Author: malaysiang

SANDAKAN, Jan 13 — Pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sibugal Besar from Kampung Nelayan Tengah and Kampung Pampang near here will have to take about an hour to get to school if the suspension bridge at Sungai Batang is closed.

When met by Bernama, Nur Juwita Julianna Amson, 12 from Kampung Nelayan Tengah said she used to walk using the main road to commute to school and it took her twice the time compared to using the suspension bridge.

“It will only take me 30 minutes to get to school using the bridge.

“If the bridge is closed, I will have to ask my brother to send me to school and take me home later on a motorcycle. To walk to school is too far,” she said.

The Public Works Department (JKR) and the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) had ordered the suspension bridge to be closed effective yesterday due to its dilapidated condition as this could pose a danger to its users.

However, checks by Bernama today showed no closure notice was placed on the bridge and villagers, including school children, were still using it.

Meanwhile, SK Sibugal Besar Parents and Teachers Association (PIBG) vice-head Roslan Muksan said the school had raised the issue because the safety of pupils were compromised but the change of government in 2018 had caused repair works to be suspended.

”We are aware that the closure of the bridge will affect the schoolchildren who usually walk from Kampung Nelayan Tengah and Kampung Pampang, but this is all for their safety,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 13 — The ceiling of the auditorium at Wisma Dang Bandang here which housed several government agencies such as the Information Department, Meteorological Department and Immigration Department collapsed in a late evening incident.

Sabah Fire and Rescue Department operations divison assistant director Misran Bisara said the department received a call on the incident at the 11th floor of the building at 3.32 pm before firemen from Kota KInabalu station rushed to the location.

“There were no casualties reported, and while firefighters conducted an inspection in the area, the building management was ordered to confirm the safety of the building structure.

“After ensuring there were no other dangers, the operation was called off at 4.18 pm,” he said when contacted here today.

Earlier, workers at the building rushed out and gathered at a safe spot when a tremor was felt on the building this evening.

A check with the Meteorological Department found no incident of earthquake reported around the state.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SIBU, Jan 13 — The Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force-Booster’s (CITF-B) Sibu division has urged all those aged above 18 here who have received both their Sinovac doses to get a booster shot by February.

In a statement today, it said this was to ensure that their ‘fully vaccinated’ status remained intact, and that they could continue to enjoy the facilities accorded to those with complete vaccination.

“Those who have received the complete primary series of other types of vaccination besides Sinovac are also encouraged to get a booster dose via walk-ins or through the appointment set on the ‘MySejahtera’ application.

“You will be given a booster dose vaccine based on the recommendation of the Technical Working Committee of the Ministry of Health Malaysia,” it said.

Two vaccination centres have been set up to facilitate the public around Sibu to get their booster shots, namely Dewan Suarah Sibu which operates from 8 am to 4 pm from Jan 10 to 24; and at Pasar Sentral Sibu from 9 am to 3 pm on Jan 15-16, while some private healthcare institutions will also be helping to provide the service.

Recipients are required to bring along their identity card, vaccination card, and a mobile phone with the MySejahtera application installed.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

SERDANG, Jan 13 — “To lack something is not an impediment for me to succeed and be on par with other students,” says visually impaired Nurul Najwa Khairunissah Hassim after graduating from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) today.

Born in Terengganu, the 28-year-old Malay Literature graduate received her scroll at the university’s 44th convocation at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Arts and Culture Centre Hall.

“I first started my studies at UPM in 2016. Before that, I sat for my STPM examination at St John’s Institution, Bukit Nenas in Kuala Lumpur,” Nurul Najwa told Bernama when met after her convocation ceremony.

Nurul Najwa said she was happy to receive her scroll face to face two years after finishing her studies in 2020, this after it was delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Sharing her experience of facing challenges as a visually impaired student, Nurul Najwa said one of the barriers she had to face was to get reference materials.

“For us who are visually impaired, it’s difficult for us to get the material because most of the materials are in hardcopies.

“I need to covert the hard copies into digital or soft copies. Because of this, I need a little more time to scan and listen using the ‘screen reader’ application,” she said adding that she would also seek the help of a volunteer reader to go through her assignments.

“UPM takes great care of the welfare of the disabled students, whether they are visually impaired or physically handicapped.

“For example, this university provides facilities such as transportation for me and other disabled people to attend classes and back to our hostels,” she added.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KOTA KINABALU, Jan 13 — Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has urged the authorities to conduct detailed investigations to eradicate syndicates selling fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates.

He said cheating over COVID-19 vaccination certificates was something unforgivable as it could expose the public to the dangers posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For me, we will not compromise with cheating over COVID-19 vaccination certificates…it is something that cannot be forgiven and I am happy the authorities have taken action against certain individuals.

“But the investigations must be continued because their greed of profiteering from the disaster afflicting the world must be tackled quickly,” he told reporters after a working visit to the Fifth Division Headquarters at Lok Kawi here today.

He said the irresponsible actions of certain quarters could cause the COVID-19 cases in this country to spike.

“They will adversely affect innocent people. We now know there is a more dangerous variant, namely, Omicron and we do not want the COVID-19 cases to go up again,” he stressed.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

MELAKA, Jan 13 — The floods situation in Melaka has fully recovered after the last relief centre (PPS) at Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Mendapat in Jasin was closed at 7 pm today.

Melaka Civil Defence Force (APM) director Lt Col (PA) Cuthbert John Martin, said before it was closed, the PPS was housing 13 victims from three flood-affected families in Kampung Lanchang.

“All the victims were allowed to return home after floodwater in the area receded,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

Overall, a total of 23 PPS were opened since January 1 to relocate 2,744 evacuees from 696 families from Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah and Jasin districts.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency