CYBER-CONTRACTS & DIGITAL SIGNATURES

CYBER-CONTRACTS & DIGITAL SIGNATURES

Although most transactions between meeting planners and suppliers today are created by the exchange of paper, this traditional way of doing business is rapidly changing and totally electronic or “cyber” contracts are now a reality.
By contracting on-line, businesses can improve efficiencies, reduce paperwork, and streamline their operations. At the same time, however, new technologies create challenges for the legal system, which must try to apply existing law in a new context.
Take the following hypothetical exchange of e-mails:
Planner to Hotel:
Can you handle 100 room and meeting space for 150 schoolroom setup on March 11 and 12, 2008.
Hotel sales person to Planner
Yes we can handle it. I’ve checked the books and everything is clear.
Planner to Hotel:
Great!, we’ll take it.

Can the above exchange create a contract? Certainly. But several legal issues arise, many of which are the same as encountered in traditional contracts: What are the exact terms of the contract? Is it enforceable? What happens if a message is garbled or sent in error? What if one of the messages was unauthorized or sent by an impostor? The Internet hasn’t changed the basic rules of contract law. Contracts can be formed by oral or written agreement and they can be implied by conduct of the parties. With the advent of on-line communications, they can be formed electronically. A “cyber”, or electronic contract is a contract created wholly or in part through communications over computer networks. A cyber-contract can be created entirely by the exchange of e-mails where an offer and an acceptance are evident or they can be made by a combination of electronic communications, paper documents, faxes and oral discussions. If a planner and supplier exchange promises by e-mail the law will interpret this agreement the same way it would interpret a more traditional contract written on paper. Parties to an electronic contract should be just a careful in articulating the terms as they would be in traditional contracts.

IMPOSTORS AND PERSONS WITHOUT AUTHORITY
The daily news is full of headlines detailing the latest computer scam causing someone to lose a lot of money. The biggest concern in electronic communication is the identity and authority of the person on the other side of the transaction. It is a simple matter for a person to adopt a pseudonym on-line or to send an electronic message that appears to come from someone else. This person could be anyone from a curious competitor to a dishonest person with too much time on their hands. It could even be a disgruntled former employee.
For those who want to engage in on-line contracting, two major issues arise: (1) How can you be sure that the person with whom you are communicating is the person he or she claims to be? and (2) Can an impersonator bind you to an electronic contract?
Since electronic communications does not involve business cards, letterhead or corporate seals it is impossible for one party to determine the other party’s authority to book a meeting or sign a contract. Just because someone has a corporate e-mail address and says they are the executive director, vice-president of special events or director of meeting planning does not make it so. Parties to an on-line contract must still exercise due diligence to ascertain who they are dealing with on the other side. The development of digital signatures is helping to solve this problem.
Everyone is (or should be) concerned with someone else impersonating them and fraudulently signing their name to contracts. The key issue of course is who, if anyone, is bound to these contracts. Under current law a forged signature will only bind the forger, not the party being impersonated. The other party to the transaction, however, may be left holding an empty bag if the impostor can’t be caught or identified or if the impostor is in no position to perform on the fraudulent contract. The exception to this is if the real party ratifies the signature or was somehow negligent and contributed to the forgery. This is just as true in on-line contracts as it is in traditional paper contracts. These issues are not unique to on-line communications. Impostors and persons without authority operate in paper transactions as well. The difference is that in on-line communications there is greater anonymity and greater ease in perpetrating fraud without a great deal of financial investment. Technology companies and lawmakers are dealing with these issues daily and the result is new techniques to combat the potential for fraud in on-line communications. As mentioned above, one of these new techniques is the creation of digital signatures. A digital signature can provide assurance that the communication was sent by a known party and not an impostor.

WRITING AND SIGNATURE
As a general rule, contracts do not have to be in writing or even signed by either party to be enforceable. Contracts may be formed by conduct of the parties and may be oral unless they are required by law to be in writing sufficient to indicate that a contract has been made between the parties. The definition of a writing is not limited to ink on paper. Rather, the essence of the requirement is that the communication be reduced to a tangible form. Electronic transmissions recorded in a tangible form should meet the writing requirement. To ensure this result it is probably necessary to preserve electronic communications, such as e-mails, in printed form or in a computer log.
In many cases, the law requires that an agreement be both in writing and signed by the person who is sought to be held bound in order for that agreement to be enforceable. If two parties are entering into a contract on-line, these writing and signature requirements may apply.
Generally, a signature is “any symbol executed or adopted by a party with present intention to authenticate a writing. Therefore, a signature need not be ink on paper--rather, the issue is the intent of the signer. A symbol or code on an electronic record, intended as a signature by the signer, should be sufficient. Digital signatures should certainly do so.

DIGITAL SIGNATURES
Most persons are comfortable with traditional contracts because of the security and familiarity with paper documents and handwritten signatures. In on-line contracts the security factor has been missing in the past and there is not much familiar with electronic lines of type. In other words, it is easy to be a victim of fraud when conducting business entirely on-line. The technology industry recognized early on the pitfalls inherent in online communications. They have risen to the occasion by creating systems and procedures for satisfying the business and legal requirements of authenticity, integrity, nonrepudiation, writing and signature, and confidentiality. The primary tool in use is digital signatures. A digital signature is an electronic substitute for a manual signature and is generated by a computer rather than a pen. It serves the same functions as a manual signature, and a lot more.
A digital signature is not a replication of a manual or typed signature such as “signed, John Tan”. In technical terms, digital signatures are created and verified by a special application that generates cryptographic messages. Cryptography is a branch of applied mathematics and involves transforming clear messages into seemingly unintelligible forms and back again. For digital signatures to work, two different translation keys are generally used. The first, called a public key, creates the digital signature by transforming the data into an unintelligible code. The second key, called a private key, verifies the digital signature and returns the message into its original form.
A person’s public key is distributed by the person to other’s with whom they do business. One way of accomplishing this is to post the public key on an organization’s web page for anyone to access. A public key can also be attached to the document being executed. Individual’s using a digital signature will also have a private key that is known only to that individual, or a limited number of corporate officers. The private key is used to create the digital signature. The document’s recipient must have the corresponding public key in order to verify that the digital signature is the signer’s. This system is totally secure as long as the private key is kept private. This is because a digital signature is derived from the document itself. Any change to the document will produce a different digital signature.
A digital signature has many advantages over a manual signature. Both are used to signify authorship. acknowledgment and acceptance of terms. A digital signature, however, also serves an important information security purpose that a manual signature cannot. Digital signatures allow the recipient to determine if the digitally signed communication was changed or not after it was digitally signed. This feature provides integrity and authenticity to a communication that a manual signature does not. Additionally, a message sender can include information about the sender’s authority and job title as well as the sender’s identity encrypted into their digital signature.

HOW ARE DIGITAL SIGNATURES ACTUALLY SIGNED AND THEN VERIFIED?
A sender must first create a public-private key pair before an electronic communication can be digitally signed. As mentioned above, the sender discloses his or her public key to the recipient. The private key is kept confidential by the sender and is used for the purpose of creating a digital signature. The entire process is started by the sender who runs a computer program that creates a message digest (technically known as a one-way hash value). The program then encrypts the message digest using the sender’s private key. The encrypted message digest is the digital signature. The sender attaches the digital signature to the communication and sends both electronically to the intended recipient.
When the digitally signed communication is received the recipient’s computer runs a computer program containing the same cryptographic mathematical formula that the sender used to create the digital signature. The digital signature is automatically decrypted using the sender’s public key. If the recipient’s program is able to decrypt the digital signature successfully, he or she knows that the communication came from the purported sender. Further, the recipient can tell if a communication has been altered or tampered with because the recipient’s program will create a second message digest of the communication. This second message digest is then compared to the original message digest. If the two match the recipient has now verified the integrity of the message. Messages, of course, can be a few sentences long or an entire facility contract.
This system is virtually foolproof as long as the public key used by a sender can be verified as indeed belonging to that sender versus an impostor. This potential risk has been solved by the use of third parties to verify an individual’s public key. Such a third party is called a certification authority. Several national companies serve in this capacity for individuals and organizations for a nominal fee.

THE LEGAL EFFECT OF A DIGITAL SIGNATURE

If the proper guidelines are followed, digital signatures should meet all of the legal requirements for electronic contracts. Although we are still primarily dependent on the use of paper in creating contracts, the full use of electronic or “cyber-contracts” is probably not far away. Such cyber-contracts will not take the place of full scale negotiations but they will definitely speed up the end game of signing contracts once the details are agreed to by the parties. Human history in a sense is a story of technology from flint stones to that of genetic clones. The tribulations and triumph of such a journey, which will continue in the future, has one aspect constant at its core - ‘the laws that govern them’.
The cyber revolution holds the promise of quickly reaching the masses as opposed to the earlier technologies, which had a trickle down effect. Such a promise and potential can only be realized with an appropriate legal regime based on a given socio-economic matrix. In the ambit of technology and law, law has always been at the curve of the highway chasing the developments of technology and ends often issuing violation tickets. Law needs to provide a road map to technology with appropriate signals and speed breakers for its safe driving. The need of the times is that law needs to travel along with technological developments if not in advance. Such an effort can make law as a management tool, of rights and obligations in the interface of technology and business and administration.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - GUARD FINED OVER THREAT

GUARD FINED OVER THREAT

KOTA KINABALU:

A security guard was fined RM25 in default three days’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for threatening a man. Sofian b Akan, 33, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Mohd Faiz Omar to threatening Zulkaiman b Zaman, a labourer, by saying “where’s father? I want to beat him up”.

Sofian committed the offence on January 30 this year about 9pm at the Kampung Sembulan mosque area here. He was charged under Section 8 (1) (e) of the Minor Offences Ordinance which provides a fine of RM25.
Meanwhile, the court will set the dates for the trial of four local men who denied causing hurt to another man. Alleminur Mohd Said, 27, Kennedy Yap Meng Sion, 26, Sabri Sunaru, 18, and Foo Mm Fung, 25, pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing hurt to Japalinus b Jacabus, 21, with a belt.

The four men allegedly committed the offence on January 18 this year about 330pm at an unnamed lodging place in Lorong ,Berjaya, Bandaran Berjaya here. The court set March 2 for fixing the tñal date for Sabri and Foo, while Alleminur and Kennedy’s trial dates will be fixed on March 11 and March 16 respectively.

The court granted Alleminur RM1,000 bail deposited under two local sureties, while Kennedy, Sabri, and Foo were granted RM1,500 bail each deposited under two local sureties. The four men were charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code which provides a jail sentence of up to three years or a fine. Inspector Zamri b Zakaria was the prosecuting officer in all the cases.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - 13 YEARS FOR FATAL STABBING

13 YEARS FOR FATAL STABBING

SANDAKAN:

A 26-year-old man was sentenced to 13 years’ jail plus RM1O,000 fine or six months’ imprisonment in default for stabbing to death a 23 year-old man.

Sessions Court Judge India b Hj Ayub, who meted out the punishment to Saripudin Bin Hami after the submission by Deputy Public Prosecutor APP Mohd Fillanny bin Siji, said the sentence was fitting, as nobody who committed such crime should seek mercy from the Court.

Saripudin committed the crime on February 13, 2006 around 3pm at the badminton court in Ladang Tung Hup, LP7, Kinabatangan when the victim was having a badminton game with fellow workers.

At the time, when the shutter cock dropped to the ground, the accused picked it up and stopped the badminton game, prompting the victim to rush and attempt to take back the shuttle cock.
In the ensuing scuffle, the accused pulled out a Bugis knife from the right side of his waist and stabbed the chest of the vitim as the co-workers at ladang Tung Hup watched in horror.
The victim was also stabbed in his back, and the motive was the accused suspected the victim was having sexual relationship with his (accused’s) wife.

The victim suffered massive. bleeding and was pronounced death upon arrival at the hospital in Kinabatangan. Saripudin bin Hami was prosecuted and charged under Section 304 (a) of the Penal Code.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AT MINISTRIES CARNIVAL

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AT MINISTRIES CARNIVAL

KOTA KINABALU:

The Higher Education Ministry will be holding a two-day Education Carnival 2009 next week. The event, jointly organised by the Education Ministry, will be launched on Feb 14 at 1Borneo by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin.

The programme, themed ‘Let’s Enter the U”, is intended as a one-stop centre for students and the public to obtain more information on higher education opportunities, accreditation, sponsorships and education costs.
Various activities will be held during the carnival that include exhibition, forum, counseling services and quizzes Among the participants in the carnival are local colleges, National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), Human Resources Department and Public Services Department.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - TRAFFIC CONGESTION WORSENING

TRAFFIC CONGESTION WORSENING

LAHAD DATU:

The Government has been urged to take immediate measures to overcome the worsening traffic congestion in the district. “Road users have to spend hours on the road to get to their workplace and to get home.” said SAPP Silam Zone Chief Kassim Sulaiman yesterday.

“The Government must give priority to solve this problem for the convenience of Lahad Datu people here,” he said in a statement.

Kassim also urged the Government to expedite the construction of the proposed Lahad Datu coastal highway that has been put on hold for many years now, to ease the flow of the traffic between the town and Sapagaya area.
“As a short term solution, it is imperative that immediate action be taken to widen and seal the road from Fajar area to Tabanac township.

“The road linking Dam area and Kampung Kenangan should also be completed as soon as possible as it provides an alternative road for people wanting to go to Segama and Sandakan,” he said.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - SORRY STATE OF MARKET DISSAPPOINTS

SORRY STATE OF MARKET DISSAPPOINTS

TAWAU:

Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah has expressed disappointment over the poor maintenance of cleanliness and facilities at the Sri Tanjong Market here.

Edward, who made a spot check on the market on Sunday, found many problems, including wrecked garbage bins and wet dirty floor.

At the bread and cake stalls, many people were sleeping on the shelves or playing cards. The fans were still on although the hawkers had gone home, while sewage appeared to be discharged into the drain.

Edward strongly urged the relevant agency to take immediate action to overcome the problems. “Besides keeping the market clean, I hope the Agency would ensure all the wrecked facilities here are repaired and maintained from time to time,” he added.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - 2,640 TRAFFIC SUMMONS ISSUED: TAWAU

2,640 TRAFFIC SUMMONS ISSUED: TAWAU

TAWAU:

A total of 2,640 traffic summonses were issued in the district and 53 accidents involving the death of a motorcyclist were recorded between January 19 and February 2.
District Traffic and Public Order Chief, DSP Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said the accident rate increased by 10.4 per cent compared to the period last year.

Most of the accidents happened along Apas road with ten cases and Kuhara road with seven cases. The fatal accident which involved the rider occurred at Utara road.

Zaidi said most of the traffic summonses were issued for speeding (948), while 140 were issued for beating red light.

The other summonses were for dangerous driving along highway (34), using ceilphone when driving(161), overtaking along double lines (16) and other offences (1,660).

“On Monday night, 86 summonses were issued to the offenders who failed to produce identity cards and valid license, and for dangerous driving, not using seatbelt and other offences.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - WOMAN HELD FOR THEFT

WOMAN HELD FOR THEFT

TAWAU:

Police here have detained a 48year- old local woman in connection with a report by an express bus operator that RM37,203 he kept in a bag was stolen. The suspect was picked up at the roundabout, off Ba Zhong Commercial Center here on Monday, said Acting District Police Chief DSP Mohd Zaidi Abdullah.

He said the bus operator, 52, stated in the report that the bag containing the money was put in a ticketing office at the bus station in Sabindo here about 1.30pm on Monday when it was stolen.

Suddenly, a woman went into the ticketing office and took the bag away, and she tried to flee to Lahad Datu by bus. Zaidi, who is also District Public Order Head, said the victim chased after the bus with the woman among its passengers.

Later, after about half an hour, Police succeeded in intercepting the bus and arrested the woman with the bag. The money in the bag was the proceeds from the bus ticket sales and takings from a restaurant business owned by the bus operator, he said.

] The Police will investigate the case under Section 380 of Penal Code. Meanwhile, Zaidi said the crime rate in the district plunged by 65.40 per cent in January this year compared to the same month last year, while the property crime cases fell by 50 per cent.

He said the Police recorded nine crime cases in January this year comprising one murder, one molest, four robberies, one criminal intimidation and two causing hurt cases. There were 26 cases last year. For property crime, Zaidi said 26 cases were recorded.

In the month, the police carried out nine operations with the arrest of 295 illegal immigrants who comprised 135 Indonesians, 152 Filipinos and eight other foreign nationals.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - HOSPITAL PLANS IN NABAWAN FOR PENSIANGAN

HOSPITAL PLANS IN NABAWAN FOR PENSIANGAN

NABAWAN:

The Federal Goyernrnent plans to build a hospital for the residents of Pensiangan. Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said the hospital was necessary to ensure the good health of the residents there.

Kurup, who is also the President of Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), said the Nabawan Health Clinic which has been operating since 1973 needed to be upgraded as the number of patients had been rising while staff were limited.

“The Pensiangan area is very big and it burdens people in terms of transportation when they are referred to other hospitals as in Keningau for treatment. As such it Is necessary that a hospital be built in Nabawan which is located in the middle of the Pensiangan Parliamentary constituency,” Kurup told reporters after a briefing and visit to the Nabawan Health Clinic here

Kurup said the clinic attended to an average of 4,500 patients a month and had a staff of 69 personnel and two medical officers.

The Nabawan district has five health centres in Salong, Sepulut, Pegalungan, Pensiangan and Tibow, he said. “This district needs a hospital and we are planning for it,” he said. According to Kurup, the Health Minister would visit the district soon. Bernama

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - FIVE REPORTS ON WORKERS LAID OFF

FIVE REPORTS ON WORKERS LAID OFF

TAWAU:

At least five reports on termination of services involving 25 workers from throughout the State werereceived by the Sabah Labor Department between Jan 1 and Jan 28 this year. The affected workers were mainly from the manufacturing and service sectors due to the current economic downturn, said State Labour Director Hjh Siti Aishah Binti Hj Mohd Asri.

She said they are currently monitoring the employment situation in the State after receiving the reports from the workers. Siti said the Department has set up an operations room in all its 13 offices throughout Sabah.

Workers who have been laid off or retrenched by their employers can report the matter to the centre, she said. “The Department will strive to seek jobs for these people based on their talent and capability. Skills training also would be conducted for them based on the market needs, she told reporters after launching the Sabah Softwood Berhad (SSB) Child Day Care Centre in Kumansi.

Meanwhile, commenting on the illegal employment of housemaids, Siti stressed that any employers who were found to employ housemaids without valid documents will face action. It was learned that employers prefer to employ illegal housemaids because these workers do not demand reasonable pay.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - DEALER ORDERED TO CHANGED OWNERSHIP

DEALER ORDERED TO CHANGED OWNERSHIP

KOTA KINABALU:

The Consumer Claims Tribunal here yesterday ordered AZ Auto (ALFRED) to change the name on the vehicle’s registration card to its new owner, Gilbert Richard @Ziboi, within 30 days.

Tribunal President Rethana Abd Razak gave the order after Gilbert lost patience with the company from which he bought the car. Gilbert filed the claim after the company failed to comply with his request since June last year.

He said the company told him that they had to wait for approval from the Road Transport Department (RTD)in Putrajaya. Gilbert said he has been waiting for a longtime to get his name registered in the vehicle registration card, and he feared it would be difficult for him to get compensation if anything happens to the vehicle.

The owner of AZ Auto, Frederick Mathew said they were in the process of changing the ownership of the car to Gilbert and they have registered his name in the car insurance policy.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - T-SHIRTS BEARING ALLAH,OBSCENE WORDS SEIZED

T-SHIRTS BEARING ALLAH,OBSCENE WORDS SEIZED

KOTA KINABALU:

The Home Ministry, with the assistance of Jabatan Hal Ehwal Islam Negeri Sabah (JHEAINS), confiscated 54 T-shirts that bear the word Allah as well as obscene words from a shop here yesterday. Forty-three of the T-shirts were found to bear the word Allah while 11 bear obscene words during the 2pm operation led by the Ministry’s Assistant Enforcement Officer Mohd Nazrie Abdullah and Musaliy Moksin from JHEAINS.

Speaking to reporters after the raid, Mohd Nazrie said the owner of the shop can be charged under Section 7 (1) of the Printing and Publishing Act 1984 for the offence. “We would like to remind all business owners to be more careful and do not sell such kind of clothes with words like Allah and obscene words printed on them, which is against the law,” he said, adding that the Home Ministry and JHEAINS will continue to monitor other clothing outlets in the State.

Meanwhile, Musally said the raid was conducted based on an email received from a member of the public stating that such T-shirts were being sold to the public.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - POWER TARIFF LOWEST IN SABAH

POWER TARIFF LOWEST IN SABAH

KOTA KINABALU:

Over the last 20 years, the electricity tariff in Sabah has never changed and it is the lowest tariff in the country.
Commenting on the statement by Likas Assemblyman Datuk Liew Teck Chan yesterday urging Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) not to consider raising tariff but to step up efforts to overcome electricity thefts, SESB Corporate Communication Senior Manager, Cenderamata Sinteh, said that over the past 22 years the electricity tariff in the State has remained unchanged.

“The last revision done on the tariff matter was in 1986,” she revealed.

Cenderamata said the SESB graph shows that the tariff in Sabah is only 25 sen/ kWh, while that in Sarawak set by SESCO (Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation) is 29 sen/kWh while the Tenaga National Berhad (TNB) tariff is 32.5 sen/kWh, she pointed out.

She said the cost of electricity supply is 48 sen/ kWh without subsidy and 35 sen/kWh with fuel subsidy. Cendramata said the SESB financial position could be in a worrying state because it has to manage a high cost of electricity supply and this may affect the program to standardize the system in the State.

On the concern over deposit paid by consumers, she said SESB has to implement a policy

that has been required in its liscense according to the Electricity Supply Act (1990), which among other things stipulated that a consumer is required to pay a two-month deposit based on the consumption.

The deposit is significant as a security if the consumer has an outstanding bill or when a consumer decides to terminate electricity supply to certain premises, said Cenderamata.

She added that the matter would be analyzed every six months and if the consumer’s electricity usage is lower, the deposit would be revised and vice versa.

“Consumers could control the additional deposit by controlling the usage of the electricity at their premises,” he said. “In fact, SESB pay’s interest on the consumer’s deposits, and for this year, SESB has paid RM6.7 million in the form of rebates.

“I would also like to inform the public or consumers that SESB is always carrying out operations to curb power supply or electricity thefts together with other relevant agencies and we would like to say thousand thanks to those who have cooperated with us all this while.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - GRAND WELCOME FOR SULTAN BRUNEI

GRAND WELCOME FOR SULTAN BRUNEI

KOTA KINABALU:

His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Sir Hassanal Bolkiah and his Royal entourage were given a grand welcome on their arrival here yesterday morning.

A special aircraft carrying His Majesty and the Royal entourage touched down at the Terminal Two of the International Airport in Tanjung Aru 11.05am
Bouquets of flowers greeted the Brunei Queen, Raja Isteri Saleha Pengiran Pemancha, as the Brunei Royal visitors were warmly welcomed by the Head of State Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah and his wife Toh Puan Dayang Masuyah Awang Japar; Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and wife Datin Seri Faridah Tussin as well as State Cabinet Members and other dignitaries.
The Brunei national anthem was played followed by Negaraku and Sabah Tanah Airku, before Sultan Hassanal inspected a guard of honour mounted in His Majesty’s honour by three officers and 102 strong personnel of the Seventh Battalion Malay Royal regiment, led by Major Mohd Yazid Yaacob.

Outside the Airport, schoolchildren and well wishers, some dressed in traditional waited patiently by the roadside with Malaysian and Brunei flags in their hands, hoping to catch a glimpse of the royalties, who are on their 3 day official visit to Sabah.

Even local Bruneians were seen carrying the gabus, a traditional Bruneian guitar-like instrument, to welcome the Brunei royals. At 3.00pm the same day, Sultan Hassanal was briefed on the State development, namely on the tourism sector and the implementation of the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) at the multi-vision hail of Menara Tun Mustapha, and later attended a high tea reception at the revolving restaurant at the same complex.

The State Government later hosted a banquet for Sultan Hassanal and his delegation at the Bangkuasi hall of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, where Tun Ahmadshah and wife, Musa and wife, and other members of the State Cabinet, local and foreign dignitaries as well as heads of State and Federal Departments were present.
Sultan Hassanal is scheduled to visit Malaysia’s second largest naval base at the Sepanggar Bay this morning followed by a tour to the 1Borneo Hypermall in the afternoon, before departing for Sandakan from the Terminal Two.

He will be welcomed on arrival at the Sandakan Airport by Tun Ahmadshah, Datuk Musa and local dignitaries. The Sultan will be joining the people of Sandakan in a dinner reception at the Libaran multi-purpose hall later in the evening.

Sultan Hassanal will be touring the Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok tomorrow, and fly back to Brunei from the Sandakan Airport later in the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY - 4 JANUARY 2009 - DAP APPROVAL CANCELATION UNINTENTIONAL:MAYOR

DAP APPROVAL CANCELATION UNINTENTIONAL:MAYOR

KOTA KINABALU:

The cancellation of the Democratic Action Party’s Chinese New Year celebration was unintentional. Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim when commenting on this yesterday said the cancellation was on technical grounds, stressing that ”it has nothing to do with them being in the Opposition”. “I have spoken and SMSed (DAP Sabah Chief) Dr Hiew King Cheu to apologise for what had happened. It is on technical grounds,” he said.

Sabah DAP had applied to City Hall to hold a CNY celebration at the Damai Hall in Likas on Jan 28. The application was approved but somehow cancelled at the last minute which drew rage among the Opposition party members.

In apologising for the confusion, Iliyas stressed that however, DAP should be realistic and practical. “Our friends in SAPP (Sabah Progressive Party) is out of Barisan Nasional.

Before, they used to do their functions at Government properties but now since they left the Coalition, they know where they stand. “So, I hope, those people know where they stand and do not simply bash us. They should know where they stand,” he said when asked to comment on DAP’s statement that they too have equal rights to use public facilities.

DAP Sabah Deputy Chief, Jimmy Wong, had on Monday disclosed that they were suing City Hall over the alleged breach of contract and removal of the Party’s CNY greeting billboards in Foh Sang and Lintas. “We want to take legal action as to restore the status quo of equal opportunities and reputation,” he said.

When asked to comment, Iliyas said he was sad over the fact that DAP wants to sue City Hall for the matter. “We in City Hall still have many things to do, but this is a free country, if they want to sue us, what to do. “All we hope is for them (DAP) to be more realistic and sympathetic to us, do not sue every time you get angry, we can go bankrupt like this.

I apologise, Actually, I did not hurt anyone personally, this was unintentional but due to a technicality of the matter,” he said. Iliyas however said the City Hall is empowered to cancel any function.