Tiada Tolak Ansur Dengan Golongan Pelampau

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday expressed shock over the assassination of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto and strongly condemned the act which killed many innocent people.

"The resort to extremism and violence is unacceptable. It cannot be tolerated anywhere, any time. The perpetrators must be brought to justice."Abdullah, who is also chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, extended his condolences to the families of Benazir and the others killed in the incident.

"I hope the people of Pakistan will remain calm. I pray the situation there will soon stabilise."Benazir, 54, leader of the opposition Pakistan People's Party, was killed in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali, also extended their deepest condolences to Benazir's family and to the families of the bystanders killed.

"We pray for the continued peace and stability of Pakistan and that the family of Benazir Bhutto and the people of Pakistan will be patient in facing these testing times," Dr Mahathir said in his message to the Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia, Ta- hir Mahmud Qazi.

Rentetan Dari Pembunuhan Benazir Bhutto

The assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto sent shockwaves around the world on Friday with Poland ordering extra troops to Afghanistan and other countries vowing new help to battle Al-Qaeda.

Many countries, however, also urged President Pervez Musharraf to keep Pakistan on the path to democracy, despite the killing of Bhutto in a suicide bomb attack at an election rally on Thursday.

At his ranch in Crawford, Texas, US President George W. Bush convened a meeting of his national security advisors to discuss the situation in Pakistan following Bhutto's assassination.

Bush previously called on Musharraf to stay on the path of democracy despite the killing which the Pakistan government said was the work of Al-Qaeda.

"This is a day of great tragedy, great mourning. She was a champion of democracy.

She was a courageous woman," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after signing a book of condolence for Bhutto at Pakistan's embassy in Washington.

At the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI was praying for an end to violence in Pakistan after the "brutal terrorist attack" that killed Bhutto, the Holy See said.Meanwhile, Poland will add 400 troops to its force of 1,600 in Afghanistan by April or May as a direct response to the assassination of Bhutto, Polish Defence Minister Bogdan Klich said.

"The destabilisation of the situation in Pakistan and the danger that this instability will expand in the region and to Afghanistan has forced us to reinforce our military contingent," he told Poland's TVN24 news channel.

For their part Britain, France, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain and other countries warned their nationals against going to Pakistan.

Japan told its citizens in the country not to leave their hotels or lodgings.With widespread doubts over whether Pakistan will go ahead with scheduled elections on January 8, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called on Musharraf to "build democracy and stability" in talks with the Pakistani leader.

He also offered extra help to combat Al-Qaeda.Bhutto's killing was "a potent reminder of the threat we face from terror," Brown said.A two-time former prime minister, Bhutto was shot at by an attacker before he blew himself up at a campaign rally in Rawalpindi, killing at least 20 people.

Bhutto hit her head on her car sunroof avoiding the bullets and died, according to the Pakistan government.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Bhutto's assassination "represents an assault on stability in Pakistan and its democratic processes.

"Pakistan's neighbours, fearing an extremist spill-over if nuclear-armed Pakistan were to spiral out of control, were quick to respond.Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who met Bhutto only hours before her death, called the assassination an act of "immense brutality" against one of the Muslim world's leading women.

In Europe, France voiced concerns over the possibility of Pakistan's nuclear weapons falling into the hands of the extremists and the threat to stability across South Asia caused by the killing."That is why we regard Pakistan and the odious assassination of Benazir Bhutto in part as an assassination of democracy... and we must not allow that," said French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

Strong reaction also came from the Muslim world.President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, described Bhutto's murder as "a severe blow to Pakistan's democratic process," expressing hope that democracy and the rule of law be respected in Pakistan.

Turkey, a close ally of Pakistan, said the killing "undoubtedly aims to draw Pakistan into chaos and instability."The International Crisis Group, a conflict resolution think tank, called for a UN inquiry into the killing, saying that the Pakistan government "is not in a position to carry out a fair investigation."

"Given the longstanding connections between the Pakistani military and jihadi groups, this would be the only way to carry out an impartial and credible investigation," it said. US senator and Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also called for an independent probe.

Jangan Meletak Kenderaan Di Lorong Kecemasan

The emergency lane is actually a traffic lane meant for use by authorities such as the Fire and Rescue Department, the police and ambulances, Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh reminded motorists.

It is not intended for drivers to stop at the lane or to carry out repairs on stalled vehicles, he added.

“It is extremely dangerous when vehicles are parked at emergency lanes, in the lane for traffic,” he told reporters yesterday.

Suret Singh said the right thing to do was to move the car to the road shoulder and ensure the vehicle does not obstruct the emergency lane.

“If there is no road shoulder, the stalled vehicle can be left on the emergency lane but only for a short period pending assistance. A safety triangle must be placed some distance behind the car to warn other motorists.

“Drivers and passengers of the stalled vehicle should stay away from the car. Pick a safe place to wait. Repair work should not be conducted on the emergency lane,” he added.

Suret Singh said if repair works were needed, a tow truck or highway patrol vehicle must be summoned immediately to tow away the vehicle.

He was commenting on an accident last week in which an express bus ploughed into two men who were attending to a car on the emergency lane at the 263rd kilometre of the North-South Expressway near Seremban.

Mohd Hanif Mohd Noor, 29, from Kg Air Tawar in Merlimau, Malacca, was driving to Bandar Baru Bangi with his mother and two younger siblings to visit a sister when his car broke down.

Mechanic Palaneysamy Ratnam, 26, from Taman Mambau Jaya, near here, had arrived to check the car parked on the emergency lane.

However, as both were checking the car, the bus which had just entered the highway hit them, killing both instantly.

Benazir Bhutto Terbunuh

RAWALPINDI: Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto died Thursday after a suicide bomb and gun attack.

"At 6.16pm (9.16pm Malaysian time) she expired,'' said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto's party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital.

A senior military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment, confirmed that Bhutto had died.

According to unconfirmed reports, the attacker had opened fire on her with a weapon before the explosion.

On hearing of her death, Bhutto's supporters at the hospital began chanting "Dog, Musharraf, dog,'' referring to Pakistan's President.

Some of them smashed the glass door at the main entrance of the emergency unit, others burst into tears. One man with a flag of Pakistan People's Party tied around his head was beating his chest.

Senator Babar Awan, Bhutto's lawyer, said, "The surgeons confirmed that she has been martyred.''

At least 20 others were killed in the blast that took place as Bhutto left a political rally where she addressed thousands of supporters to canvas votes for Jan 8 parliamentary elections.

Bhutto served twice as Pakistan's Prime Minister between 1988 and 1996. She had returned to Pakistan from an eight-year exile on Oct 18.

Her homecoming parade in Karachi was also targeted by a suicide attacker, killing more than 140 people. On that occasion she narrowly escaped injury.

Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR): 27,668 Calon Dapat Gred A

A total of 27,668 or 5.9 per cent of the 469,401 students who sat for the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination last year obtained Grade A in all the subjects they took, compared with 4.5 per cent last year and 4.9 per cent inn 2005.

Director-General of Education Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom, who announced the analysis of the results today, said this showed that the national education system had succeeded in producing more outstanding students.

“This is in line with the government’s aspiration to produce more first-class human capital through education,” he said.

Alimuddin said 559 candidates obtained Grade E, denoting that they have not achieved the minumum level, in all subjects compared with 524 last year and 569 in 2005.

“This figure is very small compared with the total number of outstanding candidates,” he said.

Perangkap Kamera di Jalanan

Motorists beware! Cameras at thousands of locations around the country will be tracking traffic offenders and bad drivers.

The cameras form the basis for the soon-to-be-introduced Automated Enforcement System (AES) which will provide round-the-clock checks on traffic.

The locations for the cameras were jointly identified by the police, Road Safety Department, Malaysian Institute for Road Safety and Research (Miros) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

Miros director-general Prof Dr Radin Umar Radin Sohadi said the cameras would be placed at locations where motorist have been known to speed and beat the red light and at accident-prone areas.

“We studied possible locations based on the roads where there are speed related problems, especially where single-vehicle accidents occur, when motorists go into a curve too quickly.”

“The idea is for the cameras to focus on those who flout the law and have bad driving habits. As for those who make errors or lapses, that will be handled by education programmes and training,” he added.

JPJ deputy director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan said authorities would be meeting again to discuss where to actually place the cameras.

Although no clear timeline has been given for the full implementation of the AES, testing for the system is said to be starting early next year.

A couple of models are being considered to finance the setting up of the system. One of for the Government to pay for the setting up of the cameras while other is to privatise the operation, therefore costing the Government nothing.

Under the privatisation model, the company that makes the successful bid can recoup its costs by taking a certain percentage of the summonses collected.

Sources said that if the privatisation model was chosen, the company would not have a say where the cameras would be located, while summonses would continue to be issued by the JPJ and police.

Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said the AES was a vital ingredient in the Government’s objectives of reducing road fatalities by 58% by 2010.

“It will be a very strong antibiotic for our enforcement efforts and will take us into the same league as advanced countries,” he said.

Haji: Selamat Pulang Ke Tanah Air

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tuanku Nur Zahirah, returned today after performing the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca.

Their Majesties, accompanied by a 23-member delegation comprising members of the royal household and palace officials, flew in to the Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) base here at 7.45am.

The delegation included the children of Their Majesties -- Tengku Nadhirah Zahrah, Tengku Muhammad Ismail, Tengku Muhammad Mua'az and Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra'.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh was at the airport to welcome home Their Majesties.

The Grand Imam of Masjid Negara, Datuk Syeikh Ismail Muhammad, read the "doa selamat" prayers after the arrival of the royal couple and their entourage.

Their Majesties had left for the Holy Land on December 13.

Utamakan Semangat Kekalkan Keamanan & Perpaduan

The spirit of caring and sharing has always kept the nation together whenever its unity was tested, the prime minister said.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said in his Christmas message that for the country to continue moving strongly forward, it was paramount for the people to always put the country's interest before other narrowly defined demands.

Malaysia, he said, had for the past 50 years enjoyed the peace that prevailed due to sheer hard work and the strong sense of responsibility of its people.However, he said, some had in recent times tried to instigate unrest."Over the last few months, narrow-mindedness and intolerance, propounded by a small group, have served to test our faith in each other.

"Therefore, in celebrating Christmas today, I am happy to note that Malaysians of all faiths continue the tradition of sharing and caring, a tradition that we have practised all these years.

"Despite all the rhetoric, the great religions of the world practised across Malaysia share many universal beliefs. "None is more evident than our central belief in the power of love and compassion," Abdullah said.


He said Malaysia had indeed seen over the years how love and compassion had helped to break down racial barriers and it had also helped the less fortunate and marginalised.

"In moving forward, we must all believe that Malaysia is truly greater than the sum of her parts." Abdullah said it was in this spirit, as the people celebrate Christmas, that their thoughts must also go out to the unfortunate and all those who face hardship at this time, such as the flood victims.

"Let us lend a helping hand to those who have to spend this festive season in great adversity."Lastly, let me take this opportunity to wish my fellow Malaysians of the Christian faith a very happy Christmas."


*******

Christmas Wish from a Malaysian Big Guys;

I wish to take this occasion to wish every Christian in Malaysia Merry Christmas. Christmas is not only a season for giving but also for forgiving. - Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, Housing and Local Government Minister.

Malaysians can count their blessings. The spirit of co-operation between our diverse communities remains high in spite of challenges along the way. - Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, Energy, Water and Communications Minister.

Peace is the main factor of a country’s stability and as citizens, it is our responsibility to ensure the country’s harmony. - Datuk M. Kayveas, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Malaysians, while celebrating Christmas, must respect Islam as the country’s official religion. - Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Chief Minister of Penang.

Malaysians must continue to instil religious tolerance and understanding of the various cultures and religions. - Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Works Minister.

The best solutions to our country’s problems are not confrontations and violence as seen in and outside the country recently. - Sarawak Yang DiPertua Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng.

Trust, mutual respect and sincerity are the positive traits that we have managed to foster among the people, allowing us to live in harmony. - Datuk Seri Musa Aman, Sabah Chief Minister.

Angin Pilihanraya di Thailand

The People's Power Party (PPP), the proxy party of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, emerged with the highest number of seats in Thailand's general election today, handing a severe blow to the military which 15 months ago staged the country's 18th coup in 75 years.

The party won a total of 228 seats, comprising 194 constituencies and 34 party-list seats, which, however, fell short of the 241 required to form a new government on its own. It is now seeking out other parties to join it in forming a coalition government.

The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said the country's oldest party, the Democrats, won 133 constituency and 33 party-list seats for its best-ever showing of 166 seats.

Chart Thai, which is likely to decide which party forms the next government, won a total of 39 seats, followed by the military-linked Puea Paendin with 26, Ruam Jai Thai Chat 10, Matchima seven and Pracharaj Party four out of the 480 seats at stake.

Apichart said the results were based on the 93.11 percent of votes counted as at 10.15pm but assured that the outcome (of the election) would not be affected once all ballots are counted.

He said that a total of 29.34 million voters, or 59.9 percent of the over 45 million eligible voters turned-up for the election, which was called by the military-installed government with the aim of restoring democracy, as well as keeping Thaksin out of power.

Asked why the voter-turnout was lower than the government's target of 70 percent, he said it could be due to people being tired of intense politicking in the country, which has seen four elections in a space of seven years.

The PPP was formed by Thaksin supporters after his Thai Rak Thai party was dissolved by the court in May and all its 111 executives banned from politics for five years.Thaksin, who is facing numerous corruption and power abuse charges, monitored the election from Hong Kong.

Former deputy prime minister and Bangkok Governor, Samak Sundaravej said that the PPP was willing to work with other parties to form a coalition government, an offer rejected by Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva who could become the prime minister himself if all the other parties abandon the PPP and join his coalition.

The PPP has already warned of attempts by some influential people and the military to stop them from forming the government and is wary of the investigations to be conducted by the ECT on over 170 cases of poll irregularities.Under Thai election law, ECT has 30 days to scrutinise all candidates before announcing the official results.

Awas!

Landowners beware! Your property is at risk. There has been a rising number of land scams in recent years, especially in the Klang Valley. Worse, the scams are targeting higher-value land too.

Government statistics revealed in Parliament recently showed that there were 16 land scams recorded in 2001, 19 in 2002, 22 in 2003, 32 in 2004, 35 in 2005 and 80 last year.

Police statistics also showed that last year the value of land involved in the scams was almost RM4.9mil. This year, up till October, the value of the land was more than RM10.4mil.

Only four people were arrested over the offences last year and just one this year.

National House Buyers Association secretary Chang Kim Loong expressed concern over increasing incidences of land scams and the high number of unsolved cases.

“This could lead to a loss of confidence in the Malaysian property market,” he said.

Chang urged the Government to initiate an insurance scheme to indemnify anyone who suffers loss due to fraudulent land transfer.

Commercial Crimes Investigation Department legal / inspectorate division principal assistant director ACP Tan Kok Liang said that in certain cases it was difficult to get evidence against the perpetrators because they used other people's identity.

The most recent case involves Taiwanese businessman Chen Wei Pin, who found that a private caveat had been entered on his land by a director of Zen Zaman Sdn Bhd, claiming that Chen had sold the land to his company. Chen denied any such transaction.

His plight was brought up by the MCA Public Service and Complaints Department, which has received 18 such complaints involving land worth RM30mil in the past five years.

Assistant professor Dr Sharifah Zubaidah Syed Abdul Kader of the Public Law Department of the International Islamic University Malaysia said the law did not fully protect landowners, especially in cases of forgery.

“Even if they are able to prove the title is theirs, they can still lose their land. The court will inevitably rule against them as long as it can be proven that the purchaser had bought the land on good faith,” she added.

Roger Tan, the Bar Council's Conveyancing Practice Committee chairman, said the onus had fallen on landowners to conduct regular checks on their land title.

29 Korban Banjir

At least 29 people have died from the floods which have hit various states since early this month.

Kelantan recorded 14 deaths, followed by Pahang with 11 deaths – three of which in the last 48 hours – and Johor with four deaths as of yesterday.

In Pahang, two of the latest victims were found floating in Sungai Endau in Rompin by search and rescue personnel at about 10.30am yesterday.

They were identified as Zamri Mohamad, 29, of Kampung Lang Kiri and Indonesian Atong, 50, an estate worker. Both men were reported missing on Sunday after going fishing near the river.
Paraplegic Mohd Yuslan Othman, 30, drowned near his home in Kampung Serandu in Pekan late on Monday.

The number of evacuees has increased from 22,549 to 23,026 people. They are being housed in 142 flood relief centres.

Pekan recorded the highest number with 10,193 people in 40 centres.

Other districts affected were Temerloh (4,069 people), Maran (3,235), Bera (2,257), Rompin (2,057) and Kuantan (1,215).

Roads into Pekan from Kuantan, Muadzam Shah and Rompin were still cut off due to floods.

In Kelantan, the number of evacuees increased to 8,352 from 2,000. A dam bursting in Narathiwat in southern Thailand has aggravated the situation.

Most of the newly evacuated were residents from the Tumpat district. The latest fatality was reported yesterday.

The road from Gua Musang to Kota Baru remained impassable due to landslides.

Motorists from Kuala Lumpur should use the East-West Highway instead of the road to Gua Musang.

The Meteorological Department has issued a Yellow Stage advisory on heavy rain for the state and neighbouring Terengganu.

In Johor, the situation improved as the number of flood evacuees declined to 2,994.

There were 814 families temporarily housed in 39 flood relief centres statewide as of 4pm yesterday.

The worst hit district is Muar with 1,504 victims in 13 centres.

Segamat is second with 1,179 victims at 19 centres followed by Johor Baru with 230 victims in three centres and Batu Pahat with 63 victims, also in three centres.

Flood relief centres in Kluang, Mersing and Pontian have closed after evacuees were allowed to go home.

The Meteorological Department said moderate rain currently occurring in Johor was expected to continue until tomorrow.

It has issued an Orange Stage warning for Segamat, Muar, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Johor Baru, Kota Tinggi and Mersing.

Siasatan Klip Video Linggam Bermula Tahun Depan

The Commission of Inquiry formed to investigate the Lingam video clip will sit for two weeks from Jan 14 next year and it will be in open court.

Chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor said the commission would investigate whether there was misconduct by anyone identified in the video clip.

"We will begin our investigations on Jan 14, when we will call the first witness," he said yesterday after the commission held its first meeting.

Two senior deputy public prosecutors will prepare a list of witnesses who the commission could call.They are Datuk Nordin Hassan, the Anti-Corruption Agency's prosecution division chief, and Datuk Azmi Ariffin, the head of the commercial crime division in the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Haidar said Nordin and Azmi could propose up to 30 witnesses, but "maybe 10 would be called".

Though the inquiry would be in open court, there could be occasions when it would have to be behind closed doors, he said, adding that some witnesses may not want to be exposed.

The hearing would be in a courtroom on the third floor of the Jalan Duta court complex, and Haidar hoped members of the public would come forward and provide information to the secretariat.

Of the person who made the recording, he said: "That witness is the most important. He must come forward and say he recorded it."He urged that person not to be worried as the commission was established by law and had legal powers.

The report on the findings of the commission would have to be ready by March 11, Haidar said. "But there is a provision that we can ask for an extension." Haidar also said he had yet to receive the full recording of the video clip from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser. "I hope he will send it in (for examination by the commision of inquiry)."

Other members of the commission of inquiry are Suhakam commissioner Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim, former chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Amar Steve Shim Lip Kiong, retired court of appeal judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar and former solicitor-general Puan Sri Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh.

Datuk Abdullah Sani, director-general of the Legal Affairs Division in the Prime Minister's Department, is the secretary for the commission.

Some of the commission's terms of reference are: - to ascertain the truth of the content of the conversation in the video clip;

- to determine whether any act of misbehaviour had been committed by the person or persons identified or mentioned in the video clip; and,

- to recommend any appropriate action to be taken against the person or persons identified or mentioned in the video clip should such person or persons be found to have committed any misbehaviour.

Mangsa Banjir

Heavy downpour in the interiors of Pahang and Kelantan yesterday has resulted in more people being evacuated from several districts in the two states.As of 9am today, there are 26,154 evacuees being sheltered at relief centres in the two east coast states from 22,470 yesterday.

However, the East Coast Highway at Km113.3, near Lanchang in Pahang, closed for several days, was reopened yesterday.The floods in Kelantan, Pahang and Johor had claimed 21 lives so far, 11 in Kelantan, seven in Pahang and three in Johor.

In PAHANG, evacuees seeking refuge at 198 relief centres swelled to 22,042 from 19,004 yesterday as more people were moved from Pekan, Temerloh, Maran and Jerantut districts.Pahang police flood operations room spokesman said Pekan district had the highest number of evacuees with 7,898, followed by 4,341 in Temerloh, Bera (2,649), Maran (2,593), Rompin (2,396), Kuantan (1,153), and Jerantut (1,012),Meanwhile, Jalan Kuantan-Pekan at Km19, Jalan Pekan-Rompin at Km8, Jalan Rompin-Muadzam Shah at Kampung Tanam and Kampung Jemeri and Jalan Kuantan-Segamat are still impassable to traffic.

In KELANTAN, the number of flood victims increased to 4,112 this morning from 3,466 last night following rising water levels in Sungai Kelantan and Sungai Golok.

Kelantan police flood operations room spokesman said Pasir Mas topped the number of evacuees with 2,245, Tanah Merah (907), Kuala Krai (357), Kota Baharu (308), Tumpat (171), Machang (105) and Jeli (19).Jalan Pasir Mas-Rantau Panjang was closed to all vehicles as the road is submerged in two metres of water while Jalan Pantai Cahaya Bulan in Kota Baharu is still impassable to light vehicles as it is under 0.5 metre of water.

State Drainage and Irrigation Department said water level in Sungai Kelantan at Tangga Krai flood-gauging point had surged to 24.21m (danger mark 25m), in Kusial, Tanah Merah, brimming at 17.15m (danger point 16m) and at Tambatan Diraja in Kota Baharu, hovering at 5.56m (danger level 5m).The level in Sungai Golok at Rantau Panjang is 10.40m (danger point 9m).Meanwhile, the body of Mohd Halimi Hussin, 19, who fell into Sungai Rasau in Pasir Puteh on Dec 8, was found floating at about 6.30pm yesterday in the Semerak canal, six kilometres from where he went missing.

Fishermen fishing in the canal stumbled upon the body of Mohd Halimi, the 12th casualty in Kelantan, Pasir Puteh fire and rescue station officer-in-charge Khairuddin Yahya said.

In JOHOR, more flood victims have returned home following improving weather over the past three days, leaving only 3,808 evacuees at 48 relief centres.

Johor flood operations room spokesman said Muar district had 1,779 victims, the highest in the state, followed by 187 in Batu Pahat and 91 in Mersing.In SEGAMAT, Jalan Pagoh-Tekam at Simpang Batu Badak and Sungai Labis, Jalan Kuala Paya-Balai Badak at Serakit, Jalan Segamat-Tangkak at Sungai Bunggor Bridge) are still closed to traffic.

In MUAR, Jalan Pagoh-Labis at Bukit Kepong, and in Mersing, Jalan Tanah Abang are also impassable to all vehicles.In TERENGGANU, the situation in flood-stricken areas is improving, with only 12 evacuees from one family from Kampung Cengal Batang in Besut being sheltered in a surau at the village.

Terengganu police flood operations room spokesman said all roads have been reopened to traffic while water levels in major rivers have dwindled to normal points.

Kekalkan Keamanan dan Keharmonian Malaysia

Share the task of ensuring peace and harmony for continued economic development – that's the call of the Prime Minister to all Malaysians.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the responsibility of maintaining peace and harmony in the country did not rest on his shoulders alone but on all races.

“We're all together in this, as it is our collective responsibility, and we should respect one another and not make baseless accusations against each other.

“I want us to continue to live peacefully and harmoniously as citizens of this country,” he said at a meeting with leaders and members of the Indian community here.

The Prime Minister admitted that although much had been done by the Government for the people’s well-being, problems still arose from time to time, which required the collective effort of all to be resolved.

“Problems will be there but we work at overcoming them. Give us a chance to develop this country. What needs to be done, I will do, but it will take time. That is the nature of my work.

“I will strive to ensure that no race will lag behind in any field. I will not fail you,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the Government balanced its help on the basis of the country's racial composition, where the Malay community was the largest, followed by the Chinese and Indians.

“The Government will help whatever it can but to do my job, the country needs to peaceful and safe.

“That is why I had to take action recently,” he said, referring to the arrest of five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act.

Abdullah, who is Kepala Batas MP, said it was a responsibility he had to carry out although there have been criticism and unhappiness over the action.

“This also happened to Jemaah Islamiah (JI) and Al-Ma’unah and they are my people, who believe in the same religion. But I had a duty to carry out.

“What is wrong is wrong. The law is colour blind. You must remember that we want Malaysia to be a peaceful place. We resolve problems by discussing them,” he said.

During the meeting, 14 Indian associations in Kepala Batas also handed a letter to Abdullah highlighting the needs of the community there.

The JI orchestrated four deadly bombings in Indonesia, including the 2002 and 2005 attacks in Bali which together killed 222 people, many of them tourists.

Al-Ma’unah, an extremist religious group, wanted to overthrow the Government by force and attempted an arms heist to further its cause, leading to a face-off with police and the armed forces at Bukit Jenalik in Perak in 2000.

Syed Hamid Albar Pertikai Amerika

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar yesterday said Malaysian police action against demonstrations and rallies in recent weeks was to maintain peace and stability and was within the norms of universal practice.

Hence, he said, it was unfair of the United States to claim in its annual human rights report that the Malaysian government placed significant restrictions on the right to assemble peacefully.

Syed Hamid said: "If they (demonstrators) want to get together within the law and not cause problems to other citizens, the government will have no problem with that. But if they want to jeopardise public safety, we definitely have to take action."

What our police and other authorities have done is acceptable worldwide. They have been very cautious before taking action.

"But public freedom does not mean chaos. Even the US government will not allow this to happen in America." Syed Hamid said freedom did not mean people could do whatever they liked without adhering to the law.

He also took a dig at the US' own human rights record, as it has unilaterally detained thousands of people without trial in Guantanamo Bay.

US soldiers have also been found to have murdered and tortured hundreds of people in the detention camp and in Iraq.

"We should not over-react to US comments because they themselves have a lot of things in their backyard. They should try to settle their own problems and not interfere.

"Syed Hamid added that the US government clearly did not understand the situation in Malaysia. "Even their comments that immediate measures be taken to prevent further destruction of places of worship is not fair.

"I have not seen many temples in other countries but in Malaysia, there are over 70,000 temples. In some places, we even have problems getting approvals to build mosques."

A US Congress-appointed commission had expressed concern at the "destruction" of temples and other alleged discrimination faced by religious minorities in Malaysia.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom had urged the administration of president George W.

Bush to raise the matter with KL and insisted that immediate measures be taken to protect sacred sites and prevent further destruction.

On the US human rights report, Syed Hamid said: "The US writes reports on every country because they think they are the superpower."

Americans who have been to Malaysia know the exact situation in this country.

There is no need for us to reply or protest."Syed Hamid said he would be meeting foreign mission heads and representatives to explain the situation in the country so that they would know the truth.

Syed Hamid added that the Indian government knew for a fact that the Indians in Malaysia were not being mistreated.

Tan Sri Haidar Ketuai Suruhanjaya Siasatan

Former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor, who chaired the three-man independent panel of inquiry into the infamous videoclip purportedly showing a leading lawyer brokering the appointment of judges, has been appointed chairman of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the clip.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has also consented to the appointment of retired Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar, who also served on the earlier panel.

The other members of the commission are former Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Steve Shim Lip Kiong, former Solicitor-General Puan Sri Zaitun Zawiyah Puteh and Suhakam commissioner and Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim.

Serving as secretary is Datuk Abdullah Sani, the director-general of the Legal Affairs Division in the Prime Minister’s Department.

The commission has three months to complete its work.

The PM’s office said in a statement yesterday that the Cabinet had agreed on Dec 5 to present to the King for his consent, the names of the commission members, the terms of reference and the duration of the enquiry.

The King consented to the establishment of the commission with effect from yesterday.

The commission’s terms of reference are:

* To enquire and ascertain the authenticity of the videoclip;

* To enquire and identify the speaker, the person he was speaking to and the persons mentioned in the conversation;

* To enquire and ascertain the truth of the content of the conversation;

* To determine whether any act of misbehaviour has been committed by persons identified or mentioned in the clip; and

* To recommend appropriate action against those found to have committed any misbehaviour.

Noting that the commission was established under the Commissions of Enquiry Act, Haidar said that it could subpoena witnesses and take evidence under oath.

Dr Khoo said in an interview from Terengganu that the establishment of the commission showed the Government was serious about addressing the matter.

“I will do my best to see that everything is done correctly so the public will not be dissatisfied,” said the only non-lawyer on the panel.

“I have not seen anything; my knowledge on this is confined to newspaper reports,” he said when asked whether he had read the independent panel’s report since the commission’s first term of reference was also to inquire into the authenticity of the videoclip.

“We are lay people and we will need expert opinion to help us with the technology aspect of the inquiry,” said Dr Khoo.

On Nov 16, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that a Royal Commission would be established to inquire into the videoclip that was made public in September.

He said the decision to form the commission was based on the reports of the independent panel – comprising Haidar, Shankar and social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye – which was set up to determine the authenticity of the videoclip.

Insiden Terbaru Tol Jelapang

Seven people in a tour bus were killed in a crash at dawn today, yet again at the infamous Jelapang Toll Plaza of the North-South Expressway, near Ipoh, the scene of more than 140 road fatalities since its opening in September 1987, claiming 142 lives.

The bus ferrying a Kuala Kedah Wanita Umno delegation on a holiday to Cameron Highlands crashed into the rear of a latex-laden tanker at the toll plaza at 4am, killing the driver, his assistant and five passengers.

Twenty-eight passengers were injured, four of them seriously, and were treated at the Ipoh Hospital. Twenty were warded while eight were given outpatient treatment.

Firemen had to use the emergency exit at the rear of the bus to rescue trapped passengers and remove the bodies.Ipoh Fire and Rescue department spokesman Supt Nazri Zakaria said his men found two bodies lying outside the bus.

"The passengers were trapped in-between the bus seats which had been dislodged and sent crashing to the front portion of the bus."They were lying on top of each another. There was panic all around as they were in shock and trauma," he said.

The two bodies, that of a man and a woman, were stuck at the tyre portion.Police identified the bus driver as Lim Teh Lee, 49, and co-driver, Saad Salleh, 45.

The passengers killed were Siti Rosedah Ibrahim, 46, Puteh binti Mat Isa, Mohamad Hussin, 50, his 15-year-old daughter Nur Shuhadah and Dahara Mohamad, 58.The four victims with serious head and body injuries were Che Som Yusoff, 51, Halijah Hanafiah, 52, Sipah Sulaiman, (age not given) and a man who has yet to be identified.The other victims were Fatihah Shafie, 14, Zurina Nayan, 47, Mohd Aminuddin Ramli, 20, Fatimah Rojaan, 40, Hakis, 8, Hasiah Lebai Cha, 53, Rohani Hashim, 56, Umi Kalsom Wan Dollah, 16, Mohd Shukri Hasin, 8, Haminah Nikmat, 56, Nurfazilah Abdullah, 14, Mohd Muhsi Ahmad, 11, Faridah Mohd Nor 44, Nurhashimah Mohd, 18, Shamshum Ishak , 52.Mastura Izzati Mat Isa, 17, Shahhasliza Hussein, 22, Habibah Yaakub, 33, Yom Wahab, 52, Assariza Derani, 38, Siti Aishah Saidin, 17, Normah Hanafi and two women who had yet to be identified.The unidentified tanker driver was unhurt in the mishap.

One of the passengers, Haminah Nikmat, said the bus was travelling at high speed downhill after emerging from the Menora tunnel towards the Jelapang toll plaza a few kilometres away."After passing the tunnel the bus was travelling very fast downhill.

When it approached the toll plaza someone in front suddenly shouted that the brakes were not working. I was seated somewhere in the middle.

After the bus crashed into the lorry, the front part and my seat were close to the roof of the bus," she said.

Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu expressed sadness over the tragedy which occurred just months before the toll plaza is relocated.

The toll plaza's relocation, about one kilometre away from the present site, is expected to be completed by middle of next year, he told reporters after visiting the scene with Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali.

The toll plaza, located at a foothill, has been the site of several fatal accidents, prompting the government's decision to relocate it for motorists' safety.

"We expect the spate of fatal accidents at the Jelapang Toll Plaza to be a thing of the past by middle of next year when the plaza is demolished," said Samy Vellu.

In Alor Star, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid has ordered Kuala Kedah Umno to make funeral arrangements for the dead and assistance to the victims' families.

Family members had claimed the bodies for burial.According to Kampung Kubang Jawi Village Development and Security Committee chairman the bodies of Nur Shuhadah and her father, Mohamad, Siti Rosedah and Puteh will be buried at the Kampung Kubang Jawi muslim cemetery tonight.

Co-driver Saad will be buried at his hometown in Permatang Pauh, Penang, while Daharah will be laid to rest at the Lorong Mayat muslim cemetery in Kuala Kedah.Lim's body will be handed over to his family in Pekan Air Hitam, near Alor Star.

Kaum India Komuniti Termiskin di Malaysia?

The Hindu Rights Action Front's (Hindraf) claims that the Indians are the poorest community in Malaysia are false.

Instead, statistics show that Bumiputeras have the lowest monthly average household income compared to the other two main races in the country, the Indians and the Chinese.

Economic Planning Unit (EPU) director-general, Datuk Dr Sulaiman Mahbob said that the average household income for Indians in 2004 stood at RM3,456 a month, while Bumiputeras only had a monthly average household income of RM2,711.

For the Chinese, monthly average household income was at RM4,437.

Sulaiman said that the poorest people were the indigenous communities living in Sabah, Sarawak and the rural populations in Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah.

"The poverty rate in our country was 5.7 per cent in 2004 and we plan to reduce this figure to 2.85 per cent by 2010, and to fully eradicate hardcore poverty by 2010," Sulaiman said at the start of a three-day international conference on poverty and income inequality in the 21st century.

Sulaiman also said that a high level of inequality contributed to a high level of poverty since only a smaller share of income was obtained by those at the bottom of the income distribution.

"Moves to counter the inequality are already in motion and it will reach out to everyone who fall under the 5.7 per cent category," he said while stressing that eradication of poverty is irrespective of races.United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Dr Richard Leete, said that one reason why households remained in poverty was the demographic trap.

"Poverty is often associated with demographic patterns, and in rural areas and least developed states, families have a higher number of children."And in such situations, adequate human capital, education, good nutrition and health cannot be provided and they appear to be locked in an intergenerational cycle of poverty," said Leete.

Thus with the launching of the publication Malaysia: Measuring and Monitoring Poverty and Inequality, poverty levels can be identified in a micro level with a detailed analysis.

The book which is a joint effort by EPU and UNDP determines the poverty levels among sub-groups of the population such as children and women.

Sulaiman also said that poverty rate, on a macro level, had gone down significantly, and it was now important to look at grassroots level to eradicate poverty completely."

Malaysia has managed to reduce the incidence of poverty and income inequality while achieving rapid economic growth and maintaining racial harmony.

"But now there is a need to go lower and examine the profile of people who fall under the 5.7 per cent category, identify who they are and find out the reason they live in poverty," he said.

Sulaiman, in his opening address had also said that Malaysia's Gini coefficient which measures income inequality within a population is at 0.46 -- the highest in the region while poorer countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos have lower scales.

The International Poverty Conference: Poverty and Inequality in the 21st Century, which ends tomorrow, aims to address poverty and inequality within Malaysia and beyond.

Himpun di Parlimen: 29 ditahan

Police arrested 29 people who snubbed a court order and went ahead with an illegal gathering at the Parliament House yesterday.

They were detained after they showed up to submit a Bersih memorandum to protest against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to extend Election Commission members’ retirement age from 65 to 66.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PAS and Parti Socialist Malaysia leaders were among those arrested at Parliament House.

The Dewan Rakyat passed the Bill yesterday with more than a two-thirds majority after Opposition MPs staged a walkout.

Seventeen of those arrested were released on police bail and the rest freed unconditionally.

Elsewhere, Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P. Uthayakumar was charged and detained over alleged seditious offences.

Pak Lah: Saya Utamakan Keselamatan Awam

Public safety before public freedom will be the government's top priority and there will be no hesitation in taking the stiffest action against irresponsible people, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“If the choice is between public safety and public freedom, I do not hesitate to say here that public safety will always win.

“I will not sacrifice my sense of accountability to the greater public, especially in the face of police intelligence about planned fighting or other violent intent.

“We must never ever take our peace for granted. We must continue to be responsible to each other,” Abdullah said at the Khazanah Global Lecture Series organised by Khazanah, the government's investment arm.

He said responsibility was an integral value of the nation today as it was in 1957 or 1969.

At a question-and-answer session, Abdullah said he had a duty to perform and that God knew he was “still clean” and that he had no reason to change.

“If I were to sign an ISA detention order, I will do it without feeling any guilt because I have to do my duty.”

Asked on steps taken by the Government to maintain racial harmony, Abdullah said that if anyone broke the law, he would deal with them by enforcing the law.

He advised certain quarters not to play the racial card to seek votes in the general election.

Stating that he was worried because voters were easily persuaded, Abdullah advised Malaysians to show the Government what they really wanted through elections.

He said he had been the Prime Minister for only five years and not much could be expected from him as there was a lot to do.

“People are criticising me, things take time to grow. I want to succeed more than anyone else because I feel responsible,” he said.

Earlier, when describing the characteristics of a true Malaysian in his speech, he said the person would understand the impact of careless words and actions.

“A true Malaysian is acutely aware of who will be provoked into retaliation and who will actually suffer the consequences and will try to be judicious in word and deed, even when striving for change,” he said.

Abdullah said the various groups have their own set of demands and sensitivities and that true Malaysians would understand that the situation demanded balance, conscientiousness and a sense of accountability to the whole society rather than to a few.

Lapan ditahan

Police detained four lawyers and four activists for taking part in an illegal march yesterday.

Another lawyer was later detained for obstructing Kuala Lumpur City Hall officers from removing banners from the Bar Council building.

The four lawyers – R. Sivarasa, PKR vice-president; Latheefa Koya, PKR supreme council member; N. Surendran and Amir Hamzah – were arrested as they reached Jalan Tun Perak while Edmund Bon was picked up outside the Bar Council building in Lebuh Pasar.

The four activists detained were Eric Paulsen, Ashraf Ali, Norazah Othman and Anthony Andu.

About 100 lawyers, activists, bloggers and members of non-governmental organisations gathered near the Sogo Shopping Complex at 7.30am and walked to the Bar Council building, about 3km away, where events to commemorate World Human Rights Day were planned. The group held a banner during the walk.

There were also some people, said to be family members of Internal Security Act detainees, with surgical masks with ISA written on them.

When the group reached Jalan Tun Perak, an argument broke out between some marchers and the police, who ordered them to disperse. The police then arrested the eight people.

At least 500 police personnel in uniform and plainclothes from the City police headquarters and the Dang Wangi police station were present. No Federal Reserve Unit personnel or water cannon vehicles were seen.

Dang Wangi deputy OCPD Supt Che Hamzah Che Ismail said the eight were arrested under the Police Act for carrying out an illegal assembly. He said he gave the marchers three warnings before making the arrests.

Supt Hamzah denied that he had given the group permission to march at the beginning and gone back on his approval later.

Malaysia, Adil dan Saksama

Malaysians are the most confident in Asia of their country’s free and fair elections, and outrank most of the region in their faith in democracy, according to an international poll.

A new global survey, Voice of the People, conducted by TNS and Gallup International, found three-quarters of Malaysians answered yes to whether “elections in your country are free and fair", the highest among 10 nations in Asia, and exceeding by far the 47 per cent world average.

TNS is a global market insight and information group with offices in more than 70 countries. Gallup International is the renowned polling outfit based in Zurich.

The survey, which included a study on democracy in Asia, was done between June and August this year and involved more than 60,000 people in 57 countries excluding China. The results were released yesterday.

With a sample size of 1,250 Malaysians, 74 per cent felt that elections in this country were legitimate and 69 per cent believed that government was by the will of the people.The sample was selected from urban areas in the peninsula and respondents were interviewed face-to-face.

“This belief in the transparency of elections is in contrast to the sentiment expressed by more than half of respondents across the region who do not consider their country’s election process to be so impartial,”

TNS and Gallup said in a statement.At the other end of the scale, only 16 per cent in Pakistan believed their elections were free and fair.

The others were: India (55 per cent), Hong Kong (51 per cent), Indonesia (58 per cent), Japan (50 per cent), Korea (55 per cent), the Philippines (22 per cent) and Singapore (68 per cent).

The survey also showed that an average of 53 per cent in the region believed elections in their countries were neither free nor fair and 61 per cent did not feel their government followed the will of the people when it came to making decisions.

Around the region nearly eight out of 10 people surveyed (78 per cent) agreed with the idea that democracy might have problems but it is still the best system of government.In Malaysia, 85 per cent believed democracy was best, more than any other country except Indonesia (89 per cent) and Vietnam (86 per cent).

The rest all scored above 75 per cent.Satisfaction in democracy overall was also prevalent in the region. An average of seven in 10 interviewees (73 per cent) declared themselves to be content.About 88 per cent in Malaysia were satisfied with democracy, a higher proportion than the bedrock of Asian democracy, India, with 79 per cent.

The others were: Hong Kong (71 per cent), Indonesia (69 per cent), Japan (79 per cent), Korea (75 per cent), Pakistan (66 per cent), the Philippines (63 per cent), Singapore (81 per cent) and Vietnam (89 per cent).Globally, 79 per cent of the people surveyed believed democracy was the best system and 69 per cent were satisfied with democracy.

LIMA 2007 Bermula

The Ninth Edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) 2007 Exhibition began in this tourist island Tuesday, with a spectacular airshow at the Langkawi International Airport.

The airshow saw Royal British Air Force's Red Arrows performing dare-devil stunts, "Suryakiran" aerobatic team from the Indian airforce and Royal Malaysian Air Force fighter jets displaying aerial manoeuvres and formations.

The displays were witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, foreign and local dignitaries.

Abdullah and Najib will witness signings of several sale and purchase agreements for maritime and aerospace apparatus today apart from witnessing the delivery of six Russian-made Sukhoi jet fighters to the Malaysian government.

This year's LIMA has attracted the participation of 450 defence industry companies from 20 countries to showcase their products and latest aerospace and maritime technologies.

The five-day LIMA is divided into two segments, with the aerospace component at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre in Padang Matsirat, and the Maritime segment at Awana Porto Malai.

Eighty aircraft and 71 ships, including 32 navy and coast guard patrol vessels, are taking part in the exhibitions restricted to only trade delegations and visitors from today till Thursday.

The exhibitions will be opened to the public on Friday and Saturday from 10am to 5.30pm. LIMA ends on Saturday.

Peraduan 'Gores dan Menang' diharamkan

It is the end of the road for scratch-and-win contests. The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is also setting up a task force to book those running get-rich-quick schemes and direct-selling scams.

Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal said the enforcement unit would go after companies which continued offering scratch-and-win schemes.These companies risk losing their licences.

"We are also coming down hard on multi-level marketing companies involved in such scams. We are doing this to protect consumers.

"These schemes are mostly scams and benefit no one," Shafie said.

The ministry said scratch-and-win contests had been abused by several companies, which had represented themselves as direct-selling firms. "They offer many attractive prizes like cash, cars, motorbikes, household items and holiday packages."

It said 20 direct-selling companies had their licences revoked for conducting scratch-and-win activities between 2005 and October."Many complaints have been received on get-rich-quick schemes, lucky draws and scratch-and-win tactics.

The statement said 2005 saw 1,571 cases filed with the Consumer Claims Tribunal, 241 complaints lodged with the police and 1,066 at the Public Complaints Bureau.Between 2005 and September last year, the ministry's enforcement division seized more than RM4 million worth of goods involving 145 scratch-and-win cases.

Shafie had indicated the possibility of banning scratch-and-win contests.He was quoted as saying that he had instructed his officers to look into the matter.They would look into it from the legal, implementation and malpractice aspects.

Meanwhile, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Datuk N. Marimuthu welcomed the move."We want the ministry to learn something from this and not wait till people lose millions."

Marimuthu added that even though scratch-and-win contests had been banned, the ministry should keep tabs on the direct-sales industry."Sometimes, the industry is more intelligent than the regulators and will come up with new scams."

National Consumer Complaints Centre director Darshan Singh described the ministry's move as a "victory for consumers".

"With this, we hope that there will be no more problems arising out of scratch-and-win contests."Consumer Claims Tribunal chairman Rungit Singh said the move was timely due to the large number of cases filed with the tribunal.

"This business cuts across all walks of life, affecting consumers of various backgrounds. It's timely the law has stepped in to stop it."

"Although the tribunal has been bringing companies to book, a ban will send a clear signal that such a transaction is not allowed by law.

"The public should contact the ministry at 1-800-886-800, SMS 32255 or email e-aduan.kpdnhep.gov.my, if they come across scratch-and-win contests.

Cuba Buat Yang Terbaik Untuk Semua Kaum

The country’s progress and development have benefited all Malaysians and no one should be hoodwinked because it is there for all to see, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

“Society, be it the Malays, Indians or Chinese, will gauge us by the level of progress and development we bring to the people irrespective of race,” the Prime Minister said, adding that Malaysians could not be taken for a ride (diperbodohkan) by anyone.

He said the people would use the nation’s level of success and progress to judge how serious the Government was to further develop the country and maintain peace and harmony.

Taking strong exception to the allegations made by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf), he said the nation’s level of success was the key element to ward off the group’s “wild and insane” claims.

Referring to the Hindraf’s allegations that the Government was carrying out ethnic cleansing and had committed atrocities against Indians in Malaysia, Abdullah said the group had gone overboard.

“It’s hard to believe such claims. If we have been doing what they claimed, then there will not be peace and harmony, or political stability in the country,” he said at the monthly gathering of the Prime Minister’s Department here yesterday.

Abdullah said he did not believe any level-headed Malaysian would believe such claims, “but there are those who are gullible enough to believe them and act according to their emotions.”
He reminded police to do their best to stop such wild allegations from spreading.

The outrageous claims made by Hindraf had angered all Malaysians, including level-headed Indians in Malaysia, he said.

“I did not say that we have done everything. There are still poor people among us and we have managed to reduce the country’s poverty level from 50% to 5.7% within the past 50 years,” he said.

He said while the Government was determined and committed to eradicating hardcore poverty by 2010, others seem bent on causing trouble for their “narrow political motives”.

“This sort of chaos should not be happening in our country,” he said.

The Prime Minister noted that the successful development efforts in Malaysia would invoke confidence among the people that the Government was serious in undertaking initiatives to develop the country for the well-being of the people of all races.

Abdullah said that while police dealt with street protestors who were out to create chaos in country, civil servants must continue to improve the public delivery system and carry out all the planned development programmes speedily.

Negara Luar Jangan Jadi Orang Tengah

The Malaysian foreign minister warned other governments not to meddle in his country's affairs Monday after ethnic Indian activists wrote to Britain urging U.N. action over what they alleged was ethnic cleansing in Malaysia.

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Malaysia's government is able to resolve any woes of members of the ethnic Indian minority, and urged them to refer any complaints to the government rather than foreign countries.

"If there is anything that we are dissatisfied with, there are avenues within our system to deal with it. Malaysians don't want foreign interference," he told reporters.

Ethnic Indian activists, who say they suffer discrimination because of an affirmative action policy that favors members of the Malay Muslim majority, cited the demolition of dozens of Hindu temples as evidence of "ethnic cleansing" in two letters sent to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown last month.

They said the moves were an attempt to drive out the ethnic Indian minority.

The activists, from the Hindu Rights Action Force, urged Britain to spearhead U.N. action against Malaysia over the allegations. The group's leader also was traveling to India, Europe and the United States to seek support for the cause.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has angrily rejected the allegations, calling them "lies."

The Hindu Rights Action Force shot to prominence last month when it organized a rally by some 10,000 ethnic Indians in downtown Kuala Lumpur to demand equality and fair treatment in Malaysia. Police dispersed the Nov. 25 demonstration with tear gas, and charged 94 people with taking part in an illegal gathering.

Raptai LIMA 2007: 3 Maut, 11 Cedera

Three Malaysian paratroopers including two women died at sea and 11 were injured Sunday, 02nd Dec, during a training exercise for an airshow on the resort island of Langkawi, military officials said.

The victims were among 138 paratroopers practising a mock "seizure" of Langkawi's airport planned for the airshow's opening ceremony on Tuesday, when strong winds blew them off course and out to the ocean.

"Due to the uncertainty of the wind some of the jumpers were out of range from the proposed landing point so the search and rescue team was activated," said Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) spokesman Zulkiflee Abdul Latiff.

"All were rescued except the three who died and the five injured," he told AFP, adding that the paratroopers were meant to land on the airfield.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi expressed sadness over the tragedy but said he hoped it would not derail the exhibition which global players such as Europe's Airbus and Boeing Co. of the United States are participating in.

"I hope everything will proceed as planned although the organisers will be saddened over the incident," said the prime minister, who is due to open the event on Tuesday, according to state news agency Bernama.

Military spokeswoman Colonel Fadzlett Marican told AFP that a medical report on the victims found that one of the women had drowned while the other two died of hypothermia.

She could not say how long they were in the water before rescuers arrived, but said that an investigation into the accident was ongoing.

Of the 11 injured, six were men and five were women, she added.

Bernama said the bodies of those killed were taken to Langkawi hospital which was under guard by military personnel.

It quoted police as saying that some of the other paratroopers who landed on the beach became entangled in tree branches. Photographs showed showed another parachute over the wing of a transport aircraft parked at the airport.

The Langkawi International Maritime and Airspace (LIMA) 2007 exhibition which runs December 4-8 is being held on the vacation island of Langkawi in Malaysia's northwest.

Organisers said the airshow and exhibition would go ahead as scheduled despite the tragedy.

"We are saddened by the incident, "organising firm managing director Ahmad Dzuhri Abdul Wahab said according to Bernama, adding that infrastructure put in place for the show had enabled the rescue units to respond swiftly.

Anwar Ibrahim kata...

Former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, has told NDTV that India is right in taking up the issue of ethnic Tamils in the country.

Anwar Ibrahim, who is in Mumbai, said that ''the present government has taken a wrong stand on the ethnic conflict in Malaysia.

''He said that ethnic Indians cannot be marginalized and they are part of Malaysia.

Supporting India's stand, he observed that the Indian government has taken a right stand by taking the issue forward.

There was a mild rebuff by the Malaysian government on Saturday following External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's comments expressing concern over the alleged mistreatment of ethnic Indians in Malaysia.

Speaking to the Malaysia-based The Star newspaper foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said ''I hope there is no misunderstanding of what is happening here.''

''If they are talking about Indian citizens, we would understand the concern. But what happened involves Malaysian citizens. If they break any law, it is our right to deal with them in accordance with Malaysian laws,'' said Albar.

Marginalisation of ethnic Indians

Hamid Albar said if foreign governments start to question ethnicity in the country, Malaysia would eventually face a break-up.

Indians account for eight per cent of Malaysia's 27 million people, the third biggest group after ethnic Malays and Chinese.

At least 10,000 ethnic Indians took part in a demonstration, banned by the government, here last Sunday complaining about alleged marginalisation of ethnic Indians in Malaysia and 94 people have been charged.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also said he was ''pained'' at the plight of ethnic Tamils to which a senior Malaysian minister Nazri Aziz ticked him off saying he should ''lay off'' from affairs in Malaysia.

Isu Hindraf: Komen DS Anwar Ibrahim @ 'The Hindu'

Ref: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200712012067.htm

Repression of Malaysian Hindus unacceptable: Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, on Saturday condemned Kuala Lumpur's crackdown on protests by ethnic Hindu citizens last week describing it as "unacceptable".

Talking to the media at the Islamic Peace Conference here, Ibrahim also defended reactions in India, saying that "every country has a right to express its views diplomatically."

"In this age, you can't say that any repression should not be condemned because its country's internal affair...to say `lay off' does not work...," Ibrahim said while referring to the remarks by Malaysian Minister Nazri Aziz against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi who had raised concerns over the "marginalisation" of ethnic Indians in that country.

"Malaysia supports Palestinians...what if Israelis says `lay off'?" he asked.

Hundreds of Malaysian Hindus -- whose forefathers migrated from India mostly as indentured labourers during the British rule -- attempted to march to British embassy in Kuala Lumpur on November 25, but government did not allow and several of the protestors were arrested.

"I support the rally," Ibrahim said, and conceded further that Malaysian Hindus are "marginalised" and most of them are living in "abject poverty".

Ibrahim, who has been Malaysia's Finance Minister when he was part of the ruling dispensation, blamed the "bhumiputra" (son-of-the-soil) policy -- which favoured the ethnic Malays over other communities -- for the conditions of Hindus in that country and also for the current crisis.

"The affirmative action (such as the bhumiputra policy) should not be race-based, but it should be for all the races," he said.

Pak Lah Kesal

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tore into the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) yesterday, saying that it is spreading blatant lies with the intention of arousing hatred among multiracial Malaysians and sparking racial clashes.

Singling out Hindraf’s accusation that the Government was carrying out ethnic cleansing of the Indians in Malaysia, the Prime Minister fumed: “I'm really angry, I rarely get angry but this blatant lie cannot be tolerated at all.”

Abdullah even offered to resign if there was proof that the Government was involved in ethnic cleansing.

He said he did not want the people, especially the Indians, to be misled by Hindraf's unfounded claims and allegations, hoping that other races would not show sympathy towards the Indian activist group.

However, despite his anger during the 20-minute press conference where he dealt mostly with the Hindraf issue, Abdullah pledged to look after the interests and the well-being of the Indian community.

“The social problems faced by the Indian community are clear. I have never said no. We support the Indians but there are some quarters instigating them and making them feel unhappy with the Government,” he said.

Minyak Depa, Suka Hati Depa Laa

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened Friday to stop oil exports to the United States if violence breaks out after a controversial and hotly contested weekend referendum.

He told thousands of supporters in Caracas that he was sending the army to "protect" all of the country's oil fields ahead of the plebiscite on Sunday aimed at bolstering his power by changing the constitution.

"If 'Operation Pincer' is activated Sunday or Monday, there won't be a drop of oil from Venezuela to the United States," Chavez said, referring to what he has often claimed is a CIA operation to topple him from power.

"If this (referendum) is used as a pretext to start violence in Venezuela, (Energy) Minister (Rafael) Ramirez on Monday will order that oil exports to North America be stopped," he said. "I have ordered the defense minister ... to put in place plans to protect our oil fields and our refineries.

As of this night (Friday), they will be protected by the army," he said. Chavez also deepened a running row with Spain, whose King Juan Carlos recently told him to "shut up," by threatening to nationalize Spanish banks in Venezuela if the monarch did not apologize.

The warnings upped the stakes over the referendum, which polling companies said was too close to call. Chavez, opposition figures and analysts have all said they fear a close result will be viewed with skepticism by the losing side and trigger violence.

Venezuela currently exports around 60 percent of the two million barrels of oil it produces per day to the United States, which relies on the South American nation for 11 percent of its oil needs. Relations between Caracas and Washington have long been tense, but Chavez has raised his strident anti-US rhetoric several notches as he has fought to have his referendum pass.

The 53-year-old leftist leader is facing his biggest-ever challenge at the ballot box over the proposed constitutional reforms. Even Chavist loyalists in Venezuela's myriad urban slums are balking at supporting them.

With the result on a knife-edge, Chavez has taken to calling all opponents to the changes "traitors" and portraying the referendum as a struggle between his "economic socialism" and US "imperialism." "A vote 'yes' is a vote for Chavez -- a vote 'no' is a vote for (US President) George W. Bush," he told the crowd Friday.

Protests against the referendum have gathered strength, culminating Thursday in a huge rally that denounced Chavez's plan as a bid to turn Venezuela into a Cuba-like communist state. The proposed constitutional changes would do away with term limits for the president and lengthen his mandate from six years to seven.

It would also allow the government to censor the media in times of "emergency," and take over the central bank and expropriate property to guarantee food supplies. The fiercely anti-US leader, who has nurtured ties with Iran and China, has repeatedly accused Washington of fomenting resistance to him in the country, without advancing any evidence.

"Venezuela: we will never be a colony of the United States or of anyone -- we are free," he said in his rally speech. The US television network CNN was also attacked in his speech. He claimed it had incited his assassination by putting the caption "Who killed him?" under his images this week, and dismissed the network's apology and explanation that it was an on-air mix-up.

Chavez said he was ready to rule "until 2050" if the people wanted him, and he sent a message to his mentor, Cuba's Fidel Castro, saying, in English: "Fidel, how are you?" An editorial attributed to the Cuban leader on Friday warned that the United States may seek to assassinate Chavez.

Chavez has multiplied diplomatic disputes with other countries. As well as the running feud with Spain, he has said he would refuse to deal any more with Colombia, after its president axed him as mediator in negotiations for a hostage swap with leftist FARC guerrillas.

Angguk-angguk, Geleng-geleng

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has assured the people that he is listening with his “big ears” to all complaints and grievances.

The Prime Minister said he was aware of complaints about “what is happening to our economy, ... to this, and that.”

“I listen. The Prime Minister has big ears.

“At times pedih lah telinga ini – macam macam dengar (it is painful to these ears - hearing all sorts of things),” he said at the official opening of SJK (C) Ladang Harcroft in Puchong yesterday.

Abdullah stressed that he was not merely listening, adding that it was his duty to deal with problems and work on remedies.

“We are not keeping quiet. If we do not attend to problems, grouses, feelings of uneasiness, uncertainty and even anger, then one day we will suffer, everybody will suffer,” he said.

“If you are getting impatient, then I’m even more impatient,” he added.

Abdullah said while some matters could be resolved quickly, others took time and some issues needed even more deliberation.

He said the country had gained tremendous ground in eradicating poverty, cutting it down from 50% in 1971 to 5.7% at present.

“This is not something to be scoffed at. We Malaysians have every reason to be proud of the achievement,” he said, adding that the Government would continue to help the people regardless of race.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that eradicating poverty would not be an easy task.

“It’s not something that can be achieved in a short number of years. But we will persevere,” he said, citing education as an important tool in helping people break free from the scourge of poverty.
In a multi-racial and multi-religious country like Malaysia, mutual respect and understanding among the races was essential, he pointed out.

He revealed the workings of his Cabinet, saying that ministers like Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, who is the MCA president, MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Gerakan advisor Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik and Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein often “ganged up” on some issues.

“There is no feeling of difficulty, embarrassment or fear to speak up in the Cabinet on education, religion, culture or economy.

“We are not suspicious of one another. We are friends so we can be sincere and open with one another. That is the truth,” he said, adding that the Cabinet was comfortable with this kind of relationship, which was based on understanding and mutual respect.

“If there is no mutual respect, the Government can never survive in this kind of environment,” he said.

Abdullah reiterated that Malaysia’s strongest asset was its unity, strength and value in diversity.

“This will make Malaysia a truly great nation in the future,” he said.

In HONG KONG, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government was committed to addressing the “legitimate concerns” of any community in Malaysia.

The Deputy Prime Minister, who was speaking at a press conference during his roadshow to promote Malaysia to fund managers, said the rally by the Hindu Rights Action Front was due to exploitation by opposition parties anticipating the general election.

He described the New Economic Policy as an affirmative action policy that benefited all communities.

“Otherwise, this Government would not have been returned to power in each general election,” he said.

Campur Tangan Luar: Tambah Jernih Atau Mengerohkan Keadaan?

The UPA regime may not have spent sleepless nights over agitating Indians in Malaysia, but after a Malaysian minister took on UPA partner M Karunanidhi, the government has been forced to react.

Five days after 10,000 ethnic Indians protested in Kuala Lumpur against the Malaysian government's racial discrimination policies, foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee told an indignant Parliament, "We are in touch with the Malaysian authorities and the matter is being taken up."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, addressing a joint press conference with EU president, Portuguese PM Jose Socrates, said the government was concerned whenever Indian citizens and people of Indian origin were in trouble anywhere in the world. "This is a matter which concerns us. Whenever people of India run into difficulties, it is a source of concern," Singh said.

Making a statement in both Houses of Parliament on Friday, Mukherjee said, "The government remains deeply solicitous about the welfare of people of Indian origin living abroad. There is a large community of people of Indian origin in Malaysia who are citizens of that country. We have friendly relations with Malaysia and we are in touch with the Malaysian authorities in the related matter."

However, officials were vague about what exactly had been done by the government. There was no indication that the Malaysian envoy had been summoned. When questioned, MEA officials said "diplomatic channels" had been used to convey India's sentiments.

India's reaction will likely be confined to a protest about the statement on Karunanidhi. As for the Indian protests, the dominant reaction within the MEA is that the protesters were Malaysians first, so it was largely a domestic matter.

The group of ethnic Indians, mainly Tamils, were taking a petition to the British High Commission "seeking the support of Queen Elizabeth for a class action suit filed in the UK for the exploitation of Indians who were brought to Malaysia as indentured labour." While Malays form about 65% of Malaysia's population and Chinese about 25%, Indians form 10% of the population. The lawsuit demands compensation from the UK for transporting Indians to Malaysia during the colonial era.

Of course, as everyone is acutely aware, the real purpose is to focus the attention of the Abdullah Ahmed Badawi government on the policy of racial discrimination that is also known as the Malaysian "social contract." It was the second largest protest action by the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) in a month. Some of it is undoubtedly directed at elections which may be announced for 2008 rather than 2009.

But, at the bottom of it is the fact that Malaysian government's pro-Bhumiputra economic policies, crafted in the 1970s by Mahathir Mohammed after violent clashes between Chinese and Malays — which said that all businesses and enterprises must have a Malay presence — is fraying at the edges. It is a policy that is a significant deterrent to foreign investors, said business sources, which shows in Malaysia's inability to attract high amounts of FDI.

A Malaysian business delegation currently touring India has been trying hard to entice Indian investment into Malaysia, taking advantage of the Islamic financial system. But it's equally true that the Malaysian government has recently identified some special economic zones where the race quota does not apply. That, however, does not mean Malaysia is likely to revoke this policy anytime soon. Badawi recently described the policy as "sacred."

However, for India, the race protests could be an opportunity. The Malaysian government is already hurting under this policy and India can push the envelope against this to aid Indian investment in Malaysia when India resumes its trade talks with Malaysia in January. Malaysia is already squeezing India on palm oil which has put the brakes on an Asean-India FTA document.

Perbankan Islam

Malaysia views the interest in Islamic banking in China, Japan and here positively because of the country’s competitive edge in this area, Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said.

He said Malaysia had a very good Islamic bond market and these countries could come to Malaysia to issue such bonds.

“We can coordinate and help them with this, given our experience in this area,” he said.

Nor Mohamed, who is here with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on a roadshow to promote Malaysia to fund managers, said after hosting a dinner for Hong Kong-based media agencies on Thursday evening.

He was asked to comment about Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang’s annual policy address last month where he said the territory was aiming to be an Islamic banking centre.

Nor Mohamed said Malaysia’s competitive advantage in Islamic banking came from the fact that the system had been developed over 25 years.

“In a competitive economy, productivity will have to come from new growth areas and Islamic banking is certainly a niche for us.

“It is a new growth centre for us where we have a competitive edge and we have to make full use of it. Islamic banking is the key for us to go forward.”

Nor Mohamed said besides Islamic banking, Malaysia now had a whole array of syariah-compliant products, including Islamic pawn broking.

Bernilaikah RM444,444.44, RM3.5 Juta?

Datin Puteri Shahanaz Hazlin Hamdan yesterday filed for divorce from her husband, businessman Datuk Roslan Hashim.

Puteri Shahanaz, 25, a part-time model, and Roslan, 51, were married a year ago. Puteri Shahanaz, who is the grandniece of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang, turned up at the Syariah High Court here in a purple baju kurung and pink headscarf.

Her lawyer, Dzulkarnain Mohamad, told the court that efforts to hand the notice of the divorce to Roslan were unsuccessful as he was no longer living at his last known address in Shah Alam.He applied to the court for more time as Roslan is believed to be living in Pendang, Kedah.

Syariah High Court judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Yunus, in allowing the application, fixed Oct 10 for re-mention.The couple were married on Sept 9 last year.

Puteri Shahanaz was presented with a hantaran (gift) worth RM444,444.44, a BMW car worth RM250,000, a RM150,000 jewellery set, a 20-carat diamond ring worth RM20,000, designer items and a dowry of RM22,222.22.The wedding was dubbed by the media as the most expensive wedding of the year.

Roslan claimed to have forked out more than RM3.5 million for the wedding. The couple’s akad nikah (solemnisation of the marriage) took place at the bride’s residence in Medan Tok Sira, while the reception was held at the Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Ahmad Shah here. Roslan divorced his first wife Ruslany Kassim in 1997.

Isu HINDRAF: Perlukah Campur Tangan Negara Luar?

Joining issue with a senior Malaysian minister who asked him to "lay off" from the happenings in his country, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Thursday said it was his "duty" to "defend" Tamils and he was prepared to accept any "punishment" for doing so.

Karunanidhi when asked for his response to comments by Nazri Aziz, a minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister's department, said he had done his duty as Chief Minister to request Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take action to mitigate the "sufferings of Tamils in Malaysia."

"If there is any punishment for doing the duty, I am prepared to accept it," he said.

The DMK supremo also made it clear he did not criticise the Malaysian government.

Asked if he had to say anything to Aziz for the harsh comments that he should mind his business, Karunanidhi said "I don't want to reply to his (Aziz) remarks. I don't want to get into a tit-for-tat. It is my duty to defend Tamils."

On Tuesday, Karunanidhi wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking the Centre to take appropriate action to end the "sufferings" of Tamils in Malaysia.

He said he was very much pained at the way in which Tamils in Kuala Lumpur were treated by Malaysian police on November 25 when they had organised a protest rally there.

Aziz was quoted by the Malaysian media as saying:"His (Karunanidhi) place is in Tamil Nadu, not Malaysia. He should worry about his own state. His own state has got problems."

"This has got nothing to do with him ... Lay off," he said.

Karunanidhi's daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi said the recent events involving ethnic Tamils in Kuala Lumpur caused a "lot of conern" because they have been treated "very badly."

TOL 2008: Ada Naik, Ada Tak Berubah, Tiada yang Turun

The toll on six highways will be raised by between 7.69% and 50% on Jan 1 but rates on four major ones, including the closed-toll portion of the North-South Expressway (NSE), will be maintained.

The highways where toll will be increased are the Seremban-Port Dickson Highway (SPDH), the North-South Central Link (Elite), the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE), the Second Link, the New North Klang Straits Bypass (NNKSB), the two ends of the NSE at the Johor Causeway and the Bukit Kayu Hitam toll plaza.

The Causeway and Bukit Kayu Hitam are the only two open toll portions of the NSE. A closed-toll system is where road users pay according to the distance travelled while the open concept charges a fixed fee regardless of mileage.

Elite is operated by Expressway Lingkaran Tengah Sdn Bhd, BKE by Malaysia Mining Corporation and NNKSB by Syarikat Konsesi. Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong. The NSE, SPDH and the Causeway are operated by PLUS Highway.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Samy Vellu said that the rates were decided on during the Cabinet’s meeting yesterday.

Maintaining the toll on the four expressways will cost the Government about RM242mil.

For the Ampang-Ulu Kelang Elevated Highway, the Government will pay the concessionaire RM26mil, the North South Highway RM145mil, the Sprint Kerinchi and Damansara Link RM32mil and Penang Bridge RM39mil.

The Government will also pay RM75mil for 2008 for the second as well as the last instalment to Syarikat Konsesi Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong for reducing toll rate from RM2.10 to RM1.60 and another RM27mil for not increasing the toll for the NNKSB for 2005 to 2007, he said.

“The compensation is only an estimated figure and will depend on actual traffic usage,” he said.
The reason for increasing toll rates at some of the highways was because there was low traffic, Samy Vellu said.

The toll charge increase ranges from 10 sen to RM10.70, according to the ministry.

The 50% toll hike affects car users at the NNKSB, which will see an increase of 10 sen to 40 sen depending on the type of vehicle while the highest amount of increase is at the Second Link, ranging from 30 sen to RM10.70.

On whether the decision not to raise toll rates at the four highways had to do with the coming general election, Samy Vellu said that if that was the reason, the Government would have decided not to increase on all highways.

The compensation payout is only for 2008 and the ministry has been asked to work out the cost for 2009 to ensure that the rates would not affect the public adversely, Samy Vellu said.

On whether toll rates would increase again in 2009, he said it would be determined at a later time.

Nasib 88 Peserta Perhimpunan HINDRAF

A total of 88 people who participated in the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rally on Sunday were charged here and in Selayang.

The group, which included a woman and two elderly men, appeared in the courts yesterday after being released on police bail the day before when the remand order against them expired.

While 48 were prosecuted in magistrate’s courts here, 40 others were charged in the Sessions Court in Selayang.

Those charged came from all walks of life: students, taxi drivers, clerks, mechanics, lorry drivers, pensioners, the unemployed and civil servants from various states.

Also charged was Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) national integration chief N. Gobalakrishnan. The 48 people charged here are between 21 and 72. They were calm upon hearing their charges and were granted bail of between RM1,500 and RM3,000 each.

Each was accused of displaying a show of criminal force to instil fear on police who were discharging their duty at various main roads in the city on Sunday.

They faced an alternative charge of being in an unlawful assembly that day.

They also faced a second charge of continuing to be in an unlawful assembly knowing that there was an order to disperse.

They claimed trial to all the charges.

Yesterday, two arrest warrants were issued by a magistrate against two men who failed to turn up in court to answer their charges.

Magistrate Ahmad Solihin Abdul Wahid issued warrants against E. Jayaraman, 48, and M. Selvanathan, 45, on an application from the prosecution, saying that the police bail on the two expired yesterday.

R. Magiswary, 45, who was supposed to face similar charges, produced a medical chit through her lawyer for her absence from court. The court set Dec 10 to mention her case.

DPP Adilla Ahmad told the same court that K. Thirushul, 21, was given a special exemption as he was sitting for an examination. Two others did not turn up in court to answer their charges.

In one of the courts, lawyer Saha Arunasalam raised a preliminary objection, saying that the charges framed against his clients were defective but the magistrate dismissed it and set Jan 29 for mention.

In Gombak, 40 men were charged with being at an illegal assembly in front of the Sri Subramaniar temple along Jalan Besar Batu Caves on Nov 25 between 1am and 8am. Each of them also faced a similar alternative charge as the 48 in Kuala Lumpur. All of them claimed trial.

Lawyer M. Manoharan then asked for his clients to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, claiming that the charges were defective in that their names were placed in an attached document instead of the main document.

However, DPP Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud said that granting the 40 men a discharge at this stage would amount to the court not adhering to the law.

Judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz said she would decide on the application today.

Police beefed up security at the Kuala Lumpur and Selayang court complexes with over 100 personnel by 7.30am to avoid any untoward incident.

Those who wanted to get into the Jalan Duta court complex were earlier screened by police at its entrance.

Perkampungan Hadhari Melaka, Sabtu Minggu Ini

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is scheduled to open the Melaka-level "Hadhari" Village at the Tanjung Bidara beach square in Alor Gajah on Saturday.

State Human Resource, Health and Consumer Affairs Committee Chairman Datuk Abdul Karim Sulaiman said today the opening, at 9.30am, would coincide with Abdullah's one-day visit to Melaka.

"About 50,000 people are expected to attend the function and listen to the speech to be delivered by the prime minister," he told reporters at the Melaka Media House.

Abdul Karim, who is the state assemblyman for Tanjung Bidara and co-chairman of the event, said 10 exhibition stalls on the principles of Islam Hadhari (Civilisational Islam) would be set up over a one kilometre distance along the road from the square to Balai Cerap in Kampung Balik Batu.

Operators of small and medium enterprises and government departments and agencies as well as village development and security committees would also set up stalls.

"The organisers are trying to get the country's first astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha to meet the people and talk of his space adventure," he said.

Abdul Karim said Abdullah would also launch the Federation of Malay Economic Bodies (Gabem) for the southern region at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh at 11am.

At 2pm, Abdullah would open the Masjid Jamek in Jasin and at 4.30pm officiate a flood mitigation project in Durian Tunggal, Alor Gajah.

He said the prime minister would wind up his visit to the state by taking a boat ride on the Melaka River and going on a stroll along Jonker Walk in Bandar Hilir.

EBay rises after PayPal's Friday gains

Shares of eBay Inc. rose Tuesday after the online auctioneer said its payment service PayPal posted a 33 percent rise in online payment volume on the day after Thanksgiving compared with last year's Black Friday.

EBay shares added $1.52, or 4.9 percent, to $32.52. In the past year, the stock has moved between $28.60 and $40.73.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is commonly known as "Black Friday," because it is traditionally the day of the year when a jump in consumer spending makes stores profitable.

EBay also said that it was the most-visited e-commerce site on Friday, according to Nielsen//NetRatings, with 5.4 million unique visitors.

The company added that on the Monday after Thanksgiving -- often a big online shopping day -- traffic to merchants through its Shopping.com property rose 28 percent year over year.

From Friday through Monday, Shopping.com's traffic to merchants rose 30 percent year over year, eBay said.

EBay predicted Tuesday that its sites' busiest shopping day will be the second Monday in December. During the past several years, customer traffic and revenue to eBay site Shopping.com has been higher on that day than on the Monday after Thanksgiving, Shopping.com Chief Executive Josh Silverman said in a statement.

Also Tuesday, J.P. Morgan analyst Imran Khan said in a client note that eBay is trying longer-term promotions and promotions aimed at specific features meant to improve the site for users.

"This approach has resulted in less day-to-day volatility in new listings than in the year-ago quarter, when promotions tended to focus on pricing. We think a site with less volatility of listings is more likely to provide a better user experience," wrote Khan, who rates the stock "Overweight."