> Malaysian men marrying 'secret wives'
Malaysian men are marrying “secret wives” in Pulau Batam through a "cheap" ceremony. The Indonesian island has become the place to go for men who want to take on more than one wife in a nikah ceremony starting from as low as Rp1,000 (27 sen) to Rp10,000 (RM2.70). The marriage status is purportedly considered valid without having to go through the usual documentation process or court procedures as required in Malaysia. It was known among the locals as nikah siri.
> Maid raped by robber
A Filipino maid was raped when a robber broke into her employer’s house in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. The alleged robber, who was hiding in the victim’s room, threatened the 26-year-old woman with a parang at about 4.30am. He then instructed her to disclose the place where her employer kept his valuables before ransacking the house. The robber fled the scene after raping the victim. A police report had been lodged.