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Nik Aziz 'got it wrong on hudud' Posted: 08 Oct 2011 12:36 PM PDT 2011/10/09 By Sharanjit Singh, Nik Imran Abdullah, A. Azim Idris and Rahmah Ghazali news@nst.com.my GEORGE TOWN: "There are going to be a lot of problems," said DAP national chairman Karpal Singh in shooting down Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's pledge to go ahead with hudud even without Federal Government approval. Karpal said Nik Aziz was "completely misconceived" in thinking that Kelantan needed the Federal Government's approval before the Islamic law could be enforced. He said opposition leaders had to sit down and find ways to overcome the impasse, especially with the general election just around the corner. "It looks like Pas is bent on implementing hudud, although it is not up to the Federal Government to grant any approval. "It is not going to be easy to reconcile our differences. On the one hand, Pas is insisting on hudud and on the other, we are against it." He also made it clear that DAP would never agree to any amendments to the Constitution if the opposition managed to grab federal control in the next general election. Karpal said the Federal Government had nothing to do with what was required in implementing hudud. "It is an amendment to the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the country, that is required (before hudud can be implemented). "As it is, Nik Aziz's plan to implement hudud is completely against constitutional principles." Karpal said DAP's stand had been consistent from day one and the party was clear that the passing of hudud enactment in Kelantan and Terengganu was not in line with the provisions of the Federal Constitution. Nik Aziz reiterated yesterday that the power to implement hudud in Kelantan remained with the state government as Islamic matters came under the purview of the sultan. Therefore, Nik Aziz, who is also Pas spiritual adviser, said there was no reason for the Federal Government to interfere with the move by Kelantan to introduce the law as hudud would be confined to syariah courts for Muslim offenders only. "It is clear that the state government has the right to implement the law. It is also the sultan's right (to consent to the implementation of hudud)," said Nik Aziz when addressing participants at a seminar on multiracial harmony, at a resort in Pantai Cahaya Bulan in Kota Baru. Nik Aziz said he had dropped hudud's implementation when the state government enacted the law in 1993 for the fear that Mageran(emergency rule) would be imposed on Kelantan. On Friday, Nik Aziz said Kelantan was ready to implement hudud without approval from the Federal Government. He said the state was advised by constitutional lawyers that it did not need the approval of the Federal Government for the implementation of hudud as it was a state matter. In Kuala Terengganu, Pas Dewan Ulamak chief Datuk Harun Taib said DAP should not blow the issue out of proportion "even from a legal standpoint as we feel that it does not contradict the Constitution". Harun said it was not unconstitutional to go against the Federal Government as hudud had been passed at the state level in 1993. Pas Terengganu commissioner Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut said he did not understand why DAP was adamant against hudud even when Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was not against it. "Whether to implement it or not is totally a different matter as the Kelantan state assembly passed the hudud enactment in 1993 and when Pas ruled Terengganu in 2003. "There have been no amendments for so long. The fact is, the law is already there, so what is the problem?" Pas vice-president Salahuddin Ayub said Kelantan could proceed with hudud whether it is "unconstitutional or not". "While we respect our right to dissent, at the end of the day, whether it is constitutional or not, it is up for the courts to decide." Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president R. Sivarasa downplayed the highly publicised fight between DAP and Pas and described it as a "non-issue". "This is not an issue for the opposition because hudud is never mentioned in our common policy framework, which is Buku Jingga." He added that the opposition was committed to the Federal Constitution and would only implement policies agreed by the three parties if it takes over the government. "However, we respect each party's ideology and cannot force DAP or Pas to change that."

Work harder, Sidek tells civil servants Posted: 08 Oct 2011 12:35 PM PDT 2011/10/09 news@nst.com.my Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan says the government is recognising the contributions of civil servants with these incentives KUALA LUMPUR: Civil servants are urged to work harder and increase their productivity following the increase in wages and payment of bonus announced in the 2012 Budget. Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said the incentives were part of the government's recognition of the contributions by civil servants. "I call on civil servants to improve performance and productivity to ensure that we achieve developed nation status by 2020 and become competitive in all sectors, such as the economy, education and human capital." Sidek spoke after representing Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah at the opening of the International Islamic University Malaysia's convocation in Gombak here yesterday. Asked about civil servants wishing to work in the private sector or engage in business, he said the government would simplify resignation procedures to make it transparent. Civil servants had other reasons for quitting the service, including disciplinary issues and search for better jobs with higher salaries. On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said a new Civil Service Remuneration System would be introduced to replace the Malaysian Remuneration System. Under the new system, civil servants would receive an annual salary increase of RM80 to RM320 according to grade from next year. Najib also announced a half-month bonus of at least RM500 to 1.3 million civil servants and RM500 aid to 618,000 pensioners. -- Bernama

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Singapore ex-detainees call for abolition of ISA Posted: 08 Oct 2011 07:57 PM PDT SINGAPORE: Two former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees have said that Singapore should abolish the law, just as Malaysia has proposed to do away with its own ISA. Francis Seow and Tang Fong Har spoke via teleconference Saturday at a public forum on the ISA organised by the Singapore Democratic Party and attended by about 150 people, reported local television "Channel NewsAsia". It was the first time that dissidents in exile were communicating with Singaporeans in public. Seow, 83, who lives in the United States, was detained in 1988 after being accused of receiving funds from the United States to establish a more effective opposition in Parliament. Tang, who was accused of being a member of an alleged Marxist conspiracy and was detained in 1987, said the law should be repealed but not replaced with something even worse. Both Tang and Seow want to return to Singapore. It is believed that Seow is still a Singapore citizen while Tang renounced her citizenship in 2003. Malaysia has announced that the ISA, a preventive detention law, will be repealed in March next year after two replacement laws have been drafted. - Bernama

Public accolade for medicines via postal service Posted: 08 Oct 2011 07:07 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Simply commendable. This was the public accolade heaped upon the government when it launched the 1Malaysia Medicine By Post (UMP) on Jan 24. Executed in line with the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), it was welcomed by a majority of the public who see it as proof of the government's concern for the welfare of the low-income group and the poor. "This is the kind of service I want. I no longer need to rush to the hospital and take a number to queue for medicines. "I totally support this move, not because I am lazy, but if a service is offered to make our life easier, then we should make full use of it," police retiree Sidek Salleh, 52, told Bernama. He said the service not only helped patients save petrol and time, but chronic patients also no longer needed to worry about their supply shortage as it could be ordered through 1Malaysia UMP and sent to their doorstep. For Salmina Sulaiman, 39, although the service was useful, she stressed that individuals with high blood pressure and diabetes must be checked by their doctors. "Despite this facility, some patients still need to visit their doctor in order to control medicine intake," she said, adding that the 1Malaysia UMP service was beneficial to those living in rural areas or far from a hospital or clinic. Meanwhile, the health ministry, in a bid to promote healthcare among the community, has upgraded and improved the efficiency of several services offered to patients at hospitals and health clinics. As a pioneer for the 1Malaysia UMP service, the Putrajaya Hospital registered 296 patients taking advantage of the facility, as of July. This number is expected to rise as the service has been extended to 26 pharmacy units at main hospitals in each state, including the Selayang Hospital, Putrajaya Health Clinic and the Luyang Health Clinic in Sabah. Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin told Bernama here, since it began in July, a total of 1,901 prescriptions were sent to patients. "Patients with prescriptions for over a month have the option of receiving their medicines at home or the office," she said. For repeated deliveries, she said various methods were available to make it easier for patients to order, should they run out of stock. "Should the patient inform us that they want supply to be sent until the prescription ends, then the hospital or clinic will send the medicines continuously. "Patients can call, SMS, or use the PosOnline system to contact the hospital or clinic offering these services," she added. Rosnah said pharmaceutical officers at the hospital or clinic would also remind patients to see their doctor when the prescription ended. Through the 1Malaysia UMP, patients can also choose a suitable date to pick up their follow-up medication through the Integrated Medicine Dispensary System (SPUB), 'SMS and Take', 'Phone and Take', and the Drive-Thru Pharmacy service. The SPUB service was implemented at pharmacy units in 136 hospitals and 532 health clinics nationwide, 'SMS and Take' at 66 hospitals and 44 health clinics while the 'Phone and Take' service was implemented at three hospitals and 14 health clinics. On the cost of posting medicine using Pos Laju borne by the patient, Rosnah said RM3.50 was charged within Putrajaya, RM5 for Peninsular Malaysia and RM8 for Sabah and Sarawak. - Bernama

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PM's Kluang visit: A commentary Posted: 27 Mar 2011 03:59 AM PDT 2011/03/27 By Shahrum Sayuthi news@nst.com.my I WAS quietly amused when my hometown friend Fiona reacted with much enthusiasm when I told her that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was making a stopover at her alma mater, the Chong Hwa High School, during his visit to Kluang on Saturday. She is after all a DAP supporter and had not made it a secret to me who she voted for when she had cast her vote for the first time in the 2008 general election. "Oh my God! That's so great of him!" was what she text messaged me in return before proceeding to relate how when as a student she had, along with others, lined the street leading to her school when then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad went there in 1987. "That was the last time a prime minister visited our school. I remember it was a very hot day and we were sweating, but we were all so happy that a prime minister visited our school," she added. If Fiona was at the school on Saturday, she may have thought she had been transported back in time to that day. The over 2,000 students, in their all white uniforms, were equally enthusiastic in welcoming Najib. The highlight of Najib's visit to the school was when he mentioned in his speech the government's "landmark decision" to allow Unified Examinations Certificate holders with three credits including passes in Bahasa Malaysia and English, to take part in the special intake for the Chinese language degree course to become Mandarin teachers. The students cheered as he made the announcement. "We (the government) are committed to being fair to everyone and will continue to strive for this. Dreams will not be realised until we are at peace with one another," Najib had said. My colleague Chuah Bee Kim interviewed some of the students and teachers on how they felt about Najib's visit. Seow Yu Sheng, 15, a Form Three student said it was a memorable day as it was the first time he had seen the prime minister in person. "I am happy to see him. Furthermore, he was here today to launch our school's green programme which my teachers have always promoted among us," he said. Another Form Three student, Dana Lim, 15, echoed Seow's sentiment but lamented that Najib's hour-long visit was such a brief one. "My classmates and I nonetheless feel very honoured to have the prime minister at our school," Lim said. Liong Kok Kiong, 32, a geography teacher at the school for the past six years said the announcement made by Najib regarding UEC holders was very uplifting as it was a step towards the success of the 1Malaysia policy. "I also hope that Najib's visit will encourage more English language teachers to join our school as we need more of them here," he said. Later in the night, Najib attended a "dinner with the people" function at down town Kluang which was attended by more than 10,000 people. Such was the overwhelming response given by the crowd when Najib arrived at the function that Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman had to pause several times to compose himself while delivering the welcoming speech. Expressing his pleasure, Najib in his speech, suggested that judging by the crowd's response at the function and during his walk-about in several parts in Kluang earlier in the day, Barisan Nasional may probably recapture the lost ground it suffered during the coalition's disastrous outing in the 2008 general election. He told the crowd how an old Chinese lady gave him a 51-year-old Jalur Gemilang during the walk-about. "I was so touched because she told me that it was a gift for my effort in initiating 1Malaysia," he said to thunderous applause from the crowd. The prime minister probably had in mind that Kluang, with its huge Chinese community, was the DAP's first stronghold in Johor before it was overwhelmed there by BN in the late 1970s. However, in 2008, DAP captured the Mengkibol state seat there when its Ng Lam Hua defeated Gan Ping Shou of MCA by a majority of 1,281 votes. Ng had got 13,538 votes while Gan received 12,257. When Najib announced an allocation of RM105 million for the construction of a dam in Kahang to ensure no recurrence of a water supply problem which hit Kluang during last year's Chinese New Year, I immediately sent a text message to Fiona. After all, she was the one who had pushed for me to initiate extensive news coverage about the problem in the first place.

Gamis students released after statements taken Posted: 14 Mar 2011 03:24 AM PDT Gamis students released after statements taken 2010/10/31 By Aidi Amin aidiamin@nst.com.my GUA MUSANG: Police today recorded statements from four university students who were detained for several hours yesterday for allegedly distributing political pamphlets in the Galas state constituency. Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar said the students, aged between 18 - 25 years old were taken to the district police station and released soon after. "We are investigating if the students are from Gua Musang or outsiders," he said after a briefing at the police operations centre here. He said they would also work with the Election Commission and the students' universities during their investigations. The students are from a group, calling themselves Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam SeMalaysia (Gamis) and were allegedly distributing brochures urging the locals to exercise their democratic right to vote. A spokesman yesterday said the group represented students from various universities and had come to Galas to observe the campaign process and also explain to the people certain national issues, including the 2011 budget and how it effects them. Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the detention of the students should not be politicised as they were merely detained for not possessing a valid permit to distribute the pamphlets. "The students were not aligned to any political party and were merely there to urge the people to come out and vote. They are acting on their own and nothing to do with their respective universities. "However, I would like to advise these students to go home and concentrate on their studies instead," he said when contacted. On another issue, Ismail also said the police had to date received four reports on minor incidents involving the parties contesting the by-election here. "I urge all parties to adhere to the laws and prevent any untoward incidents," he added. Air your comment on this issue: Gamis students released after statements taken Log in with your Facebook account or use the form below to comment. New Straits Times reserves the right not to publish offensive or abusive comments and those of hate speech, harassment, commercial promos and invasion of privacy. Your IP will be logged and may be used to prevent further submission.The views expressed here are that of the members of the public and unless specifically stated are not those of NST.

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Football: Too close to call Posted: 08 Oct 2011 11:05 AM PDT 2011/10/09 DEVINDER SINGH devinder@nst.com.my The Malaysia Cup enters the quarter-fi nal stage tomorrow and given the unpredictable form of most teams in the group stage, fans can expect no-holds barred action. Kelantan may have started the competition as the overwhelming favourites but, reports, this is no longer the case. SELANGOR v PERAK Selangor appear to have rediscovered their verve under interim coach P. Maniam after K. Devan stepped down. The 32-time champions were tottering under the verge of elimination but a 2-1 victory over Kuala Lumpur in their final group game gave Selangor new zeal. Whether Selangor can sustain their form will be put to the test by a Perak side that have done surprisingly well in the absence of several key players. Selangor were beaten twice by T-Team in Group D while Perak came out tops in Group A unbeaten while eliminating Kedah. Perak played their last five group matches without the suspended striker Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli, captain Shahrulnizam Mustapha and goalkeeper Nasril Nourdin but in Failee Ghazli, on loan from USM FC, they have uncovered a gem after the striker scored four goals in the tournament Coach Norizan Bakar will relish the opportunity to put out one of the pre-tournament favourites and Perak will be a force to reckon with if they make the semi-finals when the suspended players will be available again. The two teams last met in the Malaysia Cup in 2005 when Perak won 2-1 at home and drew 1-1 away in the group stage but it was Selangor who went all the way to lift the Cup, which happened to be their last. recent form • selangor: W W L D W • perak: D W W W W previous five meetings • 2011 Super League: Perak 0 Selangor 0 • 2011 Super League: Selangor 1 Perak 0 • 2010 Super League: Perak 1 Selangor 0 • 2010 Super League: Selangor 4 Perak 1 • 2009 Super League: Perak 0 Selangor 1 FELDA UNITED v NEGRI SEMBILAN Felda United won their first three group matches but lost steam in the second round when they picked up just one point and even lost to Premier League side Sarawak 1-0 in Kuching. After a poor run in the league, coach E. Elavarasan did well to guide the club into the quarter-finals for the first time but a heavy reliance on old legs could leave Felda exposed. Farderin Kadir is their main outlet in attack, having scored three goals in the tournament but due to their lack of firepower, no Felda player managed more than four goals in the Super League. Felda, however, can take comfort that they have not lost to Negri when they met for the first time in the Super League this year. Free-scoring Negri could attempt to take advantage of a Felda defence that appear porous at times as Shahurain Abu Samah and Malaysia Cup-specialist Hairuddin Omar have discovered their shooting boots just in time. Indeed, Hairuddin seems to save his best for the Malaysia Cup, having been on the winning side in the last two finals in 2009 with Negri and 2010 with Kelantan. With defender Aidil Zafuan Radzak set to return for the knockout stages after injury, his combination with Norhafiz Zamani Misbah will be a tough one to crack and Negri could be looking at a third consecutive final. recent form • Felda: L L D W W • Negri: D W L W W previous two meetings • 2011 Super League: Felda 2 Negri 2 • 2011 Super League: Negri 0 Felda 1 TERENGGANU v KELANTAN Without doubt, this tie is the pick of the four quarter-finals with some going so far as to say this is the de facto final. While the other six teams may have something to say about that, Terengganu and Kelantan can be sure to leave nothing on the pitch once all is said and done. The East Coast derby is arguable the most passionate and ferocious in the country and to the purists it is rather unfortunate the two teams have been pitched together so soon. But it does provide Kelantan with a chance to avenge their painful FA Cup final defeat when a late own goal forced extra-time as Terengganu went on to win. Coach M. Karathu, however, would have wished Kelantan were more consistent in the group stage when they surprisingly lost to Felda United away and were held by Johor FC at home. For Terengganu, failure to beat Negri Sembilan at home in their final group game saw them finish second in Group B and an unwanted pairing with Kelantan. Terengganu, however, have history on their side having twice beaten Kelantan to qualify for the quarter-finals in 2007 and 2008. They also hold a slight edge in 17 meetings since 2004, having won six games to Kelantan's five. recent form • Terengganu: D W W L W • Kelantan: W D W L W previous five meetings • 2011 FA Cup final: Terengganu 2 Kelantan 1 (aet) • 2011 Super League: Terengganu 0 Kelantan 3 • 2011 Super League: Kelantan 1 Terengganu 1 • 2010 Super League: Kelantan 3 Terengganu 0 • 2010 Super League: Terengganu 0 Kelantan 0 SABAH v T-TEAM Sabah and T-Team make the most unlikely of pairings in the quarter-finals, and regardless of which team make the semi-finals, they have been labelled as cannon fodder for either Kelantan or Terengganu at the next stage. Justin Ganai has done wonders for the East Malaysians after taking over from Gary Phillips as Sabah prepare to take their place in the last eight for the first time since 2007, when they made the semi-finals. T-Team coach Yunus Alif will be a little more confident than Justin however seeing that the Kuala Terengganu club have won all four of the two teams meetings to date. On their way to the quarter-finals for the first time, T-Team stunned Selangor home and away in Group D and romped to a 6-0 win over Police in their final group game to signal their hunger for a maiden major honour. Expect Sabah and T-Team to give it their all as they look at this year's competition as their best chance to go deep in the Malaysia Cup. With a host of experienced players, T-Team may just hold the edge over a gritty Sabah side, whose poor away record may return to haunt them. recent form • Sabah: W W L L W • T-Team: W D W W L Previous four meetings • 2011 Super League: Sabah 1 T-Team 3 • 2011 Super League: T-Team 3 Sabah 0 • 2010 Premier League: T-Team 2 Sabah 0 • 2010 Premier League: Sabah 1 T-Team 2

Hockey: No holding back for KLHC Posted: 08 Oct 2011 10:49 AM PDT Nur Insafi's Muhammad Azrin Anuar tries to block KLHC's Mohd Syamim Mohd Yusof in their match on Friday. THE TNB-Malaysia Hockey League title belongs to Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) even before playing Sapura in their final fixture today, but the double champions will be chasing for an unbeaten record by fielding their best. Coach R. Vivekanandan said even though Sapura are trailing by three points, it will not be a rest day for his players. "I have pushed forward the point that as double champions, we will have to prove ourselves by winning our final match against Sapura to take our unbeaten record into the knock out stage. "I will field the best players, and we will not slow down the momentum or take the match lightly as KLHC's reputation is at stake here," said Vivekanandan. The only player who could be missing from KLHC's line-up today is Kelvinder Singh. "Kelvinder picked up a shoulder injury while playing against Nur Insafi (on Friday) and is a doubtful starter, while the rest of my players are in good shape to give their best," said Vivekanandan. Sapura coach I. Vickneswaran said their chances of an upset are slim: "With a 14-goal deficit, we need to beat KLHC by seven goals to deny them the title, which is too steep to achieve." TODAY -- Premier Division: YNS v UiTM (Pitch II, 4pm), Maybank v Nur Insafi (Pitch 1, 5pm), UniKL v Armed Forces Airod (Pitch II, 6pm), KL Hockey Club v Sapura (Pitch II, 8pm) -- all matches at National Hockey Stadium Division 1: Ipoh City Hall v UniTen (Azlan Shah, 5pm), UNIMAP v BJSS (Alor Star, 5pm).

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Najib dismisses opposition's 'unrealistic' label for Budget 2012 (Updated) Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:09 PM PDT Najib dismisses opposition's 'unrealistic' label for Budget 2012 (Updated) KUALA SELANGOR -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today dismissed the opposition labelling of Budget 2012 as unrealistic by saying they are just devoid of ammunition to attack the government. He said the proposals in Budget 2012 which he tabled in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday can be implemented by the government and are not empty promises. "The budget proposals were drawn up by experts in the Finance Ministry, Bank Negara, Economic Planning Unit and other agencies, and not by fools. They are brilliant people, with PhD. "The budget is not aimed at pleasing the people; we do not deceive the people. Instead, it (the budget) is a commitment of the Barisan Nasional government," he said at a meet-the-people event at Ladang Tuan Mee in Ijok, here. Najib spent about an hour with more than 3,000 people at the location and presented Deepavali and Aidiladha gifts to about 600 people. -- Bernama Air your comment on this issue: Najib dismisses opposition's 'unrealistic' label for Budget 2012 (Updated) Log in with your Facebook account or use the form below to comment. New Straits Times reserves the right not to publish offensive or abusive comments and those of hate speech, harassment, commercial promos and invasion of privacy. Your IP will be logged and may be used to prevent further submission.The views expressed here are that of the members of the public and unless specifically stated are not those of NST.

Ensuring well-being of nation in push forward Posted: 07 Oct 2011 10:57 AM PDT Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is accompanied by his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (left), to the Dewan Rakyat for the tabling of the 2012 Budget yester ay. — NST picture by Mohd Fadli Hamzah THE 2012 Budget tabled yesterday seeks to ensure that every Malaysian remains on board in the nation's push towards developed-nation status, even as the economy faces threats amid the weak global environment. Tabling a liberal yet realistic budget at the Dewan Rakyat, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said it was one crafted to continue transforming the economy while ensuring the well-being of the rakyat. Clearly, the long-term measures in the RM230.83 billion 2012 Budget are aimed at keeping the economy moving and the development of a better society, while a number of short-term ones are designed to provide immediate reprieve for low-to-medium-income earners within the currently environment of high-cost living. The budget touches almost every segment of society, from schoolchildren and students at institutions of higher learning to retirees, and from urban dwellers to those living in rural areas. There are goodies for civil servants, uniformed personnel and the commercial sector. For the commercial sector, there are measures that will benefit both small and big businesses, and others to ensure that Malaysia moves ahead in innovation. The low-to-medium-income earners, however, will reap the benefits almost immediately. For instance, a one-off payment of RM500 will be provided to households with a monthly income of less than RM3,000 to help ease the high cost of living. The move, which will benefit about 3.4 million households, is unprecedented. For the first time, too, primary and secondary education will be provided free of charge as all fees have been abolished, while school aid of RM100 each will be given to primary and secondary schoolchildren. The 2012 Budget also signals transformation for the rural areas, whereby funds have been allocated to improve quality of life, with the long-term goal to reduce urban migration. Civil servants, including uniformed personnel, enjoy a windfall in the form of additional bonuses and financial assistance for further studies, while pensioners and former contract government workers, too, have received benefits. High on Malaysians' wish-list in the run-up to the 2012 Budget has been for the government to keep house prices affordable. Towards this end, Najib yesterday announced expansion of the "My First Home" scheme as well as other public housing schemes. Measures to control speculation in the housing sector have also been announced, a move that would keep house prices at affordable levels. Senior citizens have not been forgotten as outpatient registration charges will be waived for this group at all government hospitals, 1Malaysia clinics and dental clinics. The elderly will also enjoy a 50 per cent discount on light rail transit and monorail fares. The provision of quality healthcare will continue, not only through construction of more hospitals but also by restructuring the allowances of medical officers to ensure better quality of service. For the women, a micro-financing facility has been formed, while retired female professionals will receive training to enable them to return to employment. The government has also allocated RM50 million to provide free immunisation against the human papillomavirus (HPV) for women. Youth and budget taxi owners were also beneficiaries of the budget. Across Malaysia, the 2012 Budget was largely seen as one with the future in sight although many of the measures announced seem short-term in nature. "What is important is the creation of a brighter future for every Malay-sian child, a future full of hope and prosperity, not fear or hatred. Over the last 30 months, the government has charted a clear path for our beloved nation to achieve its national vision," Najib said in his speech. The prime minister paid tribute to his predecessors, saying Malaysia would not be where it is today without the political stability espoused by Barisan Nasional's power-sharing concept. "More importantly, it (the national vision) will never materialise without the support of the rakyat."

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