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Tawau lass wins <b>Sabah</b> Idol Season 2 - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

Tawau lass wins <b>Sabah</b> Idol Season 2 - The Borneo Post Online

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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Wanita Umno Silam&#39;s support for <b>Sabah</b> Idol Grand Final <b>...</b>

Posted: 25 Dec 2013 05:03 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: With only two days to go before the start of the Sabah Idol Season 2 Grand Final, Wanita Umno Lahad Datu is working hand in hand with the organizer, Borneo Events Production (BEP), to ensure that the event will run smoothly.

Its chief, Mizma Appehdullah, said they would make the Sabah Idol Grand Final one of the best and biggest events Lahad Datu has ever seen.

"Security, crowd control and seating arrangement are our biggest priority and we are confident the police, the district council and the management of Darvel Bay Plaza will carry out their duties efficiently. Like what Dato Yusof Apdal, the Lahad Datu assemblyman, has publicly stated, we have to restore that vibrant image of Lahad Datu as a safe and conducive town not just for its inhabitants but also to tourists and investors. Lahad Datu needs big entertainment shows like Sabah Idol as a platform to neutralize the bad publicity it has received lately and we are grateful that the organizer, Peter Dicky Lee, has deemed it fit to organize and shift the venue to Lahad Datu this year," Mizma said.

The popular reality series now in its second year is expected to attract 10,000 spectators.

"When we did the Lahad Datu Selection last month, I have never anticipated the huge turnout and what I saw actually was the key or rather the factor that convinced me to say yes, this is it Lahad Datu has been hitting the headlines of late but for all the wrong reasons. Hopefull, in a small way, this event will change the perception of the people's mind about Lahad Datu," said Peter.

Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Min has agreed to grace the occasion.

Indonesian consul Pak Johan Mulyadi has also been invited in view of the forthcoming Borneo Idol encompassing Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan to be organized by BEP next year.

ATI College has made it extra special this year by offering the winner of Sabah Idol a diploma scholarship worth RM25,000.

Datuk Sri Panglima Wong Ken Thau, the CEO of the ATI College, is expected to present the scholarship to the winner.

The National Anti-Drug Agency has also partnered with the Sabah Idol series to spread its anti-drugs slogan during the Sabah Idol roadshows throughout the state.

"The Sabah Idol series is the best platform to reach the masses to educate them about the dangers of drug abuse and to stay away from unhealthy activities," said Bakri Bin Bibi, the Sabah Anti Drug Agency director.

"During the Grand Final, we will display all the various kinds of drugs and instruments that are used by drug addicts," he said.

The winner of the Grand Final will bring home a total of RM30,000 worth of prizes, including RM5,000 cash, RM25,000 scholarship sponsored by ATI College, a trophy and certificate.

The first runner-up will get RM3,000 cash, a trophy and certificate while the second runner-up will receive RM1,500 cash, a trophy and certificate. Fourth prize winner gets RM1,000 cash, a trophy and a certificate.

Subsidiary titles Best Showmanship, Best Costume, Most Popular, Most Creative and Most Promising all carry a cash prize of RM500, a trophy and a certificate.

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Fish washed ashore due to oceanographic conditions – UMS <b>...</b>

Posted: 25 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST

by Nancy Lai. Posted on December 26, 2013, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: The presence of a large number of sardines (Ikan Tamban) in Tambisan Island off Lahad Datu on Christmas eve appears to be related to oceanographic conditions in the area.

According to the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Borneo Marine Research Institute director Professor Dr Saleem Mustafa, the mass aggregation of sardines was to linked to oceanographic conditions.

Sardine is a shoal and pelagic fish which is sensitive to several oceanographic factors, especially temperature, currents and wind-induced turbulence in the sea surface, Dr Saleem said when asked to comment on the phenomenon in Lahad Datu.

Asked why there was such a large number in Tambisan two days ago, Dr Saleem replied, "Sardine is a shoal fish which tends to remain in large and dense aggregations. The shoal can be several hundred meters wide and several meters deep. Obviously, in Lahad Datu, they moved in thousands. We should not expect sardine to move to coastal waters individually.

"It is not unusual for sardines to be so close to shore. They do migrate in shore waters due to environmental and biological factors. Their migration route is influenced by many factors. They avoid regions where temperature is high, and where swells take place and water is turbid. They prefer calm currents.

"It is a temporary event and I do not expect to happen very often," he said.

Asked why the fish were jumping out of the sea onto shore, Dr Saleem said that it could be that the sardine shoal or school of sardine was in very dense aggregation and the continental shelf in Lahad Datu where it occurred was narrow.

When shoals of fish tend to stay together and the density is exceptionally high in a narrow shelf area, jumping out of water is expected, he said.

Asked whether the fish is safe for consumption, he replied, "This is a persistent question being asked since this morning. I would like to give some reasons to explain it, among which are that the the fish looked healthy (no reports of unhealthy signs on their body), they were alive and vigorously jumping out of water and that there are no reports of any health problems or poisoning symptoms from those who consumed the fish.

Fish moved to coastal waters due to oceanographic conditions, he said, adding, "Considering all these factors I believe the fish is safe to eat. However, detailed observations on the fish need to be carried out for a more convincing explanation".

Meanwhile, the tsunami early warning system did not detect any movement of the seabed of Kampung Tambisan Tungku, Lahad Datu, where thousands of fish beached Tuesday.

Sabah Meteorological Department director Abdul Malik Tussin said despite the phenomena, the early warning system in the area did not detect any earthquake or tsunami threat.

"The incident is rare. It happened over a short time and not due to any movement of the seabed that cause earthquake or tsunami," he said when contacted by Bernama, here Wednesday.

Abdul Malik said the Meteorological Department was monitoring the movement of the seabed which was in a state of calm.

Weather conditions in Sabah was forecasted to be good except in some areas, particularly Beaufort, which was flooded due to overflowing of Sungai Padas in Tenom.

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Stationery price increase of 20-30% reasonable – Association <b>...</b>

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&#39;s mother passes away - The Borneo Post Online

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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