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Student killed in Miri buried in Sandakan BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Student killed in Miri buried in Sandakan

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 11:03 AM PST

by Rebecca Chong. Posted on January 9, 2014, Thursday

SANDAKAN: Business student, Mu Tsun Vui, 19, who was killed during a robbery-cum-murder incident in Miri last Friday, was interred at Mile 12 Tiong Hwa cemetery here yesterday.

A simple Buddhist funeral ceremony was held at 10 am at Fong Kee Mile 3, attended by over 200 family members, relatives and friends who were all still in a state of shock over the tragic news of Mu's untimely death.

According to one of Mu's friends, who attended the funeral, all their friends are still having a hard time accepting that Mu had passed away at such a young age.

"He was always the funny one, the one friend who could always break the tension in a room," Wong, a close friend, said.

Despite the tragic death of Mu, the funeral ceremony was very calm. The people who attended the funeral were seen chanting and praying with some sobbing away but no one was crying hysterically.

Wong said everyone at the funeral tried to control their emotions as Mu, being a cheerful personality, would not have wanted it any other way.

The body of the deceased was later sent to Mile 12 Tiong Hwa cemetery here with a convoy of his loved ones.

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Musa orders ministry to monitor price hikes

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:53 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Aman wants the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Community Development to monitor reports on the exorbitant hikes in the prices of goods and services.

Musa said he had received reports on unjustifiable increases in prices of certain food items, believing it is the work of middlemen who are out to profiteer.

While it was understandable that there would be a general increase in prices of goods and services due to hike in fuel price, it was unacceptable to unreasonably jack up the prices. "No wonder the people have expressed outrage over the recent announcement of the price increase," he said.

Musa, therefore, wanted the relevant authorities to go all out and fully enforce the law on those who spiked prices to profiteer.

"The people are blindly angry with the government and the opposition is throwing all kinds of accusations without realising there are those who are taking advantage of the situation," he said.

Musa said the nation's economy is subject to global forces and thus strategic measures have to be put into place in order for it to sustain itself.

"Just because price of fuel has gone up, there is no justification to increase the prices of certain items, by 100 to 200 per cent."

He said consumers must also be aware of the current market price of goods and service and not be taken for a ride by unscrupulous traders.

The Chief Minister had earlier attributed the increasing prices of food items in Sabah in part to the role of middlemen.

According to him, irresponsible middlemen who are greedy for more profits are burdening consumers.

Musa told reporters after a meeting with Libaran Umno division branch heads last week that he would be bringing the matter up to the Prime Minister.

He wanted the role of the middlemen to be monitored to ensure they are more responsible by not selling goods at high prices. The authorities are urged to intensify monitoring and enforcement to combat greedy traders who raise prices at will.

Kalabakan member of parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh said on Monday that he had received numerous reports from the public about price hikes which indirectly affect the good name of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and it was necessary to curb price hikes immediately.

He said prices had risen up to 40 per cent or more, including in Tawau district.

"While some say the situation stems from the middlemen, but what is important is that the monitoring and enforcement must be redoubled and stern action taken against the perpetrators," he said.

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Major landslip may hit housing estate

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:47 AM PST

PENAMPANG: Taman Suria located along the old Penampang Road may imminently experience a major landslip.

According to Sabah DAP secretary Dr Edwin Bosi, two blocks of building there are in imminent danger as the road has shown signs of cracking and sinking.

He pointed out that the building foundation there is already exposed and workers have been deployed to re-connect the water pipeline which is affected by the land movement.

"Our investigation showed that there is an on-going construction of a monsoon drain under the auspices of the Drainage and Irrigation Department which started on May 21, 2013 and expected to be completed by Jan 20, 2015.

"Part of the old monsoon drain is being filled with earth while a new drain is been constructed covering about 200 metres.

"There is another 60 metres left before the concrete drain ends at Taman Penampang Phase 2 to receive the discharge from the smaller drains.

"This large and deep monsoon drain is vital to help reduce flooding in this area. It is unfortunate that the construction of the monsoon drain has resulted in the weakening of the earth foundation at Taman Suria.

"I am therefore appealing to both the Penampang District Council and the developer of Taman Suria to quickly find a way to circumvent this imminent landslip from happening.

"The parties concerned must ensure the safety of the people working or staying at the said two blocks of building and the commuters who are using the road," Bosi, who is also Kapayan assemblyman, said.

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No amenities at airport for sick passengers in event of flight delay

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:42 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has been called to ensure that they check their passenger lists for any disabled persons (OKU), pregnant women and sick persons availing of the airline's services at the airport.

Senator Datuk Yunus Kurus, whose flight was delayed from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan on Tuesday, said he encountered two sick passengers on wheelchairs at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) who were not given any special attention from the airline's airport management.

"MAS and the airport management should at least give some attention to the sick passengers by providing them amenities in the event there is a flight delay.

"These sick passengers were sitting on their wheelchairs. Are they able to sit very long on their wheelchairs when there is a flight delay? Of course not, as they would not feel comfortable sitting for too long. So they should at least be given a special room or amenity to feel comfortable and to rest.

"Just imagine if they have to wait for up to six hours or more! For us, we might be able to sit for longer hours, but definitely not for them," he said.

One of the two sick passengers, identified as Chua Swee Sin, aged 75, had just undergone heart surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital 2, while the other one, who only wished to be identified as the former headmaster of SRJK (C) Chi Wen, aged 80, was afflicted with Parkinson disease.

Chua's son, who accompanied his father, said they reached KKIA at 4.30pm for their 6.30pm flight, but it was delayed till after 10pm for the flight to Labuan.

Chua's son has expressed his utmost disappointment over the matter as not only his father, but also other sick passengers, were not really taken good care of by MAS and the airport management.

"My father had to sit on his wheelchair uncomfortably for several hours due to the flight delay. I hope similar incidents would not happen again and that sick passengers would be provided amenities whenever there is a flight delay," he said.

Meanwhile, president of Labuan Chinese Chamber of Commerce (LCCC), Datuk Wong Kii Yii, whose flight was also delayed after their trade mission to Palawan, insists that special room/amenities for sick passengers must be provided not only at KKIA, but at all airports nationwide.

"KKIA is a big airport and they must have special rooms for sick passengers to rest and take their medicines. Their welfare must be taken care of at all times. Why is there a room for smokers at the airport and none for the sick?" he asked.

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Schools welcome PTAs running school buses

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 10:18 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) solution to allow the Parent-Teacher-Associations (PTAs) at their respective schools to run their own fleet of school buses has been well received by schools here.

SK Stella Maris excellent principal Crispin Payus told The Borneo Post that the solution would benefit both parents and students.

"It is good for parents because the fare would be controlled and perhaps, some of the profits generated can go into the PTA funds," he said.

He added that the security and safety of the students taking the services rendered would also be better looked after as the bus driver would be selected by the PTA itself.

"The school would also monitor the quality of the services rendered," he said.

However, the school has not considered setting up its own school bus service.

"As of now, we haven't decided on this. Perhaps we can bring this up during the PTA meeting, but only if there are requests from parents to do so," he said.

The PTA chairperson for Sabah College, Datuk Fatima Shara Ahmad Noor, said that the issue had already been raised two years earlier at the school.

However, it has not taken off because of the lack of support from parents from the school, she lamented.

"Parents questioned too much when we asked for funding. If it was a Chinese school, we would have gotten the full cooperation and support from the parents of students studying there. Unfortunately, that is not how it runs at non-Chinese schools," she said.

Fatima said she would pursue the matter with the school's former students who were now holding important ministerial posts at federal and state governments.

"I hope to get their support on the matter," she said.

In introducing the unprecedented measures, SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said that the PTA of schools could now operate their own buses to ferry students.

Parents can also hire independent van owners within their neighbourhood to send their children to school, with SPAD regulating them to ensure safety standards are complied with, the paper reported.

While opening up the industry to new players, Syed Hamid said these new operators have to obtain licences and obey guidelines that will be issued by SPAD soon.

Federation of the School Bus Operators Association secretary-general Md Saad Mohamad said school bus operators have no issue with PTA ferrying children with their own buses as long as they had the right permits.

Md Saad said all school bus drivers needed was a public service vehicle licence and a permit from the SPAD to operate a bus.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali said it was easier said than done to get proper ferrying services.

He asked if PTAs were willing to go through the trouble of getting finances and the right vehicles for the job.

He said a driver's income would also have to be factored in.

School bus operators had recently called for a fare hike, citing increase in prices of spare parts and fuel and other costs.

SPAD was reported to have said it had not approved any new fares or surcharges on school buses yet, and that a new scheme would be announced in March.

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