The Thai government extended on Tuesday a state of emergency imposed in about a third of the country during recent bloody political protests, citing danger posed by anti-government instigators, a minister said.

Anti-government protests, mainly by supporters of an ousted prime minister, turned violent in April and May. Ninety people were killed and almost 2,000 wounded, raising fears for stability in Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.

Calm has been restored but the government remains wary, warning that violent elements among the anti-government “red shirt” movement may attempt to rekindle another round of unrest.

Continues here: »www.theglobeandmail.com/news/wor···1629605/

By Cathy Chan

Carrefour SA, the world’s second- biggest retailer, plans to exit Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, and is seeking offers for its operations in the Southeast Asian countries, said four people familiar with the matter.

Carrefour has approached potential buyers and may ask for bids by early September, said two of the people, who declined to be identified because the sale process isn’t public. The combined operations may fetch $800 million to $1 billion, they said. Florence Baranes-Cohen, spokeswoman for Paris-based Carrefour, declined to comment.

Continues here: »www.businessweek.com/news/2010-0···ts.html

A 7.8 earthquake shook Indonesia's northwest island of Sumatra early Wednesday, prompting a brief tsunami warning and sending residents rushing for higher ground. There were no immediate reports of widespread damage.

To ensure our customers are getting the best from our service, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is pleased to inform that your current web filtering services, Xfilter eScan including Internet Security Premium Package, and Xfilter iShield will be upgraded to a more enhanced filtering technology via iShield™ Plus. Meanwhile, the offering of Xfilter eScan, including Internet Security Premium Package, and Xfilter iShield will be temporarily suspended until the implementation of iShield Plus is completed.

A special brigade will be formed to rectify broadband and telecommunications connection issues swiftly and efficiently. Broadband action brigade, to be headed by the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf, would comprise a team of five individuals, including officials from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

PIKOM PC Fair is once again held at various locations in Malaysia, please refer to image attachment for locations & dates.

Please contact the PIKOM PC Fair Team at (603)79552922 or email us at pcfair@pikom.org.my for further information. Full article PIKOM

The three UniFi packages launched by Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) on Wednesday cannot be unbundled and consumers have to take what is offered as there is no a la carte options. This could potentially be an issue for some users who may not want all UniFi offers.

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) clarified that the monthly data volume cap for its consumer UniFi packages will not be implemented immediately. This applies to all Unifi packages offered to consumers -- the VIP5, VIP10 and VIP20, it said in a statement.

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) has finally launched the highly anticipated next-generation high-speed broadband (HSBB), UniFi, since it was announced two years ago. TM’s UniFi HSBB packages comprise triple-play services of high-speed Internet, video (IPTV) and phone, with speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps.

The Government will not censor the Internet as such a move will be ineffective in a borderless world where information flows freely, said the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He said that it would also lead to dissatisfaction among people.

The opposition wants to cut the sale of alcohol in a state that it rules and now the government wants to restrict Internet access. Malaysia is a multicultural country of 27 million people in Southeast Asia.

Packet One Network (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1), which is of the four WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) license holders in Malaysia, is planning to provide broadband for all including the rural areas via community programmes. "First our mission is broadband for all.

Referring to our earlier statement on 21 July 2009 on the disruption of our Internet services due to circuit faults on the Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN2) Segment 1 between Kuantan and Katong, Singapore, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) wishes to announce that there is a delay in the restoration of Internet services due to technical problems at the repairing stages. In addition, our consortium members have also detected another fault on the same circuit about 372km from Kuantan Cable Station.

YTL e-Solutions Bhd (YTLe) is investing RM2.5bil to build a WiMAX-enabled network that will have ample capacity to cater for 14 million users, said director Datuk Yeoh Seok Hong. YTLe’s network roll-out was on track and the July 1 launch date for its service roll-out intact.

The first home has been successfully connected to the fiber infrastructure of the next-generation national broadband network (NBN), OpenNet announced. The NBN network company said at a ceremony, it has connected the first home to the planned NBN's dark fiber, which OpenNet has started laying out since April this year.

TM: Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is pleased to inform its customers that the restoration works following the fire that occurred at its TM Exchange in Sandakan, Sabah is expected to be fully completed by tomorrow, 4 August 2009. As of today, TM has already recovered more than 95% capacity for all its voice, Internet and data services.

The country’s first open access fiber-to-the-home high-speed broadband facility is set to take off here over the next six months, involving 2,000 homes and offices in the initial roll-out.

The government will talk to Telekom Malaysia on how to accommodate a second provider of high speed broadband over fibre optic networks to the home.

Packet One Network (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1), is aggressively expanding its broadband coverage area to include secondary cities in Malaysia, its chief executive officer, Michael Lai said. As at March 2009, the national broadband penetration stood at 22 per cent.

SANDAKAN: The telephone and internet traffic breakdown here as well as in Kinabatangan and Beluran is expected to be fully restored on Sunday. Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) Sabah general manager Sukkriya Masri said communications were restored in stages since yesterday with priority given to essential services like hospitals, the police, the fire and rescue department, and the Sandakan airport.

This message is addressed to JARING Wi-Fi Customers in Bandar Tasik Puteri,Rawang. Please be informed that some maintenance works will be carried out as below:

Date : 30 July 2009
Location : Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang
Time : 11.00am - 2.00pm
Estimated down time : 3 hour

The maintenance works conducted will cause interruption to JARING Wi-Fi service in the above mentioned area. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Article Jaring