KR1M to get fresh produce directly from farmers

KR1M to get fresh produce directly from farmers

KR1M to get fresh produce directly from farmers

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

19 February 2014| last updated at 12:28AM
By TASNIM LOKMAN | news@nst.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: KEDAI Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M)  outlets will start selling fresh produce by the end of the month.

Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) chairman Tan Sri Badruddin Amirudin said arrangements for produce to be sold at all 125 outlets nationwide was sealed yesterday.

He said the fresh produce would be acquired directly from farmers, and included fish, chicken, vegetables and fruits.

"Fama had been working closely with KR1M to make both perishable and non-perishable items available at all times.

"Fresh produce at KR1M outlets will enable the chain to become one-stop centres for consumers to get quality daily essentials at competitive prices."

The New Straits Times, following a series of reports dealing with the rising cost of living, had on Jan 15, suggested to Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to consider placing Fama's produce at KR1M outlets.

Ismail Sabri told the NST he would engage Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek to put the plan to action.

Badruddin said yesterday Fama would have no problems supplying fresh produce to KR1M outlets from its pasar tani network to meet consumer demand.

He said Fama would set up 20 more pasar tani sites in several districts to reach out to more consumers.

"This is part of a bigger plan for Fama, which aims to set up 1,000 pasar tani nationwide by year-end," he said, adding that they would set up pasar tani in housing areas to make them more accessible.

There are now 585 pasar tani nationwide, with 15 here and 60 in Selangor. The rest are in Perlis (13), Penang (15), Kedah (20), Terengganu (21), Perak (29) as well as Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Kelantan, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak.

Badruddin said 12 pasar tani would begin operating on a daily basis soon. Another eight will operate twice a week.

Most pasar tani in the country are set up once a week.

He said Fama, together with the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry, planned to increase the number of cold storage areas nationwide for Fama's produce in case there is a shortage of essential goods in the future.

"These centres will serve as a storage facility for farmers and fishermen, for instance, to store their goods and produce.

"Every district will have its own centre to store supplies. In instances where a centre has exhausted its stockpile because of high demand, one in the next district will help replenish stocks.

"This is a sound plan to end the recurring supply shortage of daily essentials, such as rice, vegetables and fish during certain seasons," he said.

A Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia outlet in Tuaran, Sabah. All branches will begin selling fresh produce by the end of the month. Bernama pic

Six envoys present their credentials to king

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

19 February 2014| last updated at 12:26AM

They were Rudolf Hykl of the Czech Republic, Huang Huikang (China), Carlos Isauro Felix Corona (Mexico), Roderick Richard Campbell Smith (Australia), Janab al-Sayyid Fakhri Mohamed (Oman), and Salah Mohi Eldin Elwassimy (Egypt).

Hykl, 48, was former Czech News Agency news editor (international service), Huang, 59, was previously China's Treaty and Law Department director-general while Felix Corona, 57, was former consul-general in San Francisco.

Campbell Smith, 52, was former Australian ambassador to the Philippines, Janab al-Sayyid, 61, was previously Oman ambassador to Brunei, and Salah Mohi Eldin, 53, was former Egypt Foreign Affairs Ministry deputy assistant minister.

Tuanku Halim also presented credentials to five ambassadors and two high commissioners from Malaysia.

They were Mohamad Sadik Kethergany (Hungary), Norman Muhammad (Turkmenistan), Mohd Tarid Sufian (Algeria), Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin (Iran), Zakri Jaafar (Jordan), Mat Dris Yaacob (South Africa) and Cheong Loon Lai (Ghana).

Hailing from Sarawak, Sadik, 54, was former Malaysian ambassador to Iran while Tarid was previously the Foreign Ministry's Coordination and Implementation Department deputy director-general and Mat Dris, 64, was formerly the Malaysian ambassador to Syria and consul-general in Vancouver, Canada.

Cheong was the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Multilateral Economic and Environment Division secretary and ministry's Regional Cooperation, Social and Culture Division secretary.

Zakri was the Malaysian representative in Santiago, Chile, and Raja Nushirwan was the Foreign Affairs Ministry's former Asean-Malaysia National Secretariat deputy director-general. Bernama

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah receiving the credentials of Chinese envoy Huang Huikang at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Bernama pic

Rangers capture two wild elephants

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

19 February 2014| last updated at 11:58PM

The two female elephants include the herd's matriarch. They were subdued after being shot with tranquillisers yesterday. Efforts are underway to translocate both animals to the Deramakot Forest Reserve where they came from.

Wildlife Rescue Unit rangers had approached the herd to chase it off in Kampung Bauto, 12km from Telupid, on Monday. The matriarch elephant was aggressive, defensive and threatened the rangers.

Since last week, the herd has been entering the village and destroying villagers' bananas and oil palm trees. Some of the elephants even ventured close to the villagers' homes.

Though sightings of the elephants began last month, the villagers claimed the herd had recently become more destructive.

Some believe a depleting habitat may have forced the herd to step out of their original habitat and venture to the village, located along the main Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan road, and 200km from here.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the case had given the government more reason to create more wildlife sanctuaries and establish corridors linking pockets of forests to allow wildlife to roam in a bigger area.

"If they have no place to roam, they feel their natural habitat is threatened and what you see may just have been a normal reaction of the elephants (venturing into human populated areas)," Masidi said.

He added that there was a need for the authorities to work with communities who lived near wildlife habitats.

"We will give priority to the safety of the villagers but at the same time it is important for them to learn to co-exist with the wildlife."

He said that with the two elephants subdued, the rest would return to its habitat. Masidi said once the threat posed by the herd was contained, the department would find out why the animals had acted that way.

One of the two female elephants caught by Wildlife Rescue Unit rangers yesterday after a herd of wild elephants entered Kampung Bauto near Beluran, Sabah, and destroyed crops.

RM50,000 for slain hero's kin

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

19 February 2014| last updated at 12:13AM

A PNHB statement said the contribution was a form of haj subsidy for the family and also covered the education costs for Sabarudin's three children.

During the handover, Puan Sri Faridah Idris, representing her husband, PNHB chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail, said the aid was a token of appreciation for Sabarudin's sacrifice.

"He fought until his death while taking part in the operation against Sulu terrorists in Lahad Datu.

"We hope this small gesture will alleviate the burden of his family and heirs," she said during the ceremony at Hotel Impiana Casuarina, Ipoh.

Present was Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd human resources and administration executive director Faridatulzakiah Mohd Bakhry.

Sergeant Sabarudin Daud was killed in the Lahad Datu incursion last year


Related Articles

USM students win Swiss IT competition

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

19 February 2014| last updated at 11:59PM
By PRIYA PUBALAN | news@nst.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: FOUR final-year students of the Centre for Computer Science Studies (PPSK) at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) here emerged first prize winners of the 2014 Hilti IT Innovation Competition  in Switzerland last month.

Soh Sin Siang, Oh Ying San, Wong Wan Ping and Jonathan Ng Zhen Yuan won the contest through their idea "Emotion intelligence. Communication. Link-up the employees" (Ec-Link) which was able to identify a person's emotions during a teleconferencing session.

Soh, 24, who led the team, said the software developed in a month was able to beat 10 teams from Switzerland, Netherlands, Korea, Austria, Liechtenstein, the United States, Germany and Indonesia.

"The competition was to produce the best ideas for a communications system and we succeeded in producing an idea to develop the software to identify a person's emotions during teleconferencing.

"For instance, during a meeting conducted by teleconference, the presenter could tell if a member of the meeting was focused or not, or if they were happy or not."

Soh said Ec-Link was developed to analyse one's emotions through the external facial gesture in a particular video call.

"We are glad that our invention has gained international recognition," he said here yesterday.

In another development, USM and Gustavus Adolphus College, (GAC), Minnesota, the US, are cooperating to conduct a one-semester programme in Malaysia (SSM).

USM deputy vice-chancellor (academic and international affairs) Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal said, 12 students from GAC were taking part in the programme, which enabled overseas students to study for a semester at USM.

"SSM starts with a two-day orientation programme, such as a walkabout in the campus and learning Bahasa Malaysia.

"Its uniqueness is that the 12 students are in the same class and learning the same subjects despite coming from numerous courses."

Dr Ahmad said students would sit for four courses for four months.

The syllabus covers Tropical Ecology, Bahasa Malaysia and Culture, Religious Experiences in Malaysia and Diversity of Lives.

(From right) Soh Sin Siang, Wong Wan Ping, Jonathan Ng Zhen Yuan and Oh Ying San showing their creation 'Emotion intelligence. Communication. Link-up the employees' (Ec-Link). Bernama pic

Khairy: Waytha wanted to control budget for Indians

Posted: 18 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: YOUTH and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said former deputy minister P.  Waythamoorthy had  demanded that all government budgets  for  Indians   be placed under the latter's   control.

"Fact is, Waythamoorthy demanded that all government budget for the Indian community be parked under his discretion.

"That is not how the government operates.

"Waythamoorthy wanted to control the money, bypassing ministries and agencies.

"When he did not get this, he quit and blamed the prime minister @NajibRazak," Khairy said in a Twitter posting yesterday.

He said while he did not want to criticise Waythamoorthy's work ethics, he could not stand idle while the latter accused Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of failing the Indian community.

"I know Waythamoorthy and I did not want to have to reveal this.

"But, when you pin the blame unfairly on the prime minister, I have no choice. Collective cabinet responsibility.

"Waythamoorthy should not blame the prime minister for his failures in effecting change.

"He was not a team player and was not effective in advocating his cause," said Khairy in one of his tweets.

He said Najib was responsive in tackling issues affecting the Indian community, contrary to Waythamoorthy's claims.

"Whenever Waythamoorthy brought matters to @NajibRazak's attention, they were resolved.

"Ask @mpkotabelud about housing problems for Indian community," tweeted Khairy.

He said the government would remain committed to developing the Indian community, even without Waythamoorthy's help.

MIC Youth chief C. Sivarraajh has joined in the chorus of those chastising Waythamoorthy.

"He has no right to ask the prime minister to step down, as he has failed to fulfil his promises to Indians.

"He was in the government for only eight months and his ambitions to change government policies are ridiculous.

"What our prime minister is doing is a long-term solution for Malaysian Indians.

"But, what Waythamoorthy wants is an ad hoc solution just to project his success as senator and deputy minister."

Calling Waythamoorthy a weak leader, Sivarraajh said the former should have adopted a more friendly approach when dealing with MIC and other Indian-based parties.

"When he was appointed as deputy minister, his first statement was that he could not work with MIC and other Indian-based parties.

"How can a deputy minister, who is entrusted to handle Indian affairs, issue such a statement?"

Sivarraajh said he believed that Waythamoorthy was merely trying to gain publicity after failing to perform well in the government.

"I believe he has been pressured by Hindraf (to step down), following his weak performance as deputy minister.

"He could have asked any senior leader for guidance or quietly step down and not blame others."

At a press conference yesterday, Waythamoorthy accused Najib of not keeping to his promises as stipulated in a memorandum of understanding signed between Barisan Nasional and Hindraf before the 13th General Election.

On Feb 10, Waythamoorthy submitted his resignation as a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department and, the following day, his post as a senator.

P. Waythamoorthy (left) is not effective in advocating his cause, says Khairy Jamaluddin.