New Straits Times articles from May 2011, page 4

New Straits Times archives from May 2011

Is Zopfan an outdated concept?
May 28, 2011... Byline: Santha Oorjitham FORTY years ago, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (Asean) foreign ministers signed a declaration for a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (Zopfan). Today, 22 years after the end of the Cold War, is...

It's time for 2AM.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Dennis Chua SOUTH Korea's fab four recently performed here for the second time. They tell DENNIS CHUA they will be back. IM Seulong and Jo Kwon love music and travel, and Malaysia has always been among their favourite must-visit...

'Excavators should not have been used'.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Hariz Mohd KUALA LUMPUR: The number of fatalities in the landslide incident in Hulu Langat on last Saturday could have been reduced if heavy machinery was not used in the early stages of the rescue operation. Geologist, Associate...

Village heads get sex video.
May 28, 2011... SHAH ALAM: Four village heads from Seri Muda yesterday lodged police reports on the distribution of pornographic VCDs, purportedly featuring a prominent opposition leader. The four men, from Bukit Naga, Kampung Baru Hicom, Johan Setia and...

All they can do is wait.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Alang Bendahara MORE than a week has passed since The Spirit of Rachel Corrie first ran out of its food and fresh water supply. After being denied permission to dock at the El Arish Port in Egypt since May 16, the ship, which was...

Two constables jailed, fined for bribery.
May 28, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: Two policemen were sentenced to two years' jail and fined RM10,000 each for accepting a RM350 bribe from an Indonesian man as an inducement not to take action against his friend who did not have valid travel documents. ...

'No one knew NS trainee was pregnant'.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah; Masami Mustaza PASIR MAS: A National Service (NS) trainee managed to hide her advanced pregnancy when she enrolled in the programme at Cancun Park Camp here recently. For 12 days, the 18-year-old girl...

Pupils brawl over accident.
May 28, 2011... SEREMBAN: The accidental foot stepping of a Form Five student by a Form One student sparked a brawl among 50 students at Batu 10, Labu, near here yesterday. Students were said to have used chairs, vases, rocks and a glass window in the...

Diesel smuggling syndicate smashed.
May 28, 2011... GEORGE TOWN: The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (Penang branch) has smashed a syndicate specialising in smuggling subsidised diesel with the arrest of a man on Thursday. The man, 61-year-old container driver, was arrested...

Accused: Send me to mental hospital.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Ahmad Fairuz Othman JOHOR BARU: A man who said he was in a semi-conscious state when he robbed a petrol station pleaded to be sent back to the mental hospital in Tampoi because "I am like the people there". "I may be mentally ill....

3 nabbed over theft of motorcycles.
May 28, 2011... NIBONG TEBAL: Police have busted a motorcycle theft gang, known as 'Adi Relau', with the arrest of three suspects. Seberang Prai Selatan district police chief Superintendent Shafien Mamat said the three arrested on May 23 were a 32-year-old...

Cops bust car theft syndicate, 12 held.
May 28, 2011... KOTA KINABALU: Police smashed a luxury vehicle theft syndicate known as the "Ghafur Gang" here, following the arrest of 12 people. A four day operation launched by the police saw the recovery of 11 vehicles valued over RM2 million, including...

RMAF to have training base.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Adrian David KUALA LUMPUR: The new air force base, to replace the one at Sungai Besi, will primarily served as a training establishment. Royal Malaysian Air Force chief Gen Tan Sri Rodzali Daud said the new base would house the...

Five bus passengers hurt in collision.
May 28, 2011... IPOH: Five passengers of an express bus sustained minor injuries after it was involved in an accident with three other vehicles at Km282.5 of the North-South Expressway near Simpang Pulai here yesterday. Three express buses and a car were...

Karak hauntings now on film.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Meor Shariman THE local box office, which has been rejuvenated by two films -- Kongsi and Nur Kasih The Movie -- is expected to climb further with Karak: Laluan Puaka. The horror film, produced by KRU Studios, is Yusry Abdul...

13 lucky ones who got it spot on.
May 28, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: Round One of the New Straits Times Spot On! Contest picked 13 winners for the total prize money of RM33,000. The winners for this round which took place from April 14 to 30, were picked in a draw by New Straits Times group...

Cops: Ignore splasher rumours.
May 28, 2011... JOHOR BARU: Police yesterday warned the public to ignore rumours of a copycat acid splasher in Johor which had been circulating via SMSes and social networks. Johor Baru police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff urged those responsible to stop...

Stars join walk to raise funds.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Elvina Fernandez KUALA LUMPUR: For the fourth year, Datuk Yasmin Yusuff is supporting cancer survivors by gathering a celebrity team to participate in the Relay for Life (RFL) 2011. The team, comprising actors, singers, models and...

Write dad a slogan and win skincare products.
May 28, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: Dad's a macho man no doubt but it's never too late to get him started on a skincare regime that'll make him look more dashing than Brad Pitt. The Lab Series Skincare for Men is a skincare brand with a range of products to fulfil...

Hop onto Easy Flying today.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Go-Ram MONEYSPINNER Easy Flying looks set to pass his first test at top level when he takes on 10 rivals in the RM95,000 Table 1 event over 1400m (Race 8, 5pm) in Ipoh today. The four-year-old New Zealand gelding by One Cool Cat,...

Time to gain from Best Investments.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Go-Ram BEST INVESTMENTS looks ready to pay dividend in the Class 5 event over 1600m in Race 1 tomorrow going by his final preparations in Ipoh yesterday. Taken out by race jockey Rio Burnett, the five-year-old Australian gelding by...

Flair V Guile
May 28, 2011... ATTACK Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) v Lionel Messi (Barcelona) Messi is two years younger than Rooney but his feats easily surpass those of his fellow striker. Although Messi is just 23, Fifa has made the Argentina forward its world player...

Malaysian pick.
May 28, 2011... "I believe Manchester United have the advantage here because of their strong team spirit. Barcelona are a formidable team with Lionel Messi, Xavi and (Andres) Iniesta capable of turning a match on its head, but i'll go with Unived because I...

Relegation battles take centre stage.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Devinder Singh IF the battle for the Super League title is headed for an exciting climax, so is the fight to beat the drop amid uncertainty over the number of teams to be relegated this season. Given that the FA of Malaysia is...

Get match-fixers, or lose game.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Farrah Naz Karim THE government wants the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to check on malpractices in local football clubs and associations even as the FA of Malaysia (FAM) insists the domestic game is clean. Sports Minister...

Kedah prepared to fight.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Zainuddin Muhammad IF there is one team that can make life difficult for Terengganu, it is Kedah. Team captain Marzuki Yusof said all talk about winning the Super League should wait until after the match against the northern side...

Afiq is a threat.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul THE tussle at the top of the JK Racing Asia Series took another twist as Meritus GP's Afiq Ikhwan Yazid threatened to oust the top two in the championship after the 20-year-old posted the fastest time after three...

Beng Khai, Fatin rule the roost.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Ajitpal Singh NATIONAL youth bowlers Khoo Beng Khai and Fatin Azmira were crowned boys' and girls' champions respectively in the Canon Malaysian Open at the Sunway Megalanes in Bandar Sunway yesterday. Beng Khai posted lines of...

Kuala Lumpur made to sweat by Perak.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Jugjet Singh RAZAK CUP Division One champions Kuala Lumpur struggled to beat Perak 2-1 in the Central Zone Qualifier at the Ministry of Education pitch yesterday. And in the Northern Zone, Penang were surprisingly beaten 3-1 by...

NSC set to call in the police.
May 28, 2011... Byline: Devinder Singh THE search for the three athletes who skipped an anti-doping test on Tuesday and coach Harun Rasheed now involves immigration and tourism agencies amid fears the four may have left the country. Failure to locate the...

Denmark through, Indonesia made to sweat.
May 28, 2011... DENMARK overcame a stubborn resistance from Taiwan to reach the semi-finals while Indonesia were pushed all the way by Japan before making it to the last four in the Sudirman Cup in Qingdao yesterday. Denmark defeated Taiwan 3-1 but not...

Rexy: Future bright if we start now.
May 28, 2011... Byline: K.M. Boopathy NATIONAL doubles coach Rexy Mainaky has called for a rebuilding process following Malaysia's 3-2 defeat to South Korea in the Sudirman Cup. If it starts now, the Indonesian is optimistic there will still be life for...

'People come first' (HL).
May 27, 2011... Byline: Mustapha Kamil in Tokyo THE government's decision not to cut subsidies for the widely-used RON 95 petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a painful one given the prevailing high global crude oil prices, but the interests...

Japan to invest RM9 billion from now till 2015.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Mustapha Kamil JAPANESE companies are ready to invest some RM3.84 billion in Malaysia in the short term between now and next year and a further RM5.22 billion in investments have been pledged for the period between 2013 and 2015. ...

Japan's resilience offers many lessons for Asia.
May 27, 2011... PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday expressed Malaysia's grief over the recent disaster that befell Japan but said the strong resolve and discipline demonstrated by the Japanese people in reconstruction efforts may exemplify how...

Living it up for less.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Nicholas Leong THESE days, an opportunity to live close to the heart of the capital city is so hard to come by that it is considered one of the epitomes of luxury. Especially since prices range from RM800psf to an astronomical...

Inspired by nature's beauty.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Geraldine Lim A leading French writer of the 19th century, Vicomte Francois- Rene de Chateaubriand, once said, "Forests were the first temples of the Divinity, and it is in the forests that men have grasped the first idea of...

NEAC to discuss power tariff.
May 27, 2011... CYBERJAYA: The National Economic Advisory Council will meet today to discuss the electricity tariff amid speculation that it will be increased. Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said the meeting, to be...

Designed with the golfer in mind.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Gunaprasath IT'S easy to see why American professional golfer Michelle Wie has chosen Turnberry Villas in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, as one of her homes. First, it's just a short drive to KL City Centre and the shopping, dining and...

Khairuddin puts emotion aside to help victims.
May 27, 2011... SHAH ALAM: When Khairuddin Jamaludin saw boys about his sons' age trapped beneath tonnes of rubble in the aftermath of the Hulu Langat landslide on Saturday, he did not allow emotion to get the better of him. The veteran rescue personnel...

Johor's eco-friendly 'pearl' in the making.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Pavither Sidhu THE country's southern region will soon see a new playground for those seeking lifestyles beyond the ordinary at the up-and-coming integrated township named Ulu Tiram in Johor by developer Maju Assets Sdn Bhd, which is...

For Aizat, another major move looms.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Dharshini Balan KUALA LUMPUR: After barely escaping from one tragedy, Mohd Aizat Qusyairi Abd Karim is on the verge of another life-changing situation as he may be caught in a bitter custody battle. The 13-year-old survived the...

Walker Corp walks the talk.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Chris Prasad IF there's any indication that Johor is transforming into the growth region the nation is pinning its hopes on, it's the fact that the state has proven its mettle by drawing international interest, investment and...

Taib hints at cabinet reshuffle soon.
May 27, 2011... KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud hinted yesterday that there could be further news on the composition of the state cabinet after the state assembly sitting to be held from July 15 to 22. "After the state assembly meeting,...

Four states not on the same page over polls.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Mazlinda Mahmood KUALA LUMPUR: Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said yesterday the Pas-led state government would wait for a directive from Pakatan Rakyat's presidential council on whether to hold separate elections....

'Review scholarship quota'.
May 27, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek yesterday urged the government to review the 60 per cent racial quota in awarding Public Service Department (PSD) overseas scholarships. Speaking to reporters at the party's headquarters...

Race for Pas' No. 2 post heats up.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Shuhada Elis KUALA LUMPUR: The ulama group in Pas is reportedly trying to persuade Nasharuddin Mat Isa, the incumbent deputy president, to withdraw from the contest for the No. 2 post at next week's party muktamar. The New Straits...

Striking all the right chords.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Roznah Abdul Jabbar DESPITE the comparatively high price tag of at least RM2.5 million, Melody Park, the fifth launch of the East Ledang township in Nusajaya, Johor, has managed to sell almost half of its units. Developer UEM Land...

Woman keeps to routine and saves lives.
May 27, 2011... SIMUNJAN: A mother's daily routine of waking up early to feed her 2-month-old twins has helped to save her family and 36 others from a fiery death yesterday. Liew Hui Thing, 23, shouted at the top of her voice when she saw smoke and fire on...

Autopsy shows 'no killer dog'.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Roy Goh RANAU: Mohd Raqib Mohd Rasli, 3, and his dog were like close friends who were always seen playing together. But when Raqib was found dead with scratch and bite marks in a drain on Wednesday morning, all fingers were pointed...

Key to a whole new south.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Nicholas Leong THE 21st century lifestyle calls for a different kind of development where people can be in one area, have access to almost everything and anything they need, while avoiding unnecessary traffic hassles as they go from...

Pork seller's ears severed over affair.
May 27, 2011... NIBONG TEBAL: A jealous husband is believed to have severed the ears of a pork seller after suspecting him of having an affair with his wife. The 46-year-old man, a lorry driver, went to the pork seller's home in Taman Kasawari, Simpang...

Charged with giving false info to Bursa.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Jennifer Gomez KUALA LUMPUR: A former executive director of an investment holding company was charged with eight counts of furnishing false statements to Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd involving some RM132 million in inflated revenue....

Iraqi facing extradition seeks review of ruling.
May 27, 2011... PUTRAJAYA: An Iraqi businessman ordered to face extradition proceedings has filed an application to review last week's Court of Appeal ruling. Sayed Omeid @ Ibrahim Ahmed Ismael filed the application at the Court of Appeal registry on...

Shaftsbury redefining 'live-work-play'.
May 27, 2011... LOCATED in the heart of the intelligent city, Shaftsbury Square, developed by Shaftsbury Capital Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ikhasas Sdn Bhd, is set to become the landmark which will redefine the live-work-play concept. The...

3 in drug case escape gallows.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Irdiani Mohd Salleh KUALA LUMPUR: Three foreigners who were accused of trafficking in drugs escaped the hangman's noose yesterday after a discrepancy was spotted in the weight of the seized drugs. High Court judge Datuk Ghazali Cha...

Customs targeting RM30b in revenue.
May 27, 2011... ALOR GAJAH: Having collected RM12.3 billion in revenue in the first four months of the year, the Customs Department is confident its RM30 billion target for this year will be met. Last year, deputy director-general Datuk Md Yusop Mansor said...

Woman, 3 men held over killing.
May 27, 2011... JOHOR BARU: A 30-year-old woman, who is high on the Johor police wanted list, is believed to be behind the assassination-style shooting of a 28-year-old businessman on Wednesday. The woman, believed to be an expert with pistols and modified...

No citizenships issued to foreigners in 'hot areas'.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Farrah Naz Karim; Sean Augustin PUTRAJAYA: The National Registration Department has refuted allegations that citizenships were issued to foreigners in selected areas to build up Barisan Nasional's vote bank. Describing it as...

'Egyptian govt wanted aid unloaded via Israel'.
May 27, 2011... ON BOARD THE SPIRIT OF RACHEL CORRIE: The Spirit of Rachel Corrie mission has strongly objected to the use of a route through Israel to deliver its humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. Mission leader Matthias Chang said his team was informed...

Fireworks worth RM640,000 seized.
May 27, 2011... BUKIT KAYU HITAM: Hari Raya Aidilfitri is months away, but smugglers have already begun smuggling firecrackers and fireworks from Thailand. On Wednesday, a lorry laden with 700 boxes of the contraband, worth about RM640,000, including unpaid...

Sarawak creates a buzz with music.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Dennis Wong NATURE, culture and now music are very much the selling point for Sarawak. Having two very successful music festivals, namely the Rainforest World Music Festival and the young but growing Borneo Jazz Festival, Sarawak...

Illegal fags ring busted, 7 held.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Ben Tan JOHOR BARU: For almost a decade, a syndicate smuggling cigarettes and other contraband had been using a double-storey house in Taman Sutera, near Taman Perling here, as a warehouse. With sheets of zinc covering the front...

TV firm seeks security cost in suit.
May 27, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: TV operator Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd (MBNS) applied for a RM100,000 security cost ruling against television support equipment provider AV Asia Sdn Bhd in an ongoing suit. AV Asia is suing MBNS for breach of...

7 hurt as lorry knocks down signboard.
May 27, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: Three people, including a taxi driver, are fighting for their lives after a heavy signboard fell on two vehicles at Km8.6 of the Elite Highway yesterday. Four others sustained light injuries. All seven were admitted to the...

Landslide strikes fear in 72 homeowners.
May 27, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: Seventy-two homeowners had a scare on Wednesday evening when a landslide occurred on a hillslope near their homes in Gombak here. Twenty of them were in Kampung Chinchin and 52 more in Taman Seri Gombak. The earth missed...

Bakun Dam power tariff agreed.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Lian Cheng KUCHING: The state and federal governments have agreed that electricity produced by the Bakun Dam will be used solely for Sarawak's industrial sector at a specific tariff, favourable to the state. "The power from the dam...

Scouting Royal Belum to green the world.
May 27, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: To support the country's conservation efforts, 360 scouts will explore one of the oldest rainforests in the world. Organised by the Perak Scouts' Council, the 1st Malaysian Rainforest Scout Challenge will held from June 1 to 7...

5,400 urban poor gain from unit trust scheme.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Ahmad Fairuz Othman JOHOR BARU: The Amanah Saham Wawasan (ASW) 2020-Bandar unit trust programme for the urban poor has managed to attract about 5,400 people since its inception last year. Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing...

Longest layer cake ever made.
May 27, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: The Sarawak layer cake, a heritage recipe passed down for generations, made it into the Malaysia Book of Records in conjunction with Radio Televisyen Malaysia's 65th anniversary yesterday. The 30.8m cake was declared the longest in...

Historical retention wall collapses.
May 27, 2011... MALACCA: Part of the historical retention wall on the banks of Sungai Melaka along Jalan Gereja collapsed yesterday. The wall was built during the Dutch era and is believed to be 370 years old. However, the incident did not cause any damage to...

Painter and friend charged with murder.
May 27, 2011... ALOR STAR: A painter and his friend were charged at the magistrate's court here yesterday with the murder of a man in front of a restaurant on May 11. Ong Keow Min, 32, and Lai Kim Seng, 34, an employee of a car wash, here, nodded their heads...

Overnight fun at Aquaria KLCC.
May 27, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: Amateur divers and schoolchildren can now experience underwater adventures overnight with sharks, turtles and other sea creatures at Aquaria KLCC throughout the school holiday season. The underwater park's "Give me a break"...

Police looking for lawyer to help in probe.
May 27, 2011... JOHOR BARU: Police are looking for a lawyer Kamal Hisham Ja'afar, who they believe could assist in the investigation of a commercial crime case reported in Johor. Johor police public relations officer Assistant Superintendent of Police Mazlan...

Campaigning for health.
May 27, 2011... OBESITY does indeed open an individual up to the possibility of diabetes, as the public health campaign billboards make clear. There is good reason to believe that the causal connection of smoking to lung cancer is no longer mere hypothesis --...

Shahidan-Isa conflict at an end?
May 27, 2011... Byline: Zubaidah Abu Bakar Signs of an end to bickering among Perlis Umno leaders have encouraged optimism in Barisan Nasional, which is facing a renewed challenge from Pas in the next general election, writes ZUBAIDAH ABU BAKAR. TOP...

Tourism gets an old favourite, another chance.
May 27, 2011... Byline: John Teo THE return of Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg to take charge of the Sarawak tourism portfolio from defeated deputy chief minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam has been welcomed by those in the local travel industry. ...

How Asean can avoid arms race.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Farisha A. Noor There is no denying that a major upgrading of the defensive capabilities of Asean member countries is overdue, and that there is no reason to worry if and when any do so. After all, we cannot expect Asean member...

Reward those who excel in STPM.
May 27, 2011... Byline: J.N.T.L. EACH year, almost half a million students sit the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination. However, after SPM, only about 10 per cent of them continue to study for the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM). The...

Don't lose them.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Mahaganapathy Dass I AM dismayed by the controversy over the unfair distribution of Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships. In the matter of education, there should be absolute fairness. Every student who is a Malaysian...

Interview them.
May 27, 2011... Byline: M. Farah I AM writing this in response to the report "Drop PSD interview for top students" (NST, May 25). An interview is a must. For example, in order to apply to study medicine in any country outside Malaysia, an interview is...

Equip them with soft skills.
May 27, 2011... Byline: Sam O. Imbo I AM a professor of philosophy at an American liberal arts university, visiting Malaysia for the second time. It has been fascinating following the discussions about education raging in these pages over the last month. ...

Top student but rejected.
May 27, 2011... Byline: S.C I READ in the newspapers that Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, who is in charge of the Public Service Department, had pledged that "all students who scored at least 8A+ in last...

Don't use fate as an excuse.
May 27, 2011... Byline: J. Satem I WAS deeply distressed and horrified to read about the death of a 3-year-old girl left in a locked car in the blazing sun by three adults, one of whom was her father, the others an aunt and uncle (NST, May 24). Some...