Tan Choe Choe
New Straits Times

MURDERS are gruesome regardless of the manner they are committed.

In the last 35 years, there have been four horrific murders, including the body-in-refrigerator case in Mont Kiara, Petaling Jaya last week, where the victims were cut into pieces.

BODY-IN-TRUNK CASE — 1975

The white bungalow at No 19, Lorong Limau Manis 2 in Bangsar Park, Kuala Lumpur, looks a little deserted with overgrown bushes in its front garden.

This was where Colombo Plan expert Kingsley John Lewis, then 32, killed his Kenyan wife, Maria Theresa, 24.

Theresa, who was said to be a philandering and abusive wife, was slashed, cut up and then stuffed into a trunk on April 3, 1975.
Lewis said he killed her to stop her from harming their 14-month-old son.

Lewis was found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentenced to three years’ jail.

A neighbour who has lived in the area for the last 28 years said a few families had moved into the house after Lewis left, but none stayed for long.

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If you have been to the Pikom’s PC Fair at Kuala Lumpur Convention Center this time round, you would probably have noticed promoters promoting a new online trade portal, to be launched on 31 August 2007. Known as S@myValue (Search at My Value), it is targeted at all industries.

The name S@myValue is a catchy name. Why not? When I saw it, I misread it as Samy Vellu. Ooopss…… or is it Semi Value, a a common nickname given to Samy Vellu ever since the MRR2 Kepong cracks occurred 3 years ago. When I finally read it carefully, I realized it’s S@myValue.

Bernama

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 4 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today emphasised that Malaysia is not a secular nor a theocratic state but a country that practises parliamentary democracy.

He said the government in this country practised elements of government that reflected the composition of its population which was made up of various races and religion.

“We are not a secular state. We are also not a theocratic state like Iran and Pakistan which PAS wants us to be, but we are a government that is based on parliamentary democracy,” he told reporters after launching a programme with the people at the Tuanku Bainun Teaching Institute, here.

He said the existing government was a responsible one whether to the people or country and administered together by leaders from all races and religions under the Barisan Nasional coalition.

“We (the government) consist of leaders from the various religions — Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity — and everyone is involved in discussions to reach a consensus on national development policies,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the formula adopted had been proven to be capable of driving the country towards development for the past 50 years.

“That is our country that has developed according to our own formula which has been tested for the past 50 years and has already succeeded today,” he said.

Abdullah said he failed to see how such a government could not continue to progress in future, that is up to its 100th independence anniversary.