Finally, the Government is the doing right thing on 'saman ekor'

Before this, I had written many times to the newspapers (read my earlier entries), giving my opinion and suggestions on 'saman ekor'. I am glad the Government has announced exactly what other people and I had been saying all this while- blacklisting the vehicle owners with the 'saman ekor' was unfair. The JPJ has announced that they will lift the blacklisting and owners will be allowed to renew their licenses and road tax, except for those with court cases. You can read more at: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/4/28/nation/8568526&sec=nation

On top of that, I also suggested some time ago that future 'saman ekor' must come together with photographic evidences. I am glad the authorities will do just that from now on. Read: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/4/28/nation/20110428203355&sec=nation

The Malaysian Politics

Some readers asked me why I had not written anything about the Malaysian politics. I said I was not interested, but some of them kept insisting.

To meet their requests and due to recent issues in our politics, here is what I have got to say.

The IGP says yes.
Inspector Shahab says "Nehi, nehi, nehi!"
Some audience clap, some fight.
The cinema needs repairs, but tomorrow there will be another movie.

That is Malaysian politics.

Traffic summonses: A burden on the poor

Traffic summonses: A burden on the poor
New Straits Times 2011/03/07
A. HASHIM, Sungai Petani, Kedah

Traffic offenders waiting to settle their summonses at the Jalan Tun H.S. Lee traffic police station. The government may wish to consider maintaining the discount rates for old summonses.

I AM sure the cabinet's decision to extend the deadline for the discount on traffic summonses will please the people. Those who missed the earlier deadlines now have another chance to settle their summonses.

However, I am unsure whether people will settle the bulk of the remaining 17 million summonses.

This is not because the offenders are stubborn, as some claimed. The biggest hindrance is financial.

Since these summonses go back a few years, most offenders would have accumulated a number of summonses.

With the 50 per cent discount, they still have to pay RM1,500 if they have 10 summonses. For the lower-income group, this amount equals or exceeds their monthly salary.

As it is, these people can hardly make ends meet, so paying for all the summonses at one go is difficult.

Even those who have the money may consider getting another car rather than paying the full sum.

The end result is lots of unpaid summonses and more people driving without insurance and road tax.

Instead of blacklisting motorists, the government should consider allowing them to settle two or three of the earlier summonses first, so that offenders can settle them before they renew their road tax.

Another two or three summonses may be settled the following year. I believe this is a win-win situation.

Better still, maintain the discount rate for all the old summonses. The authorities are also at fault for not collecting the fines earlier, resulting in the offenders repeating the offences and accumulating the fines.

I believe that the offenders have learnt their lesson and would not commit any more offences. If they do, they should be slapped with higher fines.

Those who are caught speeding many times should go to jail or have their driving licences suspended.

Another important area for the government to look at is the manner in which the summonses are issued.

In my case, I found that I had been issued with several summonses for speeding, though I know that I normally observe speed limits.

I suspect that I was caught speeding while overtaking or going downhill.

I have also gone a bit faster to gain momentum when going uphill to save fuel. I am more careful now, but I feel that I have been unfairly treated.

I believe that many summonses were issued without due consideration, for the purpose of meeting quotas rather than catching those who endanger other road users.

The fines for speeding should be proportionate to the excess speed.

Be fair to those who observe the speed limits but occasionally exceed them slightly because of the reasons I mentioned above.

It is necessary for the authorities to post photographic evidence on their website so that offenders can view them online rather than pay for the hard copy. Nobody will be happy to pay for something they are not sure they have committed.

From now on, new summonses should not be left unsettled for more than two or three years without errant motorists being blacklisted.

Even if the offenders are not blacklisted yet, people should be reminded of the summonses when they renew their road tax. Get them to acknowledge the reminders.

To offenders, don't waste any more money on the roads. It is really not worth it.



Read more: Traffic summonses: A burden on the poor http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/18fik/Article/#ixzz1Fs6SgscT

27 die in bus accident at Cameron Highlands - 20 Dec 2010 : Another tragedy in Malaysia

I thought there would be no more bus accidents before the year ends, after some tragic ones recently. Yet I was wrong. Not only that it came too soon- it's also the worst bus accident ever in Malaysia so far.

27 people have been confirmed dead following a bus accident at 11.30 this morning along Jalan Simpang Pulai - Kampung Raja.

The tour bus was coming down from Cameron Highlands when it lost control at a sharp bend. It reportedly hit the concrete divider before going into the opposite direction and overturned on a ditch. 22 people died on the spot, four died on the way to hospital, while another one died at the hospital. Three Malaysians are among the dead- the rest are Thai tourists. 11 people were injured.

List of Victims:

THE DEAD
--------

Malaysians:
1. Omar Shahidan, 48 (bus driver)
2. Soontorn Kian, 38 (tourist guide)

Thai nationals:
1. Nutthiya Inyim, 50 (female)
2. Poonporn Poolsaeng, 41 (male)
3. Sumruay Swatphet, 48 (male)
4. Puthnaree Akkrarachawwanont (female)
5. Pongthanest Akkrarachawwanont (male)
6. Sriwai Swatphet, 42 (female)
7. Prinya Prassakulchai, 48 (female)
8. Chutima Throukool, 25 (female)
9. Thitisak Pongtanarat, 51 (male)
10. Junpen Pongtanarat, 50 (female)
11. Phayong Kruanjili, 59 (male)
12. Ekachai Na Bangxang, 64 (male)
13. Mantana Phromduag, 51 (female)
14. Isariya Thiangtham, 25 (female)
15. Ampaiwan Thiangtham, 50 (female)
16. Maliwan Mekhmahaprom, 53 (female)
17. Natkritta Poolsaeng, six (female)
18. Weera Chuntanagon, 48 (male)
19. Pimontip Kodsa-at, 48 (female)
20. Pongsak Swatphet, 40 (male)
21. Malee Boonchun, 43 (female)
22. Phuwadit Thanasaktheenakum, 63 (male)
23. Tananthon Thanasaktheenakum, 63 (female)
24. Piyanon Klingchuay, 48 (female)
25. Uraiwan Laddaklom, 61 (female)

THE INJURED
-----------

Thai nationals:
1. Somchai Polanan, 63 (male)
2. Chirarot Bunthicinwiwatn, 43 (male)
3. Achara Wiwat, 36 (female)
4. Pramuaalrat Phimpahu, 44 (female)
5. Suchanchira Chaiaueai, 40 (female)
6. Thanvarat Poolsaeng, 36 (female)
7. Chucart Klungsuwan, 48 (male)
8. Rungnapa Klungsuwan, 53 (female)
9. Areena Songserm, 19 (female)
10. Darunee Songserm, 59 (female) - BERNAMA











Major bus accidents in Malaysia this year:

Dec 17: Four prison officers killed after a Prisons Department bus plunged into a ravine along the hilly and winding Tambunan-Kota Kinabalu trunk road.

Oct 29: Seven passengers, aged between 13 and 28, killed after their bus skidded and overturned at KM38 Genting Sempah, while enroute to Kuala Lumpur. It was later revealed the driver of the bus had no valid driving licence. (Refer my earlier entry)

Oct 10: Thirteen killed in bus crash along KM223 of the North-South Expressway (NSE), near the Simpang Ampat toll plaza. (Refer my earlier entry)

Will there be another one within the next 11 days???

Malaysia an amazing wonder

The following is a foreigner's view on Malaysia published in The Star today. It is sad that many of us do not see it that way.

Wednesday December 1, 2010

Malaysia an amazing wonder

I AM a Romanian writer and due to some unexpected and favourable circumstances, I had the opportunity to visit your beautiful country last month.

I must confess that before leaving Romania, I still harboured those ridiculous European prejudices regarding Southeast Asia and, of course, I was prepared for the worst.

If not for the visit, I would not have been able to imagine that your country has such physical, social and infrastructural wonders that make an Eastern European like me envious.

I was more impressed with your country than any of the European countries I have visited. Your airport is comparable to most of the airports in the West, almost as large and efficient as the one in Amsterdam where I had to wait for several hours before taking the plane to Kuala Lumpur.

Your highways are simply unbelievable. Many European countries do not have such an excellent network connecting almost every corner of a country. Anyway, Romania can hardly boast of anything similar to yours.

I was amazed with the modern facilities in all your cities, the splendid architecture, iconic buildings like the Petronas Twin Towers and those in Putrajaya, the very clean streets with trees and greenery. For someone coming from Europe where in November the trees are bare of leaves and the fields are brown, it was something magnificent.

In my travels to the various cities, I was astonished to see steady and continuous development and growth while at the same time, everything was so peaceful.

But what’s most outstanding were the people. No matter of which race and religion, all of them share the same traits: open and extremely friendly.

They are very polite and always helpful. They seemed to get along well with each other in their social lives and working relationships. I did not see any unpleasant incident, unlike in so many other places where social segregation and disturbances are clearly visible.

Despite their differences, the people here appeared to me as genuine Malaysians. Happy is the country where people can live in harmony and understanding with their neighbours and not bother about colour, religion or ethnicity.

I noticed that the average income in Malaysia is similar to that of Romania and the ringgit is almost equal in value with our national currency, the leu. However, the food, fuel and cost of living are much cheaper than in Romania.

When my Malaysian friend complained that the petrol costs RM1.80 per litre, I laughed and told him that in Romania, it costs three times more. I was told that the same party has governed Malaysia for more than 50 years, so there is a political stability. I don’t know about your government policy and I am not interested in it, be it liberal, conservative or whatever.

But I saw the results and that is enough for me. A government that steadily follows its programmes and does everything possible to develop the country and bring prosperity to the people deserves my respect and admiration.

I have no idea what the unemployment rate in Malaysia is but having observed the fantastic rate of development and level of progress, I guess it must be low.

When I returned home, I told many people about what I saw in Malaysia and they were impressed. No one knew much about your country and a friend of mine who runs a travel agency knew even less. And she is quite interested to launch a programme to promote Malaysia as a tourist destination among Romanians.

I would be happy to learn that one day, more Romanians would select your country as a destination for their vacation.

LAURENTIU FAIGHEL,
Bucharest, Romania.

Kes jin selesai

Aku dah cakap...kisah jin Siti Balqis ini hanya satu pembohongan...Hari ini terbongkar segala-galanya...

Balqis ke rumah kenalan, bukan ghaib dilarikan jin
Oleh Hanneeyzah Bariah Baharin, Azman Mahmood, Haryanti Ahmad Rodzidan Mohammad Ishak
bhkt@bharian.com.my
2010/10/29
Norwaniza Ramli

Misteri konon disorokkan di Gunung Jerai terbongkar

KUALA TERENGGANU: Misteri kehilangan Siti Balqis Mohd Nor yang didakwa keluarganya disorok ‘Jin Islam' di Gunung Jerai, Kedah, sejak Ahad lalu, terungkai selepas gadis itu ditemui polis di rumah keluarga seorang kenalannya di Kampung Batu 18, Ulu Klawang, Kuala Klawang, Negeri Sembilan, pagi semalam. Siti Balqis sebenarnya keluar seorang diri dari rumahnya di Kampung Gong Nangka, Jertih dan menaiki bas ekspres ke Shah Alam pada jam 9 malam, sebelum ke Seremban dan meneruskan perjalanan menaiki teksi ke Kuala Klawang. Ketika di situ, Siti Balqis, 22, tinggal di rumah seorang sahabat pena perempuan yang dikenalinya menerusi laman berkenalan sebuah majalah remaja pada 2005, tetapi tidak pernah bertemu sebelum ini.

Ketua Polis Daerah Besut, Superintendan Kamaruddin Mohd Zakaria, berkata Siti Balqis juga sudah membeli tiket untuk pulang ke kampungnya esok.

“Dengan penemuan ini, polis menganggap kes ini selesai dan polis tidak akan mengambil tindakan terhadap mana-mana pihak,” katanya pada sidang media sebelum menyerahkan Siti Balqis kepada ibunya, Norizan Said, 47, di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Besut, di Kampung Raja di sini, semalam. Hadir sama sahabat penanya, Norwaniza Ramli, 19.

Kamaruddin berkata, polis mendapat maklumat mengenai gadis itu apabila bapa sahabat pena Siti Balqis menghubungi polis daerah Jelebu selepas terbaca berita kehilangan misteri gadis itu dalam akhbar ini.
Polis juga mendapat petunjuk gadis itu berada di Negeri Sembilan selepas semakan khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) yang dihantar kepada ibunya pada jam 5 pagi Isnin lalu mendapati pencawang terakhir ialah di Kuala Klawang.

Pada Isnin lalu, Norizan memberitahu menerima SMS daripada anaknya pada jam 5 pagi yang mendakwa berada di Gunung Jerai selepas dibawa jin berbulu lebat.

Sementara itu, Pemangku Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah negeri, Superintendan K Manoharan, berkata laporan Norizan di Balai Polis Jertih pada jam 1.30 pagi Isnin lalu, antara lain menyebut melihat anaknya menaiki kereta Perodua Kembara milik keluarga pada jam 8 malam.

"Berikutan laporan itu, kita menjalankan siasatan kes orang hilang dan meliputi semua aspek termasuk sama ada gadis berkenaan melarikan diri atau dilarikan," katanya sambil menambah kereta itu ditemui di Stesen Bas Jertih pada jam 1 tengah hari Isnin.

Norizan ketika ditemui terkejut dengan penemuan itu kerana sebelum ini anaknya menghantar SMS dan memberitahu berada di Gunung Jerai dan dibawa jin berbulu serta yakin anaknya berada di gunung berkenaan berdasarkan gerak hatinya.

Norwaniza pula berkata, dia selalu berutus surat dan menghubungi Siti Balqis tetapi hanya bertemu selepas kenalannya itu datang sendiri ke rumahnya Isnin lalu.

"Saya tidak menduga pertemuan ini rupanya dengan seorang gadis yang sering dilaporkan ghaib kerana sebelum ini Siti Balqis tidak pernah menceritakan kisahnya,” katanya.

Di KUALA KLAWANG, ibu Nurwaniza berkata gadis itu mengajaknya dan anaknya ke Seremban, Selasa lalu dan menggunakan wang sendiri membeli pelbagai makanan dan pakaian bernilai RM279, termasuk tiket bas untuk pulang ke Terengganu.

Ramlah Meon, 60, berkata beliau pelik melihat Siti Balqis kerap SMS dan apabila ditanya dimaklumkan ia di hantar kepada kawannya.

“Siti Balqis beritahu dia tinggal bersama ibu saudaranya selepas ibunya meninggal dunia dalam kemalangan November tahun lalu. Dia turut beritahu rumahnya besar dan ada tujuh bilik lengkap dengan pembantu rumah dan kolam renang," katanya.

Ramlah berkata, pembohongan Siti Balqis terbongkar apabila anggota polis dari Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Jelebu datang ke rumahnya, kelmarin, berikutan SMS diterima ibu Siti Balqis menggunakan nombor telefon yang didaftarkan atas nama Nurwaniza.

Beliau berkata, ketika menyelongkar beg pakaian Siti Balqis, mereka menemui lebih 20 kad sim yang masih aktif, sejumlah wang, beberapa kad ATM dan sebuah kotak kecil berisi 10 batu delima dalam kain kuning.

Yet another accident: Karak Crash 29 Oct 2010

Another terrible bus accident, the second one this month. What's happening?








Published in the Star: Friday October 29, 2010 MYT 9:24:00 PM
Updated: Friday October 29, 2010 MYT 11:02:25 PM
Karak bus crash: 7 killed, more than 20 injured (Updated)By RASHITHA A. HAMID, STEVEN CHIEW, M. KUMAR AND SHAUN HO


GENTING HIGHLANDS: Seven people were killed and more than 20 injured when the bus they were travelling in crashed at Genting Sempah along the East Coast Expressway.

The 7.51pm accident, just before the Karak tunnel, involved a group of 42 from the 4B Youth Movement, Kampung Siong, Kedah, said Federal Territory Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Azizan Ismail.

The dead are Muhammad Amirul Mohamad, 13, Muhamad Khairy Muhammad, 16, Mohd Firdaus Rosedi, 16, Mohamad Yussuf Akhif, 16, Mohd Ridzuan Husin, 17 and Mohd Fahmi Mustafa, 17.

Mohd Zaidi Mohd Sufian, 28, died on the way to Selayang Hospital.

“Two people were thrown from the bus,” Azizan told reporters when met at the scene Friday night.

It is learnt that the bus went out of control, hit the divider and toppled.

The driver and co-driver escaped with light injuries.

The group was on the way to Kuala Lumpur from Genting Highlands where they had spent the night.

All the dead were taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital while the injured were taken to the Bentong, Selayang and Kuala Lumpur hospitals.

Lack of Common Sense

My letter in the New Straits Times
2010/10/25

Penang services: Lack of common sense

IF we take a close look at the many issues highlighted by the public, we will see that a majority of them can be avoided or resolved with common sense.

Too often, a lack of common sense gives rise to unnecessary problems or inconvenience to the public. I wish to illustrate this with some examples in Penang.

The new bus terminal in Butterworth, though temporary, is modern, well-organised and clean. It is also free of annoying touts, and I must commend the authorities for this.

However, one can't help but wonder about the illogical flow of buses that leads to congestion, though it is still manageable at the moment.

All buses, which come from one direction from the main road, enter the terminal at the far end. This brings them into a loop and when they leave the terminal at the near end, they meet with the oncoming buses waiting to turn at the other end.

The congestion is made worse by indiscriminate parking of vehicles around the area. Even a layman can tell you that reversing the flow would prevent the chaotic situation. I can't think of any reason why the flow was designed that way.

The bus terminal is connected to the ferry terminal and the train station only through escalators. Near the escalators, there is a sign that says: "Link to ferry and KTMB".
One can only conclude that all tourists are expected to know that KTMB is a train station.

Heavy usage of these escalators causes frequent breakdowns, and when that happens, we can see a large crowd of people from the ferry waiting their turn to get on the escalators.

As the escalators are the only link between the two terminals, repair or maintenance work on them is extremely difficult unless done in the middle of the night, which is not the case.

Ironically, there is an old staircase and escalators just metres away which used to connect to the old bus terminal. This provides an alternative way to the new bus terminal without much cost, but the old staircase and escalators are blocked and left unused for unknown reasons.

When you board the ferry, very often, you will be "greeted" by the sight of crew members standing or sitting on the bench staring at people, especially the women. Sometimes, they continue to sit on the bench even when passengers are looking for a seat. It is embarrassing to see this.

I save my comments on the toilets and the miserable condition on the ferry when it rains.

When you reach the island, it is a long walk to the bus terminal. The winding walkway is very taxing for commuters, what more senior citizens, the handicapped or those with heavy luggage.

The walkway can be shortened significantly if the authorities put a staircase or escalators at a certain point. The distance can be further reduced if it goes straight into the bus terminal instead of going around it.

The waiting area at the island's terminal has a small gate controlled by a worker. When there are too many people waiting for the ferry, the worker will forcibly close the gate against the oncoming crowd. It is a matter of time before a serious accident happens; a better control mechanism is badly needed.

Again, I reserve my comments on things like the silly Jangan membuang sampah /Do not throw rubbish signs, frequent ramp breakdowns and the erratic ferry schedule.

However, I need to mention that there is no notice to inform the public that a ferry fare is not required from the island. From time to time, you can see tourists asking around where to pay the fare, and it doesn't help when the crew members don't speak English.

I have been commuting daily from the mainland to Penang island for more than five years, but not once have I seen the bosses observing the situation, let alone taking a ride on the ferry.

If they were to do that, along with some common sense, a lot of things can be improved and the journey between the mainland and island would be a good, pleasant one, for which the public would be more than willing to pay a higher fare.

A. HASHIM,
Sungai Petani, Kedah

Read more: Penang services: Lack of common sense http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/22ferr/Article/#ixzz13NOZM8yn

Get rid of tough issues the simple way

My letter in The Star
Sunday October 24, 2010

Get rid of tough issues the simple way

MOST public issues can be avoided or resolved with mere common sense. I wish to illustrate this with a few examples in Penang.

The new bus terminal at Butterworth, though temporary, is modern, well organised and clean. It is currently free of annoying touts unlike the old terminal, and for this I must commend the authorities.

However, one cannot help wonder about the illogical movement of the buses. They enter the terminal from the main road at the far end instead of the nearer end. This brings them into a “loop”. And when the buses leave the terminal at the nearer end, they meet with the incoming buses.

The congestion is made worse by indiscriminate parking around the area. Merely reversing the flow would avoid the chaos.

The bus terminal is connected to the ferry terminal and the train station by a set of escalators. Near these, there is a sign that says “Link to ferry and KTMB”. One can only conclude that all tourists are expected to know that KTMB is a train station.

Heavy usage of these escalators causes frequent breakdowns, and as the escalators are the only link between the two terminals, repair or maintenance works are extremely difficult unless done in the middle of the night, which is not the case.

Ironically, there is an old staircase and another set of escalators just metres away that used to connect to the old bus terminal at the adjacent site. Utilising this would easily provide an alternative way to the new bus terminal without much cost, but the old staircase and escalators are blocked and left unused for unknown reasons.

Upon reaching the island, it then becomes a long walk to the bus terminal there. The long, winding walkway is taxing for the daily commuters, senior citizens, the handicapped or those with heavy luggage.

The walkway can actually be shortened significantly if the authorities set up a staircase or escalator at a spot that can cut through the winding pathway. It could be further reduced if this goes straight into the bus terminal, instead of going around it.

The waiting area at the island’s terminal has a small gate that is controlled by a worker. When there are too many people waiting for the ferry, the worker will forcibly close the gate to avoid an overload. It is a matter of time before a serious accident happens; a better control mechanism is needed.

Also, there is no sign to inform the public that no ferry fare is required when leaving the island. From time to time, tourists can be seen asking where to pay the fare, and it doesn’t help that the crew do not speak English.

A lot of things can be improved and the journey between the mainland and the Penang island could be a pleasant one, for which the public would be more than willing to pay a higher fare.

A. HASHIM,

Sungai Petani.

The djinns story: Think before you believe

Harian Metro on Oct 14 reported that the mystery surrounding Siti Balqis Mohd Nor’s frequent disappearances became stranger with claims that seven precious stones fell from the ceiling of her house in Jerteh, Terengganu.

The tabloid said Siti Balqis, 22, and her family were in the living room when they heard something falling from her bedroom at 1pm on Wednesday.

A ruby was then found on Siti Balqis’ bed, followed by several other stones.
It was reported that a ruby even fell from the ceiling in front of a TV3 cameraman, who was having a drink with the Misteri Nusantara film crew in the living room.

Siti Balqis’ mother Norizan Said, 47, said all the precious stones were now being kept in a special case immersed in zam zam water.


Norizan, Siti Balqis' mother, with the stones which allegedly fell from the ceiling.

Siti Balqis had been hogging headlines with claims that she was frequently “kidnapped” by djinns after performing her prayers.

Another local newspaper reported on Oct 15 that there was further attempt by the djinns to take her away through a window, but was foiled by a relative who saw her 'flying' and pulled her legs.

This story actually reminds me of other 'strange' stories before, such as the case of a Lebanese girl Hasnah Mohamed Meselmani. In 1996, her story was in the newspapers all over the world- she had baffled doctors by 'producing' razor-sharp tiny glass crystals from her eyes.

The religious authorities and scientists sought answers to the 'miracle'. The answer came within a few months; it was a fraud and the girl admitted it.

For this Siti Balqis' story, the easiest way to investigate it is to install a CCTV in her house.

Or we simply wait for a few months and see what happens.

Kisah jin semakin 'hangat'

Semalam, pengamal perubatan Islam yang dilantik Yayasan Islam Terengganu (YIT) merawat gadis ghaib, Siti Balqis Mohd Nor, 22, meminta keluarga itu tidak menggunakan khidmat bomoh lain untuk sementara waktu bagi memastikan proses rawatan dilaksanakan dengan berkesan.

Permintaan itu diutarakan tiga pengamal perubatan berkenaan semalam selepas mereka menangkap 12 lagi jin di rumah gadis itu di Kampung Gong Nangka, Apal, dekat sini, termasuk makhluk dipercayai ditinggalkan bomoh lain yang merawat gangguan misteri terbabit.

Berita hari ini pula menyebut, selepas gagal ‘mengghaibkan’ Siti Balqis Mohd Nor, 22, jin yang dikatakan mengawal gadis terbabit kini beralih mengganggu ketenteraman keluarganya di rumah mereka di Kampung Gong Nangka, dekat sini. Senja kelmarin, seberkas kunci rumah yang disimpan dalam beg tangan ibu Siti Balqis, Norizan Said, 47, dikatakan hilang sebelum ditemui diikat dalam kain berwarna merah di atas meja kecil di rumah itu kira-kira sejam kemudian.

Apa kata anda?

Another Horrific Accident in Malaysia: Rembau Crash Pictures 10 Oct 2010

REMBAU -Twelve people were killed and more than 40 others injured in a crash pile-up involving two buses, a van and three cars at Km223 of the North-South Highway near the Simpang Ampat toll plaza here Sunday. Three others succumbed to their injuries in hospital later Monday.

Police said in the 6.40pm tragedy, a bus heading towards Kuala Lumpur went out of control and flipped over to the southbound side of the highway, according to Bernama.

He said it then was involved in collisions with a van and two cars before slamming into the side of a National Welfare Department bus.

Here are some of the pictures (click on the picture to enlarge):






















What say you?

Lagi kisah jin...

12 lagi jin ditangkap, kali ini disumbat dalam botol. Ini menjadikan 21 jin ditangkap dalam masa 2 hari. Mungkin esok akan ada lagi bomoh-bomoh menangkap lebih banyak jin???

Aku cadangkan keluarga adik Siti Balqis dan pihak-pihak yang berminat memasang CCTV untuk mengetahui bagaimana dia boleh 'ghaib'. Aku pasti bila CCTV dipasang, Siti Balqis tidak akan ghaib lagi :)


Berita Harian 11/10/2010
Nasional

Tiga bomoh tangkap 12 lagi jin
Oleh Mohammad Ishak
bhkt@bharian.com.my
2010/10/11


JERTIH: Usaha tiga pengamal perubatan Islam daripada Yayasan Islam Terengganu (YIT) merawat gadis ghaib, Siti Balqis Mohd Nor, 22, malam kelmarin, dikatakan berjaya menangkap 12 lagi jin yang mengganggu gadis berkenaan, selepas dua bomoh yang enggan dikenali sebelum ini mendakwa berjaya menangkap sembilan jin.

Pada awalnya, usaha pasukan perubatan berkenaan dianggotai Pengelola Khidmat Masyarakat YIT, Hassan Yusof; penolongnya, Fauzi Malik dan Pengurus Khidmat Masyarakat, Wan Adi Rahman Wan Abd Rahman untuk merawat Siti Balqis seperti tidak kesampaian berikutan gadis itu didapati ghaib kira-kira setengah jam sebelum ketibaan pasukan perubatan itu ke rumah keluarganya di Kampung Gong Nangka, di sini, kira-kira jam 8 malam.

Ibu gadis berkenaan, Norizan Said, 47, berkata Siti Balqis tiba-tiba ghaib kira-kira jam 7.30 malam ketika mereka berkumpul menunggu ketibaan pasukan perubatan itu di rumah dan usaha mencarinya dilakukan di atas bumbung, dalam siling rumah, almari, rumah kosong, di bawah rumah dan di pokok manggis, tetapi gagal.

Berikutan itu, katanya, orang ramai termasuk pasukan perubatan berkenaan membaca surah Yasin beramai-ramai, sebelum Norizan menerima SMS daripada Siti Balqis jam 11.30 malam berbunyi ‘tolong dah jauh ni’ dan SMS kedua pada jam 12 tengah malam menyatakan ‘Umi cepat datang, kita dok (duduk) Bukit Keluang,’.

Selesai membaca surah Yasin, pasukan perubatan diketuai Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Jabi, Ramlan Ali bergegas ke Bukit Keluang, kira-kira 15 kilometer dari rumah mangsa, tetapi gagal menemuinya di kawasan pelancongan terkenal itu.

Sebaliknya, Ramlan berkata, mereka terserempak dengan sembilan orang termasuk dua wanita yang kelihatan seperti sedang bertapa dalam gua berkenaan.
Katanya, ketika gerakan mencari Siti Balqis dijalankan, beliau dimaklumkan gadis itu ada di atas pokok rambutan di belakang rumah keluarganya kira-kira jam 1.30 pagi dan pasukan perubatan yang dihantar khas oleh kerajaan negeri itu kembali semula ke rumah untuk menjalankan proses rawatan mengikut kaedah Islam.

Pasukan perubatan itu memulakan usaha rawatan dan mendakwa berjaya mengeluarkan 12 jin yang kemudian dimasukkan ke dalam botol. Siti Balqis hanya sedarkan diri kira-kira jam 5 pagi tadi selepas menerima rawatan berkenaan.

Jin???

Bila terbaca berita dibawah, aku terdiam dan tertanya sendiri...Begitu mudahkah untuk menangkap, mengurung dan membuang jin? Kenapa masyarakat kita masih taksub dan percaya penipuan-penipuan sebegini? Anda fikirlah sendiri....

Berita Harian 10/10 /2010
Penduduk serbu rumah gadis ghaib rakam gambar jin






ORANG ramai mengambil gambar jin dan makhluk halus didakwa dimasukkan ke dalam tabung khas sebelum dihanyutkan ke laut oleh bomoh, malam tadi.JERTIH: Rumah gadis yang mengalami gangguan misteri yang menyebabkannya sering ghaib di Kampung Gong Nangka, Apal, dekat sini, diserbu ratusan penduduk selepas dua lelaki datang menawarkan diri merawat gadis itu mendakwa berjaya menangkap sembilan makhluk halus malam kelmarin.


Dalam kaedah rawatan tradisional jam 7.30 malam itu, dua lelaki menggunakan kaedah masing-masing bagi merawat Siti Balqis Mohd Nor, 22, yang ghaib ‘dilarikan’ makhluk ketika senja dan dinihari, sejak dua bulan lalu. Dua lelaki itu yang menawarkan khidmat percuma selepas membaca kisah itu di akhbar sejak Selasa lalu, berpecah dua ketika sesi rawatan dengan seorang daripadanya berada di dalam rumah mengerjakan solat dan seorang lagi di luar rumah menggunakan jampi. Kira-kira 15 minit selepas rawatan, seorang lelaki yang berada di luar rumah mendakwa melihat satu lembaga yang didakwanya dapat ditangkap.

Dia mendakwa dapat menangkap sembilan jin atau makhluk halus yang menyebabkan beratus-ratus penduduk menyerbu rumah gadis itu.

Selepas menangkap sembilan makhluk itu, bomoh itu memasukkannya ke dalam bekas khas bertutup bagi mengelak makhluk berkenaan terlepas.

Orang ramai yang menyaksikannya tidak melepaskan peluang untuk mengambil gambar dan video, kebanyakannya menggunakan telefon bimbit untuk dijadikan kenangan dan bahan bukti kejayaan bomoh berkenaan.
Usaha Berita Minggu mendapatkan komen dan mengambil gambar dua bomoh itu gagal kerana mereka tidak mahu menonjolkan diri sebaliknya memberitahu makhluk halus yang ditangkap, dihanyutkan ke laut.

Siti Balqis pula mengakui kini berasa lebih tenteram kerana dalam tempoh 48 jam lalu, beliau sudah tidak lagi ghaib.

“Saya harap usaha murni semua pihak yang menghulurkan bantuan akan membuahkan hasil dan membolehkan saya kembali menjalani kehidupan seperti biasa,” katanya.

Hadir sama, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Jabi, Ramlan Ali.

Ibunya, Norizan Said, 47, berkata, sejak kisah anaknya disiarkan, 17 bomoh menawarkan diri merawat Siti Balqis secara percuma tetapi kejadian malam tadi adalah kemuncaknya apabila bomoh berkenaan dapat menangkap makhluk yang sebelum ini didakwa menjadi punca anaknya ghaib.

Katanya, sejak kisah anaknya disiarkan media, keluarganya juga berasa lega kerana tidak perlu lagi menanggung perbelanjaan besar untuk mengupah bomoh sama ada berasaskan rawatan Islam atau kaedah tradisional kerana semuanya kini menawarkan khidmat merawat anaknya secara percuma.

Transferring ‘sex-drugs’ teacher is not a deterrent

The Star
Friday October 8, 2010

Transferring ‘sex-drugs’ teacher is not a deterrent


I AM astounded by your report “Sex-drugs teacher who sold stimulants transferred to another school” (The Star, Oct 7).

Johor Education Department director Sufaat Tumin said the disciplinary teacher was transferred to another secondary school and “further action against the teacher depends on the severity of the offence”.

I find it hard to believe that the teacher was only transferred and not suspended for his alleged misconduct. Such practice also has been true with other government servants implicated in other wrongdoings.

If the Government is serious about improving the performance and conduct of public servants, punitive action must be taken instead of just transferring them to other locations.

They should at least be suspended until an inquiry is completed, and should be dismissed if they are found guilty.

A transfer, either before or after the inquiry, is not a deterrent and does not reflect the government’s seriousness in geting rid of the bad apples.

A. HASHIM,
Sungai Petani.

An act beyond comprehension

If we take serious note of the news everyday, we would be shaking our heads in disbelief to hear the same stories over and over again. Carjacking when people left their car running unlocked for a few seconds, girls and women tricked into being drug mules, ladies conned of their money by some smooth-talking, loving ‘foreigner’, people parted with their money in some get-rich-quick and scratch-and-win schemes, women cheated, raped or molested by bomohs or mediums- these are among the common stories we come across very frequently.

But all these stories are nothing compared to the murders of Datuk Sosilawati and her companions. To say that the murders are brutal is an understatement. The murders are simply beyond imagination, spoiled the Hariraya mood of everybody, and the whole nation is still in shocked as more and more information surfaced.

What is happening to our society? Are we too trusting? Have people lost their humane nature and becoming animals? Are there any ways we can stop all these?

One thing we all know is that humans by nature are greedy. When greed meets carelessness or plain stupidity, a disaster will happen. And it is even worse when greed comes with violence.

I would suggest these types of news are highlighted more, in more effective ways. Maybe these stories should be highlighted in schools for the benefits of the children and their parents. Important issues like these should not be left aside. Let the children start thinking of all the possibilities for them to take precautions, and maybe communicate this with their parents as well, who might also be ignorant on the matters.

More awareness surely will help the people to be more alert. Responsible parents should always be alert themselves and teach their children to be the same. We should always remind ourselves that if something could happen to other people, it can happen to us.

I can confidently say that our society is such that parents and schools never encourage the children to keep abreast with current news. It’s time we did so.

Education Ministry making a costly blunder

This is my earlier letter which was published
by the Star on Friday March 26, 2010
Education Ministry making a costly blunder


The letters “Stress on grammar, not phonics” (The Star, March 24) and “Grammar matters more than phonetics” (The Star, March 25) really caught my attention. I wish to add a couple of points in support of their views.

I totally agree with both writers that the Education Ministry has obviously got its priority wrong again. Bringing in foreign teachers to teach Malaysians to “pronounce English words as spoken by native speakers” is an expensive mistake that will take us nowhere as far as improving our standard of English is concerned.

First of all, as mentioned by both the writers, it is the grammar that is the problem. While most Malaysians can pronounce the English words well enough to be understood, it is the grammar that leaves much to be desired.

The priority is thus to really focus on grammar, and the way it is taught needs to be revised for it to be effective.

Secondly, I have been wondering all these years why we never make use of the phonetics symbols, available in every good dictionary, to help us with the pronunciation.

Every English teacher must learn phonetics, and they can in turn teach students to learn the correct pronunciation themselves.

Sadly, I have never heard of phonetics symbols being taught in Malaysian schools. If the above cannot be done for some reason, there is even a better solution nowadays.

In this technological age, digital dictionaries always come with the recorded sound for each word, both in American and British pronunciations. Just click on the words and you can hear how they are pronounced immediately, any time you want! How expensive can a digital dictionary be?

Much has been said about the sad state of our education system, yet again we are seeing another costly blunder being developed by those responsible to salvage it. I will ask the same question that many have asked: What has happened to this country?

A. HASHIM,
Sungai Petani.

Education: Let’s set it right

My letter in NST 8 Sep 2010
Education: Let’s set it right


I REFER to the letter, “Education is not all about scoring As”(NST, Aug 4), from C. Arjun and the recent discussions on our education system.
For years, many have debated on the deteriorating quality of Malaysian education, but there has not been much change. Every time results of an examination are announced, the media is full of stories about the top scorer s.

As a result of the “A-Syndrome”, our children struggle with homework, extra classes and tuition at the expense of their childhood pleasures. Some survive and succeed.

Some fail and give up, drop out from school and join the bands of kaki lepak, mat rempit and drug users as they lose interest and hope in education. Some even commit suicide when the pressure gets too much.
What happens to those who endure the hardship and graduate from universities? The common complaint is about the difficulty they face landing decent jobs.

Not long ago, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah acknowledged that our graduate unemployment rate was one of the highest at four per cent, and there seemed to be a “mis - match between our industry’s needs and the output from local univer sities”.

This comes as no surprise. I am not an expert on education, but having been in human resources management for more than 18 years, I have interviewed many fresh graduates. A majority lack soft skills. They are unable to express themselves, let alone present views or arguments when asked.
It is no secret that most multinationals prefer graduates from foreign universities as they are perceived to be more confident and h ave better interpersonal skills.

Therefore, we need to change the way we do things in school.

Children must be trained to speak their minds freely at every opportunity, thus exposing them to reasoning and communication skills and developing self-confidence.
For example, portfolio assignments should focus on topics that require students to provide their own input rather than just presenting a search-copy-paste-print- and-bind project. They could even be asked to present their portfolios before the class, allowing the teacher and other students to listen, ask questions and give their opinions.

A simple school trip could be organised in such a way to improve students’ observation and analytical skills. Follow-up discussions could be held, making it more worthwhile.

Quality education at primary and secondary levels should focus on comprehensive development of the child, with academic expectations balanced with games and informality, as opposed to the present system which suppresses self-reliance and motivation.

We need schools with invigorating, stimulating and inspiring classroom environments, where students will come to know themselves and love learning.

It is also important for policy makers to ensure that the purpose of the curriculum and activities is not lost in the implementation.

Other countries have examinations, but in the United Kingdom, for example, students are not evaluated on how many As they get, but on how they think and prog ress.
Tests and assessments are used mostly to diagnose needs and to target instructional resources where they can help the most, rather than to sort and screen.

Most exam questions do not ask for memorised facts. They ask for “how” and “why ” and the justification for the answers. And a big percentage of the grade comes from projects, not just exams.

Parents are called to meet the subject teachers every two to three months to discuss the students’ progress and to identify improvement needs. In Malaysia, parents meet only the class teachers and only after the exam results are out.

I was told that in Japan, Australia and some other developed countries, the students do not have homework because exercises are done in school during the last 20 minutes of the period after the teacher finishes the lesson.

They learn better that way because the lesson taught is still fresh in their minds and the teacher is still around to explain, thus making tuition classes almost unheard of. Look at the amount of homework our kids have every day, besides attending tuition classes.

Recent reports seem to point to Finland as having the best education system in the world. Perhaps Malaysia can send a team to benchmark the system and p r a c t i c e s.

We desperately need a metamorphosis of education to create a school environment that is fun and motivating, which promotes creativity, initiative, individuality and curiosity instead of the current one which relies on rote learning, fact-regurgitation and conformity in order to pass exams.

Unfortunately, the action taken so far to improve the quality of our education is akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Ti t a n i c .

We must re-engineer our education ship to take us to the right destination in the sea of challenges; we don’t need a sophisticated ship that takes us to the wrong port. I hope the current discussions on our education system will finally put us back on the right course. It is insane to do the same things over and over again and expect different outcomes.

A. HASHIM Sungai Petani, Kedah

Cerita daun ketum

Dua hari lepas aku terjumpa sorang kawan lama dari kampung yang sudah hampir 30 tahun aku tak jumpa. Sebab lama tak jumpa, kami berbual panjang, dan cerita yang aku dapat dari dia adalah sesuatu yang unik yang aku tak pernah dengar secara terperinci dari orang lain.

Kawan aku ni dari keluarga miskin. Selepas sekolah rendah, dia tak mampu meneruskan persekolahan dan hanya membuat kerja kampung, kais pagi makan pagi. Tapi kini dia adalah seorang yang boleh dikatakan kaya-raya, dengan rumah banglo besar dan 5 buah kereta. Di hari dia berjumpa aku, dia sebenarnya datang untuk melihat sebuah rumah untuk dibelikan untuk anaknya yang akan berkahwin tak lama lagi.

Yang menjadikan dia kaya ialah perniagaan daun ketum. Aku rasa aku tak perlu huraikan apa itu daun ketum sebab semua orang tahu. Tapi untuk yang belum tahu, pokok ketum memang banyak di Malaysia, terutama di utara semenanjung di kawasan berhampiran sawah padi. Di zaman dahulu, rebusan daun ketum digunakan oleh petani dan pekerja buruh untuk memberikan tenaga dan menghilangkan rasa letih.

Dipendekkan cerita, kawan aku ni dah agak lama mengusahakan tanaman ketum, dari satu ekar tanah sehingga sekarang 6 ekar. Dia tidak memproses daun ketum tersebut, tetapi cuma menjual daun dengan harga RM 45 hingga RM 60 sekilo. Di Malaysia, menananm dan menjual daun ketum belum lagi mejadi kesalahan, tidak seperti di Thailand yang mengharamkan terus penanaman pokok ketum. Pembeli-pembelinya yang memproses daun ketum untuk dijual. Permintaan untuk daun ketumnya memang tinggi hingga dari Thailand dan dia sekarang tidak dapat memenuhi semua permintaan dan bercadang untuk menambah ladang ketumnya. Purata pendapatan kawan aku sekarang ini sekurang-kurangnya RM9,000 setiap dua minggu. Memang menakjubkan bagi budak kampung yang belajar hanya setakat Darjah 6.

Salah seorang pembelinya pula memproses daun ketum dan menjual air daun ketum di satu pekan di utara tanah air. Harga jualan sebungkus air dau ketum telah meningkat dari RM 1 satu masa dulu hingga RM 2.50 sekarang kerana permintaan yang banyak. Pengusaha tersebut mampu menjual sehingga 1,000 bungkus sehari. Rebusan daun ketum dicampur dengan beberapa bahan merbahaya seperti ubat nyamuk dan sedikit racun tertentu untuk memberikan rasa 'high' kepada pengguna, terutama penagih dadah. Yang peliknya, dia terang-terang menjual air daun ketum tak jauh dari sebuah balai polis. Memproses dan menjual air daun ketum adalah menjadi kesalahan di Malaysia sekarang, tetapi dendanya hanya sekitar RM 2,000. Sehari perniagaan cukup untuk membayar denda tersebut.

Tetapi apa yang aku nak ceritakan di sini bukan pasal perniagaan daun ketum. Yang aku nak ceritakan ialah kata-kata kawan aku yang membuatkan aku berfikir panjang.

Kata kawan aku, dulu sebelum dia mengusahakan tanaman ketum, dia sering dihina kerana kemiskinan dan kebodohannya. Tidak ada seorang pun yang menghormatinya sebagai manusia. Dia pernah diludah bila cuba meminjam duit dari seseorang. Bermacam-macam maki hamun dan hinaan dia telah terima.

Tetapi bila dia sudah berjaya dengan perniagaan ketumnya dan menjadi kaya, serta merta dia jadi mulia. Kemana saja dia pergi, dia dipandang tinggi dan diberi layanan istimewa. Orang-orang yang pernah mencacinya dahulu kini datang untuk meminjam duit. Semuanya kerana duit. Katanya, masyarakat sekarang tidak lagi memandang budi pekerti atau kemuliaan akhlak. Tidak penting lagi salah atau betul. Yang penting hanya duit. Kerana duit, seseorang itu nampak mulia. Kerana duit, dia dihormati. Semua yang buruk padanya tiba-tiba menjadi baik.

Sepanjang perjalanan pulang, aku hanya memikirkan apa yang dia cakapkan. Memang ada betulnya. Zaman sekarang, duit adalah segala-galanya. Manusia tidak pentingkan lagi betul atau salah, baik atau buruk. Yang diburu adalah duit, dengan apa cara sekali pun. Yang haram boleh menjadi halal kerana duit.

Memang ini sesuatu yang menakutkan. Tetapi mampukah kita mengawal diri kita? Atau adakah kita juga akan menjadi seperti itu? Mampukah kita pastikan anak-anak kita tidak menjadi begitu?

How Come Asking Someone To Go Home Is A Racist Remark?

The article below is a view of a person which I got through an email from a friend.

How Come Asking Someone To Go Home Is A Racist Remark?


By Angelia Sinyang

The non-Malays went berserk when they heard how the Principal in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Kulai, Johor insulted their children, by asking the Chinese to go back to China and the Indians of wearing dog-chains.

I am not a racist, though I admit that I started to doubt that now. I personally don’t agree with racist remarks from anybody especially coming from a teacher. But with the racist sentiment filling up the air uncontrollably, lately, I understand fully, how this teacher has come to this point.

A teacher wouldn’t be uttering such words without a good reason. Something must have triggered the words and I believe, she was provoked into saying it just like what the DAP and MCA is doing to the government, UMNO and the Malays lately.

We are already choking, and it looks like nothing could be said or done could purify the air for now.

I do believe that the ‘dog-chain’ thing is too much. The Principal should apologize on that and if action is to be taken, then be it.

But, I didn’t know that coming from China is something insulting. Asking someone to go home is not at all a racist remark.

Especially when the Chinese made it clear how proud they are to be Chinese from China. They look up upon Mao Tze Tung and all the great warriors of China and never share the same proudness towards our Hang Tuah, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Mat Kilau and other Malaysian heroes just because these Malaysian heroes are not of Chinese ethnic.

The Chinese despise Malaysia, Malays, our Kings, our language and everything, so why the hell don’t they go back to China? It is just natural for the Principle to tell their kids to go back to China, where their hearts and souls belong.

Only in Malaysia, we see people go crazy, stomping their feet, insisting that they are Malaysians but at the same time don’t want anything to do with Malaysia.

Only in Malaysia, we see people who insist that they are Malaysians but couldn’t even speak Bahasa Malaysia.

Only in Malaysia, we see people who want to be treated equally as the original settlers but cunningly try to re-write the Malaysian’s history and constitution.

Only in Malaysia, we see people who claim to be Malaysians but cannot even sing the National Anthem!

Only in Malaysia, we see people who fight for equality but insist on going to vernacular schools.

No other multi-racial country in the world would tolerate vernacular schools except Malaysia.

No other multi-racial country in the world would give equal privilege, rights or acknowledgment on the importance of other culture and language to be taught and nurtured among the youngsters.

Only in Malaysia we see minority own 81% of the economic cake and it is still ain’t enough.

Only Malaysian Chinese would ask for Namewee to be forgiven and look up upon the person and even set up a fan club.

And only Malaysia, would forgive someone like Namewee.

The fact that Malaysia has come this far and that the Malaysian Chinese have achieved so much doesn’t seem important anymore.

Of course there are few Chinese students who didn’t get scholarships despite being poor, but there are Malay and Bumiputra students with the same fate too. The problem lies in the implementation of the system, not the race. We have to stop looking at things from the race point of view.

In order to do that, maybe the Chinese first need to look at it from the non-Chinese point of view: what if you didn’t get promoted even when you have proven to be the best employee just because the Chinese management wants only Chinese to hold top posts?

Or you did not get the job even when the interviewer admitted that you are the best candidate, and tell you to your face that they can’t hire you because you are not a Chinese?

Only Malaysian Chinese can hire a new, dumb guy to become your boss, rather than promoting you to the post because the new, dumb guy is a Chinese and you’re not.

Only Malaysian Chinese who want to hold top posts in government sectors but will never ever open top posts for other races in the private sectors dominated by them.

Only in Malaysian Chinese we see a clear practice of double standard and bias when questioning about the positions and employment opportunities in government sectors as compared to private sectors.

Only in Malaysian Chinese, we see zero tolerance, total greed and unlimited hatred.

Only in Malaysian Chinese we see that greed, intolerance, hatred and double standards are acceptable values.

So, how do the Malaysian Chinese interpret equality, actually?

How do the Malaysian Chinese prove that they deserve to be treated as Bumiputras or even call themselves Malaysians?

Could I get a straight, simple answer to these simple questions?