Monday, August 31, 2009

Ismail: Keep sick children at home

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KUALA LUMPUR: Parents have been advised to keep their sick children at home when school reopens tomorrow after a week-long break.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said parents should act more responsibly to ensure their children were healthy before going back to school in view of the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic.

"Children with fever or cough should stay at home until they have fully recovered.

"They may spread the virus to their friends if they still have the symptoms," he said in a statement yesterday.


Parents have been urged to seek immediate treatment for children with influenza-like illness (ILI) and to let them rest at home.

Schools have also been told to accept medical certificates for students with ILI or are confirmed positive for H1N1.

Dr Ismail said the public should also continue improving their personal hygiene and to practise social distancing by staying at least one metre away from another individual.

He said as of 9am yesterday, another death was reported, bringing the H1N1-related toll to 72.

Dr Ismail said a 49-year-old odd-job worker went to Malacca Hospital on Aug 13 for treatment after having fever, cough and bouts of vomiting for two days.

"He was immediately given anti-viral treatment and antibiotics, and was tested negative for tuberculosis, typhoid, dengue, leptospirosis and H1N1 on Aug 18.

"However, he became seriously ill due to lung infections," he added.

The man died the next day.

The post-mortem result on Monday revealed that he was H1N1 positive and that he died from severe pneumonia with septicaemic shock.


The last death reported was on Wednesday when a 24-year-old obese woman was confirmed positive for H1N1.

Dr Ismail said 280 patients out of 1,515 receiving treatment for ILI had been confirmed positive with the virus.

Of the total, 44 are in intensive care units, 36 of them are in the high-risk group.

As of yesterday, 285 patients had been discharged from hospitals.

Ramadan sweeteners

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KUALA LUMPUR: Cupcakes and doughnuts are becoming the rage among Muslims and non-Muslims here this Ramadan.

Specialty shops selling the items have been seeing record crowds, as many people opt for this modern baked food over traditional kuih.

Cupcake Chic managing partner Joanne Ho said sales of cupcakes were on the rise.

"I cannot believe we have been enjoying such good sales. Sometimes, our cupcakes are sold out before 7pm.


"It could also be because Malays are usually more fond of sweet treats, " said the co-owner of the brand.

With the brand's Ramadan promotion, a box of cupcakes are priced at RM36, after a 25 per cent discount.

Zalina Ali, a management consultant who is a regular at the outlet, said the cupcakes were a nice change for breaking the fast.

" I will choose cupcakes over traditional kuih anytime. I hope that cheaper cupcakes are available at Ramadan bazaars," said the 23-year- old.

Krispy Kreme, owned by Berjaya Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Sdn Bhd, has also seen a good demand this Ramadan.

Its business development manager Zetty A. Rahim said that doughnuts were popular.

The doughnuts are priced from RM19.90 to RM23.90 for a dozen-and-a-half during Ramadan.

Wondermilk (M) Sdn Bhd, which sells cupcakes, has come up with "Aidilfitri Design cuppacakes" that can be pre-ordered for Hari Raya.

The co-owner of the three-year-old outlet, Ifzan Ibrahim, said they usually made 70 boxes per day, but that the order had doubled since last week.

Paradise lost for the Penan

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LUSONG LAKU (Belaga): When Ulu Rajang member of parliament Datuk Billy Abit Joo first came here as a 13-year-old, this Penan settlement deep in the interior of Sarawak was a paradise to him.

The upper Sungai Linau, which passes by the settlement, was full of fish and the forest was a huge garden.

When he returned 40 years later, what Abit saw shocked him.

"It's a paradise lost," he said.


All around the settlement, the scarred forest is a testament to what logging has done to the area. The sides of the hills and mountains have been carved out to make roads, timber storage areas and logging camps.

Landslides are common occurrences, dumping mud into Sungai Linau.

"It's just not possible now for the Penans to go into the forest to look for food. There are very few animals.

"Even if there are, they would have to go deep into the forest for them."

Destruction of the forest -- the source of food for the Penans -- was a fact that Maria Hassan Sui of the state Planning Unit in the Chief Minister's Department conceded in her briefing to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who visited the Penan service centre adjacent to the settlement earlier this month.

Maria said the extraction of timber had seriously threatened the food source of the Penans.

"It affected what they can get from the forest.

"Logging has also polluted the river."

Abit said the Penans did not farm or rear livestock for food.


"Whenever they want meat, they will just go into the forest and hunt for it.

"When they want shoots or other edible plants, they will also go into the forest and collect them.

"That's why you don't see a rubber plantation, you don't see a cocoa tree and you don't see any kind of farm here (in Lusong Laku)."

Food shortages will likely be a common yearly occurrence for the state's most backward ethnic group. When they run out of rice, they cannot just go to the nearest store to buy it or other foodstuff such as sugar as they have no money.

Already categorised as hardcore poor, they have no source of income.

Even if they do, the high cost of rice and other foodstuff put these items out of their reach.

Their response to the agricultural programmes introduced to them by the Agriculture Department to make them food-sufficient has been lukewarm.

Pandikar Amin, before he took the 10-hour journey here from Bintulu, was told that one of the problems getting the Penans into the mainstream of society was that they were "extremely difficult to change" and were entrenched in their way of life.

"They will not open up nor are they receptive to new ideas to change their way of life," Maria said in her briefing.

"They are not willing to give up and they have also failed to take up the various offers and opportunities provided by the government in the many programmes to improve their livelihood."

Despite these difficulties, Abit said the Penans could still be helped.

"However, it takes a special solution to solve a special problem.

"The government cannot adhere to general guidelines. They have to look at other ways, ways that could produce results.

"What is good for other ethnic groups will not necessarily be good for the Penans. And most importantly, we shouldn't impose our values on them."

Abit said if the Penans were reluctant to plant vegetables for food, maybe the government should not force it on them just yet.

"What about teaching them to cultivate sago? After all, sago is a tree they are very familiar with and it is also their staple diet, not rice or vegetables."

Abit said if they could be taught to plant sago on a large scale, this could be their future source of income.

Getting the Penans into the mainstream of society is a mammoth task without a doubt. The task to get them to open up their minds is even harder as few Penan children ever reach secondary school.

After primary school, parents are reluctant to allow their children to continue with their secondary education, as the schools are usually very far away and hard to reach.

In the case of children of Lusong Laku, the nearest secondary school is in Belaga, which is eight hours by road.

Selangor govt 'failed to talk to the people'

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PUTRAJAYA: The demonstration against the construction of a Hindu temple in Shah Alam, which has threatened to drive a wedge between the Muslim and Hindu communities, could have been averted if only the Selangor government had engaged the people in its agenda.

Saddened that the issue had escalated following the protesters' use of a cow head, Barisan Nasional leaders felt that the state should not be bulldozing through its plan.

Rather, it should conduct dialogues with the rakyat, especially when it concerned sensitive matters.

Selangor Federal Action Committee chairman Datuk Noh Omar said he recently had a session with the disgruntled Muslim community who had objected to the proposed relocation of Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Section 19 to their predominantly Muslim neighbourhood.


Noh, who is also Selangor Umno deputy chief, said he had urged the group to take up their case using legal channels, after they expressed their disappointment that neither the state government nor their elected representatives had bothered to hear them out.

"When I met them, things were still under control, although they were riled up and angry.

"They were just hoping that somebody in authority would take time to discuss the matter with them and not sideline them altogether.

"These people respect the principles of religious freedom and are not against the construction of any temple, they just felt that the location was unsuitable," he said, adding that the group submitted a memorandum signed by 400 people to appeal their case to the prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) through him during the meeting.

People's Progressive Party president Datuk M. Kayveas said the Selangor government must take full responsibility for the incident, which he said deeply hurt Hindus in the country.

He said as the state's administrators, the onus was on them to prevent such a huge threat to unity when protesters were driven to use the head of a cow, an animal sacred to the Hindus.

"Now you have allowed this to happen, what would the different races do in future when they object to the construction of other houses of worship?

"Even if they say they didn't mean to disrespect Hindus and merely wanted to imply that the attitude of the state government was akin to an animal, using the sacred cow is not tolerable," Kayveas said.

Wanita MCA chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said the state government should have intervened fast to prevent the issue from escalating.


"If they had taken the right approaches like sitting down to iron out the problems, this could have been avoided.

"Everybody can express their views but they need to respect each other.

"There are bound to be disagreements and disapproval in a multi-racial country like ours but it all boils down to how well you manage a crisis to avert massive repercussions," she said.

Sementa assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rahman Palil said the issue arose due to the failure of the state government in getting the opinions of the residents.

"What happened now is that the state government made a decision without discussing the matter first with the residents from various aspects, in terms of safety and the community's needs and preferences.

"We respect other religions but religious sensitivities must be taken into account," he said, adding that the Special Committee for Places of Worship other than Islam in Selangor should not be chaired by politicians to prevent biased decisions from being made.

Ramachandran bestowed Professor Emeritus status

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KUALA LUMPUR: For his contributions in the field of education, research and community service, Professor Datuk Dr C.P. Ramachandran, 73, was made Professor Emeritus by Universiti Sains Malaysia on Aug 12.

"I feel very honoured for being bestowed the status and I thank USM Vice-Chancellor Tan Sri Professor Dzulkifli Abdul Razak and his team for giving me the recognition," said Ramanchandran.

He started his career as a lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya in 1963.

He moved on in 1967 to become the chief of filariasis research and control at the Institute for Medical Research.


"In 1970, the late Professor Tan Sri Hamzah Sendut invited me to join the then Universiti Pulau Pinang, now known as USM, as one of its pioneer academic staff," Ramachandran recalled.

He spent 10 years at USM as the Professor and Dean of the School of Biological Sciences.

In addition to his contributions to the development of USM, he was also instrumental in establishing the Muka Head Biological Field Station in Penang for teaching and research in marine and fresh water resources with help from the World Bank and Unesco.

He also initiated various projects and programmes for the Penang state government.

In 1979, Ramachandran joined the World Health Organisation in Geneva on secondment from USM.

"It was there that I set high standards for postgraduate training of young scientists from developing countries," he said.

He was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Liverpool, a Fellow of the Institute of Biology, London and Fellow of the Academy of Medicine Malaysia.

He is also the recipient of the Mary Kingsley Medal from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 1998, the Sandosham Medal in 1974 from the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine and Honorary Fellowship of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine and recently the Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine, London.

Perks and pensions for more vets

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JOHOR BARU: A formula is being worked out for armed forces personnel who have served less than 21 years to enjoy pension and medical benefits after their retirement.

Currently, only those who have served at least 21 years are eligible for the pension scheme or any other benefits.

Armed Forces Veterans Affairs Department (AFVAD) director-general Maj-Gen Datuk Zulkiflee Mazlan said armed forces personnel put their lives and limbs at risk for the country.

"It does not matter whether they worked for 19 years or 20 years, as long as they have rendered service, they should get some kind of benefits.


"If they cannot get the full benefits, then a formula has to be drawn up for them to receive pension in accordance with the years they had served," he said, adding that those who served for at least 10 years should be considered for the pension scheme and medical perks.

The pension scheme is one of the proposals to be included in the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Bill, expected to be tabled in Parliament later this year.

Zulkiflee was speaking to reporters after meeting 200 former staff and widows of former personnel at a dialogue session here on Saturday.

The dialogue session was to obtain feedback by the AFVAD prior to the submission of the draft of the Veterans Bill to the cabinet.

Among the proposals is one calling on the government to bear the cost of items such as adult diapers.

"The standard of living is getting higher and senior citizens do need medical care, so the government should consider such things," added Zulkiflee.

Mutual trust comes first

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KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday called for the preservation of harmony and mutual trust among Malaysians.

In his Merdeka message, he said Malaysians of all racial and religious backgrounds should shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding the nation's independence and protect the country from attempts to weaken solidarity.

"For a country that has enjoyed independence for 52 years, such matters should be understood and accepted," he added.

In this respect, Muhyiddin called on the people to stop raising racial issues that would trigger unrest.


He said this was the main challenge facing the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu urged all Malaysians to assist the government in strengthening racial unity and harmony, apart from deepening the understanding of the different sensitivities of all the people.

He said Malaysians must respect and honour the freedom of religion enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

"There will be no point talking about racial unity if we do not understand the religious and cultural sensitivities of people of all races."

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said Malaysians should unite in their diversity as a multiracial and multireligious society.

The minister in the Prime Minister's Department said any form of extremism and chauvinism would endanger the multicultural identity of the country.

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said Malaysians should count their blessings and be thankful for the economic, infrastructure and personal gains that they had enjoyed all this while.

He said the people should not gamble away the future of the next generation by falling into traps set by those with personal and political agendas.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said all Malaysians must have a sense of belonging in the country.


He said a new ray of hope has been brought about by the 1Malaysia concept.

"The rights of all Malaysians must be protected," the MIC secretary-general said.

Man killed, two hurt in crash

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JITRA: A 55-year-old man was killed and two others were seriously injured in an accident involving two cars at Km13.6 of the North-South Expressway near here on Saturday.

Soh Lim Sun was killed on the spot in the 2pm crash when his Mercedes Benz was hit by a Proton Waja that came from the opposite direction, while his passenger, Toh Chee Kin, 39, sustained serious injuries.

Nurasnida Mustafa, 23, who was driving the Proton Waja, suffered injuries and is in a coma at the Jitra Hospital.

Kubang Pasu district police chief Superintendent Sawaludin Hamenudin said Nurasnida was driving alone from Bukit Kayu Hitam towards Jitra when she lost control of her vehicle after trying to avoid a motorcycle bearing a Thai registration number.


"Investigations revealed that the Proton Waja driver was trying to avoid a motorcyclist who suddenly made a U-turn.

"The car swerved into the opposite lane and hit the Mercedes Benz driven by Soh," he said.

Sawaludin said the motorcyclist abandoned his vehicle near the accident spot.

Lorry-load of fireworks Malacca-bound

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SUBANG JAYA: Police confiscated smuggled fireworks worth RM200,000 after stopping a three-tonne lorry at a roadblock on the Besraya Expressway near Serdang Lama on Saturday.

Subang Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar said yesterday that his men stopped the Malacca-bound lorry at 5.45am.

"We asked the 49-year-old driver to open the rear door and found 256 unmarked boxes that contained 10,560 smaller boxes of six types of fireworks," Zainal said at the Seri Kembangan police station.

He said the driver, who had no criminal record, was arrested and remanded for four days.


Police believe the fireworks were brought in from a neighbouring country.

"We believe the fireworks were to be sold in Malacca for Hari Raya and Chinese New Year.

"We are investigating who the supplier and main buyer of the fireworks are."

Living on neighbour's mercy

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KUALA LUMPUR: There was a time when 63-year-old Mat Daud Seman of Maran, Pahang, was blessed with the company of a loving wife and 10 children. But that time is long gone.

The names of his children are lost in memory or stored away, along with the pains and regrets of another time.

Today, Mat Daud lives alone in a shack built on a piece of government land.

His home does not have electricity or water supply. His house is a ramshackle shack and he shares it with insects and sundry pests. It is hot in the day, and cold at night.


Mat Daud suffers from various illnesses that have made it impossible for him to earn a living. He receives no benefits or aid from the government, but that's no surprise as his house does not even have an address.

Mat Daud eats what he can find. On lucky days, he may get a meal from his neighbour, Ahmad Razali, who comes over often to make sure he is all right.

His caring neighbour, and possibly only friend, is not that well-off, either. Ahmad, who is self-employed, earns an average income of RM400 a month to feed his wife and children.

Ahmad, too, belongs in the hardcore poor category, so feeding Mat Daud is a luxury he cannot afford too often.

Ahamd, moreover, has his family and wants a brighter future for his children. He has hope guiding him.

But for Mat Daud, though, decades of living in poverty has taken a toll. And hope is not part of his vocabulary.

Yet Mat Daud can be given hope, and Ahmad can be helped if the public is willing to support the Tabung Maybank Sejahtera.

The Tabung Maybank Sejahtera is a collaborative effort between Maybank, Yayasan Sejahtera, which is part of Khazanah Nasional and the New Straits Times.

The fundraising drive runs from Aug 13 to Sept 20. The money will be used to support people throughout the nation.

Kartika's dad hopes she'll be spared cane

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KUALA LUMPUR: The father of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno hopes his daughter will be spared the cane if her case comes up for review.

Shukarno Mutalib said: "I'm looking forward to hearing good news and I have sought the counsel of Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, who assured me everything would be okay during this holy month."

Shukarno said he and Kartika would accept any decision made by the authorities.

Kartika, 32, was fined RM5,000 and sentenced to six strokes of the rotan by the Syariah High Court in Kuantan on July 20 after pleading guilty to drinking beer at a hotel in Cherating in 2007.


It is understood that the religious authorities are considering reviewing her case.

Shukarno was touched by the support from those who sympathised with Kartika.

"Now that it's Ramadan, it's never lonely at home. People come with kind words for Kartika, as her child is also sick. There are those who bring food and come to break fast with us."

Shukarno also said the media hype had brought members of many Muslim non-governmental organisations, such as Sisters In Islam, to his doorstep.

"This shows that not all Islam-based NGOs are lobbying for Kartika to be caned. Some want her to undergo religious classes and such as punishment."

He asked reporters to stop harassing Kartika for comments on the phone or by staking out their family home as she was nursing her second child who was down with pneumonia.

Kartika was to have been detained at the prison last Monday so that the caning could be carried out. But minutes after she was picked up, she was released.

Pahang Religious Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Sahfri Abdul Razak said then that the sentence would be carried out after Ramadan.

Highway takeover report this year

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BUTTERWORTH: The government hopes to complete an in-depth study before the end of the year on its plan to take over toll highways in the country.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) hoped to finalise the study by December as it was almost in the final stages.

There were several complicated issues, he said after presenting Ramadan aid worth RM200,000 to 200 mosque committees in Penang at Dewan Besar, Sungai Dua, near Tasek Gelugor here yesterday.

"The study has great implications on the government's financial status as the plan may require the government to fork out billions of ringgit."


Nor Mohamed, who is in charge of the EPU, said it was still early to confirm whether the government was willing to take over the toll highways or not. He said all the 22 toll concessionaires had cooperated by providing details required for the study.

Facebook support for Chua gathers steam

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KUALA LUMPUR :The predicament of former MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who has been thrown out of his party, has surfaced on popular social networking site Facebook.

Sympathisers have joined the Support Dr Chua Soi Lek, Save Democracy of MCA support group in solidarity with him.

The group was started on Thursday by 26-year-old non-MCA member Ng Kooi Wei.

"Let us invite more and more people to join... Dr Chua needs support!" he wrote in his first posting.


When contacted, Ng said he supported Dr Chua because Dr Chua, the former minister of health from 2004 to 2008 and now the Barisan Nasional coordinator for Pakatan Rakyat states, had proven his capabilities.

Ng hoped the support group would show MCA leaders how concerned young Malaysians were over Dr Chua's sacking.

More than 190 people have joined the group, MCA members and non-members alike.

Members of the group can leave messages of support for Dr Chua. They can also comment in either English or Chinese on seven topics, including on whether MCA should have expelled Dr Chua.

Among those who have left messages were Marlyana Jalil, who called on Dr Chua not to give up, and Shook Ling, who said she would support Dr Chua all the way.

Another was Kent Chong, who hoped that the MCA could resolve its problems and be united.

Another supporter, Tan Cheng Yong, wrote a scathing comment about Ong, suggesting that Ong was paranoid and one-sided in his dealings.

"He always says there is (an) agenda to topple him. From what I see, he is the one who likes to bring people down. He always likes 'yes'."

Kelly Ho noted that Dr Chua's sacking was not justified.


"Chinese people should stand up and support Dr Chua," she wrote.

Chief refuses to give in

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KUCHING: Two rounds of talks have failed to persuade the Penans at Long Bangan in the Tutoh-Apoh area of Ulu Baram to dismantle the barricade they had erected to stop loggers from working on a concession area near their settlement.

The talks on Friday were held at Long Bedian and Long Bangan itself.

Long Bedian, a Kayan settlement about an eight-hour drive by four-wheel-drive vehicles from Miri, is the home of Telang Usan's state assemblyman Lihan Jok -- the chief negotiator appointed by the government to the talks.

Long Bangan is another two hours by logging track from Long Bedian.


The talk at Long Bedian failed to make headway as the Long Bangan Penan chief, Unga Paren, was not present.

In the second talk at Long Bangan, Paren refused to budge on his four-key demands to the government.



In the talk, he made it clear of his people's feelings on the ongoing logging activities in the area.

He said they had caused the destruction of the forests, which they had depended on for food.

Paren also said the timber companies there had "cheated" the Penans with the development of their communal forests. Jobs, Paren said, went to foreigners instead of his people.

Other key demands were that timber companies respect their rights and to discuss with them prior to any work being carried out on their native customary rights (NCR) land and that the government create a forest reserve free from outside intrusion.

Miri Division Resident (chief administrator) Dr Ngenang Janggu, who was part of the government negotiating team, said no agreement could be reached as the issues on NCR rights and the creation of the forest reserve needed to be referred to the state government for a decision.

Dr Janggu is also the chairman of the Miri Division Penan Affairs Committee.


The Penans had erected barricades at Simpang 4, Long Beluk and Long Bangan on Aug 20 to disrupt the operation of four logging companies in Tutoh-Apoh.

However, the barricade at Long Beluk had been dismantled after the Penans reached a negotiated settlement with the timber company operating there.

30 minutes would have been too late

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KUALA LUMPUR: Muhammad Adam Haiqal Zaidi's life was hanging by a thread when he was wheeled into the operating theatre at Gleneagles Medical Centre in Penang at 9am on Aug 2.

The 37-day-old baby's surgeons were anxious to begin as soon as possible as minutes would have made the difference between life and death.

In fact, a doctor later told Adam's father, Zaidi Abdul Hamid, that his son would have died had the ambulance been 30 minutes late.

The baby was born with congenital heart disease with his great arteries reversed with two holes in his heart.


Adam was in the operating theatre until 5pm before the operation was over -- and he was given a new lease on life.

When news came from the operating theatre at 5pm that the surgery had been a success and that Adam was on the road to recovery, Zaidi and his wife, Rohana Sakiman were overjoyed.

But it would be touch and go for six days before doctors gave Adam a clean bill of health.

Adam's story of poor health began when the newborn drank milk and then went to sleep, not waking until his next feed. The couple thought this was normal until Adam had jaundice and became drained of energy, sometimes finding it difficult to breathe.

Zaidi and Rohana knew something was wrong and made an appointment to see consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Hafiz Law Ing Aii who told them that Adam needed immediate surgery or their son would not see his first birthday.

Adam was first admitted to the intensive care unit at Penang Hospital for 10 days and then transferred to Gleneagles Medical Centre which was equipped for the complex surgery.

The operation would cost RM42,000, a sum the couple could not come up with as Zaidi earned about RM800 a month as a contractor.

Fortunately, the medical centre brought Adam's plight to the attention of New Straits Times Press charity unit senior executive Aidah Nordin.

She then passed Adam's case and that of two others to SapuraAcergy Sdn Bhd, a contractor for the offshore oil and gas industry, which has a record of helping charitable organisations.


Adam is now a bouncing baby who brings joy to his parents every day with his chuckles and smiles.

Last Wednesday, company marketing and communications manager Fadzlina Tokiman presented a cheque for RM15,000 to the couple at Balai Berita

"This is the first time we are donating money for such cases although we have been donating food and other items to orphanages and children's homes annually."

She said the company looked forward to helping more such children in future.

Despite Sapura's help, RM27,000 is still needed to settle dues with the hospital.

Those who wish to help can send cheques, made payable to The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, to: The Cashier, Finance Department/Charity Unit, The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd, Balai Berita, No. 31, Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.

MCA's vote of confidence at EGM

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KUALA LUMPUR: In a move to shore up support and resolve the political imbroglio in MCA, embattled party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat will convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) next month.

The EGM will have one motion on its agenda -- to seek a vote of confidence in Ong and the party leadership.

Party sources said the decision was made late on Saturday night.

"Ong will call for an EGM in the next 30 days," said a source.


According to the party's constitution, an EGM can be called by the president or be requested in writing by one-third of the central committee or one-third of the general assembly.

Ong's EGM is likely to upset the plans of Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's supporters, who are on a nationwide signature campaign for an EGM to have Dr Chua brought back into the MCA fold and reinstated as party deputy president, the position he was holding when he was expelled from the party last Wednesday.

The MCA presidential council had unanimously adopted its disciplinary panel's recommendation that Dr Chua be expelled for tarnishing the party's image through a sex scandal that erupted after a DVD surfaced of Dr Chua, a family man, having a tryst with a woman at a hotel in Johor in 2007.

Dr Chua was unaware that he was being videotaped. After his marital infidelity became public knowledge, he resigned from all government and party posts.

But he was elected MCA deputy president in the party elections last October.

A party source said the problems in the party had caused confusion among the rank and file.

"To resolve the problems once and for all, Ong has decided to let the central delegates decide whether they have confidence in the current leadership.

"It will allow Ong to seek a fresh mandate, and we are confident that we will get the support of the central delegates."

In George Town yesterday, Ong rubbished claims that he would step down as MCA president to pave the way for vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to take over.


"I am in no position to comment on these rumours," he said when pressed to confirm whether he or the party had such plans.

Ong, who is the Federal transport minister, was in town to meet with Chinese guilds and associations in Penang. He also attended a briefing by Penang MCA.

A news portal carried a report yesterday that Liow, who is the Penang MCA liaison chief, had been singled out as the man Ong's camp would nominate to fill the vacant post of deputy president.

The report speculated that Ong was prepared to resign as MCA president as he was under siege from both within his party and Barisan Nasional component parties, amid allegations of abuse of power and graft.

Delightful fried dates

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Dates are a must-have for the breaking of fast in Ramadan. They are easy to eat, as they need no preparation and are perfectly good on their own.

But, fried dates are more interesting – just like pisang goreng (banana fritters), they are crispy outside and soft and sweet on the inside.

Yummy: Dates are more fragrant and soft when they are fried.

I first got to know about this delightful treat from a Muslim friend who prepares it for her family, and ever since then, I have been hooked on it!

It is also a good way to eat very dry dates as the frying helps to soften them.

FRIED DATES

Ingredients:

10 dates, seeded

Half cup flour

1 egg

A pinch of salt

Half cup water

Oil for shallow frying

Method

Make a batter with the flour, egg, salt and water, ensuring the consistency is not too thick.

Heat up the oil.

Dip the dates into the batter and fry.

Drain and serve.

Comic strips on show

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GULI-GULI, the famous comic strip created by Tan Sri Dr Lim Kok Wing, is being showcased at the Pavilion Shopping Centre Kuala Lumpur until today.

The exhibition features selected strips from the series, which appeared in the New Sunday Times from 1982 to 1987.

Relevant messages: Ongkili launching the `Guli-Guli’ exhibition at the LimKokWing University of Creative Technology in Cyberjaya with Lim, who is also the founder and president of the university

Although it was first published more than 20 years ago, the political and the social messages are still relevant today.

A LimKokWing University of Creative Technology spokesman said the comic strips were designed to dispel racial distrust and encourage racial goodwill among the multiracial Malaysian community.

“Guli-Guli was chosen to explore the diversity of the tapestry of Malaysian life as it skilfully highlights the shades and nuances that make Malaysia one,” said the spokesman.

Readers who had followed the comic strips would have notice Lim’s cartoon characters were often depicted in disagreement with each other but never in disharmony or disavowing the bonds that made them one people, reflecting the true spirit of 1Malaysia.

Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili launched the exhibition on Aug 25 at the LimKokWing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) campus in Cyberjaya.

Traders assault enforcement officers over ‘golden locations’

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SIBU: Angered at the prospect of losing their so called “golden locations” at the Sibu Central Market here, three traders including a woman, resorted to assaulting two Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) enforcement officers who were only doing their job on Aug 22.

Earlier, they had threatened many of the other traders “to mind your own business” but at the same time to reject the council’s recent reintroduction of balloting to rotate all trading spots at the market.

SMC chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King said the three did this to ensure they could continue to trade at the same spots which they had enjoyed for years.

“Now this selfish group’s days are over. Beginning today, we will carry out balloting for all the traders at the market to decide on their trading places,” he said.

The market is one of the biggest in the state with up to 180 weekend trading lots and 107 on ordinary days.It is also a popular tourist destination here.

Tiong said the system would ensure all the traders would have the opportunity now and then to occupy the good locations that were in the path of daily customers.

“The council decided to implement monthly balloting since June this year so as to be fair to all traders. But the small group had been against it,” he said.

On the fate of the three rogue traders who had assaulted his men, Tiong said they had been called up by the police investigating the incident.

Meanwhile, at the council’s monthly meeting, the councillors were all for SMC to implement its decision without fear.

In urging SMC to be firm in its policies, councillor Chieng Boung Toon said once a resolution had been made, SMC must implement it so that no one would treat it as a toothless tiger.

Councillor Christopher Adrian said the council must stand up for the silent majority and not the selfish minority.

Haphazard parking in Cyberjaya

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MOTORISTS in Cyberjaya are choosing to ignore the free Park and Ride (P&R) system and opt for the Pay and Display (P&D) system, no thanks to the council’s flip-flop decisions.

The Sepang Municipal Council’s (MPSp) new parking initiative, which was introduced in May, has not gone down well with the working population in this cyber city.

Unpopular decision: MPSp has allowed roadside P&D parking although there are enough parking bays at designated araes in Cyberjaya.

The majority of the working population would prefer the council to do away with the Pay and Display system as they felt that the city was becoming “unkempt”.

A worker who requested anonymity said Cyberjaya was supposed to be a well-planned and designed city with its infrastructure laid to equip the city in line with its branding as an “Intelligent City”.

“However the image of the city is marred by the sight of cars parked on the roadside, including along the main thoroughfares. Enforcement is lacklustre,” said the man.

In December last year, when some foreign workers complained of haphazard parking, the following month MPSp came down hard on errant drivers and warned that illegally parked vehicles would be clamped or towed away by the council.

MPSp public relations officer Zelda Mohd Zamri was quoted as saying that the council was coming down hard on those who park haphazardly and if motorists were still stubborn, they would have to be prepared to pay hefty summonses to get their vehicles back.

Motorists were advised to park their vehicles at designated parking areas at The Sports Area, Taman Tasik Cyberjaya and Persiaran Rimba Permai and hop onto the free shuttle services to get to their working places.

But even before this warning could be taken seriously, MPSp contradicted themselves by allowing certain roads to have legal on-street parking bays although the Cyberview-MPSp parking venue consists of 1,149 bays and a dedicated transport system is provided to ferry workers and visitors within the city.

Another worker pointed out that the P&D system was unnecessary as there were enough parking bays and with the council’s new parking initiative, these designated parking bays were not fully utilised.

The P&D system operated by Suasa Efektif (M) Sdn Bhd allows motorists to use the coupon at different spots as long as it was still valid.

Since May 1, a total of 10 units of parking meters have been installed with 238 parking bays along designated roads — Jalan Teknokrat 3 to Jalan Teknokrat 6, but anywhere else motorists face the risk of having their vehicles clamped or towed away.

A resident said the new system was not viable and suggested that MPSp create proper parking bays.

MPSp on the other hand thought they could solve haphazard parking by providing the P&D system but now enforcement officers and tow truck operators have to work extra hours as motorists are parking elsewhere illegally.

On hindsight, since there is no shortage of parking bays, MPSp should not legalise on-street parking as such an approach would soon see Cyberjaya transforming into one big open car park.

Councillors upset with traders’ unruly behaviour

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BARELY seconds after the start of the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) full board meeting on Friday, councillor S. T. Chandra Mohan delivered his first salvo against the recent barging in of certain individuals over the Pasar Ramadan issue at the Tesco Kajang carpark near Saujana Impian.

He questioned why security guards stationed at Menara MPKj failed to prevent the group of angry traders from disrupting a meeting chaired by council president Datuk Hasan Nawawi Abd Rahman to present a protest memo.

“I was seated in a location where I was able to observe that the security guard following after the group seemed at loss over what to do,” he said.

Councillor Razaly Hassan termed the manner in which the memo was handed to Hasan Nawawi by the Pasar Ramadan organiser Omar Talib, a former councillor for four terms, as an act of provocation.

Earlier in the week, Omar had protested that MPKj refused to issue business permits to the traders although they sent a letter asking for approval.

He said he represented a group of 125 traders who had paid RM77 each for the permit included in the RM300 fee collected from every individual, of which RM200 was paid to Tesco.

At a press conference after the full board, Hasan Nawawi said the traders will be absorbed into the Pasar Ramadan organised by MPKj’s licensed organiser for the area provided they were willing to recover the permit paid to Omar.

He clarified that the actual fee was RM65 and not the amount claimed by Omar.

“The present group of traders are conducting their businesses without permits. We will act if they continue to ignore the council’s three-day notice and fail to obtain the permit as required,” he said.

“We were made to understand the traders went to Omar Talib because they were promised a better location. The location proposed by the licensed organiser is tucked away so we will shift the site for traders to enjoy better business,” he added.

The traders were advised to respond quickly to avoid stern action.

On another issue, MPKj’s licensing department was queried why the Oriental Crystal Hotel on Jalan Bukit, Kajang, was allowed to charge RM5 for each parking lot when there was no record of approval obtained to charge the rate.

“To my knowledge, no request was forwarded to the licensing committee to gain approval to charge the rate.

“Upon checking further, I discovered that to-date, the council only gave approval for a certain number of parking lots within the vicinity of the hotel to be turned into private lots at the request of the hotel,” said Chandra Mohan.

He cited Rule 10 of the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171) which states no charge may be imposed unless the rate had been approved by the council.

Councillor Lee Learn Eng said the matter was not brought to the committee’s meeting in July although in June, Oriental Crystal was given the go ahead to turn the parking lots into private lots and this too only applied to the lots between the hotel building.

Hasan Nawawi later told the media that Oriental Crystal would be told to delay collecting the RM5 fee for the 150 parking lots including the lots at the basement level pending the approval of the licensing committee which sits again on Sept 16.

Meanwhile, the contracts of five Alam Flora domestic waste contractors will be terminated at the upcoming MPKj city services committee.

Councillors were unanimous in their decision on the matter as they found the services of the contractors still well below par.

Citing an example, councillor Lee Ah Seng and Razaly Hassan said the drains in Seri Cheras were not cleaned for three years and the same applied to the uncut grass and uncollected domestic waste.

“We have already issued several Notice to Correct (NTC). The decisions to terminate errant contractors were made at both the committee and full board levels but we are still dallying over the matter,” said Razaly.

Councillor P. Narayanan urged the council to delay payments to contractors who were unable to perform. He said the contractors should be blacklisted and a policy drawn up on the NTC.

The council president said the termination will be carried out when the committee convenes next month.

Families sue City Hall

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ABOUT 60 families living in Salak Selatan New Village, who are being represented by a pro-tem committee, have hired a lawyer to sue the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) over their status as residents and for their right to receive land titles for their homes.

“This village was established between 1940 and 1952 under the Emergency Ordinance. From the original 800 families that settled here, the village has now grown to comprise about 1,000 families,” Seputeh MCA vice chairman and Seputeh Barisan Nasional information chief Banie Chin Yen Foo said.

Seeking justice: Chin (centre, in orange batik) along with the village heads, sponsors and contributors on stage to receive acknowledgements of their support for the pro-tem committee’s effort against the demolition of some of the houses in Salak Selatan New Village. On the right is Lawrence, the lawyer engaged by the pro-tem committee.

About 200 families were issued eviction notices by the DBKL in March this year with a deadline to shift out by June 8.

“These families comprise mostly the children of the original settlers and have lived here their whole lives. They had tried to apply for land titles years ago but were rejected by the DBKL,” Chin said.

He added that sometime during the late 70s, part of the village was separated from the original settlement and renamed Kg Malaysia.

“The residents of Kg Malaysia applied for land titles and got them within a year. The original 800 villagers of Salak Selatan New Village have obtained land titles for their homes as well,” Chin said.

He added that the 200 residents who were given eviction notices felt that they were being treated unjustly.

“Before they started sending out the eviction notices, the DBKL should have held a dialogue with the 13 NGOs in this village, like the Rukun Tetangga, dialect associations and the Dewan Orangramai dan Kebajikan Kg Baru Salak Selatan committee, to discuss the issue,” Chin said.

“The DBKL organised a balloting in May and about 170 families took up the offer of a unit at PPR Desa Petaling and compensation of RM1,000,” Chin added.

Among the 170 families, 60 have had their homes demolished but the remaining families are still living in the village in the hope that they will be able to keep their homes now that a pro-tem committee has been set up to challenge the DBKL.

“If these villagers and their homes are considered illegal under the zero squatters policy, why were electricity and water supply given to them?” Chin questioned during a press conference at a fund-raising dinner held at the Dewan Orangramai dan Kebajikan Kg Baru Salak Selatan.

The dinner was held to raise RM15,000 to pay the remaining outstanding lawyer’s fees.

According to lawyer Vincent Lawrence from Wan Hazidin Lawrence and Associates, the villagers who have engaged him to file the lawsuit are demanding a declaration of their status as residents and land titles for their homes.

“I have issued a notice to the City Hall with a deadline to reply in two weeks’ time. So far, we have not received any answer, but the deadline has not lapsed yet,” Lawrence said.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry commissioned the New Villages Master Plan Village Survey (2002-2003) and has acknowledged 450 new villages nationwide, comprising those set up under the Briggs plan during the 1948-1960 Emergency Ordinance to quell communist activity as well as the pre-Emergency and post-Emergency Chinese villages.

Salak Selatan New Village is one of the 450 and is one of only three new villages within Kuala Lumpur, the others being Jinjang New Village and Ayer Panas New Village.

“On behalf of the villagers, I would like to extend an invitation to Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail and Federal Territories Minister Raja Datuk Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin to come to the village and see for themselves what is happening on the ground,” Chin said.

Tuck into bazaar food

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MENTION Ramadan and buka puasa, and most people will picture a Ramadan Bazaar.

The bazaar, which comes to live in the afternoon, offers a lavish spread of delights for the breaking of fast.

Healthy option: Diners can have their choice of vegetables stir-fried on the spot.

However, the downside of heading to the bazaar is that one has to contend with the traffic congestion and large crowd, and this causes some people to stay away from such bazaars.

“Here, our guests can enjoy the food they would find at the bazaar in the comfort of a hotel ambience.

“They need not worry about traffic jams, searching for a parking space, or jostling with the large crowd at the bazaar.

“And they can have their food piping hot for buka puasa,” said Quality Hotel Shah Alam executive sous chef Hikmal Hisham Ramlee.

This year, the hotel is featuring the Ramadan Bazaar concept for the buka puasa buffet throughout the fasting month.

With almost 30 stalls set up in the hotel’s foyer dishing up a wide variety of dishes, guests will be spoilt for choice at the buffet that will be available until Sept 21 at the Gardenia Coffee House on the ground floor.

Must-try: Chef Hikmal carving the roast lamb, which, he says, needs to be marinated with a variety of spices for at least six hours before it is grilled to perfection. It comes with a choice of mint, mushroom or black pepper sauce.

Guests can relish a variety of kerabu, gulai lemak masak cili padi, ulam and sambal and about 100 other dishes, including rendang tok and gulai kawah.

There is also grilled whole lamb that comes with mushroom, black pepper and mint sauce.

Diners can also choose hot dishes prepared on-the-spot at the stalls. These include a variety of noodles and char kuey teow.

Usually, when it comes to food for breaking fast, meat, chicken or fish dishes will take centre stage and little attention is given to vegetables.

Traditional favourite: Lemang and ketupat to be eaten with rendang.

However, at the hotel, greens are given special attention this fasting month.

There is even a special stall dedicated to preparing the greens throughout the promotion.

“We have more than a dozen types of vegetables that are cooked on the spot by our chefs.

“Diners can ask for any vegetable and have it cooked in front of their eyes,” said chef Hikmal.

He said a variety of local and imported vegetables were available, including kangkung, kailan, broccoli and mushrooms.

“There is no fancy cooking; the vegetables are simply stir-fried but they are fresh,” he said, adding that freshly stir-fried vegetables had been a hit during previous buka puasa promotions.

To cater to the buka puasa crowd, the hotel’s foyer has been turned into a dining area.

Tables have been set up in the foyer as an extension to the Gardenia Restaurant, to providing seating for about 800 people.

The Berbuka Puasa promotion at Quality Hotel is priced at RM55++ per adult while children and senior citizens pay RM30++.

GARDENIA COFFEEHOUSE, Quality Hotel Shah Alam, Plaza Perangsang, Persiaran Perbandaran, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor (Tel: 03-5510 3696 ext 8316). Business hours: 7pm to10.30pm nightly (Ramadan promotion).

Construction work on Kinrara-Sri Manja interchange begins

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AFTER 14 years of waiting, construction work on the Kinrara-Sri Manja interchange in Puchong has finally started.

The RM13.6mil project started last month and will be completed by October next year, said Malaysian Highway Authority director-general Datuk Ismail Mohd Salleh.

The plan: Ismail (fifth from left) explaining to Lau (fourth from left) on the construction of the link during his site visit.

Ismail, who visited the site with former Puchong MP Datuk Lau Yeng Peng on Thursday, said the 500m link would connect Sri Manja with the Kesas Highway’s Kinrara exit.

He said the project was delayed due to several factors.

“It was supposed to be completed by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) but they were unable to do so due to lack of funds.

“The local authority has appealed to the Federal Government for funds and that is why the project is being undertaken by the Federal Government now,’’ he told the media.

Ismail said the construction of the link would also involve the eviction of a squatter and a cattle farm in the area.

He said the pylons located over the construction site would be raised so that it would not cause any hazard to motorists.

“We will build a 300m sound barrier along the stretch .

“Our survey also revealed that some 20,000 motorists will benefit from the project.

“It will enable them to by-pass Jalan Kelang Lama in order to travel to Petaling Jaya from Puchong and vice versa,’’ he said.

Lau said he was glad that the work on the link had started after so much of struggle by him and the Barisan Nasional leaders in the past.

He said he and the other Barisan politicians had fought hard for the construction of the link and hoped that people would not be mistaken that this project was being carried due to the contribution of the opposition party.

“The project was approved by the Works Ministry in 2007 and others cannot claim credit for our efforts,’’ he said.

Great walks and views within an hour of KL’s city centre

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AS I recall, Broga was a small town at the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

Prior to my first visit to this town 17 years ago, I had never even heard of it until I was sent there to cover news on escaped convicts from the Kajang prison.

Having a breather: Sheik enjoying a break at the second peak.

This is a place surrounded by a series of rugged hills and the Broga town centre is located in a valley. Being a dead end, there are no more settlements beyond the town square. But if you ask around, this place has an interesting past.

Some said the town is haunted by its inhabitants who were massacred by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War Two.

And judging by its obscure location, it is not surprising why this legend lives on. Folklore and myths aside, Broga offers plenty for city dwellers who want a quick getaway.

I recently hooked up with an old friend, Sheik Eng Meng, who told me that there is an interesting trail called Bukit Lalang.

“The reward is a scenic view of the Broga valley and a glimpse of Semenyih. You have to see it to believe it,” he said.

Sheik, who also runs a blog on his adventures, added that the location is only an hour’s drive from Subang Jaya.

Two more peaks to go: Michelle enjoying the view at a staging area on the way up.

I checked out his photographs and found that the hill in question was indeed a good location for a weekend hike. And since we live in Subang Jaya, I corresponded with him to arrange a trip there. He said the best days to hike are on Saturdays.

“If you go there on Sundays, the hill is full of hikers,” he said.

The drive from Subang Jaya to Broga took us about 45 minutes. To get there, we used the LDP and SILK highways.

Since I haven’t been to this part of Selangor for a long time, much has changed.

Our destination was the Nottingham University campus and when we passed Semenyih, we made a left turn about 2km away from the town centre.

On top of the world: The writer’s pooches waiting for their turn to descend to the trail head.

By the time we reached the campus area, my dogs were already restless. We pulled over to let them stretch and proceeded to a palm oil plantation.

“Sam, this is the trail head. It takes about an hour to ascend to the peak. First, we will hike through an oil palm plot. As we progress, you will see some tertiary forest. The hike will get a bit tough at this stage,” Sheik said.

My dogs, Sir Naughty and Dame Queenie, were equipped with their specially-made backpacks and a trekking leash.

And since this was unknown territory for me, I came prepared with plenty of water, a pair of hiking boots and a trekking pole.

This minimises injury on the trail especially during a descent from steep terrain. Michelle. my wife, was handling Dame Queenie, our two-year-old female Siberian Husky while I hiked with Sir Naughty, the older dog.

Halfway through the hike, we found an obstacle which was easily cleared by the dogs. But another one ahead proved to be taxing for Dame Queenie.

Our female pooch had to be lifted across a ditch. Our next staging point was a boulder resting on a steep slope. By the time I got there with my pooch, I was drenched in sweat.

I could feel my knees aching and my dog seemed to be panting heavily. Nevertheless, we slowly pushed to the last stage which was an easy walk to the first peak.

Sheik, who is in great shape, was already waiting at the clearing. There, we were greeted by a group of hikers who went there to catch the sunrise.

We spent about 15-minutes there before proceeding to another peak. The Broga hill is like a dragon’s back. There is a series of three peaks and the last one is heavily wooded.

And the view up here is spectacular. We were lucky that it didn’t rain and the weather was excellent for a hike. After we reached the second peak, Michelle and I took turns to give the dogs their drink of water.

Many of the hikers there took turns to snap photographs with our Huskies. After spending about an hour at the peak, Sheik signalled that it was time to leave.

The hike to the trail head took almost an hour. After we concluded our hike, Sheik told me that other than the hills, Broga has a rabbit farm for visitors.

“There is also good food here. There are some restaurants that you can check out on your follow-up visits. And Broga is also the place to be during fruit season,” he said.

Soon after we loaded up the dogs in our car, we parted ways. To sum it up, the hike was excellent and it cost us nothing to carry out such an activity. From Subang Jaya, our petrol cost no more than RM25 on the return trip and the toll was roughly about RM5.60.

For all you Internet savvy day trippers, there are plenty of resources on the Broga hill on blogs and personal websites.

Meanwhile the Lat, Long grid reference for GPS users are: Lat 02 56 830, Long 101 54 050 for the hill peak, while the trail head is located at: Lat 02 56 304, Long 101 54 071. Good luck and happy hiking!

Striding forward

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“THIS is a special organisation, therefore it attracts special people.” The new head of Mercy Malaysia, Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus quotes one of his professors who is also a Mercy volunteer.

“We attract special people but this doesn’t mean someone who has three or four degrees. It means people with the right heart and right attitude,” explains Dr Faizal.

Humanitarian aid: A Mercy volunteer demonstrating the use of donated medical equipment to doctors serving in Gaza earlier this year.

He points out that Mercy’s founder Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood had always believed that Mercy and organisations like Mercy play a huge role in the development of our society and in imparting values like altruism.

“We managed to bring people of all races together to do this work. For that to happen, the organisation must be true to its principles of providing aid regardless of race, religion, creed, colour or culture. Only then can we get people of all races and culture to join us. Rhetoric alone is not enough; deeds, like pictures, speak a thousand words.”

In 2004, Dr Faizal notes Mercy made a conscious decision to change its direction. Prior to that it was just a volunteer-based organisation doing work as and when needed. Now it is a mix of emergency medical response as well as sustainable health-related and disaster risk reduction programmes, the latter being something Dr Jemilah championed.

He cites lesser known work Mercy has done in the earthquakehit Sichuan province with Save The Children and with the Mingala Foundation in the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar after the typhoon. They had short missions to North Korea too.

On the local front, they have eight state chapters and plan to cover all the states in the future.

To do this work, Dr Faizal says Mercy needs to evolve into an organisation that is professional, while maintaining its volunteer base and volunteer spirit. With that comes the realisation that to do sustainable work, they need full-time and serious parttime staff.

Volunteers giving health talks to young victims of the Bihar floods in India.

“We need people with the right organisational skills, strong backroom staff, people to do fund-raising, communications planning, and so on. A lot of this is done in the office just like any other corporation.

And this is just as important, if not more important than the actual work of going into the field.” Dr Faizal says many people do not realise it is easier to deal with the stress of going on field missions.

“You just have to focus on that. Volunteering during your spare time while holding a full-time job is more taxing and stressful and it can result in burnout.”

Which is why he hopes more people would volunteer their time to handle the more mundane work to ease the burden of other volunteers. Mercy is lucky, Dr Faizal says, in that being relatively young they can learn from their bigger, more established counterparts in the West.

They have gone through the metamorphosis without losing the spirit of volunteerism. As the new president of Mercy, Dr Faizal will be focusing on three specific areas, at least for the next three years.

The first is a sustainable funding base and systematic fund-raising. “Mercy has grown. However, most of our funds are specific project funds and locked into specific countries and disasters. We need more non-earmarked general funds which we can use at the organisation’s discretion .”

Medical volunteers attending to the sick during Mercy Malaysia’s Cambodia 2001 Kampung Cham mission near Siem Reap.

Mercy will also source more international funding for its international programmes. Dr Faizal says that Dr Jemilah had already laid the groundwork for this .

Secondly, Dr Faizal would take pains to develop the human capital within the organisation. Over the last eight years, the staff turnover as well as that of key volunteers have been quite high. Mercy, he says, is proud that some of its former staff and volunteers are now working for international organisations and the United Nations.

Finally, Dr Faizal says he would like to expand the scope of services; health, sanitation and hygiene, and disaster risk management, and include more sustainable programmes and put better systems and processes in place. That, of course, costs money.

Dr Faizal does not want the public to have the idea that Mercy will be “consuming” large amounts of money. He notes that over the past 10 years, they have managed to maintain operational expenditure at 13%-16% of actual aid budget and rarely has it ever reached 20%.

“We have it in our constitution as an organisation that we will not spend more than 30% on our own operational expenditure and we have not gone close to that.” And here is where you can do your part: volunteer your services in whatever form.

That’s a call not just to the public but to the corporate sector as well.

Review your policy

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PRUDENTIAL senior wealth manager David Lee is a strong advocate of making sure that one’s wealth management efforts are securely supported by insurance.

“While many of us have bank accounts to dip into when we need funds for education, medical, leisure or just life, we need to remember that good financial management habits begin with a strong foundation. In this case, it’s insurance,” says Lee.

‘Policies from 10 years ago may not be as comprehensive for current day medical expenses,’ says David Lee.

His advice to the Hunter family based on their unique needs is to take on term insurance.

“Although they have no tentative plans to stay in Malaysia permanently, it is nevertheless important to make sure that they are adequately covered during the time that they are here. Term insurance is perhaps the most logical solution for them.”

As for the Ritikos family, Lee suggests both Richard and Marcia review their insurance policies regularly and make the necessary adjustments or upgrade whenever the need arises. He says this is especially important with medical insurance, given that healthcare costs continue to inflate on an annual basis.

“Medical policies from 10 years ago may not be as comprehensive for current day medical expenses. Therefore, young families should make it a point to review their insurance needs on an annual or bi-annual basis with an agent or wealth planner. It is important to make sure that their plans remain relevant in order to protect them during their times of need.”

Lee adds that as both couples make efforts to stay healthy by eating healthily and exercising, a medical plan like PRUhealth will be ideal for their medical needs. It introduces a unique no claims bonus (NCB) feature that pays up to RM500 in bonuses annually provided they do not make any medical claims for the year.

“On top of the NCB they get when they remain healthy, PRUhealth provides comprehensive protection up to the age of 100. This can ensure that they do not burden their children in their old age,” he says.

While many medical plans today have an annual claims limit, PRUhealth allows you to remove the annual limit, so you can enjoy the immediate protection of the plan’s lifetime limit. This ensures that your financial plan will not be wiped out or thrown into disarray when you exhaust your annual medical claims limit. You will be insured for as much as your plan provides for life, Lee concludes.

Planning for the family

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Servicing medical insurance premiums as a family can be costly but it is nevertheless an essential expense.

SLAPPED with a RM14,000 hospital bill after delivering their daughter Jasmine over a year ago was an eye-opener for Jaime Zulkifli and Oliver Hunter.

Jaime, 31, had to undergo an emergency Caesarian, after which Jasmine was hospitalised four nights for a lung infection.

Jaime Zulkifli and Oliver Hunter are working on a medical plan for their 18-month-old daughter Jasmine.

After that experience, the couple are well-aware of the high cost of private hospital care and the need for medical insurance.

However, as a family, they do not have any at the moment.

“The only insurance we have is for our car!” laughed Jaime, a public relations consultant.

A Brit, Hunter enjoyed the benefits of the NHS, or National Health Service, scheme back home.

Before he left Britain a few years ago, he was hospitalised a few times, once after he was hit by a car and another time, for a tonsillectomy. The medical expenses were all covered under the scheme.

Top priority: Richard Ritikos and Marcia Wong bought a medical insurance plan for their son Marc when he was six months old.

“The cost of giving birth is also covered under NHS and there, you get a good level of care,” said Jaime.

“However, here, there is a big disparity between government and private healthcare costs,” added Hunter, a copywriter.

Before coming to Malaysia, the couple lived in Australia for two years. Prior to that, they were in Britain.

“Most medical plans available here are for Malaysians or foreigners who stay for longer periods but we have been moving around quite a bit,” said Jaime, adding that they might go to New Zealand next.

Insurance premiums for the whole family can also be pricey, as Jaime and Hunter, who plan to have a second child, found out.

“Therefore, we are giving Jasmine the priority. For us, if anything happens, we can go to a public hospital but we want a certain level of comfort for Jasmine,” said Jaime, whose health concerns at the moment are the current Influenza A (H1N1) epidemic and hand, foot and mouth disease.

The couple have been asking around about medical plans for 18-month-old Jasmine.

“Plans are afoot to get one as soon as possible, and we have all the information. We are waiting for things to get back to normal financially,” said Jaime.

While Hunter, 30, has not really thought about their retirement, his wife would like to once they have cleared their debts and are back on their feet.

Unlike some Asian parents, Jaime and Hunter do not expect Jasmine to take care of them in their old age.

“In England, my parents look after themselves but after marrying Jaime, I realised it is different here, so it was a bit of a culture shock for me,” said Hunter.

Total well-being

In terms of health, the past one year has been a smooth one for Richard Ritikos and Marcia Wong.

The couple and their son Marc, aged two years and four months, started practising good eating habits, and husband and wife take turns going to the gym regularly.

“Generally, we feel our health has improved a lot since last year. In fact, we have not needed to see the doctor for quite a while,” said Wong, 35, a home tutor.

Ritikos, also 35, takes Marc to the playground almost every day and as a family, they emphasise spending time together.

“Good health is also very much about one’s mental and spiritual state.

“We have been spending more quality time as a family and we feel good about that. As we know, stress has negative effects on our health,” said Wong.

Both Ritikos and Wong have medical insurance plans which they bought in 2002. However, the couple has not reviewed their policies since then.

“We definitely need to do that soon,” said Ritikos.

The couple also bought a medical insurance plan for their son when he was six months old.

“Medical insurance for Marc is very important. He had jaundice after he was born and was re-admitted to the hospital where we incurred high medical bills,” said Wong.

“We hear a lot of cases about people asking for donations for their children’s medical or hospital bills and we do not want to have to do that,” added Ritikos, a tutor and PhD student.

However, insurance premiums for the family can be a huge expense.

“That’s why we took the most basic schemes. So far we are quite happy with our medical plans,” said Wong.

Both of them have personal life insurance, which they bought eight years ago.

However, they are not satisfied with the current coverage and intend to do something about it soon.

From big family backgrounds – Ritikos comes from a family of 12 siblings and Wong, 11 – the couple intend to have one or two more children.

Depending on their children for their retirement is not something they plan to do.

“Even though we come from big families, we understand how it is still not easy to help out our parents sometimes.

“My parents do not expect that from us so we will not expect that from Marc,” said Wong.

A passion to excel

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High-powered corporate lawyer Cho Yuen Yee finds her work stimulating rather than stressful.

THERE’s no question that Cho Yuen Yee excels in her job.

In the past two years, the Mallesons Stephen Jaques partner has been advising in a few high-profile deals.

On the job: ‘I am always conscious not to be complacent and recognise that you are only as good as your last deal,’ says Cho Yuen Yee.

Last year, Cho was voted by her peers as one of Australia’s best corporate lawyers (banking and finance) in the legal directory Best Lawyers. She was also featured in the Australian Financial Review on her achievements.

“I was thrilled but also very privileged to be able to get peer and client recognition for doing something that I love,” said Cho, 39.

Does being one of the country’s top corporate lawyers add to her work pressure?

“No, definitely not. Work is work, and my focus is very much on doing my best on each transaction to deliver the commercial outcomes that my clients want,” she said matter-of-factly.

“If, as a result, my professional reputation is enhanced, it is a bonus. I am always conscious not to be complacent and recognise that you are only as good as your last deal. This drives me to keep trying to do better,” she added.

As commercial lawyers, Cho said they were not involved in life-or-death situations in the way a doctor or surgeon might be.

However, that does not mean the stress is any less.

“There is always a general level of pressure and stress as one has to deal with client deadlines, competing priorities and knowing that our deals involve significant commercial consequences and money. However, it is important to keep some perspective.

“Being involved in cutting-edge transactions is something that I am passionate about and I learn so much from each deal.

“So generally speaking, work for me is exciting and energising rather than stressful. It helps that I have a very supportive husband, family and a fantastic team around me at work, otherwise I’m not sure I could do what I do!”

On average, Cho puts in between 50 and 80 hours of work a week.

“The trick is to rest and maximise the downtime so our stamina is there for the busy times.”

Cho is also proud of the fact that her firm practises true meritocracy and gender equality.

According to a recent Australian Financial Review survey, nearly 23% of Mallesons’ partners are females, higher than some of its large national counterparts.

“These two issues are extremely important to me. I do not think I can work in a place where they are not present. I am fortunate in that respect at Mallesons as these attributes may not be prevalent in every sector of industry.”

As a partner in the firm, she plays an active role in promoting these principles in different ways.

“Firstly, I believe positive role-modelling is crucial, as well as showing others that they can succeed if they apply themselves and not give up at the first hurdle,” she said.

Cho mentors lawyers formally and informally at the firm and also participates in university mentoring programmes.

“Secondly, I always keep an open mind to learn from others and take all criticism or negative comment as something to learn from.”

She advises young female professionals to believe in themselves and be confident.

“Do not shy away from excelling in something for fear it will make you stand out from the crowd.

“I worry sometimes about the influence of popular celebrity culture on young women with its focus on superficial things like appearance and weight. I hope that it will not distract young women from striving for academic, intellectual, professional or, for that matter, sporting excellence.”

The former Assunta Petaling Jaya student migrated with her family to Sydney when she was 15. Both her parents worked at the Rubber Research Institute in Kuala Lumpur; her late father was a research officer while her mother was a research assistant.

“They both retired from their positions so that we could migrate here as a family and start afresh. My sisters and I will always be grateful to them for giving us the opportunities we have had,” said the middle one of three siblings.

Cho attended Chatswood High School, after which she studied law at Sydney University, graduating with first class honours.

She then secured a scholarship to further her postgraduate law studies at Oxford University, Britain, where she again obtained first class honours.

Cho readily credits her alma mater in Malaysia for the influence it has had on her.

“I cannot underestimate the influence of Assunta and my fellow Assuntarians in ‘moulding’ me. The girls I went to school with were such a fantastic bunch that I don’t think our parents really needed to do anything to motivate us to do well.

“We largely motivated and competed with each other in a good-natured and supportive way.”

She added that the school culture, then headmistress Sister Enda and the teachers were all instrumental in giving guidance and motivation.

“It is borne out by the fact that the Assuntarians in my year are all such high achievers.

“There are doctors, surgeons, anaesthetists, entrepreneurs, architects and human rights workers amongst them, scattered all over the world.”

Cho became a mother two years ago after giving birth to Jasper.

“He has certainly brought a whole new dimension to my life and is such a joy to be around. Being a parent has been a very fun experience so far,” she said.

An opera enthusiast, Cho has not missed a single show in town and lists Verdi and Puccini as her favourite composers.

Besides opera, she enjoys spending time with her husband Derek and Jasper at the park, the zoo or just lazing around at home.

“Pre-Jasper, I also loved travelling to exotic locations to discover other cultures and ancient civilisations such as Peru, Bolivia and Uzbekistan.”

Cho’s aim in the future includes being a good mother and to see Jasper grow up to be a healthy and happy boy.

“(I also want) to see out the global financial crisis, and help consolidate and grow Mallesons’ banking and finance practice in both Australia and Asia,” she said.

At the helm

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Taking over from an icon is never an enviable task but the new head of Mercy Malaysia is unperturbed.

DR AHMAD Faizal Mohd Perdaus looks comforable enough in his role as head of Mercy Malaysia. Well-spoken with a very pleasant and soothing voice, he is easily identifiable as the new face of the humanitarian organisation renowned for its charity work all over the world.

The modest successor to Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood is quick to acknowledge that the latter is a Malaysian icon who can never be replaced,

Man with a mission: Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus comforting a survivor of the 2005 Bagh earthquake in Pakistan. – Picture courtesy of Mercy Malaysia

“While we can’t deny the importance of leaders in any organisation, we are now looking at promoting the organisation as much as, if not more than, the personalities who are its leaders.

“We are a little concerned with the external perception that Mercy Malaysia is equal to Dr Jemilah. This is something she herself does not want. She knows very well that if such a perception were to persist, Mercy would have a bleak future.

“We want to convince our stakeholders, our major partners and the Malaysian public that Mercy will go forward in good stead as an organisation that will continue to be true to its principles and excel in the work that it does.”

Dr Faizal talks of the “founder syndrome” – when the founder leaves, that’s when the real test for the organisation begins. He took great pains to underscore the work done by the staff and volunteers of Mercy Malaysia.

“Hundreds, if not thousands of volunteers, supporters and staff members have contributed to the success of Mercy.”

The journey begins

Dr Faizal was one of those volunteers when he joined Mercy Malaysia in January 2003. Dr Faizal started out in 1992 as a medical officer with the Health Ministry, with postings to Klang, Kluang and Kuala Lumpur.

Subsequently he trained as a physician and later served as a consultant with Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and lectured at the university until this year. He is now serving as a consultant specialist (Internal Medicine) with KPJ Johor Specialist Hospital.

Dr Faizal notes that altruism and idealism played a large part in his decision to take up medicine. He was one of the trainers for HIV/AIDS counselling during his posting in Kluang.

“I wanted to do more than just work at the hospital,” he said.

There was a rush of excitement for Dr Faizal when Mercy Malaysia was formed in 1999, and Dr Jemilah and five others went to Kosovo during the conflict there.

Dr Faizal was undergoing training as a specialist at that time, and had to put his dream of joining Mercy on hold due to his busy schedule.

In 2003, Mercy was looking for someone to help out in its drug rehab programme. The timing was just right. Dr Faizal stepped into the picture, and headed Mercy’s programme for the next four years.

In June 2003, Dr Faizal headed the mission to Sri Lanka for flood relief work. The trip proved to be an eye-opener for the amiable doctor.

“The experience in Sri Lanka was inspiring, exhilarating and gratifying. I had found my calling and realised this was something I wanted to do all my life.”

Upon his return, Dr Faizal was made an executive committee member of Mercy Malaysia.

He admits he misses those days because Mercy was a smaller set-up, when things were simpler and everyone was really close, “like a band of brothers.”

The focus, says Dr Faizal, is about helping people and having hands-on experience. “That is something which money and all the things that we have in life cannot buy. Such experiences you only get when you help people who really need your help.”

Dr Faizal remembers well his early experiences in Sri Lanka. “There were no standard operating procedures and manuals back then. We wanted to distribute goods and hygiene packs to flood victims. We surveyed this particular village and estimated the numbers there.

“But everything went wrong from the start. When we opened the van door, we were surrounded by hundreds of people who all looked like they needed help.

“We could not tell if they were from the village, and we had no system of determining who was the head of the household. We ended up giving the items away without being accountable for many of them. When the aid packages were running out, there was almost a scuffle.”

Experiences like that helped them deal with future missions. Now Mercy has a manual in place for new volunteers.

The work so far

When asked to share some highlights of his time with Mercy, Dr Faizal shook his head and said there were just too many. However, he recalls three occasions that stood out for different reasons.

The first was the 2003 Sri Lanka mission where they had a psychologist on board for the first time. She could not speak Singhalese or Tamil but still managed to reach out and console people.

“There was this old lady who held our psychologist’s hands for a while, then suddenly she gave a spontaneous hug and held the psychologist in embrace for about three minutes but it appeared longer to us.”

In the same year in December, a devastating earthquake struck Bam in Iran. Mercy sent a team and for Dr Faizal, it marked a turning point for them.

“I remember vividly representatives from Unicef and MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) coming to us and asking us whether they could work with us. And the look of amazement and awe on the faces of some team members. These giants of humanitarian work recognised us as an organisation and as a team. They actually came to us and not the other way round.”

Dr Faizal says they draw inspiration from the people they help. He cites the work done after the tsunami in Aceh as one that touched him the most. The head of the Aceh nursing services was almost in tears as he thanked them profusely for their help.

“It was at the handing over of the nursing academy which our technical team rebuilt with seismic-resistant technology with funding from our donors, of course. Hundreds have graduated from this rebuilt academy today. They have not only replaced the loses but have actually increased the capacity of nursing staff. This shows how much capacity building, done at the right place and time, can do to uplift a society.”

Dr Faizal acknowledges the sacrifices every humanitarian worker has to make. He is grateful for the support of his wife and three children. His wife, a general physician, is also a Mercy volunteer and has been on mercy missions to Afghanistan and Gaza.

“One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learnt from my involvement with Mercy is not to judge everyone by the same standards and the same rule book. Everyone is different and has his strengths and weaknesses, and his own way of coping.”

Talking to him, one gets a good idea why Dr Jemilah sees him as an ideal replacement. She foresees that Mercy will be solid and unshakable with Dr Faizal steering the organisation. He was a vice-president for two terms and acting president from the beginning of the year when Dr Jemilah went on sabbatical.

Dr Faizal sees his involvement with Mercy as a humbling experience, and one which has made him a better person.

“For that alone I wouldn’t trade the experience that I gained for anything in the world.”

Silat quest

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National Geographic Channel’s newest Malaysian documentary delves into the traditional martial art form of silat by tracing one man’s desire to be a fight master.

NAVY serviceman Joel Champ can put many Malaysians to shame. While many locals opt to learn foreign martial arts such as Korea’s tae kwon do or Japan’s karate, the 31-year-old American has gone beyond his borders to learn the Malay traditional art form silat.

The Chicago-lad, who is also an exponent of kick boxing, kempo and has military training, had his heart set on learning silat because of its deadly and mystical qualities.

Master and student: Chicago-based US Navy serviceman Joel Champ with Malaysian guru Sheikh Shamsuddin Sheikh Muhammad Salim.

“My father runs a martial arts school in Chicago, so I was exposed to martial arts from a young age. I was 17 years old when I was first introduced to Malaysian silat guru Sheikh Shamsuddin Sheikh Muhammad Salim (a.k.a. Cikgu Sam). I fell in love after watching his silat demonstration.”

According to Champ, who is featured in National Geographic Channel’s (NGC) Fight Masters: Silat which premieres tonight, silat focuses on strikes, joint manipulation and animal-inspired movements.

“Despite being a little unorthodox, silat seemed to blend a bit of other martial arts forms I had learnt before,” said Champ, 33, in an e-mail interview.

Champ has studied under Cikgu Sam’s tutelage for 15 years now and appreciates the fact that silat has taught him elements of humility and determination.

There are at least 150 known silat forms including Silat Seni Gayong (SSG), Silat Cekak and Silat Keris Lok 9. In the United States, Cikgu Sam heads the US Silat Seni Gayong Federation and carries the title ketua khalifah (chief of caliph).

Cikgu Sam, who has been residing in Chicago for 25 years, admitted being initially sceptical upon taking Champ under his wing. His concerns were teaching SSG to a foreigner and dealing with cultural differences.

Champ learning Silat Seni Gayong fighting techniques in Kuala Lumpur.

He said in an e-mail interview: “Teaching SSG to someone who is not of Malay origin is quite challenging, but not impossible.

There are cultural differences that need to be addressed such as adat (culture) and adab (norm). Proper behaviour in Malay silat is different compared to Japanese or Korean martial arts. For example, silat practitioners do not bow to the instructor, although it is understood when one bows to you – it is nothing more than just a gesture of respect.”

“It is indeed quite complex and tricky to coach someone from a different ethnic background. People from different countries and ethnic backgrounds have diverse cultures and ways of thinking. When they come to class, they bring with them their life experiences, different levels of knowledge and expectations. As an instructor, I have to be open-minded and attempt to comprehend who and what these people are and why they desire to learn silat.”

After teaching Champ, Cikgu Sam is confident anyone who is capable and disciplined can learn SSG.

“Some say that you cannot learn silat unless you are a Muslim. Martial arts and religion are two separate entities. Blending these makes you more conscious outwardly and inwardly. As for the spiritual aspect, one can be guided. It is up to the individual to find the right path,” said Cikgu Sam, author of The Malay Art Of Self-Defense: Silat Seni Gayong, who learnt SSG in 1973. Sam is also trained in Korean and Japanese martial arts hapkido and aikido respectively. During the day he works as a computer network systems administrator.

Thus far, Champ has secured a second degree back belt in silat – the highest any American has attained. In order to get a third degree black belt, Champ – together with Sam – travelled to Kuala Lumpur to test his strength and endurance. Champ’s journey is featured in the hour-long documentary which will be shown tonight as part of the Merdeka Specials programming on the NGC. This is the first of two new made-in-Malaysia full high definition documentaries in partnership with Finas, and third NGC production after Becoming A King (2007) and Smart Tunnel (2008).

Fight Masters: Silat’s director/producer Justin Ong, 30, said the documentary tracks SSG’s origins as well as Champ’s journey learning the new moves from silat fighters.

“There will be new strategies Joel (Champ) has to master, deadly tackles he has to fend against, killer weapons that his American training has never prepared him for. He also has to undergo a series of endurance tests like immersing his hands in a vat of boiling oil. Upon completing these tests, Joel has to battle against a national silat champion to prove he is up to the mark,” said Ong, who admitted to initially having misconceptions about silat, thinking it was a docile martial arts form. He only discovered how intense it was during recording.

“Most Malaysians know what silat is but have a misconception of the art form, thinking its movements are often performed as a dance during festivities such as weddings. While working on the programme, I saw silat in a different light and learnt that it is one of the deadliest art forms. Although it doesn’t place emphasis on elaborate flying kicks, silat is lethal. For a better understanding, the documentary uses motion capture and computer-generated imagery to deconstruct the science behind silat’s powerful moves,” he said.

Fight Masters: Silat premieres on National Geographic Channel (Astro channel 553) tonight (9pm) with repeats on Sept 11 and 15 (9pm).