23 August, 2010 |
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By ááźáŽáĄáŻááąáĄ (áťááášááŹááŹá) áááá¤áŹ, 23 ážáááŻááš 2010
áĄááŻááášá áŽá¸ááśáááášáˇ ááášá ášááŹá¸áĄááźáášá¸áá˝ ááášááŹáááášáˇ áááŽá¸ááášááĽáŽá¸ááᯠááášááŻáášáąáá áĽášá ážáááŻááš ááá ááááá
áááá ášááŻááášááŻááášááś áááŽááŹáżáááłááąááŹášáá˝áŹ áááŹáťáá˝ááˇáš áááŽá¸ááášáąááź ááŻááášááŤááŹáá˛áˇ ááášá ášááŹá¸áá áŽá¸ááŻá ááąáááŻááš áĄááŻááášá áŽá¸ááŹá¸ááŹááŻá áá˛áąááźá ááşáášááášááŻáááŻáśá¸áąááźá áąáááášáąááź áĄááŻáśá¸áťááł áá˝áášá¸ááášá¸ááŻááášááŤááášá
áąááŹáášáąááŹáášá áááŽá¸ááźáŹá¸ áá áąááŹááš ááŤááášááášááŻáá ááŻáśážááášááá˛áˇ ááášá ášááŹá¸áąááááąá ááášááŹááąááá° áááŹáťáá˝áášáˇ áááŽá¸áááš á áąááŹáášáááš áááášá¸ááŻá ááášááŻáášááŹááŻáááášá¸ ááŻáášáťááášááśážááŹá¸áąááźáá˝áŹ ááŻááášááŻááášáťááááŹáąááź áąááźááťááášáá˛áˇážááááŹááŤá
áĄááášá¸áťáá ášááźáŹá¸áąááá˛áˇ áąáááŹáá˝áŹ áąááŹáášáąááá˛áˇ áááášá¸áááŹá¸áąááźááąááŹáˇ ááášá ášááŹá¸ áĄááŻááášá áŽá¸ááŹá¸áá°ááŻá ááášáťááášááŻááášáżááŽááŻáá áąáťááŹážáááŤááášá
ááŻáśáżááśáłáąáḠááášáá˛áźááąááźáá˛á ááášáąááŹáášá áŽá¸ááášá¸áá áááŻááášáᎠááźáášáąáťáá¸ááźáášáąáťááŹáášááŹáá˛áˇ ááášá ášááŹá¸ ááŹáĽášáąááŹáášá¸ááąááŹáˇ áąáááášáááŹá¸áᏠááŹá¸á áŹááśáąááźááŻá áá ášááášáá˛áˇááášááŻáá ááŻáááŤááášá ááŤáąááá˛áˇááášá¸ áááŽá¸ááášáąááź áąáááŻáśá¸áá° áá˝áááá˝áá áĄáąááĄááźááš ááášáąááŹááš áá˝áááá˝á ááŻáááŹáąááźááąááŹáˇ áá˝áášá¸áá˝áášá¸ááášá¸ááášá¸ ááá˝ááąáá¸ááŤáá°á¸á
áĄáąá áŹááŻááášá¸ ááŹá¸áá˛á áá ášááášáááąááź áá˝ááá˛áˇáżááŽá¸áá˛áˇ áąááŹáášáá˝áŹáąááŹáˇ ááşáášááŹáĄááşááąááźá ááśááąááŹáášáąááź áąááŹáášá¸ááŹá¸áá˛áˇ áá˛áąááźá ááášá ášááŹá¸ááŻá ááŻááášá¸ááŹá¸áá˛áˇážááżááŽá¸ áťáááášá¸áąááŤáášáąááźááŻá áá°áąááźáá˛á ááŻáá˛áźááŻáá ááááłá¸á áŹá¸áá˛áˇážáááŤááášá ááŽááŻáááááłá¸ááášá¸áááąááź ááąáĄáŹáášááťáááš áťáá ášáá˛áˇáżááŽá¸áá˛áˇáąááŹááš ááŹá¸áá˛ááŻá ááşáášááášááŻáááŻáśá¸áąááźáá˛á áá ášááášáá˛áˇááŹááŤá
ááŹá¸á áŹááś áťááášáąáá¸áá˛áźáá°áᏠáááá ááŻáá˝á ášááŻáášá¸á ááŹáá°á¸á áťááłáášááśáá˛áˇááá˛áˇ áá˛áĄááŹáá˝áááĽáŽá¸ áťáá ášááášááŻááááášá¸ ááŻáááŤááášá áĄáąá áŹááŻááášá¸áá˝áŹááŻáášá¸ááąááŹáˇ áąáááŻááášááąááŹáášá¸áťáá ášáżááŽá¸ áĄááášáĄááźáášáááŽá¸áá° ááŹá¸á áŹááś áĄááşáŹá¸áĄáťááŹá¸ááŻá áťááášáąáá¸áááŹá¸ áá˛áĄááŹáá˝áá áťááášáááášáąáá¸áá˛áˇáᏠáťáá ášááŤááášá
áá˛á ááŹá¸ááᯠáĄááŻáśá¸áĄáááşá¸áá˛áˇ áááşá áŽá¸ááźáŽá¸ ááąáááş áááŹá¸ááᯠáá áşáááşáááŻááşááŤáááş
áááá áşáááŻááşáááŻááşááś ááźááŻáˇááąáŹáş áááŽááŹáážáŹ ááášáᏠáážááşáˇ áááŽá¸áááş áááşá ááŹá¸áá áŽá¸ áĄáááŻááşá áŽá¸ ááśááážáŻ áĄáá˝ááşá¸ áĄáááşá¸ááŻáśá¸ ááąáŹááşááąáŹááşá áááŽá¸áááş á áŚá¸ ááąááŻáśá¸áá˝áŹá¸ ááŤáááşá
áĄááŻááşááŻááşááśááááŻáˇ á áááşááťááşááąáá˛áˇ áá˛áááşáá˝á˛áˇáááş ááąáŹááşá¸ ááŚá¸á ááąáŹááşá¸ááźááşáááŻááşáááş ááááşáá˛áˇ ááŽááŹá¸ááᯠá ááŹááŽááťáąáŹáşááźáŹ áááşá áŽá¸áá˛áˇáᏠááźá áşá፠áááşá
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áá˛áááşáá˝á˛áˇáááşáá˝áąá ááŹá¸ááᯠáĄááşáĄáŹá¸áĄááźááşáˇáá˛áˇ áááŻááşá¸ááŹá¸áá˛áˇááťáááşáážáŹááąáŹáˇ ááąáááşáááŹá¸á ááťááşáá˛áˇ áá áŹááśáá˝áąááᯠáááşáá áşáááşáááŻáˇ ááźáąáŹááŤáááşá
áĄá˛ááŽááąáŹááşáážáŹááąáŹáˇ á áąáˇá ááşáážááážááŻááşá¸áážáŻáá˝áąáááşá¸ áĄááŻáśá¸áááşáá˝áŹá¸ááźáŽá¸á áĄááźááşáĄáážááşáá áşáááşáážáŻ áá˝áą á áááşááźá áşáá˝áŹá¸áá˛áˇááŤáááşá
áááŽá¸áááşáá˝áąáááşá¸ ááŹá¸ááąáŤáşáááą áááşááźáŽá¸áááşá¸ááŹáá˛áˇááźááŹááᯠááŻááşááźááşááśááźáŹá¸áááą ááźá áá˛áˇááŤáááşá ááąáááşáááŹá¸áááşá¸ áááŽá¸áááşáááťááŻáˇááᯠáááşáá áşáá˛áˇááŤáááşá
ááąáŹááşááŻáśá¸áážáŹááąáŹáˇ áá˛á ááŹá¸ááᯠáááşá áŽá¸ááźáŽá¸ áĄá˛ááŽááąáááşáááŹá¸ááᯠáá áşáááşáááŻááşááŤáááşá
áááşá áŽá¸áá°áᏠáá˛áááşáá˝á˛áˇá á áŻáśá ááşá¸ááąá¸áážá°á¸ááąáŹááşá¸ ááąáŹáşáááşáááŻáááşáááŻáᏠááźá áşááŤáááş
áá˛ááááşá áŽá¸áá˛áˇáĄááťáááşáážáŹ áááźáŹá¸ áááŽá¸áááş á áŚá¸ áááąáŹáˇ áĄáá˛áĄáááşáá˝áą ááźáŹá¸áááą áá˝ááşááźáąáŹááşááŹáá˛áˇááŤáááşá ááąáŹááşááąáŹááş áááŽá¸áááş á áŚá¸ áĄááźááşá¸áĄáááş áááşááŹááážá áá˝áŹá¸ááźáŽá¸á ááąáŹááşáááş á áŚá¸ááᯠááąá¸ááŻáśáááşááŹá¸ áááŤáááşá
ááąáŹááşááąáŹááşáĄáŻááşááťáŻááşááąá¸ááąáŹááşá ᎠáĽáášáá ááąáŤáşáááşááťááşá¸á áĄááŻáĄáááŻááşá áŽá¸áážáŻááᯠáááŻááşáá˝ááşááŻáśáá˛áˇ áááşáááşááźáŽá¸ á áááşááťááşááźáąáŹááşá¸ ááźáąáŹááŤááBy ááźáŽáĄááŻáąáĄ (áťááášááŹááŹá) áĄáá¤áŤ, 24 ážáááŻááš 2010
áąááŹáášáąááŹááš áááŹáťáá˝áášáˇ áááŽá¸áááš á áąááŹááš áąáááśáŻá¸áá˛áˇááá˛áˇ áááá ášáááŻáášá áťááášáąáá¸ááźá˛ ááŹá¸á áŹááś áťáá ášááášááᯠáááŻáášááźááš áąáťááá˝áášá¸áá˛áˇááśáŻáĄáąáá á áśáŻá áášá¸á á ášáąáá¸ááááᯠááŻáášáżááŽá¸ áąááźááá˝ááá˛áˇááŹááᯠáááŻáášáááŻáááᯠáąáťááŹáťááááŻááĄááźááš áááá ášáááŻááš áááášááášá¸ááŹááášáá˝ááá° á áĽáŽá¸ áááŻáášáááŻáášááśáᎠááźáŹá¸áááŻááá˝áááŤááášá
áťáá ášááášáĄáąáá á áśáŻá áášá¸á á ášáąáá¸áá áááŻááᯠáąááąáááşáŹááşáŹ ááŻáášááźáŹá¸ááášáááŻáᏠáááŻáášá áąááŹáášááŹáá˛áˇ áááŻáášá áŹá¸áá˝áášáĄááźá˛á áááźá˛ááá˛ááĄáá° ááŽááąáá áĄáá¤áŤáąáá áąááááášáá˝áŹááŻáášáá˛áˇ áááášá¸á Ꮰáá˝áášá¸ááášá¸ááźá˛áĄááźáášá¸ áááá ášáááŻááš ááŻááááááźá ááşáŽááşáłááᏠááŽáąáḠ(Jejomar Binay) áá˛á ááŻááášááśáťááŹá¸áąáá¸ááášáááŽá¸ áĄáášáášááŹááᯠáááŻáá°ááᯠ(Alberto Romulo) áááŻáá ááááąáá¸áá˛áˇááŤááášá
á áśáŻá áášá¸á á ášáąáá¸ááá áááŹáá˛áˇ áááášáąááźááᯠáá°áááŻááááŻáášáááŻááš ááŹáąáá¸ááŤáˇááášááŻáá áá°áááŻáá áąáťááŹááŤááášá
áááŽááŹáżáááłááąááŹášáá˝áŹ áťáá ášáá˛áˇáá˛áˇ áťááášáąáá¸ááźá˛ ááŹá¸á áŹááś áťáá ášááášáĄáąáá áááŻáášááźáášááśáŻáá˛á ááášááášáżááŽá¸ áááŻáášáá˛á áąááŹáášáąááŹááš ááŹááášáá˝ááá°áąááźá áĄáťááášá¸áĄáááš áąááááš áąáťááŹáááŻáá˛áˇážáááŤááášá
áťááášáąáá¸ááźá˛ áąáááášáááŹá¸á ááŹá¸á áŹááśáąááźááᯠáá ášááášáąáááşááášáá˝áŹ áĄááášá¸ááśááŹá¸ááá˛áˇ áááŹáťáá˝áášáˇ áááŽá¸ááášáąááźááŤáá˛áˇ ááášá ášááŹá¸áá˛á áťáá´ááášá¸áąááŤáášááᯠáááá ášáááŻááš áá˛ááášááźá˛áá áááŻá¸ááźá˛áąáááśáŻááᯠáááŹáťáááášá¸áá˝áŹ ááŻáášáťááášááśážááŹá¸áááááˇáš áąááźááá˛áˇážááááŤááášá
áááŻáášáá˛á áąááŹáášáąááŹááš ááŹááášáá˝ááá°áąááźá áá°áááŻááá˛á ááŻááášááśááŹá¸áąááźááᯠáááá ášáááŻáášááŻááášááśáᎠáááŽá¸áááźáŹá¸áááŻá ááááąáá¸ááşááš ááŻáášáťááášááŹá¸ááŤááášá
Hong Kong blacklists Philippines after hostage drama
Prudence Lui, Hong Kong (2010-08-24) |
HONG KONG'S Security
Bureau has issued a black outbound travel alert on the Philippines following the
11-hour hostage stand-off in Manila which ended in bloodshed last night.
Eight out of 15 tourists from Hong Kong were killed by a gunman on a
coach bus in Manila (TTG Asia e-Daily, August 23).
Hong Thai
Travel Service released the names of the fatalities, youngest of whom was 14
years old. Two of the survivors are seriously injured and five are being
monitored in hospital.
Hong Kong has sent two chartered flights to bring
victims' family members to Manila. It has also ordered all tour groups in the
Philippines to return home as soon as possible and advised Philippine-bound
groups to cancel their trips.
Hong Thai has cancelled nine groups, with
around 198 people, while Wing On Travel has cancelled three with 51 clients.
Jo Jo Chan, general manager of Wing On, said:Â "Even for peak summer holidays, we only send a
few groups, with the majority setting off to Cebu. Therefore, the impact to our
business is not that much. So far, we have one group in Cebu which departed
yesterday and clients would like to carry on the itinerary."
There are lessons to be learnt from the recent hostage situation in Manila in terms of crisis management and for the tourism industry.
YOU cannot blame the people of Hong Kong for being outraged over the deaths of eight of their fellow countrymen who were taken hostage while on a tour bus in Manila. To put it mildly, it was a major screw-up, and the Philippine police should certainly be ashamed of how they bungled up the rescue operation. The hostage incident was watched by people across the globe because it was broadcast live by the major cable news networks.
Even when the situation looked dangerous, they appeared to be nonchalant and seemingly unconcerned about how the deadly kidnapping could end. The police negotiators were seen joking and laughing with the disgruntled former cop who demanded to be reinstated in his job in return for releasing the hostages. In fact, it even had the CNN newscaster asking at some point why the authorities were taking the whole situation so lightly.
Right from the beginning, most of the world seemed to have the feeling that the whole episode would have an ugly ending. A tragedy was just waiting to happen, maybe because the Filipino police have a record of being incompetent. Never mind the corrupt part. Some MalayÂsians are critical of our police but when it comes to serious crimes involving drug kingpins, dangerous criminals and terrorists, most of us believe they can do their job well.
But the same cannot be said in the case of the Philippines. The whole hostage crisis appeared to be mismanaged from the start. And the fiasco continued until the end. The former cop should have been shot dead when food was delivered to him. If that decision had been taken, a lot of innocent lives could have been saved. There were other missed opportunities â the hostage taker had, at one point, opened the door of the bus and peered out.
We watched in horror when the commandos failed to get into the bus for more than an hour after smashing its windows with sledgehammers. Yes, an hour.
But what has outraged the world is that this is not the first time abductions of tourists have taken place in that country. Last week, it was reported that gunmen had killed a South Korean man and kidnapped two of his companions in a pre-dawn attack in Manila.
In the case of Malaysians, in 2000, Abu Sayyaf terrorists raided the resort island of Sipadan and took away 21 hostages comprising 10 tourists and 11 workers. More recently, two Malaysian seaweed farm workers from Sabah were kidnapped in February and until now, their fate is still unknown. The two were taken away from Pulau Sebangkat near Semporna and are believed to have been brought to Jolo, the haven for radical terrorists. Itâs been more than six months but there is little news about their conditions even as authorities from both countries say they were exchanging information about their whereabouts.
From lawless groups like the Abu Sayyaf to a lone nutcase ex-policeman, the Philippines cannot hope to instil confidence among tourists and investors with these criminals around. Visitors who bring money to the country must have some sense of security and personal safety.
I remember accompanying then Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar on a trip to Manila when the Sipadan incident took place. I was walking out of a five-star hotel to a shopping mall across the street when I was suddenly grabbed by two strangers. Badly shaken, I managed to break free and run into a crowded McDonaldâs outlet. That did not deter the two men, who acted like abductors, from pursuing me.
Seeing the dangerous situation, I ran back to the hotel and told the desk manager what had taken place. The desk manager nonchalantly told me they had heard similar stories from their guests and that they had informed the police but there was nothing much they could do. The abductors are targeting Japanese tourists and others from Malaysia or Singapore.
In another incident, a fellow journalist who could speak Tagalog and has interviewed Nur Misuari, the Moro National Liberation Front founder, found himself accosted in a taxi. Although he considered himself an old hand in the Philippines, he had entered into a taxi only to find himself joined by another âpassengerâ a little while later.
The bottom line is, after the hostage-taking incident in Manila, the perception that the Philippines isnât safe will be reinforced. The damage to tourism will be tremendous. Filipinos are very nice people but the hoodlums and criminals in their country have ruined their image. It doesnât help that President Benigno Aquino himself handled the situation badly.
In Malaysia, we do not expect to see tourists being taken as hostages but there are petty criminals here who prey on locals and tourists. The presence of tourist police who can speak English, Chinese or Arabic sufficiently needs to be increased in specific areas.
At the KLIA and LCCT, they should be on patrol to advise airport users to watch out for their bags, especially those with computers, as is done at London Heathrow Airport. They should walk the extra mile to seek the views of tourists and airline passengers and help promote Malaysia as a safe destination.
Tourism is one of our biggest revenue earners and these are small investments.
There are lessons to be learnt from what happened in Manila in terms of crisis management and the rest of the world, especially law enforcers, should study that case carefully.
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