'SELAMAT DATANG KE BLOG 'PUSAT MAKLUMAT RAKYAT KUCHING'

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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.


Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Aidilfitri esok

Tarikh Aidilfitri ditetapkan pada Rabu, 1 Oktober, demikian diumumkan oleh Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja Malaysia.

Beliau berkata demikian menerusi satu kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Pejabat Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja Malaysia.

– Bernama

Hilang rumah akibat mercun

Sikap degil seorang kanak-kanak akhirnya membawa padah apabila mercun yang dibakar bukan sahaja nyaris meragut nyawa sendiri tetapi mengakibatkan rumahnya musnah dalam kebakaran di sini semalam.

Dalam kejadian kira-kira pukul 5.20 petang itu, mercun gasing yang dibakar Mohd. Asyras Mohamad, 11, berpusing-pusing sebelum memasuki rumah mereka di Kampung Permatang Sintok di sini.

Mohd. Asyras kemudiannya cuba mencari mercun itu di dalam rumah dengan bantuan kakaknya, Nurul Alwani, 19, tetapi tidak berhasil sebelum menyedari api mula merebak dan memusnahkan sama sekali rumah mereka.

Ibu kanak-kanak itu, Rozaini Hashim, 42, tidak menyangka kedegilan anaknya itu akhirnya menyebabkan mereka tiga sekeluarga tidak dapat berhari raya di rumah sendiri tahun ini.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Calls to check all China foodstuff

In the wake of the melamine-tainted milk scare, several consumers have urged the authorities concerned to carry out regular inspections and lab tests all China-produced foodstuff sold in Sarawak.

“Ingredients of locally made and imported food stuff must be thoroughly checked from time to time,” said a consumer, Chee Ying in an interview with The Borneo Post here yesterday.

Foodstuff from China are widely sold in shops and supermarkets in Sarawak. They range from canned food (fruits, pickled vegetables and processed pork) to biscuits and sweets.
Ying said China has a reputation for imitation goods so the authorities in the state must be vigilant.

Another consumer, who only wished to be known as Toh, said her family never buy China-produced tinned stuff since the republic was known for tampering with ingredients in some of its products.

“The market is very competitive and there is bound to be some unscrupulous businessmen. If you go through China’s record of court cases, there are a lot of cases involving food safety,” she said.

“Now the scandal revolves around milk and some dairy products. As a consumer, I am also worried about other products made in China like shampoo. Do we have China-made shampoos and are they safe to use?” she asked.

A grocer, who only wished to be known as Kueh, said China’s milk scandal had caused some customers to be more careful when shopping. They now read the wordings on tins and packages of food to find out the country of origin.

“People are still buying tinned food from China like processed pork because these are not related to milk. My shop didn’t experience a drop in the sale of tinned food,” he observed.

He conceded however that he knew of a customer who disposed of all of her tinned foodstuff after the news about melamine-contaminated milk.

With milk as the main ingredient in ice-cream, the sale of ice-cream had been slightly slow, he admitted but assured that it was safe to eat.

He said the manufacturer of Wall’s ice cream sent a circular to all retailers, confirming that their milk and the powder used in the product were sourced from Australia, New Zealand, Europe or America.

“Come to think of it, how do you define something that is safe to eat these days?

“Some food sold at eateries are not prepared hygienically yet people still patronise them everyday,” he said.

Kueh said his shop only sold Malaysia-made biscuits while imported ones were produced by reputable companies like Danone and Kraft.

“Big companies have stringent food safety measures and will not risk doing something that will tarnish their brand name, which took years to establish,” he pointed out.

Kueh said the toxic milk scare should serve as a wake-up call to governments around the world to be stringent in food safety surveillance.

“Checking once or twice is not enough but should be on a regular basis,” he said, adding that authorities did not have to wait for more deaths before springing into action.

A company director Penghulu Pui Sing Min said his supermarkets did not record a slowdown in China-made foodstuff following the tainted-milk scare.

“First of all, we do not sell China-produced milk powder and baby formula. Secondly, most of our food items are produced in Malaysia,” he revealed.

He said only a handful of tinned food was imported from China but had not been listed by the government as unsafe for consumption.

As a responsible businessman, he assured that he would keep himself updated on the latest development concerning the tainted-milk scare, and immediately remove any item banned by the Malaysian government.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

The tainted milk crisis

Government tests found one-fifth of China’s companies producing baby milk powder had melamine in their products. So far, four deaths reported while more than 53,000 infants have fallen ill

MELAMINE has become a rogue word overnight. And not without good reason.

Four babies had died and more than 53,000 taken ill in China to date after drinking milk made from powder tainted with this plastic-derived chemical.

All of a sudden, it is not safe giving your babies milk power imported from China and the scare has spread beyond the borders of the mainland as parents the world over are on tenterhooks, not knowing whether they have unknowingly given the tainted milk to their infants before the melamine crisis broke out.

Even two gorillas — aged one and three — from Hangzhou Wildlife World in Zhejiang province are suspected of becoming the latest victims, showing the early signs of kidney stones.

Certainly, it’s no longer a distant concern — the feeling of uneasiness and trepidation is real.

Local reactions range from fear to outrage ever since news broke that melamine has been found in milk powder manufactured by some China dairy companies, notably the Sanlu Group Co in Shijiazhuang southwest of Beijing.

The melamine scare began with complaints over milk powder manufactured by the Sanlu Group Co — one of China’s best-known and most respected brands.

But the scare quickly became a much larger crisis as government tests found that one-fifth of the country’s companies producing baby milk powder had melamine in their products.

So far, four deaths have been reported and more than 53,000 infants have fallen ill because of the toxic milk powder, known to cause kidney stones and agonising complications. Hence, a string of Asian countries, including Malaysia, have banned or recalled milk products imported from China.

Melamine was first found in infant milk formula in China markets but has since been detected in a range of products with dairy ingredients both in China and abroad. An industrial chemical used in plastics, the substance has been added to diluted milk products to make it appear richer in protein.

ACA arrests two officers for alleged graft

KUCHING: Two police officers were arrested yesterday by the state Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) for alleged graft.

The two cops, who are probationary inspectors attached to the Commercial Crime unit, were picked up at their office at Sungai Maong police station by ACA officers around 2.30pm and detained for investigation.

State ACA director Mohamad Yussof Akope confirmed the arrests of the 25 and 28-year-old inspectors, attached to the Commercial Crime unit for three to five months, after completing their training at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year.

Yussof said the duo was nabbed during a sting operation set up by ACA officers where they received RM10,000 from an illegal VCD peddlar to ‘settle’ a case against him and secure the release of his seized vehicle.

The duo had previously received RM8,000 from the same individual and were alleged to have demanded an additional RM50,000 to close the case.

The peddlar reported the matter to the ACA and was instructed to set up a meeting with the two inspectors.

ACA officers moved in during the exchange of money and nabbed the suspects.

Yussof said the two cops were being detained and investigated under Section 11(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.

Borneopost- Sunday, September 28th, 2008

64 banduan diberi pelepasan parol

Tempoh tahanan dikurang untuk beraya dengan keluarga minggu depan

Buat kali pertama, 64 banduan yang menjalani pelepasan menerusi sistem parol akan berasakan kemeriahan Aidilfitri bersama keluarga masing-masing, bermula minggu depan.

Timbalan Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Wan Farid Wan Salleh, berkata itu adalah antara kelebihan sistem parol kerana ia memberi peluang kepada banduan menjalani kehidupan bebas seperti orang awam.

"Jika sebelum ini, kumpulan pertama banduan ini hanya berpeluang bertemu keluarga selepas beberapa hari perayaan disambut, tetapi kali ini mereka dapat merasakan sendiri suasana menyambut Aidilfitri bersama sanak saudara dan tentunya pendapatan yang diperoleh hasil pekerjaan yang dilakukan sejak dua bulan lalu dapat menampung perbelanjaan diri dan keluarga.

Sistem parol mula dilaksanakan Julai lalu dan konsep pelaksanaannya berlandaskan kepercayaan bahawa pembebasan secara terkawal dan bimbingan supaya dapat membantu mengintergrasikan banduan ke dalam komuniti ke arah pembentukan masyarakat lebih harmoni serta selamat.

Banduan yang mendapat perintah parol akan dilepaskan dengan diwajibkan memenuhi syarat dan kawalan seperti ditetapkan Lembaga Parol dan diletakkan di bawah kawalan Pegawai Parol daerah.

Jika melanggar syarat parol ditetapkan, mereka akan diperintahkan ditahan semula di penjara dan tidak akan diberi peluang menjalani parol pada masa depan.

Mengikut Seksyen 46A Akta Penjara (pindaan) 2007, mereka yang menjalani hukuman penjara setahun layak mengikuti Sistem Parol selepas menjalani separuh daripada hukuman itu.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

New primary school curriculum

A new curriculum will be introduced at the primary school level in 2010 to make it more holistic and less examination-oriented.

Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said this would replace the existing primary school integrated curriculum (KBSR), which was first introduced in 1983 and subsequently reviewed in 2000.

“The new curriculum will be based on six key areas to produce holistic individuals,” he told reporters after releasing the third report card based on the National Education Blueprint 2006-2010.

These six areas, he added, were communication, spiritual attitude and values, humanitarianism, science and technology literacy, physical and aesthetics, and personal development.

Hishammuddin said the implications of the new curriculum would include changes in the time table, syllabus and curriculum, while teachers will be trained to become more multi-specialised.

The emphasis in Years One and Two, he added, would be on ensuring pupils mastered reading, writing, arithmetic and reasoning skills, scientific and ICT knowledge, and nurturing creativity.

In Years Four, Five and Six, he said the emphasis would be on acquiring more complex skills and knowledge.

Hishammuddin said the ministry was also transforming the national assessment system, moving from a centralised examination to a school-based assessment.

Suggestions, he added, which were being studied include creating a database of students’ development, reducing the number of examination papers and subjects, and assessing based on semesters.

He said the main of the transformation was to make learning fun and to move away from an examination-oriented environment.

The ministry, he added, was also transforming technical and vocational education to make it more relevant and attractive to students.

Beware : Women lose RM57,000 in Internet, phone scams

Police have warned the public to be wary of Internet scams and dubious phone offers following reports of two women cheated of RM57,000.

State police chief SAC 1 Mazlan Mansor said the victims were lured by prizes such as laptop computers and luxury watches by con artists.

“In the first case reported in Alor Gajah on September 15, a 33-year-old female civil servant was cheated by a man she befriended online.

“She was coaxed into making four cash deposits into a local bank account in exchange for a laptop and £5,000 (RM31,500).

“After depositing RM22,000 into the account, she realised it was a scam and reported to the police,” he said.

In the second case, a 66-year-old woman was cheated of RM35,000 after she deposited the money into a bank account.

Mazlan said the victim received a phone call from a local man who claimed she had won a luxury watch worth RM80,000.

The victim was asked to deposit the sum into a bank account to claim her prize.

He urged those who received such dubious offers to contact the police at 06-284 2222 or SMS to 012-224 4999 to assist in investigations. - Bernama

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Fuel prices down by 10sen

Prices of petrol and diesel are 10 sen cheaper from midnight Wednesday.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said the retail price of RON97 is reduced from RM2.55 per litre to RM2.45 per litre, the price of RON92 is lowered from RM2.40 to RM2.30, while diesel is reduced from RM2.50 to RM2.40 per litre.

In reading out a statement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw, Shahrir said the 10 sen reduction is the maximum value that the Government could reduce.

It is also the second adjustment made by the Government.

The first adjustment to reduce the fuel price was made on Aug 23.

Shahrir said the Cabinet, which met Wednesday for the last time this month, decided to reduce the fuel price since people would start their balik kampung exodus this weekend to celebrate Hari Raya.

“It is hoped that the price reduction will reduce the burden of the people this festive season,’’ he said.

Going by the trend, Shahrir said the Government would be paying slightly more for the fuel subsidy as the average crude oil price would be only be seven sen cheaper but the Government had decided to absorb the difference and lower it to 10 sen.

Asked whether the Government would implement a free float system for fuel prices, Shahrir said it was still too early to think of such a system at this moment although it was one of the items dicussed in Cabinet with no decision made yet.

Earlier, Shahrir also announced that the consumer price index (CPI) from January to August increased by 4.8 % to 110.4 compared with that of 105.3 in the same period last year.

Compared with that of the same month in 2007, the CPI for August registered an increase of 8.5 from 105.9 to 114.9.

The CPI for August increased by 0.2% when compared with July, he said.
Despite of fuel prices lowered on Aug 22, it was not reflected in the CPI in August.

Shahrir said the CPI in September may not be lower as well as the Government had allowed a 30% increase in surcharge for buses during the festive season.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Pasar minggu berkonsep kebudayaan Sarawak, Kalimantan

SERIAN Sebuah pasar minggu berkonsepkan kebudayaan masyarakat pelbagai kaum di Sarawak dan Kalimantan akan dibina di Tebedu dalam masa terdekat.

Menteri Pembangunan Bandar dan Pelancongan, Datuk Michael Manyin Jawong berkata, buat masa ini, beliau telah mengarahkan pihak perunding tempatan supaya mengkaji pelan tapak pasar berkenaan.

''Konsep pasar ini lebih kurang sama dengan pasar yang terdapat di Serikin dan Bau. Ia dibezakan dengan persembahan hiburan seperti pertunjukan pentas dan gerai menjual makanan," katanya kepada pemberita di sini semalam.

Manyin yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Tebedu berkata, pasar minggu itu akan memberi peluang kepada pengunjung termasuk warga Indonesia mempelajari kebudayaan masyarakat pelbagai kaum di Sarawak menerusi makanan tradisional dan produk kraf tangan tempatan yang dijual di situ.

Beliau yakin kewujudan pasar itu akan berjaya menarik kehadiran orang ramai berikutan kawasan itu berdekatan dengan pelabuhan darat dan kawasan perindustrian.

''Bagaimanapun, kementerian memerlukan dana yang mencukupi bagi melaksanakan rancangan berkenaan dan saya berharap kerajaan Pusat akan dapat meluluskan peruntukan sewajarnya bagi projek itu," ujarnya.

Sementara itu, Manyin berkata, Serian memerlukan fokus yang khusus bagi mempromosikan produk pelancongan yang terdapat di situ.

Jelasnya, Ranchan Pool merupakan salah satu pusat rekreasi yang berpotensi untuk diketengahkan tetapi ia perlu dinaik taraf terlebih dahulu.

Raja Petra Kamarudin begins two-year detention under ISA at Kamunting

Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was sent to the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping at 11am this morning to begin his two-year detention under the Internal Security Act.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar confirmed he signed the detention order based on investigations and recommendations by the police. Syed Hamid said Raja Petra was sent to Kamunting before his 60-day remand ended as police had found concrete evidence that his postings in the Malaysia Today blogsite, was prejudicial to the security of the country.

Raja Petra's wife Marina Lee Abdullah said she was informed of the detention order by an officer from the Federal police headquarters through a phone call at 9am. She added that no decision was made on her husband's submission of habeas corpus today as judge Suraya Othman had ordered that Raja Petra submit a written submission to be heard on Oct 28.

Raja Petra, 58, was picked up at his house in Sungai Buloh at 1.10 pm on Sept 12.

NST Online 23/09/08

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Insentif khas kepada 63,000 penanam padi bukit Sabah, Sarawak

Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani akan memberi insentif khas kepada penanam padi bukit di Sarawak dan Sabah sebagai langkah meningkatkan lagi keluaran padi bukit tempatan.

Timbalan Menterinya Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim berkata setakat ini terdapat kira-kira 60,000 penanam padi bukit di Sarawak dan 3,000 lagi di Sabah dengan jumlah anggaran kawasan penanaman sekitar dua ke tiga ekar seorang.

“Kementerian akan memberi insentif khas dalam bentuk baja dan peralatan untuk meningkatkan pengeluaran padi tempatan termasuk pengeluaran padi bukit dalam setahun,” katanya kepada Bernama di sini hari ini.

Katanya kerajaan bersetuju untuk memberi kemudahan insentif seperti baja (25 kilogram) dan racun perosak (empat liter) sebulan selain peralatan menyembur racun dan mesin gergaji berantai kepada penanam padi bukit yang berdaftar dengan kementerian.

Penanam padi bukit yang ingin mendapatkan kemudahan tersebut boleh mendaftar nama mereka dengan kementerian sekarang dan mereka yang layak dijangka menerima kemudahan itu awal tahun depan, katanya.

Rohani berkata kebanyakan penanam padi bukit di Sarawak dan Sabah masih lagi mengusaha sawah mereka secara tradisional iaitu melalui cara penanaman

“pindah randah” dengan meneroka tempat yang baru setelah tempat lama tidak lagi subur untuk tanaman padi.

Sementara itu, berhubung sekatan eksport produk perikanan negara ke negara Kesatuan Eropah (EU), Rohani berkata sekatan itu adalah atas kerelaan Malaysia sendiri untuk memberi peluang kepada pengusaha tempatan meningkatkan standard keselamatan dan kesihatan produk perikanan masing-masing.

Setakat ini enam pengusaha telahpun bersedia untuk menerima pemeriksaan daripada pihak audit keselamatan dan kesihatan makanan EU sebelum mereka boleh meneruskan eksport produk perikanan ke EU.

— BERNAMA

Kementerian Kewangan adakan taklimat luar biasa kepada Najib

Kementerian Kewangan akan mengadakan taklimat luar biasa kepada Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berhubung keadaan ekonomi dan kewangan negara serta situasi global di kementerian itu esok.

Menteri Kewangan Kedua, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop berkata taklimat lengkap yang mengandungi semua aspek berhubung Kementerian Kewangan itu akan disampaikan kepada Najib yang juga Menteri Kewangan oleh pegawai-pegawai kementerian.

“Esok adalah kali pertama Najib menghadiri mesyuarat di Kementerian Kewangan sebagai Menteri Kewangan dan pihak kementerian telah mengatur satu taklimat luar biasa kepada beliau.

Taklimat itu memang luar biasa dari segi keseluruhan dan kesempurnaan kerana ia lebih lengkap.

“Macam-macam isu akan dibentangkan pada taklimat itu termasuk berhubung keadaan ekonomi, kewangan serta cabaran-cabaran yang dihadapi di Malaysia dan di arena antarabangsa,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan sumbangan Hari Raya anjuran Liga Muslim Pulau Pinang di Masjid Kapitan Keling di sini hari ini.

- Bernama

Kaji tambatan ringgit untuk lindungi ekonomi negara - Muhyiddin

Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin mahu kerajaan mengkaji cadangan bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad supaya melaksanakan semula sistem tambatan ringgit bagi mengurangkan impak kejatuhan nilai dolar Amerika Syarikat (AS) terhadap mata wang negara.

Sekalipun tambatan ringgit yang dilaksanakan kerajaan pada tahun 1997 dilihat tidak sama dengan senario ekonomi global yang tidak menentu ketika ini, Muhyiddin berkata mungkin ada beberapa mekanisme tambatan ringgit itu yang boleh diguna pakai semula.

“Mungkin tambatan ringgit dilihat tidak lagi sesuai bagi mengekang kelembapan ekonomi dunia hari ini untuk melindungi kesannya terhadap ekonomi negara kita, tetapi mungkin ada beberapa mekanisme tertentu tambatan ringgit itu yang boleh diguna pakai semula.

“Ekonomi global hari ini adalah berpunca daripada masalah sub prima di Amerika Syarikat sehingga menyebabkan beberapa buah bank utama negara itu bankrap dan senario ini adalah tidak sama dengan apa yang berlaku pada tahun 1997,” kata Muhyiddin.

Beliau ditemui pemberita selepas mengadakan pertemuan dengan beberapa pemimpin dan anggota UMNO akar umbi Bahagian Temerloh dan Kuala Krau dekat sini malam tadi.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas cadangan Dr Mahathir supaya tambatan ringgit diperkenalkan semula bagi mengekang nilai mata wang AS yang semakin menyusut akhir-akhir ini yang akan memberikan kesan buruk kepada ekonomi negara.

Muhyiddin berkata kerajaan perlu mengikuti perkembangan ekonomi semasa dunia dengan mengambil inisiatif dan berwaspada dengan mengambil langkah-langkah proaktif untuk menangani masalah tersebut.

Beliau berharap kesan kelembapan ekonomi global itu hanya sementara sahaja dan tidak seteruk seperti yang berlaku pada tahun 1997.

“Apa yang penting ialah kerajaan perlu sentiasa mengawasi inflasi, memantapkan sektor pelaburan, memperkukuhkan institusi kewangan dan menggerakkan ekonomi domestik,” katanya.

Pada perkembangan lain, Muhyiddin berkata beliau yakin pelaburan terus asing (FDI) akan kembali memberangsangkan penghujung tahun ini.

“Sekarang ini kita lihat banyak pelabur asing mengambil sikap tunggu dan lihat kerana bimbang dengan kestabilan politik negara gara-gara terpengaruh dengan berita peralihan kerajaan,” katanya.

— BERNAMA

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Sarawak: 138,000 warga Indonesia balik kampung beraya

Kira-kira 138,000 warga Indonesia yang kebanyakannya bekerja dalam sektor perladangan dijangka 'mudik' meninggalkan negeri ini secara berperingkat sempena sambutan Aidilfitri.

Pengarah Jabatan Imigresen Sarawak, Datuk Robert Lian, berkata tempoh puncak pergerakan warga Indonesia ini dijangka berlaku dalam masa seminggu lagi dengan pintu masuk di Tebedu dijangka akan menjadi laluan tumpuan.

"Dianggarkan 138,000 rakyat Indonesia yang berada di negeri ini secara sah akan pulang berhari raya dengan jalan keluar utama adalah melalui Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuching (LTAK) dan Kompleks Kastam dan Imigresen (CIQ) Tebedu.

"Berikutan dari itu semua pintu masuk darat akan dilanjutkan tempoh operasi bagi memudahkan urusan dengan kakitangan saya sudah diminta untuk bekerja lebih masa sepanjang musim perayaan ini," katanya ketika ditemui di Program Gerak Mesra anjuran Badan Pencegah Rasuah-Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak di sini, kelmarin.

Angka 138,000 yang dikemukakan berkenaan mungkin lebih rendah dari jumlah sebenar warga Indonesia di Sarawak kerana berdasarkan anggaran semasa tidak kurang 200,000 rakyat negeri itu berada di sini ketika ini.

Pergerakan mudik atau pulang ke kampung halaman di kalangan warga Indonesia di sini agak berlainan kerana pada masa yang sama mereka akan membawa pelbagai peralatan seperti peti ais, mesin basuh dan televisyen sebagai hadiah kepada keluarga yang menunggu.

Robert berkata, tiada operasi khas mengesan pendatang izin akan dilakukan sepanjang bulan puasa dan Aidilfitri, namun pihaknya akan mengetatkan kawalan pintu masuk sejurus selepas bulan Syawal tamat.

Kelainan suasana politik kini kesan kemajuan ekonomi dikecapi rakyat

Suasana politik sekarang yang agak berlainan berbanding beberapa tahun atau dekad sebelum ini merupakan satu terjemahan kepada kemajuan ekonomi yang dikecapi masyarakat di negara ini.

Selepas Pilihan Raya Umum ke-12 pada 8 Mac lepas, suasana politik negara tidak sepi dengan pelbagai ‘kejadian’ - yang paling mendapat perhatian, azam Pakatan Rakyat (PR) diketuai Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim untuk menubuhkan Kerajaan Persekutuan baru bagi menggantikan Barisan Nasional (BN).

Ketua Jabatan Politik dan Hubungan Antarabangsa, Fakulti Sains Sosial, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Dr Neilson Ilan Mersat, berkata dari segi teorinya keadaan politik yang dialami negara sekarang merupakan sebahagian daripada proses pemantapan demokrasi.

“Pendukung-pendukung teori modenisasi pernah menyatakan sesebuah negara itu akan lebih mantap dan matang demokrasinya apabila ekonominya bertambah maju dan diikuti dengan peningkatan taraf hidup rakyat,” katanya dalam kenyataan kepada Utusan Borneo menerusi emel semalam.

Menurutnya, kajian-kajian yang dibuat oleh sarjana-sarjana dalam bidang politik seperti Seymour Martin Lipset (1959), Samuel P Huntington (1968) dan Philippe C Schmitter (1986) menunjukkan memang wujud hubungan antara pemodenan dan pendemokrasian.

“Demokrasi akan lebih subur apabila sesebuah negara itu mencapai tahap pembangunan dan pemodenan yang meningkat.

“Sejak Malaysia ditubuh, terbukti ia telah mengalami proses pembangunan dan pemodenan yang agak pesat,” jelasnya.

Katanya, taraf kehidupan meningkat dengan kadar kemiskinan telah menurun, peluang pendidikan yang banyak, jumlah kelas menengah dan kelas pekerja semakin meningkat, media masa dan perkembangan teknologi terkini menjadikan maklumat mudah diperolehi.

Semua ini akan menjadi pemacu kepada pendemokrasian sesebuah negara, ujar beliau.

“Begitu juga dengan bertambahnya jumlah pergerakan sosial yang melahirkan masyarakat bertamadun dan seterusnya mewujudkan demokrasi yang vibran sifatnya.

“Sudah tentunya kumpulan yang berbagai ini mempunyai kepentingan, tuntutan dan kehendak yang amat berbeza dan adakalanya sukar untuk dipenuhi,” katanya.

Sehubungan itu, Neilson dalam masa yang sama mengajukan soalan: “Apakah nilai-nilai demokrasi yang kita dukung selama ini mampu berhadapan dengan cabaran-cabaran seperti ini?”

Katanya, bagi pendukung-pendukung teori modenisasi cabaran-cabaran seperti yang dihadapi kerajaan BN pada masa ini sememangnya tidak dapat dielakkan.

“Dari segi praktiknya, perkembangan-perkembangan tersebut adalah cabaran yang getir khasya kepada pemerintah,” katanya.

Walaupun keadaan sekarang dilabelkan ‘sihat’ dari aspek teori, tetapi ia perlu ditangani serius oleh pemerintah agar tidak berlarutan kepada perbalahan kaum atau agama.

“Apatah lagi dengan keadaan di Malaysia yang agak rapuh disebabkan komposisi masyarakatnya yang berbagai etnik, agama dan budaya.

“Demokrasi memang berkehendakkan penyertaan seluruh masyarakat, tetapi seandainya perbuatan sesetengah kumpulan mencetuskan ketegangan, demokrasi akan mati apabila mencapai tahap ini,” katanya.

Susu tepung formula di pasaran tempatan adalah selamat, kata Liow

Semua susu tepung formula yang ada di pasaran di negara ini adalah selamat untuk digunakan dan orang ramai tidak perlu bimbang dengan kes pencemaran susu seperti yang berlaku di China, kata Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai.

Beliau berkata kes yang berlaku di China tidak mempunyai kaitan di negara ini kerana susu jenis tersebut tidak diimport oleh Malaysia.

“Ini jaminan kepada rakyat Malaysia, susu tersebut tidak ada dalam pasaran negara,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Beberapa kematian dilaporkan berlaku di China yang dikaitkan dengan produk susu tepung formula bayi. Kementerian Kesihatan hari ini mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa Malaysia tidak mengimport sebarang produk susu tepung formula bayi dari China, khususnya yang dihasilkan oleh Sanlu Group.

Liow berkata kementeriannya telah mengambil beberapa langkah yang perlu bagi memastikan susu tepung formula bayi yang ada di pasaran tempatan adalah selamat digunakan.

“Kementerian tidak akan berkompromi dalam soal memastikan tahap kesihatan produk untuk orang ramai sentiasa terjamin,” katanya.

Beliau meminta rakyat negara ini yang pernah meminum susu tersebut ketika berada di China supaya membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan.

- Bernama

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Jamin tiada kenaikan ketara harga ayam dan telur bagi perayaan Aidilfitri

Bekalan daging ayam dan telur bagi musim perayaan Aidilfitri ini dijamin mencukupi dengan tiada kenaikan harga yang ketara, kata Presiden Persekutuan Persatuan-persatuan Penternak Malaysia, Lee Ah Fatt.

Katanya persatuan itu telah mengadakan perbincangan dengan Menteri Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani, Datuk Mustapa Mohamed dan pihak berkuasa tempatan bagi menjamin keperluan bekalan dua bahan utama ini bagi musim perayaan itu mencukupi.

“ Persatuan juga telah meminta kepada kerajaan supaya paras harga ayam pada kadar RM7.50 sen sekilo manakala harga telur Gred A pada harga 34 sen sebiji,” katanya kepada Bernama di sini hari ini.

Beliau berkata kerajaan akan menetapkan harga siling kedua-dua harga bahan itu bagi musim perayaan Aidilfitri ini tidak lama lagi. Katanya harga ayam pada masa kini antara R7.00 dan RM7.50 sekilogram manakala harga telur Gred A antara 30 sen dan 35 sen sebiji.

Menurutnya purata keperluan bekalan ayam setiap hari adalah sebanyak 1.3 juta ekor manakala permintaan untuk telur antara 15 juta dan 25 juta bergantung kepada keadaan semasa bagi Semenanjung Malaysia.

“ Kita menjangka kenaikan permintaan sebanyak tiga hingga empat peratus daripada kadar permintaan pada hari biasa semasa menghadapi musim perayaan Aidilfitri ini,” katanya.

Beliau berkata lazimnya permintaan untuk bekalan telur akan meningkat pada minggu ketiga umat Islam berpuasa kerana suri rumah akan mula melakukan persiapan untuk membuat kuih raya.

- Bernama

Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani nafi harga beras Jasmine melambung

Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri Asas Tani menafikan laporan bahawa harga beras Super Special lima peratus jenama Jasmine Super Tempatan dan 15 peratus hancur (ST15) melambung.

Menurut satu kenyataan kementerian hari ini, Syarikat Jasmine Food Corporation menjelaskan bahawa beras Super Special lima peratus dijual pada harga antara RM16.50 hingga RM17 bagi setiap 10 kilogram dan bukannya antara RM27.50 hingga RM33.50 seperti yang dilaporkan.

Beras Super Special Tempatan lima peratus pula dijual pada harga RM26.75 hingga RM27.20 bagi sekampit 10 kilogram dan ia di bawah harga siling yang ditetapkan oleh kerajaan iaitu RM2.80 sekilogram.

Harga beras import pula tidak dikawal oleh kerajaan kerana ia bergantung kepada harga pasaran dunia, menurut kenyataan itu.

- Bernama

Monday, September 15, 2008

Restrict ISA use: Zaid

Minister wants Act to be used for terrorists, subversives and those out to topple govt by force

The Internal Security Act (ISA) should be used specifically to stem the activities of terrorists, communist subversives and those attempting to topple the government by force, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said yesterday.

He said the ISA should be used for the stated purpose and “we keep to that”.

The country has many laws which could be applied in issues such as racial tension and threats to national security, he told reporters at his residence.

Zaid was asked to comment on the detention of Malaysia Today blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, Seputeh Member of Parliament Teresa Kok and Sin Chew Daily reporter Tan Hoon Cheng under the ISA on Friday. Tan was released yesterday.

“We have many laws which the police could have used to detain the three people without having to use the ISA. We have the Sedition Act and the Penal Code,” he said.

Zaid also said many other approaches could be employed to minimise racial differences or issues, including dialogue sessions and peaceful discussions.

Meanwhile, Zaid is expected to contest the post of Kota Baharu Umno Division head in a straight fight with the acting head Datuk Mohd Fatmi Salleh.

Zaid was suspended as the division head for 18 months from Jan 1 last year, and the Umno Supreme Council decided that he cannot lead the division after serving out the suspension and had to wait until the next divisional election.

— Bernama

Rasuah di Sarawak serius

Dikategorikan antara yang catat jumlah kes rasuah tertinggi di negara ini

Sarawak dikategorikan antara negeri yang mencatatkan jumlah kes rasuah tertinggi di negara ini, kata Pengarah Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) Sarawak Mohd Yusoff Akope.

Menurut statistik BPR, seramai 453 orang ditahan kerana pelbagai kesalahan rasuah di seluruh negara sepanjang tempoh lapan bulan pertama tahun ini.

“Daripada 453 orang yang diberkas ini, 11 peratus atau 49 orang yang ditahan oleh BPR Sarawak telah dihadapkan ke mahkamah.

“BPR Sarawak turut menerima 880 aduan berhubung gejala rasuah, daripada jumlah ini kita telah membuka 77 kertas siasatan dan 353 fail pertanyaan risikan,” katanya ketika ditemui pada majlis Program Gerak Mesra BPR-JAIS Bersama Masyarakat di Pusat Penerangan Islam di sini, semalam.

Majlis anjuran BPR Sarawak itu dirasmikan oleh Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Sarawak (JAIS) Datu Misnu Taha.

Yusoff menambah, kumpulan pengurusan dan profesional merupakan golongan yang paling ramai terlibat dengan kes rasuah di negeri ini.

“Tangkapan melibatkan golongan profesional ialah seramai 16 orang, kumpulan sokongan (14), swasta (12) dan orang awam, tujuh orang,” katanya sambil menambah, 68 kes lagi sedang dibicarakan di beberapa mahkamah di negeri ini.

Beliau turut menafikan tuduhan pihak tertentu yang mendakwa BPR hanya meng-ambil tindakan terhadap golongan ‘ikan bilis’ berbanding ‘ikan jerung’, sebaliknya memberi jaminan bahawa BPR tidak akan berkompromi dengan mana-mana pihak yang didapati terlibat dengan rasuah.

Sungguhpun demikian, katanya jenayah rasuah di negara ini dikategorikan berada di tahap sederhana berdasarkan Indek Persepsi Rasuah (CPI) yang dikeluarkan oleh Transparensi International.

“Malaysia berada pada paras lima daripada 10 mata penuh ukuran CPI,” tambahnya.

Borneopost 15/09/08

Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak dijangka kutip RM4 juta zakat

821 amil dilantik turut buka kaunter di bazar Ramadan, pusat beli-belah

Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak (TBS) menjangkakan kutipan zakat fitrah tahun ini meningkat kepada RM4 juta berbanding RM3 juta tahun lalu berikutan peningkatan kadar dan pembayar.

Pengurus Besarnya, Abang Mohd Shibli Abang Mohd Nailie, berkata selain kadar fitrah yang berubah daripada RM5.20 kepada RM7.50 tahun ini, pertambahan jumlah pembayar zakat menjadi penyumbang.

Katanya, 821 amil dilantik TBS bagi menguruskan kutipan zakat fitrah di seluruh negeri dengan setiap masjid mempunyai ketua amil yang menyelaras kutipan wang zakat di kawasan masing-masing.

"Kaunter pembayaran zakat fitrah dibuka di semua bazar Ramadan sekitar Kuching dan pusat membeli-belah utama di seluruh negeri dari jam 10 pagi hingga 6 petang.

"Saya meminta umat Islam menunaikan tanggungjawab ini lebih awal dengan berjumpa dengan amil bertauliah serta tidak menunggu pada akhir bulan dan tidak tergesa-gesa," katanya kepada Berita Harian di sini, semalam.

Mengulas mengenai kemungkinan pembayaran zakat fitrah di Sarawak dapat dilakukan menggunakan khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) seperti di Semenanjung, Abang Shibli berkata, ia masih terlalu awal bagi dilaksanakan di negeri ini.

"Setakat ini, kita belum berhasrat melaksanakan kaedah pembayaran menggunakan SMS kerana ia masih pada peringkat awal dan memerlukan kajian terperinci sebelum dapat dilaksana sepenuhnya.

"Saya menggalakkan orang ramai bersemuka sendiri dengan amil ketika menjalankan tanggungjawab membayar zakat fitrah kerana ia lebih afdal dan pada masa yang sama dapat bertanya sebarang kemusykilan mengenai zakat terus kepada amil," katanya.

Abang Sibli berkata, TBS turut mensasarkan peningkatan dalam kutipan zakat harta tahun ini yang dijangka mencecah RM27 juta berbanding RM20.07 juta pada tahun lalu.

"Setakat ini, kutipan zakat harta sudah mencecah RM21.30 juta dari awal tahun hingga semalam. Daripada jumlah itu, RM10.73 juta diperolehi daripada kutipan zakat perniagaan, diikuti pendapatan (RM9.02 juta), wang simpanan (RM1.1 juta) dan selebihnya dari lain-lain zakat," katanya.

Sehubungan itu, pihaknya meminta lebih ramai pembayar zakat menggunakan khidmat skim potongan gaji kerana ia dapat memberi kemudahan khususnya kepada kakitangan awam dan swasta, termasuk pekerja kilang kerana ia lebih mudah kepada golongan yang sibuk.

Sarawak: Program 'Sahabatku' bantu tangani gejala sosial

Kebudayaan, komuniti dan pendidikan semarak kejiranan

Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) akan memperkenalkan program 'Sahabatku' yang diyakini mampu membantu usaha jabatan itu menangani masalah gejala sosial yang semakin meningkat di kawasan pentadbirannya.

Datuk Bandar DBKU, Mohd Atei Abang Medaan, berkata program itu akan menggabungkan elemen kebudayaan, komuniti dan pendidikan yang disusun bagi menyemarakkan semangat kejiranan penduduk kampung dan hidup saling tolong-menolong.

Program itu adalah cara terbaik antara DBKU dan orang ramai dengan peserta Sahabatku diharap dapat menjadi 'mata dan telinga' dalam usaha jabatan menangani gejala tidak sihat.

Selain mengeratkan hubungan kemasyarakatan, Sahabatku boleh dijadikan penggerak kepada pelbagai aktiviti dengan sasaran utama adalah golongan muda di dalam kawasan DBKU. Ia juga mampu meningkatkan semangat kejiranan antara kita dan dengan adanya muafakat lebih erat, ia dapat menangani gejala negatif seperti vandalisme dan kecurian

Friday, September 12, 2008

Pay rise for 2,787 teacher training and ELTC lecturers

The Public Service Department (PSD) has approved a salary upgrade for 2,787 officers and lecturers serving 27 teachers training institutes and English language training centres (ELTCs), Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein announced today.

He said the first phase of the promotion exercise was approved by the PSD on Aug 25.Of the number, he said 793 officers and lecturers in the DG41 grade would be upgraded to the DG44 grade and 1,540 more in the DG44 grade promoted to the DG48 grade.Hishammuddin said 449 officers and lecturers in the DG48 grade would be upgraded to the DG52 grade while five DG52 grade holders would be promoted to the DG54 grade.

The list of the officers and lecturers involved had been sent to the Teacher Education Division (TEC) for screening before the appointment letters are issued to them, he said in a statement issued to reporters covering the breaking of fast hosted by Raja Muda of Perak with school principals, teachers and headmasters at Istana Iskandariah here.Hishammuddin, however, did not mention when the salary upgrade would take effect.He said the TEC was processing the second phase of the promotion exercise.

“The promotion is good news to those in the teacher training profession,” he said, adding that, it was a significant development in the service.

“Besides acknowledging lecturers for their excellent service, this strategy is aimed at enticing qualified and experienced teachers to serve the TEC,” he said.

BERNAMA 2008/09/11

Government no longer blocking websites, blogs

The government is no longer blocking the access to any websites or blogs in the country, says Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor.

He told reporters here that the decision was reached at the weekly cabinet meeting yesterday. Shaziman said that following the decision, the order to restrict access to websites or blogs, including the “Malaysia Today” news portal, has been withdrawn, effective immediately.

BERNAMA 2008/09/11

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Tangani kenaikan harga musim perayaan

Setiap kali tiba musim perayaan pengguna bimbang harga barang akan meningkat kerana itulah trend yang biasa berlaku setiap tahun.

Walaupun jaminan diberikan oleh kerajaan tidak akan berlaku kenaikan harga barang dan harga dijamin stabil kerana bekalan mencukupi, pengalaman sebelumnya memperlihatkan keadaan sebaliknya yang berlaku.

Senario sebenar para peniaga tetap menaikkan harga barang menjelang musim perayaan atas pelbagai alasan termasuk bekalan kurang, pembekal dan pengimport mengenakan harga tinggi dan sebagainya.

Sehubungan itu, walaupun Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad memberi jaminan harga barangan tidak akan naik, rata-rata rakyat merasakan jaminan itu belum memadai.

Walaupun syarikat-syarikat pengeluar barangan makanan memberi jaminan tidak akan berlaku kenaikan harga barangan sewenang-wenangnya pada musim perayaan berikutan bekalannya yang mencukupi, ia bukan kepastian dan perkara sebaliknya akan berlaku.

Tidak cukup sekadar mendapat kepastian daripada pengeluar dan pengedar. Pegawai-pegawai penguat kuasa kementerian berkaitan kena turun padang. Tindakan tegas perlu diambil terhadap peniaga yang mengambil kesempatan menaikkan harga barang dengan sewenang-wenangnya.

Tindakan pengawai penguat kuasa sekadar mengenakan kompaun kepada peniaga yang ingkar tidak memadai.

Para peniaga mempunyai taktik sendiri untuk meminta kerajaan supaya membenarkan mereka menaikkan harga barang. Soal kos yang tinggi ekoran harga minyak adalah salah satu daripadanya.

Berdasarkan pengalaman sebelum ini juga, pelbagai langkah yang diambil kementerian seperti melaksanakan Skim Kawalan Harga Musim Perayaan (SKHMP) bagi memastikan harga barangan terkawal, dilihat belum cukup berkesan, harga barang tetap naik. Penguatkuasaan yang dilakukan juga dilihat tidak begitu berkesan.

Pengumuman Shahrir bahawa Akta Kawalan Bekalan 1961 akan dikuatkuasakan sepenuhnya untuk memastikan peniaga yang melakukan kesalahan dikenakan tindakan tegas amatlah wajar.

Sudah sampai masanya tindakan undang-undang dikuatkuasakan sepenuhnya. Setakat ini, berapa ramai peniaga yang dikenakan tindakan di bawah Akta Kawalan Bekalan 1961.

Justeru jaminan Shahrir itu diharap dilaksanakan dengan sepenuhnya bukan sekadar pengumuman untuk menyedapkan hati rakyat.

Begitupun, untuk menguatkuasakan undang-undang itu pegawai kementerian berkaitan perlu turun padang, memantau harga barang, bukan membuat pemantauan dari pejabat sahaja - sekadar mengumpul aduan-aduan daripada para pengguna.

Itulah yang paling penting. Jaminan sahaja tidak memadai jika pegawai kementerian tidak turun padang untuk meninjau sendiri operasi di pasar-pasar besar dan premis-premis perniagaan di seluruh negara.

Pemantauan pula perlu dilakukan secara menyeluruh bukan sekadar melepaskan batuk di tangga. Biar para peniaga gerun apabila premis mereka diperiksa oleh pegawai penguat kuasa.

Para peniaga biasanya tidak takut atau bimbang apabila premis mereka diperiksa pegawai penguat kuasa kerana merasakan apalah sangat nilai kompaun yang dikenakan jika didapati melakukan kesalahan.

Selain mampu membayarnya, berapa banyak kompaun yang dikenakan itu jika dibandingkan dengan keuntungan yang diperoleh mereka.

Begitupun, di bawah Akta Kawalan Bekalan 1961, denda maksimum RM100,000 atau penjara tiga tahun atau kedua-duanya sekali bagi kesalahan pertama dan denda maksimum RM250,000 atau penjara lima tahun atau kedua-duanya sekali boleh dikenakan jika sabit kesalahan.

Kalau ia betul-betul dikuatkuasakan, para peniaga akan berfikir dua kali sebelum melanggar peraturan.

Masalah harga barang yang telah lama berlarutan ini perlu dilihat secara serius. Keluarga yang mempunyai ramai anak dengan berpendapatan rendah cukup terbeban dengan kenaikan harga barang.

Pengguna cuma mengharapkan untuk mendapatkan sesuatu barangan dengan harga yang munasabah.

Dalam hal ini, KPDNHEP perlu memantapkan lagi pasukan penguat kuasanya. Pihak kementerian perlu ada pasukan sendiri yang boleh digerakkan segera untuk menyiasat punca kenaikan harga sesuatu barang dan mengambil langkah segera untuk mengatasi masalah itu.

Pihak berkuasa tidak boleh terlalu 'tunduk' kepada peniaga. Mereka boleh mencipta pelbagai alasan untuk menaikkan harga barang dan melepaskan diri daripada dikenakan tindakan undangundang.

Kerajaan juga perlu mencari cara dan mengambil pendekatan sewajarnya bagi membantu rakyat dengan memastikan harga barangan adalah berpatutan.
Pengguna berhak menikmati harga yang berpatutan seperti yang telah ditetapkan. Pengguna tidak harus dipaksa membayar lebih untuk memperoleh barangan yang diperlukan.

Setakat mana pengguna boleh memboikot sesuatu barangan jika itu yang kerajaan mahu mereka lakukan. Pengguna tidak dapat mengelak daripada membeli ayam, daging, telur, gula dan minyak masak kerana semua itu diperlukan terutamanya menjelang musim perayaan.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

25 controlled food items

A list of 25 food items will be gazetted under the Control and Supply Act 1961 from tomorrow until June 9 next year, and will be put under the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry’s watch.

Of that list, 17 items would then be selected during festive seasons to be placed under the Festive Season Price Control Scheme, and be gazetted under the Price Control Act 1946 to make them price controlled items.

“The main purpose for this scheme is to ensure that there is enough food supply during the festive season. “If there is enough supply, then there is no reason for prices to go up,” Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad told reporters yesterday.

He said the scheme would be enforced for 15 days a week before and after the holidays which include Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Hari Gawai and Hari Kaamatan.

Previously, food items were controlled for 38 days during the festive seasons.

He said for Hari Raya Puasa, the controlled prices would be enforced from Sept 24 to Oct 8.
However, he would only announce the ceiling prices next week.

Among the planned controlled food items for Hari Raya and Deepavali are chicken, beef, mutton, mackerel, eggs, cabbage, red chillies, grated coconut, red pomfret, tomatoes, white pomfret, and white prawns.

On petrol prices, Shahrir said that the price of crude oil was forecast to remain below US$100 (RM344) per barrel until the end of the year.

“Petrol prices will go down in October if fuel prices continue to decline,” he said.

Kurup’s Pensiangan parliamentary seat seat declared vacant


KK High Court declares BN victory in Pensiangan null and void

The High Court here yesterday declared null and void the election of Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup as the unopposed winner of the Pensiangan parliamentary seat in the March 8 general election.

In delivering the landmark judgment, Justice David Wong Dak Wah ruled that the wrongful rejection of the nomination papers of the petitioner, Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Danny Anthony Andipai, had breached the petitioner’s constitutional right to take part in the election and the written law relating to the conduct of the election.

In his 36-page judgment, Wong said the decision of the deputy director of the Sabah Election Commission to accept Andipai’s nomination papers was final and could not be overruled by the returning officer, Bubudan OT Majalu, under the pretext that there was an objection during the objection period.

The deputy director was exercising a power provided for by law in making the decision, said the judge who also ruled that Bubudan’s decision to uphold the objection was a wrong decision.
“I find certain aspects of the second respondent’s (Bubudan’s) conduct troubling and when taken in its totality, I can only conclude that the decision made was definitely not one which a reasonable tribunal would come to,” he said.

He made the observation when allowing Andipai’s petition to nullify the election result of the Pensiangan seat which Kurup won unopposed on nomination day on Feb 24.

Andipai had named Kurup and Bubudan as respondents. The judgement was to have been delivered on Sept 17 but was brought forward yesterday.

Outlining what happened on nomination day, Wong said Andipai arrived at the nomination centre at the Nabawan District Council Hall at about 9.35am to file his nomination papers for the seat.

After paying the deposit of RM15,000 he waited his turn but when he tried to submit his nomination papers, Bubudan refused to accept them on the ground that he was late in submitting them.

Andipai argued that it was not his fault but that of Bubudan and his staff and having failed to convince Bubudan, he said that he would be lodging a police report.

However, while the discussion was going on, one of the assistant returning officers, Osman Aganduk, sought the advice of the state election commission which gave the directive to accept the nomination papers.

Wong said the directive, which came from the deputy director of the Election Commission of Sabah, was relayed to Bubudan who then accepted Andipai’s nomination papers which were endorsed with the acceptance time of 10.25am.
Objections closed at 11am and at about 1.25pm, Bubudan announced that Kurup was returned unopposed and declared him duly elected on the ground that the nomination papers of Andipai and an independent candidate, Saineh Usau, were delivered after 10am.
Wong said it was clear from the provisions of the Election Act that returning officers like Bubudan were subject to the control, direction and supervision of the Election Commission (EC).

On whether regulations 6(2) and 6 (2A) (a) of the 1981 regulations prohibited Bubudan or the EC to allow receipt of nomination papers after 10am on nomination day, he said: “If I were to adopt the position of the respondents, it may lead to a chaotic situation.”

“Take the situation at the nomination centre in this case. The nomination centre was used to cater for two state constituencies and a parliamentary constituency, where only one counter was open for all the candidates for the three constituencies to submit their nomination papers.

“There were 12 citizens of the land who wanted to be candidates in the 12th general election turning up to deliver their papers on nomination day and that number had in fact caused some confusion and dispute resulting in this election petition

“What if 20 citizens turned up on that nomination day? Are we to say that only those who are able to submit their nomination papers before 10am are entitled to exercise their constitutional rights to contest in the election?

“If that is the law, it will lead to abuse and chaos, abuse in that one party can get a group of people to submit their nomination papers early to ensure that his or her opponent will not get to the returning officers before 10am,” he said.

The judge also said he found it unbelievable that Bubudan did not know, as he had claimed, that coupons bearing numbers were given to the candidates on that day.

“If what he says is true, this only reflects his own shortcoming as the returning officer who had full charge of the nomination centre,” he added.

Andipai’s leading counsel, Ansari Abdullah, who is also Sabah PKR chief, said he was happy “that justice is done”.

“It was not a moral way of conducting election. Our candidate came at 9.35am and his paper was rejected despite the advice of the Election Commission.

Asked whether Andipai would be given priority to contest the seat should there be a by-election, Ansari said the party leadership would make the final decision on the matter.

— Bernama


Sabah BN accepts court verdict

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) accepted the decision by the Kota Kinabalu High Court, which declared null and void the election of Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup as the Pensiangan MP in the last general election.

Musa said what was important was for him, as the state BN chairman, to ensure that the BN win back the seat.

“God willing, I don’t think there will be a problem for us to defend the seat,” he told reporters after handing over donations to poor families in Kampung Sungai Batang here.

Delivering the judgment yesterday, Justice David Wong Dak Wah ruled that the wrongful rejection of the nomination papers of the petitioner, Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s Danny Anthony Andipai, had breached the petitioner’s constitutional right to take part in the election.

Kurup was declared the unopposed winner of the parliamentary seat on nomination day on Feb 24.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk V K Liew was confident that BN could secure the Pensiangan seat with the cooperation of all component parties and support of the people.

He described Pensiangan as an ‘untested’ seat by virtue of Kurup winning it uncontested.
“So BN will be able to secure victory as long as we consolidate and unite,” he said when contacted.

Liew, who is a practising lawyer, added that the court’s decision was reflective of the country’s democratic process. — Bernama

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the party was ready to face any possibilities.

“This is something unexpected but we are ready for any eventualities,” he said.

— Bernama

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Bangkok tenang, tiada keganasan baru

Selepas 24 jam perintah darurat diisytiharkan, keadaan di Bangkok hari ini tenang tanpa sebarang kejadian keganasan baru, tetapi kumpulan badan bukan kerajaan dan media terus mendesak Perdana Menteri Samak Sundaravej meletakkan jawatan untuk menamatkan konflik itu.

Disebalik ancaman oleh 43 kesatuan sekerja untuk melancarkan mogok di seluruh negara dan menjejaskan kemudahan asas seperti bekalan air dan elektrik serta perkhidmatan bas sebagai menyokong gerakan antikerajaan, masih tiada tanda-tanda tindakan itu diambil setakat ini, tetapi industri pelancongan terjejas teruk akibat konflik itu.

Lapangan Terbang Hatyai ditutup dua hari berturut-turut selepas beratus penyokong Pakatan Rakyat Bagi Demokrasi (PAD) melakukan sekatan di jalan menuju ke lapangan terbang itu bagi menunjukkan perpaduan mereka dengan rakan mereka yang merampas Bangunan Kerajaan pada 26 Ogos.

Di pulau peranginan popular Koh Samui, jumlah pelancong yang tiba dengan penerbangan merosot daripada 5,000 kepada hampir separuh manakala di Bangkok, jumlah pembatalan tempahan terus meningkat.

Beratus anggota polis berkawal di sekitar Bangunan Kerajaan dan kawasan berhampiran, yang menjadi pusat pertempuran pada awal pagi semalam antara anggota PAD dan kumpulan prokerajaan, Pakatan Demokrasi Menentang Pemerintahan Diktator (DAAD) yang mengakibatkan seorang terbunuh dan 40 cedera.

Keadaan semakin reda hari ini selepas DAAD, dibentuk selepas tentera menggulingkan perdana menteri Thaksin Shinawatra dalam rampasan kuasa pada 19 Sept, 2006, memindahkan tapak bantahan mereka dari Sanam Luang yang terletak dekat kawasan pelancongan popular Grand Palace ke Samut Prakan di pinggir ibu kota.

Tentera yang mengawal keselamatan di ibu kota berikutan perintah darurat itu, belum mengambil sebarang tindakan untuk mengeluarkan penyokong PAD dari Bangunan Kerajaan dan dipercayai sedang berunding dengan pemimpinnya untuk mencapai penyelesaian secara baik.

Samak, bagaimanapun terus tidak menghiraukan gesaan pelbagai pihak supaya meletakkan jawatan dan menolak cadangan agar membubarkan Parlimen dan mengadakan pilihan raya baru.

“Samak mesti mengaku yang beliau telah melakukan banyak kesilapan dalam tempoh tujuh bulan memegang jawatan dan ia sudah cukup untuk beliau meletakkan jawatan,” menurut Bangkok Post.

Akhbar itu juga berkata PAD, yang secara terbuka telah menyatakan sokongan agar parti Demokrat mengambil alih pentadbiran jika Samak meletakkan jawatan dan juga mencadangkan sistem baru bagi 70 peratus wakil dipilih manakala 30 peratus lagi dilantik, mesti menerima prinsip demokrasi dan membenarkan Parti Kuasa Rakyat pimpinan Samak membentuk Kabinet baru kerana mereka mempunyai majoriti.

Pemimpin PAD Sondhi Limthongkul memberitahu Bangkok Post yang mereka bersedia menamtakan bantahan jika Samak meletakkan jawatan.

— BERNAMA

Fuel hike brings about changes in lifestyle

The lifestyles of most people have changed since the increasing prices of essential items brought about by higher transportation costs from the hike of fuel prices.

This was what the online opinion polls conducted Pollster Sdn Bhd from July 26 to Aug 25, covering a topic ‘Costs of Living’ and analysed by Goh Leng Chua, an analyst of Pollster Sdn Bhd.

According to Goh, 39.55 per cent of the respondents were having less eat-out, choosing where and what to eat, while 48.64 per cent refrained from buying non-essential items.

Respondents who opted to cut down on travel accounted for 11.82 per cent, according to Goh in a statement.

He also said there were doubts about the recent fuel hike laced with rebates and other subsidies that would eventually benefit the people.

“About seven per cent of the respondents were not sure which direction such a strategy would lead to, although 41 per cent indicating it would,” Goh said.

Goh also said poor economy had contributed to the increase in crimes like robbery, theft and smuggling, where 66 per cent of the respondents agreed.

Therefore, it was not surprising to have an expansionary Budget 2009 targeting the horns of inflation head-on, he stressed, adding that the police force should be enhanced to ensure public safety and crime reduction.

Goh also said the debate between the newly elected Permatang Pauh MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek in July was beneficial in explaining the fiscal approach of Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional, which 47 per cent of the respondents agreed.

Forty-five per cent said the debate was a step towards democratic awakening.

Meanwhile, 35.45 per cent of the respondents identified global economic volatility as one of the main causes for the increase in cost of living, while 9.09 per cent said petrol prices and transportation charges.

Goh pointed that the Budget 2009 targeted the globalised fluctuating economic environment with the government’s long-term strategy aimed at strengthening the country’s resilience.

“Such measures as developing human capital, reduced import tax on food and specific items, tax exemption for renewable energy and energy efficient items are aimed at the root cause of increased cost of living, that is the costly fossil oil,” said Goh.

He also said the hotel industry incentives for Sabah and Sarawak and heritage conservations in Penang and Melaka would bring in tourist dollars.

Please not RM20, but RM50

If you have a refrigerator running 24 hours daily at home you can forget about enjoying the RM20 electricity monthly exemption.

A source in Sesco, when asked what kind of household uses less than RM20 in electricity monthly, said: “Most probably one that uses a few bulbs for lighting and has a tiny TV.”

The Borneo Post posed that question after receiving mixed reaction to the move with some describing it as “a bit illogical”.

Government officials and ministers had defended the move, insisting that it was aimed at helping the poor. But most laymen felt the move unreasonable, saying it would only benefit those from the very hardcore poor as well as owners of unoccupied houses.

The exemption should have included a wider section of the Malaysian society, many said.
They felt that if the amount had been RM50 instead of RM20, many would be encouraged to use less power in order to enjoy the privilege.

But Santubong MP Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last Friday was not the end of the matter because it was just a proposal.

Junaidi, who is Parliament Deputy Speaker, told The Borneo Post yesterday that if people felt that figures and facts were illogical or unreasonable, the MPs would be debating them, especially during the question-and-answer time.

He said another parliament session will start on Sept 13 and it may last for at least 15 days.
“Only after parliament debate would we know whether the RM20 figure will be revised upward or not. So if the figure appears to be illogical or unreasonable, the government must be ready with its response,” he explained.

He assured: “Wait until the budget (debate) is over. As it is a matter of policy, the figure may be increased if found to be illogical. The MPs will surely talk strongly about it in the parliament.”

He said personally he believed not many people would be enjoying the benefit of the exemption.
“I am not certain who the target group is. Maybe the very hardcore poor will enjoy it. But certainly they do not have TV, Astro or refrigerator.

“Things will be clearer after the parliament session. The figure may be adjusted or increased.

“The RM20 may be a little bit too little. How many people will be entitled to the exemption when most have bills of over RM20? Although the measure is very noble but will it connect the proper target?

“Have they done enough research? As far as I know, the PM had a dialogue with more than 20 stakeholders who may have advised him on the matter. I do not know if they had advised him correctly on the figure,” Junaidi said.

When told that the measure would benefit about 1.1 million households, Junaidi said the measure might have been drawn up out of ignorance since most people, especially politicians, are in the middle class group.

When tabling the National Budget 2009 last Friday, Abdullah said: “As part of the government’s effort to further reduce the financial burden of the lower income group, households which incur monthly electricity bills of RM20 or less, will not have to pay for electricity for the period from Oct 1, 2008 to the end of 2009.”

“The government will bear the cost of such bills, amounting to RM170 million for the period. A total of 1.1 million households will benefit from this measure,” said Abdullah, who is Finance Minister.

The government has, through various measures, successfully reduced the incidence of poverty from 5.7 per cent in 2004 to 3.6 per cent in 2007.

The number of hardcore poor households has declined by 43 per cent from 67,300 in 2004 to 38,400 in 2007.

The government is confident that the incidence of hardcore poverty will be eradicated by 2010. The exemption from paying electricity bill of less than RM20 is one such move.
The Borneo Post has been made to understand that the Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (Sesco) has yet to make public the exact number of consumers who will benefit from the exemption as well as the amount it would have to absorb in order to complement the federal government’s move.

Yesterday Kedup assemblyman Frederick Bayoi Manggie told The Borneo Post that he accepted the move, saying: “Anything that can help the needy or the very unfortunate is most welcome as far as I am concerned. The RM20 Sesco bill exemption is meant for them. I thank the government for the good gesture.

“But I do not think many people in my constituency will benefit from it because most have monthly bills of above RM30,” said Bayoi who is also Walikota of Kota Samarahan and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member.

Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe said the exemption was aimed at reducing the burden of the hardcore poor.

“But the others who will benefit from it are owners of houses without occupants like mine in Bau and village houses occupied by elderly persons.
“I suppose in Sarawak, very few households pay monthly bill of RM20 or less because our tariffs are already high. You can try and get the actual figure from Sesco,” said Dr Tiki who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) vice president.

Pelagus assemblyman Larry Sng defended the Prime Minister by saying that Abdullah had taken a nationwide perspective before drawing up the measure.

“The prime minister may have drawn the exemption, being part of his eradication of poverty programme, after taking into account a nationwide perspective. I am sure it will benefit many people,” he said yesterday.

“But what is equally important is the provision of a stable supply of electricity through Sesco, to the longhouses and rural villages which have yet to be connected.

“Another equally important issue to the rural people is, the expenditure incurred by using generator sets to produce electricity compared to the electricity generated from the grid,” said Sng who holds two cabinet portfolios namely Assistant Minister of Economic Planning and Assistant Minister of Industrial Development.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations Fadillah Yusof said he was aware of the grouses and doubts from the general public ever since the move was announced.

“For some of us, RM20 is a small amount. But for others, RM20 can mean a lot, especially the lower income group as that amount will be enough to last them several days in a week unlike many of us who may spend RM20 or more per day,” Fadillah, who is also Petra Jaya MP cum PBB Youth chief said after the launch of Sukma Ria Ramadan Bazaar in Semariang on Monday.

But PKR state liaison chief Dominique Ng said he was disappointed with the move, saying it would not help a wider section of Sesco consumers.
“Only very few families from the lowest income group will benefit from the exemption. Most of the average and even economical households will be charged at least RM50 plus per month,” he pointed out.
“My bill, without the air-condition but having fridge, TV, PC, washing machine among other things, is already more than RM100 monthly,” he said.

He said to him, the measure was only a “micro” sort of service when the government should be concerned about macro economy.

Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) publicity chief Dr John Brian Anthony said the exemption would only benefit a few.

“Perhaps some doors in the longhouses close to town and low-cost flats may benefit from the exemption. I don’t think there will be many people who would benefit from it,” he said.

Former Malaysian Ranger Captain (Rtd) Mohd Johari Ibrahim said: “Those who will benefit may possibly be those living in coastal villages and longhouses with only 12-hour supply of electricity daily.”

A self-employed Bob Kedeni described the move as just a political gimmick. “Only my sister benefits from the exemption. Her house is unoccupied. Sesco charges her RM5 plus per month,” he stressed.

“But this issue (exemption) is minor and just a “gula-gula politik” (political gimmick). I think the government should be more concerned about the impact of oil price hike on people. Why can’t our leaders see this?” he asked.

When contacted on Monday, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sarawak secretary cum Sarawak Bank Employees Union CEO Andrew Lo said those who will benefit are “… only Indonesian workers at the construction sites!”

Minister of Public Utilities and Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Dato Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan has confirmed that Sesco will implement the measure and it will be at the same time as its implementation in the Peninsular Malaysia by Tenaga Nasional Berhad.

Malaysia sends troops to protect ships in Gulf of Aden

Malaysia has sent crack troops and navy ships to the Gulf of Aden after two of its vessels were seized by pirates last month, according to reports Wednesday.

The comments by deputy premier Najib Razak come after the country's shipping giant MISC Berhad said Tuesday it had barred its vessels from the area, where two of its tankers were hijacked by armed pirates in August.

The area has seen a spate of attacks in recent weeks, with eight ships taken by pirates since the end of July.

"Our primary concern is the safety of our sailors," Najib was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.

Malaysia's armed forces chief said the military had sent two warships to the Gulf of Aden last Saturday to monitor the situation, the Star reported.

Najib told the paper that negotiations between the pirates and representatives from MISC had not progressed much, with troops and naval vessels sent to protect another four of MISC's ships in the area.

The Bunga Melati 5 with 41 crew -- 36 Malaysians and five from the Philippines -- was seized last Friday off the coast of Yemen carrying 30,000 metric tonnes of petrochemicals.

Ten days earlier, the palm oil tanker Bunga Melati Dua, with 39 crew on board, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia. MISC said late Tuesday it had finally been able to regain radio contact with the Bunga Melati 5.

Malaysia's foreign ministry has set up a special unit to monitor the situation while appealing to authorities in both Yemen and Somalia to ensure the crew's release, state news agency Bernama reported.

It said the pirates had reportedly demanded a ransom of three million dollars for the return of the two ships and crew.

Agence France-Presse - 9/3/2008 2:12 AM GMT

Malaysia tips 5.7 pct growth in 2008, 5.4 pct in 2009

Malaysia said Friday its economy will grow by 5.7 percent this year, slowing to 5.4 percent in 2009, with strong domestic demand offsetting a global slowdown and high inflation.

The forecasts were much higher than those issued by institutions including the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research, which has cut its 2008 growth projection to 4.6 percent, partly due to domestic political turmoil.

Malaysia's stock market and foreign investors have been spooked since March general elections in which the opposition gained unprecedented ground, and promised to soon topple the ruling coalition.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who announced the nation's 2009 budget Friday, said the economy had sustained "strong growth momentum" despite volatile global financial markets and rising prices.

"The underlying strength of our economy is the strong domestic demand, which has become a key driver of growth," he said in a statement, noting that the economy had grown by 6.7 percent in the first half of 2008.

"The significant transformation of the Malaysian economy has led to more diversified sources of growth," he said, citing the growing services sector and the agricultural industry which has been boosted by high commodity prices.

"The government's target of 5.7 percent is based on the premise of increased government spending and strong domestic demand," said Yeah Kim Leng, an economist from Ratings Agency Malaysia.

"Our take is much more cautiously optimistic at 5.0 percent for this year's growth, taking into account the food and fuel price increases and uncertainties over the global economy," he told AFP.

The finance ministry said in a report that exports would grow by 9.3 percent in 2008 to 661.17 billion ringgit (195 billion dollars), and by 7.5 percent to 710.99 billion ringgit the following year.

Imports are expected to rise by 8.1 percent to 545.60 billion ringgit in 2008, and by 7.1 percent to 584.34 billion ringgit in 2009.

"We saw good export growth for the first half of the year but the slowdown in Europe and a possible recession there has impacted us badly," Yeah said.

The finance ministry predicted average inflation at 4.4 percent in 2008, substantially lower than the 5.5-6.0 percent forecast by the central bank in July.

"Slower global growth (in the second half) is expected to reduce the pressure on prices," it said.
Malaysians have been hard hit by the rising cost of food and an overnight 41 percent increase in petrol in June, with domestic inflation hitting a 26-year high of 8.5 percent in July.

Last Friday, Abdullah announced a 5.6 percent cut to petrol prices in what many saw as a political ploy to influence the outcome of a by-election in which opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim successfully ran to return to parliament.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

65 Malaysians among 100 hostages in Somalia

ARMED with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, dangerous Somalian pirates are holding over 100 seamen hostage including 65 Malaysians and eight vessels.

Their demand is over RM3 mil for the release of each vessel. Negotiations are now under way with a French ship skipper, a former hostage, leading the talks for Malaysia.
As a precaution, the Malaysian navy has sent a crack team to the Gulf of Aden, in the event a rescue mission needs to be mounted.

The pirates are well-armed with sophisticated weapons and boats, complete with military structure and have a fleet admiral, vice admiral and a head of financial operations.

> They have a fleet of speedboats that take off from harmless-looking trawlers before raiding unsuspecting ships

> They are armed with rocket launchers, grenade launchers, GPS and have sound knowledge of shipping lanes and routes

> Three suspected fishing trawlers with names Buruma Ocean or Arena or Athena have been identified as mother vessels supplying information to the pirates.


THE FOUR KNOWN PIRATE GANGS

1. SOMALI MARINES
2. NATIONAL VOLUNTEER COAST GUARD
3. MARKA GROUP
4. PUNTLAND GROUP

THE most powerful of them is the Somali Marines and known to be loyal to regional warlord Abdi Mohamed Afweyne. The group is said to have a capability to operate further offshore than the other groups and attack and seize ships, kidnap seamen and demand ransoms.

PIRACY in Somalia is a lucrative business, centred around drugs, weapons and human smuggling, primarily across the Gulf of Aden and back. The coast has been a major trade route for key commodities such as oil, grain and iron ore. Oil, for instance, travels from the Middle East down the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, and then to the southern regions of Africa. Along this route, ships have become targets for Somali pirates.

SOMALIA Somalia has been without a central government since 1991 and does not have the capacity to interdict pirates or patrol its coastline. Feuding warlords in the county are in fact financed by the pirates, who pay for the upkeep of the militias.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Views : Budget 2009 acclaimed as people-oriented

Many members of the public here have given the thumbs-up to Budget 2009, hailing it as a people-oriented budget.

But they also feel that certain aspects need to be looked into for a more holisitic coverage.

It’s definitely a people-oriented budget which takes into consideration the challenges faced by people in this global environment of higher prices and slower economic growth.

Exempting households which incurred monthly electricity bills of RM20 or less from paying is a good starting point on the part of government to lessen the financial burden of the lower income group. But it is felt t between RM40 and RM60 would be a more prudent amount as most families had fans, iron, television set, cookers and so on and hence, the monthly electricity consumption would be between RM40 and RM60 taking into consideration the higher prices of fuel.

And hence, adjusting the amount to RM40 per month would benefit more people, in particular those earning less than RM700 monthly and had a family.

On road tax reduction, it was uncertain whether tour bus was included but was quick to point out that if included, it could help boost the tourism industry. If there is such a benefit, it will help promote tourism industry which in turn, will boost the economy. In fact, tourism is one of the main contributors to the economy for places like Thailand.

On another note, the move to levy higher duties on cigarettes are welcome as such a move could help to promote healthy lifestyle among Malaysians more effectively.

While Budget 2009 was people-friendly, it was imperative that people continued to adjust their lifestyle to fit into the economic reality.

We also have a role to play in ensuring a better quality of life. And we can start by practising a prudent spending habit, adding people should also get into the habit of saving.

For the public relations and marketing manager of a local firm, the budget reflected the government’s effort in lessening the burden of the people in particular, the lower income group.

The government could consider looking into the toll charges at the Lanang Bridge. The toll charges might be financially burdening those in the lower income group who made use of the crossing daily. Perhaps, by waiving toll charges, more development could be spurred and this can be a win-win situation for everybody.

Improvement in public transport combined with the tax exemption for new investments by operators of four-star and five-star hotels would further boost the tourism industry and at the same time create more job opportunities for locals.