Treat Strays With Kindness

 THOUSANDS of homeless dogs in Johor have been culled in a most inhumane way.  Hopefully, this will come to an end.

  A recent videotape of seven dogs being bludgeoned to death by dog catchers with what was seen to be iron stick, surfaced in the social networking site, Facebook.  The taping garnered an outcry from dog lovers nation-wide.

  Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue founder and president T. Puspa Rani flew to Johor Baru to lodge a report against the Johor Baru Municipal Council (MPJBT).  She was joined by three other non-governmental organisations concerned with animal welfare, and some 15 people who lodged invidual reports.

  This is believed to be unprecedented.
 
  There were previous cases of dog culling and abuse, but the number that responded to condemn the act was not like this.

  Also unprecedented was the fact that MPJBT readily admitted to the wrongdoing.  Kudos to the young man who took the trouble to tail the MPJBT lorry and record the gruesome incident. 

  All it took was one act, one individual.

  After it was seen and shared via Facebook, and the numbers made the difference.  Now, we just need to be persistent.  Keep at it.  To stop the cruelty, and any future acts of cruelty.

  Puspa also talked to representatives of the Department of Veterinary Services who was also at the Skudai police station and to her shock, found out that the MPJBT actually does not have a certified veterinarian to terminate the lives of the dogs.

  According to her, no dogcatchers are allowed to kill.  This is like murder of the innocence whose crime is only to be born a stray.

  There is something even more shocking.  Companion Animal Rescue Effort Society (CARES) founder Joseph Chia recently told me that he had received numerous complaints of pet dogs that have gone missing from homes. 

  Chia said that although the dog catchers have the right to enter a locked compound to snatch the dogs, it should not be done without any prior warning to the owner.

  "Even if there were complaints, the dog catchers should be merciful and let the owners have some time to do something about it as these are not strays," he said.

  However, not much can be done there because the pet owners were too scared to lodge a police report. 

   If we keep quiet, no one will know what is going on.  I know there are people who are insensitive to all these.  People who do not like dogs, for instance, would consider homeless dogs as just "biological trash".

  "They have no homes, and they can't be on the streets.  So what else can be done except to kill them?"  There are people who will never comprehend why there will be a public outcry when strays are slain. 

  But every life is precious, and ought to be treated with utmost respect.  And do not forget, the numbers can make a difference.  Persistence can make a difference.  Whatever it is, do not give up even when the situation seems hopeless.

A Mother, A Businesswoman, A Samaritan

Updated with pic and slight corrections in the original post.

I just realized that Dato' Paduka Rokiah's picture did not appear in the post although I had uploaded it. So, here is the lady who has such class and a commanding presence. That's her having a chat with a participant of an automobile show held outside the Lace Motor showroom yesterday.

Original Post

Syarikat Lace Motor Sdn Bhd  expects its boutique hotel to be ready in August.

Lace Motor founder and managing director Dato' Paduka Rokiah Omar said the RM14 million hotel called Lace Boutique Hotel will also be the office of the Lace Motor Foundation set up three years ago to help the underprivileged.

Besides running a booming business and being a caring mother, Dato' Paduka Rokiah has done much to help single mothers, old folks, orphans, among others.  

She was president of the Malaysia Bumiputera Women Entrepreneurs (Usahanita) Johor, a non-governmental organisation that she founded.

Usahanita Johor is now defunct after Dato' Paduka Rokiah stepped down as its president.

Every year during Ramadan, she will always find the time to help the poor and desolate.

Have you been to the Lace Motor showroom along the Pasir Gudang Highway?  She must have an affinity with the color gold, as the interiors and facade have shimmering hues of gold.

This is the beautifully-designed floor tiles with gold-colored designs.

That's me in a modified car.  There was an automobile show today held in conjunction with the company's Mega Raya Sale until July 31. Want to drive home a new car for Hari Raya?

The showroom along the Pasir Gudang Highway has a vast choice of brands and models to choose from.

Tea time with Dato' Puduka Rokiah.

Wet Saturday

I am so happy I managed to find Edamame at Aeon Bukit Indah this morning.  Grocery shopping was a breeze even though it's a Saturday.  It was raining when I woke up.  Hallelujah!  I don't need to water the plants in my garden.

The last time, I grabbed these instead by mistake.

It looked like Edamame.  No?  Well, I was in a hurry!

Last week, I interviewed three interesting personalities.  If you want to know more about them go to

Artists & Artistes Can Play A Bigger Role if you want to know how one artist wants to spread the message of peace through his art.

A Nurse's Turn At Event Planning if you are in a mundane job and dreams of venturing into the world of business.

Diesease Does Not Discriminate if you know someone who have kidney disease and is facing financial challenges.

all stories sourced from NST online. Ichiban!

Full Moon on Friday 13 - Good Night

Updated

Marcus just pointed out to me that ginger tea is actually a remedy for sore throat, and most probably was not to be blamed for my sore throat. Sorry Ginger. Just need to drink more water.

Original post.

The boiled ginger tea I had last night was not a brilliant idea. I have a bit of a sore throat now. So tonight I made myself lemon tea with pandan leaves and mint leaves. The tea's fragrance was inviting.

I was at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital with Mary. Our colleague, who had a stroke, was in a coma at the ICU. I never expected it to be so serious. Hope he recovers soon.

On our way out, Mary bumped into her friend whose husband had also been admitted. Her husband had refused to go for dialysis. Now his condition has worsened.

Full moon on a Friday 13 wasn't an exceptionally good nor unusually bad day for me.

Don't forget Father's Day is this Sunday. 

Full Moon On Friday 13

Today is a very special day. The full moon rises on this Friday the 13th, a rare occasion. The last time there was a full moon on Fri 13 was in Oct 2000.  The next one will be Aug 2049.

I'm not sure if it is going to turn out specially bad or specially good.  Will probably update later.

Whatever happens from now, we need to trust the universe.

A few unprecedented things have occurred isince the beginning of the year.

The first was the Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur-Beijing flight MH370 which had gone missing since March 8. There were 227 passengers and 12 crew on board the Boeing 777.

The second was the changes made to the Johor Housing and Property Board Bill. For more information why this is unacceptable, please go to

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/98949

The Federal Constitution is the most supreme law of this nation, the result of the wisdom of the nation's founding fathers, which must be upheld at all times.

  And the third unprecedented incident involved the unity shown by dog defenders against an act of cruelty.  It is not the first time police reports have been lodged against cruelty to dogs but I think this is the first incident that had garnered so much support. The case is strong because the act was videotaped. So, don't underestimate the power of one voice, one act, one individual.

After that, the numbers and persistence can make the difference.

Need to get ready to go out now.  Plan to visit a colleague (our IT guy based in the Senai printing plant) who recently sufferred a stroke. A gentle reminder to one and all. Please take care of your health. Sometimes, the inevitable does happen no matter how careful we are, but we still have to be mindful of our diet, lifestyle, emotions, etc.

Last night, I had these while watching TV --- blueberries, cherry tomatoes and boiled ginger tea.  

Have a blessed Friday.

United For Justice

IN the JOHOR STREETS

FIFTEEN individuals and four non-governmental organisations lodged reports at Skudai police station yesterday against the Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) over its treatment of stray dogs here.

Malaysia Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR), Johor Baru Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Companion Animal Rescue Effort Society (Cares) and Petpositive were the four NGOs that lodged the police reports.

Among the individuals who lodged the report was G. Suhanthan, 28, who had on June 9 made the first police report after witnessing the incident of MPJBT officers bludgeoning seven strays to death with an iron rod.

Suhanthan had recorded the horrific event on video and uploaded it onto Facebook.

He claimed that so far no investigating officer had contacted him even though the video clip went viral on the Internet.

MIAR founder and president Puspa Rani, who was also at the police station, said MIAR has received numerous emails from animal lovers nationwide.

"As far as I know, about 30 police reports have been lodged over the video from animal lovers throughout the country.

"Which is why I am here today," she said after lodging the report at the Skudai police station.

Puspa also said it is a criminal offence under Section 428 and 429 of the Penal Code which states that an offence is committed if "a person commits mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming, or rendering useless any animal of the value of five ringgit or upwards". The offence is punishable with an imprisonment of two years, or fine, or both.

"No dog catchers can kill a stray in any manner without a certified veterinarian.

"Even if the dog is put to sleep by lethal injection, only a veterinarian knows the lethal dosage," she said.

Puspa said that if she failed to get a satisfactory response from the council or relevant agency, she will be bringing the matter up to the complaints bureau in the Prime Minister's Department.

Puspa further said representatives from the Department of Veterinary Service (DVS), who were also at the police station, had told her that the MPJBT did not have a veterinarian.

"So how were the strays put to sleep in Johor over the years?" asked Puspa.

The DVS representatives, however, declined to comment on the matter. A call to the DVS office to get the comment of the department's director also proved fruitless.

MPJBT also could not be reached for comment.

MPJBT corporate and public relations department administrative officer Salwa Abd Rashid was quoted as saying that the council did not shoot nor clobber strays to death.

On Monday, MPJBT when contacted, had said that they would investigate the matter.

MEANWHILE, in the STAR

Ops to catch stray dogs put on hold

BY DESIREE TRESA GASPER AND KATHLEEN ANN KILI

   

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JOHOR BARU: The operation to catch stray dogs will be put on hold amidst continuing public outcry over cruelty in the putting down of the animals.

A decision would be made at the next full council meeting on whether action would be taken against officers involved, said Johor Baru Central Municipal Council (MPJBT) president Sallehuddin Hassan.

The MPJBT came under fire after a video clip showing enforcement staff bludgeoning stray dogs at the back of a warehouse in Jalan Makmur, Skudai, went viral recently.

“People should understand that these are not stray cats but aggressive dogs. The public also found the dogs a nuisance in their neighbourhoods. The dogs were not killed in a public space.

“The council has the right to put such stray dogs to sleep. However, I do not deny the way it was done was indeed regrettable,” said Sallehuddin.

He added that he did not know how the dogs were killed until the video surfaced on June 5.

It is believed that the MPJBT department in charge of stray dogs had found it hard to obtain supplies for injections – which is usually used to put down stray dogs.

Checks by The Star at the warehouse, where the brutal culling took place, showed no signs that it was still being conducted.

However, dogs could be heard barking within the premises while enforcement officers were seen entering the warehouse area.

Various non-governmental organisations and at least 10 people have lodged police reports over the incident.

“It is unacceptable that no firm action has been taken against the officials,” said Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue (MIAR) president T. Puspa Rani, who is also the representative of the group, during a press conference at the Johor Baru Central police headquarters here.

She added charges could be made under Sections 428 and 429 of the Penal Code for mischief against animals.