by Andrew Sagayam

Stories from by Andrew Sagayam

Christians welcome easing of restrictions on pilgrimage to Israel
by Andrew Sagayam


CHRISTIANS in Malaysia have welcomed the easing of restrictions on making pilgrimages to Israel.

However, parish priests and tour agencies that specialise in pilgrimage trips hope the move is permanent.

“The church welcomes the move as it gives Christians the freedom to travel to the holy land of Jerusalem. We hope it stays this way,” said Father Philip Muthu, of the Dungun Catholic community in Terengganu.

He said the restrictions were not right in the first place.

dap
It's the candidate that matters
by Andrew Sagayam

WHAT matters is the candidate's ability to deliver what the people want.

The DAP is not ruffled if candidates prefer to stand as independents rather than on the party's ticket for fear of being tied down by party rules.
ambiga
No electoral reforms for GE13, says Bersih
by Andrew Sagayam


general elections
Three's company for DAP
by Andrew Sagayam

THE DAP could be handing the Bukit Gasing state seat over to Gerakan in the next general election if it does not consolidate the three DAP-linked candidates vying for this constituency.
d'ruz
States told to allow telco tower upgrades
by Andrew Sagayam



STATE governments and local councils will be instructed to allow the upgrading or reconstruction of telecommunication towers to end dropped calls.

Data privacy law in force Jan 1
by Andrew Sagayam

RANDOM calls from telemarketeers may be a thing of the past come next month.

This was because the Personal Data Protection Act would come into force to prevent companies and individuals from selling and giving out personal datas such as telephone numbers, MyKad numbers, addresses, credit card or insurance preferences of their clients to third party.

The government had said that the enactment is aimed at preventing abuse of personal data of citizens for commercial purposes.
sungai pusu
Bringing our 'breakfast companion'
by Andrew Sagayam


FOR nearly 170 years and some only having four days off a year, newspaper vendors are still going on strong ... and delivering.

RM60m ivory haul in S'gor
by Andrew Sagayam

THE Selangor Customs department seized African elephant ivory tusks worth more than RM60milion — the biggest haul in the country to date — from a ship that arrived from Spain.

State Customs department director Datuk Azis Yacub said 1,500 ivory tusks weighing 24 tonnes were seized from the CMA CGM Titus, registered with a shipping company in Klang, which left Port Algeciras before arriving here on Monday.
Sabotage bound to happen, say Umno leaders
by Andrew Sagayam

ACTS of sabotage are inevitable in politics, more so during elections as there are bound to be disappointed individuals or factions within a party.

Political party leaders told The Malay Mail party members would not agree to everything their parties set out to do.

Bukit Bintang Umno division chief Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi said the sabotage factor had always been around. The only difference was that it was more evident.
‘Accept children with special needs’
by Andrew Sagayam

ACCEPTING and understanding students with special needs are vital for their proper upbringing. Educators who are also parents told The Malay Mail that while the move to place special needs students with regular students was welcomed, other factors must be noted.

“Regular children must be taught to accept the condition of special needs children,” said psychiatrist Prof Philip George, of the International Medical University in Seremban.
‘Integrate special needs with caution’
by Andrew Sagayam


TEACHERS must be well trained to handle special needs children if they are to be placed in regular schools.

Malaysian Paediatric Association and National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC) president Datuk Dr Amar Singh said the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers, and the failure to produce trained teachers to handle such students will bring about problems in the classroom.

“The most affected group is the 15 to 20 per cent of total student population, which is a large group.

Special students to join normal classes
by Andrew Sagayam

STUDENTS with special needs will not be isolated but will be placed with regular ones as part of government’s efforts to help them blend into society.

“We want them to go to school like any other students and don’t want them to feel alienated,” Education director-general Tan Sri Abd Ghafar Mahmud told The Malay Mail.

“This is our focus in the new chapter that was recently announced by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the education minister.”
chapel
Panes with holy images moved to Klang church
by Andrew Sagayam


TWO window panes, one with a purported image of the Virgin Mary, were removed from Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya (SDMC SJ) and handed over to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Klang yesterday.

UPSR3
More straight As but slight drop in overall performance this year
by Andrew Sagayam


THIS year's Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) recorded a drop in overall performance with 45,054 pupils achieving straight As, a 0.45 per cent drop compared to 46,012 candidates, last year.

Kohilan Pillay
‘Alleged rape cases will not affect ties’
by Azril Annuar
by Andrew Sagayam

WISMA PUTRA does not see any negative impact on the diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Indonesia following the recent rape cases against an Indonesian maid in Penang and a worker in Seremban.

Deputy Foreign Minister A. Kohilan Pillay believed that these are isolated incidents and wants the authorities to continue their investigations.
Linen defects due to wear and tear, says ministry
by Andrew Sagayam

WEAR and tear is the reason why linen used in hospitals has been found to be faded and spoilt.

The Health Ministry said this in response to the 2011 Auditor-General’s Report that revealed up to 81.8 per cent of linen received by hospitals nationwide was “defective”.

The report said the ministry had spent RM513.50 million for the procurement of linen and laundry services from 2009 to 2011.
Gerakan condemns Gaza violence
Gerakan condemns Gaza violence
by Andrew Sagayam
by Azril Annuar

GERAKAN president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon has called for peace and harmony in Gaza in conjunction with the Deepavali celebrations.
Hasan
Health DG to get 'special attention'
by Andrew Sagayam

THE khalwat (close proximity) case involving health ministry director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman and a staff will be given "special attention" according to Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Shirlin.
Khir toyo
Buy back land, says Khir
by Andrew Sagayam


THE Hindu community should pool their money and buy back the land meant for the controversial condominium project near the Batu Caves temple.

Disrespectful to block statue, say residents
by Azril Annuar
by Andrew Sagayam


THOSE staying near Batu Caves say the controversial 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project is disrespectful to Lord Murugan, whose statue stands at the entrance to the caves.

Housewife P. Vimala, 41, said she disagreed with the project from the start after she found out that it would block the 42.7m-high statue.

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