Friday 12/10/2007 - SPECIAL ROAD SAFETY MESSAGE FROM THE Y.A.B. PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is just around the corner and customarily, all Malaysians will celebrate this auspicious day,with their loved ones; their parents, family, relatives and friends. Most city dwellers will be traveling back to their respective home towns for this occasion. Our non-muslim friends will also make the most of this break by traveling back home or by going for vacations to various destinations around the country.

‘Various road safety interventions and initiatives ha been planned and undertaken by the Government to ensure safety of react users during this festive period. However, the effectiveness and success of all these initiatives depend heavily on all of us as road users. Success of Government efforts is only possible when all road users cooperate with the Government and obey traffic rules for the sake of safety.




Therefore. I would like to appeal to all Malaysians to be courteous at all times, obey traffic regulations and make every effort to avoid accidents. Accidents can indeed happen to anyone, be it to ourselves or our loved ones. Regardless of who’s at fault, accidents always leave a tragic impact, affecting the fate and future of those Involved. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Malaysians are patient, well-mannered, courteous and respectful of others by nature. Let’s practice and demonstrate these core values of ours when we’re on the road. Let’s become more courteous and safer road users.

I hope all Malaysians will choose to be extra careful and cautious when traveling home this Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Every one of us have the responsibility and role to play in supporting Government efforts to reduce accident rates. Together, let’s make our roads safer and lets make this festive celebration a joyous one.


Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

DATO’ SERI ABDLULLAH HAJI AHMAD BADAWI

Friday 12/10/2007 - KPD Tamu on Oct 21

KOTA KINABALU: Korporasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) will hold its tamu on Oct 21 at the KPD Marketing Complex, Tanjung Lipat, Teluk Likas, here from 6.30am to 1pm.

Various types of rural products will be available such as fresh Shitake mushroom, Tenom pamelo, honey, fresh beef and chicken.





The public are also encouraged to donate generously used clothings, books or children toys at the Charity Corner for the needy rural folks.

The Health Corner will also be having blood pressure check-up and blood sugar test for tamu customers.

Friday 12/10/2007 - Father Julius to head Sandakan diocese

SANDAKAN: Father Julius Dusin Gitom will head the new diocese of Sandakan, which has a Catholic
population of 64,000.

The Episcopal ordination and installation is set on Monday, October 15 at 9am at St Mary’s Church in Jalan Puncak.




Pope Benedict erected the Sandakan diocese on July 16 and appointed Father Julius as its first bishop.

The Catholic Church in Sabah now comprises the three dioceses of Keningau, Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan, all suffragans of Kuching archdiocese in the neighboring state of Sarawak.

Fifty year-old Bishop-elect Julius Dusin Gitom was ordained a priest on November 19, 1989. He served in the parishes of Keningau, Lahad Datu, Penampang, Sook and Tuaran from 1989 to 1995.

He went for further studies at Pontifical Lateran University in Rome from 1995 to 2000 where he obtained Licentiate in moral theology and Masters Degree in spirituality theology at Pontifical University of St
Thomas Aquinas.

Bishop-elect Gitom was a lecturer on spirituality at St Peter’s College in Kuching from 2000 to 2003 before attending a Licentiate course in Canon Law at University of Santo Tomas, Manila from 2004 to 2007.

Friday 12/10/2007 - Club to hold an English workshops

SANDAKAN: The Rotary Club of Sandakan is organizing English Workshops from mid November to mid December this year.

“It has been two years since the Rotary Club of Sandakan organized free holiday workshops and due to popular demand, the club is holding English workshops from next month,” its president Cindy Mahsan, said.

Cindy said the workshops are catered for primary and secondary students, primary school teachers and parents with young children.

“The club will be introducing a new practical science and mathematics in English workshop for primary students in line with current educational demands. Other topics include pronunciation, common errors, public speaking, communicating with children, grammar and vocabulary writing for higher learning and communication,” she said.

According to Cindy, although the workshops are sponsored by the club, applicants are required to pay a RM20 registration fee and a RM30 material fee.

“Each participant will receive a certificate on completion of any one of the workshops. Those interested can contact the Rotary Club of Sandakan at 089-220126, she said.

Friday 12/10/2007 - Italian reality TV show shot at Tabin

KOTA KINABALU: Donnavventura, the highly rated Italian travel reality TV series featuring six young and adventurous italian ladies, arrived at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in their Mitsubishi Triton on October 5.

They trekked through the jungle to reach the mineral-rich and active mud volcano that Tabin is renowned for, to discover the salt-lick which attracts frequent visits by wildlife, including the Borneo Pygmy elephants, Sambar deers and the illusive and highly endangered Sumatran Rhinos.





The mud is also believed to be beneficial to the skin complexion.



The young ladies later lunged into the inviting river of Tabin for a wonderdul swim, a perfect way to cool down from the heat of the forest. The girls put up at the Tabin Wildlife Resort, the exclusive jungle resort in Tabin and tried out its signature foot spa treatment, Tabin Rainforest herbal Foot Soak, made of fresh jungle herbs.

After many thousands of kilometers of traveling and expedition away from home, the foot pampering in the serene environment of Tabin was a most welcoming treat for the girls.

When it came to food, the girls really lived up to their titles and were not hesitant in trying out new food and fruits. They tried their handson ‘wok-frying’ pakis, a jungle fern found abundantly in Tabin, and added local ingredients such as sambal sauce and chili padi.

Friday 12/10/2007 - CM Musa congratulates Muszaphar

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman has extended his congratulations to Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha for being the first Malaysian to go to space.

“This is a historic occasion not only for Dr Sheikh but also for all Malaysians. Malaysia has once again achieved a milestone by sending one of its own to explore where few have gone before” he said in a statement yesterday.




The Chief Minister said all Malaysians should be proud of this inaugural space mission by a Malaysian.

“I hope with Dr Sheikh on board this mission, it will inspire other Malaysians, especially our youths, to be visionary and learn that nothing is impossible.”

He also said the findings acquired through the experiments could lead to new discoveries and advancements in science and technology.

Friday 12/10/2007 - Single mum, daughters get house as Raya gift

KOTA KINABALU; The Ministry of Community Development and Consumer Affairs, through Sabah South West Coast Single Mothers’ Association, has made this coming Hari Raya celebration more meaningful for Nora Wahab and her children.

The 33-year-old single mother from Putatan has endured a lot of difficulties in raising her two daughters since five years ago, and was delighted to receive a new home given to her as Hari Raya gift by the State Government.

‘l don’t know how to improve our life which has been quite difficult. Luckily, the Single Mother Association heard our cry and I was chosen to receive this very meaningful gift,” said Nora, who work as a general worker in a private company.

Speaking to reporters at the house presentation ceremony, Nora, who was accompanied by her daughters, lsmawati Totoh, 12, and Jumrati, 11, said it really made her sad seeing her two daughter going through hardship and poverty.

“Usually we celebrate Hari Raya in the simplest way. There are no new clothes or new things because we cannot afford to buy anything. So we just celebrate Hari Raya with whatever we have,” said Nora who had been living with her daughters in a dilapidated wooden hut.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin said Nora is the first recipient under the Charity home Programme and the Ministry will identify more individuals who really need the assistance under the programme.

“This programme will be continued and other recipient will be chosen every year. We will do what we can to try to help those in need,” he said after the presentation ceremony in Pasir Putih, Putatan yesterday.

The programme was organised by PUSPANITA Sabah in conjunction with the Head of State’s 61st Birthday.

Friday 12/10/2007 - Nurin murder: Police circulate CCTV recording to the media

KUALA LUMPUR: Police yesterday showed and distributed copies of the closed-circuit camera (CCTV) recording to the media for circulation to the public to assist in the investigation into the murder of Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, 8.

The CCTV recording had been sent to the United Slates (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) forensic laboratory in Washington on Sept 27 to produce the best enhancement before being brought back on Wednesday.

Federal police Director of CID Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee said it was decided to circulate the recording to the public to seek information and the cooperation of individuals contained in the recording to assist in the investigation.

“We hope that anyone who knows the individuals concerned would come forward to give information and cooperation,” he said at a press conference at his office, here on Thursday.

The CCTV Image showed a man on a motorcycle carrying a blue and black coloured Diadora bag and a woman with three men in a car.



The recording at 1pm on Sept 16 showed the image of a man riding a Modenas Kriss motorcycle carrying a blue and black colored Diadora bag.



The man was seen moving around and making a telephone call at the premises at No. 31, Jalan PJS 1/48, Petaling Jaya where Nurin Jazlin’s body was found in a sports bag like the one carried by the man.



About two minutes Later, the man was seen carrying the bag from his motorcycle and leaving it beside the stairs on the ground floor of the premises before leaving the area.

One hour later, the image of a woman in a red dress who was waiting for a car beside the premises appeared in the recording.




Two minutes Later, a silver-coloured Perodua Kenari car with three men inside was seen moving towards the spot where the woman was standing.

A man wearing a striped shirt was seen getting out of the car together with a friend wearing a yellow shirt and shorts and they then left the place with the woman.

Wan said the woman who appeared in the recording looked like the woman in the photofit released on Oct 2.





“The man on the motorcycle may be different from the man in the photofit which we released,” he said.

Asked on the Indonesian woman who was released yesterday, Wan said the woman had been handed over to the Immigration Department for further action.



‘We found that the woman was only involved in the sending of short messaging service (SMS) Nurin Jazlin’s parents and Rakan Cop” he said.

Police on Wednesday. released the Indonesian woman who was believed to be involved in Nurin Jazlin’s murder as there was no concrete evidence to charge her in court.

When asked on the photographs of the post mortem on Nurin Jazlin’s remains which ,were circulated in the internet, Wan said police were investigating the matter.

“If there are hospital staff who did it, we will investigate.

“I call on those who received the photographs not to circulate them. Please respect the parents of the victim,” he added.

Friday 12/10/2007 - US Navy men join locals collecting trash

Part of effort to enhance US diplomatic relations

KOTA KINAHALU: Eleven US Navy personnel from the USS Reuben James destroyer yesterday joined the local volunteers in a gotong royong and breaking of fast in Likas.

The sailors, who are on a goodwill visit to Sabah, braved smelly mud along the Likas River to collect all sorts of rubbish with Karambunai Assemblywoman Jainab Ahmad, Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu, reserve cadets from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), members of DBKK’s City Friends and staff and some 50 residents.

This is part of our effort to enhance US diplomatic relations. It is also a good exposure for the crew members. They get to experience different culture, environment, foods and so on, said Ensign Greg Miller who led the sailors.

“Besides, doing community service is part of the navy’s charity work at each port we are stopping over,” he said.

“We are very honoured to be welcomed to your port and we hope that every US Navy ship that comes this way would carry out similar community service.”

According to Miller, sonic of the sailors have gone to climb the Mount Kinabalu while others to see the proboscis monkeys in Sukau, do whitewater rafting in Padas River and visit nearby islands here.

He said their charity work would include giving a donation to the Don Bosco Home at Bundu Tuhan, Kundasang, later this week.

Miller said the USS Reuben James which berths at the Kota Kinabalu Port since Monday is also taking
part in a humanitarian mission under a programme called Project Handclasp.

He said donations collected in America are used to buy medicines and other useful items distribution in foreign countries during the goodwill visits.

“So when we berth in a certain country, we visit places like schools and hand out medicines and hygiene products,” he said.

Jainab, meanwhile, said it is about time that Sabahans respond to calls and make cleanliness as a way of life.

She said it Americans could come all the way from the US to help out in the gotong-royong, there is no reason why people in Sabah could not do the same or at least maintain cleanliness in their respective homes and areas.

“Parents ought to teach their children the value of cleanliness because the children are the back-up leaders of the nation.

“This is for their own good since cleanliness practice leads to better health and nicer environment besides instilling a sense of discipline in their lives,” he said.

Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu community service director Andrew Chong said the gotong-royong yesterday was part of a larger community service project involving recycling at Kampung Likas.

He said it is part of the efforts to raise awareness among the residents of the village on cleanliness.

“This effort is a continuous project. Our upcoming events include a colouring contest for schoolchildren, compost-making session for housewives, construction of riverine rubbish traps and competition for the most collected recyclables” he said.

He said the club is inviting corporations or individuals in the area to participate in the programme.

Also present were Rotary Club KR President James Jupinon and DBKK’s Township Liaison representative for Kg Likas, Mohammad lskandar Shah Ali.

Friday 12/10/2007 - Bus drivers on strike, 4,500 balik kampung crowd stranded

KOTA BAHARU: Some 4,500 people who had bought express bus tickets to return to their hometowns for Hari Raya were stranded when drivers of two bus companies went on strike yesterday.

More than 500 drivers of Transnasional and Syarikat Kenderaan Melayu Kelantan (SKMK) took to the streets at 8am, objecting to the managements’ failure to honour the promise to pay early salary and give advance for Hari Raya preparations.



Their representative said the strike is being staged at all Transnasional and SKMK bus stations for express and district bus services.

He said the driver, wanted the September salary, to be paid on Oct 17, be brought forward to Wednesday and they had asked for a RM300 advance for Hari Rava preparation.

“The management also promised to loan RM300 to all employees for Hari Raya because they are not paid bonus but until today the money has not been paid,” said the representative who declined to be named.

“The management also did not fulfill the promise to pay us early salary,” he told reporters when met at SKMK workshop in Kubang Kerian.

Following negotiations with the managements until 11 am, they agreed to pay RM250 advance but was disagreed by the drivers. We don’t draw big salary, many of us depend on the advance for our Hari Raya preparations including to buy our children’s Hari Raya clothing.” he said.

Its learnt that many of the new drivers are paid RM300 basic salary and RM2O annual increment. Their monthly income mainly depends on trip allowance and overtime.

Meanwhile, checks at the bus station here, SKMK Kubang Kerian and SKMK Langgar showed thousands of passengers stranded. An irate passenger, Norliza Rosli, 24, said she was disappointed over what had happened and regretted the bus companies’ failure to solve their internal problems to the extent of inconveniencing passangers.

She said her excitement to return to Grik to celebrate Hari Raya with her loved ones had been dampened due to the long wait. For Norhayati Abdullah, 33, and her two children, Mohd Taulik Abdullah, 9, and Nabilah Wahidah, 7, the strike had spoilt their families’ Hari Raya mood.

“I and my children arrived at Langgar bus station at 8.30am to go to Kedah to celebrate Hari Raya with my husband but the bus has not moved until 9am.

“When I enquired, the management said there’s a problem with the bus. The management should tell the passengers what’s the real problem, what’s actually happening here, they should not hide. They leave the passangers in limbo,” added the frustrated Norhayati.

Meanwhile, Syarikat Kenderaan Melayu Kelantan (SKMK) Sdn Bhd whose drivers staged a strike yesterday relented to their demands for a RM300 Hari Raya advance and September allowance.

Its General Manager Basri Baharom said the money was credited to employees’ accounts on Wednesday.

“Probably, due to a technical hitch in the automated teller machines, they were unable to withdraw the money,” he told reporters when asked to comment on the strike by about 500 SKMK and Transnasional bus drivers yesterday.

Basri said 34 trips to the north, central and southern destinations, involving more than 4,000 destinations, were disrupted due to the strike.

Two hundred stage buses that plied the state routes did not run yesterday, incurring more than RM40,000 looses to the company, he added

Friday, 12th Oct 2007 - Daily checks on buses as festive rush peaking

KOTA KINABALU: The enforcement authorities are carrying out close monitoring of public transport services this festive season with daily inspection already being conducted on express buses at the bus terminal in Inanam.

Two inspections are being done daily, one at 7am and the other at 7pm, to ensure bus operates adhere to all the rules before leaving the terminal for their respective destinations in the east coast Sabah, according to a staff at the terminal yesterday.

“Once in the morning and once in the evening several officers from the Road Transport Department would check the buses. This is a very good move and it is also good for the bus operators as passengers will feel safer and have more confidence to travel by bus,” said the man who works for one of the bus companies providing services to Sandakan and Tawau.

He said the enforcement officers would among others ensure that every bus does not overload and carries the maximum number of passengers allowed.

“They also check how many drivers and conductors are there in each bus before the buses are allowed to depart. I heard that they are going to set up their booth in the terminal compound to facilitate monitoring,” he added.

The strict inspection is timely, said a passenger who was among a growing number of people booking their tickets yesterday for the journey to their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya.
“The move by the Ministry of Transport to impose maximum line and compound on errant drivers this festive season should be welcomed. Enforcement agencies should put more officers especially at highways and highly congested areas,” said Erwaty Bacho, a Universiti Malaysia Sabah student who was waiting to board a bus bound for Tawau.

Many errant motorists are still getting away with their irresponsible action on the road because there were not many police or other enforcement personnel around,” she said.

A taxi driver at the terminal, Ahirin Abdul Rashid, shared Erwaty’s view, saying a no-mercy approach would show that the authority is serious in dealing with those flouting the traffic rules during festive season.

He said it could serve as a deterrent to reduce bad driving among motorists.
He said the altitude of drivers in Kota Kinabalu is generally still very poor as many have the habit of jumping queue or ignoring traffic lights.

Meanwhile, a survey in and around the City showed traffic congestion is serious along most of the streets in the city centre as many people from the outskirts join in the last - minute festive shopping rush.

Areas around Segama, Central Market, Jalan Pantai,Jalan Gaya and Coastal Road are heavily congested with traffic flow reduced to a crawl.

Friday 12/10/2007 - Sabahans of mixed parentage can apply for verification letter: Minister

KOTA KINABALU: Sino-Kadazans and other Sabahans of mixed parentage, that is a native parent and a non-native parent, can now apply for a verification letter from the Sabah Native Court to enable them to enjoy privileges that are meant only for Bumiputeras.

This is however just a temporary measure taken by the Local Government and Housing Ministry to resolve problems faced by children from mixed marriages after considering that genuine natives need not continue to Lose out.

“Hence, with immediate effect, clear-cut cases can apply for a special verification from the Director Sabah Native Affairs Office, who is also the Secretary of Sabah Native Affairs Council, which is under the purview of my Ministry,” said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor, yesterday.


Hajiji told a press conference at his office yesterday that the verification letter will only be issued on a ‘case by case’ basis.

An example of a clear-cut case is that one parent of the applicant is a native whose race is clearly stated in the birth certificate, or whose Native Certificate (NC) has been certified by the Native Court which issued it upon checking by the Director.

Children of mixed parentage who qualify for Native Certificate are Sino-Kadazan or Dusun, Indian-Kadazan or Dusun, Sino-Murut, Pakistani-Bajau, America-Murut, English-Brunei, Arah-ldahan, Filipino-Kadazan and other similar cases.

They must bring original documents to certify their status, and having native blood is a must. We cannot simply deny their rights and we feel that this is the best way to tackle the problem faced by children of mixed marriages,” said Hajiji.

He said it was a decision made during the weekly State Cabinet meeting two days ago which among other matters discussed the issuance of Native Certificate (Sijil Anak Negeri), which has been frozen since 22
April 1982.

“The subject matter has become an issue lately with various quarters making press statements and comments, among which was the difficulty faced by Sabahans, one of whose parents is g Bumiputera,” he said.

Among the problems faced were that they could not purchase Amanah Saham Bumiputera (Native Unit Trust) shares, as well as purchase or inherit native land or register their names in Native Titles.

Other difficulties highlighted were that they couldn’t not benefit from education opportunities such as scholarships and institutions meant for natives, purchase housing units under the Bumiputera quota, and apply for business opportunities including registering as a Bumiputera contractor, or participating in tenders meant for natives only.

On calls for the freeze on issuance of native certificates to be lifted, Hajiji said it could probably be done after carefully studying the sensitivity, including past abuses.

“The Government is doing its best to protect the natives’ right; we do not want to jeopardise anything,” he said.

“We would have to study the matter thoroughly before deciding on lifting the freeze on issuing native certificates, so we hope the people will be patient and understand why it takes us a long time to make any decision on the matter,” he said.