Day: March 7, 2023

SHAH ALAM, March 7 (Bernama) — Selangor recorded 1,617 polygamous marriages without permission from 2019 until last year.

Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the number was double the number of applicants who applied for polygamy registration, which was 859 cases in the same period.

He said among the reasons why a couple chooses to get married outside the country without permission, is because the husband was afraid to inform his intention to his wife, apart from the complicated procedure to apply for polygamy.

“The procedure for polygamy is actually simple. Just go to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and fill out a form and follow the specific standard operating procedure. The reason for this is to ensure that he (the husband) is fair, capable physically, financially and healthy.

“We cannot get married to another woman and at the same time disregard our responsibility to our existing wife,” he told reporters after a Family Law forum at Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, today.

Abdul Aziz also said that a polygamous marriage without consent is also an offence under Section 124 of the Islamic Family Law Enactment (Selangor State) 2003 which provides for a fine not exceeding RM1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.

In fact, those who conspire to commit polygamy without permission can also face the same punishment.

Commenting on the cancellation of a religious talk by Ustaz Azhar Idrus in Selangor recently, and claims that the mosque committee had submitted an application for an exemption to allow the popular speaker to give a talk, he said there was no special treatment given to any individual to obtain credentials to give religious talks in the state.

“They made an application asking for an exemption (for Ustaz Azhar Idrus) but JAIS was firm in not giving an exemption to him because the preacher did not fulfil the conditions set by JAIS,” he said.

Abdul Aziz also encouraged anyone who is interested to give a talk in the state to apply to JAIS via its official website.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KLUANG, March 7 (Bernama) — Around 100 Orang Asli residents of Kampung Sungai Peroh, Kahang here are praying that they will receive necessities and aid from various agencies after their land route was cut off since Feb 27.

Village elder Yusri Abdullah said the floods that hit the village, near Sungai Sembrong, this time could be considered almost the same as the big flood of 2006.

He said there was only one way in and out of the village that could be used to resupply them quickly, a 30-minute boat trip through the Sungai Bahai oil palm plantation.

The other route, using four-wheeled drive vehicles from Ladang Paloh, would take over three hours, he said.

“It’s almost the same situation during the big flood of 2006, only that time our land route was cut off for three weeks, and this time it’s over a week already.

“We can only hope and pray that the waters recede, and we can resume our daily activities and work as usual. This time it rose to almost two metres so quickly,” he told Bernama after receiving some necessities from Econsave at the village today.

He said the majority of villagers worked as fishermen and plantation workers, and they took the intiative to catch fish for their daily needs and for sale to nearby plantation workers.

He said villagers did not suffer a disruption in food supply and basic necessities as many agencies, including the Social Welfare Department and the Orang Asli Development Department, had managed to deliver aid.

Authorities, including the police, have also checked up on the village for safety reasons and to monitor the current situation here.

Meanwhile, Econsave Cash And Carry supermarket general manager, Mas Imran Adam said they donated aid worth RM3,000 in necessities such as rice, cooking oil, biscuits, baby milk and disposable diapers to 40 families in the village.

He added that overall, various aid, including blankets, worth RM50,000 were donated to flood victims in Johor and Melaka.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, March 7 (Bernama) — The number of dengue fever cases reported in the ninth epidemiological week of the year from Feb 26 until March 4 dropped 3.9 per cent to 2,062 cases compared with 2,145 cases the week before, with one death reported due to dengue fever complications.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement today the cumulative dengue fever cases reported until today were 19,450 cases compared to 6,229 cases for the same period in 2022, which was an increase of 212.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, a total of 15 deaths due to dengue fever complications in the ninth EW were reported this year compared to two deaths for the same period in 2022, an increase of 13 deaths.

He also said that 84 locality hotspots were reported for the week compared with 66 locality hotspots in the previous week with 57 locality hotspots reported in Selangor, 16 in Sabah, four each in Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya and three in Perak.

For chikungunya surveillance, Dr Noor Hisham said two cases were recorded in the ninth ME with one case each in Penang and Selangor while the cumulative number of chikungunya cases to date is 97.

For Zika surveillance, Dr Noor Hisham said a total of 448 blood samples and one urine sample were tested and all produced negative results.

He said the recent floods in several states had caused rubbish and containers to be accumulated and have become potential Aedes mosquito breeding grounds which can cause dengue outbreaks.

Several actions need to be taken to control the outbreak of dengue fever in areas that were recently flooded, among them, residents as well as the local authorities (PBT) need to quickly discard containers in the area as soon as the flood water subsides.

He added that residents in the flood-affected areas have been advised to put abate in water pools or puddles and also use repellants.

He said the movement of people from one place to another can also spread the dengue virus from asymptomatic dengue fever carriers.

“If you have symptoms of fever, joint pain or body aches, headaches and others you should seek treatment immediately and do not delay because dengue fever can be deadly,” he added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JASIN, March 7 (Bernama) — Nasi lemak, asam pedas and mee goreng are some of the types of dishes served at the temporary relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Batu Gajah here, and these meals seem to give some sense of ‘calmness’ to the 211 flood evacuees being housed at the shelter.

For flood victim, Saleha Giman, 68, all the meals prepared for them are very satisfying and not once was there an issue of being served stale or still raw food in the four days that she has been staying at the centre.

“Today, for instance, there are some officers who helped to cook in the school canteen after a visit by Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh (Melaka Health and Anti-Drugs executive councillor) who requested the food to be served hot.

“We are very thankful for the care provided, seeing that quite a few elderly people here find it more appetising if the food is hot. Even so, we understand this is a disaster situation and if the rice or side dishes are cold, we will not make a fuss,” he told Bernama.

Meanwhile, Hemilda Abdul Majid, 51, said the food assistance in the form of biscuits, bread and drinks is being continuously sent by various parties who are concerned about the misfortunes of these flood victims.

“We actually do not have the time to feel our hunger, so long as there is food prepared and provided to us by the officers. Sometimes, if the food is cold, I will warm it up in the electric rice cooker that I bought along,” she said.

At the same time, Hemilda, who has some medical issues, was initially worried about being moved to a relief centre after her house in Parit Penghulu Benteng was inundated with knee-high flood waters. However, after four days, everything is beyond her expectations.

“Even though there are many people in the centre, everything is comfortable and orderly. There is an officer who checks on me and other senior citizens.

“These checks include for high blood pressure since when we first moved here, many people could not sleep due to the noise from the children who were having fun playing,” she said.

However, she said, the situation now is good as there are teachers here who are organising various activities to ensure the children and students housed at the centre do not feel bored and wander around.

There are 26 senior citizens and 56 children from Kampung Parit Putat Benteng, Parit Sidang Seman, Batu Gajah Jalan Simen, Kampung Parit Penghulu Benteng and Taman Batu Gajah Pasir being housed at the relief centre at SK Batu Gajah after their houses were flooded.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency