Six states still have low treated water reserves
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Thursday, 10 Dec 2020
KUALA LUMPUR: Six states recorded a reserve margin of below 15% in treated water during the second quarter of the year, says Deputy Environment and Water Minister (KASA) Datuk Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad.
They are Johor (11.3%), Sabah (8.3%), Perlis (7.1%), Selangor (1.5%), Kelantan (-0.25) and Kedah (-2.3%).
“Through the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) which acts as the regulatory body of the national water services industry, KASA has set the key performance indicators of treated water margin reserves that need to be complied with and achieved by all state water operators at 10 to 15%, ” he told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Ahmad Masrizal was responding to a question from Datuk Ahmad Nazlan Idris (BN-Jerantut) on the ministry’s initiative to address the low treated water reserve margin in the country and plans to increase water sources.
For Selangor, he said the completion of the Langat 2 Plant in 2023 would increase the treated water margin reserve to 10%.
For Kelantan, he said completion of the water treatment plant in Kg Teluk, scheduled next year, would increase the water margin reserve to 4%.
“For Kedah, five plants, for which tenders have been approved, are expected to be completed in 2023 and they will increase the water reserve margin to 21%, ” he said.
On the treated water margin reserve for the whole country, Ahmad Masrizal said: “It is at 11.5% or 1.943 million litres per day as of the second quarter of this year.”
Water cut or not: Confusion among consumers after Sg S'gor water treatment plants shut briefly due to pollution
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Tuesday, 08 Dec 2020 l 10:03 AM MYT
PETALING JAYA: There is confusion among consumers whether the latest raw water pollution incident at Sungai Selangor would affect their water supply or not.
In its latest update on its social media accounts, Air Selangor said four water treatment plants along Sungai Selangor are back in operation Tuesday (Dec 8) morning after being shutdown earlier due to pollution.
However, it did not give an indication as to how this would affect water supply of households in the Klang Valley.
“The treatment plants are operating. We are doing our best to stabilise the distribution system.
“Please refer to the information which would be updated from time to time on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, the AirSelangor app and our website, ” it said in reply to an enquiry by a Twitter user as to whether the water supply was disrupted.
Earlier, Air Selangor said the Rantau Panjang water treatment plant stopped operations at 11.30pm Monday (Dec 7) while Phases 1,2 and 3 of the Sungai Selangor water treatment plants had to stop at 1am Tuesday.
In its earlier notice, Air Selangor also said the halt in the operations caused unscheduled water cuts in 1,274 areas in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.
RM5,000 lesap ditipu penyamar
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Isnin, 7 Disember 2020 @ 10:29 PM
Melaka: Pekerja syarikat swasta kerugian RM5,000 selepas ditipu lelaki yang menyamar sebagai abang angkatnya dengan mendakwa dia diragut dan mahu pertolongan mangsa.
Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersil Melaka, Superintendan E Sundra Rajan berkata, dalam kejadian 3 Disember lalu itu, wanita berusia 40 tahun terbabit yang sedang bekerja menerima panggilan daripada nombor telefon tidak dikenali.
"Pemanggil mengaku sebagai abang angkat mangsa. Suspek memberitahu dia diragut serta kehilangan telefon bimbit dan wang tunai.
"Suspek kemudian meminta bantuan wang daripada mangsa dan berjanji akan membayar semula pada 6 Disember," katanya.
Beliau berkata, tanpa berfikir panjang, mangsa memasukkan wang tunai berjumlah RM5,000 ke dalam akaun yang diberikan suspek.
Menurutnya, pada 6 Disember mangsa menghubungi abang angkatnya namun lelaki itu menafikan pernah meminta wang daripada wanita terbabit.
"Menyedari ditipu mangsa membuat laporan di Balai Polis Bukit Baru pada 6 Disember dan kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 420 Kanun Keseksaan.
Covid-19 threatens to derail plastic reduction efforts
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07 DEC 2020 / 08:45 H.
KUALA LUMPUR: Plastic waste, instead of decreasing as planned, is on the rise due to Covid-19, threatening to derail the country’s fledgling environmental efforts.
From medical masks, takeaway plastic food containers to zip ties, experts have reported seeing an increase in plastic waste.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, when stay-at-home advisories became effective, people have steadily moved their lives online and getting their meals, groceries and goods delivered.
The use of plastic packaging has predictably surged, especially in the food delivery category as merchants seek to keep costs down while ensuring food safety.
“Just looking at the change of behaviour and practice during Covid (pandemic), you can already see that plastic will increase,” said Waste Management Systems Sdn Bhd executive chairman Datuk Mizan Yahya.
Plastic waste usually comprises slightly more than 13 percent of all municipal solid waste in Malaysia.
Read more: Covid-19 threatens to derail plastic reduction efforts
i-Sinar: Pengurangan pendapatan 30 peratus juga boleh mohon
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Khamis, 3 Disember 2020 @ 7:12 PM
Kuala Lumpur: Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) mengumumkan kriteria dan butiran kemudahan i-Sinar yang kini dibuka kepada sehingga lapan juta ahli yang layak.
KWSP dalam satu kenyataan berkata, kriteria kelayakan ialah Kategori 1 iaitu ahli yang bekerja di sektor formal, bekerja sendiri, bekerja di sektor ekonomi gig, sudah lama tidak mencarum, hilang pekerjaan, suri rumah atau yang diberi notis cuti tanpa gaji.
Kriteria bagi Kategori 1 adalah:
1. Ahli yang tiada caruman dengan KWSP sekurang-kurangnya selama dua bulan berturut-turut semasa permohonan;
2. Ahli yang masih bekerja tetapi mengalami pengurangan gaji pokok sebanyak 30 peratus dan ke atas selepas 1 Mac 2020.
Bagi kategori ini:
Tiada dokumen sokongan diperlukan; kelulusan secara automatik berdasarkan data dalaman KWSP; ahli hanya perlu memohon secara dalam talian melalui isinar.kwsp.gov.my mulai 21 Disember 2020.
Pembayaran untuk ahli yang layak akan bermula dari pertengahan Januari 2021.
Read more: i-Sinar: Pengurangan pendapatan 30 peratus juga boleh mohon
Gardenia naikkan harga roti
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November 30, 2020 13:16 MYT
KUALA LUMPUR: Beberapa produk keluaran Gardenia Bakeries Sdn Bhd (GBKL) bakal menyaksikan peningkatan harga sehingga RM0.20 sen bermula 1 Disember, kata syarikat itu dalam satu kenyataan.
Menurut syarikat itu lagi, peningkatan harga itu bermula dari RM0.05 sen melibatkan produk roti seperti Gardenia Squiggles - Funky Strawberry, Choco Malto, Gardenia Delicia Soft Roll - Butter Toffee, Sambal Bilis dan Gardenia Fluffy Red Beans.
Sementara itu, bagi kenaikan harga RM0.20 sen pula melibatkan produk roti The Gardenia Toast’em, Delicia Butter Raisin, Butterscotch, Choco Raisin dan Raspberry Milk & Cranberries.
"Semakan harga ini dibuat kerana kenaikan harga bahan mentah seperti lemak sayuran, serbuk koko, susu dan pembungkusan.
"Fokus kami sekarang adalah untuk terus meningkatkan usaha untuk mengoptimumkan produktiviti dan kecekapan operasi," katanya sambil menambah keputusan untuk meningkatkan harga produk adalah pilihan terakhir.
GBKL pada masa sama berkata tiada peningkatan harga bagi produk lain keluaran syarikat itu.
Terdahulu, tular dalam media sosial mengenai senarai produk Gardenia yang mengalami kenaikan harga.
Hydroelectric dams: TNB prepared for monsoon season
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November 30, 2020 @ 1:54pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has made early preparations for its three hydroelectric dams since early August to face the monsoon season this year.
"Some of the preparations that were made include the management of the water levels through controlled release of water at all dams and thorough inspection at all hydroelectric stations owned by TNB," said TNB chief ventures officer Datuk Nor Azman Mufti.
"Fire drills and safety and preparation tests with other government agencies who are involved with flood management were also done," he said.
Nor Azman said other than generating renewable energy for the country, the hydroelectric dams also serve as a flood mitigation system which prevents disasters from worsening, especially at downstream river areas.
"Before the monsoon season, the water levels at the dams were reduced through controlled release of the water to ensure that the dams are able to hold the increasing rainwater.
"With that, there is no need to drastically release the water contained at the dams during the monsoon season, which can cause disasters at the downstream river areas," said Nor Azman.
Source:
Don’t fall for the home remedy lie
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Monday, 30 Nov 2020
PETALING JAYA: Amid all the news about Covid-19 vaccines, tales still abound of home remedies as an antidote to the virus.
Herbs, healing oils, honey and home-made concoctions – these are some of the “preventive measures” being talked about among Malaysians despite the authorities’ battle against misinformation.
In a tweet on Oct 22, the Health Ministry reminded Malaysians that “there is no cure for #Covid-19 so far. If there are parties selling products that claim to be able to treat Covid-19, it is fake”.
Yet, that has not stopped the “snake oil salesman”.
For example, a banner offering free services related to “vaksin penawar Covid-19” was put up near a tree in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
The banner, which displayed a phone number, also stated that “telemedicine was available”.
A picture of the banner was posted last month by a Twitter user named Hafiz, who was amused by it. When contacted later, Hafiz said the banner had since been removed.
Lima telco disiasat
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30/11/2020, Isnin
Kuala Lumpur: Dianggarkan hampir 100 syarikat penyedia kandungan dikesan melakukan jenayah 'menyedut' kredit prabayar milik pengguna telefon bimbit menyebabkan mangsa kerugian hampir RM100 juta sejak 10 tahun lalu.
Difahamkan syarikat ini aktif 'mencuri' wang milik pengguna talian prabayar hasil kegiatan membeli data peribadi pengguna dengan menyogok kakitangan syarikat telekomunikasi (telco) tempatan.
Sumber Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) mendedahkan kepada Harian Metro, syarikat ini akan menghantar pelbagai kandungan mesej melalui sistem pesanan ringkas (SMS) ke telefon bimbit pelanggan talian prabayar sebelum mangsa dikenakan caj antara 50 sen hingga RM5 bagi setiap penghantaran 'sampah.'
Menurutnya, ramai pakar teknikal dan 'orang penting' syarikat telco yang dikesan bersekongkol dengan menjual data peribadi milik pelanggan berdaftar talian prabayar.
"Jika diambil kira jumlah kerugian pengguna prabayar di negara ini susulan aktiviti haram dikesan, SPRM menganggarkan ia mencecah RM100 juta jika mengambil kira peratusan keuntungan diperoleh telco dan syarikat penyedia kandungan ini," katanya.
From online shopping to offline let-downs
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Sunday, 29 Nov 2020
MORE Malaysians are shopping online these days and especially with Christmas next month, it’s always a good idea to be careful before you buy anything.
A total of 1,520 complaints on online shopping through social media were reported to the National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) as of November this year.
Most claimed to be scammed by sellers, with the top types of items involved being electronic gadgets like handphones and power banks, clothes, watches and women’s accessories.
Another 1,646 complaints were against retailers and sellers of products related to Covid-19 like face masks, hand sanitisers and health supplements, the NCCC tells Sunday Star.
For purchases on social media, NCCC senior manager Baskaran Sithamparam says sellers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are not bound by refund or return policies like those who are on legitimate online marketplaces.
And this has led many consumers to be taken for a ride.
“Some did not receive the items they ordered at all or received only part of the item, ” he says.
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