Hall to be repaired

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro (26/11/2010)

PLANS are afoot to repair the damaged Rukun Tetangga community centre in Taman City Barat, Segambut. The building was damaged on Sept 23 when an Alam Flora lorry skidded and rammed into it. Barisan Nasional Segambut chairman Jayanthi Devi Balaguru said the relevant parties overseeing the Rukun Tetangga centre were discussing with the contractors to repair the building. “Alam Flora has agreed to pay for the damage,” she added. The community hall, which had been in existence for 20 years, was used by the local community for various activities, including taekwondo classes.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) noted that the Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng was not fair in blaming DBKL for not attending to the problem. “The community hall is under the responsibility of the Department of National Unity and Integration for the Sentul district,” DBKL said in a statement. On Nov 13, Lim lashed out at DBKL for not attending to the damaged Rukun Tetangga community centre. Lim was quoted as saying that he had repeatedly reported the matter to DBKL but nothing was done nor any acknowledgement forthcoming. In the report he had urged the authorities to either repair or demolish the damaged hall located at a road junction leading to Jalan Kuching.

On another matter, the DBKL said comments made by Lim that Taman Sri Sinar residents were unhappy when City Hall put off a meeting to discuss road name changes with them without prior notice was untrue. It said Lim, the Rukun Tetangga chairman and the Taman Seri Bukit Bintang community representative were informed of the delay through a letter on Nov 3.

One too many break-ins

Lee Yoke Fatt (second from right) flanked by his brothers Michael Lee (right) and Simon Lee showing the police reports. With them is Lim Lip Eng (left). — Picture by Intan Nur Elliana Zakaria

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/3rbrg/Article (By Dawn Chan, 17/11/2010)
Two years ago businessman Lee Yoke Fatt purchased a three-storey warehouse unit for more than RM1 million in Medan Niaga Seri Kuching in Jalan Kuching. Though he has no regrets of making the purchase as the price of the property has since doubled, Lee has suffered major losses due to thefts. The 50-year-old, who runs a machinery parts business with his brothers, said his warehouse was broken into three times within a span of four days recently.

The first incident took place on Oct 28. When Lee arrived at the warehouse at 9.30am, he found the side door prised open. Following this, Lee had installed an iron door but a few days later, his warehouse was broken into again. "On the morning of Nov 1, thieves had once again entered my warehouse and fled with machinery spare parts worth RM8,000. I thought it would end. However, less than 24-hours later, it was burgled again and the thieves had carted away 10 units of electrical motors and other items. Those items were worth about RM10,000," said Lee during a press conference recently. Lee said some of the 39 warehouses in Medan Niaga Seri Kuching had also been broken into. The electrical cables at these units were stripped off for their high copper value. Taking the police's advice, Lee forked out about RM30,000 to beef up the security at his warehouse by installing closed-circuit television cameras, an alarm system and iron doors. Lee said the low occupancy in the area is one of the main reasons for the theft. Only 50 per cent of the units are occupied and many of the warehouse owners use the premises as a store. "I hope the police will patrol the area more often. Though the area is isolated, something has to be done to ensure the place is safe."
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, who was at the press conference said, break-ins were rampant not only in his constituency but in other parts of the city. Lim said he had written to the Sentul district police headquarters and Federal police repeatedly putting forward his request for either a police beat base or mobile police van to be based in Taman Seri Segambut, Taman Kok Doh, Bandar Manjalara and Taman Seri Kuching but to no avail. Lim has also forwarded his requests to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

WHERE IS THE SABAH AND SARAWAK AUTONOMY?

Source: http://sabahkini.net/v1/index.php (By Admin, 10/11/2010)

The question of autonomy in Sabah and Sarawak was raised in Parliament on the 3rd of November 2010 by the Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng. He asked the Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak to state why there is no full autonomy and power given to the two East Malaysian states.

The PM in his answer said that the duties and responsibilities of the Federal and State government are spelled out in the Malaysian National Constitutions under clause 9 and 10 respectively. Under the two clauses, the Federal government will at any time help the two East Malaysian states in their development and economy uplifting. The federal government will assist even with financial aids.

Since the formation of Malaysia, people in Sabah and Sarawak are free to select their choice of leaders through the process of general election. The federal government never involved and interfered with the process of democracy, and given full freedom to the Sabahan and Sarawakain to decide their own destiny and future well being.

Federal government also is responsible to protect the safety of the two states. We protected the rights in Sabah from the Philippines and the border issues with Brunei and Indonesia. This is to show the commitment and responsibility of the Federal government which is supported by all.

On the development aspect, the government never left Sabah and Sarawak behind. The Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) and the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) have already been launched to push the economy and to increase the income of the people. If the people give their full corporation, the corridor will produce good result and future in the two states.

The issue of autonomy should not be brought up because the government will fulfill their promises and the responsibility fully. Even though if Sabah is run by an opposition party, the Federal government will still give full help and support towards the opposition state. The two states should not dig on the issue of autonomy any more. This is because the opposition in the two states are playing on the issue, and stirring up the sentiment of the people in order to win the votes in the coming general election.

The Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament DR. Hiew King Cheu viewed this answer from the Prime Minister as looking down on the wisdom of the East Malaysian in Sabah and Sarawak. The opposition representatives in two states mentioned the autonomy repeatedly is not to gain votes number but we are trying to remind the federal government not to treat us like second class citizen and can be play around with.

Of course, the Federal constitutions mentioned the rights of the two states and it is a must that the federal should give us the rightful care and treatment under the constitutions, and these had to be respected and carry out. It is no need for us to remind the federal boys. The PM said the federal will at all times help the two states in their development and economy, but what we can see is the two states are now being left far behind, at least 25 years. This is evidence from this year budget allocation, why Sabah and Sarawak put together only a mere 8% (RM9.55 billion) of the total national budget amount.

Why our roads, water and electricity supply, economy, industries, tourism, education, and many others are so far behind and underdeveloped when compared to Semananjong? Are we being treated fairly? Not mentioning the high poverty rate in Sabah.

It is the responsibility of the Federal government to protect our soil in Sabah and Sarawak, and this is also listed in the Federal constitution and the Malaysia Agreement. The PM said even the Sabah government is run by the opposition the federal government will still do the same and equal to the state.

He must be very forgetful, and he has forgotten about the ill treatment imposed on the Sabahan during the PBS opposition government of 5 years from 1990 to 1994. We were given full punishment and funding stopped. He didn’t know the suffering of the Sabahan.

Now, the Sabah BN government still has to listen to KL, even on policies, who to be CM, DCM, minister and even as candidate, if not also have to beg for allocation and funding. We know many BN MPs had made noises in Parliament but still no use and problem remained unsolved after many years. They just don’t care about Sabah and Sarawak.

Deserted community hall in Segambut in danger of collapse

Deserted: The hall was used by the local community for various activities including regular taekwondo classes. (Photo by Sin Chew Daily)

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro (By Kharleez zubin, 11/11/2010)
Residents and business operators around Taman City Barat in Segambut along Jalan Kuching want the authorities to either repair or demolish a badly damaged community hall located at a road junction.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said the residents around the area have conveyed to him their fears that the hall would collapse, thus damaging vehicles or injuring passers-by. “About two months ago, a lorry ran into the hall and damaged nearly half of the building. Despite being alerted, the authorities have yet to respond,” Lim said.

The Rukun Tetangga community hall, which had been in existence for the last 20 years, was used by the local community for various activities including regular taekwondo classes. Selayang town councillor A. Murugeshu, who also attended the press conference, expressed fears that the deserted hall might turn into a place for drug addicts.

On another matter, Lim said the Taman Sri Sinar residents were unhappy when the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) put off a meeting with them without prior notice. The residents were supposed to discuss the road name changes done by DBKL. “They were asked to come for a meeting on Monday to air their frustrations and when they arrived at DBKL headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut, they were told the deputy director-general for services was away in Tokyo,” Lim said.

The next meeting has been fixed for Nov 26. Lim said DBKL replaced some 20 road names in the 10-year-old housing estate last month without informing the residents. For example, the busy Jalan 2/36 Sri Bintang had been reamed Jalan Seri Bintang. Lim said the residents were not against the name changes but more annoyed over DBKL’s attitude.

However, DBKL said it had consulted several representatives of the community before replacing the road names.