Sarawak committed to fighting gangsterism

KUCHING: New Sarawak Commissioner of Police acting DCP Mohmad Salleh has pledged to continue the crackdown on gangsterism in the state.

"To me, there should be zero tolerance towards gangsterism. I see it as a serious problem and we will tackle it fully," he told a press conference after officially taking up his post at state police headquarters on Monday.

He pointed out that the anti-gangsterism Ops Cantas Kenyalang, which was launched in the state early this year, was an ongoing operation and police would continue to identify and take action against anyone involved in gangsterism.

He also urged the public to come forward if they had information on gangster-related activities.

"I hope the public will not just talk behind our backs but will come to see us. They can even meet me personally. My number is 019-6000 148," he added.

Earlier Mohmad described his new post as a challenging task as Sarawak has the biggest police contingent with 27 districts statewide.

"I'm confident that with the cooperation and support of the various department heads and OCPDs, we will be able to work together to carry out our duties," he said.

Previously the deputy police chief in Selangor, Mohmad took over as the 18th Sarawak Commissioner of Police from DCP Datuk Talib Jamal, who retired from the force in October.

The Star

Switch In Opening Show At LIMA 2007 Following Mishap

LANGKAWI, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The airfield seizure simulation planned for the opening tomorrow of the airshow segment of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) 2007 exhibition has been called off following the mishap during training yesterday that resulted in three paratroopers killed and 11 injured.

In its place will be an air assault exercise using aircraft, which will be preceded by a free-fall parachute jump by nine commandos of the Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) and not paratroopers of the 10th Para Brigade of the army.

This was disclosed today to reporters by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak after he had visited several of the paratroopers injured in yesterday's mishap, at the Langkawi Hospital here.

He said the 11th hour decision to switch the opening demonstration was made in view of yesterday's accident and due to the unpredictable strong winds that occurred often in the parachuting area at the Langkawi International Airport here.

"They (the commandos) performing the free-fall parachute jump can manoeuvre their parachutes and this will ensure better safety," he said.

During yesterday's training at about 10.30am, several of the 138 paratroopers of the 10th Para Brigade who jumped of their planes were blown off course, some by more than 500 metres, from the targeted area of the airport after they were caught in a gust.

Some of the paratroopers landed outside the perimeter fence of the airport, some got entangled in trees, some had a hard landing on the airport tarmac and some got blown way out to sea, among them the three who were killed.

The dead paratroopers were Ranger Siti Hajar Yakub, 24, Private Nurul Wahida Mohamad Yunus, 20, and Trooper Raimond Duncan, 25.

Twenty-two other paratroopers were ordered not to make the jump once it was learnt that some of those who had jumped earlier had gotten into difficulties.

Najib said that though highly skilled commandos would be engaged in the free-fall parachute jump tomorrow, any sign of unfavourable weather or strong winds could cause the event to be called off as well.

He said that unlike the 10th Para Brigade paratroopers, who would not be allowed to jump when the wind velocity exceeds 10 knots, the commandos could perform a parachute jump safely in winds of up to 25 knots.

This morning, the commandos and the relevant aircraft engaged in a training stint that went without a hitch.

Nevertheless, he said, personnel from the 10th Para Brigade would still be involved in the opening show as they would be aboard the aircraft engaged in the air assault exercise.

Asked on the investigation into yesterday's mishap, Najib said the board of inquiry chaired by Chief of Air Force Gen Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin was set up immediately, and that it had one month to come up with a report.

The members of the board and their number were being worked out with the assistance of the Chief of Army Gen Tan Sri Muhammad Ismail Jamaluddin, he added.

Earlier, Najib, accompanied by his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and the chiefs of army and air force visited the injured paratroopers at the Langkawi Hospital.

"They said they were able to save themselves as they were able to follow the stipulated procedures.

"If they should fall into the sea, there were certain procedures they had to follow.

"Although they were unable to fulfil all the procedures, they were at least able to execute some of them. This was what saved them," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Scratch-And-Win Contests Banned With Immediate Effect

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Scratch-and-win contests, normally used by direct selling companies to deceive consumers into buying their goods, have been banned with immediate effect.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal, in announcing this today, said the trade gimmick, which has spread to the rural areas, was banned because it was harmful to consumers, many of whom had been deceived into buying sub-standard goods.

Speaking to reporters after attending the ministry's monthly assembly here today, he said a total of 6,903 cases were filed with the Consumer Claims Tribunal in the first 10 months of this year with the highest number -- 1,393 cases -- being related to scratch-and-win contests, followed by 529 cases involving vehicle purchases.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the ministry today said the licences of 20 direct selling companies were revoked between 2005 and October 2007 for organising such contests.

It said the ministry would form a special task force to eliminate gimmicks such as scratch-and-win contests, get-rich-quick schemes and direct selling by companies intending to make quick profits.

The ministry will also step up consumerism campaigns, it said.

Complaints on unscrupulous trade practices could be forwarded to the ministry through e-aduan.kpdnhep.gov.my, toll free number 1-800-886-800, SMS to 32255 or the ministry's enforcement offices nationwide.

-- BERNAMA

Batu Kawa Bazaar aiming to strike for a new image

KUCHING: Batu Kawa Bazaar near here is entering a revolutionary phase.

Instead of just being a business centre, the bazaar known for many years as ‘Batu Kawa old town’, also aims to draw tourists to the area.

He said the bazaar, which had a history of its own, had a lot to offer to tourists including local food and other products.

“You have a lot of things to offer. You just need to know how to promote your products well,” he added.

He said although there had been great improvement to roads and other infrastructures in the area, many people were more familiar with MJC - the new Batu Kawa township - compared to the ‘main bazaar’.

Hence, he called on the local community to step up promotional activities, and be more creative to attract visitors to the area.

Yong, who is Stampin member of parliament, assured that the government would continue to help the local community by implementing more projects in the area in the near future.

Earlier, Batu Kawa assemblyman Tan Joo Phoi hoped there would be a good synergy between developers and the local community to enhance the ‘main bazaar’s’ attractiveness.

Tan, who is Padawan Municipal Council chairman, also urged the people to cooperate with the council in the upkeep of the area’s surrounding given it was what made the place attractive to visit.

The signage project, and also the beautification of the roundabout at the entrance to the bazaar were initiated by the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Batu Kawa sub-branch, SUPP Segobeng Youth Section, and funded by the Tourism Ministry.

The Borneo Post

Danger looming in palm oil industry

PETALING JAYA: Even as Malaysia’s palm oil industry basks in an era of prosperity and continued growth, a looming danger is threatening to derail it — shortage of qualified people to manage it, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Peter Chin Fah Kui said yesterday.

Speaking at the Palm Oil Refiners Association (Poram) 2007 Annual Forum and the launch of its revised contracts and arbitration here yesterday, he called on the industry to take steps to resolve the matter urgently, urging them to target particularly the young as well as the experienced.

“With the continuous expansion of the Malaysian palm oil industry and in the light of retirement of many senior experienced personnel and the migration of younger experienced personnel to other competing countries or other industries there is an urgent need to strengthen and enlarge the pool of our human capital,” Chin said.

He said proper training and strengthening of human capital were vital towards long-term sustainability.

“I hope that these type of courses (Poram’s) will attract the young as well as the experienced personnel who are eager to learn and equip themselves with the latest knowledge and skills that would further contribute towards the continued enhancement of the palm oil industry in the future,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Poram chairman Richard Cheang Kwan Chow said the association would organise an Introductory Course on Marketing and Trading of Palm Oil next May together with Malaysia Palm Oil Board.

He said the course was needed by the industry to train their new personnel and also to attract new entrants to the industry.

Cheang also said Poram had introduced the revised contracts and arbitration rules for palm oil exporters which would be effective from Jan 1 next year.

“Taking cognisance of the inputs from industries the contracts and the rules of arbitration have been updated to facilitate trade,” he said.

He said in 2005, there were major distractions in the market where default in payments and non-delivery of shipments have affected the country’s export business.

“The revised contracts and arbitration were expected to minimise the impact on industry players if any disruption happens,” he said.

– Bernama

Malaysian-made rockets in 15 years

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians building their own satellite or rocket in their garage?

This will be possible in the future as the National Space Agency is intensifying efforts to develop its capacity in satellite technology and teaching the skills to youths.

"It can happen if people at that time reach a certain level of technical expertise as well as have a desire to do something different," said its director-general Datuk Dr Mazlan Othman in a public lecture at the Academy of Sciences Malaysia yesterday.

The way to achieve that level, she said, was to expose schoolchildren and university students to satellite and rocket-building.

"Hopefully, in the next 15 to 20 years, the idea will not be so alien to them, as they would have touched or even built a satellite while studying," she said.
The National Space Agency has started going to schools and universities to raise awareness and to help develop certain skills among the children and undergraduates.

Mazlan added that it was not difficult to build satellites. "Only the sophisticated satellite needs to be built in a sophisticated place."

She said the agency planned to develop a centre to build satellites locally.

"We must provide jobs for the best brains in Malaysia to stay in the country so as to create a 'brain retention' of these space experts," she said.

Also present at the public lecture, which was entitled "Space: Its Value Proposition for Malaysian Security, Enterprise and Science", were Malaysia's first astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha and Academy of Sciences of Malaysia honorary treasurer Datuk Ahmad Zaidee Laidin.


Source : New Straits Times

Three Paratroopers Drowned During LIMA Training Session

LANGKAWI, Dec 2 -- Three paratroopers, two of them women, drowned while 11 others were injured during a training session that went awry at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2007 here today.

A police spokesman said strong winds pushed them away from the intended landing spot in the 10.30am incident.

"Strong gusts of wind pushed them out to sea near the Kuala Muda beach, not far from the Langkawi International Airport," he said.

Meanwhile, Langkawi OCPD Supt Mohamed Ali Jamalludin identified the victims as Siti Hajar Yaakob, 24, Nurul Wahida Yusof, 20, and Raymond Duncan, 25.

He said the bodies were now at the Langkawi Hospital morgue and would be released to the military after post-mortem.

A check showed that the hospital was guarded by military personnel and the morgue was off-limits to members of the media.

Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) public relations officer Major Zulkiflee Abdul Latiff said those involved were among 138 members of the 10th Para Brigade from the Terendak Camp in Melaka who were training for the opening of LIMA 2007 tomorrow.

He said that erratic wind patterns during the exercise caused some of them to stray off course.

"The search and rescue team was mobilised. The rest of the paratroopers are safe," he said in a statement, adding that further updates would be provided from time to time.

Mohamed Ali said that some of the paratroopers became entangled in tree branches near the beach.

The injured, comprising seven women and four men, were being treated at the Langkawi Hospital, he told reporters.

One of them, Suraya Ali, 23, was said to be in critical condition at the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) while the rest were doing fine.

Mohamed Ali said the paratroopers boarded two RMAF C-130 aircraft at 10.15am and 10.20am for the jump.

"However, between 18 to 20 of them fell into the sea," he said.

He said a rescue operation involving several helicopters and planes was immediately mounted by the Malaysian Armed Forces, Fire and Rescue Department, Marine Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

According to him, Siti Hajar died while she was being winched out of the sea.

-- BERNAMA