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Schoolbus men: No
fare hike if we
get larger subsidy
Underworld elements in
Johor DAP, claims rep
FEDERATION of Schoolbus Operators Associations president
Chee Ah Tey says schoolbus operators would be prepared to
forego a 10% fare hike when new public transport fares take
effect next month if the government was willing to provide
them with a larger subsidy.
He said that if the government wanted to help the lower
income group, it should help reduce the high operational
costs incurred by schoolbus operators so that it was not who is Skudai assemblyman to be party members.
passed on to the parents of school-going children.
Chee said that although the government had approved
Press Digest and Johor opposition leader,
said his reputation is also
The incident is believed to
have taken place in April.
a 30% fare hike for schoolbus operators, the federation by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
being smeared by people Boo said he was told he was
had decided that members should opt for a 10% increase from within and without not welcome on their turf and
instead, so as not to overburden parents. the party, and that he had that he should mind his own
He told China Press that parties from both sides of the JOHOR DAP chief Dr Boo been labelled “anti-federal constituency instead of looking
political divide should fight for cheaper diesel for schoolbus Cheng Hau claims the party (DAP)”. into other areas.
operators. is being infiltrated by under- He said he believes “This is something I cannot
Chee said the government could also help by setting world elements and that he the north Johor DAP has accept because as DAP state
up an insurance company to offer operators lower premi- had been warned by secret members with underworld chief, I am responsible for the
ums. society members to stay away connections and said he was whole state,” he said.
He said insurance premiums for schoolbuses, which from north Johor. once forcibly stopped from Boo said he had fortunately
used to be between RM400 and RM1,000 a year, had risen According to reports in the attending a party meeting in averted a physical clash and
to between RM1,000 and RM2,000. Chinese press yesterday, Boo, the area by people claiming told them they have to toe the
party line once they are in the
DAP, and that any differences
between members should be
resolved by negotiation.
He said he had also received
complaints of several new
branches having recruited mem-
bers linked to the underworld.
This showed that some peo-
briefs
Factory supervisor
slashed to death
KUALA LUMPUR: A factory
supervisor was found dead with
two slash wounds to the back of
his head and his right hand sev-
ered behind an Esso petrol station
in Sungai Chua, Kajang near here
early yesterday.
N. Phanabalan, 31, who
worked at a factory in the nearby
industrial zone, was found by a
passerby at 1am.
Kajang police district chief ACP
Shakarudin Che Mood said there
was no sign of a struggle and
police believe Phanabalan was
chased before he was slashed
from behind.
“We found the hand but did
not find a weapon. We believe
he died half-an-hour before he
was found,” Shakarudin told
Bernama.
He said the petrol station’s
closed circuit camera would be
examined for a recording of the
incident. Phanabalan’s body was
sent to the Serdang Hospital for a
post mortem.
29 fishing boats
sunk to house fish
KUALA TERENGGANU: Twenty-
nine foreign fishing boats
which were confiscated for
encroaching into Malaysian
waters have been put to good
use in the last three years.
Malaysian Maritime Enforce-
ment Agency chief maritime
commander here, Syed Mohd
Fuzi Syed Hasan, said the boats
had been sunk to house fish,
after the cases were disposed
of in court.
Nine of the boats were
sunk near islands in the state
in 2007, four in 2008 and 16 this
year, he said yesterday.
Mohd Fuzi said 83 boats had
been seized during the period
– 16 each in 2006 and 2007, 26
in 2008 and 25 up to July this
year.
He said operations to curb
encroachments had been more
effective this year due to the
| WEDNESDAY JULY 29 2009
ple in the party were using se-
cret societies to strengthen their
positions, Boo said, adding that
this was extremely dangerous.
He said he had not lodged
a police report as he wanted
to give these party members a
chance to change for the better.
Boo was speaking to reporters
at the South Chinese Press Club
on Monday about problems the
party was facing.
The assemblyman also took
the opportunity to defend him-
self against attacks by certain
quarters in the party who had
said he was against the DAP
national leadership, adding that
he regretted their actions.
Boo said that although he
may have had differences with
one or two party leaders on
certain issues, it did not mean
he was anti-federal DAP.
cooperation of local fishermen.
– Bernama
Cuepacs seeks
bonus for civil staff
JOHOR BARU: Cuepacs is ask-
ing the government to consider
bonus payments for civil serv-
ants this year, its president Omar
Osman said yesterday.
He said the matter would be
discussed at a Cuepacs council
meeting next week before a req-
uest is sent to the government
for consideration at the budget
session in October.
“The bonus payment was
discussed with the Public Service
Department last Thursday. We
are agreeable to the cost-of-liv-
ing allowance not being raised in
view of the economic downturn,
but we hope that the 1.2 million
civil servants will get some ‘raya’
money (bonus) for the festive sea-
son,” Omar said after the opening
of a biennial delegates meeting of
the Amalgamated National Union
of Local Authority Employees of
the Johor Baru City Council.
Asked about the quantum of
bonus, he said that would be left
to the government in view of the
downturn. – Bernama
Rare orchid named
after queen
KUCHING: Sarawak yesterday
named a new and rare hybrid
of orchid at its Orchid Park
after Raja Permaisuri Agong
Tuanku Nur Zahirah.
According to assistant
minister in the Chief Minister’s
Department (Islamic Affairs)
Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman,
it was Chief Minister Tan Sri
Abdul Taib Mahmud who had
proposed the hybrid be named
dendrobium Tuanku Nur Zahi-
rah.
“This is a most memorable
moment for us at the Orchid
Park,” he said at a briefing on
the visit of Tuanku Nur Zahi-
rah and the wife of the Yang
di-Pertua Negri Sarawak, Toh
Puan Norkiah, in conjunction
with the 218th meeting of the
Royal Council yesterday.
The queen, accompanied
by Norkiah, toured the 6.2ha
Orchid Park on Jalan Istana in
Petra Jaya. – Bernama