PEKAN, 20 Dec 2008: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the government will study whether the non-Muslims can be required to undergo HIV screening before they get married to prevent the spread of the disease. He said that for the Muslims, HIV screenings were compulsory as part of the premarital course while the […]
Current Issues
Five areas near landslide declared safe
PETALING JAYA, 20 Dec 2008: Several “red” areas in five housing estates the vicinity of Bukit Antarabangsa landslide have been declared safe for occupation. However, some 1,000 residents are still not allowed to return home for the time being. Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said some areas which had been categorised as “red” […]
BN Youth to present “One Malaysia” paper on racial unity
KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Dec 2008: Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth will table a working paper on “One Malaysia” at the BN Convention in February, which will also discuss several approaches to forging racial unity in Malaysia. BN Youth deputy chairman Khairy Jamaluddin said BN Youth did not want the convention to be superficial, and that the […]
Testing HIV positive doesn’t stop couples getting married
KOTA BARU, 19 Dec 2008: Despite the risks involved, the majority of those testing positive for HIV in Kelantan this year are getting hitched. State health department director Dr Lila P Mohamed Meeran said 38 people intending to get married had tested positive after undergoing HIV tests. “Of this number, 30 have decided to proceed […]
Penang PAS Youth to protest against street dancing
PENANG, 19 Dec 2008: Penang PAS Youth will stage a street protest tomorrow if the state government goes ahead with the I-Dance street dancing competition, which it strongly feels will not benefit the participants. Its head Mohamed Hafiz Mohd Nordin said the protest also showed its serious stand on the event which it viewed could […]
IJN consultants deny their demands led to privatisation
KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Dec 2008: National Heart Institute (IJN) medical consultants have refuted the perception that its privatisation proposal was in response to demands by medical staff for higher remuneration. The 34 medical consultants said they were not in a position to dictate the outcome of Sime Darby’s privatisation proposal to IJN’s stakeholders. “However, the […]
Sime Darby deal to buy IJN postponed
PUTRAJAYA, 19 Dec 2008: Conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd’s deal to acquire a 51 % equity in Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) has been postponed until an in-depth review has been undertaken by the relevant ministries, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced here today. Najib, who is also Finance Minister, told a press conference that […]
Shirin Ebadi still uninvited
By Shanon ShahShirin Ebadi (all pics © Shahram Sharif / flickr) PETALING JAYA, 19 Dec 2008: Nobel Laureate Dr Shirin Ebadi has still not been re-invited to Malaysia despite Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim’s retraction of a ministry-recommended ban. “Absolutely nothing. We have not received any invitation, or oral or written, formal or informal apology […]
Mandatory testing flawed
By Shanon Shah1,000 crosses put up by World Concern, USA, in support of World AIDS Day (© Andrew Conn / sxc.hu) STARTING from 2009, Muslim couples intending to marry must undergo mandatory screening for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). We don’t know how this became official, but it now is, with the cabinet’s approval. Deputy Prime Minister […]
Heading towards first class
By Elizabeth LooiBetween 28 April and 15 Dec 2008, four opposition MPs have been thrown out of the House SINCE the historic 8 March elections, expectations have understandably been high for interesting parliamentary sittings. With the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s two-thirds majority reduced in Parliament, the checks and balances needed in a robust democracy have been more imaginable. […]
