» »Unlabelled » Balraj: Sibu acted on 16 cases of pirated discs BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

17:04:00

Balraj: Sibu acted on 16 cases of pirated discs BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Balraj: Sibu acted on 16 cases of pirated discs

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:54 PM PDT

SIBU: The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) here will continue to clamp down on the circulation of pirated discs. Its Sibu branch chief Balraj Singh said they have acted on 16 cases in 2013, confiscating 3,575 discs.

"Eleven of the cases were dealt with under Trade Description Act 2011 and the rest under Copyright Act 1987.

"The total amount of pirated DVDs, VCDs and CDs seized totalled RM14,715," Balraj told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He disclosed that they had carried out several raids during the first half of this year, confiscating 310 DVDs and VCDs valued at RM1,566.

"Two of these three cases flouted the Trade Description Act 2011 while the other infringed the Copyright Act 1987," Balrai said.

He recalled from the three cases this year, only one involved pirated Iban DVDs and VCDs. He said under the Trade Description Act 2011, the offender could be fined up to RM100,000 or sentenced to three years' jail or both.

Print Friendly

Thief steals car as owner closes front gate

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:52 PM PDT

KUCHING: A civil servant had her car stolen from under her nose yesterday after a man drove off with it while she was closing the front gate of her house.

The incident happened at Uni Garden, Kota Samarahan, around 7.30am when the 39-year-old woman was about to leave for work. It is believed that the woman had reversed her Perodua Kenari out the porch and exited to close the front gate when an unknown man seemingly appeared from nowhere, got into her vehicle, and sped off with it.

Along with her car, she also lost her handbag – containing a mobile phone and wallet – which was on the front passenger seat.

In an unrelated matter, a contractor had both his legs broken after part of a concrete wall fell on him at a house in Tabuan Jaya yesterday morning.

The 45-year-old was at the house around 10am to oversee renovation works when he shifted a piece of wood which had been placed against a wall, causing it to fall on top of him. It was later learned that the house owner had used the wood to prop up the section of the wall as it was structurally unstable, but had forgotten to mention it to the contractor.

A friend of the victim, who was at the scene when the incident happened, helped to drive the contractor to the Sarawak General Hospital where he was admitted for treatment.

Print Friendly

Indonesian man beaten up in ‘China dolls’ territory

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:50 PM PDT

MIRI: An Indonesian man was found bloodied, beaten up by strangers and left in an alleyway of Jalan Kwangtung in the wee hours on Thursday morning.

According to sources, the victim in his 20's, had gone to the area wandering alone, looking out for 'China dolls'. In the incident around 3am, the victim lost two handphones and cash of RM200. The victim was found shirtless in only long pants.

Unfortunately, he had bumped into his assailants while searching for ladies of the night. He sustained serious injuries when the assailants fled the scene after bashing him up with blunt objects, leaving him writhing in pain.

Fortunately, the Indonesian managed to crawl out from the alleyway and made his way to a nearby budget hotel.

"My colleagues and I were sitting outside the hotel's entrance smoking, when we heard a voice shouting for 'help'," said Mohammad Azri Mohd Nardi, 20, one of the budget hotel's receptionist on duty telling The Borneo Post yesterday.

Azri and two colleagues rushed to the voice and made the discovery.

"The victim cried out that 'If you are Muslims please help me'… as we sympathised with his condition and immediately called for the ambulance," said Azri.

Within a few minutes, an ambulance arrived to take the injured man off to Miri hospital.

Print Friendly

Outlets told to apply for exhibition licence

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:48 PM PDT

by Jonathan Chia, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 27, 2014, Friday

KUCHING: National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) has issued a stern warning to entertainment outlet operators, especially those operating karaoke pubs in the state, to apply for exhibition licence.

Its licensing and enforcement chief Mohd Sa'ad Osman said many were still not aware that the licence was necessary for entertainment outlets such as cinemas and karaoke pubs that screen films.

"The level of awareness among entertainment outlet operators, especially those operating karaoke outlets, to apply for exhibition licence from us is still low. About 70 per cent of karaoke outlet operators still have not applied for the licence from Finas," he told a press conference at state Finas office here yesterday.

Most of the karaoke and video outlets in the state that did not apply for exhibition licence, he said, were in Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu, adding that despite repeated warnings and advice, some still refused to apply for the licence.

He revealed that equipment worth about RM50,000 were confiscated from eight video centres and three karaoke outlets in Kuching and Bintulu during a state-wide operation from June 23 to 25, which he led, to check on entertainment outlets that did not have the licence.

"There were seven cases in Bintulu and four cases in Kuching. We confiscated 18 units of television, six amplifiers, 20 speakers, six units of video players and other equipment such as microphones which are worth about RM50,000. We also confiscated 3,670 digital video discs (DVDs) and 300 pirated local Malay films."

When asked for the typical reason given by the operators for not applying for the licence, he said: "To me, whatever reasons that they give are all not logical. The common excuses given were they were busy, they forgot and didn't know that they are required to apply for the licence."

During the operation, he said his men also discovered that about 98 per cent of local films sold in the state were pirated.

Under Section 22 (1) of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia Act 1981 (Amendment 2013), the offence of not having the licence is not compoundable and the operator is liable to a fine of not more than RM50,000 or two years' jail or both if convicted.

Apart from exhibition licence, individuals involved in the production of films are required to apply for production licence while those selling, renting or importing films are required to apply for distribution licence from his department, he added.

He said an operator only needs to pay RM100 per year for exhibition licence and place a deposit of RM1,000 while a yearly fee for distribution licence is RM400 with a deposit of RM2,500. As for production licence, an operator needs to pay a yearly fee of RM100 and a deposit of RM1,000.

"Therefore, I would like to advise all operators without licence to apply immediately before action is taken. The licence we issue is only for one year. If the licence is not renewed after that, we still consider them as not having licence and we can compound them a maximum of RM1,000."

Print Friendly

Wong: Dialogues allow CM to hear out Chinese issues

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:45 PM PDT

by Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 27, 2014, Friday

KUCHING: There is a greater need for the state government and the Chinese community to have genuine and regular dialogues to address specific and pertinent issues affecting the community, says Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

He said the possibility of better cooperation between the Chinese and the government could be achieved if the state government was genuine on its part to listen and address such issues.

"If there is greater unity, hopefully there will be greater support for the BN. This is what we are trying to do," Wong told the media after a closed-door dialogue between Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem and the Chinese community at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching yesterday.

Wong, who is also the Second Minister of Finance and minister-in-charge of the Chinese community, said the dialogue was held to allow the chief minister to be able to help the community to understand the government's policies on a wide range of issues such as education, job opportunities, business opportunities, religious, cultural and land.

"He (the chief minister) also appealed to them to be realistic and on our part we have to be practical. We have to solve our problems not through confrontation but through cooperation."

He also said it was vital for the Chinese community to have a proper dialogue with the government to allow them to let 'off steam' as it represented the voice on the ground.

"It is better than voting for the opposition," he said, adding that the dialogue was non-political in nature.

The two-hour closed door dialogue was the first one which Wong planned all along to do and there would be more to come in the very near future to address issues affecting the communities in various parts of the state.

"Today we talk about harmony and unity. Indirectly, we see that if some of the Chinese issues and problems are well addressed then it will bring about greater unity," added the Minister of Local Government and Community Development.

Some 400 Chinese community leaders including young professionals from throughout the state attended the dialogue session organised by top Chinese community leaders.

Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar, Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan, Minister of Housing and Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah were among those who attended the dialogue session.

Print Friendly

Rundi denies BN will break up over Teras, Karim tells Tian Chua ‘lay off’

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:44 PM PDT

SIBU: State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi yesterday refuted Batu MP Tian Chua's claim that the poser over Teras is a sign of BN breaking apart, saying the issue would be resolved amicably.

Dr Rundi, who is Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Electricity and Telecommunications), expressed confidence that Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem would work out the solution, the BN Sarawak's way.

He was reacting to Tian Chua's claim that the tussle between the 'merger of minds' group comprising BN component parties PRS, SUPP and SPDP and BN-friendly Teras was the first sign that BN was disintegrating and losing its direction.

Dr Rundi said: "Of course not, and we will make sure it will be resolved amicably and we trust and are confident that CM will come out with the solution when the time comes, of course BN Sarawak way."

According to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the federal BN had given Adenan the mandate to settle the dispute over the seats allocated to SUPP, SPDP and PRS claimed by pro-BN Teras.

Meanwhile, PBB Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah yesterday told PKR to put their house in order and not to meddle in others' affair.

"Like the Malay saying 'jaga tepi kain sendiri' which roughly means look after your own house and problems. That is what I want to say to Tian Chua," Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman, said.

Taking a swipe at PKR, Abdul Karim said it (PKR) had lots of problems on transparency which led to skirmishes among its leaders and members in Klang and elsewhere because of unhappiness, non-transparency in their party leadership and administration.

"The issue of Teras formation is a minor issue which our YAB CM will know how to address.

"It is not an issue that will break up or weaken the state BN.

"As it is, assemblymen claiming they are Teras members are sitting together with the BN component leaders in the state cabinet. No issue at all.

"So to Tian Chua….as much as he is hoping to see division in BN, state BN is still intact and as strong as ever," stressed Abdul Karim.

Print Friendly