14  theSun | THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6 2008

news without borders

Hill-top temple gets

Selangor approves RM20m stop-work notice

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has
issued a stop-work notice on the building of a
Hindu temple atop Bukit Gasing in Petaling Jaya.
State executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayaku-
mar said yesterday the notice, issued by the Pe-

for flood prevention

by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor state
government yesterday approved a budget
of over RM20 million for flood prevention
measures.
State executive councillor for
infrastructure, public amenities and
Islamic affairs Datuk Dr Hassan Mohd Ali
said the allocation will be utilised for three
core aspects – emergency, long-term, and
short-term activities – to prevent floods.
The emergency activities will
encompass areas that need urgent
assistance, and the short and long-term
activities will be carried out over the next
few months and years.
Hassan said among them are 12 areas
prone to flash floods, including Shah Alam,
Kuala Langat, Ulu Langat, Gombak and
Klang.
“We have identified several of these
areas and our immediate concern is to
clean up the clogged drains,” he said.
“We also found that many drains were
built based on old specifications and
that has contributed to the frequent flash
floods.”
He also said there will be a massive
drain and river clean-up exercise in the
state on Jan 11 involving state officials,
local council workers, contractors and
Alam Flora workers as well as the public.
In another development, Mentri Besar
Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said a
state-level conference will be organised
to discuss ways and formulate plans to
brace for possible repercussions of the
global financial slowdown that might affect
several industries in Selangor.
“We will sit with economic experts to
find a solution that will enable Selangor
to maintain economic growth and brace
for any possible effects of the global
slowdown,” he said.
He also said the state will send a group
to Taiwan for a study trip from Dec 14 to
20.
Headed by state executive councillor
for investment and industry Teresa Kok, it
is aimed at identifying Taiwan’s high-tech
industries and agriculture technologies to
be replicated in Selangor.
taling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) recently, required
work on the temple to be stopped immediately
because it did not get approval.
The state government had received letters
from people who gave their views on the tem-
ple’s construction, he told reporters after an exco
meeting.
Jayakumar said the council president had
been asked to call the temple trustees and de-
veloper to find a solution to the problem.
He hoped the trustees would cooperate and
discuss the problem for the sake of the local
community. – Bernama
One-month visa-free
travel for Asean
KUALA LUMPUR: People from Asean coun-
tries can now travel to any country in the
grouping for one month without visas, except
for Myanmar.
Immigration director-general Datuk Mah-
mood Adam said yesterday Myanmar was
excluded for security reasons as it was still
mired in crisis.
“Previously, tourists from Asean countries

We wanted to put up similar signs: Gerakan
GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan said
yesterday the Barisan Nasional (BN)
federal government had approved
funding worth RM180,000 before
the March 8 general election for “in-
terpretative” multilingual road signs
to be installed in George Town.
State Gerakan chairman Datuk
Dr Teng Hock Nan disclosed this
when expressing support for the
state government’s plan to put up
signs in various languages on a few
streets within the Unesco-listed
heritage site.
He said the then executive coun-
cillor for tourism, Teng Chang Yeow,
had worked in cooperation with the
Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage
Ministry to obtain the allocation for
signs in four languages.
“A consultant had even been ap-
pointed and the interpretative signs
had been designed and approved
by the previous state executive
council for implementation,” he
said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, it could not be
implemented as the BN lost the
March general election.”
On Tuesday, a Pahang-based
accountant, Nik Rizman Sapian, 33,
filed for an injunction to prevent the
state government and the Penang
Island Municipal Council (MPPP)
from installing road signs in various
languages in George Town.
Nik Rizman, who was supported
by fellow members of the Confed-
eration of Young Malay Graduates
(Gabungan Graduan Melayu Muda),
said the move was at odds with
article 152 of the Federal Constitu-
tion, which states that the national
language is Malay.
were only allowed to travel not more than 17
or 18 days without visas,” he told reporters
after chairing an Asean heads of immmigra-
tion and heads of consular meeting here.
Mahmood said the extension was aimed
at making travel in the region easy and at
encouraging the visitors to stay longer.
“We also discussed ways to increase the
functions and concepts of Asean passports,”
he said.
“There is a need to standardise the func-
tions and concepts of our passports as this
will help in identifying genuine passports
from fakes.” – Bernama