Eyeing comments on the consumption tax GST

REASONABLE: It replaces sales and services tax and will be lowest in the region, says Wahid

PUTRAJAYA: MINISTER in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar dismissed the idea that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) would burden the people because it would be replacing the sales and service tax and was not an additional tax as assumed by many.

"The rate, at six per cent, is reasonable and is the lowest among Asean countries, whereas the rates for countries like Thailand and Singapore are seven per cent."

He added Malaysians should not fear the implementation of the new tax structure as the impact on prices of goods was minimised, with some goods such as flour, sugar and rice as well as public transport services like bus and train fares, exempted from it.

In Kota Baru, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the GST was much needed to ensure the future stability of the country's economy.

"We have to look at the long term. We have to build the country's economic strength. If no action is taken now, it will be difficult for the government to introduce new things," he said, adding it was a fairer form of taxation that would also broaden the scope of the country's tax base.

"We cannot depend on Petronas alone. At present about 40 per cent of our income comes from oil and gas, which will deplete one day."

In Shah Alam, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said government leaders must be able to convincingly explain to the people what the GST was to ensure it was understood by everyone.

"The GST was implemented in other countries without any problem.

"What is important is the proper implementation and it must be properly explained to the people," said Abdullah, adding that acceptance of the new taxation scheme would be gradual.

He also congratulated his successor, Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the 2014 Budget, saying he believed it would serve to reassure the people and steer the country towards a better and more stable economy.

Universiti Teknologi Mara Vice-Chancellor Tan Sri Prof Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar described the 2014 Budget as an "intelligent" one, as it benefited everyone, with good allocations for education. Additional reporting by Koi Kye Lee

Read more: 'GST won't burden people' - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/gst-won-t-burden-people-1.386020#ixzz2izCaVyZR

Eyeing Junetta Johari's piece on Act now against stroke

EVERY few months, I take my son Omar to the neurologist, one of the many specialists that he goes to. While waiting for our turn, I always take note of the other patients, each one with different medical problems.

A neurologist is a doctor who is trained in epilepsy, movement disorders,  dementia and other diseases, infections and tumours pertaining to the brain and the nervous system.

The more commonly encountered conditions include headaches, stroke, seizures, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, head trauma, sleep disorders and a list of other neuromuscular diseases.When my son was seeing the doctor at the paediatric clinic, many of the patients were children disabled by epilepsy, autism and cerebral palsy. Now that he is seen at the adults’ clinic, it’s mainly stroke patients. Several of them had multiple incidents of stroke. Others were struck down by one major stroke that rendered them weak and disabled.

As I took in the sight and number of caregivers accompanying the patients, I remembered the alarming statistics of stroke occurring around the world as told to me by Fong Foong Meng, Finance, HR and Administration manager of the National Stroke Association of Malaysia.  

Did you know that in every two seconds, someone somewhere in the world, regardless of age and gender would be stricken with stroke as reported by the World Stroke Organisation? It also reported that in every six seconds, someone somewhere, regardless of age and gender would die of stroke.

According to Nasam, stroke is the third leading cause of death in Malaysia after heart disease and cancer, with more than 50,000 new cases reported every year.

 A typical stroke patient may have one side of the body paralysed or lose the ability to speak.

The scary thing about stroke is that it can affect anyone of any age.

Certain people, however, have a higher risk factor, namely those over 55, male, has a family history of stroke, hypertension (high blood pressure), smokers, diabetics, obese and overweight, and heart diseases, just to name a few.

My son, Omar, had a stroke of sorts while I was pregnant with him, unbeknown to either the doctors or me until he was born. When he started having intractable seizures just days after birth, a scan showed that he had a blood clot called an infarct in the brain. That blood clot caused his seizures, which stopped after an operation was done to remove it, forever taking away that portion of the brain that gave him speech.

What is a stroke? To put it in simple terms, a stroke is a condition where the brain cells suddenly die due to a lack of oxygen. This may be caused by an obstruction in the blood flow, or the rupture of an artery that feeds the brain.
The two main types of stroke are ischemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke, both of which result in a lack of blood flow to the brain and build-up of blood that puts too much or pressure on the brain.

The outcome after a stroke depends on which part and how much of the brain is affected. Some people have smaller or silent strokes. These may not present any symptoms but can still damage brain tissue that result in weakness in the arm or leg. Larger strokes may lead to paralysis or death. Stroke can affect people physically, mentally and emotionally, or a combination of all three. But it’s not all bad news.

Fong said that is what Nasam is there for. It is a strong advocate of “There is life after stroke through proper rehabilitation”.

Its founder chairman, Janet Yeo, founded the NGO after her own remarkable recovery from stroke. She recognised the absolute necessity for an organisation that would offer a lifeline to stroke survivors.

“Most importantly, Janet wanted to give stroke survivors the opportunity to regain as normal a life as possible with the limits of their disability,” said Fong.

From the time Nasam was founded in 1996 in Petaling Jaya, specifically in Janet’s garage at home, it has grown to spread its wings to seven other centres all over the country — Ampang, Penang, Ipoh, Malacca, Johor Bahru, Kuantan and Kota Kinabalu. It has more than 400 stroke survivors who attend daily therapy sessions.

Strokes are medical emergencies and prompt treatment is essential because the sooner you receive treatment and medical attention, the less damage is likely to happen.

Here are the main symptoms of stroke to remember with the word FAST — Face-Arms-Speech-Time.

- Face: The face may have “dropped” on one side, the person may not be able to smile.
- Arms: The person suspected of stroke may not be able to lift one or both arms.
- Speech: Their speech may be slurred or garbled, or may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake.
- Time: Get help immediately. Go to a hospital with a stroke unit within 4.5 hours if you encounter one or more of the above signs.

World Stroke Day is on Oct 29. Their message is: “Do not take chances. One in six people are at risk of a stroke; it could be you. Learn the facts. Save a life today. Act now!”

Read more: I, caregiver: Act now against stroke - Sunday Life & Times - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/sunday-life-times/i-caregiver-act-now-against-stroke-1.385744#ixzz2izBeSa65

Eyeing Najib's arguments on Malaysia's subsidy rationalisation

Langkah-Langkah Bertanggungjawab Dalam Mengurus Subsidi

Oktober 20th, 2013 

by Najib Razak

Sejak beberapa tahun yang lalu, dunia telah mengalami keadaan 
ekonomi global yang tidak menentu. Malaysia, sebagai sebuah negara 
yang menikmati pertumbuhan ekonomi yang pesat, pasti tidak 
terkecuali dari merasakan kesan kemelesetan ekonomi sejagat sama 
seperti negara-negara lain.

Saya percaya, amatlah penting untuk kita merasionalkan beberapa 
subsidi yang sedia ada bagi membantu kita mengharungi keadaan 
ekonomi global, termasuk merasionalkan subsidi minyak.

Pada bulan September lepas, saya telah mengumumkan langkah untuk 
memotong subsidi minyak sebanyak 20 sen, dan ini secara langsung telah 
menyebabkan kenaikan harga minyak.

Namun, walaupun langkah merasionalkan subsidi ini diambil, kerajaan 
masih memberi subsidi sebanyak 63 sen seliter untuk RON95 dan 80 sen 
seliter untuk minyak diesel.

Dalam tahun 2013, RM 24.8 bilion telah diperuntukkan untuk subsidi minyak.

Berbanding negara-negara lain di Asia, harga petrol kita masih lagi rendah. 
Harga seliter RON95 di Thailand ialah RM4.74, sementara di Filipina dan 
Indonesia pula, seliter RON95 berharga RM5.44 dan RM3.05. 

Pada bulan Jun yang lepas, kerajaan Indonesia terpaksa menaikkan 
harga petrol sehingga 44%. Langkah tersebut sangat tidak popular, 
namun kerajaan Indonesia sedar ia terpaksa ambil langkah-langkah 
yang perlu untuk memperbaiki ekonomi negara itu.

Langkah-langkah bertanggungjawab dalam mengurus subsidi

Saya percaya kita perlu mengambil langkah jangka masa panjang 
untuk mengurangkan kebergantungan kepada subsidi kerajaan pada 
masa kini, supaya kita tidak akan membebankan generasi yang akan 
datang kelak. 

Kita harus ingat bahawa Malaysia adalah sebuah negara pengeksport 
petroleum yang kecil, namun penggunaan domestik kita sangat tinggi. 
Walaupun kita mengeksport petroleum kita ke luar, kita juga terpaksa 
mengimport petroleum dari negara-negara lain untuk penggunaan 
domestik.

Kita tidak boleh mengambil langkah fiskal yang tidak bertanggungjawab 
dan terus menerus mengeluarkan RM 10 hingga 20 bilion dari kewangan 
negara bagi tujuan subsidi minyak, sedangkan wang ini ia boleh 
disalurkan kepada bidang-bidanglain yang lebih penting seperti 
pendidikan dan peningkatan infrastruktur.

Pastinya potongan subidi ini merupakan perkara yang berat untuk 
diterima oleh beberapa golongan masyarakat – kami memahami keadaan 
ini.

Oleh itu, saya ingin meyakinkan semua rakyat Malaysia, terutama sekali 
yang berada dalam golongan berpendapatan rendah, bahawa langkah
-langkah yang sesuai akan diambil untuk membantu anda mengatasi 
keadaan kenaikan harga ini.

Kerajaan akan melaksanakan langkah ini secara beransur-ansur, dan 
harga barangan terkawal dan perkhidmatan akan terus dipantau untuk 
memastikan yang ia tidak dieksploit oleh mana-mana pihak yang tidak 
bertanggungjawab.

Saya harap langkah yang perlu ini akan disambut baik dengan hati 
terbuka oleh semua pihak dalam kita bekerjasama mencapai matlamat 
kita menjadi negara berpendapatan tinggi.

Eyeing the way forward after the UMNO Elections

Ordinary UMNO member who had served at Branch, Division, State and National level

Let’s forgive and forget and immediately get cracking

Open letter to all UMNO contestants in the UMNO 2013 Election.

Dear friends and colleagues, congratulations to those who had been given the mandate to lead the respective wings and divisions at all levels and also the supreme council seats. For those who are not yet successful and the time had not arrived, there should not be despair because the whole exercise is to serve the Religion, Country and our beloved race (Agama, Negara dan Bangsa).

As a leader or as a follower, each and every one of us has an important role to play in our daily life in serving our religion, country and race. There are no leaders without followers. If with GOD’s grace you are given the mandate by the majority to lead definitely you want supporters to help and assist you in achieving the Party’s goals and objectives. There is no exception when one failed to be chosen. As a follower, there is also a great responsibility to carry out party tasks and developing the umat. That is to support the chosen leader.

The time to test one’s popularity is over. Whether one is popular or not, does not mean that one is not a better party member. Whilst individuals provide the leadership, the party’s strength is in its numbers. A divided party is a weak party. A united party will be a strong party. A united party does not mean the absence of differing views in achieving party objectives. Members can differ in their opinions and views, once decided they move as a team and implement the agreed objectives.

When one wants to lead, it is to better the livelihood of one’s followers. Followers will have a choice to pick who they want to lead them. Sometimes their choice does not garner enough to be the victor. It would not be wise to abandon the party. One joins the party  not because of individuals or positions or what one gets from the party, but for what the party struggles and fight for.

The unity brought with it the strength to succeed in championing and winning the struggles, whether in achieving independence, whether in fighting the communists, whether in governing to develop the nation and solving the sensitive issues of religion and race. If everyone takes the attitude, I win I stay and I lose I bail, than there will be no unity in the party and the party will become weak. A weak party serves no one. When one wins one expects to receive wholesome support in order to be effective, so also it is true for one’s opponent.

Let’s shake, forgive and forget. Lets get cracking with the surmountable tasks that lay ahead in uniting the party and galvanising the community’s support for greater cooperation within the ummah. A divided ummah will allow invasions and interventions.

The party needs to look into its organisation structure so as to be efficient and effective in preparing itself to serve the community. The most effective way is to have representation at the respective levels. The present distribution of the branches is haphazard and do not have boundaries. First, there must be branches established in each Locality where they serve the locals. A Liason coordinating Committee will oversee these Locality Branches at the Polling Station Centres. Another Liason Committee overseeing the Polling Centres in one State Constituency and culminating at the Division level where the boundary is the Parliamentary constituency.

Liason Coordinating Committees at the Polling Station Units will be responsible for the Security and Development of its area. Three major bureaus should be established to look into matters of religion, education and welfare. Healthy lifestyle and recreational activities can be included in welfare services. Together, the committee as a whole looks after the area's security, community and economic development.

The economic well being of the community will be crucial in determining the community’s support. Therefore, ECONOMY is important. Land utilisation and development in the respective area can enhance the community’s contribution to the Gross National Product. Giving employment and human resource initiatives will help to generate income for members of the community and structured planning for the Area’s economic development will bring prosperity.

With a sound information and communication channel established amongst members, dissemination of information and feedback can be managed for the benefit of the community and these can be linked online to the Headquarters.

Those who had been chosen must get cracking quickly to organize themselves and lead the way immediately. No time to waste.

Eyeing Rashid Yusuf's Discerning winners and trends vis a vis the UMNO polls

BY the time today's early EPL kick-off gets under way (7.45pm), the domestic political punditry shall erupt with expectations versus reality match-ups as the early results are dissected.

A heads up. It is probably unfair to expect Umno voters to all be as "individual" as the unaffiliated segments of the general election electorate.

Party affiliation, things they do together for decades such as battling it out in nationwide polls and by-elections, also loyalty to opinion leaders and establishment personalities, would inevitably produce discernible even predictable voting patterns.

Party insiders tend to thread cautiously in dealing with some of the hard facts and likely outcomes, perhaps fearing Umno watchers may draw too rapid a conclusion, especially detrimental ones.

They have, in conversations this past week, hinted at quantities of bloc voting, repeating the trend seen at last Saturday's polls for Wanita, Youth and Puteri.

"The majority of the voters are from my generation," said Datuk Naim Mohamad (born in 1954) who started his political education as a special officer to the then youngish Malacca chief minister Tan Sri Rahim Thamby Chik. Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, one of the six vice-presidential contenders, was a fellow special officer.

"The mindset of my generation is to back the establishment," said Naim.

The backdrop. The excitement induced by the presence of a son of the much loved Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the form of the well, loveable, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has helped galvanise an election that is threatening to match the energy and enthusiasm thrown up by the May 5 nationwide polls.

There is this charm about Mukhriz, a quality honed by pedigree and polish, translating into admirations by those outside Umno, too.

A promising result for the Kedah menteri besar shall be viewed as a plus for a party deemed by a segment of Malays as having grown apart from their consciousness.

A formidable obstacle for Mukhriz, according to an insider, is the influence wielded by the ketua bahagian (divisional leaders) nationwide.

"There is a certain hierarchy about the voting patterns ... a majority of leaders at the branches will take the cue from the divisional leaders," said the insider.

Then, again, some of the divisional leaders are facing a challenge.

"There will be a split, but we don't expect too many upsets."

As this narrative does desperately need fresh injection of excitement, this reporter was speaking to a newly elected member of Umno Youth, Tengku Zuhri Aziz, 36, the other day.

He has the added perspective of operating from the Lembah Pantai division in Kuala Lumpur.

The New Straits Times has also benefited from lengthy conversations with all six contenders over the past few weeks.

No, mediocrity is not prevalent in the party.

These personalities are thoroughbreds. They have been around and worked hard.

"Ali Rustam never sleeps," said Naim, mindful of the exaggeration.

Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal is articulate, perhaps surprisingly so as statements issued to the press do not really bring out the depth of a person.

Shafie was most poignant, recounting the episode of the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim versus Tun Ghafar Baba episode in 1993.

"I had later gone to see Tun Ghafar to apologise to him," said Shafie, who found the late Ghafar, who was most instrumental in bringing Umno to Sabah, magnanimous and forgiving. Anwar won the contest.

"These guys who are contesting... they are serious contenders, towering personalities with a track record," said a political analyst.

Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi exudes this infectious sort of energy, smiles unfailingly and even gives the impression he has done a fair bit of research into your writing style.

The NST wanted most to discern what moves a young Umno voter like Zuhri. He must surely see Zahid, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who is credited in party circles as having trained many of the party's young leaders when he was Umno Youth leader, and Mukhriz as second echelon leaders.

So, will that rule out, say, Ali Rustam?

"Some voters want a VP to take care of the needs of party members, and focus on the party, so he can't be discounted," said Zuhri.

This reporter, was in turn, asked last night why Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad is in the fray.

Isa has his legions of supporters and was actually voted into the VP line up in 2004 before he was suspended.

The NST asked him the same question.

"I represent members of my generation. I am a party senior," said the 63-year-old former menteri besar of Negri Sembilan.

Zuhri said outsiders must not be ruled out.

"You will see true democracy in the contest for the top posts. Every vote has a different consideration."

Naim, on his part, acknowledged that the younger set of voters shall be freer in expressing their wishes today.

Familiarity, reservoirs of goodwill, a ministerial portfolio, seniority and networks shall shape the outcome, given that contenders cannot be talking to every single voter.

There is something else, even a more definitive conclusion. Umno members say they shall assemble a team that shall engage Pakatan in the 14th General Election or PRU 14. Malaysians will encounter this new acronym -- PRU14 -- a fair bit from now on.

A supreme council member was at press time summing up the impact of the VP contest.

"Even if Mukhriz finishes a strong fourth, he shall be, at 49, ahead of the curve.

"Remember, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was not in the VP line up in 1993, and three years later, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was unsuccessful in his bid to retain his VP seat.

Both eventually came back and moved up the ranks."

Read more: Discerning winners and trends - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/discerning-winners-and-trends-1.379388#ixzz2i7rpHbw2

Eyeing the UMNO Polls from LAVANYA LINGAN AND RAHMAT KHAIRUL RIJAL's writings

 'Seniors' likely to be kingmakers

TREND: They are most likely to vote in leaders who have been around for a long time and contributed to party

KUALA LUMPUR: KEEN students of voting trends will see a clear age segmentation within Umno's bank of voters as the party's estimated 146,500 members decide who gets to be in the top party leadership.

These voters from the 20,800 Umno branches nationwide will also vote in 191 leaders to lead their divisions.

A quick look at half of the incumbent divisional chiefs shows that the majority of the leaders fall in the "above 55" age bracket, with many more, over 60 years of age.

Those under 50 make up no more than 14 leaders.

The Umno supreme council is also looking at a sizeable number of contenders who are in the "senior" age bracket.

While there are 17 who are above 60, the majority of those in the 50 to 60 bracket are above 55.

Of the 62 contenders, only 14 are between 40 and 50 years old, with Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin and Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican both being the youngest at 41.

At the branches, those with voting rights are its chairman, Wanita, Youth and Puteri heads. The chairmen, most of whom are in the "senior" age group get to decide who should be given the privilege of filling up the three other spots.

Seasoned political observers would attest that while these chairmen would exercise this right in all fairness, they would be inclined to pick candidates who had been around long enough.

Of the seven voters from each branch, at least two, the Youth and Puteri representatives, will be below 40. A rough estimate of the number of voters in this age group is 41,600.

Female voters would make up at least 28 per cent of the total number of voters, but half of them are those above 40.

"The bulk of the ballot papers will likely go to seasoned Umno candidates. While the number of voters in the younger age bracket is significant, the seasoned members in the vote bank are in fact the kingmakers.

"Aside from the clear criteria like track record and other considerations, their votes could be swayed by sentiments," one said, adding that it was inevitable that seniors among the voters would also look at a candidate's pedigree, lineage and history.

One political analyst said there was no empirical evidence to suggest a correlation between young voters' age and their voting patterns.

"The idea that young voters would lend their support to young candidates could be flawed.

"Being able to relate to those in a relatively similar age bracket does not mean that they would hand them their vote," he said.

Prof Datuk Dr Zainal Kling, however, believes that it is only natural for younger voters to pick younger leaders to helm top party posts.

He said Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, an Umno vice-president hopeful, connected better with Youth and Puteri members than his five other contenders.

It is estimated that 30 per cent of the delegates who would be voting in the Umno vice-presidents and 25 supreme council members today, are older than 40.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Associate Professor Dr Samsul Adabi Mamat said junior Umno members would want more young leaders in the party leadership so as to effect the kind of change they expected.

"Young voters want a change in how the party operates. They want a fresh outlook for Umno.

"Because of this, they feel that a leader like Mukhriz, who is 48, will be able to meet their expectations."

Samsul also said he believed that more senior party members would vote based on loyalty.

"They are loyal to candidates who are more senior and have contributed to the party."

Read more: 'Seniors' likely to be kingmakers - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/seniors-likely-to-be-kingmakers-1.379395#ixzz2i7qGiq7X

Eyeing Datuk Ahmad A Talib opinion on Of bread makers and petrol stations

NO PLACE TO GO: Petronas should do more to help small-time food vendors, including bread producers, sell their products in highway petrol stations

 REST and recreation areas along our highways always offer a welcome respite. Imagine travelling from the capital to Penang on the North-South Expressway with no place to catch one's breath. It's unthinkable nowadays.

So we take short breaks. Tapah or Simpang Pulai rest areas can be a good stop to stretch our legs, freshen up a bit, have a cup of tea and stock up on fruits and some nuts. True believers of energy drinks will not fail to replenish their supply.

If going down to Johor Baru, stops at either Pagoh or Seremban can be a good break. For those who bring their own refreshments, a picnic at one of the wakaf or gazebos at these rest areas would be a real treat.

While the quality of our rest areas is not the main issue here, it would be good to have a few more rest areas. Sometimes, the distance between one rest area and another can be very far.

Look at the number of people packing them during festive or holiday seasons!

Perhaps, more rest areas can offer greater variety of foodstuff and services. A neck massage perhaps? Or reflexology?

But an item pointed out to me a few days ago needs a bit more scrutiny, I think. Not directly linked to rest areas but to the petrol stations located nearby.

There are allegations by small food manufacturers that they are being muscled out.

Specifically, by Petronas.

A few food vendors, in particular bread producers, have complained that they will soon not be allowed to place their bread in these petrol stations.

They are small producers, working with their own money and borrowed capital trying to break into the big time. Their products have gained acceptance and they hope to use this success as a springboard to bigger markets.

Recently, when they were told that they may no longer be allowed to place their products at the retail section of the stations, these producers cried foul.

In their place, products from bigger producers, including from overseas, are being displayed and sold.

The small-time local producers have no one to turn to. They've raised the matter with Petronas, whose response has been somewhat strange.

A newspaper report said these small local producers must register with Petronas to enable their products to be sold in Petronas' outlets. There is a proper agreement that must be adhered to, Petronas said. It could be that a few of them have not registered.

I think this makes sense. We don't want any Tom, Dick or Harry or Mat, Apu and Ah Seng selling their stuff without proper rules and conditions. We also don't want unhygienic food to be sold.

Therefore, proper registration is necessary.

The question is -- how come no one made any effort to register these long-time small producers? Oversight?

As a giant company, which is on the Fortune 500 list, Petronas should probably take another look at its policies on helping small local producers.

It's no skin off their nose if they were to do that. In fact, they certainly will be more appreciated if they were to do that.

Back to rest areas. Sometimes, when they are filled to the brim, travellers will flock to the petrol stations next door for their pit stops.

Rest areas and petrol stations make good combinations and therefore there should be more of them.

AhmadT@aatpahitmanisahmadt51@gmail.com

Read more: Of bread makers and petrol stations - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/of-bread-makers-and-petrol-stations-1.364906#ixzz2gGGXFeUO

Eyeing the closure to Cyclist's Rafizi Hamdan fate in a fatal hit and run case

VINDICATED: 'Ruling sends a message to road users'

AMPANG: THE widow of a cyclist who was killed by a musician in a hit-and-run incident, cried tears of joy yesterday when the offender was jailed six years,  fined RM10,000 for reckless driving, and had  his driving licence be suspended for three years.

Speaking to reporters after the magistrate's court proceedings, Ellis Suraya Radzuan, 37, said she felt vindicated by the verdict as it sent a message to all road users to be very careful when driving.

"My late husband Rafizi Hamdan was very much into cycling and he died a hero," she said of the 37-year-old banker who was also a member of the Letua Cycling Club.

"This is especially important as there are many cyclists plying the roads now," said the Amcorp Group property division manager while wiping tears from her cheek.

"However life goes on and whatever it is, I still have to look after my two children."

Magistrate Noor Farah Hazwani Osman ruled the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case against Mohd Nabil Azhar Yahya Arif, 21.

She said testimonies by prosecution witnesses showed that that deceased's injuries were consistent with a high-impact collision in Ampang Jaya here on March 18, last year.

She said witness testimony proved that a car registration plate found at the scene of the accident matched that of the car driven by the accused. She added that Nabil's testimony that he did not notice Rafizi's bicycle at the time showed that Nabil was driving too fast.

When she informed the accused that the court found him guilty of the offence, Nabilwhispered "yes".

Nabil's counsel Samry Masri pleaded for a lenient sentence, adding that his client regretted his action and deserved a second chance. Deputy public prosecutor S. Purnima urged for a deterrent penalty as certain drivers endangered other road users with their irresponsible behaviour.

Nabil was charged with committing the offence on April 2, last year.

Read more: Musician jailed for killing cyclist in hit-and-run - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/musician-jailed-for-killing-cyclist-in-hit-and-run-1.364494#ixzz2gGClnkkG

KUALA LUMPUR: A reckless motorist who caused the death of a man whose child was merely 45 days old paid the price when a magistrate’s court sentenced him to six years in jail.

Mohd Nabil Azhar Yahya Arif, 21, was found guilty of reckless driving leading to the death of cyclist Rafizi Hamdan, 37, in a hit-and-run on the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) on March 18.

Rafizi’s wife Ellis Suraya, who appeared at the Ampang court to submit her victim impact statement, told the magistrate that her second child was just 45 days old when her husband was killed in the accident.

Ellis, who appeared distraught, said the accident not only took away her husband, it also meant her son would never get to know his father.

DPP S. Purnima asked the court for a deterrent sentence, saying Rafizi’s widow now had the heavy responsibility of caring for their two children.

Lawyer Aziz Hamzah, who held watching brief for the family, said: “He did not die in vain. He died a hero, and with his passing a strong message must be sent to other road users to abide by the law.”

Counsel Samri Masri argued that road accidents happened every day and that harshly punishing his client would not make roads safer.

Ellis, who remained in the public gallery along with her family and in-laws, sobbed when her husband’s accident was described repeatedly as “just an accident”.

Magistrate Noor Farah Hazwani Osman ruled that testimony and evidence proved that Mohd Nabil was in the wrong because he crossed over a double line to take a short cut when he rammed into Rafizi.

There was also paint transfer from Mohd Nabil’s car onto the bicycle and his number plate had loosened itself and was left at the scene.

Noor Farah sentenced Mohd Nabil to six years in prison, fined him RM10,000 and suspended his driving licence for three years.

Eyeing Brian Cookson's election as the new UCI President

Brian Cookson

Brian Cookson OBE was elected as President of the International Cycling Union (UCI) on 27 September 2013 after campaigning on a manifesto centred on restoring trust and credibility in the UCI and growing cycling worldwide.

Speaking after the announcement, which was made following the UCI's Annual Congress meeting in Florence, Italy, Brian Cookson said:

"It is a huge honour to have been elected President of the UCI by my peers and I would like to thank them for the trust they have placed in me today.

"I have said throughout my campaign that we must embrace a new style of governance and a collegiate way of working so that a new era of growth and commercial success for the UCI and our sport can begin.

"My first priorities as President will be to make anti-doping procedures in cycling fully independent, sit together with key stakeholders in the sport and work with WADA to ensure a swift investigation into cycling's doping culture.

"It is by doing these things that we will build a firm platform to restore the reputation of our International Federation with sponsors, broadcasters, funding partners, host cities and the International Olympic Committee. Ultimately this is how we grow our sport worldwide and get more riders and fans drawn into cycling."

Eyeing Najib's "geekiness" from the eyes off Azmi Anshar

DEEP in his heart, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is a techie and a geek who adores and consumes everything and anything digital, from a shiny, super smartphone to social media like Facebook and Twitter, primary bully pulpit to extrapolate ideas and articulate state policies.

If Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the architect of Malaysia's major entry into the digital age in the mid-1990s (the ex-PM pushed hard for the Multimedia Super Corridor and insisted on a censorship-free Internet then, even if he has second thoughts about it now), then Najib is the great consumer who lives and embraces daily the digital lifestyle -- just like the rest of us.

How many world leaders have actually cared to visit Twitter, Facebook and Google complexes to get a better feel of the future of the digital lifestyle?

Few heads of governments do what Najib does. Sure, they have millions in Twitter followers but a precious few actually blast tweets from all over the place on their own volition without an aide fussing or assisting, and make personal replies like Najib does.

Najib looked statesmanlike in his dealings with the tech titans while discussing digital divide and integration issues but within, who knows, he was as giddy as the geek that he is, enjoying those mind-blowing technology and toys that most of us might never get to see.

Nevertheless, that digital savviness is the drive behind Najib's meetings with Dick Costolo, Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Page, the respective CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google, on his tour of the United States, utilising the access to exchange ideas and inspect the eye-opening technology.

Najib had the imagination to take the initiative to tour these command centres of today's zeitgeists, the greatest contemporary human inventions that have totally and profoundly disrupted millions of lives.

The difference from Dr Mahathir's digital era to the one Najib is embracing is glaring. Those days, Dr Mahathir entertained visits from Bill Gates (former Microsoft CEO) and still the richest human in the world and a host of tech titans from HP, Oracle, Dell, Cisco and Intel to help boost the MSC's status.

These days, Microsoft's fortune (though not Gates' wealth) have fallen behind: no longer are they tech's driving force and the fact Najib paid courtesy visits to social media companies is a huge manifestation in the power shift.

Had Steve Jobs, the late leader of the cult of Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad, been alive, chances are that Najib would have snared a meeting with Apple's co-founder, too, as part of his learning curve on the thunderous tectonic swing of consumer technology.

Now that Najib has been granted access to Facebook, Twitter and Google's privileged dominions, what can we expect from the prime minister upon his return?

Off hand, Najib has postulated the idea of stepping up disaster alerts after neighbourhood earthquakes that ignite powerful tremors and tsunamis seemed to be getting closer and closer to home.

Perhaps gizmos intertwined with social media to predict moods of electric thunderstorms influencing monsoon patterns and flash floods would be useful, too.

Najib outlined digital platforms to communicate government policies, which would be a natural fit for his administration and how to elevate Malaysians' commute with Asean as a community, one that fits and yet goes beyond national interest and identity.

Perhaps the PM can distil his newly-acquired digital intelligence to narrow the digital divide and construct barometers to measure socio-economic progress while elucidating ideas about how such social media can be reshaped to unite Malaysians after the fractious general election.

The PM could also sow ideas on integrating the imminent goods and services tax to the billions of ringgit spent on shopping online.

Malaysia's future will certainly be shaped by Najib's invaluable insight into how new Internet technology will sculpt the coming future of civilisation as we know it.

Whether we like or not, social media rules the world and it would be a smart move to mould relevant policies and projects to align with what Messrs Zuckerberg, Page and Costolo have in their sights to make more people make more connections.

All we have to do is crystallise a way to carve our niche and capitalise on these trailblazers' intent to continue rocking the world with us inside, hurtled around like raggedy dolls.

Read more: Najib's 'geekiness' is vital springboard for digital future - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/najib-s-geekiness-is-vital-springboard-for-digital-future-1.363339#ixzz2fxj4INqZ