Johari: PBB will continue Taib's agenda

Johari: PBB will continue Taib's agenda

Johari: PBB will continue Taib's agenda

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

14 February 2014| last updated at 11:29PM

The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak deputy president 11 said all three had agreed to support whoever is to suceed Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud as the chief minister.

"All of us agreed to support the next man who will succeed Taib for the job, for greater good of the state and also for every Sarawakian," Johari said during a press conference yesterday.

Adenan, who is Special Functions Minister and also PBB Information chief, has been named the fifth Sarawak chief minister to replace Taib.

Taib handed over his resignation letter to Yang di-Pertuan Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng at the Astana Negeri on Wednesday.

His resignation will take effect on Feb 28.

Adenan will be sworn in on the same day in front of Salahuddin whose tenure will end on the same day.

Johari said the full mandate given to Taib symbolised PBB's struggles that place Sarawakians' interests as their priority instead of their personal interests.

"The strength and sovereignty of the state is more important in this ever changing political landscape, especially in facing the next state election in 2016 and future general election."

"I believe senior leaders in PBB and BN (Barisan Nasional) under the new leadership will continue with the state development agenda that has been laid down by Taib for Sarawak to be a developed state by 2030."

Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg says the chief ministership plan is part of a unity accord signed by him, Tan Sri Adenan Satem and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.


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Najib and iM4U pray for peace and flood victims

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

14 February 2014| last updated at 11:27PM

Najib, who was clad in a pink-coloured baju melayu and a matching kain pelikat, also performed the Maghrib and Isyak prayers as well as recited the Yassin with the congregation, who were mostly members of 1Malaysia For Youth (iM4U).

The occasion, which was also held to pray for flood victims affected by the wet spell last year, was jointly organised by iM4U and the mosque.

Led by the mosque's grand imam Zakariah Isa, Najib, who is iM4U board of trustees chairman, performed the Maghrib prayer before reciting the Yassin with the congregation.

Later, they performed the Isyak and special prayers before proceeding to a dinner at the mosque.

Present were iM4U board of trustees member Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim and its executive committee chairman, Datuk Seri Farid Ridzuan.

Irmohizam said iM4U would like to thank the prime minister for joining the congregation for the prayers.

"We would also like to extend our appreciation to the Federal Territory Mosque in helping iM4U to organise such a special occasion.

"We hope that more youths would come forward and take part in volunteer programmes."

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and 1Malaysia For Youth members reciting the 'Yassin' at the Federal Territory Mosque in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. Pic by Effendy Rashid

4 years jail for causing death of an orang utan

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

14 February 2014| last updated at 11:20PM
By KRISTY INUS | kristy@nst.com.my

KOTA KINABALU: TWO foreigners were jailed four years for hunting and hurting an orang utan, a totally protected species, which later died.

Armil Gundil and Arcamsar Amil, both Filipino construction workers at a plantation here, pleaded guilty to slashing the 15-year-old male orang utan with a parang and tying it up with a nylon string at Sahabat 3, Felda Sahabat in Tungku, Lahad Datu, on Jan 29.

Both were jailed 30 months for hunting the animal and 18 months for hurting it.

The charges were under the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997.

Judge M. Rajalinggam meted out the landmark decision at the Lahad Datu Sessions Court on Wednesday and ordered the jail term to run consecutively.

Sabah Wildlife Department prosecuting officer Karim Dakog said the two men had claimed that they wanted to "exact revenge" by killing the orang utan but witnesses said the two men were planning to eat the protected animal.

Department director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu said members of the Civil Defence Department informed the department about the orang utan being kept by the two men.

"I immediately directed our enforcement team to investigate," he said, adding that the two men were arrested and the badly injured orang utan was rescued.

The department's veterinarian Dr Sen Nathan said post-mortem findings showed the cause of death was malicious in nature.

"There were a lot of bruises on the body which indicated that the animal was badly beaten. There was also severe haemorrhage in the brain," said Sen, who is also the department's assistant director.

The court's decision was a testament that the state government supports the full force of the law to protect the wildlife, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.

"We will show no mercy to anyone causing harm to our totally protected and endangered species.

"Sabah is blessed with some of God's wonderful creatures and it is our moral duty to protect them," Masidi said.

Armil Gundil (right) and Arcamsar Amil at the Lahad Datu Sessions Court in Sabah after they pleaded guilty to hunting and hurting the orang utan which later died.

Adenan welcomed as new CM

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

14 February 2014| last updated at 11:31PM

THE choice of Tan Sri Adenan Satem as Sarawak's new chief minister has been well-received by all.

The naming of Adenan as the fifth chief minister would ensure continuity and spur Barisan Nasional to further develop the state, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Najib, who is also BN chairman, said Adenan has had a long career in both the government and in politics, and his appointment had been accepted by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, where he is the information chief, as well as other BN component parties.

"I believe with his wide experience and support from all sides, Adenan will be able to continue with Sarawak's success as it is now under the leadership of (current chief minister) Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and ensure that the state remains a BN stronghold," Najib said in a statement yesterday.

He said the Federal Government supported the new leadership and was confident that Adenan would be able to execute all plans to bring Sarawak's development to greater heights.

MCA veteran Datuk Yap Pian Hon commended Taib for keeping to his word on handing over his position to a new leader.

Yap said despite Adenan's previous health problems, it was important for the public to see that Sarawak's new leader was politically fit.

"He is an experienced politician and will be able to command all component parties in the state to go forward in putting Sarawak on the right path."

People's Progressive Party (PPP) president Datuk Seri M. Kayveas praised Taib for managing the state well during his tenure, pointing out that Kuching was one of the cleaner cities in the country.

"But the changing of leadership is not an easy decision to make."

In wishing Adenan the best of luck, Kayveas said Taib had made the right choice for Sarawak.

He said one of the major challenges the new chief minister would face was in developing the rural areas in terms of transport.

Kayveas added that travelling to the rural areas in Sarawak was especially difficult because there were no accessible roads.

Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong said he was confident that the present policy and developments of Sarawak would continue to prosper under the state's new leadership.

"Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu has always worked hard as a team to ensure good governance in Sarawak."

Mah pointed out that the change of leadership came at a good time as it would allow Adenan sufficient time to prepare for the next state election, which is due in 2016.

He said there was no need for Taib to vacate his Balingian state seat.

Taib had said on Wednesday he would leave the decision of vacating his state seat to Adenan's discretion.

"Let us not have any more unnecessary by-elections like in Kajang."

"Voters must send a message to (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim that he cannot do as he likes, otherwise, there will be more political games orchestrated by him down the line."

Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (right) briefing Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on the state's developments during his 33 years as chief minister, at Hotel Pullman Kuching yesterday. Pic by Mohd Radzi Bujang

Obama to visit KL in April

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

14 February 2014| last updated at 11:35PM

  Obama is also scheduled to make stops in Japan, the Philippines and South Korea.

  AFP reported that his visits to Manila and Kuala Lumpur are intended to make up for his no-show when he cancelled a previous Asia tour in October amid domestic political strife in Washington.

   From Seoul, Obama will head to Malaysia to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to discuss deepening defence and military ties.   Obama will be the first US president to visit Malaysia since Lyndon Johnson in 1966.


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Up to RM30,000 subsidy to buy low-cost homes

Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

14 February 2014| last updated at 12:08AM
By AZURA ABAS AND A. AZIM IDRIS | news@nst.com.my

Under a MyHome (Private Affordable Ownership Housing Scheme) programme, qualified applicants will get a subsidy of up to RM30,000 to buy selected low-cost housing units.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the National Housing Council agreed to allocate RM300 million under the scheme to purchase 10,000 houses this year.

Najib, who is also finance minister, said qualified applicants could purchase the units at a price defined as low-cost by the respective state governments while the balance would be borne by the government.

"For instance, if the price of a low-cost house is fixed at RM40,000 each by a state government while the developer  has to sell it at RM70,000, qualified applicants will be able to buy it at RM40,000 as the balance of RM30,000 will be paid by the government," he said after chairing the first National Housing Council meeting which lasted for about two hours yesterday.

The financial aid, he said, was to provide property developers with incentives to build houses that were high in demand by the public. The MyHome programme was part of  various efforts by the council to fulfil  Barisan Nasional's manifesto to build one million affordable homes in the next five years, said Najib, who is also BN chairman.

The prime minister added that among the conditions imposed were that applicants must earn less than RM3,000 a month and they would not be  allowed to sell the unit bought within 10 years.

Developers could apply to participate in the programme from a special committee set up under the Housing and Local Government Ministry. The scheme is for housing projects approved effective Jan 1.

Once approved, developers can advertise the units eligible for the subsidy that will be paid directly by the government, Najib said.

"This will enable prospective buyers to benefit from the scheme and make it easier for them to get a bank loan as they are already eligible for consideration."

"We will gauge the effectiveness of the MyHome programme and if it is successful, the government will consider giving more allocations."

The prime minister also said the council had decided to set up RumahKu Exchange, a comprehensive database on public and private housing development projects to monitor the property sector.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak giving details of the MyHome affordable housing programme at a press conference in Putrajaya yesterday. With him are Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan and his deputy Datuk Halimah Mohd Saddique. Pic by Fariz Iswadi Ismail