4 theSun | TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1 2009

PUASA TIMES news without borders

PERLIS Break Fast 7.27pm
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.44am

KOTA SETAR Break Fast 7.27pm

Imsak (tomorrow) 5.44am

PENANG

KUANTAN
Break Fast

Break Fast
7.26pm
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7.14pm
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Don’t let sick children Japan’s
Democrats
begin
forming

attend school: Ministry

new govt
KUALA Break Fast 7.15pm pg 7
TERENGGANU Imsak (tomorrow) 5.34am

KOTA BARU Break Fast 7.19pm

Imsak (tomorrow) 5.42am
by Maria J. Dass years old; children before lessons start.
IPOH Break Fast 7.23pm newsdesk@thesundaily.com
INFLUENZA A(H1N1) HOTLINE and adolescents “Those with flu-like symp-
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.42am » 03-88810200/300 on long-term toms should be sent home,” he
PETALING JAYA: The Health aspirin therapy; said, adding that there was no
Ministry has advised parents » 03-88834414/415 those with asthma, need to close the classroom if
PETALING JAYA Break Fast 7.21pm
to refrain from sending their chronic obstructive these guidelines are followed.
/SHAH ALAM Imsak (tomorrow) 5.41am children with cough and flu-like pulmonary dis- “We hope this will alleviate
symptom, however minor, to “This is because those with ease, organ failure, the concerns some parents have
KUALA LUMPUR Break Fast 7.21pm classes when school reopens even minor symptoms can cardiovascular disease, hepatic, of sending their children who
/PUTRAJAYA Imsak (tomorrow) 5.41am today after a week-long break. spread the virus easily and this heamatological, neurologic, are healthy to school.”
In a statement to the media, is of concern especially if they neuromuscular or metabolic As at 9am yesterday, no deaths
Health director general Tan Sri infect those who are in the high- disorders; adults and children were recorded and the death
SEREMBAN Break Fast 7.18pm
Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said risk group,” he said. with immunosupression; and toll remained at 72. Ninety-nine
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.41am children with these symptoms Complications experienced pregnant women. new cases were detected, and
should recuperate at home by those in the high-risk group Ismail said schools and teach- 240 were discharged. Another
MALACCA Break Fast 7.17pm and only return to classes once can lead to death. ers should be vigilant and ensure 286 are undergoing treatment
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.40am they are completely free of any Those in this group include that only healthy children are in 98 hospitals throughout the
symptoms. children younger than five allowed to enter the classroom country.
JOHOR BARU Break Fast 7.10pm
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.34am

KUCHING Break Fast 6.45pm

Imsak (tomorrow) 5.10am
KOTA KINABALU Break Fast 6.24pm
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www.islam.gov.my/portal/puasa.php
Hisham calls for calm over
protest against temple SNAPAND WIN
TICKETS TO ANY DESTINATION
by Meena L. Ramadas The photograph of the holy communion
newsdesk@thesundaily.com was printed alongside the article in the May IN MALAYSIA!
issue of the magazine.
KUALA LUMPUR: Home Ministry adviser Datuk The article, titled “Tinjauan Al Islam
Michael Chong said the minister, Datuk Seri Dalam Gereja: Mencari Kesahihan Remaja
Hishammuddin Hussein, is “fully aware” of the Murtad”, concluded that there were no
“cow’s head” demonstration and has called on Muslims who were being converted. MALAY
SIAN H
the affected parties to be calm. Two Catholics in Penang filed a police
“His advice is to let the police investigate the report on July 8.
PH T OSPITA
LITY

issue,” Chong said yesterday.
A group of residents brandishing a cow’s
head held a demonstration outside the Selangor
Secretariat building on Friday to protest against
the building of a Hindu temple in Section 23, Shah
Alam.
On Sunday, Hishammuddin had warned that
the government could act against any group
which practised actions that could jeopardise
public order and national security.
He also said the government will not bend
under the pressure exerted by certain groups
concerning race and religious issues.
Chong, who also heads the MCA Public Serv-
ices and Complaints Department, said the “cow
head” demonstration mirrored the views held by
a minority rather than the majority.
“It was done by a small group of people. It is
not the overall thinking,” he said.
He commented on the issue after holding a
press conference to address recent develop-
ments concerning the Al-Islam journalist who
spat out and photographed the holy communion
after attending a Catholic church service here.
The reporter was on an investigative assign-
ment to find out if allegations that young Muslims
were being converted to Christianity were true.
Last Thursday, the Catholic Lawyers
Society of Kuala Lumpur, led by its adviser,
Father O.C. Lim, handed a memorandum
to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu
Seman Yusop.
Chong said Abu Seman was grateful the
church did not blow the issue out of propor-
tion until it jeopardised the peace.
“He regretted the incident and agreed
the perpetrator should have been more
sensitive to freedom of religion,” he said.
Chong said Abu Seman felt the report
was fair but that the incident should not
have occurred.
“The mistake done by the journalist was
that he spat out and photographed the holy
communion, which is considered to be the
flesh of Jesus Christ by the Catholics,” he said.
He said the reporter should apologise so that
the matter could be resolved amicably.
Chong also said that during a meeting with the
deputy home minister, the Malaysian Licensed
Moneylenders Association (MiLMA) had agreed
to cooperate to weed out loan sharks.
According to MiLMA president R.C. Veerasee-
lan, the association has urged the government to
revise the 1951 Money Lender’s Act.
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It wants the act to complement efforts by the
licensed moneylenders industry to ensure its
welfare, sustainability and survival.
In a statement, Umno Youth head Khairy
Jamaluddin condemned the action of the “cow’s
head” protestors.
“The actions of the group show no regard for
the sensitivities and respect for the beliefs and
religions of other communities, which is very
much needed to maintain harmony among the
races,” he said.

Villagers have no cause to fear, says CM

by Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SEBERANG PERAI: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
yesterday dismissed concerns raised by resi-
dents of Kampung Buah Pala about conditions
they were required to sign in order to accept
the offer of double-storey link houses to move
out of the village.
He insisted that a crucial clause in the agree-
ment, which stipulates that the housing offer
would be automatically cancelled if the project
was not approved by the authorities, was part
of a “standard agreement”.
Among the conditions is that the residents
are required to drop all legal action filed against
the land owner, Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan
Pulau Pinang, and other parties, and to refrain
from filing any new suits.
The residents had submitted a letter to
Lim soon after the offer was made on Aug 4,
expressing apprehension about the conditions
which, they said, placed them at a disadvan-
tage.
The village is earmarked for demolition to
make way for a development project by Nus-
metro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd.
The residents had asked for clarification,
saying that if the houses are not built, they
would be left high and dry, having already given
up all legal avenues.
In response, Lim said the residents who were
questioning the conditions were “nit-picking”.
“This is the condition set up by the state
government,” Lim said after the state-level
Merdeka celebrations here. “I think they are
nit-picking.”
“What we are focused now is to help those
who have accepted the offer of double-storey
terrace houses.”
Former chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu
Koon criticised Lim on Sunday for revealing only
partial information on the issue. He said Lim
had only disclosed selected minutes of state
executive council meetings.
Lim said he is ready for an open debate with
Koh if it is screened on national television.
“If he says that we have not (fully) revealed
the minutes –the minutes do not lie – then let
him say what it is that we should reveal,” Lim
said.
In George Town, police said the arrest of
three Kampung Buah Pala committee members
on Saturday followed several reports and inves-
tigations made against them.
George Town OCPD ACP Azam Abd Hamid
said committee chairman M. Sugumaran,
secretary J. Steven and assistant secretary
C. Tharmaraj were among six villagers being
investigated for criminal intimidation.