Tuesday, September 9, 2008

:Hindus devotees conduct Merdeka prayer

TAWAU: The district’s Thiru Murugan temple hosted their annual Merdeka Program where over 100 Hindu devotees from Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau attended the prayer session.

President of the Thiru Murugan temple, K. Manogran said prayer was also held for Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman, Sabah Chief Minister, for his effort in approving the temple’s land. He said prayers were also offered for the continued success of the nation with greater solidarity, accountability efficiency and a dynamic interaction among the diverse communities to safeguard unity.

`We are praying for the safeguard of unity which had prevailed in the country for the past 51 years’, he stated.

The annual event was sponsored by Victor Rajasekran, chairman for the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) of Tawau.

PICTURE SHOWS MANOGRAN SERVING FOOD TO DEVOTEES ATTENDING THE PRAYER SESSION.

Monday, September 8, 2008

:Penalty for rear seated passengers for not using safety belt upon availability: Ong

TAWAU: The Ministry of Transport Malaysia will impose penalties on rear seat passengers who fail to put on their seat belt for cars or utility vehicles having such facility by January 1, 2009 on vehicles produced from 1995 onward in the interest of safety.

Datuk Ong Tee Keat, the Minister of Transport Malaysia said the government had also requested Proton, Perodua, Naza and Honda manufactures to install vehicles from their factories free of charge to vehicles already on the road to lessen the burden of drivers.

`This is only for vehicles that comes out from their assembly line from 1995 and onward’, he stated in a press conference today at the district’s Road Transport Department (RTD) office today.

Ong added that vehicles without rear seat belts can be excluded from penalty but they would be given until 2011 to have their vehicle install the safety equipment. He also urges car owners who purchased vehicles from the four manufactures to have their vehicles upgraded for free at their respective manufactures and not simply to engage outsiders to do the work.

Ong was in the district on a working visit to see for himself the running operation of the RTD and met with representatives from the Tawau School Bus Association (TSBA), Tawau Taxi Association (TTA) and Tawau Lorry Drivers’ Association (TLDA) where numerous matters were brought to his attention. He said that he was shocked to hear some of the complains such as `Pirate school bus’ reportedly plying to ferry pupils and students at schools in the district and the existence of irregular fees charged by PUSPAKOM over vehicle check.

Other matters raise for his attention was the high fee charged for taking driving lessons.

Ong in the meeting with the three associations however pledge to take the appropriate action over the cases reported despite some of the matter were not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry.

`On the matter of pirate school bus, I hope that the association will give their fullest co-operation when we pursue the case to ensure that the appropriate action can be taken’, he added.

On the matter of long queue at RTD counters, he said that his Ministry is currently encouraging the public to use their on-line method to eradicate the needs of many having to queue and to speed up any process needed through the internet. He was also briefed by the Sabah RTD director Wan Idrus that runners or agencies providing services to the general public are given a special lane in the state to prevent their applications hampering the public waiting in line.

PICTURE SHOWS ONG DURING THE MEETING.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

:Walk for health program to become an annual program

TAWAU: Health is always a major concern not only to the young generation but also to the senior citizens as it would ensure that Malaysian regardless of age can enjoy life in an active and productive manner for the benefit of the country.

Representative for the Board of Visitors for the Hot Spring Senior Citizens’ Home, Haji Mohd. Ekbal Hj. Khalid said this while launching the `Ambang Merdeka, Walk for Health’ organized by Nestle Group, the Board and the Community Nurses’ College of Tawau this yesterday morning where among those attending the event was Liew Fook Kiaw, another committee member of the visiting board.

Ekbal said the event which will be held annually will continue to promote health aspect among the community.

He also flag off participants which include students of the college and senior citizens for the one kilometer walk.

Also held during the event is the presentation of goodies to senior citizens from the board led by Ekbal dan Nestle Group.

PICTURE SHOWING PARTICIPANTS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE WALK

:516th Regiment program to boost more Chinese intake

TAWAU: The 516th Regiment of the Territorial Army welcomed guests numbering nearing a hundred from Malaysian Chinese in a historical event to promote the regiment last Saturday.

Among the associations attending the program were from the Sabah Chinese Associations’ Union and students from Sabah Chinese High School apart from a large number of individuals. Commanding officer of the regiment, Brigadier General Datuk Liew Yun Fah together with his deputy commander Lt. Colonel Mohd. Samin Haji Mohd. Sih welcomes the guests. The program presented exhibition, show and briefing to the visitors.

The program to promote the role of Territorial Army and encourage more Malaysian Chinese to join the establishment and it is believe to be the first ever program conducted by such regiment in the country for such purpose.

Liew said the aim of the program is clear, to encourage more Chinese Malaysian to join the fold. Among the show presented was from the regiment’s Unarmed Fighting.

PICTURE SHOWS LIEW SHOWING ON HOW TO HANDLE AN ASSAULT RIFLE TO SOME STUDENTS