Angry parent punches teacher

KAMPAR : A TEACHER has lodged a police report alleging that he was punched by a parent after news of the collapsed suspension bridge spread around Kampar.

He made the report at the Kuala Dipang police station.

Hundreds of parents converged on Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Dipang after the suspension bridge at the 1Malaysia Co-curriculum Centre collapsed around 10.40pm.

Initial reports had it that 22 pupils had drowned in the Kampar River.

Kampar police chief Supt Abdul Aziz Salleh said the male teacher was one of the teachers supervising pupils taking part in the activities organised at the centre by the Kinta Selatan District Education Department.

Abdul Aziz said apart from Fire and Rescue Department, police and Rela, Royal Malaysian Navy divers were brought in to assist in the search and rescue operations.

He said rescuers were concentrating their efforts up to several kilometres downriver, especially around the Tronoh Mines area where debris traps are located.

The body of the first victim, Dina Deve Nathan,11, was found by rescuers at 8.40pm about 2km from the collapsed bridge (mm)
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Khalid says Umno can have Badrul, Khir Toyo says will accept

SHAH ALAM,— Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim today said Umno was welcome to have Badrul Hisham Abdullah if it really wanted a state lawmaker who could not serve his constituents.

The Selangor mentri besar also indicated that he did not care if the Port Klang assemblyman became an independent lawmaker or joined Umno or even MCA.

However, he pointed out that Badrul had made a commitment to serve the public when he was elected and, if he was really responsible, should resign to give others the opportunity to do the job.

He said measures would be taken if Badrul refuses to resign but declined to elaborate.

Khalid was speaking to reporters today in response to an earlier statement by his political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who said Badrul should quit his seat for non-performance and the recommendation would be made to the PKR supreme council.

He added the state government could not tolerate incompetent and irresponsible leaders.

In an immediate reaction, opposition leader Datuk Seri Khir Toyo said Umno would welcome Badrul into the party.

The former Selangor mentri besar said Umno was open to Malays and Bumiputeras.

Khir added that Khalid should have given Badrul more time to improve.

“If he comes to Barisan Nasional (BN) we will give him the opportunity to serve,” said Khir.

He pointed out that if Badrul was really not good, "why did PKR let him stand for elections in the first place?"

Meanwhile, Badrul remained incommunicado today and reporters who went to his home in Kampung Raja Uda, Port Klang saw his car in his porch but no one was in.

The call for the embattled politician to resign raises prospects of a by-election in Selangor.

Controversy has plagued the lawmaker due to complaints by his constituents that he was frequently absent and could not be contacted. (TMI)

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One Pupil Drowns, 21 Missing After Suspension Bridge Collapses Into Kampar River

KAMPAR (Bernama) -- One pupil drowned and 21 others are feared missing after a newly built suspension bridge collapsed into the Kampar River as pupils participating in a 1Malaysia camp were walking across at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Dipang near here Monday night.

About 20 other pupils managed to hold on to the ropes of the collapsed bridge and saved themselves while several others were pulled out of the swift-flowing river by a teacher and a guard of the school in the incident at about 10.30pm.

Perak Deputy Chief Police Officer Datuk Zakaria Yusof said on Tuesday the body of the pupil, an Indian girl, was found by rescuers at 8.30am and had been sent to the Kampar Hospital.

He told reporters at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Kuala Dipang that rescuers were unsure of the actual number of pupils feared missing and that the police had asked the education department to furnish the names of the pupils participating in the camp.

It had been reported earlier that 22 pupils had gone missing in the accident.
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