Month: May 2022

SANDAKAN, May 27 (Bernama) — The remaining 19 of the 35 work packages under Phase One of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah will be implemented using allocations from the federal government, said Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said his ministry would not implement the project through the private finance initiative (PFI) as proposed by the state government in order to speed up the project.

“There is no more (PFI). The implementation and procurement methods are currently being finalised through the Ministry of Finance,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier, he inspected work package 27, which involved work to upgrade the road from Kampung Lot M to Batu 32 Sandakan, here spanning 18.1 km, in conjunction with the Ministry of Works’ FTRoadpedia Tour today.

Fadillah said the entire Phase one of the project in Sabah was expected to be ready in the next five years.

On the maintenance of damaged roads in Sabah, he said his ministry would always strive to ensure that public infrastructure, especially damaged roads, was repaired for the safety of road users.

According to him, a total of 47,223 potholes in Sabah have been patched up, especially on federal roads, from 2019 to last month (April).

“There are also roads in Sabah that require resurfacing work,” he said.

The FTRoadpedia Tour which started today until May 29 is being held to check the status of the Sabah Pan-Borneo Highway construction project and address issues related to maintenance of federal roads.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) — A strong earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Timor Region, Indonesia at 10.36am today.

According to a Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) statement, the depth of the quake which occurred 425 kilometres northeast of Kupang, Indonesia was 61 km.

Based on the department’s initial assessment, the quake does not pose a tsunami threat to Malaysia.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KOTA KINABALU, May 27 (Bernama) — Too much bureaucracy with various conditions set by government departments and agencies in implementing development projects will only stunt the economic development of Sabah, says Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.

Bung Moktar who is also the state Works Minister said it would indirectly cause development projects to be delayed and eventually result in Sabah being left behind compared with other states.

In this regard, Bung Moktar urged all departments, agencies and government-linked companies (GLCs) in the state to practise efficient new approaches, ideas and methods to facilitate and speed up development projects.

“When we delay development projects, all sorts of bureaucracies and conditions are imposed. Of course, this will impede Sabah’s socio-economic development. Indirectly, to me, we are sabotaging our (Sabah) economic development, (but) at the same time we blame other people for not helping develop our state.

“So, we must change because if we don’t, change will not happen,” he told reporters after launching the construction of the Sabah Ports Authority (LPPS) headquarters and The Cove commercial centre here today.

Bung Moktar also witnessed the signing of a letter of confirmation and the exchange of joint venture agreements between LPPS and Deevin Development Sdn Bhd.

LPPS was represented by its Deputy Chairman Aminah Johan and Board of Directors member Dr Ramli Amir, while Deevin Development was represented by both directors of the company – Datuk Chee Chi Vun and Datuk Simon Chee Chi Nyen.

Bung Moktar said the new building which would be built on a 2.58 hectare land near Tanjung Lipat here, will be a game-changer and Sabah’s new landmark that would have a major impact on the state’s economy including providing job opportunities to locals.

“Such development projects need to be continued to ensure that Sabah can also develop economically after the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

The RM1 billion development project is expected to begin this year involving two phases of construction, the first phase includes LPPS office space and shopping malls; while the second phase includes hotels and condominiums, with each phase expected to be completed within four and eight years, respectively.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

TOKYO, May 27 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob held a meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida to discuss efforts to boost the cordial Malaysia-Japan relations at the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office on Friday.

This is the first meeting between Ismail Sabri and Kishida on the bilateral ties since they both led their respective governments in 2021.

Ismail Sabri and Kishida had earlier held a Japan-Malaysia conference and spoken to each other in a phone call on April 20 which touched on various regional and international issues.

This is also the first time Kishida played host to the Prime Minister of Malaysia since taking the post as Japan Prime Minister in October last year.

The meeting was in conjunction with the official working visit of Ismail Sabri to Japan in which he also participated in the 27th International Conference On the Future of Asia which is an annual gathering of political, economic and industry leaders from the Asia-Pacific region as well as meeting Japanese business and corporate figures on attracting investment to Malaysia.

It is also Ismail Sabri’s first official working visit to Japan since holding the post of prime minister in August 2021.

This year is also the 40th anniversary of the Look East policy which contributed to the strengthening of bilateral relations between Malaysia and Japan.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has urged the National Audit Department to immediately conduct a special audit on government procurement and expenditure for medical equipment and medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh said the matter had been officially informed to the Auditor-General yesterday.

“As a Dewan Rakyat Select Committee with a mandate to examine government spending so that it complies with the law, government financial regulations in force, contract terms and payments being implemented properly, the PAC will not compromise with any party trying to make a profit for the sake of personal interests.

“This special audit should be expedited, with the findings and results presented to the PAC, so that the committee can identify the existence of elements of malpractice, waste and abuse of power in the procurement of medical services,” he said in a statement today.

He said with the special audit, the PAC would call on the Ministry of Finance, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the ministries and agencies involved, to provide briefings and explanations to the committee on the matter.

For that purpose, the PAC will use its sources of authority under Standing Order 77 (1) (d) and 77 (5) of the Dewan Rakyat, and Section III, Article 11 (b), General Circular No. 2 (1982).

Standing Order 77(1)(d) of the Dewan Rakyat stipulates that there shall be a Committee to be known as the Public Accounts Committee appointed at the beginning of every Parliament, for the examination of such other matters as the Committee may think fit, or which may be referred to the Committee by the House; while Standing Order 77(5) states that the Committee shall have the power to send for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

The PAC also urged the National Audit Department to conduct a special audit following a statement by MACC chief commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki, on Tuesday (May 24), on the MACC’s ongoing investigation into the procurement of medical equipment and medicine; abuse of power in diverting aid; as well as stimulus packages provided by the government.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 27 (Bernama) — The average food stall trader in the city, whose main menu is based on chicken, continues to operate even though supply is relatively difficult to obtain and wholesale prices have gone up slightly in recent days.

Most traders, however, breathed a sigh of relief when the government temporarily imposed a ban on chicken exports from June 1 and hoped that the shortage of birds in the market could be addressed immediately.

Muhammad Adam Zawawi, 28, owner of Pak Awi Nasi Ayam said the wholesale price of chicken currently breached RM10 per kg, but he continued to operate the restaurant despite very minimal profit.

“I would not be comfortable in raising the price of my chicken rice because it will burden customers,” said Muhammad Adam, who currently gets his supply from two wholesalers to ensure his restaurant runs smoothly.

The owner of Mek Jang Cafe, Nor Harizan Hassan, 44, said she has reduced her sale of ‘nasi ganja’ because she could only source 15 to 20 chickens a day.

“When there is not enough chicken, I cannot sell ‘nasi ganja’ in large quantities as usual and business is affected so I hope the issue related to chicken can be resolved as soon as possible,” she said.

Nor Harizan said she usually needed between 30 to 40 chickens a day, but has to fall in line with the current shortage and be satisfied with a smaller sales volume.

Meanwhile, a survey by Bernama found that chicken in supermarkets could still be purchased at normal prices while traders in regular shops charged higher prices claiming wholesale price has gone up.

On Monday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the government would stop the export of 3.6 million chickens a month, starting June 1, until domestic supply and price returns to stability.

In a statement, the prime minister said the decision was one of several short-term measures reached at the Cabinet meeting on the issue of chicken supply and prices.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SEPANG, May 27 (Bernama) — “My husband and I have accepted the fact that our daughter is gone. We harbour no ill feelings towards the school bus driver,” said the mother of a 16-month-old girl who died after she was hit by a school bus in Salak Tinggi near here yesterday.

Zainab Mohideen Abdul Kadar, 37, also said she hoped that the police will not take any legal action against the 50-year-old bus driver.

“We have not met with the bus driver yet because he is still traumatised. He, however, called me and apologised to me.

“I cannot blame the bus driver because he is already traumatised by the incident. Furthermore, he is also not well-off and his bus has been seized,” she told reporters when met at her home here today.

Zainab who works as a canteen assistant said the death of her youngest out of seven children, has left a deep scar on the family but she was willing to forgive the bus driver.

She said on the day of the mishap, she and her husband were at work and their children were being looked after by her mother-in-law.

Meanwhile, the victim’s elder sister, Nurul Aishah, 13, said that at the time of the incident, she had just gotten off the bus after giving pocket money to her eight-year-old sister.

“After giving money to my sister, I got off the bus. I saw the bus moving and at the same time, I also saw Zahida under the bus. I quickly grabbed her before the rear tyre of the bus hit her again.

“I shouted and immediately carried Zahida into the house. My neighbours came and took Zahida, me and my grandmother to the health clinic nearby,” she said.

Nurul Aishah said after realising that Zahida had been hit, the bus driver immediately got off and apologised to her grandmother.

“My grandma just told the bus driver to send the children to school first and after he finished sending the children, he came back and asked about Zahida’s condition.

“He said he was sorry, he said he did not see Zahida,” she said adding that Zahida was a cheerful sister and would also follow her sisters and were very close to her father and grandmother.

Meanwhile, Sepang district police chief ACP Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof said the bus driver had been released on police bail last night after giving his statement.

“We will complete the investigation and submit the investigation paper to the public prosecutor for further action,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency