STORY TO BE TOLD

Hazardous haze, DPM advises Muar schools to temporarily close

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today advised schools in Muar to temporarily close as the haze enveloping the district has reached a hazardous level.

Muhyiddin who is also Education Minister, said this measure was necessary to prevent the haze from adversely affecting the students' health.

"When the haze has reached a hazardous level, the schools' administration or principals can close the schools temporarily.

"If the API (Air Pollutant Index) reading has reached 400, it's considered dangerous, and the schools must close until the situation improves," he said after chairing a special meeting with the National Security Council on the haze situation in Muar, at this office in Parliament building, here, Wednesday.

The haze problem in the Muar district over the last few days has worsened, with the API reading at 432 as at 11am today, which is categorised as hazardous.

However, API readings at the monitoring stations in other areas so far showed readings that indicated the air quality to be healthy or moderately healthy.

Muhyiddin said although the API reading had dropped to below 300, schools in the Muar district were still advised not to carry out any co-curricular activity outside for the time being.

Muhyiddin said the National Security Council would also activate the Central National Disaster Relief Management Committee to monitor and control the haze situation, besides activating the state and district-level committees.

"The first step will be to inform the people of Muar to take precautionary measures to protect their health such as wearing masks."

He said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah had also been in contact with his counterpart in Indonesia, seeking the latter's cooperation in addressing the haze problem.

Muhyiddin said Malaysia was also prepared to provide assistance including logistics to tackle the problem.

"According to the reports we've received, the haze originates from there (Indonesia). We are not simply making accusation but we want action before the haze spreads and becomes even more detrimental to Malaysia," he said

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Not giving up hope: A team from the Fire and Rescue Department along with some volunteers looking for the missing victims around the express boat.

State rep: Most victims were women and children
By YU JI
yuji@thestar.com.my

BINTULU: Most of the victims on the capsized express boat heading to Ulu Kakus are believed to be mothers and their young children.

They were on their way home from Tatau when the tragedy occurred at about 2.30pm on Monday.

Kakus assemblyman John Sikie Tayai believed that many of them were in Tatau for a children’s clinic programme on Sunday.

“I cannot be 100% sure at this moment because information is still hazy – there’s much confusion – but I’ve been told that most of the people on the boat were mothers and their children,” he said over the phone.

“The accident happened just an hour into the journey, which started on Sungai Anap, and the boat was about 30 minutes from entering Sungai Kakus.”

Sikie, who described the incident as “extremely saddening”, said most of the victims were from families who worked at logging camps.

“When I heard about this at 6pm on Monday, I felt so helpless. I was in Kuching and there was not much I could do.”

He said the river was the only viable means of transport for most of his constituents.

“The logging roads are just too muddy and they don’t reach most longhouses.

“Boats are still the mode of transportation,” Sikie said.

Asked how many were onboard the ill-fated express boat, Sikie said: “That’s difficult to answer. I don’t think there was a record. Or if there was one, it might have been washed away by now.”

The township of Tatau is about 50km from Bintulu in the central region.

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Starch-free rice for diabetics launched

KUALA LUMPUR: A new organically-grown rice, said to be good for diabetics, has hit the market.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consu­merism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob launched the Maswangi white rice here yesterday, saying it was a good initiative by local cooperatives.

“This is a good step. It is good for people with diabetes because it does not contain starch,” he said when launching the rice at the Umno General Assembly bazaar site at the Putra World Trade Centre.

The product is distributed by Kedah-based Koperasi Wanita Pendang (KWP) and is priced at RM16 per kg.

Ismail Sabri said the price tag should not deter consumers.

“This rice tastes as good as other types of rice. Some health products may not taste as good but this is very good,” he said.

KWP adviser Suraya Yaacob said the cooperative made its first harvest of the Maswangi rice from 15 acres about three months ago, adding that 15 workers would be harvesting another 35 acres within next month.

The rice was grown at Kampung Charuk Tok Pong in Sik, Kedah.

“It’s like brown rice but chemical-free and grown without pesticides,” she claimed.

Suraya, who is Sungai Tiang state assemblyman, added that KWP was researching the by-products of the rice, including a chemical-free soap for the face and body.

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Gas scare for Klang residents

KLANG: Residents in some parts of Taman Sentosa here had the scare of their lives when the smell of liquefied petroleum gas enveloped the vicinity.

Some residents were even prepared to evacuate their homes in the 4pm incident yesterday.

A fire engine from the Sri Andalas Fire and Rescue Services Department rushed to the area after receiving a distress call.

“We could not locate the source of the smell and had to request for help,” said an officer from the Sri Andalas station.

Back-up arrived from Shah Alam Fire and Rescue Services Department later in the evening.

The officer added that a Hazmat team from Shah Alam traced the odour to a scrap metal yard in the area.

“The Selangor Environment De­­part­­ment officers, who had also come to the site, told us to continue with our work during the day as it was too dangerous to continue at night,” he said.

Work was halted after about 10pm and the area around the scrap metal yard had been sealed off.

The officer said an official statement will be issued by the Firs Services Department today.

The area will also be cleaned up today as well.

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Eyewitness: Passengers onboard had no life vests

TATAU: An eyewitness of the express boat disaster here saw passengers climb out of the sinking vessel without any life vests .

Logging camp worker Patrick Eming Ubit, 35, was in his quarters just next to the river when he heard screams from the river.

“I ran to the river bank and saw the express boat partly underwater. There were men, women and children trying to crawl out and some of them were struggling to stay afloat. They had no life vests.

“I shouted to the other workers to help and some of the people on board the barge (which the express boat had crashed into) started throwing lifebuoys to the people in the water. Some of us jumped in and swam towards the people to pull them to shore.

“A baby girl was still alive when we pulled her to the bank, but she stopped breathing after five minutes,’’ Eming said.

He said the middle of the river was very deep and the place where the incident happened was at a sharp bend where the current was strong.

Eming said those who managed to swim ashore were mainly adults, while others were pulled out of the river by camp workers and villagers. There were 17 survivors.

He added this was the worst boat tragedy along the river, a vital route linking the interior with Bintulu.

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Slithery sidekicks: Noo Azahariah cleaning the glass room where she will stay with more than 100 snakes during the exhibition. Inset: The pretty snake handler kisses a cobra during the show. – SAIFUL BAHRI/The Star

A woman does well in Hisss world
By ROSHIDI ABU SAMAH
roshidi@thestar.com.my

IPOH: Noo Azahariah Adnan looks like any young woman, with her stylish dressing and make-up. But she has strange bedfellows – snakes.

Unlike others who might only want to see snakes from outside a cage, the 31-year-old woman decided to get closer to them and became a snake handler.

Noo Azahariah said she became fascinated with snakes after her parents brought her to a snake show when she was 15.

“I immediately fell in love with the reptiles while watching the snake charmer at work.

“I think snakes are such beautiful, graceful and sensitive creatures,” she said here yesterday.

Four years later, Noo Azahariah joined renowned snake expert Hussinee Dastagia’s team to learn the techniques and tricks in handling snakes.

“Although it looks simple, it is actually quite dangerous to play with poisonous snakes.

“Once, I was bitten by a King Cobra and had to seek medical treatment,” she said.

Noo Azahariah is performing at the Beauty And The Hisss! Exhibition at the Darul Ridzuan Museum here until Nov 18.

During the exhibition, Noo Azahariah will live in a glass room with more than 100 snakes including venomous species.

“The stunt is part of my preparations to get my name into the Guinness Book of Records.

“I’m attempting to live with the snakes for more than 30 days,” said Noo Azahariah, who is the exhibition’s main attraction.

Perak State Museums Board director Nor Janati Ibrahim said the exhibition would allow visitors to have a better understanding of snakes.

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