Khir Toyo: I cry for the squatters too ?

Malaysiakini - Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo said he had done his best in the handling of a series of emotionally-charged demolitions of squatter houses and temples in the state. “I saw the pictures (of the demolitions), I feel very sad. I am in a difficult position - to choose between one family and 10 families. Of course, as a leader, I’ve to choose 10.

“If I adopt the minority view, I am not being fair to everybody. I also cried (for them), but I need to choose,” he told Malaysiakini when asked on the controversies in a 90-minute interview at his office in Shah Alam last week.

The menteri besar, who took office in 2000, added that the state government has provided alternatives to the squatters including better housing scheme and financial assistance before asking them to relocate.

“We take action because we need to develop (the area) and fulfill our promise to the 80 percent (who agreed to move),” he said.

He described the 20 percent who refused to budge as a “minority group influenced by opposition parties”.

Open clashes

A visibly upset Mohd Khir also lamented that the minority group should have given in to the rest and not to “refuse everything” that was offered.

He revealed that even one of his relatives was not spared from eviction.

“In Kampung Rimba Jaya, one of them is my uncle’s son who lived there. He came and see me (to ask for help) but I said ‘no’. The land doesn’t belong to the state, (and) if I don’t settle the issue today, it will come up in future,” the 42-year-politician asserted.

Scenes of brutal confrontation emerged during the two most recent demolitions of squatters in Kampung Berembang near Ampang and Kampung Rimba Jaya in Shah Alam.

In both occasions, local authority enforcement officers openly clashed with residents when they forced their way in to the squatter area to demolish the houses - with the aid of tear gas and water cannons - when the residents refused to budge. Dozens of arrests were also made.

Since the demolitions, some of the defiant squatters, including women and children, are living in makeshift tents near their demolished homes.

The spate of squatters demolition done under the name of development is in line with the ‘zero squatter’ policy set by the Selangor state government, which it had targeted to achieve two years ago.

Social activists have criticised the high-handed actions in the demolition of squatter areas. Often the enforcement officers moved in even before the disposal of court cases where the residents had challenged the eviction order.

However, residents in Kampung Berembang - some of whom have lived there since the 1960s - won a minor court victory last week when a high court denied the developer possession of the land and set aside its injunction to prohibit evicted squatters from returning to the area.

Kept changing ‘golf pose’

On the demolition of temples in Selangor which has upset the Indian community, Mohd Khir said the state government had to face the intractable issue of temples being built on private or reserved land.

“If it is private land, we always put a condition that the landowner must provide (another piece of) land to relocate the temple. In fact, we force them to give some compensation to the local temple.

“When we discussed (with the local residents), there is often no problem. However, when outsiders come into picture, there is problem - they make the matter worse,” the menteri besar claimed.

Mohd Khir appeared to brush aside the criticism of MIC president and Works Minister S Samy Vellu who was irked by the demolition of a 100-year-old temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya in late October.

“They created the story of 100-, 200-year-old temple, (which is) not true. We know the oldest temple in the state... I don’t know what happened to him (on why Samy Vellu had reacted the way he did) - we demolished the temple only after Deepavali,” he said.

While the local authorities were stopped from demolishing the temple a few days before Deepavali, they however returned to complete the job soon after the Hindus’ most important festival.

Mohd Khir stressed that the state government’s move to demolish the temple was not made abruptly and they had started discussions and negotiations with the local residents for years.

“They kept on changing their ‘golf pose’ - we followed, but still we can’t do much,” he lamented.

‘No big impact’ on BN chances

Nevertheless, Mohd Khir remained optimistic and was of the view that such controversies would not jeopardise the ruling Barisan Nasional’s chances in Selangor in the next general elections due next year.

“After we give clear explanation, the people will become more reasonable and accept it. The issue turns into a big issue often due to no clear explanation... We are very caring actually,” he emphasised.

But he hoped voters do not cast their votes emotionally in the polls.

“Sometimes we have to make unpopular decision, but that is the reality that we have to face. We don’t want to be a party that promise yang bukan-bukan (something not workable) but can’t fulfill them after the election.

“The opposition knows they can never be the government so they promised macam-macam (all sort of things). They don’t really have commitment,” he argued.

Highlights of the interview

On Kg Berembang and Kg Rimba Jaya

Those in Rimba Jaya and Berembang are a minority group which is not happy. They are less than 20 percent (of the total residents). We have discussed with them at the initial stage until we reached a decision that the majority are satisfied with, only then we act. These squatters are to be moved to a better place and housing rental is being paid by the developer, state government or local authority until their houses are completed.

But there is a small group not happy because they applied for the land to be given to them or they argued the land was developed by them. We have explained that the land is privately-owned, not government-owned. We have many discussions with everybody. Take Rimba Jaya - we started talking about the issue five years back. Berembang was four years back.

On the temple demolition in Shah Alam

They created the story of 100-, 200-year-old temple, (which is) not true. We know the oldest temple in the state. There are about 810 big temples in Selangor and thousand of small temples. I don’t know what happened to him (MIC president S Samy Vellu who was upset over the demolition). We demolished the temple after Deepavali.

Impact on BN’s chances in general elections

Rakyat has to see the performance of the BN government. We are not simply doing something, we are doing it for our future. Sometimes we have to make unpopular decision, but that is the reality we have to face. We don’t want to be a party that promise yang bukan-bukan but can’t fulfill them after the election. The opposition knows they can never be the government, they promised macam-macam. They don’t really have commitment.

Like (PAS-led) Kelantan. Last time, they said they want to push for hudud law, what happen to that now? We don’t want to be a government that cheat the people. We want to be a government with integrity.

On the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf)

Hindraf is not something new, it has been moving in Selangor for three, four years. They have the agenda to turn the Malays into their enemy. We see it, it has been there for a long time. They questioned why Islam is higher than other religions when we know Islam is the official religion and it was agreed to during the Independence. They also questioned the bumiputeras’ rights.

Criticisms against his leadership

I already have done my best. If people want to criticise, I can’t say anything. So far, Selangor is doing quite well. We have clear direction. We know what to do for the next five years.

LANDASAN KEMBAR: BEBAN RAKYAT RM2,500 SEORANG

Landasan Berkembar: Hentikan kegilaan ini - Kim Quek

Penganugerahan kontrak untuk membina landasan berkembar dari Ipoh kePadang Besar yang bernilai RM 12.5 billion, dijangka akan menjadikan projek ini satu lagi projek pembaziran, yang hanya akan menambah koleksi projek gajah putih dinegara ini.

Amat jelas, sekiranya diperhatikan operasi Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) masa ini. Dengan jaringan landasan sepanjang 1,700km yang merentasi segenap pelusuk Semenanjung Malaysia, KTMB hanya memperolehi RM288 juta hasil pengangkutan yang diperolehi pada tahun 2006, melalui sumbangan seperti berikut:

Perkhidmatan antara Bandar RM71 juta
Perkhidmatan komuter dikawasan Kuala Lumpur RM 85 juta
Perkhidmatan kargo RM132 juta
Jumlah RM 288 juta

Menuruti perkiraan kami, jumlah pendapatan melalui pengangkutan seluruh semenanjung berjumlah RM203 juta, tidak termasuk perkhidmatan komuter dikawasan Kuala Lumpur, yang dihasilkan menerusi landasan keretapi sepanjang 1,525 km, (1,700-175). Dengan mengasingkan 30% dari jumlah pendapatan ini kepada sektor Ipoh-Padang Besar (walaupun laluan ini hanyalah 22% daripada jumlah panjang keseluruhan iaitu 1,525 km), pendapatan sepatutnya ialah RM60 juta.

Kita bersetuju, jumlah penggunaan akan meningkat selepas projek ini disiapkan tetapi terdapat had kepada pertambahan. Katakan, pendapatan meningkat 7 kali ganda, pendapatan tahunan masa depan untuk laluan ini berjumlah RM420 juta – cuma 3.3% daripada jumlah pelaburan awal sebanyak RM12.5 billion.

Pendapatan yang begitu rendah kerana penggunaan yang rendah menunjukkan, projek ini tidak akan memberi apa-apa kesan terhadap ekonomi ataupun sektor pengangkutan apabila siap kelak.

Sebaliknya, mari kita berfikir sejenak, apakah makna RM12.5 billion ini kepada rakyat jelata.
Pertama, setiap rakyat dinegara ini terpaksa menanggung beban sebanyak RM2,500.00 seorang. |more...|

Recall for Proton Gen2/Satria Neo jacks

December 18, 2007 05:51 PM

Proton has announced a recall of wheel jacks supplied with the Gen2 and Satria Neo after routine tests conducted on a batch of jacks for the models revealed some inconsistencies in the quality of the item which is used to raise the car to replace a puncture tyre (some people actually don’t know that!).



“Proton has time and again stated our commitment towards our customers in terms of product and service quality. Their safety and satisfaction is of paramount importance to us. As such, despite the fact that only selected jacks are affected, Proton is not treating this matter lightly as it involves the safety of our customers. Even though there have been no incidents reported in relation to this, Proton has taken the initiative to recall the jacks and replace them with new ones,” said the company’s Managing Director Dato' Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.



Only models with jacks in bronze and gold-like colours are being recalled and were supplied with the Gen2s since January 2004 and the Satria Neos sold since April 2006. The models with jacks which are blue in colour are said to have no quality issues and therefore do not require replacement.

Owners of the models with the jacks described are requested to bring their jacks and their vehicle registration card to any authorized Proton service branches and selected Proton service dealers for a free replacement. Hopefully Proton will be flexible enough to provide the replacement in the event the registration card cannot be furnished as some banks retain the document using the tenure of the hire-purchase loan.

Owners who are unsure of the status of their jacks or require further clarification can contact Proton i.Care at 1300-880-888.

The recall announcement certainly marks a change at Proton as it has usually avoided making public announcements of this nature, perhaps due to the belief that such recalls would serve to reinforce public belief that Proton quality levels are poor. However, consumers would generally feel more assured that a manufacturer is pro-active in recalling a product because it shows that the manufacturer cares about the safety of its customers.

While critics may choose to use this recall as further evidence of Proton’s poor quality, the company would probably find that it ‘wins points’ with most owners for showing that it too can have some defects in its products and is willing to admit it, unlike in the past when quality issues were dismissed as 'irrelevant' and the management refused to make public recalls (quietly changing defective parts only when owners came in for servicing). After all, if even Toyota’s Lexus division – which boasts the highest quality in the world – acknowledges defects and announces recalls, why should Proton not be willing to do so?

YURAN: NAK BAYAR KE TIDAK?

Bayaran boleh dikurangkan ikut kemampuan ibu bapa selepas perbincangan dengan PIBG

KUALA TERENGGANU: Kementerian Pelajaran menetapkan tiga kategori bayaran siling yuran tambahan sekolah tahun depan yang dijelaskan mengikut pendapatan keluarga pelajar dengan paras tertinggi bagi sekolah menengah sehingga RM55.50 dan terendah RM33.50, manakala sekolah rendah antara RM38.40 dan RM23.50.

Bagi kategori A, sekolah rendah dan menengah yang mempunyai pelajar dari keluarga berpendapatan tinggi yang majoriti kumpulan peniaga besar dan kumpulan profesional, masing-masing perlu membayar yuran sebanyak RM38.50 dan RM55.50.

Kategori B membabitkan pelajar dari keluarga pendapatan sederhana, peniaga sederhana dan kakitangan awam sokongan membayar yuran siling RM30.50 (sekolah rendah) dan RM44.50 (menengah).

Kategori C, pelajar dari keluarga luar bandar, sekolah kurang murid, sosoiekonomi rendah dan kumpulan peniaga kecil siling yuran ialah RM23.50 (sekolah rendah) dan RM33.50 (menengah).

Ketua Pengarah Pelajaran, Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom, berkata harga siling yuran tambahan itu boleh dikurangkan berdasarkan kemampuan ibu bapa dan hasil perbincangan pihak sekolah dengan Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru-Guru (PIBG).

"Kita beri garis panduan harga siling bayaran tambahan itu contohnya untuk MSSM (Majlis Sukan Sekolah-sekolah Malaysia) RM2 dan insuran diri RM1.50," katanya katanya ketika ditemui selepas merasmikan Ekspo Pendidikan Terengganu 2007 di Pusat Dagangan Terengganu (TTC), di sini, semalam.

Malaysia: Penan headman missing, feared murdered

via: Scoop

21/12

A headman from the Penan tribe of Sarawak, Malaysia, has gone missing and his community fear he may have been murdered. Kelesau Naan was last seen on 23 October when he left on a hunting trip. After two months of searching for their leader, the Penan have reported his disappearance to the police.

The Penan have spent twenty years trying to keep logging companies off their land. Their plight deeply moved BBC presenter Bruce Parry when he visited them for his hit TV show Tribe.

The Penan fear that Kelesau Naan may have been murdered for his resistance to the logging. His community lies within a logging concession granted to Malaysian company Samling, and he was a leader in the Penan's struggle against the devastation of their land.

Before his disappearance Kelesau said, 'Defiance has proven its worth. We are glad that we didn't allow ourselves to be bought by the logging companies.'

Tensions between the logging companies and the Penan have intensified in recent months. In April and in August this year, security forces were called in to help dismantle Penan road blockades.

In the late 1990s when Samling was advancing on Kelesau's community, the Penan blocked the logging road, making human barricades in front of the company's bulldozers. The Malaysian army ended the blockade with force, injuring 14 and arresting four Penan. But the Penan kept up their opposition, and Samling moved on to log other areas. To stop the company returning, Kelesau and others initiated a major Penan land rights claim, which has been awaiting trial since 1998.

Survival's director Stephen Corry said today, 'Kelesau Naan may have paid the ultimate price for standing up for his people's rights to their land. It is time the Malaysian government recognised the Penan's land rights and ended the harassment of those who seek to defend these rights.'

Yuran sekolah - Kalau tidak wajib, kenapa perlu bayar ansuran

dipetik: penpasksgb
Oleh SM Noor

Kuala Terengganu – Rakyat masih tidak jelas dengan kenyataan Menteri Pendidikan, Hishamusin Hussein berhubung dengan isu pemansuhan yuran sekolah.

Kelmarin, Hishamudin mengulang kenyataan yang dibuat pada 18 November lalu iaitu selain dari yuran Bayaran tambahan yang dikenakan oleh pihak sekolah atau Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIGB) adalah tidak wajib dan bergantung kepada persetujuan ibu bapa pelajar.

Ustaz Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah menyifatkan kenyataan Hishamudin sebagai kenyataan yang mengelirukan.

“Sekiranya tidak wajib mengapa ibu bapa perlu bayar ansuran? Mengapa pula perlu kepada kebenaran kerajaan” sangkal Ustaz Wan Sukairi selaku Setiausaha, Pertubuhan Pembangunan Insan Bestari Terengganu.

“Sekiranya ibu bapa perlu bayar ansuran, bermakna kementerian mewajibkan yuran-yuran tersebut”

Selaku penggerak kepada NGO yang bersifat pendidikan dan kemasyarakatan, beliau kesal dengan kenyataan ‘silap mata’ menteri tersebut. Menurut beliau seorang menteri sepatutnya arif didalam keadaan kehidupan rakyat.

“Dengan mengatakan ‘mustahil’ ada ibu bapa yang tidak mampu membayar, menunjukkan bahawa Hishamudin tidak mengetahui keadaan rakyat terutamanya di Terengganu” tambah Ustaz Wan Sukairi

“Pertubuhan Insan Bestari akan menunjukkan bukti dan menyenaraikan ibu bapa miskin di Terengganu, yang tidak mampu untuk membayar yuran tersebut, dan menyerahkannya kepada Menteri Pendidikan untuk diambil tindakan” jelas Ustaz Wan Sukairi

Sehubungan dengan itu, masyarakat pada umumnya tidak berpuas hati dengan penghapusan yuran yang hanya sekadar RM 4.50 bagi sekolah rendah dan RM 9.00 bagi sekolah menengah. Penghapusan itu terlalu kecil, sepatutnya kerajaan boleh menambah lebih peruntukan untuk ko-kurikulum dan yuran PIBG, supaya meringankan beban ibu bapa.

Ustaz Ismail Dagang, bekas Pengerusi PIBG Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Duyong disini, menyatakan, sepatutnya kerajaan, teutamanya kerajaan Terengganu mampu menambah peruntukan untuk ko-kurikulum dan PIBG.

“Kerajaan Terengganu membelanjakan RM300 juta untuk menganjurkan ‘Monsoon Cup’ kemudian dikatakan mendapat untung beratus juta, takkan nak mengagihkan sedikit subsidi untuk pendidikan tak mampu” jelas beliau.

Manakala Ustaz Ahmad Kamal Ali, Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Kuala Terengganu juga merasa kesal atas kenyataan Menteri Pendidikan yang tidak peka dengan masalah yang dihadapi oleh rakyat masakini.

Beliau menyatakan bahawa, rakyat bawahan kini terpaksa bertarung untuk hidup akibat kenaikan hampir semua harga barang keperluan.

“Ada diantara ibu bapa yang pusing kepala, menghadapi kenaikan barang-barang keperluan sekolah terutamanya dari golongan nelayan yang tidak mempunyai pendapatan pada musim tengkujuh seperti waktu ini“jelas beliau

“ Saya mempersilakan Menteri Pelajaran untuk datang ke Kuala Terengganu untuk melihat kesusahan kehidupan rakyat bawahan bukan hanya sekadar bercakap di Kuala Lumpur” tegas Ustaz Ahmad Kamal

21/12 BERITA MERAPU HARI INI

RM4 juta sambut Kuala Terengganu jadi bandar raya
KUALA TERENGGANU 20 Dis. – Kerajaan negeri memperuntukkan sebanyak RM4 juta bagi mengadakan majlis sambutan sempena pengisytiharan Kuala Terengganu sebagai bandar raya dan Tahun Melawat Terengganu (TMT) pada 1 Januari ini.
No2umnO - Kalau dibelanjakan untuk mangsa banjir, lebih baik.

Masyarakat India dapat perhatian kerajaan Johor
JOHOR BAHARU 20 Dis. – Kerajaan negeri Johor sentiasa mengambil berat keperluan kaum India di negeri itu dalam pelbagai bidang termasuk pendidikan, perumahan dan soal agama, kata Ketua MIC Negeri, Datuk K.S. Balakrishnan.
No2umnO - Ni semua jenis bidan terjun. Jangan tak der atau indah khabar dari rupa

Samy Vellu: Demonstrasi jejas kesetiaan masyarakat India
KUALA LUMPUR 20 Dis. – Presiden MIC, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu malam ini mengakui demonstrasi jalanan yang dianjur sebuah perkumpulan haram baru-baru ini sedikit-sebanyak menjejaskan kesetiaan masyarakat India kepada kerajaan.
No2umnO - Samy tiba tiba bersuara, selepas hilang tanpa khabar. Setakat nak test market.

Sekutu Thaksin ditolak? -- Penasihat Bhumibol bayangkan istana tidak ‘restu’ penyokong bekas PM
BANGKOK 20 Dis. – Penasihat tertinggi Raja Bhumibol Adulyadej, Jeneral Prem Tinsulanonda hari ini membayangkan kemungkinan pihaknya menolak kemenangan sekutu bekas Perdana Menteri, Thaksin Shinawatra pada pilihan raya umum Ahad ini.

‘Syarikat perlu henti beli pesawat Eropah’
JAKARTA 20 Dis. – Menteri Pengangkutan hari ini mendesak syarikat penerbangan agar tidak membeli pesawat Eropah sebagai reaksi kepada Kesatuan Eropah (EU) yang mengharamkan penerbangan pesawat Indonesia.

Parti politik beli undi semurah RM20
AT SAMAT 20 Dis. – Berjuta-juta pengundi di Roi Et, wilayah miskin di timur laut Thailand dikatakan mampu menentukan pemenang pilihan raya Ahad ini dengan tawaran ‘beli undi’ semurah RM20.

Umi Azlim mangsa iklan Internet – Ibu

Umi Azlim mangsa iklan Internet – Ibu
GUANGZHOU 20 Dis. – Umi Azlim Mohamad Lazim yang dijatuhi hukuman mati kerana menyeludup dadah di selatan China, memberitahu ibu bapanya bahawa dia diumpan oleh iklan Internet yang menawarkan bayaran lumayan untuk menjadi penghantar barang. |more...|

MINYAK MASAK HABIS, SALAHKAN RAKYAT?

Kangar kehabisan minyak masak akibat kenduri, pembeli panik

KANGAR: Keperluan minyak masak di Perlis tidak bertambah namun kekurangan bahan itu sejak kebelakangan ini sehingga menimbulkan keresahan pengguna dikaitkan dengan kegiatan pembelian panik dan musim kenduri.

Pemangku pengerusi Jawatankuasa Penguatkuasaan Perlis, Zahari Bakar berkata, beliau percaya pembelian panik atau pembelian secara berlebihan oleh pengguna serta pembelian oleh para penganjur kenduri turut menjadi punca kekurangan itu.

Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas mengetuai operasi memeriksa harga barangan di pasar besar Kangar di sini hari ini, Zahari berkata, dakwaan bahawa para pengilang minyak membekalkan bahan itu ke Thailand secara berlebihan adalah satu andaian sahaja.

"Memang benar minyak masak juga dieksport tapi bukan dalam jumlah yang besar. Perkara ini sudah lama dilakukan," kata Zahari dan menurutnya purata penggunaan minyak masak di Perlis setiap bulan ialah 205 tan metrik. |more...|

No2umnO - Sampai bila lah rakyat hendak dipersalahkan? Sebab rakyat tidak boleh menjawab balik, maka rakyat asyik di jadikan alasan kalau kekurangan stok di pasaran. Ramai mana sangat lah kalau yang membuat kenduri kendara di hari raya Haji ini? Kenyataan Pemangku pengerusi Jawatankuasa Penguatkuasaan Perlis adalah satu bentuk kenyataan bodoh.