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KUALA LUMPUR: Legislations are

important to put things in place, said
British expert on race relations Prof Dr
Aneez Esmail.
“Race Relations Act in Britain was
very essential at the point of time it was
enacted in 1976 and it helped a great
deal to come to where we are right
now,” he said at a public forum on Race
Relations: The British Experience.
“The act created a framework in
which this (race) debate can take place. It
created a framework in which we assess
how effective that many government
policies were implemented and allowed
us to monitor what was happening and it
has to be done legally,” he said.
In modern societies, Aneez pointed
out, a state has much more emphasis
to get a correct regulation in place and
in that context it was very important to
have the act.
“Sometimes you can change the
nature of the debate with this regula-
tions,” he said referring to how the RRA
successfully changed the racism scene
in Britain and is still changing.
“Britain has genuinely tried to engage
in this area and try to provide a country
where all its citizens are at ease.”
race relations: Expert
Relating how his experience has
made him an advocate of racial rela-
tions, Aneez said his life was shaped by
racism. Aneez, who was expelled from
Uganda with his family during Idi Amin’s
era in 1972 simply because they had a
different skin colour and were perceived
as a group who held economic range
of that country, arrived at Britain as a
refugee and became a British citizen.
“Even though I was a British qualified
doctor, in order to get to where I am
today I had to work harder than any of
my other colleagues,” he said.
“In the 1950s, just after the war,
Britain had to built house service and
housing and provide service for a
country wrecked by war and the only
“An ambassador
in the Internet age
has a different
role to play. If he
thinks he knows
more about what
is happening
in the country
because he is
way it could do that was by allowing im- and that is a message to the politi-
or, he
migrations from the previous colonies,” cians,” he said.
the Malaysian ambassad
ces are
may be wrong. The chan
he said. He said there should be af-
Aneez commended on the British firmative action in encouraging ter or
government at that time which despite debates and open discussions his boss, the foreign minis y
ma
huge critical opposition, took responsi- about issues like this.
even the prime minister
bility towards the Asian British. In Malaysia, he said the idea
ch mo re about the
He pointed out the role of legislations of singular identity may be a know mu was
tha n him . Wh en he
and how when in 1976 British govern- shortcoming. “The debate is too country thir
ha
ment passed the RRA, it made it illegal much constraint about a debate
prime minister, Tun Dr Ma
Mohamad, certainly knew
to discriminate publicly and indirectly. surrounding singular identities. It is
At the forum, Aneez observed that more complicated than the single
of his
there is a huge desire for Malaysians to identity one has. We develop multi- much more than many
speak and discuss the issue but feel that ple identities as we grow,” he said. ambassadors.” Abidin
they are constrained by many things. He urged Malaysians to have Sri Zainal
- Veteran diplomat Tan Sulong.
“I got a hint from the people that “mutual respect and honest debates”
they feel their debates are constrained and not to be “passive victims” or
and perhaps harmed by the politicians there would be too much to lose.
C

The Kuala Lumpur skyline

Filipino sailor as seen from Taman tasek

Titiwangsa yesterday.

18th person briefs

tested
positive for
H1N1
KUALA LUMPUR: A Filipino sailor
attached to a Malaysian shipping com-
pany based in Westport, Port Klang,
became the 18th person to be afflicted
with influenza A (H1N1) in the country.
The man, who arrived at the KL Inter-
national Airport on a Malaysian Airlines
flight MH705 from Manila on Sunday,
was found to be having fever and
coughs during the screening process
at the airport,” Health director-general
Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said
yesterday.
Improving ...
IT was clear skies yesterday as major cities and towns
recorded good to moderate Air Pollutant Index (API)
at 5pm.
The highest API was recorded by Miri, Sarawak
with 73 followed by Pasir Gudang, Johor at 61 and
Balok Baru, Kuantan, Pahang at 59. Last week’s first
unhealthy area, Port Klang, recorded a moderate API of
57. An API reading of 101-200 denotes unhealthy air.
Husam to withdraw
defamation suit
KUALA LUMPUR: Kelantan executive
councillor Datuk Husam Musa will with-
draw his RM6 million defamation suit
against Bukit Bunga assemblyman Mohd
Adhan Kecik and Paloh assemblyman
Datuk Nozula Mat Diah following the
public apology from the two politicians
early this month.
His counsel, Ahmad Shabrimi Mohd
Sidek, said yesterday: “The withdrawal
of the suit will be made before the judge
on a date to be fixed later. We will get
further instruction from the plaintiff as
to whether to withdraw the suit against
the third defendant, the New Straits
Times Press (M) Bhd.”
On Jan 31 last year, Husam filed the

Maids to get a day off a week

“He was referred to the Kuala Lumpur
Hospital and the test results received at
4.08pm yesterday confirmed it to be
a case of H1N1. He is currently being
given anti-viral treatment,” he said, add-
ing that all the cases detected in the
country so far were imported cases.
Ismail said the ministry was in
the process of tracing the people he
had come into contact with on flight
MH705.
Those who were on the flight can
contact 03-88810200 or 03-88810300
for advice from the ministry on what
needs to be done.
He said nine patients were still
receiving treatment for the disease
– four in Sungai Buloh Hospital, two in
Hospital Kuala Lumpur and one each at
the Penang Hospital, Tengku Ampuan
Afzan Hospital, Kuantan and Queen
Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu.
In the last 24 hours, the ministry
received 55 notifications suspected
to be H1N1 cases and those involved
had been placed in isolation wards for
screening.
The notifications included the 17th
and 18th cases that turned out to be
positive.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow
Tiong Lai said due to the urgency of
the matter, the Inter-Ministry Influenza
Committee will hold its maiden meet-
ing on the Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic
tomorrow, instead of Friday as earlier
planned.
The committee, chaired by Deputy
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin,
would discuss various pertinent issues
and precautions pertaining to the influ-
enza, he said.
Liow said the ministry would not im-
pose a travel advisory as such a move
was not proposed by the World Health
Organisation (WHO) yet. – Bernama
suit at the High Court here against Mohd
Adhan, Nozula and the NSTP after the
two assemblymen alleged that Husam
was involved in misappropriation and
KUALA LUMPUR: The government Subramaniam said it would be up random checks to protect the welfare
criminal breach of trust in the state’s
yesterday agreed to make it compul- to the employers to determine which of the maids, reports Hemananthani
administration and urged the Malaysian
sory for employers to give one day off day would be the maids’ off day. Sivanandam.
a week for their maids. If both the employers and workers Acknowledging that not all houses Anti-Corruption Commission to investi-
Human Resources Minister Datuk agreed that there would not be an off can be checked, he said it would be gate. The alleged defamatory statements
Dr S. Subramaniam said the provi- day for a particular week, the maids the “closest form of communications were published in the New Straits Times
sion would be incorporated into the would be paid with salary in lieu of the with the maids to see how they are and Berita Harian on Nov 28, 2007. The
contract of employment to be signed off day, he said. getting on”. court fixed Sept 4 for case management,
by employers, maids and the agencies Towards this end, he said the min- Asked when the checks would said Ahmad Shabrimi. – Bernama
responsible for bringing them into the istry would amend the Employment start, Subramaniam said: “As soon as
country. Act to incorporate the new provision. possible.” July 8 mention for
He did not say when the regulation Employers who failed to abide by the He said the ministry has the judicial review
could take effect but said that it could terms in the contract of employment mechanism to conduct checks on
be implemented as early as this year. could be fined up to RM10,000, he companies to inspect the welfare of SHAH ALAM: The leave application
“The ministry will make it manda- said, Bernama reports. workers but it was never implemented for a judicial review, filed by
tory for all domestic helpers to sign Earlier, speaking after opening the on employers who employed maids Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu’s
the contract of employment contain- 7th International Transport Workers because “they are not registered with father, of the decision of the
ing provisions like salary, the name of Federation-Asia Pacific Regional Com- the ministry”. Attorney-General not to appeal
employers, their workplaces and the mittee conference, he said the ministry “They (employers) are registered against Razak Baginda’s acquittal
compulsory one day off a week,” he is setting up an advisory, counselling with the Immigration Department, so will be mentioned on July 8.
told reporters after meeting unions and enforcement unit to look into the we’re going to ask the Immigration Judicial Commissioner Datuk No-
and NGOs on the issue of foreign welfare of domestic helpers. Department to give us the data on all raini Abdul Rahman fixed the date in
workers yesterday. He said the unit would perform registered maids,” he said. chambers yesterday. The applicant
will file the submission in reply to the
respondent’s submission.
Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo ap-
More fines to fight public apathy over dengue peared for the applicant while Datuk
Kamaludin Md Said appeared for the
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is intensifying its but this seems to be ineffective. Attorney-General.
war against the deadly dengue fever, appealing for the “So, if the enforcement officers find that a house Lawyer Wong Kian Kheong rep-
community’s commitment and proactiveness in the fight. has Aedes mosquito breeding grounds like receptacles resented Razak Baginda. Last year,
It will also carry out more drastic enforcement, includ- containing the larvae, they will fine the household on the Shaariibuu filed a judicial review
ing fining the culprits and expanding the educational spot. No more advice,” he said after launching the Federal application, naming the AG and
programmes to reach more target groups, said Health Territories-level schools Combi programme at SJK(C) Tsun Razak as respondents to quash the
Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. Kin here yesterday. Attorney-General’s decision not to
Liow, who is fed up with public apathy to the problem A house owner can be fined RM100 per Aedes larva appeal against Razak’s acquittal.
where his oft-repeated advice went unheeded, said the discovered and a contractor, RM500 per larva found at the Razak, who was charged abetting
move would include imposing immediate fines on those construction site. Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar and Chief Insp
found to have allowed mosquito breeding grounds in their The fine can go up to RM1,000 for repeat offenders. Azilah Hadri in the murder case of
premises. Up to May 30, 21,707 cases with 57 deaths had been Altantuya was acquitted at the end
“We have been giving advice. Too much advice already reported. of prosecution’s case on Oct 31, last
year. – Bernama