The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
- Malaysia to set up hub for copter training
- No leniency for any agency that mistreats maids, ministry warns
- Raid on agency leaves many customers in shock
| Malaysia to set up hub for copter training Posted: 03 Dec 2012 03:53 PM PST PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is poised to become a training centre for helicopter pilots and crew members in the Asia-Pacific region with the setting up of a regional simulator centre here next month. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the centre would act as a training facility for EC225/725 copters as well as a helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre. The simulator centre is a joint venture by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and Boustead Heavy Industry Corporation. "South-East Asia's helicopter market is one of the fastest growing, extending far beyond Malaysia. Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines all have huge demands for new rotorcrafts, particularly in offshore supply and mining support. "Malaysia is well placed to meet demands for this dynamic growth through comprehensive cooperation projects with various companies," Ahmad Zahid said after receiving the first two of 12 EC725 medium-lift helicopters for the Royal Malaysian Airforce (RMAF) at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, near here, yesterday. "They will complement and eventually replace the 20 aging Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters which were bought in 1968," he said, adding that the Nuri copters would be upgraded, refurbished or sold to neighbouring countries. He added that the helicopters, by French Eurocopter Group, would be used for search and rescue operations, troop transport and utility missions. All 12 helicopters would be delivered to the RMAF by Eurocopter by 2014. The EC725 helicopters reportedly cost the Government RM2.3bil, or RM193mil each. DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua had claimed this was execessive, citing that Brazil bought 50 units of the same model in 2010, which is about RM84mil per unit. Reacting to Pua's allegation, Ahmad Zahidi said: "His claims are totally untrue and baseless." The EC725 copters were first introduced in 2005 and is capable of carrying over 11,000kg of weight and can travel up to 290kph. |
| No leniency for any agency that mistreats maids, ministry warns Posted: 03 Dec 2012 03:52 PM PST MALACCA: The Human Resources Ministry warned the 330 registered maid agencies in the country not to tarnish the country's image by abusing foreigners under their care. Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subra-maniam said the action of a few irresponsible agencies had brought shame to the country. "Therefore, we will no longer be lenient with any agency found to be mistreating foreigners here," he said after handing over Federal Government monetary aid to Non-Governmental Organisations and Hindu temples in the state at Bukit Beruang yesterday. Dr Subramaniam was commenting on the shocking find at a maid agency in Bandar Baru Klang where 105 foreign women were found held captive in a four-storey building. Besides being treated roughly, some of the women claimed that their food was rationed and they were even forced to eat paper as punishment if they tried to ask for their salaries. The Ministry, Dr Subramaniam said, was now waiting for the full report from the Immigration Depart-ment on the agency before pursuing the case. He said the Ministry would blacklist the agency and safeguard the victims' interest. Dr Subramaniam called for the maximum penalty on the Bandar Baru Klang maid agency. On a separate note, Dr Subramaniam said the framework on the extention of retirement age from 55 to 60 in the private sector will be revealed within the next two weeks. He said the decision on the implementation of the minimum retirement age for private sector would be determined before the end of this year. Under the Minimum Retirement Age Bill 2012 passed by the Parlia-ment recently, the compulsory retirement age of private sector employees is raised to 60 and an employer cannot retire an employee prematurely. |
| Raid on agency leaves many customers in shock Posted: 03 Dec 2012 03:52 PM PST KLANG: The Immigration Department's raid on a maid agency in Bandar Baru Klang has left many of the agency's customers in shock. Wong Chee Meng, 38, said he was surprised to read about the raid, which resulted in 105 foreign women being rescued, in The Star yesterday. "I never thought it would be the agency that we hired from. "My heart sank when I discovered the truth. I contacted the agency and they confirmed the raid," he said when met in front of the agency's office here yesterday. Wong and his wife Ang Ying Chee, 38, are worried as they have paid a deposit of RM6,000 to hire a new maid. "We did not mind paying the sum as we desperately need a maid to look after our three children as both of us are working. "We hope to get a refund as we do not know what is going to happen to the agency," he said. Restaurant worker Rashid Jamaluddin, 21, whose outlet is located near the agency, said he was surprised to see so many Immigration officers raiding the agency. "I always see the maids coming down from the agency to buy take-away meals. "I never suspected anything amiss. They seemed fine,'' he added. A mini-mart worker, who only wished to be known as Aina, said the women would always buy items from her shop and "seemed scared". Meanwhile, Selangor Immigration director Amran Ahmad said his personnel assisted with the transfer of the maids' belongings before sending them to the welfare home at Jalan Bukit Ledang in Damansara onboard two buses yesterday. On the possibility of the maids having been abused, he said the department was investigating the matter. |
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