The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
- Shop owner foils dognapping bid
- Maliau Basin off limits for another 50 years
- Relatives also hunt for Harun
| Shop owner foils dognapping bid Posted: KLANG: An attempt to abduct an expensive Maltese dog from a pet grooming outlet here failed after the shop's owner gave chase and rescued the pet. According to store staff Ang Yi Ching, 19, the suspect was talking to himself and did not seem to be in the right frame of mind when the latter entered the store at about 7.30pm on Wednesday. "I was scared so I went to the back of the store to inform my boss, who was grooming another dog at that time," she said. She said her boss took less than five seconds to come out to the front of the shop, but by then, the man had the 11-year-old dog and took off on his motorcycle. "My boss then gave chase on foot," she said, adding that the suspect panicked and freed the dog before escaping. Ang said the owner of the dog had bought it for RM8,000, adding that a Maltese puppy would cost not less than RM2,000. A Maltese is a small breed dog, with an adult ranging between 2.3kg to 5kg. Ang said he had lodged a police report. |
| Maliau Basin off limits for another 50 years Posted: KOTA KINABALU: The Maliau Basin, Sabah's Lost World that is described as a "Jurassic Park sans dinosaurs", will not be touched for another 50 years. This commitment was renewed under a 10-year strategic conservation plan for the sprawling 20,000ha area in Tawau, in the south central part of Sabah, at a management plan stakeholders workshop for the basin here. Yayasan Sabah's conservation and environmental management general manager Dr Waidi Simun said the ban would not be lifted under the second plan from 2014 to 2023. "This area will remain out of bounds to anyone – including our rangers – until the expiry of the 50-year commitment," he said at the start of the workshop for the Maliau Basin Conservation Area here yesterday. The stakeholders meeting was opened by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Nyuk Ming. "It is part of our commitment to allow future generations to study an area totally untouched by man," Dr Waidi said, adding the first 10-year plan was from 2003 to this year. He said under the first plan, a Maliau Basin Studies Centre was set up at the southeast edge of the basin for research, conservation, education and eco-tourism purposes. Various international and local organisations have helped to build satellite camps, trail and bridge construction, observation towers, a Maliau skybridge and a reception and information building. He said under the next plan, more intensive research in the area would be carried out, as the first plan had focused on auditing the area and placing basic infrastructure facilities. Opening the meeting, Pang said efforts were still under way to place the Danum-Maliau-Imbak (DaMal) area as a World Heritage site. "The nomination of DaMal was endorsed through the state cabinet and submitted to the National Heritage Department by my ministry. "The final dossier is expected to be completed by the end of this year," he said. The Maliau Basin contains an unusual assemblage of 12 forest types, comprising mainly lower montane forest dominated by majestic Agathis trees, rare montane heath forest and lowland, and hill diperocarp forest. There is also the seven-tier Maliau Falls. Keen visitors must obtain permission to enter the Maliau Basin in advance from Yayasan Sabah. |
| Posted: KOTA BARU: Fugitive Harun Mat Saat, a self-proclaimed deity presiding over worldly affairs, a man with many monickers and wanted by the police, the religious authorities and Bank Negara, is also being hunted by relatives who had allegedly been duped into investing their hard-earned money in his so-called get-rich-quick schemes. His name is despised by his relatives in Kampung Jelutong, Kok Lanas, who claimed they had been swindled in his quick-money schemes in 2008. Against a backdrop of padi fields in this quaint and peaceful town is a huge bungalow, said to have been abandoned for more than a year, where the so-called Tuhan Harun, wife Jawahir Zakaria and their three children had purportedly lived. Retired soldier Adnan Abdullah, 50, a cousin of Jawahir, claimed he invested RM100,000 in Harun's schemes that promised returns of RM50,000 in less than 12 months. "He told me the scheme was Islamic-compliant and halal and since he is the husband of my cousin, I felt convinced and made the investment," he said of the glib talker, who was also a rock singer, composer, stage performer, religious teacher and alleged confidence trickster. "I realised I had been duped after I checked my bank account and found the promised returns had not been debited into my account," said Adnan, who is unmarried. Fatimah Ismail, 54, another of Jawahir's cousins, said she was left with nothing but a heavy burden after she invested RM110,000 of many years of saving in Harun's scheme. "It took years for me and the children to save the money to buy a house – only to see our hard-earned money disappear just like that," added the single mother, her voice choking with emotion. Fatimah said Jawahir and Pahang-born Harun moved to Kampung Jelutong after they got married in the late 1990s. "I had wondered what Harun did for a living, as they led a luxurious life, built a big house and drove expensive cars... until I was cheated," she said, hoping against hope to get back all of her money. Fatimah, who lives near Harun's mansion, said she had not heard of Jawahir since they moved out from the bungalow last year. |
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