Scream, you're on camera!

New programme helps fairer sex survive in the city
T.K. LETCHUMY TAMBOO
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 12:21:00

SHAH ALAM: Identity tags are one of those things that will always be around, but its presence is so insignificant that it often goes unnoticed.

There is now reason to pay particular attention to them as they could be 'video-taping' you. Yes, that's right. Mankind's technological advancement did not leave out the identity tags as it could now be fitted with tiny cameras.

There's more. Innocent-looking devices such as car keys, thumbdrives, smoke detectors and even pens fitted with cameras are now easily available and more often than not aimed at unsuspecting women.

To prevent them from becoming victims of these modern-day inventions, the Ong Tee Keat Service Centre, Persatuan Belia Rakan Nusa and Yayasan Bakti Nusa are jointly organising a city survival programme in the Pandan constituency to help urban women survive in the city.

Pandan MP Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the initiative for the programme came after discussions with Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie.

"We had a brainstorming session and I am proud to say Heng herself is proactive in supporting this programme. With endorsement from her office, we came up with a comprehensive plan to conduct this programme nationwide. This is a social caring initiative focused on serving women," said Ong at his Pandan Jaya office.

He said whenever the subject of victimisation of women came up, it was usually linked to the art of self-defence but this programme explored something beyond that.

"Women need to know about such programmes which could make them more streetwise, especially when they face danger. As the programme moves to different places, we hope to rope in more non-governmental organisations. We want it known to a wider segment of society with a greater scope of outreach."

Ong said when they first got involved in this programme, some people were scornful and laughed. Undeterred, they carried on because the protection of women was of common concern.

The programmes will be held at the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) auditorium in Pandan Indah on Saturday from 9.30am. Entrance is free and open to women above 17.

For further information and registration, contact Angelyne Fong or Allan Tan at 03-9281 3445.

PEEPING CAMS: Ong (left) looking at the various 'spy cameras' provided by Balasupramania

Teaching women to cope with difficult situations

SHAH ALAM: This city survival programme for women will be conducted by Balasupramaniam Krishnan, better known as Captain Bala, a safety activist and expert in crimes against women and girls.

He said women were often targetted as they were more vulnerable.

"I have interviewed men who committed various crimes against women. You have to learn from the crooks and then pass the information to others. The city survival programme is for women to learn the skills to survive under difficult situations," he said, adding that he had trained more than 100,000 women.

Balasupramaniam said in fields of safety and rescue, one of the less studied subjects was adverse impact.

"People study impact but not so much on adverse impact, which is equally important. I know of a 69-year-old woman who was robbed by four men. They stripped her and dragged her to a room to rape her. However, she pleaded with them not to do so showing them her medicine. Fortunately, she was left unharmed. But the adverse impact is, the woman will involuntarily urinate whenever she spots men who look like the men who tried to rape her."

During each of the four-hour programme, Balasupramaniam shared presentations on studies of real crime as well as prevention and survival methods. He also demonstrated safety methods and displayed innocent-looking devices with cameras installed in them.

Among topics explored in the programme are how children also become victims, how parents can help children from becoming victims, how to deal with handphone threats, how not to be a victim when withdrawing money from the ATM, detecting spy cameras in changing rooms and how women can survive domestic violence.

However, these programmes are strictly for women. "There will only be two men in the programme. Me and my co-trainer. We don't allow any other men to attend because some men might pick-up tips on how to hurt women," said Balasupramaniam.

ORIGINAL POSTING 

MORE HERE

20 Most Hilarious (Yet Unfortunate) Company Names On Earth

Every business, they say, needs a catchy name – but some people evidently can’t tell the differance between ‘catchy’ and ‘ridiculous’. Would you have your haircut at Assman the barber or get a quote from Mammoth Erection scaffolders? Read on for some of the most unfortunately named companies on earth…

20. Mammoth Erection scaffolders

Finding a decent scaffolder can sometimes be hard. But if you phone up Mammoth Erection scaffolding asking for some long, firm poles, don’t be surprised if they hang up on you. And don’t be surprised if your bank manager raises his eyebrows when your payment clears at the end of the month.

19. Boring Business Systems

This might be passed off as one of those lame corporate jokes, if only the company wasn’t actually so mind-numbingly generic. ‘…mission statement… blah…innovative solutions…blah…’. Only call your company ‘Boring’ if you plan on using the skull and crossbones as your logo and having fireaters and topless dancers in the office.

18. Doggy Style Designs

Absolutely nothing to do with Snoop Doggy Dogg’s soft porn emporium of the same name (we think). This dog outfitter undoubtedly thinks they’re being very funny and clever with this one – but I doubt if the little old lady down the road will be clothing her mangy cur with them.

17. S&M Amusements

Politicians and high court judges have been enjoying the illicit amusments of S&M for decades. But they might get a shock when, expecting Miss Whiplash, they are instead given a quote for coin-operated arcade machines.

16. Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors

When you choose to use a particular company, it’s nice to know they’re good at what they do – but the name Boxwell for a funeral services goes way past reassurance, beyond a sick joke and into the realms of the horrifyingly morbid. People want to be gloriously entombed, not boxed up and put in storage.

15. The Black Cock Bar, Italy

You’d think an Italian bar that was bothered enough to use an English name would also be bothered enough to check what that name meant. After all, calling your bar ‘The Black Cock’ as an exercise in marketing might severely limit your target audience – unless, of course, you’re that kind of bar.

14. Curl Up & Dye

Yet another hairdressers who have hit upon the life-changing discovery of the dye/die pun – what a pity it’s not really helpful in the context of getting your hair cut. ‘See Paris & Dye’: maybe as a tourist novelty… ‘Curl Up & Dye’: no thanks, I just want a haircut…

13. Bimbo Bakeries

Another name that would be great if only it made sense. Bimbo could base themselves entirely around a range of novelty baked products for, or by, idiots – the dipsy doghnut, airhead loaf or clueless tart perhaps. As it is they don’t produce these products and their name is just dumb.

12. Pee Pee Gas

The sign for Pee Pee Gas sits gloriously alongside another for Pee Pee Creek in Piketon, Ohio, providing endless fun for schoolboys and the immature everywhere. Unsurprisingly, for a company with such obviously limited marketing power, they don’t have a website.

11. Cowboys’ Meat Market

More Brokeback Mountain then Nantucket, this organic butcher shop in Massachusetts manages to make itself sound disturbingly like either an open air wild-west brothel, or a gay bar for cowboys. Maybe we’ve just got dirty minds…

10. Pizza Orgasmica

We’ve all heard the horror stories about unscrupulous male employees at McDonald’s putting a little something extra in your mikshake (yes, we do mean semen) – but openly putting ‘orgasmica’ in the name of your fast food company is surely business suicide. Mayonnaise anyone…?

9. Menlove Dental Practice

You might think twice next time you’re due a quick check-up if your dentist is called this – everyday dentists’ sayings such as ‘open wide’ and ‘it’s just a little prick’ might take on a disturbing subtext.

8. Kum & Go

Does this ever stop being funny? We thought Kum & Go was what women think all men do. Nope. The two gentleman who created these highway stores cunningly combined the first letters of their surnames – evidently they were so pleased with themselves, they didn’t notice until it was too late. Woops.

7. Kidsexchange

Why, oh why, write Kids Exchange as one word? Has nobody noticed it looks more like Kid Sex Change or Kid Sex Exchange? Surely advertising this business is a quickfire way to go straight to jail. Exchange your kids for sex? Don’t think so.

6. Cock’s Restaurant, NY

Hard to tell with this one – do they have cocks on the menu, cater to a clientele of cocks or are they simply trying to set up a nude male restaurant to rival to Hooters? Perhaps, they just don’t care.

5. Assman the Barber

It’s hard to feel this name has any merit other than the fact it is the family name – surely you would have changed it by deed poll ages before starting up a barber shop…? In any case, we dread to think what kind of haircuts the delightfully named Assman specialises in. Or what it smells like in his shop.

4. Camel Towing

For those of you not familiar with the phrase ‘camel toe’ it is the phenomenon that occurs when a woman’s most delicate area is visible through tight pants (and said to resemble a camel toe) – popularised by the film, The Weatherman. The reality of Camel Towing, a breakdown service in Atlanta, is not quite as raunchy as it first appears. More’s the pity.

3. Dirty Dick’s Crab House

Wrong on so many levels. We can state with a high degree of certainty that we will never be ordering any food from ‘Dirty Dick’s Crab House’ for fear their secret ingredient is male member complete with crabs. If you don’t believe us check out the cartoon of ‘Dirty Dick’ – does he look like the kind of man who might have crabs to you? Exactly

2. Kuntz Insurance Group

You’d assume that no respectable man or woman would ever purchase insurance from a bunch of Kuntz? Perhaps part of being respectable is being able to look past these things…

1. Fuk Mi Sushi Bar

If ever there was a case of lost in translation, this is it. So abominably named, it’s like something out of the Simpsons – the employees of this firm must have a hell of a laugh every day with classics like ‘ask me where the best sushi bar is and I’ll just say Fuk Mi’, or answering the phone ‘Fuk Mi, how can I help?’. Or alternatively, a little piece of them might die every time they hear these same lame jokes.

All logos are copyright of their respective companies.

Promises Kept for the Promise Me Campaign

By Pauline Wong

Sometimes charity is more than a cheque you fill out every month. Sometimes it takes more than money to truly make a difference in someone's life. Sometimes, just sometimes, believing in the power of a wish will do what money can never buy.

And believing in this premise is how Promise Me, a campaign by the Truly Loving Company (TLC) in collaboration with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, came to be. What started out as a search for a philanthropist has become a search for everyday, young Malaysian heroes who will fulfil pledges to make changes in the lives of others, especially the less fortunate.

Working with bloggers from Nuffnang as well as students from AIESEC and the ELC, Promise Me has seen many inspiring stories: Stories prove that generosity and kindness isn't dead - which is heart-warming and touching, especially since recent times have shown that money can buy just about anything except kindness.

From a simple makeover to a game of chess, from a girl's day out shopping to a football game - Promise Me is all about the little things that make a big difference.

You'll Never Walk Alone

It sounded simple when Kong Tian Leong (who blogs as Saimatkong) took up his pledge to raise money to buy a stroke survivor an ankle foot orthosis, but it took great effort to organise a charity car wash and battle through the soap and suds to help 60-year-old Kau Tan Chong buy the orthosis.

The 27-year-old helped Kau buy the special brace, which is designed to help the stroke survivor control the motion of his ankle joints and give him support for his foot.

Thanks to the kind support of the owner of Shine N Shield (an automotive detailing shop), Raymond Tan, Kong was able to raise around RM450 from the car wash alone, and with donations from various parties, raised a total of RM758. It may not seem like much, but something so small has helped so much.

"Mr Kau is a very optimistic and cheerful man. I sense though that he really needs a lot of care and people to talk to him. I was there (at NASAM) and chatted with him for about an hour," said Kong.

In his blog, Kong details his experience:

"Last Sunday was one of the most meaningful days in my life as I raised funds to fulfill Mr Kau's wish. I must thank Raymond, the owner of car detailing shop Shine N Shield at Sunway for supporting me in this car wash campaign. He not only gave a place to host this charity car wash campaign, but also provided me with two of his own workers to help out!

Rest Easy, Thyn Tong!

Even though Kimberley Low, who blogs as Kimberleycun, was cynical from the start about this campaign, it all changed when she received an anonymous donation from a kind soul, who offered to match what she had already managed to raise on her own.

Having taken the pledge to buy a new hospital bed for mentally-challenged and bed-ridden 17-year-old Goo Thyn Tong, she was humbled and touched when donations came in from all directions to enable her to raise a grand total of RM4,900.

In her blog, she writes:

"This is truly a humbling experience for myself. I gotta' admit, you guys are not just helping Goo but are doing me a HUGE favour too. I've never felt better in my life. Even the boyfriend has noticed a difference to my personality; according to him I'm displaying much less madness since I undertook the pledge! Being surrounded by so much kindness does make you view the world in a different light."

With that amount of money, Kimberley is looking not only to buy Goo a decent hospital bed, but possibly one more bed for the Handicapped and Mentally Disabled Children's Association of Johor, where Goo is cared for.

Your Move, Mr Teoh

82-year-old Teoh Chee Cheong is an avid Chinese chess player, and for years, he has waited for a worthy opponent to play against. Having had to abandon his favourite pastime when a stroke left him less mobile than before, he wanted to relive his past glories as the neighbourhood champion - and the students from AIESEC Malaysia happily obliged.

Teoh then found himself facing off in an intense game of Chinese chess with Datuk Sri Ong Tee Keat!

"It was an invitation I could not refuse and I was delighted to help in fulfilling Mr Teoh's wish," said Ong, who added that it was his personal wish to see more youth organisations like AIESEC Malaysia take up initiatives to help the less fortunate and under-privileged in Malaysian society.

Howard Tee Wei Heng, an AIESEC student, credited TLC's Promise Me campaign for giving AIESEC this opportunity from amongst the 35 other wishes of the less fortunate and under-privileged. "AIESEC's mission is to develop student leaders and via this campaign, we can achieve our goals whilst contributing back to society".

Go for the Goal

When a student of  the Business Development Manager of ELC International School. Approached Rajan Kaloo early during the campaign and asked for his help and ideas in fulfilling an orphan's (from Rumah Aman) wish to learn football, he rose to the occasion.

They talked at length about getting a coach, finding the space to play football, convincing their friends to participate and generally making the event as special as they possibly could. Whilst most of their dreams had to be adjusted to fit in the Rumah Aman boy's school schedule, one of the grand ideas was to secure one of Malaysia's finest football legends - Santokh Singh to come and visit the Rumah Aman boys and give them a sense of pride about Malaysian football.

It was a request which Santokh was only too happy to accept. "We sometimes forget that future football heroes are not made from football academies, rather they are born when they begin to believe that their dreams are possible".  He added that being under-privileged and less fortunate does not mean one is less likely to achieve one's dreams and he hoped that the TLC Promise Me campaign would enable the orphans to dream of larger goals in life. Following his inspiring talk, the entire orphanage with ELC students and Santokh descended to the local football field for a friendly game together.

A Beautiful Lily

When Cindy Tey, 24, the first Malaysian Dreamgirl (she was winner of online-only reality TV show, Malaysian Dreamgirls), first heard about Promise Me from a fellow Nuffnang blogger, she jumped at the chance to take up a pledge. Having blogged about fashion, beauty and all matters girly for years now, she decided to fulfill the wish of Lily Sin, who is a stroke survivor, to have a complete beauty makeover.

"I first heard about TLC Promise Me campaign from Nuffnang. A Nuffie called me up and asked if I were interested to take up a pledge. I immediately said: Yes, count me in! And since I've always loved blogging about beauty, health and fashion, I try to make sure my readers get to see more than just the surface of each posts. There are two parts to this pledge - to get a pair of multifocal glasses and a hair makeover for Lily. That obviously sounds like something teycindy.com can relate to perfectly!"

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors Grace Salon and Optimal, Cindy was able to fulfill her pledge.

"It was challenging, fun, but most of all, rewarding. At first I was worried that no one would be interested to sponsor, but when I discovered that there are so many generous people out there, the whole pledge process became fun and lively! At the end of the day, I believe everyone who took part felt the same way too."

Tey feels, above all, that there is so much good that the youth can do - no matter how small it may seem.

"There's a Chinese proverb that says 'Youth are Capital'. This is the time for us to contribute to society because we have what it takes - youth, energy, active mind, healthier body. It's sad to look back one day just to realise that you've never helped anyone."

Even if you doubt your abilities, well, Tey believes it's not about doing what people think is 'charity' per se.

"You know what? Everyone was born to be different. We are all special individuals who can help make a difference in ways we can never imagine. Just because you lose once in a while, you're not a loser. Give a hand. Helping others is inspiring and definitely brings out the best in you."

Girl's Day Out

When Vivy Yusof, 23 (best known as blogger Proudduck) found out that all Chan Chin Ming wanted was a day out shopping, she rose to the occasion enthusiastically.

Chan, who is in her 60s, is a wheel-chair bound stroke survivor. Even though she spoke only Cantonese and no English, Vivy did not let that stop her. With the help of Cathy, Chan's daughter, Vivy planned an entire day's outing for Chan which began with a nice breakfast at Pavillion KL, followed by exploring the shopping mall.

"After breakfast, we took Madam Chan around Pavilion. She has never been there after her stroke, so I think she was pretty excited. She kept pointing here and there to indicate to us where she wanted to go, so it was pretty easy taking her around."

 In her blog, Vivy wrote:

 "I was very fortunate that my pledge was super easy! Take a person out shopping, who wouldn't want that? Madam Chan was extremely easy and pleasant, so the experience was lovelyI also received many comments from my blog readers and was so happy to know other people cared too."

"At her age, she really didn't want to shop. Shopping to her just means taking a stroll and jalan-jalan (walking). Clearly our definitions of shopping differ, but hey, hers was pretty fun too!"

Not only that, there was a surprise haircut (from sponsor A Cut Above) in store for Chan, as well as a custom-made new blouse from sponsor, Mimpikita - a soft pink and embroidered number that Chan picked out herself. Although it was not part of the pledge, Vivy clearly saw that going the extra mile would make all the difference in the world, as seen by the broad smile on Chan's face.

But she didn't just take away a feel-good experience, she also learnt an important lesson: Patience and Sacrifice.

"Stroke victims require a lot of attention and Madam Chan is very fortunate to have a family who loves her and sacrifices any free time they have for her. I only wish that other stroke victims have this too, if not, we should all lend a helping hand. It surely is frustrating having hands or legs paralysed and your movement cut, and if we all realised this, we'd show more empathy to stroke victims."

"Also, I learned to be grateful. We have no idea how much things are worth until it's taken away from us."

These are but six inspiring stories from TLC's Promise Me campaign. Find out how you can help at www.tlcpromiseme.com.

Graft report lodged against assemblyman

NADIRAH H. RODZI
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 14:03:00

PUTRAJAYA: Pandan MP Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat's special officer, Cindy Leong Siew Kam, has lodged a report against DAP's Teratai assemblyman Jenice Lee at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office here today.

The report was on the sales of fans from the last general election, which was claimed to raise funds for a Chinese school in Pandan Prima.

Accompanied by Pandan area residents' association representatives Terrence Ee, David Kow and Lim Ah Chai, Leong arrived at 9.15am to submit the document to the MACC.

"The submission of this document is to instigate an investigation on Jenice on the fans sold to the public for the purpose of donation in the last election. A picture of herself was printed on the fans, with a manifesto to build a new Chinese school there.

"It has been two years now but no school is in sight. The question now is, where has all the money gone? The handling of public funds that was raised last election should be held accountable. We want to know what happened," she said.

"Last week Jenice said she had no confidence in the central's government converting the status of the land title for a Chinese school to be built there. If I succeed, I want her to resign.

"If she had no confidence from the beginning, why proceed with raising funds? If she doesn't want to build a school there, she owes residents an explanation, not just tell them that a recreational park will be built there due to lack of confidence in the central government. Anyway, where did the money go?"

Last Monday, The Malay Mail reported Pandan Perdana and Pandan Glades residents had questioned Lee over the school building funds as part of her General Election 2008 manifesto.

Lim had said the proposed school was Lee's main selling point to voters. There was also a donation drive by her election campaign team to build the school by selling DAP fans to the voters.

He had said residents were beginning to doubt Lee's seriousness in delivering on her promise to build the school on the 5.3 acres of land in Pandan Perdana.

On the donation drive, Lim said: “It received an overwhelming response. We believe at least 10,000 fans of her image along with the promise of a school were printed and sold to donors in the constituency.

“I was also a contributor with the minimum amount of RM5. Some people gave as much as RM100 with the hope of seeing a new school after the election."

READ MORE: Pandan residents give assemblyman seven days to to explain promised school or face the music

Pandan residents gives assemblyman seven days to explain promised school or face the music

Shahrim Tamrin
Monday, August 23rd, 2010 12:24:00

PANDAN: Residents of Pandan Perdana and Pandan Glades are questioning Teratai assemblyman Jenice Lee over the funds she raised to build a Chinese primary school there as part of her General Election 2008 manifesto.

They want answers, failing which they refer the matter to the authorities.

“The proposed school was her main selling point to voters. There was also a donation drive by her election campaign team to build the school by selling DAP fans to the voters,” said Pandan Perdana Residents Association president Lim Ah Chai yesterday.

He said residents were beginning to doubt Lee to deliver on her promise to build the school on the 5.3 acres of land in Pandan Perdana.

On Lee's donation drive selling the party campaign fans to the public, he said: “It received an overwhelming response. We believe at least 10,000 fans of her image along with the promise of a school were printed and sold to donors in the constituency.

“I was even a contributor with the minimum amount of RM5. Some people gave as much as RM100 with the hope of seeing a school built right after the election.

“Till today, there’s no school. We are waiting for Jenice to deliver on her promise as we are getting disillusioned with her lip service.”

Pandan Glades RA president Terence Ee said Lee needed to explain the status of the proposed school and the fundraising accounts to her constituents. “It’s important for Jenice to clear the air and her name.”

Residents, he said, wanted to see the transparency as advocated by DAP and Pakatan Rakyat politicians in Selangor. “People around Pandan are disillusioned. We don’t want to hear any more excuses. We want action.

“We are giving her seven days to update us on the status of the funds and the progress to build the school. If there’s nothing we will lodge a police report against her and seek help of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).”

Lee: Fundraising was for my election campaign

TERATAI assemblyman Jenice Lee has refuted allegation that the sale of fans during the 2008 General Election was to raise funds for a Chinese primary school in Pandan Perdana.

“This is a clear misunderstanding. The selling of the campaign fans was merely to request donations from the public and supporters to back my election campaign expenditure at that point of time,” she told The Malay Mail yesterday.

She said the illustration to build a school during the campaign was purely part of her election manifesto to attract voters.

“There was no donation appeal at all to build the school. This allegation is misleading and I am puzzled how it got the wrong impression,” she said, adding that some quarters that raised the issue did not represent the neighbourhood.

When asked about the proposed school, Lee said: “It’s still pending. It’s very complicated as the matter is under Federal government and I have written a couple of times to Education Ministry and requested for some flexibility to build the school.

“The ministry has yet to give the green light or cooperation. In fact, I have also sent a letter to Pandan MP Datuk Ong Tee Keat to work together in building a school by integrating several schools in the district to the proposed school in Pandan Perdana.”

Until today, she said, the Pandan MP had given her the cold shoulder over the proposal.