Fire destroys factory in Muar

Fire destroys factory in Muar

Fire destroys factory in Muar

Posted: 04 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

05 February 2014| last updated at 11:48PM

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the 8.45am fire was the result of a short-circuit from a drying machine at the factory registered under Paragon Progress Sdn Bhd.

"The drying machine was next to a pile of wood and because of that it spread rapidly," he said.

The department received a distress call about 9am and it dispatched 14 firefighters and two fire engines from Muar and Bukit Gambir to the scene.

"The effort to put off the fire was carried out by 11 firemen from Muar and three personnel from Bukit Gambir," he said.

It was learnt that the factory has many combustible materials.

Firefighters attempting to extinguish the fire at the furniture factory in Bukit Pasir Industrial Area, Muar that was caused by a short-circuit from a drying machine causing an estimated RM2 million worth of damages. Pic by Syarafiq Abd Samad

Govt mulls incentives to encourage shop owners

Posted: 04 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

05 February 2014| last updated at 11:41PM
By ROZANNA LATIFF AND ALANG BENDAHARA | news@nst.com.my

KAJANG: THE government is mulling several incentives to encourage shop owners to sell their goods at lower prices.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday that while the matter was still being studied, the incentives may include promoting shops by including them on the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry fair price list.

"Many small businesses do not have the funds for promotions or advertising, so perhaps, we could help by marketing them as shops which sell affordable goods," he said.

Muhyiddin said the move would be part of the government's effort to speed up the process of rating fair price shops.

These shops, he said, would be selected if they met the required criteria of offering lower prices and adhering to the ministry's regulations.

Muhyiddin was speaking after conducting surprise price checks at four eateries and markets in Negri Sembilan and Selangor as part of a government effort to monitor rising costs.

During his visits, he said that shoppers were not wont to complain about price hikes because they could make the choice on which outlets to patronise.

"I find that consumers who take the time to compare prices are able to save more. If we shop compulsively, then we will run into (financial) problems."

He called for consumer education and awareness to be raised to encourage the public to shop at places offering goods at reasonable prices.

Such places, he said, included Mydin and Econsave hypermarkets.

He said consumer associations could play a larger role by holding education programmes to help the people make better purchasing decisions.

"We have allocated a small fund for such programmes so that consumers know where they can obtain goods at lower cost and reduce their financial burden."

Muhyiddin was accompanied on his visits by Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yakob.

In Seremban and Nilai, Muhyiddin was accompanied by Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Many shoppers were taken by surprise by Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of the Special Cabinet Committee to Tackle the Rising Cost of Living, and his entourage.

"The visit is timely," said shopper Mung Sin Lian, 41, adding it was humbling to see the country's leaders going to the ground to check food prices.

"I hope the government continues with these efforts and come down hard on irresponsible shop owners who hike prices."

Mung, who works at a dental clinic in Mantin, said she regularly shops at the Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) store.

Shopper Salwani P. Ramli said more of such stores should be opened.

"I shop here regularly as I know the store uses the standard price issued by the government," the 32-year-old babysitter said.

"Mantin is a small and quiet town. For a leader to come here to check on food prices means a lot."

Housewife Saodah Aminan, 50, from Taman Lavender Heights, Senawang, said she often shops at Mydin Mall, about 15km from her home, as the goods were cheaper.

"As a consumer, we have to be smart in making the proper choices so that we save cost and reduce our monthly expenditure." Additional reporting by Sukhbir Cheema

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (second from left) talking to shopper Junaidah Ali, 60, at a Mydin store in Seremban. Accompanying him on his surprise price checks visit are Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek (second from right) and Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. Pic by Dzulkeffli Mustapha

Shabery: Kok's video created uproar

Posted: 04 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

05 February 2014| last updated at 11:55PM

The communications and multimedia minister said Kok's acting in a satirical video clip titled Onederful Malaysia, which had gone viral on YouTube, had created an uproar.

"(Kok) has bad taste, so is this a good example from a DAP leader?

"When we insult the country and point out the weaknesses of others, it will only encourage others to do the same."

He said this after a visit to Measat Satelite Systems Sdn Bhd in Cyberjaya near here yesterday.

Present were Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd (Measat) director Tun Hanif Omar, Measat chief executive officer Paul Brown-Kenyon and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Mohamed Tarmizi.

Shabery said he wanted all quarters to stop such activities (putting down leaders and the country) through YouTube and other social media channels as they could threaten the country's peace, especially racial unity.

In Kota Kinabalu, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) calling itself Gabungan NGO Pro BN issued an ultimatum to Kok to prove the existence of pirates in Sabah within 14 days, or face a suit.

"It's definitely her intention to embarrass Sabahans, to tarnish the state's image," the NGO's president, Zulkaranain Mahdar, said. Bernama

Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek (second from left) listening to an explanation by Paul Brown-Kenyon (second from right) during a visit to Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd in Cyberjaya yesterday. With them are Tun Hanif Omar (right) and Datuk Mohamed Sharil Mohamed Tarmizi. Pic by Fariz Iswadi Ismail


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Aloyah takes over from Alias as Immigration DG

Posted: 04 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

05 February 2014| last updated at 11:20PM

Aloyah takes over the post today.

"The programme that had been made will proceed.

"I will look at the plans that are in line with the Home Ministry's transformation plan," Aloyah said at ceremony to hand over duties from outgoing director-general Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad yesterday.

Aloyah, 57, who holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from Universiti Sains Malaysia, joined the civil service as an administrative and diplomatic service officer in 1989.

Alias, who has been appointed as the secretary-general of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, said he had faith in his successor's ability to take the department to greater heights.

Datuk Aloyah Mamat takes over as Immigration director-general which was previously held by replaces Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad (right) today as the new Immigration director-general. Pic by Fariz Iswadi Ismail


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Construction worker charged with rape, kidnap

Posted: 04 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

05 February 2014| last updated at 11:22PM
By RIZALMAN HAMMIM | news@nst.com.my

MUAR: A CONSTRUCTION worker was charged at the magistrate's court here yesterday with three charges, including abducting and raping, a 10-year-old girl last week.

He pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

On the first charge, Sia Tiong Yap, 29, from Bukit Bakri here, was accused of abducting the girl from a car in Lorong Jaafar, Jalan Mahmud in Bukit Pasir here at 2pm on Jan 28.

On the second charge, Sia was accused of committing sexual intercourse against the order of nature without the victim's consent at an oil palm plantation at Batu 8 1/2 Bakri at 2.30pm and 2.50pm on the same day.

On the third charge he was accused of raping the victim at the same location at 3pm.

Sia, who was unrepresented, only nodded when asked by the court interpreter if he understood the charges.

He pleaded to Magistrate Suzana Mokhtar for bail, saying that he was married and has two children to support.

Deputy public prosecutor Kartini Kasran, objected and asked that the court deny bail to the accused due to the serious nature of the offences.

Suzana denied bail and set Feb 20 for mention so that the medical and chemistry reports could be submitted and for the accused to appoint a lawyer.

Sia Tiong Yap, being escorted into the magistrate's court in Muar, Johor, yesterday. Pic by Syarafiq Abd Samad

'I-City wax museum arson not an inside job'

Posted: 04 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

05 February 2014| last updated at 12:03AM

 I-CITY management yesterday denied that the arson at the Red Carpet wax museum was perpetrated by its employees.

Its deputy chairman, Datuk Eu Hong Chew, said a majority of the park's employees were students from Universiti Teknologi Mara and believed they could not have committed the act of sabotage.

He said the park's close-circuit television (CCTV) footage also showed that the three suspects involved were professionals.

"We believe our employees could not have committed the sabotage as they do not have reason to do so. We do not have any issue with former or current employees.

"The case is being investigated by police and we are waiting for the result of the investigation."

Eu also revealed that the three arsonists targeted the Red Carpet's most sought after exhibits located at its "World Icon" section.

This section hosts life-size wax figures of United States President Barack Obama, Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.

CCTV footage from the park's security cameras also revealed that the arsonists came prepared with backpacks, headlamps and masks and were armed with torchlights, flammable chemicals and matches.

"We believe that the statues were targeted by the arsonists, though we are not sure yet about the motive behind it.

"The fire destroyed a dozen of our wax figures as well as the background for our exhibits."

Eu said repair and refurbishment works of the affected exhibits and background scenes were expected to be completed in two months' time and would cost nearly RM2 million.

"We have made a pledge to the state Tourism Department to make sure that it would be finished by then. This is because the Red Carpet is part of the attraction for the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign.

"When we re-open the 'World Icon' exhibit we expect to make the exhibit even better than before by adding interactive elements to our show."

Eu said the Red Carpet arson case would not affect the flow of tourists to I-City as there were other attractions they could enjoy.

"We believe that the number of tourists visiting I-City would not be affected as we have a lot of other attractions such as the snow house, water theme park and space adventure.

"We have also relocated some of the unaffected wax exhibits, without their respective background scenes, to a smaller location for visitors to enjoy at RM5 per entry."

Last Wednesday, three men entered the wax museum through its emergency exit and poured flammable chemical over a number of wax figures before lighting them up with matches. The case is believed to be an act of sabotage though no suspect has been arrested so far.

Some of the exhibits that were destroyed in the fire at the Red Carpet wax museum at I-City in Shah Alam last week. Pic by Roslin Mat Tahir