ELEPHANT Man Leong Chee Ming's only hope for a normal life was to remove the tumours on his face. “I don't want to be an elephant man any more!” he told Chinese dailies.

The 43-year-old from Serdang, Selangor, had a miserable childhood. He did not go to school as he was a slow learner. He only learnt to walk when he was 10.

At 14, the red mark which he was born with began to grow bigger on his face and it became tumours, blocking his eyesight and impeding his speech.

“Two years later, we sent him for two operations to remove the tumours but they grew bigger than before,” said Leong's mother Hee Thye Tai, a 68-year-old helper at a mixed-rice stall.

“He dares not go out of the house. People laugh at him and bully him but I have never thought of dumping my son although taking care of him is no easy task.

“He is my flesh and blood. I hope to see him recover and live like a normal person.”

Serdang MCA chairman Datuk Liew Yuen Keong and Wanita chief Senator Chew Lee Giok visited the mother and son on Tuesday.

Liew said he had made arrangements for Leong to seek treatment at KL Hospital. “We will help him to live a normal life.”

> Guang Ming Daily reported that Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau followed Hong Kong traditions of holding a 100-day party for his daughter Heung Wai, instead of a full-moon celebration.

He organised a five-table banquet for relatives and friends. But only five people from showbiz were invited to the event. They were Deanie Ip, Michael Miu Kiu-wai, Felix Wong Yat-wah, Sammi Cheng and Gordon Lam Ka-tung.

Earlier, Lau was spotted applying for a birth certificate for his daughter with Malaysian wife Carol Chu. A copy of the document was leaked to the media.

Other News & Views is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this > sign, it denotes a separate news item.

• Travel Picks: Top 10 golf resorts around the world
• Chinese premier criticizes EU move on trade measures
• Justice Department opposes AMR's $20 million severance for CEO Horton
• News Corp to take charge of up to $1.4 billion this quarter
• Wall Street Week Ahead: Investors look for signs in the rally's break
• Unhappy with how your fave series is faring? Amazon gives you a say
• Visa, Mastercard ask U.S. court to declare card fees are lawful
• Wall Street posts first weekly loss since mid-April on Fed angst
• IMF's Lagarde escapes formal investigation in court
• Politics of development pays dividend
• A thematic play seen
• Sarawak counters hogging the limelight
• Getting GST acceptance will be tough
• A yen for the unloved dollar standard
• Bitten by the music bug

• After Kabul attacks, 10,000 peace balloons
• Report: Google eyes emerging markets networks
• IMF chief avoids charges in French payout scandal
• Seven months after Sandy, New York beaches re-open

• Make betting legal, says top Indian body
• NBA: Pacers edge Heat to even series
• Arat: Istanbul bid to host the 2020 Olympic is about building bridges
• Golf: Two share lead at inaugural rain-hit Pure Silk LPGA
• Golf: Kuchar leads weather-hit Colonial
• Squash: Matthew offers a message with a warning
• Golf: Molinari leads but Ryder Cup colleagues crash out
• Tennis: Djokovic blocks Nadal path to Paris super eight
• MSSM meet: 15 records in five days augur well for M’sian athletics
• Indonesian Rexy's advise to M'sian team: Stick together as a family
• Yongbo: Beat us if you can, not good for China to win all the time
• Thai Ratchanok wins many hearts with her gritty display
• Squash:M'sian Nicol beats New Zealander in straight sets to reach last four
• Basketball: Warriors have no problem taming Dragons in Jakarta
• National hockey juniors fare badly in tourney

• Please wait.

• Living through your midlife
• Malaysia a favourite of Muslim travellers
• Who has the better chance of bagging that high-salary post?
• Sarawak counters hogging the limelight
• Klang Valley a haven for UOA Dev
• Painting of merry old couple covered up to prevent accident at Chew Jetty
• More can be done to promote private retirement scheme
• Politics of development pays dividend
• Ex-steward gets to set aside default judgment
• Robber shot dead after picking on wrong ‘victim’