Published: Saturday July 23, 2011 MYT 4:53:00 PM

Construction of RM6bil West Coast Highway to begin Dec

By SARBAN SINGH

GEMENCHEH: The construction of the 286km-long West Coast Highway linking Banting in Selangor and Changkat Jering in Perak will begin by December.

Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said his ministry was in the final stages of completing the highway alignment works.

He added the highway, which was estimated to cost around RM6bil, would enhance connectivity and cut travelling time between the towns located along the stretch.

“We are making a study of the route alignment as the Perak government had asked that the highway be brought closer to the coastline.

”We need to avoid building the link on peat soil because of the request to build the highway close to the coast.

“In this case, elevated stretches may have to be built and this will increase costs,” he told reporters here on Saturday.

The West Coast Highway project was one of the six Public-Private Partnership initiatives announced by Datuk Seri Najib Razak to be carried out under the 10th Malaysia Plan on a build-operate-transfer basis. - Bernama

Saturday July 23, 2011

Two killed in highway crash

By SARBAN SINGH
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

SEREMBAN: A lorry driver and his attendant were killed when their vehicle ploughed into the rear of another lorry which was transporting brand new Proton vehicles at KM264.6 of the North-South Highway near here.

Driver M. Mayandi, 38, and B. Ravi, 23, were killed on the spot in the 6am incident yesterday due to massive head injuries.

A police spokesman said the lorry, transporting the eight Proton Personas, encountered a tyre malfunction, forcing its driver to stop the vehicle along the south-bound emergency lane, just before the Seremban toll plaza.

Wrecked: The Proton car carrier after being hit by the lorry in Seremban Friday.

Minutes later, the lorry driven by Mayandi, which was laden with rolls of steel wires crashed into the rear of the car carrier.

He said that Ravi was thrown out of the vehicle due to the impact while Mayandi was pinned to his seat in the mangled cabin of his lorry.

The victims were from Segamat and Simpang Renggam in Johor, respectively.

The crash caused a 30km traffic jam along the south-bound stretch as a few rolls of the steel wires and debris blocked traffic.

The damaged cars.

The attendant of the car-carrier, Mohd Izad Mohd Tap, 25, said he and the driver Mohd Zainal Bani 35, were on their way from Shah Alam to Segamat when their vehicle encountered a problem.

“We were in the midst of checking out the problem when we heard a loud crash at the rear. Both of us ran to safety and tried to find cover in a drain. Only then did we realise that another lorry had crashed into ours,” he said.

State traffic police chief ASP Abd Halil Hamzah said investigations were underway. The remains of the victims have been sent to the hospital for post-mortem before being released to their families.

Friday July 22, 2011

RM3mil goes up in smoke after fire at storage facility

GURUN: Foam used for car seats, fabric and machinery went up in smoke when fire destroyed a storage facility at a factory here, causing losses estimated around RM3mil.

A security guard noticed the fire at C.N.A. Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, which produces car seats for Naza vehicles, and immediately alerted the Fire and Rescue Department.

No one was injured in the 1.20pm incident yesterday.

The 150 workers at the facility, which is about 2km from the Naza factory in Gurun Industrial Park, were on their lunch break at that time.

Total meltdown: Firemen checking the burnt down storage facility at the C.N.A Manufacturing factory in Gurun, Kedah, yesterday. — G.C.TAN / The Star

Sungai Petani Fire Operations chief Osman Parmin said the department took about 15 minutes to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to two buildings next to it.

Fire engines from Sungai Petani, Guar Chempedak, Yan and Alor Setar with 36 firemen put out the blaze.

Assisting them were 11 voluntary units with more than 50 personnel.

Wednesday July 20, 2011

Fire destroys rubber glove factory, RM107mil in losses reported

KULIM: A factory which manufactures rubber gloves suffered more than RM107mil in losses after it was destroyed in a fire at the Padang Meha Industrial area in Sungai Karangan, near here.

Several workers noticed the blaze at about 8.30am and alerted their colleagues.

Some 120 firemen, including volunteers, rushed to the scene in 20 fire engines from Butterworth, Tasek Gelugor, Bukit Mertajam, Kulim Hi-Tech Park and Sungai Petani.

It took them nearly two hours to put out the fire as low water pressure hampered their efforts.

Raging inferno: The fire engulfing the glove factory at the Padang Meha Industrial zone in Sungai Karangan, Kulim, yesterday. – Bernama

Hazmat personnel were also deployed to the scene.

Factory owner Datuk Eng Hock Sing, 47, said the factory, which had been in operation for the last 15 years, employed about 600 workers.

“I call upon the workers to be patient. We will try to resume operations within six months,” he said.

Eng was grateful that his workers escaped without injuries although he sustained losses estimated at more than RM107mil, including equipment, machinery and finished products which were due to be exported.

Padang Serai Barisan Nasional coordinator Dr Chin Tung Leong said he was saddened by the plight of the workers, adding that those who needed assistance could come to his office.

Management Council for the Term 2011/2012

MEMBERS / COMPANY
Mr Xavier Vincent / MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd
Mr Rubendran Subramaniam / Kurnia Insurans (M) Bhd
Mr Anbarasu Sithambaram / Multi-Purpose Insurans Bhd
Mr Avery Lee / Malaysian Assurance Alliance Bhd
Mr Foo Jee Meng / AXA Affin General Insurance Bhd
En Faizal Affendy Nasrul / Malaysian Reinsurance Berhad
Mr Kanagasabai Krishnan / Tokio Marine Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd
Mr Mahendran a/l Arumugam / Munich Re, Malaysia Branch
Mr Michael Gopalan / Oriental Capital Assurance Bhd
Mr Reginikanth Murugiah / Allianz General Insurance Company Malaysia Bhd
En Shahrol Hizal Bin Saharundin / RHB Insurance Bhd
Mr Teng Kok Wai / Chartis Malaysia Insurance Bhd
En Yusb Ishaq / Berjaya Sompo Insurance Berhad

Thursday August 11, 2011

Residents living in fear of house collapse

RESIDENTS of Taman Cuepacs in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur, are living in fear of their homes collapsing after cracks appeared in the walls, reported Malaysia Nanban.

A resident, P. Vijaykumar, said seven houses were affected, adding that no action had been taken to repair their homes.

He said this was despite numerous complaints forwarded by them to the various authorities and political leaders.

Vijaykumar said many residents were losing sleep over the condition of their homes, claiming that some had even moved out or sold off their houses.

> Tamil Nesan reported that a teenager in New Delhi suffered serious eye injuries after the battery of his handphone exploded when he was trying to recharge it.

It was reported that the youth, Monu Sharma, 18, had recently bought the handphone from a reputable shop.

Monu, who was alone in his room when the incident happened, said he had switched off the handphone before charging it all night.

“In the morning, when I tried to switch it on, it did not work. When I tried to remove the battery, there was a blast and something hit my eyes.

“The battery had exploded into pieces and the phone was completely burnt,” he claimed.

Monu's neighbours rushed to his aid after hearing the explosion and called the police.

Police said preliminary inquiry showed that the battery had exploded due to overheating

Thursday August 11, 2011

25 stolen cars recovered

By TEH ENG HOCK
enghock@thestar.com.my

PORT KLANG: Twenty-five stolen cars worth about RM2mil have been recovered after being shipped off to Europe as furniture parts.

Selangor Customs director Datuk Azis Yacub said the cars, all of a particular Japanese make, were smuggled out in five containers marked as “wooden furniture parts” and left for Cyprus on June 25.

“The Customs Department, with the cooperation of the shipping company, managed to track the ship transporting the containers.

“At that time, the ship was berthed in Haifa Port, Israel, and we instructed all the containers to be brought back to Malaysia,” he told reporters yesterday.

He said the containers arrived at Westport on July 27 and a scan revealed images of cars.

Huge haul: Some of the recovered cars being displayed at the Selangor Customs headquarters in Port Klang yesterday. A 35- year-old man has been detained in connection with the case, while two more suspects are being sought.

A physical check was conducted last Thursday and each container was found to contain five cars.

“Three cars were parked on the base of the container, while two were suspended with ropes,” said Azis.

A 35-year-old man has been detained in connection with the case, while two more suspects are being sought.

Under the Customs Act, the maximum penalty for making a false declaration is a RM500,000 fine or five years' jail or both.

State CID chief Senior Asst Comm Mohd Adnan Abdullah said the 25 cars were reported missing in June, with 20 reports lodged in Selangor, three in Kuala Lumpur, and one each in Malacca and Negri Sembilan.

“The syndicate sends the stolen cars to Hong Kong, Thailand, Dubai and Cyprus,” he revealed.

The syndicate is the same one from which police recovered 98 stolen cars at a warehouse in Kampung Black Water near Banting on June 29.

Four men were arrested during the raid three months ago, said SAC Mohd Adnan.

Thursday August 11, 2011

Falling coconut tree kills 56-year-old boatman

KUALA TERENGGANU: A boatman died in a freak accident after a coconut tree toppled and crashed on him while he was riding his motorcycle.

Che Abd Rashid Deraman, 56, was killed on the spot in the incident which occurred at 2.45pm in Kampung Baru Seberang Takir here yesterday.

The deceased was on his way home after buying food when the 20m tree toppled onto him during a brief storm.

Che Abd Rashid, who just welcomed his second grandson a month ago, suffered serious head injuries.

Bystander Moharizal Mohamad, 30, said he realised the mishap after hearing a loud thumping noise during the storm.

“When I looked for the source of the noise, I was shocked to see the victim’s body covered by the tree,” he said.

Meanwhile, the victim’s wife Wan Mariam Wan Ibrahim, 58, said her husband had gone out to buy food as well as to do a little shopping.

“He bought some kuih for us and a pair of trousers for himself.

“I never thought that he would be gone, at least not this way,” she said in between sobs.

Wan Mariam added that the victim had many plans for Hari Raya, including bringing his grandchildren to visit out-of-town relatives.

“He loved his grandchildren very much and they adored him too.

“Our home will not be as joyful as before as the pillar of our family’s strength is gone,” she said.

Thursday August 11, 2011

Equipment theft at Tuaran substation causes blackout

KOTA KINABALU: More than 1,200 people in Tuaran district suffered a blackout for several hours after thieves stole almost all the equipment of a substation here.

Also affected was a five-star resort located about 30km from here.

Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd general manager for corporate services Wan Maria Othman Lee said the theft on Saturday had cost the utility firm RM110,000 in losses.

“Our technical crew swung into action and power was restored in stages from about 3.18pm on the same day,” she said yesterday.

The incident was the latest in theft and vandalism of electrical infrastructure resulting in blackouts.

On July 19, several thousand consumers in Tuaran and Sepanggar near here had to endure several hours of blackout after vandals burnt underground electricity cables near Kampung Malawa in Sepanggar.

Published: Thursday August 11, 2011 MYT 12:35:00 PM
Updated: Thursday August 11, 2011 MYT 1:43:57 PM

Safety supervisors a must for construction sites

ALOR SETAR: All construction companies will be required to appoint Site Safety Supervisors (SSS) from Jan 1 next year due to the high rate of fatal accidents at sites.

Occupational Safety and Health Department Director-General Datuk Johari Basri said between January and May this year, there had been 17 cases of fatal accidents. There were 66 cases last year.

"For companies with projects worth RM20mil and above, they have to have a full-time SSS, as well as a Safety and Health Officer.

"They are required to check on the safety of the machinery or the construction site and only after they are found safe can the workers be allowed to continue their work at the site," he told reporters at the closing of a briefing and dialogue on Safety and health here.

He said companies which failed to abide by the regulation could be fined RM1,000.

A total of 9,136 construction sites are registered with the department. - Bernama

Published: Thursday August 11, 2011 MYT 2:38:00 PM

Fire wipes out Machan town in S'wak

KANOWIT: A pre-dawn fire Thursday razed to the ground the entire town of Machan, comprising 10 units of double-storey coffee and retail shops.

A man in his 70s suffered burns when he tried to save his belongings in the 2.40am fire, community leader Kapitan Leong Khing Hee said.

Machan, which is about a 20-minute drive from here, is at the heart of an oil palm growing area in the district.

Leong said the residents of the town, assisted by their Iban neighbours, faced great difficulty in fighting the blaze and trying to save the shops, which are more than 50 years old.

"We were greatly hampered by the low water pressure due to the current dry season. We do not have suitable pumps to draw water from the nearby Machan river," he said.

Leong said the injured man had been admitted to the Kanowit district hospital.

An officer of the Kanowit Fire and Rescue Department, Douglas Graji, said his office received a call about the fire at 3.14am.

"Fourteen of us (firemen) immediately rushed to the scene. We were later joined by 10 fire-fighters from Sibu. We managed to bring the fire under control 30 minutes later," he said. - Bernama

Published: Wednesday August 10, 2011 MYT 11:26:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday August 10, 2011 MYT 11:29:39 AM

Pahang MB: Cameron Highlands landslide due to water retention

KUANTAN: The preliminary report on the landslide at Sungai Ruil Orang Asli settlement in Cameron Highlands shows that water retention due to heavy rainfall was the cause of the tragedy.

Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said the landslide that killed seven people on Aug 7 has been categorised as a natural disaster.

“The preliminary report said too much water retention on the hill due to heavy rainfall caused the landslide. I thought it was due to development but it was actually a disaster,” he told reporters here Wednesday.

Adnan said the state government would contribute RM10,000 each to the families of those who died in the landslide and RM3,000 to those injured.

The state government and Rural and Regional Development Ministry plan to relocate the villagers to a safer place.

Tuesday July 26, 2011

Rewired to reduce fire risks

By CHRISTOPHER TAN
christan@thestar.com.my

THE RM1.13mil rewiring works along the corridors of Block A and B of the Kampung Melayu low-cost flats in Air Itam, Penang, are now completed.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the wiring works which included the rewiring of 496 units in Block A and changing of the electrical switch box in the units of Block A, started eight-months ago and were completed in June.

“There are however 48 units in Block A and five units of shops in the same area whose owners refused to undergo some rewiring,” he said.

Wong, who is also the Air Itam assemblyman, said the owners might have recently changed or rewired their units on their own and thus, felt the move unnecessary.

“The state is concerned over the residents’ welfare since the wiring has not been maintained since the units were first completed in the 1970s.

Feeling safer: Steven and his wife Santana Mary, 64, taking a closer look at the new electrical switch box in their unit at the Kampung Melayu flats

“We rewired the units in Block A first because the block was built in the early 1970s while Block B was built in the late 1970s.”

Wong said the state had decided to do the rewiring for the two blocks of flats to avoid the risk of fire.

“As the number of electrical appliances increases in every household, it is important to have a safe wiring network installed,” he said during the handing over of the project’s maintenance work from Public Works Department to the State Secretariat Housing Department at the low-cost flats on Sunday.

Wong also said claims that the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had sidelined the Malays here was a lie.

“The area in Kampung Melayu consists of 75% Malay, 20% Chinese and 5% Indian. This project is an example that we have been taking care of the people’s welfare.

“The state treasurer had also approved the repainting of Block A and B of the Kampung Melayu flats whereby the state will bear 80% of the cost of painting.”

Private companies had banked in a sum of RM80,000 to the State Secretariat as part of their corporate social responsibility for the repainting of the flats.

Wong said the Penang Development Corporation would be providing him an implementation timeline on the repainting works in about two weeks and the repainting was scheduled to commence after Hari Raya.

Retiree Steven Joseph, 70, said the move to rewire the units in Kampung Melayu flats was a good one.

“We can now feel secure that there will be less risk of a fire due to wiring complications,” he said.

Published: Saturday July 30, 2011 MYT 1:18:00 PM
Updated: Saturday July 30, 2011 MYT 3:34:06 PM

Fire at HKL started by patient

KUALA LUMPUR: A mental patient used a lighter to start a fire at the mental patient isolation room of the Emergency Department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) early Friday.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said the cause of the fire at 12.30am was traced after studying footage of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in the room.

“Hospital staff used fire extinguishers to put out the fire and save the mental patient but he died as the fire spread quickly,” he said in a statement here on Saturday.

He said other patients and Emergency Department staff were evacuated until the fire was put out by the Fire and Rescue Department at 12.55am.

Before the fire, the aggressive mental patient was taken by police accompanied by two family members to the Emergency Department at 10.15 pm.

The patient was placed at mental patient isolation room in accordance with the standard operating procedures for aggressive mental patients.

The fire disrupted the department's services for 94 minutes and resumed at 1.20am as it only destroyed the isolation room.

“No other patients or medical staff was injured in the fire. A post-mortem on the body found the cause of death was soot inhalation.”

Dr Hasan said only the mental patient died and not two as reported by some newspapers as the two had died from road accidents.

“The ministry regrets the fire and sympathise with family members of the deceased and will make improvements if investigation finds weaknesses in handling of the case,” he added.-Bernama

Saturday August 6, 2011

Robbers set fire to shop after failing to crack safe

JOHOR BARU: Frustrated robbers are believed to have set fire to a three-storey prayer paraphernalia shop in Taman Nusa Bestari here after failing to break open the safe in the premises.

It was learnt the fire began from a back room on the third floor and spread to the second floor at around 5am on Friday, setting ablaze the products in the shop.

Shop owner Yan Quan said he suspected robbers set the fire in anger after failing to pry open the safe where petty cash was kept.

It was understood a large pair of scissors and pliers were found near the safe.

Yan, who had been operating the shop for five years, said the incident had affected his business during the Hungry Ghost festival which started last Monday.

“Now I have to look for suppliers to meet the demand for prayer items from my regular customers,” Yan said, adding he was glad no one was injured.

Johor Baru Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Raja Saiful Iswandi Raja Hassan said they received a distress call at around 6am and arrived 10 minutes later.

“We managed to put out the fire and also prevented it from spreading to the neighbouring premises,” he said.

Thursday August 4, 2011

A fire victim’s wish for Raya

By NG AI FERN
aifern@thestar.com.my

KUCHING: Tuah Adam could not ask for more this Hari Raya Puasa than the safety of his newborn daughter who was rescued from a burning house at Kampung Tabuan Hilir last week.

The 35-year-old was glad that his daughter, Norqalisa Balqis, who was only eight days old during the fire, was reported to be healthy after a medical check-up although she had inhaled smoke during the incident.

“I lost almost everything in the fire but the most important thing is that my children are safe,” said Tuah after receiving aid from Santubong MP Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and the Welfare Department yesterday.

Recalling the incident, Tuah said it was actually his three-year-old son Ashrah Dainell who saved the family.

“It was about 2am when I woke up to feed Ashrah milk and heard neighbours screaming for help. Me and my wife immediately carried Norqalisa and Ashrah and left the house,” he said.

Nabila Sarjono, 20, hugging her 15-day-old daughter Norqalisa Balqis Tuah. She saved the baby and her three-year-old son Ashrah Daniell from the fire which destroyed her rented house and eight other houses at Kampung Tabuan Hilir here recently. Norqalisa had inhaled smoke during the fire but a medical checkup found that she was in good health.

His three cousins who were staying with him at the house also escaped to safety.

Tuah, a factory worker from Asajaya, normally returns home to celebrate Raya every year. This time, after all valuables were destroyed in the fire, he has to think twice.

“We are now staying in another rented house in the neighbourhood. (But) the owners let us stay for free. Raya wish? I have not thought that far yet, I just want to make sure my children are okay now.”

Nine houses at the village were destroyed in the fire on July 27. Eight families, consisting of some 60 people, are now homeless and staying with their neighbours.

Necessities such as food, cash, clothes, school uniforms, stationary, kitchen utensils, mattresses and pillows were given to the victims yesterday.

The assistance from the government departments, politicians and non-profit organisations was indeed timely for the victims who are now fasting.

Another victim, Rosli Achang, 54, with seven children from 14 to 25 years old, was glad that many people came to assist so they would not have to worry about basic necessities such as food and lodging for the time being. Apart from the nine families, Junaidi also provided financial assistance to six units of flat in Tabuan Park to rebuild their roof which was blown away on July 26.

Friday August 5, 2011

Family faces bleak Raya after fire razes home

KUALA TERENGGANU: A family's plans for Ramadan and Hari Raya went up in smoke as their home in Kampung Serdang Baru here was razed in a fire.

The family's matriarch Nik Fatimah Embong, 62, said she also lost more than RM3,000 in aid, recently presented by the Welfare department.

Luckily, her nine children and three grandchildren were not hurt.

Up in flames: Firemen working hard to put out the fire in Kampung Serdang Baru Thursday.

She said the fire started at about 8.30pm after a lamp in her room toppled and ignited her bed sheets.

“I tried to put out the fire using a batik sarong but it fanned the flames instead. I then shouted to my family members to get out of the house,” she said.

Nik Fatimah said she had fond memories of the house and felt sad that they would not be able to celebrate Hari Raya there any more.

“We had lived here for more than 24 years. Three generations of my family were born here.

“It is even more heartbreaking that our Hari Raya clothing were also destroyed in the fire,” she said, adding it was the first time the family had shopped for the festive season early.

Nik Fatimah's daughter Norazlina Yusof, 28, said the family would seek shelter at a relative's house.

“This Hari Raya will not be the same. But I am thankful that none of us are injured,” she said.

Neighbour Abdul Rashid Abd Wahab, 64, said the fire spread very fast and engulfed the house in a matter of minutes.

“We will try our best to help the family in this time of need,” he said.

Published: Tuesday August 9, 2011 MYT 8:27:00 PM

1.5 million legal foreign workers, illegals, registered

KUALA LUMPUR: A total 1,548,798 illegal immigrants and legal foreign workers have been registered under the Illegal Immigrant Comprehensive Settlement Programme or 6P Programme up to Monday.

Home Ministry senior deputy secretary-general (Registration and Immigration) Datuk Alwi Ibrahim said of the total, 834,233 were those registered through the Registration of Legal Foreign Workers Programme.

In Sabah, a total 157,966 illegal immigrants were registered since July 18, he said in a statement here Tuesday.

Alwi also said a one-stop counter was set up at the ministry's headquarters in Putrajaya Monday to tackle technical problems faced by 336 management companies handling the registration.

The counters were manned by the ministry's personnel and representatives of supply companies responsible for the management of the content management system used in the 6P programme. - Bernama

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Pemandu revs on despite doubts

By RASHVINJEET S.BEDI
rashvin@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Whenever there is news regarding an improvement in crime and corruption indices, some form of cynicism is bound to follow.

This is something that Pemandu (Performance Management and Delivery Unit) is taking in its stride.

Last week, Pemandu announced that the crime index had fallen 9.6% from January to June, compared to the same period last year.

The overall street crime incidents had also fallen to 11,299 cases up to June this year, a 41.6% reduction from 19,346 cases in the same period last year.

However most people's immediate reaction would be to question these results, something that director of the crime NKRA, Eugene Teh Yee, believed was natural.

“They will say their friends and family are experiencing crime. People will say there is something wrong with the data or someone is manipulating the data.

“We are at that stage now so we can only continue working,” he added.

Under the Government Transformation Programme, among the additional steps taken to combat crime include increasing police patrol on the streets.

Teh said that if they continued working and really produced results, people would eventually start to believe in their efforts.

“The perception change comes later,” he said.

It's more or less the same scenario with corruption.

A recent survey commissioned by Pemandu found that 45% of Malaysians believed the overall perception of graft in Malaysia has improved, up from 28% in 2009 to 39% last year.

The latest survey was conducted on a sample of approximately 2,000 Malaysians from March to May this year.

Some might doubt the survey results but director of corruption NKRA, D. Ravindran, said more and more people were beginning to believe in their efforts.

“Even foreigners are believing in us. Until Malaysians begin to believe and say it's good to do business, we won't win the fight against corruption,” he said.

Published: Tuesday August 9, 2011 MYT 4:54:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday August 9, 2011 MYT 4:58:30 PM

Lucky escape for elderly couple as car crashes into house

KUALA TERENGGANU: An elderly woman's decision to fetch water from the kitchen probably saved her life when a car crashed into her house in Jalan Kamaruddin here Monday night.

Jamillah Abdul Rahman, 63, said in the incident at about 10.30pm, she had just left her bedroom when she heard a loud sound and saw that a Proton Wira had crashed through her bedroom wall.

"It was like a bad dream," she told reporters at her home here Tuesday.

Jamillah said it was fortunate that her husband Wan Harun Awang, 64, who had just returned from prayers, was sitting in the living room.

"I've often heard news of cars crashing into houses but never thought it would happen to me," she added.

Mohd Shah Isniza Ismail, the driver of the Proton Wira, said he was in a hurry to reach his fiancee's house and lost control of the vehicle. - Bernama

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Crashes cause massive jams

By DERRICK VINESH
derrickvinesh@thestar.com.my

BUTTERWORTH: Four accidents on the Penang Bridge and one on the North-South Expressway (NSE) before the turnoff to the bridge caused massive traffic jams that resulted in commuters arriving late for appointments.

A motorcyclist, in his 50s, was killed in the first accident at 6.30am yesterday when his machine crashed with a trailer at Km5.1 on the island-bound stretch of the bridge.

Infuriating: Vehicles caught in a bumper-to bumper crawl heading to the Penang Bridge at Km137 at 11.50am.

A Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd spokesman said about 30 minutes later a four-vehicle pile-up occurred at Km4.8 of the island-bound stretch.

She said another four-vehicle pile-up was reported at about the same time at Km138.2 of the NSE before the turnoff to the bridge.

“This was followed by a seven-car pile-up on the mainland-bound stretch at Km6.2 at 8.06am,” she said.

There were bumper-to-bumper crawls along the roads leading to the bridge on both the island and mainland, as well as some roads leading to the NSE.

In some places, the jam only eased after five hours.

The ferry terminal in Butterworth was also choked as motorists opted to take the ferry to avoid the jams.

The queue backed up to the traffic lights junction near SM Convent Butterworth with the ripple effect spreading to Jalan Chain Ferry, Jalan New Ferry, Jalan Permatang Pauh, Jalan Baru and Jalan Perusahaan on the mainland.

A motorist, who wanted to be known only as Siti, said she was late for work by about two hours.

V. Dinesh, who was travelling in a bus to the Seberang Jaya Hospital from Jalan Chain Ferry, said he was stuck on the bus for nearly two hours resulting him in being late for his medical check-up.

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Robbers escape with RM25,000

KUANTAN: An elderly couple lost more than RM25,000 in valuables when they were robbed by two masked men.

State CID liaison officer Asst Supt Noor Asyikin Shamsuri said the couple, who were in their 60s, were in their restaurant in Kuala Tembeling, Jerantut when the masked men came in at about 3.40am yesterday.

“The two men, believed to be foreigners, were armed with machetes. After tying up the husband and wife, the robbers ransacked the premises for valuables.

“They got away with RM5,200 in cash, RM20,000 in jewellery and a mobile phone,” ASP Noor Asyikin said here yesterday, adding that the couple were not hurt in the incident.

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Man killed in fire while burning rubbish

Other News & Views by MAZWIN NIK ANIS, NG SI HOOI and A.RAMAN

A SENIOR citizen who started a fire to burn rubbish despite protests from his wife, paid dearly for it when he was killed by the fire he started.

The body of Mat Yaakob, 64, was found burnt waist down at his house in Kampung Batas in Jitra, Kedah, on Saturday, according to Harian Metro.

It was believed that Mat had passed out after inhaling smoke from the pile of burning rubbish while the hot weather had caused the fire to spread fast.

According to the victim's wife Radiah Abdul Hamid, she had told her husband not to start a fire as the weather was hot.

“I got worried when I did not see him when the fire became big and got my sister and her husband to look for him.

“I was heartbroken to know the way he had died. If only I could walk, I could have saved him,” stroke-hit Radiah said.

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Villagers missed tell-tale signs of impending doom

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The landslide which claimed seven lives in an orang asli village in Brinchang here was an incident waiting to happen.
Villager Ramlah Batsi, 37, said she had noticed the water becoming muddy whenever it rained lately.
“There were also small floods after rainfall in recent times,” said Ramlah, whose brother-in-law Mohd Ali Hassan, was one of those killed in the incident.

Bundle of hope: Nini Saat carrying her fourmonth- old baby Abim at the evacuation centre at Brinchang, Cameron Highlands, yesterday

However, the mother of four said it never occurred to her or her friends and family that this could be a sign that the soil in the area was loosening.
“We never gave it a second thought or even imagined that we would find ourselves in this predicament,” said Ramlah yesterday at the community hall where the villagers had been evacuated to.
Ramlah said heavy rains, the area's underground springs and nearby construction work must have collectively contributed to the tragedy.
Ramlah's neighbour, Normah Din, 39, said there were signs but no one had taken notice of them.
Normah said she was spooked by what had happened and she didn't know if she could return to the village.
“The sight of the destroyed homes gives me the jitters and losing people we had known all our lives in the tragedy makes it worse,” she said.
Both Ramlah and Normah's homes were spared from being damaged as they were not in the path of the landslide.

Tuesday August 9, 2011

Firemen prevent disaster after IPP fuel tank explodes

KOTA KINABALU: A fuel tank at an independent power plant (IPP) exploded, sending people scurrying for safety as they felt tremors at Sepanggar Bay.
However, firemen managed to avert a major disaster when they brought the fire under control and stopped it from spreading to the main fuel tank at the IPP at Kg Malawar, about 40km from here, at about noon.
No one was hurt and investigations are under way to determine the cause of the fire.
“It was a loud explosion and the ground shook for a long time,” said a Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd worker whose Kg Malawar station is located adjacent to the IPP.
The worker, who identified himself as Azman, 30, said that after taking cover, he saw smoke coming from one of the fuel tanks of the IPP and shouted to colleagues to clear the area as the fire could spread to the main tank.
He said they alerted the management and called the firemen, who arrived at the scene by 12.35pm.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department information officer Mohamad Nor Amit said they received the distress call at 12.23pm and dispatched four fire trucks with 44 personnel to the scene.
“We were able to bring the fire at the fuel tank under control and stopped it from spreading to adjacent fuel tanks,” he said, adding that a full investigations was being carried out on the incident.
He said damages had yet to be estimated.