Tag: Efficiency

PR’s 2014 Alternative Budget: 24-Hour SOCSO Coverage to Protect the Welfare of Workers

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KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Oct: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) proposed for the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) scheme to be expanded for 24-hours of coverage.

DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng said the 24-hour coverage scheme involves a RM1 contribution by employers, employees and the Central Government.

He said that the existing scheme only protects employees only during their working hours and does not cover out-of-office hours in the event of an accident.

“The implementation of this coverage involves a contribution of RM3 a month, far from what is currently being contributed by the employee on average,” he said when presenting the PR Alternative Budget 2014 in Parliament today.

Guan Eng said the lack of insurance coverage for employees should be given due attention and should be expanded in efforts to ensure the welfare of employees is protected.

“We see fewer alternatives involving insurance schemes that protect the welfare of the employee. Therefore, this policy is suggested so that 24-hour coverage is given and is not limited to working hours only,” he said.

Select Committee Able to Overcome Ministry of Defence’s Wastefulness

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KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Oct: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) proposed the establishment of a select committee to examine all matters concerning national defence.

Member of Parliament for Tumpat, Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar said that the committee will consist of all parties of the House of Representatives, whether from the government or the opposition, to examine the expenses incurred and to be incurred in respect of defence affairs.

He said the proposed formation of the committee is because the Ministry of Defence spent excessively and wastefully in the Auditor-General’s Report 2012 which was presented recently.

“A lot of issues have been happening lately, especially on the waste and fraud concerning the Ministry of Defence.

“All of this can be seen in the case of the ministry’s expenses involving the purchase of weapons, submarines and missing fighter jet engines,” he said in a press conference of the Alternative Budget 2014 presentation in Parliament today.

At the same time, Kamarudin said PR also suggested for the Farmers and Fishermen Insurance Scheme (SIPNP) to be created involving an allocation of RM30 million to provide comprehensive protection to people living in rural areas who have various problems apart from unexpected incidents.

He said that the scheme covers financing between the government and fishermen and farmers and is estimated to benefit over 700,000 people.

“PR also suggested for People with Disabilities (PWD) earning below RM1,200 per month to be assisted through special programmes to reduce their burden,” he said.

PJS 6 Residents’ Problem Solved by PKNS

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SHAH ALAM, 21 Oct: The Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) has already directed the contractor responsible to take action and clear up the heap of trash at the Petaling Jaya Selatan (PJS) 6 apartment area.

PKNS Public Relations Managed, Ishak Hashim said that the trash pile that occurred in the area is caused by dumping of trash by outsiders because the apartment is near a site for the night market and food stalls.

TVSelangor found that a small hut reserved for solid waste disposal in the area failed to be properly managed and domestic waste such as household goods and vehicle frames are dumped there.

The problem caused discomfort to the residents and led to the breeding of rats which can threaten the health of the local residents.

“We have received the complaint and appropriate action will be taken to address the problem faced by the residents in the area,” he said in a press statement.

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Meanwhile, Ishak said that reparation works to the wastewater channel that overflowed in Block 2, 3, 4 and 5 at the PKNS Apartments in PJS 8/14, Bandar Sunway, will also be done immediately.

He said PKNS and Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) will work together to ensure that the issue is resolved as soon as possible despite IWK previously claiming that the broken sewage pipe in the PKNS apartment happened when the maintenance was handed over to the sewerage company.

“PKNS has appointed a technical consultant to identify the real cause of the sewage overflow. Robotic camera methods will be used to examine whether the condition of the sewage pipe is broken or otherwise,” he said.

He added that the full report of the investigation will be used to repair the pump causing the sewage overflow so that residents in the apartment no longer have to deal with the problem.

Anwar: PR’s Alternative Budget to Focus on Defending the People’s Rights

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SHAH ALAM, 20 Oct: The Alternative Budget 2014 presented by Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will focus on efforts to defend the rights and interests of the people in facing the upcoming economic crisis wave.

Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the Alternative Budget will be presented on Monday (21 October) in Parliament before the 2014 Budget is being presented by the Prime Minister on 25 October.

“We expect that this country will experience an economic crisis with the rising debt rate, reduced investment, increase in prices of goods and the increased burden on the people,” Anwar said.

Anwar said this at a press conference after attending the Pakatan Rakyat 2014 Budget Preparation Workshop here at the Selangor Chief Minister’s Official residence today.

Also present at the workshop was DAP Parliamentary Leader Lim Kit Siang and the PAS President, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

“Through the Budget Workshop just now, Pakatan Rakyat Members of Parliament robustly discussed the 2014 budget draft carefully.

“It was then presented to us, as the main leaders of the three parties, to make a final decision,” Anwar said.

Anwar said that PR plans to hold a dialogue session with the Central Government to discuss the issue of the people’s interest.

“We propose that the Prime Minister and BN leaders focus on governance, economic governance and to tackle big issues in the interest of the people, who have been long neglected since the GE-13 in May.

“The need for discussion and a dialogue on economic issues, ethnic and religious conflict, the increase in crime rates and government management issues, including corruption as reported by the Auditor-General,” Anwar said.

Prior to this, PR set up a special committee to conduct studies before a shadow budget was tabled before the Budget 2014 is tabled.

The committee was set up to obtain the best formula to be included in the Pakatan Rakyat shadow budget, thus challenging the Budget 2014 which is expected to be tabled by Najib Razak.

The committee coordinated by the People’s Institute is divided into nine groups which will be led by Pakatan Rakyat Members of Parliament based on specific ministries and their respective areas of expertise.

The nine groups are; national and international research issues, economy and finance, security, education and employment, agriculture, farming and rural development, transport and urban development, resource management and sustainability, community, welfare and gender, as well as policies related to Sabah and Sarawak.

CM: 3 Million Land Records Replace Filing System to Avoid Fraud

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SHAH ALAM, 20 Oct: The Selangor Government managed to record a total of three million land ownership files in the state into a digital computerised system to ensure a more effective storing and retrieval system.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said through the ‘Land Bank’ problems of loss and difficulty in finding files on land ownership can be resolved because now it can be found quickly and accurately.

Abdul Khalid said the system which was implemented since a year ago also helps the State Government identify the land owned and also can plan land development better.

“Now I can know the actual number of land owned by the State Government which was previously unknown,” said Abdul Khalid.

He said this when he inaugurated the Land Convention and National Municipality which was held here at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Building Silver Jubilee Hall.

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Abdul Khalid said that management of land using filing system was changed because it did not benefit the people and it was open to fraud.

“The three million files have been placed in that Shah Alam Stadium, so there are no more missing files and we can find out more efficiently.

“We are open and transparent on the issue of land ownership. Everyone deserves to know who the landowner is. Because of that, land ownership records are very important,” he said.

About 300 people attended the convention, which was also attended by PAS Vice-President, Salahuddin Ayub, Mahfuz Omar and the Exco in charge of Housing, Building Management and Urban Settlement, Iskandar Abdul Samad.

MBPJ Implements Time-Limit Parking System

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SHAH ALAM, 19 Oct: The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) approved the implementation of a time-limit parking system on a three-month trial basis at Dataran Sunway City Centre in PJU 5, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

The MBPJ Media Secretariat said the two-hour time limit set began on 15 October and will carry on till 14 January 2014.

The statement said that the system is being implemented to reduce traffic congestion in the city centre due to vehicles double parking.

“It aims to encourage motorists who park for long periods to use the parking facilities at the Parking Complex available,” the statement said.

It also said that motorists who park for short periods of less than two hours are recommended on street parking.

The parking facilities available at Dataran Sunway City Centre as follows:-

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Members of the public are asked to fully cooperate and comply with the set time limit.

Failure to comply with this time limit will result in vehicles being clamped and MBPJ will take action by towing cars parked outside the box.

Views from the public about the implementation of the time-limit parking system can be channelled directly to the following e-mail address:- [email protected] or contact the Engineering Department of MBPJ at 013-79584221.

Yahya Sahri Free of the Charge of Using Fake Documents

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SHAH ALAM, 18 Oct: Mohd Yahya Mat Sahri, the former Special Duties Officer to the Chief Minister of Selangor, was acquitted and discharged by the Shah Alam Sessions Court of the charge of using fake documents, namely the ‘Resolution for Account Opening for the Selangor Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’, five years ago.

Yahya said he was grateful to be free from the charge and thanks all who provided moral support over the years.

Yahya, 47, was charged for committing the offence at the Bandar Sunway Maybank branch on 14 May 2008.

“I am grateful to my lawyer, friends and party leaders who continuously provided support from the beginning till now,” he said when contacted by TVSelangor.

At the end of the defence proceedings, Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh held that the prosecution had failed to prove their case against Mohd Yahya and ordered his RM10,000 bail to be refunded.

The charges were made under Section 471 of the Penal Code which is punishable under Section 465 of the same Code which provides for imprisonment of up to two years or a fine, or both, if convicted.

On Dec 1 2010, Azhaniz Teh had acquitted and discharged Mohd Yahya, 47, of the same charge under Section 471 of the Penal Code without calling for his defence on the basis that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

However, the prosecution had filed an appeal on the decision at the High Court, which allowed it and ordered Mohd Yahya to enter his defence in July this year.

Deputy public prosecutor Norazah Kasran conducted the prosecution while Mohd Yahya was represented by lawyers Ahmad Nizam Hamid and T.Suresh.

Najib and Taib Should Declare Assets as Evidence of Transparency in Leadership

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SHAH ALAM, 18 Oct: Member of Parliament for Sungai Petani, Datuk Johari Abdul insists that it is unfair if the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri Taib Mahmud, do not declare their assets on grounds that they been in politics for too long.

Johari said the declaring should be done since the people already know the income of politicians, such as Chief Ministers and Members of Parliament, especially involving Pakatan Rakyat.

He said that it would not be a problem if political leaders have a lot of property, on condition that they can explain how they acquired the property involved.

“It will certainly be unfair if they do not declare the property they own. What should they fear if they have RM50 million and they can explain to the public where they got it from.

“The refusal to declare their property causes there to be suspicion that they are hiding something. I feel that the fear to declare property must have its grounds,” he said when contacted by TVSelangor here today.

Citing a report from the Malaysiakini news portal, Muhammad Asri Mohd Ali, a lecturer from the University of Malaya (UM), said that it is unfair for the two leaders to not declare their assets because they have been in politics for a long time.

Johari, also a former UM student, expressed his disappointment over the statement because declaring property is the best move to identify individuals who are involved or would like to venture into politics who are not associated with corruption.

“As it is well known, leaders who are new or have been in politics for a long time should declare their property because this way, we can identify individuals who are not involved in corruption and I think that this is the best method. If indeed they are involved in business, the leader should just declare their property without having to hide it.

“If leaders begin to declare their property, they may be considered millionaires if they have a lot of property, and that is not an issue in this country. For example, it would not be an offense if Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, Vincent Tan or any others want to join politics and declare their assets which amount to a lot,” he said.

MACC Should Immediately Act to Overcome Money Politics in Umno

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SHAH ALAM, 18 Oct: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should be more proactive and brave without being trapped captive under Umno in investigating allegations of money politics involving three Vice-President incumbents of the party.

Member of Parliament for Bukit Katil, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said that he welcomed the call by Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) urging the MACC to step in and take stern action against the alleged practice of money politics in Umno.

He said the MACC cannot consider the problem of money politics as an internal problem which only happens in Umno because the effect would be detrimental to the country’s future if it is not addressed in a timely manner.

Previously, the President of TI-M, Datuk Akhbar Satar, said they received numerous feedbacks that a lot of money is being used and distributed in ‘special’ programmes organised for the three Vice-President incumbents, who are holding senior ministerial posts.

The three individuals are; the Home Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, and the Defense Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

They will be challenged by the Chairman of Felda, Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad, former Chief Minister of Malacca Senator Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, and the Chief Minister of Kedah, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

Shamsul said the problem of money politics could lead the nation towards disputing their leadership credibility in spurring development and progress in the long term.

He said, wastage and improvidence of the country’s funds amounting to RM30 billion reported in the Audit Report 2012 is a result of the practice of money politics in Umno and the problem should be stopped immediately.

Residents of PJS 9 Confused with the Change in Postcode

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SUBANG JAYA, 18 Oct: The residents of Petaling Jaya Selatan (PJS) 9 are confused with the change in postcode by Pos Malaysia for Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya.

Based on the notice issued by Pos Malaysia earlier this month, the new postcode for Subang Jaya, which also involved PJS 9 and PJS 11, is 47500.

The change is due to the Election constituency division which set for PJS 7, PJS 9 and PJS 11, which is located in Bandar Sunway, to be placed under the Subang Jaya State Legislative Assembly (DUN) and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

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Meanwhile, the Desa Mentari area involving PJS 8 and PJS 10, is placed under the Seri Setia DUN and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).

The Deputy Chairman of the PJS 9 Rukun Tetangga (Neighbourhood Watch), Mohamad Noor said that he is confused by the change in the postcode as his identity card still uses the 46150 postcode, and states that it is in the area of Subang Jaya, while the same postcode printed on his driving licence but is registered as being in Petaling Jaya.

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“The new changes to the 47500 Subang Jaya postcode will burden residents, especially in matters involving correspondence address,” he said in a press conference here at the PJS 9/14 field today.

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The Chairman of the PJS 9 Rukun Tetangga, Goh Hai Thun said that his identity card and driving licence still uses the 46150 postcode which is registered as being in Petaling and can be contacted for correspondence.

“As a committee member for the residents, we would like to know the main reason for this postcode change which occurred without informing the residents. We live in PJS, which means Petaling Jaya Selatan and if we are to be put under Subang Jaya, it should be changed to SS.

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Meanwhile, the Subang Jaya Assemblywoman, Hannah Yeoh, who was also present at the press conference, said that the latest announcement confused residents, especially when involving important documents because several agencies should be notified regarding the change in postcode.

“We have a sophisticated MyKad system and residents do not have to go to the National Registration Department (JPN) to change their postcode. Instead, JPN should automatically inform about the change.

“Pos Malaysia should inform the residents of this change, however, until now, we do not know whether they are changing it or not, including informing important agencies such as Bank Negara and the Land Office to change the postcode in their systems,” she said.

KSSB Intensifies Sand Mining Monitoring

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DENGKIL, 17 Oct: Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) will intensify monitoring of sand mining areas to ensure the quality of river water is preserved.

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The Chief Executive Officer of KSSB, Datuk Dr Azimuddin Bahari said that they have set up a Monitoring Committee tasked to monitor all sand mining activities by providing reports every two weeks.

“We will conduct tight monitoring to ensure that appointed contractors do not break the rules set,” he told TVSelangor at the Ibadah Korban (Sacrificial) Ceremony organised by KSSB here at the As-Shariff Mosque.

Azimuddin said KSSB’s role is to assist the State Government in maintaining the river water irrigation system from flooding.

“KSSB assists in terms of flood mooring and sand dredging to smoothen the river water flow,” he said,

Azimuddin said the three appointed contractors have been terminated for violating regulations.

The Korban ceremony was attended by over 300 staff of KSSB and local residents, with six cows being sacrificed.

KPRU: Status of Opposition Leader Should be Equivalent to a Cabinet Minister

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SHAH ALAM, 17 Oct: The Political Studies for Change (KPRU) think tank urges Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to emulate the step taken by the Selangor state government in recognising and honouring the position of the Opposition Leader.

According KPRU, the recognition of the Opposition Leader is essential to bridge the gap between the remuneration and various forms of allowances received by the Opposition Leader, Cabinet Ministers and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“The Office of the Opposition Leader should receive allocation for the purpose of employing staffs such as researchers, press officers, executive assistants and so forth to manage with different tasks and affairs in Parliament.

“Such provision is important to enabling the Office of the Opposition Leader to obtain sufficient manpower, as well as allocations in performing and carrying out his duties and responsibilities as the Opposition Leader, as well as an elected representative of the people effectively and smoothly,” KPRU said in a statement.

Prior to this, the Selangor Government strengthened parliamentary democracy in Malaysia by giving special allowances and privileges amounting to RM8,620 per month to the Opposition Leader of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly.

“This was indeed a breakthrough in upholding the principles of democracy, as well as to advocate the rights and roles of the Opposition Leader as a crucial component in a democratic government in carrying out his/her role of check and balance to the existing government,” KPRU said.

KPRU said that in the two terms of leading the state government, the Selangor and Penang Government managed to take the initiative to mobilise the democratisation of State Assemblies and set an example to other state governments.

Ironically, the Central Government, despite ruling for over half a century, has still failed to make important strides.

“Where does BN Government’s ‘face’ (reputation) lie if they are still behind in upholding principles of democracy while they are eagerly shouting of “transformation” and “endless possibilities”,” KPRU said.