DRUG ADDICTS A RE JUST NOT CATTLE OR SHEEP

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I refer to the letter by Abdul Razak Abu Samah ," Cast away drug addicts on a rehabilitation island,
(nst 8 December).
I have my reservation about the writer's suggestion,unless a thorough feasible study has been made. This is to ensure the safety of not only the drug addicts but also the staff and their families. I think it is unwise for anyone to believe that hard core drug addicts could be successfully rehabilitated by putting them away forever on remote islands ,These are sick and desperate human beings. They would even kill their own mother to get money to support their habit. They are not just cattle or sheep, that could be left to fend for themselves on remote islands.Most of them are walking skeletons with HIV or AIDS, and dying a slow death. Besides it is against Human Rights to cast them away from their families, relatives and friends.
How many people today still remember,when in the early fifties the British Government in Singapore thought it was wise to rehabilitate hard core criminals,and triad society gangsters on an island called Pulau Senang. It was a success story for a couple of years,until a riot broke outand the prisoners not only massacred the British Superintendent of Prison, his officers and warders, but also burnt the whole facility to the ground..
Pulau Senang was history and the United Nations later advised countries not to establish penal islands unless maximum security is guaranteed.
Think of the funds needed to build the facility on a remote island. There is also the matter of logistics, staffing,and management. Is it worth it?. There are now more than 200,000 registered addicts with many more not accounted for. Going by the trend, the population of hard core addicts will increase from year to year. Do we have enough islands to cast all of them there?.
The easy availability of dadah on our streets is a plus factor for the rise in dadah abuse. This contributes to the rise in not only petty but also serious crimes,
Although large amount of various drugs,have been found by the authorities in recent years ,very few big time pushers and smugglers have been arrested. The authorities seem to be arresting more dadah addicts, and unless aconcerted effort is made by all enforcement agencies, the war on dadah which the Government declared three decades ago will not be won.
We must fight the war against dadah, just like the United States,is fighting the war on terrorism.The pushers and smugglers must be hunted and tracked down. Offer attractive rewards to those who give information leading to their arrests.

HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE DEAD

Some senior citizens would probably remember that during the emergency from 1948-l960, many communist terrorists were shot dead by our security forces and their dead bodies were placed at the back of police land rovers, to be taken to the police station, where they would be photographed and fingerprinted for record purposes. They were later placed at the back of the land rovers and taken to the hospital for burial .
I used to see pairs and sometimes more than one pair of feet protruding out of the back of the land rover. There were no body bags then and the bullet riddled bodies covered with blood could be seen by the public as they passed through the villages and towns.
Today 50 years after the end of the emergency, I am sad to say that, we still see the same scenario , when dead bodies of murdered and accident victims were placed at the back of uncovered police land rovers to be taken to the hospital mortuary for a post - mortem .Criminals shot dead by the police are also carried in the same vehicles. Only this time they are all put in body bags.
. . What I am implying here is that, shouldn't the police be more courteous by separating murdered and accident victims from dead criminals. Murdered and accident victims are not criminals and as such they should be afforded a decent transportation like a covered vans, hearse, or coroner's ambulance, like in the United States and United Kingdom.
I hope the police , in their re branding exercise consider buying such vehicles for use at least inthe towns and cities. Lets have some respect for the dead


NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
PETALING JAYA

INTRODUCE TOURISTS TAXIS

INTRODUCE TOURISTS TAXIS

Tourists often wrote to this column , complaining not only of the deplorable taxi service , but also the rude,arrogant,and intimidating drivers, who refuse to use their meters, and charging exorbitant fares for shot distances .

These were among the many grouses we often hear from Malaysian and tourists. It is regrettable that the government has not been able to solve the problem plaguing the taxi services , since the days of the late Tun Sardon Zubir the then Minister of Transport.It has been a pain in the neck every time I read of the same old complaints . The law enforcement agencies must be forever acting without fear or favor against these errant taxi drivers, who sometimes refuse to take in passengers or refuse to go to the place where the passenger wants to go.They are running a taxi service and they have no right to refuse. Taxis should be more consumer friendly so as not to tarnish the country's image.
I suggest that the authorities introduce tourists taxis in all our cities These taxis should have a uniform colour ,with a 12 inch black and white chequered pattern opainted around the four doors of the taxi for easy recognition by the tourists. A large logo with the words TAKSI PELANCONG and TOURISTS TAXI painted on both the front doors. These metered taxis should be authorised to charge RM 10.00 on entry and thereafter RM 2.00 per kilometer . This works out to about RM 35.00 to RM 40.00, from KLCC to Petaling Jaya or Subang Jaya which I think is reasonable for a tourist to pay. instead of being cheated with a fare of Rm 100.00 to RM 150.00 for the same destination without using the meter.

I leave it to the authorities to plan as to whom the tourist taxi permit be given and the terms and conditions to be observed by the qualified drivers. I am sure if it is plan properly the tourists taxi will be a success and complaints from tourists will be a thing of the past.



NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
PETALING JAYA

MISUSE OF SEX WRECK SPIRITUAL IDEALS

I refer to the letter by Mariam Mokhtar," Don't drive them underground ",(nst 31 December)

I am not writing to disagree or agree with the writer's opinion, that the religious department edict is a blatant abuse of human rights of the individual, as I believe that everyone has the human rights to form his or her own opinion
What I failed to understand is that, on the one hand, the writer concluded that the best weapon is education and information, and on the other, the ABC approach which is widely used worldwide for preventing HIV infection according to her is infallible .I think if the approach is properly, and efficiently managed or organized is in itself educational and informative.
In the first place the religious department's edict is only for Muslim couples intending to get married. It is I presume a three prong approach to deter Muslims from engaging in free sex with different partners before marriage , second to prevent newborns from contacting the disease , and third to educate and remind Muslims of their religious obligations,
All Muslims should understand that the environmental and social influence which most frequently wreck our spiritual ideals have to do with SEX and especially with its MISUSE . Thus all Muslims from a very young age must abide by the extortion of the Holy Koran, which forbids Muslims from engaging in free sex before one is legally married
I do not wish to delve further on the subject as it is clearly stated in Surah Al Nur in thye Holy Koran for all Muslims to read and abide.



NOR SHAHID MOHD NOR
Petaling Jaya.

MALAYSIA NOT READY FOR NON MALAY PRIME MINISTER

MALAYSIA NOT READY FOR NON MALAY PRIME MINISTER

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I refer to the letter,'Too Sweeping a comparison', by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar (NST Nov.10).The letter is self explanatory and critics should read it between the lines before making anymore shallow and superficial comments about ethnic politics in Malaysia.
It took a non white African American Barack Obama more than 200 years to become the 44th President of the United States of America, Since Colombus discovered America in 1492, almost 516 years ago, none of the native Red Indian, ever became a governor or President of the United States
The Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong remarked that,I quote 'Singapore not ready for non Chinese
P.M (NST NOV. 10) , Malaysia too I believe is not ready for a non Malay P.M . The reasons given by him are similar,and on this side of the causeway ,Malays made up almost 70% of the population of Malaysia.
I dont think talking about Malay supremacy is in bad taste. It is not about one race becoming the master while the others as slaves as written by Sue Thomas (nst letters Nov.10).Malay supremacy is about the survival of the Malay race itself. If the Malays are not making an effort to improve all aspects of their economic, educational,social,political, culture,language and religious activities, they will no longer be relevant in their own country. It is only natural that the Malays have to uphold their supremacy , for fear of becoming like their brothers in a neighbouring country ,or like the natives of America, Australia, Hawaii and Fiji where the immigrants became the master and the natives became tourists' attraction
Malaysian of other ethnic groups must understand that Ketuanan Melayu, must be always upheld, not to threaten or surpress others.but to remind forgetful Malays of the importance of uplifting themselves worthy of the name Ketuanan Melayu
However lets not turn it into a political issue anymore, and I would like againto quote the remarked of Singapore's P.M " Its possible, it depends on how people vote on who has the confidence of the population,' and with that note it is also possible in the future to have an Indian, Chinese, Sikh,Kadazan,Orang Asli or Dayak Prime Minister of Malaysia.

PRESERVE TAIPING RAILWAY STATION

I refer to the letter," A Landmark rescued", by D.M Ponnusamy (NST Nov.5). I wonder whether the Taiping railway station and warehouse ,built in 1881, which are among the many 'first' in the country, has also been declared as one of the many heritage buildings in the town. Like the Sanitary Board Building, it should also be rescued and preserved not only as a heritage building, but as a famous landmark of Taiping.
In the good old days, the railway station was a social center , where Taipingites met to send off their parents, relatives, friends, and loved ones , and to welcome them home on arrival by train from various destinations .While waiting for the train to arrive or leave, people had the opportunity to say hallo and to socialize , and in Taiping almost everyone knows each other personally or by sight. I love this friendly atmosphere shown by the people of Taiping, not only at the railway station, but also at the beautiful Lake Gardens, at the casual market ,at the post office,at the bus terminal, or for that matter anywhere in town, and you are bound to meet someone you know, even after an absence of so many years. I am proud to be a Taipingite and I always make it a point to go back once in a couple of months to sample the best roti canai, cendol, ice kacang,laksa, popia,fried koey teow, mee kombat, you nameit Taiping has the best. A couple of decades ago there was a talk or suggestion by either the Taiping Town Council or Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd. (KTMB) to relocate the station and build a new one at the sight of the old Kemunting railway station, about 8 kilometers north of the town, which is now closed. Kemunting is now a developed new township and a new bus terminal built inplace of the old one in the town.
It would be a pity and a great loss to Taiping if finally the authorities reaffirm the old suggestion to relocate the heritage station to Kemunting. If this happens. I suggest that the station be preserved and not demolished. Retain the structure refurbish and rejuvinate it and turn it into a Railway Museum ,as an added attraction to draw not only local but also forign tourists. It would be a nostalgic visit for the old who have stayed and served in Taiping.
The old garage in front of the station which has been turned into a hawkers stalls is an eyesore, and should be demolished to make way for a new shopping complex .The building itself should be blended with the old architecture , in order to retain the magestic charm and beauty of the Taiping Railway Station

DON'T BELITTLE NATIONAL SCHOOLS

I refer to the letter,'Seek what can bring us together,' (nst Nov.12 ), It irked me when the writer, a Malaysian at that without any concern for the feeling and sensitivities of others accused that the government schools or Sekolah Kebangsaan are extremely or hopelessly bad and hollow in their educational standard.

That was the main reasons, according to him why Chinese parents send their children, to Chinese Schools locally and to a neighboring country where the standard of education, is very much higher both in Mandrin and English, and being Malaysian they are not bothered about learning the National Language. It is no wonder that some of them cant even converse or write in Bahasa Melayu which is foreign to them. Why seek further, when only language can bring us together,Dont we all know that 'Bahasa is Jiwa Bangsa"?

In condemning the National Schools,the writer had not only insulted and belittle the government but also, teachers, parents, past and present students. Perhaps the writer is unaware that these schools have produced top students with straight As, much better than some students from the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan all these years, and that they are today Captains of industries, top corporate figures, top government servants, professionals ,and specialists in all fields. and to prove my point all my four children, two son in laws, and two daughter in laws , are all professionals and holding good positions in government and the private sectors. They were the products of the National schools and local universities .

I suggest that the writer do some research and study the success stories of these schools before making such sweeping and insulting statement.