Ekonomi pulih

Pertumbuhan suku keempat 2009 luar jangkaan; Sasaran lima peratus 2010

Ekonomi Malaysia yang menguncup sepanjang sembilan bulan pertama tahun lalu, kembali pulih dengan mencatat pertumbuhan tinggi sebanyak 4.5 peratus pada suku keempat 2009.

Pertumbuhan luar jangkaan itu menjadikan penguncupan keseluruhan tahun lalu hanya 1.7 peratus, jauh lebih baik berbanding unjuran awal penguncupan sebanyak 3.0 peratus.



Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, ketika mengumumkan perkara itu, berkata berikutan pencapaian berkenaan, ekonomi Malaysia tahun ini dijangka berkembang pada kadar lima peratus.

"Jika tidak berlaku perkara luar jangkaan kepada ekonomi global, boleh dikatakan ekonomi Malaysia sudah pulih daripada kesan krisis global dan akan menikmati pertumbuhan kukuh pada 2010.

"Jangkaan awal pertumbuhan tahun ini adalah sekitar empat peratus, tetapi saya yakin ia akan merekodkan pertambahan pertumbuhan antara satu hingga dua peratus lebih tinggi daripada unjuran itu," katanya pada sidang media di sini, semalam.

Berikutan krisis kewangan global, ekonomi Malaysia mencatat penguncupan dalam suku pertama, kedua dan ketiga tahun lalu pada kadar 6.2, 3.8 dan 1.2 peratus. Sebahagian besar ahli ekonomi mengunjur ia berkembang pada kadar 3.0 hingga 3.5 peratus pada suku keempat 2009.

Najib yang juga Menteri Kewangan, berkata kerajaan sedang berusaha sebaik mungkin untuk meningkatkan keyakinan pengguna dan pelabur bagi merangsangkan lagi aktiviti ekonomi termasuk menyegerakan pelaksanaan pelbagai projek dan menggalakkan pelaburan swasta.

"Dengan keyakinan pengguna yang lebih tinggi, perkembangan ekonomi tahun ini akan menjadi lebih baik berbanding sebelumnya," katanya.

Najib berkata, pelaksanaan agresif dua pakej rangsangan ekonomi yang diperkenalkan pada November 2008 dan Mac 2009 menjadi faktor utama yang menyumbang kepada pemulihan ekonomi negara.

Sehingga kini, lebih 113,000 projek bernilai RM17 bilion telah dan sedang dilaksanakan dan daripada jumlah itu, RM13.9 bilion sudah dibayar atau secara puratanya sebanyak RM1 bilion sebulan mengalir ke pasaran sejak Januari 2009.

"Antara sebab utama kita dapat membelanjakan kira-kira RM1 bilion sebulan pada 2009 adalah kerana kita mempunyai unit pemantauan khas di Kementerian Kewangan.

"Unit itu tidak ada sebelum ini, tetapi ditubuhkan dan bekerja keras serta terbabit dengan pelbagai kementerian serta agensi pusat bagi memastikan semua program yang dibuat di bawah dua pakej rangsangan dilaksanakan segera.

"Ini adalah antara sebab utama kenapa kita meraih pencapaian luar jangkaan dari segi pertumbuhan," katanya.

Perdana Menteri berkata, antara aspek utama pakej rangsangan dan Bajet Mini 2009 adalah mewujudkan peluang pekerjaan dan sejak Mac 2009 sejumlah 38,495 daripada 50,000 jawatan kosong di sektor awam sudah diisi.

"Kerajaan juga sudah mengambil 11,131 orang sebagai pekerja kontrak, yang mana mereka disarankan mencari pekerjaan tetap setelah tamat kontrak.

Sebanyak 100,000 lagi peluang latihan dan pekerjaan diwujudkan menerusi agensi dan syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC) dengan kerjasama sektor swasta.

Langkah itu, kata Najib, memanfaatkan pekerja dari sektor perkhidmatan, graduan menganggur, pekerja yang diberhentikan, ibu tunggal, pekerja kurang upaya dan aperentis.

Beliau berkata, sebanyak RM230 juta telah dibahagikan kepada pelbagai pusat latihan di peringkat negeri untuk latihan teknikal dan daripada jumlah itu RM169 juta digunakan untuk latihan kepada 13,916 pekerja daripada pelbagai industri.

"Secara keseluruhan, keadaan pasaran pekerja bertambah baik pada suku keempat. Jumlah pemberhentian pekerja berkurangan kepada 2,125 orang berbanding 12,590 orang pada suku pertama tahun lalu," katanya.

Najib menjelaskan pada suku keempat 2009, pertumbuhan penggunaan swasta yang berterusan dan peningkatan perbelanjaan sektor awam menyumbang kepada permintaan dalam negeri yang lebih tinggi, meningkat tiga peratus berbanding 0.4 peratus pada suku ketiga 2009.

Peningkatan penggunaan swasta itu disokong oleh pasaran pekerja yang lebih baik, kadar inflasi rendah serta perbelanjaan lebih tinggi pada musim cuti persekolahan dan perayaan pada akhir tahun.

Sementara itu, terdapat tanda penstabilan dalam perbelanjaan modal sektor swasta pada suku keempat tahun lalu kerana sentimen perniagaan terus bertambah baik.

Perkembangan itu, katanya, berserta perbelanjaan sektor awam yang tinggi, telah menyumbang kepada pemulihan dalam pembentukan modal tetap kasar yang mencatat pertumbuhan positif sebanyak 8.2 peratus pada suku berkenaan berbanding penguncupan 7.9 peratus pada suku sebelumnya.

Menyentuh prestasi eksport, Najib berkata, Malaysia kembali mencatat pertumbuhan positif 5.1 peratus berbanding penguncupan 22.4 peratus pada suku ketiga, disokong peningkatan permintaan luar negara, khususnya dari negara serantau serta harga komoditi yang lebih kukuh.

Malaysia juga terus menerima pelaburan asing dengan aliran masuk kasar meningkat kepada RM7.2 bilion berbanding RM6.7 bilion pada suku ketiga, dengan sejumlah besar pelaburan adalah dalam sektor perkilangan dan perkhidmatan.

Penguasaan wanita tidak membimbangkan

SIBU 23 Feb.2010 - Penguasaan wanita dalam perkhidmatan awam bukan sesuatu yang membimbangkan kerana yang lebih penting adalah memenuhi jangkaan kerajaan dalam memberi khidmat terbaik untuk rakyat, kata Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Perdana Menteri berkata, kemasukan pelajar baru ke universiti juga menunjukkan jumlah wanita lebih ramai dan oleh itu tidak menghairankan jika mereka mendominasi perkhidmatan pegawai tadbir dan diplomatik (PTD) dalam jangka waktu terdekat.

''Soal jantina tidak penting, yang penting sekali kemampuan perkhidmatan awam untuk melaksanakan dan memenuhi jangkaan serta keperluan rakyat," katanya pada sidang akhbar di akhir lawatan dua hari ke Sarawak hari ini.

Sebelum itu, beliau dan isteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor menghadiri majlis makan tengah hari sempena Tahun Baru Cina 2010 bersama masyarakat Tionghua Sibu di sini.

Turut hadir, Ketua Menteri, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud; Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Seri Mohd. Shafie Apdal; Timbalan Ketua Menteri, Tan Sri George Chan Hong Nam dan Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang.

Najib diminta mengulas kenyataan Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS) yang meluahkan kebimbangan berikutan penguasaan penjawat wanita dalam perkhidmatan awam.

Sementara itu mengulas cadangan kerajaan Pusat untuk membantu memindahkan kubur 22 anggota tentera berasal dari Sarawak yang disemadikan di Semenanjung, Najib berkata, ia sedang menunggu persetujuan keluarga terlibat.

''Saya tidak tahu apa peraturannya, sama ada kita perlu mendapat arahan mahkamah dan keluarga yang berkenaan, bagaimanapun kita akan buat selepas ini," jelas Perdana Menteri.

Menurut beliau, kerajaan negeri telah bersetuju menyediakan satu tapak manakala peraturan persemadian sedang dicari.

Ketika berucap pada program Pemimpin Bersama Rakyat di Rumah Panjang Ugap Seribu di Nanga Tada, Kanowit, 80 kilometer dari sini, beliau berkata, kerajaan Pusat sedia membawa pulang jenazah mereka yang merupakan tentera Iban yang berani menentang komunis.

Kecekapan wanita laksana tugas jadi kriteria utama

Rata-rata kakitangan kerajaan berpendapat peningkatan jumlah golongan wanita dalam sektor awam bukan menjadi satu masalah yang perlu dibimbangi.

Sebaliknya bagi mereka, kecekapan dan keupayaan menjalankan tugas adalah kriteria utama yang perlu dititik beratkan pada seseorang pekerja tanpa mengira lelaki atau perempuan.

Tinjauan Utusan Malaysia hari ini mendapati perkara tersebut merupakan faktor penting untuk menilai tahap prestasi seseorang pekerja sama ada di sektor awam mahupun swasta.

Seorang kakitangan awam, Muhaizatul Akmar, 29, berkata, hasil kerja yang diberikan oleh seseorang kakitangan awam perlu berkualiti selain dapat melaksanakan tugas dengan sempurna.

''Ini kerana lelaki dan perempuan, masing-masing mempunyai kelebihan dan kekurangan dan ia suatu perkara yang tidak boleh dipertikaikan.

''Apa yang penting kita perlu fokus dan komited kepada tugas yang telah diberikan dan menjalankannya dengan penuh tanggungjawab," katanya ketika ditemui di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Setiausaha Agung Kongres Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Dalam Perkhidmatan Awam (CUEPACS), Ahmad Shah Mohd. Zin semalam yang melahirkan kebimbangan terhadap penguasaan golongan wanita dalam perkhidmatan awam yang semakin meningkat.

Beliau dipetik sebagai berkata, trend sekarang menunjukkan lebih ramai wanita dilantik memegang jawatan membuat keputusan dan bakal mempunyai implikasi jangka panjang untuk kemajuan dan pertumbuhan negara.

Muzammil Ishak, 25, turut mengakui tentang 'kebanjiran' kakitangan wanita dalam sektor awam terutamanya di peringkat jawatan tinggi.

Katanya, keadaan itu adalah disebabkan keupayaan dan kebolehan kaum hawa untuk melepasi sistem merit bagi jawatan tersebut berbanding kaum lelaki.

''Keadaan itu sedikit sebanyak menyebabkan berlakunya ketidakseimbangan kepada jumlah kakitangan awam.

''Justeru, sesuatu perlu dilakukan bagi mengelakkan berlaku nisbah perbezaan yang serius antara lelaki dan wanita pada masa hadapan," katanya.

Sementara itu, Dzulkifli Junid, 33, pula berkata, jumlah kakitangan awam di kalangan wanita lebih ramai terutama bagi jawatan profesional disebabkan pencapaian akademik mereka.

Katanya, keadaan tersebut sedikit sebanyak memberikan kesan kepada persekitaran perkhidmatan awam khususnya kerana wanita yang mendominasi kepimpinan peringkat tertinggi dan bukannya lelaki.

''Tetapi kita tidak boleh menyalahkan wanita kerana jumlah mereka juga yang paling banyak menguasai penempatan di institusi pengajian tinggi di seluruh negara berbanding lelaki," katanya.

Norhayati Ahmad, 35, pula berkata, keadaan sektor awam sekarang ternyata berbeza apabila kaum wanita sudah berupaya melakukan pelbagai tugas yang dahulunya dikuasai oleh kaum lelaki sahaja.

''Tempat saya bekerja sekarang pun dipenuhi wanita dan kami menjalankan tugas pentadbiran.

''Kami sebagai kakitangan awam wanita juga akan melakukan tugas di luar pejabat apabila diperlukan disebabkan tiada pekerja lelaki," katanya.

Golongan lelaki mesti berusaha meningkatkan ilmu

MUNCUL semula isu membabitkan wanita menguasai pelbagai bidang pekerjaan di negara kita. Isu ini sekejap timbul sekejap hilang. Ia muncul semula selepas statistik atau kajian terbaharu dibuat mengenainya.

Semua pihak memahami bahawa dalam sesetengah bidang terutamanya perguruan, jumlah tenaga pengajar wanita lebih ramai, malah melebihi dua pertiga. Masalah disiplin di sekolah dikatakan berpunca daripada ramai tenaga pengajar wanita berbanding lelaki.

Walaupun ada yang menafikan tetapi setidak-tidaknya rasa gerun pelajar terhadap guru wanita lebih rendah berbanding guru lelaki. Apabila pekerja sektor awam dan swasta dikuasai oleh wanita, ada pihak mencadangkan tindakan menambah guru lelaki turut dilakukan.

Soalnya sekarang, minat belajar dan jumlah penuntut di sekolah mahupun institusi pengajian tinggi di seluruh negara dikuasai oleh pelajar wanita. Merekalah yang rajin belajar dan ada kesedaran pentingnya ilmu.

Soalnya juga, ke mana perginya golongan lelaki? Oleh sebab malas membaca, maka ramai pelajar lelaki tidak mahu belajar tinggi terutama jika ia melibatkan soal kena banyak membaca, kena buat tesis dan sebagainya.

Di institusi pendidikan yang berteraskan kemahiran pun, sudah mula terdapat ramai pelajar wanita. Mereka juga sudah belajar tentang komputer sehinggalah cara-cara hendak membaiki komputer, mereka menguasainya.

Kita percaya, lama-kelamaan dalam kursus buat rumah dan bina bangunan pun, akan ada lebih banyak pelajar wanita. Tidak cukup dengan pegawai-pegawai pertanian, golongan wanita juga sudah ada yang mengusahakan kolam ikan, kolam udang dan sebagainya.

Oleh itu, golongan lelaki mesti merebut peluang yang ada di hadapan mereka untuk bersaing dengan wanita. Tidak perlulah mereka membuang banyak masa dengan tidur, melepak, merempit, dadah dan sebagainya yang tidak membawa apa-apa keuntungan.

Jika mereka amalkan perkara itu secara berterusan, kita percaya golongan wanita akan membolot semua jenis pekerjaan termasuk bidang pekerjaan yang memang dikuasai oleh lelaki. Kita tidak boleh menolak golongan wanita jika mereka ada keupayaan, ada ilmu, kemahiran dan layak memegang sesuatu jawatan, apatah lagi jika tidak ada calon lelaki yang sesuai dan layak bagi mengisi kekosongan jawatan yang ditawarkan.

Sekarang, peluang untuk menuntut ilmu cukup luas. Di samping universiti, banyak kolej dibuka dan kursus-kursus yang ditawarkan sesuai dengan pasaran kerja negara.

Tempat-tempat itulah yang perlu diisi oleh lelaki, bukannya memenuhi katil-katil hospital dalam keadaan kaki dan tangan berbalut kerana terlibat dalam kemalangan atau merempit, atau memenuhi pusat-pusat serenti atau penjara kerana pelbagai kesalahan dadah dan jenayah.

Kesedaran sangat penting bagi golongan lelaki untuk menentukan arah dan masa depan mereka. Walaupun kita tidak menafikan hak wanita untuk sama-sama belajar dan bekerja dalam pelbagai bidang, tetapi kita bimbang sistem sosial berubah jika ramai wanita memegang jawatan tinggi dalam sektor-sektor tertentu.

Malah, di dalam kehidupan berumah tangga, akan ada masalah yang bakal timbul iaitu soal rasa rendah diri lelaki terhadap isterinya, apatah lagi jika pendapatan isteri lebih tinggi.

Mohd Shah Saemin, 43, working as a Malaysian consulate driver was murdered yesterday in Sydney, Australia by two men believed to have ferociously stabbed and bashed him to death in a road rage incident.

According to The Star Newspaper the said victim was attacked when he reached home from work just after midnight on Sunday (21/02/2010).

Superintendent Shayne Woolbank said that road rage was a possible motif of the attack and believed that there may have been a traffic accident shortly before the victim reached his home on Marion Street.

"Mohd Shah Saemin recently became an Australian citizen and had worked as a consulate driver for three years. His untimely death came as a shock to us when we got news of it," said Mohd Nasir Abu, Malaysian consul general.

Both, Saemin Mo'ngin and Misnah Kasri, parents of Mohd Shah Saemin, were shocked to learn of their son's murder when they were informed early Tuesday (23/02/2010) morning by a friend of their son's. This was later confirmed by an embassy official in Australia.

"He had planned to return for the Hari Raya celebrations this year with the family. He was a good and loving son who called home every fortnight" said the victim's mother, Misnah Kasri.

The victim's ex-wife Jamalina Abdullah, an Australian visited the bereaved family and was seen comforting them.

The victim's parents hoped that the Australian police would arrest those responsible for their son's murder as soon as possible.

The Malaysian Foreign Minister offered condolences to the family further echoing their pleas for justice.

Mohd Shah's body will be flown back to Malaysia for burial.

Village for the aged will be built, says Wong

Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said the government has not given up on building a village here for the growing aging population

Speaking at Taman Li Hua Community Association’s Chinese New Year gathering at a leading restaurant yesterday afternoon, Wong, who is also Minister of Environment and Public Health, said they scrapped such a project earlier on to give way to a centre for the disabled.

He said the centre now stands at Jalan Alan as the Agape Centre has been built, and so they would move on to build the ‘Silver Hair Village’.

“We cannot deny that the aging population is increasing in Malaysia because according to a national survey, about eight per cent of Malaysians will be people over 65 years old by 2020.”

He said a family report in 2004 showed that a third of the population were people 15 years old and below, but this figure is dropping.

“On the other hand, the number of those 25 to 65 years old is increasing. Our society is aging.”

In 2005, he said, another survey indicated that every 15 Malaysian workers had to care for an aged person.

“Today, we find that couples not only bring up their children; they have to take care of their elderly parents as well.”

He said this had become a task too great for working couples, and therefore, the building of the Silver Hair Village, a recreation and healthcare centre for the aged, could not be overlooked.

For the today’s youths, he said they must learn and get themselves ready to take care of their old parents.

As for senior citizens, he called on them not to retire too early from society as they have the experience to still make some useful contributions.

Wong said he was pleased with the completion of the Agape Centre, saying it was one of the best equipped centres for the disabled in Sarawak.

He praised Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King for his commitment, saying that he had played a major role in getting centre built.

He announced that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife would grace the opening of the centre today as part of their visit to central Sarawak.

He said there was another 3.75 acres next to Agape Centre that Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud had designated for charity.

With that they had intended to extend the centre.

He said the Sarawak Blind Society, Sibu Branch had intended to move to a larger space due to their growing needs.

“We could incorporate the extension of Agape Centre for the blind and the aged as well.

“At the same time, we shall continue working on building the Silver Hair Village.”

At yesterday’s gathering, organising chairman Kong Chung Mieu handed over a souvenir to Wong. The association chairman is Penghulu Tiong Tung Uh.

Get jobs at Defence Ministry via Universiti Pertahanan

Many Sarawakians do not know that Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) is the only public university in the country that pays monthly salaries to its undergraduates.

The salaries range between RM1,206.96 and RM1,553.04.

Besides, the undergraduates are entitled to allowances and bonuses while their tuition and accommodation fees are fully sponsored.

On top of that, they would be offered a job in the Defence Ministry immediately after their graduation.

However, there is something that the undergraduates have to sacrifice.

For instance, they would not be able to enjoy long semester breaks like other undergraduates.

They also have to serve in the Defence Ministry for between 10 years and 13 years.

UPNM assistant registrar Mohd Amirul Zzaki Razmi explained yesterday that the undergraduates were required to involve in military training during semester breaks.

“Nevertheless, they would be given one week holiday before and after the training,” he told thesundaypost when met at the 2010 Higher Education Carnival at Permata Exhibition Centre here.

He said UPNM, which was established in November 2006, offered engineering, science and technology, resource management and medical courses.

The university, located at Sungai Besi Camp in Kuala Lumpur, was the former Akademi Tentera Malaysia (ATMA), he said.

“We are the only university in Malaysia that pays our students salaries, and our yearly intake is only 500 students. However, the enrolment of students from Sarawak and Sabah is still low.

“I believe many East Malaysian students do not know about UPNM, even teachers may not know about it. UPNM is one of the universities governed by the Higher Education Ministry, but its students are fully sponsored by the Defence Ministry,” he explained.

He said the university had less than 50 Sarawak students since its first enrolment, adding that its current student population was about 1,700.

“Last year, 12 candidates from Sarawak were called for interview, but only eight qualified to be enrolled in our one-year foundation programme,” he said.

The interview was conducted at Penrissen Camp near here.

The seven to nine-day interview which included physical and fitness tests was carried out in April every year in various military camps throughout the country, Amirul said.

Another UPNM assistant registrar Muhammad Khaidzir Lokman, meanwhile, said 80 per cent of the university’s students were male.

He pointed out that UPNM was different from other public universities where it had only one intake per year, which was in July every year.

“Besides the one-year foundation progrmme, the length of study ranges from three to five years. Medical students have to complete five years of study, engineering students four years and students of other courses three years.

“While in the university, the undergraduates are also required to pass at least six military trainings,” he added.

For further information, the public can visit the booth of UPNM at the carnival.

The two-day education carnival which ends today (Feb 21) is themed ‘Jom Masuk U’.

It is an annual event organised by the Higher Education Ministry and supported by the Education Ministry.

About 100 higher learning institutions and organisations are participating in the carnival which has received overwhelming response from students and the public.

Students, led by their teachers, were seen collecting brochures and gathering information from different booths as early as 8.30am yesterday.

Two teachers from SMK Bandar Semariang here were spotted busily discussing and gathering information from different booths.

Suzi Runis, 32, said she and her colleague Lydia Karlos led 29 Form 5 students to the exhibition.

The counsellor teacher said the fair provided a good platform for students to be exposed to various higher learning institutions in the country. She added that such exhibitions not only benefitted students, but also teachers.

“The exhibition gives students latest information about various universities in Malaysia. It is very helpful. Sometimes, the information teachers have is limited.

“Maybe the ministry could consider organising such exhibitions slightly early so that students could have better preparation and more time to think about their future,” she added.

SMK Lundu fifth former Shazziela Abdul Rahman, 17, said her visit to the exhibition was to get detailed information about qualification and the process to enter university.

“I’ll be sitting for the SPM this year. I wish to be a medical doctor or a teacher. I think the fair is useful in terms of enlightening me about the courses and programmes offered by the universities,” she said.

She was accompanied to the fair by her family members.

For Nur Ezzati Hamdin, 18, she did not miss the chance to visit the fair for other possible choices.

The former student of SMK Agama Tun Ahmad Zaidi, who is currently waiting for her SPM result, said she aimed to be a geologist.

“I’m here to have a look at various universities. Actually, I hope I could further my studies at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam,” she added.

Abdul Taib Yakup, 41, the father of a girl who is waiting for her STPM result, said the fair provided useful information to his daughter.

Abdul Taib, from Kota Smarahan said he knew about the fair through a radio programme.

“I encourage my daughter to visit the fair. It is important that she knows about different choices so that she could make a wise decision after she get her results,

Give best service, audio visual technicians urged

KUCHING: State deputy director of Information Sharifah Mariam Syed Dawilah yesterday called on audio visual technicians to give their best service when providing the public address system at official functions.
She said this year would be another busy year for the department so they must ensure the equipment for the sound system was also in tip-top condition.

Mariam was speaking at the closing of a three-day Audio Balancing Workshop for the department’s 24 audio visual technicians at its office at Jalan Bako near here.

She said as the equipment belong to the government, they must be well managed to render them useable at any time.

She also reminded them to apply whatever knowledge imparted to them at the workshop.

The course taught technicians to operate and manage sophisticated sound equipment.

Among the topics delivered by Razman Ariffin from the Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation were ‘Headroom Resolution’, ‘Introduction to EQ’, ‘Ear Training’, and ‘Art of Audio Balancing’.

More CCTVs to be installed in Sibu town

SIBU - Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) as the secretariat of the Sibu Safe City Programme (SSCP) will install more CCTVs in town this year.Council secretary Hii Chang Kee said there were now seven CCTVs – two units each at Pansar in Market Road and near EON Bank at Mission Road and three units at Kampong Nyabor Road.

“Sibu is implementing various projects under the Safe City Programme this year,” he said.

Hii disclosed this at a press conference after the first meeting of SSCP committee at SMC conference room here yesterday.

The committee is made out of representatives from several government departments, agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The meeting was chaired by council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King. His deputy Daniel Ngieng Kiong Ann was also there.

Hii said the Safe City Programme was a local level partnership to reduce street crimes and bring together local councils, police and other related agencies to tackle local problems with localised initiatives.

“It outlines 23 crime-prevention steps with three strategies, namely redesigning of physical environment, target hardening, and public education through social and community activities,” he said.

Brochures on crime prevention will be distributed with billboards rigged up at identified hot-spots for crimes.

The committee will meet every month to discuss issues such as crime rate, identification of crime hot-spots, crime mapping, prevention of crimes and so on.

“We will also recommend actions and measures to help reduce the crime rate,” he said.

Crackdown on illegal rubber tapping syndicate

SIBU: The police are serious in busting a syndicate employing illegal foreign rubber tappers in a few areas here.Sibu police chief ACP Shafie Ismail said this included renting of hotel rooms to record statements from individuals and witnesses who have direct involvement in the illegal activities.

He said they had to go to hotels because witnesses were reluctant to have their statements recorded at the police station for safety reasons.

“The main problem was that most of the witnesses are not willing to cooperate with the police because they fear their identities would be known by the syndicate

“Some could have been threatened by the criminals not to lodge any report. It takes time to convince the witnesses,” he said.

Shafie was speaking at a press conference held at Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) conference room in conjunction with the first meeting of Sibu Safe City Programme committee, yesterday.

Sibu Municipal Council chairman Datuk Tiong Thai King, deputy chairman Daniel Ngieng and secretary Hii Chang Kee were among those present.

Shafie said it was not an easy task for the police to catch the illegal workers even in broad daylight as there could be a trap set up by the syndicate in the rubber plantation area.

For this, the police would launch a massive operation to wipe out the syndicate, he assured.

He said they were now in the process of collecting information, working with the General Operation Force and Immigration Department.

He said the police had identified areas which included Durin, Sungai Bidut and Bukit Lan for them to zero in in their investigation.

The syndicate, he said, brought in the illegal immigrants through ‘jalan tikus’ in Entikong from Kalimantan.

“From our information, we believe the immigrants were employed to tap rubber in someone else’s estates. The owners of these estates are unaware of it as most of them are staying outside Sibu.

“Even those who are aware of the illegal activities dare not report them for safety reasons.”

The police, he said, needed at least three direct statements from those directly involved in such illegal activities to cripple the syndicate.

Earlier, when fielding a question from Ngieng, he said drug addiction problem in Sibu is still under control and Syabu was the most popular drug type used by the junkies.

While not mentioning the number of drug cases here, he said most of the cases did not involve drug addicts.

“The drugs were supplied from Peninsular Malaysia mostly from Johor, brought in through cargo as well as mail delivery.

“We have identified one or two of the big players (pushers) in Sibu for our investigation.”

Tabung Haji isytihar bonus 5 peratus

Seramai 5.1 juta pendeposit akan menikmati bayaran mulai Isnin depan

Tabung Haji semalam mengisytiharkan bonus pendeposit tahunannya sebanyak lima peratus bagi tahun 2009 dengan anggaran keseluruhan bayaran berjumlah RM1.1 bilion.“Walaupun 2009 merupakan tahun yang mencabar, Tabung Haji dengan komitmen dan perancangan yang rapi masih mampu mencatat pencapaian kewangan yang boleh dibanggakan,” kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom ketika mengumumkan bonus itu di sini.

Tabung Haji, yang mengumumkan kadar yang sama pada tahun sebelumnya, telah mengisytiharkan pemberian bonus interim pada kadar 2.25 peratus pada September lepas dengan jumlah bayaran RM465 juta.

“Jika dibuat perbandingan terhadap kadar purata pulangan perbankan komersil untuk simpanan tetap dan tabungan, jelas sekali pemberian bonus Tabung Haji sejak dahulu lagi mempamerkan satu kadar yang amat kompetitif,” kata Jamil Khir.

Seramai 5.1 juta pendeposit Tabung Haji akan menikmati bayaran bonus itu mulai Isnin depan.

Dana pendeposit terkumpul Tabung Haji meningkat pada kadar 12 peratus tahun lalu kepada RM23 bilion daripada RM20.6 bilion tahun 2008.

Tabung Haji memperuntukkan zakat perniagaan sebanyak RM39 juta berbanding RM38 juta pada tahun sebelumnya.

Jamil Khir berkata Tabung Haji mungkin boleh membayar dengan kadar yang lebih baik untuk tahun 2010 berbanding tahun lalu memandangkan senario ekonomi semakin pulih.

Tabung Haji yang pernah membayar bonus setinggi tujuh peratus pada tahun 2007, telah mengambil kira kos tanggungan langsung haji sebanyak RM54 juta bagi musim haji 1430 hijrah yang lalu.

Ia telah mencatatkan pendapatan dan keuntungan selepas zakat masing-masing sebanyak RM1.7 bilion dan RM1.1 bilion, dan keduaduanya meningkat pada kadar 12 peratus.

— Bernama