Gerai jagung Gaung berubah wajah

KUALA BERANG (Berita Harian): Walaupun bandar ini dikatakan terletak di kawasan hulu, banyak tarikan pelancongan yang unik terdapat di sini. Justeru, tidak hairanlah walaupun berstatus ‘hulu’, bandar ini masih mampu menarik kunjungan pelancong dalam dan luar negara saban tahun.

Bagi pelancong yang berkunjung mahupun bercuti ke sini, tidak lengkap sekiranya pulang tanpa membeli jagung sebagai ole-ole untuk rakan dan keluarga. Deretan gerai menjual jagung dan pelbagai jenis buah di Kampung Gaung di sini, memang terkenal sebagai tumpuan pelancong.

Namun, agak menyedihkan kerana keadaan gerai yang mula dibuka sejak 1990-an itu kelihatan semakin uzur dan memburukkan pandangan. Malah, tidak mustahil keadaan gerai yang usang itu mungkin menjejaskan ‘mood’ dan kehendak pembeli untuk singgah membeli jagung.

Menyedari hakikat itu, Lembaga Pemasaran Pertanian Persekutuan (Fama) memperuntukkan sejumlah RM60,000 untuk membekalkan set peralatan perniagaan termasuk khemah, rak dan bakul kepada 30 peniaga jagung di situ, bagi mewujudkan suasana perniagaan lebih ceria, bersih dan seragam.

Pengarah Fama Terengganu, Hasan Jusoh, berkata peralatan yang diberi secara percuma itu diharap dapat menarik lebih ramai pengunjung dan pembeli jagung, sekali gus meningkatkan pendapatan peniaga dan menjadikan produk jagung keluaran penduduk setempat semakin popular.

Beliau berkata, keadaan gerai yang cantik, tersusun dan seragam akan meningkatkan imej peniaga di mata pembeli, sekali gus menjadikan Kuala Berang sebagai hab penjualan jagung terulung di kalangan pelancong yang berkunjung ke Terengganu.

“Jika kita lihat perbezaan selepas kelengkapan baru ini dipasang dengan sebelumnya memang jauh berbeza. Sebelum ini, mungkin ramai pengunjung tidak berminat untuk singgah kerana keadaan gerai yang kelihatan uzur, bersepah dan tidak menarik, tetapi kini suasananya lebih ceria dan berwarna-warni.

“Kita tahu, jagung adalah hasil tani yang sangat sinonim dengan Kuala Berang. Pendek kata, jika ada pelancong datang ke sini, mereka pasti mencari lokasi gerai ini untuk membeli jagung. Jadi, kita perlu pastikan imej gerai dan peniaga kita di tahap terbaik dan memuaskan untuk dikunjungi pembeli,” katanya ditemui selepas majlis penyerahan peralatan gerai jagung di sini, baru-baru ini.

Seramai 30 peniaga menerima peralatan bernilai kira-kira RM2,000 seorang. Majlis penyampaian disempurnakan oleh Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Kuala Berang, Zawawi Ismail.

Sementara itu, Zawawi berkata, peniaga jagung di bandar ini perlu melakukan anjakan paradigma dan mengubah sikap dengan menjaga imej dan kebersihan gerai, apatah lagi dengan sasaran kerajaan negeri untuk menjadikan Kuala Berang sebagai hab jagung menjelang 2014.

“Peniaga kita kena ubah sikap… malulah bila pelancong datang tengok keadaan gerai kita yang nampak semak, kurang bersih dan tidak terurus. Oleh itu, kita perlukan kerjasama peniaga untuk pastikan gerai kita bersih dan menarik. Imej peniaga pun kena jaga, pakai baju cantik-cantik, kemas dan bagi yang perempuan pakailah gincu sikit.

“Kita tak mahulah apabila pelancong datang mereka kata ‘patutlah hulu pun’ kerana dia tengok keadaan gerai kita kotor dan usang. Kita mahu pelancong yang datang ke sini, rasa mahu datang lagi,” katanya.

Peniaga jagung, Halimah Ramli, 54, berkata, sebagai pengusaha gerai yang sudah lebih 16 tahun berniaga di situ, dia berterima kasih kepada Fama dan gembira kerana gerai di situ bakal berubah wajah dengan khemah dan bakul mempamerkan jagung yang seragam.

“Selepas ini, perniagaan pun jadi lebih mudah. Dengan adanya bakul khas ini, memudahkan kerja untuk mengangkut barang untuk disimpan selepas habis berniaga. Khemah juga cantik dan menambah keceriaan. Kami juga rasa lebih seronok untuk berniaga,” katanya.

Latifah Abdullah, 38, yang sudah lebih 15 tahun berniaga di situ berkata, dengan perubahan itu, beliau berharap prestasi perniagaan semakin meningkat dan dapat dikembangkan serta menjana pendapatan lebih memberangsangkan.

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Ex-Terengganu MB’s aide claims trial for SMS intimidation

KUALA TERENGGANU, Thurs (NST): Datuk Dr Ahmad Ramzi Mohd Zubir, the political secretary to former Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh was charged today in the Sessions court with sending death threats through the short messaging system.

He was accused of sending the SMS texts to three Barisan Nasional assemblyman with the intention of slandering another senior State Government official.

Ahmad Ramzi faced three principal charges and three alternatives to sending an annonymous death threat via SMS to intimidate the three assemblymen – Mohd Ariffin Abdullah (Paka), Abd Halim Jusoh (Permasuri) and Datuk Rosol Wahid (Ajil).

The offences were allegedly committed between 11.21pm and 11.25pm on April 13.

Alternatively, he faced three charges of using an Internet application to send death threats via SMS to the three assemblymen concerned on the same date and time that contained the words “baik jgn teruskn niat YB, YB tak sayang nyawa? (don’t go ahead with your plans YB, don’t you value your life?)”.
For the fourth charge, Ahmad Ramzi is accused of slandering Wan Ahamad Wan Muda, private secretary to Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said, by misusing his (Wan Ahamad) handphone number to SMS death threats to three assemblymen via a website with the intention to slander him.

The offences were allegedly committed on between 11.21pm and 11.25pm on April 13

Alternatively, he is charged with using the same method on the same date and time to send an SMS that contained that contained the words “baik jgn teruskn niat YB, YB tak sayang nyawa? (don’t go ahead with your plans YB, don’t you value your life?” with the intention to slander him.

Ramzi, who is now the special officer to Idris, the current Mara chairman, claimed trial to all the charges.

Decked in a suit and accompanied by friends, he looked composed throughout the proceedings.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ishak Mohd Yusoff posecuted, while Ramzi was represented by Rosli Abd Rahman.

Sessions judge Mohamad Khalid Ab Karim set bail at RM8,000 for both charges with one surety each, which later was posted.

He also ordered for Ahmad Ramzi’s passport to be impounded and fixed re-mention of the case for July 19.

If convicted for the first three charges, Ramzi can be jailed up to two years, while he faces a maximum two-year jail term or a fine or both for the fourth.

It was reported that the three assemblymen lodged police reports shortly after receiving the SMS threats on April 14.

The three had claimed that the SMSes were sent by Wan Ahamad, who allegedly told them not to proceed with a rumoured plan to table a motion of no-confidence against the menteri besar at the state assembly sitting.

Police later absolved Wan Ahamad of any involvement.

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Related posting before this/Laporan berkaitan sebelum ini:

• Ahmad Ramzi charged for SMS threats to BN reps
• Ramzi freed on RM50,000 bail
• Ramzi ditahan di hotel
• Police arrest Ahmad Ramzi over threatening SMS
• Datuk Ahmad Ramzi wanted by police over SMS threats
• Datuk Dr. Ramzi diberi tiga hari bantu siasat SMS ugutan
• Datuk Dr. Ramzi has 3 days to report to police
• Polis nafi cari setiausaha politik bekas MB

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PAC to probe Terengganu stadium roof collapse

PETALING JAYA (The Star): The Public Accounts Committee will launch a probe into the roof collapse at Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium, says its deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw.

“A truly independent specialist must be appointed. It must be thoroughly investigated and its report submitted to both committee and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

“I have heard of stadiums collapsing overseas because of a stampede.

“But I have never heard of a stadium collapsing on its own until now,” he said.

Dr Tan said it was important to ensure such an incident did not recur in the future.

“We have to find out why it collapsed and who is responsible as almost RM300mil had been spent on the stadium,” he said.

Dr Tan also urged authorities to charge those responsible for the collapse in court as “thousands could have died.”

Some 5,000 athletes, who were supposed to have converged at the stadium for a sports meet, had to move their event to other venues.

Wanita MCA chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun called for “quick and decisive” actions against those responsible for the wreck.

The companies should be blacklisted, the officials should quit and their professional licences revoked, she said.

Transparency International Malaysia president Datuk Paul Low said a commission of inquiry should be set up to probe the collapse and its proceedings telecast live.

“A lot of people could have been killed. We must find out the root cause of the problem and look into the specifications of the project,” he added.

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Ahmad Ramzi charged for SMS threats to BN reps

KUALA TERENGGANU (The Star): Datuk Dr Ahmad Ramzi Mohamad Zubir, the former political secretary to former mentri besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to four charges of criminal intimidation for sending death threats via SMS to three Barisan Nasional state assemblymen.

He was released on a RM8,000 bail in two sureties. His international passport was also impounded and the case has been fixed for July 19 for mention.

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Photos of collapsed stadium

Photos of the collapsed Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium roof compiled from various sources:

1.  Bernama:

2.  http://buletinonline.net

(click for larger image)

3.  mampat.blogspot.com

4. hardyweb: http://hardyw3b.wordpress.com

5. terengganuleningblogspot

6. Malay Mail:

7.  NST:

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PWD informed a year ago

KUALA TERENGGANU (NST): The State Public Works Department was told about the defects to the roof of the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium a year ago.

And when nothing was done, Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said called a meeting with the PWD three weeks ago and reminded them to look into the problem.

Ahmad wanted the defects rectified as soon as possible as the end of the defect liability period was fast approaching.

“I did not want anything bad to happen. The PWD took steps to address the matter but I cannot comment why it took so long, nor why the roof collapsed,” Ahmad said.

The menteri besar said he had informed PWD to look into the defects immediately after the 12th Malaysia Games (Sukma) last May.
Ahmad said that the state government would now look for foreign experts for a second opinion into the cause of the collapse.

“This way, we can compare the findings of the foreign experts with that of the consultant hired by the PWD, to ensure the findings are consistent and ironclad.

“We will not put a time frame in selecting the foreign consultant. We do not want to carry out a rush job.

“We want a thorough report so that we will not be questioned later on. We don’t want to be embarrassed again.”

The RM292 million stadium, built last year, is now out of operation after a large section of its roof collapsed on Tuesday.

The authorities are nevertheless, counting their blessings, that the roof did not collapse yesterday as the stadium was the venue for the Malaysian Inter-Varsity Staff games.

The event would have seen some 3,000 competitors and officials taking part. As the collapse occurred above the grandstand area, several VIPs could have been seriously hurt if the games had gone on and the roof collapsed 24 hours later. The incident, however, damaged a car and four motorcycles.

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RM43 juta ubah suai jalan elak kesesakan

KUALA TERENGGANU (Berita harian): Kerajaan Negeri memperuntukkan RM43 juta kepada Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu (MBKT) untuk melaksanakan pembinaan sistem jalan sehala dan mengubah suai keadaan jalan di sekitar bandar raya ini untuk kemudahan pengguna.

Datuk Bandar Kuala Terengganu, Datuk Mat Razali Kassim, berkata peruntukan itu termasuklah untuk menggantikan sistem lampu isyarat sedia ada kepada sistem berpusat di mana lampu isyarat akan dikawal dari bilik kawalan.

Selain itu, katanya, peruntukan itu turut membabitkan penyediaan tempat lintasan dan laluan khas untuk pejalan kaki untuk kemudahan mereka menyeberang jalan raya.

“Semua projek dilaksanakan itu adalah untuk kemudahan orang ramai khususnya di beberapa jalan utama di pusat bandar raya ini,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, sistem laluan sehala yang diperkenalkan itu masih di fasa pertama menyebabkan pemilik kenderaan masih keliru dan ada yang bertindak meletakkan kenderaan bahu jalan terutama di Jalan Sultan Ismail yang dikenal pasti sebagai punca menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas di beberapa jalan utama di bandar raya ini sejak (MBKT) menguatkuasakan sistem laluan sehala mulai bulan lalu.

Katanya, MBKT akur dengan beberapa masalah yang berlaku terutama membabitkan kesesakan trafik, tetapi masalah berkenaan mampu diselesaikan jika pengguna dan pemilik kereta tidak melanggar peraturan dengan meletakkan kenderaan di bahu jalan, selain menggunakan laluan alternatif ke pusat bandar.

“Apabila projek itu siap sepenuhnya kelak, MBKT yakin semua masalah kesesakan akan selesai dan sistem jalan raya di bandar raya itu lebih teratur dan terkawal,” katanya.

Mat Razali berkata, apa juga projek yang dirancang adalah untuk kebaikan orang ramai, justeru semua pihak perlu bersabar dan cuba menyesuaikan diri dan bersikap positif kepada perubahan terutama sebagai warga Kuala Terengganu yang berstatus bandar raya.

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Artkel berkaitan sebelum ini:

• MBKT jamin kesesakan lalu lintas dapat diatasi
• Laluan sehala gagal atasi kesesakan di bandar raya
• Peta Laluan Trafik Kuala Terengganu
• MBKT kuat kuasa laluan selorong di bandar raya
• MBKT Perlu RM43 Juta Untuk Laksana Jalan Sehala
• Aliran trafik pusat bandar raya diubah

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Perjumpaan – “Bloggers Terengganu” – Gathering

Hasil dari kejayaan menganjurkan majlis pelancaraan buku “Growing Up in Trengganu” karangan Awang Goneng lebih setahun lalu, kini Alam Akademik bercadang untuk mengadakan satu perjumpaan para bloggers Terengganu. [lanjut – klik di sini] – Kami perlu makluman balas/cadangan saudara.

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From the success of organising the “Monsoon Cuppa”, the launching and meet-the-author session of the book “Growing Up in Terengganu” written by Awang Goneng, Alam Akademik plans to organise a similar event i.e. a gathering of all the Terengganu bloggers. [more – click here] – We need your feedback/suggestions.

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Design flaw could be the cause

Police have cordoned off the stadium to keep out trespassers and to prevent any untoward incidents.

KUALA TERENGGANU (NST): An eleventh-hour decision to use a space frame design for the roof of the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium could have led to its collapse on Tuesday morning.

A source familiar with the RM292 million project said the space frame roof that came crashing down was never part of the stadium’s original design.

A decision was made at the last minute to cover the grandstand area with a space frame roofing to add a “curvy, grandeur and sophisticated” look to it.

The source said this, coupled with a looming deadline for the opening of the Malaysia Games, was a recipe for a disaster waiting to happen.

“It was done in a hurry and everyone in the engineering field knows that a space frame design is not an easy thing to build. Besides the difficulty involved, it is also a more expensive option,” the source said.
According to civil engineering terms, a space frame is constructed from interlocking struts in a geometrical pattern using steel tubes.

It draws its strength from the triangular frames that make up the truss-like rigid structure.

It is lightweight, capable of spanning large distances with few supports and can create curves to increase the visual impact.

State Public Works director Rosly Zainal said it was premature to pin the blame on the choice of structural design, although he did admit that the technology involved required careful planning and expertise.

Rosly said all this would be looked into very carefully when investigations on the incident began.

He said debris from the collapse would not be cleared until the investigations were completed adding that insurers and adjusters would also be doing their own investigations.

Rosly, however, denied that the contractors were pressured into rushing its completion for the games.

“It was on schedule, otherwise we wouldn’t have issued a temporary certificate of fitness,” he added.

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Rancang dibaiki selepas pesta

Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Belia dan Sukan Negeri Terengganu, Datuk Abdul Rahin Mohd. Said (kanan) dan Timbalan Pengarah Kerja Raya Terengganu, Ir Ghazali Hashim (kiri) meninjau kawasan runtuhan bumbung Stadium Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin di Kuala Terengganu, semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR 3 Jun (Utusan Malaysia) – Kerosakan pada bumbung Stadium Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin di Kompleks Sukan Negeri, Gong Badak, Terengganu sebenarnya sudah diketahui sebelum kejadian runtuh yang berlaku pagi semalam.

Presiden Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia (PKMM), Senator Datuk Roslan Awang Chik bagaimanapun berkata, kerosakan itu difahamkan hanya akan dibaiki selepas Pesta Sukan Staf Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Awam (IPTA) Kali Ke-34 yang bermula 4 hingga 13 Jun ini.

Jelasnya, sebuah syarikat dari Korea yang diberi tanggungjawab untuk membaiki bumbung itu juga sebenarnya sudah berada di Terengganu untuk prosedur pemantauan dan membetulkan kerosakan.

”Memang ada sedikit ‘tidak elok’ pada struktur bumbungnya dan syarikat bertanggungjawab dari Korea juga sebenarnya akan memulakan proses pembaikan selepas satu kejohanan sukan bulan ini.

”Malangnya kejadian runtuh ini berlaku sebelum proses pembaikan bermula namun nasib baik kerana tiada nyawa yang menjadi mangsa,” katanya ketika dihubungi di Kuala Terengganu hari ini.

Beliau mengulas kejadian bumbung Stadium Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, Kompleks Sukan Negeri di Gong Badak yang bernilai RM292 juta dan menjadi tempat utama Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) 2008 runtuh yang menyebabkan kira-kira 50 peratus daripada strukturnya musnah.

Runtuhan pada pukul 9.30 pagi itu berlaku kira-kira setahun stadium tersebut dirasmikan oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin pada 10 Mei tahun lalu.

Kerosakan melibatkan bumbung di bahagian timur stadium sepanjang 400 meter menempatkan pintu masuk utama, pintu A, B dan B1 ke tempat duduk awam dan tempat duduk tetamu diraja serta orang kenamaan (VIP).

Kata Roslan, pembinaan stadium yang dipertanggungjawabkan kepada Konsortium Anak-anak Terengganu itu merupakan sebuah projek usahasama dengan beberapa syarikat kontraktor di luar negara.

Tambahnya, kegagalan sebuah syarikat dari Korea untuk menyiapkan rekaan bumbung mengikut spesifikasi dilihat menjadi faktor kejadian itu berlaku.

”Projek stadium itu diberi kepada Konsortium Anak-anak Terengganu bersama beberapa syarikat luar yang sudah diiktiraf.

”Kegagalan syarikat berkenaan untuk mengikut spesifikasi bumbung seperti rekaan asal sudah diketahui dan mereka juga sebenarnya sudah berada di negeri ini untuk membetulkannya,” ujarnya.

Sehubungan itu katanya, kejadian runtuh yang berlaku itu sekali gus menjelaskan imej perusahaan industri negara di mata dunia.

”Imej terkenal kontraktor negara sedikit tercalar dengan kejadian ini. Nama baik perusahaan industri negara juga terjejas dengan runtuhan ini,” jelasnya.

Tambah Roslan, kerajaan perlu segera mewujudkan sebuah konsultan bebas untuk menyiasat kejadian bumbung runtuh yang berlaku.

”Tubuhkan konsultan dan selidik apa sebenarnya yang berlaku. Rakyat seharusnya didedahkan dan perlu tahu punca kejadian yang memalukan negara ini berlaku,” katanya.

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