SATURDAY-26TH JANUARY 2008-TECHNICIAN LOSES RM1,000 TO BOGUS COP

Technician loses RM1,000 to bogus cop

KOTA KINABALU:

Police are looking for a man who impersonated as one of them and fled with RM 1,000 belonging to a technician here last Saturday. The bogus policeman, believed to a local in his 30s, apprehended a 28-year-old IMM13 holder at Centre Point Sabah around 2pm on Jan 19 and demanded to see the latter’s documents. “After pretending to check, he asked the victim to hand over his wallet. The victim obliged. “Seeing the cash, he took it out and returned the wallet to the victim before fleeing,” said City Police Chief ACP Abmad Sofi Zakaria yesterday, adding that the victim had then lodged a police report. Ahmad Sofi said it was important for the public to demand for the authority card of the police when they were approached by them. “Each policemen carries an authority card. If you are approached, it is always good to be suspicious, so demand for the card. “This is the first of such case this year and we hope that public would not be cheated by such bogus policemen in the future .. be careful and wary the next time someone approaches and introduces himself or herself as a police personnel,” he advised. He said police were tracking down the bogus policeman and would not hesitate to take action against those who pull off similar act in the future. In an unrelated case, police arrested two men after a 21-year- old local reported his çellphone was stolen on Jan 11.
Ahmad Sofi said the victim was waiting for transport at a bus stop in Karamunsing around 5.2Opm when two men approached him. “The two men told him they were armed and demanded him to hand over his valuables. After taking the cellphone worth RM800, they fled the area and the victim lodged a police report,” he said. Following a public tip-off, one of the suspects, a 24-year-old local was picked up four days later. He told the police that the stolen goods had been sold for RM280. Police also arrested the buyer, a 32-year-old local man, for possessing stolen goods. “We are not just arresting criminals but also those who are involved. When you buy stolen goods, you are considered an accomplice, and that gives us the right to arrest you as well. “Avoid buying things which are offered to you cheaply, or you may get yourself into trouble,” he said.

SATURDAY-26TH JANUARY 2008-STRENGTHEN DEEPEN KENINGAU RIVERS-SAYS PAIRIN'S MINISTRY

Strengthen, deepen Keningau rivers, says Pairin’s ministry

KENINGAU:

Ministry has urged the District Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) to straighten and deepen rivers which threaten the safety of the people and Government properties.
“I wanted the department to act more proactively in handling the problem of rivers in this district,” said the ministry’s political secretary, Daniel Kinsik after he visited several flood-hit rivers here yesterday.
Daniel said he had been directed by Deputy Chief Minister and Rural Development Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan to look into the problem. “Datuk (Pairin) also wanted Government departments to go down to the ground to do inspection and estimate the maintenance cost of the rivers, including the amount of damage caused to Government projects by the recent floods,” he said.
The rivers visited by Daniel were Bariawa, Pampang and Liawan which overflowed and damaged the nearby roads, houses and public facilities.

SATURDAY-26TH JANUARY 2008-RUBBISH IN FOH SANG NOT MAINTAINED

Rubbish centre in Foh Sang not maintained properly

A member of the public has expressed his frustration over the poor maintenance of the Foh Sang rubbish centre by the authorities which made the area smelly. “I have been observing the rubbish bins at Taman Foh Sang in Luyang, and it really disappointed me that they were not properly maintained,” said Mat. He also noticed that a new shelter had been constructed but the position of the old bins remained unchanged and the stench from the seepage was utterly disgusting and unbearable due to decomposing food remains dumped inside there. “I believe the stench is the result of the failure of the seepage to flow into the drain along the road but even if it flows, I think it is also very unhygienic and will attract rats and other pests,” he said. He said the new rubbish centre is conveniently placed for shop operators in the area but the authority concerned should constantly monitor its use so that indiscriminate dumping is controlled. The centre should also be fitted with an appropriate gate to prevent dogs from scattering the rubbish. “We hope the authority will look into the matter immediately for the convenience of all parties,” he said. Meanwhile, Laudin Zaman of Kota Kinabalu City Hall said they were aware of the matter as they had received a similar complaint. “We have tried our best to maintain the cleanliness at the place, including setting up a new garbage centre. To maintain the cleanliness there we need cooperation from the public. It is not only the responsibility of the Kota Kinabalu City Hall to maintain the cleanliness of the place. “We have provided proper facilities, so we hope the public and s.çerators at the area will dispose of their rubbish properly,” he said. “Regarding the position of the old bins, we will forward the matter to the unit concerned. If we find that the old bins are still in the existing position, we will take the necessary action,” Laudin said. “We thank the complainant for highlighting the matter to us. We will monitor the matter frequently,” he added.

SATURDAY-26TH JANUARY 2008 - FOUR PLANTS TO RAISE WATER SUPPLY

Four plants to raise Sabah water supply

KOTA KINABALU:

Water supply in Sabah is expected to rise from the current 760 million litres per day (MID) to 1,180 MLD once water filtration plants planned under the Ninth Malaysia Plan 9MP) come on-stream. Allocations have been made under the 9MP to build four large plants — in Telibong (Tamparuli), Papar, Sandakan (second phase) and Kudat — and several small ones in places such as Sipitang, Kota Belud, Pulau Banggi, Kunak, Balung, Tenom, Kanibungan (Pitas), Kalabakan and Sukau.
Sabah Water Department Director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib said the Telibong plant had a capacity of 80 MLD and was expected to begin operating in March, the Papar plant (40 MLD) sometime this year, the Sandakan plant (125 MLD) in September and the Kudat plant (55 MLD) at the end of the year. He said the increase in supply would enable the state to meet the needs of not only the fast- developing industrial sector but also more people in the rural areas. The plant projects were being implemented with 9MP allocations of RM1 .3 billion from the Federal Government, RM600 million from the State Government and RM370 million from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, he told Bernama. Ag Mohd Tahir said Sabah now faced a water shortage of about 180 MLD as demand was 940 MLD compared to existing supply of only 760 MLD. Papar, Tuaran, Sandakan, Kudat and Kota Kinabalu had been identified as places which faced a serious shortage of water supply, he added. He said the Telibong plant would ease the shortage of water supply not only in Kota Kinabalu but also in Tuaran while the plant in Papar would help solve the water shortage in Papar and Kimanis and have a 30 per cent surplus. A small plant, of about 12 MLD capacity, has gone into operation in Papar pending the coming on-stream of the big plant, he added. Ag Mohd Tahir said the department was implementing an emergency project in Sandakan to supply more water pending the completion of the second phase of the Sandakan plant in September, - Bernama