I will not make the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery
I will not break the way you did
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way, to never let it get that far
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake, a smile, a laugh
Every day of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid
I watched you die
I heard you cry
Every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry
In the middle of the night
For the same damn thing
Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I tried my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid
Because of you
Because of you
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Long time Muslim yoga instructor expresses shock over UKM lecturer's statement
By : Melissa Darlyne Chow
GEORGE TOWN, PENANG:
A long-time yoga instructor has expressed shock and dismay over statement by a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) lecturer who said that practising yoga could cause Muslims to deviate from the teachings of Islam.
Datin Suleiha Merican, 56, who has been practising yoga for 40 years, said the meditation technique is a science of health and had nothing to do with religion.
"When we are strong in our faith, why would we want to deviate? The professor's statement is totally uncalled for," she said.
Suleiha was commenting on Prof Zakaria Stapa's statement that yoga could be traced back to Hinduism and that practising it could cause Muslims to deviate from the teachings of Islam.
Zakaria, who is from the Faculty of Islamic Studies, also urged Muslims who are practising yoga to stop it and return to the teachings of Islam.
Suleiha said she still diligently performed prayers every day despite practising yoga.
"There is no conflict at all as yoga is not religion-based. There is no problem. I would definitely encourage Muslims to practise yoga," she said.
Suleiha said yoga was the answer to health problems, such as headaches and back pain. She noted that hospitals in the United Kingdom and United States offerred yoga as an alternative therapy.
"Every part of the world I have gone to there are Muslims who practice yoga practitioners, for instance in Iran," she said.
Suleiha, who runs the Maya Yoga Studio in Damansara Perdana, said yoga ran in the family as her father and her grandfather were also yoga instructors.
It was reported that the national fatwa council is also expected to announce its stand on Muslims practising yoga soon.
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) deputy director-general of operations, Othman Mustapha, was quoted as saying that an announcement on the decision would be made by the council soon.
GEORGE TOWN, PENANG:
A long-time yoga instructor has expressed shock and dismay over statement by a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) lecturer who said that practising yoga could cause Muslims to deviate from the teachings of Islam.
Datin Suleiha Merican, 56, who has been practising yoga for 40 years, said the meditation technique is a science of health and had nothing to do with religion.
"When we are strong in our faith, why would we want to deviate? The professor's statement is totally uncalled for," she said.
Suleiha was commenting on Prof Zakaria Stapa's statement that yoga could be traced back to Hinduism and that practising it could cause Muslims to deviate from the teachings of Islam.
Zakaria, who is from the Faculty of Islamic Studies, also urged Muslims who are practising yoga to stop it and return to the teachings of Islam.
Suleiha said she still diligently performed prayers every day despite practising yoga.
"There is no conflict at all as yoga is not religion-based. There is no problem. I would definitely encourage Muslims to practise yoga," she said.
Suleiha said yoga was the answer to health problems, such as headaches and back pain. She noted that hospitals in the United Kingdom and United States offerred yoga as an alternative therapy.
"Every part of the world I have gone to there are Muslims who practice yoga practitioners, for instance in Iran," she said.
Suleiha, who runs the Maya Yoga Studio in Damansara Perdana, said yoga ran in the family as her father and her grandfather were also yoga instructors.
It was reported that the national fatwa council is also expected to announce its stand on Muslims practising yoga soon.
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) deputy director-general of operations, Othman Mustapha, was quoted as saying that an announcement on the decision would be made by the council soon.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
National Fatwa Council to make a ruling on yoga
GEORGE TOWN: The National Fatwa Council will soon come out with a ruling on yoga exercise.
The Islamic Development Department’s deputy director-general (operations) Othman Mustapha said the council’s chairman, Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, would make the announcement.
Othman told reporters this after opening the two-day seminar on Islamic Jurisprudence and Eternal Islamic Thinking at Universiti Sains Malaysia here yesterday.
On Tuesday, lecturer Prof Zakaria Stapa of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Islamic Studies Centre advised Muslims who have taken up yoga to stop practising it as it could deviate from their belief. – Bernama
I wonder what makes them think that yoga deviates muslim's belief? yoga practise is not only about exercising your body and mind, but also teaches effective breathing methods. yoga is a very good alternative way of exercising for those people who has less enthutiasm in intensive workout such as cycling, jogging, rock climbing, diving, mountain-biking, and etc. I started yoga in year 2006 (out of curiousity n to challenge myself) but slowly it has become one of my hobby in my workout schedule. Well, I found it not only can release my stress but also can stretch away all my muscle pain due to those jogging n combat fighting. I'm not sure how yoga can actually deviates someone's belief as I'm not a Muslim and I'm not familiar abt Muslim's laws n pantang but for sure is there are already so many people benefit from yoga practice around this world!!! And for you, life is yours, body is yours, you can choose what is best for you. I'm sure I already did.
And for those who agrees with our Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Islamic Studies Centre lecturer Prof Zakaria Stapa, pls read below:
The Muslim prayer has five positions and each of the five prayer positions has a corresponding yoga position, and the positions together “activate” all seven “chakras” (energy fields) in the body. The idea of activating a chakra may sound linguistically strange, but it is easier to understand once one translates that word into more familiar language. This simple form of “yoga” offers physical, mental, and spiritual benefits five times a day as Muslims assume certain positions while reciting Qur’an and athkar (remembrances).
For more info, pls browse through http://198.65.147.194/English/Science/2001/01/article6.shtml
The Islamic Development Department’s deputy director-general (operations) Othman Mustapha said the council’s chairman, Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, would make the announcement.
Othman told reporters this after opening the two-day seminar on Islamic Jurisprudence and Eternal Islamic Thinking at Universiti Sains Malaysia here yesterday.
On Tuesday, lecturer Prof Zakaria Stapa of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Islamic Studies Centre advised Muslims who have taken up yoga to stop practising it as it could deviate from their belief. – Bernama
I wonder what makes them think that yoga deviates muslim's belief? yoga practise is not only about exercising your body and mind, but also teaches effective breathing methods. yoga is a very good alternative way of exercising for those people who has less enthutiasm in intensive workout such as cycling, jogging, rock climbing, diving, mountain-biking, and etc. I started yoga in year 2006 (out of curiousity n to challenge myself) but slowly it has become one of my hobby in my workout schedule. Well, I found it not only can release my stress but also can stretch away all my muscle pain due to those jogging n combat fighting. I'm not sure how yoga can actually deviates someone's belief as I'm not a Muslim and I'm not familiar abt Muslim's laws n pantang but for sure is there are already so many people benefit from yoga practice around this world!!! And for you, life is yours, body is yours, you can choose what is best for you. I'm sure I already did.
And for those who agrees with our Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Islamic Studies Centre lecturer Prof Zakaria Stapa, pls read below:
The Muslim prayer has five positions and each of the five prayer positions has a corresponding yoga position, and the positions together “activate” all seven “chakras” (energy fields) in the body. The idea of activating a chakra may sound linguistically strange, but it is easier to understand once one translates that word into more familiar language. This simple form of “yoga” offers physical, mental, and spiritual benefits five times a day as Muslims assume certain positions while reciting Qur’an and athkar (remembrances).
For more info, pls browse through http://198.65.147.194/English/Science/2001/01/article6.shtml
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Islamists stone Somali woman to death for adultery
KISMAYU, Somalia (Reuters) - Somali Islamists have stoned to death a woman accused of adultery, witnesses said, the first such public killing by the militants for about two years.
The 23-year-old woman was placed in a hole up to her neck for the execution late on Monday in front of hundreds of people in a square of the southern port of Kismayu, which the Islamist insurgents captured in August.
Stones were hurled at her head and she was pulled out three times to see if she was dead, witnesses said. When a relative and others surged forward, guards opened fire, killing a child.
"A woman in green veil and black mask was brought in a car as we waited to watch the merciless act of stoning," one local resident, Abdullahi Aden, told Reuters.
"We were told she submitted herself to be punished, yet we could see her screaming as she was forcefully bound, legs and hands. A relative of hers ran towards her, but the Islamists opened fire and killed a child."
The European Union's presidency condemned the stoning.
"The EU ... condemns a particularly vile execution, which the Islamist insurgents who took control of the city deliberately publicised," it said in a statement.
The Islamists last carried out public executions when they ruled Mogadishu and most of south Somalia for half of 2006. Allied Ethiopian and Somali government forces toppled them at the end of that year, but they have waged an Iraq-style guerrilla campaign since then, gradually taking territory back.
As when they ruled Mogadishu in 2006, the Islamists now controlling the Kismayu area are again providing much-needed security, but also imposing fundamentalist practices such as banning forms of entertainment seen as anti-Islamic.
Relatives of the woman executed in Kismayu, whom they named as Asha Ibrahim Dhuhulow, were furious.
"The stoning was totally irreligious and illogical," said her sister, who asked not to be named. "Islam does not execute a woman for adultery unless four witnesses and the man with whom she committed sex are brought forward publicly."
Islamist leaders at the execution said the woman had broken Islamic law. They promised to punish the guard who had shot the child in the melee around the execution.
"We apologise for killing the child. And we promise we shall bring the one who opened fire before the courts and deal with him accordingly," one unnamed Islamist leader told the crowd.
In Nairobi, ministers of the east African bloc IGAD gathered ahead of a meeting on Wednesday of heads of state, expected to put pressure on the Somali government to share power with moderate members of the opposition.
Some opposition leaders signed a U.N.-brokered ceasefire agreement with the government in Djibouti on Sunday, although insurgent leaders on the ground have rejected the pact.
The foreign minister of Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops in Somalia defending the government, said the conflict needed a political not a security solution.
"We are hopeful that the agreement concluded in Djibouti the day before yesterday, both on cessation of hostilities and on broadening the base of the institution of governance, will be adhered to by all," Seyoum Mesfin told the Nairobi meeting.
Underlining the urgency of the situation, a roadside bomb went off on Tuesday in Merka town, south of Mogadishu, targeting officials' cars and killing four people, witnesses said.
Among the dead was the acting governor of the Lower Shabelle region. The deputy police chief was injured.
(Additional reporting by Ibrahim Mohamed in Mogadishu, Guled Mohamed in Nairobi)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters
The 23-year-old woman was placed in a hole up to her neck for the execution late on Monday in front of hundreds of people in a square of the southern port of Kismayu, which the Islamist insurgents captured in August.
Stones were hurled at her head and she was pulled out three times to see if she was dead, witnesses said. When a relative and others surged forward, guards opened fire, killing a child.
"A woman in green veil and black mask was brought in a car as we waited to watch the merciless act of stoning," one local resident, Abdullahi Aden, told Reuters.
"We were told she submitted herself to be punished, yet we could see her screaming as she was forcefully bound, legs and hands. A relative of hers ran towards her, but the Islamists opened fire and killed a child."
The European Union's presidency condemned the stoning.
"The EU ... condemns a particularly vile execution, which the Islamist insurgents who took control of the city deliberately publicised," it said in a statement.
The Islamists last carried out public executions when they ruled Mogadishu and most of south Somalia for half of 2006. Allied Ethiopian and Somali government forces toppled them at the end of that year, but they have waged an Iraq-style guerrilla campaign since then, gradually taking territory back.
As when they ruled Mogadishu in 2006, the Islamists now controlling the Kismayu area are again providing much-needed security, but also imposing fundamentalist practices such as banning forms of entertainment seen as anti-Islamic.
Relatives of the woman executed in Kismayu, whom they named as Asha Ibrahim Dhuhulow, were furious.
"The stoning was totally irreligious and illogical," said her sister, who asked not to be named. "Islam does not execute a woman for adultery unless four witnesses and the man with whom she committed sex are brought forward publicly."
Islamist leaders at the execution said the woman had broken Islamic law. They promised to punish the guard who had shot the child in the melee around the execution.
"We apologise for killing the child. And we promise we shall bring the one who opened fire before the courts and deal with him accordingly," one unnamed Islamist leader told the crowd.
In Nairobi, ministers of the east African bloc IGAD gathered ahead of a meeting on Wednesday of heads of state, expected to put pressure on the Somali government to share power with moderate members of the opposition.
Some opposition leaders signed a U.N.-brokered ceasefire agreement with the government in Djibouti on Sunday, although insurgent leaders on the ground have rejected the pact.
The foreign minister of Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops in Somalia defending the government, said the conflict needed a political not a security solution.
"We are hopeful that the agreement concluded in Djibouti the day before yesterday, both on cessation of hostilities and on broadening the base of the institution of governance, will be adhered to by all," Seyoum Mesfin told the Nairobi meeting.
Underlining the urgency of the situation, a roadside bomb went off on Tuesday in Merka town, south of Mogadishu, targeting officials' cars and killing four people, witnesses said.
Among the dead was the acting governor of the Lower Shabelle region. The deputy police chief was injured.
(Additional reporting by Ibrahim Mohamed in Mogadishu, Guled Mohamed in Nairobi)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The child sex tourism prevention project
Combating slavery in the 21st century
An estimated two million children are enslaved in the global commercial sex trade. Many of these children are either sold into prostitution to pay off family debts or forcibly recruited on the street to work in brothels, where they are required to have sex with as many as 30 men each day. Some prostituted children are just 5 years old.
United States citizens are among those from several wealthy countries who exploit children trapped in the commercial sex trade and fuel a demand for younger children.
Some Americans take advantage of prostituted children while traveling to impoverished countries for business, tourism and other legitimate reasons. Others travel abroad specifically for a "sex tour."
Sex tourists travel to countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico and Brazil, expecting anonymity, low-cost prostitution, easily accessible children and impunity from prosecution.
Notably, it is estimated that one-third of the prostitutes in Cambodia are children.
The United States has laws that prohibit sex with minors in other countries and has greatly increased government efforts to combat this problem. Under the Protect Act of 2003, United States citizens or residents who engage in sexual activity abroad with a child under 18 can face 30 years in a U.S. prison. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now actively investigating American sex tourists abroad and making arrests.
Sexually exploited children are severely wounded physically and emotionally. Many acquire diseases such as HIV and AIDS, and almost all experience rejection by their families and communities in addition to fear, shame and despair.
Combating child sex tourism
As part of World Vision's commitment to protecting children, we have joined forces with national governments, law enforcement agencies and other organizations to combat child sex tourism through the Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project. World Vision has implemented this project in Cambodia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil and the United States.
With backing from the U.S. Department of State and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, World Vision has tackled this problem with a three-pronged strategy:
>> Deterrent messages
World Vision developed a targeted media campaign to deter would-be sex tourist in Cambodia, Costa Rica, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil and the United States.
In an effort to dissuade child sex tourists at each step of their activity, deterrence messages have been placed in locations such as:
U.S. airports
Television
Billboards and street signs overseas
Hotels
Airline in-flight videos
Magazines
The Internet
Taxis
>> Law enforcement assistance
World Vision works with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help identify child sex tourists and provide information that could lead to their prosecution and conviction. Our extensive staff (23,000 employees in 100 countries), community networks and our work with children enables World Vision to lend valuable assistance to local and U.S. law enforcement agencies. World Vision has held workshops in Cambodia, Thailand, Mexico and Brazil to help increase law enforcement assistance.
>> Prevention programs
World Vision works to prevent children from being drawn into the commercial sex trade through interventions like education, advocacy and the creation of other means to make a living. World Vision operates at local and national levels to specifically prevent child sex tourism in Cambodia, Costa Rica, Thailand, Mexico and Brazil with efforts soon to expand to other sex-tour destination countries.
Three ways you can help
Advocate. Ask your senators and representative to push for an increase in resources to prosecute U.S. citizens who sexually exploit children overseas.
Report an American sex tourist. If you have information regarding a person who has sexually exploited a child, or suspect someone of child sex tourism, you can contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Become a Child in Crisis Partner. For $20 a month, you can help one child after another escape a life of horror.
Now STOP CHILD TOURISM!!!
An estimated two million children are enslaved in the global commercial sex trade. Many of these children are either sold into prostitution to pay off family debts or forcibly recruited on the street to work in brothels, where they are required to have sex with as many as 30 men each day. Some prostituted children are just 5 years old.
United States citizens are among those from several wealthy countries who exploit children trapped in the commercial sex trade and fuel a demand for younger children.
Some Americans take advantage of prostituted children while traveling to impoverished countries for business, tourism and other legitimate reasons. Others travel abroad specifically for a "sex tour."
Sex tourists travel to countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico and Brazil, expecting anonymity, low-cost prostitution, easily accessible children and impunity from prosecution.
Notably, it is estimated that one-third of the prostitutes in Cambodia are children.
The United States has laws that prohibit sex with minors in other countries and has greatly increased government efforts to combat this problem. Under the Protect Act of 2003, United States citizens or residents who engage in sexual activity abroad with a child under 18 can face 30 years in a U.S. prison. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now actively investigating American sex tourists abroad and making arrests.
Sexually exploited children are severely wounded physically and emotionally. Many acquire diseases such as HIV and AIDS, and almost all experience rejection by their families and communities in addition to fear, shame and despair.
Combating child sex tourism
As part of World Vision's commitment to protecting children, we have joined forces with national governments, law enforcement agencies and other organizations to combat child sex tourism through the Child Sex Tourism Prevention Project. World Vision has implemented this project in Cambodia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil and the United States.
With backing from the U.S. Department of State and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, World Vision has tackled this problem with a three-pronged strategy:
>> Deterrent messages
World Vision developed a targeted media campaign to deter would-be sex tourist in Cambodia, Costa Rica, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil and the United States.
In an effort to dissuade child sex tourists at each step of their activity, deterrence messages have been placed in locations such as:
U.S. airports
Television
Billboards and street signs overseas
Hotels
Airline in-flight videos
Magazines
The Internet
Taxis
>> Law enforcement assistance
World Vision works with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help identify child sex tourists and provide information that could lead to their prosecution and conviction. Our extensive staff (23,000 employees in 100 countries), community networks and our work with children enables World Vision to lend valuable assistance to local and U.S. law enforcement agencies. World Vision has held workshops in Cambodia, Thailand, Mexico and Brazil to help increase law enforcement assistance.
>> Prevention programs
World Vision works to prevent children from being drawn into the commercial sex trade through interventions like education, advocacy and the creation of other means to make a living. World Vision operates at local and national levels to specifically prevent child sex tourism in Cambodia, Costa Rica, Thailand, Mexico and Brazil with efforts soon to expand to other sex-tour destination countries.
Three ways you can help
Advocate. Ask your senators and representative to push for an increase in resources to prosecute U.S. citizens who sexually exploit children overseas.
Report an American sex tourist. If you have information regarding a person who has sexually exploited a child, or suspect someone of child sex tourism, you can contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Become a Child in Crisis Partner. For $20 a month, you can help one child after another escape a life of horror.
Now STOP CHILD TOURISM!!!
Over one billion people will be hungry next year!!
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Rising food prices will push the number of hungry people in the world over one billion next year, a U.N. expert said Monday.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization reported in September that at least 925 million people are hungry in the world today, compared with 848 million between 2003 and 2005, said Olivier De Schutter, the U.N. Human Rights Council's independent expert on the right to food.
"But the data relates to the beginning of 2008, and since then the estimate is that at least 44 million more people have become hungry,'' he said. "So we are now closer to the billion _ and with a bit more efforts we'll arrive at the billion by next year.''
De Schutter told reporters after briefing the U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee that rising prices and increasing hunger are driving the world "far away'' from achieving the U.N. goal of reducing extreme poverty by half by 2015.
"The situation of hunger in the world is alarming,'' said de Schutter, a law professor at the University of Louvain in Belgium and currently a visiting professor at Columbia University's Law School in New York.
"The prices of food commodities on international markets have been going down since they reached a peak in June 2008, when the level of real food prices was 64 percent above their levels of 2002,'' he said. "But prices on domestic markets remain at historically high levels.''
In many countries, especially developing nations that import food, he said, "the brutal increase in prices in 2007 and the first half of 2008 has left severe marks on the poorest households.''
Families have reduced the quantity of food they eat and switched to poorer diets, and they have cut back on health care and schooling, "leading to irreparable damage to the health and education of millions of children,'' de Schutter said.
But he said the food crisis has also provided governments and international agencies with the opportunity to help those who spend the largest proportion of their family budgets on food and are most in need _ small farmers, landless laborers, herdsmen, fishermen and the urban poor.
The real challenge, de Schutter said, is ensuring that increased production will raise the incomes of the poorest "rather than simply increase the quantity of agricultural commodities available for those who can pay.''
Small farmers should be helped to produce more while being protected from the consequences of volatile international prices and the risks of unfair competition from agricultural producers in industrialized countries who are massively subsidized, de Schutter said.
"The urban poor should be helped by social safety nets, and cash-for-work or food-for-work programs, which increase their purchasing power and help them to cope with periods of higher prices,'' he said. - AP
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization reported in September that at least 925 million people are hungry in the world today, compared with 848 million between 2003 and 2005, said Olivier De Schutter, the U.N. Human Rights Council's independent expert on the right to food.
"But the data relates to the beginning of 2008, and since then the estimate is that at least 44 million more people have become hungry,'' he said. "So we are now closer to the billion _ and with a bit more efforts we'll arrive at the billion by next year.''
De Schutter told reporters after briefing the U.N. General Assembly's human rights committee that rising prices and increasing hunger are driving the world "far away'' from achieving the U.N. goal of reducing extreme poverty by half by 2015.
"The situation of hunger in the world is alarming,'' said de Schutter, a law professor at the University of Louvain in Belgium and currently a visiting professor at Columbia University's Law School in New York.
"The prices of food commodities on international markets have been going down since they reached a peak in June 2008, when the level of real food prices was 64 percent above their levels of 2002,'' he said. "But prices on domestic markets remain at historically high levels.''
In many countries, especially developing nations that import food, he said, "the brutal increase in prices in 2007 and the first half of 2008 has left severe marks on the poorest households.''
Families have reduced the quantity of food they eat and switched to poorer diets, and they have cut back on health care and schooling, "leading to irreparable damage to the health and education of millions of children,'' de Schutter said.
But he said the food crisis has also provided governments and international agencies with the opportunity to help those who spend the largest proportion of their family budgets on food and are most in need _ small farmers, landless laborers, herdsmen, fishermen and the urban poor.
The real challenge, de Schutter said, is ensuring that increased production will raise the incomes of the poorest "rather than simply increase the quantity of agricultural commodities available for those who can pay.''
Small farmers should be helped to produce more while being protected from the consequences of volatile international prices and the risks of unfair competition from agricultural producers in industrialized countries who are massively subsidized, de Schutter said.
"The urban poor should be helped by social safety nets, and cash-for-work or food-for-work programs, which increase their purchasing power and help them to cope with periods of higher prices,'' he said. - AP
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
~ Today is Sept 26 ~
~您是屬於星辰命~
您是財富的星辰，物質生活條件佳。熱情有禮，喜歡有智慧，守承諾的人。個性聰明靈巧，學習能力強，但做事卻常常只有五分鐘熱度。
根據命理來分析您的個性，潛意識，以及行為模式，您是屬於「星辰命」，因此您天生具有星辰的特質，天上的星辰閃爍不定，因此您思考比較快速，也容易有五分鐘熱度。星辰雖多，但光亮不如日月，因此您比較不喜歡出風頭，也不喜歡給人很強勢的感覺。星辰光芒不強，只照耀某些地方，因此您比較感性，好惡分明，您願意為喜歡的人犧牲奉獻，但是對於不喜歡的人卻不想往來。星辰高掛天空，看盡世間，因此您天生就很聰明靈巧，學習能力強，對事物有多方面的興趣，也能侃侃而談，但卻有滾石不生苔的問題，缺乏堅持到底的毅力。
此外，您喜歡老實誠信的人，不喜歡自以為是的人，而能讓您佩服的人，多半是有想法，才華與智慧的人，能夠在心靈上讓您提昇的人。您的一生，像星辰一樣，明亮閃爍，受到眾人矚目，但是星辰並非隨時都光彩奪目，有時也會光芒黯淡，這時就是您的磨練，只要您經得起外在的考驗，不怨天尤人，進而學習成長，一旦通過考驗，您的成就將不可限量，是領袖級的人物。
您本命五行金太旺，呼吸系統機能比較弱，容易呼吸不順，感冒咳嗽，或有氣喘等症狀。
根據命理分析，您天生呼吸系統功能比較差，在年輕的時候不會有太大的問題，頂多是容易鼻子過敏、流鼻水、咳嗽、感冒、胸悶、腹瀉或便秘，但是如果您現在不照顧呼吸系統，隨著年紀越來越大就很容易導致鼻竇炎、氣喘、肺炎、支氣管炎、大腸息肉、直腸炎等問題。因此您不能過度勞累，而且千萬不能抽菸，要維持正常作息，早睡早起，才可以保護先天比較弱的呼吸系統。
此外，所謂「病從口入」，人類大部分的疾病來源都跟飲食有關，根據中醫理論，食物可以分成金、木、水、火、土等五種五行。您可能偏好吃重口味，辣口味的東西，像是麻辣火鍋，四川菜，應該都符合您的口味。因此，您的細胞中，充滿太多「金」的五行，會導致健康，財運與事業的不圓滿，建議您平時最好能飲食均衡，菜色均衡，則陰陽五行調和，生活美滿幸福。
但是您八字缺土，胃腸的機能也比較弱，容易有腹脹，腹痛，腹瀉，消化吸收的問題。
根據命理分析，您天生胃腸功能比較弱，在年輕的時候不會有太大的問題，等多是腸胃不適、胃酸過多、脹氣、腹瀉、腹痛等問題，但隨著年紀越來越大，胃腸功能需要更多的照顧，不然很容易導致消化系統病變，例如食道炎，胃炎、胃潰瘍、腸炎、大腸息肉、痔瘡、糖尿病等問題。因此您不能過度勞累，要調適壓力，維持正常作息，早睡早起，三餐要定時定量，不能喝酒，少吃刺激性飲食，才可以保護先天比較弱的胃腸功能。
此外，您是屬於容易緊張的類型，生活也比較缺乏規律性，因此三餐常不定時不定量，甚至因長時間工作而來不及用餐，導致胃腸的消化吸收功能受損。如果您想改變這種現象，一定要三餐定時定量，不可暴飲暴食。身體要放輕鬆，精神要保持愉快，不要給自己過多的壓力。只要您每天保持好心情，那您的命運將會有很大的改變，身體健康，財運順利，事業圓滿，家庭幸福。
簡易愛情分析，您是屬於雙方平等，保持距離的愛情。您的愛情不是屬於濃情密意的那一型，反而有一點像朋友，雙方地位比較平等，相互間追求一種平衡。您不是小鳥依人、百依百順的女生，也不容易找到很聽話的男生。
您愛情的模式，根據命理分析，在您生命中出現的異性，常常第一眼就很容易喜歡上您，只要對方追得到您，您們的愛情會火速發展，雖然感覺很甜蜜，但不容易長久，常常半途而歸，因為要從頭到尾都維持相同的熱度確實有點難。一般來說，異性對您的第一印象都會覺得很不錯，尤其您有才幹又有魅力。但是隨著交往時間越長，您的熱情不再，衝勁不再，新鮮感不再，取而代之的是爭執，雙方都不願意退讓。換句話說，您很容易被人喜歡，因為得天獨厚，所以也就不太滿足現在擁有的。相反地，您的戀愛對象對於您會非常滿意，如果您要分手，他會死纏爛打來維繫感情。因此，如果您在等待美好的愛情，您可以試著把自己的外在美收斂起來，讓對方不是只因為看到您的青春美貌或聰明才幹而跟您交往，而是要對方真心覺得適合您才跟您交往。如此之前的桃花都會煙消雲散，而真正的愛情也將降臨。
在人生的旅程中，您的戀愛或結婚對象很容易出現，多半是「近水樓台先得月」，因為常常在住家附近，學校，社團，或是工作場合見面而認識，一不小心就天雷勾動地火，迸出愛的火花。至於，結婚的對象，因為比較早熟的結果，因此您很有可能會早婚。若是您到現在，對象還沒有出現，您身邊認識的人中，長得最俊俏，長得最帥的那一位就是了，只要您真心誠意給對方一點暗示，幸福就在您身邊。
簡易事業分析，您的工作類型大部分都需要專業，從事一些技術導向的工作。這類型的工作，需要專業知識，經驗累積，以技術為導向。
每一個行業中都有不同的職位，而您的工作類型，不論在哪一個行業中發展，大部分都需要專業，從事一些技術導向的工作。例如，財務、金融、會計、資訊、工程、律師、法務、顧問等擁有專門技術的工作。這類型的工作，需要專業知識，經驗累積，以技術為導向。如果您選擇從事這類型工作，您會比較順利，輕鬆，也更能發揮所長。但是世界上跟您一樣有專業的人很多，唯有不斷進步才有無可取代的價值。
另外，您的工作類型容易產生下列迷思。一、越是專業的人多半從本位角度思考，不容易跟其他領域的人溝通。二、越是專業的人越不喜歡油腔滑調，阿諛奉承，除非上司有眼光，否則不容易得到提拔。三、越是專業的人只專注於自己的領域，對於其他領域缺乏興趣，所以一旦進入領導階層，在整體策略上，容易見樹不見林。此外，對於其他工作領域，像是文化藝術的工作，協調整合的工作，瑣碎事務的工作，或體力勞動的工作，都是您比較不適合的工作類型，您會覺得乏味無趣，不願意做，也做不久。
簡易財運分析，您每次缺錢，很自然就會有錢進來。未來的您，很會賺錢，但也很會花錢。
根據命理分析，您每次缺錢，很自然就會有錢進來。未來的您，很會賺錢，也很會花錢。您從很年輕的時候就知道錢財的重要性，因此您會比一般人更早開始理財，所以當別人在揮霍金錢，享受生命的時候，您在計劃未來，所以未來自然能夠累積更多的財富。此外，您天生比較精明，不會在不必要的地方花錢，但是您會有許多計畫性的支出，您也希望未來能夠自己當老闆，有自己的事業。如果以一生的時間來衡量，您今生大部份的財富會被您儲蓄起來，或是理財，或是置產，或是投資創業，或是投資自己。之後，這些財富大半會遺留給夫家。
祝琬苡生日快乐； 永远都青春美丽； 幸福快乐； 爱情与事业都顺顺利利！！！ (^_^)
您是財富的星辰，物質生活條件佳。熱情有禮，喜歡有智慧，守承諾的人。個性聰明靈巧，學習能力強，但做事卻常常只有五分鐘熱度。
根據命理來分析您的個性，潛意識，以及行為模式，您是屬於「星辰命」，因此您天生具有星辰的特質，天上的星辰閃爍不定，因此您思考比較快速，也容易有五分鐘熱度。星辰雖多，但光亮不如日月，因此您比較不喜歡出風頭，也不喜歡給人很強勢的感覺。星辰光芒不強，只照耀某些地方，因此您比較感性，好惡分明，您願意為喜歡的人犧牲奉獻，但是對於不喜歡的人卻不想往來。星辰高掛天空，看盡世間，因此您天生就很聰明靈巧，學習能力強，對事物有多方面的興趣，也能侃侃而談，但卻有滾石不生苔的問題，缺乏堅持到底的毅力。
此外，您喜歡老實誠信的人，不喜歡自以為是的人，而能讓您佩服的人，多半是有想法，才華與智慧的人，能夠在心靈上讓您提昇的人。您的一生，像星辰一樣，明亮閃爍，受到眾人矚目，但是星辰並非隨時都光彩奪目，有時也會光芒黯淡，這時就是您的磨練，只要您經得起外在的考驗，不怨天尤人，進而學習成長，一旦通過考驗，您的成就將不可限量，是領袖級的人物。
您本命五行金太旺，呼吸系統機能比較弱，容易呼吸不順，感冒咳嗽，或有氣喘等症狀。
根據命理分析，您天生呼吸系統功能比較差，在年輕的時候不會有太大的問題，頂多是容易鼻子過敏、流鼻水、咳嗽、感冒、胸悶、腹瀉或便秘，但是如果您現在不照顧呼吸系統，隨著年紀越來越大就很容易導致鼻竇炎、氣喘、肺炎、支氣管炎、大腸息肉、直腸炎等問題。因此您不能過度勞累，而且千萬不能抽菸，要維持正常作息，早睡早起，才可以保護先天比較弱的呼吸系統。
此外，所謂「病從口入」，人類大部分的疾病來源都跟飲食有關，根據中醫理論，食物可以分成金、木、水、火、土等五種五行。您可能偏好吃重口味，辣口味的東西，像是麻辣火鍋，四川菜，應該都符合您的口味。因此，您的細胞中，充滿太多「金」的五行，會導致健康，財運與事業的不圓滿，建議您平時最好能飲食均衡，菜色均衡，則陰陽五行調和，生活美滿幸福。
但是您八字缺土，胃腸的機能也比較弱，容易有腹脹，腹痛，腹瀉，消化吸收的問題。
根據命理分析，您天生胃腸功能比較弱，在年輕的時候不會有太大的問題，等多是腸胃不適、胃酸過多、脹氣、腹瀉、腹痛等問題，但隨著年紀越來越大，胃腸功能需要更多的照顧，不然很容易導致消化系統病變，例如食道炎，胃炎、胃潰瘍、腸炎、大腸息肉、痔瘡、糖尿病等問題。因此您不能過度勞累，要調適壓力，維持正常作息，早睡早起，三餐要定時定量，不能喝酒，少吃刺激性飲食，才可以保護先天比較弱的胃腸功能。
此外，您是屬於容易緊張的類型，生活也比較缺乏規律性，因此三餐常不定時不定量，甚至因長時間工作而來不及用餐，導致胃腸的消化吸收功能受損。如果您想改變這種現象，一定要三餐定時定量，不可暴飲暴食。身體要放輕鬆，精神要保持愉快，不要給自己過多的壓力。只要您每天保持好心情，那您的命運將會有很大的改變，身體健康，財運順利，事業圓滿，家庭幸福。
簡易愛情分析，您是屬於雙方平等，保持距離的愛情。您的愛情不是屬於濃情密意的那一型，反而有一點像朋友，雙方地位比較平等，相互間追求一種平衡。您不是小鳥依人、百依百順的女生，也不容易找到很聽話的男生。
您愛情的模式，根據命理分析，在您生命中出現的異性，常常第一眼就很容易喜歡上您，只要對方追得到您，您們的愛情會火速發展，雖然感覺很甜蜜，但不容易長久，常常半途而歸，因為要從頭到尾都維持相同的熱度確實有點難。一般來說，異性對您的第一印象都會覺得很不錯，尤其您有才幹又有魅力。但是隨著交往時間越長，您的熱情不再，衝勁不再，新鮮感不再，取而代之的是爭執，雙方都不願意退讓。換句話說，您很容易被人喜歡，因為得天獨厚，所以也就不太滿足現在擁有的。相反地，您的戀愛對象對於您會非常滿意，如果您要分手，他會死纏爛打來維繫感情。因此，如果您在等待美好的愛情，您可以試著把自己的外在美收斂起來，讓對方不是只因為看到您的青春美貌或聰明才幹而跟您交往，而是要對方真心覺得適合您才跟您交往。如此之前的桃花都會煙消雲散，而真正的愛情也將降臨。
在人生的旅程中，您的戀愛或結婚對象很容易出現，多半是「近水樓台先得月」，因為常常在住家附近，學校，社團，或是工作場合見面而認識，一不小心就天雷勾動地火，迸出愛的火花。至於，結婚的對象，因為比較早熟的結果，因此您很有可能會早婚。若是您到現在，對象還沒有出現，您身邊認識的人中，長得最俊俏，長得最帥的那一位就是了，只要您真心誠意給對方一點暗示，幸福就在您身邊。
簡易事業分析，您的工作類型大部分都需要專業，從事一些技術導向的工作。這類型的工作，需要專業知識，經驗累積，以技術為導向。
每一個行業中都有不同的職位，而您的工作類型，不論在哪一個行業中發展，大部分都需要專業，從事一些技術導向的工作。例如，財務、金融、會計、資訊、工程、律師、法務、顧問等擁有專門技術的工作。這類型的工作，需要專業知識，經驗累積，以技術為導向。如果您選擇從事這類型工作，您會比較順利，輕鬆，也更能發揮所長。但是世界上跟您一樣有專業的人很多，唯有不斷進步才有無可取代的價值。
另外，您的工作類型容易產生下列迷思。一、越是專業的人多半從本位角度思考，不容易跟其他領域的人溝通。二、越是專業的人越不喜歡油腔滑調，阿諛奉承，除非上司有眼光，否則不容易得到提拔。三、越是專業的人只專注於自己的領域，對於其他領域缺乏興趣，所以一旦進入領導階層，在整體策略上，容易見樹不見林。此外，對於其他工作領域，像是文化藝術的工作，協調整合的工作，瑣碎事務的工作，或體力勞動的工作，都是您比較不適合的工作類型，您會覺得乏味無趣，不願意做，也做不久。
簡易財運分析，您每次缺錢，很自然就會有錢進來。未來的您，很會賺錢，但也很會花錢。
根據命理分析，您每次缺錢，很自然就會有錢進來。未來的您，很會賺錢，也很會花錢。您從很年輕的時候就知道錢財的重要性，因此您會比一般人更早開始理財，所以當別人在揮霍金錢，享受生命的時候，您在計劃未來，所以未來自然能夠累積更多的財富。此外，您天生比較精明，不會在不必要的地方花錢，但是您會有許多計畫性的支出，您也希望未來能夠自己當老闆，有自己的事業。如果以一生的時間來衡量，您今生大部份的財富會被您儲蓄起來，或是理財，或是置產，或是投資創業，或是投資自己。之後，這些財富大半會遺留給夫家。
祝琬苡生日快乐； 永远都青春美丽； 幸福快乐； 爱情与事业都顺顺利利！！！ (^_^)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Day 1: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 25)
Six injured in LRT accident
By ELIZABETH LOOI
KUALA LUMPUR: About 300 people escaped serious injuries in an accident involving two Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains at 6.30pm at the Bukit Jalil station.
Cheras district police chief ACP Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim said a coach from Sungai Besi stopped suddenly about 200m from the train station before it was rammed into by another train from the rear on the same track.
RapidKL executive Suffian Baharuddin confirmed that six passengers were slightly injured. He also said the train services would resume as normal today.
RapidKL communications division general manager Ebi Azly Abdullah said the company would bear the medical costs for the injured passengers.
Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat, who visited the accident site and one of the injured passengers at the hospital later at night, said he would wait for the reports from investigations into the incident.
“I’m relieved to see that the injured passengers were given immediate attention and treatment as they were immediately brought to the hospital,” he said.
Road traffic safety officer R. Perumal, 48, who was in the moving train, said that everyone fell off their seats on impact.
“Everybody started panicking and some contacted their loved ones on their handphones,” said Perumal, who suffered a whiplash when he hit against handle bars.
Airline customer service officer Andrews Pillai, 42, who was trapped along with the other passengers for about 20 minutes in the stationary train, pushed the emergency door lever to get out.
“A few men and myself helped other passengers out and we walked along the tracks back to the Bukit Jalil station,” he said.
(article extracted from: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/25/nation/2116102&sec=nation)
Over 130,000 use the LRT daily
Before Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) took over ownership and operations of the Ampang Line, it was known as Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan Sdn Bhd (Star LRT).
Incorporated on Nov 13, 1992, it was the country's first LRT project.
The company signed a franchise agreement with the government for the development, ownership and operation of the system on Dec 22, 1992. Work on the project began two years later.
It started operations between the Ampang and Sultan Ismail stations in 1996, followed two years later by the branch line from Chan Sow Lin station to Sri Petaling station. The line from the Sultan Ismail station to Sentul Timur station began operations in 1998.
In 2002, SPNB took over the ownership and operations of Star LRT under the first phase of Kuala Lumpur's public transport restructuring exercise. SPNB renamed the system Starline.
The operations of Starline was transferred to RapidKL in 2004 but ownership of assets remained with SPNB.
Starline (now called Ampang line) carries between 130,000 and 150,000 passengers daily on weekdays and an average of 120,000 passengers on weekends.
It has 25 stations throughout the 27km stretch, transporting passengers from the northern, north-eastern and south-western suburbs in the Klang Valley.
Unlike the fully automated Kelana Jaya line, trains on the Ampang line have drivers.
(article extracted from: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Frontpage/2359369/Article/index_html)
By ELIZABETH LOOI
KUALA LUMPUR: About 300 people escaped serious injuries in an accident involving two Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains at 6.30pm at the Bukit Jalil station.
Cheras district police chief ACP Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim said a coach from Sungai Besi stopped suddenly about 200m from the train station before it was rammed into by another train from the rear on the same track.
RapidKL executive Suffian Baharuddin confirmed that six passengers were slightly injured. He also said the train services would resume as normal today.
RapidKL communications division general manager Ebi Azly Abdullah said the company would bear the medical costs for the injured passengers.
Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat, who visited the accident site and one of the injured passengers at the hospital later at night, said he would wait for the reports from investigations into the incident.
“I’m relieved to see that the injured passengers were given immediate attention and treatment as they were immediately brought to the hospital,” he said.
Road traffic safety officer R. Perumal, 48, who was in the moving train, said that everyone fell off their seats on impact.
“Everybody started panicking and some contacted their loved ones on their handphones,” said Perumal, who suffered a whiplash when he hit against handle bars.
Airline customer service officer Andrews Pillai, 42, who was trapped along with the other passengers for about 20 minutes in the stationary train, pushed the emergency door lever to get out.
“A few men and myself helped other passengers out and we walked along the tracks back to the Bukit Jalil station,” he said.
(article extracted from: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/25/nation/2116102&sec=nation)
Over 130,000 use the LRT daily
Before Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) took over ownership and operations of the Ampang Line, it was known as Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan Sdn Bhd (Star LRT).
Incorporated on Nov 13, 1992, it was the country's first LRT project.
The company signed a franchise agreement with the government for the development, ownership and operation of the system on Dec 22, 1992. Work on the project began two years later.
It started operations between the Ampang and Sultan Ismail stations in 1996, followed two years later by the branch line from Chan Sow Lin station to Sri Petaling station. The line from the Sultan Ismail station to Sentul Timur station began operations in 1998.
In 2002, SPNB took over the ownership and operations of Star LRT under the first phase of Kuala Lumpur's public transport restructuring exercise. SPNB renamed the system Starline.
The operations of Starline was transferred to RapidKL in 2004 but ownership of assets remained with SPNB.
Starline (now called Ampang line) carries between 130,000 and 150,000 passengers daily on weekdays and an average of 120,000 passengers on weekends.
It has 25 stations throughout the 27km stretch, transporting passengers from the northern, north-eastern and south-western suburbs in the Klang Valley.
Unlike the fully automated Kelana Jaya line, trains on the Ampang line have drivers.
(article extracted from: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Frontpage/2359369/Article/index_html)
Day 2: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 24)
ISA: Raja Petra under two-year detention in Kamunting
By : Alang Bendahara, Sushma Veera and Alina Simon
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was detained for two years under the Internal Security Act yesterday for writing articles considered to have maligned Islam, and being malicious and seditious.
He was sent from Bukit Aman police headquarters, where he had been held since Sept 12, to the Kamunting detention centre in Perak around 11am.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar signed the detention order under Section 8(1) of the ISA on Monday evening on a recommendation by police.
Syed Hamid said the ministry would review the detention order at the end of the first three months and again after six months.
Raja Petra's lead counsel, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, said he would file a habeas corpus application next week against the new detention order.
Syed Hamid said there was strong evidence supporting action to invoke the ISA against Raja Petra.
He said the decision was made after police investigations into articles posted by the blogger on his website showed that they could incite racial and religious tension and disrupt peace in the country.
"The police gave their recommendation and provided strong basis for him to be detained under ISA. It is their right to recommend to the Home Minister to sign the two-year detention order if they found strong proof and reason.
"If they (the articles) are proven to be threatening as well as causing uneasiness among Muslims and members of the public, then it is proof," he said.
On the fact that he had signed the order as Raja Petra's habeas corpus application on his earlier detention under Section 73(1) of the ISA was scheduled to be heard in the High Court yesterday, he said they were not related.
"That is Raja Petra's right and is a totally different issue."
In the High Court, Raja Petra's application came to a halt with judge Suraya Othman saying that it had been overtaken by events.
She fixed Oct 28 to hear submissions by Malik and Senior Federal Counsel Abdul Wahab Mohamad on the order issued by Syed Hamid.
Malik told the court that he was only informed yesterday morning by Wahab that his client had been detained under Section 8 (1).
"I was not informed of my client's detention despite the police having my contact numbers," said Malik.
To this, Wahab said he himself had been told of the order at the same time.
Malik replied that he was surprised that Wahab "was well-prepared with written submissions for someone who said that he was only informed about it this morning".
He submitted that the detention order issued by the minister on Monday night was done to avoid the consequences of the habeas corpus hearing.
"Raja Petra's detention under Section 73(1) of the Act was done without basis, unconstitutional and was done in bad faith," he said.
He said Syed Hamid's order "could only have been the result of the inquiry by the police".
"Because they are inter-related, the question whether the earlier detention was lawful or not is a matter which is relevant for argument of the current order," he added.
Suraya was herself surprised by Raja Petra's two-year detention order, saying: "I had not expected a lot of matters to be overtaken by events."
She said Syed Hamid's order superseded the previous order under Section 73 (1).
Earlier, Wahab, submitting that the habeas corpus application should be dismissed, contended that since Raja Petra was no longer detained under Section 73 (1), and that the new detention order had come into operation, all issues pertaining to his earlier detention were academic.
(extracted from: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Frontpage/2358214/Article/index_html)
By : Alang Bendahara, Sushma Veera and Alina Simon
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was detained for two years under the Internal Security Act yesterday for writing articles considered to have maligned Islam, and being malicious and seditious.
He was sent from Bukit Aman police headquarters, where he had been held since Sept 12, to the Kamunting detention centre in Perak around 11am.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar signed the detention order under Section 8(1) of the ISA on Monday evening on a recommendation by police.
Syed Hamid said the ministry would review the detention order at the end of the first three months and again after six months.
Raja Petra's lead counsel, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, said he would file a habeas corpus application next week against the new detention order.
Syed Hamid said there was strong evidence supporting action to invoke the ISA against Raja Petra.
He said the decision was made after police investigations into articles posted by the blogger on his website showed that they could incite racial and religious tension and disrupt peace in the country.
"The police gave their recommendation and provided strong basis for him to be detained under ISA. It is their right to recommend to the Home Minister to sign the two-year detention order if they found strong proof and reason.
"If they (the articles) are proven to be threatening as well as causing uneasiness among Muslims and members of the public, then it is proof," he said.
On the fact that he had signed the order as Raja Petra's habeas corpus application on his earlier detention under Section 73(1) of the ISA was scheduled to be heard in the High Court yesterday, he said they were not related.
"That is Raja Petra's right and is a totally different issue."
In the High Court, Raja Petra's application came to a halt with judge Suraya Othman saying that it had been overtaken by events.
She fixed Oct 28 to hear submissions by Malik and Senior Federal Counsel Abdul Wahab Mohamad on the order issued by Syed Hamid.
Malik told the court that he was only informed yesterday morning by Wahab that his client had been detained under Section 8 (1).
"I was not informed of my client's detention despite the police having my contact numbers," said Malik.
To this, Wahab said he himself had been told of the order at the same time.
Malik replied that he was surprised that Wahab "was well-prepared with written submissions for someone who said that he was only informed about it this morning".
He submitted that the detention order issued by the minister on Monday night was done to avoid the consequences of the habeas corpus hearing.
"Raja Petra's detention under Section 73(1) of the Act was done without basis, unconstitutional and was done in bad faith," he said.
He said Syed Hamid's order "could only have been the result of the inquiry by the police".
"Because they are inter-related, the question whether the earlier detention was lawful or not is a matter which is relevant for argument of the current order," he added.
Suraya was herself surprised by Raja Petra's two-year detention order, saying: "I had not expected a lot of matters to be overtaken by events."
She said Syed Hamid's order superseded the previous order under Section 73 (1).
Earlier, Wahab, submitting that the habeas corpus application should be dismissed, contended that since Raja Petra was no longer detained under Section 73 (1), and that the new detention order had come into operation, all issues pertaining to his earlier detention were academic.
(extracted from: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Frontpage/2358214/Article/index_html)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Day 3: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 23)
A mere RM4.50 a day for meals
By RASHITHA A. HAMID and DHARMENDER SINGH
KUALA LUMPUR: A Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was shocked to learn that only RM4.50 per day is allocated for food to each detainee in the lock-up.
T. Murugiah said this was ridiculous, especially with the increase in the price of rice, petrol and other items.
The RM4.50 covers breakfast (60 sen), lunch (RM2) and dinner (RM1.90).
Murugiah said the allocation should be raised so that detainees could get decent food.
“A normal human being living in the city spends at least RM10 on meals a day,” he said after visiting the Travers police station here yesterday.
He visited the police station following complaints by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok about the food she was served during her detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
“Detainees should be treated with respect and given proper food,” said Murugiah.
He said he would ask the Prime Minister and Home Minister to revise the amount allocated per detainee.
“It is high time we increase the amount as I believe that it has been some time since the Government revised it,” he said, adding that foreign and local detainees should be treated fairly.
Murugiah, who is also the Public Complaints Bureau head, said he had investigated the matter and would leave it to the higher authorities to remedy the situation.
Murugiah had earlier met Kok for about an hour in her office at the state secretariat building in Shah Alam.
The meeting was to discuss the type of food Kok was served during her week-long detention.
Kok pointed out that she was wrongly quoted about the food served. She said she was served food which was slightly better than dog food and not that she was served food that was like dog food as published in a Malay newspaper.
“I am happy to see the initiative taken by the Deputy Minister in looking into this matter and I hope that conditions will improve.”
(extracted from: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/23/nation/2093043&sec=nation)
Now read this:
Guantanamo Is a Model Prison (Really)
By MARK H. BUZBY
(extracted from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121253762342343273.html)
June 4, 2008
There is much talk in the media, in our capital and elsewhere about the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I have paid close attention to this dialogue, and after a year in command, it is clear that there are two Guantanamos: the one that exists in popular culture, and the one most discover when they actually see conditions there.
We house enemy combatants in one of several facilities according to their compliance with camp rules. Highly compliant detainees, approximately 20% of the population, live in Camp 4. Here they enjoy a communal, barracks-style environment, with movie nights, classes in Pashtu, Arabic and English, shared meals and prayers, and up to 12 hours of recreation per day.
Many of the enemy combatants, however, fail to comply with established rules. Offenses often include head-butting, kicking, biting and splashing young soldiers and sailors with feces and urine "cocktails."
These detainees are housed in Camps 5 and 6 – modern, climate-controlled facilities modeled after existing U.S. prison facilities in the Midwest. They get a minimum of two, soon to be three, hours of outdoor recreation per day adjacent to three to five other detainees. And they are held in a block of single-occupancy cells where they communicate with other detainees, guards, medical staff, library assistants and mail delivery personnel. Prayers are led five times a day by a detainee-appointed Imam. Each cell contains an arrow that points to Mecca.
All detainees receive three-meals per day, a 4,000-calorie diet selected from six different menus that meet the halal cultural dietary requirements, and which provide for special needs such as low sodium, vegetarian or diabetic. We provide comfort items including sheets and bedding, uniforms, shoes, prayer beads, prayer rugs, toiletries and bottled water. Each detainee is issued a Quran in Arabic and one in his native language. An ever-expanding, 5,000 volume library is available for a weekly choice of reading material.
Detainees sent and received more than 27,000 pieces of mail last year. In addition to humanitarian phone calls, which have long been permitted, we allow annual phone calls to family members. Last year, more than 1,200 attorney visits were conducted. Suggestions that detainees are being held "incommunicado" are simply not true.
Medical-care standards afforded to detainees are the same that my troopers receive. Access to treatment is 24/7, with a detainee-to-medical-staff ratio of three-to-one that far exceeds Federal Bureau of Prison standards, and is frankly better than what most Americans enjoy.
Joint Task Force doctors have performed more than 370 surgeries, including restorative eye procedures, and a recent back surgery that restored movement and avoided possible paralysis for a detainee. Shortly after, that detainee sent me a note saying "Thank you, I have been wrong about Americans."
Our mental health facility, staffed by a variety of mental health-care professionals, includes a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Approximately 15% of our detainees are seen for such issues on a regular basis, about half the average experienced in the U.S. prison population.
We enjoy a very positive relationship with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Its professionals have access to all detainees and facilities, and they provide us with useful and supportive confidential comments and suggestions – which have helped in furthering the development of our detention programs.
An important part of the Guantanamo story routinely underreported by many in the media – but readily apparent to most who visit – is the dedication and professionalism exhibited every single day by the more than 2,200 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and civilians who provide for the safe and humane care and custody of very dangerous men.
Regardless of what international opinion says, my troopers perform their mission honorably, professionally and to a level that would make any American proud. I had the very great privilege of leading these sons and daughters of America; that is the Guantanamo I know.
Rear Adm. Buzby was commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo from May 2007 until last week.
and this:
Food war: £12 meals for prisoners while NHS patients get just £3 per head
(extracted from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-527842/Food-war--12-meals-prisoners-NHS-patients-just-3-head.html)
Last updated at 00:31 07 March 2008
Prisoners held in police cells are having up to four times as much spent on their food as hospital patients.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw admitted that forces are given as much as £12 a day to feed inmates, who often have a choice of food from local takeaways.
By comparison, just £3 is spent per head in hospitals a day, while 70p is spent on ingredients for a single school meal.
It costs an average of £385 to keep a prisoner in a police cell overnight.
In a letter to Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, Mr Straw said the £12 meal figure might even be exceeded in "exceptional cases".
Mr Rosindell said there would be anger among patients at the news that prisoners are better fed.
He said: "I think it's inexplicable that prisoners should be eating food which costs four times what a patient gets in the NHS."
"I want to know why only £3 per head is being spent on patients in hospital, where you would expect to have good quality food, and £12 is being spent on prison food.
"It's an astonishing revelation. I think every NHS patient will want to know why people who are up for committing a crime are being treated in a style which is inappropriate.
"It is an issue many people will find it hard to understand."
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Herbert said: "It costs as much to keep an offender in a police cell as an overnight stay at the Ritz."
By RASHITHA A. HAMID and DHARMENDER SINGH
KUALA LUMPUR: A Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was shocked to learn that only RM4.50 per day is allocated for food to each detainee in the lock-up.
T. Murugiah said this was ridiculous, especially with the increase in the price of rice, petrol and other items.
The RM4.50 covers breakfast (60 sen), lunch (RM2) and dinner (RM1.90).
Murugiah said the allocation should be raised so that detainees could get decent food.
“A normal human being living in the city spends at least RM10 on meals a day,” he said after visiting the Travers police station here yesterday.
He visited the police station following complaints by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok about the food she was served during her detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
“Detainees should be treated with respect and given proper food,” said Murugiah.
He said he would ask the Prime Minister and Home Minister to revise the amount allocated per detainee.
“It is high time we increase the amount as I believe that it has been some time since the Government revised it,” he said, adding that foreign and local detainees should be treated fairly.
Murugiah, who is also the Public Complaints Bureau head, said he had investigated the matter and would leave it to the higher authorities to remedy the situation.
Murugiah had earlier met Kok for about an hour in her office at the state secretariat building in Shah Alam.
The meeting was to discuss the type of food Kok was served during her week-long detention.
Kok pointed out that she was wrongly quoted about the food served. She said she was served food which was slightly better than dog food and not that she was served food that was like dog food as published in a Malay newspaper.
“I am happy to see the initiative taken by the Deputy Minister in looking into this matter and I hope that conditions will improve.”
(extracted from: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/23/nation/2093043&sec=nation)
Now read this:
Guantanamo Is a Model Prison (Really)
By MARK H. BUZBY
(extracted from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121253762342343273.html)
June 4, 2008
There is much talk in the media, in our capital and elsewhere about the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I have paid close attention to this dialogue, and after a year in command, it is clear that there are two Guantanamos: the one that exists in popular culture, and the one most discover when they actually see conditions there.
We house enemy combatants in one of several facilities according to their compliance with camp rules. Highly compliant detainees, approximately 20% of the population, live in Camp 4. Here they enjoy a communal, barracks-style environment, with movie nights, classes in Pashtu, Arabic and English, shared meals and prayers, and up to 12 hours of recreation per day.
Many of the enemy combatants, however, fail to comply with established rules. Offenses often include head-butting, kicking, biting and splashing young soldiers and sailors with feces and urine "cocktails."
These detainees are housed in Camps 5 and 6 – modern, climate-controlled facilities modeled after existing U.S. prison facilities in the Midwest. They get a minimum of two, soon to be three, hours of outdoor recreation per day adjacent to three to five other detainees. And they are held in a block of single-occupancy cells where they communicate with other detainees, guards, medical staff, library assistants and mail delivery personnel. Prayers are led five times a day by a detainee-appointed Imam. Each cell contains an arrow that points to Mecca.
All detainees receive three-meals per day, a 4,000-calorie diet selected from six different menus that meet the halal cultural dietary requirements, and which provide for special needs such as low sodium, vegetarian or diabetic. We provide comfort items including sheets and bedding, uniforms, shoes, prayer beads, prayer rugs, toiletries and bottled water. Each detainee is issued a Quran in Arabic and one in his native language. An ever-expanding, 5,000 volume library is available for a weekly choice of reading material.
Detainees sent and received more than 27,000 pieces of mail last year. In addition to humanitarian phone calls, which have long been permitted, we allow annual phone calls to family members. Last year, more than 1,200 attorney visits were conducted. Suggestions that detainees are being held "incommunicado" are simply not true.
Medical-care standards afforded to detainees are the same that my troopers receive. Access to treatment is 24/7, with a detainee-to-medical-staff ratio of three-to-one that far exceeds Federal Bureau of Prison standards, and is frankly better than what most Americans enjoy.
Joint Task Force doctors have performed more than 370 surgeries, including restorative eye procedures, and a recent back surgery that restored movement and avoided possible paralysis for a detainee. Shortly after, that detainee sent me a note saying "Thank you, I have been wrong about Americans."
Our mental health facility, staffed by a variety of mental health-care professionals, includes a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Approximately 15% of our detainees are seen for such issues on a regular basis, about half the average experienced in the U.S. prison population.
We enjoy a very positive relationship with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Its professionals have access to all detainees and facilities, and they provide us with useful and supportive confidential comments and suggestions – which have helped in furthering the development of our detention programs.
An important part of the Guantanamo story routinely underreported by many in the media – but readily apparent to most who visit – is the dedication and professionalism exhibited every single day by the more than 2,200 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and civilians who provide for the safe and humane care and custody of very dangerous men.
Regardless of what international opinion says, my troopers perform their mission honorably, professionally and to a level that would make any American proud. I had the very great privilege of leading these sons and daughters of America; that is the Guantanamo I know.
Rear Adm. Buzby was commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo from May 2007 until last week.
and this:
Food war: £12 meals for prisoners while NHS patients get just £3 per head
(extracted from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-527842/Food-war--12-meals-prisoners-NHS-patients-just-3-head.html)
Last updated at 00:31 07 March 2008
Prisoners held in police cells are having up to four times as much spent on their food as hospital patients.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw admitted that forces are given as much as £12 a day to feed inmates, who often have a choice of food from local takeaways.
By comparison, just £3 is spent per head in hospitals a day, while 70p is spent on ingredients for a single school meal.
It costs an average of £385 to keep a prisoner in a police cell overnight.
In a letter to Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, Mr Straw said the £12 meal figure might even be exceeded in "exceptional cases".
Mr Rosindell said there would be anger among patients at the news that prisoners are better fed.
He said: "I think it's inexplicable that prisoners should be eating food which costs four times what a patient gets in the NHS."
"I want to know why only £3 per head is being spent on patients in hospital, where you would expect to have good quality food, and £12 is being spent on prison food.
"It's an astonishing revelation. I think every NHS patient will want to know why people who are up for committing a crime are being treated in a style which is inappropriate.
"It is an issue many people will find it hard to understand."
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Herbert said: "It costs as much to keep an offender in a police cell as an overnight stay at the Ritz."
Monday, September 22, 2008
Day 4: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 22)
No peg for ringgit, fuel-price decision on Wednesday
PUTRAJAYA, MON:
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the ringgit will not be re-pegged, citing the government’s commitment to let market forces determine the currency's level.
The ringgit is currently in a managed float against a basket of currencies.
Najib, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said the Cabinet will on Wednesday decide on the price of fuel at the pump.
Malaysians are expecting the government to further reduce the price after the global crude oil dipped below US$100 (RM349) per barrel, compared with the high of US$147 in July.
On Aug 23, the government reduced the price of petrol by 15 sen, from RM2.70 to RM2.55.
PUTRAJAYA, MON:
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the ringgit will not be re-pegged, citing the government’s commitment to let market forces determine the currency's level.
The ringgit is currently in a managed float against a basket of currencies.
Najib, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, said the Cabinet will on Wednesday decide on the price of fuel at the pump.
Malaysians are expecting the government to further reduce the price after the global crude oil dipped below US$100 (RM349) per barrel, compared with the high of US$147 in July.
On Aug 23, the government reduced the price of petrol by 15 sen, from RM2.70 to RM2.55.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Day 5: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 21)
The PS3 is here, after a two-year wait
By CHONG JINN XIUNG
PETALING JAYA: Consumer electronics giant Sony Malaysia Sdn Bhd has officially launched the PlayStation 3 (PS3), with an 80GB version of the popular videogame console that sells for RM1,599.
The PS3 is part of Sony’s vision of delivering full high-definition entertainment to the home, Sony Malaysia managing director Naoi Sudo said at the official launch at the 1-Utama shopping centre here on Saturday.
“The PlayStation 3 isn’t just another videogame console; it is a complete entertainment system with Blu-ray playback and integrated Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to surf the Web from your living room,” he said.
Despite having arrived here nearly two years after its worldwide launch in the United States and Japan, the Malaysia market -- with its young demographic -- is an important one for the company, Sony Computer Entertainment Asia president Tetsuhiko Yasuda claimed.
He said the timing of the PS3 launch couldn’t have been better as the market for high definition products and the broadband infrastructure to support the media were rapidly growing.
Sony also announced that it will launch a local version of Sony’s online multiplayer gaming and digital media distribution service, PlayStation Network (PSN), by the end of the year.
PSN will allow local gamers to set up their own accounts to purchase games and media as well as play games online.
Yasuda said Sony also aims to have global simultaneous launches of high profile games and consoles in the near future.
(extracted from: http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2008/9/20/technology/20080920163046&sec=technology)
By CHONG JINN XIUNG
PETALING JAYA: Consumer electronics giant Sony Malaysia Sdn Bhd has officially launched the PlayStation 3 (PS3), with an 80GB version of the popular videogame console that sells for RM1,599.
The PS3 is part of Sony’s vision of delivering full high-definition entertainment to the home, Sony Malaysia managing director Naoi Sudo said at the official launch at the 1-Utama shopping centre here on Saturday.
“The PlayStation 3 isn’t just another videogame console; it is a complete entertainment system with Blu-ray playback and integrated Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to surf the Web from your living room,” he said.
Despite having arrived here nearly two years after its worldwide launch in the United States and Japan, the Malaysia market -- with its young demographic -- is an important one for the company, Sony Computer Entertainment Asia president Tetsuhiko Yasuda claimed.
He said the timing of the PS3 launch couldn’t have been better as the market for high definition products and the broadband infrastructure to support the media were rapidly growing.
Sony also announced that it will launch a local version of Sony’s online multiplayer gaming and digital media distribution service, PlayStation Network (PSN), by the end of the year.
PSN will allow local gamers to set up their own accounts to purchase games and media as well as play games online.
Yasuda said Sony also aims to have global simultaneous launches of high profile games and consoles in the near future.
(extracted from: http://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2008/9/20/technology/20080920163046&sec=technology)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Day 6: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 20)
Govt to investigate Teresa Kok’s ‘dog food’ claim
By DHARMENDER SINGH
KLANG: The government will conduct a serious investigation into claims by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok that she was served food that was “almost like dog food” while detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah said he would personally meet with Kok soon to gather her input, and also visit the police station where she was held.
He said he wanted to know who bought the food, where it was bought, how much it cost, what the allocations are for meals for detainees, and what type of food is supposed to be served.
“I am shocked with Kok’s comments on the food she was given while in detention and I will be handing in a report on my findings to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,” he told reporters after launching a football tournament between Tamil vernacular schools from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur here on Saturday.
He said anyone arrested should be treated with respect and given proper food, and if Kok’s claims were true then what was done to her was patently unfair.
Murugiah, who is also the Public Complaints Bureau head, said the comments also put the Government and the police in a bad light.
“The Government’s credibility has been damaged and I want to solve the problem as well as ensure there is no such recurrence in the future,” he said, adding that he was upset with the entire episode.
(extracted from: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/20/nation/20080920195312&sec=nation)
By DHARMENDER SINGH
KLANG: The government will conduct a serious investigation into claims by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok that she was served food that was “almost like dog food” while detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department T. Murugiah said he would personally meet with Kok soon to gather her input, and also visit the police station where she was held.
He said he wanted to know who bought the food, where it was bought, how much it cost, what the allocations are for meals for detainees, and what type of food is supposed to be served.
“I am shocked with Kok’s comments on the food she was given while in detention and I will be handing in a report on my findings to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,” he told reporters after launching a football tournament between Tamil vernacular schools from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur here on Saturday.
He said anyone arrested should be treated with respect and given proper food, and if Kok’s claims were true then what was done to her was patently unfair.
Murugiah, who is also the Public Complaints Bureau head, said the comments also put the Government and the police in a bad light.
“The Government’s credibility has been damaged and I want to solve the problem as well as ensure there is no such recurrence in the future,” he said, adding that he was upset with the entire episode.
(extracted from: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/20/nation/20080920195312&sec=nation)
Friday, September 19, 2008
Day 7: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 19)
FREED : Teresa Kok relates her one-week ordeal
NST NEWSDESK (updated 4.20pm)
KUALA LUMPUR, FRI:
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who was detained under ISA has been released. The assemblyman for Kinrara was arrested at 11.20pm last Friday believed to be over a religious matter concerning a mosque.
Kok called her counsel N. Sankara Nair at 1pm while she was being transported from Bukit Aman to the Travers Police Station.
Sankara met her there.
They are now on their way to DAP headquarters where she will hold a press conference at 3.30pm.
In a phone interview with the NST moments ago, Kok related her ordeal.
“They kept questioning me about the article (Utusan’s article ). I kept denying it," she said. “How can I be considered a national security threat?
"Till today, I don’t know why I was held under the ISA.”
It was a totally ridiculous stuation. Nobody should be held under the ISA,” she told NST.
Utusan Malaysia’s Sept 10 article entitled "Azan, Jawi, JAIS dan ba-alif ba-ya" accused Kok of petitioning a mosque to reduce the volume for azan.
She had vehemently denied the allegation.
Kok has instructed her lawyers to sue the Malaysian government for her unlawful arrest and detention under the Internal Security Act.
“If the police wanted to carry out investigation on me, they can always ask me to give statements in any of the police station and there was absolutely no need to detain me under the ISA for seven days.
“This is a phenomenal abuse of the power of the police under the ISA,” she said in a statement issued after she was released today.
She said the police had failed to produce any evidence or proof of her being involved in the activities causing racial and religious tension.
She said three main questions the investigation officers asked her were:
1. Whether she had mobilised a group of residents at Bandar Kinrara to present a petition to oppose the azan at the Bandar Kinrara mosque;
2. Whether she had made a statement that 30 per cent of the Selangor Islamic Department allocation was to be given to other non Islamic religious bodies, and
3. Whether she had opposed to the Jawi wording of road signages in Kuala Lumpur.
She denied the first two accusations.
On the Jawi road signages, she said this was done early this year at the request and following the pressure of resident association.
NST NEWSDESK (updated 4.20pm)
KUALA LUMPUR, FRI:
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who was detained under ISA has been released. The assemblyman for Kinrara was arrested at 11.20pm last Friday believed to be over a religious matter concerning a mosque.
Kok called her counsel N. Sankara Nair at 1pm while she was being transported from Bukit Aman to the Travers Police Station.
Sankara met her there.
They are now on their way to DAP headquarters where she will hold a press conference at 3.30pm.
In a phone interview with the NST moments ago, Kok related her ordeal.
“They kept questioning me about the article (Utusan’s article ). I kept denying it," she said. “How can I be considered a national security threat?
"Till today, I don’t know why I was held under the ISA.”
It was a totally ridiculous stuation. Nobody should be held under the ISA,” she told NST.
Utusan Malaysia’s Sept 10 article entitled "Azan, Jawi, JAIS dan ba-alif ba-ya" accused Kok of petitioning a mosque to reduce the volume for azan.
She had vehemently denied the allegation.
Kok has instructed her lawyers to sue the Malaysian government for her unlawful arrest and detention under the Internal Security Act.
“If the police wanted to carry out investigation on me, they can always ask me to give statements in any of the police station and there was absolutely no need to detain me under the ISA for seven days.
“This is a phenomenal abuse of the power of the police under the ISA,” she said in a statement issued after she was released today.
She said the police had failed to produce any evidence or proof of her being involved in the activities causing racial and religious tension.
She said three main questions the investigation officers asked her were:
1. Whether she had mobilised a group of residents at Bandar Kinrara to present a petition to oppose the azan at the Bandar Kinrara mosque;
2. Whether she had made a statement that 30 per cent of the Selangor Islamic Department allocation was to be given to other non Islamic religious bodies, and
3. Whether she had opposed to the Jawi wording of road signages in Kuala Lumpur.
She denied the first two accusations.
On the Jawi road signages, she said this was done early this year at the request and following the pressure of resident association.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Day 8: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 18)
Anwar calls for parliament vote to oust Malaysia PM
By Soo Ai Peng
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim called for parliament to be convened by next Tuesday to hold a vote of confidence in which he hopes to oust Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and form a new government.
Anwar insisted at a press conference on Thursday that he had won over sufficient MPs from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition as to form a new government, but declined to provide names or numbers, saying that would place the lawmakers at risk.
The date Anwar set to recall parliament, which is currently in recess, is one day before he is due in court on a charge that he sodomized a male aide. He denies the charge and says it is motivated by the government's desire to keep him out of power.
"We must realize this is now a minority government. The majority of MPs are with us now," Anwar told a news conference.
No one was immediately available to comment from the government.
Abdullah has refused to meet Anwar and denied that the 30 MPs the opposition needs to form the next government have deserted the ruling coalition, calling Anwar's claims a "mirage."
Anwar's three-party alliance has 82 MPs in the 222-strong Malaysian parliament and if it wins power, it will displace the coalition that has run this Southeast Asian country of 27 million people for over 50 years since independence from Britain.
The rivalry between Anwar and senior leaders in the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the main party in the 14-strong ruling coalition is intense and deeply personal.
"A delay in his (Abdullah's) response would be interpreted as nothing short of a further sabotage of democratic process and abuse of executive powers," Anwar said.
Anwar was deputy prime minister and looked set for the top job until he was sacked by then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and imprisoned in the late 1990s on charges of sodomy and corruption.
The opposition has pressured the government since elections in March when it deprived it of a two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time.
Abdullah has come under pressure to quit ahead of a 2010 date agreed with his party to hand over power to his deputy Najib Razak and handed over the key finance ministry job to Najib on Wednesday, a day ahead of a meeting of top UMNO leaders.
Ever since Anwar was dismissed, the prime minister in Malaysia has held the finance post and Abdullah also hinted that he might leave office early.
DAMAGING UNCERTAINTY, ECONOMIC WORRIES
(Writing by David Chance; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
The prolonged political uncertainty has hit Malaysian assets hard, the stock market was down 25 percent this year even before the latest turn in the U.S. credit crisis forced investment banking giant Lehman Bros out of business.
Inflation in Malaysia has surged to close to 27-year highs and the country is now competing with other Asian nations who have enacted economic reforms to attract foreign investment.
The cost of insuring Malaysian bonds against default has risen to $176,729 per $10 million of debt from $90,185 prior to the March election, based on prices for 5-year credit default swaps, a barometer of risk.
Anwar, a former finance minister with a strong reputation among international investors for his reaction to Asia's financial crisis in 1997, said he was a better choice than Abdullah or Najib, who has no finance experience to lead the country.
"Even (with) a Pakatan Rakyat (his coalition) government it is going to be tough under the current economic problems," Anwar said.
(Both articles extracted from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080918/wl_nm/malaysia_politics_anwar_dc)
The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index closed at 991.66, down by 11.33 points while Dow Jones stood at 10,609.66 down 449.36 points. Nikkei down 260.49 points, bringing it to 11,489.30.
By Soo Ai Peng
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim called for parliament to be convened by next Tuesday to hold a vote of confidence in which he hopes to oust Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and form a new government.
Anwar insisted at a press conference on Thursday that he had won over sufficient MPs from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition as to form a new government, but declined to provide names or numbers, saying that would place the lawmakers at risk.
The date Anwar set to recall parliament, which is currently in recess, is one day before he is due in court on a charge that he sodomized a male aide. He denies the charge and says it is motivated by the government's desire to keep him out of power.
"We must realize this is now a minority government. The majority of MPs are with us now," Anwar told a news conference.
No one was immediately available to comment from the government.
Abdullah has refused to meet Anwar and denied that the 30 MPs the opposition needs to form the next government have deserted the ruling coalition, calling Anwar's claims a "mirage."
Anwar's three-party alliance has 82 MPs in the 222-strong Malaysian parliament and if it wins power, it will displace the coalition that has run this Southeast Asian country of 27 million people for over 50 years since independence from Britain.
The rivalry between Anwar and senior leaders in the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the main party in the 14-strong ruling coalition is intense and deeply personal.
"A delay in his (Abdullah's) response would be interpreted as nothing short of a further sabotage of democratic process and abuse of executive powers," Anwar said.
Anwar was deputy prime minister and looked set for the top job until he was sacked by then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and imprisoned in the late 1990s on charges of sodomy and corruption.
The opposition has pressured the government since elections in March when it deprived it of a two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time.
Abdullah has come under pressure to quit ahead of a 2010 date agreed with his party to hand over power to his deputy Najib Razak and handed over the key finance ministry job to Najib on Wednesday, a day ahead of a meeting of top UMNO leaders.
Ever since Anwar was dismissed, the prime minister in Malaysia has held the finance post and Abdullah also hinted that he might leave office early.
DAMAGING UNCERTAINTY, ECONOMIC WORRIES
(Writing by David Chance; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
The prolonged political uncertainty has hit Malaysian assets hard, the stock market was down 25 percent this year even before the latest turn in the U.S. credit crisis forced investment banking giant Lehman Bros out of business.
Inflation in Malaysia has surged to close to 27-year highs and the country is now competing with other Asian nations who have enacted economic reforms to attract foreign investment.
The cost of insuring Malaysian bonds against default has risen to $176,729 per $10 million of debt from $90,185 prior to the March election, based on prices for 5-year credit default swaps, a barometer of risk.
Anwar, a former finance minister with a strong reputation among international investors for his reaction to Asia's financial crisis in 1997, said he was a better choice than Abdullah or Najib, who has no finance experience to lead the country.
"Even (with) a Pakatan Rakyat (his coalition) government it is going to be tough under the current economic problems," Anwar said.
(Both articles extracted from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080918/wl_nm/malaysia_politics_anwar_dc)
The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index closed at 991.66, down by 11.33 points while Dow Jones stood at 10,609.66 down 449.36 points. Nikkei down 260.49 points, bringing it to 11,489.30.
Day 9: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 17)
Town in shock over murder of kidnapped girl
By : Jassmine Shadiqe
KULAI JAYA: The sleepy neighbourhood of Taman Putri here was reeling from shock yesterday following the discovery of the partially- charred body of a 16-year-old schoolgirl in a clearing.
Residents reacted in horror when it was learnt that the victim, Lai Ying Xin, was kidnapped on Thursday and was believed to have been murdered even before the ransom of RM60,000 was paid.
Police were led to the body yesterday about 1am by four suspects, between the ages of 16 and 22. One of the suspects is believed to have been the victim's boyfriend.
Marked bills amounting to RM20,000, believed to be part of the ransom, were also found on the suspects.
Police believe the suspects went ahead and demanded the ransom even after the victim was murdered and her body burnt. She is believed to have been murdered within 24 hours of the abduction.
She is believed to have been murdered elsewhere before her body was dumped in Taman Putri.
Lai, a student of Sekolah Menengah Kulai, who also worked part-time in a hypermarket, is believed to have been kidnapped while she was on her way home.
Police said she was bundled into a Perodua Kembara by the suspects. Police had also seized the vehicle from one of the suspects currently in custody.
State police deputy chief Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said Lai was probably killed as she knew one of the kidnappers.
"The kidnappers were afraid the victim would point them out once she was released after the ransom was paid," said Tun Hisan.
He said the victim's mother had received a call demanding a ransom on Friday evening.
"Lai usually returned home by 9pm but when there was no sign of her on Thursday night, the family lodged a missing person's report," he said.
After negotiations, the sum of RM60,000 was agreed upon as the ransom. The money, which was in a sports bag, was dropped off at secluded spot in a housing area in Kulai at 3am on Monday.
Police made a breakthrough in the investigations on Monday evening, which led them to the arrest of a 16-year-old school dropout and two men in their 20s who were seen driving in the area in a Perodua Kembara.
Part of the ransom money was found on the suspects.
In follow-up operations, police picked up another 16-year-old in Taman Putri.
All four suspects have been remanded until Sept 21 to facilitate investigations. They had led police to a secluded road in Taman Putri, where the body was found.
The body was sent to Sultanah Aminah Hospital for a post-mortem.
By : Jassmine Shadiqe
KULAI JAYA: The sleepy neighbourhood of Taman Putri here was reeling from shock yesterday following the discovery of the partially- charred body of a 16-year-old schoolgirl in a clearing.
Residents reacted in horror when it was learnt that the victim, Lai Ying Xin, was kidnapped on Thursday and was believed to have been murdered even before the ransom of RM60,000 was paid.
Police were led to the body yesterday about 1am by four suspects, between the ages of 16 and 22. One of the suspects is believed to have been the victim's boyfriend.
Marked bills amounting to RM20,000, believed to be part of the ransom, were also found on the suspects.
Police believe the suspects went ahead and demanded the ransom even after the victim was murdered and her body burnt. She is believed to have been murdered within 24 hours of the abduction.
She is believed to have been murdered elsewhere before her body was dumped in Taman Putri.
Lai, a student of Sekolah Menengah Kulai, who also worked part-time in a hypermarket, is believed to have been kidnapped while she was on her way home.
Police said she was bundled into a Perodua Kembara by the suspects. Police had also seized the vehicle from one of the suspects currently in custody.
State police deputy chief Datuk Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said Lai was probably killed as she knew one of the kidnappers.
"The kidnappers were afraid the victim would point them out once she was released after the ransom was paid," said Tun Hisan.
He said the victim's mother had received a call demanding a ransom on Friday evening.
"Lai usually returned home by 9pm but when there was no sign of her on Thursday night, the family lodged a missing person's report," he said.
After negotiations, the sum of RM60,000 was agreed upon as the ransom. The money, which was in a sports bag, was dropped off at secluded spot in a housing area in Kulai at 3am on Monday.
Police made a breakthrough in the investigations on Monday evening, which led them to the arrest of a 16-year-old school dropout and two men in their 20s who were seen driving in the area in a Perodua Kembara.
Part of the ransom money was found on the suspects.
In follow-up operations, police picked up another 16-year-old in Taman Putri.
All four suspects have been remanded until Sept 21 to facilitate investigations. They had led police to a secluded road in Taman Putri, where the body was found.
The body was sent to Sultanah Aminah Hospital for a post-mortem.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Day 10: Malaysia on Headlines (Sept 16)
No names, no list, no crossovers
By : NST NEWSDESK (Updated: 3:40pm)
PETALING JAYA, TUES:
THE SEPT 16 deadline to effect a takeover of the Government as repeatedly announced by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim failed to materialise at 2.30pm this afternoon as anticipated.
At a press conference at the Parti Keadilan Rakyat headquarters in Merchant Square in Petaling Jaya, Anwar declined to name the MPs whom he claimed to have crossed over for fear that they would be harassed.
Anwar, however, insisted that he had the numbers to form the majority to take over from the current Government, although he refused to reveal the number of MPs crossing over.
He added that he had sought a meeting with the prime minister to inform the latter about the list but has not yet received a reply.
"I will show the PM the list when he meets me," Anwar said.
Political, global tensions drag down stock mart
extracted from: (http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Tuesday/Frontpage/markety-2.xml/Article/)
Most investors are taking money off the table, not willing to take a chance in the Malaysian stock market until they can see some form of solid catalyst or lead, says a research head
THE stock market closed lower in dismal trade yesterday amid heightened political tensions and concerns about the global economy following a shake-up on Wall Street.
This lack of investor interest is likely to continue over the short term, analysts and fund managers said, spawning concern that the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) could soon fall below the psychologically important 1,000-point mark.
The KLCI, which closed 12.4 points or 1.2 per cent lower to 1,031.63 yesterday, has not breached the 1,000-point level since November 2006.
Yesterday was also the KLCI's lowest close since November 2006.
"Given the uncertainties at home and abroad, most investors are taking money off the table, not willing to take a chance in the stock market until they can see some form of solid catalyst or lead," said Vincent Khoo, head of research at Aseambankers.
A mere 306.9 million shares valued at RM682.2 million were traded yesterday. Only 12 stocks on the KLCI rose.
Khoo said a big part of the market's listlessness was due to investors being jittery a day ahead of a September 16 target set by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy prime minister and de facto opposition leader, to wrest control from the government.
The arrest of three individuals under the Internal Security Act last weekend, one of whom has since been released, also served to heighten political tensions, dealers said.
Regional markets, however, also closed lower yesterday, with Hong Kong on public holiday and news of the fall of two major financial institutions in the US, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, hurting sentiment.
Indonesia was the worst hit market in Asia, falling 4.7 per cent to 1719.25 points, while Singapore slid 3.27 per cent to 2486.55.
Financial markets in Japan, South Korea and China were also closed yesterday for a public holiday and will re-open today
By : NST NEWSDESK (Updated: 3:40pm)
PETALING JAYA, TUES:
THE SEPT 16 deadline to effect a takeover of the Government as repeatedly announced by PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim failed to materialise at 2.30pm this afternoon as anticipated.
At a press conference at the Parti Keadilan Rakyat headquarters in Merchant Square in Petaling Jaya, Anwar declined to name the MPs whom he claimed to have crossed over for fear that they would be harassed.
Anwar, however, insisted that he had the numbers to form the majority to take over from the current Government, although he refused to reveal the number of MPs crossing over.
He added that he had sought a meeting with the prime minister to inform the latter about the list but has not yet received a reply.
"I will show the PM the list when he meets me," Anwar said.
Political, global tensions drag down stock mart
extracted from: (http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Tuesday/Frontpage/markety-2.xml/Article/)
Most investors are taking money off the table, not willing to take a chance in the Malaysian stock market until they can see some form of solid catalyst or lead, says a research head
THE stock market closed lower in dismal trade yesterday amid heightened political tensions and concerns about the global economy following a shake-up on Wall Street.
This lack of investor interest is likely to continue over the short term, analysts and fund managers said, spawning concern that the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) could soon fall below the psychologically important 1,000-point mark.
The KLCI, which closed 12.4 points or 1.2 per cent lower to 1,031.63 yesterday, has not breached the 1,000-point level since November 2006.
Yesterday was also the KLCI's lowest close since November 2006.
"Given the uncertainties at home and abroad, most investors are taking money off the table, not willing to take a chance in the stock market until they can see some form of solid catalyst or lead," said Vincent Khoo, head of research at Aseambankers.
A mere 306.9 million shares valued at RM682.2 million were traded yesterday. Only 12 stocks on the KLCI rose.
Khoo said a big part of the market's listlessness was due to investors being jittery a day ahead of a September 16 target set by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy prime minister and de facto opposition leader, to wrest control from the government.
The arrest of three individuals under the Internal Security Act last weekend, one of whom has since been released, also served to heighten political tensions, dealers said.
Regional markets, however, also closed lower yesterday, with Hong Kong on public holiday and news of the fall of two major financial institutions in the US, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, hurting sentiment.
Indonesia was the worst hit market in Asia, falling 4.7 per cent to 1719.25 points, while Singapore slid 3.27 per cent to 2486.55.
Financial markets in Japan, South Korea and China were also closed yesterday for a public holiday and will re-open today
给孩子＂无穷＂的快乐 YOU＇VE GOT THE POWER (PART II)
24.08.08 Cloudy Sunday, 12pm
National Hockey Stadium, Bukit Jalil
Gather outside the stadium waiting for registration.
7000 famine angels from all over West Malaysia gather here because of one purpose, To Change!! We can make a difference to the future if we take action now. You’ve got the Power!
I see no difference between them and us. I can only see hope and vision in them.
For our children, our hope.
Please spread our love to every single child in this world....
National Hockey Stadium, Bukit Jalil
Gather outside the stadium waiting for registration.
7000 famine angels from all over West Malaysia gather here because of one purpose, To Change!! We can make a difference to the future if we take action now. You’ve got the Power!
I see no difference between them and us. I can only see hope and vision in them.
For our children, our hope.
Please spread our love to every single child in this world....
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
给孩子＂无穷＂的快乐 YOU＇VE GOT THE POWER
23.08.08 Sat 22:25 Help University College Seminar Room 8
First day of the 30-Hour Famine at HELP University and it has been 14 hours of fasting since 8am this morning. Heheh… I’m really EXTREMELY hungry!!! I want food, food, food...
Reach HELP around 830am but already can see crowd of youngsters gathered around the uni. After registered myself at the counter, I went to meet my group leader, Vin (the cute young psychology student from HELP). Everybody is busy settling down around the lobby and some members already have our Famine t-shirt changed! Mine too...
By 10am, 600 of us have gathered at the lobby, waiting for the ice-breaking session. At 11am, the 11th 30-Hour Famine was officially launched by Dr. Gan, Yee Ling and Chee Lian.
Here is our Camper’s declaration:
“We pledge to willingly and passionately participate in the Famine to help children living in poverty. We are fasting to ensure that no child has to grow up without the basic rights that he or she is entitled to. We are fasting because nothing will change if we do not take action together. I pledge to fast from 10am today to 4pm tomorrow for 30 hours.”
Campers Rule:
No food and liquid drink (other than plain mineral water).
No bathe.
No smoking, gambling and alcohol consumption.
To kick-start the famine, we’re required to bare-footed for the next 6 hours!! The main purpose for this challenge is to for us to experience how children in poor countries suffered because of poverty. They would have no choice but to walk on rocks, mud, dirt and anything that you can imagine with their tiny foot.
The first famine challenge, Poverty.
Famine Concert, 1900 to 2200.
It’s time to sleep now coz there’ll be another long day to go tomorrow. Another 17 hours counting down to break fast tomorrow at Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium.
First day of the 30-Hour Famine at HELP University and it has been 14 hours of fasting since 8am this morning. Heheh… I’m really EXTREMELY hungry!!! I want food, food, food...
Reach HELP around 830am but already can see crowd of youngsters gathered around the uni. After registered myself at the counter, I went to meet my group leader, Vin (the cute young psychology student from HELP). Everybody is busy settling down around the lobby and some members already have our Famine t-shirt changed! Mine too...
By 10am, 600 of us have gathered at the lobby, waiting for the ice-breaking session. At 11am, the 11th 30-Hour Famine was officially launched by Dr. Gan, Yee Ling and Chee Lian.
Here is our Camper’s declaration:
“We pledge to willingly and passionately participate in the Famine to help children living in poverty. We are fasting to ensure that no child has to grow up without the basic rights that he or she is entitled to. We are fasting because nothing will change if we do not take action together. I pledge to fast from 10am today to 4pm tomorrow for 30 hours.”
Campers Rule:
No food and liquid drink (other than plain mineral water).
No bathe.
No smoking, gambling and alcohol consumption.
To kick-start the famine, we’re required to bare-footed for the next 6 hours!! The main purpose for this challenge is to for us to experience how children in poor countries suffered because of poverty. They would have no choice but to walk on rocks, mud, dirt and anything that you can imagine with their tiny foot.
The first famine challenge, Poverty.
Famine Concert, 1900 to 2200.
It’s time to sleep now coz there’ll be another long day to go tomorrow. Another 17 hours counting down to break fast tomorrow at Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
「一句話」
Light Up Someone's Life Today!!!
不經意的一句輕浮話，有時會自毀前程，而一句關懷別人的話，卻能讓沮喪的人有生存下去的勇氣。所以，人要常說：
第一、給人歡喜的話；
第二、給人鼓勵的話；
第三、給人肯定的話；
第四、給人讚美的話。
多說好話，少說壞話。
Friday, August 15, 2008
RE: To enrol or not to enrol
I've finally enrol myself to the CFA Level I, going to sit for the exam this coming Dec 7th. Need to study extremely hard now lo.... Finally... my first move into the investment profession!! I know the journey will not be easy and it needs a lot of time n effort but will still be my choice of career path. I can see it in the future... This time.... I'm going to make it to the best of my life!!!
CFA Institute Identification Number: XXXXXX
Level: Level I CFA Examination Registration
Test Center Selection: KUL- Kuala Lumpur
Exam Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008
Dear Miss Leong:
Congratulations on taking the next step in advancing your knowledge of the investment profession. We are delighted with your decision to pursue the CFA Charter, the gold standard of professional credentials within the global investment community.
As you know, the CFA Program represents an important step in your career because earning the CFA Charter involves much more than passing three examinations. It is an ongoing commitment to the profession's most stringent Code of Ethics, which all CFA Institute candidates and members take very seriously.
The prestige of the CFA Charter is also attributable to the challenging nature of the examinations themselves, and to the rigor and commitment that preparation will require of you.
You will soon receive the single most important resource in preparing for the CFA examinations: the curriculum. Your thorough understanding of the curriculum is vital to success on each exam. You may check the delivery status online by logging into account home and clicking on the CFA Program Registration link. (Please note that import duty and/or tax may be assessed by local customs on deliveries to non-US addresses. If local regulations require you to pay import fees, you will be notified by the shipping company (UPS, FedEx, or DHL) with additional information.)
Also note that your registration fee includes access to one free online sample exam. These are designed to help in your preparation and are available several weeks before exam day.
The Candidate Preparation Toolkit, provides a single-point reference for the comprehensive array of study resources that are available to you. We encourage you to visit this section of the website regularly. Important information, including errata, testing policies, and exam details are available in the toolkit. The first study session for each level is also available, if you would like to begin preparation before your curriculum arrives.
To make sure your registration and enrollment are correct, please review the following key details:
Your CFA Institute identification number is shown at the top of this e-mail. This will be your number throughout your candidacy; please refer to it when contacting us. We encourage you to keep your contact information current to ensure the delivery of important and timely information. You may maintain your contact information through your online profile.
Your test center, exam level, and exam date are also shown at the top of this e-mail. If these are not what you requested, please notify us immediately. To request a testing accommodation, please visit our website at Testing Accommodations. All requests must be received by CFA Institute at least 75 days prior to exam day.
We will notify you by e-mail when your CFA Examination Admission Ticket is available on the CFA Institute website, approximately six weeks before the exam date.
In the coming months, we will contact you with more information as you progress with your preparation. Remember that self-discipline and consistency are the hallmarks of a good study program.
You can print a receipt by visiting the Manage Your Account page on our website.
Best regards,
CFA Institute
CFA Institute Identification Number: XXXXXX
Level: Level I CFA Examination Registration
Test Center Selection: KUL- Kuala Lumpur
Exam Date: Sunday, December 7, 2008
Dear Miss Leong:
Congratulations on taking the next step in advancing your knowledge of the investment profession. We are delighted with your decision to pursue the CFA Charter, the gold standard of professional credentials within the global investment community.
As you know, the CFA Program represents an important step in your career because earning the CFA Charter involves much more than passing three examinations. It is an ongoing commitment to the profession's most stringent Code of Ethics, which all CFA Institute candidates and members take very seriously.
The prestige of the CFA Charter is also attributable to the challenging nature of the examinations themselves, and to the rigor and commitment that preparation will require of you.
You will soon receive the single most important resource in preparing for the CFA examinations: the curriculum. Your thorough understanding of the curriculum is vital to success on each exam. You may check the delivery status online by logging into account home and clicking on the CFA Program Registration link. (Please note that import duty and/or tax may be assessed by local customs on deliveries to non-US addresses. If local regulations require you to pay import fees, you will be notified by the shipping company (UPS, FedEx, or DHL) with additional information.)
Also note that your registration fee includes access to one free online sample exam. These are designed to help in your preparation and are available several weeks before exam day.
The Candidate Preparation Toolkit, provides a single-point reference for the comprehensive array of study resources that are available to you. We encourage you to visit this section of the website regularly. Important information, including errata, testing policies, and exam details are available in the toolkit. The first study session for each level is also available, if you would like to begin preparation before your curriculum arrives.
To make sure your registration and enrollment are correct, please review the following key details:
Your CFA Institute identification number is shown at the top of this e-mail. This will be your number throughout your candidacy; please refer to it when contacting us. We encourage you to keep your contact information current to ensure the delivery of important and timely information. You may maintain your contact information through your online profile.
Your test center, exam level, and exam date are also shown at the top of this e-mail. If these are not what you requested, please notify us immediately. To request a testing accommodation, please visit our website at Testing Accommodations. All requests must be received by CFA Institute at least 75 days prior to exam day.
We will notify you by e-mail when your CFA Examination Admission Ticket is available on the CFA Institute website, approximately six weeks before the exam date.
In the coming months, we will contact you with more information as you progress with your preparation. Remember that self-discipline and consistency are the hallmarks of a good study program.
You can print a receipt by visiting the Manage Your Account page on our website.
Best regards,
CFA Institute
<哇卡..出发咯....>
明天就要去DAMAI LAUT啦！！ 很兴奋很开心啊！！ 又是一个愉快的周末。。。 哈哈。。 以下是星座怎样说明天的路程。
~天秤座~
有效日期:2008-08-16
綜合運勢 4-star
愛情運勢 4-star
工作狀況 3-star (doesnt matter coz it's Saturday!)
理財投資 4-star
健康指數 83% (best for all activities)
商談指數 71%
幸運顏色 銀色
幸運數字 2
速配星座 魔羯座
Summary:
幸運就在目前具話題性的事物上，不妨多留意一下現在的流行趨勢。
人氣運上升處處受寵愛的感覺，積極地走入人群中，實際去感受一下被這個運氣環繞的感覺。愛情運也不錯喔，約會愉快溫馨的一日，兜兜風等，往大自然中去，愉快的夏日氣息就趁這兩天享樂一下吧。
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Value of the Money....
A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands started going up.
He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.
He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.
Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"
And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.
"Now, who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.
No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.
The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE. Everyone are special - Don't EVER forget it."
Count your blessings, not your problems.
"And remember: amateurs built the ark .. professionals built the Titanic.
If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it."
No one will manufacture a lock without the keys, similarly God will not give problems without solutions.
Hands started going up.
He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.
He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.
He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.
Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"
And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.
"Now, who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.
No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.
The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE. Everyone are special - Don't EVER forget it."
Count your blessings, not your problems.
"And remember: amateurs built the ark .. professionals built the Titanic.
If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it."
No one will manufacture a lock without the keys, similarly God will not give problems without solutions.
Monday, August 4, 2008
To enroll or not to enroll??
Yah, it’s the CFA that bothers me now… Tot I have made up my mind? Yeap, already had but just minutes ago only to realize I do not have enough courage to click the word “Register”. Oh shit….
I know it’s already Aug and exam is in about 4 month’s time. I keep reminding myself I don’t really have much time to study now. It’s all about battle now and I knew once I’ve started, I really have to be committed to it!!! There’s only one time of chance and I can’t afford to give myself any excuse for not passing it. Time is limited and concentration is the thing I need now!!! No more holidaying, no more photography, no more leisure!!! And it’s all about time management!! Seeing the 6 “telephone book” thick textbooks everyday is like poisoning me day by day…. How can I be able to digest all of them in just 4 months????? Come on, you better kill me now!!!
I understand the principle of opportunity cost, the scarification of something that I have in order to get something that I want. It’s not about cost and benefit analysis anymore and thus you cannot measure what you’ll lost with what you’re going to get!! Sounds complicated?? Yeap, sometimes I do struggle between satisfaction and being realistic. Thinking too much is my only weakness but sometimes I do enjoy being complicated. Freak ya…
Honestly, I am now really 100% scared… I know it’s just a feeling but it really bothers me!! Too many “What if” in my consideration…. The reason? It’s all because it involves a lot of money and time. And it’s all about my future, my career and my dreams…. Although failing the exam is terrible enough but thinking about what I really want is the most terrify me! Is this the one that I want and what if CFA doesn’t bring me to my goals? What if I fail? What if passing the exam doesn’t help me in my finance career? All these questions keep playing around my head like a never stop merry-go-around….
How I wish there will be someone who can help me…. Please, God, I need wisdom and guidance to all these worries… Please pull me away from all those greed, misjudgments and doubts. Please direct me to concentration, calm mind and positive thinking.
I know it’s already Aug and exam is in about 4 month’s time. I keep reminding myself I don’t really have much time to study now. It’s all about battle now and I knew once I’ve started, I really have to be committed to it!!! There’s only one time of chance and I can’t afford to give myself any excuse for not passing it. Time is limited and concentration is the thing I need now!!! No more holidaying, no more photography, no more leisure!!! And it’s all about time management!! Seeing the 6 “telephone book” thick textbooks everyday is like poisoning me day by day…. How can I be able to digest all of them in just 4 months????? Come on, you better kill me now!!!
I understand the principle of opportunity cost, the scarification of something that I have in order to get something that I want. It’s not about cost and benefit analysis anymore and thus you cannot measure what you’ll lost with what you’re going to get!! Sounds complicated?? Yeap, sometimes I do struggle between satisfaction and being realistic. Thinking too much is my only weakness but sometimes I do enjoy being complicated. Freak ya…
Honestly, I am now really 100% scared… I know it’s just a feeling but it really bothers me!! Too many “What if” in my consideration…. The reason? It’s all because it involves a lot of money and time. And it’s all about my future, my career and my dreams…. Although failing the exam is terrible enough but thinking about what I really want is the most terrify me! Is this the one that I want and what if CFA doesn’t bring me to my goals? What if I fail? What if passing the exam doesn’t help me in my finance career? All these questions keep playing around my head like a never stop merry-go-around….
How I wish there will be someone who can help me…. Please, God, I need wisdom and guidance to all these worries… Please pull me away from all those greed, misjudgments and doubts. Please direct me to concentration, calm mind and positive thinking.
２００８年８月４日， 蓝色星期一， 闷热的一个下午
踏入２００８年的八月了。。。 生活依然很迷惘， 很寂寞。 事业还是保持现状没什么变化。 爱情呢？ 虽然不是单身但也没什么分别。 他还是在挣扎于他自己的事业， 家庭和金钱， 根本没有太多的时间来陪我更不用说去了解对方。 我很想继续勇往直前但又害怕我走的太快会让我们的距离越来越大， 到时候要挽留就太迟了。
八个年头实在不容易走的。。。 大家都已经习惯了对方的存在就好像自己的一部分。我知道我是爱他的， 只是搞不清楚到底是真的爱还是只是一种习惯。 我想爱其实也是一种考验吧， 考验我们对时间的信任， 时间越长这个试就越难考。 我深信每一对恋人刚开始的时候都是甜蜜的， 只会看到对方的美。 但当日子长了我们就会了解到原来爱对方是不需要任何的条件， 只需要两个人的感觉是对的就够了。 不需要太多的花言巧语， 不需要太华丽的生活， 也不需要太多的金钱， 只需要在同一个时间两个人拥有共同的目标， 手牵手一起努力去追寻梦想就够了。 有时候能不能到达终点便不是最重要， 最重要的是在过程中我们是否学会珍惜身边的每一件事每一个。 快乐和悲伤只是一线之差。
八个年头实在不容易走的。。。 大家都已经习惯了对方的存在就好像自己的一部分。我知道我是爱他的， 只是搞不清楚到底是真的爱还是只是一种习惯。 我想爱其实也是一种考验吧， 考验我们对时间的信任， 时间越长这个试就越难考。 我深信每一对恋人刚开始的时候都是甜蜜的， 只会看到对方的美。 但当日子长了我们就会了解到原来爱对方是不需要任何的条件， 只需要两个人的感觉是对的就够了。 不需要太多的花言巧语， 不需要太华丽的生活， 也不需要太多的金钱， 只需要在同一个时间两个人拥有共同的目标， 手牵手一起努力去追寻梦想就够了。 有时候能不能到达终点便不是最重要， 最重要的是在过程中我们是否学会珍惜身边的每一件事每一个。 快乐和悲伤只是一线之差。
~2008年度愛情運~
愛情在2008年對你來說慢慢變得不如往年重要。當然囉，你還是會出去玩、約會和享樂，但對單身天秤座而言，今年還不太可能步入禮堂。基本上今年將維持現狀。單身天秤座仍會維持單身，而已婚天秤座的婚姻也將保持現狀。對於善於社交的天秤座而言，好消息是今年你們將有更多社交方面的自由，但是你可以依自己的選擇改善愛情與社交方面現狀。
雖然不太可能結婚，風流韻事或多角關係還是有高機率發生。你也很容易和與工作地點、同事或工作認識的物件產生戀愛機會，有很多發生辦公室戀情的機會。另外今年很特別的是，你很有可能與你健康有關的人發生戀愛機會，不一定是醫生，可能是健身房、瑜伽教室或健康食品店或是營養師。如果你是單身，今年要注意很有可能出乎意料地懷孕，而且性欲和生育能力都很強。
友誼這幾年一直很重要，不過2008年將面臨考驗，這個趨勢從07持續至今年。基本上你今年比去年更可以可看清誰是好人，誰是真心誠意的朋友而誰不是。
品質好的朋友今年可以禁得起你的考驗，品質差的朋友將遠離，別傷心，因為你之後可以專注於真的好友情，讓酒肉朋友離開你。
愛情與社交機會來自四面八方，這段期間也適合回顧你的婚姻、愛情與整體社交狀況。上半年檢討自己，因為良好的檢視過去，將有助你更上一層樓。6月前不適合計畫結婚或離婚，適合厘清社交情況。所以重點是，辦公室戀情的高可能性，對象為主管的機率高於同事。另外，你有很多機會將與高身份地位的人來往，最少會與這些人關係不錯。
愛情與婚姻雖然還是你人生中的仍是首要目標。不過這段期間單身的天秤座會認真思考婚姻的可能性。認真的交往關係會發生，但仍備受考驗，感情將有不少小波動，讓你感覺不太穩定，不過桃花機會很多。
雖然不太可能結婚，風流韻事或多角關係還是有高機率發生。你也很容易和與工作地點、同事或工作認識的物件產生戀愛機會，有很多發生辦公室戀情的機會。另外今年很特別的是，你很有可能與你健康有關的人發生戀愛機會，不一定是醫生，可能是健身房、瑜伽教室或健康食品店或是營養師。如果你是單身，今年要注意很有可能出乎意料地懷孕，而且性欲和生育能力都很強。
友誼這幾年一直很重要，不過2008年將面臨考驗，這個趨勢從07持續至今年。基本上你今年比去年更可以可看清誰是好人，誰是真心誠意的朋友而誰不是。
品質好的朋友今年可以禁得起你的考驗，品質差的朋友將遠離，別傷心，因為你之後可以專注於真的好友情，讓酒肉朋友離開你。
愛情與社交機會來自四面八方，這段期間也適合回顧你的婚姻、愛情與整體社交狀況。上半年檢討自己，因為良好的檢視過去，將有助你更上一層樓。6月前不適合計畫結婚或離婚，適合厘清社交情況。所以重點是，辦公室戀情的高可能性，對象為主管的機率高於同事。另外，你有很多機會將與高身份地位的人來往，最少會與這些人關係不錯。
愛情與婚姻雖然還是你人生中的仍是首要目標。不過這段期間單身的天秤座會認真思考婚姻的可能性。認真的交往關係會發生，但仍備受考驗，感情將有不少小波動，讓你感覺不太穩定，不過桃花機會很多。
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Salute to Sir John Marks Templeton (Nov 29, 1912 - July 8, 2008)
Sir John Marks Templeton (November 29, 1912 – July 8, 2008) was an American-born British stock investor, businessman and philanthropist.
Sir John Templeton was an investor and mutual fund pioneer who dedicated much of his fortune to religion and science. Templeton was born in the town of Winchester, Tennessee. He attended Yale University, pledged the Zeta Psi Fraternity and was selected for membership in the Elihu society. He graduated with a degree in economics in 1934 as a top scholar in his class. He was a Rhodes Scholar to Balliol College, University of Oxford where he first met his life-long friend, Michelangelo Antonioni the Italian film director. He graduated with a M.A. degree in law. He was a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter-holder. He received AIMR's first award for professional excellence in 1991.
Templeton became a billionaire by pioneering the use of globally diversified mutual funds. His Templeton Growth, Ltd. (investment fund), established in 1954, was among the first who invested in Japan in the middle of the 1960s. In 2006 he was listed in a 7-way tie for 129th place on the Sunday Times Rich List. He rejected technical analysis for stock trading, preferring instead to use fundamental analysis. Money magazine in 1999 called him "arguably the greatest global stock picker of the century”. He renounced his U.S. citizenship in 1968, thus avoiding U.S. income taxes. He had dual naturalized Bahamian and British citizenship and lived in the Bahamas.
Templeton attributed much of his success to his ability to maintain an elevated mood, avoid anxiety and stay disciplined. Uninterested in consumerism, he drove his own car, never flew first class and lived year-round in his peaceful ocean-side home in the Bahamas.
When asked about living and working in the Bahamas during his management of the Templeton Group, Templeton replied, "I've found my results for investment clients were far better here than when I had my office in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. When you're in Manhattan, it's much more difficult to go opposite the crowd.
On July 8, 2008, Templeton died at Doctors Hospital in Nassau, Bahamas of pneumonia at 12:20 local time. He was 95.
Important Quotations By John Templeton:
"Rejecting technical analysis as a method for investing, Templeton says, "You must be a fundamentalist to be really successful in the market."
"Invest at the point of maximum pessimism."
"If you want to have a better performance than the crowd, you must do things differently from the crowd."
extracted from: wikipedia.org
Sir John Templeton was an investor and mutual fund pioneer who dedicated much of his fortune to religion and science. Templeton was born in the town of Winchester, Tennessee. He attended Yale University, pledged the Zeta Psi Fraternity and was selected for membership in the Elihu society. He graduated with a degree in economics in 1934 as a top scholar in his class. He was a Rhodes Scholar to Balliol College, University of Oxford where he first met his life-long friend, Michelangelo Antonioni the Italian film director. He graduated with a M.A. degree in law. He was a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter-holder. He received AIMR's first award for professional excellence in 1991.
Templeton became a billionaire by pioneering the use of globally diversified mutual funds. His Templeton Growth, Ltd. (investment fund), established in 1954, was among the first who invested in Japan in the middle of the 1960s. In 2006 he was listed in a 7-way tie for 129th place on the Sunday Times Rich List. He rejected technical analysis for stock trading, preferring instead to use fundamental analysis. Money magazine in 1999 called him "arguably the greatest global stock picker of the century”. He renounced his U.S. citizenship in 1968, thus avoiding U.S. income taxes. He had dual naturalized Bahamian and British citizenship and lived in the Bahamas.
Templeton attributed much of his success to his ability to maintain an elevated mood, avoid anxiety and stay disciplined. Uninterested in consumerism, he drove his own car, never flew first class and lived year-round in his peaceful ocean-side home in the Bahamas.
When asked about living and working in the Bahamas during his management of the Templeton Group, Templeton replied, "I've found my results for investment clients were far better here than when I had my office in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. When you're in Manhattan, it's much more difficult to go opposite the crowd.
On July 8, 2008, Templeton died at Doctors Hospital in Nassau, Bahamas of pneumonia at 12:20 local time. He was 95.
Important Quotations By John Templeton:
"Rejecting technical analysis as a method for investing, Templeton says, "You must be a fundamentalist to be really successful in the market."
"Invest at the point of maximum pessimism."
"If you want to have a better performance than the crowd, you must do things differently from the crowd."
extracted from: wikipedia.org
Thursday, July 3, 2008
03.07.08 Rainy Thursday
It’s my favorite Thursday again!!! I’m going to have lotz of fun at FF tonight. Thanks to the new timetable, classes now have been postponed between 15 to 30mins. So I would be able to attend the 635pm classes on weekdays and I’m going to challenge myself for body step and combat tonight. Yeah!!!!
Had lunch with Irene and li yen just now and guess what…. Irene said I look like I’ve lost some weight!!! Yeap… I’m losing weight and I’m going to lose more soon… I want to be pretty, slim and healthy!! I want to look good!!! Hahahhh…. I want you to feel regretted for leaving me… I want you to know I can live better without you!! I want everyone to notice my changes and feel glad for me!! Just like a phrase that I’ve read yesterday, “If I would have better, that would be my twins!!”
Mission throughout the end of Year 2008:
Mission 1: Keep losing weight
Mission 2: Improve skin radiant, reduce pimples and black spot
Mission 3: Eat healthy, Sleep Well
Mission 4: Be happy (^o^)
Mission 5: Pass the CFA Level I
Mission 6: TBA...
Had lunch with Irene and li yen just now and guess what…. Irene said I look like I’ve lost some weight!!! Yeap… I’m losing weight and I’m going to lose more soon… I want to be pretty, slim and healthy!! I want to look good!!! Hahahhh…. I want you to feel regretted for leaving me… I want you to know I can live better without you!! I want everyone to notice my changes and feel glad for me!! Just like a phrase that I’ve read yesterday, “If I would have better, that would be my twins!!”
Mission throughout the end of Year 2008:
Mission 1: Keep losing weight
Mission 2: Improve skin radiant, reduce pimples and black spot
Mission 3: Eat healthy, Sleep Well
Mission 4: Be happy (^o^)
Mission 5: Pass the CFA Level I
Mission 6: TBA...
Monday, June 30, 2008
30.06.08 Blue Sunshine Monday
Come to the last day of June already!! And it’s already half of the Year 2008!!! Time really flies... fastly... Still remember the beginning of the year where I just got my adjustment and increment and not to remember the first time to get my BONUS about a month ago!! I was so happy tat I really couldn't talk!! That was the first time where I thank myself for making the right choice to continue in PBM.
It has been a very fulfilling and promising 6 months that I’ve ever had. I’ve finally let him behind, get to know a bunch of funny fellows in PBM, starting to plan and execute my career path and w.e.f of July I’ll be staying in BU!!! Just move in last Saturday, settling down very well. Hope to have a better environment for me to study in the next 2 years.
Ehm.... Bumped into Jonathan last week and being invited to join his team to Mount Kinabalu this July!!! Without much hesitation, I’ve agreed. Although I am not too sure whether I’ll be able to climb up the mountain but I will definitely want to give myself a try. Never try, never know!!! =) So I think this 3 weeks I’ll be very busy exercising n building my stamina on stepper. Hahahh... I’m gonna make it this round!!
Regarding my career.... I’m going to take up CFA soon, most probably will be taking the exam this December, Level II in June 2009 and Level III in June 2010 (if I dint fail any of the paper). Hahahh.... I’m not too sure whether the CFA will help me in my Corporate Finance career but I think I’ll learn a lot of company valuation, portfolio and fund management as well as the securities market. So I think the CFA will not only can lead me to a more professional finance career but also will widen my knowledge on financial market as compared to ACA. I can feel I’m a step nearer to my dream.... =)
Conclusion: My life hasn’t been so good like now…. Thank you so much for making tat decision 2 years ago. There was once I keep asking myself what I’ve done wrong that you would make such a mean decision… But then now I know you’ve made the best decision for me n you. And I won’t be appreciating my life anyway better than now if it is not you… I like my job, my pay, my new home and my life now...
I am going to celebrate my 1 year anniversary in PBM tomorrow!!! Hurray....
It has been a very fulfilling and promising 6 months that I’ve ever had. I’ve finally let him behind, get to know a bunch of funny fellows in PBM, starting to plan and execute my career path and w.e.f of July I’ll be staying in BU!!! Just move in last Saturday, settling down very well. Hope to have a better environment for me to study in the next 2 years.
Ehm.... Bumped into Jonathan last week and being invited to join his team to Mount Kinabalu this July!!! Without much hesitation, I’ve agreed. Although I am not too sure whether I’ll be able to climb up the mountain but I will definitely want to give myself a try. Never try, never know!!! =) So I think this 3 weeks I’ll be very busy exercising n building my stamina on stepper. Hahahh... I’m gonna make it this round!!
Regarding my career.... I’m going to take up CFA soon, most probably will be taking the exam this December, Level II in June 2009 and Level III in June 2010 (if I dint fail any of the paper). Hahahh.... I’m not too sure whether the CFA will help me in my Corporate Finance career but I think I’ll learn a lot of company valuation, portfolio and fund management as well as the securities market. So I think the CFA will not only can lead me to a more professional finance career but also will widen my knowledge on financial market as compared to ACA. I can feel I’m a step nearer to my dream.... =)
Conclusion: My life hasn’t been so good like now…. Thank you so much for making tat decision 2 years ago. There was once I keep asking myself what I’ve done wrong that you would make such a mean decision… But then now I know you’ve made the best decision for me n you. And I won’t be appreciating my life anyway better than now if it is not you… I like my job, my pay, my new home and my life now...
I am going to celebrate my 1 year anniversary in PBM tomorrow!!! Hurray....
Friday, June 20, 2008
20.06.08, Friday, Cloudy
Tired… tired… Tired…
Really tired… Never expect my work will be such tiring!!
It’s not about challenging my body but also my mind and soul. I'm sure this is the arrangement from God to test my ability to handle stress and anger. I know I cannot choose the people around me and I also cannot expect people around me doing the way that I am but I can choose the way I overcome it. YY, don't hold too hard, relax and calm. I am sure I can do it this time. I am not going to give up so easily.
I really can’t understand why there are people living in this world by taking advantage on your abilities in order to make their life easier? Couldn’t they be a bit responsible on their own work and don’t just keep pushing her responsibilities away?
I really look down on these selfish and coward people especially when they give you a face like “If you don’t do, who else? Don’t expect me to do this, I’m your superior!!” Fuck you!! I don’t mind to have thousand of tones of works but would you please be a bit kind and understanding??? You have your own schedule, we do have ours!!! We walked just like we’re flying while you’re sitting at your comfortable seat eating your karipap and drinking your Nescafe!! If that means doing your work, come on, don’t waste both of our time, go back home and be your dearly husband’s fatty housewife!!! We’re serious about our work and career!!! If you think you can get your salary without doing any tasks, you’re wrong, you don’t deserve anything here.
Really tired… Never expect my work will be such tiring!!
It’s not about challenging my body but also my mind and soul. I'm sure this is the arrangement from God to test my ability to handle stress and anger. I know I cannot choose the people around me and I also cannot expect people around me doing the way that I am but I can choose the way I overcome it. YY, don't hold too hard, relax and calm. I am sure I can do it this time. I am not going to give up so easily.
I really can’t understand why there are people living in this world by taking advantage on your abilities in order to make their life easier? Couldn’t they be a bit responsible on their own work and don’t just keep pushing her responsibilities away?
I really look down on these selfish and coward people especially when they give you a face like “If you don’t do, who else? Don’t expect me to do this, I’m your superior!!” Fuck you!! I don’t mind to have thousand of tones of works but would you please be a bit kind and understanding??? You have your own schedule, we do have ours!!! We walked just like we’re flying while you’re sitting at your comfortable seat eating your karipap and drinking your Nescafe!! If that means doing your work, come on, don’t waste both of our time, go back home and be your dearly husband’s fatty housewife!!! We’re serious about our work and career!!! If you think you can get your salary without doing any tasks, you’re wrong, you don’t deserve anything here.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
An email to you....
From: yuen yee
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:12AM
To: SY
Subject: morning
你最近怪怪的。 你还好吗？
anything bothering you?
可能我真的不太了解发生了什么事情可是你也应该懂我们之前已经浪费很多时间了， 如果现在再不努力还要等到几时呢？
我们已经用了很多时间去找属于自己的路， SO我想也是时候去ACTION了。
两个人相处最重要的还是坦诚相待， 如果没了信任就没意思了， 不是吗？ 所以如果真的有什么问题你想不通就拿出来谈吧。 可能会有解决的办法了。
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:12AM
To: SY
Subject: morning
你最近怪怪的。 你还好吗？
anything bothering you?
可能我真的不太了解发生了什么事情可是你也应该懂我们之前已经浪费很多时间了， 如果现在再不努力还要等到几时呢？
我们已经用了很多时间去找属于自己的路， SO我想也是时候去ACTION了。
两个人相处最重要的还是坦诚相待， 如果没了信任就没意思了， 不是吗？ 所以如果真的有什么问题你想不通就拿出来谈吧。 可能会有解决的办法了。
Monday, June 2, 2008
~The ABC of Love~
came across something very interesting online today!! We've learnt the ABC while we're in school (the usual 26 words). but now lets go through how ABC supposed to teach us in life!! It can be in your love relationship, can be between you and your friends or even your family members!!! peace in life, peace for the world!!
Ａ--accept（接受）
“世上没有十全十美的人”。记着，你爱他，就必须接受他的一切，甚至他的缺点
Ｂ--belief（信任）
不信任对方，经常以怀疑的口吻盘问对方，这种互相猜度的爱情就只有分手下场
Ｃ--care（关心）
关心的程度正好表现你对她的重视程度
Ｄ--digest（理解）
我们不是圣人，
总有情绪起伏的时候，
若对方是“凸”的时候，
你何不做“凹”去忍耐一下她，安慰一下她
Ｅ--enjoy（欣赏）
你应欣赏对方的一切，欣赏这段爱情带给你的开心、幸福。
Ｆ--*******（自由）
纵然已婚，也应给予对方应有自由及保持秘密的权利。
Ｇ--give（付出）
爱情这样东西不一定是你付出“一”，便会收回“一”。
但不付出，便一定没有收获。
对你的爱人，应有如对自己一样，毫无保留地付出，这才算得上真爱
Ｈ--heart（心）
爱情最重要的道具是心，
你必须真心对待，用心去爱。
没有心，又怎称得上真心相爱？
Ｉ--independence（独立）
甜言蜜语的人会说：“我是为了你而生。”
其实，每个人都有自己的生存意义，
不应过分依赖对方，成为对方的沉重负担，甚至累赘
Ｊ--jealousy（妒忌）
适当的妒忌、呷醋能表示你对对方的重视，
但切记是合情合理的呷醋；
反之，毫不讲理，大发雷霆地呷醋，必惹反感
K--kiss（吻）
一吻胜过千言万语，
轻轻的一吻已能代表你惜她、爱护她.
L--love（爱）
都说是爱情，没有爱又怎会有情呢？
M--mature（成熟）
为什么一般人的初恋总会无声无色地惨败，
因为年轻人多恋爱得较幼稚。
人成熟一点，你的爱情便会早熟一点，直到开花结果
N--nutural（自然）
很多人初拍拖时都会把一切的缺点隐藏起来，变成另一个人。
日子久了，缺点才一箩箩地出现，令对方吃不消。
其实，不做作，流于自然的爱情才是细水长流的。
O--observe（观察）
经常细心观察爱侣的喜好，不但能更了解对方，更能给他惊喜。
那份心意必定比礼物来得珍贵。
P--protect（保护）
做男朋友的当然要保护女朋友，
但做女朋友的亦要保护对方的尊严，
不应容许别人中伤、侮辱你的另一半
Q--quarter（宽大）
宽大是基本的要诀，
对爱侣的错误，
以宽大的态度原谅他，
因为你是最爱他的人。
R--receive（接收）
对于爱侣为你所做的，请不要表现得无动于衷，令他气馁。
她付出，你便应以欣赏的态度去接受，这才能令感情更进一步
S--share（分享）
若你爱他，就必能与他分享他的喜与哀，这是作为一个伴侣最简单的责任。
T--tender（温柔）
歌都有得唱《love me tender》啦！爱人当然要温柔地爱，因为男人女人缺乏温柔都不可爱
U--understand（明白）
不明白对方的想法，对方跟你说话，你永远只独自发呆，那就是一段缺乏沟通的爱情。多站在对方立场，将心比心地想，必定能更了解你的另一半
V--veracity（诚实）
对爱情，必须一百倍的诚实，
你也不想你的另一半是个“大话精”吧！
时常互相欺骗的感情又怎能天长地久呢？
W--wait（等待）
等是维系一段感情的基本元素。
最重要的是你要与他同步成长，同步走完这段人生路，
千万不可一个走先，遗下另一半在后。
X--“X”（乘法符号）
把你对他的爱每天以倍数地乘上去，
爱情自然变成无限大，
爱情走也走不掉。
Y--yearn（想念）
工作或不在一起时，
不妨多想念对方，
间或致电或传呼他说句“我很挂念你”必能令对方甜在心头， 更起劲地工作
Z--zest（热情）
像小龙女般虽然貌若天仙，却冷若冰霜的情人，除了杨过，相信都没有人愿意跟她一生一世。 所以，伴侣的，适当的热情能加添不少乐趣，但切忌过分热情。
Ａ--accept（接受）
“世上没有十全十美的人”。记着，你爱他，就必须接受他的一切，甚至他的缺点
Ｂ--belief（信任）
不信任对方，经常以怀疑的口吻盘问对方，这种互相猜度的爱情就只有分手下场
Ｃ--care（关心）
关心的程度正好表现你对她的重视程度
Ｄ--digest（理解）
我们不是圣人，
总有情绪起伏的时候，
若对方是“凸”的时候，
你何不做“凹”去忍耐一下她，安慰一下她
Ｅ--enjoy（欣赏）
你应欣赏对方的一切，欣赏这段爱情带给你的开心、幸福。
Ｆ--*******（自由）
纵然已婚，也应给予对方应有自由及保持秘密的权利。
Ｇ--give（付出）
爱情这样东西不一定是你付出“一”，便会收回“一”。
但不付出，便一定没有收获。
对你的爱人，应有如对自己一样，毫无保留地付出，这才算得上真爱
Ｈ--heart（心）
爱情最重要的道具是心，
你必须真心对待，用心去爱。
没有心，又怎称得上真心相爱？
Ｉ--independence（独立）
甜言蜜语的人会说：“我是为了你而生。”
其实，每个人都有自己的生存意义，
不应过分依赖对方，成为对方的沉重负担，甚至累赘
Ｊ--jealousy（妒忌）
适当的妒忌、呷醋能表示你对对方的重视，
但切记是合情合理的呷醋；
反之，毫不讲理，大发雷霆地呷醋，必惹反感
K--kiss（吻）
一吻胜过千言万语，
轻轻的一吻已能代表你惜她、爱护她.
L--love（爱）
都说是爱情，没有爱又怎会有情呢？
M--mature（成熟）
为什么一般人的初恋总会无声无色地惨败，
因为年轻人多恋爱得较幼稚。
人成熟一点，你的爱情便会早熟一点，直到开花结果
N--nutural（自然）
很多人初拍拖时都会把一切的缺点隐藏起来，变成另一个人。
日子久了，缺点才一箩箩地出现，令对方吃不消。
其实，不做作，流于自然的爱情才是细水长流的。
O--observe（观察）
经常细心观察爱侣的喜好，不但能更了解对方，更能给他惊喜。
那份心意必定比礼物来得珍贵。
P--protect（保护）
做男朋友的当然要保护女朋友，
但做女朋友的亦要保护对方的尊严，
不应容许别人中伤、侮辱你的另一半
Q--quarter（宽大）
宽大是基本的要诀，
对爱侣的错误，
以宽大的态度原谅他，
因为你是最爱他的人。
R--receive（接收）
对于爱侣为你所做的，请不要表现得无动于衷，令他气馁。
她付出，你便应以欣赏的态度去接受，这才能令感情更进一步
S--share（分享）
若你爱他，就必能与他分享他的喜与哀，这是作为一个伴侣最简单的责任。
T--tender（温柔）
歌都有得唱《love me tender》啦！爱人当然要温柔地爱，因为男人女人缺乏温柔都不可爱
U--understand（明白）
不明白对方的想法，对方跟你说话，你永远只独自发呆，那就是一段缺乏沟通的爱情。多站在对方立场，将心比心地想，必定能更了解你的另一半
V--veracity（诚实）
对爱情，必须一百倍的诚实，
你也不想你的另一半是个“大话精”吧！
时常互相欺骗的感情又怎能天长地久呢？
W--wait（等待）
等是维系一段感情的基本元素。
最重要的是你要与他同步成长，同步走完这段人生路，
千万不可一个走先，遗下另一半在后。
X--“X”（乘法符号）
把你对他的爱每天以倍数地乘上去，
爱情自然变成无限大，
爱情走也走不掉。
Y--yearn（想念）
工作或不在一起时，
不妨多想念对方，
间或致电或传呼他说句“我很挂念你”必能令对方甜在心头， 更起劲地工作
Z--zest（热情）
像小龙女般虽然貌若天仙，却冷若冰霜的情人，除了杨过，相信都没有人愿意跟她一生一世。 所以，伴侣的，适当的热情能加添不少乐趣，但切忌过分热情。
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thoughts of Life~
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes...your destiny.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes...your destiny.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
24 05 2008, Saturday, Misty
wat a hectic week!!! has been rushing the preparation of new funds which is expected to be submitted by june!! this time i have broke my own record.... to be in charge of 6 new funds to bring the total of 11 funds between me and YF!! hahahh... really go for toilet also no time! :p hopefully the vitamin B+ next year will be fruitful la!!!
just came back from the bbq organized by my colleague at her house at subang bestari. really tired and sleepy.... tmr still need to wake up early for yoga. so just want to jot down something cz i really got a lot of things to write down!! how i wish lucy is still here, at least she can listen and share. really miss her very very much!!!
to be cont'.....soon.
ZZzzzZzzz.........
just came back from the bbq organized by my colleague at her house at subang bestari. really tired and sleepy.... tmr still need to wake up early for yoga. so just want to jot down something cz i really got a lot of things to write down!! how i wish lucy is still here, at least she can listen and share. really miss her very very much!!!
to be cont'.....soon.
ZZzzzZzzz.........
Thursday, May 22, 2008
The Turtles
A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last!
For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed.
After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.
Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich.
At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'
[Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves.]
For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed.
After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.
Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich.
At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'
[Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves.]
Thursday, May 8, 2008
PBB Performance
Finally can update about our preview to PBB on Monday. It was great!!!! I have to admit tat I really nervous and scared and I can feel my smile was soooooo "fake". Hahahh.... Eventually I nearly miss out the steps. =D
Anyway, it is a very good experience and I think he is quite satisfy with our performance and I can feel he has a bit of impressed of what we are showing him. Well, at least he didn't ask us to repeat the dance again. He just said, "Okay, I heard that you all have just started to train about 1 and a half month, so I think it's not too bad. You all just have to brush up some movements, be confident on your step and your facial expression."
You don't know how relieve I am after hearing wat he said!!! That was like, thank god for everything!! However I'm getting nervous n nervous now as the AAN is on next Thursday!!!! That means we only have 6 more days to go!!!
As usual, not much to talk about in regards of work... Just a boring job. Going to prepare for more new funds soon so it's kinda peak after the AAN (I think). Email has been shoot out, I'm going to be in charge of 6 new funds this time, which is expected to be submitted by June. YES!!!! By June!!! What a life!!!
Ehm... I'm still thinking to take or not to take CFA. Not sure whether it will help me in Corporate Finance in the future. I really wanted to achieve something in my career. I have been wasting so much time waiting for something that I personally also don't know will succeed or not. I am afraid the more I move forward, the distance between me n SY will be more!!! How I wish I will be able let everything down, put my dreams behind and become his lovely wife for the rest of my life... But I cant.... I am not willing to forgo my dreams yet!!! I think not until I achieve something in my career, I wont get married. This is my principle and I have to be firm on it. How am I going to explain with SY? I dont believe in marriage coz I came from a broken family!!! My mum brought me up, gave me education, earn money for my college and university. My dad... is a lazy, smoker, gambler, never take care of us. My memory with my dad only until my primary school where he rewarded me for my excellent results. But he never educate me. he never taught me how to be independent, how to think, never explain why i need to be educated...etc...
My mum, on the other hand, worked from morning till evening just to earn the RM80 p.day, 6 days a week, no public holiday, no OT claim in order to support my living expenses in KL. I knew how hard my mum earn her living. She travel 30-40km a day thru and fall on her bike to Ipoh because the paid is higher and more projects to do. I can still remember there was one nice evening I saw my mum coming home with wounds on her hands and legs, bloods on her shirt and pants. A lorry overtaked her and made her fall on the ground. She slide few metres away. I cannot imagine if any other worse scenario happened!!! I really cant imagine.... Luckily she is still conscious and just suffered minor injuries. And there is this kind man brought her and her bike back. You think painting is easy? Try to paint your ceiling for a day!! I guarantee you for the next one week you cant move your head!!! And that is what my mum do everyday. Have you ever saw your mum climbing on those high steel ladder next to those construction buildings?? I did... since I was in Primary 4!!!
Relatives looks down on you because you only live in a small papan house, you dont drive a car, you dont have smart children scoring all As in their exams and etc... Never thought of this thing will happen??? You're wrong!!! It happened on ME!!! I saw it, I experienced it, I taste it!!! Never too good to accept!!
I learnt to be independent, I learnt to believe in myself, to protect myself and to take care of myself!!! All this by my own and I am happy with what I have achieved now!! I want more achievement!! I want money, power and pride!!!
I am not going to give up by all means!!!
Anyway, it is a very good experience and I think he is quite satisfy with our performance and I can feel he has a bit of impressed of what we are showing him. Well, at least he didn't ask us to repeat the dance again. He just said, "Okay, I heard that you all have just started to train about 1 and a half month, so I think it's not too bad. You all just have to brush up some movements, be confident on your step and your facial expression."
You don't know how relieve I am after hearing wat he said!!! That was like, thank god for everything!! However I'm getting nervous n nervous now as the AAN is on next Thursday!!!! That means we only have 6 more days to go!!!
As usual, not much to talk about in regards of work... Just a boring job. Going to prepare for more new funds soon so it's kinda peak after the AAN (I think). Email has been shoot out, I'm going to be in charge of 6 new funds this time, which is expected to be submitted by June. YES!!!! By June!!! What a life!!!
Ehm... I'm still thinking to take or not to take CFA. Not sure whether it will help me in Corporate Finance in the future. I really wanted to achieve something in my career. I have been wasting so much time waiting for something that I personally also don't know will succeed or not. I am afraid the more I move forward, the distance between me n SY will be more!!! How I wish I will be able let everything down, put my dreams behind and become his lovely wife for the rest of my life... But I cant.... I am not willing to forgo my dreams yet!!! I think not until I achieve something in my career, I wont get married. This is my principle and I have to be firm on it. How am I going to explain with SY? I dont believe in marriage coz I came from a broken family!!! My mum brought me up, gave me education, earn money for my college and university. My dad... is a lazy, smoker, gambler, never take care of us. My memory with my dad only until my primary school where he rewarded me for my excellent results. But he never educate me. he never taught me how to be independent, how to think, never explain why i need to be educated...etc...
My mum, on the other hand, worked from morning till evening just to earn the RM80 p.day, 6 days a week, no public holiday, no OT claim in order to support my living expenses in KL. I knew how hard my mum earn her living. She travel 30-40km a day thru and fall on her bike to Ipoh because the paid is higher and more projects to do. I can still remember there was one nice evening I saw my mum coming home with wounds on her hands and legs, bloods on her shirt and pants. A lorry overtaked her and made her fall on the ground. She slide few metres away. I cannot imagine if any other worse scenario happened!!! I really cant imagine.... Luckily she is still conscious and just suffered minor injuries. And there is this kind man brought her and her bike back. You think painting is easy? Try to paint your ceiling for a day!! I guarantee you for the next one week you cant move your head!!! And that is what my mum do everyday. Have you ever saw your mum climbing on those high steel ladder next to those construction buildings?? I did... since I was in Primary 4!!!
Relatives looks down on you because you only live in a small papan house, you dont drive a car, you dont have smart children scoring all As in their exams and etc... Never thought of this thing will happen??? You're wrong!!! It happened on ME!!! I saw it, I experienced it, I taste it!!! Never too good to accept!!
I learnt to be independent, I learnt to believe in myself, to protect myself and to take care of myself!!! All this by my own and I am happy with what I have achieved now!! I want more achievement!! I want money, power and pride!!!
I am not going to give up by all means!!!
萬人浴佛聚福緣~系列慶典活動
慈濟四十二週年慶，分佈全球慈濟分支聯絡點將就地舉辦浴佛活動，同步慶祝母親節、佛誕節及全球慈濟日。暨此殊勝因緣，吉隆坡分會將於武吉加裏爾舉辦萬人浴佛聚福緣~系列慶典活動。
The 42nd Anniversary of Tzu Chi Foundation will be globally celebrated in a grand ceremony of “Bathing The Buddha” to mark the three said occasions. Tzu Chi KL will celebrate the occasion with a “Mass Vesak for Collective Blessings” ceremony, to be held at the Bukit Jalil Stadium.
日期Date：11-5-2008
時間Time：9.00am---3.00pm
地點Venue：Bukit Jalil Car Park A
當日現場備有免費健康素食招待、慈濟志業展、親子區、健檢區等活動合適民衆扶老攜幼前來參與，歡度家庭日之外亦能傳達孝親之意。慈濟誠邀社會大眾前來共襄盛舉。
Healthy vegetarian foods will be served free; various organized activities as exhibitions, parent-child interactivities and health screen are in store for all.
Tzu Chi Foundation KL cordially invites the public to celebrate with us on this auspicious occasion. We would be deeply grateful for your kind presence.
台灣佛教慈濟基金會吉隆坡分會 敬邀
Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation(Kuala Lumpur Branch)
The 42nd Anniversary of Tzu Chi Foundation will be globally celebrated in a grand ceremony of “Bathing The Buddha” to mark the three said occasions. Tzu Chi KL will celebrate the occasion with a “Mass Vesak for Collective Blessings” ceremony, to be held at the Bukit Jalil Stadium.
日期Date：11-5-2008
時間Time：9.00am---3.00pm
地點Venue：Bukit Jalil Car Park A
當日現場備有免費健康素食招待、慈濟志業展、親子區、健檢區等活動合適民衆扶老攜幼前來參與，歡度家庭日之外亦能傳達孝親之意。慈濟誠邀社會大眾前來共襄盛舉。
Healthy vegetarian foods will be served free; various organized activities as exhibitions, parent-child interactivities and health screen are in store for all.
Tzu Chi Foundation KL cordially invites the public to celebrate with us on this auspicious occasion. We would be deeply grateful for your kind presence.
台灣佛教慈濟基金會吉隆坡分會 敬邀
Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation(Kuala Lumpur Branch)
Monday, May 5, 2008
~~dream dream dream~~
Yah, been dreaming a lot these two days!! A lot of unexpected dreams and some even couldnt sure whether it's true or not. Guess i must have thinking too much recently.
Hahah... I dreamt of my myself undergoing a very though and intensive physical training program. Very tired n exhausted... It was like trapped in a cell, no delicious foods, no juices, no entertainment, no life...
I also dreamt of myself married to someone i knew and guess wat he is just a new fren to me. What a weird dream!! Hahah... Never think of going out wif this guy but i alrdy dreamt of calling him hubby!! =D So unexpected n imaginative!!
Anyway, going out soon, need to reach PBB at 1pm to start rehearsing for the management to see at 4pm. Sigh... really scared n nervous!! Wish me luck!!
p(^o^)q
Hahah... I dreamt of my myself undergoing a very though and intensive physical training program. Very tired n exhausted... It was like trapped in a cell, no delicious foods, no juices, no entertainment, no life...
I also dreamt of myself married to someone i knew and guess wat he is just a new fren to me. What a weird dream!! Hahah... Never think of going out wif this guy but i alrdy dreamt of calling him hubby!! =D So unexpected n imaginative!!
Anyway, going out soon, need to reach PBB at 1pm to start rehearsing for the management to see at 4pm. Sigh... really scared n nervous!! Wish me luck!!
p(^o^)q
Thursday, April 24, 2008
THE SILENT TSUNAMI
Apr 17th 2008
Extracted from The Economist
Famine traditionally means mass starvation. The measures of today's crisis are misery and malnutrition. The middle classes in poor countries are giving up health care and cutting out meat so they can eat three meals a day. The middling poor, those on $2 a day, are pulling children from school and cutting back on vegetables so they can still afford rice. Those on $1 a day are cutting back on meat, vegetables and one or two meals, so they can afford one bowl. The desperate—those on 50 cents a day—face disaster.
Roughly a billion people live on $1 a day. If, on a conservative estimate, the cost of their food rises 20% (and in some places, it has risen a lot more), 100m people could be forced back to this level, the common measure of absolute poverty.
The starting-point should be that rising food prices bear more heavily on some places than others. Food exporters, and countries where farmers are self-sufficient, or net sellers, benefit. Some countries—those in West Africa which import their staples, or Bangladesh, with its huge numbers of landless labourers—risk ruin and civil strife. Because of the severity there, the first step must be to mend the holes in the world's safety net. That means financing the World Food Programme properly. The WFP is the world's largest distributor of food aid and its most important barrier between hungry people and starvation. Like a $1-a-day family in a developing country, its purchasing power has been slashed by the rising cost of grain. Merely to distribute the same amount of food as last year, the WFP needs—and should get—an extra $700m.
A burden to afford
Global food shortages have taken everyone by surprise. What is to be done?
“World agriculture has entered a new, unsustainable and politically risky period,” says Joachim von Braun, the head of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, DC. To prove it, food riots have erupted in countries all along the equator. In Haiti, protesters chanting “We're hungry” forced the prime minister to resign; 24 people were killed in riots in Cameroon; Egypt's president ordered the army to start baking bread; the Philippines made hoarding rice punishable by life imprisonment.
Last year wheat prices rose 77% and rice 16%. These were some of the sharpest rises in food prices ever. But this year the speed of change has accelerated. Since January, rice prices have soared 141%; the price of one variety of wheat shot up 25% in a day. Some 40km outside Abidjan, Mariam Kone, who grows sweet potatoes, okra and maize but feeds her family on imported rice, laments: “Rice is very expensive, but we don't know why.”
Extracted from The Economist
Famine traditionally means mass starvation. The measures of today's crisis are misery and malnutrition. The middle classes in poor countries are giving up health care and cutting out meat so they can eat three meals a day. The middling poor, those on $2 a day, are pulling children from school and cutting back on vegetables so they can still afford rice. Those on $1 a day are cutting back on meat, vegetables and one or two meals, so they can afford one bowl. The desperate—those on 50 cents a day—face disaster.
Roughly a billion people live on $1 a day. If, on a conservative estimate, the cost of their food rises 20% (and in some places, it has risen a lot more), 100m people could be forced back to this level, the common measure of absolute poverty.
The starting-point should be that rising food prices bear more heavily on some places than others. Food exporters, and countries where farmers are self-sufficient, or net sellers, benefit. Some countries—those in West Africa which import their staples, or Bangladesh, with its huge numbers of landless labourers—risk ruin and civil strife. Because of the severity there, the first step must be to mend the holes in the world's safety net. That means financing the World Food Programme properly. The WFP is the world's largest distributor of food aid and its most important barrier between hungry people and starvation. Like a $1-a-day family in a developing country, its purchasing power has been slashed by the rising cost of grain. Merely to distribute the same amount of food as last year, the WFP needs—and should get—an extra $700m.
A burden to afford
Global food shortages have taken everyone by surprise. What is to be done?
“World agriculture has entered a new, unsustainable and politically risky period,” says Joachim von Braun, the head of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington, DC. To prove it, food riots have erupted in countries all along the equator. In Haiti, protesters chanting “We're hungry” forced the prime minister to resign; 24 people were killed in riots in Cameroon; Egypt's president ordered the army to start baking bread; the Philippines made hoarding rice punishable by life imprisonment.
Last year wheat prices rose 77% and rice 16%. These were some of the sharpest rises in food prices ever. But this year the speed of change has accelerated. Since January, rice prices have soared 141%; the price of one variety of wheat shot up 25% in a day. Some 40km outside Abidjan, Mariam Kone, who grows sweet potatoes, okra and maize but feeds her family on imported rice, laments: “Rice is very expensive, but we don't know why.”
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
22.04.08, Tuesday, Part II
Yah, its some updates on C! =D
Met him last Thursday while we're at the FF carpark. He looks so tired and SLEEPY!! hahah... Just manage to say Hi coz the lift is crowded and we are standing apart from each other. =>
The most interesting part is the when we have finished the class. Just before I left FF, JH called and she keeps warning me about colleagues at work, complaining this la that la... Keep repeating and never ending! Sigh... We keep on talking n talking, nope it should be she keep on talking, i keep on listening until I reached the carpark ticket machine where I was holding a shoebag on my left and the ticket and phone on my right hand. I was so overload that he saw me and HELPED ME TO VERIFY THE TICKET!!! Yes, he HELPED me!!! Hahahah.... I was so SHOCKED and HAPPY tat I can feel my own heartbeat and how I wish I could hang up the line immediately to talk to him! Tat moment was like the best time to start a conversation!!! Wat a waste!! Tats the chance to grab but I'm still on the line listening to the same old grandmother's story about her work n her arguement wif A & Y. Sigh... If I also unwilling to listen to her, I really scared she will turn into the bottleneck!
I'm really out of my mind at that time!! =P
Anyway, tats still the best Thursday I ever have!! =)
Still another 2 days to meet him again.
xoxo
Met him last Thursday while we're at the FF carpark. He looks so tired and SLEEPY!! hahah... Just manage to say Hi coz the lift is crowded and we are standing apart from each other. =>
The most interesting part is the when we have finished the class. Just before I left FF, JH called and she keeps warning me about colleagues at work, complaining this la that la... Keep repeating and never ending! Sigh... We keep on talking n talking, nope it should be she keep on talking, i keep on listening until I reached the carpark ticket machine where I was holding a shoebag on my left and the ticket and phone on my right hand. I was so overload that he saw me and HELPED ME TO VERIFY THE TICKET!!! Yes, he HELPED me!!! Hahahah.... I was so SHOCKED and HAPPY tat I can feel my own heartbeat and how I wish I could hang up the line immediately to talk to him! Tat moment was like the best time to start a conversation!!! Wat a waste!! Tats the chance to grab but I'm still on the line listening to the same old grandmother's story about her work n her arguement wif A & Y. Sigh... If I also unwilling to listen to her, I really scared she will turn into the bottleneck!
I'm really out of my mind at that time!! =P
Anyway, tats still the best Thursday I ever have!! =)
Still another 2 days to meet him again.
xoxo
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