Wednesday 21 October 2009

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Govt directs SKMM to investigate high cost of IT services

Govt directs SKMM to investigate high cost of IT services

Activities in Kuala Lumpur

Fashion gets wired

Meaningful Deepavali

Meaningful Deepavali -
WHEEL POWER
By ANTHONI THANASAYAN
It’s good to ponder over life’s many blessings, no matter what our circumstance.
THE recent Festival of Lights celebrations touched many hearts and lives. This was especially so for members of the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Rawang, Selangor.
R. Murugan. 35, has come a long way since he first stayed at the centre seven years ago. Stricken with polio at the age of two, Murugan recalls what a struggle it was for him to grow up as a physically disabled person in his hometown in Port Dickson. He never went to school and could not afford a wheelchair.
Fortunately, he found an able-bodied woman who loved him and married him. The couple were struggling to make ends meet when they heard about ILTC and decided to make a trip to Rawang.
“We gave Murugan and his family some of the provisions donated to our centre,” said Francis Siva, 50, president of ILTC. “Later we helped him find a low-cost flat and got him a wheelchair.”
Murugan started a titbits stall to support his family. But because he did not apply for a licence, he soon found himself in trouble with the law when the local council raided his outfit.
But after dialogues with the council – together with the intervention of ILTC – Majlis Perbandaran Selayang built a special stall for him to continue his business.
Murugan is proud of his stall. “Although life is a constant struggle, I am able to send my kids to school and put food on the table, and that’s what matters,” he said.
K. Letchumy, 24, is one of the most talkative members at ILTC. However, she was never like that until she came to the centre six years ago.
Born with cerebral palsy, Letchumy spent her days alone in the family flat in Shah Alam, Selangor, when her mother went off to work in a factory and her siblings went to school.
One day, the family heard about ILTC on a radio programme, and contacted the centre.
Today, Letchumy is a different person. She not only helps to take calls at the centre but also cooks, sews and motivates newly disabled persons who visit the centre.
For the first time, Letchumy was able to bring home gifts for her family for Deepavali, through her hard-earned money, working at the centre.
S. Bathmawathy, 26, from Taman Bukit Rawang became paralysed after a surgery.
The single mother whose husband abandoned her after her paralysis, failed in her efforts to seek medical attention locally.
After seeing an orthopaedic specialist in India recommended by ILTC, she was referred to a specialist in Malaysia who performed surgery on her.
Miraculously, Bathmawathy could walk again after the surgery. She says she will never forget the support she got from ILTC during her difficult times. Bathmawathy, who is looking for a job, makes it a point to drop by the centre regularly to encourage other members.
She spent her Deepavali with her mum, recalling all the good things they were thankful for in life.
With the national budget around the corner, Francis says it is his Deepavali wish that the government will come up with an allocation of RM500 a month for all disabled persons in the country.
The ILTC is having a Charity Muhibbah Cultural Show on Nov 1 at the KLCC Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur to raise funds for a new training centre in Rawang. Tickets for the musical performance from India are priced at RM50 and RM100.
For details, please call 019-338 5959 (Francis) or 012-695 6786 (Rina).
The Star 221009

Tuesday 20 October 2009

KLM celebrates 90 years of flying with holiday packages

KLM celebrates 90 years of flying with holiday packages

Tour tales; The contrast between group tour leaders and China’s guides can be startling.

Tour tales

'Millionaire' head and three others held over bribery case

'Millionaire' head and three others held over bribery case
By LOURDES CHARLES
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a director of a government department who is said to be a millionaire, an officer and two rangers for allegedly accepting a bribe of more than RM100,000.
A special team from the Putrajaya MACC headquarters was believed to have seized more than RM300,000 from the director’s house in Kulim, Kedah, yesterday.
Remanded: The director being led out of the court building in handcuffs Tuesday.
The officers are investigating where the money came from.
The two forest rangers and the officer were arrested in Sungai Petani on Monday.
It is believed that the four suspects had received the RM100,000 bribe in exchange for a logging compartment contract.
Upon questioning, the suspects led the MACC officers to the director’s house. However, he was not at home.
Later, four officers waited for the director at his office in Alor Setar and arrested him when he tried to enter at about 2am.
MACC director of investigations Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul confirmed the arrests but declined to elaborate as investigations were still underway.
The MACC is also investigating the possible involvement of several other forestry officers in other illegal logging activities worth millions of ringgit in the state.
The handcuffed director was produced before the Alor Setar magistrate’s court yesterday where he was ordered to be remanded to facilitate investigations as provided for under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.
The unkempt director was wearing a white shirt and he appeared stunned and quiet while being led away by the MACC officers.
In Putrajaya, the MACC said in a statement that the four suspects would be remanded for four days from yesterday to assist in investigations.
Wednesday October 21, 2009

Friday 16 October 2009

Happy Deepavali greetings from the Prime Minister

Happy Deepavali greetings from the Prime Minister
2009/10/15
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak says Deepavali, which will be observed on Saturday as Muslims continue to celebrate Aidilfitri, provides a golden opportunity for ties between ethnic groups to be strengthened in the true 1Malaysia spirit.
In extending Deepavali greetings to Malaysian Hindus, he says it is customary of members of the Indian community to graciously welcome their fellow Malaysians to their "open house", thus permitting all to interact with one another and enjoy Indian delicacies such as "jalebi" and "murukku" in mutual respect, harmony and unity. Writing in his blog, www.1Malaysia.com, Najib said that after having received a warm reception from Indian Malaysians this year, he was very much looking forward to attending such an open house, to be held at the Putra World Trade Centre here on Saturday. "This reminds me of the time I went on a walkabout in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, and of my conversations with traders there while I had a glass of refreshing iced lemon tea," he says.
"Most recently, I was happy to receive an invitation to the Hindu temple in Batu Caves. There, I saw Malaysians of various cultural backgrounds participating in the Batu Caves 1Malaysia carnival, held for the first time. "I hope more such festivals of this nature can be organised," says the prime minister. - Bernama