Blog

Malaysia Likely To Price VEP At RM20

The prospect of having to pay more than double what they are currently forking out to drive across the Causeway has jolted Singaporean motorists into saying they will drastically reduce the frequency of their trips up north.

Although the RM20 (S$7.55) Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) fee that Malaysia plans to charge for foreign-registered vehicles entering the country from around the middle of next year is less than half the RM50 figure bandied about previously, drivers say cost savings from shopping in Malaysia — already slashed as a result of toll hikes imposed by both countries since Oct 1— will be negligible with the latest VEP charge.

Malaysian daily New Straits Times, quoting the country’s Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi, reported last Saturday that the details of the VEP fee implementation for foreign vehicles, including the installation of charging devices, are being worked out. Once completed, the fee will be levied at the Causeway and the Second Link, said the minister, adding that Malaysia is also mulling over the implementation of the fee for vehicles entering from Thailand and Brunei.

The charges for Singaporean drivers crossing the Causeway recently increased by more than five times from RM2.90 to RM16.50, after higher toll rates kicked in on Aug 1 at the Johor Baru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex.

Two months later, Singapore raised the toll charges at the Woodlands Checkpoint to S$6.50.

With the new VEP fee imposed by Malaysia, Singaporean drivers would have to pay more than S$20 for a round trip to Johor.

Freelance videographer Edwin Cheng, 32, who drives to Johor at least once a week to buy groceries and pump petrol, said he was shocked and disappointed by the third round of hikes.

“I used to be able to save up to 40 per cent for a full tank of petrol and up to 20 per cent for groceries in Johor. Now, it would make no difference if I pumped petrol and did my grocery shopping in Singapore,” he said.

Mr Cheng added that he would cut back on trips to Johor once the new VEP fee kicks in and would also stay there for longer periods so he can do more things.

Student relations officer Rosnah Hussain, 30, shared the same sentiment. Before the toll hikes, she would drive to Johor at least thrice a week to buy groceries, go for massages and pump petrol.

Ms Rosnah added: “After the (toll) hikes, I go (to Johor) only once every two weeks. Once the VEP fee is imposed, I don’t think I will go so often, it is too expensive.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

December 22, 2014
Hizbut Tahrir Malaysia: Muslims Must Beware Of Christian Proselytisation During Christmas

KUALA LUMPUR ― Muslims nationwide must beware the “dangers” of Christmas next week as it is allegedly a ploy by the Christian community to attract Muslims into accepting Jesus, the local chapter of international hardline Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir alleged today.

According to the group, Christmas celebrations try to condition Muslims into accepting “Western values”, allegedly through festivals of vice, free mingling, illicit sex, and excess that it said pervade the year-end celebrations.

“The momentum of Christmas is made into an important point to spread the Christians’ proselytisation mission. That is why Christians are serious in celebrating Christmas and the new year to attract other races, especially Muslims,” the group claimed in its weekly newsletter which is also distributed at local mosques during Friday prayers.

It alleged that communal Christmas celebrations, either held in homes but open to all or in public, were a way to get non-Christians to believe in Jesus as the saviour, or at least coax them to join the Christians in celebrating their faith towards Jesus.

Hizbut Tahrir also claimed that Christians are using the celebrations to cement their existence and domination in Muslim countries, especially when a country promotes religious tolerance and allows themselves the freedom to publicly celebrate Christmas.

“Any Muslim who refuse to offer a greeting of merry Christmas or celebrate it will be seen as intolerant, and maybe extreme,” it claimed.

“Based on this, some Muslims without shame and guilt, and even proudly and happily, celebrate Christmas just because they don’t want to be seen as intolerant among Christians. Whether they realise it or not, they have sold out their faith!”

Christmas is also seen as a ploy to plant the seeds of “religious pluralism” into the minds of Muslims so Christianity can be considered as a religion equal to Islam, the group said as it warned Muslims of idolatry.

In comparison, Hizbut Tahrir said an Islamic caliphate ― which it aims for ― would never allow Christians to publicly celebrate Christmas as it will be limited only to their homes, community and churches.

“It can never be highlighted in public spaces, and not allowed even in advertisements through electronic and print media that can be publicly accessed. This is because unbelief and any of such activities cannot be advertised and left to its own devices in an Islamic society,” it claimed.

The National Fatwa Council has decreed on 2005 that Muslims are prohibited from attending Christmas celebrations if there are “Christian symbols” on display, such as Christmas trees, Santa Claus-like red attires and Christmas carols.

Two years later in 2007, the same council decreed that Muslims cannot greet non-Muslims during their festivities if the greetings involve issues of faith or recognise that other religions are of equal position with Islam.

Source: www.themalaymailonline.com

December 20, 2014
District Judge: National Servicemen Do Not Need To Follow Illegal Or Unlawful Orders

A former full-time national serviceman (NSF) who was driving a military jeep without a licence when it crashed and killed his close friend was sentenced to a 10-day short detention order (SDO) yesterday.

Cavin Tan, 22, had no Class 3 driving licence when he caused the death of NSF Tan Mou Sheng and caused hurt to NSFs Ow Yong Wei Long and Dickson Hong, who were all 20 then, at the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Marsiling training area in Mandai 21/2 years ago. He pleaded guilty to both charges.

It also emerged that he had been ordered to drive the jeep.

District Judge Low Wee Ping said: “Perhaps one positive outcome of this case is that national servicemen now know that they do not need to obey a manifestly illegal or unlawful order.”

He asked Tan’s lawyer Laurence Goh, a senior officer in the SAF, to get the message out that national servicemen need not obey any such order.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tang Shangjun said the four men – all instructors – were involved in a training exercise led by Master Sergeant Lee Kong Kean. The 33-year-old has been charged and his case is pending.

The Defence Ministry said that it does “not condone our commanders giving unlawful orders, and those who do so will be seriously disciplined”.

Tan was told by Lee to drive one of the jeeps in the exercise even though he had no Class 3 military licence and had not been trained to drive one.

On the morning of the accident, Tan lost control of his jeep while negotiating a downward slope with a left bend.

DPP Tang said Tan misjudged the bend and made a sudden, sharp turn. The jeep tilted, rotated around and overturned several times before landing on its side.

NSF Hong and NSF Ow Yong, who had not been wearing seat belts or helmets, were thrown out and injured. Tan unbuckled himself and found NSF Tan Mou Sheng pinned under the jeep at his left hip. He was bleeding from his nose and mouth and soon lapsed into unconsciousness. The soldiers managed to lift the jeep and pull him out. He died later from severe pelvic crush injuries.

Mr Goh said in mitigation that Tan, now an undergraduate, obeyed the order to drive even when Lee had been told that he did not have a Class 3 licence. Tan, he said, was truly sorry for having caused the death of his college mate.

He urged the court to give his client a second chance by imposing the SDO, a community-based sentence which came into place in 2011. These can last up to 14 days and are less disruptive and stigmatising than a jail sentence.

Said Mr Goh: “The accused’s decision to drive the jeep not only went against good sense, but also constituted serious breaches of SAF military training safety protocols.”

Judge Low urged Tan to put this behind him and look forward.

NSF Tan Mou Sheng’s father told Tan and his parents that Tan was not at fault because he was just obeying orders. Both fathers shook hands outside the court.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

December 19, 2014
Malacca Government Supports Chinese Peranakans Bid For Bumiputra Status

The Malacca government has declared its backing of a move by the state’s Peranakan Chinese to obtain Bumiputera status, pointing out the community had played a pivotal role in protecting the state from attackers during the early days of the Sultanate.

According to The Star today (Dec 18), Chief Minister Idris Haron said his administration already regards the community, which is said to have settled in the bustling southern state from as early as the 14th century, as Malacca’s indigenous people.

“Based on historical facts, they arrived on this soil with noble intentions and they extended their friendship to the Malacca Sultanate,” Mr Idris was quoted saying after a meeting with the state executive council yesterday.

As such, the chief minister said his government will support the Peranakan Chinese Association of Malaysia’s (PCAM) bid to secure Bumiputera status for the community.

He also called for more documentation to endorse the community as the state’s indigenous people.

According to the English daily, it has been reported that PCAM president Ronald Gan is seeking to endorse Malacca’s Peranakan Chinese as Bumiputeras, along with the state’s Malay and Portugese communities.

The paper said Gan had reasoned that the Peranakan Chinese were recognised as Malays when the Malay Customary Land was established under the Malacca Land Customary Rights Ordinance, which was drawn up under British rule between 1826 and 1957. THE MALAY MAIL ONLINE

Source: www.todayonline.com

December 19, 2014
Suicide and Heart Attack Main Causes Of Deaths Of Adults In Singapore

Suicide and heart attack were the top causes of deaths among 15- to 49-year-olds here last year, accounting for 337 lives, while the top killer for those aged 70 and older was pneumonia.

These figures, which did not go into greater detail, come from a global study published in The Lancet medical journal yesterday comparing causes of death and burden of disease in 188 countries between 1990 and last year.

In that period, global life expectancy went up from 65.3 years to 71.5 years – though people in Singapore fared far better with women living an average of 84 years and men 79.7 years.

The study was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with hundreds of collaborators from around the world led by Professor Christopher Murray of the University of Washington.

Prof Murray said collective action against potentially deadly infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, measles, tuberculosis, HIV and malaria has had a huge impact in reducing deaths.

But he added that some major chronic diseases have been neglected and are becoming increasing threats to life, particularly drug disorders, liver cirrhosis, diabetes and kidney disease.

In Singapore, deaths from chronic kidney disease and pancreatic cancer tripled between 1990 and last year. Pneumonia deaths also increased by 56 per cent.

Associate Professor Reshma Merchant, who heads general medicine at National University Hospital, said pneumonia in the elderly is often due to dementia or frailty that causes difficulty in swallowing. She said: “Swallowing problems can have devastating health implications, including dehydration, malnutrition and pneumonia which affects quality of life and increases caregiver burden.”

Deaths from congenital problems and asthma fell by 70 per cent and 39 per cent respectively.

The study noted gender differences with far more men in Singapore dying from lung cancer and women from stroke. Last year, 953 men and 550 women died of lung cancer; and 1,449 women and 1,044 men from stroke.

Dr Ross Soo, a senior cancer consultant at the National University Cancer Institute, said many studies show women with lung cancer do better than men – regardless of whether they have radiation or chemotherapy. He added: “The reasons for the gender differences are very complex and are not well understood.”

At a global level, standardised for age, deaths from some cancers have fallen since 1990: lung by 9 per cent, breast by 18 per cent and leukaemia by 20 per cent. Deaths from heart disease and strokes have fallen by over 20 per cent.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

December 19, 2014