Time for a hartal

Time for a hartal
28 July, 2009

Are we truly independent? Or did we just switch the white British colonialists with brown colonialists? Did we merely kick out one dictator, ten thousand miles away, and replace it with ten thousand dictators one mile away?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The federal government is sending each of us a $600 rebate.
If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, the money goes to China.
If we spend it on gasoline, it goes to the Arabs.
If we buy a computer, it will go to India.
If we purchase fruits and vegetables, it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.
If we purchase a good car, it will go to Germany and Japan.
If we purchase useless crap, it will go to Taiwan.
In short, none of it will help the American economy.
The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it on prostitutes and beer, since these are the only products still produced in the US.

Dr. Marc Faber

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Dr. Marc Faber's company, Marc Faber Limited, acts as an investment advisor company concentrating on value investments with tremendous upside often based on contrarian investment philosophies. Faber also invests and acts as a fund manager to private wealthy clients. Faber is a regular speaker on the investment circuit, often quoted in the financial press for his non-conformist viewpoint and alternative investment philosophies. His current — if eccentric — tagline is: 'buy a $100 US bond and frame it to teach your children about inflation by watching the US bond value diminish to almost nothing over the next 20 years'. Faber is famous for advising his clients to get out of the stock market one week before the October 1987 crash. - Wikipedia

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Hartal is a term in many Indian languages for strike action, used often during the Indian Independence Movement. It is mass protest often involving a total shutdown of workplaces, offices, shops, courts of law, etc., as a form of civil disobedience. In addition to being a general strike, it involves the voluntary closing of schools and places of business. It is a mode of appealing to the sympathies of a government to change an unpopular or unacceptable decision.

Hartal was originally a Gujarati expression signifying the closing down of shops and warehouses with the object of realising a demand. MK Gandhi, the Indian national leader from Gujarat, organised a series of anti-British general strikes, which he called hartals, thereby institutionalising it.

In Bangladesh a hartal is a constitutionally recognised political method for articulating any political demand.

In Sri Lanka, it is often used to refer specifically to the 1953 hartal of Ceylon. Hartals are still common in India, Bangladesh and in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.

In Malaysia, the word "hartal" was used to refer to various general strikes in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, such as the All-Malaya hartal of 1947 and the Penang hartal of 1967.

The word hartal in India is also used in humorous sense to mean abstaining from work. Another variant, which is common in Hindi-speaking regions, is the bhukh hartal, which translates as hunger strike. - Wikipedia

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The recent Manik Urai by-election proved even more that Barisan Nasional, in particular Umno, depends on money for its survival. RM1,000 in cash was paid to every voter in Manik Uria, resulting in Pakatan Rakyat almost losing the by-election. One just can’t ignore the power of money. And money is one thing that Barisan Nasional has plenty of. Plenty of money would translate to plenty of power as well.

To cut Barisan Nasional and Umno down to size, we have to hit them where it hurts most. And it hurts most when the pocket is hit. So, to hurt Barisan Nasional and Umno, we must hit them in the pocket. And this means hitting the source of that money, the companies that are paying Barisan Nasional and Umno huge sums of money to help them stay in power.

Who are these crony companies? Which are the companies that are paying Barisan Nasional and Umno huge sums of money? Where did all this money come from? How much of that money actually belongs to you and me, the rakyat?

Companies are in the business of making money. You do not set up a company to do charity. Companies have only one philosophy in mind and it can be summed up in just three words: profit, profit, profit.

So we need to reduce the profit of these companies. We need to cut into their war chest so that they have very little left to give to Barisan Nasional and Umno. Companies depend on licences, permits, quotas, government contracts, political patronage and whatnot to survive. And to procure these licences, permits, quotas, government contracts, political patronage and whatnot, they need to pay ‘under the table’ money to those who walk in the corridors of power. Bribery makes the world go round in corporate Malaysia. Bribery fuels the government machinery. Business empires are built on bribery, corruption, political patronage and cronyism.

Look for alternatives. Buy products and services from those that are not crony companies. Deny yourself whatever it is you normally indulge yourself in so that these companies do not earn your money, which in the end ends up in the pockets of Barisan Nasional and Umno.

Another way to hurt them financially would be to launch a hartal. On 8 August 2009, a few NGOs and civil society movements are organising a hartal in Perak. They want to turn Perak into a ‘ghost town’. Stay home on 8 August 2009. Don’t leave your house. Empty the streets, shops and restaurants. Do what you need to do the day before. And on 8 August 2009 stay behind the locked doors of your home.

On 31 August 2009 we shall, again, be celebrating Merdeka or Independence Day. Independence was declared on midnight of 30 August 1957. On that day the Union Jack was lowered and proudly replaced with the Malayan flag.

But are we truly independent? Or did we just switch the white British colonialists with brown colonialists? Did we merely kick out one dictator, ten thousand miles away, and replace it with ten thousand dictators one mile away?

No, we are not yet Merdeka. What we have done is merely to replace one colonial government with another. The present government is continuing the oppression and discrimination of the previous government. We need to be truly Merdeka by ending the dictatorial rule of the present government.

There is no reason to celebrate Merdeka. There is no justification to raise the flag this 31 August 2009. Merdeka has not been achieved yet. It will only be achieved when we see a change in government or at least a change in government policy. Only then would it be feasible to celebrate Merdeka.

We need a hartal. We need many hartals. The rakyat need to vote with their feet. They rig the ballot box. Voting with our ballot paper is an uphill task. We must use our feet to vote. And the way to vote with our feet would be to launch and participate in many hartals and boycotts.

Civil disobedience is the order of the day. If we stay home and refuse to buy the products and services of those who are propping up the illegitimate regime the government will eventually crumble. Without our participation the government can do very little. Without our money we will starve them.

If we come out and protest they can use the police against us. If we demonstrate they will brutalise us. But they can’t do anything to us if we launch a hartal. No government can clamp down on civil disobedience.

So do nothing. No one can harm you if you do nothing. And doing nothing involves staying home and not allowing your money to leave your pocket. And if you still need to buy products and services make sure it is not from one of the crony companies.

Another DANAHARTA scam revealed

Another DANAHARTA scam revealed
28 July, 2009

Is DANAHARTA a saviour or robber? How many pieces of property have DANAHARTA taken by force at way below market prices just to be sold to 'middlemen' at even lower prices so that they can make a huge profit. You will be surprised to discover how many millionaires and billionaires are created through DANAHARTA.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

DANAHARTA SDN BHD / PROKHAS SDN BHD
Tingkat 9, Bangunan Setia 1
15 Lorong Dungun, Bukit Damansara,
50490 Kuala Lumpur

Attn: Encik Fadzlur Rahman Ebraheem
BY HAND

Dear Sirs,

RE: DISCUSSIONS ON SETTLEMENT ON MARINARA

I refer to your faxed letter dated 20th July 2009 with regards to the discussions on Marinara..

We are very disappointed that the discussions between us have come to nothing. If you had told me that you had already made up your mind on the matter I would not have bothered to discuss the matter at all.

1. Regretfully I do not agree with your contention that “MARINARA has been successfully sold and transferred to the new owner, Danaharta Hartanah Sdn Bhd”. It is a subsidiary of Danaharta and fully owned by Danaharta Nasional Bhd and also controlled by you. Clearly it is conflict of interest.The principal of both these companies is the Minister of Finance.

2. A sale of the property to one of Danaharta’s subsidiaries does not constitute a proper sale as Danaharta are only custodians of the property which has to be returned to the rightful owner as soon as the shareholders are able to repay the sum owing. It was never the intention of the Danaharta Act to make profit in this manner. As such any surplus on a sale should be returned to the owners. According to Danaharta’s Board decision made in 2002 it was decided as a matter of policy that there shall no longer be any sale to Danaharta’s subsidiaries but only direct sale to buyers be made as the chances of getting a higher sale price was found to be better.

3. The Danaharta Act clearly states the functions upon taking over a company to which you have not complied. You are supposed to act in the best interests of the shareholders but instead you have acted contrary to the Act. Selling well below the market value is also against decided cases and the Courts will frown on your action in doing so. You are well aware there are two Court cases pending which has been fixed for trial. We are unable to withhold the legal actions at this stage and will leave it to the lawyers how best to handle these matters.

4. Your claim that we still owe you a sum of RM41.2 million is ridiculous. The fact that Danaharta bought both MARINA SDN BHD and PEKELILING TRIANGLE SDN BHD for only RM35 million should have some bearing on what you are claiming from us. You yourself stated that ” being a Government organization you should not be making profit” is certainly contrary to what you are saying in your letter.

5. Please bear in mind that Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd’s loans were NOT A NON-PERFORMING LOAN at the time of vesting in Danaharta. As such the wrongful freezing of the accounts and the Project would result in our claiming for Liquidated and Ascertained Damages calculated at RM47,000 per day multiplied by 8 years would result in approximately RM 137 million payable by Danaharta and or it’s agents to all Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd’s shareholders.

6. The alleged sale price of RM171million ( objected to by the shareholders right from the beginning) decided on private negotiations between you and the “Receiver” was exceptionally low as the market value by then was RM430 million as at that time the services were all functioning and rented out. There was sabotage and manipulation in the three “tenders”.

7. We deny that we still owe a further sum of RM41.2 million to you. Danaharta. purchased all the assets of Marina Sdn Bhd and Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd for only RM35 million. At the time of acquisition by Danaharta the total sum owing by Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd was only 59 million (37 million principal and RM22 million interest). As it was NOT A NON-PERFORMING LOAN Danaharta cannot now charge any further interest during the period when Danaharta wrongly took over and froze all the assets since 2001 and refused to allow us to sell the building, contrary to the Loan Documents.

8. MARINA SDN BHD had completed the building at a cost of RM25 million and obtained the Certificate of Completion. In February 2006 a Sale and Purchase Agreement between Marina Sdn Bhd and Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd was made whereby the building was sold to Marina Sdn Bhd. The sum of RM25 million was agreed to be the deposit to be paid to Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd as a consideration and were accepted by all the shareholders and Directors. You were informed at the meeting we had with you at your office in February 2006 and copies of the Agreement were sent to you and your lawyers. Marina Sdn Bhd was at all times willing and able to pay the balance owing to Danaharta and informed you of the intended redemption.

9. MARINA SDN BHD went to great effort to rent out the building to Embassies and Diplomats and high profile businesses and was already getting a good income. Without justification you instructed the “Receiver” Duar Tuan Kiat of Ernst & Young to cut the Electricity and water knowing there were tenants in the building, and instructed them to take out an Injunction against me knowing very well I had to be at the building to complete the final touches requested by DBKL for the issuance of the final Certificate of Completion. You even rang and threatened DBKL not to issue the Certificate of Completion.

10. The closing down of the building has caused irredeemable damage to the mechanical and electrical fittings and great loss and humiliation to the shareholders. The guards chased out all the tenants including the diplomats, Embassies and occupants without giving them due notice. Marina Sdn Bhd incurred great losses, damages and humiliation.

11. Your proposal of refurbishing the building at a budget of RM100 million is a sheer waste of good money as there is nothing wrong with the building or design done by a Gold Star Architect Dato Baharuddin Kassim. What you have to rectify is the damage and losses caused by the security guards in cutting the electric cables and stealing the electrical fittings and assets and jamming the electrical devices and lifts. They were employed as agent for Danaharta on your instructions. These should be rectified immediately

As such my counter proposal is that :

A) You accept the redemption sum of RM59 million as settlement . In consideration of that we are willing to waive claims of the LAD incurred for freezing the project for the last 8 years and to withdraw all legal actions.

b) To allow the shareholders to sell the building on an ‘as is basis” immediately as we already have ready buyers

I trust you will consider my proposal seriously and give an affirmative reply within one week from date hereof.

Thank you. WASSALAM.

Yours faithfully,

Hajjah Marina Yusoff,
for and on behalf of all the Directors and shareholders
of Pekeliling Triangle Sdn Bhd

c.c.1. Miinister of Finance I
2. Minister of Finance II

Teoh Beng Hock was still under custody when he died

Teoh Beng Hock was still under custody when he died
27 July, 2009

The statement that he was released at 3.45am is utter bullshit. Teoh would not walk out of the MACC office at 3.45am without his hand phone or at least a receipt that the MACC had confiscated his hand phone. This is a requirement under the MACCA.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The MACC says that Teoh Beng Hock was released at 3.45am after a gruelling marathon interrogation session that lasted the whole night. But Teoh was not under arrest or even a suspect in a crime, says the MACC. He was merely a witness, and a very cooperative witness on top of that, claims the MACC.

If Teoh was merely a witness, as what they say, why was there a need to interrogate him throughout the night? Could not his interrogation have been done during normal working hours?

Even when under Internal Security Act (ISA) detention, the Special Branch is supposed to interrogate detainees during ‘office hours’. They are not allowed to interrogate detainees at night or outside ‘office hours’. And, in particular, detainees should not be subjected to marathon interrogation sessions or subjected to sleep depravation, a form of torture.

And these are ISA detainees, mind you, said to be ‘threats to national security’ and/or suspected ‘terrorists’. Yet there are certain rules to be observed. What more if one is merely a witness to a suspected crime, not even established yet whether a crime had or had not been committed?

But in Teoh’s case he was subjected to a marathon interrogation session and outside ‘office hours’ on top of that. He was subjected to sleep depravation. And he was not a detainee, he was not under arrest, and he was not a suspect in a crime, claims the MACC. He was merely a witness to a suspected crime, and a very cooperative witness too.

After Teoh’s statement was recorded he was released and allowed to go home at 3.45am, they say. He was supposed to return at 8.00am for the interrogation to continue. And he was supposed to go home and come back at 8.00am with some documents that the MACC required.

But Teoh decided instead to sleep on the sofa at the MACC office. At 6.00am he was alleged to have ‘disappeared’. He never returned at 8.00am for his interrogation to be continued. And the MACC never bothered to go look for their witness who had ‘absconded’. The pathologist says he died between 8.30-9.30am. But they never found his body until lunchtime.

Was Teoh released at 3.45am and allowed to go home, as what the MACC claims? Or was he still under custody right up to the time of his death around 8.30-9.30am?

Teoh was never released at 3.45am. He was still under custody right up to the time of his death at around 8.30-9.30am.

One very important point that many may have overlooked is that Teoh’s hand phone was not found on his body. His hand phone was still with the MACC. And the police confirmed this. And that hand phone is now with the police.

If Teoh had been released, his hand phone would have been in his pocket or beside his body (or on the sofa where he had slept). It would not have been in the ‘safekeeping’ of the MACC.

If the MACC had released Teoh at 3.45am but wanted to retain his hand phone then they would have had to issue a piece of paper listing down all Teoh’s property that was going to be retained for further investigation.

Assuming the MACC was going to retain Teoh’s hand phone then this paper would not only list down all the property to be retained but full details such as make, model, serial number, and so on.

In short, Teoh would walk out of the MACC office at 3.45am without his hand phone but with a piece of paper confirming whatever property the MACC was retaining for further investigation with full details of that property. And both Teoh and the MACC officer would have to sign this paper.

This provision comes under Section 33 of the MACCA.

And this is what the Act says:

Section 33(1): …any movable property which is the subject matter of an offence or evidence relating to the offence shall be liable to seizure.

Section 33(2): A list of all movable property seized pursuant to subsection (1) and of the places in which they are respectively found shall be prepared by the officer of the Commission affecting the seizure and signed by him.

Section 33(3): A copy of the list referred to in subsection (2) shall be served on the owner of such property or on the person from whom the property was seized as soon as possible.

In Teoh’s case, the list of moveable property seized under Section 33(1) of the MACCA was not issued nor served on him, which is a requirement under Section 33(2) and Section 33(3) of the MACCA. This confirms that Teoh was still under custody and was not released at 3.45am as claimed. If not, Teoh would have this paper on his body confirming that his hand phone had been retained by the MACC.

In short, Teoh died between 8.30am and 9.30am while still under the custody of the MACC. The statement that he was released at 3.45am is utter bullshit. Teoh would not walk out of the MACC office at 3.45am without his hand phone or at least a receipt that the MACC had confiscated his hand phone. This is a requirement under the MACCA. If not how would Teoh later prove that his hand phone was still with the MACC? He would need evidence of that.

Furthermore, what if they find incriminating evidence in his hand phone and Teoh later denies that it is his hand phone? The MACC would need to prove that they had confiscated Teoh’s hand phone to be able to use this evidence in court. And that would make the paper very crucial for both Teoh and the MACC. And both Teoh and the MACC would need to sign this paper for it to be valid.

The government wants to set up a Commission and Board of Inquiry to investigate Teoh’s death. The crucial question is: did Teoh die while still under custody or had he already been released by then? Our investigation shows Teoh was still under custody. And the absence of that piece of paper required under Section 33 of the MACCA proves it. Teoh’s hand phone was with the MACC when he died. If he had been released they would either return his hand phone or give him a receipt confirming they are retaining his hand phone. None were found on his body.

His sexual posers

His sexual posers

Sat, Jul 25, 2009 The Straits Times

BY June Cheong

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

It is a poser many women will want the answer to. When put to the medical experts, they unanimously told Mind Your Body: 'Yes, men can and do.'

Dr Peter Lim, president of the Society Of Men's Health and an andrologist, said: 'Men can be totally turned on just by looking at an attractive woman.

'Generally, most men, when stimulated enough, can have sex whether he knows the woman or loves her.'

Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Dr Adrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said studies have shown that men stray more.

'Men tend to view sex as an entity alone and just do it to gratify their physical desire. They are less likely to think of long-term consequences,' he said.

What food should men eat to improve the quality or quantity of their sperm?

Fertility starts with general good health. A diet rich in fresh food and leafy vegetables is advised.

Dr Ng said men's diets should include vitamins and minerals like vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and folic acid.

'These vitamins are natural antioxidants which basically fight free radicals that attack and destroy the membrane that surrounds sperm,' he said.

'Infertile men have been found to have a higher concentration of free radicals in their semen compared to fertile men.'

Dr Ng also advised drinking just one to two cups of coffee a day and no more than two ounces of alcohol twice every week as 'alcohol is sperm poison'.

What and where is a woman's G-spot?

This very sensitive and erotic zone was originally known as the Grafenberg Spot and named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg. He first described it in 1944.

The G-spot is believed to be located near the urethra in the anterior part of the vagina behind the pubic bone. Stroking that area is useful for establishing whether you have a G-spot and how it adds to your sexual pleasure. Stimulation of the area during penetration can also enhance pleasure.

Dr Peter Chew, a senior consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said the G-spot is an extension of the clitoris and is highly sensitive because of the nerve endings concentrated in that area.

It is not known if all women have a G-spot.

Dr Chong said: 'Many believe that if you can find it, you may want to buy lottery.'

Are masturbation and sexual fantasies healthy and can they affect your sex life?

Dr Gan Tek Kah, a general practitioner at Singapore Men's Health Clinic, said: 'Masturbation does not harm the body. However, if a person becomes so obsessed with it and pursues it at the expense of his social life, studies or work, then it's wrong.'

Consultant psychiatrist Brian Yeo added: 'Masturbation is a powerful reinforcer. The image that you play with in your mind is very powerful. If a man masturbates and thinks of a woman, he reinforces his sexual attraction to that woman.'

As for sexual fantasies, Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Dr Adrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said: 'Fantasies are healthy as long as both parties are consenting adults.

'What goes on behind closed doors is your business. If playing out fantasies enhances your sex life and you don't harm each other, it's a good thing.'

However, if your partner disagrees with your fantasy, Dr Yeo advised modifying it such that only acceptable elements are used.

Does penis size matter?

Dr Gan said: 'All our sexual thoughts, ideals and behaviour are socially constructed. The social expectation of a man is that he is big and strong so size counts. However, it is the hardness of the erection that matters, not so much the size of the penis.'

Dr Wang said that while size does not matter, a certain girth or length helps bring about sexual pleasure. He advised men who are less-endowed to focus on technique.

A 2007 British study reviewing 50 international research projects on penile size since 1942 found that the average erect penis' length is between 14 and 16cm and its girth is 12 to 13cm.

Do women achieve orgasm more easily through penetrative or oral sex?

Gynaecologists Mind Your Body spoke to said every woman has different preferences. Dr Wei Siang Yu, a medical doctor with a special interest in sex education who styles himself as Dr Love, said it is easier for women to achieve orgasm through external stimulation.

He explained: 'The nerve endings distributed in the vaginal wall can be dissipated while nerves around the clitoris of a woman are very localised.'

The Durex Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey 2006 found that 23per cent of Singapore women almost always or always had orgasms. It also found that couples 'satisfied' with the intensity of their orgasms spent 15.7 minutes on foreplay, compared to 10.4 minutes, which was the time others who were 'not satisfied' spent on it.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.

The science of sexual intimacy

The science of sexual intimacy

Mon, Jul 27, 2009 The Straits Times

By: June Cheong

Sex - it's all in your head, really.

Contrary to popular belief, sexual arousal starts in your brain, not in the nether regions.

Of course, hardwired into the human being's DNA is the instinct to have sex, which is Nature's canny way of propagating the species. The brain and private parts must then work in sync.

'There's a mind component however,' said Dr Peter Lim, the president of the Society Of Men's Health and a private andrologist.

'If a medicine is given to knock off the paraventricular nucleus - the brain's sex centre - you'll have no sex drive,' he said.

To put it simply, the act of romantically sniffing each other - or even looking at an erotic image - sends sensory impulses to the paraventricular nucleus, stimulating your sexual urges. The brain's reward system, the ventral tegmental area, also encourages having sex by inducing feelings of pleasure.

It is especially true for men.

'A man's most important sexual organ is his brain, not his penis,' said Dr Ng Kok Kit, a consultant in the department of urology, andropause and men's health clinic at Changi General Hospital.

It is a little different for women.

Beyond sexual impulses and hormonal influences, women require love, friendship and emotional intimacy from men before they get aroused sexually, said Professor Ganesan Adaikan, a clinical sexologist with the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at National University Hospital.

What drives men and women to have sex

Libido, or the sex drive, is primarily driven by hormones.

Testosterone - present in both sexes - is the hormone that causes most of the changes in a boy's body during puberty. It is also what drives both men and women to have sex.

Oestrogen, together with luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) - both stimulate the development of sexual organs in both sexes - is what causes a girl's body to mature and is necessary for maintaining a woman's libido.

This is why kids turn into sex-starved teenagers when puberty hits and hormonal levels are ramped up.

Men peak sexually between their teens and 20s, urologists and andrologists told Mind Your Body. Women usually enter their sexual prime when they are in their early 30s.

Dr Michael Wong, the president of the Singapore Urology Association and medical director of Singapore Urology & Fertility Centre, pointed out that testosterone in a man usually stays high until he hits 40.

Dr Brian Yeo, a consultant psychiatrist in private practice, explained the consequences of men starting out early in life with high testosterone levels: 'There's this thing with young men about how many women they've bedded. It's easier for men to have sex without emotional bonds.

'There are a lot more men searching for commercial (paid) or consensual sex than women. It's due to testosterone and the man's cultural background and upbringing.'

After 40, a man's testosterone level drops between 1.2 per cent and 5 per cent every year.

'Testosterone production declines with age and, with that, a man's libido will drop. Frequency of intercourse and masturbation will decline too,' said Dr Gan Tek Kah, a general practitioner from Singapore Men's Health Clinic.

Some 50 per cent of men aged 50 and above will have some degree of erectile dysfunction while 20 per cent of men older than 60 years have low testosterone levels, which may lead to loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction and lethargy, among other symptoms.

However, sperm is produced and replenished constantly so men can be fertile into their 60s or 70s.

That is how it is with men - they generally peak early and fizzle out gradually.

Women, on the other hand, hit their sexual stride in their late 20s or early 30s before their libidos crash after the age of 40 or menopause.

Dr Peter Chew, a senior consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Peter Chew Clinic For Women, said: 'Sex can still be there after menopause but it declines with age. Women can still desire sex but they won't have sex so often.'

Asked whether older folk can still have sex, Dr Yeo said: 'It's a slow burndown. It's possible to have sex but its frequency will not be as high as when you were a teenager. And your positions may have to be more conservative.'

Cocktail of chemicals

When a couple have sex, their bodies go through four phases: excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution.

Excitement, the first stage, is when desire and arousal occur.

This is what happens in a man: He receives stimulation, which can range from the visual (in the form of an attractive partner) to the tactile (in the form of touch and stroking), and his brain sends out signals to his penis via the spinal cord.

Neurochemicals like endorphins are produced and circulated in the whole body. Nitric oxide is produced by nerves in the penis and expands blood vessels there, enabling the spongy tissue of the penis to be filled with blood and thus becoming erect.

In the woman, signs of sexual arousal include secretion of vaginal fluid and erect nipples. A cocktail of chemicals, including oxytocin and dopamine, are released in a woman's body throughout sexual intercourse.

The couple enters the plateau phase when sexual stimulation is more intense and orgasm is imminent. Breathing gets heavy and heart rates shoot up, and the lovers may experience sex flush, or red spots on the skin.

Dr Christopher Chong, an obstetrician, gynaecologist and urogynaecologist from Chris Chong Women And Urogynae Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital, said: 'Sex hormones like testosterone, oestrogen and oxytocin are increased. This can cause a woman's breasts to swell and her womb to contract.' The womb contracts so as to suck in sperm for fertilisation.

As orgasm approaches and with increased blood flow to the vaginal area, a woman's clitoris swells and the inner lips of her vagina thicken while the outer lips flatten.

Orgasm marks the sexual climax, comprising a series of involuntary muscle contractions accompanied by a sudden release of endorphins and a feeling of euphoria.

In the man, orgasm involves rapid rhythmic contractions of the prostate, urethra and the muscles at the base of the penis, followed by the ejaculation of semen through the tip of the penis.

Dr Ng said: 'Men usually have a single orgasm. Some men may report multiple orgasms but it's probably because they did not ejaculate completely the first time round.'

In the woman, rhythmic muscular contractions in the uterus, outer vagina and anal sphincter occur and may spread through her body.

Initial contractions may occur at intervals of one second or less and subsequent ones may be spaced further apart. A mild orgasm can have three to five contractions while an intense one usually counts 10 to 15 contractions.

After the orgasm, the body returns to its normal, unaroused state. Some women may experience several more orgasms before calming down.

After ejaculation, the man enters a refractory phase, where the penis becomes flaccid and he cannot be sexually stimulated any further. Depending on the man's age, physical fitness and libido, the refractory period can range from 15minutes to one day.

A study last year found that satisfactory sexual intercourse - from penetration until ejaculation - for couples lasts from three to 13minutes.

The survey, which looked at the ideal length of time to have penetrative sex, was conducted by 34 American and Canadian sex therapists.

The time does not count foreplay and the therapists rated sexual intercourse that lasts from one to two minutes as 'too short'.

Professor Adaikan said a couple is at the peak of their love and intimacy, and hence sexual desire, between three months and two years into their relationship.

Asked how he would define 'good sex', Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said: 'Sex is not just for reproduction, it's an expression of love and commitment.

'However, men tend to see sex on a more basic, primal level and find the physical aspects of sex more gratifying. Women tend to emphasise more on the emotional and psychological components.'

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

by June Cheong

Sat, Jul 25, 2009

Mind Your Body, The Straits Times

Can a man make love to a woman he does not love?

It is a poser many women will want the answer to. When put to the medical experts, they unanimously told Mind Your Body: 'Yes, men can and do.'

Dr Peter Lim, president of the Society Of Men's Health and an andrologist, said: 'Men can be totally turned on just by looking at an attractive woman.

'Generally, most men, when stimulated enough, can have sex whether he knows the woman or loves her.'

Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at DrAdrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said studies have shown that men stray more.

'Men tend to view sex as an entity alone and just do it to gratify their physical desire. They are less likely to think of long-term consequences,' he said.

Why do men fall asleep after sex while women want to cuddle?

Men's sexual desires usually die immediately after sex as they enter a resting phase called the refractory period.

Dr Lim said: 'The man feels satisfied that he's done his job, so he goes to sleep. The woman's reason for sex is love. After it's over, she still feels the effects of the oxytocin hormone, which is linked to stimulation and orgasm, so she wants to be cuddled and held to feel secure.'

The difference in the way men and women reach orgasm may also explain men's seeming callousness.

Dr Ng Kok Kit, a consultant in the department of urology, andropause and men's health clinic at Changi General Hospital, said: 'Men reach orgasm more quickly, after which they have a refractory period averaging eight hours when they do not get aroused. Women, on the other hand, are not limited to a single orgasm and may be keen to continue with sex.'

Also, sexual activity involves physical exertion and cardiologists have classified sexual activity as 'moderate exertion'.

What food should men eat to improve the quality or quantity of their sperm?

Fertility starts with general good health. A diet rich in fresh food and leafy vegetables is advised.

Dr Ng said men's diets should include vitamins and minerals like vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and folic acid.

'These vitamins are natural antioxidants which basically fight free radicals that attack and destroy the membrane that surrounds sperm,' he said.

'Infertile men have been found to have a higher concentration of free radicals in their semen compared to fertile men.'

Dr Ng also advised drinking just one to two cups of coffee a day and no more than two ounces of alcohol twice every week as 'alcohol is sperm poison'.

Can you have sex or get pregnant during your period?

Dr Christopher Chong, an obstetrician, gynaecologist and urogynaecologist from Chris Chong Women And Urogynae Clinic at Gleneagles Hospital, said most women are turned off sex during their period as there is so much blood.

It is medically safe, however, to do so, he said.

The chance of a pregnancy from having sex during one's period is one in 30,000. 'It's not impossible; you can still get pregnant if you ovulate at different times,' said Dr Chong.

What and where is a woman's G-spot?

This very sensitive and erotic zone was originally known as the Grafenberg Spot and named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg. He first described it in 1944.

The G-spot is believed to be located near the urethra in the anterior part of the vagina behind the pubic bone. Stroking that area is useful for establishing whether you have a G-spot and how it adds to your sexual pleasure. Stimulation of the area during penetration can also enhance pleasure.

Dr Peter Chew, a senior consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said the G-spot is an extension of the clitoris and is highly sensitive because of the nerve endings concentrated in that area.

It is not known if all women have a G-spot.

Dr Chong said: 'Many believe that if you can find it, you may want to buy lottery.'

Is it normal for women to feel like peeing during sex?

Dr Chong said: 'Orgasm causes muscle contractions. When women have over-active bladders, the bladder muscles contract involuntarily and the bladder may release urine during orgasm.'

He advised women to seek treatment if they pee every time during an orgasm.

Dr Chew added: 'If you want to pee during sex every time, it could be a sign of a urinary tract infection or a sexually transmitted disease.'

Can pregnant women have sex?

Dr Chong said pregnant women can have sex as long as they do not experience bleeding or have vaginal discharge.

He usually advises his patients to refrain from sex after the 30-week mark.

He said: 'Sperm has enzymes that can induce labour and cause the cervix to open up. Stimulation of the expectant woman's nipples can also cause premature labour as oxytocin is released and that can cause contractions.'

Meanwhile, Dr Chew said sex can occur throughout pregnancy and that, in fact, sexual desire in pregnant women shoots up during the second trimester.

Are masturbation and sexual fantasies healthy and can they affect your sex life?

Dr Gan Tek Kah, a general practitioner at Singapore Men's Health Clinic, said: 'Masturbation does not harm the body. However, if a person becomes so obsessed with it and pursues it at the expense of his social life, studies or work, then it's wrong.'

Consultant psychiatrist Brian Yeo added: 'Masturbation is a powerful reinforcer. The image that you play with in your mind is very powerful. If a man masturbates and thinks of a woman, he reinforces his sexual attraction to that woman.'

As for sexual fantasies, Dr Adrian Wang, a consultant psychiatrist at Dr Adrian Wang Psychiatric And Counselling Care, said: 'Fantasies are healthy as long as both parties are consenting adults.

'What goes on behind closed doors is your business. If playing out fantasies enhances your sex life and you don't harm each other, it's a good thing.'

However, if your partner disagrees with your fantasy, Dr Yeo advised modifying it such that only acceptable elements are used.

Does penis size matter?

Dr Gan said: 'All our sexual thoughts, ideals and behaviour are socially constructed. The social expectation of a man is that he is big and strong so size counts. However, it is the hardness of the erection that matters, not so much the size of the penis.'

Dr Wang said that while size does not matter, a certain girth or length helps bring about sexual pleasure. He advised men who are less-endowed to focus on technique.

A 2007 British study reviewing 50 international research projects on penile size since 1942 found that the average erect penis' length is between 14 and 16cm and its girth is 12 to 13cm.

Do women achieve orgasm more easily through penetrative or oral sex?

Gynaecologists Mind Your Body spoke to said every woman has different preferences. Dr Wei Siang Yu, a medical doctor with a special interest in sex education who styles himself as Dr Love, said it is easier for women to achieve orgasm through external stimulation.

He explained: 'The nerve endings distributed in the vaginal wall can be dissipated while nerves around the clitoris of a woman are very localised.'

The Durex Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey 2006 found that 23per cent of Singapore women almost always or always had orgasms. It also found that couples 'satisfied' with the intensity of their orgasms spent 15.7 minutes on foreplay, compared to 10.4 minutes, which was the time others who were 'not satisfied' spent on it.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.

Graft Witness’s Fatal Plunge Sours Malaysia Premier’s Honeymoon

Graft Witness’s Fatal Plunge Sours Malaysia Premier’s Honeymoon
22 July, 2009

The anti-corruption commission “is just another tool of UMNO,” said Haris Ibrahim, a Kuala Lumpur-based human rights lawyer. “Short of completely overhauling the composition and the makeup of this body, this perception will not change.”

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

By Ranjeetha Pakiam, Bloomberg

An opposition aide’s death last week after plunging from the 14th floor of Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency may have ended Prime Minister Najib Razak’s honeymoon with the electorate.

Teoh Beng Hock, 30, died after being grilled by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission as a witness to the alleged misuse of public funds by the opposition-run state of Selangor. The government today may accede to demands from its own coalition partners and the opposition for an independent commission of inquiry after the death sparked public protests.

“This is a reminder to the Malaysian public that the institutions of the state have been compromised,” said James Chin, a professor of political science at the Malaysian campus of Australia’s Monash University outside Kuala Lumpur. “There is no check and balance within the police and the other law enforcement agencies. They’re not accountable to anyone save for the” government.

The police account of the circumstances of Teoh’s death, as reported by the New Straits Times, is that he was questioned for nearly 11 hours in a probe into misuse of public funds by opposition politicians and released at 3:45 a.m. on July 16. Police said his body was found on the 5th floor podium of the commission’s building at 1:30 p.m. and that he died between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., the newspaper said.

Additional Questions

Abu Kassim Mohammad, the deputy commissioner of the anti- graft agency, said Teoh wanted to rest for a while on a couch after he was discharged and several officers saw him sleeping there at 6 a.m., the New Straits Times reported. The police have not concluded investigations and will bring in another 40 people for questioning in addition to the 33 already queried, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday.

Najib, whose National Front has ruled since Malaysia’s independence from Britain in 1957, had seen his public approval ratings jump before Teoh’s death. The prime minister recaptured political ground lost at last year’s election by adopting opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s mantle as a reformer, dismantling preferences in business for ethnic Malays.

Anwar’s People’s Alliance says Najib’s ruling United Malays National Organisation, or UMNO, uses the police to stamp out dissent. Anwar himself is on trial for sodomy, a crime in Malaysia, and says the charges are politically motivated and that he doesn’t expect a fair hearing.

The anti-corruption commission “is just another tool of UMNO,” said Haris Ibrahim, a Kuala Lumpur-based human rights lawyer. “Short of completely overhauling the composition and the makeup of this body, this perception will not change.”

Lack of Faith

The latest survey by the Merdeka Center, an independent research institute based outside Kuala Lumpur, showed that while Najib had a 65 percent approval rating, the public’s confidence in the police stood at 46 percent, and at 41 percent for the anti-corruption body.

The opposition will set up an independent police complaints commission, a recommendation by an earlier Royal Commission in 2005 that the government has not fully implemented, Anwar says.

Hishammuddin said yesterday the police investigation into Teoh’s death would be carried out “without fear or favor.”

“There are many questions asked that need to be answered,” he told reporters. “If the questions raised are not answered, we might have to look at other options, including the possibility of setting up a royal or independent commission.”

Funeral Protest

About 2,000 people, including Anwar, attended Teoh’s funeral on July 20, the New Straits Times reported. The procession following the body carried banners and posters demanding justice. Seven people were arrested when protesters scuffled with police at a July 17 demonstration, the Star said.

Local councilor Tan Boon Wah, 39, was one of the suspects called in for interrogation on July 15, after the anti- corruption agency accused him of pocketing 2,400 ringgit ($677) he was given to supply flags for the Malaysian National Day celebrations on Aug. 31 last year.

“They made me stand still, at attention, for four hours, during which they made as if they were going to hit me, and called me ‘stupid Chinese’ repeatedly,” Tan said in a telephone interview. Tan said he was released at 2:30 a.m. after promising to show the receipts for the flags.

“Public confidence has disappeared and a lot of rebuilding has to be done,” said Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, a former president of Transparency International and vice-president of the opposition Democratic Action Party. “The prime minister has to take the lead. There should be no cover-up.”

Torn vision

Torn vision

Tue, Jul 14, 2009 The Straits Times

By: Cheryl Tan

When Madam Jenny Lee first starting seeing dark tadpole-like lines floating in her vision, she thought she just had a bad case of eye dirt.

But no matter how much she tried to clean her eyes, the lines remained. She got worried and consulted an opthalmologist.

Doctors call those little lines 'floaters' and their appearance to Madam Lee meant that she had torn the retina in her right eye and needed immediate medical attention to repair it.

The 64-year-old educational consultant says: 'I felt no pain at all. The floaters just appeared out of nowhere, in the middle of a conversation I was having with a friend.'

Her symptoms are similar to those of local director Jack Neo, who saw floaters in both eyes while filming his new movie.

Although the director could not be reached for comment, reports said he had been suffering from blurry vision and the floaters multiplied in the past three months.

He has since had surgery to repair the torn retina. The procedure usually involves a 20- to 40-minute outpatient laser surgery to seal the tear.

Floaters are blood clots and tissue in the eye, indicating a retinal tear, say opthalmologists.

Dr Doric Wong, head of the vitreoretina service at the Singapore National Eye Centre, says retinal tears are fairly common. Every week, the eye centre sees about 10 patients for the condition, ranging from teenagers to those in their 70s.

According to Dr Wong, although the probability of retinal tears increases with age, people with myopia of more than 600 degrees are also more prone to tears.

Clinical associate professor Caroline Chee, from the ophthalmology department at the National University Hospital, adds that external factors such as a blow to the head or eye can also cause the retina to tear. People who have a family history of the condition are also at higher risk.

Besides floaters, quick streaks of light seen at the corners of the eyes are also a cause for concern as this may mean the retina is being tugged at.

Such tugging occurs when the eyeball's vitreous gel, a jelly-like substance, degenerates, pulling on the retina and possibly causing it to tear, says Dr Wong of the eye centre.

While torn retinas are a common problem and do not cause loss of vision, Dr Chee says they should not be ignored. If left untreated, they can cause retinal detachment, which eventually results in loss of vision and blindness.

The deterioration from torn to detached retina can happen 'within days, weeks or months', says adjunct associate professor Au Eong Kah Guan from the Singapore International Eye Cataract Retina Centre at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.

Once a retina is detached, apart from floaters and flashes of lights, patients will start to see shadow at the sides of their eyes.

When this happens, an emergency surgery which takes up to three hours is needed, followed by six weeks of rest.

Last September, sales manager Francis Choy, 53, underwent surgery for the retinal tear in his left eye before it got worse, but he still sees floaters occasionally.

This is normal, says Dr Au Eong. The surgery is meant to seal the torn retina and does not eliminate floaters entirely.

Mr Choy, a patient of Dr Au Eong's, has his eyes checked every three months.

He says: 'It is important that people go for eye check-ups. So many people are unaware of such eye conditions.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.