Potential water supplier - Star

Aug 31, 2008 By CLARA CHOOI

PERAK is looking into supplying water to Selangor and Penang. Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaluddin said the Perak Water Board (LAP) was looking into the matter.

“We have been approached by Penang and we were told that the state may need additional sources of water besides what they are receiving from Kedah,” he said.

He added that the board had already convened a meeting with Penang Water Supply Corporation to discuss the technicalities.

“At this point, we are looking at channelling water from our sources in Kerian to Penang,” Nizar told reporters after launching the board’s Workers Union annual general meeting in Ipoh recently.

Nizar, who is also board chairman, also said the board was targeting to reduce its non-revenue water losses from 30% to 28% by 2010.

He said that currently the board was losing some RM60mil annually to non-revenue water.

“This includes burst pipes, stealing of water and so on.

“We hope the public will be more aware of this problem and report to us if they know of any incidents,” he said.

On a separate matter, Nizar said the board remained one of the few more “open-minded” government agencies in the state.

Recalling his experience during the campaign period of the 12th general election, Nizar said LAP was the only agency that allowed him to enter its premises while he was on his rounds.

“I was turned away from every other government agency simply because I was campaigning under the wrong colour.

“Only the LAP office in Manjung allowed me to greet its staff and even distribute my profile leaflets,” he said, triggering applause and laughter in the audience.

Nizar urged all LAP staff to continue their open-mindedness and not to fall into the “slave-master” system with its management staff.

“The management must also always be respectful of its staff.

“After all, all of you have been blessed with the privilege of managing the God-given gift of water.

“This is a noble duty that you are holding by handling one of the vital elements of life, so make sure that you do not misuse it,” he said.

Pakatan state govt still here, says Perak MB - Star

IPOH: Aug 31, 2008

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin has debunked his predecessor's prediction that the Pakatan Rakyat government in Perak would fall today.

“I have been waiting for this date. It is Merdeka for us all. Today will be a day of true independence for all Perakians.

“On Aug 31, Pakatan will still have 31 state assemblymen and women and we are celebrating the true Merdeka,” he said.

Former mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali made the prediction early last month.

Nizar, who launched the centennial celebration of SM Yuk Choy in Jelapang here yesterday, said the Perak Government had approved 1,000ha of land to be given to the state’s nine Chinese independent schools.

He said the state executive council had already approved the allocation in principle but had yet to identify a location.

“We are doing this to show the state’s recognition and appreciation of these nine si hua (independent) schools because we know that they have survived all these years without a single bit of government aid.

“Since the state government has limited funds, we decided to help the schools by giving land,” he said.

Later at a press conference, Nizar said the state government would ask the nine schools to form a company to manage the land.

An offer to the hardcore poor - Star

Aug 28, 2008 By CHAN LI LEEN

THE Ipoh City Council is offering three months’ free rental to the hardcore poor who want to trade at the Central Market in the city.

Datuk Bandar Roshidi Hashim said there were still about 50 vacant stalls at the market and the council was prepared to offer them to those willing to make their own living.

Roshidi handing out aid from the council to some of the 245 hardcore poor at Stadium Indera Mulia in Ipoh.

“The council will even help them get the relevant licences needed to trade,” he said after handing out aid and cash to the hardcore poor in the Ipoh Barat and Ipoh Timor parliamentary constituencies yesterday.

Earlier in his speech, Roshidi encouraged those who were still young and physically capable to start small businesses to improve their earnings.

“Maybe, you can even pick up a skill or trade such as cropping hair to start your own business.

“We will help you and if anyone has other suggestions on what the council can do to help further, we can listen,” he told the 245 recipients present.

Each of them received RM100, 30kg rice, 5kg sugar and 2kg cooking oil.

According to Roshidi, the exercise was not a populist move by the council but rather part of its efforts and determination to help eradicate hardcore poverty in the state by year 2010.

On a separate matter, Roshidi said there were no plans to enforce the requirement for rubbish bins to be placed in front of residential and business premises for now.

“We have decided to relax the ruling because we are of the view that forcing it on the people will not make them realise that keeping clean is actually a joint responsibility of the council and the people,” he said.

Roshidi also said the council, together with the Welfare Department and police, would continue to carry out raids against illegal parking collectors in the city.

Orang asli seek more land - Star

Aug 27, 2008 By IVAN LOH

THE orang asli want the Perak Government to give them more land along with the titles previously announced for them.

Perak Network of Orang Asli Villages founder-adviser and secretary Tijah Yok Chopil said they were not happy with the pro-posed 3.34ha plot of land to be given to each orang asli family in the state.

Tijah said state senior excecutive councillor Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham had announced the news during the Hari Orang Asal Sedunia celebrations in Kampung Chang Sungai Gepor in Bidor, about 60km from Ipoh, on Aug 9.

“But we feel that the land proposed by the government was too little,” she told reporters in Ipoh on Monday.

Tijah said of the 3.34ha plot, 0.12ha was for each family’s home, 0.8ha for their orchard and 2.42ha for commercial farming.

“We not only need the land for economical purposes but also spiritually for our rituals and cultural activities,” she said.

“We appreciate the state go-vernment for giving us the land title but we want more land so that we won’t lose our heritage,” she added.

Tijah also said it was unclear whether the plot of land would be given w ithin their tanah adat (customary land).

“I believe I can speak for all the orang asli in the state,” Tijah said, adding that they have been visiting and getting feedbacks from orang asli villages.

She noted that there were about 45,000 orang asli in 203 villages throughout Perak.

Tijah said they were planning to have a discussion with the state government to come up with a win-win solution.

When contacted, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said he had not received any official letter from the orang asli and declined to comment.

Robbers’ reign of terror has residents riled up - Star

IPOH: Aug 27, 2008 By CHAN LI LEEN

Residents of Pasir Pinji and Pasir Puteh here are living in fear of a group of robbers that has been terrorising them over the past two weeks.

The group, believed to comprise four youths, not only rob them of their money but show their victims no mercy by thrashing them with helmets and metal chains.

Perak executive council member Thomas Su Kiong Seong said the attacks had created so much fear in residents that they are afraid to venture out into the streets.

Over the past two weeks, five people had been attacked in Pasir Pinji and Pasir Puteh.

“The attacks had taken place near the vicinity of markets in both areas, either in the wee hours of the morning or at around midnight,” the Pasir Pinji assemblyman told reporters here on Wednesday.

All the victims were either traders at the markets or working nearby, he added.

The robbers, who have been described as “tall, burly young men on two motorcycles,” are believed to have first preyed on Fong Lee Kian, 47, on Aug 6 as the restaurant worker was returning home from supper at about 11pm.

“They caught hold of me and started bashing my head with helmets and metal chains.

“Then they took my wallet with my identity card and RM140 inside, and fled,” said Fong, who received over 10 stitches on his head.

On Aug 19, the robbers struck again, this time at old newspaper collector Foong Chew Kheong and his hawker friend Loo Hing Meh.

The two 62-year-olds were chatting outside a house at the Pasir Pinji new village at about 3.20am before starting work at the nearby market when they were attacked.

Foong managed to get away and sustained minor facial and body injuries, but Loo received 30 stitches on his head.

Later that day at about 4am, vegetable seller Mah Yook Lin, 53, is believed to have been attacked by the same robbers near the Pasir Puteh market and suffered a broken leg, as well as head and body injuries.

“The fifth victim is still being warded at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun for head injuries and broken ear bones,” said assemblyman Su.

At 4am on Tuesday, noodle deliveryman Foo Kwee Fong, 37, was working at Jalan Pasir Puteh when he was attacked.

Calling on police to step up security in both areas, Su said: “We ask the police to act fast and nab the perpetrators. This is getting out of hand.”

Su, who will meet Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Azisman Alias to discuss the matter, said there was a need for more policemen to be assigned to the two areas.

Pakatan government on shaky ground - NST

Aug 21, 2008 By : M. Husairy Othman

THE precarious balance of power in Perak has been worsened with the detention of two state exco members by the Anti-Corruption agency (ACA)
for their alleged involvement in graft.
With only two state seats separating the Pakatan Rakyat state government and the Barisan Nasional, this sensational development has brought about knee-jerk reactions from both sides of the fence.

The offer made by Perak BN chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali last month for PKR and Pas state assemblymen to cross over and his prediction that the state government would fall by Aug 31 have only intensified the situation at hand.

Within amatter of hours, claims of a political ploy masterminded by BN were spreading through the grapevine, no thanks to rumours that both exco members were believed to be from Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

“With the Permatang Pauh byelection just round the corner, this is surely more than a coincidence,” said a staunch DAP member. “What do you think? Is it possible for them to abuse their powers after assuming office in less than five months? After all, it is an open secret that BN is desperate to regain control of the state.

They will not stop at anything.” His fear is very real as the Pakatan Rakyat state government has 31 seats, 18 of which are held by DAP, seven by PKR and six by Pas while BN has 28.

BN only needs two more seats to form a new government.

In the event that the duo are convicted, this will force a by-election in these two constituencies and pave the way for BN to form a new government if they win these seats.

While this might be the case, it must be noted that even if the duo are found guilty, they must exhaust all venues of appeal before a by-election can be held.

“For now, the case is only being handled by the magistrate’s court.

They can appeal to the higher courts and drag the cases for years. I will not be surprised if they plan to drag it until the next elections,” said a political obser ver.

Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the arrests would not tarnish the state government’s image as they have not been officially charged yet.

“They remain innocent until proven guilty,” said a calm Nizar.

This might be so, but for the rakyat who have voted Pakatan Rakyat into power, this news will surely have shaken their faith in the state government’s pledge of an open, honest and transparent administration.

“Being caught red-handed with RM100,000 cash, how do you explain that to the people? This is definitely a trump card for BN and they should fully capitalise on it,” said an Umno l e a d e r.

Senior exco member and state DAP chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham has described the arrests as victimisation of the Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen and a bid to undermine the Pakatan Rakyat rule.

He said this could be BN’s ploy to lure Pakatan Rakyat exco members and state assemblyman to crossover after attempts to buy them failed.

His anger is understandable, but being a senior lawyer, he should al - low the law to run its course.

Five released on ACA bail as Ipoh High Court shortens remand - Star

IPOH: Aug 21, 2008 By CHRISTINA KOH

Glad to be free: Mohd Osman (right) and his supporters raising their hands in jubilation after his release yesterday

Perak state executive councillor Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu and three others were released after the High Court shortened their remand order, from Friday to Thursday.

The four, and another man released earlier, had on Tuesday been detained for alleged graft involving a proposed housing project in Seri Iskandar, Perak Tengah, worth RM180mil.

Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim ruled that the magistrate had issued the order on valid grounds.

"All the procedures were followed under the Criminal Procedure Code and I find that there was no injustice," he told a packed courtroom at about 5.15pm.

However, he said he felt that the three-day remand order was too long and as such revised it to end Thursday.

Counsel Mohamad Asri Othman and seven other lawyers argued that the magistrate had been wrong to issue the order and to fix the remand period for three days.

Mohamad Asri said this represented a grave injustice as the defence team could not "read the mind of the magistrate" who had supposedly failed to record the reasons for granting the order.

Earlier, Mohammad Asri created a stir when he implied that the arrests could be politically motivated to coincide with the Permatang Pauh by-election.

This provoked a vehement objection from Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Senior DPP Mohamad Jazamuddin Ahmad Nawawi who said it had nothing to do with the application.

Lawyers Faizul Hilmy Ahmad Zamri and Dexter Mah Kok Leong also took issue with the revelation that an ACA investigating officer was appointed only after the arrests.

However, Senior DPP Mohamad Jazamuddin countered that such was usually the case after a sudden "accident" or catching a criminal after a rape, provoking grumbles from Pakatan Rakyat supporters.

"I urge the court to reject the application. The magistrate has the discretion on whether or not to allow the remand order," he said.

The four were then produced before a magistrate and later freed at the state Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) office on a RM20,000 bail each with one surety.

Fellow PKR member and former Bota assemblyman Kapt (Rtd) Usaili Alias hugged Mohd Osman after they were released at about 6.30pm.

Remand for another Perak Exco member Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, who turned himself in on Wednesday to facilitate investigations into the case, ended Thursday.