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Crown fit for a Harvest Queen
Campaigning period is over and it’s time to get to work, says Sultan Ibrahim
Pahang PAS to challenge polls results

Posted: 17 May 2013 07:06 PM PDT

KOTA KINABALU: Winners of Sabah's annual harvest festival pageant this year are in for far more attractive prizes, including more expensive custom made tiaras.

The "Unduk Ngadau" or harvest queen would get a tiara worth RM30,000 and other gifts, while runner-up and winners of subsidiary titles would also get jewelry and items such as cash vouchers and jewelry set.

The main prizes, sponsored by Diamoney Global Sdn Bhd, have also been designed to fit the harvest festival history, which also symbolises the importance of padi to the Kadazandusun ethnic groups.

Diamoney chief executive officer Hurbert Ng said the main tiara had been designed with silver and Swarovski Crystal similar to the shape of the padi.

"This is because we want our tiaras to have a meaning to its wearer – and for harvest festival, people celebrate the harvesting of padi," he said.

The history of the harvest queen goes back to as far as centuries ago, whereby according to the native legend, a young woman named Huminodun had sacrificed herself to bring rain and growth of padi to her villagers.

Huminodun also means "the sacrificed one", and is a legendary icon for Sabah natives who depended mostly on padi plantation during the old times.

In this respect, Sabah Unduk Ngadau competition committee secretary Angeline Boilis said preparations for the event was in its final stage and would be in time for the May 31 Harvest Festival.

Campaigning period is over and it’s time to get to work, says Sultan Ibrahim

Posted: 17 May 2013 07:05 PM PDT

JOHOR BARU: The Sultan of Johor has called for all state elected representatives to remember promises made during the campaigning period and fulfil them.

Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar said the campaigning period was over and now it was time for the representatives to work.

"I do not want to hear news of certain parties spreading seditious messages with political overtones to create hatred amongst the people to threaten unity and peace in the country," he said.

The Johor Ruler said this before witnessing the swearing in of the 14th Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin during a ceremony held at Bukit Timbalan here on Tuesday.

The Johor Ruler also reminded that the responsibilities of the representatives would be challenging and difficult for the next five years but encouraged them to strive to unite the people and ensure continued progress of the state.

"As the State Ruler, I do not take sides with any political party but will continue to observe and provide advice in the interest of the people and my country," he said.

During the ceremony, a total of nine assemblymen, including MCA national organising secretary and Pulai Sebatang assemblyman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, was sworn in as Johor executive councillors.

Tee has been put in charge of the Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism portfolio.

Only two former councillors were retained in the list and they are Asiah Md Ariff, who has been put in charge of the Women and Family portfolio, and Md Jais Sarday who has been tasked to look into the Entrepreneur, Cooperative Development, Education and Information portfolio.

The other councillors are Datuk Hasni Mohammad (Public Works, Rural and Regional Development exco), R. Vidyanathan (Unity and Human Resources exco), Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim (Religious exco), Datuk Abdul Latiff Bandi (Housing and Local Government exco), Ismail Mohamed (Agriculture and Agro Based Industries exco) and Datuk Zulkarnain Kamisan (Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage exco).

Mohamed Khaled later said that the state was still contemplating on the appointment of a 10th exco who will be put in charge of the Health, Science, Technology and Innovation portfolio.

Pahang PAS to challenge polls results

Posted: 17 May 2013 07:06 PM PDT

TEMERLOH: Pahang Pakatan Rakyat will be filing petitions challenging the official results of several constituencies in which the coalition lost narrowly in the just-concluded general election.

Pahang PAS commissioner Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said among the constituencies were Bentong parliament and the state seats of Damak and Dong.

Tuan Ibrahim said generally, the coalition was satisfied with its overall performance, winning four parliamentary seats and 12 state seats.

"We are not too happy with the Elections Commission especially the conduct of the head of the voting centres who failed to adhere to certain guidelines.

"For example in Guai state seat, the head of centre did not return the final tallying forms to the party's representatives despite repeated requests," he claimed.

In Dong, Tuan Ibrahim said the forms were inadvertently inserted into the ballot boxes while in Pulau Tawar, a technical error saw a mix-up between the state and parliament forms.

He also claimed that there was a case detected in Kuala Semantan in which the name of a voter was used by another party and a police report had been lodged.

"We also received feedback that five senior citizens, aged 80, have been registered as postal voters.

"All these cases are a serious breach of stipulated guidelines and warrant a thorough investigation," he said.

Meanwhile, Tuan Ibrahim took the opportunity to congratulate Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob for being appointed to lead the state for a fourth term.

Also present were state secretary Roslan Zainal and state treasurer Musaniff Abdul Rahman.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Sabtu, 18 Mei 2013