Recruit more Chinese civil servants call
Former state a orney-general Datuk Stephen Foo Kiat Shin hoped that the new state government would adopt an open-minded approach by recrui ng more Chinese civil servants to reflect the mul racial society.
KOTA KINABALU: Former state attorney-general Datuk Stephen Foo Kiat Shin hoped that the civil service would reflect the multiracial composition of Malaysia.
He said the number of Chinese civil servants had been on the decline.
“I hope the new state government will adopt an openminded approach by recruiting eligible Chinese youths into the civil service to truly reflect the multiracial society of Malaysia.
“This will augur well for the status and interests of the Chinese community in the country.”
Stephen also encouraged Chinese youths to master all three main languages, namely Mandarin, English and Malay, for them to feel at ease working in the civil service.
He said this when gracing the MidAutumn Festival cum fifth anniversary celebrations of the Sabah and Labuan F.T. Foo Clan Association here on Sunday.
The event also saw the installation of committee members led by its president Foo Hoe Weng. Foo is the life honorary president and legal advisor of the association.
On another note, he also voiced his concern over the declining Chinese population in Malaysia.
He said the latest statistics showed that the Chinese population had dropped to 23 per cent, and the figure was even lower in Sabah.
Stephen pointed out that the reasons for the decreasing population of Malaysian Chinese was due to low birth rates, migration and brain drain. KOTA KINABALU: Concrete spalling and poor maintenance are believed to be the main causes of the collapse of a canopy structure at a building in Kampung Air here.
Initial visual assessment showed that long-term spalling contributed to concrete slabs falling from the shophouse at Jalan Haji Yaakub.
In addition, stagnant water on the canopy structure due to rain caused rusting of the concrete reinforcement, said Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai in a statement yesterday.
He said the building in question was among those which have been around for over 40 years, and which were built with ocean sand as a mixture of concrete.
“Ocean sand is known to contain high volumes of chloride which accelerate rusting of the concrete reinforcement. For a building which has been around for so long, regular maintenance is of utmost importance to ensure the structure is still able to function well,” he said.
Yeo said that prior to the incident, City Hall had issued notices and letters to inform of violations under the Bylaws (Buildings) 1951, to owners of old shophouses around the city centre, including the one in Kampung Air, and the need to regularly maintain the building. The latest notice was issued in July this year.
In addition, Yeo said at the end of 2013, following a circular by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, City Hall issued a press release that stated all owners of buildings that were more than five storeys high and 10 years old had to conduct stuctural strength evaluation for safety purposes, at least once in 10 years.
“The need for this evaluation includes buildings which have been repurposed, such as from shophouses to hotels,” he said.
Repairs on the collapsed canopy at Kampung Air are to be borne by and are the responsibility of the building owner, Yeo added.
He also urged nearby lot owners, including owners of other buildings, to take early proactive measures to inspect the condition of their building, and not just critical structure components, which included rainwater pipelines and sewage.
“To ensure inspection of building structure is done in an orderly manner, City Hall will cooperate with relevant departments and professional bodies such as the Public Works Department, the Institute Engineers of Malaysia and Malaysian Institute of Architects to produce a comprehensive guideline as a reference,” said Yeo.
No injuries were reported from building owners or members of the public, although some damage was sustained by vehicles parked in front of the building.
“Many Chinese youths who have furthered their studies abroad are unwilling to return and serve their own country,” he lamented.
Hence, he suggested Chinese associations to provide incentives to boost the birth rates of young couples and to encourage youths to return to their home country upon graduating abroad.
Also present were Sabah and Labuan F.T. Foo Clan Association life honorary president Datin Foo Choon Pang and her husband Datuk Tiong Tan Hua, the United Sabah Chinese Communities Association of Kota Kinabalu (USCCAKK) president Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen and The United Association of Chinese Clans Sabah president Datuk Wong Ten An.
Shophouse canopy collapse believed due to poor maintenance — mayor