2 killed, 1 injured when gantry crane collapses

 

Two people were killed and another seriously injured when a gantry crane collapsed at an industrial area in Kampung Acheh, here, today. - Pic courtesy JBPM

SITIAWAN: Two people were killed and another seriously injured when a gantry crane collapsed at an industrial area in Kampung Acheh, here, today.

A Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the department received a distress call on the matter at 4.58pm today.

"There were three victims involved in the incident and it happened when cutting work for disposal was being carried out.

"Two victims were pulled out from the scene by firemen and one of them was pronounced dead at the scene while another one suffered injuries.

"There is another victim still trapped in the iron gap of the crane about 15 feet deep and believed to have died. The operation to bring out the body is still being carried out," he said.

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It is learnt that the first body was found on the surface of the rubble site as soon as the firemen arrived.

Firemen managed to pull out the second victim who suffered injuries from the scene at 6.10pm and he was reported to be in stable condition.

The injured and the deceased were taken to the Manjung Hospital. The identities of the victims are yet to be revealed. - NST

GE15: Four ministers among big guns likely dropped from contesting

 

PETALING JAYA: Four ministers are likely to be dropped from the list of Umno candidates to run for the 15th General Election.

Federal Territories Minister and four-term Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim called Monday (Oct 31) night the "saddest night" as he announced the closure of all his operational rooms in his incumbent constituency and lowering of all Umno and Barisan Nasional flags on his social media accounts.

"Tonight is the saddest night. All Barisan operational rooms of Arau parliamentary constituency have been closed and all flags have been lowered. First time in history," stated Shahidan in his post.

This comes one day ahead of Barisan's announcement of the list of candidates for the parliamentary seats nationwide Tuesday (Nov 1) at World Trade Centre by Barisan chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Shahidan first won the Arau seat in 1986. He served as the Perlis menteri besar and was also the Tambun Tulang state assemblyman between 1995 and 2008.

Another Umno minister who is said to have been dropped from the list of candidates is Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who hinted that he has been axed.

In his Facebook posting today, he stated that he has heard that many "winners were being axed, especially those close to the Prime Minister".

"They allegedly promised that they will choose the winnable, acceptable and likeable, but we hear here and there that many of the "winners have been axed, especially those close to the PM..." stated Annuar.

Shahidan and Annuar have both been big critics of Ahmad Zahid and supporters of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob since they became part of the government.

Meanwhile, in JOHOR BARU, it is learnt that incumbent Tenggara MP Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, who is the caretaker Science, Technology and Innovation Minister and Tenggara Umno division chief, is expected to be dropped as well.

“The news that his name is not on the Johor Barisan candidates list came rather late, considering he is also Johor Umno information chief," the source added.

The source said Umno is likely to field its Tenggara division youth chief Manndzri Nasib in the seat.

Speculation about Dr Adham being dropped intensified recently after he did not attend two programmes in the constituency on Monday (Oct 31) morning.

Besides Dr Adham, the other minister from Johor who will not be contesting in GE15 is caretaker National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique, the incumbent Kota Tinggi MP.

It was reported on Oct 22 that Halimah, from the same division as Dr Adham, will make way for Umno vice president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. - Star

Bilik gerakan BN Parlimen Arau ditutup, bendera diturunkan

 

Shahidan Kassim melalui hantaran Facebook memaklumkan bilik gerakan BN arau ditutup dan semua bendera parti sudah diturunkan

PETALING JAYA : Semua bilik gerakan Barisan Nasional (BN) di kawasan Parlimen Arau didakwa ditutup dengan semua bendera parti diturunkan.

Perkara itu dimaklumkan penyandang kerusi Parlimen berkenaan, Shahidan Kassim dalam hantara di Facebooknya sebentar tadi.

Shahidan dalam hantarannya turut menyifatkan tindakan apa yang berlaku itu adalah yang pertama dalam sejarah BN Arau.

“Malam ini adalah malam kesedihan yang teramat sangat. Semua bilik gerakan BN Parlimen Arau telah ditutup dan bendera telah diturunkan.

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“Kali pertama dalam sejarah,” tulis ringkas namun meninggalkan tanda tanya sama ada beliau digugurkan sebagai calon atau sebaliknya.

Terdahulu, berlegar desas desus beberapa pemimpin Umno digugurkan daripada dicalonkan bertanding pada pilihan raya umum ke-15 (PRU15) dan antara yang dinamakan antaranya adalah Annuar Musa, Zahidi Zainul Abidin selain Shahidan sendiri.

Ia dikatakan ada kaitan dengan kelantangan pemimpin berkenaan yang lantang bersuara menentang Presiden Umno Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Baru-baru ini, Zahid dalam hantaran di Facebooknya turut menegaskan bahawa beliau tidak akan mengulangi kesilapan memilih calon yang merasakan diri mereka “lebih besar” daripada perjuangan parti dalam PRU15.

Zahid mengakui menjadi tugas mencabar untuk pemimpin tertinggi parti membuat keputusan, namun ia perlu digalas bagi memastikan “pisang tidak berbuah dua kali”.

“Insya Allah, ‘Top Five’ Umno akan pastikan calon yang dipilih nanti pemimpin yang mempunyai disiplin tinggi, tidak berkepala besar, berani mempertahankan Umno daripada diperlekehkan, tidak bersuara sumbang terhadap kepimpinan mereka sendiri.

“Selain (itu) mempunyai sokongan akar umbi yang kuat tanpa mengira tempat bertanding,” katanya.

Tanpa menamakan sesiapa, Zahid berkata, apabila Parlimen dibubarkan, ada dalam kalangan wakil rakyatnya “baru sedar” bahawa segala yang dinikmati mereka adalah disebabkan mereka ahli Umno, bukannya ahli parti lain. - FMT

Labuan travellers to face immigration checks from tomorrow

 

The immigration checks will be carried out at the Labuan international ferry terminal, Labuan RO-RO jetty and the Menumbok jetty. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Starting tomorrow, all travellers between Labuan and Sabah will be subject to immigration checks.

The director-general of immigration, Khairul Dzaimee Daud, said the checks were in line with the need to improve security and border control in Sabah.

The department currently conducts only random checks on the movement of visitors between Labuan and Sabah.

He said the home minister had instructed the department to implement stricter enforcement in line with the Sabah government’s request that immigration checks be carried out on visitors entering Sabah from Labuan.

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Khairul said the immigration checks would be conducted at the Labuan international ferry terminal on those travelling to and from Labuan via the Jesselton Point and Tanjung Pagar jetties in Sabah.

“Travellers from Labuan entering Sabah via the Menumbok jetty will be checked at the Labuan RO-RO jetty and Labuan international ferry terminal, and at the Menumbok jetty for those travelling from Sabah to Labuan,” he said.

He added that visitors subject to a travel ban issued by Sabah authorities need to apply for a release letter for movement. However, several exemptions will be given, especially to citizens who reside in Labuan and commute to Sabah for work purposes. - FMT

Baby boy abandoned in box at bus stop near flats

 

Police said a baby boy found in a box near Pangsapuri Sungai Besi Indah had been taken to hospital for examination. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: A baby boy was found in a box at a bus stop near the Taman Sungai Besi Indah flats in Seri Kembangan here today.

Serdang district police chief AA Anbalagan said the baby, wrapped in a piece of cloth, was found by a local man this morning.

“The adorable baby, believed to be a newborn, was found in a brown box at a bus stop in front of Pangsapuri Sungai Besi Indah. The baby has been taken to Serdang hospital for further examination,” he said in a statement today.

He said efforts to locate witnesses seen in CCTV footage in the nearby area are being actively carried out, and the case is being investigated under the Penal Code for concealing a birth with the intention of abandoning the baby. - FMT

Rina to contest Sepang, crowd cheers for ‘local candidate’

 

Titiwangsa incumbent Rina Harun will shift her focus to the Sepang constituents under Bersatu’s banner for GE15 after party president Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed her candidacy for the seat today.

Amid cheers from the crowd shouting “calon tempatan” (local candidate), Rina stepped up to the stage to be greeted and congratulated by Muhyiddin.

Sepang is also said to be the battleground among heads of various party’s women’s wings, and Rina, who is the Bersatu Women chief is expected to face Amanah Women chief Aiman Athirah Sabu.

No stranger to the constituency, Rina, who was previously the Sepang Umno Puteri chief, will attempt to woo the Malay majority voter bank over the next three weeks.

[More to follow] - Mkini

BN, PN announcing candidates tomorrow

 

BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are both announcing their respective candidates for the 15th general election tomorrow.

According to a notice issued by BN executive secretary Mohamad Sahfri Ab Aziz today, the coalition's chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be announcing its candidates at 8:30pm during an event at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre on Nov 1.

PN had issued a similar notice saying that its candidate announcement will take place at the Malaysia International Trade Exhibition Centre at 7.45pm the same day, though PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to arrive later at 8.15pm.

This development comes after Pakatan Harapan and several other parties already unveiled their GE15 candidates.

‘Opposition at Umno division level’

According to sources in Umno and BN, Umno’s tardiness in announcing its election candidates is due to concerns that naming their candidates too early could lead to acrimony and sabotage within the party’s ranks.

They claimed that Zahid’s previous announcement - that 70 percent of Umno’s candidate line-up will feature newcomers - has caused the incumbents to worry that they will not be fielded in the election.

“Actually, most seats have already been settled; the candidate has been determined, except for a few seats where the candidate has yet to be decided.

“This is because Zahid’s statement has caused unease for most of the previous candidates’ division chiefs. So, there is opposition at the division level, particularly in Selangor.

“That is what’s worrying the top leadership in terms of candidate announcements,” a source said.

The source also claimed all candidates have been summoned to Kuala Lumpur to sign an agreement.

Defection concerns

Meanwhile, a BN source said apart from internal sabotage, Umno’s concern regarding defections has also affected plans to announce its candidates.

“Previously, Umno was the sole party at the core of the Malay community, but now they have choices between Bersatu, Pejuang, and Warisan.

“There was the possibility that leaders not chosen to be Umno candidates would defect and contest under another party instead.

“That’s one of the reasons BN deliberately delayed the candidate announcement and allowed other parties to make their announcements first.

“This would ensure Umno leaders who wish to become candidates in other parties would not have the opportunity to contest,” the source said. - Mkini