The tainted milk scandal in China which leads to the banning of dairy products from China has been extended to include confectionary containing milk, chocolate, chocolate milk, white chocolate and other foods that contain milk, according to an update in The Star Online today.

In the list banned food by the Malaysian Health Ministry is the popular White Rabbit Creamy Candy, which is reportedly contains melamine by the Singapore’s Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA). Also banned are flour-based confections such as biscuits.

Melamine is a chemical which may lead to diseases such as renal failure if consumed.

If you have any China-made dairy-based food at home, please do not consume them for the time being. Retailers are expected to remove such products from their shelves with the decision to ban the products by the Health Ministry.

Last week, the entire nation is shocked with another brutal murder involving a 16-year old girl, Lai Ying Xin (pic) from Kulai, near Johor Bahru. Ying Xin was found dead with her body partially burnt and dumped in some bushes in Taman Putri, Kulai

It is widely reported that the murderers killed her before asking for a RM30,000 ransom from the victim’s family, which is eventually paid before she is found dead.

Last year, two brutal murder cases shocked the nation - UTAR student Tang Lai Meng, 20 and 3-year old Shearwey Ooi Ying Ying while in 2006, the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaaribuu.

It is common that when a murder occurred, police will put their efforts to solve the case and prepare to prosecute the alleged criminals. While the police can be commended for their efforts to bring the criminals to face the law, perhaps it’s time to now focus on crime prevention.

Isn’t it too late that when the police swings into action, the victims are already dead? While the murderers will eventually face the law for their crime, we cannot bring the dead back to life!

Crime rate has increased in recent years and it’s time the police should put their efforts and their best to ensure a crime-free place to live. Instead of spending their effort on investigating bloggers and politicians and setting up road blocks nationwide when a rally or demonstration is planned, the police should do more patrolling to keep the place as safe as possible.

Many people walk along the streets today with a fear that he or she may be the next crime victim - crime in the forms of murder, snatch thefts, rape, etc.

Twenty years ago, everyone walked along the streets without such a fear of being a crime victim. It is a hope and wish of the people to be able to enjoy those good old days of a nearly crime-free environment!

Penang Chief Minister & DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng says the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) should be repealed instead of being reviewed.

He criticized the call by Gerakan Acting President Koh Tsu Koon to establish a parliamentary select committee to review the ISA. Lim pointed out that it will be meaningless, a waste of time and against public interest to review the act.

“It’s a draconian law that has caused (many problems for) the country’s growth into a liberal, progressive and dynamic nation,” he said.

Lim also challenged ministers and deputy ministers from MCA & Gerakan to emulate former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim to resign from their posts to protest against the recent use of ISA against Malaysia Today blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, Sin Chew journalist Tan Hoon Cheng & Selangor state exco Teresa Kok.

“Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop should not blame others but look at the problem faced by the Barisan Nasional federal government.”

“Study why investors are not coming. Is it because (the investors) want a competent and clean government and Barisan cannot provide this?”

These are what Penang Chief Minister & DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng said when opening his service center for the Bagan Parliamentary constituency on Sunday.

Lim said, instead of putting the blame on others, the government should find out the actual cause of the slowdown in foreign investments.

As far as he is concerned, Lim said that investors are still coming to Penang and he did not know how true is the Second Finance Minister’s statement that the actions by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to form a government via defections had let to the slowdown.

“We offer a CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) government. We will assure investors there is no corruption,” he added.