The Sun - 13 May 2024

Malaysian Paper www.thesun.my RM1.00 PER COPY RM1 MONDAY MAY 13, 2024 SCAN ME No. 8520 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) Berjaya Group founder and adviser Tan Sri Vincent Tan (fourth from left on upper tier) with dignitaries and volunteers at the Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia three-in-one celebration yesterday. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN Living wage far above minimum pay ‘Wait for official statement on probe over tree tragedy’ Tzu Chi marks 31st anniversary with triple celebration Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chapter of humanitarian aid organisation holds special ceremony to commemorate Buddha Day, Mother’s Day and Tzu Chi Day. - Report on page 4 Maternal aternal woes Report on hpage 3 Report on hpage 5 Report on hpage 2 Teen discipline issues top among challenges faced by mothers, followed by children’s education and family expenses, says Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. Leave it to authorities and experts to conclude investigations before apportioning blame or initiating any legal action: Lawyer Bank Negara Malaysia puts it at RM2,700 for single adults in Kuala Lumpur, RM4,500 for couples without children and RM6,500 for couples with two children: MEF

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 2 MALACCA: Teen discipline issues are among the top three challenges faced by mothers today, said Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. “This is followed by children’s education and family expenses,” she said in her speech at the National Mother’s Day Celebration 2024 themed “Thank You, Mother” at the National Population and Family Development Board family centre in Ayer Keroh yesterday. She said these challenges were identified through the Fifth Malaysian Population and Family Study conducted by the board. Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia Raja Zarith Sofiah officiated at the event, which was also attended by the wife of the Malacca Yang di-Pertua Negeri Toh Puan Asmah Ab Rahman, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh and his wife Datin Seri Zuriyah Ab Aziz as well as the prime minister’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Her Majesty bestowed the Mother’s Inspiration Award on Rahamah Mohtar, 61, from Kapar, Selangor, in recognition of her unwavering dedication in caring for her 21- year-old son Ahmad Mujahid Azmi, who has cerebral palsy. Nancy also revealed that the findings of the Malaysian Family Well-being Index showed a decline in the scores for the Family Quality Time Indicator and the Work-Family Balance Indicator in 2022, compared with 2019, Bernama reported. “Working mothers spend much of their time dealing with demanding daily routines, needing to wake up early to attend to their children and family, working an average of eight to 10 hours a day, returning home late afternoon or early evening, and continuing their duties as a wife and mother at home. “It is essential to recognise that the responsibility of raising children and managing the household is not solely the mother’s duty. Therefore, husbands must empathise with and value their wives’ contributions, as well as actively participate in household chores and childcare.” Ab Rauf announced that the state government has allocated RM500,000 through the Women Empowerment Programme to incentivise women’s participation in all development and empowerment programmes tailored for them in the state. He added that with the cooperation of the ministry, Malacca has successfully established the Malacca State Women’s Shelter within the premises of the state Legislative Assembly Development and Coordination Committee Complex, aligning with efforts to support the community’s welfare agenda. ‘Teen discipline among top challenges faced by mothers’ oChildren’s education, family expenses among other problems identified in Fifth Malaysian Population and Family Study: Minister Govt serious in driving AI development: Analysts KUALA LUMPUR: The ability of a country to implement digital transformation and adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology to stimulate innovation, enhance productivity and competitiveness has become one of the benchmarks in attracting foreign investments. This was underscored by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who wants Malaysia to swiftly develop an AI ecosystem, particularly to cultivate a skilled workforce to meet the demands of technology giants expressing interest in investing in the country. The government’s commitment to nurturing the AI ecosystem is evident through various initiatives such as “AI Untuk Rakyat” and AI Sandbox 2024, with the goal of establishing 900 AI startups and nurturing 13,000 new talents by 2026. On Friday, Anwar launched three additional initiatives – the AI Talent Roadmap for Malaysia 2024-2030, the AI Faculty (FAI) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), and the Malaysia AI Consortium. UTM AI and Robotics Centre researcher Dr Ahmad Athif Mohd Faudzi said these initiatives encompass holistic aspects of AI ecosystem development, which would complement one another. “With rapid developments in Western countries and China, for instance, we need to harness and enhance Malaysian expertise to drive the economy with AI and robotics technology.” Ahmad Athif said the AI Talent Roadmap programme covers short, medium and longterm planning, supported by the establishment of the FAI offering a Bachelor of AI programme with the first intake of students in October this year. Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Data Science and Computing Faculty Deputy Dean Dr Hadhrami Ab Ghani said the prime minister’s emphasis on accelerating the use and development of AI is timely, considering that the technology has been rapidly evolving worldwide. “Without such serious emphasis as demonstrated by the prime minister, Malaysia risks falling behind and could struggle to compete with other nations, despite already showing positive signs of economic growth through diverse foreign investments since his tenure as the 10th prime minister. “All parties entrusted with spearheading AI usage must possess qualifications, dedication and be transparent as well as be guided and monitored by relevant authorities in the ministry or at the relevant levels. “Close collaboration among all involved agencies and stakeholders is key. AI is not a new concept, and numerous experts in Malaysia can be leveraged, particularly from universities and industries.” On the FAI, Hadhrami expressed hope that similar faculties could be set up in other universities to provide more opportunities for Malaysians to learn AI. “AI is increasingly diverse and not confined solely to computer and computer science students. Therefore, AI faculties, if expanded nationwide, are likely to be extremely popular.” – Bernama The Queen presenting the Mother’s Inspiration Award to Rahamah, accompanied by (from left) Zuriyah, Ab Rauf, Asmah, Wan Azizah and Nancy at the event yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC King, Queen extend Mother’s Day greetings KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, the King and Queen of Malaysia yesterday extended Mother’s Day greetings to all mothers. Sultan Ibrahim also paid tribute to Raja Zarith Sofiah for her love, sacrifices and support for their children. “I am always grateful to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala for blessing me with an incredibly caring wife and mother to our children. The sacrifices and love that Raja Zarith pours into raising them are immense. “May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala bestow His mercy upon our late mothers Enche’ Besar Hajah Khalsom Abdullah and Raja Perempuan Muzwin. Al-Fatihah,” said His Majesty in a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s Facebook page. Mother’s Day is celebrated worldwide on the second Sunday of May every year. – Bernama M’sia re-elected to chemical weapons prohibition panel PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has been successfully re-elected to serve another term in the executive council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the 2024-2026 period, said the Foreign Ministry. It said in a statement that Malaysia was reelected during the 28th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which was held in The Hague, Netherlands. “The two-year term is from May 12, 2024 to May 11, 2026. “The executive council, which consists of 41 OPCW member states, holds a pivotal role in overseeing the operations of the technical secretariat and is responsible for promoting the effective implementation of, and compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.” The statement added that the re-election underscores Malaysia’s steadfast commitment in actively contributing to the OPCW’s mandate of ensuring the prohibition of chemical weapons and promoting global peace and security. “Malaysia expresses its gratitude for the trust and confidence extended by the OPCW member states.” The ministry said Malaysia continues to contribute its extensive experience and expertise to the Executive Council, having previously served five terms, including the most recent 2022–2024 term. Malaysia, through the National Authority for the Chemical Weapons Convention of the Foreign Ministry, looks forward to collaborating with member states and the OPCW technical secretariat to advance the agenda and objectives of the organisation for the benefit of all humankind. – Bernama TH instructed to probe stranded pilgrims issue KUALA LUMPUR: Tabung Haji (TH) has been instructed to investigate an incident involving 300 haj pilgrims who were stranded in Mecca after being deceived by an irresponsible travel agency that offered them cheap haj packages. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, in a statement, advised all the affected to contact the Malaysian Embassy in Saudi Arabia for assistance. “The Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), through TH, has consistently reminded Muslims in Malaysia to be cautious of any cheap package offers from unlicensed travel agencies.” Mohd Na’im said anyone offering haj packages without TH approval is breaking the law and legal action can be taken under the Tabung Haji Act 1995 (Act 535). TH has appointed 25 local travel companies to serve as haj pilgrimage operators for the 1445H/2024M haj season. – Bernama

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 3 Joint effort to boost Kapit infrastructure KAPIT: The federal and Sarawak governments will closely collaborate to expedite the upgrading of infrastructure in Kapit, said Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. He said despite the constituency being represented by an assemblyman from a different political party, collaboration between the state government and all elected representatives is essential for continually improving the socio-economic status of the rural population. “Kapit is larger than the state of Pahang. So, it’s vital for members of parliament and state assemblymen to collaborate even though we are from different parties (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu and Parti Rakyat Sarawak). “Only then we can expedite the implementation of crucial projects, especially in terms of infrastructure. We will negotiate together and strive for progress,” he said at a pre-Gawai dinner on Saturday night. He listed the infrastructure upgrades such as improving roads connecting rural areas to main routes, ensuring access to treated water, providing 24-hour electricity supply, and extending 5G internet network coverage. “Our existing infrastructure is incomplete. We need to continue extending the road network, ensuring that every village or longhouse has road connectivity. “Furthermore, while there is a supply of clean water here, it’s not all treated. Similarly, although there’s access to electricity, there are still areas without a grid system, relying solely on solar power,” he said. Concerning 5G network coverage, he noted that Deputy Digital Minister Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong has affirmed his readiness to deploy the network in Kapit soon. “We understand the importance of telecommunications access. So, I’m very grateful to him (Wilson Ugak) for paying attention to rural areas,” he added. – Bernama Religious teacher in assault case reassigned JOHOR BAHRU: A male teacher at a religious school in Pontian, who allegedly assaulted a group of pupils, will be placed at the district’s Islamic Education Office pending investigation. Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the teacher would be reassigned to the office while the affected pupils would be granted leave. “The state government is treating the case seriously and a police report has already been filed,” he said, adding that the district’s Islamic Education Office is fully prepared to cooperate with the police. “I urge everyone to respect the investigation process and the subsequent actions, including any disciplinary measures that may be taken,” he said in a Facebook post. Earlier, the media reported that a 48-year-old teacher allegedly slapped, hit and attempted to strangle a Year Four and three Year Five pupils after they purportedly caught him smoking in a storeroom last Wednesday. Dissatisfied with the teacher’s actions, the parents of the pupils involved lodged a report at the Ayer Baloi Police Station. – Bernama ‘Wait for statement over toppled tree’ KUALA LUMPUR: The public has been urged to wait for the government to release its official statement on why a large tree toppled at Jalan Sultan Ismail in Kuala Lumpur on May 7, killing a 47-year-old man and crushing several cars and a bus stop. Lawyer Kokila Vaani Vadiveloo was giving her views on media comments by experts and the public on social media, some of which put the blame squarely on the Kuala Lumpur City Hall for being “negligent”. It was earlier reported that the tree toppled because of landscaping work oLet authorities, experts conclude investigation before apportioning blame or initiating legal action, says lawyer █ BY JOSHUA PURUSHOTMAN [email protected] carried out by City Hall workers who severed the tree’s roots causing it to stand like a pencil. “Ideally, families of the deceased and others who wish to claim damages should wait for an official statement from the government once a thorough investigation is completed. “As this is a matter of public interest, it is best to leave it to the authorities and experts to first conclude their investigation before apportioning blame or initiating any legal action. “Once the official statement and/or investigation results are released, those affected can use that to proceed with legal action if there is a case,” she said. Kokila said barring the conclusion of the official investigation, it is premature to conclude that the main cause of the tree toppling is due to City Hall workers severing the tree’s roots. She said nonetheless, if negligence can be proven, potential action could be taken against City Hall and the private land owner or occupier on which the tree is located. On Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa’s comments that tree inspections were carried out once every two years, Kokila said there is no specific guideline for this. “Based on the practice in countries with similar weather, such as Singapore, inspection of trees are carried out once every six months to two years. Also, the period of such inspections would vary based on the condition and location of the trees.” Zaliha had also admitted that “while the 50-year-old tree was under private supervision, the frequency of inspections needs to be increased, especially given the unpredictable weather conditions”. To this, Kokila said the minister’s words should not be construed as an “excuse” since the unpredictable weather conditions at the time were a valid contributing factor for the tree toppling. She said one could argue that the tree may not have fallen if it were not for the bad weather which aggravated its condition by making the soil at its base unstable due to heavy rainfall and strong winds. She added that METMalaysia’s confirmation that the weather was bad on the day in question further strengthened this argument. Kokila said legal responsibilities for maintaining trees along public roads are outlined in statutes such as the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 and local government by-laws from 1976. She added that the regulations specify duties related to the upkeep and maintenance of streets, footways and trees, placing obligations on the relevant authorities and property owners. “That being the case, City Hall may be liable for negligence if it is proven that it had failed, neglected or refused to take proper action either by itself or against the private owner and/or occupier of the land in the maintenance and preservation of the tree. “However, it would be premature to assign blame merely based on the timing or rate of inspection that has similarities with other countries,” she said. Elected KKB rep vows to fulfil manifesto promises HULU SELANGOR: Newly elected Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) assemblyman Pang Sock Tao has vowed to fulfil all the promises made in the manifesto presented during the by-election campaign. Pang, 31, said she was also determined to resolve all local issues, as well as continue the legacy of former representative Lee Kee Hiong of DAP for the welfare of the people. The by-election was held following the death of Lee, 58, on March 21 due to cancer. On May 3, Pang outlined five main thrusts in the manifesto covering economic aspects, facilities, environment and recreation, heritage and culture, as well as the welfare of the people. “Thank you, of course, to all voters. I am your representative regardless of background, race, and religion. “I will relocate and live here after this,” she said after being announced as the winner of the by-election at the Hulu Selangor District Multipurpose Hall and Sports Complex here on Saturday night. Pang, who contested on the Pakatan Harapan (PH) ticket, won with a majority of 3,869 votes, defeating her three challengers Khairul Azhari Saut (Perikatan Nasional), Nyau Ke Xin (Independent) and Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia). She garnered 14,000 votes, while Khairul Azhari received 10,131, Nyau 188, and Hafizah 152. Meanwhile, DAP secretarygeneral Anthony Loke wants Pang to begin serving the constituency wholeheartedly to forge a close relationship with the community and to always remain humble. “She has many agendas to be implemented. “During this campaign, she was not just a representative but a conduit between the state government and the people, (as) more government initiatives and policies must be channelled to the residents. “One of the main agendas is developing the local economy, especially Kuala Kubu Baharu’s eco-tourism, which she, as the area’s assemblyman, must spearhead.” Loke said although many political observers expected the unity government candidate to win the by-election with a majority of less than 1,000 votes, the result exceeded expectations of many. Asked about the low voter turnout, Loke said it was expected as this was just a by-election. However, he is satisfied that the voter turnout was about 61% although the turnout during the previous state election was 69%. “This time, (the percentage) was lower (compared with the previous state election) but it still exceeded 60%. Although we had hoped for a higher voter turnout, what can we do, it is the voters’ right,” he said. The EC announced that the voter turnout for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election was 61.51%. – Bernama From second left: Barisan Nasional Selangor chairman Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omar Din, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Pang and Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo celebrate the victory. – BERNAMAPIC

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 4 /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK Malaysian Paper Charity body hosts triple celebration event KUALA LUMPUR: Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia marked its 31st anniversary with a special ceremony at the Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall yesterday, to commemorate Buddha Day, Mother’s Day and Tzu Chi Day. The triple celebration, hosted by the Tzu Chi KL and Selangor Chapter, aimed to promote the spirit of compassion and benevolence towards all sentient beings, and to pray for the purification of the mind, social harmony and a disaster-free world. Among the attendees was Berjaya Group founder and adviser Tan Sri Vincent Tan, who is a Tzu Chi commissioner. “Today’s celebration is a remarkable event, showcasing the well-organised and disciplined nature of the Tzu Chi Foundation. “With its charitable activities spanning across more than 100 countries, Tzu Chi exemplifies the embodiment of Buddhist principles through actions, focusing on aiding the underprivileged and promoting environmental conservation.” Tan said Tzu Chi also provides a platform for individuals to actively participate in environmental conservation efforts, advocating practices such as recycling, charitable endeavours and vegetarianism. “For instance, Tzu Chi actively promotes vegetarianism as a means to contribute to environmental preservation in building a healthier and more peaceful world. “By collectively engaging in positive actions, it contributes to the ongoing improvement and advancement of society, ensuring a brighter future for generations Tong said the gathering has multiplied over the years, with over 3,000 volunteers participating every year. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN oFoundation honours Buddha Day, Mother’s Day and Tzu Chi Day to promote compassion towards all beings █ BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI [email protected] RM145b rise in trade shows country in dynamic state KANGAR: The wholesale and retail trade in the country increased by 5.2% in March, indicating the domestic economic ecosystem of Malaysia is in a dynamic and progressive state. Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the rise also proves that the ministry is on the right track. “We are not only enforcing existing laws and regulations but we can also see that the market is showing a positive response,” he said at the launch of the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry carnival tour in Perlis on Saturday. Last Thursday, the Statistics Department revealed the wholesale and retail trade had increased by 5.2% to RM145.7 billion in March. Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase is a result of a 7.1% hike, which is between RM4.2 billion and RM62.8 billion, in the retail trade sector. Armizan said the subsidy rationalisation by the government does not mean abolishing subsidies. Instead, it is to ensure the subsidies reach targetted recipients. He emphasised it would enable the government to increase cash assistance for recipients and highlighted the importance of ensuring these measures are accompanied by assurances of protection and social support. The carnival tour aims to “popularise” its services and role, while creating opportunities for the public to benefit from the services provided. The carnival tour marks, first held in Perlis, the beginning of a series of business development programmes to be held nationwide, including in Kelantan, Sarawak, Perak, Sabah and Malacca, from this month until December. – Bernama Reward for info on missing M’sian climber KUALA LUMPUR: A reward of US$5,000 (RM23,690) will be given to any sherpa or individual who provides information on the location of Muhammad Hawari Hashim, who was reported missing on Mount Everest in May last year. Malaysia Mountain Guide Association president Mohd Yussainy Md Yusop said in a statement the reward by Pioneer Adventure Pvt Ltd is offered to sherpas or individuals, particularly those on Everest during the climbing season this year. He said Everest 2023 Mission leader Azim Afif has been coordinating field operations on Everest. “The Expedition Operator Association has been informed of the reward if a sherpa or any individual on Everest provides information on the location of Hawari directly to Pioneer Adventure executive director Nivesh Karki.” Mohd Yussainy said the Malaysia Mountain Guide Association has conducted a search effort, in collaboration with the Penang chief minister’s office. The association also received advice from the Malaysian Space Agency and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department to locate Hawari. It has also received cooperation from the Malaysian embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal and it informed the Foreign Minister of Nepal for the military of the country to be on the lookout during the ongoing Mountain Cleaning Campaign on Everest. Hawari, a 33-year-old hearing-impaired Malaysian climber, went missing on May 19, 2023 while descending from Camp 4 after reaching the summit of Mount Everest. – Bernama State land in S’gor to be kept as green area KUALA LUMPUR: An area of 34.4ha belonging to the Selangor State Development Corporation located in Siera Alam will be maintained as a green area in a development project, which will commence soon. It said in a statement the development, which will be carried out in phases, received an approval permit from the Engineering Department, Shah Alam City Council prior to starting ground works. “The works for the first phase started since March, which is expected to be completed in 2026. The first phase involves 61.3ha of land, that will be developed for residential and commercial lots while the rest will be utility facilities. “Land and main infrastructure works are still being planned for the second phase of the development, involving 79.7ha of land. “The second phase will include development of residential, commercial, utility and recreational projects while maintaining the 34.4ha green area.”– Bernama to come.” Tzu Chi KL and Selangor Chapter deputy CEO Puan Sri Tong Siew Bee said the ceremony serves to express gratitude for the blessings of Buddha, honouring parents and extending appreciation to all humanity. “In addition to our three-in-one celebration in Malaysia, 48 other countries, including Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines and Australia also have similar ceremonies. “We are united in paying homage to Buddha through the offering of flowers and holy dharma water,” she said, adding that the celebration has been a tradition for the past 26 years. Under the theme of “Spread the Dharma to Benefit All Lives – Adopt a Plant-Based Diet to Protect Mother Earth”, participants engaged in a bathing ritual under the guidance of dharma masters. Tong said the gathering has grown over the years, with approximately 3,000 volunteers participating every year. “Each year, we introduce new formations and elements. This year, from a bird’s-eye view, the formation of 3,306 individuals resembled the Chinese characters conveying the message of ‘spreading dharma and benefitting all beings’. “The left and right sides of the formation depict characters translating to ‘50 cents can save lives’, symbolising the impactful nature of small contributions when accumulated.” She said Tzu Chi aims to emphasise the significance of aligning actions with a deeper spiritual meaning of Buddhist rituals and its primary focus is to cleanse the heart and mind, and foster inner peace. “The emphasis on inner purification serves as a cornerstone of our practices, guiding individuals towards a path of personal growth and spiritual fulfilment.” Tong said 58 years ago, Tzu Chi Foundation founder Dharma Master Cheng Yen initiated a move by motivating 30 housewives to donate 50 cents daily to charitable endeavours. She said the gesture blossomed into a movement as countless individuals have since joined in, turning small donations into a powerful force for positive change. “Today, compassionate endeavours by Tzu Chi have touched the lives of people in over 130 countries and regions worldwide.” Volunteer Jian Yen Wen, 36, said she found a sense of fulfilment by participating in the ceremony for the past three years. “My participation serves as a purification process for the physical body, mind and spirit. Joining the celebration offers a sense of renewal and has left me feeling refreshed and uplifted.”

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 5 PETALING JAYA: A recent talk on “Living wage and International Labour Organisation (ILO) key wage setting principles” organised by the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) reiterated that the living wage in the country is far above the minimum wage of RM1,500 set by the government. MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husnam told theSun that Bank Negara Malaysia estimated a living wage of RM2,700 for single adults in Kuala Lumpur, RM4,500 for couples without children and RM6,500 for couples with two children. “The living wage in rural areas or small towns is low due to the affordable cost of living. “Although it is pertinent that Malaysians earn a decent living, the minimum wage is influenced by principles of supply and demand within the labour force.” He said oil and gas companies that are doing well usually pay above minimum wage, “but 97% of Malaysian businesses are small and midsize enterprises that just make ends meet and struggle with payrolls.” Syed Hussain said the Living Wage Agreement was reached during a meeting of experts on wage policies in February, and endorsed by the ILO Governing Body at their session on March 13. “The concept of a living wage refers to the wage level necessary to afford a decent standard of living for workers and their families, taking into account the country’s circumstances and the work performed during normal working hours. “It should not be one-size-fits-all but achieved through wage-setting processes in line with ILO principles, such as strengthening social dialogue, collective bargaining and empowering wage-setting institutions. “Instead of recommending the government raise the minimum wage, it is more feasible to address the rising cost of living and emphasise a more comprehensive and fair income distribution strategy,” he said, adding that this would include monitoring prices, increasing subsidies for essential items and implementing policies that provide financial assistance to those in greater need. According to the National Wages Consultative Council (NWCC) Act, the standard for deciding minimum wages are base and adjustment criteria. Base criteria include poverty line income and median wage, while adjustment criteria include changes in consumer price index, productivity growth and real unemployment rate. Syed Hussain said despite a positive long-term global trend in average wages, millions of workers worldwide in formal and informal economies live in poverty and continue to earn low wages compared with the cost of living. “The workers and their families are unable to afford healthy food, decent housing, medical care or schooling for their children. So, it is the responsibility of every stakeholder to re-examine the issue of wages, its collective definition as applied in Malaysia and the challenges in implementing the evolving concept of a living wage.” He said the review is important due to an increase of workers transiting jobs, with almost three million in the gig economy sector, although not all live in poverty as some are paid better than others. “The minimum wage is different from living and progressive wages. NWCC is studying what the minimum wage should be. The study is expected to be completed and discussed by NWCC by year end, after which a recommendation would be made to the government. “A pilot study on a progressive wage for those earning below RM5,000 is being carried out by the government to analyse what subsidies could be given to close the gap in living wages. We look forward to the results of the study.” Twelve reports received during by-election campaign KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 12 police reports for various offences were received and five investigation papers were opened during the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election campaign period that ended on Friday. Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said since the campaign started on April 27, two arrests have been made based on reports, of which seven involved preventive action by police. “The two men arrested were investigated under Section 4 (A) of the Elections Act 1954 and charged in court. No arrests were made for the other four investigation papers.” Hussein said 1,133 officers and policemen from the Selangor contingent were assigned to control the situation during the by-election. “A total of 194 campaign permits and 81 ceramah permits were approved for competing parties and individuals,” he said, adding that no untoward incidents occurred during the by-election. “Selangor police would like to thank all candidates and their supporters for complying with the stipulated rules.” – Bernama ‘Living wage exceeds minimum pay set by govt’ oAddressing rising cost of living and improving income distribution more feasible than raising renumeration: MEF Clerk duped of RM120,000 in company funds IPOH: A businessman in Hutan Melintang lost over RM120,000 in a phone scam. Perak police chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the 55-year-old claimed a clerk in his company in Gopeng received a WhatsApp message seemingly from him on May 8, directing her to transfer RM30,000 from the company account to another account. Mohd Yusri said the complainant’s son authorised the transaction as he believed the instructions had come from his father. “The clerk conducted another transfer of RM8,000 to a different account on May 9. “She made three transactions, totalling RM86,450, to two accounts on the same day.” According to Mohd Yusri, the complainant realised his WhatsApp account had been hacked while he was in Hat Yai, Thailand, when a friend contacted him and asked if he was having financial problems, as the hackers had used his phone number to ask to borrow money from his contacts. The complainant emphasised that he had not given any instructions to transfer money or requested money from his contacts. “He detected five transactions, totalling RM124,450, from the company account to three accounts,” Mohd Yusri said, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. He advised the public to exercise caution so they do not fall for phone scams and refrain from clicking on links or downloading unknown documents from social media sites. He also urged the public to check the authenticity of bank accounts through http://ccid.rmp.gov.my/semakmule/ before making any fund transfers. – Bernama Man loses RM40,000 in online car deal JEMPOL: An insurance agent lost RM41,964 in an online car purchase scam here on April 25. District police chief Supt Hoo Chang Hook said the 42-year-old man from Bahau lodged a report at 12.30pm the same day, detailing his WhatsApp communication with an individual from a company regarding the purchase of a car advertised on Facebook. “The complainant agreed to purchase the car for RM62,500. Between May 2 and 8, he made 16 online transfers to eight different accounts.” “He lodged another police report yesterday due to concern for his family’s safety,“ said Hoo, adding that the complainant was asked to make a payment of RM6,000 to a lawyer on May 9 and started receiving threats from one Mr Lim after refusing to do so. He said the complainant has received threatening voice messages from Lim via WhatsApp that insinuated potential harm to his family and threatened to reveal his and his wife’s information on Facebook. The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code. – Bernama █ BY JOSHUA PURUSHOTMAN [email protected] Massive narcotics crackdown in Pahang KUANTAN: The Pahang Narcotics Crime Investigation Department conducted Ops Hawk in 11 districts on May 9 and 10 and detained 277 individuals for various drug-related offences. State police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said those detained were between 18 and 60 years old and the operations involved about 120 officers. “There were 277 raids and 411 inspections carried out. The raids were conducted at 17 locations and hotspots believed to be linked to illegal drug-related activities. “Among those detained, 13 were women and 29 were arrested for drug distribution/trafficking offences, 59 were held for drug possession and 189 failed their urine tests.” He said various types of drugs were seized, including heroin (46.82g), syabu (56.65g), ganja (5.10g), yaba pills (18.26g) and ketum juice (35.43 litres) worth RM10,972. Police also seized two motorcycles worth RM5,000. – Bernama HIDDEN GEMS ... Visitors browsing items at Pasar Karat in Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, which is famous for its wide variety of antiques and used goods. – BERNAMAPIC

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 6 READ OUR HERE /thesun Malaysian Paper Or download app on the AppStore or Google Play ENJOY A SEAMLESS READING EXPERIENCE. Read our iPaper at https://www.thesun.my/ Malacca to host Malaysia Bike Week MALACCA: The state will host Malaysia Bike Week beginning June 14, which will be held at the Malacca International Trade Centre for three days. Chief Minister Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh said the event, which will be held in collaboration with the Superbikers Association of Malaysia, is expected to bring together thousands of enthusiasts and owners of motorcycles of various categories, including high-powered ones. He added that Malaysia Bike Week is also expected to showcase selected motorcycles, including some belonging to His Majesty the King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim. “Malaysia Bike Week is a prestigious event, which will attract motorcycle owners and enthusiasts, from home and abroad, to see the various types of motorcycles up close. “Various interesting activities will also be held throughout the threeday festival, including a lucky draw offering a main prize of a Proton X70,” he said at the Malacca International Motorfest and Scooterfest at the Malacca International Motor Circuit on Saturday. Ab Rauf also said Malaysia Bike Week will be among large-scale events to attract tourists in conjunction with Visit Malacca Year 2024. Earlier, he said the two-day Malacca International Motorfest and Scooterfest is expected to bring together more than 10,000 local motorcycle owners and enthusiasts nationwide, as well as from Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. He added that it will be one of the annual events in Malacca, which would not only attract tourists but also provide a platform for twowheeler owners and enthusiasts, especially youths, to meet. – Bernama Success rolling in for home baker KUALA LUMPUR: Preparing bahulu gulung – a traditional treat with sweet fillings resembling a Swiss roll – can be rather exacting and requires the experience and patience of a mother to bring out its flavour and texture. When homemaker Norela Abdul Rahim, 49, embarked on expanding her bahulu gulung business, she made it a point to hire only mothers to assist her. Why mothers? “Not only are mothers hardworking, they can also perform difficult and challenging tasks efficiently. “If we observe our mothers cooking in the kitchen, we can see how quickly and effectively they go about their work,” said the owner of La House Bahulu, who is a mother-of-four. “We need (the hands of a mother) to (among other things) swiftly pour the cake mixture into copper trays, which have to be transferred to a hot oven immediately (to ensure they are baked to perfection),” she added. Bahulu gulung, which is popular in Johor and was introduced by the local Javanese community, has the texture of a sponge cake, with its basic ingredients being flour and eggs and a dash of vanilla essence and orange flavouring. Operating her business in Kampung Sungai Haji Dorani in Sungai Besar, Selangor, Norela now has six women, all of them mothers and residing in the same village, working in her makeshift bakery situated just beside her house. Currently, she receives up to 300 orders a day, compared with only 60 to 80 orders when she first ventured into the business four years ago. In fact, this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration saw her receiving a whopping 1,200 orders, which she and her team had to prepare within a day. Her annual sales revenue growth has also been impressive, climbing from about RM100,000 in 2020 to RM700,000 last year, Bernama reported. Norela said she first started making bahulu gulung for fun in 2020 when she found herself stuck Norela (right) with her helpers preparing bahulu gulung at her modest bakery located beside her house. – BERNAMAPIC oPrompted by boredom, entrepreneur hits sweet spot with bahulu gulung business at home during the movement control order (MCO) period. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, she was working in a bakery near her house. “I am the type who can’t sit around doing nothing. During the MCO, I tried making my own bahulu gulung and then decided to market it online, with the help of my eldest son (Muhammad Syukri Hassan, 25) and husband (Hassan Ibrahim, 48).” She said online sales account for 80% of her business and 20% are purchases by walk-in customers. Norela’s La House Bahulu products currently offer eight types of fillings, the most popular ones being pineapple, strawberry and blueberry followed by chocolate and peanut. Each bahulu gulung is priced at RM9. They are also sold in sets of five (RM45), 10 (RM85) and 15 (RM125), with customers choosing the fillings they want. There is no delivery fee for purchases of any of the sets. Norela said her bakery delivers to customers all over Malaysia, with most of the orders coming from the Klang Valley and some from Singapore. To ensure freshness, the products are prepared and packed in the morning and picked up by the delivery service company the same evening. In view of the good demand for her bahulu gulung, Norlela and Hassan are planning to expand the business. Muhammad Syukri said they will continue to conduct research and development on the recipe to ensure its appeal to a broader segment of society. “In the past, bahulu used to be very sweet, but we took the approach of reducing the sugar content so that the resulting product is fluffier and lasts longer. “We’ve also made improvements to our jam fillings in terms of taste. For example, pineapple jam is high in acidity, so we modified it slightly to make it sweeter and less acidic,” he said.

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 7 More than 300 dead in Afghan flash floods LAQAYI: More than 315 people were killed in flash floods that ripped through multiple Afghan provinces, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said, as authorities declared a state of emergency and rushed to rescue the injured. Many people remain missing after heavy rains on Friday sent roaring rivers of water and mud crashing through villages and across agricultural land in several provinces, causing what one aid group described as a “major humanitarian emergency”. Survivors on Saturday picked through muddy, debris-littered streets and damaged buildings, a journalist saw, as authorities and non-governmental groups deployed rescue workers and aid, warning that some areas had been cut off by the flooding. Northern Baghlan province was one of the hardest hit, with more than 315 people killed, and thousands of houses destroyed or damaged, according to WFP. “In Baghlan province there are 311 fatalities, 2,011 houses destroyed and 2,800 houses damaged,” said Rana Deraz, a communications officer for the UN agency in Afghanistan. There were disparities between the death oEmergency personnel rush to rescue injured Prabowo reiterates ‘Asian way’ to defuse tension ‘Everest Man’ claims record 29th summit KATHMANDU: Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa reached the top of Mount Everest for the 29th time yesterday, breaking his own record for the most summits of the world’s highest mountain. “Kami Rita reached the summit this morning. Now he has made a new record with 29 summits of Everest,” said Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks, his expedition organiser. A guide for more than two decades, Kami, also known as “Everest Man”, first summited the 8,849m peak in 1994 when working for a commercial expedition. Since then he has climbed Everest almost every year, guiding clients. It was not immediately clear whether he had a client with him yesterday. “Back again for the 29th summit to the top of the world ... One man’s job, another man’s dream,” Kami posted on his Instagram from base camp last week. Last year, Kami climbed Everest twice to reclaim his record as another guide, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, equalled his number of ascents. Kami, 54, has previously said that he has been “just working” and did not plan on setting records. He has also conquered other challenging 8,000m peaks including the world’s secondhighest mountain, K2 in Pakistan. Nepal has issued 414 Everest permits to mountaineers for this year’s spring climbing season, which runs from April to early June. Most Everest hopefuls are escorted by a Nepali guide, meaning more than 800 climbers will tread the path to the top of the world’s highest peak in the coming weeks after a group of Nepali climbers opened the route to the summit on Friday. This year, China also reopened the Tibetan route to foreigners for the first time since closing it in 2020. – AFP HOLY LIGHTS ... Buddhists marching with lanterns in Seoul on Saturday to celebrate Wesak. – REUTERSPIC B R I E F SSUMATRA FLOODWATERS CLAIM 34 LIVES PADANG: At least 34 people, including several children, were killed and 16 others missing after flash floods and cold lava flow from a volcano hit Sumatra. The disaster hit Agam and Tanah Datar districts in West Sumatra province on Saturday after hours of heavy rain, triggering a flash flood and a cold lava flow from Mount Marapi. Cold lava, also known as lahar, is volcanic material like ash, sand and pebbles carried down a volcano’s slopes by rain. “Our data shows that 34 people died: 16 in Agam and 18 in Tanah Datar. At least 18 others are injured. We are also still searching for 16 other people,” said West Sumatra disaster agency spokesman Ilham Wahab. Nine bodies have been identified, including those of a three-year-old and eight-yearold. The local government set up evacuation centres and emergency posts at several sites in the two districts. – AFP 11 KILLED IN WEST JAVA BUS CRASH JAKARTA: At least 11 people were killed and dozens injured when their tour bus overturned on a hilly road in Subang, West Java, on Saturday. The accident occurred near Palasari village in the Ciater sub-district as the bus, carrying high school students, was returning to Depok from Bandung after a farewell event. West Java Police spokesperson Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast said the identities of the deceased are still being confirmed, while the number of casualties is being updated. Media reported that among the dead were a motorcyclist, a teacher, and nine students. Those injured were rushed to a hospital and health centre. Subang District Transport Agency head Asep Setia Permana said the bus was heading to the Cipali Toll Road in Subang. – Bernama tolls provided by the government and humanitarian agencies. The UN’s International Organisation for Migration said there were 218 deaths in Baghlan. Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said that 131 people had been killed in Baghlan, but that the government toll could rise. “Many people are still missing,” he said. Another 20 people were reported dead in northern Takhar province and two in neighbouring Badakhshan. Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: “Hundreds of our fellow citizens have succumbed to these calamitous floods.” He added “the deluge has wrought extensive devastation upon residential properties, resulting in significant financial losses.” Torrential rains caused heavy damage in Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan, as well as western Ghor and Herat provinces, officials said, in a country wracked by poverty and heavily dependent on agriculture. “My house and my whole life was swept away by the flood,” said Jan Mohammad Din Mohammad, a resident of Baghlan provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri. His family had managed to flee to higher ground but when the weather cleared and they returned home, “there was nothing left, all my belongings and my house had been destroyed”, he said. “I don’t know where to take my family ... I don’t know what to do.” Emergency personnel were rushing to rescue injured and stranded Afghans. The air force said it had started evacuations as skies cleared on Saturday, adding that more than 100 injured people had been transferred to hospital. “By announcing the state of emergency in (affected) areas, the National Defence Ministry has started distributing food, medicine and first aid to the impacted people,” it said. UN chief Antonio Guterres “expresses his solidarity with the people of Afghanistan (and) extends his condolences to the families of the victims”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that the UN was working with local authorities on providing assistance. The International Rescue Committee was also preparing a rapid response, adding that the floods should act as an “alarm bell” reminding world leaders and donors not to forget a country devastated by decades of conflict and beset by natural calamity. “These latest floods have caused a major humanitarian emergency in Afghanistan, which is still reeling from a string of earthquakes” this year and severe flooding in March, IRC country director Salma Ben Aissa said in a statement. Since mid-April, flash flooding and other floods had left about 100 people dead in 10 of Afghanistan’s provinces, authorities said. – AFP JAKARTA: As Indonesia’s president elect Prabowo Subianto prepares to enter office in October, he looks set to take a more assertive stance in foreign policy, saying that diplomacy, negotiations, and the “Asian way” have helped to defuse tension. Prabowo, 72, won February’s general election by a huge margin along with his running-mate Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of outgoing President Joko Widodo. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Prabowo said Southeast Asia had experienced wars, foreign colonisation, and interference in internal politics. But, he said, “We solved it without foreign interference, we talked, we met.” The comments came in response to a question on what meaning the term “Asian Way” held for him. Asked about competition between China and the United States for influence in the region, the former special forces commander said Indonesia was very open to both countries. “We respect you, and are grateful for your past assistance,” he said. “We invite the US, the Japanese, the Koreans, the European. The fact that we are friends with you doesn’t mean we can’t be friends with China, India, Russia,” he added, invoking Indonesia’s tradition and history of non-alignment. At a regional forum last November, Prabowo said Indonesia was committed to its policy of non-alignment and would maintain good ties with both China and the United States. In April, he visited China, Japan, and Malaysia on his first foreign trip since winning the presidential election. During the interview, he denied democratic backsliding, saying that Indonesia had seen years of peaceful transfers of government, despite problems that needed to be tackled, such as rampant corruption. He said “our national interests” will guide approaches to the situation on the easternmost province of Papua, where separatists have clashed with security forces. – Reuters

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 8 Trump again attacks New York prosecutor WILDWOOD: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attacked the Manhattan judge and prosecutor in his New York criminal trial, while hinting at a range of possible economic policies at a sizable rally in New Jersey on Saturday. Speaking before tens of thousands of supporters on a chilly beach on the Atlantic coastline, the former president disparaged District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s appearance and dismissed the various state and federal charges he faces as a form of political persecution. “Fat Alvin, corrupt guy,” said Trump, who is on trial for allegedly falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election that he won. Trump also took aim at the trial judge Justice Juan Merchan, accusing both men of working at the behest of President Joe Biden, his Democratic rival in this year’s presidential rematch – an allegation for which there is no evidence. The New York case is one of four state and federal criminal trials Trump faces and may be the only one to be held before the Nov 5 election. He has pleaded not guilty in all of them, portraying them as politically motivated. Trump was in the beachside town of Wildwood, New Jersey, a conservative part of an otherwise Democratic state. Though the former president told supporters he plans to win New Jersey, that is unlikely given that Biden beat the then-president in the state by 16 percentage points in 2020. But Wildwood is less than 90 minutes from Pennsylvania, one of the nation’s most competitive states, and it is a popular weekend spot for residents of metropolitan Philadelphia. Trump referred frequently to Pennsylvania during the rally. He alluded to policies including a tax cut and fresh tariffs should he return to office. – Reuters B R I E F SFOURTH MAN HELD IN KILLING OF CANADA ACTIVIST MONTREAL: A fourth Indian national was charged here on Saturday over the 2023 killing of an activist in Vancouver. Amandeep Singh, 22, was already being held for unrelated gun charges before being charged with “first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder” in the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Three other Indian nationals were arrested this month. The killing sparked a diplomatic row between Ottawa and New Delhi when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked Indian intelligence to the killing. Hardeep – who immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen in 2015 – had advocated a separate state carved out of India. He had been wanted by Indian authorities for alleged “terrorism” and conspiracy to commit murder – allegations he denied. He was shot dead on June 18, 2023 by masked assailants. – AFP AI CAMERAS TESTED AHEAD OF OLYMPICS CANNES: State-of-the-art security using artificial intelligence is being deployed at the Cannes Film Festival in a test for potential applications at the Paris Olympics two months later. Local authorities say they are using 17 cameras equipped with AI technology that are supposed to “identify events or behaviours deemed suspicious” and help detect abandoned packages, weapons and people in distress. The Cannes town hall has been asking to use them since 2019 but has only been given permission thanks to changes in surveillance laws introduced for the Olympics that kick off in July, according to mayor David Lisnard. He said the town already had the “densest video protection network in France”, with 884 cameras, one for every 84 residents. Cannes also has 462 emergency call buttons spread across public spaces and buildings. – AFP Rescue operations continue in flooded southern Brazil PORTO ALEGRE: Rain continued to soak waterlogged southern Brazil on Saturday, bringing fresh misery to victims of flooding that has killed 136 people so far. “Many people see the rain and are traumatised. We’ve seen how scared people are,” said Enio Posti, a firefighter in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul state. Heavy rains last week caused rivers in the agricultural state to overflow, leaving 806 injured and 125 missing in addition to those killed, the civil defence agency said. Of the more than two million people affected by the flooding, more than 537,000 have been forced from homes with 81,000 in shelters. More than 92,000 homes were damaged or destroyed by the floods, according to the National Confederation of Municipalities. UN experts and the Brazilian government blame climate change and the El Nino weather phenomenon for the inundation. New downpours were expected and state authorities warned of the risk of further rising waters and landslides. “We are still experiencing an emergency situation,” said Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite. Residents were told to stay away from flooded areas, with hazards including electrocution by downed power lines. “I was soaked. They helped me and gave me clothes,” said 36-year-old Everton Machado after being rescued by boat while searching for his parents. In the flooded streets of the Sao Joao neighbourhood, volunteers and firefighters worked in heavy rain, bringing supplies to residents on jet skis and inflatable boats. Volunteers were taking pets to shelters, with veterinarians treating those with medical needs. Military and other security forces were also part of relief efforts. Almost two tonnes of food and supplies have been distributed by the federal government, in what President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called “the largest movement of donations ever recorded in the history” of Brazil. Water levels in the Guaiba River, which runs through Porto Alegre, home to 1.4 million people, reached historic levels last week. On Saturday afternoon, they dropped to 4.57m, the lowest level since May 3. Despite fresh rain, residents of Porto Alegre were trying to regain some normalcy, with some shops and restaurants opening. But with water supplies still disrupted, tanker trucks delivering clean water were a common sight all over town. Elsewhere, vacuum trucks were pumping muddy floodwater from streets and buildings. – AFP Switzerland wins Eurovision Song Contest MALMO: Switzerland on Saturday won the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Swedish host city Malmo, beating runner-up Croatia, after having been among bookmakers’ top-three to win the competition. Billed as a feel-good celebration of European diversity, this year’s contest has been thrust into the political spotlight with calls for Israel to be excluded over its military campaign in Gaza. Swiss rapper and singer Nemo, 24, won the contest with The Code, a drum-and-bass, opera, rap and rock song, about Nemo’s journey of self-discovery. “I hope this contest can live up to its promise and continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person in this world,” Nemo said, after receiving the Eurovision trophy on stage. “To know that a song that has changed my life and a song where I just speak about my o Final held amid protests over Gaza genocide story has touched so many people and maybe inspired other people to stay true to their story is the most insane thing that has ever happened to me,” Nemo later said during a press conference. Nemo’s Eurovision triumph was the third for Switzerland, and the first since Canadian star Celine Dion won singing for the Alpine country in 1988 with Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi. Cheers of joy broke out in bars in central Zurich when the winner was announced, and Swiss revellers sang along as Nemo tore through a victory rendition of The Code. “I think it’s just great, Nemo is fantastic,” said Maha Nater, a 24-year-old kindergarten worker celebrating the win in the city after watching the marathon contest. Croatia’s Baby Lasagna, real name Marko Purisic, 28, came second with Rim Tim Tagi Dim, a song about a young man who leaves home aspiring to become a “city boy” with better opportunities. Israel’s Eden Golan, 20, finished fifth in the contest despite demonstrators’ calls for a boycott of the country. The female solo artiste on Thursday emerged as one of the leading contenders to win after qualifying for the final. Booing was heard during Golan’s performance but also applause. The noise was partly audible in the broadcast viewed by tens of millions of people around the world. Several thousand protesters gathered in central Malmo ahead of Saturday’s final, waving Palestinian flags and shouting “Eurovision united by genocide” – a twist on the contest’s official slogan “United by music”. A few hundred people later also protested outside the venue, chanting “Eurovision, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide.” Protesters have been pointing to double standards as the European Broadcasting Union banned Russia from Eurovision in 2022 because of its invasion of Ukraine. Police hauled away some protesters before surrounding and ushering them away, a reporter outside the arena said. Some protesters were seen lying on the ground after police used pepper spray to disband the demonstration. Twenty-five countries competed in the final after Dutch artiste Joost Klein was expelled earlier on Saturday due to a complaint. – Reuters COLOURFUL DRAW ... Pakistanis attend the annual Shah Jewana mela or carnival at a Sufi Shrine in Shah Jewana town in Punjab province on Saturday. – AFPPIC

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 9 Israel strikes Gaza after fresh evacuation order Arab League welcomes UN Palestine resolution CAIRO: Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit welcomed on Saturday the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly supporting the Palestinian bid to become a full UN member. “The overwhelming vote in favour of the resolution clearly indicates the compass of global will and the direction of international public opinion,” said Aboul-Gheit in a statement released by the league. On Friday, the general assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution declaring Palestine’s eligibility for a full UN membership. Adopted with 143 votes in favour, nine against, including the United States and Israel, and 25 abstentions, the resolution states that “the State of Palestine ... should therefore be admitted to membership” and “recommends that the Security Council reconsider the matter favourably”. Ahmed said that the move “reflects the reality of Palestine’s eligibility to obtain an independent state, and it also sends the right message to the Palestinians at a time when they are exposed to a full-fledged tragedy,” referring to the Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip. Ahmed said that “countries convinced of the two-state solution must accelerate steps to transform this vision into reality”, adding that “the recognition of the Palestinian state and its full membership in the UN represent important steps on this path”. He underlined the importance of continuing diplomatic pressures on the countries providing “political cover for Israel” within the UN. The recent resolution came after the United States vetoed last month a bid at the Security Council to grant the Palestinian state a full UN membership. – Bernama B R I E F STHREE KILLED IN RUSSIAN APARTMENT BLOCK MOSCOW: At least three people were killed when a section of an apartment block collapsed due to a Ukrainian missile strike in the Russian city of Belgorod near the border with Ukraine. Footage posted by Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the region, showed at least 10 storeys of the building collapsing. “The city of Belgorod and the Belgorod region were subjected to massive shelling by Ukraine,” Gladkov said. “As the result of a direct hit, the entire entrance from the 10th to the first floor collapsed.” Initial reports said at least three people had been killed and 20 people might be trapped in the rubble. – Reuters HEAVY WEAPONS USED IN SUDAN CLASHES PORT SUDAN: A major city in Sudan’s western region of Darfur has been rocked by fighting involving “heavy weaponry”. Violence erupted in populated areas of ElFasher city, putting about 800,000 people at risk, said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Sudan. Wounded civilians were being rushed to hospital and civilians were fleeing the fighting. For more than a year, Sudan has seen fighting between the army, headed by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. – AFP JUDGE DISMISSES LAVISH GIFTS REPORTS WASHINGTON: US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who has found himself under scrutiny over his judicial decisions and accepting lavish gifts from a billionaire, has dismissed the criticism as “nastiness” and “lies”. Staunch conservative Thomas has been embroiled in controversy since it emerged last year that he had gone on a trip paid for by tycoon Harlan Crow. According to a ProPublica investigation, 75-year-old Thomas went on a trip to Indonesia paid for by Crow that was worth US$500,000 (RM2.4 million). Crow said they had never discussed pending cases. – AFP Hamas’s armed wing said a hostage who appeared in a video it released on Saturday had died from wounds suffered in an Israeli strike. The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said Nadav Popplewell, a British-Israeli man, had been wounded in a strike a month ago and died “because he did not receive intensive medical care because the enemy has destroyed the Gaza Strip’s hospitals”. The Israeli military did not offer any comment on the video. A US State Department report on Friday said it was “reasonable to assess” that Israel had violated norms on international law in its use of weapons from the United States, but did not find enough evidence to block shipments. The Biden administration already paused delivery of 3,500 bombs as Israel appeared ready to invade Rafah. Hamas says Israel’s “continued control” and closure of the Rafah crossing exacerbates the “humanitarian catastrophe” in the besieged territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to “eliminate” Hamas battalions in Rafah after the army in January said it had dismantled the militant group’s command structure in northern Gaza. The Israeli army said it had reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing near Rafah on Wednesday, but aid agencies cautioned that getting assistance through the militarised area remained extremely difficult. – AFP Mothers lament loss, displacement and hunger GAZA: In tents deprived of the bare necessities of life, Palestinian mothers endure an indescribable tragedy in Al-Mawasi, west of the city of Rafah. This region consists of sand dunes and farmland, where mothers grapple with the bitterness of losing loved ones, the agony of displacement, and the devastation resulting from the brutal Israeli aggression. Inside one of the makeshift tents, Hanan Abu Jabal, 55, a mother of eight children, feels profound sadness due to the loss of one of her sons in an airstrike. The Palestinian mother finds herself displaced, deprived of water, electricity, cooking gas, beds, healthy food, or medicine. “We live in harsh conditions, where we find ourselves displaced and deprived of food, water, and clothing,” says Hanan. “I lost my son, and losing a son means losing the soul.” Like other women, Dina Mohammed, 55, a mother, tears streaming down her cheeks, as she gazes sadly at a dilapidated tent. “We were displaced from Shujaiya, moving to several places before settling south of Wadi Gaza. Today, we live in extreme heat in the summer and severe cold in the winter, exposed to danger from Israeli airstrikes and attacks from naval vessels,” says Dina. “We suffer from a severe shortage of drinking water, living in abject poverty, with a scarcity of food and basic supplies.” Among the displaced in Gaza, numbering about two million out of 2.3 million citizens, are over a million women and girls. With a broken heart, 70-year-old Najah AlAqad says, “We moved from house to house and from one area to another. Now we find ourselves in a tent made of nylon that does not provide us with protection.” “We have lost our son to the bombardment, leaving behind three children. We have no food, water, or medicine,” she says. Maha Khashan also lost her nine-year-old child in an artillery shelling that targeted their home, while her sister was seriously injured. “I lost my child and endured the suffering of displacement,” says Maha. Thousands of Gaza women give birth monthly, some without anaesthesia, facing many health complications due to the collapse of the medical sector following the destruction of hospitals. – Bernama oUN warns invasion will be ‘epic’ disaster A woman pushes a disabled man in a wheelchair in Gaza City on Saturday. – AFPPIC RAFAH: Israel launched strikes on Gaza yesterday after it expanded an evacuation order for Rafah, with the United Nations warning an outright invasion of the crowded southern city risked an “epic” disaster. Gaza’s civil defence agency said two doctors were killed yesterday in the central town of Deir al-Balah, while journalists reported intense clashes and heavy gunfire from Israeli helicopters near Gaza City. Witnesses said Israel had carried out strikes in Rafah near the crossing with Egypt on Saturday. Israeli troops defied international opposition this week and entered eastern areas of the city, effectively shutting a key aid crossing and suspending traffic through another. Israel expanded an evacuation order for eastern Rafah, after saying 300,000 people had fled the city since the army urged people to leave earlier in the week. Residents piled water tanks, mattresses and other belongings onto vehicles and prepared to flee again. “We don’t know where to go,” said Farid Abu Eida, who was preparing to leave Rafah, having already been displaced there from Gaza City. “There is no place left in Gaza that is safe or not overcrowded ... There’s nowhere we can go.” Residents were told to go to the “humanitarian zone” of Al-Mawasi, on the coast northwest of Rafah. Hamas accused Israel of “expanding the incursion into Rafah to include new areas in the centre and the west of the city”. Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said “we have eliminated dozens of terrorists in eastern Rafah” and the army said troops were fighting “armed terrorists” at the crossing and had found “numerous underground tunnel shafts”. UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Friday that Gaza risked an “epic humanitarian disaster” if Israel launched a full-scale ground operation in Rafah. International outrage mounted at Israel’s operations in Rafah. EU chief Charles Michel said Rafah civilians were being ordered to “unsafe zones”, denouncing it as “unacceptable”. Doctors Without Borders said it had started transferring 22 patients from a field hospital in Rafah. While mediation efforts towards a truce and hostage release appeared to stall,

10 MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 Education remains an important pillar of Malaysian society; it equips students with the skills needed to become productive and useful members of society. We invite you to showcase the best of education and the difference your institution has brought to the education landscape. Education matters so join us in 2024! Contact us now for special deals on digital, video and print advertising. Malaysian Paper 03-7784 6688 [email protected] /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM Malaysian Paper Trade liberalisation kicked away African development ladder AFRICANS have long been promised trade liberalisation would accelerate growth and structural transformation. Instead, it has cut its modest production capacities, industry and food security. Berg helped sink Africa The 1981 Berg Report was the World Bank’s blueprint for African economic reform. Despite lacking support in theory and experience, Africa’s comparative advantage was supposedly in export agriculture. Once obstructionist government interventions were gone, farmers’ previously repressed productive potential would spontaneously achieve export-led growth. But there has been no sustained African agricultural export boom since. Instead, Africa has been transformed from a net food exporter in the 1970s into a net importer. Over the next two decades, its share of world non-oil exports fell by more than half from the early 1980s. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) export growth from the late 20th century has mainly been due to foreign direct investment from Asia, especially China and India. Nevertheless, Africa’s share of world exports has declined. High growth in Asian economies contributed most to raising primary commodity prices, especially for minerals, until they collapsed in 2014. Underdeveloped agriculture African agriculture has been undermined by decades of low investment, stagnation and neglect. Public spending cuts under structural adjustment programmes (SAP) have also depleted infrastructure (roads, water supply, etc), undermining output. SAP’s neglect of infrastructure and agriculture left many developing nations unable to respond to new agricultural export opportunities. Meanwhile, projections ignored the fate of African food security. SAP undermined the already poor competitiveness of African smallholder agriculture. Unsurprisingly, most of the poorest and least developed African countries were projected to be net losers in the agricultural subsidies, import tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Gains from liberalisation? Greater trade liberalisation in manufactures, enhanced by the WTO non-agricultural market access agreement, has also undermined African industrialisation. Limited African market access to affluent country markets has been secured through preferential market access agreements rather than trade liberalisation. A Malawian economist and public intellectual, who was African development chair and professor of African development at the London School of Economics, Thandika Mkandawire, noted trade liberalisation would entail losses for Africa with the end of European Union preferential treatment under the Lome Convention. Hence, the likely overall impacts of trade liberalisation on Africa were recognised as mixed and uneven. The economic welfare of SSA – without Zambia, South Africa and members of the Southern African Customs Union – was supposed to rise after a decade by threefifths of one per cent by 2015. The Doha agreement envisaged then emphasised manufacturing trade liberalisation. Despite gains for some developing countries, SSA minus South Africa would lose US$122 billion as SAP accelerate deindustrialisation. SSA minus South Africa would lose US$106 billion to agricultural trade liberalisation due to poor infrastructure, export capacities, and “competitiveness”. Hence, partial trade liberalisation – and subsidy reduction – have uneven and mixed implications. Fraudulent policy advice With more realistic assumptions, SSA gains from trade liberalisation would be more modest. As economic growth generally precedes export expansion, trade could help foster virtuous circles but cannot enhance productive capacities and capabilities on its own. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has long emphasised the importance of growth for trade expansion, especially the weak investment-export nexus. This accounts for the failure of many countries to expand and diversify their exports. Rapid resource reallocation is much more difficult without high growth and investment rates. For University of Toronto, Department of Economics professor emeritus Gerry Helleiner, who is also Munk Centre for International Studies distinguished research fellow, “Africa’s failures have been developmental, not export failure per se”. Turkish economist Dani Rodrik, who is also Ford Foundation professor of international political economy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, argued Africa’s marginalisation is not due to trade performance. Africa’s export collapse in the 1980s and 1990s involved “a staggering annual income loss of US$68 billion or 21% of regional GDP”. Former World Bank economist Bill Easterly blamed these lost decades on SAP. Nonetheless, “Africa overtrades compared with other developing regions in the sense that its trade is higher than would be expected from the various determinants of bilateral trade”. Trade liberalisation has significantly reduced trade, industrial, technology and investment policy space for developing countries. Unsurprisingly, food security and manufacturing have been especially badly hit. – IPS “As economic growth generally precedes export expansion, trade could help foster virtuous circles but cannot enhance productive capacities and capabilities on its own. COMMENT by Jomo Kwame Sundaram Bank’s more “realistic” World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round trade liberalisation scenarios. Uneven partial trade liberalisation and subsidy reduction have mixed implications. These vary with the food shares of national imports and household spending. Wishful development thinking World Bank research claimed African countries would gain US$16 billion (RM75.8 billion) from “complete” trade liberalisation. But this scenario was never envisaged for the Doha Round negotiations – virtually abandoned two decades ago. Nonetheless, the Bank claimed SSA would gain considerably because “farm employment, the real value of agricultural output and exports, the real returns to farm land and unskilled labor, and real net farm incomes would all rise substantially in capital scarce SSA countries with a move to free merchandise trade”. Total welfare gains envisaged for SSA minus South Africa were slightly over half of one per cent. But World Bank projections for the overall effects of multilateral agricultural trade liberalisation expected significant losses for SSA. Gains worldwide would mainly accrue to major food exporters, primarily from the Cairns Group, largely from rich countries. The rich world has long dominated food agricultural exports with indirectly subsidised farming. Lowering agricultural subsidies in the North has thus raised some imported food prices in developing countries. Also, most African governments cannot easily substitute lost tariff revenue with other new or higher taxes. After years of trying, developing countries have virtually given up trying to “level the playing field” by cutting Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development governments’

11 MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 Motherhood transcends traditional labels THIS will be the second Mother’s Day that I will “endure” without my mom, who left us so suddenly. There was no time for farewells, no chance to express my gratitude and certainly no opportunity to apologise for any unintended missteps. I find myself wondering why I waited so long to show her the appreciation she deserved all those years when she showered me with love like there was no tomorrow. We all must eventually say that final goodbye, but losing a mother leaves a void that nothing can fill. When I cook, I still feel her presence next to me, guiding me through the rituals and rhythms of the kitchen. In my daily life, her teachings and her essence permeate everything I do, especially when I am in the kitchen. It is here that her presence feels most palpable. She stands by me, a phantom guide ensuring that each dish adheres to the rituals she revered. Yet, as I attempt to craft the perfectly round tosai, just as she did, I often falter. Each irregular shape becomes a silent reprimand, a gentle nudge from the past that I could have done better as if she is softly chiding me for not meeting the high standards she set with ease. Her voice still resonates, particularly in those moments when I challenged her ways, like the time I whimsically suggested that tosai could be square. The idea was met with a blend of disbelief and stern admonition, a testament to her commitment to tradition and her slightly amused intolerance for needless innovation in her well-ordered culinary world. As Mother’s Day dawns, it is not only my mother’s memory that fills me with longing and appreciation but also the extraordinary life of my sister-in-law. Ironically, she, who has never been a mother in the traditional sense, has thrice assumed the mantle of caregiving with a grace and resilience that is nothing short of maternal. She began with her father, transitioning seamlessly into the role of his caretaker as cancer cruelly eroded his vitality. Her dedication never wavered, and her home became a sanctuary of love and quiet dignity until his last breath. Years later, she was there again, this time for her mother who succumbed slowly to the haze of Alzheimer’s. With tireless devotion, she circumnavigated the complexities of her mother’s care, balancing the increasing demands with a firm resolve. On occasions when her mother lovingly immersed herself in memories of her teenage years, my sister-in-law, ever patient and devoted, would listen intently, engaging in whatever might soothe her mother’s fragile recollections. She would navigate this delicate maze with her mother, carefully preserving their bond without causing any pain. Her role did not cease with her mother’s passing, it only morphed into new challenges when her sister, overwhelmed by dementia and the grief of widowhood, needed her. Her sister, once a once-brilliant PhD holder, now like a child needs constant supervision to prevent unpredictable and unreasonable actions, and the toll on the caregiver is unimaginable. Yet, her steadfast devotion is palpable, a testament to the depth of love that anchors her through each challenging day. My sister-in-law’s life seems a witness to the mysterious workings of fate, casting her in a role of a guardian and nurturer, tasked with offering maternal love without bearing the title of “mother”. Her actions highlight a broader, more inclusive definition of motherhood, one not confined by biological or conventional boundaries but defined by acts of unconditional love and sacrifice. This Mother’s Day, we honour not just those who have given birth, but all who embody the spirit of motherhood. My sister-in-law stands among these giants, her life a quiet resonance of the love and persistence that my mother exemplified. The lessons of compassion and resilience that these remarkable women teach us continue to vibrate deeply, reminding us that motherhood, in all its forms, is a profound, expansive embrace that transcends conventional labels. Comments: [email protected] A mother’s steadfast devotion is palpable, a testament to the depth of love that anchors her through each challenging day. – SUNPIC Mothers shape their children’s smiles THE celebration of Mother’s Day started in the early 1900s by an American social activist, Anna Jarvis, in memory of her late mother. The observance day honours the invaluable role of mothers as domestic caregivers, recognising their selfless devotion to their families. Maternal bonding, the deep emotional tie between a mother and baby, develops gradually throughout the first year after birth. Some suggested that this bonding process may even begin during pregnancy. The special bond between these two is undeniably important and researchers all around the world have been investigating their relationship in various fields. This unique relationship between a mother and her child refers to the term “mother-child dyads”, often characterised by shared experiences and mutual influence. The earliest mother-child dyads are formed during breastfeeding, during which nourishment and comfort are provided through direct physical contact. As they grow, these dyads are achieved through playtimes, mealtimes and learning activities together. A healthy mother-child dyad can be developed during mealtimes. For example, when both eat healthy and nutritious food together and bond through conversation. One of the underrated roles of mothers in the mother-child dyads is looking after their child’s teeth. In oral health, these dyads usually share their dental decay experience with the transmission of bacteria responsible for causing caries, through shared eating utensils. Other factors, such as genetics and the surface of the teeth, also play a role. Approximately seven out of 10 children in Malaysia have early childhood caries. It is a fact that a child’s likelihood of developing early childhood caries is higher if the mother has experienced dental decay compared with mothers who have not. This coincidence reflects the mother’s knowledge and attitude toward family dietary choices and oral hygiene habits. Sharing eating utensils with young children might be challenging to avoid, especially in a busy household. Adopting baby-led weaning (BLW) may decrease the likelihood of cariogenic bacteria transmission from mother to child. BLW is an approach to introducing solid foods to weaning babies, in which they feed themselves at about six months old, instead of the traditional spoon-feeding by an adult. With BLW, babies are exposed to a balanced diet through various textures and whole foods, and are less exposed to sugary or processed food. A low-sugar and highly nutritious diet can help reduce the risk of developing early childhood caries. Chewing on solid foods can stimulate saliva production too, which helps neutralise acids in the mouth and remineralise teeth. While the link between BLW and dental caries has yet to be explored, those factors might have beneficial effects on dental decay and should be considered when introducing solid foods to a baby. Globally, paediatric dental specialists recommend that babies have their first dental check-up when the first tooth emerges or by age one. Early detection of deep fissures on teeth surfaces or teeth defects caused by genetic factors can prevent the occurrence of early childhood caries. Early visits to the dentists allow personalised oral health advice and preventive measures for infants as well as providing an opportunity to identify any potential oral health problems earlier. For example, teeth with deep fissures may be sealed with specialised cement to prevent food impaction. The dentist may apply a varnish containing fluoride on the child’s teeth if the risk of developing dental decay is high. Most of the time, young children rely on their mothers for their daily care. As such, mothers must start good dental health habits early, such as brushing their children’s teeth before bed, which has been proven to reduce the child’s risk of tooth decay. Mothers and caregivers should practise good oral health habits and be good role models for their children to prevent cavities. Mother’s Day is not just a celebration but also a reminder of the significant role mothers play in shaping their children’s lives, including oral health. The impact of mothers on their children’s oral health is increasingly recognised, with scientific research highlighting the link between maternal dental health and the likelihood of early childhood caries in their children. This underscores the importance of early intervention, education and support for all families, regardless of socioeconomic status. Mothers are truly the ones who shape their children’s oral health from cradle to smile, guiding them towards healthier, brighter futures and brighter smiles. Happy Mother’s Day. The authors are from the Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya. Comments: [email protected] COMMENT by Dr Noorhidayah Zainal Aalam, Assoc Prof Dr Lily Azura Shoaib “The lessons of compassion and resilience that these remarkable women teach us continue to vibrate deeply, reminding us that motherhood, in all its forms, is a profound, expansive embrace that transcends conventional labels.

BANKING & INSURANCE BANKING & INSURANCE 12 MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 PETALING JAYA: CIMB Group Holdings Bhd held its 67th annual general meeting virtually recently, where all 10 ordinary resolutions tabled were passed, and the audited financial statements for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2023 (FY23) were duly received. The meeting was chaired by CIMB Group chairman Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad, with the board of directors and CIMB Group CEO Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad in attendance. CIMB Group saw continued positive momentum in FY23, driven by strong underlying performance across all business segments and geographies. The positive year - on-year performance was underpinned by robust operating income growth with solid loan and current account and savings account (Casa) growth, coupled with lower provisions from prudent risk management and recoveries. Accordingly, the group met most of its financial targets for FY23, including annualised return on average equity and credit cost/provisions. CIMB Group remains well-capitalised as its Common Equity Tier 1 ratio remained strong at 14.5% as at December 2023. The group declared a total annual dividend of 36 sen per share for a payout ratio of 55%, in line with its dividend policy. In addition, the group awarded a special dividend payout of RM747 million or 7 sen per share, which in turn translated to a record total dividend payout of RM4.59 billion for FY23. Speaking at the AGM, Nasir said, “On behalf of the board, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all our stakeholders for their unwavering trust and valued partnership over the past year. While 2023 presented varied challenges in the banking industry, for CIMB, it marked an exciting phase as our Forward23+ strategic plan continued to gain strong momentum.” He also said that despite external uncertainties, CIMB Group met its Forward23+ targets, reaffirming its commitment to becoming the leading focused Asean bank. “Our continued focus on organisational excellence remains steadfast as we continue to forge ahead with confidence and commitment,” he added. As a purpose-driven organisation, Nasir said, sustainability remains a top priority as it serves as an integral part of the group’s strategic plan. We have consistently stayed on target or outperformed our year-on-year sustainability aspirations. For the second consecutive year, we are proud to have achieved top quartile within the global banking industry in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, achieving our Forward23+ targets two years ahead of plan. Among 400 international financial institutions, CIMB ranked seventh worldwide in the 2023 Financial System Benchmark. These recognitions reinforce our ongoing sustainability agenda and leadership, as we strive for sustainable growth to unlock new possibilities and opportunities into the future,” he added. Over the last three years, CIMB Group has achieved cumulatively RM86.2 billion of sustainable finance under its Green, Social, Sustainable Impact Products and Services Framework, inching closer to its revised sustainable finance target of RM100 billion by 2024, which triples the initial target of RM30 billion that was announced in 2021. Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman said, “We made significant progress under our Forward23+ strategic plan and are on track to deliver the targets across most profitability metrics set under the plan four years ago. As we enter the final year of Forward23+, our focus is to enhance Casa and deposit franchise with an emphasis on effective balance sheet management to improve net interest margin regionally. Further, we intend to maintain non-interest income growth through wealth management and affluent segment, as well as to continue our cost discipline and improve asset quality to deliver on our ambitious 2024 targets.” In an increasingly digitised landscape, he said, CIMB Group recognises the imperative of leveraging technology particularly in advanced digital platforms and data analytics to drive customer acquisition and elevate customer experience. “Our strategic roadmap for 2024 identifies a strong emphasis on strengthening operational resiliency, ensuring robust infrastructure, and implementing comprehensive contingency plans to mitigate potential disruptions. By aligning technology investments with operational resiliency enhancements, we aspire to reinforce our competitive edge, adapt to evolving market dynamics, and position ourselves for sustainable growth in 2024 and beyond,” he added. Sun Life Malaysia opens branch in Kuching, its first in East Malaysia PETALING JAYA: Sun Life Malaysia, a life insurance and family takaful provider, has opened a branch in Kuching, Sarawak, its first in East Malaysia. The company said the expansion comes in line with its “client-centric” strategy that focuses on making protection more convenient and accessible for clients while reinforcing its goal of accelerating the growth of its agency force in East Malaysia. Sun Life Malaysia CEO and president/country head Raymond Lew said the expansion of Sun Life Malaysia into Kuching is its renewed commitment to support East Malaysians in their goal towards securing much-needed financial peace of mind. “Through this local office, we can better understand and respond to local market needs by customising our insurance and takaful solutions, ultimately providing better experience for our clients and building a more financially resilient society,” he said in a statement. With East Malaysia showing growth potential, especially Sarawak with its population of 2.7 million and projected growth rate of 5% to 6% this year, the new office serves as the launchpad to increase Sun Life’s presence in the region, added Lew. In support of Sun Life Malaysia’s aim to grow its agency force by 30% and increase its Million Dollar Round Table qualifiers by threefold, the newly opened branch will serve as a platform for local advisers to access resources, tools and training needed to support their clients in achieving lifetime financial security. “Distribution excellence is a key growth enabler for Sun Life Malaysia. We believe our advisers play a critical role in helping us continue delivering on our purpose of helping Malaysians achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Hence, offering a space for collaboration is key to supporting our team while enhancing the value we can offer to local Clients,” Lew said. CIMB meets targets in Forward23+ strategic plan oGroup registers strong underlying performance across all business segments and geographies PETALING JAYA: SME Bank Malaysia continues to be a catalyst for growth of micro, small and medium enterprises, in tandem with the government’s vision of realising the Madani Economy agenda and propelling Malaysia into the top 30 largest economies within the next decade. Group president/CEO Datuk Wira Aria Putera Ismail said SME Bank’s goal is to empower MSMEs and drive economic growth that is inclusive and sustainable. To date, it has supported more than 23,880 MSMEs, providing them with financial assistance exceeding RM47 billion. “We’ll continue to fulfil our mandated role in developing and propelling MSME growth and raise both the ceiling and floor of dedicated initiatives in contributing to the realisation of Ekonomi Madani,”he said. SME Bank has also spearheaded transformative initiatives to broaden access for Bumiputera MSMEs to financial resources and global opportunities. They include facilitating beyond-borders endeavours such as the business-matching programme SME Bank XCESS, the Business Exports Programme and the Vendor Capacity and Capability Development Programme. These efforts empower MSMEs to engage in global markets, fostering economic prosperity and bolstering Malaysia’s competitiveness on the international stage, he said. At home, SME Bank has spearheaded impactful community programmes such as iTEKAD Ishraf and iTEKAD Penjana Komuniti, aimed at empowering underprivileged entrepreneurs and fostering sustainable community development with an allocation of RM 11.3 million, in line with its commitment to corporate social responsibility. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Centre for Entrepreneur Development and Research, it has served as a training hub for growing entrepreneurs offering personalised support and guidance to more than 80,000 programme participants to navigate their entrepreneurial journey since its establishment in 2013. “With a commitment to inclusivity, SME Bank Malaysia offers tailored entrepreneur development programs and support services to both served and underserved MSMEs. Operating with a proactive and reactive mandate, SME Bank remains agile in addressing the evolving needs of MSMEs at different stages of their business, ensuring that its initiatives remain responsive and impactful”, said Aria. Generali Malaysia goes to Sarawak PETALING JAYA: Breaking new ground in East Malaysia, Generali Insurance Malaysia Bhd recently unveiled its first integrated branch in the heart of Kuching, Sarawak. Generali’s model branch in Kuching offers an integrated insurance experience aimed at enhancing customer service. It provides a comprehensive range of general and life insurance services, covering medical and health, savings and life protection, motor and home, travel and personal accident, as well as business and commercial insurance, all conveniently available under one roof. “With years of legacy in this dynamic city, Generali’s Kuching branch not only represents our commitment to closing the protection gap but also emphasises our commitment to cultivating trust and meaningful relationships with our valued customers and partners. We reaffirm our commitment as a trusted lifetime partner in Kuching,” said Generali Insurance Malaysia CEO Fabrice Benard, who is also country head for general entities in Malaysia. Generali has reinvented the design of its branch to provide customer-focused experiences through phygital advisory and solutions. The multifunctional space carries elements of functionality, inclusiveness, and technology, highlighting Generali’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, innovation and customer centricity. Abdul Rahman (left) and Nasir at CIMB Group’s 67th AGM. SME Bank continues to be catalyst for growth of MSMEs

MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 E: [email protected] SCAN ME CIMB Securities targets high single-digit market share growth KUALA LUMPUR: CIMB Securities Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of CIMB Investment Bank Bhd is targeting high single-digit growth in market share by year-end and is committed to supporting the government’s aspirations in creating a vibrant ecosystem while stimulating the growth of Malaysia’s capital markets. CIMB Securities CEO Ruzi Rani Ajith said they hope to achieve their growth and aspirations within their target framework and through a five-year investment in technology and infrastructure. “We have allocated a large amount to ensure that we provide digital capabilities, not only for operational efficiency but also to democratise products to international markets for our customers,” she said at a press conference in conjunction with the launch of CIMB Securities on Friday. She added that Malaysia’s current public equity market size is RM2 trillion, making it one of the most important fields in the economy. █ BY AIMIE SHAZRIE [email protected] ‘Bursa’s performance shows govt measures boosted investor confidence’ KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia’s performance of late shows that measures under the Madani Economic Framework have raised investors’ confidence, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. The benchmark index, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI), breached 1,600 points for the first time in two years, and the stock exchange achieved an all-time high of RM2 trillion in equities market capitalisation last week. Amir Hamzah said that being the steward of Malaysia’s economic well-being, the Ministry of Finance is entrusted with the responsibility of formulating policies and strategies to ensure sustainable growth, financial stability and prosperity for all Malaysians. “Coming on the back of a strong show of resilience amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions, this performance is a testament to the strength of our market and Malaysia’s economy,” he said at the launch of CIMB Securities. The development of Malaysia’s capital market reflects a commitment to fostering growth, innovation, and resilience in the financial sector, positioning Malaysia as a leading destination for investment and capital market activity. “Numerous initiatives that the government has rolled out continue to work in tandem to realise the Madani Economy’s key targets. These include. among others. the National Energy Transition Roadmap, National Industrial Master Plan 2030, the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan and key economic reforms under the 2024 Budget,” said Amir Hamzah. Consequently, he said, the government is expecting the corporate sector to increase its involvement in the country’s economic structure. “I look forward to greater collaboration to position Malaysia’s capital market globally as a centre of exciting opportunities, promising innovation and high-potential, sustainable growth,” he added. - by Aimie Shazrie F&B solutions provider Incite Innovations eyes IPO by 2025 PETALING JAYA: Incite Innovations Group, a food and beverage (F&B) solutions provider, aims to undertake an initial public offering (IPO) by 2025. CEO Tham Lih Chung (pic) said the group is considering listing either the entire organisation or its subsidiary divisions separately. “We have been looking at getting the company ready for listing. I will say hopefully in the next one to two years. I’ve given myself two years for the company to get listed,” he said in an interview with SunBiz recently. Tham said Incite Innovations aims to capitalise on its rapid growth trajectory driven by fundraising efforts and investor support. “I owe it to my shareholders. Why we are able to expand so fast? Mainly because we have raised some funds from True Equity funding platform. We have about 300 shareholders with us,” he added. Tham also shared insights into Incite Innovations’ revenue over the past few years. In 2020, the company reported revenue of RM10 million. By 2023, this figure had risen 7.5- fold to RM75 million. Tham said the primary sources driving revenue for the group are mainly from retail management solutions and retail technology solutions. This year, the group projected its revenue to be in the range of RM100 million to RM150 million. “As of today, I can’t even categorise ourselves as a small enterprise. We have grown exponentially,” he said. Tham remarked that Incite Innovations is already generating revenue from international markets. However, the contribution from overseas income currently accounts for only 10% of the company’s total group revenue. Going forward, Tham aims to triple its international revenue contribution to 30% over the next three years. “The end goal is for 50% of its total revenue to come from international markets, with the remaining 50% from domestic sources,“ he added. - by Hayatun Razak Window of vulnerability in Malaysian digital landscape KUALA LUMPUR: Lack of investment in cybersecurity leaves Malaysia vulnerable, according to Grant Thornton Malaysia country CEO Kishan Jasani (pic). He said insufficient cybersecurity investment in Malaysia, the third most breached country globally, poses risks to the public and the private sectors. “Be aware. Plan. Take stock of what needs to be done. Execute. Have the actions in place. Implement them. For the government to actually have that confidence, to have that trust, and to be able to assure the rest of the oGrant Thornton country CEO highlights lack of investment in cybersecurity, suggests collaboration between government and industries to address risks █ BY HAYATUN RAZAK [email protected] country, ‘Hey, it’s okay. We’ve got this’,” he said in an interview with SunBiz. Kishan suggested collaboration between government and industry stakeholders to address vulnerabilities in Malaysia’s digital landscape effectively. The call for urgent action comes as Malaysia grapples with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats ranging from data breaches to ransomware attacks. “Other Asean countries are thinking very seriously because they know how secure these systems have to be,” said Kishan. Recent incidents, including data breaches in government agencies such as the Central Database Hub (Padu) and financial institutions such as Maybank and CIMB, highlight the need for such measures, he added. Without adequate investment and strategic planning, Kishan said, Malaysia risks economic and reputational damage from cyber incidents. “Cybersecurity is a hot topic nowadays. The pretext of it is Padu. With our data going online, the government is pushing for digitalisation. Also as part of the MSC status. So, cybersecurity is coming on trend,” he said. Furthermore, Kishan highlighted the importance of education and awareness of cybersecurity for the public. “From a personal level, it’s common sense. Keep things in a normal place, download from a reputable app store, don’t open suspicious links, and don’t pick up random calls. Education is free,” he said. However, while people may possess knowledge about cybersecurity best practices, there is often a failure to put that knowledge into action effectively, he added. “As a major player in the market, CIMB Securities is committed to working with partners to develop, enhance and maintain the Malaysian capital market. Over the years, it has pioneered many market-driven ideas to build more companies to compete at the global level,” Ruzi Rani said. Meanwhile, CIMB Investment CEO Novan Amirudin said CIMB Securities’ entry into the market strengthens the group’s ecosystem, enabling them to complete their comprehensive wholesale banking value proposition to better serve their clients through their “one bank” approach. “We have had a positive start to the year. From a market share of 0.7% in January, we are now 4.5% in March. In our first two months, we have intermediated RM6.3 billion of block trades, which includes ANZ’s RM2.1 billion selldown of AmBank, the largest equity block trade in Malaysia since 2017. CIMB Securities is back,” he added. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, who officiated at the launch, said he is optimistic about CIMB Securities’ arrival on the capital market scene as he believes it will strengthen the Malaysian financial markets. “Malaysia still holds a sweet spot among the regional capital markets as we are seeing increased investors’ confidence in view of the robust fiscal reforms implemented by the government. This is backed by the country’s strong fundamentals and commitment to implement the Madani economic reform agenda, which in turn is reinvigorating Malaysia’s economy. Therefore, it is an opportune moment for institutional stakeholders to take on a catalytic role in supporting the growth of the capital markets driving the country’s economy forward,” he added He said he is happy to see CIMB advancing its commitment towards stimulating the economy. “ I am confident it will contribute to a more robust ecosystem, particularly for Malaysia’s capital markets. As our economic trajectory continues an upward momentum, I look forward to seeing more participation from institutional stakeholders and leading financial institutions in making Malaysia an attractive investment destination for both foreign and local investors,” he remarked.

BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 14 PETALING JAYA: Global packaging manufacturer and property developer Scientex Bhd has announced an expansion of its renewable energy initiative by deploying solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across the group’s facilities in Malaysia. Since 2022, Scientex has integrated renewable energy into its operations as part of its carbon footprint reduction initiative. The group is now scaling up its efforts, building on the success of its initial solar PV implementations at two manufacturing plants in Selangor and Perak. Under the 21-megawatt peak project, Scientex will deploy solar PV systems across 10 key manufacturing plants nationwide and its headquarters in collaboration with solar energy solutions provider Solarvest Holdings Bhd. The project, which is scheduled to commence this month and be completed by January 2025, is expected to generate enough renewable energy to offset about 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) annually. By January 2025, more than 80% of Scientex’s manufacturing facilities in Malaysia will harness renewable energy with solar PV systems. Scientex said it is committed to expanding its renewable energy footprint and ultimately achieving full coverage across all facilities, driving a sustainable future for its operations. CEO Lim Peng Jin said, “Scientex is making a major push in renewable energy with this nationwide solar project. Expanding our solar footprint across the majority of our manufacturing facilities reduces our carbon footprint by 14,000 tCO2e annually and solidifies our commitment to ESG leadership.” Furthermore, he added, their initiatives are in line with their commitment to supporting their customers both locally and internationally in achieving their sustainability goals within the supply chain. Meanwhile, Solarvest executive director and group CEO Davis Chong Chun Shiong said: “Scientex’s commitment to renewable energy sets a powerful example for the manufacturing sector, demonstrating how businesses can significantly reduce their environmental footprint in their value chain. This collaboration signifies the commitment of two Malaysian companies working together for a sustainable economy.” He pointed out that Main Market-listed issuers with financial years ending on or after Dec 31, 2023, are obligated to disclose common sustainability matters in their 2024 reports and in alignment with Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures for financial years ending on or after Dec 31, 2025. “By transitioning to carbon-free RE solutions such as solar power, businesses can reduce their Scope 2 GHG emissions, which come from the electricity generated for their facilities,” Chong said, adding that fuelled by Southeast Asia’s booming solar energy market, projected to reach 15.25 million MWh in 2024, Solarvest’s extensive geographical presence across the region uniquely positions it as the ideal regional clean energy partner for multinational corporations. oProject to be implemented in collaboration with Solarvest covers 10 key manufacturing plants and group’s headquarters Dispute Resolution Panel – useful avenue for resolving disagreements THE Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP) was introduced on July 1, 2013, to give taxpayers an opportunity to resolve an appeal or application for relief and avoid proceedings on such matters to the Special Commissioners of Income Tax. The aim is to help taxpayers and the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) reach an out-of-court settlement, thus saving time and cost for both parties. The taxpayer can only access the DRP once an assessment has been issued and a Form Q (an appeal form) has been filed. The DRP avenue can be found in many Commonwealth member countries. It consists of senior officials from the IRB who are entirely independent and not involved in the particular case under appeal. The DRP does not have anyone from outside the IRB. Despite the absence of independent third parties from the DRP, it is still a useful forum for taxpayers to present and clarify their reasons for the appeal and a further opportunity to produce additional evidence to support their position to an independent team within the IRB. What is taxpayers’ perception? Sometimes, taxpayers have the perception that since there are no independent outsiders in the DRP, it is seen as another opportunity for the IRB to review its own position as to whether it has a case to pursue against the taxpayer. If it has a good case, the perception is that the DRP is likely to provide a decision in favour of the IRB. Is this true? This perception may be unwarranted. Generally, the DRP tries very hard to listen to the taxpayer’s side of the case and attempts to mediate between the taxpayer and the team within the IRB dealing with the case. Effectively, they act more as facilitators and mediators between the two parties. They look at the case presented by the parties very thoroughly and spend significant time in attempting to bring the parties together. How to prepare your approach to the DRP? The taxpayer must prepare his case beyond what has been presented to the tax officers handling the case. He must take this matter seriously and prepare the case in a manner similar to what he would have done if he had gone to the courts. The level of evidence, the substantiation of case laws, documents to support the facts, and consolidating all this within the framework of the law, should be comprehensive and presented to the DRP from an honest standpoint. The mode of presentation is equally important. Confrontational engagement would be unproductive. Usually, good results are achieved through reconciliation and compromise, and the experience is that the DRP will assist taxpayers achieve this goal where possible. How can the DRP be improved? The most important step to improve the credibility of the perception of the DRP would be to introduce an entirely independent member into the panel. The independent person should not be a staff of the IRB or a staff from the government sector. The intention here is to eradicate the perception that the DRP is biased towards the IRB’s position and is just another internal mechanism to help the board vet the assessments. In reality, this is not the case, but perceptions will remain without independent members from outside the IRB fraternity. This article is contributed by Thannees Tax Consulting Services Sdn Bhd managing director SM Thanneermalai (www.thannees.com). From left: Scientex Packaging Bhd COO Choo Seng Hong, Lim, Chong and Solarvest group vice-president Jack Tan Qi Jie. PETALING JAYA: In a move to strengthen global supply chains in the defence sector, SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd (SMEO), a subsidiary company of National Aerospace and Defence Industries Sdn Bhd, and Connecticut, USAbased Colt’s Manufacturing Co LLC have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on joint development and supply of small arms ammunition. This strategic partnership, forged at DSA Malaysia 2024 and in line with the event’s ethos of promoting international collaboration, aims to explore and capitalise on opportunities that will enhance the production and distribution of 5.56mm calibre M193 ammunition. Under the MoU, SMEO will produce and deliver six million rounds of ammunition annually to Colt over a three-year period. This collaboration, facilitated by the shared objectives and capabilities of both firms, sets a framework for a potential long-term partnership aimed at enhancing supply chain resilience and reliability. “This will not only enhance our supply chain capabilities but also aligns with our strategic goal to ensure reliable and continuous supply to our global customers,“ said Jens Heider, vicepresident of global military & law enforcement sales at Colt. “We are excited to leverage SMEO’s manufacturing prowess to meet the growing international demand for high-quality ammunition.” According to a press statement issued in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, the MoU emphasises the non-binding nature of the current understanding, serving as a precursor to more detailed agreements expected to be negotiated in the future. SME Ordnance, Colt in MoU to enhance ammunition supply Scientex to deploy solar PV systems at all local facilities KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 268 electric car (EV) charging stations have been operational, bringing the total number of EV charging bays to 2,288 units as of March 2024, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry. Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said that while the goal of 10,000 new charging stations remains unchanged, the target for direct current fast chargers has been increased from 1,000 to 1,500 stations. “In the first quarter of this year, the country’s EV market has continued its rapid development, with nearly 11,000 units of battery electric vehicles and hybrids sold until March 2024,“ he said on social media platform X on Saturday. – Bernama 2,288 EV charging stations as of March

BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 15 Residential property market expected to remain stable seasonal adjustments rather than economic issues. Amid the ongoing uncertainties, including heightened geopolitical tensions and economic downturns, property seekers have adjusted their housing expectations accordingly. This indicates that the market is wellpositioned for stability, maintaining its capacity to operate effectively and contribute to a healthier property market, provided that no major unforeseen shocks occur. Similar to the sale market, the rental demand index for residential properties recorded a decline of 11% QoQ. This was partly due to seasonal festivities which typically affect rental activity at the start of the year. This seasonal influence was evident in Q1’23 as well, when the rental demand index declined by 6.2%. However, the decrease in rental demand in Q1’24 may also be influenced by challenges such as rising asking rents and an increase in property supply. The rental supply index in Q1’24 witnessed a significant YoY growth of 31.3%, despite experiencing a 1.8% decrease from Q4’23. Similarly, asking rents went up by 2.2% QoQ, marking a 12.4% jump from Q1’23. This unexpected trend is attributed to various factors including improved property conditions, increased demand in certain areas, or changes in the local real estate market. “While these demand and supply figures suggest a period of adjustment, the market’s resilience and the nature of these shifts provide a cautiously hopeful outlook. The balance between supply and demand is evolving, and with careful navigation, the rental market could maintain its stability. This would continue to attract property investment from buyers looking to enjoy good rental yields, especially in areas showing faster economic growth and those with infrastructure developments in the pipeline,” Soh said. Johor’s residential property demand rises by 2% due to the upcoming Rapid Transit System project, boosting interest in surrounding areas. - BERNAMAPIX oDips in Q1 demand and supply are due to seasonal factors: PropertyGuru Malaysia report Driving progress with next-gen warehousing solutions in Malaysia CHINA’s rapid advancement in the online consumer goods segment is setting a trend that Malaysia is likely to follow. In fact, the nation achieved a new record of handling 639 million parcels for their “Double 11” sales in late 2023. With the increasing popularity and convenience of online shopping, Malaysian consumers are expected to adopt similar shopping habits observed in China. With this significant change in consumer behaviour and market dynamics, businesses in Malaysia must adapt their strategies to meet evolving consumer demands and expectations, both in terms of convenience and efficiency. One of the most important factors to consider in this shift is Malaysia’s warehousing capabilities. With the e-commerce logistics market in Southeast Asia projected to grow by US$85.12 billion (RM403 billion) between 2023 and 2028, it comes as no surprise that the Greater Kuala Lumpur Property Market Monitor Q2’23 revealed strong and sustained demand for warehouse space. To cope with this level of expansion, businesses must think about adopting effective and efficient warehousing systems and solutions. Primarily, according to Store N Go’s warehouse management systems (WMS) database, we processed more than 4 million parcels in 2023 — while a remarkable achievement in itself, a far cry from China’s capabilities. Here, we’ll take a closer look at how warehousing solution providers can help Malaysian businesses progress further and faster in the retail race. Seamless technological integration Human errors are inevitable in manual sorting processes, leading to inefficiencies and potential mistakes in order fulfilment. By automating this process, companies can improve accuracy, speed, and overall efficiency in their warehouse operations. Cutting-edge WMS can now integrate technologies like RFID and barcode scanning for precise inventory tracking and real-time stock visibility, allowing companies to streamline their logistics operations immensely. Additionally, WMS should be able to seamlessly integrate with retailers’ existing technology stack including e-commerce platforms, ERP systems, and logistics software. This allows for data synchronisation and automation, further enhancing operational efficiency, which in turn has the added benefit of reducing operational costs. An extra eye, a helping hand Working alongside a warehousing fulfilment solution company also provides room to breathe in terms of the safety and security of stored goods. With tools like 24/7 surveillance and controlled access, retailers can have peace of mind knowing their inventory is protected. Furthermore, retailers can rely on having the necessary assistance and guidance to maximise the benefits of their warehousing solutions through dedicated customer support and account management services. The solution grows with you Warehousing solutions providers also allow for a decent level of flexibility when it comes to cost and scale. With warehouse spaces that now allow retailers to only use and pay for exactly the space they need, this provides companies with the opportunity to worry less about the expansion of their back-end processes as their operations increase. This customisable model has the added benefit of lowering the barrier for smaller players in the retail space, as they now have access to these resources without the hefty upfront investment. This democratisation of access to warehouse space levels the playing field in the retail sector, fostering competition and innovation from businesses of all sizes. Ultimately, it creates a more diverse and dynamic marketplace where smaller retailers can thrive alongside their larger counterparts. One-stop shop The retail industry in Malaysia is experiencing a significant change towards simpler and more efficient solutions for customers. Companies are realising the importance of providing all-in-one services to make shopping easier and meet changing needs. By bringing together different services or products in one place, businesses aim to make processes simpler, reduce the number of steps customers need to take, and improve overall efficiency. This shift aligns with the increasing desire among consumers for smooth shopping experiences, showing how the industry is responding to changing preferences and making sure to meet customer needs. It reflects an industry-wide commitment to adapt to evolving behaviours and expectations, emphasising the importance of staying in tune with customer demands. In sum, it’s safe to say that warehousing and fulfilment solutions are now integral to Malaysia’s evolving retail sector, driven by the increasing consumer demand for seamless shopping experiences. Companies are increasingly investing in warehouse storage and fulfilment services in a bid to meet the needs of their customers and stay competitive in the market. This trend underscores the importance of adaptability and innovation in the retail sector, as companies strive to remain relevant and meet the evolving needs of modern consumers. This article is attributed to founder and CEO of Store N Go, Tee Kee Lion. Paramount buys 21.5% stake in Eco World International PETALING JAYA: Paramount Corporation Bhd has recently accelerated its overseas expansion plan with the acquisition of a strategic stake in Eco World International Bhd (Eco World International). Paramount through its wholly owned subsidiary Flexsis Sdn Bhd acquired 517 million shares (or 21.54% equity stake) of Eco World International at 33 sen per share from GLL EWI (HK) Ltd for a total cash consideration of RM170.6 million. Paramount group CEO Jeffrey Chew said, “Since Paramount divested our education businesses in 2018, we have been on the look-out for opportunities to participate in new business interests to diversify our earnings base, both locally and outside of Malaysia, all of which were incorporated in our strategic plan of 2020 to 2025. We have since then invested in various start-ups in the digital space and expanded into Bangkok property development via a joint venture.” He added that this acquisition presents a timely and strategic opportunity for Paramount to accelerate its expansion plan beyond Malaysia, in fact, beyond Asia as it enables Paramount to have a sizeable stake in a well-established Malaysian listed company that specialises in property development overseas. Eco World International has development projects in London, Sydney and Melbourne through joint ventures and subsidiaries, with a remaining gross development value of RM8.6 billion as at Feb 29. Moving forward, Chew said Paramount and Eco World International could collaborate and create new synergies by leveraging on each other’s experience and expertise. He said Paramount went into an equity venture with a Thai boutique developer in 2020, and has invested RM24.6 million in both debt and equity for the development of Na Reva Charoennakhon, a 29-storey freehold condominium in Bangkok. Construction of the condominium that overlooks the Chao Phraya River was completed recently. KUALA LUMPUR: PropertyGuru Malaysia’s latest property market report (MPMR) for Q1’24 has indicated a minor 1.1% QoQ drop in the sale demand index and a 4.4% decline in the sale supply index. This is mainly attributed to seasonal factors such as the Chinese New Year celebrations. Similar declines were observed in Q1’23 (-5.5%) and Q1’22 (-2.3%) respectively. On the housing price front, however, the sale price index recorded a mild 1.4% QoQ increase. Country manager Kenneth Soh said, “The figures from our report indicate a decline in demand due to seasonal trends. However, infrastructure developments are seen to positively influence the property market dynamics in specific submarkets.” For instance, he said Johor’s residential properties saw a 2% increase in its sale demand index. “The uptick in property enquiries is attributed to the upcoming Rapid Transit System project, which serves as a catalyst in bolstering property demand in the surrounding areas,” said Soh. Looking ahead, he added such developments will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping property demand by influencing development opportunities and job accessibility in the immediate area. Therefore, he remarked that it is essential to factor in these influences when analysing market trends and making investment decisions. Despite seasonal dips in residential demand and supply, the market is expected to maintain its stability. The MPMR indicates a slight 1.1% QoQ decline in Q1’24’s sale demand index and a 4.4% drop in the sale supply index, reflecting

BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 16 China consumer prices rise at faster rate BEIJING: China’s inflation rate quickened last month, official data showed on Saturday, as the government works to boost spending in the world’s second-largest economy. The consumer price index rose by 0.3% year-on-year last month, staying in positive territory for the third straight month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The figure was higher than the 0.2% rise forecast by Bloomberg analysts and up from a 0.1% increase last month. “In April, household consumption demand continued to rebound ... and the year-on-year increase expanded,” the NBS said in a statement. However, factory gate prices remained mired in a deflationary run that has persisted since the end of 2022. The producer price index sank by 2.5% year-on-year, the NBS said. Chinese policymakers have repeatedly tried to get consumers to open their wallets but the results have so far been mixed. A debt crisis in the real estate sector and high unemployment are weighing on the economy and contributing to a slump in demand. Beijing has set a target of around 5% GDP growth this year but has acknowledged that achieving it will “not be easy”. – AFP Chinese firms win bids to explore Iraq oil fields BAGHDAD: Chinese companies won bids to explore five Iraqi oil and gas fields on Saturday in a licensing round for hydrocarbon exploration that was primarily aimed at ramping up gas production for domestic use. An Iraqi Kurdish company also took two of the 29 projects up for grabs in the three-day licensing round across central, southern and western Iraq, which for the first time includes an offshore exploration block in the country’s Arab Gulf waters. Iraq aims to lure billions of dollars of investments to develop its oil and gas sector as it looks to ramp up local petrochemicals production and end imports of gas from Iran that are currently key to producing power. More than 20 companies pre-qualified for the licensing round, including European, Chinese, Arab and Iraqi groups. There were notably no US oil majors involved. Five bids were won on Saturday by Chinese companies. Zhongman Petroleum and Natural Gas Group took the northern extension of the Eastern Baghdad field, in Baghdad, and the Middle Euphrates field that straddles the southern Najaf and Karbala provinces, the Oil Ministry said. China’s United Energy Group Ltd won a bid to develop the Al-Faw field in southern Basra, while ZhenHua won a bid to develop Iraq’s Qurnain field in the Iraqi-Saudi border region and Geo-Jade won a bid to develop Iraq’s Zurbatiya field in the Wasit. Two oil and gas fields were taken by Iraq’s KAR Group – the Dimah field in eastern Maysan province, and the Sasan & Alan fields in Iraq’s northwestern Nineveh province – the ministry said. Around 20 more projects are open for bidding today. – Reuters Kepco in talks to build nuclear plant in Britain SEOUL: South Korea’s Korea Electric Power Corp (Kepco) is in talks with the British government to build a nuclear power station off the coast of Wales, the Financial Times reported yesterday. The state utility has held early-stage discussions with British officials at the Wylfa site in Anglesey, the newspaper said. Asked for comment, a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said Andrew Bowie, Britain’s minister for nuclear and renewables, would meet Kepco in London this week without specifying the purpose. “We are already making progress on our nuclear revival, securing two sites to host new projects,” the spokesman said in an e-mailed statement. “Wylfa has excellent potential and we welcome the interest of all parties who are looking to invest in UK nuclear projects.” Kepco could not immediately be reached for comment. The newspaper quoted a British government official as saying the talks were in early stages and that Energy Minister Claire Coutinho would “very much welcome all interest” in nuclear investment. The public body built to deliver the targets, Great British Nuclear, said last month it is buying land for nuclear development from Hitachi at Wylfa in Ynys Mon/Anglesey and Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire. Japan’s Hitachi scrapped plans to build a nuclear power plant at the Wylfa site in 2020 after it failed to find private investors or secure sufficient government support for the project. – Reuters South Korea to set up aid package for chip industry SEOUL: South Korea will set up an aid package worth 10 trillion won (RM34 billion) to support its chip industry, the Finance Ministry said yesterday, as part of its drive to boost its critical semiconductor sector. This initiative follows its pledge last year to build the world’s largest chip centre using US$240 billion (RM1.1 trillion) of private investment, primarily from Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest memory chip o10 trillion won initiative part of drive to boost semiconductor sector maker, as it seeks an edge in the global industry. The government “is preparing an assistance package of more than 10 trillion won to support fabless, chips materials and manufacturing equipment in all areas of chips industry”, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said, according to the ministry statement released yesterday. The package could be created through “a new fund financed by private and public financial institutions”, Choi told executives of domestic chip makers at a meeting last week. According to the statement, further details will be announced later. It comes as Asia’s fourth-largest economy aims to invest heavily in six key technologies, including chips, displays and batteries, all areas where the country’s tech giants are well-established already. South Korea is home to two of the world’s largest memory chip makers: Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Semiconductors are Seoul’s leading export and hit US$11.7 billion in March, their highest level in almost two years, accounting for a fifth of South Korea’s total exports. In May 2022, Samsung announced a massive 450 trillion won investment blueprint over the next five years aimed at making it a frontrunner in key sectors from semiconductors to biologics. Securing supplies of advanced chips has become a crucial issue internationally, with the United States and China locked in a fierce battle for control of the chips market. – AFP Australian Budget to help ease high inflation SYDNEY: Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said yesterday he expected this week’s Budget would help ease the country’s stubbornly high inflation, as many Australians continue to grapple with cost-of-living pressures. “We do expect the Budget, as I said, to put downward pressure on inflation rather than upward pressure on inflation,” Chalmers said in an Australian Broadcasting Corp television interview aired yesterday. Reserve Bank of Australia economists forecast consumer inflation, which was 3.6% in the first quarter, to pick up to 3.8% by next month and stay there until the end of the year, underlining the home-grown inflation challenge. The central bank has fought the persistently high inflation by raising interest rates 425 basis points since May 2022 to a 12-year high of 4.35%. Chalmers said the Budget, to be handed down tomorrow, would have a “primary focus on inflation but not a sole focus”. “The Budget will be a responsible Budget, it will ease cost-of-living pressures and it will invest in a future made in Australia.” Officials said the Budget would have a big focus on housing, as rising rents, interest rate hikes and surging living costs in recent years have inflamed what was already among the world’s least affordable housing rental markets. Chalmers has said the government will chart a responsible middle path with the Budget, putting a second surplus within reach despite more spending measures. – Reuters Shoppers at a mall in the city centre of Sydney. – REUTERSPIC

BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 17 NEW YORK: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), sharply criticised after the crashes of two Boeing planes in 2018 and 2019, is again being dragged into a maelstrom surrounding the major American aerospace manufacturer. The dramatic mid-flight blowout on Jan 5 of a fuselage panel on an Alaska Airlines plane precipitated the departures of a series of top Boeing officials – including CEO Dave Calhoun, who is set to step down at year’s end – and the reduced production of the 737 MAX. But as Boeing faces multiple inquiries and audits in the United States and abroad, it has repeatedly assured critics that it is working “with full transparency and under the oversight” of FAA regulators. And the FAA, which itself has seen four bosses come and go since August 2019, has been unable to evade a share of the responsibility. “The FAA has to be held accountable as well,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, who heads a subcommittee investigating Boeing’s safety practices. After the panel incident in January, the agency dispatched a team to inspect Boeing factories and gave the firm 90 days to provide an “action plan” to address several problem areas. “I think the FAA is doing the best that they can and that they have greatly improved their surveillance of Boeing” since the 2018 and 2019 crashes off Indonesia and in Ethiopia, which killed 346 people, said Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation consultant and former head of the agency’s investigation division. “But they did fail to catch production problems,” he said, noting that for decades the FAA relied on manufacturers themselves to “self-report problems”. The FAA, short on money and personnel, has long delegated the job of quality assurance to pre-approved employees of airplane manufacturers. That creates “a conflict of interest”, said Hassan Shahidi, president of the nonprofit Flight Safety Foundation. “There needs to be a shift where the FAA has more direct responsibility for oversight,” he said. Like Guzzetti, he said he has seen some improvement but believes the FAA must dispatch more of its own inspectors – and not delegate so much regulatory authority to manufacturers. “This is going to take some time and it will need vigilance,” Hassan added. But the agency “is on the right track now”, said Richard Aboulafia, managing director of the AeroDynamic Advisory consultancy. “It’s nothing that can’t be corrected with additional oversight and resources.” Those resources depend directly on the US Congress, and the Senate on Thursday approved a “record” amount of agency funding for the next five years. “We need to show (the public) that we are asking for, implementing and holding accountable the FAA to a gold standard for safety,” said Senator Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The “record” level of financing, Cantwell added, would allow the FAA to step up inspections. It still needs House approval before President Joe Biden can sign it into law. Industry shortages of qualified personnel, from mechanics to engineers, were made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic, affecting every stage of manufacturing – from supply procurement to production and maintenance. “It’s difficult to recruit and retain good craftsmen, even for Boeing,” Guzzetti said. And the FAA has specifically struggled to fill its hiring needs because workers can find higher pay and better benefits in the private sector. Investigations into the 2018 and 2019 Boeing crashes showed that the company knowingly concealed from the FAA problems in a software system linked to the accidents, whistleblower Joe Jacobsen told Blumenthal’s committee in mid-April. Jacobsen, who worked for the FAA for 25 years after 11 years with Boeing, said the agency had become “too captive to Boeing”. The FAA falls under the US Transportation Department, whose inspector general in June 2022 opened an audit into the agency’s supervision of 737 and 787 production. A final report is expected this summer. The inspector general’s office already concluded in 2021 that “weaknesses in FAA’s certification and delegation processes hindered its oversight of the 737 MAX 8”. – AFP Unionised US Apple store votes to authorise strike SAN FRANCISCO: Unionised workers at a Maryland Apple store voted on Saturday to authorise a strike, which would mark the first such labour action against the retailer in the United States if it goes forward. Employees at the Apple store in the town of Towson, outside of Baltimore, voted to unionise in 2022 – another first for the iPhone maker’s US stores. But a contract has yet to be agreed upon. “Following over a year of negotiations with Apple management that yielded unsatisfactory outcomes”, union members are “signalling their collective demand for meaningful change”, a union statement said. “The issues at the forefront of this action include concerns over work-life balance, unpredictable scheduling practices disrupting personal lives, and wages failing to align with the area’s cost of living.” The Towson store has 100 employees, 98% of whom voted in favour of the work stoppage. The next negotiation meeting is scheduled for May 21, though a strike could come before that. Meanwhile, employees at another of the California-based company’s stores, in New Jersey, voted down a unionisation effort over the weekend. The National Labor Relations Board, the federal labour regulator, has received numerous complaints against Apple accusing it of trying to discourage staff from unionising. US tech companies in general are seen as hostile toward unionisation efforts. – AFP Boeing’s problems rattle US aviation regulator oFAA must also be held accountable, says lawmaker Musk says Tesla charger network will grow, days after layoffs NEW YORK: Tesla boss Elon Musk said last week the electric vehicle manufacturer would invest over US$500 million (RM2.3 billion) this year to install new superchargers, just days after a report of massive layoffs in this branch of the company. “Just to reiterate: Tesla will spend well over $500M expanding our Supercharger network to create thousands of NEW chargers this year,” Musk said on X. “That’s just on new sites and expansions, not counting operations costs, which are much higher.” According to tech news outlet The Information last Monday, Tesla was moving to disband its supercharger department, laying off most of its 500 workers as well as its senior director. The revelation raised questions about the future development of Tesla’s network of over 50,000 fast chargers – the most extensive in the world, according to Tesla – which can add 320km of range in a quarter of an hour. The fear of insufficient charging infrastructure is one of the reasons why sales of electric vehicles are progressing less rapidly than expected in the United States and Tesla’s well-developed network was seen as key to reassuring customers. In the spring of last year, several competitors – Ford, General Motors, Rivian – entered into partnerships with Tesla so that their vehicles could use its fast-charging network in Canada and the United States. A few weeks later, seven automakers – BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, MercedesBenz, and Stellantis – announced the creation of a joint venture to install, from this summer, at least 30,000 fast chargers in North America, accessible to all electric vehicles. The reported layoffs came shortly after Tesla reported a 55% drop in quarterly earnings to US$1.1 billion, reflecting the decline in EV sales. – AFP An Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 is parked on the tarmac in Portland, Oregon. – AFPPIC

BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 18 Gold bracelets on display in a shop on Green Street. – AFPPIC Record gold prices take shine off jewellers It’s like finding out how much is a litre of petrol,” said Santilal. “Everybody knows that, because if you’ve got a car, you know what a litre goes for. “An average Asian family actually knows what the gold price is. So they’ll discuss these things in social circles.” Total gold demand dropped 5% in the first quarter year-on-year as it became too expensive for some, according to data from the World Gold Council. Demand for jewellery declined 2%. Green Street stores specialise in 22-carat gold products, giving each product a shiny distinctive golden hue. This high concentration leaves jewellers exposed to daily fluctuations in the market of the precious commodity, which accounts for 75% of the retail price. That is in marked contrast to classic luxury brands like Boucheron, Cartier and Van Cleef, where prestige has much more of an influence. Green Street’s clientele mostly comprise people whose families come from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, as well as nations in the Middle East. oPeople not buying as much as before, say London retailers Arm Holdings to launch AI chips next year LONDON: SoftBank Group’s Arm Holdings plans to develop artificial intelligence (AI) chips, seeking to launch the first products next year, Nikkei Asia reported yesterday. UK-based Arm will set up an AI chip division and aim to build a prototype by spring 2025, the report said. Mass production will be handled by contract manufacturers and is expected to start in the autumn of 2025, Nikkei Asia said. Arm will pay for initial development costs, which may go up hundreds of billions of yen, with SoftBank also contributing, the report said. Once a mass-production system is established, the AI chip business could be spun off and placed under SoftBank, the newspaper said, adding that SoftBank is already negotiating with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (TSMC) and others over manufacturing, looking to secure production capacity. Arm and SoftBank declined to Portugal to turn ‘thousands’ of public buildings into housing LISBON: The Portuguese government said last week it would turn public buildings into housing and help young home buyers in a bid to ease a housing crisis that has hit major cities. Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz said “thousands” of public buildings could be turned into apartments and homes under the plan of the government. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro told a press conference in the northern city of Porto that 30 measures would be taken in the coming months “to respond to an essential problem that is also a fundamental right”. Montenegro, whose minority centre-right government came to power last month, said “we have not answered the needs in recent years” for housing. Rising property prices have caused a housing crisis in recent years, particularly in major cities such as Lisbon and Porto. The government also promised financial aid and tax breaks for young property buyers. But it also said it would suspend some measures taken by the last Socialist government, including restrictions on homes for holiday rentals. The government said it would let local authorities decide how many holiday home permits to give. As his government has no majority, Montenegro said he was ready to discuss the new measures with opposition parties. – AFP LONDON: Surrounded by glass-fronted display cabinets filled with shimmering gold bracelets and necklaces at London’s Pakeeza Jewellers store, manager Zahid Khan laments the impact of record-high prices of the precious metal. “People are obviously buying not as much as before,” Zahid told AFP as his sales staff weighed gold necklaces and tapped into calculators, adding there had been a “big increase” in prices. Pakeeza is located in east London’s Green Street jewellery quarter, a popular destination among the Asian community, while nearby shops also sell traditional clothing like abayas and saris. Gold products, also including rings and other trinkets, are a traditional gift for births, weddings and other family celebrations, because the precious metal is regarded as an inflation-proof investment that will stand the test of time. Yet the recent spike in gold prices – driven by haven demand amid geopolitical tensions, and the prospect of US interest rate cuts which weighs on the dollar – has impacted the jewellery market. “When you see rapid jumps in gold and things like that, yes, there’s a shock to the system,” said Vikram Santilal, owner of Jeram Jewellers. “So the quantity has gone down but budgets have gone up.” A few years ago, customers could buy 200gm of gold for £2,000 (RM11,800) – but now they buy only 100gm and it will cost between £6,000 and £8,000. “The high prices kind of deterred me from buying, and I have been saving quite a while,” said customer Mariam Lunat, 57, who had just purchased gold bangles that she will give to her daughters as wedding gifts. “I bought less quantity. Yes, I would have liked to buy ... two each, but I’ve only bought one each.” The gold price has jumped 13% since the start of this year and in mid-April it set a record of US$2,431.52 per ounce, which equates to about 30gm. For jewellers, the worst aspect is price volatility because customers track the market and wait for prices to drop before they go shopping. Zahid added that most Green Street jewellers are “working daily” to calculate their own product prices based upon the morning gold-price fix published by industry body the London Bullion Market Association. This pricing system is essential to the global trade of jewellery, particularly in the world’s two biggest markets: China and India. “It’s quite normal for an average Asian family to know what the gold price is today ... A smartphone with a displayed Arm logo. – REUTERSPIC comment, while TSMC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The chip designer, which licenses its chip designs and earns funds through royalties, has been expanding into the data-centre market, where operators are looking to build their own chips to power new AI models and reduce their reliance on dominant supplier Nvidia. SoftBank is expected to slip back into the red when it reports earnings today. Investors are eagerly awaiting clues about new growth investments as the company has ample liquidity and can monetise its huge holding in Arm, whose share price roughly doubled in February on excitement over AI. – Reuters PureJewels, another shop on Green Street, specialises in more top-end products that have relatively high design and manufacturing costs. Boss Jayant Raniga tweaks his prices each month because his brand of products are less exposed to the gold market. “We were getting a bit worried in April when the price did hit that peak but overall customers were appreciative of the stability we were providing as a brand. “And it didn’t really affect our overall volume.” “Green Street has become the destination shopping for customers who are wanting to do their wedding shopping of South Asian style,” he told AFP, adding it was a “hidden gem” of the British capital. – AFP

BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 19 Participation 23.34 47.91 28.75 100.00 Retail Institutions Foreign Bought RM m 779.00 1519.20 971.16 3269.37 Sold RM m 747.07 1613.59 908.71 3269.37 Net RM m 31.93 -94.39 62.45 0.00 % Preliminary stats (excluding trade amendments). For final data, please refer to www.bursamalaysia.com Source: Bursa Malaysia A Participating Organisation of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad A Trading Participant of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad S E C U R I T I E S S D N. B H D. 197201001092 (12738-U) 10/5/2024 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) DLADY 32.42 -0.96 1307 HEIM 23.58 -0.32 787 PPB 15.48 -0.32 6079 KLK 22.66 -0.26 3568 PETGAS 18.06 -0.2 2,177 AJI 19.1 -0.18 4,460 VSTECS 3.45 -0.13 103,174 APOLLO 6.98 -0.11 74 BLDPLNT 10.9 -0.1 47 EUROSP 1.5 -0.1 199 HLIND 10.74 -0.1 108 LYSAGHT 2.63 -0.1 93 UTDPLT 25.4 -0.1 6,192 PCHEM 6.91 -0.09 16,939 BAT 8.63 -0.08 790 VITROX 7.32 -0.08 6,734 PBA 2.11 -0.07 20,465 HTPADU 2.36 -0.06 22,504 SIMEPLT 4.52 -0.06 26,744 YINSON 2.39 -0.06 68,561 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/-(RM) +/-(%) VOLUME TOPGLOV 0.95 0.035 3.83 1,349,431 TWL 0.025 -0.005 -16.67 1,209,510 MRCB 0.695 0.005 0.72 878,563 ICONIC 0.12 - - 810,492 PMHLDG 0.29 -0.005 -1.69 808,491 MYEG 0.985 - - 768,254 AHB 0.165 0.02 13.79 631,594 SNS 0.49 -0.04 -7.55 621,996 PWRWELL 0.445 -0.05 -10.1 541,222 VELESTO 0.285 -0.005 -1.72 511,537 HM 0.095 -0.01 -9.52 503,197 CLASSITA 0.04 - - 453,967 DNEX 0.4 -0.005 -1.23 378,301 PUC 0.055 - - 329,941 PRTASCO 0.315 0.045 16.67 321,297 SCABLE 0.14 -0.02 -12.5 314,235 TANCO 0.86 - - 303,074 CAREPLS 0.32 0.015 4.92 288,998 CORAZA 0.6 0.035 6.19 288,463 FITTERS 0.055 0.005 10 284,104 SUNBIZ presents a summary of the day’s trading activity on Bursa Malaysia and other markets in an easy to digest format. MARKET ROUND-UP: MAY 10 [ Sources: Bursa Malaysia, Bernama, shareinvestor.com and websites DISCLAIMER: The data and reports are provided as a service to investors. Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd shall not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information. INDEX CHANGE FBMEMAS 12,086.60 +1.41 FBMKLCI 1,600.67 -0.55 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 599.12 +0.52 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 192.27 -0.38 CONSTRUCTION 226.94 +0.46 FINANCIAL SERVICES 17,522.70 +52.12 ENERGY 985.16 -3.49 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 604.93 +4.18 HEALTH CARE 2,142.49 +35.99 TRANSPORTATION 1,077.88 +4.98 PROPERTY 1,050.89 -2.24 PLANTATION 7,424.43 -38.09 FBMSHA 12,284.50 -11.19 FBMACE 5,166.75 -3.74 TECHNOLOGY 66.91 -0.10 TURNOVER: 4.613 bil VALUE: RM3.268 bil Top 20 Actives Top 20 Losers (By RM) Bursa Indices INDEX CLOSING DAILY DAILY CHANGE CHANGE (%) DJIA (US) 39,512.84 125.08 0.32 S&P 500 (US) 5,222.68 8.6 0.16 NASDAQ (US) 16,340.87 -5.39 -0.03 NYSE (US) 18,162.05 34.84 0.19 EURO STOXX 50 (EUR) 5,085.08 30.67 0.61 FTSE 100 (UK) 8,433.76 52.41 0.63 DAX (GER) 18,772.85 86.25 0.46 NIKKEI 225 (JPN) 38,229.11 +155.13 +0.41 TOPIX (JPN) 2,728.21 +14.75 +0.54 HANG SENG INDEX (HK) 18,963.68 +425.87 +2.30 CSI 300 (CHN) 3,666.28 +1.72 +0.05 SH SE COM (CHN) 3,154.55 +0.23 +0.01 KOSPI INDEX (SK) 2,727.63 +15.49 +0.57 MSCI ASIA PACIFIC 176.51 -1.84 -1.03 ASX 200 (AUS) 7,748.96 +27.33 +0.35 ALL ORDINARIES INDX (AUS) 8,022.65 +28.43 +0.36 SENSEX INDEX (IND) 72,555.81 +151.64 +0.21 FBM KLCI 1,600.67 -0.55 -0.03 STRAITS TIMES INDEX (S’PORE) 3,285.95 +20.00 +0.61 WTI (US$/BBL.) 78.26 -1 -1.26 BRENT (US$/BBL.) 82.79 -1.09 -1.3 GOLD (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 2,375.00 34.7 1.48 SILVER (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 28.51 0.14 0.5 PLATINUM (US$/T OZ) 997.63 13.16 1.34 COPPER (COMEX) (US CENTS/LB.) 466.25 7.75 1.69 COPPER 3MO (LME) (US$/MT) 10,004.00 99.5 1 CORN (US CENTS/BU.) 469.75 13.25 2.9 WHEAT (US CENTS/BU.) 663.5 26 4.08 SOYBEAN OIL (CBOT) (US CENTS/LB.) 371.9 -1 -0.27 COCOA (ICE) (US$/MT) 8,891.00 196 2.25 RUBBER (S’PORE) (US CENTS/KG) 162.6 -0.5 -0.31 World Stocks/Commodities as at 5pm, May 10 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) BORNOIL 0.005 -50 51,965 AGES-PA 0.01 -33.33 380 LAMBO 0.02 -33.33 140 MTRONIC 0.015 -25 11,503 TWL-LA 0.015 -25 81,002 ZENTECH 0.015 -25 12,240 CME 0.02 -20 100 BSLCORP 0.025 -16.67 5,732 TWL 0.025 -16.67 1,209,510 XOXNET 0.025 -16.67 1,900 BARAKAH 0.035 -12.5 1,014 SCABLE 0.14 -12.5 314235 VIZIONE 0.035 -12.5 10,279 MMM 0.11 -12 2,194 AVI 0.04 -11.11 148,811 TECHNAX 0.17 -10.53 21305 PWRWELL 0.445 -10.1 541222 ITRONIC 0.045 -10 6543 KEYASIC 0.045 -10 3,900 SAPNRG 0.045 -10 57,752 Top 20 Losers (By %) STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) SBAGAN 5.6 0.63 6,795 KLUANG 5.31 0.5 2,130 NESTLE 129 0.5 209 KOBAY 2.4 0.47 260146 SAM 5.7 0.33 31,144 KUCHAI 2.14 0.31 21,435 MNRB 2.48 0.25 122,102 MCEHLDG 1.94 0.23 81,915 MANULFE 2.35 0.22 8361 AYER 7.25 0.15 546 CHINAETF-MYR 4.83 0.13 3,069 HLFG 17.54 0.12 1,440 HARTA 3 0.11 158450 KOSSAN 2.4 0.11 106,284 CHGP 2.77 0.1 9,387 MSC 3.05 0.1 13,932 MASTER 3.94 0.1 454 PADINI 3.8 0.1 7,897 SAB 3.48 0.1 135 MAXIS 3.6 0.07 23,848 Top 20 Gainers (By RM) STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) PERMAJU-PA 0.01 100 120 TAWIN-PA 0.02 100 1,024 REKATECH 0.07 27.27 5,001 KOBAY 2.4 24.35 260,146 JETSON 0.285 18.75 172927 KUCHAI 2.14 16.94 21435 PRTASCO 0.315 16.67 321,297 MTOUCHE 0.04 14.29 1009 PDZ 0.04 14.29 1,251 WMG 0.285 14 118364 AHB 0.165 13.79 631594 MCEHLDG 1.94 13.45 81,915 ECM 0.215 13.16 504 SBAGAN 5.6 12.68 6795 EVD-PA 0.045 12.5 11,709 PERMAJU 0.045 12.5 3,101 MNRB 2.48 11.21 122,102 KAMDAR 0.31 10.71 5 TOPMIX 0.625 10.62 200,626 GLXT 0.265 10.42 279,521 Top 20 Gainers (By %) FBM KLCI tipped to trade range-bound after recent gains BURSA Malaysia is expected to trade range-bound this week while taking a breather following recent gains, in line with global equity markets, a dealer said. The FBM KLCI broke the key 1,600 mark on Tuesday, sustaining its rally and reaching a two-year high. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the FBM KLCI’s long-term outlook remains positive, driven by strong corporate earnings, cheap valuations, and substantial support from foreign investors “While we anticipate a temporary pause in bullish activity after such a strong surge, the index remains positioned above all exponential moving averages (EMA). “The upward trajectories of the 20-day and 50-day EMA indicate that the KLCI is consolidating with a positive bias,” he told Bernama, adding that the index is anticipated to fluctuate within the 1,600 and 1,620 range this week. In the meantime, Bursa Malaysia breached RM2 trillion in equities market capitalisation on May 7 for the first time and continued to ascend before edging lower on May 9. “Foreign investors continued to accumulate Malaysian equities this week with daily inflow from May 6 to 8, before recording a minor outflow on May 9. On the regional front, Malaysia is the only country that attracted sustained foreign net buy from May 6 to 8,” the exchange said in a note on Friday. On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the FBM KLCI increased 11.08 points to 1,600.67 from the previous week’s 1,589.59. For the week just ended, turnover advanced to 24.57 billion units worth RM16.89 billion against 16.1 billion units worth RM13.43 billion in the preceding week. 1,600.67pts May 10, 2024

BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 20 MARKETS/FROM THE BROKERS SUNBIZ presents extracts of a selection of commentaries and research reports received from stockbrokers on counters that could be of interest to investors. [Compiled by SunBiz Team DISCLAIMER: The information is extracted from stockbrokers’ commentaries and research reports and do not represent the views or opinions of Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd. It is not a solicitation, recommendation or an offer to buy or sell the equities featured. Sun Media Corporation shall not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information. MR DIY’s Q1’24 results met expectations, supported by outlet expansion and steady margins. Given the improved broader market sentiment, we see valuation rerating potential for the company considering its entrenched position to capture consumer spending and capitalise on the recent positive developments in the sector. In addition, the relatively higher trading liquidity vs other large-cap consumer peers is favourable to attract the interest of returning foreign investors. YoY, Q1’24 sales climbed 9% to RM1.1 billion primarily driven by net new store addition of 173 outlets (+15%) whilst SSSG was - 1%, which could be due to the earlier fasting month in 2024. Meanwhile, Q1’24 GPM was 1.5ppt higher at 45.8%, thanks to the relatively lower freight costs and effects of price increases. With the opex kept in tandem with store expansion, Q1’24 PBT jumped 13% YoY to RM195 million. QoQ, Q1’24 sales was flat as outlet expansion (+37 outlets) offset the softer seasonality (4Q being Mr DIY’s seasonally strongest quarter). That said, Q1’24 net profit was 9% lower QoQ on stable GPM and increased opex to support the outlet expansion. Mr DIY’s earnings growth will continue to be underpinned by robust outlet expansion (FY24F target: 180 stores) for deeper market penetration and strong brand equity, thanks to its effective business model. Meanwhile, the strong cash flow generation coupled with normalisation of inventory turnover and capex should sustain the high dividend payout ratio. Notwithstanding the cautious consumer spending on the back of heightened inflationary pressures, the company is well-positioned to benefit from any consumer downtrading given its value-formoney product offering and convenient locations. Maintain BUY and RM2.20 TP. IN ITS third Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on May 9, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) opted to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 3%. The decision, in line with both ours and consensus expectations, was justified by BNM citing that the current monetary policy stance continues to provide support to the economy. This stance aligns with the prevailing assessment of inflation and growth prospects. The Malaysian economy has shown promising signs of growth in the first quarter of 2024, propelled by robust domestic spending and a notable upswing in external demand. According to recent data from the Department of Statistics, Malaysia’s economy is projected to have expanded by 3.9% YoY in Q1’24, demonstrating a steady improvement compared to the previous quarter’s 3% YoY growth. The finalised GDP data is scheduled for release on May 17. The central bank has noted that the resurgence in exports is anticipated to gain momentum, buoyed by the global tech upswing and sustained demand for non-electrical and electronics goods. Additionally, there’s optimism surrounding tourist arrivals and expenditure, reflecting a burgeoning trend in Malaysian tourism. Recent data indicates a surge in tourism activity, with 5.8 million tourists visiting in the first quarter of 2024. We attribute this growth partly to the 30-day visa exemption for Chinese and Indian tourists, which has contributed to increased arrivals in Malaysia. The global economy is on a growth trajectory, buoyed by resilient labour markets in select countries and ongoing recovery in global trade. Looking ahead, this momentum is anticipated to persist, despite challenges posed by tight monetary policies and reduced fiscal support. GLOBETRONICS Technology’s Q1’23 core earnings of RM4.6 million were a miss. It saw strong 52.8% YoY growth supported by favourable FX movement and interest income, despite lower volume loadings. While we expect a better FY24 performance, driven by the optimism surrounding new product launches by end-customers and potential contribution from new programmes, its current valuations reflect its business fundamentals and near-term earnings outlook. Volume loadings for sensor products are expected to be marginally lower going into Q2’24 from the current 16-20m range, given the slow-moving smart devices. Existing light-emitting diode (LED) volume loadings should remain stable, while loadings for matured integrated circuits are expected to continue to be slow. Globetronics’ total capex for FY24 is budgeted at RM50 million, mainly for machinery, equipment, and infrastructure upgrades to support its potential new businesses. Recall that management is working on a new memory-based packaging business with potential customers from China and Taiwan, as well as new sensor components and advanced packaging manufacturing solutions. We tweak our FY24F-26F earnings by -11.4%, -2.9%, and 3% as we lower our revenue and margin assumptions. Meanwhile, the successful onboarding of a new customer with near-term earnings contribution, and the significant improvements in end product sales are re-rating catalysts that can alter our call. Key risks: i) Further weakening of smartphone and peripheral sales, ii) a stronger RM vs the USD, iii) major product and/or customer losses, and iv) major changes in the current management team. The converse represents the upside risks. Maintain NEUTRAL with lower RM1.29 TP (from RM1.45). FOREIGN CURRENCY SELLING TT/OD BUYING TT BUYING OD 1 US DOLLAR 4.7995 4.6655 4.6555 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 3.1940 3.0680 3.0520 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 3.5490 3.4470 3.4390 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.5080 3.4140 3.4020 1 EURO 5.1840 5.0180 4.9980 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.9100 2.8030 2.7870 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 3.5490 3.4470 3.4390 1 STERLING POUND 6.0230 5.8330 5.8130 1 SWISS FRANC 5.2840 5.1620 5.1470 100 UAE DIRHAM 132.3000 125.4800 125.2800 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 4.1910 3.9030 3.7030 100 CHINESE RENMINBI 66.9700 64.1400 N/A 100 DANISH KRONE 71.2400 65.5700 65.3700 100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 62.1200 59.0400 58.8400 100 INDIAN RUPEE 5.8500 5.4900 5.2900 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0310 0.0280 0.0230 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.0940 2.9950 2.9850 100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR N/A N/A N/A 100 NORWEGIAN KRONE 45.4500 41.8100 41.6100 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 1.7500 1.6400 1.4400 100 PHILIPPINE PESO 8.5000 8.0200 7.8200 100 QATAR RIYAL 133.2200 126.4700 126.2700 100 SAUDI RIYAL 129.5000 122.9400 122.7400 100 SOUTH AFRICA RAND 26.9600 24.3500 24.1500 100 SRI LANKA RUPEE 1.6500 1.5200 1.3200 100 SWEDISH KRONA 45.6600 41.6000 41.4000 100 THAI BAHT 13.6600 12.1200 11.7200 Exchange Rates Source: Malayan Banking Bhd/Bernama Ringgit to trade cautiously as market awaits fresh leads THE ringgit is expected to be traded in a cautious mode against the US dollar this week as traders seek fresh leads from more significant economic data. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said market participants would digest major data, including those on the US producer price index, consumer price index and retail sales, to build their conviction. “US Federal Reserve (Fed) officials lining up to share their views would include vice-chair Philip Jefferson and Federal Open Market Committee members Loretta Mester and Christopher Waller. I would say the ringgit would (be traded in a) cautious mode and could remain in a narrow range of 4.73 to 4.74 next (this) week,” he told Bernama. Mohd Afzanizam said market participants would also be looking at Malaysia’s first quarter of 2024 gross domestic product (GDP) on Friday. “We are projecting GDP to grow at 4.% in the first three months of the year due to sustained domestic demand and improvement in global trade,” he added. Last week, on a Friday-to-Friday basis, the ringgit depreciated to 4.7385/7410 versus the greenback from 4.7370/7400 a week earlier. The ringgit traded mostly higher against a basket of major currencies. The local note rose against the British pound to 5.9364/9395 from 5.9487/9525 over the week, edged up versus the Japanese yen to 3.0428/0446 from 3.0947/0968, but went down vis-a-vis the euro to 5.1072/1098 from 5.0890/0922 previously. The Malaysian unit was mostly lower against Asean currencies. Dynamic receives approval to be listed on Leap Market SEREMBAN: Total Dynamic Holdings Bhd (Dynamic), a technology company which is principally involved in the development and provision of integrated logistics management system and related services has received approval from Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd to list on the Leap Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (Bursa Securities) by way of introduction. Dynamic and its subsidiaries are principally involved in the development and provision of integrated logistics management system (ILMS) and related services. Its offers fleet management solutions known as TDT GPS, comprising a suite of cloud-based software applications to track, monitor and manage information on the movement of commercial vehicles and their drivers using global positioning system technology. It also provides logistics and warehouse management solutions known as Dynamic Move to its customers which are mainly operating in the transportation and logistics sector. Currently, Dynamic’s head office operations and central monitoring system are based in Seremban, Negri Sembilan with 5 sales and service centres located throughout Malaysia namely in Butterworth, Klang, Chemor, Kuantan and Skudai, with plans for new sales and service centres in Malacca, Kota Kinabalu and Alor Star. Dynamic executive chairman Alex Wong said that the approval from Bursa Securities for their listing on the Leap Market marks a significant milestone in their corporate journey as they build a growing technology company focusing on offering integrated logistics management system solutions. Globetronics Technology Bhd Neutral. Target price: RM1.29 Malaysian Economy OPR remains at 3% Mr D.I.Y. Group Bhd Buy. Target price: RM2.20 Source: Boomberg, RHB Research Source: TA Research Source: Boomberg, RHB Research May 10, 2024: RM1.80 May 10, 2024: RM1.26

INSIDE INSIDE INSIDE New big screen heroes Hollywood finds inspiration Hollywood finds inspiration in video games n video games – P22 WEEKLY FOCUS MONDAY Discover cuttingedge world of Gaming and Tech TUESDAY Ultimate guide to Travel and Leisure WEDNESDAY Latest in Fashion and Beauty sense THURSDAY Inside the world of Social Media Influencers FRIDAY Culinary delights and Beverage trends MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 E: [email protected] p 23 Mixed reality devices are upon us p 24 Overview of Oppo’s new phone p 25 Spy drama Chief of Station p 26 Late Night with the Devil review – 123RFPIC SCAN ME

LYFE LYFE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 22 adaptations since 2021 and 2022. While the blockbusters Spider-Man: No Way Home, by Jon Watts and released in 2021, and Matt Reeves’ 2022 movie The Batman, stand out from the crowd, shows like WandaVision and Loki on Disney+ score lower, as does the second instalment in the DC Comics franchise, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, directed by James Wan and released at the end of 2023. Conversely, adaptations of certain video game franchises have enjoyed an uptick in popularity over the past three years. The Uncharted video game adaptation starring Tom Holland – who also happens to play Spider-Man in No Way Home – largely dominated consumer searches in 2022, as did the HBO series The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. The Super Mario Bros Movie also topped the search charts in 2023, well ahead of the third installment of Guardians of the Galaxy, reports Ampere Analysis. “Growing consumer interest in video game adaptations has paralleled a surge in gaming activity over the last few years, partly influenced by the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns. The global gaming industry, despite facing a tough 2023, has grown by a quarter since the end of 2019, according to Ampere estimates,” the report explains. The movie and TV industry has always been able to profit from the world of gaming, as in the case of the Tomb Raider movie franchise starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, which was revived in 2018 with Alicia Vikander. But now, these kinds of adaptations are bringing in big bucks at the global box office. In 2023, the animated Super Mario Bros Movie took second place at the global box office with over US$1.3 billion (RM6.18 billion), ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, which grossed over US$845 million. Recently, the Fallout series has rekindled interest in video gaming. Following the show’s release on Prime Video, the number of concurrent players more than doubled on the Steam platform. Illia Abusaitov, commissioning researcher at Ampere Analysis says: “Following the success of video game adaptations such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu ‘Uncharted, The Super Mario Bros Movie and The Last of Us, risk-averse studios have begun a smooth transition into the gaming realm. These adaptations have already demonstrated their capacity to match or even exceed the success of comic adaptations. However, studios need to establish a consistent approach to ensure they become reliable hits, akin to the achievements of comic adaptations.” As recalled by Business Insider, superhero movies generated around US$1 billion in revenue in the US in 2023, marking a 42% decrease on the previous year, according to Comscore. At the same time, movies based on video games made $US712.2 million, more than double the 2022 total. – ETX Studio THE movie world has long loved superheroes, and they have always proved profitable. But while comic books used to be the golden goose for Hollywood, it seems that studios are now turning to video game characters to fill the coffers. And it is working! Video game adaptations are growing in popularity, while comic book adaptations are waning, both on the small and the big screens. Successful adaptations Is Super Mario mightier than Aquaman? It seems that, in terms of popularity, video game adaptations are winning over more and more viewers, who are gradually turning away from comic-book adaptations. This is demonstrated by the latest report from Ampere Analysis, which looked at average consumer search volumes for the latest versions of comic book and video game adaptations. According to the data, there has been a downward trend in the popularity of comic book From console to big screen oWhy Hollywood is turning its attention to video games and away from comic books British actor Tom Holland has made a splash in film adaptations of both video game and comic book characters. – CTMGPIC The Pokemon video game has also spawned a successful film franchise. – PIC FROM FACEBOOK @POKEMONCLUB Hollywood studios are beginning to capitalise on the popularity of video games. – PEXELSPIC Tomb Raider, starring Angelina Jolie, paved the way for successful video game film adaptations. –PIC FROM FACEBOOK @ICONICCOOL

LYFE LYFE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 23 Vision Pro slashes production PRODUCTION volume of the Vision Pro has reportedly been slashed nearly in half, with the original plan for 800,000 units being reduced to between 400,000 to 450,000 units. According to industry analyst MingChi Kuo, the call to reduce A mixed reality device, the Apple Vision Pro combines augmented and virtual reality into one. – PICS BY APPLE oApple overestimates demand for its mixed reality device █ BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR The device’s high price point may have contributed towards lacklustre interest in the US. production was made before the headset goes on sale in markets beyond the US. This decision made by Apple was likely due to demand in the US being much lower than the company’s projections. The abysmal performance of the Vision Pro could also likely affect Apple’s planned update for the headset in 2025. Apple’s Vision Pro was released two months ago and immediately sold out. It is safe to assume that following the uptick in sales to social media influencers and YouTube creators passed, the demand for the expensive mixed reality (MR) headset plummeted. The headset’s high price point of US$3,499 (RM16,691) is very much the biggest factor in the lack of interest by the general US population. Unlike how other Apple products, despite being exorbitantly priced, can still be an impulse purchase, the Vision Pro’s price proves that brand loyalty by the common Apple user has its limits. Another likely reason may be rooted in how the Vision Pro is not an ergonomic piece of technology. Even if it is a tech marvel in some sense, the device is huge. It is not something like an iPhone or an iPad that can conveniently go in and outside of a pocket or a bag. There is also the element of danger in lugging around something that costs almost RM17,000 on your head in public. Batman returns to VR BATMAN has an impressive gallery of supervillain enemies but the most famous ones like the Joker often hog the spotlight, especially in the world of videogames. However, this may change in an upcoming game set in the Batman: Arkham series. The franchise’s four main games – Asylum, City, Knight and Origins – changed the face of the superhero genre in gaming and inspired many of the games that came since the franchise began back in 2009. One of the series’ spin-offs was Batman: Arkham VR. Unlike the main games, Arkham VR allowed players to step into the armoured boots of Batman by using virtual reality (VR) headsets such as the PlayStation VR or Oculus Rift. The game was short, its gameplay was barebones and reception was mixed, but the high sales showed that it had potential and that demand was certainly there. On May 1, Oculus Studios revealed that it is answering the demand with Batman: Arkham Shadow, a new VR game set in the Batman: Arkham universe. Unlike how Rocksteady Studios developed the main games, development for Shadow will be handled by Camouflaj. “Leaning into our eight years of dedicated VR game development history has enabled us to not only create a distinctly Arkham-feeling game but done in a way that leverages the immersive magic only VR can provide,” reads a letter from Camouflaj founder and studio head Ryan Payton. “Batman: Arkham Shadow is the largest Camouflaj development project to date and marks our second release as a first party member of Oculus Studios, following 2022’s criticallyacclaimed release of Marvel’s Iron Man VR for Quest 2.” Unfortunately, the game is set to be a Meta Quest 3 exclusive game. – by Mark Mathen Victor The game’s promotional art and teaser trailer points towards Ratcatcher being the VR game’s villain. – OCULUS STUDIOSPIC Sony abandons new policy THE towel has been thrown in over Sony’s week-long battle against players of Helldivers 2, proving once again that protests sometimes work. On April 30, Sony announced that those playing the game on PC through Steam will need to link their Helldivers 2 account to a PlayStation Network account, a new requirement that was supposed to take effect on May 6. “The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward. We’re still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable,” PlayStation posted on X (formerly Twitter). Upon the initial announcement, backlash came swift from the popular game’s fanbase. A primary reason is due to the fact that many PC players are located in countries where they are either not allowed to make a PlayStation account or face service restrictions, such as the Philippines and Russia. Other complaints ranged from not wanting to hand information to Sony and not liking how PC users had to follow another platform’s rules. Players then began flooding the game’s Steam page with scathing feedback. Over the May 4 weekend, Steam had recorded over 270,000 negative reviews. As PlayStation Network is not available in over 150 countries where Helldivers 2 was previously purchasable, the game was delisted in those countries on May 5 due to the growing backlash. With Sony backing down, like in the game, democracy has prevailed. | – by Mark Mathen Victor Helldivers 2 account linking to PlayStation Network was removed due to technical issues. – SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENTPIC

LYFE LYFE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 24 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER Malaysian Paper System of a Down singer Serj Tankian to release new solo EP SYSTEM OF A DOWN (SOAD) frontman Serj Tankian is set to release a new solo EP titled Foundations via Gibson Records. Among the tracks featured on the EP is the newly teased single A.F. Day, slated for release this Friday. The Lebanese-born, ArmenianAmerican artiste gave fans a taste of what is to come by sharing a preview of A.F. Day on his social media platforms recently, promising a heavy sound that evokes memories of his earlier days. “Today is not just any other Monday, today is the day I get to give you a sneak peek at some new music. With great delight, I present you with a snippet from A.F. Day, the first track from my upcoming solo EP titled Foundations.” In a statement, Tankian delved into the backstory of A.F. Day, which was a song he wrote in the early days of SOAD that he never released. “The majority of the instrumentation and vocals are recordings from that time. Dystopian in mood, it’s a reflection of the angst and anti-authoritarian attitude I had to conformity,” Tankian revealed. Foundations marks Tankian’s first solo project since the release of Perplex Cities EP in 2022. The announcement comes amid a flurry of activity for the singer-songwriter, who is also set to unveil his memoir Down with the System tomorrow, published by Hachette Books. Meanwhile, SOAD shows no signs of slowing down, with the band recently announcing a co-headline show alongside Deftones at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. – by HAZIQUE ZAIRILL Tankian says he wrote A.F. Day in the early days of SOAD. – AFPPIC A companion for everyday adventures dventures WITH a sleek ergonomic design and weighing just 177g, the Oppo Reno11 F 5G ensures comfortable handling and portability. With three stunning colour options Ocean Blue, Palm Green, and Coral Purple, everyone can choose a style that suits one’s personality. Its 6.7-inch Oled display delivers an immersive viewing experience, complemented by a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Whether someone is This device ensures comfortable handling and portability. – PICS COURTESY OF OPPO MALAYSIA oExperience the right blend of performance, style and innovation █ BY YASMIN ZULRAEZ The new Oppo phone is able to handle multitasking, gaming and productivity tasks. Enjoy all-day usage without constantly searching for a power outlet. gaming, streaming or browsing, enjoy vibrant visuals with HDR10+ support and a peak brightness of 1100nits for clear visibility even in bright outdoor conditions. Power and efficiency combined Experience security with the phone’s under-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock feature. The device unlocks swiftly and securely, offering peace of mind knowing the personal data is protected. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor and built on Taiwanese semiconductor company TSMC’s cutting-edge 6nm process, this phone delivers performance and energy efficiency. It also uses an octa-core CPU to handle multitasking, gaming and productivity tasks. With LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, be prepared to enjoy smooth app launches and ideal multitasking, while ColorOS 14 based on Android 14 ensures a userfriendly and intuitive experience. Long battery life Equipped with a versatile quadcamera setup, the Oppo Reno11 F 5G lets everyone unleash their creativity and capture stunning photos and videos. The 64MP main camera with an OmniVision sensor delivers exceptional clarity and detail, while the 8MP ultra-wide camera expands the perspective, perfect for landscape shots or group photos. Get up close to the smallest details with the 2MP macro camera, and snap breathtaking selfies with the 32MP front camera, featuring a Sony IMX615 sensor. There is no need for battery anxiety with this device as it has a sufficient 5000mAh battery. Whether one is streaming videos, gaming or working on the go, enjoy all-day usage without constantly searching for a power outlet. But when it does reach the time to recharge, the fast charging technology gets the phone back to full power in no time, ensuring one spends less time waiting and more time doing what one loves. Constantly connected Experience amazing connectivity with the phone’s range of features. With support for dual SIM, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Micro SD expansion, and Wi-Fi 6, stay connected to the world wherever it is at. Other than that, enjoy fast 5G speeds for lag-free streaming, gaming and browsing. All in all, The Oppo Reno11 F 5G combines stunning design, powerful performance and innovative features to deliver an exceptional user experience. Whether one is a tech enthusiast, a photography lover or a multitasking pro, this device is sure to lift the smartphone experience to new heights.

LYFE LYFE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 25 A familiar yet engaging espionage thriller I N the latest American espionage thriller Chief of Station, viewers are treated to a storyline that feels familiar yet riveting, revolving around the classic themes of betrayal, conspiracy and redemption. Helmed by Jesse V. Johnson, a seasoned action film director, this Vertical production revolves around Aaron Eckhart’s character Ben Malloy, a former CIA station chief, who finds himself haunted by the tragic loss of his wife Farrah (Laëtitia Eïdo), also a former operative, in a devastating accident. Ben’s relentless pursuit of the truth leads him down a dangerous path as he uncovers a tangled web of deception and intrigue surrounding Farrah’s demise. Driven by an insatiable need for closure, Ben embarks on a journey of discovery, digging deep into the circumstances surrounding his spouse’s demise. What unfolds is a complex web of deception and intrigue that thrusts him back into the dangerous world of espionage. Teaming up with an unlikely ally, Ben navigates the shadowy underworld of Eastern Europe, uncovering a conspiracy that shakes the foundation of his beliefs. As Ben’s investigation intensifies, he finds himself on a high-stakes mission to uncover the truth behind his wife’s death and bring those responsible to justice. With every twist and turn, he risks everything, going rogue in a desperate bid to unravel the secrets that lie at the heart of the conspiracy. Action packed Chief of Station launches into its action-packed narrative with an electrifying opening scene that is reminiscent of the golden era of spy thrillers from the 80s and 90s. Eckhart’s portrayal of Ben demonstrates a mastery of espionage until tragedy strikes with the unexpected loss of his wife. Despite encountering resistance from his former assistant-turnedreplacement, John (played by Alex Pettyfer), Ben receives a crucial lead from Farrah’s former superior Hitchens (portrayed by Nina Bergman), directing him to a former Russian intelligence chief of station Evgeny (portrayed by Nick Moran), with whom Ben shares a tangled history. Armed with his expertise as a former Station Chief, Ben navigates a treacherous landscape, Chief of Station is highly recommended for fans of spy thrillers. oEckhart shines in decent yet predictable spy drama Chief of Station █ BYHAZIQUE ZAIRILL Betrayal is the central theme of this espionage thriller. employing a range of tactics from high-stakes poker games to physical confrontations in his quest to uncover the truth. In the meantime, Ben is also dealing with his estrangement from his son Nick, played by Chris Petrovski, and trying to mend their broken relationship while his investigation is going on. As the stakes heighten, both Ben and Nick find themselves caught up in a deadly scheme set up by formidable adversaries, compelling them to confront their past while battling for their future. Despite having a satisfactory narrative structure, the film feels odd at first but improves deeper into the film. Could be better While Chief of Station delivers some gripping action sequences, particularly in the latter half of the film, such as fierce battles and a fast-paced chase, there are notable areas for improvement such as in the portrayal of Krystyna, played by Olga Kurylenko. Her character’s sudden introduction lacks depth, and the script could have afforded her a more nuanced treatment. The film struggles with a predictable plot, where the storyline unfolds straightforwardly without any unexpected twists. While adding some surprising turns could have made it more interesting, the serious nature of espionage stories often limits such deviations. Also, the clear clues given throughout the movie make it easy to guess what will happen next, reducing the suspense for viewers. As a result, audiences may find themselves anticipating the direction of the plot, diminishing the element of suspense that is crucial for a successful espionage thriller. While some action scenes shine, the film is held back by its weak script, failing to fully capitalise on its potential. However, for fans of espionage movies, Chief of Station still offers some entertainment value. Eckhart exudes delight However, Eckhart’s committed performance gives the movie a lifeline, showcasing his talent despite being 56 years old. Eckhart’s portrayal of Ben evokes the images of action legends like Liam Neeson and Tom Cruise, although not quite reaching their level yet. His recent ventures into the action genre, including films like Bricklayer, Muzzle, and Rumble Through the Dark, demonstrate his growing prowess in this domain. Eckhart’s age may indeed limit his opportunities to lead action films alongside top stars. However, his experience and skill could still make him a valuable addition to ensemble casts or supporting roles. As actors age, their roles often evolve, opening up new opportunities for diverse and compelling characters. So while he may not be headlining big-budget action blockbusters in the future, there is still plenty of potential for Eckhart to continue delivering memorable performances in different capacities. Chief of Station is in cinemas nationwide. The characyer Olga Kurylenko lacks depth in the film. Chief of Station is showing in cinemas now. 0 Director: Jesse V. Johnson 0 Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Olga Kurylenko and Alex Pettyfer E-VALUE 7 ACTING 8 PLOT 6

LYFE LYFE MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 26 /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE Malaysian Paper P Live television inferno RESENTED as a documentary with aired and unaired footage shot on Halloween in 1977, Late Night with the Devil follows Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), a talk show host of the American latenight show Night Owls with Jack Delroy. The documentary opens with an introduction into Delroy’s history as a talk show host, weaving a possible supernatural tie with his visits to The Grove, a private gathering of the rich and elite in the middle of a jungle, along with his wife’s sudden death from lung cancer despite being a non-smoker. Delroy subsequently retreats from the public eye and the show, which causes Night Owls to dip in television popularity due to all the competition. After he returns, the show struggles to regain viewership. For Halloween, Night Owls puts together an ensemble of guests such as the psychic Christou (Fayssal Bazzi) and magician and paranormal sceptic Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss). For the main draw, which he hopes will make the show popular again, Delroy arranges for the appearance of parapsychologist Delroy and Ross interviewing Lilly, who has been possessed. oLate Night with the Devil provides a peek into the past █ MARK MATHEN VICTOR Thai singer-songwriter Cupnoodle’s new tune is about former loves THAI independent singersongwriter Cupnoodle has a fun new single that plays on words containing the letters “ex”, creating an upbeat pop song that everyone out there can dedicate to their exes. In her new song Ex, Cupnoodle shares that she was inspired by the amount of time that we often spend dwelling on the past, and how every small little thing we encounter during the day can seem to be able to make us think of our former favourite human being. “I wanted to tell this story using words with the letters ‘ex’ throughout the verses to showcase that even unrelated and irrelevant words can somehow be linked to the thoughts of an ex, and exhibit how ridiculous and easy it is for our minds to wander and connect any small detail, no matter how unrelated they may be, to our pasts. “The urge to want to leave this thought pattern behind and move on, and to find out what other words will not make me think of my ex, is just a fun and quirky perspective to show how desperate I am to get my ex out of my mind!” Ex is a mix between a throwback to the early 2000s R&B jams and orchestral bedroom pop. Compared to Cupnoodle’s previous single Bababababy, Ex is more experimental and sparse in its production and songwriting, especially in its incorporation of different ear candy sounds and spoken words. The addition of trumpets also gives this pop song a unique element. The title of Cupnoodle’s new single says it all. Dastmalchian’s performance on Late Night proves he can carry a leading role. One of the three AI images the film uses, with the weird fingers being the telltale indicators. – PICS BY IFC FILMS June Ross (Laura Gordon) and Lilly (Ingrid Torelli), a survivor of a satanic cult mass suicide. The audience then goes into the Halloween episode knowing that Delroy is desperate and may do anything for the episode to be a hit. Hellish performance and presentation The real fun behind Late Night is how it has one foot in fiction and the other in reality. By basing its premise on latenight shows that mimic popular real world shows like Late Night With Conan O’Brien, Late Night with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and so on, the film is able to go hog wild with its presentation, and as a period film of sorts, the retro 70s aesthetics is the cherry on top that makes the film pop visually and sonically. It was also great to see Dastmalchian knocking it out of the park as the film’s lead actor. He has traditionally only played minor characters in big films, like Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners, Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and Oppenheimer. Unfortunately, the film only goes in one direction that everyone is familiar with, because despite the 1977 setting, Late Night does not add anything new with its demonic angle. Not quite infernal Among the many things that made the 80s infamous was the “satanic panic” hysteria that was being experienced by American parents and amplified by the media. Late Night covers this aspect in a five minute sequence about Lilly, and then completely abandons the idea, even when the girl gets possessed. The writing being disappointing and the carnage being reigned in dulls the impact of the film’s premise. Additionally, Late Night has a little controversy attached to its release, as the brothers who directed the film have admitted that they used artificial intelligence (AI) during its production. The AI images appear three times in the film, used as interstitials for commercial breaks. Fairly simple images, it does not make sense why Cameron and Colin Cairnes did not employ a human graphic artist to do these. If AI was secretly used more, Late Night’s horror of a demon wreaking havoc on a late-night show would be as equally terrifying as AI taking over the jobs of creatives. Late Night with the Devil is currently streaming on Shudder.

SPORTS SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 27 T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 SCAN ME E: [email protected] MONDAY MAY 13, 2024 Company / Name: AME Subsea Management Sdn Bhd Company Reg. No : 1175287-D Company Address : 7B, 7th FLOOR PEARL COURT, 61, JALAN THAMBY ABDULLAH, BRICKFIELDS, 50470 KUALA LUMPUR, WP KL We hereby announce the change of vessel name: Vessel Name : SETIA WIRA Official No : 332385 GRT/NRT : 675MT/202MT Port of Registry : Port Kelang New Vessel Name : OLV SUPPORTER Any objection to this proposition of name change should be submitted to the REGISTRAR GENERAL OF MALAYSIAN SHIPS, Marine Department of Malaysia, Port Kelang, P.O. Box 12, 42007 Port Kelang, Selangor, within 14 days from the date of this advertisement. 322 Notices Item Reg No Jenis & Model Tahun AM1 VAV8510 FORD RANGER 2.2 XLT (A) FX4 2017 AM2 VBS1735 PROTON IRIZ 1.3 (A) 2018 AM3 VH6444 PROTON SAGA 1.3 (A) 2016 AM4 RU3632 PROTON SAGA 1.3 (A) 2018 AM5 WVU2541 PROTON SAGA 1.3 FLX 2011 AM6 CCN659 HONDA CITY 1.5 E 2009 AM7 CCE9876 NISSAN LATIO 1.6 ST-L 2008 AM8 DCF811 AUDI A5 2.0 COUPE 2011 AM9 BNP7811 BMW 320I 2009 AM10 DCC8943 PERODUA ALZA 1.5 2012 FOCAL PARK SDN BHD (358698-H) NOTIS LELONG AWAM KENDERAAN UNTUK DILELONG SEPERTI SEDIA ADA TEMPAT & TARIKH LELONG : East Coast Region (Kota Bharu, Kuantan & Temerloh) 15-05-2024 (Rabu) Pukul 11:00pagi TARIKH MELIHAT : SEBELUM TIGA HARI LELONG (Pukul 9:00pagi - 4:00petang) PERTANYAAN (Tel): Kota Bharu 07-7747972, Kuantan 017-4973133, Temerloh 012-428 7538 FPAC - PELELONG BERLESEN : a) En Mohd Fawzi Bin Ibrahim (32954) & Mr Mazenan Bin Haji Mohamed (01/2024) Alamat : Lot 5198,Petak 41 Jalan 20,Kawasan Perindustrian Pengkalan Chepa,Fasa 2,Pengkalan Chepa,16100 Kota Bahru. : Lot 10869, Lot 10870 & Lot 10871 Jln Tanah Putih,Tanah Putih 25100 Kuantan : PT5101 & 5102, KAMPUNG MEGAT SEGAMA, 28000 TEMERLOH SILA LAYARI LAMAN WEB KAMI : http://www.focalpark.com.my (Perhatian: Kenderaan-kenderaan diatas yang tidak dibida dalam perlelongan akan dilelong semula pada 22-05-2024) 322 Notices Item Reg No Make Model Price 1 PPS1030 2021 HONDA RS150R 3000 2 AMS4476 2022 YAMAHA YZF-R15M 8000 3 SMF3720 2022 HONDA CBR150R 7000 4 RQ2858 2017 YAMAHA Y15ZR 3000 5 VKB3440 2022 YAMAHA Y16ZR 7000 6 VKH3586 2022 HONDA RS150R 4000 7 KFN2967 2023 YAMAHA Y15ZR 6000 8 PQG2024 2022 HONDA CBR150R 7000 9 BQV3969 2022 YAMAHA Y15ZR 5000 10 WC7961J 2015 PROTON SAGA FL 1.3 12110 11 VAN7831 2017 PERODUA ALZA 34030 12 VBH7462 2017 PROTON PERDANA 2.0L 37440 13 WXY8289 2013 HONDA CITY 1.5L I-VTEC 22000 14 WA5200K 2014 FORD FIESTA 18000 15 PGS280 2010 PERODUA MYVI 12000 16 WVA1519 2011 TOYOTA HILUX DOUBLE CAB 2.5 30000 17 DEN7875 2022 MERCEDES-BENZ S 580 E 538600 18 VHM4612 2021 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 284600 19 NDH888 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 300 COUPE 318500 20 BQP300 2021 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 287200 21 KFA7772 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ C200 AMG 185200 22 VES 5475 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 203500 Scan QR to download Pickles Auctions App Bank Repossessed bikes and cars for sale by auction. Auctions are conducted via eBidding on Wednesday, 15 & 29 May from 9.30am onwards. All are invited to join our PUBLIC AUCTION. Viewing and inspection on every Tuesday from 9.30am - 5.30pm. All unsold bank repossessed vehicles will be reauctioned on the following Wednesday until the vehicles are sold. Download Pickles Auctions app to view all auction listings or visit www.pickles.my For more information call 016-6999170, WhatsApp 012-5553727 or email [email protected] PICKLES ASIA SDN BHD [1231292-D] Lot 19391, Batu 8 1⁄2, Jalan Klang Lama, Taman Desaria, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. If you feel you have what it takes, to join us in the interesting media industry, send your resume (together with a photo of you) via email to [email protected] You can call us at +603 7784 6688 theSun is published by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd Lot 6, Level 4, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. MARKETING EXECUTIVE Responsibilities 1. Handle both local & outstation Agents and Vendors. 2. Handle sales of newspaper-corporate sales e.g.: Hospital, Hotels, etc. 3. Actively engage in outbound sales activities to acquire new newspaper subscribers. Requirements 1. Minimum Diploma in Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field with at least 2 years of experience. 2. Proven experience in sales, preferably in the media or publishing industry would be an advantage 3. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 4. Excellent selling, communication and negotiation skills. Malaysian Paper MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE / AGENT (FREELANCE) Requirements 1. Minimum 1 year sales experience in newspaper bulk sales and digital advertising 2. Attractice commision package and incentive 3. Able to start immediately 4. Central, Nothern, Southern, East Coast and Sabah/Sarawak CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS MS. SHOBA / MS. BALQISH 03 7784 8888 018 261 6626 [email protected] Company / Name: AME Subsea Management Sdn Bhd Company Reg. No : 1175287-D Company Address : 7B, 7th FLOOR PEARL COURT, 61, JALAN THAMBY ABDULLAH, BRICKFIELDS, 50470 KUALA LUMPUR, WP KL We hereby announce the change of vessel name: Vessel Name : SETIA WIRA Official No : 332385 GRT/NRT : 675MT/202MT Port of Registry : Port Kelang New Vessel Name : OLV SUPPORTER Any objection to this proposition of name change should be submitted to the REGISTRAR GENERAL OF MALAYSIAN SHIPS, Marine Department of Malaysia, Port Kelang, P.O. Box 12, 42007 Port Kelang, Selangor, within 14 days from the date of this advertisement. 322 Notices Item Reg No Jenis & Model Tahun AM1 VAV8510 FORD RANGER 2.2 XLT (A) FX4 2017 AM2 VBS1735 PROTON IRIZ 1.3 (A) 2018 AM3 VH6444 PROTON SAGA 1.3 (A) 2016 AM4 RU3632 PROTON SAGA 1.3 (A) 2018 AM5 WVU2541 PROTON SAGA 1.3 FLX 2011 AM6 CCN659 HONDA CITY 1.5 E 2009 AM7 CCE9876 NISSAN LATIO 1.6 ST-L 2008 AM8 DCF811 AUDI A5 2.0 COUPE 2011 AM9 BNP7811 BMW 320I 2009 AM10 DCC8943 PERODUA ALZA 1.5 2012 FOCAL PARK SDN BHD (358698-H) NOTIS LELONG AWAM KENDERAAN UNTUK DILELONG SEPERTI SEDIA ADA TEMPAT & TARIKH LELONG : East Coast Region (Kota Bharu, Kuantan & Temerloh) 15-05-2024 (Rabu) Pukul 11:00pagi TARIKH MELIHAT : SEBELUM TIGA HARI LELONG (Pukul 9:00pagi - 4:00petang) PERTANYAAN (Tel): Kota Bharu 07-7747972, Kuantan 017-4973133, Temerloh 012-428 7538 FPAC - PELELONG BERLESEN : a) En Mohd Fawzi Bin Ibrahim (32954) & Mr Mazenan Bin Haji Mohamed (01/2024) Alamat : Lot 5198,Petak 41 Jalan 20,Kawasan Perindustrian Pengkalan Chepa,Fasa 2,Pengkalan Chepa,16100 Kota Bahru. : Lot 10869, Lot 10870 & Lot 10871 Jln Tanah Putih,Tanah Putih 25100 Kuantan : PT5101 & 5102, KAMPUNG MEGAT SEGAMA, 28000 TEMERLOH SILA LAYARI LAMAN WEB KAMI : http://www.focalpark.com.my (Perhatian: Kenderaan-kenderaan diatas yang tidak dibida dalam perlelongan akan dilelong semula pada 22-05-2024) 322 Notices Item Reg No Make Model Price 1 PPS1030 2021 HONDA RS150R 3000 2 AMS4476 2022 YAMAHA YZF-R15M 8000 3 SMF3720 2022 HONDA CBR150R 7000 4 RQ2858 2017 YAMAHA Y15ZR 3000 5 VKB3440 2022 YAMAHA Y16ZR 7000 6 VKH3586 2022 HONDA RS150R 4000 7 KFN2967 2023 YAMAHA Y15ZR 6000 8 PQG2024 2022 HONDA CBR150R 7000 9 BQV3969 2022 YAMAHA Y15ZR 5000 10 WC7961J 2015 PROTON SAGA FL 1.3 12110 11 VAN7831 2017 PERODUA ALZA 34030 12 VBH7462 2017 PROTON PERDANA 2.0L 37440 13 WXY8289 2013 HONDA CITY 1.5L I-VTEC 22000 14 WA5200K 2014 FORD FIESTA 18000 15 PGS280 2010 PERODUA MYVI 12000 16 WVA1519 2011 TOYOTA HILUX DOUBLE CAB 2.5 30000 17 DEN7875 2022 MERCEDES-BENZ S 580 E 538600 18 VHM4612 2021 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 284600 19 NDH888 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 300 COUPE 318500 20 BQP300 2021 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 287200 21 KFA7772 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ C200 AMG 185200 22 VES 5475 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 203500 Scan QR to download Pickles Auctions App Bank Repossessed bikes and cars for sale by auction. Auctions are conducted via eBidding on Wednesday, 15 & 29 May from 9.30am onwards. All are invited to join our PUBLIC AUCTION. Viewing and inspection on every Tuesday from 9.30am - 5.30pm. All unsold bank repossessed vehicles will be reauctioned on the following Wednesday until the vehicles are sold. Download Pickles Auctions app to view all auction listings or visit www.pickles.my For more information call 016-6999170, WhatsApp 012-5553727 or email [email protected] PICKLES ASIA SDN BHD [1231292-D] Lot 19391, Batu 8 1⁄2, Jalan Klang Lama, Taman Desaria, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. If you feel you have what it takes, to join us in the interesting media industry, send your resume (together with a photo of you) via email to [email protected] You can call us at +603 7784 6688 theSun is published by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd Lot 6, Level 4, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. MARKETING EXECUTIVE Responsibilities 1. Handle both local & outstation Agents and Vendors. 2. Handle sales of newspaper-corporate sales e.g.: Hospital, Hotels, etc. 3. Actively engage in outbound sales activities to acquire new newspaper subscribers. Requirements 1. Minimum Diploma in Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field with at least 2 years of experience. 2. Proven experience in sales, preferably in the media or publishing industry would be an advantage 3. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 4. Excellent selling, communication and negotiation skills. Malaysian Paper MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE / AGENT (FREELANCE) Requirements 1. Minimum 1 year sales experience in newspaper bulk sales and digital advertising 2. Attractice commision package and incentive 3. Able to start immediately 4. Central, Nothern, Southern, East Coast and Sabah/Sarawak CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS MS. SHOBA / MS. BALQISH 03 7784 8888 018 261 6626 [email protected] Nadal crashes out Spaniard eyes French Open despite Rome exit RAFAEL NADAL said Saturday that he is leaning towards playing at the French Open despite his secondround elimination in Rome, as Novak Djokovic laughed off being hit by a bottle which briefly cast doubt on his continued participation. Clay-court icon Nadal had previously said that he would only play at the French Open, where he has won a record 14 titles, if he feels competitive after a raft of injury problems over the last two years which have left him languishing 305th in the world rankings. And the manner of his elimination in his first ever encounter with Hubert Hurkacz – winner in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 – seemed a step backwards after reaching the last 16 in Madrid, leaving a question mark hanging over his plans. “The decision, as you can imagine, is not clear in my mind today. But if I have to say what’s my feeling and if my mind is closer one way or the other way, I am going to say to be in Roland Garros and try my best,” Nadal told reporters. “Physically I have some issues, but not probably yet enough to say I’m not playing in the most important event of my tennis career. Let’s see what’s going on, how I feel myself mentally tomorrow, after tomorrow, and in one week.” Nadal held his own in the first two games in the first set, which took 26 minutes to complete, but then quickly fell away, Hurkacz winning without dropping a service game and seemingly without breaking a sweat. That level of dominance over Nadal on clay, much less a court where he has won a record 10 titles, would have been unimaginable a few short years ago. Hurkacz will face Tomas Etcheverry in the third round after likely ending Nadal’s love affair with Rome as the 22-time Grand Slam winner said that he was “98 percent” sure that he would never again grace the Roman clay. “No-one will ever have a record like him on this surface. He’s just bigger than the sport at the end of the day,” said Hurkacz. Second seed Daniil Medvedev kicked off his title defence by beating Jack Draper in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 to set up a third-round clash with qualifier Hamad Medjedovic, while Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from a set down to beat Jan-Lennard Struff 6-7 (1-7), 6- 4, 6-4. Russian fourth seed Andrey Rublev, the champion on clay in Madrid last week, also needed a fightback to see off 49th-ranked Marcos Giron of the United States 5-7, 6-4, 7- 5. – AFP Swiatek, Osaka, Gauff in last 16 IGA SWIATEK, Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff all reached the last 16 as the women’s tournament begins to heat up. Osaka is ranked at 173 in the world after taking a break from the tour to have her first child but is in good form, yet to drop a set after beating 10th-seeded Daria Kasatkina 6- 3, 6-3. “I’m very grateful to be healthy because I know how much hard work it took for me to be here,” said four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who will next play seventhseed Zheng Qinwen. “I feel like I’m just clawing my way back to hopefully where I think I belong.” World No. 1 Swiatek will next face either Angelique Kerber after seeing off Yulia Putintseva 6-3, 6-4 as she bids to become the first woman since Serena Williams to claim a third Rome title. She made harder work than expected of Saturday’s match after comfortably taking the first set, finding herself 4-1 down in the second before she rattled off five games in a row to take her record against Puntintseva to four wins without dropping a set. “I’m happy with the way I played… I knew what I wanted to improve. At the end I’m happy that I finished in two sets,” said Swiatek. Third seed Gauff meanwhile has Spain’s Paula Badosa in the last 16 after the US Open champion battled to a 6-1, 0-6, 6-3 victory over Jaqueline Cristian. Tsitsipas lashes out STEFANOS TSITSIPAS was furious after being broken in the opening game of his clash with Jan-Lennard Struff. The Greek star lost on deuce after his defence of Struff’s forehand landed out. Tsitsipas turned around to an advertising box that was holding his towel and unleashed several blows of his racket. When the box fell over, he continued whacking it until his equipment got stuck. Tsitsipas went on to lose the first set 7-6(1), which his new racket proving a little better. But recovered to take the second and third sets 6-4 and progress to the third round. After the match Tsitsipas said: “I didn’t really know what I was out on the court until mid second set. I felt really lost out there. I don’t think I felt this way in a long time. It felt like I couldn’t sink in with the ball. “Everything felt odd in terms of getting the depth I wanted. I managed to figure out a way to make it work for me. It was really difficult dealing with emotions like this. I don’t think I’ve had a match in my life where so many negative emotions overtook me. “I kind of felt in a weird, tricky situation. I didn’t expect that comeback & that win in the end.” TRAMLINES

SPORTS SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 28 ENGLAND star James Anderson believes the “time is right” to end his Test career after revealing July’s clash against the West Indies at Lord’s will be his final appearance in the five-day format. The 41-year-old became the first seamer and just the third bowler in history to reach 700 Test wickets, after spinners Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, in his most recent outing against India in March. But Anderson has decided to call time on his Test career after talks with England head coach Brendon McCullum, who wants to modify his side’s seam attack and build towards the future with one eye on the 2025-26 Ashes. Setting the first Test against the West Indies as his farewell date, Anderson wrote on Instagram: “Hi everyone. Just a note to say that the first Test of the summer at Lord’s will be my last Test. “It’s been an incredible 20 years representing my country, playing the game I’ve loved since I was a kid. “I’m going to miss walking out for England so much. But I know the time is right to step aside and let others realise their dreams just like I got to, because there is no greater feeling.” Richard Thompson, the chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board, saluted Anderson and said English cricket must give him a “send-off like no other”. “I don’t think we’ll ever see a bowler to match Jimmy again. It has been an honour as an England fan to watch him, and to marvel at his skill with the ball,” Thompson said. “To still be bowling at the top of his game at 41 is remarkable, and he is a true inspiration and role model for peers and younger generations alike.” Anderson thanked his wife Daniella, their children Lola and Ruby and his parents for their support, adding: “I’m excited for the new challenges that lie ahead, as well as filling my days with even more golf. “Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, it always meant a lot, even if my face often doesn’t show it.” It is understood McCullum made a visit to the UK recently from his native New Zealand and spoke with Anderson about his future during a round of golf. Anderson’s former England captain Michael Vaughan said the time was right for the pace bowler to walk away, with the focus moving towards the next Ashes series. “For England to go down under in 18 months and try to win those Ashes back then they will need some pace, so it is the right time to move Jimmy Anderson aside,” Vaughan said. Anderson, who made his Test debut in 2003, is second only on the all-time list of Test appearances behind batting great Sachin Tendulkar, who played 200 times in the longest format for India. Swing specialist Anderson also featured in 194 one-day internationals and 19 Twenty20s before his international white-ball career ended in 2015 – the same year he overtook Ian Botham’s 383 dismissals to become England’s record Test wicket-taker. Three and a half years later, Anderson overhauled Australia seamer Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 wickets to become Test cricket’s most successful fast bowler. Anderson struggled during the drawn 2023 Ashes in England, taking only five wickets in four matches. His long-time new-ball partner Stuart Broad, England’s second most successful bowler, retired after the dramatic finale to that Ashes, when Ben Stokes’s side won at The Oval to end the series all square at 2-2. Anderson has taken just 15 wickets in his last eight Tests at an average of 50.8 in the last 12 months. But that decline could not diminish the respect earned by Anderson throughout his astonishing career. “For Jimmy to do it day in day out and to put his body and mind through everything he’s done over the past 20 years is utterly remarkable. He’s England’s greatest,” Vaughan said. – AFP King of swing ‘England great’ Anderson will make last Test appearance in West Indies clash Koepka seeks back-to-back major wins for third time at PGA BROOKS KOEPKA used a humbling 45th-place finish at last month’s Masters to revive his game and recover top form just in time to defend his title at the 106th PGA Championship. The 34-year-old American seeks his sixth career major crown next week at Valhalla, having won last year at Oak Hill to become the first active LIV Golf player to capture a major. “I think the big thing that kind of separates me is my ability to lock in and go someplace where I think a lot of guys can’t go,” Koepka said. With LIV players banned from PGA Tour events, the only place for the best from both tours to compete are the majors, and Koepka was unhappy at how that went last month at Augusta National, where he was a runner-up last year. “I think the embarrassment of Augusta really kicked things into overdrive for me and really having to put my nose down and grind it a little bit harder,” Koepka said. Koepka won his first LIV title of the year last week at Singapore in a last PGA Championship tuneup. “It’s nice to see some results and the hard work paying off,” Koepka said. “It’s all starting to come around. I’ve put in a lot of work. I like the way things are trending. “Winning always helps, but I still have the same expectations every time I go tee it up and that’s to win. Those are my expectations.” Koepka, known for raising his game at major tournaments, won the 2017 and 2018 US Opens, the 2018 and 2019 PGA Championships and last year’s PGA Championship. “I’ve gone back-to-back at the PGA and the US Open. Hopefully looking to do it again,” Koepka said. “I don’t know if it has ever been done, but it would be kind of a cool thing.” Koepka sees a key to his winning edge on the course is setting up his putts. “Iron play is a huge part of that,” he said. “I think I’m a good ball striker. I’m pretty good inside eight feet I feel like. Normally when there’s a clutch putt, I feel like I do make it.” Koepka downplayed his breakthrough major win for LIV last year, saying, “Yes, it helped LIV Golf, but you’ve got everybody that tees it up at a major championship ready to go win the thing.” – AFP TIGER WOODS and Rory McIlroy return next week to Valhalla for the 106th PGA Championship, back on a course where each captured a dramatic major victory earlier in their careers. Woods, a 15-time major champion, won a three-hole playoff over Bob May to take the 2000 PGA Championship, becoming the first golfer since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win three majors in the same year. He went on to claim the 2001 Masters and complete the Tiger Slam feat of four consecutive major wins. World No. 2 McIlroy won the most recent of his four major titles in the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, racing the darkness down the last hole to edge Phil Mickelson by a stroke. “I think the guys up ahead were pretty unhappy with how it all unfolded,” McIlroy recalled. “I got the result that I was looking for in the end and that’s all that matters.” McIlroy stubbornly finished as nightfall descended after Mickelson, a group ahead, birdied to pull within one. McIlroy found a greenside bunker and saved par for the victory. “I’m not a huge fan of conflict, but when push comes to shove, I will,” McIlroy recalled. “That was one of those times when I needed to sort of assert my will on a situation. “I think if I wasn’t as pushy as I was, I would have had to sleep on that lead and on that tee shot overnight. I just didn’t want to do that.” McIlroy has not won a major title in the decade since, but has posted 20 top-10 major finishes, including a runner-up showing at each of the other three majors. The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland has stretched his PGA Tour win total from nine to 25 and his DP World Tour total from nine to 17. Woods, 48, has won 10 majors since but with a gap from the 2008 US Open, won on a broken leg in a playoff over Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines, to a one-stroke triumph at the 2019 Masters. Woods finished 60th at last month’s Masters and said he knew how he would work toward Valhalla. “I’ve talked to him plenty about Valhalla,” said Woods’ pal Justin Thomas. “ As soon as I bring it up, he always jokes that I was probably still in diapers it was so long ago. “I always remind him he was one lip-out away from losing to Bob May in the PGA and not having the Tiger Slam.” –AFP SHORTS Kolkata confirm IPL playoff berth SPINNER Varun Chakravarthy returned bowling figures of 2-17 as Kolkata Knight Riders booked their play-off spot with an 18-run win over Mumbai Indians in a rain-reduced IPL match. Two-time champions Kolkata posted 157-7 as Venkatesh Iyer top-scored with 42 off 21 balls after being invited to bat first at their home Eden Gardens in a 16-overs-a-side match. Bowlers combined to defend the total after Mumbai raced to 65-0 and Chakravarthy, a mystery spinner, got the big wickets of Rohit Sharma, who made 19 after coming in as impact substitute, and skipper Hardik Pandya, who was caught out for two. Five-time winners Mumbai, who are already out of the playoff race, finished on 139-8 as Tilak Varma hit a 17-ball 32 before he fell to fast bowler Harshit Rana, who took two wickets in the last over. Pace bowler Andre Russell also took two wickets, including that of Suryakumar Yadav, as tabletoppers Kolkata got their ninth win in 12 matches to become the first team to book a playoff berth. The top four teams will make the playoffs with the final on May 26 in Chennai. Korda streak unlikely THE Nelly Korda streak now appears unlikely to continue, as Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom and Rose Zhang pulled well clear of the field Saturday at the Cognizant Founders Cup. Korda is seeking a record sixth consecutive victory in an LPGA Tour event, but a 1-over 73 at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, put her 11 strokes behind Sagstrom after three rounds. Sagstrom is 19 under par. Zhang shot 67 Saturday and is one shot back of Sagstrom, who carded a 66. Sagstrom gained momentum with three consecutive birdies on Nos. 7-9 and finished her bogey-free round with six birdies. Playing with Zhang helped her on her strong round. “She was hitting good shots and I was hitting good shots,” Sagstrom said. “She was hitting good putts and I was hitting good putts. It’s nice playing with people that are playing well… It was overall a very steady round. Very happy with how I’m playing. (I’m) in a good spot for tomorrow.” Zhang overcame a pair of bogeys with seven birdies and agreed her playing partner made things better. Korda, who began the day alone in third place, four shots back of both Sagstrom and Zhang, is still in a tie for third. “(Friday) was good in everything and today was poor in everything,” Korda said, “so that’s just pretty much golf for you. “(I) just made too many kind of stupid, silly mistakes, which was unfortunate because they were playing so well. So now there is just a massive gap.” Tiger, McIlroy captured iger, McIlroy captured memorable wins at Valhalla emorable wins at Valhalla Rory McIlroy. – AFPPIX

SPORTS SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 29 Burnley relegated BURNLEY were relegated from the Premier League after a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham on Saturday. Vincent Kompany’s side needed a victory in north London to have any chance of taking their survival bid to the last day of the season. Five points adrift of fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest with one game left, Burnley join already-relegated Sheffield United in returning to the Championship after last season’s promotion. Kompany consoled his heart-broken players on the pitch after the final whistle as the grim reality of relegation washed over them. “Today the Premier League is over but tomorrow we start day one of doing everything we can to get back to the Premier League,” Kompany said. “The game has gone a bit like others have gone for us this season. We created chances but the one where we missed the final pass. “I’m not here sulking and feeling sorry for us but if you take every game, every season as a learning experience, this is step we need to get into our game.” Now Kompany will have to start from scratch in the Championship if he is to eventually reestablish Burnley as Premier League regulars. “I’m very lucky to be surrounded by good people, hardworking players, staff and fans who have backed the club for generations. That’s who we try to do it for every weekend,” Kompany said. Moyes says goodbye THERE were emotions of a different kind as David Moyes waved farewell to the London Stadium after his final home match in charge of West Ham. A smattering of boos followed Moyes down the tunnel after a poor first half, but all was forgiven after a vastly-improved display in the second. “I was certainly emotional because I’ve been here four-and-a-half years,” said the Scot, who won West Ham’s first trophy in 43 years in last season’s Europa Conference League. “I was a bit subdued because I knew what the other manager was going through. “But it was good to see. Sometimes all you hear is negative stuff, but it looked like the best part of 50,000 supporters stayed behind in appreciation, which was good. I am really pleased about that. “To join any football club and do something with them is not easy for any manager. “Hopefully I will walk away with people saying something has been done here. Expectations have increased like you can’t believe. “From a team which avoided relegation, now this is a club saying we want to be in Europe every year. It is a big turnaround in a few years.” Glasner full of praise for Olise CRYSTAL PALACE boss Oliver Glasner hailed “brilliant” Michael Olise after the 3-1 win at Wolves – and said he could use the same word to describe his teammates. Glasner said: “I think everybody knows he’s a good player. He’s fit now, I also think we found a very good position for him and he has a lot of individual qualities. He is a brilliant player, a great guy, but he also benefits from other players. “Michael is brilliant, Ebs (Eze) is brilliant, Dean (Henderson) was brilliant, Joel (Ward) was brilliant. I could tell you all the players, because otherwise we wouldn’t have won here.” The latest fine result in Palace’s strong conclusion to the season under Glasner – appointed as successor to Roy Hodgson in February – sees them leapfrog Wolves into 12th place in the table with one game left to play, at home against Aston Villa. ‘It’s a difficult day’ ROB EDWARDS was in tears after hugging Luton captain Tom Lockyer in front of the away supporters as their relegation was all but confirmed by a 3-1 defeat at West Ham. “It was really difficult, hugging Locks at the end and seeing how the supporters reacted made me emotional,” said Edwards, whose side are not yet mathematically down as Nottingham Forest were beaten by Chelsea. “It’s a difficult day. What I said to our players and staff in the dressing room afterwards was ‘thank you’. They, along with our fans and the board, have given me the best 18 months of my life. “I wanted to thank them today. We didn’t get relegated because of today. I am really disappointed that I am the one responsible, I feel that way, that we’ve not been able to do it. “We’ve thrown everything at it but just come up short,” Edwards added. “It was difficult for us and in the end has just been a bit too much for us. But I’ve loved it and it fuels the fire to get back into it.” @thesundaily FOLLOW ON Malaysian Paper INSTAGRAM Madrid rout Granada Swaggering champions start title celebrations with victory over relegated Andalusians S PANISH champions Real Madrid romped to a 4-0 victory over relegated Granada to get their title celebrations started on Saturday. Brahim Diaz struck twice with Fran Garcia and Arda Guler also on target for Madrid, who defeated Bayern Munich in midweek to reach the Champions League final. Los Blancos secured their 36th Spanish title last weekend with four games to spare, but chose not to celebrate to focus on the Bayern clash. A late brace from substitute Joselu settled that match in dramatic fashion and the Spaniard started up front against Granada, with only Antonio Rudiger selected from the side that beat the German giants. “The objective is to arrive with the squad all at their best for the day of the final, and we will do it,” said Ancelotti. After Paris SaintGermain striker Kylian Mbappe confirmed Friday he was leaving the French side, many Madrid fans are also thinking about his closely rumoured arrival. However, Madrid coach Ancelotti only has the Champions League final in London in mind. “It’s not a topic I’m thinking about at the moment,” added Ancelotti. “We have to celebrate tomorrow with our fans and until June 1 we know exactly what we have to think about.” Granada, 19th, were relegated before kickoff after Mallorca beat Las Palmas to ensure the Andalusians could not escape the drop zone. Their players gave Real Madrid a guard of honour and Los Blancos went on to demonstrate the focus that drove them on to the title, even with nothing on the line now. Victory sent them 15 points clear of second-placed Girona. The likes of J u d e B e l l i n g h a m and Vinicius Junior stayed on the bench for Madrid, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois completed his second game back after nine months out injured, attaining another clean sheet. The three remaining league fixtures will allow Ancelotti to rest and rotate to get his firstchoice side in optimal condition to face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley in the Champions League final. They may also provide fans a last chance to see Luka Modric in action, with the 38-yearold’s contract expiring in the summer. The Croatian was applauded off in Granada. Los Blancos fans will be delighted to hear Ancelotti is planning on repeating his iconic celebration from their last parade in 2022 – toting a cigar and wearing sunglasses. “Cigar and glasses, the same,” said Ancelotti with a smile when asked about the festivities. In the background of Madrid’s joy, Granada players suffered. “Thanks to the fans for being with us in this year in which we’ve done so badly, and sorry,” said Granada captain Carlos Neva. “When (relegation) is mathematic, to go out onto the pitch… it’s one of the hardest games that we’ve played.” Elsewhere Athletic Bilbao, fifth, rescued a 2- 2 draw against Osasuna but lost further ground in the race for fourth place. The Copa del Rey champions trail fourth-placed Atletico Madrid by five points, having played a game more. – AFP Mainz edge to safety, Cologne stun Union Berlin MAINZ hammered a second-string Borussia Dortmund 3-0 on Saturday to haul themselves out of the Bundesliga’s bottom three, as Cologne came back to beat Union Berlin in a day of much importance for the relegation battle. Sitting in the relegation playoff spot at kickoff, Mainz stunned the visitors by racing into a three-goal lead inside just 23 minutes. Mainz, who are now eight games unbeaten since losing 8-1 to Bayern Munich in March, realistically need just a point from their final game of the season at Wolfsburg to secure another season in the German top flight. With Dortmund’s Champions League qualification for next season now guaranteed, and a Champions League final against Real Madrid on the horizon, Dortmund coach Edin Terzic rang the changes. “We set up the team similarly to what we did last week,” Terzic told Sky Sport Germany. “We had a similar formation, only this time we were always inferior in the duels. Mainz punished the mistakes we made in the first half with ice-cold precision. That’s why it is a deserved defeat.” Dortmund now sit four points behind fourthplace RB Leipzig but one spot behind Dortmund in sixth, Eintracht Frankfurt are a distance adrift of Terzic’s side, and drew 1-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach in their penultimate match of the season. At the other end of the table, Mainz’s victory leaves Union Berlin languishing in the thick of the relegation fight. “We’re overjoyed,” Cologne captain Kainz told Sky Sport Germany. “It’s nerve-wracking to play like that, when you absolutely have to win the game. To turn it around, it was a hugely important victory. Unbelievable.” But Mainz’s victory means the best Cologne can hope for on the final day is to secure a relegation playoff place at Union’s expense. Union face a tricky season finale against Freiburg – who remained in the last European spot after drawing 1-1 against Heidenheim on Saturday. Bochum travel to Werder Bremen on the final day, need a point from one of those games to ensure their Bundesliga survival. – Agencies BOLOGNA took a huge step towards Champions League qualification on Saturday by winning 2-0 at Napoli, whose miserable season as Serie A titleholders nears its end. Early headers from Dan Ndoye and Stefan Posch were enough for Thiago Motta’s Bologna to move third, above Juventus, and go seven points ahead of sixth-placed Roma, with a top-five finish enough for a spot in Europe’s top club competition. Roma are at fifth-placed Atalanta – who have a game in hand – overnight with the pair level on 60 points, and anything but a win for the capital club will guarantee Bologna a place in the Champions League. Bologna played one match in the old European Cup in 1964, the same year they won the last of their seven league titles, but have never featured in the modern Champions League. “More than the Champions League I’m happy about the squad who once again put in a really good performance against a good team,” Motta said to DAZN. “I’m putting all my energy into enjoying the moment because the boys were great.” Napoli were loudly booed off at halftime and at the final whistle by livid fans who have watched their team slump from Scudetto winners last season to eighth this term. There was more fan discontent in AC Milan’s 5- 1 thumping of Cagliari – who stay three points above the relegation zone – in their penultimate home game of the campaign. Supporters at the San Siro continued the silent protest they started at last weekend’s home draw with Genoa. Christian Pulisic’s first Serie A double, Reijnders’ strike and further goals from Ismael Bennacer and Rafael Leao made it a heavy win which snapped a six-match winless run in all competitions for second-placed Milan, who also reached the quarterfinals of the Europa League this season. But fans are unhappy about the 18 points which separate Milan from champions and local rivals Inter Milan, who secured their 20th league title by winning their local derby last month. That, and being dumped out of the Europa League by Roma, angered supporters and means Stefano Pioli, the man who guided Milan to the 2022 Serie A title, will be dismissed at the end of the season after nearly five years at the helm. – AFP Bologna on brink of CL with Napoli win SIDENETTING Real Madrid’s Fran Garcia celebrates scoring their first goal. – REUTERSPIX

SPORTS SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 30 5800/2024 12/05/2024 (SUN) 0898 3287 5096 4612 7381 0275 3447 7285 4059 7390 5504 0079 0380 0503 3767 4977 5483 0541 1760 1381 2388 1072 1951 6,921,691.95 0898 0898 0898 5096 5096 3287 5096 5096 3287 3287 0898 3287 510,883.73 0898 3287 5096 GOAT 11030 07082 7082 082 29590 8 2 3 1 375331 75331 5331 331 37533 3753 375 3 7 10,293,941.08 1,410,617.64 4 12 14 20 27 30 100,000.00 25 28 36 39 52 54 4 10 21 25 33 44 9,938,835.48 6 979 444 +MONKEY 812 067 + HORSE 030 643 + RAT Draw Date: 12/05/24 (Sun) Draw No: 5747/24 Venue: PERAK TURF CLUB 9444 2067 0643 3171 + 3280 2127 + 5558 3838 + 3156 0422 + 3491 1542 + 2479 9502 + 0670 6120 + 6340 8629 + 9921 3073 + 1988 0077 + 4003 RM3,805,810.70 9444 + 2067 2067 + 9444 9444 + 0643 0643 + 9444 2067 + 0643 0643 + 2067 RM108,066.50 RM680,833.30 RM423,333.30 RM686,188.40 903 171 493 280 782 127 225 558 053 838 133 156 730 422 093 491 731 542 292 479 819 502 770 670 606 120 316 340 998 629 819 921 413 073 441 988 560 077 704 003 444 067 643 RM1,553,630.10 444 + 067 + 643 067 + 643 + 444 444 + 643 + 067 643 + 444 + 067 067 + 444 + 643 643 + 067 + 444 1+3D Jackpot 2 RM192,245.00 won on 11/05/2024! More riddles to solve Sterling, Jackson ensured a late turnaround but the Blues have questions to ponder A THRILLING comeback victory should have given Mauricio Pochettino some rare solace as he continues to get to grips with this basket case of a club but the manner of Chelsea’s success at Nottingham Forest was the perfect microcosm for their tumultuous season. With the Forest players already planning their summer jaunts pre-match after Luton’s loss at West Ham earlier on Saturday meant they were all but relegated ahead of the final weekend, Chelsea had the perfect platform to express themselves, loosen the shackles and show what £1 billion (RM6b) gets you. With Cole Palmer at his brilliant best orchestrating things, what could go wrong? Well almost quite a lot for Chelsea. Nicolas Jackson’s winner completed a gripping Chelsea turnaround late on in an exhilarating clash, but a first away win in three months still came with plenty for Pochettino to ponder. They weren’t quite there before kickoff, but they were, really. Luton’s defeat at West Ham ensured the Hatters need a record victory on the final day and Forest to be hammered twice. Thus, the mood around the City Ground was more carnival than edge-of-your-seat suspense. With the pressure off the golden sunshine bouncing off the Trent adding to the idyllic scene. It was hard for the players to remember they had a job to do. Palmer needs no reminding. Given time to pick his pass with Mykhailo Mudryk making no mistake to give Chelsea the lead. There is more to Palmer’s game than calm penalties and stunning goals. Such an output also gave us a stark reminder of what a poor return everyone else has made in blue this term and the rest of the first half was a struggle for the visitors, with Forest levelling in all-toofamiliar fashion. Willy Boly headed home having been given the freedom of Forest from a freekick. Moments later, Hudson-Odoi curled a sublime strike into the net. It seemed like typical Chelsea, a player they let go for pittance coming back to haunt them. For all their fragile flaws, Raheem Sterling’s fine goal into the far corner quickly restored parity, with Jackson pouncing less than two minutes later to complete the turnaround. Again, it was all about the supply, with substitute Reece James, playing his first football in five months, clipping a pinpoint cross onto the head of Jackson. What might have been for Chelsea, had their flying fullback been fit for the full season. For Pochettino, it is almost as if he cannot enjoy anything without being given more riddles to solve. Pochettino said: “I never said that I am not happy. I said maybe I am happy, maybe I am unhappy. “I never said I am not happy. It is a normal headline and sometimes too much honesty, talking. It is not a problem. “I have one year more in my contract, like I said yesterday, I am thinking long term and thinking for a life here. We are working because we are professional and thinking to win games and trying to make the owners happy, trying to make the staff, players and fans happy. “I had an honest conversation in the press conference. To clarify, if the owner is happy with my job we can continue. “I am always a coach who is thinking long term. All departments must be happy for us to be a good team to compete. I still have one more year in my contract and I am thinking to be here.” – The Independent Ten Hag should get more time: Arteta ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta believes Manchester United counterpart Erik ten Hag is an excellent coach who deserves more time to get things right at Old Trafford. While Arteta retains hope of delivering a first league title to north London in 20 years, United face a fight to even qualify for Europe after a 4-0 thrashing at Crystal Palace on Monday night. That result has seen pressure mount on United boss Ten Hag, but Arteta feels the Dutchman needs backing. “I can only talk about what I think about him as a coach. He’s an excellent coach. I admire his teams, both Ajax and United,” Arteta replied when asked about Ten Hag’s position. “I know what he’s trying to do, I know how he does it, I know how difficult it is to prepare against him, so I have huge respect for him. “Hopefully, yes, he gets the time because we are colleagues and we know how difficult it is in this league and what the margins are and yeah, hopefully that’s the case because I think he is an excellent coach. “If you want to win the Premier League and big trophies, you have to go to these grounds and impose yourself and beat them. That’s the journey we are on and that’s for sure what we are going to try to do.” Ten Hag has questioned the knowledge and understanding of impatient onlookers calling for him to be sacked. Things have gone off track since a promising first season in charge, which saw the Red Devils end their six-year wait for silverware by lifting the Carabao Cup before finishing third in the Premier League and FA Cup runners-up. An eye-watering injury list offers mitigation this term, but Ten Hag’s position has come under increasing scrutiny during what could end up being United’s worst ever Premier League season. The 54-year-old has come out fighting in the media over recent weeks. “If I see the problems we have faced, all the injuries, and in almost every game they fought,” Ten Hag said. “There was great team spirit. “Monday (losing to Crystal Palace 4-0) I was really disappointed (with) and also the players were disappointed with themselves. There was collectively failure. “But all the other games we fought with each other, had good team spirit, so, no, I can’t have any doubt about this. “This is a massive club and you first know when you are in, and the challenges you have to face,” Ten Hag added. – The Independent Chelsea’s Djordje Petrovic (centre) attempts a save during his team’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. – AFPPIX

SPORTS SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 31 All jackpot amounts stated above are for this Draw. Subject to T&Cs of the Scheme. Please visit to www.magnum4d.my for more info. THE BIGGER PLAY IS TO PLAY RESPONSIBLY 037/24 12/05/2024 5913 9505 6526 4998 2521 9445 9287 1500 8180 5531 2489 2955 0494 8753 9244 6126 7865 9609 1045 9598 8983 0108 3147 RM13,191,511.55 RM371,151.95 5913 + 9505 9505 + 5913 6526 + 5913 5913 + 6526 9505 + 6526 6526 + 9505 11 18 22 25 26 27 29 30 9 31 RM6,395,592.92 RM205,468.75 1 3 0 5 2 6 1 3 0 5 2 3 0 5 2 6 1 3 0 5 0 5 2 6 1 3 0 5 2 6 1 3 2 6 0 5 1 9 TFC off to winning start Terengganu’s Syafiq Ahmad nets fastest league goal LAST SEASON’S Malaysia Cup winners Terengganu FC (TFC) got their 2024/25 Super League season off to a cracker when they downed Perak FC 3-1 at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Nerus on Saturday. The Turtles, under the tutelage of head coach Tomislav Steinbruckner, struck after just six minutes when their Uzbekistan midfielder Nurillo Tukhtasinov let fly a powerful shot from outside the box. But visitors Perak never gave up and got the equaliser when Luciano Guaycochea cooly slotted home the spot kick in the 61st minute after their TFC’s Philippines national team midfielder Manuel Ott fouled Lee Tae Min. However, coach Yusri Che Lah’s team’s joy was shortlived when their defender Shivan Pillay netted an own goal in the 66th minute before substitute striker Nnabuike Chukwu of Nigeria made it 3-1 for TFC in the 81st minute. Meanwhile, Sri Pahang FC beat elantan Darul Naim FC 1- 0 at the Temerloh Municipal Council Stadium. Head coach Fandi Ahmad said: “We weren’t playing that well in the first half due to pressure from our opponents, but things got better in the second and we created more chances that resulted in the winning goal.”. Fandi singled out Saiful Jamaluddin as being excellent in midfield and in coordinating the team’s counterattacks, but believed that they could still improve on their gameplay and would ensure that players maintained their fitness. “I will try to fix all these weaknesses and make several necessary changes for the team we’re going up against next,” Fandi said Kelantan’s coach Park Jaehong expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance even with their loss. “Players showed their willingness to play in this match but we’re aware that we’re a small club compared to Sri Pahang… we will make several improvements to strengthen the team for the next match,” he said. Earlier, on-loan striker Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad scored the fastest goal when he helped Kedah Darul Aman FC to a 1-0 win over last season’s MFL Challenge Cup winners PDRM FC at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium. The former Harimau Malaya striker, who is on loan from Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), found the net after just 33 seconds but both teams found it tough to make any headway on the water-logged pitch following heavy rain almost throughout the match. Kedah began the season with a three-point deduction, imposed by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) following their delay in settling last season’s salary arrears. As such, Kedah and head coach Mohd Nafuzi Zain must be thanking their lucky stars for the opening away win. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system also made its debut in the M-League as it was used for all three matches today after its introduction was delayed following the cancellation of the Charity Shield match between JDT and Selangor FC – Bernama ‘Confidence key to Paris success’ THE commitment shown by the country’s sole representative in the men’s individual badminton event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lee Zi Jia, who has set his sights on the gold medal, should be present in all national athletes heading for the Games, says Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. She said such determination was indeed required at the prestigious event to be held from July 26 to Aug 11. “It would be great if all the athletes are confident in their abilities and that’s what we want, which is to go there with high confidence. “Even though he (Zii Jia) is not in the Road to Gold programme, all the athletes representing Malaysia to Paris are still supported by the National Sports Institute (ISN) and the National Sports Council (MSN),” she said when met by Bernama after officiating the 2024 Aleps Ekiden Half Marathon yesterday. Hannah also reminded all qualified athletes to ensure they were injury-free before the event. On Friday, Zii Jia expressed his intent to win the gold at the Olympics as soon as the Badminton World Federation (BWF) released the final list of players who had qualified. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Zii Jia bowed out in the round of 16 after losing to China’s Chen Long. – Bernama Enhance players safety: FAM THE Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) wants the Malaysian Football League (MFL) to improve player safety, especially during match day travel to and from stadiums and accommodations starting this week. Its deputy president, Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi stressed the importance of taking player safety seriously, especially after recent incidents involving three footballers. “These incidents need to be taken seriously… proactive measures must be taken because unforeseen circumstances can occur, especially after matches conclude. “Safety control needs maximum attention for all teams not only at the stadium but also when players are commuting to and from the stadium,” he said. Mohd Yusoff said that having such measures taken might increase the workload for MFL and state football associations, but player safety must be prioritised to prevent similar incidents from recurring. FAM also hopes that the recent incidents will be the last in the history of Malaysian football, he said. Mohd Yusoff, who is also the Amateur Football League (AFL) chairman, said even the M3 League, now renamed the Semi-Pro A1 League, must prioritise safety measures. He said former national players participating in this competition also require similar attention as those in the premier league. “AFL will detail safety aspects for players before the Semi-Pro League begins next month,” he added. – Bernama ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Bournemouth 1 (Solanke 89) Brentford 2 (Mbeumo 86, Wissa 90+5), Everton 1 (Doucoure 31) Sheffield United 0, Fulham 0 Manchester City 4 (Gvardiol 13, 71, Foden 59, Alvarez 90+6-pen), Newcastle 1 (Longstaff 45+5) Brighton 1 (Veltman 18), Nottingham Forest 2 (Boly 16, Hudson-Odoi 74) Chelsea 3 (Mudryk 8, Sterling 80, Jackson 82), Tottenham 2 (Porro 32, Van de Ven 82) Burnley 1 (Bruun Larsen 25), West Ham 3 (Ward-Prowse 54, Soucek 65, Earthy 76) Luton 1 (Lokonga 6), Wolves 1 (Cunha 66) Crystal Palace 3 (Olise 26, Mateta 28, Eze 73). P W D L F A Pts Man City 36 26 7 3 91 33 85 Arsenal 36 26 5 5 88 28 83 Liverpool 36 23 9 4 81 38 78 Aston Villa 36 20 7 9 73 53 67 Tottenham 36 19 6 11 71 59 63 Newcastle 36 17 6 13 79 57 57 Chelsea 36 16 9 11 73 61 57 Man Utd 35 16 6 13 52 55 54 West Ham 37 14 10 13 59 71 52 Brighton 36 12 12 12 54 58 48 Bournemouth 37 13 9 15 53 65 48 Crystal Palace 37 12 10 15 52 58 46 Wolves 37 13 7 17 50 63 46 Fulham 37 12 8 17 51 59 44 Everton 37 13 9 15 39 49 40 Brentford 37 10 9 18 54 61 39 Nottm Forest 37 8 9 20 47 66 29 Luton 37 6 8 23 50 81 26 Burnley 37 5 9 23 40 76 24 Sheff Utd 37 3 7 27 35 101 16 LA LIGA: Real Mallorca 1 (Gonzalez 29) Las Palmas 0, Villarreal 3 (Sorloth 30, 90+7, Mosquera 84) Sevilla 2 (En-Nesyri 26-pen, 44), Granada 0 Real Madrid 4 (Garcia 38, Guler 45+2, Diaz 49, 58), Athletic Bilbao 2 (Inaki Williams 58, Villalibre 90+6) Osasuna 2 (Raul Garcia 40, Ruben Garcia 48), Alaves 2 (Guridi 12, 90+9) Girona 2 (Garcia 4, Herrera 44). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Real Madrid 35 28 6 1 78 22 90 Girona 35 23 6 6 75 44 75 Barcelona 34 22 7 5 70 43 73 Atletico 34 21 4 9 63 39 67 Bilbao 35 17 11 7 57 35 62 Sociedad 34 14 12 8 48 35 54 SERIE A : AC Milan 5 (Bennacer 35, Pulisic 59, 86, Reijnders 74, Leao 84) Cagliari 1 (Nandez 63), Napoli 0 Bologna 2 (Ndoye 9, Posch 12), Frosinone 0 Inter Milan 5 (Frattesi 19, Arnautovic 60, Buchanan 77, Martinez 80, Thuram 84). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Inter Milan 36 29 5 2 86 19 92 AC Milan 36 22 8 6 72 43 74 Bologna 36 18 13 5 51 27 67 Juventus 35 18 12 5 48 27 66 Atalanta 34 18 6 10 63 38 60 Roma 35 17 9 9 62 42 60 BUNDESLIGA: Borussia Moenchengladbach 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 1, Cologne 3 Union Berlin 2, Freiburg 1 Heidenheim 1, RB Leipzig 1 Werder Bremen 1, Mainz 3 Borussia Dortmund 0, Augsburg 0 Stuttgart 1. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Leverkusen 32 26 6 0 82 23 84 Stuttgart 33 22 4 7 74 39 70 B. Munich 32 22 3 7 90 41 69 RB Leipzig 33 19 7 7 75 37 64 Dortmund 33 17 9 7 64 43 60 E. Frankfurt 33 11 13 9 49 48 46 FRANCE LIGUE 1: Brest 1 Reims 1, Nice 1 Le Havre 0. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Paris SG 31 20 10 1 76 29 70 Monaco 32 18 7 7 62 42 61 Brest 33 16 10 7 50 34 58 Lille 32 15 10 7 48 31 55 Nice 32 15 9 8 37 25 54 Lens 32 14 7 11 42 34 49 CHAMPIONS RELEGATED RESULTS & STANDINGS Terengganu’s Faris Rifqi (right) in action against Perak’s Muhammad Aiman during their Malaysia Football League match. – BERNAMAPIX

theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2625 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Email: [email protected] MONDAY | MAY 13, 2024 SCAN ME or download app from the App Store or Google PlayTM . www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download SCAN ME Malaysian Paper Read iPaper at Malaysian Paper Malaysian Paper -Story on page 2 -Story on page Can anyone an anyone stopCity? Gvardiol brace as Cityzens close in on Premier League title -Story on page 27 Nadal crashes out More riddles to solve King of swing ONE GAME closer for Manchester City, one match down as they seek to not just retain the Premier League but end the campaign with a domestic double. The reigning champions, looking for a fourth title in a row, kicked off one point behind Arsenal with a game in hand; they might end the day instead wondering if perhaps they could cruise to both trophies in second gear. It is usual to suggest after title candidates pick up three points in this manner, where they dominate entirely and their hosts barely raise a hand in protest, that they will have more difficult tests ahead. Yet this time, will that really be true? City have two league fixtures left to play and an FA Cup final. In order, they play a woefully out-of-form Tottenham who have suffered four straight defeats, then are home to West Ham on the final day, the Hammers being currently without a win in six and having confirmed the impending departure of manager David Moyes. There’s not a whole lot of reasons to suggest they have much to play for. And at Wembley, sure: it’s Manchester United so it’s a rivalry, a derby and a final for goodness sake, a trophy to play for. But United are truly terrible, have defensive absences to contend with and their only two wins in the last eight have come against rock-bottom Sheffield United and Championship side Coventry, the latter on penalties. Not that Pep Guardiola will encourage such suggestions, but Man City could easily stroll from here on out and there’s nothing at all that Arsenal, in particular, can do about it. Guardiola said Manchester City have the destiny of the Premier League title in their hands after a 4-0 demolition of Fulham took them to the top of the table on Saturday. Josko Gvardiol bagged the opener and the defender struck again after Phil Foden’s goal before Julian Alvarez’s stoppage-time penalty sealed a commanding performance at Craven Cottage. “Since they (Arsenal) lost against Aston Villa the destiny is in our hands,” Guardiola said. “In the last game of the season against West Ham the destiny is in our hands and that is what we want. It will be difficult but we are ready for the challenge.” City overcame an eight-point deficit in the title race last season to catch Arsenal and take the trophy. They have also came out on top in tense title races with Liverpool during Guardiola’s dynastic reign. And, with City now unbeaten in 21 league games, the Spaniard saluted his players’ ability to thrive under duress. “My players like to play with pressure, they are used to it. The players enjoy this feeling,” Guardiola said. “This season is the same, don’t think about anything other than the next game. Focus on winning the next game and then we will see what happens. We go to London and try to win.” For three or four energetic minutes after kickoff, it looked as though the Cottagers might put it up to City here, might have the tempo and talent in their game to trouble the would-be champions in their last home game of the season. That notion died as soon as an early corner claim didn’t go their way: Marco Silva’s side reverted to their half of the pitch for the ensuing goal kick and barely left it again for the remainder of the first 45. And so City passed, City pressed, City kept possession. It wasn’t intense; it didn’t need to be. During the week, there had been an amount of discussion over Fulham’s kiteflying antics in training. It has become commonplace to refer to teams whose seasons have come to an end prematurely as being on the beach, while they waltz through their last irrelevant fixtures. Factor in the kites, the scorching sunshine and the proximity of their stadium to west London’s green areas and Fulham perhaps switched it up to being down the park instead – but the outcome was the same. The effort levels, too. Unless one of their remaining three opponents raise their game and find their form fast, City will have another, silverware-laden, procession to look forward to back in Manchester at the end of the month. – The Independent/AFP Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol (below) in action with Fulham’s Timothy Castagne during their Premier League match. –REUTERSPIX Story on page 30 Story on page 28