Week that was: Oct 22 to Oct 28
Sunday October 29, 2006
NEVER ENDING (Oct 22): After months of criticising the Government, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad finally met with Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. After the two-hour meeting, Dr Mahathir told members of the media that he had fulfilled his intention to pour out what was in his heart over issues he had raised against Abdullah in recent months. However, he would continue to criticise the current administration if he felt “anything done is not good for the country”.
FIGHTING CRIME (Oct 23): Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili urged Malaysians to help create an “anti-crime culture” after releasing figures on the national crime index. Crime has shot up by 12.9% with 170,841 cases reported in the first nine months of this year. There were increases in violent, property and commercial crimes.
PRAYERS ANSWERED (Oct 23): Student Ong Ho Way cheated death despite falling into a 2m-deep monsoon drain and being swept away for some 600m. Ho Way said she prayed throughout the 40-minute ordeal and was saved when her legs were entangled in a water pipe, causing her to stay afloat. Ho Way, who was rescued a passer-by, sustained minor injuries.
ONLY TWO ALLOWED (Oct 26): Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said a maximum of two members from one family would be allowed to be councillors in the same local authority at any one time. The state exco division came to the decision after public outcry against Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros, his son Zainuri and daughter-in-law Roselinda Abdul Kamil were set to be appointed as Klang municipal councillors for the 2006-2008 term.
VAULT RAIDED (Oct 26): A safety deposit vault at a Public Bank branch in Seri Kembangan was drilled and broken into with more than RM500,000 worth of jewellery and valuables stolen. Police are investigating the case where 92 of the 708 safe deposit boxes were emptied out. The bank has appointed an independent adjuster to process and access claims by customers although it did not comment on compensation.
RELA MEMBERS WARNED (Oct 26): Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad warned Rela members that action would be taken against them if they abused their power when arresting illegals. He was commenting on a recent protest by residents in Cheras who said that some Rela members had misused their power when making arrests.
CHEAP IN KL (Oct 27): A survey of 71 cities worldwide by Swiss banking giant UBS found Kuala Lumpur to be the least expensive city for Western tourists when it came to food, electronic goods, clothes, public transport, hotel rates and entertainment. Kuala Lumpur, however, lost out in terms of car prices and wages.
SCARED OFF (Oct 28): Retired policeman Randal Barnhart and his wife Carole, who had wanted to make Malaysia their second home, are now reconsidering that plan after an unpleasant encounter with religious officials. The American couple, who are Christians, said they were woken up in the middle of the night by religious enforcement officers who accused them of committing khalwat (close proximity) at their rented condominium in Langkawi. Government officials are investigating the matter.
FOREIGN
NO STRONG EVIDENCE (Oct 22): India appeared to retreat from its charge that Pakistan’s spy agency planned the Mumbai train bombings in July. India’s national security adviser M.K. Narayanan told CNN-IBN television channel that he “would be hesitant to say that we have clinching evidence”. His statement came as India and Pakistan prepared to resume high-level official talks next month.
POPE SALUTES MUSLIMS (Oct 22): Pope Benedict XVI sent his “cordial greetings” to the world’s Muslims on Aidilfitri, and voiced concern for the “innocent victims” of the violence in Iraq. The head of the Roman Catholic Church, who earlier this year offended many Muslims with his comments that appeared to link their religion to violence, offered his greetings during his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican.
STAYING PUT (Oct 24): Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has no plans of returning to Thailand in the near future, according to his legal adviser Noppadol Pattama. He also said that Thaksin would not be seeking political asylum in Britain.
RESPONSIBLE (Oct 26): British mobile phone operator Vodafone topped Fortune magazine’s second annual ranking of the 2006 accountability rating. The rating takes into account the way global companies conformed to socially responsible business practices. It measured six criteria (stakeholder engagement, governance, strategy, performance management, public disclosure and assurance).
ENTICING VOTERS (Oct 28): A ballot initiative in Arizona proposed to award US$1mil (RM3.7mil) by lottery to one person in a bid to entice people to vote in legislative elections on Nov 7. Sponsors of the initiative said the cash reward was an appropriately American-style solution to the perennial lacklustre turnout by the US electorate, which lags behind voter participation rates in Europe and elsewhere.
RESTORED (Oct 27): The Lupanare, a brothel decorated with frescoes of erotic figures believed to be the most popular in ancient Pompeii and which derives its name from the Latin word lupa, or prostitute, was presented to the public again following a year-long, 200,000 euro (RM925,124) restoration to clean up its frescoes and fix the structure. It is open to the public as part of the regular tour of the ruins of this ancient Roman city.
