» »Unlabelled » 185 illegals held at squatter areas BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

07:27:00

185 illegals held at squatter areas BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

185 illegals held at squatter areas

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:24 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The Special Task Force has detained 185 illegal immigrants during a two-day operation, dubbed Ops Tanduk, around the State capital.

Its director, Datuk Suhaimi Mohd Salleh, said 169 of them were Filipinos and 15 were Indonesians.

He said the operation, which began on January 27, focused on illegal squatter areas around Kota Kinabalu and Penampang

"During the two-day operation, a total of 376 people have been checked for documents and we detained 185 of them for entering the county illegally.

"Those arrested are currently being placed at temporary detention centres for further action," he said when contacted yesterday.

Asked about overcrowding of illegal immigrants at temporary detention centres in Sabah as claimed by certain party, Suhaimi said the claim was baseless as the detained illegal immigrants were immediately deported to the country of origin once their personal documentation had been recorded.

"For the record, there are three temporary detention centres in Sabah – Papar, Sandakan and Tawau, which can accommodate about 6,000 detainees.

"We have also deported more than 1,000 illegal immigrants or detainees to their country of origin in January this year," he said, adding that the detainees were deported via ferries from two locations, namely from Sibuga in Sandakan to Zamboanga, Philippines and Semporna to Bungou, while the second location is from Tawau to Nunukan, Indonesia.

Print Friendly

To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Have Christian ministers often met to discuss issues affecting community? – Bumburing

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:23 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) president Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Bumburing has questioned how many times have the Christian ministers in Malaysia met to discuss issues affecting the Christian community in the country.

The Tamparuli assemblyman said that it was imperative for the ministers to have gotten together to discuss issues after the 10-Point Solution was adopted by the government.

"On the 'Allah' issue and other issues involving Malaysian Christian: Point number 10 of the 10-point solution signed and documented by the Prime Minister states, 'The Christian ministers in the cabinet will meet on a regular basis with representatives of the various Christian groups in order to discuss their issues and work with the relevant ministries and PM in order to resolve them.

"I therefore want to ask these Christian ministers how many times they have met to discuss issues affecting the Christian community since the adoption of the 10-point solution? Or have they met at all to discuss issues involving Malaysian Christians?

"Calls are being made to the federal government to adhere to the 10-point solution and yet our own leaders are not able to meet together to discuss pertinent issues affecting the Christian communities," Bumburing opined in a statement yesterday.

He also suggested that the State Government adopt the 10-point solution adopted by the Federal cabinet.

"Recently we have read reports of some folks in the remote areas of Pitas who have allegedly been converted to Islam without their consent. While I urge the relevant authorities to investigate and get to the bottom of this issues, I also called upon our Christian leaders in the State cabinet, especially Huguan Siou Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan to take a leading role, seek and provide acceptable explanation to the Pitas episode and find a concrete and comprehensive solution so that every Malaysian of all creed can live in peace without having to fear for anything," he said.

Print Friendly

To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Keeping tradition of making ‘jiaozi’ alive

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:22 PM PST

CHINESE dumplings (jiaozi) are traditionally prepared and eaten during celebrations of people from North China. One of the celebrations is Chinese New Year and descendants of the Northern Chinese or 'Shantung' group residing in Sabah took pride in preparing and serving the dumplings then.

Veronica Chin Siew is a third generation 'Shantung' and prepares the 'jiaozi' every year for her family when they come home for the Chinese New Year celebration. Veronica and husband Bernard have three daughters who are all married and live abroad.

This year, their eldest daughter Anneline and her husband Amin Malik Shah with their three daughters Iman, Amal and Sophia are at home to celebrate the lunar new year and together with Veronica, they prepare the 'jiaozi' for the family gathering on Chinese New Year eve.

For Veronica, making the dumplings with her daughter, grandchildren and relatives is one way of keeping the tradition of their 'Shantung' ethnicity alive as most are now of mixed parentage.

According to Veronica, the traditional filling for the 'jiaozi' is minced pork but she substituted it with chicken as her daughter and family are Muslims.

"It can also be filled with garlic and chives for those who are vegetarian," she said, adding that the boiled version is called 'jiaozi' while the fried dumplings are known as 'gouteh' or 'woteh' as it is popularly known here in Kota Kinabalu.

"When I was younger, the whole family would get together to make this and in fact my eldest sister, youngest brother and their families still do this on the first day of Chinese New Year," she said, adding that she was happy that the tradition is being kept alive.

Print Friendly

To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

NS trainees help to educate pedestrians on road safety

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:22 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Fatalities involving pedestrians are on the rise. As such a special campaign was organised by the Road Safety Department (RSD) to send the message across, especially with the Chinese New Year break around the corner.

This time RSD had brought 104 National Service trainers and trainees, including the newly launched NS Volunteer Brigade members, to tag along on their campaigns.

RSD director Herdianshah Abdul Karim disclosed that in 2012, a total of 10 fatalities involving pedestrians were recorded and last year, the number grew to 17.

"We hope through the programme we will be able to educate pedestrians on road safety as they are those categorised to be at high risk," he told reporters during the Road Safety Campaign in conjunction with CNY 2014.

He said the campaign was an integrated programme with relevant authorities and enforcement agencies, as well as non-governmental organisations to minimise road accidents.

"We will be expanding similar programmes in other districts," he said.

Herdiansah also said the NS Volunteer Brigade was also part of the effort to instil the love for community activities among the NS trainees.

At the event yesterday, the campaign was carried out at three locations simultaneously, namely Wisma Dang Bandang; Padang Merdeka and Bandaran.

"We would like to educate the NS trainees, as well as the public, on the importance of road safety. We want them to be role models so they will be able to pass on the information to their family and friends, and the people," he said.

He said the campaign had been proven to be effective, and this was evident with the reduction in the number of road accidents in the state.

"There have been positive implications, and we believe that apart from campaigning to reduce fatalities, we must also beef up awareness programmes," he said.

Herdianshah said based on statistics, the accident rates in areas such as Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Sandakan and Lahad Datu were higher than that recorded in the interiors of Sabah.

"But we cannot be complacent but instead carry out awareness programmes in the urban, rural and interior parts of the state," he said.

Print Friendly

To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Liew’s CNY open house not associated with LDP – Senator

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:22 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is holding its Chinese New Year open house events on the first (January 31) and third (February 2) day of Chinese New Year in Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu respectively.

LDP deputy president Senator Datuk Chin Su Phin said another open house organized by former president Datuk Liew Vui Keong in Sandakan on the third day of Chinese New Year (February 2) was not associated with the party.

Chin said LDP president Datuk Teo Chee Kang and himself would lead the Supreme Council members to celebrate the Chinese New Year with the people at Sandakan Futsal, Jalan Borehole, Batu 4 Jalan Utara, from 10am to 1pm, on January 31.

He urged the people in Sandakan to attend the event.

In a press statement issued yesterday, Chin clarified that the Chinese New Year open house in Sandakan on the third day of Chinese New Year was being organized by Liew in his personal capacity.

"It seems that Liew is urging the people to attend his open house by putting up banners and giant billboards using the name of LDP. That event is not organized by LDP," he stressed.

Chin reiterated that LDP had held an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on October 6 last year, in which the members voted to suspend Liew's membership pending action by the disciplinary committee.

On January 2, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) issued an official letter endorsing Teo and Chin as the president and deputy president of LDP respectively.

The ROS also ruled that the party congress and elections held on October 19-20 last year, as well as the Supreme Council members elected, as legitimate.

Although Liew had filed an application for a judicial review on the ROS decision, Chin said ROS had endorsed Teo as the new president, whom also received blessing from the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"Even so, Liew has the audacity to issue press statements, put up banners and billboards using the name of LDP president," he said.

He said LDP would hold an open house at Dewan Hakka off Tanjung Lipat on the third day of Chinese New Year (February 2) from 10am to 1pm.

Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman are expected to arrive at 11am.

Print Friendly

To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Senior commando says not informed of negotiation efforts

Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:21 PM PST

by Suraini Andokong. Posted on January 30, 2014, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: The trial of the 29 accused persons for allegedly committing terrorism acts heard that a senior police officer was not informed that there were negotiation efforts done between Malaysian authorities and the Sulu militants at Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu.

DSP Abdul Rani Alias, a senior VAT 69 commando, who flew in from Ulu Kinta in Perak to carry out the Ops Daulat in Kampung Tanduo, said that he had no knowledge about the negotiations.

"Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun only told me that there was intrusion in that area by gunmen and he (Abdul Rashid) had gone to the location," testified the fifth witness while giving oral evidence before High Court judge Justice Stephen Chung yesterday in the open court at the Central Prisons in Kepayan here under tight security checks.

Abdul Rani, who went to Kampung Tanduo for the first time, agreed that he was one of the senior officers apart from Abdul Rashid, Superintendent Mancha, Datuk Azizan and other officers that were in charge of the Ops Daulat assignment.

Under cross examination by counsel Datuk N Sivananthan, for the 27 accused, including Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, the nephew of the late self-styled Sulu sultanate III, Datu Jamalul Kiram, he agreed, for that reason, that he must be informed of all the important activities regarding the assignment.

"However, in our assignment my superior knows the limitation of information that he needs to reveal to me," added Abdul Rani.

To a question by Sivananthan, he testified that they acted on the need to do basis.

"I agree that we follow an order for this assignment without question but depending on the assignment given," he said in response to another question by Sivananthan.

Abdul Rani also said that the word 'commando' meant 'command and do'.

When Sivananthan referred Abdul Rani to some photographs taken during the negotiations and asked: "When Abdul Rashid showed you these pictures, did you notice that the police personnel and the gunmen appeared to be very friendly and in cordial terms?"

Abdul Rani answered: "Yes".

Sivananthan asked further: "Did you ask him why that was the case?"

He answered: "No."

Abdul Rani also said that he only knew one of the leaders of the gunmen by the name of Raja, but Abdul Rashid never pointed out during photos viewing session that that man was one of the leaders.

To a further question by Sivananthan, Abdul Rani said that he had no knowledge that the Malaysian authorities had decided to drop leaflets written in Suluk in the vicinity of Kampung Tanduo.

Abdul Rani also said that he did not know that the contents of the leaflets were to ask the gunmen to surrender or else action would be taken against them.

However, he agreed that the information in the leaflets that any gunmen who surrendered would be given safe passage was important to him.

He further agreed with the suggestion by Sivananthan that any gunmen who came to them with that leaflet would be a good reason not to shoot them.

"That if they bring along this leaflet but they also bring weapons that would be different," he added.

Among others, the contents of the first leaflet which had been translated by the court's Suluk interpreter indicate a road to go out to for anyone who brings this leaflet and also for hiding and burying their weapons. The leaflet also stated that the Suluks have been in Sabah to earn their living, why must they slander each other.

Abdul Rani had earlier testified that the VAT 69 personnel were equipped with firearms and 400 rounds of bullets and Sivananthan asked: "Does this indicate that they are ready for combat?"

Abdul Rani said: "Yes."

Sivananthan suggested: "I put it to you that in fact on February 28, 2013, an instruction was given to all of you to go and engage the gunmen, to go and commence the fight with the gunmen?"

Abdul Rani replied: "I disagree."

He said he did not know why on February 28, 2013, many fully armed police personnel were sent to Kampung Tanduo.

Abdul Rani also testified that he was instructed to do aerial surveys twice to take photographs of area at Kampung Tanduo.

When asked by Sivananthan, Abdul Rani said, Abdul Rashid never offered to him to bring any of the police personnel who had been with Abdul Rashid to meet the gunmen.

"Abdul Rashid informed me that the pilot had been to that area earlier and he knew the place," said Abdul Rani, who also said that he did not know about which policemen were involved in the negotiation efforts.

He further explained that the aerial surveys took about 15 to 20 minutes to cover all the area which is estimated to be about 10 square miles.

To another question by Sivananthan, he said there were exchanges of fire at Tanjung Batu on March 6, 2013 but he was not involved in the gunfight.

The 29 accused persons were alleged to have committed terrorism acts at several places in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Sandakan between February 12, 2013 and April 10, 2013.

The offences carry the mandatory death sentence by hanging while the rest provide for life imprisonment and a fine upon conviction.

The prosecution is led by Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, who was assisted by deputy public prosecutors, Abdul Wahab Mohamed, Ishak Mad Yussoff, Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, Cheng Kher Her and Anati Kisahi while other counsels involved were James Tsai, Stella Simon, Zaleha Mohd Yusof Pan, Majnah Abdillah, Zakaria Ahmad, Abdul Ghani Zelika, Ram Singh, Kamaruddin Mohd Chinki and YS Lo.

Print Friendly

To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.