Three killed in horror crash

Three killed in horror crash

Three killed in horror crash

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:01 AM PST

KUALA KANGSAR: THREE people were killed and  five others injured, including three seriously, in a horrific accident here early yesterday.

The dead have been identified as factory van driver Rosmainiezal Mat Ani, 37, and his passengers, Syed Idris Syed Nordin, 42, and Aminah Kamaruddin, 53.

Syed Idris was Rosmainiezal's friend while Aminah was a garment factory worker.

The three seriously injured, Masthura Ali, 47, Sarina Ibrahim, 35, and Norzakiah Awang, 48, were also passengers in the van ferrying factory workers.

Masthura and Sarina are being treated at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRBP) in Ipoh.

The two who sustained minor injuries were the driver of a Toyota Camry, who is being treated at the Grik Hospital and a motorcyclist. Their identities could not be immediately ascertained.

Kuala Kangsar district police chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Gaffar Mohamad said the accident happened about 6.20am when the van was on its way to Tasek, Ipoh, to drop off the factory workers.

He said when the van approched Km70 Jalan Ipoh-Grik near Sauk, it collided with the car, which was believed to have swerved into its lane from the opposite direction.

The motorcyclist, who could not brake in time, crashed into the car.

"Three were killed instantly while three others sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to Kuala Kangsar Hospital for treatment while several others were transferred elsewhere," said Abdul Ghaffar.

"We have yet to detain anyone to assist in our investigation," he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Meanwhile, a motorist who declined to be identified, said he tried to help the victims inside the van while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

"It was heart-wrenching. Some of the victims were crying out in pain. The driver of the van, who was pinned to his seat, had stopped moving."

When met at HRBP here, Sarina said she was sleeping when the accident occurred.

"When I woke up, I found myself on the hospital bed at the Kuala Kangar Hospital before being transferred here.

"I was told we were involved in an accident and my friend (Masthura) was flung out of the van."

Sarina broke her right hand and left leg.

Masthura's husband, Ismail Husin, 65, said his wife was in critical condition and had yet to regain consciousness.

"We were told by doctors that she broke both legs, collarbone as well as her skull, besides other injuries," he said.

Ismail said he was informed of the accident at 10am and rushed here after being told Masthura had been transferred from Kuala Kangsar Hospital.

"My wife has been working in the garment factory for more than 20 years.

"It was a daily affair for her to leave the house early in the morning to work in Ipoh," said the self-employed.

Aminah's daughter-in-law, Sakinah Zulaikha Othman, 21, said the former had repeatedly told her only grandson, Khairil Mustaqim Azrul, 15 months, that she would leave him the night before the accident.

"I heard my mother-in-law telling my son she would leave him. We were staying together and she really loved Khairil," Sakinah said, adding that Aminah had become extremely quiet lately.

She said Aminah had told her she would not leave the factory as her friends, Masthura and Norzakiah, were also working there.

The bodies of the three victims were claimed by family members and buried in their respective villages.

The mangled remains of a van and car which were involved in an accident at Km70 Jalan Ipoh-Grik near Sauk yesterday. Pic by Mohamad Hairi Azmi Tham

Injured man in Egypt not shot

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

09 January 2014| last updated at 12:12AM

A Malaysian embassy spokesman said Zahid Nassir, 27, a former Al-Azhar University student, was with his wife at a bus stop near the mosque where police were trying to disperse a group of people  gathered nearby.

"We have not obtained any confirmation on the object that hit him but it is not a stray bullet, as claimed on  social media."

He said Zahid was taken to Zahraa Hospital for observation and  transferred to the Abbas Hospital for an X-ray.

He said Zahid's wife, a student at Al-Azhar University, was unharmed.

'Ban on foreigners will burden outlets'

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

09 January 2014| last updated at 11:55PM
By HANA NAZ HARUN AND BALQIS LIM | news@nst.com.my

 KUALA LUMPUR: FAST-FOOD operators will face problems solving  high turnover of workers if they are banned from hiring foreigners.

Although locals are keen on working at fast-food outlets, operators said they were likely to only work for short periods of time.

The largest franchise holder of Burger King in Malaysia, Cosmo Restaurants Sdn Bhd, said only 10 per cent of its employees are foreigners.

Its human resources manager, who wanted to be known only as Oi Sin, disagreed with the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers and Illegal Immigrants and was shocked by the move.

She said the committee should hold discussions with fast-food operators and conduct proper surveys before making a final decision.

"The turnover rate in the fast-food industry is high and this is a critical issue.

"If we have to stop hiring foreign workers, we are left with temporary staff. We will incur losses, having to train new staff time and again," she said yesterday.

The committee had on Tuesday decided that all fast-food and similar concept restaurants be banned from hiring foreign workers to give locals top priority.

The committee said such jobs were attractive to youths, school leavers and university students wanting to earn pocket money and gain work experience.

Carl's Jr Malaysia operation director Ali Akhbar Musa said the regulation would affect not only day-to-day operations but would cause a downturn in business.

"If our foreign workers are sacked, it would slow down service, leaving customers unsatisfied."

Ali said 15 to 20 per cent of their workers comprised foreigners, who work at outlets that require more manpower.

He said given Malaysia's positive economic scenario, the dependency on foreign workers was unavoidable, particularly for low-skilled jobs.

"Not all locals are keen to work in this sector, and whether we like it or not, this is the issue we are facing.

"We've had previous cases where local workers would work for a couple of days and complain of tiredness."

McDonald's Malaysia, however, said it would comply with all decisions made by the committee.

Managing director Stephen Chew said in a statement that it prioritised the recruitment of local workers.

"This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that nearly 95 per cent of the company's 12,000 employees are Malaysian.

"We are gathering more information about the decision and will fully support the Malaysian government in enforcing all applicable rulings."

Many fast-food chain operators claim if foreign workers are banned, service will slow down. Pic by Halim Salleh

Driver saved in oil tanker blaze

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

09 January 2014| last updated at 11:36PM

Jeli Fire and Rescue chief Soleh Nasir said the driver, in his 40s, who was injured in the 7.45am mishap, was pulled out in time by passers-by.

He said the lorry was travelling from the north to deliver the fuel to petrol stations here.

"A witness said the driver lost control of his vehicle when negotiating a sharp bend. It skidded and overturned on the opposite lane.

"Passing motorists helped to save the driver as the tanker burst into flames minutes later," he said, adding that the motorists alerted the fire station for help.

Soleh said five firemen were dispatched soon after receiving the call at 8.05am and put out the blaze in 20 minutes.

He said the victim was sent to Jeli Hospital but was later transferred to Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital for further treatment.

Firemen putting out the flames that engulfed an oil tanker which skidded, overturned and caught fire in Batu 8, East-West Highway, Jeli, yesterday. Pic by Kamal Majid

Sabah agency to monitor prices

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

09 January 2014| last updated at 11:37PM
By Kristy Inus | kristy@nst.com.my

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's Community Development and Consumer Affairs Ministry will form a committee to monitor the prices of essential goods  to safeguard the interests of consumers.

The committee, to be chaired by its minister, Datuk Jainab Ahmad, will also promote consumer awareness so that buyers were not taken for a ride by traders, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

Speaking after chairing the year's first state cabinet meeting yesterday, Musa confirmed the state ministry had received reports of unjustifiable hikes in prices of some food items.

"To complement efforts by the Federal Government, the state cabinet has decided to set up this committee.

"We want to ensure that middlemen, retailers and traders do not raise prices on a whim."

He said while it was understandable that the increase in fuel prices would lead to higher cost of goods and services, it was unreasonable for certain quarters to hike prices.

"The matter has been manipulated by certain quarters, who blamed it on the increase in fuel prices and electricity tariffs, whereas it was actually the doing of middlemen who were seeking higher profits.

"Just because price of fuel has gone up, there is no justification in increasing prices by 100 per cent, for example.

"The people are angry with the government and the opposition is throwing all kinds of accusations at it without realising there are those who are taking advantage of the situation."

Musa said the state government would monitor the issue and crack down on profiteers.

"There are those who will accuse us of being half-hearted in this matter. That's why we are making a serious effort to counter this and continue to cooperate at federal level."

He announced that Datuk Seri Sukarti Wakiman's term as state secretary was extended for another year, effective from Jan 9 to Jan 8 next year. Sukarti, 60, has held the position since July 3, 2007.

4 to be quizzed by police about New Year's Eve rally

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

09 January 2014| last updated at 11:56PM

City police deputy Criminal Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Khairi Ahrasa said no arrests in connection to the illegal rally had been made.

"Seven investigation papers have been opened and one of them will be forwarded to the Attorney-General's Chamber soon."

On Dec 31, about 5,000 protesters broke through police barricades around Dataran Merdeka and hurled bottles and cans into the area.

In another development, police said they believed that a fire yesterday in Jalan Tiong Nam involving a container was an act of arson. In the 3.35am incident, two 28-year-old Myanmar nationals were in the area. One escaped while the other died.

Khairi said the case of a Kuala Lumpur City Hall officer who died after committing a robbery had been reclassified from gang robbery to murder.

In the Tuesday incident, the suspect and two others introduced themselves as police before entering a house occupied by two Nigerians.

"Once inside, they robbed the two of RM5,000. As this was going on, one of the victims called his friends." Seven friends arrived shortly after the call and a fight broke out, resulting in the 52-year-old officer being injured. He was taken to hospital but died eight hours later.

Khairi said police had caught the mastermind behind the May kidnapping of a lawyer.

He said police were alerted to a fight in Jalan Raja Chulan on Saturday and picked up those involved, including a 30-year-old man wanted for the kidnapping.