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Students with CGPA lower than 2.0 to lose PTPTN loans
Aminulrasyid death case: Crime scene was compromised, court hears
Taiwanese syrup used in bubble tea found to be DEHP contaminated

Students with CGPA lower than 2.0 to lose PTPTN loans

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:17 AM PDT

Published: Friday June 17, 2011 MYT 9:18:00 PM

SUNGAI PETANI: The Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) will automatically withdraw loans from students scoring Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) lower than 2.0.

The step was to ensure only committed students gained from the loans, Datuk Tajul Urus Md Zain, a board member of PTPTN, told reporters after handing over loan advances to students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Ibrahim who had gained entry to institutions of higher learning, here Friday.

A total of 432 students from the Merbok constituency received advances of RM1,500 each during the ceremony.

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Aminulrasyid death case: Crime scene was compromised, court hears

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:07 AM PDT

SHAH ALAM: An independent forensics expert could not make a conclusive connection between the shooter and several key evidence in the fatal shooting of teenager Aminulrasyid Amzah due to lack of management in the crime scene investigation, a Sessions Court heard here.

Former forensics laboratory chief of PDRM's Crime Scene Investigation unit Amidon Anan, 60, said he could have made an accurate finding of the connection between the shooter, gun shot residue (GSR), a windshield mirror and a car headrest but could not do so because some aspects of forensic science were not implemented in the case.

Amidon was testifying as an expert witness in the trial of Jenain, 48, who is accused of causing Aminulrasyid's death between 1.10am and 2am on April 26, last year, at Jalan Tarian 11/2, Section 11 here.

He said there was a breach of Standard Operating Procedure in evidence collection, adding that it was clear from the photographs that there was a delay in collecting bullet shells at the scene.

"A delay can result in additional scratches and imperfections. It would be hard to tell which gun the bullet came from and how it was shot during ballistic tests.

"This bullet is dented. I believe it was run over by a car," he said, referring to a photograph.

Amidon, who has 34 years experience in forensics science, added that a GSR comparison should have been conducted, preferably on a shell in good condition to find out the bullet's origin.

However, in this case, he said there was no GSR collected or analysed.

He also said that a crime scene reconstruction was important to identify the angle of gunshot and bullet entry, distance of the shot and the shooter's position.

"A reconstruction in trajectory method would have resulted in an almost perfect finding (of what happened on the night of the incident)," he said.

On the issue of a leaked tank, Amidon said based on photographs, the car had leaked engine oil and not petrol.

This, he said, was because petrol on tarmac surface would have evaporated quickly, leaving behind only traces of smell.

"Petrol is a colourless substance. It would not appear in the still photos that were taken a while later," he said.

On Feb 28 this year, Jenain was ordered by judge Latifah Mohd Tahar to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie against him.

He is charged under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code that carries a jail sentence of up to 30 years and a fine. The hearing continues on June 24.

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Taiwanese syrup used in bubble tea found to be DEHP contaminated

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 06:03 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: A Taiwanese product commonly used in bubble tea drinks sold in the Klang Valley has been found to be contaminated with the cancer-causing plastic additive diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The product 'Strawberry Syrup' manufactured by T & M Resources Corporation and imported by Elegant Solution Trading cannot be sold in the market.

Two other products suspected of being DEHP-tainted were Chuang's Square Cookies (the brown sugar, all wheat, almond and sesame variants) and the Natural Beauty Drink Powder and Natural Beauty Fruit and Vegetable Powder, he said in a statement released Friday.

The manufacturers for the products were Chuang's King Tai Chang Food Co. Ltd and Prince Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, respectively, while the importers were Syarikat Nguan Seng (1990) Sdn Bhd and Billion Synergy Sdn Bhd respectively.

"The ministry has instructed the companies concerned to recall their products immediately, while samples of the products have been taken for analysis.

"Meanwhile, all retailers have been advised to halt sales of the food products with immediate effect.

"Customers who have bought the products are advised not to consume them," Liow said.

Separately, a total of 15 food products from Taiwan were tested and found to be free of contamination.

They are New Choice Pudding; Lychee Syrup, Honey Peach Syrup and Black Tea (all imported by Elegant Solution Trading); 100% Cranberry & Blueberry Blend Juice and Power Bifidus Yogurt Drink (imported by United Kanboo (M) Sdn Bhd); Kinohimitsu Japan D'tox Juice; and eight Cosway Oriyen products including the Fibre Full Candy, American Ginseng Pastills, Extra Cool Fresh Mints, Pei Pa Luo Han Guo, Hi-Calcium Yoghurt Chews, Mixed Vinegar, D'Tox Trimm and Cranberry Chewable Tablets.

Other food products listed under other categories that were also found free of DEHP contamination were Singlong Ho Egg Noodle; HO I Dried Noodle, Fu ssu Noodle, and White Jade Noodle; Greenmax Matcha Milk, MIC's Taiwan Lemon Wafer, Fu Yi Shan Oat Cracker, Regimen House Sesame & Grainy Thin Cracker and Sun Chi Song Hua Ban Noodles.

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Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Jumaat, 17 Jun 2011