Thesun 2009-06-29 Page02 Bigger Role For Rukun Tetangga

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Bigger role for Rukun Tetangga by Himanshu Bhatt

“RT volunteers would be given special courses in mediation and negotiation. Any community problems should be resolved at SEBERANG PERAI: The federal the grassroots level before government is reit becomes a larger issue,” vising the Rukun he said. Tetangga (RT) Other new measures Action Plan include a proposal that launched in 2006 RT volunteers who are ngga (RT) volto give its volunprivate sector employees en Rukun Teta pped ui eq be ANTAN: Fifte ill KU w teers more power be given at least half a units in Pahang ove their coml tro pa ry ta un in mediation and day off when on duty. aters to impr g crime and pe re o di ra with in combatin negotiation in Civil servants are curication system ts. un m societal and racial rently given a day off, aler laying disaster Islamiah, Unity and Nonre conflicts. Koh said. State Dakwah sation Committee chairni Minister in the Plans are also unga id Or t sa en iz m Az rn Abd Gove Prime Minister’s amad Sahfri derway to introduce Radio ity Un an Datuk Moh e m th as Department Tan insurance coverage be known of the system to led in August at a cost Sri Dr Koh Tsu for RT volunteers who al st in be ld ou w Koon said the move go on patrol, and to e re 0. th 00 ith 0, w ed RM15 was in line with the will be equipp of radio rereplace old equipment Each RT unit n tio na bi government’s focuat RT centres across – a com – he s ie lk ta e dio repeaters ki ra al son safeguarding Malaysia. d nsmitter for w oo tra d nh an tio er Na iv ce g a seminar on titution and and fostering comSpeaking after in en op r te af ns said munal unity among the Federal Co launching the statethe Context of erday. – Bernama in the races. level National Unity yest National Unity He said the reviWeek at a hypermarsion would help the ket here, Koh noted that resolution of interonly 80% of the 4,227 Rukun Tetangga bodies ethnic disturbances, such as that in Kampung in Malaysia were currently active. Medan in 2001, at the grassroots level. He said the ministry was studying a plan to “RT bodies also need to be given bigger roles increase allocations to RT. RT in Penang had at hotspots where there are high incidences of been given a total allocation of more than RM2 crime and drug abuse,” Koh said. million for this year, he said. [email protected]

Unity Radio

On Gerakan vice-president Huan Cheng Guan’s suspension from the party, Koh, who is Gerakan president, said he would wait until after the 14-day period that Huan is allowed to submit an appeal before commenting. He however said Huan should have aired his grievances internally though the party. Huan was on June 19 suspended for three years by Gerakan’s central working committee for insubordination. Koh also said the rift between Gerakan and Penang Umno was healing.

Najib invites Obama to Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has invited US President Barack Obama to Malaysia. The prime minister said he extended the invitation during a telephone conversation with Obama on Friday night. Writing in his blog, www.1Malaysia.com. my, Najib said Obama would then be able to observe how Islam is applied in a plural, multiethnic society such as Malaysia. In a recent address to the Muslim world in Cairo, Obama had stated that he recognised Kuala Lumpur as an example of a progressive Muslim-majority country.

Najib and Obama had talked for about 20 minutes from 9.12pm on Friday. “I explained to him that Malaysia shares significant common ground with the United States in that we strongly believe in the ideals and principles of democracy, including accountability and transparency. “I also spoke about the initiation of the 1Malaysia concept and how the sense of togetherness and belonging will help Malaysians move forward with a common purpose,” he said. Najib said that in their first conversation with each other as heads of government, “we exchanged congratulatory wishes on our

respective appointments”. “I expressed that I was looking forward to working closely with him. Obama graciously acknowledged my ability to serve as prime minister based on my extensive background in the public service.” Najib said the conversation left him “with a sense of optimism over our relationship with the United States. “I look forward to renewing Malaysia’s ties with the United States under President Obama’s administration and hope to explore solutions and opportunities to mutually benefit both countries in the immediate and long term.” – Bernama

Judge laments lack of records pg 7

Judge can’t cane offender: Bar Council KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council said yesterday it was opposed to a judge’s plan to cane an offender in court, saying he could not be both “judge and executioner”. Sessions court Judge Zainal Abdidin Kamarudin said on Friday he planned to cane 20-year-old sales promoter Syafiq Abdul Wahab in his courtroom on July 15, after he found him guilty of gang robbery. Zainal also ordered Syafiq’s

briefs Cops held in raid suspended KUALA LUMPUR: Two policemen who tested positive for drugs in a raid on Friday have been suspended from duty for one week effective yesterday. Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said further action against the duo including a chief inspector would depend on their medical reports. “If proven, they will face legal action just like other people,” he told reporters after a prize-giving ceremony at the Selangor Police Chief Karate

parents to be present in the courtroom where he would mete out the punishment of 10 strokes of the rotan. “Judges must understand their role and what they are and are not allowed to do as we have checks and balances and a separation of powers under the law,” Bar Council president Ragunath Kesavan told AFP. “He cannot be the judge and executioner, and moreo-

ver judges do not have the experience or training to carry out such punishment,” he said. Kesavan said the law allowed a judge to inflict corporal punishment, but added that this had last been done over 30 years ago, with the High Court swiftly reprimanding the judge for doing so. Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi had said the planned caning would be investigated.

Championship here. Police detained five policemen including a chief inspector who tested positive for drugs in a raid on an entertainment joint in Jalan Kepong, Jinjang. The five were among 15 police officers and policemen from various branches and districts picked up in the 3am raid. – Bernama

called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to “be firm in his approach” to the government mechanism in executing its policies, and asked that the premier be “fair to all races” in their implementation. At a dinner organised by the MCA and several Chinese associations in Putrajaya on Saturday, Najib announced that the government would introduce a new category of Public Service Department scholarships based only on merit. He said Chinese schools could be built on government land and that the government was coming out with a new policy that will be a win-win solution to all races in addressing the bumiputra quota issue.

Comprehensive action plans needed KUALA LUMPUR: The government must come out with “comprehensive” action plans if proposed new policies are to be successful, MCA Information and Communication Bureau chairman Lee Wei Kiat said. Lee, who is also a MCA Central Committee member,

| MONDAY JUNE 29 2009

Nik AzizNajib debate needless: Adnan KUALA KRAI: An open debate between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat would be needless when the latter continues to be indecisive in many matters, including a unity government, Umno secretary-general Tengku Datuk Seri Adnan Tengku Mansor said yesterday. He said to accept the Kelantan mentri besar’s challenge to an open debate would be inconceivable as it would benefit neither Umno nor the people. “More importantly, Umno and the government want to champion the interests of the people of Manek Urai,” Tengku Adnan told reporters at the Barisan Nasional operations centre in Kampung Sok Luar here. The Manik Urai state by-election has been scheduled for July 14. Nomination day is July 6. Nik Aziz had invited Najib to an open debate to resolve a prolonged political standoff between PAS and Umno. Tengku Adnan instead asked Nik Aziz to ponder on what he had done for the people of Kelantan during PAS’s administration of the state for the past 19 years. “What has he done (to develop Kelantan)? All development has been through the efforts of the federal government. PAS only knows how to defame and tarnish the image of leaders.” He said Kelantan would better developed, had the BN administered the state. Hitting out at PAS for alleging that Umno had paid Manek Urai constituents from outside the state not to return to vote on polling day, he said: “That is slander, and we understand that there will be all sorts of slander during the by-election campaign.” The Kelantan PAS Youth had alleged in several websites that Umno had paid RM300 to Manek Urai constituents elsewhere to keep away from the by-election. In Bentong, Pahang, Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan said Nik Aziz had made uncalled for statements against Umno in anticipation of the by-election. He said Nik Aziz’s likening Umno to a deviant group and communism did not reflect the statement of an Islamic scholar providing a good example for PAS members. “Just because one wants to win (a byelection) does not mean one should discard good behaviour,” Ahmad told Bernama after a brainstorming and character building course at the Umno Empowerment Training Centre in Janda Baik.

RM10b target for co-ops in 3 years JOHOR BARU: The Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry has targeted RM10 billion in earnings for cooperatives by 2012 compared to RM7.75 billion currently. Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the figure was based on the ministry’s Key Performance Indicators and in line with efforts to reinforce the 6,084 cooperatives nationwide. “The ministry has also targeted a membership of 8 million in three years compared to 6.5 million now. Apart from some two million members who are students via school cooperatives, there are 4.5 million members. “As of Dec 31 last year, cooperatives had shares worth RM8.4 billion, with RM55.7 billion in accumulated assets,” he said when opening the annual general meeting of Koperasi Nusajaya Johor Berhad yesterday. Ismail said the ministry wanted to create more quality cooperatives as only 3% of cooperatives could be considered large. On hypermarket promotions of products of small and medium industries (SMIs), he said a meeting today would set clear guidelines, as the 87 hypermarkets nationwide marketed only 8% of SMI products compared to the 30% required by the ministry. – Bernama