Pelagoose

KUALA TERENGGANU: A retiree incurred losses amounting to almost RM180,000 after falling victim to a ‘parcel scam’ syndicate he got acquainted with, via social media.

Initial police investigations revealed that although the 59-year-old victim was befriended by who he believed was a British woman, the syndicate was masterminded by a group of Africans.

The police suspect that the group had worked closely with locals to obtain the victim’s personal details to fleece him of the amount.

Terengganu Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Koh Ah Tiam said early last month, the victim had befriended a woman who claimed to be British, via Facebook.

He said the woman had sought assistance from the victim on the pretext of buying a house, adding that the victim agreed to help.

“The victim, who acted as a ‘middle-man’, managed to find a house in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur and the woman had agreed to buy it.

“As a token of appreciation, the woman said she wanted to give a present and cash to the victim for helping her to buy the house,” he told reporters here today.

A few days later, however, the victim received a call from a courier company and the Customs Department, demanding that he settle a payment, including customs tax, to the tune of almost RM180,000.

Koh said the victim then wired seven transactions between June 17 and 23, during which he had also received several threatening calls for the money.

“During that period, the victim had paid almost RM180,000 but he received neither the gift nor the cash as promised, until today,” he said, adding that the victim lodged a police report yesterday after realising he had been cheated.

– BERNAMA

LAWAS: Drug abuse, one of vices besetting the ‘northern gateway, is a major headache faced by the authorities here.

According to a reliable source, besides drug abuse, other major vices were prostitution, cyber gambling, smuggling, illegal immigrants and theft.

He said Lawas was a major ‘gateway’ for drugs smuggled into Sarawak from Sabah.

“My own son is a drug addict. I have bailed him out a few times. The latest case happened only two weeks ago but I refused to pay. However, he was bailed out by someone whom I do not know,” the source told BAT6 here yesterday.

The source actually refused to comment but after an assurance from BAT6 that his name would not be exposed, he was willing to be interviewed.

According to him, the drugs-related problem here now even penetrated secondary schools as the drug pushers even asked the students to sell the drugs to their school mates.

“I heard from my son syabu or common known as ‘ice’ by the locals is sold RM50 per straw and it is very popular among the students,” he said.

He hoped the higher authority in the police force would allow their officers to be stationed here for only two years.

“I don’t want to point finger at anybody. But suffice for me to recommend that police officers with the rank of inspector and above be stationed here not more than two years to minimise them from getting ‘rooted’ here thereby they would not be able to enforce the law effectively.”

The source also revealed that the majority of drug addicts here were unemployed youths and thus would be involved in petty thefts to sustain their lifestyle.

“You can imagine for yourself that if they don’t have any money, then they would steal. Before, we were able to say that Lawas was a safe town. But now, even my LPG cylinder could just disappear from the kitchen. This is how Lawas has turned into.”

Besides drugs, Lawas was also associated with prostitution, the source added.

“Actually, I don’t want to say negative thing about our people. But that’s the reality. Most of prostitutes here come from the highlands and almost all of them are divorced women.”

Lawas is also a well-known den for cyber gambling.

“My son admitted to me that he is always working for the cyber gambling outlets. I would say the situation is very bad,” he said.

According to the source again, those who earned big bucks were those involved in smuggling activities – ranging from vehicles to cigarettes and liquor.

“Our border with Kalimantan is very porous. Vehicles, especially four-wheel drive vehicles, are easily smuggled from here and Sabah, and would end up at Long Bawang, which is easily accessible through Ba Kelalan,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lawas District Officer Husssaini Hakim admitted that the drug menace was quite rampant here.

“We are all working towards ‘zero’ drug abuse in Lawas town. Towards this end, we have been ‘engaging’ with the youths, students and their parents, teachers, councillors and community leaders on the danger of drugs.”

Hussaini said the authorities had been working closely together to curb the drug menace but it would take everyone’s efforts to minimise it.

“We hope the enforcement authorities, especially the police, will continue their efforts to rid this town of the dreaded disease to achieve our aim in making Lawas as an important ‘northern gateway’ to Sabah,” he added.



Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/06/30/drugs-ruin-lawas-reputation-as-northern-gateway/#ixzz4D2WoiYLx

LIMBANG: Teacher must educate children beyond books and academic excellence to excel as well-rounded citizens who care about living as a harmonious community instead of only being successful in careers but overtly individualistic.

Human capital development starts with teachers who instill virtues as the country moves forward with a generation which is dynamic, balanced and well-grounded.

Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment and Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship, Trade and Investment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this when officiating at the Limbang District Teachers Day celebration in Limbang Civic Centre yesterday.

“Students should be moulded by teachers to have good values and virtues that shine with academic achievement as no man is an island, not matter how successful he is in his career. Virtuous values are as important as academic or career success and our children must be educated to live well in a community instead of being individualistic,” he said.

Awang Tengah said the way forward for Sarawak’s economic development is through industrialisation in achieving a high income economy in a harmonious and politically stable state.

The minister thanked teachers for playing a critical role in nation-building as reflected in the success of students and country.

Among their contribution is character moulding of students to be disciplined, appreciative, patriotic and dynamic to be successful generations taking the country to the next level.

He stressed that schools should be proactive and think out of the box in tackling the challenge of educating the younger generation to cope with future challenges.

Professionals in their fields be roped in to encourage students to develop their career path by sharing their experiences and knowledge.

“You can do all these to broaden their horizon – it boils down to your creativity and innovativeness,” he said.

Present were newly promoted Assistant Minister of Welfare and Community Wellbeing Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Limbang MP Hasbi Habibolah, Batu Danau state assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, Limbang Resident Datuk Maria Hasman and the teaching fraternity.

Limbang District Education Officer Mohamad Tangahin thanked all teachers in Limbang District for their provision of quality education for students.

Meanwhile, Pemanca Willie Marum Liaw from Limbang District received the Exemplary Teacher Award 2016. He started teaching in 1969 and retired in 2003. He was later appointed an Iban community leader.

Present at the function were Welfare and Community Wellbeing Assistant Minister Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Limbang MP Hasbi Habibolah, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, Miri Resident Maria Hasman and Temenggong Ang Kheng Su.



Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/05/27/awang-tengah-avoid-being-individualistic-as-students/#ixzz4CH8BPvqn

MIRI: Setiausaha PKR Cawangan Miri, Bill Kayong maut setelah ditembak dari jarak dekat oleh individu tidak dikenali dalam kejadian yang berlaku di lampu isyarat berdekatan Pusat Komersil Emart, Tudan di sini pagi semalam.

Bill, 43, mati di tempat kejadian setelah satu das tembakan yang dilepaskan penjenayah terbabit menembusi cermin keretanya dan mengena bahagian leher sebelah kanan (bawah telinga kanan).

Dalam kejadian sekitar jam 8.30 pagi itu, mangsa yang memandu seorang diri kenderaan pacuan empat roda jenis Toyota Hilux sedang dalam perjalanan dari rumahnya di Desa Senadin menuju ke pejabat yang terletak di pusat bandar.

Semasa berhenti di lorong tengah lampu isyarat itu yang menghala arah ke Permyjaya, mangsa dipercayai ditembak menggunakan selaras senapang patah dari jarak dekat.

Selain itu, terdapat satu kesan tembakan di cermin sebelah pemandu dan terdapat kesan peluru tembus ke cermin sebelah kiri bahagian penumpang belakang.

Difahamkan, beberapa orang awam yang melalui tempat kejadian pada awalnya menyangka kereta mangsa mengalami kerosakan kerana tidak bergerak beberapa ketika sehinggalah mereka meninjau dengan lebih dekat dan mendapati mangsa sudah terkulai tidak bernyawa di tempat duduk pemandu dengan kesan cedera di leher.

Sementara itu, Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Sarawak SAC Dev Kumar mengesahkan kejadian itu dan mengklasifikasikan kes sebagai bunuh di bawah Seksyen 302 Kanun Keseksaan.

“Maka, kita merayu kepada orang ramai yang ada melihat kejadian itu supaya tampil membantu siasatan polis.

“Memandangkan kejadian berlaku di kawasan lampu isyarat yang kebiasaannya sesak terutama pada waktu pagi, kita percaya ramai pengguna jalan raya kemungkinan ada melihat kejadian tembak tersebut,” katanya.

Dev turut mengingatkan orang ramai supaya tidak membuat sebarang spekulasi berhubung motif kejadian tersebut sehinggalah siasatan selesai.

Kejadian itu menggemparkan penduduk sekitar Permyjaya dan ahli keluarga mangsa yang dimaklumkan tentang kejadian termasuk isterinya, Hasyikin Hatta, 41, serta dua anaknya, seorang lelaki (18 tahun) dan seorang perempuan (14 tahun) turut bergegas ke tempat kejadian.

Bill, seorang mualaf, juga Setiausaha Persatuan Dayak Sarawak (PEDAS) merupakan seorang ahli persatuan yang aktif dan aktivis yang amat lantang dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak kaum Dayak di negeri ini khususnya berkaitan isu tanah Hak Adat Bumiputera (NCR).

Menyertai PKR dari tahun 2001, beliau semasa hayatnya bertugas sebagai pembantu khas kepada Ahli Parlimen Miri Dr Michael Teo dan bertanding mewakili PKR menentang calon Barisan Nasional (BN) dan dua calon Bebas yang lain bagi kerusi N.71 Bekenu pada Pilihan Raya Negeri lepas.

Bill tewas kepada calon BN, Rosey Yunus pada pilihan raya tersebut.

Sebelum PKR, Bill mula berkecimpung dalam bidang politik dengan menyertai Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).



Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/06/22/bill-kayong-mati-ditembak/#ixzz4CHB1jmE4

THE state government has now received a strong electoral mandate from the people of Sarawak to take all necessary measures to safeguard the state’s rights and interests as one of the founding partners of the Federation of Malaysia.

The state joined the Federation after it had attained self-government and upon being granted independence by Britain under the terms of the Malaysia Agreement. Thus, Sarawak can never be equated to any state in Peninsular Malaysia (formerly Malaya), said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem in his winding-up speech yesterday.

“The discussions with the federal government is not to seek for powers which constitutionally belong to the federal government but to reclaim those state powers and rights wrongly encroached upon by the federal authorities based upon the principle of ‘render to Caesar what is Caesar’s’,” said Adenan.

He further said the foundation for the Federation of Malaysia is the special constitutional safeguards for the interests and territorial boundaries of the states of Sabah and Sarawak, and it is a matter of historical record, that without these safeguards, Sabah and Sarawak would not have joined in the formation of Malaysia and Britain would not have agreed to the creation of the Federation.

This foundation should never be undermined; and in fact, should be strengthened to sustain national solidarity and to propel Malaysia to greater prosperity and progress towards a high income economy, he pointed out.

Adenan spoke at length on the state’s autonomy and devolution of power, touching on various laws to support the issue.

He reminded the august house of the Proclamation of Sarawak’s Independence by the first Chief Minister of Sarawak, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Kalong Ningkan, at the Central Padang on Sept 16, 1963.

The Proclamation declared Sarawak’s independence from Colonial rule, to fulfil one of the cardinal principles of the Brooke rule, that is, that the people of Sarawak will govern themselves and be in complete control of their own destiny.

Sarawak obtained self-government on July 22, 1963 which is now Sarawak Day, upon the appointment of a Sarawakian as Chief Minister, and a Supreme Council comprising members of the State Legislative Council.

The formation of Malaysia was achieved when the British government, Malayan government and the then governments of Sarawak, North Borneo (Sabah) and Singapore signed the Malaysia Agreement on July 9, 1963.

The states of Malaya were not parties to the Agreement.

The Proclamation clearly stated that Sarawak, North Borneo and Singapore were federated with the Federation of Malaya.

Sarawak became part of the Federation and not a state like any other states in the former Federation of Malaya.

Therefore, Sarawak, like Sabah, must have greater degree of executive, legislative and financial autonomy in comparison with the other states in Peninsular Malaysia.

“I must re-iterate, therefore, on Malaysia Day, Sarawak emerged from British colonial rule, did not simply become a colony of Malaya.

Sarawak was a self-governing country who agreed to be a partner in the formation of a new federation, called Malaysia,” stressed Adenan.

On the Malaysia Agreement, he said it contains the terms for Sarawak and Sabah to join the Federation of Malaya so as to form Malaysia, and stipulated the safeguards for the special interests of Sarawak and Sabah so that these states do not become like one of the states in the old Federation of Malaya.

The Malaysia Act was passed to amend various Articles of the Federal Constitution and the Immigration Act was passed to entrench the rights of the Borneo states to control entry into and residence into these states.

Therefore, the terms and safeguards for Sarawak to join Malaysia are clearly spelt out in the Malaysia Agreement, the Federal Constitution which contains and entrenched the rights and safeguards for Sarawak, passed by Parliament before Malaysia Day, The Malaysia Act 1963, and the recommendations in the Inter-Governmental Committee Report (IGC Report) which was annexed to the Malaysia Agreement and the government of the Federation and Sarawak and Sabah agreed to take whatever legislative, administrative and executive actions to fully implement those recommendations to safeguard the special interests of Sarawak and Sabah which have not already been incorporated into the Federal Constitution after Malaysia Day.



Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/06/16/state-govt-to-pursue-safeguard-states-rights-adenan/#ixzz4D8dWPl7o

KUCHING: Sarawak will seek greater autonomy from the Federal Government especially on the restoration of the state’s status as one of the three regions in the federation of Malaysia namely Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah based on the Malaysia Agreement, 1963.

As such, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem appealed to the voters in Sarawak to give him the five-year mandate in tomorrow’s polls so that he could continue the negotiation with the Federal leaders under the second phase of negotiation.

He explained that the Malaysia Agreement was indeed an international agreement entered into by sovereign states of the United Kingdom, North Borneo (Sabah), Singapore, Malaya and Sarawak.

But now that Singapore had left the Federation in 1965, the rest of the partners, namely Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah would have to discuss the matter further.

“And if you want to change the agreement, you need the consent of all the parties. Now you cannot simply change it through changing the constitution as it is above the constitution.

So you cannot revoke the Malaysia Agreement. You cannot do that.

“In fact, one example was when they wanted to change the date from August 31 to September 16.

All the partners have to agree, then they can change it.

“Therefore, it means that Sarawak was a sovereign state when it entered into the memorandum.

That’s why we object to Sarawak being called one of the states in Malaysia or the 13th or the 14th state or something like that,” Adenan told a press conference at the old DUN complex here yesterday.

He reiterated that he was glad that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had told him that the issue would be further discussed during the second phase of negotiation.

“I think he (the prime minister) did mention that it would be further discussed as it would involve the Federal Legislation which impinges on the State’s right,” he emphasised.

On his tagline on billboards being erected at strategic areas across the state – “You Ain Seen Nothing’ Yet”– he explained that the American expression meant that he wanted to do more in the next five years.

On another issue, Adenan, who is also the president of PBB, refused to comment on the subject of his successor as he wanted to concentrate on winning the state election.

“I think it’s a bit too early to speak about the end when you are just in the beginning…. I am still alive you know,” he said in jest.

He said the party’s caucus, which consisted of elected representatives and senators, is still relevant as it could be used to choose the next leader of the state’s BN backbone party.

http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/05/06/state-to-seek-restoration-of-region-status/#ixzz47rWzVkql