Mention the word spam and most of us will think of the unsolicited emails that appear in our email inbox every moment. While the problem of email spam has been very much tackled with the implementation of spam filter on modern email systems which filters emails suspected as spam into a spam or junk folder, another kind of spamming is rampant and it arrives in the form of hardcopies in the letter box of our houses and offices.

Almost everyday, you reach your home or office, you will find, besides letters delivered by the postman, are pamphlets, brochures and even name cards from many companies. Weekly offers from major hypermarkets printed in the form of booklets are common. Besides, businesses such as colleges, tuition centers, auto service centers, furniture shops and lighting shops spam our letter box every now and then. Also joining the fray are the Ah Longs (loansharks).

Need to be mentioned, some of these pamphlets and brochures are printed in full color on high quality glossy papers while hypermarkets usually have it printed on newspaper-quality papers. Of course there are the cheaper options such as those printed from photocopy machines.

Whichever the way these hardcopies are printed, they are a waste of money and they do nothing good to the environment. In the time where price of goods are going up due to the rising inflation caused by the unwise move by the government to increase the price of fuel by up to 40% two months ago, these corporations should do their part by cutting down their spending on all these pamphlets and brochures.

They should use more effective methods of advertising their services, such as engaging in word-of-mouth advertising by introducing referral programs to customers who introduce new customers to their businesses. This, in turn, can help to keep the prices of goods lower if they cut down on unnecessary spending on printing such pamphlets and brochures.

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The hot an dry weather has been around for more than a week. The latest weather forecast from the Malaysian Meteorological Department doesn’t provide any relieve. It is forecasted in many cities in the nation that the sunny weather is expected for the next 7 days (probably longer).

Of course, the forecasted weather may be updated when new latest information is available. However, the recent hot and dry weather has been affecting the people, with a number of them start falling ill with flu, fever, headaches and sore throats.

Sunny days some 10 to 20 years ago aren’t very bad. Those days, the environment was less polluted and there was no talk about global warming. Daily temperature peaked at about 33 or 34 °C during those years. However, with the more polluted environment today and the global warming, temperature in this part of the world can peak at 36 or 37 °C during the hot and dry days.

Let’s pray for the rainy days to return soon. Perhaps, cloud-seeding exercise should be performed to try make rain!

The Financial Times’s Assif Shameen spoke to Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s opposition leader, about the sodomy charges that he faces and his intent to return to politics. The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

Financial Times: There are reports that you will be arrested and charged imminently. Clearly, you don’t think they have a case?

Anwar Ibrahim: First of all, with all the evidence that is now before them, I don’t see any reason why the authorities should continue with these investigations of alleged sodomy. There is this medical report, which is authentic, very clear. A doctor who examined the accuser clearly ruled out any alleged sodomy.

In any other system where there is justice and fairness, the powers would have by now shut down the investigations and cleared my name. But here in Malaysia, in our so-called police state, it is the intent of the officials, particularly the Inspector General of Police, Musa Hassan, which seems to matter most. This is the same man who was involved in my case in 1998 when I was blind folded and brutally assaulted. I have filed a complaint against him citing his involvement. But instead of addressing pressing economic problems like soaring inflation, the government is trying to divert public attention with this filthy sodomy charade.

Financial Times: The government says it must proceed with the sodomy complaint in accordance with law. If you are innocent, as you say, why not just cooperate with investigators?

Anwar Ibrahim: I am cooperating and I have cooperated. Even though I was never shown a copy of the complaint filed by the accuser or officially told exactly what I am being accused of, I have cooperated with the police and tried to answer all their questions. You have probably heard the reports of how they came to arrest me, how I was forced to strip at a government and how I was forced to stay in a cell overnight. All this was staged to humiliate me. On my part, I have provided them fool-proof evidence, alibi. There are no grounds whatsoever for them to proceed any further.

On the other hand, there is compelling evidence of a deliberate and persistent attempt to incriminate me. Why else would they not show me a copy of my accuser’s complaint after six weeks? Why else do they insist on my DNA or blood samples after they have seen a medical report that clearly says that the accuser was never sodomised? Because they want to fabricate evidence. This is what they did in 1998. Just look at their track record. The players are same, the police chief, the attorney general. Same people using same tricks.

Financial Times: Why do you think the authorities are doing this to you?

Anwar Ibrahim: Because they are terrified. Because their corrupt system is crumbling. You see, these are desperate people. They have decided that they must finish the man who stands between them and power. You must realise the ruling party [Barisan Nasional coalition] lost badly in the March election. It was their worst showing ever. They were humiliated. They won just half of the total votes and even that was after they had disallowed the use of indelible ink which would have stopped cheating.

I see this as a political ploy and a personal vendetta by the Police chief and his political masters whose main aim is to disbar me from active politics for life.

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