Week 3, NEWSWRITING ASSIGNMENT 1, Prime Minister's Speech

            PUTRAJAYA: The  environmental issues of landscapes and preserving tropical forests in Malaysia were addressed by the Prime Minister, Dato’ Abdullah Razak’s speech on the 26^th of April at Sri Siantan Conference Hall.

            The Prime Minister made a statement of  the new organization set up for the environment, Malaysia Green Forum, 2010 by the government and emphasized that their resounding commitment towards environmental sustainability in the country. Therefore, the government are working on advancing the environmental and landscape issues occurring in Malaysia.

            Alongside, Dato’ Abdullah Razak also stated the forum’s aim of establishing the environmental issues. MGF2010’s ways of approaching the issues are indeed refreshing and most welcomed. The forum was able to come up with creative, innovative and pragmatic solutions to the green issues we faced, taking full considerations of the environment. Due to that, it had drawn the attention and participants of high ranked social status including experts from within and outside the country.  

            Malaysia is considered one of the richest biodiversity in the world, possessing 16 million hectares of tropical forest areas. The key to this sustainability is preservation. Over 73 per cent of the total forest area are currently protected as national parks. The serious concern adopted way back in 1974 by enacting the Environment Quality Ac as an integral part of the Third Malaysia Plan.

            The announcement of the formation of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water had been made by the Prime Minister after only six days of taking the administration. The government will continue to take awareness of the growing need and urgency of green technology towards sustainable development of the environment. Hence, last year just after 106 days of setting up of ministry, the National Green Technology Policy was launched. Furthermore, The National Green Technology Center also came to being through a restructuring exercise of the then Malaysia Energy Centre.

MGF2010 united leaders and experts from very diverse backgrounds on a platform where environmental issues will be a priority and dealt with. The government welcomes all constructive ideas that could make this blessed country greener and more sustainable.

Week 3, NEWSWRITING ASSIGNMENT 1: EARTHQUAKE STORY

            ALASKA: A natural disaster of a pretty strong earthquake hit few of Aleutian Islands on Sunday night, 7.01pm.

            Three of Aleutian Island fishing villages, Nikolski, Dutch Harbor and Unalaska were approached by an earthquake. The disaster shook the villages and it lasted for about three minutes. It was discovered that the epicenter of the earthquake started in the North Pacific. This was just about 40 miles east of the village in Nikolski and 850 miles southwest of Anchorage. Fortunately, there were no reports of serious injuries and major damage done by the earthquake as the Aleutian residents are sparsely settled. 

            “There was some very minor damage at Nikolski, with items knocked off shelves and small items damaged." said George Carter, a seismologist from the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.

            Cart also mentioned that the quake was felt strongly in the towns of Unalaska, Dutch Harbor and Nikolski. These three fishing villages are located on the western islands in the Aleutian chain.

According to an official, 20 aftershocks of the earthquake were found with one of them measuring at 5.0 on the scale. However, none was powerful enough to cause a tsunami. Alaska Tsunami Warning Center on the other hand, reported that it was measured 6.6 on Richter scale. Earthquake with 6.6 magnitude can cause severe damages if it hits the populate areas. Richter is a scale that measures ground motion and is recorded on seismographs.  In that scale, each increase of one number means a tenfold increase in magnitude. For example, 7.5 is 10 times greater than 6.5.

There are official categories of earthquake motions. The magnitude of 3.5 can cause slight damage, 4 with a moderate damage, 5 with a considerable damage, 6 with a severe damage, 7 will bring major earthquake which can cause widespread heavy damage and 8 is the major earthquake of all.

Week 2, Article 5

Johor, Penang gazetted as ‘No Smoking’ zones

KUALA LUMPUR: Six areas in Penang and one in Johor have been gazetted as 'No Smoking' zones under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement Friday that the gazette was effective Oct 2 and implemented with the cooperation of both state governments.

He said in Penang, the gazetted zones were the George Town Municipal Park, Botanic Gardens, Air Itam Dam, Teluk Bahang Dam (all on the island), Mengkuang Dam in Bukit Mertajam and Ampang Jajar Urban Park in Seberang Perai Tengah.

In Johor, the gazetted 'No Smoking' zone is the Mutiara Rini Urban Forest, Johor Baru.

Liow said in June last year, the Malacca government gazetted five zones, namely Malacca World Heritage City, Malacca Raya, Malacca International Trade Centre, Alor Gajah town centre and Jasin town centre under the Malacca Free of Cigarette Smoke programme.

"The ministry with the cooperation of state governments is determined to create more 'No Smoking' zones, especially in public places.

"This is to protect the non-smokers, especially women and children, from the effects of secondhand tobacco smoke," Liow said in the statement.

He said the Malaysia Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted last year found that 70 percent of adults were exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke in public places.

The Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 prohibits smoking in 21 categories of places including hospital or clinic areas, lifts and public toilets, public transport vehicles, public transport stations/stops, government premises, higher learning institutions, childcare centres/kindergartens, shopping complexes, fuel stations and libraries. - Bernama

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/5/nation/20121005204019&sec=nation

Lead: 

Who: State governments and health minister

What: Six areas in Penang and one in Johor have been gazetted as 'No Smoking' zones 

How: under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004

When: 2nd October

Why:  To protect the non-smokers, especially women and children, from the effects of secondhand tobacco smoke

Element of Newsworthy: Progress

Week 2, Article 4

Boy kidnapped, tortured and hanged over handphone theft

TAMIL Nesan reported that a 17-year-old boy was allegedly abducted, tortured and hanged by a group after being accused of stealing a handphone in Ghaziabad, India, on Thursday.

The victim's distraught mother, Sunaina Jha, told police that her son was taken from their house at 8.30am and taken to the house of one of the abductors, Naeem, who had accused the boy of stealing his phone from his residence.

Police said Sunaina identified Naeem's wife Kousar as one of the other abductors.

The abductors have denied killing the boy and said he committed suicide.

Police have arrested four people and a hunt has been launched for several other suspects.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/6/nation/12135505&sec=nation

Lead:

Who: 17-year-old boy

What: Was abducted and died

How: Was tortured and handed by a group

When: 8.30am

Why: He was accused of stealing suspect's handphone

Element of Newsworthy: Conflict

Week 2, Article 3

Boyfriend blackmails model with nude photos

A MODEL who wanted a clean break with her jobless boyfriend was made a sex slave after he threatened to distribute her nude photos.

Major Chinese dailies reported that the 31-year-old woman claimed that she was also beaten up, raped and forced into giving in to all the man's sexual demands.

The man also recorded their sex acts on his handphones.

Sin Chew Daily reported that the woman lodged a police report on Sept 29 and the man was arrested at a hotel in Jalan Ipoh on Tuesday.

The man was said to have several criminal records for drug-related offences and car theft. Police seized tools believed to be used for processing drugs, eight mobile phones, which contained more nude photos and videos of the model as well as his other victims.

The reports said the man was also a casanova who lured his victims with his good looks and sweet words to convince them to have sex with him before taking nude photos and videos of the acts.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ku Chin Wah said the 32-year-old man was found to have also blackmailed several other women, including a Filipino model.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/5/nation/12126123&sec=nation

Lead:

Who: A model

What: lodged a police report about her abusive and jobless boyfriend

When: Sept 29

Why: The boyfriend forced her to be his sex slave 

How: He threatened to distribute her nude photos

Element of Newsworthy: Conflict

Week 2, Article 2

Lorry driver dies, another injured in Perak accident

IPOH: A lorry driver was killed and another was badly injured after two lorries collided along Jalan Ipoh-Kuala Lumpur near Chenderiang, north of Tapah, Friday, police said.

The dead man was identified as Mohamad Sulaiman, 60, of Kampung Poh, Tapah, and the other as Mohd Redzuan Abdul Rahman, 33, of Temoh, said Tapah police chief Supt Somsak Din Keliaw.

He said Mohd Redzuan, was badly injured in the legs and was sent to the Tapah Hospital. Mohamad's body was also sent there.

Somsak said the accident happened at 2.45 pm when the lorry carrying oil palm fruits driven by Mohamad, going from Chenderiang to Langkap, collided head-on with a fish-laden lorry driven by Redzuan.

The two drivers were trapped between the vehicles and had to be removed by fire and rescue personnel, he said.

The cause of the accident had yet to be determined, he added. - Bernama

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/5/nation/20121005195055&sec=nation

Lead:

Who: Lorry drivers

What: involved in an accident, one died while the other badly injured

When: 2.45pm

How: Two lorries collided

Element of newsworthy: Timeliness

Week 2, Article 1

Perlis prepares for floods

KANGAR: Perlis has made preparation for the possibility of floods due to the heavy rain that had started to fall in the state, said its Mentri BesarDatuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu.

He said that the preparation included creating temporary flood shelters and providing adequate food supply for the flood victims.

"So far, there has been no evacuation of flood victims although several low-lying areas have been inundated," he told reporters after attending a meeting with residents, who are involved in the West Diversion Flood Mitigation project, here Friday.

He said the flash flood that occurred this morning was attributed to the heavy rain that started from midnight last night to 8am Friday, which was made worse by the high tide in Sungai Perlis, causing clogs in drains and culverts in certain areas.

He said the water level at Timah Tasoh Dam was still at 28.34 metres, which was below the alert level at 29.6 metres. - Bernama

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/5/nation/20121005213619&sec=nation

Lead:

Who: Perlis government

What: Made preparation for flash flood

Why:  Due to heavy rain 

When: started from midnight last night to 8am Friday

How:  clogs in drains and culverts worsen flood

Element of newsworthy: Proximity

Article 3

Guard shot dead in jewellery shop heist

PETALING JAYA: A security guard who had worked at a jewellery shop here for more than 20 years died after he was shot by armed robbers Wednesday.

The incident occured around 3.45pm when three men wearing full-face helmets barged into the shop along Jalan Othman.

One of the men brandished a pistol and shot the unarmed security guard twice at point-blank range.

The other two men then used axes to shatter the glass showcases and took the jewellery before leaving the scene on motorcycle.

A police team at the scene of the crime in the jewellery shop in Petaling Jaya.

Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the security guard was rushed to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre but died while receiving treatment around 6pm.

"We have identified the victim as P. Krishnan, 43. He suffered two gunshot wounds to the chest and arm," he said when contacted.

He said the motorcycles were later found abandoned at Jalan Carey, about 1.4km from the crime scene.

"We have acquired CCTV footage from the crime scene to facilitate investigations under Section 4 of the Firearms Act and Section 302 of the Penal Code," he said.

He urged anyone with information to contact the police hotline at 03-2052 9999 or the nearest police station.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/26/nation/20120926215720&sec=nation

Summary of the article

A 43 year-old security guard was shot dead while doing his shift at a jewellery shop for over 20 years. The incident happened at 3.15pm, Wednesday when three men wearing full-face helmets barged into the shop. One of the men shot the unarmed guard while the other two used axes to shatter the glass showcases and took the jewellery before leaving the scene on motorcycle. The security guard was rushed to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, unfortunately died while receiving treatment around 6pm. The motorcycles were later found abandoned at Jalan Carey, about 1.4km from the crime scene. CCTV footage from the crime scene were used to simplify investigations under Section 4 of the Firearms Act and Section 302 of the Penal Code. Anyone with information are urged to contact through police hotline or police station.

Opinion

From my perspective, all owners of their shops should first and fore most, provide their security guards a weapon for self defence. Besides that, an elder security guard should also be accompanied by a younger accomplice to help him out. The robbers didn't have to shoot and hurt anyone. I think it is very inhumane of them to do so, killing an innocent life, that they don't even know and has done nothing to them. I really hope that anyone with information regarding the robbery, will cooperate, go to the police and bring those cold-blooded, vicious creatures to light. I hope justice will be brought up and those men will be punished fairly.

Article 2

Couple held over abuse of maid

JOHOR BARU: A husband and wife have been detained by the police to assist in investigations of alleged abuse of an Indonesian maid.

It is learnt that the couple, in their 20s, was arrested in Batu Pahat after they fled from their home in Taman D'Utama here to avoid being detained by the police.

It is believed that the couple had used hot water, a hot ladle and a hockey stick to abuse their maid.

Johor Baru (North) OCPD Asst Comm Ruslan Hassan said police arrested the couple at their relative's house at Rengit in Batu Pahat on Monday night around 9pm.

"After they avoided arrest twice, we learned that they were hiding in Batu Pahat. However, we managed to locate them.

"They turned themselves in after police arrived at the house," he said Wednesday.

He added that the couple was being remanded for seven days to assist in the investigations.

The case was being investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code for causing harm using weapons, which provides for a jail sentence of up to 20 years and a fine or whipping upon conviction.

ACP Ruslan added that the maid was still receiving treatment for her injuries at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah.

It was recently reported that the 24-year-old maid had run away from her employers after being allegedly abused by them for the past nine months.

She claimed that her employers would get angry with her over minor things and beat her up.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/26/nation/20120926213821&sec=nation

Summary of the article

A married couple in their early 20s was arrested by the police to assist in investigations of alleged abuse of an Indonesian maid. The police managed to find them in Batu Pahat at their relative's house at Rengit in Batu Pahat on Monday night around 9pm after they fled from their home in Taman D'Utama to avoid being detained by the police. In the past, they have avoided arrest twice. It is discovered that the couple used hot water, a hot ladle and a hockey stick to abuse their maid over minor things. The 24 year-old maid ran away after taking in nine months' of abuse and currently is receiving treatment for her injuries at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah. The couple is being remanded for seven days to assist in the investigations under Section 326 of the Penal Code for causing harm using weapons, which provides for a jail sentence of up to 20 years and a fine or whipping upon conviction.

Opinion

I do not think that 20 years of jail is enough to justify what the couple did. Non- parole should be included in the charges. What the couple did to the maid can never be redress. We need to critically address the conditions that enabled the couple to systematically and continuously harm her domestic worker in order to stop this kind of act from continuing. It is not only the couple who are responsible. The government is equally responsible. The conditions of work are not regulated. The employer is given the right to hold the passport of the domestic worker. There is neither a law nor a standardized contract to protect all domestic workers. The government provided the condition of isolation by not giving a paid day off. And consequently, it opened the doors for abuse and exploitation. In fact, the maid was in a trafficked situation where she was in servitude, in a form of slavery condition. Besides that, Indonesian domestic workers who form more than 80 percent of all domestic workers earn shamefully low wages, between RM400-600 but work very long hours a day. They do not get their wages for six months or more as deductions are made to repay the exorbitant recruitment fees charged by recruitment agencies. The work conditions and tasks are undefined and thus many of them not only take of babies and household chores but also cook and even take care of the elderly. These practices tantamount to a form of modern-day slavery. To stop this, the governments need to strengthen the laws. How? By making the agencies have contracts to allow the domestic workers work for only a limited amount of hours per day, be given at least a day off a week, allow them to have a gathering at a place organized for them on their day off to mingle around with other domestic workers so that they will not be isolated. In addition, employers that abuse their domestic workers should be sentence to jail with no parole, high amount of fine and whipping.

Article 1

'Job interviewer' serial rapist nabbed

KUALA LUMPUR: The serial rapist who lured his victims by offering them lucrative salaries and setting up "job interviews" has been nabbed.

Police arrested the 29-year-old salesman about 3am in a house in Section 27, Shah Alam, near here, Wednesday.

City CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ku Chin Wah said initial investigations revealed that the man was involved in at least five rape cases in Klang Valley.

He said three cases were reported here and two in Selangor.

"We believe more women have fallen prey to his 'staged' job interviews but did not lodge reports," he told a press conference here.

His activities came to light after police received reports from two victims who claimed they were raped and robbed during a "job interview."

It was reported that the man would ask his intended victim to a budget hotel in the city to attend the "interview" after she applied for a sales promoter job through a website.

In a replied e-mail, the victim would be offered RM400 per day for the job by the suspect.

The victim was then asked to meet the "interviewer" in a room at the hotel.

SAC Ku said the man would ask the victim to register the hotel room under her name to avoid his name being used.

"He would tell the victims that he had left his identity card at home and could not register," he said, adding that the man was home alone when police raided his house.

Initial investigations also revealed that the man had raped a 19-year-old in 2010 using the same modus operandi.

He also would convince the victims to bring along their valuables such as laptops, mobile phone and cash during the staged interview.

The suspect has been remanded to facilitate in investigations under Section 376 for rape and 392 for robbery.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/26/nation/20120926163951&sec=nation

Summary of the article

The serial rapist that was loose for a few years has finally been caught by the police. He was caught in a house in Section 27, Shah Alam at 3am. The rapist was a  29-year-old salesman that lured his victims by offering them rewarding salaries and setting up "job interviews". Investigations revealed that the man was involved in at least five rape cases in Klang Valley. Police believed that more women have fallen prey to his 'staged' job interviews but did not lodge reports. He was revealed when police received reports from two victims who claimed they were raped and robbed during a "job interview." According to reports, the man would get his victim to a budget hotel in the city to attend the "interview" after she applied for a sales promoter job through a website. The victim was to register the hotel room under her name to avoid his name being used as he would tell the victims that he had left his identity card at home and could not register. He would also convince the victims to bring along their valuables such as laptops, mobile phone and cash. Currently, the suspect is returned to custody for investigation under Section 376 for rape and 392 for robbery.

Opinion

From my perspective, people especially women really need to be careful when they apply jobs online. They should really find out every details about the jobs offered online to avoid being conned and in more serious cases, raped or sold off to other countries to be prostitutes. The people can find out more about the details of the job by asking what the company of the job is and search on it in the Internet. To be more accurate, go to the website of the company and searc for the interviewer's name or call up the company to confirm about the existence of the job offered. 

COM1106 Introduction to Journalism

Currently, I am in semester 2 of college and COM1106, Introduction to Journalism is one of the subjects that I have on my list. The lecturer for this subject would be Mr K, I am not very sure of his full name. I think it is Khairul ... Nevermind. What is this subject about? As you can see from the name of the subject, it is about Introduction to Journalism. Which is obvious from the name given for the subject. Now I am just typing nonsense. May dear Lord help me.

Anyway, what do I expect out of this subject? My expectations are many. I expect this subject to be fun and educational(like any subject isn't. *Rolls eyes* I really ace at talking crap). Hmmm. I expect to be able write better, like a professional when I am done with this subject. I also expect to learn many things from the assignments that I will be given. Assignments that will lead me out of my shell, comfortable little homey shell and make a me an awesome, quick-thinking, creative journalist, editor, reporter, writer, anything to do with words, you name it. What else? Lets see. Hah! I also expect to know more about the terms and functions of the jobs in this journalism industry. Like, editor and what kinds of editors there are and what they do, stuff like that. I want to be a good, no, great writer with my own style with words that people will recognise instantly. I want my words to feel  smart but not boring, with a tablespo- more than that, of my fun in them.  I expect to brush up my vocabulary and I heard that people with good vocabulary are attractive. It can boost my social life at the same time. Hahaha. I think. Not like I need much boosting in socialising, Okay, I lied. About the syllabus of this course, I hope I will be able to keep up and I will. As long as I don't skip any class , listen to what Mr K wants and do something about my memory spam, I should be able to ace this subject and turn out to be a writer that is attractive because of my tremendously high level of vocabulary. Hey, I can dream. Overall, this subject will most probably test my limits.

About The Girl

Who am I?

I am Chen Hsiao Wei. But most of the people or my friends normally just call me Winnie. And I am a girl. The Girl * I made it sound so bewildering. Hahahaa*

I was born in Taiwan, Taipei City according to my many of previous passports(I am a December baby by the way). But unfortunately, I did not grow up there. Come to think of it, I actually don’t mind. I mean, Malaysia is not such a bad country. I just wish that I get to visit Taiwan. Hope to do so one day. I was brought to Malaysia around the age of three to five. I have two siblings and they are my half sisters. My mother passed away when I was 5 and a year or two later, my father remarried. So, out popped my two lovely half sisters. They are like a decade or more younger than me. Currently, San is in standard 3 while En is in Standard 1. I don't really like the word "half sisters". It sounds so... Hmm. How do I put it? It made me and my sisters sound so distance, apart. It is like we don't have the same flesh and blood, like we are not from the same family. You know what I mean? Okay, technically, we only have half of the same DNA and whatever stuff in our gene. I am going to stop blabbering nonsense and get back to the topic.  Anyway, I am aware that I am a Chinese and I can’t read or write loads of Chinese. I am quite a shame of that. I mean, I am a Chinese from Taiwan! I am a disgrace to Chinese race. *Looks down in shame* 

What kind of person am I?

I am a pretty neutral person. I am many things. I am weird, indecisive( I hate having to choose sometimes. Why can’t I have both or all? Haha), quite open minded and so on and so forth. But the three major things that I know I am are awesome, fun and free-spirited. I am not a very particular or picky person either. I don’t act girly and what so ever but I do like clothes and some other girly things. But due to my father’s ridiculous restrictions, I am not free to express myself because of the limited, VERY limited range of clothing I can put on. It’s not like I want to dress up like a slut, I mean he wouldn’t even let me wear a freaking KNEE-LENGHT skirt. What is up with that?? Whatever. Anyway, I try to be as considerate as I can. I too try hard to be rational, not prejudice and not judgemental. I live by the one of the sayings which is “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover”. For instance, I don’t look very friendly or inviting to people I don’t know because I absolutely loathe making the first moves. I just LOATHE it. I can’t get over my over-thinking, awkwardness and shyness. But I am actually a very funny , friendly and nonsensical person. I can come up with all sorts of nonsense. However, I do know that I have to change how I make my first impressions if I want to pursue what I want to do. Besides that, I am quite a hot tempered person which is something that I am not proud of. Sometimes, it gets the best of me so I tend to rush my actions before thinking thoroughly and I always ended up regretting later. Don't worry, I am working on that and I think there are some significant improvements. Also, I am not the kind of person that likes start arguments or fights. I have better things to do. But if you (I am not talking about you Mr K. Haha. Just giving an example) mess with me, I will mess you up. I can be a very daring and awful person. Everyone has a dark side in them. Just saying.

Talents I possess.

Hmmm. I think I am not bad in drawing. I started picking up pencils since I was really young. I have quite an imagination. I have a pretty good stamina. I used to participate in my previous school’s cross country and I got quite a number of medals.*Okay, I will stop bragging now. Haha.* I can consume a lot of food if that considered is a talent. I can sleep in any condition. I am really good at hiding my sad feelings. And many more.

What do I lack of.

Mathematic skills. I suck at math. Computer/technology skills. Typing skills. I type really slow. Can’t swim and cycle. Sad right. Unfriendly facial expression when I am alone in an unfamiliar environment. And some other stuff.

My intellectual capacity.

Normal I guess. Hate mathematic. But I really like learning new random stuff. Like for instance, did you know that there was chicken that lived headless for about two years before it accidently choked to death by an eyedropper. And now it’s body is in some museum display. Interesting right?

Hobbies

Reading. Tv, movies, internet. Listening to music. Being active. Going out and trying new things. Buying things. ... Admiring attractive(as in not just physically speaking but also mentally) boys and girls. HAHAHAHA.

My beliefs.

Right and wrong. Equality. Professionalism during work. How I treat people is based on how they choose to treat me.

My social role.

A rotten daughter, an awful sister, a lazy and cunning student, a crappy girlfriend and an okay friend.

What would I change about myself physically?

Just my skin condition. I accept how I look but I can’t accept my dreadful skin condition.  It is just so dreadful.

What would I change about myself mentally?

I don’t think I would want to change anything about myself. I mean that’s what makes me who I am, AWESOME. But if given a choice, I would like to add a dose of patience in me though. Haha.