Another roof collapse in Terengganu - Kampung Tebauk Mosque

The roof of the Kampung Tebauk Mosque in Bukit Tunggal here collapsed, just five months after the roof of another mosque came down in Hulu Teren­gganu.

Yesterday’s collapse, which happened at about 4am, affected about 20% of the place.

The two-year-old mosque was built at a cost of almost RM6mil.

Mat Man, who is the bilal (the man who makes the call for prayers) said he arrived at about 5am yesterday to prepare for subuh (dawn) prayers for the congregation when he found that the foyer’s ceiling had collapsed.

“I had arrived at the mosque, opened the gates and switched on the lights, as people would come soon for the subuh prayers.

“When I entered the foyer, I saw there was rubble. I looked up and realised the ceiling had collapsed,” said Mat, 61, who lives nearby.

Mat said the ceiling had been intact the night before. He suspects that the roof collapsed early in the morning.

“I asked some of the villagers who live next to the mosque and they told me they heard a loud crash at around 4am,” he said.

He said the foyer section where the roof collapsed was not used for performing prayers although some people would pray there when the mosque was full such as on Fridays.

Built in January 2010, the mosque was open to public on Oct 24, 2011. It could accommodate about 1,000 people at a time.

The collapse was similar to the one at the Kampung Binjai Kertas mosque, where the ceiling of the entrance collapsed in May. It barely missed several villagers who were performing prayers then.

In October 2009, the roof of a mosque entrance in Kampung Batu Putih in Kertih, Kemaman, collapsed and injured three Indonesian workers.

That incident occurred only a few months after the roof of the RM300mil Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin stadium collapsed.

The stadium was in the spotlight again in February when five workers were injured while dismantling its roof after its steel supporting structure gave way.

The Public Works Department said the building contractor and the supplier of the roof were not the same as the ones that built the Kampung Binjai Kertas mosque.

State JKR director Datuk Shafii Mohamad, however, said both roofs had used a similar design and materials.

“We have informed our headquarters in Kuala Lumpur of the incident.

“They will send a forensics team over before Tuesday (tomorrow) so we can investigate the cause of the collapse,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

He said the contractor and the design of the mosque were approved by JKR.

“There is a 10-year warranty period for the roof. Since it is now damaged before the period is over, the supplier will be held responsible and the contractor will be asked to rebuild the roof,” he said.

Shafii said other sections of the mosque were deemed safe and the villagers could continue to use the mosque.

At a separate function, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said expressed his disappointment over yet another roof collapse incident in the state.

Ahmad Said said he had asked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commis­sion to find out whether there were elements of corruption in the construction of the mosque.

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10 men who have been terrorising women at homes nabbed

For over a year, 10 masked men have been terrorising women at their homes, committing at least 302 armed robberies – almost one everyday.

Threatening their victims with parang, they would stake out the women as they went about their activities before striking in the early hours of the morning.

Their reign of terror came to an end on Tuesday when a police task force moved in on them at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and arrested seven men, including a 19-year-old private college student.

Selangor police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan said the gang had robbed a 30-year-old housewife at her home in Taman Rimbun Hijau Country Heights in Kajang at around 6.45am after she came back from her morning exercise.

“She had left her house gate open when three masked men rushed in and attacked her. They ransacked her home and stole jewellery, cash and other valuables worth about RM40,000,” he said at the Selangor police headquarters here yesterday.

“The task force, which has been monitoring a group that had a similar modus operandi, decided to raid the hotel following the latest incident,” he said, adding that the police nabbed a man at the lobby of the hotel four hours after the incident.

The man, said DCP Mohd Shukri, then led police to two rooms on the seventh floor where they arrested six other men, aged between 19 and 31.

“We also seized an assortment of mobile phones, heavy duty bolt cutters, wigs, MyKads, drivers’ licences, jewellery, crow bars, 15 fake number plates and five cars belonging to the suspects,” he said.

Based on investigations, DCP Mohd Shukri said the gang members, working in threes, would park their cars in neighbourhoods and stake out the houses, looking for an opportunity to strike.

“They would target houses where the women were either home alone or have just come home,” he said, adding that the mastermind – a 31-year-old suspect – was also arrested.

SDCP Mohd Shukri said the man had recruited his 29-year-old brother, a mobile phone shop staff, into the gang. He, too, was arrested.

The police, he added, were now looking for the other gang members who were still at large.

“People need to be extra careful when they reach home or open their gates. Never give anyone the opportunity to take advantage and rob you,” he said, urging anyone with information to contact its hotline at 03-2052 9999.

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Rubber gloves sector downgraded to neutral

 Maybank Investment Bank Research has downgraded the rubber gloves sector from “overweight” to “neutral” as the valuations of the stocks are fairly reflective of fundamentals now.

Analyst Lee Yen Ling said price-to-earnings (PER) valuations had risen from eight to 16 times end-2012 to 11 to 19 times currently.

“Though new supply (for nitrile gloves) looks aggressive, near-term price competition is likely to be mild, for new capacity will just about match demand, we believe, with the latter expanding by about 20% year-on-year,” she said.

Demand for nitrile glove sales were also driven by a shift in customer preference from latex powder-free to nitrile gloves, she said, adding that margins for nitrile gloves remained higher compared with latex gloves by more than 6 percentage points as a result of higher pricing and lower raw material cost.

Lee pointed out that glove manufacturers usually did not gain or lose significantly on foreign exchange volatility as most of them bought forward contracts which expired in two to three months to sell US dollars when they delivered the products as a way to hedge their US-denominated receivables.

She added that the recent fuel price hike, which led to higher transportation costs for the companies, had insignificant impact on them as transportation accounted for only 2% to 3% of total costs, thus they were not adjusting glove prices.

The research house’s top pick was Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd on the back of its better value proposition compared with its peers.

She has given a higher target price of RM7.60 to the counter as she revised Kossan’s PER upwards to 16 times from 15 times.

Meanwhile, she maintained a “hold” rating on Hartalega Holdings Bhd with the same target price of RM6.71 whereas the target price for Top Glove Corp Bhd was re-rated downwards to RM6.40 with a downgraded “hold” call as weaker latex powder-free glove sales were factored in.

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Death threats to politicians

PETALING JAYA: At around 3am on September 2008, a motorcyclist rode by the house of Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

He flung a Molotov cocktail and a bottle containing a letter filled with vulgarities into the compound of the DAP politician’s home.

Fortunately, the bottles didn’t ignite. No one was hurt during the attacks.

But Kok felt fearful and worried. She believed the attack was to instil fear in her and to frighten her from performing her duties as an MP.

In 2009, Kok received another threat on her blog telling her that she, ‘should be taught with blood.’

“Will they come to kill me? It is probable. This is something that nobody can guarantee,” said Kok.

When asked if the threats have ever deterred her from carrying out her duties, she replied with a firm, ‘No.”

A question that pops up during these instances is: How many of the threats actually materialise?

Just two weeks ago, both Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and PKR Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became the focus of twitter attacks telling them to be careful for their lives.

“To evaluate the seriousness of a death threat, we must assess the context and nature of the case. Politicians should always be alert when it comes to safety, especially high profile figures,” said Dr. Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd. Mokhtar, lecturer of political science at IIUM.

“It has occurred before (deaths) although they are not common. Assassination isn’t part of our culture. Nevertheless, threats should not be taken lightly,” agreed political analyst Dr Shaharuddin Badaruddin.

Malaysian history tells of numerous high-profile deaths, murder and assault cases involving politicians.

In 1976, a plane crashed in Sabah killing then Chief Minister of Sabah, Tun Fuad Stephens. Conclusive reasons for crash are unknown and investigation reports remain classified, prompting speculation of foul play.

Conspiracy buffs have tried to link the timely death of Tun Fuad with the signing of Sabah’s oil rights to the Malaysian Federal Government, but without any hard evidence to prove this claim, all allegations remain nothing more than conjecture.

In 1982, Datuk Mokhtar Hashim, then Culture, Youth and Sports Minister was convicted for killing Datuk Taha Talib, State Assemblyman for Tampin, days before the 1982 general elections.

The court found that the bullet which killed Taha came from Mokhtar’s gun and the motivation for murder was thought to be political rivalry.

Notable unsolved cases involving politicians also include the murders of Lunas assemblyman Dr Joe Fernandez and Tenggaroh assemblyman Datuk S. Krishnasamy.

In 2000, Fernandez was driving home when he was shot dead by a pillion motorcycle rider. The motive for murder is uncertain, although religious reasons have been suggested. The Islamic militant group KMM (Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia) was suspected to have a hand in the crime but no clear evidence was found and the culprits are still at large.

In 2008 Krishnasamy was on his way to a meeting when he was shot in a lift in Johor’s MIC headquarters at point blank range. The case remains unsolved.

Despite these incidents, the number of deaths and murders involving politicians is relatively low, said Shaharuddin.

“In Malaysia, unlike other third world nations, we rarely see death threats becoming a reality. However, caution should be exercised at all times,” explained Shaharuddin who also pointed out that actions of such perpetrators are often unpredictable.

“Assassinations happen even in first world nations and we should do our best to avoid this path,” he added.

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Killed for jumping queue. #PLKN

There’s a new twist to the story of the National Service trainee who died after being found unconscious. He was actually beaten to death – for jumping the queue during breakfast on Sunday.

Muhammad Suhaimi Norhamidi was hammered repeatedly by several fellow trainees at the Pinggiran Pelangi camp in Muadzam Shah near here, causing him to suffer internal head injuries.

About half an hour after the alleged assault, the 18-year-old was found sprawled on the bathroom floor of their hostel.

The camp commandant rushed the boy to the Muadzam Shah Hospital, where he died.

Pahang Deputy CID chief Supt Mohd Haris Daud said three trainees, aged between 18 and 20, were detained on Monday to assist in investigations.

He said that two of them had fractures in their hands believed to be due to the hard blows they landed on the victim.

“Initial investigations revealed that the victim had cut queue during breakfast before a group of trainees confronted him, resulting in a scuffle.

“We believe another fight occurred later in the day before he collapsed and succumbed to head injuries,” Supt Mohd Haris said yesterday.

Rompin OCPD Deputy Supt Johari Jahaya said police had classified the case as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code after obtaining the post-mortem report.

“The report revealed that the victim died from internal bleeding in the head due to blunt trauma.

“All three trainees have been remanded for a week until Sept 30,” he said.

National Service Training Depart­ment acting director-general Rozai­nor Ramli said a special unit had been set up to conduct an internal inquiry.

Rozainor said the department would also give its full cooperation to the police.

A check at the camp showed its gates were locked.

A security guard said he was directed not to allow any visitors or media personnel into the premises.

The camp management declined to give any comments on the incident.

Meanwhile, the victim’s mother, Zuraida Zainudin, 40, said she spotted bruises on her son’s ears and face while identifying his remains at the mortuary after being informed by her ex-husband, Norhamidi Bakar.

“I have had a feeling and suspicion that he was being assaulted by others in the camp.

“All along, he was healthy and it is not possible that he suffered from any illnesses,” she said, adding that there were also traces of blood from his nose and mouth.

Zuraida hoped that the authorities would conduct a thorough investigation and find out the cause of her son’s death.

She said that if it was proven that other trainees had assaulted her son, they should be punished.

“If given an opportunity, I would like to confront them personally and ask them why they did it,” she said.

Zuraida also said that Muhammad Suhaimi had harboured hopes of meeting and shaking hands with Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob.

“He told me this last week when I spoke to him.

“Now, his wish will never be fulfilled,” she said in between sobs.

Zuraida also said her son wanted to join the armed forces and was motivated to take part in the training camp.

Muhammad Suhaimi, the eldest of six siblings, was buried in his hometown in Kampung Kelibang, Kerdau.

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Filthy pau factory torn down

An illegal factory producing pau in Selayang Baru, Selayang was closed down yesterday by the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) following numerous complaints since 2007.

The filthy factory comprises two illegally extended three-storey shoplots, with the workers housed on the top floor.

Over the years, MPS has served several notices to the operators for various offences but business was carried out brazenly, with no fear about flouting the council’s bylaws.

The factory supplies pork, red bean and chicken pau to restaurants and mobile vendors in the Klang Valley.

During the operation carried out by the Enforcement, Building and Health departments, the illegal extensions were torn down and all items seized.

The place was stripped clean with the help of 100 MPS enforcement officers under the watchful eyes of the police.

The workers, mostly foreigners, were seen trying to salvage some of the ingredients but were barred from doing so.

The premises was a mess, with meat stored in dirty tubs on the floor, attracting flies.

The equipment used were also rusty, with bits of meat and red bean paste staining the walls and floor, while the drains were clogged with waste and oil.

MPS enforcement director Lt Col (Rtd) Azmi Ismail said they had served six notices since 2010 but that the operators had failed to pay the fines.

“In fact, they asked for another five-year grace period today to find a new location to move their operations to. However, we have been lenient and will not tolerate the situation any longer,” he said.

MPS health director Dr Razif Zainal Abidin said they had closed the premises for a week in 2007 under the Food Establishment bylaw as well as revoked their licence two years ago.

“The shoplots are not a conducive place for a pau factory, especially using pork.

The conditions are unhygienic, with waste water flowing directly into the drains,” he added.

Meanwhile, MPS Building Department director Azam Mohamad said they had served three notices to the operator to tear down the illegal extensions under the Road, Drainage and Building bylaw.

Azam said the last notice was served 14 days prior to the demolition exercise, with a compound for RM12,500.

When approached, neighbours declined to comment on the issue for fear of retaliation. To ensure the factory does not resume operations again, Azmi said they would continue to monitor the premises.

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Dangerous ‘yellow’ chicken

Chicken is widely eaten by many and claims that the birds are being coloured yellow using a dye is worrying.

Some traders claim that consumers are being duped by chicken sellers into believing that the plucked yellow chickens are the kampung variety when they are actually farm-bred.

However, the more serious issue was the Aniline dye being used in the colouring process.

Aniline dye is normally used to colour leather and woodworks.

Those who regularly buy chicken would have noticed that some plucked chickens are more yellow in colour than others.

The situation may have raised a few eyebrows but never questioned, that is until StarMetro was alerted recently that some unscrupulous chicken sellers were adding yellow colouring to the chickens.

To see the situation first-hand, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Health and Environment Department director Dr Chitra Devi N. Vadivellu visited the SS2 market recently.

Yellow-skinned chickens?

Chicken seller William.T called StarMetro to complain that some irresponsible chicken sellers were adding colouring to the plucked farm-bred chickens.

He said the chickens, originally pale pink in colour. were dipped into a mixture of yellow dye and water.

“The yellow dye may not be safe for consumption and could pose a danger to our health,” he said, adding that he suspected Aniline dye was being used.

“This dye is used to colour leather and woodworks. The chickens are made to look yellow as many believe the yellow variety tastes better and better for health,” he said.

“Consumers are being cheated into believing they are buying corn-fed chickens,” he said.

He said in the past chickens were fed more corn but not any more.

The chicken feed now consists of only 30% corn, and is mixed with grains and soy.

“That is why the chickens skin is no longer yellow in colour,” he said.

Kampung versus farm chicken

Another problem consumers face is that they are duped into believing that the average sized farm chickens, coloured yellow, are the kampung chicken variety.

The lean kampung chicken is naturally light yellow in colour.

“He said the colouring process sometimes takes place at the chicken slaughter house.

“The authorities must take some chicken samples to verify this matter,

“They must also conduct checks at the slaughter house and wet markets regularly.

“Farm-bred chicken is priced at RM8.50per kg while plucked kampung chicken is RM12.50 per kg.

To see the situation for itself, StarMetro also visited several chicken sellers in SS2, Section 17 and Taman Megah market where they claim the average- sized ‘yellow chicken’ is the kampung variety

Azlina Abdullah, who was at the market, said she was sceptical about the yellow chickens.

“Some of the chickens are strangely more yellow in the city markets. “The kampung chickens sold here are also very big.

“I grew up in the village and I know for sure that kampung chicken are smaller and their skin a light yellow,” she said.

What the authorities say

Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) secretary-general Datuk Paul Selva Raj said the Health Ministry must investigate the claims as well as monitor the situation.

If true, it is a very serious matter as people’s health are being endangered.

“Food additives used must be given the nod by the ministry before being used,” he said.

Dr Chitra Devi said during the visit to the market, the traders told her that some of the farm-bred chickens were dipped in higher temperature boiling water during the de-feathering process, as such the meat is slightly cooked and becomes light yellow in colour.

“We will take samples for lab tests and get to the bottom of this matter soon,” she said.

When contacted, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the ministry will investigate the claims.

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Terengganu man starts 600km walk to #Putrajaya. #Walk4Malaysia

Mohd Noor Mat, 42, has started on the first lap of the Walk4Malaysia programme, which covers a distance of 600km, from Kuala Besut in Terengganu to Putrajaya, accompanied by participants from the Sports Council of Terengganu and the State Youth Council.

They were flagged off yesterday morning from Dataran Kuala Besut by Kuala Besut assemblyman Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abdul Rahman who represented Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said.

Earlier, they did aerobics together with more than 500 participants, comprising students, NGO members and heads of department and their staff.

They will make 13 pre-determined stops during their walk which is expected to take 13 days until they reach Putrajaya on Oct 4.

Mohd Noor, a Terengganu Islamic Foundation staff member, who hails from Kampung Tok Raja, Jerteh, has a wife and seven children aged between four and 22.

Looking healthy and fit after his own training for the past two months, he knelt on the road before starting and sought blessings to enable him to complete his journey successfully.

Mohd Noor is fulfilling a vow to walk from Kuala Besut to Putrajaya following Barisan Nasional’s victory in the Kuala Besut state by-election recently.

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Alleged drug producer attempts suicide by drinking chemicals

A man believed to be a drug producer tried to commit suicide by gulping chemicals when police raided his drug lab at a shoplot in Jalan Thean Tek, Air Itam.

Sources said the man, in his 30s, was caught along with two others at the premises during the 2am raid yesterday.

It is learnt the man, who was being detained at the premises while police searched the place later in the day, grabbed a bottle containing chemicals and started to drink from it before the officers managed to stop him.

Police personnel then forced him to drink plenty of water before sending him to Penang Hospital at about 3.30pm.

The other two suspects were taken to the police station at 5.50pm for questioning.

A police forensics team was called in to collect evidence while personnel were seen taking away electrical appliances like an oven, toaster and rice cooker as well as packed paper bags and bottles of liquid believed to be raw material for producing drugs.

It is learnt that the three were caught red-handed when police moved in unnoticed despite two CCTV cameras near the entrance of the staircase.

Police were still collecting evidence and searching the premises at press time, while the items and amount of drugs have yet to be made known.

A neighbouring shop owner said the people in the shoplot were “very secretive” and he did not know what business they were running, adding that one of them drove a luxury car.

A team from the Fire and Rescue Department was brought in to crack open a steel vault believed to contain processed drugs.

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The environmental war

If you ask Azlan Adnan about saving the environment, he would say somewhat controversially that the human population has to be reduced from 7bil to 100mil.

That's an almost 99% reduction in the number of people.

He believes the sudden increase of the human population in recent times has caused lots of problems from species extinction, habitat destruction and spiraling food prices.

“These are just the symptoms of overpopulation. The human population has increased three times in the past 60 years and it has taken its toll on the planet,” said the Green Party of Malaysia founder.    

Obviously reducing the population of the planet in an ethical way is a tall order, humans have to change their behaviour so that their impact on the environment is low said Azlan.

“We would have to rethink our whole lifestyle from manufacturing to producing food,” he said.

This is where the Green Party would come into the Malaysian landscape said 55-year-old Azlan.

“We need a green party because they are enough environmental NGOs. There is a need to take environmental issues into the political landscape. To put it bluntly, we need to politicise these issues,” he said adding that the idea for the party came after the 2008 general elections.

Over the past few years the Lynas and Rapid petrochemical complex in Pengerang issues are among the major environmental issues that have received lots of attention and traction in the political arena.   

Azlan said the Himpunan Hijau has been doing a good job campaigning against Lynas, but that it should be taken to the next level.

“Environmentalists can scream and shout but if there is no political will, things will remain as they are,” said Azlan.

He cites examples of Rio De Janeiro and Copenhagen who have had bicycle lanes for decades and asks why there are none in Kuala Lumpur.

“There is no political will here to do such things. Most politicians are not environmentally conscious. That’s why we need to bring green issues to the attention of the policy makers. If they are aware of the environment and not driven by other interests, Lynas and Rapid would have been non-starters in the first place,” he said.

In its manifesto, the party seeks to unite all Malaysians under the banner of environmentalism. It intends to unite and give political clout to all the Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) in Malaysia embracing the whole spectrum of environmental ideologies from deep ecology, preservation, conservation and sustainable development.

Efforts to register the party however have not been successful said Azlan. They have tried registering a branch in Perak last year, but they have not heard anything from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) so far.

“We are seen as a threat,” he claimed.

He acknowledges it would be tough for the party to be registered, pointing out that the registration of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) that took 10 years.

He said once they are successfully registered, they would use the same constitution to register other branches in every state.

“A lot of environmental issues are local issues and the locals will have a stake,” he said.

Right now, there is no formal committee in the party but Azlan said he is trying to educate people by posting videos of green living on Youtube.

Germany, New Zealand, Australia, France, Sweden and Denmark are some countries where the Greens as they are known have a commendable presence.

In New Zealand for instance, there have been cabinet ministers from the party while in the Scandinavian countries they have formed governments with the social-democrat parties.

The presence of the green parties in Asia has been almost negligible but Azlan believes there is a place for the party in the Malaysian political landscape.

He said the party would be similar to Parti Keadilan Rakyat in that it intended to cut across racial and religious lines.

“We have to change our political model and be based on ideologies rather than race or religion. Our ideology is to save planet for the future,” he said.

The party’s other policies would include encouraging inter-ethnic marriages, having a minimum wage, anti-nuclear and building more universities that provided free education.

Azlan said the party would also encourage entomophagy or the eating of insects.

“It is a cheap form of protein and cost effective,” he said adding that grasshoppers tasted like prawns.

He urged people to join the Green Party if they were interested, but he made it clear he did not want any “professional” politicians from other parties.

“We don’t need any driftwood,” he said.

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RM3bil in supply contracts

The Health Ministry is expected to pay more than RM3bil in the form of contracts for the supply of medicinal products and equipment.

This will take effect after six months, which is the timeframe required to examine all products submitted by the vendors in the tender process, said Pharmaniaga Bhd.

Yesterday marked the end of a two-day tender exercise held at the premises of Pharmaniaga Bhd here.

Pharmaniaga is a concessionaire appointed by the ministry to procure and distribute both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical products.

Its managing director Datuk Farshila Emran said the tender process was held in a transparent manner and monitored by officials from the ministry, an auditing firm and the chief integrity officer from its parent company, Boustead Group.

She said the 172 vendors were briefed on the process before they submitted their quotations.

“When we had our previous tender exercise, about RM1bil in the form of contracts were awarded to vendors.

“This time, we are expecting the amount to be more than RM3bil.”

She said the tender exercise was not an easy task as perceived by others since ministry officials would need to thoroughly vet the products.

“They will have to scrutinise each and every product because a wrong pick of a medicine can be detrimental to some 27 million Malaysians,” she added.

Farshila also denied allegations that Pharmaniaga had reaped huge profits from distributing medicine to the ministry.

She noted that although the company facilitated tender exercises once every three years, it did not determine which vendor received the contract as the ministry made the decision.

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Death through theft snatches family's joy

It was supposed to be an exciting next few months for the Go family who were happily preparing for a wedding but tragedy struck.

Go Lee Peng, 30, had been busy with the details for her December wedding when told that her younger sister Lee Kun was in a coma after a snatch theft gone wrong.

“I rushed back. Everything was left hanging while we stayed by her bed for five days, and then she left us,” said Lee Peng at the University Malaya Medical Centre mortuary yesterday.

Youngest of five siblings, 27-year-old Lee Kun was walking to her car near Sri Manja Court around 8pm on Thursday when a speeding motorcycle went past her and she fell heavily onto the road. She suffered severe head trauma and her handbag strap was ripped.

“She was supposed to be my maid of honour,” said Lee Peng, fighting to hold back tears.

“We were a happy family. Lee Kun was always cheerful and kind to everyone. We never thought that something like this could happen to us.”

The thieves, she said, would never know the pain they have caused her and her family.

The funeral will be held at the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Sungai Besi on Friday at 11am.

Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the case has been classified as murder and police are conducting a thorough investigation.

“Anyone with information on the incident should contact the police immediately,” he said. The police can be reached at 03-2052 9999.

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Man claims trial to raping student

Melaka - The man implicated in an alleged rape and robbery of an undergraduate has claimed trial to nine offences, including committing a sexual act against the order of nature on his victim.

Adam Kamal, 26, from Kampung Bukit Pulau, Bukit Baru here, faces another six charges of car-jacking, possession of stolen items and also trespassing in a university hostel in Jalan Tun Ali here.

The accused, who works at his family-owned furniture shop and is married with one child, was in tears when his pleas were recorded before Sessions Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh and later at the magistrate’s court presided by magistrates Ida Rahayu Sharif and Mohd Firdaus Salleh.

DPPs Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin, Nabilah Nizam and Rebecca Mathan appeared for the prosecution while the accused was represented by counsel Fazarudin Sujairi Md Razi.

Based on the statements of fact, Adam allegedly stole a handphone and RM30 between 6am and 7.45am at the hostel on Aug 29. He was also alleged to have raped and forced the victim to perform a sexual act on him during the same period.

Adam was also alleged to have stolen a Perodua Myvi owned by another female undergraduate, a ring, a handphone, an Ipod Touch4S and a laptop at the same date, time and venue. He faces another charge for trespassing in the hostel’s dormitory.

He was charged under various sections of the Penal Code which carries a total of 20 years’ jail, whipping and a fine.

The prosecution requested both the courts not to grant bail in view of the severity of the offences committed. However, both the Ses­sion and magistrates’ courts still imposed bails between RM1,000 and RM20,000 for each of the offences. He was also ordered to report to Bukit Baru police station until the next re-mention date on Oct 18.

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No one must glorify Chin Peng as an independence fighter - @Zahid_Hamidi

The Government will not allow any group to glorify Chin Peng as an independence fighter, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

Rather, the communist leader who died yesterday, should forever be regarded as a terrorist leader.

“He may be dead, but his acts of terror against soldiers, policemen and the people during the Emergency will not be forgotten,” he said when contacted in Melbourne.

“Because of him, many soldiers and police died, their wives became widows and children became orphans.”

Umno veteran Tan Sri Sanusi Junid said it was ironic that Chin Peng died on the 50th Malaysia Day.

“His fight against British colonial powers was not about gaining independence, but was more of a fight against capitalism with the hope of creating another form of colonisation,” he said.

Sanusi hoped historians would write the correct version of what actually transpired from the beginning of the insurgency.

Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein also insisted that Chin Peng’s body should not return.

He said Chin Peng was a traitor who had undermined national sovereignty.

“His death will never be regarded as a loss in view of the treachery and violence committed by him in the past,” Hishammuddin said. “He and the CPM terrorists had committed atrocities, killing thousands of soldiers, security personnel and civilians,” he added.

Hishammuddin said that when he was the Home Minister, he did not grant Chin Peng’s request to return to Malaysia when the latter was gravely ill.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Chin Peng was never granted a Malaysian citizenship under the Independence agreement in 1957.

“He should be buried where he died,” he said when contacted in Bangkok, Thailand.

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NS camp has a week to clean up

The White Resort national service camp in Penang has seven days to improve its conditions or face action.

“We have warned them and they have one week to address all the issues or action will be taken based on the contract (they signed),” NS Training Department acting director-general Rozainor Ramli said yesterday.

He declined to say if the camp would be shut down if it failed to comply though the department had closed such facilities before.

The Star reported yesterday that some of the 200 trainees at the camp in Balik Pulau wanted to pull out due to deplorable conditions including poor hygiene, insufficient food and broken toilet locks.

Trainees at the camp also said that they had to sleep on broken beds with filthy pillows and be subjected to unsanitary conditions.

One trainee claimed to have found maggots in her food.

The litany of complaints also included clogged sinks and toilets.

“I want to assure parents that we will not compromise on the safety and health of trainees,” Rozainor said, adding that he had met with the trainees and listened to their grouses.

The last time that the White Resort facility was inspected was in July.

“Recommendations for improvements were made then,” he said, adding that some amenities were “worn out”.

The trainees at the camp will complete their stint on Oct 31.

Their outcry prompted Pulau Betong assemblyman Farid Saad to give his take: “After seeing the conditions in the camp myself, I understand why the trainees are dissatisfied.”

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Two suspected gang members killed

Malacca - Two men, suspected to be Gang 04 and Gang 36 members, were shot dead during a shootout with police here.

The incident occurred at about 9.20am yesterday when policemen approached a Perodua Myvi with the two men inside. The car was parked at the roadside near a hypermarket in Cheng here.

When the officers were about to question the men, the suspects suddenly opened fire at them.

The officers, who were startled by the shots at first, fired back. The shootout lasted for about 10 minutes before the suspects were killed.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, who rushed here from Bukit Aman, said police recovered two guns and some cannabis from the car.

He added that the suspects were linked to seven murders, an attempted murder and two robberies.

Khalid said one of the suspects, nicknamed “Teratai Boy Johor” had 10 criminal records, while the other had drug-related offences.

“Teratai Boy was involved in criminal cases in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kedah and Penang in the past two years,” he said.

“Following the incident, we raided a house in Ayer Keroh and picked up a couple, aged 34 and 35, who were suspected to have been involved in several of the robberies.

“We also seized a BMW car, fake police badges and some house break-in tools from the house,” he said.

“We are checking whether the two men were contract killers.”

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Four vehicles crash on Karak Highway

A four-vehicle pile up involving two express buses, a trailer and a car held up traffic for two hours on the Karak Highway.

Thirteen people, including a couple in the car, were injured in the accident which occurred at about 4pm at KM31.5 of the highway, heading to Kuala Lumpur.

There were no casualties and the injured were sent to the Selayang and Kuala Lumpur hospitals.

There were 38 passengers in the two buses.

An emergency call was recorded at 3.49pm and the first fire engine arrived at 4.30pm, said Bandar Baru Selayang Fire and Rescue station chief Azrul Khairi Abu Bakar in a statement.

He said rescue personnel brought out the victims from the bus in 15 minutes.

It is believed that the accident was caused by the bus that failed to stop and rammed into the back of another bus.

The second bus, in turn, hit the back of the trailer which it was following.

The car, a Honda City, failed to avoid the middle bus and lost control, ending up on its side on the right lane.

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Sinkhole opens up near site of lightning arrester collapse

Traffic along Macalister Road here slowed down to a snail’s pace after a sinkhole appeared on the road, near the site of the lightning arrester collapse which killed a motorist in June.

The hole, measuring about 0.6m in diameter and 1m deep, is located in the middle of the road in front of the Pakistani Mosque.

Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng said a preliminary probe by the Penang Municipal Council’s engineering department showed that a leaking sewerage pipe about 3m away had caused soil erosion beneath the road, resulting in the cave-in at about 1.15pm yesterday.

He said the section of the road had been cordoned off and an iron plate would be placed over the sinkhole for the time being.

“Indah Water Konsortium has been notified and will carry out repairs tomorrow (today).

“Digging works and repairs are expected to take a few days,” he added.

On Aug 14, a forklift fell into a hole when the road in front of the Pakistani Mosque caved in during work to repair damage caused by the lightning arrester collapse.

The remains of 44-year-old hawker Lim Chin Aik is believed to be buried in the ground when the lightning arrester from atop the 21-storey Menara Umno snapped during a storm and crashed into his car.

Lim was presumed dead when pieces of his car were found in the crater that resulted from the impact.

On June 23, Lim was “laid to rest” in a simple funeral ceremony at the Kek Lok Si Columbarium, where an urn containing mud which his wife, Lee Chai Song, 48, had scooped from the crater, was placed.

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70% of English teachers not fit to teach

About two-thirds of English Language teachers in the country have been classified as “incapable” or “unfit” to teach the subject in schools.

Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said such teachers had been sent for courses to improve their proficiency in the language.

“The ministry will also consider sending them overseas for exchange programmes to take up TESL (Teaching of English as a Second Language) courses,” he said during a dialogue session on the National Education Blueprint 2013-2025 held at the Karangkraf headquarters here yesterday.

Idris, who did not state the number of such teachers, assured that a good portion of them had enrolled in English courses locally.

Recently, it was revealed that about 70% out of the 60,000 English Language teachers, who sat for the English Language Cambridge Placement Test, performed poorly.

On allegations that the Government was sidelining vernacular schools through the blueprint, Idris denied this, saying “all schools were treated equally”.

“We do not sideline any party. In fact, the ministry encourages everyone to learn more languages. Be it Chinese, Tamil, French or Spanish, the government will be proud if a Malaysian can master these languages,” he stressed.

The United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) protested against the blueprint, saying that increasing teaching time for Bahasa Malaysia from 270 minutes to 300 minutes for lower primary and 180 minutes to 270 minutes for upper primary pupils was a move by the Government to eradicate mother tongue education.

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Victim: I help fight crime now

Housewife Sarimah Husin could have chosen to be fearful and hunker down in the safety of her house after being a victim of a robbery.

However, the gutsy 50-year-old mother of five has chosen to fight back by joining as a volunteer in Amanita.

“I was overjoyed when a team from the district police headquarters visited my neighbourhood in Sungai Panjang to create awareness on the concept.

“This gives me a chance to play a role in combating crime,” Sarimah told The Star here yesterday.

The “peace-loving women” initiative, under the National Blue Ocean Strategy, started last October by roping in women and housewives in residential areas to be the eyes and ears of the law enforcers.

Since becoming a volunteer last month, Sarimah said she had learned a lot about safety and crime prevention tips from the police.

“I now know how to react when there are suspicious activities,” she said, adding that she hoped that women would make use of the Amanita hotline to report crimes in their neighbourhood.

Another volunteer, Aisyah Mahi­din, 50, said Amanita offered every housewife a chance to play a role in combating crime.

Aisyah, whose husband is a police officer at the Sabak Bernam headquarters, said she understood his duties better now.

“I know why my husband reacts in such a way when there is some crime activity. It’s very disturbing and hard to sleep at night when you know something not right is happening in our community,” said the mother of eight who joined Amanita last month.

The same sentiment is echoed by 56-year-old Musringah Ismon, whose friend was a victim of snatch theft in their village marketplace in Sungai Besar.

Sabak Bernam Corporate Com­munications chief in the Crime Prevention Department Insp Iek Ren Chong, who acts as the district’s ambassador for Amanita, said more initiatives would be introduced to improve volunteers’ skills.

“There will be talks and a self-defence introduction class on Sept 21 for Amanita members,” she said, adding that the event, to be attended by the Inspector-General of Police, would also see between 2,000 and 3,000 women registering as volunteers.

Currently, she said there were more than 100 Amanita members in the district.

 

TheStar

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Man and family evacuate home just before landslip

A quick decision to evacuate his house during heavy rain saved the life of trader Chong Khen Lung, who brought out his family just in time before a landslip destroyed their house.

Chong earlier realised that the flood levels were rising at his single-storey house at Kampung Tuno, Kolopis in Penampang at about 4.30pm on Sunday.

He asked his wife Karen Santani to get their two daughters, aged seven and three, and his mother-in-law Catherine Tandalau out of the house. Less than half and hour later, tonnes of earth crashed into his house.

Chong called firemen who helped him to retrieve his belongings and move them to a relative’s house nearby.

Meanwhile, rescuers are searching for a 12-year-old boy who went missing after he was believed to have slipped into a monsoon drain along Jalan Penampang on Sunday.

The floods had affected the low-lying areas of the state capital and Penampang following Sunday’s two-hour downpour.

Several low-lying areas such as Donggongon and villages in Penam­pang and Putatan were still flooded yesterday morning before receding in the afternoon.

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#Malaysians in Zamboanga are safe

Malaysians in Zamboanga are safe after reports emerged that heavily-armed rebels launched attacks that have shut down the Philippine coastal city, said Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines Datuk Mohd Zamri Mohd Kassim.

He said so far, no Malaysians have been caught in the fighting between the rebels and Philippine military forces.

“We are in close contact with the Philippine police and military, who are updating us on the situation there.

“We will issue safety alerts for Malaysians as soon as possible,” he said yesterday.

The attack led to a standoff between the Moro rebels and the Philippine military, with shops, hotels and businesses closed.

Footage on Philippine media show armoured personnel carriers speeding around empty streets at dawn, while road blocks were set up everywhere.

AFP reported that a group of 100 heavily-armed rebels opposed to the southern Phi­lippines peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) launched the attacks at dawn yesterday.

The peace talks are being brokered by Malaysia.

The rebels entered Zamboanga by boat, triggering clashes that left at least one soldier dead and six wounded.

Fighting later spread to the city, with the rebels taking 20 civilian hostages to thwart government forces.

The rebels are reportedly followers of Nur Misuari, who is one of the leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which is an MILF rival group.

Misuari’s faction of the fractured MNLF, which he founded in the early 1970s, had last month declared that he was breaking away because he believed his group was being sidelined from the peace talks.

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Danger in air fresheners

The air freshener we put in our cars or at home may smell sweet but they could be doing us more harm than we realise.

Six commonly used household air freshener products found at supermarkets and shops nationwide were tested by a consumer group for four dangerous chemicals – toluene, benzene, formaldehyde and phthalates.

All were found to contain relatively high levels of at least one of these chemicals, with phthalates – which are endocrine disrupting substances (EDS) – found in four of the six products.

Long-term exposure to EDS can lead to irreversible damage to the immune system and the brain.

According to Ratna Devi Nadarajan, the CEO of the Malaysian Association of Standards Users that conducted the test, EDS could even cause males to act more feminine and vice-versa.

“It can also stunt the development of vital organs and cause miscarriages. The extent of the damage, however, depends on the individual’s health, with pregnant women and children at higher risk,” she said.

Some air fresheners, Ratna said, were found to have a mixture of several types of phthalates, which is even more dangerous.

Two of the air fresheners were found to contain toluene, which can cause damage to the liver, kidney and brain over long-term usage.

The association also found that a locally manufactured air freshener had the highest content of harmful chemicals – it had toluene and three types of phthalates.

Ratna pointed out that many people, especially in urban areas, spent a few hours in their cars every day, inhaling the chemicals from the air fresheners.

“At the very least, these chemicals can cause headaches, nausea and depression,” she said.

When in a confined environment like in a car with very little fresh air, she said the chemicals were more harmful.

Ratna said they were still waiting for data on the limitation and regulation of air fresheners from the local regulators as well as other countries to do a comparison.

Consumers should avoid using air fresheners too often and instead opt for natural ventilation and hygiene at home, she advised.

She suggested natural alternatives such as pandan leaves, lemongrass and charcoal.

National Poison Centre consultant Dr T. Jayabalan warned that there could be a delayed onset of the harm from using air fresheners making it difficult to link it to the cause.

He said phthalates had been classified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a “probable human carcinogen” which means it could cause cancer, while the US Department of Health and Human Services had classified it as a “potential carcinogen”.

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Campaign to champion youths. @khairykj

The Milo “Fuel for Champions” campaign has been launched to develop and empower young athletes.

It will see a series of on-ground roadshows reaching the public to promote the 27th SEA games and show support for the Malaysian contingent.

The campaign is a joint effort between Milo and the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said Milo has played an integral role in Malaysia’s sporting arena by nurturing and developing the nation’s young talent.

“The ministry makes it a mission to champion youths and sports empowerment as well as inculcate the sports culture within the society.

“Through this campaign, the ministry, OCM and Milo will strive to help young athletes to bring out the best of their abilities,” he said at the campaign launch yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.

Malaysia are currently three gold medals shy of achieving 1,000 gold medals since its participation in 1959.

Khairy also said that despite a challenging year in the SEA Games, the ministry would ensure the contingent is able to win as many gold medals as possible.

Also present were national athletes S. Kannanthasan, Hakimi Ismail, Khoo Chai Lin and Yong Shin Min, who will be representing Malaysia in the SEA Games.

Myanmar will host the 27th edition of the biennial games in its capital city, Naypyidaw.

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Passengers who have been harassed should lodge complaints

Incidents of sexual harassment on public transport are commonplace, although many still go unreported.

Packed buses and trains are said to be a contributing factor, with most cases happening during peak hours.

Although victims have been urged to come forward to lodge complaints so that action can be taken, many feel powerless and accept it as part and parcel of using public transport.

A random survey by StarMetro in the Puchong, Damansara and Kuala Lumpur areas showed that many women passengers have experienced some form of harassment.

Tales of harassment

Ria, 24, a postgraduate student at a local university, recounted an incident several months ago where a male passenger sitting beside her kept edging closer.

“I felt uneasy and quickly moved to another seat. Now, I drive so I do not need to worry about getting molested,’’ she said.

A victim, who only wanted to be known as Janet, said a man literally held onto her buttocks when she was travelling back home in the bus.

“I felt so angry and wanted to move away but I could not because the bus was packed.

“I did not do anything, fearing the man might follow me home as I live alone.

“I still feel I should have punched his face,” said Janet when recalling the incident.

She also told of another incident a foreigner grabbed her hand repeatedly for no reason when she was on board a bus going home from work.

Atirah Husna, 23, a student from Terengganu who used the public transport during her internship, had a different experience.

“I was travelling on the LRT when I saw a foreign couple kissing and making out in full view of other passengers. Such behaviour is unacceptable because it makes other passengers uncomfortable and I feel that the authorities should intervene,’’ she said.

Most victims of harassment do not lodge reports, neither with the transport company nor the police.

Prasarana statistics show that up to Aug 31, a total of 120 cases comprising various crimes such as sexual harassment, molestation, vandalism, fights and theft on public transport had been recorded.

However, only 67 cases were officially reported to the police.

“It is just too embarrassing and what can they do?” asked one victim.

Lodge a report

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad urges public transport users to come forward with details of such incidents.

“We want to ensure that public transport is safe. We can only take the necessary action if a report is lodged,” said Prasarana Group communication and strategic marketing department executive vice-president Lim Jin Aun.

Public transport users are also requested to take down details of the incidents and the offenders.

“They should note details such as tattoos, scars, their speech and complexion.

“These will help us identify the suspect,” said Prasarana Security, safety, health and environment department head Tomin Salikan.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah also urged victims to lodge reports.

“Only then can the case be investigated. I also advise those being harassed to shout out loud and reprimand the offender.

“It alerts other passengers and the culprit will be too embarrassed to proceed further,’’ he said.

Ku called on other passengers to help detain the suspect and be willing to act as witnesses.

“However, sometimes it is rather difficult to prove subtle acts. The best defence is self defence,’’ he added.

Solutions

Several transport companies have taken proactive measures.

Many are aware of KTM Berhad’s women-only coaches to ensure the safety of female passengers.

However, there have been complaints that men are not adhering to this by continuing to use the female compartments.

Prasarana also provides buses to areas such as Puchong Utama, Sri Nilam Hub and Subang Suria Hub for female passengers during peak hours.

However, many say the frequency of the buses should be increased as 60% of public transport users are women, based on a Prasarana study.

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Cops: Crackdown has reduced crime

The ongoing nationwide crackdown on crime, Ops Cantas Khas, has reduced crime in the country.

National crime statistics released by Bukit Aman showed that violent crime has shrunk 21.6% since the launch of the operation on Aug 17 and an overall reduction in crime nationwide by 14.7%.

The statistics compared crime cases reported from Aug 1 until Aug 16 with crime cases reported since the launch until Aug 31.

The biggest reduction was seen in violent crimes like homicide, which showed a 55% drop from 40 cases in the first half of the month to 18 cases.

Robbery cases also dropped significantly from 904 cases to 664 cases, about 26.5%, over the same period.

Bukit Aman Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) principal assistant director Senior Asst Comm Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan said the reduction in crime due to Ops Cantas Khas has come as no surprise.

“It is a very aggressive strategy which encompasses every aspect of crime prevention,” he said yesterday.

Launched during rampant gang and gun-related violence in the country, the move was deemed as a much needed yet simple solution to the problem.

The crackdown, however, is more than just a simple crime prevention exercise, said SAC Abdul Jalil adding that public confidence had also increased because they saw police on the streets and conducting daily raids.

“We are getting a lot more tip offs and information from members of the public now which has further helped our efforts,” he added.

MyWatch co-founder S. Gobi Krishnan said although the statistics looked promising, there was still work to be done.

“If the numbers are true, this shows the police have started to perform their tasks properly.

“But why did they allow crime to come to such a state before this?” he said.

Taman Midah Rukun Tetangga chairman Raymond Ng stated his full support for Ops Cantas and said it should be continued indefinitely.

“We will help with patrolling if needed by the police,” he said.

Public opinion however, is still divided upon learning of the impact of Ops Cantas Khas.

Engineer Sarah Kamarudin, 30, said she was glad to hear about the reduction in crime because of the crackdown.

“It shows that the police are doing a decent job. However there are always risks and we should take steps to reduce the risks ourselves,” she said.

S. Arvin Inthiran expressed doubt over the statistics however, saying the time period was too short to be conclusive.

“It could be that the criminals have learnt to lay low and hide for now until the operation is over and will return once the heat dies down,” he said.

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Four cops detained to assist probe into escape of detainee

Four cops have been remanded to assist in investigations after a 39 year-old suspect who escaped from police custody while being taken to the Simpang Renggam detention centre.

The four aged between 24 and 50 years were all attached with the Nilai district police station here.

State CID chief ACP Hamdan Majid said on Tuesday, police have also detained three others, including two women to assist in the probe.

All three had also tested positive for drugs.

On Sunday, the suspect Kisminderjit Singh Bahadur Singh duped two policemen into believing he had to go to the toilet and escaped in a getaway car that had rammed into the police van carrying him.

The police van had stopped at the Setul rest area along the Kajang-Seremban expressway, after the suspect claimed he had a stomachache and pestered the policemen to allow him to use a toilet there.

The policemen allegedly relented after the suspect said he was losing control of his bowels.

 

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Still no water for some

While supply has resumed in certain areas of the Klang Valley, others are either still without water or are facing low water pressure.

Wong Wei Hwang said there had either been no water or low pressure in his housing area at Taman Sri Rampai in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur for more than five months.

“We are alerted about the disruption sometimes, but most of the time, no notice is given,” said the 26-year-old, adding that his area often did not have water.

“Water disruption happens every month; In August, it happened at least five days,” he said.

“Various excuses have been given including problems at the Wangsa Maju pump house.”

As such, the latest disruption on Friday night feels no different.

“It is very troublesome because we cannot cook and clean, and we do not eat at restaurants because there is no water supply in the whole area.

“I had to go to my grandmother’s house in Taman Seputeh on Saturday to shower, have dinner and store clean water. If the situation does not improve, I may need to make another visit to do my laundry.”

Wong said residents were frustrated with the numerous excuses given by water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) and want a permanent solution to fix their water woes.

Cecilia Song, who is recovering from surgery, said her schedule had been disrupted as her family had to go elsewhere to eat and bathe.

“Water disruption has occurred frequently over the past two years, and presently, there is still no water supply in Bukit Antarabangsa, Ulu Klang,” said the 52-year-old.

“We always get our water a day after others,’’ she said, adding that the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) should change the pump because of problems with the current one.

Lim Kok Siang, 34, who stays in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, said he and his family had to take their shower at the golf club where they hold membership.

“There was already a large crowd when we went to the clubhouse on Saturday evening and the water pressure was low,” said the businessman.

“My family was unable to store water as there was no supply by the time we found out on Friday evening.”

Lim said a number of businesses in Kota Kemuning such as car wash services and restaurants were closed on Saturday.

“There was a low turnout at the Muhibbah Walk event organised by our residents association as people kept outdoor activities to a minimum or went to other areas with normal water supply.

“The three main supermarkets in our neighbourhood also ran out of mineral and drinking water by late Sunday morning,” he said, adding that the water supply had since resumed.

According to Syabas, 880,000 domestic accounts or 60% of accounts in six districts, namely Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, Klang/Shah Alam, Gombak, Kuala Selangor and Hulu Selangor were affected by the water disruption.

The disruption occurred as a result of the closure of four water treatment plants due to oil contamination of Sungai Selangor.

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Ex-RMAF man gunned down at close range by suspect in full-faced helmet

A former Royal Malaysian Air Force’s air traffic controller was shot dead at close range in Taman Rishah here.

S. Jambu Keshan, 39, had just got out of his Perodua Kancil to go to his father’s restaurant near Jalan Raja Perempuan Mazwin when he was shot at about 7.15am yesterday.

Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Sum Chang Keong said a silver Toyota Vios pulled up near Jambu’s car and a man, wearing a full-faced helmet, alighted from it and fired three shots.

“The suspect returned to the car driven by an accomplice and sped off,” he told reporters.

Police found a bullet and three spent shells at the scene.

ACP Sum said a member of Jambu’s family drove him to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital but he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Jambu’s rank was that of Laskar Udara Kanan (Leading Aircraftman) before he left the RMAF five years ago.

Asked whether it was a gangland-related killing, ACP Sum said police had not determined the motive yet.

He said police were still gathering information and urged witnesses, who could help in the investigations, to come forward.

At the hospital mortuary, Jambu’s brother Ashok Kumar, 28, said he was shocked by the shooting.

The factory worker, who was himself admitted to the same hospital following an accident recently, headed to the mortuary but was not allowed to see the body.

Describing him as “a good man and a good brother”, he said Jambu was the eldest of four siblings.

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