May 4, 2010
Is it the concern of the Ipoh City Council, the state Public Works Department (PWD), the Kinta District Land Office or the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), asks Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
Party national deputy chairperson M Saraswathy (left) told Malaysiakini today that the four departments have kept passing the buck to each other and refused to provide a solution.
PSM had collected some 2,500 signatures from Jelapang residents in March and handed a memorandum - with photos of the flooded areas - to each of the four departments on April 2. To date there has been no response.
The flooding problem started when the North-South Highway (Plus) Jelapang toll-gate was opened and it worsened after the Lumut Highway was opened to traffic.
This because there is no proper drainage system to deal with the surface run-off, claimed Saraswathy.
She said Jelapang has developed into a key transit point for movement of people from east Perak to the state's west coast where Lumut and Pangkor are located.
Old, narrow drains the cause
The low-lying areas of Jelapang town from the Petronas petrol station towards the Plus Highway are flooded each time there is a heavy shower and this results in two-way traffic jams.
Business premises situated on the main trunk road are affected and personal property is often damaged.
The flooding is due to the old, narrow drains in the area, which are unable to cope with the increasing volume of water run-off.
Saraswathy said it is about time the four departments visit the flood-prone area and come up with a solution.
She said a comprehensive report on flood mitigation should be prepared.
"As an interim measure, the respective departments must use their contingency funds (to provide a solution) without any more delays or excuses," she added.
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Tuesday, May 4, 2010
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Ipoh mayor’s term to end on July 23 - The Star
April 30, 2010
IPOH: Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim (pic) will complete his term as city mayor on July 23.
Roshidi, 54, said it was up to the Perak Government to decide whether it wanted to extend his tenure.
”It is also up to the people whether they feel I can continue to serve as mayor,” he told reporters after chairing a council meeting here yesterday.
”I am willing to accept whatever decision with an open heart,’’ he said.
Roshidi said he was proud to have served the Ipoh City Council alongside the local councillors and council employees.
”I will continue to serve the people if reappointed,” he added.
Roshidi was appointed by former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin in July 2008 following the retirement of Datuk Mohamad Rafiai Moktar.
He was the council secretary from July 2006 and was also an Anti-Corruption Agency prosecution officer for 15 years.
IPOH: Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim (pic) will complete his term as city mayor on July 23.
Roshidi, 54, said it was up to the Perak Government to decide whether it wanted to extend his tenure.
”It is also up to the people whether they feel I can continue to serve as mayor,” he told reporters after chairing a council meeting here yesterday.
”I am willing to accept whatever decision with an open heart,’’ he said.
Roshidi said he was proud to have served the Ipoh City Council alongside the local councillors and council employees.
”I will continue to serve the people if reappointed,” he added.
Roshidi was appointed by former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin in July 2008 following the retirement of Datuk Mohamad Rafiai Moktar.
He was the council secretary from July 2006 and was also an Anti-Corruption Agency prosecution officer for 15 years.
Keep a watch on reflexology centres, Perak tells local councils - The Star
May 1, 2010
IPOH: The order is out for the authorities to come down hard on reflexology centres here which are being used as a front offering sexual services.
Perak Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said regular spot checks would be conducted on the centres to ensure they adhered to rules and regulations.
“We have received complaints from housewives asking us to keep an eye on these centres,” he told reporters here yesterday after chairing a meeting on local councils at the state secretariat building.
He said the state had instructed all local councils to tighten its licensing requirements for such centres and was not contemplating to bar foreign women from working in such centres.
Dr Mah said regular checks were conducted on 58 registered reflexology centres in the city but none were found offering sexual services.
He told local councils not to hesitate to revoke their operating licenses if they failed to adhere to rules and regulations.
On a different matter, Dr Mah said he had requested for a racial breakdown of personnel working in local councils.
“I asked all local council chairman at the meeting to have more officers and personnel from various races in their office.
“I hope the composition is in line with the 1Malaysia slogan,” he said.
Dr Mah also said that the one-stop-centres in all local councils in the state fared better than the national average.
“While the national figure is 90.2%, the councils in Perak achieved 95.7%,” he added.
IPOH: The order is out for the authorities to come down hard on reflexology centres here which are being used as a front offering sexual services.
Perak Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said regular spot checks would be conducted on the centres to ensure they adhered to rules and regulations.
“We have received complaints from housewives asking us to keep an eye on these centres,” he told reporters here yesterday after chairing a meeting on local councils at the state secretariat building.
He said the state had instructed all local councils to tighten its licensing requirements for such centres and was not contemplating to bar foreign women from working in such centres.
Dr Mah said regular checks were conducted on 58 registered reflexology centres in the city but none were found offering sexual services.
He told local councils not to hesitate to revoke their operating licenses if they failed to adhere to rules and regulations.
On a different matter, Dr Mah said he had requested for a racial breakdown of personnel working in local councils.
“I asked all local council chairman at the meeting to have more officers and personnel from various races in their office.
“I hope the composition is in line with the 1Malaysia slogan,” he said.
Dr Mah also said that the one-stop-centres in all local councils in the state fared better than the national average.
“While the national figure is 90.2%, the councils in Perak achieved 95.7%,” he added.
Council to discuss Gunung Rapat market upgrade with traders today - The Star
April 30, 2010
THE Gunung Rapat wet market needs to be given a major facelift to attract more customers.
Ipoh Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim said the younger generation mostly prefer to shop at hypermarkets and supermarkets than wet markets.
“A new and tidier market is essential so that people, especially the younger people, will continue to go there,” he told reporters after chairing a council meeting here recently.
“We have about 300 people going to the market daily but the number can drop in future if the dilapidated building is not improved to be on par with the bigger markets,” he said.
Roshidi urged all market traders to be present at a dialogue session to discuss the matter at the Gunung Rapat Community Hall today.
He said the traders should not only think about their own welfare but that of the consumers as well.
“Those trading outside the market will also benefit from the new market as they will be under one roof,” he said.
Roshidi pointed out that the city council had identified two options for the traders to relocate if the refurbishment goes ahead.
Roshid said the city council would help traders with the relocation.
On another matter, Roshidi said Silver Fly’s flights to Medan had been temporarily stopped due to technical problems to their aeroplanes.
“Flights to Medan will not be interrupted as Riau Airlines will restart their services next month,” he said.
At a lucky draw held after the city council meeting, Roshidi drew 20 people who had paid their annual assessment tax without arrears.
Two Modenas Kriss motorcycles were given to the top two winners while the third-prize winner won a 42-inch LCD television set.
THE Gunung Rapat wet market needs to be given a major facelift to attract more customers.
Ipoh Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim said the younger generation mostly prefer to shop at hypermarkets and supermarkets than wet markets.
“A new and tidier market is essential so that people, especially the younger people, will continue to go there,” he told reporters after chairing a council meeting here recently.
“We have about 300 people going to the market daily but the number can drop in future if the dilapidated building is not improved to be on par with the bigger markets,” he said.
Roshidi urged all market traders to be present at a dialogue session to discuss the matter at the Gunung Rapat Community Hall today.
He said the traders should not only think about their own welfare but that of the consumers as well.
“Those trading outside the market will also benefit from the new market as they will be under one roof,” he said.
Roshidi pointed out that the city council had identified two options for the traders to relocate if the refurbishment goes ahead.
Roshid said the city council would help traders with the relocation.
On another matter, Roshidi said Silver Fly’s flights to Medan had been temporarily stopped due to technical problems to their aeroplanes.
“Flights to Medan will not be interrupted as Riau Airlines will restart their services next month,” he said.
At a lucky draw held after the city council meeting, Roshidi drew 20 people who had paid their annual assessment tax without arrears.
Two Modenas Kriss motorcycles were given to the top two winners while the third-prize winner won a 42-inch LCD television set.
Surge in power bills for Ipoh folk - The Star
May 2, 2010
IPOH: Houseowners in various parts of the city are getting a nasty shock over the sudden spike in their electricity bills.
Contractor Tan Jia Fatt, 40, said he was taken aback when he received a bill on April 23 for RM434.
“Usually, I pay between RM100 and RM200 each month for my electricity bill.
“However, the bill came up to a whopping RM434 last month,” he told reporters at a press conference at the Pasir Pinji DAP service centre here yesterday.
Another disgruntled consumer, who only wished to be known as Mrs Chew, said she had initially thought the nearly two-fold jump in her bill was due to an increase in power tariff.
“Normally, my bill is about RM90 but last month, it was RM159,” said the 49-year-old housewife, adding that she had also not installed any new electrical appliance at her Seri Pengkalan home to warrant such an increase.
“The drastic increase has brought unnecessary burden to me,” she said.
Pasir Pinji assemblyman Thomas Su said the problem was due to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) billing consumers every alternate month for electricity consumption.
“This system of billing consumers every alternate month has seriously short-changed them,” he claimed, adding that his service centre had been inundated with such complaints.
Su urged TNB to revert to its previous practice of billing houseowners for the actual month of their consumption, adding that the utility company should also suspend the payment for April’s electricity bill pending an investigation.
“The reason given by TNB for alternate billing is that they lack manpower but this does not make sense.
“If they are really facing manpower shortage, how can all the bills for all the consumers be sent out on April 23?” he said, adding that he had since highlighted the grouses to TNB Perak’s regional office.
Teja assemblyman Chang Lih Kang said TNB should explain its method of calculation which had led to higher electricity bills.
Both the assemblymen and Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan will be compiling complaints on the electricity bills today at their respective service centres.
Consumers facing similar predicament are urged to bring copies of their March and April electricity bills.
IPOH: Houseowners in various parts of the city are getting a nasty shock over the sudden spike in their electricity bills.
Contractor Tan Jia Fatt, 40, said he was taken aback when he received a bill on April 23 for RM434.
“Usually, I pay between RM100 and RM200 each month for my electricity bill.
“However, the bill came up to a whopping RM434 last month,” he told reporters at a press conference at the Pasir Pinji DAP service centre here yesterday.
Another disgruntled consumer, who only wished to be known as Mrs Chew, said she had initially thought the nearly two-fold jump in her bill was due to an increase in power tariff.
“Normally, my bill is about RM90 but last month, it was RM159,” said the 49-year-old housewife, adding that she had also not installed any new electrical appliance at her Seri Pengkalan home to warrant such an increase.
“The drastic increase has brought unnecessary burden to me,” she said.
Pasir Pinji assemblyman Thomas Su said the problem was due to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) billing consumers every alternate month for electricity consumption.
“This system of billing consumers every alternate month has seriously short-changed them,” he claimed, adding that his service centre had been inundated with such complaints.
Su urged TNB to revert to its previous practice of billing houseowners for the actual month of their consumption, adding that the utility company should also suspend the payment for April’s electricity bill pending an investigation.
“The reason given by TNB for alternate billing is that they lack manpower but this does not make sense.
“If they are really facing manpower shortage, how can all the bills for all the consumers be sent out on April 23?” he said, adding that he had since highlighted the grouses to TNB Perak’s regional office.
Teja assemblyman Chang Lih Kang said TNB should explain its method of calculation which had led to higher electricity bills.
Both the assemblymen and Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan will be compiling complaints on the electricity bills today at their respective service centres.
Consumers facing similar predicament are urged to bring copies of their March and April electricity bills.
Mat Rempit made to sing Negaraku - The Star
May 2, 2010
IPOH: A group of Mat Rempit will remember Labour Day for a long time. They were made to sing the Negaraku after being arrested.
The 33 riders, aged between 17 and 25, were arrested during an operation that began at 3am at Jalan Raja Dr Nazrin Shah yesterday.
A reminder to obey the laws: The riders singing the national anthem at the police station yesterday.
State police traffic unit (enforcement) head Asst Supt Abd Malik Abu Bakar said 70 motorcycles were assembled there and the riders were getting ready to race when police moved in on them.
“Seeing our presence, they ran helter skelter. Some even fell off their machines,” said ASP Abd Malik, adding that 23 motorcycles were seized during the operation.
All were detained under Rule 6 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 and face a maximum fine of RM300 each.
The 33 were made to push their machines for 7km to the Sungai Senam police station where they were made to sing the national anthem.
He said there was no trouble as they sang, adding that “all finished singing the national anthem.”
“They seemed to know the lines,’’ ASP Abd Malik said, adding that the youths were made to sing the Negaraku to instil in them “the need to adhere to the country’s laws.”
IPOH: A group of Mat Rempit will remember Labour Day for a long time. They were made to sing the Negaraku after being arrested.
The 33 riders, aged between 17 and 25, were arrested during an operation that began at 3am at Jalan Raja Dr Nazrin Shah yesterday.
A reminder to obey the laws: The riders singing the national anthem at the police station yesterday.State police traffic unit (enforcement) head Asst Supt Abd Malik Abu Bakar said 70 motorcycles were assembled there and the riders were getting ready to race when police moved in on them.
“Seeing our presence, they ran helter skelter. Some even fell off their machines,” said ASP Abd Malik, adding that 23 motorcycles were seized during the operation.
All were detained under Rule 6 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 and face a maximum fine of RM300 each.
The 33 were made to push their machines for 7km to the Sungai Senam police station where they were made to sing the national anthem.
He said there was no trouble as they sang, adding that “all finished singing the national anthem.”
“They seemed to know the lines,’’ ASP Abd Malik said, adding that the youths were made to sing the Negaraku to instil in them “the need to adhere to the country’s laws.”