Pastor Terry Jones and the 'Quran Burning' Stunts !

Comment:

One way to be really famous in a very short time, is to do or say something very controversy, and Pastor Terry Jones (the so called brain-intelligent-civilized Christian) did just that, ‘by burning the Quran in public.’ Good way to promote Christianity to the world too… ALL religion teach peace and to ‘respect’ other religion, I Guess Pastor Terry Jones has his way of showing ‘respect’ to other religion and respect other races.

Source:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/9122847/worst-attack-on-u-n-in-afghanistan-kills-at-least-7-staff/

[…Christian preacher Terry Jones, who after international condemnation last year cancelled a plan to burn copies of the Koran, supervised the burning of the book in front of a crowd of about 50 people at a church in Florida on March 20, according to his website].

[…He told the British Broadcasting Corporation that he did NOT feel guilty over the deaths in MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, "We are not responsible for their actions," Jones said, when asked about the attack].

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Worst attack on U.N. in Afghanistan kills at least 7 staff

Mohammad Bashir, Reuters April 2, 2011, 10:09 am

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghans protesting against the burning of a Koran by an obscure U.S. pastor over-ran a United Nations compound on Friday and killed at least seven international staff in the deadliest ever attack on the UN in Afghanistan. Thousands of demonstrators flooded into the streets after Friday prayers and headed for the UN mission in usually peaceful Mazar-i-Sharif, a city slated as safe enough to be in the vanguard of a crucial security transition. The governor of Balkh province said insurgents had used the march as cover to attack the compound, in a battle that raged for several hours and raises serious questions about plans to make the city a pilot for security transfer to national forces. The UN Security Council called an emergency meeting for later on Friday to discuss the attack. The attackers overwhelmed security guards, burned parts of the compound and climbed up blast walls to topple a guard tower. Five protesters were also killed and around 20 wounded, some after trying to take weapons off the UN security guards. "The insurgents have taken advantage of the situation to attack the UN compound," said Governor Ata Mohammad Noor. He told a news conference that many in the crowd of protesters had been carrying guns. Some 27 people have already been detained over the attack, he added.

DEADLIEST ATTACK... The attack is the deadliest ever on the United Nations in Afghanistan, and one of the worst on the organization for years. "It is the worst incident ever for UN staff in Afghanistan. Mazar mobs were active in the 1990s, repeatedly ransacking UN offices...but so far as I remember they never actually killed anyone," a former UN staff member in Afghanistan told Reuters.

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Also see the information below to enlighten you on Terry Jones:

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastor_Terry_Jones#Pastor_Terry_Jones http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Jones

2010 Qur'an-Burning Controversy

The 2010 Book-burning controversy arose when pastor Terry Jones of the small, non-denominational Christian Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, United States, announced plans to conduct book burnings of the Qur'an on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, which he dubbed International Burn a Koran Day. The planned Qur'an desecration event was widely condemned by politicians and religious groups. At one point, Jones declared the book-burning cancelled and announced his intention to fly to New York to meet with the imam of Park51, Feisal Abdul Rauf, but later stated that the burning was suspended, not cancelled. The proposal to burn Qur'ans began with a series of Twitter messages on July 12, and/or a related discussion on the now-removed Facebook group "Islam is of the Devil", named after Terry Jones' book. Jones invited Christians to burn the Muslim holy book to remember all 9/11 victims. It was to be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m CNN News. The idea initially had little support and considerable opposition, but Religion News Service ran a story describing Jones' claim that he had received Qur'ans to burn. CAIR refused to respond, but other religious organizations did.

On July 25 Jones posted a YouTube video in which he held up a Qur'an and said "This is the book that is responsible for 9/11. No, to me it looks like the religion of the devil CNN News" which garnered substantial media attention. On August 3, Gainsville mayor Craig Lowe asked the world's media to ignore Jones' church as a "tiny fringe group and an embarrassment to our community", but coverage continued to increase. In early August, Sunni scholars at al-Azhar University in Cairo issued a statement warning of "dangerous consequences" if Qur'ans were burned. U.S. President Obama condemned the plan saying it would endanger the lives of U.S. troops abroad. American Muslims responded by saying they would celebrate September 11, 2010 as 'love Jesus day' emphasizing the fact that Jesus is believed to be a messenger of God in Islam. Other groups asked people to celebrate Read the Koran day as a means to international understanding.

Comment:

'Freedom of Religion' does not necessitate an individual to assault, despise or hate other religion... Isn't there a law in US or Britain that prohibits that? And why wasn't Terry Jones arrested and prosecuted??

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Children Upbringing in the Modern Days

Comment:

You want the ‘best’ for your daughter (and son), but you don’t really know how to discipline them. For some parents, its all about the best results, the best schools, the best presents, the best clothes, but they sometimes forget about the best discipline and moral upbringing.

WHO would you blame more? The parents who don’t know how to discipline their children, and turn them into brats (demanding and selfish person)? Or the poor girl/boy, who was brought up (by such parents) with all the good material things in life, but was not given moral and discipline education?

(Note: For a Muslim, that would also means religious education and upbringing - as religion teaches the children to love, respect, take care of the parents, and respect others, and do good and kindness to oneself and others, etc.).

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/9099793/teen-pistol-whipped-mother-over-used-car (30 March 2011)

Teen 'pistol-whipped mother' over used car

Yahoo!7 March 30, 2011, 10:51 am A US teenager has been charged after reportedly pointing a gun at her mother, pistol-whipping her, and forcing her into a car. And all because the 17-year-old girl wanted a new car. The trouble started when a car salesman at a local dealership told the Rachel Anne Hochero she could not sign for a loan by herself, and would need to be accompanied by an adult. Ms Hochero reportedly got into an argument with her mother on the phone, because she refused to help her daughter with the loan.

The teen drove home, where she allegedly became infuriated and pulled out the gun, and forced her mother to drive to the Nissan dealership. The girl's mother chose not to press charges because her daughter had recently been "accepted to several Ivy League schools."

Police decided to press charges after discovering the gun was stolen. The girl has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. She has not been charged in relation to the stolen gun.

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China New Apartments & Cities: No Inhabitants ?!

http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/about/id/601007/n/China-s-Ghost-Cities?cid=23225
(26 March 2011)

CHINA NEW APARTMENTS AND CITIES: EMPTY ?!

Vast new cities of apartments and shops are being built across China at a rate of ten a year, but they remain almost completely uninhabited ghost towns.

It’s all part of the government’s efforts to keep the economy booming, and there are many people who would love to move in, but it’s simply too expensive for most.

Video journalist Adrian Brown wanders through malls of vacant shops, and roads lined with empty apartment buildings… 64 million apartments are said to be empty across the country and one of the few shop owners says he once didn’t sell anything for four or five days.

So are the efforts to boost the economy going to end up having the opposite effect and creating a financial crisis for China?

Also see video at:
http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/watch/id/601007/n/China-s-Ghost-Cities

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China's Empty City
(10 Nov 2009)

Doubts remain whether strong economic growth in China can be sustained by public spending alone. China's economy is continuing to grow despite the global recession, helped by a massive government stimulus package of $585bn. But doubts remain whether such strong growth can be sustained by public spending alone.

Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports from Inner Mongolia, where a whole town built with government money is standing empty

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/11/2009111061722672521.html#

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1975397_2094500,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1975397_2094498,00.html

Comment:

ITS call investments. Its all about investments for the rich chineses. Its not for the ordinary layman. Look at how different a layman live and a rich chinese man live. Its expensive for sure, for a layman.

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SPM Results: MALAYSIA

Comment:

With the new year, this time around, if you say I got an 'A', it can means A, A+, or A- ... But who cares, an A is an A... But, the reality is, * Are Malaysian students getting smarter? OR* Is it the system (education grading system) that out smart them ??

1- Creative and innovative teaching and learning --> Produce creative and innovative thinking students (as opposed to students that memorized notes to pass their exams).

2- Problem solving techniques --> Produce students with the necessary skills to effectively solve problems and provide solutions (as opposed to students who produce 'script answers' to exam questions).

3- Effective 'social skills' --> Produce self-confidence students, and being able to effectively socialized in a positive way, as opposed to students that keep to themselves, shy, lack confidence, self-interests or selfish, and do not know how to interact with friends and peers.

4- Leadership skills --> Produce students with the quality of 'how to lead' and also be a 'good supporters and followers.' This is learnt directy and indirectly from co-curriculum activities and clubs (but with the recent budget cuts on clubs and other positive social activities, how far these students can learn positive leadership skills ?).

Hence, the government and school authorities need to take ALL this into considerations, and not just the final exam paper results (in PMR, SPM, STPM, college exams, etc.)!... (If they are sincerely serious in developing the youths, and constantly emphasizing that the youths are the backbone of the country).

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http://www.mmail.com.my/content/67397-spm-results-9239-straight (24 March 2011)

SPM results: 9,239 straight As

Submitted by shaza on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 Local : SMK Assunta : SPM results

Performance improves after 10-subject limit implemented last year

Ee Ann Nee Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 13:04:00

JUBILATION: SMK Assunta students celebrate after getting their SPM results this morning — Pic: Shahir Omar PUTRAJAYA: A total of 9,239 candidates obtained distinction (A+, A, A-) in all subjects in the 2010 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, compared to 7,987 candidates in 2009. Education ministry director-general Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud, who announced the results here this morning, said it was the best SPM result in four years, just like last year’s UPSR and PMR examinations. He said students’ performance in the examination was encouraging and showed improvement in terms of quality and quantity.

“The move to limit each SPM candidate to a maximum of 10 subjects, which was implemented last year, gave students the opportunity to focus on their studies and work on their chosen subjects in a more intensive and comprehensive way.” A total of 363 candidates from government schools scored straight A+ or Super Distinction in the examination, compared to 214 candidates in 2009.

Overall, the Average National Grade (GPN) rose to 5.19 from 5.34 in 2009. Abdul Ghafar said the gap between urban and rural students inched closer this time around with the GPN reduced by 0.18 from 2009. “Candidates from rural areas fared better than candidates in urban areas in Bahasa Melayu and Science. "However, efforts need to be stepped up to close the gap between candidates in rural and urban areas especially in English, History, Mathematics, Islamic Education and Moral Studies.”

A total of 368,559 candidates or 91.2 per cent obtained their SPM certificates this year compared to 364,046 in 2009. This year, candidates were also able obtain their results through SMS, which would be provided until midnight on March 30.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0324&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_01.htm

(24 March 2011)

SPM terbaik dalam 4 tahun

Oleh THOMAS CHONG pengarang@utusan.com.my Abd. Ghaffar Mahmud menunjukkan keputusan peperiksaan SPM pada sidang media di Putrajaya, semalam. PUTRAJAYA 23 Mac - Keputusan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2010 adalah yang terbaik dalam empat tahun ini dengan seramai 9,239 orang atau 2.28 peratus calon sekolah Kementerian Pelajaran memperoleh gred cemerlang ( A+,A dan A-) dalam semua mata pelajaran yang diduduki.

Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Abd. Ghafar Mahmud berkata, daripada jumlah tersebut, seramai 363 calon berjaya mendapat gred cemerlang tertinggi iaitu A+ dalam semua mata pelajaran. ''Sebanyak 368,559 orang atau 91.2 peratus calon berjaya mendapat sijil berbanding 90.8 peratus calon pada tahun lalu.

''Sebanyak 81 daripada 103 mata pelajaran telah menunjukkan peningkatan prestasi yang menggalakkan berdasarkan Gred Purata Mata Pelajaran (GPMP)," katanya ketika mengumumkan analisis keputusan SPM 2010 di sini hari ini.

Mengenai pelajar terbaik, beliau berkata, seramai empat calon berjaya mendapat A+ dalam kesemua 12 mata pelajaran yang diambil dan 47 lagi mendapat A+ dalam semua 11 mata pelajaran. ''Terdapat 207 calon yang mendapat A+ dalam semua 10 mata pelajaran dan 105 calon mendapat A+ dalam semua sembilan mata pelajaran," katanya, Abd Ghafar berkata, sebahagian besar sekolah di Malaysia dikategorikan dalam pencapaian sekolah cemerlang, baik dan memuaskan.

''Hanya sebilangan kecil iaitu 66 buah sekolah atau 3.1 peratus sahaja yang memperoleh pencapaian berpotensi," katanya. Menurutnya, seramai tujuh calon berkeperluan khas termasuk yang rabun, buta dan pekak berjaya mendapat keputusan cemerlang bagi semua mata pelajaran. ''Seorang calon rabun telah berjaya mendapat lapan A+ dan tiga A dalam 11 mata pelajaran yang diduduki dan seorang lagi calon buta mendapat enam A+, tiga A dan satu A-," katanya. Tambahnya, pelajar paling cemerlang dalam SPM 2010 akan diraikan oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin dalam satu majlis yang akan diadakan di Lembaga Peperiksaan di Kuala Lumpur pada 1 April ini.

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Neo-Colonialism of MNCs Banks !

Comment:

'Neo-Colonialism' ... ITS just another way of saying that one has been 'exploited' and not paid adequate salaries, and other benefits accordingly.

Also how about the HIGH 'Interest Rate' of 15-18 % (per annum) charged by commercial banks on the balance on credit cards... Other developed countries like Australia, NZ, and UK, to name a few, have already lower their annual 'Interest rate' on credit cards balance, to less than 10 % per annum... something that Bank Negara (BNM) should look into !

[Note: Better still, don't own a credit card, or just keep only 1 credit card, for transactions or registration into hotels, while on holidays, online buying, etc... I know of some, who carries 4-8 credit cards in their wallet, and boast of it... More cards, means more debts!]

http://www.utusan.com.my/ (10th March 2011)

PERSATUAN Kebangsaan Pekerja-Pekerja Bank Citibank berpiket kerana tidak berpuas hati dengan pihak pengurusan bank tersebut, di hadapan Menara Citibank, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, 9 Mac. - Utusan/HAFIZ JOHARI

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Angkasa Taken to Court !

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/63558-angkasa-taken-court#comment-47945

(11 FEB 2011)

Angkasa taken to court

Submitted by Najiah on Friday, February 11th, 2011
Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad (Angkasa)
Five co-ops take apex body to court with simmering allegations
Frankie D'Cruz
NADIRAH H. RODZI
Friday, February 11th, 2011 13:25:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Crisis-ridden apex cooperative movement Angkatan Koperasi Malaysia (Angkasa) — with a membership of close to eight million — has been slammed with a suit by five cooperatives alleging criminal breach of trust, mismanagement, misappropriation and abuse of power by eight key officials.

The five cooperatives have alleged the officials of Angkasa had cost the national cooperative organisation of Malaysia, that has 7,688 cooperatives under its wings, to suffer losses running into millions of ringgit. The suit was filed amid a claim this morning by the Adviser to the Cooperative Union of Malaysia, Thuraisingham Shun, that 75 per cent of civil servants were in debt with financial institutions over various loans.

He said the figure, suggested by a Universiti Malaya economist, was a further indicator that Angkasa was in shambles and that today’s suit was a move to revamp the body. Shun said Angkasa’s operations should be suspended and the accounts frozen until the court has made a decision. The officials implicated are Angkasa president Prof Datuk Mohd Ali Bahrum, Datuk Fatah Abdullah (deputy president), Armi Zainuddin Mutadho Bahri, Jamal Abdullah (all vice-presidents), chief executive officer Nasir Khan Yahya, executive secretary Mohd Zamri Yaakob and chief accountant Suresh Kumar.

The plaintiffs are Koperasi Rangkaian Sahabat Dungun Bhd, Koperasi Insan Bantu Insan Kuala Lumpur Bhd, Koperasi Konsortium Kontraktor Bumiputera Bhd, Koperasi Pembangunan Melayu Raub Berhad and Koperasi Pengurusan Tanah Malaysia Bhd.

The cooperatives filed an originating summons with the Kuala Lumpur High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) this morning seeking a declaration to suspend the officials for allegedly:

● taking more than a million ringgit in allowances for attending board meetings from 2007-2009. The president was accused of taking RM155,118 in 2008.
● failing in their fiduciary responsibilities in the purchase of a land in Kelana Jaya and causing a loss of RM6.5 million in the deal with Malaysian Association of Productivity.
● approving and spending RM500,000 for a delegates’ conference, including allowances, in 2009 in violation of by-laws.
● spending RM1.27 million to buy seven Toyota Camry for their personal use just before Hari Raya last year while only RM400,000 was authorised for that purpose.
● approving and spending RM500,000 over and above the sanctioned budget of RM1.5 million in 2009 without permission.
● abusing their powers in suspending three members of the State liaison committee for three years.
● paying unauthorised allowances to officials of the Malaysian Cooperative Societies Commission, and other government officials who attended several board meetings. These payments were viewed as corruption.
● making false media statements that Angkasa had made a profit of RM2 billion for the financial year ending 30th June 2010.
Fatah and Muhtadho were also said to have failed to relinquish their positions at the ensuing annual general meeting after they were appointed to fill the vacant position of vice-president temporarily following the demise of the former president Datuk Rahim Bakar in 2009.

In the supporting affidavit, a director of Koperasi Rangkaian Sahabat Dungun, Datuk Seri Noor Zainan Zainul, said despite reports to the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Malaysian Cooperative Societies Commission, no action had been taken by the defendants to resolve the issues.

The cooperatives, through their lawyers, applied to the court to suspend the entire board and requested for a court administrator to manage the affairs of Angkasa. They also sought a forensic audit to ascertain the true financial situation in Angkasa and refer the findings to a special general meeting.

Noor Zainan led four representatives of the other cooperatives to file the affidavit through their lawyer Moghan Muthiah at 10.30am. Shun later told reporters the five cooperatives would file a certificate of urgency for speedy hearing of the matter.

He said the affected co-operatives had sent a letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on Jan 31 and were hoping to meet him to address the state of cooperatives in the country. Angkasa, registered in May 1971, is recognised by the government as the national apex body of cooperative organisations.



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Kerajaan Cetus Keganasan: White House

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0204&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Luar_Negara&pg=lu_02.htm

(4 Feb 2011)

Kerajaan cetus keganasan - White House

WASHINGTON 3 Feb. - White House semalam membangkitkan kemungkinan kerajaan Mesir mencetuskan keganasan yang sedang memuncak di Kaherah semalam apabila puak yang menyokong Presiden Hosni Mubarak melakukan pertempuran.

Jurucakap White House, Robert Gibbs juga mengulangi gesaan Presiden Barack Obama supaya peralihan kuasa yang teratur dimulakan 'sekarang'.

"Sudah tentulah jika keganasan itu dicetuskan oleh kerajaan, ia perlu dihentikan segera," kata Gibbs. Pentadbiran Obama turut menghubungi ketua tentera Mesir, untuk menekankan keperluan ketenteraman dipulihkan di Kaherah sambil memuji peranan utama yang boleh dimainkan oleh tentera dalam menyelesaikan krisis itu.

Gibbs tidak menggesa Mubarak meletakkan jawatan dengan segera tetapi katanya, peralihan kuasa mesti bermula serta-merta. Ketika ditanya sama ada White House boleh menerima Mubarak meneruskan perkhidmatannya sehingga September ini, Gibbs berkata, beliau enggan membincangkan butir perbualan Obama dengan Presiden Mesir itu.

Namun, Senator John McCain yang menemui Obama di White House berkata, 'Sudah tiba masanya untuk Mubarak berundur.'

"Situasi yang semakin buruk di Mesir mendorong saya membuat kesimpulan Presiden Mubarak perlu berundur dan melepaskan kuasa," kata McCain, anggota kanan Parti Republikan dalam Jawatankuasa Perkhidmatan Bersenjata di Senat, dalam satu kenyataan. - Reuters



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Floods in Malaysia: 40,000 Evacuated !

Comment:

So much for the big floods in Queensland, Australia a few weeks back... Now Johore, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, Pahang and Sabah has its own floods to worry. The question now is, how quick is the government in landing a helping hand to ease the floods' victims, with their temporary shelters, or accommodations, foods, medicines, and others.

[Queensland Floods: Significant flooding occurred in many areas of Queensland during late December 2010 and early January 2011, with three quarters of the state declared a disaster zone.

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/ ; Also see,

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/breaking-news/floodrelief ]


http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/1/nation/7914433&sec=nation
(1 February 2011)


40,000 evacuated to relief centres as floods hit five states

JOHOR BARU: Floodwaters have cut off communications in several towns in Johor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Pahang and Sabah while nearly 40,000 people were evacuated to relief centres.

So far three people were killed – two were swept away by strong currents while one fell into a pool. Another person is missing. Thousands of commuters going back to their hometowns for the Chinese New Year holidays were disrupted by floods on trunk roads and a section of the North-South Expressway.

KTM Berhad was forced to cancel several intercity train services in Negri Sembilan and Johor. Rohani Ismail, 51, was killed when the car she was driving was swept away by floodwaters from an oil palm plantation in Cha’ah, Johor at about 7pm. Aw Yoke Lin, 53, from Taman Pelangi was killed when her four-wheel drive vehicle was swept into a river at Kampung Rahmat, Kulaijaya.

Some 1,426 people from 342 families have been evacuated from their homes in Kulai and have taken refuge at 11 relief centres. “For the time being, there are sufficient supplies of food, medical aid and shelter for affected residents,” said Kulai MP Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, adding the situation there was under control.

In Malacca, rescuers recovered the body of security guard Yusry Mohd Yusof, 40, after he fell into a water treatment plant pool at 10am in Kampung Chinchin, Jasin.

In Sabah, farmer Meriting Andi, 52, went missing as he waded a swollen Sungai Samparita in Kota Marudu to rescue his stranded children on the other side of the river bank.

The Prime Minister is expected to visit the flood-prone areas in Johor today. A total of 29,294 people were evacuated in Johor and were housed in 200 relief centres as at 4pm yesterday, in a repeat of major floods which occurred in 2006.

Segamat has become an “island” after it was cut off by floodwaters. Police said no one can get in or out of Segamat as the roads to Muar, Johor Baru and Kuala Lumpur are under water.

A Ledang flood operations centre spokesman said four roads – Jalan Sialang-Tangkak, Jalan Gementah-Segamat, Jalan Simpang Bekoh and a stretch of the North-South Ex­­pressway near Km173 are only accessible to heavy vehicles.

Flash floods were also reported in Lahad Datu, Beluran and certain areas of Pitas, while many rural roads including those in plantations have been cut off by floods, making it difficult for vegetable farmers to send their produce to the main towns.



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Please Stay Fit, Yang Berhormat !

Comment:

Do the rakyat knows how much the government had spent on the YB and elections (i.e. the days before election, the election days, and the post election days). Then suddenly, the YB just dies, yes its an act of God, but God also tell us to 'always stay fit and be healthy, and to lead a healthy lifestyle.' As the famous Arabic quote says 'A healthy mind posits in a healthy body.'

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/17snnd/Article/

Please stay fit, Yang Berhormat
2011/01/24


WINNABLE candidates should now be not only those who can definitely win elections but also last the pace and go the distance. Twelve of the 15 by-elections since August 2008 had to be called because the elected representatives died in office (including one in a road accident). And this leaves that stimulating question of whether, to save all that trouble, a fitness test ought to be made mandatory for politicians wanting to become wakil rakyat. Or an advisory to go slow on the gulai kawah and briyani kambing in their constituency rounds.

Perhaps it is time prospective candidates be asked to declare not just their assets but their health status as well. And it is just as well that this matter would be proposed to the cabinet, according to news reports two days ago quoting Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Yes, deaths are pre-determined by God and they are unpredictable. Even then, with all due respect to the families of the deceased, we can make efforts to reduce the prospect of by-elections every two months and the intense politicking that comes with them as much as possible.

Just be fit, Yang Berhormat.....

Let's consider these cases:

- Pas member of parliament for Bukit Gantang Roslan Shahrom died on Feb 10, 2009 while riding a bicycle. He was just 50.

Roslan had just sent in his car to a wash in Changkat Lalang, Batu Gajah, when he didn't feel right. He then borrowed a bicycle to get some medication at a nearby pharmacy. He collapsed while riding. Heart attack.

- Barisan Nasional MP for Kuala Terengganu Datuk Razali Ismail died on Nov 28, 2008 while playing badminton in Genting Highlands.

He was 59. It is learnt that Razali, the deputy education minister, was playing a doubles match at a college hall when he collapsed after trying to retrieve a smash by his opponent.

When he failed to return that shot, Razali went into a spin and was seen leaning against the wall before collapsing. His head was bleeding from the impact of the fall. Heart attack.

- Batang Ai state assemblyman and Sarawak assistant minister for agriculture Datuk Dublin Unting, 55, died on Feb 24, 2009 after being in a coma for several months.

Dublin suffered a stroke and lost consciousness after attending a radio interview with RTM. He had complained of chest pains before that but dismissed the signs as lethargy.

- Manik Urai assemblyman Ismail Yaacob died at 60 on May 22, 2009. The official cause of death was heart attack but he had been sick for quite sometime prior to his death as he was also diagnosed as having diabetes and often had gout attacks.

- Pas assemblyman for Permatang Pasir in Penang, Datuk Hamdan Abdul Rahman, died on July 31, 2009 after being in and out of the National Heart Institute (IJN). He was 60.

- Umno's Bagan Pinang assemblyman Azman Mohammad Noor died on Sept 4, 2009. He was 55. Cause of death: blood disorder. He had a heart bypass operation four months before his death but did not recover well.

According to reports, he began feeling unwell after the state assembly sitting in August 2009 and was always feeling lethargic.

It is understood that despite his condition, Azman had insisted on keeping his appointments, especially with his constituents. Just before he died, Azman was taken to hospital when he was running a very high fever but fell unconscious while being taken to the intensive care unit.

- Parti Keadilan Rakyat MP for Hulu Selangor Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad died on March 25 last year at 71. He had a brain tumour.

- BN Sibu MP Datuk Dr Robert Lau, 67, died on April 9 last year of liver cancer.

- Galas assemblyman Che Hashim Sulaiman of Pas died in Nov 4 last year. He was 48 and had lung cancer. He even sought treatment in China.

- BN assemblyman for Tenang Datuk Sulaiman Taha died on Jan 14 after going in and out of consciousness since being admitted to hospital last month.

The three-term assemblyman, who suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes, was warded in a private hospital.

- And just last week, BN's Merlimau state assemblyman Datuk Mohamad Hidhir Abu Hassan, 54, died after suffering three heart attacks following a recent angioplasty to clear a blocked artery. He was taken to hospital after complaining of stomach discomfort upon his return from Taiwan a few days earlier.

Perhaps these were cases of age suddenly catching up. Or maybe it was the stress of the job that took its toll on the elected representatives. Could it be lifestyle and diet as wakil rakyat? The endless kenduri at community meetings? The whole lot of constituency problems to attend to, hence the stress?

But the sudden surge in the number of deaths of politicians in office is a cause for concern. Notice that most of the cases involved elected representatives serving rural constituencies -- none from the bustling areas in the Klang Valley, Penang or Johor Baru.

The deaths (inevitably always described as untimely or premature) were most unfortunate. But they raised a lot of questions when money, time and resources have to be spent on the ensuing by-elections.

Read more: Please stay fit, Yang Berhormat

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/17snnd/Article/#ixzz1C3NoVdC5



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Israel and US Computer Worm

URLhttp://www.news.com.au/technology/report-says-israel-tested-stuxnet-computer-worm-on-iran-with-us-help/story-e6frfro0-1225989305649 (17th January 2011)

Report says Israel tested Stuxnet computer worm on Iran, with US help
From: NewsCore
January 17, 2011 9:46AM

US and Israeli intelligence services collaborated to develop a destructive computer worm to sabotage Iran's efforts to make a nuclear bomb. A article by The New York Times quoted intelligence and military experts as saying Israel has tested the effectiveness of the Stuxnet computer worm, which apparently shut down a fifth of Iran's nuclear centrifuges in November and helped delay its ability to make its first nuclear weapons.

The testing took place at the heavily guarded Dimona complex in the Negev desert housing the Middle East's sole, albeit undeclared nuclear weapons program. Experts and officials told the Times the effort to create Stuxnet was a US-Israeli project with the help, knowingly or not, of Britain and Germany.

"To check out the worm, you have to know the machines," a US expert told the newspaper. "The reason the worm has been effective is that the Israelis tried it out." There has been widespread speculation Israel was behind the Stuxnet worm that has attacked computers in Iran, and Tehran has blamed the Jewish state and the United States for the killing of two nuclear scientists in November and January.

The Times report came as Iran earlier said its controversial uranium enrichment program was progressing "very strongly," just days ahead of a high-profile meeting between Tehran and six world powers over the Islamic republic's nuclear program. Both the United States and Israel have recently announced they believe the program has been set back by several years. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pointed to a series of sanctions imposed since June 2009 by the UN Security Council and individual countries.

And Moshe Yaalon, Israel's strategic affairs minister and former military chief, said last month that a series of "technological challenges and difficulties" meant Tehran was still about three years away from being able to build nuclear weapons. Israel has backed US-led efforts to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability through sanctions, but has also refused to rule out military force.

The Stuxnet worm apparently included two major parts, one intended to make Iran's nuclear centrifuges spin out of control. Another secretly recorded normal operations at the nuclear plant, then played those recordings back to the site's operators so all would appear usual during the sabotage operation, according to the Times.

Stuxnet targets computer control systems made by German industrial giant Siemens and commonly used to manage water supplies, oil rigs, power plants and other critical infrastructure.
Most Stuxnet infections have been discovered in Iran, giving rise to speculation it was intended to sabotage nuclear facilities there.

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