8 theSun | MONDAY DECEMBER 15 2008

news without borders

Press Digest

Strike pushes
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

I C E N T seafood prices up
N I F
MAG O
P R O M THE prices of local fish and other seafood
went up by 20-30% on Saturday, a day
after a nationwide strike by fishermen to
force the government to reduce the price
of subsidised diesel, the Chinese press
although there is no shortage of supply.
A check at Kuala Lumpur fish markets
showed that the price of squid has jumped
50% from RM10 a kilogramme to RM15 in
some areas. Prawns (small to medium) are
reported yesterday. retailing at RM13 a kg, up from RM10, while
Fishmongers said they believe the prices kembong is sold at RM14-15 a kg from RM12

- 3 1 J AN ‘09 of imported fish and seafood will go up in
‘08 tandem in a day or two.
12 D E C The strike by some 20,000 fishermen
from seven states which started in Perak
on Thursday, continued yesterday as a 13
sen per litre cut hurriedly promised by the
government to pacify the fishermen fell
short of their demand.
The fishing community, which is
asking the government to lower the price
of subsidised diesel to not more than RM1
a litre from RM1.43 currently, said on
Saturday the strike would continue until
tomorrow.
HF100 RRP RM4,199
▼
previously, crabs at RM16 a kg (RM13), and
bawal hitam at RM23 (RM20).
National Fishing Industries Association
president Chia Ka Seng said on Saturday
there was still supply of fresh fish but not
enough to meet demand, forcing prices up
by up to 30%.
“The strike began yesterday (Friday), so
the shortage (of local supply) will only be
felt tomorrow (Sunday). The demand for
imported seafood will go up, especially that
from Indonesia and Thailand,” he said.
“As demand outstrips supply, prices of
imported seafood will also go up.”

The strike has cut the supply of fresh
seafood to wet markets in the Klang Valley
by up to 80%, causing prices to go up by
RM3-5 a kilogramme.
Some fishmongers worry they will not
have catch to sell for the celebration of the
Winter Solstice, which falls on Dec 21 this
year.
Fish in short supply include bawal hitam,
kembong and tenggiri. Other seafood such
HF10 RRP RM4,599 HF11 RRP RM4,999
▼
If the strike continues, it will not
only affect consumers, but also seafood
processing and export industries as well as
animal feed manufacturers, Chia said.
In Klang, seafood supply and prices did
not appear to be affected by the strike, to
the relief of housewives who were bracing
for the worst. A fishmonger explained that
there was ample supply at fish markets as
supply comes from both local and foreign

as prawn, squid and crab are also dearer, trawlers.

I will not apologise, says

Confucian school principal
CONFUCIAN Private Sec-
ondary School principal Goh
Kean Seng, who is being
sued by Dong Zong (United
Chinese School Committees
Association) president Dr
HG21 RRP RM4,999 Yap Sin Tian for defamation,
▼
Yap had earlier sought
an apology from Goh for the
latter’s remarks in public
on a number of occasions
describing him as bai jia zi
(one who squanders family
wealth or ruins a company
Goh, who ignored Yap’s
demand, said he had been
told Yap had filed a suit
against him.
He told the daily after
attending a national
seminar for private Chinese

said he would not apologise
to Yap for his remarks,
Nanyang Siang Pau reported
yesterday.
Goh said he was ready
to face the suit and was
gathering a team of lawyers
HG20 RRP RM4,699 to defend him.
▼
or an institution) and a bai
lei (black sheep) of Chinese
education.
In a letter from his
lawyers, Yap had demanded
that Goh apologise and
retract his remarks by Dec 8
or face legal action.
school heads in Kajang on
Saturday that he was setting
up a multi-racial legal
defence team.
Goh said he was not
worried about the suit as
he had not made any false
accusation.

Regular checks will Poor English on NRD

prevent mistreatment
of workers: MTUC
KUALA LUMPUR: The government should carry
out regular inspections on companies employ-
ing migrant workers to prevent mistreatment,
Malaysian Trade Union Congress vice-president
A. Balasubramaniam said.
He said S65 of the Employment Act 1955
authorises the labour department to conduct
inspections, adding that there are adequate laws
to protect migrant workers. The problem, he said,
is in the lack of enforcement, which employers
take advantage of.
Balasubramaniam was speaking at Tenagani-
ta’s Solidarity Day with Migrants and Refugees,
themed “No human is illegal”, at the Kandiah Hall
at SRK Vivekananda, Brickfields yesterday.
The event was held in conjunction with
FS11 RRP RM2,799 FS10 RRP RM2,299
▼
website corrected
PETALING JAYA: The poor use of English
on the National Registration Department’s
website has been rectified following public
complaints.
The department’s public relations officer
Janisah Mohd Noor said the mistakes were an
oversight and the public relations department
which manages the website together with the
NRD’s web team was baffled as to how they
were allowed through.
“We are checking on this and assume that
someone had taken the initiative to upload the
content without going through the necessary
procedures first,” she said.
Janisah said the department usually sends
all materials that are to be posted on its web-
site to the National Translation Institute for the
terms and responses to be standardised before

International Migrants Day which falls on Thurs- they are uploaded.

day. About 500 migrant workers and refugees “But we do not have any records of this
from countries including China, Burma, Indo- particular page which carried about eight
nesia, Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka questions and answers,” she said, referring
attended. to a section on frequently asked questions on
Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez said identity cards.
there must be a safety net plan established for “The rectification was done immediately to
workers in light of the global recession. avoid confusion among the public.”
CANON MARKETING (M) SDN BHD (158419-H) CANON LIFESTYLE CONCEPT STORES:
HEAD OFFICE & SHOWROOM : Block D, Peremba Square, Saujana Resort, Section U2, • SURIA KLCC Tel: 03-2166 2382 • MID VALLEY Tel: 03-2282 7037 BaIasubramaniam said employers who Earlier this month, a reader forwarded a
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Tel: 03-7844 6000 Fax: 03- 7844 6037 • PAVILION Tel: 03-2144 6200 • SUNWAY PYRAMID Tel: 03-5633 1818 copy of the atrocious content in English on the
Customer Careline: Tel: 03-7844 8333 (Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:30pm) E-mail: • PLAZA GURNEY Tel: 04-229 2585 • 1 UTAMA Tel: 03-7726 8861 chose to retrench their migrant workers should
website to theSun, expressing concern that it
helpdesk@cmm.canon.com.my Website: www.canon.com.my honour the terms of their contract with the
CANON BRAND STORES: would taint the country’s image.
BRANCHES: • THE CURVE Tel: 03-7710 7112 • PLAZA LOW YAT Tel: 03-2141 8188 workers.
The questions and answers posted per-
• PENANG Tel: 04-238 3838 • IPOH Tel: 05-255 6311 • MALACCA Tel: 06-283 8331 He said the workers should be given benefits
• JOHOR BAHRU Tel: 07-355 4777 • KUANTAN Tel: 09-517 3688 • KUCHING CANON EOS PRO CENTRE: tained to the application, cost and waiting
Tel: 082-481 133 • KOTA KINABALU Tel: 088-437 799 • BERJAYA TIMES SQUARE Tel: 03-2143 9148 as per their contract and sent off in a decent
period for identity cards, in addition to those on
manner.
locations at which renewals and applications
could be made.