Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Where voters outnumber local population
- Enforcement officers offered bribes as high as RM1mil
- Handphones riskier than Lynas ore, says Pahang MB
- Kuantan MP: Putrajaya selling out people for Lynas funds
- PM: New air force base in Sendayan to replace Sg Besi base
- Non-Muslims in Sabah in a limbo
- Declassify IPP agreements, DAP tells Putrajaya
- Lynas offered to fund waste management R&D in deal for licence
- Lynas’ plant environmental, radiological reports for public scrutiny till June 30
- Khairy: Pakatan immature for taking credit in petrol issue
- 58 residential areas face landslide risk
- RMAF to have training base
- Najib: Stop the infighting
- PM: Govt did not promise overseas scholarships to all top students
| Where voters outnumber local population Posted: 28 May 2011 04:40 AM PDT (Bernama) - The Election Commission (EC) has been urged to monitor state and parliamentary constituencies where registered voters outnumber the local population, to prevent any irregularity. Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Umno had detected a questionable pattern of voter registration in certain areas that was likely to favour the opposition. He claimed this was happening in places like Penang where those living on the island were purposely registered as voters on the mainland. Speaking to reporters after opening the Kota Melaka Umno divisional meeting here today, he said: "It appears that the same strategy is being used in Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca." "Only voters from the constituency involved should be allowed to vote there, not those who are turned into phantom voters," he stressed. He said Umno was prepared to present evidence of the opposition's scheme to the EC for further action.
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| Enforcement officers offered bribes as high as RM1mil Posted: 27 May 2011 11:02 PM PDT (Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 442 people have been arrested since April last year until March this year for bribing enforcement officers, with the highest bribe offered at RM1mil. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Community Education division director, Datuk Samsiah Abu Bakar, said 422 of those arrested were men and 282 were locals. "The arrest shows that the MACC is firm and we hope the public are also firm in rejecting bribes, no matter how small the amount involved," she added. She said this during a forum," Towards Zero Corruption: Role of NGO in Fighting Corruption", here Saturday. Meanwhile, MACC deputy chief commissioner, Datuk Sutinah Sutan, said associations and non-governmental organisations (NGO) should be active in helping MACC to fight corruption. This, she said, was because the NGOs interacted a lot with the public and they could help explain on the dangers of corruption. "The NGOs can be the eyes and ears or watchdog to report any malpractices, misappropriation, corruption and power abuse," she told reporters after the forum. She said eradication of corruption was the responsibility of everybody and not that of the enforcement authorities or MACC alone. - Bernama |
| Handphones riskier than Lynas ore, says Pahang MB Posted: 27 May 2011 10:58 PM PDT By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider GENTING HIGHLANDS, May 28 — Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob today said concerns over Lynas Corp's Gebeng refinery were exaggerated, claiming the public have more to fear from cell phones than the rare earths to be processed there. "There is nothing really...handphones have more radiation," the Pahang mentri besar said during an MCA retreat here today. Adnan accused Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers, specifically PKR's, of "creating fears" about safety issues and blowing the matter out of proportion. "PKR is smart, they are using the nuclear issue in Japan, radiation... of course people are scared," he said. Adnan added that the federal government should have "nipped the problem in the bud" when the issue first arose, by countering PKR's attacks against the plant's construction. "In Lynas, we made a mistake... to the point where MCA ever tried taking over the role of the opposition," said Adnan. The Pahang MB, however, refused to add anything further during a press conference later. "I don't want to prejudge anything... I advise that you do the same, don't write about Lynas, let the independent panel evaluate," he told reporters. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai, who was also present during the press conference, repeatedly stated that the safety of Malaysians was of paramount importance, and that the Najib administration would not "compromise the safety of its people." Green groups here and in Australia have lobbied their respective governments to scupper the project ahead of Lynas Advanced Materials Plant LAMP's September start date, citing the company's opaque plans on waste storage and transport management between the Mount Weld mine in Western Australia and the Gebeng refinery. The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has expressed "grave concern" that waste products could wreak harm on those living nearby. The association, representing the country's 13,000 doctors, stressed that the possible health risks presented by radiation from "extremely toxic" thorium outweighed the economic benefits from the project. |
| Kuantan MP: Putrajaya selling out people for Lynas funds Posted: 27 May 2011 10:56 PM PDT By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Putrajaya has committed "an act of treason on the rakyat" by asking Lynas Corp to set aside earnings from its Gebeng rare earth plant to fund research into waste disposal, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh said today. She claimed the existence of the condition, imposed on the Australian mining giant by the Najib administration in exchange for a manufacturing licence, showed that the government had doubts about the controversial plant's safety. "Why should we be doing research on waste management now? Should not Miti (Ministry of International Trade) have gathered all the facts prior to awarding them the strategic pioneer status?" Fuziah said in a statement. The Malaysian Insider reported today that Lynas was asked to pay the government a "certain percentage" from its annual gross profit to undertake research and development on the management and disposal of radioactive waste or pay financial security. Currently, rare earth waste products can only be buried, recycled or transmuted into non-radioactive material, although many small operations in China release toxic waste into the general water supply. A government source said the requirement was mooted as a condition of Lynas's manufacturing licence by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) during a meeting that also included representatives from the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) and Miti. While the source stressed that AELB — and not Mida or Miti — had asked for the security, he insisted that the payments should not construed as indemnity against potentially hazardous waste that may result from processing rare earths at the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng, Pahang. Fuziah said today it was "immoral" for Lynas to pay what she described as a surety fund given its assurance that the plant will be safe, and claimed this was proof the company was ready to sacrifice fundamental principles just to obtain a local manufacturing licence. She added that the government should make every doubt about LAMP a reason to nix the project as people's lives and safety was non-negotiable and too priceless to trade. Mida and Miti successfully pulled Lynas to set up shop here after China — the world's biggest rare earths producer — closed its doors to foreign firms to maintain its 97 per cent chokehold on the global rare earths market. |
| PM: New air force base in Sendayan to replace Sg Besi base Posted: 27 May 2011 02:48 PM PDT By Sarban Singh, The Star GEMAS: A new air force base will be built in Sendayan in Negri Sembilan, to replace the Sg Besi base in Kuala Lumpur. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the details of the project would be announced soon. He was speaking to reporters after launching the community rehabilitation centre here on Saturday. It has long been speculated that the Sg Besi air base would be redeveloped into a commercial hub but the high cost of a relocation, estimated to cost several hundred millions of ringgit, if not more, has been a major sticking point. On June 10, last year, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that the air base would be closed to make way for the "Greater KL" development project as laid out in the 10th Malaysia Plan. Apart from Royal Malaysian Air Force and the police air wing, the air unit of the Fire and Rescue Deparment (Bomba) also operates from the airport, as well as the Royal Selangor Flying Club with its fleet of three Cessna aircraft and a Robinson R44 Raven helicopter. The Aerospace Medical Institute and the RMAF museum are also located there. The Sungai Besi Airport is the country's first international airport. The 162-hectare airport, also known as Simpang, served as the main air link from 1952 to 1965, before Subang Airport was opened. Sungai Besi Airport was originally used as an airstrip in the 1930s but was turned into an airport after World War 2. |
| Non-Muslims in Sabah in a limbo Posted: 27 May 2011 02:46 PM PDT By Michael Kaung, Free Malaysia Today KOTA KINABALU: Many non-Muslims in Sabah are living in a limbo. In their birth certificates, there is no indication of their religion or citizenship status. In the space for citizen and religion columns it is stated "maklumat tidak diperolehi" (information not available)." A former researcher and analyst who only wanted to be known as Steve, says that there is a big need for improvement as data gathered by federal government departments is hopelessly and perhaps willfull wrong. The root of the problem, he says is that right from the beginning departments like the National Registration Department (NRD) failed to gather accurate information about citizens or others who do not fall into the category of Muslims. He said that when he recently scrutinised government forms he was surprised that the forms failed to provide for the large population of non-Muslims in Sabah who were simply bracketed "information not available" group. He said this is abuse is because of the inconsistency in the birth certificate application forms for Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. Relating his experience, he said: "On May 20, the place I was staying was burned down. As a consequence, I lost all my personal documents including the original copies of my birth certificate and MyKad. "On the same day, I went to the Penampang Police Station to make a report and was told to collect the type-written report on May 23 which I did. "From there I went straight to the Fire Department and obtained a confirmation letter from the officer in charge and then proceeded to the NRD, Penampang Branch to apply for a replacement of MyKad and birth certificate. "There was no problem with my MyKad application as everything went smoothly and I obtained a temporary identity document. I was asked to collect the MyKad in one month's time. |
| Declassify IPP agreements, DAP tells Putrajaya Posted: 27 May 2011 02:42 PM PDT By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The government must declassify the independent power producer (IPP) agreements to justify its failure to restructure the contracts and to allow public scrutiny, the DAP has said.
"The government must declassify the independent power producer (IPP) agreements to justify their refusal and failure to restructure these wildly unfair contracts which allows them to make astronomical returns at the expense of the people," DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua (picture) said in a statement today. The opposition has stated that the Najib administration would only spur inflation by removing the diesel super subsidy before cutting "big opium" gas subsidies worth RM19 billion for IPPs and commercial power sectors. But MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek countered that argument by saying that Putrajaya is unable to do so because it is tied up in agreements with various IPPs, and to restructure the agreements would put the government in a bad light. Pua stressed that there was a need to make public the IPP purchasing power agreements (PPA), and used the highway toll concession agreements as an example. After the agreements were declassified in 2009, "close scrutiny" showed well-defined terms which allowed the government to buy back the concessions. The declassification of the highway toll concessions, according to the DAP leader also proved that former Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu was "lying" when he charged that the government would have to fork out billions of ringgit in compensation should the concession contracts be terminated. "It is only with the declassification of the PPAs from the Official Secrets Act (OSA) that Dr Chua can prove that he is not another Samy Vellu who tried to protect the interest of the crony concessionaires while hiding behind the OSA," said the Petaling Jaya Utara MP, who added that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had no confidence with the government's political will in renegotiating the IPP contracts.
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| Lynas offered to fund waste management R&D in deal for licence Posted: 27 May 2011 11:18 AM PDT By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Australian mining giant Lynas Corp will set aside part of its earnings from its controversial processing plant in Gebeng to help Putrajaya sponsor research into how toxic rare earth can be disposed off safely, government sources have said. A source told The Malaysian Insider that Lynas was asked to pay the government a "certain percentage" from its annual gross profit to undertake research and development on the management and disposal of radioactive waste or pay financial security. Currently, rare earth waste products can only be buried, recycled or transmuted into non-radioactive material, although many small operations in China release toxic waste into the general water supply. It is understood that the requirement was mooted as a condition of Lynas' manufacturing licence by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) during a meeting that also included representatives from the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). While the source stressed that AELB — and not Mida or MITI — had asked for the security, he insisted that the security should not construed as indemnity against potentially hazardous waste that may result from processing rare earths at the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) in Gebeng, Pahang. "There's no such thing as an indemnity fund," the source said. Lynas told The Malaysian Insider last week that it had deposited money with Putrajaya "to ensure safe management of any remaining residues as required by the AELB". However, the company did not elaborate on the deposit or disclose the sum paid to AELB, charged by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to approve and monitor radioactive industries. But AELB director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan was quick to deny that his agency had made the deposit a requirement. "It's got nothing to do with AELB. You got to check with Mida, check with MITI," he told The Malaysian Insider. Mida and MITI successfully pulled Lynas to set up shop here after China — the world's biggest rare earths producer — closed its doors to foreign firms to maintain its 97 per cent chokehold on the global rare earths market.
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| Lynas’ plant environmental, radiological reports for public scrutiny till June 30 Posted: 27 May 2011 11:15 AM PDT (The Malaysian Insider) - KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Two key assessment reports for the controversial Lynas rare earth refinery in Kuantan — environmental and radiological — are available for public viewing from May 30 to June 30 at various government offices, the International Trade and Industry Ministry said in a statement. The ministry also told The Malaysian Insider that it ran public announcements in Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil newspapers on May 25, 2011, inviting the public to submit their views to the international review panel that will sit from May 29 to June 3. |
| Khairy: Pakatan immature for taking credit in petrol issue Posted: 27 May 2011 11:12 AM PDT (The Star) - HULU TERENGGANU: Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has called the Pakatan Rakyat immature for taking the credit in the Government's decision not to raise the price of RON95 petrol. The Opposition's claim that the decision came about due to their pressure on the Government was "immature politics" for political mileage, he said, adding that it was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's decision not to raise the petrol price. "I could have taken credit, too, but it would be a foolish thing to do," he said after launching the Hulu Terengganu Umno Youth meeting here yesterday. On allegations by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution that Khairy had backtracked on his support for the rationalisation of subsidy, the latter said he still believed in reducing subsidy but the timing must be right. "Reducing it (subsidy) now would be wrong given the high prices of goods as well as a high inflation rate. "There is nothing wrong in changing one's stand if it is for the benefit of the rakyat," he said. Meanwhile, in Petaling Jaya, Wanita MCA deputy secretary-general Tan Cheng Liang has ticked off Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for "sounding off an unnecessary alarm" when he claimed that the RON95 price would increase in July. Lim's claims were quashed after the Government announced it would not be increasing the price of the fuel for the time being, she added. "His false prophecy not only undermines his authority, but does not benefit the people in riding out the storm. "We hope Lim, as a chief minister, and his party will be more specific in tending to the plight of the people rather than seeking popularity in riding out the high tide of inflation," Tan said. |
| 58 residential areas face landslide risk Posted: 27 May 2011 10:56 AM PDT (Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR: Based on a Public Works Department (PWD) ) study last year, an estimated 58 housing estates in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor situated in hilly areas face the risk of landslides, said PWD director-general Datuk Mohd Noor Yaacob. "All 58 housing estates are situated within four local council areas, namely Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), Kajang Municipal Council (MPKJ) and Selayang Municipal Council (MPS)," he told Bernama when contacted, here, today. The highest number of areas at risk, 39, are listed under MPAJ, among them, Bukit Antarabangsa, Taman Melawati, Kampung Pasir, Taman Wangsa Ukay, Ukay Heights, Ukay Perdana, Kampung Tengah, Taman Keramat and Sering Ukay. The others are Beverly Heights, Taman Hillview, Dataran Ukay, Taman Sri Ukay, Villa Sri Ukay, Bukit Utama and its peak, Taman Sri Watan, Taman Tun Abdul Razak, Taman Kesuma, Taman Cheras Utama, Kampung Cheras Baru, Taman Bukit Permai, Taman Muda, Taman Saga, Taman Teratai and Taman Mega Jaya. Taman Mulia Jaya, Taman Permai Jaya, Lembah Jaya Selatan, Kampung Bukit Sungai Seputih and Taman Bukit Indah are also locations at risk. There are such 11 locations under DBKL's area of jurisdiction, which are, Taman Melati, Desa Melawati, Wangsa Maju, Setapak, Taman Keramat Permai, Setiawangsa, Kampung Warisan in Jalan Jelatek, Kampung Setia Jaya, Keramat Wangsa and TAR College. The areas under MPKJ are Taman Perkasa Indah, Taman Melur, Taman Tasek Permai, Ampang-Hulu Langat and the hilltop link road, with MPS having the least Cemerlang Heights, Gombak Setia and Karak Highway toll plaza. According to Mohd Noor, dangerous hillsides fall into two categories, the first, hazardous but not life threatening as there are no housing areas around, and the second, life threatening due to houses in the vicinity. Areas at the highest risk are within 100 metres from the hill slopes. Mohd Noor urged people building homes in hilly areas to include systematic safety features and ensure proper drainage as hill slopes could be weakened by water retention. |
| Posted: 27 May 2011 10:49 AM PDT By Adrian David, NST KUALA LUMPUR: The new air force base, to replace the one at Sungai Besi, will primarily served as a training establishment. Royal Malaysian Air Force chief Gen Tan Sri Rodzali Daud said the new base would house the numerous training facilities in the organisation 'under one roof' as a management and leadership centre, especially for non-commissioned officers. "It will allow us to restructure our operations and relocate the air divisions and command headquarters to forward operational bases just like how the navy and army has done." As part of the 'Air Force-Next Generation' strategy, Rodzali said the force would emphasise on courses in aero-mechanics, avionics, aerospace support equipment and information communications technology for the future generation of technically skilled personnel. He declined to identify the exact location of the new air base, which will not have a runway, but it is reportedly believed to be at Kota Warisan in Dengkil, near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang. The 160ha Sungai Besi air base will make way for the multi-billion ringgit upscale Bandar Malaysia, undertaken by 1Malaysia Development Bhd (IMDB) via the Armed Forces Superannuation Fund. |
| Posted: 27 May 2011 10:42 AM PDT (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: Umno division leaders must give priority to the needs of the people instead of being caught up with infighting, said party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. "The main objective of the party which we have nurtured all this while is to gain the trust of the people. "In a parliamentary democracy, the absolute measurement is to win the elections and form the government. There would be no meaning in having so many members, divisions and branches unless we succeed and form the government," he told reporters after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting here yesterday. To a question, Najib who is also Prime Minister, said he and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, as well as division chairmen, council members and the different wing chiefs regularly went down to the ground to look into people's needs. "The supreme council members have been entrusted to monitor five divisions each," he said, adding that as of May 25, 90 Umno divisions, 134 Wanita, 135 Youth and 152 Puteri divisions had completed their annual general meetings. On another matter, he said the council had decided to appoint former Perak Mentri Besar Tan Sri Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali as the chairman of the supreme council election committee for the 2011-2013 term. He also announced that the three-year suspension imposed on Bandar Tun Razak Wanita Umno chief Salma Pin, Bukit Katil division Puteri vice-chief Zalinah Ismail and Bukit Katil division committee member Saadun Basirun, who is also the political secretary to the Malacca Chief Minister had been lifted. The Umno disciplinary board suspended their membership from March 12, 2009 after they were found to be involved in money politics. On the 13th general election, Najib said an election simulation exercise would be undertaken in the middle of the year. "The preparations are continuous and efforts would be increased towards the general election," he said. |
| PM: Govt did not promise overseas scholarships to all top students Posted: 27 May 2011 10:41 AM PDT (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: While the Government promises scholarships for all top students, not everyone will be sent overseas, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He said the Government was committed to giving Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships to SPM students with results of 8A+ and better. "We didn't promise that everyone will get overseas scholarships. This is what the public did not understand," he told reporters here yesterday. Najib said students given scholarships for diploma and matriculation courses were still eligible for degree-level scholarships. "We will guarantee to sponsor students with a degree scholarship. Some people misunderstand that the sponsorship will stop at the diploma level and not be extended further," he said, adding that the scholarship issue had been discussed with various groups, including MCA, MIC and Gerakan. In a statement, PSD said students were chosen according to criteria approved by the Cabinet in 2009 and agreed to last year. It said it had received 16,900 applications this year. It said due to limited places and competition, candidates unsuccessful for overseas scholarships were offered courses in local varsities. The department said 58.8% of overseas scholarships were granted to Bumiputra students while the rest were for non-Bumiputras. Najib also said the Government would study the National Economic Council report on the electricity tariff review. On reports that the increase had already been decided, he said: "We will see first. I cannot say anything." Najib said the subsidy rationalisation study was not about reducing subsidies but about reducing its rate of increase. "The subsidies are increasing from the current RM12bil to some RM20bil. This means we have to find an estimated RM8bil, which is not a small sum," he added. |
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