From The NST,

Trainee nurse raped in hostel KOTA BARU, Apr 26: An intruder walked into the shower room of the Kota Baru Hospital Nursing College hostel and raped a trainee who was taking a shower. cont...

It was only recently that I questioned the need to display signboards prohibiting entry into female quarters. There are only two scenarios, either to protect them against intruders or to protect the public against them! It was of course a joke. Unfortunately, the above incident reinforced the necessity for greater security around female quarters. Any flaws in security procedures will undoubtedly lead to the mental and physical devastation of a young soul. More efficient and technologically advanced methods of security must be installed at all vulnerable areas. Depending on signboards and sleepy guards alone is foolish and only highlights the incompetency and lackaidaisical attitudes of the respective managements. Radical changes in hostel architecture is also warranted where communal baths should be abolished. Grills must be installed at all individual rooms to enhance security.

Things must change. The thought of another young victim being ravaged by these thugs is unthinkable.

When couples quarrel, it can sometimes get out of hand. Failure to resolve issues or inabilities to compromise can lead to undesirable events. Commonly, third party interferences and substance abuses can also wreck havoc in the closest of family ties. However, when such quarrels degenerate into physical abuses, the suffering can be more than just emotional.

One can shed tears when looking at a couple, who not so long ago were deeply in love, are now tugging at each other's throats. It can also be excruciatingly painful to know that one that you loved is unfaithful. When we see these cases as doctors, one has to keep in mind that the battle scars are deeper than just the superficial wounds. The hurt and disappointment will be so clearly evident. A dream shattered by harsh and violent realities.

What went wrong? Who is at fault? It complicates matters when children are involved. Who should have custody of the children?

It is a situation that we do not envy. Often the perpetrators of physical abuses are chastised and brought to justice. It is unfortunate that in a fit of anger, we tend to use our fists rather than our heads. Such split second loss of control can cause a lifetime of misery and destroy a dream that took years to nurture.

Physical violence in a family is never accepted but widely prevalent. For some, the scars are well hidden away from friends as they choose to suffer silently. There is little alternative or room for any maneuvering. Such victims are isolated and lost.

We can only look to God for answers and find inspiration from his Word. Perhaps this is a fitting verse.

"Faith, hope, and love; But the greatest of them all is love. -- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7"

From The NST,

Water-in-petrol complaints JOHOR BARU, Apr 18: Four motorists got more than fuel at a petrol station in Skudai: The petrol they bought came mixed with water. Archive Since 1991 Needless to say, their vehicles failed to start. The petrol kiosk owner, who identified herself only as "Lin", was at a loss to explain how water had entered a fuel tank at the station.cont...

This report did not come as a surprise to me. It has come to my attention, way before this event occurred, that our petrol is often mixed with gasolene so as to maximise profit. There was this source who is a tank driver, who confessed that it is a common practise for them to stop and mix petrol with gasolene. So the next time you pump at a petrol station, you may want to think about the fact that what is going into your petrol tank may not be all petrol! It is high time that spot checks be done at petrol stations to ensure that the consumers get what they are paying for.

From a letter to the NST,

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: 11 A1s not enough for scholarship? By JIN KHANG Seremban April 15: IT is the same every year, isn't it? And this year it is my sister's turn to try her luck in getting a scholarship. This isn't about my sister not getting a scholarship after going for an interview. The fact is, she did not even get called for any interview. Archive Since 1991 She got straight A1s in all 11 subjects that she sat in the 2004 SPM examinations. She applied to Bank Negara, Petronas and also the Public Service Department (PSD). So far, Bank Negara and Petronas have both shortlisted applicants to attend interviews and PSD will be calling shortlisted applicants in the middle of this month. She was not shortlisted by Bank Negara or Petronas. I am speechless. She was a head prefect who was active in extra co-curricular activities. If she was called for an interview and was not shortlisted after that, then I won't be fuming over it. Coincidentally, all her female friends who got straight A1s were not called and the ones who were called (without the straight As) were all males. Is this a prerequisite now to qualify for a scholarship? I was also denied a scholarship in 1998 due to the economic downturn but I swallowed my disappointment and never made a fuss, fully understanding the crisis gripping the country at that time. Now when the economy is flourishing, there is absolutely no excuse for not even awarding an interview to a top student.

Meritocracy remains a sinful word for many in this country. It is a fault that will ultimately bring this nation to its knees. Protecting special priviledges to a certain group will only fuel feelings of mistrust and widen the divide between groups in Malaysia. Ultimately, many not of a particular colour, will have to fend for themselves and in the process, realise that this nation has really nothing much to offer. In most instances, the grass is greener elsewhere.

Yet the Government laments the lack of patriotism from all its citizens. Indeed, many find it almost impossible, and to some disgusting, to embrace a nation that continues to silently discriminate its citizens based on ethnicity. It is a painful truth that such special priviledges are driving away many talents overseas. Soon, Malaysia may cease to be a multicultural and multiracial society that it supposedly prides itself with.

There is little need to prove discriminatory practices when it is done in broad daylight. The continuity of such practices will only make Malaysia unattractive to many. Malaysia has lost her direction in her quest to become a developed nation. I fail to see the willingness to abolish such archaic practices in the future, a step so vital in consolidating Malaysia as a country that stands behind firm principles. Instead they clamour cowardly behind suppressive laws and incorrectly justify their actions as a noble intention of bringing all Malaysians equal rights in every area.

I rest my case.

From Malaysiakini,

April Fool’s prank: Action will be taken, says Nazri Pauline Puah Apr 12, 05 3:55pm The government will be taking action against malaysiakini for its April Fool’s prank because “they tell lies”, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Aziz told Parliament today. cont...

It appears that malaysiakini's sense of humour is not shared by the Government. An article on April 1 which was meant to be an April Fool's joke has certainly ruffled many feathers. The article purportedly said that several ministers have been convicted of corruption. The Government deems corruption a sensitive issue and it should not have been a topic to joke upon. The question here is, should malaysiakini be penalised for an article that is clearly meant to be an April Fool's prank.

Perhaps, malaysiakini has chosen a poor topic to play a prank on. As some people would say, some things said in jest are true. Perhaps it is this possible misconception among the public that the Government feels it necessary to take action in order to prevent such events from recurring. Or did malaysiakini actually hit the nail on its head?

So does the Government actually have any humour in them? I think the better move here is to laugh it off. Threatening action may make malaysiakini a martyr to many, thus expanding its readership base and consolidating its stake in mainstream media. It has already been clearly stated that the article was an April Fool's joke and should be viewed as such.

I think many are envious of malaysiakini's successes especially in the international arena. It is one of the few sources of information that is beyond our government's control. Thus any weaknesses will be exploited to its fullest. Malaysiakini certainly misjudged and exposed themselves with this April Fool's prank. On the other hand, the Government should display its softer side when dealing with such events by ignoring it. Penalising malaysiakini may invite more unwanted international attention and put into question the rights of freedom of speech in Malaysia.

From The Star,

MPs get 10% salary increase KUALA LUMPUR: The salaries and monthly allowances of the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers and members of both houses of Parliament will go up by 10%. Under an amendment to the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980, the new salaries will be backdated to Jan 1 last year. Other members of the administration who will also enjoy this pay rise are deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries. cont....

Reading this article has created a sense of anger. Not only is the pay of MPs increased by 10% but it is now backdated to January of last year! Local papers have been desperately trying to justifiy this payrise by revealing the expenditure of MPs. However, what they may have failed to reveal is the fact that other perks are not evident.

Even the expenditure of MPs appear very inconsistent from the graphics shown in The Star. For example, Bandar Kuching MPs estimated salary from the legal firm is put at 2000-3000 per month. I find this hard to belief. What the local papers fail to reveal is also the fact that each constituent gets an allocation from the Government apart from the salary. This allocation is meant for the running of their centers and donations etc. This amount does not come from the MPs salary at all. Take a look at Ayer Hitam MP's fuel charges of $1600 - $1800 while the rest have no reasons to consume fuel. The bottom line is that there are many inconsistencies and I personally do not feel that the MPs need a payrise. Afterall, they enjoyed one just in the year 2000. Perhaps they should take better care of the people who serve this administration first before pampering themselves. This latest move is hardly appeasing to the general public.

From The NST,

'Buildings in Malaysia quake-proof' Jaswinder Kaur KOTA KINABALU, Apr 10: Buildings in Malaysia will be able to withstand an earthquake unless the contractors cut corners during construction, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) deputy vice- chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar said. cont.....

There is serious doubt whether our buidlings are quake-proof. Perhaps quake-resistant would have been a more appropriate word. It has already been stated before that Malaysian buildings are not built with earthquake-resistant specifications. So where is the data to show that our buildings are quake-resistant? It just baffles me that the Vice Chancellor of a university expects the Malaysian public to accept a statement without the use of research-backed data. It is time that statements made be backed by proof preferably through scientific research.

His statement also cast serious doubts on the integrity of our contractors. Recent unpleasant experiences with government contractors regarding shoddy workmanship, has raised concerns about shortfalls in the specification of our buildings. In addition, corruption probably has a contributory role as well. Furthermore, a recent decision to remove the necessity for buildings to obtain the certificate of fitness may further compromise the safety of our buildings.

From The Star,

Don't accept any gifts, civil servants told PUTRAJAYA: Civil servants are not allowed to accept any gifts from the public, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said. He said the acceptance of gifts by civil servants could later lead to rampant corrupt practice within the civil service. cont....

It is commendable that the Chief Secretary is putting a stand against corruption. Unfortunately, the case is often "all talk and no action". The Government is not consistent with its fight against corruption. This has resulted in feelings of dissatisfaction among the public regarding the way this menace is tackled.

One viable solution is to make the Anti Corruption Agency an independant body. It only needs to answer to the King. Putting this agency under the Prime Minister's jurisdiction is pretentious. It only reaffirms beliefs that the Government has never been serious in eradicating corruption among its ranks. At this moment, top governmental officers closely aligned to the Prime Minister would be technically immune to investigations.

The recent conviction of 2 politicians of money politics is evident that corruption exists. Unfortunately, money politics are not viewed as a corrupt practice within UMNO and thus invoking only light sentences from its disciplinary board.

An excerpt of an article on Malaysiakini,

Khairy, who is also Abdullah’s son-in-law, told the International Herald Tribune (IHT) in an interview last week that the premier has decided after the general election last year that the government would not dig up past corrupt practices. The Umno Youth leader was quoted as saying: “We decided not to focus on retroactive actions... but rather look forward” when he responded to criticisms that Abdullah was not pushing hard enough against corruption.

The above statement by Khairy displays our PM's stand on corruption. How can the Government not dig up past corrupt practices when many of the perpetrators remain in positions of power?

He went on to say,

Khairy said ACA investigations are tedious and time-consuming. “We know everyone like to see politicians being brought to court for corruption. My stance on fighting corruption in the past or now has never changed - there must be sufficient evidence”.

Indeed it will be tedious when the the ACA remains under the reigns of his father-in-law. Many investigations without doubt were stifled by top politicians possibly including the PM himself.

Reading statements from politicians makes one disenchanted with the Government and its fight against corruption. There is never a unanimous decision to go all out to stem the tide of corruption. Instead reasons and excuses are aplenty as to why bringing top government officials and politicians to justice is not happening.

If this continues, Malaysia WILL fall one day.

From The Star,

Penang flush with dirty loos PENANG: Most toilet users on the island do not flush and clean up themselves after using public toilets. This is the finding of Penang Municipal Councillor Geeta Suresh Chand, who has been inspecting public toilets. “Is it so difficult to just pull the flush handle? Most of these toilets are cleaned three times a day, but it is the users that foul it up by refusing to flush and clean up after themselves,” she said. cont......

Dirty toilets are nothing new to Malaysia. In actual fact, we have been quite notorious for such acts. Indeed there is little point in having first world infrastrucure but third world mentality as correctly pointed out by our PM. It has been the same "tidak apa" attitude of Malaysians that I have been lamenting.

I believe the moulding of character starts during one's childhood. The role of parents and teachers are synergistic. Perhaps it is the school's curriculum that is deficient in its content. I think schools are stressing so much on examinations that they have lost the true reason for education. Teachers would only concentrate on examination topics and style of tackling such papers instead of properly getting the messages across to our young.

Parents are also getting busier these days and thus are neglecting their duties as the primary educators for their children. Instead they have wrongly entrusted schools and tuition centers to do this job for them. I think parents should definitely be more proactive in instilling the most basic of manners and ethics in their children.

Eventually, I think we may have to emulate the social dictatorship for which Singapore is infamous for.

From The NST

Doctor faces death penalty M. Hamzah Jamaludin KUANTAN, Apr 4: A doctor is staring at the death penalty for allegedly selling psychotropic pills to drug addicts. Archive Since 1991 The 40-year-old general practitioner was arrested in the compound of the Mentakab Hospital last night. Police found 100 pills on him and another 900 pills were discovered in his car. It is learnt that the doctor owns a private clinic in Bera, about 30km from Temerloh. State Anti-Narcotics Department chief Deputy Superintendent Abdul Razak Md Zin confirmed the arrest and said police had been trailing the doctor after they received a tip-off from the public. "He was caught red-handed while trying to sell the pills to a drug addict. He tried to escape, but our men nabbed him," he said. Abdul Razak said investigations showed that the doctor had been selling pills to drug addicts for between RM5 and RM8 each. Police are trying to establish how many clients he had and his areas of operation. The suspect is being held at the Temerloh district police lock-up and is expected to be charged with drug trafficking soon. He faces the mandatory death penalty if convicted.

The above event will hopefully send out a warning to other unscrupulous doctors. Undoubtedly there are many doctors practising unproven medicine and giving in to quackery. From the sale of dangerous drugs to the lucrative business of direct selling, doctors have often been enticed by its monetary returns. Perhaps we will never know the true extent of this menace but such doctors should be brought to justice for such blatant infringes on accepted medical practices and norms. The ultimate price for such irresponsible behaviour is the life of the patient.

From Kee's World,


I thought that this comic sums up the work ethics of Malaysians. From poor time management to lackadaisical attitudes.