New Straits Times articles from February 2007, page 8

New Straits Times archives from February 2007

Labour attaches to solve workers' woes.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will appoint labour attaches in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates soon to help solve problems faced by Malaysian workers. This was decided by the...

Rural benefits.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) THE largest allocation in the five-year development plans and in the annual budgets invariably goes to education. However, the way in which the money has been spent has fallen short of developing...

Fairuz to test drive F1 car.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ajitpal Singh FAIRUZ Fauzy will test a Formula One car for the first time when he drives the new Spyker F1 car at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain today. It will be...

Airil keeps fine form.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) AIRIL Rizman Zahari continued his fine run on the Asian Tour when he finished joint 23rd at the Indonesia Open won by Finland's Mikko Ilonen in Jakarta on Sunday. The Malaysian's 70-69-74-71 (284)...

Toll deals may be made public.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Azura Abas; Rina De Silva KUALA LUMPUR: The public may be one step closer to knowing the contents of toll agreements which are now classified under the Official Secrets Act. The Works...

Detoxification for better health.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) TOXIC substances are everywhere - in the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Even our body and the bacteria in the intestines produce toxic substances. These include heavy metals...

A force to be reckoned with in Penang.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Tunku Ismail Jewa THE death of Datuk Albert Mah, the former Penang police chief at the hands of five armed robbers was tragic and I hope the murderers would soon be apprehended (Task Force...

Looking East pays off well for India.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Mahendra Ved THE best time to be in New Delhi is winter when its "seminaring and conferencing" season brings together specialists of various hues from across the world. This season's...

England hand Malaysia nine-wicket defeat.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Devinder Singh MALAYSIA suffered another crushing blow, this time by nine wickets, to England in their HSBC Under-19 Invitational Tri-Series match at the Kinrara Oval on Saturday. The...

Mumm knows best.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Shannon Teoh IT was very early on, back in 1875, that Champagne GH Mumm became a symbol of success and human achievement. It was the year that the Cordon Rouge (red ribbon) was created as a...

Two factories up in smoke, RM22m loss.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Two major factory fires in Selangor yesterday caused losses of more than RM22 million. In the first incident at the Desa Jaya Industrial Centre in Kepong, fire razed two blocks of the...

Fine examples.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ee Kim Chye PENANG has lost two of its most illustrious former senior police officers in recent months. Ex-CPO Datuk Tan Ghim Kheng passed away on Dec 30 and ex-CPO Datuk Albert Mah on...

Make it compulsory for official purposes.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: S. Ragunathan ACCORDING to media reports, some 500,000 Malaysians have yet to replace their ICs with the high-security MyKad. The reason for this is unknown. These people need to be...

Seal it with eel.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ashreena V. Krishnan Pillai GEN Japanese Restaurant of The Legend Hotel is pulling out all the stops in bringing you imported Anago's from Japan for its Anago (Sea Eel) promotion this...

Causing needless fear in patients.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Malaysian Oncological Society Council Members WE refer to the article "Is there an alternative for cancer sufferers?" (NST, Feb 4). We find this article to be misleading and misinformed....

Students stand to gain the most.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dr Mohd Safar Hasim IT is heartening to note that rural areas are once again being given due attention after decades of relative neglect. The RM2.6 billion boost for rural education and...

Geological heaven.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Alan Teh Leam Seng YOU don't need to be a nature lover to appreciate Malaysia's first geological park in Langkawi. ALAN TEH LEAM SENG's making plans for a return trip. BELINDA Carlisle...

Zaini to head water commission.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) AYER TAWAR: Former Public Works Department director-general Tan Sri Zaini Omar will be made the first chairman of the new National Water Services Commission (Span) from March 1. Energy, Water and...

Set time limit on payment delays.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: A.S. I SHARE Shamsudin Sulaiman of Kuala Lumpur's frustration for the unusually long delay in getting his tax refund from the Inland Revenue Board. He is not alone in this. Many letters...

Vouchers with your new year chicken meal.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) NANDO'S will be ushering in the Chinese New Year by giving patrons twice the pleasure with just half the chicken. Enjoy a platter of goodness with Nando's half chicken and a choice of two sidelines for...

Coaches listen deep enough.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dr Michael Heah Q: CAN you share with me what does a coach do with the executives to help them produce extraordinary results? Hj Ramly, Muar A: Firstly, all good coaches believe that there...

Lim wants to knock sense into telcos.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Shamini Darshni KUALA LUMPUR: It is an irony that makes Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik angry: Telecommunication companies (telcos) are recording hundreds of millions in quarterly profits when...

Workout with your baby.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Karina Foo MOTHERS can bond with their babies through post-natal workouts, writes KARINA FOO. Now that you have had your baby and everything is going fine, you may want to think about...

We're not giving up our land, say villagers.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KOTA KINABALU: For generations they have lived off the land in rural Tongod, central Sabah. Now 3,000 villagers are fighting a major corporation to keep their land. The people of Kampung Minusoh,...

PM: Let's make the most of these good times.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Sharanjit Singh; Shamini Darshni KUALA LUMPUR: The country's economy is moving ahead so vigorously that the obvious thing for Malaysians to do now would be to ride on the momentum. ...

Forest fun at Inki.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Zalina Mohd Som THIS may be the first time she's heard of Sungai Inki but ZALINA MOHD SOM has a real fun time at this recreational forest by the river. WE have a Sungai Inki? Yes, and...

A New Year to remember for a very special girl.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Rina De Silva KUALA LUMPUR: Mechanical heart girl Tee Hui Yi was ready to capture a special moment in her life. The 13-year-old got out her camera as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah...

Smokin' at Kuala Sepetang.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Peggy Loh FOOD grilled over charcoal made from mangrove wood is said to be more aromatic. PEGGY LOH takes a peek at the industry. THE heat is on in the outskirts of Taiping, Perak....

It's the fault of others, or is it?
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Syed Nadzri ONE of the more interesting news items last week came out of Singapore which had a lot to do with regional politics. The headline of the story which appeared in this paper...

Disturbing perceptions that linger to this day.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Syed Nadzri "MALAYS are not lazy", "Chinese voters likely to back opposition", "85 per cent of jobs given to Malay contractors end up with non-Bumis". The above news headlines over the...

Aziz gets wed in style.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: John Tiong AZIZ Satar must be the most merry, married 81-year-old in Malaysia. The actor, best known for his films like Seniman Bujang Lapok, Pendekar Bujang Lapok and Ali Baba Bujang...

Crafty ways to independence.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: F.K. Kok THEY come from different worlds. One is a single mother from Pahang. The other is an American from a courier company. Their link is Pahang Crown Princess Tunku Azizah Aminah...

Get feedback to improve service.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Moaz Yusuf Ahmad IT is good to see that the efforts to bring better public transit to Penang are finally coming closer to reality. There has been evidence of progress since the government...

Time to rethink this archaic system.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dr. F.S. Malhi I REFER to the report "Public stands to benefit" (NST, Feb 11), regarding the mandatory retirement age of 56. A mandatory retirement age is a statutory requirement that...

Don't rush into making a decision.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: S.M. Mohamed Idris THE government should not rush into a decision to sign the Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement without a thorough consideration of the consequences of such a move. Cabinet...

Car drivers must share the blame.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: W. M. Ramli AT any time of the year, road accidents and fatalities involving motorcyclists exceed that involving other motor vehicles. I find it hard to believe that the two-wheelers are...

Chinese zodiac guide to health.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Manveet Kaur FENG shui expert Lillian Too shares with MANVEET KAUR her health predictions for the Year of the Boar. THE ancient Chinese art of feng shui - manipulating and arranging...

Good vibes from exotic Camelia.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Shuib Taib SHUIB TAIB hears about Camelia's big welcome in Shanghai and her latest album. AS far as sophistication goes, the fashion industry has more to offer than the music industry....

Hey, wait for the encores ...
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Azman Ahmad ROCK queen Ella was in outstanding form at Planet Hollywood, yet many couldn't wait to go home. AZMAN AHMAD explains why. THE wait for fans to trickle in contributed to the...

Noryn's got that lovin' feeling.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Sharifah Arfah NORYN Aziz has come full circle from her days in musical oblivion to shine with soulful vigour in Alam Maya. SHARIFAH ARFAH writes. MANY aspiring artistes strive to...

Love sees the light.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Reviewed by K.N. Vijiyan NOW PLAYING DEEPAVALI (Tamil) Directed by Ezhil Starring Jayam Ravi, Bhavana, Vijayakumar, VMC Haneefa, Lal, Raghuvaran and Vaiyapuri "DEEPAVALI" is hardly a...

Gold Plus gets Jeram James gift.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Go-Ram JERAM James, gave last year's champion owners Gold Plus and champion trainer Frank Maynard, a flying start by taking the first race in the Year of the Boar in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday....

Essence of Tamil culture.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) THERE is more to Tamil culture than what is depicted in movie songs and dances. To experience the real culture, make a date with the Tamil Culture Fest-2 to be held at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre in...

Free medical care for hardcore poor.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) THE hardcore poor and street people in Kuala Lumpur can now get free basic medical care with the opening of Clinic for the Poor in Jalan Medan Bunus recently. An initiative of the Grace Community...

Forward together at 50.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) THIS year not only marks the 50th year of Malaysia's independence but also the 50th anniversary of a bilateral relationship between the country and Britain. To mark these momentous occasions, both...

Golden Ace snatches Gold Cup.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Go-Ram TWO-time Coronation Cup winner Golden Ace out sprinted the seemingly unbeatable Triple Happy to capture the RM500,000 Tunku Gold Cup, the first leg of the RM2.5 million Triple Crown...

Ah Jit ready to make move permanent.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Christopher Raj FORMER SRA of Malaysia (SRAM) secretary Col (rtd) Wong Ah Jit is willing to serve the association if and when his help is needed. Ah Jit, who has been with SRAM for 23...

MRU keen on women!
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ranjini Thangaraju THE Malaysian Rugby Union (MRU) is considering forming a women's team to compete at the Korat Sea Games in Thailand on Dec 7-16. Its secretary Suhaimi Zainuddin...

Ah Thiam aims to improve on personal best.
February 20, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Devinder Singh A TOP-10 finish in the Langkawi Ironman Malaysia Triathlon on Saturday is not beyond Wong Ah Thiam as he sets his sights on qualifying for the World Ironman Championship in...

An idol moment.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) DREAMGIRLS has plenty of glamour. Bill Condon's first big musical since Chicago is a glossy Cadillac of a film with a vintage rhythm and blues engine tuned to perfection. The cast is dressed to kill....

Impact ready for another win.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Go-Ram IMPACT looks ready for another win in the RM50,000 Da Ma Cai Stakes for Class 4, Div 1 horses over 1200m (Race 7. 4.30pm) at the one-day Professional/Amateur meeting in Ipoh on...

Engine hitch.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David DEAR Paul, MY Naza Sportage is facing engine "selalu mati". Has sent for repair for the fourth time and it cost me almost RM4,000. - 016-2762564 Reply: THERE are lots of...

SEGi's 'MAD' showcase a resounding success.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) CREATIVE arts is an increasingly popular field with Malaysian students, as evident from the recent SEGi College Creative Arts Showcase, which saw the graduating batch showing off their creativity to...

Puspakom feedback.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David WE refer to Paul David's reply to the query by Encik Muhsin on what is "side-slip". We are pleased that Paul has given a detailed explanation for the interests of Muhsin and...

Nicol's first title beckons.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: K.M. Boopathy WORLD No 1 Nicol David (pic), if the draw of the Kuala Lumpur Open squash championships is any indication, should cruise to her first title of the year in the March 12-17...

Yellowish head lamps.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David DEAR Paul, I'M using a 2002 Caldina GT-4 and both my head lamps look old (yellowish). I don't know if I should replace them with new ones which are expensive as they are...

On the right track.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Rachael Philip VICTORINOX Swiss Army watches may appear to ride on the fame of the pocket knives but they sport tractable features too, writes RACHAEL PHILIP. The screech of gibbons...

Water water get in.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David DEAR Paul, I RECENTLY did my usual engine oil service on my E46 318i (M43 engine). However, after draining the old oil and before putting in the new one, the mechanic...

Faulty brake light indicator.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David DEAR Paul I'M driving a Proton Wira Aeroback 1.3 which has a problem. My brake light indicator appears on the front panel while I drive. Is there something wrong with my car...

Starting problem.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David DEAR Paul, I BOUGHT a BMW 318i a few months back and so far, there is not much problem with it. However, last week I had difficulty starting the car. Reply: THERE are...

Amri scores late winner.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) MOHD Amri Yahyah's strike three minutes from time helped Selangor beat their Klang Valley rivals Kuala Lumpur 2-1 in their Malaysia Cup Group A match at the Shah Alam Stadium last night. Amri's...

Drink factor of old wine.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Q: I found some old bottles of Wydham Estate Shiraz wine from 1994 that I had forgotten in a cabinet. Are they still drinkable? Are they valuable? A: There are many factors that combine to decide...

FAM no to carnival format for schools.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul THE FA of Malaysia (FAM) will not agree to plans to have school level football tournaments on a carnival basis from next year, as proposed by the Education Ministry. ...

Jehan goes for high performance.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Thomas Huong POPULAR actor and model Jehan Miskin loves his 3.0-litre Toyota Supra but admitted that it was not practical to drive on a daily basis. "For example, some of the movies I...

In love with the Iban, their world.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Zaini Mohd Zaid THE agreed rendezvous with the Police Field Force officer was at Rumah Engkamak, a longhouse by the Sungai Ngemah, in the Iban heartland of Sarawak. We made it there after...

Airil falters in Jakarta.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) AIRIL Rizman Zahari was joint-20 with a two-over 73 at the 17th hole of his third round when play was stopped due to bad weather at the US$1.05 million (RM3.5 million) Jakarta Open yesterday. The...

Safer drive for long distance.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) AS you journey home to your loved ones this weekend, we render a few tips to make your drive safer: * Good night's sleep - To prevent drowsiness, ensure that you are well rested before embarking on a...

Overheating problem.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David DEAR Paul, I OWN a 1989 W124 Mercedes Benz 230E. Every morning, I have to top about 1.5-litre of water into the radiator; otherwise the yellow indicator will be on. I sent...

Lost in translation.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Wilson Henry AS traditional practices decline, some concerned Chinese want to revive the customs and beliefs that make the Spring festival, or Lunar New Year, meaningful, writes WILSON...

Scarred for Life.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dharshana Sivapatham IT took DHARSHANA SIVAPATHAM 10 hours to get a 10-minute chat with Grammy nominee tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain in Singapore. Here's her story. I'M at a hotel...

Overdrive on or off?
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Paul David DEAR Paul, I DRIVE a Toyota Camry 2000 model with overdrive features. Kindly explain what "overdrive" means? When must the overdrive be switched off? Do I need to switch it off...

Get in the mood for CNY.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) THIS Saturday is Yan Yat (Ren Ri) or People's Birthday which falls on the seventh day of the Lunar Calendar or Feb 24. In the olden days, people would eat noodles for longevity and raw fish for...

The daughter connection.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Q: WHAT South American white wine is made by a Seagram's daughter? I am looking for the name of a particular wine. It is South American and it is white. It also happens to be from the winery of one of...

No friendlies ahead of Azlan Shah Cup.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Jugjet Singh THE national hockey team will compete in the Azlan Shah Cup on May 5-13 in Ipoh without playing a single international friendly. This might cause some problems in...

Love what you do to stay stress-free.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: P.C. Shivadas CAN life be without stress? Yes, says Prof A. Parthasarathy who has been talking to audiences the world over on the subject for some 50 years. And what's more, he holds...

Proposal to confine foreign workers draws flak.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Restriction and constant monitoring of foreign workers is high-handed and would not reflect well on Malaysia. Confining foreign workers in order to curb crime is a wrong approach, said...

Fusion groove.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ben Suppiah HENNESSY Artistry is a global event which promotes the fusion of music with of course the drink. Two Fridays ago, three international acts - NDC (Singapore), I-GO (China)...

Enjoy your teenage years.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dr Mustaffa Embong Having diabetes should not stop one from missing the joy of adolescence, says DR MUSTAFFA EMBONG. All it takes is proper care. ONLY three years separate the brothers...

Ipoh gets Volkswagen showroom.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) IPOH has the prestige of having the first Volkswagen showroom outside the Klang Valley with the opening of VW Cars Sdn Bhd's branch last Friday. VW Cars Sdn Bhd, an authorised dealer for Volkswagen...

PM: Bright outlook for economy this year.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Adrian David KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians have reason to cheer as the economic climate appears bullish in the Year of the Boar. Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said economic indicators for...

Black holes and revelations.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Aref Omar A FEELING of detachment did little to dampen the ferocity of Muse's debut performance in the Lion City, writes AREF OMAR. The itching sense of anticipation was thick in the...

Scars that won't go away.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dzulkifli Abdul Razak "BARBARIC" is perhaps a rather polite choice of word to describe what I saw at the week-long exhibition on the fourth floor of PWTC which ended on Feb 11. Although it...

Lots and lots of green, and it's all protected.
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Elizabeth John SHAH ALAM: A long-held promise has finally been fulfilled. A massive swathe of forest in Selangor - 18 1/2 times the size of Putrajaya - has been gazetted, making the...

It's not a motorcycle, it's a chopper!
February 18, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Abeshu Lee MOTORCYCLES have always been associated with the movies. Easy riders or cruisers have constantly been immortalised on the big screen. This trend has its roots from the 1963 Steve...