Football still needs human touch

by Matthew T. Umpang, reporters@theborneopost.com.

Posted on February 27, 2012, Monday

KUCHING: Competitive sports especially football still needs the human touch when it comes to refereing and judgement-based decision making during the game.

“I don’t think football will be exciting if we use technologies such as goal-line detection and video replays to replace referees. The game might even gets too rigid and very boring,” said state assistant minister of social development (youth development) Abdul Karim Hamzah in his speech at the Sarawak Football Referee’s Association (SAFRA) annual dinner.

Abdul Karim added that decisions made by referees are still very much needed in the game and he sees that it is very difficult for technology to ever phase them out.

“Football must always retain the “human” aspect of refereing the game to preserve its essence. I remember when Diego Maradona scored the “hand of God” goal against England during the World Cup in 1986 where the referee during that time seemed to have made the wrong decision. However, it was a memorable game and it remained as a debate until today. That is what makes football a beautiful game,” enthused Abdul Karim.

“If we enforced technology, perhaps the game would be different. The players might not feel free to “express” themselves in the pitch during a match due to very strict authority,” added Abdul Karim.

Karim also praised the contribution made by SAFRA in elevating the standard of football refereing in the state as matches are getting more competitive. “SAFRA must ensure its members are always at the very high level of integrity. Referees deal with people so the human aspect of the game is important. They must also constantly updating themselves of the laws of the game,” said Abdul Karim.

Pengadil ‘orang penting’ dalam bola sepak

February 27, 2012

KUCHING: Pengadil mema-inkan peranan penting dan menjadi orang bertanggungjawab dalam membuat keputusan dan penguatkuasaan peraturan sukan bola sepak.

Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, pengadil merupakan ‘orang penting’ dan masih relevan untuk sukan bola sepak meskipun kini terdapat sistem teknologi dalam pengadilan.

Beliau berkata, penggunaan teknologi dalam penghakiman terutamanya sukan bola sepak hanya akan merosakkan mutu permainan terbabit.

“Justeru, kita masih menganggap pengadil perlawanan bola sepak adalah ‘orang penting’ dan bertanggungjawab membuat keputusan,” katanya pada majlis jamuan malam Persatuan Pengadil Bola Sepak Sarawak (SAFRA) di sini malam kelmarin.

Hadir sama Presiden SAFRA, Awang Mahyan Awang Mohamad.

Abdul Karim berkata, kita tidak yakin bola sepak boleh menjadi menarik jika menggunakan teknologi seperti pengesanan ‘talian matlamat’ dan ulang tayang video seperti yang dicadangkan Persekutuan Persatuan Bola Sepak Antarabangsa (FIFA).

Katanya, pengadil masih diperlukan dalam sukan bola sepak dan kita melihat bahawa tidak ada cara teknologi yang boleh mengarahkan pemain-pemain ‘keluar padang.’

‘PR no match for BN’

February 25, 2012

ASAJAYA: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is no match for Barisan Nasional (BN) when it comes to looking after the welfare of the people, said Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He said the disbursement of the flood relief aid was yet another effort of the BN to help those affected by the flood.

“Unlike the opposition who can only talk, the BN delivers,” Abdul Karim said.

He was speaking at a flood relief aid presentation ceremony to 279 families at Asajaya Sports Complex, here yesterday.

The families were affected by last December’s flood.

In view of this, Abdul Karim advised the people to be wise in choosing the government to continue receiving welfare assistance and development.

To the recipients, he advised them to spend the money wisely.

Buyers undeterred by 10 pct increase in house prices

February 18, 2012

KUCHING: Prospective house buyers in Kuching are not hindered by the 10 per cent hike in house prices as reflected by the rise in demand and execution of projects since 2011.

As more new families are set up, the demand for medium cost house is steadily increasing, especially at fringes of the city where prices dip slightly.

Housing Assistant Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the housing industry was market-driven and sales based on the locality of the project.

He was officiating at the launch of Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (Sheda) Home and Property Road Show at Boulevard Shopping Mall yesterday.

He said prices of medium cost houses this year were expected to stabilise and only show a slight rise.

“If the demand and spending power of the consumers are strong, there will definitely be an increase in price of houses,” said Karim who is also Asajaya assemblyman.

Besides supply and demand, the hike in price was affected by the price of construction materials such as cement, bricks and steel.

He said the ministry was constantly overseeing the prices of houses and would come up with a formula to stabilise prices through the government’s capital contribution, such as water and electricity.

Karim said there were at least one or two projects which stalled due to the developer’s lacklustre sales and marketing or poor financial management.

“That is the common cause for abandoned projects; it’s definitely not caused by poor demand from prospective house buyers,” said Karim.

He said low-cost housing projects run by government agencies were not spared from being abandoned, such as those in Limbang and Pusa, but the ministry was looking into the matter.

Meanwhile, the annual roadshow which began yesterday and ends this Sunday is the first pitstop before continuing to Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.

Among the exhibitors at the Kuching roadshow are Tedfar Realty Sdn Bhd, Zuragaya Sdn Bhd, SHM Develoment Sdn Bhd, Kuwait Finance House (Malaysia) Bhd, Borneo Development Corporation (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, ME Publications Sdn Bhd, Tenaga Seri Wangsa Sdn Bhd, Oximas Sdn Bhd, Khidmat Mantap Sdn Bhd, Maybank Bhd, Hock Seng Lee Construction Sdn Bhd, Petra Jaya Properties Sdn Bhd, ICT Zone Ventures Bhd, RB Development Sdn Bhd, CMS Property Development Sdn Bhd and MJC City Development Sdn Bhd.

   

Kerajaan pantau peningkatan harga rumah

February 18, 2012

MENARIK: Karim (dua kanan) melihat reka bentuk bangunan hartanah yang dipamerkan pada Pameran Bergerak Hartanah dan Kediaman SHEDA di Kuching, semalam.

KUCHING: Kerajaan akan memantau peningkatan harga rumah untuk memastikan kestabilan pasaran hartanah di negeri ini.

Menteri Muda Perumahan, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berkata, pasaran hartanah di Sarawak khasnya Kuching telah meningkat sejak setahun lepas.

Susulan peningkatan tersebut, harga rumah di Kuching telah meningkat kira-kira 10 peratus terutama melibatkan rumah-rumah pada kos tinggi.

“Peningkatan harga rumah bergantung kepada lokasi, kuasa pembeli, jenis rumah serta peningkatan kos bahan binaan.

“Kita tidak dapat mengawal peningkatan pasaran hartanah tetapi kerajaan akan melakukan pemantauan untuk memastikan kestabilan,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui media selepas Perasmian Pameran Bergerak Hartanah dan Kediaman SHEDA di sebuah pusat beli-belah terkemuka di sini, semalam.

Sebanyak 16 syarikat pemaju mengambil bahagian dalam pameran tersebut yang dibuka secara percuma kepada orang ramai selama tiga hari dari 17 hingga 19 Februari.

Rega rumah niki 10 persin, ku Karim

February 18, 2012

KUCHING: Rega rumah bisi udah niki urung 10 persin sepengudah rega tanah dalam kandang nengeri niki dalam timpuh setaun ke udah, ku Menteri Muda Pengawa Berumah Abdul karim Hamzah.

“Dalam timpuh setaun ke udah, rega tanah bisi udah niki lalu tu mega ngujungka rega rumah bela niki.

“Entara pekara bukai ke nyadi kebuah rega rumah niki 10 persin iya nya ketegal rega minyak, semin, bata, besi enggau perengka bukai ti dikena begagaka rumah niki magang,”ku iya.

Iya mansutka jaku tu lebuh dikerandau pemberita sepengudah bejadika “SHEDA Home and Property Road Show-Kuching 2012’ ke diatur ba palan bebeli barang Boulevard ditu, kemari.

Ku iya, taja pia rega rumah kos mit enggau jelan pemesai mengkang ba rega baka ke selama lalu nerima peminta ke manah ari orang meli rumah.

“Rumah kos mit sereta jelan pemesai nerima peminta ke chukup manah maya diatu berindik ari pengawa raban nembiak ke udah bisi pengawa deka ngempu tauka meli rumah ungkup kediri empu.

“Palan berumah ke manah seruran nerima peminta ke tinggi ari mensia mayuh lalu pekara tu semampai diperatika pemeli rumah sebedau ngambi pemutus meli rumah nya,”ku iya.

Valentine’s Day too commercialised — Karim

February 14, 2012

KUCHING: Valentine’s Day is a day which has been very much abused, opined Assistant Minister of Youth Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

“I said ‘abused’ because this Valentine’s Day has been commercialised too much by hotels, restaurants, flower shops, gift shops etc,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

“On this day, prices of certain products usually associated with Valentine’s Day like roses suddenly shoot up sky high,” he added.

Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman, pointed out that if we love someone, expression of love should be done all year round.

“It should not be limited to just Feb 14 but because of the media and business promotion and outlook on Valentine’s Day it makes it look like we have failed as lovers,“ he lamented.

“In actual fact, the ones who really benefit from all this are the promoters of Valentine’s Day,” he said.

He hoped that Malaysians would be sensible enough to evaluate all this nonsense about Valentine’s Day as he believed that it would just benefit the business community who would took the opportunity to make quick profits.

Sebuyau to get new township

By CALVIN YEO
yeop@thestar.com.my
Sunday February 12, 2012

Big project: Johari (right) looking at the Sebuyau new township plan. Looking on are 

Rural Development Assistant Minister Julaihi Narawi (second from right), Samarahan 

Land and Survey Superintendent Rozlan Putit (centre), Housing Assistant Minister 

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (second from left) and Domestic Trade, Cooperatives 

and Consumerism Ministry Deputy Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim (left). 

— ANDRE OLIVEIRO / The Star

SEBUYAU: The Housing Ministry has identified a 10ha land for a new township here.

Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the township would comprise residential and commercial areas as well as government offices and places of worship.

“The residential area will take up 8ha in which about 240 units of low-cost houses under the Rumah Mesra Rakyat scheme will be built.

“It will be implemented by the Housing Development Corporation and Syarikat Perumahan Nasional Berhad,” he told a press conference after a working visit here yesterday.

Johari said the concept would help resettle residents affected by river erosion in this small coastal town, within a well-planned new township.

He said the low-cost houses would be built first, followed by commercial buildings and government offices.

Johari added that this would be a long-term plan by the government to resettle this town.

Strategically located Sibu Jaya set to enjoy high-speed wireless Internet

Wednesday February 8

SIBU: Sibu Jaya, located about 26km from here is set to become the first smart township in the state to enjoy cloud computing services over high-speed Internet.

Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said yesterday that the developer HDCam Sdn Bhd (Housing Development Corporation and Amcorp Group) was working closely with Mimos Bhd to introduce the new wireless Internet to this vibrant township of about 25,000 residents.

Johari stressed that high-speed wireless Internet was important for Sibu Jaya, as it was strategically located within the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) and within very short distance of many facilities and amenities such as the Sibu Airport.

“Investors in SCORE will find Sibu Jaya attractive and conducive to live in with all the modern facilities and amenities available here,” Johari said after performing the earth breaking ceremony of Pearl Avenue, which offered 170 units of double-storey terraced houses, priced at RM248,880 per unit.

He also said a road would eventually be built to link Sibu Jaya with Lanang Road and Lanang Bridge to better connect Sibu Jaya with Sibu and other nearby towns.

Johari also disclosed that a university was keen to set up its campus in Sibu Jaya, without mentioning its name.

“Sibu Jaya is emerging as a visually stunning and attractive twin town,” Johari said, adding that it was the proud recipient of the prestigious Planning Excellence Award under the Community Development-Planning Achievement Category at the national level competition organised by the Malaysian Institute of Planners.

Galeri: Press Conference on Pandaw Cruise

February 8, 2012

TOURISM STRATEGY: Abang Johari, flanked by Abdul Karim (left) and Azmi, speaks at the press conference.

Contohi negara maju jadikan kokurikulum syarat masuk universiti

February 7, 2012

KUCHING: Menteri Muda Perumahan dan Pembangunan Belia (Bandar) Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah menyarankan agar Kementerian Pelajaran mengubah dasar bagi meningkatkan kecenderungan pelajar aktif dalam bidang kokurikulum.

Beliau berkata, kokurikulum amat penting kerana ia sebagai syarat tambahan memasuki univerisiti memandangkan pada masa kini kebanyakan institusi pengajian tinggi (IPT) dipenuhi golongan wanita kerana sistem pengambilan berpandukan akademik dan merit.

Tambahnya, Malaysia patut mencontohi negara maju di barat yang meletakkan kokurikulum sebagai syarat untuk masuk ke universiti.

“Universiti di negera barat sudah merubah dasar ini dan Malaysia patut melihat perkara ini secara mendalam.

“Satu sebab kenapa universiti kita dipenuhi wanita adalah sistem pengambilan yang terlalu berpandukan kepada akademik dan merit tanpa mengambil kira hasil kokurikulum.

“Kebanyakan pelajar lelaki terlibat dan cenderung ke arah kokurikulum yang perlu diambil kira,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian menerusi sistem pesanan ringkas (SMS) ketika diminta mengulas mengenai saranan Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi agar calon-calon SPM dan STPM perlu aktif kokurikulum untuk masuk ke universiti.

Galeri: Sambutan Ulang Tahun Ke-40 HDC

February 4, 2012

Happy birthday: Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg (second from left) officiating at the HDC 40th anniversary celebration, assisted by HDC chairman Datuk Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen (left), Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (second from right) and Daya Builders Sdn Bhd chairman Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi.

RM500 aid not a vote-buying tactic, says Asajaya rep

Friday February 3, 2012

KUCHING: The 1Malaysia People’s Aids (BR1M) is not Barisan Na- sional’s ploy to buy votes, says Youth Development Assistant Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

He said Barisan did not need to fish for votes because with or without the RM500 aid, the people would still vote for Barisan.

He said the aid was for all Malaysians whose total household income was less than RM3,000 a month regardless of which political side they belonged to.

“Whether you have voted for PAS, DAP, PKR or Barisan, you will get it if you are qualified. This money is given to every qualified Malaysian citizen regardless of race and religion. The Government is concerned about the people,” he said at a presentation ceremony at the Asajaya Sports Complex in Samarahan yesterday.

BN will win Kota Samarahan — Abdul Karim

February 3, 2012

ASAJAYA: Several people who are said to be capable grassroots leaders are ready to be shortlisted as the new Barisan Nasional candidate for Kota Samarahan if the incumbent MP Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib is not re-nominated.

Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, however, did not want to say if Sulaiman’s elder brother Dato Sri Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib was among them.

He was nonetheless confident that whoever the candidate is, BN would still win in Kota Samarahan in the coming general election because the people’s support for BN in the constituency was still very strong.

“At one time, I heard rumour about him (Abu Bekir), but the rumour has since fizzled out. I’m not too sure whether he’s interested or not (in the seat).

“But if he were to contest, it should not be a problem. Kota Samarahan is a BN stronghold,” he told reporters after presenting the Kota Samarahan parliamentary-level Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) cash aid at Asajaya Sports Complex here yesterday.

According to Karim, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member, the list of potential new candidates for Kota Samarahan had been narrowed down to a few names.

However, Abdul Karim did not want to reveal the numbers and their identities, except to say that the top leaders would make the announcement in due time.