8 theSun | MONDAY MARCH 23 2009

news without borders

Since Roslan, the sole breadwin-

Bukit Gantang: Yardstick

briefs
EU countries want to
help clean Klang River
KUALA LUMPUR: Three European
countries have indicated their willing-
ness to clean up and beautify the
Klang River.
Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul
Khalid Ibrahim said, however, that the
project had nothing to do with Syarikat
Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas).
The cost to clean and beautify the
120km river was estimated at RM10
billion and was expected to be com-
pleted in five years. Khalid declined to
name the countries concerned.
“By June, we should have a project
management team; by August, the
private funding; and by the end of the
year, the physical work will take place,”
he said at a press conference after
officiating at a “Day with Syabas”– a
programme in conjunction with “World
Water Day” here yesterday.
Khalid said that on the project’s
completion, properties along the
river would be worth RM50 billion. –
Bernama
Widow gets RM150,000
compensation
PADANG BESAR: Housewife
Sabina Ramli, 38, received about
RM150,000 in insurance compen-
sation yesterday for the death of
her husband Roslan Long who was
killed while working in a sugar cane
plantation early this year.
A cheque for the sum was pre-
sented to her by Perlis Mentri Besar
Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Isa Sabu at her
house in Paya Kelubi near here.
ner of the family, died after his trac-
tor overturned on Jan 4, Sabina has
had difficulty in making ends meet,
having five children aged two to 18
years. – Bernama
Uniform prices for
controlled items
LUBOK ANTU: The Domestic Trade and
Consumer Affairs Ministry, through the
National Price Council, has provided an
assurance that the prices of controlled
items, including petrol and diesel, for
Sabah and Sarawak’s interior will be
made uniform this year.
Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul
Samad said the federal government
had approved a RM45 million alloca-
tion to set up community fuel depots
in the interior of the two states, thus
ensuring that petrol and diesel prices
remained at RM1.80 and RM1.70 per
litre respectively.
“We expect that inflation could
be reduced in Sabah and Sarawak’s
rural and remote areas,” he said after
launching a streamlining of petrol and
diesel retail prices for the community
fuel depot at the Batang Ai dam jetty
near here yesterday. – Bernama
‘L’ driver killed after
crashing into tree
KANGAR: A student driver who was
to sit for his test tomorrow died
after crashing into a tree in Kubang
Gajah near here early yesterday.
Salesman Muhamad Zairi Minan,
21, was said to be driving a friend’s
car when he hit the tree at 3.30am.
The impact caused the car to split
in two and he was flung him into
a drain.
His friend, Asrul Sani Jaafar, 24,
sustained a broken right hand and
cuts to the head. – Bernama
of change in Perak
TAIPING: Whether the winds
of change in Perak blow in
favour of the Barisan Nasional
will be seen in the results of the
Bukit Gantang parliamentary
by-election on April 7.
Some political observers
say the change is taking
place on the ground and
Sorry, but gaining momentum under
Geithner BN Mentri Besar Datuk Dr
stays, Zambry Abdul Kadir after
disappointment at the PAS
says leadership among sections
Obama of the public for being what
pg 10 they considered to be “a
stooge of the DAP”.
Allegations by former
state executive councillor
Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu that
Pakatan Rakyat’s PAS Mentri
Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad
Nizar Jamaluddin was con-
trolled by the DAP has, the
observers say, prompted a
change of heart among the
people.
Last month, Mohd Osman,
the Changkat Jering assem-
blyman formerly from Parti
Keadilan Rakyat, declared
himself an Independent along
with two other assemblymen
– one also from the PKR and
another from the DAP. Their
actions triggered a series of
events which saw the BN
taking over the state from
the opposition government
of PAS, PKR and DAP.
For the first time in 30
years, Umno is fielding a
local candidate, Ismail Saf-
fian, 49, in Bukit Gantang.
Deputy Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul
Razak said Ismail would be
better able to fulfil the needs
of the local community and
cooperate with all quarters.
Ismail, who is Bukit
Gantang Umno information
chief, is from Kampung
Kubu, Bukit Gantang, and
his wife from Changkat Ibol
in the same constituency.
A factor cited in the BN’s
defeat in the general election
last year, in what was regard-
ed as an Umno stronghold,
was the choice of an outsider
for its candidate.
Umno treasurer Datuk
Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi
lost to PAS’ Roslan Shaharum
by 1,566 votes. Roslan’s death
of a heart attack on Feb 9 has
necessitated a by-election.
Bukit Gantang Umno
head Datuk Rosli Husin, who
had warded off a challenge
from Ismail for the division
chief’s post, was confident
that a local candidate was a
trump card for the BN.
“We have waited for 30
years, the voters are delighted.
We have had enough of out-
siders. It is high time a local
was given a chance to serve
the community,” he said.
Rosli won the Trong state
seat in the Bukit Gantang
parliamentary constituency,
beating PAS’ Norazli Musa by
a 916 vote-majority. BN lost
the two other state seats in
the constituency – Changkat
Jering and Kuala Sepetang
– to the PKR.
Changkat Jering went to
Mohd Osman, who defeated
BN’s Datuk Mat Isa Ismail
by 1,102 votes, and Kuala
Sepetang was wrested by Tai
Sing Ng, who beat BN’s See
Tean Seng by 564 votes.
Bukit Gantang has 55,471
voters, of which 63.5% are
Malay, 27.1% Chinese, 9.1%
Indian and 0.3% others.
– Bernama

RM3.2bil ‘roll out’

this week
PETALING JAYA: Projects valued at RM3.202
billion under the Mini Budget announced just
two weeks ago will be awarded this week, said
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul
Razak.
Of the total, RM1.3 billion is to be awarded
to contractors to improve, upgrade and develop
facilities and infrastructure of schools. A total of
322 schools throughout the country have been
identified, said Najib in a statement yesterday.
Another RM95.5 million worth of projects will
be awarded to rehabilitate and improve police
stations.
“The awarding of these projects so soon after
the Mini Budget was tabled in Parliament shows
the seriousness of the authorities in dealing
with the global crisis which has also affected
Malaysia,” said Najib, who tabled the RM60 bil-
lion Mini Budget on March 10. He is also finance
minister.
“It is also proof of the government’s seri-
ous concern for the people’s well-being and to
stimulate private sector activity and confidence,”
he said.
Najib said projects identified under the first
stimulus package announced last Nov 4 were
being speeded up and monitored by the Project
Management Unit (PMU) headed by Datuk Mohd
Othman Zainal Azim as its chief operating of-
ficer.
To date, 16,386 projects worth RM1.67 billion
under the first stimulus package of RM7 billion
have been awarded and implemented.
These include projects to develop and
enhance human capital, ensuring the rakyat’s
well-being and enhancing competitiveness.
“The development of the RM234 million HP
IT Campus in Cyberjaya is under way and the
contract for this has been awarded. A total of
30 interns for the graduate employability and
attachment training Programme are being inter-
viewed now.
“By the end of next month, all the 38,000
projects under the first stimulus package are
targeted to be rolled out and expected to be
completed by August.
“We are committed to ensuring speedy imple-
mentation of the projects to help the rakyat and
businesses ride out the difficulties brought on by
the global economic crisis,” said Najib.
The PMU together with the Implementation
and Coordination Unit (ICU) and other relevant
agencies have been tasked to also monitor the
Second Stimulus package. In addition, a techni-
cal committee has been set up to monitor the
implementation of projects under the stimulus
package.
The committee is chaired by the Treasury
secretary-general and meets regularly to monitor
implementation of the projects. This committee
reports to the Steering Committee chaired by
Najib.
The setting up of the PMU and regular
monitoring by Najib himself will ensure that the
targets set out under the two stimulus packages
are achieved, said the statement

Najib’s mom to receive honorary PhD from UUM

ALOR STAR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s mother, Tun Rahah
Mohd Noah, will be conferred an honorary
Doctor of Philosophy (Education) at Universiti
Utara Malaysia’s (UUM) 22nd convocation on
Saturday.
UUM deputy vice-chancellor (Academic
and Internationalisation) Prof Dr Abdul Ra-
zak Chik said the conferment is in conjunc-
tion with the university’s silver jubilee and
in honour of Rahah’s contribution to social
development. “As a prominent woman who
is also the chancellor of Universiti Tun Abdul
Razak, Tun Rahah deserves this award (from
UUM),” he told reporters yesterday.
He said besides Rahah, Tan Sri Khalid
Abdullah would also be conferred an hon-
orary PhD (Communication), while former
UUM deputy vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr
Mohd Nawi Abdul Rahman would be made
professor emeritus.
At this year’s convocation from March
28 to 30, 4,597 graduands will receive their
scrolls. – Bernama