New Straits Times articles from February 2007

New Straits Times archives from February 2007

Change approach for next Ops.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Y.K.H. I WOULD like to congratulate the police for their blitz on motorcyclists ("Offenders will lose m-cycles on the spot" - NST, Feb 26). I hope such operations will be sustained, and...

Lack of shade, shelter puts off car drivers.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Zuanne Cheng finds herself in a quandary whenever she considers taking public transportation into the city centre. Despite the fact that Light Rail Transit, KTM Komuter or bus...

Back to the barefoot days.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dr Bala S. Moddia AFTER living in England for over 30 years, I decided to return to my hometown of Seremban following my retirement. At an early age, I had joined a local athletics club...

Organ sale can solve shortage.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: V.S. A SHORTAGE of kidneys for transplants ("Virtually zero" - NST, Feb 22) is a universal problem that has not spared even developed countries. Awareness campaigns have been...

'Kiss and ride' to reduce traffic.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Minderjeet Kaur KUALA LUMPUR: In Westerns, the cowboy usually kisses his girl and rides off into the sunset. The contemporary Ma-laysian version may see Steven (not his real name)...

Sports schools will not focus only on core sports.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul THE restructured sports schools will feature facilities specialised to fit a certain number of sports, rather than a single school serving all sports as it is currently....

Ministry clears the air over 'carnival' concept.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul THE Education Ministry has denied issuing any directive for State or district level sports competitions to be held on a carnival basis. Neither are there plans to do...

MPGA to temporarily reinstate trio.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: K.M Boopathy THE Malaysian Professional Golfers Association (MPGA), following a request from Sports Commissioner Tan Sri Elyas Omar, has decided to temporarily reinstate three of the 11...

International body in the dark over MIHA.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ajitpal Singh THE International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is in the dark over how the Malaysian Ice Hockey Association (MIHA) was accepted as an affiliate with the world body when it was...

Make it easier for students.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: M.S.H. I AM a student in UiTM Johor. I find it hard to see why the university insists on having an "outing card" for students who go out of the campus. I don't think any other local...

A disgrace to the profession.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Aini H.H THE report "Teacher vents anger on pupils with her high heels" (NST, Feb 26) made me cringe with fear and angry, thinking of all the other unreported things that happen in schools....

Nine-course twin delight.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) FROM now till March 4, treat family and friends to a scrumptious meal at the Xuang Xi Chinese Restaurant with award-winning master chef Lui Pak Thiam's nine-course menu. Two different menus are...

Not enough facilities.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: L. Choo I RECENTLY used the National Library after a long spell away from the city. To my astonishment, there were no photocopy facilities on the premises. I only needed a few pages of...

Seven get six years for kidnapping.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Lydia Gomez SHAH ALAM: The last time he was in court, he had to be carried out minutes before the sentencing after he complained of severe backache and police brutality. But...

Royal Perak Golf Club lays off workers.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Mimi Syed Yusof IPOH: When S. Elezabeth walks out of the Royal Perak Golf Club today, she leaves with more than regret. She takes with her fond memories of an institution she joined at 16...

Device helps stroke patients finger their needs.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Fingers that talk. A small group of stroke victims has finally been able to indicate its needs using finger configurations on a device invented by four post-graduate students at...

Need for more nutritionists in each state.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dr Hamid Jan Jan Mohamed I REFER to your article ("Banning ads may not solve bad eating habits" - NST, Feb 24). As a nutritionist, I believe in eating well and practising a healthy...

Elyas: Masters is illegal.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: K.M. Boopathy THE Puncak Niaga Selangor Masters golf tournament, no matter how you look at it, is illegal as it is unlicensed and has not been sanctioned by the Malaysian Professional...

Don't hit them!
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: H.M.R. I LOOKED with sadness at the faces of the Year Four children allegedly hit by their teacher in Padang Terap. I can only say to everybody who aspires to be a teacher: If you don't...

Mouthwatering spread.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) DORSETT Regency Hotel's Checkers Cafe is offering a range of delicious dishes. The promotion ends today. The mouthwatering spread includes home-cooked traditional Chinese dishes for the lunch and...

Too big a price to pay for an FTA.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Jimmy Piong THE letter from the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce ("Generics can expect to do much better" - NST, Feb 21) claimed that Malaysian generic medicine manufacturers will do...

Renewal delays cost RM220m a day.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: David Yeow; Mazlinda Mahmood KUALA LUMPUR: Each day's delay in issuing or renewing work permits for foreign workers costs Malaysia RM220 million in lost productivity, estimates the...

Not all energy-saving bulbs do the job.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) PUTRAJAYA: Most of the "energy-saving light bulbs" which are available in the market are merely normal bulbs without any special features. The so-called special bulbs are also more expensive than...

Nightmare as premiums went up fivefold.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer K.C. Yong literally had to burn the midnight oil to settle his firm's claims loading. Together with a partner and their assisting lawyer, Yong (not his real name) had to...

New courses to draw the crowds at education fair.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: There's hope yet for those who want to study engineering but did not get the necessary results in their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination. Nilai International College is offering...

Law firms to get insurance break.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Anis Ibrahim KUALA LUMPUR: Nine law-yers went out of business last year for the wrong reason: They could not afford premiums under the Bar Council's professional indemnity insurance (PII)...

Freeze on recruiting for third party.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Licences for companies to recruit foreign labour for third parties have been frozen. The temporary freeze is to allow the Home Ministry to fine-tune the scheme, which was first...

Fauziah now a 'mermaid'.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) SHAH ALAM: Popular songbird Fauziah Latiff never thought her act of colouring a Malaysian flag a year ago would eventually earn her "mermaid" status. The colouring itself was a mean feat, having been...

Testing times for docs without permit.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Shamini Darshni KUALA LUMPUR: Some doctors are testing new drugs on patients without getting Health Ministry certification. Pleading ignorance would not save doctors from having to do...

Probe into former Pas member's confession.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA TERENGGANU: Police are investigating a confession by a former Pas henchman who claimed that he was among those responsible for burning the houses of five village development and security...

BN flexes muscle to stop Bill that changes charter.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Sheridan Mahavera THE opposition Barisan Nasional stopped an attempt by the Pas state government to amend the Kelantan Constitution that would have made the document more accessible to the...

'Minimal effect on mangrove swamps'.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Julia Chan KOTA KINABALU: The development of two palm oil industrial cluster zones in the east coast of Sabah will overflow into some 1,000ha of protected mangrove swamps. The majority...

Fight was over pigeon, court told.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) IPOH: A fight between two men over a dead pigeon resulted in one of them dying due to a cracked skull. Sunaryo Saleh, 30, an Indonesian construction worker, will be sentenced by the High Court...

Six months for criminal intimidation.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: A heated argument between a man and his wife took a dangerous turn when the man turned violent. Their teenage children were watching and when their father started hitting their...

Talk offer from Umno Youth.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth is willing to meet Dong Jiao Zhong, the body representing Chinese school boards and teachers' associations, on matters concerning Chinese education. Its chief, Datuk Seri...

Man loses RM2,300 and hand in robbery.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUANTAN: A rubber trader may have lost the use of his right hand after it was chopped off during a robbery at Jalan Gambang yesterday. Doctors at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital re-attached the...

Five months for offering sex to cop.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Nik Nurfarizan Nik Ibrahim KUALA LUMPUR: A 50-year-old woman was sentenced to five months' jail by the magistrate's court yesterday for offering sex to an undercover police officer. ...

Fishing near coast: 18 held.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) BACHOK: Eighteen fishermen were arrested for fishing in prohibited coastal waters during an operation at Pantai Semerak on Monday. The eight boats were fishing fewer than 4km off the coast. ...

18 people step out of 2 cars.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) SLIM RIVER: The drivers of two cars ferrying illegal immigrants tried to reverse when they spotted a roadblock, but were caught. The policemen ordered the suspects out of the cars and found 18 of them...

Justice served after 14 years.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Lydia Gomez SHAH ALAM: A retired security guard waited patiently for 14 years to see justice served on an armed robber who had assaulted him during a robbery. And yesterday, S....

Baby needs RM15,000 for surgery.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Looking at one-month-old Fam Cui En sleeping in her mother's arms, no one would guess she Suffers from pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum, a rare congenital disorder. ...

(What I saw on telly).
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan MONDAY was a bad day for me. The primary reason was because The Departed won Best Picture at the 79th Academy Awards. Not that I have anything against Marty and the...

Activists upset over heritage bid shutout.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Audrey Dermawan GEORGE TOWN: Heritage activists in Penang are upset with the federal government for not seeking their views before submitting a dossier to get Penang and Malacca listed as...

Two held with gun, drugs.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) NIBONG TEBAL: Police detained two men at a house in Kampung Teluk Ipil and seized a home-made gun and an assortment of drugs yesterday. Also seized from the two were a "Rambo" knife and 19 ball...

40 students get uniforms, shoes.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) JOHOR BARU: Kumpulan Pendidikan YPJ Sdn Bhd (KPYPJ) and its staff donated RM3,000 to buy school uniform and shoes for 40 students here yesterday. The SK Maju Jaya students here were from families...

30 'top' schools to be picked for special benefits.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Koh Lay Chin KUALA LUMPUR: Thirty schools - the creme de la creme - will soon be the first to enter the "clusters of excellence". They can look forward to more autonomy, funding and...

State to have first zoo in July.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA TERENGGANU: The state will have its first zoo in July. The 20ha zoo will be located on a former orchard in Kampung Tebuang, Bukit Takar in Kemaman. It will become part of a tourism package...

Abdullah in Yemen for talks.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Firdaus Abdullah DATUK Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wrapped up a three-day official visit to Syria late yesterday, and arrived in Yemen for talks with President Ali Abdullah Saleh and Prime...

Zulkipli: Charges are baseless.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Farrah Naz Karim PUTRAJAYA: "Let the law take its course," said Anti-Corruption Agency director-general Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor as a flurry of serious allegations against him by a...

Assault ends with husband taking acid.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Zarina Abdullah KUALA BESUT: It started out as a quarrel but ended sadly with the remorseful husband allegedly taking his life by drinking acid. The incident happened at the couple's...

Cops still clueless over attack.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) PENDANG: Police are still clueless as to the motive behind the brutal attack on Felda settler Shamsuddin Shafie, whose left hand and two fingers on the right hand were chopped off by his assailant on...

Envoy: KL-US ties have improved.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Leslie Andres KUALA LUMPUR: The change in leadership here has improved ties between the United States and Malaysia. "During past years, Malaysia's leadership criticised the US foreign...

Internal Security Act author Hickling dies.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Reginald Hugh Hickling who helped draft Malaya's Federal Constitution, died in Worcestershire, Britain on Feb 11. The 86-year-old distinguished administrator, professor and author...

'Bar Council decision legal and regular'.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council's decision to appoint three new scrutineers to verify and count the ballot papers is legal. Chairman Yeoh Yang Poh said the council discussed the matter on Thursday...

Just what's fast food?
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Brenda Lim IPOH: The call to ban fast food advertisements on television has raised the question of what foods can actually be classified as fast food. Even the Health Ministry's deputy...

Stop the cheats.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) LESS than a month ago, victims of the floods in southern Peninsular Malaysia kicked up a fuss over red tape and delays in the delivery of financial aid after one of the worst natural disasters the...

Of fast food, morality and window-shopping at KLCC.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Brian Yap UNLIKE maths, physics or even driving a car, morality isn't something that can be developed through rote learning and multiple-choice exams. That this isn't obvious to some...

Thank you for honouring these cops.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Lt Kol (R) Mohd Idris Hassan I REFER to the full-page group photograph of the policemen at Kepong station with the caption: "They fell for the country they loved. In the name of freedom, we...

Take client charters seriously.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye IN line with the call by the Chief Secretary to the government to all government departments and agencies to ensure efficient service, all heads of department should...

Travel agents feted.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) SALOMA Theatre Restaurant organised a special appreciation night for its travel agents and corporate clients recently. About 600 guests thronged the restaurant which had been decked in festive gold...

Fun time with clay.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) WHO would have thought that clay could be so bright and colourful! This was what junior members of the Sunway Lagoon Club found out at the recent Chinese New Year Kidz Craft event. Thirty-five...

Windfall for tax consultant.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) IT was a moment of inspiration that bagged Nor Mazlina Ismail, 45, the grand prize of a Toyota Yaris worth more than RM98,800 in the recent Ambi Pur Spot Me contest. "I didn't expect to win...

Go Western next month.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KICK-START the month of March with an array of mouth-watering Western goodies at Grand Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur's Seasons Cafe. From tender chicken to succulent beef and ocean-fresh catch, the...

Kingston City shines in workout.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Go-Ram LAST-start runaway winner Kingston City showed further headway with a dazzling workout in Ipoh yesterday and looks ready for a back-to-back success in the Class 4, Div 1 - 1200m...

Royal Smile breezes through in trial.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) ROYAL SMILE, with jockey Woodworth in the saddle, breezed through 600 metres in 35.5 seconds in Kranji yesterday. The three-year-old Australian filly by Carry The Flag had earlier cantered on the...

Hafiz boosted by Taufik's pull out.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: K.M. Boopathy HAFIZ Hashim's fortunes in the All England Championships received a boost when his first-round opponent, Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia withdrew from the tournament yesterday....

Pahang coach wants strikers to come good.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Christopher Raj PAHANG have an uphill task to regain their momentum after their 5-0 thrashing by Perak last weekend in the Malaysia Cup. Pahang host Kedah in their Super League match...

Sathianathan remains optimistic.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Christopher Raj NOTHING but the best is what the Malaysian Olympic football team have promised to deliver in the 2007 Beijing Olympic qualifiers that starts today. Malaysia open their Group...

A dream to play on the world stage in France.
February 28, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul MORE than 4,000 schoolchildren will be contesting the qualifying rounds for the Danone Nations Cup this year with dreams of representing the country in the world finals in...

Pas 'arsonist' confesses.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Rosli Zakaria BESUT: A confession by a Pas henchman that he was among those who had set fire to the houses of members of five village development and security committees has got the...

6 imam held over fake marriage certs.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KOTA BARU: Six imam have been detained since last September, when the authorities launched a statewide crackdown on fake marriage certificate syndicates. The crackdown by the Kelantan Islamic Affairs...

Sharing festive joy with seniors.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) CHINESE New Year celebration was more memorable for the residents of the Caring Old Folks Home in Kajang this year, with the visit from the management team from Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa and the...

Nazamuddin: Expulsion order was withdrawn.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Nazamuddin Yusof I AM responding to the statement made by MPGA president Datuk Ithnin Yaacob in the article headlined 'Golfers risk expulsion' which appeared on Page 86 of the New Straits...

No need for forms in passport application.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ranjeetha Pakiam SEPANG: By the middle of the year, one can forget about filling up forms when applying or renewing passports. With the Immigration Department going paperless in...

Motorcycles can be seized only if ...
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: The police's move to seize the machines of motorcyclists who break the law has received the thumbs up - provided it is carried out in accordance with the law. Bar Council president...

In the news for the wrong reasons.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Vijesh Rai CUP finals have a way of fizzling out after the hype but Sunday's Carling Cup final had everything a fan could have asked for as players spilt blood, sweat and tears for what is...

Selangor Masters' triple bogey.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Jugjet Singh FIRST, it was bad greens. Then came the warning from the Malaysian Professional Golfers Association that the tournament was not unsanctioned. Yesterday, another spanner...

Blitz on bikers.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) IN terms of reducing the crashes and carnage on the road, it makes good sense to target motorcyclists, as the police have been doing in recent days. Not only are there more motorcycles than motorcars...

Fewer deaths, Ops Sikap a 'success'.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Alang Bendahara; Jassmine Shadiqe KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time in three years, police managed to arrest the climbing death toll on the roads during Chinese New Year. With 19 fewer...

Going up against the world's best.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ajitpal Singh THE national women bowlers will compete in tougher tournaments in Europe and the United States to prepare for the Women's World Championships in Monterrey, Mexico on Aug...

Forced to stay on in Saudi Arabia after deal goes sour.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Tony Emmanuel KUALA LUMPUR: When Victor Hoo arrived in Saudi Arabia on Jan 3, he began counting the days until his return to Johor to be with his pregnant wife. Like any first-time...

OCM skating on thin ice.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Jugjet Singh THE Sports Commissioner's office has written to the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) seeking an explanation on the ice hockey controversy. "We have officially written to ask...

FAM in the dark about Arsenal.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Christopher Raj THE FA of Malaysia (FAM) yesterday washed its hands off the Cabinet Committee for Sports announced Arsenal training stint for the national Under-16 team at the High...

From Shanghai with love.
February 27, 2007... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) EACH Chinese New Year celebration at Shanghai restaurant is a gastronomic experience for the discerned diner. Kuala Lumpur's pioneer Shanghainese eatery never fails to surprise with its authentic...