18a           PLANS TO LET  CIVIL SERVANTS WORK UP TO THE AGE OF 60

The government plans to extend the retirement age of  civil servants to between 58 and 60 years but this will be done  gradually over several years.

“Due to our longer  life expectancy, we find that it is a waste for able workers to retire at the age of 55 simply because it is the statutoryrequirement.”

“So, we want to increase the retirement age to between 58 and 60 years,” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.

“Due to the financial implication, we will try to implement this gradually.”

At the moment, the Government was set on increasing the retirement age from 55 to 56 years, he said in response to questions at a dialogue with Tenaga Nasional Berhad staff here.

(Adapted from STAR)

   WORD LIST
  
 
English 
Malay
1. let membenarkan
2. civil servants  kakitangan kerajaan
3. up to sehingga
4. extend    melanjutkan
5. will be done  akan dilakukan
6. gradually  secara beransur-ansur/sedikit demi sedikit
7. over merangkumi/sepanjang
8. longer   lebih lama
9. life expectancy jangka hayat
10. waste pembaziran
11. able   berupaya
12. requirement   keperluan
13. implication   implikasi
14. implement   melaksanakan
15. was set on berazam
 
   ENRICHMENT LIST
 
1. simply because hanya kerana
2. statutory ditetapkan oleh undang-undang
3. Prime Minister    Perdana Menteri
4. financial  kewangan
5. in response to ketika menjawab
                  

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18b                        POLICE TASK FORCE TO NAB ‘MAMAK GANG’
 

The Federal Police Headquarters has formed a special task force to track down the notorious Mamak Gang, which has become the country’s most wanted criminals after 53 robberies and hijackings throughout the peninsula.

It is learnt that nine of the gang members are convicted criminals and fugitives who are experienced and considered to be ruthless.

The Mamak Gang’s most famous robbery was the RM 10 million gold bar heist at the Subang International Airport cargo complex in August 1995.

Deputy CID Director, Deputy Commissioner Datuk Ramli Yusof said the ruthless robbers who often posed as police officers, were well armed and equipped.

(Adapted from STAR)
 

   WORD LIST
 
 
English 
Malay
1. task force pasukan khas untuk tugas-tugas tertentu
2. nab menangkap
3. Federal Persekutuan
4. track down  mengesan
5. most wanted paling dikehendaki
6. criminals penjenayah-penjenayah
7. robberies  rompakan-rompakan
8. hijackings  perampasan-perampasan
9. throughout   seluruh
10. peninsula   semenanjung
11. fugitives   pelarian-pelarian dari keadilan
12. considered   dianggap
13. ruthless  kejam
14. posed  menyamar
15. armed  bersenjata
 
   ENRICHMENT LIST
 
1. Headquarters Ibu Pejabat
2. notorious terkenal kerana sifat/perbuatan buruk
3. convicted  yang disabitkan kesalahan
4. gold bar  jongkong emas
5. heist  rompakan/pencurian
 

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18c            KANGAR GETS SET FOR INSTALLATION OF RAJA OF PERLIS

There is an air of festivity in the state capital, which is being spruced up for the installation ceremony of the seventh Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin ibni al-marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, on Monday.

Preparations for the historic occasion are going on at a feverish pace to ensure that everything is ready by this weekend.

Yesterday, workmen were seen putting up arches with the words Daulat Tuanku at strategic places along major roads, while gold-coloured bunting with portraits of Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin and the Raja Perempuan of Perlis were hung up alongside the Jalur Gemilang and state flags in various parts of town, especially in Jalan Arau-Kangar.

The two main roundabouts have also been beautified, while multi-coloured lights were strung up in town, turning Kangar into a fairyland by night.

The last installation ceremony was carried out in 1949 when the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Putra ibni al-marhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail ascended the throne.

(Adapted from STAR)
 

       WORD LIST
 
 
English
Malay
1. gets set  bersiap sedia
2. installation   pertabalan
3. air of festivity  suasana riang ria perayaan
4. spruced up  dikemaskan dan dibersihkan
5. historic bersejarah
6. workmen pekerja-pekerja
7. strategic  strategik
8. major  utama
9. portraits potret-potret
10. hung up digantung
11. flags  bendera-bendera
12. beautified  dicantikkan/dihiasi
13. strung up digantung
14. ascended menaiki
15. throne  takhta
  
    ENRICHMENT LIST
 
1. feverish pace kadar yang amat cepat
2. arches   pintu-pintu gerbang
3. bunting  bendera dan panji-panji
4. multi-coloured  pelbagai warna
5. fairyland  tempat yang cantik dan mempersonakan
 

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18d                        TRAWLER CAPTAIN SHOT IN ATTACK BY PIRATES
 

The skipper of a Malaysian-registered trawler was shot during a pirate attack on the vessel about 11 nautical miles off here on Saturday.

He has been listed as missing and feared drowned.

Takbai marine police chief Major Somchart Supawut identified the skipper as Bomphit Han Tu La, a 43-year-old Thai national.

A search and rescue operation has been mounted.

The vessel, with a crew of six, was out fishing when another vessel, which seemed like a fishing boat with a crew of seven, drew alongside about 5 pm on Saturday.

Suddenly one of them whipped out a gun and opened fire. The shot hit the skipper who fell overboard.

Fearing being shot, the other crew members, all Thai nationals, also jumped overboard.

They were later rescued by passing Thai fishing boats.
 

(Adapted from New Straits Times)
 

   WORD LIST
 
 
English
Malay
1. trawler bot pukat tunda
2. shot    ditembak
3. attack  serangan
4. pirates   lanun-lanun
5. skipper   kapten
6. vessel    kapal atau bot
7. listed  disenaraikan
8. feared   dikhuatiri
9. chief    ketua
10. search and rescue mencari dan menyelamat
11. mounted   dikelolakan
12. fishing  menangkap ikan
13. alongside  di sebelah
14. whipped out mengeluarkan dengan pantas
15. overboard  dari kapal ke dalam air
 
    ENRICHMENT LIST
 
1. Malaysian-registered didaftar di Malaysia
2. nautical miles  batu nautika (ukuran jarak di laut)
3. marine laut
4. national  warganegara
5. passing   berlalu

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18e                      DUGONG CARCASS   REVIVES FEAR OF POLLUTION
 

The discovery of a dead dugong calf on an oil-stainedstretch of beach in Pasir Gudang has thrown the spotlight once again on marine pollution in the waters off this industrial hub.

While there is still no conclusive proof that the dugong in question died of the effects of contamination , Pasir Gudang resident Abdul Manap Abu Bakar, who stumbled on the dugong carcass last Saturday, nonetheless says it is about time the local authority took a firm stand on pollution.

“When I spotted the carcass washed up with other rubbish on the shore, what struck me most was how polluted the water was. If nobody takes the trouble to highlight the issue, nothing will ever change. That is why I decided to contact the Menteri Besar’s office.”

(Adapted from New Straits Times)
 

   WORD LIST
 
 
  English
Malay
1. carcass   bangkai
2. revives   membangkitkan semula
3. dead  yang sudah mati
4. calf    anak
5. oil-stained mempunyai kesan minyak
6. beach  pantai
7.  hub  pusat
8. proof    bukti
9.  contamination pencemaran
10. stumbled on  terserempak
11. nonetheless    walau bagaimanapun
12. firm stand    pendirian tegas
13. washed up   dibawa ke pantai
14. shore pantai
15. contact   menghubungi
 
ENRICHMENT LIST
 
1. stretch   luas terbentang
2. thrown the spotlight  memberi tumpuan perhatian
3. conclusive menyakinkan/kukuh
4. in question yang diperkatakan
5. takes the trouble  bersusah payah
 

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