Muhyiddin must apologise for inferring non-Muslims behind dog bathing video, says Pakatan

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should apologise for jumping the gun and blaming non-Muslims for being behind a video clip depicting a dog undergoing ablution similar to Muslims before prayers, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said today.

"He should apologise for condemning the video without checking the facts," said the Gelang Patah MP in a statement in Kuala Lumpur today.

Muslim dog trainer Maznah Mohd Yusof, 38, had recorded a Raya greeting video three years ago that showed her washing dogs' paws while the call for Azan is heard in the background.

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Jumbo iPad in the works

This mock-up shows what Apple’s iPhone 6 handset may look like

THE latest rumours suggest Apple is now working on a 13-inch version of its iPad tablet. Reports claim that it is testing larger screens that can be used either on a previously rumoured 5.7-inch iPhone, or a bigger tablet.

According to the Wall Street Journal, suppliers in Asia have said Apple has asked for prototypes of iPad screens that are 13-inches wide — three inches bigger than the current iPad model.

If the rumours are true, Apple’s giant iPad could be same size as its MacBook Pro. It would also be bigger than some notebooks, including HP’s 11.6-inch EliteBook.

These latest iPad rumours follow reports last month that claimed Apple is working on plastic iPhones with 4.7-inch screens. These could be available in a variety of colours including yellow and red — current iPhones and iPads only come in black and white — and may sell for as little as £63 (RM315).


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Home minister denies cops behind murder attempt on crime buster

Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi rubbished today talk of the police being responsible for the shooting of crime watchdog activist, R. Sri Sandeevan, who is now battling for his life in a Negri Sembilan hospital.

The home minister, who oversees the police force, was prompted to defend the men in blue after a their former boss, retired Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had suggested dirty officers were behind yesterday's shooting incident in a bid to silence Sanjeevan.

"I know Sanjeevan personally and I will make sure that there are no police involved in the incident," Ahmad Zahid (picture) was quoted by The Malaysian Insider news portal as telling reporters after breaking fast at the Sungai Buloh prison.

The minister vowed he would step up investigations on the shooting and haul in the culprits that had put a bullet into Sanjeevan.

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Designer vagina fad hits Malaysian middle class

Dr Alice says that women want to tighten their vaginas to enhance sexual gratification. - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/designer-vagina-fad-hits-malaysian-middle-class#sthash.fpteP5rJ.dpuf

Dr Alice says that women want to tighten their vaginas to enhance sexual gratification. - See more at:

These days, it’s not just your nose or eyes that can be “improved” with cosmetic surgery. Now women can opt to have more attractive or even designer vaginas.

In fact, vaginal rejuvenation is a multi-million ringgit industry that has expanded in the last five years due to the emergence of non-surgical procedures like Fractional CO2 laser, surgical threads and dermal fillers.

But what is an attractive vagina? As described by aesthetic physicians, it is tight and light-skinned with symmetrical inner labia sheared to tiny strips of skin that cannot be seen while standing, almost akin to a Barbie doll.

Cosmetic vaginal surgery is becoming increasingly popular among middle-class women in Malaysia who desire tighter, fairer and neater genitalia to boost their self-confidence and sexual satisfaction.

“For most women, after giving birth or having many sexual partners, your body is not able to repair the looseness of the vagina,” cosmetic surgeon Dr Alice Prethima Michael told The Malay Mail Online in a recent interview.

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PKR’s Rafizi says met with MyWatch chief prior to shooting

PKR's strategy chief disclosed today he had met with R. Sri Sanjeevan last week to talk about a possible expose on dirty policemen with underworld links in the wake of yesterday's shooting incident that has the MyWatch chairman now fighting for his life in a Negri Sembilan hospital.

Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, 35, revealed this afternoon in a series of posts on his Twitter account, @rafiziramli, that he had met with Sanjeevan last Friday after the 29-year-old had asked for help to bring to light several policemen who allegedly had links with drug syndicates.

"I met @SanjeevanSS on Friday night. He talked abt a list of drug related offences, wanted me to expose. I said will look at it later.

"I am extremely shocked to find out he was shot. @SanjeevanSS was on the right trail of something and information he has is genuine," the opposition lawmaker tweeted.


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Man leaves 4-year old daughter alone in car to buy drugs

34 people were arrested during a drug raid at an oill palm plantation near the Sungai Udang Prison in Melaka. One of the man who was arrested during the raid left his four-year-old daughter alone in his car.

The lure of a quick 'fix' was simply too irresistible for a man.
He left his four-year-old daughter alone in his car and parked it by the road-shoulder to beat a path, deep inside an oil palm plantation to buy drugs from a supplier.

This was what the police learnt when they arrested the man during a drug raid at an oil palm plantation near the Sungai Udang Prison here yesterday.

During the 12-hour drug raid, beginning 6am, a police team picked up 34 people aged between 26 and 62.

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In uproar over pre-Merdeka film, Guan Eng points out BN’s communism link

Lim Guan Eng today labelled Umno Youth and Utusan Malaysia “hypocrites” for criticising local flick “The New Village” over its portrayal of communism, reminding them that one of its own, Khairy Jamaluddin, had once established an alliance with the Communist Youth League (CYL) of China.

The DAP secretary-general said Khairy, now a minister and Umno Youth’s chief, had in his capacity as the Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth chairman, announced the formation of a permanent secretariat in October 2009 to strengthen ties with the CYL.

At the time, Lim claimed Khairy had said that the secretariat was a “party-to-party” direct linkage between both movements and would serve as a platform to facilitate continuous bilateral programmes and promote a stronger bond between BN Youth and the CYL.

“And yet no action is taken when Khairy knowingly, consciously and intentionally establishes a direct linkage through a permanent secretariat with the CYL,” the Penang chief minister said in a statement.


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Fugitive inspector in Dhamendran case surrenders

Fugitive police inspector Hari Krishnan Subramaniam (pic) surrendered to police this morning. He was wanted in connection with the murder of detainee N Dhamendran.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the Inspector from the Kuala Lumpur police's serious crimes division turned up with his lawyer at 10am.

He is expected to be charged tomorrow with the murder of Dhamendran.

Hari Krishnan had been listed as "wanted" after he failed to return from his leave while under investigations into Dhamendran's murder.

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One parent enough to convert kids, says Islamic Affairs Dept

The state Islamic Affairs Department needs only the consent of one parent who has embraced Islam to convert the children to the faith, state director Datuk Johani Hassan said.

This was clearly spelt out under the laws for those who wished to embrace Islam, he said, adding that such laws were in force in several states.

“The law does not say that we need the consent of both parents before we can convert their children.

“When one parent embraces Islam, the children can be automatically converted,” he said.

The Government, however, had announced in April 2009 that children of an estranged couple should be raised in the religion of the parents at the time when they were still married.

The announcement was made by the then de facto law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

Johani was responding yesterday to a claim by a 29-year-old Hindu mother that her estranged husband had converted their two children, aged five and eight, without her knowledge in April.

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Mufti: Amend Articles in Constitution to exclude Muslims

The Perak Mufti has called for an amendment to be made to the Federal Constitution, which will exclude Islam from provisions that grant mothers equal rights to raise children according to their religious beliefs.

Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria said that Articles 3, 5 and 11 of the Constitution in relation to religion, liberty and freedom must therefore be amended to exclude Muslims.

“The provision (on child’s religion) should be amended or added to exclude Muslims,” Utusan Malaysia quoted him as saying.

The issue of non-Muslims’ dissatisfaction over such an amendment should not arise in view of the existing pre-Independence social contract, he said.

Harussani said that this was following a recent High Court ruling that granted a plea by M. Indira Gandhi to reverse her estranged Muslim convert husband’s unilateral decision to convert their three children, now aged 16, 15 and five.

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Cops not behind MyWatch chief’s shooting, says MIC CWC member

A close friend of MyWatch founder and head R Sri Sanjeevan is certain that police are not behind his shooting yesterday.

MIC central working committee (CWC) member G Kumar Aamaan said the Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (pic) has been helpful to Sanjeevan.

"The police, before and after Sanjeevan started receiving death threats, have been helpful. So I can only say no way police are accomplices to this doing," Kumar Aamaan told .



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IGP vows to probe MyWatch chief’s shooting - Crime watchdog chief to undergo surgery, security tightened at Seremban hospital

The Inspector General of Police, wishing critically injured MyWatch chief R Sri Sanjeevan a speedy recovery, has vowed to launch a thorough probe into his shooting and Bukit Aman will be ordered to monitor it.

Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director will personally supervise the investigations.

“Bukit Aman will be closely monitoring Sanjeevan’s shooting case in Bahau. Director CID will personally supervise,” Khalid tweeted in this twitter handle @KBAB51 today.




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The girls behind the Miss Malaysia World controversy

The four Muslim contestants who were disqualified from the Miss Malaysia World pageant have been subject to media scrutiny after their dropping due to the ruling that states Muslim girls are not allowed to compete in beauty pageants.

The Star Online spoke to three of the four girls who told us they joined the competition to give them a chance to show Malaysia who they are and why they are proud to be Malaysians.

The fourth finalist, Kathrina Ridzuan could not be contacted for an interview


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Muslim NGO under fire for beauty pageant defence

Sisters In Islam (SIS), a non-government Muslim organisation comprising mostly women, drew flak from a conservative Muslim columnist today for purportedly putting civil liberties ahead of their religion’s glory.

The women’s group had recently waded into a row over the rights of Muslim women to take part in the Miss Malaysia World 2013 beauty pageant, and raised its concern on the overreach of fatwa (religious edicts) by Islamic officials here beyond the faith’s intent.

In an opinion piece in Malay paper Mingguan Malaysia, columnist Ku Seman Ku Hussain lashed out at the women’s group for what he viewed to be an attempt to undermine and denigrate Islam by one of its own by persistent questioning of the religion’s authorities here on the grounds the edicts were not legislated into civil law.

“It seems for SIS, fundamental rights freedoms are more important than prohibiting Muslims against insulting their own religion,” he said, in the article titled “Apabila Sisters In Islam mempertikai mufti [When Sisters In Islam dispute the mufti]”.

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Anti-crime watchdog chief battling for life after being shot by gunman

Mywatch president R. Sanjeevan undergoing treatment at Jempol Hospital.

Gunmen targeting on the chairman of anti-crime watchdog, MyWatch, made an attempt on his life yesterday.
R. Sri Sanjeevan, who was shot at close range at 4.30pm yesterday at Taman Cempaka, Bahau, was at press time was in a critical state.

Jempol police chief Supt Hamzah Alias said Sanjeevan had gone out with his friend, Ramesh Balakrishnan, 35, for a drink after picking up the latter at his house.

“The two were in Sanjeevan’s silver BMW when he (Sanjeevan) stopped at a junction near Taman Awana Indah and wound down the car window for a smoke.

“Two assailants on a red motorcycle rode up next to him. The pillion rider then fired a shot at Sanjeevan’s right rib,” he told the New Sunday Times when contacted last night.

He said the pillion rider then got off the motorcycle and walked towards Sanjeevan but Sanjeevan managed to speed off despite having sustained a gunshot wound.


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Crime buster shooting: Family keep vigil at hospital

Family members and relatives of anti-crime activist R. Sri Sanjeevan are keeping vigil at the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital here, The Star Online reported today.

The news portal added that Sanjeevan (picture) was moved to the hospital just after midnight from the Kuala Pilah Hospital where he underwent surgery earlier yesterday.

State CID chief ACP Hamdan Majid also confirmed to The Star that a press conference will be held at 11am today at the state police contingent.

The head of the MyWatch crime watchdog was shot by a man riding pillion on a motorcycle that pulled up beside his silver BMW when he wound down his window to smoke a cigarette while at a junction near Taman Awana Indah in Jempol, Negri Sembilan at about 4.30pm yesterday, several news portals reported.

“Two assailants on a red motorcycle pulled up next to him. The pillion rider then fired a shot at Sanjeevan’s right rib,” Jempol police chief Supt Hamzah Alias was quoted as saying by the New Sunday Times.

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Sanjeevan shot once, bullet pierced rib cage

A bullet had lodged in the rib cage of Malaysian Crime watch Task Force (MyWatch) chairman R Sri Sanjeevan after he was shot several times by two men on a motorcycle yesterday in Jempol, Negri Sembilan, according to The Star Online news portal.

State police chief Datuk Osman Salleh said the 29-year-old Sanjeevan was now in the hospital’s intensive care unit in stable condition and doctors will be on hand to remove the bullet, said the report.

”He was moved from Kuala Pilah hospital early today for the surgery,” SAC Osman said.

Two assailants on a red motorcycle pulled up next to him. The pillion rider then fired a shot at Sanjeevan’s right rib.

Sanjeevan managed to drive off despite being badly injured, leaving his assailants behind, but stopped some 300 metres from the scene where his friend who was in the car with him, Ramesh Balakrishnan, 35, took over the wheel to take the victim to Jempol Hospital, the newspaper reported Hamzah as saying.

Sanjeevan made a similar allegation yesterday morning on his Twitter account, among the last messages he posted before getting shot.

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Girlfriend lodges report on behalf of fugitive cop

The girlfriend of fugitive cop S. Hare Krishnan, who is wanted over the death of detainee N. Dhamendran, has lodged a police report on his behalf, claiming he was framed.

In a text reply to The Malay Mail, City CID Chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah confirmed that a police report had been made on June 1 at the Brickfields police station in Kuala Lumpur by the girlfriend, who is currently Hare Krishnan’s spokesperson.

The message read: “We have investigated his report independently, and the results of the investigation have been forwarded to the investigating officer of Dhamendran’s death.”

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported Hare Krishnan’s claim that he was innocent and that he had been dragged into the case to “protect certain parties”.

A copy of the report obtained by Malaysiakini apparently states that Hare Krishnan had not been in the Dang Wangi police station lock-up on the day Dhamendran died, following horrific torture.

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Little chance of setting up new party if DAP de-registered, says RoS

If the Registrar of Societies (RoS) decides to de-register DAP, its members have been told not to harbour hopes of setting up a new party, The Star reported today.

RoS director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said they would not likely entertain requests for a new party.

“They can apply. But the right to approve is with the RoS. We did not even entertain 29 applications to set up new parties submitted over the last five years," he said.

Abdul Rahman was commenting on a plan by DAP members to set up a new party if DAP was de-registered, following complaints of election fraud in the party's central executive committee (CEC) election in December.

The director-general, when asked, said it was up to the party members to determine if the party should call for a fresh CEC election, adding that the party was now in limbo as the CEC was not recognised.

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NFCorp takes aim at news portals, MP over reports on buyout

The company responsible for the scandalised National Feedlot Centre (NFC) plans to sue news portals The Malaysian Insider and Free Malaysia Today along with lawmaker Rafizi Ramli over reports on its takeover by a Japanese-Malaysian venture.

On July 9, The Malaysian Insider reported the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) operated by the spouse of Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil will be taken over by Kirimitonas Agro Sdn Bhd but that the latter will not be assuming the former firm’s liabilities that included a RM250 million federal loan.

Yesterday, NFCorp chairman and Shahrizat’s husband Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail told a news conference that Kirimitonas Agro was putting the RM250 million debt in its books.


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Genting, Twentieth Century Fox agree on RM400 million theme park

Malaysian resort operator Genting Malaysia Berhad has announced a RM400 million tie-up with Hollywood studio Twentieth Century Fox to transform the Genting Highlands theme park along the Selangor-Pahang border.

The Edge reported today a Genting Malaysia statement that said the transformed theme park will be the first international Twentieth Century theme park in the world.

Genting said that their current theme park operations will close from Sept 1, 2013 to facilitate the project and would reopen in 2016.

The statement said the transformed theme park would feature Twentieth Century Fox's recognised film brands, including Ice Age, Rio, Alien vs Predator and Night at the Museum.

Genting chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Twentieth Century Fox president for consumer products Jeffrey Godsick signed the agreement today, according to the statement.

There are a slew of theme parks in Malaysia and Singapore, such as Legoland Resort in Johor and Universal Studios in Singapore's Sentosa Island. - July 26, 2013.

Putrajaya misused three laws in GE13, says Forum Asia

The panelists at the Asian Solidarity and Human Rights forum held in Kuala Lumpur today.





Putrajaya had misused three laws, the Sedition Act 1948, Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, during the May 5 general election for selective prosecution and punishment, according to regional human rights group Forum Asia.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia) said in its preliminary report that the laws were technical and hard to understand for the purpose of prosecution and punishment.

"We raised our concerns against these problematic laws which gives the power to the government to carry out selective prosecution and punishment, towards certain individuals.

"The government's promise to carry out reforms runs contrary to what they are doing," Forum Asia representative Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.


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Mother in Seri Pristana row claims child threatened

Although the authorities have declared the SRK Seri Pristana fiasco “closed”, it appears the fallout over the incident is not yet over.

The mother who triggered an Internet firestorm by posting images of students eating in the bathroom of the school says she is now being threatened for exposing the matter online.

After lodging a police on the anonymous threats pouring in on social network Facebook, Guneswari Kelly said she was now under concerted attack simply for voicing out her opinion on the school’s decision, which has since been deemed inappropriate by authorities.

“How else am I supposed to express my concerns? Can’t they understand this?” she was quoted as saying by news portal The Malaysian Insider.

The threats allegedly made on Facebook included that of bodily harm and the abduction of her child.

“These people did not identify themselves and I am afraid they would do something to my daughter,” Guneswari said in the report.

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After conversion battle, Indira to fight for reunion with daughter

File photo of Indira (left) with her lawyer Kulasegaran. Indira has not seen her youngest daughter Prasana for more than three years now.


With her children’s conversion nightmare almost over, M. Indira Gandhi will soon file contempt proceedings against her estranged husband, banking her hopes yet again on the country’s justice system to reunite with her youngest daughter.

The kindergarten teacher chalked a major win for herself yesterday when the Ipoh High Court finally quashed the conversion certificates of her three children, declaring it unconstitutional to unilaterally force a minor to embrace a different faith.

Indira’s husband, Muslim convert Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah, had converted the couple’s three children to Islam four years ago without their mother’s knowledge.

“I am extremely happy that we won. It has been a much-awaited verdict,” she told when contacted yesterday.

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Court ruling on conversion a step forward, say lawyers

The High Court's decision that both parents and children have the right to religious freedom is a step forward on how this controversial issue should be dealt with, said constitutional lawyers and an interfaith council.

The court's decision in allowing Indira Gandhi's application to quash the conversion of her three children made it clear that the conversion of a minor to Islam can only be done with the consent of both parents.

Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar said the court had asserted itself and shown it's a bastion of constitutional rights for all citizens.

"The judge had rightly looked at various constitutional laws to conclude as he did. His decision is good as it grants relief to the mother," he said.

Another lawyer, Edmund Bon, said the decision was encouraging as the judge who presided over the case had applied common sense.

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Haul up Utusan over ‘false news’, DAP demands

Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia must be punished for disseminating “false news” that the police planned to use the Sedition Act over the Seri Pristana fiasco, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng demanded today.

According to the Bagan MP, this was a new low even for the newspaper that “openly called for the bloody May 13 racial riots that killed thousands of innocent Malaysians to be celebrated as a holy day.”

“Nothing is beyond Utusan Malaysia,” Lim (picture) said in a statement.

“[The] public had had enough of lies spread by Utusan Malaysia to foment fear and hate amongst Malaysia’s multi-religious society.”

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Prison stint not bad: Alvin Tan

Sex bloggers Alvin Tan Jye Yee and Vivian Lee May Ling leaving the court complex after signing their release papers at the Jalan Duta court complex, Kuala Lumpur.

Sex blogger Alvin Tan, who along with his girlfriend Vivian Lee have been released on bail described his eight-day prison stint as 'not bad'.

Still clad in the red T-shirt and jeans as when he was taken to the Sg Buloh prison on July 18, Tan, 25, who was hounded by the Press at the Jalan Duta court complex where he and Lee, 24, signed their release papers, smilingly told them this, today.

The couple’s counsel Chong Joo Tian during the submissions on the prosecution’s preliminary objection to Tan and Lee’s revision application, had told the court that his clients were put in isolation detention and this was a form of punishment.

Lee whose bail was also posted by Tan’s mother however, did not respond to members of the media and chose to keep her head down and hide her face behind her hair. She served eight days at the Kajang prison.

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12 police reports lodged over Sungai Buloh school controversy

Police have received 12 police reports over the SK Seri Pristana controversy where non-Muslim pupils were shown having their meals in the shower room.

Sungai Buloh police chief Superintendent Junaidi Bujang said 10 reports were from parents and even outsiders, who wanted action taken against the school authorities.

"There were also two reports from the headmaster and a teacher who claimed that they were threatened," said Junaidi, adding that their reports have been classified as criminal intimidation.

Headmaster Mohamad Nasir Mohd Noor, 57, claimed that he had received death threats by people who had called the school office.

Junaidi added that the other staff, a teacher, had lodged a report alleging that the issue had been blown out of proportion and has caused the staff in the school to feel demotivated and lose their focus on teaching.

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DOE asks Indonesia to douse forest fires

The Air Pollutant Index reading in Putrajaya was 91 at noon yesterday. The haze reduced visibility amid high temperatures

DOE asks Indonesia to douse forest fires

Indonesia has been urged to take immediate action to prevent and put out the forest fires in central Sumatra which have brought the haze back to Malaysia.

Department of Environment (DOE) director-general Datuk Halimah Hassan sent a letter to her Indonesian counterpart on Monday to express Malaysia's concern over the sudden spike in hot spots in central Sumatra.

"The marked increase in hot spots has occurred since Sunday.

"We are now experiencing the westerly monsoon season during which winds blowing from the hot spots in central Sumatra cause a haze in the central and southern parts of the west coast of the peninsula," she said in a statement yesterday.

The westerly monsoon, which causes the hot and dry spell, is expected to end in early October.

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PIX GALLERY: Kuala Besut by-election polling day

 Pas candidate, Endot @ Azlan Yusof shaking hands with a voter at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Nangka, Kuala Besut

BN candidate, Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman (center) pushing a voter on a wheel chair, during his visit at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Nangka, Kuala Besut.

 The environment of the Kuala Besut by-election at SK Bukit Puteri.

A Pas supporter wearing the Pas flag for the Kuala Besut by-election.

Some of the locals showing their support for Pas candidate.

The locals cast their votes for the Kuala Besut by-election at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Nangka.

Headmaster and PTA chairman defend controversial meals decision

The headmaster of a Sungai Buloh primary school has said that Muslim and non-Muslim students had been using the school’s changing room since March to have their meals.

The SK Seri Pristana headmaster Mohd Nasir Mohd Noor said the increased enrolment and space shortage in the canteen had prompted the decision.

He also stressed that he would never discriminate against his pupils, pointing out that the changing room was clean and that it was the closest room to the canteen.

“I did not mean any harm to the pupils,” The Star today reported him as saying. The paper reported that when it visited the school yesterday, the headmaster and the head of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) looked distressed as officers from various government departments questioned them repeatedly on the subject, while Mohd Nasir had to answer his mobile phone every few minutes.

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Kuala Besut by-election: Polling day

The people of Kuala Besut will decide on Wednesday if the Terengganu state assembly ends up hung or not.

Barisan Nasional candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Rahman, 37, will go up against PAS candidate Azlan Yusof, 48, known fondly as Che Long.

Currently, Barisan has 16 seats in the state assembly to Pakatan Rakyat’s 15 seats. A win for Pas will result in an equal 16 seats for each coalition in the state assembly.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Barisan's Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar who passed away on June 26.

There are 17,683 registered voters in Kuala Besut out of which 1,148 are early voters. Early voting took place on July 20, with a turnout of 79.63%.

The Election Commission estimates a turnout of 75% for Wednesday’s voting even though it is a working day. The results will only be known after 10pm.

In the May 5 general elections, Barisan won with a majority of 2,434 votes.


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Sungai Buloh school was wrong, say Muslim scholars

Muslim scholars have frowned on measures taken by a school in Sungai Buloh in protecting the sanctity of the fasting month by ordering its non-Muslim students to have their meals in a shower room.

They said this was not the right way for the school to educate its non-Muslim pupils on how to respect those who are fasting.

Former Perlis mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said: “Obviously what the school in Sungai Buloh had done was wrong.”

“Even if the school wanted to educate the non-Muslim pupils to respect their fellow students who are fasting they could have done it in a better way,” he said.

“This incident should not have taken place as non-muslims are not required to fast,” he said.

Dr Asri suggested the school advice its pupils on the do’s and don’ts during the fasting month.

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Jawi want a closer look at Muslim beauty contestants

The four Muslim Miss Malaysia-World finalists are being investigated by The Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) as they are deemed to have insulted Islam.

Jawi director Datuk Che Mat Che Ali said its enforcement unit would look into the matter following a Malay daily’s report that the girls were bent on taking part in the beauty pageant despite an edict by the National Fatwa Council prohibiting it.

“If we find sufficient evidence for further investigation, they will be charged in the Syariah Court,” he said, according to The Star.

Those found guilty can be fined up to RM3,000, jailed up to two years, or both.

Che Mat noted that based on the report in the Malay daily, the participants had expressed their disappointment with the fatwa that was gazetted on Feb 8, 1996, under the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) 1993.

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Haze levels improves in KL but Perak API rising

Changing winds have caused the air pollutant index (API) levels to drop in the Klang Valley as Seri Manjung in Perak bears the brunt of the smoke from Sumatra, Indonesia.

Seri Manjung now has an unhealthy API reading of 118, the highest in the country.

However, the API as at 8am recorded several spots with readings close to 100, an unhealthy reading.

Residents in Port Klang (91), Kuala Selangor (86), Shah Alam (85), Ipoh (91), Tanjung Malim (86), Kuala Terengganu (87) and Bukit Rambai (94) will have to endure the haze as dry weather conditions are expected to last a few more days.

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Haze: Parents can opt not to send children to school, says Muhyiddin

Parents have the discretion not to send their children to school if they are concerned about the haze affecting their children's health, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“Parents should refer to the relevant schools, district education offices and state education departments to find out more about the status of their children's schools, especially those in affected areas,” he said in a statement on Monday.

Muhyiddin, who is Education Minister, said all state education departments and district education offices have been instructed to monitor news on the air quality in their areas.

"I urge schools to follow the guidelines issued from time to time (by the ministry) on whether schools should be immediately close, the ceasing of all activities outside of the classroom in order to safeguard students' health.

"All state education department directors should also seek the advice of the relevant authorities regarding the closure of schools and any outdoor activities that involve students,” he said.

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KK Super Mart armed to defend after 11 robberies by same group

Stunned by a series of 11 brazen attacks on KK Super Marts, founder and CEO Datuk Dr Douglas K.K. Chai has beefed up security at his outlets.

“We have hired a security team to go around our stores and we have increased the number of people in our response team,” he said.

“We have 20 people in our response team, with four of them being armed with pistols.”

This follows a number of attacks by a group of five men armed with machetes who robbed KK Super Mart, a 24-hour mini-supermarket chain, 11 times in 10 days.

He said KK Super Mart was working closely with the police force to catch the robbers.

It would increase the number of CCTV in it’s stores, he said.

“Up to 16 cameras have been installed with several of them focusing on the entrance of the store,” he said.

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HM and PTA head grilled

Not in use: The school canteen has been closed while non-Muslim pupils ate in the changing room in SK Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh.


When we arrived, the dining tables and chairs were still there at the girls changing room of SK Seri Pristana, where non-Muslim pupils had been having breakfast and lunch over the past week,

As we entered the school grounds at about 6pm yesterday, the headmaster and the head of the Parent-Teacher Association looked distressed as officers from various government departments questioned them repeatedly on why the pupils had been moved to the changing room.

They showed us the changing room which was very clean at the time.

Two tables with purple tablecloths were placed in the small space next to the shower stalls and the sinks, with benches for the pupils to sit on

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New prince rules Britain's front pages

Prince William the Duke of Cambridge holds his new-born baby boy in front of the world's media outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London on July 23, 2013. The baby was born on Monday afternoon weighing eight pounds six ounces (3.8 kilogrammes). The baby, titled His Royal Highness, Prince (name) of Cambridge, is directly in line to inherit the throne after Charles, Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son and heir, and his eldest son William.


The first photographs of Britain’s new prince dominated newspaper front pages on Wednesday, with Princess Diana’s ring conspicuous on the hand of new mother Kate as she presented her son to the world.

Following the pomp and formality which followed Monday’s announcement of the birth of a baby boy for Prince William and his wife, Fleet Street struck a much more playful tone as it celebrated the new arrival’s first of a lifetime of public appearances.

Many of the papers, including the Daily Mirror, Daily Mail and the Times, carried a picture of the day-old baby apparently waving to the throng of photographers and well-wishers on Tuesday.

“Baby’s first royal wave” said the Daily Mail’s “magical picture souvenir” edition, while the Daily Mirror ran a similar headline “Royal wave? I’ve cracked it mum.” A special wrap-around cover of the Times featured Catherine carrying her new son under the headline “His first royal wave”.


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PAS: Nearly RM500m, BN’s Kuala Besut run ‘costliest in history’

From BN’s pledges and promises, Dzulkefly said each ballot in Kuala Besut is worth RM27,000. - See more at:

Barisan Nasional (BN) has pledged a total of RM467.12 million in its 12-day campaign for the Kuala Besut by-election, rivals PAS alleged today in what it said is possibly the most ever spent on a by-election.

Today’s estimate by PAS topped the RM330 million that yesterday moved electoral watchdog Bersih to cry foul over the alleged vote-buying for the crucial poll.

“The grand total that we have counted up until this moment reached RM476.19 million. With a total of 17,683 voters, we announce that the value of each ballot for N.01 Kuala Besut reached RM27,000,” PAS’s Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told reporters here.

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Education Ministry orders school to stop forcing pupils to eat in shower room

The Education Ministry has ordered a Sungai Buloh school to stop ordering its non-Muslims pupils to have their recess meals in the school’s shower room.

Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan in a tweet said he had requested SK Seri Pristana in Sungai Buloh to immediately make a more suitable place available.

Expressing shock over the incident, Kamalanathan told The Malaysian Insider that while the holy month of Ramadan was to be observed with respect by Muslims, non-Muslims should be given the space to meals as usual.

"The month is sacred to our Muslim brothers and sisters and there should be mutual respect. This, however, should not translate to demanding that non-Muslims not eat their meals in public places, in this case the young students.

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Four charged with kidnap in “Saya hina Islam” case

The four people who were charged with kidnapping Ng Mun Tatt being led out of court.

Four men who allegedly abducted and assaulted a youth before writing the words “Saya hina agama Islam” on his chest were charged with kidnapping at the Shah Alam magistrate's court today.

The four - Mohamad Asri Mohamad Jamil, 22, Mohd Mazli Sazeli, 26, Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman, 29 and Agus Hariyanto Mahmod Hosen, 27, - were charged with commiting the offence at Restoran Muneer in Section 25, Shah Alam at 4.30am on on July 15.

They were charged with two others still at large, with abducting Ng Mun Tatt, 21, for the purpose of obtaining a RM3,000 ransom.

No plea was recorded.

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Remain calm, Sabahans told - Sulu revenge letter

Sabahans should remain calm as the au thorities remain vigilant over public safety.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the people should not be unduly worried over a letter pur portedly sent by Sulu militants threatening to launch an attack in Tambunan.

He said they should not believe in rumours which had been spreading after the letter was sent to Tambunan District Office recently.

“It is true that we have received the letter which carries the threat of terrorists from Sulu to invading Sabah. They say they will enter next month.

“I do not believe that it is a genuine letter from the terrorists and it is somewhat funny as no one would provide a date for them to come and cause violence. I consider it (the letter) as false,” he said after visiting several policemen being treated at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian here.

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Shisha ban should cover all Malaysians

The fatwa against shisha is noteworthy, although it could have been done done much earlier.

The edict creates a double standard in safeguarding the health of people

THERE is no doubt that the fatwa to ban the use of shisha is timely and welcomed. Shisha is no longer a novelty in Malaysia. It has become popular, especially among youngsters of both genders.

They perceive shisha as harmless, more for fun and kicks. This is always the case for habit-forming activities, ranging from the use of substances to electronic gadgets.

Hence, to act fast with utmost resolute is the name of the game. It will become an uphill battle once the habits become entrenched in us.

The fatwa against shisha is laudable, though it could have been done earlier.

The next step is to internalise the fact that addiction knows no boundaries: geographical, ethnicity and social status.

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Post-mortem shows baby choked to death on milk

A post-mortem on a six-month-old girl who died at a nursery in Taman Impian Murni, Alma here yesterday, has confirmed the baby choked on milk.

Seberang Perai Tengah police chief ACP Azman Abd Lah said Bukit Mertajam Hospital staff found milk in the lungs of the baby, Cyndi Koay Xin Lin.

The case was classifed as sudden death, he said.

“At the moment, there is no criminal element in the baby’s death,” he said when contacted here today.

He said initial investigations revealed that Xin Lin was under the care of a woman, in her 40’s, who was an acquaintance of the deceased’s parents.


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DPM: Stern action against school if meals-in-toilet allegations true

Putrajaya pledged stern action today against the authorities of a primary school if allegations that it had forced its non-Muslim students to eat in the toilets during Ramadan are proven true.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the education minister, confirmed on his Twitter page this afternoon that the incident will be investigated and punishment meted to those responsible.

“Saya telah mengarahkan KPPM utk siasat isu pelajar bukan Islam yg disuruh makan di dalam tandas. Tindakan tegas akan diambil jika ada asas,” Muhyiddin wrote on the microblogging site.


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