The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Harvest festival is a time to cast aside differences and celebrate a season of plentiful
- PR1MA is not in competition with developers, says Muhammad Safian
- Irresponsible people electrify water for easy catch
| Harvest festival is a time to cast aside differences and celebrate a season of plentiful Posted: 29 May 2013 07:32 PM PDT Kaamatan or Harvest Festival is a time for everyone, regardless of their differences, to come together in thanksgiving for the plentiful harvest that symbolises all the good that they have received in life. Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said Kaamatan was a time for everyone to cast aside their differences and rejoice with hope for a better future. Similarly, he said political differences should not hinder the leaders and people from cooperating to develop the community. "We may have political differences but we should have a common ground to come together and carry out development plans and programmes because surely our common goal is for the betterment and well being of the people," he said when launching the Kota Marudu district level Kaamatan celebrations on Sunday. He said several efforts had been initiated to bring new technologies and methods to increase agricultural and agro-based products in Kota Marudu, especially with the recent launch of biotechnology initiatives in the constituency where agriculture is a main economic activity. "This includes the opening of a tissue culture laboratory which will provide farmers with seedlings such as for the planting of pineapple, banana and papaya of high value. The biotechnology initiatives for Kota Marudu also involve the planting of high-value and high-technology hybrid paddy while a private company is also keen to begin the cultivation of oysters in Kota Marudu. "These will enable Kota Marudu's agriculture sector to develop further and the people to earn better income, but it requires the commitment and cooperation of all parties," he said. Touching on his new ministerial role which also involves resolving basic utility issues in Sabah, he said any solution to resolve the problem would require the people, as one of the important stakeholders, to work together with the government. He also announced that Kota Marudu has been chosen as the venue for the state launching of district-level Kaamatan celebrations next year, adding that this would give it an opportunity to showcase its products as well as the unique cultures of the various ethnic groups such as the Rungus, Tobilung, Irranun, Tinagas, Lingkabau and Kimaragang of Kota Marudu. At the event, he also crowned Kota Marudu's Unduk Ngadau or Harvest Queen, Daphne Fay William Santor, who will represent the district at the state-level competition on May 31. |
| PR1MA is not in competition with developers, says Muhammad Safian Posted: 29 May 2013 07:32 PM PDT KUANTAN: The 1Malaysia People's Housing (PR1MA) project is not competing with developers for business, said State Secretary Datuk Seri Muhammad Safian Ismail. He said PR1MA would instead complement other housing projects in Pahang as it catered to a different market. "Housing developers control the urban market while PR1MA is being developed in the outskirts surrounding the town. I know there is some dissatisfaction from the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association of Malaysia (Rehda) but to say PR1MA is competing with them is wrong," Muhammad Safian said at the opening ceremony of the Malaysia Property Expo 2013 here recently. He said Rehda could actually participate in PR1MA provided they find the land to be developed. Once the land was found, Rehda could submit a proposal to the state secretary office's housing unit for consideration, said Muhammad Safian. "Please do not complain. It is like the proverb where fire ants guard the fruit but they do not eat it. When the fruit falls, nobody else can eat it anymore. "Likewise, we ask you to find land but you don't want to. When other people got it, you make noise," said Muhammad Safian. He added that Kuantan is going to be developed at a rapid pace with several major projects in the pipeline and thus ample affordable housing had to be provided to meet the demand. Muhammad Safian said among the projects was the expansion of the Kuantan port, the upgrading of the Kuantan-Segamat road into a dual carriageway and the proposed construction of a new airport. "We have already received more than 40,000 applications for affordable homes and we have to be prepared. We admit it is an overwhelming response but then again it is not a definite thing. "Therefore, PR1MA is actually complementary to other housing projects. It will give the impression that there are plenty of affordable housing in Kuantan," he said. Meanwhile, Pahang Rehda chairman Cheoh Chee Guan said house buyers should not place the blame solely on developers for expensive properties. He said there were other factors such as difficulty in securing loans from financial institutions and the increasing land prices. |
| Irresponsible people electrify water for easy catch Posted: 29 May 2013 07:33 PM PDT ROMPIN: Outsiders have been singled out for the poisoning of a river for quick and easy catch that has affected the local fishermen. Bukit Ibam assemblyman Datuk Wan Kadri Wan Mahussin said these people also used generators to electrify the water causing all manner of species in the water to die leaving nothing for the local fishermen to catch. Wan Kadri said it was difficult for the enforcement officers from the related agencies to catch the culprits because they did it during the night and in the absence of the officers. "This matter cannot be solved as long there are irresponsible people who are greedy without thinking of others particularly the locals who earn their income from the river. "It is true the river and all life forms in the water belong to everybody but if they have the sense and concern for others, they can still fish provided it is done professionally without disturbing the environment," he said after releasing some 60,000 lobsters and fish fry into Sungai Rompin in Kampong Gading here recently. He was representing Rompin MP Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis. Also present was State Fishery department director Adnan Hussein. He said it was important to have a sense of responsiblity among fishermen to be concerned about the environment surrounding the river because it provides numerous source of income for them. Wan Kadri also said only 50% of the fry would survive due to the water current and other factors but the number will keep on growing in the next seven to eight months as the lobsters and fishes will breed. He said Sungai Rompin is one of the rivers which had become the source of income for the villagers to catch lobsters and a few other fish species including "lampam". He said one kilo of huge lobsters can be sold at RM60 while smaller sizes were sold at RM40 per kilogramme. "If the catch is good, the fishermen can earn more than RM300 per day as there is a high demand for lobsters currently. Most lobster lovers are tourists who travel from Singapore to Kuantan and they will stop by Rompin to look for the lobsters," he said. Wan Kadri said if they could not get fresh lobsters because of the shortage in supply, they could buy the cooked lobsters which is sold at a bit higher price between RM55 and RM75 per kilogramme depending on the size of the lobsters. |
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