The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- ‘MCA has many issues to consider’
- Over 75,000 visitors expected at Big Bad Wolf sale
- Faulty sewage treatment plant and damaged drains causing a stink
| ‘MCA has many issues to consider’ Posted: 26 May 2013 05:40 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: MCA will have to consider a lot of issues pertaining to the Chinese community if it were to leave the Barisan Nasional coalition, said Tebrau MP Khoo Soo Seang. He said although a lot of the Chinese had abandoned MCA but the party had never abandoned the Chinese community. "If we were to really leave the Barisan coalition one day, we still have to worry about Chinese education and Chinese schools on top of the community's welfare," he said. He added that like it or not, Chinese primary schools still needed MCA's help, referring to the government allocations and plots of land received by the schools. Khoo, who is also a MCA central committee member, was speaking to reporters after attending a Wesak Day celebration at the Johor Buddhist Mission in Taman Desa Cemerlang here. Khoo was asked to comment on whether or not should MCA leave Barisan to form a new coalition with Gerakan and the Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) by opening its party membership to other races. Khoo said that it was possible for MCA to join forces with Gerakan and SUPP but it all came down to the party (MCA) members to decide. "This is because they joined MCA on the agreement that the party was a Chinese-based party and it depends on the members themselves if they agree on the decision to form a new coalition and accept other races into the party," he added. When asked if he agrees on party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's reiteration that MCA would not accept any government posts due to its big loss in the GE13, Khoo said that he had no power to disagree even if he wanted to. "The decision was already agreed upon by the party's presidential council, central committee and liaison committee so at this time, no one person has the power to say otherwise. "The mistake was that we did not expect to suffer such a huge loss during the time of decision on the matter, therefore no proper details were discussed such as exactly which leader should quit," he said. Meanwhile, former Stulang assemblyman Mok Chek Hau said that the newly appointed Johor executive councillor Datuk Tee Siew Kiong should face disciplinary actions for violating MCA's decision. "For whatever reason he accepted the appointment, he should have put his party first and adhere to the decision," he said at a Wesak Day celebration here in SJKC Foon Yew 1 here. Mok also said that in order to revive the party, there should be a change in the party's leadership. |
| Over 75,000 visitors expected at Big Bad Wolf sale Posted: 26 May 2013 05:40 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: Over 500,000 books were up for grabs for lucky bookworms who visited the Big Bad Wolf book sale here. For the first time held in the state, the book sale was expected to see over 75,000 visitors throughout the nine-day event held at Danga City Mall expo hall here. Among the visitors was metaphysical consultant Danley Loh, 36, who was seen pushing a trolley full of books at the sale. "My friends and I decided to make a trip from Penang, just to visit the book sale here, as we read about the good bargains via the Internet. "We have picked out at least 100 books from a variety of categories that has good and green values," she said. She added that the price of the books were reasonably cheap and made their trip all the more worthwhile. "We love reading books and sharing the books with each other, and in fact, we are hoping to open up our own library in Penang soon," she said. For human resource executive K. Thila, 35, the book sale was the biggest she has ever seen. "It is a great way to encourage and cultivate reading habits especially among the younger generation here," she said, adding that she could not find multilingual books for her five-year-old daughter, who studies in a Chinese school. University student Muhammad Nasir Mukhriz came all the way from Seremban with his family to visit the book sale. "The price of the books are much lower than usual, and I found many architecture reference books related to the course that I am currently pursuing," he said. He added that the books are about 50% to 70% cheaper than the usual prices. Book Xcess Sdn Bhd marketing communication executive K. Ruebni said that over 75,000 visitors were expected to throng the book sale which is being held from now until June 2. "We are hoping to sell at least 90% of the books that we are offering," she said, adding that the book prices started from as low as RM3 per book. |
| Faulty sewage treatment plant and damaged drains causing a stink Posted: 26 May 2013 05:40 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: About 300 residents in Taman Kota Puteri in Pasir Gudang are fuming over an array of issues affecting the local residents including foul smell from a faulty sewerage treatment plant, dengue outbreak, damaged drains and even speeding vehicles. The residents are fuming that despite many complaints to the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB), nothing has been done to solve the problems, which has been affecting the residents for the past decade. Housewife K. Nila, 53, said she was disappointed with MBJB and the local politicians as the sewerage plant had been faulty for the past 10 years but nothing had been done to repair and rectify it. "Each time its rains, the plant overflows and the smell is unbearable. Sewage also overflows onto the road along Jalan Banyan 45. "My family is poor or else I would have moved out from this area a long time ago," she said, adding that the residents also could not hold functions at home or even invite people to their house due to the foul smell from the plant. Nila added that the overgrown weeds and plants at the sewerage plant was also a breeding place for mosquitoes and even snakes. Another resident Wai Siew Lai, 36, said that she was worried for the safety of her three children aged five, 13 and 15, following news of some of her neighbours who had been warded for dengue in the past few weeks. "In one family, up to three people have been warded in the hospital for dengue," she said, urging the authorities to carry out regular spraying in the area and also to help clean up the drains. Wai added that the MBJB should supervise the clean-up better as presently, the cleaners removed the earth from the drains and heaped it along the side the road. "Once it rains, the earth is then washed back into the drains and they become clogged again," she said, adding that she never allowed her children to leave the house in the evenings as she feared they would get bitten by mosquitoes. For another resident M. Ramamoorthy, 57, the drains behind his home have collapsed several years ago but no one was interested in repairing them along Jalan Banyan 22. "Most of the people living here are poor people living in double storey low-cost homes. Our drains have been damaged for years and MBJB has done nothing to solve the problem," he said, appealing to the local authorities to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Ramamoorthy added that the drains also flooded each time it rained heavily due to the poor drainage system in the area. According to resident B. Naidu, 63, Jalan Banyan 45 needs a speed breaker to stop the many accidents happening along the road. "We even collected RM20 each from the residents and passed it to our local political leader some time ago to build at least three speed breakers in the area but nothing has been done," he said, adding that students would usually race along the 200m road when returning from school. All the residents sought the assistance from Permas Pusat Aduan Rakyat (PAR) supervisor Syed Othman Syed Abdullah. Syed said he had already written a complaint to MBJB, National Water Services Commission (Span), Public Complaints Bureau and the Health Department about the problems faced by the people. "I hope that the new assemblyman in the area who is also our Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin will help resolve the people's problem which has been going on for many years," he added. A MBJB official said that they would look into the matter. He urged those with complaints to contact the MBJB hotline at 1300-88-0146. |
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