Cadbury ordered to recall choc bar from the market

Singapore’s food authority today ordered local importers and retailers to recall Australian-made chocolate snack bar Cadbury Boost Totally Nuts (60g) from the market immediately.

This is due to the possible presence of plastic pieces from the manufacturing process, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore said.

AVA took the precautionary measure after it was informed by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand that Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd in Australia was voluntarily recalling its product.

Only Cadbury Boost Totally Nuts (60g) with the 15-06-09 Best Before date is affected, AVA said.

AVA also advised consumers who have bought the product to discard. (NST)

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Woman claimed to have sex in operation theatre

Singapore: A 24-YEAR-OLD woman claimed on a website that she had sex in an operation theatre at a hospital in Singapore, reported Sin Chew Daily.

The woman, who posted a photograph of herself wearing a nurse uniform and a mask, claimed that she had a “good time” with her fiancée while serving as a nurse in the hospital’s emergency ward.

She also claimed that her fiancée is a medical doctor who worked in the same hospital.

The woman said she hoped to try out “the stuff” at other places.

“I have tried out at my workplace. Now, I will attempt to do it in a school or even on a flight,” the newspaper quoted her as saying on the website.

When contacted, a hospital spokesman denied that the woman had worked there.

The daily also reported that newly appointed principal of New Era College, Prof Pua Eng Chong, was being constantly harassed by a group of people using intimidating words.

Such a move was attempted to shatter Prof Pua’s confidence and hamper the development of the college, according to a press statement issued by the New Era College parents committee.

The committee condemned such acts, saying that the transition of school heads from the old to the new were “too numerous to enumerate” worldwide.

It said outgoing principal Dr Kua Kia Soong had served eight years, which was longer than some of the school heads in China. (TheStar)

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Malaysian govt announced awkward populist measures dreaming to get people's support

KUALA LUMPUR- The Malaysian government announced a series of populist measures on Monday and yesterday that are likely to be welcomed by the public and further erode the chances of the opposition wooing enough defectors from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition to form the next government.

On Monday, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad announced a 7 per cent reduction in the price of petrol to RM2 a litre. The price of lower-quality rice was also reduced, by 5-10 per cent. And a request by bus operators to raise fares 100 per cent was denied. Finally, toll rates will drop 10 per cent for drivers who use major highways between midnight and 7am.

In addition, the government has agreed to a long-standing request by the opposition and special interest groups that concession agreements with highway operators be declassified.

Works Minister Mohamad Zin Mohamad said yesterday that all operators except Maju Holdings have agreed to have their contracts revealed for public inspection. Maju operates a dedicated highway between Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Malaysia's administrative capital.

The moves illustrate the government's growing awareness that public disquiet can no longer be dismissed as it once was. Public anger over rising fuel and food prices was a major reason for the National Front's sharp electoral reversal in the March 8 general election.

Meanwhile, the declassification of highway documents signals a government move towards greater transparency. Previously, it claimed the agreements were official secrets, amid claims that many of the contracts were lopsided in favour of the contractor and therefore against public interest.

Economists will not be dismayed by the reduction in petrol prices, as it will have no impact on the budget deficit. On the contrary, Shahrir said that at RM2 a litre, the government is no longer subsidising petrol and, in fact, is taxing the public to the tune of an estimated RM10 billion a year if global oil prices stay around US$55 a barrel. This explains how an extra RM7 billion of spending in the 2009 Budget will be financed.

Malaysian pump prices are still the cheapest in the region. Malaysians pay US$0.53 a litre, while Sri Lankans pay US$1.02 and the Chinese pay US$0.70.

On the declassification of highway agreements, Mohamad Zin said this will happen no later than Jan 1, 2009 and is proceeding because all highway operators except Maju have agreed to disclosure. He said he is unsure whether Maju refused to comply or has simply been tardy with its reply. - Business Times Singapore

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Ku Li chances to be PM become stronger with Chedet help

In a move that could help Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah bid for Malaysian leadership, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has launched one of his strongest attacks yet against the leadership of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno).

Expressing amazement at recent developments in Umno's Supreme Council, Dr Mahathir deplored "private deals" between Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and his deputy Najib Razak as "unsatisfactory".

"By the time Abdullah meets Najib, he would have been briefed by his family on what to say," Dr Mahathir wrote in his Internet blog yesterday.

"And Najib, being Najib, would then accept Abdullah's solution to the problem. Najib would have the task of selling the solution to the Supreme Council. By doing so, Najib would go down further in the estimation of council members and the public when Najib's behaviour is leaked."

Dr Mahathir predicted that Najib would not get his wish for a peaceful transition. "There has never been a president of Umno who is as much disliked and even hated by the people as Abdullah," said the former premier. "Malays, Chinese, Indians . . . the ordinary people all want Abdullah to go - the sooner the better."

Dr Mahathir's outburst is the latest in a long line of ferocious attacks going back two years. It comes at a critical point for the embattled Abdullah, who could face a party revolt amid calls for him to go much earlier than his previously announced June 2010 handover to Najib.

Dr Mahathir's tart comments could also bolster former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh's chances in his seemingly quixotic quest to obtain enough nominations to challenge Abdullah for Umno's presidency and, with it, the prime ministership.

The 72-year-old Kelantan prince faces an uphill battle getting the 58 nominations he needs to challenge Abdullah, largely because he has been out of government for 21 years and a whole generation of Umno members do not know or care about his contributions to the nation.

But if Najib, 55, maintains support for Mr Abdullah and refuses to challenge him, Tengku Razaleigh could get support from frustrated Umno divisions desperate for a change at the top and a firm hand on the rudder.

As if sensing the country's dark mood, Tengku Razaleigh issued an epistle-like statement to all Malaysians on Monday, urging them "to come together in this dangerous situation" because Umno and the government "are no longer viable".

He said the government now commands much less support than it did after the March 8 general election, but rather than share the public's urgency for change, the present office- holders had "redoubled efforts to frustrate renewal, cut off reform, and silence criticism".

Tengku Razaleigh blasted Abdullah's transition plan as a "fantasy which rides roughshod over the party's constitution and the rights of its members".

In many ways, the prince's statement echoes Dr Mahathir's sentiments. "This brazen attempt to treat public office and party trust as a private bequest between two individuals - one of whom wishes to hold office beyond his democratic mandate, the other to ascend without one - and the continuing effort to force-feed the country with this notion, fools no one," said the prince. And there is no mistaking the individuals he was referring to. - Business Times Singapore

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Pak Lah may not seek re-election?

There is a possibility that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi may not seek re-election at the December polls of Umno — of which he is president — following a meeting yesterday of the party’s supreme council, according to party insiders.

Even as recently as Wednesday, Abdullah had maintained that he would seek re-election. But the insiders said the meeting had been “lively and frank” and that while no firm decision had been taken on the handover of power — Abdullah has said he will hand over the job to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak by June 2010 — the message delivered to Abdullah was that he was not popular at the grassroots.

Abdullah has been under pressure following the Barisan Nasional’s disastrous showing in the March 8 general election. Since then he has had to continually fight bushfires that included ferocious and relentless attacks from former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former Finance Minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

Abdullah's popularity in the party further waned following opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's spectacular victory in the Permatang Pauh by-election. Anwar won an increased majority which indicated that the Malays were still staying away from the party that claimed to champion their cause.

A mishandled crisis in his home state of Penang further demonstrated that Abdullah had lost the support of his home base while last week's arrests of three people under the Internal Security Act lent further credence to the thesis that Abdullah's administration was losing credibility.

According to party insiders, the issues came to the fore during yesterday's meeting with some supreme council members speaking bluntly to the premier. One leader, apparently, even told Abdullah that he would not get the nominations necessary to run for party president. Under party rules, a challenger for the presidency needs 58 nominations to run for the post.

More tellingly, International Trade Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who said in Singapore two weeks ago that Abdullah should step down sooner rather than later, wasn't criticised, indicating that his statement was supported by a majority of supreme council members.

The meeting came to a conclusion when Najib stepped in to quell the debate, saying he would discuss the matter further with Abdullah.

This was reinforced by Abdullah who told the press he would meet Najib later. “Whatever decision I make, I will discuss with Najib and the supreme council will be informed,” Abdullah told reporters.

Meanwhile, Abdullah also rejected a challenge put forward by Anwar. The opposition leader threw down the gauntlet yesterday, asking the prime minister to convene an emergency parliamentary sitting to deliberate a no-confidence motion against his leadership “by no later than Tuesday, Sept 23”.

Anwar said that because Abdullah clearly did not believe he had more than 31 possible defectors, “then go to Parliament”. Anwar has consistently maintained that he had the numbers to topple the government.

But the premier declined to take the bait, saying that Parliament was due to meet after Hari Raya anyway.

Separately, Abdullah said that neither “Anwar nor anybody else” would be arrested under the ISA. There had been speculation that the government was planning to crack down on the opposition following Anwar's threats to topple the government.
— Business Times Singapore

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Expansionary 2009 Budget to be presented by PM today

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to present an expansionary budget for 2009 today which could push the budget deficit of the federal government to above 4.5 per cent of gross domestic product, making it the highest deficit since 2003.

Abdullah, who is also finance minister, will table the Bill under the watchful gaze of newly sworn-in opposition leader and former finance minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who has criticised Abdullah's administration for financial mismanagement.

But Abdullah probably has no choice in the matter. Inflation hit a 27-year high in July, touching 8.5 per cent and sparking massive protests across the country. Meanwhile, the cost of construction materials has soared, which will make pump priming projects more expensive. Thus, economists believe that Abdullah could present a total spending package of almost RM200 billion, which would be a record.

Although the increased deficit is likely to annoy the international rating agencies, they are unlikely to downgrade Malaysia's sovereign rating anytime soon. That's because Malaysia's total public debt as a proportion of GDP is 42 per cent, considerably lower than the international “stress” level of 60 per cent.

Abdullah's budget is likely to be populist with pump-priming projects and tax cuts for the lower income group. Analysts also think that some of the spending is likely to be aimed at improving the public transport system now more widely used because of higher fuel prices. Indeed, last year, the government said that an extra RM10 billion would be allocated to extend the light rail transit system in Kuala Lumpur.

Chee Wei Loong of CLSA in Kuala Lumpur thinks that employee contributions to the Employees Provident Fund, the country's largest private pension plan, could be “temporarily” eased to increase cash in hand and help boost consumption spending. The tactic had been used by former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2002 with some success.

Meanwhile, to boost revenue, the government is widely expected to raise “sin” taxes. Duties on cigarettes are widely expected to be raised although the tax on beer is less likely as Malaysian beer, on a relative basis, is already considered extremely expensive.

Analysts are divided on the possibility of the government raising gaming taxes. It would be a populist move where ethnic Malays, who form 64 per cent of the population, are concerned; Islam, the religion of the Malays, forbids gambling. But industry studies have consistently shown that raising gaming taxes drives more gamblers into the illegal market which would translate ultimately to lower government revenues.

For political reasons, Abdullah is also likely to throw more money at Sabah and Sarawak with development projects such as the upgrading of the Trans-Borneo highway and flood mitigation schemes.

The goods and services tax (GST) which was scheduled to be implemented in 2007 is almost definitely off the table. Abdullah is unlikely to impose such a tax for two reasons. One, it could be political suicide and two, it would almost certainly crimp consumption spending which has become a key driver of the Malaysian economy in recent years. — Business Times Singapore


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