It is only slightly more than a year ago when snatch thefts stole the limelight, beginning with the murder of Lee Kian Yip, a first year student of Tunku Abdul Rahman College (KTAR) in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur. Various murder cases have been reported ever since, victims of snatch thefts, the Altantuya murder, 2 separate murders of Lee Hui Ling and Lee Hoon Hwa from Johor, etc.

Most of these murder cases were forgotten after all, apart from the politically-charged murder of Altantuya. Today, however, the nation is shocked with the rape and murder of Tang Lai Meng, a second year Business Administration student of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Bandar Sungai Long campus south of Kuala Lumpur. Lai Meng’s semi-nude body was found lying on her bed with her hands tied behind her back. She was only clad in a T-shirt. Initial media reports suggest that the murder suspect could be somebody whom the victim knew.

Latest report from The Star states that the police are looking for a Pakistani, who is a security guard at Bandar Mahkota Cheras where Lai Meng stayed. He has been absent from work ever since the murder took place. The police are also looking for four women and another man. It is believed that more than three people could be involved in the murder.

What actions will the authorities take to reduce the crime rate? It is public knowledge that crime rate has increased recently. We no longer feel safe, even our house is not safe. The police should spend more time patrolling housing areas, business districts and solve the various crimes reported. Priority and extra attention should be given to this rather than spending hours questioning bloggers over sedative comments posted by anonymous readers. The 8 hours spent on questioning Raja Petra Kamarudin could have been used to solve robberies and murders.

Selamatkan Malaysia!

Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, August 3 (Bernama) — Although the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman was known as a true Malay patriot, the former deputy prime minister was never a racist, said the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah.

He said Tun Dr Ismail also never condoned discriminatory practices on the grounds of race and instead always reminded that Malaysia was not a regimented society.

“He repeatedly stressed that Malaysia was a multi-racial country with each race having its own culture and traditions and the importance of having leaders who would forge a Malaysia that had unity in diversity,” he said in a voice choked with emotion when launching the book “Bukan Kerana Pangkat: Tun Dr Ismail Dan Masanya” at Universiti Malaya here today.

The book is a Malay translation of Tun Dr Ismail’s biography “The Reluctant Politican-Tun Dr Ismail and His Time” from English. The biography was authored by Dr Ooi Kee Beng, the programme coordinator of Malaysian Studies at the Institute of South-East Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore.

The book is based on the personal letters of Tun Dr Ismail and an unfinished memoir by him titled “Drifting Into Politics”, which is now in the possession of his eldest son, Tawfik, 56.

Raja Nazrin said that Tun Dr Ismail and his contemporaries, who formed the first wave of leadership for a newly-independent Malaysia, also demonstrated unquestionable integrity.

“They displayed loyalty to their cause, the principles they held dear, and to the people and nation,” he said.

He said that although at the time, the country did even have a single university or many intellectuals, it was blessed with the finest leaders.

“What was lacking in terms of a big pool of intellectuals, was made up for by their rich integrity and sense of loyalty,” said Raja Nazrin.

He said that although the first wave of leaders were mostly from elite groups, mainly the aristocracy or upper class, they never lost the common touch and empathised with the suffering of the poor and the problems faced by ordinary people like farmers and labourers.

They took it as their responsibility to champion for the masses, and it was this spirit that enabled Malaysia to become a stable nation that is strong economically and politically, he said.

“Now after 50 years of independence, this spirit of caring for the masses should not wane among those in positions of power,” he said, adding that Malaysians who were poor and in the lower income groups still needed help to lead better lives.

He said leaders must not betray the trust the people placed in them by becoming greedy and amassing riches for themselves and their families.

“Leaders are like the trunk and branches of a tree and the people the roots, which ultimately determine how well the tree grows.

“Lead by example with sincerity, sacrifice and integrity just as Tun Dr. Ismail and his contemporaries did post-Merdeka (independence),” he said.

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has warned petrol stations not to operate only between 7am to 10pm. Minister, Datuk Shafie Apdal said that such action will jeopardize the economy of the country.

He also said that approval from the ministry is needed before such an action can be taken, adding that petrol station operators should discuss with the government on their problems such as night robbery and escalating operation costs.

Kuldeep S. Jessy
The Star

KAJANG: The semi nude body of a 20-year-old student, believed to have been raped and strangled, was found in her house in Bandar Mahkota, Cheras here.

Tang Lai Meng, a first year business administration student at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar), Sg Long branch, was found lying on her bed with her hands tied behind her back.

She was only clad in a T-shirt while a pillowcase was found wrapped around her neck.

A police team rushed to the double-storey house at noon after receiving a report from a neighbour who saw the back grille door damaged and a window wide open.

They found Lai Meng’s body in the front room upstairs. The police team also found the front doors open indicating that her assailant or assailants could have used the keys to open the doors from inside to flee.

Lai Meng’s wallet was missing but other valuables in the house were untouched.

Later in the evening, a relative reported to the police that the girl’s car was also missing.

Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Rosli Mohd Nizam said initial investigations showed that Lai Meng who is from Menglembu, Ipoh could have been attacked seven to eight hours before her body was discovered.

“We urge her housemates to contact us to assist in the investigations,” he said.

Police were also looking for a woman in her 30’s who had made frequent visits to Lai Meng’s house.

A neighbour in his late 60’s, who did not want to be identified, said that he discovered the back grill door damaged and the window open when he was going for his morning walk at about 11am.

“I immediately contacted the police,” he said, adding that he had also noticed a man in a Silver Proton Waja frequenting the house.

In Ipoh, Lai Meng’s family who operate a restaurant business at Bandar Baru Menglembu refused to believe the bad news when informed by reporters, SYLVIA LOOI reports.

Her father, Tang Ah Weng, 46, then went to the Menglembu police station at about 3pm to enquire.

Lai Meng’s death was only confirmed after relatives called up the Kajang police station at about 4.30pm.

Earlier, Tang said the family last saw his second daughter on July 22.

“She had returned to collect her results from Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman in Kampar,” said the father of three children.