Harga minyak catat rekod AS$147.21 setong

LONDON 11 Julai - Harga minyak melambung dengan minyak mentah New York mencatatkan rekod tertinggi baru ekoran tekanan pengeluar minyak Iran dan kelemahan dolar Amerika Syarikat (AS) pada penghujung minggu dagangan.

Minyak mentah mencecah paras tertinggi baru AS$147.21 (RM476.96) setong pada dagangan elektronik.

Selepas mencatat paras tertinggi baru, kontrak hadapan minyak berkualiti tinggi Light Sweet penghantaran Ogos pada AS$145.08 (RM470.00) naik AS$3.43 (RM11.11) pada penutup semalam, manakala minyak mentah Brent North Sea bagi penghantaran Ogos meningkat AS$3.57 (RM11.56) kepada AS$145.66 (RM471.93) di papan elektronik selepas mencecah AS$146.40 (RM474.33) awal hari ini.

Menurut penganalisis Sucden, Andrey Kryuchenkov harga minyak mentah terus meningkat akibat kebimbangan terhadap keadaan geopolitik semasa dan kekurangan bekalan.

''Pasaran kekal sensitif terhadap ancaman gangguan bekalan serta tekanan geopolitik,'' katanya.

Harga minyak telah meningkat hampir AS$6 (RM19.44) setong pada Khamis lalu akibat kebimbangan masalah politik yang melanda pengeluar utama minyak dunia Iran serta kebimbangan berterusan kekurangan bekalan minyak global, kata pelabur.

Isnin lalu, harga minyak pasaran hadapan telah menjunam di bawah paras AS$140 (RM453.60) setong ekoran pengukuhan dolar AS, menunjukkan ketidaktentuan pasaran.

Pengukuhan nilai mata wang AS, menjadikan harga minyak pada kadar dolar mahal berbanding mata wang yang lemah menjadikan permintaan terhadap minyak kurang.

Hari ini, pelabur terus memerhatikan secara dekat perkembangan Iran sebagai pengeluar kedua terbesar OPEC yang mengeluarkan 4.0 juta tong minyak sehari.

Semalam, Iran telah melancarkan ujian peluru berpandu, menolak kebimbangan global terhadap krisis program nuklearnya.

- AFP

Malaysia's May industrial output up 2.5 percent

Malaysian industrial output rose 2.5 percent in May 2008 from the same month last year on increases in the manufacturing and electricity indices, government data showed Friday.

On a monthly basis, the industrial production index (IPI) was up 1.7 percent in May while for the first six months of the year the IPI recorded a 5.0 percent increase from last year, the statistics department said.

It said May's expansion was due to increases in the manufacturing index, which rose 4.0 percent, and electricity output, which was 2.6 percent higher.

The mining index contracted by 2.6 percent, the data showed.

The statistics department attributed growth in the manufacturing sector to an increase in output of cars, audiovisual equipment, and crude palm oil, which recorded a 20.7 percent increase.
The mining sector dipped "due to the decrease in the index of natural gas," but crude oil edged up 1.0 percent.

Compared to last month, the manufacturing sector rose 1.3 percent, the electricity sector grew 3.1 percent and mining rose 2.8 percent.

Agence France-Presse - 7/11/2008 12:07 PM GMT

Kuota diesel subsidi pengusaha bas sekolah ditambah

Kerajaan hari ini mengumumkan tambahan kuota diesel subsidi bagi bas sekolah bertujuan meringankan beban ibu bapa daripada terpaksa membayar tambang tinggi ekoran kenaikan harga petrol dan diesel baru-baru ini.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad berkata, tambahan antara 180 liter hingga 1,230 liter sebulan itu akan diagihkan mengikut kapasiti bas sekolah.

Beliau berkata, bagi bas sekolah dengan kapasiti 14 penumpang akan menerima 750 liter diesel subsidi sebulan, bas sekolah 31 penumpang (1,200 liter sebulan) dan bas sekolah 44 penumpang menerima 1,800 liter diesel subsidi sebulan.

``Sebelum ini bas sekolah hanya menerima 570 liter diesel subsidi sebulan dan tambahan diesel subsidi ini akan mengurangkan beban ibu bapa serta pengusaha bas sekolah.

``Jadi pembaharuan seperti ini yang akan kita lakukan untuk membantu rakyat,'' katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas meninjau kaunter pengeluaran kad fleet diesel subsidi di kementeriannya di sini hari ini.

- Utusan.

Harga baru gas diumum

Kerajaan hari ini mengumumkan penstrukturan semula harga gas untuk sektor industri yang menyaksikan kenaikan harga bahan bakar itu secara purata dari RM12.87 per Million British Thermal Unit (MMMBtu) kepada RM22.06 MMMBtu membabitkan penggunaan kurang daripada 2 juta kaki padu sehari (mmscfd) berkuat kuasa 1 Ogos ini.

Bagaimanapun bagi industri yang tahap penggunaan gasnya melebihi 2 juta mmscfd pula menikmati pengurangan kadar tarif apabila berkuat kuasa 1 Julai lalu, sektor berkenaan dikenakan harga sebanyak RM23.88 per MMMBtu berbanding RM32.56 MMMBtu yang diumumkan kerajaan pada 4 Jun lalu.

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Amirsham A. Aziz mengumumkan demikian pada sidang akhbar di sini hari ini.

Menurutnya, kadar harga baru itu bagi penggunaan di bawah 2 juta mmscfd melibatkan sebanyak lebih 8,000 pengguna domestik yang mengunakan gas melalui saluran paip dan lebih 10,000 bagi enam kategori pelanggan termasuk pengusaha industri kecil dan sederhana (IKS).

Bagi pelanggan yang melebihi 2 juta pula akan melibatkan kira-kira 1,500 pengusaha industri yang tidak membabitkan sektor elektrik.

``Struktur harga baru gas bagi sektor tersebut adalah membabitkan pemberian diskaun sebanyak 70 peratus daripada harga di pasaran yang kini bernilai RM79 per MMMBtu,'' katanya. –

-Utusan.

RM24 mln for Sibu flood woes

Limited funds in view of available allocation for project under Ninth Malaysia Plan

Limited funds are cutting into Sibu flood mitigation projection, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Wednesday.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) the federal government would be able to meet just five per cent of the RM460 million estimated cost needed to contain Sibu’s perennial watery problem.

According to Uggah, the five per cent would amount to RM24 million which would go into the implementation of the first phase of the plan.

In fact, he said, RM24 million was well short of the money needed to implement the first of the project which had been estimated to cost RM100 million.

“However, in view of the limited allocation for this project under the 9MP, the first phase of this project will be implemented with the available allocation amounting to RM24 million,” said Uggah in his winding-up speech on the mid-term review of the 9MP.

Uggah pointed out earlier that studies had been carried out to overcome the floods in Sibu and its surrounding areas and that several long term solutions had been identified. He told the august house that among the studies were the “Urban Drainage Masterplan Study for Sibu Town” carried out by the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) in 1998.

Some of the solutions identified under the DID study are the construction of a flood barrier along Sungai Seduan and Sungai Teku, construction of a flood diversion canal, the construction of a pump station and a tide-control gate, upgrading of the present roads to act as flood barriers along Batang Igan and Batang Rajang, upgrading the current drainage and the construction of flood retention ponds.

Uggah said: “The estimated total cost for the implementation of flood mitigation projects for Sibu and its surrounding areas is RM460 million. As of now, the detailed project designs have been completed.”

On Tuesday, Sibu Democratic Action Party (DAP) publicity secretary, Richard Chiong had demanded that the government implement its flood mitigation plan for the town quickly.

He told a press conference that three weeks had lapsed since the last rounds of euphoria when the people here were clamouring for a concrete solution to their flood woes.

“However, lately, it seems that once again people are not paying attention to the flood woes. While the people become apathetic, the government seems to keep a low profile, perhaps hoping that after a while everything would just die away,” he said.

Chiong claimed that nothing was mentioned about flood mitigation through the mid-term review of the 9MP and that the people here wanted to know how much the government had allocated for flood mitigation, when the project would be implemented and how it would be carried out.

Pak Lah undur 2010

SEPAKAT: Abdullah dan Najib ketika sidang media selepas Taklimat Khas Presiden Umno di PWTC

Peralihan kuasa beri peluang kepada Najib buat persediaan

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menamatkan spekulasi berhubung proses peralihan kuasa dalam kepimpinan parti dan kerajaan apabila mengumumkan akan melepaskan jawatannya pada pertengahan 2010 dengan menamakan Datuk Seri Najib Razak sebagai penggantinya.

Sehingga tempoh itu, Perdana Menteri dan Najib masing-masing akan mempertahankan jawatan Presiden dan Timbalan Presiden Umno pada pemilihan parti, Disember ini.

Mengumumkan keputusan itu selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno dan taklimat khas bersama Presiden Umno di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di sini semalam, Abdullah berkata: “Saya memaklumkan kepada MT bahawa saya sudah mencapai kata sepakat dengan Najib bahawa saya tidak akan memimpin Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) pada pilihan raya umum akan datang.

“Bermakna satu peralihan kuasa perlu diwujudkan dan ia bermula dengan apa yang diumumkan hari ini iaitu saya bercadang menyerahkan jawatan kepada Najib untuk ambil alih jawatan parti pada Jun atau pertengahan 2010.”

Abdullah berkata, keputusan itu juga dimaklumkan kepada ketua bahagian yang menghadiri taklimat khas selepas mesyuarat MT dan mendapat maklum balas positif apabila beliau menerima ‘standing ovation’ yang disifatkannya sebagai merestui proses peralihan kuasa itu. Perdana Menteri berkata, keputusannya itu dibuat bagi mengukuhkan parti dan memastikan semua program yang dirancang dan dijanjikan kepada rakyat pada pilihan raya umum lalu dapat dilaksanakan dengan baik.

“Saya juga sudah nyatakan kepada Najib bahawa saya inginkan beliau terus menjadi timbalan saya sehingga tarikh saya menyerahkan jawatan kepadanya,” katanya.

Isu berhubung peralihan kuasa itu mula dibangkitkan pelbagai pihak selepas BN gagal memperoleh kemenangan majoriti dua pertiga pada Pilihan Raya Umum, Mac lalu. Sejak itu, Abdullah didesak melaksanakan pelan peralihan kuasa kepada Najib berdasarkan amalan biasa Umno.

Perdana Menteri menjelaskan, tarikh pertengahan 2010 dipilih untuk memberi beliau dan Najib peluang menempuh proses pemilihan parti, selain membolehkan penggantinya membuat persediaan menghadapi pilihan raya umum ke-13.

“Adalah penting untuk membuat pengumuman sekarang kerana proses peralihan kuasa perlu mengambil masa dan ia dapat memberi peluang kepada Najib menghadiri forum dan mesyuarat yang lazimnya saya hadiri bagi mewakili kerajaan dan membolehkan Najib berinteraksi dengan pemimpin negara lain. Beliau juga akan berkesempatan menjalankan tugas saya dari semasa ke semasa,” katanya.

Ditanya apakah proses peralihan kuasa akan berlaku sepenuhnya, Abdullah berkata: “Anda tunggu hingga tiba masanya, apabila ia berlaku, anda akan tahu.” Mengenai peranannya selepas 2010, Abdullah berkata, penggantinya akan diberi kuasa sepenuhnya untuk mentadbir kerajaan dengan caranya sendiri.

“Terpulang kepada kebijaksanaan Najib memimpin kerajaan. Saya tidak akan tukar pandangan kerana keputusan sudah dibuat.

Nampaknya ia akan menjadi peralihan kuasa yang cantik,” katanya menjawab soalan jika wujud desakan supaya beliau melepaskan jawatan sebelum 2010.

Ditanya sama ada beliau sedih dengan keputusan yang dibuat itu, Abdullah berkata: “Tentu sekali, tetapi saya lebih rasakan yang saya sudah mengambil satu tindakan yang diterima baik dan itu yang dikehendaki.

“Saya berpendapat, peralihan kuasa mesti dilaksanakan dalam proses baik dan disenangi parti. Dengan cara ini pihak yang akan mengganti saya akan menjadi pemimpin kepada parti, bukan kepada setengah parti atau geng dia saja.”

Perdana Menteri berkata, jika pertarungan atau pertandingan dibiarkan berlaku dalam proses memilih pemimpin, beliau bimbang akan berlaku perpecahan dalam parti yang tentu akan merunsingkan ahli Umno sendiri.

“Peralihan kuasa adalah pendekatan paling baik, parti tidak berkocak, semua berjalan baik, kepemimpinan terus berjalan dan parti tidak perlu dibaiki lagi. Itu yang saya rasa. Apa yang saya lakukan, saya bersyukur dan saya juga rasa bersyukur kerana dapat memilih seorang yang dapat memimpin parti dengan baik,” katanya.

Ditanya apakah tindakan ini terlalu awal dan dibuat kerana tekanan, Abdullah berkata: “Tindakan ini wajar, sebelum ini pun ada tekanan dan ada pelbagai pandangan mengenainya tetapi yang penting perasaan saya dalam hal ini dan saya rasa saya mesti serah jawatan kepada pengganti saya dan ini cara yang saya pilih.

” Mengenai pembangkang yang mungkin menganggap pengundurannya itu satu kemenangan pada mereka, Perdana Menteri berkata, beliau akan berhadapan dengan pembangkang dan memastikan semua yang dirancang berjalan lancar.

Beliau juga menyerahkan kepada Ketua Umno bahagian Gua Musang, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah untuk membuat keputusan sama ada akan bertanding jawatan tertinggi parti, akhir tahun ini.

Najib to take over in 2010

Abdullah says will hand over post of Umno president and BN chairman to his deputy two years from now

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday announced that he would hand over the post of Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak by middle of 2010.

He said the process of transferring the power had begun and that with the decision, he would not be leading the BN in the next general election expected to be held sometime in 2012 or 2013.

“I took the opportunity to inform the Supreme Council at the meeting just now that I have reached an agreement with Datuk Seri Najib that I will not be leading the BN in the 13th general election.

“And this will also mean that we have to set in motion the process of transferring the power. I informed the Supreme Council that the process would begin with the announcement I’m making today (yesterday).

“… that I plan to hand over the (Umno) president’s post to Datuk Seri Najib by middle of 2010,” he told a news conference after a close-door special briefing with Umno divisional leaders as well as leaders of the party’s three wings — Wanita, Youth and Puteri — at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre here yesterday.

Asked whether there was any decision made to prevent contest for the party’s top two posts, Abdullah said there was none.

He hoped Najib would continue to be his deputy until he handed over the power.

“I feel that the relation is good. My intention is to strengthen the party and continue with the programmes which we have planned, including pledges made in the election.

“I would therefore be happy if my deputy, by the time I hand over the post, is Datuk Seri Najib. This will be my tribute to him and I have chosen him to be my successor for I’m confident that he will be able to lead the party,” he said.

Abdullah said during the transition process, both he and Najib would strive to consolidate the party and restore the people’s support to a level even stronger than before.

The prime minister said during the period he would also work extra hard in the effort to eradicate hardcore poverty apart from implementing other programmes.

Abdullah also expressed his gratitude to Najib for his deputy’s willingness to accept his leadership proposal, which was well-received by Umno leaders at the close-door meeting with them giving it a standing ovation and thunderous applause.

Asked why the year 2010 was chosen, Abdullah said the timeframe was sufficient for him to implement the various projects and programmes he had planned with Najib.

“During the period, God willing, all programmes including the judicial reform and the move to turn the Anti-Corruption Agency into a full-fledged commission would have been completed,” he said.

Abdullah said Najib also needed time to prepare for the leadership take-over and to face the next general election.

Asked why he chose to announce the leadership transition at this juncture, he said: “I think it is important that the process of handing over the power must take some time. During the period, Najib will also be attending forums and meetings which I normally attend, representing the government.”

He said the period would also give Najib the opportunity to interact with leaders from other countries.

The news conference yesterday, which was also attended by Najib, took place in a jovial mood, with Abdullah giving his deputy the opportunity to speak, before both of them fielded questions from the media.

The prime minister said he also appreciated the good cooperation and understanding he had with Najib on issues they both faced in the party and government.

He said both of them had been members of various cabinet committees set up to address issues of national importance. Najib was also assigned to handle many other tasks and head various committees, he said.

Asked on the Supreme Council members’ reaction to the decision, the prime minister said they had spoken their minds during the meeting and in the end, they agreed to it.

He described the standing ovation as a sign that they were agreeable to the decision.

“I hope this will be conveyed to the grassroots members who will definitely be interested to know what happened in the meeting. I hope the divisional leaders will convey the agreement reached between Datuk Seri Najib and I,” he said.

Asked whether he would stay out of power after stepping down as prime minister, Abdullah said, “You (will have to) wait for that. You will know when it happens.”

On allegations connecting Najib with the slain Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, Abdullah said the issue was another matter and had nothing to do with the decision made by the party yesterday.

On the move to table a motion of no-confidence by opposition leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail in Parliament yesterday, Abdullah said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president was free to move whatever motion and it would not affect the transition of power.

Asked by the media why he was expressionless and did not look sad about his decision, Abdullah spontaneously reacted as though he was crying and later laughed together with Najib and several Umno leaders who were present at the press conference.

“Well I feel bit of sadness. But I think there is more sense of achievement.

“I feel I was able to make a decision that is well received. That is what we want,” he said.

The prime minister said the leadership transition in the party should be a smooth process which was welcomed by the party so that whoever took over would be a leader to the party as a whole and not just to a few or to his supporters only.

“It’s normal that whenever there is a contest and someone wins, there will be some who will be disappointed, it will be difficult for the loser’s group,” he said.
As such, the power transition was the best approach and the party would not be in turmoil, Abdullah said.

Asked whether the power transition was being made due to pressure by certain groups, he said the decision was appropriate and if there were pressure, this occurred some time back and there had been many opinions raised on the matter.

“There were some who asked (me) to wait until the next election.
Many opinions… But what is important is my feelings on this matter and I must hand over the leadership to my successor,” he said.

Replying to a question whether the decision represented a victory to the opposition who wanted him to step down, he said: “I will face them. They want to get rid of me and BN. The opposition can say anything they like,” he said.

He said this was the time to carry out the promises made to the people and not to engage in party disputes and so on, where Umno was a responsible party that was not easily diverted from issues faced by the people.

Asked what he hoped Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah would do after the announcement yesterday, Abdullah said he left it to the Gua Musang Umno head to decide for himself.

The prime minister said he would not insist on the implementation of the projects that he had planned when someone else took over the government leadership, adding that the new leader would certainly have his own way of doing things.

“What is good is good and it does not mean that there cannot be value added,” he said.
Abdullah concluded the 27-minute long press conference saying he had made a decision and he would not retract it.

— Bernama

498,800 isi rumah berpendapatan kurang RM1,000 sebulan

Sebanyak 498,800 atau 8.6 peratus daripada 5.8 juta isi rumah di negara ini memperoleh pendapatan di bawah RM1,000 sebulan, kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Amirsham A Aziz.

Beliau berkata, perangkaan terkini itu berdasarkan Penyiasatan Pendapatan Isi Rumah atau Kemudahan Asas yang dijalankan oleh Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia tahun lalu.

Amirsham berkata, bagi kategori isi rumah berpendapatan RM1,000 hingga RM2,000 sebulan, terdapat 1,705,200 atau 29.4 peratus, RM2,001 hingga RM3,000 (1,148,400 atau 19.8 peratus) dan RM3,001 hingga RM4,000 (748,200 atau 12.9 peratus).

Katanya, sebanyak 731,000 atau 8.6 peratus isi rumah berpendapatan RM4,001 hingga RM5,000 sebulan, RM5,001 hingga RM10,000 (916,400 atau 15.8 peratus), dan RM10,001 ke atas (284,200 atau 4.9 peratus).

Beliau berkata, antara dasar RMK-9 ialah untuk menaikkan lagi pendapatan penduduk di negara ini dan menambah peluang pekerjaan bagi kaum yang tercicir.

- Bernama

Niaga hadapan KLCI ditutup tinggi

Kontrak hadapan Indeks Komposit Kuala Lumpur (KLCI) ditutup lebih tinggi hari ini sejajar dengan pasaran tunai yang lebih kukuh, kata peniaga.

Mereka berkata pelabur menjejaki prestasi kukuh harga saham di pasaran serantau. Julai 2008 menokok 26 mata kepada 1,116, Ogos 2008 naik 31 mata kepada 1,106, September 2008 meningkat 26 mata kepada 1,097.5 dan Disember 2008 menokok 23 mata kepada 1,077.

Perolehan dicatatkan lebih rendah kepada 10,089 lot berbanding dengan 10,182 lot semalam manakala kepentingan terbuka meningkat kepada 37,894 kontrak daripada 37,114 kontrak sebelum ini. Pendasar KLCI ditutup 18.56 mata lebih tinggi di paras 1,139.81.

- Bernama

Ahmad Shabery yakin debat dengan Anwar manfaatkan rakyat

Menteri Penerangan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek yakin langkahnya untuk berdebat dengan Penasihat Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim pada 15 Julai ini dapat membantu rakyat untuk lebih memahami kewajaran kerajaan menaikkan harga petrol dan diesel bulan lalu.

Beliau berkata sebagai Menteri Penerangan, menjadi tanggungjawab beliau untuk memberi penjelasan kepada rakyat berhubung isu berkenaan.

"Saya melihat risiko Anwar lebih besar kerana dia selalu menganggap dirinya sebagai seorang pemimpin besar serta mempunyai ramai pengikut.

"Debat ini juga adalah peluang saya untuk memberitahu rakyat bahawa cara dia (Anwar) salah dan dia tidaklah sehebat mana," katanya kepada Bernama di lobi Parlimen di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengakui bahawa debat itu adalah sesuatu yang baru di kalangan masyarakat negara ini dan sehubungan itu, sudah pasti akan timbul rasa bimbang kepada sesetengah pihak.

"Memang ada yang akan bimbang dengan debat ini... tapi percayalah perkara (debat) itu akan beri manfaat kepada negara kita," katanya.

Semalam, isu perdebatan antara Ahmad Shabery dan Anwar mengenai kenaikan harga bahan api mendapat reaksi yang berbeza daripada kalangan Ahli Parlimen.

Terdapat barisan penyokong kerajaan yang meminta debat itu dibatalkan kerana mendakwa ia tidak akan mengatasi sebarang masalah dan pertentangan pendapat, malah kemungkinan Anwar akan menggunakannya untuk menggelirukan lagi fikiran rakyat.

Debat bertajuk "Hari Ini Membentuk Kerajaan, Esok Turun Harga Minyak" anjuran portal berita Agenda Daily itu dijadualkan berlangsung di Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), di sini.

Sehingga ini beberapa stesen televisyen tempatan berhasrat menyiarkan debat itu secara langsung.

- Bernama

Malaysia sumbang RM2.4 juta bantu mangsa bencana

Malaysia sudah menghulurkan sumbangan berjumlah RM2.437 juta melalui Tabung Bencana Alam Kementerian Luar Negeri bagi membantu mangsa tiga bencana alam di China dan Myanmar tahun ini.

Dalam kenyataan hari ini, kementerian berkenaan berkata daripada jumlah itu, RM1.109 juta dan RM179,156 disumbangkan kepada mangsa ribut salji dan gempa bumi di China.

Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Rais Yatim menyerahkan sumbangan bagi membantu mangsa ribut salji kepada Duta Besar Republik Rakyat China Cheng Yonghua, 3 Jun lalu.

Kementerian itu juga menerima sumbangan berjumlah kira-kira RM1.149 juta daripada orang ramai bagi membantu mangsa taufan Nargis di Myanmar Mei lalu, yang akan diserahkan kepada negara berkenaan pada tarikh yang akan diumumkan kelak.

Kementerian berkenaan akan mengeluarkan penyata tabung itu secara bulanan dan butirannya boleh didapati dengan melayari www.kln.gov.my.

- Bernama

G8 leaders agree on halving emissions by 2050

The Group of Eight major powers agreed Tuesday to at least halve global carbon emissions by 2050 in what leaders hailed as a step forward, but developing nations demanded they do much more.

After two days huddled in the Japanese mountain resort of Toyako, leaders of the world's eight most powerful economies also voiced concern about soaring oil and food prices and pledged to speed up aid to Africa.

But the most contentious issue before them was climate change, with US President George W. Bush standing firm on his stance that developing countries must take action before rich nations would budge.

The leaders of the G8 -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States -- said they shared a "vision" of reducing emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050.

Last year's summit in Heiligendamm, Germany had agreed only to "seriously consider" cuts in the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for heating up the planet.

"This is a significant step forward from Heiligendamm," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. "This means that the international community will no longer get off the hook."

The G8 nations also said they would each set their own interim targets for curbing greenhouse gas emissions for a still unspecified amount of time after the Kyoto Protocol's obligations expire in 2012.
But in a nod to Bush, the G8 leaders also called on major developing nations to join them in cutting emissions.

"In our view, and in the view of the leaders in the room, this represents substantial progress from last year," said Dan Price, Bush's assistant for international economic affairs.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda had pleaded for this year's summit not to backtrack on earlier pledges on global warming, which UN scientists warn could put entire species at risk unless it is curbed by later this century.
"It's been a long road getting here. We had some very tough negotiations," Fukuda told reporters.

But the G8 leaders can expect another difficult round of talks Wednesday when they are joined by leaders of the developing world.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and three other leaders of developing nations met in the nearby city of Sapporo on Tuesday and urged that rich countries cut emissions by 25 to 40 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels.

Singh and Hu also met and agreed that climate negotiations must be held "in a fair and equitable way which does not affect development and growth in developing countries," Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told reporters.

South Africa's environment minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk questioned whether the G8 leaders had truly moved forward.

"We are concerned that it may, in effect, be a regression from what is required to make a meaningful contribution to meeting the challenges of climate change," he said.

The G8 deal was full of ambiguity. Senior Japanese official Koji Tsuruoka said that the long-term goal should be seen as a "political vision" without a clear base year and that it is not legally binding.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy appeared to disagree, saying: "We have reached a binding level. That's real progress."

Environmentalists said the progress was nothing to shout about.

"If after a year's work all you have is a 'shared vision' instead of 'seriously considering,' it's pretty pathetic," said Kim Carstensen, head of the WWF's Global Climate Initiative.

Daniel Mittler, a climate change expert at Greenpeace International, said that "instead of action, the world got flowery words."

"The Texas oilman has once again prevented the G8 from undergoing the energy revolution it needs," Mittler said. "Bush is a lame duck, so who cares what he thinks about 2050?"

The United States is the only major industrial nation to shun the Kyoto Protocol. Bush argues that it is unfair because it makes no demands of growing emerging economies such as China and India.

But both major candidates to succeed Bush, John McCain and Barack Obama, have pledged stronger action on global warming, including forcing domestic industry to cut emissions in the world's largest economy.

The G8 leaders issued a statement warning that soaring oil and food prices pose a "serious challenge" to world economic growth and calling for boosted crude oil production capacity.

"The world economy is now facing uncertainty and downside risks persist," the group said in a joint statement.

In another area of contention, the leaders set a timeframe of five years to commit 60 billion dollars to Africa to help fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

Delegates said that Britain had pushed for a more ambitious commitment of just a few years, but Canada had initially resisted any timetable.

Agence France-Presse - 7/8/2008 1:06 PM GMT

Malaysia Airlines axes loss-making routes

Malaysia Airlines has axed 15 loss-making routes, mostly to China and India, as it streamlines operations to survive high fuel prices, the official news agency Bernama said Tuesday.

Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat said the carrier would cease operations between the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur and Manchester, Vienna, Zurich, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Pontianak, Xian, Chengdu and Cairo.

Flights to Perth and Sydney from the Borneo island city of Kuching, and the Langkawi-London and Penang-London routes will also be closed in stages, Ong told parliament, according to Bernama.

Ong said the issue of whether the national carrier would let budget carrier AirAsia take over the routes would be discussed. AirAsia took on domestic routes abandoned by Malaysia Airlines in an earlier round of cost-cuts.

The carrier hiked fuel charges by 25-80 percent on most routes last month, and said the aviation industry's future was "really bleak" unless drastic measures were taken.

Malaysia Airlines has slashed staff and routes in a so-far-successful effort to reinvent itself and arrest a series of losses that threatened its viability.


Agence France-Presse - 7/8/2008 10:32 AM GMT

Inner Growth: Think right, sleep tight

TODAY, millions of people suffer from sleeplessness or insomnia. It is a serious problem because it interferes with the body’s ability to recoup the energy needed for the next day. Sadly, many individuals resort to sleeping pills and drugs, which ultimately make the problem worse.

There are several factors leading to sleeplessness. Very often, negative thinking and wrong actions during the day cause sleep disturbances during the night. Repeated suppression of the voice of one’s conscience impairs mental health which results in negative personality traits and insomnia.

Another factor that affects one’s sleep is food. Mental ill health adversely affects one’s eating habits. It undermines our eating habits, the choice as well as the quality of food. This, in turn, influences sleep and health. The biggest single factor contributing to sound sleep is sound mental health.

Practise being positive throughout the day. The seed of your thoughts and actions is hope, good wishes for everyone and nature. Your optimism generates the conviction that whatever happens is for the best. Even if you get sidetracked, you know how to take stock and drive with confidence in the right direction.

Tell yourself: Each day I face new situations — nothing remains the same. When I learn to adapt, I am happy, whatever the situation may be. I will sleep well.

Dewan Rakyat: Curbs on cybercafes

CYBERCAFES will soon be required to submit a record of their customers to the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

This was aimed at stopping schoolchildren from loitering at such places during school hours, said Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.

This was part of several moves to tighten regulations governing these centres. His ministry will also work with authorities to conduct regular raids on cybercafes in efforts to stop gaming.

PM janji pastikan negara aman

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hari ini berjanji akan memastikan Malaysia terus berada dalam keadaan aman dan selamat walaupun negara kini dipengaruhi oleh persepsi yang tidak baik kepada negara dan kerajaan.

“Kerajaan mahu memastikan suatu suasana di mana rakyat tidak perlu bimbang atau takut dan mereka berupaya memberikan tumpuan kepada isu utama bagi memastikan mereka dapat mengatasi masalah yang dihadapi sekarang dan melakukan yang terbaik untuk diri sendiri, keluarga dan syarikat atau organisasi yang mereka wakili,” kata Perdana Menteri.

Ketika mengulas mengenai demonstrasi yang diadakan oleh sesetengah pihak serta perkembangan politik terkini, Abdullah memberitahu Bernama di sini bahawa beliau tidak senang hati dengan apa yang berlaku sekarang.

“Tetapi saya sedar dan memahami keadaan masa ini,” tegas beliau.

“Saya juga tahu rakyat kian muak dengan permainan politik yang berlaku masa ini. Fitnah sudah kian bermaharajalela. Salah atau benar sudah tidak diambil kisah,” katanya.

Perdana Menteri menegaskan bahawa keutamaan beliau dalam menghadapi situasi sekarang adalah untuk memberi perhatian kepada perkara atau isu utama seperti menangani kenaikan harga minyak dan barangan serta pembangunan untuk rakyat.

“Pilihan raya telah pun selesai. Rakyat telah pun menentukan amanah yang diberikan kepada parti-parti politik pilihan mereka. Rakyat telah pun memilih Barisan Nasional untuk terus memerintah.

“Dengan itu, saya tidak nampak apa kewajarannya lagi berdemonstrasi, atau bermain politik yang hanya untuk menimbulkan ketidakstabilan yang boleh mengancam keselamatan rakyat. Ia juga bertujuan untuk menumbangkan kerajaan pilihan rakyat,” kata beliau.

“Saya berharap rakyat akan bersama saya untuk beri perhatian kepada usaha-usaha mengatasi segala masalah dan cabaran yang dihadapi hari ini agar kita dapat menjamin keamanan, keselamatan dan kesejahteraan rakyat,” kata Abdullah.

– Bernama

Kemalangan di S’wak meningkat

Peningkatan dicatat dari segi kemalangan maut, cedera parah dan kemalangan secara keseluruhannya

Kemalangan maut yang melibatkan pengguna jalan raya di Sarawak antara Januari hingga Mei 2008 tahun ini meningkat kepada 5.3 peratus iaitu 119 kes berbanding 113 kes pada tahun 2007.

Mengikut statistik JKJR Sarawak, bilangan kematian bagi tempoh yang sama (Januari-Mei) bagaimanapun menurun sebanyak 5.1 peratus kepada 129 kes pada 2008 berbanding 136 kes pada 2007.

Penunggang dan pembonceng motosikal adalah penyumbang utama kes kemalangan maut melibatkan 66 kematian pada 2008 berbanding 55 kematian pada 2007.

Kes yang melibatkan kecederaan parah pula meningkat kepada 24.8 peratus iaitu sebanyak 196 kes pada 2008 berbanding 157 kes pada 2007.

Sebanyak 6,514 kes kemalangan jalan raya dicatat 2008 berbanding 6,193 kes dalam tempoh yang sama pada 2007, iaitu meningkat sebanyak 5.2 peratus.

Peningkatan jumlah kemalangan adalah berpunca daripada sikap segelintir pengguna jalan raya yang tidak mengutamakan keselamatan diri serta pengguna jalan raya lain.

Sehubungan itu, setiap pengguna jalan raya perlu mengutamakan keselamatan diri dan pengguna jalan raya lain.

Menurut statistik yang dikeluarkan oleh JPJ Sarawak, bilangan kenderaan baru didaftarkan bagi tempoh Januari hingga April 2008 adalah sebanyak 23,852 unit dengan 10,415 unit adalah motosikal.

Jumlah kenderaan berdaftar di seluruh negeri Sarawak sehingga 30 April 2008 adalah sebanyak 1,062,951 unit dengan 458,569 adalah motosikal.

Purata sebulan terdapat penambahan 6,000 kenderaan baru di jalan raya negeri Sarawak.

Pelbagai usaha telah diambil bagi menangani kemalangan jalan raya yang antaranya adalah menubuhkan Jabatan Keselamatan Jalan Raya (JKJR), mengadakanPprogram Pendidikan Lalu Lintas Shell, memperkenalkan Modul Pendidikan keselamatan Jalan Raya (Road Signages), penggunaan tali pinggang keledar belakang dan kempen-kempen melalui risalah dan media cetak.

Bagi menangani masalah kemalangan setiap pengguna dinasihati agar sentiasa mematuhi undang-undang jalan raya dan merancang setiap perjalanan dengan baik.

Justeru, adalah perlu untuk semua pihak bekerjasama antara satu sama lain agar semua program murni yang dilaksanakan dapat dijalankan dengan lancar dan teratur.

Malaysia Airlines hikes fuel surcharges

Malaysia Airlines hiked fuel surcharges on its international routes Friday, after warning the aviation industry's future was "really bleak" unless drastic measures were taken.

The national carrier increased the surcharges by 25-80 percent on most routes, but said the move would only partially cover the increase in fuel costs and it would monitor prices closely for future revisions.

"We are actively mitigating the high fuel price by adjusting our international fuel surcharge to recover some of the fuel costs and to match the competition," said managing director and CEO Idris Jala.

Jala said that with oil prices at unprecedented levels, more airlines would be forced out of business and the majority would sink into the red.

"The prognosis for the industry is really bleak," he said.

"Change -- and I mean drastic change -- is absolutely vital for our survival. That, and a willingness to reinvent the way we operate, including through mergers and acquisitions," he said.
Jala said the flying public must be prepared to face sharply higher prices for air travel "or be prepared to stomach even higher prices later when the number of participants become fewer and competition fizzles out".

"Put bluntly, if these adjustments don't take place -- and quickly -- the airline industry will collapse and have a ripple effect throughout the entire world economy," he said.

Malaysia Airlines has slashed staff and routes in a so-far-successful effort to reinvent itself and arrest a series of losses that threatened its viability.

Jala said the carrier had "kept our head above water" with a modest profit in the first quarter of this year, but that increases in surcharges were unavoidable -- although it would hold off on domestic routes for now.

"Fares may have to go up -- no longer incrementally -- but by as much as half, capacity cut by a quarter and costs cut even further by a tenth," he said of the global aviation industry.

"These have to be done in the face of customer resistance, grounding aircraft, cutting staff and squeezing out virtually all but the most essential costs," he said.

Jala said the industry faced a "perfect storm" with the surging oil price, a slowing global economy, overcapacity and the rapid growth of budget carriers, which are shaving margins to the bone.

But he said that if carriers were brave enough to introduce painful reforms, it would lay the ground for a more sustainable industry with enough operators still in business to keep fares fair.

"The good times will return," he said.

Program Rakan Muda akan jadi kokurikulum sekolah

Program Rakan Muda bakal dijadikan sebahagian daripada kegiatan kokurikulum sekolah dalam usaha untuk mendekati belia dari peringkat awal remaja, kata Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Beliau berkata, perkara itu kini di peringkat rundingan antara Kementerian Belia dan Sukan dan Kementerian Pelajaran termasuk beberapa isu teknikal dari segi pengurusan pelajar yang perlu dibereskan.

“Kami kini sedang mengkaji peringkat umur belia kerana kementerian mengklasifikasikan belia sebagai mereka yang berumur antara 15 dan 25 tahun sedangkan sistem di sekolah menengah bermula pada umur 13 tahun.

“Di samping itu, kami mahu mendekati belia tanpa mengganggu jadual pembelajaran mereka terutama yang dalam persiapan untuk menduduki peperiksaan Penilaian Menengah Rendah dan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia,” katanya selepas majlis pelancaran Rakan Muda Remaja Siber oleh isteri Perdana Menteri, Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah di sini hari ini.

Ismail berkata, program Rakan Muda Remaja Siber bertujuan mendekatkan remaja dengan gaya hidup remaja siber iaitu untuk berkomunikasi dan berinteraksi secara maya terutama remaja di luar bandar.

“Tahun ini, dalam fasa pertama, pusat siber akan diwujudkan di 16 kompleks rakan muda dan empat pusat kegiatan rakan muda bagi menampung minat dan keperluan remaja.

“Dalam fasa kedua dan ketiga nanti kementerian akan pastikan semua 114 pejabat belia dan sukan daerah dan pusat kegiatan rakan muda dilengkapi dengan pusat siber,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, kos dan pengurusan untuk fasa kedua dan ketiga akan menelan belanja RM5.6 juta setahun dengan RM830,400 lagi disediakan untuk menyewa kelengkapan ICT.

“Pusat siber itu akan dikendalikan anggota rakan muda sendiri dengan pemantauan pihak berkuasa bagi mewujudkan rasa tanggungjawab di kalangan belia,” katanya.
- Bernama

Stesen minyak operasi 18 jam

Berkuat kuasa 1 Julai ini, stesen minyak di seluruh negara akan beroperasi selama 18 jam mulai 6 pagi hingga 12 tengah malam, kecuali di sepanjang lebuh raya yang masih dibenarkan dibuka 24 jam.

Ini adalah antara tiga langkah baru yang diumumkan kerajaan semalam bagi mengurangkan beban pengusaha stesen minyak berikutan peningkatan kos operasi. Dua lagi langkah ialah:

Menaikkan margin komisen jualan petrol kepada 12.19 sen seliter manakala diesel 7 sen seliter mulai semalam, berbanding 9.5 sen dan 4.5 sen sebelum ini.

Melaksanakan sepenuhnya Sistem Khidmat Layan Diri (SKLD) di semua stesen minyak berjenama, kecuali stesen mini tanpa jenama di luar bandar mulai 1 Ogos ini.

Mengumumkan langkah itu, Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Datuk Shahrir Samad, bagaimanapun berkata pengusaha stesen minyak boleh memohon kepada cawangan kementerian di peringkat negeri jika ada keperluan untuk beroperasi 24 jam.

Dalam kenyataannya, Shahrir menjelaskan penstrukturan semula subsidi bahan api yang diumumkan kerajaan 5 Jun lalu menyebabkan peratusan komisen pengusaha stesen minyak semakin kecil hingga tidak dapat menampung kos operasi.

"Masalah ini memberi kesan negatif kepada pengusaha stesen minyak dan ia boleh menjejaskan pembekalan petrol dan diesel untuk kegunaan orang ramai.

"Bagi menangani isu berkaitan, kerajaan memutuskan untuk mengambil tiga langkah berkenaan," katanya yang turut menggariskan tatacara pelaksanaan SKLD.

Kelmarin, Persatuan Pengusaha-Pengusaha Stesen Minyak Tempatan (PDAM) yang dianggotai 3,500 ahli menghentikan sementara urus niaga menggunakan kad kredit sehingga kerajaan memenuhi tuntutan mereka berhubung kenaikan komisen jualan minyak.

Presiden PDAM, Mejar (B) Abdul Wahid Bidin, berkata tindakan itu diambil bagi mengurangkan beban pengusaha stesen minyak berikutan peningkatan kos operasi, termasuk caj kad kredit yang dikenakan bank.

Malaysian govt pushes through vote on fuel price hike

Malaysia's ruling coalition pushed through a vote supporting its fuel price hike in parliament Monday, but the opposition said the debate highlighted intense public opposition to the move.

The Barisan Nasional won the vote 129 to 78, and avoided a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi which a minor party in the 14-party coalition had campaigned for.

Abdullah has been fighting for his political survival since a drubbing in March elections, and this month's 41 percent increase in petrol prices has put him under further pressure.

One of the reasons the government was forced to increase the fuel price was because the subsidy, which was 8.8 billion ringgit (2.5 billion dollars) in 2007, was expected to reach 27 billion this year.

Agence France-Presse - 6/23/2008 12:01 PM GMT