can't always be reading about the US debt crisis, or the state of Europe's economy...so sometimes a little gossipy stuff is okay....

Never Before: S&P Downgrades US Credit Rating

2011-08-06T17:35:00.003+08:00

Standard & Poors announced yesterday night that it has downgraded the U.S. credit rating for the first time, dealing a symbolic blow to the world’s economic superpower in what was a sharply worded critique of the American political system.

Lowering the nation’s rating to one notch below AAA, the credit rating company said “political brinkmanship” in the debate over the debt had made the U.S. government’s ability to manage its finances “less stable, less effective and less predictable.” It said the bipartisan agreement reached this week to find at least $2.1 trillion in budget savings “fell short” of what was necessary to tame the nation’s debt over time and predicted that leaders would not be likely to achieve more savings in the future.

“It’s always possible the rating will come back, but we don’t think it’s coming back anytime soon,” said David Beers, head of S&P’s government debt rating unit. -Washington Post.

MB Khalid Issues Gag Order On JAIS Church Raid

2011-08-06T17:26:00.002+08:00

Well, well, well....

You don't want your exco members to speak to the media, huh!

JAIS Raid on Church: Evidence of Proselytizing

2011-08-05T12:39:00.004+08:00

"There is evidence of proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims" : Selangor state Muslim Affairs, Malay Customs, Infrastructure and Public Amenities Committee chairman Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali.

Hasan said this when explaining why JAIS (Selangor Islamic Religious Department) carried out Wednesday night"s raid on Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).

Read the NST report HERE.

I'd like to know what the evidence is? This is a serious allegation because we all know that it is unlawful for non-Muslims to try and convert Muslims.

Meanwhile, DAP's Lim Kit Siang has accused Hasan of "breaking ranks" with the Selangor government on this, given that Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had expressed regret over the incident.

"What is a matter of concern and must be viewed seriously is the public defence of the JAIS action by the state executive councillor Hassan Ali issued shortly after Khalid's statement expressing regret for the raid and asking JAIS to submit a full report on the incident – as it is an act of breaking ranks in the Selangor state government," he said Lim in a statement.

Berita Harian (today's, page 10) spoke to a single mother who has been actively participating in the church activities after going through serious financial trouble.
The woman, a Muslim, said the church offered financial assistance on condition that she joined all its activities.
She is now financially okay.

"In all honesty, the church had been a great help to me and my three children. To date, I have received RM20,000 from the church", she was quoted to say.

The single mother also said that there are about 100 Muslim single mothers in a similar situation.

My earlier posting:

JAIS Raids Unity Dinner At Church

In the first place, there is no law - Syariah or secular -forbidding Muslims from attending events, including dinners, in churches.

So why did JAIS -- Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor -- unleash its officers (accompanied by the police) to this gracious event?

Did JAIS go too far when its officers interrupted this event (a muhibbah dinner) at the Damansara Utama Methodist centre?

Big mistake...

Somalia Famine

2011-08-04T16:56:00.005+08:00

In Somalia, 3.7 million people are in crisis, according to the United Nations.

Out of a population of 7.5 million, 3.2 million need immediate, lifesaving assistance.

Somalia, which has virtually no functioning government, is suffering its worst drought in 60 years.

The UN has declared three new regions in Somalia famine zones yesterday, expanding the area where the highest rates of malnutrition and mortality are taking place, including the refugee camps in the capital of Mogadishu.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said that famine is likely to spread across all regions of Somalia’s south in the next four to six weeks and may persist until December.

International humanitarian response to Somalia's plight has been inadequate, the UN said.

JAIS Raids Unity Dinner At Church

2011-08-04T15:33:00.004+08:00

Who Is This Beer-Guzzling Opposition MP?

2011-08-01T17:25:00.002+08:00

This particular one who's now in trouble with his bosses. He is most likely to be dropped as candidate in the next general election.

Can you guess who he is?

Salam Ramadhan!

2011-08-01T01:35:00.000+08:00

Have a blessed Ramadhan.

Another year, another Ramadhan.

How swiftly time flies.

Peace.

(More) Women On Top Is a Very Good Thing..

2011-07-26T10:13:00.003+08:00

I mean...at the top, or in boardrooms in decision-making positions.

Seriously. They bring good things to the companies they lead, or a part of.

According to Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Jalil, research has shown that public-listed companies with more women directors had better returns on equity or stock prices versus their respective market indices.

She was speaking at the Women's Summit 2011 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The research was undertaken by Shireen Muhyideen, who led the roundtable discussion of the Women's Summit, last year.

Shahrizat pointed out that on June 27, Prime Minister Najib Razak announced the Cabinet's approval for a policy that advocated for at least 30% women at the decision-making level in the private sector.

She noted that the world's Fortune 500 companies, particularly in Europe and the United States, had all improved their financial performance and enjoyed better returns on investments largely due to having women directors who insisted on accountability, innovation and a better work environment.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who attended the event, said women had become the majority of university graduates (60%) and the majority of consumer goods purchasing decision-makers (80%) in many countries.

"Putting a minimum of 30% of women in the boardrooms will help companies develop more gender sensitive products and services," he said.

He urged Shahrizat's ministry to take the lead in drawing up serious training intervention strategies to get women to the top.

"There must be serious mentoring programmes put in place to make women board'-ready," Muhyiddin said during his keynote address at the summit here.

Media Practitioners Reject Information Ministry's Proposed Media Consultative Council

2011-07-25T19:23:00.004+08:00

It was unanimous. Newspaper editors and their representatives who attended a meeting to discuss the setting up of a media consultative council in Kuala Lumpur pretty much shot down the idea.
They were from the NST, Berita Harian, Nanyang, Oriental Daily, The Sun and Utusan. Also there were Syed Akbar Ali who was there not to represent all bloggers but as president of Bloghouse Malaysia and National Union of Journalists' secretary-general V Anbalagan.

Bernama editor-in-chief Yong Soo Heong was present.

Notably missing were representatives from the Sun, the Malay Mail, Sin Chew and the Edge who were invited.
The online news portals were not invited to the meeting.

Chairing the meeting was the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry's secretary-general, Kamaruddin Siaraf.

After the outline of the proposal was read out, we were asked for our views.

The print media representatives spoke up. So did Syed Akbar and Anbalagan.
After about an hour of exchanging views during which Kamaruddin explained at great length and insisted that it would be a "consultative" council and not at all to control the press - it was clear that none of us were in favour of having the council.

Kamaruddin accepted the decision and concluded the meeting, saying that he would be reporting to the government the outcome of the meeting.

Tipu, Tipu....

2011-07-23T18:04:00.003+08:00

Some take advantage and exploit situations. Some simply tipu....

Post Bersih 2, some truths have emerged...

Click HERE

and HERE

RCI : TBH Driven To Suicide

2011-07-21T16:17:00.009+08:00

The Royal Commission of Inquiry's verdict: Teoh Beng Hock was driven to "commit suicide by “aggressive, relentless, oppressive and unscrupulous” interrogation by three MACC officers."

This brings a closure to this very tragic case. Rather, it should.

But not for TBH's family. As expected, they have rejected the suicide verdict and may ask for a judicial review.

Family lawyer Karpal Singh is studying the RCI report. He told reporters that they may request a judicial review of the suicide verdict.

“The verdict of suicide is unacceptable to the family. The RCI is an inferior tribunal in law and any decision made by an inferior tribunal is reviewable by the High Court,” Karpal said today.

It looks like they are not going to let it go, nor let it rest. No closure yet.

As for Karpal: "inferior"?

Wasn't it Teoh's family that demanded for the RCI?

As for the MACC culprits - action will be taken against them.

Meanwhile, the MACC will be studying the RCI findings.

Here's the story:

KUALA LUMPUR :The Royal Commission of Inquiry, in an unanimous decision, found that Teoh Beng Hock had been driven to commit suicide by “aggressive, relentless, oppressive and unscrupulous” interrogation by three MACC officers.

The three named were Selangor MACC Deputy Director Hishamuddin Hashim, and his officers Mohamad Anuar Ismail and Ashraf Mohd Yunus.

The commission said that unlawful intimidatory tactics used "would have had grave consequences upon Teoh's mind and would have been a culminating factor that drove him to suicide.”

In the 124-page report released Thursday the commission said that three MACC officers had probably tried to coerce him into making a statement that it was Selangor state executive council member Ean Yong Hian Wah, Teoh's boss, who had “directed him to commit unlawful acts in handling” an allocation.

“This session must have been very taxing on Teoh both physically and mentally.

“He had been deprived of sleep throughout that night and into the morning and had had to endure persistent, aggressive and unscrupulous questioning.

“His physical condition as described by Ashraf when fetching him the glass of water was that Teoh had moved to sit in an upright position very slowly.

“This fourth interrogation session, to our minds, must have been the final straw that broke the camel's back.”

Teoh, 30, the political secretary to Ean, was found dead on July 16, 2009 on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, Selangor, after giving a statement at the Selangor MACC office on the 14th floor of the same building.

The setting up of the commission was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak last Jan 26 after the Coroner's Court delivered an open verdict: The Star

Dear Uncle Kit....

2011-07-21T15:47:00.004+08:00

This photograph that appeared on the front page of the New Sunday Times was NOT doctored.

It was taken by an NST photographer. Authentic.

The NST did not say that he was carrying a knife, nor made any suggestions about the protester.
In fact, at the point of the photograph being taken, the identity of this protester was not known until of course, he revealed himself later.

So, it is just this picture. And by any newspaper standard -- a good picture.

It may not be worth a thousand words nor tell the whole story. But a good picture.

So, Uncle Kit, you may not like this picture but it was not doctored, nor tampered with.

And How Did This Taman Tun Dr Ismail Project Get Approved?

2011-07-19T10:00:00.008+08:00

I have to ask.
You don't have to be a resident around Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi to be puzzled, and angry, over how this project got approved by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

Honestly, it is beyond anyone how it was approved.

You will be forgiven for being suspicious, for thinking the worst of city councillors.

How could anyone in their right mind approve this building project?

This site is sandwiched between TWO petrol stations along a narrow side e road that runs parallel to Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi which is a busy road.

For a long time, the site was a vacant parking lot. And then for a time, the popular neighbourhood food court, Rasta.

When the site was cleared, residents had expected some kind of project, but never in their wildest imagination that it would be thi -- a 13-storey building that include a hotel, office and retail lots.

Not a few metres behind this site are residential homes (link houses). Really, to close for comfort (read article below).

Across are a row of shoplots, including CIMB, a supermarket and clinics - a commercial part of the neighbourhood.

Residents are stumped at how the project got approved. It does not make sense that a huge project such as this is located near residential homes in a housing estate.

Who will it benefit?
Traffic will increase multi-fold, that's for sure.

You city councillors -- don't blame people for thinking the worst of you!!!

Nothing is lost yet for the residents affected by this horrible project. I am sure they - through their association - can take the matter to court to stop the project ....and more...

It is a meaningless project, I tell you...

Read the story below, from NST "Streets":

Residents in Lorong Burhanuddin Helmi 1, Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), are worried about a construction site behind their houses. (See photo above of the roof of the link houses from the construction site)

Tan Fok Kheong, a 65-year-old resident, claimed that cracks started to appear in the back portion of his home when work on the project began a few months ago.

The project, on the main road of Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi, consists of a 13-storey block, which will house a hotel, office and retail lots, as well as a four-storey car park building.

"The site is too close to our houses. The fenced-off area is less than two metres from our kitchen door. Our tiles and the back door are damaged. We believe it is because of the piling work. I can feel the vibration.

"We want City Hall to look into this as we don't want to suffer more damage to our houses.

"Also, we have to bear with the noise from the site every day," said Tan, who has been staying there for over 30 years.

"We met the developer over the cracks and broken tiles. They assured us they would repair the damage.

"But, we want to have everything in writing before we can allow them to carry out any work on our homes.

"We need to know whether the developer is going to guarantee to repair the structural damage," he said, adding that a complaint had been lodged with City Hall.

TTDI Residents' Association chairman Mohd Hatim Abdullah said they met the developer in May.

"We are disappointed over several issues, including the fact that we did not receive the traffic noise study report. Residents, especially those staying near the site, are upset as they were not consulted before the project was approved by City Hall, said Hatim.

"House owners learned about the project before it started, about two months ago. But, they could not raise any objections at the time, because it had already been approved by City Hall."

Hatim added that residents were also concerned about the traffic congestion and parking problems that will occur when the high-density project was completed.

2011-07-09T17:21:00.002+08:00

When Thousands Thronged The City

...with the huge presence of the police's Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) cordoning off entry points to Stadium Merdeka. Now, the organizers can promise you a peaceful march but you and I know that there will always be trouble-makers.

Some say the police acted without any provocation from the protesters. But there were reports that the protesters deliberately defied police orders not to proceed further.

Macam-macam.

Anyway, Ambiga, Anwar, Khairy, Kit Siang and Hadi were all there at the Bersih rally.

And they all got (tear)gassed too. Anwar who was injured earlier as he and his group were evading the police, is (as I am writing this) receiving treatment at Pantai Hospital.

The crowd was huge. They gathered and marched from different points and merged in the city near the Dataran Maybank.

People began gathering in several spots around the city as early as 7am. Policemen and women were seen talking to teenagers, advising them to leave the areas.

As the crowd picked up in numbers and began walking towarsd the city, shouts of "bersih, bersih" could be heard.

There were also shouts of "reformasi" heard.

By afternoon, things got hot and heated....

I did not take part in the Bersih march this time. I did in 2007 - the 10-Eleven march.
Then, it was organized by social/civil rights activists although at the end when the crowd reached Istana Negara, a couple of political leaders emerged to make known their presence and their part in the march. And that was the high point where the memorandum was to be handed to the palace.

This time it is clearly a political rally with political leaders behind it.

The first time, it was held before the 2008 general election. And as you know, five states fell to the opposition.
What a tidal wave!

Anyway, Saturday, for some time now, has been a working day for me, so...

Back to Bersih 2.0 -- there were arrests made today. Some of those arrested were released.

By about 4.30pm, most of the hot spots were cleared of protesters who then headed towards KLCC in the city.

Someone at KLCC got really spooked when she got to know that the protesters were heading there...

Do get your updates online.....and check out twitter...

KL's Persona Non Grata on July 9

2011-07-07T18:58:00.009+08:00

Police have named 91 people barred from entering KL city centre on that B-Day on July 9.

Are you among them?

The police have obtained a restriction order preventing the 91 including Bersih organisers, Patriot/Umno Youth and Perkasa from entering the Kuala Lumpur central business district on Saturday.

Of course, Bersih chief S. Ambiga, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali are among them.

Police say that they can be liable and charged under Section 188 of the Penal Code with Disobeying a Lawful Order of the Court which carries a maximum six months imprisonment or a fine or both upon conviction.

1. Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan
2. Mohamad Sabu
3. Hishamuddin Md Rais
4. Khairul Anwar Ahmad Zainuddin
5. Maria Chin Abdullah
6. Chua Tian Chang
7. Kamarulzaman Mohamad
8. Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli
9. Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud
10. Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh
11. Teresa Kok Suh Sim
12. Badrul Hisham Shaharin
13. Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin
14. Arutchelvam Subramaniam
15. Wong Chin Huat
16. Ong Boon Keong
17. Enalini Elumalai
18. Haris Fathillah Sathiasingam Mohd Ibrahim
19. Datuk Khalid Yunus
20. Datuk Zulkifli Noordin
21. Dr Zubir Harun*
22. Datuk Seri Mohd Hilmi Ismail
23. Datuk Seri Abd Hadi Awang
24. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
25. Lim Kit Siang
26. Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat
27. Nurul Izzah Anwar
28. Kohila Yanasekaran
29. Zaid Kamaruddin
30. Khoo Teng Swee
31. Fadiah Nadzwa Fikri
32. Yap Swee Seng
33. Salahuddin Ayub
34. Datuk Mahfuz Omar
35. Nasarudin Hassan
36. Mazlan Aliman
37. Dr Syed Azman Syed Nawawi
38. Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad
39. Dr Mujahid Yusof
40. Khalid Abd Samad
41. Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin
42. Azman Shapawi Abd Rani
43. Suhaizan Kaiat
44. Nor Azli Musa
45. Mohd Firdaus Jaafar
46. Loke Siew Fook
47. Lau Wen San
48. Mohd Azmin Ali
49. Mat Shuhaimi Shafie
50. Satipul Bahari Mamat
51. Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli
52. Mohamad Izzuddin Hilmi Mohd Zaini
53. Mohd Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin
54. Muhammad Hilman Idham
55. Mohd Shukri Che Ab Razab
56. Mohd Syukri Kamaruddin
57. Ahmad Syazwan Muhammad Hasan
58. Choo Vhon Kai
59. Sarasvathy Muthu
60. Soh Sook Hwa
61. Nurul Izham Nurul Anuar
62. Abd Rahim Osman
63. Mohd Sibri Ismail
64. Mohd Lukman Muda
65. Datuk Prof Kamaruddin Kachar
66. Datuk Mohd Noor Nordin Abdullah
67. Datuk Ibrahim Ali
68. Datuk Ab Rahman Ab Bakar
69. Syed Hassan Syed Ali\
70. Irwan Fahmi Ideris
71. Roslan Kassim
72. Sharifuddin Abd Hamid
73. Dr Zubir Harun.*
74. Ameir Hassan
75. Datuk Ahmad Saad
76. Ahmad Zaini Ismail
77. Muhammad Zahid Md Arip
78. Abdullah Mansor
79. Zaira Jaafar
80. Norkhaila Jamaludin
81. Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar
82. Datuk Megat Firdouz Megat Junid
83. Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican
84. Megat Zulkarnain Omardin
85. Rizalman Mokhtar
86. Tengku Azman Tengku Zainol Abidin
87. Lokman Noor Adam
88. Datuk Abdul Azeez Rahim
89. Ungku Saleh Ungku Jamal
90. Arman Azha Abu Hanifa
91. Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz

Well. Yippee... my name's not there.....

By the way: Khairy just found out and he tweeted:
"Just landed back in KL after trying to break Israeli blockade of Gaza only to find that I've been blockaded from KL. Excuse me if I say WTF?"

As for Nurul Izzah, here's what she has to say:
"Sorry to break this to u, officer. But I live in KL".

2011-07-07T17:50:00.003+08:00

Dead For 8 Years Without Anyone Knowing....

An elderly woman's skeletal remains were found in her home. Police believed she died in 2003. No one, not even her closest neighbour realized that she had died in her upstairs room. Everyone thought she had left, and that the house was abandoned.

Her death and absence went unnoticed. She had no living relative other than a sister-in-law with whom relations were estranged.

Here's the report:

A FAMILY falling out is believed to have led to an elderly woman's body lying undiscovered for eight years at her home in inner Sydney.

Authorities are trying to determine how Natalie Wood died and how her remains lay undisturbed for so long in a busy inner-city suburb.

Officers visited the home after Ms Wood's sister-in-law had not been able to contact her. It is understood she had tried to get in contact to pass on some family news, but failing that, she called police.

It had been eight years since they had spoken, due to a family dispute.

Police found the skeletal remains on the floor in an upstairs bedroom of the Kippax St, Surry Hills home yesterday at noon. The death is not believed to have been suspicious.

Ms Wood would have turned 87 in August.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Really sad.

2011-07-01T18:45:00.007+08:00

@5Xmom: I think all Christians shud march for all the persecution they had done to us and our Lord.

So when do we take tweets seriously? When do we not? How do we know when someone is jesting and when she is not?

Certainly, sometimes people don't think before they tweet happily away in cyberspace.

I don't know 5Xmom (Chan Lilian) but I have come across her comments in some blogs that I follow. I don't follow her on twitter so I don't really know what she's been tweeting about..

Some people who follow me on twitter retweeted her tweet (above).

Some people took exception to her tweet. One of them is Tony Yew. He is not amused. He thinks her tweet is seditious.
So, this afternoon, he lodged a police report against Lilian. HERE

Lilian, according to this blogger is employed by the Penang DAP government.
She is the official video-journalist for Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng. HERE.
The blogger, Apanama, thinks that 5Xmom has crossed the line. Just like Tony, he thinks her tweet is seditious.

As for me, I think she should know that her tweet will elicit all sorts of reaction.

Was it meant in jest?
Because in the first place, she's making a false statement.

That is a lie.
I know one thing, our tweets reflect our thinking. Not everyone realizes this, of course.

And Is Malaysia Airlines Banning Babies In First Class?

2011-06-29T17:17:00.003+08:00

When I read this article on news.com.au, I thought Malaysia Airlines is really taking care of its high-end passengers.

It said that the airline has introduced the baby ban after receiving a number of complaints about crying infants from first class passengers.

And I expect some quarters would take exception to the "ruling" because it does smack of "discrimination". Today, babies. Tomorrow?

Anyway, I thought we should not take the Australian Business Traveller's word for it, although it quoted Malaysia Airlines CEO Tengku Azmil as saying that first-class passengers complained about spending a lot of money and not being able to sleep “due to crying infants".

A colleague checked with Malaysia Airlines to confirm it there is such a ban.
A statement was swiftly issued.

MAS denied the story. No such ban.

The thing is bassinet facilities were originally available in the First, Business and Economy class zones of the 747’s.
"In 2003, Malaysia Airlines embarked on a revamp of First and Business class cabin of the B747s. The First class seat configuration was reduced from 18 to 12 for passengers to enjoy increased cabin space and extended legroom."

"Each new seat came with an electrically operated ottoman that doubles as a visitor seat and could convert to a lie-flat bed with the main seat. As a result of this seat revamp and the introduction of the ottoman, there was no facility for positioning bassinets in the First Class of the B747s."

"The business and economy cabins of its 747-400s, like the rest of its current fleet, are equipped with bassinet facilities to cater for infant travel."

So, what about Tengku Azmil's remark?

No comment on that from Malaysia Airlines.

Well...First class passengers don't want babies in their class, so they "pass them" to business and economy classes.

Babies don't fly for free. And when you travel in whatever classes, you share that space with other paying passengers. It is not your private space.
It's "public transport" -- not a hotel, as a close friend remarked.

There are ways to fly on public transport without having babies for company.....

Kids Not Welcomed On Flights?

2011-06-29T15:50:00.002+08:00

Do you get irritated by bawling babies or cranky children on board airlines you're in?

I've never had to take my kids travelling on planes when they were babies so I cannot imagine how or what they'd be as passengers.

Just as well...

But I've travelled on flight where children were fellow passengers.

In all honesty, of course, you would be affected by babies or children crying. For me, it's not so much that I get irritated. I feel for the parent trying to soothe the child.

So far, I've never witnessed any passenger complaining about noisy or bawling kids.

Anyway, in a recent suvey, many people have owned up to being annoyed by children on planes.

According to the survey -- airlines are being urged to segregate children or ban them from certain flights altogether to keep business class passengers happy - according to a recent survey.

The articled:

The survey, posted on news.com.au, reported that 75 per cent of business class travellers said they were annoyed by the presence of children on planes, the The Daily Mail reports.

The survey, run in conjunction with the Business Travel and Meetings trade show, urges major airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Emirates, to consider child-free flights.

Of the 1000 participants, three quarters of business class passengers found children on planes "irritating".

Campaigners have also suggested airlines use "flight zones" - where children and adults are segregated.

This idea draws inspiration from the "quiet cabins" which currently operate on railway services throughout the UK.

The Business Travel and Meetings trade show's director David Chapple said those paying more for their flight have a right to complain.

"It's understandably frustrating for business travellers, who have paid a premium in expectation that they can work and sleep in comfort, to have that peace disturbed by children," he told the Daily Mail.

But many people have opposed the campaign, and are worried where the ban might lead.

"It would be a bad decision by an airline to ban children," ex-Virgin Atlantic director, Paul Charles, said.

"Once you did, would you start banning other types of travellers? It would be a mistake," he said

The airlines are yet to respond to to the campaign efforts.

A "Home" That's Not a Home...

2011-06-07T10:16:00.004+08:00

When a landslide killed 16 people including orphans of a home in Hulu Langat two weeks ago, the first thing on our minds was the precarious location of the orphanage -- which was at the foot of a slope.
Then of course, we started asking whether the home was registered, who owns and run it...and all the details that we all immediately wanted to know.
Other details emerged in the course of obtaining information, including the fact that there are so many unregistered homes and the long process of getting orphanages, old folks home and so on, registered with the Welfare Department.
Understandable that the department has got to make sure that people are not setting up homes to make money and exploit children and old people.
At the same time, the department does not hastily act against unregistered homes because of the fact that these homes do provide shelter and food for needy kids and the elderly etc...
However, it does not mean that these homes should escape supervision and monitoring.
In an ideal situation, we would like to see orphans, the elderly, the disabled and so on, well taken care of...
There is little sense in us going for all the benefits of a high-income nation when these groups are neglected..

And that is why we must prevent bad and evil people from setting up shelters and homes.
read this. If it's true, then it is a classic case of really bad people exploiting the misfortunes of others....

A WOMAN who was sent to a welfare home by her husband had gone missing when he came by for a visit, Malaysia Nanban reported.

M. Bhaskaran, from Kajang, said he had left his wife and their three children at the home in mid-May.

When he went there to meet her, the home's administrator told him that his wife had been transferred to another branch.

Not satisfied, Bhaskaran investigated and found that the home had sent his wife and two other inmates elsewhere to work as maids.

He lodged three police reports after the home's officials refused to disclose his wife's whereabouts.

It was learnt that two other inmates claimed that they were given stale food and treated harshly by the caretakers.

They also said that single mothers were sent out to work as maids and their salaries were credited into the home's accounts

The rest of the story HERE

Should Kids Under 13 Be on Facebook?.

2011-05-30T15:27:00.006+08:00

An article on Time.com presented this question in view of remarks made recently by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg that he'd like younger children to be permitted to patronize his site.

Zuckerberg said this at the NewSchools Venture Fund's Summit in Burlingame, California last week.

First of all, I'm not sure how you can stop kids from signing up on FB. I'm sure we all know that there are so many children already using FB, and are so savvy with it too. Some have uploaded their video performances and all sorts of stuff on FB.

You can't keep FB and social networking from the 21st century generation of kids. I'm not sure if you should.

Is there an issue of misuse?Or security and safety? The need for parental or adult control? I believe these are the over-arching concerns.

Indeed, it all boils down to how involved parents (or guardians) are in the lives of their kids and how best parents et al deal with it.

As always, there is no end to discussions and debate on the impact of social media or social networking on society...

(Also Read - FaceBook Is Not Your Friend)

What's your view?

Obesity In Schools -- It's Not Just About Food!

2011-04-27T19:14:00.007+08:00

It's good that the government has drawn up guidelines for school canteens in view of reports that a lot of them are selling food that are not nutritious.
In fact, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics carried out a study six years ago of 12 schools in the Klang Valley and found that most of the food served in canteens were fried and oily.

Not much has improved since as a recent survey it conducted showed that canteens were still selling snacks or, "junkfood".

Many schools were still selling nuggets, fried sausages and other fried food. But you know, these are what kids love.
And this is not peculiar to Malaysia. In Britain, most schools were found to be serving non-nutritious food to students. But, as with most kids, they love it.

In the 1985 School Canteen guidelines, nuggets, fried sausages, and nasi lemak were considered "appropriate".

The university's nutrition and dietetics department however, believed otherwise.
A revised set of guidelines came in force in 2008.

In August last year, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said that most canteens were still selling unhealthy food and snacks that could influence the eating habits of children and contribute to rising childhood obesity in the country.

The NST report HERE.

From then, the issue of bad food in school canteens was linked to rising obesity among children,.
In April this year, the ministry announced proposed guidelines on food sold in school canteens following reports that they sell less than nutritious food.

These were to replace the existing ones. The new guidelines would take into account sugar, salt, fat and oil content.

What were okay in the 2008 guidelines would not be okay in the new list -- for instance, nuggets, burgers and sausages would be banned.
Nasi lemak, fried rice and laksa are okay but can only be served twice a week.
(In school canteens, the portions (of nasi lemak, fried rice etc) are really small. )

This sparked a debate on the food children eat -- is the food they eat in that 20-minute recess at school responsible for their state of health, or the food they eat at home?

School or home? School or parents?

I find all this debate very stimulating and amusing too. All this blame game.

On Monday (April 25), the ministry announced the new guidelines.

Here's the thing -- nobody seems to see the importance of EXERCISE for children.
Let's face it, we used to eat oodles of noodles every day in school, and had those tuck shop snacks, keropok udang, Schweppes, Coke -- God knows what else.
And there was no obesity in school. I can't remember any fat school mate.
You know why? Because physical education and participation in sports were encouraged and played a major role in school.

I'm not encouraging eating unhealthy (overloaded with salt and sugar) snacks and fatty foods. But I'm looking at it from an overall perspective.
Being fit is not just about the food you eat. It is about exercising right.

I believe that we should encourage sports today, especially when the only limbs our kids are exercising are their fingers.

It's no nuclear science to figure out the cause of rising obesity among children.
Have a good look at our school curriculum and attitude of teachers to sports and physical education.

I'm not wrong to say that in many schools today, sports is low priority. Really really low.
It's a vicious cycle. You don't encourage them (to do sports, play games), they don't develop any interest and it becomes unimportant to them.

I remember that PE (physical education) was a big thing for us in school back then (in the 70s).
From the first week of school, we'd be preparing for our school sports. If you wanted to do long jump, then you'd be preparing for that event. And if you were a sprinter, you'd be preparing for that.
Also, you had to play at least two games. I never quite liked netball, but I played it anyway.
But I loved hockey and softball. There was a stint with soccer (yep, the only girls' football team in Selangor - possibly Malaysia).
And these activities were held on weekends. Attendance was compulsory. But that was irrelevant because games and sports were part of school life.
It was a state of mind.

So, you can cut this and that in the kids' diet but if they don't play games and exercise, they won't grow up healthy.

That is what is lacking in our schools -- priority on fitness.

So, really it's not just about food. You tackle obesity in kids the same way you tackle obesity in adults.
A combination of healthy eating and fitness routine.

Update: First Malaysia-Asean Regional Bloggers Conference (MARBC)

2011-04-25T11:30:00.002+08:00

What an eventful and stimulating weekend it was.
I was at the 1st MARBC, organised by Blog House Malaysia, held over the weekend (April 23-24) at The Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur.
Among the participants were some very prominent bloggers from Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines who arrived at KLIA on Friday, April 22.
They were among some 40 bloggers from the region who were at the conference, themed "Blogging Mindfully and Responsibly".

On Saturday, April 23, BHM exco members, led by its president Syed Akbar Ali, and the (guest) Asean bloggers sat together the whole morning at the Sime Darby Convention Centre for the drafting of the 5-point Kuala Lumpur Consensus that was later adopted at the conference.

The (draft) KL Consensus

1. The establishment of an Asean social media and blogging network to promote understanding, good relations, unity and cooperation for regional betterment and progress of the new media practitioners in the spirit of mutual respect;
2. To assist in achieving and promoting the common values and aspirations of goodwill and to promote greater understanding and familiarity of the social media;
3. To promote the freedom of expression, freedom of information and freedom from persecution;
4. To promote ethical practice of the social media; and
5. To meet regularly and promote the growth and progress of social media in Asean.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, accompanied by his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, attended the opening.
Both Najib and TDM delievered speeches.

Najib, in his speech, gave an assurance that his administration would never censor the Internet.
He said the government does not fear bloggers but wants to be part of them and know their views.
"I have said this before -- that the era of the government knows best and knows everything is over.
"The fact is, the government does not know everything."

He hoped bloggers would offer contsructive criticisms.
“I believe this relationship will be an important relationship based on mutual respect. We may not agree all the time but we cannot be disagreeable.

"But we should draw the line; if we use the cyberspace to tell lies and half truths, that is wrong. "
Najib said if bloggers worked within those parameters, he believed they could indeed play a vital part in shaping a better future for Malaysia and Asean.
Najib said Malaysians are among the most ardent Facebook fans – there are 10.1 million FB users.
"I have no doubt whatsoever that Malaysia has one of the liveliest blogospheres in the world and definitely one of the freest if not the most free.
“Malaysians have to thank Tun Dr Mahathir again for this. When he was prime minister and Malaysia was developing its Multimedia Super Corridor, Tun made the promise to the world that Malaysia would never censor the Internet. My government is fully committed".

Dr Mahathir, speaking to guests and participants earlier said that blogging should be encouraged as it helped the people to become more involved in the running of their own country.
An avid blogger, Dr Mahathir said he turn to blogging as an avenue to air his views after he stepped down as prime minister as he had found that the mainstream media were not publishing his statements.
On blogging, he said bloggers should treat the government and the people fairly though their blogs which should contribute to the betterment of society.
Bloggers should be treated fairly and justly too but if they cross the line, then they should be ready to face the consequences, he said.

Dr Mahathir also remarked that mainstream media in the country should, now and then, allow themselves to be critical of the government.
Dr Mahathir is patron of Blog House Malaysia.

which organised the event, said constructive criticism should be given when it was for the betterment of the country.
He said while bloggers should give fair treatment to the government and the people through their blogsites, they themselves should be treated fairly and justly.

Read Rocky's Bru
OutSyed The Box
Another Brick In The Wall
Barking Magpie
BigDog
Tony Yew
Jebat Must Die
Apanama

Asean Bloggers Conference In KL

2011-04-20T17:49:00.003+08:00

The first Malaysian-Asean Regional Bloggers Conference will be held from Friday to Sunday at the Intercontinental Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

The conference, organised by the recently-registered Blog House Malaysia (BHM), is themed "Blogging Mindfully and Responsibly".

BHM president Syed Akbar Ali said there would be two workshops on Saturday for participants from 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 5pm.

The topics to be covered include blogger networks and blogger etiquette.

"We are expecting 16 Asean bloggers at the conference. They will come from Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines. On Sunday, our patron, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, will deliver the welcoming address. Prime Minster Datuk Seri Najib Razak will then deliver the keynote address at 12.20pm, followed by a 15-minute question and answer session," he said.

For details and registration, visit www.bloghousemalaysia.com. - The New Straits Times