Day: October 22, 2021

CYBERJAYA, Oct 22 — A broadcasting company staff’s excitement over his new bicycle turned tragic when he died after being hit by a car on Kilometre 38.3 Jalan Cyberjaya (Dengkil/Puchong) heading to Cyberjaya here today.

Jeffry Aziz, 57, a staff of Astro Production Sdn Bhd and who was cycling from the direction of Puchong, is believed to have been hit from behind by a Perodua Bezza car driven by a 28-year-old woman coming out of the Putrajaya/Bangi exit at about 8.15 am.

Sepang District Police chief ACP Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof said Jeffry, who was believed to be cycling on the third lane, was thrown onto the road and died at the scene.

“His body was sent to the Serdang Hospital for a post-mortem. The woman driver has been detained for further investigation,” he said in a statement today.

Jeffry, shared on his Facebook Track Fans page last Sunday several pictures of him performing cycling activities on his new black and blue bicycle with the caption ‘my new bike day’.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Oct 22 — Only six of the 750 new COVID-19 cases reported in Sarawak today involve lung infection that requires the use of a ventilator, according to the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).

SDMC in a statement said there were four cases involving lung infection and eight cases requiring oxygen while the rest or 97.6 per cent had mild symptoms or none at all.

Among the districts that recorded high number of new cases were Kuching with 217 cases, followed by Miri (143), Sibu (97), Bintulu (53), Serian (44), Limbang (37) and Lawas (22).

Meanwhile, 18 deaths due to COVID-19 were recorded in the state between Oct 14 and 21.

Three clusters namely Sungai Pana Cluster, Beluru; Sungai Merusa Cluster, Subis; and Kanawa Baram Cluster, Marudi have ended after no new cases were detected or reported in the last 28 days, bringing the total number of active clusters to 42.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — International tourists who wish to visit Langkawi are allowed to do so beginning Nov 15, through the International Tourism Bubble (Inbound) for the Langkawi Pilot Project, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the COVID-19 Pandemic Management Special Committee today had agreed to the proposed standard operating procedure (SOP) tabled by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) on the tourism bubble

He said the target group was high-yield tourists as well as individuals who had completed the COVID-19 vaccination.

“Children under the age of 18 must be present with their parents/guardians who have been fully vaccinated, while the list of countries allowed will be determined by the Malaysian Immigration Department, Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said in a statement here today.

In addition, the prime minister said no quarantine conditions would be imposed, while tourists would have to stay for at least three days and undergo Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests, where the results should be either in digital or printed form.

The Prime Minister said tourists staying for more than five days were required to do a screening test on the fifth day, with all costs borne by themselves.

According to the prime minister, each tourist must have minimum insurance coverage of US$ 80,000 (RM320,000), use a tourism service licensed under MOTAC and have a passport, visa, health declaration form and letter of undertaking and indemnity, with the documents uploaded and registered with the MySejahtera application prior to travelling.

Ismail Sabri said that tourists who arrived via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) would have to undergo rapid molecular testing, while those heading directly to Langkawi must undergo an RT-PCR test on the second day from arrival.

“Tourists found positive will be taken to isolation/quarantine centres or private hospitals based on the category,” he said, adding there could only be a maximum of 20 people in a tour group, while having a guide was mandatory.

Meanwhile, tourists would need to undergo RT-PCR tests 72 hours prior to departure, and if their stay is only for three days, the results of the test taken on the second day could be used.

He said the International Tourism Bubble pilot project in Langkawi would be carried out for three months to enable the MOH and the National Security Council (MKN) to evaluate its effectiveness before implementing it in other resort islands and tourist areas.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Oct 22 — Sarawak is looking to promote more business events (BE) or meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) as the state begins to open up post-COVID-19.

Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state has always prioritised such events in its tourism promotions, and this commitment can be seen with the setting up of the Sarawak Convention Bureau and the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).

“We (Sarawak) don’t aim for big meetings but medium-scaled ones that attract 300 to 400 participants which is just nice. Maybe we can do a package where people can also enjoy our (tourism) products and they can go to our national parks while attending business events.

“We know people who go to conferences, they also have extra time to spend, like in Kuching they can visit many attractions like the river cruise,” he said during a media interview at the Meet in Malaysia@Sarawak event here today.

Meanwhile, Abang Johari said Sarawak is also looking to enhance connectivity between the state and the rest of the world.

“I have asked the state tourism ministry to look into this. Sarawak is an island (located in Borneo island) there is no other option other than to fly here. This connectivity is important to get people to come over without hassle.

“We have to explore (the possibility of adding more) direct flights from key destination hubs (around the world) to Kuching as far as tourism is concerned,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Oct 22 — Minister of Communications and Multimedia Tan Sri Annuar Musa today confirmed discussing matters concerning the Sarawak state election with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun during their meeting earlier today.

Annuar, however, refused to disclose details of the meeting held in conjunction with his courtesy call on Abang Johari at the latter’s office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here this morning.

“At any meeting, politicians will definitely talk about politics. I will not lie…yes there was a discussion (about Sarawak polls), but there was nothing that I can share with the media. That’s the problem,” he said when met after visiting Tanoti House, a handicraft centre, here.

Annuar said what matters most now is the fact that the time has come for Sarawak to hold the state election and that he believed the state government had taken into account every aspect to ensure smooth running of the election process.

When asked whether Abang Johari had given any hint on when the state election would be held, Annuar said, “the Chief Minister doesn’t have to give any hint to me, he should give it to the people of Sarawak.”

There has been widespread speculation that the Sarawak state assembly would be dissolved soon to pave way for the 12th state election.

However, Abang Johari told a press conference yesterday that any question of a state election for Sarawak now lies in the hands of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

According to Clause 3 of Article 21 of the State Constitution, the state assembly should have stood dissolved on June 7, but the clause has no power as per paragraph 15(1)(a) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance 2021, which suspends the dissolution of the state legislature.

However, Section 2 (2) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) (Sarawak) Ordinance 2021, issued in conjunction with the emergency proclamation for Sarawak, stated that the operation of the proclamation of emergency may be terminated earlier by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after consultation with the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

LABUAN, Oct 22 — Senator Datuk Bashir Alias and Labuan MP Datuk Rozman Isli led a group of non-healthcare frontliners and media fraternity to receive their COVID-19 booster shot this afternoon.

Earlier today, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, Federal Territories Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Rosida Jaafar, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Idris Abdullah and Labuan COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force chairman Rithuan Ismail had also received their booster shots at the Membedai Health Clinic here.

At least 2,500 non-healthcare frontliners from the Labuan Disaster Management Committee, government enforcement agencies, police and local media would be inoculated over two weeks before the focus shifts to some 16,000 individuals with comorbidities.

Labuan Health Department director Dr Ismuni Bohari said the first phase of booster shots was launched on Oct 4, with 1, 290 healthcare personnel receiving their jabs.

“More than 20, 000 people will receive the COVID-19 booster shots under a three-phase exercise, and we expect to complete them by end of the year or early next year,” he said, adding the booster shots would also be made available at all private clinics via appointments.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

TELOK MELANO (Sarawak) — Hafis Mohamed will never forget the bitter experiences and times when the boat he was travelling in sank in the South China Sea while on his way to Sematan town from his village in Telok Melano more than 10 years ago.

At that time, travelling across the sea by boat was the only means of transport to move between Telok Melano and Sematan, two areas located in southern Sarawak.

“It is common for boats to sink …that had been a part of our lives then and I have experienced it myself three times…but Alhamdulillah, I am still alive,” he told Bernama recently.

However, things have changed over the past two years when a road project linking Telok Melano and Sematan, which is part of the Pan Borneo Highway route was completed, thus ending the nightmare many had to face when travelling across the sea.

“From then on (completion of Jalan Telok Melano-Sematan road), we began to have hopes of this area being transformed through road infrastructure development,” said the 32-year-old man.

The construction of the Telok Melano-Sematan Road Project was the brainchild of Sarawak’s fifth Chief Minister, Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who wanted Telok Melano, the settlement at the southwestern tip of Sarawak, located some 140 km from Kuching, to be linked to the Pan Borneo Highway project.

The 32.77 km stretch, constructed since Sept 15, 2015 at a cost of RM580 million and fully completed on Jan 4, 2018, was officiated by Sarawak’s current Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg on Jan 26, 2019.

At the launch ceremony, Abang Johari said the opening of the route via the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway right up to Lawas would open up economic opportunities in the area that would be able to help the people.

Ever since then, Telok Melano is no longer isolated from road connectivity network and activities in Sarawak and as one of those enjoying the new development as a result of this project, Hafis truly appreciates the government’s efforts as life had certainly been easier, enabling him to embark on new economic opportunities.

“With the road network, visitors and tourists have been thronging Telok Melano and this has led to the opening of homestays and stalls by the beach,” he added.

Hafis, who is also the owner of Lentera Homestay, said the opening of the road has also seen an increase in demand for accommodation services in the Telok Melano area.

Although many sectors have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the country since last year, Hafis said his business has started to pick up again now that interstate travel and the tourism industry were allowed to resume.

Mohamed Aluis Hamri, 37, is another young entrepreneur in Telok Melano, who takes advantage of the road infrastructure development project by building a new tourist attraction in the area.

The Niranur Upside Down 3R House was built from tens of thousands of recycled plastic bottles which he collected since 2015.

The house which is also decorated with various collections of vintage household items with a touch of 80s and 90s decoration concept, was opened to the public early last year.

“This house is open to the public from 8 am and on average, it receives around 800 visitors a day. The number of visitors will increase by double during weekends or public holidays,” Mohamed Aluis said.

Apart from attracting people to visit Sematan, Mohamed Aluis said the house was also built with the aim of creating awareness on environmental conservation and the importance of recycling.

The young entrepreneur also ventured into the kelulut or stingless bee farming business under the ‘Niranur’ brand which is not only marketed in Sarawak but also other states through online platforms.

The initiative taken by Hafis and Mohamed Aluis is a proof of the domino effect of the successful implementation of the Telok Melano-Sematan road project in changing the living standards of the people in the areas.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency