Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by bg12

Malaysia beat ARABs in ISLAMIC ranking

bg12 — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 12:36:35 +0800

Malaysia once again leads the GIEI for the fifth year in a row, this year 60 points ahead of the UAE. This
impressive lead reflects a robust Islamic Economy ecosystem, with Malaysia enjoying a substantial lead in
Islamic Finance and Halal Food.

↘ Malaysia’s Islamic Finance ecosystem leads, despite Malaysia having fewer assets than Iran and
Saudi Arabia, due to very strong awareness and governance credentials

↘ In Halal Food, Malaysia has resumed its leadership of the ranking, rising from fifth place in 2016,
due primarily to a substantial increase in awareness of Halal Food.

TOP 10 COUNTRIES

1 MALAYSIA 146.21

2 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 85.74
3 SAUDI ARABIA 67.27
4 BAHRAIN 64.10
5 OMAN 56.12
6 PAKISTAN 53.54
7 QATAR 50.77
8 KUWAIT 49.04
9 BRUNEI 43.28
10 JORDAN 41.91

http://www.zawya.com/giei/#
https://www.salaamgateway.com/en/story/repo...27112017104745/

Unstable Serial criminal can become GRAB driver

bg12 — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 09:27:23 +0800

SINGAPORE: A Grab car driver who emptied cans of butane in his vehicle in an attempt to kill himself by gas inhalation ended up igniting the fuel. This caused an explosion that damaged nine vehicles, including his own, a court heard on Thursday (Dec 21).

Dwight T. Soriano, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of performing a rash act, one of mischief and four unrelated cheating offences. Twelve other charges for similar offences will be considered during sentencing.

Dwight T. Soriano is serial criminal, kidnap record how can become Grab Driver!

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

The court heard that Soriano wanted to end his life as he was plagued by relationship and financial problems.

He bought cans of flammable butane gas on April 26 and emptied the contents while sitting in his rented Nissan Dualis.

At about 6pm, he started feeling drowsy and drove the vehicle to a multi-storey carpark at Block 290H, Bukit Batok Street 24.

He was about to smoke a cigarette when a spark from his lighter ignited the butane gas, causing an explosion. The Nissan Dualis and eight other vehicles in the vicinity were damaged.

Soriano had taken similar risks involving flammable gas on April 11, the court heard.

He was staying at a friend's apartment in Flora Road near Loyang Avenue when he felt depressed over unpaid loans and his failed relationship with his girlfriend.

While the friend was sleeping at around 8am, Soriano pierced a hole in a rubber pipe that connected a liquefied petroleum gas tank to a stove and began inhaling the fumes.

Soriano then stopped and left the unit when he heard his friend coming out of his room. The friend later replaced the damaged pipe when he detected the gas leak.

Besides these incidents, Soriano also admitted setting fire to a Chinese New Year decoration attached to the front door of his former girlfriend's Fernvale Link flat in Sengkang on Feb 17 to get her attention, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Derek Ee.

Soriano also cheated four men of $1,700 (RM5,152) in all between February and April.

He had set up advertisements on online marketplace Carousell, offering cars for rent. His victims paid him up to $500 (RM1,515) cash each but the cars were not delivered and Soriano became uncontactable.

Ee told the court the explosion had caused public disquiet and called on District Judge Jasvender Kaur to sentence Soriano to at least two years' jail.

Soriano's pro bono lawyer Ariel Lim pleaded for a maximum of nine months' jail.

She said her client committed the rash acts and was in a "highly unstable emotional state".

Lim added that a report from the Institute of Mental Health stated that Soriano was then moderately to severely depressed.

Soriano will be back in court on Jan 5.

For each count of performing a rash act, he can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000 (RM15,153). – The Straits Times/Asia News Network

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/20...r2kpQik5l7ey.99

phone can put inside wallet RM100 only

bg12 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:47:55 +0800

https://www.lazada.com.my/aiek-v5-18-inch-q...3849322&sc=EQM=

Congrats! Your password is in Top 20 passwords!

bg12 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:25:44 +0800

Splashdata has released its annual ranking of the worst passwords of 2017, using data from more than 5 million leaked passwords. For 2017, the world's most-hacked password is still "123456," followed by "Password."

Between them, these two passwords have ruled the ranking sine 2011, and that's no surprise, since they're the easiest and most predictable passwords to hack.

Users can improve password security by finding a series of letters, numbers and symbols that's relatively complex, but which can be easily remembered. Try using the first letters of a phrase or a song title, for example.

Finally, it's important never to use the same password twice and to make sure you change passwords regularly, once per quarter, for example.

Top 20 most-hacked passwords of 2017:

1. 123456
2. password
3. 12345678
4. qwerty
5. 12345
6. 123456789
7. letmein
8. 1234567
9. football
10. iloveyou
11. admin
12. welcome
13. monkey
14. login
15. abc123
16. starwars
17. 123123
18. dragon
19. passw0rd
20. master

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2...Z5HYJBMaijrv.99

If dirty waiter touch your food, do you eat ?

bg12 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:35:37 +0800

Normally at mamak shop , i see the foreign waiter wear dirty tshirt pants, later garu kepala, garu balls, korek hidung , pegang kain lap meja ....
after that they touch your spoon, your rice, your roti canai and serve you...

do you continue eating ?

Can use different TouchNGo cards at Plus highway?

bg12 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:24:54 +0800

Lets say i check-in at Sungai besi toll use TNG card 1 later not enough credit , can i pay/checkout using another TNG card ?

How Toto/Magnum/DMC pick 4D numbers, draw balls?

bg12 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 12:22:34 +0800

Do any customer or govt agency regularly audit Toto/Magnum/DMC to make sure their system is purely random select number and not rigged ?

do they public any disclosure sheet to explain how numbers selected?

women cheated RM135k for Iphone surprise box

bg12 — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 09:39:59 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR: Parcel scams continue to haunt Malaysians as yet another person falls for the con, being cheated out of RM135,000.

This time, the victim, known only as Cheah, said she had first gotten to know a man – Tsung James – online after he messaged her on social media on the pretext of striking up a friendship.

Cheah, who started talking to Tsung on Dec 5, said after a few days, he told her that he was sending a parcel to her as a Christmas gift.

“He told me: ‘I am buying a present for my mother. So, I want to buy you a gift as well.’

“I didn’t think anything of it. I let him send it,” she told reporters at a press conference called by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong here yesterday.

She claimed that Tsung had told her that among the contents of the parcel were a laptop, an iPhone 8 Plus, bottles of perfume and a Louis Vuitton bag.

However, on Dec 13, Cheah said she suddenly received a call from one Beckham Courier, claiming that the parcel was too heavy and that she needed to pay RM5,000 to claim it.

Not suspecting anything, she made the payment.

However, she was then told that the parcel contained US$700 (RM2,851) and that she had to pay RM30,000 to receive an Anti-Terrorism Certificate to both release the parcel and avoid investigation by the authorities.

Alarmed by this, Cheah paid the RM30,000, followed by another RM100,000 for the parcel to be finally released.

“Tsung then told me that there was a huge amount of money in the parcel,” she said, adding that he claimed this to be more than US$700.

Cheah said she used both her savings and borrowed money from friends to pay the amount needed as the person who claimed to be from the courier company had started to threaten her.

“As I was so stressed, my friends tried to help me ,” she said.

Feeling helpless about the situation, Cheah went to see Chong on Tuesday for help.

“When I realised that this was a scam, I felt like I wanted to kill myself.

“I’m scared. I can’t sleep,” she said, adding that she had lodged a police report.

Chong said this year alone, 14 victims of parcel scams had come to see him after being conned out of a total of RM7.93mil.

Victims of the parcel scam, he said, were usually women who were single or single mothers . He warned the public to be more alert.

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017...ESthOfbQ2usj.99

Shaved man look pretty cause indecent thoughts

bg12 — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 16:52:11 +0800

Men without beards cause “indecent thoughts” in other men because they look like women — <censored> cleric

A Turkish preacher believes that all men should grow beards to differentiate themselves from women. <censored> speaker Murat Bayaral spoke on TV show Fatih Medreseleri this weekend, condemning men without beards, reported Hurriyet Daily News.

“Men should grow beards. One of the two body parts that separate men from women is the beard,” he expressed.

Here’s why Hamza Ali Abbasi thinks ‘maulvis are better than liberals’
Bayaral continued, “For example, when you see a man with long hair from afar, you may think he’s a woman if he doesn’t’ have a beard as men and women dress quite similarly nowadays.”

“God forbid! You could be possessed by indecent thoughts!” he exclaimed.

http://www.newsweek.com/men-beards-islam-r...n-turkey-751079

A billionaire is offering me money, gonna quit job

bg12 — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 15:57:44 +0800

Omg omg omg I really cannot believe I am so lucky...I received letter as below, preparing to reply details and throw my resignation letter at my stingy boss on Monday.... Any /k wanna be my bff, I will donut you some money too....

QUOTE

You have been gifted $2 MILLION USD in 2017 Donation Funds.

I hope this information reach to you well as I know you will be curious to know why how I selected you to receive a cash sum of$2,000,000,00 USD,our information below is 100% legitimate,I Mr.Amancio Ortega and my wife Rosalia fashion businessman and founding chairman of the Inditex fashion group,of Zara clothing showrooms around the world,I and my wife Rosalia mapping out this donation funds every Year to 20 countries all over the world where our company is been located in the world please see the link below:

http://www.forbes.com/profile/amancio-ortega/

My wife and I decided to donate the sum of $2,000,000,00 USD to you as part of our charity project to improve the lot of 20 lucky individuals all over the world from our $16.5 Billion Usd I and My Wife Mapped out to help people before she died. We prayed and searched over the internet for assistance because i saw your profile on Microsoft email owners list and picked you. Rosalia my wife and i have decided to make sure this is put on the internet for the world to see. My wife has cancer and she died at Colchester regional hospital, my wife just didn't die but she was a great person and I miss her so much and this is why I have decided to do one thing I promised her forever. As you could see from the web page above, am not getting any younger and you can imagine having no much time to live. Although I am a Billionaire Investor and we have helped some charity organizations from our Fund.

You see after taken care of the needs of our immediate family members, before she died we decided to donate the remaining of our Billions to other individuals around the world in need, the local fire department, the red cross, Haiti, hospitals in Truro where Rosalia underwent her cancer treatment, and some other organizations in Asia and Europe that fight cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes and the bulk of the funds deposited with our payout bank of this charity donation. We have kept just 40% of the entire sum to ourselves for the remaining days because,I am sick and am writing you from hospital computer because I don't know when I will die. To facilitate the payment process of the funds ($2,000,000.00 USD) which have been donated solely to you, you are to send your below information to your assigned claims agent in Usa ( Rev Father Jonathan Moss on Email: frjonamoss@gmail.com )

Your full names.................
Your contact address.....................
Your personal telephone number...............
Your Date of birth............................
Your Marital Status............................
Your Occupation................................
One Passport photographs or any of your valid Identity

So that HE can forward your payment information to you immediately. I am hoping that you will be able to use the money wisely and judiciously over there in your country. Please, you have to do your part to also alleviate the level of poverty in your region, help as many as you can help once you have this money in your personal account because, that is the only objective of donating this money to you in the first place. I like to re-assure you of the legitimacy of this services as we will not be involved in any fraudulent act and will never be.

Use the money wisely, we only want to feel good by helping people this time of the year, this is the only thing that makes my wife happy too even now that she is not here with me anymore, we have too much to give away as I only have a few months left on earth. I will advise you as the prospective lucky Person to be calm not to loose this great opportunity which millions of people are trying to entangle but the chances just couldn't come for them because a lot of people are out there to discourage them as they don't know how it works,
and have never seen such before.Thank you for accepting our offer, we are indeed grateful You Can Google my name for more information: Mr.Amancio Ortega.

God bless you
Mr.Amancio Ortega world's 4th-richest man Billionaire investor.

Zahid: Najib will rally against US on Dec 22

bg12 — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 17:18:24 +0800

QUOTE

Zahid : Hentikan demontrasi jalanan
26 September 2015 11:48 PM
SERIAN 26 Sept. – Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi menegaskan, rakyat Malaysia tidak perlu mengikut acuan negara luar iaitu menggunakan demonstrasi jalanan untuk menukar kerajaan yang sedia ada sekarang.

Menurut Timbalan Perdana Menteri, memadailah perhimpunan jalanan diadakan di negara ini seperti dianjurkan oleh penyokong baju kuning dan baju merah sebelum ini.

Beliau berkata, perhimpunan atau demonstrasi jalanan bukan jawapan untuk menyelesaikan masalah tetapi ada platform lain yang boleh digunakan bagi menangani perkara tersebut.

Artikel Penuh: http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/h...3#ixzz51Jth2tTv
© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd

QUOTE

Guna forum lain suarakan pandangan bukan menerusi demonstrasi jalanan - Zahid
Diterbitkan pada September 27, 2015 08:40 MYT

Guna forum lain suarakan pandangan bukan menerusi demonstrasi jalanan - Zahid
Ahmad Zahid meminta rakyat supaya mengetepikan perbezaan kaum, budaya dan agama demi memelihara keamanan negara dan keharmonian kaum.
SERIAN: Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi meminta rakyat supaya tidak lagi menggunakan demonstrasi jalanan untuk menyuarakan pandangan sebaliknya berbuat demikian menerusi pelbagai forum lain.

Beliau berkata demonstrasi jalanan bukanlah budaya Malaysia dan ia tidak seharusnya diamalkan di negara ini.
http://www.astroawani.com/berita-malaysia/...nan-zahid-74604

Zahid: PM to lead rally against Jerusalem decision
NATION
Friday, 15 Dec 2017
4:13 PM MYT

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will lead Malaysians of different religious and ethnic backgrounds at the Putra Mosque on Dec 22 in a show of unity against the move by the United States to recognise Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) said the gathering will be attended by non-governmental organisations representing Muslims and non-Muslims alike, adding that the show of solidarity reflects Malaysia's stand is supported by its people irrespective of their beliefs.

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will be present and will address the crowd. So will PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang. I call on all Malaysians to join the gathering," he said at a press conference here Friday (Dec 15).

The Prime Minister, who attended the Extraordinary Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul this week, had called on the OIC to unite against the US' unilateral decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the party supports the Government’s stand on Jerusalem as the issue was not just about religion but is also disruptive to world peace.

On Dec 6, Trump announced that his country's embassy will be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It effectively means the US now regards Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017...9IKvkefV1mgx.99

why Malaysia call Terrorist as PEJUANG?

bg12 — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 13:42:22 +0800

2 pejuang Palestin terkorban dalam letupan
https://www.bharian.com.my/dunia/asia/2017/...n-dalam-letupan

GAZA: Dua pejuang Palestin terkorban di Gaza semalam, dalam letupan yang tidak diketahui puncanya, dengan rejim Zionis menafikan bertanggungjawab di atas kejadian itu seperti dakwaan pihak berkuasa di wilayah ditadbir Hamas itu.

Keadaan kejadian itu, yang berlaku berhampiran utara Semenanjung Gaza bersempadan dengan Israel, membuka persoalan sama ada letupan itu adalah kemalangan.

Kumpulan Jihad Islam berkata, dua pejuang itu adalah anggota sayap bersenjata , mengesahkan mereka terkorban ketika menjalankan 'misi jihad'.

Mereka dikenali sebagai Hussein Ghazi Nasrallah, 25 dan Mustafa al-Sultan, 29.

Jihad Islam berkata, mereka adalah sebahagian unit kejuruteraan kumpulan itu.

Kementerian Kesihatan Palestin, pada awalnya berkata mereka menjadi sasaran serangan Israel ketika menunggang motosikal tetapi segera disangkal rejim.

Jihad Islam berjuang bersama-sama Hamas dalam peperangan terakhir dengan Israel pada 2014. - AFP

QUOTE

Israel News
Earlier on Tuesday, Palestinian reports alleged that two Islamic Jihad militants on a motorbike in Gaza were killed in a targeted strike by an Israeli drone. The IDF denied any responsibility for the incident.
http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict...ket-fire-517885

MAXIS 46Gb +allnet unlimited calls RM48only noGST

bg12 — Sun, 10 Dec 2017 09:10:48 +0800

1.Get Hotlink FAST sim

2.Top-up RM60 for RM48 only from Lazada

3. Purchase Hotlink Redpass 60 plan

4.Enjoy unlimited call to all networks + 8GB all day internet +8gb weekend internet + 30gb happy hour full 4g speed on the fastest and best network for RM48 only and all this without GST

One Facebook post burns a village in bangladesh

bg12 — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 22:43:07 +0800

Mob sets upon Hindu village in Rangpur over rumoured Facebook post
Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur
Published at 06:49 PM November 10, 2017Last updated at 12:18 PM November 14, 2017

Mob sets upon Hindu village in Rangpur over rumoured Facebook post
An angry mob set fire at 30 Hindu houses in Thakurpara village in Rangpur Sadar following rumours that a youth from that village defamed <censored> through a Facebook post Focus Bangla

The aggressors claimed they were infuriated by a defamatory status published from the Facebook account of one Titu Roy, who hails from Thakurpara

One person was killed when police opened fire to ward off an angry mob that turned violent and launched an arson attack on Hindu houses at Thakurpara village in Rangpur Sadar upazila on Friday.
At least five more people were severely injured as police fired rounds of rubber bullets and tear gas shells at the angry crowd.
Before the police intervened, the aggressors had set fire to at least 30 Hindu houses of the village. They also looted and vandalised a good number of houses in that village, according to local sources.
A rumour shaped and vented the anger of the <censored> in the neighbouring villages against the Hindu community.
The rumour was that one Titu Roy, originally from Thakurpara but currently living in Narayanganj, put up a Facebook post defaming <censored> a few days ago.
The attack was carried out by a section among the 20,000-strong crowd, that was reportedly mustered out from six to seven neighbouring villages, including Paglapeer, Mominpur and Horialkuthi, after the Jumma prayers.
There was a melee of chases and counter chases between the law enforcers and the crowd. At one point, police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to control the situation.

The angry mob later blocked the Rangpur-Dinajpur highway to protest against the police attack, halting the vehicular moment for about four hours in the afternoon.
Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge (Operation) Moktarul <censored> they had deployed a huge number of police personnel in that area and a tense situation is still prevailing there.
The district administration has formed a three-member probe body, headed by Additional District Magistrate Abu Rafa Mohammad Rafiq, to investigate the incident. The committee has been asked to submit its report in seven days, said Rangpur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Wahiduzzaman.
The DC also mentioned that they had arranged for relief materials for the affected families in the Hindu vilalge.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nat...acebook-status/

Does UMMAH in Malaysia include cina dan India?

bg12 — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 19:56:27 +0800

Many GE14 manifesto include to unite UMMAH, but does that mean they are interested to unite only Muslims or unite all the race?

So if any politician promise to menyatukan UMMAH instead of menyatukan rakyat Malaysia, should non Muslims vote for him?

Arab Saudi approves YOGA for muslims

bg12 — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:27:30 +0800

Saudi Arabia approves teaching of yoga as sports activity
http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/521995/...sports-activity

Jeddah — The Ministry of Commerce and Investment (MCI) has approved the teaching of yoga as a sports activity, Nouf Al-Marwaai, founder of the Arab Yoga Foundation, told Saudi Gazette on Wednesday.

The MCI has listed the teaching of yoga under “sports activities” for business registration, she said. The move will allow anyone to apply for a license to teach and practice yoga in the Kingdom.

“I am happy to see sports evolving in the country,” Nouf, who is Saudi Arabia’s first yoga instructor, told Saudi Gazette.

“Yoga is a wellness sport and the approval is going to legalize yoga practice in the country which is good for better services and practice,” she added.

Saudi Arabia hosts the first internationally recognized body in the Gulf region on yoga, an ancient Indian art of healthy living.

The Arab Yoga Foundation was established in 2010 by Saudi yogacharya (certified teacher) Nouf Al-Marwaai .

There are five recognized yoga schools in Saudi Arabia, offering specialized classes in various forms of yoga. For example, the Mawada Yoga school in Jeddah teaches Vinyasa or flow yoga. The Yoga in Jeddah school offers classes on Hatha and prenatal yoga. The Indigo Yoga Center in Riyadh offers Hatha, Vinyasa, pre- and postnatal yoga classes. Jeddah Yoga Club offers workshops and training on meditation techniques. Mahayana Yoga offers workshops on yoga related topics.

Meanwhile in Malaysia, yoga is

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Army BAN 42 Chinese APPS for spying

bg12 — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:32:52 +0800

Indian troops on China border told to format smartphones, delete 42 apps
MANU PUBBY 28 November, 2017

Troops on the China border told to delete apps like WeChat, Truecaller that have been banned due to data security implications.

New Delhi: Troops posted on the China border have been told to format their smartphones and delete a number of apps that intelligence agencies have found to be detrimental to national security due to possible links to Chinese hackers.

A list of 42 applications, including popular ones such as Truecaller and WeChat, have been banned with immediate effect and all officers and men have been told to strictly comply with instructions to clean up both their official and personal mobile phones.

“According to reliable inputs, a number of Android/IOS apps developed by Chinese firms or having Chinese links are reportedly either spyware or other malicious ware. Use of these apps by our personnel can be detrimental to…national security,” the instructions sent to troops on 24 November read.

Singapore KECOH nampak biawak...

bg12 — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 15:58:59 +0800

Monitor lizard hiding under train removed from SMRT's Bishan Depot

Meanwhile in Malaysia

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

SINGAPORE - A monitor lizard turned up at SMRT's train depot in Bishan on Tuesday (Nov 28), and was dragged out by depot staff.

A video sent to Stomp showed staff shining a torchlight and prodding something in the undercarriage of a parked train with poles, sticks and dustpans.

After a while, a monitor lizard fell to the ground. Staff could be heard calling for it to be chased out of the premises.

They tried to guide it out by pushing it with their tools as it crawled along. This caused the lizard to open its mouth aggressively, and it even whipped its tail a few times.

In the end, a staff member grabbed it by its tail and dragged it out of the premises, sprinting as fast as he could before the creature could turn around and bite him.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, Mr Patrick Nathan, SMRT's vice-president for corporate communications, said: "A monitor lizard was found in one of our depots yesterday (Nov 28) and was removed."

Netizens however, were critical of the way the lizard was handled by SMRT staff. "The animal is not at fault. Correct to chase it away but the way they do it is wrong. I find it pitiful...it must have got lost," wrote Facebook user Herman Zain on the Everyday SG page, where the video was also posted.

Monitor lizard found hiding in train undercarriage

Another Facebook user, ShuYun Leong, added: "Wild animals should not be treated this way. These people using dustpans and pulling it by the tail is not the right way, and they still laugh like it is a comedy.

According to Animal Concerns Research & Education Society's (Acres) deputy chief executive Kalai Balakrishnan, the handling of such animals should be left to experienced wildlife rescue organisations.

"The presence of many people and the use of sticks to prod the lizard, which was most likely a water monitor, and the dragging of its tail, can cause the animal to get very stressed," he said.

The lizard could potentially be harmed in the process and become very defensive, which may result in someone getting bitten.

Mr Kalai added: "For this case, one thing we noted in the video was that we could hear the staff saying what they wanted was to chase the lizard out. We appreciate the effort and intention."

However, he said it was better if they called for professional help, and urged the public to call the Acres hotline on 97837782.

Water monitor lizards are commonly found in Singapore.

There were two lizard sightings in February - one was run over after holding up traffic near the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway in the Buangkok area, while another was spotted swimming at Jurong East Swimming Complex.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/moni...ts-bishan-depot

Malaysia BAN books promoting LOGICal thinking

bg12 — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 14:44:26 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 -- The Home Minister had no basis to decide that three books published by the <censored> Renaissance Front Berhad (IRF) were against public order or morality and to ban them, the publisher asserted in its lawsuit.

In court documents for its legal challenge against the Home Minister sighted by the media today, IRF said the book bans were invalid as it was not given a chance to be heard before the bans were issued on September 6.

IRF noted the Home Ministry's media statement on October 9 justifying the three books' bans, but argued that the minister had failed to explain how the three books purportedly "promote the idea of liberalism; promote the use of logical thought to evaluate facts; contain elements that insult <censored> and deviate from true <censored> teachings.

IRF said that these grounds cited in the Home Ministry's statement are "unreasonable and irrational" and had taken into account irrelevant factors and views from unknown persons. It also pointed out that it was not provided these views or given an opportunity to be heard.

IRF said it has yet to be served with the orders although the Home Minister had on September 6 issued the ban on the books it deemed likely to be prejudicial to public order and likely to alarm public opinion,

In the September 6 order, the Home Minister banned Wacana Pemikiran Reformis (Jilid I) and Wacana Pemikiran Reformis (Jilid II) written by IRF founder Datuk Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa and published by IRF on June 10, 2012 and October 2014 respectively. Both anthologies in the Malay language of Discourse in Reformist Thought are already out of print.

In a separate September 6 order, the Home Minister also banned both Turkish writer Mustafa Akyol's <censored> Without Extremes : A <censored> Case for Liberty which was available since 2011, and its Bahasa Malaysia translation <censored> Tanpa Keekstreman: Berhujah Untuk Kebebasan published by IRF on January 23, 2016.

IRF said the Home Minister did not ask the company to show cause prior to the book bans on why the bans should not be issued.

"Since 2012, 2014, and 2016, the respective dates of the said publications, IRF has not received any complaint from the respondent nor has any member of the public complained to IRF that any of the said publications affect public order or morality of the country," the think-tank that promotes <censored> intellectual discourse said.

After reading the news of the ban on the three books, IRF said it had on October 20 written to the Home Minister to clarify its reasons for the book bans and the evaluation process that it took before issuing the bans.

IRF then said it received on November 3 received two reply letters dated October 25, where the Home Minister said the book bans were issued "based on a report prepared by the Department of <censored> Development Malaysia which found this publication has facts that are confusing that tend towards liberalism beliefs that are feared will deviate the faith of <censored> in this country who hold on to <censored> teachings. In relation to that, those publications are viewed as likely to be prejudicial to public order, likely to alarm public opinion and likely to be prejudicial to public interest".

IRF claimed that such a "bare response" showed that the Home Minister has "no good grounds" for issuing the book bans and "has no basis for concluding or deciding" that the books are contrary to public order or morality.

IRF had on November 7 filed its lawsuit against the Home Minister.

It successfully obtained leave today from the High Court for hearing of the judicial review.

High Court judge Datuk Kamaludin Md Said fixed December 13 for case management for IRF's lawsuit.

In IRF's lawsuit, it is seeking for a court order to quash the two book ban orders otherwise known as Printing Presses and Publications (Control of Undesirable Publications) (No. 31) Order 2017 and (No. 32) Order 2017, as well as a declaration that these two orders are null and void as they are ultra vires the Federal Constitution.

IRF also sought for a declaration that Section 7 of the Printing Presses Publications Act -- which the Home Minister cited as conferring him the powers to ban the books -- is unconstitutional, null and void.

Read more at http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia...3TO2QAD0TEy6.99

Dutch SHELL invests Electric cars industry

bg12 — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 09:23:57 +0800

LONDON: Royal Dutch Shell has partnered with top carmakers to deploy ultra-fast chargers on Europe's highways, stealing a march on rivals in the race to remove one of the biggest obstacles facing the electric car sector.

Shell's agreement with IONITY – a joint venture between BMW, Daimler, Ford and Volkswagen – will initially bring high-powered docks to 80 highway sites in 2019, it said in a statement.

Power giants including France's Engie and Germany's E.ON, as well as niche players such as US startup ChargePoint, are all building vehicle-charging networks in Europe, but Shell says the IONITY technology is key to addressing the problem of journey distances.

While electric vehicles still account for only a small fraction of the global car market, the pace of growth and a sustained period of low crude prices is prompting oil companies to reassess century-old business models as the world move towards cleaner modes of transportation.

Under Shell's most aggressive projections the company expects the global electric vehicle fleet to grow from about 1% of the entire auto fleet today to 10% by 2025, displacing oil demand equating to about 800,000 barrels per day.

Rival BP said in August that it was talking to electric car manufacturers on deals to offer battery recharging docks at its stations.

Range boost

The number of electric vehicle charging points in Europe nearly tripled from 2014 to 2017 to reach almost 120,000, according to the European Alternative Fuels Observatory.

However, manufacturers have struggled to offer solutions for getting drivers to go beyond short journeys, mostly within cities, because of battery limitations, a lack of charging stations and long charging times.

With the IONITY technology, cars with advanced charging capacity of up to 350 kilowatts will take as little as five to eight minutes to charge, Shell said. It can take several hours to charge a regular electric car today.

"Customers want to go on long journeys in their electric vehicles and feel confident that there are reliable, comfortable and convenient places to charge them quickly," said Shell's head of retail Istvan Kapitany.

The 80 charging stations will be deployed in Belgium, Britain, France, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

With an additional 20 stations expected to be added in Germany, about a quarter of Shell's stations along highways in Europe will offer high-power electric charging within two years, Kapitany told Reuters.

Shell will invest in changing power supplies to its stations to meet growing demand, he said, declining to disclose the size of the investment or terms of the IONITY deal.

The IONITY partners joined forces with a plan to build a pan-European network of 400 charging stations by 2020.

The initiative is latest in a number of small Shell investments in charging technology in recent months, including the acquisition of Dutch-based NewMotion, owner of one of Europe's largest charging networks. — Reuters

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2...kztqvEygRZ4b.99