Friday, May 23, 2008
School uniform not sexy: Pas - NST
By : Arman Ahmad
KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:
KUALA LUMPUR: The baju kurung worn by schoolgirls to government schools is not that sexy, Pas said today. Pas Youth chief Salahudin Ayub said there was no problem with the school uniforms from an Islamic perspective.
“As long as the baju kurung is tailored according to the traditional Malay interpretations of the garment and not too tightly, I don’t see any problem,” he said.
On Wednesday, National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia vice-president Munirah Bahari was reported as saying that the school uniform worn by schoolgirls was sexy.
Her comments generated a furore of responses from teachers, students as well as various women groups, who said that her claims were baseless.
Munirah was reported as saying: “The white blouse is too transparent for girls and it becomes a source of attraction”, and that it could encourage “rape, sexual harassment and even premarital sex”.
Salahudin said, however, said it was unlikely that the school uniform contributed to such social ills.
[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Frontpage/20080523161103/Article/index_html]
S'pore takes Pulau Batu Puteh, M'sia gets Middle Rocks - The Star
THE HAGUE: The International Court of Justice has ruled that Singapore has sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh while Malaysia owns Middle Rocks.
As for the South Ledge, the ICJ ruled that it belongs to the state in whose territorial waters it is located.
ICJ vice-president, Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh read out the judgment, which was carried live over RTM1 Friday.
Pulau Batu Putih, which Singapore calls Pedra Branca, an isle no larger than half a football field, is about 14.3km from Tanjung Penyusop in Johor and 46.3km from Singapore.
Middle Rocks is about half a nautical mile from Pulau Batu Putih and 1.7 nautical miles from South Ledge.
The 17-member bench heard oral arguments from Malaysia and Singapore between Nov 16 and 23 last year.
The judgment ends the 28-year old territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore and both countries had earlier pledged to abide by the decision of the ICJ that is final and not subject to appeal.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/23/nation/20080523184425&sec=nation]
Khalid: Previous government undertook 62 risky projects - The Star
By Wani Muthiah and Edward Rajendra
SHAH ALAM: The previous state government had embarked on 62 joint venture projects worth RM36bil with private companies which the current government deems very risky.
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim told the State Legislative Assembly Thursday that the joint ventures could result in the loss of close to 5,000ha of state land.
He said the previous government had provided the land for joint venture projects with private developers through state-owned corporation Permodalan Negri Selangor Bhd (PNSB).
He said the companies held a 70% stake in the joint ventures while the state only held 30%.
At a press conference later, he explained that the state was not protected as far as the issue of completion of the projects was concerned.
What made matters worse, he added, was that the deciding factor was not based on the companies’ capabilities and track records but on the “individuals behind them.”
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/23/nation/21341220&sec=nation]
Dr M: I’m offering alternative for Barisan - The Star
By Mergawati Zulfakar
TOKYO: Umno is preparing its own demise and that of Barisan Nasional if it continues to have Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the helm, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Thursday.
He also said that his son Datuk Mukhriz, who decided against following his move to quit Umno, might face “difficulties” staying on should Abdullah continue to be the president.
“Yes, Umno can consider me irrelevant. It is their funeral and not mine. Today the Barisan has been destabilised by Abdullah not being able to lead it to victory in the general election.
“Barisan, in some cases, has become irrelevant. Gerakan has become irrelevant, MIC could not win. All this was due to him. He not only destabilised Umno, he destabilised component parties and he destabilised Barisan,” Dr Mahathir told The Star Thursday in an interview here.
Dr Mahathir, who is here for a dialogue session at the Nikkei conference, said he predicted Barisan would be finished in the next elections if Abdullah continued to serve as Prime Minister.
[More at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/23/nation/21341076&sec=nation]
