Victim of sex game gone wrong?

JOHOR BARU: A hairdresser who was found murdered, naked, gagged and with his hands and legs bound may have been the victim of a sex game gone wrong.

The body of Tang Kin Kok, 49, was discovered by a housemate in his room at a rented house in Bandar Selesa Jaya here at about 9.50pm on Saturday.

Nusajaya OCPD Supt Abdul Aziz Ahmad said Tang’s body had bruises on it and he could have been dead for between three and four hours before he was discovered.

“We found no defensive wounds and no signs of forced entry into his house.

“However, the victim’s green Proton Iswara Aeroback is missing,” he said.

He added that police were not ruling out the possibility that Tang died from suffocation as his mouth was gagged.

“A post-mortem will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death. The victim was from Perak and had worked at a hair salon in the Holiday Plaza shopping mall,” he said.

Supt Abdul Aziz urged anyone with information to contact the police hotline at 07-221 2999 or the nearest police station.

By The Star

Cigarette prices go up on Jan 1

PUTRAJAYA: The cheapest cigarettes in the market will cost RM6.40 per pack of 20s by Jan 1, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said this was under the Tobacco Products Control Regulations gazetted by the ministry that will also see price promotions for cigarettes being prohibited.

Liow said the new regulations would set the minimum retail price for a stick of cigarettes at 32sen.

Currently, a pack of 20s costs RM9.30 but cheaper cigarettes that cost as low as RM4.80 per pack are available in the market.

He said the regulation prohibiting price promotions was aimed at putting a stop to promotional activities through discount offers for cigarettes.

“The two regulations are vital in making cigarettes less affordable to children, youths and those from the lower income group,” he said in a press statement issued Sunday.

Liow said the move was in line with the government’s commitment to protect children and teenagers from taking up the smoking habit and exposing themselves to chronic diseases or taking drugs.

Even the World Bank, he said, agreed that taxes on tobacco products and price controls were the best ways to reduce the number of smokers while Malaysia’s own studies had shown that a 10% increase in price reduced the number of smokers by 3.8%.

Liow said the regulations would require cigarette companies to declare to the ministry the retail price of their cigarettes before Jan 15 next year.

Those introducing new tobacco products will have 14 days before their products hit the market to make the declaration, he added.

“A notice listing the minimum price of cigarettes will also have to be clearly displayed at the counter or place where the cigarettes are sold but the notice cannot contain logos, brands, trademarks or descriptions related to the cigarettes,” he said.

Under the regulations, producers or importers can adjust the retail prices of their cigarettes as long as they follow the minimum price regulation and notify the ministry 14 days before the adjustments took effect.

Adjustments, however, will be limited to only three times a year and the period between adjustments must not be less than 30 days while the adjustments must be less than 5% of the earlier retail price.

Cigarette labels will not be allowed to carry the words discount, special price, special offer, promotion, limited edition or any other words that indicate the offer of a discount or prices cheaper than those listed on the cigarette packs or labels.

By DHARMENDER SINGH (The Star)

Egypt and Jordan crack down on anti-Israel rallies

By Richard Meares

LONDON (Reuters) - Jordanian and Egyptian riot police cracked down on Friday on protesters demanding an end to Israel's attacks on Gaza and to ties with the Jewish state.
Protesters from the Muslim Brotherhood clash with plainclothes police during a protest against the Israeli air strikes in Gaza, in Cairo January 2, 2009. (REUTERS/Nasser Nuri)

Israel's week-old offensive has sparked daily protests around the world and Friday, the Muslim day of prayer, also saw angry demonstrations in Kashmir, Turkey and Iraq.

Jordanian police fired tear gas to push back hundreds of people marching on the Israeli embassy in the capital Amman.

Chanting "No Jewish embassy on Arab land", worshippers set off from a mosque to the nearby Israeli embassy. Police fired tear gas at around 1,500 demonstrators, forcing them to retreat, and beat and arrested several of them.

Protesters chanted slogans backing the Islamic militant group Hamas that controls Gaza. "Revenge ... revenge ... Hamas, bomb Tel Aviv," they shouted.

Watched by riot police, at least 60,000 people headed later to Amman sports stadium for the largest rally in decades by the opposition Muslim Brotherhood. Its leader told a cheering crowd Palestinians should intensify an uprising against Israel.

In Cairo, police beat opposition Islamists with batons when they tried to stage a rally downtown, witnesses said.

A rally in the costal town of El-Arish in North Sinai turned violent when protesters tried to force their way through a police cordon.

"People charged at the police and pelted them with rocks," a Reuters witness said. "Police started rounding people up and beating them."

Egypt's protests were called by the Brotherhood, the main opposition group which has historical and ideological ties to Hamas.

"This will not prevent us from declaring our anger and expressing our solidarity with the Palestinian people," Mohamed Habib, the Brotherhood deputy leader, told Reuters. He said Egypt should break off diplomatic and economic ties with Israel.

"SELL-OUT" CALLS

Egypt and Jordan both have peace treaties with Israel, and their diplomatic ties with it often prompt accusations of a sell-out from other Muslims and Arabs.

Protesters in countries such as Lebanon, Yemen and Iran accuse Egypt of cooperating with Israel by refusing to open its border crossing with the Palestinian coastal strip.

Israel's offensive, one of the worst in 60 years of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has killed more than 420 people. Israel says the attacks aim to stop Hamas firing rockets on towns in southern Israel, where four Israelis have died.

It sealed off the West Bank to deny entry to most Palestinians and beefed up security at checkpoints as people renewed protests across the occupied territory.

In Ramallah, Hamas supporters scuffled with the Fatah faction of Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, taunting them as "collaborators". Elsewhere, protesters stoned soldiers at checkpoints and some were wounded by rubber bullets.

In Jammu and Kashmir at least 50 people were injured when baton-wielding police fired tear gas shells to disperse hundreds of Muslim protesters, police and witnesses said.

In the summer capital Srinagar, angry demonstrators shouting "Down with Zionist terrorism, down with Israel" burned American and Israeli flags near Kashmir's grand mosque Jamia Masjid.

There were also demonstrations in New Delhi, Hyderabad and other Indian cities.

TURKEY

In mainly Muslim Turkey, thousands gathered outside an Istanbul mosque to condemn the attacks, which have prompted harsh government criticism against its close ally Israel.

Chanting "Damn Israel, Damn Zionism" up to 5,000 worshippers held a peaceful protest after prayers in Turkey's largest city.

About 200 Iraqi men and boys gathered for an indoor demonstration inside a Baghdad mosque, many wearing white headbands bearing the words "victory for Gaza". Banners read: "Gaza is in the hearts and minds of all Arabs".

Several thousand demonstrators gathered in the central square of the Austrian capital Vienna, freeing black and white balloons and holding pro-Palestinian signs. Bigger protests are expected in London, Dublin and elsewhere in Europe on Saturday.

Copyright © 2008 Reuters

M'SIA TURNS INTO CENTRE OF MODERN CIVILISATION

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's strategic position and its diverse culture provide an opportunity for the country to progress into a centre for modern civilisation.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said this aspect could be realised if the benefits derived from the globalisation process were to be wisely exploited.

He said it was not impossible for Malaysia to be the centre for all civilisations in the world because of the diversity and benefits derived from the various culture in the country.

"Besides the cultural benefits, we also can translate them into economic benefits and use our diversity in creating business chains.

"We have the extra edge compared with other countries because our policy is apt, which is diversity in language. We do not pressure or close down Chinese-medium schools, in fact, we are the only country in South East Asia which allows the setting up of Chinese schools," he said in his speech at a function held to commemorate the coming Chinese New Year celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here tonight.

-- MORE

He said all these measures demonstrated the commitment of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government towards the development of Chinese education in the country.

"The founding fathers of this country had chosen the right path compared to the other nations in Southeast Asia, which had mostly opted for the assimilation concept.

"I say that our founding fathers had wisdom and vision because out of this integrity policy, Malaysia has emerged as a unique country.

"If you love Malaysia, there is hope for the country to become even stronger. We can do it if we choose to cooperate as one family," he said.

Elaborating further, Najib said the concept of one Malaysia was based on the peace and stability that would take the country to even greater heights.

Also present at the function were Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, MCA president and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, MCA Youth chief and Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, and Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) chairman, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

By BERNAMA

SOP RV MIS AO

Catholic newspaper threatens action against Malaysia govt

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2, 2009 (AFP) - A Catholic newspaper Friday threatened legal action against Malaysia's government after being told to stop publishing its Malay language edition in a row over its use of the word "Allah."

The Herald, circulated among the country's 850,000 Catholics, nearly lost its publishing licence last year for using the word "Allah" as a translation for "God," with authorities saying "Allah" should be used only by Muslims.

Now the newspaper has been told it must stop publishing its Malay edition while the issue is resolved in the courts, as part of conditions for it to be allowed to continue printing its editions in English, Chinese and Tamil.

Murphy Pakiam, the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur and publisher of the weekly newspaper, said in a letter to the home ministry that it had seven days to revoke its decision or face legal action.

He said he was "totally perplexed" over the suspension which "reeks of ill will and bad faith" and was effectively a punishment for the legal battle that is due to be settled next month.

"We are therefore advised and verily believe that this condition constitutes a serious violation of our constitutional freedom of expression and speech," he said in the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by AFP.

Religion and language are sensitive issues in multiracial Malaysia, which experienced deadly race riots in 1969.

About 60 percent of the nation's 27 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims, who dominate the government.

The rest of the population includes indigenous tribes as well as ethnic Chinese and Indians -- practising Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism, among others.

The Herald's editor, Father Lawrence Andrew, has said that more than half Malaysia's Catholics are from indigenous groups, most of whom live on the Borneo island states and who mainly speak Malay.

By AFP - Saturday, January 3