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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Where Muar’s three rivers meet, residents hope for a waterfront

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 04:07 PM PDT

MUAR: Located in north-west of Johor, Muar district is rich in history and cultures with several versions on how Muar got its name.

Some relate the origin of Muar to muara or estuary in Bahasa Malaysia while others believed it derived from two Sanskrit words munu which means three and ar or river.

This was based from the old Tamil word mu aru or "three rivers" as there is also a place in South India called Muar with three rivers passing through it.

Indian traders in the olden days looking for gold might have seen Sungai Pahang and Sungai Serting merging with Sungai Muar; hence decided to call the place Muar.

Muar is also well-known among Johoreans as a pensioner's paradise where many retired pensioners preferred to spend their twilight years in the district due to its laid back atmosphere.

Lawyer C. Chelvarajan, 57, hoped that the Government would consider developing the town's waterfront to take advantage of its location facing the Straits of Malacca.

"We need the sea-fronting Esplanade like in Penang or the River Waterfront in Kuching for Muarians to enjoy the evening breeze or to watch the sunset," he said.

Chelvarajan said the waterfront development could become a tourist attraction with kiosks selling souvenirs and food and beverage outlets to attract crowds.

He said the existing bus and taxi terminal at the riverbank and the wet market in the town centre should be relocated elsewhere as they had caused congestions in the town area.

Chelvarajan also urged the Muar District Council to install more street lights in and around the town and look at ways to improve the public transportation system here.

Trader Darvasi Mohideen, 71, said his late father AK Mohd Ibrahim Saibo used to tell him about the train services passing his shop set up in 1918, at the junction of Jalan Maharani and Jalan Sulaiman.

The rail service manned by the Muar State Railway, started operations in 1889, with the railway line located along the present-day Jalan Sulaiman and Jalan Abdul Rahman.

However, the service was ended in 1925, when plans to extend the track here to Batu Pahat were aborted.

"Hopefully, the Government could bring back train services to Muar again as it will bring economic spill-over to the district," said Darvasi.

Coastal fisherman Lim Choon Chiang, 25, from Parit Jawa lamented that sand dredging activities in the waters off Parit Jawa had caused inconvenience to many fishermen in the area.

He claimed that they could not cast their nets in the sea as the dredging activity had exposed corals, rocks and even sunken timber logs which could destroy their nets.

"We are depending on the sea for our livelihood but the irresponsible act of the sand dredging company is like throwing sand into our rice bowl," said Lim.

He added that the fishermen even brought the matter to the Muar Fishermen Association seeking assistance but they were accused of making up stories to get some compensation.

Lim's friend Mohd Rizal Ibrahim, 34, who is also a fisherman, said the association was more interested in defending the dredging company instead of its members.

He said the fishermen of Parit Jawa were angry with the association for failing to look after their welfare adding that they planned not to support the association any more.

Meanwhile, another fisherman Mohd Sapri Husin, 50, said the association claimed that the sea has now abundant supply of fishes as they have found new breeding grounds following the sand dredging activities.

However, he said the new breeding grounds were not suitable for fishing as fishing nets could entangle among the exposed rocks and corals.

"At the same time we are also on the lookout for sea robbers or pirates who will come and steal our fishing nets especially during the night," said Mohd Sapri.

He hoped that the relevant authorities would look into their problems and come out with solutions as most of them were depending on the sea.

Mohd Sapri also urged the Johor Tourism Department to come out with initiatives to promote Parit Jawa fishing and boating activities apart from a stop over for birds.

Parit Jawa is well-known among bird watchers who come to see bird species such as lesser adjutants or burong botak which flew all the way from Europe to Parit Jawa to escape the winter months.

"We have vessels to take anglers from outside the district to the sea to fish or packages for sea cruise to diversify our income," he said.

The Muar parliamentary, which is carved out from the state seats of Maharani and Sungai Balang will be a hot seat this election as Barisan Nasional tries to win back the seat of Maharani which fell to PAS in the last election. Muar has 48,334 voters.

Doctor caught selling psychtropic drugs to addicts

Posted: 02 Apr 2013 04:02 PM PDT

JOHOR BARU: The police have put a halt to a shady retired doctor who used his influence to purchase drug supplies and sell it to drug addicts here.

Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the doctor was believed to have been supplying psychotropic drugs to "patients" here for the last couple of years.

"A team of officers conducted a raid at the alleged doctor's home in Taman Pelangi here at around 2.45pm on March 23 and we managed to arrest the suspect," he told a a press conference at the Johor police headquarters here on March 26.

DCP Mohd Mokhtar said police were still investigating if the 64-year-old man had a valid practicing licence and if he had been barred or blacklisted from practicing as a doctor.

"During the raid, we also confiscated 4,800 psychotropic pills worth RM24,000 and cash totalling RM5,000," he said adding that the police also seized the suspect's Toyota Altis worth RM55,000 during the raid.

DCP Mohd Mokhtar said the suspect did not test positive for drugs and the case had been classified under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Meanwhile, relating to a separate case, DCP Mohd Mokhtar said police had also arrested a 37-year-old woman from China who was actively trafficking ecstasy, erimin 5 pills and ketamin here.

"A team of officers arrested the woman and seized the drugs totalling RM135,410 at a home in Taman Bayu Putri in Permas Jaya here at around 3.30pm on March 21.

"We believe that the woman was supplying the drugs to some of the entertainment outlets in the Johor Baru area but we are still investigating the matter," he said.

He added that the woman who was tested positive for meth, was currently being remanded to facilitate investigations under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Rabu, 3 April 2013