Week That Was: Oct 15 - Oct 22, 2006
The Star, Sunday October 22, 2006
PERSISTENT HAZE (Oct 20): It’s going to be a while before you see clear, sunny skies on a regular basis. The current haze is expected to continue for some time, due to more forest areas being burnt for oil palm cultivation in Indonesia, mainly Kalimantan. If it persists, current wind conditions, which were blowing from Kalimantan towards West Sarawak and the peninsula, would cause the haze to worsen.
STIFFER PENALTIES (Oct 15): In an effort to overcome the Mat Rempit problem, the Government is planning stiffer penalties to stop the illegal racing menace. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government has decided to amend laws to include confiscating motorcycles, suspending licences, imposing a heavier penalty and taking action against organisers of illegal races.
NO MORE POVERTY (Oct 18): Eliminating hardcore poverty by 2008 instead of the 2010 target, that’s what the Government hopes to achieve. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Malaysia had been very successful in reducing the level of hardcore poor in the last 50 years, but is looking at having no more hardcore poor when the country is fully developed in 2020.
SAYING SORRY (Oct 18): Stating it was his personal view and not Takaful Malaysia’s official stand, Takaful Malaysia’s Syariah head Mohd Fauzi Mustaffa apologised for his e-mail advising his colleagues against wishing Hindus Happy Deepavali, and retracted the contents of his e-mail sent early this month. Takaful Malaysia CEO Md Azmi Abu Bakar also apologised for any ill feeling the e-mail may have caused.
NEW FLYING PARTNER (Oct 19): A code-sharing arrangement between Malaysia Airlines and China Southern Airlines is in its final stages of negotiation. The arrangement would include third-country code share by the airlines of both countries, with a set time-table towards the realisation of a reciprocal open sky policy by 2010, when the airlines of both countries will be able to operate unlimited frequency, capacity and aircraft type between the two countries.
TECH SAVVY VEHICLES (Oct 21): The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has deployed two “hi-tech” vans, equipped with RM200,000 worth of hi-tech gadgets and systems each, in the Klang Valley to monitor road users for the festive season under Ops Sikap XI. Linked to the JPJ database, the vans will provide JPJ officers the means to issue summonses, accept payment (for summonses), monitor road offences and also check on vehicle legality.
INVESTING IN A BIG WAY (Oct 19): The country will see more than RM40bil worth of investments from three companies over the next five years, with the Cabinet Committee on Investment approving the investments. The companies represent various fields of the economy; one, which plans to invest RM11bil in Malaysia over the five-year span, is foreign, while the two others are local companies with foreign participation.
YOUNGER IS BETTER? (Oct 17): It’s not exactly a case of toy boys, but according to a Universiti Malaya associate professor’s working paper, educated women above 30 prefer to marry younger men even though they are financially unsound and are less educated. This is happening because women of this age find it hard to find men of the same education level, economic status or age, and most men who fit this criterion are already married. The joys of youth, indeed.
MANDATORY CHECKS PROPOSED (Oct 16): In the future, it may be mandatory for all used cars to be inspected by the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) prior to transfer of ownership.
Puspakom has approached the Road Transport Department and recommended to them that used cars be screened to determine whether they are fitted with genuine parts and components before the transfer of ownership is done.
MORE REWARDING (Oct 20): In recognition of outstanding educators and to provide a higher regard for the profession, the Government has created a total of 7,187 additional posts for super teachers and principals. Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said this was a 257% increase over the previous number, adding that selection for promotion would be tight, so that those chosen would perform and live up to expectations.
HELP, IF NEEDED (Oct 16): If there is such a request from the new Thai government, Malaysia will be happy to help its neighbour tackle a Muslim insurgency in its restive south. Malaysian authorities have previously expressed hopes that Thailand’s new military government, which took power in a bloodless coup last month, will take steps to bring peace to the Muslim-majority southern provinces bordering Malaysia. More than 1,700 people have been killed since separatist violence erupted in Jan 2004.
NO CHEAPER PETROL (Oct 16): The global price of crude oil may have dropped to US$57.24 (RM210) a barrel, but the Government will not reduce the price of petrol because it still has to subsidise petrol to maintain the present price, according to Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk S. Veerasingam. In March, the Government decided to increase the petrol price by 30 sen a litre after crude oil prices soared to US$62.91 (RM232) a barrel.
FOREIGN
NO MORE TESTS (Oct 21): North Korea’s nuclear test on Oct 9 sparked international condemnation and led to last week’s UN Security Council vote to impose economic and weapons sanctions. Now, according to media reports, North Korea has told a Chinese envoy it plans no further nuclear tests, raising hopes China’s diplomacy might draw its unpredictable neighbour back to six-party talks, though US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was on an Asian tour to rally support for UN sanctions, stated she was uncertain the talks would resume.
ROMAN MISHAP (Oct 17): One person was killed and 236 others injured, five of them seriously, when a train on Rome’s underground metro system rammed into the back of another. The accident happened when one train, arriving at the Piazza Vittorio metro station near the main overground rail terminal in the city centre, crashed into the back of another that was still discharging passengers. Officials were looking into whether it was a human mistake or if something went wrong with the signalling.
STANDING FIRM (Oct 19): Renewing his country’s call for talks to resolve a nuclear standoff with the West, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would not retreat from its right to develop the nuclear fuel cycle. Iran’s file has been sent back to the UN Security Council and it now faces possible sanctions after failing to meet a demand to halt uranium enrichment, a process the West believes Teheran is developing to build bombs despite Teheran’s denials.
CONCERN MOUNTS (Oct 20): The US military said it was reviewing strategy in Baghdad, where US reinforcements have failed to halt spiralling violence in the battle for control of the city. It expressed grave concern about mounting troop deaths – the number of attacks targeting security forces in Baghdad has risen since US troops launched a crackdown designed to end sectarian violence. More than 2,780 US troops have been killed since the March 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
