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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Batu Pahat has all but needs to give attention on the rising cost of living
Lahad Datu: Prayers for fallen heroes
New guidelines for consumers’ protection to be followed by beauty and F&B operators

Batu Pahat has all but needs to give attention on the rising cost of living

Posted: 13 Mar 2013 10:11 PM PDT

BATU PAHAT: This district was once known as "Little Paris of the East" with hair saloons offering not just a trim, but massage and sexual services as well.

The name Batu Pahat means "chiselled rock" in Malay. The origin of this name can be traced back to a legend in the 15th century; when the invading Siamese troops were chiselling rocks at a rocky spot in the coastal village of Kampung Minyak Beku, in hope of getting fresh water during their retreat.

However, over the years, this trading town known for its textile, food processing and packaging industries, had rapidly grown and is now regarded as one of the most developed districts in the state.

This district is also home to at least 25 public listed companies on Bursa Malaysia.

Located in the northwest of Johor, this area is synonymous with Umno founder Datuk Onn Jaafar.

This place is also often regarded as the birthplace of politicians from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat and even well known businessmen.

Before the opening of the North South Expressway, this town used to be a transit point for people travelling from the north to Johor Baru.

However, as the district is located next to a river and is regarded as below sea level, it was regularly hit by flash floods.

The Batu Pahat parliamentary is carved out of three state seats namely Penggaram, Senggarang and Rengit.

This town has undergone rapid development in the last 10 years and while many of the problems including massive flooding has been resolved, people are hoping for better and wider roads in the town, improved infrastructure, better parks and assistance to ease the rising cost of living.

For retired teacher Ooi Suet Wah, 69, flooding used to be a major problem forcing many homes to put up make-shift barriers at the entrances of their houses to prevent flooding.

"It was during Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's time as an assemblyman here when the problem was resolved due to flood mitigation problems.

"Nowadays were only have flash floods whenever it rains heavily and when the tide is high," she added.

The Government spent over RM100mil since 2004 to deepen and widen four rivers in the district as part of the flood mitigation projects and about RM70mil to upgrade drains around Jalan Sultanah, Jalan Bakau Condong and Parit Dhobi.

Ooi, who has four children including two in the United States, said water quality was another problem in the district and many homes had to fix more than one filter.

"Nowadays the water is much better and we also do not experience frequent water disruptions like before," she said, hoping for better roads and assistance to tackle the rising cost of living in the town especially groceries, vegetables and fish.

For 47-year-old kindergarten teacher, K. Shanti, who moved to the town after her marriage, Batu Pahat is a good place to live with people who are friendly and helpful.

Shanti, whose husband passed away some time ago and she is the sole breadwinner taking care of five school going children, hopes that the government would provide more assistance to the welfare of single mothers.

"My earning is barely enough for our daily expenses and I really need financial help especially for my children's education," she added.

For production operator, Noreza Khamis, 35, everything was good in Batu Pahat except for the high cost of living.

"The prices of groceries and food is so expensive and we hope the government will help us to overcome inflation.

"We also hope for more affordable houses to be built here because housing prices are too high," she added.

On training programmes, Mohd Nasrol Md Diah, a 33-year-old self-employed, hopes for more such projects to help young entrepreneurs.

He said besides good infrastructures here, focus should also be given for youth-related development programmes including in the information technology field.

Mohd Nasrol hoped for more programmes such as Rakan Muda programme could be intensified to get youths involved in not just activities but also social and community work.

On the cleanliness of the area, cake shop assistant Lim Tian Soo, 53, feels that the local council should be prompt in rubbish collection.

"I am worried that if the rubbish is not collected on time, it will pose health problems to the locals as well as attract animals to scavenge and mess up the area," he added.

Twenty-two-year-old J. Singam, who works as a technician, feels that the development taking place in Batu Pahat would be good for the people but hoped for better roads especially leading out of Batu Pahat.

"The roads leading out of Batu Pahat are often congested as there are too many traffic light junctions here.

"Some roads in the housing estates are also riddled with pot holes and hopes that the local councils will move round patching them up," he said.

Singam described Batu Pahat as a Bandar yang sudah berjaya (a developed town) with almost everything from a 24-hours Mc Donalds, hotels and malls.

He hoped that the council would also help maintain the cleanliness of their only beach in Minyak Beku, which was a popular spot for locals as there was also a lighthouse in the area.

Batu Pahat will be a hot seat this general election with both Barisan Nasional and the opposition going all out to win over both the urban and village folks in this constituency which comprises 86,678 voters.

Lahad Datu: Prayers for fallen heroes

Posted: 13 Mar 2013 05:04 PM PDT

MALACCA: Former police constable Datuk K.Basil who served in Lahad Datu decided to hold a "pooja" (prayers) at the Bukit Beruang

Mariamman Hindu temple here for the fallen heroes who were killed in the recent intrusion.

The cop turned politician said he could picture what the fallen heroes had encountered when confronting the intruders during the stand-off.

"I was there in Lahad Datu in the 1980's as young policeman and I know how arduous to combat foreign criminals, let more the intruders," he said.

Basil who is the Malacca MIC Information chief said his stint in Lahad Datu had made him a very resolute and gutsy person.

"At that time, some of these foreigners committed serious crimes and we had to thwart it by putting our lives at risk.

"This time it's totally a different situation, the intruders came with the intention of waging war and our heroes have been slained," he said.

adding that one of his colleagues from Klang, Selangor was also shot death during a shoot-out with foreign armed robbers in 1983.

Basil said the experience in Lahad Datu had thought him to cherish life and act without fear if such situation arose.

"Some felt that I am too stern when voicing-out certain issues but this was the style we used to employ when dealing with the bandits who were heartless," he said.

Basil said he decided to hold the prayers with Malacca businessmen who got acquainted while serving in Lahad Datu.

He said Lahad Datu was still entrenched in his heart as he met a myriad of 'kind hearted and modest" locals who were willing to help others in need.

"The Lahad Datu folks undeniably are very friendly and accommodating individuals and it's sad their land was attacked by the intruders," he said.

Basil said he would also lodged police report last Friday against those undermining the ability of security forces.

"I hope the Government revokes the citizenship of those who are in cohort with the intruders and those who attempt to condemn our heroes," he said.

Basil said only those who served in the region would realise the peril faced by army and police personnel.

"Everyone can be an armchair critic but in times like this all Malaysians should be band together in the spirit of patriotism and not by issuing preposterous statements," he added.

New guidelines for consumers’ protection to be followed by beauty and F&B operators

Posted: 13 Mar 2013 04:30 PM PDT

BERA: Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry will come out with specific guidelines for three different businesses — beauty, catering and restaurants — in the interest of consumers.

Its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said where beauty treatments are concerned, no injections should be made on consumers for any reason or purpose.

He said such beauty treatments including those that work by relaxing the facial muscle to get rid of lines and wrinkles, those which use fillers for enhancement purposes as well as chelation therapy which uses vitamin C or other chelating agents to whiten the skin are strictly not allowed.

Ismail said only doctors or medical experts were allowed to provide such beauty treatments to patients and the injections are only allowed to be carried out in clinics or hospitals.

He said there should not be any implanting of a device under the human skin for decorative or modification purposes.

"These are some of the services prohibited at beauty premises.

"We received about 2,888 complaints from the public on the failure of the beauty treatments they had paid for.

"There are no specific guidelines for these three operators to adhere to and we will provide them with one as soon as possible.

"The guidelines have to be displayed at their premises accordingly and the customers have to understand their rights before treatments or services are provided," Ismail said after chairing the Bera Umno division meeting recently.

He said there were about 48,000 beauty business operators in the country and checks on their services should be conducted.

Ismail said legal action ccould be taken on malpractices under seven different acts including the Medical Act 1971, Medical Assistant Act 1977, Nursing Act 1950, Pharmacy Act 1951, Private Health Centre Act 1988 and Traditional Medicine and Complimentary Act 2012.

He said the Malaysian Consumers Claims Tribunal had received about 3,586 complaints pertaining to the services provided by the beauty industry.

Meanwhile, where the food and catering industries are concerned, Ismail said it was mainly on the halal, cleanliness and quality of food issues which the ministry was concerned about.

However, food operators will also have to display the necessary guidelines provided by the ministry so that consumers understand their rights and the guidelines which operators have to adhere to.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Khamis, 14 Mac 2013