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Daily Express
2 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Express
Jalan Kolam, Jalan Sang Kancil streetlight outages
Published on: Friday, June 20, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 20, 2025 By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: A skymaster was deployed to help restore the affected lights in this part of Karamunsing. CITY Hall is trying to determine the reason for the recurring outage of the streetlights on a 512 metre-section of Jalan Kolam, in Luyang. The agency is also keeping tabs on Jalan Sang Kancil, which extends for some 384 metres from end to end, to ensure that this Karamunsing stretch is properly illuminated at night. Advertisement This action was prompted by feedback from two road-users about the safety hazards which drivers faced at night due to the failure of the public lighting at both locations. Both motorists provided Hotline with the pertinent details which were forwarded to the agency. A spokesman for City Hall's Engineering Department said its electrical contractor checked on what was transpiring on both roads, shortly after being contacted by the media. 'His workers found that the power to the lights had tripped,' he said. 'The ELCB [Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker] was reset, before the lights came on again. Advertisement 'This has happened on and off several times this year, especially when there is a downpour.' He explained that an ELCB was a safety device that detected and interrupted electrical faults, specifically earth leakage or ground faults, to prevent electric shocks and potential fire hazards. The spokesman said the agency was in the process of trying to isolate the fault in the underground line in this area. He said the agency would consider enlisting the assistance of Sabah Electricity (SE) to stabilise the electricity channelled to the lights. 'Our engineers made a joint inspection SE technicians some time back.' He said a fuse for one of the latter's installations here kept blowing during that check. 'We were made to understand that this might stem from rain-water seepage. 'The run off was likely finding its way into part of the electricity cable between the installation and the lights.' He estimated that there were more than 10 lights on the median between the junction Lorong Zirafah 8 and the Foh Sang intersection. When asked how often maintenance was carried out on City Hall's streetlights, the spokesman said there was no fixed-schedule for this work. 'These amenities are attended to as and when it becomes necessary to do so.' In the case of Jalan Sang Kancil, the spokesman said a problem with the power being channelled to a control panel along the road temporarily rendered the lights on the slope inoperable. 'We alerted SE about this occurrence and the company promptly despatched a team to resolve the problem,' he said. 'The contractor's staff later checked on the lights and related fixture and confirmed that everything was in order. A sky-master was deployed to facilitate this effort.' He said the individual had been asked to keep an eye on the public lighting on Jalan Kolam, as well as Jalan Sang Kancil, from time to time. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Express
Swimming pool closed for basic training
Published on: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 18, 2025 By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: Some of the 200 staff who attended the basic training at the International pool. THE management of the Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex (KKSC) has refuted a claim that it failed to inform the public in advance about the recent closure of its International swimming pool. A KKSC spokesman said the pool was closed for three days to allow a government department to conduct some basic training. Advertisement He said about 200 personnel participated in the event which was carried out between 8.30am-4pm from Tuesday and Thursday in the second week of June. 'The agency's administration made us aware of their intention to rent the pool for this purpose some time ago,' he said. 'Information about the closure was posted online at the complex's official social media page a full seven days before the scheduled training.' A physical announcement was pinned up on the KKSC's notice-board around the same time, according to him. The spokesman explained that this pool was an Olympic-sized one which divided into 10 lanes. 'It is 50 meters long and 25 meters wide. The depth varies between two meters at the shallow end to three meters at the deep end.' He said a fee of RM10 was levied to use the pool, which was open to the public between 8am-11.30pm and 2pm-7pm daily. 'Aside from those instances when it may be rented out, the International pool is generally closed on the first Monday of each month so that it can be maintained.' He said there were two other pools sited at the Complex: A diving pool which was meant for athletes and had a depth of 10 metres, as well as a recreation and kiddie pool which was open to the public. ONG, an avid swimmer, drove all the way from his home in Putatan to the KKSC on Thursday just make use of the International swimming pool, only to find that it was closed. 'I didn't see a notice anywhere to explain why the pool was off-limits to the public,' he alleged. 'I go to the pool, on and off, to get some exercise and was upset that I couldn't do so on this occasion after coming from so far away.' The spokesman said the management regretted any disappointment caused to those who couldn't go for a swim during the closure of the pool. 'However, we would like to point out that we did perform our due diligence to alert users beforehand that they would temporarily be unable to access the International pool,' he said. As an alternative, he advised Ong to consider going for a swim at the Penampang Sports Complex (PSC) pool, if he ever found himself unable to access the International pool at the KKSC again in future. 'The PSC pool may be a bit smaller but, at least, it has the benefit of being closer to where he lives in Putatan. 'The one at the Penampang Complex is a standard 50m competition pool. It is 25m wide and has a depth of 2m.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Express
Councils act on free-roaming animals
Published on: Thursday, June 19, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jun 19, 2025 By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: A cage has been placed at this part of Taman Rodamas to catch any strays wandering about the neighbourhood. Buffalo owners in Kuala Penyu will be cautioned against letting their herd wander in the common areas around the town, with the District Council hoping to rope in village leaders to help get this message across to such livestock breeders in their respective areas. The Municipal Council, meanwhile, has placed a cage in one part of a Penampang neighbourhood to catch any dogs which may be wandering about on the housing roads there. Advertisement This action was prompted by feedback from a Kg Bundu farmer and another from Kg Kikunsa, as well as a Taman Rodamas ratepayer, about the nuisance created by these animals. The farmers bemoaned the losses they incurred after the buffaloes encroached onto their land. They said these livestock damaged the fruit trees which they had been cultivating, besides soiling their property. A Penampang senior citizen, on the hand, spoke out about the aggressive strays which had threatened to bite him when he went for an evening stroll near the basketball court for his housing area. He said this had happened on two separate occasions over the past few months. Their grievances were forwarded to the respective agencies. A District Council spokesman said it planned to meet with livestock owners within its rating area at some point later this year, together with the relevant authorities including the police. 'We want to impress upon these individuals the need to keep any cows, buffaloes and pigs being reared confined on their land,' he said. He said these animals posed a safety risk to the public, including motorists. They also had a penchant for destroying landscaping and soiling the common areas with their droppings, according to him. 'By allowing these livestock to wander about freely around the district, their owners could be deemed to have contravened the conditions stipulated in the Council's (Control of Animal) By-laws 1987 and further action could be taken against these individuals.' The spokesman said errant breeders risked being compounded up to RM100, under the By-Laws. Repeat offenders, on the other hand, could be taken to court, according to him. 'Should they be found guilty, they face the possibility of having to settle a fine for as much as RM5, 000.' 'In the case of a continuing offence a further fine of RM200 can be imposed for every day during which the offence continues.' Where Taman Rodamas was concerned, the Penampang Municipal Council has been keeping tabs on the going-on in the neighbourhood to ensure that its rate-payers were not unduly troubled by any canines there A spokesman for the agency said four personnel with the agency's Health Section went to the residential properry, shortly after it was contacted by the media. He said checks were made of Lorong Rodamas, Lorong Rodamas 1, Lorong Rodamas 2, Lorong Hiburan and Lorong Hiburan 1, including near the church, two basketball courts and a car wash in the area. 'No strays were spotted roaming about on the housing roads at the time,' he said. 'Twenty five brochures on our dog-rearing guidelines were personally handed out to the residents or placed in post boxes here.' Pet-owners, whom Council staff met with, were advised not to release their canines from their compounds unsupervised, according to him. He said five of the agency's personnel returned at night four days later to set up a cage along Lorong Rodamas. The spokesman said the Council would make periodic inspections of the housing area. 'Our staff are authorised to catch any dogs found roaming about by themselves.' He said canines with a tag would be held in the agency's keeping, with their owners given a grace-period to claim their pets. The spokesman said rate-payers would have to settle a compound before their dogs could be returned to them. A penalty of up to RM500 can be imposed in such circumstances, under the Council's Registration and Control of Dogs By-laws 1987, according to him. He reminded Penampang residents of the agency's two-dog limit, as well as the necessity to have their canines registered with the agency. 'Dog-owners should ensure that their pets are properly vaccinated and do not become a public nuisance. The spokesman also urged pet-owners to step in when their pets started barking so that this noise did not continue non-stop and disturb their neighbours. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
13-06-2025
- General
- Daily Express
Scheme to boost water pressure in Penampang: Water Department
Published on: Friday, June 13, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jun 13, 2025 By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: A new valve was put in place. THE Water Department hopes to boost the pressure of the main incoming supply to Country Heights Apartments, in Penampang, once it launches its new Emergency Water Supply Scheme (EWSS) plant in Kasigui at the end of the month. Operations at the facility are tentatively due to get underway from June 22, giving the agency access to between three to five million litres of treated water daily (MLD). Advertisement This is on top of the 55 MLD which is produced, under normal circumstances, at the existing Kasigui treatment plant. A Department spokesman said the administration was aware that the strength of the supply reaching the bulk meter for the Apartments was not what it should be. 'The pressure is particularly low at night,' he said. 'After 10pm, water from this part of the district is pushed to Putatan.' He said the supply was re-directed back to Country Heights around 5am. The pressure problem at the Apartments was partly aggravated by the hilly terrain on which the residential property was built, according to him. 'When the volume of water at our R6B reservoir, overlooking Donggongon, falls below a certain level, it can affect the strength of the supply channelled to Country Heights. This most recently happened in the second half of May.' The spokesman said the Department was optimistic about the additional resources from the EWSS plant helping it to mitigate the water problems at the residential property. 'We intend to carry out a stabilisation exercise early next month to try and improve the situation at the Apartments.' He was responding to feedback about the intermittent supply which consumers at Country Heights had been experiencing since April. WILLA, who occupies a ground floor unit, said she frequently lost her tapwater in the early morning. 'When the supply comes back in the late afternoon, it has a murky quality,' she said. 'Occasionally, the water will change colour and become completely white.' She hoped the Department would intervene to put an end to these irregularities, for the benefit of the 6,000 occupants staying on the property. Her grievance was forwarded to the agency. The spokesman said its technicians went to the Apartments, shortly after being contacted by the media. They noted that water was reaching the bulk-meter and entering the ground tanks, according to him. 'The pressure of the supply, at the time, was observed to be low,' he said. 'Our personnel checked on the condition of the distribution mains leading to the meter and found that some of the fixtures were faulty. A strainer and valve was subsequently replaced.' He said the strength of the water entering the tanks improved slightly after these changes were made. Given this turn of events, he said, the agency's staff had been asked to check on the water situation at Country Heights from time to time. A spokesman for the Apartments' management company said the property had periodically lost its main incoming supply between 10pm and 6am since April. 'Even when the supply did not disappear, the pressure was very low,' he said. 'It was only about five to 10 per cent of what it should be.' 'Owing to this, there was not enough water in our ground tanks for us to give our tenants a supply the following morning.' He said the firm generally released water for a few hours twice a day – once in the morning and then at night. 'The management has had to control the flow of water from our elevated and ground tanks to our tenants. If the supply is not controlled, then those living on the upper floors would have no chance of getting any water at all.' The spokesman said this task had become exceedingly difficult since April 17, when there had intermittently been 'zero' input to the tanks for Country Heights at night. He said multiple calls had been made to the Department's Careline since then about these water woes. Two letters were also despatched to the agency, according to him, the first on May 13, the second on June 6. 'We are still waiting to receive an official response to our correspondence.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
10-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
Initiative to reduce straw usage at outlets
Published on: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 10, 2025 By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: This coffeeshop patron in Inanam was compounded for haphazardly disposing of his rubbish. KOTA Kinabalu food operators, including hawkers, risk having their licences suspended if they are found to be providing plastic and polystyrene straws with their beverages after the next four months. A spokesman for the agency's Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) said such action would be enacted in the worst-case-scenario. Advertisement 'City Hall licence-holders will initially be served with notices of non-compliance,' he said. 'Should they continue to disregard our formal request to refrain from handing out plastic and polystyrene straws to their customers, then we will have no choice but to suspend their licence.' 'Plastic and polystyrene straws cannot be recycled. On top of this, they contain compounds which are harmful to the human body. 'We want eatery and stall owners to switch to using paper straws or those made from organic material, like corn starch.' He said City Hall intended to do away with the use of plastic and polystyrene straws within its rating area from October 1 onwards. The spokesman said senior City Hall officials, including its Director General of Operations Robert Lipon and SWMD Director Leong Tze Fui, met with 150-200 individuals in the food and related sectors on Friday to make them aware of the agency's intention. He said personnel from local plastic manufacturing companies, as well as representatives from the Sabah branch of the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) and the Local Government and Housing Ministry were also present during the engagement session. 'By and large, the food operators and hawkers were supportive of our plan. But some asked if we could push back the October 1-start to a later date. 'We have given all those concerned between now and September 30 to fulfil our requirements. Four months should be more than enough time for them to deplete their existing stock of plastic and polystyrene straws.' He explained that the move to 'zero-ise' the use of these straws was a natural evolution of City Hall's 'No Plastic Bags' policy which was launched last year. 'We are not the first local authority in the country to prohibit the use of plastic and polystyrene straws in the country. Several in Peninsula Malaysia have already made done this, as has the Sarikei District Council in our neighbour State, Sarawak.' Meanwhile, litterbugs around the State Capital could find themselves RM10,000 poorer, if they persist in disposing of their rubbish, including cigarette butts, indiscriminately. The spokesman said this was the maximum fine which could be imposed under City Hall's (Anti-Litter) By-Laws 1985 (Amendment 2005), if the offenders were found guilty in court. He said legal action was initiated by the agency in extreme cases. 'A total of 81 wrongdoers received Anti-Litter compounds from SWMD inspectors during 29 'Ops Bersih' inspections carried out last month,' he said. These checks involved properties within the City Centre, as well as those in areas ranging from Likas to Manggatal, according to him. 'A compound of up to RM500 can be imposed for anyone caught contravening the By-Laws.' He said those in Kota Kinabalu, included the shophouses in Bandaran Berjaya, Kg Air, Sinsuran and Segama, as well as Centre Point Sabah. Checks were also made of the public areas on Jalan Gaya and Jalan Tugu, according to him. 'The highest number of litterbugs was nabbed around Kg Air (13), followed by Center Point (10) and Segama (9). When it came to areas outside the City limits, the spokesman said the SWMD team went to Inanam and Manggatal towns, as well as several commercial centres including Damai Plaza, Plaza Juta, Kingfisher Plaza, Inanam Taipan, Manggatal Plaza and Sulaman Sentral. On top of this, inspections were also carried out at Mini Putrajaya and the shops at Universiti Apartment, according to him. 'Inanam town and Taipan tied for the locations with the most offenders, in this instance, with a total of six litter-bugs caught in these areas. 'This was followed by the Kingfisher Plaza where four errant individuals were nabbed. Three each were taken to task around Sulaman Sentral and Damai Plaza.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
