Towards Lesser Crime In JB (4)

Abduction

Businessman Abducted During Lunch

JOHOR BARU: Three masked gunmen abducted a businessman while he was having lunch at a coffeeshop in Jalan Beladau in Taman Puteri Wangsa here yesterday.
The three entered the shop and fired at least one shot into the air before bundling the victim into a waiting car at about 1.45pm.
Sources said three of the victim’s friends tried to help him but they were stopped by one gunman who told them to sit down.
It is learnt that the victim, in his 40s, owned several businesses including entertainment outlets.
At press time, no motive has been established for the abduction or whether the victim’s family had received ransom demands.

Source: The Star - Friday, April 22. 2011

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Abducted Woman Assaulted And Traumatised
by Steven Chen

Yuen Mei Kien, 49, a mother of three was robbed, beaten, abducted and was held captive for 2 days before being released yesterday morning.
The incident happened at 6am when she was parking her family car near a fast food outlet in Taman Bukit Indah.
She was waiting to take a lift from her friend to go to work in Singapore where she works as an administrator in a private company.
Relating the incident, she said as she was alighting from her parked car, two men suddenly rushed forward and snatched her car keys and pushed her into the back seat of her car.
Yuen said, the abductors covered her face then strangled her neck, launched a series on punches on her face, tied her up and pushed her into the back seat of the car.
“The more I resist, the more I got assaulted and I have to obey what the abductors say just to protect my own safety” she added.
The abductors then forced her to reveal her ATM card pin numbers and when she refused to do so, she was punch on the face till the whole face was all swollen up especially on her eyes.
She finally relented to reveal her ATM card pin numbers to the abductors and some RM10,000 was withdrawn from her ATM account during the 2 days when she was held captive by the two abductors in a dark room of an unknown vicinity.
She added that, she was also kept in the back seat of the car for ten hours.
During the two days ordeal, she was not given any food or drink. In between sob, she said, the treatment she received was worse than that of a prisoner.
The abductors intended to throw her into a drain as initially planned but on seeing her being so weak, they decided to abandon her by the road side yesterday morning at around 2.30pm at Jalan 1/3 in Taman Bukit Indah.
Yuen was traumatised with the whole incident and appealed to the public to look out for her family car, a Toyota Vios model bearing registration JMA 8713, which was driven away by the abductors.
Meanwhile, Nusajaya OCPD, Abdul Aziz Ahmad confirmed receiving the report and said that the victim also lost RM500 and $1,000 Singapore dollars and a hand-phone besides the car and the RM10,000 taken from her ATM account.
The case will be investigated under Section 392/397 of the penal code for robbery and Section 363 for kidnapping.
He said the police will be recording a statement from the victim and will try to resolve the case as soon as possible.

Source: KomunitiKini - March 21, 2011

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Cops Looking For M’sian Duo Over RM20mil Kidnap Case 
By DESIREE TRESA GASPER and SRI VIGASHINI
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

Wanted men: Sam and Liew (below)

JOHOR BARU: Police are looking for two men over the recent kidnapping of a Singaporean family in which S$9mil (RM20.7mil) in ransom was allegedly paid.
The millionaire’s wife, daughter and maid were abducted in Permas Jaya here last month.
Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Shariff said they were on the hunt for Sam Meng Yeow @ Ah Sam and Liew Chee Wei @ William.
Both are Malaysians aged 31.

“We have formed a special task force to investigate the kidnapping and will be working closely with other authorities, including the Singapore police, to nab the culprits,” he told reporters at the state police headquarters here yesterday.
DCP Mohd Mokhtar declined to comment on how many suspects there were in the kidnapping, saying it could jeopardise their investigations.
It was reported on Saturday that the businessman’s family and maid were on their way home when their vehicle was forced off the road by the kidnappers.
Their abductors then took over the wheel and drove them to an undisclosed location.
The three were released unharmed several days after the ransom was paid.
The amount is said to be one of the highest ransoms paid in the country in recent years.

Source: The Star - Thursday, March 3, 2011

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Singapore Trader Pays RM21m To Ransom Family

Reports say that this may be the largest ransom payment in Malaysia in recent years and despite government claims that crime in Malaysia has dropped by 16 per cent, this latest episode will mar public confidence in crime prevention.
Police sources said that the kidnappers sent a picture via MMS of the three victims being held at gunpoint before demanding a whopping SGD50 million (RM115 million) in ransom.
They also warned the man not to alert the police but after negotiations, the kidnappers agreed to SGD9 million in large denominations of Singaporean currency.
The businessman, who is involved in real estate and gaming, was reported to have driven to a plantation in Kulaijaya to drop off the money.
Sources said that the victims were only released two days after the ransom was paid and were blindfolded and gagged during the ordeal.
However, they were eventually returned unharmed around Danga Bay.
A police taskforce has launched a manhunt for the kidnappers, who are believed to have been involved in similar cases around the country.
Interpol has also been roped in to help with the investigations as police believe that the suspects could have fled the country.
The government has been working hard to reduce crime in hot spots like Johor.
Over 14,000 police officers were mobilised last year to 50 areas in Johor, Penang and the Klang Valley along with the installation of 496 CCTV cameras.
The government claims that crime fell by 16 per cent last year but high profile cases like these continue to weigh heavily in the minds of the public and authorities concede that many people are still not convinced that crime has been reduced.
From January till November 2010, crime has dropped to 157,000 recorded cases from the 180,000 during the corresponding period last year.

Source: The Malaysian Insider - February 27, 2011

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Four Boys Arrested For Abducting And Beating A Teenager
By AUSTIN CAMOENS

JOHOR BARU: Four form five students have been detained in connection with the abduction and beating of another student who wanted to quit a gang last Friday.
Johor Police Chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the four boys who were supposed to sit for their SPM exams this year were detained to facilitate investigations over the abduction and beating of Lim Bing Li, 17.
“We arrested the boys during several raids at Taman Molek, Taman Setia Indah and Stulang Laut,” he told a press conference at the state police headquarters on Tuesday.
DCP Mohd Mokhtar said police have also identified the gang involved in the case and would be making more arrests soon.
“Students should not get involved in gangs,” he said adding that the police here would not tolerate gang related crimes and would use all available laws to catch those involved in the activity.
It was reported that Bing Li had been confronted by about 30 men outside his school at Foon Yew High School in Stulang Laut before he was abducted and brought to a secluded area near Senibong.
There he was met by the gang leader who assaulted him with a fishing rod and wooden sticks for leaving the gang.
In an unrelated case, DCP Mohd Mokhtar said police raided 194 spa outlets and massage parlours here and detained 75 people for various offences including, immigration offences and prostitution.

Source: The Star - Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Other World - Saka, As It Is Known Today (2)

I brought 'pulut kuning', turmeric yellow glutinous rice, with chicken 'rendang' to Mak Maznah*'s house yesterday.

She thanked Me profusely, kissing Me all over the face.
I had fulfilled My promise, much earlier than expected.
I had made the elderly woman happy once again.

I promised to have it prepared when I invited her over to My place end of this month.
But thinking back, there will be many more of others, so I brought it forward, much to her delight.

Luckily it was around 3pm when We reached her place yesterday.
She said since wanting 'pulut kuning', something will stuck on her throat after Maghrib, when night started to fall.
She was unable to take in any food.

******

Mak Maznah recited a very long prayer before the food, then took a small portion of it, made into a small ball, and popped it into her mouth.
After a few more, she was done with it.
She said, two beautiful maidens always appeared in front of her eyes...

******

When she dropped by My house last month, she told Me of her craving for 'pulut kuning'.
A grandmother who love My Children dearly, I can never say 'No' to her.
She had always prepared and cooked for My Family of what We like, especially when My Daughter was around.

After I agreed to prepare the food, she said maybe it was her 'saka' who needed it.
I was momentarily stunned with her admission, but I could not take back My words.

I had completely forgotten that I knew of her craving for 'pulut kuning' every few months, and usually I just brushed it off.
I did not usually entertain to her need.

As I had blogged "here" about 'saka'...

'saka' are jinns or genies.
They are GOD's creations from fire, living creatures like us.
They live in human body with or without the human's knowledge.
Sometimes their behaviour influence the human's daily chores.
Although some were family's inheritance, yet there are cases where the bad spirits chose to be with them, with or without their knowledge.
These bad spirits are some of evil jinns or genies, and some are from Lucifer's family or Lucifer itself.
That is why relationship in whatever form is not encouraged, if not forbidden, as...

But seeing Mak Maznah getting on with her age, I don't know when will be the last service of mine for her.
If I were to brush it off again, I fear of regretting it.
Afterall, she sees and treat My Children like her own grandkids.

******

In her own admission, and yes, I knew it too, she had tried to 'throw' the 'saka' away.
Then, when she asked for 'blangkon', a traditional Javanese headdress worn by men and made of batik fabric, I did not think much of it.
I just got it one for her when I went to Java.
When she told Me the blangkon's usage for 'buang saka', I did not fully understand it.

But as I am posting this, what she said...
To believe or not to believe...
One thing I knew, she is not lying...

******

When I knew Mak Maznah in the 90s, I saw the strength in her, absolutely not like women, nor ordinary men. Super, super strength she had.
But honestly, I did not admire, but afraid seeing her being too strong, and too brave to anybody and everybody.
No fear at all.

I was confused.
My Husband too.
When he saw with His own eyes of Mak Maznah carrying My Late Father's two big antique teakwood chairs, one on each left and right hand, He had the shock of His life.

Another time, when I told Him Mak Maznah had hacked down the big never-without-fruits 'jambu air' or wax apple tree with just a few hackings, He turned disbelieve.
Hard for Him to digest what was being seen, said and heard...

******

Mak Maznah used to work as a 'samsui' woman, whose work had contributed to Singapore's development. She made tarred roads in Singapore, and she mixed cement too, with her bare hands.

The 'red bandana' woman, the red head-cover woman she was, but no, she is not Chinese.
But not too sure either if her race is of Bugis, Javanese or Malay origin.

She mixed with a lot of Chinese, having stayed with them in Nee Soon and Kranji.
Sometime, she was the only Malay in the cramped rented housing.
Despite that, they looked after each other, helping each other out, thus forming tight bondings.

All her life, maybe the way too much energy she had, had been a life of hardship.
She was a bread-winner to not only her family, but others too, always putting others before herself, despite she was known to be afraid of no one.

She had minded others' children.
Many children.
Even today, whenever she saw one of the Singapore Member of Parliment on tv, she never fails to tell Me to send her regards to him.
(*Hey, voting coming soon. Really looking forward to it. My vote shall be...)

She saw him growing up, washed and ironed his school uniform.
She worked in his grandfather's household in T.K.

The grandfather, being a charitable man, his house was never without guests.
Especially during Rabi'ul Awwal, the birth and death day of The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., guests from as far away as India, converged at his place...

******

I had blogged 'here', when Mak Maznah was staying in Pasir Panjang when she was small, she saw, and talked to a woman who had just died of childbirth few hours earlier.

Earlier on, even smaller, before she moved to Singapore, when she stayed in Perak (at Sungai Datok if I'm not wrong), she used to talk to 'orang bunian', who live like ordinary human beings. 

'Orang bunian', according to wikipedia, are supernatural beings in Malay legends, similar to elves.
But I believe, GOD created humans as the most supernatural beings.
(Read again My take on 'saka').

Mak Maznah used to see these 'orang bunian', who existed in large communities, doing their daily fishing, usually with their family members.
Unlike humans who use rods and nets, these 'orang bunian', Mak Maznah said, just scooped up the fishes with their bare hands.
These 'orang bunian', they walked on water.
She used to see them fishing, carrying with them pails to place their daily catch, and talked to them as they fished.
Her conversation puzzled her grandmother, whenever seeing her talking, questioning and replying to someone.

Not only that, she used to see, and chased away without fear, thirsty 'jerangkung', or skeletal frame of human beings, loitering and wondering around houses where water was placed beside the staircase, leading up to those houses.
Just these few for now...

******

Having shared all the above incidences, the 'saka' in Mak Maznah is not she wanted.
Already having it inside her, possibly, she wanted to remove it from her.
How bad the 'saka' is?

Usually, before I visit Baitullah, I would make possible a person's journey to places they wish or need to go.
So, in 2002 before Our 'Umrah Ramadhan', I asked her to perform her 'Umrah', which she did.

I had prepared for the worst.
I had live to see the "Tok "who could not say ALLAH which I had just posted.
I had seen too, of My ex-neighbour, who saw herself all skeleton for three years, which I had posted somewhere.
And I had seen incidence during My first time Haj which I had not shared with readers.

Really, I had prepared for the worst...

But when Mak Maznah was in Mecca, performing her 'Umrah', I dream of her presenting Us a very big bowl of noodle...
Upon her return, I made Our wish known, to send her for Haj.
But, as she is always putting others before herself, she wanted the money to help her another adopted son in his business, which We declined.
It was meant for her.

Yesterday, when I returned home, I was preparing for the worst.
Will the 'saka', she passed on to Me?
She, having no children of herself, only an adopted son who is now living with her...

Mak Maznah is not a bad person.
She always put others before herself.   

Towards Lesser Crime In JB (3)

Number Plates And Stolen Cars

An Unusual Kind Of Theft In Johor Jaya
by Goh Siew Mei



 
Losing a car registration number plates is puzzling and at the same time causes the victim to worry.
This was expressed by Huan Wai Fong, 42, who found her Proton Waja car registration number plates missing after her day long work in her office in Taman Johor Jaya on April 10.
She said she parked her car bearing car registration number JGV 2859 in front of her office and was working all day long without realizing what has happened to her car.
She added that the whole incident was recorded by her office CCTV system which showed two men in a taxi parked beside her car and stole the front and rear registration number plates.
“I am puzzled with this rather unusual theft but at the same I am also concerned that the culprits will misuse it for criminal intent”, Huan commented.
She then lodged a report with the Taman Johor Jaya police station and urged the police to investigate the incident.

Source: KomunitiKini - Wednesday, April 20, 2011

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Someone's Using My Number Plate, Says Manager

JOHOR BARU: A 53-year-old sales manager here is crying foul that his car registration number has been used by someone else to commit traffic offences, resulting in seven summonses against him within two months.
"Someone is using the same car plate number as my Naza Citra," an angry Tan Kwee Huat (pic) claimed, saying he first got wind of the matter when he received a traffic summons on June 3.
"I checked my work schedule and realised that I was not in the area where the offence took place," he told a press conference at the office of Senator Khoo Soo Seang here.
After a second summons, this time from the Johor Baru city council, he went to a car park company in Permas Jaya to report the matter and verify pictures that accompanied the summons.
To his shock, he found that the car in the pictures was of the same colour and make as his own, with an identical number plate.
The difference, he said, was that his car had five stickers on the windshield.
Tan has lodged a police report at the Taman Perling police station.
State internal security, public order and traffic chief Supt T. Raveendran advised those who encounted such problems to report the matter as soon as possible.
"If they see the culprits having the same car plate numbers then they should call the police hotline at 07-221 2999.

Source: The Star - Friday, November 12, 2010

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IN THE first case of its kind, a businessman was jailed 10 months for conspiring with a croupier to cheat a casino of $31,500.

A district court heard yesterday that Tan Tiong Loon (right), 32, met Keith Yong Kee-Hwei, 24, of Marina Bay Sands, and promised the younger man a share of his winnings if the croupier would work with him.

At about 4.30am on Oct 7 last year, Yong used his hand to stop the Money Wheel from spinning to help Tan win $18,000 from his bet of $400. A casino patron saw it and blew the whistle on them.

Minutes earlier, Yong had done the same thing so that Tan, the only player at the Money Wheel table then, made $13,500 from a $300 bet. The pair were arrested days later, after Yong was handed $11,500 as his cut.

The duo were said to have also cheated the casino of unspecified amounts on two other occasions. Those charges were among 20 others for unrelated offences, which were taken into consideration by the judge for sentencing.

Yong’s case will come up later this month.

Tan committed the casino offences while on bail for exporting stolen cars to Brunei. For his dealings with 15 stolen cars between January and March last year, he was jailed a further three years and eight months, and barred from driving for three years.

Investigations revealed that he paid Ho Wei Siang, 29, $1,000 a month to set up and run Reliance Car Export firm in 2008. In December 2009, the pair started dealing in Toyota and Honda cars stolen in Malaysia.

They bought these cars and got them fitted with fake Singapore licence plates at a workshop in Johor Baru. The cars were driven here and exported to Brunei.

The scam came to light when a Malaysian saw his stolen Honda Accord, complete with fake plates, in a carpark here.
He then went to the police. When a tow truck was seen taking the car to the export processing zone in Tuas, the police closed in and arrested the duo.

Ho has been jailed a year for his role. For dealing in stolen property, Tan could have been jailed up to five years and fined. He could also have been jailed up to seven years and fined up to $10,000 for cheating.

Source: The CourtRoom.Stomp - March 8, 2011

The Never Ending Potholes Stories in JB, Jalan Berlubang (3)

Workers, for a week, are now making external toilet near the mango tree beside the kitchen of My house.
There is a deep cave in spot, more than a foot, at the front corner of  the house.

Having seen motorists involved in accident and death, because of unavoidable but should-be-covered potholes by MBJB, I shudder to think what the corner of My house can attract - fatal fall, the least.

I had reminded My Husband to tell the workers to help covering the pothole with the cement they were and are going to mix again, but they seemed to be reluctant, beyond their scope of work.

If it is their family members were to be injured at the pothole where they were reluctant to cover, what they are going to say to themselves?
How they are going to appease their troubling conscious?
Don't they live their lives with regrets?

****** 

Residents Anxious Over A Deep Cave In Spot At Taman Ungku Tun Aminah
by Steven Chen

A deep cave-in hole has caused a major concern for the residents in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah. Despite filling up, the hole seems to cave in deeper, when ever the drains overflow during a heavy downpour

A three metres deep cave-in hole along a road shoulder in Jalan Laksamana 3, Lorong 4, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah is causing a lot of anxieties to the residents.
A resident who has been staying in the area for over thirty years, Mariamah Farid, 65 said she is feeling jittery and uneasy with the cave-in road shoulder which occurred just beside the corner of her house.
She said that the frequent overflowing of the drain and minor flooding after a heavy downpour may have resulted in the cave-in.
Komunitikini was told that, ever since the drain in the area has been covered with concrete cover which is meant to prevent water overflowing from the drain, the cave-in worsens.
Just two weeks after the contractors covered the drain, they came to fill-up the cave-in hole but after five days of filling up, the same spot started to caving in again. Said Mariamah.
Adding further, she said that her son went and took a measurement on the caved-in hole and was shocked that it was three metres deep.
She is worried some nasty incident may happen to her children and grandchildren who used to play outside the compound of the house if the caved-in hole is left open like that.
She said she had contacted JKR about the matter and was asked to refer to the local authority that is responsible for the drain maintenance.
Taman Ungku Tun Aminah is under the administration of Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah.
Mariamah did call the local authority several times but all her calls went into a voice recording system.
Meanwhile, the local authority said that they will follow-up on the matter.

Source: KomunitiKini - April 14, 2011

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Local Authorities: Potholes Drive Residents Potty
M. NAIR, Johor Bahru, Johor
letters@nst.com.my

Some residents patch up potholes in housing estates themselves.

JOHOR Baru is a city with a great deal of history as it was established in 1855 and gained city status on Jan 1, 1994. It has undergone vast development but the state of the roads is a blight to motorists. The wet weather towards the end of January certainly proved how inferior they were.

Since then, nothing much has been done by the city council to improve the situation. It just does patch-up work.

It is surprising that it allows this situation to remain when all the affected stretches are within city limits and it doesn't have any reason to point the finger at the Public Works Department.
Many complaints have been made but it seems that the city council is immune to this. Its standard answer is that it had not been notified or that it would look into it.

Because of the council's inaction and out of frustration, some residents in housing estates patched up the potholes.

What is the point of having a colourful and informative website with abundant avenues for the public to complain when it cannot address basic complaints promptly?

Source: NST - March 22, 2011

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Pothole That Cost A Llife
By TEH ENG HOCK

JOHOR: It cost a life to get a pothole patched up.
Tan Cheng Ming, 20, was riding pillion on a motorcycle last Friday at 4am when the machine hit a pothole that was about as wide as a manhole and 5cm deep.
The impact caused Cheng Ming to be thrown off the motorcycle, and he sustained head injuries upon landing. He was rushed to the Sultan Ismail Hospital but died there.
His friend, Tam Tok Wei, 20, who was driving, escaped with minor injuries while the motorcycle was barely damaged except for some scratches and a bent front wheel.
Cheng Ming’s father, Robin Tan, said the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) patched up the pothole in Jalan Daya, Taman Daya, about two days after the accident.
“When there is a loss of life, only then will they act. We have to bring this up to the authorities, because we don’t want others to lose their loved ones, too.
“The street lights along that road are also not so bright as they are shaded by trees, so the rider might not have seen the pothole at night,” Tan told The Star.
The 53-year-old taxi driver said that with the exception of highways, many roads in Johor Baru are riddled with potholes.
Tan said they had started planning for Cheng Ming’s 21st birthday celebration next month when the accident occurred.
“Twenty years of love, and just like that, because of other people’s mistake, my son paid with his life,” he said.

Danger to road users: A photo of the pothole in Jalan Daya, Taman Daya in Johor Baru which the motorcycle Tam and Cheng Ming were riding hit last Friday.

Source: The Star - Friday, August 24, 2007

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Complaints On Potholes Pour In For JB Council 

JOHOR BARU: The telephones at the Johor Baru City Council are ringing off the hook with the public calling in to complain about potholes after The Star highlighted Panjang, the pothole patcher.
City council public relations officer Lokman Sulaiman said the number of calls to the council’s hotline had gone up following news reports last month about a 63-year-old man who went around covering up potholes in the city. He declined to give his name, merely calling himself Panjang.
“We received 12 calls today from people complaining about potholes,” Lokman said.
He said the hotline, which was set up 10 years ago, received about 150 complaints each month.

HOLE-Y TASK: Workers hired by Johor Baru City Council patching up potholes along Jalan Merdeka in Kampung Melayu, Johor Baru.

Meanwhile, Panjang, who has become a local hero of sorts, need not go about his back-breaking tasks much longer. Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the city council should bear the responsibility of maintaining the city's roads.
“We appreciate what he has done, but he should be relieved of what he is doing,” Ghani told reporters yesterday.
However, Ghani stopped short of saying whether Panjang would receive an award from the state government in recognition of his efforts.
Repair works have accelerated following public complaints about potholes.
The task is divided into three phases. The first stage began in December last year.
“Every phase is divided into three zones – the city, the western and eastern zones,” Lokman said, adding that the council had already spent RM1.2mil to patch up potholes around the areas under its jurisdiction.
“We allocated RM200,000 to every zone.”
The city zone covered roads such as Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Jalan Abu Bakar, while the western and eastern zones covered roads in housing areas along Jalan Skudai and Jalan Tebrau, respectively.

Source: The Star - Thursday, February 9, 2006

***I was out of the gate to get some cooked food for the workers this afternoon.
I did not intend to cook, as We had a place to go, and I have yet to finish yesterday's jackfruit in coconut milk and fried chicken.
It is not nice to give them what they ate yesterday, so I bought Mayong (???) fish in chilli and pumpkin in coconut milk.

I've got the surprise of My life. 
The pothole I mentioned, and other smaller ones, were all covered. 
Not with cement and gravels, but gravels and sand.
I asked My Husband if He did it, but no, the answer. 
He did go out to attend to it Himself, after the last time I spoke about it, and He found out all, big and small, were covered. 
He had completely forgotten to tell Me, though.

Did anybody hear Me out? 
Or another Panjang around My area? 
So, this is going to be the last of "The Never Ending Potholes Stories in JB, Jalan Berlubang?" 
GOD Willing.

To you, the good-hearted being, THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!  

Of Keep Warm And Cold-Storaged Blankets

Vox populi: An anti-government protestor, center, reacts during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday. Dozens of chiefs from Yemen's two largest and most powerful tribes called on the president to immediately step down and strip his son of control over security forces, as rival crowds of protesters took to the streets Friday. (AP/Muhammed Muheisen)

Prayers for Arrigoni: Palestinian women hold a banner with the picture of Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni during a protest in the West Bank city of Nablus, Saturday. (AP/Nasser Ishtayeh)

Earth Day: Students attach cut-out paper leaves on a mock tree made of cardboard during their campaign to protect the environment as part of the celebration of Earth Day, Saturday, April 16, 2011 in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines. The students called on to stop commercial logging and mining. (AP Photo/Pat Roque)

 

Returning blankets: Yukari Abe, left, and her father Kazushige Hayashi return donated blankets to an evacuation center since they move out to another shelter set up at a local inn in Fukushima, northeastern Japan, Saturday. Abe said the inn prepares bedding for them. She also hopes to have more privacy at the new shelter. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) 

Source: The Jakarta Post - Sunday, April 17, 2011

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'Corruption' Blights The Lives Of Flood-Hit Pakistanis

 

Many people say that they have been defrauded by the authorities

Millions of people in Pakistan are facing winter without proper shelter because their homes were destroyed by the recent devastating floods. Some accuse officials of mismanaging the crisis - a claim the government denies. Jill McGivering reports from southern Punjab, one of the worst affected regions.

I came across the blanket distribution late in the afternoon near the road, on the outskirts of Kot Addu. As soon I got out of the car, people surrounded me.
It's all unfair, they shouted. Officials are not giving blankets to people who need them. They are giving them to friends and supporters.
A woman in a white burka pushed forwards.
"I'm very poor," she said. "My house has been destroyed. I don't even have a tent. It's cold at night, winter is coming and the children are starting to become ill."
She had come here for help, she said, but no-one would give her anything.
'Raining corruption' One man spoke English. He had come along to support his neighbour, he said.

 

Many people are unable to get even basic medical treatment

"They've been standing here since nine in the morning," he told me. "Now it's five o'clock and they're still waiting."
"Look at her," he said. "She's pushed around by everyone and in the end she'll go home with nothing."
I headed for the brick building with the blankets, hoping to put these complaints to the officials inside.
The angry crowd moved with me. By the time I managed to enter the room where the blankets were stacked, the official had gone.
I was told that he had taken advantage of the chaos and slipped out of the back door.
I came away not knowing if the crowd's allegations were justified.
But as I travelled around the blasted landscape of southern Punjab, I was certainly struck by the mood of public frustration and repeated allegations of corruption that have been directed at the government.
It is not only about blankets.
The government is now rolling out a nationwide cash compensation scheme for flood victims. Families can apply for a special bank card and use it to withdraw compensation from cash points at local banks. But this too is proving controversial.
I visited a rich, landowning family in the area. About 40 men had come to beg for help. They said they were not getting the cash compensation they had been promised.
"Corruption, corruption, corruption," shouted one burly man. "It's raining corruption!"
Fury He showed me mini-statements from the bank.

 

The fear is that conditions will get worse as winter approaches

The first instalment of compensation had been credited to his account - but just days later, the whole sum had been withdrawn. Not by him, he insisted.
Other men shouted the same allegation, blaming government officials and the bank staff for defrauding them.
In Islamabad, I put the allegations to the Interior Minister, Rehman Malik.
It was not possible for government officials to defraud the cash compensation scheme, he said.
Thirty-eight thousand cases of fraud had already been registered, he said, but they all involved members of the public.
"This is dishonesty on the part of the people - their own friends, family members and people from their own area," he said.
"People here are very simple," he said. "They only understand the language when they get the cash. If the cash is delayed, then they'll blame the government."
I told him about the chaos at the blanket distribution and the old lady who repeatedly came away with nothing. Mr Malik said this too was the result of public fraud, not official corruption.
He related a personal experience in the field. "I spotted women coming, taking goods, like blankets, going and stuffing them somewhere and then coming back for more," he said.
"Generally some people may not get them. But other people get them five or six times and then sell them."
Winter is approaching and there is no doubt that people who have lost their homes and crops are full of fury, much of it directed at officials.
Fair or not, that's doing little to help the government's credibility here.
To listen to Jill McGivering's documentary, click here. You can also download this programme as a podcast.


Source: BBC. Co. UK - November 25, 2010

The Food - Turmeric, Nature's Priceless Gift To Us

Wonder Spice: Tumeric
By PRIYA MENON

"Let the kitchen be thy apothecary and let food be your medicine" - Hippocrates
SPICES are used in Indian cooking not only for their flavour but also for the health benefits they provide. The spice that is widely used for its curative benefits is the turmeric.
It is classified as a wonder spice. Its healing properties are revered and it is used in daily meal preparation in the Indian kitchen till today.
Benefits of turmeric
Turmeric is known for its medicinal properties. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin which has the same healing power as any other anti-inflammatory medicines.
Indians have been using turmeric to treat internal ulcers for thousands of years. It is used in treating cuts and burns and as a liver detoxifier. Tumeric is also applied on the face to prevent pimples. These are just some of the benefits of turmeric. It’s always a wise to seek advice from an experienced and certified traditional medical practitioner on the correct dosage of turmeric.
My first encounter with this spice was when I was seven and down with chicken pox. My mother would fill a tub with water and add neem leaves and turmeric powder. The mixture would be left to sit in the sun. By mid noon (depending on the strength of the sunlight), the tepid water is brought indoors.
The water was poured over my body and this ritual continued for a few days. I was too young to understand the significance of this ritual.
Years later, out of curiosity, I decided to investigate the logic behind it. Neem has antibacterial properties while turmeric is an antiseptic and antioxidant. Now, it all made sense.
I make turmeric tea once a month by steeping one level teaspoon of pure turmeric powder to one cup of hot water. Let it sit for 10 minutes and drink it. It acts as a detox agent.
Types of turmeric
Turmeric, slightly bitter in taste, is found in all Asian grocery stores. Turmeric is available in whole, powdered and tablet form. I use both powder and fresh turmeric in my cooking.
It’s always important to read the ingredients printed on the packet of your turmeric powder. It has to be pure and not adulterated. It should read pure turmeric powder.
Tumeric in cooking
Tumeric is widely used by other Asian communities in their cooking. I was introduced to Nasi Kunyit and the different versions of Lemak (creamy coconut gravy) by my Malay friends.
The next thing that comes to mind is the yellow tauhu (soy bean cake). You can hardly find them these days. You can eat them as they are. They are so tasty. They are salted, not too much, but just right.
The tauhu was always partnered with taugeh (bean sprouts). Thanks to our Chinese friends, the tauhu and taugeh often showed up on restaurant menus.
Indians tempered the spices before adding tauhu and the taugeh. Here are some recipes that you can make using the wonderful turmeric.
Related recipes
Potato Turmeric Masala
Simple Dhall
Tumeric Fried Fish

Source: Kuali.com - Tuesday, April 19, 2011

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20 Health Benefits Of Turmeric

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.
The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.
Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:
1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.
7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.
16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.
18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Turmeric can be taken in powder or pill form. It is available in pill form in most health food stores, usually in 250-500mg capsules.
Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it's fun to find new ways to use it in recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a pinch of it to egg salad. It adds a nice flavor and gives the egg salad a rich yellow hue.
Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.

Source: Health Diaries

The Maid - When Society Stood By Them

Parents Spoiling Children With Chaperon ‘Services’  
By MARIAM NIHAL

JEDDAH: Parents and teachers have criticized the treatment of maids forced to accompany children to school and act as their personal assistants or chaperons.

They told Arab News it is a disturbing trend and demeaning to the maids.
Samah Bukhary, a teacher at an international school in Jeddah, feels maids are abused and disrespected when they are made to do everyday chores children can do themselves.
“As soon as students leave their classes, maids are usually seen waiting outside to carry children’s bags to the cars and often they even carry their drinks. It would be an understatement to say this is a little too supercilious.”
Most upper and middle class families in Saudi Arabia keep maids. Most parents argue they provide maids to escort their children to schools on safety grounds.
“Since I cannot drop my child off to school every morning, she has to go with a driver who I cannot trust completely, So I send my maid along. If my maid has to wait, then she does and that is that,” said Ghada Amdar, 34.
Others feel this is only an excuse for the way parents spoil their children.
“It is impractical. What about other countries or even children in the same school who do not have chaperons? It is lame to believe this safety theory. Children can hold their own belongings and look after themselves. That is exactly what they are supposed to be learning,” Ali Nadeem, 35, told Arab News.
Maids usually assemble before school ends to pick up children and help escort them home.
Sana Mahmoud, 25, thinks it is a chance for maids to get together and enjoy time off work.
“They enjoy the gatherings. I usually send my maid an hour before it is home time for the kids so she can hang out with her friends. She does not mind the wait.”
Private tutors say the idea of using maids is bizarre. “The girls always bring along maids who sit for three hours doing nothing. I have witnessed outrageous incidents where the student uses the washroom and the maid goes in to flush it and clean up after her because her majesty could not be bothered to do so. That is just shameful,” said one of them.
Mahira Awais, a 34-year-old parent, believes maids can hinder a child’s development.
“If this is the way then how would we instill a sense of responsibility in children? They leave trash lying around after break time but this is not their home and the maids should not clean up their mess. Except, with their personal maids at schools too, parents ignore the bigger picture.”
Maher Atallah, a 46-year-old father, believes it is a trend that happens at local schools only. “International schools do not tolerate bad behavior, it is against their ethos. Children need to develop independent traits and look after themselves as that helps build confidence.”

Source: Arab News - April 15, 2011
 

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The article above reminded Me of one in Stomp - March 27, 2011, picked up by other papers, foreign too, bloggers, became topic for days, and turned into hot issue.
It's here.

NSmen Trained To Be Fit, Strong Soldiers -- Yet This One Makes Maid Carry Backpack

STOMPer Zhivago was shocked to find this photo on Facebook, apparently showing a national serviceman making his maid carry his backpack.

Said the STOMPer:

"This photo is taken off Facebook with the caption 'Why we need foreign talents in Singapore!'

"It was taken near Tanah Merah MRT."

STOMPer totallyshocked who also received this picture said:

"Our new generation of NSmen.

"I received this photo from a friend.

"As you can see, he was busy SMSing away while his helper carried his field pack.

"Ah boy, might as well bring her to war next time too."

STOMPer iffin said:

"Is army discipline getting worse nowadays?

"Here is an army boy asking his maid to carry his field pack for him.

"Maybe he is not manly enough to carry in his own?"

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Three days later, those with artistic talent came up with these...

Sedia! Here Comes The SAF Maid Platoon

The story on the NSman who made his maid carry his field pack has sparked a series of parodies by netizens, proving that Singaporeans do have a quirky sense of humour.

One person with an obvious artistic talent even drew a spoof of the incident.

The original photo was first sent in by STOMPer Zhivago, who said that it was taken near Tanah Merah MRT station.

STOMPer Platoon Leader, who sent in pictures of these parodies, said:

"I had a great laugh when I saw these parodies!

"It's good to know that Singaporeans look at the lighter side of things, and laugh at ourselves.

"My favourite picture has to be the one showing the 'maid platoon' marching out of the parade square."

 

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Recruit Who Made Maid Carry Field Pack Owns Up: Mindef

The SAF serviceman who was photographed with his maid carrying his field pack has identified himself to his Commander and has been counselled, says Mindef.

The photographed was posted in STOMP on Mar 27 and had ignited an uproar among netizens, who questioned if youths today are too 'spoilt' and 'pampered'.

In a letter to The Straits Times Forum Page, Colonel Desmond Tan, Director of Mindef Public Affairs, said:

"The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has completed its investigation into the recent case of a serviceman who was photographed with his domestic helper carrying his field pack (“Deafening silence in army backpack saga’’ by Mr Patrick Tan; Saturday).

"The serviceman concerned has identified himself to his Commander.

"He was a recruit undergoing the Physical Training Preparatory phase prior to the Basic Military Training phase.

"The recruit is remorseful for his actions and realises that it was wrong for him to have allowed this.

"He has been counselled and continues his training. The SAF has reminded all servicemen to be mindful of their conduct in public."

Source: Singapore Seen. Stomp - April 4, 2011