SPAD Expected to Be Implemented in September

KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (Bernama)

The Land Public Transport Authority (SPAD) is expected to be implemented in September, once the Land Public Transport bill is approved in Parliament.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Land Public Transport Bill will rationalise the entire sector and bring the regulation of most aspects of public transport under a single regulator.

"The land public transport sector is among very important sectors to the government. Without a good public transport system, the people's confidence in the government will erode," he said when speaking at Keretapi Tanah Melayu's (KTM) 125th anniversary celebrations here Monday.

Muhyiddin said the government, having realised the importance of the public transport system, has drawn out six policies to revamp the system and provide efficient service to the people.

He said the six aspects given priority are passenger safety, service efficiency, network, integrated transport system, monitoring and planning.

"From the development point of view for rail transport, the government will ensure rail transport become the backbone for the integrated public transport system," he said.

Muhyiddin said SPAD would be responsible for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project for public transport that would be integrated with other rail transport providers, apart from KTM.

He added that the plan to be carried out at an overall cost of RM36 billion would be implemented in the early stages of the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

Muhyiddin said KTM Berhad had contributed immensely, not only in areas of providing transport but in the development of land owned, like the Kuala Lumpur Sentral and Johor Baharu Sentral developments.

"Such assets will not only propel the progress of public transport system but development of the country as well," he said.

He said apart from historic corporate buildings at the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and Ipoh Railway Station, KTM Berhad can also be proud of modern infrastructure which has replaced many stations with the implementation of the double-tracking project.

In addition to the Rawang-Ipoh, Ipoh-Padang Besar and Seremban-Gemas double-tracking projects carried out, another feasible study was being carried out for the double-tracking project from Gemas to Johor Baharu, he said.

In conjunction with KTM Berhad's 125th anniversary, Pos Malaysia and Bank Negara Malaysia would also issue commemorative stamps and coins.-- BERNAMA

SKMM: M'sia Today block order stands, probe underway

STAR, Thursday September 4, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's (SKMM) directive to internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to the Malaysia Today portal still stands pending an investigation to determine if its editor should be charged.

SKMM chief operating officer Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi, when contacted Wednesday, said an investigation was underway to determine whether or not to charge the portal's editor Raja Petra Kamaruddin under Section 211 or 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

Section 211 states that no content applications service provider, or other person using a content applications service, shall provide content which is indecent, obscene, false, menacing, or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person.

Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi - Filepic

A person who contravenes this is liable to a fine of not more than RM50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both, and shall also be liable to a further fine of RM1,000 for every day or part of a day during which the offence is continued after conviction.

Section 233 is on improper use of network facilities or network service and related to communication that is obscene, indecent, false, menacing of offensive with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass another person.

The offender is liable to a fine not more than RM50,000 or not more than one year's jail or both, and shall be liable to a further fine of RM1,000 for every day during which the offence is continued after conviction.

Mohamed Sharil said that access to website was blocked after the Commission deemed the postings had contravened the Act for inciting and being insulting against Islam.

He claimed the commission had received several complaints from the public, adding that the preventive measure was taken under Section 263 of the Act.

On criticisms that blocking access to the website was against freedom of the Internet, he said that SKMM was merely “doing its job."

“We want to promote ethical and responsible blogging. We want to make the online space better still, with fervent debates, but in a civil and responsible manner."

Raja Petra has said that blocking access to his portal was a breach of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) charter and that he would turn it into "a big issue."

Under MSC Malaysia's 10-Point Bill of Guarantees, it is stated that that Government promised to “ensure no Internet censorship” as part of its commitment to ensuring the success of MSC status companies.

Section 3 of the Act states quite explicitly, "Nothing in this Act shall be construed as permitting the censorship of the Internet.”

It is understood that only TMnet, the No 1 ISP in the country, has complied with SKMM's directive. Malaysia Today meanwhile has set up an alternate site that can still be accessed by TMnet users.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, while denying that the Government had instructed SKMM to issue the block order, claimed the site was being blocked because it had posted articles deemed insulting to Islam.

Mohamed Sharil meanwhile said that the Commission strongly advised members of the public not to forget that the law also applied in cyberspace.

MB: Takeover won't affect water quality

2008/08/28
New Straits Times

SHAH ALAM: The takeover of Selangor's water supply by Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad from Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) will not affect the service and quality of water in the state, said Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Abdul Khalid was responding to a memorandum by the Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Consumers Association to the prime minister, protesting the restructuring of the water industry in the state.

On Monday, the association presented a memorandum which included a petition signed by some 53,000 people in the three states asking the Federal Government to intervene in the state government's plan.

Abdul Khalid also maintained that the service and water quality would remain the same as Syabas would supply water to Selangor.

"The state government's restructuring of the water industry involves Syabas. Syabas will remain in the water industry and though the shareholders may be different, the duties of the company remain the same," he said after the weekly exco meeting here yesterday.
He said to ensure that water quality and services would not be affected, regular assessments of the industry would be done by the state government and relevant bodies under the Energy, Water and Communication Ministry.

"I'm sure the ministry is experienced in comparing the performances of water providers of all states. If they are efficient, it will be reflected in the revenue and operations cost."