The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Country’s largest urban bus operator picks up the slack and services Kuantan
- Malacca temple gives back to the community by helping needy children
- Residents in fear as burglars prey on their homes in the early morning hours
| Country’s largest urban bus operator picks up the slack and services Kuantan Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:48 PM PST KUANTAN: Eight-day old Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd acted swiftly to answer the request of the Pahang government by providing 15 busses to service the routes left unnatended in Kuantan after Bee Huat Omnibus Company and Seng Heng Bus Company ceased operations earlier this month. "In the interest of the people of Kuantan, we needed to act swiftly. Hence, we have sent another 15 buses, taken from our Shah Alam Depot to serve the people in Kuantan to serve our new routes. And, yes, making adjustment and redeployment of resources from one division to another are much easier under one company," said Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Zohari Sulaiman. Prasarana announced last Thursday of its major restructuring exercise with the creation of four new strategic business units – Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd for bus operations; Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd to manage its LRT and monorail services, Prasarana Integrated Management and Engineering Services Sdn Bhd (PRIME); and Prasarana Integrated Development Sdn Bhd, or PRIDE, which will manage its commercial and property development business. Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd runs the bus services of RapidKL for Klang Valley and Selangor, RapidPenang for Penang and Seberang Prai; and RapidKuantan for operations in Kuantan and the state of Pahang. According to Zohari, with the additional 15 buses, RapidKuantan, which commenced operations on Dec 1, last year, now has 47 buses in total to serve seven routes including four new ones, which it began servicing from Jan 7. The four new routes are Route 400 between Kuantan and Pekan, which was formerly serviced by Bee Huat Omnibus Company; Route 500 between Kuantan and Sungai Lembing, which was formerly serviced by Seng Heng Bus Company, Route 101 between Terminal Makmur and Taman Indera Sempurna and Route 301 between Terminal Makmur and Bukit Sagu. "For Route 400, we have allocated six buses, Route 500 with six buses and Route 101 with five buses. For Route 301 between Terminal Makmur and Bukit Sagu, we are temporarily working with a single bus. Naturally, we would be adding the buses in a near future. "Again, the biggest challenge for us is the availability of the drivers as the industry as a whole is facing a shortage of bus drivers," Zohari said, adding that despite the additional responsibility born on RapidKuantan, services for its original three routes are keeping to its schedule. "For the additional buses for operations, we have to recruit another 30 drivers. Under Phase 1, we have recruited 64 drivers," he said, adding that other new routes that are currently being considered included Tanjung Lumpur, Beserah and city services. Since its operations on December 1, RapidKuantan is providing a free service, which will continue until April 30. Fare collection will start from May 1. |
| Malacca temple gives back to the community by helping needy children Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:53 PM PST MALACCA: In conjunction with its annual dinner, Lwi Kiat Tian Taoist temple recently donated a sum of RM1,000 to the underprivileged pupils of Pay Hwa Chinese Primary School in Paya Rumput. According to the organising chairman for the annual dinner, Koh Mui Ann, the donation was aimed at assisting the needy pupils. "We just wanted to help out and show them we care deeply about every child getting a good education with all the correct tools for the classroom and their homework," Koh said. Koh added the temple was driven to help because it has become part and parcel of the Paya Rumput community over the past 32 years. The dinner was officially launched by Paya Rumput MCA representative, Lim Ban Hong who represented Malacca executive councillor, Datuk Seet Har Cheow. Lim urged a packed hall of about 1,000 people to evaluate what they heard from certain quarters who had the tendency to downgrade the country for their own self-interest. "We are free today to practice our rich culture and celebrations without hindrance," he said. Pay Hwa Primary School old boys and Parent-Teacher Association chairman, Datuk Lau Puan Long and Vincent Low, and chairman of the Temple, Teo Ah Chai were among those present at the dinner. During the dinnerthere was also an auction of religious and prosperity paraphernalia to help raise funds for the maintenance of the temple. |
| Residents in fear as burglars prey on their homes in the early morning hours Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:51 PM PST JOHOR BARU: Residents in Taman Ungku Aminah have yet one more thing to worry about in the morning as they rise early for work. So far, ten houses along Jalan Perwira 12 have been broken intoincluding the home of Kindergarten teacher Hew Kooi Foon, 44. Hew explained that when she returned home from work on Jan 3, she was surprised to find her front gates ajar. "My daughter, who reached home about 10 minutes before me, said she did not dare enter the house when she saw the front gates removed with the fan and lights on inside the house," she told reporters recently. The mother-of-two said the burglars made away with about RM2,000 in cash, two smartphones, a branded watch and a spare key for her car. Hew added that she also had to fork out RM2,200 to replace her car's lock system as she was afraid that the burglars might return to steal her car. Housewife Tan Choy Choo, 52, said her pregnant daughter-in-law was alone at home when a man broke into her house on Dec 22, last year, by removing the windowpanes and sawing the grilles. "The burglar wanted to hit her with a metal rod when she was about to scream for help but she told him not to harm her as she was pregnant. "The man then told her to go into her room and she immediately locked herself inside while the burglar took off with SGD$400 (RM992) and RM500, two gold rings and a pair of earrings," she said, adding that both her sons worked in Singapore. Meanwhile, Skudai assemblyman Dr Boo Cheng Hau said that victims of attempted robberies said they preferred not to lodge a police report because of the tedious procedure. When contacted, Johor Baru north acting OCPD Supt Beh Eng Lai advised residents to lodge a police report immediately even if there were no losses so that the police are aware of the situation. "We will beef up patrol but there is no point complaining about the crimes without lodging a police report," he added. |
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