Day: December 4, 2022

 

PASIR MAS, Dec 4 (Bernama) — Every monsoon season, Che Yah Che Lah, a dried fish trader in the Bandar Tasek Raja market, is always short of hands to meet customers demand, especially for ikan kering gelama sungai (dried gelama freshwater fish).

 

Che Yah or affectionately known as ‘Mok Yoh’ said the price can reach up to RM100 per kilogramme (kg) because it is difficult to obtain and tastes good.

 

“There are various types of gelama (silver white croaker) fish, but the river variety is scarce and is only available once a year, which is in April. The fish will then be processed before being sold in the monsoon season.

 

 

 

“Its unique and delicious taste makes it a  highly sought-after product, so even if the price reaches RM100 per kg, this fish is still in high demand,” she said when met by Bernama at Pasar Bandar Tasek Raja today.

 

Elaborating, Mok Yoh, who has been in the dried fish business for the past 40 years, said that ikan kering gelama sungai has more flesh and is bigger in size than other dried fish.

 

“The taste of Ikan kering gelama sungai is also fresh and less salty compared to the easily available gelama bekok (partially dried salted fish),” she said adding that the dish is best served with hot rice.

 

 

 

“This dried fish product comes in three different prices for one kilogramme ranging from RM50/kg to RM100/kg,” she said.

 

In addition to ikan kering gelama sungai, Mok Yoh also sells more than 30 types of dried fish such as cencaru, kekek, tamban, bulu ayam, mackerel, stingray as well as pekasam and pickled fish.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SHAH ALAM, Dec 4 (Bernama) — The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry will focus on issues related to floods, energy use, climate change and environmental protection, its minister, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said.

 

The four main issues are in his latest portfolio as minister and are matters that Malaysians care about, he said.

 

“This is a huge responsibility, challenges related to current issues, for instance climate change, floods and energy. I know it is also something that youths are very concerned about.

 

 

 

“I will try to look at issues that will be priorities and what the government can do to shore up our readiness. We don’t just talk about tackling climate change, we need to adapt ourselves to it and try our best before it gets worse,” he said after the launch of his book, ‘Anak Malaysia: Sebuah Perjalanan Politik Progresif’ in conjunction with the Selangor International Book Fest (SIBF) at Wisma Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) here today.

 

He said he will listen to a briefing from top management and determine the priorities for his ministry.

 

“I will go to the office at the Wisma Sumber Asli in Putrajaya at 8 am tomorrow and listen to the briefing by the top management.

 

 

 

“I will also have a special Cabinet meeting to seek guidance from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and I will see if there’s a need to announce any plans,” Nik Nazmi said.

 

His book ‘Anak Malaysia: Sebuah Perjalanan Politik Progresif’ details the story of the Setiawangsa MP and his reflections on Malaysian politics, and was launched by former Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik.

 

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

LABUAN, Dec 4 (Bernama) — Sabah and Labuan Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) have appealed to the Home Ministry to review the newly-enforced immigration checks at the ferry terminals of Labuan and Menumbok.

 

They claimed that the immigration checks had slowed down the boarding and disembarking process of passengers which could also lead to a decline in visitors to the duty-free island from mainland Sabah.

 

Sabah PKR state leadership council (MPN) secretary Simsudin Sidek claimed that the immigration checks at the two terminals had caused a long queue and inconvenience to travellers, especially senior citizens and parents with small children.

 

 

 

“We hope our newly-appointed Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution will look into this matter seriously and we look forward to discuss this issue with him.

 

“It is troublesome for travellers having to queue for nearly an hour for the immigration checks, there must be a free flow for Sabahans in Labuan to travel in and out of this island,” he told Bernama today.

 

Simsudin also said the soon-to-be-implemented drive-thru immigration checks at the Labuan roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferry were not practical due to the limited space in the terminal building and the narrow road towards the ferry.

 

 

 

The Home Ministry on Sept 10 had directed the Immigration Department to enforce stricter control at the two Labuan ferry terminals, especially for non-Sabahan travellers bound for the Sabah mainland.

 

Its former minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said stricter control was needed to ensure there would be no free flow of travellers at the main gate of the ferry terminals to mainland Sabah via Tanjung Pagar Sipitang, Menumbok and Jesselton jetties.

 

The stricter immigration checks at the terminals were at the request of the Sabah government, as there had been issues with the abuse of the free flow policy at the terminals, which had resulted in entry into Sabah being out of control, he added.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 4 (Bernama) — Motifs of gambier and pepper plants that feature in the Johor Royal insignia and coat of arms will be patented as exclusive to Johor.

 

In a Royal Johor Facebook posting, Johor Council of Royal Court president Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Ramli said this was aimed at recognising and maintaining its role in Johor’s economic progress and development.

 

“The patent will be in the Johor Emblems, Titles and Awards (Prevention of Improper Use) Enactment 2017 to ensure that no party misuses the motifs.

 

 

 

“The gambier and pepper are synonymous with the early social-economical development in Johor,” said Abdul Rahim at today’s launch of the book ‘Perkembangan Penanaman Gambir Di Johor’, published by the Johor Bahru Tiong-Hua Association.

 

The post added that the book, published in Bahasa Melayu and Chinese, tells the story of the introduction of the two commodities in Johor from the time of Temenggong Daing Ibrahim’s rule in 1885.

 

The book also explains the important role played by the Chinese community in positioning Johor as a world leader in the production of gambier and pepper.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUCHING, Dec 4 (Bernama) — Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has proposed that a state trust fund be established under the Ministry of Finance to regulate federal government funds and projects approved for Sarawak.

 

He said this new approach was discussed with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who is also Finance Minister in a meeting held yesterday.

 

“I proposed that a new approach be adopted in the central and state administrative system and he has agreed in principle to review the federal-funded development projects in Sarawak” he told a press conference after opening the Sarawak Badminton Association Hall and officiating at the Abang Jo Cup 2022 today.

 

 

 

Citing an example, he said the RM4.6 billion development fund allocation for the state in Budget 2022 could be put under the trust fund.

 

Abang Johari said the framework for the establishment of the fund will be determined by a committee under the Ministry of Finance supervised by the Prime Minister.

 

Meanwhile, Abang Johari who is also Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, said the appointment of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof as Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister was most appropriate considering that Sarawak is expected to become the country’s largest producer of palm oil in the next two years.

 

 

 

“In addition, carbon and hydrogen will be Sarawak’s new commodities, so the federal government will be able to help us in carbon trading at the international level,” he said.

 

He said Kapit MP Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who has taken over Fadillah’s Ministry of Works portfolio would be able to ensure that rural infrastructure programmes in Sarawak would continue to be improved.

 

Apart from  Fadillah and Nanta, three other GPS representatives who have been included in the Unity Government Cabinet are Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing as Minister of Tourism, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (Women, Family and Community Development Ministry) and Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (National Unity Ministry).

 

On the sports sector in the state, Abang Johari said that besides focusing on improving badminton players, he also wanted issues related to football and sepak takraw in the state to be looked into.

 

“We have several stadiums in Sarawak and more mini stadiums will be built throughout the state to propel Malaysian sports to greater heights,” he said.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Dec 4 (Bernama) — The Johor state government hopes that the construction of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) 2 will be included in the new government’s upcoming budget.

 

State Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said it is hoped that the new hospital would become a reality after it was not listed in Budget 2023 presented at the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 7.

 

He said the bed occupancy rate at the two main hospitals in Johor Bahru, namely HSA and Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI), had exceeded 80 per cent and could no longer accommodate patients.

 

 

 

“We need a new hospital given the density in these hospitals. As such, I hope the new government and Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa will help us realise this HSA 2 project.” he told reporters outside the state legislative assembly here today.

 

“I was informed there were several reasons why the construction of the hospital was not included in the budget, one of which was, the location of the proposed site is near a squatter area.

 

“However, the state government is proposing another location for the construction of the new hospital,” he said.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Ling said the construction of the Pasir Gudang Hospital was going smoothly and the hospital is expected to be fully completed in 2024.

 

On Aug 12, former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin reportedly said that the Pasir Gudang Hospital is expected to be fully completed in Nov 2024, while the HSA 2 project will be officially announced in the 2023 Budget.

 

Khairy said the additional two hospitals would help ease congestion at Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) and Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI).

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency