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Tawau lass wins Sabah Idol Season 2 BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Tawau lass wins Sabah Idol Season 2

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:08 PM PST

LAHAD DATU: Siti Zulaiha Juri was crowned the champion of the Sabah Idol Season 2.

The Tawau lass wowed the judges and the 10,000 spectators with her superb and flawless rendition of 'Jagalah Diri' at Darvel Bay Plaza last weekend.

Earlier on Siti battled with Lahad Datu's Rosli Pitri in an equally matched duet performance of Muara Hati.

For her victory, she brought home RM5,000 cash, an ATI College sponsored diploma scholarship worth RM25,000, a trophy and certificate.

Malvin Kalbin representing Kundasang/Ranau narrowly missed the coveted title by just a couple of points to secure the first runner-up position. He won RM3,000 cash, a trophy and a certificate.

Beaming with pride and happiness, he said winning the second place was already an achievement considering the tough competition.

He sang 'Senja Nan Merah' with Sitipah also from Ranau in the first round.

The second runner-up was home-grown favourite 17-year-old Rosli Pitri who literally brought the house down with his deep baritone voice belting out his frustration and grief over a lost love.

Despite his pain and discomfort having to wear a sling over his cement-plastered right hand which he broke in an accident a week ago, he sang through his pain and was rewarded with a third placing bringing home RM1,500 cash, a trophy and certificate and also the right to represent Sabah in the upcoming Borneo Idol series to be organized middle of this year.

Taking the third runner-up spot was another 17-year-old from Kemabong/Ranau, Glady Pinky Jaimus with her power-packed rendition of Beyoncé's 'Listen'. Earlier on Glady dueted with Siti Norzilah Majilin 'Cinta'.

The fourth runner-up was Alwie Jusli from Penampang whose charm and melodious vocals sent the mostly female crowd into a frenzy.

Taking home the Most Popular and Most Creative Awards were two Lahad Datu contestants — Fazli Awang and Aizar Hajan.

Keningau siblings Senisah Majilin and Siti Norzilah Majilin won the Best Showmanship and Best Costume respectively while the Most Promising Award went to Ranau's Sitipah Jahamin.

Organiser Peter Dicky Lee said the standard of this year's competition was getting better and better, with winners beating each other by a hair's breath.

"I know my judges had a difficult time in identifying the best among the best. The top five will be given recording contracts and will represent Sabah in the upcoming Borneo Idol Grand Final to be held next year," said Peter who is a singer.

Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Min was the special invited guest while host and guest of honour was Datuk Yusuf Apdal, the Lahad Datu assemblyman who was responsible for Sabah Idol Grand Final to be organised in Lahad Datu from its original venue Kota Kinabalu.

"Lahad Datu needs this popular event more than Kota Kinabalu to spruce up its once vibrant image as a safe and conducive town but as of late it had been receiving a lot of publicity for all the wrong reasons. Judging from the huge crowds and the perfect location of the venue Darvel Bay Plaza, Lahad Datu is ready for more and bigger events and I am grateful that the organiser, Peter Dicky Lee, has made the right decision to hold this history-making event in Lahad Datu," Yusuf said.

Pang said the Sabah Idol series was an excellent platform for youths to focus their talents and energy to pursue their dreams of becoming the next big stars from Sabah.

"It is also to divert them from anti-social activities like drug taking, vandalism, gang fights, loitering at shopping malls, etc.," he said.

Sabah Idol was made more special this year with the participation of the National Anti-drugs Agency as a partner to spread its anti-drugs message "Say NO To Drugs" through the reality series roadshows conducted throughout Sabah.

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Academy aims to export Sabah hospitality

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:06 PM PST

by Natasha Sim. Posted on December 31, 2013, Tuesday

KOTA KINABALU: Ascot Academy aims to groom its students to international standards next year and provide them with the opportunity to work overseas.

"We want to export Sabahan hospitality," Chief Executive Officer of Ascot Academy, Abdul Razak Egoh, said during the award ceremony at 1Borneo Grand Ballroom yesterday.

However, he said the goal is still in its planning stages.

Egoh added that personnel from Singapore, China and Macau have already approached the academy seeking to employ its graduates.

"These countries have a booming hotelier industry with integrated resorts such as the Venetian and Marina Bay Sands," he said.

Eighty students from across Sabah were awarded with Skill Proficiency Certificates in Basic Housekeeping Services and Basic Food and Beverage Services during the ceremony.

Also in attendance at the event was Deputy Director of the State Human Resources Development Department, Haji Kamlun Haji Pasal.

Egoh said the goal of the institute is to train individuals that are both creative and innovative for the State's hospitality industry.

The awarded vocational certificates are internationally accredited by City and Guilds, a vocational skills training organization based in the United Kingdom.

"Sabah is one of the largest tourist states in Malaysia. Recent reports have stated that Sabah had a 15.3% increase in tourists for the first eight months of 2013 compared to last year," he said.

It is with this indication that the academy targets lower-income background youths below 25 years of age to provide them with skill training needed for work in the hospitality industry.

"Since our operations started in March 2010, we have produced 887 graduates from both long-term and short-term programs, and the success rates for graduates to obtain jobs after graduation is more than 50%," said Egoh.

Meanwhile, Ascot Academy graduates Rolland Lauring, 22, and Prichard Oneal, 19, are grateful to have been immediately offered job positions at respected hotels in the industry prior to graduation.

Rolland will be stepping into his career at Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort, Tuaran, while Prichard has accepted an offer to work at YTL Gaya Island Resort.

The duo also received the best student award from the academy for their respective Certificate in Basic Housekeeping Services and Certificate in Basic Food and Beverage Services.

Rolland said that while he had collected work experiences in Peninsular Malaysia, he came back to Sabah to be closer to his family.

"I've always had an interest in the hotel industry so these three months at the academy has been worth it," he said.

Prichard, however, feels that the three months was not enough for training and feels the biggest challenge was that he lacked work experience.

"That's why during my practical I went full blast to adapt to the work conditions and absorb what I needed to learn," he said.

He hopes that his immediate employment will help make things easier for his family of four siblings, whose parents are self-employed.

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Council told to enforce instruction on developer

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:02 PM PST

by Nancy Lai. Posted on December 31, 2013, Tuesday

PENAMPANG: The local authorities and relevant government departments must come down hard on the developer of a condominium in Kibabaig here for its alleged non-compliance of the instruction to find an alternative route to its construction site.

The instruction was issued in August by the Penampang District Council to the developer of the nine-storey condominium following complaints by residents in the area.

The road leading to the construction site passes Taman Kasigui Phase 3, meaning that the developer's heavy vehicles and equipment use the road frequently to get to the site.

According to John who resides in Taman Kasigui Phase 3, the heavily laden lorries and machinery such as a crane, ply the road seven days a week from morning to late at night.

"We have had to endure the noise and air pollution since January this year. For some of us it was worse as our houses sustained damage because of the heavy vehicles passing by daily," John said when met at Taman Kasigui Phase 3 yesterday.

Also present were Sabah PKR vice chairman cum Moyog assemblyman Terrence Siambun and Luyang assemblyman Junz Wong.

John also said in July, he had on behalf of the residents sent a letter to the state Environment Department to find out if the developer had an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) done on the site before commencing work.

"We received a reply from the department stating that no EIA was required for the project and the letter also advised that the developer find an alternative route to the site," John said, adding that he then wrote to the Penampang District Council to complain about the damage done to the road and house as well as the pollution caused by the developer's heavy machinery plying the road to and from the construction site.

Included with the letter was a petition signed by more than half of the 80 odd residents of the affected Taman Kasigui Phase 3, he said.

The District Council, in August, in respond to the letter, issued a written instruction to the developer to find an alternative route but had yet to do so till today, John claimed.

Terrence when asked to comment on the issue, said the District Council should enforce its instruction on the developer and not allow the heavy vehicles to continue using the road.

"In fact I just stopped a cement mixer just now and asked the driver why he was still using the road to get to the construction site. He replied that he was told by the developer to use the road," Terrence said.

"They (the developer's vehicles) use the road without hesitation almost 24 hours daily, and they never took any action to ease the inconvenience caused to the residents or to ensure the safety of the residents.

"They are also using a 'kampung road' here and I don't know if the JKKK is aware of it because the JKKK has the right to stop the developer from doing so. This is a result of the lack of enforcement by the council.

"I want the authority to stop the developer from using the road and repair the damage done," Terrence said.

Junz added that the District Council had to buck up its enforcement and enforce its instruction on the developer.

He also was of the opinion that the developer should have sat down with the residents and obtained their approval before commencing with the project.

He cited a case in Jalan Bundusan where residents had initially refused to let the developer use the road in the kampung.

"How they actually worked it out was that the District Council and Drainage and Irrigation Department told the developer to consult with the residents and get their approval before using the road. This was done and everything is settled so I don't understand why this was not done here," Junz said.

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Stationery price increase of 20-30% reasonable – Association

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:01 PM PST

by Chok Sim Yee. Posted on December 31, 2013, Tuesday

KOTA KINABALU: The move to increase the prices of stationery items by 20 to 30 per cent is reasonable in view of the soaring costs borne by stationery suppliers.

Stationery and Books Association of Sabah president Dr Ling Hie Sing said the price revision of stationery items was not in violation of the Competitions Act 2010 as vendors decide on their pricing individually.

Ling said this in response to Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Hasan Malek's recent warning that action would be taken against stationery suppliers and traders who take advantage of increasing costs to hike up their prices.

Hasan said a consensus to increase prices amounted to a monopoly and was against the law, while citing the anti-monopoly laws under the Competitions Act 2010. Traders found to be involved could have their goods seized, fined and premises sealed.

Ling said the Competitions Act 2010 only had an effect on monopolistic activities and could not be imposed on the trading of stationery and books.

He clarified that the association did not set a mandatory price hike margin for members. Instead, the association provided members and industry players a standard for price adjustment, and proposed a hike of between 20 to 30 per cent. Members and industry players could revise their prices based on their own circumstance.

Ling added that stationery suppliers and traders have different cost standards, depending on the scale of their businesses. Hence, suppliers and traders with lower costs would be able to sell their products at cheaper prices and vice versa.

In addition he said the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) meant that the cost of stationery had increased by 12 percent because traders were required to pay six per cent GST to stationery suppliers and likewise, consumers would have to pay six percent GST when they purchase stationery items from traders.

Apart from the GST, Ling said logistics costs from China to Sabah have increased by at least five per cent. The weakening of the Malaysian ringgit has also contributed to at least five per cent in costs.

"Based on these factors, the cost of stationery has increased by at least 22 per cent. The government has also implemented the minimum wage policy, which I believe we will need to bear with this new policy."

Ling believed that the price hike of between 20 to 30 per cent of stationery items was reasonable.

"We hope to keep the prices as low as possible. We do not make it mandatory for traders to increase their prices by 30 per cent."

Ling also said stationery suppliers and traders might not be able to sustain if they did not raise their prices.

"How can we pay our workers and rental if we are not making any profit?"

Ling hoped that the government could be more considerate towards stationery suppliers and traders.

"We understand that the government meant well, that they do not want to increase consumers' burden. However, the government should not have increased the prices of goods such as fuel and sugar if they wanted to maintain the prices of stationery," Ling asserted.

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Former DCM’s mother passes away

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Politicians, community leaders, friends and families paid their last respects to Yong Tong Ming, the late mother of former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai here yesterday.

Yong passed away at the age of 81 on December 26.

Among those present were Deputy Chief Minister cum Infrastructure Development Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang, Malaysia China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah branch president Datuk Lau Kok Sing, Kapitan Chong Chin Hang, Kapitan Lim Shin Min and Kapitan Lim Vun Chan.

The funeral service was conducted at Basel Church in Likas followed by the burial at Basel cemetery at Mile 5.5, Jalan Tuaran.

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2,000 signatures against construction of Kaiduan Dam collected

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 02:57 PM PST

PENAMPANG: Projek BANTAH, the signature drive against the construction of the Kaiduan Dam, is going strong with more than 2,000 signatures collected since it started two weeks ago.

According to Moyog assemblyman Terrence Siambun, the Coalition Against Kaiduan Dam (CAKD) booth where supporters of the campaign can sign the petition form is still operating at Megalong Shopping Complex here.

"So far, we have more than 2,000 signatures collected, and I urged the people in Penampang to please come and support the campaign against the Kaiduan Dam," he said during a joint press conference with Penampang member of parliament Darell Leiking here yesterday.

CAKD started its round of collecting the signatures in Moyog earlier this month and is expected to be completed by mid January.

Terrence also urged the state government to find a permanent solution to the flood problem in Penampang, especially in Moyog.

"We are aware that the flood mitigation plan for the district is ready but so far it has yet to be implemented and I was informed that it could be because of lack of funds. We all know that the flooding at Jalan Kibabaig-Minintod is getting worse and is so bad that even heavy vehicles have problem passing the area every time it floods.

"This must be resolved as it causes worry and inconvenience to the people every time it rains heavily," he said.

Terrence also repeated his call for the government to maintain the system where the village head and Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman is elected by the villagers and not appointed.

"In Moyog, the previous elected representative had implemented the election of JKKK, so why can't we continue with that system? Why does the government want to change the system which has been implemented for quite some time now? I think this is not fair to the villagers.

"The villagers should be given the right to elect who they want to be the JKKK, the same goes for the village head. There are some villages which do not have a village head as the post was not filled after the previous person's service was terminated.

"These posts must be filled so why not let the villagers elect who they want to lead the kampung?" Terrence asked.

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