» »Unlabelled » Police rescue 22 suspected human trafficking victims BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

06:47:00

Police rescue 22 suspected human trafficking victims BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Police rescue 22 suspected human trafficking victims

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 12:50 PM PDT

by Azmie Lim. Posted on April 25, 2014, Friday

LAHAD DATU: Twenty-two women who police believe victims of human trafficking syndicate were rescued in a special police operation here on Tuesday night.

District police chief, Assistant Police Commissioner, Shamsudin Mat yesterday said the women were rescued from the 1st floor of a house at Hope Liey Centre, Jalan Dam, here by police from the State Crime Investigation Department (CID) and Lahad Datu CID who raided the house at about 11pm on Tuesday.

Shamsudin said the special operation called Ops Noda swung into action upon receiving a tip about a syndicate, exploiting women from the Philippines, for sex.

"Further inspection on the house led to the arrest of a 52-year-old man, who is believed to be the 'guardian' of the women in the house.

"The police managed to rescue 22 women, aged between 18 and 30, all from the Philippines, without any documents," he said, adding that the man had been taken to the police station for further investigation.

Shamsudin said initial investigation revealed that all the victims are the Philippines who entered the state to find employment.

"All of the victims do not have any identification documents and we believe that they're working as guest relations officers (GRO) in Lahad Datu.

"The victims would be placed under a shelter home for up to three months to allow for investigation," he added.

Shamsudin also said that the case would be investigated under Section 12 of Anti-Human Trafficking Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

He added that the case would not be investigated under Section 13 of Anti-Human Trafficking Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 as reported in two local newspaper earlier.

Print Friendly

Stranded fishermen rescued by navy in Sandakan

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 12:49 PM PDT

by Winnie Kasmir. Posted on April 25, 2014, Friday

SANDAKAN: A Royal Navy Malaysia (RMN) vessel KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah came to the rescue of two fishermen who were stranded in Langkayan Island waters on Wednesday.

Reportedly, the two fishermen from Berhala Island, Moyong Aminuddin, 75, and Holdin Abduraham, 34, became stranded when their 19 meters long boat suffered an engine failure.

The two fishermen had been stranded for about ten hours after their boat had an engine failure at around 7 am, not long after they departed from Berhala Island.

Commanding officer of KD Laksamana Tan Pusmah, Commander Mohamad Zamri Ismail, said the naval vessel was on its way to Sandakan from Kota Kinabalu when they encountered the fishermen.

He said one of the naval officer saw the emergency signal from the fishermen's boat which was about two kilometres away from the naval vessel at around 3.15pm.

"The fishermen were seen waving their shirt frantically and when approached closer, we noticed that the boat bearing a local registration. From our inspection, we found the boat propeller shaft was broken and there was an gaping hole on the wall of its machinery room that caused the boat to be filled with sea water," he said.

The fishermen's boat was then towed by the naval vessel back to Sandakan reaching at the naval base of KD Sri Sandakan at around 9 pm.

Print Friendly

Two teachers among three injured in Keningau accident

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 12:42 PM PDT

by Johan Aziz. Posted on April 25, 2014, Friday

KENINGAU: A 33-year-old male teacher was seriously injured while two others, including a woman teacher, sustained minor injuries in a road accident that occurred at KM 13, Keningau-Tenom road here on Wednesday afternoon.

District police chief Deputy Superintendent Robert Salisip @ David said here yesterday said a pcik-up truck coming from Keningau collided with Myvi vehicle, driven by the male teacher in the 3.30pm incident.

Robert said initial investigations revealed that the truck entered the right lane and collided with the Myvi car.

"The lorry driver, a 45-year-old local man sustained minor injuries while the 33-year-old male teacher broke his right leg and a 24-year-old female teacher, a passenger of the Myvi, sustained minor injuries," he said.

Robert advised road users to always prioritize safety by driving carefully to avoid getting into an accident.

Print Friendly
We encourage commenting on our stories to give readers a chance to express their opinions; please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. While the comments here reflect the views of the readers, they are not necessarily that of Borneo Post Online. Borneo Post Online reserves the right not to publish or to remove comments that are offensive or volatile. Please read the Commenting Rules.

KK International Film Festival back in June

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 12:41 PM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) 2014 is back, with more local and international films and documentaries that will suit avid mountain climbers, environmentalists, comedy lovers and people from all walks of life.

KKIFF 2014, which will be held at the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) from June 1-12, is divided into three components – making films, talking about films and watching films.

KKIFF falls under the umbrella of the Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu (SPArKS).

The film festival is co-organized by SPArKS and Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA).

Movie buffs will be pleased to know that DOCS+, an activity under KKIFF, will hold screenings of 12 short and feature length films at JKKN Auditorium on June 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Festival director Jude Day said the 12 films were submitted by filmmakers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines and Myanmar.

Screenings start at 5pm on the above mentioned dates and admission is free.

The three feature films that will be screened under DOCS+ are Romeo & Juliet (June 6), Cuak (June 10) and A Step In The Right Direction (June 12).

Set in Jakarta, Indonesia, Romeo & Juliet is a love story between two different football club supporters.

Cuak, on the other hand, is a Malaysian movie that was recently released in our country in February. It is about a man having second thoughts as he goes through the events leading up to his marriage, and making tough decisions such as converting to Islam to get married.

"Cuak is unique as it is told by five directors, each director a section in different styles," she said in a press conference here yesterday.

Also present at the press conference were SEDIA assistant vice president of marketing and corporate communications Jesi Jolumis Majungki, Counsellor from the Consular Office of Japan Hirofumi Morikawa and SPArKS president Roger Wang.

Meanwhile, A Step In The Right Direction is a documentary directed by a Sabahan, who is now based in Tasmania.

The film explores the character Aaron Matthews who killed two people and injured another outside a night club in Hobart, Australia, and the aftermath of that night.

"It is about what's real, what's not, fact and fiction," Jude said.

On the other hand, International Movie Nights will screen five films at JKKN auditorium starting at 8pm on June 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

The International Movie Nights opens on June 6 with Couleur de peau : miel, by a France filmmaker that translates as Approved for Adoption.

A mixture of animation and real footage, Couleur de peau : miel is a documentary that traces the upbringing of Jung Henin, one of thousands of Korean children adopted by Western families after the end of the Korean War.

3 Zimmer/Küche/Bad (3 rooms/kitchen/bathroom), a German production, The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia, (USA) and Restul E T?cere (The Rest is Silence), (Romania) will be screened on June 9, 10 and 11.

The International Movie Nights will close with a Japanese documentary, which has yet to be confirmed.

Tickets to the International Movie Nights are sold at RM10 each, and are available at Bread Boss in Damai, Elite Optical in Segama and Santola Bar Café in Kolombong and Damai.

Apart from the movie screenings, there is a Sabah Film Forum on June 7 and 8 where participants can learn more about movies and movie-making.

The film forum is open to the public at JKKN Seminar Room for free.

The first day of the forum will feature a masterclass by Nick Deocampo, a Filipino film producer, director and teacher, who will speak on scriptwriting; movie appreciation class by self-taught artist and filmmaker Hassan Muthalib; Reel Rock 8 , part of the world tour of the greatest climbing and adventure films; and screening of The Heart of Jenin, a documentary by Marcus Vetter.

The second day of the forum starts with a masterclass by Deocampo on directing; Vetter on making documentaries; highlight screening of SYNC10 Filmmakers' Competition; screening of Avid Ocean, a Scubazoo co-production with 360 Degree Films about ocean acidification and a startling discovery in the seas off Papua New Guinea; and an awards night for SYNC10 Filmmakers' Competition winners and Sabah Film Academy movies and awards.

Meanwhile, Wang said KKIFF was part of a bigger festival that SPArKS was trying to promote, namely KK Arts Festival in June.

Wang said the festival in June would also include storytelling and jazz festivals.

"We are slowly building the month of June into an art festival that is bigger and stronger every year."

Jesi said SEDIA has been assisting KKIFF for the past four years, adding that the festival could promote the creative industry as well as engage young talents in such activities in Sabah.

Print Friendly

Minimum wage order being reviewed for improvement

Posted: 23 Apr 2014 11:59 AM PDT

SANDAKAN: The National Wages Consultative Council (NWCC) is in the process of reviewing the Minimum Wage Order 2012 towards improved and effective implementation of the order for the private sector.

Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Ismail Abdul Muttalib said as provided under the NWCC Act 2011, a review of the order should be made at least once in two years.

"The order was gazetted in 2012, which means it should be reviewed this year and a new order enforced next year," he said after opening the integrated support clinic on the implementation of the Minimum Wage Order here yesterday.

The announcement on the minimum wage implementation was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on April 30, 2012 and it was gazetted on July 16, 2012.

The Minimum Wage Order 2012 became effective on Jan 1, 2013 with the monthly minimum wage set at RM900 for the peninsula and RM800 for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

Ismail said for the purpose of review, a seminar on reviewing the order was held with the International Labour Organisation and World Bank last month.

It was aimed at identifying appropriate indicators that should be included in considering any proposal from the stakeholders.

Ismail believed the NWCC and Minimum Wage Technical Committee would give emphasis on the indicators so as to reach a good decision.

He said the employers and industry players should immediately put forward their views and suggestions, if any, to the NWCC secretariat by this May 31, the latest.

Ismail said there were 14 million workers in this country, with 5.8 of them working under their employers, numbering 600,000, while the rest were self-employed.

He said in the Minimum Wage Order enforcement operations conducted by the Manpower Department by checking on 6,588 employers between January and March this year, 179 of them were found to have not obeyed the order. — Bernama

Print Friendly

66 houses with illegals face demolition

Posted: 23 Apr 2014 10:43 AM PDT

by Elton Gomes. Posted on April 24, 2014, Thursday

KOTA KINABALU: Thirty-five people from Kampung Pondo, Pulau Gaya, were arrested by the police for various offences during an on-going Ops Cantas Khas operation yesterday.

The 5am operation also saw 66 houses issued with notices for demolition for allowing illegal immigrants to reside there.

City police chief ACP Jauteh Dikun said 400 people were checked during the joint operation which included the Immigration Department, the Civil Defence Department, the National Registration Department and City Hall.

"Of the 400 individuals, 75 were taken to a location for documentation inspection, and 35 people, aged 20 until 40, were arrested.

"Five of those detained are also wanted by the police for previous criminal records such as drugs, robbery and possession of stolen items, while the remaining 18 men and two women were arrested for drug abuse," he said when met during the operation at Kampung Pondo, Pulau Gaya, here yesterday.

Meanwhile, Jauteh said yesterday's operation was the first phase, and the second phase would be implemented within seven days.

"For the second phase, we will re-inspect the houses that have been given notices to be pulled down and after seven days, if City Hall finds the houses still standing, they will be demolished immediately," he said.

Print Friendly