Jumaat, 7 Oktober 2011

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DAP sets aside Manoharan's 6-month suspension

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 11:17 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR -- The DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) has set aside the six-month suspension imposed on its Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M. Manoharan over his remarks about the Malaysian flag, according to a statement issued by the party's national headquarters today.

The statement said the CEC, at a meeting last night, decided instead to replace the suspension with a severe reprimand after taking into consideration that Manoharan had shown remorse by apologising and removing immediately his comments posted on the social network, Facebook.

The CEC decision comes in the wake of Manoharan's appeal against the suspension imposed by the party's disciplinary committee. - Bernama

Capello unhappy after 'silly' Rooney red

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 07:10 PM PDT

PODGORICA, Montenegro - Fabio Capello is preparing for life without Wayne Rooney after the striker's dismissal marred England's successful qualification for Euro 2012.

Rooney was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after aiming a needless and petulant kick at Montenegrin defender Miodrag Dzudovic during England's 2-2 draw at the Gradski Stadium on Friday.

Rooney's sending off capped a miserable week for the player following the arrest on Thursday of his father and uncle in connection with allegations of a football betting scam.


But more seriously for Capello, Rooney's moment of madness means England will kick off their campaign in Poland and Ukraine next summer with their most important player serving a suspension.

Rooney's red card also reopens all the old question marks about the striker's temperament, echoing his 2006 World Cup quarter-final dismissal for a similarly reckless foul on Portugal's Ricardo Carvalho. - AFP

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<b><small>ZUBAIDAH ABU BAKAR:</b></small><br>Pas goes 'under the radar'

Posted: 15 Mar 2011 03:57 AM PDT

2010/10/30
Zubaidah Abu Bakar
news@nst.com.my

Even the presence of Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat at a ceramah in Pas stronghold Sungai Terah on Thursday failed to draw the crowd.

Many blamed the heavy rain which started to pour earlier but the rain had stopped before the Tok Guru took the microphone.

There was an estimated crowd of about 200 people; its usually not the case

as Pas supporters would braved the rain, willing to be soaked to the skin
to listen to the party's spiritual leader and Kelantan menteri besar speak.

The Sungai Terah polling district has about 95 per cent of Malay voters; in the 2008 general election, Barisan Nasional only managed 78 votes compared to Pas' 215 votes.

That was how strong the Islamist party's influence there then.


But Umno leaders are anticipating that the situation could change, they believe the level of support to Pas may dip when some 300 registered voters there go to the ballot again on Nov 4 to pick their new representative in the state legislative assembly.

"Our candidate Abdul Aziz Yusoff had done a good job in the area, the people know him well because he had served the area as a manager in the South Kelantan Regional Development Authority (Kesedar).

"He could well be the reason behind the positive signs we are getting in the area," says Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan.


The "ceramah perdana" in Sungai Terah are among the few big public rallies that Pakatan Rakyat had outlined for its bigwigs to speak -- the other speakers at the ceramah that day were Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP
secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Pas is adopting a "low profile, below the radar" campaign strategy for Galas and this had somewhat toned the otherwise heated campaigns like during the Manik Urai by-election, which is the first by-election in Kelantan, last year.

Pas leaders wanted more direct contacts with voters be carried out; opting for small group ceramah and door to door campaigning, which ironically the same strategy that Umno and BN has adopted.

No big rally had been planned on BN's side either, including the "Pentas Pemuda" that usually make its appearance in past by-elections. Only eight mini ceramahs involving between 30-40 people and similar number of 'salam sayang" programmes (chit chat sessions) by wanita Umno are being organised daily.

Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and his troops have been knocking on doors of those identified as fence-sitters in several areas daily. They even bumped into their opponents during their campaign trails, like the on in Kampung Mentara where Pas had won by 11 votes in the area in 2008.

A source also revealed there is a list of do's and dont's for Pas campaigners and that include not touching the Kelantan oil royalty issue and on Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who is also the BN by-election director.

Canvassing for votes in whatever forms will continue until the eve of polling. For Abdul Aziz and his opponent from Pas, Dr Zulkefli Mohamad, the days ahead will be long and tiring.

BN aims for smaller, but effective meetings

Posted: 15 Mar 2011 12:34 AM PDT

BN aims for smaller, but effective meetings

2010/10/30
By NST team in Gua Musang, Kelantan
news@nst.com.my

GUA MUSANG: Barisan Nasional candidate Abdul Aziz Yusoff said he would continue with his plan to personally meet as many voters as he could although such an approach could slow down his campaign trail.

"I want to know them apart from introducing myself as BN candidate. I also want to know the problems faced by the voters here," he told a press conference at BN operations centre in Bukit Cekati here.

Aziz, who is Gua Musang Umno division secretary, also refuted claims that the BN election machinery for Galas by-election was too slow. He said the party machinery was actually giving more focus on small gatherings which would enable them to understand the people's problems and needs.


"From the feedback that I personally gathered from voters, they are frustrated with the Pas state government's failure to issue land titles and provide affordable homes for them," he said.

Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan who was present said BN would continue with its present approach, which was to hold dozens of small gatherings at different polling districts daily.

"We will use these gatherings to explain on BN government's development plan and counter all the allegations made by the opposition.


"It's more effective compared to big ceramahs," he said.

However, he said no gatherings would be held tonight as to allow BN campaigners and voters here to watch the Malaysia Cup final match between Kelantan and Negeri Sembilan. He said BN would put giant projector screens at 14 locations as to allow the people here to watch the final match live.

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BN aims for smaller, but effective meetings

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Football: Malaysia humbled

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:48 AM PDT

2011/10/08
By Devinder Singh
devinder@nst.com.my


MALAYSIA were like lambs to the slaughter as Australia inflicted the heaviest defeat yet on K. Rajagobal's side since he took over the national team in 2009 after a 5-0 rout in an international friendly in Canberra yesterday.

A pair of Japan-based players, Joshua Kennedy and Alex Brosque, scored a brace each after Dynamo Moscow's Luke Wilkshire opened scoring in the third minute as the Australians raced to a 4-0 half-time lead to lay bare the gulf in standards between the 19th and 147th-ranked teams.

While Malaysia improved considerably after the break following three substitutions, Rajagobal's new-look midfield in the absence of Selangor pair Safiq Rahim and Amirulhadi Zainal, failed to shine as they were overrun by Australia's silky moves and better coordination.


Australia coach Holger Osieck said Malaysia were probably intimidated by the fast-paced start made by his team.

"We had a good start from minute one and we moved the ball pretty well, had a good pace in our game, good positioning off the ball," he said after the game. "You see every team in the world who get confronted, get kind of intimidated and that happened with the Malaysians as well.

"I think in a way they got caught by surprise with how we started. The good thing is, we didn't just start it, we maintained it."


The result, which was a repeat of Australia's 5-0 win over Malaysia in the 1982 Merlion Cup semi-finals in Singapore, provides the home team a major confidence boost ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Oman in Sydney on Tuesday.

Golf: Khor shares lead in Taiwan

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:47 AM PDT


Khor Kheng Hwai reacts in the second round of the Yeangder Tournament Players
Championship at the Linkou International Golf Club in Taipei yesterday. &#8212; AFP picture

Khor Kheng Hwai reacts in the second round of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship at the Linkou International Golf Club in Taipei yesterday. — AFP picture

TAIPEI: Malaysia's Khor Kheng Hwai served notice of his talent yesterday, carding a four-under-par 68 to take a share of the second round lead at the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship.

Taiwan's Chan Shih-chang had a closing eagle on the 18th hole to thank for a share of the lead with Khor after he posted a two-day total of five-under 139 at the US$300,000 (RM960,000) Asian Tour event.

Thailand's Chapchai Nirat signed for a 71 for a tied-third place alongside Lu Wen Teh and Lin Keng Chi of Taiwan on matching 140s at the Linkou International Golf Club.


Defending champion Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand got his campaign back on track after he carded a 68 to stay two shots behind the leaders in equal sixth alongside Taiwan's Chen Hao Sen, Chiang Chen Chih and Mars Pucay of the Philippines.

Khor, who suffered from leg cramps during his round, hopes he can finally fulfil his true potential after another solid round where his only blemish was a bogey on the par-four second.

"I'm pleasantly surprised with how I've played the last two rounds as I've been struggling with my game the whole year. But when I came out to play during the practice rounds, I started hitting the ball very well and it surprised me as well," said Khor.


The 26-year-old Malaysian turned professional in 2008 but has often relied on his country exemption status to earn playing opportunities on the Asian Tour. -- AFP

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US stocks sink despite jobs data

Posted: 07 Oct 2011 06:35 PM PDT

NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks closed in the red Friday after a credit downgrade on Italy and Spain snuffed out a rally on better-than-expected US jobs numbers.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 20.21 points (0.18 per cent) to finish at 11,103.12.

The broader S&P 500 fell 9.51 points (0.82 per cent) to 1,155.46, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 27.47 points (1.10 per cent) to 2,479.35.

Stocks had posted moderate gains in early trade, buoyed by the jobs report that showed the economy created a net non-farm 103,000 jobs in September, more than analysts anticipated, but not enough to lower the unemployment rate stuck at 9.1 per cent for three months.

The department revised upward the two previous months' job creation numbers, indicating that employment in the faltering economy had more momentum than previously believed.

The July payrolls totalled 127,000, not the 85,000 initially estimated, while August was revised from zero to 57,000.

But equity markets turned south shortly after noon on news that Fitch Ratings had downgraded the debt of Italy and Spain, reflecting risks associated with the eurozone sovereign debt crisis gripping Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

"Equity markets snapped a three-day winning streak as a better-than-expected non-farm payrolls report could not offset more disappointing news out of Europe," Charles Schwab analysts said in a note.

"Debt crisis fears were exacerbated by Fitch cutting their ratings on Spanish and Italian debt."

"The economy looks a bit less recession-prone but jobs trends still are not very good. We are averaging 119,000 jobs per month this year," said Robert Brusca, chief economist at FAO Economics.

Sentiment initially found some support from across the Atlantic, after the European Commission said it would offer a framework in "coming days" for EU nations to recapitalise banks mired in the eurozone debt crisis.

But the Fitch downgrades of Italy and Spain, the eurozone's third- and fourth-largest economies, took the wind out of the market's sails, hammering US financial stocks.

Bank of America plunged 6.1 per cent, Citigroup shed 5.3 per cent and Wells Fargo lost 3.3 per cent.

Wall Street investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley tumbled 5.4 per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively.

Apple was down 2.0 per cent, two days after the death of its visionary co-founder Steve Jobs after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. -- AFP

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UNDERBONE DRAW

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:21 AM PDT


The Johor leg of the Petronas-AAM Cub Prix attracted a huge crowd to Kluang Stadium recently

EVERY year for the last seven years, the Cub Prix races held in Kluang, Johor, have been a highlight for the southern region.

The Kluang Stadium hosted Round 7 of the Petronas-Automotive Association of Malaysia (AAM) Malaysian Cub Prix Championships last month.


More than 26,000 fans turned up for the event organised by Safe Aim Mutual Sdn Bhd.

The event also had the support from Japanese and local motorcycle manufacturers.

Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Modenas, which displayed their latest kapcai and larger motorcycles, were among them.


The event saw several thousand privately-owned motorcycles, mainly kapcai (commonly known as underbone bikes), make their way to the two-day event, which was billed as the biggest Cub Prix event of the southern region.

Vendors included after-sales tuning company Faito, spray paint company Samurai, motorcycle sprocket and chain makers RK-M, and other two-wheel component manufacturers.

The event had many activities lined up for fans, especially the children, with futsal, darts, spray painting, and question and answer sessions among them.


Former Cub Prix great Wazi Abdul Hamid was at hand to entertain the crowds on behalf of the Suzuki racing team.

The 40-year-old retired racer said it was a great way to help promote Suzuki again as he had always been associated with the Japanese brand since racing in the early 1990s.

Present to make his rounds within the track was Team Pachi manager Shahrol Yuzy Ahmad Zaini.

Shahrol, 35, was a former local motorcycle racer who made it to the 125cc and later 250cc categories in the World Motorcycle Championships.

However, it was the finals of the race that was the main draw.

It was divided into several one-make races, the CP115 class and the premier Cub Prix CP130 class.

There was much support for the Wira, Novice and Expert categories.

Guest-of-honour at the event was Johor Youth and Sports Committee chairman Md Jais Sarday, who also gave away trophies to winners.

Safe Aim Mutual Sdn Bhd promotions director Ron Hogg said this year's turnout was one of the biggest.

"The Kluang round, traditionally held at the Kluang Stadium, has always been a crowd-puller due to its proximity to major towns in the area such as Muar, Batu Pahat and Johor Baru.

"It is also a popular place for youngsters, young families and racing fans to hangout as the promotional booths offer many bargains in a festival-like atmosphere," he said.

Hogg, who has been key in organising the Cub Prix races for several years, said a more suitable venue is needed next year due to the growing number of people attending the races.

He said the organisers are exploring areas in Batu Pahat or Johor Baru to host next year's southern round.

The Petronas AAM Cub Prix Championship is a 10-round nationwide championship that pits kapcai with displacements between 110cc and 130cc.

National oil giant Petronas and AAM has been the main sponsors of the championships. The Penang Motor Sports Club acts as a sanctioning body together with AAM.

Vital to teach children road safety

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:41 AM PDT

2011/10/07
by Ben Tan
bentan@nst.com.my


WHILE being a developed state and building itself up towards becoming a metropolis, Johor Baru still has a long way to go when it comes to road safety.

I am not talking about the infrastructure and roadworks but rather the fundamental road safety issues that every family with children should be worried about.

Parents must be responsible to educate their children about road safety.


Outings together are the ideal time to teach the children walk and cross the road safely. At the same time, motorists must also remember to keep an eye on the speed limit when behind the wheel.

It is a fact that cars and motorcycles are still the biggest killers of children, which is why parental guidance to teach then the dangers on the road is important.

This was what went through my mind when an 11-year-old boy was recently thrown about 10 metres after being hit by a Perodua Kembara in Jalan Skudai near the New Straits Times Press office in Bandar Baru Uda, here, last weekend.


The boy and several friends were attempting to cross the busy stretch of Jalan Skudai from Bandar Baru Uda to Skudai Kiri on the opposite side of the highway.

The six-lane stretch is barricaded in the centre, and pedestrians are barred from crossing in any way. A pedestrian bridge was located about 20 metres away from the scene of the accident.

The boy's friends ran away as soon as the accident occurred, and it was left to passers-by to rush him to hospital. The boy suffered serious head injuries.


All this could have been avoided if the boy and his friends had used the overhead pedestrian bridge instead of trying to dash across the highway.

In today's modern world, parents are not required to tell the child to stay safe, but rather they are needed to teach them how to be safe.

The accident opened my eyes to how important it really was to teach, train and empower children with the skills needed to be safe in the world.

Some parents need to know that children do not learn unless they are trained.

For example, a child requires proper training to swim to be competent in it.

Similarly, a child is required to be taught road safety to avoid danger. A young child has has no understanding of cars, streets or traffic.

The child tends to look at things only one way, and for the child crossing the road, his or her objective is to get to the other side, with no consideration of risks or danger.

Education is important to teach the child how fast the car moves on a road and how difficult it is for the drivers to see the child crossing the road, so that he or she will begin to see understand why it is dangerous.

But above all, it is also the parents' responsibility to make sure that the child is never left alone on a street.

Parents, no matter how busy they are, should take the initiative to teach their children traffic safety by asking them to look both ways before crossing the street.

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2012 Budget expected to tackle inflation fears

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 11:02 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian premier Najib Razak is expected to unveil measures Friday to spur domestic demand and help consumers cope with inflation in a budget likely to be his last before he calls snap polls.

Najib is expected put the brakes on a programme to cut subsides on fuel and other items and could announce a hike in civil servant pay to appease a cost-conscious electorate, analysts said.

The 2012 budget will aim to "ensure social justice while keeping our country on the strong economic course that will deliver long-term prosperity for all," he said in a statement Thursday.


Najib will announce the budget to parliament at 4 pm. (0800 GMT).

The prime minister is due to call fresh elections by 2013 and is widely expected to do so within months.

With inflation around two-year highs — it was 3.3 percent in August — cost-of-living concerns figure to loom large with voters.


"I think the bottom 40 percent of the population are facing a hard time managing rising costs," said Yeah Kim Leng, chief economist with RAM Holdings.

"Of course if he does not address the impact of rising costs, the low-income group will vote for the opposition," added Yeah, who expects a "strong social focus" in the budget.

A once-insignificant opposition scored unprecedented gains in 2008 parliamentary elections that saw the long-ruling coalition now headed by Najib lose its two-thirds majority for the first time.


Najib's government had previously embarked on a deficit-reducing programme marked by cuts in subsidies on fuel and sugar.

But costs of those items subsequently surged and had a knock-on effect on transport and other essential commodities that had already spiked in tandem with rising world prices.

Najib is expected to unveil bonuses and possibly salary hikes for civil servants in a further bid to boost domestic demand as a hedge against a possible drop in export orders stemming from weak overseas markets.

In his statement Thursday, Najib also promised a "fiscally responsible" budget that remained focused on deficit reduction.

Malaysia's economy grew a strong 7.2 percent in 2010 but the government has forecast that to ease to between five and six percent this year.

Cops probe Qantas threats, travellers delayed

Posted: 06 Oct 2011 10:21 PM PDT

SYDNEY: Australian police Friday confirmed they were investigating alleged death threats against Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, as the airline's passengers faced more disruption due to a strike row.

Qantas revealed this week that Joyce had received a death threat, managers had been sent menacing letters and strike-breaking workers bullied as the carrier attempts to refocus its business towards Asia.

The airline did not detail the threats against Irish-born Joyce but the letter reportedly read: "It's coming soon Paddy. You can't even see it." Joyce, who is facing opposition from pilots, engineers and ground staff to his reforms to the iconic Australian airline, also received another death threat after the first was made public, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.


The paper was unable to quote the threatening email, but said it read along the lines of: "I'm going to get you." Qantas would not comment on the threats but New South Wales police said they had established a taskforce to investigate the situation.

"It will examine all circumstances surrounding the allegations," a police spokesman said.

Unions are locked in protracted contract talks over pay and conditions with Qantas, which has said it will slash 1,000 jobs as part of its new Asia focus.


Thousands of Qantas passengers faced disruption Friday after the airline cancelled some flights and delayed others due to a planned stoppage by baggage handlers and ground staff, which did not go ahead.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) called off the strike late on Thursday but Qantas said this was too late to stop contingency plans from being implemented and 17 flights were cancelled and 29 delayed, affecting 5,700 travellers.

Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association were to hold a one-hour strike at Melbourne Airport on Friday afternoon but this was only expected to cause minor delays. - AFP

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