PENGUNJUNG SETIA

20 April 2008

EKSPERIMEN BOLEH MUSNAHKAN NEGARA

Eksperimen boleh musnahkan negara

MUAR 29 Feb. – Kemajuan yang dikecapi oleh negara sejak 50 tahun setelah mencapai kemerdekaan akan hilang begitu sahaja sekiranya rakyat cuba membuat eksperimen dengan memberi peluang kepada parti pembangkang untuk memerintah negara ini.

Menteri Besar Johor, Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman berkata, eksperimen rakyat biarpun untuk tempoh sepenggal bagi memberi peluang kepada pembangkang memerintah akan menggagalkan usaha kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang telah memimpin negara ini secara berterusan sehingga membawa kepada kejayaan yang ada pada hari ini.

Beliau berkata, hasrat Malaysia untuk maju menjelang tahun 2020 yang hanya tinggal 12 tahun lagi juga tidak dapat dicapai sekiranya rakyat berani mengambil risiko itu.

“Tempoh 50 tahun itu tidak sepatutnya dikorbankan dengan eksperimen untuk sepenggal sekalipun kerana ia akan mewujudkan suasana yang tidak menentu termasuk kestabilan politik atau ekonomi.

“Amat penting BN terus memerintah negara ini jika dilihat dari sudut pelaburan kerana ia memerlukan keselarasan politik serta dasar ekonomi yang telah dilaksanakan oleh kerajaan BN,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui pemberita selepas merasmikan Bengkel Keibubapaan dan Bangunan Taman Bimbingan Kanak-kanak (Tabika) Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat (Kemas) di Taman Legenda Tangkak dekat sini hari ini.

Turut hadir ialah Pengarah Kemas negeri, Azman Yusof; calon BN bagi Parlimen Ledang, Ir. Hamim Samuri dan calon Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Tangkak, Goh Tee Tee.

Abdul Ghani yang juga Pengerusi BN Johor dan calon kerusi DUN Serom mengulas kenyataan Presiden BN, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi semalam bahawa sebarang eksperimen untuk memilih parti pembangkang memerintah, walaupun hanya sepenggal, boleh mendatangkan risiko buruk kepada ekonomi dan pembangunan negara.

Perdana Menteri menegaskan, proses menubuhkan kerajaan sebenarnya bukan sesuatu yang boleh dibuat main-main sehingga memerlukan eksperimen politik.

Abdul Ghani berkata, sekiranya berlaku eksperimen, suasana yang tiada menentu akan wujud membabitkan perubahan dasar dan ia akan membawa gangguan kepada arus pembangunan negara.

“Pembangunan terencat ini juga akan mengakibatkan segala apa yang telah kita laksanakan termasuk pembangunan, dasar, kestabilan ekonomi serta politik sejak 50 tahun lalu akan hilang begitu saja,” jelasnya.

Dalam pada itu, beliau berkata, jentera pilihan raya di seluruh Johor tetap berjalan lancar walaupun pembangkang menggunakan kempen menerusi khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) yang membuat pelbagai tuduhan terhadap kerajaan BN.

Beliau berkata, rakyat harus sedar kerajaan BN yang memerintah negara ketika ini bersikap adil serta memberi peluang sama rata terhadap semua kaum untuk menikmati kemajuan dan pembangunan negara.

"Malaysia adalah satu-satunya negara yang rakyatnya di pelbagai peringkat dapat mengecapi kemajuan dan kemakmuran ekonomi," katanya.

Sumber: Utusan Malaysia, 1 Mac 2008 (www.utusan.com.my)

SENARAI CALON BN DI JOHOR DALAM PRU 12

Senarai calon BN di Johor yang akan bertanding pada pilihan raya umum 8 Mac ini:

PARLIMEN

SEGAMAT
Dr. S. Subramaniam

SEKIJANG
Datuk Baharum Mohamed

LABIS
Chua Tee Yong (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek)

PAGOH
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

LEDANG
Hamim Samuri

BAKRI
Tay Puay Chuan (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Datuk Chua Jui Meng)

MUAR
Razali Ibrahim

PARIT SULONG
Datuk Noraini Ahmad (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Syed Hood Syed Edros)

AYER HITAM
Dr. Wee Ka Siong

SRI GADING
Datuk Mohamed Aziz

BATU PAHAT
Mohd. Puad Zarkashi (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Dr. Junaidy Abdul Wahab)

SIMPANG RENGGAM
Liang Teck Meng (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Datuk Kerk Choo Ting)

KLUANG
Hou Kok Chung (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Hoo Seong Chang yang berpindah ke DUN Paloh)

SEMBRONG
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein

MERSING
Datuk Dr. Abdul Latif Ahmad

TENGGARA
Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique
(Berpindah dari DUN Pasir Raja)

KOTA TINGGI
Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar

PENGERANG
Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said

TEBRAU
Ling Ban San @ Teng Boon Soon

PASIR GUDANG
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin

JOHOR BAHRU
Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad

PULAI
Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed

GELANG PATAH
Tan Ah Eng

KULAI
Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting
(Berpindah dari Parlimen Tanjong Piai dan menggantikan Datuk Lim Si Cheng)

PONTIAN

Ahmad Maslan (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Datuk Hasni Mohammad yang berpindah ke DUN Benut)

TANJONG PIAI
Wee Jeck Seng
(Berpindah dari DUN Pekan Nanas)

Dewan Undangan Negeri

BULUH KASAP
Datuk Othman Jais

JEMENTAH
Dr. Lee Hong Tee

PEMANIS
Lau Chin Hoon

KEMELAH
Ayub Rahmat

TENANG
Datuk Sulaiman Taha

BEKOK
Tan Kok Hong @ Tan Yi

BUKIT SERAMPANG
Tahir Mohd.Taat

JORAK
Dr. Saharudin Md. Salleh (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Samat Aripin)

GAMBIR
M.Asojan

TANGKAK
Goh Tee Tee (muka baru) 
(Menggantikan Datuk Yap Chik Dong)


SEROM
Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman

BENTAYAN
Lee Ching Yong (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Lau Yew Wee)

SUNGAI ABONG
Kamaruddin Suratman (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Datuk Dr. Haris Salleh)

BUKIT NANING
Datuk Abdullah @ Md. Khalid Ali

MAHARANI
Datuk Mohd. Ismail Mohd. Shah

SUNGAI BALANG
Dr. Robia Kosai

SEMERAH
Datuk Ariss Samsudin

SRI MEDAN
Ahmad Zahri Jamil

YONG PENG
Lim Kee Moi

SEMARANG
Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali

PARIT YAANI
Ng See Tiong

PARIT RAJA
Aziz Kaprawi

PENGGARAM
Koh Chee Chai

SENGGARANG
Ja'affar Hashim (muka baru)
(Kerusi ini dimenangi Pas pada 2004)

RENGIT
Ayub Jamil

MACHAP
Datuk Abd. Hamid Abd. Rahman

LAYANG-LAYANG
Onn Mohd. Yassin

MENGKIBOL
Gan Ping Shou @ Gan Ping Sieu

MAHKOTA
Md. Jais Sarday (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Datuk Gapar Gurrohu)

PALOH
Hoo Seong Chang
(Berpindah dari Parlimen Kluang)

KAHANG
R. Vidyananthan (muka baru)
(menggantikan S. Ramis)

ENDAU
Zainal Abidin Osman

TENGGAROH
T. Murukasvary (muka baru)
(menggantikan mendiang Datuk S. Krishnasamy)

PANTI
Datuk Baderi Dasuki

PASIR RAJA
Datuk Dr. Adham Baba
(Berpindah dari Parlimen Tenggara)

SEDILI
Rasman Ithnain (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Dr. Abdul Rashid Abd. Mokhti)

JOHOR LAMA
Asiah Md. Ariff

PENAWAR
Hamimah Mansor (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Dr. Mohd. Azam Rauzan)

TANJONG SURAT
Datuk Harun Abdullah

TIRAM
Datuk Maulizan Bujang

PUTERI WANGSA
Abdul Halim Suleiman

JOHOR JAYA
Tan Cher Puk

PERMAS
M. Munusamy (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Datuk K.S Balakrishnan)

TANJONG PUTERI
Adam Sumiru (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Ali Mohamed)

STULANG
Mok Chek Hou (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Freddie Long Hoo Hin)

PENGKALAN RINTING
Chia Song Cheng (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Low Teh Hian)

KEMPAS
Datuk Osman Sapian

SKUDAI
Teo Eng Tee @ Teo Kok Chee

NUSAJAYA
Datuk Abdul Aziz Sapian

BUKIT PERMAI
Kamaruzaman Ali (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Zainal Abidin Jidin)

BUKIT BATU
Cheong Chin Liang

SENAI
Chun Yoon Fook

BENUT
Datuk Ir. Hasni Mohammad
(Berpindah dari Parlimen Pontian menggantikan Salehon Sengot)

PULAI SEBATANG
Datuk Tee Siew Kiong

PEKAN NANAS
Tang Nai Soon (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Wee Jeck Seng yang berpindah ke Parlimen Tanjong Piai)

KUKUP
Datuk Md. Othman Yusof (muka baru)
(Menggantikan Jamilah Endan)

Sumber: Utusan Malaysia 23/2/2008 (www.utusan.com.my)

19 April 2008

JOHOR WANTS MORE CAMP SITES FOR YOUTH

By HAMDAN RAJA ABDULLAH

TANGKAK: The state government wants all local authorities in Johor to set up camping sites for the younger generation to carry out camping activities.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the state had directed them to implement the projects about four years ago but not many had carried them out.

Speaking to reporters in Sengkang he said such camping sites were important, as there were demands from schools and even factories to organise camping activities.

"We have asked the local authorities to identify suitable sites for camping activities and we will check how many have implemented the project.

"We want every local authority to have at least one to enable the younger generation to carry out camping activities," he said Saturday after a visit to the Sri Gelam Youth Camp in Sengkang.

Abdul Ghani said the camp project and activities could be based on the western summer camp programmes except that camping activities in Johor could also be held during weekends.

He said, in the West, summer holidays for the schools were long and they utilised the period by holding the summer camp for youths to fill their holidays.

Abdul Ghani also said that the state wanted all camp sites to have the basic necessities such as power and piped water but the surroundings should blend in with nature.

He said besides Sengkang, there was also another suitable camping site behind SM Tun Mamat in Tangkak as there was a clean river passing through it.

He said other areas which already had suitable camping sites were Bekok in Labis, Gunung Pulai, Gunung Lambak in Kluang and Gunung Panti in Kota Tinggi.

SOURCE: THE STAR, Saturday April 19, 2008

RM99.6 JUTA BANTU PELAJAR DI JOHOR



ABDUL Ghani Othman (tengah) menyampaikan bantuan kepada salah seorang murid sekolah Parlimen Ledang pada majlis penyerahan bantuan Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia di Tangkak, dekat Muar, semalam.


Oleh SUFFIAN ABU BAKAR

MUAR 1 Feb. - Seramai 643,000 pelajar dari 1,127 buah sekolah menengah dan rendah di negeri ini akan menerima pelbagai bantuan daripada Kementerian Pelajaran berjumlah RM99.6 juta bagi meningkatkan mutu sistem pendidikan sepanjang tahun ini.

Menteri Besar Johor, Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman berkata, jumlah peruntukan itu meningkat sebanyak RM19 juta, berbanding kira-kira RM80 juta yang diperoleh sepanjang tahun lalu.

Beliau berkata, peningkatan jumlah bantuan itu membuktikan kerajaan serius membantu meningkatkan mutu pendidikan di negara ini, khususnya bagi mengelakkan lebih ramai pelajar tercicir.

Menurutnya, antara bantuan yang diberikan itu termasuk wang tunai, Biasiswa Kecil Persekutuan, Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pelajar Miskin (KWAPM), Skim Bantuan Tuisyen, Program Susu Sekolah, Rancangan Makanan Tambahan dan Skim Pinjaman Buku Teks.

"Walaupun kos hidup di seluruh negara ketika ini semakin meningkat, kerajaan tetap memberikan tumpuan terhadap usaha meningkatkan mutu pendidikan negara melalui bantuan-bantuan yang diberikan ini.

"Selain memansuhkan yuran sekolah mulai tahun ini, bantuan itu membuktikan keprihatinan kerajaan dan sewajarnya melalui bantuan itu masalah keciciran di kalangan pelajar kurang berkemampuan akan dapat diatasi," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar selepas menyampaikan bantuan Kementerian Pelajaran kepada 51,170 pelajar sekolah rendah dan menengah bagi Parlimen Ledang di Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim Tangkak dekat sini hari ini.

Majlis anjuran bersama Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah (PPD) Muar dan Biro Pendidikan UMNO Bahagian Ledang itu turut dihadiri Ahli Parlimen Ledang, Ir. Hamim Samuri dan Pengarah Pelajaran Johor, Mokhy Saidon.

Abdul Ghani berkata, bantuan yang diberikan itu seolah-olah semua pelajar di negara ini menerima kemudahan secara percuma tanpa mengira latar belakang keluarga masing-masing.

Justeru, alasan bahawa masih terdapat pelajar yang tidak dapat meneruskan pelajaran mereka disebabkan latar belakang keluarga yang susah, tidak lagi boleh diterima kerana segala bentuk bantuan sering diberikan oleh kerajaan.

"Ibu bapa juga perlu memainkan peranan bagi memastikan mereka sentiasa memberi dorongan agar anak-anak masing-masing tekun belajar,'' katanya.

Sumber:Utusan Malaysia Johor (www.utusan.com.my)

08 April 2008

GHANI TO RECEIVE HIGHEST AWARD IN JOHOR

Ghani to receive highest award in Johor

JOHOR BARU: Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman heads the honour’s list in conjunction with the birthday celebrations of Johor Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail today.

Abdul Ghani will receive the Pingat Ibrahim Sultan Pangkat Pertama (P.I.S. I).

Top honour: Abdul Ghani will receive the Pingat Ibrahim Sultan Pangkat Pertama.

The second highest honour to be given out this year will be bestowed upon twenty-five others who will receive the Pingat Kerana Lama dan Baik dalam Pekerjaan (P.L.P).

Among those to receive that award are Johor Tourism Action Council general manager A. Jabar Md Tahir, Muar District Officer A. Rahman Jaafar and PERISIND Holdings general manager Mohd Azman Mohd Ali.

Tengku Mahkota of Johor Tengku Ibrahim Ismail’s private secretary Ungku Mohd Zakaria Ungku Abd Rahman will also receive the award.

Apart from that, five military officers from the Johor Military Force will receive the Pingat Kerana Jasa dan Lama Dalam Pekerjaan (P.J.P) award.

Meanwhile, 219 people will receive the Pingat Ibrahim Sultan Pangkat Kedua (P.I.S II), led by Private Mohd Fazli Mohd Rajab.

The sultan will also bestow the Pingat Ibrahim Sultan Pangkat Ketiga (P.I.S. III) award on 19 others, including Mohd Don Md Yunos and Yahya Ibrahim from the Muar district office.

The investiture will be held at the Istana Besar in Johor Baru today.

SOURCE: THE STAR, 8 APRIL 2008

29 Mac 2008

BOOST GRASSROOTS MORALE, UMNO LEADERS URGED

By HAMDAN RAJA ABDULLAH

TANGKAK: Umno leaders at all levels will be asked to meet with party members at the grassroots from now on to boost morale.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said members' morale in certain areas in the state was low after the Barisan Nasional lost four states to Opposition parties in the general election.

He said that although the state Umno and Barisan were not badly affected, party leaders as well as all state representatives in Johor should start listening to grassroots’ sentiments.

“We need to meet with the grassroots more often and listen to their views or problems if any. I, too, will meet up with those at the grassroots in the state soon,” he said when met on Thursday.

Abdul Ghani, who had just returned from attending an Umno supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur, said the state party needed to move forward towards strengthening unity among members.

Abdul Ghani, who is also Ledang Umno division chairman, said all party leaders should make efforts to be closer to younger voters and outline programmes to attract their interests.

Meanwhile, Ledang MP Hamim Samuri said he had started to go down to the grassroots as he felt it was important for him and the party to know their needs.

He said he visited Bukit Kangkar residents on Thursday and noted that they were happy to receive him.

He said that before he visited the small town he was informed of an elderly woman who had diabetes and renal problems, suffered a stroke and could not walk. He decided to donate a wheelchair to the woman.

He said Foo Jong Hwa, 64, who needed dialysis thrice a week, also required financial support.

“She has to go to the Muar Lions Club dialysis centre in town and I will ask local Barisan leaders to organise charity events to raise funds for her and others here who are in need,” he added.

SOURCE: THE STAR, Saturday March 29, 2008

16 Mac 2008

ASOJAN'S APPOINTMENT RAISES EYEBROWS IN MIC

JOHOR BARU: The appointment of Gambir assemblyman M. Asojan as an exco member has raised eyebrows in the federal and state MIC leadership.

Political sources said many quarters had been lobbying for the position to be given to Johor MIC secretary M.M. Samy, 59, who is the most senior party leader in the state.

The line up: The members of the Johor exco (from left) Asojan, Jais, Ahmad Zahri, Asiah, Dr Robia, Abdul Ghani, Zainal Abidin, Maulizan, Abd Aziz, Tan and Hoo posing for photograph at the Mentri Besar's official residence in Saujana, Johor Baru Saturday.
Asojan was sworn in as Unity, Human Resources, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman yesterday.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said Asojan, 42, was appointed based on the decision and consent of both the Prime Minister and the Sultan of Johor.

“I have sorted out the matter with MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu,” he said.

Asked whether the decision was based on the fact that Asojan was younger and the only two-term assemblyman among the four MIC candidates, Abdul Ghani said a lot of factors were taken into account.

In the previous state government, the party's only exco position was held by state MIC chief Datuk K.S. Balakrishnan.

He, however, did not seek re-election.

Asojan stressed that he did not lobby for the position.

“I thank the party and state leadership for having the confidence in me to take on the post,” the state MIC Youth chief said, adding that he would use his manpower portfolio to lure more non-Malays, especially Indians, into government service.






SOURCE: THE STAR, Sunday March 16, 2008

23 Februari 2008

TRADITION OF KOMPANG-MAKING KEPT GOING AT BACKYARD OF KAMPUNG HOUSE

By ZAZALI MUSA

THE sound of kompangs is often heard in Malaysia at functions such as the Malay weddings, welcoming VIP guests or at football matches.

Kompang is a traditional hand drum played in groups using interlocking movements to produce various composite rhythms.

It is played with legs crossed when sitting, standing or walking in procession with players using one hand to hold the drum and the other to strike it.

Seasoning: Wooden frames drying under the sun.
This instrument of Middle Eastern origin was brought to the country during the days of the Malay Sultanate by Indian Muslim traders and through Java in the 13th century by Arab traders and missionaries.

In the early days, kompang was known as rebana, which is drum in Arabic. The Malay word kompang loosely translated means “to hit or beat”.

Kompang groups in Batu Pahat and Muar, Johor, usually have the jidor or the Javanese drum in their ensemble due to the large number of ethnic Javanese residents in the two districts.

Traditional drums: Items made by Perusahaan Kompang Baki Abdullah.
Kompang is used to accompany choral singing of zikir or selawat Nabi (praises to Prophet Mohammad) but now it is also featured in rock songs and joget numbers.

While many of us enjoy listening to the rhythms of kompang, many do not realise that the art of making the instrument is slowly dying.

In Johor, there are only a handful of kompang makers and one of them is Perusahaan Kompang Baki Abdullah at B32, Jalan Mahmood, Parit Jawa, near Muar.

Modern method: A worker drilling a metal strap which will be nailed to the kompang’s wooden frame.
A visit to the workshop at the backyard of a kampung house will give visitors a better insight on how the drum is made.

“Orders for our kompangs come from other Malaysian states, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysian students overseas,” said Ibrahim Paimin in an interview recently.

He said, as long as there are Malay weddings and other social events, demand for kompang will be there.

Done manually: Workers standing on goat hides nailed to wooden frames to set the durability and strength of the skin.
Ibrahim said the standard sizes of kompang were 30,33 and 36 centimetres in diameter, but his firm also made kompang of 38, 41 and 43 centimetres upon request.

The shallow wooden frame of the drum is made of leban wood, which is light, and goat hide is nailed to the frame using metal nails.

He said that cowhide was not suitable for kompang as it was thicker and it did not produce the desired sound when struck.

He said, previously, kompang was totally handmade from the shallow frame to the nailing, but now producers used machines for the frame, making the job much easier.

Apart from kompang, the workshop makes jidor and other traditional musical instruments of the Malay Archipelago such as angklung, gong, yengke, gendang caklempong and gendang kemplingan.

For enquiries on the instruments or to visit the workshop, call 06-987 3034 or 013-378 5774.

SOURCE: THE STAR, Saturday February 23, 2008

19 Februari 2008

REIGN OF RUTHLESS GANG ENDS

JOHOR BARU: One of the state’s most ruthless armed robbery gangs has been busted.

Its reign ended on Saturday when police tracked down and arrested three members, aged between 30 and 40, one after another during a raid in Muar from midnight to 7am.

State chief police officer Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said police seized two pistols and 53 bullets from an oil palm estate in Grisek, Muar.

He said police believed the pistols were used in several armed robberies including the one on Jan 21 where a robber accidentally shot dead his accomplice when robbing a fruit wholesale shop in Jalan Bentayan. He fled with with RM12,000 and a handphone.

Police traced the remaining gang members through the identity of the dead robber who was released from prison in November after spending 15 years in jail for a drug-related case.

“We also seized two cars and six cellphones from the trigger-happy gang which had been on the state’s most wanted list for several months,” he said.

DCP Mohd Mokhtar said a number of armed robberies the state would likely be solved with the arrests.

He later handed out certificates of appreciation to the policemen who caught the three suspects.

SOURCE: THE STAR, Tuesday February 19, 2008

RM19m RISE IN ALLOCATION FOR JOHOR EDUCATION

TANGKAK: Nearly RM100mil will be dispersed in educational aid to more than 643,000 students in 1,127 schools in Johor this year.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the fund was RM19mil more than the allocation last year.

He said this showed the Government, through the Education Ministry, was serious in its aim to help every Malaysian student enjoy free primary education.

The aid included cash, free textbooks, school fees, scholarships, free tuition and additional food for students from needy families.

“Although the cost of things have gone up, the Government gave priority towards lessening the burden of ordinary folks,” he said after presenting educational aid to pupils in Serom recently.

Abdul Ghani, the Serom assemblyman, said the recent move by the Government to waive school fees and provide free text books to all students helped parents with several school-going children.

He said that more than 24,900 students in the Ledang parliamentary constituency received aid totalling RM5.9mil.

SOURCE: THE STAR, Tuesday February 19, 2008

15 Februari 2008

'BN HAS HELPED MAKE MALAYSIA A PEACEFUL NATION'

TANGKAK: Fifty years of deep-rooted multiracial understanding, political stability and the power-sharing concept adopted by the Barisan Nasional Government has made Malaysia a peaceful nation.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said no other country, with people of different races, religions, cultures and languages, could boast what Malaysia had achieved.

He said the people should remain united to ensure the country continued to achieve another 50 years of peace and prosperity.

“We hope we will continue to enjoy this peaceful and harmonious living and political stability forever,” he told thousands of people after attending a Chinese New Year dinner hosted by Bukit Gambir residents on the first day of Chinese New Year.

Abdul Ghani, who was accompanied by his wife Datin Paduka Prof. Jamilah Arifin, Ledang MP Hamim Samuri, Gambir assemblyman M. Asojan and Tangkak assemblyman Datuk Yap Chik Dong, said Malaysia was a unique country.

He said Bukit Gambir for example, was opened by pioneering people, many who came from China about 100 years ago, and their love of the land had made the area a prosperous town today.

He said such commitment and love towards the land would continue to boost growth in the area as the world would continue to need rubber, palm oil and other agro-based products.

SOURCE: THE STAR, Friday February 15, 2008

THREE HELD FOR STEALING PARTS FROM LORRY

MUAR: Police have detained three men suspected of stealing parts from a lorry parked at a store along Km12.8 of the Muar-Tangkak road near Sungai Mati here.

Muar police chief Asst Comm Mohammad Nasir Ramli said the men, aged between 34 and 48, were detained five hours after the lorry owner reported the theft on Tuesday.

He said police recovered the stolen parts valued at RM1,000 and seized a motorcycle used to carry away the parts.

“The lorry owner, aged 47, and a businessman, left the vehicle at a store for the Chinese New Year holidays.

“However, at about 8am, the owner went to check the lorry and saw some parts had been stolen and lodged a report.”

ACP Mohammad Nasir said that public assistance helped the police in tracking and detaining the three men while they were carting off the stolen parts.

In an unrelated case, he said that police detained 13 youths, including students, and seized three motorcycles believed to be stolen, in a crime prevention operation here.

He said, besides checking for stolen bikes, police raided several entertainment outlets and booked seven operators for remaining open beyond the stipulated business hours.

“All the operators were issued summonses for violating the business hours rule,” he added.


SOURCE: THE STAR, Friday February 15, 2008

09 Februari 2008

SIGHTS TO BEHOLD

Yet another exciting weekend trip – this time down to Johor – reveals the wonders that are only a drive away.

BY NINA

This week, we headed for the Gunung Ledang Recreational Forest in Johor where we camped at a mountain reputed to be haunted by a princess.

We packed up our Ford Everest with camping gear, some food and, most importantly, mosquito repellent to keep those nasty little creatures at bay. We left Kuala Lumpur just before 8am and headed towards the Plus highway, southbound for Tangkak.

Raw beauty: A climb up Gunung Ledang reveals a beautiful waterfall near Kolam Puteri.

The journey to Tangkak was a short one; we were there in less than an hour. We made our way to the town centre to savour their famous Tangkak beef noodles before we hiked up Gunung Ledang to battle the legendary mountain princess.

The beef noodles did not disappoint. Not only was the soup boiled to perfection and the beef tender with bits of salted pickled vegetables, the noodles were smooth and soft. We slurped every last morsel from the bowl. Suffice to say, it was a delightful pre-lunch break.

With heavy bellies and a big smile on our faces, we headed towards Sagil, 25km from the main town, before arriving at the foot of Gunung Ledang.

We parked our vehicle and walked to the Ranger Office to register. We had to pay RM10 per person for entrance and a deposit of RM50 for the camping gear and food. We were bringing into the park. The park authorities were quite strict about campers littering the area. The deposit would be forfeited if the park rangers noticed that campers did not clean up after themselves. It was definitely a commendable effort in conserving nature – kudos to the park rangers!

With all the administrative details out of the way, we headed towards our campsite at Kolam Gajah, our first campsite. It was an easy trail even though it was high noon by the time we finally started our hike.

The tall and majestic keruing and meranti trees shaded us from the scorching sun. Along the way, little lizards darted out of our way. Leafy shrubs and vegetation, some with brilliant red and yellow blossoms, grew in abundance on both sides of the trail. Colourful butterflies fluttered among the flowers searching for nectar.

After a 20-30 minute hike, we arrived at Kolam Puteri which has a beautiful waterfall. The waters thundered down from a height of more than 100 feet above, crashing over boulders and rocks before hitting the pool at the bottom and then meandering gently down the hill.

Since it was the campsite nearest to the park entrance, tons of picnickers were already there. After a 10-minute breather, we continued on our journey up the hill towards Kolam Gajah. We were told that it would take us about an hour so we made sure we paced ourselves.

The flora we saw on the way up was amazing – we caught a glimpse of the nepenthes plant, more commonly known as the monkey cup hanging off the trees.

After walking for almost an hour, we arrived at the Kolam Gajah campsite. We were about 2,000 feet above sea level, and the air was chilly.

We pitched our tents and savoured nature’s beauty. By about 5pm, we helped to prepare dinner, a simple yet delicious meal of chicken and rice. After that scrumptious meal, all of us fell asleep by the fire to keep warm.

We awoke bright and early to the birds’ chirping and insects hooting. Mist had rolled in and shrouded our campsite. By 7am, the mist had cleared up. After a nourishing breakfast, we packed up to head down the mountain.

We made sure to dispose the rubbish in the trash bin provided. The hike down was a lot quicker, due to the fact that we were walking down hill and had eaten all the food that we had lugged up the hill the day before.

Once we got down, we loaded our Ford Everest and continued our journey towards Pontian where we were booked into the Pulai Spring Resort. Our drive towards Pontian was a picturesque one. We could see endless rows of pineapple plantations along the highway. The roads were also dotted with rustic stalls set up by farmers to sell their harvest. We stopped by one of the stalls which displayed a rather eye-catching sign that read “Painapples for Sale”.

Out of curiosity, we stopped by the stall and bought a “pain apple”. Seated on makeshift chairs, we savoured the fruit with a variety of dips – rojak sauce, assam and chili powder dip.

After a good feast, we continued our journey. After passing a huge park called the “University Park”, we saw the sign that directed us to the resort. The resort was nestled amidst green hills. The architect had done a good job of designing the resort to blend with the jungle. The cool breeze coupled with the smell of nature made us forget we were at a resort.

We took a short nap before heading out again, this time towards Johor’s pride – Danga Bay. The journey took us over an hour from our resort.

Once we got there, we asked around for a cruise to Kampong Melayu where we were able to see traditional “kelongs” – these huge fish traps built on stilts. The locals used these to breed local mussels, sea bass and garoupa.

The trip to Kampong Melayu was certainly eye-opening. Our local fishermen still practise traditional fishing methods to prevent “over fishing”.

Next stop – Danga Bay. We headed for the street that boasts over 280 retail outlets. Here, you can find anything from food to souvenirs. After two hours of retail therapy, we headed back to the resort and called it a day.

The next day, we were ready to push off by 8am. Our final stop before we headed back to Kuala Lumpur was Kluang. We were told to look out for the Kluang Railway station, one of Malaysia’s oldest stations; it has been in service since 1915. We also found a canteen on Jalan Omar that served really good coffee, toasted bread with kaya and half-boiled eggs.

It was certainly a trip to remember as we not only experienced nature, culture and tradition but also one of our country’s latest development projects – Danga Bay. I can’t wait for our next adventure with Ford Everest.

  • This article is brought to you by Ford Malaysia.


  • SOURCE: THE STAR, Saturday February 9, 2008



    07 Februari 2008

    CAR TRADER KILLED AFTER PROJECTILE EXPLODES ON HIM

    TANGKAK: A car trader was killed after a banned rocket firework hit him in the chest and exploded.

    Tan Ban Hock, 43, who sold cars in Muar town but lived in Bukit Gambir here, was spotted prone on the ground in an open area after a box of 16 giant rocket fireworks were set off and exploded in the night sky at 10.50pm on Tuesday.

    After the flashes in the sky faded, some residents were surprised to see Tan on the ground, said Muar OCPD Asst Comm Mohammad Nasir Ramli. They rushed over and saw that his shirt and part of his chest had been burnt by the exploding firework.

    Tan was taken to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival, ACP Mohammad Nasir said.

    Each rocket was about 50cm long and 10cm in diameter. One of them had hit Tan.

    ACP Mohammad Nasir said police had classified the mishap as sudden death.

    He also warned the public here that all firecrackers and dangerous fireworks were banned and those found selling, having or playing with such items could face police action.

    He said those found guilty could face a maximum jail sentence of seven years or be fined RM10,000, or both.

    Police patrols would be done in housing areas and villages to search and catch those having or playing with the banned items, he added.

    SOURCE: THE STAR, Thursday February 7, 2008

    06 Februari 2008

    MAN KILLED BY EXPLODING FIREWORKS

    By HAMDAN RAJA ABDULLAH

    TANGKAK: A car trader was killed when a box of fireworks exploded, hitting him in the chest, near Bukit Gambir town here.

    Tan Ban Hock, 43, who sold cars in the Muar town but lived in Bukit Gambir, was spotted lying on the ground after all the fireworks in the box went off at about 10.50pm on Tuesday.

    Muar police chief Asst Comm Mohammad Nasir Ramli said residents were surprised when they saw Tan on the ground after the fireworks stopped shooting in the night sky.

    When they approached him they saw his shirt and part of his chest were burnt and rushed him to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital.

    However, the trader was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, he said on Wednesday.

    ACP Mohammad Nasir said each of the fireworks measured at 50.8cm tall with the diameter of about 10.16cm, adding that, police classified the incident as sudden death.

    He also warned the public that all firecrackers and dangerous fireworks had been banned and those found selling, possessing or playing such items could be booked.

    He said under Section Seven (a) of the Explosives Act 1957, those found guilty could face the maximum jail sentence of seven years or fined RM10,000, or both.


    SOURCE: THE STAR, Wednesday February 6, 2008