New Straits Times articles from December 2009, page 6

New Straits Times archives from December 2009

A green, green Xmas to you.
December 25, 2009... Byline: V. Thomas AFTER the disappointment of the just-concluded United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen to check global warming, it is time to think of a green Christmas. With Christmas being one of the most widely...

Humble beginnings.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Andrew Wong TODAY, over two billion people are celebrating the birth of Christ Jesus with song, feast and merriment. That's roughly a third of the world's population - a proportion that is as amazing as it is mind boggling given...

Court: Anwar was fishing for evidence.
December 25, 2009... PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is facing a sodomy charge, is not entitled to key documents from the prosecution as he was fishing for evidence in preparation of his case, the Court of Appeal has held. Court of Appeal judge Datuk...

When the going gets tough.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Koi Kye Lee KUALA LUMPUR: Things are getting tougher for the Viva Palestina convoy. Leaving Amman in Jordan, the volunteers were told to stick together. At a morning briefing, they were told that no one was allowed to go for toilet...

Aircraft accident spoils Xmas for 300.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Mimi Syed Yusof IT was a different and sad Christmas for some 300-odd passengers stranded here in Amsterdam after Malaysia Airlines flight MH017 could not take off due to a technical fault at noon on Wednesday. The majority of them...

Woman held over girl's death.
December 25, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: Police have arrested a 34-year-old woman, believed to be a family member of a girl whose body was dumped in a water retention pond in Kampung Boyang, Jalan Semarak, on Tuesday. The arrest came after the woman lodged a missing...

Festivities 'bind us together'.
December 25, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said Christmas and other festivities have been effective in fostering unity among Malaysians. He said through such festivities, Malaysians had the opportunity to value and understand each...

'Diversity our strength, asset'.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Jaswinder Kaur; Sulok Tawie KOTA KINABALU: Unity in diversity is the country's strength and remains an asset as Malaysia moves forward. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the state alone had more than 30 ethnic groups...

More bus permits for Chinese New Year.
December 25, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: The Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) will issue temporary permits to express bus companies to provide extra service for the Chinese New Year celebrations next year. The companies are permitted to use express, charter,...

Witness admits it was wrong to record sexual acts.
December 25, 2009... IPOH: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission prosecution witness admitted at the Sessions Court yesterday that it was wrong of him to have captured compromising photographs and video recordings of sexual acts involving certain Pakatan Rakyat...

RM2m contraband cigarettes seized, 4 held.
December 25, 2009... KUANTAN: Police seized contraband cigarettes worth RM2 million and arrested four suspected smugglers in separate raids here on Wednesday. In a bid to escape arrest, one of the smugglers also attempted to bribe the police personnel by offering...

Big savings by using Mampu IT team.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Ben Tan KUALA LUMPUR: Government agencies can save hundreds of thousands in ringgit in information and communication if they engage the services of the Public Sector ICT Consulting Team. Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and...

70,000 expected at concert.
December 25, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: For the fifth time, AmBank Group will organise the Ambang 2010 Kuala Lumpur concert on Dec 31 to usher in the New Year. The concert, which will be held at Dataran Merdeka in collaboration with Kuala Lumpur City Hall, is aimed at...

Mobile phone syndicate preying on highway users.
December 25, 2009... JOHOR BARU: A new Nokia N95 handphone (selling at over RM1,500 in the market) available at RM250? If this sounds too good to be true, just drive along the North-South Expressway (NSE) and you will find this is just one of the top-selling...

2 nabbed for diesel smuggling.
December 25, 2009... JITRA: Two men were detained in their bid to smuggle RM48,700 worth of government-subsidised diesel to Thailand on Wednesday. The suspects, in their 30s, were picked up at a road block at Km10.2 of the Changlun-Jitra Expressway about 4pm. ...

Felcra-state land problem settled.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Sulaiman Jaafar KOTA BARU: Felcra Berhad and the Kelantan government have reached an agreement to settle a dispute involving about 6,000ha developed by the federal agency in the state since 1980. Under the settlement, the land will...

Man dies in gang attack.
December 25, 2009... SUNGAI BESAR: A man died after he was stabbed and his head hit with a blunt object believed to be a hammer. He was attacked by a group of men in front of a Chinese restaurant in Jalan Bunga Raya here on Wednesday. In the 12.15am incident,...

Chariot procession tomorrow.
December 25, 2009... KLANG: The Iskcon Klang (Hare Krishna Centre) will hold its annual Klang Ratha Yathra (chariot procession) tomorrow. The event will begin at 4pm at the Iskcon Klang centre at No. 20, Lorong Besi 4, Off Jalan Telok Pulai, Klang. This will...

RM100,000 snatched from car.
December 25, 2009... KEMAMAN: Two men on a motorcycle escaped with RM100,000 after the pillion rider smashed a car window and snatched the money at a traffic light near the district hospital yesterday. The robbers made a quick exit as passers-by looked on. No one...

School aid for 500 children.
December 25, 2009... SEREMBAN: Five hundred underprivileged children have reason to cheer when each received a school bag and uniforms from Giant Malaysia yesterday. This is the fifth consecutive year the company is offering such assistance, aimed at easing the...

Ex-broker jailed for cheating bid.
December 25, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: A former property broker was sentenced to 18 months' jail and two strokes of the rotan for attempting to cheat a business development manager of RM6 million last year. Engku Shamsuddin Engku Mansor, 45, was found guilty of two...

2 babies need help for surgery.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Koi Kye Lee KUALA LUMPUR: Only 2 months old, Wada Sa Waat was diagnosed with a hole in her heart and congenital heart defects. Wada, placed in an incubator, needs to undergo an immediate operation estimated to cost about RM40,000....

Apply to join Legal Aid Bureau online.
December 25, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyers interested to be on the panel of the Legal Aid Bureau may submit their applications online. The legal affairs division of the Prime Minister's Department said applicants registered with the system would be able to...

Briton cycles for good cause.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Koi Kye Lee KUALA LUMPUR: For Sam Gambier, his dream of taking on the world using his trusty bicycle has come true. Gambier, who hails from Praze-An-Beeble, Cornwall, United Kingdom, was in Jalan Riong, Bangsar, yesterday to...

When real estate meets the internet.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Charrissa Cawley THE birth of Web 2.0 - when combined with real estate investing - has the potential to revolutionise an industry and gives you an opportunity to be on the cutting edge of technology and income opportunity. The...

Danis' Fighter Jet ready for combat.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Go-Ram FIGHTER Jet wound up preparations for a winning bid in the RM1 million Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Gold Cup over 2200m in Race 8 on Sunday with a one-round workout in Penang yesterday. Taken out by a track rider, five-year-old...

10 years that rocked the market.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Lim Lay Ying IT will be a period that would go down in history as one of the darkest for some, even though no major wars in global proportions were fought. The United States began the decade with an economic recession, albeit a mild...

English Premier League Christmas wish list.
December 25, 2009... ARSENAL ARSENE Wenger must be careful what he wishes for ..having cursed the now out-of-work Mark Hughes after the Carling Cup defeat two weeks ago, Mr Wenger might (finally) extend the hand of friendship towards Sparky and bring him into the...

Kick start your New Year.
December 25, 2009... WANT to literally give 2010 a kick-start? Then sign up for the New Year Unity Futsal Carnival which starts on Dec 31 (8.30m) and ends on Jan 1 (2am) at SportsJam Futsal Complex, Shah Alam The tournament comprises three categories - Men's Open,...

RSC down PJ Club for Under-16 title.
December 25, 2009... ROYAL Selangor Club (RSC) Juniors emerged champions of the KLCA-RSC Under-16 Championship with an eight-wicket win over PJ Club in the final at Bukit Kiara on Wednesday. An unbeaten knock of 19 runs by Pasha Syafiq Ali and Jamie Burford's 30...

No new heroes for Malaysia.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Devinder Singh NOT much has changed in the landscape of Malaysian squash 12 months on with the same leading trio flying the flag for the country on the international stage. Nicol David regained the World Open title while Azlan...

Selangor boost attacking power.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Ajitpal singh SELANGOR have added more firepower to their Super League squad with six new signings. With the exception of former Pahang goalkeeper Iqbal Suhaimi, all the other signings are attack oriented. The five new faces are...

Second stringers get chance to show mettle.
December 25, 2009... THE back-up players got the nod over the seniors this time. Chong Wei Feng, Lydia Cheah and men's doubles Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong have been considered ahead of the seniors for the season-ending Copenhagen Masters beginning on Monday. ...

All Malaysian affair on the cards in Penang.
December 25, 2009... Byline: K. Kandiah AN all Malaysian affair in both the men's and women's Open may just happen in the Penang Pesta International Bowling Championships tomorrow at the Mega Lanes in Prai. While the women bowlers have been in good form, the...

Relief at last for local pros.
December 25, 2009... GOOD tidings are finally arriving for Malaysian professional golfers who, for long, fear for the future of the sport in this country. The PGA of Malaysia, which was officially launched by Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek on...

Red Giants the sole representative.
December 25, 2009... SELANGOR will be the only Malaysian team featuring in next year's AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Cup after Perlis declined to participate. The FA of Malaysia (FAM) had wanted to replace Perlis with another M-League team in the competition...

Desperate Reds run to housewife.
December 25, 2009... LIVERPOOL have sent out an SOS to a housewife from Serbia to help revive their wretched season. Marijana Kovacevic, known as the "placenta doctor", has long black hair, thick black eye make-up and wears thigh-length boots. "She always...

Ministry achieves KPIs to pave the way forward.
December 25, 2009... Byline: Zoe Phoon THIS sixth and final part of a series of articles on the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) wraps upw hat it has delivered for 2009 and what's in store for 2010 MORE affordable public housing units for rent in...

Property gains tax only after 5 years of ownership.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Farrah Naz Karim PUTRAJAYA: The real property gains tax the government is reintroducing next year will only be applicable to properties disposed of after five years of ownership. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in announcing...

PM names 2010 Year of Creativity, Innovation.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: The coming decade will prove no less exciting when it comes to the emergence of new innovative and creative products, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. He said the year 2000 onwards had seen the emergence of innovative...

Cabinet wants report on thefts.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Alang Bendahara KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry has been directed by the cabinet to prepare a summary on the theft of fighter-jet engines belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). The report, with a chronology of events...

ASN to pay out RM81m to unit holders.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) has declared an income distribution of 5.2 sen for Sekim Amanah Saham Nasional for the year ending Dec 31. Amanah Saham Malaysia Bhd, the wholly-owned unit of PNB, said this would involve a total...

Equipping ex-servicemen with skills.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 523 ex-servicemen are now equipped with technical skills either to be gainfully employed or to venture into business. Yesterday, they received certificates after completing vocational courses at the Armed Forces...

US$10,000 limit on travel cash.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: From Jan 1, travellers entering or leaving Malaysia carrying more than US$10,000 (about RM34,400) must make a declaration to the Customs Department. The new rule, which will be enforced at all airports and seaports, is part of...

Ariffahmi matter is closed, says Nik Aziz.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Sulaiman Jaafar KOTA BARU: Cease and desist. That's the message Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat has for people, especially Pas leaders, who continue to press for his son-in-law Abdul Ariffahmi Abdul Rahman to quit as...

Raja Petra urged again to return.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: Blogger Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin cannot be a fugitive all his life and should come back to Malaysia, says the president of the Institute of Corporate Governance Tan Sri Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas. "It looks like he is leading...

Youth cancels talks as pressure mounts.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: The Kelantan Pas Youth was supposed to hold a meeting on the resignation of Kelantan Menteri Besar Incorporated chief executive officer Abdul Ariffahmi Abdul Rahman, but cancelled it at the last minute due to media pressure. Pas...

Most CC members not quitting.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's attempt to pave way for fresh elections may fail as there are not enough resignations by central committee (CC) members ahead of the deadline tomorrow. Besides the resignations by...

Speak more in Malay, Dr M tells Indian Muslims.
December 24, 2009... GEOERGE TOWN: Indian Muslims in the country should disassociate themselves from their country of origin, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He said certain Muslim converts faced problems in society because of their reluctance...

Apathy keeps 5m off electoral roll.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Farrah Naz Karim PUTRAJAYA: It should have been more than 16 million, but because of apathy, Malaysia has only about 11 million registered voters. Figures show that more than four in 10 Malaysians above 21 have not registered as...

Shopping rewards for 1Malaysia.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: In an effort to promote national unity, MyKad holders can register in the Sahabat 1Malaysia programme where they can get cash rewards. The programme, announced yesterday at Angkasapuri, is a cash rebate system where the rewards...

6-hour hold-up at Jordan border.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Natasha Ilyas KUALA LUMPUR: The Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza was detained at the Syrian-Jordanian border for almost six hours. Jordanian authorities wanted all the drivers' passports withheld until the convoy arrived at the...

Charged with accepting deposits.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: Noradz Travel & Services Sdn Bhd was charged at the Sessions Court yesterday with illegal deposit taking. Its director and officers were charged on Tuesday with money laundering involving RM60.6 million. The company,...

Child strangled, possible victim of sexual abuse.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: Two years after the country was shocked by the cold-blooded murder of 8-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, yet another child has been found strangled and possibly sexually abused. Identifying the child, who the police estimate to be...

Heritage city swiftlet threat.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Phuah Ken Lin GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) has rapped the state government for its inaction against swiftlet breeding in the inner city centre. It said the state government's decision to extend the moratorium...

Christmas lights, decorations make Kenneth's home a big attraction.
December 24, 2009... PETALING JAYA: When the homes are brightly lit with multi-coloured lights and adorned with inflatable Christmas decorations, the season of joy brings out the child in him. "Christmas is the season for giving and sharing and it brings joy to...

Woman files suit to nullify conversion.
December 24, 2009... GEORGE TOWN: A 27-year-old housewife, who was converted to Islam when she was 7, has filed a civil suit to declare her conversion as null and void. Siti Hasnah Vangarma Abdullah, or S. Banggarma, is seeking a High Court order to declare that...

Nurin's father applies to name photo-leak policeman in suit.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court set Jan 29 to hear an application by the father of murder victim Nurin Jazlin Jazimin to amend his statement of claim to include Lance Corporal Amran Arifin as a defendant in a negligence suit. Senior assistant...

Anwar's appeal over RM100m suit on March 1.
December 24, 2009... PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has fixed March 1 to hear Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's application for leave to appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal striking out his RM100 million defamation suit against former prime minister Tun Dr...

What the public thinks of police.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Ahmad Fairuz Othman JOHOR BARU: Johor police will be seeking feedback from the public on the competency level of its work through its popular online portal. Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said counter services...

Collapsing accountability.
December 24, 2009... THE collapse of the glass roof at the Kuala Berang bus and taxi terminal wasn't the first time this year that the roof of a newly built public building in Terengganu had given way. Neither has the state been the only one that has been suffering...

Movies so dumb you'd demand a refund.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Chok Suat Ling SANTAU was touted as the scariest local horror film ever made. The movie, about black magic and possession, promised moviegoers they would not be able to look at scrambled eggs quite the same way again. Or step into...

China tried not to be the crook at COP15.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Frank Ching IF the climate change conference in Copenhagen failed to meet the expectations of both developed and developing countries, it did make one thing clear: the United States remains the most powerful developed country and...

A danger to keep them as pets.
December 24, 2009... Byline: S.M. Mohamed Idris SAHABAT Alam Malaysia (SAM) compliments the Selangor Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) for the recent seizure of wildlife at a condominium in Desa Pandan. However, the fine of RM3,000 or a jail...

Join hands in the war on drugs.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye I REFER to Dr Collin Abraham's letter "That drug link is not a great secret" (NST, Dec 17). I thank the writer for his comments on my letter regarding snatch thieves and the drug connection. However, it is...

It's all about duty, not loyalty.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Marisa Demori THANK you for your report ("BTN far from being a brainwashing tool" - NST, Dec 20) highlighting the content and goals of the National Civics Bureau course for government employees. The article was appropriate considering...

Administer medicine for father.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Noor Afitza Pawan Chik I REFER to the letter "Nurse with no time for senior citizens" (NST, Dec 18) from Thulasi Murugiah. My father is also a glaucoma patient. Both his eyes have to be administered with Xalatan and Timoptol-XE...

14-year wait for revised formula.
December 24, 2009... Byline: S. Mylvaganam I REFER to the letter "A pension plan few can better" (NST, Nov 26) from the director-general of the Public Service Department, Putrajaya. We pensioners have conveyed our gratitude to former prime minister Tun...

There's no moral justification for this oil venture.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Abdul Razak Abu Samah THE oil deal between Petronas and its partners and the Iraqi authorities ("Petronas in giant Iraq oil deals" - NST, Dec 12) has caused some to raise their eyebrows not only from the point of view of the legality...

Why can't builders ever get it right?
December 24, 2009... Byline: Bulbir Singh THE roof of a bus terminal collapsed on Monday in Terengganu. Six months ago, it was the roof the state's stadium. I ask, what's next? Can't we get things done right the first time? Why have we become complacent? When...

Keep an eye on food safety.
December 24, 2009... Byline: S. Param THE incident where a local dairy milk company dumped several hundred litres of fresh milk into the drain to protest its plight is indeed a sad episode. It is understandable if the milk is contaminated and unsuitable for...

Let's have some light on Karak stretches.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Mohd Rashdan Jamaludin I AM a weekend commuter to Kuala Lumpur and, hence, a frequent user of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak tolled highway. I suggest that MTD Prime, the concessionaire of the highway, emulate Plus Expressways Bhd in...

'Fire safety measures important'.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Nancy Nais KUCHING: The fire that destroyed several colonial-era shophouses in the historical enclave here on Tuesday should serve as a reminder of the importance of fire safety, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam...

'No' to low offer of RM1.7b oil royalty.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Nik Imran Abdullah THE Terengganu government has turned down an offer of RM1.686 billion in oil royalty payment from the Federal Government as the state administration insists it has the right to a higher amount. Menteri Besar...

Blaze destroys classrooms.
December 24, 2009... SEREMBAN: Two classrooms and a teachers' common room were razed in a fire which broke out at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (T) Ladang Labu Bahagian 1, Labu, here, on Tuesday. Security guard Abu Bakar Abdullah, 51, said he was making his rounds...

Tourism to be new backbone.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Nik Imran Abdullah THE tourism sector will be the backbone of the state government in generating income in the coming years, the house was told yesterday. Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said more focus should be given to developing...

Judge ticks off lawyer.
December 24, 2009... IPOH: A Sessions Court judge hearing the corruption trial of two former Pakatan Rakyat exco members and three others ticked off a defence counsel for commenting on the judiciary when a counsel could not be present in court as he was involved in...

RM2.5m booze in turmeric containers.
December 24, 2009... BUKIT MERTAJAM: State Customs Department officers have foiled an attempt to smuggle beer and liquor worth RM2.5 million. They were falsely declared as turmeric fingers and smuggled into the country at the North Butterworth Container Terminal...

1Malaysia inspires Mar Thoma Church.
December 24, 2009... KUALA LUMPUR: The supreme head of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church, the Most Rev Dr Joseph Mar Thoma, met Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon on Tuesday to convey his greetings to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak...

Health drive to ease sugar shortage.
December 24, 2009... Byline: Julia Chan KOTA KINABALU: The state Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department will launch a "reduce sugar consumption" campaign from next month to solve the problem of low sugar supply in Sabah. Its director, Jaafar Walad,...

27 illegals caught in oil palm plantation.
December 24, 2009... KOTA TINGGI: Two heavily pregnant women were among 27 illegal immigrants caught hiding in an oil palm plantation on Tuesday. They were left stranded when the lorry taking them to an illegal jetty broke down. The group of 20 men and seven...

More Malaysians visiting Macau.
December 24, 2009... KUCHING: About 290,000 Malaysians visited Macau as of last month, attracted by its heritage sites, food and entertainment. This made Malaysians second on the the list of tourist arrivals after Japanese, to Macau from Asia, excluding China, Hong...

'Need for study on biomass option'.
December 24, 2009... KOTA KINABALU: Studies should be done on the feasibility of using biomass and biogas to resolve the electricity shortage in Sabah, state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said yesterday. "If it is possible, it is a...

Backing for Maliau heritage status.
December 24, 2009... KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Anglers Association supports any move to get World Heritage Site status for the Maliau Basin. President Datuk Wilfred Lingham said it was the government's responsibility to identify and protect areas that had ecological...