The Star Online: Metro: South & East
The Star Online: Metro: South & East |
- Thousands from all walks of life attend CNY open house
- Shahrir: Opposition’s claim of racial issues in state baseless
- Working together to fight crime
| Thousands from all walks of life attend CNY open house Posted: 12 Feb 2013 03:58 PM PST BATU PAHAT: A large crowd thronged an empty field in Taman Makmur here to take part in an alfresco-style outdoor Chinese New Year open house. Besides several stage performances and a dragon dance, visitors were also treated to an array of local delicacies including Satay and Nasi Beryani. The highlight of the evening was a dazzling fire works display and also giving out of red packets by the God of Property. The MCA's double-decker blue bus, which was parked at the entrance of the field, also attracted a lot of curious onlookers including some snapping photographs of the vehicle with their mobile phones. Housewife Rozela Khalid, 36, who attended the open house for the first time together with her husband and friends said she enjoyed the performances and the food that was served. "This is the first time I am attending such a celebration after a long time. We decided to come and see after we heard music playing and also the fireworks," she said. Rozela said although she did not understand the Chinese language, she was happy to participate in the event. "I also found the bus which was draped in blue unique as it has a stage on the top floor," she added. Another visitor C. S Boh, 44, from Malacca, said each year he and his family would take part in the celebrations organised by the Batu Pahat MCA division. "Usually the event will be held in a hall and this is the first time it is being held in the open. It is nice to catch up with old friends at the event," Boh, a training manager, said adding that he has two young children. For retiree V.T Singam, 78, from the Batu Pahat senior citizens club, said that such events was a good way to maintain rapport with their elected representatives including the future candidate for the Penggaram state seat. Singam, who retired from Tenaga Nasional, said that the new candidate Dr King Ban Siang has been going around engaging with the local residents and non-governmental organisations for some time. He said that the locals were hoping for better roads out of Batu Pahat and also improvements in terms of the drainage in the area. Meanwhile Dr King, who is also Batu Pahat 1MCA Medical Foundation bureau chief, said that the response from the local community was good with the huge turnout at the event. "This is the first time in 27 years that our Chinese New Year open house is held in this "open concept". "It is also a good way to be close to the people," he said. Meanwhile, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek who was present at the event together with other MCA leaders, outlined the many projects being carried out by the Barisan National government under the leadership of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. He also urged the people not to be hood-winked by the opposition's populist policies, which would bankrupt the country within two years. |
| Shahrir: Opposition’s claim of racial issues in state baseless Posted: 12 Feb 2013 03:54 PM PST JOHOR BARU: Barisan Nasional is not playing on racial issues in Johor as the state does not have such problems as alleged by the Opposition parties in their ceramahs, said Johor Baru MP Tan Sri Shahrir Samad. He said parties like PAS and DAP would always play up racial issues during their ceramahs held in the state just to instil fear among the rakyat by saying that the Barisan government and Umno only favour the Malays. "We have examples such as a seat with a majority of Malay voters who voted for a Chinese candidate in Simpang Renggam parliamentary seat and vice versa in the Ledang parliamentary seat in the last general election. "Johoreans know that this was a baseless claim and I would like to see a Malay DAP leader contest and win in the next general election to prove that they are the multi-racial party as they claimed they are," he said. Simpang Renggam parliamentary seat is currently held by Gerakan deputy secretary-general Liang Teck Meng while Ledang parliamentary seat is held by Hamim Samuri. Shahrir, who is also Johor Baru Umno division chief, was speaking to reporters when attending a groundbreaking ceremony for a new canteen and administrative building at SJKC Foon Yew 1 here recently. "The cost of the new building, which includes a new canteen and administrative offices, is RM5mil and the Prime Minister has allocated RM2.5mil for the construction and I will try to aid the school in raising more funds soon," he said. The new four-storey building was slated to complete within a year. |
| Working together to fight crime Posted: 12 Feb 2013 03:56 PM PST JOHOR BARU: The Johor and the Singapore police are working hand in hand in crime prevention in both countries by handing out crime prevention pamphlets at the entry points. State deputy police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ismail Yatim said the move would help to create better awareness between Malaysians and Singaporeans from falling victim of crimes. He added that the state police would distribute 30,000 crime prevention pamphlets at main entrance points including at the Causeway here and Second Link Crossing in Tuas near Gelang Patah. SAC Ismail said among others the pamphlets have tips on crime prevention and the hotline numbers of each police districts in Johor together with the state police hotline for Singaporeans to report on any crime cases involving them. "Over the years the number of Singaporeans becoming crime victims in Johor has increased, from 400 in 2011 to 466 last year. "Most of the cases involving Singaporean are vehicle theft where motorcycle thefts are the bulk of it," he said. He added that the republic's Jurong police district would also issue similar pamphlets at the Singapore entry points. "With the Iskandar Malaysia progressing well and the influx of Singaporean investors, we want to ensure that Johor is a safe place for them to do business," he said. He said this in a press conference after the launching of the pamphlets with Singapore Police Force Deputy Comm T. Raja Kumar at AEON Bukit Indah here recently. Meanwhile, DCP Raja Kumar applauded the initiatives from both the Malaysia and Singapore police force. "The cooperation between the two has long been established where sharing of intelligence from both sides has help solve and arrest criminals in both countries. "In today's borderless world, the initiatives taken will to ensure the safety and security of Malaysia and Singapore," he said. |
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