KUALA LUMPUR: The construction industry, crippled by the recent shortage of cement in the market, has been assured that supply will return to normal within a month. 

The assurance came from cement manufacturers during a closed-door meeting chaired by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal with manufacturers, contractors, developers and building materials suppliers recently.

Also present were officials from the International Trade and Industry Ministry and the Finance Ministry.

DAMANSARA Utama residents do not want the Damansara ? Puchong Highway (LDP) to be expanded into their residential area along Jalan SS21/44, which is adjacent to the highway.

Linkaran Trans Kota Holdings Bhd (Litrak) had announced that it would spend RM84mil to upgrade the Taman Tun Dr Ismail Interchange at Km6.8 (The Star. Aug 29)

SEMENYIH 13 Sept. - Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) sepatutnya mengutamakan pelebaran Jalan Kajang-Semenyih sebelum melakukan kerja menaik taraf beberapa jalan lain di kawasan berhampiran.

Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Semenyih, Datuk Ahamad Kuris Mohd. Nor berkata, masalah kesesakan di bandar itu tidak akan selesai selagi jalan utama di situ tidak dilebarkan.

"Punca masalah kesesakan ialah kerana jalannya mengembang dan menguncup. Sepatutnya JKR utamakan kerja-kerja di sini dan bukannya di tempat lain seperti Jalan Semenyih-Broga," katanya ketika dihubungi hari ini.

KUALA LUMPUR 15 Sept. - Selepas turut mengalami gegaran akibat beberapa siri gempa bumi yang melanda Indonesia, mungkin sudah tiba masanya Malaysia juga mengambil langkah tertentu bagi menghadapi kesan bencana alam itu.

Ini kerana, menurut Ketua Kajian Kejuruteraan Gempa Bumi dan Struktur, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Prof. Madya Dr. Azlan Adnan, tidak ada satu pun bangunan di negara ini direka bentuk tahan gempa bumi.

Laluan dua lorong hubungkan lebuh raya Persekutuan, Bangsar, Penchala Link siap 2004 belum dibuka 

KUALA LUMPUR: Kemudahan jalan raya yang dibina sepatutnya menjadikan pergerakan kita lebih lancar, apatah lagi jika projek itu dibina di tengah kota dan kawasan tumpuan orang ramai. 

Namun, jika kemudahan yang dibina dengan kos jutaan ringgit tidak digunakan dan terbiar begitu saja, ia bukan saja merugikan masyarakat, malah menyebabkan pemanduan menjadi tidak lancar kerana kesesakan lalu lintas. 

SUNGAI SIPUT: Kementerian Kerjaraya belum menerima sebarang laporan berhubung struktur bangunan yang  retak atau rosak di Lembah Klang akibat gegaran gempa bumi di Indonesia yang turut dirasai  beberapa kawasan di Semenanjung.

Menterinya,Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu berkata ketika ini Jurutera Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) masih memantau bangunan tinggi di negara ini khususnya di Lembah Klang dari semasa ke semasa semasa  berikutan kejadian gempa bumi yang berterusan di negara itu.

SUNGAI SIPUT: The Work Ministry wants engineers to incorporate tremor-resistant designs in high-rise buildings, Minister Datuk Seri S. Vellu said.

He said the ministry would ask the Board of Engineers to consider such a feature as tremors were occurring in the country quite frequently.

"We cannot keep quiet. We have to think of Penang, Port Klang and all the west coast towns that might be affected by the tremors," he said.

IPOH: Two more sinkholes have appeared within 12 hours of each other in Kampung Manjoi. 

The first sinkhole, measuring 4m wide and 2m deep, "swallowed" a villager, when it suddenly appeared at Jalan Baginda at 6.30pm on Sunday. 

The villager known only as Jawa and a group of friends were chatting in front of a workshop parking lot, when he sank into the soft ground up to his knees. 

"No one was hurt and we quickly moved our cars away from there," said Jawa's friend Mizi Ismail yesterday. 

SEREMBAN 18 Sept. - Hanya selepas 49 hari beroperasi secara rasmi, Kompleks Penyiaran Negeri Sembilan yang serba caggih dan bernilai RM38.51 juta mula berdepan dengan masalah siling bocor.

Kejadian siling bocor di aras 1 dan 2 kompleks tersebut yang mengakibatkan banjir kecil disedari oleh kakitangannya yang masuk kerja kira-kira pukul 8 pagi hari ini.

Sumber mendedahkan, kesan-kesan lembap pada bahagian siling akibat kebocora yang dipercayai perpunca daripada system pendingin hawa itu telah dikesan sebelum kompleks berkenaan beroperasi.

PUTRAJAYA: The Works Ministry is formulating a new scheme for future toll concessions. 

Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the new scheme would provide equal benefits to highway concessionaires, financiers, the government and, more importantly, consumers.

He said the new scheme would further enhance the government's privatisation policy.