Bentong bus crash : Dead Somalian was more like a twin, says adopted brother

BENTONG: The adopted brother of Saeed Mohamad Mohamud Abdalla, the Transnasional bus passenger who was killed in an accident today, described the Somalian as “more like a twin than a friend”.

Muhammad Zaki Omar, 29, said although they were both busy with their own lives after graduating from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in Skudai, Johor, they never failed to keep in touch with each other.

“Saeed was more like a twin to me than a friend. Over the years, he had become part of my family,” he said when met at Bentong Hospital mortuary today.

Saeed Mohamad and his Malaysian wife Zarifah Alias were killed when the bus they were travelling in crashed along Jalan Bentong-Raub early this morning.

Zaki said he immediately drove down from Butterworth after he received a call from his father about the crash at 7am today.

"Initially, we thought he was the only one involved in the accident and that his wife was safe. But later, another relative informed me that both of them were killed in the accident.

"It was really very depressing for all of us as Saeed and Zarifah had gotten married in December and she was four months pregnant," Zaki said adding that he was the best-man for their wedding.

Zaki said Saeed, who was currently doing his doctorate of philosophy (PhD) at UTM Skudai was also very involved in a religious based NGO and even taught Quran at Setiawangsa once a week.

“He liked our country and was actually in the process of applying for his PR,” he said.

Zarifah on the other hand had graduated from a university in Australia in Biomedical studies.

Saeed and Zarifah's remains were claimed by Zaki and his family to be brought to Kota Baru for burial.

Read more: Bentong bus crash : Dead Somalian was more like a twin, says adopted brother - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-bentong-bus-crash-font-dead-somalian-was-more-like-a-twin-says-adopted-brother-1.563775#ixzz2ygTZy7xp

MH370 Tragedy: Police investigating company involved in cleaning of cabin

SINTOK: Police are investigating the company involved in the cleaning of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 cabin before it departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Beijing, China on March 8.

        Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said police were looking into all possible angles including loopholes during the cleaning works. On another matter, Khalid said police could not disclose details of investigation into the Semporna kidnapping case to avoid jeopardising the safety of the hostages. It was reported that the abductors have demanded RM36.4mil to secure the release of Gao Huayun, 29, a Chinese tourist who was abducted together with a Filipino resort worker Marcy Dayawan,40, by three masked gunmen at gunpoint from Singamata Adventures and Reef Resort on April 4. On the incident where two policemen were shot during a patrol duty in Ampang, Selangor yesterday, Khalid said doctors had successfully removed the bullet from the stomach of one of the victims. He said the policeman was reported to be in stable condition at Ampang Hospital while his colleague sustained minor injuries and received outpatient treatment.

Read more: MH370 Tragedy: Police investigating company involved in cleaning of cabin - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-mh370-tragedy-font-police-investigating-company-involved-in-cleaning-of-cabin-1.563722#ixzz2ygSI4p9a

Umno to train 500 speakers to explain GST

PONTIAN: A total of 500 speakers will be trained to explain the Goods and Services Tax (GST), especially to villagers.

Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said the training session would be held for three days, beginning April 18, and would be attended by the best speakers from each of the 165 parlimentary areas in peninsula Malaysia.

"I will personally be involved in the training session. We will provide comprehensive information and materials on GST, such as multimedia shows which will be used in the explanation sessions later," he said.

Ahmad, who is also deputy finance minister, was speaking to reporters today, after opening a book festival, 'Kuala Lumpur International Book Festival Tour' at the Mara Junior Science College Air Balor here.

He said for Sabah and Sarawak, the training session, which was Umno's initiative, would be held at another date.

He said the GST explanation sessions were expected to start in May, for two to four months, to ensure the people, especially those from the grassroots know what GST was and its implementation.

GST, which is set to be enforced on April 1, next year, will replace the Sales and Services Tax. -- BERNAMA

Read more: Umno to train 500 speakers to explain GST - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/umno-to-train-500-speakers-to-explain-gst-1.563891#ixzz2ygQgnecT

Satay seller becomes millionth user of second bridge

BATU KAWAN: When satay seller Mohamad Helmi Ismail was stopped after coming out of the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah bridge's toll plaza, he thought he was stopped for an offence.

But his maiden drive on 24km-second bridge was a timely one, as he was certified as the millionth user.

The 34-year-old from Kulim, Kedah, was shocked when he was flagged down by Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd's (JKSB) managing director Datuk Dr Ismail Mohamed Taib at 6pm today.

Mohamad Helmi, from Kulim, Kedah, was travelling to George Town with his wife, Syuhaida Saudi, 29 and toddler son, Mohd Danish Iqbal, two.

The couple alighted from their white-coloured Nissan Grand Livina, with their expressions changing from shock to smiles, as they were informed they were the millionth vehicle to pass through.

"I was worried and surprised.

"Who knew I would be the lucky millionth!

"I am thankful to JKSB for making my trip on the bridge a memorable one,” said the Junjung Pasar Malam trader when met by the press at the Second Bridge Integerated Toll Plaza here.

Mohamad Helmi was handed a certificate and a hamper worth RM500 by Ismail, witnessed by hundred others whizzing past.

Ismail said they were glad to serve their millionth in a short span of two months after its grand opening on Mar 2.

"Although the number of traffic using the bridge is lesser compared to during the toll-free period, we managed to achieve the millionth benchmark in a short time,” he said.

On another note, Ismail said the new bridge had already captured 12,000 vehicles from the first bridge's daily traffic.

"We are planning to get an extra 8,000 vehicles daily (from the first bridge) to meet our 20,000 target," he said adding that it expects up to 400,000 users per month in the long run.

The bridge started collecting toll of RM8.50 for private vehicles since Apr 1, and it serves to reduce the traffic on the first bridge by half.

Billed as the largest job in terms of civil works in Malaysia in the past two decades, the longest bridge in Southeast Asia links Batu Kawan on the mainland with Batu Maung on the island.

Read more: Satay seller becomes millionth user of second bridge - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/satay-seller-becomes-millionth-user-of-second-bridge-1.563785#ixzz2ygPTBsX3

15 FOREIGN WORKERS AT SEMPORNA RESORT DETAINED FOR INVESTIGATION

The 15 illegal foreign workers detained at a resort in Semporna yesterday, will be investigated for possible roles in the recent kidnapping of two women. The Singamata Adventures and Reef Resort employees who include five women, were nabbed for not possessing valid work permits and travel documents. Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said police are investigating to determine whether the resort workers had acted as agents for the gumen in last week's kidnapping of the Chinese tourist and Filipino worker. He added the Immigration Department would also be hauling up the employer of the resort for hiring the illegal immigrants. The victims, 29-year-old Gao Hua Yuan and Marcy Dayawan, 40, were abducted by a group of armed men from the Singamata Adventures and Reef Resort last Wednesday night. The Malaysian and Filipino authorities believe the two women may have been taken to the southern Philippines, either to the provinces of Tawi Tawi, Sulu or Basilan. - See more at: http://www.ntv7.com.my/7edition/local-en/15_FOREIGN_WORKERS_AT_SEMPORNA_RESORT_DETAINED_FOR_INVESTIGATION.html#sthash.fEIUmB6y.dpuf

World Trade Center Owner Larry Silverstein Sues Airlines for Billions Over 9/11 After $5 Billion Insurance Payment

The notorious owner of the World Trade Center, Larry ‘Pull It’ Silverstein, doesn’t think that his $5 billion in insurance payments are enough to reimburse his losses during 9/11. Despite admitting to ‘pull’ World Trade Center 7 despite moderate fires, Silverstein is now suing the airlines whose planes flew into the towers for extra billions.

Instead of donating even a penny to the 9/11 first responders who were told they would be fine while inhaling toxic substances only to be denied healthcare for their chronic conditions, Silverstein says that he simply hasn’t been relieved of his ‘economic’ loss that suffered after 9/11. Even after receiving around $5 billion from his insurance company following the destruction of the World Trade Center buildings, he says that he needs another $3.5 billion to line his pockets. An additional 3.5 billion that brings the total to 8.5 billion, which airline attorney Roger Podesta says will be 2 1/2 times the fair value of the fallen buildings.
Perhaps Silverstein wants to be in league with the global bankers, who make a cool $83 billion from taxpayer’s each year that is then turned into financing for Mexican drug cartels and terror cells as admitted by NBC. A New York judge will ultimately decide if Silverstein will be granted the billions following the completion of the three-day trial that started on Monday.


Read more: http://www.storyleak.com/world-trade-center-owner-larry-silverstein-sues-airlines-billions-911/#ixzz2y3jt9TGX
Read more: http://www.storyleak.com/world-trade-center-owner-larry-silverstein-sues-airlines-billions-911/#ixzz2y3jmI6OG

MISSING MH370: Pilot: I established contact with plane

 

'INTERFERENCE': Pilot in another plane was flying 30 minutes ahead of MH370

SEPANG: A BOEING 777 pilot, who was flying 30 minutes ahead of the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft, said he established contact with MH370 minutes after he was asked to do so by Vietnamese air traffic control.
The captain, who asked to not be named, said his plane, which was bound for Narita, Japan, was far into Vietnamese airspace when he was asked to relay, using his plane's emergency frequency, to MH370 for the latter to establish its position, as the authorities could not contact the aircraft.
"We managed to establish contact with MH370 just after 1.30am and asked them if they have transferred into Vietnamese airspace.
"The voice on the other side could have been either Captain Zaharie (Ahmad Shah, 53,) or Fariq (Abdul Hamid, 27), but I was sure it was the co-pilot.
"There were a lot of interference... static... but I heard mumbling from the other end.
"That was the last time we heard from them, as we lost the connection," he told the New Sunday Times.
He said those on the same frequency at the time would have heard the exchange.
This, he said, would include vessels on the waters below.
He said he thought nothing of it, as the occurrence (of losing contact) was normal, until it was established that MH370 never landed.
"If the plane was in trouble, we would have heard the pilot making the Mayday distress call. But I am sure that, like me, no one else up there heard it.
"Following the silence, a repeat request was made by the Vietnamese authorities to try establishing contact with them."
Meanwhile, Ritzeraynn Rashid, 55, remembers Captain Zaharie as a pleasant and humble man.
They used to fly together in the 1980s, when Zaharie was a co-pilot and he, the leading purser on the B737 services.
He was also close with Patrick Gomes, who was leading the cabin crew aboard MH370.
"Zaharie was always smiling and very cheerful. We shared a lot of good memories. We were like brothers.
"From 1980 to 1991, when I was working with MAS, there was never a day that we did not chat and catch up."
Ritzeraynn, who is now a public relations and communications manager, said Patrick was always looking out for his friends.
"I remember those days when I did not have a car. Patrick would offer his new Ford Laser for me to use.
"In reciprocation, when he has late-night flights and did not want to disturb his mother, I would invite him to my house to stay for the night."
Ritzeraynn, who, like Zaharie, was from Penang Free School, said the school's class of 1978/79 would pray for all those aboard the missing aircraft.
"All the crew members and passengers are in our thoughts and prayers. I miss Zaharie and Patrick very much."
For Fariq's brother, Afiq, the bond they had was beyond sharing a last name.
When updated news reached him that his brother, who is a first officer, was co-piloting MH370, his world shattered.
However, Afiq, 20, finds strength in his hope that Fariq, a Langkawi Aerospace Flying Academy graduate, is somewhere out there alive.
"This is just heartbreaking," was all Afiq could muster, telling the NST that he was grappling between thinking of the worst and keeping himself optimistic.
"I do not know what to tell you. I am not doing okay.
"Sorry, I cannot really think right now. My parents are very sad right now," he said in a text message.
Afiq described his brother, the eldest of five siblings, as a responsible and kind person who exuded warmth, which made him endearing to many.
The chemical engineering student, from Universiti Teknologi Petronas, had earlier tweeted: "Pray for my brother #MH370."
About 7pm, as news on MH370 remained vague, Afiq tweeted: "I'm coming to find you, even if it takes all night."
Their father, Abdul Hamid Md Daud, when met at his house in Shah Alam, asked that the family be given personal space.


Read more: MISSING MH370: Pilot: I established contact with plane - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/font-color-red-missing-mh370-font-pilot-i-established-contact-with-plane-1.503464#ixzz2xN23Bxm5