Redbook pamphlet: know your rights when stopped by police

When you are stopped or visited by somebody who claims to be police, how should you identify if the person is an authorized police or a faked one? What should you respond and what is your basic rights?

The Malaysian Bar (Badan Peguam Malaysia) published the famous Red Book: Police and Your Basic Rights (Polis Dan Hak-hak Asas Anda) in 2006 to inform citizens and non-citizens in Malaysia of their basic rights vis-à-vis the police.

Further to the overwhelming respond to the Red Book, they've then produced a 2 pages Redbook Pamphlet that outlines the powers of the police in relation to arrests, body searches and the remand process, and the public’s rights when stopped and questioned, and during detention.


The flowchart below is produced based on the information regarding public’s rights when stopped and questioned by police.
 

Make sure you ask for the Police Authority Card (Kad Kuasa Polis) from the officer when stopped. There are 4 different possible colours:

• Blue: Rank of Inspector and above
• Yellow: Below the rank of Inspector
• White: Reserve police
• Red: Suspended Police Officer. He has no authority to do anything to you. Walk away.

Here is how the blue and yellow cards look like...

Click here to download the Redbook pamphlet from Malaysian Bar (English).
Click here to download the Redbook pamphlet from Malaysian Bar (Malay).

I have just won RM15,000 cash! (scam SMS)

Just received an SMS from a number +60145512667 (a Celcom number huh!) saying that I've won RM15,000 cash. I wonder how they got my number, or they just send by random?

Well, this is it...

It is a very obvious scam SMS which trap their ignorance and greedy victims.

• From the commercial point of view, no company will give you large amount of money for no reason. Do you notice that those genuine commercial contests will require you to buy something from them, or read their advertisement, or do something for them (such as promoting them, etc.) or at least fill up a form (and thus... give your detail to their marketing department), before you can even join the contest and have a very limited chance to win?
• This SMS is full of spelling, grammar, punctuation mistakes. If want to scam also write properly lah!
• If a company requires you to call a number, it is always either a toll-free line, or a fixed line. You must get very suspicious if they ask you to call a mobile line, and don't even provide a name of the person at the other end.
  
• If they make use of some commonly known company name, such as Power Root, you can always call their office to check. Obtain their office number from their official website or trusted printed media, instead of the one provided in the SMS.
• If you still believe that you are so lucky to win, you can call in the number, but remember not to bank in even a single cent of money to them, not to disclose too much personal detail, especially not to disclose any of your bank number. If you want to accept the prize, make preference to walk in their office and receive a cheque, or receive by Paypal.

Expenses to enroll a kid in Montessori pre-school in Klang Valley

My kid is now attending a nearby half-day Montessori pre-school this year, and here are the expenses we've spent so far:

• Registration: RM60
• 2 x uniform + 2 x sports wear: RM180
• Insurance: RM20 / year
• Kids Gazette: RM20 / year
• Misc. fees: RM550 / year
• Personal reading books (3 languages): RM30
• School bag: RM50
• 2-way transportation by MPV: RM90 / month
• Monthly fee: RM230 (need to pay 2 months during enrolment = RM460)

Total spent during enrolment = RM1,460
Subsequent months = RM320

The pre-school education is really very expensive in Klang Valley, and parents need to spend a lot during enrolment and for each subsequent months.

We've decided to let our kid attend the Montessori pre-school programme so that he can learn and master the 3 neccessary languages commonly used in Malaysia: English, Chinese and Malay. At the same time, it provides opportunity for him to play around with classmates from different ethics of Chinese, Indian and Malay.

Therefore, although the pre-school education is really very expensive, we still have to spend it.

PS: We feel sad that there are still some political gaffes trying to separate people from different ethics and/or religions who live in this same piece of land for so many years, and we really hope that our current and next generation can mix and unite together as Malaysian. Those political gaffes who like to create issue and tension should feel shameful to see the little boys and girls of young age can befriend and play around with each other without separation of ethics or religion.