'SELAMAT DATANG KE BLOG 'PUSAT MAKLUMAT RAKYAT KUCHING'

Kami menyediakan bahan maklumat mengenai dasar-dasar kerajaan serta perkhidmatan internet bagi para pelanggan.

LEAVING THIS BLOG NOW...................

As I will be on a long months' holidays starting 7th July 2010 prior to my retirement in October 2010, I will suspend my service in updating my blog on daily issues or facts of interest.

I would like to thanks everyone for having the interest in surfing my blog and sharing the thoughts with me.

Thank you to everyone.


Friday, May 30, 2008

James Chan Khay Syn is new MBKS city mayor

NEW MBKS MAYOR: JAMES CHAN

James Chan could be sworn in today as MBKS mayor; appointment would take effect on June 1

The state cabinet decided at its meeting yesterday to appoint Chan for the post which has been vacant since August 23 last year following the untimely demise of Chong Ted Tsiung.

In confirming the appointment, Environment and Public Health Minister Datuk Michael Manyin told reporters after the meeting that the cabinet had decided to appoint a non-politician due to the “political circumstances”.


Thursday, May 29, 2008

IPT dipelawa buka kampus di Sarawak

Sarawak akan mempelawa institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) asing untuk menubuhkan kampus di negeri ini dalam usaha memastikan tenaga buruhnya mempunyai kemahiran yang sesuai dengan keperluan di Koridor Tenaga Diperbaharui Sarawak (Score) menjelang tahun 2030.

Menteri Muda di Pejabat Ketua Menteri (Sumber Manusia dan Latihan), Datin Fatimah Abdullah, berkata kerjasama dengan pusat pengajian asing adalah satu daripada strategi kerajaan dalam memastikan Sarawak mempunyai tenaga kerja yang sesuai untuk Score nanti.

Katanya, kerajaan memerlukan IPT yang mampu menawarkan kepakaran berkaitan bidang industri pemprosesan aluminium, sawit, petroleum, pelancongan, ternakan, marin dan sebagainya.

“Kerajaan negeri amat komited dalam memastikan kejayaan Score kerana ia kunci pembangunan negeri ini pada masa depan. “Usaha mewujudkan lebih banyak kampus asing juga dilihat mampu meletakkan Sarawak sebagai pusat pendidikan terulung di rantau ini,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap di taklimat mengenai perancangan dan sumber manusia dan tenaga kerja bertempat di Pusat Pembangunan Kemahiran Sarawak di sini, semalam.

Fatimah berkata, kerajaan Sarawak juga akan melabur dalam pembinaan lebih banyak sekolah, kolej, universiti teknologi dan institusi vokasional.

Katanya, pada masa sama, kerajaan memastikan pusat berkenaan mempunyai tenaga pengajar yang layak dan berpengalaman. Beliau berkata, kerjasama antara industri dan pusat pengajian tinggi juga digalakkan bagi memastikan kedua-dua pihak mampu memenuhi keperluan satu sama lain.

“Mereka boleh bekerjasama dalam bidang penyelidikan selain berkongsi maklumat mengenai arah aliran semasa berkaitan bidang masing-masing,” katanya.

Mengenai Score, beliau berkata, koridor pembangunan itu dijangka mampu mewujudkan 2.5 kali ganda peluang pekerjaan daripada 0.9 juta pada 2006 kepada 2.5 juta tahun 2030.

Dalam tempoh sama, Score dijangka mampu menjana Keluaran Dalam Negeri Kasar sebanyak RM131 bilion pada 2030 nanti.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

RM380 mln lost in 2007 through road deaths in Sarawak


Sarawak recorded a loss total of RM380.4 million due to 317 deaths in road accidents last year, said State Federal Secretary Datuk Ngah Senik.

He said this loss was due to the loss of income earners, payment of insurance claims, infrastructure repairs, legal processes and others.

45 per cent of the road deaths were motorcyclists and their pillion riders; drivers and passengers made up 26 per cent, while pedestrians - mostly school children - made up 11.4 per cent. Most of the victims were between the ages of 11 and 35.

Of the 15,184 accidents last year, 404 persons were critically injured and 317 died.

For this year (up to April), Sarawak recorded 5,192 accidents which resulted in 110 deaths and 151 critical cases.

Motorcyclists and pillion riders made up 50 per cent of the death toll, drivers and passengers - 27 per cent, and pedestrians - 14 per cent.

The government’s latest move to make it mandatory for passengers to wear rear seat belts.
A study conducted by Malaysia Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) had shown that rear seat belts could save at least 350 lives each year.

The study also revealed that 90 per cent of vehicles in the country were already equipped with rear seat belts and that the remaining 10 per cent were given a grace period of three years to install them. The move was to ensure the safety of road users.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

‘Don’t overload boats’ reminder

Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB), Sibu branch yesterday warned skippers not to overload their vessels with passengers beyond the number stipulated in the permits issued by the board.
Enforcement officer of the branch Zehegkiel Piree said the board would not hesitate to take action against any boat operator caught violating the conditions in their permit.

He said as a preventive measure SRB personnel were stationed at various strategic locations such as wharves here as well as in Kapit and other places.

Meanwhile, SRB Sibu reminded the public as well as boat operators to exercise caution in view of the expected Gawai Dayak ‘balik kampung’ rush.

Zehegkiel hoped there would be no reports of mishaps involving boats this year, adding that there were some minor cases last year.

Asking the people not to take safety lightly, he said the board’s target was to see zero accidents.
He said, among other things, longboat users should ensure they wore safety jackets.

He also reminded the public not to rush when buying tickets or when boarding vessels.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Scheme does not cover Gawai

SDNU wants immediate extension of price scheme so that Dayaks will not have to pay more for essentials

If you ever wonder why every time it was Gawai Dayak the prices of essentials got a little more pricey than usual?

There was really nothing anyone could do about it, not even the price-controlling authority or the consumer bodies, all because a certain scheme in use in the country to cover major festivals has yet to be extended to Sarawak to specifically include Gawai Dayak.

However, if Sarawak Dayak National Union’s (SDNU) effort to get the scheme extended here is successful, Dayaks doing Gawai shopping may not have to dig deeper into their pockets anymore.

“SDNU wants fair treatment,” said Dr Dusit Jaul, the union’s youth chief, “and that as far as this subject is concerned, Gawai Dayak is celebrated by the Dayak community which forms the largest ethnic group in the State and they should not be made to pay more for necessities they need for Gawai.”

“The union wants the government to extend the controlled items scheme during festive seasons (skim kawalan harge musim perayaan-skhmp) to also cover Gawai Dayak festival,” Dusit said at a press conference after a meeting with Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs state director Rodin Mamat yesterday.

Dusit said the scheme had been long been extended for the Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa and Deepavalli, but unfortunately not Gawai Dayak and Pesta Keamatan.

“Based on our (SDNU) observation, the trend is that the prices of goods, especially in rural areas, always increased during Gawai Dayak. We also received complaints and feedback from the public regarding such price increases,” he added.

The meeting with Rodin was arranged following an SDNU supreme executive committee (SEC) meeting the previous day, which was chaired by union president Mengga Mikui.

Dusit also urged that a similar scheme be extended to ‘pesta keamatan’ which is celebrated in Sabah.

“Similarly, Pesta Keamatan is celebrated by Kadazan which forms a big percentage of Sabah population,” he pointed out.

Dusit said if the scheme was made to cover Gawai Dayak, the prices of goods like chicken, eggs, rice, glutinous rice, flour, vegetables and onions would be strictly controlled by the government, and Dayaks would not be “shortchanged” every time Gawai Dayak came around.

Dr Dusit also said that the public were also complaining about the higher fares provided by certain transport operators during every Gawai Dayak celebration.

He said Dayaks would be travelling the length and breadth of the state during this Gawai month, therefore the union would be most grateful if the government could consider extending the scheme to Gawai Dayak immediately.

SDNU, he assured, would work closely with government departments and agencies to monitor the prices of goods during the coming Gawai Dayak celebration.

Dr Dusit also said that the meeting yesterday also suggested that oil companies set up mini-petrol stations in rural towns like Pantu, Lingga, Pakan and Machan for the convenience of the people in rural areas.

He pointed out that even though setting up mini-petrol stations may not be profitable, the oil companies should consider the proposal as their social obligation to the rural population of Sarawak.

He noted that people in rural areas travelled far to get to town to get their supply of petrol while those intending to sell petrol found the conditions set up by authorities near impossible to fulfill.
“The end result is there is general suffering among the rural dwellers in a as far as this matter is concerned. The mini-petrol stations must be set up,” he said.

At the conference, SDNU also took the opportunity to extend Happy Gawai Dayak greeting to the Dayak community wherever they are.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Isu : Helicopter for crime survilliance

THE recent deployment of police helicopters to patrol the skies of Kuching has generated mixed reactions from various quarters questioning the viability and effectiveness, among other concerns, of employing such a strategy in the fight against crime.

From politicians to the average citizen, it seems everyone has his two cents when it comes to the police and their crime-busting methods.


The Borneo Post received a lot feedback since the helicopter story was published. While most adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude, there were some who were quick to criticise the move as a waste of taxpayers’ money and even questioned the rationale behind such a tactic, branding it as nothing more than a publicity stunt.


To be fair to the men in blue, the ones who were calling for a stronger police presence in the face of a string of housebreaking cases and armed robberies that included the homes of VVIPs, are the same ones who are now berating the eye-inthe-sky tactic.


A reader even sent a text message questioning the competence of the police in handling the helicopters, saying she feared for the safety of the pilots as well as those on the ground should the untoward happen.


Statistics, however, show that a person is more likely to meet his end in a car accident than from a helicopter falling from the sky.


Coupled with the police air unit’s spotless track record since its inception, it would appear the reader was being rather callous and unfair to the police in his comments.


Yet with the rising cost of living playing on people’s minds, it is understandable why certain quarters are somewhat reserved about the use of the helicopters and rightly question the costeffectiveness of the strategy.

If the helicopters are to be deployed in the battle against crime, then the benefits derived from their use must outweigh the costs involved for the strategy to be considered worthwhile, and therefore accepted, by the public.


After all, it is our tax money which is being used to fund the machines and we as taxpayers have the moral right to know and to question how our money is being spent.


Some police officers themselves have also questioned (in private, of course) the tactic of using the helicopters, saying that crime in the city has not yet reached a level that warrants such a drastic (and dramatic) measure.


So the onus is on the top brass of the police to properly assess the long-term viability of such a strategy and whether or not a less costly (but equally effective) alternative can be found.

On another matter, the continuous call by the police for public cooperation in providing information regarding criminal activities taking place in their neighbourhood seems to have been well received.


Several recent successes, such as the arrest of the nine foreign suspects believed to be responsible for the spate of armed robberies, as well as a large bust of illegal VCDs and DVDs, have all been attributed to tip-offs from the public.


(It is worth mentioning that there has not been another armed robbery at a house here since the nine suspects were arrested, so congratulations and thank you to the cops for bringing an end, albeit after 25 cases, to the gang’s reign of terror).


In order to foster better policepublic relationship, it is essential that the men in blue not only be seen but, more importantly, accepted as part of the local community.


The image of the police, which unfortunately is currently at a low, needs to be improved to the point where people respect the uniform and look up to the profession as one of integrity and honour.


More community-oriented programmes in schools and housing estates can help bring the people closer to the police.


Crime prevention talks involving home and business owners, as well as women and children, can help educate the public on ways to avoid becoming victims of crime.


Regular foot patrols by officers would also allow the public to meet and interact with their local police officers to air whatever grievances that are affecting them.


Simple yet effective strategies like these can, in the long term, help forge a strong and beneficial relationship between members of the force and the community they serve.


Bp Sunday, May 4th, 2008 (On Second Thoughts)

Fountains picture of neglect and decay

WONDER how often local council officers visit the Waterfront or the Museum Garden. If they did they would notice how the fountains which were once the pride of the Waterfront have now turned into dumping grounds for litterbugs and are never cleaned.
They are really a sorry sight.

A tourist from Australia recently on a visit to Kuching was appalled at the sad picture of the ‘derelict’ fountains and wondered why with so many Waterfront police personnel, nothing was done to prevent this ‘sickness’.

Then on a visit to the fountains at the Museum Garden, it is the same story. Both are now a picture of neglect and decay.

We appeal to the council concerned to bring back these beautiful fountains to their former glory and ensure they are protected and regularly checked.

Seemingly the lights from the fountains which were lit especially at festivals, have gone into disrepair!

Borneo Post - Letter toEditor,Monday, April 21st, 2008

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Sarawak economic growth up to 6 pct for rest of 2008

THE economic outlook for Sarawak in 2008 is expected to remain favourable with an expected growth of between 5.5 per cent and 6 per cent amidst uncertainties in the global economy, said Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

While export growth is expected to moderate to 6.5 per cent, import growth is expected to remain strong at 15.6 per cent, Wong said in his winding up speech at DUN yesterday.

“Growth on the production side will continue to be driven by the services sector, supported by private consumption and tourism-related activities,” he said.

He said that for the first quarter of 2008, the services sector is expected to achieve a 5.1 per cent growth.

Wong, also Minister of Urban Development and Tourism, said the manufacturing sector was likely to stay strong with an estimated growth of 6 per cent this year while construction sector was expected to grow at 6.9 per cent.

“Growth in the agriculture sector is projected to stay strong as the production of crude palm oil is on an upward trend and registered a growth of 21.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2008,” Wong told the august house.

He said while Sarawak’s domestic economic fundamental is expected to remain favourable in 2008, the external factors that might affect its economic growth and that required close monitoring were severity and duration of US economic slowdown; impacts of subprime crisis and housing slowdown in the US on the global economy; price level of oil, building materials, commodities and food; terrorism threats; and economic growth in China and India.

Wong said the growth of the state’s economy increased by 0.3 per cent last year at 5.8 per cent from 5.5 per cent in 2006.

He said the agriculture sector grew at 11.7 per cent last year while construction sector grew at 6.4 per cent, manufacturing sector 5.8 per cent and services sector 6.8 per cent.

On inflation, the minister said the state is expected to record a higher inflation rate ranging from 2.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent this year compared to 1.7 per cent in 2007.

“Like in other states and countries, inflation is likely to be influenced by the rising prices of global commodities,” said Wong, adding that the rise in global prices of food commodities was also expected to be passed on to the domestic food prices, which leads to higher inflation in the food and non-alcoholic beverages category.

Wong said the government has initiated measures to curb inflation and help the people to cope with the rising cost of basic necessities.

Some of these measures are to continue subsidising fuel prices, offer various financial rebates and reduce rates of personal income tax and set up a special cabinet committee on price increase.

“The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has also strengthened its enforcement capacity to monitor prices and further contain the price hikes of controlled items by unscrupulous and errant traders and wholesalers,” he added.

Wong said the people must be pragmatic to realise that they needed to adjust their household spending and lifestyles to lessen the effects of rising prices.

At the same time, he felt that the state’s businessmen and industrialists must be more creative and innovative, more efficient and productive to be able to remain competitive in this globalised world.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Couple in trouble with ‘along’ over RM300 loan

KUCHING: A couple thought that they could settle a debt of RM300 with loan sharks within a short period of time, but the loan turned out to be their biggest mistake.

After three months of payment, they found that they have paid more than they borrowed, almost triple the original amount.

Four months ago, on the recommendation of a friend, the husband and wife, both in their late 40s, applied for a loan from a money lender by phone call.

The money lender’s men handed over the cash to the couple at their residence at a village in Demak Laut.

The following month, the couple settled the first payment which they claimed to be RM140.
It was to be RM150 and RM165 in subsequent months.

Usually three men who claimed to be debt collectors working for the money lender came in a car to their house each month.

The wife claimed that she knows two of the men — one from Taman Sukma, the other from their village.

The wife said that they could not make any payment for April as she had resigned from her job and was starting to work at a canteen.

Then at 9.55pm last Sunday, the regular collectors came on their motorcycles and demanded that they pay RM310 to cover last month’s instalment.

The wife explained why she could not meet their demand and asked them to consider extending the deadline for payment.

The men got angry and told the couple that they must pay up that night.

In lieu of that, they would get hold of the family’s television set as surety.

The couple’s daughter angrily told them that they could not take the TV set as it was the only one they had.

That sparked a quarrel between the men and the family.

The men threatened certain ‘consequences’ if the family failed to pay their debt that night.
The couple appealed to the men to reconsider but the men refused to do so and even wanted the husband to hand over the keys to their motorcycle, which was still on loan.

When the wife told the men that she would lodge a police report if they took the bike, the men dared her to call the police.

After grabbing the keys from the husband, they rode the motorcycle away.
The couple then called the police and a Mobile Patrol Unit (MPV) arrived at their house.
After hearing the wife’s explanation the police recommended that they lodge a report at Simpang Tiga police station.

The couple did lodge their report that same night.

Manyin: 22 AIDS-related deaths last year

THE state Health Department recorded 22 deaths due to AIDS-related complications last year, Minister of Environment and Public Health Datuk Michael Manyin said.

He also told the august house that the department recorded 113 new HIV and 73 AIDS cases.
In his winding up speech yesterday, Manyin said a total of 794 HIV cases, 400 AIDS cases and 161 deaths were reported since 1989, adding that heterosexual sex was still the main mode of transmission, comprising 77 per cent of the total HIV cases reported last year.

“AIDS has become one of the public health concerns in the state,” Manyin told the august house.
He said that the state Health Department would work with other government agencies, AIDS-related non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and religious bodies this year to offer free HIV screening at all government clinics for pre-marital couples in the state.

The free HIV screening is an addition to the free voluntary HIV screening services and screening of all ante-natal women at all government clinics.

On the hand, foot and mouth (HFM) disease, Manyin said 1,565 cases were notified to the department from Jan 1 to Apr 12 this year, compared with 3,068 cases in the corresponding period for last year.

According to him, there were two outbreaks this year - in March involving 48 students of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), and in early April at one village in Serian with 22 cases.
“HFM disease is still endemic in the state,” he said, adding that the department was notified of 6,571 cases last year.

The minister also brought to the attention of the august house that the state had shown a rising trend in the dengue incidence rate - 79.4 cases per 100,000 people last year, up from 21.8 cases per 100,000 in 2001.

Most of the cases happened in high-density population centres like Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri and Sarikei, although the number of cases in the rural areas was also rising.

He however said that deaths due to dengue fever had declined from 1.5 per cent in 2001 to 0.16 pct last year.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Politik : Komponen BN Sarawak tetap bersepakat

Pemimpin politik Bumi Kenyalang yakin 30 Ahli Parlimen tak mudah terpengaruh, mampu hadapi acaman Pakatan Rakyat

Parti Komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak tidak gentar untuk berdepan dengan ancaman Pakatan Rakyat, yang dikata mampu membentuk kerajaan tidak lama lagi selepas berjaya memujuk lebih 30 anggota Parlimen kerajaan menyertai mereka.

Timbalan Presiden Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), parti tulang belakang BN Sarawak, Datuk Seri Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg, berkata ini kerana semua 30 Ahli Parlimen BN dari Sarawak yang ada, bukan golongan yang mudah terpengaruh dengan janji manis Pakatan Rakyat.

Beliau yang juga Menteri Perumahan Sarawak, berkata hanya pemimpin politik dan rakyat negeri ini yang tahu mengenai hala tuju serta masa depan Sarawak berbanding pemimpin politik Semenanjung Oleh itu, katanya, usaha Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim untuk memancing mana-mana Ahli Parlimen dari Sarawak, menyertai Pakatan Rakyat tidak akan berhasil.

"Saya yakin tidak akan ada ahli parti komponen BN Sarawak terdiri daripada PBB, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) serta Parti Progresif Demokratik Sarawak (SPDP) yang akan meninggalkan parti itu dan menyertai Pakatan Rakyat.

"Walaupun banyak pihak khuatir kerana usaha untuk mempengaruhi ahli politik terutama muka baru dikatakan sedang berlaku, saya percaya, kejadian melompat parti tidak akan berlaku di Sarawak kerana ramai penduduk negeri tahu siapa Anwar," katanya kepada pemberita di Lobi Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak, di sini, semalam.

Johari berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kenyataan Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, yang meminta BN memandang serius ancaman Anwar yang mendakwa pakatan itu mampu membentuk kerajaan tidak lama lagi selepas berjaya memujuk lebih 30 anggota Parlimen kerajaan menyertai mereka.

Dr Mahathir berkata, godaan untuk Ahli Parlimen melompat parti bagi menyertai pembangkang adalah tinggi dan kemungkinan ia berlaku terhadap wakil rakyat BN tidak boleh ditolak.

BN kini mempunyai 140 Ahli Parlimen di Dewan Rakyat dan Pakatan Rakyat pula 82 daripada 222 kerusi. Ini bermakna pakatan pembangkang perlu menarik 30 Ahli Parlimen BN melompat parti untuk membentuk kerajaan dengan majoriti mudah. Sementara itu, Presiden SUPP, Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, berkata SUPP kenal siapa Anwar seperti mana orang lain, tetapi pemimpin tertinggi negara yang lebih mengenali Anwar ialah Tun Mahathir kerana Anwar pernah berkerja di bawah beliau. Dr Chan berkata, SUPP faham dengan amaran berkas Perdana

Menteri itu, bagaimana pun SUPP percaya rakyat di Sarawak tidak akan mudah terpengaruh dengan kumpulan itu.

"Sarawak sudah buktikan sokongan kepada BN pada pilihan raya umum 8 Mac lalu di mana Sarawak berjaya memenangi 30 daripada 31 kerusi Parlimen yang dipertandingkan dan lima menang tanpa bertanding.

"Saya akan pastikan tidak ada ahli Parlimen SUPP akan melompat parti dan menyertai kumpulan Anwar," katanya.

Presiden SPDP, Datuk Seri William Mawan Ikom, berkata partinya tidak akan terpengaruh dengan apa yang dijanjikan oleh Pakatan Rakyat. Katanya, pengalaman yang beliau dan rakan-rakannya lalui ketika berlaku pergolakan dalam Parti Kebangsaan Sarawak (SNAP) sehingga terbentuknya SPDP menjadikan parti itu lebih berhati-hati dalam membuat keputusan.
Cetak artikel Hantar pada k

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Public sector retirement age raised to 58

The mandatory retirement age of public sector employees has been raised from 56 to 58 effective July 1 this year as part of several incentives announced yesterday by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

One of the other incentives is the calculation of the pension based on a maximum of 30 years of service, up from the current 25 years, for all public employees effective January 1, 2009.

The derivative pension would be maintained at 100 per cent, also effective 1 January 2009, he said at the public sector Workers’ Day gathering at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), here.

Abdullah also said that the contentious Efficiency Level Assessment (PTK) would not be abolished but the method of implementation would be improved from time to time.

The Prime Minister said that after considering the life expectancy of Malaysians, the government decided to raise the public sector retirement age.

“Based on a government study, raising the retirement age will not jeopardise the employment opportunities of fresh graduates.

“This is important as the new generation of public employees should not feel that their opportunities for career development are diminishing but rather increasing,” he said.

On the PTK, he said since 2003, the government had continued to improve the implementation of the assessment.

This included increasing the regularity of implementation to expedite the process of career development of officers.

He said that this year, the government agreed to make several improvements, such as:
Not using the PTK written test for Grade 1 to 16 officers.

The competency assessment boards of ministries, states and agencies would determine alternative methods, and

Reviewing and implementing in stages the method of implementation for officers in other grades.
On the derivative pension, Abdullah explained that current regulations stipulate that the derivative pension received by the next-of-kin would depreciate to 70 per cent of the total pension after a lapse of 12-1/2 years from the date of retirement or death in service of a public sector employee.

“Based on a study, this would pose a financial burden for the families with young children. To alleviate this burden, the government has agreed to abolish the depreciation of the derivative pension as of January 1, 2009, meaning that the pension will be paid 100 per cent to the next-of-kin,” he said.

Abdullah, who is also Finance Minister, said the government had also agreed to calculate the pension according to a formula based on a maximum of 30 years of service for all pensioners and pension recipients effective 1 Jan 2009.

Currently, the pension of public sector employees is calculated by taking into account a maximum of 25 years of service.

“This new policy also covers retirement and death in service prior to the implementation date. However, the recalculated pension will only be paid from January 1, 2009 without any arrears. Both these new policies governing pensions will incur an additional annual expenditure of RM718 million and will benefit about 310,000 pensioners and pension recipients,” he said.

Abdullah also said that the government had also agreed that the mother or father of an employee who dies and has no next-of-kin would be given one lump sum payment or ex-gratia payment and not a derivative pension.

The Prime Minister said the government was still studying the other demands, such as a review of the housing allowance and the absorption of contract employees into the permanent service, and would announce its decisions before the tabling of the 2009 national budget in parliament, scheduled for Aug 29.

Abdullah also urged public sector employees to give of their best to every assignment they were given.

“We cannot be lackadaisical towards directives but should have a sense of urgency to implement all decisions reached. Any decision or programme will be meaningless unless it is implemented well,” he said.

The Prime Minister also said public employees should set for themselves a high level of integrity because it was pointless to have mastery of knowledge without a good attitude.

“What I want to emphasise here is that the public service plays an important role in creating a conducive atmosphere for the country to be competitive and progressive. It is the public sector that will determine the success or failure of the country in its march towards Vision 2020,” he said.

— Bernama


NEW RETIREMENT AGE NOT AUTOMATIC, says PSD chief

Although the government has extended the mandatory retirement age from 56 to 58 years, it is not automatic, said Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam.

“Civil servants have to individually agree that they want to continue serving until 58,” he told reporters after attending the public sector’s Workers’ Day gathering at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here yesterday.

He said this in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s announcement yesterday of several incentives for public sector employees, the new retirement age, which will take effect from July 1, being one of them.

Others include the calculation of pension to be based on a maximum of 30 years of service, up from the current 25 years. This will be effective Jan 1 2009.

As for the derivative pension, it would be maintained at 100 per cent from Jan 1, 2009.
Ismail explained the Pensions Act stipulated that civil servants must be given the option to decide whether they wanted to continue their services up to the mandatory retirement.

“Under the Act, civil servants can go on optional retirement beginning 40,” he said. Touching on the calculation of pension based on a maximum of 30 years of service, up from the current 25 years, Ismail said it would benefit all pensioners.

“It is across the board. All pensioners will get it. Like me … when recalculated I do not get it now but in Jan 2009,” he said.

Describing it as a good move by the government, Ismail said currently, “the maximum pension you can get is only up to 25 years of service.”

“Now with five years added, you get extra when your calculate your pension,” he said.
Ismail said the total pension bill currently stood at RM5 billion and that the new incentives would incur an additional expenditure of RM781 million.

On the derivative pension that is to be paid 100 per cent to the next-of-kin after a lapse of 12-1/2 years from the date of retirement or death in service of a civil servant, Ismail said: “It is for both.”

“If the government servant is a woman the husband gets it, if it is a man then the wife gets it,” he said.

At the gathering, the prime minister also said that the government had agreed that the mother or father of a government employee who dies and has no next-of-kin, would be given one lump sum payment or ex-gratia payment.

Referring to this, Ismail said: “It is a gift from the government to the parents.
“It has never been done before but there is a formula for it … it depends on the length of service,” he said.

– Bernama

Friday, May 9, 2008

Sarawak not taking it lightly

State BN taking serious heed of Pakatan Rakyat’s threats and Dr M’s warning of possibility of MPs switching camps

The four component parties of Sarawak Barisan Nasional are not taking lightly the claims made by Pakatan Rakyat that it will form the next federal government in the near future.

The parties — Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) — are looking into this matter very carefully and keeping tabs on the happenings on the ground.

They also unanimously agreed with the warning by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to take seriously the threat by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

PBB deputy president Dato Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Anwar was waging a psychological war and trying to tempt elected representatives from the two East Malaysian states to jump ship.

“We should never discount (this possibility) because the carrot is being dangled by the other side. He (Anwar) is very tricky, and is trying to create confusion.

“The top leadership had been monitoring the situation and they are not taking it lightly,” he told reporters at the Dewan Undangan Negeri here yesterday.

He pointed out that the state BN had already made it very clear that no MPs from Sarawak would cross over.

“This is because only Sarawakians know the future of Sarawak and we will manage things smartly,” he said noting that PKR is a Peninsula-based party.

Having said that, he was not against the recent setting up of PKR divisions in Mas Gading and Mambong because any political party was free to spread its wings in a democratic nation.

“We in PBB just work as usual, we are not scared of them. The rakyat can judge us. We are ready to face them, because we also know their characteristics,” he said.

His party colleague, vice-president Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman was also convinced that as far as PBB was concerned, none of its MPs would jump over.

“Our MPs have the discipline and they will not stoop to crossing over to the other camp,” he said, adding that Pakatan Rakyat had not delivered its promises to the rakyat, such as the lowering of assessment rates in Selangor.
PBB has the most MPs within the state BN with 14 out of 30.

As for Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), its president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan said Dr Mahathir’s warning on Anwar would be taken very seriously.

This is because the best person who understood Anwar was Dr Mahathir due to the long history between them.

Dr Chan said that just like any political party, SUPP was ready for any challenge and although the party had suffered defeat previously, was changing with time and focusing on consolidating its strength.

He pointed out that SUPP was “not that bad” as they managed to retain their six parliamentary seats in the recent general election despite speculations that they would lose three of these seats to DAP.

He said there was no need for SUPP to comment on the political scenario in the peninsula but he stressed that the most important thing to do now was ensure that everyone in BN worked together towards achieving a very stable state government in Sarawak.

Meanwhile, SPDP president Dato Sri William Mawan said the main concern now was to think of ways to strengthen the BN government, which was short of the two-third majority in Parliament.

One way to do this was to merge SPDP and PRS into a single party, he said.

“Of course from time to time people try to confuse to improve their positions in the public eye in order to enhance and consolidate their popularity, but we are not going to be part of this.

“We will proceed with our agenda and contribute whatever that will enhance the image of BN,” said Mawan.

As far as SPDP was concerned, he said the party was happy to be a component of a strong BN government and work with the other component parties to regain public confidence in BN’s administration system, delivery system and governance, he added.

“I am very happy that so far SPDP has one voice and one direction and
that nobody has made comments that contradict the leadership stand,” he said.

PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing said any statement and threat by Anwar or any other leader of the opposition should not be treated as ‘rubbish’ anymore.

This is because of the paradigm shift in the political arena, which resulted in Pakatan Rakyat ruling five states in the peninsula and winning 82 of the 222 seats in Parliament.
“Not only must we guard our position but also guard the welfare of the people who elected us into where we are now.

“They (the opposition) must remember that BN is still the government of Malaysia. The majority had given the trust in us to look after them.

Therefore, any threat against us is a threat against the people who vote us,” he said.
Dr Mahathir told reporters in Putrajaya on Wednesday that Malaysia would experience a lot of conflicts if the crossover of MPs from BN were to take place.

Asked where the opposition front would obtain the 30 MPs or more, the former prime minister pointed towards Sabah and Sarawak saying: “If we take Umno, MCA and MIC, they have their roots in Peninsular Malaysia but not in Sabah and Sarawak.

“Although you have Umno in Sabah, it is transplanted from here (peninsula). They are used to smaller parties. So can we be sure that they will remain strongly loyal to Umno? I don’t think so.”

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Call for single system for varsity admission

A backbencher yesterday suggested that a single system be used for admission of students to institutions of higher learning, instead of the current practice of basing eligibility on either the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) or matriculation examinations.
Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn (BN-Alor Gajah) said the current method had given students the perception of injustice in the system because many eligible students found that they could not get a place in local universities.

“Many students are dissatisfied because they are denied the opportunity to attend the matriculation programme which takes only one year compared to STPM which takes two years to complete,” he said during the debate on the motion of thanks to the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.

Fong, the previous Human Resource Minister, also suggested that the government include vernacular schools in the national education system instead of tolerating them as a political compromise.

He suggested that all vernacular schools on private land be recognised as government schools with the condition that the land be used only for education purposes.

– Bernama

More airlines coming to Sarawak

THE Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism is working closely with various tourism stakeholders including federal government agencies to bring in more foreign airlines, including Tiger Airways, to Sarawak.

Assistant Minister of Tourism Hamden Ahmad said the success of the effort would depend on various factors such as market and tourist profile, product viability and destination competitiveness.

“Other perspectives from a broad spectrum of enterprises of both domestic and international tourism are also taken into consideration before any foreign airline can be invited to fly into Sarawak,” he said.

Hamden said during a meeting between the ministry and Tiger Airways two years ago, its chief executive officer (CEO) Tony Davis had indicated strong interest to get the airline to fly to Kuching.

“The airline is ever ready to start services, with four flights weekly if the load is sufficient. They will not hesitate to fly daily into Sarawak, if Tiger Airways deemed it profitable. However the airline must first get the approval from the Ministry of Transport.

This move would be reviewed once the Asean Open Sky Policy comes into effect January next year.

Last November, the Ministry of Transport granted approval on the long-awaited liberalisation of the lucrative Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route.

The ministry formally gave AirAsia permission to commence flying the route twice daily, and Malaysia will also allow two flights per day by Tiger Airways into Kuala Lumpur.

This was done ahead of the mandatory date set out by Asean Open Sky Policy as the move was seen to benefit in positioning Kuala Lumpur as the region’s leading low-cost carrier hub.