Selangor Times Aug 12-14, 2011 / Issue 37

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August 12 14, 2011/ issue 37
Expedited citizenship raising alarm bells

By Alvin Yap
sHaH alaM: Allegations that foreigners are getting citizenships with voting rights have become a cause for concern among civil society groups. There will be anger, backlash at the polls if locals are threatened by foreigners getting citizenship and all the accompanying rights, said former Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) member Tan Sri Simon Sipaun. Sipaun saidthe public is already feeling threatened by the presence of migrant workers, and the move to fasttrack permanent residents to make them Malaysians will have long-term negative repercussions. His statement comes in the wake of recent news reports that permanent residents are being given MyKad or citizenship and are being included in the electoral roll to influence the outcome of the next general election. Recently, a news portal carried an expose that a permanent resident, one Mismah, had been included into the voter roll within a matter of hours. The report said she was a permanent
resident with a red MyKad, but had been issued a blue MyKad four hours later based on checks with the online system of the National Registration Department (NRD). When her name and MyKad number were entered into the EC online verification system, Mismah had appeared as a newly registered voter. Sipaun, who is also an adviser to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), said a sudden influx of permanent residents turned citizens will adversely change the economic and political landscape in the immediate and long term. He pointed out that a large number of permanent residents are lower edu Turn To page 2
With six people contesting in the pandamaran village polls, the candidates are trying their best to outwit one another to woo voters. one of them, Yap Kim Huat, decorated his lorry with campaign banners and drove around town to attract residents attention.
STorY on page 6
news
August 12 14, 2011
PANDAMARAN: Villagers in Kampung Bukit Kerayong, which is earmarked for development, are living in fear after being threatened by contractors hired to get them to vacate their homes. Some 25 households in the village have refused to vacate until the developer, who obtained the land for commercial development under the previous state government, keeps his promise by giving them compensation and homes. We no longer feel safe. Contractors even threaten to burn our houses down if we do not move out, said Dominic See Chee Yong. The 40-year-old Kampung Kerayong Urban Pioneers Committee chairperson said contractors tried to demolish their homes four times in the past two months. We managed to unite and stop them, but there is always the fear they will come back and bulldoze our homes down without warning, even when we are asleep, he said.
Contractors have so far demolished plantations and vegetable patches. The dispute has been ongoing since 2005, when the villagers were issued eviction notices. According to the developer, the land was sold to them for commercial purposes. The villagers were promised RM7,000 in compensation and new affordable houses. However, the villagers are still waiting for their new homes. We will not move out until we get our compensation and new home, said See. We have nowhere else to go. He said the villagers have been living there since before 1957. See also pointed out that the developer is not working with them to find a solution. We are not against development, we just want what was promised, he said. Meanwhile, villagers staged a protest last Sunday against the developer and contractors. Joining in was Klang Member of Parliament Charles
Villagers fear homes will be demolished

Santiago, who urged the developer to stop threatening the villagers. Villagers told me the contractors are acting like gangsters. They threaten and intimidate villagers to force them out immediately, he said. Developers should also have the decency to meet with villagers and find a place to relocate the factories and shoplots, Santiago added. There are only 25 houses, four factories and three shoplots left in the village. A meeting between state representatives and the developer will be held today (Aug 12) to come up with a solution.
Santiago with the villagers.
Foreigners being used by certain groups

From page one
cated and will opt for unskilled or semi-skilled jobs. As such, an influx of foreigners getting residency rights will depress the wages of locals in the country, he explained. While people will praise the availability of affordable labour, Sipaun cautioned that foreigners have contributed to a rise in crime, notably in his home state of Sabah. Sipaun, a former state secretary, said the main complaint among Sabahans against the state and federal governments is about the overwhelming presence of foreigners within its borders. He pointed out that the problems in Selangor could similarly take a turn for the worst if the allegations concerning permanent residents are proven true.
He reiterated that the application of citizenship should be carefully vetted, and the process should be drawn out to ensure the right individuals qualify to receive the status. Sipaun made it clear that he is not demonising migrants and permanent residents, but is questioning those who received their citizenship status through questionable means. He also lambasted the National Registration Department (NRD) for delaying applications from individuals born on Malaysian soil but who did not register their births due ignorance or illiteracy. Meanwhile, the Selangor Election Commission (EC) has rejected all 583 complaints of permanent-residencyholders having been registered as voters, claiming that they were found to be citizens. Selangor EC chief Dzulkifli Ab Rahman said his organisation had verified that all 583 voters have become Maphone (603) 5510 4566 laysian citizens with the legal fax (603) 5523 1188 right to register as voters. email [email protected] He explained that these EDITORIAL individuals had been given CHIEF EDITOR KL Chan citizenship in January this year COMMUNITY EDITOR Neville Spykerman as cited by the NRD. WRITERS Tang Hui Koon, Chong Loo Wah, Gan Pei Ling, Other non-governmental Basil Foo, Alvin Yap, Gho Chee Yuan, Brenda Chng organisations have also made it COPY EDITORS Nick Choo, James Ang clear that increasing the quota DESIGNERS Jimmy C. S. Lim, Chin Man Yen or fast-tracking permanent residents into citizens would ADVERTISING Timothy Loh, Ivan Looi make life difficult for locals. ADVISORS Faekah Husin, Arfaeza Abdul Aziz It will be difficult for Ma-
laysians who are competing for jobs, espe- have the talent or financial contribution tocially lower-salary jobs in the country, said P wards their adopted land, he said. Ramakrishnan, president of the Penang-based He also agreed that there might be political social reform movement Aliran. backlash against the ruling government for Ramakrishnan reckoned that foreigners are giving undeserving individuals citizenship. being used by certain groups to ensure the Wong lambasted the NRD squarely for security of their political bases. But, he said, being at fault in this matter. their citizenship could well be withdrawn Migrant rights NGO Tenaganita said the after voting for the group that had authorised issue is creating an anti-migrant feeling among the NRD to give them their MyKad. Malaysians, and if left unaddressed by the University lecturer and political scientist authorities will result in xenophobia. Wong Chin Huat believes Malaysia is a nation It will create a racist atmosphere against of migrants, but reiterated that the country all migrants and permanent residents. They has laws and procedures that permanent resi- are just pawns in a political act. dents have to follow to apply for citizenship. "The real issue is that the NRD has allowed "The reason we have to be selective is that permanent residents to be Malaysians without we cant take everyone who wants to be a a lengthy application period, said its executive Malaysian, Wong said. director, Irene Fernandez. He pointed out that the process is not transparent, and Selangor WeaTHer concerned parties are unable to ascertain who are being given Friday Saturday Sunday citizenship in the country. He also pointedly said that Morning Malaysias immigration policy is being undermined by its own gatekeepers, namely the NRD, whom he claims has afternoon fast-tracked applications without proper vetting. Wong said citizenship should be given to those who night can prove they can contribute to their adopted country. In other countries, applicants must demonstrate that they Source: Malaysian meteorological department
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SELANGOR TIMES August 12 14, 2011 3
news
august 12 14, 2011
EvEnts
Roundtable on diabetes The Malaysian Association of Certified Coaches (MACC) will hold their 7th roundtable on Saturday (Aug 27) from 9.30am to 12pm. A certified trainer with 15 years experience who has practised in Britain and the Malaysian healthcare industry will talk about Diabetes Wellness Coaching. Participants will be taught to coach diabetic patients. The talk will be held at MACCs office at 62B, Lorong Rahim, Kacai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. For more information, call 017-223 8293 (Rachel) or visit www.malaysiacoaches.com. Transforming cities Rehda Wilayah Persekutuan (Kuala Lumpur/ Putrajaya) will hold a conference titled 3rd International Conference World Class Sustainable Cities 2011 (WCSC 2011) on Sept 20. It will showcase successful practices and experiences of world class cities and inform participants about Malaysias transformation. The event will be held at the Sime Darby Convention Centre from 8am-5pm. For more information, call 037877 0637 (Mip) or 03-2693 4182 (Pam). Free coaching handbook Corporate Coach Academy (CCA), which is a ICF coach-learning institute, and the Malaysian Association of Certified Coaches (MACC) will offer free coaching handbooks and information on learning coaching power tools to enhance your performance and capability. For more information, call 03-6205 4488 (Ng Koon Kow) or visit www.corporate-coachacademy.com. Free porridge for Ramadan KDU University Colleges School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts will provide free lambuk porridge at the entrance to its Damansara campus on Aug 19 from 2pm-5pm. Heritage tour A Central Market heritage walk for tourists and locals is on until Aug 31. The tour will be useful for anyone who wants to know more about the history of Kuala Lumpur and its early establishment. Show up at the Central Market information counter at 10.30am daily to join the walk. For details, visit www.centralmarket.com.my. Tai chi lessons Tai Chi Huang OUG KL is conducting tai chi lessons every Monday and Thursday from 8pm9pm. For details, call 016-289 8793 (Yeo) or 014621 4621 (Tey). Free psychological talk
Turning Point Integrated Wellness will hold a free public talk tomorrow (Aug 13). The talk will be on psychological-based intervention at workplaces to enhance employees wellness and organisational effectiveness. The talk will be held at Welcafe Turning Point, 10-2,Jalan Puteri 2/4, Bandar Puteri, Puchong. Registration is required. For more information, call 03-8063 8981 or visit www.turningpoint.org.my.
Harapan Komuniti: We did no wrong

shah alam: Harapan Komuniti (HK), the organisation that held a multicultural fundraising dinner which was raided by Islamic authorities last week, have insisted that their intentions were noble. Harapan Komuniti has helped many needy Malaysians, regardless of race, religion and creed, said executive director Raymond Koh. The organisation was holding the dinner on the premises of the Damansara Utama Metho dist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya when it was interrupted by officers from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department ( Jais). Koh said the peaceful and harmonious charity event was attended by 120 donors, friends, and beneficiaries from various backgrounds. In a press statement on Wednesday, he stressed that HK was a non-profit organisation that assists the needy, children, women, and HIV and AIDS patients. He said the thanksgiving dinner on Aug 3 was to raise funds, and featured a meal catered by Muslims, a live performance, 1Malaysia dance, a quiz, and a general prayer. At 9.30pm, 30 officers from Jais and the police came to the premises without a search warrant or permission, despite repeated requests, said Koh. He said the officers, who were both in uniform and plainclothes, took photos and videos of participants and removed pamphlets from the hall without permission. Quoting the organisations lawyer, Annou Xavier, Koh said such a raid was uncalled for and should not happen again to avoid causing unnecessary anxiety to Malaysians. Meanwhile, the lawyer representing 10 of the 12 Muslim individuals who attended the dinner has asked for more time to advise their clients. Our clients were issued a Notice Order by Jais, dated Aug 3, requiring them to appear before Jais for a precounselling session on Aug 9, said Lim Heng Seng. Lim said the 10 sought a deferment of the session after noting discrepancies in the reason they were summoned by Jais. Lim said he raised his queries in a letter on Aug 8 on whether the session was indeed intended for pre-counselling, or whether it was for interviews to assist Jais in its investigations. Specifically, whether our clients are to attend as witnesses or are they deemed offenders or suspects in Jaiss investigations, he said in a press statement on Wednesday. Jais issued a reply on Wednesday morning, informing Lim that the case was being investigated under the NonIslamic Religious Enactment 1988 involving the offence of persuading, influencing or inciting a Muslim to change his [or her] faith. Due to the no-show by the 12, Jais said they would be applying for arrest warrants from the Syariah Court.
MB: Give Jais more time to prepare report

By Basil Foo
shah alam: The Menteri Besar has called on all quarters to avoid speculation and allow the Selangor Islamic Religious Department ( Jais) to complete their report. The best policy is to give Jais enough time to carry out their duties in an orderly manner and without any speculation, said Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. Speaking to reporters after a state executive council meeting on Wednesday, he said the gag on state executive councillors and government servants from commenting on the issue remained. However, it does not apply to individuals, non-governmental organisations or political parties. We must decide on clear facts, not judge hastily, to ensure the harmony between races and religions in Selangor as well as the whole country is maintained, he said. Khalid said he had met the Selangor Sultan, but maintained that the Jais report had to be completed before he could give his views or receive the Sultans views. We can still evaluate the report once it has been completed if we want to, he assured.
Khalid (right) after the exco meeting on Wednesday. Looking on is state executive councillor Yaakob Sapari.
The report on Jaiss raid on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) last Wednesday night is also being delayed due to legal reasons. Khalids office has received a letter from law firm Lee Hishamuddin, which is representing 10 of the 12 Muslims who were at the dinner.
Traffic mitigation for mammoth project

petaling jaya: Three flyovers will be built to mitigate traffic after the first phase of the mammoth Icon City development is completed in 2014. The upmarket project offering business suites is situated at the intersection of Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) and the Federal Highway opposite Western Digital. The 7.93-hectare site was formerly the Matsushita factory. The first flyover will be built on the opposite side of the LDP to Icon City. This connection will let vehicles enter the commercial blocks without having to drive further down the LDP and make U-turns at the Western Digital underpass near Kelana Jaya. The second will be from Federal Highway near the Guiness Anchor brewery to accommodate traffic from Shah Alam. The third will be built for traffic from Icon City and Puchong, Kesas Highway and the New Pantai Expressway. Mah Sing Group Bhd will also build nine entry/exits into the development to further disburse traffic. The plans have been approved by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). The head of MBPJs One Stop Centre (OSC) said Mah Sing has carried out its own traffic study and submitted the findings to the city council along with the proposed traffic dispersal plans. Lee Lih Shyan said the peak traffic volume on the Federal Highway from Subang Jaya side to PJ Hilton (near the Asia Jaya LRT station) is 2,000 to 6,000 vehicles per hour. The same figure applies with the LDP at peak hours. The main concern is that the RM3.2 billion development will cause traffic jams, notably on the Federal Highway and LDP. Lee said the traffic there is projected to rise by a medium amount when Icon City is completed. He pointed out that Mah Sings proposed system of flyovers will ensure traffic will enter and exit Icon City in SS8 efficiently. Mah Sing is also building ramps alongside the Federal Highway and LDP for vehicles to enter and exit the premises.
Ramadan buffet The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centres Ramadan buka puasa buffet offers more than 500 dishes with specialties from around the world. An ablution area and prayer room with on-site imam will be available for Maghrib, Isya and Tarawih prayers. The buffet will be available daily from Aug 11-23, 6-10pm, at RM98++ pax for adults and RM49++ pax for children aged between four and 12.
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NEWS
Intense race in Pandamaran

By Gan Pei Ling
AUGUST 12 14, 2011
PORT KLANG: The Pandamaran village election is setting the stage for many firsts for the New Village, which go to the polls on Sunday. Besides getting the opportunity to elect their village chief for the first time, a woman,Low See Mee, is in the six-corner fight for the traditionally male-dominated post. While the week-long campaign has been marred by some mudslinging, the village has taken another extraordinary step, one hardly done even in national polls holding public debates among the candidates. One was organised last night and the other scheduled tonight (Friday) for residents to make their choice. The six candidates have been canvassing for votes at morning markets, coffee shops, and even Hindu temples to woo minority Indian voters in the Chinese-majority town. Currently, the top favourites among the six are ex-local Klang Municipal (MPK) councillors Tee Boon Hock and Low. Tee, 52, may have been sacked by DAP due to a supportletter scandal in August 2010, but the veteran community leader insists on his innocence and remains popular among grassroots members in Pandamaran. Around 50 supporters marched to the nomination centre with Tee last Sunday, while the other candidates only brought 10 to 20 supporters. Tee also told the press during nomination that the village
Low See Mee and Yap Kim Huat shaking hands on the main street on Wednesday.
chief election is a do-or-die battle for him: If I lose, it could be the end of my political career. In contrast to Tee, who is well-prepared and going all-out to win the village chief s post, Low only decided to contest in the polls at the eleventh hour. Low, 55, was formerly from MCA but is now in PKR. Although the candidates are contesting on a personal basis and not on any party platform, party politics will still come into play. Low is expected to bank on PKR supporters and womens votes to beat Tee. Most male voters in the traditional Chinese village Tee (second right) and his supporters. have made up their minds who to vote for while some I can speak out for the people without fear as I dont have women are hoping to see the first female chief in Pandamaran. to toe the party line, he said. Women residents such as Cheng Juan Kwee, 58, and Thew Also the leader of Klang Night Market Hawkers AssociaKing Hong, 41, told Selangor Times they would be rooting for tion, Yap is relying on the support of traders and that of their Low as the previous state-appointed village chiefs were all men. family and friends to win the polls. Its time for a change, they said. Another candidate Tan Yu Tiam is close to Pandamaran Most villagers appreciate the chance to elect their own vil- assemblyperson Ronnie Liu, but Liu had suffered a drop in lage chief, considering that in the past, they had no say at all. support due to his falling-out with Tee Boon Hock last year. The state and Pandamaran Residents Association also took Tan had tried to discredit Tee Boon Hock as a tainted the opportunity to organise debates for the villagers to find candidate, but his comments are unlikely to sway voters, most out the candidates manifestos. of whom have already made up their minds. Hundreds of villagers are expected to attend the debates Incumbent and sacked Pasar Pandamaran DAP branch organised by the state last night and by the residents association chief Yap Hock Siew has been visiting Hindu temples, despertonight at 8pm at the towns indoor basketball court. ately banking on minority votes to increase his share. Among the other four candidates, Yap Kim Huat is seen as Last candidate Tee Kim Huat was rarely seen canvassing for the only underdog capable of upsetting the top-two favourites votes publicly. Both Hock Siew and Kim Huat are unlikely to or at least diluting the votes for both candidates. make waves. As the only candidate without any political party backBarring any incident that would sway the voters opinion ground, Yap had seized upon the opportunity to stress on his during the weekend, villagers are likely to see the return of Tee independence when canvassing for votes and in his campaign Boon Hock or their first woman chief when they go to the materials. polls on Sunday.
State urged to scrap age limit for village polls

PORT KLANG: Kampung Baru Pandamaran candidates have voiced their support for a veteran community leader who was barred from contesting the New Village election this Sunday due to his age. I think the state shouldnt set the age limit at 60, let the voters decide themselves if they want the candidate, said former Klang councillor Tee Boon Hock, who is among six candidates vying for the Pandamaran chief s post. Sixty-six-year-old Chew Kim Swees nomination was rejected by returning officer Datuk Bakhtiar Hussin last Sunday as the state stipulates that only villagers aged between 21 and 60 can stand in the polls. I cant even be an election agent or observer because Im over 60 This is unfair, said Chew after his nomination was formally rejected by the Klang District and Land Office, which is running the elections in place of the Election Commission. Chew, from DAP, said it is undemocratic for the state to set an age limit arbitrarily. The voters should have a choice to decide if they want a candidate older than 60. Businessperson and former local councillor Low See Mee, who is the only woman candidate among the six, also spoke out against the ruling. I think as long as the candidate is still healthy and fit, the person should be allowed to contest even though he [or she] is older than 60, said Loo. Other candidates, including Yap Kim Huat and inc u m b e n t Ya p Hock Siew, also s a i d th e s tat e should scrap the age limit if Selangor wants to extend the village polls to the entire state in future. Klang MCA Youth also said the age cap is unconstitutional. The Federal Constitution states that as long as a person is over 21, he [or she] can Chew Kim Swee vote and stand in elections, said its division chief Datuk Dr Ching Eu Boon. He pointed out that there is no age limit for a person seeking election as a Member of Parliament or state assemblyperson, so the same should apply when electing a village chief. However, executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah explained to reporters yesterday that according to the Housing and Local Government Ministrys ruling, stateappointed village chiefs nationwide must be below 60 years old.
Banner war in Pandamaran.
PORT KLANG: Villagers in Kampung Baru Pandamaran are spoilt for choice as they have six candidates, including a woman, to choose from as their new village security and development committee ( JKKK) chief. Candidate 1: Yap Hock Siew Age: 46 Occupation: Transportation Education: Form 3 Political background: Former Pasar Pandamaran DAP branch chief. Joined DAP in the late 1990s to protest against the evacuation of squatters on Jalan Papan, but was sacked in September 2010 for allegedly issuing a support letter in his capacity as a JKKK chief to a company in which he was a partner. Yap insisted he was innocent and framed by a friend. Community involvement: JKKK chief for four months before he was sacked due to the support-letter scandal in August 2010. Campaign strategy: Plans to woo Indian votes by visiting Hindu temples to canvass for support. Campaign manifesto: If I win, Ill try my best to resolve the villagers problems. I was working together with Klang Municipal Council to solve Pandamarans cleanliness problem when I was the village chief. Candidate 2: Yap Kim Huat Age: 50 Occupation: Drinking water supplier and fruit trader Education: Form 2. Left school early to work, and is currently studying parttime to improve his English and Malay. Political background: None
Six-corner fight
Community involvement: 1. Klang Night Market Hawkers Association chief 2. Bandar Bukit Tinggi community police chief 3. Handles and addresses public complaints on community issues Campaign strategy: As the hawkers association chief, Yap plans to use his position to woo voters. Campaign manifesto: I will help to resolve the problem of cleanliness, especially on Jalan Papan. I think there are not enough road signs leading to the New Village. If I win, Ill request the local council to set up more road signs. But even if I lose, Ill continue to help the public address their complaints. I think a village chief must have the passion to serve the people regardless of the many challenges. Quirk(s): Teaches people to sing in his free time. Candidate 3: Tee Kim Huat Age: 47 Occupation: Farmer and businessperson Education: Secondary school Political background: Formerly from MCA, joined DAP after the 2008 political tsunami. Campaign strategy: Born and bred in the New Village, Tee hopes his village boy image will help him garner votes. Campaign manifesto: Ill focus on cleanliness problems if I win. I hope the villagers will give me a chance. Ill try my best to serve them. If they are unhappy with my performance later, Im willing to resign so that a better candidate can replace me. Candidate 4: Tee Boon Hock Age: 52 Occupation: Businessperson Education: Diploma in Business Administration Political background: Sacked from DAP in August 2010 for allegedly issuing a support letter under the official letterhead of a Selangor executive councillor to secure a contract for a company in which his son was a shareholder, but Tee has denied the accusation. Community involvement: 1. Three-term local councillor 2. Special assistant to Pandamaran assemblyperson Ronnie Liu from 2008 to 2009 Campaign strategy: Is relying on his past service record. Campaign manifesto: Many villagers have received summonses from authorities for failing to convert their residential properties, which some of them now use as warehouses for commercial use. If Im elected, Ill help them resolve the problem by working together with the relevant government agencies. Additional note: Three objections were submitted against Tees nomination last Sunday accusing him of corruption, but all three objections were rejected by the returning officer. Tee was never convicted in court for alleged misuse of power in the letterhead scandal. Candidate 5: Tan Yu Tiam Age: 57 Occupation: Morning market hygiene monitor. Education: Form 3 Political background: Joined DAP in 2004
August 12 14, 2011
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and is currently Pandamaran Kawasan 3 vice-chairperson. Community involvement: 1. Pandamaran assemblyperson Ronnie Lius service centre welfare unit chief 2. Sits on three temple committees in Pandamaran Campaign manifesto: I will focus on improving the villagers welfare, village security and cleanliness if I win. Ive already heard this would be a multi-cornered fight so Im not surprised. I hope the villagers will pick a clean candidate as their chief. Candidate 6: Low See Mee Age: 55 Occupation: Businessperson Education: Form 5 with honorary degree in business administration. Political background: Formerly from MCA, but now in PKR. Community involvement: 1. Former local councillor 2. Womens Development Organisation Malaysia treasurer 3. Yayasan Kebajikan Klang vice-president 4. Malaysia Chinese Women Leaders Working Committee social welfare division chief 5. United Moral Uplifting Society Malaysia womens section chair Campaign manifesto: I decided to contest at the eleventh hour. I hope my participation will encourage more women to take part in politics as there were no female candidates in the Jenjarom and Pulau Ketam elections. If I win, I will work together with the JKKK committee to address community problems. Award(s): Tokoh Khas Wanita Selangor 2003
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NEWS
Communities invited to have their say in state budget

By Basil Foo
AUGUST 12 14, 2011
SHAH ALAM: The state Economic Planning Unit (Upen Selangor) is hosting a series of dialogues to obtain public input on how next years budget should be allocated. We are planning to cover the whole state, through the local councils, with these dialogues, said Upen Selangor deputy director Norazmie Biron. The dialogue serves as a platform for civil society to raise issues and voice their concerns regarding the Selangor State Budget 2012, which will be tabled in November. About 100 guests were invited by the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) last Friday for the morning dialogue. In order to create relevant and effective policies, we need the input and ideas of the states stakeholders its people, said MBSA mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan. He expressed hope that the private sector would play a larger role in economic and investment activities in the state. The issues discussed were divided into four categories: Infrastructure, Social, Local Economy, and Others. Under the Infrastructure category, guests mainly discussed the upgrading and maintenance of Norazmie roads in the outskirts
of Shah Alam. The Social category saw issues like monitoring foreigners to curb social ills, controlling budget hotels, and activities to bridge the gap between different religious bodies. The issues of illegal stalls and slow approval of microcredit loans were raised in the Local Economy category; while in the Others category, the topic of river cleaning and beautification was discussed, as well as how to create a unique Shah Alam identity that its residents could relate to. V Murugeswaran, who attended the dialogue, also raised issues like disabled-friendly facilities in public buildings. While there has been an improvement in the number of disabled-friendly buses in the Datuk Mohd Jaafar (right) meeting members of the public. Klang Valley, there is a shortage of disabled-friendly bus stands, Lim said there is a lack of signs to the market in her area, said the Damai Disabled Persons Association Selangor which has been recognised by the Malaysian Book of Records president. as the longest night market in the country. Residents Representative Council (MPP) Zone 21 comThe Menteri Besars Economic Analysis and Research mittee member Susan Lim raised the issue of insufficient senior officer, Abdul Halim Mohamed Yusof, said the diasignage. logues have also been held in Sabak Bernam and Hulu SelanThere is a lack of signage in our area with regards to pro- gor so far. moting places of interest to spur the growth of tourism, said We will be going to the other local councils from Aug 12 the Setia Alam Hawkers Association committee member. to 19, he added.
Traders warned against sub-leasing lots
Selangor Times charity golf tournament

SHAH ALAM: A charity golf tournament to build a muchneeded kindergarten in Long Lawen village in Sawarak is being organised by Selangor Times. Th e matc h will take place at Kelab Rahman Putra on Aug 19. The scoring system is Stableford, in three different divisions with its own handicap group. Entrance fee is RM250 per person; closing date is Aug 12. Long Lawen is an isolated village, with 600 inhabitants who make their living by fishing, hunting and working in the padi fields and pepper plantations. Sale of the produce brings in RM100 a month. Primary and secondary education are a financial burden for parents who eke out a subsistence living. Kemajuan Masyarakat (Kemas) currently conducts a kindergarten class in the village for children aged six years old. The village intends to operate another kindergarten class for 35 children aged four and five. It would require RM 17,000 to construct the proposed kindergarten, which will include a classroom, bedroom, kitchen and dining area. It will serve children from two ethnic communities: the Kenyah from Long Lawen, and the Penan from Long Lunkwat. The Penan children, currently numbering 15, will board in Long Lawen and will be sponsored by the village. After completing kindergarden, the children will proceed to the primary school in Kampung Sungei Asap, where they will live in a school hostel. The kindergarten will also require cash donations amounting to RM66,969 for a three-year operation, or RM22,323 per year. Your participation in this event will help towards improving the lives of the less fortunate. Contributions are also welcome; cheques should be made out to Koridor Mesra Sdn Bhd. For registration, email admin@selangortimes. com.
Azhar (right) with Xavier and Wong at the launch of the campaign.
By Brenda Chng
KLANG: Traders with Ramadan licences from the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) will face hefty fines if caught selling or renting their stalls. We have previously received complaints of vendors selling their lots for up to RM3,000 or more, depending on the location, said MPK licensing department head Azhar Samsudin at a recycling campaign on Tuesday. Executive councillor for environment Elizabeth Wong launched the campaign at the Ramadan bazaar in Sri Andalas. Also present were Sri Andalas assemblyperson Dr Xavier Jayaku-
mar, MPK councillors, traders and residents. Azhar said stricter measures would be taken this year to prevent the unscrupulous practice. He added that enforcement officers would monitor bazaars and haul up irresponsible traders. Azhar said traders are also expected to keep their stalls clean, refrain from selling prohibited items, and minimise the use of plastic bags, styrofoam and recycled cooking oil. He said used cooking oil would be collected in a barrel which would be sent for recycling into biodiesel. This recycling effort by vendors and residents will help reduce pollution, he said.
Raya joy for state employees

SHAH ALAM: For the Raya celebration, state government employees can look forward to a bump in their bonuses to match that of their federal-level counterparts. Selangor has increased the bonuses that its employees will receive to standardise with the amounts given by the federal government, said Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. The Menteri Besar, during a press conference on Wednesday, announced the hike in Hari Raya bonuses from an earlier announcement of RM500 last week. Selangor government staff of Grade 54 and below will now receive at least half their monthly salary or a minimum of RM500, whichever is greater. We are giving this amount because we dont want to discriminate between state and federal public servants, he explained. Khalid also reassured that the state was well able to afford the increase as they were awarding the bonuses according to their financial capacity.
Residents shocked by electricity fines

By Brenda Chng
AUGUST 12 14, 2011
NEWS
KAPAR: Residents who have been slapped with penalties for alleged electricity theft are crying foul at Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB). I was shocked when I opened the letter. I was told to pay RM19,433.32 within 14 days or my electricity will be cut off, said Kuala Selangor resident Phun Hee Shin. The 42-year-old fisherman, from Jeram in Kuala Selangor, said he received the notice on Aug 1. He said a new meter had been installed at his home in February. According to Phun, TNB staff accompanied by the utility companys auxiliary police officer had told his mother that their old meter was faulty and needed to be changed. When his mother asked for further explanation, she was denied answers and was directed to fill in a form and sign it for TNBs records. There werent any warnings, they just appeared when no one else was home, and my mother was caught off guard. She just did what she was told because she couldnt understand much, said Phun. Despite power-cut threats, Phun denies the allegation of electricity theft and refuses to pay the huge sum. He said his electricity bill, which averaged between RM300 and RM400 based on his old-meter reading, has remained similar even with the new meter.
Joining him is Chong Teck Meng, who was charged RM14,556.65 for alleged electricity theft. The lorry driver in his thirties received the notice in May, after having changed his electricity meter in January this year. My monthly bill is only RM35 usually, and even with the new meter installed, the bill hasnt increased much, said Chong. He said the majority of his neighbours at Bukit Kapar 1, Taman Melawati have been issued similar notices. This is unacceptable. If residents really are stealing electricity, wouldnt their new bills be much higher compared to their previous Manikavasagam with Phun (second left) and affected residents. bills? said Kapar Member of Parliament S Manikavasagam. He said TNB should apologise and waive all notices and residents in the two areas who are affected and to get TNB to fees issued to residents affected. waive the high fees. To date, Manikavasagam has received nine complaints from He will also be following up twith TNB Kuala Selangor residents in Kapar and Kuala Selangor, but said many more and TNB Meru next week. people could be facing the same predicament. When contacted, a TNBspokesperson told Selangor Times Manikavasagamsaid he is doing his best to identify other that they would investigate the allegations.
Kindergarten fails to allay traffic concerns

KLANG: A traffic mitigation proposal by a kindergarten operator has been rejected by the Bandar Botanic Resident Association (BBRA). Traffic in the gated community is gridlocked at peak hours due to five kindergartens, four of which are operating illegally on residential land, while a sixth is being built on a commercial plot. The proposal by the new kindergarten operatorwas shot down during a roundtable at the Klang Municipa l Council ( M P K ) chaired by councillor Yew Boon Lye on Wednesday. Their plan isnt solid as the study was based on another area in Yew Boon Lye Bandar Bo tanic. We do not accept it because the plan doesnt go far enough, said BBRA chairperson Jacob Mathews. The 48-year-old resident expressed hope that the kindergartens can come back with a better plan, one which reflects traffic flow in Jenaris Bandar Botanic. However, kindergarten owner David Foong said their traffic management plan could help solve traffic woes and ensure the safety of children. If this plan is implemented, Im certain traffic can be reduced in the area, he said. The 52-year-old Jenaris resident hopes residents will give them a chance to show their suggestions are workable. Among the suggestions are installing closed-circuit televis i o n (CCTV) cameras, having traffic wardens to guide traffic and using walkie-talkies among his staff to improve traffic during peak hours. Charles Santiago Foong added that a suggestion box would also be put up for residents to offer feedback and solutions for better traffic management. There will also be a Botanic Residents Emergency Hotline where residents are encouraged to report traffic and security matters. The gated Jenaris residential area comprises 420 households. Daily frustrations run high when residents are faced with morning and evening traffic snarls at the single exit and entrance to the neighbourhood. I will make sure MPKs licensing department takes the necessary action next week to close down unlicensed kindergartens, said Yew. Yew said the illegal kindergartens would be shut down at the end of the year after the semester ends. We have to consider the children studying there as well. Shutting them down immediately will be unfair to parents and children, said Klang Member of Parliament Charles Santiago. He said an independent traffic study must also be carried out, apart from closing down all illegal kindergartens in Jenaris.
Mosques, surau receive RM28,000 in financial aid
Yeoh (centre) with mosque and surau representatives at Masjid Darul Ehsan in Subang Jaya.
By William Tan
SUBANG JAYA: Being officially still being on maternity leave did not stop Hannah Yeoh from personally distributing much-needed state funds to six mosques and 16 surau in her constituency. The Subang Jaya state assemblyperson gave out RM28,000 in financial aid to help these Muslim houses of worship during Ramadan, last Saturday. Yeoh said her office has made it a point to hand to use her state allocations to help mosques and surau annually. The money is distributed during the first week of Ramadan, and this is fourth year running that the funds are being distributed. Rather than spend the money on open houses, we have, since 2008, given the money back to the people who can actually use it, Yeoh said. Representatives from mosques were given RM2,000 each, while those from surau received RM1,000 each. Yeoh said up to August this year, her office has allocated RM78,400 to houses
ofworship and religious schools based on their needs. We have given allocations to churches and temples as well, regardlessof religion, particularly when we are invited religious festivals, she said. Zulkanian Ismail from the Masjid Al Irsyad said the RM2,000contribution will be used for the numerous activities they run duringthe month of Ramadan. He said costs during the holy month could rise to at leat RM30,000. I am still happy with what we have, particularly the fact that we get itconsistently, said Zulkanian. He expressed hope that the government and the mosquewill eventually work more closely to aid the poor and to promoteactivities such as the teaching of the Al Quran. Yamin Yahya, who represented Surau Al Hikmah, said the RM1,000he received will go to feeding the community after nightlyprayers during the fasting month. Every little bit helps, especially when our electricity bills alone for our surau can go up to RM800 per month, he said.
news 10
Living next door to open burning

By Basil Foo
august 12 14, 2011
KLANG: Open burning of rubbish and electrical wires here has left residents of Kampung Rantau Panjang gasping for air from the thick fumes. The burning is said to have been occurring on 20 hectares of state-owned land situated off Jalan Kapars five-and-a-half mile stretch. Village residents have been complaining that the burning was too close for comfort as their homes were a mere 100 metres away from the dump site. The villagers claimed that rubbish was being dumped illegally at the site for years, but the burning only started three months ago. They also said unscrupulous individuals were burning the
Manikavasagam (right) with DOE Selangor officers during the site visit on Monday.
rubber coating around electrical wires to get to the copper underneath, which could be sold to scrap metal dealers. A resident who wanted to be known as Mustapha said the fumes posed a health hazard to 1,000 residents, some of whom were suffering from asthma, including himself. Another resident who identified himself as Lee said the burning usually start at 10pm, and strong winds occasionally carried fumes as far as Jalan Kapars eighth mile. It was learnt that the road to the dump site runs through private land, and efforts by the Fire Department to put out the burning last week were thwarted by barriers erected on the road. A site visit was carried out by Kapar assemblyperson S The open-burning spot, still smouldering. Manikavasagam, as well as representatives from the Department of Environment (DOE) DOE Selangor assistant director Abdul Mazli revealed that Selangor, Klang Municipal Council (MPK) and the District his department had been conducting investigations into the Office on Monday. issue since May. As a short-term measure, Manikavasagam has asked for the He added that legal action against those behind the open dump site to be cordoned off, and for the dumping and burn- burning could be carried out using the Environmental Qualing of rubbish to be investigated by the authorities. ity Act of 1974.
Shopping vouchers for the needy

By Alvin Yap
Invalid receives MyKad after 10-year wait
SUBANG JAYA: Fifteen needy families from the SS19 flats here received shopping vouchers from Hannah Yeoh in conjunction with Ramadan, and to help ease the burden of escalating food prices. Please buy what you need, said the Subang Jaya assemblyperson. Each family received Mydin vouchers worth RM200 at the Abu Bakar as-Siddiq mosque on Tuesday night. The mosques welfare committee identified the families and forwarded the names to Yeohs office. Mosque committee president Nazir Abdul Razak Yaakob said he looked forward to continuing to work with the lawmaker to improve the welfare of ratepayers in the SS19 area. This is the second year that Yeoh is giving out shopping vouchers to needy families in her constituency. Her office had organised a breaking-of-fast dinner during Ramadan in 2008 and 2009. This year, they felt it was more practical to use the state allocations to provide the needy with shopping vouchers. Last week, Yeoh gave out vouchers to residents in SS13, Seri Angsana flats and USJ 1. Yeoh also informed those gathered at the mosque about the states urban microcredit scheme, and said interested applicants should visit her service centre to find out more. She explained that the microcredit fund is used for individuals to set up their own small-scale businesses,
Manikvasagam (right) with Alaguselvam and family.
Yeoh with recipients at Abu Bakar as-Siddiq mosque.
especially food stalls. With this microcredit scheme, you can start your own business. Theres no need to work for anyone, you can be self-employed, she said. Yeoh joined the women in the mosque for breaking of fast after the vouchers were handed out.
KLANG: After waiting for a decade, bedridden Alaguselvam Ayyavu, 23, was finally issued his MyKad last Friday. He received his identification card from Kapar MP S Manikavasagam, who had intervened on his behalf by raising the issue with the National Registration Department. Alaguselvams mother, R Pakiam, had been worried that the process had taken a decade, and approached Manikavasagam for assistance last year. I hope the relevant authori-
ties will take note of MyKad applications from those who are invalid and expedite them, the lawmaker said to the press at Alagulselvams house on 9 mile Kampung Perepat. He explained that without the necessary documents to prove his citizenship, Alagulselvam would not be able to receive welfare assistance from the government. In light of that, Manikavasagam promised to provide a wheelchair to Alagulselvam to help him move around.
Subversion and division

subversive document l i e s b e f ore me. Brazenly, some Lee Hwok Aun Malaysians think only those countries that undertook a systematic programme to transform the underlying structure of their economies were able to rise from middle-income status to become high-income countries. And these people say we should do likewise. Transform the underlying structure? Who do they think they are to disrupt the current system? Well thats what the Economic Transformation Programmes roadmap for Malaysia wants to do to us. Subversive, according the Oxford Dictionary, means seeking or intended to undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution). Merriam-Webster defines subvert as to overturn or overthrow from the foundation. Here are more subversive lines: The 1Malaysia concept has at its core, the principle of social justice. This principle necessitates a renewed focus on championing the interests of each and every community, ensuring no group is left behind or marginalised in the course of the nations development. That bold declaration appears in the Tenth Malaysia Plan, published last year under the auspices of the Prime Ministers Department. Social justice appears in none of the previous development plans. By drawing in the ideas of justice and social interest, the ongoing Tenth Plan rhetorically shifts the framework from the governments prerogative to dispense redistribution to peoples rightful claim to a fair share of national wealth. This is subversion alright, albeit of a subtler form. So make no mistake, the Economic Transformation Programme and Tenth Malaysia Plan possess subversive elements. Not to overthrow a government, but to overturn a system or institutional framework right from its base. No one has been arrested for these attempts to subvert and no one ought to be. In the course of life we are sometimes compelled to say difficult things that challenge an existing order or confront entrenched privilege. To be fair, not all subversive content emanates from within BN. The opposition supplies a fair share, too. Pakatan Rakyats Buku Jingga subversively asserts that national prosperity can be achieved and sustained only if it is buttressed by the principles of social justice and shared humanity. But not all subversives are equal. The cost to BN of talking about social justice is, at worst, to have the agenda smothered and popularity diminished. The cost to others can be violated freedom and official oppression. I refer, of course, to the PSM6: Parti Sosialis Malay-
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august 12 14, 2011
wit pleasure
Protesters in solidarity against the detention of the PSM6.
sias Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar, deputy president M Sarasvathy, central committee members Choo Chon Kai and M Sukumaran, Youth chief R Saratbabu, and Sungai Siput branch secretary A Letchumanan. They were detained without trial under the Emergency Ordinance for 28 days, walled in solitary confinement, and nastily interrogated. Upon their release on July 29, like a deflating tyre PM Najib Razak hissed how Malaysia respects the rule of law and that the police decided based on their observations. Through the month of observing, we heard only dingdonging and stonewalling on the grounds for detention without trial. And after the 670 hours of observing, no charges were made, no evidence found and no confessions extracted. No apology also from the authorities who locked up and played mind games with citizens, with zero accountability and no qualms about trampling on basic human rights, dignity and decency. On Aug 2, four days after their release, the PSM6 were charged with being in possession of subversive documents. The insatiable appetite to repress socialists baffles many. Are we witnessing a real time demonstration for history students of the irrelevance and backwardness of archaic laws? An act of scapegoating and scaremongering, or an
attempt to save face by actually bringing on some charge, any charge, in court? A preemptive strike by an absolutely power-over-principle establishment at a grassroots political organisation that exemplifies grassroots consistency and courage of conviction? Whatever the intent, desperation comes across loudly in resorting to attach the subversive label on adversaries. At the same time, without in any way condoning the injustice against them, its worth acknowledging that their critique of the current political economic system out-subverts most others. (Im sure PSM folks will take this as a compliment.) Socialism does not merely call for transformation of economic structures or fairer income distribution, it piercingly analyses class structure and rejects the very legitimacy of the capitalist system. As capitalism continues to be in crisis, in a world where millions eke out their survival at the mercy of rising prices and volatile markets while millionaires live lavishly, should we not ask deeper, more fundamental questions about the economic system that assimilates us? Shouldnt we all be a little more subversive? Lets not allow our minds to be put in detention without thought.
teohlogy
pAtrick teoH
Conditional love?
title for Najib? Well, since he came into office and he did just come into the office didnt he? I mean nobody voted him in what! hes been going around the country making all those conditional speeches to the rakyat. I am sure you remember some of the more famous ones that became YouTube Top 10 hits overnight. The most famous or infamous example was when Najib was campaigning for Barisan Nasional candidates in the elections in Sarawak. Yes, who can forget his promise to issue a RM5 million check on the Monday after the election if it is proven that the local flers there had voted for the BN candidate? I give you the money IF you vote for us. Condition ma. And I am sure that if you raise this topic at your next session with your friends at the mamak stalls, you will remember many more such conditional promises that Najib has made. Oh ya before I forget, Najib laid down another condition recently. He said that in order for Putrajaya to properly jaga the Indian communitys needs and wants, the MIC flers must bring in the votes for BN. Condition ma. And of course the latest stories about how conditions are so much a part of Malaysian life has to do with this registration of legal and illegal foreign workers. There are stories circulating the internet, stories only la, not confirmed or anything, that these foreigners are being offered blue MyKad if they promise to vote for the right candidates in the next General Election. Conditions ma. In Malaysia sure got so many conditions one. You want better driving then you have to pay tolls lor. You want money to build schools then you must vote for me lor. You want better healthcare then you must go to private hospital and pay lor. Eh? Well, that last one is not always true la. But after laughing for a while, my friends and I stopped and thought about things for a bit. Najib a Conditional Prime Minister? Yes. But have we really had any other kind? No, right? Every prime minister in living memory came with conditions what. No meh? Remember Badawi? He said that in order for him to be effective we must not work for him but with him. And see where that got us. And him! Dr M? I am sure you will need no help from me in remembering all the conditions he laid on us. I dont remember if Hussein Onn laid any conditions on us, but his predecessor did. He said that Malaysia can only be maju if we share the wealth among all the races. And boy! Did we share! But its a condition ma. So I guess we cant and should not rib Najib so much for being a Conditional Prime Minister. After all, he is just doing what has been the long-accepted practice ma. See? Now even the television flers have joined the condition game. They tried to tell us Malaysians that even celebrating each others festivals comes with conditions. We must not wear certain clothes la. We must not be obnoxious la. We must not go overboard wor. Its like we all Malaysians dont know all this meh? That we all Malaysians will knowingly dish other Malaysians sensitivities meh? No, right? But anyhow just set some conditions la. After all, our country also led by a Conditional Prime Minister ma. Sorry la, I just had to add that last bit in. Minta maaf ya, Jib?
JUST a few days ago a friend of mine sent me a Tweet message in which she referred to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as our Conditional Prime Minister. I laughed out loud when I received that. What a wonderfully apt description of the man, I thought. I forwarded the new title of the monarch of Putrajaya to other friends and we spent most of the day having ourselves good belly laughs. But after the mirth dissipated a little I thought about it and realised that it isnt that original. Except that it took a person like my friend to put it into words. Conditional Prime Minister. Okay, okay for those of you who may have come in a little late, let me explain. For as far as I can remember, actually since Najib was shoved into the Putrajaya drivers seat he has been exhibiting traits that are required to earn him that very distinguished title, which in my mind is much better and much more relevant and meaningful than those datos and sris. Tan or otherwise. Theres a racist joke in there somewhere but I shall resist. But you can have some fun if you want. Okay, getting back on track. Why is Conditional Prime Minister such an appropriate
12 august 12 14, 2011
InsIght
By Brenda Chng
CURE SOMETIM RELIEF OFTEN, COMFORT ALWA
n this modern era of medicine, some doctors scramble from patient to patient, trying their best to treat diseases. But in the midst of curing, sometimes proper care and comfort are forgotten. In the limited time they have at work, doctors can only check charts, summarise a patients medical report, prescribe medicines and admit them to hospital if necessary. They are often unable to empathise, listen to patient woes, teach family members how to cope, or tend to a patients spiritual and emotional needs. Doctors are seldom trained in medical schools to communicate beyond words or give attention to detail when trying to manage patient complaints. They are eager to treat the disease and often forget that they need to treat the patient, said Dr Nick Chong. The 36-year-old palliative care specialist said treating the patient and tending to their spiritual and emotional needs is as important as combatting the disease. When a patient is scared and confused, giving them more drugs is seldom enough. You listen and explore their concerns, expectations and goals. You try your best to reassure them that youll be with them all the way providing guidance and support while they fight their ilness, said Dr Chong.
Hospice facilities available for loan.
Oxygen concentrator.
Dr Chong, who studied palliative care in London, is now back home and hoping to make some positive changes in the less ideal palliative care situation here. Most families are not equipped with medical knowledge to be able to give their sick loved ones quality care or comfort and pain relief. Family members are also often devastated and are at a loss for what to do or how to relieve their sick loved ones of pain. It makes letting go of a loved one that much harder because of the guilt family members feel in not doing enough to make the patient more comfortable and pain-free, he said. Currently, there are only eight palliative care specialists in Malaysia, including Dr Chong himself, who are trained to offer special care services to patients. However, there are many trained doctors and non-governmental organisations in Malaysia that are doing an excellent job in providing palliative care to terminally ill patients. But still this is not enough. In United Kingdom, the country with the best palliative care services in the world, there is a ratio of one palliative care specialist to 150,000 patients. Here the ratio is one to one
million, Dr Chong said. Awareness of palliative care, which focuses on pain management, counselling and allround care, needs to expand to allow families and patients suffering from chronic and incurable diseases to receive proper guidance. However, in Malaysia, the main reason palliative care has not been implemented or recognised is because most people see the word palliative as a taboo. Patients do not want to be registered with palliative care because the term generally means end-of-life treatment. Patients and family members get disheartened when referred to palliative care. They put up barriers thinking that if they are in it, they will die soon, Dr Chong said. But that is not always true as so much more can be done for the patient beyond medicinal means to help improve their quality of life, he added. Hospital-based palliative care can be improved with the involvement of communitybased care centres like hospices. With the link between both services, oncologists can refer cancer patients for hospice
Hospice home care cervices
Dr Chong (left) with Dr Yoong.
care while at home, and hospice staff can alert the respective doctors if the patients health is deteriorating. Palliative care carried out in hospitals should ideally continue at home as 70% of patients stricken with terminal illness prefer to spend their final hours at home. A good homecare hospice system can make this last wish possible. Being the arm of palliative care, Hospice Klang caters to patients diagnosed with cancer and leukaemia, regardless of the diseases progress. We aim to offer support to both patient and family members while aiming to improve
History of palliative care

BEFORE the existence of palliative care, terminally ill patients were left to deal with pain, grief and their diseases alone. Unfortunately, many family members would not fully comprehend their pain or suffering. As the disease progressed, patients would likely feel the strain and burden of their affliction affecting their mental, emotional and physical state. This would cause them to withdraw from social interaction, and even reject
any form of comfort and help given by family members and friends. This immense pain and isolation would be dealt by doctors with more painkillers, intravenous therapy (IV) drip, or sent home if nothing else could be done for them. With the growing number of terminally ill patients in Malaysia, the need for palliative care grew as well. However, not all doctors are able to offer palliative care to their patients. Doctors will have to undergo a separate degree course to become a qualified palliative care specialist.
Palliative care in Malaysia 1992 - Hospice Malaysia was formed in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur, with 44 patients registered under its care. Gradually, 20 more hospice centres sprouted all around Malaysia to cater to patient needs within the neighbourhood. 1995 - Seeing the work Hospice Malaysia and its branches
were doing, the first dedicated unit for palliative care was formed in Kota Kinabalu Sabah at Queen Elizabeth Hospital called the Palliative Care Unit. It had only four beds and
MES,
Hospice Klang
AYS
Goals of palliative care: Aims to provide pain relief and handle pain management; Provides emotional and mental support for patients and family members; A backbone for patients families to lean on when times get rough; Integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care Goes beyond the aspects of physical help and medicinal help which modern-day doctors provide; To make terminally ill patients comfortable and pain free during their last few days on earth; To consolidate a patients medical information and break it down to simple words to curb confusion and fear. Who is eligible: People who are suffering from an immense level of pain; Terminally ill patients who have been diagnosed with incurable diseases; Patients who have been diagnosed with a long-term curable disease; Patients who have been diagnosed with multiple health conditions, or One who are sick and do not know where to turn to.
Volunteers entertaining patients with song.
Patients required to use their other senses to identify an object.
ones quality of life as the disease progresses, said the chairperson of Hospice Klang, Dr Michael Yoong. Also the doctor in charge of palliative care in Hospice Klang, he, together with his team of full-time nurses, volunteer doctors and non-medical individuals, care for patients who are in remission, and terminally ill ones who are out of hospital care. Hospice Klang has around 20 volunteers and half a dozen full-time staff. The centre visits 60 to70 patients each week. These home visits comprise more than 85% of the work in Hospice Klang; and at present, we provide home care for about 120 patients at any one time, said Dr Yoong. They also loan out hospital beds, wheelchairs, walking sticks, commodes, portable oxygen concentrators, and ripple mattresses to curb bedsores. Besides that, nurses and doctors visit patients in their homes every day, together with at least two non-medical persons who provide transport for the nurses and comfort for the patients. I visit a minimum of six patients a day, spending an hour or more with them during each visit, said nurse Sirumalar Selvi. From 9am to 5pm, she will travel with two volunteers,
who not only drive her around but keep patients company and preoccupied while she is checking on them. Her routine is to prop patients up, teach patients and their family how to deal with pain management, teach breathing and massage techniques, change wounds, listen to their worYou are qualified to receive palliative care if: ries and refer them to a doctor when necessary. You have six months or less to live; The 30-year-old, who is a transfer nurse from You need an alternative to cope with pain management; Chennai, India, said her experience here as a You suffer from breathlessness; palliative care nurse has opened her eyes to how You bear symptoms of sleep reversal patterns; a patients mood and disease can improve with You face constant anxiety and worry due to the disease; the help of such care. You have emotional and mental problems; Echoing her sentiments was Philomena You have nausea, or if Selvaratnam, who is a nurse at Hospice Klang. You are simply ill and lonely. The 65-year-old joined the hospice five years ago following a nursing career at a hospital. Who provides palliative care: Nursing is my passion. I love being with patients, Palliative care specialists in hospitals; giving them my full attention and listening to their Non-governmental organisations like hospice centres around problems and try my best to make them comfortable Malaysia; and happy, she said. Trained volunteers, nurses and doctors. She helps entertain patients with activities like cooking, handicraft, games, exercise and reiki massage (a Places that provide palliative care: healing pain relief technique) every Saturday. Hospital Selayangs Palliative Care Unit; It is amazing how these patients seem to forget 20 hospice centres in Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, they have cancer. With palliative care and social acNegeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah. tivities, I think it provides some sort of escape for them, she said. I check my calendar, anticipating Saturday to arrive. It is the only distraction I have to look forward to apart from going for chemotherapy and doctor check-ups, said a patient in his seventies who only wanted to be known as Yap. Suffering from cancer, Yap is as active and healthy as any other person. I love dancing, and when I was affected with c a n c e r I th o u g ht I couldnt dance anymore. But I realised I was wrong after being part of palliative and hospice care, said Yap. He said he does not Sirumalar Selvi feel any more pain and he is more confident in combatting the disease with the help of the hospice staff. Joining him is 62-year-old breast cancer survivor Shamsiah Mat Som, who is in remission. Im so thankful for care and attention I get here. I dont know how I would be able to survive without it, she said. Shamsiah is visited by hospice nurses once every two months and attends hospice activities every Saturday to give support to other cancer patients, some of whom are still undergoing chemotherapy. Volunteer doctor (middle) with cancer patients.
catered to the needs of terminally ill patients who had been sent home by their doctors.
1998 - The Ministry of Health requested all hospitals in 2002 - Selayang Hospital became the first hospital here to
Selangor to have a palliative care unit, just like the one in Sabah. However, there were not enough palliative care specialists to run the units in most hospitals, and it didnt take off well.
1996 - Recognition of the need for palliative care grew immensely within the year, and four beds mushroomed into 10. Due to the limited number of beds, the unit extended its services to home care. With the high demand and positivity generated from palliative care, the Ministry of Health soon acknowledged its importance and took an interest in expanding it to other hospitals.
have a dedicated specialist palliative care unit with 12 beds. It was run by four trained palliative care specialists who each dealt with more than 25 patients a day.
2005 - Palliative care training soon grew into the academic 2000 - Twelve hospitals in Malaysia took palliative care sector and warranted all university students to undergo palmore seriously and provided it to patients with terminally ill diseases. However, due to lack of funds and staff, these hospitals still failed to accommodate a specialised palliative care unit in their hospitals. liative care training as part of their course. This helped create awareness that palliative care is a highly recognised and sought-after medical field.
VIEWS 14
AUGUST 12 14, 2011
Volcanoes, lawsuits, airlines and the apocalypse

L
email ord Bobo, Ive been seeing some interesting graffiti around KL. Whats a volcano massage? Avid Reader, via Ah, His Supreme Eminenceness did notice those spraypainted graffiti on road dividers, walls, and flyover pillars around KL the last time Lord Bobo was in town to visit the Pusat Rakyat LoyarBurok. We assumed there was a sudden surge in demand for massage services. As well as motorcycle tyre-tube-changing assistance. As to what a volcano massage is, one can only speculate. Lord Bobo assumes it has something to do with, erm, eruptions. His Supreme Eminenceness even spotted a cheese massage, which is even more mysterious. Having received your question, we tasked a few minions to dial up the numbers on those notices (just to research for this answer, obviously), and they all were told wrong number by various irritated individuals. Which leads us to think that all these seemingly exotic massage notices are perhaps an elaborate prank! Most disturbingly, a minion reportedly saw a banana massage advertisement. Now thats just plain wrong. Lord Bobo is of the view that bananas are to be eaten, not massaged. No, not in that way. am so upset. My neighbour called me a fat, untalented panda at the wet market. What legal recourse do I have? @junkradar, via Twitter His Supreme Eminenceness is delighted to inform you that you live in Malaysia, the land where the rule of law reigns supreme, and justice is upheld above all else. You therefore have numerous options of legal redress for your grievance. You can sue the Election Commission for causing your neighbour to be your neighbour. If not for the ECs lackadaisical attitude towards phantom voters and gerrymandering, your neighbour would have won the seat he was running for last year and become a closet millionaire living in a gated community instead of slumming it in your neighbourhood. You can sue Utusan Malaysia for making you constantly paranoid about being invaded by Jews, Christians, Communists, Americans, Europeans, Martians, and even Jews from Uranus! Go ahead and claim that the paranoia gave you such severe anxiety attacks that had to be quelled by 20 packs of Twisties per day, thereby causing you to be fat. You can sue the Registrar of Societies for branding Bersih illegal, thus deterring you from participating in the July 9 rally, and denying you some much need exercise (not from the
Ask Lord Bobo is a weekly column by LoyarBurok (www.loyarburok.com) where all your profound, abstruse, erudite, hermetic, recondite, sagacious, and other thesaurusdescribed queries are answered!
ear Lord Bobo, why do people go out for drinks or meals and spend so much time looking at their phones, instead of each other? Is this a sign of the apocalypse? Are the machines taking over? Nostrildamus, via email Lord Bobo knows what you mean, and is not happy about this trend. In fact, His Supreme Eminenceness has on numerous occasions advised his minions to minimise Tweeting, BBM-ing and emailing other people while sitting down for a meal with friends. Its just plain rude. Its sad how basic human interaction seems to be such a difficult task for so many. Just the other day, Lord Bobo was enjoying a meal in KLCC (His Supreme Eminenceness frequently visits the excellent bookstore there), and a family was seated at the next table. The father was on his iPhone, mum was on an iPad, the older daughter was frantically typing away on her BlackBerry, and the youngest kid was sat there watching cartoons on a portable DVD player. And this was while eating. Lord Bobo has been told that some parents buy iPads for their pre-school-age children to play with because its too tiring to make conversation with them. This is just plain lazy and irresponsible parenting. Why bother having children if thats your attitude? Similarly, why bother being in the presence of other human beings if most of your interaction is going to be on Twitter, or about it? Eh you mentioned me on Twitter ah? Wait wait I go reply. Is the apocalypse upon us? Perhaps. Not that these people would notice of course, unless it was tweeted, BBM-ed or emailed to them.
walking, but from the running from the tear gas and water cannons) to mitigate your obesity. You can sue the government for misprioritising expenditure on defence procurement instead of human development, thereby depriving you of quality and a well-rounded education to cultivate your innate talents. As the above advice is given free of charge, Lord Bobo hereby disclaims in perpetuity and slightly thereafter any responsibility or liability for any loss, damage, cost or expense whatsoever, whether direct, indirect or consequential, howsoever, whensoever, and in whomsoever arising, covering all known and unknown points on the space-time continuum, in connection with and/or in relation to and/or occasioned by the said advice. Or not. Amen. Caveat emptor. Res ipsa loquitor. Waka waka. A licky boom boom down. Qui vadis. Et tu, Brute?
ord Bobo, whats your take on the MAS AirAsia deal that has set Corporate Malaysia abuzz? Flight of Fancy, via email
His Supreme Eminenceness is slightly bemused by this concept of Corporate Malaysia. Who does this include? How many Malaysias are there? Is the opposite Unincorporated Malaysia? Or Cant Be Arsed About Business News Malaysia? Anyway, its just another piece of business between the business elite, isnt it? Many of the characters involved are from the same familiar cast (or friends or close business partners of former cast members). Its difficult to predict how it will affect the average Malaysian, though you can be certain that bringing MAS towards profitability will not involve cutting ticket prices or offering free air fares. Short, figure-hugging air stewardess uniforms may help, though.
Have a question for Lord Bobo? Call on His Supreme Eminenceness by emailing [email protected], stating your full name, and a pseudonym (if you want), or tweeting your questions by mentioning @LoyarBurok and using the hashtag #asklordbobo. The first 100 questions published will receive monkey-riffic LoyarBurok merchandise courtesy of Selangor Times. What the hell are you waiting for? Hear This, and Tremblingly Obey (although trembling is optional if you are somewhere very warm)! Liberavi Animam Meam! I Have Freed My Spirit!
Students get their hands dirty for good cause

By Brenda Chng
AUGUST 12 14, 2011
NEWS 15
SUBANG JAYA: Getting their hands dirty has become part and parcel of the lives of students of two schools taking part in a project to recycle waste into compost here. SMK Subang SS14 and SMK SS17 were the first secondary schools chosen to participate in the project, where students recycle garden and kitchen waste naturally into fertiliser. The three-month project, which began in February, was organised by the local Resident Committee ( JKP) and funded by CIMB Bank. Im proud of my newfound interest in
Rishendrakumar and Low.
gardening. I never thought I would ever express my passion for making compost and growing vegetables, said SMK SS17 student Kevin Low. The 17-year-old president of the Eco Seventeen Club said he never knew that saving the environment could be so easy and fun. Low and the other 24 members of the club collect peels, vegetables and recyclables for decomposition every day. It will then be dumped into compost bins in their school and stirred 12 times a day for three months. It is not advisable to throw in shells and bones because they take a long time to decompose, he said. Echoing his enthusiasm was Lows schoolmate Rishendrakumar Nadarajan, who said the first-hand experience had compelled him to become an environmentalist. I used to turn a blind eye to recycling projects and campaigns as I didnt see how my slight initiative could help make a difference to the environment, he said. The 17-year-old member of the Eco Seventeen Club now realises that a little can go a long way. Apart from making organic fertilisers, he helps the club look after a vegetable patch that grows onions, okra, brinjals and pumpkins.
Loi collecting organic fertiliser to enrich the vegetable patch.
This project also drove him to make compost at home to organically fertilise his herb garden. Im really happy with the results of this project. My mission of getting youths to recycle and apply it in their everyday lives has been a success, said Subang councillor Loi Kheng Min. Loi, who is also chairperson of the resident
committee here, said the RM10,000 project was money well spent. He said the project would be launched in SMK Subang Utama next, followed by other schools that show interest. He urged participants to share their experience and encourage their friends, both young and old, to go green.
Jom Shopping lauded by the elderly

By William Tan
Religious schools, organisations receive aid

KLANG: A total of RM58,600 in contributions was distributed to various organisations and places of worship in Teluk Menegon here on July 30. The contributions were handed out by state executive councillor and Sri Andalas assemblyperson Dr Xavier Jayakumar to lighten the burden of the needy. The recipients included religious schools, surau, mosques, parent-teacher associations, residents associations, and needy Xavier (seated, fourth left) with representatives individuals. of Pekawanis, MPK, village heads, and recipients The sum comprised RM38,200 of monetary aid during a ceremony at Teluk from the state government, Menegon on July 30. RM17,400 from the Sri Andalas state assembly office, and RM3,000 from the sentative Sheila Devaraj, Klang Municipal Association of Wives of Members of Parlia- Council (MPK) councillor Azmi Jusoh, and m e nt a n d St a t e A s s e m b l y p er s o n s village heads. Apart from cash contributions, (Pekawanis). every mosque and surau received Al Quran At the ceremony were Pekawanis repre- publications and two boxes of dates each.
SHAH ALAM: Some 100 senior citizens got a chance to spend RM100 provided under the states Skim Mesra Usia Emas (SMUE) programme, at Tesco here last Saturday. The group, comprising old folk from Sections 16 and 18, were accompanied by volunteers and officials from the state overseeing the Jom Shopping initiative. This is part of the state governments efforts to help the elderly cope with the rise in the cost of living, said state ex- Senior citizens among the shoppers at Tesco Shah Alam ecutive councillor Dr on Aug 6 to spend their RM100 gift vouchers. Yaakob Sapari. The Kota Anggerik assemblyperson said goodie bags to the participants. the welfare initiative is more critical now in The event was a delight to participants light of the fasting month and the upcoming such as Salehah Mohdzin, 68, who said it Hari Raya celebration. was helpful, especially with the rise in He said the state will be organising simi- prices of items such as oil, sugar and rice. lar shopping sprees in areas with the highest Saleha said she was happy that the state concentration of seniors who are registered remembers the elderly. under SMUE. Her thoughts were shared by Ahmad bin SMUE was introduced by the state Harun, 73, who applauded the unique event. government for Selangor residents aged I dont normally go to Tesco as it is so above 60. far for me, but Im taking this opportunity Yaakob said RM10 million has been al- to get some essentials like rice, sugar and located for the scheme, and the state is look- syrup for Ramadan, he said. ing to work closely with retailers to obtain The retiree said he had been informed of better deals and bargains for participants. the scheme by friends who saw banners and On Saturday, Tesco Shah Alam gave out posters at the local mosque.
MPK fund to help needy celebrate Raya

KLANG: The Klang Municipal Council (MPK) has launched a charity fund to help the less fortunate celebrate Hari Raya. The MPK Cares Charity Fund was unveiled by the council last Thursday. MPK Communications and Public Complaints director Norfiza Mahfiz said proceeds from the fund, which will run until Aug 15, will be channelled to the poor in the Klang district. We set up the fund at our headquarters to give our staff an opportunity to participate in the blessed religious duty of donating to the needy, she said. She said Klang residents could also donate during the holy month of Ramadan. MPK councillors will visit the poor in Klang to distribute the donations. This contribution is specifically to ease the burdens of the less fortunate during their Aidilfitri celebrations, said Norfiza. Those who want to contribute can contact the MPK careline at 1800-88-23826 for further information.
NEWS 16
AUGUST 12 14, 2011
MB breaks fast with the needy

Thank you for attending the dinner, and giving us the opportunity to get to know you SHAH ALAM: Some 300 orphans, single more as we break fast together, said the Menmothers and the poor joined Tan Sri Khalid teri Besar to his special guests for the evening. Ibrahim at his official residence for buka He said Ramadan was not only an opporpuasa last Saturday. tunity to fast by withholding food and drink, but was also a chance to develop character and integrity. Khalid pointed out that Selangor was doing its bid to fulfil its promise of providing Khalid and Rodziah distributing religious booklets to orphans. welfare for its citizens. We hope that our contri- handing out gifts to the guests. member Rodziah Ismails constituency of Batu butions will make your RamaEarlier, Khalid also toured the back of Tiga, told Khalid that he had received the dan and the coming Syawal his official residence in Section 7, where in- initial grant and set up his burger stall in time more meaningful, he said, dustrious cooks had turned the area into a for the Ramadan bazaar around Klang and before giving out cash dona- Ramadan bazaar. Shah Alam. tions to the orphans and sinSuccessful applicants of the states Mimbar I only use high-quality buns and cheese gle mothers. microcredit programme had set up stalls to for my Ramly burgers, said Mohd Tarmidi, Executive councillors and dish up their food. who has been doing a roaring trade since start state lawmakers were seen Mohd Tarmidi Borhan, from state exco of the fasting month. Music troupe entertaining the participants.
By Alvin Yap
Search for best Ramadan stall
Know Your Councillor: Mariam Abdul Rashid

By Basil Foo
Roslan trying his hand at frying fish at the SS6 Ramadan bazaar.
PETALING JAYA: A competition to find the cleanest,
most affordable and most presentable Ramadan food stall in the city is under way. Organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), the competition is added incentive for operators to improve the standards of their stalls. Prizes will be announced by the city council at a later date. There will be a special committee who will visit Ramadan bazaars in plain clothes to judge the stalls there, said MBPJ mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman. During a visit to the Ramadan bazaar on Jalan SS6/1, he said the stalls will be judged in three separate categories: most presentable, cleanest, and cheapest. The prizegiving ceremony for the competition will be held at the annual MBPJ open house during the Raya celebration. I think the stalls here would do well as they look attractive, and their goods are priced reasonably, he said during the visit last Friday. He added that Ramadan stalls should be presentable as they are also part of the tourist attractions of the state. Roslan met with stall owners, gave out MBPJsponsored aprons and caps to the cooks, and even stopped to stir-fry some mutton. On the use of polystyrene, he said bazaar operators still had to be reminded to use biodegradable food
containers. We did a Go Green campaign, but exposure needs to be built up more as we are still lenient about the use of polystyrene, he said. The mayor said enforcement against the use of nonbiodegradable products through the issuance of compounds will hopefully be launched next year. He added that stall operators should use biodegradable products like containers made of sugarcane stalk fibres.
Roslan presenting an apron and cap to a blind stall operator at the SS6 Ramadan bazaar.
MANAGING an increased amount of applications for stalls during the Ramadan month has been keeping Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) councillor Mariam Abdul Rashid busy. There has been an increase in demand for stall licences recently, so I have been helping stall operators to legalise their businesses, she said. The three-term councillor has been monitoring licence applications from her jurisdiction, Zone 23, which she said is made up of mainly traditional Malay villages. Included in the zone are six villages, namely Kampung Merbau Sempak, Kampung Kubu Gajah, and the Hulu, Tengah, Dalam and Hilir parts of Kampung Paya Jaras. Sometimes I receive complaints from locals regarding foreigners setting up stalls, so we have conducted many monitoring operations in the area, she said. Mariam also tends to two other residential areas in her zone, which she said does not generate as many complaints as the villages. Villagers in her jurisdiction have been languishing in the dark due to the absence of streetlights and have become prey to snatch thieves. As the area is quite dark, we
are looking into their applications for more streetlights for increased security after a few cases of snatch thefts, said the 50-year-old councillor. Mariam, whose service centre is in the MBSA hall in Paya Jaras, cited her interests as reading and doing welfare-related work. The mother of eight was formerly chairperson of an organisation in Selangor that looked into the welfare of orphans a position that she held for three years. She is now a full-time councillor, having answered the call to fulfill MBSAs quota for councillors from non-governmental organisation backgrounds. My hope is for my zone, which is under Shah Alams boundaries, to receive more development and reflect the image of the city it is located in, she said.
Curious folks and global whistleblowers
FEATURE 17
AUGUST 12 14, 2011
By Alvin Yap
hether we salute them or think theyre criminals, hackers say they are misunderstood. Hackers like Andrew Yong, 21, say its a case of curiosity getting the better of inquisitive minds that want to understand how computer programmes, or software, work. Via anonymous email (of course), Yong says: My dad tinkers around his car. He opens up the hood, disassembles the engine and modifies it. For me, I like to hack an application to see how it all works. The engineering student says even a legitimate computer programmer can be a thought of as a hacker. Yong started hacking two years ago when he began to tweak the Operating System (OS) of his old, hand-medown computer to make it more responsive. The OS is the software that runs a computer. These days, Yong does not buy proprietary software that one has to pay for. Instead, he downloads Open Source software that includes the source code, which are lines of programming that make up the software. He customises the software by reprogramming it to run according to his needs. The modified software that he churns out is smaller, uses less memory, and runs more quickly and responsively on his computer. In effect, a hacker is someone who is not satisfied with the status quo. We want to make software better by tweaking it. That is hacking, says Yong, who is studying for a mechanical engineering degree. Were curious folks. Yong points out that he would find it difficult to maintain
his hobby if not for affordable broadband services, which allow him to download even the largest software for him to modify in this case, a Linux OS, which is available free thanks to the work of pioneer hackers 30 years ago. Linux was born from the efforts of a global hacker community that took the programming codes from a proprietary software to alter it into a free OS. The free OS, Linux, runs most servers and even supercomputers in the world. Ive modified a few of the features in the OS, which I think will make it run better, Yong says, adding that he has shared the changes in the codes with the hacker community. He admires the hackers of the early 1990s who socialised the creation of computer software like Linux. However, Yong dismisses the idea that he is pursuing the wrong career path by being an engineer. He says he can still pursue hacking as a hobby, even though it is almost a full-time engagement. Yong laughs off the notion that he is typifies the image of a hacker, as he is active in college sports and the English club, among other things. But he admits to being glued to his computer screen at home, typing out programming codes and running the modified software repeatedly to see how it works Yong says he will not break the law by hacking into computer systems like what the now-infamous Anonymous group had done two months ago. On the flipside, a veteran hacker who wants to be known only as Zero_Null says he sees governments being increasingly intolerant of free speech and expression on the internet. The internet is the last line of defence against censorship because governments know that if they block it, theyve won, the 40-year-old tells Selangor Times via chat message.
Freedom of expression
Zero_Null says he is of an older generation of hackers, and remembers the good old days during the late 1990s when users dialed up to connect to the internet. He took the cyber nickname from a computer-programming language called C, which is generally argued to the hardest one to learn but is also most rewarding. He sees himself as the archetypal hacker but not of the Hollywood kind, and certainly not the Jonnie Lee Miller character in the cult 1995 movie Hackers. Zero_Null explains that he devotes most of his time in front of the computer because he is in charge of setting up and maintaining an underground network of the internet here in Malaysia. But he denies that it is an illegal network, insisting that it is a private computer network restricted to outside users. He points out that he was part of a hackers group that set up the network to head off the possibility of massive censorship on the internet. Zero_Null says he started programming computers on an Apple II E computer in the 1980s. The language was called Basic, and I wrote simple programmes, he shares, adding that his hobby continued into the 1990s and beyond, when he settled on a degree in computer science. He says most hackers, while operating as individuals, are also part of an in crowd, often speaking in their own lingo, which is technical jargon. Dont let us talk shop, because just two of us can have an endless debate and discussion over computer systems, he warns. Zero_Null, who works as a systems analyst, received his Security Consultant rating in January. The rating is a licence for him to audit computer systems for vulnerabilities and to, ironically, install safeguards against hackers like him. To catch a hacker, one must think like a hacker. Simply put, you must be a hacker, he quips. He has approached top companies to offer his services of making their computer systems hacker-proof. This, he says, is vital as connections to the internet are getting increasingly faster and more data can be hacked or compromised as a result. However, he warns that no safeguard is complete foolproof: someone smarter than he could try to exploit vulnerabilities in the system Zero_Null says he would consider becoming a hacktivist if circumstances warrant it, meaning, for instance, if democracy comes under threat of censorship. He believes that getting caught for hacking into a computer to expose the truth against unaccountable governments is ethical and morally sound. I like to think of us hackers as whistleblowers, he opines. So, who is his hero in the fraternity of hackers out there? Julian Assange, who else? he replies, referring to the founder of Wikileaks. Julian Assange
Food 18
August 12 14, 2011
Full occupancy on the commuter train before reaching Rawang station.
here are four ways to get to Rawang town. The first is by car, second by bus, third by rail and fourth on foot. I seriously dont recommend the last option. Since most of us have already experienced the first option, the third option seemed quite interesting to one of my friends. He thought it was about time he got back on the tracks since he has been driving all his life. There we were at KL Sentral at 9.15am, waiting for the third member. The commuter train for Rawang which we missed left at 9.45am because the third guy turned up late. But we managed to board the one at 10.46am. As we discovered, not many passengers hopped on board at KL Sentral that morning. But the train was almost full after a couple of stops. It was a smooth ride all the way, and the trip took only about 35 minutes. I have always liked trains, especially since those days when the dining coach was manned by those Hailam chaps who could really cook up a storm. If you ask your dads or even grandfathers, they may just regale you with a couple of interesting tales about travelling on board Peng Nam enjoys a good mix of customers. the old Malayan Railway. The commuter train to Rawang my friends favourite restaurant people like very much. was just like a bus except it was air- called Peng Nam. Since my friend didnt want to He has been a regular there for a compete with the lunch crowd, we conditioned and there were no traffic jams along the way. There couple of years. He claimed that the arrived early. It was 12.20pm when were scheduled stops, but the rail dishes there suited his palate. On we arrived at Peng Nam after a short top of that, the ma yau mun tofu walk from the Rawang railway stajourney wasnt hurried. That was the way we liked it. The was absolutely great. That is a fish tion. main objective of the rail journey to dish that comes with marinated tofu We were shocked to be greeted Rawang town was to have lunch at and cooked the way the Hakka by closed doors. Two of us turned
Smooth rail ride to Rawang for lunch

Sometimes in life one has to make a little effort to secure a memorable lunch. LIN ZHENYUAN finds out that the railway tracks can lead to a fine restaurant
Peng Nam is located next to the jewellery shop on the main street of Rawang.
Fish tofu with special gravy is a proven popular dish.
Passengers disembarking at the Rawang station.
to our colleague and quipped: We thought you say this place only closes on Monday. From the looks of it, he was wrong. After some downcast looks, we made our way to another restaurant across two streets. By the time we finished our lunch it was 2.20pm. We walked back the same way we came. As we walked past Peng Nam, we noticed the place was packed with people. Again, we registered shocked expressions. It looked like we were all wrong. It was open for business after all. We later found out from a pretty waitress that sometimes the restaurant opened a little later. The owners were not in a hurry because of their fine reputation. It was probably one of the most popular restaurants in town. After a little debate, the person who guided us to Rawang decided,
against our better judgment, to have a second lunch. Why we did that, only Providence knew. Naturally, we did not order rice because wed just had that about an hour ago. Instead we ordered a plate of noodles and a plate of restaurants specialty, the marinated tofu with pieces of fish. It was too bad that we had already eaten a fair bit, otherwise we would also have ordered fried wantan, which Peng Nam is famous for. But just to be inside the restaurant and have a second lunch of sorts made our trip worthwhile. At least we didnt have to return to KL and tell other friends the sad story of us not making it to Peng Nam. According to people who are familiar with Peng Nam, the restaurant is presently in the hands of the third generation. From the impression of the interior dcor, or whats
August 12 14, 2011
food 19
Take 5 minutes to fill this form up and drop it off at the nearest police station to have regular checks at your house while you are away.
The restaurant is always packed during lunch.
Ibu pejabat polIs Daerah subang jaya
Tel: 03-5637 3722 Fax: 03-5631 9815

Borang maklumaT Memaklumkan tentang meningalkan rumah kediaman untuk bercuti. Kepada Kawasan pentadbiran balai polis .............................................................................................. BuTiran penduduk: nama: .................................................................................. alamat: .................................................................................
Koay teow noodles for those of us who had already eaten.
.............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. nombor telefon bimbit/kediaman: ........................................ nombor telefon yang boleh dihubungi: ................................
left of it, it certainly looks like a third-generation business. But its loyal customers dont really care about the lighting, decoration, condition of the furniture, they are only concerned about the quality of the food served. As far we could tell, the dishes are still way above average. I am Hokkien, so I cant really judge if Peng Nam cuisine really scores five stars. But I can say with confidence that the dishes are very well-cooked and they are fairly delicious. The food tends to remind some of us who have been around that there are still some
great cooks left, and most of them are residing in small towns like Rawang. Peng Nam is on the main street of Rawang. If I am not mistaken, it is called Welman Street. It is right next to Kedai Emas May Lee. It was the first time in a long time for the three of us to have two lunches within three hours. Gastronomically it was quite a feat, but I wont recommend that kind of gluttony to anyone. Since we had come by rail, we returned the same way. But first we had to walk back to the railway sta-
tion. It was exercise that we all needed. Theres nothing like burning up a few extra calories before our bodies degenerate into a couple of big, fat walking potatoes. Before our train arrived, I was surprised to learn that the KTM had introduced the women-only coaches even though it was really stale news by the time I discovered this fact. For those who fancy a quick trip to Rawang for the specific purpose of dining at Peng Nam, its contact number is 03-60916948. Call before you go, just in case you encounter closed doors like we did.
.............................................................................................. tarikh meninggalkan rumah: ................................................ tarikh dijangka balik ke rumah: ........................................... Kenderaan yang ditinggalkan (jenis model & nombor daftar kenderaan). 1. .......................................................................................... 2. .......................................................................................... 3. .......................................................................................... lain-lain maklumat: ..............................................................................................
............................................... tandatangan
....................................... tarikh
Have you cHecked your electrical switcHes before leaving Home?

Before ieaving your home for a holoday, have you checked all your electrical switches and turned off your gas tanks?
Call the SS17 BomBa for advise at

The women-only coach, so no more cramped spaces or ungentlemanly behaviour.
03-5634 9444
media/fiction 20
august 12 14, 2011
By Basil Foo
Orphans break fast with Dominos
KUALA LUMPUR: Orphans fromRumah Titian Kaseh were invited to break their Ramadan fast on Monday during the launch of Dominos Pizzas new appetizer set, the Starter Box, at its outlet in The Weld. We are pleased to celebrate Ramadan by giving back to the needy, said Dominos Pizza Malaysia and Singapore chief operating officer, Ba U Shan-Ting.
Ba U with Domino Pizzas latest Ramadan offerings: the Awesome Foursome Starter Box and Dynamic Duo Starter Box.
The homes 35 children and five caretakers were treated to scrumptious sets of the Starter Box on Monday. Each box contains Roasted Chicken Drummets, Garlic Cheese Onion Rings, and Crazy Chicken Crunchies Original Flavour with Salsa sauce and Spicy Tomyam with tang y cheese dip. The new Starter Box sets are perfect appetizers for customers to break their fast with family and friends before moving on to the main course, said Ba U. Customers can choose to order the Awesome Foursome Orphans treated to pizza and various foods for breaking fast at the Dominos Pizza Starter Box set with all four side outlet in The Weld on Monday. dishes, or the Dynamic Duo, which has the chicken drumvited to a restaurant for buka puasa, said Rumah Titian Kaseh mets and original chicken crunchies. founder Sharifah Adlan. The Foursome Box set is priced at RM44.20 and the Duo She said this was indeed a joyous experience for the orphans, is going for RM25.60. who usually have food delivered to them at the home. They can be added on to a regular pizza purchase at To date, more than 40 homes have had their celebrations RM34.80 for the Foursome Box set and RM19.80 for the Duo. of various festive occasions enlivened by the contribution of We are glad to be here as this is our first time being in- Dominos Pizza.
Staying Alive
Fiction by Eileen Lian
Be wau-ed at Sunway Pyramid this Raya

tofu salad into one of those MBPJ litter bins on my way out. Loong will kill me if he finds them in the fridge tonight, untouched. Focus now, focus! Starting to feel a little faint here. What if I collapse on the side of the road clutching the brown rice and tofu to my chest? What a spectacle that would be! What if I drop the brown rice and tofu before I even leave the house and dont have the strength to clean it up, and Loong finds it carelessly strewn everywhere when he gets home? That will mean big trouble! Because there will be not one, but two, things for him to go berserk over: the fact that I obviously did not eat the food, and the filthy state of the house. What if I? What if? No more what ifs! Focus now. Put key into keyhole. Open the front door. Lock the front door. Open the gate. Close the gate. Walk! At this point, I guess Im grateful that Loongs parents insisted on this double-storey terrace in Paramount Garden when we first got married, just so that we could be near them. How I hated the way they twisted our arms with their wallets. How I detested how the neighbours houses looked either garishly renovated or horribly rundown and in dire need of repainting. Our house looked the smartest after wed done it up, but what did it matter when you are located in a neighbourhood that didnt look smart. Now, the good thing is I only need to walk about 300 metres and cross one side street. Okay, be careful. Look left, look right and left again. Wouldnt it be
here are the b lo o dy tablets? I vaguely remember hiding yesterdays vitamins in the flowerpot next to the stack of legal files that I really need to return to the office. Must throw those babies out the pills, not the files before Loong finds them. So many pills to swallow, the medication is bad enough, but my kiasu husband insists on vitamins as well. My throat hurts from all the swallowing. Ah! Here they are, todays meds, all meticulously accounted for in this little red container. I guess I should show more appreciation for my husbands OCD ways. Okay, what have we here? The giant red mamma, as always; the big, fat, ugly yellow-green capsule, as always; the pretty brown one gracefully shaped like a fish, as always; the teeny-tiny one the colour of waste (not my waste, healthy waste); and our two seriously officious-looking white uns, here to boss over everyone
else, as always. Now, water. I need water, lots of water. Great! All downed. Next on the list: hat. Where did I put it, my beautiful hand-woven, South American straw hat? I could have sworn I left it here on this teak coffee table that Loong had refused for the longest time to let me buy. Please, Loong, I love the look of it. No, its too low, I dont like the colour. Oh, but its just perfect, so elegant and natural, so woody, you know. Its too expensive! But it will fit perfectly in that empty spot in our living room. On and on, until I fell sick and the guilt got to him. Hat, hat, where are you? Dr Nalini said to get some sun, but Im not going to let anyone, especially strangers, see my bald head! Okay, got it. Hat, check. Sunglasses, check. Money, check. Handphone, check. IC, check. House keys, check, Shoes, check. Oops, must remember to divert all house calls to my mobile. If Loong calls the house phone just to make sure you are a good girl and resting at home, I can tell him that Im just admiring the roses and heliconias in the garden. Dr Nalini said to get some sun what. Aiyoh! Getting ready to go out is making me exhausted. Better sit down a while. My stomach hurts. Okay, relax! Breath in, out, in, out! Deep breaths now, remember what yoga Balan said about pulling the air into the stomach. Oh yes, must remember to dump the brown rice and organic
SHAH ALAM: In conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya festivities, Sunway Pyramid has turned to one of the east coasts most enduring symbols, the wau. Using the giant kites as the main focus, Sunway Pyramid has decorated the popular shopping mall with Terengganus traditional craft. At the centre of the exhibition, Terengganu master wau-maker Muhd Ariff Mazlan will also hold wau craftsmanship demonstrations. There will also be Raya dances and roving Cheer Raya Dance funny if I got knocked down right now? I can just see the headlines: Lawyer, 36, survives breast cancer, gets killed by car while crossing road. My colleagues would fall off their chairs in the office laughing. They always liked good jokes. Okay. Focus. Put. One. Foot. In. Front. Of. The. Other.
performances. Sunway Pyramid mascot, Leo the Lion, will also be moving around the mall dishing out doodles. There is also a Raya Bazaar on the lower ground promoting Malaysian craft. Besides uniquely designed Raya packets, shoppers also stand a chance to win prizes during this shopping promotion. For more information, call Sunway Pyramid at 03-74943100 or log on to www.sunwaypyramid. com. Focus. Walk. Focus. You only have this one thing to do right now walk. Focus. Stay alive. Youre almost there. Dig into your inner reserves, draw on your mental strength. I see it now! Restoran New Seaview! YES! One prawn mee, boss. Meehoon mee ah. Lots of chilli.
Colgate, Tesco pair up for charity

SHAH ALAM: Dental care providers ColgatePalmolive Marketing Sdn Bhd (Colgate) launched a collaboration with Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to boost contributions for its Mari Beramal Bersama Colgate charity campaign at Tesco Ampang last Saturday. Mari Beramal Bersama Colgate is an annual charity campaign by Colgate held in conjunction with the month of Ramadan. During the campaign period, a portion of proceeds from sales of special Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection or Colgate Kayu Sugi toothpaste packs will be allocated for charity. This years campaign, which will run from Aug 1-Sept 30, aims to achieve RM150,000 in total contributions for 15 orphanages under the Social Welfare Department of Malaysia. For this years campaign, Tesco Malaysia will match Colgates 20-sen contribution for every sale of a Colgate toothpaste charity twin pack at any of its 43 Tesco stores nationwide. The combined 40-sen contribution from each charity pack will go on to help provide necessities for the 15 orphanages from all over Malaysia. Colgate managing director Issam Bachaalani said: Colgate is very happy to join hands
media 21
august 12 14, 2011
with Tesco Malaysia in boosting contributions for the campaign. Last years highly successful campaign garnered a total of RM200,000, which far exceeded the original target of RM120,000 and demonstrates the continuous and generous support of Malaysians. The campaign strikes a chord with Tesco Malaysias motto of Because We Care a simple phrase that represents our belief that our people, customers, suppliers, and the communities we operate in should do their part to help others and make a huge impact in everyones lives, said Tesco Malaysia chief operating officer Tim Golding. It is Tesco Malaysias pleasure to partner with Colgate in this simple yet meaningful charity campaign, which gives Malaysian shoppers the opportunity to practise generosity especially during the month of Ramadan through the simple act of buying toothpaste a daily necessity, he added. This is the fourth consecutive year of the Mari Beramal Bersama Colgate charity campaign. Since 2008, Colgate has collected a total of RM386,000 over three campaigns, which has helped orphanages and charity homes through- Children from one of the charity recipient homes present a thank-you card to Golding and Bachaalani. out the country.
Through the eyes of children Climb of Hope for cancer

SHAH ALAM: This Ramadan, Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is spreading the spirit of giving and sharing by taking a team of 22 underprivileged children from various orphanage homes, aged between 10 and 18 years old for a photo shoot adventure at the KL Bird Park. This CSR initiative themed Through the Eyes of Children held this morning is a joint effort between Nikon, Persatuan START Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (StART) and Purplehouz Fine Arts. The children were selected from several orphanage homes around Klang Valley, and priority was given to those who have shown interest and passion in photography but lack the opportunity to do so. Nikon is very passionate about photography and would like to provide an opportunity for these underprivileged children to discover and develop their photography skills The children receiving their brand-new enabling them to capture joyful and memo- cameras given by Nikon Malaysia. rable moments in their lives, said Nikon This is to create a continuous relationship (Malaysia and Singapore) managing director between Nikon and the underprivileged children Masanobu Tsunoda. in a mentor-mentee manner. The children were taken on an educational Nikon together with StART will select the expedition, where they participated in a photog- best photographs captured by the children to be raphy workshop at the StART premises and at exhibited at the Purplehouz Fine Arts Gallery. the KL Bird Park. The public can view and buy any of the disThe 22 children selected to participate in this played photographs from Sept 1-11. Proceeds programme were each given a Coolpix camera, from the sale of the photographs will be chancourtesy of Nikon. nelled directly to the individual children. Following this initiative, 19 Nikon repreThe photographs will be also be showcased sentatives will continue to provide moral and at PJ Civic Centre from Sept 12-13 during a technical support by monitoring the quality of concert recital by underprivileged children, the pictures captured by the children. organised by StART.
(From left) Saunthari Somasundaram (president of NCSM), Doreen Wan, Alexis Sue-Ann, Thanuja (Ms Malaysia-World 2009), Kattie Hoo, Cheryl Chang (Timberland), and Datuk Vincent Tiew (executive director, Andaman Property Management).
Nikon team and the children at the KL Bird Park.
SHAH ALAM: Initiated as a test of endurance and to do something exciting in their lives, two city ladies, Doreen Wan and Kattie Hoo, have turned the Climb of Hope campaign into a fundraising drive in aid of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM). Over the last two months, Wan and Hoo, with the endorsement of NCSM, have garnered enough awareness that there are now 16 other climbers involved in the campaign. The climbers, including Miss MalaysiaWorld 2009/NCSM Ambassador Thanuja Ananthan, will scale to the peak of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah on Aug 26. To date, they have received pledges to the sum of RM40,000. Wan and Hoo strongly believe that the Mount Kinabalu climb is very much like cancer patients facing a long road ahead of them in recovering from the processes of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. The climb was then named the Climb of Hope to reflect the uphill journey of cancer
patients seeking treatment and their hope to survive and lead a meaningful life. Both have had some personal experiences with NCSM and the support they have provided: their friend, Ron Brooks, succumbed to bone cancer in 2009, and Wans sister, Alice, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. The duo aim to raise at least RM50,000 from the Climb of Hope campaign and give hope to other cancer patients. All pledges made will be fully channelled to NCSM, a registered tax-exempt charity body and the first cancer-related NGO in the country that provides education, care and support services for people affected by cancer. Through this fundraising event, NCSM hopes to spread the message that cancer is not to be feared, and that there is hope beyond the disease. Those who wish to contribute or require further information on the Climb of Hope campaign can contact Anrie Too at 03-26987300/[email protected].
Gallery 22
August 12 14, 2011 Petaling Jaya Mayor Datuk Roslan Sakiman stir-fying mutton at a Ramadan bazaar on Jalan SS6/1 last Friday (Aug 5).
State executive councillor Datuk Yaakob Sapari (centre) helping senior citizens shop as part of the governments Jom Shopping event last Saturday at Tesco Shah Alam.
Klang Municipal Council (MPK) officers donating to the MPK Cares Charity Fund, which aims to help the less fortunate celebrate Hari Raya.
Subang councillor Loi Kheng Min cutting the ceremonial ribbon off a compost bin to launch a green project involving secondary schools in Subang, where students recycle garden and kitchen waste into fertiliser.
Orphans from a welfare home during a buka puasa event at the official residence of Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim last Saturday.
Manor murder mayhem
Culture 23
August 12 14, 2011
CALENDAR
Theatre/Music; 12-14 Aug; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; www.klpac. org, 03-40479000, mail@ hands.com.my; RM68 / RM48
Compiled by Nick Choo Send your events to nick@selangortimes.
Knocking
Hands Percussion presents Hands I in Knocking the first concert by the six pioneer members in two years. They were last seen together in Dreams in November (November 2009), which won Best Group Performance (Instrumental), Best Production Values, and Best Musical Direction for Bernard Goh, the artistic director, in the music category of the 8th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards in April 2010. Knocking will feature several brand new pieces composed and choreographed by the team: Jimmy Chng, Thong Yoong How, Cross Chin Chun Ket, Leow Sze Yee, Ng Siu Yee and Boyz Chew.
Theatre; 18-27 Aug; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; www.klpac.org, 03-40479000; RM35 / RM25
A black farce of global proportions. Its a War on Terror in Toontown! Chaos ensues after mischievous urchin Trouble steals the oversized yellow sledgehammer that bratty, Hitler-esque Esther commands her toonizens with. Paranoia, violence and gore follow a zany goose chase, as a band of mismatched cartoon stereotypes find themselves increasingly stuck in an existential rut will there ever be a way out? Played through a series of TV episodes, Cartoon is a response to the rapid coalescence of media, politics and consumer giants an in-your-face satire of a forthcoming totalitarian world, if you like. Written by American playwright Steve Yockey; directed by resident director Kelvin Wong.
Cartoon
REVIEW
By Terence Toh
IT is always a pleasure to see young people on stage. Where would theatre be without the exuberance of the young? The medium seems tailor-made for them: after all, there is no higher platform than the theatre for expression and escapism, two things that have always appealed to youth. Some of the best, most memorable performances in film and theatre history have come from actors and actresses barely out of puberty, with Judy Garland and Shirley Temple coming to mind. Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) based Theatre For Young People (T4YP) is one of the most prominent local theatre groups for young people. First started in 2008, T4YP has produced many acclaimed shows over the years, with many of its ensemble members eventually going on to become prominent theatre personalities. T4YP recently staged a double bill at the KLPAC indicine theatre: a production of Tom Stoppards play The Real Inspector Hound, staged from July 28-31; and the T4YP Sweatshop (main pic), from July 28-31, a showcase of original plays all written, directed and produced in a single day. While The Real Inspector Hound (inset and below) proved to be a delightful watch, the Sweatshop proved to be quite lacklustre. The Real Inspector Hound was directed by Alex Chua and featured Amanda Tan, Amir Yunos, Umesh Logandran, Sharon
Lam, Vincent Lai, Shane Capri Chin, Banun Atina Idris and Calvin Tan, all members of the T4YP ensemble. The comedy focused on two second-string theatre critics, Moon and Birdboot, who come to review The Real McCoy, an overdramatic, hilariously overexpository murder mystery set in an old English manor. Both critics, however, have more on their minds than reviewing, and literally get caught up in the events of the play, leading to unexpected results. The result was a rip-roaring piece of meta-theatre, as tongue-in-cheek jabs were taken at everything from soap opera clichs to pretentious theatre critics, and even the nature of reality itself. Inspector Hound was well staged. The production spared no expense in making the world of the play as real as possible, with elaborate stage decorations, convincing props (particularly a dead body) and even fake programmes being printed for the shows play-within-a-play. Critics Moon and Birdboot were seated in the audience throughout, the stage area mostly set apart for the action of The Real McCoy. This proved to be an inspired way of establishing the barriers between fiction and reality, and the scenes where elements from both aspects began to interact were suitably hilarious. Acting was under par, with most of the young performers giving shaky performances. Line delivery felt unnatural, and most of the cast seemed ill at ease with Stoppards verbose, tongue-twisting dialogue. Chin proved quite wooden as the titular Inspector, and it was quite difficult to hear Logandran at times,
due to the actors propensity to swallow his words as he spoke. The highlights of the cast proved to be Idris, as the temperamental Lady Muldoon, and Lai, as the crotchety Major Magnus: both actors infused their characters with a delightful charisma that was fun to watch. Lam also proved to have quite a knack for physical comedy, stealing the show as the nosy, high-strung Mrs Drudge. Following The Real inspector Hound was the T4YP Sweatshop. Facilitated by Alexis Wong, the Sweatshop also featured a mix of present and past members of T4YP: in this case Amir Yunos, Vincent Lai, Ashley Tan, Shobana Murugiah and Yusof Amin. Each cycle of the performance would feature unique plays, and the pieces showcased on July 31 were The Sweatshop Guide to Evolution, The Greener Intelligence Parts 1 and 2, and Monologues on Science. The Sweatshop plays proved to be extremely over the top, relying heavily on exaggerated mannerisms and improvisation. Overall, they were too slapstick to be effective. However, as mentioned, the plays were all created in an extremely short time, and thus a critique of their quality would perhaps be unfair. There were flashes of brilliance in Monologues of Science; however, this was offset by most of the monologues being far too long-winded, or trying too hard to be profound. Of the cast, Lai shone due to his excellent comic timing, while Yunos was surprisingly endearing as a gibberish-spouting alien. All in all, both productions were not perfect. The young actors, however, show promise and should be commended for their efforts. It will be interesting to see them in a couple of years: with a bit of experience under their belts, all of them have the potential to go very far.
Theatre; 24-27 Aug; Black Box @ MAP KL; RM5 (minimum donation for 24 Aug performance) / RM23 / RM18 (students and flat rate for matinee performances)
Mourning the recent passing of her husband, Evelyn pays a visit to the home of her friends, Ollie and Minerva, in search of solace and comfort in the familiar. Little does she know that their home and facade hides an uncomfortable and dark history. As the night wears on, Evelyns visit becomes increasingly surreal and disturbing as she finds herself trapped and drawn ever deeper into Ollies and Minervas world a world of discontent, malice and abuse. Forced to dwell deeper and deeper into the darker reaches of her mind, Evelyn will have to answer questions she never thought needed answering: Was her marriage to her husband that perfect? And regardless of the answer to that question, is life worth living without him? Written by Jody Lancaster; presented by the Electric Minds Project, directed by Alex Chua and featuring Michael Chen, Bella Rahim and Adeline Ong.
White Trash
Theatre; 24-28 Aug; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; www.klpac. org, 03-40479000; RM23 / RM15
A combination of six short plays wrapped around a central theme, this production is about the secrets we keep from ourselves, the lengths we go to on a maybe, and that strange moment in love when violence seems perfectly reasonable. From a post-apocalyptic western to a cramped confessional in a dusty abbey; from the future where the Mars colony is no longer a dream, to the locked confines of a mans past. Directed by Marvin Wong.
A Darker Shade of Red
Roar: Brutalism Art Exhibition

Exhibition; 1-31 Aug; Core Design Gallery; 012-6674348 (Anni), email: [email protected], www.coredesigngallery.com; free admission
Unlike what its name suggests, Brutalism is far from anything to do with being brutal. The term is derived from Swiss-born French architects Bton brut, French for raw concrete, a form of architecture largely unused today. Roar features the latest raw, anomalous and original artworks as presented by 15 emerging local artists, based on the Brutalism style. Bear witness to their different designs and plans, painstakingly research and be marvelled as stiff, un-pliable raw materials: concrete, metal, stone and wood are crafted into curious sculptures and intricate installation artworks.
Tragedy
Exhibition, 8-21 Aug; Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; www.klpac. org, 03-40479000; free admission
Ten Shakespearean posters with psychological references, presented by Iranian graphic designer Kouroush Beigpour.
Published by Selangor State Government and printed by Dasar Cetak (M) Sdn Bhd No. 7, Persiaran Selangor, Seksyen 15, 40000, Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

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