Year 2004

Anwar Ibrahim Freed

Thursday, 2nd September 2004

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim walked out a free man after the Federal Court in a 2-1 majority decision allows his appeal against the conviction for sodomy. While Judge Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohamad and Judge Tengku Baharudin Shah Tengku Mahmud ruled in Anwar's favour. Judge Datin Paduka Rahman Hussein was not in favor of Anwar. However, the all the judges noted "We find evidence to confirm that the appellants were involved in homosexual activities and we are more inclined to believe that the alleged incident at Tivoli Villa (Bangsar, KL) did happen." Anwar completed his term for corruption after his sentence was being reduced for good behaviour.


Proton Brought MV Agusta for 70 million Euro

Wednesday, 7th July 2004

MV Agusta is a motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company manufactured small-displacement, Café racer style motorcycles (mostly 125 to 150 cc) through the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1960s small motorcycle sales declined, and MV started producing larger displacement cycles in more limited quantities. A 250 cc, and later a 350 cc twin were produced, and a 600 cc four-cylinder evolved into a 750 cc. Heavily indebted, the manufacturer was bought by Proton for 70 million Euro (RM364 million).


Start of Malaysian National Service PLKN

Saturday, 14th February 2004

The first batch of about 25,000 Malaysian teenagers have started the inaugural compulsory three-month national-service stint aimed at promoting patriotism and ethnic unity.  The program had targeted some 480,000 Malaysians who were born in 1986. Of these 85,000 were randomly selected by a computer program for service which comprises of conscripts that are 17-year-old youths. It is known as PLKN or Program Latihan Khidmat Negara which can be literally translated as National Service Training Program or just known as NS, is a compulsory 3 months military service program for teenagers. Male trainees are called Wira and female are call Wirawatis. The spent 2 months in physical training camp, followed by a final month in a university setting. The 3 months program end in Early May 2004. The second batches will begin in March 2004 and ended in June 2004.