THURSDAY-17 APRIL 2008- TYRE DEALERS FACING ACUTE SHORTAGE OF LOCAL WORKERS

Tyre dealers facing acute shortage of local workers

KOTA KINABALU:

Tyre dealers in the State have appealed to the State Government to help resolve the acute manpower shortage faced by the industry which is shunned by the locals due to the laborious nature of the work. They made the appeal during a recent dialogue held here with the Sabah Foreign Workers Employment Agents Association (PAPPAS). The tyre dealers especially hoped the State Government could reinstate the quota allowing them to engage foreign workers legally, so as to address the problem which they claimed was getting worse. “No doubt there are still a small number of locals who are willing to take up the job but they normally won’t stay long, thus causing a high turnover of workers in our industry and this is affecting us badly,” said Candy Wong, the President of the Sabah West Coast, Kudat, and Interior Residencies Tyre Dealers’ Association. She noted that prior to this tyre dealers in the State were given a quota by the relevant authorities to engage foreign workers, but it has been abolished since last December. Despite ongoing efforts by the relevant authorities to act against illegal foreign workers, she said there were still many who managed to find ways to work illegally in the various industries. Can thus said that the. State Government should seriously relook into the current workforce situation in the State and come up with a more pragmatic approach to effectively resolve the issue, including legalising some of these illegal foreign workers. This would thus help solve the issue of illegal foreign workers and prevent losses of revenues to the State Government in terms of foreign workers levy. Meanwhile, PAPPAS promised to convey the tyre dealers’ plight to the relevant authorities, with the hope of finding a “win-win solution” for both the tyre dealers and the State Government.

THURSDAY-17 APRIL 2008- SMUGGLED TURTLE EGGS SOLD IN TERENGGANU, SAYS TURTLE EXPERT

Smuggled turtle eggs sold in Terengganu, says turtle expert

SANDAKAN:

Turtle eggs, believed to be from Sabah and the Philippines, are being sold at three main markets in Terengganu. At the Pasar Payang, Simpang 3 and Batu 6 markets, the eggs belonging to the Green Turtle species, are sold for between RM23 and RM25 for a packet of 10. These are the findings of turtle expert Dr Juanita Joseph who said that as there was no restriction in the sale of turtle eggs in Terengganu, it has inadvertently encouraged smugglers to sell the eggs at the markets. A lecturer at the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) Faculty of Maritime and Marine Science Studies, she told Bernama here yesterday. “The smuggling of turtle eggs into Terengganu began after several turtle landing areas in the State were turned into turtle sanctuaries in 2005, to protect the Leatherback turtles. “If the sale of turtle eggs is not banned, it will lead to the extinction of turtles in Malaysia, and lead to more smuggling of turtle eggs.” She said there was no law to ban the sale of turtle eggs in Terengganu, except for the Leatherback turtle eggs. Dr Juanita claimed the eggs were sent to the peninsula, either by courier or post. A Bernama survey at several areas here found turtle eggs being sold near the Sandakan market at RM1.20 to RM1.70 each. They are sold discreetly by traders, believed to be foreigners who claimed the eggs were from the Philippines. - Bernama

THURSDAY-17 APRIL 2008- UMS VICE CHANCELLOR ASSURES SECURITY MEASURES WILL IMPROVE

UMS Vice Chancellor assures security measures will improve

KOTA KINABALU:

Universiti Malaysia Sabah is making efforts to increase security measures for the safety of its students. The assurance came from UMS Vice Chancellor Datuk Dr Mohd Noh Dalimin yesterday in the wake of a case involving a 22-year-old second year Degree in Education student, who was abducted while walking to a church in Kingfishers, two days ago. “We are very concerned with the case, especially as it involves one of our students. We are making every effort to increase security, but unfortunately, we cannot monitor them 24 hours. “In fact, recently, we had a meeting among all universities in the country following a case where the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s bus was hijacked last year ... it had raised concern among the public on the safety of the students, especially the girls, and we are taking this matter very seriously,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post, yesterday. Mohd Noh however said the latest case had also caught them off guard. “Students who live in the hostel are allowed to carry out their personal things before the closing time at 10pm. “They are allowed to dine outside, go to church or clinic, or deal with their personal matters just as long as they return to the hostel by or before 10pm. “In this case, the victim had gone out to church with a group of friends, it is normal especially with the examination approaching. They were walking and she was left a bit behind from the rest of the people,” said Mohd Noh. An eyewitness saw the victim being forced into the car at around 7pm. “One of our students, who happened to be riding motorcycle at the area, became a hero when he managed to jot down the car number. A report was lodged immediately and all information was passed to the Police,” he said. Mohd Noh congratulated the Police for their swift action. “Our only advice to all students is to walk ma group and avoid dark places. Do not leave anyone behind as it would only invite danger ... this is a sad incident and should not have happened, it was a misfortune,” he said. Mohd Noh said the victim’s family had been notified and it was learnt that they had arrived here yesterday afternoon from Sarawak.

THURSDAY-17 APRIL 2008- ABDUCTION: LEADERS CALL FOR BETTER SECURITY

Abduction: Leaders call for better security

KOTA KINABALU:

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has called on all parties concerned, especially the police, to strive to step up crime prevention efforts, in order to better safeguard the people’s safety and property. Its Deputy Information Chief, Chong Pit Fah, made the call in a statement issued here yesterday, following the abduction of a female University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student from Taman Kingfisher in Likas here on Tuesday evening, by a group of youths who came in a Perodua Kancil. Chong pointed out that the incident showed that criminals are getting more aggressive and bolder in their acts nowadays and if nothing is done fast, it may soon become a worrisome trend. “I have in fact highlighted on the need for the police to pay serious attention to the rising crime rate in Penampang area of late through the newspapers as well as during our Party’s joint Annual General Meeting (AGM) recently. This latest incident is indeed very much regretted. My heartfelt sympathy goes to the victim and her family,” he said. He thus called on all the State Assembly members and Members of Parliaments in the State to promptly reflect to the Federal and State Governments on the urgent need to improve the security in the State, especially in those crime- prone areas like Kota Kinabalu and Penampang. He especially urged all parties concerned, the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) included, to conduct a comprehensive study on the root cause of the problem in order to come up with effective. measures to address the problem. Likas Assemblyman Datuk Liew Teck Chan said the news was shocking as such a violent crime rarely occurred in Sabah. “I was so angry and shocked when I received the SMS about the abduction,” he said when asked to comment on the incident. Liew said he too had asked the relevant authorities, especially the police, to improve the security level in his constituency as well as to increase the number of police booths in the area. Meanwhile, Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Dr King Cheu said the suspects were arrogant enough to ignore the country’s rules and laws when they abducted the student in public. “The elected representatives of the area had insisted that the security there, especially in Kingfisher, be improved but no action was taken and now the crime rate has increased,” he said. The Government, he said, should put up more streetlights in the area and make sure that they are functioning properly and the police must step up their patrol there for the safety of the residents.

THURSDAY-17 APRIL 2008- ABDUCTED UMS STUDENT RESCUED

Abducted UMS student rescued
Police arrest one suspect, aged 20, in Tambunan; hunting for another 29 year old suspect who forcibly took away female student on way to church at Kingfisher Park in KK

KENINGAU:

Police have rescued the abducted Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) student from Sarawak after a high speed chase which began from here to Kampung Rompon in Tambunan yesterday. The driver of the Perodua Kancil lost control of the vehicle during the chase causing it to skid and overturn near the village about 12.15pm. Police chasing the vehicle managed to apprehend a 20-year-old youth but another man who was in the car with him managed to evade capture by running into the jungle around Kampung Rompon, Kota Kinabalu District Police Chief ACP Ahmad Sofi Haji Zakaria said. Ahmad Sofi who gave a press conference here yesterday, said police were now tracking down the 29- year-old man who has been identified as Mohd Ariffin Bidin from Kampung Tarap, Bongawan to facilitate investigations into the case. According to him, police received a report about the 22-year-old student being abducted by two men in a Perodua Kancil about 9.15pm on Tuesday night. “The girl was on the way to church with a group of friends at Kingfisher and was walking behind when she was dragged into the vehicle which sped off prompting her friends to lodge a police report on the incident,” He said through swift follow-up action by the police, the vehicle was spotted in town here yesterday and a chase involving 20 police personnel ensued. The vehicle later skidded and overturned. The victim who was in shock, has been sent to the district hospital for treatment, he said, adding that this was the first such case this year. Initial police investigations revealed that the abduction was the work of the two individuals and did not involve any syndicates. “We are now investigating the motive of the abduction,” he said and assured the public that a manhunt has been launched to track down the second suspect and it will be ongoing until the man is apprehended. According to him, the suspect’s photograph will be distributed to all the police stations throughout the State to allow easy identification and those who have any information of the suspect can contact the Kota Kinabalu district police station at 088-242111 or any nearest police station. Ahmad Sofi also advised women not to walk alone in isolated and dark areas to avoid similar incidents from occurring. He thanked the people of Kampung Rompoi for their assistance and believe that with their help, the suspect will be apprehended soon. Also present at the press conference were District Police Chief DSP Zahari Mohammad and police officers from Kota Kinabalu and Keningau.

WEDNESDAY-16 APRIL 2008- MISSING WOMAN FOUND IN TUARAN

Missing woman found in Tuaran

KOTA KINABALU:

Hilina Guntalib who was reported missing by her brother on April 5 was found in Tuaran town around 2pm yesterday. Her brother, Gipanin Guntalib, said Hilina was seen by a relative, Jeffrey Francis, at Tuaran town yesterday morning. “Jeffrey called me and together with my brother, Kisung, we immediately went to Tuaran to look for her,” Gipanin said when contacted yesterday. According to Gipanin, based on the information, he went to the Tuaran police station to seek assistance while Kisung went directly to the town to look for his sister. “Kisung called me at 2pm to tell me that he had found Hilina,” he said, adding they then brought their 37-year-old sister to the police station before taking her to the district hospital for a check-tip. Gipanin said Hilina was unharm and normal although she had changed her clothes and was no longer wearing the brown t-shirt and black trousers she was last seen in. However, the woman has remained tight-lipped as to what happened to her and where she stayed since April 5, he said. Hilina was reported missing by her family on April 5 after she failed to return home at Kampung Nountun in Inanam. She was last seen at 11am by a male friend from Kampung Garas, Tambunan as he had sent her to the minibus terminal in Ranau. Gipanin expressed his family’s gratitude to the media and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (UPKO) Secretary General Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau for helping to locate Hilina.

WEDNESDAY-16 APRIL 2008- GREEN CORRIDOR INITIATIVE IN KINABATANGAN, SEGAMA

Green Corridor initiative in Kinabatangan, Segama

KOTA KINABALU:

The Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT) is undertaking the Borneo Green Corridor (BGC) initiative in the Kinabatangan and Segama riverine areas of Sabah to re-connect fragmented forest areas and wildlife reserves to help wildlife thrive. Its chief executive officer Cyril Pinso said these areas had been identified as active wildlife migration routes by BCT, a non-governmental organisation promoted by Sabah’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment. The Kinabatangan and Segama areas had seen an increase in local communities and rapid expansion of oil palm plantations, Pinso said at the close of the two-day International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference here yesterday. Increasing human activity and oil palm plantations had become physical impediments to wildlife like the orang utan and Borneo pygmy elephant as they were unable to transverse to their traditional migration routes in search of food, he said. Without proper planning and intervention, Pinso said, the population of these totally protected species would be under heavy threat of further destruction. According to Darrel Webber of WWF, Malaysia, there are 104 villages in the Kinabatangan basin and 13 villages in the Kinabatangan floodplain whose inhabitants undertake fishing, arming, hunting and logging activities. He said there were also 30 palm oil mills in the Kinabatangan basin which had been known to release untreated effluent. Pinso said the BGC project would attempt to connect fragmented forest and wildlife reserves along rivers to re-establish contiguous and natural migratory pathways for wildlife. For lands which are within the riverine reserves, plans are afoot to get various stakeholders to agree to re-establish their natural vegetation. Todate, Pinso said, BCT had successfully purchased a two-hectaic bottleneck land within the B( C costing RM53,000 from donations from 60 Japanese individuals, and had established a rescue and animal rehabilitation centre to be known as the Borneo Wildlife Centre (BWC). On Monday, the BCT teamed up with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and Bursa Malaysia to participate in a six-month project to help verify the estimated number of orang utan in Sabah. The orang utan is only found in Borneo and Sumatra and there are an estimated 48,000 orang utans in the wild. Sabah is estimated to have an orang utan population of 11,000, about a fifth of the total orang utan population of 41,000 in Borneo,while Sarawak is estimated to have 1,000 orang utans. The Government together with palm oil industry players have also launched the Malaysian Palm Oil Wildlife Conservation Fund (MPOWCF), a RM2O million revolving fund to be administered by the MPOC, to undertake wildlife and biodiversity conservation in the country.

WEDNESDAY-16 APRIL 2008- 21 PAPERS PRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL PALM OIL SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE

21 papers presented at International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference

KOTA KINABALU:

The first International Palm Oil Sustainability Conference (IPOSC) concluded yesterday with l more papers presented, dealing with various interesting topics in making the palm oil industry less damaging and more environmental friendly. Eight papers were presented on the first day of the Conference on Monday. Yesterday, three sessions were held with each discussing specific topics starting with Palm Oil and Wetlands, followed with Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Care and Carbon Balance of Palm Oil. The first session dealt with issues relating to development of wetlands for palm oil cultivation, It discussed about the question of whether a wetland should be developed or not, which one to be developed, how to develop them and what are the effects, and most importantly how to mitigate and minimize them. First to be presented was the work by Param Agricultural Soil Survey Malaysia Managing Director Dr S Paramananthan entitled “Tropical Lowland Peats: To Conserve or Develop Them”. Paramananthan’s paper reviews the extent of the tropical lowland peats, particularly those in Indonesia and Malaysia. It reviews the current understanding of the structure, ecology and characteristics of these tropical lowland peats. The paper introduces tropical lowland peats as a fragile wetland ecosystem that according to environmental groups, stores large quantities of carbon both in their above ground biomass and in their underlying organic soil materials, However, due to increasing population pressure and the need to eradicate poverty, many of these areas, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, have been lodged and cleared for pulp and oil palm plantation over the last 20 years. These activities change the peat lands from being a sink to becoming a source of greenhouse gases and therefore contribute to global warming. Paramananthan highlighted in his paper that failure to understand the variation of above ground biomass and soil properties in a lowland peat system often results in misunderstanding and overestimation of the carbon sink. He noted that most estimates of carbon loss are wrong as they failed to understand that drainage results in major subsidence but minor decomposition. It also recognized that failure to understand the carbon cycle in these peat swamps also results in overestimates of carbon loss on development, It stresses that each peat swamp unit is unique and needs to be assessed to determine if it should be conserved or developed and presents a framework for this evaluation and assessment. It also suggests for immediate moratorium on alienating new peat areas and those alienated areas which are not yet developed be put on hold. In the meantime, a programme to collect data need to be initiated while a national peat land policy should be formulated. The second paper, prepared by the Director of Malaysia Wetlands International, Sarala Aikanathan, discussed the findings of the Workshop on Minimizing Impacts of Palm oil and Biofuel Production in South East Asia on Peatlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change held on Oct 31 last year. The workshop jointly organized by several global environment and conservation movements, was aimed at providing a platform for information and experience sharing on the nature and impacts of development of peatlands for palm oil plantation. Among the findings include that Peatlands in South East Asia are globally important carbon stores, and undisturbed peat swamp forests remove more C02 from the atmosphere than they release. The meetings also concluded that peatlands developed for oil palm plantations lose their stored carbon through Green House Gas (GHG) emissions with the rate of net loss depending on the peat type and management conditions. Three options were suggested for reducing emissions from peatlands, namely improved water management and fire prevention in existing plantations, conserving and restoring peat swamp forest, and development of sustainable oil palm plantations in severely degraded peatlands. The third and the last paper in this session was Sustainable Development of Deep Tropical Peat Soil for Agriculture Use in Sarawak by Lab Jau Uyo of the Sarawak Department of Agriculture. Lab explained why planters faced problems at their oil palm estates in deep peat even though they were using practices recommended by the industry. His paper identifies that tropical peats in Sarawak are different and the same practice that works well in other states does not apply well there due to its different type of peat soils. He suggested that the solution is to really understand the type of peat the estates are dealing with so that appropriate management measures can be adjusted to take into consideration the peculiar characteristics of the peat within the estates. Six other papers were presented in the second session dealing with wildlife conservation and environmental care approaches that can be integrated into palm oil cultivation. The third session discussed about carbon balance in palm oil estates. Four papers were presented in this session.

WEDNESDAY-16 APRIL 2008- SENIOR GOVT SERVANTS WON'T BE SPARED

Senior Govt servants won’t be spared: ACA

KOTA KINABALU:

You may be holding the highest post in the department, but in the eyes of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), everyone is equal. “If you commit an offence under the Anti-Corruption Act, you will not be spared ... we will get to you sooner or later,” said State ACA Director Latifah Md Yatim yesterday. She stressed that two persons, a senior State Education Department officer and a Police Sergeant, were charged at the Sessions Court here for separate corruption charges yesterday. “In both cases, we had carried out year-long investigations, closely monitoring their activities and when we had enough evidence and the time was right, we made the arrest and charged them in court,” she said. Latifah said the education officer is facing 21 corruption charges, mostly for falsifying documents, of which 11 cases have been charged in court, involving cash amounting to RM105,900. The other case involves a sergeant attached to the Traffic and Public Order Unit here who was caught red handed receiving RM300 from an offender. Latifah said that with limited manpower, it was difficult for them to move around. “Therefore, we are calling on the public to help us by providing us with information. Many of our cases were tipped off by the people,” she said, including the big seizure of subsidized diesel in Sandakan and Tawau recently. Latifah added the ACA was also probing reports lodged on misconducts and other cases during the general election. “We received quite a number of reports and are investigating,” she said. When asked if the reports involved politicians, she answered: “There is no need to mention. We are trying to complete our investigation.” Meanwhile, the ACA Sabah will be holding a bilateral meeting with their counterparts from Brunei Darussalam for three days, beginning April 16 at the Le Meridien Hotel.

WEDNESDAY-16 APRIL 2008- WATER METER POLICY INTRODUCED IN TAWAU

Water meter policy introduced in Tawau
Tan says no penalty will be imposed for registering with Dept

TAWAU:

Consumers in the district have been advised to register with the State Water Department as soon as possible to get their water meters. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah assured the consumers that no penalty will be imposed on them during registration. Speaking at the introduction of a water meter policy here, Tan who is also the Infrastructure Development Minister, said the move would ensure the reduction of non-revenue water experienced in the district. “They will not be punished when they register and those who have been enjoying free water over the years are advised to do so or face the consequences of their action,” he said, adding that the registration was simple as the consumers only need to provide the Water Department with their residential address. “I don’t think there are only 27,000 registered consumers in Tawau because I believe there are more than 60,000 consumers in the district,” he said. The unregistered consumers are also using water like their registered counterparts and the Government is suffering a great loss because they are using free water, he pointed out. Tan also disclosed that the 72 percent of non-revenue water recorded in Tawau is extremely high and it is caused by water theft and leakages from old and damaged pipes. Tawau, he said, is lucky in a sense that it has sufficient water supply and its residents are not affected like those in Sandakan. “Therefore, I have spent RM20,000 to resolve the problem by having the old and damaged pip fixed in order to save up to 8.1 million liters of water per day within seven months. This way Tawau will save up 20 million liters water a day in two years time,” he said. The Minister also instructed the district’s Water Department improve its customer service encourage the consumers to come forward to pay their bills.

WEDNESDAY-16 APRIL 2008- SUSPENDED LDP LEADER WON'T MAKE APPEAL

Suspended LDP leader won’t make appeal

Vun considers joining other BN component parties

TAWAU:

Suspended Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Central Youth Vice Chief and Merotai Youth Chief Vun Nyuk On (picture) said he would not appeal against the decision of the Party’s Central Committee. Perplexed by the suspension, Vun also said that he would not comment on the suspension as the grassroots was aware of the actual situation. “I will not appeal against the decision of the Party’s leadership as I believe they feel that it was in the best interest of the Party,” he told a press conference yesterday. However he was of the opinion that some LDP leaders had initiated the move to have them suspended and provided the Party’s central leadership with a number of reasons why such action should be taken against them. Vun who declared his loyalty to BN, said he had considered joining other BN component parties. Last Saturday, LDP President Datuk VK Liew, after chairing the Party’s Supreme Council meeting in Kota Kinabalu, announced to the media the suspension of five of its leaders. Besides Vim, the central leadership also suspended LDP Vice President Datuk Liew Yun Fah, Merotai Deputy Chairman Francis Chang Yin Kong, Balung Division Chief Raymond Sia and Karamunting Division Treasurer Lawrence Tan Kien Yee for going against the Party and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the recent General Election. Liew said the suspension took immediate affect pending inquiry by the Party’s disciplinary committee headed by Deputy President Datuk Chin Su Phin. “They had acted against the interest of LDP and BN in the election by not supporting BN candidates in their respective constituencies. They did not campaign for BN and we have reasons to believe they have campaigned for independent candidates,” said Liew. He said the Party has sufficient proof against the five and were waiting for recommendation from the disciplinary committee whether to temporarily suspend their membership or permanently remove them from I Party. “If they can give a satisfactory explanation as to their roles in the election, the disciplinary committee may not recommend suspension at all. In the meantime, they are suspended and have been given 10 days to submit a show cause letter to explain their actions,” he said. Meanwhile, Francis said he had received offers of membership from other BN component parties but he would take his time in making his decision on the next course of action. On Sunday, Liew said he would respond later this week to the decision to suspend him. “I have a decision but I will keep it to myself for now. Wait a few more days,” he said.

TUESDAY-15 APRIL 2008- PM: I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE PARTY IN STATE OF TURMOIL

PM: I don’t want to leave Party in state of turmoil

KUALA LUMPUR:

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he wants the power transition to his successor to be smooth as this is important for the country. “I don’t want to leave the Party in a state of turmoil but in a good, stable condition. I can say to (Deputy Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib (Tun Razak), ‘good luck, that’s your problem not mine.’ But that should not be the way. We don’t want it to be so sudden. ..where’s Pak Lah (Abdullah)? He has quit. That’s not the way,” Abdullah said. The Prime Minister was speaking at a press conference after meeting with Senators, Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen from the Barisan Nasional at the Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday. “It was the same before, when (Tun) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) wanted to hand over power to me. That’s how we do things,” he said in response to calls from some Umno members for him to transfer the reins of power to his successor. He said he received various views on the power transition, with some wanting it to be as soon as possible while others gave him more time. “Never mind. I just listen. I have two ears. I am not deaf. In a democracy, everyone wants to talk. So what can we do? If we don’t allow them to speak out, they say we are scared... there’s no freedom, so let them talk,” added the Umno President. Asked further on the power transition, Abdullah said it was only the view of some quarters and not all the grassroots. On his meeting with Johor Umno last week, he said it was clear that they supported him as Umno President and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as Deputy President in the December party election. He said after this, he and Najib would think about matters pertaining to the power transition. Asked if he would go for the President’s post if there is a contest for the post, he shot: “Why shouldn’t I contest? You tell me.” On Umno divisions holding their extraordinary general meeting, to discuss, among the matters, the nomination quota system and for an EGM to be held at the central level, he said they should follow the procedures if they wanted to hold it. On the statements made by Umno Vice-President Umno Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, Abdullah said: “They can announce anything they want. They can say anything they want. The decision is mine, people can say anything they like.” Rais was reported to have said that it was the Party members’ right to ask Abdullah to step down as Prime Minister and Umno President or to announce a power transition. On Sunday, Muhyiddin was reported saying that Umno would fade away and not be able to make a comeback if there was no leadership change at the top. Abdullah, meanwhile, said that he was confident of the support and loyalty of the BN MPs although the opposition had claimed that there would be a vote of no confidence against him at the coming Parliamentary sitting. Meanwhile, Najib said that what was important was for the power transition to be orderly. “The Prime Minister will discuss this with me when the time comes so as to avoid any problems and for the party to remain strong.” He said he was not .the one to determine the power transition period, but it would depend on the Prime Minister’s wisdom to decide when it should take place and how it should be done. Asked about him being given the chance to lead the party, Najib said: “I will only answer when the time comes.” On the sabotage among BN component parties in the recent general election, he said the issue should not be addressed in a hasty manner but to be investigated thoroughly for the facts and rationally before action could be taken. He, however, admitted having received such reports. - Bernama

TUESDAY-15 APRIL 2008- RAISING RACIALLY SENSITIVE ISSUES IN PARLIAMENT IS SEDITION, WARNS PM

Raising racially sensitive issues in Parliament is sedition, warns PM

KUALA LUMPUR:

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has cautioned Members of Parliament not to debate on issues touching on racial sensitivities at the Dewan Rakyat sitting as the Sedition Act could be enforced in the august House. “They must ensure that the debate is of quality and at the same time remember that issues that touch on racial sensitivities, issues that breach the Sedition Act, must be avoided. “This is because the Sedition Act can be enforced in the Dewan Rakyat, in other words, the Sedition Act is also applicable in the Dewan Rakyat. “They are not free to talk on anything that breaches the Act,’’ he said after a meeting with Barisan Nasional (BN) Members of the Dewan Negara, Dewan Rakyat and the State Legislative Assemblies at the Dewan Tun Hussein Onn at Putra World Trade Centre yesterday. He said such issues should be avoided as they could create tensions and problems in the country. Abdullah also advised the MPs to understand the issues at hand as well as the Standing Orders so that the debates would be effective. “If you don’t know and speak wrongly (in the debate), then there is no meaning, it gives no significance at all. They (MPs) must be firm and confident to come up with good debates,” he said. On the handful of MPs who used coarse language, he said such words would not have been uttered if they truly understood the Standing Orders. “Those who utter such words are also admonished by the Speaker. Don’t speak as you like, waiting for the Speaker to reprimand, don’t speak on matters that will invite a reprimand from the Speaker. “Such words cannot be used in Parliament. It is un-parliamentary. That’s why I said they should read the Standing Orders,” Abdullah added. - Bernama

TUESDAY-15 APRIL 2008- RACE BOXES IN JOB FORM UNDER FIRE

Race boxes in job form under fire
Human rights body says it is unnecessary

KOTA KINABALU:

There is no need to have four boxes on the job application form to specify one’s race. “Why not just have one box and let the applicant decide whether she or he wants to put what his or her race is. After all, are all Malaysians, and that is what counts most,” stressed Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Vice President, Tan Sri Simon Sipaun. The former State Secretary also told The Borneo Post yesterday that instead of emphasising on the differences, it is better to give priority to the similarities. “And that is being Malaysians. It is regardless of what your race is as long as you are able to perform well in your work. This is especially important when promoting national unity.., there should be no race differences to be a Malaysian,” he said. Sipaun was commenting on a statement by United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) Deputy President, Datuk Wilfred Bumburing, that the Federal Civil Service Department (JPA) does not recognise the natives in East Malaysia states. He said the JPA’s application form, whether via internet of hard copy, would have a section where an applicant is required to enter his or r race, and only four racial categories are provided Malay, Chinese, indian and Others. “The Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak are grouped as Others, and It is as though, the natives are not recognised and do not exist on earth,” he said, calling for similar recognition from JPA, although the natives only represent nine percent of Malaysia’s overall population. Bumburing said Sabah and Sarawak had contributed 54 parliamentary seats to Barisan Nasional in the March 8 polls and hoped that their voices would be heard in Parliament. Sipaun, on the other hand, said whether the JPA recognises the natives or otherwise is not for him to comment. “It is for them (JPA) to answer on the part whether the natives are recognised or otherwise. But, if I have my way, I will not ask for the race as we are all Malaysians. “Speaking as an indigenous person, I would feel like an outcast when filling up the application form, as Jam just under the Others group, as Jam not a Malay, or Chinese or Indian. “Why can’t we only have one box instead of four boxes? It would put a stop to all racial differences and in a way, better promote national unity,” he added.

TUESDAY-15 APRIL 2008- ANWAR SAYS HAS ENOUGH DEFECTORS TO TOPPLE BN GOVERNMENT

Anwar says has enough defectors to topple BN Government

KUALA LUMPUR:

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said last night he has the support of enough defectors from the ruling coalition to seize power, although he will not act until he has a bigger majority. “Yes, we have enough MPs to topple the Government,” he told a press conference after a rally to celebrate the end of his ban from politics, which was broken up by police. “We are saying here for the first time that we are ready (to rule the country),” he said. “But we will only enter when the majority is comfortable.” Earlier police halted a speech by Anwar and closed down the rally celebrating the end of his ban from politics which had drawn more than 10,000 people. “The police chief has asked us to stop so we are stopping, but remain peaceful because soon we will be running this country,” Anwar told the crowd. Political gatherings are strictly controlled in the country, and police had threatened to break up the event, held at a private club in central Kuala Lumpur, because they said it was illegal. About 300 officers including riot police, backed up with water cannon trucks, formed a heavy security presence, but the event went ahead on schedule and Anwar spoke for an hour before the authorities intervened. Anwar’s Keadilan party had rejected the objections to the rally and questioned why police changed tack after earlier being involved with security and traffic arrangements for the event. The rally marks the expiry of Anwar’s official ban from public office, a decade after he was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister. Once seen as the heir apparent to long-time leader Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he was subsequently convicted on sex and corruption charges and spent six years in jail, before storming back to prominence in March elections. With Anwar at the helm a reinvigorated Opposition seized a third of parliamentary seats and five states in the worst ever showing for the Barisan Nasional coalition that has ruled for half a century. -AFP

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- JAZZ FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD IN KK

Jazz Festival will be held in KK

KOTA KINABALU:

Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim said the City Hall fully supports the efforts of organising a Jazz Festival in the City. The City Hall would render its full support and assistance to the organizers, he said during a meeting with the organizing committee of the Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival who called on him recently. The committee briefed the Mayor on several aspects of the upcoming Jazz Festival, including the line-up of performers. The Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu (RCKK) is the main organiser of the Jazz Festival which is jointly organized by the Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu Sabah (SPArKS). Organizing Chairman Frankie Fu said: “The festival is also seen as a prime motivator in the encouragement and education of the positive elements of Jazz music and to serve as a platform to incorporate and introduce Sabahan musicians to the world of International Jazz and Latin Music.” Iliyas expressed his full support of the organisers’ efforts, stating that everyone in Sabah loves music, and City Hall has organized various musical events. The Mayor also commended the organizers for the success of last year’s Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival which was the first such festival in the City and was a roaring success. Additionally, the organisers have decided to hold a Mascot Design Contest in conjunction with the Jazz festival. It is open to all secondary school students in Sabah. The winning design will be the Kota Kinabalu Jazz Festival ambassador and will be incorporated in all publicity materials for the Jazz Festival. The organiser has also called on Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun at his office in Karamunsing.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- 17-STOREY BUDGET HOTEL TO BE BUILT IN TAWAU

17-storey budget hotel to be built in Tawau

KOTA KINABALU:

The moves by the Sabah Urban Development Corporation (SUDC) and Promenade Hotel to build a proposed 17-storey budget hotel in Tawau is timely, said Tourism, Culture an Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun. He said the completion of the hotel in the near future would ease the shortage of rooms to cater for the increasing tourist arrivals to the State, Masidi welcomed the development of the proposed hotel at the Management Agreement signing between the SUDC Sdn Bhd through its subsidiary Perusahan Pusaka Timur Sdn Bhd and Promenade Hotel. Sdn Bhd here yesterday. SUDC was represented by its Managing Director Haji Abu Bakar M. Yahya and Company Secretary Pengiran Mahmuddin Tahir, while Promenade Hotel by its Managing Director Kong Hock Sian and General manager Alex Cham. Also present were SEDCO Chairman Datuk Mohd Lan Aliani and Industrial Development Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ismail Abdullah. Masidi said the joint efforts between SUDC and Promenade Hotel Sdn Bhd would contribute positively to the development of the tourism sector in the State. As such, he urged other hotel operators to emulate SUDC and Promenade Hotel Sdn Bhd in complementing the Government’ efforts. He said the four and five star hotel provided about 80 per cent of accommodation to visitors.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- TOURISM SECTOR WON'T BE AFFECTED

Tourism sector won’t be affected: Masidi

KOTA KINABALU:

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun has assured that the train accident in Tenom would have no negative impact on the tourism sector in Sabah. He said the railway service introduced during the Colonial rule in Sabah is mainly to cater for the local commuters and not the tourists. “The trains are mainly for social service for the local people and the service provided by the Railway Department is not within the jurisdiction of tourism body,” said Masidi. He was commenting on the train accident in Tenom on Wednesday where two passengers were killed and 26 others injured. Speaking to reporters after witnessing the management agreement signing between the SUDC Sdn Bhd through its subsidiary Perusahan Pusaka Timur Sdn Bhd and Promenade Hotel Sdn Bhd for the development of a hotel in Tawau here yesterday, Masidi said the accident should serve as a lesson to the Railway Department. He reckoned that the Department should carry out constant monitoring on the condition along the railway tracks. “I personally feel sad that two persons died and many others injured in the accident. Efforts must be made by the Railway Department to ensure the accident will not recur,” said Masidi.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- NO INCREASE YET IN PRICES OF NOODLES

No increase yet in prices of noodles

KOTA KINABALU:

A recent hike in the price of noodles (mee) by the Flour Millers Association Malaysia will likely affect Sabahans. A random survey by The Borneo Post showed that eateries and retailers here have yet to increase the prices of noodles or dishes. Fatimah Amit, the owner of Restoran Hafizah in Likas, said she read the news yesterday and was shocked to find the increased price of noodles to be quite high in the Peninsular. “Before this, I bought a pack of noodles for RM1 .60, but after the price hike, I guess I would have to buy the noodles for RM2. 30 per pack,” she said. According to her, she has not increased the prices of her dishes but probably will have to reduce the quantity of the food served to customers. “Of course the customers would complain if there is an increase in food prices, but hopefully they will understand that it is because of the price hike done by the supplier, not us,” she said. Fatimah said an increase in the prices of other goods such as eggs and chickens probably will force her to increase the prices of her dishes as well. Meanwhile, a storekeeper at a supermarket here said that there is no increase in the prices of noodles despite the price hike in the Peninsular recently. “However, if the Government announces the price hike of noodles, then we probably have to increase the local prices of noodles too,” he said. Kamarul bin Omar, 27, a customer, hopes that the Government will review the price hike of noodles and other foods as well. “It will definitely burden the customers at restaurants and food outlets especially the unmarried people who usually eat outside,” he said. Another customer, Dayang Noor Ammie bt Awg Damit also agreed that the price hike needs to be reviewed again. “For those who have a high salary, it won’t cause any burden to them, but for those who cannot afford a price hike even just a few cents, it will burden them and their families,” she said. Dayang also expressed her hope that the government will review the price hike of other foods as well.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- PANDIKAR AMIN VOWS TO BE FAIR TO ALL AS SPEAKER

Pandikar Amin vows to be fair to all as Speaker

KOTA KINABALU:

Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, the former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, has pledged to be fair to all in discharging his duties if he is chosen as the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker. Pandikar Amin, who was informed by Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Musa Aman on Tuesday that he would be nominated for the post, said there was no denying that the sitting for 12th parliamentary term would be more challenging than previously as the number of opposition members had increased to 82 as against BN’s 140, with many new faces among them. “First and foremost, it’s necessary to be fair to both sides, meaning we should listen, and listen well, to the voice of both sides,” he told Bernama here yesterday. Pandikar Amin, who obtained his law degree from Lincoln’s Inn, London, was the Sabah State Legislative Assembly Speaker for nearly two years between 1986 and 1987. His experience in Parliament was as a Senator in 1988, and again between 1999 and 2002 when he was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. “To me, it will be a challenging task but it should not be a problem,” said Pandikar Amin who is from Kota Belud, the Bajau heartland of Sabah. Pandikar Amin, 52, admitted that the parliamentary sessions this time around would be more lively. “We can’t avoid heated discussions in parliamentary sittings but this doesn’t mean that members of the House would all be quarreling,” said Pandikar Amin who is former state Agriculture and Fisheries Minister. The Parliament sitting this time around would also be aired live over RTM for 30 minutes from l0 am, covering the question-and-answer session. Pandikar Amin was confident that the Dewan Rakyat proceedings would go on as normal even with the live telecast because similar telecast was also being practised in other countries like India, England and Australia. “If there are members of the house who go overboard, it’s the duty of the speaker to tell the members to behave,” he said. The nomination for the Speaker’s post should be forwarded 14 days prior to the swearing-in of Members of Parliament, scheduled for April 28. Meanwhile, former Secretary to the Parliament Datuk Abdullah Abdul Wahab said apart from the criteria stipulated under the Standing Order, a Dewan Rakyat speaker must also be a respected person and accepted by both the Government and the opposition. He told Bernama that this would enable a speaker to discharge his duties effectively and ensure the smooth-running of the proceedings. “He must be respected by both sides as he will be the one who decides, in which the house must agree upon. “When a Speaker is respected by members of the House, his decision will also be respected,” said Abdullah, who held various posts in the more than two decades of service in parliament before retiring in May 2006. Abdullah said a Dewan Rakyat Speaker would also be representing the country in international fora, thus it was important for a speaker to be someone who is respected internationally, he said. “The candidate for the post should be a person of high integrity, fair and able to interpret the law,” he said. Apart from Pandikar Amin, five-term MP Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (Santubong, Sarawak) and three-term MP Datuk Ronald Kiandee (Beluran, Sabah) were also said to be among those being considered for the two Deputy Speaker’s post. Wan Junaidi and Ronald had confirmed that they were told about it unofficially and expressed their willingness to fill the post.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- JPPS TO BE DISBANDED AS PROMISED

JPPS to be disbanded as promised

KOTA KINABALU:

The State’s request for the abolition of Sabah Federal Development Department (JPPS) has been discussed at the Federal level, said Chief Secretary to the Federal Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, who assured that the move would be carried out as promised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He said the matter was discussed during the Federal Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya on Wednesday and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman has been informed of the progress of the discussion during a meeting here yesterday. “I have informed the Chief Minister. It is now still at discussion level but, as promised by the Prime Minister, we will do it,” he told reporters after attending a dialogue with the State local authorities at Pacific Sutera here yesterday. He said there are going to be several other discussions to be held as the parties involved go through some details before the Department is finally disbanded. The proposal to do away with JPPS was one of the main issues raised by Sabah BN leaders during their meeting with the Prime Minister on Sunday. They argued that JPPS, which was set up to monitor the implementation of Federal Government’s development project in Sabah during the PBS rule, has been no longer relevant since BN took over the State administration. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after the meeting admitted the request was reasonable, saying it is a sensible move towards addressing the issue of overlapping power and delays in implementation of development projects in Sabah. Touching on another issue, Mohd Sidek urged more Sabahans to apply for positions in federal departments. He said there are currently not many civil servants from Sabah serving in federal agencies, making it difficult to give more senior federal position to Sabahans. “The appointment (of senior officers) is usually based on merit, but if all are based on merit and not many are interested to work at federal agencies, then it would be a bit difficult, which is why I encourage those from Sabah and Sarawak to be members of the federal civil services. “This would enable us to have more officers from this State and therefore we can give more senior positions. But there are not many of them now. Maybe (they) prefer to serve with the State Government,” he said. He was commenting on request from the state leaders for more senior positions at the federal level to be given to Sabahans.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- ASSEMBLYMEN TO BE SWORN IN APRIL 29

Assemblymen to be sworn in April 29

KOTA KINABALU :

All the 60 Assemblymen elected in the March 8 general election will be sworn in during the first sitting of the 13th five-year term of Sabah State Legislative Assembly on April 29, starting at l0 am. State Assembly Secretary Bernard J. Dalinting said the newly-elected legislators would take their oath of office before the Speaker of the august house. He said the official opening of the first session of the State Assembly sitting would be graced by Head of State Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah on the following day, starting at 9. 30am. The Assembly proceedings would resume on May 5 until May 7, said Bernard in a statement yesterday. In the recent 12th general election, the Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) won 59 of the 60 state seats, losing only Sri Tanjung to Jimmy Wong of DAP. The BN also won 24 of the 25 parliamentary seats, losing only Kota Kinabalu to DAP’s Dr Hiew King Cheu.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- I THOUGHT I WOULD DIE, SAYS TRAPPED ASSISTANT DRIVER

I thought I would die, says trapped assistant driver

KENINGAU:

It was a terrifying moment for the assistant driver after the Sabah Railway Department train plunged into the Padas River on Wednesday afternoon. Relating his scary experience to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman from his hospital bed here yesterday, Awang Amale, 35, said he was trapped in the cabin of the Beaufort-bound train that fell into the river. Awang, who suffered a broken left leg in the incident, said he was with the driver and station master in the cabin as it went down all of a sudden. “The train was travelling as usual at between 15 and 20 km per hour, and suddenly I realised the train was falling into the Padas River and sinking,” he said. “I and the station master were trapped in the cabin while the driver had managed to escape,” he said, adding that at that moment, he felt he was going to die after having drunk a lot of water. “But luckily, I managed to open the window of the cabin and get out with the station master,” said Awang, who is from Kampung Benoni, Papar. He said he managed to swim to the river bank despite being seriously injured, but he had to be helped out of the river by people at the scene. “This was my first such experience since working for the State Railway Department and during that time when I was trapped inside the cabin, I thought I would die,’ he said. According to Awang, the same train was previously derailed twice, the first time at Mile 62 1/2 Beaufort and then at Mile 61 1/2. Awang started working temporarily at the Tenom Station year ago following the suspension of Beaufort-Tanjung Aru railway service to make way for upgrading work. Meanwhile, Musa spent about an hour comforting Awang and Rina Randi, 24, who were both admitted to Keningau Hospital for treatment. The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister cum Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Radin Malleh and State Health Department Director’s representative Dr Heric Cooray, also made donations to the two victims. Rina was said to be suffering from internal injury and underwent an operation yesterday. Both patients were reported to be in stable condition.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- RAILWAY TRACK TO BE MOVED FURTHER FROM RIVER BANKS

Railway track to be moved further from river banks

TENOM:

The section of the railway track here that was damaged by a landslide which caused a train to plunge into the Padas River about 3pm on Wednesday, killing two persons and injuring several others, will not be repaired. Instead, a bypass will be built in the vicinity, said Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah here yesterday. He said similarly, routes or stretches deemed dangerous or too close to the river bank will also be diverted. “Since the Government is in the process of reconstructing and upgrading the railway track (140km between Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu and here), we might as well do a new route instead of just repairing or replacing the damaged track,” he said. Tan, who was accompanying Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman in a visit to the scene of accident about three kilometres from here, said an alternative connection will be explored as soon as possible for those who need to use the Beaufort-Tenom railway service regularly. The Infrastructure Development Minister described this as their “immediate action” in tackling the transportation problem, stressing however that safety would be their top priority. Tan said his Ministry will be working closely with the Assemblymen of the affected areas to find a solution. “We would study and find the best transportation system to replace the train for now,” he said, adding that many people along the route depend on the train service, particularly teachers and students. The State railway service started operation in 1896 along the route from Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu to here. However, the Tanjung Aru-Papar route service was temporarily halted last year to make way for upgrading works on the railway track . The Beaufort-Tenom route service however continues as usual for the benefit of the residents, as well as foreign tourists who would be dropped at Pangie for whitewater rafting. Besides claiming two lives, the railway accident on Wednesday caused serious’ injuries to three people and minor injuries to 19 others.

FRIDAY-11 APRIL 2008- RAILWAY SERVICES SUSPENDED

Railway services suspended

Affected residents along railway route to be provided with alternative transport, says CM

TENOM:

The railway services between here and Beaufort have been suspended. Announcing this here yesterday, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman urged the Sabali Railway Department to investigate the accident and take necessary steps to prevent similar mishaps in the future.“What is important here is for the Department or the Infrastructure Development Ministry to ensure the railway tracks are built on a strong formation that is located at a safe distance from the river banks,” he said. Musa said alternative transportation will be provided for the regular railway service users, particularly teachers, students and farmers residing along the 40km railway track between Beaufort and here, as most of the communities there are not accessible by sealed road. He said the Infrastructure Development Ministry will be looking for alternative transportation for them and is now studying the various options available. “We would need to find out about the road routes, dirt tracks or whatever possible links that could help them for now until normal service resumes.” Musa said the Department will be conducting an operation to retrieve the train that fell into the river on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Department said the entire salvage operation will take at least two weeks to complete given the prevailing wet weather conditions and the rugged terrain of the site where the accident occurred. The accident claimed two lives and caused serious injuries to at least three people and minor injuries to 9 others. Yesterday, Musa presented a donation of RM4,000 each to the families of the deceased, while the injured victims received RM500 each. He had earlier visited two survivors who were warded at Keningau Hospital and several other victims at the district hospital here. Musa and his entourage, comprising among others Deputy Chief Minister cum Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Datuk Radin Malleh, Tenom Member of Parliament Raime Unggi and State Police Commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim, were briefed on the incident, yesterday. During the briefing, District Police Chief DSP Mazlan Lazim and State Railway Department General Manager James Wong provided updates on the incident. “I was told that the heavy rain in the past few days had somehow contributed to the landslide. I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the victims’ family members ... this is truly a terrible mishap,” he said. As at yesterday afternoon, effort to check the carriage as well as the 48-ton diesel powered locomotive continued to determine whether there were any passengers not accounted for. Meanwhile, Noor Rashid said thus far there had been no reports about anyone missing after the train plunged into the river. “We are investigating claims that there were some non-paying passengers on board the train on Wednesday, but to date, we have yet to get any missing person report,” he said. He called on passengers who have yet to give their statement on the incident to do so soon. “Go to the nearest police station to make the report,” he said.

THURSDAY-10 APRIL 2008- RONALD MAY BE MADE DEPUTY SPEAKER

Ronald may be made Deputy Speaker

KUALA LUMPUR:

While the search continues for the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, the Barisan Nasional (BN) has nominated two Members of Parliament, one from Sarawak and another from Sabah, for the posts of Deputy Speakers. A well-placed source said five-term MP Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (Santubong, Sarawak) and three-term MP Datuk Ronald Kiandee Beluran, Sabah) were being considered for the posts. “Both were picked as the main choices for the post of Deputy Speakers while the search for the speaker’s position continues,” the source told Bernama here yesterday. The speaker may be an MP or non-member who is qualified for election into the House. The Deputy Speaker must however, be an MP. The functions of the Speaker include maintaining order in the Dewan Rakyat, ensuring that relevancy is observed during debates and interpreting the standing Orders, in case of disputes. The Deputy Speakers assist the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat and chair proceedings by rotation in the absence of the Speaker. Wan Junaidi when contacted, confirmed that he was informed unofficially on the matter and expressed his willingness to serve in the position, if given the chance. I still have to go through the process of being elected in the Dewan Rakyat first. For the moment, I don’t have anything to comment,” he said. Sources said Wan Junaidi was informed of the plans to name him as the Deputy Speaker by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during their meeting in Kuching last Friday. The same goes for Ronald who was also told informally on the matter, two days ago in Kota Kinabalu. Ronald, when contacted, confirmed that he had been informed about the matter informally, but refused to reveal more information. “I prefer to wait for the official statement if they decide to nominate me. “Informally, yes, they have told me but not officially,” he said, without elaborating. If elected, Ronald will follow the footsteps of former Kinabatangan MP Datuk Juhar Mahiruddin who was elected Deputy Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat from Dec 5, 1990 to Nov 10, 1999. Nominations for the new Speaker are expected to be known in the near future as speculations are rife that the post will be given to an elected members from Sabah or Sarawak. But there is also speculation that the post might be filled by a non-parliamentarian, particularly from the Judiciary like a former judge. It has been reported that the Prime Minister wants to reward Sabah and Sarawak BN with the above- mentioned posts due to their excellent performances in the recent general election. For the Speaker’s post, there is talk that veteran politician and former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia is the main contender after he was reported to have agreed to the post. - Bernama.

THURSDAY-10 APRIL 2008- I WILL NEVER DRIVE TRAIN AGAIN: VICTIM

I WILL NEVER DRIVE TRAIN AGAIN: VICTIM

TENOM:

Jividol Thadeus may never drive another train again following the tragic accident at Lubang Batu, about three kilometres from here yesterday. The train incident which claimed two lives, three seriously injured and 23 escaped with just minor bruises and cuts, has now become his worst experience. “This is my first and last experience ... I will never drive the train again,” said the 49-year-old from Kampung Sugud, Penampang. Jividol joined the Sabah Railway Department 30 years ago and was assigned to drive the train nine years ago. “I have been going through the route all this while. We would take passengers to and from Beaufort and Tenom twice daily. “We left the Tenom Station at 2.5Opm (yesterday) for Beaufort. At around 3.O5pm, the soil suddenly fell and the locomotive and one of the two carriages plunged into the water,” he said when recalling the incident. All he could do was pray and tried his very best to save his life. So were all the other passengers. “I never expected this to happen.. I cut my forehead and had a few bruises on my buttock and chest while trying to get out of the locomotive.., this by far is my worst experience,” he said. His three minutes under water seemed to take forever, but he used all his might to swim up. “There was nothing anybody could do but to save themselves. I just sat on the railway after the incident, everything seemed numb at that time,” said Jividol from his hospital bed. Meanwhile, Sabah Fire and Rescue Services Department Deputy Director Laupen Nuar said they would be going to the site today to investigate on the incident. “We believe there was a landslide that caused the accident. It was raining heavily when we reached there,” he said when contacted. Laupen said a distress call was received at 3.15pm and firemen were rushed to the scene where the train plunged 20 feet into the water. “The water level subsided after the Pangi Dam was closed, allowing us to carry out search operation for the two victims. “We managed to pull out the first victim, a woman, from the wreckage at 6.3Opm, and the second body of a man, who was trapped under the train about four minutes later,” he said, adding that identity of both bodies could not be determined as no documents were found on them. The bodies were sent to the district hospital for post-mortem.

THURSDAY-10 APRIL 2008- TWO PASSENGERS DEAD WHILE 26 ARE INJURED; 13 ESCAPE

Two passengers dead while 26 are injured; 13 escape

TENOM:

Two passengers were killed and 26 others injured, three seriously, when the train they were traveling in, derailed and plunged into Sungai Padas here during a wet weather late yesterday afternoon. The dead, a man and a woman in their 40s have yet to be identified as the Police wanted to contact their nearest kin first. District Police Chief DSP Mazlan Lazim said the tragedy occurred near Kampung Tenom Lama, four kilometers from the town here shortly after the train departed from the station at 2.5Opm. Mazian who was met at the scene said the train was carrying 41 passengers in two passenger carriages. It was drizzling when the train left the station for Beaufort and the area where the accident occurred was water-logged. The condition of the ground caused the earth to soften and gave way when the train was passing through the area, apparently unable to bear its weight. The train cab and first carriage plunged into the river. The second carriage was seen still hanging precariously on the damaged tracks, saving the remaining other passengers from possible injuries and death. Mazian said the woman’s body was recovered at about 6.3Opm while the man’s body was found at 6.3Opm. Both bodies have been sent to the District Hospital for a post mortem. The train driver only sustained minor injuries but his assistant suffered a broken leg, according to him. All the injured victims including one suspected to have fractured his hips were sent to the District Hospital for treatment. A search and rescue team comprising 16 firemen and 20 police personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene when the report was received at 3.15pm. Some of the shocked survivors of the tragedy said when interviewed by Borneo Post reporters that the whole thing happened very fast, describing it as frightening. Those who survived unscathed, said it was like being given a new lease of life. “The whole thing happened in just seconds. Before we knew it the train started to list to the side and plunge into the river,” said Jesilau Sarawah, from Kampung Pangi. Jesilau who was in the front carriage with three of his siblings related that when the train started to fall into the river, passengers started screaming in fright and that caused everyone to panic. “In a blink of an eye, the train cab and the first carriage were already in the waters of the swollen river. So I jumped out of the window and started to pull my siblings out one by one. After that we went to help other passengers,” he said. A regular train commuter, Jesilau said the train was travelling at its normal speed but it started to slide down when it reached the area. Another survivor Suriah Tukit, also from Kampung Pangi, could not remember how she sustained her head injury as the whole thing happened really fast. “I was sitting in the front carriage and was not aware of what happened. The train jolted to a stop and all I heard people screaming. My son was trying to pull me out of the window,” she said, adding that she was thankful that the other family members were unhurt. Siawon Anditom, from Kampung Ponotomon, said she managed to crawl out of the window before the carriage started to slide into the river. “Only after I was out of the carriage did I realise the gravity of the accident especially when I noticed how swift flowing the river was,” she said, adding that she was travelling with her sister Elou. The train service is their regular transport to Tenom Town and they have yet to experience any as frightening as yesterday’s incident. “We did not hear anything prior to the incident... it was so fast. We only realised that something had happened when the train stopped suddenly,” she said. Meanwhile at the train station in Beaufort, anxious and worried family members were waiting for news from their kin who were travelling on the train. A man who did not want to be identified said his brother-in- law was on the train which should have arrived at Beaufort at 4.2Opm, “I have tried calling his handphone but was unable to get through and I am very worried as to his fate,” he said. Beaufort Station Master, Brahim Ag Besar, when met said, the train service between Tenom and Beaufort had been stopped temporarily. According to him, normally about 100 people use the train service daily but the number increases on weekends, public holidays and during festivals. Brahms who has been in service with the State Railways Department for 28 years, said this was the first time a train had plunged into the river. “In the past we had derailments and trains jumping off the tracks but never anything like this,” he said. The route from Beaufort to Tenom takes about two and a half hours with several stops at small stations along the way such as Saliwangan Baru, Halogilat, Rayoh and Pangi, the starting point for white water rafting.

THURSDAY-10 APRIL 2008- PENSIANGAN SEAT: CANDIDATES FILE PETITIONS

Pensiangan seat: Candidates file petitions

KOTA KINABALU:

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Danny Anthony Andipai and Independent candidate Saineh b Usau have separately filed an election petition at the High Court here to challenge the validity of the result of the Pensiangan parliamentary seat in the 12th General Election. Danny, 41, filed his petition through Counsel Ansari Abdullah at the High Court’s Registry at 3.07pm yesterday, naming Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and Election Commission Returning Officer Bubudan OT Majalu as the first and second respondents respectively. Saineh filed his petition about 4.3Opm through his Counsel Arthur Borine, naming Sabah State Election Officer Bubudan and Joseph as the first, second and third respondents respectively. In their respective petitions, Danny and Saineh are seeking among others, an order from the Court that the election of the first respondent, Joseph Kurup as null and void under Section 32(b) of the Election Offences Act 1954. Saineh is also asking the Court to declare the conduct of the said nomination election as unlawful, null and void. Kurup, who is Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) President, won the Pensiangan seat uncontested after the nomination papers of the other candidates were rejected by the Returning Officer. In the fact of the petition, Danny said he arrived at the nomination centre at the Nabawan District Council Hall about 9.35am on Feb 24 this year and gave his personal details together with that of his proposer and seconder to the police counter in front of the entrance to the said hall. He then entered the nomination centre and was given a piece of paper bearing number 10 and proceeded to pay his deposit of RM10,000 and also paid the sum of RM5,000 required as deposit for campaign materials. About 9.55am, one of the Election Officers closed and locked the entrance to the nomination centre. Danny was then asked by Election Officer Rose Sufi to hand over his nomination papers to the second respondent (Bubudan) and he did it accordingly. However, he was shocked when he was informed by the second respondent that he was late in delivering his nomination papers and refused to accept the same. He tried to explain that he was unable to hand over his nomination papers as the second respondent was occupied with another candidate but the second respondent was adamant in his refusal. Danny then contacted his advocate, Ansari who advised him to lodge a police report at the police counter. As he was proceeding to lodge a police report, he was advised ‘not to do so by Assistant Returning Officer Osman Aganduk @ Fendi who said to the second respondent, “Tuan boleh daftar, saya sudah called SPR” (You can register sir, I have called the Election Commission). After that, the second respondent accepted Danny’s nomination papers and subsequently that of the other candidates, Paul Bunsu b Gitang @ Paul Gitang and Saineh b Usau, and posted all the three nomination papers for objection. The second respondent closed the period for objection to nomination papers about 11am and went on to accept the nomination of the first respondent for the above election and the other nominations, including that of Paul for N37 Sook. Danny was shocked when the second respondent announced that the first respondent (Kurup) was returned unopposed and declared him as being duly elected for the election as the nomination papers of him and Saineh were rejected. He further said that no reason was given by the second respondent in the announcement made for the nomination and election of the first respondent and the rejection of the nomination papers of the petitioner. Danny later went to lodge a police report on what had transpired during the nomination at the Nabawan Police Station about 4pm on the same day. He claimed that the second respondent (Bubudan) had planned to make available only one counter for delivery of nomination papers for the three constituencies of P182 Pensiangan, N37 Sook and N38 Nabawan. He further claimed that the second respondent had purposely delayed the process of delivery of nomination papers by making himself unduly busy attending to the purported independent candidate, Fatimah Agitor, and answering telephone calls on his hand phone during the period of nomination and had failed to delegate the Assistant Returning Officers the duty and/or power to accept the delivery of nomination papers during the period of nomination to enable the first respondent to be returned unopposed in the election. Saineh meanwhile claimed that he approached the second respondent (Bubudan) for an explanation as to why was his nomination was rejected but the second respondent did not entertain him. The second respondent also refused to show the register book that recorded the submission time of his nomination paper. Saineh stated that there was no objection at all for his nomination documents and/or at least if there was any, of which he was not made aware of, the second respondent should have notified him so that he could accordingly clarify or defend himself against any so-called objection. He claimed that he was never late in submitting his nomination documents having been accepted and pasted on the notice board. If at all (which is denied) he was late in submitting his nomination documents, then the second respondent should not have accepted the documents. He further claimed that by pasting his nomination papers on the notice board, it clearly indicated that the nomination papers were submitted within the time period provided by Rule 6(2)(b) of the Election (Conduct of Election) Regulations1981. Saineh added there was no objection received from any other candidate against the nomination documents for Pensiangan. He further claimed that the second respondent not only did not comply with the provision of any written law relating to the election but the election was not conducted according to the principles of such election in that the election/returned unopposed of the third respondent (Kurup) was decided by the second respondent and not decided by the electorate of Pensiangan constituency.

WEDNESDAY-9 APRIL 2008-NO POLICY FOR SWIMMING POOLS AT CONDOS:CITY HALL

No policy for swimming pools at condos: City Hall

KOTA KINABALU:

The City Hall does not have any swimming pool policy for condominiums and apartments. Its Director General, Datuk Dr Chua Kim Heng, urged condominium and apartment residents to form a committee and hold a meeting with their building management to discuss about safety at swimming pools. Chua made the suggestions yesterday when asked whether City Hall has any policy for building swimming pools near the condominiums and apartments. “City Hall does not have such policy yet. However, it has a requirement to ensure the safety of the residential buildings,” he said. “In future, I hope an authority would implement the enforcement, just like in any condominiums and apartments in other developing countries for the safety of the residents. “In other countries, the management of the buildings even security personnel to ensure the safety of the residents,” he said. Chua pointed out it would be much better for parents or the management of the condominiums and apartments to provide life jackets at the swimming pools and security too. “This is for their safety and their children or to ensure their children use them by the time they approach the swimming pool for a swim. “The second measure is to have parents or adult family members escort the children to the swimming pool is because we never know what could happen. “The only security aspect under City Hall is the architectural design of the condominium and apartment buildings, including the swimming pools that must adhere to the specification which could be approved by City Hall,” he said. Asked on the kind of specification for the swimming pools, Chua said: “For example, the swimming pools should have a gate and must be certain feet away fro the gate, according to the City Hall requirement. The swimming pool grounds should not be slippery.” On whether the developers oft] condominiums and apartment should separate the swimming pool for adults and children, Chua replied “Yes, two areas are separated, that is, the adult area of the swimming pool would be deeper and the children’s should not be deep. “However, for high class hotel City Hall has a requirement for the owners to ensure the safety of the’ customers at their swimming pool “That is why the hotel owners concerned must hire security, but hope the policy would be here for the condominium and apartment residents too or other body authority could implement the policy because it concerns the safety of residents,” he said.

WEDNESDAY-9 APRIL 2008-PM'S VISIT DISSAPPOINTMENT FOR SABAHANS:JEFFREY

PM’s visit disappointment for Sabahans: Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU:

The visit to Sabah by the Prime Minister on Monday was a total disappointment for Sabahans who expected something “solid” on the State’s needs and aspirations from him, said a senior leader from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). PKR Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said that before Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi came here, the Premier knew what Sabahans wanted and yet he came and left without much to offer. “He (Abdullah) did not bring anything solid from Kuala Lumpur and came only to give all sorts of vague statements and promises about the future with nothing specific (for Sabah),” he said yesterday. Jeffrey said Abdullah should have been very specific and firm, and addressed the issues directly, stating decisions and clear answers. What happened was that many things were still hanging in the air and there was still a lot of doubts about a lot of things. “We in PKR support the demands of the Sabah MPs because those demands are also reflected in the PKR manifesto — that it is high time KL gives some respect and appreciation of the contributions of Sabah to Malaysia,” said Jeffrey. “The issues of Borneonization and the 20 Points are very important matters which KL should now address. I strongly feel that at least 50 percent of the Federal posts in Sabah should be held by Sabahans,” he stressed. Jeffrey said Abdullahs promise of giving more positions to Sabahans “but it will take time” is very vague and uncertain as it carried no time frame.

WEDNESDAY-9 APRIL 2008-MONITORING SYSTEM AT KKIA TO BE ENHANCED

Monitoring system at KKIA to be enhanced

KOTA KINABALU:

The State Customs Department is strengthening its monitoring system at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport ( KKIA) following another attempt by a foreign drug syndicate to smuggle syabu into the State through the entry point early this year. “We recently intercepted an attempt to bring in 800 grammes of crystalline substance from Cebu, Philippines. The security level has been increased with all personnel at the Airport on full alert,” said its Director, Datuk Md Yusop Mansor. He said the incident in January was the second since Last year with both involving Philippine citizens trying to sneak syabu into Sabah. Syabu is a popular synthetic drug among addicts in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. In the first case last year a passenger of a flight from Hong Kong was found trying to smuggle the same type of drug at the Airport. Syabu which is believed to be originated from the Philippines, is now produced in Malaysia and a few other neighbouring countries as its popularity continues to increase. “We don’t want Kota Kinabalu or Sabah for that matter to become a transit point for drugs trafficking and are doing more to ensure we have the capability to ensure this won’t happen,” Yusop said at a press conference here yesterday. “An additional 122 personnel have been approved by the Ministry, bringing the overall number of Customs personnel at the Airport to around 180.” On another development, Yusop said the Department wanted to play an active role to get rid the City and towns in the State of street kids, especially those who are peddling contraband. In responding to calls from various parties for the Government to take more concrete measures to resolve the street kids issue, he said the Department is planning to conduct major operations in Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu, Sandakar and other towns in the State, targeting children selling smuggled cigarettes and pirated VCDs. “We know that many of these street kids make their living by selling contraband. This is where we can get in,” he said.

WEDNESDAY-9 APRIL 2008-REMOVE ILLEGAL PARABOLA DISHES OR FACE ACTION:CUSTOMS

Remove illegal parabola dishes or face action: Customs

KOTA KINABALU:

The State Customs Department yesterday issued a warning to house owners here to remove illegal parabola dishes or risk facing action. Its Director, Md Datuk Yusop Mansur, said the Department is giving those who have such equipment installed at their homes to dismantle them before a special house-to-house operation is carried out in’ two weeks’ time. Speaking at a press conference at the State Customs Headquarters here yesterday, he said the Department had gathered intelligence from several residential areas in and around the State Capital and identified around 100 houses with parabola dishes, most of them suspected to be illegal. He said numerous complaints had been received from the public recently that many houses around the City are illegally using parabola dishes to receive television programmes from around the world. Parabola equipment is a prohibited item under the Customs Prohibition and Imports Order 1988. Importation of and usage of such equipment are strictly controlled where permit and licence from the relevant authorities are required before one can import and install them at their premises. “We have identified and taken the picture of some 100 houses that have parabola system and will launch an operation to check whether they are licensed or not. So, I urge those who have installed them illegally to remove them within two weeks,” he said. Yusop did not rule out that some of the users of the illegal equipment are public figures and VIPs. He said the Department is trying to resolve the problem without humiliating them. He reminded that under Section 135 of the Customs Act 1967, those found possessing prohibited goods such as parabola dishes are liable to be fined between 10 and 20 times of the amount of the Customs duty or jailed for a term not exceeding three years, or both.

WEDNESDAY-9 APRIL 2008-CHICKEN WINGS NOW TAXABLE,SAYS CUSTOMS

Chicken wings now taxable, says Customs

KOTA KINABALU:

Many chicken wing importers and traders in the State are not aware that the Government has introduced a new tax for the popular item, according to State Customs Department Director Datuk Md Yusop Mansor. Md Yusop called a press conference yesterday to announce the introduction of the new tax to avoid confusion among traders and consumers. From April 1, a tax of 20 to 30 percent has been imposed for chicken wings which were previously a non-taxable item. “Many were shocked and unsatisfied as to why the item is now being taxed. It’s already more than a week since the introduction of the tax but I think there is still a need for an announcement to be made as many are still not aware of this new rule,” he said. He explained the 20 percent tax is for those with a quota to sell the item while the 30 percent is for those with no quota. “We are just the enforcement agency but I’m sure there is a good reason behind the introduction of these new taxes,” he added. Chicken wings are a popular snack among the locals and could be found available even at restaurants and roadside stalls.

WEDNESDAY-9 APRIL 2008-HAZE:PREPARE FOR THE WORST

HAZE: Prepare for the worst

PUTRAJAYA:

Smog from forest fires, which costs Southeast Asian economies billions in lost tourist dollars, could worsen as changing weather patterns cause an unusually dry spell, the Region’s Environment Ministers warned yesterday. The effects of the La Nina weather phenomenon are expected to wear off in the third quarter of this year, which could result in arid conditions, the Ministers said, quoting a forecast from the Asean Meteorological Centre. “This could lead to drier periods and the possibility of escalating hotspot activities during the coming dry season,” Environment Ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei said in a statement. La Nina refers to an abnormal cooling of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, while its counterpart El Nino refers to a warming of surface temperatures. Since 1997, peat and forest fires in Indonesia’s Sumatra and Borneo Islands have triggered a choking haze which billows across the Region, affecting Singapore, Malaysia and parts of Thailand. The Asean Ministers had gathered in the Malaysian administrative Capital ‘to discuss the haze, which usually occurs around mid-year as farmers and timber and plantation firms in the region openly burn plots of land ahead of the planting season. Asean, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, groups Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and The Philippines. “We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar told reporters. “We are not going to delude ourselves that we are going to wipe out all the haze. There will be some burning, some haze.” Near-annual bouts of haze have made many people ill across a wide area of Southeast Asia, cost local economies billions of dollars and badly hit the tourism and airline sectors. Singapore appealed to tourists not to avoid the Region during the period as has happened in the past. Southeast Asia is a magnet for big-spending visitors from the Middle East in July and August, as they seek to escape the scorching summer back home. “Please come and visit the region,” Singapore Environment Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said. Rachmat said Indonesia is confident of reducing the number of illegal fires or “hot spots” this year, saying they had been reduced by 51 percent in 2007 in key provinces and this pace of improvement should continue. “We are consolidating our efforts and working together with our neighbours,” he said. “We have significantly reduced the number of hot spots in both Kalimantan and Sumatra since last year, and we hope to maintain this trend in 2008 with cooperation from our neighbours.” Indonesia has yet to ratify a regional treaty charted in 2002 on preventing the haze. Indonesia and The Philippines are the only members of Asean which would compel Indonesia to create a strict zero-burning policy. The haze hit its worst level in 1997-98, costing the region an estimated nine billion dollars by disrupting air travel, tourism and other business activities as smoke enveloped the region. The five nations again meet on the issue on June 26 in Singapore.

TUESDAY-8 APRIL 2008-ONLY 4WD VEHICLES CAN USE TEMPORARY K'GAU-KIMANIS ROAD

Only 4WD vehicles can use temporary K’gau—Kimanis Road

KENINGAU:

The temporary Keningau-Kimanis Road at Mile 10 was opened to all types of fourwheel drive vehicles yesterday following a landslide last month. However, light vehicles, including express buses, defied the order of the Public Works Department (PWD) and used the road, putting their passengers at risk. District Police Chief DSP Zahari Mohammed advised road users, especially those driving light vehicles, to obey the instruction from the PWD. “I advise drivers of light vehicles and express buses not to use this temporary road because it is dangerous,” he told reporters after monitoring the opening of the temporary road here yesterday with PWD and police personnel. Zahari said police would be stationed at the temporary road to ensure light vehicles do not use the road. “I advise road users to follow the instruction from time to time from the PWD because there is a high risk of using the temporary road, especially during the rainy season which could become muddy and slippery,” he said. On March 25, the new Keningau- Kimanis Road at Mile 10 was cut off by a serious landslide. Works to build a temporary road started two days after the incident and were fully completed and opened to four- wheel drive vehicles from yesterday.

TUESDAY-8 APRIL 2008-ABDULLAH ENDORSES MUSA'S LEADERSHIP

Abdullah endorses Musa’s leadership

KOTA KINABALU:

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has endorsed the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. Abdullah pointed out that Musa had managed to keep the State Barisan Nasional coalition parties united and he also said that there is a need to further strengthen the BN administration in Sabah. He stated this during a dinner with leaders of State BN component parties hosted by the State Government at Magellan Hotel here last night. During a meeting with the Sabah leaders earlier yesterday, Abdullah thanked Sabahans for giving the mandate to the BN in last month’s general election. “I wish to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations and thanks to everyone and the Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Musa Aman) for the cooperation in the BN which led to the big victory in the general election,” he said. Leaders of the eight Sabah BN component parties had expressed their appreciation to Abdullah for having listened to their views and having agreed to consider their requests made at the meeting with him. They also expressed support for Abdullah as the BN Chairman.

TUESDAY-8 APRIL 2008-STREET CHILDREN PROBLEM AMONG ISSUES DISCUSSED

Street children problem among issues discussed

KOTA KINABALU:

A legal framework to tackle the street children problem was among the issues discussed between the Prime Minister and the State Barisan Nasional leaders here yesterday. Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) President Datuk Yong Teck Lee when met after the meeting, said it was important to tackle the street children issue now before it gets any worse. “The existing street children are already in the second generation now. If we do not tackle it soon, their population might rise to thousands and it would be difficult to tackle then,” he said, adding each street kid comes from different background. “Meaning, sometimes both of their parents are foreigners or either one of the parents is foreigner. We have to approach the issue differently and we have to come up with a legal framework to tackle it. They are not actually committing any offence. They are just on the streets, thus causing social problems. “This is human misery and if not tackled fast, it would create a bigger problem in the future,” he said. Asked whether he had voiced out the non-representation of SAPP in the Federal Cabinet, Yong answered: “We had spoken the issue in general.” Parti Bersatu Sabah President Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Pairin Kitingan described the one-to-one meeting with Abdullah as cordial, stressing that they had the Premier’s full attention deliberating on heartfelt issues. “We had also raised on the oil royalty issue, hoping that the Federal Government would consider to review it positively,” he said. Pairin also said that they had also raised the issue pertaining to the appointment of the High Court Judge for Sabah and Sarawak, which is currently being done by the Registrar at the High Court of Malaya. “We are all in Malaysia. We have our rights and boundaries, rules and regulations. It is a matter they need to look at. There is a need for administrative change so that we will be able to appoint our own High Court Judge,” he said. Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah President Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and Liberal Democratic Party President Datuk V K Liew had also raised similar issues.