Amidst the worsening flood situation on the East Coast, Honda Malaysia
has announced its “After Sales Service Flood Relief Programme 2015” to assists
Honda owners whose cars have been damaged by the floods.
As part of the programme, affected customers are offered a 50% discount on
affected genuine parts. The campaign runs with immediate effect and will end on
March 31, 2015. Refer to the image above for more details.
So far, Proton, Perodua and ETCM
(Nissan) have announced various relief programmes and discounts for those
affected by the floods. Every little bit helps. Let’s all pray for those
affected.
A port is covered with thick haze in Port
Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014. Photograph: Lai
Seng Sin/AP
Singapore and Malaysia are grappling with some of the driest weather they
have ever seen, forcing the tiny city-state to ramp up supplies of recycled
water while its neighbour rations reserves amid disruptions to farming and
fisheries.
Singapore, which experiences tropical downpours on most days, suffered its
longest dry spell on record between Jan 13 and Feb 8 and has had little rain
since.
Shares in Hyflux Ltd, which operates desalination and water recycling
operations there, have risen 3.5% over the past month.
In peninsular Malaysia, 15 areas have not had rainfall in more than 20 days,
with some of them dry for more than a month, according to the Malaysian
Meteorological Department.
The dry spell in the Southeast Asian neighbours is expected to run for
another two weeks, forecasters say.
The Indonesian province of Riau has also been hit, with part of the region
wreathed in smog, usually caused by farmers setting fires to illegally clear
land. Poor visibility has disrupted flights to and from the airport in
Pekanbaru.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak was due to discuss the drought at a
regular cabinet meeting on Wednesday that would decide whether to declare a
national emergency, according to state news agency Bernama.
While some dry weather is expected at this time of year, the abnormal lack of
rain is raising concerns about the pace of climate change in the region.
“The concern is that these uncommon weather events may be happening more
frequently sooner rather than later,” said National University of Singapore
weather researcher Winston Chow.
Malaysia is the world’s second-largest producer of palm oil and planters say
dry weather lasting more than two months can hurt yields six months to two years
down the line, affecting output and fuelling benchmark Kuala Lumpur
prices.
Concerns that dry weather will hurt production have helped push up palm oil
prices about 8% in February, setting the market on track for its biggest monthly
gain in four months.
The lack of rain is also believed to have caused extensive damage to the rice
crop.
In Singapore the dry weather is being blamed in part for the mass death of
fish stocks at several offshore farms. Around 160 tonnes of fish have died in
recent weeks because of a lack of oxygen in the water.
The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) said it had received more
than 7,000 calls involving forest and bush fires nationwide since the beginning
of February, due to the hot weather, five times higher than in the same period
last year.
Selangor, Malaysia’s richest and most industrialized state, began limited
water rationing on Tuesday as levels in its dams plunged to critical lows.
“We pledge that every consumer will receive water, but it will be rationed to
ensure supply every two days,” Bernama quoted state chief minister Abdul Khalid
Ibrahim as saying.
“In a week, consumers will receive water for four days.”
The state of Negeri Sembilan near the capital, Kuala Lumpur, declared a
“state of crisis” last week as water in its dams fell to critical levels.
In Singapore, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has boosted the supply of
recycled water, known as NEWater, and desalinated supplies, in order to keep up
reservoir levels.
Singapore’s national security concerns mean it has developed into one of the
world leaders in water technology as it tries to cut reliance on imported
supplies from Malaysia.
Around 55% of Singapore’s water is now desalinated or recycled, in line with
an aim to be self-sufficient by 2061, when a 1962 agreement to buy 250 million
gallons per day from Malaysia ends, according to the PUB.
The deal lets Singapore buy 250 million gallons of water a day from Malaysia
at 0.03 ringgit ($0.01) per 1,000 gallons, and sell back treated water for 0.50
ringgit per 1,000 gallons.
Johor, the southern Malaysian state that borders Singapore, has been urging
an early re-negotiation, saying the deal is too advantageous to the city-state.
“The talks should begin immediately,” Hasni Mohammad, chairman of a state
public works panel, told Bernama in an interview on 18 February.
“We have long been in a losing position when we sell raw water to Singapore
at three sen (for 1,000 gallons),” he said, adding that the price of treated
water was too high.
I would like to alert travellers to an issue with taxi’s at KLIA.
The taxi system at KLIA is pretty confusing for most people unless you are a regular traveller to Malaysia and the very poorly design website www.klia.com.my doesn't offer any information regarding taxi services at the airport.
The main taxi company at KLIA who until recently held a monopoly is Airport Limo. This company provides a multi tired limo service by way of stating your destination, class of taxi and then purchasing a coupon for the journey.
The other system is what’s known as a city cab which is basically a standard meter taxi service which operates from level 1.
One of the frustrating problems with Airport Limo is the regular shortage of taxi’s especially at peak periods or owing to traffic congestion in KL. It is quite common for the coupon counter staff to tell you that there are no taxi’s or that there is a big queue.
I usually take a premier taxi which is between the budget and limo for a more comfortable ride and the fact that most of the drivers know the location of my condo.
The taxi coupons sold are valid for a month and owing to my weekly trips to and from Singapore I always have an option to use it another week if I change my mind and take the train or city cab.
Over the past few months I’ve noticed a trend whereby I’ve been told time and time again that there were no taxi’s and that I must get a limo or mini bus which costs significantly more than a premier taxi.
When I’m told that there are no taxi’s and I must get a limo/mini bus I simply request that they sell me a ticket. The counter staff look confused and usually don’t want to sell me one. When I firmly request a coupon the behaviour of the staff usually follows a similar pattern whereby a lot of time is spent on the radio chit chatting (about me) and generally ignoring me.
When I force the issue the staff act very sheepishly and begrudgingly sell me a coupon. Now the strange thing is that 9.9 times out of 10 when this happens I find little or no queue and at least several taxi’s available at the premier car area outside door 5.
The behavior of the staff and the fact that there isn’t usually more than one or two people queuing for the premiere taxi’s makes it appear that there is a scam taking place to rip off unfamiliar travellers. I have witnessed several other people encounter similar experiences at both the budget and premier services.
So is it a scam or are the unwelcoming counter staff simply out of touch with what is happening in the queue even though they have a radio?
The taxi service at the LCCT operated by a different company also tries this from time to time, however I haven’t found it quite so prevalent.
Perhaps it’s time raise a report to the authorities, not that SPAD will take any real action.
CYBERJAYA: Cyber crime is considered a ticking bomb as the Malaysian police
recorded RM1 billion in losses from victims of such crime from January to July
this year.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said Malaysia
was ranked sixth globally in terms of cyber crime threat risks by US-based IT
security developer, Sophos, in its three-month Security Threat report this
year.
“It (cyber crime) is serious and we must educate the public in preventing
it,” he told a press conference after the signing of a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) between the Royal Malaysian Police and Limkokwing
University, here, yesterday.
The MoU was signed by Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department
director, Datuk Syed Ismail Syed Azizan, and Limkokwing University of Creative
Technology senior vice-president, Datuk Raja Aznil Raja Hashim.
It provides the university with a five-year contract to provide contents such
as posters, video clips and animations to the police in cyber crime-prevention
campaigns.
Mohd Bakri said out of the RM1 billion in losses from cyber crime in the
first six months of this year, 9,857 cases were reported with 7,801 of these
solved and 3,385 people detained.
He said last year, the losses amounted to RM1.115 billion with 8,920 of the
11,543 reported cases solved and 3,712 people arrested.
Meanwhile, Syed Ismail said most of the cyber crime committed in the country
were through parcel scams, selling goods via the Internet, and masquerading.
“Cyber crime in the country has yet to reach a level, where a syndicate would
steal an information or intellectual property from a person or organisation and
sell it to other parties or a rival for a price,” he said.
Therefore, Raja Aznil said the collaboration with the police in the campaign
was vital to educate the public on the prevention measures so that they would
not easily fall prey to cyber crime.
“This campaign mainly targets the young generation as they are tech-savy in
using computers and mobile devices. They are also prone to be influenced by what
is posted on the Internet, making them easy prey,” he said. —
Bernama
METAL water meters get stolen quite often these days.
The
serious implication of such devices being stolen day and night is that
residents as well as businesses are left without vital water supply, not
forgetting the unnecessary losses through water wastage and replacement
of stolen meters.
Indeed, many Malaysian households have been
left high and dry by metal water meter thieves in recent times. In one
case across the water, more than 10 meters were stolen from a row of
shops over just 24 hours.
As hundreds of these instruments are
reportedly stolen every month across the country, consumers have been
urged to switch to plastic ones, considered ‘steal-safe’ because they
have zero resale value.
It stands to reason that whenever the
price of metal goes up, the number of stolen metal water meters goes up
as well. Plastic meters, on the other hand, are a damn sight safer to
use because they are worth next to nothing second-hand – so thieves are
less likely to steal them, if not throw them away after taking the metal
pipes. Talk about adding insult to injury!
Although the water
authorities own all registered metal water meters, consumers are
responsible for the meters’ safekeeping as long as they remain fixed on
the service pipe even in a public area.
Isn’t such a situation
ludicrous? Surely, we can all agree it is not only inconvenient but also
impractical for people to keep their water meters under constant
surveillance even if they are installed outside their compounds.
Now,
the victim has paid a certain sum for a new plastic meter before supply
can be reconnected, sparking calls from consumer groups, business
concerns and home-owners for the costs to be borne by the water
authorities as part of their corporate social responsibilities.
According
to a recent survey, Miri has the highest number of water meter thefts
at 287, followed by Sibu (168) and Kuching (142). Admittedly, stolen
meters are seldom recovered but tracing them is made easier by their
engraved serial numbers. Recycling centres that buy these meters should
be able to help identify the sellers.
Thefts of monsoon drain and
manhole covers are also rampant. Not only is such thievery burning a big
hole in the pockets of the local councils but also those of public
utility companies, housing and private developers.
While metal
thefts are committed at construction sites, electricity and telecom
sub-stations, along public pavements and streets as well as residential
homes, what’s disturbing is that the perpetrators are so unafraid of the
law that they will strike at a time of their choosing – day or night.
One
exasperated local council official had even likened replacing stolen
metal covers to the Labour of Sisyphus – you replace the missing covers
only for them to be stolen the next day – you replace them again and
they get stolen again the next day – there is no end to it like poor
Sisyphus rolling a boulder up the hill only to see it roll down again
after reaching the top.
Given the situation, it makes a lot of
sense to use ventilated cement blocks for all monsoon drains in place of
metal ones as a deterrent and to cut losses. Scrap yard owners can help
by not buying metal items they suspect to have been stolen. Periodical
checks by the local councils and the police on scarp yards should
continue to keep the culprits at bay.
One local council had
reportedly spent about RM2.1 million over a three-year period just
replacing stolen manhole and monsoon drain covers. The situation should
improve significantly if the Second Hand Dealers Act 1964 is strictly
enforced because buyers of scrap iron will then have to record the full
particulars of the sellers. This will help the authorities control the
movement and business transactions between scrap buyers and sellers.
Metal
thefts, like all crimes, should be condemned. The public – and
especially residents of housing estates – can help curb such
transgressions by reporting any suspicious characters showing more than
just a perfunctory interest in their water metres or drain covers.
Swift response by the authorities to such reports is equally important to wipe out metal thefts.
No
one will be sorry to see the back of metal thieves who (for crying out
loud) are able bodied people but apparently too lazy to work, preferring
to steal and rob for a living.
THE spirit of Merdeka is upon us yet again as Malaysia gets
ready to celebrate 56 years of Independence. There are many reasons why one
feels at home in Malaysia. It is one of the most peaceful countries in the
world, with a stable political environment.
Malaysia is one of the few countries in the world today with a pretty good
track record in dealing with a vibrant multiracial and multicultural
society.
Over the last decade the landscape has transformed dramatically. New
buildings are sprouting like mushrooms. Rain or shine, the city streets and
plazas bustle with the pulse and patter of urban life. Technology has become
inherently intertwined with daily routines; social networking groups such as
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc are a norm today.
And regardless of the overwhelming odds, Malaysia has matured into an
economic powerhouse boasting an ever-increasing gross domestic product (GDP),
sturdy currency, a lower unemployment rate as compared to the US and the EU, and
a rich and diverse culture.
With all that Malaysia has to offer, the young professionals in their
twenties and thirties are defining themselves as individuals, as members of a
community, and as Malaysians bringing with them their skills, idealism and
dedication to contribute to a society that is at the forefront of global
technology and education. In short, it is our positive 'can do' attitude which
lies behind some of our biggest achievements. Nalini Elumalai, Executive Director of SUARAM
"Today, we are more aware of what is going on in our country thanks to the
internet and social media. And we can make choices faster than our predecessors.
Our young are more active in bringing about change. They are voicing out their
opinions and views. Politics is becoming less of a taboo subject and the younger
generation are now more actively involved in politics as compared to the past
where people tend to stay away from it. Though I believe that we, the younger
generation, should stand up and speak out more instead of just using the
internet as an outlet. We need to be brave and demand equal rights for all
Malaysians." Nurul Izzah Anwar, Member of Parliament for Lembah
Pantai
"The speed and ease of internet access has influenced the way people think
and communicate with one another. Even the simple mobile phone - once only used
for SMS and calls is now an important device for social interaction and as a
tool for work. If you take the mobile phone away from an urbanite just for one
day, I believe that he or she will not be able to function normally. That is how
much technology has influenced us all.
"As a digital migrant and a daughter from the years of the Reformasi
movement, I am fortunate enough to see the changes in Malaysia's landscape in
Kuala Lumpur from squatters to high-rise buildings as well as the transition
from greenery to a concrete jungle. Unfortunately, this mental leap has not kept
up with the importance of sustainable development. Hence the need to
continuously update our thinking and having the necessary political will to
manage development so it does not negatively affect our heritage." Datuk Chua Tee Yong, Member of Parliament for Labis
"The fact that Malaysia has transformed so much in terms of technology,
wealth and education in such a short time is a sign of hope. But are we happy as
we progress? This question has spurred the government to look into whether this
boom includes the well being of our people in terms of living standards and
conditions. We are also switching our emphasis to work together in order to
ensure the happiness of all Malaysians as we move forward towards greater
progress. We aim to implement new ideas in order to instill unity and patriotism
among our young by using the tools of today such as the internet and social
media, as this is crucial in order for us to progress as a united nation." Roshan Chandrasekhar of K-Town Klan
"As a musician and entrepreneur, I feel that Malaysia's technology has come a
long way. It has made things a lot easier in terms of circulating my music and
running a business. Heck, its made things a lot easier for everybody. But even
with all the plus points, I deeply feel that the world is moving too fast. We
need to slow down and appreciate the simple things in life to maintain a
balance."
Yes, as a young country, Malaysia pretty much has everything it takes to be a
successful, affluent and democratic country. It all depends on us, on whether we
continue to develop a clear and shared vision, uphold a long term commitment to
travelling the long road to reform, and refuse to be deterred by the problems
that will inevitably arise, then there is no reason why we can't transform our
country within a generation.
So as Malaysians, let us continue to work together not just with tolerance,
but with respect to better ourselves for the benefit of our people and
nation.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/816723
PETALING JAYA: Klang Valley netizens woke up to dry taps on Saturday,
dampening any mood to celebrate Merdeka Day.
And many were left frustrated as they did not receive prior notice from the
state water authority, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas), of the supply
disruption as they could have stocked up on water.
“Merdeka with no water.
This is ruining my holiday and what is happening?” said Twitter user
@Sathyan_A.
@Phatkor said some Petaling Jaya residents were experiencing
dry taps: “PJ residents woke up to a Merdeka morning without water, no notice
from Syabas.”
Facebook user Vincent Chow Soon Kit said: “No water to make
coffee. Can’t stay awake to celebrate National Day. Admire those whose
patriotism is stronger than my own coffee.”
Netizens also expressed their
worries over the water cuts and its duration.
“Local supermarket full of
people panic-buying bottled drinking water, disposable plates, plastic spoons,”
said Twitter user @SleeplessInKL.
@typicallysorwen shared that the
supermarket shelves were wiped out of mineral water at 11am.
“Stocking
up on so much water I feel like I'm preparing for an apocalypse,” said
@RohanBeg.
@IamAnasF said everybody was stressed out over the water cuts:
“Toilet is not flushed. People are smelly. Can’t eat at home. Restaurants are
closed. Everyone is stressed.”
Facebook user Moon Sanjimi shared his
difficulties without water with this comment: “Suffering to the
limits.”
@ainisyahirah said that the water cuts showed the extend of our
reliance on water.
“It's true what they said. We'll never appreciate
something until it’s gone,” she said.
@ZAIMdrz provided some comic relief
by sharing the following tweet: “The awkward moment the rain downpour is more
than the water in the houses in Selangor.”
Netizens also shared some tips
on how to handle the water cuts.
@KlangCity said: “Cook simple food?
Don't need to use many utensils.”
“Cook stew meat and vegetables, add
fresh meat and vegetables to the leftover, re-cook it everyday for 7 days, yummy
with rice,” shares @puise_ng.
Klang MP Charles Santiago reminded the
public to boil their tap water at all times through his Twitter account
@mpklang.
Facebook user Ahmad Shukri Ramli said that Malaysia should
punish those who pollute our water resources.
“We must protect our water
resources and punish those who pollute them,” he said.
SUBANG
JAYA – Tidak padan dengan usia mereka yang sudah layak bergelar datuk,
tiga lelaki lingkungan umur 50 hingga 60 tahun leka mendapatkan khidmat
urutan batin di sebuah rumah urut di SS15, dekat sini.
Aktiviti tidak bermoral terbabit bagaimanapun terbantut apabila
Jabatan Penguatkuasaan Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ) menyerbu
premis itu, malam kelmarin.
Ketika diserbu, pengunjung tua berkenaan sedang leka diurut dalam
keadaan berbogel oleh tukang urut warga China berusia lingkungan 30-an.
Pengarah Jabatan Penguatkuasaan MPSJ, Mejar (B) Mohd Rasip Rasul
berkata, bertindak atas aduan pihaknya kemudian melakukan pemantauan dan
pemeriksaan ke rumah urut berkenaan.
Menurutnya, premis didapati mempunyai lesen sah daripada pihak majlis
bagi menjalankan perniagaan bekam namun pengusaha melanggar
syarat-syarat ditetapkan.
Katanya, pengusaha premis menawarkan khidmat seks dan urutan batin kepada pelanggan.
“Sebaik diserbu, anggota mendapati beberapa pelanggan sedang berbogel
dan kesemua mereka berlari untuk memakai pakaian semula,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, majlis merampas peralatan urut dan menutup premis di
bawah UUK 13(k) Undang-undang Kecil Pusat Kecantikan dan Penjagaan
Kesihatan MPSJ 2007 kerana melanggar syarat-syarat sekatan lesen
dikeluarkan MPSJ.
Sementara itu, ketika serbuan dilakukan, seorang pelanggan pusat urut
berkenaan didapati cuba menimbulkan kekecohan dengan bertindak memarahi
pegawai MPSJ yang mengambil tindakan.
Kekecohan itu kemudian beransur reda apabila anggota penguat kuasa
dan penjaga premis cuba menenangkan pelanggan berkenaan. Operasi
berkenaan diketuai Penolong Pegawai Penguat Kuasa MPSJ, R Ravinthran
bersama 16 anggota. -Sh
A report byThe Malaysian Insiderregarding Chua Soi Lek’s statement on Hee Yit Foong is screenshot below. The actual press release as worded by Dr Chua is reproduced at the bottom of the page. This posting compares the two versions and highlights theTMIembellishments.
Click 2x to read
(1) Dr Chua stated that it is unlikely Hee will win. TheTMIarticle bylined to Clara Chooi flips it to say that Hee “will likely lose”.
While theTMIassistant news editor has not deviated the meaning, she nonetheless imposed her own negativity on Dr Chua’s original phrasing (a parallel analogy: a half glass of water can be viewed as either half empty or half full).
(2)TMIconcludes Dr Chua as “distancing his party from the former DAP leader”. This is the portal’s interpretation. Dr Chua did not himself indicate so.
(3)TMIadds that Hee “was instrumental in Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) fall in Perak”.
However, it conveniently forgets to mention Anwar Ibrahim’s prior act of embracing the Bota state assemblyman who had jumped from Umno to PKR. Furthermore, thede factoKetua Umum openlywelcomed more BN reps to cross over.
Bear in mind it was Anwar and Pakatan who initiated the Adun poaching in Perak, not BN.
The Bota Adun was equally culpable but the pro-Pakatan media would prefer not to recall Anwar’s own edifying turn in the whole rigmarole.
(4) TMIthen has this paragraph:
Dr Chua never made any reference to “most hated woman in Perak”. This bit was interpolated byTMI‘s Clara Chooi.
Below is how he phrased it:
If such – i.e. inserting a label calling Hee Yit Foong someone “who was once described as the ‘most hated woman in Perak’,” – is the journalistic path preferred by TMI, then may we by the same token request that any futureTMIarticles on Nurul Izzah should carry the following tag:
“Nurul, who was once described as the ‘most childish politician in Malaysia’.”
(See quote attributed to the head ofDewan Ulama PAS– below).
After all, sinceTMIfeels that “the most hated woman” is a valid expression for its news item, there can be no reason why “most childish politician” in a similar vein will fail to pass muster.
(5) The next paragraph inTMIreads:
“‘While Hee can announce that she is the candidate for Jelapang in the coming general election, without the support from the MCA division and especially the grassroots members, it is unlikely that she will win in the election,’ he warned her.”
Read Dr Chua’s press statement for yourself (below). Did he really “warn” Hee Yit Foong asTMIwould have it? Or did he merely issue a press release to clarify MCA’s position?
Anwar welcomes the Umno Perak assemblyman who jumped to PKR
(6) The following paragraph inTMI:
“Hee is known for her role in the 2009 Perak constitutional crisis which saw the state in turmoil for nearly a year after her defection, and that of two other former PKR representatives, caused the former Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government’s fall from power.”
It is undoubtedly correct to pinpoint Hee’s role as well as that of the “two other former PKR representatives” – the Behrang and Changkat Jering assemblymen – in sparking the collapse of the Pakatan state government.
Nonetheless and once again,TMIomits to mention the Bota state assemblyman who started the domino chain by jumping from Umno to PKR and back to Umno again, all within a fortnight. The Bota Adun Nasarudin Hashim’s switching camp preceded Hee Yit Fong.
(7) And more opinionated and partisan reporting fromTMI:
“At the time, the former Perak assembly deputy was said to have left the DAP in a huff, after repeatedly complaining to have been sidelined in the state administration and left out of positions of power.”
TMIopines that Hee “left in a huff”.
A different viewpoint could venture that she “departed in sorrow” after having been bullied by her DAP colleagues the evangelical warlord cousins. Or one might even lament that she left after being betrayed by the party jettisoning its socialist principles by turning itself into a (Christian) clone of PAS.
TheTMIclosing paragraphs are just as subjective:
“She turned into a BN-friendly independent following her defection, a decision that earned her harsh criticism from Jelapang voters [...] Sheboastedthat anger against her had dissipated…”
Uh-huh,being “BN-friendly” is not kosher. But anyone who’s Pakatan-friendly – such as recent Sabah trophies Lajim Ukin and Wilfred Bumburing – are considered rightlyexercising “a vote of no confidence” in their former bosses, the BN.
Reps who jump from Pakatan to BN are confronted by “angry voters” (Clara Chooi’s words) and made “an outcast” (ditto, her words) but reps who jump in the opposite direction from BN to Pakatan have instead done everyone proud (Anwar Ibrahim’s words,see below).
In response to the statement by incumbent Jelapang state assemblywoman Hee Yit Fong yesterday, MCA would like to clarify that the Party had not had any discussion with the Prime Minister about giving up the Jelapang state seat in Perak.
. The Jelapang MCA division and I had neither deliberated about allowing an outsider to stand in the seat under the MCA ticket.
. Winning the General Election requires the support from all Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, it is crucial that the candidate receives support not just from the people, but also the component parties.
. I must stress that BN is a collective decision-making coalition, it is never a norm for the coalition to talk about its seat allocation and candidacy openly.
. While Hee can announce that she is the candidate for Jelapang in the coming General Election, without the support from the MCA division and especially the grassroots members, it is unlikely that she will win in the election. (318 words) .
An
activist group claims Anwar was had been made known of the chartered
flights earlier in the year, but he didn't do anything about it.SHAH ALAM:
Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen (KAMI) yesterday claimed they are
in the possession of documents that indicate flight details of dubious
voters coming into Malaysia right until the day before polling date.
KAMI President, Khalid Ismath claimed that information obtained from a
pilot, revealed a flight schedule of AirAsia's AK9798 carrying 180
passengers, free of charge, from Johor to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
He said there were obvious irregularities in the passenger list of the said flight as it contained no personal data.
"The flight leaves at 9.20am and arrives at 11.20am," he told Malaysian Digest on Thursday.
He also claimed to have obtained information from airline staff that at
least three other airlines were involved in ferrying such passengers,
predominantly from Bangladesh and Nepal.
Khalid (below)
said, they had alerted Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of
this matter earlier in the year but their pleas for action they were not
entertained.
"Only last night did a PKR officer call us to obtain more information on the issue," he said.
Earlier yesterday, Anwar told a news conference that the Prime
Minister's department was involved in ferrying in 40,500 dubious voters
from Sabah and Sarawak beginning April 25.
The
Opposition leader claimed that apart from using Jumbo jets, the army's
C130 Hercules was also chartered, involving as many as 16 flights in a
day from Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Miri and Sibu.
"By
our calculations, 4,500 people have been arriving in KLIA every day.
Flights have been coming in from April 25, except on May 1.
"This means there are 40,000 dubious individuals who are already here
and still coming through via KLIA, not including foreigners who come in
via land, ports and the Low-Cost carrier terminal (LCCT)," he claimed.
Apart from private companies like AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines, Anwar
claimed that the National Registration Department (NRD), Immigration
Department and the Malaysian Armed Forces were also involved.
But Immigration director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad denied the allegation
that foreigners from East Malaysia have been sent to the immigration
depot in Selangor to vote this Sunday.
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has also denied any involvement in the allegation.
In a short statement, a spokesman said, "The PMO denies involvement in
the claims that have been made about such flights. The Election
Commission (EC) has been hard at work, ensuring that the election system
is better than it was before and to guarantee this upcoming general
election is free and fair."
The 'proof' of documentation of the chartered flight that Khalid claimed he has
GE13: Sri Gading residents pleased with developments and improvements in township
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By ZAZALI MUSA
BATU PAHAT: Loosely translated, Sri Gading means “attractive ivory” in Malay as wild elephants used to roam the area in the past.
Locals believed the origin of the name can be traced back to the time when the late Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar hunted wild animals in the place.
Sultan Ibrahim who ruled Johor from 1895 until 1959, was so impressed by the luster of the ivory — hence the name Sri Gading.
However, the opening of rubber and oil palm plantations and industrial estates in and around Sri Gading had driven away the large herbivorous land mammals from the area.
Sri Gading is also a town located in Batu Pahat district along Jalan Kluang-Batu Pahat — it lies south-east of Batu Pahat town, north-west of Ayer Hitam and west of Yong Peng.
Street hawker Ali Kassim, 39, from Parit Pingan who runs a goreng pisang stall in Parit Raja town is happy with the development taking place in and around Sri Gading area in the past 10 years.
“The upgrading of Jalan Batu Pahat-Kluang from dual lanes road to four-lane about 10 years ago had improved travelling along the route,” said Ali.
He said the Sri Gading and Parit Raja areas used to be flooded during monsoon seasons but the situation has really improved with the flood mitigation project.
Ali said the local economy has also benefitted with the opening of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, Pusat Giat MARA and Kolej Kemahiran Tinggi MARA.
He said for instance, many residents in the traditional villagers had been earning extra income by building houses to be rented out to students and academic staff from the academic institutions.
However, Ali said Parit Raja town with its old wooden houses and shops were an eyesores as they did not blend well with the modern-looking shop houses around them.
“It is timely for the local authority to look at improving the image of Parit Raja town by upgrading the town centre by pulling down the old wooden buildings,” he said.
Ali also hoped that the Batu Pahat District Council to consider building a centralised hawker centre in Parit Raja town as it would bring economic spill-over to the area.
Sales assistant Fatimah Amran, 18, who works in a shoe store at Parit Raja town said many of the students, academic and supporting staff of the institutions patronise shops in the town.
She said the opening of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and McDonald’s Drive-Thru outlet in Sri Gading town had also created job opportunities for local youngsters.
Separately, Fatimah who lives in Kampung Parit Khalid urged the police to beef up their night patrols especially at traditional villages in view of house-break in cases.
“The recent cases at my kampung happened in December last year targeting at families holding wedding celebrations and this January,” she said.
Fatimah said she was looking forward to cast her vote in the 14th general election as she is not qualified to vote in the 13th general election.
Meanwhile, Tan Wee Huat, 32, and his wife Koh Li Chern, 29, had decided to open their hardware store in Sri Gading’s new township Pura Kencana two years ago.
The couple who already owned a similar store in Batu Pahat town just a few kilometers away from the town said business was okay considering the township was rather new.
“We are looking at long-term growth prospects when the township is fully completed; by then it will have enough critical mass to serve the businesses around here,” said Tan.
He also hoped that the police would make their presence felt in the area as many of his customers had told the couple about house-break in cases in kampungs and housing areas.
Koh said while businesses operating at the township had so far been spared from the criminals as the shop houses located along the main road, nevertheless she hoped that the police also patrol the area.
“Like they say better be safe than sorry or prevention is better than cure,” she said.
Factory worker Krishnamuty Alagambaran, 52, and son Premkumar, 25, from Taman Pertama Sri Gading urged the police to beef up their patrolling in the area in view of the snatch theft cases.
“My wife lost her gold chain when she was snatched in front of our own house late last year when two motorists pretending to ask for directions,” he said.
Krishnamuty said after the incident, residents living in the area were now becoming more careful especially when they were approached by strangers.
He said the neighbourliness spirit in the housing estate was good with Malay, Chinese and Indian residents living harmoniously and friendly with each other.
Premkumar who teaches at SJK Tamil Ladang Sri Gading said Jalan Sengkuang, a popular by-pass road among locals was too narrow with uneven road surfaces and potholes.
“The by-pass is actually meant for light vehicles only and now even big lorries are using it, causing risk to other users especially motorcyclists and children cycling to schools,” he said.
Premkumar said Sri Gading area also lack of affordable houses as prices of new houses in Pura Kencana township were too expensive for average income earners.
He hoped that the Government could extend the 1Prima housing scheme to first time house buyers in the area with more realistic pricing and did benchmarking them with prices in Klang Valley, Johor Baru or Penang.
The Sri Gading constituency is made up of two state seats — Parit Yaani and Parit Raja with 44,921 voters in the constituency.
The
Opposition leader claimed that apart from using Jumbo jets, the army's
C130 Hercules was also chartered, involving as many as 16 flights in a
day from Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Miri and Sibu.
