The Malay Mail Thursday 2 JUNE, 2011
Malaysia ranked 9th in the list of 10 friendliest countries of the world — HSBC poll
SUBANG JAYA
Many not buying into My First Home Scheme By EE ANN NEE ean@mmail.com.my
CITY dwellers remain sceptical over the government's "My First Home Scheme", given the steep property prices in the Klang Valley. The scheme is available to those aged 35 and below, with monthly salaries less than RM3,000. First-time house buyers are eligible to buy a property, priced at RM220,000 and below, with 100 per cent financing.
M. Tara, 38, engineer, Petaling Jaya
By SHAHRIM TAMRIN shahrimtamrin@mmail.com.my
Frederick Aloysius, 30, account director, KL: "With property prices escalating, how can the scheme only cater to those with a monthly salary of less than RM3,000? For a house priced at RM220,000, and if it’s located far from the city, then, what’s the point? In addition, you can’t assume people will settle down by 35, as many people are postponing marriage and only buying a house when they reach 40." Radin Hazwan, 25, optometrist, Petaling Jaya
"I think the scheme will benefit those living in the outskirts rather than in the Klang Valley. If anyone is looking for a decent house below RM220,000 in the Klang Valley, I must say, good luck to them. Even if you are earning RM4,000 or RM5,000 monthly, owning a house in the city is almost impossible. The property prices here are crazy. The government should provide a similar scheme that caters to the RM3,000 to RM6,000 monthly income bracket group."
New light on boy's death SUBANG JAYA: batu tiga playground electrocution
THERE is a twist to the probe by the Energy Commission of Malaysia into the recent electrocution of a 11-year-old boy at the Taman Batu Tiga playground in Shah Alam. Allegedly, Subang Jaya Zone 5 councillor Keshminder Singh's assistant had lodged a complaint on May 25 last year with the Subang Jaya Municipal Council on the defective lamp post, which Muhammad Naquiddin Mohd Marzuki accidentally touched, and was killed, on March 19 this year. However, the council had denied any complaint made over the lamp post. The commission’s enforcement director Othman Omar said he had instructed the investigating team to call up
Keshminder's assistant. “I have instructed the Petaling Jaya probe team to call up this person soonest as this new information is vital for us in the investigation. "We believe this latest information will shed some light on events leading up to the tragedy. We may have to revert to the council on the nature of the complaint and what kind of action was taken.” Given the latest development, Keshminder has urged the commission to hasten the investigation. “I brought this matter up at the council's full board meeting last week. But I am disappointed the council instead asked me to discuss the matter in private. A boy has died and a complaint was made about
a year before the tragedy happened. “I think it’s important for the commission to scrutinise the complaint seriously and also call up more people. The council had stated the contractor who installed the lamp post might have been appointed by a former councillor or residents association (RA)," said Keshminder. In response, Othman said it was important for the commission's probe team to conduct the investigation properly. “We will call up potential witnesses, including the former Zone 6 councillor and past RA key members, if necessary. There are also other areas we are looking into.”
The alleged complaint
"For such a scheme, the income bracket for house buyers in the Klang Valley should be extended to RM4,000, considering the high cost of living in the city. I’m aware of the 100 per cent financing scheme, but young people already have enough debts."
T H E Mal ay Mai l h a s obtained a copy of the complaint lodged last year by Subang Jaya Zone 5 councillor Keshminder Singh's aide. The complaint was given t he re fe re nc e nu mb e r 1163/05/2010-[1] after it was sent via the Subang Jaya Municipal Council’s complaint management system on May 25 at 10.13pm. The complaint re ad: “Lampu gelanggang futsal dan gelanggang badminton
tidak menyala serta main switch box yang terdapat di situ yang menghubungkan antara dua gelanggang ini didapati kedengaran bunyi seperti terdapat lintar pintas di dalamnya seolaholah ada letupan kecil yang tidak berhenti. Minta pihak tuan menghantar maintenance dengan segera kerana dikhuatiri amat membahayakan.” (The lights for the futsal and badminton courts are not functioning and the
main switch box connecting the two courts emits soft exploding sounds as if there is a continuous short-circuit inside. Request your side send maintenance as soon as possible, for fear this could be dangerous.) Sources claimed the council's maintenance contractor had attended to the complaint a day after it was made, and allegedly moved the panel board, originally located on the ground, to a different electric pillar.
SUBANG JAYA
Work on transport hub starts next month
THERE will be pedestrian-friendly walkways at the Integrated Transport Terminal Subang Jaya (ITTSJ) and Subang Jaya City Centre (SJCC), with construction work scheduled to begin next month. The hub includes the LRT Extension Project station 4 and KTM Komuter station. Syarikat Prasarana Negara
Bhd (Prasarana) project development group director Zulkifli Mohd Yusof said the integration of the rail stations would be completed by the end of 2013, and fully operational by August 2014. “The impact for Subang Jaya residents and its surroundings will be beneficial as it will provide options for commuters in terms of
direction, connectivity and seamless travel by public transport,” Zulkifli told The Malay Mail. He s ai d I T T- SJ w a s designed and would be constructed by Prasarana, while the SJCC and a link bridge that connects the integrated stations to the SJCC podium block, would be developed by Sime Darby Property Bhd.
Artist'S impression: The proposed Subang Jaya Integrated Transport Terminal
news
3
Rats! Pack grounds Qantas jet QANTAS was forced to ground one of its passenger jets after a pack of rats was discovered on board, The Age reported. Flight attendants found five rats in the cabin of a Boeing 767 due to leave Sydney on Tuesday. The rodents were discovered in emergency medical equipment carried on the aircraft, 10 minutes before passengers were due to board. Qantas was unsure last night how the rats got onto the passenger jet.
'Cap' ban to halt telco bill shock TELCOS in Australia will be forbidden from using advertising terms such as "cap" and “unlimited” under regulations recommended by the communications regulator. They will also be forced to implement supermarket-style unit pricing and new measures to prevent bill shock. Claims of broadband speeds would also need to be substantiated.
Actress held for vice bid POLICE in Bangalore, India, said a 29-yearold actress has been taken into custody for attempted prostitution. The name of the actress, who had acted in two Kannada films and three television serials, has been withheld. A 40-year-old woman, a pimp, who had acted in two teleserials, and two men were also taken into custody, police said.