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Chong sad over passing of Ho Leng BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Chong sad over passing of Ho Leng

Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:58 AM PDT

by Jeremy Veno and Raymond Tan reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 23, 2014, Monday

KUCHING: The demise of Bukit Assek state assemblyman Richard Wong Ho Leng has saddened DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jien.

Expressing his sorrow to newsmen at a book launch yesterday, Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching MP, said Wong was a true friend and a mentor to him.

"He was a comrade to me ever since I was the secretary and him the chairman from 2001 to 2013," said Chong, who was heartbroken upon receiving the bad news on Saturday night.

The whole party, he said, is in grief over Ho Leng's demise as he was a great leader with high integrity and was known to be very straightforward.

"Sometimes the things that came out of his mouth may hurt certain people, but bear in mind that it was all for a good intent. No doubt about it." He also recalled the 30-day court trial when Ho Leng volunteered to defend him in an election petition case.

"That is the type of comradeship that we share together. Now that he is gone we will continue with the struggles he had started," he added.

Under Ho Leng's leadership in the past 12 years, he said the state DAP scaled new heights as seen by the increase in its number of state seats from one to 12 in 2011 and the number of parliamentary seats from one to five.

"These are the things that we will remember him for, his character and contributions to the party," said Chong, wishing that Ho Leng's widow Irene Chang and their children will find strength during this difficult period.

Meanwhile, national and state DAP leaders started arriving yesterday evening to pay their last respects to Ho Leng.

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang and Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong arrived at Ho Leng's residence in Jalan Ipoh at about 7pm.

Lim said his son Guan Eng, who is DAP secretary-general and Penang chief minister, would arrive today. Lim described Ho Leng as a "battle comrade" for three decades. Wong first stood in Miri in the 1986 general election.

He said one of Ho Leng's greatest achievements was championing the fight for revolutionary change via the Ubah movement during the Sibu by-election in 2010.

From there, the idea spread and took effect in the country.

Lim also praised Ho Leng's efforts in protecting the agreement of Sarawak with Malaysia when the federation was formed in 1963.

He said the people would miss the role he played in this.

Liew described Ho Leng as his next-door neighbour in Parliament after Wong won the Sibu by-election in 2010.

"He sat next to me, and we worked as comrades."

Liew said he had various opportunities to work with Ho Leng, and he saw him as a committed leader.

"I was here during the Sibu by-election and the state election in 2011. I campaigned with him."

Ho Leng will be buried at the Methodist Cemetery in Oya Road tomorrow.

His eldest daughter Suzanne arrived home last night from Australia. She is a final year law student at Bond University in Brisbane.

The 20-year-old was told of the passing of her father on Saturday.

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To act or not to

Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:56 AM PDT

by Lim How Pim reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 23, 2014, Monday

Ministry aware most employers don't pay minimum wage to foreign workers but hopes not to take action against them

KUCHING: The Ministry of Human Resources is hoping it does not have to take action against employers who fail to pay foreign workers the minimum wage of either RM900 or RM800.

Its minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem said every employed person must be paid the minimum wage irrespective of their nationality.

He, however, conceded that most employers in the country had the tendency to take advantage of foreign labour by not providing what they deserved.

"The minimum wage policy does not differentiate between foreign and local workers. Be it foreign or local workers, they should get the minimum wage and other benefits included.

"Although most employers seem to take advantage of foreign labour, by right, employers must pay them the same wage as the locals are getting. I hope we do not have to come to the extent of imposing penalty on our employers," he told reporters after launching 'I Want Sihat' camp at Sunny Hill School here yesterday.

Riot said there are currently 14 million workers throughout Malaysia, some 12 million of them working in the private sector.

He therefore stressed health was of paramount importance when it came to ensuring productivity among such a big workforce.

"Without good health, you cannot be productive. So the government is very concerned about the general health of our workers of 14 million."

He pointed out even though the federal government had not made it compulsory for every civil servant to go for regular health check, it granted a big allocation to its agencies for free health screening.

"There is no decision yet in the cabinet to make it (regular health screening) mandatory. But those reaching the age of 40 will be required to go through some medical check-up."

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‘Ops Perdana Bersepadu’ nets 28

Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:54 AM PDT

by Anasathia Jenisreporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 23, 2014, Monday

KUCHING: Twenty-eight individuals, including five women, tested positive for drugs during 'Ops Perdana Bersepadu' mounted by the State National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada) on Saturday night.

In total, 120 people underwent urine tests for drugs during the operation.

Nada director Wan Madihi Wan Salleh said three of those nabbed were students of institutions of higher learning and the youngest individual detained was a 15-year-old student.

"They were positive either for methamphetamine or cannabis," he told a press conference at Kuching Nada district office at Jalan Ong Kee Hui yesterday.

"Action will be taken against the 28 individuals. They will be sent to the drug rehabilitation centre (Puspen) or Cure and Care Clinic for an institution and community programme."

A total 120 officers from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Immigration Department, Civil Defence Department (JPAM), police and State Islamic Department (Jais) took part in the operation that began at 9pm and ended at about 2am.

During the operation, 128 summonses were also issued for various traffic offences during road blocks at two locations.

On a related matter, Wan Madihi said the highest number of drug addicts registered in the state was in Kuching, followed by Miri and Sibu.

"However, overall, Sarawak recorded the second lowest number of drug addicts in the country."

From January 2011 till April this year, the state recorded 1,750 drug addicts, and out of this, 95 of them were repeat drug offenders.

The five types of drugs that are easily found in state are Cannabis, Methamphetamine, Ketamine, Eramin 5 and Ecstasy.

Also present at the press conference were deputy directors Kartina Ujin and Devan Arup (Treatment and Rehabilitation).

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Trio believed to be World Cup bookies nabbed

Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:53 AM PDT

KUCHING: Three men, believed to be bookies in illegal World Cup 2014 betting, were arrested by police during operation Ops Saga in two separate cases on Saturday night.

The first suspect was arrested on the first level of a shop at BDC commercial centre around 9.45pm where cops seized from him some cash, bundles of betting paper, mobile phones and stationary.

Another two suspects were arrested at the five-foot-way of a food outlet at Central Park around 10.45pm on the same night. Seized as exhibits were mobile phones believed to contain data on the football matches.

The case is being investigated under the Betting Act 1953.

The raids were made by a police team from the D7 unit of Sarawak Police Contingent headquarters led by ASP Elouise @ Zulkarnain, Inspector Sylvarius Gopog, Inspector Muhammad Farid and 12 other police officers.

The police will persist against the illegal gambling activities for the duration of the World Cup.

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Jakar fire destroys wooden house

Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:52 AM PDT

SARIKEI: A double-storey wooden house in Jakar area about 10 km from here was totally destroyed in an inferno on Friday afternoon, while Bomba was piqued with interference by the owner.

Also going up in smoke were three unserviceable vehicles, a cement mixture, sawn timber and car engines kept underneath the house.

According to three Indonesian workers who occupied the house, the fire broke out around 5pm when they were working nearby.

On seeing thick smoke billowing from their house, they rushed back and tried to douse the flames.

However, their effort was hampered by water problems, they said, adding that intense heat prevented them from entering the house to salvage their belongings.

"We just watched helplessly as the fire spread very fast across the wooden structure. We only managed to bring out a few items," they added.

According to District Fire and Rescue Services (Bomba) chief Suna Kaha, they were alerted to the incident at 5.12pm and immediately rushed a team of five firemen in one engine to the scene.

However, when the fire-fighters arrived some eight minutes later, 90 per cent of the house had been destroyed.

As there was no fire hydrant or alternative source of water such as a pond or river in the vicinity, firemen had to fetch water from Jakar Bazaar located about 1.5 km away, he lamented.

Apart from the water setback, Suna was disappointed with the desperate house owner who had his own ideas of bulldozing the burning house with heavy machinery.

"Instead of helping the firemen to put out the fire, his action had made the job more difficult," Suna said.

"Although he is the owner of the house, he has to follow the advice or instruction  of the firemen. The public should be aware that it is an offence under Bomba Services Act 1988 to obstruct firemen from executing their duty," Suna said.

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Man receives 20 stitches after assault by group

Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:52 AM PDT

KUCHING: A labourer received 12 stitches on his head and another eight on his eye lids after he was attacked by six unknown men at a coffee shop in Kota Sentosa here on Saturday night.

According to the victim's relative, he was making his way back to his rented house above the shop where he had a drink while watching the World Cup 2014 preview.

"Six strangers armed with weapons assaulted him around 11pm. The motive of the attack was unclear," he said when met at the One Stop Centre, Kuching district police station at Jalan Simpang Tiga here yesterday.

The victim sustained facial injuries and bruises on his body.  It was learnt that he only informed his aunty who was staying with him around 5am yesterday after he could not bear the pain.

He was brought to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for treatment before filing a police report.

In an unrelated case, three men aged 17, 27 and 30 were arrested to facilitate police investigation into an assault at a nightspot in the city.

The arrest was made by a police team from the D7 unit of Sarawak Police Contingent headquarters led by ASP Unang Giang after the 3am incident on Saturday was reported.

The investigation is ongoing.

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