Focus on ownership too, not just 'aggressive' dogs - MCA Youth

Focus on ownership too, not just 'aggressive' dogs - MCA Youth


Published: Apr 4, 2025 3:33 PM
Updated: 6:33 PM



Summary

• MCA Youth urges Kedah to focus on owner responsibility, not solely on banning certain dog breeds like Rottweilers.

• Its secretary-general, Saw Yee Fung, says poor ownership and lack of training, not the breed, led to recent attacks.

• She calls for legal action against negligent owners and stiffer penalties, rather than punishing animals acting on instinct.

MCA Youth has called for a more nuanced approach following reports that Kedah is considering a ban on “aggressive” dog breeds in residential areas.

Its secretary-general, Saw Yee Fung, said the focus should not be solely on banning specific breeds, but on holding owners accountable for the lack of responsible care.

She said dogs such as rottweilers are not inherently dangerous, but do require responsible ownership and proper training to ensure their own safety and the safety of the public.

“So, the responsibility falls on owners to provide the necessary training and an appropriate environment for these dogs. In this case, Rottweilers are not suited to owners who lack the space, experience, or knowledge to train them […]

“Ultimately, it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure the well-being of their pets. If they fail in this regard, appropriate legal measures should be taken against them, rather than punishing the animals who are just following their natural instincts,” she said in a statement today.

MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee Fung


Five people were reportedly injured in Taman Desa Bidara, Kuala Ketil, Baling, on Tuesday after two Rottweilers escaped their enclosure and attacked them.

The dogs were allegedly the same dogs involved in a 2023 attack that injured one person.

The dogs’ 69-year-old owner subsequently surrendered the dogs to the Kedah Veterinary Department to be euthanised, which was carried out on the day after the attack.

The owner was also reportedly slapped with two fines by the Baling District Council for keeping dogs without a licence.

‘Owner should face heavier penalties’

Following the incident, the state’s Housing, Local Government and Health executive councillor, Mansor Zakaria, reportedly said Kedah will draft new guidelines that may prohibit the ownership of dog breeds deemed aggressive as pets in residential areas across the state.

“I met with the dog owner along with other relevant parties, and after discussions, the owner agreed to surrender the dogs to the Veterinary Office for them to be put down.

“These aggressive breeds are not suitable for residential areas. This is already the second case, and this time, five victims were involved - it is a very serious matter,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

However, Saw said the dogs are victims of poor ownership and improper management, and should not bear the full blame for the incident.

“To protect our communities, attention must be directed at the owner,” she urged.

Among others, she urged the state government to consider whether the owner faces legal consequences for negligence.

Investigations are needed to establish whether the owner is a repeat offender or has plans to acquire more dogs in the “aggressive breed” category.

Authorities should also look into imposing a stiff fine against the owner, she said, and not just a trivial sum.

***

kt recalls:

Many many years ago in Kedah (not a coincidence), two dogs bit an old lady who was passing by their house. Obviously the owner failed to keep his compound gate locked nor his dogs leashed. Fortunately the old lady was not bitten too seriously though her injuries were considerable.

Now, it so happened her sons were big time gangsters who wanted to "punish" the owner of the dogs for that irresponsibility, but the kind lady stopped her sons from doing so. Nonetheless the sons (plus cohorts) caught hold of the two dogs, degutted them and splayed their carcasses on the owner's garden fence.

T'was a dire warning!

Siti Kasim: Impose total relocation, evacuation of affected Putra Heights residents from danger zone

Siti Kasim: Impose total relocation, evacuation of affected Putra Heights residents from danger zone

IN welcoming the class suite by affected residents of the Putra Heights gas pipeline tragedy, Siti Kasim wants them to seek compensation in the form of new homes a safe distance away outside their destroyed or partially damaged dwellings.

As many residents are reportedly reluctant to return to their homes yesterday (April 3) despite 85 homes declared safe by the Selangor state government with and utilities having been restored, the human rights activist and lawyer described as “raw deal” the intention of the former and PETRONAS to merely repair damage homes.

“This is necessary because the risk will not diminish as there are still gas pipelines buried underground,” she counselled in her latest YouTube rant.

“The solution shouldn’t be merely to repair damaged homes or to dish out compensation so the residents can return home but total evacuation to a safer location which is 500 metres or more away from any gas pipelines.

“It’s should be either this or relocation of the gas pipelines … in fact, there are many gas pipelines that run through residential estates throughout the entire country, hence the need for every homeowner to be sensitive if their properties are sitting on top of the pipelines or located close to them.”

Editor’s Note: Malaysia’s gas pipeline network which originates in Kerteh, Terengganu has been reported to extend through northern and southern regions, including Johor, Singapore and Kedah, covering 800km – and commonly passes through residential areas.

As safety measure, designated buffer zones are earmarked to prevent unauthorised access to the pipeline reserves.

Fiq Ahmad

@fiq4hmad

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Izinkan saya share opinion related dgn thread dibawah. Kes letupan ni telah bukak mata kita betapa pentingnya undang2 yg ketat dan tegas especially dlm aspek binaan. Mcm kes ni undang2 dh ada, tp kita tak pasti sapa yg tak ikut sapa. someone need to be responsible.

ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʟᴠᴇʀɪɴᴇ 

@iam_ein

Sy noticed ada beberapa akaun yg attach gambar papan tanda seperti di bawah. Ini adalah pendapat peribadi sy. Disclaimer: Sy bukan backup sesiapa, bukan PBT/Kerajaan. Sy bukan penduduk, bukan kerja Petronas, dan hny berkongsi maklumat within my expertise.

3:03 AM · Apr 3, 2025

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Why involved taxpayers’ money?

Against the backdrop that property value of the affected homes and those in the surrounding areas “must have nosedived”, Siti Kasim further demanded that the Selangor state government be held responsible for having erred in issuing the permit to build houses close to the gas pipelines despite the obvious danger

“Why must we use taxpayers’ money to compensate the affected residents when this could be the fault of the state government and PETRONAS?” wondered the Orang Asli advocate.

Editor’s Note: Families affected by the recent gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights will begin receiving financial aid from Monday (April 7) as part of the Selangor state government’s recovery efforts, according to Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.

Previously, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that both the government and Petronas would provide compensation for affected residents.

PETRONAS with federal support will allocate RM5,000 to homeowners whose houses were completely destroyed for temporary lodging while those with partially damaged homes will receive RM2,500 in financial relief.

Echoing the sentiments raised by Siti Kasim is fellow human rights activist and lawyer Charles Hector who opined that PETRONAS “must be held solely responsible for the damage caused by its pipeline fire”, hence taxpayers’ money should not be involved.

Below is his WhatsApp text to FocusM which insinuates the element of corrupt practice:

Apparently the victims are returning home. Remember that this is not about the fire per se but severe heat that caused cars and children’s playground items to melt, not burn. This happened up to 200-300 metres from the gas pipeline.

Thus, the question is how these houses and buildings got the approval to be built when they were so close to the gas pipeline. To be safe, no homes or buildings should be built within 500 meters from gas pipelines. So, was there corruption here?

If the houses/buildings existed before the pipeline was laid, again a hint of corruption arises – be it at the local government, state government or Federal government level – with total disregard for citizen’s safety and well-being.

Charles Hector


GAS pipeline fires are a known risk with the fire/heat risk could have been calculated. If there is a leak and fire, what is the range of danger/fire/heat? Hence, approvals given by the relevant authorities are questionable.

The affected residents are not flood victims – the gas pipeline will still be there when they return home. And the high-risk returns.

So, the solution here is a total relocation to a safe area – maybe 500 meters or more from any gas pipelines. Or a relocation of the gas pipelines.

Fire and heat are not the only risks. What about gas poisoning? Gasses can travel far and here we are also talking about highly inflammable gasses.

Are the homes and buildings here ‘illegal’ given reasonably no such buildings should have been approved or built at least 500 metres from a pipeline that supplies gas to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and other IPPs (independent power producers) for use in electricity generation.

Providing alternative safe homes of equal value to the victims would be an ideal solution. And prosecute the MB (Menteri Besar), mayor, local council and government personnel who approved homes so close to this dangerous gas pipelines. – April 4, 2025

Perak exco decries 'Chinese Negaraku at school' slander

Perak exco decries 'Chinese Negaraku at school' slander


Published: Apr 4, 2025 7:47 PM
Updated: 10:47 PM


Summary

• Perak exco Woo Kah Leong denies claims that a school in Teluk Intan sang the national anthem in Chinese, clarifying it was the Perak state anthem, which shares a similar melody with Negaraku.

• He stressed that Chinese national-type schools promote patriotism and routinely sing both the national and state anthems at official events.

• The allegation stemmed from a resurfaced video with captions misrepresenting the school’s event and Woo’s presence.

Perak executive councillor Woo Kah Leong has condemned allegations that a school in Teluk Intan had sung the national anthem in Chinese during an event at the school.

He said the attendees at the event were in fact singing the Perak state anthem “Allah Lanjutkan Usia Sultan”, which has a melody similar to the national anthem “Negaraku”.

In a statement today, Woo said Chinese national-type schools inculcate patriotism and love towards one’s home state, just like national schools.

That is why the school’s students and staff would sing both the national and state anthems during the school’s official functions.

“I welcome those who play on this issue to visit Perak to enlighten themselves, especially when it comes to differentiating between Negaraku and the Perak state anthem.

“As a Perakian, I feel pride whenever I sing the Perak state anthem, and when I see all generations of students do the same regardless of the type of school,” the DAP Youth chief said.

The video from June last year recently resurfaced, showing Woo standing at attention and singing along with teachers and students.

Captions and annotations added to the video highlighted the presence of the DAP leader and insinuated that they were singing Negaraku in Chinese.

However, the audio of the clip appears distorted.

While a melody resembling either Negaraku or Allah Lanjutkan Usia Sultan can be heard, it is difficult to discern its lyrics.

Third U.S. Presidential Term – Here’s How Trump Plans To Do It, And Why Most Likely Will Fail

Third U.S. Presidential Term – Here’s How Trump Plans To Do It, And Why Most Likely Will Fail


April 3rd, 2025 by financetwitter



From annexing Canada to snatching Greenland, and from declaring tariffs war against the world to seeking a third term in the White House, Donald Trump has already created so much chaos that the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Hamas War appears like a child play. And the U.S. president has not even done warming his seat yet in the Oval Office.

His attorney, Boris Epshteyn said he had studied the law – and he believed Trump could find a way to run again in 2028. Mr Trump said this weekend that he was “not joking” about staying in office after his current term ends in January 2029. In an interview with NBC News, he pointed to unnamed “methods” for clinching another four years in office.

Since first winning the presidency in 2016, Trump has been flirting, trolling, flip-flopping and u-turning about the idea of remaining in office beyond two terms – even though he is constitutionally barred from being elected to a third term. Some said he was merely diverting attention from domestic problems, while others said he was enjoying the havoc of making the media crazy.


But if Trump commits to breaking constitutional law, he can expect former president Barack Obama to run too for the third term. The 22nd Amendment says – “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice, and no person who has held the office of president, or acted as president, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected president shall be elected to the office of the president more than once.”

Of course, it can be changed. However, changing the constitution would require a two-thirds approval from both the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as approval of three-quarters of the U.S.’ state-level governments. While Trump’s Republican Party controls both chambers of Congress, it does not have the majorities needed. Additionally, the Democratic Party controls 18 of the 50 state legislatures.

In other words, even if Trump could change the minds of two-thirds of the Senate (67 out of 100 senators) and the House of Representatives (290 out of 435 congressmen or congresswomen), which he can’t, the Republican Party controls only 28 states – far from 34 required to change the constitution. Republicans currently hold only 218 seats in the House and 53 seats in the Senate.


So, Trump is short of 14 senators, 72 congressmen or congresswomen and 6 states to support him to change the U.S. Constitution. Andy Ogles, a Tennessee Republican in the House of Representatives, introduced a resolution in January proposing for a constitutional amendment to allow a president to serve up to three terms – as long as they were not consecutive.

Coincidentally,the proposal would mean that only Trump of all living presidents would be eligible – Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W Bush all served consecutive terms, whereas Trump won in 2016, lost in 2020, and won again in 2024. The hostility and hatred between the Democrats and the Republicans, not to mention even some within Trump’s party think it’s a bad idea, means it was a non-starter.

But Trump supporters say there is a loophole in the constitution, untested in court. They argue that the 22nd Amendment only explicitly bans someone being “elected” to more than two presidential terms – and says nothing of “succession”. Playing with words, they believe Donald Trump does not necessarily need to run for a presidential election to be elected as the POTUS.


Based on this theory, Trump could be the vice-presidential running-mate to another candidate – most likely his own vice-president, JD Vance – in the 2028 election. If they win, Vance could be sworn into the White House as the new U.S. president and then immediately resign – letting Trump to take over by succession. This was also the same game plan of Obama once upon a time when he insisted that he could run for a third term.

That’s based on the assumption that JD Vance would be dumb enough to walk away from the most powerful office on the planet. Still, there’s a huge problem – the 12th Amendment says “no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of president shall be eligible to that of vice-president of the United States”, effectively closing the loophole that Donald Trump can bypass the U.S. Constitution

That means presidents who have already served two terms are disqualified or prohibited from running as a vice-presidential candidate. Hence, Trump cannot run as a Vice-President after “elected” the maximum two terms as the U.S. president with an evil plan to “serve” as POTUS again for the third term through the “backdoor”. It won’t work even if “President Vance” refuses to resign, but acts as Vice President Trump’s puppet.


The only U.S. president who had served more than two terms was Franklin Roosevelt, who was elected four times (March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945), although he died three months into his fourth term in April 1945. But it was possible due to the Great Depression and the Second World War. Crucially, at that time, the two-term limit (22nd Amendment in 1951) on U.S. presidents had not been written into law.

It was only after President Franklin D. Roosevelt served an unprecedented four consecutive terms in office that the U.S. realized the problem, leading to Congress passing the 22nd Amendment in 1951 as a constitutional “safeguard” to plug the loophole. But don’t write off Trump’s ability yet. If he becomes extremely popular, two-thirds of the Senate and House and three-quarters of 50 states might be pressured to change the constitution.

Vietnam napalmed, My Lai-ed, Agent Orange-d, murdered, massacred, now tariff-ed by Wanks

SCMP:

‘Cruel’ Trump tariffs bring Vietnam’s economic dreams crashing down

Facing a 46 per cent tax on export, Hanoi is one of the most striking victims of Trump’s take-no-prisoners trade war

And now this:


Bloomberg
Published: 9:36am, 4 Apr 2025


Hoang Cuong started buying shares five years ago in the hope that he could one day afford to buy a flat in Hanoi.

Fuelled by an economic boom that has transformed Vietnam into one of Southeast Asia’s growth stars, the value of the swimming instructor’s portfolio grew until his dream was within sight.

But on Thursday morning, he woke up to the news that US President Donald Trump had slammed Vietnam with some of the most punitive tariffs in his “Liberation Day” package.

“I am in shock,” said Cuong with deep sighs, speaking from his downtown district workplace. With returns on his investments all but wiped out, the 36-year-old is planning to cash out whatever little he can get. “I am not sure what will be next, whether the situation will get worse – the market might drop even more.”

The Communist country of 101 million people has thrived in the 40 years since the Doi Moi reforms, as it turned itself into a maker of everything from Gap clothes to Samsung smartphones. Now it is facing a 46 per cent tax on exports and is one of the most striking victims of Trump’s second take-no-prisoners trade war.

“In Vietnamese we call it a ‘cutthroat rate’ which will basically destroy our businesses,” said Le Dang Doanh, an economist and former government adviser in Hanoi. “We can’t rely on the US market any more,” Doanh added.

Vietnamese politicians and businessmen had hoped that the warm relationship between the two governments would insulate the country from any severe tariff measures. The US tariffs do not reflect the current relations the two countries share, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said on Thursday.

World leaders react to Trump’s new tariff blitz as global trade war escalates

“This is cruel,” said Tran Anh Minh, a shop manager at a downtown mall in Ho Chi Minh City. “A lot of factories will close, a lot of people will lose their jobs,” he said.

The blow to Vietnam’s export sector will ripple through its economy, which is one of the world’s most trade-dependent nations. Exports are equivalent to nearly 90 per cent of economic output, ensuring that the new tariffs will slow the pace of growth in what is currently Southeast Asia’s fastest-expanding economy.

Ironically, Vietnam was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Trump’s first trade war back in 2018, which was primarily directed at China. The stand-off between the world’s two biggest economies then had pushed companies from Nike Inc. to Nintendo Co. to relocate some production to Vietnam to avoid levies, sending manufacturing activity into overdrive.
Vietnam’s economy grew at an average 7 per cent pace in 2018 and 2019 before slowing down during the pandemic years. It rebounded last year to notch a 7.1 per cent expansion. Vietnam added close to a million jobs due in part to the US-China trade war, with the labour force numbers returning to more than 56 million in 2023 after a brief dip during the pandemic.

It now has a crucial position in the supply chains of major US brands. Today, about half of all Nike shoes and 39 per cent of Adidas shoes are made in Vietnam and it has emerged as a hub for global electronics manufacturers.

For many workers in Bac Ninh province, home to suppliers for brands including Apple Inc., the reality of the tariffs threat has not yet sunk in. However, one official in the province said he was terrified.

A Nike store in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: EPA-EFE


It is unclear how exactly supply chains will reshape themselves in the coming months and years, given other manufacturing destinations in Southeast Asia and South Asia have also been hit with tariffs, and returning to China is hardly an option for businesses as levies there have been increased to 54 per cent.

Vietnam is still fighting for a reprieve, with the deputy prime minister set to travel to the US in the coming days to meet officials as well as attend a policy dialogue.

But unlike bigger economies like China or the European Union, Vietnam has little leverage – its population which earns an average monthly income of 8.5 million dong (US$330) hardly buys any American-made goods and its trade surplus with the US stands at US$123.5 billion, the third largest after China and Mexico, according to data from the US Census Bureau.

As the country processes its new status as a trade pariah, only one thing seems certain.

“This is a big loss for everyone,” said Duong Thi Ngoc Dung, the vice-chairwoman of Vietnam’s Textile & Apparel Association and a factory owner herself. “The tariff will make everything more expensive in the US as well.”