紧盯財物及孩童‧游交怡在快艇码头须设防

吉总警长：紧盯財物及孩童‧游交怡在快艇码头须设防

吉打州总警长拿督阿末依布拉欣劝告前往浮罗交怡的游客，在快艇码头要注意小孩及財物的安全。

他表示本身在吉打港口及瓜镇快艇码头都留意到很多游客隨处置放行李，无人看顾，结果发生財物被偷窃事件。

除此，他也劝告有带孩子的家长要小心看顾孩子的安全，不要让孩子擅自接近码头或快艇的门，以免掉进海中酿成意外事件。

游客遇问题可向警察求救

阿末依布拉欣表示，已交待浮罗交怡警区主任关注游客安全事件，包括遏止攫夺案，尤其学校假期是浮罗交怡旅游旺季，游客若面对问题可向旅游警察或警察求救。

阿末依布拉欣是在吉打州警察总部出席吉打警察夫人协会颁发援助金予警员的特殊孩子仪式时发言。今年该协会共颁发援助金予100名警察的特殊孩子。

另一方面，受询及吉打州是否有很多违反交通规则而接传单的车主自动前来缴付罚款时，他表示尚未有数据，但若车主没有自动前来缴交罚款，警方才会採取行动。

～以上新闻转载自星洲日报～

明年迎大马旅游年‧亚罗士打整洁成焦点

市政厅：明年迎大马旅游年‧亚罗士打整洁成焦点

迎接2014年大马旅游年，亚罗士打市政厅的焦点放在维持和確保区內整洁，於礼仪大道增置更多装饰路灯和寻求拨款提昇公厕等。



部分参与的政府单位代表领取了工具，准备在区內开始大扫除。（图：星洲日报）

市政厅秘书莫哈末阿斯里说，旅游节目及活动由旅游局安排，市政厅的焦点是在地方上整洁。

他说，市政厅也会安排与小贩大扫，监督和確保所管辖的小贩中心保持整洁。

他昨日（5日）出席亚罗士打市政厅主办的大扫除活动时说，这是市政厅每年4次的常年项目之一。

希望更多民眾参与大扫除

他说，除了打扫亚罗士打市区，市政厅希望通过活动提升民眾的醒觉和参与感，因为维护市区整洁是共同的责任。 他说，对比国外，本地市民对地区整洁责任的醒觉相对低，包括昨日的大扫除获得为数不多的民眾参与，让人感到失望。

无论如何，他透露市政厅將继续举办大扫除活动，期望將来达到提升民眾醒觉和积极响应参与的目標。

～以上新闻转载自星洲日报～

Songkran will attract tourists

'Songkran will attract tourists'

THE state government will propose that a national-level Songkran festival be held in the state.

Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said Kedah would submit its proposal to the Tourism and Culture Ministry for the inaugural event to be held next February in Pendang, here.

He said Kedah was the best state to host the event as it had the biggest Siamese population in the country.

"The event will eventually have a good economic impact on the state as it will draw tourists, especially from Thailand," he said at the launch of the Loy Krathong festival at Pedu Siamese Watt in Kampung Tanjung Pedu, here, recently.

Shrieks of joy filled the air as 2,500 people of the Siamese community celebrated with thousands of lotus-shaped krathong afloat in Sungai Pedu.

Loy means "to float" while krathong is the lotus-shaped vessel, traditionally made of woven banana leaves. The modern version is made of polystyrene and coloured paper.

It is said that the krathong will carry bad luck away and bring good luck.

The crowd was treated to traditional Siamese music and dance, and mouthwatering Siamese food.

Loy Krathong is celebrated annually to thank water goddess Phra Mae Khongkha for the use of water in daily life. It is celebrated during the full moon of the 12th lunar month of the Thai calendar.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

无车族不便 米都急需市内巴士

张开笔： 无车族不便 米都急需市内巴士



亚罗士打市内没有巴士服务， 无车族需要公共交通设施。

吉打州政府受促探讨亚罗士打市区内没有公共巴士服务问题，无车族面对缺乏公共交通设施的不便。

可象征式收费

行动党哥打达鲁阿曼区州议员张开笔希望州政府关注人民在衣食住行的基本硬体需求，提供公共交通的基本设施，尤其是活在赤贫线上的人民只有摩托车，没有汽车，需要乘搭巴士。

他今日与行动党德卡区州议员陈国耀在吉打行动党总部召开记者会上对州议会回应有关亚罗士打市内公共交通受到忽略提问表示只提供城镇巴士而不是市内巴士的答复感到失望。

～以上新闻转载自南洋商报～

从沙敦市往玻州双溪峇都巴辖‧建议闢地底隧道

从沙敦市往玻州双溪峇都巴辖‧建议闢地底隧道

为促进玻璃市及泰南沙敦（Satun）的经济发展，玻璃市州政府及沙敦市政府於14年前已初步同意兴建衔接两地的通道，惟工程建议书两度遭驳回。



为促进玻璃市及泰南沙敦的经济发展，衔接两地通道的工程建议书两度遭驳回，舒默及工程师提出第三项工程建议，即从沙敦市通往玻璃市双溪峇都巴辖建设地底隧道。（图：星洲日报）

沙敦前市长舒默前天（19日）与工程师，再向玻璃市州政府提呈第三项工程建议，即从沙敦市通往玻璃市双溪峇都巴辖建设地底隧道。

在此之前，沙敦市政府与工程师先后提呈2份工程设计建议书：第一项建议是，从沙敦通往玻璃市港口，主要衔接为大桥道路；第二项建议则是，从沙敦通往旺吉輦。

舒默说，现有通往玻璃市及沙敦的唯一路段，即首府加央至沙敦市，全长80公里，若这座地底隧道建竣后，只有22公里长，当中包括6.5公里隧道。

舒默：有助拉近马泰关係

舒默解释，17.75公里是在泰国境內，4.25公里属於马来西亚境內，而当中6.5公里长的隧道分为3.1公里属泰国，3.4公里属大马。

“至於经费方面，是由马泰双方负责在各別境內的工程花费，而开发隧道是这项工程中耗资最高的费用，每公里斥资约10万令吉。”

舒默坦言，若这座隧道建成后，將缩短行程距离与时间，相信有助於拉近两国人民的关係与往来，同时也將为带来后续的成效，譬如吸引更多游客往来玻璃市及沙敦。

盼玻州大臣考虑

舒默已向玻璃市州务大臣阿兹兰及政府说明，有必要推动第三项工程建议书的重要性，再者，这项工程与早前的2项工程建议，属对环境破坏最低的一项，值得考虑。

他说，泰方在这项工程中，仍在等待环境局的审批，一旦获得批准后，將会立刻提呈给泰国中央政府。

“至於大马方面，则须由阿兹兰与团队来向中央政府提呈建议。”

～以上新闻转载自星洲日报～

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

Rehabilitating Pulau Payar

Pulau Payar will be closed for at least three weeks next year to rehabilitate the island and ensure that coral bleaching, which affected the island in 2010, will not recur.

Malaysia Marine Parks Department director-general Dr Sukarno Wagiman disclosed this during an island clean-up recently.

Sukarno said tourist arrivals on the island have returned to normal, at 200,000 since 2010, but he is concerned about the number of visitors, which is too big for the island to handle.

In the long run, he said, there will be environment degradation.

Sukarno said that Pulau Sipadan, one of the world's top diving site, allows only 120 visitors a day.

"It is fortunate that Langkawi Department Authority (Lada) has put aside RM94,000 this year and RM144,000 for next year to keep the island clean and free from pollution."

During the clean-up which involved Pantai Damai, Pantai Wangi, and the beach in front of the Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar, over 10 huge bags of rubbish were collected, and even an old television set.

More than 120 fishermen from Kedah and Labuan took part in the clean-up. They were joined by visitors to the island.

Sukarno said during the clean-up, the fishermen were also taught how to look after fish fry before they were released into the ocean. Similar programmes have also been organised for other marine parks. There were also programmes to clean up the seabed.

Sukarno said he would be discussing with the state government, local tourism businessmen, and agencies related to conservation to make sure Pulau Payar remains a pristine destination for tourists.



Fishermen and Department of Marine Parks Pulau Payar staff participating in a programme to clean up the island. Pic by Rahmat Othman

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Happy Deepavali 屠妖节快乐！