Semporna Umno wants Masidi to retract statement

Kota Kinabalu: Semporna Umno Youth wants State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun to retract his statement that Semporna is the dirtiest town in the State. 

Its Chief, Mohd Aziz Haji Jamman, said the Minister's statement had a huge impact on the State's tourism sector since Semporna is a major attraction for local and international tourists. 

"His statement as Tourism Minister that is viewed as the Ministry's stand is not based on fact. Therefore the 'dirtiest town' status should be retracted immediately," he said. 

Mohd Aziz told reporters they also wanted clarification on the source and research done that led to Masidi's conclusion. 

"The Minister needs to go down the ground and not simply make assumptions because it really affected Semporna's reputation where the world famous Sipadan Island and Mabul Island are located," he said.

He said even if Semporna did have some problems with cleanliness it is not the time to point fingers but to assist. 

There is also every possibility that the rubbish was those discarded by tourists on the island and washed ashore to the mainland since there is no proper waste disposal centre on the islands, he said. 

He added that based on the movement's observation not all the tour operators take back the rubbish along with them to Semporna town and discard it at the site prepared by the Semporna District Council. 

In this respect, Mohd Aziz said it was the responsibility of the Tourism Ministry to ensure the tour operators do their part to keep the islands off Semporna clean. 

Mohd Aziz said the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry instead should be providing sufficient allocation to Semporna to assist in addressing the cleanliness issue. 

 Source : The Daily Express

Why do the need to ask Datuk Masidi to retract? Is it to deny the obvious which in the end will also not solve anything.

I don't know much about the surrounding islands but yes, Semporna is a dirty town but then again so do most of the other towns here in Sabah. 

I know this for sure as I have been fortunate enough to be able to visit most of them - in fact more than once every year as my work requires me to travel a lot. 

Who is to blame? I know for sure the local town council shouldn't be blamed alone as the public had much to bear their share of the blame too - their apathy towards the cleanliness of their surroundings.

However for Mohd. Aziz to start blaming the tourists and tour operators is really bad besides a public relation disaster and most laughable. Not wise at all. Does he wants all the tourists to run away and never to come back again? 

Rubbish seen below a jetty on a recent visit to Kg. balimbang.

One only have to visit to the local villages especially along the coastal areas to get a rough idea about the whole picture. 

Much as we want the local town councils to buck up, members of the public had to do their part too. 

In the end it's everyone responsibility; politicians included.

A YB Given Explanation About Heritage And Nationalism.

THE Atkinson Clock Tower again took centre stage at the close of the State Assembly sitting, with State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun stressing that development is only good when it does not harm any heritage site. 

Delivering his winding up speech, Masidi highlighted to Kemabong Assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang - the proponent of a mixed development commercial building next to the tower site - that there was a difference between warisan (heritage) and monument, and the term history and nationalism. 

He said the Atkinson tower was the only clock tower made from wood in Malaysia and the oldest and the only mechanical clock in Sabah, adding it is also listed in the wood clock tower world database. 

"This clock tower is so significant that it received recognition from the Federal and State governments as a main icon on postage stamps during colonial times in 1918, 1950, 1954 and post independence on June 6, 2007," he said, adding it was placed fourth in a list of more than 100 clock towers picked by travellers' guide television programme, the Lonely Planet. 

The Atkinson tower was gazetted as a monument/historical site under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Enactment 1977 on Oct. 27, 1983, before that provision was cancelled on March 26, 1998. 

"The tower was re-gazetted as a cultural heritage site under Section 4 of the Cultural Heritage (Preservation) 1997 on April 9, 1998, which was enforced on March 26 the same year," Masidi pointed out. 

"Our country, particularly Sabah, has legislation like the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Enactment (Amendment) 2006 and Cultural Heritage Enactment 1998 that protect heritage and monuments. 

"Considering that these legislation exist, it is quite clear here that the issue is not whether we allow or not the commercial building at the disputed site but ensuring all laws protecting heritage sites that are gazetted or historical structures are respected and preserved." 

As he was getting to the end of his point, Rubin interjected, saying the clock tower could have been built anywhere in then Jesselton but probably the contractor picked the hill it sat on now. 

"But it doesn't mean Atkinson died or was buried there," said the Sabah Housing and Town Development Authority (SHTDA) Chairman. 

Towards this end, he was of the opinion that the site possessed no historical value, pointing out that Francis George Atkinson, the man the clock was named after, had tried to kill "freedom fighter" Mat Salleh. 

Masidi responded that this was not a question of the history being good or bad but that it concerned the building of the centre at the disputed site. 

He also said, in a loud voice, that if Rubin was concerned about glorifying a so-called wicked person, then why was the commercial centre he was championing also using the word Atkinson in its name.

Rubin tried interjecting but Masidi did not give way. 

He cautioned against misplaced nationalism where one objects to every single thing left behind by the imperial administration, and in this context, wondered, albeit cynically, whether the State should also stop using the English language, remove mission schools, all of which were started by Missionaries.

"Don't compare historical buildings with history," he said, pointing out he never objected to any development provided it did not contravene any law protecting the gazetted clock tower. 

Continuing his speech, Masidi said considering that the latest development plan submitted by the developer was a new one, the issue of seeking the green light from the State Museum Department did not arise. 

"The approval must be obtained from the State Cultural Heritage Council, in line with Section 9(1)© of the Cultural Heritage Enactment (Preservation) 1997, and not from the Sabah Museum Director," he said. 

He also concurred with Membakut Assemblyman, Datuk Hj Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, who stressed that whatever history or monuments, good or bad, must be protected as a reminder for future generations. 

"This is my Ministry's responsibility." 

Source : The Daily Express

Having finished reading the above article, one can tell which among the two YBs are really doing their job for the State and its people. 

Datuk Rubin definitively will not get my vote come the next General Election. Alas, I'm not voting in Kemabong. 

Free Tool Offered To Combat Firesheep Hackers

By John P. Mello Jr., PCWorld 

 

If the news of Firesheep--a simple Firefox extension that allows anyone to hijack social networking or webmail sessions over unprotected WiFi networks--has you worried, a free tool to protect you from Firesheep and its ilk released today by the Electronic Frontier Foundation is for you.

Read more ...

Source :  www.pcworld.com

 

It is a known fact that free wifi as offered in some business establishments are not really safe.  We are vulnerable to hackers attacks at these locations.  

However there some good tools available for free out there in the web. We only had to  work a bit to find them. The only drawback about the above tool is that it may not work at sites which does not support HTTPS. 

The best alternative is still to source out there and purchase one which of course can be quite costly but it is our privacy that we are talking about.

Untidiness - A Stress Maker

by Owen Jones

Untidiness certainly can result in stress and anxiety. It is very irritating to never be able to find things when you require them, especially if you are in a rush. Losing your car keys or your glasses or your purse in your cluttered home is a sign of a lack of organization, but it is a pain in the neck too because it wastes so much time and usually precisely when you do not have time to waste.

  

The issue is basically one of organization. Because it is human nature to hoard everything, our homes and offices soon become chaotic, so unless you have regular clear-outs or organize your junk well, you are going to lose things often.

  

Everything should have a place and everything should be in its place, that way you will know where to look for items. Tools should be stored in the garage, preferably on holders or nails on the wall. Gardening implements should be in the garden shed, likewise put away so that you can see what is out and where everything is. Kitchen gear should be in the kitchen, office paperwork should be filed away in cabinets or and folders.

  

You have to take the time to put things away when you have used them and not leave them lying around until you have 'a clean up later'. A clean up later is no good, you need to do it now. A stitch in time saves nine, as the old saying goes.

    

Documents should be stored as they would in a well-organized office. You may not have enough papers to warrant having a filing cabinet, but you can get a filing box that looks like a small, plastic suitcase, but they open from the top.

  

One side is hinged, so that it can open out and the case contains a dozen or so compartments which can be labeled for 'Insurance', 'Bank Statements', 'Credit Card Statements', 'Bills' et cetera. They are very useful and not expensive. This must also have a place, say in the wardrobe.

  

If you think that even this is going too far, then three shoe boxes can be used: one for 'permanent' items such as wedding certificate, birth certificate, passport, insurance, etc., one for the storage of items you have already dealt with like credit card and bank statements and utility bills and one for mail to be answered and bills to be paid.

  

    Every year you can then go through the shoe boxes and package up items from the previous year or discard items that have become obsolete. Maybe a good time would be after filing your tax returns. In many countries, you have to hold on to tax records for seven years, so a fourth shoe box could hold the previous seven years worth of documents.

  

Clean out your attic or basement to make room for more junk. A good rule is, if you have not used something for five years, you do not require it, so sell it, give away or bin it.

   

Buy or make a key rack or just screw hooks into the back of your front door, that way you can hang your keys up when you come in and take them with you when you go out. Get a cord for your glasses and hang them around your neck. When you really do not require them, you can hang them up somewhere visible by the cord as well.

    

More Information:

   

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with financial stress. If you are suffering from any form of stress, please go over to our website now at Stress and Heart Disease

             

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article267229.html

                       

Three-year-old boy takes 10km bus ride alone and unattended

KUALA LUMPUR: With his milk bottle in his hand, a three-year-old boy climbed onto a public bus on his own and went on a more than 10km ride before a good Samaritan brought him to a police station.

Bystanders recalled seeing the boy, who was wearing a red shirt, at the bus stop near the Sri Sabah Flats here at noon yesterday.

“A woman in her 40s noticed that the boy was alone and unattended.

“She then carried the boy when she got off the bus near Jalan Tun Hussien and took him to a police station to lodge a report,” Cheras acting OCPD Supt Abdul Rahim Hamzah Othman Supt Abdul Rahim said.

Police took photographs of the boy before handing him over to the Welfare Department in Jalan Pahang. His photographs were distributed at the Sri Sabah flats area where he was first spotted.

At 5.30pm, a couple came to the Cheras district police station claiming that their child had gone missing while the husband was washing his car.

“We could not reunite the boy with his parents as the welfare centre had already closed. We will return to the department today and send the boy back,” Supt Abdul Rahim said.

However, he said police would be conducting a DNA test to confirm if the couple were indeed the boy’s parents. Supt Abdul Rahim said if the test was positive, police would take action against the couple for negligence.

Source : The Star Online

If  indeed they are the real parents then the relevant authorities should take action against them. This is total negligence if you asked me.  

One thing still bothers me is that how did he ever managed or even be  allowed to board the bus - unaccompanied in the first place. Then shouldn't the bus operators be charged for negligence too?

MCA demands action against Sarawak school’s halal food policy

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — The MCA wants the Education Ministry to act against a Sarawak primary school for enforcing a halal food policy, which it claims is trampling on the rights of non-Muslim pupils.

The second-biggest party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition said today that public school teachers do not have the right to force their own religious values on a multi-cultural student body.

Read more ...

Source : The Malaysian Insider

A worrying trend on the increase among schools in the nation where administrators tend to go overboard in their zeal to get things done.  And it needed to be positively addressed and fast too. On this latest incident, a thorough investigation should be carried out to ascertain the truth from the whole episode and people should not be quick to jump to conclusion based on what is reported in the media alone. 

Sembilan Tahun Tempoh Menunggu Untuk Haji Kali Kedua.

MARANG 6 Nov. – Jemaah haji yang mendaftar untuk kali kedua selepas baru pulang daripada menunaikan rukun Islam yang kelima itu kini perlu menunggu sembilan tahun lagi sebelum nama mereka tersenarai semula.

Ini kerana Lembaga Tabung Haji (Tabung Haji) akan menyaring jemaah yang telah mengerjakan haji dalam tempoh sembilan tahun bagi memberi peluang kepada jemaah baru.

Read more ...

Source : Utusan Malaysia Online

Mungin tindakan yang sedikit drastik namun ia juga tindakan yang adil untuk membolehkan mereka yang telah lama menunggu dapat mengerjakan ibadah Haji yang dihajati. 

Namun Tabung Haji kenalah juga ikthiar sesuatu untuk membolehkan mereka yang ingin mengerjakan ibadah Haji mereka dengan lebih kerap dapat dilakukan seperti yang diinginkan. Ini adalah hak bakal para jemaah itu sendiri mengikut kemampuan masing-masing. Sembilan tahun itu agak terlalu lama jaraknya dan pada hemat saya tempoh lima tahun adalah lebih adil dan bersesuaian.

Kita tidak mahu nanti ada pihak yang akan mengambil kesempatan  dengan  peraturan baru ini dan ada bakal jemaah yang tertipu nanti.

My Goodness!

KEMAMAN: A teenager, unhappy at being spurned by her 27-year-old boyfriend, summoned the help of two female friends to “teach him a lesson”.

Read more ...

Source : The Star Online