Harga rumah baru naik

Pemaju tidak mempunyai pilihan berikutan kenaikan harga bahan binaan

KUCHING: Pemaju perumahan di negeri ini tidak mempunyai pilihan, selain turut menaikkan harga rumah berikutan kenaikan harga bahan binaan.

Penolong Setiauasaha Agung Persatuan Pemaju Perumahan dan Hartanah Sara-wak (SHEDA) Iskandar Shar-kawi berkata, pemaju-pemaju perumahan ketika ini juga berhadapan dengan masalah kenaikan harga barang.

Katanya, kenaikan harga bahan api secara mendadak buat masa ini dan kenaikan harga barang keperluan lain sememangnya turut memberi impak kepada pemaju perumahan.

“Justeru, kita tidak mempunyai pilihan lain dan terpaksa juga menaikkan harga rumah dengan harga berpatutan,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menghadiri seminar pinjaman perumahan persekutuan anjuran SHEDA di sini, semalam.

Menurut Iskandar, kita semua sedia maklum bahawa kenaikan harga barang keperluan sekarang melibatkan pelbagai industry, justeru sektor pembuatan dan pemaju perumahan turut menghadapi masalah sama.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, harga rumah yang dinaikkan oleh para pemaju adalah membabitkan pembinaan skim-skim perumahan baru.

“Kita akui masyarakat tentu dibebani pelbagai masalah berikutan kenaikan harga barang.
“Namun, kami (SHEDA) mengambil pendekatan untuk menaikkan harga rumah baru sahaja.
“Sementara rumah ‘stok lama’ kita kekalkan dengan harga lama,” katanya sambil berharap tindakan pemaju perumahan itu tidak membebankan orang ramai memiliki rumah.

Iskandar menarik perhatian, kenaikan harga rumah mungkin sekadar sekitar 20 hingga 30 peratus sahaja dan pemaju perumahan opitimis kenaikan itu amat berpatutan dengan kos pembinaan.

Sehubungan itu, katanya, pihak SHEDA merakamkan penghargaan kepada pihak institusi kewangan kerana telah meluluskan dengan seberapa segera pinjaman perumahan.

“Langkah pihak bank mempercepat kelulusan pinjaman perumahan adalah bagi memberi peluang kepada orang ramai untuk memiliki rumah sendiri, ” katanya.

Mengenai seminar pinjaman perumahan itu, beliau berharap orang ramai akan memahami segala prosedur dan langkah-langkah yang telah dilaksanakan oleh pihak kerajaan dan pemaju perumahan dalam merealisasikan impian rakyat.

Justeru, katanya, seminar itu bertujuan memberi maklumat dan dasar-dasar mengenai skim pinjaman perumahan kepada orang ramai.

Economic Planning Unit (EPU) poll to assess effects of fuel price hike

The Economic Planning Unit (EPU) began an impact assessment yesterday on the effects of the petrol subsidy revision on the public.

It said the assessment, which will end on Aug 17, would be carried out nationwide in urban and rural areas.

The assessment will be made from interviews that 116 pollsters from the Statistics Department will conduct on 6,552 respondents from all ethnic groups.

The hour-long interview will include questions on the increase in food and drink prices since the fuel price hike and the increase in telephone and electricity bills.

Respondents will also be asked if the petrol subsidy revision has worsened their financial burden.

The subsidy revision, which saw the pump price for petrol increasing from RM1.92 to RM2.70, was implemented on June 4. Pollsters will carry authorisation cards and an accompanying letter to identify themselves.

Information obtained from respondents will be kept confidential and only used in the impact assessment.

The EPU urged the public to cooperate with pollsters.For further information, contact the EPU's Malaysian Development Institute at 03-88881896/1897.

RM1.3b biaya biasiswa 2008

Sebanyak RM1.3 bilion akan dibelanjakan sepanjang tahun ini untuk pemberian biasiswa kepada 43,229 pelajar di seluruh negara, kata Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Beliau berkata, daripada jumlah itu, sebanyak RM916.5 juta diberikan menerusi biasiswa Persekutuan dan negeri.

"Syarikat milik kerajaan (GLC) pula memperuntukkan sebanyak RM366.5 juta manakala syarikat swasta menyumbang RM15.68 juta. Ia tidak termasuk peruntukan bagi pinjaman Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN),'' katanya.

Beliau berucap pada Majlis Penganugerahan NST Learning Curve Scholarship Fund 2008 di sini hari ini.

Turut hadir Presiden Persatuan Kolej Swasta dan Universiti Malaysia (MAPCU), Dr. Parmjit Singh dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad, Datuk Syed Faisal Albar.

TajaanJelasnya, jumlah pembiayaan tersebut merangkumi 2,000 tajaan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) bagi program luar negara dan 9,888 untuk pengajian dalam negara untuk pelajar-pelajar cemerlang.

Beliau berkata, baki 31,343 biasiswa merupakan penajaan yang disediakan oleh pelbagai agensi penaja di semua peringkat.

Katanya, bagi pinjaman PTPTN pula, pada tahun ini, kerajaan memperuntukkan RM3 bilion untuk kemudahan 180,000 pelajar pada semua peringkat pengajian di institusi pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) dan swasta (IPTS).

Menurut beliau, kerajaan sebenarnya menanggung kira-kira RM2.871 bilion setahun atau lima peratus kos pengajian pendidikan pelajar di IPTA dan IPTS daripada jumlah lapan peratus.
"Pelajar cuma menanggung tiga peratus yang dikenakan sebagai caj perkhidmatan, itu pun pelajar masih tidak puas hati dengan caj yang dikenakan,'' katanya.

Fishermen grounded

Diesel quota slashed by half without notice; trawlers have not gone out to sea in last five days

Fshermen from Kuching and Samarahan divisions have not gone out to sea since five days ago because their subsidised diesel has run out.

Kuching Trawler Association secretary Kapitan Tan Boon Ting said the fishermen had finished their diesel quota for the month of July.

He claimed that without them knowing, their quota was slashed by half this month from 28,000 litres to just 14,000 litres.

Speaking to reporters at a jetty at Muara Tabuan where the fishing boats were stranded, Tan said some of the affected fishermen suspected that the remaining quota was diverted to fishermen operating in Tanjung Manis.

However, Sarawak Fisherman Association (Penesa) chairman Jamali Basri when contacted by The Borneo Post’s sister daily Utusan Borneo yesterday denied that the remaining quota was re-allocated.

“The issue does not exist, and the real fact is that Fishery Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) has reduced the amount for the quota from 13 million litres to 11 million litres for Sarawak.

“That is the reason there is a shortage of diesel for the fishermen of Sarawak. The problem is not only happening in Kuching and Samarahan divisions but also in Sibu,” he said.

He pointed out that LKIM was in charge of diesel subsidy and not Penesa.

LKIM Sarawak director Abdul Rahman Ellie could not be reached for comments yesterday.

“Problems like this happen because LKIM has always been treating Sarawak as an equal to West Malaysia when they should not. In West Malaysia the subsidy given never runs out and is usually smuggled,” Jamali stressed.

He said the quota for subsidised diesel for fishermen in Sarawak should be the same as Sabah. Sabah is currently receiving 15 million litres which is three million litres more compared to Sarawak.

Jamali wanted LKIM to look seriously into the diesel subsidy shortage.

“The government and LKIM should give the necessary attention to local fishermen especially now that there are foreign fishermen who are registered as locals just to get the subsidised diesel,” he said.

Jamali also asked LKIM to update the ‘Fleet Card’ system, saying local fishermen were facing problem of logistics.

“This (distance from diesel kiosks and bad roads) is another problem that coastal fishermen are facing, making it difficult for them to earn a living,” he said.

“I believe that if LKIM takes the time to find a solution or to update their system, the dissatisfaction of the group will be lessened.”

He added that in Sarawak there are currently 18,000 local fishermen.
Tan, meanwhile, explained that there were four different categories of licence for the fishermen – depending on diesel capacities.

The categories are ‘A’ for small boats or known as shore boats which receive a quota of 2,000 to 3,000 litres; ‘B’ for boats that go five to seven nautical, receiving 10,000 litres, ‘C’ (12,000 nautical), 24,000 litres; and ‘C2’ that go 30 and above nautical, 28,000 litres.

Tan said that Kuching and Samarahan divisions currently have 18 ‘Jurut’ boats (C), 108 trawler boats (C2), 101 box boat (B) and 672 village boats (A).

We are ready for HFMD, says Dr Chan

The state government is ready to face the outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in Sarawak, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan.

“We are preparing as far as the HFMD is concerned and we are now telling everybody to prepare for the worst. It would be best if it can be controlled,” Dr Chan added after attending the briefing on SME Recognition Award 2008 at Sarawak Industry & Promotion Exhibition Centre here yesterday.

He said: “I am also telling everyone involved to be on the alert for next year because this disease usually starts to pick up at the end of the year and continues into the beginning of next year.”

He said two cases of HFMD involving EV71 virus had been reported in Sibu and Miri.
Although the condition is under control, Dr Chan reminded the people and doctors to be on the lookout for an outbreak.

“We are keeping our eyes on the younger people, especially children in kindergartens and primary schools,” he added.

Dr Chan said it was easier to monitor the disease now as doctors had to report cases of HFMD treated at their clinics.

“I have asked the Health Ministry to make it compulsory for all doctors to report any case of the disease,” he said.

During a press conference on May 2, Dr Chan issued a warning to get the people ready to face any outbreak of the disease in the state.

He said routine surveillance conducted by the Sarawak Health Department showed that there were 1,729 cases of HFMD reported in the state till April 26 this year.

“We had three small, localised outbreaks where the first outbreak occurred at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) which involved 48 adults (from March 10 to 25), second outbreak in Kampung Pichin, Serian that involved 24 children (April 4 to 22) and the third outbreak occurred at Al Hidayah Abin Nursery, Sarikei involving 10 children (April 9 to 24),” said Dr Chan.

He said all outbreaks, now under control, were mild and needed no hospitalisation.

“As far as Sarawak is concerned, none of the HFMD outbreak was caused by Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and all cases this year were caused by the Coxsackie A16 virus,” he said, adding that no one was admitted to the hospital or died from the disease.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Health Department director Dr Zulkifli Jantan said as far as Sarawak General Hospital was concerned, no cases of HFMD of students had been reported in the hospital.

“Only serious cases of HFMD will be admitted in hospital and so far no student has been reported ill to the department,” he said when asked to comment on the closure of a kindergarten in Kuching starting yesterday.

He said most probably officers from the Health Office had visited the kindergarten concerned and had advised the authority concerned to take precautionary measures against the disease.
HFMD is generally a mild and self-limiting disease endemic in Sarawak.

The signs and symptoms are fever, sore throat, loss of appetite, ulcer at the throat and mouth as well as blister rashes on the hands, feet and diaper area (papulovesicular lesions). It affects mostly children below 10 years old and the duration of infection normally lasts seven to 10 days.

The disease is spread by direct contact with droplets from an infected person through coughing and sneezing, or oral secretion and nasal discharge or through contaminated hands to mouth. It is also spread by touching blister of the body of an infected person.

A person will show signs and symptoms three to seven days after exposure to the virus. Most patients will recover within a few days.

The disease is very infectious at the acute stage, especially from the cough and sneeze droplets, oral and nasal discharge and fluid from the blisters.

The viruses may continue to be excreted in the stool of the infected persons for a few weeks.

More needs to be done for tourism

STF lists poor public transportation, lack of direct flights among tourists’ grouses in Sarawak

Poor public transportation services, especially taxi service, are among the main grouses of foreign tourists arriving in Sarawak for a holiday.

Wee Hong Seng, president of the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF), a body representing private sector key players in the state’s tourism industry, said based on initial feedback to its ‘We Care’ questionnaires, the respondents noted the need to use metered taxis, a clear fare for each destination, and to upgrade taxi drivers’ knowledge on the state’s tourism products.

“Foreign tourists want at least when boarding the taxis here, the drivers inform them about the tourist spots here and not the silent treatment,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

Wee said there was also the need to improve knowledge on tourism products among the tourist guides in Sarawak, so that the visitors would have a better understanding of what the state could offer.

“There were also comments about our public bus service,” he said, adding that this would improve as the federal government was expected to address the matter urgently in view of the rising oil price.

He said from the feedback, tourists to Sarawak also wanted more direct international flights to the state as most preferred the comfort of flying to certain destinations in Sarawak without changing aircraft.

“To address the problem, we are working out something with the airlines which operate direct flights to certain international destinations,” he said.

Wee said apart from the ‘We Care’ questionnaires, STF also monitored the comments, criticisms and complaints about the state’s tourism industry through its own online feedback system and the newspapers. The feedback from the questionnaires is channelled to the state’s tourism authorities to enable them to take action in an effort to enhance the state’s tourism industry.

— Bernama

Kecurian Penutup Longkang sukar dibendung??

Kecurian penutup longkang atau parit yang diperbuat dari besi atau logam kini berleluasa dan sukar dibendung. Siapa harus dipersalahkan ? Walaupun pihak pemaju perumahan atau pihak berkuasa tempatan berusaha mencegah penutup berkenaan dari di-curi, ia nya tetap manjadi mangsa. Apa pula kesan nya kepada penduduk disekitar kawasan berkenaan. Sudah tentu menimbul dan mengundang bahaya terutama sekali kepada kanak-kanak

di kawasan tersebut. Apa yang menjadi tanda tanya, kenapa perkara yang remek(kecurian) ini sukar diatas diatas atau dibendung ?? Mudah sahaja....bukan pemeriksaan yang kerap tetapi ambil tindakan tegas keatas pembeli besi burok atau mengedar penutup longkang yang didapati membeli barang curi ini. Tiada pembeli tiada pencuri ????

Petronas special dividend to ease people’s burden

The government will use the RM6 billion in special dividend paid by Petronas to ease the people’s burden in the wake of the recent fuel price hikes, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said yesterday.

The deputy prime minister said the government would announce the measures soon.
“There will be more announcement (of the measures) to help the people,” he told reporters after launching the Malaysian Education and Career Expo 2008 and the logo for the F500 Powerboat World Championship Series at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.

On Tuesday, Petronas announced a total of RM62.8 billion payment to the federal government, comprising among others RM30 billion in dividend, including the RM6 billion special dividend.

Don’t hoard rice, millers warned

Ministry to take stern actions against rice millers, wholesalers found to hoard, refuse to sell rice

The Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry will take stern action against rice millers and wholesalers found to hoard and refuse to sell rice, which include prosecuting them under Section 18(1)(a)(b), Paddy and Rice Control Act 1994.

The ministry issued this warning through a letter dated July 14, and addressed to all registered rice millers and wholesalers in the country.

Deputy secretary of the ministry’s Rice Control and Monitoring Division in Putra Jaya, Khamis Mohd Derus, read the contents of the letter when he chaired a dialogue session with more than 50 industry players from Sibu, Kapit, Bintangor, Bintulu and Miri here yesterday.

“For Sarawak, we have agreed to give seven working days from the date of issuance of the respective rice quota entitlement by the local office of Rice Control and Monitoring Division to each wholesaler, for each to get his supply of rice from the respective Bernas godown, and immediately put them on sale.

“We will penalise them for any delay to prevent shortage of rice in the market, particularly the subsidised rice of SS15% and SS5% grades.

“Only certain remote rural areas where transportation is difficult such as Kapit, Belaga, Marudi and Lawas would be given some degree of relaxation, strictly at the discretion of the head of local rice control and monitoring division,” Khamis said.

He thus reminded wholesalers that with immediate effect, under the new system, their quota would be determined by monitoring division while Bernas would only be storing rice at their godown, responsible only for stocks.

Leading the rice millers and wholesalers yesterday was chairman of Sibu Rice Wholesaler Association (SRWA) Yeo Keng Teck.

Also present were monitoring division (Sibu branch) head Hasbi Ali, Bernas Corporation Sarawak chief operation officer Mohd Kamaluddin Mohd Effendie, senior general manager Wan Razif and Pemanca Datuk Lau Hieng Ing.

Khamis also disclosed that the government has decided to increase the supply of subsidised rice of SS15% and SS5% grades to 80 per cent of the total market demand of rice in Sarawak, based on the current consumption and (local) production trend and capacity.

The bulk of that amount would be the SS15% grade, which was more popular, sold at the recommended price of RM18 per 10-kg packet.

“In terms of quantity (SS15% and SS5% rice), we have decided to allocate 4,303 metric tonnes for the Sibu, Sarikei and Mukah divisions, 1,729 metric tonnes for Miri, 1,248 metric tonnes for Bintulu, 269 metric tonnes for Limbang, and 221 metric tonnes for Lawas.”

These figures are supplied monthly through the local Bernas office.

Currently, monitoring division has three offices - one each in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.

On the new packing for SS15% and SS5% rice, Khamis told the wholesalers and millers to start preparing to use the latest recommended packing instructions for Beras Nasional from his ministry, which was very much different from the current packing, complete with stickers for identification.

“We have decided to give rice millers and wholesalers in Sarawak a grace period until October 1 to comply with the new packing instructions. After that, we will confiscate all subsidised rice still packed in the old manner,” said Khamis, who reminded them that they could start using the new packet as soon as they had finished using their stickers, and not wait for the deadline.

Jenayah di Kuching meningkat

Ketua Polis Sarawak tidak puas hati prestasi anggota, pegawai

Kadar kes jenayah di bandar-bandar utama di Sarawak terutama di Kuching, Sibu dan Miri, dilaporkan semakin meningkat sejak kebelakangan ini dan Ketua Polis Sarawak, Deputi Komisioner Mohmad Salleh, menyalahkan prestasi pegawai serta anggotanya sebagai antara punca perkara itu berlaku.

Semalam, Mohmad secara terbuka menyatakan rasa tidak puas hati terhadap sumbangan pegawai dan anggota polis yang berkhidmat di negeri ini. "Kadar jenayah di beberapa bandar utama seperti Kuching, Sibu dan Miri semakin meningkat dan saya percaya prestasi lemah pegawai dan anggota polis antara puncanya.

"Kalau mereka lebih bersungguh-sungguh dalam menjalankan tugas, saya percaya banyak kes jenayah dapat dibendung," katanya kepada pemberita selepas majlis penyerahan 200 kereta Proton Waja untuk empat jabatan Polis di negeri ini, di Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontijen Sarawak, semalam.

Kenderaan itu akan digunakan oleh pegawai penyiasat (IO) dan penolong pegawai penyiasat (AIO) dari Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah, Jabatan Narkotik, Trafik dan Jenayah Perdagangan. Polis Sarawak mempunyai 7,600 pegawai dan anggota yang berkhidmat di seluruh negeri ketika ini.

Mohmad berkata, dengan adanya kenderaan baru itu, tidak ada sebab untuk pegawai terbabit lambat sampai ke lokasi jenayah selepas ini. Difahamkan purata lapan kes pecah dilaporkan berlaku setiap minggu di negeri ini dan kedudukan negeri ini yang berhampiran sempadan antara punca peningkatan kes, dengan kebanyakan kes dipercayai dilakukan penjenayah dari negara jiran.

Rabu lalu misalnya, polis Sibu menembak mati tiga perompak bersenjata warga Indonesia dalam serbuan di ladang getah di Sungai Bidut.

‘The best Friday in 11 years of Rainforest World Music Festival’

The Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) has once again lived up to its promise of bringing a fantastic line of artistes to perform here.

Although the finale was a wet and muddy affair, it did not dampen the mood of the revelers. The rain, which came on the first and final night of the festival, gave foreigners an added feel to the rainforest with some of them shouting ‘Welcome to Malaysia’ as they danced to the authentic beat on the muddy pitch at the Sarawak Cultural Village.

Co-chairperson of the festival, Gracie Geikie, when asked about the first night at a press conference on Sunday, summed the whole experience as ‘the best Friday in 11 years of RWMF’.

“People were just enjoying and dancing in the rain. It became a mud festival instead,” she said laughing.

Indeed, Sarawak Tourism Board has every reason to smile given the overwhelming response the festival has created.

The first night saw 7,219 visitors. The festival then reached a new peak on the second night with 9,063 visitors, exceeding the 8,000-visitor capacity. There was no loss in momentum on the final night for 6,291 came.

The festival co-chairperson Benedict Jimbau said that Friday’s figure caught them by surprise because never in the festival’s history had Friday night achieved more than 5,000 visitors. “Fridays never reached 6,000 but this year it went up to over 7,000.”

He said this could mean that the number of foreign visitors had increased this year although this could not be confirmed without the final audit.

He said the Friday sessions were normally a warm-up affairs and the committee was not expecting a huge crowd because it was still a working day on Saturday. The rise, he added, could be attributed to an influx of foreigners. Attendance on the second evening was even more unexpected. When the ticket counters closed at 8.40pm there were still many visitors clamouring to get inside, but they had to be turned away. They sold more 9,063 tickets as opposed to 8,000 tickets sold last year.

Benedict added: “The attendance of the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah on the first night can easily be said the nicest surprise ever.

“We received words of their coming at the last minutes and it sent us rushing about to arrange for their arrival. We managed to cope well and in the end it was a very pleasant surprise for the whole team.”

Apart from performances from the 17 musical bands and artistes, the various music workshops held during the day also received great response from visitors and locals alike. The children along with their parents on tow were also seen at these workshop sessions, treating them as avenues for learning and fun family outing.

With the date for next year’s festival already announced - July 10 to July 12 - The Borneo Post managed to gather reactions and feedbacks from the people on what the festival needs to improve on.

Marlisa Nicholas, a 32-year-old marketing executive from Kuala Lumpur said she had attended the RWMF for three consecutive years and she liked it when there were new musicians performing.

“There are obviously many differences every year, and this year is the best of the past three years,” she said.

With the two fringe events - Rainforest World Craft Bazaar and the Folk Art forum - this year’s festival was the busiest, she added.

However, she felt that there were still rooms for improvement. She pointed to the muddy pitch near the grand stage that had to be put right. “The people in-charge should know that this is the first thing they should do.”

She also suggested that those who operated the stalls improve on their merchandising. She observed that there were insufficient RWMF T-shirts for sale this year.

“People get very frustrated when they come to the festival from far and cannot buy the RWMF T-shirt due to lack of stock,” she lamented.

Marlisa, who said she was already looking forward to attending the festival next year suggested that maybe a bazaar on traditional food could be held to attract more visitors next year.

Two friends, Tony and Sathies, staff of Malaysian Airlines from Kuala Lumpur, were also spotted enjoying music at one of the booths at the festival. When accosted, they said this was their second time here for the festival, and they were enjoying every minute of it.

“This event is going to be our annual affair,” said Tony.

He felt that last year’s festival was probably more grand as it was its 10th anniversary. However, this year’s festival was very good except for the muddy pitch which had a bit of bad smell to spoil the atmosphere a bit, they said.

Tony and Sathies praised the shuttle services provided for the visitors during the festival, but hoped that the accommodation packages could be reasonably priced.

“We realise that accommodation during this time is a little too expensive. It seems that operators of lodging houses are really cashing in on the opportunities, which is not right.”

They said the packages offered were more suitable for people who wanted to have a long vacation rather than those coming for a short visit to attend the festival.

Ho Chi Min, a Taiwanese who is here on a vacation was at the RWMF by chance, and with him was his 86-year-old grandfather. He said he did not know about the festival, and only when he visited the Sarawak Cultural Village, that he found out that the RWMF was taking place.

The facilities provided in the village was very modern and there were many activities held at the festival. He said the crowd gave the village a very happy and exciting atmosphere.

He however said he found some difficulties in getting information about the local culture because there were no one to speak to. He said he understood that they were rather busy because of the festival but said it would be good if the village could place a spokesperson at each house in the village to explain the local culture to the visitors.

As the curtain fell and the confetti exploded midair to celebrate the success of the 11th edition of the RWMF, many people at the site were probably making a mental note to come back for more music and excitement next year.

Cabinet reshuffle after SUPP Triennial Delegates Conference, says Taib

The much anticipated Sarawak cabinet reshuffle will be after the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Triennial Delegates Conference (TDC) which is expected to take place at the end of the year.

Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud yesterday indicated that he did not want the cabinet reshuffle to distract the delegates during a meeting he considered crucial for the party’s future.

“It (reshuffle) will have to wait until after the SUPP TDC. I do not want to create any issue before the TDC because I would like to see SUPP thinking of their future and how to strengthen and renew the party above all other issues,” he told reporters at the Kuching International Airport here.

He said he did not want to ‘introduce’ something that would deter them from doing so.

Taib had initially planned to reshuffle the cabinet after the Dewan Undangan Negeri sitting in May. He told reporters last April that it would be a minor reshuffle but one that was a part of a ‘renewal process’ for the state government.

But come May, Taib, the state Barisan Nasional chairman, decided to hold back the reshuffle citing uncertain political climate in the peninsula.

SUPP deputy secretary-general Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, who was also at the airport yesterday, said the party had complete trust in the Chief Minister when it came to the appointment of ministers and assistant ministers.

“It is the prerogative of the Chief Minister. SUPP has complete trust in him and he knows who is to do what for the best of Sarawak so we will wait and see,” he said.

The post of ministers and assistant ministers in Sarawak are divided among the four state coalition parties according to their representation in the State Legislative Assembly.
There are currently nine full ministers and 16 assistant ministers.

SUPP, the state’s oldest party, had lost two assistant ministers’ post after the May 2006 polls, which saw the party suffering its worst election defeat.

It lost eight out of 19 seats contested and among the casualties were two assistant ministers and the then mayor of Kuching City South. It presently has two full ministers and four assistant ministers.

It is no secret that SUPP wants the two posts back.

SUPP president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan is a deputy chief minister holding the portfolios of Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture and Minister of Industrial Development.
Wong is the Second Finance Minister and Minister of Urban Development and Tourism.

The assistant ministers are Datuk David Teng (Modernisation of Agriculture and Local Government), Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck (Housing), Lee Kim Shin (Infrastructure Development and Communication) and Francis Harden Hollis (Land Development). May 2006 election left SUPP reeling.

Cracks started to appear and the party spent much of 2006 trying to put things right.

The coming delegates conference is especially important for SUPP not just because delegates need to seriously consider how to move forward but also because Dr Chan could decide to retire.
Dr Chan has so far kept his decision very close to his chest but he has made it clear that his priority now is to find a suitable successor.

As for the other coalition parties, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu has five full ministers and eight assistant ministers, while Parti Rakyat Sarawak and the Sarawak Democratic Progressive Party each has a full minister and two assistant ministers.

The two parties - PRS and SPDP - are also eyeing the impending reshuffle with keen interest more so now than before because Sarawak rural constituencies, where the two parties are entrenched, are becoming more vocal with regards to development.

For PRS and SPDP, they must be seen as capable of representing rural Sarawak to be able to hold their forte in the interior, hence would certainly look at the coming reshuffle with a lot of hope for greater rural participation.

I don’t have to stay on: Dr Chan

SUPP president says if he can’t find a successor, he will look for a group of them

Whether or not Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan will stay on as the president of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) will depend on whether he can find a suitable successor.

“I think my top priority is to find a successor and to see how to get the party moving. Maybe it’s not so much about a successor but more a group of new people who can actually bring out the best of the party.

“And if I can find a successor, I don’t have to stay on (as president) but if I can’t find one, I will think of another way out,” he told reporters yesterday when asked if he would retract his plan to step down during the party’s delegates conference end of this year.

While acknowledging that the party was in dire need of new blood, Dr Chan said he would have to opt for ‘other plans’ if he could not find a successor.

“I must get a group of new successors to rejuvenate the party,” he said.

Dr Chan, who is also a Deputy Chief Minister, pointed out that he “doesn’t need fair weather friends” when it concerned the betterment of the party.

“When the ‘chips’ of the party are down, I hope the best would come along the way,” he said.
Asked if he would step down during the party’s year-end delegates conference, he said: “Why so eager (to know)? If I can get a successor that’s the best.”

Asked if he was having a hard time picking a successor because there were no capable leaders in SUPP, he laughed: “The party should have (calibre persons).”

Dr Chan had expressed his wish to retire early last year. However, recently SUPP deputy secretary-general Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and a few other leaders had called on Dr Chan to carry on as party president, reasoning that he was the best person to continue leading the party which was seeing some bad patches.

Yesterday Dr Chan ruled out the possibility of a merger of SUPP and Parti Gerakan as recently speculated.

“No, no… I can tell you it’s a ‘no’. We usually exchange views with the president (acting president of Gerakan Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon),” he replied as to whether the two parties were considering any merger move.

It was reported that a special meeting between the leaders of SUPP and Gerakan was held at the Borneo Highlands near here on June 29. The purpose and outcome of the meeting remained undisclosed.

Dr Chan was quick to add: “We (he and Dr Koh) are good friends ever since I was in the Parliament last time. Every time we have common problems, we always meet and talk so there is nothing much.”

“I have to get our house in order first before we talk about other things,” he said.

Kasi boleh halang rogol

Pengasian boleh dipertimbangkan untuk menghalang perbuatan rogol di negara ini.

Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, bagaimanapun berkata pengasian harus dijadikan langkah terakhir dalam menghadapi perbuatan rogol berulang, dan implikasinya perlu dikaji mendalam.

“Ia harus menjadi isu yang dibincangkan. Kita perlu memikirkan peranan pengasian dalam menghalang rogol.

“Walaupun ia bukan satu bentuk hukuman di Malaysia, saya fikir orang ramai sudah matang untuk mendebat dan membincangkan ini (kaedah berkenaan) secara terbuka,” katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas melancarkan buku mengenai

“Perogol dan Rogol: Siapa & Mengapa” di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata, pengasian yang diamalkan di Amerika Syarikat dan sesetengah negara Eropah, boleh dilakukan dalam banyak cara, termasuk mengambil ubat bagi mengurangkan hormon.

- Bernama

Dewan Rakyat: Curbs on cybercafes

CYBERCAFES will soon be required to submit a record of their customers to the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

This was aimed at stopping schoolchildren from loitering at such places during school hours, said Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.

This was part of several moves to tighten regulations governing these centres.

His ministry will also work with authorities to conduct regular raids on cybercafes in efforts to stop gaming.