MORATORIUM ON EXPANDING OIL PALM PLANTATIONS PROPOSED

Moratorium on expanding oil palm plantations proposed

KOTA KINABALU 9/11/2012: A suggestion to impose a moratorium on further expansion of oil palm plantations within the Heart of Borneo (HoB) was recently heard during the HoB International Conference.

“It is the idea of one of the (discussion) groups and it is a joint suggestion to the government that had a lot of support,” said Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) executive director Datuk Dr Junaidi Payne who was also a facilitator.

He added that the suggestion was made after hearing the Agriculture Department stating that 90 percent of Sabah’s agriculture land was occupied by oil palm, and only 10 percent were rice and other crops.

“There is a body of thinking that Sabah has enough oil palm now.

UNITED STATES OF BORNEO (USB)?

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STAR promises sweeping reforms

Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has promised to create five 'states' within Sabah and to decentralise land matters if STAR forms the next government.

'UNDANG-UNDANG LOMPAT PARTI HARUS DIGUBAL'

'Undang-undang lompat parti harus digubal'

SHAH ALAM 31/7/2012- Kerajaan harus mempertimbangkan penggubalan undang-undang lompat parti atau kod etika untuk ahli politik bagi memastikan wakil rakyat yang keluar parti perlu mengosongkan kerusi yang dimenangi sama ada Ahli Parlimen atau Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) secara automatik.

Penganalisis Politik, Prof Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff berkata, sudah menjadi trend masa kini ahli politik keluar parti, tetapi memilih untuk kekal sebagai wakil rakyat.

‘EMPLOY MORE SABAHAN TEACHERS’

‘Employ more Sabahan teachers’

West Malaysian teachers who are sent to Sabah lack knowledge of the local culture and are prone to being homesick, claims opposition Sabah Progressive Peoples (SAPP).

KOTA KINABALU July 27, 2012: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) wants the Education Ministry to engage more local teachers rather than continuing to deploy West Malaysians to teach in schools statewide.

SAPP vice-president Jaafar Ismail said Sabah teachers are well accustomed with local cultures, which would make it easier for them to teach the young generations here.

He claimed that West Malaysian teachers lacked knowledge of the local cultures and are prone to being homesick which in turn affects their concentration.

“In addition, the government has to fork out more funds to bring West Malaysian teachers into the state due to many extra allowances that they stand to receive,”

‘STOP SENDING CIVIL SERVANTS TO SABAH’

‘Stop sending civil servants to Sabah’

There are 85,498 civil service staff from Peninsular Malaysia who are attached to government agencies in Sabah.

KOTA KINABALU July 24, 2012: The federal government must review the practice of sending Peninsular Malaysians to assume posts in the civil services in Sabah.

Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) vice president Japiril Suhaimin said the government is currently wasting millions of ringgit every year to send West Malaysians to work in the state when there are capable local officers who can do the job just as well.

“The government could save a huge amount of money if the practice is changed by hiring Sabahans to fill up those jobs because our people are very much qualified. And, it would be a win-win for the government and our people,”

PUBLIC DIVIDED ON CELLPHONES IN SCHOOLS

Public divided on cellphones in schools

KOTA KINABALU July 22, 2012: Should students be allowed to bring hand phones to school? Members of the public who were asked to comment were divided on the matter.

Some, like Dr Harry Chong, a lecturer, was not against the idea but said the purpose of allowing students to bring hand phones to school should be to communicate with their parents.

He said a schedule must be fixed as to when the students are allowed to use the hand phone device and when they should switch it off.

CALL FOR GOVT INTERVENTION OVER SUSPENDED DIRECT FLIGHTS

Call for govt intervention over suspended direct flights

KOTA KINABALU July 7, 2012: Matta Sabah Chapter yesterday called on the government to intervene to resume direct flight connectivity to Korea, Japan and Western Australia.

Chapter chairman KL Chan said during the opening of Matta Fair held at Suria Sabah near here that the suspension of Malaysia Airlines’ direct flights to the three countries / destinations had ill-effects on the tourist arrivals into Sabah.

Matta Sabah would like to call for the government to intervene to resume direct flight connectivity to Korea, Japan and Western Australia to benefit the community. As of April 30, Sabah recorded a drop in tourist arrivals from Japan by 29.1 per cent and Australia by 4.2 per cent compared to the corresponding period.

POLITICIANS’ SUPPORT FOR MACC VITAL, SAYS FORMER ICAC HONG KONG COMMISSIONER

Politicians’ Support for MACC Vital, says former ICAC Hong Kong Commissioner

KUALA LUMPUR – As the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) heightens efforts to combat graft, politicians from all divides must have faith and confidence in the Commission to accomplish the task entrusted to them.

Former Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong (ICAC) Commissioner Bertrand de Speville stressed that the Commission should be allowed to get on with the job of implementing national anti-corruption strategies without having to encounter any political interference.

Cautioning politicians against “second guessing” the MACC,

PEMEGANG IJAZAH BOLEH MOHON JAWATAN SPM

SPA perkenal dua dasar baru permohonan jawatan

KUALA LUMPUR 2 Julai 2012- Suruhanjaya Perkhimatan Awam (SPA) memperkenal dua dasar baru, yang berkuat kuasa semalam, bagi meningkatkan peluang permohonan jawatan dalam perkhidmatan awam.

• Dasar pertama SPA ialah membenarkan pemegang Ijazah Sarjana Muda memohon jawatan di peringkat Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) bagi membolehkan semua calon bersaing dalam memohon mana-mana jawatan yang bersesuaian tanpa sekatan tahap kelayakan akademik.

PETRONAS CHAFES AT ITS ROLE AS MALAYSIA'S PIGGY BANK

Petronas chafes at its role as piggy bank

KUALA LUMPUR July 2, 2012: State-owned oil company Petronas is tired of being Malaysia’s cash trough. Its growing pique at the government flared into public view here in early June at the World Gas Conference.

Chief executive Shamsul Azhar Abbas took to the stage and declared that the government’s policy of subsidising fuel was plain wrong. A murmur ran through the crowd – his boss, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, was sitting in the front row.

THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS LOOKING FOR LEADERS WHO CAN DISCUSS POLICY AND HAVE IDEAS ON HOW TO DEVELOP THE COUNTRY.

‘Stop the blame game’ over 1994 incident

June 30, 2012: The future of the Kadazandusuns in Sabah looks gloomy. The number of committed and issue-oriented Kadazandusun leaders is very limited.

We are supposed to elect leaders to represent us and solve our problems but we have ended up seeing them fighting each other for money and position.

SEBAB PERMOHONAN AKTIF POLITIK DITOLAK KERANA MEMEGANG JAWATAN SEPERTI PENOLONG KANAN, GURU BESAR & PENGETUA

50 permohonan guru mahu aktif politik

SHAH ALAM 24 Mei - Sebanyak 50 permohonan diterima daripada kalangan guru yang mahu menyertai politik berikutan kelonggaran sejak 2010 yang membenarkan pegawai kerajaan bergiat aktif dan bertanding serta memegang jawatan dalam parti politik, kata Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

"Daripada permohonan itu, 24 diluluskan manakala sembilan lagi ditolak.

Bakinya masih dalam proses penelitian,"

50% OF HOUSEMEN IN SABAH CAN’T COPE, NEED RETRAINING

50% of housemen in Sabah can’t cope, need retraining

KOTA KINABALU May 17, 2012: About 50 per cent of some 500 housemen in Sabah have to undergo retraining after being found to be unable to cope with work-related stress, while some of them were suffering from depression, according Sabah Health Director Dr Mohd Yusof Ibrahim.

He said the new generation of housemen or medicine graduates undergoing supervised practical experience is not the same as the housemen many years back.

“My personal opinion, the new generation does not having the ability to cope with stress and their field of training, especially those who graduated from overseas, are unable to face the same situation in our country,” he said.

RM12.54 MLN FOR COCOA REPLANTING NATIONWIDE

RM12.54 mln for cocoa replanting nationwide

SANDAKAN May 16, 2012: The government has sanctioned RM12.54 million to plant high-yield cocoa trees in 1,567 hectares nationwide, cocoa board of directors chairman Datuk Siringan Gubat said yesterday.

Of the total hectarage, 750 hectares are identified in Sabah, with 300 hectares in Ranau district, 200 hectares in Tenom), 150 hectares (north and west coasts) and 100 hectares (east coast), he said.

FSM WANTS MORE DETAILS FROM MTUC

FSM wants more details from MTUC

KOTA KINABALU May 15, 2012: The Federation of Sabah Manufacturers (FSM) is calling for more details from the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Sabah about the minimum wage issue.

Its president, Datuk Seri Panglima Wong Khen Thau, said that FSM feels that certain points raised by MTUC Sabah secretary Catherine Jikunan recently were short on proper verification and understanding.

Wong hoped that clarifications are given to be fair to all the Sabah trade chambers that have joined the stand on minimum wage.

ANCAMAN LEDAKAN PENDUDUK INDONESIA

Masyarakat Indonesia Diingatkan Tentang Ancaman Ledakan Penduduk

JAKARTA April 3, 2012: Masyarakat Indonesia pada Selasa diingatkan mengenai ancaman ledakan penduduk jika kadar kelahiran tidak dikawal dengan baik.

Ketua Badan Kependudukan dan Perancangan Keluarga Nasional (BKKBN) Dr Sugiri Syarief berkata hasil Banci Penduduk 2010 tentang kadar pertumbuhan 1.49 peratus adalah sesuatu yang harus diberikan perhatian serius.

Dengan kadar pertumbuhan itu, penduduk Indonesia yang berjumlah 237 juta orang mengikut Banci Penduduk 2010 boleh tumbuh dengan pesat dalam masa terdekat jika program perancangan keluarga tidak dilaksanakan dengan sebaik-baiknya,

SUBSIDY SOUGHT FOR RM15,000 A MONTH CANCER MEDICINE

Subsidy sought for RM15,000 a month cancer medicine

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KOTA KINABALU Feb 4, 2012: A 57-year-old woman has complained about the exorbitant price of cancer medicine provided by the government hospital in Likas and urged the government to provide subsidy for patients who cannot afford it.

Ooi Saw Loon said she has to fork out RM15,000 a month to buy her cancer medicine, Novartis Afinitor 10mg everolimus, from Likas Women and Children’s Hospital.

Ooi has been suffering from kidney cancer since 2001 and had one of her kidneys removed at a private hospital in Peninsular Malaysia. The operation cost her RM12,000.

ANWAR MAHU BERDEBAT DENGAN NAJIB

Anwar tetap mahu debat dengan Najib

SABAK BERNAM – Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengalu-alukan idea berdebat dengan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sebagaimana disarankan oleh Merdeka Center berdasarkan penemuannya baru-baru ini.

PAKATAN RAKYAT: BUKU JINGGA EDISI SABAH PERJUANG 10 TUNTUTAN RAKYAT

Buku Jingga edisi Sabah perjuang 10 tuntutan rakyat

Buku Jingga edisi Sabah diperkenal dengan memuatkan 10 Perkara termasuk memulangkan semula blok minyak L dan M kepada negeri itu dan penubuhan Suruhanjaya Diraja bagi menyelesai masalah kebanjiran pendatang asing.

STAR: PETROLEUM MASTERPLAN - SABAH OIL RESOURCES BELONGS TO ALL SABAHANS

STAR: Petroleum Masterplan - Sabah Oil Resources Belongs to All Sabahans

“Sabahans will enjoy cheaper petrol, diesel and gas products, lower electricity rates and enjoy annual grants generated by a new Sabah petroleum corporation under STAR’s Petroleum Masterplan” announced Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief.

“STAR‘s Petroleum Masterplan for Sabah oil and gas resources is based on the vision “Sabah Oil and Gas Resources Belongs to All Sabahans”.