Undercover cops pose as drivers and farmers

By R.S.N. MURALI

KUALA TERENGGANU: Under­cover police here became lorry drivers and farmers in their bid to verify talk that southern Thai militants are hiding in rural areas in the state.

Even tom yam stalls were not spared as they staked out the eateries to find out whether “unhealthy activities” were taking place or if “sleepers” were staying there.

However, police have found no evidence of Thai militants hiding in Terengganu.

The intelligence operation began following an alert raised by Thai police that some militants were hiding in remote villages here and were planning to stage a series of bombings in southern Thailand next month.

Sources told The Star that several undercover police officers were assigned to the task.

A source said Thai police provided descriptions of the suspected militants who they alleged were planning to create unrest in Sungai Golok and Waeng at the southern tip of the country.

It is learnt that the details provided by Thai police were on Thai citizens who frequently crossed the border at Sungai Golok.

The source said local village heads were also asked to inform the authorities if they know of any “outsiders” in their midst.

He said the intelligence gathering also included the tracing of foreign-registered vehicles entering the state and the duration they remained here.

“We have embarked on active vigilance following the allegations made by Thai police,” the source said.

Based on the intelligence-gathering, the source said there was no indication that could verify the presence of militants in the state.

State police chief Senior Asst Comm 1 Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan said his men would work closely with their Kelantan counterparts in investigating such claims.

Terengganu PAS Wanita chief slams women’s groups over bai’ah issue

KUALA TERENGGANU: Tereng­ganu PAS’ women chief has slammed women’s groups and Wanita Umno for blowing the issue of bai’ah or oath of loyalty out of proportion and has told them to mind their own business.

State PAS Wanita chief Safinah Jusoh said the oath was never a written policy and she did not understand why there was a hue and cry over the issue.

“In PAS, women are respected and as such these women’s groups should not jump to the conclusion that the purported oath is insulting to the weaker sex. Let me remind these groups that people look at us as pure and motherly,” she said.

She also stressed that in PAS, it had always been emphasised that the ties between husbands and wives should last until the end of their lives.

“Our leaders never directed party loyalists to divorce their wives if they wanted to leave the party. It could be an individual choice made by some people who happen to be in the party.”

Safinah said in Islam, the role of a woman was well-defined and party members always respected and were committed to their wives.

“So, I hope these groups will stop deliberating on the issue to gain political mileage,” she added.

The oath was made public by Shah Alam MP and PAS member Khaled Samad last week.

He said that elected representatives from the party were made to take an oath that they would divorce their wives with talak tiga should they join another party.

His statement was later denied by party leaders including president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali.

Mustafa said no such directive was issued by either its Syura Council, central committee or its Ulama Council.

On Monday, Khaled said his statement was true but admitted that he should not have made it public.

He also refused to apologise to party leaders for divulging the matter to the public, saying that PAS practised freedom of speech.

RM10mil buses going nowhere

THE Terengganu government wasted RM10.5mil buying 26 buses that had to be virtually grounded when it abandoned plans to use the new buses to ply urban and inter-district routes because of objections from existing bus operators.

The wastage occurred because the state government had failed to carry out a comprehensive study before implementing the project.

The Auditor General’s Report released on Monday said such studies were needed to avoid failure in meeting the objective.

According to the report, the state secretariat had in 2007 appointed two companies to supply the buses.

The state government had in February this year decided to distribute 18 of the buses to various agencies and departments.

The report also noted that a subsidiary of a government-linked company that was supposed to utilise the buses had no experience in the transportation business.

Based on the state secretariat’s report, the audit also found the cost of maintaining two Proton Perdana V6 was higher than the cost of procuring the vehicles.

A total of RM308,731 was spent on maintenance of the two cars that were originally purchased for RM234,054.

The Auditor was unable to analyse the cost of maintenance because the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Agency had seized the files on the two vehicles.

The Auditor has also uncovered unauthorised use of fuel cards by personnel in the state secretariat and the Public Works Department.

The Auditor has also called on the state government to monitor the activities of its companies to ensure they observe good corporate governance, abide by the law, make a profit and pay dividends to the state.

Apa maknanya Kalau Isa Menang !?

KUALA TERENGGANU – Menjelang jam 5 petang ini, para pengundi DUN Bagan Pinang, Negeri Sembilan akan membuat pilihan samada ada memilih ’rasuah’ atau ’maruah’.

Sekiranya, calon BN Tan Sri Isa Samad menang, ia akan menjadi satu kes ikutan ’precedent’ dimana, kejelekan dan kebobrokan ’rasuah politik’ atau kes ’politik wang’ dalam Umno/BN tidak lagi dianggap kotor dan hina.

Isa pula akan bertukar, dari seorang tokoh Umno yang dianggap ’cemar’, menjadi seorang penyelamat maruah kerana memenangkan Umno yang sudah kalah dalam tujuh pilihanraya kecil sebelum ini.

Perlakuan ’rasuah politik’ yang menghukum Isa meletakkan jawatan sebagai seorang Menteri kerana membayar ahli Umno supaya melayakkannya kepada jawatan (Menteri) itu, akan seolah-olah menghalalkan apa yang kononnya menjadi ’haram’ dalam pemilihan Umno.

Keadaan ini adalah kerana, pemilihan Isa menjadi calon BN bagi bertanding dalam pilihanraya kecil Bagan Pinang, bukan lagi suatu ukuran ’maruah’ namun semuanya merupakan perlumbaan ’kuasa’ semata-mata.

Tidak ada lagi pemimpin yang benar-benar berwibawa dan memiliki pengaruh tulin dalam Umno sekiranya Isa menang dalam pilihanraya kecil kali ke 9 tahun ini itu.

Dan Umno tidak perlu menggilap kepimpinan muda dengan jati diri kepimpinan, cukup mendidik pemuda-pemuda Umno menjadi seorang koporat, mengumpulkan kewangan yang banyak, kerana ’wang’ dari koporat itu merupakan tiket untuk menjadi pemimpin.

Membeli undi dalam pemilihan Umno tidak lagi dianggap sebagai ’keparat’ namun ia akan menjadi satu ’standard’ penting, dan paradigma baru dalam Umno, kerana Tan Sri Isa telah meletakkan definisi baru dan garis nilai sebagaimana yang diucapkannya kepada media.

Tan Sri isa berkata; ’Saya bukan rasuah, Ini ialah politik wang’. Apa yang berlaku sebenarnya adalah, saya melanggar kod etika. Kami mempunyai kod etika dalam pemilihan parti. Kemudian, media memutar-belitkannya kepada politik wang dan rasuah," kata Isa Samad kepada wartawan MerdekaReview dalam satu wawancara pada malam Isnin yang lalu.

Bahkan sekiranya Isa diisytiharkan menang menjelang keputusan pada jam 8 malam nanti, keputusan tersebut merupakan satu titik tolak kepada Umno/BN yang lebih ’hodoh’ pada masa akan datang.

Pemimpin tertinggi Umno dan BN juga terpaksa menerima Isa demi menebus ’maruah Umno dan Barisan Nasional’ dari terus tercemar kerana kekalahan berturut-turut kepada Pakatan rakyat.

Umno/BN tidak boleh kalah lagi, dan tidak lagi sanggup berdepan dengan kekalahan.

Namun tindakan membenarkan Isa bertanding sebenarnya melorongkan Umno/BN kepada lorong ’belakang mati’ yang lebih hina !

Ineffective JKKK members told to resign

KUALA TERENGGANU: Incom-petent chairmen and members of Village Development and Security Committees (JKKKs) have been advised to resign as they only burden the people.

Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said he was disappointed that dates and zamzam water given by the Terengganu government were not distributed to the people properly.

“Some JKKKs took the dates to mosques and did not distribute them door-to-door as instructed.

“As such, some people did not receive them,” he said at a buka puasa hosted by Kuala Nerus MP Datuk Mohd Nasir Ibrahim Fikri on Saturday.

In conjunction with this year’s Ramadan, the Terengganu government allocated RM7.8mil worth of dates and zamzam water for distribution to 300,000 Muslim families.

Ahmad also said the state planned to turn Kuala Nerus into a district after a motion to the effect was passed in Parliament and the State Assembly.

“We are looking for a site for an administrative centre for Kuala Nerus,” he said.

Terengganu presently has seven districts: Kuala Terengganu, Hulu Terengganu, Setiu, Besut, Marang, Dungun and Kemaman. — Bernama

Cash aid for the needy

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu government will distribute Hari Raya Aidilfitri cash aid to more than 160,000 families comprising the poor, the disabled, single mothers and senior citizens next week, Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said.

"We don't know the exact amount allocated for this year yet, but the number of recipients is expected to be higher.

"Last year, we spent about RM38 million for 160,000 families," he said after visiting Muhamad Ayub Mansor, 7, who is suffering from a hole in the heart, in Kampung Cabang Tiga here.

Ayub needs to undergo surgery at the National Heart Institute (IJN) but the date has not been fixed because of insufficient funds.

Ahmad said the state government was willing to pay for the boy's operation and treatment estimated at RM30,000.

Ayub's mother, Haryati Mohd Fauzi, 32, said she used to take her son to IJN once in six months for treatment, which cost RM500 per session.

However, the housewife said they could no longer afford to do so as her husband, who works at a spare parts shop, only earned RM700 a month. - Bernama

Terengganu to offer aid to 160,000 families

KUALA TERENGGANU: The state will distribute aid from a special Hari Raya fund to over 160,000 families next week, said Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said.

“We do not know the exact amount for this year yet, but the number of recipients is expected to be higher.

“Last year, we spent about RM38mil for the 160,000 families,” he said, adding that they comprised the poor, the disabled, single mothers and senior citizens.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting Muhamad Ayub Mansor, seven, who is suffering from a hole in the heart, in Kampung Cabang Tiga, here.

Muhamad Ayub needs to undergo surgery at the National Heart Institute but the date has yet to be fixed pending the collection of sufficient funds.

The mentri besar said the state was willing to bear the cost for the boy’s operation and treatment, estimated at RM30,000. — Bernama