Malaysia 'mangsa' gempa bumi negara jiran.

PETA menunjukkan kedudukan Malaysia yang terletak berhampiran
Lingkaran Api Pasifik menyebabkan ada kemungkinan turut menerima
 kesan jika berlaku gempa bumi kuat di negara-negara jiran.

KUALA LUMPUR – Kajian mendapati Malaysia akan turut berisiko menerima tempias gegaran dari semasa ke semasa sekiranya bencana alam yang teruk berlaku di Sumatera, Pulau Jawa dan Filipina.

Walaupun negara ini tidak termasuk dalam Lingkaran Api Pasifik namun fenomena itu diakui oleh Jabatan Mineral dan Geosains sendiri melalui kajian yang dilakukan.

Ketua Pengarahnya, Datuk Yunus Abdul Razak berkata, jika gempa bumi melanda Sumatera, sebahagian kawasan di Semenanjung Malaysia akan terasa gegaran manakala Sabah dan Sarawak pula menerima kesan sama jika bencana itu berlaku di Filipina.

“Kepingan tektonik bumi dan titik gempa di negara ini dalam keadaan solid (kukuh) berbanding negara lain yang sentiasa aktif.

“Namun negara ini tidak akan terlepas merasai gegaran sama ada kuat atau sedikit akibat tempias daripada kedua-kedua negara itu dan ia bergantung kepada skala di mana titik gempa di dua negara itu sama ada cetek atau dalam,” ujarnya kepada Kosmo! di sini semalam.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di Kosmo! hari ini.

The house that looks like Hitler



The semi-detached terrace house in Swansea, Wales,
has an uncanny likeness to the Nazi dictator

 An unassuming semi-detached house in Wales, UK, has become an unlikely Web star after Internet users decided that it looks a lot like Adolf Hitler's face.

The Swansea home's tan-coloured, four-window facade stared out from British tabloid newspapers Wednesday following heavy distribution on social networking sites.

Its resemblance to the dictator's face is debatable.

The lintel above its door vaguely echoes the Nazi dictator's toothbrush mustache, with the black sloping roof reminiscent of Hitler's side-parted hair

Ribut landa Kedah, Perlis, P. Pinang



MOHAMAD ZAMBRI menunjukkan rumahnya yang rosak teruk akibat ribut
di Kampung Tok Keling, Alor Setar semalam.

ALOR SETAR - Lebih 300 buah rumah rosak akibat ribut yang melanda Kedah, Perlis dan Pulau Pinang petang kelmarin.

Bagaimanapun, tiada kecederaan atau kematian dilaporkan.

Di Baling, selain rumah rosak akibat ribut, lebih 1,300 penduduk daripada 305 keluarga terpaksa dipindahkan ke 14 pusat pemindahan setelah rumah mereka dinaiki air akibat limpahan Sungai Kupang.

Jurucakap Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) negeri memberitahu, kampung terlibat adalah Belakang Panggung, Pekan Khamis, Landak Hilir, Belakang Sekolah, Banggol Lahar, Cenerai dan Pekan Kupang.

Ribut yang berlaku selama dua jam mulai pukul 6 petang itu menyebabkan 212 buah rumah di daerah Kota Setar, Kubang Pasu, Padang Terap dan Pendang serta 27 buah sekolah mengalami kerosakan.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di Kosmo! hari ini.

Perak haramkan tarian poco-poco

TARIAN poco-poco menarik perhatian masyarakat kerana dikatakan mampu menyihatkan tubuh badan pengamalnya.

p/s 1: apapun tarian kalau kerap ditarikan secara berkala akan menyihatkan badan, bukan hanya poco-poco sahaja yang dikata begitu.

p/s 2: penulis sokong langkah Kerajaan Perak, sebab penulis juga telah melarang poco-poco di PDK Selayang sejak Ogos 2008 lagi, atas alasan yang sama.

p/s 3: yang gila menari poco-poco tu hanya orang Melayu je pulak, yang mengaku Islam lah lagi, BIASALAH ORANG MELAYU (kata bangsa lain) MELAYU MUDAH MENIRU, MELAYU MUDAH MENGIKUT (tentu ramai Melayu yang tak sedar diri akan marah, yang sedar diri akan BERMUHASABAH DIRI)

IPOH – Tarian poco-poco yang popular sebagai aktiviti riadah dalam kalangan suri rumah dan penjawat awam ketika menghadiri kursus dan majlis keraian telah diputuskan sebagai haram oleh Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Perak baru-baru ini.

Mufti Perak, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria berkata, tarian tersebut diharamkan kerana ia mempunyai unsur kepercayaan agama lain iaitu Kristian selain pemujaan roh.

Katanya, keputusan sebulat suara itu dicapai pada Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Perak kali ke-186 yang bersidang dari 24 hingga 26 Januari lalu.

“Kajian mendapati tarian yang sering diamalkan di Jamaica itu bercirikan agama Kristian. Oleh itu haram bagi orang Islam mengamalkannya,” katanya ketika dihubungi Kosmo! semalam.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di Kosmo! hari ini.

Colourfull Beggars of Kuala Lumpur : Welfare dept bent on eradicating KL of beggars

THE Federal Territory Welfare Department (JKMWP) is taking steps to rid Kuala Lumpur of beggars.


Colourfull beggars of Kuala Lumpur

It is not an easy job because the officers from the department have to deal with various people and situations while carrying out operations.

Often the officers have to use their persuasive powers to get the beggars to follow them while some had to be carried into the truck.

When it involves women and children, female officers are called in to handle the situation.



Helped out: Welfare department officers wheeling a beggar found in
Chow Kit to the van.

Federal Territory Welfare Department deputy director Mujah Hamad said begging was now more of a profession.

“People used to beg for food and money. But now even if the beggars have a comfortable home, they still go out into the streets to beg.


Myanmar beggars use their kids off

“In genuine cases, they usually have family problems so they end up on the streets.

Some of these beggars may be disowned or abandoned by their families,” he said during an operation last week.


a beggar at work

A total of 18 beggars were caught under Section 3 (2) of the Destitute Persons Act 1977 in the operation in Chow Kit, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Metro Prima Kepong and Jalan Peel in Kuala Lumpur.

read more @ the star:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/3/29/central/8360525&sec=central

Floods : More than 1,000 evacuated In Terengganu

KUALA TERENGGANU: The number of flood victims in Terengganu rose to 1,013 people as of 8pm Tuesday as the floods in several districts worsened.

They are currently housed in 14 evacuation centres, a spokesperson of the Terengganu National Security Council said.

The floods also forced the closure of over 23 schools, of which 12 were in Setiu involving 1,500 students, nine in Hulu Terengganu with 1,400 students and two in Besut with with 700 students.

In KANGAR, several low-lying districts in Perlis were flooded, with seven families having been evacuated so far.

"We have readied 23 flood evacuation centres to face any eventuality," Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu told a news conference.

Meanwhile, heavy rain and strong winds slammed three districts in Kedah late Monday evening, uprooting trees and damaging over 150 houses.

Initial report from the Welfare Department showed Kuala Kedah to be the worst hit district with about 100 houses destroyed, followed by 30 houses in Alor Setar and 21 Pokok Sena.

No loss of life was reported.

Assistant officer of the Kota Setar Welfare Department, Rusmini Meh, said officers from the department were now at the affected areas to survey the damage and obtaining details of the victims for the purpose of providing assistance," he told Bernama when contacted.

Kuala Kedah Umno deputy division chief Datuk Abdul Mutalib Haron, members of the Federal Village Security and Development Committee, and Welfare Department staff were at Kuala Kedah until midnight Monday night to provide assistance to the victims. - Bernama

Bundu Tuhan folk conserve their forest

Having lost access to the forests of Mount Kinabalu when it became a national park, the people of Bundu Tuhan now wield a firm grip on their remaining forest.

THE village of Bundu Tuhan is spotless. Save for the occasional cow pat left behind by grazing livestock, no litter is in sight when one strolls around the village nestled in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu in Ranau district, Sabah.

Most rural settlements, lacking proper waste collection, are usually marred by stinking refuse heaped by roadsides and behind homes, but not Bundu Tuhan. Its cleanliness is owed to strict rules – a fine of between RM50 and RM200 awaits anyone caught littering. And several people have been punished.

Ancestral lands: The primary forest that fringes the village of Bundu Tuhan
 in Ranau district, Sabah, exists because the community passionately protects it.
The red-roofed buildings are a new residential school under construction.

The anti-littering law is just one of many contained in the village management plan which the villagers themselves drew up and enforce. The rule-book governs almost everything about village life: from how and where to build homes and farms to bans on hunting, fishing and tree-felling and protected catchment forests.

It is an impressive case of self-governance by a community, and the result? A tranquil village fringed by verdant forest in mist-shrouded highlands which 3,200 people call home.

The idyllic settlement some 90km from Kota Kinabalu was the fruitful labour of past village leaders who had fought to protect their ancestral property beginning in the 1950s. They first applied to gazette their settlement as a native reserve in 1966 and succeeded in doing so, finally, under the Sabah Land Ordinance in 1983.

In the Dusun language, bundu is a fruit tree while tuhan is an abridgement of the word notuhan for “fall”, so the village name means “felled bundu tree”, and has nothing to do with God.

Highland vegetables such as onions and cabbage are grown in Bundu Tuhan.
Village rules restrict farming on steep, landslide-prone areas.

City folk cannot help but covert the village homes – some are perched on hill slopes, some scattered over the valley in the shadow of Mount Kinabalu.

To safeguard their picture-perfect environments, the community has wisely divided the 1,255ha native reserve: one-third is set aside as residential reserve for homes and grazing land, while two-thirds is a community forest. They have vowed to leave the forest out of their development plans, says village chief Sokuil Ladsau, 56.

Framed by verdant highlands, the village of Bundu Tuhan
is an idyllic settlement under the shadow of Mount Kinabalu.

“We’re preserving the forest for our future generations. This was initiated by past leaders and we want to continue their effort,” says Sokuil, who is the grandson of the legendary Gunting Lagadan, the first Dusun to reach the summit of Mount Kinabalu.


Leaders of Bundu Tuhan village: (from left) Radin Louis Madili (head of
Tawo Tawo settlement), Sokuil Ladsau (village head), Joseph Sangau Sariman
 (native chief) and Joseph Abbie Yundak (former native chief). They are passionate
about protecting their community forest to preserve their water source
and for future generations.

Historically, the forest was a vital part of the community. It was foraging ground for food, medicines as well as building materials such as wood, rattan and kobuh, leaves used for roofing. Though the community today no longer depend on the forest for sustenance, they still revere it as part of their heritage and for conservation.

read more @ the star:
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2011/3/29/lifefocus/8327518&sec=lifefocus

Dataran Merdeka : Ikon negara hilang seri



DATARAN Merdeka di Kuala Lumpur semakin hilang seri
kerana rumputnya yang rosak dan dipenuhi tompokan tanah ekoran
terlalu banyak aktiviti dianjurkan di situ.

KUALA LUMPUR - Imej Dataran Merdeka sebagai ikon pelancongan dan sejarah di ibu kota didapati tercemar apabila rumput di kawasan itu kerap mengalami kerosakan teruk dan mati setiap kali aktiviti tertentu seperti konsert dijalankan.
Pemandangan yang menyakitkan mata itu sedikit sebanyak memberi gambaran buruk kepada pelancong asing yang melawat ke kawasan berkenaan.

Tinjauan wartawan Kosmo! semalam selepas menerima aduan daripada orang ramai mendapati kekerapan Dataran Merdeka dijadikan lokasi majlis melibatkan orang ramai adalah antara punca kerosakan rumput di situ.

Lebih teruk, pada hari minggu dan cuti umum kawasan itu menjadi tumpuan pengunjung, khususnya warga asing, yang kerap meninggalkan lambakan sampah-sarap.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di KOSMO! hari ini.
http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0329&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_01.htm

Lagi gempa kuat landa Jepun

KUALA LUMPUR: Gempa bumi kuat berukuran 6.5-magnitud berlaku berhampiran pantai timur Honshu di Jepun pada pukul 6.24 pagi tadi, menurut Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia.

Pusat gempa itu terletak 370km timur laut dari Tokyo dan 4,337km timur laut Kudat, Sabah.

Honshu telah dilanda dengan beberapa gempa bumi kuat bulan ini.

Japan's Quake : Jackie Chan, HK stars to raise funds for Japan

HONG KONG - Action hero Jackie Chan and other Hong Kong celebrities will hold a charity concert on April 1 to raise funds for disaster-stricken Japan, where more than 27,000 are dead or missing.


Jackie Chan

“We as members of the entertainment industry wish to bring hope and support to the people of Japan,” said Chan, one of the initiators of the concert, in a statement.

The veteran movie star will be joined by performers from Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia for the concert at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park.

The event will feature a theme song called “Succumb not to sorrow”, which is based on a popular Japanese poem that praises the tenacity of Japanese people in the face of hardship.

The organising committee, which comprises 19 art and film groups, said they aimed to raise funds for relief packs — that include food, drinking water, personal care products and blanket — for up to 80,000 disaster victims.

More than 27,000 people are dead or missing since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit northeast Japan on March 11, also crippling a nuclear plant. - AFP

Read more: Jackie Chan, HK stars to raise funds for Japan http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/JackieChan_HKstarstoraisefundsforJapan/Article/#ixzz1Hu5fh052

Dua pelajar OKU cemerlang

JOHOR BAHRU: Kecacatan fizikal yang dialami sejak dilahirkan tidak menjadi penghalang kepada dua pelajar kurang upaya untuk muncul pelajar cemerlang sempena Majlis Konvokesyen ke-46 Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), di Skudai di sini, semalam.

Pelajar berkenaan, Ruzimi Mohammed, 26, dan Nik Mohd Firdaus Nik Zainal Abidin, 27, yang berasal dari Kota Bharu, Kelantan tidak pernah merasakan kekurangan yang ada sebagai kelemahan untuk menempuh cabaran kehidupan.

Sebaliknya, Ruzimi yang mengalami kecacatan di bahagian kaki dan tangan, cekal menimba ilmu di peringkat program Sarjana Keusahawanan Teknologi Maklumat sejak tiga tahun lalu biarpun hanya mampu bergerak menggunakan kerusi roda.

Berkat usaha gigih itu, dia yang juga anak bongsu daripada 10 beradik berjaya memperoleh Purata Nilai Gred Kumulatif (CGPA) 3.94 sekali gus merangkul Anugerah Pelajar Terbaik Program Sarjana Keusahawanan Teknologi Maklumat.

Ruzimi berkata, pada awalnya dia berasa keliru apabila ahli keluarga kurang bersetuju dengan cadangannya untuk menyambung pengajian di universiti itu berikutan bimbang keselamatan dan keadaan kesihatannya.

“Bagaimanapun, demi mengejar cita-cita untuk memperoleh sarjana dan muncul sebagai usahawan, saya berjaya memujuk mereka dan belajar berdikari ketika melanjutkan pengajian di sini.

“Bagi individu seperti saya, kejayaan itu bukan sesuatu perkara yang mudah, namun dengan usaha gigih dan doa ibu bapa, ia bukanlah sesuatu yang mustahil.

“Saya bersyukur kerana berpeluang menimba pengalaman sebagai usahawan sambilan dengan mengusahakan gerai menjual pelbagai jenis peralatan menulis di kawasan kampus universiti ini di mana pada setiap hari saya akan mengulang kaji pelajaran mulai jam 8 malam sehingga awal pagi,” katanya.

Sementara itu, bagi graduan program Sarjana Sains Komputer, Keusahawanan dan Teknologi Maklumat, Mohd Firdaus, hidup sebagai Orang Kurang Upaya (OKU) dan tinggal berjauhan dengan sanak saudara tidak semudah yang disangka.

“Saya sentiasa berpegang kepada nasihat keluarga dan melipatgandakan usaha untuk berjaya. Alhamdulillah saya yang bergantung kepada kerusi roda banyak dibantu oleh rakan dan keluarga angkat di Johor.

“Saya bersyukur dengan kejayaan ini dan insya-Allah jika berpeluang saya akan sambung pengajian ke peringkat doktor falsafah (PhD) dalam bidang keusahawanan,” katanya yang memperoleh CGPA 3.62.

Anak Cina fasih Arab



Wee Soo Yen


BERBANGSA Cina, tetapi berjaya membuat kejutan apabila memperoleh pangkat A dalam subjek Bahasa Arab Komunikasi dalam peperiksaan Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) tahun lalu.

Di atas kecemerlangan itu, anak kelahiran Jelawat, Bachok, Kelantan itu, turut menjadi sebutan apabila terpilih sebagai salah seorang penerima anugerah Maulidur Rasul peringkat kebangsaan Februari lalu. Itu keistimewaan pelajar Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bachok, Kelantan, Wee Soo Yen, 16.

Fasih berbahasa Melayu dan Arab, Soo Yen mengakui bukan mudah untuk dia mencapai kejayaan berkenaan kerana perlu berdepan tentangan keluarga dan mengambil masa lama untuk menguasai subjek dipilih itu.

“Pada mulanya keluarga membantah (memilih subjek Bahasa Arab Komunikasi) kerana tidak yakin dengan kemampuan saya. Keluarga terutama ibu bimbang saya tidak mampu menguasai subjek berkenaan.

“Namun, dengan semangat dan kesungguhan, saya berusaha keras selama tiga tahun sebelum dapat menguasai subjek itu, sekali gus mampu bertutur dalam bahasa Arab. Untuk menguasainya saya beri tumpuan khusus kepada subjek berkenaan dan memastikan mendapat pangkat A setiap kali menduduki ujian atau peperiksaan,” katanya ketika ditemui di rumahnya baru-baru ini.

Menurut Soo Yen yang aktif dalam Persatuan Bahasa Arab di sekolahnya, keinginannya untuk memilih bahasa Arab didorong pengaruh rakan sebaya sejak dari usia tiga tahun lagi.


Menerima Anugerah Maulidur Rasul Kebangsaan 2011

“Ketika itu, saya turut mengikuti kelas Fardu Ain dan mempelajari al-Quran. Rakan memberi dorongan supaya saya cuba untuk menguasai bahasa Arab.

“Apabila masuk ke tingkatan satu, saya terus memilih subjek Bahasa Arab Komunikasi sehing­galah berjaya menguasainya. Selain usaha keras, kejayaan diperoleh adalah hasil bantuan dan sokongan daripada keluarga, guru dan rakan sebaya,” katanya.

Anak sulung daripada dua beradik yang bercita-cita menjadi pensyarah itu berkata, anugerah Maulidur Rasul yang diterimanya tidak pernah diimpikannya kerana dia hanya mahu melakukan sesuatu yang mencabar dan luar daripada kebiasaan.

“Ketika diberitahu terpilih untuk menerima anugerah itu, saya memang terkejut. Apapun, anugerah diterima menguatkan lagi semangat saya untuk terus mencipta kejayaan pada masa depan.

“Saya akan terus berusaha melakukan sesuatu perkara yang mencabar, kerana bagi saya perkara yang sukar akan menjadi lebih senang jika kita berusaha bersungguh-sungguh dan tidak jemu untuk menimba ilmu dengan individu yang lebih berpengalaman,” katanya yang memperoleh 9A dalam PMR.

Ditanya mengenai kehidupan seharian, Soo Yen mengakui dia lebih dekat dengan kehidupan orang Melayu.

“Di sekolah saya berkawan dengan pelajar Melayu. Di rumah pula, dengan ibu dan ayah saya bertutur dalam bahasa Melayu.

“Bagaimanapun, saya tidak melupakan bahasa dan budaya asal saya,” katanya.

Bagi ibu Soo Yen, Soo Ah Khem, 46, anak sulungnya mula memilih untuk belajar bahasa Arab ketika memasuki tingkatan satu.

Katanya, Soo Yen memang minat mendalami bahasa Arab walaupun pada awalnya dia kurang yakin dengan kemampuan anaknya itu.

“Saya masih ingat, ketika kami melarangnya mengambil subjek itu, muka anak saya berubah dan prestasinya juga menurun.

“Melihat perubahannya yang mendadak itu, saya dan suami mengambil satu pendekatan untuk memberikan peluang kepada anak kami belajar apa saja bahasa yang diminatinya.

“Apabila dia meyakinkan kami bahawa akan lulus subjek itu, saya tidak lagi membantah,” katanya yang juga kakitangan di Pejabat Pelajaran Daerah (PPD) Bachok.

Menurutnya, Soo Yen banyak mendapat bimbingan guru selain bahan tambahan dan kamus bahasa Arab yang dibeli untuk rujukan pembelajarannya.

PROFIL

NAMA: Wee Soo Yen
UMUR: 16 tahun
ASAL: Bachok, Kelantan
KELUARGA: Anak sulung daripada dua beradik
PENDIDIKAN: Pelajar tingkatan empat Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bachok
PENCAPAIAN: Memperoleh 9A dalam peperiksaan Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) tahun lalu termasuk subjek Bahasa Arab Komunikasi. Penerima anugerah Maulidur Rasul peringkat kebangsaan Februari lalu.

Joanne's at ease in Islamic school



The race and religion of students do not matter to
SMK Pesantren Abdul Taib Mahmud teachers.

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Joanne Bong does not feel awkward or out place being a non-Muslim student in an Islamic school.

Rather, the 17-year-old feels she fits nicely into the picture at SMK Pesantren Abdul Taib Mahmud, and is proud of being part of the minority at the school.

And the same goes with the three other non-Muslim students in the school of 520.

"I want to be in this school because of its good academic reputation," said Bong.

The school has been identified as one of the top 10 rural schools based on last year's Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination results.

Bong, who has been in the school for five years, can even speak Arabic with her school friends.

"Although I don't go through their Islamic studies, I've learned some interesting Arabic phrases from some of my friends," she said.

The single-session school offers both Islamic and the standard curriculums to its students.

The other three non-Nuslim students are Jeffery Masir, 14, a Bidayuh; Dennis Bong and Angela Teo, both 13.

The girls wear baju kurung without the tudung while Jeffery plays football in his track bottoms -- in deference to the school's dress code.

While the recipe of a 1Malaysia school is there, sadly this may not last for long. The school is considering delivering just the Islamic curriculum, unless it can attract more non-Muslim students.

Principal Junaidi Zulkipli said the school felt it was a burden to offer both curriculums to its students.

"Most of our students are taking both curriculums, which means that they are taking 22 subjects for both for SPM and Sijil Menengah Agama.

"But this depends on how many non-Muslim students want to enrol in our school next year," said Junaidi.

The school had its humble beginning as a madrasah 46 years ago, but it was not until 2005 when it became an Islamic school.

Read more: Joanne's at ease in Islamic school
 http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/10wak-2/Article#ixzz1HpITKOrG

Fenomena Alam : Pokok dipenuhi sarang labah-labah



DUA batang pokok dipenuhi dengan sarang labah-labah di wilayah Sindh, Pakistan.

 KARACHI, Pakistan - Sejumlah pokok di wilayah Sindh dekat sini dipenuhi dengan sarang labah-labah sehingga menghasilkan satu pemandangan yang menyeramkan, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Walaupun kejadian banjir melanda Pakistan tahun lepas tetapi terdapat air yang masih lagi tidak surut sepenuhnya menyebabkan banyak serangga kecil menjadikan pokok sebagai tempat tinggal.

Menurut penduduk tempatan, mereka tidak pernah melihat fenomena tersebut berlaku sebelum ini tetapi sarang labah-labah itu telah berjaya mengurangkan populasi nyamuk.

Sebahagian besar kawasan bencana yang melanda Pakistan masih lagi belum surut selepas enam bulan hujan lebat melanda negara itu.

Fenomena pokok yang menggerunkan itu pula adalah kesan terbaru akibat banjir besar yang telah menyebabkan 2,000 orang terbunuh. - Agensi

Gempa Bumi & tsunami : RAKYAT PERLU SEDIA HADAPI BENCANA

KUALA LUMPUR - Penduduk di negara ini perlu lebih bersedia kerana Malaysia dijangka tidak terlepas daripada mengalami kejadian gempa bumi pada masa akan datang.

Pakar Geologi, Prof. Madya Dr. Tajul Anuar Jamaluddin berkata, kemungkinan itu ekoran daripada retakan-retakan besar (sesar) yang terdapat di dalam kerak bumi.

Katanya, walaupun ketika ini retakan itu tidak aktif tetapi gerakan pada kerak bumi yang didorong oleh gempa di sekeliling Semenanjung Malaysia boleh mengundang bencana tersebut.

"Kekerapan berlakunya gempa bumi di sekeliling Malaysia, contohnya di Indonesia, Myanmar dan Jepun akan mendorong patahan pada retakan-retakan besar ini seterusnya ia akan aktif dan menghasilkan gempa bumi.

"Apa yang dapat dipastikan, kemungkinan itu tetap ada tetapi bila ia akan berlaku sama ada mengambil masa puluhan atau ratusan tahun tidak dapat dipastikan," kata Tajul Anuar yang merupakan Pensyarah Geobencana, Institut Kajian Bencana Asia Tenggara, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Ibu, anak antara pengemis ditahan

KUALA LUMPUR – Seorang kanak-kanak perempuan berusia satu tahun 10 bulan bersama ibunya yang merupakan warga asing antara 13 orang yang ditahan dalam serbuan Ops Pengemis anjuran Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) Wilayah Persekutuan di sini semalam.

Biarpun ada di kalangan mereka yang meronta-ronta untuk cuba melarikan diri dan merayu minta dilepaskan namun lima warga asing dan tujuh warga tempatan itu berjaya dikawal dan ditahan atas kesalahan mengemis.

Ops yang diketuai oleh Ketua Bahagian Warga Tua dan Keluarga JKM Wilayah Persekutuan, Mujah Hanaf dibantu 18 penguat kuasa dijalankan di beberapa kawasan ‘panas’ di sekitar ibu negara bermula pukul 10.30 pagi dan berakhir kira-kira pukul 2.30 petang.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di Kosmo! hari ini.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0328&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_09.htm

Charity : Underprivileged children get incentives for excellent results

UNDERPRIVILEGED students from secondary schools in Kuala Pilah, Tampin and Jempol in Negri Sembilan who achieved excellent results in their examinations were rewarded with cash incentives by Pekerti (Association of wives of wakil rakyat and senior state government officials) during the association’s 30th annual general meeting (AGM) in Seremban recently.

The 43 teenagers who excelled despite their circumstances were given ang pow and motivational books for obtaining straight As in their Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examinations.

M. Suwathi, 13, from SMK Tunku Syed Idrus, Tampin who obtained 7As in the UPSR examinations said doing well in school was the only way to a better future.

“My siblings and I were raised by my grandparents since we were young and they have always reminded us to study hard as by doing so we will be assured a bright future.

“It has not been easy as I can’t afford tuition and have to work twice as hard juggling my daily chores with my schoolwork and revision but it has paid off,” she said.

Suwathi who received a RM150 cash gift from Pekerti for her hard work said she was grateful for the incentive which she would spend on buying revision books.

read more @ the star:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/3/26/central/8302323&sec=central

Charity : Insurance firm organises face painting and sand art for kids

HAPPY faces of children painted as lion cubs and kittens were seen all around the ground at the 3rd Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta as the Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Berhad booth offered free face painting and sand art for children, offering all families a fun-filled weekend to be remembered.

The event held last weekend drew the crowd to the cheerily decorated Great Eastern booth at Monumen Alaf Baru, Precinct 2 Putrajaya.

The families were also given mineral water and other small gifts at the booth.

Director and chief executive officer of Great Eastern, Koh Yaw Hui said he was glad the children enjoyed the free services offered by Great Eastern.

“As the largest and most established life insurance company in Malaysia, Great Eastern always strives to make life great for our community. The free activities offered by Great Eastern are ways for us to give back to the s ociety and to celebrate great life, which is our brand promise”, said Koh.

Launched in 1995, the Child-renCare was initiated to instill the spirit of caring and sharing among staff and members of Great Eastern’s agency force.

Over the last 16 years, almost RM1.65mil has been donated to over 169 children’s charities across Malaysia via ChildrenCare. Each year, staff and members of the agency work together to raise funds from the public and all the funds will then be donated to benefit children.

Being proactive, ChildrenCare dedicates its mission to reach out to a wider group of needy children and youth.

The company’s efforts go beyond the ordinary approach of orphanage and special children. Among such projects organised were book sponsoring juveniles, “Reading to the Blind”, ChildrenCare Camp with “Anak Orang Asli” from Ulu Grik, Perak and Kuala Lipis, Pahang, “Fun & Easy Learning English” and ChildrenCare Arts & Crafts Day.

Charity : MBA, IOI start community badminton programme for welfare homes

IT WAS an ideal time for Michael’s Badminton Academy (MBA) to team up with IOI Properties to spread the joy to children residing in charitable homes around the Klang Valley.

During the recent one-week school break, the Academy showed their commitment in supporting the aspiration of selected youngsters in developing their shuttling skills with the launch of their “Hope For Change” community badminton coaching initiative.

MBA director Lee Kok Choong said they are presenting the trainees a chance to learn the popular game in a more orderly environment.

“We are playing a role in contributing to the local community. We are offering them a good start at a young age to fulfil their potential. It is also an opportunity for them to develop social skills and foster friendship with their peers from other homes,” he added.

Almost 70 beginners from three homes — House of Joy, Rumah Shalom and Rumah Amal Limpahan Kasih — located around Puchong were introduced to their first training session at the centre’s 32-court hall in Bandar Puteri, Puchong last Wednesday.

For the next 10 months, they will be under the care of three Indonesian trainers — Tony Galeh, Edvin Dwi Priyono and Boby Eriawan — for their regular two-hour session once a week.

Besides guiding them to acquire the basic strokes and footwork required for the game, they are also lining up badminton related outings, personal development seminars and tournaments for the young charges.

One of the trainees M. Ramesh from Rumah Shalom said it was a wonderful experience to be visiting the indoor venue for the first time.

“We are looking forward to attend training every week because it is a change for us to interact with others. It is going to be a fun-filled experience. We are hoping to learn the proper way of improving our playing ability,” the 15-year-old said.

IOI executive director Datuk David Tan Thean Thye, Lee and Kinrara constituency representative Gary Chong were present to reinforce their sincerity in backing the programme.

Tan said they are confident the beginners will develop all-round qualities in their character building through their participation in a healthy activity.

They are also considering to introduce the programme to other homes at another MBA centre in Taman Megah, Petaling Jaya.

“We are identifying the deserving home to be part of the programme. We want more youngsters to gain from it,” Lee said.

Charity : Standard Chartered KL Marathon aims to attract 25,000 runners this year

The Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon has registered more than 10,000 entries since its official launch on Feb 14.

In the last hours before early-bird registration closed at midnight on Feb 28, nearly 1,300 runners rushed to meet the deadline to benefit from reduced registration fees.

This was a 77% increase from last year.

At more than 1,600, the participation in full marathon category also increased in comparison to 1,300 last year.

Standard Chartered KL Marathon project director Rainer Biemans said the marathon, to be held on June 26, has been generating a lot of buzz in Malaysia and throughout the region.

“We’re very encouraged by the number we are seeing in the early bird registration alone and we will meet our target of 25,000 runners this year,” he said.

Due to overwhelming response, the Kids Dash was closed earlier than anticipated while the registration for the Corporate Challange category is now officially open.

The Corporate Challange is a platform for companies to compete in the race as a team, foster camaraderie and team spirit with colleagues and give back to the community by raising money for charity.

The cheering competition is also open to the public and each team of six to 20 persons will compete to inspire runners to beat their best time and finish the race.

Meanwhile, the organiser is also recruiting volunteers to support the race to ensure the runners’ safety.

“Volunteers play an essential role in the marathon team as they will help monitor the route and distribute beverages to runners, among other activities,” Beimans said.

Charity : ntv7 organises charity run in conjunction with 13th anniversary

RUN for fun and give to charity at the ntv7 Feel Good Run 2011 on July 3.

The event is organised in conjunction with ntv7’s 13th anniversary and aims to spread joy among friends and family while having fun and getting healthy,

The charity run around Bandar Utama has four categories — the 7km Fee Good Run, 3km Run With Celebrities, 3km Costume Fun Run and a 700m Kids Run. There will also be a mini carnival and stage events.

Among the participating celebrities are ntv7 newscasters Azleena Najri and Melissa Ong Kim Lean who are both looking forward to having some fun for a good cause.

“To me running is a fun activity, so I’m going to do it for the fun factor and it doubles up for a good cause,” said Azleena, a former school sprinter who is also planning to test her endurance and stamina.

Ong, who can often be seen jogging in Bukit Kiara, also hopes enough exposure is given so that more funds can be collected and channelled to the bodies.

“Charity is a subject that is close to my heart, I really hope this event gets the support it needs to fulfil its objective,” she said.

Among others, ntv7 The Breakfast Show host Nazrudin Habibur Rahman will also be joining the fun and it will also be the first sport activity for him after more than a year break.

“I am now recovering from a series of knee injuries suffered while playing sports and I am really excited to test myself,” said Nazrudin who used to play football and futsal three times a week.

“I feel lethargic and lack stamina because I’ve been off sports for so long, it’s time to get back in shape,” said the bubbly host.

Meanwhile, oneFM DJ and e7 host Nicholas Ong Sea Wei said the media industry has taught him to be more self-conscious.

“A healthy body is important to instill confidence and now that I am in a good shape, I watch my food intake and keep an active lifestyle to maintain a healthy physical self,” he said.

ntv7 general manager Airin Zainul said the run’s focus on togetherness, health and charity makes it the ideal event for corporate bodies to participate.

“Being healthy is the key to feeling good — as the “Home of Feel Good”, it’s our pleasure to celebrate our 13th year with the public by hosting the Feel Good Run 2011,” she said.

All participants will receive a race pack filled with exclusive ntv7 merchandise and goodies from various sponsors.

Those who successfully complete the fun runs will also receive a certificate and memento.

Participation fees are RM25 for those aged 13 and above and RM10 for those aged 12 years and below.

All proceeds will be channelled to Yayasan Jantung Malaysia, National Cancer Society and The National Autism Society of Malaysia.

Kg Kasipillay : Folk blame woes on heavy vehicles and shoddy repairs

POTHOLE-riddled roads and floods are the main concerns of residents in Kampung Kasipillay, Kuala Lumpur.

The residents said the bad condition of the roads was caused by heavy vehicles and shoddy repair work.

Rukun Tetangga member Abraham Moses said it was difficult for elderly people like himself to walk around unaided these days.

Not safe: Moses (left) needs the help of friends like Gurdip Singh to walk around his neighbourhood.

“The road is so uneven that we have to be careful,” said Moses who walks with the help of a cane.

He added that Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) contractors would usually patch up the potholes but there was no end to the problem because of the shoddy resurfacing work.

Another RT member, Gurdip Singh, said the contractors’ patch work would be washed off by heavy rain or damaged by heavy vehicles going to a condominium construction site nearby.

“Our roads are not meant for vehicles weighing more than three tonnes,” said Gurdip.

Floods are also a long-standing problem that was supposed to be addressed in 2009 with a pump house.

read more @ the star:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/3/26/central/8350928&sec=central

Tsunami threat could catch US Northwest off guard

CANNON BEACH, Oregon (AP): When the big one hits the Pacific Northwest, the best place to escape the wall of water moving at jetliner speed from 50 miles (80 kilometers) off the coast may be a City Hall on stilts.

Once the ground finishes two to four minutes of lurching and shaking, residents and tourists in Cannon Beach would flock to the refuge on concrete columns 14 feet above the waves racing beneath.

They would ... if the refuge gets built. There's nothing like it from Northern California to British Columbia and, so far, no money for anything like it.

It's an example of how underprepared the U.S. West Coast is for an earthquake and tsunami on the scale of what happened in Japan.

Scientists say it's inevitable that an offshore seismic menace called the Cascadia Subduction Zone will one day unleash a megaquake. The last time it happened was 300 years ago when a magnitude-9 shaker spawned enormous ocean waves that slammed into the West Coast and damaged Japanese fishing villages.

Mindful of the risks of waves as high as 60 feet (18 meters), communities in the Pacific Northwest have worked on their defenses, installing sirens to warn of dangerous waves, posting hazard signs to mark inundation zones, designating evacuation routes and holding evacuation drills.

Scientists in the Pacific Northwest hadn't understood the geology and the threat it poses until recent decades when they discovered evidence of big quakes near the coast over the last 10,000 years - about 20 the size of the March 11 quake in Japan.

By contrast, the Japanese have long paid close attention to quakes and tsunamis.

Their written records from 1700 allowed North American scientists a few years ago to fix the timing of the last Pacific Northwest megaquake, right down to the hour it occurred.

So the death and damage caused by this month's earthquake and tsunami in Japan were worrisome on the other side of the Pacific.

read more @ the star:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/3/27/apworld/20110327152852&sec=apworld

japan's Quake : Japan says very high radiation reading at reactor was wrong

TOKYO (Reuters) - The operator of Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant said on Monday a very high radiation reading that had sent workers fleeing the No. 2 reactor was erroneous.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) vice-president Sakae Muto apologised for Sunday's error, which added to alarm inside and outside Japan over the impact of contamination from the complex which was hit by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

Yemenis admire Dr M and Malaysia

SANA'A: It was Mohamed Ahmad's first day to Tahrir Square to join the anti-government protesters.

And the 28-year-old tailor outdid himself. He stuck a number of small Yemeni flags on his head and wore a protest bandana as a tie.

The tailoring business has been a bit slow of late because people are uncertain of what would happen in the future so they have been holding on to their money.

So Mohamed decided to come to the square and sell anti-government bandanas, caps, stickers and the country's flags.

“The protests are outpourings coming from the heart. So people are buying all these things as keepsakes to remember the moment,” he said.

One of those with anti-government protest souvenirs is 29-year-old Marwan Amery.

“It is a youth revolution. We want to make Yemen just like Malaysia.

“In just 10 years, we have seen how Malaysia has developed rapidly economically, in education, finance, tourism, and industries.

“Malaysians have gone all over the world to study and have come to their country with good thinking and good ideas' to contribute.

“We have watched Malaysia blossom and we want that for our own future. Is that too much to ask,” he said.

Marwan believed Malaysians owed it to all Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who during his 22-year tenure as Prime Minister, transformed Malaysia to the position it is today.

“Are Dr Mahathir Mohamad's ancestors from Yemen by any chance? Could they have come from Hadramont (in Yemen)? A lot of Malaysians have blood ties there,” asked a hopeful Marwan.

Yemenis as a whole have high regard for Malaysia and in particular Dr Mahathir.

Marwan wishes his own president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 32 years, would have done half as much for his country.

“Saleh has done nothing for us,” he said.

For him, Saleh and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are two sides of the same coin.

“But at least Gaddafi is consistent so his people know what they are dealing with.

“But Saleh is sly. He says one thing and does something else and he changes his word all the time.

“I think if Saleh is left to continue, in the future he can be as brutal as Gaddafi has been to his people. That is why we must get him out now,” he said.

It has been seven weeks now since the anti-government protesters have camped out at the square with the aim of kicking their president out.

And they seem to be closer to reaching their goal as ministers, ambassadors, and key army figures have now backed their protest, after the March 18 deadly attack when snipers on rooftops, loyal to the regime, shot at unarmed protesters, killing 56 and injuring hundreds of others.

Amar Attam is also keen on seeing the end of Saleh.

He said all the concessions Saleh was trying to make now including an early exit, early elections, offers of a dialogue, making sure he hands over power to “safe hands” were pointless.

“He didn't do good in his younger years and ruling the country for 32 years ... So I don't expect him to change and do good now in his later years.

“He is a liar and a murderer. Why couldn't we have a president like Dr Mahathir Mohamad?”

When pointed out that Dr Mahathir had little tolerance for anti-government street protests, Amar retorted: “If we had a democratic country and a leader like Dr Mahathir who cared for his people and made sure the country and its people prospered, then we would have no need for street protests!”

Yellow Alert : Strong wind and choppy seas alert until Tuesday

KUALA LUMPUR: A category two strong north-easterly wind and choppy sea conditions have been forecast in the waters of Condore, Reef North, Layang-Layang and Palawan until Tuesday.

According to a statement published in the Malaysian Meteorological Department website Sunday, wind speeds of between 50 and 60km per hour with waves reaching a height of up to 4.5m had been forecast for the area and the weather condition was dangerous for all shipping and coastal activities including fishing and ferry services.

The Department also issued a warning of strong north-easterly winds of between 40 and 50kph and category one choppy seas with waves reaching a height of up to 3.5m occurring in the waters of Kelantan, Terengganu, Sarawak (Miri), Sabah (West Coast, Kudat and Sandakan), Federal Territory of Labuan, the waters of Samui and Sulu, and expected to continue until Tuesday.

The strong wind and choppy sea condition is dangerous to small boats and sea recreational activities. - Bernama

Peaceful protest turns ugly in London

There were two demonstrations in London yesterday. The first, and most enduringly important, was that by half a million people against the cuts that are falling disproportionately on vital public services and those who provide them.

The other one was a demonstration of just how easy it is for a few hundred people to steal the occasion with sporadic acts of violence. Last night, it the latter one which was taking the headlines as police and protesters clashed in Trafalgar Square.

Earlier half a million people descended on central London for the biggest protest the nation has seen since demonstrations against the Iraq war eight years ago. They streamed into the capital from across the country to vent their anger at government cuts, their only weapons peaceful chanting and waving placards.

There were 500,000 people and, with their disperate causes, represented 500,000 different reasons to take a stand.

From students facing rises in fees to parents whose Sure Start services are being slashed, the message was the same: "Stop the cuts." The March for the Alternative was organised by trades unions, but its anti-cuts message chimed with a much wider audience. Hundreds of coaches were chartered and public transport full to bursting as people came from across the country. Diane Richards, 62, a nurse from Aberystwyth, was one.

She said: "I was born in the same year as the NHS and I'm doing better than it. Politicians have no concept of the impact of these cuts on small communities, poor communities."

But other protestors - a few hundred at most - brought with them splintering glass, flying paint, smoke, and violence. As night fell, a hardcore of protestors continued skirmishing with police in Trafalgar Square, and a blaze started deliberately in Jermyn Street had to be extinguished by firefighters.

read more @ dailychilli
http://www.dailychilli.com/news/10554-peaceful-protest-turns-ugly-in-london

Membaca : Kesedaran meningkat

KUALA LUMPUR: Kecenderungan budaya membaca di Malaysia menunjukkan peningkatan selari dengan industri buku negara yang semakin maju.

Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan (PKDK), Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim berkata, buku yang diterbitkan dalam negara pada 2009 adalah sebanyak 15,767 judul yang membabitkan 5,150 penulis, namun jumlahnya semakin meningkat pada tahun lalu dengan 167,704 judul diterbitkan membabitkan 8,887 penulis.

“Pada Disember tahun lalu kita mendapati sebanyak 208,700 judul buku direkodkan keluarannya. Ini bermakna industri buku negara semakin berkembang maju dengan penerbitan buku berbentuk fiksyen dan bukan fiksyen.

“Malah, apa yang membanggakan apabila jualan buku pada hujung 2009 dicatatkan sebanyak RM2.1 bilion. Ini menunjukkan bahawa perniagaan buku juga boleh menjana pendapatan negara,” katanya ketika hadir pada Program Mari Membaca 1Malaysia Bersama Datuk Michelle Yeoh, di Auditorium Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (PNM), Jalan Tun Razak, petang semalam.

Hadir sama pada majlis itu adalah Timbalan Menteri PKDNK, Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz; Ketua Setiausaha PKDK, Datuk Sri Kamaruddin Siaraf dan Ketua Pengarah PNM, Datuk Roslin Abu Bakar.

Sementara itu, Yeoh dipilih sebagai Ikon Membaca PNM yang dilantik sejak 21 April tahun lalu bagi menyemarakkan lagi budaya membaca di kalangan rakyat negara ini. Menurut Dr Rais, budaya membaca seharusnya dijadikan sebagai perbuatan dan minat di kalangan rakyat negara ini sambil menekankan bahawa kunci kejayaan adalah membaca.

“Kajian yang dilakukan mendapati secara puratanya kanak-kanak di bawah umur 10 tahun membaca buku paling banyak iaitu lapan hingga 12 judul dalam setahun berbanding orang dewasa yang berumur 41 tahun dan ke atas yang membaca kurang enam buku setahun,” katanya.

p/s: peningkatan nilai jualan mungkin disebabkan kenaikan harga buku, yang paling pasti ialah berapa banyak bukukah yang terjual adalah makenisma paling tepat untuk dibuat perbandingan.

Teknologi : Mekanisme menerbangkan belon udara panas

PADA 19 September 1783, seorang saintis dari Perancis, Pilatre De Rozier mengejutkan penduduk bandar Metz apabila dia memperkenalkan belon udara panas pertama di dunia yang digelar Aerostat Reveillon.

Penumpang belon udara panas itu pula terdiri daripada beberapa ekor haiwan seperti kambing biri-biri, itik dan ayam jantan bahkan, belon berkenaan berada kira-kira 15 minit di udara sebelum terhempas ke tanah.


Bentuk Doraemon

Bagaimanapun, dua tahun kemudian, nasib tidak menyebelahi De Rozier apabila percubaan untuk menyeberang Selat Inggeris gagal, setelah belon ciptaannya meletup setengah jam ketika berada di ruang udara Wimereux, Perancis sehingga menyebabkan dia terkorban.


Bentuk pokok

Punca kemalangan disebabkan oleh reka bentuk ujikaji ciptaan beliau menggunakan belon hidrogen dan belon udara panas yang diikat bersama-sama.


darth vader

Biarpun peristiwa hitam kematian De Rozier mengejutkan banyak pihak, ia sedikit pun tidak mematahkan semangat para intelek memikirkan teknologi terbaik yang lebih selamat dan mengekalkan belon udara panas lebih lama di ruang angkasa.

Jika diteliti reka bentuknya, belon udara panas terdiri daripada sebuah belon atau karung beg yang digelar envelope serta berupaya menampung udara panas dalam jangka masa tertentu.

Tergantung di bawah envelope adalah sebuah gondola atau bakul diperbuat daripada rotan berfungsi sebagai pembawa penumpang serta sumber bahan api bagi menggerakkan belon udara panas.

Pada hari ini, kebanyakan envelope diperbuat daripada fabrik jenis nilon, manakala permukaan mulut belon (skirt) berhampiran penunu gas (burner) diperbuat daripada bahan tahan panas seperti Nomex.

Di Malaysia, pendedahan mengenai belon udara panas bermula sejak 16 tahun lalu melalui penganjuran sukan berkenaan di beberapa negeri seperti Pulau Pinang, Johor dan Kuala Lumpur.


Festival Belon Udara Panas Antarabangsa, Putrajaya 2011

Bercerita lebih lanjut mengenai perkembangan sukan udara jenis itu di negara ini, juruterbang belon berpengalaman, Nordin Hussain memberitahu, bahan pembakar yang sesuai digunakan bagi menggerakkannya adalah gas asli cecair (LPG).

“Disebabkan iklim yang agak panas di negara ini, kita cenderung menggunakan bahan pembakar LPG berbanding gas nitrogen yang digunakan secara meluas di negara luar terutama di Eropah.

“Namun, bagi memastikan prestasi penerbangan belon lebih berkuasa, kami menggunakan sebanyak 20 peratus gas nitrogen,” katanya ketika ditemui di Fiesta Belon Udara Panas Antarabangsa Putrajaya 2011 baru-baru ini.

Program selama empat hari itu dianjurkan oleh Malaysian Sport Aviation Federation (MSAF) dan AKA Balloon Sdn. Bhd., dengan kerjasama Perbadanan Putrajaya (PPj).

baca lagi di kosmo:
http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0323&pub=Kosmo&sec=Infiniti&pg=in_01.htm

75 maut gempa bumi di Myanmar



SEBATANG jalan raya terbelah dua akibat gegaran gempa bumi
yang berlaku di bandar Tarlay, Myanmar kelmarin.

YANGON - Sekurang-kurangnya 75 orang awam terbunuh, 111 cedera manakala beratus-ratus lagi hilang tempat tinggal selepas gempa bumi kuat melanda Myanmar malam kelmarin.


Kawasan yang dilanda gempa

Beberapa pekerja penyelamat berkata, buat masa ini tempoh selama beberapa hari diperlukan untuk mengetahui jumlah kerosakan yang sebenar. Gegaran yang berukuran 6.8 pada skala Richter itu dapat dirasai sehingga ke Bangkok yang terletak 800 kilometer dari pusat gempa. Gegaran itu turut dirasai di bandar Hanoi, Vietnam dan di sebahagian kawasan di China.


Imej kemusnahan akibat gempa

Bangunan-bangunan yang berdekatan pusat gempa bumi ranap manakala penduduk yang ketakutan lari meninggal kediaman sejurus gegaran susulan berlaku semalam. Hampir 400 buah rumah musnah di empat kampung selain sembilan buah bangunan pemerintah ranap dan beberapa biara musnah di bandar Tarlay.

"Kami sedang berusaha untuk pergi ke tempat-tempat terpencil untuk menyelamatkan mangsa.


GAMBAR yang disiarkan semalam menunjukkan sebuah rumah ranap
akibat gegaran gempa bumi di bandar Tachilek, Myanmar kelmarin.

 "Anggota-anggota tentera, polis dan pihak berkuasa tempatan sedang berusaha mencari mangsa yang cedera di kawasan yang terjejas tetapi terdapat beberapa jalan darat yang terputus hubungan," kata seorang pegawai Myanmar.


Beberapa rumah yang musnah

 Pengarah World Vision Myanmar yang merupakan sebuah pertubuhan kebajikan, Chris Herink berkata, kumpulannya telah mengenal pasti dua buah bandar yang teruk terjejas iaitu Tarley dan Mong Lin.

Katanya, pemerintah Myanmar berusaha untuk memberi informasi kepada rakyat dengan memberikan angka terkini kematian dan kerosakan yang berlaku.

Gempa bumi yang melanda Myanmar itu berlaku selepas kejadian gempa dan tsunami di Jepun.

Gempa bumi pernah melanda Myanmar beberapa kali antaranya pada 1975 yang cuma menyebabkan seorang terbunuh. - Agensi

Yoda (Star Wars) dijumpai di Filipina



HAIWAN Tarsier yang memiliki wajah mirip watak Yoda.

 MANILA - Seorang jurugambar, Erik Mikhailov merakamkan gambar seekor haiwan yang mirip satu watak dalam siri filem Star Wars, Yoda ketika dia mengunjungi sebuah kawasan hutan hujan di Filipina baru-baru ini, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Sebenarnya, haiwan yang dirakamkan gambar itu merupakan Tarsier yang mempunyai ciri-ciri fizikal mirip watak Yoda.

Haiwan itu mempunyai bentuk telinga yang tajam ke atas dan memiliki mata besar.

"Saya terus teringatkan Yoda (semasa melihat haiwan tersebut). Ketika itu, saya tidak tahu jenis makhluk tersebut walaupun terdapat pelbagai kehidupan yang menakjubkan untuk dilihat," katanya.

Tarsier merupakan haiwan yang hidup di Asia Tenggara. Ia dikenali dengan nama Maumag di Filipina dan mempunyai mata sangat besar dan menjadikan serangga sebagai makanan. - Agensi

Strong quake in Myanmar kills more than 70 (Updated)

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A strong earthquake that toppled homes in northeastern Myanmar has killed more than 70 people, and there were fears Friday the toll would mount as conditions in more remote areas became known.

The Thursday night quake, measured at a magnitude 6.8 by the U.S. Geological Survey, was centered just north of the town Tachileik in the mountains along the Thai border. It was felt hundreds of miles (kilometers) away in the Thai capital Bangkok and Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Myanmar state radio announced Friday that 74 people had been killed and 111 injured in the quake, but was updating the total frequently. It said that 390 houses, 14 Buddhist monasteries and nine government buildings were damaged.

An official from the U.N.'s World Food Program said there were many casualties and serious damage in Mong Lin village, five miles (eight kilometers) from Tachileik. State radio said 29 were killed there and 16 injured.

The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that 15 houses collapsed in the town of Tarlay, where state radio said 11 were killed and 29 injured. Another U.N. official said a small hospital there was partially damaged as well as a bridge, making it difficult to access the town.

The newspaper said another two people were killed in Tachileik, including a 4-year-old boy. It said six people were injured in the town, which is just across the border from Mae Sai in Thailand's Chiang Rai province. In Mae Sai, one woman was killed when a wall fell on her, according to Thai police, but damage was otherwise minimal.

The second U.N. official said medicine would be sent to the affected areas as soon as possible along with an assessment team in cooperation with the Myanmar Red Cross Society.

Both U.N. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Myanmar's government frowns on giving unauthorized information to the media.

Most of rural Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest countries, is underdeveloped, with poor communications and other infrastructure, and minimal rescue and relief capacity. The country's military government is also usually reluctant to release information about disasters because it is already sensitive to any criticism.

The government tightly controls information, and in 2008 delayed reporting on - and asking for help with - devastating Cyclone Nargis, which killed 130,000 people. The junta was widely criticized for what were called inadequate preparations and a slow response to the disaster.

Somchai Hatayatanti, the governor of Chiang Rai province, said dozens of people suffered minor injuries on the Thai side of the border. Cracks were found in buildings in downtown Chiang Rai city, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) from the epicenter, including a provincial hospital and city hall. The tops of the spires fell off from at least two Buddhist temples.

As a precaution for aftershocks, a relief center was being set up Friday in Mae Sai.

"We are worried that the area might be hit with stronger quakes. There was another quake at 7 a.m. this morning," said Somsri Meethong of the Mae Sai District office, referring to a 4.9 aftershock. "I had to run again like last night. What we have seen on TV about Japan added to our fear.

Moderate earthquake strikes northern Sumatra

KUALA LUMPUR: A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck 65km southwest of Padang Sidempuan in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, at 5.15pm Friday, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

The epicentre of the quake was located 367km southwest of Klang, Selangor, it said in a statement.

There was no tsunami threat, it added. - Bernama

Badminton : Chong Wei setia menanti Misbun

TANPA berselindung, jaguh badminton negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei masih berharap Datuk Mis- bun Sidek kembali ke pangkuan Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM).

Chong Wei berkata, dia akan tetap menunggu Misbun untuk kembali menjadi jurulatihnya dalam persiapan menghadapi temasya Sukan Olimpik 2012 di London.

"Saya berharap agar Misbun dapat kembali menjadi jurulatih saya kerana saya masih memerlukan bimbingan daripada beliau.

"Apa jua (keadaan) sekalipun, saya akan tetap menunggu kepulangan Misbun," kata Chong Wei pada sidang media pelancaran majlis amal yang dinamakan 'Hope & Smile' bagi membantu mangsa-mangsa gempa bumi dan tsunami di Jepun di Hotel Boulevard, Kuala Lumpur semalam.

Bagaimanapun Chong Wei berkata, peletakan jawatan Misbun yang sehingga kini masih belum ada jalan penyelesaian tidak pernah mengganggu fokusnya, baik ketika menjalani latihan mahupun menyertai sebarang kejohanan di pentas antarabangsa.

"Saya tidak mahu terlalu memi- kirkan mengenai perkara itu kerana saya perlu fokus dalam latihan saya bagi menghadapi kejohanan-kejohanan yang bakal saya sertai selepas ini.

"Lagipun saya kini mendapat bimbingan daripada Rashid Sidek dan Tay Seu Bock yang banyak membantu dalam usaha meningkat- kan lagi tahap prestasi saya," jelas Chong Wei.

baca lagi di kosmo:
http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0325&pub=Kosmo&sec=Sukan&pg=su_01.htm

Gadis Kelantan cedera terjun tingkat 3 KB Mall

DETIK-DETIK mencemaskan ketika seorang gadis cuba terjun
dari tingkat tiga pusat beli-belah KB Mall di Kota Bharu semalam.

KOTA BHARU – Pusat beli-belah KB Mall di sini yang pernah gempar ekoran tragedi kereta ‘menjunam dari langit’ pada tahun 2009 sekali lagi menjadi tumpuan semalam apabila seorang gadis cuba terjun disyaki untuk membunuh diri dari tingkat tiga bangunan tersebut.

Kejadian pada pukul 3.30 petang itu menarik perhatian ramai apabila mangsa yang berusia 20 tahun dikatakan berdiri di birai bangunan sambil memegang sebilah pisau dan sebuah telefon bimbit.

Sesekali gadis yang bekerja di pusat beli-belah Wakaf Che Yeh dekat sini itu dilihat cuba mengacu dan meletakkan pisau pada lehernya.

Mangsa yang berasal dari Kampung Gaung di sini dipercayai bertindak demikian kerana tertekan dengan masalah keluarga dan cinta.

Pasukan bomba yang tiba di tempat kejadian mengambil masa kira-kira sejam untuk memujuk gadis tersebut.

Ketua Operasi Balai Bomba Kota Bharu, Shahrin Yusman Mat Yusof berkata, cubaan pihaknya untuk menarik mangsa gagal apabila gadis itu terlepas daripada genggaman anggota bomba dan terjatuh ketika dia meronta-ronta untuk terjun.

baca lagi di kosmo:
http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0325&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_06.htm

Large quake hits Myanmar near northern Thailand

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Reuters) - A large 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar near the border with northern Thailand on Thursday, killing a woman and shaking buildings in three big cities.

People fled their homes in panic and tremors were felt in Bangkok, central Myanmar and as far away as the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, leading to the evacuation of several tall buildings and offices.

Police in Mae Sai in Thailand's northernmost province of Chiang Rai said a woman had been killed when a wall of her house collapsed. Hospital officials said there were no other deaths or injuries reported in the province.

The quake was centred 111 km (69 miles) north of the town of Chiang Rai, a sparsely populated, hilly area that forms part of the "Golden Triangle", known for growth of illicit opium, and where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet.

The earthquake was shallow at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km).

Witnesses in northeast Myanmar and northern Thailand said they felt the earthquake strongly and tremors caused widespread panic. Ten aftershocks further jolted the area.

"In 40 years, I never felt an earthquake this strong. A glass broke, I had to hold on to a pillar," Thanawan Sisukniyom, a retired teacher in Mae Sai, told Reuters by telephone.

LIMITED DAMAGE

Hospital staff in the Myanmar town of Kengtung, about 55 km (35 miles) north of the epicentre, said no casualties had been reported. Witnesses said damage appeared limited, but the earthquake sparked fear among residents.

"Many people fled their homes and lay down on the ground outside, away from the buildings," said a resident of Kentung, 80 km (50 miles) west of the epicentre.

"We are still sitting on the ground since there are several aftershocks. In some buildings, TV sets fell off the tables and shrine altars fell down."

People also left their homes in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw and its biggest city, Yangon, some 550 km (340 miles) away.

Earthquakes of magnitudes of around 5 and as high as 7 have hit northern Myanmar and Thailand several times in the past 15 years, but damage and casualties have been limited and the areas are thinly populated.

Thailand's TPBS television said electricity had been cut off in parts of Mae Sai and showed footage of tiles smashed on the ground and wooden signs that had fallen onto roads.

Wirachai Chaisakaew, head of maintenance at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, said the region's hydropower dams, which include the country's largest, remained intact and preliminary searches of facilities revealed no damage.

Witnesses in Chiang Mai, the country's second-largest city, reported no immediate damage to buildings. A resident of the Myanmar town of Tachilek, which borders Chiang Rai, said parked motorcycles fell to the ground and cracks opened in the road.

Somchai Baimuang, deputy director of the Thai meteorological department, said new aftershocks were possible in the next two days, but no tsunami warning had been issued.

"It was not a small quake, but we urge the public to not panic," he told Reuters.

read more @ the star
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/3/25/worldupdates/2011-03-24T232720Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-558532-5&sec=Worldupdates

Laluan pejalan kaki unik

LALUAN pejalan kaki yang kelihatan seperti curam di Alicante, Sepanyol.

ALICANTE, Sepanyol - Satu laluan pejalan kaki yang dibina dengan menggunakan bata di bandar tepi pantai di sini memiliki corak kiub yang memberikan kesan tiga dimensi (3D) apabila dipandang, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Laluan itu mencetuskan kontroversi berikutan ilusi 3D tersebut menyebabkan orang ramai berasa gayat apabila melaluinya.

Corak 3D itu menampakkan laluan berkenaan curam dengan susunan bata itu menyerupai anak tangga yang besar walaupun ia sebenarnya rata dan landai. - Agensi

p/s: cantik! tetapi perancang bandar dan jurutera di Malaysia MALAS nak buat inovasi.

Flamingo jatuh terlentang di Russia

SEEKOR burung flamingo berdiri (kiri) di sebuah kolam di Zoo Moscow, Rusia, sebelum ia tiba-tiba terjatuh (kanan).

MOSCOW, Rusia - Seorang jurugambar, Tatiana Adamenko, merakam aksi lucu seekor burung flamingo terjatuh ke dalam air kerana hilang keseimbangan badan ketika ia sedang berdiri, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Dalam foto tersebut, jelas kelihatan kekeliruan pada 'wajah' burung itu manakala kaki haiwan itu pula terangkat.

"Saya cuma mahu merakam aksi burung flamingo mencelup kepala ke dalam air tetapi tiba-tiba, burung itu terjatuh," kata Tatiana yang merakam foto itu di Zoo Moscow baru-baru ini.

Selepas beberapa ketika, burung flamingo itu berjaya bangkit semula dan berenang seperti biasa.

Flamingo terkenal sebagai sejenis burung yang dapat berdiri dengan sebelah kaki selama berjam-jam. - Agensi

Bayi perempuan gergasi Britain



LIBBY (kanan) bersama sepupunya, (Thomas) dipangku nenek mereka.

WIGAN, Britain - Seorang wanita, Gemma Woods, 28, melahirkan bayi perempuan terbesar di Britain seberat 5.6 kilogram (kg), dua kali ganda berat bayi normal pada Oktober lalu, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Walaupun saiznya besar, bayi yang bernama Libby itu dilahirkan secara normal dengan proses bersalin pendek iaitu selama enam jam di sini baru-baru ini.

"Saya seperti tidak percaya apabila bidan memberitahu berat Libby, bunyinya seperti mendengar berat sesuatu barang," kata Gemma.

Sepupu Libby, seorang bayi lelaki bernama Thomas yang lahir tiga minggu lebih awal hanya mempunyai berat 3kg.

===Al-Fatihah===

Al-Fatihah~

This email, including any attachments, is confidential and for use only by intended recipient(s) for the purpose for which it has been sent. Its contents may be privileged and if you are not the intended recipient of this email, you must not use, disseminate, print or copy this email or any part of it or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this email in error, please contact the sender immediately by return email or telephone and delete/destroy the message. We do not accept liability for any corruption, delay, interception or unauthorized amendment of the e-mail or their consequences.

Disclaimer

This message is confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the
intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately. This message
should not be copied or used for any purpose other than the intended, nor
shall it be disclosed to any other person

.