New Straits Times articles from June 2012

New Straits Times archives from June 2012

Major Water Crisis Looms (HL)
June 30, 2012... Byline: Rozanna Latiff KUALA LUMPUR: THE Klang Valley is heading towards a major crisis worse than the 1998 water shortage, which affected seven districts and 1.8 million people over six months. Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Water...

Last Chance to Sign Up as Voters
June 30, 2012... IPOH: Today is the last day for some 3.3 million Malaysians to register as voters to enable them to cast their ballots in the next general election if it is held after August. They make up 20.5 per cent of the total 16.2 million eligible...

Najib: Growing Support Shows Confidence in BN
June 30, 2012... Byline: Azura Abas; Nuradilla Noorazam PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has dismissed the opposition's claim that he was delaying calling for the 13th general election because Barisan Nasional lacked confidence of securing a victory. ...

RM49m Spent on F1 Design Labs
June 30, 2012... MALACCA: The Education Ministry has spent RM49 million to upgrade design lab facilities, in 114 secondary schools, by equipping them with Formula One (F1) hardware from the United Kingdom to develop design skills among students. Deputy...

Orang Asli Urged to Take Up Courses for Better Life
June 30, 2012... Byline: G. Surach BANTING: THE Orang Asli community should make use of courses offered by the government to strive forward and stay on par with people in urban areas, the prime Minister's wife said. Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said there was...

CM Photos Slip-Up 'No Excuse'
June 30, 2012... GEORGE TOWN: The excuse given by Buletin Mutiara editor-in-chief that had led to 51 photographs of Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his family published in the newsletter is totally unacceptable, state Barisan Nasional publicity chief Tan Cheng...

Internal Strife Won't Affect Us, Says PKR Chief
June 30, 2012... PETALING JAYA: Internal problems will not affect the chances of Parti Keadilan Rakyat in the next general election, party president Datuk Seri Dr Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said yesterday. "Internal party problems are not important and not...

Penang Rapped for RM13m Fiasco
June 30, 2012... Byline: Looi Sue-Chern GEORGE TOWN: AS the demolition job to tear down the controversial "Kancil car park" continues, the Penang Barisan Nasional Youth has criticised the state government for wasting the people's money. The movement argued...

20pc Surge Proves FGV Detractors Wrong
June 30, 2012... Byline: Khaidir A Majid THE successful listing of Felda Global Vetures Holdings Bhd (FGV) on the main market of Bursa Malaysia on Thursday was never in doubt. However, for detractors of this massive listing exercise -- globally the second...

'Tax Board Cannot Take Legal Action'
June 30, 2012... Byline: V. Anbalagan PUTRAJAYA: THE Inland Revenue Board is not empowered to take legal action against those who fail to pay their income tax or commit other offences under the Income Tax Act 1967. The Court of Appeal ruled that if the...

Stray Bull Elephant Caught
June 30, 2012... JERANTUT: After living in fear of elephant attacks for months, more than 30 villagers in Kampung Tuit, near here, are finally relieved when a bull pachyderm was captured by the Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) rangers...

Killer Dog to Be Put to Sleep
June 30, 2012... SUBANG JAYA: Beacon, the dog which mauled an elderly jogger to death, will be put to sleep. The municipal court here yesterday sanctioned an order by the Veterinary Department to revoke Elaine Soon Sien Ling's licence to own him, to enable...

'Viewing Party' Draws 1,000 Football Fans
June 30, 2012... SHAH ALAM: More than 1,000 people attended the Media Prima Bhd European Championship viewing party at the Space U8 Eco-shopping Mall early yesterday. The event, which was held in conjunction with yesterday's semi-final clash between Germany...

Teenager Does Malaysia Proud
June 30, 2012... Byline: Zaharah Othman NOTTINGHAM: FOR 16-year-old Ahmad Aiman Asmayatim, the few metres that he ran through the streets of Nottingham carrying the Olympic torch on Thursday had taken him leaps and bounds in his record of personal...

Just a Second, Let's Keep Accurate Time
June 30, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: Today is an odd day. Literally. There will be 86,401 seconds today -- one more than every other day. Horologists worldwide will stop the clock for one second today to compensate for the Earth's irregular velocity of rotation....

Putrajaya in Full Bloom Today for Floral Fest
June 30, 2012... Byline: Aisyah Sulaiman PUTRAJAYA: STARTING today, Putrajaya will become floral wonderland with the opening of Floria Putrajaya 2012. Putrajaya Corporation president Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said yesterday there would be more than 200...

Undergrads See No Harm in Bribing
June 30, 2012... Byline: Punitha Kumar; Roshidi Abu Samah KUALA LUMPUR: A CORRUPTION perception survey found that a majority of 1,800 university students interviewed saw no harm in offering or accepting bribes. The year-long survey was carried out by the...

SPCA: Don't Let Offenders Handle Animals
June 30, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) will be seeking to ban the Petknode Cat Boarding owners from setting up animal related businesses in the future. The society will be sending an official letter to the...

Better Deal for Cabbies
June 30, 2012... THOUGH likening the leasing of taxis to "modern-day slavery", as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak did, may seem a tad harsh, there is no doubt that it reflects the sentiments of cabbies and critics of the current practice of awarding...

La Rochelle, the 'Lynas of France'
June 30, 2012... Byline: Ahmad Ibrahim EVER heard of La Rochelle? Some may have heard of the chocolate brand with the same name. But not many, I suspect, know that La Rochelle is a popular tourist town southwest of Paris. In fact, very few outside France know...

Coin by Coin Ordinary Indonesians Help Fight Graft
June 30, 2012... Byline: Johan Jaaffar WHEN you have 54 million members of the Association of Indonesian Street Vendors (PPKLI) pledging 1,000 rupiah (35 sen) each to help finance the new headquarters of the Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi...

Boosting BIMP-EAGA Air Links
June 30, 2012... Byline: Joniston Bangkuai PUSHING AHEAD: The four member nations have come up with proposals to boost linkages within the sub-region AFTER more than 18 years since its inception in 1994, the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and...

Judiciary Has Gone through Dramatic Turnaround
June 30, 2012... Byline: Datuk Nicholas S. Zeffreys THE underpinning of a stable democracy is the Rule of Law. At the very first full meeting of Pemudah, the Special Taskforce to Facilitate Business, in 2007, a significant call to action was made by private...

Bosses Lose RM100,000 to 'Govt Agent'
June 30, 2012... KLANG: He introduced himself as a People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) member and claimed to be an authorised government agent to fool employers and illegal immigrants. The 33-year-old conman, who is believed to be part of a syndicate, was said to...

Woman Burnt to Death
June 30, 2012... Byline: Elizabeth Zachariah; Nadirah H. Rodzi KUALA LUMPUR: A BANK clerk, who had just registered her marriage a week ago, was burnt to death by unknown assailants at her doorstep at Mesra Prima Apartment here on Thursday night. Although...

Man Shot Dead at School Entrance
June 30, 2012... SERDANG: A woman could only watch in horror as her husband was shot dead in front of SK Taman Sungai Besi Indah yesterday. M. Parthiban, 32, was sitting in his Perodua Myvi at the school entrance while his wife went into the school with their...

'Let PM Handle Consumer Affairs'
June 30, 2012... PETALING JAYA: The Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) has called for consumer protection and welfare to be placed under the Prime Minister's Department. Fomca said they were currently placed under the Domestic Trade,...

PSD Chief Calls It Quits
June 30, 2012... Byline: Sean Augustin; Aisyah Sulaiman PUTRAJAYA: PUBLIC Service Department (PSD) director-general Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdullah will step down from his post tomorrow. Abu Bakar's position had been a subject of speculation since earlier this...

Man Charged with Murdering Uncle, Aunt
June 30, 2012... PETALING JAYA: A mechanic was charged yesterday with murdering his elderly uncle and aunt at their home in Seri Kembangan last Wednesday. Lee Chee Choy, 44, is alleged to have murdered Lee Yoke Mun, 73, and Lee Kam Lin, 59, between 6.15am and...

Firemen's 10-Minute Response Time Target
June 30, 2012... Byline: Michael Murty; Kristy Inus PORT DICKSON: THE response time for emergency calls should be no more than 10 minutes if Malaysia is to catch up with world standards. Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor...

22 Students Get Maybank Aid to Study Abroad
June 30, 2012... Byline: Nuradilla Noorazam KUALA LUMPUR: MAYBANK is extending its support for human capital development by rewarding 22 students with scholarships worth RM13.2 million this year. The scholarships from the Maybank Foundation offer young...

School Gives RM152,000 to Sick Kids
June 30, 2012... Byline: Rachel Rigi KUALA LUMPUR: GARDEN International School (GIS) has come to the aid of 12 sick children with a donation of RM152,000. Ten of the children have heart problems, one has an intestinal problem and one is in need of medical...

Haziq Is Kedah Top Speller
June 30, 2012... Byline: Nurjehan Mohamed; Sulaiman Jaafar ALOR STAR: TWO seemed to be the magic number at the Kedah secondary school rounds of the RHB New Straits Times National Spell-It-Right Challenge here yesterday. The top two winners came from the...

Only Thumbs Up Ready to Salute
June 30, 2012... ONLY Thumbs Up has benefited from his debut and looks set to open winning accounts in the Copper Quest Handicap for Class 4 horses over 1200m (Race 11, 5.10pm) in Penang today. The four-year-old Australian gelding by Exceed And Excel, who...

Golden Jaguar Poised to Strike
June 30, 2012... Byline: Go-Ram GOLDEN Jaguar can go one better in the Ultraman Handicap for Class 4 horses over 1600m in Race 7 tomorrow going by his one-round workout in Penang yesterday. Taken out by a track rider, the five-year-old New Zealand gelding...

Tour De France 'Live'
June 30, 2012... Byline: Arnaz M.Khairul WHEN M. Kumaresan was Malaysia's biggest cycling star in the 1980s, he could only dream of watching live coverage of the Tour de France. The 46-year-old, who now runs a company that focuses on cycling events, said:...

North No Threat Yet to Southern Dominance
June 30, 2012... Byline: Aziz Hassan NOT for the first time in history, the recent tours by the north to the world's rugby powers in the south did not show any signs that the balance of power was going to shift anytime soon. Wales went the closest,...

Shocker from Johor FC's Arthuro
June 30, 2012... Byline: Oleh Rizal Abdullah BRAZILIAN hit man Arthur Henrique (Arthuro) dropped a bombshell on Johor FC by pulling out from the team on the eve of their Super League match against Sarawak in Kuching today. Instead, Arthuro took a 1.30am...

Girls Stay on Course
June 30, 2012... MALAYSIA are on course to qualify for the girls' team semi-finals at the World Youth Championships after finishing fourth in the first block in Bangkok yesterday. Malaysia's quartet of Sin Li Jane, Hee Kar Yen, Dayang Khairuniza Dhiyana and...

India Set Up Spicy Final
June 30, 2012... INDIA set up a rematch against arch-rivals Pakistan in the inaugural Asia Cup Under-19 final after beating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the semi-finals at the Kinrara Oval yesterday. India's win, with 17 balls to spare, has given the 2008...

Wee Wern Ends First Round Jinx
June 30, 2012... IT has not been the best of starts for Low Wee Wern this year but the national No 2 is relieved to have finally made it past the first round of a WSA Tour event at the Open International des Pyramides in Paris on Thursday. After failing to clear...

Ong Set to Tinker Again
June 30, 2012... Byline: Devinder Singh MORE changes are in store as Malaysia prepare to face Vietnam today in a crucial AFC Under-22 Championship Group G qualifier at the Aung San Stadium in Yangon today. Coach Ong Kim Swee has been rotating his players...

Josiah May Be Registered for Keirin
June 30, 2012... Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul JOSIAH Ng could find himself on the Olympic Games roster despite not being the first choice to ride either the keirin or 200m sprint. This is because the Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) has been...

Attack Mode
June 30, 2012... Byline: K.M. Boopathy MEN'S doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong must adopt an all out attacking strategy if they hope to win a medal in the Olympics as their coach Pang Cheh Chang feels the time is too short to do much about their poor...

Spanish Swagger
June 30, 2012... MARIO Balotelli may have finally turned up at Euro 2012 to bolster an impressive Italian team but coach Cesare Prandelli is adamant that Spain are the overwhelming favourites for tomorrow's final. The Italians played a perfect game to...

Impressive FGV Debut (HL)
June 29, 2012... Byline: Zaidi Isham Ismail KUALA LUMPUR: Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) shares surged 18 per cent in an impressive trading debut yesterday to the cheer of more than 100,000 settlers and investors. The resounding success of the...

Education System 'Has Elevated Malaysians'
June 29, 2012... Byline: Alang Bendahara PUTRAJAYA: THE government's education strategy in combining meritocracy and social justice under the 1Malaysia concept has successfully elevated the social status or social mobility of many Malaysians. Prime...

The Money's in the Art
June 29, 2012... Byline: Khairul Khalid GRAFFITI and murals have long been used as mediums for creative expression. These colourful images on buildings and public structures have also been utilised to promote culture and tourism, among other things. ...

Voices
June 29, 2012... Malaysians should be proud of the listing as it came from an idea generated in the country. We had an idea of our own on how to create wealth. It shows the wisdom of the ruling government. Datuk Seri Najib Razak prime minister The listing...

Settlers 'Make' RM6,000 Each
June 29, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: Felda's 112,635 settlers theoretically made a paper gain of almost RM6,000 each from Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd's maiden day on Bursa Malaysia yesterday. Based on the closing price of RM5.30 a share, each settler, who is...

Joy as Govt Keeps Promise
June 29, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: FELDA Global Ventures Holdings Bhd's (FGV) debut on Bursa Malaysia yesterday was the talk of the town at Felda settlements nationwide. At break of day, settlers had gathered at food stalls in Kuantan and, with their eyes glued...

The 'Arts' in Township Planning
June 29, 2012... Byline: Khairul Khalid USUALLY, street art such as graffiti and murals have often been used within the context of reviving public properties and heritage buildings; promoting tourism and cultivating an appreciation of the arts among the...

Audit of Govt Agencies on BM Use
June 29, 2012... Byline: Masami Mustaza; Rozanna Latiff KUALA LUMPUR: A BAHASA Malaysia language audit will be carried out by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka on all government agencies from next month, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday. The deputy prime...

Winning Water Ways with Grohe
June 29, 2012... Byline: Yvonne Yoong MAKING a splashing entrance at Menara Tan & Tan in Kuala Lumpur, the official launch of the Grohe Live! Center (GLC) in Malaysia adds another reason to the already long list for water lovers to enjoy water more. ...

Euro 2012 Takes Its Toll
June 29, 2012... Byline: V. Shuman KUALA LUMPUR: A RECENT survey conducted by recruitment agency JobStreet has revealed that workers are turning up late because of early morning football matches. Twenty-four per cent of the employers surveyed said their...

Sleep Test Proposed for Public Vehicle Drivers
June 29, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has proposed that public vehicle drivers undergo a sleep test. The move is aimed at combating the rising number of road accidents due to drivers falling asleep when travelling long distances. Minister...

Mitraland Meets the Gold Mark
June 29, 2012... Byline: Yvonne Yoong IT was indeed a surprise win for The Mitraland Group when its Kiara 1888 project was announced the gold winner at the Malaysian Institute of Architects' annual PAM Awards 2012 under the Multiple Residential - High Rise...

PM Helps Buah Pala Folk Get Homes
June 29, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: The 18 families of the now demolished Kampung Buah Pala finally have a place to call home, thanks to the Federal Government's efforts to re-house them in a new housing estate. The families received the keys to their new homes on...

Faekah: I Am Not Quitting
June 29, 2012... SHAH ALAM: Embattled political secretary to Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Faekah Husin, yesterday resisted growing pressure for her to resign over alleged abuse of power. Faekah said she would not quit despite intense...

'Suaram Should Apologise to PM over Allegations'
June 29, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: SUARA Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and its sponsors should apologise to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Malaysians for associating the former with the Scorpene submarine purchase and Altantuya Shaariibuu's murder. Parti...

Pakatan Pressed on LGBT Issue
June 29, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat leaders owe it to Malaysians to explain their stand on LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders), said the Jaringan Melayu Malaysia national director Noraini Abdul Khalil Saferi yesterday. "There are leaders...

Building on Excellence
June 29, 2012... Byline: Yvonne Yoong AN imposing site situated on a steep 66 feet Class 3 slope with no flat ground demanding a precise understanding of slope design. A client's brief for a retreat house blending physical spaces with the forest landscape. ...

Killer Dog's Owner to Face Another Charge
June 29, 2012... SUBANG JAYA: She recently escaped a jail sentence, but the 28-year-old accountant whose crossbred dog mauled and killed an elderly man will have yet another day in court. Elaine Soon Sien Ling will be charged under Section 15 (1) of the...

"Malaysia & Singapore Top Real Estate Transparency Rankings in Asean"
June 29, 2012... DESPITE rumbles in the property market, Malaysia still ranks among the most transparent countries in Asean, alongside Singapore in terms of their real estate markets, says the recently released biennial index by Jones Lang LaSalle. "With the...

Cat Lovers Cry as 2 Walk off with a Fine
June 29, 2012... Byline: Jennifer Gomez PETALING JAYA: ANIMAL lovers wept while a small number shouted profanities at two pet boarding centre owners who escaped jail sentences for cruelty to animals by not feeding and cleaning the cages of 30 cats left in...

'Work Together to Curb Trafficking'
June 29, 2012... Byline: T.N. Alagesh KUANTAN: SOCIETY needs to join hands with the government to help combat human trafficking more effectively in the country. Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said yesterday the public lacked awareness of human trafficking and...

Steady Climb to the Top
June 29, 2012... Byline: Jan Yong FRESH from the resounding success of its signature development, The Peak @ Bukit Prima Cheras which won the coveted 5 Star Best Development Award (Malaysia) under the Residential Property category in the prestigious Asia...

5,983 Probed over Graft
June 29, 2012... Byline: Azura Abas; V. Shankar Ganesh; Nuradilla Noorazam A TOTAL of 5,983 civil servants were investigated for alleged corruption between 2005 and last year, the Dewan Rakyat heard yesterday. Of the 816 who were charged in court, 324 were...

Statement on Ambiga Withdrawn
June 29, 2012... SERI Gading member of parliament Datuk Mohamad Aziz yesterday withdrew his controversial statement which called for Datuk S. Ambiga to be hanged. "I am a disciplined citizen who loves the country. "If what I said had hurt the feelings of...

820 China Varsities Get Recognition
June 29, 2012... MALAYSIA has put its stamp of approval on the quality of tertiary education from 820 universities from China. Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung said the list of universities would be posted on the Malaysian...

Plan Ahead Your Visit to ARCHIDEX 2012
June 29, 2012... Byline: Yvonne Yoong EXCITEMENT is building up as the final preparations are being put in place for the opening of ARCHIDEX/ECO-B exhibitions, international conferences and forums as well as industry meetings, business gatherings, awards and...

Property Q & A
June 29, 2012... Q/A 1 Kelvin Ng@Sunway: I own an apartment on the second floor. For the last six months, there is water leaking on the pipes and the ceiling. I have informed my upstairs neighbour and the management corporation (MC). Unfortunately, my...

Lawyer's Suit against Bar Council Officials Thrown Out
June 29, 2012... KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court yesterday struck out a suit by a lawyer against Bar Council chairman Lim Chee Wee and secretary Tony Woon Yeow Thong over the validity of a notice to call the council's extraordinary general meeting (EGM) last month....

Bill of Rights for House Buyers
June 29, 2012... HOUSE BUYERS' BILL OF RIGHTS We, house buyers in Malaysia: Noting that the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) guided by Article 25(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and its belief that the right to live a...

Ex-Coach Gets 15 Months
June 29, 2012... Byline: Patrick Sennyah SEREMBAN: FORMER Negri Sembilan President Cup chief coach Yusarman Yusoff was sentenced to 15 months' jail and fined RM200,000 by the Sessions Court for match-fixing last year. Judge Datin Nursinah Adzmi found the...

MCA Continues to Shore Up Support
June 29, 2012... Byline: Zubaidah Abu Bakar ANECDOTAL evidence suggests that it is a big challenge. As the general election approaches, time is running out for MCA to convince more Chinese to return to Barisan Nasional. Many Chinese are still unhappy with...

Asian Real Estate to Dominate within Five Years
June 29, 2012... FAST-RISING: Interest is rising in the fast-growing Asian real estate market amidst better governance and transparency, says Associate Professor Sr Dr Ting Kien Hwa during a recent conference on "REITs Reality". Quoting from IMF (International...

"Realise Your Dreams with Mah Sing"
June 29, 2012... PROMOTION: Mah Sing Group Berhad's three-month property and lifestyle showcase Realizing Dreams" had just debuted at the Equatorial Hotel in Penang recently, following its debut in Kuala Lumpur, with a showcase of stars including the Shanghai...

New Dawn in Egypt
June 29, 2012... EGYPT, a cradle of civilisation with a millennia-long continuous history, is at last making the transition to democracy. For the first time, this nation, once the bread basket of the Roman Empire, whose pharaohs were antagonists of the prophet...

S P Setia Poised to Expand Strongly Overseas after Record Local Sales
June 29, 2012... SP Setia Bhd is poised to expand strongly overseas after chalking up sales of RM1.81 billion for the first six months (FY2012), representing an increase of 29 per cent over the RM1.41 billion achieved in the corresponding first half of FY2011....

Setting Benchmarks for Asean Human Rights
June 29, 2012... Byline: John Teo THE Asean Declaration on Human Rights (ADHR) will be unveiled at the Asean Summit in Cambodia later this year. This will be the culmination of years of negotiations among Asean's disparate member states and various...

Lessons from Malay Literature
June 29, 2012... Byline: A.Murad Merican COLLECTIVELY, we reflect and echo the sentiments of our forefathers. We are the projection of yesterday - of destiny and of the follies and foibles of those before us. A recent issue of the Dewan Bahasa dan...

Understanding Education Reforms
June 29, 2012... Byline: Datuk Dr Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid WITHIN the Malay-sian milieu, there has been the compartmentalisation of reality regarding education with the establishment of two ministries, the Education Ministry and the Higher Education Ministry. ...

Pakistan in Need of Money
June 29, 2012... Byline: Dr Marie-Aimee Tourres PAKISTAN is in the news again. Since the shutting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation route to Afghanistan more than six months ago, the latest development concerns the fee per United States lorry. ...