PETALING JAYA: THE Selangor Cybercafe Owners Association (PPPCS) is hoping the State government will adopt the self-regulatory proposals it submitted so that uniform enforcement rules will be applied by other local councils.

A committee member said all association members will abide by these guidelines to reduce misunderstanding among local authorities, given that cybercafés have been designated ‘high risk’ enterprises.

Among key proposals are clear glass fronts so that the underaged can no longer hide and loiter unattended by guardians.

SHAH ALAM: Selangor State housing, building management and squatters committee chairman Iskandar Abdul Samad sees a need for stricter laws to regulate loan sharks or Ah Long who indiscriminately put up their banners and advertisements illegally, creating a public nuisance.

PETALING JAYA: An environment- friendly pound for better treatment of stray dogs and other pets, is in the offing in Sepang, Selangor. It will double-up as an education centre on various types of animals.

PETALING JAYA: An MCA Member of Parliament said to be one of the MPs planning to quit the party when the Barisan Nasional (BN) constitution is amended to allow direct membership, finds it all amusing.

Youth chief and Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Wee Ka Siong laughed it off when asked for comments.

The Deputy Education Minister said, “I admire those who spun the story. I would like to meet the person with this super imaginative power to come up with this speculation.”

KUALA LUMPUR: Counselling sessions on Nurhanim Aziz have begun, following the brutal murder of her three-year-old daughter allegedly by her lover.

An official from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry said the sessions, which started two days ago, at her mother's home in Sungai Buloh here, are being conducted by the Selangor Welfare Department.

PETALING JAYA: Cat owners may soon have to get annual licences for their feline pets in Selangor.

In fact, almost all pets regardless of species may need annual licences under a proposal being considered by the State government.

The paper, which would include setting up an all-pet database in each municipality, is being prepared, said State Exco for Health, Poverty and Caring Society Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) welcomes complaints from any party that feels its human rights have been violated.

“We will look at the complaints and decide (if they merit action),”

KUALA LUMPUR: To get the public to increase reports to Talian Nur — the helpline to report various abuses — the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will heighten awareness on the service.

“We will conduct more campaigns to encourage the public to call Talian Nur to lodge complaints,” said its Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Introduced in 2007, many were still ignorant of the service — despite it being a hotline for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, spousal abuses and natural disasters — to seek help.

KUALA LUMPUR: Cabbies, long a target of public complaints, want the government to conduct a detailed study on their industry by having discussions with them.

“Only through this way will the authorities be able to obtain a comprehensive picture of the problems and challenges taxi drivers face," said Klang Valley Taxi Operators Association secretary Abdul Razak Aziz yesterday.

AMPANG: Filthy habits from decades ago still rule at the century-old Pekan Ampang market, but traders and regular patrons there want it to be stopped fast.

"I am a regular commuter of RapidKL's Kelana Jaya Line and, along with many fellow passengers, were upset when we had to wait almost 45 minutes to get into the train at the Wangsa Maju station," says the 25-year-old accountant.

PETALING JAYA: Interviews for child councillors for the Petaling Jaya City Council will be held on Feb 20 and Feb 27.

Fifty prospective candidates between the ages of 14 and 17, will be interviewed.

“However, only 24 will be selected based on the feedback from workshop facilitators of a leadership camp (on their vision of what PJ should be) last year," said council’s Local Agenda 21 officer Lee Lih Shyan yesterday.

"The selected candidates will be officially considered as councillors from April.”

PETALING JAYA: Traffic volume on Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) has increased by five per cent in the last few days, the highway concessionaire says.

The wet weather in recent days has also caused peak hours on the LDP to be extended from the usual 7am to 9.30am to 10.30am.

PETALING JAYA: It is not about who runs the zoo but how it's managed. A good team of experts, and resources, will give zest to animal life in capitvity.

These are the views of experts in response to Zoo Negara director Dr Mohamad Ngah's comment earlier this month that the government had no right to get a government-linked company (GLC) to manage the zoo.

PETALING JAYA: Independent writers have slammed Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir over his decision to sue Suara Keadilan, the journalistic voice of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, for recently publishing an article he alleged as "total fabrication".

Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI) chairman Wong Chin Huat, told The Malay Mail last night that though Zambry had the right to sue, it did not mean that he should.

AMPANG: Cybercafe operators are upset with local authorities for undermining their business.

The operators in Ampang Jaya are particularly upset with their local authority for coming up with “ridiculous”
guidelines, which are impeding their survival.

PETALING JAYA: Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) will be using its new four-car train for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system on its Subang and Puchong extension route.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said this during the RapidKL's LRT inspection ceremony of the new trains for the Kelana Jaya line this morning.

Asked if there is a possibility of Prasarana extending its line to Shah Alam, the minister said the focus for now is on its Subang, Puchong and Ampang lines.

PUTRAJAYA: The next sector under the watchful eye of the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry is the hairdressing industry, its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday.

He said the sector has potential to grow and the ministry will monitor the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that was handed over by the Malaysian Hairdressing Association (MHA) last year.

“We will take note of the SOP the MHA had sent us,” he said at his ministry in Putrajaya.