THE STAR : TAWAU EARTHQUAKE

Hundreds flee as tremor hits Sabah
TAWAU: Hundreds of people fled their high-rise buildings and homes as tremors from an earthquake centred in Kalabakan hit this east coast district of Sabah.
No damage was immediately reported following the quake, which measured 4.3 on the Richter scale.
It hit at 2.26pm and lasted for about five to six seconds. Kalabakan is about 70km away from Tawau town.
“The reports from our stations and police pondoks report no casualties or damage,” Tawau police chief ACP Jaafar Mohd Yusof said.
Businessman K C Fung who was on the third floor of an office building in the centre of town said he felt the floor swaying and immediately knew a tremor had hit.
“I just ran down to the ground floor. On the road there were scores of people who had fled from other buildings including nearby hotels.”

TAWAU EARTHQUAKE

KUALA LUMPUR, SUN:
A weak 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck 71km north-west of Tawau at 2.26pm today, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said.It said tremors were felt in Tawau and surrounding areas.No tsunami threat was issued.

DR M RESIGNS FROM UMNO

NST Frontpage2008/05/19
Dr M quits Umno after accepting ‘dare’ to be first to resign

ALOR STAR, Mon:
After goading Umno members today to temporarily resign from Umno as a sign of protest against the party president, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took up a “dare” to take the lead by resigning from the party he had been a founding member of since 1946. However, he implored Umno members taking up his challenge not to join any other party and remain independent, at least until the Umno leadership was determined (after the December party elections). He indicated that he will only rejoin the party when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down as Umno president.
Dr Mahathir, an Umno life member, was answering questions from the floor after giving a talk at a forum entitled 'Future of the Malays after the 12th General Election' at the Star City Hotel in Alor Star, organised by the Kedah Malay Assembly Hall, when a member of the audience asked him if he would take the lead in quitting Umno.Identifying himself as Ismail Jaziz, he asked Dr Mahathir if he would take the lead since he had mooted the idea. To this, Dr Mahathir, in a serious tone said: “Waa, saya di cabar ni…(looks like I have been dared). Yes, I will leave Umno...until the party leadership is determined. Other Umno members should follow me.”Loud cheers erupted from the 1,500 attendees, which included assembly chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ahmad, Jerlun Umno division chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Ariffin, State Assemblyman for Kuala Nerang Datuk Syed Sobri Syed Hashim, State Assemblywoman for Sungai Tiang Suraya Yaacob and former Kedah Menteri Besar Tan Sri Sanusi Junid."Malays, Umno members and many other people have sent Abdullah messages to express dissatisfaction with his leadership, especially after the March 8 general election but he remains unaffected. We have to be radical and brave and this is the only way to bring him down," he said.
It is not immediately clear if his son, Datuk Mukhriz, also the MP for Jerlun and an Umno Youth Exco member, would follow suit. Another of Dr Mahathir’s son, Datuk Mokhzani, was reported as saying that his father's decision was a “sign of no confidence” in Abdullah’s leadership.Abdullah, in an immediate reaction, expressed shock at Dr Mahathir's resignation, saying" I didn't expect him to leave but I will continue to fight for the party."One notable Umno leader who has apparently took on Dr Mahathir's call to resign is Sanusi, who said he will release an official statement later.However, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, once Dr Mahathir's greatest foe but now seen as a key ally, dismissed expectations that he too would quit Umno, saying that he will continue with his bid to challenge Abdullah for the party presidency in the December party elections.Datuk Shahrir Samad, an Umno supreme council member and Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, was quoted by AFP as saying that Dr Mahathir's resignation may precipitate a general election."The shock resignation may compel many Umkno members, especially MPs, to quit Umno, thus forcing the Prime Minister to form a new Government or call for a snap election," Shahrir was quoted as saying.The former Prime Minister's announcement also caught his aides by surprise.Dr Mahathir explained that this was not the first time he was out of Umno. “Between 1969 and 1970, I was expelled from Umno but later, when many Malays and Umno members still supported me, I re-entered Umno. There was no problem. Just don’t join other parties.”At a Press conference later, Dr Mahathir said he will submit his resignation from Umno as soon as possible.He explained that that he decided to leave Umno because he felt the party could no longer serve as a genuine political party to protect Malay rights and interests, Umno's founding objectives.Dr Mahathir claimed Umno had now been made a party to only recognise Abdullah as Umno president and accord importance to the prime minister's family interests, with the nation's welfare taking a backseat. "I can list out the things that Abdullah had done to the detriment of our nation's interests," he said. "The Umno of today no longer holds to the party's founding goals when it was formed 62 years ago. That is why I have no hesitation whatsoever to leave the party," he said.Dr Mahathir said it was high time for Umno members who love the party to be bold for the future of Malays and that such a move would not cause the Malays to lose their political power."The Malays would not lose their political power. They want to correct things not because they simply want to leave. If they are brave to safeguard the party and the Malay struggles, then they must also be brave to take actions. However, we find that many Umno members can't even attend certain gatherings...division chairmen also cannot attend...what is this?"Dr Mahathir said when Tengku Razaleigh opposed him in 1988, former prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had thrown his support for his opponent but he had never stopped any member to campaign against him (Dr Mahathir)."Now, we cannot say anything against the prime minister or the party president. This is not Umno," he said.Asked if Umno state assemblymen and MPs should also quit the party, he said they should if they truly love the party.Asked if his call and decision could be construed as him giving up on Umno, Dr Mahathir said he would not ask others to follow him if he himself was afraid to do so. Asked if his call would give added pressure for Abdullah to resign from his posts soon, Mahathir said: "I don't know about pressure. This man could not understand anything."Dr Mahathir insisted that his resignation had nothing to do with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam video clip. "That is a court matter and I go to the courts. If they make allegations against me, I could also do the same and if I am found guilty, they can put me in jail but if I am not guilty, please don't arrest me anyway," he said. “I am just protesting against the Abdullah’s leadership of Umno and country."In their report leaked to the Press, the Commission of Inquiry named Dr Mahathir, lawyer Datuk V. K. Lingam, former chief justices Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim and Tun Eusoff Chin, tycoon Tan Sri Vincent Tan and former tourism minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor, for conspiring to fix the appointments and promotions of judges.The government's then instructed the Attorney-General to begin investigations into the six figures named but Dr Mahathir responded by claiming that he would "not settle for less" than his day in court so that he could defend himself against allegations that he was at the centre of a judicial appointments scandal in 2001.Dr Mahathir had hoped that when investigations into the conspiracy were completed, he would be charged so that he can reveal what really went on behind the scenes at the time, including instances of judges lobbying him for promotions.Mahathir’s resignation was a culmination of two years of vitriolic criticisms against Abdullah. Dr Mahathir began finding fault with Abdullah after the latter cancelled several mega projects initiated by the ex-PM, notably the new bridge that would link Singapore with Johor Baru.In an immediate reaction, former Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat said Dr Mahathir is was the only leader who left Umno, pointing to Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Hussein Onn who never returned to Umno.“Yet, they were founding fathers of the party. They never return to the party after retiring so there is nothing unusual about his resignation. It has happened in the past and it happens now. It is unfortunate that after making so much noise, he is leaving the party. “His leaving would not have a serious effect to the party and I do not think that his action will be heeded by other members as they still love the party. After the last general election, Umno members have reflected deeply on what they should do to revive and revitalise Umno. They would not desert the party.”MCA vice president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said the resignation came as a shock to him because he never expected Dr Mahathir to do it. “Not at this juncture. At the moment, I am not sure what sort of effect or ripples it will cause BN and MCA. But I am convinced Umno, as an established party within the BN coalition, would have sufficient experience and maturity in resolving such problem. What is more important now is for BN to stay firmly together”. Gerakan secretary general Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye expressed shock at Dr Mahathir’s resignation. “This is shocking, it’s hard to believe. I hope this will not bring further instability to Barisan Nasional. I also hope things will settle down and the matter resolved in a calm manner.”MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said it was unfortunate for Dr Mahathir to resign from the party which he had been a president for a long time. “His instigating others to follow suit in light of the current problems faced by the party, will further weaken it. We hope other members will be clear-headed in this matter.”Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Datuk Yong Teck Lee said Dr Mahathir’s resignation sent shock waves because of his immense influence among Umno grassroots.” I think the nation is in for some exciting politics,” he said.Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Liew Vui Keong said Dr Mahathir’s decision should be respected and accepted by all concerned. “I can only wish him the best. His resignation may cause a ripple, but how far it will have an effect is best left to the party.”Sabah Umno liaison committee secretary Datuk Yahya Hussin described the resignation as “very unfortunate” because he was “our president.”

SUNDAY-18TH MAY 2008-40 POWER TOWERS VULNERABLE TO THEFT

KOTA KINABALU-

At least 40 Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) transmission towers in the State are vulnerable to theft.

Disclosing this yesterday, Federal Criminal Investigations Department Director, Commissioner Datuk Bakri Zinin, explained that the high tension towers are located close to squatter colonies.

In addition, a total of 3,263 towers are located in isolated areas.

"We realise that even when only three to four metal members are missing, it would affect the tower's structure. Therefore, we would like to encourage the utility companies, such as SESB and Telekom to fence in the towers to deter theft, priority on areas where there is squatter colony nearby,"he said.

Speaking to the media after a meeting with SESB, Telekom, local authorities and government agencies at the Kepayan Police Headquarters, here, yesterday, Bakri said it was timely for all quarters to take the matter seriously.

"For instance, avoid taking illegal immigrants as workers when setting up transmission towers just because of cheap labour. It is an offence,"he stressed.

Describing matters concerning communication and power supply as 'high risk security' to the police, he stressed that they are investigating cable and metal thefts from every angle, including whether they involve syndicates.

Stressing that police cannot be everywhere every time, Bakri urged utility companies to also make use of their respective auxiliary police force to conduct inspection of all transmission towers from time to time.

"Of course we are doing our level best, but we cannot be there all the time. So, we seek cooperation from all quarters to ensure that the areas are well secured," he said.

Asked whether these moves would be able to overcome the problem, Bakri answered:"We cannot promise that it (power collapse) would not happen again. But I believe that by conducting frequent checks, it would at least deter vandals from stealing." He said the public could also play their role by informing the police should they spot any such illegal activities in their area.

"These metals are heavy. It would need lorry to transport the goods elsewhere," he saidd.

On April 21, a 132 kilovolt transmission tower in Kampung Suang Parai collapsed after about 20 metal members were dismantled by thieves. It had caused major power black out for about six hours in 90 per cent of Sabah.

Touching on the case, State Police Commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said that a river close by could be an alternative mode of transporation for thieves to transport out the metal members.

"We also noticed there are missing metal members on most transmission towers built along the riverside. Therefore, we are also seeking the fishermen's assistance to inform us if they notice boats transporting metal goods out," he said.

SUNDAY-18TH MAY 2008-MALAYSIAN TOURISTS HEAD FOR HOME AFTER QUAKE ORDEAL

CHENGDU(CHINA):

After a good night's rest, the group of Malaysian tourists rescued from a quake-hit zone in south-western Sichuan province flew off to Shanghai on Saturday afternoon enroute home.

The 26 of them, including tour guide Lee Kok Leong, arrived at the Chengdu International Airport, wearing new clothes they bought in the city on Friday night after their dramatic airlift from Maoxian, a small foothill town that was only 30 km from the epicentre of the 7.8 magnitude quake in Wenchuan country.

Clutching nothing more than plastic bags containing the same clothes they had wore for the past five days, the tourists are expected to reach Kuala Lumpur today.

They were taken to a shop for a change of clothing after dinner on Friday night. They were driven to the restaurant from a military airbase after a 30 minute helicopter ride from Maoxian.

They took pictures and chatted with Malaysian Consul-General Ayauf Bachi and Malaysian Embassy first secretary Song Leng Kah while waiting for boarding passes to be sorted out.

But for many of them, tears flowed last night when they watched the destruction and massive loss of lives on television.

"When we were in the helicopter flying out, we looked down and saw a lot of loose sand and dust but we never imagined how bad the quake was until we watched the television. We were so, so lucky," said 50 year old Wong Siew Mooi, who is from Raub.

None of the Malaysians were injured despite half of the group were senior citizens, the oldest being 90 year old Elizabeth Louie Wai Lan, who wore a floral cheongsam and walked unaided into the airport.

Their departure came as news broke that a German tourist was pulled out of a wreckage alive under the rubble of a house in Wenchuan after he was trapped for 114 hours.

A group of another 11 Malaysians, who were stranded in the Jiuzhaigou mountain tourist city, left Chengdu on Friday afternoon. They were flown from Jiuzhaigou to Chongqing on Thursday and took a bus to Chengdu Friday morning - Bernama

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- HARRIS PROPOSES RM300 HARDSHIP ALLOWANCE

Harris proposes RM 300 hardship allowance

KOTA KINABALU:

Former Chief Minister Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh said the Government should abolish all subsidies, school fees and medical charges, and, instead introduce a RM300 monthly hardship allowance to every adult Malaysian. He said the hardship allowance is to be a temporary measure to help farmers move forward because when they are assured of receiving RM300 monthly from the Government, they would have the incentive and time to cultivate rice and other food crops. “In other words, farmers will not worry about where to get cash for their daily needs. The proposed hardship allowance is much easier to implement than the subsidies and will also create an equal distribution of wealth as well as inject a circulating cash flow in the rural areas,” said Harris in a statement yesterday. According to him, Malaysia’s economic policy as a whole, particularly the prominent policy on subsidies is bound to fail to sustain and uplift the standard of living of the poor people, and will eventually create an “easy going” and complacent Malaysian because everything is cheap and subsidized. Furthermore, any subsidy, apart from being difficult to manage, would in the long run have the effect of making the poor people depend too much on cheap essential foods and other commodities because of the subsidies. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that these subsidies including whatever school and medical fees imposed be abolished once and for all,” he said. To spur the rural economy, the Government should introduce a monthly RM300 hardship allowance to every adult Malaysian or a total of about RM24 billion only a year, Harris suggested. While stressing that the policy of subsidizing foods and fuel to help the poor had been proven to be not effective in the country, Harris said the poor are getting poorer in terms of present day cost, and the rich are getting richer. He said the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself had even acknowledged that the diesel subsidy does not help the poor, but the middle and upper classes. He quoted the Prime Minister as having said that subsidies on diesel alone had reached RM45 billion a year. It appears that globally, prices of manufactured goods, food and of course oil, have been going up all the time. This upward trend will continue in tandem with the adjustment of oil prices into its proper value. “It must be remembered that most of the products from developing countries have been suppressed by developed countries for centuries. Compare for instance the price of timber, say 30 years ago and today, where the increase is only between 10 and 20 per cent whereas the price of D6C (logging tractor) has increased by more than 800 per cent.. “Therefore, developing countries must accept these increases as these will also eventually adjust the prices of commodities and products of developing countries which will benefit the farmers,” said Harris. The failure of rural economic policies in the developing countries, particularly Malaysia, according to Harris, is also largely due o the shortcomings of Government policies and management. “The famous Mr (Nelson) Mandela’s widely reported words that poverty is ‘our own making’ are very true. “The failure of Malaysia’s policies and programs is also due to the fact that subsidies especially of cheaper imported foods which have resulted in agricultural and other local products fetching prices far below actual labour costs. “This also means that the rural people are subsidizing the middle and upper classes and the international market. Unless and until all rural agricultural produce such as rice, are adjusted to the real international prices, the rural people will be reluctant to toil their land. “It is heartening to note that now the Thai and the Vietnamese rice farmers are getting a fair price for their rice and thus have a comfortable livelihood,” he added. Harris also said that Malaysia spent more than RM3O billion annually on tood imports and the Government had encouraged farmers to grow more and more food crops, but till this day, the trend is the other way round with the production of food crops decreasing while the import of food products continues to increase. He noted one of the reasons for these increases in food imports is the preference by Malaysians to consume imported goods such as the Avian water from France. “Surely Malaysians can produce quantities of mineral water whose quality is at par with imported ones. But why? Something must be wrong somewhere,” Harris said. According to him, there is no reason for Malaysia not being able to reduce the food imports with proper policies and programs. He recounted that successive Prime Ministers had repeatedly said that there were more than four million hectares of abandoned alienated land in Malaysia. “At least 30 per cent of these areas are suitable for rice planting. Thus, if only 20 per cent of these areas were to be cultivated, Malaysia would have the capacity to reduce its rice imports. “The removal of any subsidy which would automatically adjust the price of rice and other commodities to the real market price will provide the inceive to make planting profitable to the farmers,” he suggested. Harris said other important issues which the Government should look into are the minimum basic wage for ordinary workers and the system of piece work contract such as for harvesting oil palm fruits. He said that some plantations are still paying the same rate with little or no increase at all per ton under this system even though the price of Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) had increased by more than double. “Many countries around the world have a minimum basic wage and increasing piece—work contracts in which wages are paid according to prevailing market prices. It is high time for the Government to seriously consider this so as to be consistent with its various policies aimed at increasing the incomes of the poor,” Harris added.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- SMK KENINGAU II,SIC PASIR PUTIH STILL CHAMPIONS

SMK Keningau II, SIC Pasir Putih still champions

KENINGAU:

SMK Keningau II and SK Pasir Putih repeated their success last year when they emerged as the champions of the Upper Interior Shell Traffic Education Program for secondary and primary school categories held at the community hall compound here yesterday. SMK Gunsanad also defended it position in second place while SMK Nabawan, which took part for the first time, was third in the secondary school category. SK Luagan and SK Pekan Keningau were second and third respectively in the primary school category. Eleven secondary schools namely SMK Bingkor, SMKTenom, SMKNabawan, SMK Keningau, SMK Apin-Apin, SMK Keningau II, SMK Gunsanad, SMK Gunsanad II, SM St Francis Xavier, SMJK Ken Hwa and SMJK Chung Hwa Tenom took part in the program. The 16 primary schools were SK Banjar, SK Merampong, SKKepayan Baru, SKPekan Keningau, SJK Yuk Yin, SJK St Francis Xavier’s, SK Luagan, SK Tuarid Taud, SK Pasir Putih, SK Binaong, SK Bulu Silou, SK Sook, SK Liau, SK Magatang and SK Pekan Tambunan. In his officiating speech, Bingkor Assemblyman Justin Guka said the program could educate secondary and primary school students on traffic laws and regulations. Present at the function were District Officer Haji Zulkifli Nasir, Sabah Shell representative Eddie Abdullah, Road Safety Department Sabah Branch Director Irdrinshah Abdul Karim, Assistant District Officer George Kandavu and Liawan People Development Leader Rosdi Padiman.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- MAN REFUSES ASSISTANCE AFTER FALLING INTO DRAIN

Man refuses assistance after falling into drain

KOTA KINABALU:

A young man who fell into a 10-meter high drain at Taman Foh Sang here yesterday, caused a commotion when he refused to be rescued by a team from the Fire and Rescue Services Department. It was said that the man, who sells pirated discs in the area, had accidentally fallen into the drain after consuming alcoholic drinks at a nearby shop around 3pm. When the public saw what had happened, they immediately contacted the police and Fire and Rescue Services Department. He climbed into a narrow hole when the firemen came to his rescue. The firemen opened the cover and dragged him out of the hiding place. The police detained him after he had climbed out of the drain with a ladder.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- WORKSHOP ON MANAGING BORNEON ELEPHANTS

Workshop on managing Borneon elephants

KOTA KINABALU:

A three-day international workshop to promote a better management of the Borneon elephant population in Sabah will be held in Tuaran from May 21-23. The workshop, themed Conservation of the Borneon Elephants, will be organised by the Wildlife Department together with its main partners, namely the Cardiff University, University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and WWF-Malaysia. More than 100 participants from Malaysia and around the globe, including elephant biologists and experts, will present the result of the works carried out during the last eight years. They are also expected to discuss these results with all stakeholders involved in the conservation of elephants in Sabah.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- FREE INSTALLATION OF PROSTHESIS

Free installation of prosthesis

LAHAD DATU:

All the Moral Uplifting Societies in Sabah and the Thailand Queen Mother Prosthesis Installing Foundation are jointly Organising a campaign to provide free installation of artificial legs at Che Sui Khor Pavilion in Kota Kinabalu from August 3-8. The campaign is sponsored by benevolent people from Thailand and Malaysia to help the disabled, said Mr Shim Bui Sia, the Chairman of Che Yee Khor Moral Uplifting -Society of Lahad Datu. In Malaysia, there are more than a thousand amputees but there is no available figure of such handicapped people in Sabah. The Foundation will be sending specialists and volunteers from Thailand to assist in the voluntary tasks. All the disabled from Sabah, regardless of race and religion, are welcome to come for the free beneficial treatment as several types of artificial legs are available for all levels of amputation. Shim urged the public to call the Society in their area if they have any disabled friends or family members who need the free installation of prosthesis. His hand phone number is 013-8868099.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- MOST COOPERATIVES IN SABAH DOING WELL

Most cooperatives in Sabah doing well

LABUAN:

Kosan and Koperasi Pelancongan Mukim Batu Puteh Kinabatangan Berhad (Kopel) are among the most active and successful cooperatives in Sabah, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin. He said that as at December 31 last year, there were 511 registered cooperatives in Sabah involved in various business operations and activities. “The performance of all the registered cooperatives in Sabah is very encouraging,” he said. Yahya, who is also the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, said during the state- level meeting of the Sabah Cooperative Coordination Development Council here yesterday that the State Government has awarded a RM1 .8 million contract to Kosan to supply school uniforms to primary students in Sabah last year. “This year, the State Government through the Yayasan Sabah has offered a contract worth RM16.7 million for the supply of school uniforms to students in the primary schools,” he said. As for Kopel, Yahya said the cooperative is involved in eco-tourism programmes such as Homestay, boat services for tourists along the Kinabatangan River, adventure service and cultural performance. “Last year, Kopel brought in some 918 tourists from Europe, Australia and other Asian countries,” he said, adding that out of the 511 cooperatives, 49 of them are involved in land development. These cooperatives own some 23,886.85 hectares, of which some 18, 593.95 hectares had been developed and planted with oil palm and rubber. “For instance, Koperasi Putera Berhad sealed a joint-venture with Sabah Rubber Industry Board in planting rubber on 1985 hectares, while United development Cooperative Society Limited developed and planted its 501.7 hectares with oil palm,” he said.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- TRIO WHO USED MODIFIED PLASTIC BOTTLES FOR BREAK-INS ARRESTED

Trio who used modified plastic bottles for break-ins arrested

PENAMPANG:

Three men who had been using modified plastic bottles to break into houses were arrested recently, and items worth RM 15,000 were seized from them. District Police Chief DSP Madang Usat said the trio, aged between 26 and 34, all locals, were picked up from a house at Phase 2 of the Beverly Hill Apartments here. “Based on a public tip-off, we manage to track down the three men and made the arrest. We also recovered three laptops, of which two are of Acer brand and one IBM, a Canon digital camera and jewellery items worth a total of RM 15,000,” he said. Madang said the trio had cut out a portion of the plastic bottles and used it to break into houses. One of the incidents, involving the trio, was believed to have occurred on April 4 where a 43-year-old woman reported that her house was broken into and several valuable items were reported missing. “We actually recovered some of the jewelleries from a goldsmith here. It is an offence to be in possession of stolen goods and you can be classified as an accomplice in the case,” he said. Madang said the case is investigated carries a jail sentence of between six months under Section 411 of the Penal Code which to five years.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- PROJECTS:ADHERE TO BY-LAWS, SAYS CM

Projects: Adhere to by-laws, says CM

KOTA KINABALU:

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has urged all the local authorities, including the Kota Kinabalu City Hall, to closely monitor the implementation of every development project in their respective areas. He said this is to ensure that the projects are carried out in compliance with regulations and procedures so as not to create unnecessary setbacks later on. “While we want progress and development for the City, you play a very important role in ensuring that all regulations and by-laws are strictly adhered to by all parties concerned, particularly when new developments are concerned,” said Musa at the launch of City Hall’s book entitled “Our City Kota Kinabalu -The Man at the Helm” here yesterday. The full colour hardback 10- chapter book was written by Rosie Inus Molukun, the Mayor’s Press Officer cum Administration Officer in the Mayor’s office. Musa, who was represented by his Assistant Minister Datuk Edward Khoo, said the rapid pace of development over the last eight years since Kota Kinabalu was elevated to City status, has created conditions different from that in the past. He noted that the changes in the City were so noticed, especially in the booming commercial development areas that it could be difficult to keep an overview of how all these changes have transformed the State Capital. As a young City, Kota Kinabalu would continue to develop and that City dwellers should be proud to see that it has continued to progress, especially in terms of socio-economic development. “The publication of this book is also timely, as it is in line with the development agenda of the Sabah Development Corridor. “The State Government will continue to assist Kota Kinabalu City Hall to ensure that the City will continue to progress and develop in tandem with its status as one of the rapidly growing Cities in this region,” Musa assured. Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim said the book among other things detailed about the history of Kota Kinabalu, the City as a tourist destination and its agenda on cleanliness, beautification and safety and development plans for the City. He said the City Hall has previously published two books, namely “Kota Kinabalu - Laying the Foundation for a Great City of the Future” in 2005 and the “1st Mayor of Kota Kinabalu City” in 2006.

FRIDAY-16 MAY 2008- LAVISH LIFESTYLE AT REFUGEE CAMP

Lavish lifestyle at refugee camp

Drug peddler stripped of RM222,690 propert deported: Police

KOTA KINABALU:

He was a settler at the Kinarut Resettlement Area, which is home to an undetermined number of foreigners, hut his lavish lifestyle was in stark contrast to the largely spartan existence of those all around him. With at least RM 222,690 worth of property, this foreigner was much wealthier than most Sabahans, thanks but no thanks to his ill-gotten gains from peddling drugs. The long arm of the law has finally caught up with him, and besides being stripped of his assets acquired with money from the illegal activities, he was deported to his country of origin. The story of this man, which was related by State Narcotics Unit Chief, Superintendent Yap Toon Khuan yesterday, should not come as a big surprise to his fellow settlers as well as locals, for what was originally a refuge for Filipinos fleeing the war in southern Philippines has long been known as a hotbed of criminal activities and has even been described as “the mother of all social problems in Sabah”. Yap said: “The man was one of the residents in the Kinarut Resettlement Area. He was living a lavish life; he had air-conditioned house, good furniture and vehicles; all bought with money made from selling drugs in the last six years.” The man was among five people from the resettlement area charged under the Restricted Residence Act. Two of them are currently detained at PPA Muar, one was sent to PPA Batu Gajah Perak and one to PPA Spg Renggam, Johor. “Although we have succeeded in reducing the number of traffickers and addicts in Kinarut, we are still not satisfied over the situation there,” said Yap. “We have done so many things, and while the situation would see slight improvement after major operations in the area, it would be back to square one after a certain period,” he said. “This is among the dilemmas we are facing and we hope the relevant authorities as well as the public would also play their role to help us eradicate social ills and criminal activities in the resettlement site.” According to Yap, during one of the major operations in the area, many of the people currently living there are renting the houses from original occupants. “We believe the best way to identify these residents is by doing profiling of each person. Today, we do not have a proper record of residents living in the resettlement area,” he said, stressing that such measure would help a lot in eradicating drug abuse in the area. Yap said although the drug situation in Sabah is still under control, he stressed that there is no room for them to be complacent. “Our proximity to neighbouring countries does not help matter and although it is not that obvious, we are doing our level best to prevent the spread of drug abuse in the State,” he said. Yap disclosed that the resettlement area, which was established under the United Nations Commission of Human Rights (UNCHR) in 1983, has 14 blocks of houses marked A to 0, and currently has a population of about 3,066. “Last year alone, we conducted 85 normal operations and one planned operation in the area and a total of 72 people, aged between 18 and 40, were rounded up for involvement in drug abuse,” he said. At least four people were arrested under Section 39A (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries death penalty, while under Section 39A (1), a total of four cases were opened following nine arrests. “Overall, we have opened 204 cases and arrested 226 people, among whom 76 were illegal immigrants. We also seized 101.56 grammes of syabu from the Kinarut resettlement area alone, and it was valued at around RM 36,000,” he said. In the first four months this year, the Narcotics Unit bad carried out 31 operations in Kinarut, out of which 86 investigation papers were opened and 94 people arrested. “We however noticed that the number of cases and arrests drops every time after our planned operations,” he said. Based on the Unit’s planning and investigation, as well as tip-offs from the public, they have busted at least eight drug distribution cases, he said.

THURSDAY-15 MAY 2008- CLOSE DOWN REFUGEE CAMP, ROSNAH URGES

Close down refugee camp, Rosnah urges

KOTA KINABALU:

Papar Member of Parliament Rosnah Abdul Rashid Sirlin has again urged the Government to close down or relocate the UNHCR refugee resettlement camp in Kinarut as local villagers are under threat of social and health problems. The lack of proper and adequate sanitation as well as rubbish disposal system have brought about all these problems, Rosnah said when debating the King’s motion of thanks in Parliament on Tuesday. “Closing down the refugee resettlement camp would also deter more immigrants especially from the Philippines from coming to Sabah,” she said, adding this would be one of the ways to resolve the illegal immigrants problem fated by the state. Rosnah also urged the Federal Government to find out the actual number of immigrant,s including those granted permanent status, in the country and find ways to resolve the problem with those who entered the state illegally. At the same time, Rosnah also urged the Government to take action against private rice millers who did not contribute to the country’s rice stock. “Currently only Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) is given the responsibility to stock up on rice and this is not fair as Bernas only controls 45 per cent of the country’s rice market while the private millers control 55 per cent,” she said. To this end, she said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affair minister needs to enforce the Rice and Padi Control Act on the private millers so they will play their part in ensuring that the country’ has sufficient rice stock. She also appealed to the Federal Government to given Sabahans more opportunity to serve in Government agencies and Government Linked Companies. “Do not overlook Sabahans in terms of promotion as many of the Government officers here are experienced,” she said.

THURSDAY-15 MAY 2008- CONSIDER RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY, CALL TO TNB, SESB

Consider renewable energy policy, call to TNB, SESB

KOTA KINABALU:

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) have been urged to implement a renewable energy policy. “Almost all developing nations nowadays have their own renewable energy policy because of the climate change which is a huge threat to our environment,” Consumers Association of Sabah and Labuan (CASH) Deputy President Nordin Thani said. According to him, the existing energy policy if any or should the Government dcidcs to adopt Out, would affict the quality of lift of future generations in years to come. “Our current investments in the electricity grid, in transport infrastructure and in our building stock will still affect our use of energy in decades to come. For this reason we must look to the long term when we are deciding what our future energy needs will be and where our future energy supplies will come from? “We have to take that long term view into account as we balance the three requirements of our having a cheap, clean, and secure energy supply,” he said. He acknowledged that the Government and TNB are trying very hard to supply, keep and maintain electricity tariff as low as possible. “While this policy would work for a number of years, let us not forget we are now facing significant increases in energy prices as a consequence of having ignored two issues, namely the security of supply and environmental standards. “If we fail to develop our own renewable energy supplies and conservation measures we will find ourselves totally dependent on imported fossil fuels to generate power,” he said. To the question of the usage of coal to generate electricity and its alternative, Nordin said that to his knowledge, the closest alternative resource is gas at 19 per cent. “In my experience, in the UK, 40 per cent of the natural resources is from natural gas, 19 per cent from nuclear, 4 per cent from renewable and 4 per cent from other sources. “But the UK Government is committed in reducing emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels and is currently working towards a target of 10 per cent electricity generated from renewable sources by 2010,” he said. Nordin said TNB claimed that the advances in technology over recent decades by using coal have delivered dramatic reductions in emissions from a coal-fired power station and with new technology available, promises even better reduction. “To my understanding, knowledge and experience, by using a modern clean boiler technology, coupled with biomass blending, it can reduce long - term C02 emissions by about 50 per cent equivalent to the level of modern gas plants and by using carbon capture and storage it can reduce them much further, by more that 90 per cent. “But does it guarantee us a consistent supply of electricity and coal to generate power?” asked Nordin. “Apart from the environmental impact, what is important to the consumer I think in general, is that there is no increase in the electricity tariff when other resources other than fuel is used to generate power. Nordin also said that TNB has received many suggestions and proposals pertaining to the matter of using alternative sources to a coal-fired plant in providing electricity supply Sabah’s east coast in the east of Sabah against the use of a coal fired plant! “These include renewable energy, as unlike fossil fuels, the supply will never become exhausted. The main sources of renewable energy that were mentioned are a) the sun (solar energy), b) the wind, c) moving water (hydropower, wave and tidal energy), d) heat below the surface of the earth (geothermal energy), e) biomass (wood, waste, energy crops),” he added. On the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman’s assurance that a full briefing by independent consultants will be done before any decisions are made on the proposed TNB coal fired plant power project, Nordin said it was a welcomed move by the State Government. Meanwhile, Department of Environment Director Abdul Razak Abdul Manaf when asked for his comments on TNB, intending to shift its coal-fired power project to Tawau, said it would depend on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) from TNB. “But we have not received a EIA from TNB related to its intention to set up the coal fired plant power in Tawau”.

THURSDAY-15 MAY 2008- MOU ON FOREST RESTORATION FUNDING

MoU on forest restoration funding

KOTA KINABALU:

The WWF-Malaysia and Sabah Forestry Department will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the funding of forest restoration work in the Ulu Segama Forest Reserve. WWF-Malaysia Borneo Programme Chief Technical Officer Dr Rahimatshah Amat said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman is expected to witness the signing ceremony to be held here on May 21. Musa would also, auncha book. Orang Utan: Behavior, Ecology. Conservation, by Dr Junaidi Payne and Cede Prudente at the same event, he said in a statement yesterday. Vice-President Emeritus of WWF-Malaysia, Datuk Seri Tengku DZ Adlin will represent the WWF-Malaysia and State Forestry Director Datuk Sam Mannan for the Forestry Department at the signing ceremony.

THURSDAY-15 MAY 2008- SET UP MINISTRY TO TACKLE ILLEGALS, CALL

Set up Ministry to tackle illegals, call

Street kids becoming parents of more street kids: MP

KOTA KINABALU:

A call was made to the Government to set up a Special Affairs Ministry for Sabah and Sarawak to tackle problems concerning illegal immigrants in both states. Tawau Member of Parliament, Datuk Chua Soon Bui, said during the Parliament sitting in Kuala Lumpur recently that it was time to set up such a Ministry to address the longstanding problem of illegal immigrants and find the best mechanism to tackle the issue. Describing issues concerning illegal immigrants as serious problems, Chua said that the setting up of the Ministry would be a long- term solution rather than continuing with the operations by security forces. “I would like to ask the Home Affairs Ministry on its action plan to overcome the illegal immigrants problem, which has long existed in Sabah? They (illegal immigrants) are the mother of all threats in Saba,” she said. “To make matters worse, some of them are holding syndicated MyKad and other dubious documents, and the State Government has drained out all its resources to put a stop to the problem. “Illegal immigrants have long been linked to the rise of crime rates and the spread of contagious diseases in Sabah,” she said. Chua said their presence has also contributed to another social problem, which is the stateless children, where either the mother or father is a foreigner and these young boys and girls are abandoned without any care from adults. “Furthermore, the foreign street kids in Sabah are becoming parents to second generation of street kids. According to statistics, it is estimated that a few thousands of these street kids live in Tawau, not to mention those in other cities in Sabah. The critical issue leads to human misery borne out of such a social environment,” she said. She hoped the new Home Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, will carry out direct intervention to prevent the further entry of illegal immigrants to Sabah and also conduct operations on illegal immigrants. “The Government must also embark on an immediate action to solve the syndicated MyKad problem and formulate and implement policies on the stateless and street kids before our state is burdened by the illegal immigrants permanently,” she stressed. On another issue, Chua urged the Rural Development Ministry to repair roads in Ulu Kalumpang, some 70 kilometres from Tawau, to solve problem faced by some 500 smallholders involved in oil palm, cocoa, rubber and coconut plantations. “The road condition is very bad and has not been improved since 10 years back. The situation are hampering the smallholders to drive in and harvest their products, and some were forced to abandon their products due to the poor road condition,” she said, adding that it is not just a lost for the smallholders, but also the industry and country’s economy. She also called on the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to find an effective technology to overcome the long overdue problem on rubbish in Tawau. “The cleanliness situation is very serious in Tawau, and I was told that one of the problem faced by the Tawau Municipal Council is the shortage of landfill sites. The situation is so bad that residents of housing estates as well as the town area are forced to bear with the piling rubbish, which is becoming an eyesore,” she said. Chua added that even the drainage system has not been properly maintained since 30 years back. “Tawau needs the assistance and allocations from the Ministry to clear clogged drains and to build more drains and channels to improve drainage. The Ministry administers the livelihood of the people. As such, in line with the Prime Minister’s call for a people-centred service, I appeal to the Minister and the Ministry to visit Tawau personally to see how serious is the condition there which requires handling and solution. “Although each and every Municipal Council enjoys its own autonomy, I hope that the Ministry could monitor and supervise the efficiency of the Tawau Municipal Council in discharging its duties to maintain the cleanliness of Tawau effectively. “I also hope the Ministry could provide the appropriate assistance and allocations for the Tawau Municipal Council to upgrade all areas of its service in the interest of the Tawau people,” she stressed.

THURSDAY-15 MAY 2008- US$ 20 BLN FLOATING RESORT, FISHING PORT FOR LABUAN

US$20 bln floating resort, fishing port for Labuan

LABUAN:

A USD20 billion MAFA Resort Smart City with an International Integrated Deep Sea fishing Port, featuring many first- in-Malaysia floating facilities, is being proposed for Labuan. MAFA Groups Corporation Sdn Bhd on Tuesday night officially announced the ambitious plan here and signed an MOU with a consortium led by MS Azam Holdings Sdn Bhd. Other members of the consortium are Naturelink Industries Co, Royal Corejati Group & Consultancy Company Limited and NCCorp Netcomm Technology Sdn Bhd. “This project would integrate three core activities that are development targets of the island’s deep sea fisheries, tourism and education,” the Managing Director of MAFA, Kamaruzzaman Abu Samah said at the signing ceremony at a leading hotel here Tuesday night. The development of the hi-tech state-of-the-art deep sea fishing port and Smart Resort City would be done in collaboration with Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia (LKIM), who would provide the marine/ fisheries expertise while FAMA would provide the technical construction and financing, he added. Kamaruzzaman said the project would be showcased as the biggest floating structure in the country. It would include, for the first time in Malaysia, the following floating facilities: township, fishing port, golf course and clubhouse. The project that would be spread over 15 years would stretch from Tanjung Kubong to Tanjung Kerupang. While expressing his gladness that is such a mega project is proposed for Labuan, local Member of Parliament, Datuk Yussof Mahal who witnessed the signing ceremony said, “I hope it will materialize for the good of the island and that it would be profitable for the investors.”

THURSDAY-15 MAY 2008- STATE GOV'T HOPES TO SEE MINIMUM WAGE INTRODUCED: YEE

State Gov’t hopes to see minimum wage introduced: Yee

KOTA KINABALU:

The State Government will strive ensure workers and labourers enjoy a minimum wage and other employment benefits that they should be getting, Resource Development and Information Technology Minister, Datuk Pr Yee Moh Chai said. “The State Government’s intention and policy are very clear. It has been highlighted by the fact that we have already amended the Labour Ordinance and will of course, touch on the wages of labour ... so we are working in that direction. We hope to see the day that employees will not only get the minimum wage but other benefits, such as the right to live, overtime and etc,” he said. He said in fact, two years ago, the Labour Ordinance was rectified and amended in line with what had been going on in the nation with the intention of giving the benefits to workers while taking care of the employers’ interests. “It is a very important issue. It demonstrates the desire and the intention of the State Government to ensure workers and labourers enjoy benefits,” he said. “The timing will depend on the situation and has been set by the Prime Minister recently and I am sure the time will come... there will not be a long wait. There will be a minimum wage as requested by MTUC,” he added. Yee who is also Api-Api Assemblyman said, “one has to understand the newly amended Labour Ordinance and that no law will forever be stagnant and be permanent”. “So if there is a need to change, according to the needs of the time, of circumstances ... I think we should look into the possibility of fine-tuning it to meet the needs of the people involved. So we should look into the suggestion as mentioned by MTUC,” he said when asked about the Labour Ordinance. MTUC Sabah had earlier presented a declaration calling for an immediate introduction of minimum wage of RM 900 for all workers in the State. It also called for an introduction of Regional Allowance equivalent to COLA of RM300 to be given to workers in the State in view of the high cost of living.