One party head, in particular, was concerned whether his
party would get any seat at all, but yesterday's meeting was just the first
round as more meetings have been scheduled in the coming days.

There was another important matter on his table – his travel itinerary to
Kedah, the frontline state of the opposition front, ahead of the general
election.

The visit to the northern state on Monday is part of the Prime Minister's
nationwide whirlwind tour before he decides on the date of the elections,
expected to be called anytime now.

Kedah has been given special emphasis by PAS and Parti Keadilan Nasional
because they believe they will be able to capture the state following the fall
of Kelantan and Terengganu.

Four of the Islamist party stalwarts – secretary-general Nasharuddin Mat Isa,
former Mesjid Negara imam Taib Azamuddeen Mohd Taib, former Youth chief Mahfuz
Omar and fiery orator Mohamed Sabu – are defending their parliamentary seats in
this rural heartland.

Keadilan has also announced that it is fielding vice-president Tian Chua and
supreme council member Irene Fernandez, an outspoken advocate of migrant
workers' rights, in the state.

Umno has also regarded Kedah as a state to be defended passionately as two
former prime ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, hail
from the state.

With a battle royale looming, Abdullah, a respected religious scholar, is
heading to the state to tell the voters that Islam is not just the monopoly of
PAS politicians.

In previous stops, especially in Kelantan and Terengganu, he repeatedly told
his audience of farmers that God did not tell Muslims not to work too hard but
instead asked Muslims to strive for progress and to do so in moderation.

He has countered allegations by PAS that the Barisan government is secular and
not Islamic, pointing out that the Government had introduced Islamic practices
in finance and education.

At the same time, Abdullah has also reassured non-Muslims that he is a leader
of all Malaysians, regardless of their religion and race. He has also pointed
out that their rights would be protected, as entrenched in the Federal
Constitution.

The stakes are high. In the 1999 general election, Kedah Barisan took eight
parliamentary seats while PAS won seven. At state level, Barisan has 23 seats
against PAS' 12 and Keadilan's one.

The Barisan is putting in extra efforts to win back the lost seats because
gerrymandering, common in all democracies, has always benefited the ruling
parties.

As far as figures are concerned, the re-delineation exercise has made the job
of the opposition more difficult.

Mahfuz, for example, won his Pokok Sena seat with a 3,637-vote majority, but
this time, the Draga state seat, with a large Chinese electorate, has been
shifted from Alor Star to Pokok Sena.

The Alor Star seat is held by MCA central committee member Datuk Chor Chee
Heung, a popular politician who has held the seat for two terms. He won the
Alor Star seat with a 14,589-vote majority.

Tian Chua has been speculated to contest against Chor this time.

Nasharuddin, who won his Jerai parliamentary seat by a 182-vote margin, is also
having a headache as the Gurun state seat, also with a sizeable non-Muslim
vote, has been moved from the Merbok parliamentary area to Jerai. Former
Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin won the Merbok seat with a 15,376-vote
majority in 1999.

The PAS propaganda machine has, to some extent, convinced its supporters and
opposition sympathisers that the Barisan is in danger of losing Kedah but the
figures seem to suggest otherwise.

In the 1999 polls and the subsequent Anak Bukit by-election, PAS won four parliamentary
and eight state seats with three-digit majorities.

The political sentiments in 1999 were very much different then.

The Malay voters then were upset with the manner the Government had handled the
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim issue and much of that anger was translated into votes
against the Barisan.

A new man is now in charge of the Government and Umno – and Abdullah fits the
image of a Muslim leader respected by the largely conservative electorate in
Kedah.

Abdullah's first duty on being appointed Prime Minister was to visit the
flood-hit padi fields of Kedah and to announce that agriculture would top his
agenda from now.

Such talk has certainly helped Abdullah, who speaks the northern Malay dialect,
score points in the fight for the hearts and minds of Kedahans.

A day earlier, news had broken out that the Prime
Minister had called off his plans to attend the Group of 15 summit in Caracas,
Venezuela, to concentrate on the elections, but he avoided being drawn into the
question, saying he had to meet his officers first.

While there were no discussions on the election at the Cabinet meeting, the
capital was abuzz with speculation yesterday that Parliament had been
dissolved.

Not wanting to be caught off guard, some newspaper organisations sent reporters
to Istana Negara on hearing talk that Abdullah was heading to the palace to
seek an audience with the King to dissolve Parliament.

Readers called up newspaper offices to seek confirmation, with one claiming he
heard about the palace meeting on TV, even though there was no such report.
There were plenty of these rumours on the Internet as well.

One of Abdullah's aides, on being contacted by The Star about such talk,
replied: "What palace meeting? I just walked out of his room. He is still
there."

But most Barisan Nasional component party leaders have started to finalise
preparations for the polls while waiting to meet the Prime Minister to get his
endorsement of the candidates.

The selection of candidates is regarded as a more onerous task as there will
always be many aspirants while some incumbents are reluctant to retire
gracefully despite having overstayed in their constituencies. Barisan sources
said that no firm decisions had been reached on the final list of candidates.

Other decisions include moving several state Barisan leaders to federal level.
Among those mentioned are Mentri Besar Datuk Ghani Othman and state exco member
Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, both from Johor.

Then, there are the more complicated matters such as swapping of seats among
Barisan component parties and claims of overlapping following the drawing up of
new seats.

The guessing game has become more difficult because no date has been fixed for
the next Barisan supreme council meeting.

While all the nitty-gritty hasn't been settled, nevertheless, over the past one
week, Barisan leaders have been closeted at their headquarters planning their
election campaigns while, at state level, election workshops were held over the
weekend to brief workers on new election rules.

The fact that Abdullah cancelled his trip to Caracas to focus on his nationwide
tour has fired the imagination of Barisan and opposition leaders, with most
believing he will dissolve Parliament within the next few weeks.

Some predict this could happen as early as next week before Parliament begins
meeting on March 8.

Under election rules, a vote must be held within 60 days of Parliament being
dissolved. The Election Commission will then set the nomination date within 10
days and the polling date is likely to be not more than 10 days later.

Against the uncertainty of when the polls will be held, one thing remains sure
– the Prime Minister is going full steam with his visit to the states to carry
the message of his fight against corruption and instil the culture of
accountability, good governance and credibility.

It's a long journey for the parties involved as they have
to fly to London or Frankfurt for a connecting flight to Caracas.

There have been no signals from the Prime Minister's office over the status of
Abdullah's itinerary, which requires Abdullah to stay in Caracas until Feb
29.

But it is almost certain that Abdullah will give the G15 summit a skip and
focus his attention on preparations for the general election.

It is likely that Abdullah would shift his energies on his whirlwind tour of
the nation and this week, he will focus on the northern states.

An official announcement on the cancellation of the trip would be a strong
indication that the polls would surely be called soon.

Last week, he flew to Terengganu and Sarawak, where he met state Barisan
Nasional leaders. The messages and mood of the huge gatherings were familiar,
all pointing to the polls.

On Sunday, flags of the Barisan were put up in several strategic spots in
Penang, particularly in areas where election workshops were being
conducted.

In Tasik Glugor, PAS and Umno appeared to lock horns by competing to put up
flags at the highest points of the trees in the area.

Going by the probabilities, it is possible that Parliament would be dissolved
as early as March 7 before its scheduled session the following day.

It would serve little purpose for the honourable members if Parliament is
dissolved midway.

In the 1999 elections, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dissolved Parliament midway in
the session – the first time in the country's history – but that was because he
had to table the Budget.

This time, there is no such predicament for Abdullah. Most MPs would rather
spend their time campaigning instead of attending the daily meetings for a
month.

Most Barisan MPs will not relish the idea of allowing their opposition
counterparts to use the Dewan Rakyat to score political points in the run up to
the elections.

The Government also does not want the opposition to bring up potentially
embarrassing issues, which would put the former on the defensive.

If Parliament is dissolved by March 7, the Elections Commission will probably
fix nominations within two weeks and polls are likely to be held by the end of
March or early April. The campaigning period would probably be less than 10
days this time.

Over the next one week, most Barisan parties would have drawn up their list of
potential candidates. The distribution of the 25 new parliamentary seats would
need to be quickly finalised in the coming weeks to enable the component
parties to gear up in these new areas.

According to informed sources, even that should not be a problem as the
majority of the new seats would go to Umno, which has a strong campaign
machinery.

The time is right – Abdullah, who has just completed his 100 days in office, is
probably the most popular Malaysian leader now.

With Abdullah likely to announce his decision to call off his trip to Caracas
this week, it should be all systems go from now for the elections.

He also ordered the state liaison committees to activate
their election machinery to involve members at every level.

But Abdullah has said he will visit Teheran from Feb 18 for a conference on aid
for developing countries. Then there is the Group of 15 summit in Caracas,
Venezuela, from Feb 25 to 29.

He has gone on record to say that he would attend both meetings but also said
trips could be postponed for all kinds of reasons. He is also scheduled to
visit Sabah on March 2.

The consensus among Barisan and opposition leaders is that the polls are near –
and they predicted Parliament could be dissolved by early or mid-March.

Most Members of Parliament have questioned the necessity for Dewan Rakyat to
meet from March 8 to April 12, saying their minds would not be on the debates.
They would rather spend time campaigning in their respective
constituencies.

The government bench also does not want to trade verbal blows with the
opposition for an entire month at the Dewan, particularly when the latter would
seize every opportunity to raise all kinds of controversial issues, including
potentially embarrassing ones.

More significantly, the five-year term of the Sabah Government will end after
April 12. If state elections are not called by then, the assembly will
automatically dissolve and elections have to be called within the next 60
days.

Barisan leaders are in favour of holding the Sabah elections simultaneously
with the rest of the country, saying it would be a costly affair to have
separate polls.

In the 1999 general election, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad called for elections when
the Dewan Rakyat was in session – the first time in the country's
history.

Various dates have been thrown up in the guessing game, with most believing
that polling will be held either at the end of March or early April. The
general consensus that Barisan will capitalise on the "feel good" sentiment
prevailing among voters.

Not wanting to be caught off-guard, the opposition is also in full swing, with
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang announcing the party's manifesto in
Kedah last week.

PAS and Parti Keadilan Nasional, which have made Kedah their frontline state,
have announced their allocation of state and parliamentary seats in the state.
Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua and supreme council member Irene Fernandez
are both contesting in Kedah.

Malacca-born Tian Chua contested against MCA vice-president Datuk Dr Fong Chan
Onn in Selandar in the 1999 polls. The Human Resources Minister won with a
thumping 10,447-vote majority.

This time, it is speculated that he will contest against MCA central committee
member Datuk Chor Chee Heung, who is the Deputy Home Minister, in Alor Star.
Chor won with a 14,589-vote majority against DAP's George John then.

Fernandez, a social activist who campaigns for the rights of migrant workers,
is making her debut in this general election. Talk is that she will try her
luck in Padang Serai, held by Christina Lim Bee Kau who won with a 9,372-vote
majority against Keadilan's Saifuddin Nasution.

While it is clear that DAP chairman Lim Kit Siang and his deputy Karpal Singh
will be contesting, no one is sure which constituency Lim will pick. Karpal
Singh is likely to remain in Penang.

In 1999, Lim lost to Gerakan secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye by 104 votes in
Bukit Bendera while Karpal lost to Gerakan's Lee Kah Choon by 775 votes.

At state level, Lim lost to Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan at Kebun Bunga (3,708-vote
majority) and in Datuk Kramat, lawyer Lim Boo Chang of MCA defeated Karpal
Singh by 3,148 votes. His son, Jagdeep Singh, lost to Datuk Koay Kah Huah at
the Bukit Glugor state seat by 4,017 votes.

The spotlight this time will also be on Kelantan and Terengganu where Barisan
is trying to make an impact. Barisan leaders seem optimistic about Terengganu
but most analysts do not think the coalition will be able to win back Kelantan
where Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat has a strong grip.

Umno campaigners are counting on Abdullah to make the difference in the rural
heartland. With his Islamic credentials and his Mr Clean image, many opposition
activists are worried.

His common touch and his widely publicised crusade against corruption have
endeared him with padi farmers and fishermen, who welcome his decision to make
agriculture a priority in his agenda.

Over the next few weeks, we can be sure that election fever will be felt as
Barisan and the opposition shift into high gear in the run-up to the 2004
general election.

The Federal Constitution also clearly stipulates the
right of the Chinese community to practise their traditions. Moreover, the
school authorities, under the jurisdiction of the Education Ministry, had given
the nod for the gathering to be held at SK Sultan Sulaiman I.

Hadi, the hardliner of the Islamist party, had given three reasons for refusing
to approve the gathering – the open house would be held during prayer time, the
venue was not appropriate for entertainment purposes, and that women performers
would be involved.

Malaysians can understand and appreciate Hadi's reservations on the timing of
the gathering. However, the organisers had said it would not start until
8.40pm.

In fact, the unwritten rule for many event organisers, even in Kuala Lumpur, is
to begin functions at 8.30pm to allow Muslims to perform their prayers. Such
sensitivity should rightly be observed.

But, as Culture, Tourism and Arts Minister Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir Fadzir
said, Chinese guests could eat first if they wanted to. I believe the Chinese
guests at the Terengganu gathering were polite enough to wait for their Muslim
friends.

What I cannot fathom is Hadi's fuss over the gathering's entertainment
programme. Husband-and-wife team Yusry and Erra Fazira are highly regarded for
their wholesome family act. Female singer Bienda, for example, is probably
among the few Malay artistes who wear the tudung.

Surely he has no quarrel with the Alleycats, probably the only non-Malay band
singing Malay songs and comprising singers who are now in their 50s.

Taking into account the conservative setting of the east coast state, the
organisers had included nasyid groups and a Chinese orchestra.

Hadi had said the ministry's application to the Kuala Terengganu Municipal Council
did not comply with the provisions of the Entertainment and Places of
Entertainment Enactment 2002.

Although he did not specify which provision, it is learnt that the enactment,
which was passed by the PAS state government, forbids women artistes from
performing in public places – even for cultural dances.

Last year, organisers of a Deepavali gathering landed in hot soup when they
included a traditional Indian dance by male and female performers. Then, the
Kuala Terengganu MCA earned the wrath of Hadi when they wanted to hold a social
dance for senior citizens.

The latest objection by PAS is another reflection of how intolerant its leaders
can be towards the political, cultural and religious rights of minorities
despite professing to protect them if the party were to form the next federal
government.

In fact, PAS leaders, including its spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat,
even defended the Taliban when they blew up the largest free-standing statue of
Buddha in Afghanistan.

In the name of religion, PAS leaders would remove every layer of democratic
process in Malaysia by labelling its opponents as "infidels and Jews" while
non-Muslims who speak up would be told they lack the credentials to speak about
the party because they have no knowledge of Islam.

This tactic has long been used by PAS to intimidate its opponents and those
without the courage and stamina to fight its leaders from shoving down the
throats of moderate Malaysians their own interpretations of Islam.

Equally disturbing is the continuing silence of non-Muslim leaders in Parti
Keadilan Nasional, which is bent on helping PAS wrest power. Never mind if they
only get the crumbs by becoming a junior partner in the ruling coalition.

Where are the outspoken non-Muslim Keadilan leaders who dare to challenge the
Federal Reserve Unit police at demonstrations but remain timid when PAS leaders
trample on the rights of moderate Malaysians?

But the disease is no laughing matter. We have banned the
import of chicken from Thailand and we must ensure that our soldiers do not let
their guard down in preventing any attempt to smuggle chickens across the
border.

The Thai government has come under fire from the public for an alleged cover-up
but the authorities have maintained that it was actually a "screw-up" and there
was no attempt to conceal the disease.

Thai government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair blamed government agencies for
"misinterpretation of procedures" and "inadequate information relayed", saying
there was a distinction between a cover-up and inefficiency.

But the damage has been done with two lives lost. The Thai government did a lousy
job by taking things lightly.

Accountability, transparency and the availability of information must always be
upheld in dealing with matters involving the public, particularly their health.
Thailand, it seems, has not learnt from the SARS outbreak.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra revealed that the famous Chatuchak
weekend market tested positive for the virus and poultry culling would
continue.

With thousands of stalls selling products from local handicraft to pets, the
market is regarded as a compulsory stop for tourists. By naming the market as
one of the two places in Bangkok hit by the bird flu, tourism will certainly be
affected.

The irony is that earlier this year, Thailand declared 2004 as the Year of Food
Safety. For the sake of its credibility, Thailand must now seriously handle the
whole issue.

Singapore, which imports 120,000 live chickens from Malaysia daily, has
strengthened its checks on our 50 to 60 trucks at the Tuas checkpoint. The
precautions include checking for infection – chickens with purple necks, combs
and legs or swollen heads and legs.

Documents detailing each chicken's journey from farm to market are verified as
a form of contact tracing. If a bird is found with the virus, the entire
consignment can be traced and culled immediately.

Learning from the SARS experience, Singapore has gone one step further – it has
designated Tan Tock Seng Hospital as the place for all patients suspected of
having contracted bird flu.

The Singapore government has emphasised that unlike SARS, the bird virus is not
transmitted between humans. Still, bird flu victims will be treated the same
way as SARS patients. It means they will be isolated.

Experts around the world have been fighting against time to find out how the
disease has spread and one possibility is migratory birds. World Health
Organisation officials said such birds played a key role in passing the virus
by producing infected droppings that dry up, turn to dust and are inhaled by
other birds.

Other possible factors include the smuggling of infected livestock,
contaminated feed, clothing and equipment, as well as over-crowded chicken
coops. A common factor among the 10 countries hit by the virus was the natural
route taken by millions of migratory birds that could have passed the virus to
domesticated birds.

Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng has advised the people to take
precautionary measures if Malaysia is to remain free of the virus. He stressed
the authorities were monitoring all cases of influenza-like illness but there had
been no abnormal increase in such cases.

He said all poultry-based food, including eggs, should be thoroughly cooked
because heat would kill the virus. In other words, roasted chicken is fine but
avoid half-boiled eggs for the time being.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Shariff Omar has directed chicken
farmers to check the presence of migratory birds, including egrets and terns,
which might be attracted by the food in poultry farms.

Our authorities can take other stringent measures, such as reducing the number
of crows in places like Klang, Johor Baru and George Town, which have many
eatery outlets. More checks should be conducted on restaurants that keep
livestock such as birds.

Besides being illegal zoos, they pose a health hazard to customers. The
authorities should not wait for handwritten reports before taking action
against these restaurant operators.

We also need to keep a close watch on migratory birds found in padi fields and
other areas to make sure they do not carry the virus.

But our health and civil defence agencies should consider holding a field
exercise to simulate an actual disease outbreak to test our preparedness in
such situations.

By taking these steps, we would not just be fine-tuning ourselves to face any
disease outbreak but prove that we have a credible, responsible, transparent
and competent government.

But the disease is no laughing matter. We have banned the
import of chicken from Thailand and we must ensure that our soldiers do not let
their guard down in preventing any attempt to smuggle chickens across the
border.

The Thai government has come under fire from the public for an alleged cover-up
but the authorities have maintained that it was actually a "screw-up" and there
was no attempt to conceal the disease.

Thai government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair blamed government agencies for
"misinterpretation of procedures" and "inadequate information relayed", saying
there was a distinction between a cover-up and inefficiency.

But the damage has been done with two lives lost. The Thai government did a lousy
job by taking things lightly.

Accountability, transparency and the availability of information must always be
upheld in dealing with matters involving the public, particularly their health.
Thailand, it seems, has not learnt from the SARS outbreak.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra revealed that the famous Chatuchak
weekend market tested positive for the virus and poultry culling would
continue.

With thousands of stalls selling products from local handicraft to pets, the
market is regarded as a compulsory stop for tourists. By naming the market as
one of the two places in Bangkok hit by the bird flu, tourism will certainly be
affected.

The irony is that earlier this year, Thailand declared 2004 as the Year of Food
Safety. For the sake of its credibility, Thailand must now seriously handle the
whole issue.

Singapore, which imports 120,000 live chickens from Malaysia daily, has
strengthened its checks on our 50 to 60 trucks at the Tuas checkpoint. The
precautions include checking for infection – chickens with purple necks, combs
and legs or swollen heads and legs.

Documents detailing each chicken's journey from farm to market are verified as
a form of contact tracing. If a bird is found with the virus, the entire
consignment can be traced and culled immediately.

Learning from the SARS experience, Singapore has gone one step further – it has
designated Tan Tock Seng Hospital as the place for all patients suspected of
having contracted bird flu.

The Singapore government has emphasised that unlike SARS, the bird virus is not
transmitted between humans. Still, bird flu victims will be treated the same
way as SARS patients. It means they will be isolated.

Experts around the world have been fighting against time to find out how the
disease has spread and one possibility is migratory birds. World Health
Organisation officials said such birds played a key role in passing the virus
by producing infected droppings that dry up, turn to dust and are inhaled by
other birds.

Other possible factors include the smuggling of infected livestock,
contaminated feed, clothing and equipment, as well as over-crowded chicken
coops. A common factor among the 10 countries hit by the virus was the natural
route taken by millions of migratory birds that could have passed the virus to
domesticated birds.

Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng has advised the people to take
precautionary measures if Malaysia is to remain free of the virus. He stressed
the authorities were monitoring all cases of influenza-like illness but there had
been no abnormal increase in such cases.

He said all poultry-based food, including eggs, should be thoroughly cooked
because heat would kill the virus. In other words, roasted chicken is fine but
avoid half-boiled eggs for the time being.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Datuk Seri Shariff Omar has directed chicken
farmers to check the presence of migratory birds, including egrets and terns,
which might be attracted by the food in poultry farms.

Our authorities can take other stringent measures, such as reducing the number
of crows in places like Klang, Johor Baru and George Town, which have many
eatery outlets. More checks should be conducted on restaurants that keep
livestock such as birds.

Besides being illegal zoos, they pose a health hazard to customers. The
authorities should not wait for handwritten reports before taking action
against these restaurant operators.

We also need to keep a close watch on migratory birds found in padi fields and
other areas to make sure they do not carry the virus.

But our health and civil defence agencies should consider holding a field
exercise to simulate an actual disease outbreak to test our preparedness in
such situations.

By taking these steps, we would not just be fine-tuning ourselves to face any
disease outbreak but prove that we have a credible, responsible, transparent
and competent government.

Think hard. Nurulhuda was just a Year Four pupil who was
cycling to a grocery shop before she was raped, sodomised and left in a toilet
of a guardhouse near the village where she lived.

Another victim, nine-year-old schoolgirl Haserawati Saridi, too, was raped and
murdered while she was walking to school in Kampung Rantau near Menggatal in
Sabah on Jan 8.

In Terengganu, an eight-year-old girl was raped by a man in some bushes while
she was on her way to buy groceries in Besut on Jan 13. A villager found the
victim crying by the roadside.

All three victims certainly did not wear revealing or seductive clothing that
provoked rape. Certainly, they were not flirtatious or had behaviour with men
that could be regarded as open invitations for sex.

They were just innocent kids. All these recent cases took place in the rural
heartland. These three horrible crimes took place in villages where the moral
fibre is still regarded as strong.

If we listen to our self-appointed guardians of morality, they would simply
point their fingers at women as the contributing factor for increasing rapes,
besides moral decadence and Western influences.

The excesses in our cities, as some of our simplistic and ignorant politicians
would like us to believe, is the cause of the increasing sex crimes. So, we hear
calls to ban concerts by provocatively dressed singers and proposals to impose
dress codes.

Such arguments, however, do nothing to prevent rapes but only serve to further
victimise rape victims. Women, in some cases, have been held responsible for
the sexual behaviour of these rapists.

It's a case of the padan muka (they asked for it) attitude and so, the weirdos
who get sexually aroused by looking at a woman's armpit or her hairdo, are
spared the blame.

There is also this myth that women only get raped after they readily accept
drinks or rides from total strangers at nightspots or shopping complexes. I am
not saying that rapes don't happen after such careless liaisons but research
has shown that even in our neighbourhoods, no one is spared.

For that matter, the villages have continued to be in the news for sex crimes.
In 2002, Felda settlers found themselves in the news for rape and incest rather
than their agricultural abilities.

Settler Shari Mohd Shariff, 41, was sentenced to 12 years' jail and 12 strokes
of the rotan after he pleaded guilty to two counts of raping his 12-year-old
daughter at their Felda Serting Tiga, Air Hitam, home.

We will never be able to ascertain the causes of sex crimes in rural areas
where the religious foundation is said to be strong.

In 2001, police reported that crime rates shot up in Terengganu, which saw a
30.8% rise, and in Kelantan, which had a 12.3% jump, despite the imposition of
moral rules and hudud laws by the leaders of the two states.

Between 2000 and 2003, Selangor registered the highest number of reported rape
cases at 216, followed by states with strong rural bases such as Johor (194),
Kedah (110), Sabah (109), Perak (91) and Sarawak (81). Kuala Lumpur, for all
its so-called avenues of vice, had 67 cases against Kelantan's 52 and
Terengganu's 48.

The cynics among some of us would say that the sometimes-repressive environment
in rural areas might have worsened things. Pent-up frustrations, one might
say.

Interestingly, research by the Consumers Association of Penang between 1985 and
1988 showed that for pre-puberty girls, their attackers included their
neighbours and schoolmates. Certainly not total strangers.

But the most important point is that these pre-puberty victims were too young
to be in any position to secure the attention of their male attackers. They
were just minding their own business when they were accosted.

The two youngest victims in the study, published as a book titled Rape in
Malaysia, were five-year-olds. The most brutal case was in 1987 and the victim
was nine-year-old Ang May Hong, who was raped and murdered on her way to buy
breakfast one morning. Her father found her body three hours later in an empty
house not far from her Jalan Ipoh house in Kuala Lumpur.

In the same year, seven-year-old Chong Ser Ling was sleeping beside her mother
one night when she was abducted and raped in an adjoining house. She died on
her way to hospital – the rapist was a childhood friend of Ser Ling's
father.

All the laws and penalties in Malaysia would not make any difference if
Malaysian men, including some of our politicians, regard women as mere sexual
objects or playthings for men.

We must emphasise the point that there seems to be a perception that only
"certain" women are likely to be raped. The fact is that pre-puberty girls and
even grandmothers have been raped in Malaysia.

Our lawmakers can also look at countries such as Australia, Canada, Britain and
New Zealand which have revised their rape laws and the handling of such
cases.

Then, there is the aspect of making it easier for rape victims, who are in
emotional and psychological shock, to lodge reports against their attackers at
police stations or hospitals.

But all the promises and pledges of our leaders should not end even if the
media no longer put rape news on the front pages. Just remember – such sexual
assaults can happen to our daughters, sisters or mothers when they are out on
the streets today.

Although the two-time Grammy Awards winner can still
perform to a sell-out crowd, she has to do more in the face of heavy
competition from newcomers such as Beyonce, Christina Aguilera and Britney
Spears.

Regarded as the best-selling female performer of all time, Carey has shed more
of her skimpy clothes in her videos and continued to retain most of her male
admirers, including those PAS members who must have been secretly watching the
clips.

If it's all about sexy singers, the majority of us would rather watch Kylie
Minogue or Shakira, Being sexy, however, does not mean being erotic, lewd and
obscene. Anggun, Ning Baizura and Ella are considered to be sexy by many,
regardless of whether they are men or women, but they are properly
dressed.

We like Carey simply because she is a good vocalist. She also composes her
songs, and with 15 hit singles under her belt, she certainly has talent. She is
proud of her physical assets and flaunts them much more than she ought to, but
we believe she is sensible enough to abide by the conditions spelt out to her
by the Malaysian authorities for her Feb 22 concert here.

After all, she is scheduled to perform in Jakarta on Feb 15, Beirut on Feb 24
and Dubai on Feb 26 – all three cities with predominantly Muslim populations –
as part of her world tour.

It is understood that Singapore, well aware of the tourism gains from such a concert,
tried very hard to get her to sing there but she picked Kuala Lumpur over the
island republic.

Last week, Federal Territory PAS Youth deputy chief Ahmad Sabki Yusof protested
against the concert, saying it was untimely and that Carey was known for her
sexy and provocative dressing. PAS could not accept her "immoral performance",
he said. Criticising the Government for allowing such an "obscene act", he said
her concert was not suitable for the people.

PAS was also unhappy that the Government allowed Linkin Park to perform here
recently.

Malaysians should be familiar with the stance adopted by PAS. In the name of
religion, they have played moral guardians again. Not only have they protested
against anything Western, they have banned mak yong and wayang kulit, very much
part of the Malay culture, supposedly because of Hindu influences.

Years ago, students aligned to PAS staged a protest at Universiti Malaya
against a concert by jazz queen Sheila Majid and also at Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia for holding an Alleycats concert. The argument then was that campuses
should not be venues for pop concerts. If so, what about PAS politicians
preaching at these campuses?

In Terengganu, the PAS government has banned Indian dances for Deepavali
celebrations on the grounds that they involved female and male dancers. A
social dance for senior elders, organised by the state MCA, also ran into
trouble.

PAS leaders, in their eagerness to embrace the Arab culture, have unfortunately
gone overboard in the name of religion. To put down their opponents, the PAS
leaders brand them as Jews and anti-Islam.

They have used such arguments for far too long, and moderate Malaysians should
not allow them to intimidate us with such baseless allegations. Non-Muslims
should not let these mullahs dictate what we should see and what we should
wear.

The Terengganu government tried to impose a dress code on non-Muslims but has
since backtracked, because we will not allow ourselves to be subjected to the
theocratic rule of PAS.

Not all Arab women in their home countries wear the veil, as PAS politicians
would want us to believe. Just tune in to the Arab Radio Television (ART)
channel in Astro and you will see what I mean. The broadcasters in ART and
Al-Jazeera are mostly blondes, stylish and contemporary. ART is a 24-hour
general entertainment channel broadcasting from Egypt to the Middle East and
some parts of Australia.

We cannot allow politicians in the guise of theologians, irrespective of their
religion, to run Malaysia. We have a Federal Constitution with secular laws,
which forms the foundation of this country – and it should remain that way. Any
effort, big or small, to chip away this foundation must be stopped.

Moderate Malaysians should ignore the protest by PAS against the Mariah Carey
concert. PAS is living in the past and is simply passe.

He also did not want someone with political ambitions,
with an eye for popularity, who would probably build up his own war chest.
Anyone with these ideas in mind would probably expose himself to all kinds of
allegations and suspicions.

In short, Abdullah – who has built an image as Mr Clean and has made the war
against corruption the cornerstone of his policies – does not want a politician
at the Finance Ministry who will be responsible for approving contracts and
projects to businessmen.

Since assuming office as Prime Minister, Abdullah has repeatedly stressed the
importance of prudent fiscal policies and the management of public spending by
putting off non-priority projects. He has emphasised the rule of law,
transparency and corporate governance.

By promoting economic adviser Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop to Second Finance
Minister, Abdullah will be assured of a person who can devote his time and
attention to the economy.

The former Bank Negara adviser is best known for his role in helping Malaysia
get rid of the scourge of currency speculators during the Asian financial year
crisis of 1997-98 by imposing selective capital controls and pegging the
ringgit.

He was instrumental in laying the groundwork for Islamic banking in Malaysia, a
model being emulated by a number of Islamic countries, and also responsible for
setting up Valuecap Sdn Bhd, an investment agency whose aim is to buy shares of
undervalued companies with good growth potential in the Kuala Lumpur Stock
Exchange.

Nor Mohamed's appointment has been well received by the business community,
which has been complaining about the need for more transparency in the Finance
Ministry for the past one year.

Regarded by businessmen as market-savvy and clean, they hope to see Nor Mohamed
bring positive changes. Since last week, the KLSE has received favourably the
appointment of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as Deputy Prime Minister and the
other Cabinet changes.

At private meetings with senior political leaders, key corporate leaders have
called for more check and balance in the ministry, which handles the purse
strings of the country. Without doubt, the Prime Minister has taken these
sentiments seriously.

Nor Mohamad, who studied at St Xavier's Institution and Universiti Malaya, was
sworn in as senator on Thursday but he would not have to contest the next
general election, speculated to be in March or April.

Much is expected of Nor Mohamed. Malaysians hope he will carry out personnel
changes in the Finance Ministry to boost efficiency and even credibility.

As a vital ministry in the government, it needs people of high integrity. Those
whose image has been tarnished should have no place in the ministry. They
should be transferred out, retired or have their contracts terminated.

In short, Nor Mohamed needs to carry out a clean-up job in the ministry.
Malaysians have great confidence in Nor Mohamed, who has an impeccable
reputation as a trouble-shooter, and with him as Second Finance Minister we
believe he will carry out Abdullah's policy of transparency and corporate
governance.

Malaysians also hope the Second Finance Minister will review the manner in
which contracts have been given through negotiations instead of open
tender.

Nor Mohamed will be able to provide sound advice to Abdullah on the need to
re-look at how we have committed ourselves to expensive projects, well above
the amount budgeted under the Eighth Malaysia Plan. Surely, something isn't
right somewhere.

With his solid track record, we can expect positive changes at the Treasury
over the coming weeks.