KANGAR: A septuagenarian was seriously injured when he was gored by a male buffalo intended for a feast in Kampung Alor Redis here today.

Osman Mat Ya, 70, suffered a serious left rib injury in the 10am incident.

He was walking near his house when the bull appeared from some bushes and attacked him.

Osman was warded at the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital here and his condition is reported to be stable.

The buffalo was said to have ran away as it was about to be slaughtered for a feast in Kodiang, Kedah, some 20km away.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Wanita secretary-general Senator Heng Seai Kie announced today that she would be going for a central committee (CC) post at the upcoming party elections on March 28.

"I believe as a CC member, I can still contribute to the party and the nation," Heng said when contacted by Bernama today.

She said this when asked whether she would be vying for any of the top posts in the party like the vice president's post.

KUALA LUMPUR: A man was found dead with one hand nearly severed in Jalan Timur Tambahan, Bestari Jaya, Kuala Selangor yesterday.

Victim R. Raj Kumar, 31, was believed to have been slashed with parang after a chase by two men in a black Proton Perdana at 6.15pm.

Selangor CID chief ACP Omar Mammah said Raj Kumar had more than seven slash wounds to the head and that his right hand was nearly severed.

"We have not dismissed revenge as motive for the killing and will investigate to find the cause.

PENANG:The Federal government has allocated RM14.4 million to upgrade parks and gardens in Penang to attract tourists said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

From the total allocation, RM7 million would be used to upgrade Botanical Garden in Penang said Dr Ng.

"The Botanical Garden has a very good potential to attract visitors and tourist since it has been identified to be listed among the most beautiful gardens in the world," she told reporters after visiting the Botanical Garden here today.

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 124 roadside hawkers in Lembah Pantai here will be relocated to a nearby venue this year to ease traffic flow in the area, Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin said today.

"We have issued them with notices and we are working with the private sector to set up their new place of business," he told reporters after joining a procession to mark Prophet Muhammad's birthday organised by the Lembah Pantai Umno, here.

PETALING JAYA:The government will introduce the old-age and self-employed pension schemes, possibly by the middle of next year, under the government's caring concept, Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said today.

He said the Social Security Organisation (Sosco) has been tasked to conduct actuarial studies on the two new schemes before their implementation.

KUALA LUMPUR:The Arabian Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabitargets to draw three million tourists this year, 22 per cent of them from Malaysia, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) International Promotions Manager
Mubarak Al Nuaimi said today.

According to ADTA statistics, the emirate registered 72,328 hotel guests from Southeast Asia last year, and 5,515 of them were from Malaysia.

Abu Dhabi participated in Malaysia's Matta travel fair for the first time this year, and Mubarak said the main intention was to attract tourists from Southeast Asia.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin is all for the National Union of Bank Employees' (NUBE) call for the government to increase the maternity leave from 60 days to 90 days.

She said the ministry would discuss with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to pursue the matter.

"Indeed, there are constraints on the part of the employer if it is implemented, but they (employers) have to look at it from the positive side.

PUTRAJAYA:The health ministry's five-year strategic plan to control dengue has began to show sting.

Although the plan was launched less than a year ago, there has been adecrease in the number of dengue cases reported, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai.

The National Strategic Plan was launched last April, for a period of 2009-2013 to lower the number of cases by 10 per cent annually, with a target of reducing by 50 per cent, from 49,335 in 2008 to 21,430 this year.

PUTRAJAYA: The civil service, which has 1.2 million members, plays a huge role in making sure the government achieve its aspirations.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry is working to make Tamil Nadu's capital, Chennai, as Kuala Lumpur's twin city.

Its minister, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, said representatives from the ministry would visit Chennai in May for the purpose.

The Malaysian government has held several discussions and is awaiting response from Chennai for the next course of action, he told reporters after opening a food and entertainment carnival at the Temple Of Fine Arts here today.

SEREMBAN: Rasah Umno Division Chief Datuk Hasim Rusdi has been appointed the new Negeri Sembilan Umno liaison secretary.

Hasim, 52, is also the state rural development, consumer affairs and public amenities committee chairman as well as Labu assemblyman.

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Mohamad Hasan, who is also state Umno liaison chief, said Hasim would be replacing Datuk Azman Hassan following his resignation due to health problems.

SIBU: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud wants all state leaders to continue with the Barisan Nasional government's tradition of being always on the ground and close to the people.

"When they do so, they can motivate the people to be more positive in their outlook. They can also make them realise that what they enjoy is what they have worked for on the ground.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police on Friday obtained a seven-day remand order to hold an actor suspected of dealing in syabu and cocaine.

City CID chief ACP Kang Chez Chiang said the actor, who is the son of a veteran actress, was nabbed together with his girlfriend at the parking lot of a condominium in Segambut here at 2.30pm yesterday.

"Following the arrest, police raided his house in Kepong and found 800 grammes of cocaine and 1.4 grammes of syabu which have a street value of almost RM650,000," he said when contacted by Bernama here.

KEMAMAN: Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has denied a report by a Chinese daily that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan had tendered his resignation letter.

Describing the report as a lie, Hishammuddin said he had instructed the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam to ask the newspaper editor to explain the report.

"If there are any changes, I will know... I have an excellent relation with the Inspector-General of Police and his deputy.

KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan today denied a report that said he had sent in a letter of resignation.

While questioning the source used by the newspaper concerned in the report, Musa who was contacted by Bernama said the report had no basis whatsoever as he had not forwarded any resignation letter as reported.

"I have not sent any resignation letter to anyone, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. The report is not true and I strongly deny it," he said.

JOHOR BAHARU: An army private died when his motorcycle collided with a car with Batu Member of Parliament, Tian Chua, in it at KM49 Jalan Johor Baharu-Mersing near Hutan Lipur Panti, near Kota Tinggi, Friday.

Kota Tinggi police district chief Supt Osman Mohammad Sebot said the incident happened at about 9pm when the private, Mohd Salleh Hamdan, 22, who was attached to the Iskandar Camp, Mersing was on his way to Kota Tinggi while Tian Chua was headed towards Mersing after attending a get-together in Kota Tinggi.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association (PPIM) has urged the government to amend existing consumer laws to act against rampant scratch-and-win syndicates.

Its executive secretary, Datuk Nadzim Johan, said existing consumer laws appeared ineffective in handling the syndicates.

"While waiting for new laws to be legislated, we may discuss with the home ministry to use the Emergency Ordinance as there are no other laws to prosecute them," he said at a news conference here on Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police resolved 17 car break-in cases around Brickfields with the arrest of a drug addict in his house at Flat Sri Pahang, Bangsar yesterday.

Brickfields OCPD ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said the suspect was picked up at noon following a tip-off from a woman who claimed that her car was broken into and several items inside were stolen.

"Investigations showed that the suspect is not only a drug addict but has also been breaking into vehicles since last year," he told reporters here.