Day: September 2, 2021

The Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) has outlined five initiatives that will focus on implementing policies and programmes to bring the ‘Malaysian Family’ out of the hardships of life due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its Minister Idris Ahmad said the initiative was in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s call that the government’s main focus was to look after the welfare of the people so that they could get out of the health and economic crisis immediately.

“The initiatives are Mental, Physical and Spiritual Strengthening; Strengthening the Islamic Education System; Strengthening Islamic Family, Social and Community Institutions; Strengthening Mosque and Surau Institutions and Socio-Economic Strengthening of the Ummah.

“To ensure the planning and implementation of programmes and activities of religious agencies can be implemented effectively, we have agreed to also delve into the souls and feelings of all layers of the ‘Malaysian Family’” he said in his inaugural speech which was broadcast live on the Facebook of the Islamic Religious Department of Malaysia (Jakim) today.

Idris said under the Mental, Physical and Spiritual Strengthening initiative, emphasis would be given on rebuilding mental, physical and spiritual strength through various approaches such as ‘outreach’ programmes throughout the country, for all Malaysian families, regardless of race and religion.

To ensure that the initiatives can be implemented immediately, Idris said he had set a period of less than 10 days for all agencies under him to draft an Intervention Plan for Religious Agencies in Facing COVID-19 or PIAGAM-C19.

“I have instructed Jakim to coordinate all 14 Islamic agencies, and a special secretariat will be established by Jakim to ensure that all planning and implementation can be achieved within the stipulated time.

“I and my deputy together with the agencies under me will have engagement sessions with various parties regardless of racial background and political affiliation, to discuss the best solution towards the success of these initiatives,” he said, adding that his department will also continue with the good policies established by the previous minister.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Civil servants will soon be able to renew their motor vehicle insurance and road tax via instalment payments, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.

He said the initiative would be carried out through a collaboration between the ministry, Social Security Organisation, Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd (ANGKASA) and a private company.

“Currently, the costs of vehicle insurance and road tax are quite expensive. So, civil servants will be given the opportunity to make payments using an instalment plan to ease their burden,” he said in a news conference after starting his official duty at the ministry here today, with his deputy Datuk Awang Hashim also present.

Saravanan, who returned to head the Human Resources Ministry under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said the instalment scheme was among 20 special and high-impact initiatives which would be implemented within 100 days.

He said the facility may also be extended to government retirees after holding thorough discussions with the stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Saravanan said the Social Security Scheme for Housewives (SKSSR) will also be continued after taking into consideration the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihood of the B40 group.

A total of 150,000 registered women will be provided with a safety net for free by the government, he said.

Commenting on the 100-day target, Saravanan said the focus would be given to five key areas, namely skills development, employment services and compliance with labour aspects, industrial relations, occupational safety and health as well as social protection.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KODIANG, Sept 2 — Muhammad Faris Nabil Zaidi went “missing” for 21 days from his house in Kampung Siputeh near here, sacrificing the comfort of home, out of a sense of responsibility to keep villagers safe from the invisible ‘enemy’.

The 20-year-old man was among 23 youths who volunteered to take turns to man a checkpoint set up by Kampung Siputeh Rukun Tetangga Community (KRT) from last Aug 7 to 27 to prevent COVID-19 from spreading into the village.

“I felt like I was an army recruit having to face the enemy while controlling traffic entering the village when manning the checkpoint, which set up at the main road leading to the village.

“I volunteered to do it because I feel it is my responsible to protect the villagers and their families from this very dangerous and invisible enemy called COVID-19,” said Muhammad Faris Nabil when met by Bernama.

He said the KRT management provided a place for him and the other volunteers who manned the checkpoint to stay throughout the 21 days as they were not allowed to go home for the safety of their respective family members.

“It’s a small sacrifice, but I feel very happy and proud to be able to do my bit to ensure the safety of the villagers from COVID-19,” he added.

Muhammad Faris Nabil said he asked for his mother’s permission before joining the other volunteers to man the checkpoint.

“Since I could not go home, she would call me everyday to ask about my condition, whether I was okay, had taken my meals, but the most meaningful lesson I got when I was one of the volunteers at the checkpoint is that it teaches me to be more disciplined, trustworthy and more responsible,” he added.

Meanwhile, vice-chairman of the village KRT, Fadilah Saad said residents in the village, especially the young people, are active in volunteer activities.

“Those who volunteered to man the checkpoint did it voluntarily. They are not paid any allowance,” he said, adding the checkpoint was set up with the permission of the police and the Health Ministry.

He said the volunteers took turns to man the checkpoint, with three people on duty every four hours.

The volunteers also conduct patrols in the village.

He said outsiders could not enter the village if they had no important matters to attend to and delivery of goods in the village was allowed only until up to the checkpoint to avoid outsiders bringing the virus into the village.

“If there is a need to pay delivery charges, anyone who works at the control post will pay first and the KRT management will refund it. The package will then be sanitised before it is sent to the recipient,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KANGAR, Sept 2 –The Perlis government will introduce a web-based news channel, to be known as Premier Channel, as a platform to disseminate the latest information to the people.

State Secretary Azman Mohd Yusof said this was to ensure the masses get up-to-date and accurate information.

“Fast and accurate information must be disseminated to the public to avoid confusion, and also, it is observed that news or information on social media gets to reach the masses faster,” he told Bernama recently.

He said the the idea on the Premier Channel was included in the Perlis Digital Plan 2021.

Azman said he had discussed with department heads in the state for them to also use the platform as a medium to convey government information and message to the people.

”The Premier Channel can be accessed through the official facebook of the Perlis SUK Office,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

MIRI, Sept 2 — A man was burnt to death when the car he was driving burst into flames after crashing into a tree at Jalan Taman Awam yesterday.

A statement issued by the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department’s operations centre, identified the victim as Tan Kaw Tee, 61.

It said the department received a distress call on the crash at about 10.50 pm and a a team of nine firemen from the Miri fire and rescue station rushed to the scene.

On arrival the fire team found the car in flames and after dousing the fire, found a charred body , which was then handed over to the police for further action, it said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — Failure of the Communist Party of Malaya to take over Malaya, leading to the fall of communism in 1989, is proof of the prowess of the country’s security forces in fighting the movement.

According to national heroes Datuk Paul Kiong and Captain (Rtd) Dr Wong Ah Peng, tactical and psychological approaches were among the methods used by the security forces, especially in eliminating the remaining communist insurgents in the country in the 70s and 80s.

Although they served in different security forces, Kiong, with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and Wong, with the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), their mission was the same, to defeat the communist to ensure peace in the country.

Kiong, 77, said his experience in intelligence work with the Special Branch of PDRM earned him the trust of his superiors to carry out undercover missions to obtain information on communist activities in the country.

The psychological assault approach allowed him to obtain as much information as possible to facilitate efforts to defeat the insurgents.

“If we use the approach of killing the enemy (communist), we will not get any information. So, following an order from my superiors, I went under cover as a food supplier to gain their (communist) trust.

“From then on, I went under cover and got to join the group and mingle with them (communist) for six years,” he said in a special interview with Bernama recently.

Paul, born in Ipoh, Perak, said the tactic proved effected as when 43 communist insurgents, including eight women, were arrested at a camp in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, in an operation known as Catfish: Stoke Coffin Camp in June 1981.

The communist insurgents were arrested without any bloodshed and no bullet was used, he said, adding that it was the biggest success during his 34 -year service with the police force.

It was a huge sacrifice, for when Kiong went under cover, he rarely went home to see his family.

“When I got to go home, my four-year-old child didn’t know me,” he said.

He retired on Feb 1, 1988 and received many awards for his service and bravery in fighting the communist, including the Bintang Kehormat Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa in 1983 and the Pingat Keberanian Handal Perak in 1988.

As for Wong, 65, who was with the Ninth Malaysian Infantry Brigade then, the tactical method was used to detect and attack a communist camp during a special operation in Gunung Korbu, Hulu Kinta Perak on June 1, 1979.

Together with 10 others, comprising the natives of Sabah and Sarawak and the Orang Asli, Dr Wong said they started the climb up the mountain at midnight with only the moonlight to lit their path avoid being detected by the enemy.

“What we feared most was the booby traps,” he said when met recently.

During the operation at the camp, which was at an altitude of five thousand feet above sea level, Dr Wong said his team was attacked.

Three communist insurgents were killed in the 3 pm attack, said Wong, who suffered his first combat injury in the 45-minute firefight when a bomb exploded.

“It was a terrifying moment for our team, with the rains of bullets coming at us, but we finally managed to over power them, although we lost two men.

“The battle was intense as there were more than 30 of them (enemy),” said Wong, who retired from the service in 1986.

His advice for Malaysians is to together defend the country against any elements that could threaten peace and order so that they could continue to enjoy the independence achieved by the country.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — Water supply in 463 areas which was affected by the unscheduled water supply disruption due to the shutdown of Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant following an odour pollution in Sungai Semenyih has been fully restored at 6 am today.

Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) Corporate Communications head Elina Baseri said the areas covered Petaling, Hulu Langat, Sepang, Putrajaya and Kuala Langat.

Air Selangor would like to thank consumers for their patience and cooperation during the unscheduled water supply disruption period, she said.

She advised consumers to get official information on water supply disruptions on official communication mediums of Air Selangor, on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and website at www.airselangor.com.

The public can also call the Air Selangor Call Centre at 15300.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency