NEWS : MONDAY 25 MAY 2009

Najib: Don't abuse the 1Malaysia concept
PETALING JAYA: The 1Malaysia concept should not be misused by anyone to make extreme or unreasonable demands on the government.

Murugiah 'is new president'
PUTRAJAYA: Sacked People's Progressive Party supreme councilmember Senator Datuk T. Murugiah was "elected" party president at anextraordinary general meeting here yesterday.

Sex and drugs rake in billions
THEsex trade reaped in more than RM3 billion last year. It is estimatedthat the number of prostitutes in the country is about 150,000 withmore than 10,000 operating in the Klang Valley.





Social climbers pay big sums for dubious titles
IT’Sback. Title-obsessed Malaysians are again falling for offers of titlesand awards from an unrecognised — and very likely fictitious —sultanate in Mindanao in the Philippines.

Respect judicial system and let law take its course, says PM
PETALING JAYA: Respect the judicial system and let the law of the country take its course, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

PM: Don’t misuse 1Malaysia to make demands
PETALINGJAYA: The 1Malaysia concept should not be misused by anyone as it ismeant to foster greater unity, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib TunRazak.

Extended loan repayment on appeal
KUALALUMPUR: Borrowers with agencies under the Agriculture and Agro-BasedIndustry Ministry have been asked to pay up even if it is a mere RM50 amonth.

MCA school for reps
CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The MCA will draft a learning module to train its local councillors.

American missing after sea collision
KUANTAN: An American man has gone missing after a yacht and a fishing trawler collided off the coast of Kuantan early yesterday.

Grooming top golfers
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is aiming to nurture young golfers to be world-class players.

Umno: Crisis won’t hurt BN in Manek Urai
SHAHALAM: The Perak crisis will not adversely affect Barisan Nasional’schances of winning the Manek Urai by-election in Kelantan, said Umnoinformation chief Ahmad Maslan.

Nizar surrenders his Camry to state secretariat
IPOH:Former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin hassurrendered his official Toyota Camry car to the state secretariat.

Cops justify raid on DAP HQ
PETALING JAYA: The police have denied acting beyond their jurisdiction when they raided the DAP headquarters on Saturday.

Siblings remanded over maid’s death
PETALINGJAYA: Police have obtained a five-day remand order for two siblings, awoman and a man aged 28 and 30, to assist in investigations into thedeath of their Indonesian maid.

Probe into Nurin link
PETALINGJAYA: An impotent husband who was detained for forcing cucumbers andbrinjals into his wife’s private parts is now under investigation bySelangor police on a possible link to the murder of eight-year-oldNurin Jazlin Jazimin in 2007.

Murugiah is PPP ‘president’
PUTRAJAYA:The People’s Progressive Party was plunged into chaos when Datuk T.Murugiah, who had earlier been expelled from the party, was elected asits new “president” by about 1,760 supporters in what they claimed wasan extraordinary general meeting here.

Natives get restless in PNG
Locals of Papua New Guinea, angry with decades of exploitation, corruption andillegal logging by foreigners, are turning to violence to show their displeasure.

MPs join rally to condemn killing of civilians in Sri Lanka
KUALALUMPUR: Tamil MPs from both sides of the political divide joined handswith hundreds of people in Batu Caves to condemn the killing of Tamilcivilians in the war in northern Sri Lanka.

Girl dies in freak mishap
ALOR SETAR: A three-year-old girl died after being run over by a car driven by her cousin, in Jalan Kundur, Sungai Korok, here.

Kelantan Umno to test strength
KOTABARU: Kelantan Umno will throw everything into the Manek Uraiby-election as it will be a test of the party’s current strength, saidstate party chief Datuk Mustapa Moha- med.

Tycoon decides not to build Bintangor TAR college
KUCHING:Sarawak tycoon Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing has decided not to build theproposed Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College branch campus in Bintangor inthe central region.

Hold induction courses here, say employers
PETALINGJAYA: Employers want induction courses for foreign workers to be heldin Malaysia rather than to let them be run by trainers in the countriesof origin.

Cop shoots woman in lovers’ spat
IPOH: A police constable allegedly shot a woman’s arm by accident after the two had a lovers’ spat at a hotel parking lot here.

PKR tells candidate to lodge reports
BUKITMERTAJAM: Independent candidate Aminah Abdullah has been urged to lodgereports with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the ElectionCommission if she has been offered money not to contest in the Penantiby-election.

Poachers nabbed in Perak reserve
IPOH: Three out of seven animal poachers, all Cambodians, were caught at the Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve in Ulu Lawin, Gerik.

Kerosene price now RM1 a litre
MIRI:Kerosene, which is still being used by rural folk in Sarawak forcooking purposes, will be sold at RM1 per litre, down from RM3.57.

Politican’s son caught with narcotics
KOTABARU: Police have arrested the son of a politician from Machang andseized 1,176 psychotropic pills worth RM50,000 found in his car.

No 41st anniversary celebration for Gerakan
PETALING JAYA: Gerakan will not organise a single event to mark its 41st anniversary today.

TM’s green programme: 10 chosen to work from home to cut travel, time and money
KUALALUMPUR: A pilot programme that allows employees to work from home hasbeen introduced by Telekom Malaysia Bhd in a move to make the groupmore “environment-friendly.”

Higher taxi and bus rates to go before Cabinet
KUALAKANGSAR: New bus and taxi fares will be presented to the Cabinet forapproval next week, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s DepartmentDatuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

‘Chang’ making event unites people
KUALALUMPUR: Those who could not return to their hometowns to celebrate thedumpling festival were still able to enjoy in the festivities at adumpling-making event at Shaw Parade here.

Build green homes, developers told
KOTAKINABALU: Housing developers must do their part in helping stop climatechange by designing buildings which are energy-efficient.

Job opportunities and management talk at Studio V
PETALING JAYA: Are you looking for a career in radio broadcasting, retail, steel manufacturing or pharmaceutical line?

50 homes in five villages damaged in thunderstorm
TANGKAK: About 50 homes in five villages near here were damaged by thunderstorms which hit Serom and Bukit Gambir.

Generous Malaysians pledge to help orphaned grandsons
IPOH:Seamstress Yin Nam Mooi, 71, hopes to be able to rest and enjoy hertwilight years now that generous Malaysians have made financial pledgesto help her two orphaned grandsons.

16 do not have A (H1N1) virus
PUTRAJAYA: All 16 patients, who were admitted to designated influenza A hospitals for a 24-hour observation, have been cleared.

SMK Bukit Jambul grabs top prize
GEORGETOWN: The air-conditioning system at the Queensbay Mall failed to stopbeads of sweat from forming on 17-year-old Yeoh Sengming’s forehead ashe put the final touches on his model – a wind-powered carousel thatcan carry four objects.

A wedding in the afterworld
A SPECIAL “wedding ceremony” was held in Segamat on Saturday. Both the bridegroom and bride were dead.

‘Cincai’ couples with illegitimate children
SOME Malay couples are earning themselves the monicker cincai – Hokkien for not fussy – for their loose morals, reported Metro Ahad.

Constitutional courts needed to solve issues
TAMIL Nesanreported on the importance of setting up constitutional courts in thecountry to solve issues and challenges faced in the country now.

NEWS : SUNDAY 24 MAY 2009

Tricky task of fine-tuning KPIs
Finally, after six weeks, the preliminary key performance indicators(KPIs) for the ministers are ready. What are they and will theyactually help our ministers perform their duties better? ANIZA DAMISspeaks to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Dr KohTsu Koon, who is in charge of driving the ministers and their KPIs, andfinds out that this is only the beginning

Malayan Communists' Blog: For youngsters, it's alternative history
AFACEBOOK identity named Malayan Communist Party, and a blog run by anold communist narrating the history of the MCP from the communistperspective. What do these two websites have in common?

Malayan Communists' Blog: There is always another side to the story
IT was reading Ahmad Boestamam's political memoir, Merentuh Jalan keArah Puncak, which made Fahmi Reza decide to make his documentarySepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka (10 Years Before Merdeka).

Malayan Communists' Blog: Textbooks only give victor's version
HOW are communists presented in our school history textbooks?

Malayan communists go online
Nearly 50 years after the end of the 12-year Emergency against armedcommunism, people still seem interested in the subject. Blogs thatpurportedly speak from the perspective of the communists garner goodreception, particularly from the younger generation. Should we worry?ANIZA DAMIS finds out

Science, Maths decision in 6 months
PASIRGUDANG: Any decision to review the teaching of Science and Mathematicsin English may be reached within the next six months.

Cops kill man who held family hostage
JASIN:Armed with a single-barrell shotgun and a parang, an Indonesian manstormed into a house at Kampung Jambatan Lantai, Air Barok, here.










Plural society a strength
PEKAN:The country’s plural society is a source of strength in the currentchallenge to turn Malaysia into a high-income country.

Anwar trying to ‘fool the world’
PETALINGJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein said Datuk SeriAnwar Ibrahim was moving around freely and did not face any safetythreat, contrary to the Oppo­sition Leader’s claims in a foreignpublication.

Samy: Don’t back Lankan bid to quash censure
KUALALUMPUR: The Govern- ment has been asked to withdraw its backing for SriLanka’s move to stop a Western attempt to scrutinise and censure itshuman rights record during the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Pensioners advised to emulate ex-PM who is still sharp at 84
PEKAN:Pensioners should emulate former Prime Minister Tun Dr MahathirMohamad, who is still sharp and energetic despite being 84.

Ministry puts off induction plan for maids and foreign workers
PETALINGJAYA: Employers can heave a sigh of relief. The mandatory inductioncourse for maids and foreign workers to qualify for visas to come herehas been put off indefinitely.

Employers detained after maid found dead
PETALINGJAYA: Employers of an Indonesian maid found dead in their house havebeen detained on suspicion of having severely beaten her.

Sultan to undergo treatment in Singapore
KOTABARU: Kelantan Sultan Ismail Petra Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra isin stable condition following treatment for a heart ailment.

JJ shortlisted for US envoy job
KUALALUMPUR: Former minister Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis andambassador-at-large Tan Sri Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid are among fourpersons being considered for the post of ambassador to the UnitedStates.

Decision on English for Maths and Science in six months
JOHORBARU: The Education Ministry expects to reach a decision within sixmonths on the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English.

PPP and MIUP team up to work for Indians
KUALALUMPUR: The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has joined forces with theMalay-sian Indian United Party (MIUP) to support Barisan Nasional andwork for the welfare of the Indian community.

Third bridge likely to boost industry in east Johor
JOHORBARU: The third proposed link between Malaysia and Singapore in eastJohor has received good feedback from the tourism industry in Desaru.

Four celebrate in Malacca after eight-day Unity Walk
MALACCA:An eight-day Unity Walk for four men from different parts of the worldcame to an end when they joined thousands of Sikhs from around thecountry to mark the community’s annual Sant Sohan Singh Ji celebrationshere.

Cosmetology Bill delayed to avoid redundancy
PETALINGJAYA: The proposed Cosmetology Bill to regulate the use of beautyservices, products and devices in cosmetic practices, has been delayedbecause of the wide range of issues that have to be ironed out.

PKR to face three independents in absence of Barisan
BUKITMERTAJAM: PKR is facing three independents for the Penanti seat whichthe party is expected to retain easily in the absence of BarisanNasional.

No party as Barisan stays away from polls
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Pakatan Rakyat supporters were ready to party but they were all dressed up with nowhere to go, so to speak.

Cops raid DAP HQ and seize computer and 19 DVDs
PETALINGJAYA: Police raided the DAP headquarters here last night in connectionwith the candle-light vigil two nights ago and seized a computer and 19DVDs.

Lim: Don’t take away Khir’s stipend
PETALINGJAYA: DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has urged the Selangor Government notto deny Sungai Panjang assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo andfour others their allowances, even if the House decides to suspend them.

Wee: Over RM500,000 given to five Chinese schools
KUALASELANGOR: The Education Ministry has disbursed more than half a millionringgit in allocation to five Chinese primary schools in Kuala Selangorand Sabak Bernam.

BN will completely ignore Penanti polls, says PM
PEKAN:Barisan Nasional will completely stay out of the Penanti stateby-election and not even send an observer to check on developments, itschairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

Hard questions lie ahead for PAS
Followingunprecedented support from non-Muslim voters, PAS is now at thecrossroads, with some tough choices ahead that will influence whatdirection PAS takes and its relationships with its partners in PakatanRakyat.

Malaysia-Singapore ties look set to bloom again
AreMalaysia-Singapore bilateral relations finally on the right footing? Itis too early to tell, but at least Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib TunRazak’s visit to the city state promises an exciting and challengingera for both countries.

Zambry wants end to Perak tiff
IPOH:Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir wants to put the Perak political crisisbehind him, urging politicians not to trigger unrest in the statethrough speeches and actions.

Manek Urai polls an acid test for new Kelantan Umno chief
KOTABARU: The Manek Urai state by-election will be an acid test for DatukMustapa Mohamad, the newly-appointed Kelantan Umno Liaison Committeechairman.

Adnan: Barisan has 50-50 chance of winning by-election
PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional has a 50-50 chance of winning the Manek Urai state by-election because the rakyat have started to see changes in the coalition, said Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Teary but joyful end to nine-year wait for taxi permit
GEORGETOWN: Cabbie Jenny Teoh Cheng Lee had been waiting nine years for apermit to drive her own taxi. When the moment finally came yesterday,she was overcome by emotion.

‘Rambo’ robber shot dead after hostage drama
JASIN: A Rambo-style robber armed with a shotgun, an ammunition belt and parang held a family of five hostage for more than 13 hours but was gunned down by police while he was trying to escape.

Cops: RPK now staying in Brisbane
PETALING JAYA: Police have confirmed that online news portal Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin is in Brisbane.

Dumpling Festival to see dearer 'bak chang'
GEORGE TOWN: Consumers can expect dearer chang this year as most of its ingredients have gone up in price.

Penang targeting 10 million tourists soon, says Guan Eng
GEORGE TOWN: Penang has set a target of 10 million tourists in a few years, says Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Cops: Ignore SMS on rally for Tamil Tigers
SHAHALAM: Selangor police have urged the public to ignore an SMS callingfor a gathering at Batu Caves today in support of the Liberation Tigersof Tamil Eelam group in Sri Lanka.

Foreign trio free of A (H1N1)
GEORGETOWN: The Australian, who was admitted to the Penang Hospital forobservation for influenza A (H1N1) on Friday, is free of the virus.

All NS trainees fine and back in camp
PETALINGJAYA: National Service (NS) trainees at the Setia Ikhlas camp inSemenyih are no longer under quarantine for fever or flu-like symptomsand have resumed their training.

90% of audited estates found to be ‘unsafe’
TELUKINTAN: Only 50 out of the 581 estates audited by the OccupationalSafety and Health Department passed the safety level set by the HumanResources MInistry.

Thief held after snatch attempt on Rexy’s wife
KUALALUMPUR: The wife of national badminton coach Rexy Mainaky almost becameanother snatch theft victim if not for the brave action of a familyfriend.

South Korea’s Break Out a sell-out in Kuala Lumpur
KUALALUMPUR: The Korean extreme dance comedy theatre, Break Out, played to apacked hall of appreciative viewers at Dewan San Choon, Wisma MCA.

Mukhriz’s father-in-law dies at 83 in Seremban
SEREMBAN:Zakaria Jundai, the father-in-law of Internation­al Trade and IndustryDeputy Min­ister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, died yesterday. He was 83.

Tracking fishes in the east via satellite
KOTAKINABALU: Satellite technology will be used to track fish and improvethe haul of fishermen in the eastern states of the peninsula.

Numbers aptitude adds up for TAR College biz student
KOTAKINABALU: A childhood fascination with numbers sparked an interest inthe accounting profession for Tunku Abdul Rahman College studentJacqueline Wong Su Kiun.

Sarawak tops FDI list in 2008
MIRI: Sarawak has attracted the highest level of foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the country over the past year.

Chan: Sarawak to enjoy lower electricity rates with completion of dams
KOTASAMARAHAN: Electri-city tariffs in Sarawak may come down once its twohydroelectric dams are completed and large, energy-intensive industrieshave moved into the state.

Movement to hold briefing on ministry loan scheme
KUALALUMPUR: MCA Beliawanis will organise a briefing for Chinese youths onthe loans given out by the Youth and Sports Ministry to help them starta business.

Sime Darby returns to sponsor education pullouts
PETALINGJAYA: Sime Darby Bhd will lend a helping hand to 400 schools in theteaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English.

Two more drug traffickers held in JB
MUAR:Two more men, believed to be drug traffickers, were arrested a dayafter police detained nine gang members following a shootout in whichtwo suspects were killed in Johor Baru.

NEWS : SATURDAY 23 MAY 2009

NEWS : SATURDAY 23 MAY 2009



Najib to discuss new JB link with Singapore
NUSAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will todayre-start talks with his Singapore counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, on asuitable bridge to replace the 85-year-old Causeway.

Green technology 'to spearhead growth'
NUSAJAYA: Green technology is crucial in spearheading the country's development and creating a sustainable environment.

Najib: Court ruling proves BN acted within the law
BN to contest Manik Urai by-election

SINGAPORE: Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razaksaid the Court of Appeal ruling in Putrajaya today declaring Datuk SeriDr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the rightful Perak Menteri Besar proved thatthe Barisan Nasional (BN) had acted within the law in the matter.

Nizar to file appeal to Federal Court

Court declares Zambry as Perak MB
UPDATED: A three-man bench ofthe Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision, today declared Datuk SeriDr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the rightful Menteri Besar of Perak.

Pas assemblyman dies
ManikUrai State Assemblyman Ismail Yaacob passed away at Raja PerempuanZainab II Hospital at about 5.55am today after a heart attack.

Malaysia proposes third bridge link to Singapore
SINGAPORE: Malaysia has proposed to Singapore that a new bridge be built to link the eastern side of Johor to the island republic







Two killed in shootout, nine suspected drug traffickers held
JOHORBARU: Two men, believed to be involved in a shooting spree in TamanPerling two months ago, were shot dead by alert policemen.

Raja Petra fails to turn up in court again
PETALINGJAYA: Online news portal Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudinagain failed to appear for his sedition trial at the Sessions Courthere.

Record fine for restaurant that hired illegals from Malaysia
PETALINGJAYA: The Temptations Chinese Restaurant in Colchester has been slappedwith a £96,000 (RM526,000) fine – the biggest ever handed down by acourt in Britain – for employing illegal workers from Malaysia, Chinaand Indonesia.

Quarantined American travellers can leave today, too
PUTRAJAYA: Both Malaysians who were infected with influenza A (H1N1) have been discharged from hospital.

Triple murder suspect remanded for a week
IPOH:The 26-year-old suspect in the triple murder in Taman Pinji Seni hasbeen detained at the Ipoh police station lockup after being dischargedfrom the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.

Foreign varsities prefer those who excelled in extra-curricular activities
PETALINGJAYA: Foreign universities are looking beyond a string of A’s in SPM asthey prefer all-rounders who also excelled in extra-curricularactivities.

Ungku Aziz: Stress on teaching Bahasa and English
PUTRAJAYA:Gagasan Veteran Malaysia (GVM) has proposed that the education systemfocus on teaching English and Bahasa Malaysia and not just use them asa medium to learn other subjects.

Wee: Subject limit and PSD scholarships are separate issues
KUALALUMPUR: The review on the choice and number of subjects for SijilPelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination and the award of Public ServiceDepartment (PSD) scholarships are two separate issues, Deputy EducationMinister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said.

Malaysia proposes third link
SINGAPORE:Malaysia has proposed a third bridge to link Malaysia and Singaporewhich the island republic is willing to discuss – a signal that leaderswant to move bilateral relations forward and not be bogged down byproblematic legacy issues.

Two iconic projects mulled for Iskandar Malaysia
SINGAPORE:Malaysia and Singapore will look into two “iconic projects” in IskandarMalaysia involving a wellness centre and a mixed development township.

Court rules Zambry is valid MB
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir is the valid Mentri Besar of Perak, the Court of Appeal has unanimously ruled.

Najib: Barisan to focus on serving the people of Perak
SINGAPORE:The Barisan Nasional government in Perak will continue to serve therakyat and win back their confidence following the Court of Appeal’sdecision which declared Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir the rightfulMentri Besar.

Let BN carry out duties, Pakatan told
SLIMRIVER: Pakatan Rakyat should respect the Court of Appeal’s decisionwhich declared Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir the rightful Perak MentriBesar.

Nizar disappointed but not surprised
IPOH:Rather than sit in the Court of Appeal and wait for the loss heexpected, former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddinspent his day attending to prior engagements.

Large crowd turns up to hear decision
PUTRAJAYA:A large crowd turned up at the Palace of Justice here to hear firsthand who would be the rightful Mentri Besar of Perak.

Zambry’s toughest battle – winning over voters
DatukSeri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir has won this round of Perak’s yo-yo politicsbut his ultimate plan is to win over the voters. And that will be amonumental task.

Penanti may see four-cornered fight
BUKITMERTAJAM: The Penanti state by-election here is likely to see afour-cornered fight between state deputy PKR chief Mansor Othman andthree independent candidates.

Groups fed up with by-elections
KUALALUMPUR: Barisan Nasional grassroots leaders and business groups haveexpressed support for the decision not to contest the Penantiby-election.

Win over urban Malays, Muhyiddin tells FT Umno
KUALALUMPUR: Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has told FederalTerritory Umno to work hard to increase the support of the urban Malaysfor Barisan Nasional.

Five-term PAS state rep in Kelantan suffers heart attack while ill in hospital
KOTA BARU: Manek Urai state as­­semblyman Ismail Yaacob died yesterday of a heart attack. He was 60.

Barisan Nasional will contest in by-election, says Najib
SINGAPORE:Barisan Nasional will be contesting in the Manek Urai by-election asthe seat fell vacant following the death of the assemblyman, PrimeMinister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

MACC quizzes PAS ulama chief over his warning
PETALINGJAYA: PAS Ulama Council chief Datuk Mohamed Daud Iraqi has beenquestioned by the Malaysian Anti Corrup-tion Agency following hisrecent remark alleging money politics has crept into the party.

Wanita MCA’s centre to focus on empowering women
KUALALUMPUR: Wanita MCA will set up a women entrepreneur development centreto focus on empowering women with career and financial skills.

Lau: Recognise students’ achievements
PETALINGJAYA: Students will lose confidence in the education system if theiracademic achievements are not recognised by their own country.

DPM: Asean can rival EU as economic powerhouse
PETALINGJAYA: Asean can rival the European Union as an economic powerhouse byintegrating its economies, particularly in the retail, franchise andtourism sectors.

More choices to buy insurance
KUALALUMPUR: Insurance agents will remain a vital part of the generalinsurance industry even with the introduction of mandatory rebates fordirect purchase of motor insurance, said the General InsuranceAssociation of Malaysia (PIAM).

Student wins contest with speech on mum’s love of recycling and organ donation
LONDON:After shocking Malaysian judges with her mother’s “affair”, SitiKhadija Jaafar floored the jury enough at the International PublicSpeaking Competition here to walk away with the Best Non-NativeEng­lish Speaker award.

Triple death in family shock
KAJANG: A woman and her two daughters have been found dead inside their house.

Cops nab two rape suspects from school
MIRI:The police went into a school in Bintulu town in northern Sarawak toarrest two 14-year-olds suspected of raping a 13-year-old student fromthe same school.

Five Klang robbers caught in hotel raid
KLANG:Five people, including a Thai woman, have been arrested in connectionwith a series of robberies and house break-ins in the Klang district inthe past five months.

Turnout by 30 at station puzzles cops
KUALALUMPUR: The police are puzzled why some 30 people turned up in front ofthe Brickfields police headquarters at around 10am yesterday.

Penang: Say no to plastic bags
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government plans to make every first Monday of the month a “no to plastic bags” day starting from July.

Kayveas heads PPP in Selangor
PETALINGJAYA: PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas has taken over the partyleadership in Selangor in a move to strengthen grassroots support inopposition states.

PSD scholarships for 323 Indians this year
PETALING JAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) has awarded scholarships to 323 Indian students this year.

Preserve mangrove forests, says leader
KOTAKINABALU: A senior Sabah Umno leader wants the state government topreserve the remaining tracts of mangrove forests north of the citythat is under threat from development.

Jenice Lee among 16 remanded
KUALALUMPUR: Sixteen people including Teratai state assemblyman Jenice Lee,who were detained by police for holding a candlelight vigil, have beenremanded for two days.

Heat on human traffickers
KUALALUMPUR: Some 30 cases of human trafficking involving 123 victims havebeen investigated following the enforcement of the Anti-Trafficking inPersons Act in February last year, said Inspector-General of Police(IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

Mas Selamat used disguises
JEMAAHIslamiah militant Mas Selamat Kastari took to wearing women’s clothesto escape detection after breaking out from the Whitley Road DetentionCentre in Singapore last year.

Elderly man appeals to bank to rehire his son
A78-YEAR-OLD man wrote to a Chinese daily in Singapore appealing to aninternational bank to re-employ his 50-year-old son who wasre­­trenched early this year, China Press reported.

Selangor has failed to help Indians, says PKR man
THESelangor government has failed to give the necessary economic aid andjob opportunities to the Indian community, PJ Selatan PKR divisiondeputy chief A. Thiruvenggadam said.

NEWS : FRIDAY 22 MAY 2009

NEWS : FRIDAY 22 MAY 2009


AMERICAN IDOL 2009: And the winner is...the biggest upset in history!
AMERICA has spoken and the people have voted in favour of Kris Allen,the guy-next-door crooner from Little Rock, Arkansas to be the eighthAmerican Idol. Yet even before the confetti shower has settled, fansworldwide are already discussing on the Internet whether or not theclean-cut soft rocker deserves the accolade.

Snatch theft suspect charged with killing pregnant woman
BATU PAHAT: A jobless man accused of causing the death of apregnant woman in a snatch theft incident in Air Hitam early this monthhad a criminal record, the Sessions Court heard yesterday.

Ex-convict held over murder of 3, including mother and 5-year-old son
IPOH: A murder suspect was run over and nabbed minutes after awoman, her son and their maid were found hacked to death in theirsingle-storey house in Taman Pinji Seni here yesterday.

SPM subject limits to end scholarship controversy
Thenumber of subjects each student can take in the Sijil PelajaranMalaysia examination may be limited to put an end to issues pertainingto the awarding of Public Services Department scholarships. DeputyPrime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the EducationMinister, said today the ministry felt strongly that the number ofsubjects should be streamlined to resolve the perennial problem.

CROOKED BRIDGE ISSUE: Najib to restart talks on new bridge to Singapore
PrimeMinister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will re-start talks today with hisSingapore counterpart Lee Hsein Loong on a suitable bridge to replacethe 85 year-old Causeway. Najib, who arrived in Singapore thisafternoon for a two-day official visit, said “whether it is a crookedbridge, a straight bridge, an underground (tunnel) or overhead(bridge), we will talk about it.

Port Klang Authority awaits Cabinet go-ahead for release of PKFZ report
Thedecision whether to make public the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) auditreport on the controversial Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project nowrests with the cabinet, Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman Datuk LeeHwa Beng said today.

H1N1 CRISIS: Malaysia recommends nations screen citizens, travellers at exits
Malaysia has tabled a recommendation to the World Health Organisationthat all nations should screen their citizens and travellers at exitpoints for symptoms of Influenza A (H1N1) infection








No slowdown on investment flow to Iskandar, says PM
NUSAJAYA:Iskandar Malaysia – the country’s first economic growth corridor – hasattracted a lot of international interest, and those who have committedto invest are already pursuing their development activities, said DatukSeri Najib Tun Razak.

Cabinet to discuss PKFZ report on Wednesday
KUALALUMPUR: The report on the controversial Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ)project by an accounting firm will be discussed thoroughly at nextWednesday’s Cabinet meeting.

Limit on SPM subjects considered
PUTRAJAYA:Students sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination maynot be allowed to take as many subjects as they like in future to makethe scholarship selection process fairer.

Perak MB ruling today
PUTRAJAYA:The Court of Appeal will rule today on whether it will uphold a HighCourt decision declaring Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin as therightful Mentri Besar of Perak.

DPM questions Bar Council’s stand
PUTRAJAYA:The Bar Council’s actions seem to be slanted and their position oncertain issues does not seem fair lately, Deputy Prime Minister Tan SriMuhyiddin Yassin said.

Govt likely to put cap on number of papers taken for fairer PSD selection
PUTRAJAYA:Students sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination may notbe allowed to take as many subjects as they like in future.

IC may be needed to buy liquor at 7-Eleven
SHAH ALAM: Consumers wishing to buy liquor at 7-Eleven outlets may be required to show their identity cards.

July 30 date for Anwar to challenge legality of his dismissal
PUTRAJAYA:The Federal Court has set July 30 for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tochallenge the legality of his dismissal from his Cabinet posts.

Liow: Screen passengers at exit points
PUTRAJAYA:Asean countries have suggested the screening of outbound passengers incountries affected by influenza A (H1N1) cases, Health Minister DatukSeri Liow Tiong Lai said.

1,500 Idol fans join local blog for grand finale
PETALINGJAYA: Some 1,500 American Idol fans from all over the world joinedR.AGE BlogChat to give realtime comments on the showdown between thetop two finalists Kris Allen and Adam Lambert.

Hisham: Umno may open doors to ‘friendly’ groups
PUTRAJAYA:Umno is mulling over the possibility of opening its doors to members ofcertain “friendly” associations in an effort to expand its membership.

Triple-murder suspect was high on drugs, confirm cops
IPOH: Police have confirmed that the 26-year-old suspect in the triple murder in Taman Pinji Seni here was high on drugs.

Family and friends shed tears during funeral of slain mother and son
IPOH:Young Mohd Aizat Adren had wanted to be a pillar of strength for hisfather and two sisters who were distraught over the brutal killing oftheir mother and youngest brother.

Academics: Cap on subjects a good idea
PETALINGJAYA: Capping the number of subjects to be taken at Sijil PelajaranMalaysia (SPM) level is a good idea, said several academics.

No new cases of leptospirosis
PUTRAJAYA:The leptospirosis outbreak at the Juru detention centre near BukitMertajam is under control and there has not been any new patientadmitted to hospital, said Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri DrIsmail Merican.

MCA respects appointment of Koh as coalition chief
PUTRAJAYA:The Penang MCA respects the appointment of Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon asthe Barisan Nasional coalition chief in the state, said Penang MCAchief Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Goodbye to The Star’s veteran adventurer
MIRI: He was an ex-commando, active parachutist and scuba diver but The Star’s senior photographer Rapaee Kawi’s first passion was photojournalism.

25 NS trainees being treated
PUTRAJAYA:Two trainees from the Setia Ikhlas National Service campsite aresuffering from respiratory infection called adenovirus infection, saidHealth Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican.

Ipoh council says no to democracy plaque request
IPOH:The city council has rejected the Perak DAP’s application to erect the“democracy plaque” under the raintree in Taman Istana.

Malaysia ready to combat terror threat
IPOH: Malaysia is ready to combat terrorist-related threats.

Chief Sec’s contract extended
KUALA LUMPUR: The contract of Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan has been extended by another year.

SIS wants court to lift ban on book it published
KUALALUMPUR: Sisters in Islam (SIS) has applied for leave for a judicialreview of an order banning a book it published entitled Muslim Womenand the Challenges of Islamic Extremism.

PPP state chief refutes Rajendra’s statement
PETALINGJAYA: A state People’s Progressive Party leader has denied that itsexco members supported the call for party president Datuk M. Kayveas tostep down to make way for new leaders.

Diplomatic corps start anniversary celebrations
KUALALUMPUR: The 35th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations gotoff to an early start with officials from both sides celebrating at theChinese Embassy here yesterday.

Jobs affected if ‘buy direct’ policy implemented
PETALINGJAYA: Insurance agents already provide excellent service to their motorinsurance clients, even to the point of showing up at the scene of anaccident, says a veteran agent.

Veteran artiste wants more people on censor board
KUANTAN: Just three people decide what the rest of the country can or cannot see on our screens.

Car theft ring busted with four arrests
SEREMBAN:Police believe they have crippled a car theft syndicate, which has beenactive in Negri Sembilan and Selangor, with the arrest of four men.

Big plans in store for Fraser’s Hill
LONDON:Malaysia plans to turn Fraser’s Hill into the Little England of theEast as part of its move to develop the country’s parks and gardens astourism products.

G Squad gives out goodies to lucky readers of Galaxie
PETALING JAYA: Galaxiemagazine’s “G Squad” gave away prizes to the lucky ones caught oncamera reading the magazine at select places in Petaling Jaya and KualaLumpur.

All new govt buildings to go green, says Works Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: All future government buildings will aspire to be “green buildings”.

Boycott will stop PKR’s forced by-election spree, says Shahrizat
KUALALUMPUR: Boycotting the Penanti by-election is the best remedy to stopPKR’s “forced” by-election spree, Barisan Nasional Wanita chief DatukSeri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said.

NRD offices closed this weekend
KUALALUMPUR: The National Registration Department (NRD) office in JohorBaru, Kuantan and Kangar will be closed to the public on Saturday andSunday.

Beautician reveals ugly side of queue jumping
KUALALUMPUR: A beautician who boarded a bus at KL Sentral claimed that thedriver ordered her to get down after she was assaulted by a man forjumping queue.

Woman wants payment over defective implant
SEREMBAN:Over a year after a metal plate inserted in her left thigh broke, SiawChok Yen is no wiser as to why it happened but she is much poorer nowbecause she had to pay for another plate to be put in.

July hearing for appeal against illegal assembly conviction
GEORGETOWN: The hearing of an appeal by two PAS leaders and a preacheragainst their conviction and sentencing for taking part in an unlawfulassembly three years ago has been fixed by a High Court here for July21.

Three to vie for PAS No. 2 post
PETALINGJAYA: A three-way fight is likely in the battle for the PAS deputypresident post, with two other nominees pulling out of the race.

Election campaigners caught violating the rules to face the music
BUTTERWORTH: A law spelling out a list of no-nos on polling day will be strictly enforced for the May 31 Penanti by-election.

Madam Dumpling to keep prices low
MALACCA:The price of ingredients and bamboo leaves has gone up, but 62-year-oldGue Siew Mui has vowed to keep the price of her famous homemadeBaba-Nyonya changs low during the Dragon Boat Festival later this month.

Bodies of two seamen found
JOHORBARU: The bodies of two Indonesian crewmen, who went missing after atanker carrying sludge caught fire on Monday, have been recovered.

Gangs may be behind heist
KUALALUMPUR: Police believe the RM8.24mil security van heist in Cheras onMonday might have been carried out by criminals with links to infamousgroups such as the Mamak and Deva Gangs.

Sultan declares Kampar a district
KAMPAR: This former tin mining town has been elevated to district status and is set to become an efficient service industry hub.

Horse unit to rein in Johor crime
MUAR: The police horse unit in Bukit Aman has cantered in for Johor’s community policing programme launched on Saturday.

Three cops held for rape of teen
KUALA LUMPUR: Three police constables were arrested in Serdang yesterday for allegedly raping a 17-year-old Indonesian girl.

MACC: Trend reversal in those caught for corruption
KOTAKINABALU: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) is noticing atrend reversal among those caught for graft – 115 of the 203individuals allegedly involved in corruption since January were membersof the public.

Oman looks to Malaysia for English teaching plan
KUALALUMPUR: Malaysia’s Teaching of Maths and Science in English (PPSMI) hasearned rave reviews in the Gulf states and a 12-man delegation fromOman is in town to see how we do it.

UPSR questions online
KUALATERENGGANU: A databank with more than 10,000 past UPSR questions willgo online on a monthly basis into 25,000 digital notebooks to be givento Year Five pupils in the state.

Speed up forest projects or lose rights, licencees told
KUCHING:The state government has warned that more of the 42 planted forestlicences issued will be revoked if the holders are slow to implementthe projects.

Move to lower food cost
MIRI:The Government is looking at ways to reduce the disparity in the priceof essential foodstuff in parts of Sabah and Sarawak and the peninsula.

Police bust syndicate involved in RM6.4mil cheating cases
GEORGETOWN: A syndicate believed to be responsible for more than 210 cheatingcases nationwide involving RM6.4mil over the past year was busted withthe arrest of nine people including seven Chinese nationals in NibongTebal.

‘PI’ says exco member claimed RM148,000 in 13 months
THEKedah government will probe allegations on a blog that a state excomember had submitted claims amounting to RM148,000 over the last 13months, reports Berita Harian.

Actress Carina Lau ready for motherhood
HONG Kong actress Carina Lau Ka Ling, who married Tony Leung Chiu Wai last year, is ready to have a baby, China Press reported.

MIC has not failed Indians, says Subra
THEMIC has not failed in its responsibility to raise problems faced by theIndian community, says MIC secretary-general and Human ResourcesMinister Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam.

NEWS : THURSDAY 21 MAY 2009

NEWS : THURSDAY 21 MAY 2009

Jobless man claims trial to causing death
BATU PAHAT: A jobless man accused of causing the death of apregnant woman in a snatch theft incident in Air Hitam early this monthhad a criminal record, the Sessions Court heard yesterday.

Ex-convict held over murder of 3
IPOH:
A murder suspect was run over and nabbed minutes after awoman, her son and their maid were found hacked to death in theirsingle-storey house in Taman Pinji Seni here yesterday.




Najib has ‘power’ to serve folk well
PUTRAJAYA:Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he does not crave power for the sake ofpower but rather needs power to serve the people and ensure thatnation-building efforts are successful.

Najib to mark 35 years of bilateral ties with China visit
PUTRAJAYA:Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will be travelling to China for a four-dayofficial visit to cement bilateral ties – 35 years after his father TunAbdul Razak Hussein had laid the foundation for diplomatic relationsbetween Malaysia and the republic.

Time to start afresh
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s hardball way and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s golfdiplomacy when dealing with Singapore led nowhere in efforts to resolve outstandingbilateral issues. How will Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak deal with the Singaporeans toget things moving?

Home turns into a slaughterhouse
IPOH:The peaceful neighbourhood of Taman Pinji Seni here was rocked by theshocking news of a brutal triple murder in a house during a robbery –in broad daylight, just after lunchtime.

Ex-aide claims trial to e-mailing lewd photos to reporter
KUALALUMPUR: A former special assistant to a minister claimed trial in theSessions Court here to sending an e-mail containing 55 files of obscenephotographs to a magazine reporter nine years ago.

Nazri: Strictly no Hindraf-linked rally or activities
PUTRAJAYA:Anyone taking part in an illegal rally or protesting in the name of thebanned Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) will have to face policeaction, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri NazriAziz said.

‘Uthaya not required to appear before ISA panel’
PUTRAJAYA:No action will be taken against former Internal Security Act (ISA)detainee P. Uthayakumar for failing to appear before an ISA advisorypanel meeting at the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping on Tuesday.

Tour buses get LCCT warning
PUTRAJAYA:Tour bus operators that allow their buses to pick up individualtravellers at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang will riskhaving their permits revoked, Minister in the Prime Minister’sDepartment Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said yesterday.

MACC begins PKFZ probe
PETALINGJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has startedinvestigations into the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) controversy.

Major security risk at Nusajaya
JOHORBARU: Kota Iskandar, the sprawling new state administrative capital inNusajaya, faces a major security risk as it is located near a Singaporefiring range.

Padi farmer mentally fit to claim trial to killing girl
IPOH:A padi farmer, who was found unfit to stand trial for murder last year,claimed trial confidently yesterday to killing a 13-year-old schoolgirlafter a new medical report said that he was fit to plead.

Students come up with software programme for better padi yield
PETALINGJAYA: The latest effort to increase padi yield has come, not fromagricultural experts but, from three Universiti Sains Malaysiafinal-year Computer Science students.

Charged with ‘snatching’ life
BATUPAHAT: A jobless man was charged in the Sessions Court here yesterdaywith causing the death of a pregnant woman in a snatch theft incidentearlier this month.

Clean bill for flu patients
PUTRAJAYA:The two patients who were down with A (H1N1) flu will be dischargedtoday and tomorrow because they have recovered from the disease, saysHealth director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican.

Ministry raises alert on Influenza B
PETALINGJAYA: The Health Ministry has sent out an alert about the spread ofsuspected Influenza B at the national service camp in Setia Ikhlas,Semenyih.

Another 100 hit by food poisoning at NS camp
KOTABARU: Three cases of food poisoning involving 127 trainees have beenreported at the national service training camp in Cancun Park, PasirMas, in the past two months.

Woman with high fever hospitalised in Penang
GEORGE TOWN: A woman was warded for observation at the Penang Hospital after developing high fever and displaying flu symptoms.

No contest for key PAS posts
PETALINGJAYA: There will be no contest for the three main posts in the PASDewan Ulama following the withdrawal of its current deputy Hashim Jasinfrom the race.

Dads plead for lower bail in sons’ cases
KUALALUMPUR: Two fathers pleaded for lower bail at the Sessions Courtyesterday after their sons were charged with armed robbery, kidnappingand abetting.

Kelantan leader considers pros and cons of running for veep
KOTABARU: State PAS leader Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah will decidewithin the next few days whether to contest for a national-level partypost.

Wing lodges report against Salahuddin
IPOH:Perak Umno Youth has lodged a police report against PAS Youth chiefSalahuddin Ayub for allegedly insulting the integrity and reputation ofthe judiciary.

Court orders media not to disclose address
BUTTERWORTH:The couple who were charged in a Sessions Court here with forwardingoffensive comments against the Sultan of Perak on the Internet haveobtained an order prohibiting the media from disclosing their address.

FT PPP wants Kayveas to step down
KUALALUMPUR: Exco members of the Federal Territory People’s ProgressiveParty (PPP) have asked its president Datuk M. Kayveas to step down tomake way for new leaders.

Selangor to put up list of those ineligible for plots in Bukit Botak
PETALINGJAYA: The names of hundreds of ineligible individuals – including twowho were only five years old when they were allocated land – who wereoffered lots in the Bukit Botak squatter resettlement area in Selayangwill be made public.

Police disperse protesters near embassy
KUALALUMPUR: Police dispersed a group of people who had planned todemonstrate outside the Chinese Embassy in Jalan Ampang here yesterdayas a protest against China for allegedly supplying arms to Sri Lanka.

Zambry slams Pakatan tactic
IPOH:Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir has lashed out atPakatan Rakyat for making press statements before the court gives itsdecision.

NGOs want royal inquiry into impasse
IPOH:Fifty-seven non-govern-men­tal organisations (NGOs) in Perak arecalling for a royal inquiry into the political impasse in the state.

Council wants Suhakam to probe lawyers’ arrest
KUALALUMPUR: The Bar Coun­cil wants Suhakam to conduct a public inquiry intothe arrest of five Legal Aid Centre lawyers at a police stationrecently.

Ex-MB: Speaker Teng in a tit-for-tat move
SHAHALAM: Former Selangor Men­tri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo hasdescribed his one-year sus­pension from the state assembly with­outprivileges as an act of re­­venge.

Give incentives to restore Penang’s pre-war buildings, urges rep
GEORGETOWN: Alhtough the in­­ner city has attained Unesco World Heritage Sitestatus, there still exists about 150 dilapidated pre-war buildings inthe heart of the state’s enclave that need to be restored.

Permata scheme impresses Emir’s consort
KUALALUMPUR: The consort of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikha Mo­­zah Nasser AlMissned, has ex­­pressed interest in the implementation of Malaysia’sPermata Nega­ra programme.

Parents fume over gas leak near primary school
SHAHALAM: Angry parents gathered at a gas station in Bukit Kemuningyesterday to protest against a gas leak that resulted in their childrenbeing rushed to hospital on Tuesday.

Man uses house as gas depot
MALACCA:A 43-year-old man here has run foul of the law for allowing his home,which is next to a primary school in Pokok Mangga, to be used as anillegal gas depot.

Families tricked by fake kidnaps
PONTIAN:Six families have fallen victim to a syndicate that demanded ransomafter tricking them into believing that their children had beenkidnapped.

Five held during 227kg ganja deal
GEORGETOWN: Police made the state’s biggest drug bust with the arrest of fivemen and the sei­zure of 227kg of ganja worth more than RM900,000 inBagan Dalam, Butterworth, here.

Dr Chan: More briefings scheduled to attract FDIs into SCORE
KUCHING:The state government has organised roadshows in several countries toattract foreign investments in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy(SCORE).

Were you spotted by the G Squad?
IF YOU have been reading the new Galaxie, you might just get yourself rewarded for doing so.

Eye in the sky to zero in on WW2 bombs
KENINGAU:Police in this interior district are considering harnessing satellitetechnology to locate more World War Two bombs at a construction sitenear the hospital here.

Work to build Bakun power towers begins
MIRI:The project to construct hundreds of kilometres of transmission towersto channel electricity from the Bakun hydro-electric dam in centralSarawak to the rest of the state has begun in earnest.

Bid to smuggle out RM300,000 worth of sandalwood foiled
BUKITKAYU HITAM: The state Anti-Smuggling Unit (UPP) foiled an attempt bytwo men, including a Thai national, to smuggle RM300,000 worth ofsandalwood out of the country.

Pocong mystery turns out to be teen prank
THE mystery behind the appearance of a pocong,a corpse-like ghost which has been haunting road users near KampungPadang Temu in Malacca, was solved after one of the victims caught the“phantom”, reported Harian Metro.

Penang Govt ready to allocate land for Tamil schools
MAKKAL Osai reportedPenang De-puty Chief Minister Prof Dr P. Ramasamy as saying that thestate was ready to allocate land for Tamil schools.

Report lodged by woman over sex clip
A27-year-old woman lodged a police report after her former boyfriendthreatened to upload her naked pictures and sex video clips online inMiri, reported Sin Chew Daily.

Hand-held convenience
The eKL Initiative to boost service delivery is centred on the ‘OneGovernment, Many Agencies, No Wrong Door’ principle to better link thepublic to the ‘back-end’ services of all government agencies.

SSM taking care of business
Companies Commission of Malaysia has introduced severaltools under its public service portal to make it easier forbusinesses and companies.

NEWS : WEDNESDAY 20 MAY 2009

NEWS : WEDNESDAY 20 MAY 2009


Mat Rempit are now road thugs
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have relabelled Mat Rempit as road thugs (samseng jalanan) and are now seeking a mandatory jail sentence for them.

Two PKR reps want to quit, says NS MB
REMBAU: Two opposition state assemblymen in Negri Sembilan aresaid to have given out signals that they want to give up theirpositions.







All eyes on three-month summer break students
Thethree-month summer break in the United States begins this month andhundreds, if not thousands, of Malaysian students in that country areexpected to return home soon.

Snatch thief to face death
Asnatch thief, who caused the death of pregnant mother Jamilah Selamatin Ayer Hitam earlier this month, is likely to be charged with murder.

Son of prominent blogger pleads guilty to theft and trespass
MalaysiaToday portal editor Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin’s son pleaded guilty tofour separate counts of theft, receiving stolen property and criminaltrespass.

Monday's van heist in Cheras netted RM8.2mil, not RM4mil
Thesecurity van which was hijacked in front of a shopping mall in Cherason Monday was robbed of RM8.24mil in cash, double the amount that wasinitially thought to be stolen.

Selangor to be first to have freedom of information law
TheSelangor state government will be the first state to table a Freedom ofInformation (FOI) Enactment in its legislative assembly by the end thisyear.

BN unfazed by rivals’ talk
PUTRAJAYA:The Opposition can make whatever claims it wanted — including callingBarisan Nasional’s decision not to contest in Penanti state seat as acowardly act — but the coalition will stick to the collective decisionmade at its supreme council meeting on Monday.

EC expects less tense contest in Penanti
TheElection Commission (EC) expects a trouble-free by-election in Penantifollowing Barisan Nasional’s decision not to contest the state assemblyseat.

Umno denies sponsoring any independent in Penanti by-election
Umnohas not sponsored any independent candidate in the Penanti by-electionas alleged by certain quarters, said party information chief AhmadMaslan.

Rare red sandalwood seized at Westport
Exquisitered sandalwood worth RM4.5mil was seized at the Westport Free Zone,following weeks of surveillance by the Port Klang Authority and theMalaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB).

Royal welcome for Emir of Qatar
THE Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Khalifa Al-Thani makes a dignified grand entrance at Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Two dead, seven hurt in bus-lorry collision
Twopeople died and seven were seriously injured in a road accidentinvolving an express bus and a lorry at Km31 on Jalan Kuantan-Maran onMonday night.

Cops: Send road thugs straight to jail
The police are calling for mandatory jail for “road thugs” (samseng jalan) – motorcyclists who endanger the public by speeding or riding recklessly.

Quarantine ends for 169 passengers and crew members
PUTRAJAYA:The 149 flight passengers and 20 crew members are due to be releasedfrom home qua­ran­tine today, Health Ministry deputy director-generalDatuk Dr Ramlee Rahmat said yesterday.

Passengers urged to report to authorities
Passengerson the same flights as the two patients who contracted Influenza A(H1N1) have been urged to come forward and report to the healthauthorities.

Port Klang acts to keep out flu virus
Port users in Port Klang have been assured that all precautions have been ta­­ken against the spread of influenza A (H1N1).

Trainee cops to be discharged
Exceptfor three, all trainees from the Police Training Academy (Pulapah) inAir Hitam near Bahau recently admitted into two hospitals here forshowing flu-like symptoms have been discharged.

Nizar asks for dissolution
DatukSeri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has verbally conveyed his wish for adissolution of the state assembly to the Perak royal family.

Danajamin gives SMEs easier access to funding
Theestablishment of the country’s first financial guarantee institution,Danajamin Nasional Bhd, will give companies, especially small andmedium enterprises (SMEs), easier access to funding.

Ong: Barisan will not play Opposition’s games
BarisanNasional places priority on the people instead of playing theOpposition’s political games, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keatsaid.

Gas leak knocks out students and teachers
Frightenedparents rushed frantically to SRJK (T) Ladang Emerald near here asseveral students started fainting after inhaling fumes from a gas leakat a station nearby.

Uthayakumar skips meeting at Kamunting
Former ISA detainee P. Uthayakumar failed to appear before an advisory panel meeting at the Kamunting detention camp near here.

Clean-up order goes out as second Myanmar dies
Allthe 12 migrant detention camps nationwide have been ordered to improvefood hygiene standards following the second death on Sunday from theleptospirosis outbreak at the Juru detention camp.

Malacca free of meningitis
Thelast three Road Transport Department (JPJ) trainees discharged fromMalacca Hospital yesterday after being treated for bacterial meningitisare glad their ordeal is over.

Hotline plan to help end crime against children
Themany incidents of child abuse, abduction and murder has led to aprivate initiative called Childline Malaysia, involving 150non-governmental organisations, government agencies, the private sectorand a global network.

MP and rep among 11 arrested
AnMP and an assemblyman were among 11 people arrested following acandlelight vigil here calling for the dissolution of the Perak stateassembly.

Indonesia: Political stability will curb pirate attacks
Theincreasing number of pirate attacks off the shores of Somalia can beresolved if political stability is achieved there, said Arif HavasOegroseno of the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Department.

National anti-piracy law in the pipeline
A national anti-piracy law is in the making to improve enforcement in the country’s waters.

UN has to lead fight against pirates, says confab
Aninternational conference on piracy organised by the MalaysianGovernment has asked the United Nations to coordinate maritime forceoperations to suppress piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Motor insurance agents urged to give excellent service
ManyMalaysians will continue to stick with their motor insurance agents ifthe services rendered are excellent, said Datuk Chor Chee Heung.

New Indian party vows no street protests, non-violence
The newly-formed Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party will not resort to street protests, preferring to solve things through discussions.

BN service centres to be set up nationwide
BarisanNasional service centres will be set up nationwide and will co-existwith those run by the coalition’s parties, newly-appointed Barisanchief coordinator Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.

Wanted men gunned down in high-speed chase
Twomen high on the police’s wanted list were gunned down after ahigh-speed chase that climaxed in a shootout near Damansara Kim herelast night.

MACC asked to probe PAS over land deal
KelantanUmno Youth has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) toinvestigate alleged abuse of power in the PAS-led Kelantan governmentand claims of money politics in the party.

Mentally-ill man who killed wife acquitted
A production crew member who killed his wife with a keris was acquitted after a High Court judge declared that the man was of unsound mind when he stabbed her three years ago.

Two lose RM50,000 in mega Internet jackpot scam
Anassistant director with a government agency and an executive at aprivate company have lost more than RM50,000 after falling for anInternet scam luring victims with false mega jackpot wins worthmillions of ringgit.

Student gets RM4,695 refund of fees over postponed classes
Atraining institute has been ordered to refund part of the fees paid bya student after it postponed her classes indefinitely for the past 10months.

Few takers for Train and Place scheme
The Human Resources Ministry is puzzled over the poor response from retrenched workers to its “Train and Place” programme.

Walk-in sous chef fills hotel’s job vacancy
Opportunitiessometimes show up in unexpected ways, as a hotel executive discoveredwhen conducting a job interview at Studio V, 1 Utama Shopping Centre.

Aid for hardcore poor in Sabah
A better quality of life beckons for 5,500 hardcore poor families in five poverty stricken districts in Sabah.

RM100mil to construct cheap homes in Sarawak
The Federal Government has allocated RM100mil to build affordable houses in Sarawak.

Fake Upin and Ipin goods seized
Wantingto cash in on the Upin and Ipin craze, a businessman brought inmerchandise depicting the local animation characters from Thailand fordistribution at night markets.

Malaysia and Brunei sorting out border travel obstacle
Malaysiaand Brunei are trying hard to resolve nagging technical woes that haveresulted in the temporary suspension of the Frequent Travellers Card(FTC) system between Sarawak and the sultanate.

Labourer claims trial to raping girl
An Indonesian labourer, Seni Rifaie, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to raping a nine-year-old girl.

Khir Toyo suspended from state assembly
FormerSelangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo is slapped with astring of harsh calls for him to be suspended from the state assembly -as well as the suspension of his state assemblyman’s allowances andprivileges.

NS recalls 10,800 stint letters, cites technical fault
TheNational Service (NS) Training Department has retracted offer letterssent to 10,800 would-be trainees in Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan,citing a technical error.

Mother of four on the run from abusive hubby
A MOTHER of four has moved homes more than 20 times in Kuala Lumpur to evade her abusive husband, Harian Metro reported.

Nurture ties with other races, MIC tells Indians
TAMIL Nesan reportedthat the Indian community should give priority towards maintaining thegood relationships with the other communities in this country.

Woman who lost gems fears release of nude pics
SIN Chew Daily reported that a make-up artist is living in fear that naked pictures of her would be posted online by her former boyfriend.