Orang asli kids take the copter to school





GUA MUSANG: Some 252 orang asli pupils from four remote settlements here were flown in by helictopter to begin their new school session after the land routes to their school were damaged by rain, making them impassable.



The Air Unit of the Fire and Rescue Department’s (JBPM) Special Air Services commander, Supt Cik Hamdan Hamzah, said 37 mercy flights were made using three helicopters from the unit’s base in Subang, Selangor.



The operation began on Monday to ferry the pupils to their respective school hostels.



Supt Cik Hamdan said yesterday’s operation also included a five-month-old orang asli baby girl from Pos Gob who had high fever and was transferred to Gua Musang hospital for treatment.



The baby, Amana Safina Junaidi, was accompanied by her mother Sakila Seri, 26, on the mercy flight. — Bernama



CAP: Ban air fresheners with hazardous chemicals



GEORGE TOWN: The Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) called on the authorities to introduce laws banning the use of air fresheners that contain harmful chemicals in public places.



Its president S.M Mohamed Idris said on Wednesday that there were concerns that such products were likely to increase air pollution and that excessive exposure could also pose health risks.



“According to the study carried out by the American Academy of Sciences, 95% of the chemicals used in air freshener products are synthetic compounds from petroleum that include toxic chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive problems,” he said.



Perlis MB: Vital to counter ‘padi angin’



ARAU: An immediate study should be conducted to address the problem of padi angin or weedy rice (wild parasitic plant) infesting rice fields in Perlis.



Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man advised farmers to report the problem at once to the Agriculture Department to enable information to be collected and follow-up action taken.



“Weedy rice has become immune to weedicide via a mutation process.



“A study is needed to find out how to overcome the problem,” he said after handing over business tools to eight residents in the Pauh state constituency in Kampung Katong here yesterday.



Azlan said the state government would bring up the matter to the Federal government for consideration of assistance to reduce the burden of farmers affected by the weedy rice menace. — Bernama



Elderly driver killed after crashing car into pillar



SITIAWAN: A septuagenarian lost his life when the car he was driving skidded and crashed into the pillar of a fence at a house in Taman Seri Sentosa, Ayer Tawar, near here.



Wong Sam, 75, from Taman Sri Indah, Ayer Tawar, died on the spot from serious injuries in the 10pm incident on Wednesday.



Manjung district police chief Asst Comm Muhammad Hanif Othman said in a statement that the victim was driving home alone from Ayer Tawar town. — Bernama



Labour of love





GEORGE TOWN: R. Karunagaran busy making kavadis to be used by Hindu devotees on their day of worship.



He is making a variety of kavadi such as the ‘paal kavadi’ (milk pot) and ‘mayil kavadi’ (peacock feathers).



He started a few weeks ago so as to be able to meet the demands of devotees who will observe Thaipusam on Jan 31. — Bernama