practices in the country and the protection of children’s rights, she added. “The long-term effects of illegal adoption on individuals involved in the process, including birth parents and the adopted child, may be severe. “Birth parents may struggle with unresolved feelings of abandonment and regret, while the adopted child may face difficulty forming a stable sense of identity and belonging.” She said the government has implemented measures, such as the Adoption Act 1952, to regulate the adoption process and establish procedures and requirements. “Adoption agencies should be licensed and regulated by the government to ensure that the children are legally offered for adoption. “However, families who may have unknowingly adopted a child involved in an illegal adoption transaction need support and resources related to their situation. This may include legal representation, counselling services and access to information to resolve the issue.” Nithiya also said increased efforts to detect, investigate and prosecute individuals involved in illegal adoption and baby trafficking, legal aid services and protection of children’s rights are necessary steps that should be taken to stamp out illegal adoption practices. In supporting Nithiya’s call, OrphanCare Foundation advocacy and communication manager Riza Alwi said: “There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon in that the number of babies being adopted in Malaysia has increased significantly in recent years”. Since 2009, the NGO has provided a chance for unplanned newborns to grow up in the care of a loving family. “During this period, we rescued 520 babies from possible abandonment. Last year, we rescued 46 babies from diverse family backgrounds who could have otherwise been abandoned,” she said. The figures offer a ray of hope for those concerned about baby-selling syndicates, while PETALING JAYA: A lawyer has warned prospective adoptive parents to be careful and follow all legal procedures when adopting a child. Dr Nithiya Thiahhan, who also has a PhD in Social Work, founded the Malaysian Humanitarian and Welfare Association, an NGO that deals with the welfare of children involved in child and sexual abuse, domestic violence and human trafficking. A popular speaker on child sexual abuse and human rights, she was commenting on the prevalence of baby-selling syndicates operating in the country. National Registration Department (NRD) Director-General Datuk Ruslin Jusoh was previously reported as saying that a fee of between RM8,000 and RM20,000 is charged for each transaction in illegal baby adoption. In one case busted by NRD in 2021, a doctor and an agent operating out of a maternity clinic in Petaling Jaya falsified birth documents that declared a couple as the biological parents of the adopted child. Since then, he said NRD has blacklisted some 200 birth records due to the discovery of discrepancies, with many of the children having attained the ages of 12 to 16 when discovered. She pointed out that illegal adoption transactions, commonly associated with baby-selling rackets, pose significant risks to the welfare and rights of babies, individuals and families. According to Malaysian Adoption Authority data, the number of successful adoptions has risen steadily over the past five years. In 2018, there were 289 adoptions in Malaysia, which increased to 346 in 2019 and 412 in 2020. This trend continued in 2021 and 2022, with 465 and 523 adoptions respectively. Nithiya said the perpetrators who buy and sell babies for profit often exploit vulnerable mothers who are unable to care for their children. This prompts the need for measures to be put in place to ensure legal and ethical adoption oFollow all legal procedures to avoid falling victim to baby-selling syndicates, warns lawyer █ BYSIVANISVARRY MORHAN [email protected] 2 page INSIDE ‘Do not broach inflammatory issues during polls’ 3 page Grooming B40, refugees to be independent TELLING IT AS IT IS ON FRIDAY JUNE 23, 2023 No. 8295 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my GRAND ICON ... A visitor to Kuala Kangsar in Perak taking a picture of the first rubber tree planted in Malaysia. The 146-year-old tree has been included in a list of heritage trees under the town council. – BERNAMAPIC adoption enables children who would otherwise be vulnerable to exploitation, to grow up in safe and loving environments, she added. Adoptive parents beware Turn to — page 3 Story on — page 4
2 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS ‘Avoid inflammatory issues during state elections’ PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has reminded political parties involved in the coming state elections to steer clear of sensitive topics involving religion, royalty and race (3R). He said if such issues were raised during the state elections, police will take action against the violators and they can be investigated under the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. “Political parties are free to give differing views, which can be against the current ruling government, so long as they do not touch on 3R aspects,” he said in a media editor session with the Home Minister at the Home Ministry Complex on Wednesday. Saifuddin added that politicking using 3R seems to be the current trend, which he said was not abating and anticipates that this oPolitical parties free to have differing views on govt, but must not broach topics on religion, royalty and race: Home minister would continue during the state polls, Bernama reported. Six states, namely Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Terengganu will be holding state elections soon. He said such actions will be monitored by a special team, that was established in March. “I believe the police force under the leadership of Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, who was newly appointed as the inspector-general of police, will address this issue.” On election preparations, he gave an assurance that police are well-prepared, with standard operating procedures (SOP) in place to handle the elections in the six states. “The SOP guarantees the safety of the people and allows them to go out to vote, besides ensuring there is no violation of the law.” Addressing concerns about the appointment of Razarudin, he clarified that there is no controversy surrounding the appointment. He emphasised that police officers or civil servants who are appointed on contract can be terminated or have their service shortened at any time. “There is nothing controversial. Do not read beyond that. I earlier had an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, followed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and the matter proceeded smoothly. “I have also spoken to Tan Sri Acryl Sani, and we have arranged for a ceremonial handover of duties at the Kuala Lumpur Police Training Centre (Pulapol).” Razarudin will assume his new position today. Acryl Sani was appointed under a two-year contract following his retirement, which commenced on Oct 4, 2021, and is expected to conclude on Oct 4 this year. Saifuddin also expressed his gratitude to Acryl Sani for his dedicated service throughout his tenure. “I appreciate the level of cooperation I received from him. He has adeptly managed numerous matters related to peace and public order under his leadership.” INSIGHTFUL EVENT ... Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (right) and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh being briefed by Yayasan Hasanah managing director Datuk Shahira Ahmed Bazari during their visit to an exhibition held by the foundation at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN Police reaffirm control over Sabah borders PUTRAJAYA: Police have given an assurance that the security in Sabah is under control and security measures are constantly enhanced at the state borders. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said every security force personnel is constantly on alert as it is critical for the country. “We have not seen signs or detected threats in terms of border control. Our security forces are always on alert,” he said in an exclusive session with media editors on Wednesday. He was commenting on the possibility of the so-called and nowdefunct Sulu Sultanate claimants invading Sabah after losing their territorial claims against Malaysia. On June 8, Malaysia achieved a landmark victory when the Paris Court of Appeal upheld Malaysia’s challenge against the partial award rendered on May 25, 2020 by Dr Gonzalo Stampa in the case filed by eight citizens of the Philippines, who are purported heirs of the long-defunct Sultan of Sulu. The claimants were reported to have taken legal action against Malaysia in courts in four countries, namely Spain, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. He added that the Malaysian government will continue taking action to counter the claims. On the alleged leak of diplomatic information involving the MalaysiaIndonesia border issue at Wisma Putra, Saifuddin said police are investigating the case. He also confirmed that Wisma Putra had lodged a police report on the allegation. Meanwhile, a woman police officer who was caught on video hurling insults at others recently has been suspended from work. Saifuddin said the Bukit Aman Department of Integrity and Standards Compliance has opened six disciplinary investigation papers against her. Last Thursday, the officer was called to the Gombak district police headquarters to provide her statement on a video showing her having a heated argument with two policemen at Taman Sri Gombak in Batu Caves. On Sunday, she was called again regarding another video showing her arguing with an individual at a parking lot of a shopping centre in Brickfields. She recorded the entire incident with her mobile phone while making inappropriate remarks and provocative statements. – Bernama Malaysia aiming to be digital hub of Asia KUALA LUMPUR: The government is preparing better policies and laws related to data and cyber security to make Malaysia the digital hub of Asia. Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said efforts, such as amending the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and scrutinising the Omnibus Bill, are being done to make the country’s digital policies more comprehensive. According to him, the steps are necessary because Malaysia has become a preferred location for foreign investors in the digital sector. In addition, Malaysia’s position at 27th place in the World Competitiveness Ranking shows that the country has gained attention from foreign companies and industry players for investment. “Many investors see Malaysia as a safe destination, and they have confidence in the country’s policies. “Malaysia can be the digital gateway to the Asian region. If our tourism sector has the slogan ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’, maybe we can highlight a slogan like ‘Digital Malaysia: Malaysia Through to Asia’ to promote the country as a digital gateway to Asia,” he said after opening the Malaysia Digital Association Conference yesterday. Fahmi added that Malaysia needs to collaborate with other countries in the region to develop data-sharing protocols that encompass aspects of data sovereignty and portability. He said the move will complement the digital economy system in the country and region, making it possible for Malaysia to reach a digital golden decade and become the “Digital Tiger of Asia”. The two-day conference will bring together local digital companies and industry players to explore the direction of the sector in the face of global challenges and needs. Also present at the opening ceremony were Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation CEO Mahadhir Aziz and Malaysia Digital Association president Eileen Ooi. – Bernama No tax relief for disabled car buyers KUALA LUMPUR: The Finance Ministry has no plans to grant income tax relief to people with disabilities (PwD) in the B40 and M40 categories who purchase motor vehicles. “The proposal needs to be studied thoroughly,” said Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim during a question and answer session at the Dewan Negara. He said the government has provided full exemption on vehicle excise duty for all individuals with disabilities and physical disabilities who can drive, on condition that the applicant is registered with the Social Welfare Department, has a valid driving licence and the vehicle cannot be sold or transferred for five years. PwD are allowed to purchase one vehicle every five years with excise duty exemption. Sim was replying to Senator Isaiah Jacob on the government’s proposal to provide income tax rebate for the purchase of vehicles under RM45,000 for PwD in the B40 and M40 groups. – Bernama Central database to streamline targeted subsidies KUALA LUMPUR: The central database hub (Padu), which was set up to collect and integrate socioeconomic data of households in the country, will be ready to streamline data for the implementation of targeted subsidies next year, said Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib. “The data will be accessible to public sector analysts, and the government is also planning to allow non-governmental agencies and academics to access the database once the data has been filtered,” she said during a question and answer session in the Dewan Negara yesterday. Hanifah Hajar was replying to a question by Senator Datuk Seri Zurainah Musa on ways to improve targeted subsidies for the T20, M40 and B40 groups. On May 15, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Padu will assist the government in implementing targeted subsidies and enacting relevant policies more effectively. He said with the establishment of the integrated and centralised database, the government could also identify existing leakage and improve the subsidy system for target groups. – Bernama
3 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 KUALA LUMPUR: Concerned over unemployment issues and poverty in Malaysia, hairdresser Nedda Bakhtiary decided to help by providing free hairdressing courses to the B40 group and refugees to equip them with skills to earn a living. “I often hear about giving food aid or donations to them. But these are not permanent solutions. So, I thought about my position in the professional hairdressing industry and what I could offer them. “In the end, I decided to teach them my skills in hopes that they could get career opportunities or even start their own business. It would be a foundation for them to build a better life for themselves.” Nedda, who is a director of Prettify Dot Com Sdn Bhd, said once they learnt the skills, they could set up small hairdressing businesses and regardless of what prices they charge, it would still be a self-sustaining income. The initiative is not the first charity service offered by Nedda as in 2020, she offered frontline workers free hair care and grooming services. She estimates she has provided free haircuts, colouring and hair treatment to more than 1,000 frontline workers. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Nedda noticed many people lost their jobs, faced financial issues and were struggling to pay their bills. “The economy suffered, with many people being laid off. They found it hard to survive and today, there are still many who are living in poverty. “The B40 and refugee communities, who have little to no education, are in a worse position and find it difficult to forge a career path that can support them in the long run,” she said, adding that many women who worked in hotel management and airlines became jobless and were unable to visit hairdressing salons as frequently as they used to. According to the Statistics Department, the unemployment rate was at 3.5% as of April this year, which involved 586,900 people. Data from the 2019 Household Income, Expenditure and Basic Amenities Survey also shows that 40%, or 2.91 million households, were in the B40 group. Nedda said this is among the reasons she is undertaking the initiative to help the B40 and refugee communities, while inspiring other salons to follow suit. “What I did in 2020 created a positive impact and I hope the industry follows suit to help these communities. I only wish the people who come for my hairdressing courses are serious in learning skills that can help them to support themselves.” The course includes the use of products such as hairstyling gel, hair dye and bleach, the costs of which will also be borne by Nedda. “The products that will be used during my courses will be given free. All the participants need is a willingness to learn and absorb the knowledge.” Nedda said her courses started on June 1 and will run until December. It is being held at Prettify Dot Com in Sungei Wang Plaza. For enquiries, Nedda can be reached at 017-3942 545. ‘Vital to promote legal adoption’ Riza emphasised that collaboration among the government, civil society organisations, the public and various stakeholders is essential to raise awareness on the dangers of baby-selling syndicates and prevent families from unknowingly participating in illegal adoption processes. “The promotion of legal adoption channels through NGOs that support reputable adoption agencies, public awareness campaigns and the establishment of reporting channels are crucial steps. “By increasing legal adoption rates, the demand for babies on the black market may decrease, making it more difficult for any criminal organisations to profit from this illicit trade.” Riza said law enforcement agencies and the legal system could help prevent the rise in baby-selling syndicates through proactive investigation and intelligence gathering on potential syndicates. “These efforts are bearing fruit, as more families are coming forward to adopt babies. However, there is still much work to be done. Some babies and children are waiting to be adopted, and many of them are from marginalised communities and have special needs. “It is crucial that the government, NGOs and the public work together to ensure that these children find legal parents. It is heartening to see more families coming forward to provide loving homes for children who need them,” she said. Grooming B40, refugees to be independent oSalon director starts novel initiative to provide free hairdressing courses to help financially impacted groups Kelantan state assembly dissolved KOTA BHARU: The 45-seat Kelantan State Legislative Assembly was officially dissolved yesterday to pave the way for state elections. This follows an announcement by Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob on Wednesday that the state assembly would be dissolved, after obtaining consent from Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V. The dissolution was done six days before its term expires on June 28. Kelantan is also the first state under PAS to dissolve its state assembly. In the 14th general election (GE14), PAS dominated the state assembly after winning 37 seats, while Barisan Nasional (BN) secured eight. However, Ayer Lanas assemblyman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed then quit Umno and join Bersatu. This upcoming state election will see BN collaborating with Pakatan Harapan (PH), while PAS forged cooperation with Bersatu through Perikatan Nasional (PN). At a media conference on Wednesday, Kelantan PAS secretary Wan Roslan Wan Hamat confirmed that the party would contest 39 seats, while Bersatu would face BN in six state constituencies. For BN and PH, both coalitions were reported to have completed their seat allocations. Kelantan Umno information chief Datuk Zawawi Othman was reported as saying that BN candidates would be fielded in 31 seats, while 14 seats would be given to PH. Kelantan is among the six states scheduled to hold state elections. The other five are Kedah, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Penang. – Bernama Cash aid to be paid beginning June 26 PUTRAJAYA: The third phase of the Rahmah cash aid programme for the B40 group will be disbursed in stages beginning June 26, said the Finance Ministry. In a statement yesterday, it said the payment would involve an allocation of more than RM2 billion, benefiting eight million recipients who would receive between RM100 and RM1,300. The payments will be credited directly into their bank accounts from June 26 to July 5. Those who do not have a bank account may cash out the payment at Bank Simpanan Nasional branches beginning June 26. The ministry also said checks for the aid approval status could be made from June 26 and the appeal period is from July 3 to 31. For rejected applications, applicants may submit relevant documents for review by the Inland Revenue Board. The first and second phase of the aid programme was completed in January and April respectively. The three phases for this year involve allocations amounting to RM5 billion and payment of the fourth phase is expected in November. – Bernama █ BY ETHAN YEO [email protected] ECRL project ahead of completion schedule PASIR PUTEH: Construction of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) in Kelantan is expected to be completed six months ahead of schedule in January 2027. State Public Works Department deputy director Nik Soh Yaacoub said in term of progress, the project has reached 61.97%, with a total manpower of 1,500. He said the current progress of the project involved bridge construction, land reclamation and piling while the construction of the first ECRL station in the state has also started. “We are confident this project can be completed six months earlier than the original target, since the progress of the works carried out by China Communications Construction Company Ltd and Malaysia Rail Link is ahead of schedule,” he said during a visit to the ECRL Station 1 site in Kampung Jerus yesterday. – Bernama From front page Apart from the current initiative, Nedda also provided free hairdressing services to frontliners during the Covid-19 pandemic. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN
4 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Get a jump start today on creating a successful tomorrow! For the best in local and international higher education institutions, catch theSun's fortnightly Education Focus. FOCUS 2023 EDUCATION Contact us now for special deals on digital, video and print advertising. Iconic rubber tree worth RM190,000 KUALA KANGSAR: The first rubber tree planted in Malaysia, estimated to be over 140 years old, is now said to be worth almost RM200,000. Kuala Kangsar municipal council secretary Saiful Azli Mohamed Nor said the rubber tree requires specialised care, with maintenance and treatment costs amounting to between RM3,000 and RM5,000 a year. “The current value of this rubber tree is RM194,183. It is included in a list of heritage trees under the Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council. “It is turning 146 years old, so this tree does not have enough energy reserves to repair its own structure if any damage occurs,” he said. According to Saiful Azli, tree pruning is done once a year at a cost of RM1,000 to RM3,000, depending on the difficulty of the work while fungicide and fertiliser would cost between RM500 and RM1,000. “Health evaluation and advanced assessment are done every two years, with an estimated cost of between RM500 and RM2,000, depending on the condition of the tree.” In 1877, a total of 22 rubber seedlings were brought into the country from Kew Gardens in England. Of the 22, nine were sown in Kuala Kangsar. On its life span, Saiful Azli said it could not be estimated. “However, we are trying to maintain the life of this rubber tree by giving it proper treatment and care,” he added. – Bernama Lifelong mission to promote Jawi khat calligraphy ALOR SETAR: A former geography and cartography lecturer at Umm Al-Qura University in Mecca is on a mission to elevate the use of Jawi writing by the younger generation through Islamic calligraphy, better known as the art of Arabic and Jawi khat calligraphy. Ahmad Mustafa, 78, from Alor Setar, said Jawi writing is part of the identity of Malays that needs to be preserved. He added that the Al Khat Al Arabi Centre that he established in 2001 has become a platform for people to come and see the beauty of khat and Jawi writing. Ahmad, who lived in Mecca at the age of four with his family, said the khat centre was inspired by his own experience as a khat teacher at an education institution in Mecca for four years, after he started learning the basics of khat in Egypt and Mecca when he was 30 years old. “When I was in Mecca, I was really interested in khat and at 30, I started to study the various basics and different types of khat, among which are Thuluth khat, Nasakh khat, Diwani khat, Farisi khat and Riq’ah khat in Egypt and Mecca.” Ahmad, who is also former Persatuan Seni Ahmad has produced 22 books, including a training series on khat and another title that is used in schools nationwide. – BERNAMAPIC oFormer lecturer plans to use experience gained in Mecca and Egypt to boost interest among youths Khat Kebangsaan Kedah branch president, said he found the mastery of writing and reading Jawi was weak among the younger generation when he returned to Malaysia in 1999. “I collaborated with the International Islamic University of Malaysia in an Islamic arts programme and I was named the national runner-up in khat. “I was also often invited to conduct calligraphy and Javanese art courses to Islamic and Javanese teachers as well as students who were interested in learning more about the art of calligraphy conducted in their schools.” He said anyone could visit the khat centre for free to see the types of calligraphy and models of Mecca history on display, Bernama reported. Ahmad, who was named Kedah Jawi and Khat Enthusiast in 2014, said he has produced 22 books, including the Nasakh khat training book and a book titled Keindahan Karya Karya Seni Khat, that was distributed to students in schools across the country. “Nasakh khat is available in three versions. I want people, especially the younger generation, to be able to learn the art of calligraphy and Jawi starting from the basics.”
5 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 Rosmah fails in bid to oppose appointment of prosecutor PUTRAJAYA: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor yesterday failed in her bid to challenge former Federal Court judge, the late Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram’s appointment as lead prosecutor in her RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project graft case. A three-member panel comprising Court of Appeal Judges Datuk Hanipah Farikullah, Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk See Mee Chun unanimously dismissed the appeal by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s wife to obtain leave for judicial review application on the grounds that there was no merit in the appeal. See, who delivered the court’s decision in an online proceeding, denied the appeal with costs of RM10,000. On Aug 30, 2022, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur refused to give leave to Rosmah, 71, to commence a judicial review to challenge Sri Ram’s appointment. oThree-member Federal Court bench unanimously rule there is no merit to appeal Case management set for appeal over conversion case PUTRAJAYA: Single mother Loh Siew Hong’s appeal to nullify her three children’s unilateral conversion to Islam is fixed for further case management on July 31. Court of Appeal deputy registrar Mariam Hasanah Othman set the case management date to update the status of the records of appeal. Loh’s lawyer A. Srimurugan, who attended the proceeding, said he had informed the deputy registrar that he was still waiting for the High Court’s grounds of judgment. Loh’s appeal came up for case management before Mariam yesterday. Also present for the case management were lawyer Danial Farhan Zainul Rijal, representing Perlis Islamic religious and Malay customs council, and Perlis assistant legal adviser Ainul Wardah Shahidan, for Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, the Perlis state government and the Perlis Registrar of Converts. The 36-year-old mother is appealing against the High Court’s decision on May 11 to dismiss her judicial review application to challenge the conversion of her children to Islam by her Muslim convert ex-husband without her consent. Loh filed the application on March 25 last year, naming the Registrar of Converts, Islamic religious and customs council, Dr Mohd Asri and the state government as respondents. The single mother is seeking a declaration that her children are Hindus and that her ex-husband, M. Nagahswaran, did not have the legal capacity to allow the Registrar of Converts to register their children as converts without her consent. The woman also sought a declaration that her children, as minor, do not have the legal capacity to convert to Islam without her consent and also seeking a certiorari order to revoke the declaration dated July 7, 2020 issued by registrar. – Bernama RM138,000 contraband cigarettes seized KOTA BHARU: The Customs Department has seized 1,571,800 contraband cigarettes worth RM138,398, for which duty of RM966,681.80 was unpaid, in two separate raids in Tumpat and Kota Bharu on June 15 and 16. State director Wan Jamal Abdul Salam Wan Long said the enforcement team also detained three suspects and seized six vehicles including four lorries. In the first operation in Tumpat at 8.30am on June 15, the team seized 115 boxes containing 1,150,000 sticks of cigarettes. They then detained a man and seized three lorries, he said. In the second raid on a house in Kota Bharu the following day, they nabbed two men and seized 421,800 sticks of cigarettes. The team also seized a lorry and two multi-purpose vehicles. “Preliminary investigations revealed that the modus operandi was to smuggle in the cigarettes from neighbouring countries by sea or river for distribution,” he added. Wan Jamal said the case was being investigated under Section 135 (1) (d) of the Customs Act 1967. Meanwhile in Kota Kinabalu, police arrested the former girlfriend of a Sabah football player on Wednesday night for allegedly damaging the door of his house. District Police Chief ACP Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said the football player lodged a police report at 2.58am last Saturday. He said police arrested the woman at 8pm on Wednesday to assist in the investigation under Section 427 of the Penal Code for commiting mischief. “With the arrest of the suspect, police believe they can solve this case,” he said. – Bernama Four child kidnapping scam cases reported KUALA LUMPUR: Police received four reports of kidnapping ransom scams targeting schoolchildren in the Klang Valley this month. Brickfields police chief ACP Amihizam Abdul Shukor said the reports were received between June 13 and 15 after a WhatsApp message about an incident began circulating. “In that case, a local woman who works as an account executive reported receiving a phone call from an unknown individual claiming her son is being held captive and asked for a ransom. “The complainant checked on her son’s condition and immediately cut off the suspect’s call on finding out that her son was safe,” he said. Amihizam added that the case was being investigated under Section 420/511 of the Penal Code for attempted fraud. He advised the public to be wary of calls from unknown individuals and to check by contacting the school. To check the validity of suspicious telephone numbers and bank account numbers, use the semakmule portal at htpp://ccid. rmp.gov.my/semakmule/. The public can contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997, the Brickfields police hotline at 03-22979222, the Kuala Lumpur police hotline at 03-21460584/0585 or any nearby police station on any suspected crime or fraudulent activities. – Bernama YouTuber fined RM2,500 for drug possession PETALING JAYA: YouTuber Noel Faizal was fined RM2,500 by the Magistrate’s Court yesterday after pleading guilty to possessing methamphetamine in the parking area of a condominium in March. Magistrate Muhammad Iskandar Zainol also ordered Noel Faizal, whose real name is Noel Faizal Firdaus Muhamad, 40, to be imprisoned for two months if he failed to pay the fine. According to the amended charge, Noel Faizal was accused of having in his possession 0.68g of methamphetamine in the parking area of a condominium in Damansara Perdana at 2.15am on March 21. Noel Faizal, who has 248,000 subscribers, was charged under Section 12 (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (Amendment 1980) and punishable under Section 12 (3) of the same Act, which provides for a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a maximum imprisonment of five years or both. – Bernama She had filed the application for leave to initiate a judicial review in the High Court on June 24, 2022, naming the attorney-general/public prosecutor, the government and Sri Ram as respondents. See said the panel agreed that Rosmah’s application was out of time as the application should have been filed within three months from the fiat (authorisation letter) was first sighted, Bernama reported. The judge also said there were no good grounds for the court to exercise its discretion to grant an extension of time to file the judicial review. Order 53 rule 3(6) of the Rules of Court 2012 provides that an application for judicial review shall be made promptly and in any event within three months from the date when the grounds for the application first arose or when the decision was first communicated to the person. In the application, Rosmah sought a declaration that Sri Ram’s appointment as senior deputy public prosecutor through three letters of appointment (fiat) dated July 8, 2020, May 11 and May 21, 2021 was unlawful. She also sought a declaration that the entire prosecution proceedings and full trial for her solar case, which took place from Nov 15, 2018 until the defence closed the case, were invalid and void and that she must be acquitted of all charges under Section 16 (a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act 2009. Prior to the judicial review, Rosmah had applied to disqualify Sri Ram but it was dismissed by Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, who presided over her trial. Her appeals to the Court of Appeal and Federal Court were also dismissed. On Sept 1, 2022, Mohamed Zaini found Rosmah guilty of the corruption charges and sentenced her to 10 years in jail and fined RM970 million. She then filed an appeal against her conviction and sentence and the Court of Appeal set four days, from July 11 to 14, to hear her appeal. Meanwhile, Rosmah’s counsel Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader told reporters that they will file an appeal against yesterday’s decision to the Federal Court. Rosmah is also represented by counsel Datuk Jagjit Singh while Senior Federal Counsel Shamsul Bolhassan and Liew Horng Bin acted for the respondents. FEAST FOR THE EYES ... Kek Chuan Road in Penang has been listed among ‘40 of the Most Beautiful Streets’ by New York-based interior decoration magazine House Beautiful. – MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN
6 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Beijing swelters in record-breaking temperatures BEIJING: Swathes of northern China sweltered in 40°C heat yesterday, weather data showed, as parts of Beijing and the nearby megacity of Tianjin recorded their highest temperatures for years. Scientists said rising global temperatures are aggravating extreme weather worldwide, and many countries in Asia have experienced deadly heatwaves and record temperatures in recent weeks. A weather station in Tanghekou in northern Beijing logged 41.8°C yesterday afternoon, making it the hottest place in the country, according to media outlet Beijing News. Another station in the south of the city chalked up its first 40°C day in nearly a decade, while highs of 40.6°C represented the hottest June day ever recorded in Tianjin’s Xiqing district. “It never used to get this hot in June before, but now it’s so hot my hands are trembling,” wrote one user on the Weibo social media platform. “Are there three suns blazing over Beijing right now? It’s hot enough to cause a breakdown,” wrote another. Beijing’s weather authority issued an orange warning for extreme heat and urged people to “avoid exercising outdoors for long periods and take effective measures to shield from the sun”. In Tianjin, where an orange alert was also in place, officials said the “general public (should) remain aware and take precautions” against heat-induced strokes. – AFP US rolls out red carpet for Modi with chips, jets investment WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden yesterday rolled out the red carpet for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with major deals on fighter-jet engines, semiconductors and space, as Washington bets big on New Delhi as a counterweight to China. Modi is being feted with the pomp of a state visit, only the third of Biden’s presidency, in a calculated show of full-throated US support, despite quiet unease over India’s refusal to break with Russia and what rights groups see as growing authoritarianism by the nationalist leader. He dined privately with Biden on Wednesday. Modi will address a joint session of Congress and return to the White House for a gala dinner, with First Lady Jill Biden tapping a star Californian plant-based chef, Nina Curtis, to cook for the strictly vegetarian prime minister. The White House said the two leaders will take questions from the press, while stopping short of calling the event a press conference. Modi has nearly always avoided unscripted interactions with reporters during his nine years in office. In one of the biggest deals of the visit, the US signed off on a technology transfer for engines as India begins producing homegrown fighter jets. General Electric will have the green light to produce its F414 engines jointly with state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics. In another agreement, US chip giant Micron will invest US$800 million in a semiconductor assembly and testing plant in India. A US official said the plant would advance a goal of diversifying supply chains of advanced semiconductors, as Biden leads a concerted effort to deny exports of top-end chips to China. India also agreed to join the Artemis Accords, a US-led multinational effort to put a human back on the Moon by 2025. – AFP B R I E F S POLICE PROBE SUSPECTED HOTEL CONMAN NEW DELHI: Indian police are investigating a suspected fraudster who spent nearly two years in a five-star hotel without paying after reportedly bribing staff to fix records, local media said yesterday. Ankush Dutta booked a room at Roseate House hotel in New Delhi on May 30, 2019 and was supposed to check out the next day. But he extended his stay for 603 nights until he left on Jan 22, 2021, leaving behind unpaid bills of US$70,000. “Accounts were falsified to conceal the actual outstanding dues,” the police complaint read, quoted by the Indian Express newspaper. Hotel managers also filed a police complaint against several employees for conspiracy, forgery and cheating. – AFP NZ BAULKS AT BIDEN’S XI ‘DICTATOR’ JIBE WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s prime minister said yesterday that he did not agree with US President Joe Biden equating China’s Xi Jinping with “dictators”, ahead of a visit to Beijing next week. Asked if he concurred with Biden’s assessment of Xi, Chris Hipkins said “no”, adding that “the form of government that China has is a matter for the Chinese people”. Hipkins is due to meet Xi next week when he leads a trade delegation to China, the first visit by a New Zealand leader since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost a quarter of New Zealand’s export earnings come from China, making it one of the Western nations most dependent on ties with Beijing. – AFP Restaurant explosion kills 31 in China oPolice detain nine, including eatery’s owner and staff Australia says Twitter is top platform for online hate CANBERRA: An Australian cyber regulator yesterday said it has demanded Twitter explain its handling of online hate as the microblog has become the country’s most complained-about platform since new owner Elon Musk lifted bans on a reported 62,000 accounts. The demand builds on a campaign by the eSafety Commissioner to make the website more accountable after Musk, one of the world’s richest people, bought it for US$44 billion in October with a promise to restore its commitment to free speech. The regulator has already called on Twitter to detail its handling of online child abuse material which it said has picked up on the website since Musk’s takeover and subsequent job losses, including content moderation roles. Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she has sent a legal notice to Twitter demanding an explanation after one-third of all complaints she received about online hate concerned Twitter, even though the platform has far fewer users than TikTok or Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. “Twitter appears to have dropped the ball on tackling hate,” Grant said in a statement, which noted that the platform had reportedly reinstated 62,000 banned accounts since Musk’s takeover, including high-profile accounts of individuals who espouse Nazi rhetoric. “We need accountability from these platforms and action to protect their users, and you cannot have accountability without transparency and that’s what legal notices like this one are designed to achieve.” Twitter must respond to the eSafety Commissioner within 28 days or face a fine of nearly A$700,000 (RM2.2 million) per day. It declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. The demand comes as Australia approaches a referendum this year on whether to recognise Indigenous people in the Constitution, prompting an increasingly intense debate about race. Prominent indigenous television host Stan Grant had cited targeted abuse on Twitter when he announced a break from the media last month, the commissioner noted. Specialist broadcaster National Indigenous Television also said it was taking a break from Twitter due to “the racism and hate that we experience every day on this platform”. – Reuters COOL FUN ... Participants splashing water during a ceremony in between races during the Dragon Boat Festival at Aberdeen fishing port in Hong Kong yesterday. – REUTERSPIC One video posted on social media showed two shirtless men, their trousers tattered and upper bodies covered in dust, crouching and standing dazed on a busy street sprayed with broken glass. Another clip showed fire engines and ambulances tearing through the streets nearby, flashing blue and red lights and sounding their sirens. The explosion at 8.40pm on Wednesday took place at the Fuyang Barbecue Restaurant in a residential area of downtown Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia autonomous region. President Xi Jinping “demanded all-out efforts in treating the wounded and the strengthening of safety supervision and management in key industries and fields to effectively protect people’s lives and property”, Xinhua said yesterday. Xi “urged efforts to ascertain the cause of the accident as soon as possible and hold the relevant people accountable in accordance with the law”, the agency said. “All regions and related departments should screen for and rectify all types of risks and hidden dangers,” Xinhua quoted him as saying. The Ministry of Emergency Management said local fire and rescue services had dispatched more than 100 people and 20 vehicles to the scene in the wake of the blast. The rescue efforts had concluded by 4am yesterday, it said. – AFP Nine people, including the restaurant’s “owner, shareholders and staff”, were held by police following the explosion, CCTV said, adding that “their assets have been frozen”. “A leak of liquefied petroleum gas ... caused an explosion during the operation of a barbecue restaurant,” state news agency Xinhua said of the Wednesday evening blast, citing the regional Communist Party committee. Seven more people were receiving medical treatment, the agency said, with one of them in a “critical condition”. Two others suffered severe burns, two had minor injuries and two had scratches caused by flying glass, Xinhua said. High school students and retirees were among the casualties, many of whom died due to suffocation likely caused by smoke inhalation, state-backed media outlet The Paper said, citing anonymous officials. BEIJING: At least 31 people were killed when an explosion caused by a gas leak ripped through a restaurant in the northwestern Chinese city of Yinchuan, state media said yesterday. The blast occurred on the eve of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, when many in China go out and socialise with friends. Footage on state broadcaster CCTV showed more than a dozen firefighters working at the site as smoke poured out of a gaping hole in the restaurant’s facade. Shards of glass and other debris littered the darkened street, which is also home to a number of other eateries and entertainment venues.
7 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 America approves lab-grown chicken for sale WASHINGTON: The United States has granted its first ever approvals to two companies to sell chicken grown directly from animal cells, becoming only the second country to allow lab-grown meat to be offered to consumers. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved food safety systems at facilities of Upside Foods and Good Meat, a spokesman for the agency told AFP on Wednesday, with the companies adding the products would be available soon at select restaurants. Both Upside Foods and Good Meat were cleared on safety grounds by the Food and Drug Administration in November, and the USDA last week reviewed and approved their product labels to ensure they were not misleading. “This approval will fundamentally change how meat makes it to our table,” said Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of Upside Foods, in a statement. “It’s a giant step forward towards a more sustainable future, one that preserves choice and life.” Josh Tetrick, CEO of Good Meat, the cell-cultured food division of Eat Just, added its “cultivated meat” was now “approved to sell to consumers in the world’s largest economy”. Producing the meat in large, high-quality volumes is expensive. But, following approval, Upside processed its first order, placed by three-Michelin-star Chef Dominique Crenn’s restaurant Bar Crenn in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Good Meat started production of its first batch that will be sold to celebrity chef and philanthropist Jose Andres. Andres will sell the product at a yet-to-be-revealed restaurant in the capital Washington. Several start-ups are aiming to produce the so-called lab-grown meat, which would allow humans to consume animal protein without the associated environmental harms of farming or animal suffering. The products differ from plant-based substitutes such as soy burgers that mimic the texture and flavour of meat but do not contain any animal protein. Eat Just was the first to receive authorisation to make artificial meat, in Singapore in 2020. Lab-grown meat involves first harvesting cells from a living animal or a fertilised egg, to establish a cell bank that can be kept for decades in deep freeze. They are then cultivated in steel tanks where they are fed nutrients similar to what animals would eat. After several weeks, the result product is “harvested” from the tank and molded into shapes, such as chicken filet or satay. – AFP Thefts from UK convenience stores at record levels LONDON: Theft from convenience stores in the UK reached record levels last year, according to a trade body, blaming criminal gangs and a cost-of-living crisis. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), which represents 48,000 stores, said there were more than 1.1 million incidents in the last 12 months. The most stolen items were higher value ones such as meat, alcohol and confectionery. Those responsible often had a drug or alcohol addiction, or were part of a wider organised group, the ACS said in a report. Retailers have now put anti-theft devices on high-value items, while in pharmacies some items such as make-up are no longer on display because of repeated theft. ACS chief executive James Lowman called the levels of theft “unprecedented”, blaming offenders who are known to police but can steal “without fear of reproach”. UK police have come in for criticism for not prioritising certain crimes, particularly theft of lower priced goods. Inflation remains stubbornly high in the UK and at 8.7% over the 12 months to May is the highest of any G7 country. The combination of high inflation and soaring energy prices caused by war in Ukraine has seen the cost of living ramp up, forcing many Britons to tighten their belts. The country has also been gripped by a wave of public and private sector strikes, with workers calling for pay increases to keep pace with prices. – AFP Pregnant US woman fatally shot by toddler son WASHINGTON: A pregnant woman and her unborn child died last week in the US state of Ohio after her two-year-old son shot her in the back with a handgun left loaded in the house, police said. Police chief David Smith told local media on Tuesday that 31-year-old Laura Ilg had called 911 on the afternoon of June 16. “She explained she was 33 weeks pregnant and her two-year-old had accidentally just shot her in the back with a firearm,” Smith said to local ABC affiliate News 5 Cleveland. Police on Friday arrived quickly at the home in Norwalk, Ohio, and Ilg was rushed to hospital, but her unborn baby could not be saved after an emergency c-section, he said. Ilg died from her injuries hours later, he added. The Norwalk Police Department said on its Facebook page that it offered “sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and all those affected by the tragic passing of the young mother and her unborn son”. Ilg was conscious when police arrived and told officers that her son had somehow gotten into the usually locked bedroom while she was doing laundry and started playing with the gun, according to Smith. He said police found a Sig Sauer Micro 9mm handgun on a nightstand as well as two other loaded firearms. Ilg’s husband, who was not at home at the time of the incident, said they belonged to him, according to media reports. About 40% of US households have guns, according to the Pew Research Centre. – AFP B R I E F SCALL FOR ‘FINANCE SHOCK’ AT CLIMATE SUMMIT PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron told global leaders yesterday that no country should have to choose between tackling poverty and dealing with climate change at a summit tasked with reimagining the world’s financial system. The Summit for a New Global Financial Pact is aimed at finding the financial solutions to the interlinked global goals of tackling poverty, curbing planet-heating emissions and protecting nature. In his opening remarks, Macron told delegates the world needs “public finance shock” to fight these challenges. “Policymakers and countries shouldn’t ever have to choose between reducing poverty and protecting the planet,” Macron said. – AFP PENTAGON LEAK SUSPECT PLEADS NOT GUILTY WASHINGTON: Jack Teixeira, the US airman accused of leaking top secret Pentagon documents in an online chat forum, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges that could send him to prison for decades. The Air National Guard IT specialist, 21, was arrested in April for allegedly orchestrating the most damaging leak of US classified documents in a decade. He is facing six counts of retaining and transmitting national defence information. They each carry sentences of up to 10 years in prison. Teixeira appeared before magistrate Judge David Hennessy in Massachusetts, and entered a plea of not guilty to each of the charges. – AFP Titanic sub search continues as oxygen runs out WASHINGTON: A massive search and rescue effort for a missing submersible near the wreck of the Titanic is in a critical stage, with just hours before its oxygen supply for the five people aboard is expected to run out. While coast guard officials insisted they remained “hopeful”, with a surge of assets and experts joining the operation and sonar picking up unidentified underwater noises, the challenge of locating and recovering the crew alive appeared increasingly formidable. Based on the sub’s capacity to hold up to 96 hours of emergency air, rescuers estimate that the passengers may run out of oxygen early today. Organisers of the multinational response – which includes US and Canadian military planes, coast guard ships and teleguided robots – are focusing their efforts in the North Atlantic close to the noises detected by sonar. This undated image courtesy of OceanGate Expeditions shows their Titan submersible launching from a platform. – AFPPIC oSurge in assets and experts joining operation An additional Canadian vessel carrying medical staff and a decompression chamber was en route to the area early yesterday, with Canadian media reporting it was not expected to arrive before midday. The sounds raised hopes that the passengers on the small tourist craft are still alive, though experts have not been able to confirm their source. “We don’t know what they are, to be frank with you,” said US Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick. “We have to remain optimistic and hopeful.” The submersible, named Titan, began its descent at 8am on Sunday and had been due to resurface seven hours later, according to the US Coast Guard. The 6.5m tourist craft lost communication with its mothership less than two hours into its trip to see the Titanic, which sits nearly 4km below the surface of the North Atlantic. Titan was carrying British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistani tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, who also have British citizenship. OceanGate Expeditions charges US$250,000 for a seat on the sub. Also on board is the company’s CEO Stockton Rush and French submarine operator Paul-Henri Nargeolet. Ships and planes have scoured 20,000 sq km of surface water – roughly the size of the US state of Massachusetts – for the vessel, which attempted to dive about 650km off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. After the noises were detected by a Canadian P-3 aircraft, rescuers relocated two remotely operated vehicles (ROV) that search under the water and one surface vessel with sonar capability. The ROV searches have not yielded results but data from the Canadian aircraft has been shared with US Navy experts for acoustics analysis. “There have been multiple reports of noises and every one of those noises is being analysed,” said Carl Hartsfield from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He added that the sounds were described as banging noises. – AFP
8 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 SPEAK UP /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM SCAN ME Bringing cricket back to the fold CRICKET is a sport that has played a significant role in my life from my schooldays right through to my pensioner days. My interest in the sport took off in 1966 when I was in Year 6. My classmate at the time was Clarence Samuel, whose father David Samuel, was the Pahang state cricket captain. In the summer of 1966, the West Indies led by great allrounder Garfield Sobers were touring England and played five test matches. We would be discussing the matches every day when the tests took place, which the Windies won 3-1. One test was a draw. During the 1960s, Raub was the hub of cricket activities in Pahang. With David leading the team in interstate matches, Clarence would be at the matches for sure as an official scorer. My brother, Gunarajan, being a cricket enthusiast, would take me along to watch the matches played at the town padang. My interest in the game blossomed from then on. Whenever I got the opportunity, I would be listening to the ball-by-ball commentaries of the test matches over the Blaupunkt valve-set radio, presented by Alan McGilvray and Christopher Martin-Jenkins at times way into the early hours of the morning while the rest were fast asleep. Clarence was an Australian supporter, as his uncles, Dr Sidney and Dr Reginald Ananda studied there while I was a staunch England fan as my sister did her teacher training in England. There was always a friendly rivalry between us both until Form 2 when I left for Kuantan as my father was transferred there. The naturally gifted Clarence’s development in cricket under the guidance of his dad improved by leaps and bounds, and he went on to represent Malaysia at the senior level. He was an ambidextrous allrounder, a leftarm medium-pace swing bowler, and a rightarm middle-order batsman. Clarence was inducted into the Malaysian Cricket Hall of Fame a few years back for his invaluable services to the nation. Mahmud Secondary School in Raub also awarded him a Posthumous Outstanding Mahmudian Award in 2022. I played cricket for Sultan Abu Bakar School in Kuantan at the Upper Secondary School level. I learnt the game more by watching others play as well as by playing the game. If comparisons were to be made, Clarence went on to play cricket at the highest level for Malaysia while I got to be a village cricketer, playing the game that I love at a social level. Frankly, my interest in the game was so fervent that my studies took a backseat from Form 1 onwards to the extent that it was a struggle for me at the tertiary level. Somehow the game of cricket has taught me to be resilient. It is a game that instils discipline and requires you to be focused at all times as one lapse in concentration may cost you your wicket, meaning to be struck out. I regrouped myself and got to complete my tertiary studies face-savingly. After passing with a Science degree with honours, I got to teach at the Bukit Bintang Boys’ School in Petaling Jaya. The principal David Boler, being an avid cricket fan, took me in as a temporary teacher. I took charge of the school team that became the Selangor Schools Champion, capturing the Vanderholt trophy, a fitting farewell to the principal who was retiring a few months later. When I was posted to Raub as a teacher, I got to revive the game there and had the opportunity to play at the “Raub Basin”, where 15 years earlier I witnessed interstate matches. The team made up of some former state players and cricket enthusiasts, was a closelyknit one. They were not the best players, as many of them had passed their prime. But, the camaraderie between them brought out the best in all of us, as the team spirit was of the highest order. I was an allrounder, of course not in the mould of my friend Clarence, but I did contribute much to the team with the ball and bat. Frankly, my forte was my fielding. I am not bragging when I say that I can take pride in having taken some great catches at slips and also in the outfield. I am a strong believer in the Pygmalion effect Syndrome, whereby subordinates appear to perform according to their manager’s perception of their abilities. In the team, I was given due importance and responsibility, and it brought out the best in me. I got to display my best cricket playing with them and even got the opportunity to represent the state a couple of times. It is just too bad that I get to watch live cricket matches over television only after my retirement from service. There are many things that I could have picked up by watching as well as listening to the knowledgeable commentators of the approach to the game as a whole. It would certainly have made me a better selfmade cricketer. On a different note, it is sad that cricket is an underrated sport in Malaysia, a game brought to the shores by the British. It does not get the following when compared with badminton and football. There are hardly any local spectators at cricket matches played in Malaysia. The spectators are normally the players themselves. To many, it is more a game played by eleven people under the blazing sun leather hunting, meaning, chasing a cricket ball for hours. Too bad this game requires discipline and total concentration, all the traits of characterbuilding. On the contrary, in India for instance, the game is played to a packed audience that includes a fair number of the fairer gender, including aunties and grandmothers, a family gathering of sorts who really know how to appreciate and enjoy the sport. Lastly, it would be apt if the Education Ministry works hand-in-glove with the Sports Ministry to bring back cricket to schools. All the past and current international cricketers and cricket enthusiasts would be everwilling to lend a helping hand for the good of the character-building gentlemen’s game. Comments: [email protected] Solidifying public policies through Madani, GREAT PUBLIC policy plays a crucial role in shaping the governance and development of a nation. In the case of Malaysia, a diverse and multi-ethnic country in Southeast Asia, public policy decisions are vital for addressing various political, socioeconomic and environmental matters. It has a wide array of implicit and explicit issues and challenges that need considerable attention from all strata of government as well as societal machinery to produce effective results. The current phase of globalisation and the speed of technological advances dictate that we should be ready and foresee the unforeseeable waiting ahead of us. Leading to central ones are: Diversity and inclusivity One of the fundamental challenges in Malaysian public policy is managing diversity and ensuring inclusivity. Malaysia is a multicultural society comprising Malay, Chinese, Indian and various indigenous populations. Public policies must strike a balance between the diverse needs and aspirations of these communities, promoting social cohesion and national unity. Safeguarding and protecting every need of society and concurrently avoiding sensitive issues are paramount for the nation’s total health. Economic development and redistribution Another critical aspect of public policy in Malaysia is achieving sustainable economic development and addressing income inequality. Policies that focus on equitable wealth distribution, poverty alleviation and job creation are essential to bridge the socioeconomic gap between different segments of society. Policies promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and investment can also stimulate economic growth and enhance Malaysia’s competitiveness in the global market. Education and human capital development Investing in high-quality education and human capital development is crucial for Malaysia’s long-term progress. Public policies should prioritise access to education, address educational disparities among different regions and communities and enhance the quality and relevance of the curriculum to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. Emphasising lifelong learning, vocational training, and technical skills development can empower individuals and contribute to the nation’s overall productivity. Sustainable environment and natural resources Preserving the environment and managing natural resources sustainably are pressing challenges for Malaysia. Effective public policies are needed to address issues such as deforestation, pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Encouraging sustainable practices, promoting renewable energy, implementing conservation measures, and enhancing environmental governance is essential for the longterm well-being of both people and the planet. Governance and transparency Ensuring good governance and promoting transparency is critical for effective public policy implementation. In recent years, Malaysia has made significant strides in enhancing governance mechanisms, fighting corruption, and promoting accountability. Continued efforts to strengthen institutions, foster transparency, and engage citizens in the policymaking process can further improve public trust and the overall effectiveness of policy outcomes. Taking cognisance of those issues, the prime minister affirmatively espoused a highly philosophical concept of Madani, the Malay acronym for SCRIPT which stands for sustainability, care and compassion, respect, innovation, prosperity, and trust. The SCRIPT policy framework focuses on current problems and requirements and the nation’s future needs and potentials. It aptly intertwined with the concept of GREAT strived by the Chief Secretary of the Government for the civil service. The acronym stands for good governance, responsible, empathy, accountability and tenacity of purpose, to be applied in the public sector and to solidify decisively all policies and implement them effectively. The values of GREAT essentially dovetail well with Madani, enforcing and enhancing each other as a whole. The interconnectedness of both frameworks will heal our nation with substantive reform and progress into a brighter future. Succinctly, public policies in the Malaysian context are a complex and dynamic field that requires careful consideration of diverse societal needs and aspirations. Addressing the challenges of diversity, economic development, education, environment and governance is crucial for sustainable and inclusive growth. By embracing both Madani and GREAT philosophies in the true sense, we can forge a path towards a prosperous and equitable future. With robust, evidence-based policymaking, meaningful stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to the public interest, Malaysia can navigate the complexities of public policy and strive towards a better tomorrow. Dr G Periasamy is a senior research fellow at the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN). Comments: [email protected] Unity govt must walk the talk on monopolies WHEN Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim came into office as the 10th Prime Minister, he vowed to go against monopolies and monopolistic tendencies in certain industries. Monopolies can emerge naturally in certain industries and should not all be painted as bad. For example, monopolies can guarantee industry stability that ensures stable employment. More often than not, governments create monopolies to ensure certain economic goals are met. For example, in Malaysia, we have Bernas for the import of rice, landline with Telekom Malaysia and motor vehicle inspection with Puspakom. However, when monopolies do not perform despite the advantages accorded to them, who suffers? It is the consumers. The system is so entrenched that monopolies only get bigger and they block potential entrants into the industry. Moreover, there are plenty of studies that have shown how monopolies stifle innovation and do not maximise their potential due to complacency. Rent-seeking behaviour is also rampant in monopolistic industries because there is predictability. Competition paves the way to innovation and keeps companies on their toes. In order to rebuild the Malaysian economy and enhance its resilience against future challenges, the unity government must have the political will to make tough decisions. While breaking existing monopolies may take a long time, the unity government led by Anwar must start now. It must also strengthen regulations on competition law to prevent the creation of new monopolies. But more importantly, it must have the political will to resist making new ones. I follow the developments surrounding the sugar industry which is an oligopoly or a duopoly to be exact. There are media reports stating that a prominent Malaysian businessman with deep ties to the government and existing interest in the sugar industry is interested in buying over the market leader. The recent sugar shortages in certain states should provide ample warning to the government that this very idea should never be entertained. The government should not be held ransom, especially in critical industries such as sugar. Instead, it should encourage competition and focus to build up the capacity to support the industry to grow, maximising potential. Therefore, it is a no-brainer that Anwar should not entertain the idea. Malaysia needs new ideas and a strong vision to rebuild the economy. Leaders must resist the temptation of reaching out to old playbooks such as creating monopolies and encouraging anticompetitive behaviours. We must open up the economy and grow our industries, most importantly we need our leaders to show leadership and do the right thing. Walk the talk and prioritise consumers and not big business interests. Muhammad Khalil Abdul Rahman Kota Damansara LETTERS [email protected] COMMENT by Thiagarajan Mathiaparanam COMMENT by Dr G Periasamy
ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 Energise your mornings with a breakfast blitz >>> Page S3
Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 S2 BREAKFAST, often hailed as the most important meal of the day, holds a significant place in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, skipping breakfast has become a common practise for many individuals. However, this neglect can have detrimental effects on physical and mental well-being. Here are some of the numerous benefits of having breakfast in the morning: It provides vital nutrients Breakfast serves as an opportunity to kickstart the day by supplying essential nutrients to the body. A wellbalanced breakfast that includes a variety of food groups—such as whole grains, fruits, dairy products, and lean proteins—provides a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients. Whole grains offer complex carbohydrates for sustained energy release, while fruits deliver essential vitamins and antioxidants. Dairy products like milk or yoghurt provide calcium for strong bones and teeth, and proteins aid in tissue repair and growth. These nutrients help replenish energy levels, maintain a healthy weight, and support proper bodily functions. It improves cognitive function Having breakfast in the morning has been linked to improved cognitive function and enhanced academic performance. A nutritious breakfast fuels the brain with glucose, its primary energy source, which aids concentration, memory retention, and problem-solving skills. Studies have consistently shown that students who eat breakfast perform better in academic tests, exhibit higher attention spans, and experience increased creativity. Additionally, consuming a breakfast rich in omega3 fatty acids, such as eggs or fish, can further boost cognitive function by supporting brain health and reducing inflammation. It increases metabolism and aids in weight management Contrary to popular belief, skipping breakfast does not aid in weight loss; in fact, it can have adverse effects on metabolism and weight management. By having a wellbalanced breakfast, you provide your body with the energy it needs to kickstart its metabolism and burn calories throughout the day. Food’s thermic effect, when combined with regular physical activity, helps with weight management and maintaining a healthy body composition. Furthermore, eating breakfast minimises the chances of overeating later in the day, preventing unhealthy snacking and encouraging portion control. Breakfast eaters have a lower body mass index (BMI) and are more successful at maintaining weight loss, 1. Breakfast provides the body with the necessary fuel to start the day. – ALL PIX BY FREEPIK oContinue reading to learn more about the significance of having breakfast in the morning. █ BYTHASHINE SELVAKUMARAN 2. Breakfast enhances focus and productivity. 4. Nourish your body with essential nutrients. according to research. It regulates blood sugar levels Breakfast plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels, particularly for individuals with diabetes or prediabetes. Eating a nutritious breakfast high in fibre, whole grains, and lean proteins helps stabilise blood glucose levels, preventing sudden spikes or crashes. This is particularly important for individuals with diabetes, as consistent blood sugar control reduces the risk of long-term complications. problems. A healthy breakfast can also enhance insulin sensitivity, helping the body use insulin more efficiently. Breakfast aids in overall energy balance, psychological stability, and reduced food cravings by keeping blood sugar levels consistent. It improves mood and mental wellbeing Starting the day with a healthy breakfast has been shown to improve mental wellness. Fruits, whole grains, and proteins are high in nutrients and provide the building blocks for the creation of neurotransmitters that govern mood, such as serotonin. A deficiency in these neurotransmitters is often associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders. Breakfast also helps to reduce irritability, weariness, and anxiety, creating a more optimistic outlook and mental stability. Breakfast sets the tone for the day by fueling the body and mind, increasing 3. Maintain a healthy weight with a balanced breakfast. productivity and emotional wellbeing. The importance of having breakfast in the morning cannot be overstated. It is a key component of a healthy lifestyle, giving multiple benefits ranging from basic nutrient provision to improved cognitive performance and overall well-being. By incorporating a balanced breakfast into our daily routine, we empower ourselves with the fuel needed to face the day’s challenges with clarity, focus, and energy. As the saying goes, “Breakfast like a king!” Let us make this vital meal a priority and reap the benefits for our physical, mental, and emotional health.
Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 S3 COFFEE lovers in the Klang Valley are in for a treat, as the region is home to a variety of exceptional coffee shops that cater to every preference and taste. Whether you are a coffee connoisseur looking for the perfect brew, a casual coffee drinker looking for a cosy ambiance, or an Instagram-savvy individual looking for aesthetically pleasing coffee creations, the Klang Valley has a coffee spot for everyone. In this article, we will look at some of the best coffee shops in the area, highlighting their unique offerings, ambiance, and overall experience. Kopi Saigon Kopi Saigon, born in the vibrant streets of Saigon, officially Ho Chi Minh City, offers a sensory journey like no other. Its uniqueness lies in both its bold flavour and the artistry of its preparation. Using robusta beans, abundantly grown in Vietnam, each sip of Kopi Saigon awakens the taste buds with remarkable intensity. Its rich, fullbodied flavour unveils a symphony of tastes, including alluring chocolate notes and delicate hints of nuttiness that dance on the palate. Beyond the beans, the brewing process of Kopi Saigon is elevated by the traditional Vietnamese coffee filter, known as the “phin.” As hot water slowly drips through finely ground coffee, a beautiful alchemy occurs, extracting the beans’ essence and creating a smooth, robust cup of coffee. The first Saigon Coffee store was located in Kampung Dato Harun, making it a historical landmark. The brand has now had seven Klang Valley locations since its June 2021 launch. Address: 31, Jalan PJS 2/2, PJ Seksyen 2C - 2D, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor The Daunkopi The Daunkopi, a well-known coffee shop in Kelana Jaya, has gained recognition for its distinctive offerings and welcoming atmosphere. Dedicated to offering a unique cup of coffee, The Daunkopi has captured the interest of coffee enthusiasts as well as curious people alike. Customers visiting The Daunkopi Kopi Saigon uses premium, halalcertified Robusta coffee beans of the highest quality. – FACEBOOK/@KO PISAIGON oThe BUZZ team takes you on a journey through exquisite brews █ BYHAZIQUE ZAIRLL This particular outlet provides a one-of-a-kind and innovative coffee experience.– INSTAGRAM/@THEDAUNKOPI Kopi Dua Darjat honours traditional coffee roots with a modern twist. – FACEBOOK/@KO PIDUADARJAT Browse their short but sweet menu of specialty coffee and modern fusion fare. – INSTAGRAM/@T HEBACKROOM Almost Human Club Coffee combines artistry, quality, and a touch of magic. – EATDRINKKL can expect to try a variety of innovative and creative coffee beverages, as they take pride in crafting beverages that excite the taste buds and stimulate the senses, ranging from traditional brews to novel combinations. If you are looking for a place to get your coffee fix that is a little out of the ordinary, look no further than TheDaunKopi. Enjoy the unique and delightful coffee journey that TheDaunKopi provides by experiencing the charm and innovation it brings to the coffee scene. Address: Jalan Bahagia SS5 , Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya Kopi Dua Darjat Kopi Dua Darjat offers a unique and captivating experience for coffee enthusiasts. In the current coffee culture, high-end cafes and espresso machines often dominate the scene, serving what is commonly known as third-wave coffee. Drinks like vanilla lattes, cappuccinos, and caramel macchiatos have become popular choices, especially among younger Malaysians. However, the founders of Kopi Dua Darjat wanted to bring back the nostalgia of “kopi kampung” (village coffee) in a more contemporary way. One of the specialties of Kopi Dua Darjat is their milk coffee, particularly their latte, which combines the flavours of village coffee with a touch of modernity. By adding syrups, caramel, milk, and vanilla to the menu, they create a delightful fusion of old and new, providing customers with an exciting range of choices. Despite starting its operations during the Movement Control Order (MCO), Kopi Dua Darjat has rapidly expanded and now boasts over 53 branches. So, if you’re looking for a memorable coffee experience that combines the best of village coffee with modern flavours, Kopi Dua Darjat is definitely worth a visit. Address: Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. The Backroom Coffee Backroom Coffee is a hidden gem that promises a memorable coffee experience for those looking for something out of the ordinary. This cafe, tucked away from the busy streets, is a haven for you to explore a world of flavours and aromas that will leave an indelible impression. Their dedication to sourcing and roasting high-quality beans results in a perfectly balanced brew that highlights the richness and complexity of flavours. The knowledgeable and passionate baristas at Backroom Coffee are committed to providing an exceptional coffee experience. The Backroom Coffee is the ideal place to go if you are looking for a secluded haven where the coffee is the star of the show. Address: 34A, 36A, 38A, 1st Floor, The Row KL, Jalan Doraisamy, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. Almost Human Club Almost Human Club is a discreet and charming establishment tucked away within KL Eco City Mall. This cosy spot has a simple menu of comfort food and fine drinks, perfect for a laid-back hangout. Their tagline, “51% human. 49% ugh,“ strikes a relatable chord, making it an ideal spot to escape the daily “ughs” and indulge in a brief coffee respite. Coffee lovers can choose from black or white coffee, roasted hazelnut lattes, and sparkling americanos. Non-coffee drinkers can indulge in tantalising matcha and hojicha drinks or explore the enticing variety of specialty thirstquenching concoctions. So, if you find yourself yearning for a break from the “ughs” of life, make your way to the Almost Human Club. Unwind in the cosy ambience, enjoy their exceptional coffee and beverage selection, and savour the delightful array of food options. Address: Lot G-20 KL Eco City Mall, Jalan Bangsar, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.
Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 S4 BREAKFAST has long been hailed as the most important meal of the day, providing us with the necessary energy and nutrients to kick-start our mornings. However, as society evolves, so do our eating habits and preferences. The future of breakfast holds the promise of exciting transformations, with innovations in technology, culinary creativity, and health consciousness set to revolutionise our morning routines. Technological advancements Technology is predicted to play a key influence in defining breakfasts in the future. Smart kitchen products, such as automatic toasters and coffee makers, will make breakfast preparation more convenient and time-efficient. We can envision a scenario where our coffee machines automatically prepare our favourite brew, tailored to our individual preferences, as soon as we step into the kitchen. Additionally, personalised dietary tracking apps and smart devices will provide tailored nutritional recommendations, ensuring our breakfast choices align with our individual health goals. These applications may analyse our body metrics, such as weight, activity levels, and medical conditions, and suggest personalised breakfast options that optimise our well-being. The integration of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies may revolutionise the breakfast experience by allowing us to virtually explore diverse culinary cultures. We could enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast in Tokyo or savour an Italian feast without leaving our homes. Such immersive experiences would foster cultural appreciation and expand our gastronomic horizons, making breakfast an exciting journey of flavours and traditions. The integration of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies may revolutionise the breakfast experience by allowing us to virtually explore diverse culinary cultures. We could enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast in Tokyo or savour an Italian feast without leaving our homes. Such immersive experiences would foster cultural appreciation and expand our gastronomic horizons, making breakfast an exciting journey of flavours and traditions. Furthermore, urban farming and vertical gardens will allow us to grow fresh produce within our homes, ensuring a steady supply of seasonal ingredients. This farm-to-table concept will not only promote sustainability but also enhance the flavour and nutritional value of our breakfasts, as freshly picked herbs and vegetables provide optimal taste and nutrients. Imagine plucking fresh basil leaves from your kitchen garden to top off your morning omelette or harvesting ripe strawberries for a refreshing breakfast smoothie. Customisation and personalisation The future of breakfasts will prioritise customisation and personalisation to cater to individual preferences and dietary needs. Automated meal planning services, powered by artificial intelligence algorithms, will curate personalised breakfast menus based on our health data, food allergies, and cultural preferences. These services will take into account factors like nutritional requirements, taste █ BYTHASHINE SELVAKUMARAN 1. Technological advancements in breakfast pave the way for a future where smart appliances enhance convenience. – ALL PIX BY FREEPIK 3. Automated meal planning services revolutionise breakfasts by curating personalised menus and simplifying nutrition choices. preferences, and time constraints to offer tailored breakfast options. The future of breakfast holds tremendous promise for transforming our mornings into nourishing and enjoyable experiences. As we embrace these changes, we can look forward to starting each day with a fulfilling and vibrant breakfast that fuels our bodies and sets the stage for a productive and enriching day ahead. The future of breakfast is not only about nourishment but also about fostering a deeper connection with our food, our health, and the world around us. By embracing these exciting developments, we can turn breakfast into a cherished ritual that sets the tone for a fulfilling and sustainable lifestyle. oTransforming our mornings into enjoyable experiences 2. Embracing plant-based products for breakfast promotes a sustainable and nourishing start to the day.
Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 S5 Easy breakfast recipes for everyone BREAKFAST has always been a vital part of anyone’s day, partly because it provides the necessary nutritional value to get through the day and partly because it is the only way to quiet the stomach’s frantic rumble. It didn’t get the moniker ‘The Most Important Meal of the Day’ for nothing. But while it is an important part of the day, not everyone can commit to it, either because of a medical reason, a busy life, or simply not knowing how to cook. Here are four simple recipes that anyone, whether a pro chef or an unskilled student, may create in the morning to make everyone’s mornings much nicer and less hungry: Toast with half-boiled eggs Half-boiled eggs with toast are an easy and filling recipe that should be at the top of this list. It’s created with basic materials and stages, but even if you skip a “crucial” step, it won’t matter much because you’ll still receive the same eggs with standard toast on the side. Ingredients 0 3 cups of water 0 2 eggs 0 Soy sauce 0 Ground pepper 0 Toast Instructions 1. Bring the water to a boil in a pot. 2. Once it’s boiling, turn off the stove and remove the pot from the stove. 3. Add the eggs to the hot water and cover the pot with a lid, letting them cook for about 7 minutes. 4. Once it is done, crack the eggs into a plate or bowl before adding some soy sauce and ground pepper on top. 5. Serve it with toast on the side. Breakfast in a mug All you need is a mug, and you are good to go! Well, with added things inside, of course. Breakfast in a mug has a few more ingredients than the first, and it requires some chopping, oRecipes ideal for cooking novices █ BYYASMIN ZULRAEZ Breakfast in a mug. – MRFOOD Fruit and yogurt parfait. – SWIRLSOFFLAVOR Toast with half-boiled eggs. – EATWHATTO NIGHT but it is by far the fastest one to make. You can practically sprinkle in your ingredients and let Chef Mic cook. Ingredients 0 egg 0 2 tablespoons of milk 0 Salt 0 Pepper 0 Veggies of your choice 0 Toppings of your choice 0 Shredded low-fat cheese of your choice 0 Chives Instructions 1. Add an egg, 2 tablespoons of milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a microwavable mug. 2. Whisk it till it is well incorporated, and then add in veggies of your choice (chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, etc.), chopped-up toppings of your choice (chicken, meat, ham, etc.), and shredded lowfat cheese of your choice. 3. Microwave the mug on high for 1 minute until the egg is fully cooked. 4. Garnish it with chives for a burst of colour and “All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” – PIC CREDIT TO 123RF Big breakfast burrito. – ONEUPONACHEF flavour. Fruit and yogurt parfait This one does not even require cooking, as all it needs are the ingredients as they are, just mixed together. Fruit and yoghurt parfaits are simple but filling and delicious. Ingredients 0 Fruits of your choice 0 Nuts of your choice 0 Sugar-free, low-fat yoghurt Instructions 1. Chopped-up fruits of your choice (apples, pears, strawberries, etc.) 2. Chopped-up nuts of your choice (walnuts, peanuts, cashews, etc.) 3. Put it all in a bowl and mix it all together. 4. Layer it with sugar-free, low-fat yoghurt. Big breakfast burrito While it may look like a lot, it is simpler than at first glance. This big breakfast burrito has a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps, but all it needs is a little bit of fire and a lot of mixing around before the grand finale, where everything lands in the same spot, all smooshed up together in one big deliciousness. Ingredients 0 Tomatoes 0 Onions 0 Herbs of your choice 0 Lemon juice 0 Salt 0 Pepper 0 Dried chilli flakes 0 Wholegrain tortilla wrap 0 2 eggs 0 Shredded low-fat cheese of your choice Instructions 1. Chop up some tomatoes, onions, and herbs of your choice (cilantro, etc.). 2. Toss and mix the tomato mixture with a bit of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 3. Add some dried chilli flakes if you like it spicy. 4. Lay out the tomato mixture on a wholegrain tortilla wrap. 5. Scramble up 2 eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. 6. Add the scrambled eggs next to the tomato mixture, along with some shredded low-fat cheese of your choice. 7. Wrap it all up together, feeling full and ready to be eaten. ALL PIX BY 123RF
ON FRIDAYJUNE 23, 2023 ► Contributing Editor: KESHY DHILLON / [email protected] ► Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 / +6012-580 3470 ► To advertise email: [email protected] Korean adventure adventure “CRAP, I may not make this turn, I’m going to make a fool of myself and fall off the bike,” I thought to myself as the group I was riding with suddenly made a hard right U-turn from the tarmac to cobbled stones with a steep drop connecting both terrains. I was part of a group of riders from South East Asia who were invited to ride the Husqvarna Norden 901 at the romantic island of Jeju, in Korea. I was the only one from Malaysia, so national pride rode on my shoulders as well. I did make the U-turn though. Helped in part by the Easy Shift system that the Norden came equipped with that lets the rider shift gears without engaging the clutch – allowing for quick gear shifts during acceleration or during awkward situations such as the one I found myself in. I quickly dropped gears from fourth to second, giving me the low-end torque I needed to coax the bike out of the challenge that lay ahead of me. I had 100Nm connected to my right hand, which was more than enough for me to simply light up the rear wheel and let the traction control do its job of giving me the right amount of grip I needed without hurting my pride. Then came the part where I worried about which trail to take to minimized the chances of the bike sliding away from underneath me. Good thing that the Norden weighs in at just 204kg (without fuel), which gives it impressive low speed stability. And most of the weight is centered at the bottom of the bike, which makes the top of the bike feel light and agile. This gave me the balance I needed to take my time to think things through. The last thing you want to do in such a situation is to rush a decision simply to end up dropping the bike. And so, it is important that the motorcycle understands that and keeps its balance. After spotting the tyre marks that the Korean and Vietnamese riders ahead of me had laid down, I followed suite. The WP front fork with its 220mm of travel soaked up the hard drop. It is manually adjustable for compression and preload, but even in factory setting, it was already doing a splendid job. Very little of the shock from the drop was transferred back to my arms. “That was too easy!” “Is the suspension too soft?” “Maybe I’ll scrape the underneath of the bike?” I was obviously freaking out inside my helmet. I don’t usually ride off-road, but it wasn’t exactly new territory. The basic idea is to always let the bike do what it wants to do and feel for grip with smooth throttle inputs to counter. But the Husqvarna (Husky for short) Norden 901 made mince of everything our ride threw at it. The rear monoshock from WP (adjustable as well) simply absorbed the drop and let the Pirelli Scorpion STR tyres sink in to maximise grip as I quickly got on the throttle to stabilise the bike and get it out of the mud and the cobble stones. The Husky has three riding modes – Offroad, Husqvarna Norden 901 the perfect machine for offroad fun █ KESHYDHILLON SPECIFICATIONS Engine: 889cc, Parallel 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC Power: 105hp @ 8000rpm Torque: 100Nm @ 6500rpm Gearbox: CVT with Torque Converter Suspension: 43mm WP Apex USD (Front) WP Apex Monoshock (Rear) Brakes: Radially mounted 4- piston caliper with twin 320mm discs (Front) / 2-piston floating caliper with single 260mm disc Capable of conquering everything in its path. Not many are familiar with the brand in Malaysia. The tall WP Suspension means the Norden can easily soak up anything the terrain throws at it. A twin piston floating caliper grabs a 260mm single disc that also offers ABS safety. Front wheels measure in at 21” and are wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tyres.
7 JUNE 23, 2023 The Husky has three riding modes – Offroad, Street and Rain – which is all you ever will need. The simpler the better, and that’s a salvo against those that offer up to six different modes. Why oh why!? Throughout the slippery bits, I was riding in offroad mode. This minimises the ABS brake interference that lets you lock up the rear wheel to slide around in sand and mud rather than consistently cutting off power. It also adjusts the throttle for a more linear response rather than a sharper, aggressive one that is better suited to road riding, which is where we came from before exploring Jeju’s forests and grasslands. The ride started off at the Ecoland Hotel, which is situated at a mountain top, far from Jeju’s popular beaches and crystalline sea water. But this provided an e x c e l l e n t opportunity to push the Husky in and out of corners. And again, it did not disappoint. The 889cc engine provides 105hp at 8000rpm, which basically means that it is a rev happy power unit. It is not a new engine though, since Husqvarna belongs to the same company that also owns KTM Motorcycles and GasGas – the Pierer Mobility Group AG. The engine also powers the likes of the KTM 890 Duke and 890 Adventure, though in a different state of tune. The Norden 901 is better suited to adventure touring and off-roading, while the KTM’s are better suited to tarmac riding with a sportier aggression. The Norden is a proper explorer, and it feels like it as soon as you get on the saddle. The handlebar is set up high, but it is adjustable for reach by up to 30mm. Why is this important? Well, you know how all our arms are not of equal length? Well, that’s why. So that it is easier for those with short or long arms to get comfortable on the Norden. Some bike makers force you to buy aftermarket accessories for this level of customisation. The Norden offers it right out of the factory. The seat is placed just 854mm off the ground, but for taller riders, that can be adjusted to 874mm. The seat itself is quite comfortable and is narrow at the point where the seat meets the tank. Not as narrow as that of a Honda Africa Twin or a Ducati Desert X, but good enough. This seemingly mundance feature is important because it makes it easier for shorter riders to get their feet on the ground when coming to a stop. Anyway, I was riding in Street mode throughout the journey on the road and never got to explore Rain. Street mode was already good enough to provide a balance of power and grip. With a lead rider who kept everyone’s speed in check, and very little time to acclimatise to riding on the wrong side of the road (Koreans ride on the right side of the road where else we Malaysians ride on the left), there really was no need to push the Norden more than what we were already doing. Besides, we were already riding faster than regular traffic and were happily carving up and down the mountain roads. It was fast enough to tell you that I wish the Norden came with a taller screen to keep the windblast away. But there’s an optional accessory that clips on to the existing screen and increases the overall length of the screen by a few centimeters. We did not get to sample that, but Husqvarna says it works well. We will have to take their word for it. We were also riding fast enough to lean the bike into corners and feel the knobby tyres dig deep. This is a not only a testament to the Husky’s applaudable all terrain character but is also the culmination of a great bike that runs on tyres that are perfectly at home in the mud as well as on the tarmac. The Norden 901 offers everything that makes a great Adventure bike. The only thing that might hold people back from it is the fact that not many are familiar with the Husqvarna brand. Which is a pity since the company has been around for about 300 years; starting off building muskets, later appliances and in the early 1900s, entered the then very young motorcycle industry. Perhaps some may find comfort knowing that it shares the same reliability with KTM, since most of the parts are shared anyway. It is features like its ride height, wheelbase, design and electronics that truly sets it apart and gives it its own character – that needs to be experienced for yourself to be appreciated. The Husqvarna Norden 901 is available in Malaysia for RM98,800. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a quick shifter system which Husqvarna calls Easy Shift. The 889cc engine makes 105hp and 100Nm of torque, and it offers three riding modes. The rear WP Suspension monoshock can be manually adjustable for preload. The seat is large and comfortable and sits 854mm off the ground but can be adjusted to 874mm for taller riders. The standard exhaust sounds great, but for those who like a sportier note, there’s aftermarket exhausts from Remus and Akrapovic. The colourised TFT screen offers great visibility even when there’s glare. LED headlight and tail lights for maximum visibility in all conditions. Norden means North in Swedish, which is where Husqvarna hails from.
BRABUS is usually synonymous with high end luxury and performance cars. But since last year, Brabus has been modifying high performance KTM motorcycles and sprinkling the bikes with their own version of luxury and high performance. Working exclusively with KTM Motorcycles, Brabus has created what it describes as “an undeniably statement of style and individuality”. Officially called the Brabus 1300R Edition 23, the exclusive ultra limited-edition motorcycle has officially been launched in Malaysia with a price of RM430,000. There are only 290 units available worldwide, and because there are only two colours available - Superblack and Stealth Gray - each colour will be limited to just 145 units. The colour allocated for the Malaysian market is the Superblack. Underpinning the Brabus 1300R Edition 23 is a KTM 1290 Super Duke R EVO. The Brabus shares its technical and electronics package with the KTM and as such, is powered by the same 1,301cc LC8 V-Twin engine putting out 180hp at 9500rpm and 140Nm of torque at 8000rpm. With that much power and just 194kg of dry weight to manage, the 1300R is capable of a 0- 100kph sprint in just 3.2 seconds and reaches a maximum velocity of 270kph. The Brabus is mostly an aesthetics exercise, but judging from sheer drama the bike has to offer, that is not a bad thing. Lets break it down: 1. Round headlight This is probably the biggest design update besides the carbon fibre body work. KTM says the headlight has been specifically designed to reminisce styling cues found within a selection of Brabus supercars, most notable the Brabus 900 Rocket Edition and the Brabus 900 XLP. 2. Carbon fibre elements Brabus and carbon fibre are synonymous and the 1300R Edition 23 is no different. The lateral air ducts, headlight mask and the belly pan are all manufactured from lightweight and ultrasong carbon fibre. 3. Custom heated seat Specially developed to under the luxurious character of the bike, it also offers the same diamond design and “crest” stitching pattern as some of the Brabus supercars. It offers a high level of grip and sits 845mm off the ground. 4. Carbon fibre under tray The under tray of the bike is composed of a single piece of carbon and weighs in at just 800g and is neatly integrated into the single seat tail. 5. Pillion seat cover This is part of the 1300R Edition 23’s sporty and aggressive flair. The ultra-lightweight carbon fibre one-piece undertray now features an allnew pillion seat cover. This matches the body colour which Brabus says gives the 1300R Edition 23 a more compact and powerful silhouette. 6. Adjustable footpads The bespoke footpads were CNC-machined from high-strength aluminium with a carbon fibre heel guard. It offers 12 levels of adjustability and is tastefully rounded off by a premium black and silver colour scheme. 7. CNC-machined triple clamp The triple clamp was specifically designed for the Brabus 1300R Edition 23. It is enhanced for weight and stiffness while maintaining a 32mm offset. It also ensures less friction in the fork clamping area and provides better pressure distribution. 8. Adjustable brake and clutch levers The brake and clutch lever of the bike have been CNC machined and are fully adjustable. Both levers offer three mounting positions for length and height adjustability – including the option for a reverse shift pattern. 9. Machined reservoirs and oil tanks caps No update is complete without an updated to the reservoirs and oil tank caps. As such, the Brabus 1300R Edition 23’s cockpit is rounded off by CNC-machined reservoirs that have been manufactured from billet aluminium. 10. Slip-On double-pipe exhaust This is a hallmark of Brabus products since 1977. The 1300R Edition 23 offers a distinctive sound from an expertly engineered, performance-orientated design. The unique exhaust features a double-pipe design that underlines the powerful but unconventional character of the motorcycle. The Brabus 1300R Edition 23 holds a unique place in the Malaysian motorcycle industry, and because there is only one available in the country, it is also extremely rare. █ BYKESHY DHILLON Puspakom introduces approved ‘runner’ service PUSPAKOM is concerned about some runners who take advantage of drivers by demanding exorbitant costs and giving incorrect information. Puspakom claimed that many of its clients who hired runners for car inspection-related issues at its branches experienced this. “The customer then files a complaint saying that Puspakom is not transparent. As a result, Puspakom has got a bad image,” it said in a statement. The corporation has recently launched the Puspakom Approved Customer Representative (PAR) initiative to address the issue of runners or middlemen manipulating service charges. Puspakom will use this system to do background checks on all runners with the assistance of the appropriate authorities. Those that make it through the screening process are recorded as PARs. Customers who want to employ runners’ services can consult the website’s list of registered PAR. In order to protect their own safety, Puspakom stated that it advised drivers to stop by one of its many branches for a vehicle inspection. Why are customers encouraged to use PAR? 0PAR has undergone a vetting process by Puspakom with cooperation from the relevant authorities 0Transparency of information related to fees 0Able to provide feedback on the services of the PAR Every transaction or transaction agreement (whether in writing or not) between the Client and PAR: 0Is a personal transaction beyond the control of Puspakom, made with the consent of the Customer 0 Is not monitored and controlled by Puspakom 0 Puspakom does not provide any commission to PAR 0 Puspakom does not accept any commission from PAR 0Customers are at their own risk when agreeing to get the services of third-party representatives (whether registered or not) New Suzuki Jimny Rhino edition launched NEARLY two years following the Suzuki Jimny’s comeback to the Malaysian market, Naza Eastern Motors Sdn Bhd has released the Jimny Rhino edition. This limited-edition model intends to revive consumer interest in Suzuki’s famous Jimny and give buyers a unique ownership experience. A Jimny Lifestyle Drive was held to mark the debut of this new edition. Mohamad Irwan Shahril, chief operating officer of Naza Eastern Motors, and more than 30 Jimny owners participated in a convoy drive from the Suzuki Cars Petaling Jaya showroom to the Malaysia 4WD Training & Experience Centre (M4TREC) in Semenyih where the Jimny Rhino Edition was unveiled. This was followed by an offroad demonstration and exercise by instructors. The “Real Off-Roader” and rhino graphic decals running across the hood and profile in red, grey, and black are the main attraction. The Suzuki Heritage grille, which complements the chrome side mirrors, and the front and side bumper under garnish are examples of nostalgic elements. The rear spare tyre cover with the Rhino logo and the red mud flaps with white “Jimny” writing are other throwback design elements. Additional weather protection is provided in the form of front and rear differential guards as well as rain and wind deflectors. All current Jimny owners will be able to purchase the RM15,000 Jimny Rhino Kit version, which comes with the same enhancements as the new variant. “This programme demonstrates our dedication to enhancing the ownership experience and giving customers the chance to customise their cars the way they choose,” Mohamad Irwan said “Suzuki Cars Malaysia aims to strengthen its brand loyalty and customer retention by providing exceptional experiences for Jimny owners.” The Suzuki Jimny All Grip was originally introduced by Naza Eastern Motors in July 2021 with a limited palette of colours. With only 30 units being produced, the Jimny Rhino edition is now readily accessible in pure pearl white and features the recognisable Rhino logomark that honours the history of the Suzuki SJ series and the second generation Jimny, which made its debut 41 years ago. The Jimny Rhino edition is priced at RM174,900 before insurance and is now available for viewing at Suzuki Cars Petaling Jaya showroom. 8 JUNE 23, 2023 Lexus wins again PERHAPS the most significant factor for any car purchase is reliability. Nobody likes to waste their valuable time and money on costly repairs or to be stranded at the side of the road waiting for help. The UK’s automobile owners claim that a Lexus offers the least chance of all things happening. Because of this, the Japanese premium automaker has been awarded as the winner of Most Reliable Car Brand at the 2023 Auto Trader New Car Awards. It has won the title four times in the past five years, which is based on the opinions and experiences of more than 220,000 UK car owners who participated in Auto Trader’s yearly poll. Erin Baker, Auto Trader Editorial Director, said “Quality, reliability and comfort were three characteristics that came out of our survey. “As one owner said – ‘I wish that I had bought a Lexus years ago, it’s the best car that I have driven and I would never go back to another model’.” “In a fast-changing and highly competitive market, reliability remains a top priority for customers. It’s a quality that has always been at the heart of Lexus and it remains so as we deliver our new generation of electrified models. Receiving this award for a fourth time reflects the enduring strength of our reputation with customers who put their trust in our cars and services,” said Chris Hayes, director of Lexus in the UK. For Malaysia, all Lexus vehicles come with a warranty against manufacturer defects for 5 years with unlimited mileage. In the event that a part proves to be defective, Lexus Malaysia will cover the cost of the necessary repairs and replacements. In addition to that, on Lexus models that are currently covered by a 3-year/100,000km warranty plan, you have the choice to extend your coverage for an additional 24 months from the date of registration, or when you hit that 100,000km mark. Only one for Malaysia Exclusive ultra limited-edition Brabus motorcycle priced at RM430,000
KLCI 1,394.67 1.22 STI 3,222.43 HANG SENG SCI 11.07 NIKKEI 33,264.88 310.26 TSEC KOSPI 2,593.70 CLOSED S&P/ASX200 7,195.50 FRIDAY JUNE 23, 2023 Editorial: Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] Advertising Tel: 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] 5 MOST ACTIVES June 22, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (sen) +/– (sen) TANCO-WC 106,060,000 21.5 +1.5 WIDAD 67,498,600 42.0 -0.5 ARMADA 56,813,700 47.5 -1.0 SCIB 55,236,300 42.5 -2.0 VS-WB 44,834,400 3.5 UNCH EXCHANGERATES JUNE 22, 2023 Foreign currency Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy TT/OD TT OD 1 US DOLLAR 4.7095 4.5755 4.5660 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 3.2210 3.0950 3.0590 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 3.5130 3.4120 3.3970 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.5760 3.4820 3.4520 1 EURO 5.1850 5.0180 4.9660 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.9380 2.8300 2.7950 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 3.5130 3.4120 3.3970 1 STERLING POUND 6.0290 5.8420 5.7900 1 SWISS FRANC 5.2710 5.1510 5.0990 100 UAE DIRHAM 129.8000 123.0900 122.9000 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 4.4290 4.1560 3.9560 100 CHINESE RENMINBI 66.0800 63.2900 N/A 100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 60.8400 57.8200 57.6500 100 INDIAN RUPEE 5.8500 5.4900 5.2900 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0327 0.0297 0.0245 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.3330 3.2290 3.2090 100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR N/A N/A N/A 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 1.6700 1.5600 1.3700 100 PHILIPPINE PESO 8.5900 8.1000 7.8900 100 QATAR RIYAL 130.7700 124.1500 123.9900 100 SAUDI RIYAL 127.0100 120.5700 120.4100 100 THAI BAHT 14.1300 12.5400 12.1300 Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama KL MARKET SUMMARY June 22, 2023 INDICES CHANGE FBMEMAS 10,251.10 +0.64 FBMKLCI 1,394.67 +1.22 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 549.12 -3.28 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 158.89 -0.40 CONSTRUCTION 159.08 +0.30 FINANCIAL SERVICES 15,525.50 +53.22 ENERGY 788.54 +4.65 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 587.58 +0.62 HEALTH CARE 1,705.13 -12.30 TRANSPORTATION 907.64 +3.03 PROPERTY 690.79 +2.61 PLANTATION 6,692.86 -31.50 FBMSHA 10,515.60 -0.72 FBMACE 5,110.48 +22.46 TECHNOLOGY 61.72 -0.34 TURNOVER VALUE 2.155 BIL RM1.593 BIL 5 TOP GAINERS June 22, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM APB 3,605,200 2.53 +0.30 HLBANK 486,900 19.04 +0.30 PANAMY 19,200 20.10 +0.30 HSI-COU 26,100 0.40 +0.20 IMASPRO 298,900 5.61 +0.16 5 TOP LOSERS June 22, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM PETDAG 137,600 21.94 -0.56 DLADY 23,400 23.66 -0.34 HEIM 47,800 26.66 -0.30 RAPID 48,900 20.90 -0.28 PERTAMA 5,300,400 2.74 -0.25 Pertama Digital drops plan to set up neobank PETALING JAYA: Pertama Digital Bhd has decided to redirect its focus towards bolstering the government’s digital initiatives, scrapping its neobank project announced last year. CEO Saifullah Akhtar stated that this shift is in response to Malaysia’s accelerated digitalisation efforts which present significant opportunities for the company. On why it decided to discontinue the neobank plan, he said, “When it comes to something heavily regulated like neobank, even the term ‘neobank’ is protected as Bank Negara Malaysia does not want nonbanks to represent themselves as banks. “We have observed a significant influx of capital from our competitors into retail digital banking. This includes the five licensees (digital banks), e-wallets, and incumbent banks engaging in internet banking and related activities,” he told reporters after Pertama Digital’s AGM yesterday. Saifullah said that while certain areas in the banking sector are adequately served, business banking and government banking remain outdated, resembling practices in the 1990s. “Therefore, what we are planning to do now is work with existing banks to help them to become more competitive when it comes to their integration with companies,” he added. Regarding its regularisation plan, CFO Sivabalan Poobalasingam said Pertama Digital may consider scaling up its existing businesses or exploring potential acquisition opportunities. “One is we can scale up our existing business and also roll out new products and services, which we are doing. These initiatives are within the confines of existing business and will get us into profitability in From left: Saifullah, director Tun Zaki Azmi and chairman Datuk Ahmad Nazri Abdullah at the press conference. oShifts focus to supporting govt digital initiatives, working with banks to help them become more competitive █ BYHAYATUN RAZAK [email protected] Eight new unit trust funds available on GOinvest PETALING JAYA: TNG Digital Sdn Bhd in partnership with Principal Asset Management Bhd (Principal Malaysia) yesterday introduced eight unit trust funds via GOinvest, a digital investment platform on Touch ‘n Go eWallet. Touch ‘n Go eWallet users can start investing in the unit trust funds from as low as RM10 with no lock-in period or capped amount. Users can set up a regular savings plan via the Auto Cash-In function to invest a fixed amount every month to average down the risk for stable returns. The eight unit trust funds are a mix of conventional and syariah-compliant funds, based on a mid to longer-term investment period with historical returns of up to 12.35%* per annum (based on a three-year annualised returns performance as of March 31, 2023). TNG Digital CEO Alan Ni said, “We launched GOinvest in July 2022, disrupting the market to offer affordable investment solutions that could be conveniently accessed by all Malaysians, and giving them the flexibility to invest effortlessly anytime and anywhere through Touch ‘n Go eWallet.” He added that the Principal Islamic Money Market Fund was their primary product offering, and it has served over 100,000 users. “We are pleased to partner with Principal Malaysia, one of our trusted and long-time partners, to provide eight more product options to our users. We will continue to work with Principal Malaysia to introduce more inclusive investment products that can inculcate good savings and investing habits for all Malaysians,” said Ni. According to Munirah Khairuddin, CEO and country head of Principal Malaysia, and head of group Islamic business, “Our purpose centres around providing financial security to more Malaysians, and we are fully committed to bringing in more value whilst empowering Malaysians with the right tools and support for a successful investment journey.” Through their partnership with TNG Digital, Munirah said, they have curated eight additional Principal funds that allow users access to international and local investment opportunities. 1.23 119.40 CLOSED CLOSED Q4’23 and Q1’24. Secondly, we are looking at acquisition possibilities. For this purpose we are doing capital raising. “The first tranche of the capital raising is ongoing. We got the approval from Bursa Malaysia for the first tranche of fundraising last week which we partnered with Macquarie Bank. And the second tranche of capital raising would be packaged together with any potential acquisition that we would then submit the regularisation plan to Bursa for approval,” Sivabalan said. In a Bursa filing on May 23, 2023, the company said the Malaysian government acknowledges the IT sector as crucial for socio-economic growth and has launched the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDigital) to stimulate the sector and promote digitalisation across industries. “Many of (the government’s) MyDigital objectives align with the group’s business plans. Leveraging support from public agencies, the group plans to incorporate all government digital initiatives into its strategies and actively participate in executing the MyDigital blueprint. “The group is committed to remaining relevant to national goals by proposing innovative, risk-managed solutions, backed by robust executive capabilities. Recognising the challenges faced by those with limited digital skills in adapting to the new digital economy, the group’s key goal is to identify and assist this demographic. The company, through DVSB, is implementing the ‘coin conversion project’,” it said. This initiative involves placing kiosks at selected commercial areas where the general public, including retailers and consumers, can sell their Malaysian coins in exchange for money. The funds will be credited to their respective bank accounts using the company’s mobile application called ‘MyPay.’ Alternatively, individuals can purchase coins from these kiosks. The company generates transaction fees based on the total value of coins bought or sold through the kiosks by the public. “The project aims to establish a sustainable ecosystem for the recirculation of used coins, as they hold monetary value and are commonly used in daily cash transactions. As a result, there is expected to be a positive demand for these coin conversion services,” it stated in the filing. Additionally, the company operates several other services. These include the Malaysian government SMS gateway known as mySMS 15888, MyPay (a mobile application facilitating check-and-pay transactions with government agencies), and eJamin (a digital bail payment solution used in Malaysian criminal courts). “With further plans in development, which will be announced at the appropriate time, the mobile and digital solutions businesses of the group have a promising outlook,” the company said in the filing. Participation 37.7 27.8 34.5 100.0 Institutions Retail Foreign Bought RM m 612.0 438.7 542.5 1593.2 Sold RM m 588.9 446.6 557.7 1593.2 Net RM m 23.1 -7.9 -15.2 0 % 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) 22/06/2023
10 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 SUNBIZ @thesundaily FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM SCAN ME Malaysia’s 2022 services exports jump to RM140.3b PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s total trade in services accounted for RM336.9 billion in 2022, contributing 18.8% to gross domestic product (GDP) at current prices. The deficit in services trade narrowed to RM56.4 billion as against the previous year, supported by the resilient performance of travel, the Department of Statistics, Malaysia (DoSM) reported yesterday. According to DoSM, “The lower deficit in Malaysia’s services trade as compared to the previous year was still higher than the prepandemic level of RM10.9 billion deficits in 2019. It was notable that exports of services grew faster than import growth in 2022, a significant increase from RM88.1 billion in the previous year to RM140.3 billion. Meanwhile, imports of services rose from RM153.7 billion to RM196.7 billion in 2022.” Travel, which served as the cornerstone of Malaysia’s services sector before the pandemic, resurged in 2022 by playing a vital role in driving the country’s trade in services performance. Exports of this component exhibited favourable signs of recovery registering RM28.4 billion, oTotal trade in sector amounted to RM336.9b, contributing 18.8% to gross domestic product a significant increase from RM0.3 billion in the previous year. Similarly, imports of travel also showed an upward trend, reaching RM29.5 billion compared with RM15.2 billion in the previous year. However, despite the positive growth, the value of exports and imports remains considerably lower than the pre-pandemic peak of RM82.1 billion and RM51.3 billion in 2019, respectively. Travel improved to record a lower deficit of RM1.2 billion as against RM14.9 billion in 2021, said DoSM. In addition, the manufacturing services on physical inputs owned by others contributed to the narrowing deficit in Malaysia’s services trade. This component achieved a surplus of RM16.3 billion, marking the highest surplus recorded in the past 10 years. Exports of this component were valued at RM20.1 billion, while imports was RM3.9 billion. DoSM explained that the other business services surpassed travel since 2019 by dominating exports of services in 2022. This component recorded an export value of RM31.4 billion and imports of RM46.0 billion, resulting a higher deficit of RM14.6 billion in 2022. Transport recorded a deficit of RM34 billion in 2022 attributed to higher payments made across all mode of transport, especially for freight activities. Exports of transport surged by 55.4% year-on-year to reach RM25.6 billion. This was resulting from the reopening of Malaysia’s border to all international visitors from April 1, 2022, which stimulated the growth of air passenger transport exports throughout 2022. In the meantime, imports of transport accelerated by 23.4% from RM48.3 billion in the previous year to RM59.6 billion. DoSM also highlighted that the adaptation of digital is becoming crucial for business development, which was exhibited by telecommunications, computer and information services statistics. Both exports and imports of this component showed an upward trend over the five-year period. Exports reached RM15.9 billion and imports were worth RM18.3 billion in 2022. As a result, this component logged a lower deficit of RM2.3 billion in 2022 compared with a deficit of RM3.8 billion in the previous year. “Overall, Malaysia’s services trade demonstrated resilience and progress in 2022. The travel sector plays integral role in driving positive growth and narrowing the trade deficit. “With full reopening of borders by countries worldwide in 2022, there were high expectations for a swift recovery in travel exports, leading to a return to near prepandemic levels. This resurgence in the travel sector is anticipated to reestablish it as the primary driver of Malaysia’s services sector, consequently contributing to the mitigation of the services trade deficit,” DoSM said. Allianz Malaysia outlines 3 strategic pillars – growth, margin expansion, capital efficiency KUALA LUMPUR: Allianz Malaysia Bhd (Allianz Malaysia) will focus on value creation for its life insurance and general insurance operations this year, with key initiatives under three strategic pillars – growth, margin expansion and capital efficiency, said Allianz Life Insurance Malaysia Bhd (Allianz Life) CEO Charles Ong. “Number one is growth, we still want to expand our agency. We From left: Ong, Wang and Allianz Malaysia chief financial officer Guilio Slavich at the post-AGM press conference. █ BYGLORIA HARRY BEATTY [email protected] want to intensify our recruitment, (encourage) our agents to adopt digital usage, expand our bancassurance partnership with (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp Ltd) HSBC and employee benefits is also another area,” Ong told reporters during a press conference after Allianz’s 49th AGM yesterday. On margin expansion, the group aims to enhance its returns such as improving pricing, underwriting and claims processes as well as managing its investment portfolio. “We want to ensure that we continue to sell our portfolio, with strong margins. Protection business is one of them and we want to encourage our agents to sell more protection riders. This will give our customers a comprehensive insurance coverage,” said Ong. The group consistently seeks ways to effectively deploy its capital, which entails allocating resources into innovative and capital-efficient business models and solutions. Allianz Malaysia CEO Sean Wang said that going into 2023, it noted that certain sectors of the economy have recovered while others continue to gain upward momentum. “We expect the business of Allianz General to grow in tandem with domestic product growth as we continue to carry out the delivery of products and services that address the needs of our customers,” he said. For the life business, he said the group foresees Allianz Life performing well and restoring growth on the back of its strong distribution channels and products. The group recorded RM6.02 billion in gross written premiums for financial year 2022, 5.8% growth compared with RM5.69 billion in FY21. For its first quarter ended March 31, 2023, the insurer’s net profit increased 14.71% to RM172.69 million compared with RM150.54 million in its corresponding quarter in the previous year. Revenue rose 9.24% to RM1.16 billion from RM1.06 billion previously. Allianz Malaysia is an investment holding company with two wholly owned subsidiaries, Allianz Life and Allianz General. Mah Sing on sound financial footing, cash position stands at RM900.6 million PETALING JAYA: Riding on the success of its affordable M Series and good market outlook for affordably priced properties, Mah Sing Group Bhd is confident of achieving its 2023 target of RM2.2 billion property sales, having locked in RM600.6 million sales in the first quarter of 2023. During Mah Sing’s 31st AGM in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, the management briefed shareholders on the company’s initiatives, market outlook, operational performance, and strategy – via live streaming. Mah Sing continues to maintain a strong liquidity and balance sheet position with low net gearing of 0.2 times as at March 31, 2023. Total vacant possession (VP) funds from completion of properties for 2023 and 2024 amount to about RM500 million and RM440 million respectively, which should boost cash position of the group. The latest cash and bank balances and investment short-term funds were about RM900.6 million as at to-date. Shareholders approved all the resolutions which include a first and final dividend of three sen per ordinary share for financial year 2022. Mah Sing has been consistently paying dividend rates for minimum 40% of net profit for the 17 consecutive years. The long dividend payout track record is further proof that Mah Sing is committed to staying consistent, resilient and dependable in the long term. Moving forward, Mah Sing is adopting the Task Force on ClimateRelated Financial Disclosures reporting framework to strengthen their process for evaluating, monitoring, and measuring material environmental, social and governance-related issues and risks. At the AGM, all resolutions were approved by the shareholders. Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob did not offer herself for re-election and has officially retired from her positions as director and chairperson. Effective Aug 1, the new chairperson will be Admiral (R) Tan Sri Abu Bakar Abdul Jamal. Pos Malaysia partners Yinson to install EV chargers at post offices PETALING JAYA: Pos Malaysia Bhd yesterday partnered with Yinson GreenTech (YGT) for the launch of the electric vehicle (EV) charging stations powered by chargEV, the country’s largest EV charging network and charge point operator. EV-charging stations are now available daily from 7am to 11pm at six Pos Malaysia post offices - Shah Alam, Ipoh, Malacca, Seremban, Alor Setar and Johor Bahru. These chargers will be installed in phases, with plans to expand to additional post offices, ensuring greater accessibility for EV owners and supporting the growing number of electric vehicles in the country. Each outlet features 1 DC charger with two CCS2-type nozzles (fast charging) with 40kW power. Charging an EV up to 80% will require anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on the model of the EV. The chargEV chargers are designed to provide Pos Malaysia EV users with an optimal charging experience, delivering efficient and reliable charging performance. In parallel with this development and recent net-zero goals, Pos Malaysia recently deployed over 40 e-Bikes to deliver mail and parcels across the Klang Valley carbon-free. By the end of 2023, Pos Malaysia aims to have a combination of more than 200 e-Bikes and 140 e-Vans, across Peninsular Malaysia. B R I E F SBANK NEGARA: US$113B IN INTERNATIONAL RESERVES ON JUNE 15 KUALA LUMPUR: The international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) amounted to US$113 billion as at June 15, 2023, the central bank said. “The reserves position is sufficient to finance 4.8 months of imports of goods and services and is one time the total short-term external debt,” it said in a statement yesterday. The main components were foreign currency reserves (US$100.2 billion), International Monetary Fund reserves position (US$1.4 billion), special drawing rights (SDR) (US$5.8 billion), gold (US$2.5 billion) and other reserve assets (US$3 billion). – Bernama GENTING MALAYSIA’S US$1.22B MIAMI LAND SALE FALLS THROUGH KUALA LUMPUR: Genting Malaysia Bhd (GenM) announced that Smart Miami City LLC has called off its bid for land owned by GenM’s wholly owned subsidiary, Resorts World Miami LLC. in the United States. “Nevertheless, the purchaser remains interested in the land,“ GenM said in a filing yesterday. On April 27, GenM announced that Resorts World Miami had entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement with Smart Miami City for the disposal of four parcels of land, collectively known as the Miami Herald Land, for US$1.22 billion (RM5.67 billion). – Bernama
11 * SUNBIZ theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 READ OUR HERE /thesundaily SCAN ME KUALA LUMPUR: For the financial year ended April 30, 2023 (FY23), Glomac Bhd reported group revenue of RM341 million, representing 31% growth compared with RM259.5 million reported in the corresponding period of FY22. Fourth-quarter (Q4’23) group revenue jumped 78% year-on-year to RM131.1 million. The stronger revenue was mainly underpinned by steady construction activities from ongoing development projects, including current phases at Saujana Perdana township in Sungai Buloh, as well as Plaza@Kelana Jaya and 121 Residences, Glomac’s two high-rise residential developments within the Petaling JayaDamansara districts. For the year, profit before tax (PBT) was lower at RM50.5 million, impacted by higher construction cost, higher interest and other operating expenses. Q4’23 PBT came in at RM20.9 million. Glomac’s balance sheet remains robust. As at April 30, 2023, net gearing improved to 0.16 times against shareholders’ funds of RM1,177.8 million. The group’s cash further increased to RM288.8 million. The group’s net assets per share edged higher to RM1.53 this year from RM1.51. For FY23, the board had proposed a final single tier dividend of 1.25 sen per share, translating to 4% dividend yield at current share price. This will be subject to shareholders’ approval at the forthcoming annual general meeting. Glomac’s strong product offerings and successful sales drive have resulted in 89% jump in new sales to RM302 million for the year. On-going phases at Saujana Perdana and Saujana Utama 5, as well as high-rise residentials at Plaza@Kelana Jaya and 121 Residences continued to generate steady sales. In Q4’23, the group introduced a commercial phase into its thriving Saujana Perdana township with overwhelming response. The take-up rate for the 81 shop houses with a gross development value of RM68 million was strong. The stronger sales growth has translated to the group’s healthy unbilled sales of RM528 million as at April 30, 2023, providing near term earnings visibility. Heading into a new financial year, the group continues to focus on keeping to construction schedule and ensure a smooth and on-time delivery of all on-going projects. Glomac has a strong project pipeline with GDV of RM8 billion to further drive development activities and sustain its sales momentum. Emphasis remains on Greater KL-centric affordable to mid-market residential townships and developments where Glomac has established a strong and well-recognised track record as a developer. This year, the group was awarded the Star Property Award 2023 – “Excellence” The Starter Home Award – Best Primary Home Development (Landed) within Greater KL for its Primrose double-storey terrace houses at Saujana KLIA, a highly successful and vibrant RM1.4 billion township development located in Sepang. HSS inks preferred partnership with Japan’s Index Strategy KUALA LUMPUR: Engineering and project management consultant HSS Engineers Bhd inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japanese project management expert Index Strategy Inc (Index) to explore opportunities and strategically collaborate on a “preferred partner” basis in various sectors of interest including Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Investment projects. Under the strategic partnership, HSS and Index would collaborate on potential infrastructure projects in Asean, India and any other country including in the Middle East North Africa region. Index is a recognised pioneer of project management in the construction industry in Japan specialising in planning, coordinating and executing a wide variety of projects in accordance with specific requirements and needs by public, private and service users. The company has significant global PPP presence, undertaking projects in Ghana, Vietnam and Philippines. Under the MoU, HSS’ subsidiary HSS Engineering Sdn Bhd and Index would participate in business opportunities with priorities given to social and civil infrastructure projects through PPP investments in transportation, water and public infrastructure sectors including smart cities, hospitals, universities and social housing projects. HSS Engineers Bhd executive vicechairman Tan Sri Kuna Sittampalam said, “Having individually facilitated the infrastructure development of our respective home countries, our preferred partnership with Index will enable HSS to continue to be in the forefront of spearheading the development of regional infrastructure. We believe the sector coverage of social and civil infrastructure projects through the PPP method complements our skillsets and core competencies thus far.” “The signing of this MoU with project management expert Index would allow us to further capitalise our project management expertise as we play a major role in highimpact national projects in Malaysia, such as the on-going Mass Rapid Transit and Pan Borneo Highway projects,” he added. This is HSS’ fourth such preferred partnership with a Japanese firm, after signing similar MoUs with Oriental Consultants Global Co Ltd, Yachiyo Engineering Co Ltd, and Shizen International Inc in 2022. Glomac’s FY23 revenue increases to RM341 million oHigher sales and steady construction progress main contributors to stronger growth Empowering local firms with innovative smart manufacturing practices PETALING JAYA: The Taiwan Enterprise Learning Experience organised by Machinery and Equipment Productivity Nexus with support from Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and various international engagement partner has empowered Malaysian companies with innovative smart manufacturing practices to improve productivity. The initiative within the Smart Factory Transformation Programme was aimed to establish a benchmark for success in becoming a smart factory. By immersing participating companies in the experiences of Taiwanese factory decision-makers, this programme offered invaluable insights into the pre-transformation challenges, the transformation process, and the outcomes achieved. Under the collaborative efforts of the MPC, Asian Productivity Organisation, China Productivity Centre, DSC Consulting Sdn Bhd, and Malaysia Automation Technology Association, the Taiwan Enterprise Learning Experience was a resounding success. The delegates had the exclusive opportunity to visit renowned smart factories in Taiwan including DigiwinSoft, China Productivity Centre, Rui Chen Ltd Company, Shin-Yain Industrial Co Ltd and Pacific Cycles, witnessing firsthand their innovative smart manufacturing practices. This transformative programme from June12-16 brought together 38 delegates including representatives from government agencies, M&E associations, and M&E companies to explore the cutting-edge smart manufacturing practices of Taiwan. The Taiwan Enterprise Learning Experience allowed Malaysian participants to interact with industry experts, gaining firsthand knowledge and experiences in implementing smart manufacturing practices. Through engaging presentations and networking opportunities, delegates were equipped with practical insights and valuable connections within the industry. The knowledge and insights acquired from this experience serve as invaluable resources for Malaysian M&E companies, empowering them to drive innovation and enhance their competitiveness. The programme has fostered a strong foundation for collaboration and partnership among the participating companies, encouraging knowledge sharing and mutual support in achieving common goals. Moving forward, the MPC remains committed to supporting the transformation of Malaysian manufacturing, leveraging the lessons learned from Taiwan’s smart factory leaders. Foreign investors remain net buyers of Malaysian bonds KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign investors remained net buyers of Malaysian bonds for the fifth successive month in May 2023, charting a net inflow of RM3 billion from the RM1.5 billion registered in April this year, on expectations of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) ending its rate hike cycle, according to RAM Ratings. It said the take-up was primarily for Malaysian Government Securities (MGS) and Government Investment Issues (GII) after a lacklustre April. “Foreign buying of MGS/GII in the first quarter of 2023 consisted largely of ‘non-sticky’ investors, while ‘sticky’ investors largely sold down. “While the Fed decided to leave the interest rate unchanged at June’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the latest ‘dot-plot’ projections suggest that committee members anticipate another two 25 basis points (bps) hikes this year,” it said in a statement yesterday. The rating agency said further rate hikes would continue to compress yield differentials between US Treasuries (UST) and MGS if Bank Negara Malaysia maintains the overnight policy rate at 3%. “With the average 10-year MGS-UST yield spread sitting at a marginal 2.1 bps in the first half June (May: 17.7 bps; April: 39.6 bps), the narrow differential will likely dampen the appeal of Malaysian bonds in the near term,” it said. – Bernama On-going phases at Saujana Perdana and Saujana Utama 5, as well as high-rise residentials at Plaza@Kelana Jaya and 121 Residences continue to generate steady sales for the group. – GLOMAC WEBSITE The Taiwan Enterprise Learning Experience allowed Malaysian participants to interact with industry experts, gaining firsthand knowledge and experiences in implementing smart manufacturing practices. – AFPPIX
12 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 SUNBIZ Or download app on the AppStore or Google Play ENJOY A SEAMLESS READING EXPERIENCE. Read our iPaper at https://www.thesundaily.my/ @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER SCAN ME Modi’s US visit may spur more US investments in India NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US may encourage more American companies to consider investing in the South Asian country as they look to reduce their reliance on China for manufacturing-related activities. The US is the third largest source of foreign investment for India, with over US$60 billion (RM279 billion) invested between 2000 and 2023, according to official data. Following are some recent investment announcements, mostly by US companies: Tesla Elon Musk said Modi was pushing the electric-car maker to make a “significant investment” in the country, adding that such an announcement was expected soon. Boeing The aircraft-maker plans to invest about US$24 million in India to set up a logistics centre for airplane parts. The news preceded the company bagging an order for 220 jets from Air India. Amazon.com Amazon Web Services said it planned to invest US$13 billion in India by 2030 to build its cloud infrastructure and create thousands of jobs. Apple The US tech giant opened its stores in Mumbai and Delhi in April. It has been trying to make India a bigger manufacturing base and has started manufacturing several products there through contract electronics makers Foxconn, Wistron Corp and Pegatron Corp. During his visit to India in April, CEO Tim Cook said Apple was “committed to growing and investing across the country.” Foxconn The Taiwanese contract manufacturer plans to invest US$500 million to set up manufacturing plants in the south Indian state of Telangana and almost US$968 million in neighbouring Karnataka. The investments are expected to create more than 70,000 jobs. The Apple supplier also plans to build a factory in India to manufacture AirPods, Apple’s wireless earphones. Walmart The retail giant’s CEO met Modi during his India visit last month and reiterated that the company planned exports from India worth US$10 billion a year by 2027. General Electric Modi invited General Electric to play a “greater role” in aviation and renewable energy sectors in India in a meeting with CEO Lawrence Culp on Wednesday, the Indian government said. – Reuters B R I E F S CHINA’S PENGLAI CRUDE SHIPMENTS LAND IN SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA SINGAPORE: Two crude cargoes loaded from China’s Penglai oilfields arrived at Singapore and Malaysia in May and June, Refinitiv data showed, an unusual export from the world’s largest crude importer. Aframax-sized tanker Elephant loaded about 48,000 metric tons of Penglai crude from the field in Bohai Bay at the end of May and arrived at Singapore in mid-June, the data showed. Earlier, 80,000 tons of Penglai crude was loaded on Aframax vessel Yang Ning Hu in April and arrived at Malaysia in May. Penglai crude was last exported in March 2022, Refinitiv data showed. The cargoes were likely headed to Singapore and Malaysia to be blended with other oils to create lowsulphur fuel oil for ships, trade sources said. Penglai crude is a lowsulphur heavy crude similar to Australian Vincent crude, which is also used in fuel oil blending. – Reuters US FTC SUES AMAZON OVER ENROLMENTS IN SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE WASHINGTON: The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Wednesday accused Amazon.com of enrolling millions of consumers into its paid subscription Amazon Prime service without their consent and making it hard for them to cancel, the agency’s latest action against the ecommerce giant in recent weeks. The FTC sued Amazon in federal court in Seattle, alleging that the company has “knowingly duped millions of consumers into unknowingly enrolling in Amazon Prime.” In a statement, Amazon called the FTC’s claims “false on the facts and the law.” Amazon has used “manipulative, coercive or deceptive user-interface designs known as ‘dark patterns’ to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions,“ the FTC said. The FTC has been investigating sign-up and cancellation processes for the Prime programme since March 2021. – Reuters Brexit ‘economic disaster’ for UK-German trade ties oFall in direct investment from Germany and decline in Britain’s importance as trading partner, say economists Swiss National Bank calls for new measures after Credit Suisse crash ZURICH: The Swiss National Bank (SNB) yesterday said it was crucial to draw lessons from the Credit Suisse crisis that led to the bank’s downfall and forced rescue by rival UBS and consider measures that would prevent such events in the future. “These measures need to strengthen banks’ resilience in order to prevent a loss of confidence wherever possible, and ensure a broad range of effective options to stabilise, recover or wind down a systemically important bank in the event of a crisis,” the central bank said in its 2023 financial stability report. Among the measures, the SNB called for banks to be required in the future to prepare a minimum amount of assets that could be pledged for central banks, a step designed to help banks access emergency liquidity if worried customers rapidly withdrew cash. Switzerland’s largest bank recently grew even bigger, following its rescue of embattled Credit Suisse in a takeover engineered by Swiss authorities in March and formalised by UBS on June 12. Politicians and economists have raised concerns whether Switzerland can effectively oversee a bank that now has a balance sheet of US$1.6 trillion (RM7.4 trillion) and 120,000 employees worldwide, and risks associated with that. The SNB said it was not yet able to judge how resilient the newly merged bank would be. “The currently available data are not sufficient for a comprehensive assessment of the combined bank’s resilience in such a forward-looking analysis,” the report said. Still, lessons needed to be learned “in view of the higher systemic importance of the combined bank and the associated risks for Switzerland,” the SNB said. – Reuters BERLIN: Brexit has been an “economic disaster” for trade and investment ties between the United Kingdom and Germany, leading to a fall in German direct investment and seeing the UK decline in importance as a trading partner, German economists said. Britain voted on June 23, 2016, to exit the European Union (EU) and it left the EU’s single market at the start of 2021. “Brexit is an economic disaster for both sides of the channel,” Volker Treier, head of foreign trade at the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), told Reuters yesterday. Last year, Germany exported goods worth €73.8 billion (RM374 billion) to the UK, 14.1% less than in 2016. The year of the referendum, the UK was Germany’s third most important export market, but by 2022 the country had slipped to eighth place, Treier said. As a trading partner – measuring combined exports and imports – the UK has lost even more importance since then, dropping from fifth to eleventh place, he added. The volume of German direct investment in the UK has also declined. In 2021, it was around €140 billion, a decline of 16.1% compared with 2016. According to the DIHK, some 2,163 German companies are now active in the UK, 5.2% fewer than in 2016. Many British firms meanwhile have settled in Germany in recent years. Germany Trade and Invest, an organisation that helps international companies set up business in Germany, has counted more than 1,000 new businesses from the UK since the Brexit vote. Last year alone, there were 170 new businesses, a number surpassed only by companies from the US and Germany’s neighbour Switzerland. “The UK’s exit from the EU has made our close trade relations more difficult and there is still considerable planning and legal uncertainty in the UK business of German companies,” said Treier. – Reuters
13 * SPORTS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 In the Matter of the Companies Act, 2016 and In the Matter of CIG ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD. 201501016650 (1141984-M) (In Members’ Voluntary Winding Up) Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 439(2) of the Companies Act, 2016 that the Special Resolutions set below were duly passed by the members of the Company on 15-06-2023. “That the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 439(1)(b) of the Companies Act, 2016 and that Mr Teo Mong Nguan NRIC No. 490423-01-5197 from Advance Management Services Sdn. Bhd. 197901008899 (53183-M), be and is hereby appointed as Liquidator of the Company for the purpose of such windingup at a fee to be approved by the Director. That the said Liquidator be empowered to distribute part or the whole of the Company’s assets either in cash, specie or in kind in pursuant to Section 456 of the Companies Act, 2016. That the said Liquidator be indemnified by the Company against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred or sustained by him in the execution and discharge of his duties in relation thereto.” Dated 23-06-2023. Quek Hong Meng Director In the Matter of the Companies Act, 2016 And In the Matter of CIG ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD. 201501016650 (1141984-M) (In Members’ Voluntary Winding Up) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the creditors of CIG ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD. 201501016650 (1141984-M) which is being voluntarily wound up are required on or before 23-07-2023 to send their names and addresses with particulars of their debts and claims, and of any security held by them, and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to:- Teo Mong Nguan (Liquidator) Suite 19-02D, 19th Floor, Menara Zurich, No. 15, Jalan Dato’ Abdullah Tahir, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor and if so required by notice in writing from the aforesaid Liquidator, or personally or by their solicitors required to write in and prove their said debts and claims at such time and place shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof, they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved. Dated : 23-06-2023 Teo Mong Nguan (Liquidator) 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 (PURSUANT TO SECTION 439(2)(b)) AND IN THE MATTER OF TECK FOOK CONSORTIUM SDN. BHD. (CO. NO. 200401007038 (645542-T)) (Incorporated in Malaysia) At an Meeting of Members of the abovenamed Company duly convened and held at No. 141-02, Jalan Mutiara Emas 10/19 Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor on 16th June, 2023 the Special Resolutions set out below were duly passed:- 1) RESOLVED THAT the Company be wound up voluntarily and that Mr. CHAN TECK WAI of No. 141-02, Jalan Mutiara Emas 10/19, Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, be and is hereby appointed as liquidator for the purpose of such winding up. 2) RESOLVED THAT the said liquidator be authorized in their absolute discretion to distribute in specie amongst the Members of the Company in accordance with their respective rights and interest therein all or any part of the assets of the Company. 3) RESOLVED THAT the said liquidator be indemnified by the Company from and against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred or sustained by him in the execution and discharge of his duties in relation thereto. CHAN TECK WAI DIRECTOR Dated : 23rd June, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER TECK FOOK CONSORTIUM SDN. BHD. (CO. NO. 200401007038 (645542-T)) (Incorporated in Malaysia) Notice is hereby given that the creditors of the abovenamed Company, which is being wound up voluntarily, are required on or before 24th July, 2023 to send in their names and addresses and particulars of their debts or claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the undersigned, the Liquidator of the said Company and if so required by notice in writing from the said Liquidator or by their solicitors or personally to come in and prove the said debts at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice and in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefits of any distribution made before such debts are proved. CHAN TECK WAI LIQUIDATOR No. 141-02, Jalan Mutiara Emas 10/19, Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor Dated : 23rd June, 2023 DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI IPOH DALAM NEGERI PERAK DARUL RIDZUAN, MALAYSIA (BAHAGIAN KELUARGA) PETISYEN PERCERAIAN PERKAHWINAN NO. AA-33-137-04/2023 Dalam perkara mengenai Kaedah-Kaedah Prosiding Perceraian dan Hal Ehwal Perkahwinan 1980 Dan Dalam perkara Seksyen 53, 76 dan 77 Akta Membaharui Undang-undang (Perkahwinan dan Perceraian) 1976 ANTARA CHAI KOK WAH (NO. K/P: 730608-08-5597) … PEMPETISYEN DAN SHOUK SAN (NO. PASPOT MYANMAR: MA 784916) … RESPONDEN NOTIS KEPADA: SHOUK SAN (NO. PASPOT MYANMAR: MA 784916) No. 18, Taman Emas, Jalan Kampar, Langkap 36700, Perak AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa suatu tindakan telah dimulakan terhadap kamu oleh Chai Kok Wah (No. K/P: 730608-08-5597), seorang warganegara Malaysia yang beralamat di No. 18, Taman Emas, Jalan Kampar, 36700 Langkap, Perak Darul Ridzuan di Mahkamah yang tersebut diatas melalui Petisyen Perceraian Perkahwinan bertarikh 26.04.2023 yang mana Pempetisyen memohon satu dekri supaya perkahwinan di antara kamu dengan Pempetisyen dibubarkan secara mutlak serta merta dan bahawa adalah diperintahkan penyampaian Petisyen Perceraian Perkahwinan bertarikh 26.04.2023, Afidavit Sipetisyen untuk menyokong Petisyen yang diikrarkan oleh Chai Kok Wah pada 19.04.2023, Notis Perlantikan Peguamcara bertarikh 26.04.2023, Notis Prosiding bertarikh 26.04.2023 dan Akuterima Penyampaian (”Petisyen tersebut” secara kolektif) kepada kamu dalam tindakan tersebut diatas hendaklah dilaksanakan dengan menampalkan sesalinanya bersama sesalinan Perintah Untuk Penyampaian Ganti diatas papan notis Mahkamah tersebut diatas dan di alamat terakhir kamu di No. 18, Taman Emas, Jalan Kampar, Langkap 36700 Perak dan dengan mengiklankan sekali satu notis mengenai Petisyen tersebut dalam akhbar The Sun Daily dan penyampaian ini dianggap sempurna keatas kamu tujuh (7) hari dari tarikh terakhir pengiklanan dan penampalan itu dan bahawa kos permohonan ini adalah kos dalam kausa. Jika kamu berhasrat membela tindakan ini, kamu mesti memfailkan satu Akuterima Penyampaian dalam masa lapan (8) hari selepas tarikh pemyempurnaan penyampaian ganti itu. Sekiranya kamu gagal berbuat demikian maka satu dekri seperti dipohon boleh diberikan oleh Mahkamah tersebut. Sila ambil perhatian bahawa Mahkamah telah menetapkan tindakan ini untuk pengurusan kes secara e-Review pada 10.07.2023 pukul 9.00 pagi di Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Di Ipoh. Bertarikh 21.06.2023 t.t ............................. Tetuan K B Ou Yong & Co Peguamcara Pempetisyen NOTIS ini difailkan oleh Tetuan K B Ou Yong & Co, Peguamcara bagi pihak Pempetisyen Suami yang dinamakan di atas dan mempunyai alamat penyampaiannya di S-6- 03, Gamuda Biz Suites, No. 12, Jalan Anggerik Vanilla 31/99, Kota Kemuning, Seksyen 31, 40460 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan. (Tel No.: 016-9755558; Fax No.:03-58887163; email: [email protected]) (Rujukan: KBOY/CKW/L/94/2022/oy) 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF HEAN SENG TONG SDN. BHD. (46915-H) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY WINDING-UP) NOTICE OF FINAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to Section 459(2) of the Companies Act, 2016 that a Final Meeting of members of the abovenamed Company will be held at Suite P1-03, Level P1 City Plaza, 21 Jalan Tebrau, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor on 24 July 2023 at 10.00 a.m. for the following:- 1. To receive the Liquidator’s Statement of Accounts showing the manner in which the winding-up has been conducted and the property of the Company disposed of and of hearing any explanation that may be given by Liquidator. 2. That the liquidator is authorised to dispose off accounts, books and documents after 3 months from the date of final meeting. Date this 23 June 2023 CHEN SIEW YOKE Liquidator NOTICE 322 Notices TAKE NOTICE that MahWengKwai & Associates would like to seek information regarding the biological parents of a male child who was born on 26.10.2006 at Taj Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Any party with relevant information is requested to contact Ms Kirthika Padmanapan at 03-78872702. 322 Notices Pawnbrokers’ forfeited pledges under Section 23 of the Pawnbrokers’ Act 1972 Pawnbrokers’ (Control and Licensing) Regulations 2004 The above will be sold by public auction during the first week of July 2023 at No. 71, Bishop Street, Penang for articles pawned in September 2022 and earlier commencing from the date and time stated below:- Date Time 03.07.2023 9:00 A.M (Monday) Note: Interested bidders are to register with the licensed auctioneer 7 working days before the auction date. *Term and conditions apply. A.Dennys & Co Sdn Bhd Licensed Auctioneers 71, Lebuh Bishop 10200 Penang Tel No’s: 04-2611551/2 322 Notices NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR VOLUNTARY WINDING UP OF LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP (Section 50(4)(a) of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2012) Notice is hereby given that Bean Junior PLT 202104001953 (LLP0028584-LGN) will be making an application to the Registrar of Limited Liability Partnership for a declaration of dissolution pursuant to Section 50(2) of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2012 within seven (7) days after the publication of this notice. Any partner or creditor of the LLP desiring to object to the application may do so in writing to the Companies Commission of Malaysia within thirty (30) days from the date of this notice. Work in progress Emotions cooling but still tons of questions, says Scott AUSTRALIAN Adam Scott said yesterday that “emotions have cooled” over the proposed PGA Tour-LIV Golf alliance but added players are still “working to get over the surprise” of the announcement two weeks ago. However, Xander Schauffele retorted that it “probably wouldn’t be too hard to re-heat the soup.” The players made the comments in Cromwell, Connecticut, site of this week’s Travelers Championship, the final designated event on this season’s PGA Tour calendar. The comments also came after a meeting yesterday of the Tour’s Player Advisory Council. “I think the player meeting went well last night from where the player meeting was two weeks ago,” Scott said. “I think some of the emotions have cooled. “There are still lots of questions to be answered because we really only have this framework that was announced.” Scott intimated that there are at least some who saw a merger coming to “stabilise things,” just not this soon. “It was just sooner than maybe anybody thought. That’s all,” Scott said. “I think, yeah, things are calmed down and things were more calm in the meeting yesterday. Guys still have tons of questions. “I’m caught up emotionally because I stayed on the PGA Tour and this looks – and it was put to us that if we left we were never coming back, and it seems there is going to be pathways back,” Scott added. “Eventually we’ll find out if that’s the best for the game and how we feel. So I have some emotions about that, but kind of time often plays a big part in these things so see how it advances.” Schauffele was asked if he agreed with Scott’s assessment that emotions had indeed cooled. “Probably wouldn’t be too hard to re-heat the soup, but, yeah, Tour pros are pretty good at compartmentalising and blocking out stuff and getting ready for game day”. – Field Level Media McCullum validated despite defeat HEAD COACH Brendon McCullum insisted England felt “validated” despite an agonising defeat in the first Ashes Test, and doubled down on the selection gamble of Moeen Ali. England drove the game forward for the majority of five gripping days at Edgbaston but still find themselves 1-0 down with four to play after Australia’s more conservative approach carried them to a two-wicket victory in the dying moments of the final evening. McCullum saw enough from his side to feel sure that their commitment to risky, aggressive cricket was the right way to go. “I’m really proud of the boys to be honest. I thought it was a cracking Test match,” he said. “I’m sure everyone that watched all around the world and everyone who was here at Edgbaston absolutely loved it and that includes us. I had an absolutely amazing time. “Obviously you’d rather have won the game – that’s just the nature of sport sometimes – but I thought the way that we played validated our style of play. “We firmly believe, the skipper and I, that this gives us our greatest chance. “Of everyone that has watched this game over the last five days, I would be very surprised if there were too many people who disagree with how we go about playing, because everyone was left entertained. “You’re not always going to win and we understand that, but we want to keep getting up and throwing punches as a team.” McCullum was equally undeterred when it came to questions over Moeen’s painful return to the Test arena after he was reduced to a peripheral role in the critical fourth innings after a blister opened up on his right index finger. “I thought Mo did a great job – he bowled a couple of absolute ‘jaffas’ in the game and that’s what his role was, to try and make breakthroughs when he had the opportunity.” – The Independent LYDIA KO isn’t sugar-coating the disappointment of missing the cut at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic. “I just try to keep being positive, and I think that’s sometimes been a struggle,” Ko said yesterday ahead of this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. “I think if people say, ‘Oh, no, like it’s just rainbows and sunny days after missing a cut, I feel like that wouldn’t be the most honest answer.’” It was the latest setback in what Ko admits has been a frustrating year on the course. After a resurgent 2022 campaign that culminated with winning the Race to the CME Globe, Ko has only one top 10 in seven LPGA Tour events this year – a tie for sixth at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February. Ko missed the cut at the first major of the year at the Chevron Championship and posted a T42 and T33 in the next two LPGA events before last week’s missed cut. “I think it’s been frustrating the last couple months, but my team and my family have been trying to keep me grounded and say, ‘Hey, we’re still moving in the right direction,‘” she said. The Women’s PGA hasn’t been particularly kind to Ko over the years, including a T46 and T52 the past two years. Still, she enters this week No. 3 in the Rolex Rankings and believes her game is in better shape than her recent scores would indicate. Ko said the key this week is staying patient at a difficult course like Baltusrol. That, and putting well. “Hopefully being able to bring all that together,” she said. “You’re just trying to play the best you can and have fun, and at such a venue where there’s been so much history, it would be pretty cool to be part of that.” – Field Level Media █ RORY DOLLARD LIV merger brokers invited to testify A Senate subcommittee has issued invites to the three key figures of the proposed PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger to testify on Capitol Hill next month, including PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. Also invited by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations are LIV CEO and frontman Greg Norman as well as Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The date: July 11. Committee chairman Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has been saberrattling ever since the proposed alliance was announced two weeks ago. The committee ranking member is Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). “Our goal is to uncover the facts about what went into the PGA Tour’s deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and what the Saudi takeover means for the future of this cherished American institution and our national interest,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “Americans deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be. Major actors in the deal are best positioned to provide this information, and they owe Congress – and the American people – answers in a public setting.” – Field Level Media Game moving in right direction: Ko Lydia Ko. – AFPPIX
14 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 SPORTS /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK SCAN ME Can Red Bull run last? AT the moment it seems a grand prix does not go by without Red Bull – and their peerless linchpin Max Verstappen – setting milestones and breaking records. Such is their dominance in Formula One right now, winning 18 of the last 19 races, the double-symphony of the Dutch and Austrian national anthems on the podium is as much a regularity these days as five red lights going out to start the race. But Canada really did take the biscuit. Red Bull’s 100th race victory; Max Verstappen’s 41st grand prix win, equalling Ayrton Senna’s record; Verstappen brought up 250 consecutive laps led, dating back to Miami six weeks ago; Red Bull’s 10th consecutive victory, including Abu Dhabi at the end of last year. It was notable who was on the podium, too, celebrating Verstappen’s 20th win in his last 27 races. Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s mastermindin-chief, was unofficially celebrating his 200th F1 race win involvement, dating back to his first in Mexico 32 years ago. The man extolled, appropriately, with engineering the team’s latest RB missile on four wheels. Victory No. 100 is a significant landmark for the team. An “incredible achievement”, as Christian Horner put it, becoming the fifth team to reach such a figure. Red Bull have won 28.1% of all the races they’ve entered in the sport as they hit a century. By way of comparison, Ferrari have won 242 races in 1,060 – a hit rate of 22.8%. McLaren’s is lower at 19.6%; that of Williams fewer still at 14.4%. But Mercedes at 44.8% beat the lot. Such was their near-decade of utter dominance – eight constructors’ titles in a row from 2014- 2021 – Red Bull have some way to go before their percentage hit rate matches the Silver Arrows. Currently, the difference is 16.7%. There are contentious points. For example, included in that Mercedes tally are the nine wins from 1954-55, technically a different entity to the current works team. Yet, on the whole, the difference is stark. But not insurmountable. However, the outlook is particularly shiny at Milton Keynes. Red Bull have this year’s title virtually sewn up, with focus already switching to 2024 when they will be the heavy favourites once more. The next phase of regulations is not enforced until 2026. By that point Red Bull could have secured another three world titles and another 50 or so wins. In the constantly shifting arms race that is F1, Aston Martin, Mercedes, Ferrari and the rest – including new teams such as Audi – may well have something to say about that. Newey’s omnipresence is the unignorable advantage. Yet as the sun set in Canada on another victory, did the 64-yearold give Red Bull a scare? And the rest of the paddock a glimmer of hope? “My career can’t go on forever,” he said, post-podium. “As long as the team wants me and I keep enjoying it, I’ll keep going. But realistically it’s on a countdown.” When that time will come, only he knows. What is not in question, however, is the absolute supremacy of this current Red Bull machine. From top to bottom, they now set the benchmark. The statistics of the past allude to that; the projection for the future indicates there could be plenty more to come. – The Independent STEFANOS TSITSIPAS crashed out of the Halle grass court tournament yesterday as top seeded Daniil Medvedev made the quarterfinals despite admitting grass court specialists seem like “aliens” to him. World No. 5 Tsitsipas lost 7-6 (9-7), 7-5 to Chilean Nicolas Jarry, ranked 28 in the world. It marks the third consecutive time the Greek has been knocked out in the second round of the Wimbledon warm-up tournament. In yesterday’s late match, home favourite Alexander Zverev defeated Canadian Denis Shapovalov in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4. Zverev, the 26-year-old Olympic gold medallist, made the finals at Halle in 2016 and 2017 but lost to Roger Federer on both occasions. Medvedev defeated Serbian Laslo Djere 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, with the world No. 3 overcoming losing a tight second set to win with ease. “Grass is so tough for me,” said Medvedev. “You can actually play a perfect match and lose on two tie-breaks, so it’s a little bit strange for me. “When I see top players like Roger Federer, from one side they can seem like aliens but you try to see the best in them, and how they are able on this surface, where it’s sometimes tricky to beat anyone, to have so many titles. Wimbledon, Halle, whatever. “It’s just amazing and that’s what I try to watch. Happy to win and looking forward to the next matches.” The former world No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion was runner-up on the Halle grass in 2022, losing to Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets in the final. Medvedev has struggled on grass in his career so far and has never reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. He will next face Spanish eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut. He missed last year’s tournament at the All England Club due to Wimbledon’s ban on Russian and Belarusian players competing. – AFP Tsitsipas crashes out, Medvedev in last eight █ KIERAN JACKSON Rybakina upset by Vekic in Berlin ELENA RYBAKINA suffered a setback in the build-up to her Wimbledon title defence when she was knocked out of the Berlin WTA event by Donna Vekic yesterday. Vekic, ranked 23 in the world, beat the second-seeded Kazakh 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-4 to make it through to the quarterfinals. An Australian Open finalist in January, the 24-year-old Rybakina was one of the favourites for the French Open but pulled out early due to illness. “I’m really happy to not only beat her, but to be in the quarterfinals here,” said Vekic who faced down 15 aces off the racquet of the Kazakh. “I stayed in the moment. I was just trying to play the next point, the next game. She was serving unbelievable today. She’s definitely, I think, the best server on the women’s tour right now. She was serving really big, so I was like, ‘Just stay with her; your chances will come,‘ and they did.” Lin reaches Birmingham quarters CHINA’S Zhu Lin stunned third seed Magda Linette to reach the quarterfinals of the WTA event in Birmingham yesterday. Zhu, ranked 39th, powered into the last eight with a surprise 6-3, 6-0 victory as she warms up for the start of Wimbledon on July 3. The 29-year-old beat British No. 1 Katie Boulter 7-5, 7-5 in the first round on the Birmingham grass. She improved on that impressive result with a comprehensive rout of Polish world No. 20 Linette. Zhu reached the Australian Open last 16, but has never been past the second round of the three other Grand Slams. In other action at Birmingham yesterday, top seed Barbora Krejcikova started her title bid with a comfortable 6-3, 6-3 win over Cristina Bucsa in the first round. World No. 134 Harriet Dart carries British hopes of a homegrown champion after beating Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. “I love playing on grass and I love playing in front of the home fans and I love these couple of weeks the most for sure,” Dart said. Federer hails ‘unbelievable’ Djokovic ROGER FEDERER described Novak Djokovic’s record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title achievement as “unbelievable” yesterday but avoided anointing his old rival as the greatest player of all time. “I think what Novak has done is unbelievable,” said Federer, who admitted however it was “hard to say” who was best player of all time. “The whole matter is difficult to answer,” said Federer. “I asked a friend, what is more difficult, winning Wimbledon at 17, like Boris Becker, or the French Open at 36 like Novak? I don’t know. It’s a great time to be a tennis fan but also a player,” added the Swiss great. Murray family poster fury ANDY MURRAY’S brother and uncle have expressed their anger over the treatment of the two-time Wimbledon champion after he was left off an official poster of past and present greats. The All England Club posted an image of 15 famous players walking down a staircase on its social media channels. Under the words “Here’s to the next generation of headline acts”, young players Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz – neither of whom have made an impact at the championships yet – stand in the foreground. Behind them are a selection of “epic” rivalries including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova and Serena and Venus Williams. But Murray, who ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion in 2013, is nowhere to be seen. His uncle, Niall Erskine, tweeted underneath the image: “Appalling at every level, all about the men in the forefront and your own British history-maker nowhere to be seen. You should be ashamed of yourselves.” Jamie Murray replied to Wimbledon’s Instagram post with “Where’s @andymurray?” TRAMLINES Are RB now the most successful F1 team ever? BRITISH No.1 Cameron Norrie admitted it would be “unreal” to seal a first career grass-court title on home soil at Queen’s, as he progressed to the quarterfinals with a three-set victory over Jordan Thompson. Norrie recovered from a set down to get past the big-serving Australian 4-6, 6-3, 6- 2 to leave the world No. 13 three matches away from the title. The 27- year-old reached the final in West London two years ago, losing to that year’s Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini in three sets. And Norrie revealed a grasscourt title is a huge career target, and one that he hopes to be able to complete this week at Queen’s. He said: “It would be unreal to do that, especially here at Queen’s. I came so close (in 2021), I still had never won a title when I was in the final with Berrettini and I really thought that was going to be the one. “It was a tough one so it’s a big goal of mine to get a title on the grass. It’s a long way away and I still need to keep improving everything in my game.” Norrie looked increasingly fluid during yesterday’s two-hour contest and was grateful for the extra time spent on the court as he looks to get as much practice as possible on grass ahead of Wimbledon in a fortnight’s time. “I am going to keep pushing my level match by match and spend as long as I can out there on the match court to feel good for Wimbledon,” he added. “It was the perfect match today to do that against a player who is playing really well on the grass and was serving well and has played already two or three tournaments on the grass. To win against Tommo today was a great win for me.” – The Independent █ JAMES REID Norrie moves closer to ‘big’ career goal Cameron Norrie plays a backhand return to Jordan Thompson (not in picture) during their match at Queen’s Club. – AFPPIX
15 * SPORTS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JUNE 23, 2023 /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE SCAN ME Ball in Kane’s court Devils ‘send Spurs skipper instructions’ over completing transfer to Old Trafford MANCHESTER UNITED have reportedly told Harry Kane to agitate for a transfer to Old Trafford if he wants to make the move happen this summer. Erik ten Hag is still thought to be quietly hopeful that a deal can somehow be struck for the England captain, who has been identified as a signing that could elevate the Red Devils to the next level. Yet United recently decided to cool their interest in the 29-year-old after acknowledging that their chances of signing the prolific centre-forward were minimal. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has no interest in selling Kane to another Premier League club and Real Madrid have since decided that Kane is out of their financial reach following Karim Benzema’s move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain remain interested in Kane but he is understood to favour staying in England as he attempts to gun down Alan Shearer’s alltime Premier League goalscoring record. Now The Sun are reporting that United have left the ball in Kane’s court over a move, telling his agent and brother Charlie Kane that the Tottenham talisman must take matters into his own hands to force through the deal. It’s thought that United require Kane to hand in a transfer request to swing the balance and up the pressure on Tottenham chief Levy to sell. Kane is prepared to run down the final year of his Tottenham deal that expires in 2024 if he is unable to secure a move this summer. United are understood to value Kane at close to £80 million (RM440m) while Spurs would require a bid of £100 million (RM550m) to even consider a sale. The Red Devils have been monitoring a host of alternative striker targets but they have only submitted bids for Kane’s England teammate Mason Mount to date this window. United had a second offer of £50 million (RM275m) rejected by Chelsea, following a first proposal of £40 million (RM220m). Chelsea are reportedly holding out for nearer £70 million (RM385m) for their double Player of the Year but run the risk of losing Mount on a free transfer when his contract expires in 2024 if they cannot agree a deal with United. Chelsea have already accepted an offer of an initial £25 million (RM138m), which could rise to £30 million (RM165m) from Manchester City for Mateo Kovacic, who is five years older than Mount but, like him, is about to enter the last year of his current deal and was unlikely to agree a new one. Ten Hag has targeted Mount as United have made midfield a priority in the transfer window, along with a new striker. Either Scott McTominay or Fred could leave if a new midfielder arrives. Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund has been monitored closely but the Italian club are looking for close to £80 million to sell the Danish talent. Similar fees would also be required to strike agreements with Eintracht Frankfurt and Benfica for Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos, respectively. Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is also believed to be of admiration although he is well down United’s shortlist. Victor Osimhen is priced at well over £100 million by Napoli following his goalscoring exploits last season in Serie A where he helped fire Luciano Spalletti’s side to the title. – Express Newspapers/The Independent Gundogan snubs Gunners, leaves for Barcelona ARSENAL have fallen short in their attempts to entice Ilkay Gundogan into a move to the Emirates Stadium upon the expiry of his Manchester City contract on June 30. The Germany international is now set to sign a two-year contract with Barcelona as he prepares to end his seven-year stay with the Premier League and European champions after completing a historic treble. Gundogan also snubbed interest from former club Borussia Dortmund and Saudi Arabia to join Barca after receiving assurances he would be successfully registered to feature in La Liga next season. Arsenal had made an audacious play to sign the 32-year-old City captain following background talks with his representatives and were cautiously optimistic that Mikel Arteta’s strong personal relationship with Gundogan could potentially aid their chances of luring the player to north London. But now the Gunners will be forced to pursue alternative midfielder targets although their attempts to sign Gundogan were totally unrelated to their talks to sign West Ham captain Declan Rice, who is Arsenal’s undisputed top summer target and has already been the subject of two rejected bids. That said, Arteta is keen to freshen up his midfield options and is even prepared to offload mainstay Thomas Partey as part of his ruthless overhaul with Granit Xhaka also expected to join Bayer Leverkusen. Partey is now attracting growing interest from Saudi Arabia with at least four Pro League sides – the latest of which is Al-Shabab – believed to be in loose discussions over the prospect of signing the Ghanaian, who arrived from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2020. Should Arsenal find a suitable buyer for Partey, they are ready to invest further cash in their midfield with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Southampton’s Romeo Lavia the two main targets of interest. Although reports have suggested Arsenal have cooled their interest in Caicedo, the Gunners remain open to signing the Brighton starlet if a move is deemed financially viable after the player pushed to join the Gunners in January by handing in a formal transfer request. – Express Newspapers WEST HAM UNITED, Jose Mourinho and Roma have been heavily punished by UEFA for various offences relating to last season’s Europa Conference League and Europa League finals. The governing body have opted to come down hard on the Hammers after one of their supporters struck Fiorentina defender Cristiano Biraghi with an object thrown from the stands during their historic victory in Prague earlier this month. UEFA have since issued West Ham with a fine of £43,000 (RM240,000) for “throwing of objects”, while the east Londoners will also be banned from selling tickets to away supporters for their next two European fixtures, the second of which is suspended for a period of two years. Another fine of £6,800 (RM38,000) has been handed down to the Hammers for “invasion of the field of play” after some supporters ran onto the pitch following the final whistle in Prague. After a West Ham fan had left Fiorentina star Biraghi’s head pouring with blood by throwing an object during the UEFA Europa Conference League final, the club issued an apology condemning the actions of their supporters. Roma, meanwhile, have also been fined £70,000 (RM390,000) for “lighting of fireworks, throwing of objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances” during their Europa League final defeat to Sevilla. The Italian heavyweights will also be banned from selling tickets for their next away game in UEFA competition on top of a separate £4,300 (RM24,000) fine for the “improper conduct of the team”. UEFA went on to order Roma to contact the Hungarian Football Federation within 30 days for the settlement of the damages caused by its supporters, with the money set to go towards fixing “broken bins, paper boxes, glasses, cable plugs and the two broken seats”. A partial stadium closure was also handed down to Roma for their next European match for the throwing of objects during their Europa League semifinal victory over Bayer Leverkusen. The governing body have also opted to punish Jose Mourinho for directing abusive language towards referee Anthony Taylor, both during the game and outside the stadium after the final whistle. The former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss has been suspended for the next four UEFA matches “in which he would otherwise participate” for his conduct and the language used when remonstrating with Taylor. Mourinho had furiously confronted Taylor in the car park following his side’s loss to Sevilla and labelled the official a “f***ing disgrace”. – Express Newspapers UEFA comes down hard on Hammers, Jose and Roma NEWCASTLE UNITED are closing in on a £60m deal for AC Milan’s Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, 23. MANCHESTER UNITED have joined Arsenal in wanting to sign 24-year-old England midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham, with the Red Devils considering a player-plus-cash deal involving England defender Harry Maguire, 30, or Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, 26. WEST HAM are keen on bringing McTominay to the club should Rice leave. MANCHESTER CITY are also competing for Rice, with West Ham preferring a deal which would see England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, 27, move to London Stadium. CITY’S Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva, 28, is nearing a move to Saudi Arabia. BAYERN MUNICH are open to Senegal forward Sadio Mane, 31, leaving the club this summer, with Newcastle interested. THE Magpies also want to sign Ruben Neves, 26, on loan after the Portugal midfielder agreed to join Al Hilal from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £47m (RM279m) this week. SPURS have verbally agreed a £17.2m (RM102m) deal to sign Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, 26, from Empoli. NAPOLI have put a £155m (RM853m) valuation on 24-year-old Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, who has been linked with Paris St-Germain. MANCHESTER UNITED and Bayern Munich are favourites to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s France striker Randal Kolo Muani, 24. THE Red Devils are considering a move for Inter Milan’s Cameroon goalkeeper, Andre Onana, 27. BORUSSIA DORTMUND have made an enquiry about Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher but have yet to make a bid for the 23- year-old England midfielder. BURNLEY are set to sign Republic of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea, 24, from West Bromwich Albion. BOURNEMOUTH are close to completing a £9.5m (RM) deal with Roma for Netherlands forward Justin Kluivert, 24. BRENTFORD are in advanced talks to sign Republic of Ireland defender Nathan Collins, 22, from Wolves. BAYERN MUNICH’S Netherlands midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, 21, has said he may have to move to secure more playing time, opening the door for Liverpool. JUVENTUS have offered 28-year-old France midfielder Adrien Rabiot a new deal ahead of his contract expiring in July, but he would prefer a Premier League move, with Manchester United and Newcastle interested. CRYSTAL PALACE defender Joachim Andersen is a target for Newcastle but the asking price for the 27-year-old Denmark centreback could be an issue. ITALY midfielder Jorginho, 31, wants to stay at Arsenal despite interest from Lazio. CHELSEA’S Morocco midfielder Hakim Ziyech, 30, is nearing an £8m (RM47m) move to Al-Nassr. FELLOW Chelsea midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi, 22, could also be leaving for Saudi Arabia with two Pro League clubs interested in the England international. TOUCHLINES Kane
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 Fax: 03-7783 7435 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] or download app from the App Store or Google Play TM . Read iPaper at www.thesundaily.my FREE access Interactive FRIDAY • JUNE 23, 2023 Feelgood factor back I N 2023, as in 2022, a marathon season ended for England’s players in June, north of their Wembley home, against eastern European opposition. And there, it is fair to say, the similarities ended. A year ago came the historic low, the 4-0 loss to Hungary at Molineux that was England’s heaviest home defeat since 1928, the night Gareth Southgate was told he did not know what he was doing and when both he and many others concluded his reign was nearing an undignified end. Twelve months and five days later, a 7-0 thrashing of North Macedonia at Old Trafford capped a restorative spell. Euro 2024 beckons, a broadly positive World Cup has been followed by a quartet of qualifying wins, and the feel of Southgate’s reign, of youthful progressiveness, has largely been restored. The torrid June of 2022 has started to look like an anomaly, not the start of the slide. The encouraging June of 2023 has more in keeping with most of Southgate’s tenure. “We look back at last summer, with four matches, (playing) behind closed doors for two, and we needed to look at new players,” he reflected. “There were a lot of circumstances around those.” A year on, England could have been forgiven for suffering from a similar tiredness. Yet if the fixtures were easier now, there was a relish and a sharpness. Southgate fielded a forward line with three of the outstanding players of the Premier League campaign, in Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford: they scored six of the seven goals to take their combined tally to 96 goals for the season for clubs and country. They were emblematic of a side who still showed a sharpness. “Post-World Cup, we have hit a sweet spot,” Southgate said. The most seismic result of England’s season was actually the victory over Italy in Naples but, after the 6-2 demolition of Iran in the World Cup, North Macedonia can testify that teams with the ability to get excellent results can find themselves eviscerated by England. “We have a hunger to go further than we’ve been and keep pushing forward, confidence from big nights we’ve been involved in,” Southgate said. “It’s a good place but we have to keep pushing. We have set a standard in the last four games where anything possible. There is a brilliant feel around the squad and that creates a strong team.” Few players are better at engendering a positive feeling than Saka, with his infectious enthusiasm. “He’s talented, he’s humble, he’s incredibly popular,” said Southgate. Southgate has been a loyalist to the core of the team but he has also recognised talent when it has emerged. England’s player of the World Cup was Jude Bellingham. Even though he missed their June fixtures, Real Madrid’s newest signing may have been their outstanding individual of the season. But if not, then Saka has a compelling case. A third player of rare gifts may yet join them in the strongest side. Trent Alexander-Arnold had felt like the conundrum Southgate could not solve; until Jurgen Klopp gave him a helping hand, anyway. The Liverpudlian’s end-of-season shift into midfield for his club led to two encouraging performances for his country. A remarkable pass for Saka’s terrific second goal, the kind of 50- yard ball that invokes mentions of quarterbacks, was an illustration of his passing range. The thought of a midfield trio of Bellingham, Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice is tantalising. A department where England felt short of options in the 2018 World Cup could be one where they boast enviable class. Southgate won’t be defined by the summer of 2023, but nor will he be by the summer of 2022. But now he can prepare for the summer of 2024 with renewed hope of a defining achievement. – The Independent THERE is suddenly a little bit of tension about one of the most ambitious plans in football. High-placed sources say this week brings a lot of discussion between Saudi Arabian representatives and those of top players in order to try and convince them to join the planet’s most disruptive competition. Some involved see it as a key period for the Saudi Pro League in terms of keeping the momentum going by getting truly big players. Interest in Neymar and David De Gea is now well known, but representatives are also looking at Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva, and there are offers for a series of Chelsea players. Among them are Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku, Kalidou Koulibaly, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hakim Ziyech. It would represent quite the analgesic for what had been a real headache at Stamford Bridge. Throughout the last few months, the major question at Stamford Bridge, beyond the manager, was who was going to buy the players they needed to sell to trim the squad and meet Financial Fair Play requirements. Now, a solution has suddenly presented itself. Chelsea could clear a lot of players for big money, allowing Mauricio Pochettino a much cleaner slate to start working with. It has raised a lot of chatter within the game as well as outside. Football officials have privately pointed to the strong relationship between Chelsea majority owners Clearlake and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), who have billions of pounds worth of assets managed by the American firm. Many within the game are now asking about Saudi influence on Chelsea but it has long been stressed there was no involvement in Clearlake’s 2022 purchase, and consequently no concern about potential conflicts of interest given the ownership of Newcastle United. The London club look to have just benefitted from good timing, although the biggest question now is how many players will actually be convinced to move, and “what actually gets done”. Lukaku is already reluctant. Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva would be unlikely to even consider a proposal if it arrives. The very fact such discussions are being had does raise two wider issues for the game. One, in the abstract, is the growing influence of private equity in football. There is then the big story of the summer, which revolves around one of the most ambitious and biggest of those states. Offers from the Saudi Pro League are expected to escalate in the next few weeks, as this is viewed as a key stage of the project. Getting Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves and N’golo Kante was a coup but they want bigger than that. It is also why there was some disappointment about the “complacency” of UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin about the extent the Saudi Pro League’s growth could distort the game. The Slovenian official gave an interview in the Netherlands on the eve of the Nations League final, in which he said the European game should not be concerned about any player exodus. “The system of buying the players that almost ended their career is not the system that develops football,” Ceferin said. “It was a similar mistake in China when they all brought players who are at the end of their career.” “Tell me one player who is top, top age and who starts his career and went to play in Saudi Arabia?” That question is something currently being tested, but a growing view is that Ceferin is wrong to make the comparison to China. Saudi Arabia has a much more developed football culture, with a good level of quality, and part of this project is improving that. There is then the wider issue of the football authorities’ general lack of regulation and foresight on the influence of states and private equity groups. The next few days will nevertheless tell a lot, but this is really about the next few years. – The Independent Saudi Arabia can help Chelsea solve headache – but questions remain █ RICHARD JOLLY █ MIGUEL DELANEY Why England will head into 2024 with their sense of optimism restored Rashford and Saka (right).