The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Modern infrastructure, beautiful islands and good fishing grounds make Mersing an excellent tourist destination
- Mixed views on manifesto
- Johor Sultan and royal family remember Lahad Datu fallen heroes
| Posted: 17 Mar 2013 04:46 PM PDT MERSING: Many tourists are familiar with the district of Mersing because it is a popular gateway to some of the most beautiful islands in the Southern Peninsular area including Pulau Tioman, Pulau Sibu and Pulau Besar. Although tourism is the main generator of income for the district, residents also participate in fishing in Endau and oil palm harvesting in Tenggaroh. The town however, has an interesting past with many associating its origin to a notorious prisoner named Amer Singh. Locals say that the story began when Amer Singh and his prisoner friend managed to escape from a ship from in which they were being held captive. According to folklore, while trying to escape, Amer's friend was shot by a guard but the shot did not deter the duo as they continued to make a run for it. The wounded prisoner however, could not keep up with Amer and was eventually nabbed by the guards who were hot on their trail. Amer, on the other hand, cleverly managed to escape and was never caught. Since then, the area was known as the place where Amer Singh or Mer Singh (Mersing) escaped. While the folklore adds a lot of spice to Mersing's origins, some other residents say that the area attained its name from early Chinese traders who used to frequent there. Mersing was also once known as a "rich and bountiful port" and it is said that in the 1880s, commercial vessels plied the Mersing River loaded with cargo of dried fish. To date, the area is still famous for its dried fish and fish crackers which are sold by many villagers especially those located along the coastal areas within the district. Throughout the years, Mersing has steadily grown into a bustling locale with clean surroundings and good infrastructure but many are still eager for positive changes in years to come. This constituency is carved out of the state seats of Endau and Tenggaroh. Tour operator Waizman Abd Rahman, 58, said more should be done to lessen traffic congestion especially within Mersing town area itself. "Times are good for us as we have noticed a significant increase in tourists from China, Saudi Arabia, Khazakhstan, India and the Phillipines but traffic has always been a concern for us. "Many tourists complain about the lack of proper transportation while locals find it a nightmare to park during peak hours," he said. Waizman also hoped that the authorities will look at how to encourage tourists to stay within the Mersing area itself. "Many visit Mersing just to transit to the nearby islands but maybe a good hotel or a few attractions could encourage them to stay here and indirectly generate income for the locals," he said. Clerk, Khaled Syed Othman, 30, said more should be done to upgrade the roads leading to Mersing town as potholes and dangerous corners often cause fatal accidents along the stretch. "The trunk roads are the only way for us to commute to neighbouring cities and it is dangerous when we have to avoid potholes, dangerous bends and wild animals like monkeys, snakes and monitor lizards that often cross the roads," he said. He added that although the government had forked out millions to upgrade the existing roads, more needs to be done. "The roads need to be straightened and a committee should be made responsible to clean and fix any problems to the road to ensure that motorists are safe," he said. Fisherman, Abu Yusof, 67, said he was happy with a lot of the new amenities that have been installed in the last few years but stressed that they needed to be serviced and updated. "Fishermen here have major problems with some of the older jettys as they are ricketty, broken or have been completely knocked down by strong waves," he said while giving the example of the jetty in Teluk Meriam. He said there were only about 60 to 70 residents there but many of them were fishermen and found it a hassle to haul in their catch because of the almost non-existent jetty. Abu Yusof also said that many of the houses in the small fishing village also needed urgent repair work done as they were filled with holes. Another fisherman, Mohamad Abdul Rahman, 66, said congestion at the main jetty in Mersing had drastically reduced after the government had built a separate jetty for tour boats. "We are very happy as now it takes less time for us to haul up our catch and carry out with our fishing activities," he said. He however, hoped that the authorities will solve an ongoing land issue faced by residents in Kampung Tanjung Rinting who were promised land ownership by the state government years ago. "Some of us have been waiting for 18 years for the land title and we are still waiting," he said hoping that the matter would be settled soon. Shopkeeper G. Rukmani, 72, said that she was happy with the developments in her residential area of Taman Sri Nakhoda and was especially pleased with the upgrading of roads and drains in the area. "Previously, we used to have a major problem with floods especially during the monsoon season but these days we never have to worry when it rains," she said. She however, added that since the last few years, robberies have increased in the neighbourhood and her small sundry shop had been targeted several times. "I hope that the police will nab those concerned because these robbers have been stealing from shops and houses in the area," she said. Restaurant owner Ong Wai Boon, 55, said the building of several universities could encourage younger residents to remain in the Mersing area. "Many young people prefer to relocate to the busier towns and we need to stop this trend from continuing. "Maybe the government should build a few universities which specifically focuses on marine related courses to allow for balanced development in the area," he said. He added that another factor that should be looked into by the authorities is the high prices of daily goods and petrol, which have drastically affected many businesses especially in the Endau area. This general election, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Raykat will be doing their best to woo the constituency's 43,561 voters. |
| Posted: 17 Mar 2013 04:47 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: The recent unveiling of the Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto especially with regards to increasing the household income to RM4,000 has caused a lot of confusion and scepticism among the locals. While there are some who welcome the idea of having more money in their pockets, many people are still wondering on how this can be achieved or is this just another "carrot being dangled by the Opposition" to win votes in the coming general election. Administrative executive Yap Sing Li, 26, feels that Pakatan's promise to increase household income to about RM4,000 is quite far fetched. "To be honest, if they are planning to implement this for the middle income group, then maybe it is possible but I do not think it can be done for lower income families who work in lower skilled jobs," she said. Yap said that increasing salaries should correlate to the type of skill that the person has. "The education system needs to be looked into first. If those with low skilled jobs can earn RM4,000 household income, logically, those who have qualifications should be earning triple that," she said. System consultant Jaspal Singh, 27, said even if Pakatan wanted to increase the household income to RM4,000 it was not enough. "I currently work in Singapore and even I feel like my pay is not sufficient. "Instead of increasing the household income, politicians from the Opposition and the ruling Government should try to think about how they can reduce our daily expenses," he said. He added that the prices of food items and household items were constantly on the rise and this was what the authorities needed to work on. Retiree Suratman Yasit, 64, said the Opposition's manifesto did not focus much on the rakyat's plight despite promising to give every household RM4,000 a month. He added that he was excited to read about Pakatan's manifesto in the newspapers, as it was good to hear. "The increase of RM4,000 a month is unrealistic. "I am afraid that the cost of living and taxes will go up the roof as businesses would be affected due to their manifesto," he said. Self-employed Ahawan Ahmad, 53, said the Opposition should make it clear to the rakyat on exactly how they were going to increase the household income to RM4,000. "If the Opposition wants to become the Government they should tell the rakyat on how they be able to implement their promises. "Their manifesto is full of uncertainties that only wants to sugar coat the people in giving them the mandate to become the next Government. Labourer P. Raj, 50, said he welcomes the idea of Pakatan's manifesto to give RM4,000 a month to every household. He added that if Pakatan were able to deliver on this promise then his family's future would be good. "However, there may be a risk in their implementation as my employers may want to hire foreign workers as they are much cheaper than hiring locals due to Pakatan's manifesto," he said. Teacher V. Gregory, 30, said it could be possible to ensure a minimum income of RM4,000 per household that is in line with all the other promises that they have made in their manifesto. "Probably if they decrease the prices of car and petrol and adjust the tax percentage among the people, the promise could be realised. "If Pakatan Rakyat comes into power, I am confident that they will make the effort to please the rakyat and keep up with their promises just to get Barisan National off their backs," he said. For housewife Swee Siew Yen, 28, the promise of RM4,000 may be a little too ambitious. "They probably have to take into account the number of people working in a household and the kind of job they hold," she said. She added that the sum of a minimum of RM1,500 to RM2,000 would sound more believable. Employment consultant, 26, said RM4,000 per household may not be sufficient for some. "RM4,000 could be more than enough for some especially those living in rural areas, but for those in urban cities, they may find this sum too little to survive on especially with the current cost of living," she said. Meanwhile, in Batu Pahat, self employed Esa Md Abas, 55, said he doubts the Pakatan's ability to provide such a high income for the people. "It is illogical because even a developed nation like Singapore cannot do it, what makes Pakatan think that they can do it?" he said, adding that Pakatan should prove themselves first in the states under their administration before making other promises. For consultant Jimmy Ong, 45, such proposal can be done provided that the government has a very strong financial foundation and large revenue. "How are they going to do it? There should be a guideline to let the people know how it is going to be implemented. "Pakatan should be more committed and let the people have a clearer picture of what they are keen on doing than just say," he said. Ong said he also wanted to know what income level groups or category of people would benefit from the pledge. "What about families who have one child and those who have more than five children or more family members. Will they get extra?" Citing an example, he said the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) has clear guidelines as it is provided to family earning less than RM3,000 per month. Clerk Sharifah Noraini Syed Mohamad, 29, who is a wage earner, is elated with the policy and hoped that it would work out as it could help put more money in their pockets. "I' am confident that it can be done as long as the government is able to manage the taxes, country's revenue and economy well," she said, adding that the Selangor government has set a good example in boosting the state's economic coffers. Teo Peng Hock, a 57-year-old civil servant, also agreed that policies that benefit the people would always be welcomed. "The government can plan anything that can reduce the burden of the people, but they must also tell the people how it will be implemented. "Hopefully it is not only a tactic to attract people's attention because of the general election," he said. Civil servant Azman Roslan, 46, said the pledge would remain a talk for him. He said the general public is concerned more about inflation and it was more practical for the next government to talk about ways to cope inflation. "Everything is getting more expensive for me, nothing is free in this world and it comes with a price," he said. Admin clerk Tang Seng Guan, 33, is also sceptical about the promise saying that the Pakatan could have exaggerated the figures as this policy was not that easy to achieve. "For Batu Pahat town, most of the average office workers only earn around RM1,500, and it will be only RM3,000 for a husband and wife team. "Only executives and managers earn RM2,000 and more. But, how many people are within this group? "Is the government going to fork out the additional RM1,000 to allow them to take home RM4,000 each month? This is really hard to believe," he said. For Joyce Koh, 42, a clerk, said she does not really understand the pledge, but it sounds good especially for a single mother like her. "But, how are they going to do that?" she questioned. |
| Johor Sultan and royal family remember Lahad Datu fallen heroes Posted: 17 Mar 2013 04:47 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar and members of the royal family attended a special solat hajat prayers for the security personnel who lost their lives and those who are still battling with Sulu gunmen in Lahad Datu. Sultan Ibrahim and his sons Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim and Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman Hassanal Sultan Ibrahim attended the special prayers here. Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, state police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff and Islamic Affairs Council adviser Datuk Mohd Noh Gadut also joined the solat hajat held after Friday prayers. Police officers and soldiers also participated in the solat hajat held at Masjid Pasir Pelangi here. Sultan Ibrahim decreed that solat hajat would be performed at every mosque in the state after Friday prayers and Maghrib prayers to pray for the safe return of brave soldiers and police officers on duty in Lahad Datu, Sabah. The prayers were also for the eight police officers who died following skirmishes with Sulu Gunmen in Lahad Datu and Semporna recently. A total of 52 Sulu gunmen have been killed so far after a group of them claiming to be the royal army of Sultan Sulu entered into Lahad Datu about three weeks ago. |
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