It feels like.... maybe the obvious is not obvious enough.
NO HIKE IN CRIME RATE
KUALA LUMPUR, 11 June (The Star): The recent spate of violent crimes targeting women over the past two weeks is not indicative of a rising crime rate in the country, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
He said the Government was aware of the cases but pointed out that these were not so frequent and did not reflect a state of deteriorating security in Malaysia.
“One or two cases do not affect the crime rate but if the cases are constantly played up, then it will create the perception that the country is not safe,” he told reporters after launching a gathering of his ministry's Youth Squad here yesterday.
Hishammuddin said the Government had promised three years ago to tackle street crime and focused on 50 hotspots across the country, on which they had delivered.
“I don't deny that in terms of perception, we need to improve our actions. But the 11% drop in crime rate was not said by us. It was international bodies which said it,” he added, urging the public to inform the authorities if there were areas which needed urgent attention.
Hishammuddin said he would have to discuss with the relevant ministries, local authorities and the private sector on the possibility of mandatory 24-hour surveillance of parking lots following a spate of robberies and attempted abductions in the past two weeks.
We have to talk to them and see whether (there are) legal (obstacles) or operational matters. We are open to any kind of contribution that will help,” he said.
The Government, added Hishammuddin, was also considering a move to expand the “omnipresence” of authorities at schools in a bid to enhance public confidence in the safety of their children in such public places.
The Cabinet had discussed this issue in light of the recent kidnapping of Dutch boy Nayati Shamelin Moodliar, he said.
We will also try to involve volunteer corps such as Rela in this. We believe that with the increased presence in certain areas at certain times, it will change the perception (of poor public safety),” he said.
Nayati was abducted near his home on April 27 while walking to the Mont' Kiara International School but released unharmed six days later. Three people have so far been charged with the kidnapping although the mastermind is still at large in Europe.
On the replacement for the two members of the Independent Advisory Panel on Bersih 3.0 who opted out, Hishammuddin said it was the panel's prerogative to find suitable candidates to fill the vacancies.
He stressed that his ministry still intended to release its video compilation of incidents during the Bersih 3.0 rally but only after the panel had viewed the footage and presented its opinions to the ministry.
Well, besides Nayati, let's not forget the girl who was almost abducted from the parking lot of a shopping complex, the teacher who was battered so badly she's in an induced coma, another abduction attempt on a primary school kid, the kidnapping of a project manager, the cold-blooded murder of a little girl over a grudge, also this, this and this.
And all the above, is only in the last 2 months or so. Apprently, we have now been told, this is a matter of perception.
So yea, thank you minister, for that. I feel so much safer now.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Monday, April 30, 2012
infamy 3.0
It makes me so sad hearing from friends and acquiantances, and reading all the blog and facebook updates, of their first hand experience on how the peaceful rally quickly descended into hell. It seemed the attacks started at the point when the organisers declared Bersih 3.0 a success and asked for everyone to disperse.
There's really no need for the excessive use of force against defenseless citizens.
Read more here:
1. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/frontpage/2012/04/30/bersih-experience/
2. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/04/29/punched-slapped-kicked/
3. http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-bersih-30-experience-behind-barbed.html#!/2012/04/my-bersih-30-experience-behind-barbed.html
4. http://www.malaysiakini.cowarm/letters/196420
5. http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/196403
6. http://legod.blogspot.com/2012/04/arrogance-breeds-contempt.html
7. http://www.malaysiandigest.com/opinion/43511-lets-tell-the-main-story-of-bersih-30.html
Sadder still, what do people remember about Bersih 3.0? Was the coffeeshop talk about the 3 demands and whether or not the point got across? Or is everyone more preoccupied with conspiracy theories on who started the chaos?
There's really no need for the excessive use of force against defenseless citizens.
Read more here:
1. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/frontpage/2012/04/30/bersih-experience/
2. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/04/29/punched-slapped-kicked/
3. http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-bersih-30-experience-behind-barbed.html#!/2012/04/my-bersih-30-experience-behind-barbed.html
4. http://www.malaysiakini.cowarm/letters/196420
5. http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/196403
6. http://legod.blogspot.com/2012/04/arrogance-breeds-contempt.html
7. http://www.malaysiandigest.com/opinion/43511-lets-tell-the-main-story-of-bersih-30.html
Sadder still, what do people remember about Bersih 3.0? Was the coffeeshop talk about the 3 demands and whether or not the point got across? Or is everyone more preoccupied with conspiracy theories on who started the chaos?
Thursday, April 26, 2012
but why?
It was with utter disgust when I read that just last week, the Parliament had passed a bill to amend the Election Offences Act 1954.
(a) Section 11(c) which had required any print materials to have the names and addresses of its printer and publisher is DELETED IN FULL;
(b) Section 14 1(a) is replaced with a clause which allows the Election Commission (EC) to appoint time slots to determine when polling agents or counting agents of a candidate may be present. Therefore the time when an agent of a candidate is allowed into the polling station is no longer fixed and is now left to the discretion of the EC to decide. They are free to remove agents from polling station at will;
(c) Section 26 1(e) which allowed for checking of the identity of any person entering a polling centre is DELETED IN FULL; and
(d) Section 26A subsection (2) and (3) are DELETED IN FULL. This means that all channels of election observation are sealed off as it now does not allow election candidates and staff to observe the registration of voters during polling day. There will be no more Barung Observers who were previously the only non-EC people able to look at the IC of the voter and pick up discrepancies.
(Source: http://bersih.org/?p=4744)
What just happened here?
It's like all this campaigning for free and fair elections had fell on deaf ears, and we are now worse off than before. Clearly, the last minute move by BN and EC to push the amendments through sought to make the election process less transparent and easier to manipulate. Clearly, they are also saying to us, "So, what can you do about this, huh?"
I'm all for Bersih 3.0. I'm ready to don my yellow shirt and march with the masses. I'm ready to suffer whatever consequences for partaking in this rally. Most of all, I'm ready for change.
But why is Bersih so adamant on Dataran Merdeka? Why is Bersih refusing to negotiate? The government has offered four other venues to hold the rally. Stadium Merdeka would be a good choice if you're aiming for historical significance and symbolism. Wasn't that the chosen venue last year before the government went back on their promise? You know they will find a way to screw things up so why not just play by their rules for a while?
What's going to happen on Saturday is anyone's guess but I would imagine the government and police would come down hard on Bersih, and they would justify it by saying Bersih did not cooperate. The circumstances surrounding this Bersih 3.0 march and last year's Bersih 2.0 march is different; last year, the government played us for fools. I just feel that if all the chaos, tear-gassing, manhandling and arrests can be avoided this round, why not. Let's not lose focus here.
Are we now fighting for free and fair elections, or fighting to occupy Dataran Merdeka? I'm in two minds over going for the march...
(a) Section 11(c) which had required any print materials to have the names and addresses of its printer and publisher is DELETED IN FULL;
(b) Section 14 1(a) is replaced with a clause which allows the Election Commission (EC) to appoint time slots to determine when polling agents or counting agents of a candidate may be present. Therefore the time when an agent of a candidate is allowed into the polling station is no longer fixed and is now left to the discretion of the EC to decide. They are free to remove agents from polling station at will;
(c) Section 26 1(e) which allowed for checking of the identity of any person entering a polling centre is DELETED IN FULL; and
(d) Section 26A subsection (2) and (3) are DELETED IN FULL. This means that all channels of election observation are sealed off as it now does not allow election candidates and staff to observe the registration of voters during polling day. There will be no more Barung Observers who were previously the only non-EC people able to look at the IC of the voter and pick up discrepancies.
(Source: http://bersih.org/?p=4744)
What just happened here?
It's like all this campaigning for free and fair elections had fell on deaf ears, and we are now worse off than before. Clearly, the last minute move by BN and EC to push the amendments through sought to make the election process less transparent and easier to manipulate. Clearly, they are also saying to us, "So, what can you do about this, huh?"
I'm all for Bersih 3.0. I'm ready to don my yellow shirt and march with the masses. I'm ready to suffer whatever consequences for partaking in this rally. Most of all, I'm ready for change.
But why is Bersih so adamant on Dataran Merdeka? Why is Bersih refusing to negotiate? The government has offered four other venues to hold the rally. Stadium Merdeka would be a good choice if you're aiming for historical significance and symbolism. Wasn't that the chosen venue last year before the government went back on their promise? You know they will find a way to screw things up so why not just play by their rules for a while?
What's going to happen on Saturday is anyone's guess but I would imagine the government and police would come down hard on Bersih, and they would justify it by saying Bersih did not cooperate. The circumstances surrounding this Bersih 3.0 march and last year's Bersih 2.0 march is different; last year, the government played us for fools. I just feel that if all the chaos, tear-gassing, manhandling and arrests can be avoided this round, why not. Let's not lose focus here.
Are we now fighting for free and fair elections, or fighting to occupy Dataran Merdeka? I'm in two minds over going for the march...
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Hanoi 2012: my favourite shops in hanoi
Nagu
From the first moment I laid my eyes on them, the teddy bears in ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and the cutest non la (conical hat), I was hooked. They were beautifully handmade and so came at a price an el cheapo backpacker wouldn't splurge on. But I love them so. Now that I'm less cheap and have evolved into super shopping queen, I bought two teddies! One for each time I was being a cheapo.
Nagu sells good quality gift items such as said teddy bears, passport holders, tissue wallets, bags, etc, mostly made in linen or silk. They also have a small collection of children wear and household accessories (think coasters, not plates) upstairs. I was told they're all handmade so the workmanship is really fine. There's an unmistakable kawaii vibe from the store and its products. For example, a cute Mario mushroom on one of its coasters! This can only mean one thing: the designer is Japanese; an expat living in HCMC to be precise.
Address: 20 Nha Tho. It's just around the corner from St. Joseph's Cathedral.
Tan My
Almost everything in Tan My can be found in the many souvenir shops along Hang Gai. But with just one touch the difference is apparent. The material of the accessories bags, napkins, placemats, etc, is soft and thick, not papery. Like Nagu, the embroidery is fine and neat but I can't be sure whether it's hand sown or machine sown... I forgot to ask.
Nevertheless, if you're looking for gifts that last, this is the place. You'll be paying more, like double more, but you won't regret it.
Address: 66 Hang Gai & 16 Hang Trong.
From the first moment I laid my eyes on them, the teddy bears in ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and the cutest non la (conical hat), I was hooked. They were beautifully handmade and so came at a price an el cheapo backpacker wouldn't splurge on. But I love them so. Now that I'm less cheap and have evolved into super shopping queen, I bought two teddies! One for each time I was being a cheapo.
Nagu sells good quality gift items such as said teddy bears, passport holders, tissue wallets, bags, etc, mostly made in linen or silk. They also have a small collection of children wear and household accessories (think coasters, not plates) upstairs. I was told they're all handmade so the workmanship is really fine. There's an unmistakable kawaii vibe from the store and its products. For example, a cute Mario mushroom on one of its coasters! This can only mean one thing: the designer is Japanese; an expat living in HCMC to be precise.
Address: 20 Nha Tho. It's just around the corner from St. Joseph's Cathedral.
Tan My
Almost everything in Tan My can be found in the many souvenir shops along Hang Gai. But with just one touch the difference is apparent. The material of the accessories bags, napkins, placemats, etc, is soft and thick, not papery. Like Nagu, the embroidery is fine and neat but I can't be sure whether it's hand sown or machine sown... I forgot to ask.
Nevertheless, if you're looking for gifts that last, this is the place. You'll be paying more, like double more, but you won't regret it.
Address: 66 Hang Gai & 16 Hang Trong.
Monday, January 09, 2012
sex 901
The BF thought he would be convicted, because by not becoming a witness and defending himself when given a chance to, he is basically denying his rights to be heard. He strongly felt that it can be viewed as an admission of guilt, because lying in the Court is an offence.
I thought he would be convicted, no matter what he say or do not say. The very basis for the case itself is flawed and for allowing the sham case to go on for so long in the Court is a mockery to the justice system. So why bother to say your peace if you know justice will not be served?
(Source: The Malaysian Insider)
Well, surprisingly we were both proved wrong. We do not think he would survive this, but I'm satisfied with the verdict. I would like to think it's a step in the right direction, where the justice system is concerned in Malaysia, but I can't discount the fact that it was a sham case to begin with. Also, no sooner than when the verdict was out, the Gahmen released a statement that the verdict shows that Malaysia has an independent judiciary and that the Gahmen does not influence the Court's decision. That statement's kinda unnecessary and sorta defensive, don't you think?
I thought he would be convicted, no matter what he say or do not say. The very basis for the case itself is flawed and for allowing the sham case to go on for so long in the Court is a mockery to the justice system. So why bother to say your peace if you know justice will not be served?
(Source: The Malaysian Insider)
Well, surprisingly we were both proved wrong. We do not think he would survive this, but I'm satisfied with the verdict. I would like to think it's a step in the right direction, where the justice system is concerned in Malaysia, but I can't discount the fact that it was a sham case to begin with. Also, no sooner than when the verdict was out, the Gahmen released a statement that the verdict shows that Malaysia has an independent judiciary and that the Gahmen does not influence the Court's decision. That statement's kinda unnecessary and sorta defensive, don't you think?