Prices rise ahead of poll fever

KUALA KRAI: Election fever is set to rise with nomination on Monday in the Manek Urai state by-election but prices of food at restaurants have been sky-high for more than a week now.

Would you pay RM17.20 for two servings of chicken rice and a syrup drink? Or RM6 for one serving of white rice with beef curry? Well, you have no choice!

These are the prices, or even higher, which the estimated 30,000 party workers and journalists who have descended on the constituency would have to bear with until polling day on July 14.

"The increase is only a little. This is election time. Everyone carries loads of cash," said the owner of a restaurant when this writer commented on the exorbitant price of chicken rice.

A party worker from Kedah, Yahya Husin, 42, agreed that the prices were unreasonably high.

"The prices even in Kedah or Kuala Lumpur are not this high," he said.

Not all restaurants have raised their prices. One exception is Kedai Makan Kak Yah in Kampung Lata Rek here.

The owner, who wanted to be known only as Kak Yah, said prices of fresh fish and vegetables had gone up.

"But Kak Yah has not raised prices," she said. This writer paid RM5.50 for two servings of a Kelantanese traditional meal.

Rental of houses have also gone up, with a house being rented out for RM9,000 for use during a two-week period for the by-election.

The by-election is being held following the death of the state assemblyman, Ismail Yaacob of PAS, on May 22. - Bernama

Murugiah insists he is PPP president

PENANG: Datuk T. Murugiah still insists that he is the rightful PPP president despite the Registrar of Societies (ROS) not reaching a decision over the matter yet.

“I am very confident that I will lead the party and I am here (in Penang) in my capacity as the party president to meet the branch members,” he told reporter yesterday after meeting 22 division chiefs.

“Two thirds of the members have already chosen me to be their president. This is a membership drive.”

Murugiah, who is also deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said he has learned that the ROS investigation was already completed and an announcement would be made very soon.

The party's internal conflict began when youth chief Murugiah, was sacked from the party.

He was declared party president during an emergency general meeting called by his supporters on May 24.

Party president Datuk M. Kayveas won the top post unopposed when party's nomination closed on May 30.

Guan Eng to write to PM on Kampung Buah Pala issue

PENANG: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng will write a letter to the Prime Minister requesting for the Federal Government to consider paying the cost in acquiring the land at Kampung Buah Pala.

“I am in the process of writing a letter not only to (former chief minister) Koh Tsu Koon but also to PM,” he told reporters on Sunday after meeting former Internal Security Act detainee V.S Ganapathi Rao over the issue. .

“I hope the Federal Government can consider paying for the cost of the land under the Land Act.”

Lim added that the state government could not afford to pay for the land acquisition cost.

He said he was surprised that certain parties kept on harping on the issue but they had never asked the previous state government on why the prime land was sold at a cheap price.

Lim added the residents were never consulted over the sale of the land.

At another function, deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk T. Murugiah said that the Kampung Buah Pala residents were in the process of sending a memorandum to him.

“We will see how the Federal Government can help them. Earlier, the Federal Government did not interfere because the state administration was under Pakatan,” he said.

“We will also try to speak the CM how we can help to resolve the issue.”

More than a million vying for MJ memorial service tickets

LOS ANGELES: More than 1.2 million people have now registered to get tickets for Michael Jackson’s memorial service next week.

Only 11,000 tickets will be given out for the Tuesday service at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Another 6,500 tickets will be given away for the Nokia Theater overflow section next door.

The only way to get tickets is to register for free at staplescenter.com. After Saturday evening, 8,750 names will be randomly selected to receive two tickets each.

Notifications will go out on Sunday. Only U.S. residents can get tickets.

City officials are preparing for massive crowds.

Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger says anywhere from a quarter-million to 700,000 people may try to reach the arena, even though a wide area around Staples Center will be sealed off to those without tickets.-AP

Myths about low sexual desire

There are lots of moments in life when you seem to be the only one craving for sex and your partner just doesn't seem interested enough.

Most couples have faced this situation sometime or another in their sexual life even as the sex nosedives and vanishes for days/months and in worst case scenarios maybe even for years. Learning to recognise the symptoms behind a low sex drive helps to get out of the sticky situation. Here are the most common myths about your low sexual levels:

Myth 1: Too much stress leads to low sex drive
Banker Rohit Khanna complained about high stress levels to his partner. "I was having a tough time with my boss in office. That affected my interest in sex, but Aradhana just wouldn't understand. We ended up fighting, with my wife accusing me that I just wasn't interested in her anymore and I was put off by the thought of indulging in sex with her. Finally, we both had to visit a counselor who helped us see the problem for what it was. It was also a time when I had begun to doubt my own sexual prowess. So yes, it was extremely traumatic."

Beat it: Psychologist Poornima Adhikari explains, "Couples often go through high and low phases in their sexual desires. It could be triggered off by anything and stress is most often one of the major reasons for a lack luster sexual life. The hectic lifestyle of today bears ugly aftermaths and thus couples must figure out ways to de-stress. They should look into common areas of interest that help them bond and find happiness together. And talking about your problems is a great way of lowering high stress levels. So communicate, take out time even if it's just 10 minutes every day to talk about things that are troubling you."

Myth 2: Women's low libido are governed by her hormones
Shraddha Singh, a hotel executive reveals that men often believe that hormones regulate a woman's intrinsic moods and desires. "Anand, my husband always fought with me when I told him that I just didn't want to have sex today. He inevitably blamed it on my hormonal levels, saying that women were victims of their hormones. But that's such a huge misconception. Our hormones are just like our male counterparts too." She adds, "Often, a low libido is caused by eating habits, fatigue, not enough sleep and many more physiological factors. Also it's about our mental health."

Beat it: Adhikari points out that low sex drive in women often stems from how they feel about themselves and how they view their relationship with their partner. So when women complain about a low sex drive, their partners need to make them feel good about themselves. Couples need to sit together and work out how on to improve their existing relationship. The woman must be going through some kind of complex feelings that need to be detangled to take the relationship forward at a physical level.

Myth 3: Medications help to boost low sex drive
According to Dr Swaroop Pandit, Anshuman Hospital, a dip in sexual levels is often caused by circumstances men/women face which causes physiological and psychological changes in the body. "Often patients seek an immediate solution but it takes time to make them realise that there isn't any immediate cure. It’s better if they could see it very objectively rather then losing sleep over it. It’s important to realise that medications can sometimes have just the opposite effect. So, what is important is to seek out the root of the problem, whether it’s physical, psychological or any other. That is half the fight done."

Beat it: Psychoanalyst Sushant Chauhan points out, "Medication should always be kept as the last option. Patients can often be cured by simply addressing their problems. And more than men, its women today who complain about their low sex drive. There are women who are traumatised by the balancing act that they have to deliver everyday by looking into both their professional and personal lives, so at times they almost give sex a miss. Women also get involved with their children once they become mothers so it takes a while to get back their normal drive. What it requires is some patience, a lot of love and time. These factors can go a long way to cure the fears and inhibitions you have."

Myth 4: Sexual drive works in isolation to our body
Business analyst Deepak Sharma experienced a phase of low libido. Stricken by panic attacks and running to and fro between seeing doctors and meeting deadlines worsened the case. A chain smoker, his smoking consequently saw a heady increase. "I was totally losing control. I was embarrassed to talk about my low libido with my peers and I just didn't know what was happening to me. Some said I should visit a doctor, some said I should try out herbal medication. I was just not in a position to realise what was causing it. I began to drink steadily along with smoking, often going without meals. And all the time I was thinking how everyone saw me as this loser," confesses Sharma.

Beat it: "This is definitely a cause and effect situation. Men are known to give their sexual drive a lot of importance, so it's very natural for them to react in this manner. Men, in India are a shy lot and very rarely come out to address problems until they are pushed by their partners or family members. Firstly, be clear that it doesn’t matter that you are experiencing a low libido level. However, once you face such a predicament, do not aggravate the problem by smoking and so on. It is a fact that smoking can cause impotency, but many people still do not view this as a major problem. So if you are a smoker, kick the habit. If you drink too often, start counting your drinks. Reshuffling your lifestyle, taking a holiday, pursuing interesting hobbies often leads to reinstating your drive," says Chauhan.


Myth 5: High sexual life is equivalent to a good emotional intimacy
Quite often we are taken over by a secure emotional intensity that we share with our partner. And we take that as a guarantee for a fulfilling sex life. Like Shweta Trikha, a struggling model, reveals, "I found a lot of emotional succor from my partner, especially because of the competitiveness that pervaded my work life. He made me feel like we are best friends and nothing could be better then this. But our sexual life was losing its zing. And I didn't know how to get it back on track. Despite drawing so much security from each other, we saw that we were losing steam in bed. That was the time when I hit the alarm bell."

Beat it: Adhikari explains, "Couples often experience moments when everything is going right for them emotionally, except that they are unable to feel a sexual desire for each other. So, instead of getting overwhelmed, go easy. A way out is not to think about having sex and scoring highly in the act. Instead start by just being playful. Forget about doing anything that is normal; instead think of ways to make yourself feel sexy and desired by your beau. The best solution is to feel desired for desire to take precedence in your love life."

Myth 6: If your partner wants to have sex and you don't, then you can make up by showing love in other ways
Confesses college-goer Amit Nagpal, "I faced this problem with my girlfriend. We would often have these dry spells where we didn't touch each other for months even as my girl craved it. I would try to make up for my low sex drive by showering her with gifts, telling her how much I loved her almost all the time. But there was no satisfying her. She complained about not kissing, hugging and I just couldn't explain that I didn't feel like getting physically intimate. Finally there came a time when I decided to give her a break."

Beat it: "This is a problem that is very common, but never understood. Every couple shares a different chemistry, but it is important to touch and feel each other. Especially for married couples, because even if you try to show your love in other ways, it can't compensate for lack of physical closeness. The physical aspect is more important and can't t be replaced by any other act. So it's best to say that you are facing a problem, instead of trying to hide it by resorting to other means to display love," explains Chauhan.

Myth 7: Low libido makes you less desirable
This is a prevalent misconception that can scar the psyche of a person permanently. Fashion designer Sonal Lal, says," I was engaged to be married, but during our courtship period, I just couldn't do get physical with my fiance. Every time he suggested sex, I refused his overtures as I was unable to feel any physical longing for him. This went on till he broke off the engagement complaining that I was cold and frigid and undesirable. The experience hurt so much that I kept away from men for a long time post my broken engagement. And whenever anyone tried to cosy up with me, I shied away being afraid of being rejected all over again."

Beat It: Explains Chauhan that no individual has the right to abuse their partner who may be facing these problems. "Yes, it happens that we might not feel attracted to the person we have planned to marry. It's important to question the basis of your relationship with your prospective partner then, rather then taking the blame on yourself. As discussed, there could be problems beyond the periphery of normal understanding. And desire stems from feeling good about yourself. First develop a positive image about yourself," adds Chauhan.

Myth 8: Sex is the only thing in a relationship
Gautam Nirula, a sales executive says, "I was always told by my friends that a relationship is based on sex. Thus, when I got married, I concentrated on that. However what I failed to understand was that sex depends on a lot of factors. I always wanted sex and my wife kept on refusing me. And instead of understanding her predicament, I remained angry with her. This resulted in a distance between the two of us. Only when elders interfered and counselled me, I realized what was going wrong. Today; I feel that emotional compatibility, trust and faith in each other make the foundation on which great sex is built."

Beat it: Explains Adhikari, "Married couples need to go beyond sex to get it right in bed. If you harbour anger or resentment about your partner you can't enjoy a gratifying sexual life. Often it's the emotional closeness that is most required. When couples come to me I advise them not to think about their physical needs. Instead they are advised to look out for the things they like/love about each other. And develop their bond from there onwards. They need to concentrate on the positives than seeing the negatives. This helps them to get your passion back.

US ready for NKorean missile

WASHINGTON - THE United States is ready to intercept any North Korean long-range missile, a top US military commander said on Thursday, as Pyongyang further tested international patience with fresh launches.

'The nation has a very, very credible ballistic-missile defence capability,' the commander of US Northern Command, General Victor Renuart, told The Washington Times.

'Our ground-based interceptors in Alaska and California ... give me a capability that if we really are threatened by a long-range ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) that I've got high confidence that I could interdict that flight before it caused huge damage to any US territory.'

Washington has said it is not ruling out the possibility of a North Korean long-range missile launch toward Hawaii on or around July 4, the US Independence Day, although the Pentagon has expressed doubts about such a scenario.

But Gen Renuart, commander of US Northcom and the missile launch-monitoring US-Canada North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad), warned 'we ought to assume there might be one... and continue to be prepared and ready.'

His comments came as South Korean military officials said Pyongyang test-fired four short-range missiles Thursday, further fueling tensions sparked by the North's nuclear standoff with the international community.

The launches were 'not unexpected,' said Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman.

'North Korea is looking for attention,' added a US defence official who requested anonymity.

It was the first military action by the hardline communist state since the United Nations on June 12 imposed tougher sanctions for its May 25 nuclear test.

President Barack Obama had assured in late June that the United States is 'fully prepared' for a potential North Korean missile launch toward US territory. -- AFP

Anwar Ibrahim prosecution

By Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan

The following is an excerpt of a public lecture by Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan titled Democracy, Law and Human Rights in an Era of Globalisation that was delivered on 23 June 2009 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Chevening Scholarship Programme.

THE Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim prosecution is seen by many as the political persecution of the leader of the opposition. The question is, can we, as a nation, go through a second Anwar prosecution?

Lawyer Tommy Thomas had this to say in a 28 July 2008 article titled A Second Prosecution of Anwar Ibrahim — Is it in the national interest?: “The starting point is the previous prosecution of Anwar for sodomy in 1998[,] which imposed incredible strains on our legal system, and made Malaysia the laughing stock in the legal world.

“It would be sufficient to remind ourselves of the conduct of the prosecution in the 1998 case, the unfair publicity given by the mass media, the denial of bail, the ‘irrelevant’ rulings by the trial judge, the conduct of the trial itself, the amendment of the charges, the shameful parading of the mattress, the expungement of ‘inconvenient’ evidence, the finding of guilty, the lengthy sentence, the appeal to the Court of Appeal, and finally the appeal to the Federal Court.”

I personally recall being utterly horrified and disgusted by the charges against Anwar the first time round. The initial charges carried wording I cannot repeat in good company. I also remember the terrible injustice done to Sukma Darmawan. And then to Dr Munawar Ahmad Anees, who to this day has not been vindicated by our courts although they have had the opportunity to do so. We must not forget these and other unfortunate people who all became innocent victims in this political war against Anwar.

The whole prosecution was a disgrace. I remember someone saying then that the trial robbed this country’s citizens, in particular our children, of their innocence, as we had a daily fare of sodomy, semen-stained mattresses and the like.

Thomas argues, and I agree, that since those disgraceful events, the judiciary has taken steps to repair itself. He argues that a second prosecution would (I’d say could because, of course, the court could throw out the case) undo all the repair the judiciary has carried out to improve its image.

And it is no coincidence that Anwar is the opposition leader who has brought sweeping changes to the political landscape.

Tommy ThomasThomas argues: “If Anwar were not a potential prime minister, and only an ordinary citizen, he would not face this prosecution. It is as simple, plain and obvious as that.”

The prosecution, Thomas argues, is economic and political suicide. He adds that the people of Malaysia are deeply divided on this issue, and that Malaysia’s international image will, no doubt, suffer.

He then concludes with these words: “History is replete with examples of leaders who refused to learn from past mistakes, and were doomed to repeat them. It would be a tragedy of ancient Greek proportions if our leaders do not learn the lessons from 1998.

“It is abundantly clear that all the factors point in one direction: it is not in the public interest to subject the nation and its citizens to the trauma of a second trial…”

Ultimately, the powers-that-be must appreciate the consequences of this prosecution. If they win, they lose; if they lose, they lose. Actually, the nation loses. If you were a betting person, what would you do with those odds?

One thing must be made clear, it is my opinion that what we are doing to Anwar Ibrahim is starkly similar to what is happening to Aung San Suu Kyi. I ask, show me the difference between the two. I ask, how can we condemn the latter and do the former?

I call on the government to immediately review the Anwar prosecution in the public interest and because it is the right thing to do. If the government takes this step, it will certainly regain some credibility.

The AG’s role

It is important in our justice system to appreciate the duties and responsibilities of the Attorney General, particularly in criminal prosecutions.

The Attorney General cannot act arbitrarily. In a judgment relating to the Attorney General’s discretion over prosecutions, the Federal Court held that:

“The public of whose interest he [or she] is the guardian has a right to expect him [or her] to act honestly, without fear of powerful national and local figures or of the consequences to him [or her] personally or politically, and without favouring his [or her] relatives and friends and supporters, his [or her] principal concern being to maintain the rule of law so that there will be no anarchy and to maintain standards in public life and the private sector.”

Our institutions must work to regain their credibility. I started my speech with a quote from Aung San Suu Kyi that fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it. I hope this is not what we are seeing today in Malaysia.

Rule of law

You would have appreciated by now that democracy, rule of law and human rights are all interlinked. The essential distinction between rule of law and rule by law must be noted.

Many dictatorships or military regimes can quite honestly say that everything that they do is in accordance with laws they have passed. Does our Internal Security Act, for example, accord with the rule of law? No — that is rule by law.

Laws passed by Parliament must accord with the rule of law. They must encompass basic fundamental liberties and values. These laws must be acceptable to a large number of people. They must be fair.

In Malaysia, even after 50 years of Merdeka, there are still in existence four declarations of emergency! We still have the archaic Sedition Act, Official Secrets Act, and Printing Presses and Publications Act. It is time for us to review all these pieces of legislation.

Within our borders

So, if there are human rights abuses outside our borders, can we in today’s world fail to act? The answer is no. We must reach across our borders on issues of human rights.

But more important is what we do within our borders. Do we have the right to condemn apartheid, as we did, when we allow racist rhetoric to abound in our country? What about the right to condemn Aung San Suu Kyi’s suffering while we treat Anwar Ibrahim the way we do? Can we criticise the kidnapping and disappearance of people overseas when it happens in our country?

We must have the moral authority to criticise others by ensuring we do not behave in the same way.

————-

Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan is former Bar Council chairperson and a recipient of the US Secretary of State’s 2009 Award for International Women of Courage.

-- DSAI Blog

'King of funerals'

LOS ANGELES - FROM Elvis Presley to Princess Diana, iconic funerals are often marked by massive crowds, celebrity mourners and gut-wrenching emotion - and Michael Jackson's memorial will be no different.

More than one million people are expected to pay homage to the King of Pop at his funeral, an event which could dwarf the memorial services held for Presley in 1977 and Diana 20 years later, experts say.

Plans for Jackson's memorial began to filter out Tuesday, with reports saying the tragic icon would make a poignant return by motorcade to his Neverland fantasy ranch on Thursday.

A public viewing of Jackson's body is planned for Friday before private services for his family take place at the weekend. Precise details of Jackson's burial and final resting place are not known.

Yet intense anticipation has already begun to build, with speculation that the Jackson family could hold a series of simultaneous services in all corners of the globe to reflect the star's huge worldwide appeal.

'Potentially this could be enormous,' Mr Robert Thompson, an expert in pop culture at Syracuse University in New York. 'Everything that has to do with Michael Jackson was done huge, super-sized. Diana was princess of the United Kingdom, so certain limits are placed. For Michael Jackson there are no real rules, everything is possible.'

Diana's funeral in 1997 saw unprecedented scenes. Hundreds of thousands crowded into London's Hyde Park to watch a broadcast from Westminster Abbey, where mourners included Hillary Clinton, George Michael and Steven Spielberg.

A further one million people were estimated to have lined the streets as the funeral cortege bearing Diana's coffin wound its way from London to her family's ancestral home.

For Elvis Presley, who died in 1977 at the age of 42, an estimated 80,000 fans descended on Memphis, Tennessee to pay emotional homage to 'The King of Rock N' Roll' before his burial at Graceland.

More than 30 years later, an estimated half a million people visit Graceland every year to salute the King, who remains the highest-earning dead celebrity according to Forbes.

However, Mr Thompson noted, the death of Elvis occurred 'before 24 hours news, no distribution possibilities, no globalisation.' 'Here, the potential distribution is huge,' he told AFP.

Reverend Al Sharpton, who has been advising the Jackson family on funeral arrangements said the family wanted to honor both Jackson's superstar impact and his humble roots as the son of a steelworker in Gary, Indiana. -- AFP

Man jailed over oral sex

Singapore- A MAN who allowed a 15-year-old girl to perform oral sex on him was jailed for eight months on Monday.

Shahrizam Mohamed Asri, 33, admitted to having unnatural sex with the underage girl at a multi-storey carpark at Boon Lay Drive in December 2005.

He was also given a concurrent sentence of seven months' jail for attempted sex with the girl that day.

A Community Court heard that the two became acquainted over the Internet about three months earlier and exchanged phone numbers.

In December, they arranged to meet. He picked her up near her house and drove her to the multi-storey carpark at Boon Lay Drive where the offences occurred.

In April 2006, the victim's aunt received a call from her sister-in-law that she had chanced upon a video clip showing the victim performing oral sex on an unknown man.

The victim admitted it after she was queried. She made a police report on April 12 that year.

A third charge of permitting a 14-year-old girl to perform oral sex on him at another carpark was considered during his sentencing.

He could have been jailed for up to five years and fined up to $10,000 for attempted carnal connection.

For unnatural sex, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

Penang exco sacks Johari from Seberang Prai Council (Update)

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state executive council has revoked the councillorship of Johari Kassim, the controversial PKR Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) whip who led a boycott of the swearing-in ceremony of council president Mokhtar Mohd Jait.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the state exco had unanimously agreed upon rescinding Johari’s position during their weekly meeting last Friday.

“We have decided to revoke Johari’s position as a MPSP councillor under Section 10 (4) of the Local Government Act 1976.

“Under this Section, a municipal councillor’s position may be declared vacant under one of three conditions - a councillor resigning on his own accord, a councillor facing a conflict of interest or a councillor’s nomination being nullified by the state administration,” Chow told reporters after launching a new phase of bilingual road signs here Monday.

He added that the state revoked Johari’s position as an MPSP councillor under the third condition and the law did not have provisions for Johari to appeal the decision.

“The revocation took effect on June 26 and the State Secretary (Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman) will issue an official letter to Johari today.

“We believe this action is a stern warning by the state government to the other MPSP councillors who followed him (in the boycott),” Chow said.

On June 4, Johari led eight MPSP PKR councillors in boycotting the swearing-in ceremony of former North Seberang Prai district officer Mokhtar as council head under claims that the position had been reserved for a PKR member.

His action lead to DAP leaders, including Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s Chief of Staff Jeff Ooi and political secretary Ng Wei Aik, calling for his resignation and removal on grounds of insubordination.

Asked whether the state was planning any further action against the other seven MPSP PKR municipal councillors over the issue, Chow said the warning was “good enough”.

Asked whether PKR leaders had been consulted in the disciplinary action, Chow said Lim had discussed it with Penang PKR chairman Datuk Zahrain Mohamed Hashim.

When contacted, Johari seemed calm over the revelation.

“I am not aware of it. I had a meeting with Zahrain on Saturday and he did not mention it.

“Anyway, I was appointed by PKR to be a councillor not DAP or the state,” he said.

In an immediate response, Chow said if that was the case, Johari should try to “ask PKR to reappoint him”.

Rulers want views of religious councils

KUALA LUMPUR: The 217th (special) meeting of the Conference of Rulers, which was held at the Istana Negara here Monday, has decided to get the views of the respective state religious councils first before arriving at a decision on the matter of conversion to Islam.

A such, the Conference of Rulers decided to defer its decision on proposed amendments to state enactments on the matter, said a statement issued by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal.

The meeting, which lasted over two hours, was chaired Raja Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail.

Yang diPertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin also attended the meeting. All the sultans and the Yang Dipertuas Negeri attended the meeting except the sultans of Kelantan, Pahang and Perak.

Kelantan was represented by the Regent, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra Sultan Ismail Petra, Pahang by the Tengku Mahkota, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, and Perak by the Regent, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Sultan Azlan Shah.

Terengganu was represented by the President of the Regency Advisory Council, Tengku Seri Panglima Raja Tengku Baderulzaman Sultan Mahmud. The Yang diPertuan Agong is the Sultan of Terengganu.

On April 22, the Cabinet made a decision that minors could remain in the religion of their parents at the time of their marriage, even if their mother or father later converted to another religion.

The Cabinet was of the view that conversions could not be used as an excuse to automatically dissolve a marriage or to get custody of children.

It also agreed that any individual wishing to change religion should first settle any outstanding issues with his or her spouse, to avoid innocent parties, especially children, becoming victims.

Matters concerning Islam come under state jurisdiction in the federation. The Rulers are the head of Islam in their respective states. -- Bernama

Govt to consider Tunship for Onn Jaafar

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will consider a proposal to bestow an award carrying the title “Tun” on the late Datuk Onn Jaafar who founded Umno, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told the Dewan Rakyat Monday.

In a written reply to Hamim Samuri (BN-Ledang), he said such an award would be in recognition of the huge contribution Onn had made to uniting the people of then Malaya and his struggle to achieve independence for the country.

Onn had founded Umno on March 4, 1946 with the aim of uniting the Malays against the Malayan Union proposed by the British colonial administrators.

The first president of Umno is also remembered for having suggested that the party’s doors be opened to the other races in the country to resolve the issue of racial politics but this was opposed by the Malays and he resigned as party president in 1951.

Besides having founded Umno, the backbone of the Alliance and then the Barisan Nasional, Onn had also contributed much to raising the socioeconomic welfare of the Malays through the setting up of the then Rural Industrial Development Authority (Rida).

Although Onn lost in the 1955 general election in his attempt to become the prime minister of Malaya, he had played an important role in initiating the move for the independence of Malaya on Aug 31, 1957. Onn died in 1962 at the age of 67. -- Bernama

Lawyer in CBT trial demands apology from judge

GEORGE TOWN: It was a tense moment in a Sessions Court here when a lawyer demanded an apology from the judge for allegedly describing him as “rude and unethical.”

Counsel R.S.N. Rayer also said Sessions judge Rosilah Yop should apologise to him for advising his client to get another lawyer and that the judge should disqualify herself from hearing a criminal breach of trust (CBT) trial involving his client.

When the case was called up Monday, Rayer informed the court that he had written a letter to the judge dated June 26 explaining that he had to leave the trial halfway on May 29 as he had to attend an emergency meeting on the Kampung Buah Pala issue at the Chief Minister’s office.

He said he was informed by his client Hartini Abdul Ghani that after his exit, the judge commented that her lawyer was rude and unethical for ignoring his client and that she should hire another lawyer.

Rayer said Hartini had lodged a police report on the incident in court and also a complaint with the Attorney-General’s (AG) office.

“I am personally upset with the words used in my absence. I had never before come across a judge using such words against a lawyer.

“Even during my application to postpone the trial on May 29, you had passed remarks threatening to use contempt powers against me although I had humbly requested for the postponement,” he said.

Rayer said to allege that a lawyer is unethical was something very serious.

He then demanded an apology from Rosilah and for the case to be heard before another judge as he said it was clear that the judge would be prejudiced against him and would not accord his client a fair trial.

Hartini, 35, is on trial for committing CBT by failing to record the balance amount of RM300,000 which she had allegedly withdrawn from an ATM machine in her capacity as a chief cashier with the Eon Bank Berhad on Aug 21, 2006.

She was alleged to have committed the offence under Section 408 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between one and 10 years, whipping and a possible fine.

Rosilah struck out the application for her to apologise to Rayer and for the trial to be heard before another judge.

In the afternoon Rayer filed an appeal against her decision and the court fixed Aug 13 and 14 for continued hearing.

Nik Aziz disappointed that debate idea shot down

KOTA BARU: PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat expresed disappointment that Umno had shot down his suggestion for a debate with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak over the PAS-Umno spat.

He said his letter on the proposal had yet to be sent to Najib as his political secretary was overseas and would only be back on Wednesday.

“I am sorry and sad that Umno did not even consider the matter, but had simply shot it down,” he told reporters during a break in the State Assembly sitting.

Nik Abdul Aziz, who is also Kelantan Mentri Besar, was asked to comment on media reports that Umno was not keen on the debate as it would “further confuse the Malays and worsen matters.”

To a question, Nik Abdul Aziz said having a debate would have put the PAS-Umno spat in a clearer perspective.

In KUALA LUMPUR, PAS vice-president Salahuddin Ayub said a debate would be better than a dialogue.

People should not fear debates, he said at the Parliament lobby on Monday.

“I have debated with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, and others too had involved in other debates and they turned out well,” he said.

Asked if debate was necessary now that Pakatan Rakyat had rejected any talk of a unity government, he said this was not the issue.

“Perhaps what Tok Guru (Nik Aziz) wanted was to debate current issues, and one of the latest is oil and gas royalty for Kelantan,” he said.

“Even if the debate were to be more on Islamic matters, it should also not be a problem, and both parties would prepare their arguments,” he said.

When asked PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said he would have to verify it with Nik Aziz first.

Woman held for smuggling ketamine in kitchen grinder

CHENNAI: An Indian businesswoman who tried to outwit Customs officials by trying to smuggle 18 kg of ketamine to Malaysia by concealing them inside a kitchen grinder was nabbed at the Tiruchi Airport Sunday.

Air Customs at the airport detained the 45-year-old suspect from the Virudhunagar district in Tiruchi when she was preparing to board a flight to Malaysia.

The contraband, worth nearly RM400,000, was found when Customs officials were scanning her luggage.

"We seized the drugs when we were scanning her luggage. We found the ketamine inside the grinder. The suspect admitted that a man gave the item to her to deliver in Kuala Lumpur," T. Sivasankaran, Joint Commissioner of Air Customs of Tiruchi Airport, told Bernama.

According to investigation reports, several parts of the grinder were removed to make space for the ketamine that was neatly wrapped in a plastic sheet.

However, the woman denied she was carrying drugs in her luggage and claimed that a male friend had requested her to send the grinder as a wedding gift to a relative in Kuala Lumpur.

The man, believed to be involved in a drug smuggling syndicate in Chennai, had also promised her RM360 (5,000 rupees) if she delivered the grinder, the suspect told Customs officials.

The woman is being held under police custody for further investigations. - Bernama