Saturday August 18, 2012

Scratch-and-win rings using dope, says ex-worker

SCRATCH-and-win syndicates have been accused of using drugs to control their workers.

China Press quoted an ex-employee as saying that the syndicates would add party drugs to the workers' food.

Once they were hooked, they would be forced to work harder to earn sufficient money for the drugs.

She added that she had seen her superior put some powder into the food and drinks of those who were planning to resign.

The daily said there were also ranks within the structure.

The high-ranking staff were assigned to lure white collar professionals while rookies “practised their skills” with housewives and students.

“If they had hit a monthly target of RM30,000, they would get an incentive trip to Japan.

“Those below par would only get a RM600 salary,” said the ex-employee.

> Sin Chew Daily reported that the residence of China's last Emperor, Aisin-Gioro Puyi, has been demolished.

The Western-style house in Beijing was arranged for Puyi by the government after he was released from a 10-year detention camp for war criminals.

As it was built during the Republic of China (19121949) period, the building was not listed as a heritage conservation unit.

The house was torn down due to safety reasons after it was damaged by thunderstorms, Sun Tiexiang, from the housing and land management centre of Xicheng district, told Beijing News.

Sun added that a replica of the building would be rebuilt on the same site later.

Chinese author Chen Guangzhong, however, felt that the building should be preserved although it was not an ancient architecture.

“It was the place where Puyi spent his entire life as a citizen,” he said.

Puyi (19061967) of the Qing Dynasty lived in the house with his civilian wife Li Shuxian, who was a nurse.

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 a > sign, it denotes a separate news item.

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