From: jit@slic.cellbio.duke.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Malaysia news, Oct 9, Fri
Date: 9 Oct 92 02:50:29 GMT
Originator: jit@slic.cellbio.duke.edu


Still hot from the press :-)

I have checked the numbers but not spelling.
All typo errors are mine.

============================================================
The Strait Times, Friday, Oct 9, 1992
============================================================
Volvo-cars case: Officers 'to absorb any loss from sale'

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall officials responsible for the
controversial purchase of 22 volvo cars recently will have to 
pay back the diffeence between the sale and purchase prices,
according to a report in The Star newspaper yesterday.
  It said that City Hall Director-General Datuk Noordin 
Abdul Rasak had informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)
of the decision at a hearing on Wednesday.
  According to the newspaper, PAC chairman Dr Afifudin Omar
said Datuk Noordin told the committee that the Treasury
had directed City Hall to sellthe cars, which bought for
M$2.3 million by open tender last March.
   [Paragraphs deleted]
   About 10 senior City Hall officers accompanied Datuk Noordin
to the hearing.
   The Star quoted Dr Affifudin as saying that the committee was also
told that the Anti-Corruption Agency had completed its investigations into
the matter.
   He said that PAC was happy that the government acted swiftly
on that matter.
  [paragraph deleted]
  Tan Sri Elyas Omar resigned as Kuala Lumpur Mayor barely a month
after the New Straits Times and its sister publication, the evening
tabloid Malay Mail, exposed the purchase of the Volvos for
City Hall heads of department.
   Except for one officer, the rest of the department heads
were not entitled to the Volvos.
============================================================
The Strait Times, Tuesday, Oct 6, 1992
============================================================
Govt needs to plug satellite dish loopholes first: Samy Vellu
IPOH (Perak) - Malaysians may be allowed to use parabolic satellite 
dishes one day, according to Enger, Telecommunications and Posts Miniter 
Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
"There will come a time when Malaysians can get licences for parabolic 
dishes," he  told journalists after meeting Malaysian indian Congress
delegates here on Sunday night.
 Licenses to use parabolic dishes for viewing foreign television
 programmes were granted only to very few people in Malaysia.
they included the yang di-Pertuan Agong, the sultans, the Prime Minister,
the information Minister, and certain embassie.
  Datuk Samy Vellu said that the government was studying various provisions
in the Telecommunication Act to plug loopholes so that use of the
satellite dishes would be controlled.
  This was necessary in view of their widespread illegal use in Sarawak, he
said.
============================================================

DAP Praises Mahathir's firm stand on English.

Democratic Action Party deputy chairman Karpal Singh has commended Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on his firm stand on the use 
of English in Malaysia, The Star newspaper has reported.
  The daily yesterday quoted him as saying that it was heartening to note
that Dr Mahathir had maintained that while Bahasa Malaysia was the 
official language, English would be the language of commerce and knowldege.
  Mr. Karpal Singh said English attained the status of an intrnational 
language that is indispensable for development and progress.
  He added that the government should not be unduly perturbed by
groups with "narrow minds and horizons" waiting for the complete demise
of English.
  "We should not allow blind nationalism to diminsh the standard of 
English," he said in a statement issued in Penang on Sunday.
   That day, the UMNO Supreme Council had critised certain groups for hinting
that the government was giving more emphasis to English than Bahasa malaysia.
  The DAP leader said English had been relegated to the backseat for
too long and that its standard in the country had deteriorated in the last
two decades.
  He pointed out that China was giving emphasis to English to keep abreast 
of international developments.
  
============================================================
Turn in goods with anti-palm oil labels, importers told.

Importers of foreign-made products which carry anti palm oil
stickers have six days from today to surrender their stocks to the 
Domestic Trade and Consumer affairs Ministry, according to its
minister, Datuk Abu Hassan Omar.
  The Star newspaper yesterday quoted him as saying that action would
be taken against those who failed to do so.
  [paragraph deleted]
  Datuk Abu Hassan three companies -- an importer, a wholesaler and a 
supermarket -- were caught recently for importing 478 cans of frosting
cream and bread crumbs carrying the "No Palm Oil or No Tropical Oil"
stickers from the US.
  [blah blah blah, too much typing, stop here]
 
============================================================
Anti-Graft officers urged to learn about insurance and forestry

Kuala Lumpur -- Anti-Corruption Agency officers have been urged to
intensify their fight against corruption by expanding their knowledge
to areas like insurance, education and forestry.

  [blah blah blah, too much typing, stop here]
============================================================
Too late for probe into alleged doublu-voting in Kelantan: Panel

Kuala Lumpur -- the Election Commision was unable to proceed
with investigations into the alleged double-registration of voters and 
double-voting in Kelantan in the 1990 general election as the
documentary evidence had been destroyed, the commision chairman
said yesterday.
  In a statement here, Datuk Harun Din said that the documents were
destroyed six months after the general election, adding that 
the commision did not plan to continue its investigations and 
considered the matter closed.
  He noted that the investigations began following a recent report
that 800 voters had registerd twice and 15 had voted twice.
  "In our opinion, even if the allegation that 15 voters had voted
twice was found to be true, legal action cannot be taken against them
as the evidence, the relevant documents, has already been destroyed,"
he said.
   [paragraph deleted]
   Investigations by the commission showed that a total of 12000
[twelve thousands, just to be sure] names were registered twice
in Peninsular Malaysia, Datuk Harun said.
   [Rest deleted]
============================================================
Draft of guidelines for media likely to be submitted to govt next year

Kuala Lumpur -- The draft of the National Information Policy
now being drawn up is expected to be completed and handed to the 
government next year, draft-formulating panel chairman
Tan Sri A. Samad Ismail has said.

[rest deleted]
============================================================


The Strait Times, Thursday, Octorber 8, 1992
============================================================
Johor to study effects of revamp of public transport system.

============================================================
Consultant to be hired for probe into power failure

Kuala Lumpur -- The Cabinet yesterday ordered the
Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in the Prime Minister's Department
to appoint a consultant to carry out
an investigation into the massive power failure in Peninsular 
Malaysia on Sept 29.

  Energy, Telecommunications and Posts Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy 
Vellu said the ministry wanted an indepth study on the breakdown to be
conducted by a neutral party to avoid misunderstand. 
  [paragraphs deleted]
  He sai he had already identified an Australian consultant for
transmission systems.
  "I will recommend this consultant to the EPU but there are also a
few from Britain and Japan who can be considered for the job," he
told reporters at his office here.
  [paragraphs deleted]
  On Tuesday, the minister said it would cost the government about
M$500,000 (half a million) to engage a consultant for the investigation.
  [deleted]
  On whether factories which incurred losses as a result of the power
failure could sue Tenaga Nasional, he said they could do so if there
was negligence.
  "However, Tenaga Nasional cannot be held responsible if the breakdown
is an act of God." -- Bernama, NST.
============================================================
I won't bow to pressure to quit: Samy Vellu
"Why must I follow a call by 500 people when I am elected as party
president by 21,000 people ?" -- Datuk Samy Vellu.

[Deleted]
============================================================
Mahathir accepts Utusan's apology over error in report

Kuala Lumpur -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathis Mohamad has
accepted he public apology from the Utusan Melayu Group over a
mistake in a news report filed by its Jakarta correspondent.
  "No problem ... I can accept any apology at any time," he said
at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base here on Tuesday after from
a visit to Brunei and Labuan.
   Meanwhile, UMNO secretary-general Datuk Mohamed Rahmat said he
was glad that the Utusan Malaysia had admitted its mistake in the recent
language controversy.
   The paper carried an apology on its front page on Tuesday for making
an issue out of the Prime Minister giving an interview in English to
an Indonesian TV station.
   RCTI-TV, a private TV station, had requested Dr. Mahathir to 
speak in English during the interview held when he was in Jakarta
early last month for the Non-Aligned Movement summit.
  In its report, Utusan stated that Dr. Mahathir had requested that the 
interview be conducted in English.
  Utusan admitted that following investigations, it found its correspondent 
in Jakarta had unintentionally made a mistake in his report.
  Datuk Mohamed, who is also Information Minister, said the issue was 
discussed at Saturday's meeting of the UMNO Supreme Council, which had 
called on the Utusan Group to apologise to Dr. Mahathir.
  He was speaking to reporters after meeting Umno divisional secretaries here
on Tuesday.
  He also advised a Utusan subsidiary, Utusan Media Sales, to honour a 
contract which it obtained through an open-tender system last year,
or face a possible review.
  The contract to canvass fo adverstisements for RTM's seven radio
networks had been awarded by the Information Ministry.
  He said RTM had set a target of M$30 million worth of radio
advertisements this year and the company was expected to earn a substantial
amount from commisions.
  On plans to increase English educational programmTes on TV, he said it would
not affect the integrity of Bahasa Malaysia -- NST, Bernama.
============================================================
JB asked to oppose freeze on tour-bus permits
Businesses, unions fear tourist trade will be hit

Johor Baru -- Business houses and trade unions in Johor want
the state government to oppose the move to freeze entry permits for
Sinapore tour coaches and rented cars.
  They said the Public Enterprises Ministry's decision to stop
reviewing the permits would jeopardise their businesses because their 
clientele comprised mostly Singaporeans.
  They want the state government to talk the ministry into revoking
its decision.
  State Tourism and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Jimmy Low said
there was widespread concern that the ruling on entry permits would
bring the Johor tourism industry to a standstill.
  [paragraphs deleted]
  "In their haste to protect local tour-coach operators, the ministry
has jeopardised the livelihood of scores of hoteliers, restaurateurs,
retailers, tourist guides, handicraft dealers and resort owners," he said.
   According to him, th ministry should realise that the national tourism
revenue from tour coaches was less than 6 per cent of the M$4.25 billion 
recorded last year.
   [deleted]
   Since January, the Commercial Vehicles and Licensing Board has stopped
renewing entry permits.  In all, 300 tour coaches and 1800 rented cars 
in Singapore will be affected.
  To date, more than 60 tour uses and 900 rented cars have stopped operating.
The board has maintained that the move was to protect the local tourism
industry as Malaysian tour operators did not enjoy the same privileges as 
their Singapore counterparts. -- NST
============================================================
Regional groupings should not weaken ties with US: King
Kuala Lumpur -- The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Azlan Shah,
said yesterday that regional groupings should not weaken the close 
economics ties between Malaysia and the US.
  Receiving the credentials of the new US Ambassador to Malaysia, 
Mr. John Wolf, at the Istana Negara here, the Sultan expressed the
hope that the emergence of trade groupings such as the North America
Free Trade Agreement would not weaken the global trading system.
  [rest deleted..]
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