Month: July 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, The Dewan Rakyat sitting today will focus on several key issues, including the strategic direction of the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park (KIGIP) in enhancing domestic investments.

According to the Order Paper on the Parliament’s portal, the question on the matter will be raised by Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) to the Prime Minister during the Ministers’ Question Time.

Muhammad Bakhtiar seeks to know how KIGIP would boost domestic investments in line with the Energy Transition Roadmap while balancing the needs of nearby areas such as water supply issues in Seberang Perai Selatan.

In the same session, Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu) will ask the Prime Minister about the latest developments on a new indicator for measuring the cost of living at the district level, initiated in March 2024.

He also wishes to know the programmes implemented by the government based on the findings of this new indicator.

During the oral question and answer session, Datuk Seri Mo
hd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna) will ask the Home Minister about effective measures to resolve the issue of illegal immigrants in Sabah.

Datuk Abdul Khalib Abdullah (PN-Rompin) will seek clarification from the Finance Minister on the implementation of the Budi MADANI assistance for M40 and B40 diesel vehicle owners.

After the session, the Dewan Rakyat will continue the debate on the motion for the Annual Report and Financial Statement of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) for 2021 and 2022.

Apart from that, the first reading of four bills is also listed on today’s order paper. They are the Drug Addicts (Treatment and Rehabilitation) (Amendment) Bill 2024; Mufti (Federal Territories) Bill 2024; Administration of Muslim Law (Federal Territories) (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Syariah Court Civil Procedure (Federal Territories) (Amendment) Bill 2024.

The Second Meeting of the Third Session of the 15th Parliament will sit for 15 days until July 18.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

NIBONG TEBAL, Polling for the Sungai Bakap state by-election, which is taking place this Saturday, will see at least one of its elderly voters in an attire usually reserved for festive occasions.

Selasiah Razak, 88, affectionately known as Tok Siah, said elections are special occasions that allow her to dress up, not unlike Hari Raya celebrations.

The octogenarian who enjoys wearing the old kebaya that she made herself said she has never missed an opportunity to fulfil her responsibility as a voter since the first general election in 1955.

‘In the old days, people liked to dress up when attending gatherings or celebrations. I enjoy sewing my clothes for such occasions, but back then, there were no (sewing) machines, so everything had to be done manually.

‘So, I want to wear yellow (kebaya) for this election to make it more festive. I’ve already ironed it,’ she told Bernama when met at her home in Kampung Changkat Dain, Sungai Jawi, recently.

Selasiah, one of the 580 voters aged 80 and above in the Sunga
i Bakap constituency, said she plans to wake up as early as possible on polling day to cast her vote at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Duri.

‘If my health permits, my grandchild will take me. I don’t mind if we have to go on a motorcycle as long as I can vote,’ she said.

She said that polling day was a festive occasion in the past, adding that the ‘Marilah Mengundi’ song filled the airwaves and television broadcasts combined with the distribution of flyers promoting candidates.

‘It was fun. Now it is not as fun, maybe because too many leaders (contesting), they keep changing,’ she said while reminding the younger generation not to take lightly the responsibility of determining the country’s future through the ballot box.

The by-election is a straight fight between Pakatan Harapan candidate Dr Joohari Ariffin and Perikatan Nasional candidate Abidin Ismail following the death of PAS incumbent Nor Zamri Latiff on May 24 due to stomach inflammation.

The Sungai Bakap state constituency has 39,279 registered voters
, consisting of 39,222 regular voters and 57 policemen. The largest group of voters is aged between 21 and 29.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

ISKANDAR PUTERI, The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS) foiled an attempt to smuggle a barrel of live fish into Singapore with the seizure of the consignment yesterday.

Johor MAQIS director Edie Putra Md Yusof said the fish, worth RM745, was seized at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex as it was without a valid export permit following an inspection on a lorry.

He said the barrel of fish, comprising 16 kilogrammes of jenahak, ikan merah and kerapu, was found hidden among other consignments of frozen fish.

“The act of exporting any type of agricultural product without a MAQIS permit is an offence under Section 11 (2) of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011 (Act 728) and punishable under Section 11 (3) of the same law,” he said in a statement today.

He said the lorry driver and attendant were released after their statements were recorded.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The shortage of trained Integrated Special Education Programme (PPKI) teachers is not a hindrance to opening special education classes in schools that require them, as these positions can be filled by existing non-option special education teachers.

Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said that non-option teachers would undergo a three-day special education exposure course provided by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to prepare them for teaching in PPKI classes.

Moreover, these teachers would receive a monthly allowance of RM250, on par with special education option teachers.

“For teachers who are not specialised in special education, they will receive training focused on improving their abilities to manage students with special needs, as well as training in the Primary School Literacy and Numeracy Programme (PLaN),” he said.

“… they will also undergo training to enhance their pedagogical skills, deepen their subject knowledge in special education and improve their digital and ICT compet
encies. This short-term initiative aims to equip existing teachers to effectively teach in PPKI classrooms,” he further added.

He said this during a Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat today in reply to Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah), who asked whether the shortage of trained PPKI teachers posed a challenge to the establishment of PPKI classes, particularly in Chinese National Type Schools (SJKC).

At the same time, he emphasised that the MoE plans annually for the recruitment of Bachelor of Teaching Degree Programme (PISMP) candidates to meet the staffing needs across schools nationwide.

These projections are based on the country’s educational requirements for the next five years, ensuring that the ministry can adequately cater to the needs of students from various backgrounds.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency