» »Unlabelled » Glittering future cut short - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

11:05:00

Glittering future cut short - The Borneo Post Online Berita Sarawak - News 2 Sarawak

Glittering future cut short - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 07 Aug 2014 11:56 AM PDT

by Churchill Edward, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on August 8, 2014, Friday

Slain British medical students were set to begin work as doctors next year

KUCHING: The two British medical students Neil Dalton, 23 and Aidan Brunger, 22, from Newcastle University stabbed to death here on Wednesday morning have been described as "excellent" and "highly committed" students.

Dean of Undergraduate Studies for Newcastle University Medical School Prof Jane Calvert said, "They were doing what thousands of medical students do every year, they were on an elective to experience clinical practice in a different setting, to learn from that and enhance their practice when they come back.

"They were excellent students, they were doing really well with their studies, they were highly committed and coming back next year to work as doctors."

Calvert added that Brunger had aspirations to be an academic medic while Dalton wanted to head into clinic practice.

"Aidan was aspiring to do some medical research on his return, Neil was going straight into his final year and it's such a tragic thing to occur."

According to The Telegraph, Newcastle University released a statement that they were in "huge shock" at the students' deaths.

Acting vice-chancellor Prof Tony Stevenson said: "We were informed this morning of the very sad news that two of our fourth-year medical students working at a hospital in Kuching, Borneo, have been tragically killed.

"Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger were on a six-week work placement, along with five other medical students, to put the skills they had learnt during their time here at the university into practice," he said.

Reliable sources yesterday said representatives from the British High Commission in Malaysia will be accompanying next-of-kin or family members of the two deceased persons to SGH mortuary for the purpose of identification around 10am today.

Dalton has been described as a bright, vibrant young man who played football.

His former headmaster Martyn Cooper in England said: "Neil was always a fully engaged and promising student, whose decision to enter the medical profession was encouraged by Belper School.

"Our memories of him are of a vibrant and interested young man, who enjoyed his studies and made contributions to many events. He was a particularly-able mathematician, winning several awards during his school years," Cooper was quoted by The Telegraph.

He said the whole community was saddened by the news of his tragic death.

Dalton's parents were said to be too upset to comment on the incident.

However, The Telegraph interviewed a family friend and neighbour who described Dalton as a "very bright and self-motivated" young man who had the world at his feet.

Dalton who has an older brother, grew up in Belper in Derbyshire where he attended the local school, achieving four A* grades at A -Level. Friends described him as a "true gentleman" who had always dreamed of becoming a doctor.

Sue Barltey, 50, said: "While other kids might be lying in bed he was always up early doing something sporty. He had always said that he wanted to be a doctor, and he studied very hard.

"He was a true gentleman. If he saw me on a night out in Belper, he would offer to walk me home. When he did that, he always saw me safely to my door. He was a big part of the local community. It is a terrible, terrible loss."

Brunger from Gillingham in Kent was a pupil at Rainham Mark Grammar School before winning a place at Newcastle University to study medicine.

Like Dalton, he was also described as a brilliant student with a glittering future ahead of him.

His mother and step-father still live in Gillingham, but his father and step-mother moved to Alnwick in Northumberland.

Both of Brunger's parents were too upset to comment last night, but a neighbour in Gillingham described him as a "lovely" young man with a close and loving family.

The pair played football together for Newcastle University Medics and were in Sarawak with five other students from their course.

Their murders came just days after staff at the teaching hospital warned all visiting students to be on their guard while socialising in an area which is popular with backpackers.

Many of those gathered were coming to the end of their placement and were preparing to return home or head off to do some travelling for the remainder of the summer.

Fellow interns at the SGH expressed their shock and distress at hearing the news of the brutal murders and they were offered counselling.

Dalton and Brunger were undertaking a placement at a hospital here. They were stabbed to death just days after being warned about the dangers of drinking in popular local bars, The Telegraph reported.

Dalton and Brunger had been out celebrating the completion of a six-week stint at Sarawak General Hospital here when they were attacked by a group of locals who stabbed them multiple times and then left them to die in the street just yards apart.

The police have arrested four suspects aged between 19 and 35 to facilitate the murder investigation.

Meanwhile in a facebook posting of a member of the group of elective students of SGH, Prof Michael Smile wrote: "To all elective medical students in Kuching, I am sure, by now, all of you would have heard about the tragic deaths of two of your colleagues/friends.

"Some of you have messaged me expressing anxiety and concern about your safety. If anyone needs counselling etc, please let me, Dr Wong Jin Shyan or one of the physicians in the hospital know and we can see about hopefully providing this.

"From the police investigations, this was not a random crime. The two students apparently got into a quarrel with four locals who had been drinking," Smile posted.

However, State acting deputy police commissioner Datuk Dr Chai Khin Chung insisted the attack was random and stressed that the city's bars were still safe for foreigners.

Related News:

• Abell Road vigil draws sympathisers from all over Kuching ( www.seeds.theborneopost.com )

• Murder giving wrong image — Mayor

• Foreign tourists still think Sarawak safe

• Two British nationals believed stabbed to death in early morning fracas

• Abdul Karim dismayed at murder of British students

• Fourth suspect in British students' murder remanded for seven days

• Wan Junaidi: Talks soon on operating hours

• Public safety, long hours and police presence in the limelight

• Abang Johari: City's golden triangle night spots safe

• Sarawak still safe to visit — Lo

Print Friendly

Man dies at reflexology in Miri - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 10 Aug 2014 09:10 PM PDT

MIRI: A 41-year-old local man died while having a massage at a reflexology centre at 12.01 am this morning.

Miri OCPD, ACP Gan Tian Kee said that based on the statement of a witness, Yap Kien Bun, who was from Perak, became unconscious while having a massage and efforts to save him was made by contacting the Miri Hospital.

"A medical team was despatched to the scene and confirmed that Yap had died at the reflexology centre," he told Bernama, here Monday.

"A medical examination found that there was no injury or wound mark on the body and it had been sent to the Miri Hospital," he said.

Gan said the deceased's elder brother had been informed of the death and the case was being classified as sudden death. — BERNAMA

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.

FBM KLCI likely to stage further correction - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 09 Aug 2014 08:14 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) is likely to stage a further correction driven by external factors, with the 1,300 support level seen as the immediate target.

Affin Investment Bank vice-president and head of Retail Research Dr Nazri Khan said the key index would likely to be dragged by speculation that there will be a hike in US interest rates and negative concerns over the Ukraine crisis.

"These factors may have potential effect on the global economy to undermine investor confidence," he told Bernama.

The US Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and the Bank of England meeting concluded their meetings and highlighted risks to economic growth with no real fresh stimulus to boost sentiment.

Meanwhile, the positive US labour market data had muted impact suggesting more cautious mood ahead.

"Strategy wise, we are advising our short-term traders to short FBM KLCI futures and CPO futures while long-term traders to buy on dips quality stocks spread over a multiple period," said Nazri.

The Finance Index lost 205.39 points to 17,079.42, Plantation Index shed 26.8 points to 8,899.55 and the Industrial Index fell 56.11 points to 3,154.69.

The FBM Emas Index eased 135.52 points to 12,892.99, FBMT100 Index was 132.85 points lower at 12,461.61, FBM 70 trimmed 51.49 points to 14,251.14 but the FBM Ace added 47.24 points to 7,065.39.

Weekly turnover rose to 15.28 billion shares, valued at RM11.39 billion, from 6.71 billion shares, valued at RM6.77 billion last week.

Main market volume increased to 11.57 billion units worth RM10.7 billion last Friday's 5.10 billion units worth RM6.39 billion.

Warrants turnover firmed to 214.84 million units, valued at RM29.15 million  from 94.27 million units, valued at RM12.58 million last week.

The ACE market volume appreciated to 3.36 billion shares, worth RM635.92 million, from 1.34 billion shares, worth RM320.8 million, last Friday. — Bernama

Print Friendly

Three RTCs for Sabah and <b>Sarawak</b> — Nanta – BorneoPost Online <b>...</b>

Posted: 01 Jul 2014 12:35 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Rural and Regional Development Ministry will set up three rural transformation centres (RTCs) in Sabah and Sarawak soon.

Its deputy minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi said two of the RTCs would be built in Sabah, the first time for the state.

The other would be built in Sarawak, the second for the state after the first RTC in Miri, the building of which started in June and expected to be ready this September, he said in reply to a question from Senator Datuk Lihan Jok in the Dewan Negara yesterday.

"Basically, the government only allows the setting up of one RTC in each state, but since Sabah and Sarawak are big states, there will be two RTCs in each of these two states."

Nanta said his ministry was waiting for a proposal from the Sarawak Rural Development Ministry on a suitable site for the state's second RTC.

He said the RTC would provide various facilities including National Registration Department and Social Welfare Department counters, FAMA office, a dental clinic and business lots for local traders.

Nanta said seven Mini RTCs were currently operating in Sarawak, namely in Kuching, Bau, Miri, Sri Aman and Sibu. — Bernama

Print Friendly

<b>Sarawak</b> targeting Malaysia Cup - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 07 Jul 2014 11:33 AM PDT

KUCHING: Like any other team competing in the Malaysia Cup, Sarawak too has set its sights on winning the Malaysia Cup, said team manager Datuk Mohd Abu Bakar Marzuki.

"We have a strong team for the Malaysia Cup and we want to be the champion.

Hopefully we can achieve the target," Abu Bakar told Bernama here yesterday adding that even if there are players injured or facing match suspension, there were still capable reserve players who can rise to the occasion.

He added that to prepare for the Malaysia Cup, the team will go for a playing tour in Bandung, Indonesia.

"Our team needs to play friendly matches with good teams over there (Bandung) to keep the team's momentum when facing the tough Malaysia Cup tournament," he added.

He said the Crocs will travel to Indonesia on July 17, and play three friendly matches there against Persib Bandung on July 21 at the Siliwangi Stadium, Persabaya Surabaya on July 23 at the Jatidiri Stadium and against PSIS Semarang on July 25, also at the Jatidiri Stadium.

According to Sarawak coach Robert Alberts, the Crocs had wanted to play their pre-Malaysia Cup friendly matches in Vietnam but was forced to abort the plan due to technical problems.

The last time Sarawak qualified for the Malaysia Cup was in 1999 but lost 1-2 to Brunei.

Speaking of his four foreign players, Abu Bakar said all of them should be fit for the Malaysia Cup challenge, adding that all of them will also be going to Indonesia with the team.

Three import players – Muamir Salibasic, Gabor Gyepes and Hassan El Mohamad had missed several matches in the Super League competition due to injuries while Australian Ryan Griffiths has been a pillar of strength in the team since joining the squad. — Bernama

Print Friendly