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.