Singapore Style Litter control

A man carrying a chip wrapper bustles along the pavement, his search for a bin becoming more frantic with every step. Across the street, a woman smoking a cigarette at a bus stop looks nervously over her shoulder as she surreptitiously flicks ash into the breeze. An older man, spotting The Independent's photographer in town, gets suspicious and demands to know if she is working for the council.

These are embattled residents of Sandwell. The area, which includes the towns of West Bromwich, Oldbury and Smethwick near Birmingham, boasts what must be some of the tidiest streets in Britain. But cleanliness comes at a cost. Those who fall foul of the council's strict litter laws risk being collared by an army of eagle-eyed wardens, who, residents are beginning to feel, lie in wait around every corner.

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Yesterday, the residents of Oldbury woke up to the news that 70-year-old Sheila Martin faced a £2,500 fine after she refused to pay Sandwell an on-the-spot penalty for flicking ash at a bus stop. "I can't work out why the coucnil would be so vindictive over such a petty matter," she said.

Last year, Sandwell handed out more than 2,200 penalty fines of £75, compared to just 336 in neighbouring Dudley. Residents have been punished for misdemeanours as minor as allowing tissues to fall from pockets.

The rule of law has become so severe that some locals are calling Sandwell the new capital of "big brother" Britain, or the "Singapore of the West Midlands", after the city-state that takes a similarly dim view of littering.

Shoppers on the streets of Oldbury yesterday said they feared being caught out and slapped with "excessive" fines. "The council has got a bit strict recently," said the woman with the cigarette, who refused to be named or pictured.

She added: "I am surprised you can be fined for dropping ash, it is very harsh. I can understand it if it is the cigarette butt, but the ash just disintegrates immediately, doesn't it?"

Workers on their lunch break taking advantage of a sunny day wondered if asking nicely wouldn't be more effective, if less lucrative, than fines.

Claire Boyes, a 34-year-old charity worker, said: "There is a big difference between someone who accidentally drops something while they're running for a bus and someone who throws their litter from their car," she said. "I would rather just be told about it then I would go back and put the litter in a bin. I would be embarrassed, but rather that than pay a fine."

Ms Boyes is one of many who are worried about the council's approach to littering after a number of stories about residents caught out by its staff. Last year, Kerrie-Anne Hicken was stopped by a council warden after a tissue blew from her pocket as she ran for a bus. Vanessa Kelly was fined for feeding ducks with her son in a park.

The council eventually agreed the duck-feeding charge was "over the top" and dropped the charges, but it won't back down in the case of Mrs Martin, the bus-stop smoker.

A council spokesman declined to comment on individual cases yesterday, but said: "In general terms, our wardens do not issue fixed penalty notices for dropping cigarette ash."

He added: "The council takes a dim view of littering because the people of Sandwell tell us they want clean streets." Waseem Akhtar, 34, who works for a company providing IT to local schools, wondered why the council had decided on the fine of £75, when "£10 would be just as effective as a deterrent".

He added: "If there are enough bins around, I can understand the council taking action to stop litter-bugs but to fine someone for dropping cigarette ash is just ridiculous."

Akhtar's colleague, 25-year-old Aunkher Sithu added that, if the wardens have other duties as well as this, then he did not mind quite as much. "But I don't like the idea of council employees standing on street corners just to try to catch people out," he said.

Back at the bus stop, just before he disappears behind a corner, the man with the fish wrapper finally finds a bin. Throwing his litter inside, the sigh of relief is almost audible.
Independent UK

MIDA FRAUD

Mida D-G in RM5.5 million fraud?

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:48

By FMT Staff

BANGI: The Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida) office in Jalan Duta is buzzing with allegations of fraud over a RM5.5 million public relations contract awarded, without tender, to an advertising company.
Alleging power abuse and acts of swindling, several officers claimed that Mida director-general Jalilah Baba was well aware of the goings-on in the organisation and was in fact involved in the case.

A report in Harakahdaily quoted several unnamed officers who alleged the fraudulent activities involved a company called Friends Advertising Sdn Bhd (FASB) which was appointed to handle Mida’s public relations activities in Malaysia and abroad.

According to a document dated June 17, 2009, Mida not only appointed FASB via direct negotiation, but it also offered the company other lucrative jobs, which were outside its scope of work.

Among the jobs given to FASB were publishing and printing Mida materials, preparing exhibition panels and promotional collaterals such as buntings, greeting cards and corporate brochures.

"All these were contracts awarded without open tenders. There is only one company now handling the entire job,” said an officer involved in the selection process.

“Changes have taken place here since Jalilah took over the technical and pricing committee. We’ve cancelled the tender process to enable her to directly appoint the company,” said another officer.

Citing an example, he said, Mida had appointed FASB for the “Rebranding of Mida & Malaysia” job (under its media plan 2010) for RM15,000 a month.

Going against procedures
The officer said according to a notice dated Dec 28, 2009, Jalilah had approved a FASB proposal worth RM5.5 million without a tender process.

"This is against government and Mida’s finance procedures. It is clearly stated in our guidelines for government procurements that the director-general's authority to approve projects without tender is limited to RM50,000.

“In this case, the director-general had approved RM5.5 million.

"This has given FASB the upper hand. Riding on its special status, it has now doubled the cost price of the projects at its whims and fancies. For instance, FASB charges RM15,000 for designing an advertisement when the market price is between RM1,200 and RM2,500.

“There is also a directive from Jalilah that all purchases of video clips from TV1, TV2 and TV3 be made through FASB, which charges an additional 17.6% service fee.

He said that in the past, Mida’s media and communication division used to buy these clips directly from the stations at a lower cost minus the 17.6% service fee.

“None of the current projects are awarded via open tender. Even a mock-up design for investment advertisement worth RM200,000 is awarded on direct negotiation," said the disgruntled officer.

Harakahdaily said allegations of swindling within Mida were common knowledge among the staff, especially since moves to corporatise Mida was put in place.

On July 9, Harakahdaily quoted Jalilah as saying that moves to corporatise MIDA was underway and legal scrutiny of the process was mandatory.

She, however, declined to reveal details of the process which were announced by International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed on May 28.

However, it is understood that Jalilah and her team have been given the responsibility of preparing amendments to the Federal Industrial Development Act 1965 (amended in 2000) to enable the organisation “to be truly free” in corporate governance and no more under the ministry.

The move to corporatise Mida is likely to leave some 500 employees in limbo. The new entity is expected to retain only 300 of Mida’s 800 staff.

Don't Be Selfish

Dr Khir says the Chinese should not compare themselves to the Malays in terms of receiving favours from the government. — File pic

Umno leaders rap MCA for being selfish

By Boo Su-Lyn

August 17, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 — Umno lawmakers told the MCA today not to be selfish in fighting for the Chinese community at the expense of the Malays.
They also accused MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek of causing racial tension by suggesting last weekend a cut in Bumiputera quotas.
The attack against the MCA from Umno lawmakers comes amid an escalating row between the two Barisan Nasional (BN) allies.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin warned the MCA not to undermine the BN coalition.
“Datuk Seri Dr Chua (Soi Lek) is only thinking about the Chinese,” Pasir Salak MP Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman told The Malaysian Insider today.
“Why can’t he think about Malaysia as a whole to get support of all Malaysians, or how to get Malay support for Umno and BN?” asked Tajuddin.
He said Dr Chua would “cause problems for race relations” by proposing a reduction of the 30 per cent Bumiputera quota across the board.
The outspoken MP pointed out that BN could not form the government without support for Umno, saying: “What happens if Malays do not support Umno? Can BN form the government?” The MCA appears to have grown increasingly critical of its ally Umno, with Dr Chua implying yesterday that some Umno leaders had not yet learned from BN’s poor results in Election 2008.
Dr Chua’s remarks came after Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s reminder to the Chinese party to stick to BN’s struggles.
Dr Chua has also said that the party would not be afraid to side with its opposition foe DAP on issues that benefited the community and would not run away from making its stand known.
The MCA president’s latest remark contrasted starkly with his position when he was forced by Muhyiddin to back down over the party’s stand on the “Allah” issue.
Tajuddin pointed out today that Umno would support the MCA’s fight for Chinese interests as long as it did not attempt to remove Malay privileges.
“Umno cares about the interests of the Chinese, Indians and others, all Malaysians. But he (Dr Chua) is fighting for the Chinese by asking the government to take away something from the Malays,” added the Pasir Salak MP.
“He (Dr Chua) is talking only from his perspective, within MCA circle. He does not talk within the circle of BN,” said Tajuddin.
Johor Baru MP Datuk Seri Shahrir Abdul Samad echoed Tajuddin’s points, saying that compromise between races was necessary in a multi-racial country.
“In this country, we have to compromise,” said Shahrir, adding that the 30 per cent Bumiputera quota was necessary to encourage the growth of Malay businesses.
“It (Muhyiddin’s warning) is fair. If we do not have quotas, how do you restructure the community or encourage Malays to be in business?” added Shahrir, when asked to comment on how MCA could fulfil its responsibilities to the Chinese after Umno had warned the party not to do it at the expense of the Malays.
Selangor Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo agreed with Shahrir, saying that the Chinese should not compare themselves to the Malays in terms of receiving favours from the government.
“For the Chinese, they can fight for their own rights. But do not compare to what Malays are getting from the government,” said Dr Khir.
“In our economy, we (the Malays) are fighting for 30 per cent. But we never compare to the Chinese getting more than 40 per cent. We do not compare so that Chinese do not get hurt,” added Dr Khir.
The former Selangor mentri besar also insisted that the affirmative action policy was not the cause of a stagnating economy, pointing out that the government should focus on the services industry instead of government procurements.
At the MCA’s Chinese Economic Congress last weekend, Dr Chua had called for a reduction of the 30 per cent Bumiputera target to liberalise the economy and had proposed appointing more non-Bumiputeras in government-linked companies (GLCs), besides creating an open tender system for government procurements
MI.

Zina,Rogol & Buang Bayi

http://episodeperjuangan.blogspot.com/

1. Peradaban dan tamadun negara kita kian musnah malah semakin parah dan dahsyat . Penghuninya telah hilang perikemanusiaan . Segalanya bermula dari nafsu yang gagal dikawal serta diasuh dengan akhlak dan moral yang positif . 2. Gejala zina [ seks bebas ] , buang bayi , rogol dan bunuh semakin menjadi - jadi . Seperti sistem pentadbiran dan sosial negara kita tidak berkesan langsung untuk membendung kemungkaran dan jenayah yang semakin berleluasa serta kejam . 3. Ia bukan lagi menjadi masaalah individu tetapi juga masyarakat . Ia bukan lagi menjadi masaalah negara tetapi juga rakyat . Ia bukan lagi masaalah pemerintah tetapi juga pembangkang . Ia masaalah semua . Semua mesti bertanggungjawab . 4. Saya kira negara mesti mengambil langkah drastik . Parlimen mesti segera membincangkan perkara ini secara serius justeru kini ia telah menjadi barah dalam masyarakat . Jangan tangguh atau lengah kerana semakin hari semakin ramai bayi luar nikah dilahirkan , semakin ramai bayi dibunuh kejam , semakin ramai yang berzina , semakin ramai yang bergaul bebas , semakin ramai yang menjadi mangsa rogol dan semakin ramai mangsa dibunuh . 5. Sampai bila perkara ini mahu dibiarkan berlarutan ? seketika dulu , kondom diperkenalkan untuk mengelakkan kehamilan dan aids kononnya , namun nyata ia tidak menyelesaikan masaalah . Kehamilan luar nikah terus berleluasa dan penyakit aids terus merebak dan berkembang . Selesaikah cadangan mahu menubuhkan bank bayi ? selesaikah sekadar mahu menubuhkan sekolah pelajar hamil ? selesaikah sekadar pendidikan seks di sekolah ? 6. Mungkar dan jenayah ini berlaku bukan kerana mereka tidak cukup kondom , bukan kerana tiada tempat mereka mahu melahirkan bayi , bukan kerana tidak tahu di mana mereka harus menyambung pelajaran dan apa yang berlaku juga bukan kerana mereka jahil dan buta tentang seks ! Sebaliknya apa yang berlaku ialah kerana manusia jahil tentang agama . Mereka menjadi hamba nafsu dan mangsa budaya maksiat yang bermaharajalela dalam negara kita mutaakhir ini. 7. Kelab - kelab malam beroperasi sehingga ke awal pagi dengan aktiviti yang sangat jalang , sundal dan tidak bermoral . Tarian lucah , arak dan pil ectasy , pelacuran , pergaulan bebas , penzinaan atau seks bebas menjadi rutin . Aktiviti hiburan mengatasi majlis ilmu dan kegiatan yang berfaedah. Maksiat ini telah menular dari bandar ke kampung , dari desa ke felda , dari pekan dan taman perumahan . 8. Saya menyeru semua pihak khasnya para pemimpin negara , pemimpin masyarakat , ahli - ahli parlimen , ahli - ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri , imam - imam masjid , ahli agama , ahli politik , ngo dan seluruh rakyat sedar dan menginsafi perkara ini agar kita tidak lagi lengah dan hanya beretorik . Hentikan pertelagahan dan percakaran yang tidak menguntungkan sesiapa sebaliknya segera ambil langkah berkesan untuk selamatkan negara . Laksanakan peranan masing - masing . Jangan banyak mulut tetapi banyakkan kerja . 9. Hapuskan segala anasir yang merangsang nafsu gila manusia yang mendorong berlakunya maksiat , mungkar dan jenayah ini . Makmurkan negara dengan aktiviti yang bermoral dan berakhlak serta mendidik minda dan peribadi . Sebagai contoh tindakan drastik yang mesti diambil ialah : Hentikanlah rancangan televisyen yang tidak bermoral Sekat dan kawal secara serius lambakan video lucah Basmi habis - habisan pusat pelacuran dan hiburan yang melampau Sekat laman - laman lucah secara serius Menguatkuasa undang2 syariah Bantu dan banyakkan pusat pengajian Islam Aktifkan aktiviti yang mendidik minda dan sebagainya . Banyak lagi langkah yang perlu diambil . [ sekadar menyebut beberapa contoh ] 10. Malaysia perlu bertindak segera . Bertindak sekarang ! bukan esok atau lusa ! negara kini menuju ke curam binasa . Kembalilah kepada Islam dan cara hidupnya . Dewan Pemuda PAS sedia memberi khidmat upaya dan tenaga yang dimiliki untuk tujuan menyelamatkan negara dari pengaruh maksiat dan mungkar yang semakin parah ini . Ustaz Nasrudin Hassan at Tantawi, Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat.

CINAPUTRA-UMNOPUTRA Mewah

Zaid on tycoon's NEP remarks, Najib's Monte Carlo vacation Harakahdaily    KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16:  Parti Keadilan Rakyat supreme council member Zaid Ibrahim (right) yesterday rapped property tycoon Liew Kee Sin over his assertion that Malaysian Chinese businessmen fared well under the New Economic Policy, saying the only ones who benefited from the policy were a few tycoons closely connected to UMNO. “Through this system (NEP) which was corrupted by UMNO leaders, there are quite a few Chinese who have made it very big because of the NEP. These include Vincent Tan, Francis Yeoh, the young 28-year-old Jho Low (Low Taek Jho) and Liew Kee Sin of SP Setia fame. "How did they do it? We should know so that we can learn and so that other Chinese can emulate them,” Zaid said in a blog response. Liew was quoted as telling the Chinese community that it was only pragmatic for Chinese companies to link up with Malay companies as business was all about profit, not politics. “We’re in business. Our job is to make money,” he said. Zaid, who is the former de facto Law minister, said Liew was a product of NEP because of his ‘right’ connection which brought him to his present wealth. "He was an officer at a small merchant bank. But he knew how to move in the right circles. He befriended two lawyers - Rashid Manaf and Zaki Azmi (now the Chief Justice). "Wasn’t SP Setia previously owned by SPK which was controlled by Mahathir’s friends Abdullah Ahmad (Kok Lanas) and Ramli Khushairi? And Liew became a shareholder with Rashid and Zaki? Didn’t they say that SPK used to belong to UMNO leaders and civil servants? "Yes, Liew is a NEP success story,” said Zaid. Earlier, DAP's Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament attacked Liew for his 'hypocrisy'. “(I) have no respect for Tan Sri businessmen who don't care if the country goes to the dogs, as 'our job is to make money' and 'profits'...no time for hypocritical Tan Sri businessmen who'll bitch about the country in private, but beg to carry the balls of Umno in public,” Pua twitted. 'Mahathir's nephew' identified Zaid said in the same manner, Berjaya Corporation chief Vincent Tan and millionnaire party boy Taek Jho Lo were also products of NEP. Zaid said Tan was able to convince then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to allow his gambling business to flourish, with Mahathir’s nephew, who headed national news agency Bernama then, as his partner. The identity of Mahathir’s nephew referred by Zaid was immediately clarified by Ahmad Mustapha Hassan, who admitted that he was the person indirectly mentioned by Zaid in his blog. Ahmad Mustapha went on to reveal a deal between him and Tan that he was promised for a return for 15 percent of the shares of Sports Toto for his services in the privatisation of Sports Toto. “Without my initial input Sports Toto would not have gone Vincent’s way. How he has forgotten this and how he has gone on to renege on his promise to allocate 15 per cent of the shares of Sports Toto to me,” he was quoted as saying. RM700 million up in thin air On Jho Lo (left), Zaid said the 28-year old was present during the launching ceremony of 1Malaysia Development Fund by Prime Minister Najib Razak. He added that Jho was vacationing with Najib in Monte Carlo last year and two weeks ago in St Tropez, showing that the young millionnaire too had the "right" connection with UMNO leaders. Zaid said according to foreign reports, Jho managed to convince Najib’s administration to guarantee the 1Malaysia Development Fund by raising RM5 billion on a 30-year Islamic notes at coupon rate of 5.75%, which was 1.6% higher than what a normal debt sovereign risk of a country like Malaysia would give. “Why pay the extra 1.6 to 1.7% on a RM5 billion loan over 30 years which means an extra interest payment of about RM2.4 billion?" he asked. Zaid said speculation was rife among banking circles that the Fund's annual accounts showed only RM4.3 billion of the RM5 billion remaining on its books. "Wonder how that RM700 million was spent? There we are – Jho Low, another success story of NEP,” he quipped.  Harakahdaily