NST Online: Topnews

Posted: 14 Sep 2011 05:48 PM PDT

2011/09/15
Rupinder Singh
rupinder@nst.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: Proton Holdings Bhd's global compact electric and hybrid car, Emas, could enter the market in two to three years, its chairman, Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh, said.

The electric vehicle, designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and developed by Proton, was first unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show last year.

Emas, short for Eco Mobility Advance Solution, is a plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid Range Extender Electric Vehicle (REEV).

The compact car's powertrain could include a turbocharged small engine of 1.2-litre capacity, or lower.

Proton is currently fleet-testing the Exora REEV and Saga EV to assess their potential.

The national car maker yesterday handed over five Exora REEVs and three Saga EVs to the government to be test driven. This would be the first step before mass-producing them.

The vehicles were received by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a ceremony witnessed by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also Proton's adviser.

Others who took delivery of the vehicles at the PM's Department were Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir and Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri.

This is the first phase of fleet testing, a collaboration between Proton, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry and International Trade and Industry Ministry.

Nadzmi said 250 electric-powered cars would be handed to the government in phases for fleet-testing by the year-end or early next year.

"We want to deliver them as fast as possible."

Proton will get feedback from the testing, covering the technological aspects, design and performance of the vehicles.

Charging stations provided by Proton will be at the Prime Minister's Department and the four minis tries.

The Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, in a statement, said that a charging system for home use would be supplied to motorists who will be identified from the PM's Department and the four ministries.

According to Dr Mahathir, Proton took three years to develop the vehicles.

"We hope that Proton will one day produce trucks and buses using this system which reduces the use of petrol by relying on batteries to power the engine."

Herbs to ward off haze effects

Posted: 14 Sep 2011 04:41 PM PDT

2011/09/15
By Punitha Kumar, Sulaiman Jaafar and Adrian Lai
news@nst.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: More people are resorting to traditional herbal treatment to counter the effects of the haze.

A traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, Ng Eng Joo, said he had his hands full dealing with customers clamouring for various herbs to deal with sore eyes and throat or chest congestion.

"Depending on the ailment, I will prescribe a combination of herbs like figwort, firmoss, bamboo green tea, licorice and arhat fruit," said Ng, who runs a traditional Chinese medicine shop in Lucky Garden, Bangsar.

One of his customers, a 43-year-old businessman who wanted to be known only as Lim, said he had stocked up on supplements and traditional medicine for his family to prevent them from falling sick.

The haze has affected asthmatics badly. A sales representative, who wanted to be known only as Muthu, said he had been going to the doctors more often to treat his asthma over the past week.

A housewife, who wanted to be known only as Rokiah, said she tried to keep her three children indoors after school.

"My youngest son is 9 years old. He has caught a bad cough and I think it has to do with the haze."

A pharmacy in Lucky Garden said the sale of face masks had been brisk.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said his ministry would alert the public should the Air Pollutant Index readings breach the 100 mark in any area.

On the Malaysia Day and Merdeka joint celebrations tomorrow, he said the event would be postponed should the API readings go beyond 300.

"My ministry would take appropriate action and, if necessary, provide face masks for the 9,950 participants."

He advised the public to drink lots of water and stay indoors if possible.
Liow said his ministry was working closely with the Meteorological Department in solving the haze situation.

The Meteorological Department yesterday said even though the visibility reading due to the haze in Kuching was a shocking "0km", the Air Pollutant Index (API) was a "moderate" 54.

Other areas with low visibility were Senai (also at 0km) and Subang (0.8km).
The highest API readings were in Alor Star (76), followed by Seberang Jaya (69).
In Kota Baru, visibility, which dropped to 2km on Tuesday, improved to 8km yesterday.

Visibility at other places, reported low on Tuesday, was also better, except for Sitiawan, where it dropped from 3km to just 1km.

A Kelantan Department of Civil Aviation spokesman said flights operating to and from the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Pengkalan Chepa went on as normal on Tuesday and yesterday. The airport handles 40 flights to and from here daily.

According to Singapore's Meteorological Service website, satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA-18) showed haze activities only from 20 hotspots in the south of Sumatra.

The Department of Environment has banned open burning and asked the public to put out small fires quickly.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas is to meet Indonesian Environment Minister Professor Dr Gusti Muhammad Hatta this Sunday on setting up an Asean fire-fighting squad to tackle haze-related fires.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Rabu, 14 September 2011

NST Online: Topnews

NST Online: Topnews

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan