Latest news with #Rumah
The Star
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
New KL high-rises fuel fears of worsening congestion
Taman Intan Baiduri residents gathered in front of the site (left) of the proposed high-rise housing project along Jalan Intan Baiduri 5D.— RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star Residents of Taman Intan Baiduri want Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to make it a requirement that new developments have direct access to Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2). They are objecting to a 32-storey housing development in their area, citing fears of severe traffic congestion and lack of supporting infrastructure. The development, comprising 192 units under Federal Government's Public Housing for Civil Servants (PPAM) programme, is planned along Jalan Intan Baiduri 5D, a narrow access road that already serves several housing areas and three schools. 'This area is already under heavy strain,' said community activist Yee Poh Ping in a press conference at the site with some 30 residents. 'We are not against development. But there must be proper planning. 'We cannot keep building without traffic dispersal plans or alternative access routes.' The proposed site sits less than 100m from SK Intan Baiduri, SK St Mary and SMK St Mary. The stretch experiences daily bottlenecks during school hours, with residents reporting that it can take up to one hour to reach Kepong via MRR2. Yee said the congestion stemmed from the area's layout which only has two main exit points, both leading to already saturated roads heading towards Selayang, Kepong and Batu Caves. The situation is expected to worsen with the addition of two other high-density projects nearby – Rumah Belia Madani (1,048 units) and a private development with 558 condominium units and 239 low-cost units. A resident identified only as Low, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 30 years, said the roads were never designed to support such density. 'This access road to our homes and schools is being used by residents in nearby neighbourhoods. 'A high-rise here will overwhelm the system. 'We're already seeing spillover parking and daily jams,' Low added. Another resident who only wanted to be identified as Wong said, 'If they must build, then they need to build an access road that exits directly to MRR2.' She also questioned how a 32-storey building could be proposed on what she said was just 0.4ha of land. 'What is the plot ratio? We have the right to know,' she said, pointing to lack of information on a notice board at the site. Resident Sharifah Fairuz urged DBKL to prioritise proper traffic planning. 'Young people need affordable homes, yes, but not at the cost of others' quality of life,' she said. 'Hold a public hearing and engage with us before finalising anything.' Yee said the root problem was that the stretch of MRR2 near Taman Intan Baiduri lacked proper U-turn access points. He proposed DBKL and Gombak Public Works Department to build two new U-turn interchanges along the stretch from Taman Daya to the Batu Caves roundabout. Yee said a protest letter has been submitted to DBKL, calling for a public hearing and engagement with stakeholders.
Daily Express
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Express
Let's be proud Malaysians and proud Sabahans, too
Published on: Sunday, June 22, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jun 22, 2025 By: Datuk John Lo Text Size: IT is natural. It is proper. When in a foreign country, all Malaysians must very proudly profess ourselves as Malaysian. Within Malaysia, we can call ourselves Penangites, Selangorians, Johoreans, Kehadans, Sarawakians and Sabahans with the same degree of pride. Leaders from each respective state are expected to look after the interest of their states and people. Nothing wrong for Hajiji to promote 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga', 'Sabah for Sabahans' or 'Sabahans First'. Hajiji's 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga' Makes Very Good Sense. Hajiji has mentioned 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga' many times, the latest was at the USNO's annual conference in Kota Belud. Much to my liking, he also said that Sabah party must be the anchor/dominant players in government after the coming election. Be on extreme alert if any leader who discourages Sabahans to be less Sabahans. Or induce us to relinquish our rights to govern Sabah. Or that non-Sabahans can manage Sabah better. Their intention is dubious and blatantly dishonest. It is to dope us. I am not in politic. I see 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga' in the prism of simple logic and practical economics. Advertisement If Sabahans Do not Jaga Rumah Kita, Who Can We Trust to Jaga? We better be cautious of anyone trying to convince us not to Jaga Kita Rumah. It is highly irresponsible to farm out Sabah which is our only rumah, to be 'jaga' by non-Sabahans for any reason. If we are unwilling or incapable of 'Jaga rumah kita' we deserve to be poor. Like it has been for the last 40 years. After more than 60 years of independence, Sabahans still cannot unite to juga rumah? Still cannot unite to build Sabah's economy? Do Sabahans have some intelligence handicaps to jaga rumah kita? Autonomy for Branch Manager is a Fairytale. The president of a Sabah party is like the chairman of a company. The head of a Malayan party in Sabah is like a branch manager. Nothing personal. No disrespect is meant. Have never heard that a branch manager can be truly autonomous or independent in the corporate world. Neither in politics. A branch manager is a branch manager. He is not the boss. His boss is in KL. The boss can remove the branch manager. The boss makes all the final important decisions. The branch manager can recommend only. In a crunch, the boss always wins. Either the Branch manager obeys or gets the sack. It is the same system of disciple in politics as in the corporate world. For survival, the branch manager must be subservient, deferential to the boss in KL even at the expense of Sabah. Let us be serious: Do Sabahans want a Chairman of a Sabah party or a Branch Manager of a Malayan party as Our CM? Your answers to the following pointers will tell you how you should choose; Pointers 1: A Chairman of a Sabah party has same status as President of any Malayan party in matters affecting the nation and state. They will meet on equal footing, sit at the same table. Whereas, the Branch Manager of a Malayan party will have no local standi to attend the same meeting. Pointer 2: On critical important issues that affect Sabah's interest, the Chairman of a Sabah party can negotiate, stand firm or demand. Unlikely the Branch Manager can or dare to make a stand in the interest of Sabah. If he dares to go against his boss in KL, he will find himself without a job soon. Pointer 3: What would a Branch Manager of a Malayan party do if he has received an instruction from his boss that will affect Sabah's interest adversely? More than likely, he would say 'yes, boss.' The chairman of a Sabah party can say NO! Pointer 4: Never short of predatory Malayan businessmen who are often backed by some Malayan powerful political war lords coming to Sabah. To them, streets in Sabah are paved with gold. Remember the attempt to black mail and overthrow of Hajiji government? This is not an isolated case. Many 'funny' proposals have been coming in. Hajiji, as CM, has rejected many. Hajiji can say 'The Buck Stops Here!' Can a Branch Manager of a Malayan party afford to say same to his boss and political war lords from KL? Pointer 5. Before Hajiji became CM, the special grant given to Sabah was RM26.7m a year from 1974 to 2018. Hajiji became CM in 2020. He got it up to RM125.6m in 2022. Up again to RM129m in 2023. Up again to RM300m in 2024. Up again to RM600m in 2025 [budget announcement]. A whopping of 2247% increase since Hajiji took office in late 2020. Do you think a Branch Manager of a Malayan party as Sabah's CM can get these increases? If can, why didn't it happen before? Hajiji must have demanded very strongly as Chairman of GRS to get such huge increases every year. A Branch Manager will not open his mouth to demand for fear of losing his job. Pointer 6. Hajiji has said that he would not comprise on Sabah's constitutional rights of 40% share of revenue. Would a branch manager of a Malayan party make a similar stance? Has any branch manager made a similar stance? Pointer 7. This is the absolute reality for all Sabahans to grasp and appreciate. To Malayan leaders, Sabah is at the fringe of national politics. Sabah leaders can be 'kautim' in the past. Their political 'do or die' battle ground is Malaya. For Sabah to be taken seriously, we must 'Rumah Kita, Kita Jaga Baik Baik'. We need a strong CM from a Sabah party with a convincing majority mandate from the 2025 election, to do it. A Branch manager cannot do the job. How about Sabah party JV with a Malayan party? In view of current political reality, JV is ok on conditions that [1] CM and Minister of Finance must be from the Sabah party. [2] Majority of Cabinet is from Sabah party. No longer must Sabah be ruled by non-Sabah party. For our own sake and our future generations, Sabah must never become a vassal state of anyone. Sabahans must be the master of Rumah Kita. Sabah/Federal Relationship is very complex. Hajiji has Improved Sabah's Position Considerably. Examples: Hajiji has got back rights in oil/gas, power generation, board representation in Petronas and IRB [Income Revenue Board], huge increase in annual special grant. What sort of CM does Sabah need to continue the present trajectory? In all probability, a branch manager of a Malayan party will be unable to look after Sabah's interest as good as the Chairman of a Sabah party can. He cannot serve 2 masters, i.e. Sabah and his Malayan party. Given the present and future complexities of Sabah/Federal relationship, Sabah will need a 'Sun Tze' type of CM supported by a strong majority mandate in DUN after the 2025 election. My favourite philosophy of 'Sun Tze' is 'Victory without fighting'. Calm, no shouting matches, no finger pointing, no passing the buck, no threats. Just get the job done! When it is done, no blowing of the trumpets. This is political leadership maturity. This is statesmanship. The views expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Express. If you have something to share, write to us at: [email protected]
Arab News
21-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Nova Water signs MoU with Saudi NCVC to plant 200,000 trees
Nova Water, a bottled drinking water company, has signed an MoU with the Saudi National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification to plant 200,000 trees across the Kingdom by 2030. This initiative underscores Nova's ongoing environmental mission to reduce its ecological footprint and protect local ecosystems — while directly contributing to the overarching goals of the Saudi Green Initiative. It marks the latest step taken by the company to combat desertification, advance the development of a sustainable water ecosystem and safeguard the Kingdom's future. The agreement was officially signed by Dr. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Abdulqader, CEO of NCVC, and Sulayman Serdar Seyhanli, CEO of Nova Water. The collaboration focuses on four core areas: identifying key locations for reforestation, prioritizing the use of native plant species, engaging Nova employees in afforestation activities, and supporting the rehabilitation of Saad National Park, located near the company's facilities in Rumah, 120 km east of Riyadh. Seyhanli said: 'At Nova Water, we understand the importance of implementing innovative environmental solutions in the water sector. Our agreement with the NCVC is a testament to our unwavering support for national sustainability initiatives. Together, we are building a greener future while aligning with the ambitions of Vision 2030 and contributing to the protection and expansion of the Kingdom's natural green cover.' He added: 'As a natural partner of the Saudi Green Initiative, this agreement represents a carefully planned execution strategy — covering irrigation, planting, and the ongoing care of seedlings across agreed-upon areas.' Our reforestation efforts will span the next six years, from 2025 through to 2030, and will culminate in the successful planting of 200,000 trees and shrubs across Saudi Arabia. We are fully committed to seeing this goal through.' This ambitious program seeks to create long-term environmental and social impact, including restoring native wildlife habitats, rehabilitating decertified lands, and enhancing biodiversity. Ultimately, it will support rainfall regeneration, provide shelter and food for local fauna, and contribute to rebalancing fragile ecosystems — which are the very objectives the NCVC was established to fulfill since its inception in 2021.
The Star
19-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Sabah govt to rebuild homes for fire victims
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will rebuild about 10 homes destroyed in recent fires at Kampung Petagas and Bukit Vor, near here, under the Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) initiative. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor ( pic ), who visited the affected families at the temporary relief centre in Sri Putatan Hall yesterday, said the state would help the fire victims recover and rebuild their lives. 'We understand the hardship these families are facing, having lost everything to the fires. The state government will help rebuild their houses so they can start anew,' he said. The fires, which occurred on Monday and Tuesday, left 74 people from 28 families homeless, of which 20 families (46 individuals) are from Kampung Petagas and eight families (28 individuals) are from Bukit Vor. To further aid the families, Hajiji said each head of household received various forms of assistance, including RM1,000 in Bantuan Wang Ihsan, RM1,000 from the Sabah Welfare Foundation and RM1,000 from the Sabah Zakat Centre under the Islamic Religious Council. The victims also received food baskets and RM300 from Perbadanan Baitulmal Negeri Sabah. 'For houses that were completely destroyed, the government will rebuild them on the existing sites through Rumah Mesra SMJ. 'For partially damaged houses, the government will provide between RM5,000 and RM10,000 in aid depending on the extent of damage,' he added. Hajiji said the state government remained deeply concerned about the people's welfare. Also present at the event were Deputy Chief Minister and State Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya; Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif; state secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong; Petagas assemblyman Datuk Awang Ahmad Sah Awang Sahari; secretary for Home Affairs and Research Datuk Awang Shahminan Sahari and Putatan district officer Masawi Salleh.
Daily Express
16-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
New homes for Ranau families
New homes for Ranau families RANAU: Four recipients of the Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) breathed a sigh of relief after they received the keys to their new houses here on Sunday. The four were Dunisa Junisah binti Garaim, Boby @ Mohd Azuan bin Saidi, Shamsani bin Amilin and Alfrendy Liong. Advertisement They received the keys from State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun (inset) at a ceremony in Kg Lipasu. At the ceremony, RMR offer letters were also presented to six applicants comprising Marconi Sandou, Danny James, Pinah Binti Serungin, Lailawati Binti Ramlee, Aldy Ramdin Gaminik and Gaerry Supail. SPONSORED CONTENT Masidi expressed appreciation to Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) for successfully completing the project according to specifications and time, as well as organising the ceremony in a very orderly and structured manner. He said as State Finance Minister, he always believes that the responsibility of the Government is not only to formulate policies and approve the budget, but also to ensure that the policies reach the people. Advertisement 'Every family that receives a house or offer letter today is receiving a new hope, a new beginning and perhaps even an end to years of renting or living in an imperfect house. 'A house is not just a concrete structure. It is a place where children grow up, a place where families gather, a place where love blossoms and a place where we feel safe and calm,' he said. Advertisement Masidi said the RMR programme is a very noble initiative because it targets low-income groups who cannot afford to own their own homes. 'With the help of subsidies and loan facilities from SPNB, eligible citizens now have the opportunity to own a comfortable and safe home,' said. He added that since the programme was introduced, a total of 71,847 units have been built and handed over to the needy throughout the country and for Sabah, a total of 2,556 units have been allocated. 'The State Government will continue to support the efforts of SPNB and other housing agencies in ensuring that no Sabahan is left out of the opportunity to own a home. 'We understand that in today's world, the cost of living is increasing, the price of construction materials has also increase. However, the Government's commitment to protecting the common people has never wavered. 'At the Ministry of Finance level, we will continue to ensure that all allocations for the development of the people, including housing, basic amenities and social wellbeing, will continue to be given priority in the State's financial planning,' he said. Also present were SPNB Executive Officer Ar Mohd Jamil bin Idris, SPNB Sabah Branch Director Mohd Hafiz Sua Abdullah, Ranau District Assistant Officer (Development) Florencia Padasian, Karanaan Division Community Development Officer Suhaimi Manjun and others.
