More airlines coming to Sarawak

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Power to peninsula by 2013

Bakun expected to be operational by 2010 will start transmitting electricity too Peninsular Malaysia by 2013

The Bakun hydro-electricity dam project, about 180km from here, will start to transmit power to Peninsular Malaysia by 2013, said Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum.

Salang, who visited the project over the weekend, told reporters here the RM3.2 billion project was expected to be operational by 2010.

About 100 megawatt (MW) to the state grid through the Similajau HVDC (high voltage direct current) lines which would be ready by next year.

By 2013 it is expected to begin transmitting 1,600MW to Peninsular Malaysia via the 676-km submarine cables across the South China Sea. The project would initially operate with three of its eight turbine generators, each with 300MW capacity, and would use the rest as more water was available in the reservoir area. The 695 sq km reservoir is almost as big as Singapore. It provided sustainable energy source. The 205-metre Bakun dam would be the second highest rockfill dam in the world after the Shibuya dam in China.

Civil works for its wall, spillway (to flush out excess water), power intake, power tunnels and powerhouse were expected to be completed by June 2010.

The process of draining water into the dam is expected to begin on Nov 21 this year. The dam will be filled in 18 months

Bakun will be the most beautiful dam. It will have six islands and will offer immense eco-tourism potentials.

100 ditahan dalam Ops Sapu

Sebahagian 100 pemuda yang ditahan dalam Ops Sapu

Remaja berusia antara 10 dan 21 dicekup di Kompleks Medan Pelita, dalam usaha polis atasi gejala negatif

Kira-kira 100 remaja berusia antara 10 hingga 21 tahun ditahan dalam Ops Sapu yang dilancarkan Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Kuching, di sekitar bandar raya ini bagi membanteras kegiatan negatif di kalangan anak muda di sini, semalam. Pegawai Operasi, Cif Inspektor Mohd Morsidi Abdullah, berkata seramai 20 anggota polis dari Balai Polis Sentral bersama Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah dan Narkotik, menahan remaja yang sedang melepak di Kompleks Medan Pelita, Tebingan Kuching dan kawasan sekitarnya.

"Semua remaja yang ditahan dibawa ke Balai Polis Sentral sebelum ujian air kencing dilakukan ke atas mereka selain pemeriksaan rekod dilakukan sekiranya mereka terbabit dengan kegiatan jenayah.

"Beberapa senjata berbahaya seperti rantai dan tali pinggang besi dirampas dengan mereka yang negatif ujian saringan akan dilepaskan, namun dinasihatkan supaya tidak melepak di sini lagi," katanya selepas mengetuai operasi berkenaan. Ada antara remaja berkenaan yang masih bersekolah ditahan dalam keadaan mabuk dan khayal disyaki akibat mengambil minuman keras serta mengambil pil khayal dari jenis 'nospen' yang dijual secara berleluasa di sini.

Morsidi berkata, remaja yang didapati positif mengambil dadah atau pil khayal akan ditahan dan disoal siasat bagi mengesan pengedar dadah yang menjadikan golongan remaja sebagai sasaran mereka.

"Ada antara remaja yang ditahan mempunyai kesan suntikan di lengan mereka selain berada dalam keadaan khayal dipercayai baru saja memakan pil khayal murah yang kesannya tidak terlalu lama.

"Ops Sapu ini dilancarkan IPD Kuching sebagai antara usaha polis memastikan kawasan sekitar Tebingan Kuching dan pusat tumpuan pelancong bebas dari kegiatan jenayah," katanya.

Kawasan Tebingan Kuching yang menjadi antara kawasan tumpuan pelancong ke bandar raya ini sering berlaku perbuatan jenayah seperti ragut dan samun dengan pelancong asing menjadi sasaran utama.

Sebagai langkah keselamatan, IPD Kuching bersama Unit Polis Pelancong melancarkan Ops Sapu dan rondaan berkala selama 24 jam bagi memastikan kawasan berkenaan bebas daripada gejala negatif selain memastikan ia selamat.

UiTM to double student intake to 200,000

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), the largest university in the nation, will double its intake this year from 100,000 students to meet the country’s future needs in human capital.
“The higher student intake is inline with the country’s aspiration to produce more graduates in the professional and semi-skilled fields as the country progresses towards becoming a developed nation,” said UiTM Sarawak director Associate Professor Dr Jamil Hamali at a media appreciation dinner here Saturday.

He said the campus in Kota Samarahan and Mukah would also increase its intake accordingly towards the end.

The Kota Samarahan campus would be further expanded to make UiTM a world-class tertiary education provider and the preferred choice among Malaysians, he added.

Jamil said UiTM Sarawak would start its Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA) programme designed for experienced business executives soon.

UiTM will be holding its first preview and consultation on EMBA programme at Mega Hotel in Miri on May 9 (Friday) between 2pm and 6pm.

The programme has been carefully structured to ensure that all courses can be completed within two years even while the students continue to handle their own professional duties full-time.

This is accomplished by scheduling the lectures on in the weekends during the two-year period.

An independent research project has to be completed during the second half of the programme.

Sarawak the nation’s ninth rice bowl

Sarawak will be turned into Malaysia’s ninth rice bowl in an effort to increase rice production under the nation’s Food Security Strategy (FSS).

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said he would be going to Sarawak on Saturday to discuss with the relevant quarters there the plan, aimed at ensuring adequate supply of rice at all times.

He would also look at the land and other needs of the farmers there, he said after visiting a 46ha honey orange cultivation project involving 38 participants.

“Sarawak has good potential as the population is not big while there is a lot of land for agriculture compared with the peninsula,” he said.

Meanwhile, the government will be tabling the FSS as a short-term and long-term effort to ensure sufficient supply of food at all times.

Mustapa recently had said that the FSS which would involve several ministries was now in the final stage of planning and would be submitted to the cabinet soon.

The FSS is aimed at avoiding not only a rice shortage crisis but also of other essential items like sugar, flour, cooking oil and livestock meat.

Mustapa said his ministry would also look into the kind of infrastructural assistance needed, including irrigation canals, and also at the annual subsidies for rice production like on fertilisers, pesticides and machinery.

He said his ministry had also completed the FSS report, which would be presented to the Cabinet next week.

According to him, the FSS encompasses the important crops to be focused on by the government, cost implications which include for subsidies and infrastructure, and the methodology for the policy implementation to ensure the success of the plan.

He also announced that Jeli district would be made a model for an agriculture special project in the effort to popularise it as a food supply centre for Kelantan and the country.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said Jeli had plenty of land suitable for crops.

As such, a one-stop centre would be established in Jeli to hold courses on crop cultivation and motivation as well as to look into the problems faced by farmers.

He also said that the ministry would develop idle land in a move to exploit the potential fertility of arable land in Jeli. The honey lemon orchard is an example of crop cultivated on idle land.

Mustapa said the farmers involved in the honey lemon project were expected to reap an income of RM2,000 per tonne of honey lemon when the fruits were ready for harvest next year.

Jeli has been earmarked as an agriculture centre under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) programme.

— Bernama

Pertemuan CUEPACS dengan Perdana Menteri - *Kerajaan setuju tingkat had umur bersara * Tiada honorarium RM2,000

Kerajaan bersetuju memenuhi lima daripada enam permintaan Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) yang dikemukakan bagi meningkatkan kebajikan 1.2 juta kakitangan awam di negara ini.

Presiden CUEPACS, Omar Osman berkata, lima tuntutan yang diterima itu adalah berkaitan kadar pencen, lanjutan umur persaraan, pemansuhan peperiksaan Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK), pemberian semula elaun kritikal dan penambahan elaun perumahan.

Bagaimanapun, kata beliau, tuntutan CUEPACS supaya kakitangan awam diberikan honorarium RM2,000 tidak dapat diterima kerajaan.

‘‘Kami gembira dan puas hati dengan pertemuan hari ini. Tolak honorarium sahaja, yang lain kami dapat. Butiran lanjut mengenai lima tuntutan yang dipenuhi itu akan diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri sedikit masa lagi,” katanya pada sidang akhbar di sini.

Terdahulu, beliau yang mengetuai sembilan pegawai kanan CUEPACS mengadakan pertemuan dengan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi bagi membincangkan enam tuntutan kongres itu di Pejabat Perdana Menteri di sini.

Pertemuan selama 45 minit itu turut dihadiri Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN), Tan Sri Mohd. Sidek Hassan; Ketua Pengarah JPA, Tan Sri Ismail Adam dan Ketua Setiausaha Perbendaharaan Kementerian Kewangan, Datuk Dr. Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah.

CUEPACS sebelum ini mengancam akan memboikot sambutan Hari Pekerja 1 Mei ini jika kerajaan enggan memenuhi enam tuntutan yang telah dikemukakan oleh kongres itu sejak tiga tahun lalu.

Enam tuntutan tersebut ialah pemberian honorarium RM2,000 kepada kakitangan awam, pemberian kadar pencen mengikut perkhidmatan, lanjutan umur persaraan daripada 56 tahun kepada 60 tahun, pemansuhan peperiksaan Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK), pemberian semula elaun kritikal dan penambahan elaun perumahan kepada RM230 berbanding RM180 hari ini.

Wayang pacak’ to make come-back next month

The Information Ministry said it would re-introduce the ‘wayang pacak’ (free film shows) next month.

The Information Department-sponsored free film shows, popular in the 1970s and early 1980s, were effective in imparting information and entertainment among rural and sub-urban folk, said its minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

It’s a well known fact that ‘wayang pacak’ was in the olden days an avenue for the people to interact and catch up with each other.

Ahmad said apart from screening interesting movies, including cartoons, the free film shows would also show footage on developments, which the people had enjoyed over the years.

“The ministry treats the free film shows as an effective tool for the rural villagers to obtain valuable information on government policies,” he told a press conference after attending a dialogue session with officials and staff of his Ministry at the RTM Auditorium in Jalan P Ramlee here yesterday.

Ahmad said the programme was scrapped in the mid 80s because it could not compete with the increasing popularity of television and newspapers.

Believing that free film shows could be made popular again, Ahmad said the ministry would have to find innovative ways to attract people to watch them.
He said the shows could still be relevant in today’s society.

On another matter, Ahmad said the aim of showing ‘live’ parliamentary sessions on television for 30 minutes each time, was to ensure that people would be well informed on the latest debates or progress on the bills and laws.

“We will not show the whole sitting but only the relevant debates,” he said.
He said that based on his first tour of duty to Sarawak, he noticed the state government’s commitment in strengthening ties with the federal government.

He was also impressed with the state’s commitment in wanting to see the New Economic Policy be continued in an effort to eradicate hardcore poverty as well as to promote harmony and stability among the people.

Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Dato Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan who is also minister in-charge of information in the state, Ministry of Information secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf, Bernama general manager Datuk Azman Ujang and state Information director Resat Salleh, political secretary Dr Junaidy Abdul Wahab and senior private secretary to the Information Ministry Idris Mahmood were also present at the press conference.

Earlier on, Ahmad paid courtesy calls on the Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin and also on Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Ahmad is the former parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to his appointment as Information Minister after the just concluded 12th General Election.
He was in town yesterday for his first working visit to Sarawak.

AirAsia to impose baggage handling fee

Starting April 21, every bag checked in will be charged

Budget airline AirAsia Bhd will charge a fee for handling checked baggage for flights booked from April 21 onwards.

Group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said the fee was only applicable for bookings made after April 21 and would be implemented across AirAsia’s network.

“One of the major causes is obviously fuel … You use more fuel when the aircraft is heavier. What we are going to do is that every bag that you checked in, we will charge RM5 per bag, but if you buy online on the days before then we will charge RM3 per bag. AirAsia X has been doing this and has proven quite successful.

Hence, we are going to do it at AirAsia from April 21,” he said at a media briefing here yesterday on its plan to impose checked baggage handling fee.
He said the fee would not be imposed on customers who already booked their flights.

Fernandes said the airline has to shoulder huge costs, especially in an area that people generally “fly with the house” such as Indonesia and China.

“So, this is a way of passing on some of the extra costs directly to the people who need those extra bags,” he said.

He said the move has already been done in Europe and had proven successful.
“In fact, some of the premium airlines (in Europe) have been doing it,” he said. Fernandes, however, said passengers travelling with only hand luggage would not be charged.
He said previously, the cost of checked baggage was automatically included in the fees.

“This means that those travelling with only hand luggage were subsidising those travelling with heavier checked baggage. Now, the guests will pay for the bags they wish to travel with,” he said.

On whether AirAsia would also raise fuel surcharge, Fernandes said: “We have no intention even though the jet oil in today’s market is at US$130 per barrel.”

Fernandes said the imposition of the fee was expected to help the company defray up to 10 per cent of the fuel cost while at the same time keep its fares low.

“We have to find new and innovative ways to keep our fares low so that the consumers are not hurt. It is not much (contribution from the new fee), but it adds up with all the other things we are doing currently such as priority boarding, selling merchandise and food on the flights,” he said.

Fernandes said AirAsia would soon introduce the use of mobile phone services.
“We going to introduce that (mobile phone on planes)… we are working on it now and this is another innovative and value-added idea from us,” he said.

–Bernama

Dayak ego battlegrounds

Dayak bodies become battlegrounds of egos as envious members undermine leaders they elected: Mawan

The so-called ‘crab mentality’ prevalent among members of Dayak and Dayak-based associations have turned the organisations into ‘battlegrounds of egos’, the Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation Dato Sri William Mawan observed.

“When we elect individuals to lead an association, no matter how noble its objectives and good the intentions of the elected leaders, the association is doomed to fail if the members do not support the committee,” he said.

“The ordinary members have the obligation to support the elected leaders. But sad to say, this is not the case. We have the tendency to find fault with those already elected, always having the mentality that we can do a better job than them.”

There is no need to go into high intellectual discourse on ‘crab mentality’ because no one actually knows the mentality of crabs.

The phrase was simply coined by local people who have observed the collective behaviour of crabs when placed in a confined space such as a basket.

In their efforts to get up the sides of the basket they tend to crawl over one another and in the process weigh down the ones at the top.

Unable to carry the weight and the constant struggle below, the top crabs eventually lose their grip and fall.

“Because of this crab mentality, we become envious of those leaders we ourselves elected to office, and we undermine their leadership with the intention of bringing them down,” said Mawan.

He spoke during the installation of the supreme executive council members of Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) and dinner on Saturday.
Its president Mengga Mikui and organising chairman Dr John Brian Anthony were among those present.

Regarding SDNU which was formed in 1956 with the aim of uniting the Dayaks in the state under one umbrella, Mawan said its next 50 years would be more challenging than the last 50 years.

“The challenges will be varied and challenging. Our community will live in an entirely different environment from what we are experiencing now,” he said.

Mawan said due to the dynamism within the association, the Dayak Iban played a prominent and dominant role in the association resulting in other Dayak communities like the Orang Ulu and Bidayuh staying away and eventually forming their own associations.

“The challenge before the SDNU present leadership is to find a unity of purpose, to get that cohesiveness so as to be able to draw the other Dayak communities into the association to give it greater leverage.

To the members of the supreme council, Mawan has this to say: “Victory goes to those who know which rivers not to cross, which roads not to travel and which walls not to climb.”

Borneopost 31/03/08

Anti-hopping law is there

Sarawak passed law to prevent crossovers after amending Article 17 of state constitution in November 1994

All the debate about the need for a law to prohibit party hopping in Sarawak is unnecessary because the state already has its own.

Political leaders in Peninsular Malaysia may be clamouring for anti-hop laws but such laws are no big deal to Sarawakians or Sabahans.

In November 1994 the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) amended the Constitution of Sarawak to add Clause 7 to Article 17 to allow the anti-hopping law to be passed.

Clause 7 (a) reads: “Any person who has voluntarily given an undertaking to the Speaker in writing that he will not resign his membership from the political party for which he stood or to which he belonged when he is elected to the DUN, shall, if he resigns from the political party after being elected, be disqualified in the interest of public integrity and morality from continuing to be a member of the DUN with effect from the date he resigned from the political party.”

And Clause 7 (b) reads: “For the avoidance of any doubt, it is hereby declared that this Clause shall not be taken as imposing restrictions on any person from becoming a member of any political party, permanently or otherwise.”

The state constitution differs from the Sabah and Kelantan model in that as far as Sarawak is concerned, there is yet a test case to determine or affirm whether Clause 7 is constitutional in accordance with Article 10 of the federal constitution.

Some legal commentators said they believed Article 17(7) of the state constitution may not be against Article 10 of the federal constitution as Article 10(2)(c) allows for restriction on freedom of association based on “public order or morality”.

A consequence of party-hopping implied in the state constitution is a by-election so that party-hoppers could get the mandate of his electorate one more time.

The law also applies to independent elected representatives because what matters most is their symbol, say, the ‘keys’ printed on the ballot papers.

Should they later jump to a political party immediately after the polls, they are deemed to have betrayed the trust of their loyal supporters and it is only right that the ‘frogs’ must face their electorate again.

The law would not apply to, say, party-hoppers from Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition who jumped from one party to another within the BN fold when during the election they had stood on the ‘dacing’ (scales) symbol, according to the commentators.

When asked for his opinion yesterday, former state attorney-general Datuk JC Fong said anti-hopping laws are not new in Malaysia.

He said such laws were first introduced in Sabah in the 1980s and Kelantan also amended its constitution, taking a cue from Sabah provisions to incorporate a new clause XXXIA.

Clause XXXIA reads: “(1) If any member of the Legislative Assembly who is member of a political party resigns or is expelled from, or for any reason whatsoever, ceases to be a member of the Legislative Assembly, his seat shall become vacant.

(2) For the purpose of clause (1), the Legislative Assembly shall determine whether a seat has become vacant or as to when a seat becomes vacant and the determination of the assembly shall be final and shall not be questioned in any court on any ground whatsoever.”

Fong pointed out that the court in the case of Abdul Karim vs Legislative Assembly of Sabah held the legislature in Sabah was constitutionally empowered to pass a law, by amending its constitution, to deprive an assemblyman of his seat if he switches party.

However in April 1992, the Supreme Court in Nordin bin Salleh v Dewan Undangan Negeri Kelantan, held that the law forcing an assemblyman who changed his party after his election to the legislature, to vacate his seat, was unconstitutional as it conflicts with the fundamental right provided under Article 10 (1) (c) of the federal constitution which guarantees all citizens freedom of association, including their right to dissociate with any association.

The court also held that this anti-hopping provision is not part of the essential provisions stipulated in the Eighth Schedule of the federal constitution which must be incor-porated in any state constitution.

The legal effect of anti-hopping law is that an elected legislator will be expelled from legislature if he switches political allegiance.

If he desires to return to the legislature under a new political party, he must do so via a by-election, Fong said.

Parliament has to change the constitution first before they can pass anti-hopping laws.
Fong said: “In the light of the Supreme Court case in Nordin bin Salleh, for any anti-hopping law to be valid or constitutional, there must be amendment to the federal constitution dealing with disqualification of membership of parliament or a state constitution dealing with disqualification of membership of a state legislature.”

“There must be an amendment to Article 10 (1) of the federal constitution, so as to deprive an elected MP or assemblyman his right of freedom of association to join any political party other than the political party under which banner he was elected,” he said.

In the light of the political composition of the present parliament or some of the state legislatures where the ruling party does not have a two-third majority needed to pass a constitutional amendment bill, it may require all party support before anti-hopping laws can be passed without infringing the federal constitution which is the supreme law, Fong pointed out.

The Sarawak amendment was passed after the decision of Nordin Salleh case but the disqualification aspect is based on the ground of “public integrity and morality”.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) state liaison chief Dominique Ng begged to differ on the morality part.

The Padungan state assemblyman said: “Some may argue that curbing freedom of association as being immoral too.”

But Ng agreed that the law should be passed (nationwide) if it benefits everybody, including the government and opposition.

He said in principle, nobody would disagree to the law which already existed in Sarawak, but he did not know whether it had ever been applied.

“It (passing of the anti-hopping law at federal level) depends on the proposers — whether their intention is genuine or governed by political expediency. If it is the latter, then it’s not morally correct,” he said.

He claimed the proposers might want to pass such a law to prevent their elected representatives from defecting to the opposing side.

“If they are afraid to lose their YBs (elected representatives) or just want to protect their government from collapsing, then I do not think the law will be passed on the basis of high morality,” said Ng, who is a lawyer by profession.

R J Noel, another local lawyer who appeared to be all for freedom of association, gave a very thought-provoking statement on the matter.

He said: “The law cannot stop people from changing parties but it can stop them from taking advantage by changing parties.”

Lawyer George Lo agreed to the proposed enactment of the federal anti-hopping law despite the call by some quarters for freedom of association.

“Our anti-hopping law merely puts that principle on a legal footing. An elected representative does not own his seat as he holds it temporarily by the will of the voters in his constituency.
“If he wishes to change his allegiance from the opposition to the government or vice versa, he must, as a matter of principle, go back to his electorate for a fresh mandate. It is not a personal choice for him to make without reference to the people who put him there,” he said.

Sabah had wanted such a law after experiencing many incidences of party-hopping when Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) formed the Sabah government while United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) was in the opposition in the 1980s.

Party-hopping was seen as a destabilising force to the government administration, back then. But the law was later rescinded.

According to Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee on Sunday, the anti-hopping law proposed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim should be passed, as it is long overdue.

“This state law was passed by the Sabah Legislative Assembly to protect the majority of the then PBS state government in the state assem-bly,” he was quoted by Bernama.
“Conveniently, the PBS govern-ment also chose to make this law effective only after PBS had accepted two defecting assemblymen from the then state opposition Usno.”

On the same premise and in order to maintain the moral high ground, BN leadership must now reject any opposition MPs who wished to join BN, Yong said.

He added that to accept opposition MPs into BN while at the same time condemning the opposition for enticing BN MPs did not make BN look good in the eyes of the people.
According to Yong, for parliament to pass a similar anti-hopping law, it must amend the federal constitution as well.

This was because Sabah’s law on anti-hopping was struck down as null and void in 1990 by the Federal Court for contravening Article 10 of the federal constitution provision on freedom of association, he pointed out.

Cabinet presence no guarantee for growth and greater development

More representation in the Malaysian cabinet does not guarantee greater development and growth in Sarawak as those who had served in the cabinet before had been slow in delivering what the people wanted, like the upgrading of village roads, drainage and irrigation systems and schools.

Sincerity, hard work and determination of every elected representatives to work for the people who elected them should be accountable.

KABINET BARU 2008

Perdana Menteri : Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Timbalan Perdana Menteri: Datuk Seri Najib Razak

JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
Menteri : Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Menteri : Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz
Menteri : Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Menteri : Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (senator)
Menteri : Datuk Amirsham A Aziz (senator)
Timbalan : Datuk Johari Baharum
Timbalan : Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim (senator)
Timbalan : S K Devamany
Timbalan : Datuk Hasan Malek

KEMENTERIAN DALAM NEGERI
Menteri : Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Timbalan : Datuk Chor Chee Heung
Timbalan : Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh (senator)

KEMENTERIAN KEWANGAN
Menteri : Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Menteri II : Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop
Timbalan : Datuk Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah
Timbalan : Datuk Kong Cho Ha

KEMENTERIAN PENGANGKUTAN
Menteri : Datuk Ong Tee Keat
Timbalan : Datuk Anifah Aman

KEMENTERIAN KERJA RAYA
Menteri : Datuk Ir. Mohd Zin Mohamed
Timbalan : Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

KEMENTERIAN PERUSAHAAN PERLADANGAN DAN KOMODITI
Menteri : Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Timbalan : A Kohilan Pillay (senator)

KEMENTERIAN TENAGA, AIR DAN KOMUNIKASI
Menteri : Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Timbalan : Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum

KEMENTERIAN PERDAGANGAN ANTARABANGSA DAN INDUSTRI
Menteri : Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Timbalan : Datuk Liew Vui Keong
Timbalan : Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan

KEMENTERIAN PERTANIAN DAN INDUSTRI ASAS TANI
Menteri : Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Timbalan : Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim

KEMENTERIAN PERDAGANGAN DALAM NEGERI DAN HAL EHWAL PENGGUNA
Menteri : Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad
Timbalan : Jelaing anak Mersat

KEMENTERIAN PELAJARAN
Menteri : Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein
Timbalan : Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong
Timbalan : Datuk Razali Ismail

KEMENTERIAN PENERANGAN
Menteri : Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Timbalan : Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

KEMENTERIAN PERPADUAN, KEBUDAYAAN, KESENIAN DAN WARISAN
Menteri : Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal
Timbalan : Teng Boon Soon

KEMENTERIAN SUMBER MANUSIA
Menteri : Datuk Dr S Subramaniam
Timbalan : Datuk Noraini Ahmad

KEMENTERIAN SAINS TEKNOLOGI DAN INOVASI
Menteri : Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Timbalan : Fadillah Yusof

KEMENTERIAN PERUMAHAN DAN KERAJAAN TEMPATAN
Menteri : Datuk Ong Ka Chuan
Timbalan : Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew
Timbalan : Datuk Hamzah Zainudin

KEMENTERIAN PERTAHANAN
Menteri : Datuk Seri Najib Razak
Timbalan : Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop

KEMENTERIAN KEMAJUAN LUAR BANDAR DAN WILAYAH
Menteri : Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib
Timbalan : Tan Sri Joseph Kurup
Timbalan : Joseph Entulu Belaun

KEMENTERIAN LUAR NEGERI
Menteri : Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Timbalan : Datuk Seri Tengku Azlan Abu Bakar

KEMENTERIAN BELIA DAN SUKAN
Menteri : Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Timbalan : Wee Jeck Seng

KEMENTERIAN KESIHATAN
Menteri : Datuk Liow Tiong Lai T
imbalan : Datuk Dr. Abdul Latiff Ahmad

KEMENTERIAN PEMBANGUNAN USAHAWAN DAN KOPERASI
Menteri : Datuk Noh Omar
Timbalan : Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah

KEMENTERIAN PEMBANGUNAN WANITA,KELUARGA DAN MASYARAKAT
Menteri : Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen
Timbalan : Noriah Kasnon

KEMENTERIAN PELANCONGAN
Menteri : Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said
Timbalan Menteri : Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib

KEMENTERIAN WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN
Menteri : Datuk Zulhasnan Rafique
Timbalan Menteri : Datuk M Saravanan

KEMENTERIAN PENGAJIAN TINGGI
Menteri : Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin
Timbalan Menteri : Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung
Timbalan Menteri : Datuk Idris Haron

KEMENTERIAN SUMBER ASLI DAN ALAM SEKITAR
Menteri : Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
Timbalan Menteri : Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh Bernama

It’s not killer EV71: Unimas

In-campus medical officer says lab check confirms virus belongs to the common enterovirus type

Some 20 students of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) have contracted the Hand, Foot and Mouth (HFM) disease, in-campus medical officer Dr Zahara Abdul Manap said yesterday.
She, however, assured that the enterovirus involved were not the EV71 strand which could cause death in children.

“We had our lab check out the samples from the students and it is confirmed that this is not the EV71. It is just one of the common enteroviruses which will not give much problem, especially since it is occurring among adults,” she told reporters.

According to Dr Zahara, there are over 70 strands of the enteroviruses and the one found infecting the students was the ‘plain’ virus.

Disclosing yesterday that the first case was diagnosed last Monday, Dr Zahara said the other cases had also been checked and they were not of the EV71 type.

Several more cases of infection were awaiting confirmation from the lab, she added.

Of the earlier cases, she said the students presented the typical symptoms of the HFM such as fever, mouth ulcers and vesicles on the palms of their hands.

According to her, these students were currently being treated with oral medication for the ulcers and also with fever tablets.

She said their recovery rate depended very much on how they took care of themselves in terms of hygiene and the level of their immune system.

Dr Zahara said the students were not under any form of ‘quarantine’ and were allowed to attend classes although they had been advised to limit their activity and contact with other students.

“They can attend lectures and then go back and rest,” she said, adding that the infected students came from various hostels.

Pressmen yesterday morning rushed over to Unimas upon receiving word that the university’s kindergarten will be closed for three days due to what was believed to be at that time, a suspected HFM outbreak.

However, the Unimas media and publicity unit set the record straight that none of the pupils in the kindergarten were infected with HFM, and that the closure was just a precautionary step because of the infected cases among the university’s students.

It is learnt that the kindergarten has more than 20 pupils.

Dr Zahara said the university had informed the State Health Department of the situation and had brought in health inspectors from the Kota Samarahan Division to advise infected students on how to take care of themselves to prevent the infection from worsening.

The university, which has 6,590 undergraduate and postgraduate students, had also put up posters on the disease as a precautionary measure, she said.

“The only thing we are worried about is the bug being passed around because of the mixing among the students and so forth. So besides limiting their activities, we have also advised them not to share personal items,” she said.

On the possibility of the common enterovirus mutating to the deadly EV71, she said: “….we’re not sure about that.”

As the enterovirus infections were most likely to occur during certain seasons, especially in summer, Dr Zahara said what happened in the university was something out of the usual pattern and that the university lab would carry out an investigation.

She said this was the first case of its kind in Unimas.

Ess Khamisa Mohamad Urey, assistant registrar of Unimas media unit, said that she could not confirm as to how many infected cases would it take for the university to cease classes but assured that the current situation did not require such action to be taken and that the situation was under control.

With Dr Zahara yesterday was another Unimas medical officer, Dr Khatijah Bibi alias San San Aye.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan said that the situation should not be a cause for worry as it was just a common enterovirus.

He said he was aware of the problem affecting the students, who were 21 and 24 years old, and that it was not the EV71.

“It’s a notifiable disease which means that any medical officer who comes across it will have to report this to the State Health Department, which will then monitor the situation,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He said the enterovirus was preventable and this required one to practise proper hygiene, adding that so far there had been few cases in between but never serious.

Conceding that HFM was known to be a seasonal disease that Sarawak would experience each year, Dr Chan said the state had its protocol on how to deal with it and was prepared should an outbreak occur.

“We will definitely keep members of the public notified over the situation so that preventable measures can be taken. But at the moment, there is nothing to worry about,” he added.

20 pelajar universiti diserang penyakit HFMD

17 Mac – Penyakit tangan, kaki dan mulut (HFMD) kembali menular di Sarawak apabila hampir 20 pelajar Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) di sini disahkan menghidap penyakit berkenaan minggu lalu.

Menurut Pegawai Perubatan Pusat Kesihatan Pelajar Unimas, Dr. Zahara Abdul Manap, virus daripada jenis Entrovirus didapati merebak di beberapa hostel di universiti itu pada 10 Mac lepas.

Katanya, pelajar dalam lingkungan 20 hingga 21 tahun itu mengadu menghidap simptom HFMD seperti demam, ulser mulut dan jangkitan pada tangan.

‘‘Pihak universiti mengambil langkah awal setelah dimaklumkan mengenai perkara itu dengan mengenakan tahanan dalam hostel dan tidak membenarkan pelajar terbabit keluar daripada hostel untuk menerima rawatan daripada pegawai perubatan Unimas.

‘‘Selain itu, kita mengarahkan pelajar lain supaya lebih berhati-hati dengan mengurangkan aktiviti luar dan mengamalkan kebersihan diri dengan mengedar dan menampal poster mengenai langkah pencegahan penyakit tersebut,’’ katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Zahara menjelaskan, virus Entrovirus merebak menerusi sentuhan, tangan yang tidak dicuci serta makanan yang dikongsi bersama pengidap HFMD dan ia tidak mempunyai komplikasi sampingan.

Katanya, setakat ini, perkembangan penyakit HFMD di Unimas tidak membimbangkan dan ibu bapa serta pelajar tidak perlu bimbang mengenai perkara itu.

Jelas beliau, pihak universiti telah merujuk perkara tersebut kepada Pejabat Kesihatan Negeri dan para pelajar diminta supaya tidak bimbang mengenai jangkitan penyakit itu kerana ia bukannya daripada virus EV71 yang berbahaya.

‘‘Keadaan 20 pelajar terbabit kini kembali normal ekoran langkah pencegahan awal yang diambil oleh pihak klinik dan pejabat kesihatan negeri.

‘‘Pihak universiti telah mengambil langkah perlu bagi mengelakkan penyakit tersebut merebak ke seluruh hostel di sini,’’ ujar beliau.

UNIMAS mempunyai seramai 6,590 penuntut yang mengambil pelbagai bidang pengajian di Kota Samarahan.

Jelas Zahara, setakat ini, seramai empat pelajar telah disahkan bebas sepenuhnya daripada penyakit itu dan jumlah itu mungkin bertambah.

‘‘Simptom Entrovirus mengambil masa lima hari untuk aktif dan pesakit yang menghidap penyakit tersebut akan sembuh dalam tempoh satu hingga dua minggu,’’ katanya.

Sementara itu, Penolong Pendaftar Unit Media Unimas, Ess Khamisa Mohamad Urei berkata, ibu bapa dan pelajar universiti tidak perlu bimbang mengenai HFMD di universiti itu.

Katanya, pihak universiti telah mengambil segala langkah yang perlu bagi menghalang penyakit tersebut terus merebak ke seluruh kawasan universiti.

‘‘Kita telah menjalankan kempen kesedaran di kalangan pelajar supaya menjaga kebersihan diri dan mengurangkan aktiviti-aktiviti luar yang boleh memburukkan lagi keadaan,” katanya.

Ess Khamisa memberitahu, keadaan kini telah kembali terkawal dan pihak universiti menunggu tempoh dua hingga tiga hari lagi untuk mengumumkan universiti itu bebas daripada virus HFMD.

Selain itu katanya, pihak Unimas juga mengarahkan pihak pentadbiran tadika Unimas yang mempunyai kira-kira 40 pelajar supaya diberikan cuti selama tiga hari sehingga keadaan kembali pulih seperti sedia kala.

Tambah beliau, ia perlu sebagai langkah pencegahan awal bagi mengelakkan pelajar yang terdiri daripada anak-anak kakitangan universiti itu dijangkiti virus tersebut.

Kabinet lebih kecil? -- Muka baru dijangka dominasi pentadbiran Abdullah

Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi akan mengumumkan Kabinet baru beliau yang agak kecil menjelang Selasa ini, yang akan menyaksikan muka baru yang menang dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12, 8 Mac lepas.

Tanda-tanda awal menunjukkan bahawa barisan itu mungkin mengandungi antara 26 dan 28 kementerian berbanding 31 sebelum ini, dengan sesetengah kementerian akan digabungkan.

Sejak beberapa hari lepas, Abdullah telah mengadakan beberapa mesyuarat dengan semua ketua parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) untuk memuktamadkan butir-butir sebelum beliau membuat keputusan, yang menggambarkan konsep perkongsian kuasa Barisan Nasional (BN) perlu dipatuhi dan mengambil kira semua masyarakat.

Terdapat banyak spekulasi sejak beberapa hari lepas, mengenai menteri mana yang akan dikekalkan oleh Abdullah.

Perdana Menteri menjelaskan bahawa menteri-menteri yang ditewaskan pada pilihan raya umum lepas tidak akan dilantik semula, ini bermakna bahawa mungkin tidak ada pelantikan sebagai Senator untuk kemasukan dalam Kabinet.

BN menang 140 kerusi untuk memperoleh majoriti mudah dalam Parlimen, hanya kurang lapan bagi mendapat majoriti dua pertiga, sementara pembangkang mempunyai 82 kerusi. Di sesetengah negara, keputusan seperti itu boleh dianggap sebagai kemenangan besar.
Sumber-sumber memberitahu Bernama bahawa beberapa timbalan menteri UMNO dan MCA dalam Kabinet lama akan dilantik sebagai menteri.

MCA berkemungkinan besar mempunyai empat perwakilan muka baru dan MIC akan menampilkan seorang menteri baru buat pertama kali sejak 1979.

“Menteri MIC itu merupakan satu-satunya wakil India dalam Kabinet,” kata seorang sumber yang membayangkan bahawa setiausaha agung parti dan anggota Parlimen Segamat Datuk Dr. S. Subramanian mungkin diberikan jawatan tersebut.

Sumber-sumber itu juga berkata bahawa MIC mungkin diberikan jawatan dua timbalan menteri dan dua setiausaha Parlimen.

Kemungkinan juga ada lagi jawatan timbalan menteri yang diperuntukkan untuk masyarakat India. Sesetengah anggota MIC memberikan spekulasi bahawa Datuk K. Saravanan (anggota Parlimen Tapah yang baru dipilih) mungkin dilantik sebagai menteri.

Sumber lain memberitahu Bernama daripada pihak UMNO, antara calon yang mungkin dinaikkan sebagai menteri ialah bekas Timbalan Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Timbalan Menteri Penerangan, Datuk Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Timbalan Menteri Kerja Raya, Datuk Mohd. Zin Mohamad dan Timbalan Menteri Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi, Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor.

Sumber-sumber itu memberikan spekulasi bahawa Shaziman dijangka mengetuai Kementerian Penerangan yang mungkin memperlihatkan komponen komunikasi dikeluarkan daripada Kementerian Tenaga, Air dan Komunikasi.

Langkah ini akan menyelaraskan portfolio penerangan dan komunikasi di bawah satu payung.
MCA mengemukakan empat nama untuk jawatan menteri, yang mengandungi Setiausaha Agung parti, Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, Naib Presiden, Datuk Ong Tee Keat, Ketua Pemuda, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai dan Ketua Wanita, Datuk Dr. Ng Yen Yen.

Ka Chuan dijangka mengambil alih jawatan Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan daripada adiknya, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting sementara yang lain mungkin memegang jawatan yang selama ini diperuntukkan bagi MCA dengan Pengangkutan kepada Tee Keat, Sumber Manusia kepada Liow dan Kesihatan kepada Dr. Ng Jika Dr. Ng dinaikkan pangkat, beliau merupakan wanita pertama memegang jawatan menteri dalam MCA.

“Kita mungkin hanya mendapat empat jawatan menteri dan lima jawatan timbalan menteri kerana kita telah memutuskan tidak mengambil jawatan setiausaha Parlimen dan memilih sedikit jawatan timbalan menteri,” kata seorang sumber parti.

Sebelum pilihan raya, MCA diperuntukkan empat jawatan menteri, lapan timbalan menteri, empat setiausaha Parlimen dan seorang timbalan speaker Dewan Rakyat.

Gerakan, yang hanya mampu mengekalkan dua kerusi Parlimen, mungkin kehilangan tempat dalam Kabinet kerana pemangku Presiden Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon telah menyatakan bahawa parti itu tidak akan meminta sebarang jawatan menteri.

Komponen BN dari Sabah dan Sarawak, yang telah memperoleh pencapaian cemerlang dalam pilihan raya umum baru- baru ini, dengan memenangi masing-masing 24 daripada 25 kerusi dan 30 dari 31 kerusi yang diperuntukkan untuk ditandingi, mungkin menyaksikan perwakilan yang tinggi dalam Kabinet pada kali ini.

Sumber-sumber berkata, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) telah meminta dua lagi jawatan menteri yang sebelum ini, adalah satu.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) (1), Parti Progresif Demokratik Sarawak (SPDP) (1) dan Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak (SUPP) hanya meminta jawatan seperti apa yang diberikan sebelum ini dalam Kabinet dan pentadbiran itu hendaklah dikekalkan.

PBB memenangi kesemua 14 kerusi yang ditandingi, SUPP menang enam kerusi daripada tujuh kerusi yang ditandingi sementara PRS dan SPDP masing-masing mengekalkan kesemua enam kerusi dan empat kerusi yang mereka tandingi.

PBB akan sekurang-kurangnya mendapat dua jawatan menteri dan sama ada PRS atau SPDP akan memperoleh satu lagi jawatan menteri untuk mencerminkan dengan lebih baik masyarakat Dayak, kata sumber-sumber itu.

Sebelum pembubaran Parlimen, PBB mempunyai seorang sahaja wakil dalam kabinet, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Effendi Norwawi yang tidak bertanding dalam pilihan raya umum ini sementara PRS diwakili Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Joseph Entulu dan Timbalan Menteri Luar, Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum sementara SPDP diwakili oleh Timbalan Menteri Pembangunan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Dr. Tiki Lafe.

SPDP telah mencadangkan Dr. Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading), Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan (Baram), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Bintulu) dan Jelaing Mersat (Saratok) serta Senator Paul Chek Nyuk untuk jawatan kabinet persekutuan.

Masyarakat Orang Ulu telah melobi anggota Parlimen empat penggal bagi Baram, Jacob untuk dipertimbangkan bagi jawatan menteri memandangkan beliau akan menyelaraskan pembangunan dalam kawasan pilihan raya luar bandar itu, yang luasnya seperti Pahang tetapi kawasan yang menikmati pembangunan yang paling sedikit di negara ini disebabkan faktor pedalaman dan keluasannya.

Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) dan Parti Progresif Sabah (SAPP) juga meminta jawatan tambahan menteri selepas memenangi kebanyakan kerusi yang ditandingi.

PBS menang dua daripada tiga kerusi parlimen, Pertubuhan Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Bersatu (UPKO) menang kesemua tiga kerusi Parlimen yang ditandingi dan SAPP memenangi kesemua dua kerusi Parlimennya.

Parti komponen lain seperti Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) dan Parti Liberal Demokratik (LDP) juga masing-masing memenangi satu-satunya kerusi Parlimen mereka di Pensiangan dan Sandakan.

Antara mereka yang telah menang ialah Timbalan Presiden PBS, Datuk Dr. Maximus Ongkili, Presiden UPKO, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok (Penampang), Presiden PBRS, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (Pensiangan) dan Presiden LDP Datuk V.K Liew (Sandakan).

Sebelum ini, Sabah mempunyai tiga jawatan menteri, masing-masing satu bagi UMNO, PBS dan UPKO.

Komposisi ini mungkin dikekalkan dengan beberapa jawatan timbalan menteri baru dijangka diberikan kepada parti komponen BN Sabah.

“UPKO mungkin memperoleh seorang jawatan timbalan menteri selain satu jawatan menteri sekarang,” kata seorang sumber dari Sabah.

SAPP, LDP dan PBRS masing-masing dijangka mendapat seorang timbalan menteri.

– Bernama

Selesema burung, penyeludupan jejas bekalan ayam

Bekalan ayam di Sarawak terjejas disebabkan berita mengenai selesema burung dan penyeludupan ayam ke dalam negeri ini, kata Pengerusi Persatuan Penternak Bahagian Kuching Samarahan, Lee Jin Chiaw.

Beliau berkata ayam yang diseludup dari negara-negara membangun adalah 25 hingga 40 peratus daripada bekalan keseluruhan dalam pasaran semasa kemuncak penyeludupan tetapi selepas kerajaan mempertingkatkan penguatkuasaan, ia telah diku-rangkan kepada kira-kira 10 peratus sahaja.

“Disebabkan penyeludupan, bekalan pasaran sebanyak 250,000 ekor ayam hidup telah turun kepada 180,000 ekor. Saya harap pihak berkuasa yang bertanggungjawab akan terus memantau aktiviti penyeludupan di pintu-pintu masuk sempadan ke negeri ini untuk melindungi kepentingan para penternak,” kata Lee selepas beliau mempengerusikan mesyuarat agung tahunan persatuan itu semalam.

Beliau menasihatkan pengguna supaya tidak membeli ayam seludup kerana ia ber-kualiti rendah dan boleh menjejaskan kesihatan.

Lee mendakwa, beberapa negara maju menggunakan ayam berkualiti rendah sebagai makanan anjing dan ayam-ayam ini telah diseludup masuk ke Malaysia lalu dijual kepada pengguna yang tidak mengesyaki apa-apa.

Beliau juga memberitahu bahawa negeri Sarawak turut mengimport daging ayam dari Australia dan New Zealand.

“Ayam hidup kini dijual pada harga RM5.70 sekilogram manakala ayam standard dijual pada harga RM7 satu sekilogram.

“Kami akan cuba mendapatkan kelulusan daripada Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal-Ehwal Pengguna untuk menaikkan harga ayam hidup dan ayam standard masing-masing kepada RM5.90 dan RM7.20,” kata Lee.

Lee berkata pembekalan ayam bukan satu masalah yang serius sekarang kerana langkah-langkah sudah diambil untuk meningkatkan pengeluaran ayam.

Beliau gembira kerana setakat ini belum ada wabak penyakit ternakan berlaku di Sarawak.
Sementara itu, Lee turut memaklumkan bahawa para penternak di Bahagian Kuching dan Samarahan meng- hadapi kesukaran terutama-nya pada tahun lepas apabila harga makanan ternakan me-ningkat beberapa kali ganda kepada harga sekarang iaitu RM290 bagi setiap 50 sekilogram.

“Disebabkan kenaikan harga makanan ternakan, kos pengeluaran dan operasi kami juga sudah naik dan kami juga terpaksa menaikkan harga telur, ayam dan babi,” katanya.

Untuk mengurangkan impak kenaikan harga makanan ternakan, Lee berkata ahli-ahli persatuan telah diarah untuk mengurangkan pengeluaran dan menggunakan bahan-bahan alternatif seperti sisa-sisa ubi kayu dan kepala sawit.

“Harga kacang soya dan jagung, yang merupakan dua bahan utama dalam makanan ternakan, turut naik kerana ia kini sedang digunakan untuk menyelidiki dan menghasilkan biofuel di seberang laut.

“Kenaikan harga minyak mentah telah menghasilkan bahan bakar yang lebih mahal, dan ini bermakna kami terpaksa menanggung kos pengangkutan yang lebih tinggi,” katanya lagi.
Lee berharap kerajaan akan menimbang untuk memberi subsidi kepada para penternak bagi mengurangkan kos operasi.

“Kami juga sedang merancang untuk mengkaji semula harga babi hidup pada April atau Mei tahun ini,” kata Lee sambil memberitahu kali terakhir harga dikaji semula ialah pada 1 Januari tahun ini, dengan peningkatan sebanyak RM80 bagi setiap 100 kilogram.

Beliau berkata, harga babi hidup sekarang adalah RM6.60/kg di Kuching, RM6.80/kg di Sibu dan RM7/kg di Miri.

Review factory prices, govt urged

Manufacturers say if nothing done to keep prices down, cost will ultimately be passed to consumers

The government has been urged to review the factory prices of raw materials like flour, palm oil and diesel said to be marked up 40 per cent higher than the market prices.

Small and medium manufacturers here are struggling to sustain businesses given the higher prices of raw materials, among which, flour, palm oil and diesel prices have skyrocketed.

“SMA is hoping that the government will even out factory and market prices for the main raw materials, and it (SMA) will do better if the factory prices can be brought down lower than the market prices,” he told a news conference at the SMA’s premises at Rock Road here.

Chiou pointed out that prices of products like biscuits, bread, cake, titbits and instant noodles would certainly go up if manufacturers here could not sustain the soaring operating costs due to what he termed as “abnormal inflation”.

As to how long the manufacturers could sustain keeping prices down, he said he could foresee that prices of many other goods would have to go up “very soon and it all depends on individual manufacturers”.

Chiou pointed out that a 25kg-pack flour now costs RM52.70 whereas only last month the same pack sold for RM37.55.

“That’s 40 per cent hike against the previous price. When compared to the market price of RM35 per pack, it shows a difference of about 50 per cent,” he pointed out.

According to him, manufacturers are spending RM4.20 for every kg of palm oil while the market price is 40 per cent lower, at RM2.90. At the beginning of last year the factory price of palm oil was RM2.20 per kg, which increased by RM1 at the end of that year.

“For diesel, the market price is 52 per cent lower than the factory price which is offered at RM2.40 per litre. It is hoped that the government will subsidise so that manufacturers can reduce their burden,” he said.

Chiou said the association would prepare a memorandum to be presented to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) during a dialogue session slated for end of April.
He, however, did not reveal any details about the dialogue session.

To date, SMA has about 210 members state-wide, of whom more than 30 per cent are involved in the food industries. Also present at the press conference were SMA executive secretary Yeo Eng Hock, council member for food industry Chai Koh How and council member Sim Cho Phong.

6,247 straight-A scorers

Kedah student nation’s top scorer with 20A1s; S’wak’s top student from Sibu’s SMK Methodist with 14A1s

A total of 6,247 candidates scored As in all the subjects that they sat for in the 2007 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, an improvement from 2006 when there were only 5,685 straight-A scorers.

Among the top scorers were Azali Azlan, from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Yan in Kedah, with 20A1s and a A2 and Quek Hai Ren of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Hwa Lian, who obtained 16A1s.

Kelvin Wong Xiawei, from SMK Methodist in Sibu, is Sarawak’s top student with 14A1s.

Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom, in announcing the SPM and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) results yesterday, said that generally there was improvement last year, with 382,286 candidates getting their certificates compared with 358,060 in 2006.

He said 347,032 candidates or 90.8 per cent of those who obtained the certificates were from government schools.

Of the straight-A achievers, 5,060 or 81 per cent were candidates from government schools, an increase of 5.2 per cent, compared with 4,311 (75.8 per cent) in 2006.

A total of 439,255 candidates sat for the examination last year.

He said 1,072 of the top scorers, including 892 candidates (83.2 per cent) from government schools, obtained 1A in all subjects compared with 1,280 candidates last year.

“A total of 58,519 candidates from government schools scored at least grade 6C in all subjects in the 2007 SPM,” he added.

He said only 2,911 candidates (7.5 per cent) failed in the examination.

On the performance of physically disabled candidates, Alimuddin said 189 or 53.2 per cent of the 355 candidates obtained the SPM certificate and they included blind student, Loh Wei Siong, from SMK Batu Lintang in Sarawak who scored six A1s and two A2s.

According to Alimuddin, the 2007 SPM candidates were the first batch of students under the learning of Science and Mathematics in English programme which was introduced in 2003 when thery were in Form One.

He said the programme did not affect the students’ performance in science and mathematics.
“In fact, there was improvement in the results for Additional Mathematics, Physics and Biology at the national level as well as among urban and rural students,” he added.

He said the results also showed significant improvement in the candidates’ performance in English where those who scored at least grade 6C for English 119 would be awarded with the O-level GEC certificate.

Alimuddin said effective last year, candidates who took Principles of Accounts and obtained good results for the paper would be issued with a certificate from the London Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and be exempted from sitting for the Certified Accounting Technical One (CAT) of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Last year, a total of 778 candidates who sat for the Principles of Accounts paper were chosen for the LCCI programme and 692 succeeded in getting the certificate, he added.

On the performance of STAM candidates, Alimuddin said 3,341 or 67.9 per cent of the 4,920 candidates passed the examination, a drop from 71.5 per cent last year.

“Seventy-four of the candidates scored distinctions in all the 10 subjects they sat for,” he added.

–Bernama

Sarawak MPs all for Pak Lah

The Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) parliamentarians are solidly behind Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership as Prime Minister.

The 30 parliamentarians will send a letter pledging their support to Abdullah, said Sarawak BN chairman and Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud last night.

“All 30 MPs in Sarawak support the Prime Minister and wish that he continues as Prime Minister,” he said after a meeting with the parliamentarians to brief them on what went on during a BN supreme council meeting chaired by Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

Taib told reporters after the meeting that the letter would probably be sent today by Miri MP Datuk Peter Chin.

When asked if the State BN would lobby for stronger representation in the federal cabinet, Taib replied: “No, I don’t normally lobby for things like this. We leave it to the PM to consider. He knows the feeling in Sarawak and so I think he will take note of it.”

Among all the states in the country, the Sarawak BN delivered the most number of seats to the coalition, losing only one seat in the just-concluded polls.

The coalition managed to win five seats uncontested in Sarawak.

Many political observers believe that more seats should be allocated to Sarawak in the federal cabinet to reciprocate the state’s contribution.

The BN won 140 of the 222 parliamentary seats to form the government with a simple majority. Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) won 23, Democratic Action Party (DAP) has 28, and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) - 31. When asked for his advice for the new MPs in his position as a senior statesman, Taib said this election had shown that MPs should get closer to their constituents.

Although he agreed that this would be difficult for those holding posts in the government, he felt that they should try their best because policies now required them to understand their constituents more.

“What is more important is to communicate with them (constituents). It is not enough to help the constituency. You must get the constituents to understand why you help them, and what you expect to happen after you help them.”

He said that as the country drew closer to the year 2020, development would depend more on the personal initiatives of the people and they must recognise the greater importance of education.

“More and more we have to get involved with parent-teacher associations, and with the schools to encourage our people to make sure that education play a more central part in our future. I think there is nothing more important than education,” Taib said.

When told that the election results might seem like the end of the world for BN as it had been very comfortable all this while ruling with a two-third majority, Taib asked: “If you ask any European country or any democracy, even mature democracy, whether you regard 62 to 63 per cent seat won is comfortable, slim or disastrous? Which one would it be?”

Taib was also asked about rumours that PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was trying to persuade the BN MPs in Sarawak to join them.

He retorted: “You must be dreaming. Today’s is a protest vote. Don’t imagine that this protest vote will give him (Anwar) the miraculous power of bringing everybody into one camp. The content of his struggle is yet to be seen.”

Sarawak ‘shields’ balance

Taib’s team delivers biggest number of seats to BN; Bandar Kuching remains with DAP

SARAWAK last night proved that it is the bastion of the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the country with the state coalition chairman and Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud as the defender of the ‘dacing’.

The coalition conceded only one out of the 31 seats contested to the opposition pending the results from Hulu Rajang as 221 voters in three polling stations there will cast their votes today.
It is believed that after the last available ballot box in Hulu Rajang was counted last night, the BN candidate, Billy Abit Joo, was ahead of his opponent by some 2,000 votes.
The only seat that the BN lost was Bandar Kuching.

Despite the BN’s best efforts, it could not unseat the Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) Chong Chieng Jen, who had instead managed to increase his majority.

Taib, in a brief radio message aired from his residence, Demak Jaya, at almost midnight expressed his gratitude to voters in Sarawak for giving the coalition a strong mandate.

“I would like to thank the rakyat in Sarawak who have given such huge victory to BN in this election.

“I believe the BN will be able to form the government again and I pray that the government that will be formed will run smoothly.

“We in Sarawak will certainly give the victories that we have secured to the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) as our show of support to him,” he added.
The BN had secured five seats uncontested in Sarawak.

The new unopposed MPs are Norah Tun Abdul Rahman (Tanjong Manis), Aaron Ago Dagang (Kanowit), Joseph Entulu Belaun (Selangau), Alexander Nanta Linggi (Kapit) and Datuk Wahab Dolah (Igan).

It was, by and large, a night of mixed-emotions for BN leaders not only in the state but the country as a whole.

Although the BN pulled through and even increased Sarawak’s representation in parliament last night, it was not without drama.

Despite the coalition’s best efforts, it could not recapture Bandar Kuching.
The BN had given the trust to new face, Alan Sim, the Youth chief of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), to take down Chong.

However, Sim, who knew right from the start that he was facing an uphill battle, could manage only 12,949 votes, losing to Chong by a margin of 9,952 votes.

The total votes cast in Bandar Kuching were 36,092 from a turnout of 68.13 per cent.
In Sarikei, Sarawak saw the only five-cornered fight this election.

The BN candidate, Ding Kuong Hing, another new face from SUPP, scrapped through with a majority of only 51 votes - the smallest majority ever recorded in a parliamentary election in Sarawak.

Ding polled 10,588 votes, while DAP’s Dr Wong Hua Seh polled 10,537 votes.
The other three independent candidates in the race, Lau Kieng Chai, Kung Chin Chin and Ngu Tieng Hai, all lost their deposits.

Except for Bandar Kuching, SUPP has delivered its other six seats - equalling its performance in the 2004 election though with a lower majority for some of its incumbents.
Besides Ding, the BN’s other new faces also won.

They are Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib in Kota Samarahan, Nancy Shukri (Batang Sadong), Ahmad Lai Bujang (Sibuti), Hasbi Habibollah (Limbang), Masir Kujat (Sri Aman) and William Nyallau Badak (Lubok Antu).

Sulaiman, a Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Youth vice-chief is taking over where his father Taib has left off and he is doing it in style.

Sulaiman secured 15,559 votes to win with a majority of 11,411 votes.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) Hussain Abang Apok only managed to garner 4,148 votes; while independent candidate Awang Bakar Awang Daud lost his election deposit after receiving 898 votes.

Kota Samarahan also recorded the highest voter turnout at 75.14 per cent out of 28,517 voters.
The longest serving MP from Sarawak is also from PBB.

Dato Sri Muhammad Leo Michael Toyad was returned for a seventh term as the Mukah MP.
He garnered 10,090 votes; defeating independent candidate Hai Nerawin with a margin of 6,298 votes.

All in all, PBB of which Taib is president, has again shown why it is the state BN’s backbone party as it delivered all the seats it contested in.

In Batang Lupar, PBB Women vice-chief Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim soundly defeated Parti Islam Se-Malaysia’s (PAS) sole candidate in Sarawak, Abang Eddy Allyanni Abang Fauzi.
She garnered 11,015 votes to beat Eddy and independent candidate Ali Semsu with a majority of 8,092 votes.

Ali also lost his election deposit.

A total of nine candidates lost their election deposit last night.

Masir and Nyallau meanwhile have given Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) plenty of reason to celebrate.

It is quite possible that PRS, which has yet to fully recover from its internal leadership crisis, will win with a clean sweep.

Masir polled 9,700 votes to defeat independent candidate Cobbold Lusoi by a margin of 4,252 votes; while Nyallau secured 6,769 votes to win with a majority of 1,610 against independent candidate Nicholas Bawin Anggat.

The only PRS seat still not accounted for is Hulu Rajang, where Billy is facing a former PRS colleague, George Lagong, who is contesting as an independent candidate.

As for the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), it has continued its clean sweep of four seats for the second election.

Its treasurer-general Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing delivered Bintulu to the BN with the biggest majority in Sarawak at 14,965 votes.

Tiong secured 23,291 votes, while DAP’s Lim Su Kien only managed 8,663 votes.

Out of the total 67 candidates this election, 12 were from PKR, seven from DAP, three from the Sarawak National Party, one from PAS and 13 were independents.

Barisan Nasional Sarawak yakin menang besar

Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak diyakini mencapai kemenangan besar pada pilihan raya umum esok, berikutan sokongan padu seluruh rakyat negeri ini sepanjang kempen yang berakhir tengah malam ini.

Keyakinan itu diluahkan Menteri Perancangan dan Pengurusan Sumber II, Dato Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hasan yang membayangkan BN Sarawak mampu memenangi kesemua 27 kerusi parlimen yang ditandingi.

Awang Tengah berkata, sejak berkempen di seluruh negeri sebaik hari penamaan calon pada 24 Februari lalu, sam-butan seluruh rakyat terhadap kempen BN amatlah luar biasa.

“Saya amat yakin BN Sarawak mampu mengulangi pencapaian terbaik seperti musim 2004 dengan memenangi semua kerusi parlimen pada pilihan raya umum Sabtu ini,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini semalam.

Bercakap pada sidang media selepas merasmikan perletakan batu asas kampus induk Kolej Komuniti Mas Gading di sini semalam, Awang Tengah menjelaskan berdasarkan maklum balas diperolehi daripada penyokong sepanjang berkempen beliau optimis BN mampu mencatat kemenangan cemerlang.

Awang Tengah menarik perhatian, isu-isu yang digembar-gemburkan oleh pembangkang seperti isu nasional, kenaikan harga barang, peribadi, fitnah dan sebagainya ter-nyata tidak berupaya menggugat hati rakyat.

Malah, kata Naib Presiden Kanan Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) itu semua isu yang dimainkan pihak pembangkang dapat ditangkis oleh jentera penggempur BN dan rakyat sudah pastinya memberi sokongan padu kepada BN.

“Rakyat Sarawak sedar dan mereka memahami segala perancangan kerajaan untuk membangunkan negeri ini, malah rakyat sentiasa memberi sokongan padu demi memartabatkan maruah bangsa, agama dan negara,” tegasnya.

Menteri Kemudahan Awam itu mendedahkan, pembangkang menggunakan taktik kotor semasa berkempen dengan menyebarkan pelbagai risalah memburuk-burukkan pemimpin BN selain memfitnahkan rakyat agar membenci kerajaan.

Election under scrutiny of Mafrel

Malaysian for Free and Fair Election (Mafrel) is keeping watchful eyes on the movement and behaviour of candidates, agents, campaigners and election officers throughout the country.

According to Mafrel member here, Wong Meng Chuo, Mafrel is a non-partisan, non-profit and independent election observation organisation established in 2003.

“In Sibu and Lanang areas, we have 15 observers stationed at various polling districts and centres, to observe the conduct of all candidates, their agents and cam-paigners to ensure that they adhere to election laws and regulations.

“We also observe the election officers, those from the Election Commission office as well as its locally appointed officer, to make sure that they play their role fairly to ensure a fair election,” said Wong at a press conference here, recently.

When asked whether he is heading the local Mafrel team, Wong explained that Mafrel was a private initiative and the organisation was headed by Abdul Malek Hussin based in Kuala Lumpur.

“I will be the principal observer for Sibu constituency together with some of my other colleagues here. Some of us will be looking after Lanang and some may be posted elsewhere.”

Wong added that Mafrel had also observed the last state election in 2006 as well as some recent by-elections in Peninsular Malaysia before the dissolution of the Parliament and state assemblies about three weeks ago.

He disclosed that Mafrel had submitted 30 recommendations based on the findings of their observation to the Parliament, Election Commission (SPR), Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), and election candidates.

Some of the changes brought about from these recommendations were the use of transparent ballot boxes, the application of indelible ink on voters’ finger and the abolishment of recording down MyKad numbers on the counterfoil of the voting slips.

“We also found SPR had corrected some mistakes, for instance, Sadiah Taha (IC 9812311130218, born in 1898) of Kg Ilir Nangka, Sibu is not found in the electoral rolls now.

However, there are still phantom voters in the current electoral rolls who are over 100 years old,” said Wong.

Wong however could not confirm whether the phantom voters had voted in the previous elections.

Any information and complaints on the election can be directed to Wong (016-3471853), Tiong Ing Tung (016-8884701), William Wong Teck Khing (019-8890677) or Malek Hussin (019-2409234).

221,085 tentera, polis mengundi secara pos

Seramai 221,085 pengundi warga tentera dan polis di seluruh negara mula menunaikan tanggungjawab masing-masing dengan mengundi secara pos bagi Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12, semalam.

Mereka mula menunaikan tanggungjawab itu seawal jam 8 pagi di pusat pembuangan undi pos yang ditetapkan, termasuk kem, Ibu Pejabat Kontinjen Polis dan Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah dan ia akan berlangsung sehingga Jumaat ini.

Proses membuang undi itu dijalankan secara berperingkat mengikut kawasan termasuk di luar negara sebelum undi pos itu perlu dihantar ke pusat pengiraan undi, 8 Mac ini.

Sarawak: Tanah rakyat tak dirampas

Pembangunan sesuatu kawasan dibuat berdasarkan peruntukan yang diguna pakai sejak sebelum merdeka: Jabu

Kerajaan Sarawak tidak pernah merampas tanah milik rakyat negeri ini sewenang-wenangnya dengan menggunakan alasan mahu melaksanakan pembangunan di kawasan terbabit, kata Timbalan Ketua Menteri, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang.

Beliau berkata, setiap keputusan kerajaan untuk memajukan sesuatu kawasan adalah berdasarkan peruntukan Kanun Tanah Sarawak yang sudah digunakan sejak sebelum merdeka lagi.

Sehubungan itu, katanya kerajaan mempunyai garis panduan yang jelas ketika melaksanakan pembangunan di negeri ini termasuk dari segi prosedur, pewartaan dan pampasan yang diberi kepada pemilik tanah. Katanya, kerajaan melalui Jabatan Tanah dan Ukur mempunyai rekod yang jelas mengenai status tanah di Sarawak sama ada ia milik kerajaan, individu atau Hak Adat Bumiputera (NCR).

"Jika masih ada rakyat yang percaya tuduhan pembangkang bahawa kerajaan merampas hak mereka, saya berasa amat sedih kerana mereka masih tidak memahami niat suci kerajaan yang ingin meningkatkan taraf hidup mereka.

"Kerajaan tidak pernah bertindak sesuka hati dan saya berharap rakyat memahami aspek undang-undang ketika pembangunan dilaksanakan ," katanya kepada Berita Harian di sini, semalam. Terdahulu, beliau menghadiri Majlis Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat di Rumah Babu Delit di Debak yang terletak kira-kira 50 kilometer dari sini.

Hadir sama, calon Barisan Nasional (BN) Parlimen Betong, Datuk Douglas Ugah Embas; Senator Dewan Negara, Datuk Seri Empiang Jabu serta 11 ketua rumah panjang di kawasan itu. Jabu yang juga Menteri Pembangunan Luar Bandar negeri berkata, Sarawak mempunyai undang-undang yang unik untuk membangunkan tanahnya.

Beliau berkata, Kanun Tanah Sarawak diiktiraf di peringkat antarabangsa dan tidak dapat dipertikaikan oleh mana-mana pihak. Sementara itu, beliau meminta semua pemilik NCR supaya membangunkan tanah mereka sebagai estet kelapa sawit selain boleh menanam dengan pokok acasia mangium atau getah.

"Bagi saya, membangunkan tanah NCR dengan mengusahakan tanaman yang boleh menjana pendapatan adalah lebih baik daripada membiarkan tanah itu ditumbuhi lalang.

"Lagipun sekarang penoreh getah mampu memperoleh pendapatan sekitar RM3,000 sebulan hanya dengan bekerja separuh hari saja," katanya.