New Straits Times articles from November 2006

New Straits Times archives from November 2006

Say goodbye to shaky shots.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Hazimin Sulaiman Product: Leica C-Lux 1 Manufacturer: Leica Enquiries: Schmidt Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd (Tel: 03-79577122) Price: RM2,118 THE popular classic-retro D-Lux 2 digital camera...

Lightweight and practical in design.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Siti Syameen Md Khalili Product: Twinhead H12M Manufacturer: Twinhead International Corp Price: RM3,699 Enquiries: Abec Technology Sdn Bhd (Tel: 03-79542323) IT'S hard not to like the...

Ensuring accurate visual display.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dick Tan PIONEER Technology Malaysia has recruited an Australian ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) firm, Avical, headed by Aaron Rigg to instruct key dealers to ensure the latest batch of...

Boosting audio and video signal purity.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dick Tan WITH the proliferation of consumer electronic goods, few of us ever pause to consider that the power supply has largely been taken for granted. For sometime now, poor power...

High definition, low pricing.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dick Tan IN the affordable home cinema projector market, two large format segments are pitted against each other: liquid crystal display (LCD) versus digital light processing (DLP). ...

Machine to raise DVD performance.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Dick Tan DESPITE the rollout of high-definition DVDs in the near future, affordable high-performance conventional DVD players are still sought after by videophiles with a large DVD...

That familiar feeling.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ahmad Faiz HAVE you ever had premonitions? And when those premonitions play out, do you get the feeling that you have been through it all before? Well, we all get that feeling once in a...

For more homework help.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ellen Whyte PASSING tests is easy, says Raj. All you have to do is match the question with the right part of the textbook. The problem, he says, is that this matching becomes more difficult...

Basic shoot and kill.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Reviewed by Bruno Dieter Chan Title: Terrorist Takedown: Covert Operations Publisher: Merscom Requirements: CPU 1GHz or faster, 256MB RAM or more recommended, ATI Radeon or GeForce2, class...

Stunning, realistic designs.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Reviewed by Bruno Dieter Chan Title: Gothic 3 Publisher: JoWood Productions Requirements: 3D hardware accelerator card required - 100 per cent DirectX 9.0c compatible 128MB with latest...

Video call next big killer app.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ahmad Faiz WHAT is a killer application? This question can elude even the most learned of analysts and businessmen alike. Generally, it is something that people want but do not know...

Smart tools.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ahmad Faiz TECHNOLOGY allows people to work 24/7 from almost anywhere in the world. While this could mean that we cannot escape from work, it also means that we can work far smarter than...

Branded versus clones.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Hazimin Sulaiman THE price gap between clone and branded personal computers is closing in fast. Many branded PC names today like HP, Dell and Acer give the flexibility to add features to...

Creative content success lies in storytelling basics.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Hazimin Sulaiman INFLUENTIAL Russian short story writer and playwright Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904) once said "one must not put a loaded rifle on the stage if no one is thinking of...

Sony's reputation takes a beating.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ahmad Faiz IT happens to the best of us. One day, we are on top of the world; the next day, the sky comes tumbling down. Regardless of how rock solid a multinational corporation's...

View to appreciate.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ahmad Faiz HAVEN'T you heard? Cathode ray tube (CRT) displays are so "yesterday". What's hip and happening these days are the increasingly ubiquitous liquid crystal displays (LCDs). ...

Five new Dopods for five user types.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Aimie Pardas DOPOD International has added five new personal digital assistant (PDA) phones to its lineup. While all run on the Windows Mobile platform, each model caters to a different...

Now all can store high definition.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Chandra Devi SONY Electronics' internal Blu-ray Disc (BD) rewritable drive will soon be available in the local market. The new BWU-100A supports up to 50 gigabytes of data on BD-R (write...

SOHO sidekicks.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Siti Syameen Md Khalili WHEN it comes to a small office-home office (SOHO) setting, the printer or the all-in-one (AIO) machine is among a must-have add-on to one's workplace. As most SOHO...

Instilling creativity via video-shooting.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Prasanna Raman EXPERIENCE in shooting home videos as well as an understanding about recycling products into works of art helped six participating pupils of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan...

Walkman with enhanced features.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) SONY (M) Sdn Bhd recently introduced the new Walkman NWS700F series. It is equipped with Sony's clear audio technology which combines noise- cancelling function, clear stereo and bass technologies. The...

What's real and what's reel?
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) WATCHING the latest Bond movie, Casino Royale, had the Tech & U team wondering where all the Bond-flick magic had gone. Die-hard Bond fans who are familiar with the hi-tech gadgets that are synonymous...

New twist to everyday devices.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Edwin Kee * IXOS DISCO CUBE SINCE most people sport a digital audio player these days, why not get a speaker dock system that not only pumps out great sound but spruces up your pad as well?...

Our wish list of gadgets and tech tools.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) TECHNOLOGY is evolving so rapidly that innovative products are launched into the marketplace almost every other day. Many a times just when consumers would have just purchased a product, its successor...

Paunandes could serve a stunner.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Christopher Raj ONLY Zamzai Azizi was given a realistic chance of winning a bronze medal in boxing. But according to national team manager Datuk Amiruddin Mohd Radzi, Paunandes Paulus...

Marginalising Malays: Umno gets the flak.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) CHIEF Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon found an unexpected ally yesterday. A member of the opposition slammed those who accused the state government of marginalising Malays on the island. Phee Boon...

Mat Rempit's origin lightens mood.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Sonia Ramachandran WHY do we call illegal motorcycle racers Mat Rempit? Why not Mat Laju or Mat Show-Off? Well, state executive councillor for religious affairs, youth and community Datuk...

Man held for selling pirated ringtones.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) GEORGE TOWN: A 24-year-old handphone dealer here has landed in the soup for selling pirated ringtones. The man was detained by officers from the State Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department...

Art show to aid Alzheimer's patients.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: "The Long Goodbye" is not the name of a tear-jerker romance. It is what Alzheimer's patients and their families live day by day, sometimes for many years. The patient's memory begins...

Kevin has a surprise up his sleeve.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Devinder Singh KEVIN Lim hopes to have a surprise in store for his rivals in the laser standard event when sailing gets under way at the Doha Sailing Club on Tuesday. The 30-year-old...

Desperate Chen a source of uneasiness.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Frank Ching WHEN Morris Chang, president of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company who attended the Apec summit in Hanoi as the representative of President Chen Shui-bian, met President...

NST bags nine top awards.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Azura Abas KUALA LUMPUR: Journalists and photographers from the New Straits Times Press group bagged nine awards at the Malaysian Press Institute-Petronas Awards 2006 last night. ...

Stolen substation parts found in three scrapyards.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Jed Yoong PETALING JAYA: Parts stolen from TNB substations have been found in three Shah Alam scrap yards, and the police are now focused on more than 100 others believed to be buying...

Raid uncovers stolen vehicles 'makeover' scam.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Adie Suri Zulkefli BUTTERWORTH: Police raided a 3,000-square-metre fenced compound in Sungai Lokan yesterday where stolen heavy vehicles were being modified prior to being sold, arresting...

Sodomy: Jail for prostitute.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: A male prostitute who forced a 15-year-old boy into his room and sodomised him was sentenced to eight years' jail and two strokes of the rotan. Anuar Abdul Karim, 29, was found guilty...

Mechanical heart girl Tee making progress.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Tee Hui Yi, who was implanted with a mechanical heart two months ago, is progressing well. A statement from the National Heart Institute (IJN) said the 13-year-old girl was...

Cab driver tired of 'whining' passengers.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Amir Muhammad FOR years, the nation's taxi drivers have been subject to criticisms over their perceived lack of courtesy and unprofessionalism. They had been keeping a gentlemanly silence,...

Deviant cult detected in bakery.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Amir Muhammad THE authorities have uncovered troubling signs that a deviant cult has gained control of a bakery chain. The cult, known as the Flat Earth Society, originated in England in...

Lorry driver arrested over hit-and-run.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) TUMPAT: Police have detained a lorry driver in connection with a hit-and-run accident in which a 12-year-old pupil was killed in front of a school near Pasir Pekan here on Tuesday. A police...

US Navy catamaran comes to port.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUCHING: The US Navy high-speed catamaran, HSV2 Swift, will be making its first port call here today. The 98-metre catamaran was delivered to the US Navy on Aug 15, 2003, and had operated as a mine...

New pipes but low pressure.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: A.H.S. ONE would have thought that after the recent pipe replacement exercise undertaken by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas), consumers could sigh with relief and enjoy water supply...

Stop bickering and work together.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: C.N. Nair ALMOST every political party is now emphasising on co-operation and national unity. While this is going on, the unity of Malaysian Indians has taken a beating. Everyday we see a...

Flow at interchange now smooth.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Kamal Basir Ahmad Din I WOULD like to thank the Ministry of Works and particularly Litrak, the concessionaire of Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP), for making travelling easier with the...

Use ISA on those who leave Islam, says lecturer.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Anis Ibrahim KUALA LUMPUR: Suggestions on how to deal with those who leave Islam came in many forms at a convention yesterday, ranging from the Internal Security Act, lengthy counselling to...

Two more suspects released.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) GEORGE TOWN: Police have released another two suspects arrested in connection with the RM50 million microchip robbery at the free commercial zone here last week. The two, a MASkargo security guard...

49 illegals held in raids.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) MARAN: Forty-nine illegal immigrants from Cambodia, including 14 women and four children, were detained in simultaneous raids at several rubber plantations here on Monday night. All of them are...

No to 'live' khalwat raid broadcasts.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Amir Muhammad MALAYSIAN broadcasters have spoken in one voice. They all say NO to "live" broadcasts of khalwat raids. This is because they are concerned about the troubling language used by...

Let's work together as one nation.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: J.D. Lorenciear FROM the pages of the newspapers to the corridors of our workstations; and from the teh tarik stalls to the housewives at the marketplace, the nation is abuzz with the...

Security guard guns down lone robber.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: If only he had followed his instincts, he would probably still be alive today. A 42-year-old armed robber had hesitated a few times as security guards made their routine stop at an...

Teacher alleges molest by HM.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) IPOH: Police are investigating a claim by a teacher of a school in Bota, Parit, that she was molested by her headmaster on Nov 21. The incident is alleged to have taken place in the office of the...

Buskers' festival on Saturday.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Max Koh KUALA LUMPUR: Musicians, comedians, clowns, a contortionist and many more street entertainers are set to thrill the crowd at the Kuala Lumpur International Buskers' Festival on...

Waiting for council to respond.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Rajam Paul Thiraviam I REFER to the report "Road collapses in second landslide this week" (NST, Nov 23). There is a retention wall that "holds" a river directly in front of my house....

A policy that makes no sense.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Simon W.W. Yeo THE issue of unemployed graduates has been debated for a long time, and still nothing much has been done to fully solve the problem. I am a graduate from a local university....

Make it easier for passengers to complain.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: William Dennis I REFER to the report "RM250 taxi ride from Jalan Ampang to PJ" (NST, Nov 28). This is daylight robbery by the taxi driver. Such taxi drivers should be charged for...

Solve problem at source.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Tam Yong Yuee I REFER to the letter "Crackdown is welcome" (NST, Nov 28). It is well-known that law-breakers use heavily-tinted car windows to avoid detection. It is also well-known that...

Clean up.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Lim Chong Leong I REFER to the report that a taxi driver charged RM250 for a ride from Kuala Lumpur to Petaling Jaya (NST, Nov 28). I suggest the relevant authorities take a serious look at...

Activist Bishan Singh dies.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUANTAN: Social and environmental activist Bishan Singh died of lung complications at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital yesterday. The former president of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers...

Kind neighbour's deed should be commended.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: M.F.A. IT was sad to read the report that a daughter left her mother and sister for four months to fend for themselves in their rented two-room low-cost flat at Taman Desa Impian, Johor all...

TNB to challenge 'debt' recovery suit.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) PUTRAJAYA: Tenaga Nasional Berhad has the right to defend a suit filed by the Dungun district council in Terengganu to recover arrears in assessment for the company's power station. Datuk Dr Cyrus...

Malaysian Open Road Show.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) GOLF fans in Kuantan will get a sneak preview of the upcoming Maybank Malaysian Open, thanks to a two-day road show at the Kuantan Parade this weekend. The roadshow, the first of seven, is being...

Simple recipe for success.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Tony Pereira MALAYSIAN sports has had little to cheer about in recent times. Our football, hockey and badminton teams have consistently raised our hopes only to disappoint when it mattered....

Calm before the storm.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Ajitpal Singh; Zainuddin Muhammad AS if on cue, the sky darkened and it started to drizzle just before the opening ceremony of the second Monsoon Cup by the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan...

Manzor Junior score hat-trick.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) MANZOR Junior created a record of sorts when they won for a third time the Milo Grow with Sports Under-12 Futsal carnival at the Kota Baru Futsal Arena in Kelantan over the weekend. Manzor Junior,...

Kudos, Nicol.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Mohd Faizal Abdullah THUMBS up to Malaysia's top ranked and still World Number 1 squash sensation, Nicol Ann David, for retaining the Women's World Open title in Belfast, Northern Ireland....

On form and relaxed.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul THE venue, the Qatar Bowling Centre, was nothing like what the national bowlers trained for but Malaysia put up a brave front as they faced the media yesterday, epitomised...

Skipper Tiffany breaks new ground.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) WHEN Tiffany Koo hoists the sail in the Monsoon Cup today at the Terengganu Heritage Bay, she will have the rare distinction of being the first Malaysian skipper ever to compete in the World Match...

Original draw restored.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul MALAYSIA eased their way out, momentarily, of the controversy surrounding the badminton draw and coach Yap Kim Hock assured that he will take nothing for granted by...

Case for staying the course with Maths and Science.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Chok Suat Ling THERE have been renewed calls to scrap the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English but experts caution against taking this step, writes CHOK SUAT LING. Diatomic...

Zikir Agung likely to be banned.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KLANG: Zikir Agung, believed to be part of the revived Al-Arqam group, is expected to be banned when the Selangor Islamic Religious Council meets next month. State Executive Councillor for...

Make use of natural gas, urges CAP.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: It should be made compulsory for taxis to switch to natural gas and the conversion be subsidised by the government. The Consumer Association of Penang believes that if the move was...

Daniel not worried about form.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Arnaz M. Khairul HE'S expected to and is expecting to show his best form but Daniel Bego hopes people will realise that he's just 17. The weight of expectations on Daniel's young shoulders...

Getting back on track.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) A STICK and a piece of zinc that fell from a building site and damaged a power cable caused a commuter train to stall on Tuesday. While there is a freakish quality about the incident, it was no accident...

Khaled: No increase in taxi fares for now.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Adrian David KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no hike in taxi fares - at least not in the near future. Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Minister Datuk Khaled Nordin said taxi fares...

Cabbies unhappy with 'bad image'.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Taxi drivers are crying foul over their portrayals as cheats just because of a few "bad apples" who fleeced their passengers. Although many claimed to be innocent, they however,...

The Al-Arqam revival.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Lydia Gomez KUALA LUMPUR: Al-Arqam was never dead. Although banned in 1994, the group operated under the cover of legitimate businesses. But, in the last three months, leaders of the...

Group poses no threat to public.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) PUTRAJAYA: The Al-Arqam movement is not deemed to be a threat to public order. The authorities, however, are monitoring this movement and will not hesitate to use the Internal Security Act against...

Former Kangar council chief gets stiff sentence.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KANGAR: One of the stiffest sentences for corruption was meted yesterday against former Kangar Municipal Council president Baharuddin Ahmad. Not only was he sentenced to four years' jail and...

Court frees Death Row man due to his 'confession'.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) GEORGE TOWN: His "confession" set him free. Ruling that his cautioned statement in a murder investigation should not have been admitted during trial, the Court of Appeal yesterday acquitted Lim...

Prosecutors barred from using cautioned statements.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) KUALA LUMPUR: Prosecutors have been barred from using cautioned statements and confessions in trials since August last year. The directive from the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, was...

He should be jailed longer, cries dad.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Rita Jong SHAH ALAM: He came seeking justice for his son's murder. But after the court decision yesterday, Che Muda Putih was a broken man. He wept when the High Court reduced the...

No skipping sessions, BN reps told.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: V. Vasudevan; June Ramli TO ensure the Dewan Rakyat is not prematurely adjourned due to lack of quorum, warning letters have been issued to all Barisan Nasional backbenchers to attend all...

Query about party names turns to squabble.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: V. Vasudevan; June Ramli WHAT'S in a name? Plenty, when an Opposition MP drew the ire of Barisan Nasional MPs on the names of political parties they represented. Karpal Singh...

MPs in stitches over students, tigers.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: V. Vasudevan; June Ramli WHAT has the male to female ratio in local universities have to do with tigers crossing into Kuala Krai? The common denominator in the two issues was Higher...

No approval yet for highway toll increase.
November 30, 2006... (From New Straits Times (Malaysia)) Byline: Hamidah Atan; Farah Naz Karim PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has not approved any increase in toll for five highways next year. Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who had announced the...