‘Online shopping fraud taints good image of Malaysia, local firms’

15/11/2012:

KUALA LUMPUR: Online shopping fraud is a double-edged sword. It not only involves international syndicates using names of local companies, but also taints Malaysia’s good image.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan said, syndicates which victimised foreign companies also affected the credibility and reputation of local companies.

“Syndicates use names of local companies and cheat foreign companies in trade transactions of various goods.

“Their modus operandi is that buyers will not receive the goods sold after payment has been made. This is negative for the image of the company used, as well as that of the country,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

Investigations have indicated that the syndicates used names of local companies but changed details such as address and phone number, said Syed Ismail.

So far, the police have received 49 complaints through e-mail and from Malaysian embassies, in connection with such activities.

Syed Ismail said, between January and September this year, a total of 3,889 cyber crime and online shopping fraud cases were reported.

“Online shopping fraud registered losses of almost RM14.6 million while cyber crimes accumulated a total of RM80.2 million in losses during this period,” he said, adding online shopping fraud usually involved auction transactions.

On Nov 12, a group of African men, using a local surgical glove manufacturing company as front, were detained for fraud involving property.

The syndicate caused several foreign companies, including those from Australia, Greece, Libya and China, to incur losses of about RM1.86 million after they were scammed through business transactions. — Bernama


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/11/15/online-shopping-fraud-taints-good-image-of-malaysia-local-firms/#ixzz2CJQL8MPg

38,549 receive IPTA offers for first degree programmes session — DG

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 38,549 candidates obtained places in public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs) to attend first degree programmes for the 2012/2013 academic session.
Higher Education Department director-general Prof Datuk Dr Rujhan Mustafa said the successful candidates, representing a decrease of 1.5 per cent from the previous session, were from 63,467 who had applied.
“Qualified candidates into IPTA were lower due to several factors, including the course of choice or whether they agreed to accept the offer of course out of their selection; lower merit points or did not sit for the Malaysian University English Test,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
He said a total of 25,372 or 65.8 per cent of the female candidates obtained places to IPTAs while 13,177 or 34.2 per cent were male candidates.
He said, of the 38,549 successful candidates, 21,959 (57 per cent) were from the science stream and 16,590 (43 per cent) from arts stream.
The success rate into IPTAs, according to races, showed that 27,455 were Bumiputra; 8,986 (Chinese); 1,384 (Indian) and 724 (other races).
Rujhan said, the policy for intake and selection of students to IPTAs for post-Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)/Matriculation/Equivalent (First Degree) was based on the principle of meritocracy, by applying 90 per cent academic marks and 10 per cent of co-curriculum marks to determine the merit value of each candidate.
According to him, 5,154 outstanding students were offered places in eight competitive courses, namely medicine (875); dentistry (170); pharmacy (295); law (354); chemical engineering (666); mechanical engineering (1,071); electrical and electronic engineering (919); and, accounting (804).
For the academic session, 1,682 national and state athletes, 28 disabled candidates and 22 orang asli were offered places in IPTA, he added.
In this regard, Rujhan said that from this year, IPTAs with research university status were given the autonomy on the management of student intake. They were Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). — Bernama
On the matter, 2,015 candidates from the overall successful candidates will receive two offer letters, one from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), which also holds the apex status (Excellence Focus Programme) or from other research university status IPTAs.
He said, candidates who received the two offers as they applied simultaneously to USM and other research universities, could only chose one.
Rujhan said IPTAs would be issuing official offer letters to successful candidates from July 16, and they have to confirm acceptance in 10 days or before July 22.
Candidates can also check the status of their applications to IPTAs from today, through the websites http://upu.mohe.gov.my, http://www.jpt.utm.my, http://jpt.uum.edu.my, https://jpt.unimas.my, http://jpt.ums.edu.my or hotline 03-8870 6767, Helpline 03-8870 6777, general lines 03-8870 6755/6766 or through Short Messaging Service by typing UPU RESULT (ID no) and SMS to 15888.
They could also go to the Student Intake Management Division, Higher Education Department at the Ministry of Higher Education at Presinct 5 to check, begining today until July 20.
Unsuccessful candidates could appeal in 10 days, after the announcement of the official results through e-rayuan at its website http://upu.mohe.gov.my from today to July 22.
Rujhan said the registration of new students would be on Sept 1 and 2. — Bernama


14.07.2012

Police rescue baby from being sold

            Safe and sound: The mother and her newborn at the Sarawak General Hospital

KUCHING: Swift action by the police here foiled an attempt by a group to sell a baby.

Acting on a tip-off, police roped in the individuals and rescued the baby girl.

ASP Abdul Razak Abdul Wahab led a team to a coffeeshop in MJC Batu Kawah at around 6am yesterday and nabbed a 51-year-old man.

The suspect from Jalan Pisang Barat is believed to be looking for potential buyers at the time. He had an Indonesian passport on him

The team then went to a snooker centre in Jalan Batu Kawah where they found three women and a newborn baby.

The women were aged between 19 and 28.

“We discovered documents related to the baby but none of the women is the mother.

“We questioned them and managed to locate the baby’s mother,” said a police spokesman.

Police then went to a shophouse in Batu Kawah and found the baby’s mother, who is a 27-year-old Indonesian, on the third floor.

The passport found on the man earlier belonged to the mother.

The baby was later brought to the Sarawak General Hospital for check-up and found to be healthy.

The suspects, including the baby’s mother, were questioned before being remanded.

State CID chief SAC Zulkifli Hassan confirmed the case, and he said the male suspect was trying to offload the baby for a sum of RM17,000.

Borneo Post 18/6/2012

Are we 'Human' or "Beast" ??

Chinese girl dies in hit and run that sparked outrage

October 22, 2011, Saturday

BEIJING, Oct 21 (Reuters) – A two-year-old Chinese girl run over by two different vehicles and ignored by passersby has died, state media reported on Friday, in a case which ignited public uproar over what some called the immorality of modern society.

The hospital’s “all-out efforts were ineffective” at saving Wang Yue, the China News Service said.

Xinhua news agency added that she died of brain failure early on Friday more than a week after the accident.

Both drivers who ran over the girl have been arrested, but Internet users have flooded microblogs decrying the apathy of the people who left her for dead, after graphic footage from a security camera of the incident went viral.

The surveillance video from the Oct.

13 hit-and-run, aired by a television station, shows the girl run over by a van, which drives off leaving her to bleed on a narrow street in Foshan city in the southern province of Guangdong.

More than a dozen people over the next seven minutes walk or drive past the girl on bicycles and she is run over by a second truck.

A woman then pulls the girl to the side of the street before her mother, a migrant worker, rushes into the frame.

China’s economic boom and the growing disparity between the rich and poor have made changing social values a contentious topic, with some lamenting what they see as materialism replacing morals.

Wang’s death quickly became the most talked about topic on China’s popular Twitter-like microblog service, Sina’s Weibo.

“I hope that this little angel who was discarded by society can act as a wake-up call to the nation about the importance of moral education,” wrote one blogger, “gongzai xiaoben”.

“Hope you can find some love in heaven. This world is full of apathy,” added “Winter space”.

Xinhua said her father had received more than 270,000 yuan ( 42,280) to help pay for Wang’s medical treatment, with donations flowing in from Chinese people all over the world.

A senior provincial social worker, Liu Runhua, said he did not believe the case reflected a wider malaise in Guangdong.

“Those who ignore the dying make up only a handful of people in the province,” the China Daily quoted him as saying.

“But cases when dying persons aren’t given help, or when good Samaritans get into trouble, are often widely reported in the media, which tends to make the public concerned.”

Provincial capital Guangzhou plans a law to protect good Samaritans and give rewards of up to 500,000 yuan for such actions, the newspaper added. The Communist Party chief of Guangdong province urged “searching reflection” on the incident, the official Guangzhou Daily reported.

“Take active and effective steps to raise the moral standards of the entire society,” he told a meeting of province officials, according to the paper.

“We should look into the ugliness in ourselves with a dagger of conscience and bite the soul-searching bullet,” Wang also said, Xinhua reported separately.

Many people in China are hesitant to help people who appear to be in distress for fear that they will be blamed. High-profile lawsuits have ended with good Samaritans ordered to pay hefty fines to individuals they sought to help.

Express boats a sunset industry?

Express boats berthed at Kapit Wharf Terminal

Chairman of Sarawak Express Boats Association (Third, Sixth and Seventh Division), Lau Hieng Choon recalled he was still skippering the traditional motor launch along the Sarikei route when the Kapit route was launched.

During those times, he said, the Kapit route was not as popular as the Sibu-Sarikei route as the logging industry had yet to gain traction.

Distance, lack of river transportation and various inconveniences could be the reason why the people shunned travelling to Kapit back then.

In comparison, the Sibu-Sarikei route was more popular due partly to the poor road condition between Sibu and Sarikei.

On the Kapit trip, Lau recalled he once took a 6.30am express boat and only arrived in Kapit at 7.30pm.

It was almost a day trip but Lau said nothing could be done about it as the express boats back then used the 216hp engine that produced only 20 per cent of the power generated by modern-day engines of more than 1000hp.

“Today, it takes only about three hours to reach Kapit, depending on passenger load and the water flow. If there were fewer passengers and the current favoured the express boats, the journey would be faster.”

By the 1970’s and 1980’s, Lau said the logging industry had mushroomed along the Rajang River and that directly pushed up the demand for more travelling schedules, hence the need for more express boats.

Within a few years, popularity of the Sibu-Kapit route spiralled, so much so that the express boat industry became an instant hit.

At its peak, Lau recalled, there were more than 150 express boats plying the Rajang River, covering routes to Sarikei, Meradong and Kapit. For the Sibu-Sarikei route alone, there were more than 50 boats in operation, he added.

“Everyone jumped on the bandwagon, hoping for a windfall. It was the talk of the town and during those days, it was one of the most popular industry,” he told thesundaypost.

By the 1990’s, improved road accessibility between Sibu and Sarikei had a protracted impact on river transport between Sibu and Sarikei.

“It was like a domino effect. Naturally, with improved road accessibility between Sibu and Sarikei, few people took the trouble to use express boats as they could conveniently use road transport which was a much better alternative.

”Express boats operators plying the Sibu-Sarikei routes had to pay a heavy price for development after road transport between Sibu and Sarikei became easily accessible.

As a cost-saving measure, Lau said express boat operators had no choice but to phase out the Sibu-Sarikei route by 1996.

Impak transformasi - Program Transformasi Ekonomi

Program Transformasi Ekonomi mula tunjuk hasil positif: Najib
RM426 bilion - hasil Pendapatan Negara Kasar (PNK) tambahan daripada 131 EPP PERDANA Menteri Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak bergambar bersama buku Program Transformasi Ekonomi (ETP) pada majlis pelanacaran buku itu di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC)- 25/10/2010

Program Transformasi Ekonomi mula tunjuk hasil positif: Najib

* RM426 bilion - hasil Pendapatan Negara Kasar (PNK) tambahan daripada 131 EPP

* RM346 bilion - tambahan PNK daripada 60 peluang perniagaan
* RM1.6 trilion - pertumbuhan keseluruhan PNK
* 3.3 juta - peluang pekerjaan diwujudkan

Datuk Seri Najib Razak semalam melancarkan Pelan Hala Tuju Program Transformasi Ekonomi (ETP) mengandungi 131 projek permulaan (EPP) yang bakal menghasilkan Pendapatan Negara Kasar (PNK) tambahan sebanyak RM426 bilion dalam tempoh 10 tahun akan datang.

Program bertujuan mengubah ekonomi Malaysia kepada negara maju berpendapatan tinggi itu turut mengandungi 60 peluang perniagaan yang akan menghasilkan lagi PNK tambahan sebanyak RM346 bilion.

Semua projek itu bakal mewujudkan 3.3 juta peluang pekerjaan baru dengan 63 peratus berada dalam segmen pendapatan sederhana dan tinggi, berbanding 43 peratus sedia ada. Malah, ETP mula menunjukkan hasil positif dengan hampir 45 peratus daripada pelaburan sebanyak RM299 bilion yang diwakili 53 EPP, kini di peringkat perbincangan aktif.

Daripada jumlah itu, perjanjian bagi sembilan EPP membabitkan pelaburan lebih RM30 bilion ditandatangani pada majlis itu, semalam. Dalam ucapannya, Najib menjelaskan projek EPP itu dibangunkan berteraskan 12 Bidang Ekonomi Utama Negara (NKEA) yang dikenal pasti berpotensi menyumbang secara langsung kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi Malaysia.

NKEA yang terpilih ialah Minyak, Gas dan Tenaga; Minyak Sawit; Perkhidmatan Kewangan; Pelancongan; Perkhidmatan Perniagaan; Elektrik dan Elektronik; Pemborongan dan Peruncitan; Pendidikan; Penjagaan Kesihatan; Kandungan Komunikasi dan Infrastruktur; Pertanian dan Greater Kuala Lumpur/Lembah Klang. Digabungkan dengan pertumbuhan organik dari kedua-dua NKEA dan bukan NKEA, jumlah keseluruhan PNK pada 2020 dianggar mencapai AS$523 bilion (RM1.6 trilion).

Perdana Menteri berkata, secara keseluruhan semua 131 EPP itu dirancang merentasi seluruh pelusuk negara dengan 106 projek akan memanfaatkan masyarakat bandar dan 25 lagi memberi faedah terus kepada masyarakat luar bandar.

Beliau berkata, khusus kepada masyarakat luar bandar, EPP itu dijangka mewujudkan 323,596 pekerjaan baru pada 2020, selain memberi manfaat kepada pemilik Tanah Adat Pribumi, khususnya di Sarawak dan Sabah serta golongan wanita.

“Kesan hasil pembangunan itu kelak akan dinikmati setiap rakyat Malaysia, tanpa sesiapa pun yang tercicir daripada arus pencapaian ekonomi negara,” katanya. Najib turut memberi enam contoh utama EPP yang akan memberi impak positif kepada rakyat serta ekonomi negara.

Ia merangkumi Program Tukar atau Transformasi Kedai Runcit di bawah NKEA Pemborongan atau Peruncitan yang akan memodenkan serta membantu 50,000 peruncit kecil untuk meningkatkan daya saing mereka dalam era peruncitan moden.

Kesan kepada PNK pada 2020 daripada pelaksanaan projek itu dianggarkan sebanyak RM5.5 bilion dan akan mewujudkan kira-kira 50,000 peluang pekerjaan.

Di bawah NKEA Pertanian, Projek Zon Akuakultur Berintergrasi dengan saiz minimum 1,000 hektar untuk mengeluarkan produk akuakultur premium bermutu bagi pasaran eksport akan dilaksanakan di beberapa lokasi pada skala besar, seperti di Pitas, Sungai Telaga dan Sungai Padas di Sabah serta Batang Air dan Tanjung Manis di Sarawak.

Impak kepada PNK daripada projek itu dianggar sebanyak RM1.2 bilion dan akan mewujudkan 11,890 peluang pekerjaan.

Bagi membangunkan pelancongan kesihatan, 35 hospital sedia ada di kenal pasti di bawah NKEA Kesihatan dengan kesan kepada PNK pada 2020 dianggar sebanyak RM4.2 bilion dan akan mewujudkan 5,295 peluang pekerjaan.

Najib berkata, bagi mengukuhkan lagi kedudukan Malaysia sebagai sebuah destinasi pelancongan berunsur Asia yang menarik, sebuah pusat Malaysia Truly Asia akan diwujudkan di Kuala Lumpur bagi menempatkan kebudayaan dan hiburan terbaik Malaysia.

“Ini adalah sebahagian daripada NKEA Greater Kuala Lumpur/Lembah Klang. Kesan kepada PNK pada 2020 dianggar sebanyak RM233 juta dan akan mewujudkan 1,700 peluang pekerjaan,” katanya.

NKEA itu turut membabitkan pembangunan projek MRT menghubungkan pelbagai tempat di

Lembah Klang akan memberi kesan berganda kepada ekonomi di kawasan terbabit, selain menjadikan Kuala Lumpur bandar raya paling selesa. Najib berkata, langkah menambah baik pengangkutan awam bandar itu akan memberi kesan sebanyak RM21.2 bilion kepada PNK dan mewujudkan 20,000 peluang pekerjaan baru.

Di bawah NKEA Pendidikan pula, sebuah pusat pendidikan berintegrasi penuh seluas 122 hektar mengandungi universiti, institusi penyelidikan dan pembangunan serta kemudahan pendidikan lain akan memberi rangsangan seterusnya kepada inisiatif Educity@Iskandar.

“Impak kepada PNK pada 2020 dianggar sebanyak RM1.1 bilion dan mewujudkan 1,164 peluang pekerjaan,” katanya.

BH 26/10/2010

Women offer normal massage or more

AT first glance, a house near Ampang looks like any other residence.

However, investigations revealed that the women occupying the house were offering “three-in-one” massage services which include a normal massage, an intimate massage or sex services, reported Metro Ahad.

One of the tenants, Ana, 20, was running her business through a social networking site and had asked for a 50% deposit which must be banked into her account.

After receiving the money, she sends an SMS giving her address and business hours.

“I only do this ‘part-time’. When a customer contacts me through the social networking site, I will attend to him. Otherwise, I usually hang out with my friends.

“Usually, I do not offer sex, but if they are willing to pay more, I will do it,” said Ana, who makes RM3,000 a month.

She only conducts her business during office hours so that her neighbours and the authorities would not get suspicious.

Linda, 20, also offers such services to pay for a more luxurious lifestyle.

“In the beginning, I would log on to these sites at home. If I get customers. I would bring them to my friend’s place. At first I was afraid but now I’m used to it.

“I charge RM100 for each session. However, I do not offer sex services. It depends on what the customer wants, a normal or intimate massage,” she said.

The Star Online 25/1010

Umur persaraan wajib tidak dinaik ke 60 tahun

Kerajaan tidak bercadang untuk melanjutkan umur persaraan penjawat awam daripada 58 kepada 60 tahun, Dewan Rakyat diberitahu semalam.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz berkata sebarang keputusan mengenai cadangan menaikkan umur persaraan perlu dikaji termasuklah kesan terhadap peluang kerja untuk golongan lepasan sekolah, kolej dan universiti serta keperluan sumber manusia dalam sektor tertentu dalam perkhidmatan awam.

“Ketiga (ialah) kesan ke atas usaha kerajaan ke arah bilangan yang wajar. Kalaupun tidak kecilkan perkhidmatan awam, (kita perlu) mengurangkan kos operasi kerajaan tanpa jejas perkhidmatan untuk rakyat.

“Keempat (ialah) tahap kesihatan anggota perkhidmatan awam, ter-utamanya menjelang umur persaraan 58, adakah mereka mampu terus be-kerja atau tidak,” katanya menjawab soalan Datuk Idris Haron (BN-Tangga Batu) pada persidangan Dewan Rakyat di sini semalam.

Menjawab soalan sama ada langkah meningkatkan umur persaraan dapat mengelak tenaga muda yang kini bekerja di sektor awam daripada berhijrah ke sektor swasta, Mohamed Nazri berkata perkara itu dapat diatasi melalui semakan gaji oleh kerajaan dari semasa ke semasa serta pelbagai kelebihan lain bagi memastikan gaji sektor awam terus kompetitif.

“Contohnya, gaji yang diterima pegawai berkelulusan ijazah pada masa ini lebih baik daripada gaji yang ditawarkan oleh sektor swasta. Kedua, kenaikan pangkat berdasarkan tempoh perkhidmatan seperti untuk golongan pendidik, dan ketiga, kenaikan pangkat ikut kepakaran se-perti dilakukan kepada pensyarah, pegawai perubatan dan penyelidik,” katanya.

Bulan lepas, Presiden Cuepacs Omar Osman meminta kerajaan menaikkan umur persaraan daripada 58 kepada 60 tahun bagi 1.2 juta penjawat awam supaya seragam dengan amalan negara lain di rantau ini.

Menurutnya Malaysia masih ketinggalan berbanding negara jiran seperti Brunei, Singapura, Thailand dan Indonesia yang umur persaraan antara 60 dan 62 tahun.

Umur persaraan kakitangan kerajaan telah mengalami perubahan dua kali setakat ini. Pertama, pada 2001 apabila usia persaraan kakitangan sektor awam dinaikkan daripada 55 tahun kepada 56 tahun, kemudian dilanjutkan kepada 58 tahun pada 2008.

— Bernama BP 12/10/2010

‘Credit card service tax brings desired effect’

The imposition of the annual RM50 service tax on credit cards has brought the desired effect, with a 16 per cent drop in card ownership – from 10.8 million at the end of 2009 to 9.1 million in mid-2010, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Awang Adek Hussein said the drop showed that some holders of the cards did not use them.

Furthermore, the RM25 service tax on each supplementary card had also resulted in many of these card holders returning the cards, he said when replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Baharum Mohamed (BN-Sekijang).

Baharum had wanted to know whether the government intended to revoke the service tax, which was imposed on Jan 1.

Awang Adek said the government had no intention as of now to remove the tax.

Earlier, when replying to the original question from Baharum, Awang Adek said that up to last month, the government had collected RM275.5 million in credit card service tax.

Awang Adek said the service tax on credit and charge cards was imposed for the first time on Jan 1, 1997 and revoked on April 1, 2001.

He said that between Jan 1, 1997 and April 1, 2001, the tax collected amounted to RM464.88 million.

Replying to a supplementary question from Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong), Awang Adek said the government encouraged the use of debit cards, on which the service tax was not imposed.

— Bernama bp 13/10/10

ISU : Pilihlah ketua jabatan kerajaan berintegriti tinggi

Pada penghujung tahun ini, dijangkakan banyak berlaku peralihan kuasa baik di peringkat kementerian mahupun di jabatan kerajaan. Ada beberapa pegawai tertinggi kanan kerajaan, ketua pegawai eksekutif syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC) dan ketua-ketua jabatan yang baru akan dilantik bagi menggantikan pegawai yang telah bersara.

Maka berpeluanglah bagi pegawai-pegawai kanan yang masih dalam perkhidmatan dan yang menunggu kenaikan pangkat untuk dilantik mengisi kekosongan.

Setiap ketua pengarah walau di mana jua diletakkan dan diamanahkan oleh kerajaan, mereka harus mempunyai integriti yang paling tinggi dan beramanah, agar pegawai-pegawai bawahan akan lebih 'menghormati ketuanya'.

Sikap taat setia dan tidak memburuk-burukkan Kerajaan Pusat serta menghormati kepimpinan tertinggi negara amat dititikberatkan dan haruslah menjadi amalan setiap ketua-ketua pengarah atau ketua jabatan dan juga semua pegawai kerajaan. Surat akur janji yang telah ditanda tangani diawal perkhidmatan juga harus dipatuhi isi kandungannya.

Oleh yang sedemikian, Perdana Menteri atau Menteri yang memimpin sesebuah kementerian yang diamanahkan untuk mencadangkan nama-nama bagi jawatan ketua pengarah yang baru haruslah meneliti dengan baik agar tidak tersalah pilih calon. Rakyat amat bimbang jika ketua pengarah atau ketua jabatan yang baru itu mungkin akan merosakkan nama baik kerajaan. Pilihlah yang benar-benar layak di antara yang paling layak.

Saya ingin berkongsi pandangan terhadap beban tugas dan tanggungjawab sebagai seorang pegawai kanan kerajaan baik di sektor perkhidmatan dan di bahagian perancangan serta di peringkat GLC di mana pada masa ini, semua pegawai kanan kerajaan dan syarikat milik kerajaan akan dinilai dengan sistem indeks prestasi utama dan hasil dari Bidang Keberhasilan Utama Negara dari setiap jabatan atau syarikat yang diamanahkan.

Pernah suatu ketika, sekumpulan pemimpin muda UMNO berjumpa dengan seorang pegawai tertinggi kanan di Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM), yang bertujuan untuk membuat kunjungan hormat. Mereka tidak menduga dan terkejut mengenai cara penerimaan pegawai tinggi tersebut terhadap kehadiran kumpulan itu.

Perjumpaan yang berlangsung hampir 30 minit itu, separuh masa pertemuan itu diisi dengan kritikan pegawai tertinggi itu yang tidak berpuas hati dengan kerajaan serta pucuk pimpinan tertinggi kerajaan Barisan Nasional. Malah, adakalanya beliau memuji kebaikan Ketua Pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim.

Saya dimaklumkan pegawai tersebut langsung tidak mesra kepada tetamu yang hadir malah di hadapan kumpulan ini juga beliau telah mengherdik pegawai-pegawainya tanpa memikirkan air muka pegawai tersebut di hadapan kumpulan tetamu.

Baru-baru ini, saya diberitahu ada anggota keluarga bomba yang terlibat dengan kemalangan (terjatuh lif), namun tiada seorang pun pegawai tertinggi di JBPM yang datang melawat keluarga tersebut.

Contohilah bagaimana pemimpin pengurusan tertinggi Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM), yang mempunyai sikap mengambil berat dan prihatin yang tinggi terhadap kebajikan anggota bawahannya.

Beginikah sikap seorang pegawai tertinggi kerajaan terhadap masyarakat? Jika beginilah sikap seorang pegawai kerajaan, makin bencilah rakyat terhadap kerajaan BN kerana memilih pegawai yang tidak amanah, tidak mesra rakyat dan tidak taat kepada pucuk pimpinan BN. Oleh itu, kerajaan harus berhati-hati dalam memilih peneraju jabatan kerajaan agar tidak tersalah pilih.

Shuhada Ghazali
Kuala Lumpur

Petikan : Rencana, Utusan Malaysia 12/10/2010

Menangani isu pembantu rumah Indonesia

BULAN lalu, Indonesia melarang calon pembantu rumah negara berkenaan untuk bekerja di Malaysia sehingga kerajaan Indonesia mampu memberi perlindungan sewajarnya kepada mereka. Larangan berkenaan dikeluarkan ekoran laporan terbaru mengenai penganiayaan pembantu rumah Indonesia, Win Faidaa di Malaysia pada 13 September lepas.

Indonesia menganggap kejadian berkenaan sebagai bukti bahawa calon pembantu rumah Indonesia menanggung risiko tinggi jika bekerja di Malaysia tanpa dokumen rasmi yang lengkap.
Selain Malaysia, dua negara lain yang perlu dielakkan oleh calon-calon pembantu rumah republik tersebut sehingga ada kepastian perlindungan terhadap mereka ialah Kuwait dan Jordan.

Sebelum ini, Jakarta pernah mengeluarkan arahan pembekuan penghantaran pembantu rumah ke Malaysia berikutan banyak aduan mengenai pembantu rumah didera oleh majikan.

Memorandum persefahaman (MoU) antara Malaysia dan Indonesia berhubung penghantaran pembantu rumah republik tersebut masih menemui jalan buntu kerana kedua-dua negara belum mencapai kesepakatan dalam beberapa isu pokok.

Isu penghantaran pembantu rumah Indonesia ke Malaysia kembali hangat ekoran kes penderaan seorang warganegara republik itu, Win Faidaa, 26 bulan lalu dan sekali lagi mencetuskan rasa tidak puas hati beberapa pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) republik tersebut.

Ketika ini, kira-kira 80 peratus daripada 280,000 pembantu rumah asing yang bekerja di Malaysia adalah warga Indonesia.

Kerajaan sedang berusaha untuk mendapatkan khidmat pembantu rumah dari negara Asia lain selain Indonesia bagi mengurangkan pergantungan terhadap amah dari republik itu. Antara negara yang dikenal pasti adalah Thailand, Kemboja, India, Sri Lanka, Filipina dan Myanmar.

Selama ini Malaysia hanya memberi keutamaan terhadap pengambilan pembantu rumah dari Indonesia walaupun amah dari negara lain seperti Thailand dan Kemboja turut diambil. Bagaimanapun, pembantu rumah dari Thailand dan Kemboja tidak sepopular pembantu rumah Indonesia.

Kini negara alternatif perlu dicari kerana kebergantungan kepada satu-satu negara adakalanya akan menimbulkan kekangan dan masalah sekiranya berlaku sesuatu isu.

Selain negara alternatif, usaha meningkatkan pembantu rumah sebagai satu kerjaya profesional seiring dengan kemajuan negara perlu diambil kira.

Sebelum ini pernah ada cadangan untuk mewujudkan kerjaya pengurus rumah tangga yang akan datang ke rumah setiap hari pada waktu bekerja bagi membantu pasangan bekerja membersihkan rumah, membeli barangan keperluan rumah dan membayar bil tetapi tidak ada susulan terhadap cadangan tersebut.

Khidmat syarikat-syarikat tempatan yang menyediakan perkhidmatan membersihkan rumah juga boleh dikaji jika ia boleh mengurangkan pergantungan kepada pembantu rumah asing.

Profesor Hubungan Industri dan Dekan UTM Perdana School Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Profesor Durrishah Idrus ketika dihubungi berkata, masalah pembantu rumah di Malaysia memerlukan perhatian serius dan pilihan perlu disediakan kepada golongan wanita kerjaya jika kerajaan serius dalam menghargai sumbangan wanita dalam pembangunan negara.

''Jika tidak dalam jangka panjang akan ada kesan terhadap kesediaan dan komitmen golongan wanita untuk menceburi dunia kerjaya kerana institusi keluarga berisiko goyah apabila tidak ada sistem sokongan yang kukuh.

''Isu ini sebenarnya lebih besar dari sekadar isu amah Indonesia yang menjadi mangsa dera majikan dan sering menyebabkan hubungan dua hala Malaysia dan Indonesia menjadi tegang. Majikan Malaysia sanggup membayar harga yang tinggi jika hasil kerja seseorang pembantu berbaloi.

"Antara ciri-ciri yang diharapkan oleh majikan ialah pembantu rumah yang benar-benar boleh diharap, pandai bekerja, amanah, tidak pernah lari, curi tulang dan bebas daripada segala gejala maksiat," katanya.

Tambah beliau, rakyat Malaysia yang mempunyai kerjaya memerlukan khidmat pembantu kerana dalam kesibukan bekerja, mereka perlu meluangkan masa berkualiti dengan anak-anak masing-masing.

''Khidmat pembantu rumah untuk meringankan beban wanita bekerja dalam menguruskan rumah tangga mampu memberikan ketenangan fikiran kepada golongan wanita tersebut. Malah khidmat pembantu sedikit sebanyak menjadi pemangkin dalam meningkatkan sumbangan golongan wanita kepada negara.

''Justeru, isu ini perlu ditangani segera secara bijaksana dan bersungguh-sungguh melalui dasar atau polisi yang jelas.

"Jika tidak ia akan sentiasa berulang seperti sekarang dan menjadi isu yang boleh diperbesar-besarkan dan diambil kesempatan oleh pihak yang gemar menangguk di air keruh," jelas Durrishah.

Tambah beliau, antara langkah-langkah yang boleh dikaji kerajaan dalam menangani isu pembantu rumah ialah:

1. Meneliti dasar semasa dalam mencari menyelesaikan isu pembantu rumah untuk jangka panjang. Perkara ini perlu dilihat dari sudut keperluan, undang-undang, hubungan dengan negara pembekal, peruntukan Akta Kerja dan lain-lain. Perubahan dasar perlu dilakukan setelah mendengar daripada pelbagai pihak.

2. Keputusan sementara juga boleh dikaji kerana ia dapat membantu kerajaan dalam menggubal keputusan untuk tempoh jangka panjang.

3. Kemahiran amah perlu ditetapkan dengan kesesuaian dan keperluan majikan. Bagi keluarga Islam, mungkin faktor agama dititikberatkan namun keluarga lain mungkin mementingan aspek lain.

4. Kerajaan perlu wajibkan majikan-majikan di Malaysia menyediakan sistem sokongan kepada pekerja masing-masing seperti pusat jagaan kanak-kanak di tempat kerja bagi meringankan beban pasangan bekerja. Ada rakyat Malaysia yang lebih gemar membayar pusat asuhan daripada menangani kerenah amah.

5. Iktiraf pembantu rumah sebagai satu profesion penuh dan separuh masa bagi warga tempatan. Gariskan undang-undang untuk memelihara kepentingan pembantu rumah dan majikan serta wujudkan gaji minimum, caruman Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) bagi membolehkan pembantu rumah memiliki jaminan masa depan.

Rencana - UM 12/10/2010

Penduduk Kapit gempar

Ratusan penduduk di bandar Kapit membanjiri tebingan sungai kerana tertarik dengan kejadian yang disifatkan penduduk tempatan sebagai sesuatu yang luar biasa dan aneh petang semalam.
Fenomena yang dimaksudkan ialah himpunan kayu yang dihanyutkan arus sungai berpuluh-puluh kilometer panjangnya menyusuri Sungai Rajang.

Kejadian aneh itu mula kelihatan sekitar jam 2 petang dan sehingga berita ini ditulis (hampir jam 4 petang semalam) keadaan kayu-kayu dihanyutkan arus semakin bertambah.
Seorang penduduk yang ditemui memberitahu bahawa kejadian berlaku di kawasan hulu Sungai Baleh dan Sungai Mujong.

“Besar kemungkinan feno-mena tersebut berlaku disebabkan beberapa faktor seperti hujan yang turun lebat tanpa henti di Hulu Baleh serta kemusnahan ekologi alam dise-babkan aktiviti pembalakan yang berleluasa,” jelasnya yang enggan identitinya dikenali.

“Ini merupakan pertama kali penduduk di sini melihat kejadian kayu dihanyutkan air sungai dalam jumlah yang begitu banyak serta amat luar biasa.

“Kini saya sudah berusia 65 tahun, dan ini pertama kali melihat benda seperti ini berlaku dalam hidup saya,” tambahnya, sambil memberitahu bahawa ini mungkin hukum Tuhan terhadap kerakusan manusia.

Sementara itu, seorang pengusaha bot ekspres yang beroperasi berulang-alik dari Kapit ke Putai, Hulu Baleh, turut memaklumkan bahawa semua bot ekspres yang bertolak dari Kapit ke Nanga Gaat dan Putai tengah hari semalam terpaksa berpatah balik ke Kapit ekoran laluan sungai langsung tidak dapat dilalui.

Selain itu, sepasukan lima anggota Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat yang sepatutnya berlepas ke Putai bagi melakukan satu gerakan mencari dan menyelamat mangsa yang dilaporkan hilang di sana (sebab belum ditentukan) juga terpaksa berpatah balik ke Kapit kerana laluan sungai yang berbahaya dan tidak dapat dilalui botnya.

Beberapa bot ekspres yang bertolak dari Sibu ke Kapit terpaksa memperlahankan kelajuan serta melalui arus berdekatan dengan tebingan sungai untuk mengelak terlanggar kayu.
“Susah betul mahu melalui Sungai Rajang ini, kita nampak begitu banyak sekali kayu dihanyutkan arus sungai,” jelansya.

Bekas Wali Kota Majlis Dearah Kapit Joseph Datuk Jinggut yang ditemui memberitahu beliau tidak pernah melihat fenomena alam se-begini rupa berlaku.

Katanya, ini ada sesuatu petanda yang bakal berlaku dan semuanya tidak tahu.
“Tadi kita menggunakan bot ekspres dari Sibu dan tiba di sini hamper-hampir ter-perangkap di kawasan Dermaga Beltih petang tadi (semalam),” jelas Joseph menggelengkan kepala.

Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Kapit Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi yang tiba dengan bot ekspres dari Sibu sekitar jam 4 petang tadi hampir terperangkap bersama bot ekspres yang ditumpangnya.

Sehingga jam 5 petang, tebingan sungai masih dipenuhi penduduk tempatan yang keluar beramai-ramai menyaksikan fenomena aneh yang tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini.
Kayu-kayu yang dihanyut-kan oleh arus sungai pula semakin banyak.

Malah jelas kelihatan dua bot ekspres yang turun dari Hulu Baleh terperangkap dicelah-celah himpunan kayu hanyut dan amat susah untuk berlabuh.

‘Diabetes at epidemic stage in M’sia’

Sarawak still has the lowest number of diabetics in the country although cases are on the rise nationwide, said Emeritus Professor Dato’ Mustaffa Embong, organising committee chairman of the 9th Diabetes Asia 2010 Conferences & Workshop.

Statistics also indicated that urban residents are more prone to the disorder, he said.
In an exclusive interview with The Borneo Post yesterday, Professor Mustaffa described diabetes cases in the country as ‘bad’ and at an epidemic stage.

He said in the 1950’s and 60’s, diabetics comprised only one per cent of the country’s population.
“This has increased rapidly in the last ten years to 17 per cent at present and is still rising,” he said.

The sickness is not reversible and is contracted due to genetic factor or lifestyle.
He said one reason for the rise in diabetes cases is that people now live longer and through marriage they pass the genes to their children.

On the other hand, there are people who are not in the high risk group, such as those who are not fat, but contracted diabetes due to their lifestyle.

Professor Mustaffa also pointed out that another cause for concern is that more than 95 per cent of diabetes cases in Malaysia are Type II even in children.

“They are getting younger. Not so much due to genetic factor but they are fat and inactive,” he lamented.

Explaining, he said there are Type I and Type II diabetes.

“Type I often occurs in children and Type II in older group which is more strongly genetic than Type I. If parents have Type II, the children may be more likely to have the Type II diabetes as well,” added Prof Mustaffa who is also a permanent member of National Diabetes Institute (Nadi).

Type I diabetes is treated with insulin injection and for type II, oral medicine is used.
“We cannot cure diabetes. Once you have it, you have it for life. People claim that herbal medicine can cure. But it is not the case. Otherwise I would have been rich by now,” he said.

“The best is to prevent diabetes from worsening and to prevent complications. That is the purpose of treating people, to prevent them from getting worse and prevent complications. The worst scenario is you die early but if you treat yourself properly then you can live to a ripe old age.”

The most important thing is for diabetics to change their attitude and stop doing things detrimental to their health, he said. They must be very responsible to themselves and control their food intake, observe their weight control and regular exercise.

“You cannot be fat or obese or it would be difficult for the insulin to work. We emphasise exercise to lose weight. Medication helps to control diabetes but medicine alone is not enough.

If we don’t control our diet and be physically active, diabetes will worsen. Most of all, practise a healthy lifestyle not only against diabetes but also to keep other chronic diseases at bay,” advised Prof Mustaffa.

Pengeluar susu pekat dijangka naikkan harga

Tindakan akibat susu import lebih mahal di luar kawalan kementerian

Harga susu pekat mungkin dinaikkan akibat harga susu yang diimport dari luar negara adalah tinggi, kata Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Beliau berkata, pengeluar susu pekat mungkin mengambil tindakan menaikkan harga barangan itu kerana ia berada di luar kawalan kementerian.

“Tiada kenaikan harga susu pekat setakat ini, tetapi ada khabar angin mengenainya. Harga import susu pekat sekarang agak mahal dan pengilang tidak mempunyai pilihan untuk menaikkan harganya,” katanya selepas menghadiri Majlis Sambutan Aidilfitri anjuran Maktab Kerjasama Malaysia (MKM), di sini semalam.

Hadir sama dua Timbalannya, Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim dan Datuk Tan Lian Hoe serta Pengarah MKM, Idris Ismail. Ismail Sabri berkata, kementerian tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk menyekat sebarang kenaikan jika harga susu atau kopi naik kecuali selepas Akta Anti Percatutan diluluskan pada sesi Parlimen bulan ini.

Beliau berkata, akta berkenaan bukan untuk menyekat terus kenaikan harga barangan, sebaliknya ia boleh berlaku jika kenaikan itu disebabkan pengeluar mempunyai alasan kukuh bertindak demikian disebabkan barangan itu diimport dari luar negara dengan harga tinggi.

Pertubuhan haram guna Facebook diberi amaran

Jabatan Pendaftaran Pertubuhan Malaysia (JPPM) memberi amaran akan mengambil tindakan mendakwa pertubuhan haram yang berleluasa di internet, termasuk laman sembang popular Facebook.

Ketua Pengarahnya, Datuk Md Alias Kalil, berkata pihaknya menyedari ramai individu menggunakan internet seperti Facebook dan blog sebagai platform untuk menjalankan kegiatan mereka, termasuk mewujudkan pelbagai pertubuhan membabitkan orang ramai.

Katanya, mengikut Akta Pertubuhan 1966, jika tujuh individu bergerak sebagai ahli dan menjalankan gerakan menggunakan jenama tertentu di laman sembang Facebook, mereka juga termaktub dalam akta terbabit dan perlu mendaftar.

“Ada menggunakan platform terbabit untuk berniaga atau lebih dikenali perniagaan dalam talian yang boleh mendatangkan masalah kepada orang ramai jika dibiarkan berterusan,” katanya pada majlis taklimat dan penyampaian Sijil Pertubuhan di Rumah Anak Yatim Mak Teh, di sini, semalam. Md Alias menasihatkan, kumpulan tertentu yang wujud di laman Facebook dan menjalankan kegiatan bagi pihak orang ramai serta membuat kutipan yuran, supaya mendaftar dengan JPPM.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, beliau berkata, sepanjang lapan bulan pertama tahun ini, 486 pertubuhan di seluruh negara dibatalkan pendaftaran dan sebahagian besar pembatalan terbabit disebabkan kegagalan mengadakan mesyuarat agung tahunan.

“Selain itu, ada pertubuhan turut dibatalkan kerana desakan ahli selepas mendapati gagal menyerahkan penyata kewangan tahunan yang menjadi punca utama perbalahan dan perpecahan organisasi,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, jumlah pembatalan pertubuhan terbabit didapati berkurangan berbanding 1,188 dicatatkan sepanjang tahun lalu, berikutan timbul kesedaran di kalangan peneraju pertubuhan selepas mengikuti program dianjurkan jabatan.

"Sebahagian besar pertubuhan yang dibatalkan pendaftaran membabitkan kalangan organisasi kebajikan dan sukan, selain pertubuhan politik di peringkat cawangan," katanya.

Md Alias berkata, pihaknya juga tidak teragak-agak membatalkan pertubuhan berbentuk melampau dengan menggunakan logo tertentu yang menyalahi peraturan seperti dilakukannya terhadap Hindraf dan al-Arqam. "Setakat ini, sebanyak 115,000 pertubuhan berdaftar dengan JPPM,” katanya.

BH 6/10/10

Director says Immigration Department doesn’t confirm entertainers’ status

The Immigration Department could not be blamed for issuing work passes to foreign guest relation officers (GROs) who come to the state under the pretext of being singers or musicians.
State Immigration Department director Datu Robert Lian pointed out that the department only issues work passes to foreign entertainers with the approval of the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation. The department therefore could not be blamed for the abuse of the passes by foreigners.

“Our department only issues work passes to singers or musicians after the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation committee confirms they are coming to the state to work as entertainers.

“As for us, we will not be able to know whether they are really singers or musicians. Our job is just to issue the permit (work pass) but there is a committee to check whether they are genuine singers or not,” he said. Lian was commenting on claims by an enforcement agency that many foreigners issued work passes to singers who actually worked as GROs in pubs, night clubs, karaoke outlets and other entertainment joints.

“So far, we have not received any report on singers and musicians abusing their work passes. Therefore, we could not establish whether such claims were true or not,” he added. Lian said the issue could have come about following some misunderstanding.

“What we believe is when they were checked by police, the foreign women produced their valid social visit passes but forgot that there is a difference between social visit passes and work passes.

“Both are visit passes but those issued social visit passes are not allowed to work here whereas those with work passes can, based on the job described in the pass,” he explained. Lian was speaking to reporters after the launch of the Malaysian Passport Renewal Kiosk (Kippas) on the ground floor of Bangunan Sultan Iskandar at Simpang Tiga by Sarawak federal secretary Md Yahaya Basimin yesterday.

October 2, 2010, Saturday Borneo Post

ISSUE - Reader View : Not wise to up retirement age of civil servants to 60

RECENTLY, the Cuepacs president called on our Prime Minister once again to raise the retirement age for civil servants to 60, using Singapore as an example.

I beg to disagree as he should also compare the quality of services provided by civil servants in Singapore.

Cuepacs first asked for the retirement age to be increased to 58, and it was done. Now it wants to extend it to 60. It is all right to raise the retirement age, but the services must improve. Attitude and responsibility must change and improve for the better.

Now with the retirement age raised to 58, can we say that services have been upgraded? Just try waiting at the entrance of any government department at 2pm and count the number of staff coming in past 2.30pm.

Try calling any government department even at the headquarters in Putrajaya, you will be lucky if you can get through to the intended person.

Besides, civil servants above 55 are usually no longer productive. They are normally dominant within their group, thus creating frustration among the juniors and that leads to a decline in performance.

There are thousands of graduates and school leavers waiting in the job market. No one is indispensable.

Cuepacs should play a more meaningful role by educating its members to be dedicated, responsible and productive. Its role is not just to ask for bonus payment at the end of every year and pay rise every now and then.


Reader Views : The Star 1/10/2010

KAPT (R) TAN KOK SEOW,
Jerantut.

Kenyir is now a DFZ (Duty Free Zone)

Tasik Ken-yir, the largest man-made lake in South-East Asia, has been officially declared a Duty Free Zone (DFZ).

Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said this was confirmed through an official letter dated Sept 21 from the Finance Ministry.

“The state government will inject an initial fund of RM100mil for the makeover of Kenyir.

“We will ensure that the DFZ is a catalyst for the development of Kenyir which has been neglected for the past 30 years,” he told reporters after chairing the weekly state exco meeting here yesterday.

Ahmad said Kenyir would be turned into a top holiday destination over the next two years and the state government would woo local and foreign investors, especially manufacturers of branded attire, watches, shoes and other consumer products to set up outlets.

“We will also host a myriad of international events in Kenyir from now on,” he added.

Kenyir, Ahmad noted, was blessed with 340 islands while being rich in flora and fauna, but there had been no aggressive promotions to turn the area into a popular tourist destination.

“The Terengganu government hopes the DFZ will act as an impetus for the growth of eco-tourism in the area,” he said.

Proposed developments include the construction of hotels and chalets, a theme park, orchid garden, fruit orchard as well as bird and butterfly parks.

Kenyir will also be turned into a shopping paradise, catering to both high-end holidaymakers and shoe-string travellers.

Ahmad said a duty-free complex, shophouses, condominiums and Customs Department complex would also be constructed in the next two years.

He said the state government would call for a tender today for the laying of RM33mil electrical cables to Pulau Bayas in Kenyir so that the island could be developed for tourism.

A Setiu-based environmentalist, Dr Azman Ibrahim, meanwhile, urged the state government to carry out an environmental impact assessment before going ahead with the plan.

The rich eco-system in the Kenyir area should not be compromised, although the plan could turn it into a revenue spinner for the state and the local community, he said.

Dr Azman said the state government should not ignore that the man-made lake was home to more than 8,000 species of flowers, 2,500 species of plants and trees as well as more than 300 species of freshwater fish.

Any physical developments in areas edging the lake could contaminate the water, he said.

The Star 29/09/2010

Pelepasan nyamuk genetik masih tunggu kelulusan

Pelepasan nyamuk aedes Kejuruteraan Genetik (GE) ke tempat awam yang akan membunuh progeni atau keturunan nyamuk penyebar denggi itu kini di peringkat akhir kelulusan Jawatankuasa Keselamatan Bio Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi (MOSTI).

Hanya selepas mendapat kelulusan jawatankuasa tersebut, baru perkara itu dibawa kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk dimuktamadkan sebelum ujian ke atas orang ramai dibenarkan.
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, Kementerian Kesihatan telah melakukan ujian ke atas nyamuk aedes GE di makmal Institut Penyelidikan Perubatan (IMR) dan mahu melakukan penyelidikan selanjutnya ke atas orang ramai.

''Kita belum meluluskan pelepasan nyamuk GE pada masa ini. Penyelidikan sedang dijalankan dan kita mahu mengambil kira semua aspek termasuk ujian klinikal, isu alam sekitar dan kelulusan badan antarabangsa," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Peringkat Kebangsaan Mengenai Denggi di sini hari ini.

Sementara itu, Muhyiddin berkata, kerajaan akan mengenakan hukuman lebih berat termasuk penjara ke atas mereka yang didapati melakukan kesalahan membiak nyamuk aedes berulang kali di premis masing-masing.

Beliau berkata, cadangan itu perlu memandangkan kadar denda yang kini dinaikkan sehingga RM500 tidak begitu menyedarkan orang ramai tentang ancaman nyamuk aedes.

Tegasnya, ia juga sejajar dengan dua akta yang digunakan untuk menangani wabak itu iaitu Akta Pemusnahan Serangga Pembawa Penyakit 1975 (pindaan 2000) dan Akta Pencegahan dan Pengawalan Penyakit Berjangkit 1988 yang turut memperuntukkan hukuman penjara selain denda.

''Di beberapa buah negeri, kita dimaklumkan ada kes yang bukan sekali didenda tetapi berulang kali jadi mungkin kadar denda itu tidak menakutkan serta membebankan mereka.

''Justeru, kita cadangkan supaya apa yang ada dalam peruntukan undang-undang yang boleh mengenakan hukuman lebih berat dikenakan kepada mereka yang dianggap pesalah berulang," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Peringkat Kebangsaan Mengenai Denggi di sini hari ini.

Dalam tempoh sehingga 18 September tahun ini, jumlah kes denggi yang dilaporkan meningkat sebanyak 14 peratus iaitu 35,533 kes berbanding tempoh yang sama tahun lalu iaitu 31,085 kes.

Kematian akibat demam denggi juga meningkat dengan ketara sehingga 53 peratus pada tahun ini dengan 107 kematian dicatatkan berbanding 70 kematian bagi tempoh yang sama tahun lalu.
Malah, jumlah kematian sehingga September tahun ini telah pun melebihi jumlah keseluruhan kematian yang dicatatkan pada tahun lalu iaitu 88 kematian.

Muhyiddin menegaskan kerajaan sememangnya memandang serius terhadap peningkatan kes tersebut berikutan ia satu penyakit yang mudah merebak dan berbahaya.

''Isu ini kita anggap amat serius dan Kementerian Kesihatan telah meletakkan sasaran kadar kes akan dapat kita kurangkan sebanyak 10 peratus setiap tahun," katanya.

Penyelidikan nyamuk GE itu melibatkan pelepasan nyamuk jantan GE yang membawa gen 'pembunuh' yang dibiarkan mengawan dengan nyamuk betina liar sehingga menyebabkan kematian progeni atau keturunan bagi kedua-dua jenis nyamuk berkenaan.

Penggunaan nyamuk GE bagaimanapun melahirkan kebimbangan sesetengah pihak bahawa ia akan mengganggu ekosistem sedia ada.

Dalam pada itu, Muhyiddin berkata, operasi membunuh jentik-jentik akan dilakukan sebelum kerja-kerja pengasapan dijalankan di satu-satu kawasan.

''Kita minta aktiviti pengasapan tidak dijalankan sehingga operasi untuk memusnahkan jentik-jentik dilakukan terlebih dahulu.

''Kita tidak boleh berbuat demikian sahaja, kita juga mahu musnahkan bekas-bekas kosong yang mengandungi jentik-jentik.

''Aktiviti pengasapan sahaja tidak boleh menyelesaikan masalah denggi sekiranya jentik-jentik tidak dibunuh," katanya.

A fire extinguisher in each house — Mawan

Every household in the rural areas should have a fire extinguisher

Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation Dato Sri William Mawan Ikom said such an equipment would come in handy in the event of a fire.

He said this when visiting victims of last Thursday night’s fire in Sungai Rusa near here on Saturday.

The residents there had requested Mawan to assist in supplying the 80-odd houses in the area with a fire extinguisher each.

In stating that he would try to get fire extinguishers for them, Mawan advised them to request the local Fire and Rescue Service Department to conduct fire fighting and prevention courses for them.

During the visit Mawan handed over a personal donation of RM500 to the victims. He also handed over assistance from the Welfare Department which included RM40 for each victim, food rations, utensils, clothing and uniforms for school-going children.

It was understood that the Welfare Department would also be giving the family RM2,500 for purchasing building materials.

House owner surnamed Chan, his wife and 18-year old daughter were injured in the incident and hospitalised.

Among those present were Kapitan Kong Shau Phan, SPDP Pakan chairman Ting Kiew Ming and local community leaders.

56 peratus henti tabiat merokok

Amaran bergrafik pada kotak rokok yang mula dilaksanakan sepenuhnya sejak Julai tahun lalu menampakkan kesan positif, kata Penyiasat Penilaian Dasar Kawalan Tembakau Antarabangsa (ITC) bagi Malaysia, Dr Maizurah Omar.

Katanya, kajian ITC akhir tahun lalu menunjukkan 56 peratus perokok yang membaca amaran grafik itu tidak meneruskan hasrat merokok apabila teringin melakukannya dan daripada jumlah itu, lebih 60 peratus berjaya melakukannya beberapa kali.

Kajian yang membabitkan 1,901 orang dewasa itu juga mendapati lebih 85 peratus perokok yang melihat label amaran bergambar itu, memikirkan mengenai risiko kesihatan yang bakal dialami dan hampir 13 peratus memikirkannya dengan serius. Tindakan memikirkan risiko merokok mempengaruhi tingkah laku sejumlah besar perokok. Label amaran kesihatan yang dipaparkan pada kotak rokok amat berkesan apabila kita dapati peratusan tinggi dalam kalangan perokok yang terpandang, membaca dan melihatnya dengan serius dan memikirkan mengenai risiko kesihatan.

Mereka yang berfikir mengenai risiko kesihatan akan mengambil tindakan berhenti merokok dan ia berlaku berulang kali. Perokok tidak dapat mengelak daripada memandang mesej yang terpapar pada depan dan belakang kotak rokok.

Gambar realiti dan mesej kesihatan yang jelas dan tepat memberi impak tinggi kepada pemikiran, emosi, perasaan ingin berhenti dan cubaan berhenti, katanya kepada Berita Harian, di sini semalam.

Label amaran bergrafik pada kotak rokok dikuatkuasakan 1 Jun 2009 secara berperingkat dan hanya dilaksanakan sepenuhnya pada 1 Julai tahun yang sama. Kajian dijalankan pada Julai hingga Oktober tahun lalu itu membabitkan 1,901 perokok dewasa dengan 99 peratus adalah perokok lelaki dan 63 peratus berada di bandar.
Maizurah berkata, 74 peratus daripada perokok juga memberikan reaksi takut dan terkejut apabila melihat gambar yang dipaparkan pada kotak rokok berkenaan, sekali gus memberi makna label amaran bergambar memberi tamparan hebat kepada pemikiran mereka mengenai realiti merokok.

"Selain takut dan terkejut, perokok juga berasa tidak selesa atau tidak tenteram dengan realiti yang dipaparkan kepada mereka dalam grafik itu, katanya.


BH 20/09/10

MAS syarikat penerbangan ketujuh terbaik dunia

Kedudukan Penerbangan Malaysia (MAS) naik satu tangga untuk bertapak di tempat ketujuh dalam senarai tinjauan pendapat umum mengenai Pelancongan 2010 bagi kategori 10 syarikat penerbangan terbaik di seluruh dunia yang dijalankan oleh majalah pelancongan bagi Asia, Smart Travel Asia.

Tinjauan pendapat itu direkodkan daripada kalangan pengguna perkhidmatan udara pada purata 13.56 kali sejak 12 bulan lalu, dengan 60 peratus daripadanya berpangkalan di Asia, 20 peratus di Eropah manakala 20 peratus lagi di Amerika.

MAS menduduki tempat ke-lima dalam kategori 10 Perkhidmatan Kabin Terbaik dan tempat ke-enam dalam kategori 10 Kelas Bisnes Terbaik. Pengurus Besar Kanan, Pejabat Pengarah Urusan MAS, Muzzaffar Othman dalam satu kenyataan semalam, berkata pasaran Asia adalah sasaran utama syarikat penerbangan itu, dan pihaknya amat gembira kerana menerima pengiktirafan berkenaan.

Beliau berkata, 60 peratus daripada mereka yang dirujuk pendapat itu adalah daripada kalangan pengguna di Asia, dan ia pasti akan membakar semangat syarikat itu bagi mengukuhkan lagi komitmen mereka untuk memberikan perkhidmatan bertaraf lima bintang kepada pelanggan.

Kami berada di landasan yang betul dalam usaha mengukuhkan pertumbuhan dan sedang menantikan penghantaran pesawat baru kami mulai tahun ini sehingga 2014. Pesawat B737-800s akan tiba mulai Oktober ini.

Dengan ini kami akan menjadi syarikat penerbangan pertama di Asia dan kedua di dunia menerima pesawat yang dirujuk sebagai Boeing Sky Interior. Ini bermakna pelanggan kami akan dapat menikmati produk dan perkhidmatan lebih baik oleh syarikat kami, katanya.
Muzzaffar berkata, MAS sentiasa mencari jalan untuk menambah baik pengalaman penerbangan yang boleh ditawarkan kepada pelanggannya dan salah satu daripadanya ialah menerusi pengenalan aplikasi MHmobile.

Katanya, menerusi aplikasi ini pelanggan bukan saja boleh membeli tiket dan check-in penerbangan mereka menerusi telefon bimbit, malah ia turut membenarkan mereka memeriksa mata yang terkumpul dalam ganjaran Enrich mereka.

Sementara itu, Editor Smart Travel Asia, Vijay Verghese, berkata keputusan pendapat ramai itu adalah pencapaian yang amat cemerlang buat MAS kerana ia terpilih daripada lebih 100 syarikat pengangkutan yang beroperasi.

BERNAMA

Jabatan Hutan Sarawak persoal tindakan agensi Norway tarik balik pelaburan

Kerajaan Sarawak, menerusi Jabatan Hutan mempertahankan Samling Global Ltd berikutan keputusan Dana Pesara Kerajaan Norway menarik balik pelaburan berjumlah AS$16 juta (kira-kira RM50 juta) daripada konglomerat balak itu atas alasan etika.
Pengarah Jabatan Hutan Negeri, Datuk Len Talif Salleh hari ini berkata pihak
berkuasa Norway sepatutnya berhubung dengan Kementerian Luar atau Kedutaan
Malaysia di Norway untuk mendapatkan maklumat mengenai penilaian objektif
berkaitan industri pembalakan Sarawak.

"Jumlah pelaburan itu tidak penting berbanding ekuiti keseluruhan Samling tetapi dakwaan bahawa syarikat itu terbabit dalam pembalakan haram dan
mengakibatkan kerosakan teruk kepada alam sekitar bagi mewajarkan tindakan
mereka menarik balik pelaburan adalah tidak beretika memandangkan kredibiliti
kami telah dipersoalkan," katanya.

Len, yang juga Timbalan Setiausaha Tetap Perancangan dan Pengurusan Sumber
Negeri, berkata demikian kepada pemberita pada majlis rumah terbuka Aidilfitri
beliau di Demak Baru di sini.

Bulan lepas, Dana Pesara Kerajaan Norway, menggugurkan Samling, yang mempunyai
perolehan tahunan sebanyak US$480 juta (kira-kira RM1.48 bilion), daripada
portfolionya berdasarkan penilaian yang dijalankan oleh Majlis Etika, dengan
mendakwa syarikat itu terbabit dalam pembalakan haram dan mengakibatkan
kerosakan teruk kepada alam sekitar.

- BERNAMA

Berita Harian 18/09/2010

Task force to look out for sensitive matter on Internet

A special unit has been set up to look out for Internet postings that can ignite racial tension and cause disunity, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

The ministry would gather the expertise of its enforcement unit, the police, A-G’s Chamber and the judiciary to look into such cases.

Hishammuddin was asked to comment on a Facebook page that insulted Malay sensitivities.

Several groups, such as the Selangor Federation of Peninsular Malay Students, Gagasan Pendidikan Melayu Malaysia and Perkasa lodged a police report against the page at the Dang Wangi police station here on Wednesday.

On another matter, Hisham­muddin said his ministry had never taken sides when handling incidents which involved churches and mosques.

“For some cases, it takes a longer time to investigate and to be solved.

“But for the incident where paint was splashed on a surau, we were able to arrest the perpetrators within one day and got them charged,” he told reporters after visiting the Narcotics Rehabilitation Centre (Puspen) here yesterday.

He said the ministry handled all cases equally regardless of the race and religion of those involved.

Hishammuddin added that there were certain parties that wanted to raise these sensitive issues to create hatred and disunity among the people.

Hishammuddin was commenting on an article by Pantai Dalam MP Nurul Izzah Anwar on an online portal discussing the issue of Malay rights.

He also questioned the timing of the posting, and wondered whether it was related to the upcoming Parti Keadilan Rakyat elections.

“If it (the article) threatens national security and causes anger among the people, it is meaningless no matter what position we hold in the party,” he said.

He added the police would investigate the article if there was a police report lodged against it.

On another matter, Hisham­muddin said a recommendation would be made to the Cabinet to expand the 1Malaysia Cure and Care Clinic nationwide.

Individuals with a drug addiction problem could get consultation and treatment at these clinics.

The first 1Malaysia Cure and Care Clinic, which can accommodate 400 patients, started operations on July 1 in Sungai Besi and is providing service to 219 drug addicts.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the public could trust the mainstream media as its reporting was based on facts unlike the alternative media.

The Prime Minister said some of the articles published in the alternative media such as online portals and blogs were “half truths and inaccurate”.

“The mainstream media has one strength which cannot be found in the alternative media – they are fact-based.

“If we read the mainstream media, intuitively we regard it as an authoritative report whose facts cannot be questioned,” he said at a breaking-of-fast ceremony at the New Straits Times Press office here.

“Its principles are based on facts, as compared to blogs which are personal, usually a one-man show and opinion-based.

“There must be a discerning public who can see the strength of the mainstream media.”

BP Friday September 3, 2010