Ahad, 22 September 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Cambodian maids raring to go

Posted:

AT 5am, without any alarm clock going off, a dozen Cambodian maids wake up with near-military precision.

Over the next hour, the women sweep, wash and scrub spotless their two-storey training centre in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh.

They all want to be maids in Singapore, eager to earn enough to supplement their families' meagre income.

A handful arrived in Singapore homes last week, and about 400 are expected by the end of the year.

Cambodian maids are being allowed into Singapore for the first time, under a Manpower Ministry pilot scheme.

The authorities will monitor how well they adapt to life here and if all goes well, Cambodia will be added to the list of approved sources for maids, joining countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar.

Maid agencies in Singapore said demand for Cambodians has been heating up.

About 40 employers have placed deposits of about S$500 (RM1,264) each to secure a worker, said Nation Employment's managing director Gary Chin.

"Employers are interested in Cambodian maids because many have experience working in Malaysia," he said.

The women are eager to escape poverty at home. Jobs for women in Cambodia are limited mostly to working in factories or as maids, and both jobs pay barely US$120 (RM379) a month. As maids in Singapore, they can expect at least S$450 (RM1,137) a month.

The jobs come at a cost though. The women pay S$2,400 (RM6,069) in placement fees to recruitment agents and expect to clear the debt in instalments over six months.

The women hope that what they earn in Singapore will allow them to buy farmland, renovate village homes and put their younger siblings through school.

Among those heading to Singapore is Mork Banou, 23.

The eldest of five children, she went to Malaysia to work as a maid in 2009, speaking almost no English.

Determined to improve, she studied by herself every night, memorising and reading English words aloud. Within three months, she was getting by in English.

Many of the women said they managed to save more than S$10,000 (RM25,287) after their stints in Malaysia.

Thol Sreymach, 26, said she saved $15,000 (RM37,391) after working there for four years and it went towards the school fees and living expenses of her four younger sisters. She hopes to save even more after she arrives in Singapore later this month.

But labour activists in Cambodia worry that the women will have problems adjusting to life in Singapore and that Singapore employers will be frustrated by the women's weak command of English.

"The life in Singapore is so different from village life. The domestic workers will face difficulties in adapting," said activist Mom Sokchar.

For now, women like Banou are looking forward to their new lives in Singapore.

"Working in Singapore will help my family get a better life," she said. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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Syria's Assad slams Western powers on U.N. draft resolution - China state TV
Heavy and sustained gunfire from Kenyan mall under siege - witness
Cambodian opposition boycotts parliament, security tight

Syria's Assad slams Western powers on U.N. draft resolution - China state TV

Posted:

BEIJING (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denounced the United States, France and Britain for submitting a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council to place Syrian chemical weapons under international control, saying they were fighting an "imaginary enemy".

Assad, who was interviewed by China's state television CCTV in Damascus, the Syrian capital, said he was not concerned about the draft resolution and that China and Russia would "ensure any excuse for military action against Syria will not stand."

An article posted on the CCTV website on Monday quoted Assad as saying, "I am not concerned. Since its independence, Syria has been committed to all the treaties it has signed. We will honour everything that we have agreed to do.

"And more importantly, I want to say, by submitting the draft to the U.N. Security Council, or by urging the U.S. and Russia to agree on a deal, the U.S., France, and Britain are just trying to make themselves winners in a war against a Syria which is their imaginary enemy."

Russia and the United States brokered the deal to put Assad's chemical arms stockpiles under international control to avert possible U.S. military strikes that Washington said would punish Assad for a poison gas attack last month.

Washington has blamed Assad's forces for the attack, which it said killed more than 1,400 people. Assad blamed rebels battling to overthrow him, saying it made no sense for his forces to use chemical weapons when they were gaining the upper hand and while U.N. chemical inspectors were staying in central Damascus.

Under the U.S.-Russian deal, Assad must account for his chemical weapons stockpiles within a week and see them destroyed by the middle of next year.

Envoys from the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - met last Thursday for a third straight day to discuss a draft resolution Western powers hope will make the deal legally binding.

Russia, a key ally of Assad, is unhappy with the draft's references to possible punitive measures against Syria under Article 7 of the U.N. charter, which talks about U.N. authorisation for sanctions and military force.

In the interview, Assad said gunmen could hinder the access of chemical weapons inspectors to sites where the weapons were stored and made.

He added, "We know that these terrorists are obeying the orders of other countries and these countries do drive these terrorists to commit acts that could get the Syrian government blamed for hindering this agreement."

Asked whether Syria had lots of chemical weapons, Assad said: "Syria has been manufacturing chemical weapons for decades so it's normal for there to be large quantities in the country.

"We are a nation at war, we've got territories that have been occupied for more than 40 years, but in any case, the Syrian army is trained to fight using conventional weapons."

He said the chemical weapons were stored "under special conditions to prevent any terrorist for other destructive forces from tampering with them, that is, destructive forces that could come from other countries."

"So there is nothing to worry about. The chemical weapons in Syria are in a safe place that is secure and under the control of the Syrian army."

Separately, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that China was willing to send experts to help in the Syrian chemical weapons destruction process, and reiterated that a political solution was the only way to solve the crisis in Syria.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on Saturday Syria had handed over information about its chemical weapons arsenal, meeting the first deadline of the disarmament operation.

(Additional reporting by Miral Fahmy in Singapore)

Heavy and sustained gunfire from Kenyan mall under siege - witness

Posted:

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Heavy and sustained gunfire was heard from the Kenyan shopping mall where at least 68 people were killed in an attack by the Somali al Shabaab group, suggesting a possible assault by Kenyan security forces, a Reuters witness at the scene said.

Kenya's military had earlier said on its Twitter feed that it was making every effort to bring the siege "to a speedy conclusion."

(Reporting by Duncan Miriri; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Stacey Joyce)

Cambodian opposition boycotts parliament, security tight

Posted:

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Opposition lawmakers in Cambodia boycotted the opening of a new session of parliament on Monday because authorities have refused to hold an independent inquiry into alleged vote-rigging by the party of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Security at the National Assembly and elsewhere in the capital, Phnom Penh, was tight, with many roads blocked off.

"Our goal still stands. We are boycotting today's meeting because the truth has not been uncovered and there has been no breakthrough," Yim Sovann, a lawmaker for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), told Reuters.

"This meeting is a violation of the constitution," he said.

The National Election Committee (NEC) says Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won 68 seats in the July 28 election to the CNRP's 55. The CNRP says it was cheated out of 2.3 million votes that would have handed it victory.

The opposition and some political analysts say a quorum of 120 lawmakers is needed to open parliament. Hun Sen has ignored that, saying the rules stipulate a new government can be appointed with 63 of the 123 lawmakers voting in favour.

Last week, King Norodom Sihamoni turned down a request from the CNRP to delay the start of parliament, saying he was constitutionally required to preside over the opening within 60 days of the poll.

In an address to the house on Monday, the king congratulated the newly elected members of parliament and said they had to put the nation's interest before anything else.

"The Cambodian nation must stand united and show the highest national solidarity based on the implementation of the principles of democracy and rule of law that we have been practising since 1993," he said.

That year Cambodia held its first elections, under United Nations supervision, since before the ultra-maoist Khmer Rouge regime of the late 1970s and the civil war that followed.

King Sihamoni took the throne in 2004 after the abdication of his father Sihanouk, who was given a lavish state burial after his death last year. King Sihamoni does not enjoy his father's semi-divine status among Cambodians.

Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and has said he would rule Cambodia into his seventies.

He portrays himself as the man who saved Cambodia from the terror and chaos of the Khmer Rouge years, but his authoritarian rule, along with widespread corruption, alienated many young people who did not live through that era and who turned to the newly merged opposition CNRP in the election.

(Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Paul Tait)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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Wong Engineering under pressure after Friday surge
Malaysia’s blue chips start week in the red
Shares slip ahead of China data, more Fed talk

Wong Engineering under pressure after Friday surge

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of loss-making Wong Engineering Corp Bhd came under some selling pressure early Monday, falling to a low of 58.5 sen, after last Friday's price surge.

At 9.24am, it was down 3.5 sen to 58.5 sen. There were 1.71 million shares done.

The FBM KLCI fell 6.96 points to 1,794.87. Turnover was 288.49 million shares valued at RM125.77mil. There were 133 gainers, 193 losers and 160 counters unchanged.

Last Friday, its share price closed 20.5 sen up, or a 49.3% gain, to 62 sen amidst volatile and heavy trading. It hit an intra-day high of 68.5 sen and a low of 41 sen.

The price surge saw it being issued with an unusual market activity query by Bursa Malaysia Securities. Trading was halted at 4.40pm.

Wong Engineering later announced it was negotiating with a third party for the supply of mechanical and industrial products.

It also added it would make immediate announcements upon final confirmation. Besides that, it said it was unaware of any other developments.

However, the company later announced that in the third quarter ended July 31, 2013, it posted net losses of RM601,000 compared with net loss of RM687,000 a year ago.

For the nine months, it recorded losses of RM1.82mil from RM1.05mil in the previous corresponding period.

Malaysia’s blue chips start week in the red

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's key FBM KLCI started the week in the red on Monday on mild profit taking on key stocks like UMW, Tenaga, Sime Darby and CIMB.

At 9am, the KLCI was down 6.43 points to 1,795.40. Turnover was 34.78 million shares valued at RM13.26mil. There were 54 gainers, 80 losers and 129 counters unchanged.

UMW lost 12 sen to RM12.78, Tenaga fell nine sen to RM8.95, Sime Darby and CIMB shed six sen each to RM9.46 and RM8.02.

Among the plantations, KL Kepong lost 12 sen to RM22.20 with 100 shares done and IOI Corp five sen to RM5.35.

CMSB was the top loser, down 21 sen to RM4.95 with 1,200 shares traded.

Wah Seong rose six sen to RM1.75 after CIMB Research upgraded the earnings outlook while Hibiscus-WA added five sen to RM1.44 and DRB-Hicom four sen to RM2.60.

Focal Aims continued to extend its gains, adding three sen to RM2.22, which is a whopping 82 sen above the takeover offer price of RM1.40 made by Eco World Development.

Shares slip ahead of China data, more Fed talk

Posted:

SYDNEY: Asian markets got off to a lacklustre start on Monday ahead of more testing data from China, while the euro had only the briefest of lifts from Chancellor Angela Merkel's landslide victory in Germany's general election.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was a fraction lower following a pullback on Wall Street on Friday.

Markets in South Korea returned from holiday to play catch-up with the U.S. Federal Reserve's surprise decision to keep its stimulus program intact. Shares dipped 0.3 percent while the won was a whisker firmer at 1,077 per dollar .

Australia's main index lost 0.8 percent, while Japan's markets were closed for a holiday. The Hong Kong Exchange delayed the start of trading due to Typhoon Usagi.

In part, investors were wary ahead of readings on manufacturing activity for China and Europe.

Should the HSBC preliminary PMI for China show a rise from August's 50.1 it would add to evidence of stabilisation in the world's second biggest economy, and likely support markets across the region.

Dealers said markets were looking for a reading of around 50.9 for September and anything less would be a disappointment.

The euro rose around a quarter of a U.S. cent to an early high of $1.3555 on the news of Merkel's win, only to quickly fade to $1.3533. Against the yen, the common currency was steady at 134.40, having earlier touched 134.56.

That left the dollar index little changed at 80.387, not far from a seven-month trough of 80.060 plumbed last week.

While Merkel won by a landslide, her conservatives appeared just short of the votes needed to rule on their own.

That left open the possibility of a "grand coalition" with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who came a distant second. In the past, establishing a coalition accord has taken between four and eight weeks.

"The formation of a grand coalition could be a positive outcome for the Eurozone," said Peter Dragicevich, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

"The SDP is in favour of further Eurozone integration. As such, a grand coalition may be more willing to work with the ECB and Eurozone governments to find a sustainable solution to the issues plaguing the Eurozone periphery.

He noted one of the SDP's 2013 election policy proposals was the creation of a European debt redemption fund funded by Eurozone bonds.

SECOND-GUESSING THE FED

The Dow Jones industrial average finished Friday with a loss of 1.19 percent, while the S&P 500 Index eased 0.72 percent. MSCI's index of world shares ended Friday 0.6 percent lower, but still notched a third straight week of 2 percent-plus gains.

Some of Friday's dip was attributed to comments from St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard who said that a start to winding down the stimulus program was possible in October, depending on upcoming economic data.

That was a surprise to most analysts who had thought there would not be enough fresh economic news by the October 29-30 meeting to swing the Fed from its dovish course.

"We do not expect the economy to look much different in the coming months and, in fact, some of the data on housing could look softer," said Michelle Girard, chief economist at RBS.

He thought it more likely the taper would begin in either December or March next year.

"We think the hurdle for tightening in December is somewhat high, and thus believe that the time frame for tapering has most likely been pushed back all the way to March."

If it was March then the Fed could continue buying debt for much of 2014. That in turn would further push back the day when it might finally start raising interest rates.

Some clarity might come later on Monday since no less than three Fed officials are speaking, headlined by New York Fed President William Dudley. He is thought to be close to Chairman Ben Bernanke and to speak for the dovish majority of voting members.

Even the thought the Fed might start tapering in October jolted commodity markets, leaving gold down at $1,328.361 an ounce, from Thursday's peak of $1,374.54. Copper futures were off 0.6 percent.

Brent crude oil was 14 cents lower on Monday at $109.08 a barrel, while U.S. crude eased 16 cents to $104.59. - Reuters

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The Star Online: Nation

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MCA leaders going all out to qualify for central elections
Umno polls: Hundreds to slug it out at divisions
MACC: 40% complaints received anonymously

MCA leaders going all out to qualify for central elections

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA leaders may be tight lipped over their plans for the central elections this December, but they have gone all out to ensure they have a ticket to qualify for the fight.

Former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, in fact, got in after winning a central delegate's seat uncontested at the Kubang Pasu division elections during nomination on Monday.

Speculation is that he will try his luck again for the president's post after losing it to incumbent Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek (pic) in a three-cornered fight in 2010.

Former party president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, who also lost to Dr Chua, did not contest for a central delegate's post.

At the division elections today, many central leaders are either contesting the division chief or central delegate's post to make sure they get the all clear to participate in the upcoming central elections.

Topping the list is Dr Chua, who is vying for a central delegate's post at the Batu Pahat division elections.

Vice-president Gan Ping Sieu is defending his Kluang division chief's post while central committee member Datuk Chua Tee Yong is locking horns with Lim Cham Kok to be the Labis MCA division chief.

MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and national organising secretary Datuk Tan Chin Meng, the respective division chiefs for Lumut and Ipoh Barat divisions, are defending their positions.

Central committee member Datuk Lee Chee Leong is also defending his Kampar MCA chief's post.

Vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, meanwhile, got a central delegate's seat in Rasah uncontested on Monday.

Former Wanita MCA national chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, who is attempting a comeback, is contesting for a central delegate's post in Wangsa Maju division.

She is speculated to go for a vice-president's post this December.

Both Tee Keat and Chew have their base in Selangor and it is not known why they chose to secure a central delegate's seat from outside the state.

The same goes to Dr Ng, whose base is in Pahang.

Kubang Pasu is in Kedah, Wangsa Maju is in Federal Territory and Rasah in Negri Sembilan.

There are 191 MCA divisions nationwide. A total of 57 or 30% of the divisions are having a contest for the division chief's post.

Johor tops the list with 11 of its 26 divisions or 42% having a fight for the chief's post, followed by Perak where 10 out of its 24 divisions, also 42%, are seeing a tussle for the top post.

In terms of percentage, Negri Sembilan is the highest – with 75% or six out of its eight divisions having a fight for the top post.

Umno polls: Hundreds to slug it out at divisions

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: The days of Umno division chiefs being returned unopposed seems to be over.

With the revamped party nomination process which makes it easier for just about any member to contest party posts, hundreds are joining the fray at divisional levels nationwide, except Sarawak.

Even the most influential of division leaders who have been unchallenged for over 30 years, including ministers, deputy ministers, members of Parliament and state assemblymen, are facing contests.

While most of these divisions will see either a straight fight or three-cornered fight, a few divisions will see up to six people contesting the top post.

Those who won their divisional posts uncontested include Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (Pekan), Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh), Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Khaled Nordin (Pasir Gudang), Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (Sembrong), Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob (Bentong) and Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir in Jerlun.

Influential figures who are facing challenges include long-term Gua Musang division Chief Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Johor Baru division chief Tan Sri Shahrir Samad. Both have until now never been challenged in their divisions.

Tengku Razaleigh, 76, who has held the post for 33 years, is being challenged by the division's Youth chief, 33-year-old Datuk Bazlan Badaruddin who said he was contesting for broke as he wanted to make sure democracy was alive in Umno.

Shahrir who has been Johor Baru division chief for 31 years meanwhile, is facing two challengers, Jalan Utama Kampung Melayu branch chairman Zulkifli Ismail and Taman Suria branch leader Datuk Ahmad Kemin.

Other big names who would now have to work extra hard to defend their division posts are Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman in Sabah.

Shafie will be locked in a three-cornered fight with a former assemblyman, Datuk Harman Mohamad and ordinary member Nixon Abdul Haji for the Semporna chief's post while Anifah is being challenged by Matli Ayub, a committee member in his Kimanis division.

Meanwhile, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who has held the post of Bera division head in Pahang since 2004, is being challenged by his former political secretary, Datuk Mohd Azizan Che Omar for the division head's post.

In Negri Sembilan, Mentri Besar Datuk Mohamad Hasan is being challenged by former Chembong assemblyman Datuk Rais Zainuddin while former Rembau Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who is also Youth and Sports Minister, won the post of deputy division head uncontested.

In Johor, 16 of the 26 divisions in the state will see contests for the top post while in Negri Sembilan, all divisions will see contests.

Kelantan will see 12 of its division chiefs having to defend their post while in Kedah, 11 of its 15 divisions will see contests.

In Penang, eight of the 13 divisions in the state will see contests for the top post, including in Bayan Baru where incumbent Datuk Abdul Rahim Saibu is being challenged by his deputy Mansor Musa.

In Sabah, 17 of its 25 divisions will see a contest for the number one post while in Perlis, the top post of all three divisions will be contested.

Mukhriz: Youths want transformation plan implemented effectively

Stick to the rules or face consequences, candidates told

No contest shows maturity, says Najib

Raihan in tears after repeating family tradition

There's no pact, say veeps

Youth chief contender causes a stir at centre

MACC: 40% complaints received anonymously

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: About 40% of complaints received by the Malaysian Corruption Commission (MACC) are through anonymous letters, its anti-graft Investigation Director Datuk Mustafar Ali said.

"We view these letters cautiously but they are still taken into consideration," he said, adding that the complaints would be investigated despite the absence of witnesses.

Mustafar also said MACC had been wrongly accused of selective prosecution and only going after the small fry.

"We don't care whether it's a small fish or big fish, so long as it's a fish," he said during an MACC symposium with employees of the Asian Finance Bank (AFB).

He pointed out that of the 15 politicians charged with bribery in 2009, 13 were from Barisan Nasional while the remaining two were from the opposition. Mustafar also said there was no such thing as a small case, citing as example the case of a police sergeant with 27 years of service who was charged and convicted for receiving a RM3 bribe.

He also commended the Qatar-based bank for organising the corruption prevention symposium at MACC's academy in Jalan Duta.

AFB CEO Datuk Mohamed Azahari Kamil said the event was held to educate their staff on good corporate governance, with an emphasis on eradicating corruption.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Cambodian prince ends hunger strike over poll dispute

Posted:

PHNOM PENH (AFP) - A Cambodian prince said Saturday he has ended a hunger strike over disputed polls after military police expelled him from a pagoda where he was holding the protest fearing it would snowball.

Prince Sisowath Thomico -- the cousin of King Norodom Sihamoni and a senior member of the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) -- said four hundred police in riot gear forced him to end his hunger strike in the capital Phnom Penh late Friday.

"There were about 20 people and eight monks with me... but the authorites were concerned that the hunger strike would become bigger, so they cracked down on it," he told AFP.

"I have ended it," he said, adding the police were not violent.

Cambodia has been locked in a political crisis since July elections returned strongman premier Hun Sen to power, despite widespread allegations by the opposition of voter fraud.

According to official results of the July election, the ruling Cambodian People's Party won 68 seats against 55 for the CNRP.

The CNRP has rejected the tally and has warned it will boycott the opening of parliament unless the irregularities are addressed.

Military police spokesman Kheng Tito confirmed authorities stepped in to end the prince's hunger strike, saying the protest had turned into an illegal rally.

He added the authorities feared protests could turn violent ahead of the opening of parliament on Monday and confirmed that police were deployed Saturday outside the royal palace in the centre of the capital as dozens of CNRP protesters gathered peacefully.

The deployment was "to ban any rally from the public," he said, ahead of the opening of the parliament.

Violent clashes erupted in Phnom Penh last Sunday on the fringes of a mass demonstration that drew an estimated 20,000 opposition supporters demanding a probe into the alleged voter fraud.

The poll results were Hun Sen's worst for 15 years but while experts agree they were a blow to the 61-year-old premier, they see no signs he will give up power soon. - AFP

Rape and Manhood

Posted:

Society's complicity can breed the sort of demons who can commit rape (and probably get away with it).

ISLAMABAD: The children were too young to know how dangerous it is to be a girl in Pakistan. If the five-year-old girl and her three-year-old cousin had been just a little bit older, they may have known that being alone and playing outside are lethal risks in this country of men.

They did not know; and so, as dusk crept in over their neighbourhood in Lahore, they remained engrossed in their games. By the time their families noticed they were missing, it would be too late.

What happened to the five-year-old between the time she was abducted and the next day, when she was found abandoned outside a hospital, is the stuff of the most grotesque nightmare.

Unconscious and bleeding, the child found lying on a strip of green lawn outside the hospital building had been raped. The doctors who examined her asserted that on the basis of their physical examination, she had probably been assaulted by several men for over an hour.

She was rushed to surgery because of haemorrhaging, and when she emerged her condition was listed as critical. The next day, television channels reported that she was deeply traumatised, crying and screaming even when members of her family approached her.

The utter cruelty of the case elicited expressions of outrage. In a country where debate on rape often hinges on the indictment of the victim long before it turns to the perpetrators, the fact that the victim was a child managed to force attention on the brutality of the crime itself.

The child had been too young to blame, too little to be accused of having provoked her attackers. The usual excuses – a lack of feminine modesty, culpable presence in the public space, a flawed character – could not be employed here, and so, finally, the ghastly fact of the crime was before the country.

So confronted, many grew angry; a group of female representatives from the Khyber legislature demanded that the perpetrators be hanged. Such cries for blood and vengeance were fervently repeated.

The aftermath of the case exposes once again the complete inability of law enforcement and judicial bodies to deal with rape investigations. Even with closed-circuit camera images, there was no solid identification of suspects.

A few suspects picked up by the police last Friday had already been released the next day. While DNA samples were collected from the child and sent to investigation labs, no report was available yet.

Amidst the legal and investigative morass surrounding the case are the questions of how such a dastardly act can occur and how the complicity of society can breed the sort of demons who can commit it (and probably get away with it).

Just a few days before the child was assaulted, the British medical journal Lancet published a new study on rape in the Asia-Pacific region. Completed in partnership with the United Nations, the study was unique in that it surveyed not rape victims but rather men who had committed the crime.

While the study did not specifically look at Pakistani men, its results provide some insight into Pakistan's situation regarding rape.

Not only were the results alarming (nearly one in four men, in the six countries studied, reported having forced a woman to have sexual relations), so were its findings regarding the causes.

The reasons the men listed for committing rape ranged widely from entitlement to entertainment to punishment and even boredom. Almost half of the men reported that they did not feel guilty. More than half had committed the crime for the first time as teenagers.

The results provide some very specific diagnosis on the Pakistani condition. Like men in Indonesia and Bangladesh, men in Pakistan are raised with a sense of sexual entitlement, which the study identified as the primary motivator for sexual violence.

Seen under the lens of such entitlement, females are considered objects for use, and not having the right to say "no".

In the case of grown women, this core belief is cleverly hidden in allegations of the women's own character, her presence in public spaces, and other such reasons.

In the case of children, the ugliness of such an assault cannot be disguised. As the study identifies, such behaviour towards women elicits no guilt from the men, and it starts early. All of this is only possible when society largely supports it; society is confused about whether rape is a crime and is unable to definitely get behind rape victims and condemn perpetrators.

The mistake made by the child at the centre of the recent Lahore tragedy was to play outside.

In the Pakistan where such things happen, legislatures past and present have failed to force the stringent application of the Women's Protection Act, 2006, and the Zina Ordinance continues to exist. In the Pakistan where such things happen, the Council of Islamic Ideology has cast doubt over the value of DNA as primary evidence across the board in rape cases.

When this cumulative picture of the country where the crime was committed is considered, the only thing different about the recent case is that she was victimised so early, subjected to a crime that is the fate of too many women.

She cannot speak today because she is too young, but if she was older and could speak and point to her victimisers, few in this country of men would believe her.

> The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy. rafia.zakaria@gmail.com.

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Ensuring your future
Beware this lung infection
Take steps to get walking

Ensuring your future

Posted:

Start planning your future with Zurich Insurance Malaysia's Zurich TrueLady with Flex Lady Critical Illness.

THE journey through womanhood is a bittersweet experience; from the carefree days of your teenage years filled with sweet memories of family and friends to the excitement of your university education and career, to warm and cherished moments with loved ones and new family members.

As you go through these different phases of womanhood, your needs and health risks will change substantially, and you need to ensure you have the best insurance coverage to suit your needs and to ensure that you are happy at every stage of your life.

As a girl passes the threshold of adolescence, there is an increasing sense of self, and of life and the responsibilities that adulthood brings with it.

Beyond the biological and physiological intricacies of the female gender, there is more to being a woman than meets the eye, and one of this is the need for financial protection.

While you may be eager, as a newly independent young lady, to go out and enjoy yourself with the spoils of your first paycheque, it is essential that you first take a step back and consider the fact that while you may be young and the future may seem to lie far ahead, remember that women generally live longer lives but work for shorter periods and suffer from more illnesses than their male counterparts.

It is important, essential even, to start planning your finances as early as possible.

As a young lady, you have the luxury of making sure you have the financial security you need; Zurich TrueLady with the Flex Lady Critical Illness rider can help you to take advantage of your youth to achieve this.

Zurich TrueLady is a series of products from Zurich Insurance Malaysia and combines protection, savings and investment in one plan and provides a woman with the flexibility to decide her insurance needs as she moves from one life stage to another.

It rewards the woman with a loyalty bonus, a reward for making timely and regular premium payments, and which will help to increase her investment account value. It also includes a three years no-lapse benefit; especially beneficial for those lean years when you just start out as a career woman.

In addition, you have optional benefits such as the guaranteed insurability option to enhance your coverage.

You have the flexibility to add on coverage based on your protection needs at different life stage events, such as marriage and the birth of your child, among others, to your existing plan, without underwriting.

What this means is that the Zurich TrueLady combines our basic Zurich FlexiPlus with the option to add on one or more of the following riders – Flex Lady Critical Illness, Flex Maternity Care and Flex Junior CI.

Other optional riders that can be added on include those that cover hospitalisation and surgery, critical illnesses, personal accident and a range of female protection riders.

For this article, we will concentrate on the Flex Lady Critical Illness.

Zurich TrueLady with Flex Lady Critical Illness is an investment-linked policy with regular premium. It provides a combination of protection, savings and investment elements, and is a flexible plan to meet your needs.

This is suitable for women of all ages, but especially so for a young woman as it provides you with all the essential coverage to ensure that you are protected from financial debt brought on by illness.

In fact, it also assists you financially upon diagnosis of female-related illnesses and surgical treatment.

So, back to you being young, carefree and on the brink of spending that first paycheque. Go ahead, enjoy your youth, but also make sure you protect yourself financially. The way ahead may seem bright and shiny, but there certainly is no harm in taking the right step to secure your future now.

n This article is courtesy of Zurich Insurance.

Beware this lung infection

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Learn more about aspiration pneumonia, what causes it, and what to do if it happens to your child.

IN general, pneumonia is a term used to describe any infection in the lungs.

Aspiration pneumonia suggests pneumonia that results from something that is accidentally inhaled. It occurs when your child accidentally inhales food, drink, vomit or saliva.

If gastric acid from the stomach enters the lungs, it causes chemical pneumonia. Aspiration of bacteria from the saliva causes bacterial pneumonia, while aspiration of a foreign body causes an acute respiratory emergency, and in some cases, may predispose the patient to bacterial pneumonia.

The ones at risk

Pneumonia can affect anyone, but those at highest and greatest risk are infants, children younger than two years old, and individuals older than 65 years of age.

The following conditions may also increase your child's risk of developing this particular disease:

·Exposure to cigarette smoke, or being in close proximity to smokers.

·Having chronic diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart disease.

·Weakened/suppressed immune system, due to factors such as HIV/AIDS, organ transplant, chemotherapy for cancer or long-term steroid use.

·When your child's normal gag reflex is disturbed; this could be caused by brain injury or having problems swallowing.

What are the symptoms?

If your child exhibits any of the following symptoms, make sure you seek immediate medical attention:

·Bluish discoloration of the skin; usually caused by lack of oxygen.

·Complains about chest pain.

·Coughs up foul-smelling, greenish or dark phlegm (sputum), or if the phlegm has pus or blood.

·Abnormal feelings of tiredness or fatigue.

·Unexplained fever.

·Shortness of breath, which may or may not be accompanied by wheezing.

·Bad breath.

·Excessive sweating.

·Problems swallowing food or drinking water.

How is it diagnosed?

Your child's paediatrician will review your child's symptoms and examine him. A physical examination may reveal crackling sounds in the lungs, decreased oxygen, rapid pulse (fast heartbeat) and decreased mental awareness.

There are several types of tests that your child may also need. One of the first things that your child's paediatrician may do if aspiration pneumonia is suspected is to collect samples of blood and sputum from your child.

This procedure involves getting a sample of blood to check your child's blood oxygen level to see how well your child's lungs are functioning. At the same time, a lab test will also be done on a sample of your child's sputum.

Your child's paediatrician may also order a chest X-ray to determine if there are foreign materials within your child's lungs; their presence may be the sign of a lung infection.

Another alternative is a CT scan of your child's chest. This may be needed to check whether there is pus collecting in his lungs.

Some of the other diagnostic methods available include either thoracentesis (needle aspiration) or bronchoscopy (instrument inserted into the upper airway to visualise the breathing tubes and lungs).

How is it treated?

Aspiration pneumonia often needs several weeks of treatment with an antibiotic. While aspiration pneumonia is usually treated with intravenous (IV) antibiotics, its severity will determine whether treatment is carried out at home or in the hospital.

Once your child starts recovering, he may be allowed to switch to oral medicine.

If the chest X-ray shows a lot of fluid or pus in the lungs, a drainage tube may be inserted through the chest wall. The tube drains infected material from the lungs.

The tube will be removed when the drainage stops and chest X-rays show improvement. In severe cases, a ventilator to help your child breathe may be required.

Preventing aspiration pneumonia

Some pneumonias can be prevented by immunising your child with the pertussis, measles, Haemophilus influenza type b, influenza and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

Older adults above 50, smokers and people with chronic conditions may also opt for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

You should also teach your child about the need for good hygiene. Washing of hands and oral hygiene is especially important; good personal hygiene can prevent not just aspiration pneumonia, but many other diseases as well.

It is also crucial that you never expose your child to tobacco smoke. The dangers of second-hand and even third-hand smoke cannot be underestimated; this smoke may come from cigarettes, shisha, etc.

You will also need to be alert; if your child has problems swallowing, talk to your doctor and speech specialist about ways to help prevent aspiration.

In the event that your child needs surgery, be sure to follow the doctor's orders pertaining to fasting before the surgery to decrease the chance of vomiting while unconscious.

Remember that your child's life is too precious for things to go wrong. Take the necessary steps to prevent this serious complication and make sure your child is never in harm's way.

n Datuk Dr Musa Mohd Nordin is a consultant paediatrician and neonatologist. This article is a courtesy of Malaysian Paediatric Association's Positive Parenting programme, supported by an educational grant from Pfizer. The opinion expressed in the article is the view of the author. For further information, please visit www.mypositiveparenting.org. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice.

Take steps to get walking

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One effective and cheap way to maintain good heart and overall health is to keep walking.

ONE of the best and least expensive forms of aerobic activity is walking.

"People are always amazed to learn that walking just one mile (1.6km) a day can burn 100 calories," explains Maureen Smith, nurse manager of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in the US. "That averages out to a weight loss of about 4.5kg in a year, and that is without changing your eating habits."

Walking not only increases a person's physical activity and controls weight gain, but also has many important health benefits, including maintaining heart health, improving cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and improving mood.

Most experts agree that walking 6,000 steps daily can improve a person's health, and that taking 10,000 steps a day will contribute to weight loss.

In fact, research shows that women who averaged more than 10,000 steps a day had 40% less body fat and waist and hip measurements, and were four to six inches narrower than those who averaged fewer than 6,000 steps.

Smith explains that for most people, 2.2km is equal to 2,000 steps or a 20-minute walk.

She provides the following tips to help people get started on increasing their daily number of steps and improving their health:

·Walk instead of drive. Rethink how you do your local errands; cross things off your list by walking places when your time allows.

·Use a pedometer to count your steps. Wear it all day and try to take at least 2,000 more steps a day than you normally do, and gradually increase your steps over time.

·Combine short bursts of exercise to create one long workout. Aim to get in three 10-minute or two 15-minute walks, or a 30-minute walk each day.

·Make it social. Find a workout partner or a group of friends who can help keep you on track and motivate you to get out the door.

·Hunt for the farthest parking space. If you drive to work or run errands, purposefully park your car a little farther from your office or the store. It may not seem like much, but over weeks and months, these minutes of exercise add up.

·Take the stairs. Though more of a challenge, walking up stairs burns more calories per minute than most other forms of physical activity.

·Trade screen time for active time. Turn off the TV, computer and smart phone, and take a walk.

·Put exercise on your calendar. Plan specific time in your schedule to exercise and put it in your planner.

·Take lunch on the move. Don't spend your entire allotted lunch time sitting. Recruit some co-workers and take a 10- or 20-minute walk.

"The best way to get exercise is by doing something you like," reminds Smith. "If walking is not your favourite, there are so many other forms of exercise to try."

A lot of different things count as exercise, like dancing, walking, gardening, yoga, cycling and playing basketball. – HealthNewsDigest.com

Take steps to get walking

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