My 2010 Wish: To Stay Healthy and Be Happy

Beginning of 2009, I was suffering from stomach ulcer.

I had throbbing pain in my stomach almost every day and it reached a level that I could no longer bear with it. It was not like as though you were having a splitting headache. No. It was something like gastric pain.

After my umpteenth visit to the clinic, a panel doctor at Bukit Antarabangsa referred me to a specialist (gastroenterologist) at Ampang Puteri. The first visit ended with me being warded at the hospital. I had to undergo endoscopy.

It was the start of a series of visits and of course, more endoscopies. The early part of the year was filled with appointments with the doctor, and later warded.
The finding was that pain killers were the cause of this horrible pain!

I couldn’t recall taking many pain killers, but was very sure that I was a faithful consumer of panadol. However, I was told that panadol was pretty mild to be classified as pain killer. He didn’t say I should stop taking panadol but told me to stop taking pain killers!

Since then, I would be extra cautious when taking any medicine for whatever pain that I had to go through. I even told my panel doctors at this particular clinic near my house, not to give me pain killers in his or her prescription.

However, there were times, I had no choice but to take panadol for my headaches. Not too often though.

The year 2009 also saw several people struck by a killer disease – stroke. It took the lives of my younger brother and the husband of my staff – and all, due to stroke. The husband of another staff is now paralysed due to a stroke.

Life is such. You don’t know when some disease may get into your body’s defence system. At this golden age, you become more susceptible to all kinds of illnesses.
I envy those who stay healthy till they breathe their last.

I am not in my best of health. I do have early symptoms of arthritis, according to a doctor. My problem is I hate to exercise and would rather take the short cut by going to an Indonesian masseuse (tukang urut) to relieve the pain.

I will be retiring in March 2011. This means that I will be in office till end of the new year, as prior to retirement, I would have to take my leave.

Many things are in store for Bernama employees in the new year as the proposed restructure of our organisation, which is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture, will take place.

The Public Service Department (JPA) has in principle given the nod to the changes, which will see the creation of new posts and units, especially in the Editorial Department.

InsyaAllah, if everything goes according to plan and schedule, the restructure will be realised, the earliest in March or latest by June this year.

God willing, with the blessing of the Almighty Allah, I will enjoy the benefits from the restructure when I retire in 2011.

Here’s wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2010!

Saturday And Stroke Bring Sad Memories

It was an unfortunate coincidence that deaths came a knocking on a Saturday due to a killer disease – stroke.

My younger brother died on Saturday, Oct 3 and so did Nasriah Darus’ husband, Nik Hasmi, who died at the general hospital last night after being in a coma for more than a month over a stroke.

Nasriah is Assistant Editor of the Malay Subs Desk of Bernama Economic Service. Her 44-year old husband, who was attached to Risda, was survived by a son. His remains were buried at the Muslim cemetery in Batu Caves before Zohor prayers today.

For Nasriah, Saturday was the saddest day of her life as Nik Hasmi left her with no parting words. During the last few weeks, she had been spending sleepless nights in the hospital, and during the days, she would be in the office.

In the early stages when he was struck by the killer disease, she took leave to be by his side. There were occasions when he would make some gestures, and was told by the doctor that he could hear people around him speak.

His conditions worsened lately as he had a fever. Nik Hasmi breathed his last at 7.45 pm.

At the Ar-Rahimah mosque, Nasriah was in between sobs when she reminisced the days she spent with her husband at the hospital. But there was also a wish from her husband before he had the stroke – that he didn’t want her to be at the resting place on the day that he dies.

Perhaps, that was a premonition for her. It was the last journey for him, and he didn’t want to her cry at the burial place as he was leaving for the next life. It was not easy for her, but she had to abide by his wish.

The most touching moment was when her 18-year old son led the prayers for his late father.

Najib, my late brother’s son, would have been in Nasriah’s son’s shoes, had my brother died when his son was much older. Najib was only 12 when my brother Yunus died of stroke. At a young age, a tearful Najib recited the Yasin prayers after his father succumbed to the killer disease at the General Hospital’s ICU. My brother died at 10 am.

Alfatihah. May Allah bless their souls.

A Case of ‘Ali Baba’ And the Forty Thieves

Remember the story ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ from the ‘1001 Arabian Nights’, which takes place in Baghdad during the Abbasid era?

One day, Ali Baba overhears a group of forty thieves visiting their treasure store in the forest. The treasure is in a cave, the mouth of which is sealed by magic.

It opens on the words “Open, Simsim” (commonly written as ‘Open Sesame” in English) and seals itself of the words “Close, Simsim” (Close Sesame). When the thieves are gone, Ali Baba enters the cave himself, and takes some of the treasures home.

To cut the story short, Ali Baba becomes wealthy. But Kassim, his rich and greedy brother, who knows about the secret, goes to the cave to take more of the treasure, but in his greed and excitement over the treasures, forgets the magic words to get back out of the cave. The thieves found him there, and kills him.

Back in the present century, Ali Baba is not in the picture. The focus now is on the chief of the thieves, a Brigadier-General.

In the latest fiasco, a Brigadier-General and 40 other armed forces personnel were sacked late last year over their alleged involvement in the case of the missing RM50 million jet fighter engine belonging to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).

Local newspapers reported about the theft of the engine which took place reportedly last year. It was reportedly sold to a foreign buyer when the Brigadier-General was the department head.

Local media said he may also be one of the four men whom Federal Commercial Criminal Investigation Department identified as the main players in the case.

The case is a big blow to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who has placed corruption second among the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the civil service.

Blogger Muhammad Arshad Raji, a retired army officer says “on hindsight, I believe that the government was wrong in keeping silence from public knowledge, this security related issue that has serious national and international repercussions.”

He says, the government will now have to bear the brunt of public odium, and also possibly the loss of public confidence in the government's future handling of serious security related issues. “

“Whatever reasons and justifications that the government has given now has little impact on building and reassuring public confidence, and this does not augur well for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership.

Had the government acted promptly upon the theft being known in 2007, I believe public confidence would not have been badly eroded.”

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail has given his assurance that his chambers would go all-out to solve the disappearance of two F-5E fighter jet engines.

But Najib said there was no cover-up of the theft and sale of the RM50 million fighter jet engine last year.

He said the Defence Ministry and Royal Malaysia Air Force reported the theft to the police immediately after it was discovered and co-operated fully with the authorities to ensure that the matter was thoroughly investigated.

Najib said there would be a full investigation of the thefts, which happened in 2007 and 2008, when he was Defence Minister. However, opposition parties accused the government of covering up the incidents.

Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary leader of the opposition Democratic Action party, said the authorities had been “super slow” and claimed that the prime minister’s response had painted “a frightening picture of a government of thieves”.

In another development, Abdul Gani was quoted as saying that not one but two jet-fighter engines, each worth RM50 million, were stolen from the RMAF base in Sungai Besi.

Both engines served as power plants to the F-5E Tiger II fighter and RF-5E Tigereye reconnaissance jets.

The Attorney-General said the two engines were discovered stolen in May last year. RMAF had lodged a report with the police on Aug 4 last year.

The General Electric J85-21A engines, each worth about RM$50 million, were spares for the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Northrop Grumman F-5E Tiger II fighters, which fly from the Butterworth air base near the country’s northern border with Thailand.

Defence Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the engines and associated equipment were “believed to have been sent to a South American country” after being moved to the Sungai Besi air force base in Kuala Lumpur for maintenance.

The defence ministry would not identify the company or the country involved or comment on claims in the Malaysian media that the engines may have ended up in the Middle East.

The F-5 went out of production in 1989 but is still flown as a trainer aircraft by US forces and is in frontline or reserve service with many foreign air forces.

The defence ministry said several senior officers were being investigated.

Gen. Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin, chief of the armed forces, said the engine thefts might have been “the tip of the iceberg”, raising the possibility that other military equipment might also have disappeared.

What next?

Tribute To My Dear Brother

Dear Blog,

It’s been ages since I last wrote a piece on my Getaran Jiwa.

I had wanted to pay tribute to my youngest brother, Mohd Yunus who died of stroke a week after Hari Raya Puasa. Things happened so fast for him.

My brother only spent two nights in hospital, but death knocked on him much too fast. The Almighty Allah loved him more and spared him the agony of becoming paralysed all his years.

I was shattered when I heard that he suffered a stroke. Our family rushed to the hospital when we heard the shocking news.

He managed to say a few words to us before he was put to sleep. All he could say was to ask for our forgiveness, sending signals that he was leaving us for the next life.

In the morning, he could no longer speak to any of us, but we were told by a doctor, that he could hear us. “Just think of Allah, “ my eldest sister whispered into his ears.

We could not be with him at the bedside then, as it was time for the doctor and nurses to attend to him. All we could do was to recite the Yasin for him outside the ward. When we returned, he was already unconscious.

We were told by the doctor that he had to undergo an operation, after which he would be transferred to the ICU.

It was the next morning that we received the news – that my brother has died.
I could not stop crying –at the ICU and the journey to the Muslim burial place.
He was the closest to me. I wished I could turn back the clock.

It took me some time to get over the sadness. I have had sleepless nights and memories of him – in the morgue and the ICU – were haunting me.

There were regrets on my side – there were limits to what I could do for him. Career-wise, he has not been successful, always in and out of jobs. Life has not been kind to him, but he was a loving father of two kids. They loved him dearly, and were closer to him than their mother, a teacher.

Now that he is gone, may Allah bless his soul. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un.

Don’t Start Another War – Not Over Food La!

It was only like yesterday that Indonesians wanted to ‘ganyang’ (crush) Malaysians after accusing the latter of robbing them off their cultural and national heritage.

Malaysia has recently been accused by Indonesia of using the Balinese ‘pendet’ dance to promote itself in a television advertisement. Prior to this, Indonesians claimed that Malaysia’s national anthem was copied from the Indonesian song Terang Bulan.

After the tension between the people of Indonesia and Malaysia over the pendet dance has somewhat eased, another issue emerged. This time, the war is raging on over the internet between Malaysians and Singaporeans over food. Both claim that nasi kandar and pasembur are theirs.

This came about after Malaysian Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen’s statement that Malaysia would lay claim to dishes such as laksa, nasi lemak, bak kut teh, chilli crab and Hainanese chicken rice.

To our Singaporean friends, nasi kandar and pasembur definitely originate from Penang. Both words are pronounced in the Penang Malay dialect (nasi kanda’ and pasembo’). As long as I can remember, both have always been associated with Penang. Have you heard of Singapore nasi kandar or Singapore pasembur?

According to Wikipedia, nasi kandar is a popular northern Malaysian dish, which originates from Penang. The word nasi kandar, came about from a time when nasi (rice) hawkers or vendors would kandar (balance) a pole on the shoulder with two huge containers of rice meals. The name has remained and today the word nasi kandar is seen on most Malaysian mamak restaurants.

The most famous nasi kandar stalls are Kassim Restaurant and Line Clear in Penang and the Pelita chain. Pasembur is also listed in Wikipedia as peculiar to northern peninsular Malaysia and especially associated with Penang where the best pasembur can be found along Gurney Drive.

It is a Malaysian Indian salad consisting of shredded cucumber, turnip, potatoes, beancurd, bean sprouts, prawn fritters, spicy fried crab, fried octopus, etc served with a sweet and spicy nutty sauce. In other parts of Malaysia, the term Rojak Mamak is commonly used.

I agree with Malaysian celebrity chef Redzuawan Ismail, better known as Chef Wan, who felt that food lovers should not get too excited over the “ownership” of food as “we are all from the same roots.”

“Where are our roots? We are satu rumpun (from one creed),” said the Singapore-born chef, adding that everyone should just eat and let live.

Singapore is more aggressive at branding. Go to any Singapore food website, and see how it has branded a host of famous delicacies like Singapore fried bee hoon, Singapore rojak, Singapore murtabak, and even Singapore satay!

Satay, according to Wikipedia, may have originated in Java, Indonesia, but it is also popular in many other Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam as well as the Netherlands, which was influenced through its former colonies.

Satay was supposedly invented by Javanese street vendors, based on satay becoming popular after the influx of Arab immigrants in the early 19th century.

So, Malaysians and Singaporeans better watch out. Don’t claim satay as yours as the “food fight” on the internet may draw Indonesians to join in. Perhaps, Malaysia can start promoting Nasi Kandar and Pasembur as Penang Nasi Kandar or Penang Pasembur.
Or you can sell Malaysia by labelling it as Malaysian Nasi Kandar and Malaysian Pasembur.

In the spirit of Syawal, let’s have an Open House with food galore of Malaysian, Singaporean and Indonesian food (halal food of course), with Malaysia hosting the event. How about it Dr Ng?








“

When Your Parents Are Dead and Gone

I used to look forward to the long holiday break for Hari Raya when my parents were still alive. It has been 15 to 20 years now and our family home in Seberang Jaya in Penang is still vacant as all members of the family are in Kuala Lumpur, with only my younger sister settling down in Melaka.

Me and my elder sister want to keep the house as we feel that we don’t have to worry about staying in a hotel when we go to Penang or Seberang Jaya for our holidays. At least we can get together in our family home during Hari Raya. The rest don't agree as they want the house sold.

My late parents are buried close to each other at the Muslim graveyard in Permatang Pasir. My eldest sister also lost her husband due to cancer more than five years ago. As she is a housewife with three school going children – all girls – I offered my home to her and the girls.

My eldest sister and her kids are now staying with me in Kuala Lumpur. After their recent graduation, the second sister of the siblings got a job as a reporter in a Malay tabloid, while the eldest finally was offered a bank job this week.

That leaves the youngest, who has a degree in graphic design, without a permanent job. She was working as a customer service assistant at a new petrol station during the fasting month for two weeks until it had to go for a temporary shutdown for reasons which she could not explain.

But Hari Raya has always been spent in Seberang Jaya, with or without our parents. As I have been single all these years, it was much easier for me to spend my Raya with my elder sister and the girls. The rest of my family – brothers and youngest sister – have their own life and family.

In Seberang Jaya, the first day is spent going to the nearest mosque for Aidilfitri prayers, and followed by visits to the graveyards of my parents in Permatang Pasir and my eldest sister’s late husband in Seberang Jaya.

As our Malay tradition, we would either exchange our salam and seek for forgiveness (Maaf Zahir Batin) from each other after prayers or at home after our visits.

I don’t really look forward to going back to Penang as most of my friends are in KL, unlike my sister and the kids, who still have friends in Seberang Jaya. After all, they have been residing in this new township for many years, while I have been away far too long, having spent studying in UiTM, Shah Alam and working in Kuala Lumpur all these years after graduation.

Hari Raya preparation then, that is, when your parents were still alive—was elaborate. It was not so much of the décor -- well, we made it a point to change our curtains every year -- but the furniture’s still the same. But food preparation was elaborate unlike today.

My late mother used to go through the tedious and hard way of preparing her food. It was worse 20 to 30 years ago when we had to use the ‘primitive way’ of ‘grinding’ chilly using the ‘batu tumbuk’ or ‘batu giling’ compared to the present blending machine. Coconuts are also grinded manually using the ‘kelapa parut’ or the so-called wooden horse machine.

The machine is no longer in production and has made way for an electric grinder which has a round cover. Still, this is done manually. All you need is to place half of the coconut on the grinder. You have to do it standing as there is no wooden platform for you to sit like the old wooden horse machine. These machines are available in kampongs and sundry shops.

Many housewives in the city have found the short cut to all these laborious jobs. Coconut milk are usually available in wet markets, but the bad news is you need to queue up and mind you, it’s a long long queue at these markets in the morning, that is one day before Raya.

Modern housewives have even resorted to packaged coconut milk which are equally good. My sister has resorted to this for her rendang and it tastes as good with or without fresh coconut milk.

My late mother used to make the best kuah kacang or peanut gravy on the eve of Raya. We usually eat this with nasi himpit (ketupat nasi) and kuah lodeh. This is our yearly Raya menu. Nasi himpit is usually done the traditional way by placing newly cooked rice into white cloth.

Batu giling (flat stone with a cylindrical stone) is placed on top of the white rice which has been properly tied and flattened. The batu giling adds pressure onto the white rice. Thus, the name nasi himpit. (himpit means pressed or crushed).The nasi himpit will be ready to be sliced the next morning.

Today,my late mother’s kuah kacang recipe has found its way into Matt’s corner, a Malay restaurant in Taman Melawati, which sells kuah kacang and rendang, which are its specialties. Of course at home, you need to pour the kuah kacang gravy in a pot mixed with water and stir it well. It will be ready for serving once you have blended the mixture thoroughly. You can rest assure it tastes home made, and my family and close friend Fatimah, are satisfied customers!

I have not gone back to my family home for Raya over the past few years. I don’t see why not when home is where my heart is – Kuala Lumpur. And Kuala Lumpur being the centre, is now the meeting point for my family members during Hari Raya.

Selamat Hari Raya maaf zahir batin to all Muslims.

Anti-Malaysia Sentiments in Indonesia – Why?

I don’t understand why Indonesians love to hate Malaysia. ‘Ganyang’ seems to be their favourite word when it comes to expressing their anger or dissatisfaction towards their neighbour, Malaysia.

And every time Indonesians cook up a storm in their homeland, their government would assure the Malaysian side that it has nothing to do with the protests, which among others would include burning Malaysian flags.

Malaysia-Indonesia ties have taken a very sharp turn recently. Malaysians would have recalled Sukarno’s ‘Ganyang Malaysia’ (crush Malaysia) declaration in the 60s. According to reports, this growing anti-Malaysian sentiment is spreading all over Indonesia like wildfire.

As far as I remember, Malaysians have not gone overboard as to burn Indonesian flags in Malaysia. Not that I heard of.

It appears that Indonesians are an emotionally-charged and disgruntled lot.

Recently, there was outpouring of anger, including a heated protest outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta, over Malaysia’s supposed theft of the Balinese ‘pendet’ dance to promote itself in a television advertisement. It was revealed that no Malaysian government agency had a role in the advertisement.

The Singapore office of cable television station, Discovery Channel, however, quickly acknowledged that it was responsible for mistakenly featuring the dance in a promotion for its documentary programme ‘Enigmatic Malaysia.’

Earlier, Indonesians also took to the streets venting their anger at Malaysia, with allegations that the Malaysian national anthem – Negara Ku – had been copied from the Indonesian song Terang Bulan.

According to Wikipedia, Negara Ku was selected as national anthem at the time of the Federation of Malaya’s independence from Britain in 1957. The tune was originally used as the state anthem of Perak, which was adopted from a popular French melody composed by the lyricist Pierre-Jean de Beranger.

Another controversy erupted in 2007 after the Malaysian Tourism Board suddenly released the Rasa Sayang commercial, an advertisement used to promote Malaysian tourism industry. Indonesians claim that Malaysia unfairly claimed ownership of the song.

Anti-Malaysia sentiments raged on, with cyber attacks on Malaysia on Sept 1 (Tuesday). According to reports, Indonesian hackers claimed they hit 120 websites in Malaysia on Tuesday.

The hackers said they were acting in revenge against what they perceived as Malaysia’s alleged theft of Indonesian cultural items and abuse of migrant workers, reported the Jakarta Globe.

A statement on a Blogspot blog titled “Terselubung” says that a number of Malaysian websites have been hacked and defaced to “celebrate” Malaysia’s Merdeka Day.

“Today, August 31, 2009, an uncreative country, a country who likes to steal Indonesian culture, a country whose citizen is the mastermind of bombings in Indonesia, a country who harassed Indonesia on the Internet... a country which received their independence from Britain, is celebrating its anniversary,” the website stated.

The site then listed in excess of 120 Internet addresses, including domains for Malaysian educational and tourism pages, reported the Jakarta Globe.

Each link, when clicked, opened to a page with flashing graphics of the Indonesian flag and a statement that the site has been “hacked by Indonesia”.

What next Indonesia?

Indonesia exports human capital in the form of maids. More than 300,000 Indonesian women work as maids in Malaysia. Around 3,000 new maids head for Malaysia every month, most of them placed through specialized employment agencies, according to the manpower ministry here.

Maids file up to 150 complaints every month with authorities in Indonesia alleging ill treatment, overwork, unpaid salaries and physical abuse in Malaysia.

With all these hate sentiments, will Malaysia look elsewhere for maids?

A Tribute To Tai Cheong

Who would have known Tai Cheong workshop before the tragic fire in Ampang on Aug 29 unless you are his satisfied customer?

Three groups of people would have been shocked by the pre dawn fire at the Tai Cheong Car Workshop in Jalan Hulu Kelang on Aug 29. Twenty five cars were destroyed in the blaze.

First, its owner Tai Cheong, his family and workers; second, the 25 car owners; and third, my family who are regular customers of the workshop.

According to news reports, firemen took about three hours to douse the flame in the incident which took place at about 6.15 am.

As in many other cases, tragedies occur when we are in dreamsville. The fire took place during Subuh prayers, about half an hour after Imsak. Some would have chosen to sleep after Subuh, especially on a Saturday.

Damages are estimated at RM950,000 but there were no casualties.

For me and family, Tai Cheong, a few minutes’ drive from my house in Bukit Antarabangsa, is one of the best workshops we have had. We have tried a few others before, but none can match Tai Cheong in many aspects.

It has first class service – The minute you take your car to the workshop, its mechanics, including its owner, will always be there to receive you. I don’t remember the names of the mechanics though, but they know me and family, especially my eldest sister, who loves to haggle for discounts.

Me and my family are Tai Cheong’s satisfied customers. The price’s affordable, and you can expect your car will be in tip-top condition after the service. Its mechanics never let you down. No charges for a small job.

Tai Cheong is no ordinary workshop. Unlike some workshops that I have been too, Tai Cheong will not make you pay for every “dent” in your car or “leak” in your engine!. Unless, your car is really in a bad shape, the mechanic will advise you accordingly, and that too, he will find ways to work within your budget.

Today, as I pass by the workshop, Tai Cheong is in a sorry state. It was only a week before the tragedy that I told my family that my car needed a service. And now, where shall I take my car for the next service?

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

(Merdeka Moments - Photos courtesy of Bernama's Photo Unit)

For the first time, the 52nd day National Day celebration was held at Parliament Square on Aug 31 with the participation of a limited number of people due to the influenza A (HIN1) or swine flu pandemic and the Ramadan month.

For the same reasons, the national level celebration was held on a moderate scale, mostly indoors, in the states.

Bernama marked the day with the raising of the Jalur Gemilang and the singing of Negaraku at Wisma Bernama last Friday. At the event, attended by General Manger Hasnul Hassan and Editor in Chief Datuk Yong Soo Heong, Bernama employees were in high spirits as they sang two other songs Jalur Gemilang and Satu Malaysia.

The celebration, led by maestro Faiz Sanusi from the Sales Department, ended with seven shouts of "Merdeka".

While the 52nd national level celebration has been scaled down, the Merdeka spirit is alive as reflected in the vibrant colours of Jalur Gemilang and the spirit of the people.

The theme of this year's celebration is '1Malaysia: People First, Performance Now.'

Model's Caning Deferred Due To Fasting Month

KUANTAN, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The caning of model, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, who was ordered to receive six lashes of the rottan and fined RM5,000 for drinking beer, has been deferred until after the fasting month.

Pahang Religious Affairs, Dakwah, Unity and NGOs Exco chairman Datuk Mohd Sahfri Abdul Aziz said the state Religious Department (JAIP) had received a directive from the Attorney General's office to defer the punishment until the fasting month was over.

"However, the sentence will remain the same," he said here today.

Kartika who was sentenced to six lashes of the rottan and fined RM5,000 for the offence was scheduled to be taken to the Kajang women's prison today to undergo her caning punishment.

According to reports, JAIP officers had gone to Kartika's house in Sungai Siput, Perak but left 30 minutes later after receiving the orders from their 'higher' authorities.

Kartika, 32, a mother of two, was arrested during a raid at the Legend Hotel lounge in Cherating at about 11.40pm on July 20, last year, for breaching Shariah law, which forbids Muslims from consuming alcohol.

On Aug 18, Syariah Court judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Yunus found Kartika guilty of the offence, and handed out the punishment, seen the first of its kind in the country.

-- BERNAMA

Rotan Issue - Much Ado About Nothing

Come on people, why all the fuss about this Singapore model by the name of Kartika Sari Dewi Sukarnor getting the rotan in Malaysia?

Remember Michael Peter Fay, an American who briefly shot to worldwide fame when he was sentenced to caning in Singapore as an 18-year old in 1994 for theft and vandalism?

Caning is a routine court sentence in Singapore but most Americans were unfamiliar with it, and Fay’s case was the first caning involving an American citizen.

Kartika, 32, a part-time model, hit the headlines – both the mainstream and new media-- for drinking beer at a nightclub in Cherating, Pahang on July 12, 2007.

On July 20, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarnor was ordered to be whipped six times by the Kuantan Syariah Court.

However, in a turn of events, Kartika wanted the court to expedite the sentence.

“I will accept this earthly punishment, let Allah decide my punishment in the hereafter... The court has yet to tell me when the sentence will be carried out, so I would like to ask them to hasten it.

“I truly respect the court's decision... I admit that it's my offence and not that of others, it's not the offence of my parents, not the offence of my other family members,” a teary Kartika told reporters in her home town in Perak recently.

If her sentence is meted out soon, it could be the first time that a man or a woman is caned under Islamic law.

She was drinking beer with her husband in a hotel in Cherating, two years ago when she was caught by Islamic enforcement officers. She pleaded guilty last year.

She was fined RM5,000 and sentenced to six strokes of the rotan by the Pahang Syariah High Court on July 20.

The mother of two, who is married to a Singaporean and is a Singapore permanent resident, paid her fine the following day and decided not to file any appeal.

The caning may sound absurd, but rules are rules. The fact is she is a Muslim. And she knows the rules. She broke the rules and she must accept the consequences.

Based on the Syariah Criminal Procedure Enactment 2002, the whipping tool used must be a rotan or small branch that should be not more than 1.22 metres long and not more than 1.25cm thick.

The whipping has to be done using moderate force and the punisher should not raise the hands over the head to avoid injuring the skin. The appointed punisher must be a fair and mature person, During the punishment, the offender must be dressed according to Syariah law.

Male offenders will be whipped while standing whereas female offenders will be in a sitting position when whipping commences.

Whipping would not be done on pregnant offenders and would only be done two months after delivery. It must not hit the face, head, stomach, breast or private parts - only the buttocks.

The offender's health should be checked by government health officers who should also be present during whipping.

There was public outrage over the caning sentence.

Earlier, women leaders such as Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Titiwangsa Member of Parliament Dr Lo'Lo Datuk Mohd Ghazali had expressed concern over the harsh punishment in relation to the offence.

Muslim lawyers, however, dismissed the criticism, saying they were a challenge and an insult to the Kuantan syariah court.

The issue could have been prolonged had Kartika not expressed her repentance over consuming alcohol.

Kartika is really lucky she’s not getting a real caning!

English From Pre-School: Right Decision

When it comes to learning, especially acquiring a language that is not your mother tongue, you’ve got to start early, and preschool’s the best.

Here’s Tuesday’s announcement on efforts to strengthen the command of the English language, from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin which is front page headline news on The Sun newspaper today:

Preschools To Be Part Of National Education System – DPM

PUTRAJAYA, July 21 (Bernama) -- Preschools will be absorbed into the national education system as part of the efforts to strengthen the command of the English language at the early stage of schooling, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.

He said trained English language teachers would be sent to the schools to help improve the learning and teaching of the language.

Muhyiddin, who is education minister, said the government had agreed in principle to implement the policy but had not set any time frame to do so.

He added that the move would be implemented to correspond with the proposal to make English a compulsory pass subject in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

"If we can set aside a suitable period for the subject, and let trained teachers handle the class, in three years these preschoolers will be able grasp basic English," he said.

By doing so, he said, preschoolers need not wait until they were in primary school to have a good grasp of basic English.

"If the six-year period (in primary school) is not enough, they have five more years to learn the language (in secondary school).

"So, it is unlikely that they will fail their SPM English language examination," he said at a gathering with educators at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here Tuesday.

He said that the government was aware of the concerns expressed by certain quarters over the proposal to make English a compulsory pass subject as many students, especially those in the rural areas, might not be able to achieve the pass mark.

Citing the results of last year's SPM examination as an example, Muhyiddin said, only 26.9 per cent of rural students managed to register a pass in the subject.

The government, however, would not take the "levelling down" approach in implementing the proposal, he said.

"We should instead be brave enough to adopt the 'levelling up' approach by striving to improve the performance among students.

"In the context of the English language, the suggestion to make English a 'must pass' subject is a levelling up approach to improve the command of the language among students so that they can become competitive."

Muhyiddin said the proposal could be implemented soon but the efforts to enhance the command of the English language among students should start now.

-- BERNAMA

Pos Malaysia Delivers One Billion Mails Annually

Despite the stiff competition from modern and instant communication systems, the workload of the postmen has not reduced, delivering an average of one billion letters and parcels annually.

The list of services provided by Pos Malaysia Bhd, which has been in existence for more than 175 years, kept on increasing given its position as the exclusive provider of mail services in Malaysia.

Today, Pos Malaysia, which is listed on Bursa Malaysia, has evolved into a multiple service provider, with volume of conventional mail handled by Pos Malaysia totalling 1.271 billion in 2008, according to available figures.

At a recent briefing for visiting members of Benita, an association of Bernama women employees, a spokesperson of Pos Malaysia said the company was committed to improving its products and services to meet the growing demand of its customers.

Forty per cent of its business are handled in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur, which is the head office of Pos Malaysia has a staff of 2,400, handling an average of 800,000 mails a day.

Most of the mails that Pos Malaysia handles are business-related, such as bank statements, credit card statements, bills, etc.

There are 8,000 postmen in the country, of which 1,600 are in Kuala Lumpur. Of the 1,600 postmen here, 50 are women known as Posnita, who are assigned to do coding duties at the headquarters.

The spokesperson said Pos Malaysia had set before itself realistic service standards, that is, next day delivery after posting for local mail delivery, two days between major towns and 3-4 days between other places in the country.

At present, Pos Malaysia operates a network of over 1,000 outlets comprising General Post Offices, post offices, mini post offices and mobile post offices.

It employs a workforce of more than 16,000 employees throughout the country.

The public can do more than 160 different transactions at the post-office counters, which provide a wide range of services, including collecting payment of utility bills, payment of pensions, renewing road tax and driving licence, as well as paying mobile phone bills.

The postal service, then Postal Service Department, has come a long way from the time when it only delivered letters, newspapers and business documents to Malaysian households nationwide.

Its vast experience formed a strong backbone to support its massive restructuring when it became a corporatised entity in 1992.

In 2003, Pos Malaysia restructured its entire operation into four specific strategic business units -- PosMel, PosLaju, PosNiaga and PosLogistik -- to be more focused on its various customers and marketplace.

Statistics also show that the conventional mail services contributed RM566 million in terms of revenue to the company during the financial year Dec 31, 2008, making it the biggest contributor to the company's revenue.

For 2008, Pos Malaysia posted a net loss of RM33.3 million against a revenue of RM921.7 million, although it made an operating profit.

Its group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Syed Faisal Albar has expressed confidence that Pos Malaysia will return to the black this financial year.

For Faisal, who is formerly CEO of New Straits Times Press Bhd (NSTP), the challenge for Pos Malaysia is to improve the customer service.

Kaka’s ‘Bombers Kiss My’ – This Month’s Flavour

By now, Kaka of Indonesian musical group Slank (pix top left), who removed his jeans on stage at the ‘Anugerah Planet Muzik 2009’ in Jakarta last Saturday, to show his ‘Bombers Kiss My’ message on his underwear to his audience, would have been the flavour of the month.

Searches for news on last week’s bombings at two hotels in Jakarta on the internet could also be diverted to this latest piece of news from the capital city of Indonesia, which hosted the awards show aired live in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

At the ceremony, Slank’s ‘Kuil Cinta’ took the Best Indonesian Song award category.

Whether the Indonesian authorities would impose a ban on Kaka is yet to be seen. But the entertainment media in Malaysia and Indonesia, have also highlighted this ugly episode, with internet portals inviting comments from the public, with many expressing their outrage over Kaka’s behaviour.

Live television shows have had a history of artistes making headlines –not so much for their musical performance—but more for their disgraceful acts. For these shameful acts, these artistes had to pay the price.

In Malaysia, Faizal Tahir (centre pix) courted controversy on Jan 13, 2008 by removing his jacket, singlet and belt before throwing them to the audience of about 8,000 people live on television to celebrate 8TV’s fourth anniversary. The television station’s top management took stern action by giving him strict warnings and requiring him to be involved in charity work for six months.

Two days after the incident, 8TV held a press conference for him to apologise to all who were offended by his stunt. As a result, on Jan 19, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission stated that it would ban him from appearing on television for three months, also bar 8TV from airing live or tape-delayed entertainment programmes throughout the same period effect Jan 15.

The ban ruined his chance to perform two songs (Mahakarya Cinta and Kasih Tercipta) in Anugerah Juara Lagu organized by TV3.

On the international front, Janet Jackson (pix top right) caused a storm while performing in the halftime show of the 2004 Super Bowl, when her co star Justin Timberlake pulled off a piece of Jackson's costume, exposing her right breast.

An estimated 140 million people were watching the show when at the end, pop star Justin Timberlake popped off part of Jackson's corset, exposing her breast.

MTV produced the halftime show, which was broadcast by CBS. Both had issued their own apologies.

A statement from MTV said the tearing of Jackson's costume "was unrehearsed, unplanned, completely unintentional and was inconsistent with assurances we had about the content of the performance.

"MTV regrets this incident occurred, and we apologize to anyone who was offended by it."

Despite its apology, MTV did not hesitate to promote the incident after the fact. A Web page headline said: "Janet Jackson Got Nasty at the MTV-Produced Super Bowl Halftime Show."

Continuing, the Web page said, "Jaws across the country hit the carpet at exactly the same time. You know what we're talking about ... Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and a kinky finale that rocked the Super Bowl to its core."

Up Close and Personal With Ahmad Mustapha Hassan

(Photo by Zuber of Corporate Communication, Bernama)

Ahmad Mustapha Hassan, the author of a book The Unmaking of Malaysia was in Bernama today.

He was not here to promote his book launched in 2007, but to share his experience in managing Bernama as well as being press secretary to former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and the then Deputy Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

At 73, Ahmad Mustapha is still witty and was happy to see some of the early batches of Bernama journalists present during his talk at the Centre of Excellence on the 12th floor of Wisma Bernama.

Among others are former general managers Datuk Seri Azman Ujang (Bernama editorial adviser) and Datuk Syed Jamil Jaafar (Bessar adviser), former Editor in Chief Datuk Abdul Rahman Sulaiman, former Editors Ratna Melan,Amin Husaini, Rachman Norodin (Nam News Network coordinator) and S. N. Rajan (last post as Bernama’s Head of Marketing).

“I thought I will be talking to young reporters, but I am happy to see some familiar faces,” said Ahmad Mustapha, who was happy to note that he is a natural grandfather, or ‘Datuk’ with eight grandchildren.

During the session moderated by Azman, Ahmad Mustapha, who started Bernama’s commercial ventures when he held the post of General Manager from October 1981 to Nov 30 1987, took the audience on his life journey, and paid tribute to Abdul Razak, whom he described as someone who was easy to work with.

He said Abdul Razak had full confidence in him as press secretary, and Ahmad Mustapha knew then that there was a clear career path for him, envisioning that he could move several steps further, right up to holding a ministerial post, or “even minister in charge of Bernama,” he said in jest, drawing laughter from the audience.

But it was fated that his term with Abdul Razak lasted for one and a half years, till the latter’s death and “fate is such, I become the GM of Bernama”, said Ahmad Mustapha, who shot to stardom when he wrote the book, which was critical of Dr Mahathir.

Launched by former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam in November 2007, the 271-page book, published by the Strategic Information and Research Development Centre, details Ahmad Mustapha’s experience working under the two former leaders and comparisons between their leadership styles.

It also touches on how Abdul Razak’s singular goal was to uplift the rural people who had supported the fight for independence.

In his book, Ahmad Mustapha, who is a nephew of Dr Mahathir said the latter did not follow rules and procedures set by his predecessors.

UTM – The Creator of Creative and Innovative Minds

(Photos by Zuber, Corporate Communication)

Today, July 14, I must pay tribute to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), especially its Vice Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang for sharing with Bernama senior management its successes, breakthroughs and its expertise in a wide range of fields, especially in creative technology.

As the name suggests, technology is its forte, and the university, which aspires to be a renowned technological research university, does not want to let its precious research go to waste and remains stored in the laboratories, so-to-speak.

Over the years, the university has made major technological breakthroughs, but not much is known by the public at large. And UTM under Zaini’s leadership wants to change all that and is going all out to promote the university.

Today, he brought along some of his executive committee members to Bernama. At a briefing by Bernama General Manager, Hasnul Hassan, Zaini also shared with us some of its success stories.

Not many people know that Upin & Ipin is the creative product of UTM.

Upin & Ipin is an animation series about two 5-year-old twins, Upin and Ipin telling their first experience fasting for the first time in the month of Ramadan. The story is told in a simple, comical and hilarious way.

Although the series is tailored for the fasting month, it is also suitable to be shown all year round as it has educational and moral values for children.

The man behind the success of the animation series and 3D film is Managing Director of Les’ Copaque Production Sdn Bhd, Burhanuddin Md Radzi who tapped the ideas of some of the young brains from the university who were final year students at the UTM.

Burhanuddin, who had no background in the film and animation field, took the risks by producing the series and the first 3D animation film in Malaysia.

He majored in petroleum and natural gas engineering from the university and has served as an engineer in the national oil corporation, Petronas for 10 years.

His wife, Ainon Ariff is also the driving force behind this creative venture, when she expressed her interest in producing a film. She had earlier been inspired by her friend, whose son had at that time, just completed his studies at the Universiti Multimedia Malaysia (MMU).

Three MMU graduates involved in this project are Mohd Nizam Abd Razak, Mohd Safwan Ab Karim and Muhammad Usamah Zain Yasin, who now form the backbone of Les’ Copaque, holding key positions as executive director, art director and creative director respectively.

Upin & Ipin or Burhanuddin is not the only success story of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, whose slogan is ‘Inspiring Creative & Innovative Minds’.

It has also produced experts in security systems and games technology. Other breakthroughs include producing enzymes which can convert tapioca and sago into high value product for use in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and food industries.

The brains behind this product, known as CGTase, is Prof Dr Rosli Md Illias, who undertook 10 years of research. He embarked on the research through a RM400,000 fund from the Malaysian Genome Institute with the cooperation of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM).

At 41, Dr Rosli is the youngest professor at the university.

Najib's Basket of Goodies For The People

A basket of goodies was unveiled by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last Saturday to mark his 100th day in office as prime minister.

Call it a mini budget, Najib certainly won the hearts and minds of the people, judging from the thunderous applause from the thousands of people who gathered to listen to his speech at three halls at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Criticisms are aplenty too, with some saying that his 11 goodies are not new. What's important is he has delivered his message of reaching out to the people.

Before unveiling the good news, he shared with the audience, his walkabout or 'Tinjauan Mesra' with the people, including flat residents and petty traders at Petaling Street.

It is based on the feedback from the people that he decided to announce these good news on his 100th day in office.

"If I was populist, I would have announced it all on my first day . But I took time to gather the input from the people," he said in an interview over RTM.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, focused on the economy and his leadership style when he first took over office as the country's leader.

With the economy set to contract by between -4.0 percent and -5.0 percent this year, Najib unveiled a slew of economic and financial measures and two stimulus packages worth RM67 billion.

These are the 11 goodies for the people:

1. A 20 per cent discount for users of the pre-paid Smart Tag and Touch n Go cards who pay toll 80 times or more in a month.
2. The government offer for sale of 44,000 units of public housing to people renting these premises in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
3. A 50 per cent discount on the licence renewal fee for hawkers and petty traders in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur with immediate effect.
4. The government's raising by 3,000 the number of taxi permits, the applications for which will be approved over the next three months.
5. The introduction of drastic measures to reduce crime and fight corruption.
6. Facilitating applications for registration of births in Sabah and Sarawak.
7. Construction of additional roads in Sabah and Sarawak.
8. Upgrading of water and electricity supply in Sabah and Sarawak.
9. Reduction to RM211 the fee for learning to ride Class B2 motorcycles of 250cc and below, beginning Sept 1.
10. Increasing by RM150 million the allocation for Tekun Nasional, with RM15 million to be made available for young entrepreneurs from the Indian community.
11. Introduction of the new Amanah Saham 1Malaysia (1Malaysia Unit Trust) with a size of 10 billion units.

Google’s Top 10 Searches in Malaysia

Here’s the list of the Top 10 Google Searches July 3-July 9 (NST):

1 Real Madrid – Malaysians join football fans in Madrid to welcome Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

2 Michael Jackson Memorial – The King of Pop’s memorial service on Tuesday drew Malaysians to the Net in search of the plans and live videos.

3 PPSMI – The hot issue of teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English drew Netizens online to voice their opinions.

4 aimsweb – The official Web site for Universiti Teknologi Malaysia was updated with announcements on student intake and academic schedules for 2009/10.

5 UUM – Universiti Utara Malaysia opened its online application for admission into higher learning institution programmes for STPM holders for the next academic year.

6 Manohara – The young model who married the Kelantanese prince hits the limelight again as the court case demanding the return of nearly RM1 million by Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry Sultan Ismail Petra commences on August 2.

7 1Malaysia – The 1Malaysia concept mooted by the Prime Minister has been getting the thumbs-up with activities such as forums, carnivals and photo competitions to set the tone.

8 BSN – Bukit Bintang Umno division chief Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Zabidi steps down as Bank Simpanan Nasional chairman to comply with Bank Negara Malaysia guidelines.

9 Photofunia – More Malaysians are checking out this latest online photo effects software.

10 TNB – Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Peter Chin’s hint of an upcoming hike in the electricity tariff has led Malaysians online to search for more information.

1TEAM 1DREAM 1BERNAMA

BERNAMA , under the stewardship of its newly appointed General Manager Hasnul Hassan, has recently unveiled a new slogan 1TEAM 1DREAM 1BERNAMA to inculcate unity, teamwork and team spirit among its employees.

Hasnul brings with him a wealth of experience from the corporate sector, and since taking over the helm early this year, things are really moving in Bernama, especially at the marketing department.

He has recently appointed a National Sales Team Manager to generate more sales for Bernama’s products and services. This slogan 1TEAM 1DREAM 1BERNAMA was mooted by this new unit.

Hasnul has also introduced an Ambassador Programme to provide incentives for staff who can bring in business for Bernama. He personally persuades his friends from the private sector to subscribe to Bernama’s products and services.

He has set up a committee which has so far implemented some cost cutting measures. The results have so far been positive.

Hasnul is also leading the management team to move forward the proposed restructure plan for Bernama.

Since inception, Bernama, a statutory body under the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture, has not undertaken a major restructuring exercise. The Bernama management has made a presentation on the reorganisation of the news agency before the ministry's Secretary General Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf recently.

Lots of good news are in store for the staff once the plan gets the ok from the Public Service Department. Datuk Kamaruddin will lead the team from the ministry for a presentation before the PSD, possibly within the next few months.

Bernama, the Malaysian National News Agency is now 42 years old. Since then, it has ventured into the broadcasting world, with Radio24Bernama and Bernama TV on Astro 502.

Back to the 1TEAM 1DREAM 1BERNAMA campaign, a Treasure Hunt was held last week that drew participation from 70 staff.

What’s unique about the hunt is that the one hour event was held under One Roof – Wisma Bernama, to promote the spirit of oneness among the staff. Among the conditions for this hunt – each team must be multi racial, comprising both men and women.

Congratulations to the winning team from our ICT subsidiary, BESSAR: They had all the criteria.

But above all, everyone enjoyed the hunt!.

Use Blogs Wisely, Your Boss Is Watching You!

The blogging community in Malaysia has grown over the years, with the number reaching nearly 12.1 million, according to search engine, Google.

A good majority are personal blogs – more of an online diary so-to-speak.

According to unofficial figures, there are 50 top bloggers in the country, with 28 per cent writing about personal stuff. Some 16 per cent are about politics, another 16 per cent on technology, with the rest on a variety of subjects.

For those who write on personal stuff or other issues, don’t use your weblog to vent your anger at your boss or your employer, as doing so will land you in jail!.

In what is seen as a landmark case, a former Eon Bank Bhd employee was fined RM8,000 in default two months’ jail by the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur on July 7.

He admitted posting obscene comments in his blog to embarrass his former department head.

The offence under the Communication and Multimedia Act carries a maximum
RM50,000 fine or one year's jail, or both, on conviction.

Bloggers Return To The Mainstream

In what is seen as a positive sign for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s leadership, bloggers are going back to the mainstream, with Datuk Ahmad Talib, who runs the ‘Pahit Manis’blog, taking the lead, with his appointment as Executive Director of Media Prima Bhd last month.

Media Prima, the largest media group in Malaysia, owns the New Straits Times Press (NSTP), TV3, TV7, TV8 and TV9 . As owner of NSTP, it also controls English newspapers like the New Straits Times and the Malay Mail and Malay newspapers such as Berita Harian and Harian Metro.

Popular blogger Ahirudin ‘Rockybru’ Attan is also back at the NST, with his appointment as head of the Malay Mail. During his first meeting with his staff, he has asked them to buy a pair of jeans.

Rocky’s reason:”We are going to promote free press, but like jeans and everything else in life, there are limits to what we can do.” (That, I must agree with you bro! Nothing is FREE in this world. About wearing jeans, I have my reservations!).

Start a Blog: Good idea!

NSTP has also announced the appointment of another blogger Nuraina Samad as Managing Editor, a post once held by her late father, A. Samad Ismail.

According to Rocky’s Bru, Nuraina is now the newspaper’s most senior editor after Zainul Arifin, the Group Managing Editor of NSTP and Syed Nadzri, the Group Editor.

Congratulations Nuraina, we are all proud of you. It is a welcome change, given that you are the first woman to hold this top editorial post in the NST.

Also taking the same route is Ashraf Abdullah, who runs the blog Jejak Pujangga. He has been appointed TV3 Group Editor, a new post created under Ahmad Talib.

Congratulations also go to another blogger, Fauziah Ismail, who is now Chief News Editor of NST. She has a blog titled 'Latte @ Chinoz On The Park'.

Now that bloggers are back in the mainstream, will they make a difference?

Drink Water on Empty Stomach

(This was emailed to me recently).

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value.

For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT
1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)

2. Gastric (10 days)

3. Diabetes (30 days)

4. Constipation (10 days)

5. Cancer (180 days)

6. TB (90 days)

7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!

!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks:

· Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,

· Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.

· You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.

· Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms

60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.

· Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

Blame It On The System!

In April 2007, the then Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak called for a revamp of the nation’s school curriculum to make students proficient in English.

He said that while the national language Bahasa Malaysia was important, Malaysian students must attain a “respectable level of fluency in English so as to ensure that they are no less qualified when competing globally.”

The medium of instruction in Malaysian government schools was changed from English to Bahasa Malaysia in 1980.

In 2002, the government announced that from 2003 onwards, the teaching of science and mathematics would be done in English, in order to ensure that Malaysia will not be left behind in a world that was rapidly becoming globalised.

This paved the way for the establishment of mixed-medium education. However, the policy was heavily criticised especially by Malay linguists and activists, fearing that the policy might erode the usage of Malay language in science and mathematics.

Now, the latest story is that the government wants to switch back to Bahasa Malaysia.

I agree with former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he said on Monday that he would feel sorry if the government decided to revert to teaching the subjects in Bahasa Malaysia. To quote Dr Mahathir: "If that is the case, in future, all Malays and Malaysians will be bodoh."

I come from a generation that grew up learning almost everything in English.

From primary right to Sixth Form, it was English all the way. The only time that I spoke in Bahasa Malaysia was to some of my Malay friends, my late mother and family members, but my late father, a Customs Officer, preferred to converse in English.

I even took up English literature for my Higher School Certificate examination, learning about Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Othello, among others. But all these did not mean that I had neglected my Malay language or my roots.

Thanks to this old education system, with English as the medium of instruction, things became less difficult when you go to the next level – college or university. I was accepted into Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), then MARA Institute of Technology in Shah Alam in 1974 and signed up for Diploma in Public Administration.

But I decided to change my course to Diploma in Mass Communication on the influence of my childhood friend, Zainon Mohd Isa, whom I met during the orientation period. Thanks to her, and the then Mass Communication Head of School, Marina Samad, I was accepted into the faculty. Of course, the medium of instruction was English.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that Malay is not important, but the “colonial” system is reaping the results now.

In the job market, employers especially the private sector also prefer graduates who are fluent in English. I joined Bernama in 1979 after working in the TV news section of RTM as a part time/full time reporter for almost two years.

At RTM, news were written in English and translated to other languages by the copy editors. In Bernama, reporters have to write in the language used by the source. If the text is in Malay, the news should be written in Malay and is translated to English by the English subs desk.

The policy stays until today, but blame it on the system, Bernama like many other media organisations, are also facing difficulties in hiring graduates who are fluent in English.

Over the past many years, Bernama has been taking in graduates from local universities to its editorial department, but on-the-job training has done wonders to a good number of them.

At Bernama Economic Service, most of the copies are written in English, given that the majority of events are conducted in English, especially at corporate functions.

Like it or not, reporters at BES are forced to write in English, and I am proud that the economic service has been the best training ground for many reporters. Those who have left us can vouch for that!

Most job interviews for reporters are conducted in both languages, with priority given to English. So where do our local graduates stand?

The next debate on the language issue, I suggest that we all go back to the old education system, English all the way right from primary school. It is at this tender age that one can pick up any language fast. Once everyone is comfortable with the language, you will see a new generation of Malaysians.

Remember, all our past Prime Ministers- and present – are proficient in both languages, delivering speeches at overseas forums in English, the internationally used language.

Policymakers need to be firm and consistent. Our future generation will suffer if we make the wrong decision!