WEDNESDAY-20TH FEBRUARY 2008- POLICE WANT PARTIES TO PLAN CERAMAHS EARLY TO AVOID CONFLICT

Police want parties to plan ceramahs early to avoid conflict

KOTA KINABALU:

While Police prepare themselves to keep the peace during the general election, they want political parties to plan their ceramahs or talks early to avoid conflicts and quarrels or even public fights. Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said yesterday parties contesting in the 12th general election should submit their permit applications as soon as they can to avoid any inconvenience. He gave the assurance that permits for political talks or gatherings will be issued but reminded that the Police would always make public safety a top priority and will not allow gatherings that could lead to clashes between supporters. “We don’t want two opposing political parties to have their talks at the same time or too close to each other as this could lead to public quarrels, or even fights between supporters,” he said. He said it is important applications for permits are sent in early so that parties involved would have ample time to discuss with the Police any problem that may arise, such as a situation if the other parties had already applied to hold their talks at a particular place applied for. With less than a week to go before Nomination Day on this Sunday, politicians and their workers are busy preparing themselves with the Police too getting ready to keep law and order and ensure a smooth conduct of the polls. The Sabah Police yesterday held a meeting at the Kepayan Headquarters to finalize their preparations and will be mobilizing about 2,200 men and officers to keep watch over all election- related activities in the State. “Sufficient police personnel and officers will be dispatched to ensure safety and maintain order at all nomination and polling centres,” Rashid said. The safety situation is very good and will be maintained so as to enable voters to cast their votes in a safe environment, according to him. So far, the Police have not received any application to hold a ceramah or political talk. According to Rashid, 26 nomination centers will be opened in the State with Police being involved in guarding 24 of them. Throughout the 25 parliamentary constituencies, 688 polling centres will be opened, with Kota Marudu having the most or 50 centres, while Tawau with the least or 18 centres. The State Capital will have 21 polling centres while the neighbouring districts of Tuaran and Sepanggar will have 40 centres each. Penampang and Papar will have 21 and 19 centres respectively, according to Rashid. A total of 491 inquiry counters where voters can check their voting centres will stay open during the polling day, he added.

WEDNESDAY-20TH FEBRUARY 2008- MCA CLAIMS KEPAYAN SEAT AMID TALKS UPKO IS EYEING CONSTITUENCY

MCA claims Kepayan seat Amid talks UPKO is eyeing constituency

PENAMPANG:

MCA incumbent Datuk Edward Khoo Keok Lai has pooh-poohed talks that UPKO is eyeing the Kepayan seat. He said his party will be defending the constituency and his name has been forwarded to the Prime Minister to be renominated for the election next month. “I never heard of the rumours,” he said, adding the MCA headquarters has suggested his name to the BN Chairman together with the list of other leaders who will be fielded for the March 8 election. “If I am given the chance, I will contest. As you know it is not confirmed yet. But our party has submitted my name to the PM. Names for MCA candidates for the whole country are submitted bythe headquarters, including my name,” he told reporters here yesterday. Asked whether he has any alternative seat should the BN leadership decide to give the Kepayan seat to UPKO, he said: “I don’t think this is the topic for today. Like I said I never heard of such rumours.” Not disclosing any other MCA candidates whose names were included in the list, Khoo also declined to discuss whether MCA has made any request for additional seats in Sabah, where it only represents the Kepayan state constituency. The Sabah liaison committee chairman saidMCA is fully prepared to face the election and will leave it to the voters to decide the winner. “We are all ready, not only in Kepayan but all over the State, in every division. We will give our very best to make sure that not only MCA but all the BN candidates win their seats. He said in Sabah, though MCA is only representing one assembly seat, the party altogether has 25 divisions covering the 25 parliamentary seats. They are all ready to ensure a victorious election for BN. According to him, nobody knows the exact outcome of the election or, for that matter, who will win a particular seat, at least until the polling day is over.An insider source from UPKO said on Sunday that voters in Kepayan want the Kadazandusum Murut (KDM) majority area to be represented by the party. Kepayan is a traditionally KDM area with 60 percent of the voters there Kadazans, said the source, so it is appropriate for the constituency to be given back to UPKO. Kepayan UPKO division has the highest number of memberships with more than 3,000 members, said the source. Khoo in a ceremony earlier presented financial assistance to 42 recipients under the Urban Poverty Eradication Programme. Speaking at the ceremony, he said the BN Government has always been assisting the people through its various agencies. He said the assistance distributed to the local residents yesterday was just one of the many schemes and programmes that have been put in place by the Government to help the people.

WEDNESDAY-20TH FEBRUARY 2008- KSS PLAYS VITAL ROLE IN STATE DEVT: MUSA

KSS plays vital role in State devt: Musa

KOTA KINABALU:

Chief Minister said the Kadazan Society Sabah (KSS) played an important role in the development of Sabah by informing the people of the various policies, projects and programmes implemented by the Government to elevate their standard of living. “The Barisan Nasional Government brings progress and a better quality of life to all the communities irrespective of race and religious background. The BN Government involves all the communities at the decision-making level. No one will be sidelined,” he said when receiving a courtesy call from members of KSS led by its president, Marcel Leiking, at his official residence, Sri Gaya, yesterday. As such Musa who is also the Sabah BN chief, called on community organisations, including KSS, to give continued support to BN in the coming election. “BN is the only coalition that can bring progress, peace and harmony because we can co-exist through cooperation and understanding,” he said. Meanwhile, Marcel said KSS would continue to give undivided support to BN and inform the people of the various development brought to Sabah at the helm of the BN-backed Government.

WEDNESDAY-20TH FEBRUARY 2008- INCESSANT RAIN WORSENS KOTA MARUDU FLOODS

Incessant rain worsens Kota Marudu floods

KOTA MARUDU:

Incessant rain overnight has worsened the floods in this district, raising the water level of major rivers to beyond the danger point and forcing the evacuation of 123 families. According to the Kota Marudu District Officer Luvita Koisun, the flood waters rose to between 0.9 and 1.8 metres. She said Sungai Bongon breached the danger level of 4.6 metres at 2pm while Sungai Sumbiling and Sungai Bandau had also swelled to above danger level, the reading for which had yet to be obtained. Luvita who, is also chairman of the district relief committee, said all the major roads in the district were still passable to traffic as of yesterday. In Kota Belud, District Officer, Mohd Najib Muntok disclosed that about 12 villages were reported to have been hit by floods. They were Kg Lebak Moyoh, Kg Jawi-Jawi, Kg Gunding, Kg Rampayan Laut, Kg Suang Punggor, Kg Terintidon, Kg Timbang Dayang, Kg Lilud, Kg Bugaron Rosok, Kg Pantai Emas, Kg Kesapang and Kg Ketabungan. “As many as 12 people have been transferred to the evacuation centre set up at Kota Belud community hall,” he said. The Kota Belud District Police when contacted about the situation, said despite the floods, there had been no report of any incident or accident so far. “The road at KM 28 and Jalan Lintang in Kota Belud are under water, rendering it passable only to heavier vehicles ... we are monitoring the situation,” he said, adding that the water level at Sungai Tempasuk had also breached the danger level of 5.7 metres. The Director of Sabah Meteorology Department Mr Tan Chen Kok told The Borneo Post the current weather situation with thunderstorm activities over the coastal waters of Sabah, is expected to persist until today.

WEDNESDAY-20TH FEBRUARY 2008- SEVEN HOUSES DESTROYED AS WHEELCHAIR-BOUND MAN ESCAPES FROM FIERY DEATH

Seven houses destroyed as wheelchair-bound man escapes from fiery death

KOTA KINABALU:

A 29-year-old disabled man escaped from being burnt to death in a fire that destroyed seven houses at Kampung Inanam Laut here yesterday. Wheelchair-bound Mohd Jaini said he was watching TV at the living room when his double storey wooden house suddenly caught fire. “I was at the ground floor watching TV when I heard a small explosion coming from one of the rooms upstairs,” he said. Jaini who lived in the house with his parents, sibling and five relatives, was alone downstairs when the fire broke out. As the smoke began to fill the living room, he realized something was terribly wrong and wanted to get out of the house quickly. His 23-year-old cousin Herman who was at home, quickly called for help from a neighbour. Herman returned to the burning house with a 20-year-old friend and carried Jaini and his wheelchair out to safety. Jaini’s house was destroyed with six others, leaving a total of 4O people homeless, just five days after a similar incident occurred in the area. The fire engulfed the house very quickly despite the drizzle and spread to the adjacent houses before the firefighters arrived, said an eyewitness. In another fire in Tuaran, two brothers were injured after their wooden house at Kampung Talibung were destroyed in a fire yesterday morning. In the 8.52am incident, Norfarah Mohd Rizal, 13, suffered burns on the face while his three-year-old brother, Mohd Sobrie, was injured on the back, body and hand. Abang Norfarah, Mohd Arfah, 20, and the twin brother of Mohd Sobrie identified only as Sukri, were not injured. When the fire broke out, Norfarah and his brother were sleeping while the twins were in the living room. Mohd Arfah who was awakened by the heat from the fire, alerted Norfarah before taking their siblings out of the burning house. Their parents were working during the incident. Both injured victims were sent to the Tuaran Hospital for treatment. The officer-in-charge of Tuaran Fire and Rescue Services Station, Mazlan Sarman, said one engine with six personnel rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 8.56am. When they arrived, the whole house was already on fire. The firemen managed to prevent the fire from spreading within 10 minutes. The cause of the fire and amount of damage are still under investigation.

WEDNESDAY-20TH FEBRUARY 2008- BN, PKR TO FACE TOUGH BATTLES IN INTERIOR AREAS CANDIDATES AND SEAT ALLOCATION HOT ISSUE AMONG CONTESTING PARTIES

BN, PKR to face tough battles in interior areas Candidates and seat allocation hot issues among contesting parties

KENINGAU:

The election fever is getting hotter in the interior with various speculations coming up, especially those concerning candidates and seat allocation. Political observers here described the coming general election will be a tough fight not only between the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in the Interior areas hut also among the BN components lobbying for seats. The Keningau parliamentary constituency will be seeing a fight between the Kitingan brothers who are going all out to gain the support and win the people’s heart in the March 8 election. Pairin who is also Deputy Chief Minister and Rural Development Minister, will defend the seat he won in the 1992 general election. Reliable sources from both BN and PKR indicated that the incumbent PBS president will also stand as a BN candidate in the Tambunan state constituency. Pairin will be facing Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate Moses Iking in Tambunan while in Keningau, he will meet his younger brother Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan who is also the PKR vice president. Jeffrey who is also the Keningau PKR chief, was reported to be contesting in Bingkor. It was also reported that interior DAP coordinating chief Paul Kodou will contest in the Keningau parliamentary seat while his deputy chief Lawrence will stand in Bingkor. Meanwhile, the BN is speculated to retain the incumbent candidates for Bingkor, Liawan, Sook, Nabawan and Pensiangan parliamentary areas. Based on the quota and 2004 formula, Justin Guka will be maintained in Bingkor, Datuk Haji Sairin Haji Karno in Liawan, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup in Sook, Datuk Bobbey Suan in Nabawan and Datuk Bernard S Maraat in Pensiangan. However, talks on candidates for several areas such as Bingkor, Sook and Pensiangan are still going on where several BN components are still lobbying for the Bingkor seat. Among them are Anuar Datuk Ayub from Umno, Haji Suib Sadiman and Datuk John Datuk Angian (UPKO) and Jailine Lian (PBRS). In Sook, it was reported that PBRS Deputy President Datuk Elron Angin is keen to contest while in Pensiangan, two factions one belonging to PBRS President Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and the other belonging to PBRS Secretary General and incumbent Bernard S Maraat, are eyeing the constituency. Justin or anybody who is selected as BN candidate will be facing Jeffrey in Bingkor; Sairin will take on Jius Awang or Dr Nicholas of PKR; Kurup or Elron will be meeting former teacher Paul Gitang or Rayner Francis Udong of PKR; Datuk Bobbey Suan will be challenged by Gabriel Uwing from PKR and in Pensiangan, either Bernard or Kurup will face Danny Andipai from PKR. In the Melalap constituency, PBS Secretary General and incumbent Datuk Radin Malleh (BN) will face PKR candidate Jimmy Jawatah. For the Tenom parliamentary area, incumbent Raimi Unggi or new face Jamawi Jaafar (BN) will take on Richard Joe Jimmy (PKR) and in Kemabong, either incumbent Datuk Rubin Balang, Esar Andamas or new newcomer Matusin Balang will take on Peter Lonok from PKR. However, the official lists of candidates either from BN or PKR have still not been announced yet. The BN and PKR leaderships are expected to make last minute changes and with a few more days to nomination day, anything can happen. It was also reported that several local opposition parties, namely, Setia, Bersekutu, Pasok and independents are also trying their luck in this election. Meanwhile, several political observers here described this year’s election will not be an easy passage for the BN because many issues remain to be solved. Among them are the Sabah Amanah Saham (SAS) investment, land applications, illegal immigrants, MyKad and 1MM 13, unfulfilled development promises, poverty and hike of oil and goods prices. In the Keningau town, the failure of the local authority to overcome the traders’ problem will also decide the votes for the BN. The political observers also expect PKR to win the Keningau, Bingkor, Sook and Pensiangan seats if the BN fields the wrong candidates in the areas. While the BN could win Tambunan, Liawan and Nabawan, but the majority is expected to be reduced.

WEDNESDAY-20TH FEBRUARY 2008- BE READY TO EVACUATE TO HIGHER AREAS, POLICE CAUTION RESIDENTS

Be ready to evacuate to higher areas, police caution residents

KOTA KINABALU:

The State Police have issued a flood warning, advising residents along rivers, particularly in flood-affected areas in northern and eastern districts to be prepared for any possible rising water level. Police Commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said floods which affected 49 villages in Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Beluran and Pitas had started to subside on Sunday but the water level rose again in several areas following heavy rain on Monday. The water level is expected to continue to rise as the Meteorological Services Department had forecast heavy rain to continue until today, he said. He urged residents in affected areas to keep in touch with the district authorities on possible flood and evacuation. Those residing close to the rivers should monitor the water level and move to a higher ground immediately should the rising waters reach a dangerous level, he said. He also cautioned residents in other villages that even though there is no rain in their areas, downpours in the Interior could still cause flood at lower areas near river mouths. He said the Police Department in cooperation with other agencies such as RELA, Fire and Rescue Department, the Army, local councils and residents committees had been mobilizing logistic assistance to help flood victims in affected districts. He said five evacuation centres - one in Beluran and two each in Kota Belud and Kota Marudu - had been set up. A total of 239 people from 134 families have been evacuated from their homes to these centres. No one has been evacuated in Pitas so far but residents are advised to be ready for any possibilities, according to him. He said all affected roads in the four districts were passable except for Kilometer 8 of Pitas-Kinabongan road which is only passable to heavy vehicles. “The road is not passable for light vehicles and the public is advised not to try to push their way through the flooded road as it is dangerous and could invite mishap,” he said. The Meteorological Services Department yesterday morning issued a Red Stage heavy rain warning for Kudat and Sandakan, saying moderate to occasionally heavy rain is expected to continue. The department also issued an Orange Stage warning for Tawau, Lahad Datu, West Coast, Interior Divisions and Labuan. Yellow Stage warnings were issued for Limbang, Miri and Bintulu in Sarawak, effective from today until tomorrow.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- KK'S NEWEST HOTEL COMMENCES BUSINESS

KK’s newest hotel commences business

KOTA KINABALU:

An eyesore building, once a reminiscence of an abandoned project that had marred the City’s landscape for years, has been turned into a 3.5-star hotel offering 190 well-furnished rooms. Located just a walking distance from the State Museum and about 15 minutes drive from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), the Tang Dynasty Park Hotel was built to help ease the shortage of rooms in the State amidst the ever increasing tourist arrivals. The hotel held a soft opening graced by Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim and commenced business yesterday by offering customers introductory rates starting from as low as RM118 per night onwards. It is located in a strategic location, close to the City and major Government and corporate offices, making it an ideal hotel for business and leisure travellers alike. Its furnished rooms are complemented with modern facilities such as cable TV channels, IDD, Wireless Internet Access, 24-hour reception and a mini convenient kiosk. The Mayor in his officiating speech commended the hotel developer, San Hin Group, for taking the initiative to turn the once neglected building into a beautiful modern hotel, saying the initiative to come up with Tang Dynasty Park Hotel is in tandem with Kota Kinabalu City Hall’s vision to beautify the City. In addition, he said the move is in line with the need of the tourism industry in Sabah which has been plagued with undersupply of accommodation due to continuous demands from domestic and international tourists who are coming to the City in growing numbers. “The San Hin Group has certainly foreseen this predicament, and with the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 extended until August 2008, together with the newly launched Sabah Development Corridor, marks the rise of the Tang Dynasty Park Hotel today,” he said. The hotel’s Director of Planning and Hospitality, Mr. Terence W Tulus, said with this remarkable accomplishment, the Tang Dynasty Group of Hotels will be regarded as one of the most affordable business class hotels and efficient service providers for it guests not only in Malaysia but to the rest of the world. San Hin Group Executive Officer Datuk Dr How Kok Chong said the TD Group of Hotels in conjunction with the extended Visit Malaysia Year programme, will be supporting the tourism industry in Sabah by providing three to four-star hotels with five-star services and improved facilities in all its chain hotels in the State. Meanwhile, the Mayor urged other tourism players and the private sector to look into converting some of the old-looking buildings in the City, especially in Sinsuran Complex and Kampung Air areas, into budget hotels. “It is also my wish to see the now vacated Natikar Building near Padang Merdeka to be turned into a hotel in the very near future similar to this Tang Dynasty Park Hotel,” he said.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- EMPA TO HOLD CONFERENCE

EMPA to hold conference

KOTA KINABALU:

The East Malaysia Planters Association (EMPA) will be organising the EMPA Conference 2008 with the theme “Progress & Challenges” on March 13-14 at Sabah Hotel in Sandakan. EMPA chairman Salim Mohammad who is also the Group Managing Director of Sawit Kinabalu Group of companies, invited plantation owners, planters, engineers and all interested parties to the conference. Twenty-two papers will be presented by experts in various fields, covering the development of plantation industries in East Malaysia, plantation management, crop management, technologies, milling/mechanization, environment and sustainability issues. Exhibitions will also be held concurrently to exhibit products, services and technologies. Those interested are to contact the EMPA secretary at 089-273936/ 233936 or 019-8135936.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- FAKE DOCUMENT SYNDICATE BUSTED MYKADS, BIRTH CERTS, DRIVING LICENCES SEIZED

Fake document syndicate busted MyKads, birth certs, driving licences seized

TAWAU:

The police here believe they have smashed a major fake document syndicate with the arrest of several suspects and the seizure of 43 MyKads, 15 birth certificates and 33 driving licences. District police chief ACP Jaafar Bin Yusuf said they scored the success following a raid on a house at Kampung Hidayat, Mile 4, Apas Road here at 8pm on February 7 this year. The police also seized a National Registration Department rubber stamp, a scanner and a photocopy machine for making the forged documents in a secret-hidden room of the house. Jaafar said four men, a woman and a child who were in the house that night were brought back to the police for further questioning. Two of the suspects aged between 31 and 35 years old were detained by the police for further investigation while the other four were freed. Jaafar said one of the suspects is a local man who possesses a MyKad while the other suspect does not have any valid documents. Both of the suspects will be investigated under Section 468 of the Penal Code. The police are looking for another suspect who is still at large. “The syndicate used an agent to buy missing identity cards from certain persons and modified the photos on the identification documents before selling them to buyers for RM300 each. “We used ultra violet lights to check the authenticity of these documents,” said Jaafar, adding the police were looking for the buyers of the documents and would charge them under Section 12 (1) of the National Registration Act.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- BN DOES NOT PUNISH PEOPLE FOR VOTING FOR OPPOSITION: MOHD LAN

BN does not punish people for voting for opposition: Mohd Lan

SEMPORNA:

The Barisan Nasional (BN) Government has done much to improve the living conditions for the people and raise their level of income. It will continue to do so even in opposition-held constituencies. “That is the BN Government’s policy. It is not true that the BN ‘punishes’ people for voting for the opposition,” Semporna Umno deputy division head Datuk Mohd Lan Allani said here during a weekend visit to Pulau Bum Bum to participate in a clean-up of several villages organized on a voluntary basis by the villagers and local officials and distributed assistance to fishermen and the needy. Mohd Lan said he was pleased to see the people united and cooperating with one another for mutual benefit. “Unity and self-reliance are the keys to a better future. The Government can provide assistance in various ways but if the people don’t make proper use of this assistance, their condition will not improve,” he said. Mohd Land said he was impressed by the success achieved by 20 families who had embarked on a tapioca planting project in Kampung Pababag on the island. “With urging and guidance from their village headman, Mohd Yakin, these 20 families have successfully turned to commercial planting of tapioca and are earning an average of RM600 to RM700 per family from each crop. This is an example that others on the island should emulate, not just with tapioca but possibly with other suitable crops,” he said.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- QUEUE JUMPING FREQUENT ALONG LUYANG ROAD

Queue jumping frequent along Luyang road

A frequent user of Luyang road has complained about rampant queue jumping, especially along the stretch from Jalan Kolam to the Lintas intersection. Din said pedestrians were exposing themselves to danger as the errant motorists were using the emergency lane to beat the serious traffic jam there during peak hours, especially in the evening. These motorists are often speeding along the emergency lane and could hit the pedestrians walking at the roadside, he said. The action of these motorists is also giving unfairness to those who are caught in the jam. The authorities should take action against these motorists, Din pointed out “recently, an accident almost happened when a Kancil driven by a young man jumped queue without giving due concern to other motorists’ safety. He drove his vehicle dangerously and acted like he owns the road, The young man’s antic shocked and caused fear to the other drivers,” he added. A spokesman for the city traffic police said the various authorities, including the Road Transport Department, were monitoring the situation and those caught for jumping queue and using the emergency lane would be compounded.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- RUBBISH COLLECTED ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE IN P'PANG: COUNCIL

Rubbish collected according to schedule in P’pang: Council

Rubbish is collected according to schedule in Penampang, explained the Penampang District Council (PDC). “For the information of public, we collect the rubbish in our jurisdiction areas according to schedule. Even though sometimes it is late but we will collect it and never neglect it for a long time,” said a spokeswoman for PDC. “For example, the rubbish in Taman Intan area will be collected twice a week. All the rubbish is collected except those that is kept inside the house or if the residents lock their rubbish bins,” she added. Earlier, residents in Penampang had expressed unhappiness with the PDC which they claimed had failed to fulfil its responsibility to keep and maintain the cleanliness of the place. According to Hasni, the rubbish was left uncollected for many days until it scattered all over the rubbish centre there. “I am not sure what is the cause of the problem. What the residents and I want is for the authority to do something to prevent the problem from happening again. There should be a proper rubbish collection schedule,” she said. Hasni also said that they had complained a few times but nothing had been done to improve the service. “The situation has been there for a long time until today. I suggest to the authority concerned to do something and improve their service to maintain the cleanliness of the place around Penampang. “As far as I know, the PDC has a new garbage truck, but the problem still happened. They only take action after receiving a complaint from the public. I think if the public does not make any complaint, they will neglect it until the air becomes smelly. We hope they will do well in the future in maintaining the cleanliness of the place,” she added.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- GOVT TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS DEVELOPING OIL PALM INDUSTRY

Govt to continue to focus on developing oil palm industry

KOTA KINABALU:

The State Government will continue to place emphasis. on developing the oil palm industry here, with some 1.8 million hectares identified as suitable for the crop, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. He said that the projected area would be an increase from the current 1.24 million hectares already converted to oil palm plantations here, which have managed to provide good income of up to RM8,000 a month for smallholders. “The strong performance of the national oil palm industry, especially the hike in palm oil prices to its current high has increased the income and profit for plantation companies and smallholders,” he said in his speech at the dinner and official closing for the Sabah Oil Palm Expo at Le’ Meridien Hotel here last night. His speech was delivered by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun. Musa said the national oil palm industry earned some RM45.1 billion in exports for the country, a 41.8 percent increase from RM32. 2 billion earned in 2006, making the oil palm industry the biggest contributor to the national export income. He added that the positive developments in the industry had come about through the political stability and efforts towards developing agricultural land by the State Government and Federal and State Government agencies. “These encouraging achievements are the result of understanding and cooperation in the oil palm industry between the factory, plantation, business sectors and smallholders and should only be improved further. “I was also made to understand that the factories, oil palm traders and smallholders in the local market have worked together in providing fertiliser on credit to smallholders to improve their productivity and quality. “The result of this cooperation is an increase in income for smallholders and this cooperation can be improved through the provision of infrastructure by plantation companies as part of their corporate social responsibility.” During the event, Masidi, on behalf of Musa, presented a mock check of RM4 million to several State MPs, to be distributed to oil palm smallholders as part of the Quality Oil Palm Seedling Assistance Scheme.

TUESDAY-19TH FEBRUARY 2008- NOMINATION PAPERS HOT

Nomination papers ‘hot’
With less than a week to go for candidates

KOTA KINABALU:

With less than a week to go nomination papers have been selling like pisang goreng (banana fritters) with Umno leading the pack with around 200 copies for their party alone. State Election Commission (EC) Chairman Hj Idrus Ismail said the sale of nomination papers, which is going at RM2O per copy, has been going “very well” with political parties and also independents snapping up copies. “All the major parties such as Umno and PBS have taken up copies and we are waiting for a few more parties to come by over the next few days,” he said when contacted yesterday. “We have even issued copies to independent candidates although we can only issue one copy for each independent, which covers both the parliamentary and State nominations. “However for those who come with the letter of request from their respective parties, we will give more according to how many are requested” he said. Idrus revealed that apart from Umno, Parti Keadilan Rakyat took the second highest number of nomination papers with some 150 copies while PBS took around 50 copies. “Of course this does not mean they will be going for that many seats. Some of the copies are taken as reserve in the event of any mistakes made when filling in the papers,” he said. Idrus noted that the EC had also ordered for a reprint of the State electoral rolls, which he said have also been selling very quickly. “We have already gone for a reprint two or three times. Our availability depends on the order, so if you don’t order then we cannot immediately accommodate the demand because we must first service those who have placed orders. “The reason for this is because we want to minimise wastage. If we print a lot of copies but there are no takers, then that is wastage and we want to minimise that possibility,” he said. Idrus was asked to comment on a complaint by Parti Setia President Datuk Pengiran Othman Rauf, who said it is unreasonable for the EC to expect orders to be placed before anyone can pick up a copy of the electoral rolls. Othman said the EC should instead have ample stock of the rolls to ensure it can be made available to interested parties at any given time. Idrus noted that the lack of available copies is a small matter that will be resolved after a couple of days. “The problem here is that some did not make prearrangements. If you simply come in and ask for a copy we can’t accommodate that. “We do have copies of various parliamentary areas but we only printed 10 copies of the Statewide electoral rolls and all were booked earlier. “Of course this is just a minor problem and we have placed the order for them (Setia). They should have their copies by tomorrow (today) or the day after they still have many days to March 8 so there is ample time for them to check the rolls,” he said. Nomination Day falls on February 24.

MONDAY-18TH FEBRUARY 2008- MASIDI LAUNCHES WINNING WALAI TOKOU HOMESTAY

Masidi launches winning Walai Tokou Homestay

RANAU:

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun yesterday launched the Walai Tokou Homestay at Kampung Sinisian in Kundasang which won the national-level homestay program competition called “Kejuaraan Jiham Desa”. Masidi who represented Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Hj Aman, was welcomed by hundreds of villagers who turned up for the occasion despite the incessant rains over the past few days in the district. The Walai Tokou Homestay at the village was established in 2001, and has become a role model for other operators in the country. Masidi said he was very proud of the people from the district for their achievement and added that Walai Tokou should encourage the setting up of other homestays in Sabah. “The main thing out of this success is that it opens your mind that you can do it. You too, can compete on a national level,” he said. Masidi also reckoned that being successful in managing a homestay is a promising sign that one can manage a hotel someday. “The homestay program is a stepping stone to a bigger lodging management one day”. Also present at the event was Tuan Hj Shariman bin Hamdan, president of the Homestay Malaysia who appealed to Masidi to continue supporting the homestay program. Masidi wholeheartedly responded that homestay will be his most important agenda and the “homestay program not only mirrors Sabahans’ unique culture and warm hospitality, but it is a form of income to the people.” He assured that he will help as many people in the rural areas so that they can also enjoy the tourism boom that Sabah is experiencing. “I want people from rural areas to taste the wealth of Sabah from the tourism industry first hand,” said Masidi.

MONDAY-18TH FEBRUARY 2008- WAH MIE GROUP TO HAVE OWN CORPORATE BUILDING

Wah Mie Group to have own corporate building

SANDAKAN:

Leading developer Wah Mie Group will soon have its own corporate building in Taman Indah Jaya located opposite the Indah Jaya Clubhouse. “Construction of the corporate building will commence and god willing, we will be able to move into the new premises by 2009,” Managing Director Kong Kwok Wah said in his address during the Wah Mie Group annual dinner at Yu Yuan Secondary School hall on Saturday. Apart from bigger and spacious office and conference facilities, we would have our own exhibition hall to display our company’s products. This is in line with the company’s policy to excel in providing better quality houses, he added. Meanwhile, Kong said the Wah Mie Group had completed and delivered a total of 449 houses last year, of which 329 units were in Sandakan and another 115 in Kota Kinabalu which was an improvement over 2006. “Currently, we have three ongoing projects in Sandakan namely Taman Airport, Taman Sejati Ujana and Taman Mawar Phase 7. We have just launched a big scale condominium project in Luyang, Kota Kinabalu,” he said. The total number of units to be built over a period of three to five years is 55 units. The take-up rate is very encouraging. There are altogether three blocks and upon launching, we have secured more than 70 percent booking for the two blocks, Kong said. “We also have our ongoing projects at Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu comprising semi-detached houses selling at more than RM500,000 per unit, detached houses at RM780,000 to RM800,000 per unit and limited number of terrace houses selling at RM280,000 per unit,” he said. Kong added that the company’s development at Sepanggar has become one of the most prominent housing estates with good appreciation potentials. With the development of the Kota Kinabalu Container Port, proposed free trade zone, submarine base, the KKIP and the many education institutions, all along Sepanggar, this investment will definitely give buyers a good and positive return in due course. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan who also attended the dinner, urged the Land and Survey Department to expedite the process in the issuance of land title status to housing developers. Touching on the complaints by some house buyers of Taman Indah Jaya on the delay in obtaining land titles, Tan said the department had issued letters of offer to them two days ago.

MONDAY-18TH FEBRUARY 2008- OVER 200 FAMILIES STILL AT EVACUATION CENTRE FLOOD WATER SUBSIDES BUT VICTIMS ADVISED TO STAY PUT

Over 200 families still at evacuation centre Flood water subsides but victims advised to stay put

KOTA MARUDU:

The flood water which hit the district and forced the evacuation of over 200 families on Saturday had subsided. However, the affected victims have been advised to remain at the evacuation centre until the situation has recovered fully. District Officer Luvita Koisun stated this yesterday when asked to comment on the flood situation at the area. “Even though the water level of both rivers here is decreasing, the families at the relief centre were advised to stay there until the situation is safe for them,” she said. At press time yesterday, the number of families evacuated to the relief centre increased to 226 from 13 villages compared 110 families from nine villages on Saturday. However, no incident was reported. Luvita, who is also chairman of the District Natural Disaster Committee, advised all the affected villages to be alert for any unexpected situation. “The Meteorological Department has forecast that there will be heavy rain in Kota Marudu, Kudat and the West Coast areas for the next two days until Feb 18 night. So we advise families at the relief centre not to return to their homes yet,” she said. Sabah is experiencing the late stage of the northeast monsoon season which blows from November to March. The current wet spell experienced by the State is due to the strengthening of the northeast winds coupled with the presence of a low pressure system over the Sulu Sea. Villages that were badly affected were Kampung Marudu Laut, Kampung Kantawayon Darat, Kampung Tambun, Kampung Sungoi, Kampung Taginambur, Kampung Pancur (Langkon Lama), Kampung Marudu Darat, Kampung Lotong, Kampung Pancur Lama, Kampung Balagatan, Kampung Parong, Kampung Tandek and Kampung Tagin.

MONDAY-18TH FEBRUARY 2008- CELCOM HOLDS CNY OPEN HOUSE IN LUYANG

Celcom holds CNY open house in Luyang

KOTA KINABALU:

Celcom Mobile Sdn Bhd, Damai branch here organized a Chinese New Year (CNY) open house in Luyang yesterday. Thirty orphans from Beringgis Welfare House in Papar were invited, apart from the public who came with their children. Red packets were given to the children by the head of regional customer service, Abdul Rahman Hj Mahat. There were also lion dance performance and 3-on-3 street basketball competition during the event which started at 9am. According to its branch manager, Sylvia Pius, the programs were organized in conjunction with the Celcom’s nationwide sales. According to branch manager Sylvia Pius, the programmes were organized in conjunction with Celcom’s nationwide sales. “This campaign is the first of its kind for a telecommunications service provider and the nationwide sale will run for two months starting February 1 and ending on March 31,” she said. Although the main feature will be on postpaid products or services, almost all of Celcom’s entire catalogue of products and services will be made available for sale. Other items such as mobile phones and USB modems will also be sold during the event. “Sales booths will also be set up at all the Celcom branches statewide during the campaign period from 9am to 7pm daily,” she added. Meanwhile, a blood donation drive will be held at the same place on Feb 24. “I invite all the people to come and donate their blood to increase the supply for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s blood bank,” Sylvia said.

MONDAY-18TH FEBRUARY 2008- POLICE ASSURE PULAU GAYA RESIDENTS OF THEIR SAFETY

Police assure Pulau Gaya residents of their safety

KOTA KINABALU:

The police have assured the safety of Pulau Gaya residents by conducting regular patrol at the island. OCPD Sofi Haji Zakaria told the residents during a dialogue session on Saturday that the police were patrolling the island, either in uniforms or plainclothes. “What is important is for you and others here to know that the security of this island and any vice activities are under control,” he said. The residents have voiced out their concern for their safety and requested for a police station to Putatan Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Marcus Makin Mojigoh during the dialogue session at the village’s community hail. Sofi urged the residents to take care of their children and not to let them get involved in drug, crime and vice activities. “It is every parent’s responsibility to watch or take care of their children so that they would not land themselves in any criminal activities. “However, should any youngsters get involved in any criminal activities, it is our duty to take action,” he said when responding to a village committee member’s concern over the safety of their children and youngsters on the island. “However, anyone who knows of any criminal activities on the island or in the communities and wish to report the cases confidentially could see me in my office,” he added. On the request for a police station, Sofi said he would raise the matter to the authority concerned. “The marine police are active here and you need to co-operate with them to track down any criminal activities,” he pointed out. Fisheries Development Board of Malaysia board of director member Arsit Haji Sedi, who was also present at the dialogue, said fishermen in Pulau Gaya are given various opportunities to increase their socio-economy. He urged the residents of the island to take advantage of the opportunities to improve on their economic development and be more competitive in their approach to upgrade their economy. Arsit added that an aquaculture venture with financial assistance was one of the opportunities that they could take advantage of. “The organization also provides financial assistance to purchase boat engines,” he said, adding the fishermen also enjoy diesel subsidy. Arsit added that the board would also discuss with a bank to relax certain loan requirements specially for fishermen. Several village leaders, including the committee members of the Village Development and Security Committee of the island, attended the dialogue.