Khamis, 25 Ogos 2011

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Padang Serai UMNO chief relinquishes post

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 10:34 PM PDT

PADANG SERAI: Padang Serai Umno division chief Abdul Rahman Mahamud has relinquished his post following an advice from the party's leadership, Kedah Umno chief Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said.

Abdul Rahman will remain as the coordinator for the Merbau Pulas state constituency.

Ahmad Bashah did not elaborate the reasons why Abdul Rahman was asked to relinquish the post.

"He is not being sidelined and the party appreciated his dedication and deeds to the party and the people all this while," he told Bernama after breaking fast at the Sungai Karangan mosque, here last night.

He said there were encouraging and positive signs among members of the divisional committees of the Padang Serai and Sungai Petani divisions and that the leaders were increasingly showing good cooperation.

He called on party members in the state to work hard to ensure victory for Barisan Nasional in the state in the next general election. -- BERNAMA

Tajudin Ramli sues Malaysian Insider for RM200 mln

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 10:32 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Former executive chairman of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli has filed a RM200 million suit against The Malaysian Insider news portal over the publication of a article on the airline company suffering losses of RM8 billion.

He named The Malaysian Insider Sdn Bhd, its chief executive officer Jahabar Sadiq and journalist Shazwan Mustafa Kamal as defendants.

Tajudin, who was the MAS executive chairman between 1994 and 2001, filed the suit last Aug 18 at the Civil High Court registry through the legal firm of Lim Kian Leong & Co.

The case has been set for case management before judge Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal on Sept 19.

In the statement of claims, Tajudin stated that the portal had published defamatory words in an article, with the title "MACC clear A-G of graft allegations", on May 31, 2011.

He claimed that the article was published after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) revealed the outcome of their graft probe against Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

Tajudin claimed that the article was published with the intention of reflecting that he was implicated in the investigation against the Attorney-General.

Tajudin claimed that the portal also repeated the defamatory words in other articles, despite a letter sent to it to not do so.

He said the Malaysian Insider, when responding to his letter, stated that the words in the article were not defamatory and that they had obtained the information from multiple sources.

Besides general damages of RM200 million, Tajudin is also seeking aggravated damages and interests. -- BERNAMA

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Japan PM announces resignation as party head

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 09:40 PM PDT

Japan PM announces resignation as party head

TOKYO: Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday announced his resignation as president of the Democratic Party of Japan, Japanese media reported, effectively ending his tenure as Japanese leader.

"I resign as the (party) president effective today," Kan told senior party officials, Jiji press quoted him as saying.

The move will pave the way for the nation's sixth premier in five years as Japan looks to safeguard a recovery from the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and a an ongoing nuclear crisis.

A leadership election for a new party president, who would then become prime minister, is expected Monday.

Kan was scheduled to hold a press conference later Friday. -- AFP

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Ban on ‘soil jelly’

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 06:23 PM PDT

2011/08/26
Farrah Naz Karim
farrah@nst.com.my

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob showing the crystal balls which are banned. — NST picture by Afendi Mohamed

PUTRAJAYA: The supply and sale of Seven Colour Crystal Balls (SCCB) and similar products have been banned from today.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this followed reports from Kuala Lumpur Hospital on major operations it had to carry out on seven children, aged between 1 and 5, from April last year after they swallowed the substance used as a soil substitute for indoor plants.

The recent cases involved a 12-month-old and another toddler who had to undergo similar laparotomy at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre.

Reports from HKL, he said, stated that substances much like SCCB, which are transparent, jelly-like and slimy, had caused the children's intestines to be clogged.

This easy-to-swallow substance, which is normally 0.5cm in size, when soaked briefly could expand by about six times to take the shape of jelly balls.

However, the ministry, in a two-hour sampling of SCCB using plain water, discovered that the product could expand between 290 and 444 times from its original size.

A two-hour laboratory test on SCCB to simulate the intestines and pH acid level of the human stomach showed that the substance could expand between 36 and 55 per cent.

Ismail Sabri said danger set in when upon swallowing, the water content in the children's intestines causes the balls, also widely known as Jelly Ball, Crystal Jelly, Baby Crystal and Crystal Soil, expanded further, blocking the intestinal walls.

The children would show symptoms like vomiting, fever, constipation and stomach ache as well as leakage and corrosion of the intestines.

He said the ban was necessary as chances of such cases recurring were high as these jelly-like substances were easily available, highly attractive to the young and often mistaken for toys or food.

He said the ban was also enforced in many other countries for hazards that came with it.

With the ban, Ismail Sabri said manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers must stop all sale and supply of SCCB, pull it out from the market as well as safely dispose of it.

Enforcement teams, he said would conduct checks to ensure that all parties adhered to the ban.

The ministry's checks showed that SCCB was imported by two local companies which labelled the substance as "growing kits" to aid the growth of indoor plants and for decorative purposes

Efforts to make parents aware of the dangers of having SCCB in their homes would also be made.

Ismail Sabri also said his ministry would conduct checks and studies to ascertain if other industries, aside from agriculture, were importing SCCB.

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I can take on Aziz anytime: Dr Zul

Posted: 14 Mar 2011 11:25 PM PDT

I can take on Aziz anytime: Dr Zul

2010/10/29
By NST team in Gua Musang, Kelantan
news@nst.com.my

GUA MUSANG: Pas' candidate Dr Zulkefli Mohamed remained a good sport over jokes that his stocky frame might tire him fast during the campaign trail.

He said he was used to work long hours when he was a doctor at government hospitals in the past.

"There were times when I had to work over 36 hours on a stretch, then. I think I can keep up with the hectic campaign schedule now," he said.

Dr Zulkefli, 44, will be up against Barisan Nasional's Abdul Aziz Yusoff, 49, in the Galas by-election on Nov 4.

Some segments of political watchers have been heard making comparisons between the two candidates of their physiques.

Such light banter follows an absence of substantive issues to debate since campaigning started on Nov 26.

Dr Zulkefli said he was feeling alright even when there were many places to visit over the past three days.

To keep fit, he said he took a lot of water and sufficient rest.

When a reporter asked about his weight, Dr Zulkefli said: "I do not know. Let us keep it as a secret."

In jest, he said he could take on Aziz in a running or tug-of-war competition.

Visit us for more web exclusives everyday from NST Galas team. For full stories and in-depth news, get NST in print tomorrow.

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Sabah Umno reaching the 500,000 mark

Posted: 14 Mar 2011 08:17 PM PDT

Once upon a time, a real history took place and handed down the real lessons out of the events concluded that a small number can defeat a huge number of opponents by the will of Allah taala. Therefore, in the modern institutions and struggle like political institutions, this lessons of history is still relevant and worthy to ponder. In fact, there are many facts to ponder on why the listed numbers of political members do not reflex the true pictures.

The Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Musa Aman's recent annoucement of Sabah UMNO success in the recruitment of membership drive does not mean much to me as it seems to suggest it is the result of his leadership.

A leader should be humble and not self glorifying. One's work should be judged by the people and not himself.

I still remember our DPM, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin remark in the opening of the PBS congress in Kota Kinabalu recently where he said "he has done little in the success of the Batu Sapi by election ".

Frankly how many can do that ?

This is the model of leader we must emulate - humble, unassuming and lead by example.

Traits of great leader who make small people feel great.

Afterall, recruitment of new members in any party is the duty and obligation of its leaders.

It is not a competition as it is the quality and not quantity of the effort that count.

We should not trumpet about it.

High membership in any political party does not guarantee success if the party and its leaders do not command the support from its ranks and files as well as leaders from other coalition parties, particularly in the state of Sabah.

Having such a mentality would breed complacency and place the party concerned and BN in a perilous situation.

Sabah UMNO chief, Datuk Musa Aman's annoucement that their membership drive to date has reached 456,000 membership level, the highest among all other states is indeed quite credible.

The first thing that comes to thought is 456,000 is 456,000 until the half million mark is reached which is another 44,000 more to go and this is not a small number.

In the annoucement, last year alone, they only managed to recruit 40,000 new members and has no mention of what this year's result is ?

Has the effort reached been saturated is another question that surfaces in my mind.

My concern however is in any numerical assessment, we must give the picture in its correct perspective and not try to over dramatise or sensationalise it to justify certain motives, personal or otherwise.

And when figures concerning and affecting the outcome of an election, the state and the image of UMNO and Barisan Nasional, we have to be careful and truthful.

The annoucement also gives rise to many questions to be answered.

First, how many of these registered members will actually and eventually vote and vote for BN comes election time?.

Is the annoucement trying to suggest we are growing stronger, there is nothing to worry and we can repeat the big win in the state achieved in the last election ?

The Batu Sapi by election is no doubt the combined efforts in greater and lesser extend of all state BN coalition members.

However, with the bad blood that existed all along with the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Musa Aman and PBS president, Datuk Pairin, with SAPP president, Datuk Yong Teck Lee, the duel was in actual fact a life and dead battle among the subject combatants.

Aided by a predominantly bumi constituency,the vast resources from BN and the ever tireless presence of our DPM, the vast win at Batu Sapi could be an isolated incident.

Removing these factors, or in a diluted extent, the result could be different.

As a rough estimate, Sabah with a population of 2.5 million and say,with a 60% eligible voters, it will work out to have about 1.5 million potential voters.

From the above, the present UMNO membership only represents to about 30% of the total possible voters. Will that be adequate to determine another landslide victory in the coming election ? given the fact there 60 constituencies in the state ? Many in the last encounter encountered sort of narrow escape ? The growing number of unresolved problems faced by the people todate? The discontents of the present leadership among the files and ranks ? How much support the present state leadership since last reappointed, still enjoy is therefore any one's guess.

To me the annoucement seems to be made in conjunction with the coming BN convention in Kuala Lumpur in an effort to influence its outcomes

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YTL gains after Q4 net income triples

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 06:59 PM PDT

[unable to retrieve full-text content]YTL Corp, a Malaysian construction, property and utilities group, rose in Kuala Lumpur trading after fiscal fourth-quarter net income almost tripled to RM304 million. The stock gained 1.5 percent to RM1.35 at 9:34 a.m. local time. -- Bloomberg

Genting retreats on Q2 profit slide

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 07:04 PM PDT

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Genting Bhd, which owns Malaysia's only casino, fell in Kuala Lumpur trading after second-quarter profit slid 9 percent to RM673.2 million, dragged down by lower takings at its Singapore gaming resort. The stock declined 1.1 percent to RM9.67 at 9:07 a.m. local time. -- Bloomberg

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Football / Champions League: City face tough baptism

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 05:54 PM PDT

MONACO: Titleholders Barcelona were pitted against seven-time winners AC Milan in the draw for the 2011/2012 Champions League group stages held here yesterday.

Aside from Milan, knocked out in the last 16 last term, Pep Guardiola's Spanish giants will also face FC Bate Borisov of Belarus and Viktoria Plzen in Group H.

Manchester United, making a record 17th appearance in the world's top club competition, were the first of the 32 teams to be drawn out of UEFA's 'hat' by Portuguese legend Luis Figo.

Sir Alex Ferguson's three-time winners face Benfica, the Portuguese double winners from the early 1960s, FC Basel and Romanian outfit FC Otelul Galati in Group C.

Figo's former club, nine-time kings of Europe Real Madrid, come up against old foes Lyon of France, Dutch heavyweights Ajax and Dinamo Zagreb.

Yesterday's 32-team draw featured 11 previous winners and five newcomers, with among the debutants Ferguson's 'noisy neighbours', Manchester City.

Roberto Mancini's expensively assembled side were handed a tricky assignment with four-time winners Bayern Munich, who had to come through the play-offs, keeping them company in Group A.

Also on City's radar are Italian group stage first timers Napoli and Villarreal.

Arsenal's tricky start to the season with star players Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leaving the Emirates Stadium for pastures new was eased by their defeat of Udinese in the play-offs.

And the Gunners' reward for securing their 14th Champions League campaign was a match-up against Didier Deschamps' Marseille, Borussia Dortmund and Olympiakos.

Chelsea, the fourth representative from the Premier League and last season's quarter-finalists, are in Group E with Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen and Genk.

Last season's quarter-finalists and three-time champions Inter Milan come up against Russian outfit CSKA Moscow, Lille and Trabzonspor in Group B.

Group G comprises another former winner of the competition in FC Porto, who face Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St Petersburg and APOEL Nicosia.

The long road to the May 19, 2012 final at Bayern's Munich stadium starts on September 13 with the opening salvoes of this season's group stages.

The top two placed teams in each group advance to the first knockout round, with the third-placed teams dropping down to the Europa League.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi won the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the 2010-11 season. Messi beat his Barcelona teammate Xavi Hernandez and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid in a poll of journalists from across Europe. — AFP

Football: Safee looks set for QPR trial

Posted: 25 Aug 2011 05:04 PM PDT

2011/08/26
Devinder Singh
devinder@nst.com.my

Safee Sali will be given a chance to impress QPR manager Neil Warnock.

NEW Queen's Park Rangers owner Tan Sri Tony Fernandes will hand two Malaysian national players, including Safee Sali, a trial at the English Premier League club.

Fernandes said QPR manager Neil Warnock was impressed with Safee after watching tapes of the Pelita Jaya striker, who was instrumental in Malaysia's AFF Cup triumph last year.

"Neil Warnock saw tapes of Safee and he was very impressed. We're hoping to bring him and one other over for a trial after the transfer period closes," Fernandes told radio station Hitz.fm yesterday.

"The potential for a Malaysian (player) to be noticed is much bigger now that we are here (in England)."

Safee, who joined Indonesian Super League side Pelita from Selangor early this year, would not be the first Malaysian to go on trial at an English club.

Kedah winger Baddrol Bakhtiar and Selangor's Bunyamin Umar attended a two-week training stint with Chelsea in 2008 while Sabah's Liverpool-born goalkeeper Syed Adney Syed Hussein had trials with Middlesbrough and Darlington.

But if Safee is to have any hope of playing in England, QPR would need to overcome stringent British work permit requirements as Fernandes acknowledged.

"We have some issues with the ranking (of the national team) and work permit. We'll deal with it when the time comes," added Fernandes.

To qualify for a work permit, a non-European Union player must feature in at least 75 per cent of his national team's 'A' level matches and his country must have averaged at least 70th in Fifa's world rankings.

While Safee is a first choice for Malaysia, the country's ranking of 146 works against him.

It was the same fate that befell former national midfielder Lim Chan Yew in 2005 when he was about to sign with Bournemouth, then in the English Third Division, only to fail to obtain a work permit.

Safee will return to Selangor, albeit for a one-off outing, at the annual Sultan of Selangor's Cup clash with Singapore in Shah Alam on Oct 1.

Safee will be one of four guest players, including three Britons, who will turn out for Selangor to level the playing field against a Singapore side dominated by naturalised players.

"We hope to have three players from Britain and Safee to balance the Selangor team against a strong Singapore side," said organising chairman Datuk Abdul Karim Munisar on Wednesday.

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SAFE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Posted: 24 Aug 2011 09:55 AM PDT

2011/08/24
By Shenton ThomasDe Silva

Taman Mount Austin residents held a community policing seminar with Johor Baru South traffic police recently

RECENTLY, Persatuan Muhibbah Penduduk Taman Mount Austin Fasa 2 and 3 jointly organised a community policing seminar with Johor Baru South traffic police in Jalan Mutiara Emas, Taman Mount Austin.

The seminar highlighted among others, the need for cooperation between residents in the drive to improve security in both areas.

Also present were the police chief of Setia Indah Chief Inspector Mazlan Morshidi, MBJB E-Nobas bus representatives, Bendahara Biker club representatives and Taman Molek and Serene Park resident representatives.

Event organising chairman Mohd Zainuddin from Fasa 3 urged residents to work closely with the police in the fight against crime.

"With your monthly contributions, we have been successful in protecting our area from snatch thieves, robbers and other crimes," he said, adding that the monthly cost to maintain security in the neighbourhoods is RM10,000.

Residents from Fasa 3 had earlier spent about RM120,000 to fence up the area around Fasa 3.

However, he said only half of the contributors from the 490 houses in the area are contributing the RM50 security fee per month.

"We hope those hesitant to contribute will change their lackadaisical attitude, as security is a serious matter," he said.

He also urged the Johor Baru City Council to look into landscaping issues in the neighbourhoods here.

He also urged the police to install traffic lights to control heavy traffic at the Jalan Mutiara Emas 3 junction, especially at peak hours.

There are three to four accidents every month at the junction.

He also requested a pedestrian bridge at Jalan Mutiara Utama for the safety of schoolchildren and the elderly.

Johor Baru South traffic police chief Deputy Supt Ooi Kok Seong in his speech praised the residents for holding the seminar with the police.

"I know there are those who are not taking the fight against crime seriously. Such attitudes should be dropped.

"I propose a neighbourhood watch programme in the future. With such a programme, you and the police can work hand in hand to tackle crime," he said in a crime-prevention presentation recently.

With 1.3 million people in south Johor Baru, there are as many as 1,300 to one police officer.

"In Singapore, the ratio is one policeman to 250 people," he added.

He also encouraged residents to bring up any complaints by putting them in writing and placing them in complaint boxes installed in designated areas in Fasa 2 and 3.

"Your complaints will be collected and addressed accordingly," he said.

Ooi promised the residents that he would act immediately to address traffic matters with the relevant authorities.

"In our view, the residents' association of Fasa 3 acted wisely by fencing up their area to tackle crime in their area.

"Sometimes being a busy-body is a necessary evil, especially in view of the increasing crime in housing estates these days," he added.

Meanwhile, Ooi urged the residents not to offer bribes to policemen on duty.

"When you are given a summons, take it and pay it according to the law.

"Don't blame the police for asking for bribes. You offer, they take. You don't offer, they don't take," he said.

Fasa 3 resident Tea Siau Fang, 33, praised the community policing effort, saying it is helping to protect the lives of innocent people.

"Such programmes give residents peace of mind. Our children can now move about the area freely," she said.

Taman Molek resident Sam Chong, 44, said he came for the seminar to lend support to Taman Mount Austin residents

"In Taman Molek, security activities have been successful. I hope to share ideas with the residents here in tackling their security problems," he said.

A member of the Bendahara Biker club, Jamil Kadiron, 37, said he supports such security efforts not only in urban areas, but also in villages.

Serene Park resident in Johor Baru, Eric You, 33, said there are no longer any crime in his area of late.

"Before setting up community policing, we had at least one crime each month," he said.

A community information presentation session involving representatives from Fasa 2 and 3, together with Ooi, was also held with residents with a tour around Fasa 2 and 3 after the seminar.

Capitalising on government's offer

Posted: 24 Aug 2011 07:01 AM PDT

2011/08/24
By Halimah Atan

DECADES ago, the palm oil industry was dominated by men but by the 1970s things changed when women were allowed to take the lead.

It was at this time when the govenment, through the Johor Land and Mines Department, introduced the Rancangan Belia Waris programme.

The programme was meant for unmarried women who were keen on venturing into this sector.

I did not give it a second thought. I quickly applied for it after hearing about it on the radio.

The programme was aimed at giving women a secure job with a regular income and training them to be financially independent.

I attended three interviews before I was selected for the programme. A total of 83 women in two batches were selected to participate in the programme.

The first comprised 60 women, including me, while the second had 23 participants.

I had to leave my hometown in Kampung Sri Bengkal in Batu Pahat to join the programme in Kampung Bukit Mambai, which is in the Labis subdistrict in Segamat.

I was sad as I had never been away from my family. With the blessings of my parents, I embarked on my journey.

At first, all the women were housed in a longhouse. We cooked and stayed together.

It was in the 1980s that we were given a wooden house each.

Life in the estate started at 7am and ended at 2pm daily.

Our daily chore involved planting and fertilising oil palm trees and treating them with pesticides.

Harvesting is heavy work and we left it to the men who were employed for the task.

All the 83 participants worked on the estate collectively and shared the profits.

Under the agreement, we were not supposed to get married in the first five years and we adhered to the ruling.

I got married in the 1980s and my husband moved in to the village.

All the participants have retired and the foreigners are doing the work. Our cooperative handles all distribution of profits.

In those days, there was no entertainment in the village.

We had to go to Segamat to catch a movie and that was considered a luxury in those days.

These days, I keep myself busy with my rattan handicraft with my husband's help. Our products are for sale and we also offer classes to those who are interested in learning about the craft.

Halimah Atan, 58, is staying with her family in Kampung Bukit Mambai in Segamat.

Interview by Sim Bak Heng

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Angela Merkel tops Forbes' Most Powerful Women list

Posted: 24 Aug 2011 11:14 PM PDT

Angela Merkel tops Forbes' Most Powerful Women list

SINGAPORE: Forbes announced its annual ranking of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel topping this year's list.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton moves into the Numebr 2 spot, followed by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at Number 3.

Members of the 2011 ranking come from politics, business, media, entertainment and non-profit; their power derives from money and might, but also reach and influence, it said in a statement here today.

They control US$30 trillion collectively and have an average age of 54.

Twenty-nine are chief executive officers, 22 are single, eight are heads of state and 74 are returnees to the list.

"Our list reflects the diverse and dynamic paths to power for women today --whether leading a nation or setting the agenda on critical issues of our time," Moira Forbes, President & Publisher, Forbes Woman said in a statement.

There are 26 newcomers to the list, among them New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson (Number 12), US Presidential Candidate Michele Bachmann (Number 22) and NBC Today Co-Anchor Ann Curry (Numebr 66).

Lady Gaga, at Number 11, is the youngest at age 25. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund isat Number 9, moving into the top ten for the first time. -- BERNAMA

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Full of Kar1sma

Posted: 24 Aug 2011 05:04 PM PDT

2011/08/25
By Farrah Naz Karim
farrah@nst.com.my

RM1.4b welfare programme will help 500,000 people, says PM

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday launched the RM1.4 billion welfare programme, Kar1sma, for 500,000 people.

He said the poor, elderly, handicapped, single mothers and underprivileged groups would benefit from monthly payouts of between RM100 and RM450.

The programme also set aside RM4.1 million for about 2,000 widows of military personnel and policemen.

Described as a "newly branded welfare programme for the people", Kar1sma will provide skills training for the said groups to improve their lives and instil independence in them.

"We have people who need help. If there are no government intervention programmes like this, they will be sidelined. "This is one of the pillars of Gagasan 1Malaysia in upholding social justice.

These people will not only be helped financially, they will also be given new skills and mindsets to help themselves and contribute to the countr y." Najib said the programmewas initiated under the Government Transformation Programme to ensure these people were not left out of the nation 's growth.

While some countries reduced allocations for pensioners and welfare programmes, he said, Malaysia not only continued to help the needy, but also increased funds for them.

"We will reach out to about 500,000 people. Don't make one-off contributions and go around telling the whole world about it.

"The Barisan Nasional government is committed to helping underprivileged Malaysians on a monthly basis.

"This shows our commitment to the people and that we will uphold social justice." Last year, the government spent RM1.2 billion, through welfare programmes, to help 424,000 people.

The largest group of recipients are senior citizens, who make up 30 per cent.

Present were Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and representatives of groups who will receive the aid.

Shahrizat said the programme would help the underprivileged break out of their cycle of hardship.

She added that the programme complemented other government initiatives, including health benefits for the needy.

In identifying the recipients, she said the ministry, through its agencies, stressed on the efficiency of application processes, including removing red tape.

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Khamis, 25 Ogos 2011