TwoSen

WE REFER to the letter by S.D.C, Petaling Jaya on National Registration Department procedures in respect of annulled marriages (”There’s no need to state previous marital status” — NST, March 14).

The NRD would like to state that Section 73 (2) of the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 provides that a marriage shall be treated as if it had existed up to that time the decree of nullity was pronounced.

Therefore, the parties concerned are considered married up to the time the decree of nullity had been pronounced, and their marital status after this date of nullity is “divorcee” (duda/janda).

With regard to the suggestion that the marital status be not stated on the marriage certificate, the present scheduled marriage certificate is so designed that the marital status appears on it.

However, the NRD is currently reviewing this format; rest assured that this element of concern will be taken into consideration.

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

ON March 13 (a Thursday), my 56-year-old neighbour suffered from a slipped disc and was in severe pain. As she required urgent medical attention, I helped to take her to the Sungei Buloh Hospital.

We left Shah Alam at 7.35am and were at the hospital by 8.10am. After dropping her at the main entrance, I went to park the car, only to be told by her upon my return that she had been asked by a nurse to go to the Emergency Clinic in order to be seen by a specialist.

We reached the Emergency Clinic in a few minutes and after registration, she was given a token with the time printed as 8.35am.

There were already about a dozen people waiting for medical attention. Among them was a man with a bandage on his forehead and blood all over his clothes, lying on a bench just outside the waiting area.

After waiting for 20 minutes, enquiries made at the registration counter revealed that all the doctors were away at a meeting.

Another 15 minutes passed, and a few more people came for medical attention.

Again, I approached the worker at the registration counter and asked her whether it was true that all the doctors were at a meeting, at the same time telling her that the emergency clinic has to be manned by at least one doctor at all times.

She was unable to give a proper answer, except to reiterate that all the doctors were at a meeting.

I used the public phone in the waiting area to call the hospital and asked to speak to its director. The director was not available. My request to be put through to his assistant was also to no avail.

I phoned a second time and was connected to the administration office, but nobody there could give any assistance.

By then, it was 9.30am and as my neighbour was in excruciating pain, I had no choice but to leave the hospital and take her to a clinic in Shah Alam, where she was immediately attended to and then referred to a private medical centre for further treatment.

How can there be no doctor or medical assistant in attendance at the emergency clinic for one hour?

I don’t know how long the others before my neighbour had been waiting. And how long further they waited before being attended to will also not be known.

However, I am putting this bad experience in writing with the hope that the Health Ministry will investigate this matter and provide a proper explanation.

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

I FIND it disturbing to read that some misguided teenagers in Batu Pahat seem to think throwing bricks at buses is fun. (”Teen gang pelts buses with bricks” — NST, March 18).

These miscreants do not realise the danger that passengers of the buses concerned will face as fatal accidents can occur if their missiles hit the right targets.

These youths may be young, and not understand the consequences of their actions, but they must be held responsible for their indiscretions.

It is a good thing the culprits who allegedly pelted the buses with bricks were caught by the police. One wonders whether the parents of these youths should be held responsible for their children’s misbehaviour.

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

I AM not surprised that Hayati Ali of Malaysia Airlines should write so glowingly of the airlines’ meal-box (”Meal-box advantages” — NST March 13, 2008), especially since it is so much cheaper than the previous meal system and means easier work for flight attendants.

Reading between the lines, I’ve come to the conclusion that the majority of us are paying a high price flying with a non-budget airline that’s not giving us premium service.

How can an airline like MAS serve a hard bun with a little mineral water, juice and fruit?

I travelled with a group of people recently and everybody objected to these meal-boxes. There is no option for travellers, whereas in the local budget airline we pay a much lower price but do get to choose our meal.

Indeed, MAS is getting more absurd. Before, they complained about not making a profit.

Now, after making more than RM800 million in profits, they serve us these buns.

I urge Malaysia Airlines to consider delivering premium service to travellers who fly on the national carrier.

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

MANY of my friends and I are unhappy with Astro for a number of reasons.

We viewers have to put up with constant repetitions of everything.

Then we have to pay RM50 for technical assistance, only to be told nothing is wrong with our decoders.

We find out that it is Astro’s satellite signal that is responsible for all the disturbance and the “service not available” sign cropping up. This is too much to swallow.

Why should we be penalised for faults in their transmission?

Last month, I was charged RM10 for late payment by one week. I feel this is rather hasty.

As Astro has the monopoly in providing satellite TV, it seems to think it can dish out whatever it pleases.

So, before the majority clamours for some other satellite station, Astro should lend an ear to the problems of its viewers.

ADRIENNE TANPetaling Jaya

No response

THE recent outcry over Astro’s poor customer service does not surprise me at all.

I submitted an online application to reduce my subscription package last September. Four months later, my subscription remained the same.

In January, I emailed Astro through its website but until today I have not received any response.

How do I get a refund from Astro for overcharging me for the last seven months despite my instruction to reduce my subscription package?

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

ACCIDENTS involving buses are becoming more common nowadays but it looks like every time one happens, mechanical fault, weather and many external factors are blamed, never the driver.

Why is this? Is this to protect the bus companies, which are partly to blame for having hired these dangerous drivers in the first place?

Let me elaborate on this from personal experience: Two weeks ago, I was on an express bus travelling from Alor Gajah, Malacca to Kuala Lumpur.

My seat was right at the front so I could see whatever the driver was doing.

The driver was breaking all the rules. He was smoking while driving. He was using his handphone and, at some point, even reading and sending text messages.

Worse yet, he was driving well beyond the speed limit for a heavy vehicle.

He was overtaking other heavy vehicles, speeding on the right lane, honking at cars blocking his way and saying slow cars should not be on the fast lane.

I could see that the passengers were very worried with his driving. One of the passengers, a foreigner, even tried talking to the driver but he just ignored her.

I was appalled. What was the driver trying to prove? What kind of impression was he trying to create with the passengers? I was dismayed. It is hard for me to feel safe in express buses any more, especially buses operated by this particular company.

By right, bus companies should be more responsible in hiring bus drivers since their hiring decisions can have a direct effect on other people’s lives.

It is time we abandoned our tidak apa attitude.

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

YOUR editorial, “A Time for Healing” ( NST, March 16) is to be commended for its realistic appraisal of the post-election political situation.

Indeed, such an analysis is much needed because it calls for the consolidation of the ruling Barisan Nasional which still has the mandate to continue in power, despite heavy loses to opposition parties. On this ground alone the editorial is correct that it is not constitutionally necessary for the Umno party president to resign and indeed every reason for him to take charge and to put in place the remaining viable political institutions and to move ahead.

For this consolidation to be effective, it is imperative that Umno should try to understand why the party suffered such a defeat. Much more significant is the fact that the Malay swing vote accounted for the success of many DAP candidates.

Without the benefit of in-depth research it is difficult to explain why this happened. However a close scrutiny of published comments and observations seem to suggest that supporting DAP candidates was a sheer act of frustration by Malay voters to change the system as other attempts to do so over the years had failed.

DR COLLIN ABRAHAM, Kuala Lumpur

Kudos to team

EVERYTHING seems to have gone smoothly in the 12th general election of March 8. We must congratulate the Election Commission on a job well done.

It is highly creditable how they successfully mobilised many untrained temporary staff and turned them into an effective and dedicated machinery.

Most of them had no experience and yet they performed like clockwork. This is probably true of their counterparts in other countries too.

I express gratitude to these often unappreciated workers.

WAN ABU BAKAR WAN TEH IBRAHIM, Petaling Jaya

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

THE Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation calls for the inculcation and adoption of an anti-crime culture among all Malaysians to make our communities free from crime.

This involves education, creation of awareness and prevention that must be done in schools, educational institutions, workplaces, voluntary organisations and the public as a whole.

The MCPF welcomes the on-going campaign against snatch thieves involving the various branches of the police force. While more uniformed personnel are being deployed to patrol the streets to curb snatch thefts and roadside robberies, there is also a need to tackle the problem at source.

The fact has been established that most snatch thieves are drug addicts who need to support their habit.

The MCPF feels that there should be profiling of snatch thieves so that we will know their background and the reason they are into it.

If we are to deal with the problem of snatch thieves at source, we need to tackle the problem of drug addicts.

As long as this problem is not resolved, many drug-related crimes will continue to occur.

Providing employment to former drug addicts to keep them away from crime is therefore crucial. If they do not have employment, they will continue to be involved in petty crimes such as snatch thefts.

I, therefore, suggest that the government and the private sector look into the employment of former drug addicts and help to re-integrate them into society so that they can settle down and not have to live a life of crime.

In this regard, the government should consider initiating a policy to help former addicts seek employment.

Source: NST – March 19, 2008

Dear Editor,

KUDOS to Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) for introducing the paging board system at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang to tighten the security at the airport.

However, I wish to point out that asking agents to leave their MyKad or driving licence as a ‘guarantee’ is not a good idea.

This could lead to further complications should these important documents go missing while in MAHB’s possession.

Furthermore, our laws state that no one is allowed to hold another’s MyKad or driving licence, except the National Registration Department, the police, Road Transport Department or other relevant authorities.

Alternatively, MAHB should impose a deposit of a reasonable amount which is returnable once the board is returned.

I feel that the agents would agree to this.

Once again, well done Datuk Azmi Murad (MAHB senior general manager).

Source: Malay Mail – March 18, 2008

Dear Editor,

I am shocked that another child, Mohd Asmawi Jalaludin, has gone missing.

What is happening to our country?

With Nurin Jazlin Jazimin’s case still fresh in our minds and Sharlinie Mohd Nashar’s still unsolved, we are dealt with another one.

We should not be reading about these cases in the media as it saddens us to imagine the suffering of their parents. Yet, it still happens.

The government has to do something — a campaign, for example, to increase public awareness on the dangers and risks we are facing.

Go big with advertisements on television, billboards, radio and newspapers.

It doesn’t matter if the government uses graphic images or messages. We need to get the message across.

Please do something before it’s too late.

To parents, be wary and responsible enough in taking care of your children.

Love them and nurture them with religious education because they’re the country’s future.

The Malay Mail, as the Paper That Cares, can probably start a campaign so that others will follow.

It is our responsibility to care for our children.

Source: Malay Mail – March 18, 2008