Paying a price for love

Paying a price for love

Paying a price for love

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

03 February 2014| last updated at 12:06AM
By ELVINA FERNANDEZ | elvina@nst.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: VALENTINE'S Day this year is set to be a more expensive affair  for those wishing to pamper their loved ones with flowers.

Flower prices are set to go up by 10 to 15 per cent this month, because of the rising prices of goods.

A survey by the New Straits Times showed that wholesalers in Petaling Street would have no choice but to raise prices based on suppliers' rates.

According to a statement by the Malaysia Florist Association, the move was made because of increasing overhead costs, among others.

"Farming overheads, medicine and fertilisers are also increasing.

"Therefore, after discussions with florists, a decision to increase the price was made," it said.

The price increase will be applicable for all flowers, leaves and related products.

Checks with a trader of Fresh Flower Wholesaler Petal Florist in Petaling Street showed that prices of roses will see a hike on Valentine's Day.

"The weather conditions have caused this hike," said the trader.

He said a bouquet of eight stalks of roses priced at RM80 would cost RM100 on Valentine's Day while 12 stalks priced at RM100 would cost RM150.

"Those who book now for Valentine's Day will be charged the new prices."

Yesterday, the New Sunday Times reported that the flowers would cost more on Valentine's Day on Feb 14, which also coincides with Chap Goh Meh.

It was earlier reported that prices of flowers would see an increase from Jan 1 until after Mothers Day in May, especially those imported from China, India and Kenya.

Valentine's Day is likely to be an expensive affair this year as the prices of flowers are expected to go up because of rising prices of goods and weather conditions. Pic by Halim Salleh

Water supply back to normal

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:01 AM PST

03 February 2014| last updated at 11:20PM
By AKIL YUNUS | news@nst.com.my

SHAH ALAM: The Cheras Batu 11 water treatment plant which was temporarily closed after  ammonia pollution in Sungai Langat resumed full operation at 8.30am yesterday, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) said.

Its corporate communications and public affairs assistant general manager, Priscilla Alfred, said consumers in the Hulu Langat area could expect their water supply to return to normal.

She said the Bukit Tampoi treatment plant, which supplies water to Kuala Langat residents, remained closed as the water being channelled from Sungai Langat still contained a high level of ammonia.

"The acceptable level of ammonia in the water is 1.5ppm.

"Currently, it is fluctuating between 3ppm and 5ppm.

"The Selangor Water Management Board (Luas) is doing all it can to reduce the level of ammonia."

Sungai Langat, which is the water source for the Cheras Batu 11 and Bukit Tampoi treatment plants, had seen an alarming spike in ammonia levels, forcing their closure since Thursday.

This had caused water supply disruptions in 36 areas under the Hulu Langat and Kuala Langat districts.

However, disruptions were minimal as Syabas was able to divert water from other places to sustain supply in the affected areas.

"The overall demand for water during this festive period dropped, hence, we were able to manage the disruption quite effectively."

As at noon yesterday, ammonia levels at the Bukit Tampoi treatment plant still showed a high reading of 5ppm.

Luas director Mohd Khairi Selamat said there were signs of reduction in the ammonia level.

He said he was optimistic that the plant could resume operations today if no additional effects were found.

Residents in the affected areas had expressed relief the water disruption was not severe enough to affect their Chinese New Year plans.

Noraishah Omar, 47, (right) and her daughter, Nur Liyana Mohd Zain, 18, washing plates with stored water. They are among households in Taman Pengiran Delima that started collecting water after supply in their area was affected by the closure of the Cheras Batu 11 treatment plant when ammonia was detected in Sungai Langat. Pic by Muhd Asyraf Sawal

Trader loses RM30,000 goods in fire

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

03 February 2014| last updated at 12:08AM

Tham Peng Wah's shophouse was among those that were razed in the 2am incident in Sungai Pelek yesterday.

The 62-year-old, who operated a stationery business, said she  lost RM30,000 worth of goods in the fire.

South Selangor Zone Fire and Rescue Department chief Azmi Sadin said they  received a distress call at  2.19am. However, he said, there were no casualties  reported.

"A motorcycle workshop, sundry shop and air-conditioning shop were among the shoplots destroyed." he said, adding that the cause of the fire and the losses incurred were being investigated.

Larger team needed to catch smugglers

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

03 February 2014| last updated at 11:53PM

There are more than 100 officers from the Customs, the Anti-Smuggling Unit (ASU) and the marine police manning the Kelantan- Thailand border here.

However, they consider the manpower as being too small to deal with smuggling.

Acting Pengkalan Kubor marine police commanding officer Inspector Hamdan Mustapa said smugglers had built such trails to ease their movements across the territories.

He said the trails also served to complement the various illegal jetties constructed by smugglers along the banks of Sungai Golok on the Malaysian side of the border with the kingdom.

"Illegal jetties normally have their own names and are known to the public. But, laluan tikus is everywhere. It can be on the river bank, in bushes and other isolated places."

Hamdan said the agency deployed eight officers on 24-hour surveillance duty along the river but this was insufficient to monitor the 22km stretch of the border.

State ASU commander Rusli Karim said there were 19 active illegal jetties in Pengkalan Kubor alone apart from the smuggling trails.

He said the jetties were also used as landing points for illicit drugs and firearms.


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Nazri promoting VMY 2014 overseas

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

03 February 2014| last updated at 11:16PM

He plans to visit the International Tourism Bourse in Berlin in March, where Malaysia will be named a "Cultural and Convention Partner".

"We have been pitching Malaysia in the overseas markets to attract tourists. Last year, I visited Canada and the United States to attract North American visitors.

At the Asean Tourism Forum 2014 in Kuching, Malaysia played host to tour operators and the international media.

"We will continue promoting Malaysia," Nazri said after the "highly successful" event.

The number of tourist arrivals in Malaysia increased from 21 million in 2007 to 25 million in 2012. Because of the rising number of visitors from China and India, many tourism experts at ATF 2014 said the visa policy for nationals of these countries needed to be relaxed.

The rising middle classes and growing spending power of the two Asian giants have resulted in travellers keen on destinations that were not run-of-the-mill.

Malaysia has also seen strong growth in tourism traffic from the Middle East, particularly the Gulf countries and Iran, with 300,000 arrivals in 2012, according to Tourism Malaysia.

Nazri said Europe was also a promising market and tourist arrivals from there had increased as more airlines ply Asian routes. Air France and Turkish Airlines operate flights to Kuala Lumpur, and will soon be joined by German carrier Lufthansa, which will start its service on March 30. Bernama


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Bar Council taken to task

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

03 February 2014| last updated at 12:16AM
By SYED UMAR ARIFF | news@nst.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: A PROMINENT lawyer  lambasted the Bar Council over its alleged selective treatment of political issues.

Penang Criminal Law Committee chairman Ranjit Singh Dhillon claimed the council was silent on the Kajang by-election controversy and on the police report lodged against a prominent DAP politician and lawyer.

He also questioned whether the council was being biased towards the opposition, claiming that it was perceived as a tool for Pakatan.

"We do not have to go that far back to remember the Bar Council parachuting 89 volunteers for Bersih's street demonstrations in the run-up to the 13th General Elections last year."

Ranjit claimed that the council also appeared to be a "multipurpose vehicle" for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, "for his whims and fancies".

"As a Bar Council member, I understand the risk I am taking by voicing out these concerns, but I believe in calling a spade a spade."

On the Kajang by-election, Ranjit called on the council to reveal its stance concerning the matter.

"Shouldn't the Bar Council push for an amendment of the existing legislation to prevent the recurrence of similar antics of desperate politics?

"Now a certain individual has forced his elected representative to resign in order to fulfil his needs. The word 'chameleon' is too kind.

"Has the Bar Council now become a certain political coalition's lackey?

"Where are the Bar Council champions, who portray themselves as protectors of human rights, democracy, good governance and free and fair elections?"

Ranjit also chided the Bar Council for keeping mum on matters relating to the report against a DAP politician, who is also a lawyer.

"There have been multiple statements in the media against the lawyer for his 'dubious' public statement. The often loud DAP lawyer is surprisingly silent even after a police report was lodged against him. The Bar Council has also chosen to be silent, as expected."

Last month, former Kedah Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) chairman Zamil Ibrahim had lodged a report against DAP national legal bureau chairman Gobind Singh Deo over an alleged legal notice to the Registrar of Societies (RoS).

The party held a re-election in September last year after RoS demanded it following a botched tallying process in its initial party polls in December 2012.

Gobind was quoted by a news portal as saying DAP had set a 14-day grace period for RoS to withdraw its decision to not recognise DAP's central executive committee that was elected in September or face the next course of action.

He said a lawyer's letter was sent to RoS on Dec 23. RoS had denied receiving it.