TUESDAY-30 SEPTEMBER 2008- BOY DIES AS HE STRUGGLES WITH SNATCH THIEF IN BUS

Boy dies as he struggles with snatch thief in bus

SANDAKAN:

A 15-year-old local boy was killed when he fell off a slow-moving bus here as he tried to get back a wallet that had just been snatched from him. The wallet contained just RM7O. In the incident along Batu 1 Jalan Utara, the suspect had apparently managed to get a screwdriver from inside the bus and used it to attack the boy. The Police station here received a telephone call from a bystander about a boy falling off the bus about 3.35pm. A Police team led by Chief Inspector Sharanjeit Singh rushed to the scene and detained the suspect, a local, for further investigations. The case has been classified as murder and will be investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides the mandatory death sentence upon conviction. Deputy OCPD Supt Fadzil Moh Ali is appealing to anyone who was travelling on that bus to come forward and contact Sharanjeit at 089-203207 to assist the Police ii their investigations.

TUESDAY-30 SEPTEMBER 2008- STANDBY AMBULANCE ALONG FIVE MAJOR ROUTES

Standby ambulance along five major routes

KOTA KINABALU:

St John Ambulance Malaysia, Sabah will be setting up Highway Emergency Ambulance Standby Stations during the two days before and after the Han Raya celebration along five major routes. They are at the Petronas station along the KK-Tuaran-Ranau Road, junction to OBS along KK-Papar Road, Kimanis-Keningau Highway and along the KK-Tambunan Road via Gunung Alab and Gunung Emas. St John Ambulance State Commander Datuk Dr Michael Z Atun Wee emphasised that St John Ambulance is aware that it is during this time that a lot of vehicles balik kampung (return to villages) for the Han Raya holidays and anything can happen on the road. “In view of this our trained first aiders will be on standby 24 hours to man the stations and they will be ready for any road emergencies as part of St John Ambulance’s service to the public.” “We wifi be there for you but make sure you drive safely and come back safely. Selamat Han Raya,” he said. The 24-hour emergency call centre of St John Ambulance can be contacted at 088- 231657 or 088-2706655 during this time should members of the public need emergency assistance.

TUESDAY-30 SEPTEMBER 2008- NINE UMNO MEMBERS SUSPENDED, ANOTHER ONE GETS WARINING

Nine Umno members suspended, another one gets warning

KUALA LUMPUR:

The Umno Disciplinary Board has suspended the membership of nine Umno members after finding them guilty of political corruption and sabotaging the Party. In a statement, the board’s Chairman, Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail said another member was given a warning. He said thesuspension was for a period of three years or one term, effective Sept 22. He said the decision was made at the board’s meeting from Sept 22-24. The 10 were from Kota Tinggi, Rantau Panjang and Tanah Merah divisions, he added. In KOTA BAHARU, former Rantau Panjang Umno Division Head Datuk Mohd Zain Ismail described the decision of the Disciplinary Board yesterday to suspend his membership as extreme. “I feel the decision of the Disciplinary Board is extreme,” he told reporters upon arriving from Kuala Lumpur at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport here. Mohd Zain said, however, he would send an appeal letter to the Umno Supreme Council, including the party president and deputy president. Apart from Mohd Zin, others from Kelantan Umno who were also suspended were former Tanah Merah Division Head Datuk Ismail Hassan, former Rantau Panjang Division Head Ghazali Ismail, former Rantau Panjang Youth Head Fauzi Omar and former Rantau Panjang Wanita Head Fauziah Che Wok. At the same media conference, Ghazali said be regretted that numerous short messaging services (SMS) had been distributed to Party members on their suspension before the official decision on their suspension had been received.

TUESDAY-30 SEPTEMBER 2008- HOPE AFTER ALL FOR WOMAN WHO LOST STATUS

Hope after all for woman who lost status

KOTA KINABALU:

There may be hope for Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lee to regain her “lost” citizenship status. The National Registration Department confirmed they are aware of the problem faced by the 78-year- old woman who claimed to have lost her status after losing her MyKad in February last year. According to Jainisah MohdNoor, the Public Relations Officer for the NRD Director General, the department would be investigating the case which came to light after Yong lodged a complaint with Moyog Assemblyman Donald Mojuntin, who also heads the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation’s Citizenship and Security Bureau. “The NRD has made a thorough check through her (Yong) records and there were doubts arising on the issuance of her previous identity card in 1996,” said Jainisah in a statement, recently. Jainisah also confirmed the NRD Office here would probe deeper into the problem and contact Yong to find a solution. Yong who was born and raised in Sabah is no longer recognised as a Malaysian citizen after losing her MyKad to a pickpocket last year. The Department then replaced her lost MyKad with a red identity card which is issued for permanent residents. She is now unable to withdraw money from her bank or Amanah Saham Nasional accounts, transfer land to her children or renew her passport to travel. Yong, of Sino-Kadazan parentage, had appealed to the NRD for a MyKad but was told to apply for citizenship instead. She obliged, although not quite understanding why she had to when she was already a citizen. Penampang Umno Chief, Datuk John Ambrose Dumpanggol, urged politicians to be calm and refrain from using the issue on the loss of citizenship to threaten Barisan Nasional. “Donald (Mojuntin) has given the assurance to help fmd a solution to the problem, but some other UPKO leaders are sensationalising the issue, some even wanted to use it to review the Party’s position in BN ... they had reacted as though threatening the Coalition,” he said.

MONDAY-29 SEPTEMBER 2008- PUPIL ALMOST BLINDED BY CRACKERS

Pupil almost blinded by crackers

ALOR STAR:

A standard five pupil was almost blinded while playing with fire crackers after the breaking of fast at his house, here on Saturday night. Mohd Nur Amzar Nordin, a pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan Alor Merah, here became the latest victim when the fire cracker that he lighted exploded in front of his face. “After lighting the cracker, I immediately looked the other side but it did not explode. However, when I turned back, it suddenly exploded like fireworks and burnt my face and eyes,” he said when met by reporters at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah (HSB), here yesterday. His father, Nordin Hamid, said his son’s face suffered 40 per cent burns. The lorry driver said he had always prohibited his son from playing with firecrackers but the incident occurred when he was away at work. Meanwhile, Kedah Umno Liaison Chairman Datuk Sen Mahdzir Khalid, who was giving away Aidilfitri goodies at the hospital, spent time to visit Mohd Nur Amzar. - Bernama

MONDAY-29 SEPTEMBER 2008- REPORT RESPONSIBLY, MUSA URGES MEDIA

Report responsibly, Musa urges media

KOTA KINABALU:

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman yesterday expressed his gratitude to the mass media in Sabah for their continuous support to the State Government and its role in dispensing information about the Government’s policies as well as programmes. “It is because of the media that people, especially the grassroots, can get information as to what is happening around them and in the country,” he said before breaking fast with members from the print and electronic media here. Musa said the media also play a part in informing the Government and State leaders about the feelings as well grouses of the people, especially the grassroots, adding that it is a give and take situation between the Government and the media. According to him, both the Government and media have equally important roles to play in the development of the State. Musa said he has been all over the State, breaking fast with the leaders and the grassroots. “Those who attended the breaking of fast were not only Muslims but also from other races and religion. This reflects on how harmonious Sabahans are and the media should continue to show that there are no problems among the multiracial and religious people in the State,” he added. Musa also urged the media to be responsible and ethical when making their reports so as not to confuse the people and create uneasiness among them. During the event, Musa presented contributions to 20 single mothers and the Bureau Chiefs, Chief Editors and senior reporters from the various print and electronic media in the State.

MONDAY-29 SEPTEMBER 2008- UMNO CONSTITUTION NOT INFRINGED, SAYS MUHYIDDIN

Umno constitution not infringed, says Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR:

The postponement of the Umno general assembly to parch next year does not contravene any regulation in the Party Constitution, its Vice-President, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said. He said it was the right of the Party’s Supreme Council to decide on the late to hold its general assembly. “As provided in the Umno constitution, the highest authority is the Supreme Council, besides the general assembly, and the Supreme Council has the right to fix the dates for meetings, including that of the general assembly, and the latest is the decision to postpone the general assembly... I don’t see how this can be an infringement of the Constitution,” he told reporters after breaking fast with single mothers and the disabled here last night. He said everybody should look at the postponement in a wider context, which was to solve problems on the power transition and based on the understanding reached by the leadership. On former Umno Vice President Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s intention to contest the Presidency, Muhyiddin said this had been made known for quite sometime and was nothing new. “It is his right and we respect his intention to go for the President’s post. It’s up to the delegates at the divisional meetings to nominate him or otherwise,” he added. The Umno Supreme Council, at a special meeting two days ago, postponed the Party’s general assembly to March next year to facilitate a smooth and earlier power transition in the Party. In KOTA TINGGI, Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the postponement of the Umno general assembly was necessary to enable the power transition process to run smoothly. He said the political situation in Umno was becoming increasingly ‘hot’ with many members offering themselves for party posts following the power transition. “We see that the heat is becoming more intense, as though there are instigators pitting one group against another,” he said. Syed Hamid, who is also the Home Minister, said the intense contest for party posts was causing splits within the party which distracted Unmo members from giving full concentration to national matters. He disclosed this when asked to comment on the postponement of the Umno general assembly while attending a breaking of the fast with members of the Malaysian Association of Ex-policemen. - Bernama