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Pick-up truck crashes into ditch BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo


Pick-up truck crashes into ditch

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 12:02 PM PDT

by Elton Gomes. Posted on March 20, 2014, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: A local man, said to be a restaurant operator, was trapped in his pick-up truck for several minutes after it plunged into a monsoon drain at Damai Road, Luyang yesterday.

It is believed that the driver, in his 20s, was on the way to Foh Sang from Dah Yah Villa around 10.50am when he lost control of the Isuzu D-Max, which hit the rear of two other vehicles, a Perodua Myvi and a Perodua Naza, before smashing through the guardrails and going down the drain that is some five metres deep.

Members of the public immediately came to the man's aid, freeing him from the vehicle and sent him to the nearest hospital for outpatient treatment.

The drivers of the Myvi and Naza, a woman and a man in their 50s, were not hurt.

Meanwhile, city police chief ACP Jauteh Dikun said police were investigating the incident, and he urged eyewitnesses to come forward to assist them.

A team from the Fire and Rescue Department also came to see if their help was needed.

The incident caused a traffic jam during the afternoon rush hour.

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Dep minister under fire over statutory rape statement

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 11:31 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: Politicians from the Barisan Nasional and the opposition yesterday criticised Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar for saying that non-Malays are less sensitive and 'under report' any 'statutory rape cases.

Penampang member of parliament Darell Leiking said such remarks are totally uncalled for

He said in the first place, how would the deputy minister be able to ascertain precisely that the "non-Malays" are less sensitive or more willing to accept 'child rape' considering that almost all races and all faiths in the Federation of Malaysia put high emphasis on family and spiritual values.

"Rape is a serious crime no matter what and who defines it? 'Rape' is 'rape," said Leiking.

Secondly, he asked whether any Chinese/Indian/Mission primary and/or secondary schools recorded high percentage of students' promiscuity, co-inhabitant with lover(s) or even pregnancy which are dramatic enough for the deputy minister to come to such conclusion and did he made any cross reference with the Education Ministry.

Leiking added Wan Junaidi also seemed to be 'confused' with the definition of statutory rape (which is the crime for having sex with a minor, with or without consent) and pre-marital sex when he said "….this was because the majority of Muslim parents are unable to accept the idea of sex before marriage compared with non-Malay parents who are presumably less sensitive over the issue…"

Wan Junaidi told Parliament on Tuesday that "non-Malays are maybe more accepting" of sexual violations involving children, when explaining why statutory rape is more commonly reported among Malays.

The Santubong member of parliament said that in 2012, there were 1,550 reported incidents of statutory rape, with Malays taking the top spot at 48 per cent, followed by the Chinese at 5 per cent and Indians at 3 per cent, and added that the number last year had dropped to 1,424 cases.

Wan Junaidi also said close to 90 per cent of the cases reported involved those aged between 16 and 19.

MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong also criticised Wan Junaidi's claim which is unproven and would not hold up under scrutiny.

According to Wee, rape and child rape cases are spread across every ethnic groups, and is a problem that has to be tackled regardless of the victims' race.

"As an MP, I will ask him to enlighten us on his theory, it is not easy for anyone to come up with a hypothesis unless you can prove it in a scientific way," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

Wee warned that the Deputy Home Minister should not simply make assumptions when quoting statistics, and it was premature of him to come up with such conclusion.

"As parents, when something like that happens to your daughter the first thing you do is report it to the police … I cannot accept such an answer from the deputy minister," said Wee.

"Statistics are statistics, every statistic must be accurate … I think it is unfair to link it to any specific races," added Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, who is MCA secretary-general.

"We are adults, as an MP we must be responsible for what we say," he added.

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Khairy Jamaluddin said racial profiles should not be attached to crime.

"Crime happens across the board," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The Rembau MP pointed out that even if some crimes appeared to be more prevalent among certain communities, geographical or socio-economic factors could be behind such patterns.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng pointed out that rape disgusts everyone, regardless what race they are.

"It is very wrong for him to alleged that non-Malays are more accepting of statutory rape, it is very wrong and false," Lim said in a press conference at his office in Penang yesterday.

He demanded that Wan Junaidi immediately explain his controversial statement and if he had really meant what he said, to apologise to everyone.

"Rape is a crime against women and young girls so regardless of which race or religion, so he should not pinpoint that non-Malays are more accepting of it just because there are less cases," he said.

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Students say new STPM system easier

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 11:28 AM PDT

by Rebecca Chong. Posted on March 20, 2014, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: The new STPM system makes the examination easier to score, according to students who received their results at SMK Perempuan Likas here yesterday.

Students who sat for the STPM last year were the first batch to use the semester system, replacing the terminal system.

Instead of one examination after one and a half years of studies, the new semester system requires students to take three semesters of STPM every six months.

The new system also allows STPM students to retake their failed subjects and repeat their semester until they pass all subjects.

Nor Aisah Mohd Zaidi, 20, received her STPM result with flying colours and stated that the new system had helped her a lot in achieving higher pointers.

She struggled in the first semester with a pointer of just 1.7, and with the new chances given to her in the following semesters, she managed to catch up and scored overall pointers of 3.33.

"I learned the ways to score in the exam through experience as well as from my mistakes, and that was how I improved myself. If STPM were still a one-time exam, that would make it so much harder to score," she said.

Aisah, the daughter of a laborer, and her two best friends, Siti Farah Ibrahim and Merwira Alamar, were among the best achievers at SMK Perempuan Likas with pointers of 3.33, 3.84 and 3.00 respectively.

SMK Perempuan Likas is listed as one of the 35 schools in Sabah which achieved 100 per cent passes for STPM 2013 with 40 students, keeping their achievement of 100 per cent passes for the fourth year in a row.

According to Aisah and her friends, apart from the new system, they also achieved such good results because of their supportive Pre-U teachers as well as their own dedication and efforts in preparing for the examination.

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‘Frightened’ student excels despite armed intrusion

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 11:28 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: The Tanduo crisis last year did not stop Suhanah Abdul Mohammad of SMK Bugaya Semporna from preparing for the STPM examination and excelling in it.

"I studied consistently throughout the fracas even though I was frightened. We had a week of holiday from school but had to stay indoors most of the time," she said after receiving her result from state education director Datuk Jame Alip and Membakut assemblyman Datuk Ariffin Arif at SMK Membakut.

Suhanah was one of the 15 students from Sabah who attained a CGPA of 4.00 in the STPM which was announced yesterday.

She recalled that the ambiance in Lahad Datu then was extremely quiet, particularly in the evening.

On her result, Suhanah mentioned that she was extremely happy. She was the first student from the school to attain such an excellent result.

Her teacher who accompanied her, Masni Haji Ullong, said they were informed of the result the day before.

"We took a 10-hour bus ride to reach here. We will return after this and a thanksgiving reception will be held at the school upon our return," she said.

Suhanah also attained 7As in her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.

Another excellent achiever present during the event was SMK Tansau Putatan's Nur Efazainiza Ainie Basri, 20.

She was one of the top three students from her school to achieve excellence in the STPM.

Winning 4 PNGK, this eldest in a family of three siblings, was ecstatic with the results as she never expected to achieve that high.

"I thought I would get 3.5 and that could have made me happy," she shared, adding that she did not do too well in her SPM, garnering only three As.

"I think that spurred me to study hard," she stated.

On her preparation for tests, Nur Efazainiza shared that she had her own timetable to focus on certain subjects and concentrated on them fully without interruptions.

"I also concentrated on the subjects in class so that I don't miss anything. Besides that I also joined friends for study sessions."

Her favourite place to study was on her room alone.

She also attributed her success to her parents' support and understanding as well as through the grace of God.

She aspires to be a teacher and will enrol in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Perak soon.

Her father, Basri Mustafa, is a Borneo Post newspaper vendor.

He said he was very proud of his daughter and was confident that she would be successful as she was very studious.

Her schoolmate, Nurapni Juraini, also achieved 4.00 CGPA in the examination.

She attributed her excellent result to her routines which consisted of doing the 'solat', studying and revising as well as the constant guidance from her teachers and mother, a cleaner at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

"I am the only child and my mom will be extremely proud of this. We've lived in hardship since my father died a long time ago," she said.

She believed that the hardship she had endured had moulded her into the person she is today and mentioned that she aspires to become an economic specialist.

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When car, lorry bear same registration numbers

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 11:27 AM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: A woman received a traffic police summons for a lorry bearing the same registration plate number as her Toyota Vios car.

The summons notice bears a picture of the lorry with the same registration plate number as her car (SAB 828R).

She made this shocking discovery when she went to pay her parking summons, and was told that she had to pay another summons, allegedly for a traffic offence committed by the driver of the lorry.

The woman, who approached Luyang assemblyman Hiew King Cheu for help, is wondering how this situation could have happened, and felt that if this matter is not rectified she may end up with more trouble in the future.

In view of this, she refused to settle the summons until the matter is clarified and rectified.

Hiew made an immediate enquiry with the the Road Transport Department (RTD) and was told that the lorry had definitely used a false number plate because in their records, the car owner is the only person registered under that number.

A RTD officer assured that the matter can be rectified and they will investigate on this once a formal complaint has been filed with them.

Hiew urged those who knows where the lorry is to contact the police or him at 088-254987.

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KK High School records 100% passes for fourth time

Posted: 19 Mar 2014 11:22 AM PDT

by Chok Sim Yee. Posted on March 20, 2014, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu High School (KKHS) has recorded 100 per cent passing rate in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) for four consecutive years.

All 77 students who sat for the public examination last year, including 28 science students and 49 arts students, passed.

KKHS achieved a grade point average (GPA) of 2.79 and that was the school's best record thus far.

Esther Chin May Shen is the school's top student with 4As, while three others obtained 3As, nine received 2As and 17 with 1A.

The students who obtained 3As are Oong Nien Tze, Brian Chong Wei Khong and Laura Chong Min Sze. Those who obtained 2As are Ee Wen Le, Chin Fui Ting, Wong Chee Chia, Vivian Lee Yee Vun, Eleen Wong Yue Teng, Lee San Ting, Tsau Kah Yee, Kareena binti Awang and Yvonne Chin Yee Von.

KKHS fared well in every subject. Geography, Commerce and Arts subjects recorded 100 per cent passing rate whereas other subjects achieved a passing rate of 90 per cent and above.

The passing rate for General Studies was 98.7 per cent, Chemistry 96.4 per cent, Biology 92.9 per cent, Economics 97.0 per cent, Mathematics (T) 92.9 per cent, Chinese 86.7 per cent, Malay 83.3 per cent, Accounting 82.6 per cent, Physics 78.6 per cent and Mathematics (M) 58.3 per cent.

KKHS principal Ng Kim Huat said he was satisfied with the results and hoped that the students sitting for STPM this year would perform even better and make the school proud. He also thanked the teachers for their contributions and hard work in educating the students.

Meanwhile, vice principal for Form Six, Goh Boon Swee, said 35 of the 77 students had retaken the examination for the third semester and their results were not released yet. He believed the school's GPA would be even higher once the results of the 35 students were announced.

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