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TNB spending
RM10m to upkeep
mini-hydro dams
by Terence Fernandez
and Llew-Ann Phang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: After spending close to
RM70 million to build 37 mini hydro-power
dams, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is fork-
ing out another RM10 million to rehabilitate
almost half of them.
The root of the problem has been
found to be the failure of an outsourcing
exercise. Projass Engineering Sdn Bhd was
awarded a “10-10” years contract in 1994
to rehabilitate, operate and maintain mini
hydro-power dams in the peninsula.
However, TNB holds that out of the 37
dams, only 17 are functioning, 10 are under
maintenance and the other 10 are useless.
“We are closing down these 10 mini
hydro-dams,” said TNB senior vice-president
Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Majid when met in
his office recently.
Declining to apportion blame to any
party, he said the national power company
will be taking back the maintenance opera-
tions of the operational dams.
“We have taken over the responsibility
of maintaining these dams and those which
are rendered non-operational, we shall close
them down,” he said.
The abandoned dams are in Selangor,
Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Terengganu, Kedah
and Perak. The Hulu Langat mini hydro-dam
in Selangor is being turned into a museum.
Projass Engineering’s directors are Mo-
hamed Zain Mohd Yusoff and Khalid K.M.
Haneefa. Its shareholders are Mega Equity
Sdn Bhd, Faridah Che Yusoff. Mohamad Afif
Che Yusoff, Nusteq Holdings Sdn Bhd, AJZ
Corporation Sdn Bhd, ABB Nominee (Tem-
patan) Sdn Bhd, BOC Nominees (Tempatan)
Sdn Bhd, Tien Soepartinah Muhammad,
Awang @ Mustapha Yusoff, Teqmavest Sdn
Bhd and Pembenaan Projass Sdn Bhd.
Mini-hydropower projects had slowly
become a thing of the past and lost their
relevance as rural areas began to get
electric supply from the national grid.
The mini hydro-dams in the penin-
sula have a total generation capacity of
16.185MW. Sabah has seven such dams
which produce 2.35MW and Sarawak five
with total capacity of 5MW.
Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations (Malaysia)
» Protesters can do it in stadiums: Najib pg5
Children latest
H1N1 deaths
by Karen Arukesamy
and Opalyn Mok
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
ETALING JAYA: Malay-
P sia registered its fifth and
sixth Influenza A (H1N1) deaths
yesterday. Both were children
– one in Perak and the other in
Johor.
A 10-year-old girl died in Perak
at 5.30pm on Friday due to severe
pneumonic changes and an 11-
year-old boy died in Hospital
Sultanah Aminah at 8.30am on
Saturday. Both were found to have
High Noon at High Chaparral ...
V illagers of Kampung Buah Pala, dubbed High Chaparral, in Penang celebrated a cultural festival
yesterday, the last day for them to vacate their village after losing a legal battle over the land. A
few thousand people gathered to pray, take part in traditional ceremonies, music and dance and watch
a bullfight and take part in games like a greased pole climbing contest. The villagers had at a meeting
with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Saturday agreed to consider moving to an adjacent site as an
intact heritage community, pending a detailed proposal from the developer. Report PAGE 2
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TELLING IT AS IT IS
been infected by the virus.
Health director-general Tan
Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said
in a statement yesterday the boy
was admitted to the hospital on
Wednesday after coming down
with fever for one whole day. But
he did not have a cough or breath-
ing difficulty.
“The boy’s condition worsened
while under treatment and was
referred to the Intensive Care Unit
the following day. Tests showed he
had a lung infection and myocardi-
tis and was confirmed positive of
A(H1N1) at 11am on Saturday.
2009 AWARDS
Award winning newspaper
for excellence in
investigative reporting
No. 4815 PP 2644/12/2009 (023092)
Monday
August 3, 2009
www.sun2surf.com
» Michael still rocks pg17 Entertainment
Mohd Ismail said of the latest
cases, 35 are from eight clustered
cases from various states and four
others, including a seven-month
pregnant woman, are sporadic cases.
“Of the total number of cases,
1,394 (98%) have recovered, only
19 cases (1%) are receiving antiviral
treatment in hospital . Eight are in
ICU and another 10 are being treated
with antiviral at home,” he said.
Five of the cases in ICU have risk
factors like obesity, pregnancy and
weak immunity.
The World Health Organisation
reported yesterday a total of 183,826
confirmed cases with 1,301 deaths
from 167 countries. Channel Island
and Moldova are the latest to report
infections.
The girl, who had been ill “The Health Ministry has decided
since July 27, initially sought that those who show Influenza-like-
outpatient treatment at a private illness (ILI) symptoms and have
clinic but did not have any breath- health risk factors like pregnancy,
ing problems. She complained of obesity, asthma, chronic lung dis-
breathing difficulties the next day
and was treated at a Bagan Serai
health clinic and was reported to
be stable.
She passed out while receiving
ease, diabetes and low immunity
should be given antiviral treatments
immediately without doing a test to
confirm the infection of the virus.
The test is needed only for cases that
treatment and was pronounced are being treated in hospitals.
dead 5.30am. “Students, including those in
Thirty-nine new cases were institutions of higher learning who
detected in the last 24 hours bring- have ILI symptoms, are urged not
ing the national tally to 1,429 with to attend classes or take part in
six deaths to date. group activities. They can resume
classes or attend group activities after
MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN
being free from the symptoms for
one whole day,” said Mohd Ismail.
In GENTING HIGHLANDS,
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow
Tiong Lai said yesterday more anti-
viral drugs have been ordered as a
contingency measure until an H1N1
vaccine becomes available at the end
of the year.
“I have instructed there be a
sufficient stockpile of anti-viral
drugs to treat Influenza A(H1N1)
patients in combating the outbreak
of the disease,” he told reporters
after attending the Pahang MCA’s
annual convention here.
He said the special inter-minis-
terial committee on the outbreak,
chaired by the deputy prime minis-
ter, would be meeting tomorrow to
formulate further plans, including
involving state governments and
local authorities, to join the effort to
stem the spread of A(H1N1).
Liow said Malaysia is also work-
ing closely with the 167 countries
affected by the A(H1N1) outbreaks to
combat the pandemic.