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news without borders
Kampung Buah Pala issue
Developer: We’ll sue
for at least RM150m
by Himanshu Bhatt
and Bernard Cheah
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SEBERANG PERAI: The developer of the
Kampung Buah Pala land has told the state
government that it would sue for at least
RM150 million if its plans for the site are
obstructed, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng
said yesterday.
Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd sent a
letter to the state last week saying it would
claim compensation for losses incurred if
the state took action to block it, Lim said.
Nusmetro has given villagers until Aug
2 to move out before it takes possession
of the land.
Lim had told reporters on July 8 that the
state was considering its powers under
No plan to abolish UPSR
SHAH ALAM: The government has not decided
to abolish the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah
(UPSR) although it may no longer be relevant to
the country’s dynamic education system, said
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
yesterday.
However, Muhyiddin said the UPSR could
still be used as the basis for evaluation but with
some modification to the examination in terms
of weightage.
“The weightage could probably be reduced
from 100% to 30 or 40%. So, it won’t deviate
much from what is being implemented.
“Changes will be carried out on the UPSR by
including other elements such as history as a
yardstick to gauge the students’ performance,”
he said after opening the Shah Alam Umno Youth
delegates meeting here.
He said this when asked to comment on the
suggestion by Umno Youth deputy head Datuk
Razali Ibrahim that the UPSR, which is no longer
relevant now, be abolished.
Razali was quoted as saying the UPSR should
be abolished as it did not focus on the students’
achievements in all subjects. Pupils in govern-
ment schools take a minimum of five subjects in
this exam but those in vernacular schools have
to take seven subjects.
He said the examination, on the other hand,
section 116 the National Land Code which
stipulates a building on alienated land can-
not be demolished, altered or extended
without prior consent in writing of the
appropriate authority.
Lim had said although a writ of posses-
sion had been served on the villagers, the
developer still needed local government
approval to demolish the houses.
Yesterday, he said the state legal adviser
was in the process of referring the matter
to the courts.
“We will still go ahead with getting a
solution for the residents,” he said, adding
that the state would not be deterred by the
developer’s letter.
Lim, who is also Bagan MP, said this at
a press conference after opening a free
medical consultation camp at the Sri Bagan
Muhyiddin greets delegates at
the launch of Shah Alam Umno
Youth meeting at Datuk Hormat
Hall, Shah Alam.
was being used as a medium of competi-
tion for students to enter fully residential
schools by focusing only on five subjects.
Muhyiddin, who is also the education
minister, said the ministry was adopting a
new approach in terms of evaluating the
students’ performance in a holistic man-
flats in Bagan Dalam.
Also present were Permatang Pasir MP
Datuk Mohd Hamdan Rahman and Bagan
Dalam assemblyman A. Thanasekharan.
The event included a registration exercise
for elderly people under the state’s new senior
citizens registration programme.
ner through the ‘’school-based system’’
that was being drawn up by his ministry.
“We want to implement, for example, a
system that is not too exam-oriented. We
want to see a more balanced approach,”
he said, adding he would consider Razali’s
views on the UPSR. – Bernama
theSun | MONDAY JULY 20 2009
Seow at the tree-
planting ceremony
in Taman Maluri,
Cheras yesterday.
City Hall to plant 3,000
trees per month
by Eva Yeong
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) aims to plant
3,000 trees per month as part of efforts to raise awareness
among city residents of the importance of trees and greenery.
“This is in line with ‘Program Penghijauan Kuala Lumpur’
which began in the 1970s,” said DBKL agricultural officer Mohd
Hafiz Shamsuddin at the launch of Sports Toto – OCM Com-
munity Project in Taman Maluri, Cheras.
Jointly organised by Sports Toto Malaysia and Olympic Coun-
cil of Malaysia (OCM), the community project is focused on tree
planting at residential areas.
“It is sad to see that although Malaysia is in the tropics where
there should be lots of trees, every time there is a development,
nature – our trees and greenery – is completely washed out,”
said OCM vice-president Datuk Roy Rajasingham.
Sports Toto Malaysia executive director Vincent Seow an-
nounced that trees will be planted in Taman Maluri, Wangsa
Maju, Bangsar, Sri Hartamas and Taman Tun Dr Ismail during
the month-long project.
“Through OCM’s efforts, 300 units of trees have been made
available courtesy of the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
(FRIM) and the Forestry Department,” said Seow. About 30 trees
were planted around Taman Maluri, Cheras yesterday.
“DBKL has taken our staff on visits to various residential
areas around KL to identify places that need more trees. DBKL
will play an important part in helping us to plant all the trees
throughout the project period,” said Seow.
FRIM senior research officer Adnan Mohd was on hand to
guide them on the right way to plant and care for trees.