New Straits Times articles from May 2011, page 8

New Straits Times archives from May 2011

Take action.
May 23, 2011... Byline: M.J. Edwin I REFER to the report "MCA blames civil servants" (NST, May 19). The directive from the prime minister to the Public Service Department was very clear - to disburse the funds to the right candidates for scoring A+ in...

Probe claims.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam AS a former senior civil servant, I am appalled at the allegations made in the press by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, that Public Service Department officials are distorting the distribution...

Give only to true 'scholars'.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Lion Kam Chong EACH year, students who have scored many As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia complain of not getting the coveted Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships. It was also reported that many PSD scholars, upon...

Go the extra mile in striving for excellence.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye THE image of any government is, to a large extent, reflected by the quality, attitude, behaviour and performance of its civil service. Malaysia is indeed fortunate in having a generally good civil service which...

Medical tourism to grow.
May 23, 2011... PUTRAJAYA: With Malaysia making its mark as an affordable and sophisticated healthcare hub, the Health Ministry is aiming to attract more than 437,000 tourists to experience what the local healthcare industry has to offer. Deputy Health...

But must heed Jakim advice.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah KOTA BARU: Couples who test positive for HIV/AIDS can still get married as long as they follow procedures set by the Deparment of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) including undergoing counselling with...

Bookworm gets it all correct.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Lian Cheng KUCHING: Perak-born Ahmad Ihdhar Kamaludin of Kolej Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah did not disappoint his supporters when he emerged as the state secondary school champion in the RHB New Straits Times National...

Rope bridges a lifeline for Sabah's orang utans.
May 23, 2011... KINABATANGAN: Four years on and the introduction of bridges made from ropes appears to have been put to good use by orang utans in the wild. Recently, a team of volunteers and experts from various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) led by...

Falling tree kills man.
May 23, 2011... HULU TERENGGANU: An agarwood collector, Mahsah Darmuja, 30, was killed by a falling tree at a road construction site, near the Sungai Tembak logging concession here yesterday morning. A machine operator for a logging company was felling trees...

Thais free 2 Malaysians.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah KOTA BARU: Two Malaysians jailed for suspected involvement in insurgency in southern Thailand three years ago were released last year. The two, identified as Muhammad Fadly Zainal Abidin and Omar Hanif...

Ban on use of seized foreign fishing boats.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Sean Augustin SEPANG: Foreign fishing vessels seized for encroaching into Malaysian waters will not be auctioned off to local fishermen to avoid confusion. Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar said the...

Aspiring reporters meet Reshmonu.
May 23, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: Multi-talented Reshmonu shared his experiences in the music industry with honesty at a two-hour session with would-be New Straits Times reporters on Friday at Balai Berita. The singer-songwriter-producer with his own label,...

Gitano Hernando wins SIA Cup.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Go-Ram SOUTH Africa's globe-trotting Gitano Hernando outstayed his 11 rivals to capture the richest race in Singapore, the S$3 million (RM7.2 million) Singapore Airlines International Cup for International Group 1 horses over 2000m...

Sweet victory for Jupha.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul JUPHA Somnet exacted revenge on her new rival, Ummi Hamimah Mohamad of Terengganu in the girls' Under-18 200m sprint final in Round Three of the SportExcel National Junior Circuit at Kuala Lumpur Velodrome yesterday....

Koryo show prowess.
May 23, 2011... Byline: K.M. Boopathy KORYO Taekwondo Club ruled the roost by emerging overall champions of the 6th Nestle Koko Krunch Junior Championships (central region) at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium on Saturday. Koryo secured six gold, nine...

Junior development in dire need of help.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul STORIES of teams struggling just to be present at junior track cycling races and organisers on the verge of shying away have raised eyebrows over the state of the sport in the country. The Kuala Lumpur Cycling...

Sarawak stretch lead after gold fiesta.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Devinder Singh SARAWAK flexed their muscles on the third day of the Malaysian Schools Athletics Championships by winning nine gold medals, including five of six relay finals at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh yesterday. The golden...

Alif pushes through pain to win.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Devinder Singh PAIN was no barrier for Alif Ashraf Razali to finally lay claim to the boys' Under-18 110m hurdles gold medal at the Malaysian Schools Athletics Championships at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh yesterday. Troubled by a...

Anwar pips Loh for top post.
May 23, 2011... TAN Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor won the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) presidency "by a stroke" over incumbent Datuk Robin Loh yesterday. In one of the closest contests seen at the MGA Annual General Meeting, Anwar secured 150 votes while Loh...

Bringolf lands title.
May 23, 2011... CHIEH Po Lee's good run on the first three days of the Malaysian Amateur Open came to a screeching halt in the final round at Malacca's A'Famosa Golf Resort. Final day nerves frazzled the 16-year-old who shot a five-over 77 and was relegated...

South Korea pull out of Malaysian Open.
May 23, 2011... ASIAN champions South Korea have withdrawn from the 34th Canon Malaysian Open. The Korean Bowling Association informed the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) officially yesterday. The Korean national team, who are also the Guangzhou...

Unseeded Los Santos causes big upset.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Ajitpal Singh UNSEEDED Juan Los Santos continued his impressive form in the National Circuit third leg by reaching the men's singles semi-finals at the National Tennis Circuit (NTC) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Los Santos, playing in...

East Coast teams claw to top.
May 23, 2011... THE battle for the Super League title is swerving towards the east coast with Kelantan and Terengganu level on points with the former in the lead on goal difference after yesterday's matches. Kelantan were four minutes away from defeat before...

National players to grace Razak Cup.
May 23, 2011... Byline: Jugjet Singh THE Razak Cup hockey tournament was saved from being just another sideshow when the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) agreed to release national players to play for their states in the Qualifying zones, which will begin...

China in title charge.
May 23, 2011... LIN DAN was in his supreme form as China began their Sudirman Cup defence with a 4-1 win over Germany in Qingdao yesterday. However, the hosts did not have it entirely easy with women's singles Wang Shixian, the World No 1, suffering a shock...

Zulfadli keeps streak going.
May 23, 2011... Byline: K.M. Boopathy ZULFADLI Zulkifli kept his perfect record of winning all the national age group titles by securing the boys' Under-18 singles in the 100PLUS National Junior Grand Finals at Juara Stadium yesterday. Zulfadli, who won...

12 bodies retrieved, 4 missing.
May 22, 2011... KAJANG: Heavy rain and multiple aftershocks are hampering the search for the remaining four victims believed to be buried in a devastating landslide in Kampung Gahal, Hulu Langat. At press time 12 were dead, while nine were rescued and...

Game to show off word skills.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Suzieana Uda Nagu; Sharifah Arfah WHEN English teacher Sheela Selvarasan heard that Malaysia's premier spelling bee is accepting candidates from selected private schools, she immediately signed up six pupils. "We have always wanted...

All in a day's work.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Anusha K. THERE are tonnes of things to do in a day. Meetings, family matters and the list goes on. ANUSHA K. speaks to three individuals who do it all, and still have time for themselves. IT'S incredible how women manage to...

Cross-cultural poetry.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Sharifah Arfah CULTURAL ties between Malaysia and Germany continue to grow in Tautan (Verknupfungen), a new anthology of poems in German and Bahasa Malaysia. Officially unveiled at the recent Malaysian Book Fair, Tautan is the...

Changing roles of teachers.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Alam Sher Malik IN recent decades the attention of educationalists has shifted from teaching to learning. The focus is on education for capability and outcome-based education. Increasing emphasis is being placed on lifelong learning...

Good to hold family meetings.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Zaid Mohamad IN our daily interactions with the family, there are bound to be misunderstandings, mood swings, raised voices and heated arguments. These are part and parcel of life that any group of people who live under the same roof...

Delinking is not a synonym for autarky.
May 22, 2011... Byline: James Campbell RECENTLY as I was rummaging through my books and shifting piles from one side of my chair to the other, I came across a text from my old student days. The book was by Samir Amin titled, Unequal Development: An Essay...

We are not alone.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Juneita Johari CAREGIVING is not just about one person giving care to someone who needs it. Most of the time it is about a system where people come together in an organised manner to manage someone who needs care - the sick, the...

Tragedies from lessons unlearnt.
May 22, 2011... HIGHLAND Towers. Karak Highway. Taman Hillview. Bukit Antarabangsa. And now, Felcra Semungkis. These names alone are enough to evoke the most painful images - of wrecked houses and cars, of families in grief and of rescue workers pulling out...

Large turnout at KPJ's Open Day.
May 22, 2011... THE serene grounds of KPJ International College (KPJIC) of Nursing and Health Sciences was a hive of activity at its Open Day recently. Held on May 7, it attracted a large number of school leavers and parents to the college's main campus in...

OUM, good ground for future expansion.
May 22, 2011... OPPORTUNITIES are now available for professionals in the construction business to enhance their work knowledge and skills through tailor-made programmes offered by Open University Malaysia (OUM) in collaboration with Master Builders Association...

DPM: Govt will bear hospital, burial costs.
May 22, 2011... KAJANG: The Federal Government will take care of the hospitalisation and burial fees of victims of the landslide here yesterday, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who visited the site last night. Each victim will also...

Boy recalls brush with death.
May 22, 2011... KAJANG: A quiet afternoon in Kampung Gahal, Hulu Langat, near here, turned into a nightmare with thundering noise when tonnes of earth crashed into an orphanage. Berita Harian sub-editor Noraini Ismail, who lived nearby, said she saw the...

Cook your way to success at Nilai UC.
May 22, 2011... SUSHIMAKI. Beef Wellington. Hungarian Goulash. These are some of the exotic foods that students at Nilai University College's (Nilai UC) Culinary Arts programme will be taught how to prepare. As senior lecturer at Nilai UC School of...

NSTP-Media Prima gives RM50,000.
May 22, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR: NSTP-Media Prima has donated RM50,000 to the Hidayah Madrasah Al-Taqwa orphanage to help it rebuild. The donation is also to help the survivors and their families. Members of the public who also wish to contribute can do so by...

Students to gain from Monash's quality fare.
May 22, 2011... WHEN you step through the gates of Monash University, you know that the rigorous standards employed by a member of Australia's prestigious Group of Eight will assure you the best education. Monash University Sunway campus was the first...

Decision soon on fuel prices.
May 22, 2011... Byline: M. Hamzah Jamaludin; Hanif Salim; Sulaiman Jaafar KEMAMAN: The government's plans to rationalise the fuel subsidies should not be exploited as the increase in global prices of the commodity will eventually make the amount involved too...

Get the right financial adviser.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Yap Ming Hui IF you're going to disclose your entire financial details, including your goals, values, assets and liabilities, income and expenses - and delegate the implementation of a customised financial plan - you'll want to work...

RRSB has strong Russian connection.
May 22, 2011... PLANNING on studying medicine in Russia? Let Russian Resources Sdn Bhd (RRSB), the one and only Malaysian company representing four top ranking medical universities in the Russian Federation, handle the formalities involved. RRSB has 14 years...

Unhappy over PSD's explanation.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Rozanna Latiff KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong has dismissed the Public Service Department's (PSD) explanation for refusing to award scholarships to some full A+ students, saying priority should be given to the highest performing...

Visionary shots of reality.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Rachel Jenagaratnam ANTOINE d'Agata breaks photojournalistic tradition by arguing he's anything but an observer in the scenes he captures. RACHEL JENAGARATNAM goes behind his lenses. "IT was a chaotic parkour (movement) through...

Bank signs training deal with UniRazak.
May 22, 2011... UNIVERSITI Tun Abdul Razak's Centre for Executive Education has been appointed as a consultant for Bank Rakyat's managers' development training programme. The agreement was signed by UniRazak president and vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr...

Start rewarding hospitality career with PTPL diplomas.
May 22, 2011... IF you are interested in a career in restaurant or food service management, a diploma from PTPL College can fulfil your needs. Restaurant chains and food service companies frequently recruit new management trainees from hospitality management...

Biodiversity: Our living treasure.
May 22, 2011... TODAY is "International Day for Biodiversity". May 22 was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. In Malaysia, the national level celebration will be held today at Nanga Delok, Batang Ai National Park, Sarawak. It will be...

KYUEM shines as top school.(Company overview)
May 22, 2011... BOARDING schools and excellence in education have traditionally been known to go hand-in-hand. Possessing many strong advantages, residential schools have gained great success over the years. At Kolej Yayasan UEM students will benefit from a...

Too much, too soon for kids.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Audrey Vijaindren MALAYSIAN tweens are trying to hop, skip and jump their way into adulthood, faster than most parents can handle. Is this a cause for serious concern? AUDREY VIJAINDREN talks to the experts. YOUNG girls dressed in...

Returning to the old school.
May 22, 2011... Byline: U-en Ng I FINALLY got around to watching Geoffrey Wright's Macbeth (2006) the other night after it won the coin-toss against Mars Attacks! Wright is famous for his film Romper Stomper (1992), starring Russell Crowe (before he became...

AIMST students display good social conscience.
May 22, 2011... WHEN Padang, Indonesia, was hit by an earthquake in Dec 2009, AIMST University was one of the first few academic institutions that helped raise funds for the victims there. Its fundraising committee and medical students from the university...

MSU's foundation courses provide multiple options.
May 22, 2011... SEVERAL interesting choices of disciplines await foundation students at MSU. These disciplines are offered after taking into account the one year duration that will be spent and the student's state of preparedness before they begin the first...

Jazz it up with Dee Dee.
May 22, 2011... DEWAN Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) will present two evenings of spellbinding performances by jazz diva Dee Dee Bridgewater on Monday and Tuesday. The 8.30pm shows will mark the American singer's first performance in DFP, KLCC. She will join an...

French hijinks.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Reviewed by Subhadra Devan NOW SHOWING HEARTBREAKER (L'ARCACOEUR) Directed by Pascal Chaumeil Starring Romain Duris, Julie Ferrier, Francois Damiens, Vanessa Paradis THIS 2010 film won director Paul Chaumeil the Best First Film trophy...

Mat Sabu going for deputy post.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Mazlinda Mahmood KUALA LUMPUR: Former Pas vice-president Mohamad Sabu yesterday announced his much-awaited candidacy, ending weeks of speculation on whether the battle-hardened Pas strongman will contest the No 2 spot in the party...

Dylan era coming to a close.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Mishar A NOTABLE milestone in popular music will make an appearance next week - the 70th birthday of Bob Dylan on May 24, he with the craggy but enigmatic voice, folkish but bluesy spirit and a man of semiotic importance to rock's...

Mariani keeps busy with acting.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Dennis Chua MARIANI ISMAIL WHILE she is best known as the sister of legendary singer-actress Puan Sri Saloma (Salmah Ismail), Mariani Ismail is a superstar in her own right. Born in Singapore on April 20, 1933, she was one of the...

'State govt shouldn't meddle in council affairs'.
May 22, 2011... GEORGE TOWN: The DAP-led state government has been accused of interfering in the duties of the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP), resulting in the local authority being unable to take action against the operator of a boutique hotel here...

Turning point made good in SEGi.
May 22, 2011... KEONG Te May discovered her calling in life during a missionary trip to Thailand where she taught young children in a poor district deprived of pre-school facilities. The teaching stint there made her realise that a career in early childhood...

Maid deal to be inked this week.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Dharshini Balan KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Indonesia are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to allow Indonesians to work as maids here some time this week, after months of finalising the details of the agreement. ...

Foundation courses pave the way for CUCMS students.
May 22, 2011... THE Centre of Foundation in Science Studies (CFSS) at Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS) was set up as a pathway for students who want to pursue courses at the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy. The programme helps...

Sex clip papers handed to A-G.
May 22, 2011... SEREMBAN: Investigation papers into a sex video clip allegedly involving an opposition politician have been handed over to the Attorney-General's Chambers, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein yesterday. "Police have completed...

'Hill rail spare parts not given'.
May 22, 2011... GEORGE TOWN: Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) has maintained that the lack of spare parts had hampered repair works on its funicular train, which came to a grinding halt early this month due to mechanical failure caused by a collision with stray...

Plan to set up Youth Parliament by next year.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Tan Choe Choe KUALA LUMPUR: A National Youth Parliament will be set up soon by the government to allow youth to get a taste of what it means to be a lawmaker. It is also aimed at shaping youths with high leadership potential into...

Lee: Big jump in juvenile crime.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Roy See Wei Zhi KUALA LUMPUR: More than 8,000 juveniles were convicted for their involvement in criminal activities in the last two years, police records have revealed. The 5,165 convictions last year were higher than the 3,654...

'Billionaire' in govt hospital after heart attack.
May 22, 2011... SUNGAI BULOH: Elie Youssef Najem, the Lebanese national who claimed to be a billionaire, was admitted to Sungai Buloh Hospital yesterday. Hospital staff revealed that he was brought in at 8am following a heart attack. Elie, 51, was warded...

Goodies next for diploma teachers.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Elvina Fernandez KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) lauds the government's move to consider promotions and perks for diploma-holder teachers come Jan 1. Its president, Hashim Adnan, said a large...

When guests take everything but the kitchen sink.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Shanti Gunaratnam HOTELIERS lose thousands of ringgit annually to pilferage, but guests feel that taking home 'souvenirs' from their hotel rooms does not constitute theft. Representatives of famous hotels and backpackers lodges tell...

Comedy promotion at its best.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Sharifah Arfah MALAYSIA is once again on Asia's creative content map. Cheow Chun Hong, a 24-year-old on-air promotion producer at Astro Entertainment Sdn Bhd, recently clinched the Gold and Silver awards in the "Best Comedy Promo"...

(HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd ... ).
May 22, 2011... HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd invites Malaysian undergraduates to submit their applications for its scholarship programme. In its tenth year, the programme is open to those who are pursuing their undergraduate studies in a recognised local public or...

(Goethe-Institut Malaysia presents ... ).
May 22, 2011... GOETHE-INSTITUT Malaysia presents another photography project featuring a visual exploration of Kuala Lumpur's urban landscapes. This exhibition, entitled Metaphorical Garden, features new photographic works from 14 talented local...

Bringing colour to people's lives.
May 22, 2011... COLOUR was added to the lives of some 20 students from Montfort Boys Town who acquired specialised painting skills via a week-long programme organised and sponsored by Dulux at the home. The workshop was organised by Dulux, which was acquired...

Teach languages from Year 1.
May 22, 2011... Byline: William Thomas DEPUTY Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's concern for the English language in schools is laudable. We know that the Education Ministry has tried its level best to ensure that English is taught well in schools...

Why not give it a try.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Ali IF you are a husband, would it be okay for your wife to go out with male friends, such as her former classmates or officemates? If you are a wife, would it be okay if your husband goes out with his female friends, such as his...

It's the couple and their value system that matters.
May 22, 2011... Byline: R. Murali Rajaratenam I HAVE always been fascinated by the debate over the merits of arranged marriages versus love marriages. I believe both stand an equal chance to be a success or failure. Both types of marriage revolve around...

'Patriotism cannot be our final shelter'.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Dzulkifli Abdul Razak THIS year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of iconic poet and playwright Rabindranath Tagore (May 7, 1861-Aug 7, 1941), Asia's first recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. In the later years...

Introduce 'Speak English' days.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Bulbir Singh THE Education Ministry's proposal to have weekend classes and tuition for students who have difficulty with the English language is not a solution but may, to an extent, help in overcoming the problem. Nothing is...

Make it a must-pass subject.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Samuel Yesuiah THE Education Ministry has never neglected the teaching of English. The subject has been a vital part of the curriculum for all types of schools, be they primary or secondary. English is taught daily by qualified...

Moleskine moment below twin towers of pride.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Wan A. Hulaimi KUALA Lumpur at the end of a day and the dust was stirred but not settled. Sunlight on the twin towers in the gloaming and darkness on the ground below. "I never thought," I said to myself, "that it would end this...

Pas at the crossroads again.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Shamsul Akmar WITH Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang unchallenged for the Pas presidency, the drive for kepimpinan ulama (mullah or theologian leadership) is set to continue at least for another biennial term. Incepted in 1983, the...

Era of transformation of society and politics.
May 22, 2011... Byline: Paddy Bowie IN the last article I wrote (briefly) about the recent right royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton that had brought a ray of sunshine to Britain. Besides the romance and the spectacle the event had a deeper...