Circumcision 'helps to halt HIV'!

BBC NEWS | Health | coverage on Circumcision 'helps to halt HIV' does not surprises me at all.

What I find missing is that the reason for these circumcised individuals not infected by HIV? Couldn't it be due to religious restrictions?

South Africans who circumcise are most probably Muslims. To be sexually active before marriage as well as being involved in extra-marital sex are both outlawed and not permitted by the religion. Sharing of needles as well as drug abuse are also considered a prohibitive action in Islam. Most probably the number of Muslims invloved in these kinds of vices are very low due to them observing the rules and regulations as prescribed by their religion.

Might this be the cure to HIV/Aids? Islamic rules and regulations? Or the religion Islam itself?

One fine example of a trucker's mentality

Very fortunate to have my camera along with me today.

This is a gem, an example of a trucker's IQ as well as EQ level! This particular trucker was trying to make a U-turn on a two-lane residential road at Kg, Jawa, Jalan Raja Nong. He's a chinese-malaysian from Bukit Rambai, Melaka!

No offence to those within the same ranges of IQ/EQ level, but Allah gives you the brain to distinguish your actions, good or bad! Being true to religion might have stopped the trucker from committing a rediculous act like what this chap did. No policing might even be necessary!

Yet, we see loads of road offences being committed daily! These law-non-abiding Malaysian are generally of low morale, if not of brain-less species! No amount of policing can stop their acts, these types of people need constant policing on all their actions, I mean these kind of people needs to have a permanent policeman sitting next to them!

Kasihan Malaysia dan Malaysian!

ps: Why did they term it U-turn when normally the action is the opposite in nature, i.e. the turn back the way the came from, shouldn't it be an N-turn instead? :)

WWW-less for a week or so

Hummmm.
How would you describe your life with no WWW? Not sure myself.

Was, am still in Kelantan. Home with no broadband, I decided not to bring home my notebook. Have not browsed the net for about 6 days. No problem, not withdrawal syndrome, but I do miss reading the news other than the ones presented by the Astro networks, you know, un-bias-ed Malaysian titbits.

Now at a cyber-cafe in Wakaf Che' Yeh. My son doing his games on Disney.com, and me, browsing for news, writing to my mates at yahoogroups, as well as catching up with the latest at PPS. The only thing that I miss today is catching up the kommie thinggy!

See you all again next week, insyAllah.

ps: Glokal? El Loco? Your guess is as good as mine!

What say you, IEM? - Ministry: NKVE link developer ignored safety rules

After 1 whole day of coverage yesterday, today, The Star confirms Ministry: NKVE link developer ignored safety rules.

What do Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) have to say about it? As of just now, there was nothing expressed at their website, (webpage captured image screenshot here), and the local media seems to forget that engineers do have a professional body governing them while covering engineering news!

When even bloggers have been talking about this mishap few moments after the news came out, e.g. here, here and a nasty comment here, what is the administrators at IEM doing?

That's an esteemed institution for you!

---

The Star Online > Nation

Wednesday July 13, 2005

Ministry: NKVE link developer ignored safety rules

BY SHOM TEOH

PETALING JAYA: The developer of the NKVE-Jalan Meru Link neglected safety regulations by allowing motorists to travel on the road below the incomplete flyover that collapsed on Sunday, said Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar.

“It’s an offence to allow traffic on roads where there is construction, as this will expose motorists and the public to danger.

“Unfortunately, this is happening at many places around the Klang Valley. Rightfully, those sections should be cordoned off and detours should be created for traffic to bypass those areas.

“Safety should be our priority, in spite of the inconveniences we have to face,” he said after opening an international conference, Managing Future Workplace Issues and Challenges In The Borderless World, organised by Universiti Teknologi Mara’s Faculty of Management and Technology yesterday.

He remarked that the developer, SP Setia Bhd, and the main contractor it appointed, Chung Hyap Yoon Sdn Bhd, had failed to fulfil safety conditions when carrying out the project.

Nine Bangladeshi labourers were injured when eight girders of the flyover near Bukit Raja collapsed on Sunday.

In Seremban, Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director-general Abu Bakar Che Man said he would seek a report from SP Setia on how the company intended to dismantle the remaining structure of the collapsed flyover, reports SIMON KHOO.

“Although the debris on the road had been cleared, parts of the elevated interchange at the Meru Link are still hovering precariously.

“Since the Bukit Raja-Shah Alam stretch is expected to be opened by Thursday, all measures must be taken to ensure it would not endanger passing motorists,” he said after opening a seminar on safety and health management.

Abu Bakar said DOSH would send several officers to assist the Public Works Department in investigations into the cause of the flyover collapse.

Meanwhile, after further discussions with the authorities yesterday, SP Setia said it would submit a follow-up report with more detailed information by today.

“We are working closely with the external specialist contractors and consultants to prepare the follow-up report and will hand it over to the authorities,” said Khor Chap Jen, a director of SP Setia.

© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Innovation the key to success

Reading about Cheok Lay Leng's call to engineers that "Innovation the key to success" alarms me.

What is the definition of success? Is it purely monetory?

What is the purpose of being an engineer? Creating wealth?

Hummmmmm.....

The Star Online > Nation

Monday July 11, 2005
Innovation the key to success

PENANG: Malaysian engineers have to move forward with high technology in order to establish more start-up companies.

According to ProSem Technology Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Cheok Lay Leng, it is generally perceived that forming start-ups meant tapping for business opportunities from multinational corporations.

“In high technology start-ups, we are talking about creating products that can compete in the global market.

Cheok: Says there are too few engineers willing to do research and development.

“They can be originals or enhancements of existing products,” he said, citing the example of Apple Computer Inc's iPod music players that have become lifestyle products.

He added that Penang, in particular, had over 30 years of manufacturing experience but was not successful in generating local start-ups.

“Among the key issues are too few engineers willing to do research and development and lack of funding and resources,” said Cheok, who will be sharing his views and experience at the Innovation Initiative (i2) Project seminar here on Thursday.

The subject of his talk is Technopreneurship in High Technology: The Way Forward in Malaysia.

A computer engineer with 18 years' experience in semiconductor and electronics companies, Cheok left Intel Corp in February to start ProSem, a semiconductor company here.

He is also president of Flexcomm Technology (Shenzhen) Ltd and is planning the expansion of its operations to Penang.

The i2 Project seminar will be held from 9am to 4.30pm at Auditorium 1, Kompleks Eureka, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Other speakers at the seminar are Usains Holding Sdn Bhd group managing director Datuk Dr Gan Ee Kiang, AKN Technology Bhd group chief executive officer Ooi Boon Leong and Hovid Bhd managing director David Ho.

The i2 Project was initiated by the MCA and Star Publications (M) Bhd on May 5 to create a small pool of successful Malaysian technopreneurs. Star Publications, which has allocated RM5mil for the project, and iSpring Capital are spearheading the project.

Those interested in attending the i2 talk – themed Targeting the Global Market – can register by calling The Star at 04-647 3388 ext 3122 from 9.30am to 5pm on weekdays.

For more information on the i2 Project, visit i2.net.my.

---

© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Apa pandangan pegawai Akademik UPM dan negara?

Apa pandangan pegawai akademik UPM dan seluruh negara berkenaan dengan masalah ini?

Atau mereka tersekat dengan AUKU (Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti 1971 (Akta 30)) serta AkuJanji dan juga OSA?

---

Shafie Salleh should allow UPM to continue with its new intake of 60 students for its Aerospace Engineering programme this year in the interests of the students as well as Malaysia’s aerospace blueprint and the nation’s high-technology future as the UKM is not yet ready to take over UPM’s Aerospace Engineering programme

Media Conference Statement
by Lim Kit Siang

(Parliament, Thursday): The Minister for Higher Education Datuk Shafie Salleh should allow Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to continue with its new intake of 60 students for its Aerospace Engineering programme this year in the interests of the students as well as Malaysia’s aerospace blueprint and the nation’s high-technology future as the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is not yet ready to take over UPM’s Aerospace Engineering programme.

It will be most short-sighted, irresponsible, frivolous and completely indefensible whether in terms of higher education advancement or promotion of high-technology to enhance national competitiveness for the Ministry of Higher Education to bar the UPM from issuing offer letters to the 60 new students enrolling for its programme when the UKM is not ready to start a new aerospace engineering programme just to make the point that the Minister for Higher Education has the power to override the objections of UPM to transfer its aerospace engineering department and course to UKM.

New Straits Times on Monday, 4.7.05 under the headline “UKM takes over aerospace course”, reported:

“The decision is final. Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) will no longer conduct the Aerospace Engineering programme.

“The course has been transferred to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia beginning this year as the Government wants UPM to concentrate on specialised agriculture-related programmes.”

NST quoted a Higher Education Ministry senior official as saying that UPM had been notified “some time ago” that the course would be moved to UKM. However, students in years two, three and four will complete their course at UPM, while the new intake of 60 students will enrol at UKM for the 2005/ 2006 academic session.

This was supposed to mark the victory of the Higher Education Minister who was involved in a highly-publicised spat with the UPM vice chancellor Prof Datuk Muhammad Zohadie Bardaie who had objected to the transfer of the aerospace engineering programme to UKM.

However, the matter is not so simple and straightforward and it is now clear that the 60 students who have been successful in applying for the UPM aerospace engineering course as their first-choice option as well as the national aerospace blueprint and high-technology future had become the casualties of this “flexing of muscles” by the Minister for Higher Education.

This is because the director of higher education department, Prof Dr Hassan Said admitted the next day that the UKM is not ready to start and take over the UPM’s aerospace engineering course, and as a result, the 60 students who had been selected to start the UPM aerospace engineering course will be offered other courses – which is most unfair to the students concerned who had selected the UPM course as their first option.

The question Shafie must answer is why he has barred UPM from continuing to offer the aerospace engineering course until UKM is ready to offer such a course, or until a review of the decision to transfer the course from UPM to UKM.

In arbitrariy terminating the UPM aerospace engineering course for the 60 new students when the UKM is not ready to take over such a programme, Shafie is trifling with the National Blueprint for the Aerospace Industry launched in 1996, under which the UPM Aerospace Engineering Department was formed nine years ago, to transform Malaysia into a regional and international aerospace nation by the year 2015. This is because aerospace, “as an industry which houses core technologies for the future, is seen as a strategic gateway to establish Malaysia as a competitive nation”.

In allowing UPM to continue with its new intake of 60 students for its Aerospace Engineering programme this year as UKM is not yet ready to step into UPM’s shoes, Shafie will also allow more time to consider the respective merits and demerits of the decision to transfer the course from UPM to UKM.

The reasons to transfer the UPM aerospace engineering course to UKM seems to be rather weak, considering that UKM at present does not have any first-degree course for aerospace engineering, and has only four academic staff for 10 post-graduate students as compared to the 19-strong academic staff in the UPM aerospace engineering department with over 200 students for the Bachelor programme.



(07/07/2005)



* Lim Kit Siang, Deputy Chairman of Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Parliamentary Opposition leader

Selamat tinggal blogspace at visa.com.my

It is rather sad that I have to migrate elsewhere.

I have just recently started to blog again at a local blogspace, visa.com.my. Unfortunately, the owner has to decided to surrender the domain now, after being threatened by VISA Int.

Here I am, at an off-shore blogspace. Looks like this is a better bet for now!

Thanks for the memories, blewtooth.

All the best in your future undertakings.

My return to blogging

It's been ages since I come to this site, but the news that the site, visa.com.my has been hacked returned me here again.

I've been writing on and off, but mostly are passed to a mate of me who often post it on his blog as his own. I used to write my blog here, but, an incident where my few writings were erased due some incident of some kind, turned me away.

Anyways, will try to return to blogging here again. Hopefully, no more deleted stuffs in future.

Formerly posted here.

Bolehkah Malaysia?

Alamak aihhhh.

Apa nie? Malulah Proton!

Kualiti jenama Malaysia kah ini?

Apa jalan penyelesaian yang terbaik?

Formerly posted here.

Amar makruf, Nahi Mungkar [enjoins the good and forbids the evil]

As a follow-up to my posting on Konspirasi TsuMawi at my batch's yahoogroup mailing-list, sdarian84@yahoogroups, my former classmate replied on the need of us not to be judgemental on others. He might have taken my mail as judgemental on Asmawi (Akademi Fantasi 3 student) or in the general form, which I didn't. He might have mis-undestood my mail, in the first place.


I had the hypothesis that there are hidden hands that are trying to ensure this Mawi guy actually wins this competition. For what purpose?

Mawi is rated to be a person with good religious back-ground and have very credible background in reciting the Holy Quran even. I contended that to have a person of this bringing to succeed in entertainment will help to send a WRONG message to the rest of the Muslim Ummah, in Malaysia maybe, that singing and being involved in the entertainment industry is permissible in Islam, hey, a religious person is doing it as well. Hence the good score that this chap has been generating from the SMS votes!

I am not saying that this Mawi chap is destined to Hell, he's a bad person and the likes! I spesifically indicated that there exist a certain movement to ensure this chap will succeed. The euphoria with his popularity would also help in getting those 'peneroka' guys in Felda land-scheme to invest with Astro decoders and all! Another form of corruption to the minds of the masses.

My reservation of the whole thing was started by the concern of Amar makruf, Nahi Mungkar (enjoins the good and forbids the evil). This is part of the saying of 40 hadiths compiled by Imam Nawawi in his work, Matan Arba'in. Someone is selling it online, here.

It should not be confused with the 40 hadiths qudsi, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) as revealed to him by the Almighty Allah, i.e. the authority (Sanad) is traced back not to the Prophet but to the Almighty. A hadith is a narration about the life of the Prophet s.a.w or what he approved - as opposed to his life itself, which is the Sunnah, denoting the way Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the Messenger of Allah, lived his life!

This particular 34th. hadith that I am refering to specifically said that, enjoins the good and forbids the evil.

On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say:
"When any one of you sees anything that is disapproved (of by Allah), let him change it with his hand. If he is not able to do so, then let him change it with his tongue. And if he is not able to do so, then let him change it with his heart, though that is the weakest (kind of) faith." [Riwayat Muslim]







In Malay, someone has loosely translated it as:
Dari Abi Said Al-Khudri r.a, katanya : " Aku mendengar Rasulullah SAW bersabda : " Barangsiapa di antara kamu yang melihat kemungkaran, maka hendaklah ia mengubahnya dengan tangannya ( kuasanya ). Sekiranya ia tiada berkuasa maka hendaklah ia mengubahnya dengan lidahnya ( nasihatnya ).

Sekiranya ia tiada berkuasa maka hendaklah ia mengubahkannya dengan hatinya ( tidak meredhai perbuatan tersebut ). Dan yang demikian adalah selemah-lemah iman.

The whole collection of the online 40 hadiths in Malay could be found here, and the specific 34.th one here. Alternatively, it's here and the specific 34th. one here. Funnily the presentation at both these sites are better than the source of it, sakinah.8k.com

My reason for writing the mail in the first place was merely to show my concern of the euphoria of TsuMawi but I might have scandalised the whole issue by proposing my hypothesis! Silly me!

On the other hand, the support that Mawi has been generating might have been a result of Malaysian associating him to a story of a simple person who will make it big, a dream of all in Malaysia, as proposed by an e-mail flying around the country, you can read it here. If you can't, mail me, and I'll forward it to you! This Mawi chap even has a dedicated fanatic with a fan club to boast as well! She blogs here.

I reckoned that this Akademi Fantasia is part of a thing that is dis-approved by Allah swt. An over-the-top entertainment which diverts the Muslim Ummah from doing the appropriate deeds required by the religion.

All in all, I reckoned that I have done my part in highlighting the issue by writing to my mates, for I am helpless to change it using both my hands and tongue. Indeed, I am a Mukminin with the weakest of faith. <'Macccammmm bagus?' - someone used to say this to me, once>.

Allah swt, save me and the whole muslim ummah! Lead us all to the correct path, ih-dinnassiratulmustakeem!







Formerly posted here.

A letter to my ex-teacher on science and mathematics in english...

In a response to an excellent mail from my ex-teacher, here's my piece on the recent teaching of science and mathematics in english move.

Dearest and respected K****, sir.

Thanks loads for finding the time to remain in touch, even while being on a hectic schedule that you might have, being on the road, in a hot country like Malaysia. It's murder on me as well!

Anyways, I do take your point on the Lingua Franca of the world these days, and agree that English has been, in the correct day and time, being used by loads of different nationalities in order to communicate on common tongue.

Malay has always been the lingua franca on this part of the world since the olden time, and it was even recorded that the traders from Arab, India and China did communicate using Malay during their transaction at that particular time. The only major difference was that Malay was written using a script borrowed from the arabic, known as 'Jawi' in this region.

Familiarity with the 'jawi' script has also helped most malays to embrace the religion of Islam, by virtue of the ease in reading the arabic holy book, Al-Quran. This was also helped by the fact that Malays are known to be loyal subjects to their rulers, and the conversion (some Muslim refers to use revertion) to Islam by the Malay sultans.

Anyways, the slight worry that I have on the sudden emphasis on the teaching of english to the current generation of students comes from the real observation of the difficulties faced by students whose mother tongue is not english, and have only been exposed to the language through this official classes shoved down their throat!

It is natural for individuals to think and react using their own mother tongue, and there are only a few exception to this norm. I have a hypothesis that individuals from non-english mother tongue with no other use of english in their life (other than the formal english, science and maths in english classes) will find difficulties in expressing themselves. I know I will be proven right if and when someone do actually compile the data in their research, soon.

I reckoned that I could be included into the exceptional class afore-mentioned. Born to both malay-speaking parents, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to english language at a very early age, as early at about 7 years old, through the reading of comics, Beano comes to mind automatically. I graduated into Enid Blytons and further into other works by famous writers, Alexandre Dumas, Anthony Hope, Thomas Hardy, Arthur Conan Doyle and not forgetting the one and only William Shakespear. It was self driven, but was helped by the encouragement through the monies provided by my late mother, a bi-lingual nurse, who, in herself, would rather be dead than caught speaking other than her mother tongue outside her workplace. She was a nationalist who prides on speaking her own dialect of Kelantanese.

I have also been in touch, officially or not, with others who share the same articulation in english language as me, and the similarities in their english language discovery to mine is very haunting! All of them read english at a very early age! Most of them, as well as me, have reached a very advanced stage of english proficiency even without leaving the shores of Malaysia. Being in a country where english is the first language helps a lot to further the level of proficiency.

Another factor that might have been of help is the exposure to the listening and speaking skills caught by watching english programs from BBC, especially the comedy series!

I hope my ranting has been of some help to you to understand more of the situation in Malaysia, as well as to appreciate my concern to the latest development. I also have some reservation about the introduction of the emphasis to english at a time when the country is in a political turmoil caused from the newly-found freedom voice of intelectual Malaysian, tired of UMNO-MCA-MIC lead government failures and short-comings. The ruling executives might have devised a scheme through this introduction of new requirement, whereby more time to be spent by youngsters of these days in pursuing academic excellence will somehow make them oblivious to the sorry state of the country. They would just let the country being run continuosly to the dogs by the ruling executives.

On closure, I hoped that you have enjoyed reading my mail, as much as or more than you have enjoyed your stay in the country so far.

Looking forward to more correspondence from you, my respected teacher!

Truly, Once a student of yours is forever a student of yours,
aznijar.

ps: FORMERLY POSTED here.

Oh my need of cheaper books

Another respond to an excellent posting of AbeDib.

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Prices of books is still a cause of concern. Number of public libraries as well!

I really admire your keenness in reading, it's a habit that is really worth doing. Alas, how many Malaysian are known to read books, what-ever genre the books are, as well as how many of them could actually afford to purchase the books in the first place.

This brings me back to my childhood, in Kelantan. I was fortunate enough to go to school in town, the 'late' Sekolah Rendah Sultan Ismail (II) right in the middle of town, next to Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri, but most importantly, right to the corner of it, Carnegie Library!

I spent my afternoons reading and browsing through the whole collections of the entire library. I could even master the Dewey Collection system, and then upgrading my knowledge into Lib. of Congress system of cataloging. All these in the few hours that I spent daily at the library while waiting for my 'late' mother, May Allah swt provide her with bounties of rahmat, so that we could go home together.

I don't have a lot of books in my own collection, we are not from a well-to-do family. What I lacked in collection, I subtitute by reading the collections at the library, as well as borrowing the books out. The practice has helped me a lot in increasing my knowledge and understanding of things, and how they work.

My secondary years are helped by the availability of book-reading exercise at our alter-mater, SDAR. Trying to read and prepare report of books, a title a week has been a tremendous help. Praise the administration of the school for the effort and initiative.

I still continue reading, and purchasing books, while I can.


Gone are the days of cheap books, the affordable, low-priced edition of ELBS (English Language Book Society) publications, and comes the new age of capitalism.

Books are getting more and more expensive and visits to library becomes more difficult with limited free time. Public libraries are also now seen as a very dis-organised institution and collection seen dwindling. Take a visit at the 'premier' Perpustakaan Negara at Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, and you know what I mean.

I am hoping that collections at public libraries could be improved further and more of them could be made available, to the masses. Universities and higher institutions libraries should be made available to close communities, so that it could help the masses to access to their collection.

Reading habits could also be inculcicate by making more books available at cheaper prices, maybe to the extend of having local-versions of international titles to be printed at lowest possible cost. I personally know of cheap titles of international titles being re-published in India, albeit using a lower quality papers.

With the increament of public library numbers, accesibility to higher institution libraries to the masses, as well as the introduction of 'cheaper version' of international titles by local publishers (printers), I know, insyAllah, Malaysians would be a more enlightened and intelligent society.


Comment from my former blogspot, at Visa.com.my.
By Kervin, "If Malaysians are wondering why the typical citizen is not reading more, one reason will be the lack of access to books. Books are expensive no joke and this factor has sidelined those who can’t afford to own them.".

My reply to it, "More efforts should be made to ensure an improvement to the budget allocated to improve public libraries spendings!

Pressure the elected officials?
Elect new ones?
Find philantropies to donate excellent libraries for each communities?
etc?
".

Formerly posted here.

A dream of GOOD LIFE

Your post about a 'dream car' provoked me into writing about something else. My own dream of life!

I'm dreaming of a good life, actually.

So what does that really mean?

For a start, I guess a roof over your head. Affordable housing could be a good initiative for any caring government. It's still not that good in this country of ours. A simple house could sets someone in a region of RM25000 the least. How could anyone earning RM500 and below dreams of owning their own house with that income. It could be a possibility if only a decent system to be put in place to ensure each and every individual could be helped into owning their own accomodation. A state-run housing board could ensure a minimalist accomodation for everyone. Different sets of housing could be catered for that purpose. The same housing board could also necessitate for an upgrade for anybody who has the need for one, be it for the purpose of 'enlarged' occupant numbers of a change of life-style neccessary to reflect an improvement of earning. Utmost task to this 'hypothetical' institution is to ensure a HOME for each and everyone of us.

Next is employment. Creation of job and the facilitation for employment for everyone. Each individuals should be able to earn a living, in an honest way. To serve this purpose, a decent system of education should be put in place. Free education for the masses up to the highest possible should be made available. Alternative education institution should also be made available for those who are not profficient enough to go through a normal academic learning system, so as to prepare these classes of individuals into a vocational streaming, so that they could employ their expertise in some kind that could help them earn a decent form of income. Education should not be a businese venture where it would be a hindrance to the development of human resource for the country and beyond.

A good social welfare sytem is also necessary to ensure the well-being of citizen. Healthcare provisions should be made to the maximum in order to facilitate a healthy set of community for the nation development.

Infrastructures to support a good living would also include affordable, efficient public transportation as well a well-coordinated network of transportation system. People could move about their life with more ease and interactions between communities and regions be facilitated further.

Well, well, well. So, where do all the monies could come to facilitates all the above. A well structured tax system that tax earning of individuals fairly and to distribute the wealth of the nation equally to all is the ideal solution. Remember that each and everyone of us are related to each other, by virtue of being the product of the union of Adam and Eve, the first two living person on earth. Do unto others what you want to do unto you. Happy neighbours would ensure happier communities and insyAllah, A GOOD LIFE for everyone.

ps: Choose Islam, the only way of life! Learn about it.

Formerly posted here.

Credibility of media and news of worthy

Following a very nice piece of blog of AbeDib, I responded with this one.

Bro Adib.
I'm afraid I have to agree with Dr. A Tamil on this matter.

I don't take NST or for that matter any of the regular media seriously at all.

Most headlines of the media are driven by pure capitalistic greed by those connected to the ruling executives. News are created (manufactured? without proper data to back them up, as noted by our good doctor) to ensure someone can push something to the government.

The institution is really without genuine credibility. This is the observation of 'thinkers', and not mere followers.

I am praying that the situation will improve, soon, and Malaysia would fly towards achieving developed nation status.

On the aspect of HIV as well as drug abuse, I am sorry to say that the prevention mechanism that have been in place all these whiles has not been effective. Pemadam has really failed the trust of the nation. On sexually transmitted disease, pure abstaintion and religiously following the teaching of religion would have in itself a defence mechanism for everyone.

HIV testing is recommended from now onwards, but, essentially, the privacy in handling this situation is still a cause of concern.

InsyAllah, mukminin and mukminat will be safe!

Formerly posted here.

Selamat tinggal V.V. David, Ph.D

This is a repeat posting actually.

I am very fortunate to know this great person, V. David. Terribly sorry to note his demise in The Star piece today. RIP V. David.

A great man, who will be missed by loads of people that he has been in touch with.

Un-fortunately DAP website said nothing about it yet. Neither does this screenshot guy, MTUC, TWU or Kolej WIT, whom David helped to establish in the 70s.

I wonder what Teng or Ronnie feel about this?

The Star Online > Nation
Monday July 11, 2005

Former DAP strongman dies at 72
PETALING JAYA: Former DAP strongman V. David, 72, passed away at Assunta Hospital after battling a stroke and other complications.

He was admitted to the hospital for high fever more than a week ago. He died at 8.20pm yesterday.

David: First became a Member of Parliament in 1959
Former Selangor DAP leader T. Kanan, who was at the hospital, said a funeral service would be held at the St Mary's Church, next to Dataran Merdeka, in Kuala Lumpur.

Kanan said David's remains would be taken to his house at No 1, Jalan Meru Selekoh, Off Jalan Jugra, 3 1/2 miles Jalan Klang Lama.

David first became a Member of Parliament in 1959, winning the Bangsar seat on a Socialist Front ticket.

Ten years later, David, who had joined Gerakan, won the Datuk Keramat seat in Penang.

David later joined the DAP and was elected MP for Damansara in 1978.

He won the Puchong parliamentary seat in 1986 and retained it for two terms. However, he did not seek re-election in 1995 due to failing health.

© 1995-2005 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)