Malaysian Post

The Malaysian Police became the laughing stock of the nation and possibly the world when the Home Minister declared in Parliament that a police beat base located in a crime-prone area was abandoned because it was unsafe for the police officers to be based there.

If it is unsafe for the police, how safe is it for the public?

And if I am not mistaken, it is the job of the police to make the place safe for everybody. Am I missing something here?

Sheeesh! What a clown of a Minister!

KUALA LUMPUR: A police beat base located in the Chow Kit area of downtown Kuala Lumpur has been shut down because the “presence of criminals could make it unsafe” for police officers.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the beat base was located in a dirty area where police faced the possibility of being exposed to contagious diseases.

The presence of criminals also posed a threat to the safety of police officers.

He said this in a written reply to Dr Lo’ Lo’ Mohamad Ghazali (PAS - Titiwangsa).

Dr Lo’ Lo’ had asked why the beat base along Jalan Haji Taib was closed considering that vice activities were high in the area.

She also wanted to know what kind of action had been taken by the police to curb vice activities in the Chow Kit area.

Was at Dataran Merdeka this afternoon to witness the lighting of the Olympic Flame for the Malaysian Leg of the Olympic Torch Run.

The weather was kind and warm and the crowd was just overwhelming. People packed the field and I have to jostled my way through.

When the small band comprising of City Hall personnel played the National Anthem at the beginning of the ceremony, I felt a gigantic swell of pride and patriotism coursing through my veins. The last time I sang the National Anthem was decades ago when I was still in school.

I managed to make my way to the front and snapped some shots for posterity.

The full album may be viewed @ www.photographs.my

Click here to view the full album at www.photographs.my

Tonight, there will be lots of people at Kampung Bahru, Kuala Lumpur.

The 2 articles below are self-explanatory.

Article # 1 from The Star

Cops issue warning on pro-Anwar gathering

KUALA LUMPUR: Stern action will be taken against those who attend an illegal gathering tonight at Kampung Baru in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

City police chief Deputy Comm Muhammad Sabtu Osman said police would not hesitate to exercise whatever measures required, to ensure peace and order.

“Through the Internet, Anwar’s supporters have been urged to go to Padang Sultan Sulaiman near Sultan Sulaiman Club at 8pm to show support.

“We have not issued a permit for the gathering and neither was a permit requested, so I advise all those planning a gathering not to do so as they will be severely dealt with,” DCP Muhammad Sabtu said.

He was speaking after attending a gotong-royong event held at the Darul Falah Orphanage in conjunction with the 201st Police Day celebrations in Bukit Persekutuan here yesterday.

Others who attended the event were new city deputy city police chief Senior Asst Comm (I) Datuk Abu Samah Mat and senior officers from the city police headquarters.

DCP Muhammad Sabtu said police received a letter from the Selangor Mentri Besar’s office informing them that a dinner would be held at the club attended by Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and PKR vice-president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

“We learnt that the Selangor MB and Mohamed Azmin will be giving speeches at the dinner, which Anwar and his wife Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is PKR president, will be also attending.

“We have spoken to the organising committee of the dinner and advised them to abide by the law.

“We will cordon off the area and will deploy Federal Reserve Unit personnel there if necessary,” he said.

Anwar, who is PKR advisor, was sentenced to jail by the High Court on April 14, 1999.

Article # 2 from Malaysia Today

Come celebrate our wedding anniversary

Raja Petra Kamarudin 35 years ago today, Marina and I got married after meeting five years before that in 1968 when she was in form two and I form five. We now have five children and four grandchildren. Although we do not plan to have any more children, we do hope and pray that we shall see at least a dozen or more grandchildren before we go to meet our Maker.

Tonight, we shall be celebrating our 35th Wedding Anniversary, plus of course the 40th Anniversary of God ‘throwing’ us both together.

I have decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary at the Kelab Sultan Sulaiman in Kampong Baru, Kuala Lumpur. The reason I have chosen this venue is not only because that club is owned by the Selangor State Government (which means I will not face any hassle in obtaining permission to use the club — although if they do hassle me then I will abuse my ‘privileges’ and get the palace to hassle them back), but also for sentimental reasons.

You see, the Kelab Sultan Sulaiman was where the Malays held their first gathering which resulted in the ‘struggle’ for Merdeka and which finally saw the birth of this nation on 31st August 1957. It was at this club that this nation called Malaysia, which we love so much, was mooted and finally saw life.

Therefore, celebrating our wedding anniversary there will not only be about the 35 years of happiness that Marina and I enjoyed as husband and wife, but also about what may have never happened if Malaya had then taken another route from the one it did whereby our paths would certainly have never crossed.

I invite all Malaysians to join Marina and me in celebrating our wedding anniversary tonight. Please come and share our joy.

Oh, by the way, I heard that the Selangor ruling party (which is temporarily the opposition in Parliament) is holding a ‘Black 14’ celebration there as well. I am not too sure about the status of that gathering and whether it has the necessary approval from the police. Anyway, just in case, please stay away from that gathering but please do come to Marina’s and my 35th Wedding Anniversary.

It is Valentine Eve and while waiting for my bus, I chance upon a couple of young enterpreneurs selling red roses from a car in the car park.

I asked them for permission to snap a couple of shots for this blog but they were very coy. They agreed after a while but by then my bus has arrived. I managed to fire off a couple of quick shots before dashing off to catch my bus. The tail end of the bus can be seen at the left of the picture below.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovers in the world.