Mystery surrounds the death of a nine-year-old pupil of SJK (C) Kampung Baru Tiong near here who died several hours after being caned on the back of his hands by a teacher.
Chan Qi Xian had complained of a severe headache after he was caned around noon on Tuesday for not doing his homework.
State Education Department director Datuk Abdullah Mohammad confirmed the case but was quick to add that the caning could not have possibly caused the boy’s death.
“I was told that the teacher caned the boy for failing to do his homework. That is a normal thing to do.
“His death is a mystery and we hope the post-mortem will be able to shed light on the actual cause of death,” he added.
Abdullah said the school authorities rushed the pupil to the Segamat Hospital when he complained of dizziness. They also contacted his parents.
When the boy’s condition deteriorated, doctors rushed Chan to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru.
However, it is learnt that the hospital authorities there told Qi Xian’s parents that his condition was critical and that he would not survive.
His parents then brought him home where he died at 3.30am yesterday.
Abdullah said that based on the headmaster’s report, Qi Xian did not suffer from any illnesses. “But we do not know if he had a medical condition,” he said.
Abdullah, who was away attending a meeting, said he would visit the school to talk to the teacher as well as other staff members about the incident.
Headmaster Lim Yan Ho refused to disclose details, adding that he had submitted a report to the state education department.
State police chief SAC I Datuk Osman Salleh said the boy could not have died due to the caning.
“It makes little sense to say that the death was due to the caning. We are doing our own investigations to see if the boy suffered from some medical condition,” he said.
He also advised parents to notify the school authorities if their children had medical problems. ”This will allow the school to have every pupil’s medical record.
“This way, we will be able to prevent untoward incidents, especially when disciplining them,” he said.
Qi Xian’s remains were brought to the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital here yesterday morning for a post-mortem. It is learnt that the autopsy would only be carried out today.
In Johor Baru, state health department director Dr Mohd Khairi Yakub said they would investigate the allegation that the Sultanah Aminah Hospital had turned away Qi Xian.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Shahrir to quit on April 8 when new Cabinet is named
Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said his decision to quit as Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister will not affect the running of the government or cause embarrassment to anyone.
He said this was because the resignation was effective only from April 8 when incoming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would announce his new Cabinet line-up.
He said it was unanimously decided at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting that the current ministers would automatically relinquish their posts when the new line-up was announced.
“Datuk Seri Najib is scheduled to leave for an overseas visit on April 9 so I expect the announcement to come a day earlier so the ministers will relinquish their posts on the same day that my resignation becomes effective,” he told a press conference at his ministry yesterday.
He said it was not necessary for the ministers to submit their resignation letters but he personally felt it was necessary to hand his letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the meeting.
Asked whether Abdullah accepted his resignation, he said, there was confusion as to who should receive the letter.
“Technically, I can only hand my resignation to Datuk Abdullah since he is the Prime Minister but the letter is effective on April 8 when Datuk Seri Najib would already have taken over the leadership, so he (Abdullah) neither accepted nor rejected the letter,” he said.
Shahrir decided to quit as he felt it was unfair of him to hold the post after failing to get a seat in the Umno supreme council.
He said there were many talented MPs and leaders in Barisan Nasional who would be able to function equally effectively as the minister or even do better than him.
He said this was because the resignation was effective only from April 8 when incoming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would announce his new Cabinet line-up.
He said it was unanimously decided at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting that the current ministers would automatically relinquish their posts when the new line-up was announced.
“Datuk Seri Najib is scheduled to leave for an overseas visit on April 9 so I expect the announcement to come a day earlier so the ministers will relinquish their posts on the same day that my resignation becomes effective,” he told a press conference at his ministry yesterday.
He said it was not necessary for the ministers to submit their resignation letters but he personally felt it was necessary to hand his letter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the meeting.
Asked whether Abdullah accepted his resignation, he said, there was confusion as to who should receive the letter.
“Technically, I can only hand my resignation to Datuk Abdullah since he is the Prime Minister but the letter is effective on April 8 when Datuk Seri Najib would already have taken over the leadership, so he (Abdullah) neither accepted nor rejected the letter,” he said.
Shahrir decided to quit as he felt it was unfair of him to hold the post after failing to get a seat in the Umno supreme council.
He said there were many talented MPs and leaders in Barisan Nasional who would be able to function equally effectively as the minister or even do better than him.
Najib to be sworn in as PM tomorrow
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has given his consent for Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to be sworn in as Prime Minister tomorrow, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said.
In a statement issued here last night, Mohd Sidek said Tuanku Mizan had also consented to grant an audience to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib at 10am today for Abdullah to relinquish the post and seek consent to appoint Najib as the new Prime Minister.
Tuanku Mizan gave his consent after granting Abdullah an audience before the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The King has given his consent for Najib to be presented his letter of appointment as Prime Minister and to take his oath of office, loyalty and confidentiality at Istana Negara at 10am tomorrow, the statement said. — Bernama
In a statement issued here last night, Mohd Sidek said Tuanku Mizan had also consented to grant an audience to Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib at 10am today for Abdullah to relinquish the post and seek consent to appoint Najib as the new Prime Minister.
Tuanku Mizan gave his consent after granting Abdullah an audience before the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The King has given his consent for Najib to be presented his letter of appointment as Prime Minister and to take his oath of office, loyalty and confidentiality at Istana Negara at 10am tomorrow, the statement said. — Bernama
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Penang mega projects will proceed
The RM4.5bil second Penang bridge project and RM2bil Penang Sentral transportation and logistics hub will proceed as planned, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
The Prime Minister said the two federal government projects, which incurred slight delays, would proceed even after he was no longer the premier.
“I cannot give the (exact) time when these projects will be completed but they are not abandoned.
“They are on-going even though a little slow,” he said after officiating at 28 federal government projects within his Kepala Batas parliamentary constituency in Dewan Milenium here Sunday.
Last April, Abdullah had said that the bridge project would be delayed by nine months due to issues related to land acquisition, design and rising costs.
On March 21, the company in-charge of laying the bridges foundation -- China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) -- had said that piling work on both ends of the bridge in Batu Kawan and Batu Maung had begun.
The bridge project is scheduled for completion by May 2012 while the first phase of the Penang Sentral project is expected to be ready by July 2011.
Earlier, Abdullah hoped that the country’s next leadership would not overlook in modernising rural areas in the process of urbanisation.
“We must continue to modernise the rural areas to make them attractive with necessary commercial and industrial values.
“Under my initiative, I promoted the development of agro-based industries nationwide, and I am pleased to note the successes they have recorded,” he said.
Abdullah also paid tribute to department heads, civil servants, local leaders as well as the people of Kepala Batas for playing a role in transforming the rural town into a bustling city.
Kepala Batas is now the main government administrative hub for North Seberang Prai district.
“I hope there will be continued development in Kepala Batas even when I am no longer Prime Minister,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the two federal government projects, which incurred slight delays, would proceed even after he was no longer the premier.
“I cannot give the (exact) time when these projects will be completed but they are not abandoned.
“They are on-going even though a little slow,” he said after officiating at 28 federal government projects within his Kepala Batas parliamentary constituency in Dewan Milenium here Sunday.
Last April, Abdullah had said that the bridge project would be delayed by nine months due to issues related to land acquisition, design and rising costs.
On March 21, the company in-charge of laying the bridges foundation -- China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) -- had said that piling work on both ends of the bridge in Batu Kawan and Batu Maung had begun.
The bridge project is scheduled for completion by May 2012 while the first phase of the Penang Sentral project is expected to be ready by July 2011.
Earlier, Abdullah hoped that the country’s next leadership would not overlook in modernising rural areas in the process of urbanisation.
“We must continue to modernise the rural areas to make them attractive with necessary commercial and industrial values.
“Under my initiative, I promoted the development of agro-based industries nationwide, and I am pleased to note the successes they have recorded,” he said.
Abdullah also paid tribute to department heads, civil servants, local leaders as well as the people of Kepala Batas for playing a role in transforming the rural town into a bustling city.
Kepala Batas is now the main government administrative hub for North Seberang Prai district.
“I hope there will be continued development in Kepala Batas even when I am no longer Prime Minister,” he said.
Tri-elections: Barisan and Pakatan peace pact
Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat have made a pact not to provoke each other in the run-up to the Bukit Selambu by-election.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he made the pact with his PKR counterpart Azmin Ali.
“We hope no one will breach the agreement made,” he said after visiting the Barisan headquarters for Bukit Selambau by-election in Taman Aman Jaya here Sunday.
Azmin, when contacted, said he and Hishammuddin had discussed the roles of the parties to ensure it would be a “healthy” campaign.
“I also spoke to (Umno Youth vice chairman) Datuk Razali Ibrahim.
“We agreed to make sure the campaign proceeds according to the rules and regulations of the Election Commission.
“We will abide by the law, and make sure there is no provocation on either side.
“I give my word that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat will campaign in a good manner. We hope Umno Youth will also give its co-operation so that no untoward incident happens here,” he said.
In Taiping Sunday morning, the nomination process for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat was marred by a couple of untoward incidents when Barisan supporters pelted water bottles at a vehicle ferrying DAP chairman Karpal Singh while newly elected Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar was heckled by PAS supporters.
Hishammuddin, who is leading the Barisan election machinery in Bukit Selambau, said that Khairy will be overseeing the “hot spots” for Barisan in Bukit Selambau.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he made the pact with his PKR counterpart Azmin Ali.
“We hope no one will breach the agreement made,” he said after visiting the Barisan headquarters for Bukit Selambau by-election in Taman Aman Jaya here Sunday.
Azmin, when contacted, said he and Hishammuddin had discussed the roles of the parties to ensure it would be a “healthy” campaign.
“I also spoke to (Umno Youth vice chairman) Datuk Razali Ibrahim.
“We agreed to make sure the campaign proceeds according to the rules and regulations of the Election Commission.
“We will abide by the law, and make sure there is no provocation on either side.
“I give my word that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat will campaign in a good manner. We hope Umno Youth will also give its co-operation so that no untoward incident happens here,” he said.
In Taiping Sunday morning, the nomination process for the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat was marred by a couple of untoward incidents when Barisan supporters pelted water bottles at a vehicle ferrying DAP chairman Karpal Singh while newly elected Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar was heckled by PAS supporters.
Hishammuddin, who is leading the Barisan election machinery in Bukit Selambau, said that Khairy will be overseeing the “hot spots” for Barisan in Bukit Selambau.
Tri-elections: Bkt Selambau independent might pull out
Fresh from submitting his nomination forms for the Bukit Selambau state seat, independent candidate Abdul Rahim Abu is already thinking of pulling out.
“I came into this contest because at the time I decided to run, there were no Malay candidates.
“I did it for the Malay spirit (Semangat Melayu). Now I see there are four other Malay candidates. I may talk with them about working together,” he told reporters after the nomination process concluded at Sekolah Menengah Teknik Sungai Petani I here Sunday.
Abdul Rahim, 47, said he would make a decision in three days.
Another independent candidate Mejar (Rtd) Anuar Abdul Hamid, 58, formerly from Umno, said he might return to his old political party if he wins the seat.
“If they don’t want me back, I am fine about remaining an independent as I am now,” he said.
Anuar said he left Umno in May last year after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed quit the party, along with several others of the latter’s supporters, after being a member for 20 years.
A. Jayagopal said he decided to run in the by-election because he believed he was the most suitable candidate.
“I speak Tamil, Malay, English and a little Chinese. I do not have communication problems when I speak to voters to understand their problems and needs,” he said.
Tan Hock Huat, the sole Chinese candidate, said he hoped to work harder from now on to win votes.
Mohd Fazil Abdul Wahab said he would seek out other independent candidates interested in sharing their resources during the campaign.
For Barisan Nasional’s candidate Datuk S. Ganesan, the 13 independents are an indication that the country is becoming more democratic.
“I am not going to be stressed out over this. I will just go on with my ‘man-to-man’ approach in my campaign,” he said.
PKR’s S. Manikumar said he promised to fight for his party’s aspirations in the by-election.
“I came into this contest because at the time I decided to run, there were no Malay candidates.
“I did it for the Malay spirit (Semangat Melayu). Now I see there are four other Malay candidates. I may talk with them about working together,” he told reporters after the nomination process concluded at Sekolah Menengah Teknik Sungai Petani I here Sunday.
Abdul Rahim, 47, said he would make a decision in three days.
Another independent candidate Mejar (Rtd) Anuar Abdul Hamid, 58, formerly from Umno, said he might return to his old political party if he wins the seat.
“If they don’t want me back, I am fine about remaining an independent as I am now,” he said.
Anuar said he left Umno in May last year after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed quit the party, along with several others of the latter’s supporters, after being a member for 20 years.
A. Jayagopal said he decided to run in the by-election because he believed he was the most suitable candidate.
“I speak Tamil, Malay, English and a little Chinese. I do not have communication problems when I speak to voters to understand their problems and needs,” he said.
Tan Hock Huat, the sole Chinese candidate, said he hoped to work harder from now on to win votes.
Mohd Fazil Abdul Wahab said he would seek out other independent candidates interested in sharing their resources during the campaign.
For Barisan Nasional’s candidate Datuk S. Ganesan, the 13 independents are an indication that the country is becoming more democratic.
“I am not going to be stressed out over this. I will just go on with my ‘man-to-man’ approach in my campaign,” he said.
PKR’s S. Manikumar said he promised to fight for his party’s aspirations in the by-election.
Tri-elections: Scuffle in Taiping
A small altercation broke out in front of the Taiping Municipal Council building here during the nomination process at 11am Sunday when Barisan Nasional supporters pelted water bottles at a vehicle ferrying DAP chairman Karpal Singh.
The crowd dispersed quickly upon police intervention.
Karpal, who filed a police report later, was unperturbed.
“We will campaign cleanly. Threats like that will not stop us.
“We were elected on record and not sympathy. It is their weakness and our substance that allowed us to lead in five states,” he said.
It will be a three-cornered fight between candidates from Barisan, PAS and a surprise independent candidate for Bukit Gantang.
Returning officer Datuk Mahmod Morsidi announced that Ismail Safian (Barisan), Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin (PAS) and Kamarul Ramizu Idris had all qualified to contest the by-election.
Hundreds of police personnel, including those of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), kept a close eye on proceedings.
Newly elected Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar was heckled by PAS supporters when he arrived at the centre.
The crowd got more riled up when Khairy waved at them. They had to be calmed down by PAS leaders as FRU personnel were put on standby.
The Bukit Gantang seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Roslan Shaharom of PAS on Feb 9.
The constituency -- which is made up of the three state constituencies of Changkat Jering, Trong and Kuala Sapetang -- has 55,562 registered voters. Of that 62% are Malays, 27% Chinese and 19% Indians.
The crowd dispersed quickly upon police intervention.
Karpal, who filed a police report later, was unperturbed.
“We will campaign cleanly. Threats like that will not stop us.
“We were elected on record and not sympathy. It is their weakness and our substance that allowed us to lead in five states,” he said.
It will be a three-cornered fight between candidates from Barisan, PAS and a surprise independent candidate for Bukit Gantang.
Returning officer Datuk Mahmod Morsidi announced that Ismail Safian (Barisan), Datuk Seri Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin (PAS) and Kamarul Ramizu Idris had all qualified to contest the by-election.
Hundreds of police personnel, including those of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), kept a close eye on proceedings.
Newly elected Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar was heckled by PAS supporters when he arrived at the centre.
The crowd got more riled up when Khairy waved at them. They had to be calmed down by PAS leaders as FRU personnel were put on standby.
The Bukit Gantang seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Roslan Shaharom of PAS on Feb 9.
The constituency -- which is made up of the three state constituencies of Changkat Jering, Trong and Kuala Sapetang -- has 55,562 registered voters. Of that 62% are Malays, 27% Chinese and 19% Indians.
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