News writing assignment 2 - PM's speech

 

 

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak launched Malaysia Green Forum 2010 on 26th April at Sri Siantan Conference Hall.

The Prime Minister said that the forum will give the government an opportunity to reiterate its resounding pledge towards environmental sustainability in the country as it deals with environmental issues holistically. He also recognized the contribution by Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for bringing together 14 agencies from 4 different ministries when he established the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in 2004 that paved the way for a more comprehensive and cohesive approach in tackling environmental issues.

He added, "I am happy to see that MGF2010 has united leaders and experts from very diverse backgrounds on a platform where environmental issues can be dealt with more holistically".

Malaysia is one of the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world, prized with 16 million hectares of tropical forest area, which covers 60 per cent of the countries land area. Preservation of this asset is the key to sustainability and the fact that over 73 per cent of the total forest area in this country is currently protected as national parks.

The government will consistently affirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability and continue to take cognizance of the growing need and urgency of green technology towards sustainable development.

News writing assignment 1 - Earthquake story

ALEUTIAN ISLAND – A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit the North Pacific about 40 miles east of the village of Nikolski and 850 miles southwest of Anchorage at 7:01 p.m. PST Sunday night.

According to George Carts, a seismologist at the Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre, he stated that the quake was strongly felt in the towns of Unalaska, Dutch Harbor and Nikolski which are located on western islands in the Aleutian chain. The 3-minute quake resulted in minor damages at Nikolski.

Officials said that the 20 aftershocks; one measured 5.0 on the scale was not powerful enough to cause a tsunami which sparsed the Aleutians.

An earthquake of 6.6 magnitudes can cause severe damage if it hits populated areas. Luckily, there were no reports of injuries or major damage.

Richter scale measures ground motion and is recorded on seismographs; each increase of one number means a tenfold increase in magnitude; example, 7.5 is 10 times greater than 6.5.

Official categories of earthquake magnitude: 3.5 may cause slight damage; 4.0 may cause moderate damage; 5.0 may cause considerable damage; 6.0 may cause severe damage; 7.0 may cause major earthquake and widespread heavy damage; 8.0 is a great quake.

5W1H, Element of newsworthy (5)

Sunday October 7, 2012

Con-test leaves man singing the blues

GEORGE TOWN: A waiter's dream to be a singing sensation went bust after he and some 100 others were cheated by a con man.

Waiter Yip Jing Qun, 18, lost RM1,750 after he signed up for a singing competition.

“I paid the registration fee of RM50 to take part in the competition and won second place.

“The winning prizes for the competition was RM2,000, an iPad besides a trip to Taiwan. None of the prizes were given. Instead, I was asked to fork out RM1,700 for a trip to Singapore for a recording session and to Taiwan for a singing competition.

“I deposited the amount in July, but there was no response from the organiser (the con man),” he said at the Penang MCA headquarters yesterday.

Penang MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau deputy chief Lim Thoon Deong said he would write a letter to IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar, Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abd Rahim Hanafi and Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong.

“I will gather the police reports from the victims and address it to them. So far, four reports have been made.

“I have urged the other victims to come forward. We need to look into the matter seriously since many are believed to have been conned.”

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/7/nation/12138009&sec=nation

Where - George Town
When - Saturday, 6th October
What - Man was conned in a singing contest
Who - Yip Jing Qun, 18

Element of newsworthy - Consequence

5W1H, Element of newsworthy (4)

Sunday October 7, 2012

Anti-corruption academy now has global advisors

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy has opened its doors to a select panel of international experts to sit in on a newly set up advisory board.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed introduced the six-member board, which he will head, to help with the academy in capacity building.

Also on the board are Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption former head Daniel Li Ming-chak and International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) chairman Martin Kreutner.

“They will advise the MACC on its training modules and assist in building international relations,” Abu Kassim told reporters at the sidelines of the 6th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities here yesterday.

However, Kreutner warned that the board would not serve as easy fixes or a silver bullet to end corruption.

“All academies and authorities have to be judged by their long-term efforts,” he said. “Don't expect quick social changes.”

The MACC also signed a memorandum of understanding with the IACA to jointly develop an international master's programme.

The 24-month programme for anti-corruption professionals, police officers, judges and other enforcement agency officers will be launched on Dec 9 - World Anti-Corruption Day.

The programme will be the first of its kind on global corruption studies.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/7/nation/12138081&sec=nation

Where - Kuala Lumpur
When - Saturday, October 6th
What - Malaysia's anti-corruption academy has global advisors
Who - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy 

Element of newsworthy - Timeliness

5W1H, Element of newsworthy (3)

Sunday October 7, 2012

PM hoping for strong mandate in upcoming general election

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak hopes he will be given a strong mandate in the general election so that he could turn Malaysia into a fully developed nation by 2020.

“The next five years are crucial for the Government to fulfill commitments and promises made by previous leaders to the nation,” the Prime Minister said in an interview with Martin Soong on CNBC Conversation, which was aired on Astro CNBC yesterday.

“Crucial, because you're talking about the last lap. You're talking about going down the stretch and this is the most critical part because we really have to deliver,” said Najib.

Najib said the transformation was a firm commitment made by former prime ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Now, said Najib, it was his turn to deliver to the people.

Najib agreed that achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth without upsetting the politicial landscape too much was one of the challenges Malaysia faced in becoming a developed nation.

However, he stressed, the key to making Malaysian society more equitable was to get growth to redistribute income back to the people. “Without growth, it will be a lose-lose situation.” - Bernama

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/7/nation/12137980&sec=nation

Where - Kuala Lumpur
When - Saturday, October 6th
What - PM hopes for strong mandate in upcoming election
Who - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Why - So that he could turn Malaysia into a developed nation by 2020

Element of newsworthy - Prominence

5W1H, Element of newsworthy (2)

Saturday October 6, 2012

Fire destroys fibreglass factory

IPOH: An afternoon fire destroyed a fibreglass container manufacturing factory in Kuala Kuang, Chemor, affecting the livelihood of 40 people.

About 80% of the Goodwater Engineering Sdn Bhd factory was in flames when firefighters arrived at about 1.40pm.

Black smoke rising: Firefighters arriving to put out the blaze at the fibreglass container manufacturing factory in Kuala Kuang, Chemor.

Firemen cordoned off the area as a safety precaution as the factory contained chemicals and flammable liquid.

They had to focus their attention on a storeroom where chemicals like ethanol were stored. Several small explosions were heard during the height of the fire.

The fire was brought under control at about 2.20pm.

No one was injured as most of the workers had gone out for either prayers or lunch.

The cause of the fire and losses have yet to be determined.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/6/nation/12132943&sec=nation

Where - Ipoh
When - Friday, October 5th
What - A fibreglass factory was destroyed by fire
Who -  No one was injured

Element of newsworthy - Consequence

5W1H, Element of newsworthy (1)

Saturday October 6, 2012

Three more ‘gold firms’ raided

PETALING JAYA: Three more gold investment companies in Kuala Lumpur have been raided for suspected illegal deposit-taking.

The premises of Pageantry Gold Bhd, Caesar Gold Sdn Bhd and Worldwide Far East Bhd were raided yesterday by Bank Negara, police and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism.

Among others, they are being investigated for money-laundering, tax evasion and avoidance, false description, including misrepresentation, and appointment of unlicensed agents, Bank Negara said in a statement.

They are the latest gold investment companies to be raided after Geneva Malaysia Sdn Bhd, which is being investigated for similar offences as The Star front-paged on Tuesday.

Potential evidence: Bank Negara staff taking away boxes of documents seized during the raid on Worldwide Far East Bhd.

At press time, officials were still at the Pageantry office in Setapak and the Worldwide Far East premises in Bandar Baru, Sri Petaling.

No one could be seen around the Caesar Gold base in Jalan Klang Lama.

In a separate statement, Bank Negara said that relevant assets and documents had been seized from several premises of Genneva and the residences of the directors of the company.

The investigations followed police reports lodged by “various quarters” against the company, the statement added.

Bank Negara had acted against Genneva in 2009, but it was back in operation after changing its name.

The central bank advised the public to check with the relevant authorities when dealing with companies or individuals offering seemingly attractive business opportunities or financial services.

“The public are reminded to be cautious in investing in unregulated schemes,” it reiterated.

Bank Negara stressed that enforcement agencies would act against illegal financial schemes “to protect the interest of the investors and the public at large”.

Of the 87 companies on Bank Negara's consumer alert list, 18 are involved gold investment activities.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/6/nation/12135512&sec=nation

Where - Petaling Jaya
When - Friday, October 5th
What - Three gold investment companies were raided
Who - Pageantry Gld Bhd, Caesar Gold Sdn Bhd and Worldwide Far East Bhd
Why - They were suspected for illegal deposit-taking

Element of newsworthy - Consequence