6 theSun | MONDAY MAY 18 2009

news without borders

Near clean sweep for Tan’s team

PRESIDENTIAL-aspirant Tan Yew
Sing’s team made a near clean
sweep in the Kuala Lumpur and
Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall’s
preliminary elections on Saturday.
Tan, the incumbent deputy
president, and his allies won 38
of the 39 seats on the board of
directors, the Chinese press rep-
orted yesterday.
The other seat was won by
Tan’s opponent in the contest for
president, Datuk Koo Yuen Kim
– an incumbent vice-president.
The big win for Tan’s camp
means the top post in the
KLSCAH – an umbrella organisa-
tion over 400 Chinese community-
based associations in the Klang
Valley – is in the bag for Tan.
The new directors will elect
their president and other com-
mittee members on Wednesday.
Incumbent president Datuk
Bong Hon Liong, who is barred
by the KLSCAH constitution from
running for a third term, earlier
urged members to support Tan.
Tan was non-committal when
asked if his team’s thumping
win had increased his chances
of securing the Hua Zong (Fed-
eration of Chinese Associations
of Malaysia) top post should he
decide to contest it in September,
saying he would consult his team
on whether he should contest.
There were fireworks earlier
when a member questioned the
election committee for holding
balloting before the meeting,
contrary to previous practice.
The rich who ask for
govt scholarships
BARISAN Nasional Beck- achievers who did not
benchers Club president
Datuk Seri Tiong King Press Digest have the financial means
to pursue a tertiary edu-
Sing has criticised the by Kong See Hoh cation.
rich and people in high newsdesk@thesundaily.com The Bintulu MP told
positions who obtained Nanyang Siang Pau in
government scholarships for their children an interview that he had received complaints
through guanxi (social relationships or con- from the public about the children of certain
nections). senior government officers or well-to-do dig-
He said these people were robbing deserv- nitaries being awarded government scholar-
ing students from poor families of the chance ships.
to further their studies. He said these children usually obtained
Tiong said the rich and powerful should government scholarships through their par-
not be applying for government scholarships ents’ guanxi.
at all, let alone obtain them through connec- Tiong urged the cabinet to look into the
tions. matter to prevent a public outcry.
He said that in the past, the children of “The government should make it clear
many of the who’s who of society and senior that its scholarships are for students who
government officers had obtained Public excel but are poor.”
Service Department scholarships through He said ministers who have the
connections. means should pay for their children’s
Tiong said he hoped the cabinet would education and leave scholarships to
address the problem to ensure that govern- people from the low and middle income
ment scholarships were awarded to high- groups.

Lack of resources, apathy

slow dog rescue efforts
PETALING JAYA: Efforts to rescue the stray
dogs on Pulau Selat Kering and Pulau Tengah
are slow due to lack of resources and the
apathy of the local council, the Furry Friends
Farm (FFF) says.
Its legal adviser Shalinee Fernandez said
the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) had not
been forthcoming although it had agreed last
week to help the FFF catch the dogs.
“I hope there will be a better response
from MPK soon. They should be more proac-
tive,” she said.
At a meeting on May 11 attended by the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani-
mals (SPCA), the FFF and other animal welfare
groups as well as representatives of the state
government and MPK, three measures were
agreed upon to resolve the problem of the
abandoned dogs on two uninhabited islands
off Pulau Ketam.
According to Fernandez, the SPCA would
be in charge of feeding the dogs, the FFF
would work with MPK to trap and catch them,
while the Department of Veterinary Services
would spay them.
She said the FFF rescue team needed
traps, cages and dog catchers which MPK
has and can provide.
At a fund-raising lunch organised by the
FFF here yesterday, volunteer Sherrina K.
said the mobile veterinary services that were
promised had yet to materialise.
“We need resources to help the aban-
doned dogs. We also need the authorities to
help as they promised,” she said.
Proceeds from the sale of the book BenO
Comes Home by Vanaja Dhanan will be used
for FFF’s rescue operations. For more infor-
mation on the book, priced at RM10 each, call
the author at 03-2282 3866.
Meanwhile, an SPCA spokesperson said
efforts to feed the strays were ongoing, and
that the dogs caught had been receiving
treatment at veterinary clinics.
Pulau Ketam residents had trapped some
200 to 300 dogs and transported them to
Pulau Tengah and Pulau Selat Kering to help
reduce the population of stray dogs on their
island.

would be implemented six Motorcyclist and

briefs
Guidelines on safety
standard for toys
BERA: Regulations will be
introduced to ensure a safety
standard for toys used by
children, Domestic Trade and
Consumer Affairs Minister
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob
said yesterday.
He said the formulation of
the draft consumer protection
(safety standard for toys) regula-
tion 2009 was in the final stage
and expected to be completed
by the end of the year.
Ismail said the guidelines
months after they are ap-
proved.
“Such guidelines are im-
portant since there are many
toys sold in the market that
contain chemicals that pose
a danger to children,” he told
reporters after a dialogue with
Kampung Charuk Puting folk
here.
Ismail said that with the
implementation of the
regulations, every product
imported or produced loc-
ally would go through an
inspection process, similar
to Sirim quality inspection, to
determine its level of safety
before it is approved for sale.
“Action will be taken against
those who sell toys without
an approval label,” he said. –
Bernama
pillion die in crash
KUALA LUMPUR: A motor-
cyclist and his pillion rider
were killed in an accident
at Km 0.1 Duta-Ulu Kelang
Expressway yesterday.
The accident occurred at
about 8am when Rody Ling-
gang, 25, from Sarawak, lost
control of his motorcycle,
causing it to skid and crash
into a road divider.
Kuala Lumpur Traffic
Investigation and Legal Staff
Officer DSP Abdullah Roning
said Rody and S. Siahmalah,
21, died at the scene from se-
rious head and body injuries.
Their bodies were
taken to the Kuala Lumpur
Hospital for post mortem. –
Bernama

Google Maps Malaysia

WITH reference to “Zooming into locations with Google Maps” (May 15, Pg 7), it is clarified that
Google Maps Malaysia enables local users, businesses and developers to contribute, add and share
information about Malaysia free of charge on http://maps.google.com.my, and not as stated.