China coal mine blast death toll reaches 87

At least 87 people are now known to have died in a coal mine blast in northern China, state media report.

Another 21 miners are reportedly still missing in the Xinxing pit in Hegang City, Heilongjiang province.

The toll has more than doubled from 42 dead earlier. Some 528 workers were in the mine when the blast hit before dawn on Saturday local time, said Xinhua.

The death toll makes the accident among the worst in recent years in China's notoriously dangerous mines.

Rescue official Zhang Fucheng was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying that attempts to reach the trapped miners were being hampered by dense gas and collapsed tunnels.

Xinhua said President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao had been in contact with rescue workers, and that Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang had visited the scene.

Lax safety

The blast in the mine, in the region bordering Russia, occurred at 0230 local time on Saturday (1830 GMT on Friday). More than 400 people managed to escape.

Many of the injured were being treated at the Hegang Mining Bureau Hospital, which said all 800 of its medical workers had joined the rescue operation, Xinhua reported.

The mine is operated by the state-owned Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Holding Group and has an annual capacity of 1.45m tonnes of coal, said Xinhua.

State-run mines are generally considered safer than private collieries, whose lax safety standards have contributed to a high rate of accidents.

Most are blamed on a failure to follow safety guidelines, often in an attempt to cut costs and meet an increasing demand for fuel.

The Chinese authorities have been trying to deal with the dangers by closing smaller mining operations and forcing local authorities to regulate the industry, says the BBC's Michael Bristow in Beijing.

The government closed some 1,000 small mines in a recent safety drive, and says the number of miners killed has been halved as a result.

But miners are still dying at a rate of six a day, and independent labour groups say many accidents are covered up in the drive for profit and coal.

In February, more than 70 workers were killed in an explosion at a mine in Shanxi province.

Indonesia seizes 75tons of explosive material from M’sia

JAKARTA: Officials say they have confiscated 75 tons of an explosive material being shipped from Malaysia to Indonesia and are investigating possible links to terrorism.

Customs official Nasar Salim says the ammonium nitrate was found on a ship captured in the South China Sea.

Ammonium nitrate can also be used as fertiliser, but Salim says 95 percent of the material imported into Indonesia is used in explosive devices. He says possible links to terrorists are being investigated.

Salim said Friday that 17 crewmen were being questioned while police search for the shipment's owner.

Indonesia has been ravaged by terrorist attacks in recent years that killed more than 250 people.

Bombings at two Jakarta hotels in July killed seven people and wounded more than 50. - AP

Teoh Beng Hock exhumed for second autopsy

KUALA LUMPUR: Teoh Beng Hock’s body was exhumed on Saturday for a second autopsy at Sg Buloh Hospital following an order by the Coroner’s Court that held an inquest into his death.

The exhumation in Semenyih started at 9.25am, after short prayers, and was completed by 10.40am.

Cops kill 'Berong Gang' leader

PETALING JAYA - THE leader of a notorious gang preying on those withdrawing large amounts of cash from banks was shot dead in a shootout with the police.

Herri Berong, 48, identified to be the mastermind behind the 'Berong Gang', is responsible for at least 30 such cases in Klang Valley since 2006.

In the 8pm incident in Bandar Sri Damansara on Friday night, Herri was believed to have trailed a man, who had withdrawn an undisclosed sum of money from a bank earlier.

Selangor CID chief Senior Asst Comm II Datuk Hasnan Hassan said the gang leader high on the wanted list was spotted by police. 'We believe Herri trailed his targeted victim to his home in Subang Bestari here in Shah Alam and had planned to rob him.'

Police, who seized a .32mm automatic with seven rounds of ammunition from Herri, also found three parangs at the front passenger sear of the Waja.

Datuk Hasnan said police have identified at least six more of Berong Gang members and hope to nab them soon. -- THE STAR

N.Korea slams UN resolution

SEOUL - NORTH Korea strenuously defended its human rights record on Friday after a UN General Assembly committee said it had 'very serious concern' about abuses in the isolated communist country.

A non-binding resolution Thursday from the United Nations General Assembly Third Committee on human rights highlighted 'systematic, widespread and grave violations of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights'.

North Korea's deputy UN representative, Pak Tok Hun, immediately dismissed the findings and the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday carried an even stronger denial from a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

'The adoption of the said resolution is nothing but a trite political plot hatched by hostile forces against the DPRK (North Korea) every year,' the spokesman was quoted saying.

He accused the United States of being the driving force behind the move 'to fake up again a brigandish document defiling the system in the DPRK and infringing upon its sovereignty... One should keep one's hands clean before pointing accusing fingers to others'.

Despite the rhetoric and after months of sabre-rattling, Pyongyang has recently made peace overtures to Washington, with a senior US envoy to travel to the North next month for direct talks on the country's nuclear programme. -- AFP

Held for oral sex with girl, 8

NIBONG TEBAL - A 47-YEAR-OLD teacher has been arrested for performing oral sex on a Year Two schoolgirl in Sungai Bakap.

State CID chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Wan Abdullah Tuanku Said said the teacher had instructed the eight-year-old pupil to meet him in the music room during recess on Tuesday.

'She went to the music room at about 3.30pm without suspecting anything amiss. He then proceeded to strip and fondle her private parts before performing oral sex on her.'

'The victim later went home and told her mother what had happened. She was subsequently taken to the South Seberang Prai district police headquarters in Jawi to make a report,' he said last night.

The victim was sent to the Seberang Jaya Hospital for a medical examination.

SAC Wan Abdullah said the teacher was arrested when he turned up at the police headquarters to give a statement on Thursday, adding that he was remanded pending investigations. -- THE STAR

Husam claims conspiracy against him

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 – Kelantan executive councillor Datuk Husam Musa claimed today that there was a conspiracy to have him removed from the state government.

“There have been efforts to drive a wedge between me and Tok Guru,” said Husam (picture) referring to Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

“I am fully aware of the conspiracy against me,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

Rumours were rife yesterday that Nik Aziz was considering removing Husam from the state administration following the actions of his former aide, Syed Azidi Syed Abdul Aziz.

Syed Azidi was a corporate liaison officer at the Kelantan Mentri Besar Corporation (PMBK) until he was sacked early this month.

His removal was followed by a public argument between him and the PMBK CEO Ariffahmi Abdul Rahman, who is also the son-in-law of Nik Aziz.

Yesterday, Syed Azidi claimed that Nik Aziz had ordered Ariffahmi, who is under Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation, to leave PMBK to avoid further embarrassment to the state administration.

Ariffahmi had denied the allegations, claiming that Syed Azidi was trying to pressure Nik Aziz.

Rumours of Husam’s removal surfaced soon after Syed Azidi made the claim that Nik Aziz would announce Arrifahmi’s resignation yesterday.

“I know Tok Guru will not do that as he is a very rational man,” Husam told The Malaysian Insider.

He refused to say if Ariffahmi was behind the attempt to kick him out of the state government.

“They are outsiders, trying to get me, eventually the target is Tok Guru, and then they will move in to topple the PAS government,” said Husam.

Meanwhile, the Kelantan PAS liaison committee will convene a special meeting tomorrow morning and is expected to discuss the latest crisis in the state government.

The Malaysian Insider understands that many members of the state PAS committee are in favour of removing Ariffahmi from the Kelantan government investment arm.

Kelantan PAS secretary Zaki Ibrahim, however, said tomorrow’s meeting is a routine one and the PMBK issue is not on the agenda.

“The matter does not arise, but the committee members are free to speak up during the meeting,” Zaki told The Malaysian Insider.

Wee: Why wait till March for fresh MCA polls?

PETALING JAYA, Nov 20 - Axed presidential council member Datuk Wee Ka Siong said today that there should not be any reason why fresh party elections should have to wait till March 2010 as “everything is ready for party elections.”

“I am glad to hear that Chua Soi Lek is agreeable to party elections. However I disagree with his proposal to have it in March next year.

“We have the central delegates’ list. Everything is ready. Why wait?” said Wee, who is MCA National Youth Chief.

According to Wee, fresh polls are needed urgently as the party is currently in a state of total chaos and everyone who is not favoured by MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat ends up being booted out from the presidential council.

“I do not see the need for delay simply because I am scared of having so many CC (Central Committee) and PC (Presidential Council) meetings in such short notices.

“Every time we have these meetings, there is sure to be someone who ends up getting axed,” exclaimed Wee, referring to what recently happened to him and Wanita MCA chief Datuk Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said earlier today that he was in support of fresh party elections but not the Nov 28 EGM called by vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai for the same purpose.

Dr Chua had stated that March would be the best date as January and February would be the Chinese New Year holiday season but if the party wanted fresh polls using the new model of involving direct elections of the president, it would require constitutional amendments which would see elections happening only six to eight months down the road.

His rival Liow on the other hand has maintained that his ultimate goal was to push for fresh elections and if two-thirds of the central committee could be persuaded to resign en bloc, the EGM would then be called off.

MCA crisis

PEKAN: Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has proposed a formula to leaders of the opposing groups in the MCA that he believes would help resolve the party’s crisis.

He said hopes were high that a solution would be found and the various factions appeared to be receptive to the formula.

“I have held discussions with MCA leaders aimed at resolving the crisis and finding a way to have all the opposing groups accept a formula that will bring back the confidence of party members, as will as the Chinese community, in the MCA.

“I was made to understand that the leaders are now considering the formula that I have put forward.

“I hope they they will accept it,” he told reporters after handing over 427 heads of cattle to 165 surau (Muslim shrines) and 55 mosques for the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration here on Friday.

Najib however did not give any details on his proposed formula.

He said he had met the leaders separately, adding that he had informed Barisan deputy chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to continue discussions with the MCA leaders as he had to fly off to Trinidad and Tobago to attend the CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government) meeting.

“The discussions are to be based on the formula that I have proposed to the MCA leaders,” he said.

On whether the formula included the unity plan devised by MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Najib said it would be discussed if they agree to his formula.

“We shall wait over the next one or two days,” he said.

On whether there was a deadline for the MCA leaders to make their decision, Najib merely replied, “We want this to be over and done with as soon as possible.”

Decision on Kota Siputeh ruling next Monday

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has set Monday to deliver its decision over the stay application by the Election Commission against the ruling that Kota Siputeh state seat was vacant.

The Commission also applied for a stay against the court order compelling the Commission to call for a by-election for the state seat in Kedah.

High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) Justice Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin fixed the date upon hearing lengthy submissions by the parties on Friday.

The Commission was represented by Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Kamaruddin Md Said, Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun acted for former Kota Siputeh assemblyman Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif and lead counsel Sulaiman Abdullah acted for Kedah Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail.

Kamaruddin submitted that there were special circumstances to justify the court exercising its discretion to order a stay of execution pending appeal.

“In the event the stay is not granted, it will render the Commission’s appeal to the Court of Appeal nugatory and will cause substantial injustice to the Commission and the public at large,” he argued.

Kamaruddin said a by-election for the Kota Siputeh constituency would involve public money.

“In the last general election, the Commission alone spent RM200,365 for the constituency of Kota Siputeh. If the application for stay is not allowed and the by-election is to be conducted then Commission has to apply for an allocation of money for this purpose,” he said.

He also said that the legitimate expectation of the voters who had elected Abu Hassan in the last general election would be prejudiced.

He said the court has the inherent powers to grant a stay to prevent injustice or an abuse of the court process.

Hafarizam, who supported the stay, contended that there could not be any countermanding (cancellation) of the writ of election once it was issued by the Commission.

“In fact, the Commission is under its constitutional duties to follow through the by-election until its completion, irrespective of the outcome of the appeal pending at the Court of Appeal,” he argued.

Hafarizam also said that if a new candidate was returned as the new Kota Siputeh assembyman and if Abu Hassan won his appeal, it would only cause competing claims by two assemblyman over one constituency.

Besides that, Hafarizam said the granting of a stay would also preserve the integrity of the appeal.

The Commission and Abu Hassan had filed appeals against the High Court ruling which are now pending at the Court of Appeal.

In a landmark judgment on Monday, the High Court declared the Kota Siputeh state seat vacant after ruling that its assemblyman was no longer one for failing to attend two consecutive meetings of the state legislature without leave.

In her ruling, Justice Alizatul said the Commission had acted illegally and irrationally in deciding there was no vacancy in the Kota Siputeh seat and in holding that Abu Hassan was still its assemblyman.

The judge also said that under Article 51 of the Kedah Constitution, the power to give leave from attending the assembly lay with the Speaker.

On Oct 1, Dr Isa had filed for a judicial review of the Commission’s decision, naming Abu Hassan and the Commission as defendants.

Sulaiman, however, argued that matters of the constitution cannot be stayed, in particular the mandatory duty to hold a by-election in a state seat.

He said a stay would cause confusion and in effect be an injunction against the Kedah Speaker from carrying out his duties fully under the state constitution.

Increasing dengue cases

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 720 dengue cases was recorded from Nov 8 to 14 compared with 618 cases the previous week.

The 10 states which experienced an increase were Negri Sembilan, the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Malacca, Perak, Selangor, Johor, Pahang, Penang, Sarawak and Sabah.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the rise could be due to the current rainy season.

“No deaths were reported last week and the death toll remains at 75,” he said.

Ismail said 12 hot spots were being monitored nationwide, while four new hot spots were detected in Taman Puchong Utama 6 and Taman Sri Gombak in Selangor, as well as Taman Rinting, Jalan Bahau, Johor and Merbau Est, Sarawak.

The number of Chikungunya cases also rose to 277 compared with only 202 the previous week.

He said Sarawak was the highest contributor with 269 cases, while Penang recorded one case, Selangor and Sabah each had two cases, and there were three cases in Kelantan.

No deaths by Chikungunya have been reported so far. -- Bernama

Ex-police inspector found guilty of graft

SHAH ALAM: The High Court here on Friday ordered a retrial for a former police inspector found guilty of agreeing to accept RM1,000 bribe from a woman as inducement not to proceed with the hearing of a rape case which involved her stepbrother.

Justice Mohd Zaki Md Yasin held that the Ampang Sessions Court judge Noradidah Ahmad had erred in failing to recall three prosecution witnesses after the charge against Jamilah Mohamad, 37, was amended.

Mohd Zaki however upheld the conviction and sentence of the six months’ jail and RM10,000 fine on Jamilah for another charge where she was found guilty of soliciting a RM2,000 bribe from the same woman.

However, he allowed a stay of the jail sentence pending an appeal at the Appeal Court and allowed Jamilah to pay the fine in instalments of RM5,000, to be paid on Dec 1, and the balance on Dec 17.

Jamilah, who was represented by lawyer Peter Siew, had appealed against the conviction and sentence for both charges.

Jamilah, who was then attached to the Sexual Crime Division of the Hulu Langat police, was charged with soliciting RM2,000 from Siti Fatimah Kunchalan, 37, as an inducement for her not to proceed with the hearing of a rape and molest case involving Abu Manaf, 46, Siti Fatimah’s stepbrother.

Jamilah was then the investigating officer in the case.

The offence was allegedly committed behind the Ampang Court, Ampang Point, at 10am on June 1, 1998.

Jamilah was also charged with agreeing to accept RM1,000 from Siti Fatimah for the same purpose at the same place at 9.30am on June 3, 1998.

On Feb 27, 2004, Ampang Sessions Court judge Mohamad Saman Mohd Ramly ordered Jamilah to enter her defence on the soliciting charge, but freed her without calling for her defence, on the second charge on grounds that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against her.

Mohamad Saman sentenced Jamilah to six months’ jail and a RM10,000 fine, in default of six months’ jail, after finding her guilty of soliciting the RM2,000 bribe.

On Dec 15, 2005, the prosecution appealed against her acquittal and the High Court called for her defence on that charge.

On Nov 3, 2006, Noradidah found Jamilah guilty and sentenced her to eight months’ jail and a RM10,000 fine, in default of six months’ jail. -- Bernama

Asia needs 9,000 planes

SINGAPORE - ASIA-PACIFIC is tipped to become the world's biggest aircraft market in the next 20 years, with regional airlines buying almost 9,000 planes worth US$1.1 trillion (S$1.5 trillion) a Boeing official said on Friday.

The scramble for new planes will be fuelled by a need to meet rising air travel demand as economic growth outpaces the rest of the world, said Mr Randy Tinseth, vice-president for marketing, commercial planes, at Boeing.

'What this means is that the Asia-Pacific market both in terms of units as well as in terms of investments will be the world's largest marketplace,' he told reporters on the sidelines of an aviation forum in Singapore.

'We expect the airlines of Asia-Pacific to require almost 9,000 airplanes over the next 20 years valued at US$1.1 trillion,' he said.

Forecasts made by Boeing indicate that the region's economic growth will average 4.4 per cent annually over the next two decades, which means airline traffic is likely to rise 6.5 per cent a year from now to 2028, Mr Tinseth said.

Cargo traffic will grow 6.3 per cent annually over the same period, he added. 'As a result of this growth in the emerging and developing markets, the landscape for air travel will change,' Mr Tinseth said. -- AFP

N.Korea diplomats arrested

STOCKHOLM - SWEDEN says two North Korean diplomats have been arrested on suspicion of smuggling cigarettes into the Nordic country.

Swedish Customs spokeswoman Monica Magnusson says the diplomats - a man and a woman - were arrested when they arrived in Stockholm on a passenger ferry from Finland on Wednesday. They were not identified further.

Officers say they found 230,000 cigarettes hidden under blankets and baggage in their car.

Magnusson said Friday the diplomats could not claim diplomatic immunity in Sweden because they are stationed in Russia.

If convicted, they face prison sentences of up to six years. -- AP

Nokia to cut 330 jobs

HELSINKI - NOKIA, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, said on Friday it would shed about 330 jobs in Finland and Denmark as part of a streamlining of its research and development operations.

'The planned changes are expected to affect up to 230 employees at Nokia's Oulu site in Finland and approximately 100 employees at Nokia's Copenhagen site,' the firm said in a statement, It added it currently had some 17,000 employees in research and development, of which more than 2,000 in Oulu and more than 1,000 in the Danish capital.

The mobile phone giant launched a cost-cutting programme last January, after its earnings fell as consumers cut back on buying handsets amid the global financial crisis.

The programme aims to generate more than 700 million euros (S$1.39 billion) in annual savings.

Before Friday, Nokia had announced about 3,700 job reductions since January, including around 1,300 voluntary redundancy packages.

Last month Nokia posted a surprise swing into red when it reported a third-quarter net loss of 559 million euros amid rising competition in the smartphone market and problems with its Nokia Siemens Networks joint venture. -- AFP

MACC nabs six Kota Tinggi Umno division members

JOHOR BARU: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained six Kota Tinggi Umno division members, including its Youth chief, for allegedly trying to bribe three former Youth committee members with about RM40,000.

The members, aged between 30 and 40, were detained at about 2am on Friday at a committee member’s house here after the suspects had allegedly tried to coax the committee member to withdraw his resignation.

It is learnt that the suspects tried to do so after 18 committee members from the division’s Youth wing resigned last week claiming a loss of confidence in the Youth chief’s leadership.

Sources said that the mass resignation prompted the suspects to hold “negotiations” with three of those who had resigned to prevent an election in the division’s Youth wing.

It is believed that one of the three members had contacted MACC on the matter before cooperating to trap the suspects while the bribe took place.

The suspects were detained at the Ayer Molek prison before being brought for questioning at the state MACC headquarters here.

Kota Tinggi Umno division chief Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said he heard of the arrests and was told that they were all from the division’s Youth wing.

“I will leave the investigations to the MACC. I hope that the truth will come out,” he said.

Johor MACC chief Simi Abdul Ghani declined to comment on the matter when contacted.

Problems continue for Obama

WASHINGTON - AFTER an Asia tour lacking the fanfare of past trips, US President Barack Obama returned home to a gloomy set of problems that refuse to go away: Afghanistan, soaring unemployment, trundling health care reform.

A year ago it was all rock star welcomes for the man just elected America's first black president, but on Thursday a much grayer Mr Obama slipped back into a rain-soaked White House largely under the radar of the world's media.

Accused by critics at home of scoring few concrete results in Asia, Mr Obama's dipping popularity is unlikely to see any respite as he dives headlong into a host of divisive political decisions.

Mr Obama must soon choose, after months of internal debate, whether or not to send tens of thousands more US troops into harms way in Afghanistan. The specter of a Vietnam-like quagmire, as ever, looms large. His deliberations, punctuated by leak and counter-leak from government departments, have brought to the fore lingering doubts about who the US should be fighting in Afghanistan and to what end.

According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, approval for Mr Obama's Afghan policy has fallen sharply to 45 per cent, and his presidential approval rating has slipped below 50 per cent for the first time.

As part of a blitz of US television stations Mr Obama recently told NBC the Afghan decision will be announced 'over the next several weeks,' 'I'm confident that at the end of this process, I'm going to be able to present to the American people in very clear terms what exactly is at stake, what we intend to do, how we're going to succeed, how much it's going to cost, how long it's going to take,' he said. -- AFP

Malaysian killer of Aussie surgeon refused parole

MELBOURNE: One of two Malaysian men convicted of murdering renowned Sydney heart surgeon Victor Chang must remain behind bars for another year.

Phillip Lim Chew Seng, 50, was due for release earlier this month after serving his minimum sentence of 18 years.

However, the decision was put on hold last month to allow the New South Wales (NSW) state government to make submissions to the State Parole Authority.

A NSW parole board hearing in Sydney, Friday was told it was not in the public interest for Lim to be released, the Australian Associated Press reports.

Judge Terry Christie cited the fact that Lim would almost certainly be deported to Malaysia upon his release.

“The (parole) authority recognises the need to maintain public confidence in the administration of justice,” said the parole decision statement, handed down by the judge.

It said: “The community expectation would not be met if the offender, thus released, would effectively serve the remainder of his sentence without any supervision.”

Christie said Lim’s parole would next be considered in August or September next year.

Dr Chang was shot dead on a footpath at Mosman in Sydney’s northern suburbs on July 4, 1991, in a failed extortion attempt by Lim and Liew Chew Seng alias Ah Sung.

Lim and Liew were given maximum sentences of 24 and 26 years, respectively. -- Bernama

Bkt Gasing residents can challenge hillslope development:

PUTRAJAYA: Kuala Lumpur City Hall and a developer failed to prevent 108 Bukit Gasing residents from challenging a development order by the Kuala Lumpur mayor pertaining to a hillslope development project in the area.

Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Paduka Zaleha Zahari and Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus dismissed KL City Hall’s appeal in a 21 majority decision, with Justice K.N. Segara dissenting.

In an oral decision, Justice Zaleha said after going through the submissions of both parties, the applicant’s appeal was dismissed.

KL City Hall and the developer, Gasing Meridian Sdn Bhd (GMSB), are appealing the High Court decision on April 24 in granting leave for a judicial review to the residents to quash the mayor’s order.

GMSB is the developer involved in the development of Sanctuary Ridge Kuala Lumpur City, a project to build 68 bungalows on a 15.5ha site in Bukit Gasing.

Counsels R. Sivarasa and Derek Fernandez, appearing for the residents, told the media that the residents should have the right to voice their opinion as there might be landslides affecting the lives and property of those staying near the hill.

Fernandez said the hearing date for the judicial review had yet to be fixed by the High Court due to the appeal.

Romesh Abraham acted for KL City Hall and Datuk R.R. Sethu for GMSB.

The Kuala Lumpur mayor, in an order dated Oct 2, 2008 issued to GMSB, allowed the developer to carry out earth works and subdivisions in the area.

In their application for leave, the residents named the KL City Hall and GMSB as defendants.

The residents claimed that the mayor had failed to take into account that they had a right under common law to be given due notice, and be given a chance to voice their opinions in the decision-making process of planning.

They said that the mayor had acted contrary to the policy and intent of the Federal Territory (Planning) Act 1982. -- Bernama

Plastic bottles are safe

PETALING JAYA: The use of plastic water bottles is safe, says the Malaysian Plastics Forum (MPF).

It chairman Lim Kok Boon said plastic or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles had been subjected to the US Food and Drugs Administration’s (FDA) review and regulations process before they were allowed to be used as packaging material.

“The FDA has determined that PET meets standards for food and beverage packaging for both single and repeated use.

“According to the International Life Sciences Institute’s report on Packaging Material: PET for Food Packaging Applications, PET is biologically inert and together with its other physical properties, is particularly suitable for food packaging applications,” he said in a statement Friday.

Lim was responding to the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) which recently warned consumers of the dangers of reusing water bottles and called on the authorities to ban bottled water in the country.

CAP president S.M. Mohamed Idris said there was evidence that a toxic material called antimony (used in making polyethylene bottles) begins leaching into the water immediately, even on the plastic bottle’s first use.

Lim said Mohamed Idris’ statement may unduly alarm the general public.

On claims that plastic bottles were the cause for environmental pollution, he said that it was not the product but the behaviour of mankind which was to blame.

“Calling for the ban of PET bottles is only counterproductive and does not address the root cause of littering,” Lim said.

“Consumers can be assured that the use of PET beverage bottles is safe and as such, CAP’s concerns on the bottles, both on the health and environment, are simply not sufficient justification for a ban,” he added.

The MPF consists of the Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association and Malaysian Petrochemicals Association-Plastic Resins Producers Group.

A(H1N1): 20 haj pilgrims infected

JEDDAH: A total of 20 Influenza A(H1N1) cases have been reported among foreign Haj pilgrims since they started arriving here for this year’s pilgrimage, the Saudi Arabian English daily Arab News reported.

The newspaper quoted Health Minister Dr Abdullah Al-Rabeeah as saying that 12 of them had been treated and the remaining cases are under observation.

No other cases of contagious diseases had been reported among the pilgrims, he said, adding that the ministry’s early health preparations for this Haj season were bearing fruit.

“Our focus this year has been on swine flu and the Department for Preventive Medicine and Haj agencies have appointed 80 consultants for the intensive care centre during the current season,” he added. -- Bernama

Tee Keat’s political secretary quits

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — Simon Lim, a top aide to MCA president and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, has resigned after the MCA central committee (CC) meeting on Wednesday.

Lim, the political secretary to Ong, said he personally tendered his resignation letter, dated Nov 18, to Ong with a copy to the prime minister.

"I personally handed it to him at his office at the Ministry of Transport after the CC meeting. My resignation will take effect on Dec 1," he told Bernama today.

Citing personal reasons for his decision, Lim said he wanted to return to his law practice where he was once a senior partner in the law firm, Simon and Co.

"Actually I had planned to go back to my law practice after the MCA Extraordianry General Meeting (EGM) that day (Oct 10). Now I think it is the best time to do that," he said.

However, he declined to say whether his resignation was connected with speculation that he disagreed with Ong over the latter's decision to revamp the MCA presidential council recently.

Apart from being Ong's political secretary, Lim is also the MCA Special Task Force Bureau head. — Bernama

Penang, Putrajaya battle over RMAF base runway project

ENANG, Nov 20 — The Penang government should not question the federal government's intention to extend the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) airbase's runway in Butterworth because the project is vital for the country's defence, State Federal Development director Nik Ali Mat Yunus said.

He said the project, shelved for almost 10 years, would be implemented under the Tenth Malaysia Plan which would begin in 2011.

The state government should instead assist the federal government in relocating the squatters, totalling about 500 families, there so that the project could be implemented according to plan, he told Bernama.

He said there was no excuse for the state government not to know about the project as it had been planned since the Eighth Malaysia Plan.

Recently, state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh claimed that the state government was not informed about the project on the Defence Ministry-owned land even though there was a prior instruction for the squatters to vacate the area. — Bernama

PKR MPs slam government for ‘not knowing’ PI Bala whereabouts

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — PKR’s Tian Chua took the Prime Minister’s Department to task for claiming, in a written response to his question in Parliament, that no action was taken against P. Balasubramaniam because they could not find him.

The Batu MP said the private investigator – who fled Malaysia in July 2008 after issuing contradictory statutory declarations that linked Datuk Seri Najib Razak to a murdered Mongolian model – had himself said in recent media interviews that the government had “arranged” his travels.

Chua pointed out that the former police special branch officer had said passports were issued to him and his family within 24 hours, before he left the country, and that he was interviewed by Malaysian police at the Malaysian embassy while in Bangkok.

Bala then left for New Delhi as well as Kathmandu, and had alleged the trip was arranged by the government.

“So how can the Prime Minister’s Department claim they could not locate Balasubramaniam, when the foreign minister knew where he was?” asked Tian Chua.

Subang MP R Sivarasa, who was questioned by police at the Commercial Crime Department in Bukit Aman after Bala disappeared last year, said the police has asserted that his first statutory was false.

“So why have they not arrested or extradited him, at least to conduct investigations?” asked Sivarasa.

“It’s incredible for them to say they don’t know where he is,” he added

Parents file RM105m suit against Govt, others

IPOH: The parents of the three young girls killed in the Oct 26 bridge tragedy in Kuala Dipang filed a RM105mil suit against the Government and 10 others at the High Court here on Friday.

The other respondents include the Education Ministry, the Perak Education Department, SJK (T) Mambang Diawan, SJK (T) Gopeng, GS Synergy Sdn Bhd (which sponsored the bridge), CWL Enterprise (the contractor) and others.

Last month, three primary school pupils attending a 1Malaysia camp -- N. Dina Deve and M. Devatharshini, both 11, and 12-year-old V. Divyashree -- drowned after the suspension bridge they were on collapsed into the Sungai Kampar. Nineteen other schoolchildren survived the tragedy.

Two committees were established to investigate the incident, one under the Education Ministry and the other under the Perak Pakatan Rakyat.

The ministry’s committee is expected to file its report soon, while the Pakatan committee said that the collapsed suspension bridge was an illegal structure and the teachers who were supposed to have been supervising them were not present.