KUALA LUMPUR: Being located in the heart of the capital city did not give extra advantage to some schools.
This is true in the case of two schools which Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin visited yesterday.
He was upset to see how rundown SJK (T) Ladang Bukit Jalil was and the less than satisfactory state of SMK Setapak Indah.
The moment he arrived at the schools, Muhyiddin rolled up his sleeves and got down to work.
“I can observe for myself what the headmasters and principals have mentioned in their reports and at the same time look at the schools, too,” he said.
Face to face: Muhyiddin speaking to students of SMK Setapak Indah during his visit to the school Thursday.
After spending almost two hours at SJK (T) Ladang Bukit Jalil, Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said he was sad to see the condition of the school.
“Although the Government has provided aid, the school infrastructure is not very good. It is also hot and uncomfortable for the pupils and teachers,” he said.
At the end of his visit, Muhyiddin announced that the school would be relocated to another piece of land nearby.
“Work to construct the new school building on the 0.4ha land will start once the tender has been awarded,” he said.
The school, which was presently partially aided, he added, would become fully aided once it was constructed on government land.
The work was expected to take 18 months, he said, adding that teachers and pupils should be able to start the new school year there in 2011.
The allocation for the project was almost RM2mil and more than RM1mil had already been approved, he added.
SJK (T) Ladang Bukit Jalil headmistress Tamilselvi Suppiah said the 75-year-old school was originally built on estate land, and had six classrooms for 92 pupils from Years One to Six, and 14 teachers.
“Our enrolment figures started to drop after the school was affected by floods 13 times in the last two years,” she said.
At SMK Setapak Indah, Muhyiddin said the building was structurally safe despite cracks and some subsiding of the soil.
Work to repair these would be carried out immediately, he said, adding that the Public Works Department would also conduct a detailed study on the matter.
Condition of rundown buildings upsets Deputy PM
Penanti by-election hangs in the balance
Former Penang deputy chief minister 1 Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin says he is not power crazy
PUTRAJAYA: Embattled Penang politician Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin is having second thoughts about quitting as state assemblyman, creating a huge poser as to whether the anticipated Penanti by-election will proceed.
The Parti Keadilan Rakyat representative said he might stay on, now that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has said it did not have enough grounds to charge him with corruption.
Fairus resigned as Penang deputy chief minister 1 and Penanti assemblyman last week amid allegations over illegal quarrying operations.
He expressed confidence that the Pakatan Rakyat leadership would reassess his position.
"I'm sure the leadership will hear out what the people of Penanti have to say," he told the New Straits Times in a telephone interview.
If Fairus plans to return as Penanti assemblyman, he has until Monday to get the Penang speaker to notify the Election Commission on the resignation retraction, as the EC has to announce the vacancy in 10 days after being given the notice of vacancy.
If he misses the date, even if he is keen to stay on, he will not be able to do so as the law prohibits elected representatives who have resigned to contest for the next five years.
If the EC is notified of his retraction before the deadline, there will be no by-election in Penanti.
"He has every right to change his mind and remain as assemblyman, as he was rightfully chosen by the voters in Penanti," said EC deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar.
Fairus, who sounded visibly relieved, asked that the MACC statement which absolved him of the allegations be read to him.
"I thank God for bringing out the truth. Truth always prevails. I am just a leader for my voters, not one who is power crazy or out to enrich myself."
Fairus had said he wanted to resign to further his studies.
Yesterday, he conceded that he was also pressured to let go of his positions following the probes initiated against him.
"True, that was one of the reasons. When the baseless allegations were levelled against me, I felt that I needed to be given space for the issue to be cleared.
"It was not that I was afraid to face the consequences of the chalked-up claims, but rather to reflect the traits of a genuine leader," he said.
The MACC said the decision to clear Fairus was reached after all statements in the investigation reports were studied and the investigation papers referred to the commission's legal and prosecution unit, which subsequently found that the statements offered no grounds for prosecution.
The attorney-general, who was informed of the findings, agreed with the decision not to prosecute Fairus.
MACC Investigations Department director Deputy Commissioner Datuk Shukri Abdull said investigations revealed that Fairus' scope of duties and responsibilities under his portfolio had no direct link to the Penang quarry industry.
(Apart from chairing the state Religious Affairs Committee, Fairus was also chairman of the Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives, Information and Community Relations Committee.)
Shukri said probes showed that Fairus was merely tasked with handling investigations into a case that involved the alienation of land at Lot 954 and 955 in Mukim 20 of the Seberang Prai Tengah district.
Shukri also said the commission would send a team to Penang to conduct studies in promoting transparency and accountability as well as on the procedures and ethics in accepting contributions and donations.
He said the commission would propose that the findings of this study be implemented by all states and ministries.
Clerk-blogger held over SMS threats to Terengganu reps
PETALING JAYA: The ongoing leadership crisis in Terengganu took another twist with the arrest of a clerk- cum-blogger in Bangi on Monday, believed to be involved in sending out threatening SMSes to three of 10 Barisan Nasional assemblymen last week. The 31-year-old man is believed to be linked to the group of 10 assemblymen who boycotted the assembly sitting last week after receiving death threats via SMS. The group had claimed that the SMS had originated from a senior official in the Mentri Besar’s office. Terengganu police chief Senior Asst Comm (I) Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan, who confirmed the arrest, said the man was being investigated for involvement in a plot to discredit Ahmad. “We are hoping to make another arrest soon. We have already identified the individual but so far we have not been able to establish his whereabouts. “This person that we are looking for is someone who is involved with the group, but he is not a state assemblymen,” he told The Star. The suspect being sought is believed to be an aide of one of the 10 assemblymen. SAC Shukri said investigations thus far proved that the threatening SMS did not originate from the MB’s office. .Last Tuesday, the 10 assemblymen stayed away from the second day of the sitting of the assembly, claiming that they feared for their safety after three of them said they had received death threats via SMS. However, there were also suggestions that they were staging a boycott in protest against the leadership of Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said. The assemblymen involved are State Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Rosol Wahid, former mentri besar and Kerteh assemblyman Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, Paka assemblyman Zakaria Ariffin, Permaisuri assemblyman Halim Jusoh, Tepoh assemblyman Muhammad Ramli Noh, Mohd Zawawi Ismail (Kuala Berang), Datuk Din Adam (Bukit Besi), Alias Abdullah (Alor Limbat), Ramlan Ali (Jabi) and Mohd Pehimi Yusof (Kota Putera). In Kuala Terengganu, state CID chief Asst Comm Mohd Fauzi Abduri said the clerk-cum-blogger was arrested after several days of surveillance by a unit formed specifically to track the sender of the SMS. ACP Mohd Fauzi said the suspect was taken to his home in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, where his computers and related hardware were confiscated. The suspect had been remanded for four days and would be brought to Kuala Terengganu to facilitate investigations. In an immediate response, Ahmad said he was relieved to know that his office was not linked in the sending of the SMSes. “The truth has prevailed at last and we thank police for their prompt action.
Anwar says sorry to Guan Eng
PENANG: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng considers the problem between him and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim resolved after he received an apology from the Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser. Lim yesterday confirmed that Anwar had apologised to him for failing to inform him of the resignation of former deputy chief minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin as the assemblyman for Penanti. "I don't want the matter to go on," he said here
Arrest warrant out for Raja Petra (Update)
PETALING JAYA: The Sessions Court here issued a warrant of arrest against Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin on Thursday after he failed to turn up for his sedition trial. His lawyer J. Chandra informed judge Rozina Ayob that his client did not turn up in court on the grounds he is on a self-imposed exile from the state for “reasons that are well known.” “You know these ‘well known reasons,’ so please highlight them to the court,” Rozina said. “The accused is posting his reasons on his website this morning,” said Chandra. “You expect the court to go through that, is it?” the judge said. Chandra then went out to explain that for over a month now, Raja Petra, 58, has posted articles or comments on issues in relation to the Selangor royal house that have angered some members of his own family who have demanded an apology. On Malaysia Today, explaining why he did not attend court Thursday,Raja Petra wrote, “My family then gave me an ultimatum. I was to either make that public apology or else my family would insert an advertisement in the mainstream newspapers practically distancing itself from me, which could be interpreted as disowning me .... “I went into exile outside Selangor ... . It has to be noted that this has always been the punishment for any member of the Selangor Royal Family who is considered durhaka (traitorous) since the beginning of the Selangor Sultanate more than 250 years ago.” He also wrote that another reason why he did not attend court was the he did not expect to get a fair trial. In court on Thursday, his lawyer Chandra added, “You have to bear in mind that he is a member of royalty and this self-imposed exile is a punishment he has handed out to himself.” His wife Marina Lee, who is also his bailor, was also absent. Deputy Public Prosecutor Shahidani Aziz asked for a warrant of arrest to be issued against Raja Petra and a notice of showcause for his wife and bailor Marina. The judge granted both and set May 22 for mention. Raja Petra, a former Internal Security Act detainee, had on May 6 2008 claimed trial to publishing a seditious article on his Malaysia Today news portal on April 25 of that same year. He is accused of publishing the article Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell on the website www.malaysia-today.net. The charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948 carries a maximum fine of RM5,000 or three years' jail or both upon conviction.
Cycling / Jelajah Malaysia: Hometown drives Anuar to victory
WITH 14 riders from Terengganu in the peloton rushing to the finish of Stage Four from Kota Baru to Kuala Terengganu yesterday, there just had to be the first Malaysian stage winner in this edition of the Jelajah Malaysia.
Anuar Manan (centre) celebrates after winning the Jelajah Malaysia fourth stage from Pasir Mas to Kuala Terengganu yesterday. — Pic: YUSNI ARIFFINAnd after multiple prospects coming to the fore in an immensely aggressive stage under scorching coastal heat, the longest attack was cancelled out just five kilometres from the finish line, and the bunch sprint provided just the opportunity for Anuar Manan to bag his first victory of the year.
Anuar, 23, delivered Iranian outfit Azad University's second consecutive victory in this race, after teammate Hossein Nateghi bagged the previous stage from Grik to Tanah Merah, when he surged ahead of Doha Team's Tunisian World Cycling Centre (WCC) graduate Rafai Chtioui and Polygon-Sweet Nice's Russian Sergey Kudentsov to hit the finish to rapturous celebrations around the Kuala Terengganu town centre.
"Today (yesterday), I had targeted the win from the start. It is extra special since this is my hometown and I have so many supporters here," said Anuar.
The win didn't come easy as a group of 12 riders which included national riders Ahmad Fallanie Ali and Rauf Nor Misbah, Terengganu-Toshiba-Bikelabz's find of the season Saufi Mat Senan and Armed Forces' Nor Rizuan Zainal headed away probing for a runaway victory 30 kilometres into the 177.5 kilometre stage.
"It was a difficult day. The breakaway had built up an over six minutes advantage by the 100km point, so my team had to work at bringing back the group. It was hard in the final kilometres, but then when we caught the breakaway, I just prepared to get the win," said Anuar, last year's points classification winner.
Tabriz Petrochemical's Mehdi Sohrabi kept the overall lead in the race and is tied on 15 points in the points classification with Anuar.
The stage without a single categorised climb also meant Azad University kept the polka dot jersey on the back of Abbas Saeditanha, while the Malaysian riders' jersey remained intact with Suhardi Hassan.
The Jelajah Malaysia heads into Stage Five today, which at 204.8km is the longest this yearbut offers another flat stage and the opportunity for Anuar to register back-to-back wins should it finish in a bunch sprint.
Got Astro or TV? Sorry, no welfare aid for you
KUALA LUMPUR: The words "disabled, Astro" and "aid" cannot occur in the same sentence, as far as the Welfare Department is concerned.The department bars the disabled from getting welfare aid if they have Astro or a television set at home.
The rule applies even if one lives in someone else's house, temporarily or otherwise.
S. Karupanan, 73, found this out the hard way three months ago when the department cut the RM200 aid to him as he was temporarily staying in a house which "had Astro service".
The department had paid for surgery on one knee and promised to underwrite the cost of the operation on the other knee.
Welfare officers who came to visit him saw red when they chanced upon the Astro connection and immediately withdrew the aid.
For K. Shanmugam, 51, who applied for welfare assistance in 2005 on becoming paralysed, it has been a string of "no's" from the department for aid.
His mistake, he believes, was his honest reply when asked if he had a television set and Astro at home.
"That's the first question they asked. When I said I had both, they immediately said that I was not eligible for assistance as there were others poorer than me."
The former crane driver, who was earning RM2,000 in Singapore when a motorcycle accident four years ago left him paralysed, was baffled by the department's decision.
He said that the bills of the family of six were paid by relatives who realised that he only had Astro to keep him company when the children were out of the house.
"I cannot work. The only pleasure in my life now is the Astro service," he said.
Another extreme case is that of a a disabled 40-year-old, paralysed from the neck downwards, who lives with her partly-paralysed mother.
The disabled woman, who declined to be identified, decided against applying for an Astro connection after being warned by a welfare officer that they would cut aid to them if she did so.
What she cannot understand is why they would do so as Astro was the "only" company she and her mother could have at home.
"We cannot leave our house and we live on donations and welfare aid. What's wrong if some people who sympathise want to get us an Astro connection?"
Welfare director-general Datuk Meme Zainal Rashid could not be reached for comment.
