Tamparuli fire: MP urges temporary shoplots

Tuaran: The District Council here has been urged to identify a site to build temporary business premises for shop owners who were affected by the fire in Tamparuli last Tuesday.

Towards this end, Tuaran Member of Parliament Datuk Wilfred Bumburing said the process should be speeded up to ensure the operators have a place to ply their trade for the time being.

"We have asked the District Council to ascertain a site suitable for the business owners," he said.

He said this in a ceremony where the fire victims received donations at the District Office in Tamparuli, here, on Friday.

Tamparuli Assemblyman Datuk Jahid Jahim said the livelihood of the shop owners would be disrupted if the setting up of the temporary premises was delayed.

Also present were Assistant Tamparuli District Officer, Edip Abun, and Kapitan Cina Tamparuli, Soong Ket Siong.

Meanwhile, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor, who had previously visited the site where an entire row comprising seven units of two-storey wooden shophouses was razed, had urged owners of old buildings to repair their electrical wiring to prevent short-circuits, which could cause fire.

The wooden shophouses, one of five 50-year-old buildings built just after the war by the colonial administration, were destroyed in a fire at 5.10am.

14 December, 2008 - Daily Express

Big Penampang x'mas 'do'

Penampang: A large-scale Christmas celebration would be held at the Buhavan Square in Donggongon on Dec. 20 - the first time in the district's history.

The event is jointly organised by the Penampang Tourism Council and the Kadazandusun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

It is supported by the Huminodun Foundation, Penampang JCI, Sabah Credit Corporation, Penampang District Council, Lion's Club of Penampang, Penampang Rotary Club, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Rafflesia Medical Centre and Rafflesia Medical Diagnostic Centre.

Organising Chairman Ladislaus Maluda said various programmes have been lined-up for the event such as colouring contest, magic shows, Christmas music and songs and lucky draws.

"The programme will start with a blood donation drive and health screening cum health awareness campaign to be conducted by QEH and Rafflesia Medical Centre," he told a press conference, Tuesday.

He said five veteran singers namely Evelyn Ebin, Ivy Bakansing, Justin Stimol, Irene Thadeus and Datuk Pat Michael would perform in the evening where Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Bernard Dompok would be guest of honour.

Winner of the 2007 National Choir competitions, "The Suara Bayu" including The Evergreens Band and The Copycat Band would also be performing. He hoped the event would attract visitors to the heartland of the Kadazandusun.

"We would be setting up 50 tables at the Buhavan Square while restaurants would probably set up more than 100 tables outside," he said. A huge screen would be set up to enable the people to watch the performance on stage.

Penampang Tourism Council Chairman-cum-District Officer William Sampil said the event would be a big boost to the district because the Council is planning to organise the Pesta Angpow in January as well as other events to enhance tourism in Penampang.

Dr Roland Chia, Executive Chairman of Rafflesia Medical Centre said the organisation was happy to be a part of the event through its promotion of healthy lifestyle to the people.

He said there would be the usual exercise such as blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) check-ups, among others.

"We will also be calling our regular donors to participate in the blood donation drive," he said. Also present were RMC Manager Liza Estolas and KCCI vice-president Pius Jaua.

10 December, 2008- Daily Express

SABAH TO BE BIGGEST PRODUCER OF AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS BY 2010

Bobbey (right) presenting a certificate to a recipient watched by state fisheries director Rayner Stuel Galid (centre)

28th November, 2008 - New Sabah Times

TAWAU: Sabah has the potential to become the biggest producer of aquaculture products in the country by 2010.

Disclosing this, Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Yahya Hussin said this was based on the forecast on the output of aquaculture products by the Department of Fisheries Malaysia of 207,200 metric tonnes valued at RM2.5 billion for the period.

Yahya who is also Agriculture and Food Industry Minister said by 2010 Sabah was expected to produce 33,000 metric tonnes of seawater prawns worth RM1.06 billion, marine fish (30,700 metric tonnes; RM1.23 billion), freshwater fish (12,700 metric tonnes; RM125 million), cockles (6,000 metric tonnes; RM28 million) and seaweed (125,000 metric tonnes; RM24 million).

He said the targets set by the department are expected to make the state the biggest producer of aquaculture products by 2010.

‘Sabah, with vast areas that are suitable for aquaculture, has the potential to become the centre for aquaculture and this potential has been recognised by the department,” he said at the launch of state Aquaculture Licensing Programme here yesterday.

The text of his speech was read by the minister’s assistant, Datuk Bobbey Suan.

Yahya said based on the study by the Fisheries Department, 491,359 hectares in the country were suitable for aquaculture, of which 182,260 hectares or 37 percent, were in Sabah.

He said the state fisheries department would formulate various policies and strategic plans to achieve the targets.

“One of the plans is to set up a 63,342-hectare aquaculture industrial zone,” he said.

Yahya also said 24,400 hectares would be used to cultivate seaweed, rearing of marine fish in cages (4,380 hectres), mollusc, including cockles and invertebrates (14,700ha), crustacean, including seawater prawns (17,212ha), brackish water fish (2,390 hectares) and freshwater fish (260 hectares).