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Police raise security along Malaysia-Thailand border after blasts <b>...</b> Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

Police raise security along Malaysia-Thailand border after blasts <b>...</b>

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 03:30 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Police have stepped up security along the Malaysia-Thailand border following the bomb explosions on Sunday in southern Thailand.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin, when contacted by Bernama, said the police were working closely with the Royal Thai Police to enhance security following the attacks.

He also said that there was close cooperation between the two forces in terms of intelligence gathering and inspections along the border to prevent a repeat of the incidents.

"We always work together. Appropriate measures have been taken by both sides to prevent the occurrence of more such incidents," he said.

More than 20 Thai nationals were injured in four bomb explosions in southern Thailand, near the Sadao and Padang Besar police stations and in front of the Oliver Hotel in Padang Besar on the Thai side of the common border. — Bernama

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1000 cases a month - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 03:33 PM PST

by Georgette Tan, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on December 24, 2013, Tuesday

Cable thieves driving businessmen to despair, chamber of commerce seeks protection for members

KUCHING: Life has been tough for many Kuching Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCGCCI) members in recent months, but it has nothing to do with business competition.

They have been brought to their knees by rampant cable thefts and frequent blackouts!

"Incidences can run up to 1,000 cases per month," wailed KCGCCI Industry Committee chairman Steven Lim Ah Ted here yesterday.

He told reporters that they had received many complaints from members who are suffering huge losses as a result of these problems.

Unfortunately, he lamented, there was nothing KCGCCI could do except to approach Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) for a better understanding of issues such as cable theft in industrial areas and the frequent blackouts.

"We hope the company will take prompt and appropriate action to prevent recurrence, and compensate the losses of affected industries and entrepreneurs."

The meeting with SEB has been scheduled to take place sometime next month.

Lim said the problem of cable theft had been rampant recently, with reports coming in from members who have businesses in Batu Kawa, 10th to 27th Mile Penrissen Road, Sejingkat and Muara Tabuan.

"KCGCCI also wants the government to implement the Second Hand Goods Act as soon as possible to curb the cable theft problem."

As the dialogue session with SEB was scheduled to be held next month, he hoped members would give their feedback promptly.

Members can report relevant issues and offer suggestions to KCGCCI to be submitted to Sarawak Energy starting today until noon on Jan 4, 2014.

KCGCCI can be reached at 082-242577 or 082-235578, 082-243675 (Fax) or at kcgcci@gmail.com.

Also present at the press conference were Commerce Committee chairman Tan Hua Min and committee members Ting Wei Tzen, Ho Siew Hua and Ho Kok Shieh.

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Tough going for wushu as <b>Sarawak</b> plans for Sukma – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 18 Dec 2013 09:40 AM PST

by Ting Tieng Hee, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on December 19, 2013, Thursday

KUCHING: It will be tough for Sarawak to defend its strong reputation in wushu competition at Sukma XVIII in Perlis next year.

This is because the squad will comprise new faces except for three exponents from the Sukma XVI squad Liew Lik Kee, Andy Chan Song Cong and Amelia Su Leh Wern.

"It will be a very big challenge to defend the title we won in Pahang in 2012 as the gold medallists like Gjeblehem Bong Teck Fuu, Bryan Sony Lah, Ho Jong Xian and Kimberly Goh will not be eligible as they are over-aged," said WFS head coach James Ting.

Sarawak won seven gold, seven silver and three bronze medals in the 2012 Pahang Sukma.

Ting, who is also Wushu Federation of Sarawak (WFS) deputy president, is concerned with the absence of these gold medallists and the keen competition from other states.

"Melaka, Pulau Pinang and Negeri Sembilan will be our stiffest opponents and to win gold medals against the national exponents from these states will be an uphill task," he added.

Sarawak now has three exponents Diana Bong Siong Lin, Loh Jack Chang and Gjeblehem Bong in the national squad but they are all over-aged for Sukma competition.

Moreover, Ting said, host Perlis have not stated how many events will the national exponents be allowed to compete in.

WFS will be conducting a selection trial at the end of this month to select six male and six female exponents for the state wushu squad.

"At present, we have 23 exponents in the Sukma Shadow Team and after 12 exponents have been selected, they will undergo a one-month intensive training stint in China next February," he said.

On the problem of the vacant Chinese foreign coach, Ting said WFS had already submitted a request to engage a new coach from China.

Ting added the other major problem is that WFS is still waiting for the approval from the state government on the application of a piece of land in Samarahan to build its wushu centre.

"We had submitted the application two years ago and until now there is no news on the matter," he lamented.

The National Sports Council (MSN) has already agreed to set up a national wushu training centre in Sarawak but this plan has been delayed as the approval of the land application to build the wushu centre was not forthcoming.

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Non-profit routes to be discontinued - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 03:01 PM PST

SIBU: The stage bus service for unprofitable  routes will be discontinued beginning next year, with Sarawak Bus Transport Companies Association chairman Lau Khing Seng

disclosing yesterday that two routes in Sarikei and six in Miri would be affected.

"Bus companies are losing about 40 per cent of our passengers due to the fierce competition from pirated taxis and vans," Lau corroborated.

"Cost is escalating," he added, pointing out that major components of their cost comprised of wages, tyres, spare parts, fuel and batteries.

The cost of fuel had risen some 18 per cent since 2009, he noted, adding that the implementation of the minimum wage policy pushed up the cost of wages by 110 per cent.

It was imperative to hike fares to sustain business, he reasoned.

According to Lau, during the association's executive committee meeting recently, 16 stage-bus companies had requested the association to assist to apply to the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP) for fare increment.

Lau said the association proposed a fare hike of 16 sen for the first three 3km for air-conditioned stage bus from Jan 1, 2014.

It would be two sen for subsequent kilometer, he added.

"If approved, the new fare will be RM1.20 for first 3km from RM1.04. As for additional kilometer, it is 20 sen from 18 sen, up two sen."

A letter had been forwarded to LPKP Sarawak last month, he revealed.

"We have yet to hear from the authority," he said.

Bus fare was last reviewed in 2009.

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Thai protesters block polls registrations - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 23 Dec 2013 03:51 PM PST

BANGKOK: Thai opposition protesters yesterday stepped up their campaign to disrupt upcoming elections, trying to block candidate registrations as part of efforts to banish Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her family from politics.

The main opposition Democrat Party, which has not won an elected majority in parliament in about two decades, has vowed to boycott the Feb 2 polls called by Yingluck following weeks of street rallies by her opponents.

It is the latest chapter in a years-old political crisis which broadly pits a Bangkok-based elite against mostly rural and poor supporters of Yingluck and her brother Thaksin Shinawatra, a divisive former premier who was ousted in a coup in 2006.

Hundreds of demonstrators on Monday surrounded a stadium in Bangkok where representatives of political parties were trying to register to run in the polls ahead of the Dec 27 deadline.

Nine parties, including Yingluck's Puea Thai, managed to enter although officials were unable to fully complete their registration, according to the country's Election Commission.

About two dozen parties filed complaints with the police because they were prevented from entering.

But it appeared to be only a temporary setback with the election authorities expressing confidence that the parties would be able to register in time.

"For those parties that cannot enter the stadium we will contact them and made appointments for them to submit documents," Election Commissioner Dhirawat Dhirarojvit told AFP.

Puea Thai party said that Yingluck was on top of the party's list of candidates – a position that would usually make her Puea Thai's pick for prime minister if it wins the polls.

Her candidacy is certain to anger the demonstrators, who want to rid Thai politics of the influence of her brother Thaksin – a billionaire tycoon turned premier whom protesters accuse of controlling the government from his home in Dubai.

At least 150,000 people joined the latest anti-Thaksin mass protest in the capital on Sunday, according to an estimate from National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut. Organisers said the turnout was much higher.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has vowed to "shut the country down" to prevent people voting.

The demonstrators' self-proclaimed People's Democratic Reform Committee is calling for an unelected "people's council" to be installed to oversee sweeping but loosely-defined reforms before new elections in around a year to 18 months.

They have vowed to rid Thailand of the 'Thaksin regime' and oppose the election, saying it will only bring another government allied to the former premier, who fled the country in 2008 to avoid jail for a corruption conviction he contends is politically motivated.

Thaksin's "Red Shirt" supporters have voiced fears that the recent protests are aimed at encouraging the military to seize power, in a country which has seen 18 successful or attempted coups since 1932.

The protesters "want to push Thailand into deadlock and then invite the military to seize power in a coup before the election", said one of the Red Shirt leaders, Nattawut Saikuar.

But if that happens "people will come out to fight back", he warned.

Thaksin is adored among rural communities and the working class, particularly in the north and northeast. But the billionaire tycoon-turned-politician is reviled by the elite, who see him as corrupt and a threat to the revered monarchy.

Pro-Thaksin parties have won every election since 2001 and Thailand has seen several bouts of political turmoil since he was deposed, with rival protests sometimes resulting in bloody unrest.

On Saturday members of the opposition Democrat Party – who earlier resigned as MPs en masse to join the street demonstrations – voted against participating in the elections.

The Democrats previously boycotted elections in 2006, helping to create the political uncertainty which heralded a military coup that ousted Thaksin.

The party last took power in 2008 by parliamentary vote after a court stripped Thaksin's allies of power, angering his "Red Shirt" supporters who launched mass street protests three years ago that ended in a military crackdown that left dozens dead.

Democrat leader and former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva has been indicted for murder over the crackdown along with his ex-deputy Suthep Thaugsuban who is leading the street protests. — AFP

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Mixed outlook for <b>Sarawak&#39;s</b> property market in 2014 – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:18 AM PST

by Adrian Lim, adrianlim@theborneopost.com. Posted on December 18, 2013, Wednesday

KUCHING: Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers' Association (Sheda) foresees that the state's property market could see a mixed outlook next year due to several ongoing initiatives waiting for implementation by the government to cool down the property market amid rising property prices.

These include the 30 per cent of Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT) for properties disposed within three years, 20 per cent for properties disposed within four years, 15 per cent for properties disposed within five years; as well as the removal of the Developers Interest Bearing Scheme (DIBS) on property sales by property developers.

Sheda secretary general Sim Khiang Chiok believes these measures being implemented would reduce the supply of properties for the secondary market, thus causing prices in the secondary market to go up.

"There could be a shortage of supply for properties in the secondary market (due to the measures that is going to be implemented by the government).

"As a result, prices for properties in the secondary market could potentially go up while demand for properties remains consistent," he told reporters on the sideline of a seminar by Sheda in partnership with The Royal Malaysian Customs Department at a hotel here yesterday.

Sim highlighted this during the seminar organised by Sheda in collarboration with The Royal Malaysian Customs to brief industry players on the implementation of the GST.

As for residential properties, he believes that there is still healthy growth given that there is about two per cent of population increase in Sarawak every year, urbanisation and the migration of people from rural areas to town and city in search for employment opportunities which could sustain the demand for residential properties.

Sim is optimistic that demand for properties in the primary market next year will continue to grow and provide support to the growth momentum of the property market in the near term.

He noted that the situation is unavoidable given that the GST will cause prices of the building materials to increase slightly adding that some of the costs could be borne by property developers while not ruling that it might be pass on to property buyers.

"There could be a slight increase for the cost of property development (during GST). "However, the prices of the properties will depend on the location and other factors such as desirability, accessibility, facilities available at the property development and so on," he said.

Sim highlighted this during the seminar organised by Sheda in collarboration with The Royal Malaysian Customs to brief industry players on the implementation of the GST.

He added the seminar was to prepare industry players and to equip themselves with the various administrative guidelines and understanding of the GST when it comes into force in April 1, 2015.

Also present at the event were The Royal Malaysian Customs GST Unit assistant director Siti Zaleha Osman, The Royal Malaysian Customs assistant director Lau Thye Mun, Kuching head of customs Noelle Lily Morse, Sheda members, contractors and real estate agents who made up more than 300 guests at the event.

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