Kawasan Rekreasi Bakal Jadi Taman Ekstrem

Utusan Malaysia, Isnin 28 Julai 2008
Oleh Suffian Abu Bakar

MUAR 27 Julai - Kawasan rekreasi di Jalan Timbalan di sini yang terbiar sejak sekian lama akan dibangunkan dan dinaik taraf sebagai taman ekstrem untuk memberi manfaat kepada golongan belia di daerah ini tidak lama lagi.

Usaha membangunkan tapak rekreasi seluas dua hektar itu hasil gabungan pelbagai agensi kerajaan negeri termasuk Pejabat Daerah Muar serta Agensi Anti Dadah Kebangsaan (AADK) cawangan Muar yang pejabatnya terletak bersebelahan tapak rekreasi tersebut.

Selain itu, pengurusan dan pembangunan pelbagai kegiatan rekreasi di kawasan itu pula akan dikendalikan sebuah syarikat swasta, AZ Marine Centre.

Pada masa ini, beberapa gelanggang telah mula digunakan iaitu untuk sukan futsal, paintball, bola tampar, badminton dan sepak takraw.

Pegawai Pencegahan AADK Daerah Muar, Mohd. Azli Senin berkata, cadangan menaik taraf semula kawasan ini dibuat oleh Majlis Tindakan Membanteras Dadah Muar (MTMDM) yang dipengerusikan Pegawai Daerah Muar, Abdul Rahman Jaffar.

Menurutnya, melalui usaha itu AADK dan MTMDM dengan kerjasama pelbagai agensi lain akan menaik taraf kawasan itu supaya ia dapat digunakan untuk kegiatan rekreasi dan sukan yang bermanfaat untuk golongan belia dan remaja.

"Di atas tapak tanah rizab kerajaan ini, pusat rekreasi ini akan dimajukan dan menjadi pusat sehenti bagi kegiatan ekstrem yang boleh disertai para belia dan mereka yang selama ini tidak mempunyai tempat untuk menghabiskan masa lapang masing-masing."

"Untuk itu, kawasan ini yang dahulunya terbiar mampu memberi peluang kepada belia untuk digunakan sebagai lokasi mengisi masa lapang dengan kegiatan yang lebih berfaedah," katanya ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia di sini baru-baru ini.

Tinjauan Utusan Malaysia mendapati, tapak rekreasi di Jalan Timbalan itu sebelum ini mempunyai sebuah kolam renang yang terbiar sejak tahun 1990-an, bersebelahan gelanggang paintball.

Namun menurut Mohd. Azli, menerusi pengurusan pusat rekreasi itu yang akan dikendalikan oleh AZ Marine Centre, kolam renang itu juga akan diubah suai dan digunakan untuk kemudahan permainan bot alat kawalan jauh, sementara menunggu kelulusan projek menaik taraf kolam itu.

Beliau yang juga Setiausaha MTMDM berkata, keutamaan akan diberikan kepada pelatih yang telah tamat latihan di pusat serenti di bawah seliaan AADK untuk bekerja sebagai tenaga pembantu di pusat rekreasi tersebut.

"Selain itu, peluang pekerjaan juga dibuka kepada belia-belia lepasan sekolah yang tidak mempunyai pekerjaan untuk membantu perjalanan pelbagai program di pusat rekreasi itu.

"Bagi Pusat Rakan Muda pula, kami menyediakan kemudahan tempat makan di bangunan tersebut selain ia juga boleh dikunjungi orang ramai untuk menikmati jamuan ikan-ikan segar yang diternak di pusat khidmat AADK bersebelahan," jelasnya.

Sementara itu, Pengurus AZ Marine Centre, Md. Zaidi Khamis berkata, pelbagai kemudahan akan disediakan di pusat rekreasi itu, antaranya ruang berbumbung untuk kegiatan memanah, kawasan tanah berumput bagi kegiatan lasak seperti motorcross dan paintball serta kolam renang untuk sukan bot alat kawalan jauh.

"Sasaran kami ialah pembukaan pusat rekreasi ini bukan sahaja mampu menarik golongan belia atau mat motor ke kawasan ini, malah mampu menjadi tarikan pelancong serta mereka yang ingin menyaksikan kelainan pelbagai kegiatan di pusat sehenti ini," jelasnya.

Gunakan kemudahan sebaik mungkin

MUAR 27Julai - Usaha menaik taraf pusat rekreasi di Jalan Timbalan di sini diharap dapat digunakan sebaik mungkin oleh golongan belia yang berminat dalam pelbagai bidang sukan dan aktiviti ekstrem.

Pegawai Daerah Muar, Abdul Rahman Jaffar menyifatkan langkah membangunkan semula kawasan seluas dua hektar yang terbiar sejak sekian lama termasuk Wisma Belia yang tersadai sejak tahun 1990 dan baru kini dibangunkan semula menjadi Pusat Rakan Muda daerah bakal menjadi pemangkin kepada pembangunan belia di kawasan berkenaan.

Beliau berkata, dengan pelbagai kemudahan sukan dan rekreasi yang disediakan di pusat tersebut, ia dapat memberi manfaat kepada belia lepasan sekolah yang gemar melepak, remaja bermotor dan mereka yang tidak mempunyai pekerjaan tetapi menggemari aktiviti lasak.

"Semua kegiatan yang disediakan di pusat rekreasi ini boleh digunakan oleh belia-belia aktif atau lebih tepat disebut 'terkejal' di daerah ini kerana di sini mereka boleh beriadah dengan cara sihat.

"Istilah terkejal itu merujuk kepada remaja yang berminat dengan kegiatan lasak serta sukan yang mencabar dan ini merupakan medan terbaik bagi mereka untuk menunjukkan bakat masing-masing," katanya ketika ditemui ketika melawat tapak pusat rekreasi itu, baru-baru ini.
Abdul Rahman yang juga Pengerusi Majlis Tindakan Membanteras Dadah Muar (MTMDM) memberitahu, usaha itu merupakan kerjasama antara beberapa jabatan kerajaan negeri di daerah ini dan pihak swasta untuk menguruskan aktiviti tersebut.

Menurutnya, melalui pelbagai program sukan yang diadakan, ia bukan sahaja dapat meningkatkan kemahiran belia atau peserta, malah mewujudkan budaya sukan ekstrem yang lebih sihat dan lazimnya digemari belia masa kini.

"Semua usaha ini tidak akan berjaya tanpa bantuan semua agensi dan jabatan yang terlibat. Berikutan sumber yang terhad ketika ini, kita turut mengalu-alukan penyertaan pihak swasta untuk menjayakan program di pusat rekreasi tersebut," katanya.

Sementara itu, Abdul Rahman berkata, kolam renang awam yang terletak di tapak pusat rekreasi itu juga akan dinaik taraf dalam tempoh jangka panjang dan ketika ini, pihaknya sedang berusaha memohon peruntukan daripada kerajaan negeri serta Bahagian Pembangunan Sukan di Kementerian Belia dan Sukan untuk membina kolam renang baru.

Memories Of Masai

Disaster: Almost all the shops on the main road burned down.
Ablaze: The disastrous fire of June 1966

RESPECTED FIGURE: My dad with a bevy of trainee nurses.

New Straits Times, Monday, July 28, 2008
Peggy Loh

IN Geography class, I learnt that the Maasai were an East African tribe that drank cow’s blood mixed with milk.

So when my parents had a job transfer to Masai, I was confused. At first, I thought they were posted to East Africa but after listening to the many discussions, I realised that it was a small town about 25km away from Johor Baru.

An hour’s drive on a winding road fringed by rubber trees took us past a police station into Masai. On the same side of the road, there was a Chinese cemetery with the post office next to it and a movie theatre opposite. I’ve never been to an open-air theatre but had heard that the seats were usually infested with bugs.

At that time, Masai had one main street bordered by rows of dilapidated shops with corrugated zinc roofs that looked like a wild-west cowboy town.

We moved into the staff quarters No. 2174 Jalan Sekolah, in the government health centre compound and it was our home for 13 years until my father retired in 1977.

On that same road was the penghulu or village headman’s house with the balai raya or community hall opposite. A Tamil primary school was located directly opposite our house so the road was always busy and noisy unless it was a weekend or school holidays.

My sisters and I used to commute to school in Johor Baru and had to wake up very early each morning to be ready for our school bus. Later, we moved to stay with our grandparents in Johor Baru for several years. In upper secondary, we moved back to Masai and used public buses to get to school.

My friends, great fans of the Bee Gees who knew that I lived in Masai, wittily joked that I was going back to Masai-chusetts. Meanwhile, our family became part of the Masai community. Mum was known as “Meesee”, a corrupted form of “Missy” in local jargon for female nurses.

For a long time, I didn’t understand the word that local Chinese people used to address my dad.

It sounded like, “Lesa” but I figured it was neither Chinese nor Malay language. Puzzled, I quizzed my dad and finally found out that it was English and the word meant “Dresser” because one of dad’s duties was to dress wounds.

When my siblings and I ventured into town, someone would inevitably recognise us and whisper that we were, “Anak Meesee”.

Being easily recognisable had its privileges especially when we dealt with shop merchants and taxi drivers. Now that our parents have retired to Johor Baru, people of Masai who meet us again after all these years, would still refer to us as, “Meesee kai kia”.

Two incidents hold vivid memories even though they were not first-hand experiences as we were kids and were often safely sheltered at home.

These incidents were proof of Masai people’s solidarity and their resilience to cope with calamities.

In June 1966, fire razed almost all the shops on Masai’s main street.

Dad rushed to help retrieve belongings and among other things, he pulled out a heavy sewing machine. After the smoke cleared, it was rumoured that the fire was deliberately set because the town was due for redevelopment.

The fire indeed paved the way for rebuilding and soon Masai town had a new lease of life with a wider road and two rows of brick shophouses.

During the monsoon of 1968, floods inundated many low-lying areas and villagers were told to evacuate to community or school halls.

Several bridges were swept away and Masai was virtually cut-off from Johor Baru until a Bailey bridge was built as a temporary link.

A pregnant woman, who lived in a coconut grove, refused to leave her home until the flood water level rose almost to her neck. She was swept off by the strong current but instinctively wrapped her arms around a coconut tree, clinging on for dear life.

My dad was among the volunteers helping the villagers and he plunged in to rescue her. As dad was taking her to safety, the current was so strong that he had to grasp submerged grass to prevent them from drifting away.

He suddenly heard yells from a young man clinging to a tree further away so dad ran to town and managed to grab a rope off a window blind in a shop front.

He secured the rope to a tree and used it as a safety line to reach and rescue that young man. After the happy ending, we didn’t know what happened to the young man but the woman was so grateful that she offered her newborn son to my parents. Ask anyone in the bustling streets of Masai today and not many will remember the Masai of yesteryear but we have heaps of fond memories of our Masai-chusetts!

民主行动党峇吉里國會選區聯委會将于 30－07－2008 (星期三) 晚上八时与诚信遗嘱有限公司联办遗嘱讲座会

左起 ： 州议员私人助理徐贝婷，诚信遗嘱有限公司经理杜心洁，诚信遗嘱有限公司创办人钱纪江学士，民主行动党文打烟州议员魏宗贤， 选区助理陈瑞华， 选区助理蔡宝淼， 选区助理汤国钦.

为了能够让麻坡的居民更了解遗嘱的重要性，民主行动党峇吉里国会选区联委会将于 30-07-2008 (星期三)晚上八时，与诚信遗嘱有限公司联办遗嘱讲座会。 此次的遗嘱讲座会将在民主行动党文打烟活动中心 (No. 132-3, 1st Floor, Jalan Salleh, 84000 Muar, Johor－阿发摩哆店隔壁)进行，这次的讲座会是为了教育大众有关遗嘱的重要性。

文打烟州议员魏宗贤表示，我们很荣幸地邀请到诚信遗嘱有限公司的创办人钱纪江学士为这次的讲座会主讲，钱纪江先生毕业于伦敦大学，并荣获法律系荣誉学士学位。在遗嘱领域里钱纪江先生拥有超过6年以上的丰富经验并在全马各地〔包括沙巴及沙劳越〕运用英语及华语主讲了多场讲座会与培训课程，同时也培训了超过1千名的资产规划员。

在遗嘱领域里钱纪江先生扮演着教育大众的重要角色，同时钱纪江先生也希望能让更多大众了解遗嘱的重要性。

这次的讲座会是免费入场， 敬请大众踊跃出席。欲知更多详情欢迎联络：
民主行动党文打烟州议员魏宗贤 (019－6568282)
州议员私人助理徐贝婷 (012－9313943)
选区助理蔡宝淼 (017－2381588)
选区助理陈瑞华 (012－2783659)
选区助理连丽洪 (019－6591858)， 或
服务中心 (06－9518989)

出席记者发布会包括民主行动党文打烟州议员魏宗贤，州议员私人助理徐贝婷，区助理蔡宝淼，选区助理陈瑞华，选区助理连丽洪，选区助理汤国钦， 诚信遗嘱有限公司创办人钱纪江学士及诚信遗嘱有限公司经理杜心洁。

Stadium In Dire Need Of Revamp

IN POOR CONDITION: The rusty gates that pose a danger to the public.

(Inset) The exterior of Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Muar.

New Straits Times, Tuesday, July 22, 2008
By Zalifah Mohd Yatim

THE Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Muar has lost its appeal as a location for sports events and training activities.

It used to be a centre for sports championships, especially inter-school competitions at district and state levels, organised by the Schools Sports Council. The stadium was also the training ground for local athletes who represented their schools, district or state.But that was in the past. The stadium is now deserted and no one is interested in using it anymore, due to its dilapidated condition and ill-managed facilities.

The track, for one, has been in damaged condition since a big-wheel motor parade was organised several years ago. Despite rumours that an allocation of funds to restore the stadium to its previous glory was available, hardly any sign of improvement has taken place.

Fifty-year-old resident Azmi Khalid said the stadium was once a favourite place for the community to do their workout. However, he said the place was now quiet as the facilities could no longer be utilised properly.

"I believe it requires a substantial amount of funds to fix the facilities. But something must be done to prevent it from rotting."

Another resident, Norhayati Enjah, 43, said the stadium's use was no longer endorsed, unlike her school days when many sporting and other events were held there.

She said repairs that were not carried out on time had resulted in rising maintenance costs, and that the outdated amenities were no longer suitable for athletes' training.

Bank officer Tono Hassan shared the view that the stadium facilities needed upgrading. He also supported the idea that more activities should be organised at the stadium once it is fixed.

"Rather than leaving it to ruin, we might as well repair it. We don't want another wasted project around."

REGARDING THE ABOVE, THE JOHOR STATE ASSEMBLYMAN FOR BENTAYAN CONSTITUENCY HAD RAISED THE ABOVE MATTER DURING THE RECENTLY JOHOR STATE ASSEMBLY MEETING WHICH HELD FROM 19 JUNE 2008 TO 4 JULY 2008.

SOALAN-SOALAN BERTULIS DI PERSIDANGAN DEWAN NEGERI JOHOR MULAI PADA 19 JUN 2008-4 JULAI 2008 YANG DISOAL OLEH Y.B. ENCIK GWEE TONG HIANG (AHLI DEWAN NEGERI, KAWASAN BENTAYAN).

SOALAN 27 (A67)

a.

Sungguhpun Bandar Muar telah dinaikkan taraf perbandaran pada 14 April 2001 daripada Majlis Daerah Muar Selatan kepada Majlis Perbandaran Muar, tetapi nampaknya fasilitikemudahan awam seperti yang berikut yang disediakan oleh pihak MPM kepada orang awam adalah bertambah buruk dan langsung tidak boleh diguna pakai oleh orang awam:

(iii).

Trek Larian Stadium Muar.

JAWAPAN DARIPADA YB DATUK HAJI AHMAD ZAHRI BIN JAMIL

iii).

Majlis Perbandaran Muar (MPM) telah mengemukakan permohonan cadangan kerja-kerja membaik pulih dan menaik taraf kemudahan Stadium Sultan Ibrahim termasuk trek larian kepada Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS). Anggaran kos pembaikan yang diperlukan bagi tujuan tersebut adalah berjumlah RM3 juta. Secara dasarnya Kementerian Belia dan Sukan telah bersetuju dengan cadangan Majlis Perbandaran Muar (MPM).

Kementerian Belia dan Sukan telah pun menyelesaikan proses rundingan harga pada 15 Mei 2008 dan laporan tersebut telah pun dikemukakan kepada Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia untuk memuktamadkan harga dan seterusnya kelulusan.

文打烟民主行动党改选魏宗贤蝉联主席

民主行动党文打烟支部日期进行支部改选, 以下为2008年度民主行动党文打烟支部新届理事:

主席: 魏宗贤
副主席: 李崇光
秘书: 王运梁
副秘书: 辜亚发
财政: 周良鹏
宣传秘书: 林生发
委员: 1. 周伟伦 2. 萧国光 3. 颜健盛
查账: 1. 郑思荣 2. 颜俊杰

支部主席魏宗贤在蝉联后感谢每位党员，文打烟选民及支持者所给予的支持让我们在峇吉里国会选区里嬴得一国一州的席位。虽然我们的力量无法跟国阵来相比，是因为麻坡的人民已经厌倦国阵政府的滥权，贪污及舞弊。文打烟选民委托我们监督国阵在州议会里的运作，并把他们不满的心声通过我们在州议会发表. 为了更好的服务人民，我本身选择全职的为人民服务。
以下为大会通过之议案:

1. 呼吁柔佛州州务大臣遵守其上届大选的诺言既每年固定拨款各10万令吉给予全柔8间独中.
2. 教育部应该承认独中统考文凭, 招揽独中毕业生投身教育界以解决多年以来华小师资短缺的问题.
3. 中央政府应当尽快拟定与执行有效的方案以克服油价与百物高涨导致市民生活素质下降与困苦.
4. 呼吁麻坡警区主任加强巡警巡察麻坡各个工商住宅区以减低罪案犯罪率.
5. 遣责巫统滥权把州土地纳为自己的财产(如：麻坡峇吉里路一块土地)，成为峇吉里巫统大厦。

Chua Jui Meng: Health Transcends Politics

Gwee Tong Hiang, The Johor State Legislative Assemblyman for Bentayan Constituency said he willing to work with Chua Jui Meng.

DATUK CHUA JUI MENG: wants high standard to be maintained

New Straits Times, Monday, July 21, 2008

By Chong Chee Seng

FORMER health minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng said political differences should not affect efforts to provide first-class treatment to patients.

"Let us work together to maintain the high standard of excellence in the medical and healthcare field," he said at a charity event at Pei Yang primary school in Muar on Tuesday night.

Chua, who is the Bakri MCA division chairman, said hospitals played a vital role in caring for the ageing population. "Many are alone when their children leave home in search of work or to set up their own families.

Many of them have also settled in Vietnam, Cambodia, China and other Asean countries.

"The ageing parents have to turn to government hospitals as many are unable to afford treatment at private hospitals."

Chua said it took him several years to transform Muar hospital into a specialist hospital, which was achieved on Oct 13,2003."Apart from being a centre of medical excellence for those in northern Johor and southern Malacca, the Muar Sultanah Fatimah specialist hospital is also a referral hospital for Segamat, Tangkak, Batu Pahat and Kluang."

Chua said although he did not contest in the last general election, he would continue to help upgrade the facilities at the hospital.

He called on the Member of Parliament for Bakri, Er Teck Hwa, and Bentayan assemblyman, Gwee Tong Hiang (both of DAP), to work together for the welfare of the people.

"The sick, regardless of their social standing and political ideologies, must be accorded first-class treatment in hospitals," Chua said.

Gwee Tong Hiang: Willing to work with Chua Jui Meng

When contacted, Gwee said both DAP elected representatives would be happy to work with Chua as they had pledged to serve the people.

"In fact, at the last state assembly sitting, I called for a neurologist to be placed at the hospital.

"Currently, accident victims suspected of brain injuries are referred to the Sultanah Aminah hospital in Johor Baru and the 21/2-hours travel time could cause more harm to them.

"Gwee said the Muar Sultanah Fatimah specialist hospital was only one in name as it was in dire shortage of specialists.

"I hope current Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai will look into the problems speedily," he added.

Campaign Against Chikugunya

The Star, Friday July 18, 2008

MUAR: All local authorities have been directed to carry out cleanliness campaigns to curb the spread of the chikugunya viral fever.

State Women, Family, Community Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Robia Kosai said the fever, an acute viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, had spread to several villages near Tangkak.

Speaking to reporters, she said that 19 cases of chikugunya fever were reported in Tangkak, Sagil, Bukit Kangkar and Sungai Mati this month.

“Although the fever is not life-threatening and lasts about five days, we want local authorities to organise campaigns to eradicate mosquito-breeding grounds in their areas."

“At the same time, we urge residents, including those in the villages, to clean their compounds and protect themselves from mosquito bites,” she said recently.

Dr Robia said besides local authorities, the state wanted all mosques, temples, churches and schools to spread the word about the chikugunya mosquito.

She said that those with high fever, rashes and pain in the joints should seek treatment at the nearest clinic, adding that residents should not panic over the matter.

“We have directed the Health Department in the districts to carry out fogging in affected villages and urge people to use mosquito repellents in their houses,” she added.

CHIKUNGUNYA FEVER

• Viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected female mosquitoes of the Aedes species.
• Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and rash (but no related haemorrhaging).
• Severe and sometimes persistent joint pain. Many symptoms similar to dengue except for prolonged joint pain.
• Fever lasts from a few days to a couple of weeks.
• Some patients have prolonged fatigue lasting several weeks.
• Incubation period can be two to 12 days but normally it is three to seven days.
• Recovery is excepted but elderly folks take longer and some may take a year or more.
• No death has been conclusively proven.
• Infection happens when a mosquito spreads it after biting an already infected person in the daytime.
• Monkeys and possibly other animals may also serve as reservoirs.
• There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment.
• Treatment is rest, taking fluids and medication for mitigating pain and fever. Avoid aspirin.
• Patient's movements should be restricted so that exposure to mosquitoes is limited to prevent further spreading the virus.
• Prevention includes using insect repellents, mosquito coils/mats/nets and proper clothing that cover your body.
• Cover or drain any place or receptacle which has still water because they breed in clean stagnant water. Also properly dispose of used containers which can collect water.

A Fisherman’s Tale

HARDSHIP: It’s getting more expensive for fishermen of Kampung Nelayan, Parit Jawa to take their boats out to sea.

IDLING: Fishermen of Kampung Nelayan, Parit Jawa hope for better days.

New Straits Times, Friday, July 18, 2008
By Tan Kim Swee

I WAS involved in fishing at the age of seven while studying in a Chinese school at Parit Jawa in Muar.

At the age of l6, I left to work in a factory in Singapore and returned 10 years later when my father, Tan Kim Swee (now 85 years) was unwell.He was a cook and he wanted me to inherit the job. Instead, I became a full-fledged fisherman at the age of 28 after a two-year on-the-job training as an assistant, also known as workers in the fishing industry.My father invested all his life savings of RM7,000 to buy me a second-hand boat, an engine and some nets.

In the l980s, the Parit Jawa fishing village had about 50 fishermen and within the next 25 years, the number doubled.I was drawn into fishing because I could be my own boss. At that time, the catch was good because there were few fishermen and the value of the ringgit was strong. Later, I engaged two assistants and installed a machine to pull up the nets replacing the hand-hauled system. The machine cost about RM1,000 compared to RM10,000 now.Gradually, the price of the second-hand boat together with engine and some nets soared to RM60,000 and a l4-tonne new boat alone was RM130,000.

As the number of fishermen increased, all converging to the limited fishing grounds, the catch drastically dropped and many felt the pinch.Previously, when I caught RM200 worth of fish, I could spend comfortably on household goods. Now, with the same amount of income, the grocery basket seemed to have shrunk drastically.The assistants worked on a commission basis of 15 per cent on the sale of the day’s catch.

The boat owner shoulders all expenses like purchasing subsidised diesel, cylinder oil, food and drinks, mending of torn nets and repairing damaged boats.A 125-horsepower boat, covering a distance of 25 nautical miles a day, would need RM100 on subsidised diesel and RM3 on cylinder oil. Food and drinks would amount to RM10. If the catch was sold at RM200, two assistants would take away RM60 and the owner takes back the rest. I can only go out to sea for l8-22 days a month and if the catch is kept at RM200 per trip, I earned less than RM1,000 a month to feed my family.

As the Straits of Malacca is an international route for vessels, fishing nets are usually damaged and often stolen by armed pirates and the violent waves would damage the boats. With prevailing risks, the income of fishermen is uncertain depending largely on luck and fate.I feel the Fisheries Act and its regulations should be made more fishermen-friendly. It has too many restrictions on fishing boats like size, weight and engine capacity.

The law states that the owner must go out in the boat to fish. I disagree that a boat owner must accompany every trip. If he suddenly falls ill, the two assistants are deprived of the day’s income. All boats licensed in Johor are restricted to fish in Johor waters and if any boat drifts into the Malacca waters, it commits an offence.The law also prohibits the transfer of ownership of fish-traps (kelong).

These laws restrict fishermen from bringing more fishing nets and going further out to sea and hinders them from returning faster with a fresher catch.It the boats are bigger with higher-powered engines, fishermen would be encouraged to stay overnight at sea in the hope of catching more fish.I think the authorities must exercise discretion and be more friendly with fishermen who risk their lives daily. These officers must show compassion and sympathy. If the owner is unable to go out to sea due to sickness or unavoidable circumstances like a death in the family, the assistants must be allowed to go out.

Furthermore, the government is not providing any welfare aid to fishermen who are prohibited to earn a living just because of a clause in the Act.Many fishermen are above 50-years-old and they can no longer switch to other jobs if they cannot go out to sea. Their livelihood depends on the daily income to feed an average of six to eight members in a family.

I feel the law is too harsh on fishing boat owners if he is not found in the boat. The “offence” carries a RM1,200 fine. Furthermore, he and two assistants would be deprived of income for three days to a week as the boat would be detained by the Fisheries Department pending the settlement of the fine.

The law seemed to be more friendly to illegal trawlers, who are given a lenient penalty of RM500 fine, when caught in prohibited waters. I strongly feel the law must be amended immediately to include the confiscation of the illegal trawling vessels and gear and the cancellation of their licences when proven guilty of committing offences.

No Hike In Muar Rates, Fees

New Straits Times, July 15, 2008
By Chong Chee Seong

GOOD news for those who are staying within the jurisdiction of the Muar Municipal Council.

There will be no increase in house assessment rates and licence fees next year. Its president, Abdul Wahab Ridwan, said the council launched an immediate austerity drive following recent fuel hike by slashing about RM100,000 allocations earmarked for town's landscaping projects this year. He said the council had further cut down landscaping projects by RM200,000 (from RM500,000 to RM300,000) in its 2009 budget approved at its full-council meeting in May.

Abdul Wahab said, however, other cost-cutting measures were under strict scrutiny and all expenditures saved would be channelled to town's development including electricity supply." As the town's revenue will remain unchanged next year estimated at RM30 million similar to that of this year, the council has to trim down the costs " he told Johor Buzz here yesterday. Abdul Wahab said as the town progressed, more street lighting was required and the RM2.4 million annual allocation would be exceeded.

He said although the cutback was limited, it was an important step for the council to create awareness of the people to be prudent and find ways and means to reduce its expenditure. Abdul Wahab said the council would still maintain landscaping projects adding its austerity drive would not affect town's beautification programme.

On the birth of Ledang on Jun 9, Johor's ninth district, he said the council would continue to collect revenue although a large chunk of land designated to Ledang when its boundary runs along Muar river.

He said, to date, the council has not received any official directive from the Johor government to stop its revenue collection. Abdul Wahab said the land taken by Ledang included Tanjung Agas industrial site, several housing estates and orchard plantations situated along the roads to Kesang, near Malacca border, and Sungai Sendok, near Tangkak, which provided about RM3 million annual revenue to the council.

Regarding for the today NEW STRAITS TIMES report, the Johor State Assemblyman for Bentayan Constituency, Gwee Tong Hiang had been raised the related matter in the recently Johor State Assembly sitting, which the answer given by the Barisan Nasional Government as below :

SOALAN-SOALAN BERTULIS DI PERSIDANGAN DEWAN NEGERI JOHOR MULAI PADA 19 JUN 2008 Hingga 4 JULAI 2008 YANG DISOAL OLEH Y.B. ENCIK GWEE TONG HIANG (AHLI DEWAN NEGERI, KAWASAN BENTAYAN)

SOALAN B 26

a.

Bagaimanakah dengan cadangan kenaikan Cukai Taksiran oleh Kerajaan Negeri pada tahun 2006 dan telah ditangguhkan, yang melibatkan Majlis Perbandaran Muar, Majlis Daerah Segamat dan beberapa lagi Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan?

b.

Adakah cadangan kenaikan Cukai Taksiran telah dimansuhkan oleh pihak kerajaan?


JAWAPAN

a.

Cadangan senarai nilaian semula berserta kadar baru bagi 6 Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan berikut :

1) Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru
2) Majlis Perbandaran Muar
3) Majlis Daerah Segamat
4) Majlis Daerah Simpang Renggam
5) Majlis Daerah Pontian
6) Majlis Daerah Mersing

Masih ditangguhkan penggunaannya oleh Kerajaan Negeri sebagaimana RM Bil. 1121/2006 bertarikh 19-07-2006.

Penangguhan penggunaan senarai nilaian semula berserta kadar baru adalah untuk memberi peluang kepada PBT menyemak semula peratus kenaikan cukai taksiran baru supaya jumlah yang dibayar oleh pembayar cukai tidak tinggi daripada jumlah cukai taksiran sedia ada.

Dalam keadaan kenaikan harga minyak petrol dan diesel yang telah diumumkan oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan baru-baru ini adalah kurang wajar jika PBT pula ingin melaksanakan penggunaan senarai nilaian semula berserta kadar baru dalam tempoh terdekat ini.

Bagi menggelakkan pembayar-pembayar cukai mengalami kesan kenaikan cukai taksiran, Kerajaan Negeri bersetuju supaya PBT masih mengguna pakai senarai nilaian berserta kadar sedia ada bagi semua pegangan bercukai di Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan.

b.

Hasil daripada cukai taksiran merupakan jumlah pungutan hasil terbesar PBT iaitu antara 70% - 80% daripada jumlah hasil keseluruhan yang terdiri daripada Hasil Cukai, Hasil Bukan Cukai dan Terimaan Bukan Hasil.

PBT perlu membelanjakan pungutan hasil tersebut untuk Perbelanjaan Mengurus seperti Bayaran Emolumen Pekerja, Perkhidmatan Sisa Pepejal dan Pembersihan Am, Penyelenggaraan Kemudahan dan Pembelian Harta Modal. Selain dari itu PBT juga bertanggungjawab untuk melaksanakan kerja-kerja pembangunan seperti menaiktaraf jalan, parit, pasar, gerai-gerai, dewan, lampu-lampu jalan dan lain-lain kemudahan awam untuk keselesaan penduduk di PBT berkenaan.

Memandangkan kos bahan-bahan binaan untuk melaksanakan sesuatu projek telah semakin meningkat kini, PBT mungkin tidak berkemampuan untuk menjalankan projek-projek pembangunan di PBT jika hasil cukai taksiran di kurangkan.

OLEH ITU, PADA MASA INI KERAJAAN NEGERI TIDAK BERCADANG UNTUK MENAIKKAN KADAR CUKAI TAKSIRAN DI PIHAK BERKUASA TEMPATAN NEGERI JOHOR.

车祸后被群殴 技工不满警员放走路霸

（麻坡13日讯）华裔技工车祸后被群殴，不满警员轻易放走自称为便衣警探的滋事者，矢言讨回公道。

遭殴打的是43岁的技术人员郭绍忠，他与一辆由巫裔男子驾驶的轿车迎面相撞后，由于过度惊慌，打算直接前往报警，途中停车，察看车子损坏情况时，遭4名尾随而至的电单车骑士手持头盔拳打脚踢及掌掴，其中一名滋事者自称为便衣警探。

上述意外于今早8时40分在麻坡大马路交通灯处发生，郭绍忠过后在文打烟车站停车时，遭3至4名巫裔男子指责撞后逃，并当众殴打他。 滋事者自称警员 他说，其中一名滋事者拿出钱包，声称为警员，随即以头盔殴打他的后脑，其他滋事者则攻击他的脸部及肚子，导致他后脑、脸部及身体多处受伤。

他透露，突如其来的事故令他措手不及，只好立刻拨电向妻舅颜泳辉求助，在等待支援期间，滋事者一直不断殴打他。 颜泳辉指出，事主驾车离开金山花园住家，原本准备前往砂礼路接载妻子。 他对警员轻易放走滋事者深表不满，并认为警员有偏袒滋事者之嫌。 他说，他赶到现场时，滋事者仍在围攻吓得脸青唇白的事主，他立刻要求对方停手，并建议报警。 “这个时候，两名警员与两名交警也抵达现场，虽然公众力证4名滋事者的恶行，但两名警员却直接指使4人离开，并阻挡我记录他们的电单车车牌。” 他说，滋事者自称为警察，更目无法纪的当众使用暴力欺压他人，警员却轻易放走滋事者。

他与事主决定向文打烟州议员魏宗贤投诉，并在后者陪同下前往麻坡警局报警，针对有关警员作出投诉。 另外，麻坡警区主任那西尔助理总监说，警方将在了解事情始末后，再发表进一步谈话。

魏宗賢：土地應公平分配給人民‧州財產勿割送給執政黨

魏宗賢及選區助理陳瑞華、蔡寶淼（右起）手拿書寫著巫統峇吉里區部大廈的首次地價稅是2萬3240令吉的紙牌。 魏宗賢認為，這塊黃金地段適合作為泊車地點或建廉價店屋，惠及坡眾

（柔佛‧麻坡）文打煙區州議員魏宗賢認為州政府應公平分配土地給人民，而不是把州財產割送給執政黨作為私人財產。

魏宗賢是於週四（10日）中午召開新聞發布會，針對峇吉里巫統所擁有坐落在文打煙小販中心前，峇吉里路通往交通圈旁的地段表示質疑，他認為巫統在此事項上濫權。

他說，他於6月19日至7月4日以書面方式提呈上述提問給州議會，而所獲得的回答是上述地段是州政府於1998年8月26日賜給巫統峇吉里區部的。
“不過，巫統峇吉里區部則是於2006年1月17日才繳付第一次的地價稅（Premium）2萬3千240令吉給州政府。”
8年後才繳還第一次地價稅

他置疑的是巫統峇吉里區部在8年後才繳還第一次的地價稅，而這類的費用不是應該在州政府賜地後的一兩個月內就須繳付嗎？這是否說明了巫統在此事項上有特權呢？

他說，巫統峇吉里區部還沒繳付第一次的費用，為甚麼柔州大臣拿督阿都干尼就可以為上述地段主持開幕。因為如果費用未繳付，上述地段就還不屬於巫統峇吉里區部。

他也質疑首次的費用2萬3240令吉的價格是否是依據市場價值來估算。
魏宗賢指出，麻坡市區缺乏停車位，他發現上述地段較適合作為泊車地點，而不是給巫統建巫統大廈。

他續說，州政府也可以使用上述地段來建一排廉價店屋賣給窮苦人家經商，而不是把這塊黃金地段送給巫統。

他表示對此事不滿，並將在下一次的州議會內提呈此問題。

家人外出擺空城‧魏宗賢住所被爆竊

魏宗賢住家遭爆竊，他向警方報案。
魏宗賢指著遭竊賊撬斷的大門鐵條。

臥房被大肆搜索，房內凌亂不堪.

（柔佛‧麻坡）文打煙區州議員魏宗賢的住家週二（8日）早遭人爆竊，睡房、儲藏室及辦公室被搜得七凌八亂，損失逾數千令吉。

魏宗賢的住家位於麻坡新加旺麗峰花園第三期，事發時，魏宗賢及妻子都出外，家裡擺空城，魏宗賢是將近中午12時接獲鄰居的來電，才獲悉住家入賊。

魏宗賢說，由於他週二（8日）早9時與麻坡市議會秘書預約，以處理一宗個案，因此他週二（8日）早8時就出門了，妻子也跟隨出外。

他表示，約1個小時後他接到母親來電，表示她懷疑患上骨痛熱症而要入院檢查，他便趕到醫院去，在醫院逗留兩三個小時。

鄰居來電通知

中午12時，鄰居來電告訴他說，他家的籬笆鐵門敞開，住家大門的鎖頭也被撬壞。他安排母親進院後，立即返回家查看，只見屋內一片狼藉。

他表示，遭竊賊翻箱倒櫃的包括位於樓下的睡房、儲藏室及樓上的主人房及他的辦公室。
經過點算後，他發現要購買麻坡潮州會館會慶餐券的500令吉已不翼而飛，他原本前天要交給該會後因忙碌而忘了。他相信其他金飾及現金已成為竊賊的囊中物

竊賊還開啟電燈抽風機

他說，鄰居於上午11時許曾在他住家附近發現一輛籃色汽車，但不以為意，不久又發現該輛汽車移至他的住家前。

他懷疑幹案者有兩三人，而且覬覦多時，才敢在光天化日下造案。竊賊為了掩人耳目，還開啟主人房的電燈及抽風機。

他說，該住宅區過去竊案頻仍，居民便成立居委會，由於資金不足，居委會只有能力聘請保安人員於晚上7時至次日早上7時巡邏。

他表示，雖然夜間的竊案下降，可是竊賊在白天沒有保安的情況下，仍伺機潛入幹案。

擔心重要文件被偷

4間被搜索的房間以位於樓上的辦公室最為凌亂，魏宗賢最擔心的是辦公室內的重要文件被偷走。
他說，竊賊並沒有偷走電器、電腦等貴重物件，而且只有辦公室最為凌亂，令人費解，他說，辦公室內放了許多重要文件，他還不確定是否有文件被偷。

當被問及這起竊案是否含有政治動機時，魏宗賢表示，他把查案的工作交給警方，希望警方立即展開調查工作。