31 January 2017

In February 2017 RON95 and RON97 will see an increase of 20 sen to RM2.30 and RM2.60 respectively,price of diesel will go up by 10 sen to RM2.15.

Fuel prices to increase in February

PETALING JAYA: Fuel prices will see an increase across the board for the month of February.

RON95 and RON97 will see an increase of 20 sen to RM2.30 and RM2.60 respectively while the price of diesel will go up by 10 sen to RM2.15.

This was confirmed by Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz Tuesday.

In January, RON 95 was priced at RM2.10 per litre, RON97 at RM2.40 and diesel at RM2.05.

The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry has set the prices of petrol and diesel on a managed float system since Dec 1, 2014, following the removal of fuel subsidies.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/01/31/fuel-prices-to-increase-in-february/#fkDd90Q6uhjfDJIc.99

An airport security officer tells Singaporean mother to squeeze her breast to prove that she was lactating after finding breast pump in her carry on bag

Singaporean mother told to prove she was lactating by German airport police

Gayathiri Bose was taken aside for questioning at Frankfurt Airport and asked to prove she was lactating.PHOTO: AFP.

FRANKFURT: A Singaporean mother was stopped by Frankfurt Airport police and asked to prove she was lactating after a security check showed a breast pump in her carry-on bag when she was travelling alone.

Gayathiri Bose, 33, told the BBC that she has filed a complaint with German police and added that an airport security officer had told her to squeeze her breast to prove that she was lactating.

Bose was on her way to her Paris-bound flight on Jan 26 when the "humiliating" and "very traumatising" incident happened.

According to the BBC report, Bose was taken aside for questioning at the security screening station, after her carry-on bag, which contained her breast pump, went through the X-ray machine.

Police officers asked her where her baby was, and seemed doubtful that the device was a breast pump.

They kept her passport and a female officer led her to a room for further questioning.

The officer then asked Bose to prove that she was lactating, and Bose had to open her blouse and show the officer her breast.

When asked why she did not have anything attached to her breast, Bose replied that the pump did not work by being permanently attached.

The officer asked Bose to show she was lactating by hand-expressing, and Bose complied.

She told the BBC: "I was just in shock, I was going through the motions. I was all by myself as well, and wasn't sure what would happen to me if they decided to make trouble for me."

She added that she cried and "was terribly upset".

Her breast pump was tested and cleared before being returned to Bose and she was allowed to board her plane to Paris after nearly 45 minutes.

The manager at a transport company is exploring the possibility of taking formal legal action, saying that while she acknowledge the need for security checks, "to outrage a person's modesty is definitely crossing the line". She has a three-year-old child and a seven-month-old baby.

German police declined to comment to the BBC about the incident, but said that the security check that Bose underwent was not part of the usual procedure.

Christian Altenhofen, spokesman for the German federal police unit at Frankfurt Airport told the BBC: "If a suspected explosive is detected at an air safety control point, the baggage and the person must be searched.

"The measures you have described for a breastfeeding mother are clearly not included." – The Straits Times/Asia News Network

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2017/01/31/singaporean-mother-told-to-prove-she-was-lactating-by-german-airport-police/#w1hPK3SZC6RBD8wP.99

Police are looking for five men to help in investigations into the murder pf Jeffri Abu Bakar at a nightclub in Mont Kiara.

Police looking for five men in Mont Kiara nightclub murder probe

BY M. KUMAR

Police are looking for five men to help in investigations.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police are looking for five men to help in investigations into the murder at a nightclub in Mont Kiara.

Muhammad Jeffri Abu Bakar, 22, was stabbed to death following an altercation at the nightclub around 4am Saturday.

Sentul OCPD Asst Comm R. Munusamy said police are looking for P. Dhivyaprabu, 22, from Taman Kantan Permai and A. Sivesan, 23, from Desa Sri Jenaris, Kajang, as well as three others only known as Thialaga, Vigna and Saravanan to help in the investigations.

"We are hoping that the public will be able to identify the men from their pictures and contact us immediately," he said at a press conference at the district police headquarters Tuesday.

ACP Munusamy said police had arrested eight people so far in the investigations.

"They were picked up in the past two days in various locations in Kuala Lumpur and Kajang after the incident," he said.

It was reported that Muhammad Jeffri was with two friends in the nightclub when a fight started after a shoulder bump on the dance floor.

Witnesses claimed that about 20 people attacked the victim and his friends.

Muhammad Jeffri was stabbed in the chest with a knife. One of his friends was injured in the head and chest during the fight.

The victim was rushed to Hospital Kuala Lumpur but died from his injuries at 9am Saturday.

ACP Munusamy also said that police will be discussing the licensing of the night club as this was the second time a murder had taken place in the premises in less than a year.

"We will look at the club's operating hours more strictly and make sure they follow it," he said.

Last July, a man and a woman were slashed to death while another man was critically injured in what appeared to be a revenge killing at the nightclub.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/01/31/police-on-the-hunt-for-five-men-in-mont-kiara-nightclub-murder/#UMcmYPERYtwyuccx.99

Sabah catamaran tragedy: Cops confirm six people currently missing

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 31 ― Discrepancies with the passenger list have resulted in an inaccurate tally of missing people who had boarded the capsized catamaran, Sabah police have revealed.

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Ramli Din confirmed today that further investigation into Saturday’s accident has found that six people, including a 10 year-old girl are currently missing.

“We have found out our interviews with the survivors, that one of the passengers on board had his 30-year-old wife and 10-year old daughter on the excursion, but only his name was recorded.

“In another discrepancy, we found that the same person has been listed twice, due to a spelling error, or that he didn’t give his full name. So now, we are again, looking for six people, but different names,” he said.

Yesterday, Ramli told reporters that another China tourist, Li Qun, who was supposed to have taken the trip to Mengalum island had cancelled it at the last minute upon seeing the high passenger load.

Search and rescue operations have been scouring the west coast of Sabah up to 3,000 nautical miles in search of the missing people. It was originally reported that five were missing.

The boat, with 28 chinese tourists, and three crew members had disembarked illegally from a jetty in Tanjung Aru water village towards Mengalum island, where it hit bad weather and capsized, some eight nautical miles before reaching its destination.

The skipper and a crew member were found, followed by 23 chinese tourists more than a day later, but three of the tourists had died.

“I won’t dispel the possibility that there might be more changes in the number or identities of unaccounted people as the investigation continues,” he said

Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang has refuted claims on social media that a lion dance "refused" to perform before the prime minister and his wife

Gerakan refutes claim lion dancer 'refused' to perform at CNY open house

PETALING JAYA: Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang has refuted claims on social media that a lion dance "refused" to perform before the prime minister and his wife at the party's Chinese New Year Open House.

"The lion dancer was actually peeling a pomelo and a few oranges for the prime minister...it takes time to do this.

"None of the performers are superman. I doubt anyone could have peeled a pomelo and a few oranges in less than 30 seconds (with or without the lion's head)," Tan said on his Facebook on Tuesday.

A 45-second video clip, which has gone viral on social media, showed the lion dancer crouching motionless for several seconds, watched by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong, and other VIPs during the open house held at Menara PGRM on Saturday.

Tan said it was a Chinese New Year tradition that the lion dance performer present a pomelo and oranges to the special guest as a sign of prosperity.

"It is unfortunate that some irresponsible people chose to twist and fabricate lies towards the professional lion dancers, who had given a great performance," he said, adding that Najib had even praised the performance on his Facebook account.

Tan claimed that those who were pro-opposition who could not understand the Chinese tradition during the lion dance performance should not "try to tarnish and insult the tradition".

On Facebook, Najib had said he was impressed by the lion dance performance at the Gerakan open house.

"The lion dance is synonymous with Chinese New Year and signifies a new beginning and is believed to bring good luck," Najib wrote.

Mah's political secretary, Ivanpal Singh Grewal, echoed Tan's sentiments, saying the lion dancer was actually peeling seven mandarin oranges and a pomelo.

He said it was completely untrue that the "lion" refused to dance, adding that the "lion" had earlier gone through a long performance which was not shown in the 45-second clip that had gone viral.

He added the whole performance was nearly 10 minutes long. The lion dance had escorted Najib to the lift and then to the main hall where the performance took place.

Ivanpal also slammed the person who took the video and said the person has to explain as the video had been "very dishonest in a way which it was done".

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/01/31/gerakan-open-house-lion-refused-to-perform-in-front-of-najib/#AHV5Y2VYXICMWbOU.99

Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) has announced the appointment of Dr Mohd Shahreen Zainooreen B. Madros as its new CEO

Shahreen Zainooreen is new CEO of Matrade

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) has announced the appointment of corporate figure Dr Mohd Shahreen Zainooreen B. Madros as its new CEO.

The appointment, which is effective Feb 2, 2017 follows the retirement of Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud on Jan 31, 2017, the country’s export promotion agency said on Tuesday.

In a statement, Shahreen said he aspires to continue strengthening Matrade’s solid foundation as Malaysia’s export promotion agency.

“Moving forward, it is imperative for Matrade to continue forging strategic partnerships with all relevant stakeholders in both private and public sector such as various ministries, agencies, trade associations, chambers of commerce and business councils.

“This is to ensure Malaysia will remain competitive at the global front,” said Shahreen, who was previously an executive director at Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corporation (MPRC).

He added that such partnerships will have a direct influence to the local business community and with all stakeholders moving together to achieve the same goal – to contribute to the wellbeing of the economy – Malaysia will remain as one of the top trading nations in the world.

Shahreen who is the seventh CEO of Matrade, holds a First Class Honors degree from University of London in 1986 and a Doctorate from University of Cambridge in 1989.

Prior to Matrade and MPRC, he was with Esso Production Malaysia Inc (EPMI) and was assigned to Exxon Production Research Company in Houston, Texas for two years.

After EPMI, Shahreen joined INTEC Engineering and was involved in offshore design consultancy works for local and international clients.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2017/01/31/shahreen-zainooreen-is-new-ceo-of-matrade/#r54ZltSdoytfPAtY.99

Tan Sri Annuar Musa has been suspended as Mara chairman

Dr Yusof: Mara to probe allegations against Annuar Musa

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Annuar Musa (pix) has been suspended as Mara chairman and asked to go on leave pending investigations into allegations made against him, said Mara committee member Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob.

Dr Yusof said Annuar has been asked to go on leave while an internal Mara audit is conducted into allegations on the sponsorship of Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) by two Mara subsidiaries.

"This is a unanimous decision, with the approval from the minister (Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yacob)," said Dr Yusof after a special meeting of the Mara board of directors on Tuesday morning.

Recently, Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had alleged that a certain "Tan Sri" had forced Mara and its entities to sponsor the Kelantan Red Warriors team.

In a Facebook post on Jan 12, Tunku Ismail also published photographs of documents showing a RM500,000 sponsorship by Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and an additional RM200,000 by Pelaburan Mara.Although no individual was mentioned, it was an apparent reference to Annuar, who was also a former president of Kafa.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/01/31/annuar-musa-go-on-leave-probe-into-kafa-sponsorship/#3IppUZ81sgfzmYGr.99

image: http://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2017/01/31/04/57/mara-pc003.ashx/?w=620&h=413&crop=1&hash=898FCEEF7A944348E1420477395C3C8CBAD90D51

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Annuar Musa (pix) has been suspended as Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman with immediate effect.

In announcing this, Mara committee member Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob said Annuar has also been suspended as the head of Mara Investment Bhd (PMB).

The decision was made during an emergency meeting held at Mara headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday morning.

Dr Yusof will assume all the positions held by Annuar.

When contacted, Annuar said he accepted the decision but refused to elaborate as he had just been informed of the matter.

"I don't know the details. I just received the phone call from Dr Yusof. I have nothing to say," he said when asked if he knew the reasons behind the suspension.

Annuar, who is Ketereh MP and Umno information chief, said he was on "official duties" in New Zealand.

He was appointed Mara's 30th chairman on July 19, 2013, replacing Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, the former Terengganu Mentri Besar.

On the sports front, Annuar stepped down as the Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) president on Nov 8 last year after holding the post since 2007.

During his tenure, the Red Warriors' won six trophies, including the treble (Malaysia Cup, Super League and FA Cup) in 2012.

Kafa had said it intended to withdraw from the 2017 Malaysian Super League due to financial constraints.

Besides the sponsorship issue, Kafa is also without a president to succeed Annuar following his resignation.

Recently, Annuar was criticised by Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim who alleged that a certain "Tan Sri" had forced Mara and its entities to sponsor Kafa.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/01/31/annuar-musa-suspended-as-mara-chairman/#z0U3ftWyv69qugXk.99

Trump Fires Acting Attorney General Who Wouldn’t Defend Travel Ban

Pic: Getty Images

The White House on Monday fired Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, after she instructed Justice Department attorneys not to defend in court an executive order signed by President Donald Trump suspending immigration from seven majority Muslim countries.

Yates learned of her firing Monday evening, in a hand-delivered letter from the White House’s Office of Personnel, according to a person familiar with the matter.

In a statement, the White House said Yates “betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States.’’

Yates was replaced by Dana Boente, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, until Trump’s attorney general nominee, Jeff Sessions, is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, which could happen next week.

The decision by Sally Yates, who became the acting head of the Justice Department when Loretta Lynch stepped down as attorney general this month, was in response to the series of lawsuits that were filed in the first 24 hours in which immigration officials began enforcing Trump’s order.

- Market Watch

30 Elaborate National Costumes at the 65th Miss Universe held in Philippines

30 Elaborate National Costumes

The national costume competition was won by Miss Myanmar.

The National Costume competition is one of the most anticipated portions of the Miss Universe competition! Miss Universe contestants wore some seriously beautiful costumes this year, from outfits inspired by their country's most visited tourist attractions to tributes to their country's most famous figures. Check out some of this year's most elaborate National Costumes below!

Miss US Virgin Islands Carolyn Carter

Miss Universe Venezuela Mariam Habach

Miss Universe Panama Keity Drennan

Miss Universe Bolivia Antonella Moscatelli Saucedo

Miss Universe Nicaragua Marina Jacoby

Miss Universe Angola Luisa Baptista

Miss Universe Argentina Estefania Bernal

Miss Universe Belize Rebecca Rath

Miss Universe Chile Catalina Paz Caceres

Miss Universe Malaysia Kiran Jassal

Miss Universe Peru Valeria Piazza

Miss Universe Malta Martha Fenech

Miss Universe Myanmar Htet Htet Htun

Miss Universe Curacao Chanelle de Lau

Miss Universe Dominican Republic Sal Garcia

Miss Universe Ecuador Connie Jimenez

Miss Universe Honduras Sirey Moran

Miss Universe India Roshmitha Harimurthy

Miss Universe Indonesia Kezia Warouw

Miss Universe Jamaica Isabel Dalley

Miss Universe Singapore Cheryl Chou

Miss Universe Vietnam Le Hang

Miss Universe Bahamas Cherell Williamson

Miss Universe Barbados Shannon Harris

Miss Universe Mauritius Kushboo Ramnawaj

Miss Universe Portugal Flavia Brito

Miss Universe Sierra Leone Hawa Kamara

Miss Universe Tanzania Jihan Dimack

Miss Universe Uruguay Magdalena Cohendet

Miss Universe Haiti Raquel Pelissier

Check out some of the incredibly detailed evening gowns Miss Universe contestants wore at this year's preliminary competition in Philippines

27 Incredibly Detailed Evening Gowns

Miss Universe contestants participated in the preliminary competition earlier this week. After introducing themselves, they competed in swimsuit and evening gown. No surprise, we saw lots of dazzling dress and seriously beautiful evening gowns!

Check out some of the incredibly detailed evening gowns Miss Universe contestants wore at this year's preliminary competition below!