2 confirmed dead in Twin Otter crash at Kudat

 October 11, 2013, Friday

CRASH LANDED: Pictures (above and below) showing the aircraft in front of a house at Kampung Sinsan Kudat. — Bernama photos

THE AFTERMATH: Firefighters helping the injured pilot get away from the crash site. — Bernama photo

Co-pilot Marc Joel Bansh

KUDAT: Two people have died following the MASwings Twin Otter aircraft crash at Kudat airport yesterday afternoon.

They have been identified as the aircraft’s co-pilot, Marc Joel Bansh, and an elderly passenger, Tan Ah Cai, 69.

The Twin Otter aircraft was carrying 16 passengers, including the pilot and co-pilot, when it attempted an emergency landing here.

Another passenger identified as Sue Isabella Abal, is also reported to be in critical condition, while the pilot, Captain Wan Mohd Abdul Amir Wan Yahya, 58, is also reported as injured, though not as serious.

The other passengers who received outpatient treatment were Fauziah Pelimin, 32, Mohd Raiyan Fatmi, four-year-old, Nur Filzah Raudhah, one year old, Merang Maharani, 54, Noorhazwin Sharom, 29, Chang Gee Keong, 29, Elranita bt John, 25, Junaini Bladi, 52, Erwan Shah bin Einin, 23, Lee Chee Kian, 39, and Tan Kang Cheing.

It was reported that the DHC6 Twin Otter aircraft, call signed 9M-MDM, operating as flight number MH3002 from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat, carrying 16 people made a short landing of the runway and crashed into a house at Kampung Sinsan, Kudat at around 2.50pm.

Tan died at around 5pm while seeking treatment at the Kudat district hospital, while co-pilot Marc Joel Bansh succumbed to his injuries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) at around 9.30pm. Marc was rushed to Kota Kinabalu from Kudat in a Sabah Air aircraft to seek treatment at QEH for his severe injuries.

Earlier, Kudat police chief, DSP Dawi Ossen, when contacted said, a male passenger succumbed to his injuries at the Kudat hospital while seeking treatment.

“Five other people are still receiving treatment and reported to be in serious but stable condition,” he said.

Ossen said among those injured were the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft.

“We are still carrying out investigation at the scene to determine the actual cause of the incident,” he said, adding that the remaining passengers have also been taken to hospital.

Meanwhile, State Fire and Rescue Services Department public relation officer, Senior Assistant Superintendent Mohd Affendy Ramin, said, the department received information of a plane crash at 3.15pm and a team from the Kudat Fire and Rescue Department was deployed to the scene within minutes. Mohd Affendy added that there were some oil spillage in the scene coming from the aircraft but the Fire and Rescue personnel were able to control the situation.

Meanwhile, a villager who rushed to the scene after the crash, said that one of the passengers had alleged that the pilot was not able control the aircraft after strong winds battered the aircraft during landing.

“The man, who said he was traveling with a woman, claimed that strong winds had caused the plane to turn sharply to its side, causing it to crash into a house near the runway,” said the witness, who declined to be named.

The witness also saw an ambulance dispatched to the scene rushing the pilot and co-pilot to the Kudat Hospital. Both appeared severely injured and unconscious, according to the man.

He added that the site was quickly cordoned off by the police after they arrived but he heard people at the scene saying the pilot was in a coma when he was taken for treatment.

According to the witness, the plane veered off track and knocked part of the garage of a house.

“One of the plane’s wings clipped one of the three cars parked outside the house,” said the witness.

It was unclear if any one of the house occupants were in during the incident.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/10/11/2-confirmed-dead-in-twin-otter-crash-at-kudat/#ixzz2hNu1QvL4

Sacking politically motivated, claims ex Tuai Rumah

Posted on October 9, 2013, Wednesday

BINTULU: Man Jadot of Sungai Bakas Bakong who had been a Tuai Rumah for about 20 years claimed that his sacking as Tuai Rumah was “politically motivated”.
When met here recently, the 52-year-old described his sacking as a confirmation of a conspiracy theory calculated to weaken Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) in Marudi.
Reiterating that the termination of his service was unfair, he said he had been a strong supporter of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government and was still healthy and his ‘anak biak’ (charges) still had faith and confidence in him to lead them.
Man became Tuai Rumah around 20 years ago when his late father Jadot passed the baton to him.
He said he knew about the termination of his appointment when the District Office stopped giving him the monthly allowance of RM800 in September.
Prior to that, Man said he had received a letter signed by former Marudi district officer Joseph Belayong hinting about the termination.
He said the letter did not specifically mention that his service would be terminated as it only reminded him of the expiry date of his service without telling whether his longhouse should hold an election for a new Tuai Rumah.
Meanwhile, Man claimed many other Tuai Rumah linked to SPDP might also have been sacked to weaken SPDP Marudi.
He said this could be done out of spite because Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, the Marudi assemblyman, is in control of community services including firing and hiring of community leaders.
Entri, who is also Assistant Minister of Public Utilities (Water Supply), was sacked by SPDP in late 2011 for gross insubordination.
Now party less, Entri has denied any involvement in the issuance of such letters.
Last August when contacted, Belayong clarified that the letters were not meant to tell the Tuai Rumah that their services were no longer needed.
He explained that following the revision of monthly allowances for community leaders this year, all community leaders including ‘Ketua Kaum’, ‘Penghulu’, ‘Pemanca’ and ‘Temenggong’ would serve for a fixed period of time.
The letters, he said, were to inform them of the date of the expiry of their terms so that they could decide whether to continue serving or otherwise, especially if they see themselves as unfit to continue due to old age or ill health.
Belayong, who is now serving in Land Development Ministry, assured that they would be reappointed after evaluation by Marudi District Office and recommendations from BN elected representatives.
SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan had last week said he was informed by the State Secretary that the state government did not issue any termination letter to the longhouse chiefs.


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/10/09/sacking-politically-motivated-claims-ex-tuai-rumah/#ixzz2hE3gfD4L

Religion

 Some confuse religion and Spirituality. A religion is an organized and structured set of beliefs or dogmas concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe and life in general. A religious organization is a man made organization which indoctrinates, teaches, and regulates ideas, beliefs, and behaviors of the members of the religion. Some religions may be very restrictive and controlling while others may be very tolerant, eclectic, and open.

      All religions were initially founded on an understanding of man's relationship to the Divine. The Divine, however, never created or established any religion.

      It is this author's view that the content of this manual and the understanding that it encourages does not conflict with any religion, at least in the religion's original intent. Others with narrowly defined belief systems may have a different opinion.

      This manual does present a somewhat Gnostic perspective. The development and exploration of Spiritual faculties is encouraged as a means of developing a closer direct connection to the Divine as well as to assist us in meeting our life challenges. A number of religious texts and Spiritual sources are used. These include the Christian bible, the works of Edgar Cayce, and other ancient texts and documents from many religions from all over the world. The emphasis, however, is in facilitating the direct relationship between the individual and the Infinite, or to God.

      The premise of this manual is that every individual has the potential, the power and the opportunity to affect our selves, our world and our reality in a very positive and powerful way. This may seem to be a very audacious idea, considering the apparent obstacles to realizing this.

      It is the objective of this text to convey background information, perspective and specific practice techniques to enable every individual with the desire to do so to accomplish this task.

      This is an introduction and yet presents a working system with which one can, literally, change the world. "The world" in this sense includes both the internal world and the external world.

      The topic of religion is an issue for many. I find that there are basically two classes of individuals with reference to religion. There are those that follow a religion very closely and those that have been exposed to religion but are disillusioned by it and follow nothing. The difficulty with religions is that most of them consist of a "defined belief system" that is inflexible. This then amounts to a "system of defined limitations." Combine this reality with the fact that some of the most honest, honorable, generous and enlightened individuals participate in religions and religious organizations.

      If you are a religious person and are able to think outside the box, the knowledge and experience gained from this study will show you the truth of the core principles upon which all major world religions were originally founded. If you are not a religious person the knowledge and experience gained from this study will enable you to connect to the infinite and understand the universal underlying truths.

      Participants in all religions and philosophies are welcome to participate in this study. All participants are free to maintain any religious affiliation that they choose.