Thursday, 29 November 2012

Week 3, NEWSWRITING ASSIGNMENT 1, Prime Minister's Speech

            PUTRAJAYA: The  environmental issues of landscapes and preserving tropical forests in Malaysia were addressed by the Prime Minister, Dato’ Abdullah Razak’s speech on the 26th of April at Sri Siantan Conference Hall.
            The Prime Minister made a statement of  the new organization set up for the environment, Malaysia Green Forum, 2010 by the government and emphasized that their resounding commitment towards environmental sustainability in the country. Therefore, the government are working on advancing the environmental and landscape issues occurring in Malaysia.
            Alongside, Dato’ Abdullah Razak also stated the forum’s aim of establishing the environmental issues. MGF2010’s ways of approaching the issues are indeed refreshing and most welcomed. The forum was able to come up with creative, innovative and pragmatic solutions to the green issues we faced, taking full considerations of the environment. Due to that, it had drawn the attention and participants of high ranked social status including experts from within and outside the country.  
            Malaysia is considered one of the richest biodiversity in the world, possessing 16 million hectares of tropical forest areas. The key to this sustainability is preservation. Over 73 per cent of the total forest area are currently protected as national parks. The serious concern adopted way back in 1974 by enacting the Environment Quality Ac as an integral part of the Third Malaysia Plan.
            The announcement of the formation of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water had been made by the Prime Minister after only six days of taking the administration. The government will continue to take awareness of the growing need and urgency of green technology towards sustainable development of the environment. Hence, last year just after 106 days of setting up of ministry, the National Green Technology Policy was launched. Furthermore, The National Green Technology Center also came to being through a restructuring exercise of the then Malaysia Energy Centre.
MGF2010 united leaders and experts from very diverse backgrounds on a platform where environmental issues will be a priority and dealt with. The government welcomes all constructive ideas that could make this blessed country greener and more sustainable.
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Week 3, NEWSWRITING ASSIGNMENT 1: EARTHQUAKE STORY

            ALASKA: A natural disaster of a pretty strong earthquake hit few of Aleutian Islands on Sunday night, 7.01pm.
            Three of Aleutian Island fishing villages, Nikolski, Dutch Harbor and Unalaska were approached by an earthquake. The disaster shook the villages and it lasted for about three minutes. It was discovered that the epicenter of the earthquake started in the North Pacific. This was just about 40 miles east of the village in Nikolski and 850 miles southwest of Anchorage. Fortunately, there were no reports of serious injuries and major damage done by the earthquake as the Aleutian residents are sparsely settled. 
            “There was some very minor damage at Nikolski, with items knocked off shelves and small items damaged." said George Carter, a seismologist from the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.
            Cart also mentioned that the quake was felt strongly in the towns of Unalaska, Dutch Harbor and Nikolski. These three fishing villages are located on the western islands in the Aleutian chain.
According to an official, 20 aftershocks of the earthquake were found with one of them measuring at 5.0 on the scale. However, none was powerful enough to cause a tsunami. Alaska Tsunami Warning Center on the other hand, reported that it was measured 6.6 on Richter scale. Earthquake with 6.6 magnitude can cause severe damages if it hits the populate areas. Richter is a scale that measures ground motion and is recorded on seismographs.  In that scale, each increase of one number means a tenfold increase in magnitude. For example, 7.5 is 10 times greater than 6.5.
There are official categories of earthquake motions. The magnitude of 3.5 can cause slight damage, 4 with a moderate damage, 5 with a considerable damage, 6 with a severe damage, 7 will bring major earthquake which can cause widespread heavy damage and 8 is the major earthquake of all.
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Saturday, 6 October 2012

Week 2, Article 5


Johor, Penang gazetted as ‘No Smoking’ zones

KUALA LUMPUR: Six areas in Penang and one in Johor have been gazetted as 'No Smoking' zones under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said in a statement Friday that the gazette was effective Oct 2 and implemented with the cooperation of both state governments.
He said in Penang, the gazetted zones were the George Town Municipal Park, Botanic Gardens, Air Itam Dam, Teluk Bahang Dam (all on the island), Mengkuang Dam in Bukit Mertajam and Ampang Jajar Urban Park in Seberang Perai Tengah.
In Johor, the gazetted 'No Smoking' zone is the Mutiara Rini Urban Forest, Johor Baru.
Liow said in June last year, the Malacca government gazetted five zones, namely Malacca World Heritage City, Malacca Raya, Malacca International Trade Centre, Alor Gajah town centre and Jasin town centre under the Malacca Free of Cigarette Smoke programme.
"The ministry with the cooperation of state governments is determined to create more 'No Smoking' zones, especially in public places.
"This is to protect the non-smokers, especially women and children, from the effects of secondhand tobacco smoke," Liow said in the statement.
He said the Malaysia Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted last year found that 70 percent of adults were exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke in public places.
The Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004 prohibits smoking in 21 categories of places including hospital or clinic areas, lifts and public toilets, public transport vehicles, public transport stations/stops, government premises, higher learning institutions, childcare centres/kindergartens, shopping complexes, fuel stations and libraries. - Bernama
Lead: 
Who: State governments and health minister
What: Six areas in Penang and one in Johor have been gazetted as 'No Smoking' zones 
How: under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004
When: 2nd October
Why:  To protect the non-smokers, especially women and children, from the effects of secondhand tobacco smoke
Element of Newsworthy: Progress
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Week 2, Article 4


Boy kidnapped, tortured and hanged over handphone theft

TAMIL Nesan reported that a 17-year-old boy was allegedly abducted, tortured and hanged by a group after being accused of stealing a handphone in Ghaziabad, India, on Thursday.
The victim's distraught mother, Sunaina Jha, told police that her son was taken from their house at 8.30am and taken to the house of one of the abductors, Naeem, who had accused the boy of stealing his phone from his residence.
Police said Sunaina identified Naeem's wife Kousar as one of the other abductors.
The abductors have denied killing the boy and said he committed suicide.
Police have arrested four people and a hunt has been launched for several other suspects.
Lead:
Who: 17-year-old boy
What: Was abducted and died
How: Was tortured and handed by a group
When: 8.30am
Why: He was accused of stealing suspect's handphone
Element of Newsworthy: Conflict
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Week 2, Article 3


Boyfriend blackmails model with nude photos

A MODEL who wanted a clean break with her jobless boyfriend was made a sex slave after he threatened to distribute her nude photos.
Major Chinese dailies reported that the 31-year-old woman claimed that she was also beaten up, raped and forced into giving in to all the man's sexual demands.
The man also recorded their sex acts on his handphones.
Sin Chew Daily reported that the woman lodged a police report on Sept 29 and the man was arrested at a hotel in Jalan Ipoh on Tuesday.
The man was said to have several criminal records for drug-related offences and car theft. Police seized tools believed to be used for processing drugs, eight mobile phones, which contained more nude photos and videos of the model as well as his other victims.
The reports said the man was also a casanova who lured his victims with his good looks and sweet words to convince them to have sex with him before taking nude photos and videos of the acts.
Kuala Lumpur CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ku Chin Wah said the 32-year-old man was found to have also blackmailed several other women, including a Filipino model.
Lead:
Who: A model
What: lodged a police report about her abusive and jobless boyfriend
When: Sept 29
Why: The boyfriend forced her to be his sex slave 
How: He threatened to distribute her nude photos
Element of Newsworthy: Conflict
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Week 2, Article 2


Lorry driver dies, another injured in Perak accident

IPOH: A lorry driver was killed and another was badly injured after two lorries collided along Jalan Ipoh-Kuala Lumpur near Chenderiang, north of Tapah, Friday, police said.
The dead man was identified as Mohamad Sulaiman, 60, of Kampung Poh, Tapah, and the other as Mohd Redzuan Abdul Rahman, 33, of Temoh, said Tapah police chief Supt Somsak Din Keliaw.
He said Mohd Redzuan, was badly injured in the legs and was sent to the Tapah Hospital. Mohamad's body was also sent there.
Somsak said the accident happened at 2.45 pm when the lorry carrying oil palm fruits driven by Mohamad, going from Chenderiang to Langkap, collided head-on with a fish-laden lorry driven by Redzuan.
The two drivers were trapped between the vehicles and had to be removed by fire and rescue personnel, he said.
The cause of the accident had yet to be determined, he added. - Bernama
Lead:
Who: Lorry drivers
What: involved in an accident, one died while the other badly injured
When: 2.45pm
How: Two lorries collided
Element of newsworthy: Timeliness
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Week 2, Article 1



Perlis prepares for floods


KANGAR: Perlis has made preparation for the possibility of floods due to the heavy rain that had started to fall in the state, said its Mentri BesarDatuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu.
He said that the preparation included creating temporary flood shelters and providing adequate food supply for the flood victims.
"So far, there has been no evacuation of flood victims although several low-lying areas have been inundated," he told reporters after attending a meeting with residents, who are involved in the West Diversion Flood Mitigation project, here Friday.
He said the flash flood that occurred this morning was attributed to the heavy rain that started from midnight last night to 8am Friday, which was made worse by the high tide in Sungai Perlis, causing clogs in drains and culverts in certain areas.
He said the water level at Timah Tasoh Dam was still at 28.34 metres, which was below the alert level at 29.6 metres. - Bernama
Lead:
Who: Perlis government
What: Made preparation for flash flood
Why:  Due to heavy rain 
When: started from midnight last night to 8am Friday
How:  clogs in drains and culverts worsen flood

Element of newsworthy: Proximity
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