I wonder how Pak Lah picked his men in the cabinet. How could he pick those with only 3 years old IQ to run the country.

Oh it is regrading the extension of  the opening hours of the entertainment outlets to attract the tourists.May i proposed that legalise the prostitute in Malaysia and you ( the toursim minitry ) can see loads of sex toruists coming in charter flights. This will enable not only the shops, but also the airlines industry, Now MAS is not doing good, then this will be an added advantage for the MAS.

I never think of Pak Lah that your men are so low quality that they cannot think well just because he is too free in the office that he went through a or maybe two complaints and decided to see his name in print in the papers.

Pak Lah, i am really feeling ashame for you now that you never send your men for course and get them the test before placing them in the cabinet.

Thursday July 13, 2006

Better options other than late nights AS A person in the tourism industry, I do not think opening entertainment outlets until 5am is a good idea to attract tourists to our country.   Tourists who stay up until 5am and sleep in the day are the type of tourists we do not want.  Also tourists visiting our country are those who want to come for shopping and see the flora and fauna that we have to offer.   I am sure if we do a survey, those foreigners that frequent the entertainment outlets are more expatriates than tourists.  Perhaps, the Tourism Minister should look into promoting places like our hills, islands and countryside by providing proper facilities for the tourists instead.  People do not want to come to our country for the wine and women when they can get it easily and much cheaper elsewhere.   We should not try to beat our neighbours by promoting nightlife but should concentrate on what we really have to offer – peace in Paradise!    MALAYSIAN ARAB,   Kuala Lumpur.  

英国媒体称：维多利亚最擅于假笑

■漫画/朱德庸

　　专为美国联邦调查局审问疑犯的最新研究———

　　在社会交往中，人们说谎或被谎言欺骗的次数之多令人震惊。甚至，美国麻省大学的一位心理学家费尔德曼研究称，每人平均每日最少说谎25次。当然，谎言有不同层次之分，有的谎言是出于善意，对此我们大可不必理会，但若是谎言出于欺骗和伤害，我们又如何知道自己是否被骗呢？

　　6~12岁年龄阶段，是孩子的心理发展的关键时期，也是最易出现行为问题的时期。父母反映（确切的说是母亲在反映）孩子最多的是：“我感到恼火的是孩子做什么事情都拖沓得很！”或“我最头疼的是我的孩子太任性了。”

The Star Online > Nation

Thursday July 13, 2006

Islam is not about turban and beard

By RAPHAEL WONG
newsdesk@thestar.com.my 

PUTRAJAYA: Islam is not about turban and beard, said the Federal Court in dismissing an appeal by three pupils who were expelled from school nine years ago for refusing to take off their serban. 

– Justice Abdul Hamid Mohammad

In the panel were also Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Steve Shim and Federal Court judge Justice Abdul Hamid Mohammad. 

In his written judgment, Justice Abdul Hamid said he accepted that Prophet Muhammad wore a turban but added that the Prophet also rode a camel, built his house and mosque with clay walls and roof of date palm leaves and brushed his teeth with the twig of a plant. 

“Does that make riding a camel a more pious deed than travelling in an aeroplane?” he asked in the judgment read out by Federal Court deputy registrar Kamaruddin Kamsun  

“Is it preferable to build houses and mosques using the same materials used by the Prophet and the same architecture adopted by him during his time?”  

In 1997, SK Serting Felda headmistress Fatimah Sihi expelled Meor Atiqulrahman Ishak, then 13, and two other students – brothers Syed Abdullah Khaliq Aslamy Syed Ahmad Johari, then 11, and Syed Ahmad Syakur Dihya Syed Ahmad Johari, then 10 – for wearing the turban to school. 

On Aug 6, 1999, the High Court revoked the expulsion order, ruling that the headmistress had no power to expel the students for wearing the headgear. 

On Nov 22, 2004, the Court of Appeal set aside the High Court ruling.  

Justice Abdul Hamid said: “The question is whether the wearing of turbans by boys of the age of the appellants is a practice of the religion of Islam.  

“The pagan Arabs wore turbans and kept beards. It was quite natural for the Prophet, born into the community and growing up in it, to do the same.” 

He added that other people living in desert or semi-desert areas, such as the Afghans and Persians, also wear turbans. 

TO COURT: (From left) Meor Atiqulrahman, Syed Abdullah Khaliq Aslamy and Syed Ahmad Syakur Dihya heading to the Federal Court in Putrajaya hear the decision on their case.

Justice Abdul Hamid said the court could not ignore the education system that had helped boys and girls to grow up as Malaysians, and educationists should be given respect and credit when they formulate regulations for the general good of students and society. 

Describing the father of the two brothers as angkuh (arrogant), Justice Abdul Hamid said Syed Ahmad Johari Syed Mohamed wanted the three appellants to wear the turban to school because the serban was the “family’s emblem.” 

He said he could not accept the submission of the students’ counsel Mohamed Hanipa Maidin that the school regulation violated the provisions of the Constitution. 

Mohamed Hanipa had submitted that the appeal was related to the right to practise one’s religion and that includes every religious practice that has some basis or has become part of that religion, whether mandatory or otherwise. 

“To accept the learned counsel’s argument would mean that anybody has a right to do anything, at any time and anywhere he considers to be a practice of his religion, no matter how trivial,” said Justice Abdul Hamid. 

Outside the courtroom, Syed Ahmad Johari said he was upset because the school regulations emerged only after his sons started wearing the serban.  

“However, I respect the decision of this court,” he said. 

Syed Ahmad Johari, a public school teacher, who wears a serban and also dons a jubah (robe), said he would discuss with his lawyers the probability of taking the matter to the Syariah Court. 

“Although it is a defeat for me, it is a victory for Islam because this issue has been brought to the highest court of the land. At least, the public would be aware of it,” said the 48-year-old father of six sons aged nine to 18, who all came to court together with turbans.  

China plans to extend Tibet rail link to India

Chinese envoy says route could run all the way to Kolkata on the east coast

Jul 08, 2006
The Straits Times

Ambassador Sun Yuxi's comments came a day after the Asian giants reopened an ancient Himalayan trading route, once part of the Silk Road, adding impetus to booming bilateral trade 44 years after the link was snapped when they fought a brutal border war.

'Once trade starts, people will demand better transportation facilities,' Mr Sun told Reuters in an interview in Gangtok, capital of the tiny Indian state of Sikkim, which is joined to Tibet through the Nathula pass on the border.

On the Indian side, New Delhi planned to build a railway to Sikkim and once complete, the missing rail link between India and China would be less than 100km.

'Then, anytime we feel the need we will link it...If the train got through all the way to Kolkata (there will be) lots of potential,' Mr Sun said, referring to India's eastern port city.

Critics say it will spur an influx of migrants that threatens Tibetan culture. But Beijing and some analysts say the railway and the opening of the Nathula route tie in with China's goal of developing the Tibetan region.

Although connecting Kolkata to Lhasa may sound ambitious, more so as the railway would pass through rugged terrain, it could not be ruled out, said a senior Indian Foreign Ministry official. 'For the Chinese...they feel if they can take it to Lhasa, they can take it anywhere.'

Mr Sun said that over time, the locals and then tourists would be allowed to cross at Nathula, making the post at 4,310m the first crossing for citizens of the two nations.

The opening of Nathula also showed India and China could do business though their border dispute was not settled, he said.

Talks to resolve the row have made slow progress and much of the 3,500km frontier remains disputed. Both sides remain positive but a timeframe could not be set to reach a settlement.

'We are expecting a high-level visit before the end of the year and before that, another round of talks,' the ambassador added, referring to Chinse President Hu Jintao's planned visit to New Delhi. -- REUTERS