Day: January 24, 2023

 

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 24 (Bernama) — Sixty-five people from 16 families in the Paitan district were evacuated to temporary relief centres after their homes were flooded this evening.

 

The Sabah Disaster Management Committee secretariat’s spokesperson said 33 victims from nine families are taking shelter at Dewan Kampung Kumbambangan while 32 people from seven families are being housed at Dewan Kampung Batangon Darat, as of 8 pm tonight.

 

“The floods occurred due to continuous heavy rain since this morning and the clash between seawater and river water in Paitan. The number of evacuees is expected to increase,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Misran Bisara said the department received reports on flooding at Kampung Sibaung, Pitas, and the firefighters are evacuating the victims.

 

He said the department also received a report about a landslide that occurred next to a house in Kampung Sungai Karang, Kudat, and checks revealed there was no structural damage to the home.

 

“However, the residents are advised to evacuate due to unsafe and risky conditions. No casualties were reported,” he added.

 

 

Paitan, Pitas and Kudat districts are located in the northern region of Sabah. Kudat is the closest district to Kota Kinabalu, located approximately 185 kilometres north.

 

In a statement issued at 8.30 pm tonight, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said thunderstorms are expected to occur in the interiors of Sabah, involving Sipitang, Tenom, Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Nabawan, and Keningau, until 1 am.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Education (KPM) clarified that there was no discrimination against non-Muslim students in a workshop organised by a school in Johor Bahru for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) students, recently.

 

The Ministry in a statement today said the claim by a Twitter account user that there was discrimination in the workshop organised by Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Infant Jesus Convent, Johor Bahru at Hotel Suasana, Johor Bahru, was not correct.

 

The statement said the workshop was divided into different sessions so as to not disrupt students who were celebrating the Chinese New Year festival.

 

 

 

KPM added that the first session was held on Jan 19-20 at Suasana Hotel for 30 SPM students who had failed in Bahasa Melayu and History subjects and aimed at preparing students for SPM, since both are core subjects.

 

“KPM was informed that there will be another session for other students on Jan 26 and 27 at the same hotel,” said the statement.

 

According to KPM, the workshop was being organised through the initiative of the Johor Bahru District Education Office with the cooperation of the school’s Parents and Teachers Association (PIBG) and supported by parents, local community and private sector.

 

 

The KPM would like to seek the cooperation of parents and local community to contact the ministry through the official platform if there were any issues or problems involving students.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 24 (Bernama) — Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar of Johor today said that any issues that can threaten the harmony and unity of Johoreans must be dealt with efficiently by the authorities.

 

His Majesty said swift and accurate action by the authorities would prevent confusion and the spread of hateful sentiments.

 

Sultan Ibrahim said this in response to allegations regarding an examination workshop only for Muslim students organised by a secondary school here.

 

 

 

 

“I don’t want my Bangsa Johor to be confused and begin turning on each other. I cannot emphasise enough the need for racial understanding, unity and tolerance.

 

“The Education Department must be quick to respond in these situations to prevent emotions and falsehoods from running wild. This is also a lesson to all parties who must deal swiftly and firmly to quell public dissatisfaction,” he said to the Royal Press Office, in a posting uploaded on his Facebook page.

 

Sultan Ibrahim further said that no one should be excluded from any public programme because of their religion or race.

 

 

“If it is true that there was racial segregation, then action must be taken against the organisers. The same can be said if it is found that these allegations are proven false and spread by irresponsible parties,” His Majesty added.

 

Earlier, the Education Ministry clarified that there was no discrimination against non-Muslim students in a workshop organised by Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Infant Jesus Convent, Johor Bahru, for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia students, recently.

 

It said the workshop was divided into different sessions so as not to disrupt students who were celebrating the Chinese New Year festival.

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 24 (Bernama) — The excitement of camping at a camp site in the Kota Tinggi district turned into a horrible moment when about 35 people were stranded in Tanjung Lompat, due to floods this afternoon.

 

Penawar Fire and Rescue Station chief Masri Ibrahim said a distress call was received at 2.19 pm today and nine officers were rushed to the scene to help flood victims, he said.

 

“The drainage and irrigation bank which is the main gateway in and out of the campsite collapsed due to the rising flood water causing the flow to be over six metres wide. The situation made it difficult for vehicles to get out of the area.

 

 

 

“The fire department then opened an alternative route nearby at a hotel so that stranded vehicles can use the coastal road to exit to the main road,” he said when contacted by Bernama tonight.

 

Masri said the victims comprising 12 men, 11 women, seven boys and five girls, were then advised to pack up and return to their respective homes.

 

He said as many as 16 vehicles that were stranded at the site managed to use the alternative route.

 

 

The operation ended at 7.50 pm.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

IPOH, Jan 24 (Bernama) — The Perak state government has shut down 27 of its subsidiaries identified as non-performing and burdensome to save costs.

 

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said Perbadanan Kemajuan Perak (PKNP) subsidiaries affected by the closure were, among others, not carrying out business activities and not contributing to the state government.

 

“We found that they were not performing, had no business and were not able to give back to the government and even burdened the parent company which had to take the responsibility of paying salaries and so on,” he told reporters after the inauguration and opening ceremony of the Piccadilly@Greentown project by Raja DiHilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris Shah here today.

 

 

 

He said the state government targeted to gradually achieve a total contribution of RM100 million from all government-linked companies (GLCs) by 2030, adding that all relevant GLCs must carry out thorough planning on every development and project given by the government to make a profit.

 

Asked about several abandoned housing projects in Perak, Saarani said he had asked state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching to work with the Ministry of Local Government Development to address the matter.

 

“At the Perak Housing and Property Board meeting, it was mentioned that several companies’ projects were halted due to the Movement Control Order and they faced excessive price hikes for construction materials when they resumed work on-site, as well as workers issues,” he said.

 

 

Earlier, in his speech, Saarani said the Piccadilly@Greentown project was a systematic sustainable housing and business development with complete infrastructure and quality facilities in the state.

 

He said the project could support the objectives of the Prosperous Perak 2030 Plan, contributing to the formation of a prosperous and livable community that is in line with the state government’s commitment to take a holistic approach to support the property sector.

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

 

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 24 (Bernama) — Malaysians who are charged over RM15,000 by agents to obtain an Indonesian domestic helper have been urged to lodge a report to the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI).

 

Its Consul General in Johor Bahru, Sigit S. Widiyanto, said this is following complaints that there were agents who still charged beyond the maximum limit of RM15,000 per worker set through the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the recruitment and protection of Indonesian domestic helpers signed by both countries last year.

 

“We still receive complaints that some agents charged them up to RM20,000, RM28,000 and RM30,000. So please make a report to the consulate general’s office so that we can prevent this from happening again.”

 

 

 

He told reporters this after a meet and greet session with Johor Media Club here today, which was attended by about 30 media practitioners and KJRI officials.

 

Elaborating, Sigit said the MoU, which was signed in April last year, aims to protect both foreign workers and employers.

 

“Since the document was signed, around 1,000 applications to obtain Indonesian domestic helpers have been made so far, and the number is expected to increase based on current demand,” he added.

 

 

In another development, Sigit urged Indonesians in this country without a valid permit to take advantage of the Labour Recalibration Programme 2.0 (RTK 2.0), which has been extended till year-end.

 

“We admit that some employers in this country may offer jobs to Indonesians illegally. Many Indonesians also enter Malaysia using tourist visas but do not return after the 30-day period expires.

 

“So with the RTK 2.0 implemented by the Malaysian government, we call on employers and Indonesians without valid work permits to submit their applications to obtain the necessary documents,” he said.

 

Early this month, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the government agreed to extend the RTK 2.0, where illegal foreign workers in the country are given the option to return home or continue working by registering with a certain fee.

 

As of Dec 31 last year, a total of 418,649 foreign workers have registered under the RTK, and 295,425 others were sent back to their home countries.

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 24 (Bernama) — The number of flood victims in Johor has increased to 1,093 as of 4 pm today compared to 422 victims recorded at 2 pm, following continuous heavy rain since early this morning.

 

The state Disaster Management Committee (PPBN) said five additional relief centres (PPS) have just been opened, making it a total of 13 PPS in the districts of Kluang, Segamat and Kota Tinggi.

 

“Segamat is the worst-hit district with 975 victims from 273 families that have been evacuated to eight PPS. In the Kluang district, a total of 75 people from 10 families were moved to four PPS whereas 43 residents from six families in the Kota Tinggi district were evacuated to a relief centre,” said the committee in a statement today.

 

 

 

According to the committee, currently there are no roads in the state that are closed to traffic.

 

Based on data from the Irrigation and Drainage Department, four rivers in Johor have passed the dangerous level with an upward trend, namely Sungai Muar (the river mouth of Sungai Gemas) which is at a level of 19.04 metres (m), Sungai Lenik (Ladang Chaah) at a level of 6.4 m, Sungai Segamat (Segamat Kecil) at a level of 37.97 m, and Sungai Kahang (Kampung Contoh) at a level of 14.41 m.

 

 

Source: BERNAMA News Agency