LCD Monitor Stolen From UTAR

News covered by me. =p

http://j-on-news.blogspot.com/2010/03/lcd-monitor-stolen-from-utar.html

Monitor Missing, Roadblock at UTAR Guardhouse

5.30pm Vehicles are queuing long at the both side of the exits in UTAR. Guards are checking every car that going out from the university.

5.45pm News spread fast through social networking website, Facebook and through SMS. Based on the rumour, a LCD projector from Block B got stolen.

6.00pm More vehicles are stranded including UTAR bus at the Westlake Gate. 3guards are there.

6.10pm Guards at Westlake guardhouse confirmed that a LCD projector from Block B is missing.

6.15pm Every bicycle, motor, van and car are checked by the guards including the lecturers, staffs and workers. Guards are being polite. They are nice to the students.

6.20pm UTAR bus going out. The bus is so packed with students. Many of them are standing. Guards just let the bus go.

6.30pm There are more than 40 cars waiting for their turn to be checked. The cars are queuing at least 200metres away from Westlake guardhouse.

6.38pm Students walking and cycling through KTAR in front of Block B also got stopped to be checked. Only 1 guard is stationed there.

6.39pm One of teh guards, Mr. Ravi is disappointed over what happened. This is his first experience of missing LCD projector since he worked here in 2007.

6.45pm A check with the ICTC in Block B confirmed that it’s a LCD monitor that got stolen and not a projector as claimed by the guards.

6.55pm Security Supervisor, Mr. Mazlan says that the Security Department received the report at 4.55pm. The culprit might already got out from the university compund. But his people will continue to check until every student leave the university.

7.05pm The staff of ICTC who noticed the misssing of the LCD monitor, Mr. Ken opened the computer lab, 201B to show me the missing LCD screen. The lock that lock the LCD screen to the table was cut.

7.15pm Im going home. Guards still checking the vehicles at both Westlake and Eastlake Guardhouse but not the KTAR exit.

7.24pm At the time of news being published, the LCD screen is still missing.

8pm im hungry i wana go makan. bye.

Thanks for reading. hehehe. lalalalaala.

Lawyers to Deliver Memorandum of Protest to IGP

By Lord Bobo

 

In response to lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad being manhadled and briefly arrested by police outside court last week, come Wednesday 31st March at 12pm, lawyers will deliver a Memorandum of Protest to the IGP at Bukit Aman. All are welcome to join in this peaceful protest of police brutality and preventive detention laws.

Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad manhandled and briefly arrested by police outside court

1. On 25th March 2010 Amer Hamzah had obtained his client Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim@ Benjy’s release on bail on a charge of drug possesssion at the Jalan Duta courts.

2. Near the bail processing counter, about 10 policemen suddenly converged on Amer and his client and ordered the client to go with them. Present were the client’s mother Azean Irdawaty, pupil Sharon Khoo and some family members.

3. The policemen were in plainclothes, and Amer demanded their identity and police card. A police inspector claimed that it was an arrest under the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) Act, i.e: detention without trial.

4. At this point, Amer was assaulted and briefly arrested. Two policemen grabbed Amer and held him back with force. Amer protested his treatment, and repeatedly asked the police not to touch him. Eventually Amer was released as his client was bundled away.

Our Protest

The unlawful, oppressive and arbitrary actions of the police on 25th March are a gross interference with a lawyer carrying out his duty to his client. Amer was discharging his duties in the best traditions of the Malaysian Bar, when he sought explanation from the police as to why his client was being arrested. Despite being surrounded by police, he continued to speak out for his client,as he was bound to do.

The aggressive and unlawful response of the police is a reflection of the general arrogance and lack of respect for the rule of law widely displayed by the police force. The matter is aggravated by the fact that Amer’s client was being arrested under an oppressive and unconstitutional preventive detention law.

The Malaysian Bar has forcefully and repeatedly called for the repeal of all preventive detention laws. The re-arrest of Benjy immediately after his release by the court is also a flagrant contempt of judicial authority. The Inspector General of Police must:

a) take stern action against the policemen who assaulted Amer Hamzah Arshad and the officer who was in charge of the operation;

b) undertake not to further interfere with lawyers carrying out their duties;

c) immediately stop the unjust practice of re-arresting under preventive detention laws persons released by court;

d) issue a public apology to all concerned;

e) undertake to respect the right of the Malaysian public for unimpeded and free access to lawyers at all times.

A MEMORANDUM OF PROTEST

MAKING THESE DEMANDS WILL BE DELIVERED AS FOLLOWS:

———————————

BUKIT AMAN (LAKE GARDEN ENTRANCE)

31 MARCH 2010 (WEDNESDAY)

12PM

All lawyers and concerned citizens are welcome to join!

Issued by,
N.Surendran 012-3207066
Latheefa Koya 012-3842972

Postscript

Dear fellow members of the Bar,

This mistreatment of Amer is a continuation of a long standing series of events and acts by the police that have failed to appreciate the role of the legal profession. The arrests of 5 legal aiders last year, the persistent denial of the right to counsel – section 28A of the CPC and Article 5 of the FC etc. The Bar had came out with strong resolutions on the arrest of the 5 lawyers, but unfortunately it remained a resolution without any outcome.

We must walk again. Today it might be Comrade Amer, we don’t know whose turn it will be next… It may be you.

It will be a hot day; please bring your sunglasses, hats, and umbrellas and of course you courage!

-Latheefa Koya

Souce: loyarburok http://loyarburok.com/the-lobby/lawyers-to-deliver-memorandum-of-protest-to-igp-31-march-2010-12pm/

MCA Polls Results

As expected the counting of votes of the MCA Election ended around 7pm. These are the official results:

President:
Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek

Deputy President:
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai

Vice-President:
1. Datuk Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen
2. Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai
3. Datuk Chor Chee Heung
4. Gan Ping Sieu

Central Committee Members:
1. Lee Chee Leong
2. Hou Kok Chung
3. Heng Seai Kie
4. Wee Jeck Seng
5. Toh Chin Yaw
6. Tee Siew Kiong
7. Gan Tian Loo
8. Tan Chai Ho
9. Ong Ka Chuan
10. Lee Wei Kiat
11. Loh Seng Kok
12. Hoh Khai Mun
13. Liew Yuen Keong
14. Tan Cheng Liang
15. Koh Nai Kwong
16. Por Choo Chor
17. Tan Ken Ten
18. Kong Sing Chu
19. Chong Itt Chew
20. Yoo Wei How
21. Tan Ah Eng
22. Wong Koon Mun
23. Ti Lian Ker
24. Teh Kim Poo
25. Chuah Poh Khiang

Doa

One thing I’m impressed with the Muslims is that they pray a lot, at least on every Friday. When there’s an official function, there’ll be an Imam to start the function with a prayer or Doa. They thank God for good things they have. Non-Muslims will be quiet to respect their Muslims friends. Some will say the prayer according to their own belief.

All religions are good. Why I say so? No religions in the world ask or allowed its believers or devotees to do harm. Religion is never at fault but the people themselves.

Religions are also equal. No one is on top of another.

Religion never stops its believers in choosing the way of life and faith they want. Constitution gives us absolute right in choosing and practising the religion we want. It is the people who claimed themselves as religious that misuse the name of religion and act as if they are the sons of God.

Being religious or to believe in the existance God is someone's personal right and personal view of life. No one can ever direct or stop you from your own belief of religion. We can choose our of belief system.

Religion should start from the heart, not from the mouth.

God is open-minded.

He never forces you to believed in Him.

But he's the One that we always turn to when we are in trouble.

Religion is pure, holy and sacred.

State Rep Wants Voter Registration Made Automatic

GEORGE TOWN: Voter registration should be automatic once a person reaches the eligible age to vote.

Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo said Sunday that voter registration exercises were outdated as Malaysians now have MyKads that contained all necessary information.

Once they reached the eligible age, all they had to do was to produce their MyKad at the polling stations to cast their vote, he said.

“This will also save time and cost for the Election Commission (EC) which can concentrate on ensuring a smooth election process on election day,” he told reporters after he and his service team members met residents of Taman Free School at the area’s market to encourage them to register as voters.

Jagdeep Singh also called on the Government to make voting compulsory as the EC had reported that, of the 15.47 million citizens who are above 21 years old, only 11.08 million were registered as voters.

“In some countries, voting is compulsory and eligible voters who do not vote are penalised,” he said.

He also said that, with only 11.08 million registered voters, it clearly showed that the EC had failed in its duty.

Jagdeep Singh said the EC should consider reducing the voting age from 21 to 18, as out of the 221 countries worldwide, only 15 countries including Malaysia still has the voting age at 21.

“Clearly we are not moving with the times.

“If we are serious about becoming a truly developed and international class country, we should seriously consider reducing the age of voting eligibility to 18.

“Our citizens aged 18 and above can be considered to be mature enough to consider the current issues and vote responsibly,” he added.

Source: The Star http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/28/nation/20100328133807&sec=nation

Video of SRC Chairman Exclusive Interview

This is the full video of the interview with the SRC Chairman of UTAR Kampar, Mr. Edward Chin.

http://j-on-news.blogspot.com/2010/03/src-chairman-exclusive-interview-in.html

* Support the only students news organisation in UTAR Kampar by the Journalism students.
* For more, please visit http://j-on-news.blogspot.com/

Exclusive Interview with UTAR Kampar SRC Chairman

This is a very exclusive interview that be must watched by every Kampar UTARians.

It's a must read article and a muct watch video.

A first time ever live and honest views from the UTAR Kampar SRC Chairman, Mr. Edward Chin.
http://j-on-news.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-have-you-done-to-make-better.html

Koo-Tan fail in Swiss Open

The Swiss Open just ended.

The number 1 seed Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong from Malaysia were beaten in a straight games 18-21, 16-21 to the Korean pair..

The unseeded Korean Men's Doubles pair Sung Hyun Ko/Yeon Seong Yoo seemed to be on the cloud nine when their aggresiveness has made the Malaysian pair to lose their rhythm.

This is the first time the Malaysian pair to reached final. They emerged as champion in their last two outings in 2007 and 2009.

All Black Day Again

Kampar: Mr. Wong Chin Huat from Monash University who got arrested under Sedition Act in 2009 for its 1 Black Malaysia Movement posing for a group photograph with the UTAR Kampar Journalism's students and lecturers after a sharing session today.

Sharing Session with Mr. Wong Chin Huat

Specifically to UTAR Kampar students, you are strongly encouraged to attend a sharing session by Mr. Wong Chin Huat tomorrow.

Mr. Wong Chin Huat is a Malaysian political scientist, an university lecturer, political activist as well as columnist.

He is famous for its 1 Black Malaysia Movement which made him got arrested under Sedition Act.

The details of the sharing session are as followed:

Date: 19/3/2010 (Friday)
Time: 4pm
Venue: A003 (Auditorium Room)

Please attend this valuable talk if you are free at that time and help to spread the news.

You are advised to wear black to show support for his activism spirit and to recognize Mr. Wong effort and will as a political activist.

It's a sharing session that not-to-be-missed. You get first hand experience and the news that were not reported in anywhere before.

To know more about a person, it's better to listen to that person yourself rather than from other people.

This sharing session is one of the session in Sharing Session Series (SSS) organised by the Journalism Department of FAS, UTAR Kampar.

*this sharing session is legal, so don't be afraid of FRU, SB or paparazzi. =p

Ko-Tai In The City

By Katharine Chua

Ombak Ombak ARTStudio continues to make waves with its recent portrayal of Penang’s history from Merdeka to the present day. The musical was a nostalgic take on Penang’s good times and bad times, with reverant nods to inspiring performers and cultural icons.

KO-TAI PENANG was the final act in a trilogy of community street performances directed and produced by Ombak Ombak artStudio which showcased historical events from Penang and the nation’s history from Merdeka to the present day. Ombak put on three free street performances throughout Penang; the outdoor locations created a wonderful atmosphere and lent authenticity to the stage shows.

A colourful ko-tai (Penang Hokkien for stage show) with actors and musicians replete in the gaudy colours of the 60s and 70s warmly welcomed the audience into their multi ethnic community. Popular songs and dances took centre stage and the early days of Merdeka were nostalgically portrayed as a time when personal liberties and community camaraderie prevailed.

Soon the mood changed with the onset of the nation’s biggest protest – the hartal (strike) of 1967. In the aftermath, factions developed and fault lines started to segregate the people. Opposition parties established a strong presence in Penang, and Penangites began to vote for change.

Two decades of Penang’s industrialisation were captured in an exciting 10–minute episode where Komtar sprung up, the Free Trade Zone was developed, factory workers recruited (these soon suffered from burn-out!) and consumerism took root.

Weaved through these stories of Penang’s political and economic history were creamy helpings of popular songs from the 70s and 80s led by the two lead songbirds, decked out in their short minis and white sequinned pants. Ko-Tai Penang featured well loved characters from the charitable and controversial Rose Chan to the guitar playing fortuneteller, Tan Tong Tong, both local legends in their own right.

The performance also took on the indiscriminate development of Penang through a popular Mandarin favourite that had this line, “Where have all the blue skies gone?” This pre-empted the closing of the show and a sadness for the lost days of ronggeng and ko-tai – days when Penang’s performing arts spilled onto every street corner. Ko-Tai Penang captured all the past heroes and heroines of the local arts scene as the rolling slide show played tribute to the pioneers of Penang’s social and artistic fabrics.

All’s well that ends well, as the curtain finally came down on a rowdy stage enlivened by memorable joget, cha cha and conga numbers with performers pulling members of the audience from their seats. The spirit of ko-tai lives on!

Ko-Tai – behind the scenes
The Ombak combination of director Ho Sheau Fung, composer Dr Tan Sooi Beng and choreographer Aida Redza produced the final part of the trilogy of Penang’s history, which began two years ago with Kisah Pulau Pinang, followed by Ronggeng Malaysia in 2008.

According to Ho, inspiration for Ko-Tai came from an earlier street performance in 2008 called Opera Pasar.

“We were working with a group of young musicians and dancers on a site-specific performance that told the story of a local market which was ‘dying’. When we were rehearsing, we were shocked to see tenants who had lived along Carnarvon Street for so many years, packing up and leaving the inner city. A new owner had bought over their shophouses to turn into a hotel. These tenants were old traders whose families had lived in George Town for generations and had served the community for over a century. It was heartbreaking to see. Around the same time, George Town was listed as a World Heritage Site. I think that inspired us to do a piece that focused on lost culture.”

After months of researching and collecting community stories from George Town’s older generation, Ko-Tai finally came alive on stage where it truly belonged. Looking around at the various audiences it was heartwarming to see their responses to the real life stories of Penang’s formidable past – of a people who were not fearful of change or transformation for the better; a multi-ethnic community bound by rich histories and a shared love for music and dance. Under the bright theatre lights, I saw a community brought closer together by a collective memory of past glories and achievements.

“We have tried to accurately portray mid-20th century Penang, which had so many cultural assets. The local arts scene was very ‘happening’ and diverse. Since then we’ve suffered a lot of damage to our cultural heritage,” explained Ho.

Does she feel that Ko-tai portrays development and Penang’s rapid industrialisation in a critical light?

“We are definitely not against development,” she stressed. “It’s the over development and the influences of consumerism that have caused social breakdown; unfortunately this is unavoidable. Personally, what I hoped to achieve was to pose questions to the audience to get them to think about the values that they appreciated the most.”

Tackling difficult periods of Penang’s history was also something that the Ombak team didn’t shy away from, giving considerable stage time to the Rent-Repeal Act and the hartal of 1967.

“These were very important events in Penang’s history, which many old people can’t and won’t be able to forget,” said Ho.

“The sad thing is that the younger generation is completely unaware of these events. The young need to be curious about the past and learn from history.

“When we produce a show for the community, Ombak wants to portray as balanced a (view of) history as we can. We do struggle over what to portray and what not to, especially with issues that are too sensitive. We feel it’s important to tell stories of ordinary people which can’t be found in any textbook. These oral histories have not been properly documented and it’s a race against time to collect these before they are lost for good.”

Many of the Ko-Tai cast have experienced the same “historical” events which they depicted on stage. Ho estimated that at least half of the members were from the “lost community” that grew up in inner city George Town and had to leave their childhood homes in the name of development.


It is poignant that the characters they played were closely modelled on their parents and grandparents. The painstaking process of interviews, and interpreting and transforming these into various scenes of the play was ultimately a rewarding and beautiful aspect of the production for its members.

During the final show in Air Itam, a gentleman approached me as he had heard that “Rose Chan” would be performing that evening. He had obviously seen her in her heyday and drawing from his memory he demonstrated a series of sultry leg moves a la Rose. “Yes uncle, we will try not to disappoint,” I told him, silently praying that he would find our re-enactment of her famous snake dance just as enthralling. The pressure!

Just before the show began, I turned around in my seat and noticed a row of four ladies in their crisp sam foos with immaculately curled hair, all dressed up for the occasion. They had made such an effort and had come with great expectations of a good show. In that moment I immediately felt the lines between the stage and the audience blur. This is what good community theatre is all about, as it draws its inspiration from the local community, to engage, challenge and entertain. Out of the corner of my eye I caught uncle laughing and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Making waves, rocking the boat
Three years ago Ombak-Ombak artStudio burst onto Penang’s lacklustre arts scene with the highly acclaimed community performance Kisah Pulau Pinang. The musical explored Penang’s early history of multicultural migration through traditional gamelan music, lyrics set to traditional Penang Boria and Dondang Sayang and contemporary dance. Many of Ombak’s members have collaborated artistically since 2000 and continue to push boundaries in drama, original composition and contemporary dance. Ombak has participated in the Malaysian Freedom Film Festival, Penang Arts Festival, Heritage Heboh Street Festival and the George Town World Heritage Celebration.

Katharine Chua is a dancer and choreographer with Ombak Ombak ARTStudio.

This Is My Home by SABM

I often wonder are we, Malaysians really proud of who we are. Are we? Are we proud to be Malaysian in a country called Malaysia? What have we done to the country?

I am proud to be a Malaysian. This is my country. I was born here and i shall die here. I may not be liking the government but i love Malaysia.

I love my country, therefore i'll make it a better country. I respect each and everyone in this land. I reject chauvinism, authoritarian, racism, gender bias, human rights violation etc.

This is a very meaningful video that should be watched by every Malaysian irregardless of which ethnic groups, religions, or poltical beliefs you are from.

We are one. I'm not saying 1Malaysia. But we are one as a whole, who make up this country and we should continue the legacy that has been passed down by our great forefathers who have struggled so hard in bringing us together.

I love my country, Malaysia.

Video of Lee Chong Wei Winning All-England 2010

Pantun (Keamanan)

Susah senang sama dirasa
Pahit manis ditelan bersama
Baik buruk sifat manusia
Bermaaf-maafan aman sentosa

Living With Rubbish

We always throw food as rubbish but this old lady collects rubbish as her food and source of living. Have you ever wonder how fortunate we are? Do you know the poverty rate throughout the whole world? What have we done to make the world a better place not only for ourself, but every single living in this world?

* This is a photo pledge. Please don't waste food. Please donate to the needy. Please respect the poor and the disabled.

Chong Wei Wins All-England

FINALLY Datuk Lee Chong Wei emerged as the champion for All-England for the first time in straight game 21-19, 21-19.  The game which lasted for 47 minutes saw Chong Wei gave all out to tame the uprising unseeded young star Kenichi Tago to get this championship. This will be the fourth back-to-back win for Chong Wei after Super Series Masters Finals. Korea Open and Malaysia Open. The victory makes Chong Wei the 100th champion since the inception of All-England.

Congrats Datuk Lee Chong Wei. Im proud of you. Malaysians are proud of you too. =p

Lotus

7/11/2009 7.55am UTAR, Kampar, Perak

UTAR Kampar

9/3/2010 10.25am

Kampar Chinese Cemetery On Fire

By Oh Chin Eng & Kow Kwan Yee

Kampar, March 10 - A Chinese Cemetery in Kampar was on fire today, making the weather hotter in the prolonged dry spell.

This is the entrance to the cemetery.

Reporters rushed to the scene after got a phone call from a source at 3.13pm.

The fire spread fast and caused the entire hill of cemetery almost burnt down. There is no water hydrant at the cemetery and the water from the fire department’s vehicle couldn’t reached the top of the hill.

The smoke as seen from UTAR Kampar, a few kilometres away from the scene.

Speaking to reporters after stopping from putting out the fire at the lower ground, a fire brigade named Asari said the fire at the upper part of the hill will go off by itself.

The fire brigade trying to put out the fire at the lower part of the hill.

He alleged that the fire started because of the grass clearing activity at the cemetery by the cemetery’s person-in-charge.

“The fire is actually put by the cemetery people every year and they have applied for permit, so it’s ok. But we’ll take action for every phone call made by the public,” he said.

Mr. Asari speaking explaining to the reporters.

The Kampar Fire and Rescue Services Department operation chief Norizan Isfak Ahmad said that they reached at 3.30pm after receiving a phone call from the public at 3.13pm.

A fireman is trying to stop the fire from spreading.

According to the cemetery’s person-in-charge who wished to be unnamed said that the fire is caused by the burning of prayer’s offerings when family members visited their relative’s grave.

“It’s not us who start the fire. Usually we only burn the grass in the few weeks before Ching Ming Celebration and we have workers to control the fire from spreading into the jungle.”

The cemetery's person-in-charge in hat trying to defend that the fire is not caused by them.

He also said that all the grass burning activity is approved and given permit by the authority.

“I’m shocked to received a call from my friend at 3pm saying that the cemetery is on fire,”he added.

The condition of the cemetery because of the fire.

No casulties were involved in this fire. The fire only managed to put out when it started to rain at 4.10pm.

The fire getting bigger after the fire brigade left at 4pm but luckily it stops because of the rain.

138 Hutton Lane, Penang

Photos taken on the midnight of 28th Feb 2010. This is a heritage house that has just underwent a conservation project to preserve its value and history. The project is funded by Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage.

30% of men suffer from premature ejaculation

KUALA LUMPUR (feb 28, 2010): Premature ejaculation (PE) remains a taboo subject in conservative Asia, despite the fact that about a third of all men suffer from it. But the release of the Asia Pacific Premature Ejaculation Prevalence and Attitude Study (AP PEPA) last December may be a first step towards creating greater awareness of this medical condition.

Consultant urologist at Universiti Malaya and clinical associate professor at Monash University Dr George Lee Eng Geap was directly involved in the study which involved about 5,000 men aged 18 to 65 from 10 countries in the region.

"Up to 30% of men suffer from it," Lee said. "However, few men are willing to admit they have a condition and even fewer seek help."

At a media briefing on Thursday aimed at creating public awareness on the subject, Lee and Dr Zulkifli Zainuddin, secretary-general of the Malaysian Urological Association, spoke at length about the public misconceptions and lack of understanding about PE.

Zulkifli, who is also an associate professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), also elaborated on the condition.

"The International Society for Sexual Medicine defines it as a male sexual dysfunction characterised by ejaculation nearly always occurring prior to or within about one minute of vaginal penetration," he said.

It is distinct from erectile dysfunction (ED), which is defined as ‘the consistent or recurrent inability to attain or maintain penile erection sufficient for sexual intimacy‘.

The condition may not be life threatening and is therefore under-publicised, but that does not mean it does not have a devastating impact on those that suffer from it.

What’s more, it is not just men who are affected by it. Studies have revealed how it often leads to the break down of existing relationships.

During his career, Zulkifli, said he had seen cases resulting in divorce after just two weeks, whilst the longest it took for a marriage to break down was six years.

The condition also has more subtle impacts. "Surveys have shown most men think it will affect their ability to enter into long term relationships," said Lee.

Unfortunately, male sufferers very rarely seek help due to stigma, embarrassment and a reluctance to discuss the problem with their doctor or partner.

Most men don’t even admit it is part of a medical problem. "Help is often sought from non medical sources such as bomoh or roadside products like gambir Sarawak," said Zulkifli.

Unfortunately, such topical alternative therapies can have nasty side effects including uncomfortable genital inflammation.

As advocates of men’s health issues, Lee and Zulkifli said the primary way of helping those with PE was to tackle the taboo status of the subject. They said there were three actions for men who think they may suffer from PE.

"Firstly, acknowledge the condition," said Lee. "Secondly, talk to your partner. And thirdly, seek advice from your doctor who can advise you if there really is a problem and if necessary make a specialist referral."

There are a number of ways to deal with the problem, the most important of which is to improve communication between men and their partners.

"Partners play a wider role in awareness and treatment seeking behaviour," said Lee, illustrating the importance of step two.

"It is much better to seek help with the cooperation of the partner, then the doctor will get a clearer picture of the problem."

In terms of treatment, there are three main methods. For instance, psychosocial education can improve intimacy between couples.

"This includes cognitive strategies which involve the redirection of thinking to delay orgasm," said Zulkifli.

Then there are the behavioural strategies which include physical exercises men can practise alone or with the cooperation of their partner.

Most commonly, a variety of topical anesthetics in the form of creams and sprays can be used to decrease sensation of the penis and delay ejaculation. However, drawbacks to this include numbness in both the man and his partner and possible skin rashes on the areas applied to.

source: The Sun http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=43799

Penang Bridge Turns 25 This Year

PENANG:  When veteran politician Dr Lim Chong Eu (now Tun) spoke about building a bridge linking Penang Island to Butterworth on the mainland way back in the 1950s and 60s, there were many sceptics.

They felt that such a massive infrastructural undertaking may not be feasible as no such bridge had been built in the region before.

But Dr Lim, who went on to become Chief Minister of Penang between 1969 and 1990, persevered with the idea of this important linkage.

Finally on April 13, 1985, a 13.5km bridge, with four towers in mid-span and standing 33m above water, was completed within four years after the federal government pumped in RM850mil for the project.

Before it was built, people mainly relied on the ferry services to cross the Penang Strait, making the conception of the bridge one of the most important developments in the history of Penang.

The bridge was designed by a Penangite, the late Tan Sri Prof Chin Fung Kee, a well-known authority on geotechnical engineering and a former acting vice-chancellor of Universiti Malaya. He opted for the cable-stayed concrete girder of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge instead of the steel-tied arch in the style of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Penang Bridge, which has carried millions of vehicles and passengers since it was opened to the public on Sept 14, 1985, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

Over the past 25 years, it has contributed significantly to the development of Penang both as a tourist and industrial centre, said a spokesman of Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire responsible for managing, operating, upgrading and collecting toll from the bridge under a 25-year concession from Aug 15, 1993 to May 31, 2018.

He said that with the expansion on the Penang Bridge’s third lane, which opened in August last year, the bridge can now accommodate 155,000 vehicles a day compared to 120,000 before the expansion project.

“The new lanes are designed to reduce travelling time during peak hours from 20 to 11 minutes,” he said, adding that the entire length of the bridge has three lanes going each way.

The Penang Bridge was extended by an extra 4.8m on both sides. There is also a 2.0m-wide motorcycle lane.

To ensure smooth traffic flow, 24 toll lanes had been built of which 10 are for motorcycles, taking into cognisance this popular mode of transport in Penang as about 30,000 motorcycles pass through the bridge daily, he said.

Being an iconic symbol for Penang, he said the bridge, which ranks as the longest bridge in Asia and fifth largest in the world, also plays host to the annual Penang Bridge Run, a popular athletics event since its inception.

From a historical and construction perspective, Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia’s second prime minister, had initiated the idea to set the process moving to build the bridge in the early 1970s.

The bridge was planned during the term of the third prime minister, Tun Hussein Onn, in the late 1970s. In April 1982, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the country’s fourth prime minister, sank the first pile to officially kick off the construction of the project.

On Aug 3, 1985, Dr Mahathir drove across the bridge in a red Proton Saga, carrying the national flag at the opening ceremony. By his side was his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, and in the back seat were Dr Lim, the then-Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and the then-Proton chairman, Tan Sri Jamil Jan.

In terms of engineering feats, the total length of piling for the bridge is 648km, equal to the distance from Butterworth to Johor Baru. It can withstand earthquakes up to 7.5 on the Richter scale.

Of the entire length of 13.5km, 8.4km of the bridge is above water.

True to Penang’s motto of “Penang Leads”, the bridge’s toll plaza operator was the first in Malaysia to obtain MS ISO 9002 certification. It was also the first to introduce toll payment by Contactless Smart Card.

To monitor traffic flow and bridge security, the PBSB spokesman said the company has established the Penang Bridge Communication Centre (PBCC), a comprehensive monitoring centre equipped with 24-hour closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at 24 locations.

The spokesman said Penang Bridge is also equipped with 12 emergency telephones (ET) at 1.2km intervals on bridge lay-bys and the main span. This facility allows communication between ET call box and the control centre at PBCC.

In addition, the 24-hour bridge patrolling vehicles handle minor breakdowns along the 12 lay-bys on the bridge. Beside the 24-hour patrolling and handling minor repairs, the patrol teams are also equipped with towing facilities.

“The tow trucks are being placed on standby at both sides of the bridge during peak hours to expedite the response and evacuation times,” the spokesman said.

Penang Bridge also operates an Online Traffic Information Management System to provide real-time information on the traffic conditions on Penang Bridge via SMS.

“It gives the public the latest information within minutes to help them plan their journey,” he said.

Source: Bernama

8.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Central Chile

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile early Saturday, collapsing buildings, killing at least 16 people and downing phone lines.

President Michele Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" in central Chile and said the death toll was rising.

Tsunami warnings were issued over a wide area, including South America, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines, Russia and many Pacific islands.

"We have had a huge earthquake, with some aftershocks," Bachelet said, appealing from an emergency response center for Chileans to remain calm. "Despite this, the system is functioning. People should remain calm. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information we will share immediately."

Bachelet said early reports were that 16 people had been killed, and "without a doubt, with an earthquake of this magnitude, there will be more deaths." She urged people to avoid traveling in the dark, since traffic lights are down, to avoid causing more fatalities.

The quake hit 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Santiago, at a depth of 22 miles (35 kilometers) at 3:34 a.m. (0634 GMT; 1:34 a.m. EST), the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The epicenter was just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city, where more than 200,000 people live along the Bio Bio river, and 60 miles from the ski town of Chillan, a gateway to Andean ski resorts that was destroyed in a 1939 earthquake.

In Santiago, the capital, modern buildings are built to withstand earthquakes, but many older ones were heavily damaged, including the Nuestra Senora de la Providencia church, whose bell tower collapsed. An apartment building's two-level parking lot also flattened onto the ground floor, smashing about 50 cars whose alarms and horns rang incessantly. A bridge just outside the capital also collapsed, and at least one car flipped upside down.

In the coastal city of Vina del Mar, the earthquake struck just as people were leaving a disco, Julio Alvarez told Radio Cooperativa in Santiago. "It was very bad, people were screaming, some people were running, others appeared paralyzed. I was one of them."

Bachelet said she was declaring a "state of catastrophe" in 3 central regions of the country, and that while emergency responders were waiting for first light to get details, it was evident that damage was extensive.

She said the initial death toll was 16, "but we cannot dismiss the possibility of more," and encouraged people to stay home and not travel unless strictly necessary.

Several hospitals have been evacuated due to earthquake damage, she said, and communications with the city of Concepcion remained down. She planned to tour the affected region as quickly as possible to get a better idea of the damage.

A huge wave reached a populated area in the Robinson Crusoe Islands, 410 miles (660 kilometers) off the Chilean coast, Bachelet said. There were no immediate reports of major damage there, she added.

"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the warning center said. It did not expect a tsunami along the west of the U.S. or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation.

The largest earthquake ever recorded struck the same area of Chile on May 22, 1960. The magnitude-9.5 quake killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless. The tsunami that it caused killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and caused damage to the west coast of the United States.

Source: The Star http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/27/apworld/20100227160927&sec=apworld

Strengthen Local Democracy and Restore Local Government Election

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) and Penang Chinese Town Hall Youth Section cordially invite all residents to attend our public forum on “Strengthen Local Democracy and Restore Local Government Election” (in English) on 27th Feb 2010, (Saturday) at 8.00pm, 5th Floor, Auditorium A, Komtar, Penang.

The participation of the Penang Chinese Town Hall Youth Section in this event is in support of the project entitled “A 20 Year Plan of Action for Malaysia” by the Federation of Chinese Association of Malaysia (Hua Zong).

The panelists are:

1. Y.B. Chow Kon Yeow, Penang State EXCO for Local Government and Traffic Management;

2. Mr. Mark Ooi Swee Heng, Secretary of Political Caucus Bureau, Penang Gerakan

3. Mr. Jeffrey Phang, Vice President of Friends of Kota Damansara (FOKD), a coalition of 17 residents’ association in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya. FOKD is coordinating the “Sustainable Development and Environment Taskforce” within Coalition for Good Governance (CGG);

4. Maria Chin Abdullah, Chairperson of Coalition for Good Governance (CGG).

This is the second time Y.B. Chow has accepted SUARAM's invitation as a government spokesperson to exchange views with the people. This forum offers a golden opportunity for the present government, opposition and civil society to come together to exchange opinions, and make positive suggestions on how to improve good, democratic governance in Penang. This will help make Penang a much, much better place for us all.