KUALA LUMPUR- Motorists using the MTD highways will be able to contribute towards alleviating the plight of the Palestinians.The ? Tabung Palestin ? made avaible since 6 pm on Friday at every cash lane and Touch ?n Go point of sales their loose change whenever paying toll or making the Touch?n Go transactions.

Present to observe the placement of the coin boxes at the Gombak toll plaza was Malaysian Highway Authority dirctor-general Datuk Mohamad Razali Othman and MTD senior officials.

GEORGE TOWN : A stretch of the third lane on the Penang Bridge-from Km1 heading to the island and Km0.7 heading to Butterworth-has been completed and opened to traffic yesterday. Malaysian Highway Authority Director- General Datuk Mohd Razali Othmand said the entire third lane will be opened in stages. 

He hoped that the opening of this stretch will reduce traffic congestion, especially during peak hours. The expansion project was expected to be completed on schedule in August 

KUALA SELANGOR - Seramai 1,800 kontraktor menyertai Kursus Keselamatan dan Kesihatan bagi Pekerja Binaan (Kad Hijau CIDB) anjuran Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) bagi tahun ini.

Pengurus Besar Komunikasi Korporat dan Hal Ehwal Awamnya, Abdul Halem Mat Som berkata, pelbagai kurusus termasuk kursus ini diadakan bagi memastikan Syabas mematuhi peraturan keselamatan dan kesihatan.

KUALA LUMPUR 23 Jan. - Sistem Binaan Berindustri (IBS) yang terbukti mampu menjimatkan kos dan memendekkan tempoh binaan akan diperluaskan. Ini termasuk mewajibkannya dalam semua projek kerajaan.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, kerajaan memutuskan untuk menerima pakai IBS secara meluas. 

Sehingga 8 Januari lalu, 303 projek kerajaan bernilai RM9.2 bilion menggunakan sistem itu.

Menurutnya, Surat Pekeliling Bilangan 7/2008 yang diedarkan sebelum ini mewajibkan penggunaan 70 peratus kandungan IBS dalam semua projek kerajaan.

KUCHING: The Works Ministry has estimated about RM1bil in compensation payments to contractors for the variation of prices (VOP) of projects arising from higher cost of building materials.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng said the ministry has identified 1,311 projects under the VOP.

Some RM44.2mil has been paid out for 270 projects.

"The amount for the other 1,041 projects are being determined," he said at the opening of the ministry's briefing session for VOP and industrialised building system (IBS) at the Kuching Hilton yesterday.

KEMENTERIAN Kerja Raya ingin merujuk surat 'Cashrwd' yang disiarkan ruangan ini pada 7 Januari lalu.  Jalan yang dimaksudkan pengadu ialah Simpang Selangau (Bahagian Sibu) hingga ke  Simpang Mukah Balingian (Matadeng) di Serawak.

KUALA LUMPUR 14 Jan. - Kementerian Kerja Raya mencatat sejarah sebagai kementerian pertama mendapat pengiktirafan lima bintang menerusi Sistem Penarafan Bintang (SSR) yang diperkenalkan oleh Unit Pemodenan Tadbiran dan Perancangan Pengurusan Malaysia (Mampu).

Ketua Setiausahanya, Datuk Seri Dr. Abdul Munit Kasmin berkata, hasil penilaian SSR, kementeriannya berjaya memperoleh markah tertinggi iaitu 92.18 peratus sekali gus layak diiktiraf sebagai kementerian lima bintang bagi tahun 2008 menewaskan 27 buah kementerian lain.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry is the first and only ministry to score five stars under the Star Rating System conducted by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu).

Secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Munit Kasmin said Mampu had given the ministry a score of 92.18% out of possible 100% during last year's evaluation.

This placed the Works Ministry above the Housing and Local Government Ministry and the Education Ministry, which came second and third with scores of 89.62% and 89.08% respectively.

PUTRAJAYA- The Government received financial gain from its revenue sharing agreement only with Mekar Idaman Sdn Bhd, which operated the Penang Bridge, amounting to some RM30 mil a year.Malaysia Highway Authority chairman (MHA) Datuk Syed Jamal Syed Jaafar said.

He said there has not been any revenue from either PLUS, which operates the North-South Expressway, or Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak), the concessionaire for Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong.

PUTRAJAYA: All highway operators have agreed to set up collection boxes at their toll plazas for motorists who want to help the Palestinian victims in Gaza.

Malaysian Highway Authority chairman Datuk Syed Jamal Syed Jaafar said the boxes would be put at the more than 100 toll plazas with immediate effect.

"Money will not replace the lives lost or their suffering, but it will help them. So, if motorists feel they want to donate, they can do that.