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CYCLING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: Some of the 1,800 local and international participants taking part in the Night Owl ride. — Bernama photo
MELAKA: The Owl Night Ride 2011 saw 1,800 cyclists taking part in the 45km off-road event through Ayer Keroh, Durian Tunggal, organised by the Environment Cycling Club (ECC) here, Saturday night.
The cyclists, both locals and from the United Kingdom, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, India, Italy and France, were flagged off from the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) stadium at 8.30pm and completed the event back at the starting point about four hours later.
UTeM corporate communication and planning director Fazidah Ithnin said the university was the first higher learning institution to collaborate with the ECC on such an event.
She said the event showed that UTeM did not just focus on academics but was also active in extra-curricular activities.
"UTeM provides off-road facilities to ensure our cycling club members can train," she added.
Forty members of the club volunteered for last night's event to gain experience in organising sporting events, she said. — Bernama
by Cheong Ah Kwan. Posted on October 2, 2011, Sunday
IDEAL HABITAT: The start of a mountain trail which provides opportunities to see Sarawak's birds.
THERE are thousands of groups dedicated to bird-watching all over the world. These birding groups range from small, informal gatherings of friends to large organisations that hold annual conventions. There is no doubt that bird-watching has become an increasingly popular activity enjoyed by many. In the United States alone, birding is now a hobby for more than 45 million Americans and the number of birders is continuously on the rise.
In Malaysia, birding has also become a popular hobby. The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) is instrumental in promoting the activity and has even managed to put Fraser's Hill on the map as an international birding destination. Among the better-known birding festivals celebrated in Malaysia each year are the Raptor Watch, Festival of Wings and Fraser's Hill International Bird Race.
For the past 11 years, MNS in partnership with the Melaka state government has organised an event, in March or April, known as Raptor Watch at Tanjung Tuan, Port Dickson. The event, aimed at raising awareness on the conservation of raptors and their habitats, has gained a growing number of followers over the years with bird-watchers from all over the world coming to watch the thousands of oriental honey buzzards and Japanese sparrowhawks make their annual migratory flight home to the north.
MNS hosts the Festival of Wings, a celebration of local and migratory birds, in October at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park. Besides bird-watching, the event offers an appealing day out for families and is fast gaining popularity among locals.
In 1988, Fraser's Hill held its inaugural bird race with just five teams of three. Yes, 15 participants in all. No one could have guessed then that the event would take off to become a top tourism product. The Fraser's Hill International Bird Race 2008, the 21st in its series, had well over 200 teams! The event has certainly grown by leaps and bounds and is now a major attraction on the tourism calendar.
The Sarawak Bird Race, a newcomer, which is making waves, held its inaugural race in October 2008 at the Borneo Highlands Resort in the Penrissen Range. This year, it will be held on Oct 30. There, however, is a new twist. A series of workshops, talks and walks introducing the world of birds will be held at Permai Rainforest Resort on Saturday, Oct 29, before the flag off of the race on Sunday morning at the Borneo Highlands Resort.
In addition, other activities such as guided walks and photography exhibition are planned for non-racers on Sunday. The Saturday and Sunday activities are golden opportunities to glimpse into the world of birds while being guided by birding enthusiasts from far and near.
The Borneo Highlands Resort provides easy access to the Penrissen Range, which is recognised internationally as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Bird Life International, a global partnership of conservation groups. Recognised IBA areas have large numbers of threatened or endemic birds and are key biodiversity areas.
In this mountainous region, which marks Sarawak's border with West Kalimantan, about 150 species of birds (or slightly over one quarter of birds species found in Sarawak) have so far been sighted by MNS members. It is home to eight endemic bird species: Bornean barbet, blue-banded pitta, chestnut-crested yuhina, yellow-rumped flowerpecker, black-sided flowerpecker, pygmy white-eye, mountain black-eye, and dusky munia.
For experienced and novice birders, the upcoming Sarawak Bird Race will provide opportunities to see species they have never encountered and a chance to see the unexpected.
The workshops, talks and walks on Saturday, Oct 29, at Permai Rainforest Resort, along with the Sarawak Bird Race 2011 at the Borneo Highlands Resort, will take you from the sea to the mountains, while introducing you to the world of birds and birders.
PAS Merlimau hari ini telah mengadakan majlis Solat Hajat untuk menyelamatkan tanah Markas Pas dan PASTI As-Solihin, Merlimau dari dirampas oleh Kerajaan Negeri Melaka di bawah Seksyen 3 (1) (a) Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960.
Majlis Solat Hajat berkenaan telah diadakan sempena sambutan Majlis Jamuan Hari Raya peringkat Majlis Tindakan DUN Merlimau di perkarangan PASTI As-Solihin Merlimau.
Turut hadir pada majlis berkenaan ialah Bekas Yang Dipertua PAS Kawasan Jasin, Tn Hj Major Jasme Tompang yang di dalam ucapannya telah melahirkan rasa dukacita di atas tindakan kerajaan negeri yang sentiasa mencari jalan untuk mengkucar-kacirkan dan memusnahkan markas-markas PAS di dalam negeri ini.
Tanah tersebut telah dibersihkan dan dibangunkan dari hutan belantara sewaktu beliau memimpin PAS Kawasan Jasin, tetapi akibat daripada kerakusan pihak tertentu, tanah tersebut kini hendak diambil alih oleh Kerajaan Negeri dengan sebegitu mudah.
Sementara itu, Yang Dipertua PAS Jasin yang baru, Ustaz Kamaruddin Sidek (gambar) turut menyelar tindakan kerajaan negeri Melaka yang cuba menggunakan kuasa di bawah Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960 untuk merampas tanah markas PAS.
Beliau mengimbau sejarah pengambilan Madrasah Al Falah Kuala Sungai Baru pada tahun 1993/94 dimana selepas pengambil-alihan tersebut, madrasah yang di satu ketika menjadi kebanggaan Parti Islam SeMalaysia akhirnya bertukar entiti dan identiti sebagai sekolah bantuan kerajaan yang sudah tidak lagi mempunyai "roh" perjuangan untuk mendaulatkan Islam.
Semalam, blog ini menyiarkan berita dari akhbar tabloid tindakan Kerajaan Negeri mahu mengambil tanah Markas Pas As-Solihin, Merlimau, di bawah Seksyen 3 (1) (a) Akta Pengambilan Tanah 1960 telah mendapat bantahan daripada pelbagai pihak termasuk pemilik tanah berkenaan.
Pemilik, Miah Jani, 74, yang berkata, beliau membantah tindakan itu kerana mendakwa bersusah payah membelinya tetapi dengan tiba-tiba ingin diambil alih Kerajaan Negeri.
Menurutnya, bukan mudah untuknya memiliki tanah itu yang kini didirikan Markas Pas dan juga Sekolah Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti) As-Solihin.
"Saya beli dengan bersusah payah dan rancang nak bangunkan, tapi tiba-tiba dirampas pula, tanah ini bukan tanah terbiar.
"Sejak awal sudah ada Pasti As-Solihin dan diimarahkan dengan pelbagai program Pas untuk hidupkan aktiviti masyarakat di sini, saya tidak reda dengan tindakan ini," katanya.
Sementara itu, suaminya, Abdullah Mohamad, 76, beliau sekeluarga memberi kebenaran tanah itu dijadikan Markas Pas dan Pasti sejak1996 termasuk segala aktiviti yang berkaitannya.
"Saya bantah dan tak setuju kerana saya sudah rancang dengan pemaju untuk bangunkan tanah ini bagi projek perumahan yang sedang dijalankan," katanya.
Ini adalah pengambilan kali kedua Markas Pas Kawasan di Melaka di bawah akta sama dengan menggunakan alasan ingin membina sekolah tahfiz al-Quran. Manakala bagi pengambilan tanah Markas Pas Bukit Katil sebelum ini, bertujuan membina jalan raya.
