Food Watch: Sarawak primed to be country's top rice-producing state

sources: text - nstonline, ricemap - d.i.d sarawak

KUCHING: With a vast area suitable for padi planting, Sarawak would be the country's main rice producer in the near future, state Secretary Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot said yesterday. He said this would help overcome the national rice shortage.

"Under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (Score), food-based industries are the top industries prioritised by the government," he said at a public forum on "rising prices and the people's welfare: current measures and future steps", organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (Isis).

Baya said the food-based industries included rice, palm oil, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture. "The state government will promote and develop these industries in a big way to meet the needs of both the local and export markets."

He also said a Halal Park would be built on a 10,000ha piece of land in Tanjung Manis in the Mukah Division. He said the federal government had identified Sarawak as one of the country's halal hubs under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. A vast stretch of land, from Tanjung Manis to Bakam in Miri Division, will have many development areas within Score.

Baya said the agriculture sector to be developed within Score would be the catalyst for modern farming in the state. "It will help the efforts to increase the production of food in terms of meat, fruits and vegetables. The efforts are quite relevant as we strive to reach self-sufficiency in food production."
He said Sarawak was feeling the effects of rising food prices brought about by rising fuel prices.
The Consumer Price Index jumped from 1.7 per cent last year to 2.8 per cent in the first quarter of this year.

Isis chairman and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Mohamed Jawhar Hassan said the soaring prices of food, if not contained, would have a serious effect on the people's well-being and the country.

In Asia, he said about one billion people were seriously affected by the increase in food prices. Worldwide, 33 countries were being threatened, socially and politically, by the food crisis due to many factors, including the rising price of oil.

He said there were people who predicted that the price of oil could reach US$200 per barrel (RM638), from the present US$125 per barrel.

The views at the forum would be submitted to the federal government, he added.

Indonesian poor to get 1.5 billion dollars in cash to offset fuel price hike: reports

source:AFP via MSN Malaysia News

Indonesia plans to transfer more than 1.5 billion dollars in cash to the poor to offset the cost of a planned hike in fuel prices, reports said Thursday.

The compensation program would see 14.18 trillion rupiah (1.53 billion dollars) transferred to 19.1 million poor families; the Bisnis Indonesia daily quoted Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie as saying.

The plan, which would reach 76.4 million people, would be distributed in monthly payments of 100,000 rupiah per household, the Jakarta Post reported.

Indonesia announced its intention to raise fuel prices last week, with rising global oil prices meaning the country is spending increasing amounts on its multibillion dollar subsidy scheme.

The price rise would be no more than 30 percent on average, Bakrie was quoted as saying by the Post.

A 30 percent rise would see the cost of premium gasoline climb to 6,000 rupiah (65 cents) a litre (2.46 dollars a US gallon) from 4,500 rupiah.

The administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says the move is essential to cut back the ballooning cost of its subsidy scheme, which outstrips spending on social programs and infrastructure.

But the government is facing mounting opposition from the street as well as parliament, where most parties have reportedly turned against the plan in a bid to win favour with voters ahead of elections next year.

Indonesia last raised its fuel price by 126 percent in 2005, sparking widespread street protests.

KL City Plan 2020: KLites, time to speak up!

taken from nstonline:azira shaharuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: If you are unhappy with the air, the water, the streets you walk or issues related to the city, now is the time to speak out.

After more than 20 years of preparation, the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 is ready, and its draft copies can be viewed by the public from today.

The places to see the draft plans are City Hall (main lobby), Berjaya Times Square, TTDI Community Centre (library), KL Sentral (level 1), Gombak Community Centre, Carrefour Wangsa Maju (ground floor), Bandar Tun Razak Community Centre, Tesco Ampang, Kampung Kerinchi Community Centre, and Mid Valley City (level 1 and 2).

KLites have until June 30 to give their opinions on the draft plan to City Hall or voice their objections. After the deadline, the plan will be approved. Among the locations earmarked for development are Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Berjaya Times Square, TTDI Community Centre (library), KL Sentral station and Mid Valley City.
With the availability of the draft plan, the public can now have a good idea of how KL is going to be developed in the future.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said she hopes the views and requests of the public are accepted by City Hall and incorporated into the plan.

She urged members of the public to get a copy of the plan (which will be on sale from today), study it and voice their opinions.

Teresa said she was invited twice for meetings with City Hall to formulate the plan but she could not attend as the notice was given at the last minute.

"It gives the impression that Kuala Lumpur City Hall doesn't want to consult the MPs," she said.

Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said: "Members of the public should get a copy of the book as this has important consequences on our way of living in the future.

He said the plan defines usage of land in the city and other important aspects of town planning such as public transport, basic amenities and green lungs.

He suggested that Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique allow all the Kuala Lumpur MPs to attend the meetings to study proposals and objections by KLites and residents' associations.

"We are representatives of the people, we know our areas well, he said.

Tan said he would meet soon with residents in Cheras and tell them what would happen to their neighbourhoods.

"I will gather their feedback and give it to City Hall on their behalf."

Local government and city planning expert, Derek Fernandez said the draft plan is a detailed zoning and development plan of Kuala Lumpur as required by law since 1984.

"It's an important plan to determine locations of the high rise projects, green lungs and many more. It's like the architect plan of a house such as the location of the bathroom, bedroom but on a bigger scale," he said.

Derek said if the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2020 is approved with everything clearly spelt out, it would lead to fewer disputes with the residents and the local authorities.

"If the plan is too general, it can give rise to contentious issues. But once the plan is gazetted, there would be no more public hearing and the residents have to comply with everything in the plan," he said.

He said city folk should ask for the right to be heard even after the plan was approved as even the Petaling Jaya Local Draft Plan 1 allows it.

PM: RM11.8b to build Putrajaya

source: the malaysian insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 ─ RM11.8 billion. That's the cost to develop Putrajaya, the new federal government administrative centre. To be exact, it is RM11,831 million.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi disclosed this in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat to Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) yesterday.

Abdullah said it covered the construction of government offices and quarters, the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) and the official residences of the prime minister, deputy prime minister, ministers and judges.

"Apart from that, it also covered the development of infrastructure such as tunnels, roads, bridges, towers as well as public amenities like parks, squares and lakes," he said.

Abdullah said the government offices in Putrajaya were constructed under the build, lease and transfer method. Putrajaya Holdings constructed the buildings on government land, leased them to the government for 25 years at a monthly charge of RM2.50 per sq ft and, at the end of the concession period, transferred the buildings to the government.

The prime minister said the government paid Putrajaya Holdings an annual rent of RM929.7 million last year. It paid RM878.1 million in 2006, RM732 million in 2005 and RM434 million in 2004. ─ Bernama

three Muslim men and two soldiers with a government-backed militia killed in Thai south: police

source: AFP via Yahoo! Malaysia News
NARATHIWAT, Thailand (AFP) - - Suspected separatist rebels have shot dead five people in the insurgency-hit Thai south, police said on Tuesday.

Two soldiers with a government-backed militia were killed when they were off-duty Monday evening in Narathiwat, one of three southern provinces beset by a bloody separatist movement.

Also Monday, three Muslim men were killed in two separate attacks in nearby Pattani province, police in the region said.

The slew of killings came two days after Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej paid his first visit to the restive region since taking office in January. He said on his Sunday television show that the violence had recently eased.

More than 3,000 people have been killed since separatist unrest broke out in January 2004 in the south, which was an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate until mainly Buddhist Thailand annexed it in 1902, provoking decades of tension.

Malaysia to spend 1.472 billion ringgit to subsidise rice farmers this year

source: AFP via MSN Malaysia News
Malaysia will spend 1.472 billion ringgit (458 million dollars) this year to subsidise rice farmers and import more rice from Thailand to bolster its stockpile, the agriculture minister said Tuesday. Agriculture minister Mustapa Mohamed said the government would also spend an additional 254 million ringgit to boost local rice production, as the price of Asia's staple diet continued to soar. "We want to make sure that the interest of the low-income earners are protected and that is why the government is willing to accept a big loss as a result of the large subsidies we are giving," Mustapa told reporters. "We cannot afford to let down the poor in society who will be hit the hardest by the increase in rice prices," he added.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi late Monday announced the country would, for the first time, spend at least 725 million ringgit to subsidise foreign rice imports to keep retail prices of the staple affordable. He also said the price of two popular local rice types -- a higher quality and an average grade -- will be capped from June 1 to keep manufacturers from raising their prices further and burdening consumers. The minimum guaranteed market price has also been raised to benefit farmers who sell rice to encourage them to grow more of the crop. -- MORE

Measures to keep price of rice down KUALA LUMPUR: The government announced measures to hold down the price of rice yesterday, including securing supplies of price-controlled 15 per cent broken rice and setting price caps for two other grades of the grain. Full Story
Move to cost govt RM719m a year KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's move to raise the retirement age of civil servants will cost the government about RM719 million a year starting from next year, Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said. Full Story
Thai sellers want us to pay more BANGKOK: The Malaysian government and Thai rice exporters are deadlocked over the "price tag" for new purchases, with the world's biggest rice exporter insisting on the current market level of about US$1,000 (RM3,197) a tonne. Full Story

iProperty.com Malaysia Wins Best Property Portal Award

text taken from bernama
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- iProperty.com Malaysia has been named the country's Best Property Portal in the CNBC Asia Pacific Property Awards 2008.
Other property portals within the extensive iProperty.com network, including Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines, also clinched similar awards for their respective markets.

iProperty.com is the first company to have ever won an award in four countries for the same category at the International Property Awards, iProperty.com said in a statement today.

The CNBC Asia Pacific Property Awards is part of the International Property Awards, which began in 1995 in London, and has since established itself as the premier annual programme that distinguishes Asia Pacific companies with the highest levels of achievement in a range of property-related fields in 21 categories.

Winners are usually identified as companies and individuals raising the standards by providing excellent skills and services and continually reaching new heights in quality and innovation.

Patrick Grove, Executive Chairman of the iProperty.com Group, said: "In Malaysia, we are already the clear market leader in the online property space, with over 35,000 quality property listings by over 1,500 accredited real estate agents and the country's top developers."

He said the prestigious win definitely reinforces its position in Malaysia and the region as Asia’s leading online property group.

Malaysian phased pullout of troops to begin May 10: minister

Source: AFP via MSN Malaysia News
Malaysia's foreign minister says his country will pull out its peacekeeping forces from the troubled Philippine province of Mindanao in a phased withdrawal beginning May 10.

Rais Yatim, who was on a two-day working trip to the Philippines, said his government was unable to continue with an unlimited deployment in the international monitoring team (IMT), according to a foreign ministry statement released late Wednesday.

Rais said he hoped the Malaysian decision would "give an opportunity to both groups to reevaluate the issues under discussion in the context of the peace process," the statement added.

He said however that Malaysia was committed to helping resolve the Philippine situation.

On Wednesday Rais met with Philippine President Gloria Arroyo and foreign secretary Alberto Romulo following a call from Manila for Malaysia to continue to support the peace process in the country's south after its pullout.

Last month, Malaysia said it would not send more monitors of a 2003 ceasefire between Manila and separatist rebels in Mindanao once their current mandate expires in September.

Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) struck a deal last November to create a Muslim homeland in the country's south but further talks have not been successful.

Malaysian troops have made up the bulk of an international team that has been monitoring the ceasefire since 2004.

updates:
Malaysian troops begin pullout from troubled Philippine south
Agence France-Presse - 5/10/2008 8:36 AM GMT
Malaysian soldiers who were monitoring a ceasefire between the Philippine government and Muslim separatists on Saturday began their pullout from the troubled southern island, eyewitnesses and airport officials said.

The withdrawal of 40 Malaysian troops from four cities in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao will leave just 21 Malaysian soldiers in the south.

A Malaysian military cargo plane flew to the cities of Davao and General Santos to pick up contingents there before stopping in Cotabato and the port city of Zamboanga before returning to Malaysia.

The head of the monitoring team, Major General Bin Yashin Daud, earlier said that the rest of the team, who are still in Cotabato City, would return to Malaysia when their mandate ends in September.

Malaysian forces had made up the bulk of the international team monitoring a ceasefire signed in 2003 between the Philippine government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which was intended to pave the way for peace talks. -- MORE

Libya sends peacekeepers as Malaysia pulls out: Philippines
Agence France-Presse - 5/12/2008 10:46 AM GMT
Libya is to boost its peacekeeping force in the southern Philippines, a Filipino official said Monday, as Malaysia began pulling out its troops amid an impasse in peace talks with Muslim separatists.
President Gloria Arroyo asked Libya to help as Malaysia began a phased withdrawal of its 40 soldiers and policemen from the southern island of Mindanao.
Tripoli, which already has six monitors on Mindanao, has agreed to send 25 people to fill the void left by the Malaysians, said Jesus Dureza, an Arroyo adviser on the peace process.
The small multinational peacekeeping team has been monitoring a ceasefire between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) since 2003 and is credited with reducing conflict and tensions in the region.
Manila's political settlement with the 12,000-member MILF has become bogged down in recent months over the breadth of territory to be put under the rebel group's control.
Kuala Lumpur said last week it would not continue with an unlimited deployment in the monitoring team without any apparent progress in the peace talks, sparking fears of renewed civil war.
"The Libyan government has agreed to send 25 ceasefire monitors to assist (and) sustain the ceasefire in Mindanao," Dureza said in a statement.
Spokesmen for the Libyan embassy here could not be reached for comment late Monday.