New Straits Times articles from December 2008

New Straits Times archives from December 2008

Plea for surgery funds.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Many parents have complained that their children's schoolbags are too heavy. But, in the case of Fatin Aqilah Ahmad Zaimi, 16, carrying a heavy schoolbag could cause her grievous harm. She has scoliosis and needs corrective...

Wet weather not likely to dampen polls excitement.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Rosli Zakaria KUALA TERENGGANU: It's pouring with rain at times. But getting drenched has not deterred Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh from meeting voters. The rainfall, called the 'third wave' by...

Tigers come for villagers' cows.
December 31, 2008... Byline: T.N. Alagesh RAUB: Residents staying in several villages here are living in fear since eight tigers were spotted roaming near their homes recently. The tigers, believed to have eaten four cows from Kampung Jeruas, were also...

Tian Chua denies report of discontent.
December 31, 2008... SHAH ALAM: Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief Tian Chua has denied that there is widespread discontent among the party's Indian members and leaders. However, his denial was immediately dismissed by his party's Indian liaison committee...

To Cikgu Azira, with love.
December 31, 2008... Byline: R. Sittamparam KUALA LUMPUR: A class that produced 34 straight-A pupils out of a total of 40 in the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination has a love story to share. The top pupils of the Tiga Cekal class at SMK Bukit...

Betting ring busted.
December 31, 2008... MARAN: An illegal lottery syndicate at Risda Kampung Awah was busted by police last Saturday. In the 5pm raid, a team led by Inspector Muhammad Rizman Ramly raided a house which had been used as a betting centre, and caught the men...

Six scholars vie for mufti's job.
December 31, 2008... KANGAR: The state government has chosen six religious scholars as candidates to fill the post of state mufti which has been vacant since last month. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu said the list of names had already been...

Liu wants to play peacemaker in spat.
December 31, 2008... SHAH ALAM: Local Government, Research and Development Committee chairman Ronnie Liu wants to be the peacemaker between Selangor state assembly speaker Teng Chang Khim and two MPs - Kapar's S. Manikavasagam and Klang's Charles Santiago. ...

Glass ceiling that's widening gender gap.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Yong Huey Jiun DESPITE a record number of women fielded in the general election and a strong showing among university undergraduates, Malaysian women slipped further down the ladder this year. YONG HUEY JIUN learns why, and...

Six sought over death of Nigerian.
December 31, 2008... SUBANG JAYA: Police are tracking down six foreigners, including two Singaporean women, following the death of a Nigerian man who plunged from the 12th floor of a condominium block in Puchong Perdana last night. Subang Jaya deputy police...

Compromise sought in AFC HQ saga.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Christopher Raj ASIAN Football Confederation (AFC) vice president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is to meet Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob next week as speculation mounts that the regional body will not be...

Body found in fountain.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: The body of an unidentified man was found submerged in a fountain at a food court in Jalan Parlimen here yesterday. An Alam Flora worker, S. Anbuchelvan, 36, was sweeping the area about 8am when he saw a hand sticking out of the...

Red shirts, yellow shirts.
December 31, 2008... PRIME Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of Thailand is caught between a rock and a hard place. Since being confirmed as PM by a special vote of the country's Parliament a couple of weeks ago, the leader of the previously opposition Democratic Party...

Bosses using dirty trick to get rid of foreign workers.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Hamidah Atan PUTRAJAYA: Several employers have been accused of using the Immigration Department to "get rid" of their foreign workers to avoid paying salaries. Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam claimed these...

Tired pairs out of Korea Open.
December 31, 2008... Byline: K.M. Boopathy THE national men's doubles players, after going through a hectic three-month schedule, will be skipping the Super Series Korea Open in Seoul on Jan 13-18 but World No 1 Lee Chong Wei will be out to capitalise on the...

Freed of marriage to conman.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Sharanpal Singh Randhawa KANGAR: "It is not about the RM999,999.99 promised wedding gift, but it is about me being free now," said Puteri Netty Izma Sawiji after the Perlis Syariah High Court nullified her marriage to Mohammad...

To do wish list that shows up our warts and all.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Koh Lay Chin IT'S the last day of 2008. As some countries prepare for new administrations, leaders-elect roll up their sleeves and children moan (or rejoice) about the imminent school term, the everyday man and woman thinks about...

Kalimullah leaves NSTP.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd has announced the resignation of Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan as deputy chairman, effective today. He first joined the company as group editor-in-chief on Jan 1, 2004. Upon the end...

Ambitious but Zulfadli takes it a step at a time.
December 31, 2008... Byline: K.M. Boopathy ZULFADLI Zulkifli has set the lofty target of making it to the national senior squad by 17 but for now, his aim is to make an impact on the local and international junior tournaments. Zulfadli, 15, has already been...

National door open for Keen Ho to return.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Ajitpal Singh THE door is still open for snooker player Moh Keen Ho to don national colours again but it comes with a condition. Keen Ho will only be considered for international assignments if he competes in the five-leg...

Mercy Malaysia team to help Palestinians.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Mercy Malaysia sent a team of surgeons and logistics personnel to Egypt on Monday to help Palestinian refugees fleeing the Israeli assault on Gaza Strip. The team, led by Mercy Malaysia president Datuk Dr Jemilah Mahmood, will...

Police report lodged against blog.
December 31, 2008... MARAN: The district Umno Youth lodged a police report on the existence of a blog containing insults of Prophet Muhammad, which had stirred anger among Muslims. State Deputy Criminal Investigation Department Chief Superintendent Mohd Haris...

Suhakam takes up Jerit case.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Police have been asked to explain their actions which led to the arrests of 59 members of the Marginalised People's Network (Jerit) who took part in a cycling campaign earlier this month. The Malaysian Human Rights...

Anything happen in 2008 that shouldn't have?
December 31, 2008... Byline: W. Scott Thompson It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness... it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the...

Mother's dream comes true.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Gripped by a sense of dread, Nur Diana Melissa Mohd Noorizan kept delaying the inevitable to collect her results slip. Her mother, Nur Jazlin Sim Abdullah, 46, was also anxious but was calm as she had dreamt the night before...

It's all about confidence.
December 31, 2008... BUKIT MERTAJAM: The government is drawing up more proactive measures to sustain growth in the property and housing sectors as the global economic crisis is expected to worsen next year. Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong...

Regina's world lights up with 6 As.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Melissa Darlyne Chow GEORGE TOWN: She expected to fail in all her subjects, but partially blind Regina Hoo Lei Kim was surprised when she got her Penilaian Menengah Rendah results yesterday. The 15-year-old pupil of St...

Jeweller abducted, robbed.
December 31, 2008... GEORGE TOWN: A woman was abducted and driven to her jewellery store where she was forced to hand over jewellery and cash amounting to more than RM1.4 million to two armed robbers on Monday night. The woman was walking alone to her car in...

Get rich with RapidPenang.
December 31, 2008... GEORGE TOWN: For the Chinese New Year festive season, RapidPenang will launch two contests with cash prizes for its commuters and students from tomorrow. Chief executive officer Azhar Ahmad said the contest to win RM888 would be open to...

Why the U-turn on village polls?
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: The Perak government has been criticised for its "about-turn" in prohibiting informal elections for new village heads as an alternative to nominating candidates for the post. Eleven civil society groups, in a statement...

Close friends attribute success to teamwork.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Muhammad Naim Abd Aziz and Mohamed Fazlan Nizamuddin have been friends since childhood. They played and studied together since kindergarten until Form 3. Yesterday, they reaped the fruits of their labour when both of them...

Pakatan partners eye MPSP president's post.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Adie Suri Zulkefli BUKIT MERTAJAM: The issue of who should be the new Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) president come March is expected to be a bone of contention between the two main Pakatan Rakyat partners in Penang. Both...

The year when politicking went wild.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Zainul Arifin THIS year would be remembered for many things, obviously, and many would point to March 8 being a date of major consequence, a pivotal point in the nation's history. Many have drawn messages, signals and conclusions...

Rise above mediocrity to prosper.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Nor Dalila Mohd Zambri THE recent call by the Malaysian Film Producers Association to raise the ticket price for Hollywood movies makes no sense to me. As consumers, we have the liberty to choose good movies because it is our...

Mum faces false-report charge again.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: A 24-year-old mother was charged yesterday for the second time with lodging a false report. Loo Mei Foong of Sentul was initially charged on March 3 but was subsequently granted a discharge not amounting to acquittal by the...

Results reflect confidence in English.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Regina Lee PUTRAJAYA: Young Malaysian pupils are getting better in their English, judging from the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) results. The best improvement in this year's results was seen in the English paper. Nearly...

2 sisters hurt during robbery in Cheras.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: A lone robber armed with a parang attacked two sisters at a house in Taman Muda, Cheras, here last night leaving one of them in critical condition. Lee Phooi Yee, 26, suffered slashes on the right arm and body while trying...

Kedah thinks again on replacing Perdana fleet.
December 31, 2008... ALOR STAR: The Pas-led state government is re-looking its decision to replace its fleet of Proton Perdana with foreign vehicles. This about-turn came about after a meeting between Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak and Proton...

10 pig farms quarantined.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Hamidah Atan PUTRAJAYA: Ten pig farms - five in Paya Mengkuang, Malacca, three in Selangor and one each in Perak and Penang - were quarantined effective yesterday for using beta agonist, a banned growth booster. Veterinary...

Retired polls chief to sue politicians.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Farrah Naz Karim PUTRAJAYA: Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman retired yesterday with a bang. On his last day of office, he announced that he was suing several politicians, including members...

Red tape delays police widow's claim.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Delren Terrence Douglas I AM writing on behalf of an ex-policeman's widow from Sungai Petani, Kedah. Her husband, a retired policeman, the late Ooi Kim Bock, died last year and since he was a member of the "Persatuan Bekas-Bekas...

RTM's Unit Bencana placed on 24-hour duty.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: More than 40 workers are on 24-hour standby under Radio Televisyen Malaysia's newly-launched Unit Bencana @ 1 emergency broadcasting team. The majority of the disaster unit team members, working on eight-hour shifts, are...

Don't drive them underground.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Mariam Mokhtar LAST October I heard that all Muslims have to undergo HIV testing before getting married. My main reason for disagreeing with this edict is the blatant abuse of human rights of the individual. I am sure that...

Where art and superbikes meet.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Iylia Afiat's sketches will make you want to pick up a superbike and take a trip into the unknown. And there are some 30 of his drawings on display at Balai Seni NSTP, 31, Jalan Riong, Bangsar, most of which pay homage to...

Full Internet service on Jan 4.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Full Internet services are expected on Jan 4, instead of today as there has been a delay in repair works on the submarine cable between Italy and northern Egypt, Telekom Malaysia said in a statement yesterday.

Hotline for fast RTD action.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Signboards carrying hotline numbers of the Road Transport Department will be placed at shopping complexes and bus and taxi terminals to enable the public to lodge immediate reports against errant public transport drivers. ...

More score straight As in Kelantan.
December 31, 2008... KOTA BARU: With the Education Ministry's move to focus less on As, Kelantan, like other states nationwide, chose to highlight the overall performance of their pupils in the Penilaian Menengah Rendah examination. The state improved its...

Improved results in all states.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: With improvements recorded nationwide, state education departments are filled with pride with their pupils' achievement for the Penilaian Menengah Rendah examination this year. Many states recorded higher figures for the...

Clear apparent contradictions in bill.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Abdul Razak Abu Samah THE government says that there is no conflict between the Constitution (Article 122(B)) and the bill on the appointment of judges because the bill is only involved in the selection of judges ("Bill not in...

Fencer Ezzate proves sport, studies do mix.
December 31, 2008... SEREMBAN: State fencer Ezzate Harun has proven that her active involvement in the sport has not stopped her from scoring 8 As in her Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR). The 15-year-old did her parents and school proud with her results, even...

Fitting farewell for sec-gen.
December 31, 2008... PUTRAJAYA: Even a stern man like Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof could not help but brush away a tear from his eyes as he clocked out on his last day as Home Ministry secretary-general. He was given a grand send-off with more than 1,000...

PBRS loyal to Barisan, says Kurup.
December 31, 2008... KENINGAU: Though it is one of the smaller parties in Barisan Nasional, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, with a membership of 75,000, has pledged to remain loyal to the ruling coalition. PBRS president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said the party could...

No magic in this girl's success.
December 31, 2008... KOTA BARU: She may be the daughter of a bomoh, but when it comes to scoring straight As in the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination, Aqmar Shaheera Che Hasin has relied on hard work rather than charms and potions. The Sekolah...

14 more appointed as judicial commissioners.
December 31, 2008... Byline: V. Anbalagan PUTRAJAYA: In an effort to improve the delivery system in the judiciary, 14 more judicial commissioners were appointed, including Solicitor-General (II) Datuk Zaleha Yusof. Two others were parliamentary draftsman...

Zaki wants them to lead hermits' lives.
December 31, 2008... PUTRAJAYA: The new 14 judicial commissioners who took office yesterday were reminded to live the life of a hermit to avoid accusations of dishonesty. Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi said they should be cautious and not allow their...

Perfect score for 6pc of candidates.
December 31, 2008... PUTRAJAYA: A total of 26,378 candidates scored perfect results in the Penilaian Menengah Rendah this year - getting As in all the subjects they took. They represent 5.96 per cent of the 472,060 pupils who sat the examination. This...

'Minda Pelajar seminar a great help'.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: Eight-As scorer Tung Yu Feng, 15, of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (Perempuan) Air Panas in Setapak, which saw a 100 per cent increase in straight A achievers, attributes part of her success to Berita Harian's Minda Pelajar PMR...

Pricey branded school accessories all the rage.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Shuhada Elis KUALA LUMPUR: Students these days yearn to go back to school in style. Other than designer-label bags and shoes which cost an arm and a leg, the "cool" items that students want are decorative items such as...

Council won't interfere in talks with pirates.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: The National Security Council will serve only in an advisory role in the negotiations with pirates for the release of a Malaysian tugboat and its 11 crew members in the Gulf of Aden. Council secretary Datuk Mohd Hatta Abdul...

Enquiry hotline for new term.
December 31, 2008... KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has set up a hotline for enquries and complaints on preparations for the new school term on Jan 4 and 5. Deputy director-general (education operations) Datuk Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim said yesterday...

Concession agreement may be made public.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Mazlinda Mahmood SHAH ALAM: The controversial concession agreement to operate the Klang Sentral bus terminal between the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) and the developer may be declassified. State executive councillor for Local...

Talent alone is not enough.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Kenneth Chew I LAUGHED my head off when I read your report on the suggestion to increase the price of tickets for Hollywood movies in a bid to encourage more people to watch local movies. I can bet my last sen that this won't...

Condos pay more but get less service.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Lin Jia Bin I REFER to reports that the new mayor of Kuala Lumpur had said there will be no rise in the city's assessment rates. I feel the new mayor should waive property assessments for next year because of the growing economic...

Make it your 2009 resolution.
December 31, 2008... Byline: N. Dinagaran EVERY day we dump our waste without realising that we are contributing to the destruction of our lovely planet Earth. How many of us actually sit back and ask: "How much waste have I contributed today?" My mother,...

An international effort needed to check financial turmoil.
December 31, 2008... Byline: V. Thomas THERE is a strong need for a global economic alert system comprising eminent economists from the developed and developing nations and sanctioned by the United Nations to prevent a repeat of the train of events that led...

Oneninetyfive in form.
December 31, 2008... ONENINETYFIVE showed a return to form at Kranji yesterday morning. With stablemate Military Express for company, the four-year-old Australian-bred gelding by Blevic caught the eye when he disposed of 600 metres in a swift 34.9 seconds on the...

Lucky Player looking good.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Go-Ram TWO-time winner Lucky Player geared up for a third success in the Class 4 event over 1200m on Sunday with a smart workout on the sand track in Ipoh yesterday. Taken out by a track rider, the five-year-old Australian...

Yunus: Jolidon twisting story.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul THE plot to the Jacques Jolidon saga yesterday thickened but without a definite solution as the man in the spotlight, Yunus Ibrahim, alleged foul play by the Swiss cycling coach. Malaysian National Cycling...

Balbir promises to revitalise structure.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Jugjet Singh NEWLY-appointed Malaysian Hockey Federation coaching committee chairman Dr Balbir Singh is no stranger to the sport, and will be coming in with some plans to widen and strengthen the coaching structure in the...

Selangor eager to be Giants again.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Christopher Raj AFTER a barren 2008, Selangor are looking to roar in the new season which kicks off on Saturday. They have placed their coaching fate in the hands of K. Devan, who has a knack of winning honours as shown by...

Newly-wed Shalin checks into semis.
December 31, 2008... Byline: Ajitpal Singh NEWLY-married bowling queen Shalin Zulkilfi celebrated her honeymoon at the Ampang Superbowl in Subang by making the semi-final cut of the Selangor Super Classic yesterday, Shalin, who married former bowler Azidi...

Mother and daughter die in crash.
December 31, 2008... REMBAU: A woman and her 17-year-old daughter were killed in a freak accident after their motorcycle was hit and dragged by a 16-wheel trailer lorry laden with fertiliser at a junction near Seri Kendung, Kota, here yesterday. In the 7.45am...

Resource centre for kids in Sabah's interior.
December 30, 2008... Byline: Jaswinder Kaur KOTA KINABALU: Hoping to make a difference for children in the interior who lack computers and educational materials, a Selangor-based organisation, which was set up by a plantation company, will build a RM1...

Palm fibre to prevent landslides.
December 30, 2008... GEORGE TOWN: A Universiti Sains Malaysia researcher has turned palm oil waste into Malaysia's first fibre-based soil protective layer to prevent landslides. USM associate professor Dr Fauziah Ahmad, who spent more than two years to...

Family of 3 hurt in acid attack.
December 30, 2008... KEPALA BATAS: A subcontractor, his wife and 7-year-old son were injured when a man splashed acid on them at their home in Taman Bertam Perdana on Sunday. Zuraidi Jaafar suffered severe burns on his face and body in the 10.30pm attack,...

Muhd Amin impressive.
December 30, 2008... Byline: Ajitpal Singh YOUNGSTER Muhd Amin Abdul Razak turned in a superb performance to take a surprise lead in Squad A of the first block in the Selangor Super Classic at Ampang Superbowl in Subang Jaya yesterday. Muhd Amin,...

Muslims must 'be better friends with others'.
December 30, 2008... Byline: Hamidah Atan; Regina Lee PUTRAJAYA: Tuanku Abdul Halim Sultan Badlishah yesterday called on Muslims to enhance friendship and solidarity with non-Muslims. The Kedah sultan, who is also the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, said...

All I want for 2009 is ...
December 30, 2008... Byline: Vijesh Rai SOON, 2008 will become a memory and 2009 will be upon us with fresh challenges. The Laos Sea Games in December is the only major Games next year but there are still challenges with several sports involved in either...

Pressing need for mindset change.
December 30, 2008... Byline: Dr G. Jayakumar THE debate on HIV screening has been in the spotlight recently. It is disheartening to note that issues like these are not deliberated and the views of stakeholders such as the Malaysian AIDS Council or the...

Public is best served through education.
December 30, 2008... Byline: Lau Bing HOW reliable is the HIV test? I am only a layman but I have heard umpteen times that there is an onset period - or rather, in medical terminology, a window period - before the viral infection shows up. So, what's the...

Rangers find 56 traps set by poachers.
December 30, 2008... ROMPIN: Enforcement officers from the state Wildlife and National Parks Department found 56 snares set by poachers in the forest and plantations here last week. State Wildlife director Saharudin Anan said they also came across two rattan...

Infant's lucky escape.
December 30, 2008... KOTA BARU: A mother of eight is thanking her lucky stars that her 17-month-old son suffered only scratches on the face when a car crashed into their family-run coffeeshop at Kampung Kadok here yesterday. The car driven by a vegetable...

Airline should fix this problem fast.
December 30, 2008... Byline: Bhavani Krishna Iyer MY recent trip to Bali on AirAsia was a frustrating experience for several reasons. My family and I arrived at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal two hours before flight time as required. The terminal was...

4 held in betting centre raid.
December 30, 2008... BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police raided an illegal betting centre in Alma on Sunday and arrested four people. Seberang Prai Tengah deputy police chief Superintendent Mohan Singh said a team led by Inspector Yeoh Weng Hai raided the premises in...