Courting fame by zapping viruses
BATU PAHAT: Nur Mohammad Kamil Mohammad Alta is not your regular 25-year-old. While most of his peers are busy working or hanging out with friends at a local teh tarik stall, he is busy tinkering with ideas to develop computer software for general purposes.

Skills training from Form One
PUTRAJAYA: The country's school system will be infused with vocational, technical and skills training streams at an earlier stage to serve as a second netting to reduce the school dropout problem.

'New thinking needed to tackle changes in Umno'
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin believes the current political scenario is blowing change into Umno.

RM1.3b grant awaits students
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM1.3 billion worth of scholarships have been made available for students pursuing higher education this year.

Report on former PM with ACA
GEORGE TOWN: Police have referred the report Karpal Singh lodged on May 23 to the Anti-Corruption Agency.

Patrolman finds Raya 'consignment'
RANTAU PANJANG: Hari Raya Aidilfitri is three months away, but firecrackers and fireworks were already being smuggled into the country.

Johor Assembly: Iskandar's 'pivotal role against recession'
MENTERI Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman yesterday expressed confidence that Iskandar Malaysia would play a pivotal role in insulating Johor from a potential economic recession triggered by the soaring prices of fuel.

PM's succession plan well received
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's succession plan has been greeted as a positive step towards calming nerves frayed by political developments since the general election.

Leaders give full support for transition plan
MALACCA: There was all-round support from state Umno leaders for the planned transition of power between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Anwar: BN will fall before Najib takes over
SEREMBAN: Parti Keadilan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Barisan Nasional government would fall before Datuk Seri Najib Razak can take over in 2010.

Ministry to decide after feedback
PUTRAJAYA: The teaching of Science and Mathematics in English has gone down better with rural students and teachers than those in urban schools.

Reports 'not meant to threaten'
AMPANG: Newspaper reports, which were published in The Malay Mail in 2003, alleging that the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) enforcement director Captain (R) Abdul Kudus Ahmad was involved in corrupt practices were never meant to threaten him.

School to reopen after clean-up
PUTRAJAYA: Only one of the six SK Taman Tun Dr Ismail (1) pupils struck by hand, foot and mouth disease remains in hospital.

Man charged with bribery
IPOH: A hawker was charged in the Sessions Court yesterday with bribing a policeman so that no action would be taken against a third party suspected of a criminal offence.

Teruntum zoo awaits arrival
KUANTAN: The arrival of a kangaroo and a wild water buffalo by the end of this year is expected to attract more visitors to the Teruntum mini zoo here.

5 held over spate of burglaries
MALACCA: Police detained five men on Monday in connection with a spate of burglaries in Alor Gajah district in the past few months.

Timely aid for heart babies
KUALA LUMPUR: Two babies in urgent need of heart surgery received RM4,000 yesterday from a compassionate New Straits Times reader.

Motorcyclist killed in crash
KUANTAN: A 20-year-old motorcyclist was killed and another injured when their machines collided head-on at a traffic light junction here yesterday.

Tontos make a comeback
GEORGE TOWN: Pirated compact disc pedlars and entertainment outlet operators here are employing tontos to warn them of police raids on their premises.

Helping to save rhinos
GEORGE TOWN: More than 450 schoolchildren here learned yesterday how they can help save the two-horned Sumatran rhinoceros from extinction.

Jailed for being with armed man
KUALA LUMPUR: A 28-year-old waitress was sentenced to six years' jail for being with her boyfriend whom she knew was in possession of a firearm.

Fate of Myanmar trio uncertain
KUALA LUMPUR: All efforts to secure the release of the three Myanmar women who are on their 25th day at the Lenggeng detention camp have proved futile.

Last chance for villagers to convince govt
SHAH ALAM: Residents of Kampung Terentang, who oppose the construction of power transmission towers through the village, will get one last opportunity to convince the state government on July 26.

Chinese national 'begger' makes RM6,100 in 15 days
MUAR: In just 15 days, a Chinese national made RM6,100 by using a physical disability to cash in on the caring nature of Malaysians.

Dangdut star wants answers, show called off in JB
KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesian dangdut sensation Inul Daratista is seeking an explanation from organiser IMS Prima Sdn Bhd over the cancellation of her concert which was scheduled to be held today at Stadium Tan Sri Haji Hassan Yunos in Larkin, Johor Baru.

Charged with having drugs
KUALA LUMPUR: A 23-year-old man was yesterday charged at the Sessions Court with possessing two types of drugs -- Eramin 5 and syabu. Cheng Thiam Keat, 23, of Kepong, claimed trial to possessing 500 psychotropic pills containing 128.7g of Eramin 5 and seven plastic packets containing 33.4g of syabu. Both offences were allegedly committed at Restoran Lima Bintang, No. 63, Jalan Development, Taman Kepong, at 7.30pm on July 7. He pleaded not guilty.

Dialogue with minister
KUALA LUMPUR: Young professionals in construction-related industries will join Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed in a dialogue on Monday. The one-day forum entitled "Globalisation of Young Malaysian Professionals -- A Future Perspective" will be held at the Sime Darby Convention Centre here. Professional Services Development Corporation president Ahmad Asri Abdul Hamid said the forum would provide a platform for professionals to speak their mind and share views with the minister.

Shaziman faces contest
SEREMBAN: The Tampin Umno division post which is held by Energy, Water and Communications Minister, Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor for the last seven years is expected to see a three-cornered fight during the divisional elections in October. Shahziman, 44, who is also the Tampin member of parliament is expected to defend his post. He will be challenged by Datuk Mohd Kamil Abdul Aziz, who is Gemenceh state assemblyman and Tampin Bandar Umno branch treasurer, Fadzil A. Bakar.

Datukship for 40 on Negri ruler's birthday
SEREMBAN: Malaysian astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor is among 18 people who will be bestowed the Darjah Dato' Setia Negri Sembilan (DSNS) which carries the title "Datuk", in conjunction with the 86th birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja'afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

Constable claims trial to raping girl in station
PETALING JAYA: A policeman was charged at the Sessions Court yesterday with raping and forcing a 17-year-old to perform oral sex on him at the Putra Heights police station, Subang Jaya, on June 18.

Plan to rid state of illegals in place
KOTA KINABALU: A comprehensive plan to weed out illegal immigrants across the state will be finalised soon.

Najib calls on ulama to master English language
KUALA LUMPUR: Ulama will have a tough time sharing their views at international platforms unless they have a strong command of the English language, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday.

Fuel stock concern for dealers
KUALA LUMPUR: The Petroleum Dealers' Association of Malaysia wants the government to implement a standard system to measure fuel stock at all pumps.

One hurt in bomb attacks
KLANG: Home-made bombs were thrown at a pub and a house here on Thursday night, injuring one person.

13 illegals detained
JOHOR BARU: Thirteen Indonesians, including a 9-month-old toddler, were rounded up while they were waiting for their boat to fetch them on the shores of Sungai Bauk in Pasir Gogok, Pengerang, Kota Tinggi on Thursday. Southern region marine police intelligence and operations chief Deputy Superintendant Rosman Ismail said the illegal immigrants, comprising five men, five women and three children, did not have any travel documents.

Drugs charge for salesman
KUALA LUMPUR: A mobile phone salesman was charged at a magistrate's court here with trafficking in two types of drugs at a parking lot last month. Goh Wee Shen, 29, of Bandar Baru Kepong, was charged with trafficking 210.7g of cannabis and 40.2g of monoacetylmorphines at the parking lot of Condominium Rakyat, Pantai Dalam here around 3.40pm on July 21. No plea was recorded. Magistrate Nazran Mohd Sham set Aug 14 for mention at the High Court.

New divisions for ministry
PUTRAJAYA: Three new divisions were created under a restructuring exercise by the Education Ministry on March 1, said its minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. The divisions were the Residential and Cluster Schools Management Division, Psychology and Counselling Division and a Human Resource Management unit. The teaching sector was also divided into three core sectors -- Policy and Teaching Development, Teaching Operations and Professionalism Development. -- Bernama

Recess hour for nursing mums
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has proposed an hour break for working mothers to express breast milk at their workplace.

Officers who made a feast of seized fruits face the rap
SHAH ALAM: City Council enforcement officers did more than seize and store when they raided illegal stalls in Taman Sri Muda area last month.

Rosli is UMP's new deputy vice-chancellor
KUANTAN: Universiti Malay-sia Pahang's Chemical Engineering and Natural Resources faculty dean Professor Dr Rosli Mohd Yunus has been appointed the new deputy vice chancellor (Research and Innovation) for the east coast higher institute of education.

Stars come to spice up MTV Asia awards bash
KUANTAN: Malaysia is ready to welcome the MTV Asia Awards 2008 today.

Maybank Treats fair draws the crowd
KUALA LUMPUR: The first day of the Maybank Treats Fair on Thursday received an overwhelming response from the bank's cardholders.

20 years’ jail, rotan for incest
SHAH ALAM: An Indonesian who raped his 15-year-old step-daughter after threatening to place a spell on her and his wife will spend the next 20 years in jail.

Hanoi prepares for Miss Universe
HANOI: Some of the world’s most beautiful women have converged on Vietnam for the Miss Universe pageant, for what organisers say is a prime opportunity for the communist country to show itself off.

Heroes in blue: All in the line of duty, no less
WHILE escorting a five-tonne lorry which was carrying explosives for quarry work in 1972, a group of policemen came under fire from communist terrorists. FADHAL A. GHANI speaks to two of the policemen who charged into a hail of bullets and grenades to storm the communist

Malacca to celebrate listing for one month
MALACCA: Malaccans can look forward to a month-long celebration next month after the historic city was listed as a World Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Culture Organisation (Unesco).

Ex-councillor declines offer to serve in panel
GEORGE TOWN: A former state executive councillor has declined the state government's invitation to join the State Heritage Steering Committee.

Home news in brief: RM925m paid out
KUALA LUMPUR: Pos Malaysia Bhd had disbursed RM925.63 million in cash rebates to two million eligible vehicle owners since it began doing so on June 14.

Datukship for Nicol David
GEORGE TOWN: International squash star Nicol Ann David has been made a Datuk in conjunction with the 70th birthday of Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas yesterday.

RM207,000 for wrongful dismissal
GEORGE TOWN: A former hotel resident manager was yesterday awarded RM207,000 in back-wages after the Industrial Court found he was wrongly sacked by his employer.

RUN-UP TO MIC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Youth to raise community's woes
KUALA LUMPUR: It appears that the ability of delegates to raise issues on core concerns of the Indian community at the MIC's annual general meeting today will decide the party's relevance as a true representative of the community.

Man found near railway track dies
KUALA LUMPUR: A man who was found with severe facial injuries and a broken right leg near a railway track in Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum on Thursday died while on the way to the hospital.

Army assessing needs of dead soldier's family
KUCHING: The needs of Corporal Jun Sang's widow and family are being assessed so that they can be given the appropriate assistance.

Ringgit & Sense: Need to stock up on dried food
BAU: The one-month long New Straits Times Grocery Basket Project has taught this Bidayuh family the importance of keeping track of their food expenses and stocking on non-perishable food items at home.

'Number of drug addicts in Malaysia declining'
PUTRAJAYA: The National Anti-Drugs Agency is confident that the number of drug addicts in the country will fall to less than one per cent of the population by 2015.

Court throws out policeman's suit
SEREMBAN: The magistrate's court yesterday dismissed a suit filed by a police lance corporal against a teenager who accused him of soliciting a bribe from her when she was stopped at a roadblock here in June 2004.

Snatch thief assaulted
KUALA TERENGGANU: A snatch thief was thrown off his motorcycle after crashing into another motorcycle and assaulted by a group of people.

Koh declines to go through documents
GEORGE TOWN: Former chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon yesterday declined the offer by his successor to look at some official documents in preparation for their debate on land scams in the state.

Astro to focus on Malaysian team
KUALA LUMPUR: Astro yesterday assured its customers that it would continue to provide as much coverage as possible on sports that involve Malaysian athletes at the on-going Beijing Olympics.

Four held in anti-drug raid
JOHOR BARU: Police arrested four men in a 48-hour drug blitz around the city.

'Women' grab RM500,000 worth of jewellery
JOHOR BARU: Three "women" sauntered into a jewellery shop in a shopping complex, whipped out a "pistol" and then coolly took off RM500,000 worth of jewellery yesterday.

Anwar unfazed by Pas Youth uproar
IPOH: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is unfazed by Pas Youth delegates' criticism of the party for being too attentive to him and his political agenda.

Another turtle satellite-tagged
MALACCA: The World Wide Fund (WWF), in cooperation with the Malacca Department of Fisheries and Terendak camp military base, successfully deployed a satellite transmitter on a female hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the wee hours of Wednesday.

Pas’ 54th Muktamar: We will not betray Pakatan Rakyat, says Abdul Hadi
IPOH: As long as it is not betrayed, Pas will stick with the Pakatan Rakyat alliance, its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said.

Ringgit & Sense: Going slow on chicken, pork
TAIPING: As young children, Loh Swee Thean and Tan Guat Sim used to eat whatever was served by their parents without question.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Makeover for 30 houses
PERMATANG PAUH: With dozens of VIPs converging on this constituency, Fatimah Yusuf did not pay heed to the convoy of flashy cars coming down the road.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Sodomy issue does not involve BN, says Najib
PENANG: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the sodomy issue was between Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and did not involve the Barisan Nasional.

Cops assure ACA director of safety
KUANTAN: Police yesterday confirmed that the state Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director, Sutinah Sutan, had received a death threat with a live bullet on Wednesday.

Eight hurt in bomb blast
TUMPAT: At least eight people were injured when a powerful bomb exploded at an illegal jetty at Nat Chenerong in Takbai district just across Kampung Sungai Gali, near Simpangan here, on Thursday night.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Fuel price hike not big issue
BUKIT MERTAJAM: The petrol price hike is not a major issue for the Chinese voters during the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election. They were instead more concerned about local problems which had been neglected for the past two terms, said Penang MCA chairman Datuk Liow Tiong Lai. He said the people had understood the transparent action taken by the Federal Government in tackling the oil issue. -- Bernama

Three shot dead in botched robbery
KLANG: Police shot dead three men high on the wanted list during a robbery at a goldsmith shop in Meru yesterday.

Johor ready for bridge revival
JOHOR BARU: The state government has made preparations if the Johor Baru-Singapore bridge project is revived in the future.

Heroes In Blue: Disabled but determined to serve
Despite being wheelchair-bound after being shot while trying to apprehend criminals, Lance Corporal Abdul Hafiz Jamalul Ramlee tells LEE SHI-IAN he still burns with the passion to serve as he did when he joined the police force three years ago

Police compensation scheme proposed
KUALA LUMPUR: A compensation scheme is being worked out for the families of policemen who are disabled or killed in the line of duty.

'Tap potential of globalisation wave'
KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Peninsular Malay Students Associations (GPMS) must ride the wave of globalisation in enhancing the education and economy of the Malays, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Four killed in collision
MUADZAM SHAH: A woman and her three children were killed when their Perodua Viva crashed into an oncoming express bus at Km126 of Jalan Kuantan-Segamat near Felda Keratong at 3.30pm yesterday.

Maya ties the knot in Italy
KUALA LUMPUR: Award-winning actress Maya Karin, 29, solemnised her marriage to Steven Shorthose or Muhammad Ali Abdullah, 38, in a simple akad nikah at Lake Como in Bellagio, Italy, at 11pm yesterday.

No judge in court, so man sues govt
JOHOR BARU: A murder accused has filed a summons against the government seeking damages over the postponement of his case spanning over 11 months due to the absence of a presiding judge at Court Five of the High Court here.

Smut discs worth RM300,000 seized
SEREMBAN: Police have uncovered an illegal VCD and DVD distribution syndicate with the seizure of 25,543 pirated and pornographic discs worth more than RM300,000 and the arrest of three suspects in Bandar Baru Nilai last week.

Factories razed in early morning fire
SEREMBAN: The state Fire and Rescue Department took about three hours to douse a fire which destroyed three paper and plastic recycling factories at the Sri Senawang Industrial Area along the Seremban-Tampin road yesterday.

Salesman gets five years for abducting woman
KUALA LUMPUR: A salesman was spared the hangman's noose after he pleaded guilty in the High Court here yesterday to an alternative charge of abducting his former college mate in 2004.

Judge chides Socso officer over comments
IPOH: Check with lawyers present in court or get the grounds of judgment before you comment on news reports about judgments, High Court judge Datuk V.T. Singham said yesterday.

Dompok: Normal for 'Herald' to touch on politics
PUTRAJAYA: The Catholic weekly Herald has been publishing a lot of articles on social issues and politics, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Seri Bernard Dompok said yesterday.

Biodiversity bank set up
KOTA KINABALU: A biodiversity bank, the first of its kind in Asia, has been set up to raise funds to protect and conserve the biodiversity-rich 34,000ha Malua Forest Reserves in the east coast of Sabah.

MAS: Qantas staff monitored work
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines (MAS) said yesterday that when Qantas sent one of its B737-400 aircraft to Malaysia Airlines Engineering & Maintenance (MAS E&M) in Subang for a heavy maintenance check (HMC) in May, the Australian carrier had also sent 12 of its own engineering personnel to oversee activities carried out on the aircraft.

Families relocated after landslide
KUALA LIPIS: Eight families living in terrace houses in the Sungai Kerpan 3 low-cost housing project near here will be relocated, following a massive landslide nearby on Aug 4.

'Ops Bersepadu' the cops' main focus
KOTA KINABALU: As the main focus of the police is on tracking down illegal immigrants, less attention is being paid to other wrongdoers.

Illegals living at expense of locals
KOTA KINABALU: Some wooden beams, a few zinc sheets, plywood and a few kilogrammes of nails.

RM1.2b just for SME segment, says Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has set aside some RM1.2 billion in funds to help develop local small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Anwar: Bar Council should hold closed-door forum
PETALING JAYA: For once, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Barisan Nasional government agree about something.

Celebrating their love on an auspicious day
KUALA TERENGGANU: Chong Tze Seng, 24, tapped the microphone twice before saying "I do" in Mandarin to his high school sweetheart, Ng Geok Ching, yesterday.

238 couples tie the knot on 08.08.08
KLANG: It was the biggest wedding the town had ever seen when 238 couples chose to tie the knot at the Klang Hokkien Association yesterday.

And the stork makes special deliveries
JOHOR BARU: The stork came early for accounts clerk Siti Norazira Zainudin, who was due to deliver on Aug 22.

Gang party in school busted
KLANG: The number eight and yesterday's date 08.08.08 did not prove to be auspicious for some members of the Gang 08.

Officers charged with deceiving the government
KUCHING: Three Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry enforcement officers were charged separately in the Sessions Court yesterday with deceiving the government over the sale of subsidised diesel last year.

When carrom kills
SHAH ALAM: A 29-year-old parking attendant lost his life after a misunderstanding over a game of carrom.

Heroes In Blue: He died living out his childhood dream
Constable Mohd Fakaruddin Zakaria (above) had it all — a dream job and about to be married to his childhood sweetheart. But fate dealt a cruel blow when Mohd Fakaruddin was killed while pursuing two criminals in the early hours of Sept 9, 2006. V. SHUMAN and SHARIFAH MAHSINAH ABDULLAH have the story

Major haul before Ahmad Sofian moves on
KUALA LUMPUR: A day before he handed over his duty as Sentul police chief, SAC II Ahmad Sofian Md Yassin's men seized drugs, pistol and homemade bombs.

Ringgit & Sense: Simple recipes give family contentment
KANGAR: Secondary school teacher Sharipah Sabu has a handful of recipes that are quick and easy to prepare.

Girl dies in early morning fire at orphanage
KUALA LUMPUR: A seven-year-old orphan was killed when a fire destroyed part of the Ti-Ratana Welfare Society Home in Desa Petaling early yesterday.

'PKR resorting to gimmicks'
KOTA BARU: The latest sodomy allegation against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has caused him to lose influence among his Pakatan Rakyat partners said former PKR Youth chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd Noor.

Anwar gives deadline to home minister
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is now threatening to sue Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, for calling him a "snitch" (informer) for the United States.

Leave of police personnel frozen
KUALA LUMPUR: All leave for police personnel nationwide has been frozen from today.

Perak tops in Quran recital contest
JITRA: Perak emerged tops in the 51st National Tilawah Al-Quran recital competition when its reciters won first place in the men's and women's categories last night.

Stop speculating on cases, warn police
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have warned that action would be taken against those who continued to speculate on two high profile cases -- the sodomy allegation against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the two statutory declarations made by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam.

Bukit Bintang polls petition dismissed
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court yesterday dismissed with costs an election petition by Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng to declare the election result for the Bukit Bintang parliamentary constituency null and void.

'Free' diesel after train jumps tracks
SEREMBAN: A goods train transporting diesel from a refinery in Port Dickson to Ipoh derailed at Km13.6 of the Seremban-Siliau railway line yesterday.

Monorail 'disaster'
KUALA LUMPUR: A rumour spread like wildfire yesterday that a monorail train had skidded off its tracks, injuring many passengers.

Nine years' jail for killing VCD peddler
SHAH ALAM: A 35-year-old Sabahan threw punches at a VCD peddler when he cursed and threw a bottle at him after a misunderstanding.

Two traffickers among 24 held in drug bust
KUALA LUMPUR: Two men wanted by police in connection with drug trafficking activities here were among 24 detained in a crackdown.

Four students get Singapore scholarship
KUALA LUMPUR: The 19-year-old couldn't suppress a happy grin as he received his Singapore Scholarship Award from the High Commissioner yesterday.

Cops seek info on charred body
KUALA SELANGOR: The charred body of an unidentified person was found in a plantation near Puncak Alam.

MP suggests psychological help for teacher
KAPAR: Counselling and psychological help should be given to a kindergarten teacher who allegedly beat a 6-year-old girl over a minor mistake on Wednesday.

Grocer stabbed in robbery
SEREMBAN: A grocer was stabbed to death in a robbery attempt at Taman Jaya Emas, Jalan Tun Dr Ismail here, on Thursday.

Earning more in Perlis with handicraft, planting system
KANGAR: The state government is looking into handicrafts and a special planting system to help people increase their income to cope with rising costs.

Samy Vellu gets interim injunction
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu obtained an interim injunction yesterday against a former party leader and four others preventing them from publishing articles deemed libellous about him.

Attack leaves student with 'memory lapse'
PETALING JAYA: The 19-year-old Malaysian battered by youths in Melbourne, Australia, last Friday has lost some of his memory and is undergoing mental rehabilitation.

Baby burnt alive as fire guts house
TANAH MERAH: A 10-month-old baby girl was burnt alive when fire destroyed a house in Kampung Banggol Jering here, Bernama reported yesterday.

Heroes in Blue: Heroic efforts of Deli and his men win the day
On an April afternoon in 1973, a police patrol led by Inspector Reggie Deli was hunting for communist insurgents deep in the jungles of Bintulu, Sarawak. They first thought the insurgents had eluded them but Reggie and his team were actually not far behind. FADHAL A. GHANI and DENNIS WONG retrace the heroic actions of Reggie and his team on that fateful day

45 slabs of ganja found floating in sea
KANGAR: The state Customs Department scooped up 45 slabs of ganja which were floating in the sea off Kuala Sungai Baru, near Kuala Perlis on Thursday.

Trio held for trafficking
KUALA TERENGGANU: Three men were arrested for drug trafficking in two raids here.

Club plans to set up eye clinic for poor
KOTA BARU: The Lions Club International District 308-B1, which covers Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu, Johor, Selangor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan, will set up an eye clinic in Kuala Lumpur with priority to the poor.

Student wins dance contest
KUALA LUMPUR: Student Cecilia Yong Ling Shi has emerged as the second champion of 8TV's reality dance competition So You Think You Can Dance.

NST Ringgit & Sense: Budgeting is not for amateurs
JOHOR BARU: Grocery shopping may seem trivial, but if it is left in the hands of "amateurs", it can lead to unnecessary spending and waste.

NST Ringgit & Sense: Shopping for nutritious food at affordable prices
KANGAR: Sharipah Sabu is a discerning shopper.

11 years' jail for killing brother-in-law
SHAH ALAM: The two men were brothers-in-law and came from India to work as barbers.

Malaysian prostitute gets 15 years for murder in the UK
PROSTITUTE Noor Azura Mohd Yusoff was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of karaoke club worker Xie Xing Xing, 23, whose head and body had been severed and dumped in different parts of the city.

Three deny robbing policeman
PETALING JAYA: Three men were charged at the Sessions Court yesterday with armed gang robbery against a policeman.

9,300 in four battalions to move up the ranks
KUANTAN: Goods news is in store for soldiers in four army battalions: some 9,300 of them stand to be promoted following a restructuring exercise.

Rail clean-up ops begin
NILAI: A 10-day operation codenamed "Ops Pulai" began yesterday to empty fuel from 10 of the 11 wagons which derailed at Km13.6 of the Seremban-Siliau railway stretch last Friday.

Speedier Customs clearance for vessels
KUALA LUMPUR: Ships docking at Malaysian ports will no longer have to cool their heels while waiting for their papers to be cleared by Customs.

Task force cuts expat red tape
KUALA LUMPUR: The hassle involved in bringing expatriates into the country will be a thing of the past.

Police smash 'Gang MP5'
PETALING JAYA: Police smashed a drug syndicate dubbed Gang MP5 with the arrest of three members, in a raid on Wednesday afternoon.

Know Your State Rep: Adam, a man for all seasons
JOHOR BARU: Being next door to Singapore, Tanjung Puteri state assemblyman Adam Sumiru has some of the most hard-to-please constituents.

Review of 9MP eclipsed by outside events
THE focus of the 12th Parliament's second meeting was supposed to be on the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a blue ribbon occasion to highlight the status of government projects.

Penang may take projects private
GEORGE TOWN: The state government may consider taking the Penang Outer Ring Road and monorail projects private if the Federal Government continues with its decision to defer both projects.

Two make history at councils
IPOH: A paraplegic and an Orang Asli created history when they were sworn in as local councillors for the Hilir Perak and Kuala Kangsar municipalities respectively.

State govt ‘went back on its word’
IPOH: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has expressed disappointment with the Pakatan Rakyat state government after none of its nominees was appointed councillors for the Kuala Kangsar Municipality.

Chong Eu: Barisan stronger after polls
GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan founder Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu said the Barisan Nasional government had withstood the challenges from the opposition parties and had emerged stronger following the recent March 8 general election.

Syllabus on brain power for schools
PETALING JAYA: A syllabus on developing our brain power to its fullest potential is being drawn up by Malaysia Mental Literacy Movement (MMLM).

It's intimidation, says Ambiga
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council yesterday described the recent questioning of lawyers who had represented private investigator P. Balasubramaniam as an act of intimidation.

Altantuya Murder Trial: Move to recall private eye
KUALA LUMPUR: The family of Altantuya Shaariibuu and the Mongolian government will file an application to have private investigator P. Balasubramaniam recalled to the stand on his two contradictory statutory declarations (SDs) made early this month.

Road deaths rise as more go on bikes
SHAH ALAM: There were 211 more motorcyclist deaths in the country during January-June this year compared with the same period last year, Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said yesterday.

Immigration officer, brother-in-law freed on ACA bail
KLANG: The senior Immigration officer and his brother-in-law who were remanded to help in investigations into alleged abuse in the issuance of foreign worker visas were released on Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) bail yesterday.

Tee Keat going for MCA top post
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat yesterday announced that he would be contesting the party presidency at its triennial elections in October.

Q&A with Dr Chandra Muzaffar: Harnessing religions to promote justice, peace
Religion can be a powerful force in the pursuit of justice and peace. Dr Chandra Muzaffar will be a speaker at a conference organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia next week. Its Noordin Sopiee Professor of Global Studies tells YONG HUEY JIUN why, as diverse as we are in our beliefs, we have more in common than we think

Heroes In Blue: Psychological warfare was Lawrence's forte
‘The bravest of men are always the gentlest’ is engraved on the tombstone of retired policeman Superintendent Desmond Godfrey Lawrence. V. SHUMAN speaks to a colleague who, alongside Lawrence, fought the communists in the jungles of Perak in 1981, and can attest to his gentle demeanour

Economic opportunities in the rural areas
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will create more quality economic opportunities in the rural areas, the prime minister said.

MCA Youth to keep an 'open mind'
PUTRAJAYA: MCA Youth will keep an "open mind" towards the proposed cooperation between Umno and Pas on Malay unity.

Restaurant owners glad service tax is out
Restaurant owners filling in documents on the cancellation of their service tax licences at Menara Kastam in Johor.

Soldiering on despite wound
ALOR STAR: He was accidently cut by a bayonet in his left arm, but despite the pain, Lance Corporal Zamri Md Soot stayed in formation at a ceremony at Stadium Darulaman here yesterday.

Free construction courses
KUCHING: Did you know that the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) conducts paid skills courses for school-leavers and employees in the industry?

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: By-election litmus test for BN, Pakatan Rakyat
IT looks like the stage is set for an epic fight between giant-killer wannabe Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah and Pakatan Rakyat heavyweight Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Large police presence
PERMATANG PAUH: Some 3,000 policemen have been deployed to keep the peace in the Permatang Pauh by-election. The people, including the political parties involved in the by-election, have been told not to break the law, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said yesterday. He said police had made arrangements for the candidates to go to the nomination centre at Tuanku Bainun Teachers' Training College in Berapit at different times today.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: 58,459 can cast ballots
PUTRAJAYA: A total of 58,459 people are eligible to vote in the Permatang Pauh by-election. They include 490 postal voters. Election commission secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor said the commission had decided to use the electoral roll which had been updated to July 31 for the purpose. Kamaruzaman advised voters to find out where they should cast their votes and their serial numbers as contained in the electoral roll.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: 'No indication of crossovers'
BUTTERWORTH: No member of parliament from Sabah and Sarawak will be crossing over to the Pakatan Rakyat to enable Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to form the Federal Government, BN Youth chairman Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday.

Extra 686 RTD officers to take part in 'Ops Sikap'
KOTA BARU: The Road Transport Department will deploy its new 686 assistant officers in states with dense population, busy bus terminals and many weighing stations starting next month.

Two more cops arrested over syabu theft
JOHOR BARU: Two more policemen were arrested in connection with the theft of RM1 million worth of syabu from the Johor police headquarters.

Pas’ 54th Muktamar: Displays of power play and naked ambition
DATUK Seri Anwar Ibrahim shared the stage with top Pas leaders at Stadium Indera Mulia in Ipoh yesterday at the opening of the party's 54th muktamar.

'Injunction deemed to be served'
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is deemed to have served an injunction on Raja Petra Kamaruddin yesterday despite the latter's refusal to accept it.

Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show 2008: Event offers business opportunities
SERDANG: The Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show 2008 is the right place for the public to see newly-developed and unusual products.

Orchid named after PM's wife
SERDANG: Jeanne meets Jeanne.

PM: Investors should tap our youths' skills
SHAH ALAM: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi expressed hopes that foreign industrialists and investors would recognise the high skills possessed by the country's young workers.

Know Your State Rep: Spending more time with his constituents
KOTA KINABALU: Bongowan state assemblyman Datuk Karim Bujang's decision not to serve as an assistant minister after the recent March general election did not come as a surprise to many.

Litterbugs beware, Adam's here
KOTA KINABALU: He is only seven but Adam Lim acted like an adult when he reported to the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (KKCH) on rubbish being thrown out from a moving vehicle.

More than 50 car models to vie for top honours
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 50 new and face-lifted motor vehicle models introduced this year will be vying for top honours at the New Straits Times/Maybank Car of the Year Award 2008.

Pussycat Dolls to rock Genting
KUALA LUMPUR: All-girl pop group Pussycat Dolls is the latest to sign on to perform at the upcoming MTV Asia Awards 2008 (MAA08) in Genting Highlands.

We could not state our case, say residents
KLANG: After waiting for five hours at the Land Office yesterday, a group of residents from Rawang went home empty handed as they were not given a chance to present their views on the Central Area Reinforcement (CAR) project at Kampung Sungai Terentang to the Selangor menteri besar.

Commentary: Will it be a vocal or popular head for Umno Youth?
POPULARITY versus the aspirations of the grassroots. That could best describe the upcoming contest for the Umno Youth head post following the decision of incumbent Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein not to defend the post he has held over the past 10 years.

Fruits of royal labour
KUANTAN: Malaysians must roll up their sleeves and plant their own vegetables just like the Tengku Puan Pahang.

Wholesale market comes alive on weekends
KUALA LUMPUR: The Pudu wholesale market is chaotic and cramped but the consumers do not seem to mind it at all.

Price Watch: Shopping smartly to get the best deals in town
KUALA LUMPUR: The past few months have taught some consumers that the best deals can be found just by doing their homework.

Man gets 3 years' jail for robbing petrol station
KUALA LUMPUR: "I did not do it for fun. I needed the money desperately for my aged father's operation."

Car pool is just a click away
KUALA LUMPUR: You want to car pool to save on petrol but don't know where to start? It is now a click away.

Gallows for Nigerian duo after losing appeal
PUTRAJAYA: Two Nigerians who murdered three members of a family in Kuala Lumpur 11 years ago will be hanged after the Federal Court dismissed their appeals yesterday.

Six held for recruiting drug mules
KUALA LUMPUR: Six Africans were arrested recently on suspicion of recruiting Malaysian women to be used as drug mules overseas.

Know Your State Rep: A radical life change
GEORGE TOWN: How did a Gerakan stalwart's daughter end up becoming a DAP state executive councillor?

MCA SMS sex allegation: Conscience drove me to do it, says culprit
JOHOR BARU: The man who sent the SMS linking Deputy Education Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong to a student from China, said he felt compelled to reveal the truth.

Wanita Umno 'grassroots-oriented'
KUALA LUMPUR: The press statements issued by Wanita Umno leaders should not be seen as an indication that the movement members are inactive, its head Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz said yesterday.

Blair: Rule of law key to a true democracy
KUALA LUMPUR: The rule of law is more relevant than ever in today's era of globalisation.

Women's wing lauds sacrifice
KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's greatest sacrifice for her party comes in the form of her resignation to make way for husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Bad move, says group
KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's resignation as Permatang Pauh member of parliament was irresponsible and undermined the democratic process.

Mixed reaction to decision
BUKIT MERTAJAM: There were mixed reactions from the people of Permatang Pauh over Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's decision to resign as member of parliament.

Let's not blow things out of proportion
OVERKILL. It is defined as the use of excessive force or action that goes further than necessary to achieve something, like using a sledgehammer to crack a hazelnut or shooting an ant with a rocket launcher.

Ong: Crossover talk scaring investors
BIDOR: The invitation for a merger and crossovers involving Umno, Pas and Pakatan Rakyat members in Perak is "hot air" that was confusing the public and scaring off foreign investors, said MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.

Tickets to carry 30pc surcharge
KUALA LUMPUR: Balik kampung for Hari Raya this year may be tough on the pocket for many with express bus tickets carrying a 30 per cent surcharge due to higher fuel prices.

Two-week vegetable shortage to end
KUALA LUMPUR: Good news for consumers! A two-week long shortage of vegetable in the city is expected to end today.

Going to UK? You may need a visa
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians visiting Britain may have to apply for visas from next year.

Warning letters for not buckling rear seatbelt
KUALA LUMPUR: Motorists whose rear seat passengers do not buckle up will be hearing from the Road Safety Department from next month.

More money for Rainforest Festival
KUCHING: More money is coming the Sarawak Tourism Board's (STB) way for the Sarawak Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).

Stock market rises after political concerns ease
KUALA LUMPUR: The stock market rose yesterday, helped partly by an easing of political concerns after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi set a timeline for a transfer of power to his deputy.

Thousands expected at gathering
PUTRAJAYA: Between 15,000 and 20,000 people are expected at today's mass gathering organised by non-governmental organisations in support of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Ghani hails state company's contributions
THE company set up by the state government to handle infrastructure projects was criticised, but it has brought many benefits to the rural areas of the state.

Three detained, diesel seized
KANGAR: The Perlis Anti Smuggling Unit (UPP) detained three Thais, including a husband and wife, and seized 3,846 litres of diesel in four raids on Thursday.

Resorts hope for hybrid energy
PULAU PERHENTIAN: While the operators of 24 resorts and chalets on Pulau Perhentian Besar are resigned to having to rely on generators for power, 19 resort owners on Pulau Perhentian Kecil are hoping for a lifeline in the form of power supply from Tenaga Nasional Berhad.

Man charged with smuggling
KLANG: A ferry ticket seller was charged at the magistrate's court yesterday with smuggling cigarettes worth RM17,810. Aceh-nese M. Nasir Hanafiah, 41, pleaded not guilty to committing the offence in front of Kopema Warehouse, Jalan Pelabuhan Utara in Port Klang at 12.30am on July 1. Magistrate Fadzilatul Isma Ahamad Refngah granted a RM15,000 bail in two Malaysian sureties and ordered him to surrender his passport. She fixed Aug 28 for mention.

Disruption of power at plant
KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas Gas Bhd shut down one of its gas processing complexes in Kerteh yesterday due to power failure. PGB said the plant was shut down at 5.20am following a disruption to power supply from Tenaga Nasional Bhd. "The power supply disruption was due to a flash fire at TNB's Kertih distribution system," it said. At present, PGB is using its own back-up power system to restore partial production at the affected complex. PGB said it would resume normal gas supply as soon as possible.

Teachers unhappy within-service training scheme
KUALA LUMPUR: Teachers have expressed unhappiness over a seven-day compulsory in-service training programme, which they said would burden them.

Heroes in Blue: True valour in the face of hotheads
The inmates at the Semenyih detention camp had rioted several times. Then, in March 1998, all hell broke loose. Many of the policemen there were injured and one was brutally killed. FADHAL A. GHANI speaks to one of the injured and to the widow of the killed policeman

Syariah court declares deceased a Muslim
GEORGE TOWN: A dispute over the right to claim the body of a man between the religious authorities and the deceased's family has taken on a new twist.

Accused freed as report did not state victim was raped
SHAH ALAM: The High Court yesterday provided a valuable lesson to rape victims -- police reports by victims should mention the fact that they were raped.

Heroes In Blue: Forgotten by present generation
KUALA LUMPUR: June 19, 1973, will be forever etched in the mind of former policeman Wilfred Gomez Malong.

PM: Umno has right to seek alliance
PUTRAJAYA: Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said there was nothing wrong for the party to hold talks with Pas after the March general election to try to form the Selangor state government.

Bus firms won't sell advance tickets
JOHOR BARU: Express bus operators will not be selling tickets for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri season in advance, until new fares have been approved by the authorities.

Appeal to banks
KUALA LUMPUR: Banks should not collect progress payments from house buyers if the construction is stalled.

10 Minutes with John Woo: Realising a dream on big screen
Internationally acclaimed Hong Kong action film director and producer John Woo speaks to DAVID YEOW about the historical war epic 'Red Cliff'

Samy Vellu all riled up at dinner for branch chiefs
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's dinner for branch chairmen yesterday evening turned sour when many began to leave immediately after having their food, an hour before the function was due to end.

No threat to pull DAP out, says Liu
KLANG: State executive councillor for Local Government and Research Ronnie Liu has denied threatening to pull DAP out of the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

Know Your State Rep: Former teacher following in his mentor's footsteps
CONSTITUENTS in Chennah can look forward to interacting with their newly-elected state representative, Siow Chen Pin, once he sets up his own blog.

'Not Islamic to make allegations in public'
KOTA BARU: Malay political leaders should not make allegations against each other in public as this is not condoned by Islam, Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat said.

'Islamic group needs rethink'
KUALA LUMPUR: After coming into being slightly more than a decade ago, the Group of Eight Islamic Developing Countries, better known as D-8, needs to critically look at its achievements so far for it to move forward, said Malaysian Commissioner for D-8 Ibrahim Abdullah.

Turkish PM to skip summit
KUALA LUMPUR: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will not be attending the Sixth Summit of the Group of Eight Islamic Developing Countries (D-8) hosted by Malaysia next week.

Fire razes fishing vessels, crew injured
PASIR PUTIH: Six deep-sea fishing vessel crew members, believed to be Thais, suffered burns when their vessels caught fire at the Tok Bali fishing port here yesterday.

Six years' jail for attacking VCD peddler
SHAH ALAM: The effects of alcohol got the better of a 29-year-old Sabahan who violently attacked a VCD peddler four years ago.

Off-peak travel to ease hoteliers' woes
KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Malaysia plans to promote off-peak travel to cushion the blow to hotels hit by government cost-cutting measures.

Two killed, three injured in separate road accidents
PEKAN: Two people were killed while three others injured in two separate accidents yesterday.

Drug couple's family in shock
RANTAU PANJANG: The family of Zainun Mohd Noor was shocked by the death sentence meted out to her and her husband, Azaha Abd Rani, by the Terengganu High Court on Thursday.

Correction
IN our report "Malay literature in 8 languages" on page 14 yesterday, we inadvertently reported that Lat's book Kampung Boy has been translated into German, Portuguese, Japanese, French and English by Malaysian National Institute of Translation. Only the German translation was done by the institute. The error is regretted.

Bid to hijack lorry thwarted
BENTONG: Police yesterday thwarted an attempt by three men to hijack a lorry laden with steel bars.

Public complaints bureaus seek publicity
GEORGE TOWN: Public complaints bureaus have been advised to embark on a publicity campaign to promote their roles and functions to the people.

Call for subsidised fuel for ferries
ALOR STAR: Ferry operators should be allowed to buy subsidised diesel, just like other public transport operators.

Trio grab RM350,000 in jewellery
KUALA LUMPUR: Three masked men armed with a pistol and two axes carted away 11 trays of jewellery worth RM350,000 from a goldsmith shop at the South City Plaza in Seri Kembangan, near here yesterday.

Glitch adds to fishermen's fuel woes
KUANTAN: More than 80 fishermen in Kampung Chempaka near here, who are entitled to subsidised petrol, have been paying the regular price due to technical problems at the appointed fuel stations.

Student alleges rape
ENGKILILI: A 17-year-old student in a boarding school here, about two hours drive from Kuching, alleged rape by a teacher in the school library.

Inspector held over graft
KUCHING: A 27-year-old police probationary inspector was arrested for graft at the police headquarters here on Thursday night.

Plastic that degrades faster wins gold medal
GEORGE TOWN: A Universiti Sains Malaysia lecturer has invented an environment-friendly polymer, believed to be the world's first.

Trader faces cheating charge
BUKIT MERTAJAM: A 42-year-old businessman from Johor was charged at a magistrate's court here yesterday with cheating involving RM200,000.

Hospital sued over loss of fingers
KUALA LUMPUR: A tourist guide and his wife were overjoyed to have a boy in the family after two girls.

Development plans for Pulau Pisang
PUTRAJAYA: The Foreign Ministry will assist the Johor government to draw up a master plan for the future development of Pulau Pisang, the 178.4ha island 8km off the Pontian coast.

Puteri does UM proud
KUALA LUMPUR: Puteri Shafinaz Akmar Abdul Rahman from Universiti Malaya bagged the coveted Merck Young Scientist Award (MYSA) 2008 trophy recently.

Seasoned and confident
THE needs of residents in the Permas state constituency in the Johor Baru district have changed over the years but first-time state assemblyman M.M. Samy is aware of this.

V. VASUDEVAN: Bung Moktar in the spotlight again
THEY say lightning never strikes at the same place twice but when you have Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) in the House, you can bet your last ringgit it will strike not once, but many times.

State councillor's hacked email used in scam
KLANG: The email of a Selangor executive councillor has been hacked into and used to send a plea for donations.

'Tainted' candidate declines council post
SHAH ALAM: One of two men who were alleged to have criminal records has declined the post of councillor for the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ).

Inferior canteen food risking pupils’ health
JOHOR BARU: The nutrition of about a million needy schoolchildren is at risk, and the Ministry of Education is being shortchanged.

Price Watch: Markets along highways
PUTRAJAYA: Farmers' markets or "pasar tani" will be set up along highways to increase business opportunities for farmers and to meet consumer demand for cheaper but better quality food.

Opposition's two records in one hour
THE opposition set two new records of sorts in Parliament this week -- all within an hour.

Police on high alert in the Klang Valley
KUALA LUMPUR: All district and state police headquarters in the Klang Valley are on high alert.

CM: Give cost details of second bridge
GEORGE TOWN: UEM Group Bhd should explain why it has been increasing the projected cost of the second Penang Bridge, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said yesterday.

Actress Maya Karin to wed British teacher
PETALING JAYA: German-Indonesian beauty Maya Karin Roelcke, 29, is due to tie the knot on Aug 14 with Muhammad Ali Abdullah, 38, a Mathematics teacher of British origin at Alice Smith International School, Kuala Lumpur.

Najib: Back me fully after handover
KUALA TERENGGANU: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants all Umno members to give their undivided support to the party's new leadership when the transition plan takes effect in mid-2010.

Graveyard blooms a hit abroad
KUANTAN: According to Malay superstition, ghosts make their homes in its branches, particularly the vampire, or pontianak. So the frangipani is not a popular garden plant.

Ex-MIC man lodges report
KLANG: A disgruntled ex-MIC member has lodged a police report against several top party leaders, alleging criminal breach of trust involving land given to Koperasi Pekerja Jaya Berhad (KPJ) in Perak.

Six held in RM1.2m syabu raid
JOHOR BARU: State police arrested six people, including a married couple, and seized RM1.2 million worth of drugs in two raids on Wednesday.

Chance to get up close to RM500,000 TV
KUALA LUMPUR: Visitors to the KL International AV Show this year will get a first-hand look at the world's largest LCD TV which costs RM500,000.

Rape case appeal rejected
KUALA LUMPUR: "If you are in the shoes of the victim's family, how would you feel if someone who was convicted at the Sessions Court for rape, and affirmed by the High Court, is as free as a bird."

Restaurateur shot dead during supper
SEREMBAN: Two gunmen fired five shots into the back of a restaurant owner while he was having supper with friends yesterday.

A dropout all due to birth cert mistake
KUALA LUMPUR: When she was born in a hospital in Klang, T. Gomarthy was issued a birth certificate which registered her as a boy.

Giving intellectually disabled farming skills
KOTA KINABALU: The option of learning organic farming will soon be offered to Seri Mengasih Centre's intellectually disabled trainees.

Group lodges report over open forum
KUALA LUMPUR: The Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia lodged a police report to protest the Bar Council's open forum on religious conversion.

Bar: Dialogue will proceed
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council will proceed with the forum on religious conversion today despite concerns voiced by various parties including cabinet ministers, non-governmental organisations and Pas.

Four jailed for causing death of council worker
GEORGE TOWN: Four unemployed men escaped the gallows yesterday after their murder charge was reduced.

Fish breeders cry foul over sand mining
SEREMBAN: Fish breeders at Kampung Gadong Lama are badly affected by illegal sand mining at Sungai Gadong SC.

Know Your MPs - Sim Tong Him (Kota Melaka ) : Compassion and duty drive Kota Melaka MP
MALACCA: Having helped to support his family at a young age has instilled a strong sense of compassion and drive in Kota Melaka member of parliament Sim Tong Him.

Housewife killed in robbery at home
KOTA TINGGI: A housewife was murdered during a robbery at her home at the Taman Sri Saujana flats on Thursday.

Merdeka celebrations: No fireworks display this year
KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no fireworks display to mark this year's Merdeka celebrations by the government.

MIC polls on as scheduled
SUNGAI PETANI: The MIC party elections next year is on as scheduled despite the on-going rebranding exercise.

Student unable to walk after caning
SEREMBAN: The family of a Form Five student here is enraged after an alleged caning by the girl's teacher may have left her paralysed.

Manager held over petrol kiosk murder
IPOH: A 27-year-old entertainment outlet manager was detained here on Thursday to assist police investigations into the fatal shooting of a man at a petrol kiosk in Bercham.

RM1 market spot for traders
KUANTAN: In these times of rising prices, there is not much that you can get for RM1.

RM130,000 fine for polluting
SEREMBAN: A textile manufacturer, charged with five counts of disposing of treated effluents above the permitted limit, was fined RM130,000 by the Sessions Court yesterday.

Roshidi's appointment as mayor criticised
IPOH: Even before Roshidi Hashim could warm his seat on the 10th floor of the city council building, his appointment as the new mayor has already been "challenged".

MB: New line-up represents society
IPOH: Each segment of society was represented in the new line-up of local councillors, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said yesterday.

Avril Lavigne rocks Stadium Merdeka
KUALA LUMPUR: Despite protests, the controversial Avril Lavigne's Best Damn Tour made its way to Stadium Merdeka last night.

Appeals court affirms cop's death sentence
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by a policeman who was sentenced to death for murdering the lead singer of the Spoon group nine years ago.

Customs man held over sale of smuggled phones
PUTRAJAYA: He is a law enforcer in-charge of crippling smuggling activities.

Officer recalls quiet Raya
KUALA LUMPUR: Although it was his childhood ambition to join the Malaysian Armed Forces, Capt Mohd Subhi Md Said also knew that army life had its sacrifices.

Man who escaped custody found in oil palm estate
SEREMBAN: A murder accused's bid for freedom was short-lived after he was caught barely 24 hours after he escaped from a moving police vehicle.

Review deals with IPPs, govt told
KUALA LUMPUR: The auditor-general, in his report for 2007, has called on the government to review its business arrangement with independent power producers (IPPs).

51st Merdeka: Colombo mission to hold modest celebration
COLOMBO: There may be tension in some parts of Sri Lanka as a result of the prolonged insurgency but for the 100 or so Malaysians in the country, they have been counting the days to celebrate Merdeka tomorrow.

Heroes In Blue: No one to sing his praises
One night in 1962, Special Constable Vellu Raja Velu doggedly pursued an armed man despite being shot several times. He was every bit the supercop and man of steel colleagues described him to be. Sadly his determined pursuit led to his death. FADHAL A. GHANI has the story

Auditor-General's Report 2007: Jebong landfill poorly managed
KUALA LUMPUR: The Taiping Municipal Council has been taken to task by the auditor-general in his report for its failure to meet environment impact assessment requirements set out for its landfill in the Jebong mukim.

Auditor-General's Report 2007: Improve spending habits, Kelantan advised
KUALA LUMPUR: The auditor-general has recommended that the Kelantan government improve its spending habits besides seeking new sources of income.

Sarawak parties deny MPs helped Anwar
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Datuk Seri Dr James Masing has denied talk that one of the party's member of parliament was in Permatang Pauh giving support to opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the recent by-election.

Redang's own knights
KUALA TERENGGANU: Volunteers calling themselves the Redang Reef Rangers have pledged to devote their time to protect Redang island's aquatic heritage.

Guard killed in botched robbery
KUALA LUMPUR: A guard was killed during an attempted heist at a Maybank branch in Taman Seri Gombak, here yesterday.

Seven public plots worth millions 'sold off'
KUALA LUMPUR: Seven plots of land, meant for building schools, a community centre and fire station in Bandar Utama in Damansara were sold to businessmen or given to political parties by the previous Selangor government.

Actress to know her fate on Sept 22
KUALA LUMPUR: Actress Nur Fazura Sharifuddin, who was charged with causing hurt to a housewife four years ago, will know her fate on Sept 22.

Mother acquitted of drug charge after five years
SHAH ALAM: Life has never been a bed of roses for Zaharah Hassan.

HW Lima sole organiser of Langkawi show
KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time since 1995, the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition next year will only have one organiser.

Move to block blog 'not govt directive'
KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to block access to the Malaysia Today news website was not politically motivated.

Nalla gives statement to ACA on RM60m allegation
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Indian United Party (MIUP) president Datuk S. Nallakaruppan gave his statement to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) yesterday to assist its investigation into his allegation that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received RM60 million from Magnum Corp when he was the finance minister.

A Mr Malaysia in the making
KUALA TERENGGANU: Mohd Shahrul Ghani is blind in one eye but that has not stopped him from pursuing his dream of becoming Mr Malaysia.

MAS cancels flight to Phuket due to protests
BANGKOK: Malaysia Airlines has cancelled its flight to Phuket as anti-government protests spread to provinces in the South, blocking roads to the airport on the resort island, as well as airports in Krabi and Hatyai.

Gerakan Youth wants action on Umno man
GEORGE TOWN: The state Gerakan Youth wants Barisan Nasional and Umno to take action against one of Umno's division chiefs for likening the Chinese community to squatters in Malaysia.

Panel absolves judges in 1988 crisis
KUALA LUMPUR: A six-man panel of prominent names in the judiciary, both local and foreign, has absolved the senior judges involved in the 1988 judicial crisis.

RTD welcomes ACA probe
KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Transport Department felt it was only right for the department to be probed by the Anti-Corruption Agency in the ongoing nationwide crackdown on vehicle inspectors.

Ex-MTC staff raise RM40,000 for charity
KUALA LUMPUR: Former employees of the Malaysian Tobacco Company raised more than RM40,000 at their MTC Charity Golf & Dinner 2008.

Male rhino 'in his prime' delight
WILDLIFE experts in Sabah were caught off guard on Aug 5 when a Sumatran rhinoceros ventured out of its forest habitat and made its way into an oil palm estate.

Spaniards blast to fame in Putrajaya
PUTRAJAYA: It showered fireworks at the federal administrative centre when the four-week Malaysia International Fireworks Competition 2008 came to a close last night.

51st Merdeka: Proud of his name despite the ribbing
PASIR MAS: Mohd Merdeka Che Soh has always had to put up with the ribbing from friends because of his unique name.

51st Merdeka: '51 sen' cheer at eatery
KUALA TERENGGANU: The Selamat Restaurant here is celebrating Merdeka by offering plain roti canai for 51 sen a piece until the end of the business day tomorrow.

Robbers shot dead in attack on cops
KAJANG: Four burglars were shot dead after they tried to attack policemen just minutes after they had assaulted and robbed a victim in Taman Hartamas Cheras here, early yesterday.

Auditor-General's Report 2007: 'Smart' tunnel contractor taken to task
KUALA LUMPUR: The Auditor-General's Department has unearthed a spate of unethical practices by the contractor who built the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (Smart).

Auditor-General's Report 2007: Weaknesses in licensing by Penang council
KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang Island Municipal Council had failed to manage its licensing activities, resulting in businesses operating without valid licences, high amount of unpaid rentals and lack of enforcement by its staff.

Reporter reports verbal abuse to police
KUALA SELANGOR: A Malaysia Nanban journalist has lodged a police report that the owner of a scrapyard had verbally abused him and tried to beat him up.

Sick and miserable over swifts, sewage
KUALA TERENGGANU: A prime business district in the centre of town is going to the birds, and shop owners, patrons and residents in the area are up in arms.

CCTV network for high-density areas
KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 500 closed-circuit television cameras will be installed in cities and major towns to deter crime.

Bank robbery: Four claim trial
KUALA LUMPUR: An odd-job worker was charged at the Sessions Court yesterday with robbing a bank while armed with a pistol -- an offence which could see him being jailed for life and whipped.

Two arrested over businessman's murder
KUALA LUMPUR: Police arrested two men on Thursday in connection with the murder of a businessman who was shot dead on Sunday.

Customs, RTD bid to fight smugglers
PUTRAJAYA: The Customs and Road Transport Departments have joined forces to stop luxury car smugglers.

Foreign students exchange ideas in programme
KUANTAN: When economics undergraduate Erik Loken first stepped foot in Malaysia last month, he was totally in the dark about its people and culture.

New place to store old bones
GEORGE TOWN: Universiti Sains Malaysia has built a first-of-its-kind cabinet to store early human skeletal remains for conservation purposes.

Don't set off firecrackers, cops warn football fans
SHAH ALAM: Action will be taken against anyone who sets off firecrackers during the football friendly between Malaysia and Chelsea at the Shah Alam stadium on Tuesday.

Fish 'sale' at sea foiled
KUALA TERENGGANU: In what has been described as the first such incident in five years, four fishing trawlers were seized as their crew were unloading their catch into a cargo ship that was believed to be selling fish caught in Malaysian waters to Thailand.

Two companies come to rescue
KUALA LUMPUR: Four youngsters will be "whole" again, more than a month after their need for prosthetic limbs was highlighted in the New Straits Times.

Cops held in khalwat raid
SEREMBAN: State Islamic Affairs Department officers detained a police officer and a policewoman for khalwat in Senawang last week.

Three days to mark heritage listing joy
GEORGE TOWN: The three-day celebration to mark the listing of George Town as a Unesco World Heritage Site got off to a spectacular start with a walkabout along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling -- the "Street of Harmony".

Ex-cop to enter defence
KUALA LUMPUR: A retired senior police officer, who was charged with raping a mentally disabled woman five years ago, was yesterday ordered by the Sessions Court to enter his defence.

ACA probes vote buying
KUANTAN: The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) is investigating an allegation of vote-buying against Teruntum state assemblyman Chang Hong Seong for the Kuantan MCA division chief post.

Three-cornered fight in Seremban
SEREMBAN: Former Temiang assemblyman Datuk Lee Yuen Fong will have to contend with MCA state secretary Datuk Peter Lai Yit Fee, and another candidate in the MCA divisional contest for the Seremban chief's post.

University sets record
KANGAR: Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) has got its name into the Malaysia Book of Records for holding the biggest programme involving students and foster families.

Rimmer's drawings keep her going
KOTA KINABALU: Senyum sikit, she gently coaxes her 70-year-old subject, who flashes a toothy grin and starts giggling.

School reopens after two days
TAMPIN: Sekolah Kebangsaan Tunku Besar Tampin which was closed on Thursday after two students were admitted and confirmed to be suffering from hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), has reopened yesterday after teachers held a gotong-royong to clean the classrooms, the canteen and surrounding areas.

Altantuya Murder Trial: Cop walking accused to court collapses, dies
SHAH ALAM: There was drama, both inside and outside the court, during the continuation of submission in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial yesterday.

'Wong flirted just to make actress jealous'
KUALA LUMPUR: Geraldine Mariana Wong openly flirted with Ahmad Razman Ahmad Razali to make his then girlfriend, actress Nur Fazura Shariffudin jealous, the magistrate's court was told yesterday.

Samy Vellu challenges association's claim
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has challenged the claim that half the Tamil schools in the country would have closed down without the support of wealthy Indians.

RM250m copter sweetener
KUALA LUMPUR: The world's number one helicopter manufacturer has proposed a RM250 million investment in Malaysia if the armed forces decide to replace their fleet of Nuri helicopters with the Eurocopter Cougar EC725.

Zaaba continues search for 1844 letter
JOHOR BARU: Over the past two years, Zaaba Abdul Samad has been relentless in his quest to trace a letter which could shed some light on the Pedra Branca issue.

Subang airbase to be disaster-relief centre
KUALA LUMPUR: Following revelations that the country was vulnerable to earthquakes, steps are being taken to prepare the Subang airbase as the main centre for disaster relief operations.

Anwar tapes 'off limits'
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have no plans to release closed-circuit television footage of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim taken while he was in detention at the city police headquarters.

Border regiment 'nothing to do with violence in Thai south'
PADANG BESAR: The setting up of the border regiment has nothing to do with the insurgency problem in southern Thailand, said army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Ismail Jamaluddin.

Five make living treasure list
KLANG: A woman "pawang" (shaman) from Sabah and a "boria" entertainer from Penang are among five people named yesterday as living heritage treasures for their contribution to arts and culture.

Rais to attend NAM meet
KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim will lead Malaysia's delegation to the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Teheran, Iran, on July 29 and 30.

It's Sivarasa's turn for 'private eye' questions
KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer R. Sivarasa was yesterday questioned for more than three hours by the police on his role in the statutory declarations made by private investigator P. Balasubramaniam.

Pride in Kedah's economic success
ALOR STAR: The people of Kedah continue to prosper under the reign of Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, who celebrated his 50th year on the throne recently.

Wards, ICUs remain shut due to shortage of nurses
KUALA LUMPUR: The opening of facilities such as intensive care units and operating theatres in some new specialist hospitals, mostly in the Klang Valley, has been held up by a shortage of nurses.

Iranians look east to Malaysia for new life
TEHERAN: Computer specialist Sina Rahati left his home country for Kuala Lumpur three years ago and says he misses neither Teheran's polluted streets nor the bureaucracy needed to set up a new business.

Taking credit for Perak investment success
OF late, the Pakatan Rakyat-led Perak government has been going round trumpeting its success in attracting billions of ringgit worth of investments within months of being in power.

Branch wants Najib to go for top party post
KUANTAN: An Umno branch in Pahang wants deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Razak to contest the post of party president.

Ex-minister seeks re-election as Rompin head
KUANTAN: Former science, technology and innovation minister Datuk Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis will seek re-election as Rompin Umno division chairman.

Know Your State Rep: Lone BN man out to help the poor
BUTTERWORTH: Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah needs no introduction to the people of Seberang Jaya in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency.

Ringgit & Sense: When a good meal depends on luck
KUANTAN: Jamaludin Abdul's family expenses depend on the day's catch -- the more he catches, the more they can spend. They have thus learnt to be flexible and have even gone to extremes.

Ringgit & Sense: RM100 on food a novelty
BAU: "I don't remember the last time I spent RM100 for a week's groceries," Kasab Noed, 32, of Kampung Padxang Pan said after exiting the Ming Ming supermarket here.

Socso payments 'not savings, investment'
KUALA LUMPUR: It was never intended for the monthly contributions to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to be individual savings or investment.

Four out of 10 inactive, suffer ill health
KUALA LUMPUR: More than four out of 10 Malaysians, aged 18 years and above, are physically inactive, according to the 2006 National Health and Morbidity Survey.

Workers held for robbery
MALACCA: When furniture started to go missing from his shop, the owner went to the police.

Ex-Immigration D-G in hospital
PUTRAJAYA: Former Immigration Department director-general Datuk Wahid Md Don, who was expected to be charged with graft at the Jalan Duta Sessions Court yesterday, has been admitted to a hospital.

Budgets must have women in mind
KUALA LUMPUR: Gender-sensitive budgeting and not a special budget for women is what women parliamentarians in the Commonwealth are asking from their governments.

DPM pours scorn on Anwar's claim
BUTTERWORTH: Absurd! That was Datuk Seri Najib Razak's reaction yesterday when asked to comment on a claim by Parti Keadilan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim earlier in the day that people should thank him (Anwar) for the government's decision to review fuel prices at the pump.

Kenaf to get red carpet treatment
BACHOK: The government will promote kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus) in a big way by streamlining investments, holding promotions and developing infrastructure for the crop, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Dad, kids flee fire just in time
KANGAR: It was a close shave for a night market trader and his two children when their house caught fire yesterday morning.

National Service booth a hit
PEKAN: The National Service (NS) Training Department's exhibition booth, with its lively and informative design, has become one of the most visited booths at the Education and Career Malaysia 2008 Fair taking place here.

Raja Petra's home raided, laptop seized
KUALA LUMPUR: Police yesterday raided the home of Malaysia Today editor and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

Heroes In Blue: Bravery cost him his life
CONSTABLE Abu Bakar Ngah Wahab sacrificed himself for the safety of his colleagues, and so his bravery cost him his life.

Yong on PKR adviser’s rage over 4-D licence
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee yesterday confirmed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's "table slamming and files throwing" incident relating to the approval of a licence for a four-digit lottery to a gaming company in the state.

RM120,000 headscarves’ haul
RANTAU PANJANG: Hari Raya Aidilfitri may be more than a month away but smugglers have already started smuggling in materials from Thailand that will be a sure hit during the festive season.

Perak wins top spot in Science and Technology Education Carnival
KUCHING: The Perak school contingent emerged as the overall champion in the Science and Technology Education Carnival held at Sekolah Sains, Matang, about 30km from here, yesterday.

First batch of Universiti Malaysia Sabah doctors out
KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah's first batch of doctors will be graduating from its School of Medicine in its 7th convocation today.

Boy dies in home blaze
KOTA BELUD: A six-year-old boy who escaped from his burning home after being warned by his mother was killed moments later when he ran to the porch under the stilt house where he was hit by pieces of flaming wood.

Cancer patients need funds for surgeries
KUALA LUMPUR: Two cancer-stricken patients can benefit greatly from the kindness and generosity of the public.

Signages made easy for Penang visitors
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island Municipal Council will embark on a major exercise to reorganise signboards to make getting around the island less confusing.

Correction
IN an article titled 'No police visitors for IGP' in yesterday's publication, we erroneously reported Datuk Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail as National Heart Institute's chief cardiothoracic surgeon.

Difficult to act against teachers in racial abuse cases, say police
KLANG: Police cannot act against teachers who are accused of being involved in cases of racial abuse unless they have physically harmed their students.

ACA bust illegal driving licence, road tax syndicate
KUCHING: The state Anti-Corruption Agency has given those who had obtained their driving licence illegally six days to come forward before they are hunted down.

Penang CM: Aid must be fair to all
GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng yesterday said aid should be given to the people all the time instead of just once every five years.

Call for laws on symbols
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Malaysia should have laws to protect the country's symbols to ensure that they are not toyed with, Deputy Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said. "We must take action against those intending to fool around with the country's symbols," he said after launching the "Fly the Jalur Gemilang" campaign at the Butterworth-Kulim highway toll plaza here. -- Bernama.

Panel to clear cases
PUTRAJAYA: A special Court of Appeal panel has been set up to clear 10,000 criminal and civil cases. The panel comprising judges Datuk Gopal Sri Ram, Datuk Md Raus Sharif and Datuk Sulong Matjeraie sat for the first time in the Palace of Justice here on Thursday and yesterday to clear a total of 191 cases. The panel was formed to deal with cases from 1997 until last year following no response from lawyers since February to provide their list of appeal cases. -- Bernama

'Improve bus operations first'
KUALA LUMPUR: It is a norm for passengers to push and shove their way into KTM Komuter and Light-Rail Transit (LRT) trains during the rush hours.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Sodomy allegations dog campaign
SUPPORTERS of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are uneasy about how the sodomy allegations against him will play out in the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Fewer chikungunya cases reported
KUALA LUMPUR: As of Aug 16, there were 1,330 reported chikungunya cases nationwide but the Health Ministry said that the number of new cases was decreasing.

Air force, navy trials on target despite cuts
KUANTAN: Exercise Angsa (Ex Angsa) 3/2008, a combined arms exercise carried out by the Royal Malaysian Navy and Air Force, met its objectives, despite having its budget slashed by half to RM1.84 million this year.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Crowd goes wild with tale of the Monkey God
BUTTERWORTH: What has the cheeky Chinese Monkey God, the main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West, got to do with Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah and the Permatang Pauh by-election?

Two fined for selling unregistered products
MALACCA: Sale of products not registered with the Health Ministry cost a mini market owner RM10,500 and a cosmetic stall owner RM5,000 in fines.

Squatters see light at end of tunnel
BUTTERWORTH: Finally, there is hope for the 245 squatter families in Kampung Bagan Serai, Seberang Jaya.

Role of varsities in bridging civilisations
BANGI: Universities are well placed to be the engine of growth of society, crossing boundaries on a scale that no other institution can, says the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah.

Khairy: 'Anwar will sell the country'
BUTTERWORTH: Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said the very first thing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would do if he was able to form the government on Sept 16 would be to finalise deals with his foreign financiers on what benefits they would enjoy.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Anwar shows harsh side in ceramah
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Words like bangang (stupid), bahlol (foolish), bodoh (idiot), celaka (scoundrel) and sial (damned), are always heard in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's campaign in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election.

Flexi-hours: Already practised by companies for decades
KUALA LUMPUR: Flexible hours have been practised by multinational companies for decades.

Groups welcome flexi-hours proposal
KUALA LUMPUR: Women groups yesterday welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's support for flexible hours for female workers.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Polls rivals meet
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Since campaigning for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election kicked off on Aug 16, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from Parti Keadilan Rakyat, and Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah from the Barisan Nasional, rarely crossed each other's path. Yesterday, however, the two met and shook hands at the Masjid Jamek Seberang Jaya, near here as they performed Friday prayers at the same mosque. -- Bernama

Know Your State Rep (Leong Ngah Ngah) : Cancer survivor still has a zest for service
PAHANG DAP vice-chairman Leong Ngah Ngah is no longer lonesome in the state assembly since the last election.

When sons are a menace to their mothers
SHAH ALAM: Two men are in trouble for threatening their mothers.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Women abused
BUTTERWORTH: Wanita Umno members have had to endure much in their efforts to campaign for the Barisan Nasional at the Permatang Pauh by-election. Its head, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, said members had been threatened with parang while carrying out house-to-house campaigns, adding that one member had faced a man who wanted to lift up his sarong. She claimed there was also an incident where some people used a loudhailer to tell people not to open their doors to Wanita Umno members.

Koh: Majority in Gerakan want party to stay in BN fold
ALOR STAR: Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon advised party members not to be blinded by emotion when they make decisions.

Communications established with hijacked tanker
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian shipping firm MISC Bhd had established communications with its hijacked tanker on Thursday and were informed of a "casualty" onboard.

Who is Gus Dur to tell us what to do?
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid suddenly showed up in Malaysia a few days ago in what appeared to be an attempt to shore up Parti Keadilan Rakyat's election campaign in Permatang Pauh.

Terengganu acquires taste for mushrooms
KUALA TERENGGANU: Mushroom cultivation will be promoted as one of the state's ventures, as it has proven to be successful in providing the poor with a stable income.

Run-Up to Permatang Pauh By-Election: Polling day school break
BUKIT MERTAJAM: All primary, secondary and government-aided schools in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency will be given a special holiday on polling day on Tuesday. Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said the holiday was given because most of the schools in the constituency would be used as polling centres by the Election Commission for the by-election that day. He said Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had agreed that the special holiday need not be replaced. -- Bernama

DNA, tobacco make for a hot mix
TWO bills took centre stage in the Dewan Rakyat last week, but for the wrong reasons.

'I never knew Altantuya,' swears Najib
BUTTERWORTH: Datuk Seri Najib Razak last night publicly swore according to Islam at Masjid Jamek Guar Perahu that he never knew murdered Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, nor had anything to do with her.

'High literacy rate due to govt policies'
KUALA LUMPUR: Nine out of 10 Malaysian adults today can read and write as a result of education policies that make primary education compulsory and increasing enrolment in secondary education.

First stretch of Lekas Highway opens to public
KAJANG: After a delay of almost 11 years, the first stretch of the Kajang-Seremban Highway was finally opened to the public yesterday.

Held for using fake passports
BANGKOK: Two Malaysians were arrested at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport here for using fake Malaysian passports. An Immigration Department spokesman said the two, aged 29 and 30, were caught before boarding a flight three days ago. "We are investigating how they entered Thailand." He said this was the second case involving Malaysians this month. A week ago, a man was arrested when he tried to use a fake Malaysian passport to board a flight. -- Bernama

Know Your MPs: Abu Seman has a point to prove
MALACCA: He almost got his finger bitten off in the line of duty, and all for RM10.

Ishak to defend post
SEREMBAN: Umno division chief Datuk Ishak Ismail will defend his post in divisional elections on Thursday. Ishak, the Lenggeng state assemblyman, said he was given the green light to contest in a letter from Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor three weeks ago. His eligibility to defend the post he has held for 20 years came under scrutiny after a businessman filed a bankruptcy suit against him here last month.

Opt for locally-made products, says Abdullah
PUTRAJAYA: The people must have confidence in using locally-made products to renew interest in research and development of local technologies, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday.

Najib: Let the voters decide
KUALA LUMPUR: It will be tough but the Barisan Nasional will not give up the prospect of regaining the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat without a fight.

EC to meet on Aug 6
PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission will meet next Wednesday to decide on five matters, including the dates for nomination of candidates and the by-election for the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat.

MCA Youth chief: 'Wan Azizah fooled voters'
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Pematang Pauh MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had made a fool out of her constituents by vacating her seat.

DAP goes all out to back Anwar
GEORGE TOWN: The state DAP will activate its election machinery to assist Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election.

Move 'a desperate act'
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's decision to vacate her seat for her husband is seen by Umno Youth as a desperate ploy to divert attention from the sodomy allegation against him.

Abdullah chides Penang govt over compensation demand
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has scoffed at the Penang government's demand for RM4.7 billion to be paid to it for the shelving of projects in the state.

400 villagers may have contracted Chikungunya
SLIM RIVER: At least 400 villagers, including Indonesians working at several rubber plantations near here, are feared to have contracted Chikungunya, an illness with symptoms similar to dengue fever, for the past five weeks.

Deejay's son drowns in pool at vacant building
SEREMBAN: His friend had invited him to go for a swim at the beach, but Mohd Solihin Zakaria declined as it was getting late.

Klang MP gets threatening call
KLANG: A few days ago, Klang member of parliament Charles Santiago was ambushed and threatened. He has now received a threatening phone call as well.

Cops on trail of African gang
PETALING JAYA: Police are hot on the trail of several members of an African black money scam gang.

Umno wings slam Bar
KUALA LUMPUR: The Umno Youth and Wanita wings have voiced their opposition to the Bar Council's plan to hold a forum on Islam.

Cameraman assaulted
SHAH ALAM: A Bernama cameraman was attacked by a woman in the court house here yesterday.

Lim: Pakatan Rakyat to strive for win
GEORGE TOWN: The sodomy charge against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will not affect or derail Pakatan Rakyat's campaign in the Permatang Pauh by-election.

'Pakatan people out to sabotage Anwar'
KOTA BARU: Pas spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said there were elements in Pakatan Rakyat out to sabotage Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Permatang Pauh by-election on Aug 26.

Gagged woman found dead
KLANG: A 90-year-old woman was found dead with her hands and legs bound and mouth gagged in Kampung Baru Teluk Gong yesterday.

Don't cause anxiety, Liow tells Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should concentrate on proving the vitality of the Pakatan Rakyat governments in the five states instead of creating anxiety among Malaysians, said MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai.

'Service centre allowances for Negri Sembilan assemblymen given to dept'
SEREMBAN: The service centre allowance of RM1,500 a month for each assemblyman in Negri Sembilan, which was discontinued earlier this year, will be channelled to the state Social Welfare Department.

Health Ministry to look into status of Manipal degrees
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian students at India's Manipal University may get a lifeline if recognition for the university's degrees is withdrawn.

Musa: Police will ensure by-election incident-free
KUALA LUMPUR: Penang police are making preparations to ensure an incident-free by-election for Permatang Pauh.

Tough campaigning looms in Permatang Pauh
REGISTERED voters above 50 are likely to find themselves being visited by unfamiliar faces until the eve of polling day.

'Indians will back BN'
KANGAR: The Barisan Nasional will face a tough challenge in the Permatang Pauh by-electio