KUALA LUMPUR: The Eastern Corridor Economic Region (ECER) will cost RM112bil of which 40% will be spent to build roads to spur development, said Petronas president Tan Sri Hassan Merican. 

"Enhancement of transportation connectivity and economic linkages with the Western Corridor, the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) and the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) are key factors needed for the ECER to succeed," he said. 

SEREMBAN: The Government might slap a penalty against the main contractor whose negligence caused damage at the newly completed RTM RM38mil-complex near here. 

A leak at the air-condition vent caused flooding at the ground floor of the building. The complex was opened on Aug 1. 

Information Ministry secretary-general Datuk Kamarudin Siaraf said the contractor's lackadaisical attitude towards maintenance had affected the ministry's image. 

"I will seek legal opinion (on the penalty)," he said after visiting the RTM complex in Sg Gadut near here. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

PETALING JAYA: Danger along stretches that are being expanded along the North-South Expressway can be averted if drivers observe the speed limits, the highway concessionaire said. 

Observe the speed limit and your journey will be safe, said PLUS Expressways corporate communications general manager Khalilah Mohd Talha. 

"Unfortunately, some drivers fail to observe the traffic regulations," she said, responding to public allegations that it was dangerous to drive through the affected stretches, especially at night. 

KUALA LUMPUR 21 Ogos - Pas hari ini mengemukakan satu memorandum kepada Kementerian Kerja Raya Malaysia meminta penjelasan mengenai pembinaan Istana Negara.

Ketua Penerangannya, Mahfuz Omar menyerahkan sendiri memorandum itu yang menurut beliau mempersoalkan ketelusan dan integriti dalam proses pembinaan projek itu.

Menurutnya, Pas bukan membantah pembinaan Istana Negara dan tidak mahu dilabel derhaka terhadap Yang di-Pertuan Agong tapi mempersoalkan cara pengurusan dan kewangan projek ini.

KUALA LUMPUR 27 Ogos - Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) mengenal pasti sebanyak 400 jambatan yang berada pada tahap kritikal di negara ini melalui Program Pemeriksaan Mandatori Tahunan Jambatan (PMTJ) 2006. 

Timbalan Menterinya, Datuk Ir. Mohd. Zin Mohamed berkata, pada tahun ini sebanyak RM15 juta disediakan bagi tujuan penyelenggaraan jambatan.

Menurut beliau, sehingga Julai lalu, sebanyak RM10 juta dibelanjakan untuk tujuan kerja pembaikan struktur jambatan, kerja pengukuhan dan penggantian komponen struktur yang rosak.