Thesun 2008-12-18 Page06 Hindraf Hunger Strike Leader Collapses

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theSun

| THURSDAY DECEMBER 18 2008

news without borders

Three lucky punters scoop up RM40.9m jackpot [email protected]

PETALING JAYA: A punter from Perak won a record RM20.9 million, and two others, one in Johor and the other in Negri Sembilan, shared RM20 million – all in four days – in the Sports Toto draw this month.

On Dec 9, just two days after Sports Toto Malaysia increased the maximum prize payout for its Mega Toto 6/52 jackpot from RM20 million to RM30 million, the winner from Perak hit the jackpot of RM20.9 million. The new maximum payout of RM30 million is the highest in the jackpot records

of Malaysia. On Dec 6, the two winners from Johor and Negri Sembilan jointly won RM20 million. The Mega Toto jackpot has now been broken three times in two months, with the winners scooping up at least RM20 million on each occasion. Before the two

“strikes” in December, the RM20 million jackpot was broken once in October. Sport Toto said in a statement yesterday the RM20.9 million winner has been an ardent follower of Mega Toto since April and has not missed a draw since then, spending about RM100 each time. He usually gets his numbers from the “Lucky Pick”, a computerised random numbers selection system designed by the company for customers who do not have any idea of what numbers to choose or just want to try their luck with numbers from “nowhere”. The winner, in his late 30s, said he checked the draw results published in a newspaper 10 times and got his wife, parents and siblings to help verify the fact, just to make sure it was not an illusion. “I felt like I was in heaven but I still managed to sleep well that night. It was just too good to be

true,” he told Sports Toto, adding that he still did not believe it until it was verified by Sports Toto. The winner has decided to quit his job in the engineering field and take a good long break before deciding what to do next. He said he was definitely not going back to work for a “salary” and planned to buy a big house, a fancy car and give some money to his family, charity and others. “I will not let the windfall get to my head because winning a mega jackpot is only once in a lifetime, life is ever changing and so a prudent lifestyle must be planned,” he said. The joint winners are both businessmen but in different fields. The winner from Johor got his lucky numbers from the subject line of a junk mail, and the Negri Sembilan winner claimed he dreamt the winning numbers – 5, 6, 7, 9, 12,19. The Johorean got an

extra RM19,800 from six sets of the second prize as he played System 7. System 7, which costs RM7, allowed him to have seven numbers to create seven combinations of numbers and increased his chances of winning. The Negri Sembilan winner got an extra RM3,300 as he won the second prize from another set of numbers. Both said their winnings “came at the right time” and are the best year-end gifts for them to start a new year. One winner plans to spend his windfall cautiously and the other just wants to be “worry-free” about money. Sports Toto said the increase in the maximum payout to RM30 million is a milestone in the jackpot records of Malaysia and is set to create a frenzy among jackpot hopefuls. The jackpot for Super Toto 6/49, another popular game, is now RM13 million. KAMARIDUAN MOHD NOR/THESUN

by S. Tamarai Chelvi

Tourism attractions

Govt to reconsider Eurocopter purchase KUALA LUMPUR: The government will reconsider its decision on the purchase of Eurocopter helicopters when the economy recovers, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said yesterday. “When the situation returns to normal, the government can reconsider whether to proceed with the purchase of this type of helicopter or make other decisions,” Najib, who is also the finance minister, said at a news conference. He was asked to comment on the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the government reconsider its decision to defer the purchase of 12 Eurocopter EC725 choppers costing RM1.604 billion. The PAC, in a report distributed to MPs, had proposed that the purchase be made by 2011 at the latest after taking into account that the Nuri helicopters were only safe for use until 2015. – Bernama

epresentatives from 45 countries are gathered for the Miss Tourism International 2008 World Finals from Dec 12 until New Year’s Day. Featured in their national costumes are participants from Malaysia, Bolivia, Panama, Indonesia, Thailand and New Zealand. Themed “Bringing the World to Malaysia”, this year’s contest seeks to present Malaysia as a leading tourist destination. The delegates will visit tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur and Malacca. The Miss Tourism International 2008 World Final will be staged in conjunction with a New Year’s Eve Countdown Party in Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa.

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Hindraf hunger strike leader collapses KUALA LUMPUR: A hunger strike by 15 Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) supporters at a Hindu temple in Gombak entered its fourth day yesterday. The strike at the Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple in Kampung Temengong led by Hindraf national

coordinator S. Jayathas was a show of protest against the government over the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) on civilians and a demand for the release of the five Hindraf leaders held under the Act in Kamunting. Yesterday, at about 11am, Jayathas, who was exhausted and suffers from

kidney failure requiring dialysis every two days, collapsed in the temple. A participant of the strike, V. Shanti, said he was rushed to the Selayang Hospital in an ambulance and his condition did not look good as he had missed two dialysis sessions since taking part in the strike.