Malaysian Paper www.thesun.my RM1.00 PER COPY RM1 THURSDAY FEB 22, 2024 SCAN ME No. 8464 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) Traditional clay jug acts as natural evaporative cooling system by absorbing heat via conversion of water to vapour, resulting in lower air temperatures: Expert ‘Use labu sayong to beat heatwave’ Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das reminds Malaysians such foreigners contribute to economic development of country. Stop mocking migrant workers: NGO Taib Mahmud aib Mahmud dies, aged 87 dies, aged 87 Madani government expresses condolences to family of former Sarawak governor, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim describing demise of Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, who was also the state’s longest serving chief minister, as the loss of a respected statesman. Report on hpage 2 Art exhibition to benefit less fortunate Thirty per cent of sales of paintings by local artists will go to needy, including patients at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, says organiser. Report on hpage 4 Report on hpage 3 RELIVING HISTORY ... Holding up the Keris Sapukal, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim shouts “Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!” during a re-enactment of the Declaration of Independence for the Federation of Malaya at Padang Pahlawan in Banda Hilir, Malacca on Tuesday night, 68 years after the historic event. - Report on page 2 Report on — page 5
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 2 Iconic Sarawak statesman dies KUCHING: The Madani government expressed its condolences to the family of former Sarawak Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud who died early yesterday. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in a post on his Facebook page, also expressed his condolences to the people of Sarawak for their loss. “Saddened by the passing of the former Yang di-Pertua Negeri and chief minister of Sarawak, Tun Pehin Sri Hj Abdul Taib Mahmud early this morning. “We, especially the people of Sarawak, lost a respected statesman.” Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said Abdul Taib’s deeds The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah reciting a prayer for Abdul Taib at the RMAF Subang Air Base yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC oAnwar expresses condolences to family of former Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud and people of state for their loss PM tells leaders not to be arrogant like colonisers MALACCA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim advised today’s leaders against being avaricious and arrogant like the officers of the countries that once colonised this nation. He said current leaders must not behave like that if they are sincere about building Malaysia to be a better place. “We know that we would not be here enjoying the benefits of independence if not for the services of the great figures of the past who were willing to pledge their lives and property to achieve independence for our nation,” he said at the 68th Anniversary of the Independence Declaration of the Federation of Malaya celebration here. He reminded present-day leaders to learn from the good and positive elements and characteristics of past leaders and not follow the practices of avaricious and arrogant colonial officials. Anwar said while the country’s Constitution is seen to give privileges to Malays, the highest law of the nation does not exclude other races who fought together for the country’s independence. “That’s why the leaders at that time, when drafting the Constitution, stipulated the position of the Malay language, Islam (as) the federal religion, the rights of privileges of Malays and the sovereignty of the Malay Rulers, but never was it intended to belittle the rights of others, degrade others or insult them (non-Malays).” He said non-Malays were recognised as legitimate citizens who jointly fought for independence. – Bernama S’wak premier to continue legacy KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Abang Openg has pledged to continue the former governor and chief minister Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud’s legacy, especially in efforts to develop Sarawak and Malaysia in a more structured way. “On behalf of the people of Sarawak, we certainly feel the loss of a leader who served the people of Malaysia throughout his life. “As his successor, I pledge that we will continue his efforts to develop Sarawak and Malaysia in a more structured approach, especially in the need for energy transition globally,” he said after the signing of an MoU between Petronas and the Sarawak government yesterday. Abang Johari said Abdul Taib had made significant contributions, including being one of the architects for the establishment of Petronas. – Bernama Selangor Sultan chairs Conference of Rulers KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah chaired the 265th meeting of the Conference of Rulers at Istana Negara yesterday. The two-day meeting was attended by the Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, the Sultan of Kedah Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah and the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir. The Regent of Johor Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, the Regent of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan Tengku Muhammad Fakhry also attended the meeting. Others present were the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak, the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, the Yang diPertua Negeri of Sabah Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and the Yang diPertua Negeri of Sarawak Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. – Bernama Re-enactment of Malaya Declaration of Independence MALACCA: Sixty-eight years ago, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, who later became the nation’s first prime minister, read the Declaration of Independence for the Federation of Malaya at Padang Pahlawan, marking the country’s freedom from Britain. At a re-enactment of the historic event on Tuesday night, the sacred cries of “Merdeka” were once again heard in Banda Hilir here. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh in a Nash Rambler Custom Convertible 1951 car bearing registration number M4442, led a 600m procession that started at the Stadhuys Complex to the Independence Declaration Memorial. It was a recreation of the procession on Feb 20, 1956 involving Tunku Abdul Rahman and the Perak Sultan’s representative Datuk Panglima Bukit Gantang Abdul Wahab Toh Muda Abdul Aziz in the vintage car upon their return from London after the independence mission. Others who took part in the reenactment were MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran (representing MIC president Tun V.T. Sambanthan), Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (representing MCA secretary-general Tun Tan Cheng Lock), State Tourism, Heritage, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman (representing Independence Declaration Celebration Committee chairman Tun Ghafar Baba) and State Women, Family and Development Committee chairman Datuk Kalsom Nordin (representing Umno Malacca Women’s Movement secretary Zainab Samdin). On arrival at the main stage, Anwar inspected a youth brigade parade unit before accepting a garland of flowers from Vigneswaran, witnessed by Tiong. Chants of “Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!” filled the air after Anwar read the Declaration of Independence. Kalsom then proceeded to present the Keris Sapukal, the actual keris held by Tunku Abdul Rahman during the momentous event. Performers took to the stage with the Malam Aneka Warna segment which featured a musical drama titled Di Atas Runtuhan Kota Melaka Kita Dirikan Negara Baharu (from the ruins of Kota Malacca we built a new nation) with scenes of the Japanese occupation of Malaya until the Declaration of Independence. About 1,500 participants took part in the procession, including students and members of uniformed bodies, NGOs and political parties. The Federation of Malaya’s official Declaration of Independence took place at the Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 31, 1957. Malacca has declared Feb 20 as a public holiday for the state, starting this year. – Bernama and services to the country and Sarawak would be remembered forever. Abdul Taib, 87, died at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur at 4.40am yesterday. His remains were taken to the National Mosque for the funeral rites before being brought back to Kuching for burial. Meanwhile, the state government has declared a twoday mourning period following his demise. It said that flags would be flown at half-mast throughout Sarawak, and entertainment events would be postponed. “Mosques and places of worship are encouraged to hold prayer sessions,” it said in a statement. Abdul Taib’s remains will be taken from his residence in Demak Jaya, Jalan Bako, here to the state Legislative Assembly, where the public can pay their final respects from 8am to 11.30am today. His remains will be brought to the Demak mosque near his residence for funeral prayers, and the state funeral will be held at a family cemetery in Demak Jaya. Born on May 21, 1936, Abdul Taib helmed the state as chief minister for 33 years. He was appointed as the seventh Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak, replacing Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng, on March 1, 2014. After almost 10 years in the position, Abdul Taib was replaced by Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who was sworn in as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri on Jan 29. His contributions to Sarawak’s development have left an indelible mark on the state’s history. As the architect of the state’s modernisation, Abdul Taib’s legacy will be remembered for generations to come. His leadership as chief minister for over three decades saw Sarawak through various challenges and transitions, shaping its trajectory from the 1980s to the 21st century. The Miri-born, Adelaide-trained lawyer had been on Sarawak’s political scene since the formation of Malaysia in 1963, Bernama reported. Abdul Taib’s 61 years of service in government administration and politics started when he was appointed as Sarawak communications and public works minister in the first state Cabinet led by the then chief minister Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan in 1963. His tenure in various key ministerial positions, including as primary industries minister (1972), general planning and socioeconomic research minister (1974), defence minister (1978) and federal territories minister (1980) demonstrated his versatility and capability in handling diverse portfolios.
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 3 Event to facilitate access to govt services KUALA LUMPUR: The “Kesejahteraan Rakyat” (People’s Well-being) booth at the Madani Rakyat event for the central zone from tomorrow until Sunday at the Kuala Selangor Sports Complex will offer visitors a variety of social services by government agencies. The Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister’s Department People’s Welfare Division director Mashitah @ Suhailah Suid said the initiative aims to provide the public with easy access to government services at a single location. “The booth will offer services involving six agencies. These include counters facilitating the verification and registration of various forms for assistance by the Social Welfare Department, checking the status of Bantuan Sara Hidup and Rahmah cash aid and more. We will also provide information on social protection through the ICU self-developed database platform. “There will also be a social synergy programme with the Social Security Organisation that will provide information and services at the related counters,” she said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV’s Apa Khabar Malaysia programme yesterday. Mashitah said the event also serves as a platform to explain to the public the processes and interconnections among government agencies in providing social protection . She also encouraged job seekers to attend the Career Carnival at the event, where approximately 2,000 job opportunities will be available. – Bernama Protection for media, creative workers KUALA LUMPUR: The Communications Ministry is in the process of determining the best solution to protect part-time media workers, film and music crew, and behind-the-scene production teams. In a post on X, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said many creative industry players lack social security protection after they retire. “The case involving Ross Ariffin, who became homeless for three years, and the wife of Pak Jabit (Man Kadir Samsi), who is living in poverty, has led to a discussion between me and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim. “InsyaAllah, the government will organise awareness campaigns on the importance of contributing to the Social Security Organisation through the Self Employment Social Security Scheme,” he said. Composer Ross, 62, was reported to have been living on the streets for more than three years before Fahmi came forward to offer him help with a People’s Housing Project unit. Fahmi also donated an oxygen concentrator to Raja Maharani Raja Jaafar, 70, the wife of the late actor Man Kadir. – Bernama Syariah prosecution dept to be created PUTRAJAYA: The process to establish the Malaysian Syariah Prosecution Department is ongoing, said Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan, adding that it was being discussed by the relevant quarters at all levels. “We want to establish the department and it is currently in the discussion stage. It will be realised to strengthen the syariah legal ecosystem,” he said when met after a meeting with about 30 Muslim women’s NGOs yesterday. He added that the government is committed to implementing syariah laws in a systematic and orderly manner, including through proposed amendments of the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965. Other Bills to be amended include the Mufti Bill and the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993. – Bernama Joint effort to combat corruption PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the National Audit Department (NAD) will step up cooperation in the fight against corruption and improve the governance of government agencies. MACC and NAD said in a joint statement the collaboration was sealed via a new Note of Cooperation signed by MACC chief commissioner and Auditor-General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi in a ceremony held at the MACC headquarters on Tuesday. “This new cooperation note focuses on the scope of cooperation covering aspects of the information and knowledge sharing programmes and training between the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (MACA) and the National Audit Academy (NAA). “(This) states the importance to strengthen bilateral cooperation and understanding so that efforts to develop the human capital of officials and the eradication of corruption, including the governance of government agencies, can be effectively improved.” Azam Baki said the move will have a high impact, especially to help MACC in supporting the government’s efforts towards “a country with integrity and free from corruption”. “This reflects NAD’s commitment to assist MACC in fighting corruption and improve administrative governance, apart from identifying and helping to reduce leakage. “MACC will continue to take steps with full commitment and consistency to eradicate corrupt practices in the government procurement system, avoid leakage and ensure government procurement is carried out in accordance with laws and regulations.” According to him, MACC and NAD will carry out continuous information sharing to strengthen the involvement of both parties in the early detection of all forms of corruption, abuse of power and malpractice that can affect the image of the government, threaten wellbeing of the community, weaken values of integrity, and hinder development of social, economic and political development. Wan Suraya expressed hope the move would strengthen the bilateral cooperation network of the two institutions. “Joint training will be designed and implemented by NAA and MACA to continuously improve the competence and expertise of officers of both parties,” she said. – Bernama Cost-saving ways to keep cool PETALING JAYA: As the annual hot season returns with temperatures soaring up to 37°C, a university professor has proposed a natural and energy-saving method to keep homes cool. University Putra Malaysia Assoc Prof Dr Suriati Paiman said a natural way to reduce indoor temperature is by using a “labu sayong” (calabash), a traditional water jug made of clay as an evaporative cooling system. “An evaporative cooling system converts water into vapour by using thermal energy in the air. The water will then absorb a large amount of heat to evaporate, resulting in lower air temperatures. “The water in the labu sayong is lower than the external temperature due to evaporation from its inner wall surface. Therefore, the evaporative cooling system of a labu sayong works by removing latent heat through evaporation,” she said, adding that the technique is suitable here due to the hot and humid climate. Suriati said labu sayong can improve indoor thermal comfort while reducing the overall energy consumption of a household. “Compared with other modern cooling systems such as air-conditioning, labu sayong uses no electricity, which addresses the issue of increasing costs while keeping the house cool. “When combined with mechanical ventilation, the system not only cools the indoor environment, much like air conditioning, but also prevents excessive heat from building up.” “In dry climates, evaporative cooling of air has the added benefit of increasing moisture in the air,” she said, adding that people in hot and dry climates with limited access to oExperts suggest natural options to reduce indoor temperature during current hot weather █ BYALLEN WONG [email protected] electricity could also use it to keep perishable food items cool. Environmental Protection Society Malaysia president Nithi Nesadurai said there are several natural methods for keeping indoor temperatures low without relying heavily on air-conditioning. “The most cost-friendly and effective method to lower indoor temperature would be to have potted plants within the home. “Enabling air circulation and cross ventilation would also facilitate cooling. Keeping doors and windows open in the evenings will allow cool air in while keeping them shut during the day can keep hot air out.” For those living in landed properties, he said insulating the roof will prevent heat buildup in the house, since the roof is the main source of heat. “While this involves some expenditure, this will effectively reduce indoor temperature. Additionally, it is only a one-time expenditure.” Nithi said better building design can also help keep indoor temperatures low instead of creating “heat islands”. “Houses with older designs have ventilation holes at the top of the walls that facilitate airflow. There are also open air-wells in the middle of the house for natural lighting and ventilation,” he said, adding that these are seldom seen in modern houses. He suggested energy-efficient technologies that can assist in naturally cooling indoor spaces to keep energy consumption low. “When building new houses, use technologies with building designs that permit cross ventilation, roof ventilation and circulation. Other technologies include roof insulation and hollow bricks. Painting external walls white will also help to reflect heat,” he said. He also proposed placing main heat generating appliances such as the television, computer and fridge away from walls to allow air circulation. “Ideally, these appliances should be switched off and unplugged when not in use. But we can minimise heat by placing it at more strategic locations in the house.” MAILED SUPPORT ... A policewoman participating in the ‘One Million Postcards for Palestine Independence’ initiative that was recently launched in collaboration with Pos Malaysia. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 4 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER Malaysian Paper RM3.4 billion Selangor projects to be implemented this year SHAH ALAM: A total of 564 balanced and sustainable development projects will be implemented this year in Selangor under the Fourth Rolling Plan (RP4) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), with a total allocation of RM3.41 billion. The Selangor State Development Office, under the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department, said in a statement of the total, 463 are new projects while 101 are extension projects. The Selangor RP4 focused on the development of 471 physical projects (RM2.25 billion or 65.8%) involving the main project scope, including equipment, information as well as communication technology (ICT) and non-ICT equipment, purchase of buildings, construction, facility management, maintenance, land acquisition and research. “Meanwhile, 93 projects (RM1.17 billion or 34.2%) are non-physical projects approved for fund financing, ICT programmes, research and training programmes.” This was made known following the Selangor State Development Action Council meeting chaired by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari on Tuesday. The statement said as of Feb 13, Selangor had achieved an expenditure performance of 8.39%, and it surpassed the national performance of 6.03%. Projects expected to be completed this year include the construction of the National Centre for Food Safety in Sepang, the upgrading project for the Kajang Hospital, Kem Wawasan Negara Tanjung Rhu in Sepang as well as the construction of a new 24-classroom school and other facilities at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Saujana Putra, in Telok Datok, Kuala Langat. Other matters included the performance of RP3 of the 12MP in Selangor, which recorded that 99.65% or a total of RM6.78 billion had been spent from the RM6.81 billion allocated for last year. The expenditure is for 31.1% or 179 projects, which have been completed and implemented, including upgrading works of the intensive care unit of Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang, and the construction of SK Ulu Yam Lama in Batang Kali using the industrialised building system. The project to replace and widen a bridge over Sungai Batang Kali in Hulu Selangor and the construction of a new 42-classroom school and other facilities at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bandar Saujana Utama (2), Kuala Selangor were also completed. Selangor also implemented upgrading and minor maintenance projects in 753 schools under the Education Ministry, involving an allocation of RM52.71 million, which were all completed in November last year. – Bernama Johor takes action to revive ‘sick’ housing schemes JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor government aims to revive one abandoned and five “sick” projects across four districts this year, with an estimated property value exceeding RM700 million. State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the projects involve a total of 1,928 housing units. All the projects are slated for completion through the collaboration of various parties, including the State Housing Development Corporation of Johor, 16 local authorities and technical agencies, under the Sick and Abandoned Project Monitoring Committee. “In 2022 and 2023, the state government completed five ailing projects valued at about RM300 million. This year, we target the completion of five more sick projects and one abandoned project,” he said. “The property value of such projects, both completed and ongoing, involving 3,500 units, will reach RM1 billion,” he said after chairing the Homebuyer Review Committee meeting at Residensi Larkin Indah yesterday. Also present was PR1MA Malaysia group CEO and board member Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Md Shariff. Mohd Jafni listed the five sick projects as Taman Sri Unas Permai in Muar, Taman Desa in Tangkak, Taman Residensi Larkin Indah and Taman Molek Perdana in Johor Bahru and Taman Impiana Kulai, involving a total of 1,538 houses. The stalled project in Taman Kulai Utama involves 390 units, he added. Earlier, he presented vacant possession certificates to a portion of buyers of Residensi Larkin Indah, a project that had been delayed for over two years. He said the project, situated on 2.81ha of land, comprises a total of 174 units, with facilities such as a daycare centre, prayer room, kindergarten and badminton court. It is one of six PR1MA projects in Johor, along with Residensi Taman Nusantara, Residensi Kota Tinggi, Residensi Layangkasa, Residensi Tebrau and Residensi Pelangi Indah. – Bernama Helping less fortunate through love for art PETALING JAYA: An art exhibition being held at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) until March 3 is drawing crowds with its display of over 70 paintings by 50 Malaysian artists. Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung officiated at the Pameran Amal Karya Seni at UMMC on Monday. Organised by Art Market Malaysia, its founder Rita Hatta said 30% of the sales from the exhibition will be donated to the needy, including UMMC patients. She expressed confidence that more Malaysians will visit the exhibition and make purchases. “Doing so will support the artists who are passionate about their work, UMMC patients who desperately need funds to cover expenses and other needy people,” she said. Rita expressed disappointment and frustration that art is not widely appreciated in Malaysia, compared with other countries where artworks are collected and displayed in homes and offices. “I reached out to government officials and some politicians, only to be told that there is no specific government entity to champion art in Malaysia. “This is disappointing as art is a crucial aspect of our cultural landscape and needs to be encouraged and supported by the authorities.” Rita, who has organised over 100 art exhibitions nationwide as well as Ganesh with his artworks at the exhibition. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN o30% of sales from exhibition to be donated to needy and patients who need funds to cover expenses: Organiser █ BYQIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI [email protected] in France and Australia to showcase the works of local artists, said art flourishes in other countries as a profitable industry, and is backed by established galleries and passionate patrons. “Art dealers from some countries purchase paintings from Malaysian artists at low prices and resell them abroad for significant profits. “Surely, there is a market abroad for Malaysian artists? “Malaysia boasts many local artists who are still awaiting recognition,” she said. Rita, who suffers from partial paralysis due to a stroke, said Art Market Malaysia also supports emerging artists in the country, and is assisting more than 10 disabled individuals earn a living by selling their works. Amira Daniea Saiful Amri, 19, suffers from autism spectrum disorder. But according to her mother, she is exceptionally independent. Her paintings, branded as Daniea Art, have captured much public attention. Her mother Azlina Masdar said selling art has become challenging due to economic uncertainties and people becoming more selective with their purchases. Despite this, Azlina hopes people will recognise her daughter’s talents and capabilities. “It’s important that people see her as more than just autistic. Amira has unique abilities. “Once, a charity run organiser fell in love with Daniea’s painting of the KLCC. “Although I can’t disclose the exact figure, we sold it for several thousand ringgit, which was a blessing to us,” she said. Danya Adriana Feri Pito Manda, 16, said she discovered her interest in painting when she turned 12. “For me, it’s not so much about selling my paintings, but getting exposure and appreciation.” Ganesh Govindasamy, 80, started painting in 1969, but gave up soon after because there were not many local buyers at the time, making it difficult for him to earn a living. He said he started painting again in 2000 after rediscovering his passion. “Painting makes my life more meaningful, and I find genuine enjoyment in the process,” he said.
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 5 ‘Stop disparaging remarks against migrant workers’ migration situation in the country.” She said ad hoc policies on foreign workers encourage the influx of human trafficking, contributing to xenophobia. “We urge the government to implement a comprehensive policy for labour migration to regulate their recruitment, placement and employment,” she said. Public health researcher and activist Dr Vinogiri Krishnan said people often blame migrant communities for limited job opportunities and wage suppression, especially in industries where they are more prevalent. “Blaming them based on their occupation or physical attributes only perpetuates negative perceptions. The public must educate themselves about the contributions of migrant workers, to challenge discrimination and stand up against xenophobic actions.” Universiti Malaya International Institute of Public Policy and Management senior lecturer Dr Aslam Abd Jalil said the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 could be extended to include the prevention of hate speech against non-citizens, regardless of their legal status. “Currently, section 233 of the Act covers the transmission of offensive or annoying communications via network facilities, while Section 211 prohibits distributing offensive content through content application services. “In other words, providers and users of network facilities cannot share inappropriate, obscene, fake, threatening or offensive material with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass others.” Aslam said while social media users must adhere to community guidelines, such platforms must also be vigilant in removing hate and harmful content to maintain social harmony and prevent such xenophobic comments about migrant workers. He added that the authorities should also act against online hate speech targeted at migrant workers, while simultaneously educating the public on their economic contributions. “We should treat migrants with dignity and protect their rights, just like how we expect to be treated abroad. “We must recognise the contributions of Bangladeshi and Indonesian workers in Malaysia and foster mutual respect and understanding among our peoples.” Xenophobia could be due to personal bias, leading to misunderstandings and a lack of awareness on the legal status of migrants. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN oGroup has contributed to betterment of Malaysia and should be treated with dignity, respect: Lecturer Two friends get life imprisonment for drug trafficking KUALA LUMPUR: Two friends were sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court yesterday after they were found guilty of trafficking drugs into the country about three years ago. Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin handed down the sentence on Lee Chuen Hoe, 44, and Chen Kok Kwong, 59, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case at the end of the defence case. “The court found that the drugs were under the custody and control of the first accused (Lee) and the second accused (Chen), and they knew the purpose of the drugs (for distribution). Therefore, both accused are found guilty of the charges,” he said. The judge sentenced both of them to life imprisonment, to be served from the date of their arrest on June 21, 2021, with Lee to also be given 12 strokes of the cane. However, Muhammad Jamil acquitted and discharged a third accused, So Hoong Piau, 29, of the charge. The three were jointly charged with trafficking 305.1g of methamphetamine in front of Ling Chiropractic Treatment Centre at Jalan Perkasa, Aked Esplanad in Bukit Jalil at 6.20pm on June 21, 2021. The charge, framed under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, provides the death penalty. DPP Noor Dayana Mohamed prosecuted while lawyers Syaheera Rosli and Manveer Singh represented Lee and Chen respectively. – Bernama Cops to ensure smooth running of Madani event KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Selangor district police headquarters will mobilise all its personnel to ensure efficiency and public safety during the three-day Central Zone Madani Rakyat programme starting tomorrow at the Kuala Selangor Sports Complex. Kuala Selangor police chief Supt Ramli Kasa announced that officers and personnel from the police stations in Kuala Selangor, Tanjung Karang, Bestari Jaya and Jeram will also be deployed for the purpose. “We anticipate the attendance of approximately 100,000 visitors. “With the cooperation of the Kuala Selangor Municipal Council enforcement team, we believe the event will run smoothly. “With the opening of the West Coast Expressway and the existing Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway, Kuala Selangor often attracts crowds during weekends, leading to traffic congestion on event days. “We hope everyone will be patient,” said Ramli during a special guest appearance on KLFM radio yesterday. The event features various attractions for visitors, including a counter for reducing compound fines from the police, a registration counter for Rahmah Cash Contribution and a Road Transport Department counter for motorcycle helmet exchange. – Bernama Six lost climbers on Gunung Angsi found SEREMBAN: Six climbers who got lost while hiking Gunung Angsi in Kuala Pilah were found at 2.34am yesterday by a rescue team from the Negeri Sembilan Fire and Rescue Department. Seri Menanti Fire and Rescue station operations commander Yusry Bin Abdullah Sani said the hikers were found safe. One of them, a woman, sustained a knee injury. “They were given initial treatment by the EMRS Special Team and then allowed by police to go home,” he said in a statement yesterday. He added that the agencies involved in the rescue team were police, the Forest Ranger Office, Civil Defence Force and the Malaysian Volunteer Corps. It was reported that the Fire and Rescue Department received a call at about 7.30pm regarding four women and two men who were feared to have lost their way while making their wayup Gunung Angsi. The individuals in the group, aged between 28 and 42, had registered in advance at the forest office booth. – Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should stop taunting migrant workers who are in the country seeking better opportunities for their livelihood as it only fuels xenophobia, activists said. Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das told theSun that online disparagement of migrant workers needs to be stopped. “There are social media videos in which (commenters) mocked overcrowding at ‘mini Dhaka’ in Jalan Silang here, as well as inside a mall during last week’s Chinese New Year celebrations. “There are legal migrant workers in the country. They are not invaders but contribute to our economic development. We seem to forget this.” The International Organisation for Migration said while documented migrant workers constituted 2.2 million of the total 14.4 million employees in the labour force as of 2022, the total number of migrant workers, regardless of their status, could amount to 5.5 million. Das said the country depends on migrant labour despite previous pledges to reduce their numbers as they are needed to work in “dirty, dangerous and difficult” jobs, which shows that locals are still unwilling to replace them. She said xenophobia is common the public based on their biases, leading to misunderstandings and a lack of awareness of the legal status of foreigners. “Migrant workers are often (assumed) as illegals. Thousands of migrant workers have entered the country with documents approved by the authorities.” Das urged the government to regulate labour migration through policies that benefit all stakeholders. “Negative phrases like ‘migrant workers are a threat’ or ‘hiring them increases the costs which worsen the country’s economy’ are created to divert attention from the current █ BY QALIF ZUHAIR [email protected] Abide by Thai traffic laws: Betong police BETONG: Malaysians heading to Thailand by road have been advised to abide by the traffic rules and regulations in the country. Betong district police chief Col Pol Jirawat Dooding advised drivers of foreign private vehicles and tour buses to park their vehicles at the parking lot provided to avoid congestion and inconvenience to other road users. “All drivers should respect and obey the rules and laws of the road to avoid being fined or jailed,” he said following the recent arrest of a Malaysian tour bus driver for violating traffic laws. Jirawat said the 46-year-old man did not park his vehicle in the designated area and when police conducted further checks, he attempted to flee. “We found that the man used a Malaysian-registered vehicle and entered Thailand without valid documents,” he said. On Feb 13, the man was taken to the Betong Court and was allowed a 50,000 Thai baht (RM6,683) bail in one surety along with an additional condition that he could not leave Thailand for three months. – Bernama
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 6 Enclosed is my payment of RM payable to SUN MEDIA CORPORATION SDN BHD. 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Muruku Buntong entrepreneur’s Deepavali snack, made from a still a national favourite 60-year-old recipe, is constantly in high demand. Chicken price float benefits consumers A week after subsidies ended, market prices are competitive and lower than subsidised prices, says expert. Full report —on page 3 Full report —on page 6 Full report —on page 4 Citing protection of country’s interests in terms of diplomatic, economic relations and security as reasons for joining meeting, Anwar says he remains steadfast in defending justice and rights of Palestinians. I will show up at Apec Story on page 2 Full story -on page 2 SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE Free entry offer draws crowds to Malacca MALACCA: Visitors queued for more than two hours at the Malacca Zoo on Tuesday as they took advantage of the free admission to tourist spots offered by the state government in conjunction with the Declaration of Independence of Malaya celebrations. Mohd Noradil Mohd Ali, 45, said he, his wife, and three children, started queuing as early as 7.15am and gained entry two hours later into the zoo, which opened at 9am. The restaurant owner said despite the large crowd at the entrance, he was thrilled to have fulfilled his wish to bring his children, aged 11 to 19, to the tourist spot. “I thought our family was among the first but to my surprise, there were many who had arrived earlier. Some started queuing as early as 4am. We were willing to wait because free entry to the zoo does not come often. “The last time I visited the zoo was eight years ago and at the time, the ticket price was only about RM7. Now, it has gone up to RM30 per person. So, we saved quite a bit of money,” he said, adding that he was also planning to bring his family to the Malaysia Heritage Studios (MHS). Norhayati Shamsudin, 42, from Bukit Katil, said she and 14 other family members, who last visited the zoo about 12 years ago, also took advantage of the offer. “We started queuing as early as 7.30am. Initially, we were thrilled but the heat and crowd made the experience less enjoyable. The ticket counter area was too congested and I think the zoo should consider making some improvements.” She also expressed appreciation to the state government for offering local residents the opportunity to enjoy free entry to tourist spots. A. Kirthijan, 17, said he and his family left home at 7am to visit several tourist attractions across the state, Bernama reported. “I am looking forward to exploring Malacca, especially the zoo. After that, I am headed to the Malacca Wonderland Theme Park and Resort.” P. Yeogasundari, who visited Malacca on Tuesday with her husband and two children, was surprised by the crowd at the zoo and MHS. She said they stayed at a hotel in Banda Hilir and planned to visit the zoo. However, they had a change of mind after seeing the crowd and went to MHS instead. “There was quite a crowd at MHS too and we just learnt that it is a public holiday in Malacca,” she said, adding that she was heading back to Ipoh after her visit to MHS. The state government waived entrance fees to 10 tourist spots in conjunction with the state public holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence of Malaya on Tuesday. The 10 locations were the river cruise, Taming Sari Tower, museums under the Malacca Museum Corporation, Malacca Zoo, Al-Khawarizmi Astronomy Complex, Malacca Wonderland Theme Park and Resort, Malacca Marine Park, five state golf clubs, the prison museum and MHS. Some visitors to the Malacca Zoo started queuing as early as 4am. – BERNAMAPIC oState govt move to waive fees at 10 tourist spots for declaration of independence celebrations lauded
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 7 Cambodia confirms former leader’s son as deputy PM PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s parliament yesterday approved former ruler Hun Sen’s youngest son, Hun Many, as a deputy prime minister, the latest member of the family to be promoted since the former leader handed the reins to his eldest son Hun Manet. Hun Sen stepped down in August after nearly four decades of ruling Cambodia with an iron fist, handing power to Hun Manet following a landslide win in national polls held without any oHun Many joins 10 other deputy prime ministers significant opposition parties. The government, formed by Hun Manet last year, now includes a number of relatives, with several children of Hun Sen’s allies also holding top jobs. All 120 lawmakers, including Hun Sen, endorsed 41-year-old Civil Service Minister Hun Many as a deputy prime minister yesterday at the request of Hun Manet. There are 10 other deputy prime ministers already serving. The lawmakers in attendance unanimously gave Hun Many their vote of confidence. “Based on the result of the vote, I would like to declare that Hun Many won the National Assembly’s confidence vote as the deputy prime minister,” National Assembly President Khuon Sudary announced at the end of the session. The parliament also approved the appointments of Sry Thamarong and Pen Vibol, both ministers attached to the prime minister, as senior ministers in charge of special mission. Speaking before the voting session, Hun Manet said the fresh appointments were made in response to “the necessary need for promoting the most efficient implementation of the political programmes of the government in the seventh legislature of the National Assembly”. Hun Manet told lawmakers the promotion of his youngest brother was in line with the need to achieve the “highest efficiency of the government’s policy”, with his goal to turn Cambodia into a highincome country by 2050. Among the 10 other deputy prime ministers is Hun Sen’s nephew Neth Savoeun, a former national police chief. Hun Sen’s second son Hun Manith, 42, is the head of the Defence Ministry’s military intelligence unit and a deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Army. After coming to power in 1985, Hun Sen helped modernise a country devastated by civil war. Critics say his rule has also been marked by environmental destruction, entrenched graft and the elimination of nearly all rivals. Hun Sen is set to become the president of the Senate following a senators’ election on Sunday. – AFP Hun Sen visits old ally Thaksin BANGKOK: Thailand’s influential ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was released this week from detention, was visited yesterday by former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, one of the tycoon’s closest allies during his 15 years of self-imposed exile. Political heavyweight Hun Sen was prime minister for nearly four decades until handing over to his son last year. Hun Sen provided the billionaire with sanctuary during his exile, naming him a special adviser and allowing him to visit frequently and meet allies in Cambodia, frustrating Thaksin’s rivals, who saw it as interference by a neighbouring country. The activities of Thaksin, a towering figure over Thailand’s tumultuous politics, are being closely watched amid expectation he will exert influence on a government led by his family and allies, as he did while in exile to avoid jail after being toppled in a coup. Thaksin was freed on parole on Sunday due to his age and health, with the 74-year-old since seen wearing a neck brace, padded sling and using a wheelchair. A senior official who met him said he was “truly ill”. “Two former prime ministers met Hun Sen with Thaksin during the visit yesterday. – REUTERSPIC Police fire tear gas at Indian farmers marching on capital SHAMBHU: Indian police fired tear gas yesterday to scatter protesting farmers as they resumed a march to the capital, equipped with cranes and excavators after talks with the government on guaranteed prices for their produce failed to break a deadlock. To escape the stinging gas and clouds of smoke, thousands of farmers, some wearing medical masks, ran into the fields surrounding their gathering-point on a highway about 200km north of New Delhi. The police action came as the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a fresh offer to resume talks on the farmers’ demands. Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda urged the farmers to resolve their grievances through the talks. “After the fourth round, the government is ready to discuss all the issues” such as guaranteed prices, he posted on X, as the march resumed. “I again invite the leaders for discussion. It is important for us to maintain peace.” On Monday, the farmers’ groups had rejected the government’s previous proposal for five-year contracts and guaranteed support prices for produce. The farmers, mostly from the northern state of Punjab, have been demanding higher prices backed by law for their crops. They form an influential bloc of voters Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot afford to anger ahead of elections. The farmers began marching at dawn from the spot authorities had stopped them by erecting barricades on the border of Punjab state with Haryana, blocking a key highway. “It is not right that such massive barricades have been placed to stop us,” said one of the farmers’ leaders, Jagjit Singh Dallewal. “We want to march to Delhi peacefully. If not, they should accede to our demands.” Police in riot gear lined both sides of the highway as the farmers, gathering earlier amid morning fog, waved colourful flags emblazoned with the symbols of their unions. Television images showed some wearing gas masks. Late on Tuesday, Haryana police’s chief ordered the immediate seizure of the heavy equipment brought by the farmers, to prevent its use by protesters in destroying the barricades. Police also asked owners of such equipment not to lend or rent it to protesters, as its use to harm security forces would be a criminal offence. About 10,000 people had gathered yesterday, along with 1,200 tractors and wagons at Shambhu on the state border, police in Haryana posted on X, warning against the risk of stone-throwing as they were armed with sticks and stones. – Reuters B R I E F SS’PORE OFFERS PAYOUTS TO RETAIN NURSES SINGAPORE: The city state will pay nurses a bonus of up to S$100,000 (RM356,718) to encourage them to stay in the public health system as it deals with a staff shortage and a rapidly ageing society. About 29,000 nurses will be eligible for the payout, including foreign nurses who have worked in the country for four years, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Tuesday. “We want to support our nurses to do a good job,” Ong said. Ong said public health challenges had exacerbated the nursing shortage in Singapore, with a higher than usual number of foreign nurses leaving. Most foreign nurses in Singapore come from Malaysia, the Philippines and Myanmar. Under the incentive scheme announced by Ong, nurses will be entitled to up to S$100,000 over 20 years, or up to retirement age, whichever comes first. Last year, the authorities introduced a S$15,000 sign-on bonus for fresh nursing graduates who joined public hospitals or clinics. Ong said intake numbers for nursing students increased by about 30% from 2013 to 2023. “It is worth pointing out that with falling birthrates, fewer babies, and shrinking student cohorts, just keeping these intakes stable is a very encouraging outcome,” said Ong. – AFP DISSIDENT WILL NOT APPEAL SENTENCE SYDNEY: Chinese-Australian dissident Yang Jun will not appeal a suspended death sentence imposed by a Beijing court, his family said yesterday in a statement denouncing China’s “inhumane” justice system. Yang was handed a suspended death sentence earlier this month after a court found him guilty of opaque “espionage” charges, which the Australian citizen has forcefully denied. The sentence has been suspended by two years and there is a reasonable chance it could be commuted to life in prison if officials are pleased with Yang’s behaviour. The father-of-two, whose health has deteriorated as a cyst grows on his kidney, told his family he no longer had the strength to fight the charges. “Commencing an appeal would only delay the possibility of adequate and supervised medical care, after five years of inhumane treatment and abject medical neglect,” his family said. “Yang’s deteriorating physical condition does not allow him to endure further rounds of this legal system,” they added. Instead, Yang’s family said they would focus on securing urgent medical relief for his “serious kidney condition”. The unexpected sentence has sent a chill through Australia-China relations, which have been on the mend after years of bickering and trade reprisals. – AFP and didn’t talk about politics,” Hun Sen posted on Facebook, with an image of him sitting on a sofa next to a sombre-looking Thaksin wearing arm and neck supports. The full extent of Thaksin’s health issues have not been disclosed and critics have questioned whether he is really ill. Thaksin made a dramatic return to Thailand in August the same day as loyalist Srettha Thavisin being named Thailand’s prime minister and Hun Sen ceding power in Cambodia. Thaksin was sentenced to eight years in prison for conflicts of interest and abuse of power but was transferred to hospital on his first night in jail with chest pains. His sentence was commuted to one year by the king and he was paroled after six months. Some analysts said Hun Sen’s visit demonstrated their deep personal connection, one that could strengthen their countries’ ties given their influence. “The visit reflects the politics of the elite in Southeast Asia,” Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee, professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University. Their relationship could help navigate difficult issues, Siripan said, such as joint exploration for oil in an overlapping area, which have been stalled for decades. – Reuters
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 8 Commercial spaceship set for lunar landing WASHINGTON: A company from Texas is poised to attempt a feat that until now has only been accomplished by a handful of national space agencies, but could soon become commonplace for the private sector: landing on the moon. If all goes to plan, Houston-based Intuitive Machines will guide its spaceship named Odysseus to a gentle touchdown near the lunar south pole today at 2249 GMT (6.49am tomorrow in Malaysia), then run experiments for Nasa that will help pave the way for the return of astronauts later this decade. A previous effort by another US company last month ended in failure, raising the stakes to demonstrate private industry has what it takes to put an American lander on Earth’s cosmic companion for the first time since the Apollo era. “Accepting risk was a challenge posed by the United States to the commercial business sector,” Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said ahead of launch. “Our collective aim is to return to the moon for the first time in 52 years.” The company plans to run a live stream on its website, with flight controllers expected to confirm landing around 15 seconds after the milestone is achieved, because of the time it takes for radio signals to return. As it approaches the surface, Odysseus will shoot out an external “EagleCam” that captures images of the lander in the final seconds of its descent. About the size of a big golf cart, Odysseus is hexagon shaped and stands on six legs. It launched on Feb 15 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and boasts a new type of supercooled liquid oxygen, liquid methane propulsion system that allowed it to race through space in quick time, snapping pictures of our planet along the way. Its destination, Malapert A, is an impact crater 300km from the lunar south pole. Nasa hopes to eventually build a long-term presence and harvest ice there for both drinking water and rocket fuel under Artemis, its flagship Moon-to-Mars programme. The US space agency paid Intuitive Machines US$118 million (RM566 million) to ship science hardware to better understand and mitigate environmental risks for astronauts, the first of whom are scheduled to land no sooner than 2026. – AFP B R I E F SHUNTER BIDEN SAYS CASES AGAINST HIM TAINTED WASHINGTON: The legal team for Hunter Biden, US President Joe Biden’s son, said yesterday that an indicted former FBI informant’s claims had raised legal troubles for him. In separate court filings, the legal team argued that the claims by the FBI informant – accused of lying about a bribery scheme involving Hunter Biden and his father – threw an earlier plea deal into jeopardy and led to two indictments against Hunter Biden on tax evasion and gun charges. It argued that Hunter Biden’s plea deal fell apart because prosecutors at the time were looking into bribery claims from the indicted ex-FBI informant that they now consider to be a lie. – Reuters NEW ZEALAND MP DIES DURING CHARITY RUN WELLINGTON: A 49-year-old New Zealand member of parliament died suddenly while taking part in a charity fun run yesterday, his colleagues said. Father-of-two Efeso Collins collapsed during a “Water Run” in Auckland held for ChildFund, which brings clean drinking water to children in the Pacific. It was “a cause close to Efeso’s heart”, the Green Party said. “The on-site medical team immediately went to Efeso’s aid and did everything they could to revive him. Collins served as a Labour member of Auckland Council until 2022, when he unsuccessfully ran to be mayor of New Zealand’s largest city. – AFP Pakistan parties reach power-sharing agreement ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistan parties have reached a power-sharing agreement that will return Shehbaz Sharif to the premiership, leaving out politicians loyal to jailed former leader Imran Khan despite winning the most seats in this month’s vote. The army-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said they had settled days of negotiations on securing a majority to form a coalition government that will also include several smaller parties. Candidates loyal to Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the most seats but were forced to stand as independents following a sweeping crackdown on the party. There were widespread allegations of voterigging and result manipulation in the Feb 8 oImran loyalists left out despite winning most seats election after authorities switched off the nation’s mobile phone network on election day, ostensibly on security grounds, and the count took more than 24 hours. After weeks of negotiations, Imran’s adversaries announced at a late-night press conference in the capital Islamabad that a power-sharing agreement had been reached. Under the deal, the PML-N and PPP will put forward former leader Sharif as prime minister and Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, as president. “The Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz have attained the numbers and we will form a government,” said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of Asif and Benazir. “We are hopeful that Shehbaz Sharif will soon become the prime minister of the country and the whole of Pakistan should pray that the government should be successful.” Shehbaz, seated next to Bilawal, added: “After 76 years, we find ourselves dependent on loans, and overcoming this situation is easier said than done. There are significant challenges that we are facing ... We have to take Pakistan out of these challenges.” Bilawal said that ministerial portfolios had been agreed upon and would be announced in the coming days. The National Assembly must convene by Feb 29, when the coalition can be formally approved. The PTI lashed out against the agreement, reiterating its accusations of foul play. “The PML-N and the Peoples Party deserve some praise for their epic 30-year journey, from stealing taxpayers’ money together to stealing an election together,” the party said on social media platform X. It also referred to Shehbaz and Bilawal’s parties as “mandate thieves”. The PML-N and the PPP combined in 2022 to oust former leader Imran in a noconfidence vote before sharing power in a shaky coalition that also saw Shehbaz at the helm, until the National Assembly was dissolved in August ahead of elections. – AFP Man held in North Korea smuggling case SYDNEY: A Chinese man arrested in Australia is awaiting extradition to the United States for alleged involvement in a North Korean scheme to generate revenue by selling counterfeit cigarettes, Australian authorities said yesterday. Jin Guanghua was arrested in Victoria state in March in response to a request from the United States and remains in custody, Australia’s Attorney General’s Department said. “The individual is wanted to face prosecution in the United States for a number of sanctions, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy offences,” a spokesman for the department said in a statement. The extradition warrant and Jin’s arrest was first reported by the Guardian on Tuesday. A United States indictment unsealed last year alleges Jin, a Chinese citizen, committed bank fraud in an illegal scheme by North Korea to generate revenue through the purchase and sale of tobacco. To avoid UN sanctions, North Korean banks used front companies, according to the indictment. Jin was among three Chinese nationals acting as middlemen, buying tobacco for companies owned by North Korea’s military and government, and used to make counterfeit cigarettes to generate hard currency, the FBI alleged. North Korea is one of the largest producers globally of contraband cigarettes, including fake Western and Japanese brands, that are sold in Asia, the indictment said. The raw tobacco was bought from international suppliers and shipped to Dalian in China, where it was smuggled to North Korea, it said. Jin was involved in the scheme between 2009 and 2019, the indictment said. A Victorian magistrates court spokeswoman yesterday said a warrant for Jin was executed in court in August, and he was returned to the Metropolitan Remand Centre to await extradition. Jin remains in custody “pursuant to the United States of America’s request for his extradition to face criminal charges in the United States”, the Attorney General’s department said. The Chinese embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. – Reuters SOLIDARITY ... Stella Assange, wife of Julian Assange, stands with supporters outside the London High Court hearing his appeal against extradition to the United States. – REUTERSPIC
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 9 Gaza, Ukraine loom large as G20 foreign ministers meet oForum head keen to find common ground RIO DE JANEIRO: G20 foreign ministers opened a two-day meeting yesterday in Brazil, with the outlook bleak for progress on a thorny agenda of conflicts and crises, from the Gaza and Ukraine wars to growing polarisation. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are both expected in Rio de Janeiro for the first high-level G20 meeting of the year – though not China’s Wang Yi. In a world torn by conflicts and divisions, Brazil, which took over the rotating G20 presidency from India in December, has voiced hopes for what President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva calls “the forum with the greatest capacity to positively influence the international agenda”. But Lula’s bid to make the G20 a space for finding common ground suffered on Sunday when the veteran leftist ignited a diplomatic firestorm by accusing Israel of “genocide”, comparing its military campaign in the Gaza Strip to the Holocaust. The comments drew outrage in Israel, which declared him “persona non grata”, and could overshadow any bid to de-escalate the conflict via the G20. “If Lula imagined he was going to propose peace resolutions on Israel or Ukraine, that just got swept off the table,” said international relations specialist Igor Lucena. More than four months after the Gaza war started with the Oct 7 attack there is little sign of progress toward peace. A new UN Security Council resolution on a ceasefire was vetoed Tuesday by the United States, which said the text would endanger ongoing negotiations, including on the release of Hamas-held hostages. The outlook is similarly downbeat on Russia’s war in Ukraine, which also has G20 members divided. Despite a push from Western countries for the group to condemn President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, the G20’s last summit, held in New Delhi in September, ended with a watered-down statement that denounced the use of force but did not explicitly name Russia, which maintains friendly ties with fellow US, Russia to speak on Israeli occupation at UN court THE HAGUE: The United States and Russia presented arguments yesterday in proceedings at the UN’s highest court examining the legality of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court, was asked in 2022 by the UN General Assembly to issue a non-binding opinion on the legal consequences of the occupation. Israel, which is not taking part, said in written comments that the court’s involvement could be harmful to achieving a negotiated settlement. Washington in 2022 opposed the court issuing an opinion and is expected to argue that it cannot rule on the occupation’s lawfulness. More than 50 states will present arguments until Feb 26. Egypt and France were also scheduled to speak yesterday. On Monday, Palestinian representatives asked the judges to declare Israel’s occupation of their territory illegal and said its opinion could help reach a two-state solution. On Tuesday, 10 states including South Africa were overwhelmingly critically of Israel’s conduct in the occupied territories, with many urging the court to declare the occupation illegal. The latest surge of violence in Gaza that followed the Oct 7 attacks in Israel has complicated already deeply-rooted grievances in the Middle East and damaged efforts towards finding a path to peace. The ICJ’s 15-judge panel has been asked to review Israel’s “occupation, settlement and annexation ... including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures”. The judges are expected to take roughly six months to issue their opinion on the request, which also asks them to consider the legal status of the occupation and its consequences for states. Israel ignored a World Court opinion in 2004 when it found that Israel’s separation wall in the West Bank violated international law and should be dismantled. Instead, it has been extended. This week’s hearings could increase political pressure over Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed about 29,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, since Oct 7. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem – areas of historic Palestine which the Palestinians want for a state – in the 1967 conflict. It withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but, along with neighbouring Egypt, still controls its borders. – Reuters Human cost of war shrouded in secrecy B R I E F SAIRSTRIKE KILLS TWO IN DAMASCUS DAMASCUS: An Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in the Kafr Sousa district in Syria’s capital Damascus yesterday, killing two people. A military source said the strike wounded a number of other people, identifying the dead as civilians. Images published by Syrian state media showed the charred side of a multi-storey building. The neighbourhood has residential buildings, schools and Iranian cultural centres, and lies near a large, heavilyguarded complex used by security agencies. The district was targeted in an Israeli attack in February 2023 that killed Iranian military experts. Witnesses heard several backto-back explosions and said ambulances were seen rushing into the area. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. – Reuters WSJ REPORTER TO BE HELD UNTIL MARCH 10 MOSCOW: A court here said on Tuesday jailed US journalist Evan Gershkovich would remain in pre-trial detention until at least March 30, ensuring he will spend at least a year behind bars, as Russia separately slapped a ban on a US-funded broadcaster. Russian prosecutors have charged Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich with espionage – the first time such a criminal accusation has been levelled against a Western reporter in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. Gershkovich, his employers and the White House all reject the charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years. – AFP PARIS: The human cost of the war in Ukraine, two years after the Russian invasion, is in the hundreds of thousands, but the exact toll is unknown, with both sides shrouding their losses in secrecy, and Russia covering up civilian deaths in areas it has conquered. Official tolls of civilians killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion on Feb 24, 2022, are unreliable as no independent count has been made due to a lack of access to Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia. In June 2023, Ukrainian authorities said they had only been able to record 10,368 civilians whose bodies had been found. “What we think most probable is that the number is five time higher. Around 50,000 casualties,” said Oleg Gavrych, a top aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff. The UN’s human rights office has also acknowledged that the number is considerably higher than the some 10,000 civilians it had confirmed dead. Ukrainian authorities believe the siege of the southern port of Marioupol from February to May 2022 alone left at least 25,000 dead, many buried in mass graves. The port remains under Russian control. And there has never been a toll established for other towns that were nearly razed to the ground, like Bakhmut. Across the Russian border, at least 145 civilians have been killed, according to the Russian news site 7x7. – AFP Palestinian children wait to receive food from a charity kitchen in Rafah. – REUTERSPIC members like India and Brazil. Underlining the G20 stalemate, the G7 group of top economies – Ukrainian allies Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States – will hold its own virtual meeting on the war on Saturday, the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion. Held at a marina on the Rio waterfront, the G20 meeting will open with a session on “addressing international tensions”. The ministers will discuss global governance reform today – a favourite issue for Brazil, which wants a greater voice for the global south at institutions. “The number and gravity of conflicts has returned to the level of the Cold War. That brings new urgency to the issue,” said Brazil’s top diplomat for G20 political negotiations, Mauricio Lyrio. “We need to adapt the international system to prevent new conflicts,” he told journalists on Tuesday. “Now, we’re just putting out fires.” Brazil also wants to use its G20 presidency to push the fights against poverty and climate change. There will also be space for bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the gathering – though a BlinkenLavrov encounter looks unlikely, given the exploding tension over Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death in prison on Friday. Blinken and Lavrov last met in person at a G20 gathering in India in March 2023. Founded in 1999, the Group of 20 brings together most of the world’s biggest economies. Originally an economic forum, it has grown increasingly involved in international politics. But the prospects for major advances via the group are dim in a year when elections will be held in some 50 countries, including key G20 members such as the United States and Russia, said Lucena. “Reaching big agreements will be difficult,” he said. “It’s not a favourable environment for resolving conflicts. On the contrary.” – AFP
10 THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 Or download app on the AppStore or Google Play ENJOY A SEAMLESS READING EXPERIENCE. Read our iPaper at https://www.thesun.my/ /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK Malaysian Paper Combatting corruption within police force TWO positions subject to intense scrutiny are the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC). These roles carry significant responsibilities and expectations, and are known for their inherent stress and being among the most challenging in the public service sector. The MACC investigates highprofile corruption cases to reduce leakages and recover the nation’s wealth while the police force is tasked with maintaining law and order, protecting our lives and property. They put their lives on the line in performing their duties to serve the public. At times it may seem like a thankless job as the plaudits are few and far for police personnel who tirelessly perform their duties. The police force must confront the reality that there are those among its workforce “poisoning the well”, and these rouges must be weeded out. This can be seen in the recent arrest of police officers and findings from various surveys conducted on the police force. For example, Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer 2020 highlighted that the Malaysian police force is perceived as one of the most corrupt institutions. According to the latest Police Corruption Index, the Malaysian police is ranked 34 out of 100 most corrupt countries, with Honduras police ranking first and Denmark police ranking 100. The Malaysian police force has many capable leaders within its ranks who are working tirelessly to clean it up and get rid of personnel at every level who have abused their authority or tarnished the force’s image. It is important to remember that a few bad apples should not tarnish the entire barrel. Credit must be given where it is due. The new police line-up headed by IGP Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, his deputy Datuk Seri Ayob Khan and Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, who heads the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, gives Malaysians some light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to addressing making arrests), idealists (primarily theoretical in their approach) and lastly the professional (possessing knowledge, skills and experience). It is imperative to have a strong contingent of professionals within the police force to ensure that all situations are handled effectively and appropriately. The government should also consider increasing the budget allocated to the police force. This financial boost would aid in enhancing infrastructure and facilities, thereby ensuring the comfort of officers. It is crucial to provide higher-quality living quarters and to demonstrate concern for the welfare of rank-and-file police personnel by reviewing their current benefits and allowances. By addressing issues such as poor housing, the government can prevent any factors from negatively impacting officers’ work productivity, and ultimately compromising their integrity. The rakyat wants to be proud of its police force – one that diligently performs its duties in maintaining law and order while protecting the country with the highest level of integrity. Let us all work together to make this vision a reality. It is imperative that the rakyat extend its support to our police force. The writer is the president of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Malaysia Chapter. Comments: [email protected] “The Malaysian police force has many capable leaders within its ranks who are working tirelessly to clean it up and get rid of personnel at every level who have abused their authority or tarnished the force’s image. It is imperative to have a strong contingent of professionals within the police force to ensure that all situations are handled effectively and appropriately. – AMIRUL SHAFIQ/THESUN COMMENT by Datuk Seri Akhbar Satar crime in the country. These three senior officers walk their talk. For example, the IGP set a good precedent when he made surprise visits to police stations in Nilai, Mantin and Tambun to personally engage with officers, offer guidance and assess the needs of victims or complainants. The federal police of Integrity and Standards Compliance Department, under the leadership of Datuk Seri Azri Ahmad, is speeding up their hunt for errant cops. To achieve success in addressing the challenges, the IGP needs wholehearted and genuine support from all the Bukit Aman’s directors, state chief police officers, officers in charge of police districts (OCPDs) and all other officers to clean up their acts. These supervisors must step up to lead and manage their subordinates. He told the OCPDs that they would be held accountable if Bukit Aman detected any of their subordinates living extravagantly beyond their positions and salaries, and that they would be answerable for any criminal activities that occur in their districts. His mission is to restore the force’s honour and regain public trust in the police force. Another commendable initiative is the implementation of a robust succession plan by the IGP. To reform the police force, only qualified officers will be considered for promotions or appointments to specific departments, ensuring the continuity of his efforts and the preservation of his legacy. This strategic move aims to guarantee that the force is equipped with competent and capable successors, thus preventing any potential derailment of his initiatives. Generally, there are four typologies of police officers around the world – the avoiders (those who shirk their duties), enforcers (inclined towards
11 THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 Stop chopping down trees indiscriminately THE Ipoh City Council’s hired contractors have been indiscriminately chopping down trees throughout the city, prompting concern among residents. While tree trimming for aesthetic or safety reasons is understandable, the arbitrary felling of healthy, mature trees is causing significant damage to the green ecology of the area. This indiscriminate tree cutting has sparked outrage among nature lovers and raised troubling questions within the community. Rumours suggest that tree trunks and parts are being sold to middlemen at lucrative prices, indicating a high demand for such resources. This likely explains the enthusiasm displayed by workers in chopping down trees throughout the city. It is imperative that the Ipoh council authorities take immediate action to halt this barbaric practice by their appointed agents. The council should establish a special committee to investigate allegations of trees being felled indiscriminately by contractors with ulterior motives. It is time for the council to prioritise environmental concerns, especially regarding the preservation of green spaces. On behalf of nature lovers, I urge environmental and other relevant NGOs to collaborate with authorities in ensuring that environmental issues receive the attention and priority they deserve. It is essential that environmental conservation is upheld at all times by the authorities. S. Param Ipoh Increase quantum of PTPTN loans MY younger son is currently sitting for the SPM examinations. In a few months, the results will be out and, if all goes well, he will probably be looking for a tertiary institution to pursue his studies. This moment is emotionally mixed for many parents, considering my experience with my elder son, who is now doing his first-year degree programme at a private university. While we are proud that our children have completed formal education and progressing to tertiary level studies, many are also contemplating how to secure finances to support their education, especially those of us in the B40 and M40 categories. Tertiary education, especially privately funded ones, is not cheap. A one-year foundation course can cost over RM30,000, and the cost can go up further for diploma or degree programmes. While publicly funded institutions are an option, their availability is often limited. As a result, many parents like myself are forced to send our children to private colleges or universities. Like many others, my elder son took a PTPTN loan, for which we are immensely grateful to the government. Without it, we would have struggled to afford his education at Segi University in Kota Damansara. Many parents, including myself, had to dip deep into our savings during the pandemic, and we have barely gotten back on our feet. It does not help that the economy is not as robust as before, with prices of essentials and utilities rising. Even the PTPTN loan for my elder son is not enough to cover his expenses. Fortunately, he was able to secure a bridging loan facility from the university to make up for the shortfall. Without this support, we would likely have had to rely on financial assistance from our relatives. I consider my elder son fortunate to have received financial support from the university as not many private tertiary institutions provide such assistance. This is why I am worried about the finances for my younger son when he commences tertiary education, probably in August or September. I hope the government will consider increasing the quantum of the PTPTN loan to help students cover their basic needs. Otherwise, they would be distracted from their studies, having to live on a shoestring budget or even possibly working part-time to ease the burden of their parents. The cost of living has increased and the government needs to take into consideration prevailing circumstances when approving PTPTN loans. Geraldine Perreira Petaling Jaya A POSITIVE workplace culture prioritises the well-being of employees, offers support at all levels within the organisation and encourages respect, trust, empathy and collaboration. Research has shown that a positive work culture leads to reduced turnover, increased loyalty, better job performance and reduced employee stress. Strategies to create a positive workplace environment include fostering collaboration, establishing clear values, creating an inclusive environment and investing in employee well-being. How can organisations and leaders foster this positive workplace culture? Establishing shared values and vision Leadership plays a crucial role in setting and communicating a clear mission, vision, core values and purpose that resonate with employees. Engaging the entire workforce in developing these elements encourages a sense of ownership and commitment. Leaders should lead by example and clearly share how each employee can contribute to the overall mission and vision, emphasising how their work aligns with the organisation’s values. This connection will enhance employees’ sense of purpose, motivation and engagement as they understand their place within the organisation and the impact they have on its success. Encouraging open communication To foster open communication in the workplace, leaders should prioritise honesty and respect in all aspects. It is crucial that all feedback is respectfully submitted and received, creating an environment where employees feel empowered to share their thoughts. Understanding and prioritising employees’ goals, implementing regular check-ins and asking for anonymous suggestions are also important steps. Acting on feedback and measuring the success of the open communication plan are also vital for maintaining a transparent and communicative work environment. C e l e b r a t i n g differences by embracing diversity and inclusion Organisations that prioritise diversity and inclusion tend to foster a more vibrant and efficient workplace environment. To encourage diversity and inclusion, organisations can implement various strategies, such as holding diversity training programmes, to educate employees on the importance of inclusivity and provide tools to recognise and combat biases. They can also create affinity groups or employee resource groups, which can offer platforms for underrepresented individuals to connect, share experiences and advocate for inclusive policies. Implementing diverse hiring practices and ensuring representation at all levels of the organisation will demonstrate a commitment to fostering an inclusive environment. Encouraging mentorship and sponsorship programmes can also help marginalised employees advance in their careers by providing guidance and support. Physical workspaces The enduring value of physical office spaces is being re-evaluated in today’s evolving work landscape. In the post-pandemic world, where more and more employees are returning to the workplace, the physical office plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of belonging, providing a secure environment and promoting collaboration, social connections and satisfaction. It serves as a nurturing space where employees feel a strong sense of identity and psychological safety. Additionally, physical offices act as vibrant hubs for collaboration, fostering productive teamwork and cultivating camaraderie and trust among team members. Face-to-face interactions in these spaces also promote non-verbal communication. Suffice to say, providing comfortable and welldesigned workspaces makes sense as it will significantly impact employee well-being and satisfaction. Offering work-life balance Now, more than ever, maintaining a balance between personal and professional life is a priority for many employees. The Ford Trends 2024 survey found that about half of the global workforce would accept a 20% pay cut in favour of a lifestyle that prioritises their quality of life, while 77% of employees would prioritise a balanced personal life over advancement at work. Hence, organisations that cultivate a work environment enabling employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance will have a workforce that is more productive and highly engaged, which in turn will result in lower turnover. In conclusion, fostering a positive workplace culture involves a multifaceted approach that encompasses various elements, including establishing shared values and vision, encouraging open communication, embracing diversity and inclusion, optimising physical workspaces and promoting work-life balance. By addressing these key areas, organisations can cultivate a positive workplace culture that inspires their team and drives long-term success. The writer is the founder and managing director of Aisling Group, an integrated talent solutions company. Comments: [email protected] LETTERS [email protected] Physical offices act as vibrant hubs for collaboration, fostering productive teamwork and cultivating camaraderie and trust among team members. – REUTERSPIC COMMENT by Melissa Norman Fostering positive workplace culture “Organisations that cultivate a work environment enabling employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance will have a workforce that is more productive and highly engaged, which in turn will result in lower turnover.
PROPERTY PROPERTY THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 12 January steel price index up 0.4-3.3% from month before oPerak sees largest increase, followed by Pahang, Penang, Kedah, Perlis and Kuching PUTRAJAYA: The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) published its Special Release for Building and Structural Works, January 2024 last week. This release provides the unit price index of major building materials and the Building Cost Material Index (BCI) by building category and region. In a statement last week, Chief Statistician Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said that the unit price index of steel recorded an increase between 0.4% and 3.3% for almost all areas in January 2024 as compared to the previous month. The highest increase in the unit price of steel were in Perak (3.3%), followed by Pahang (0.8%), Penang, Kedah & Perlis and Kuching (0.6%). A month-on-month comparison of selected construction materials and areas showed the unit price index remained unchanged for selected materials such as plywood, plumbing materials and paints for most areas of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. The unit price index for steel and metal sections remained unchanged for most areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, while there was a slight decrease in the price index of this material for Penang, Kedah & Perlis (-0.8%), Johor (-0.3%), Kota Kinabalu (-0.1%) and Sandakan (-2.2%). Nevertheless, a slight increase was registered in the price index of this material in Perak (0.9%) and Kuching (0.2%). The monthly comparison also showed that the unit price index for cement remained unchanged for almost all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak in January 2024. There was a slight increase in the unit price index for this material for a few areas namely in Penang, Kedah & Perlis (0.8%) and followed by Terengganu & Kelantan (0.5%). An annual comparison for the period of January 2023 and January 2024 showed that the unit price index of cement recorded an increase between 0.7% and 12.0% for all areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. The highest increase in the price index per unit of cement was observed in Penang, Kedah & Perlis (12%), followed by Terengganu & Kelantan (11.8%). The price index per unit of steel increased between 0.7% to 4% in January 2024 as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. Nevertheless, the areas that recorded a decrease in the unit price index of steel were Miri (-4%), Selangor, WP Kuala Lumpur, Malacca & Negri Sembilan (-3%) and Sandakan (-2.3%). Mohd Uzir further stated that the average price per unit of steel, consisting of mild steel round bars and Mycon 60 high tensile deformed bars was RM3,664.51 per metric tonne, recording a slight increase of 1% as compared to the previous month (December 2023: RM3,629.77 per tonne). Meanwhile, the average price of cement (Ordinary Portland) recorded a slight decrease of 0.1% with an average price of RM22.97 per 50 kg bag as compared to December 2023 (RM23 per 50 kg bag). Starting from January 2024, the Building Cost Material Index (BCI) by building category and region is based on a new base year (January 2023=100). The month-on-month of the BCI (with steel bars) for all building categories in January 2024 increased between 0.1% to 1.5% for almost all areas in Peninsular Malaysia. However, a slight decrease for BCI (with steel bars) between negative 0.2% and negative 0.5% was posted for almost all building categories in Johor (except Timber Building and Timber Piling that remained unchanged). On a global perspective, a report from the Mining.com in January 2024 predicts that iron ore is having a strong start to the year, with rising prices and robust imports by China. Meanwhie, Fitch Ratings’ Global Steel Outlook 2024 report suggests a neutral outlook for in 2024, with markets expected to be balanced and slightly better than last year. Installation of home solar panels on the rise SEPANG: The installation of solar panels at residential areas nationwide has shown a positive trend, said Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. Without disclosing further details, he said this positive trend has prompted the government to open up quota applications for homeowners to instal solar panels in their residences this year via the Net Energy Metering (NEM) Programme. “At the government level, we see an increasing trend among homeowners using solar systems (at present),“ he told reporters after launching the solar system at the Movenpick Hotel & Convention Centre KLIA last week. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof had previously stated that the NEM programme will continue with an additional quota offer of 100 megawatts (MW) for NEM People and 300MW for NEM Nova, as part of the Integrated Clean Energy programme implementation initiative for this year. Fadillah, who is also Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation said the quota offer period is set until December 2024 or until the quota is fully allocated, whichever comes first, and applications can be made starting Feb 5 via the eNEM system on the Sustainable Energy Development Authority website www.seda.gov.my. The NEM programme will enable at least 25,000 domestic electricity consumers and 100 users in commercial and industrial categories to utilise roof space on their premises for electricity generation for self-consumption through the installation of photovoltaic solar systems. Regarding the effort to instal solar systems at the Movenpick Hotel & Convention Centre KLIA, Akmal Nasrullah said it is a positive development, especially for the hospitality industry. “We welcome industries such as the hospitality industry taking the initiative to ensure the use of renewable energy in their premises. It symbolizes the potential for the hospitality industry to embrace solar systems, paving the way for future opportunities,“ he said. – Bernama Sunway-Hoi Hup JV bags second S’pore executive condo site PETALING JAYA: Sunway Bhd through its wholly owned unit Sunway Developments Pte Ltd in a joint venture with Hoi Hup Realty Pte Ltd has won a new Executive Condominium (EC) site at Tengah Plantation Close in Tengah New Town. The bid amounted to S$423.38 million (RM1.5 billion), and is the second successful bid after the joint venture won another EC site at Tengah Plantation Close in September 2023. The new EC site spans 20,038.2 sqm with a maximum permissible gross floor area of 56,107 sqm. Strategically located within walking distance of the upcoming Tengah Park MRT station on the Jurong Regional Line, the 99-year leasehold plot is also well-connected to other parts of Singapore via the Pan Island Expressway. In addition, the site is close to education institutes such as ACS (Primary) and Princess Elizabeth Primary School; as well as lifestyle and recreational facilities such as JEM, Westgate, and IMM malls offering abundant shopping, dining, and entertainment options. The site benefits not only from its location within the upcoming Tengah New Town but also from its proximity to the neighbouring Jurong Lake District and Jurong Innovation District. Sunway Property has a total remaining landbank of 2,467 acres and unbilled revenue of close to RM3.7 billion as of Dec 31, 2023. Tuju Setia strengthens senior management, names new CEO, COO PETALING JAYA: Construction services company Tuju Setia Bhd has strengthened its senior management team with the recent appointment of Tee Huei Tsyr and Seon Yen Kong as its new CEO and COO, respectively. Tee was previously the COO of the group and has been with the group since 2011. He has more than 22 years of experience in project and construction management. Tee currently assists the managing director of Tuju Setia in managing the construction division and is involved in assisting the business development of the group. He is also responsible for overall project planning, coordinating site progress to ensure timely completion of construction projects, controlling project budget, and providing technical guidance in tendering projects. Seon joined the group in March 2023. He brings with him to the group more than 29 years of experience in project and construction management involving civil and infrastructure works. Prior to joining the group, Seon held multiple senior positions including CEO of a construction company for 16 years. He has extensive experience leading teams and coordinating construction activities, developing strategies, and managing tenders. He was also involved in some significant development projects in Malaysia involving the construction of high-rise buildings, commercial towers, industrial buildings, and hospitals. Tuju Setia Bhd managing director Wee Eng Kong said, “Tuju Setia is not only expanding its team but also enhancing its construction expertise. The appointment of Tee and Seon aligns with our vision to be the builders of choice, as they bring with them many years of experience in numerous construction projects and management skills to the group.”
THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 E: [email protected] SCAN ME Soft ringgit not main factor driving M’sians to work abroad opportunities in the market and observes a considerable increase in the number of active candidates applying for positions on its platform. “We saw a great amount of increase in 2023 and we continue to see that momentum into 2024,” said Vic. His advice to job seekers is that it’s essential not to be overly selective when considering job opportunities. “Start building a career and build yourself up to the kind of dream position that you want through kind of upskilling yourself, learning new skills, adapting technology and so on and so forth. So there’s a lot of opportunities for Malaysians today,” he said. SEEK has invested A$180 million (RM560 million) to unify its Apac (Asia-Pacific) employment marketplaces – SEEK, Jobstreet and Jobsdb. Going forward, it will operate under a single platform. The move comes 10 years after it acquired Jobstreet and Jobsdb and follows three years of development with an estimated A$180 million investment. “One unified platform means we can now offer our product to millions of people across Asia in an entirely new way, so that our customers can find jobs and talent more easily. This puts us in a stronger position, more than ever before, to realise our ambition of helping 500 million people develop their careers with five million companies in the region,” said Asia, SEEK CEO Peter Bithos. The unified marketplace platform brings forth new AI-powered advancements to Jobstreet by SEEK’s platform, aimed at enhancing the employment experience. The company said that following the unification programme, Jobstreet can also now harness a larger dataset across Apac, which will empower its AI algorithms to provide even more precise and relevant matches between employers and talent. Vic speaking at the media briefing on the future of Malaysia’s job landscape and Jobstreet Malaysia’s transformation with SEEK. oA country with a weakening currency tends to attract foreign investment, resulting in more job opportunities, says MD of Jobstreet by SEEK Sime Darby not ruling out increasing car prices after new SST rate kicks in KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Bhd could possibly increase car prices, following the upcoming sales and service tax (SST) hike. Group CEO Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson noted that since the new SST rate has not been imposed yet, the group will likely “wait and see” and adjust accordingly to the situation. Last year, during the tabling of Budget 2024, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the SST rate in Malaysia will increase to 8% from 6%, albeit would not include food and beverages or telecommunications. It will be imposed starting March 1, 2024. “The theory is that car prices will go up by 2%. We have other factors that come into play so it is difficult to say the profit is 2%. But the underlying demand for cars in Malaysia is still strong. So we will see the impact,” he told a media briefing on Sime Darby’s financial results for its second quarter ended Dec 31, 2023 (Q2’24), yesterday. Jeffri does not discount the possibility that car prices would rise if factors involving parts, components in the car manufacturing were to also increase. Concurrently, group CFO Muhammad Noor Abdul Aziz pointed out that the outcome of the SST will not just affect the group, but also the whole industry. “This sales tax increase also applies to everybody, and to all the automotive players. So, we see this as a cost of doing business and it is applicable to everybody and it’s a new playing field ... that’s how we view it. In terms of demand, we’ll have to manage (the) market forces,” he added. In addition, he shared that Sime Darby’s compulsory acquisition of a 100% stake in UMW (Holdings Bhd) is expected to be concluded by endMarch 2024. As at Jan 31, 2024, Sime Darby already held 98.86% of the total shares in UMW Holdings. With the acquisition of UMW Holdings, Jeffri said that Sime Darby would be adding two leading mass market brands, mainly Perodua and Toyota into its portfolio, which would broaden its earnings and unlock further value for the group. “Work is ongoing to ensure a smooth and seamless integration of UMW into the Sime Darby family,” said Jeffri, adding that the group has decided to treat UMW Holdings as its third pillar after industrial and motor division. “Under UMW Holdings, there are Toyota and Perodua. We are running that with a separate management team. We need to spend time and understand the wants and the needs of our respective partners such as Daihatsu to make sure it works best for Sime Darby,” he remarked. Meanwhile, its industrial and motors division in China recorded a lower revenue in its first half of 2024 (H1’24) with the former registering RM1.22 billion compared with RM1.42 billion in H1’23, while the latter recorded RM7.97 billion in H1’24 from RM7.25 billion for the same period in the year prior. He pointed out that the group has made headway in the China market for the past 30-40 years, which has proved to be profitable for a significant number of years. However, Jeffri noted that the group is currently undergoing a “trough” phase in the China market and will remain resilient until the China’s economy improves as per the usual business cycle. “We’ll just have to live through it, we are managing costs ... but we will hang in there because we believe that the Chinese economy will pick up and they will come back (up). Its a matter of waiting it out for a bit,“ he said. “There’s no possibility for us leaving the China market, it’s been a very profitable market for us. We live in a very cyclical business. If you look at our (financial) history our numbers (are) strong. You’ve got to manage the troughs, where you have to manage costs and losses and all that. “When you are the peak, you (will also encounter) problems such as wage increases and staff shortage,“ he said. In regard to China, the group will continue to manage the situation and expects the trough phase to continue for “another one or two years”. Airbus says SE Asia has potential to produce sufficient feedstocks for SAF PETALING JAYA: Many Southeast Asian countries have the potential to grow and harvest enough feedstocks to develop a substantial sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry and reach 100% sustainable fuel demand by 2050, said Airbus chief sustainability officer Julie Kitcher. She said the region possesses enormous production potential due to an abundance of feedstocks and an existing biodiesel industry to build on. Thus, she pointed out, policymakers should also help unlock investments while shaping the suitable regulatory landscape such as the emergence of common regulatory framework in the region. “Such framework would accelerate the transition to net zero and the production of some countries -- maybe net exporters or net importers -- and a common regulatory approach would be smoother for this fuel to be transferred across borders, with the appropriate economic conditions. “The conditions should include a clear definition for sustainability criteria based on the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) definition,” she said during the “Pioneering Sustainable Aerospace” briefing at the Singapore Air Show yesterday. ICAO and its member states are committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and achieving a collective global vision to reduce carbon emissions by 5% by 2030 using cleaner energies, including SAF. Hence, Kitcher said, it is still possible for enough production capacity to be up and running in the region by 2030, supplying around five to 10% of SAF in 2030. However, she explained the need for having firm investment plans in place by 2025 in countries such as Japan, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, as 50% of the future growth in SAF is expected to be from the AsiaPacific region. – Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: The weakness of ringgit against other currencies is not the main factor driving Malaysian workers to migrate abroad, according to Jobstreet by SEEK. Jobstreet by SEEK managing director Vic Sithasanan said individuals seeking immediate financial gains may consider opportunities elsewhere, but the decision is influenced by various factors beyond just the weakening ringgit. “So, even just moving to Singapore, for example, means you need to relocate your family, find accommodation, and deal with a higher cost of living. It’s not as simple as only being motivated by a weakening currency to consider such a move. We haven’t observed any data supporting that on our platform. Instead, we’ve noticed an increased number of candidates and a higher volume of applicants on the platform,” he told reporters after the future of Malaysia’s job landscape and Jobstreet Malaysia’s transformation with SEEK media briefing yesterday. He said that when a country experiences a weakening currency, it tends to attract more foreign investment resulting in a greater number of job opportunities in the market. “So that’s definitely a good thing for job seekers,” he added. Looking forward to this year, the company foresees an increase in the number of jobs in the market. Jobstreet identifies an increasing number of █ BYHAYATUN RAZAK [email protected] █ BY GLORIA HARRY BEATTY [email protected]
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 14 /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM Malaysian Paper M’sian manufacturing capacity utilisation rate at 79.8% in Q4 oDown from 80.2% in final quarter of 2022 but higher than 79.4% in previous three months PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s manufacturing industry operated at 79.8% of capacity in the fourth quarter of 2023 (Q4’23), down 0.4 percentage point from 80.2% in the corresponding quarter of 2022, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said. The lower capacity utilisation of the manufacturing industry was primarily attributable to decreases in the sub-sectors of petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastic products (-4.2 percentage points); and electrical & electronic products (-0.5 percentage point). However, the capacity utilisation of the manufacturing industry improved from 79.4% recorded in the previous quarter, continuing the positive trend for two consecutive quarters. Prior to the decline in December, the utilisation rate in the manufacturing industry exceeded 80% for two consecutive months, operating at 80.4% in October and 80.1% in November. “The decline in the capacity utilisation rate in the fourth quarter of 2023 mirrored the trend of the manufacturing industrial production index, which slipped by 0.2% (Q3’23: -0.1%). The decrease in production capacity was primarily influenced by low demand, insufficient supply of materials and the repair & maintenance of machinery & equipment,” said Mohd Uzir. He added that there were five sub-sectors that posted a capacity utilisation rate above 80% in Q4’23. The highest rate of 83.2% was recorded by the manufacture of non-metallic mineral products, basic metals & fabricated metal products sub-sector, marking a yearon-year increase of 4.5 percentage points, and this was followed by transport equipment & other manufactures with 82.2% (+1.7 percentage points). Meanwhile, the manufacture of petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastics sub-sector operated at the lowest capacity with 77.9%, lessened by 4.2 percentage points. In comparison with the preceding Juwai IQI hits US$3b in sales, expands global agent network to 40,000 PETALING JAYA: Juwai IQI, the Asiaheadquartered global proptech, has set records in a year marked by economic challenges, achieving US$3 billion (RM14.3 billion) in sales and expanding its agent network by one third to 40,000 worldwide. The company completed 42,814 transactions and paid US$95 million in commissions to agents in 2023. In Malaysia, it moved into its new Global Command Centre. Internationally, Juwai IQI increased its global footprint with the opening of its 52nd office. Juwai IQI co-founder and group CEO Kashif Ansari (pic) said, “Despite inflation, high interest rates, and geopolitical tensions in the world, Juwai IQI managed to expand, close transactions, and recruit new agents in 2023. We completed nearly twice as many transactions in 2023 as we did in 2020, at the pandemic’s on-set. That year, our transaction count was 22,000.” Last year, he added, Juwai IQI paid out commissions of US$260,000 per day, on average. “Our success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our incredible team and partners around the world. It’s also further evidence of the superiority of our technology, including our agent super-app Atlas and our marketing portals, iqiglobal.com, juwai.com, and juwai.asia,” said Ansari. Daniel Ho, co-founder and group managing director, said they are excited about the prospects of further growth in 2024 as the year has started strong, with January worldwide sales 98% higher than a year earlier. “January sales in Malaysia were 58% higher than in January 2023. Our focus this year is on increasing transactions, launching new tech to boost agent productivity, further building our team of agents, and extending our geographic reach. Economic conditions in the past year were difficult, but our scale, technology and team enabled us to deliver excellent results,” he added. Ho said their 2024 residential outlook is positive, with single-digit home price growth and factors holding price growth back include limited supply and persistently high interest rates in many countries. “We expect demand to strengthen as rates fall, particularly in developing markets where housing is more affordable relative to household income. In Malaysia, we expect Bank Negara to keep interest rates steady in 2024 and a stronger market, with both prices and rents higher by year-end,” he said. MKH Oil Palm signs underwriting deal for Main Market IPO KUALA LUMPUR: Oil palm plantation player MKH Oil Palm (East Kalimantan) Bhd (MKHOP) has signed an underwriting agreement with M&A Securities Sdn Bhd and Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd for its initial public offering (IPO) on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities. MKHOP, a wholly owned subsidiary of MKH Bhd, said its listing exercise involves a public issuance of 220 million new shares, representing 21.5% of the group’s enlarged share capital of 1.02 billion shares. It also involves an offer for sale of 30.7 million existing shares, or 3% of the enlarged share capital, to selected investors by way of private placement, it said in a statement. “Of the 220 million new shares to be issued, 51.2 million new shares, representing 5.0% of the enlarged share capital will be open for application by the Malaysian public for balloting,” it said. Of this, 25.6 million shares will be made available to public investors, and an equal amount will be designated for Bumiputera public investors. Meanwhile, 168.8 million new shares, or 16.5% of the enlarged share capital, will be distributed to selected investors via private placement. M&A Securities and Kenanga Investment Bank will jointly underwrite the 51.2 million new shares made available to the Malaysian public. – Bernama Prior to the decline in December, the utilisation rate in the manufacturing industry exceeded 80% for two consecutive months. – BERNAMAPIC DC Healthcare sets up branches in Johor Bahru, Ipoh PETALING JAYA: DC Healthcare Holdings Bhd, an aesthetic medical services provider specialising in the provision of non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures, opened branches in Johor Bahru (Taman Molek) and Ipoh (Bandar Seri Botani). The new facilities underscore DC Healthcare’s ongoing commitment to extending reach and making premier aesthetic treatments more accessible across Malaysia. Managing director Dr Chong Tze Sheng said the inauguration of their new branches in Johor Bahru and Ipoh, are key milestones in their journey of growth. These developments not only enhance their service capabilities but also bring them closer to their clients, offering them unparalleled access to top-tier aesthetic solutions, he added. quarter, all sub-sectors posted an increase except for the electrical & electronic products segment, which declined by 0.7 percentage point to 79.2%. The capacity utilisation in exportoriented industries continued to decline for the fourth consecutive quarter, dropping by 2.1 percentage points year-on-year to 78.4% in Q4’23. The manufacture of coke & refined petroleum products recorded a deterioration of 9.6 percentage points to 76.1%. In comparison with the previous quarter, the capacity utilisation rate in export-oriented industries increased slightly by 0.02 percentage point. Nevertheless, the capacity utilisation rate of domestic-oriented industries remained vibrant, registering 82.8% in Q4’23 (+3.3 percentage points).
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 15 SunCon FY23 pre-tax profit rises to record RM188.6m SHAH ALAM: Sunway Construction (SunCon) posted a strong financial performance in the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2023 (Q4’23) with revenue soaring 73% to RM871.5 million, buoyed by higher revenue across all segments. Profit before tax (PBT) rose by 8%, from RM56.3 million in Q4’22 to RM60.7 million in Q4’23. The construction segment’s revenue climbed 77% to RM785.8 million in the current quarter, driven by accelerated progress in newer projects. PBT increased to RM53 million in Q4’23, from RM51.1 million in the corresponding quarter in the previous year. The precast segment registered revenue of RM85.7 million in Q4’23, representing an increase of 44% compared to the same quarter in the previous year. PBT surged 48% to RM7.7 million in the current quarter, fuelled by higher profit margins for several newer projects. For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2023, the group’s revenue climbed 24% to RM2,671.2 million, compared to RM2,155.2 million in the previous financial year. PBT rose in tandem from RM184.1 million in FY22 to RM188.6 million in FY23. The increase in revenue was attributed to higher revenue from the construction and precast segments. PBT for the construction segment was marginally lower due to the finalisation of accounts for several projects in the previous year. However, the increase in PBT for the precast segment outweighed the slip in profit for the construction segment. The group declared a single-tier second interim dividend of 3 sen per ordinary share for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2023 besides the group declaring a total dividend of 6 sen per ordinary share, of which 3 sen of the total dividend was declared as the first interim dividend. The dividend payout for FY23 of 53% of PATMI surpassed the group’s dividend policy of 35%. Sunway Construction group managing director Liew Kok Wing commented, “It has been a rewarding year for the group. After a record-high PBT in the previous year, Sunway Construction achieved another record-high PBT in FY23. Notwithstanding that, the group also surpassed its FY23 new order book target to end the year at RM2.5 billion, compared to our target of RM2 billion.” He added that they continued to make good progress in the data center, logistic warehouse, and renewable energy segments, securing close to RM677 million worth of new contracts in FY23. Going forward, he said the group is actively pursuing opportunities in the advanced technology facilities and looked forward to the rollout of mega infrastructure projects in the pipeline arising from the continued growth in the economy. SC seeks applicants for Oxford’s SIR programme in the UK KUALA LUMPUR: The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is inviting applications for the 13th Scholar in Residence (SIR) Visiting Fellowship Programme in Islamic finance at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) UK for the 2024/25 academic year. The SIR programme is open to academicians or practitioners with interest and competencies to conduct independent applied research on topics of contemporary relevance to the Islamic capital market (ICM). Areas of focus must be current and relevant to the ICM with prioritisation on Maqasid alShariah, Islamic social finance and fintech, the halal economy, impact investing, and sustainable and responsible investments. Applicants specialising in Islamic finance and/or a closely related discipline with extensive practical experience in the related field are encouraged to apply. The successful applicant is expected to take up residence in Oxford for one academic year at the OCIS starting October 2024 to conduct research and participate in a range of academic activities. As part of the programme, the selected scholar will also be expected to give occasional lectures and seminars, engage in collaborative study, and conduct outreach to relevant institutions. SIR is an integral part of the SC’s ongoing thought-leadership and capacity building efforts to further the global development of the ICM. The encouraging interest for this programme each year is a testament to its significance in fostering knowledge exchange and ideation. The closing date for submissions is April 30. Reneuco consortium gets green energy job from MRL KUALA LUMPUR: Reneuco Bhd announced that its 40%-owned special purpose vehicle with Citaglobal Bhd, Citaglobal Reneuco Energy Solution Sdn Bhd (CREES) has accepted a conditional letter of award (CLOA) from Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL). The CLOA is for the exclusive provision and supply of electricity and renewable energy (Green Energy) of up to 100MW to the ECRL network for both traction and non-traction (the concession) which includes the undertaking of the development, design, construction, testing, commissioning, and completion of the transmission and distribution interconnection facilities (IF Assets) as well as the operation and maintenance of the IF Assets during the 30-year concession period. Upon the expiry of the concession period, MRL has the absolute discretion to renew for an additional 30 years, provided the ECRL network remains in operation. CREES’ main obligations and deliverables under the concession include construction and delivery of the IF Assets at a lump sum cost of RM600 million, incorporation of a special purpose company (SPC) with shareholdings structure of 70% and 30% to be held by CREES and MRL respectively, and for the IF Assets to be operated and maintained by the SPC. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the group expects the concession to enhance its earnings specifically through the construction works at the estimated value of RM600 million and a steady stream of long-term revenue arising from the sale of electricity to the ECRL network. Safma urged to explore Blue Economy potential KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Fish Marketing Sdn Bhd (Safma), a company owned by the Sabah state government, is urged to take steps to seize various opportunities in the Blue Economy in tandem with the state government’s policy to explore the sector to boost the state’s economy. Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said to realise this aspiration, Safma needs to amplify its focus on the Blue Economy, especially in the field of catching ocean fish in the C2 and C3 categories, in addition to implementing various joint ventures with potential investors. “Cooperation and joint ventures with foreign investors through foreign direct investment (FDI) are highly necessary, not only in terms of financing but also cooperation in terms of technology in the use of vessels and fishing methods,” he said. He said this in a statement yesterday in conjunction with his visit to the Safma Fisheries Complex on Tuesday, which was also attended by Kota Kinabalu City Hall Mayor Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah and Safma chairman Mohammad Mohamarin. Jeffrey, who is also Sabah’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Food The Blue Economy offers great potential in fisheries, shipping, tourism, renewable energy, and marine infrastructure. – SAFMA WEBSITE oAttracting FDI vital not only for financing but also for accessing technology, Sabah Fish Marketing told Industry Minister, said the state government’s efforts to empower the Blue Economy, specifically fisheries, are closely related to the government’s focus on maintaining food security. “The success of the Blue Economy is expected to further enrich fish resources while boosting processing activities, the production of downstream products, and expanding the marketing area,” he said. He said the Blue Economy promises tremendous potential in various fields including fisheries and aquaculture, shipping and transport logistics, tourism, renewable energy, and marine infrastructure. Kitingan said that despite reaching 42 years since its establishment on Feb 5, 1982, the conditions and facilities of the Safma Fisheries Complex have not changed much. He said with the age of Safma Kota Kinabalu’s fish landing jetty exceeding 40 years, the physical capacity and existing facilities have declined and are approaching the end of their life cycle. The Sabah fish landing data in 2022 showed that Kota Kinabalu received the largest landing of over 70,000 tonnes, followed by Semporna with over 30,000 tonnes, and Tawau with over 29,000 tonnes while 80% of Kota Kinabalu’s fish landing was done at the jetty. “Several initiatives should be implemented in the next few years by any means. To succeed in this deepsea fishing effort, the facilities that support this venture should be developed, among them, a port or an integrated fish landing complex,” he said. Jeffrey said in the Sabah Maju Jaya initiative for Safma, the government implemented projects to upgrade existing facilities such as ice plants, processing areas and cold rooms. However, the project to add a new landing jetty and the procurement of a fishing vessel was delayed due to financial constraints. – Bernama
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 16 SINGAPORE: A warning from Singapore Airlines (SIA) that ticket prices were coming under pressure as costs are also rising sent its shares down nearly 10% yesterday, casting a shadow over the Singapore Airshow. The airline’s biggest one-day share price plunge since the global travel industry ground to a halt in March 2020 because of Covid-19 came after its December quarter earnings missed market expectations on Tuesday. It underscored broader aviation industry concerns about supply chain constraints and a more cautious outlook in Asia as China’s international travel recovers from the pandemic at a slower pace than in much of the rest of the world. At the air show, Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines placed an order yesterday for five Airbus A350 freighters – with an option for five more – and three A330neo wide-body passenger jets, a day after rivals Boeing and Comac of China announced sales of their own. Starlux wants to become a transit airline for passengers from Southeast Asia to North America and to take advantage of cargo flows from South Asia to North America, CEO Glenn Chai said. But even as the orders rolled in, SIA said on Tuesday that high fuel prices, inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints were presenting challenges to airlines globally. “Passenger yields continue to come under pressure from increased competition as capacity restoration continues across the industry.” The carrier’s net profit, while still strong, has fallen for two consecutive quarters after reaching a record in the June quarter last year, when it was buoyed by strong post-pandemic summer travel demand. “Last year was pent-up demand, revenge travel,” Alton Aviation Consultancy managing director Mabel Kwan said on the sidelines of the air show. “The results are looking past the pandemic recovery, fundamentals taking over a little bit, a little bit of tapering to normalisation from that high growth that we had last year.” The Singapore carrier’s warning followed Air New Zealand’s on Monday flagging weaker-than-expected results in the six months through June because of challenges from engine maintenance requirements, economic and inflation risks, early signs of softness in domestic demand and intense competition on American routes. US-China flight capacity remains more than 75% below pre-pandemic levels this month, according to aviation data provider OAG, with services being restored slowly amid tensions between the governments. In the meantime, US carriers have sent more long-haul aircraft to Australia and New Zealand, pressuring fares in those markets. Other challenges for airlines include the need to ground some planes for engine inspections to check for potentially flawed components. Philippine low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific has 10 Airbus A320neo family planes out of service as workers check RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engines, its CEO Michael Szucs said on the sidelines of the air show. Air New Zealand, which also uses the engines, said the inspections would cost it NZ$35 million (RM104 million), including the cost of short-term leased aircraft and adding contact centres for affected customers. – Reuters SIA outlook warning casts shadow over air show oAirline says ticket prices under pressure as costs rise Indonesia central bank keeps policy rates unchanged India regulator bolsters scrutiny of fintechs MUMBAI: From hiring analysts to scrutinising customer data to holding frequent meetings with executives, India’s financial regulator is bolstering oversight of fintech firms in a signal of an end to years of light-handed regulation of a key business sector. Those steps from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) come after regular inspections over the past year found a number of fintech firms have been lax in following, for example, customer due diligence, five sources said. Fintech firms and their investors were given a foretaste of that stricter approach last month when the central bank ordered Paytm to wind down its banking unit due to, what it termed, persistent non-compliance with regulations. That directive was followed by a separate order this month to Visa asking it to stop business-to-business card payments through third party fintech firms. The RBI’s moves come as financial regulators in other major markets, including in China, crack down on rule violations and frame new regulations for the fintech sector after having taken a laissez-faire approach for a long time. Globally, fintech firms provide a range of services – from payments to small credit and deposits – and as their economic influence increases, regulators are sharpening scrutiny of their linkages with the broader financial system. Like in India, nimble-footed fintech firms’ customer due diligence and data handling processes have also raised concerns for the central banks and regulators globally as they try to tamp down on monopoly, data privacy, money laundering and spillover risk. “The RBI is very clear, whether you are “fin(ancial) or tech or fintech”, basic rules governing customer identification and a clear footprint of fund flows have to be followed,” said one of the sources. In particular, the RBI is uneasy with the digital customer identification process used by fintech firms, which relies on a government identity proof, called Aadhaar, and a linked mobile number to verify a person’s identity. This method is seen as a faster and cheaper way to do due diligence, but it is also prone to manipulation, which raises fraud or money laundering concerns, said the second source. As part of its sharpened oversight, RBI officials have been picking out random samples of a fintech firm’s user base during frequent onsite inspections to check for authenticity, founders at two fintech firms said. – Reuters Sri Lanka inflation to reach 5%: Official COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s inflation is expected to return to the government’s 5% target starting from the last two quarters of the year, a Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) official said yesterday, as the economy stabilises from a financial crisis. The economy has shown signs of recovery in recent months, aided by a US$2.9 billion (RM14 billion) International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, after it went into freefall in 2022 due to a severe foreign exchange shortage. “Inflation is projected to reach 5% in the medium term, which is from about the third quarter to the end of the year,” CBSL economic research department director S. Jegajeevan said. “The high base effect from the tax increases is expected to benefit inflation in early 2025 and possibly even bring it lower than 5%.” At the start of this year, Sri Lanka raised its value added tax to 18% from 15% to meet revenue targets under the IMF programme, sparking an uptick in its key inflation rate, which rose to 6.4% at the end of January from 4% the month before. CBSL said price increases from the tax hike were unlikely to persist due to subdued demand and the economy operating below its full capacity. – Reuters JAKARTA: Indonesia’s central bank kept its policy rates unchanged yesterday, as expected, saying current levels were consistent with efforts to keep the rupiah currency stable and ensure inflation remains within target. Growth in Southeast Asia’s largest economy fell slightly last year amid falling commodity prices, although at 5.1% it remained one of the fastest among countries in the Group of 20 major economies. Some economists expected economic growth to remain around that level, as last week’s presidential and parliamentary elections and the expected transition of power in October affect investment decisions. Bank Indonesia (BI) left its benchmark seven-day reverse repurchase rate steady at 6%, where it has been since October, as widely expected in a Reuters poll. Its two other main rates were also kept unchanged. Markets had cheered the victory of Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, after so-called quick ballot counts by independent pollsters showed he had won the presidency with nearly 60% of votes. In a press conference, BI Governor Perry Warjiyo said the curent main rate is enough to manage inflation, while other tools are geared to support growth. Inflation in Indonesia has stayed within BI’s target range since the middle of last year, with the central bank’s 250 basis points in rate hikes between August 2022 and October last year keeping price pressures in check. The global economy is expected to perform better than expected this year, especially due to growth in US and Indian economies. However, the central bank is monitoring risks elsewhere. “Sluggish growth in China and contractions in the UK and Japan can lower the global growth prospect in the future,” Warjiyo said. The governor maintained BI’s baseline scenario that room for its rate cut is in the second half of the year. The rupiah was largely unchanged before the rate announcement yesterday, but strengthened slightly by 0.1% following the decision. BI kept its growth forecast for 2024 at a range of 4.7% to 5.5%. – Reuters Warjiyo speaking during the annual meeting of the central bank with its financial stakeholders in Jakarta. – REUTERSPIC
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 17 Appetite for gold grows among Chinese youths SHANGHAI: The sound of gentle tapping filled a jewellery workshop in southern China as a craftsman hammered pine leaf patterns onto a soft slab of gold in the style of old ink paintings. Elaborate traditional pieces created by master goldsmiths have always been popular in China, bought as gifts for special occasions like the Lunar New Year or simply as investments. But jewellers are now having to consider a new and fast-growing consumer base – younger people, who are increasingly keen to buy gold, seeing it as a safe investment in uncertain economic times. Key to the precious metal’s Customers browsing gold jewellery at a Chow Tai Fook store in Beijing. – AFPPIC oPrecious metal seen as safe haven in uncertain economic times Japan sees 2.69 million visitors in January TOKYO: Japan welcomed more than two million visitors for an eighth consecutive month in January, official data showed yesterday, setting the stage for a potential record year for tourism. The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure was 2.69 million last month, down slightly from 2.73 million in December, data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation showed. Arrivals in December were an all-time high for that month and capped a pandemic recovery year that saw a little more than 25 million visitors enter the country. Tourism to Japan all but halted for more than two years during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the industry was dealt a major tailwind last year by rapid depreciation in the yen that made Japan a bargain compared to many destinations. Inbound tourism is an increasingly important part of the Japanese economy, and visitors spent more than ¥5 trillion (RM160 billion) last year for the first time, exceeding the government’s goal. Arrivals in January were impacted by the major earthquake on Jan 1 in the western prefecture of Ishikawa, the Japan National Tourism Organisation said, although the number was on par with the level in 2019 when the country welcomed a record 39.9 million tourists. Travellers from South Korea, Taiwan and Australia set an all-time record for any single month. Tourism from China is still far below pre-pandemic levels, when mainland travellers made up nearly a third of all visitors and 40% of tourist spending. But there are signs of life in the segment. Chinese visitors numbered 415,900 in January, up 33% from the previous month. Department store operators Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings and J. Front Retailing reported that the Lunar New Year contributed to strong sales of luxury goods and duty-free items in the first half of this month. Chinese visitors may be opting for more leisurely travel this year, a trend known as “chill stay”, as opposed to rushed shopping splurges seen in years past, said Teppei Kawanishi, general manager at travel industry consultancy Honichi Lab. “The style is to go around one sightseeing spot slowly and enjoy it like the locals,“ Kawanishi said. – Reuters HSBC reports ‘record profit’ of US$30.3b HONG KONG: HSBC said yesterday it achieved “record profit” in 2023 as pre-tax gains soared by nearly 80%, with the banking giant also announcing further share buybacks. The Asia-focused lender and its peers have been buoyed by rising interest rates for more than a year, but are bracing for greater economic uncertainties in 2024. The bank generates most of its revenue in Asia and has spent several years pivoting to the region, vowing to develop its wealth business and target fast-growing markets. Despite reporting bumper profits, the bank noted the effects of China’s slower-than-expected economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic as well as heightened geopolitical tensions. The firm reported pre-tax profits of US$30.3 billion, up from US$17.1 billion the year before, in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange. Profit after tax increased by US$8.3 billion, to US$24.6 billion. “Our record profit performance in 2023 enabled us to reward our shareholders with our highest full-year dividend since 2008,” said CEO Noel Quinn. The bank also said it would initiate a share buyback of up to US$2 billion, following the announcement last year of three share buybacks totalling US$7 billion. Revenue rose by 30% to US$66.1 billion, HSBC said, citing “rises in all of our global businesses due to the higher interest rate environment”. – AFP Childcare costs in China among highest in world HONG KONG: China is one of the world’s most expensive places to raise a child, relative to its GDP per capita, a Chinese think tank said yesterday as it detailed the time and opportunity costs for women who opt to have children. The cost of raising a child until they are 18 relative to per capita GDP is around 6.3 times in China versus 2.08 times in Australia, 2.24 times in France, 4.11 times in the US and 4.26 times in Japan, said a report by the Beijing-based YuWa Population Research Institute. Raising children also leads to a reduction in women’s paid work hours and wage rates, while men’s livelihoods remain largely unchanged. “Because the current social environment in China is not friendly to women’s fertility, the time cost and opportunity cost for women to have children are too high,” said the report, co-authored by Liang Jianzhang, founder of online travelling site Ctrip. “Due to reasons such as the high cost of childbearing and the difficulty for women to balance family and work, the Chinese people’s average fertility willingness is almost the lowest in the world.” An increasing number of women are opting not to have children due high childcare costs, and an unwillingness to marry or put their careers on hold. Women generally see a reduction of 2,106 working hours when looking after children aged 0-4 and face an estimated wage loss of 63,000 yuan (RM42,000) in the period, the report said, using an hourly wage gauge of 30 yuan per hour. Having a child will also lead to a 12% to 17% drop in women’s wages, the report said. – Reuters current popularity is China’s lacklustre post-Covid recovery, which is hitting young people especially hard as unemployment soars and traditional investment options such as property and stocks suffer, analysts say. “In the past, only the older generation would buy gold jewellery,” Tan Ruikun, master craftsman with legacy jewellery giant Chow Tai Fook, told AFP on a recent visit to the workshop in Guangdong province. “Young people are different now, they will also buy it because of its ability to retain value.” Sitting at cubicles and frowning with concentration, his colleagues twisted loops of gleaming metal into intricate patterns and peered through microscopes to add sparkling gems to gold pendants – the latter a style developed after feedback from younger customers. “If younger elements are added in the design, it will appeal to young people even more,” said Tan. In a bustling Shanghai jewellery market, 30-year-old freelancer Zhang Jie told AFP that “it’s hard for young people to save money”. Buying gold means “the money is still with you in a different way”, she said. Millennials and Gen Z are “becoming a huge driving force” in the rising popularity of gold, Nikos Kavalis of Metals Focus told AFP. “The last few years have seen attitudes change dramatically.” That reflects Chow Tai Fook’s recent consumer research, which suggested Gen Z was more attracted to buying gold than any other age group under 40. “Pure gold jewellery continues to serve as a safe haven for Chinese consumers amid recent economic conditions,” the report noted. Gold jewellery was among the best-performing consumer goods in China last year, as the post-pandemic recovery lost its shine in the face of flagging domestic consumption and declining business confidence. The market in central Shanghai where AFP met Zhang was buzzing with customers. Global gold prices hit an all-time high in December, so “people may see it as a more stable value of assets”, she said. Feng Ning, a 24-year-old medical industry worker, had similar motivations. “When I started earning my own money ... I bought other luxury products, but they would depreciate a lot when you want to exchange them for cash. “My friends and I have switched to choosing gold.” One small shop in the labyrinthine market was notably busier than others, with almost every inch of its counters crowded. The reason, said another store owner, was that it was famous on the Instagram-like Xiaohongshu – attracting younger customers. Gold consumption in China last year was driven by “products lighter than 10gm or cheaper than 2,000 yuan (RM1,330)”, according to the World Gold Council, reflecting the smaller budgets of millennial and Gen Z customers. – AFP
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 18 Bahamas, Seychelles removed from EU tax blacklist BRUSSELS: The EU removed the Bahamas, Seychelles and two other jurisdictions from its tax havens blacklist on Tuesday, a move anti-poverty group Oxfam said showed the list was “a waste of time”. The list, approved by the EU’s member states, now counts 12 jurisdictions deemed non-cooperative for tax purposes, particularly where it comes to sharing tax information. The European Union removed Bahamas, Belize, Seychelles, and Turks and Caicos Islands from the list. The list now has American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Fiji, Guam, Palau, Panama, Russia, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago, US Virgin Islands and Vanuatu. “The council regrets that these jurisdictions are not yet cooperative on tax matters and invites them to improve their legal framework in order to resolve the identified issues,” the council, made up of the EU’s 27 member states, said in a statement. Oxfam urged Brussels to “overhaul” the list. “Today’s update highlights once again that, without reform, this list is a waste of everyone’s time,” said Oxfam EU tax expert Chiara Putaturo. “The Bahamas is one of the world’s worst tax havens, yet it has been removed from the list. “The same for the Seychelles, a hotbed of shell companies where multinationals reap massive profits. “Meanwhile, EU tax havens get a free pass,” Putaturo added. “If the EU is serious about ending tax avoidance, the new (European) Commission must urgently overhaul this list to serve its intended purpose.” The EU cannot include its own member states. The list was created in 2017 in the wake of a series of scandals that put pressure on Brussels to clamp down on tax evasion by the rich. – AFP Musk says patient moves cursor with brain implant SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk says the first human patient with a brain implant from his Neuralink startup is able to move a computer mouse with thought. Last month, Musk’s neurotechnology company installed a brain implant in its first human patient and on Monday Musk reported the experiment had been a success. “The patient seems to have made a full recovery with no ill effects,” Musk said in an interview streamed on X. The patient is able to “move the mouse around the screen just by thinking”, Musk said. “We’re trying to get as many button presses as possible from thinking. “You want to have, obviously, more than just two buttons.” Neuralink’s technology works through a device about the size of five stacked coins that is placed inside the human brain through invasive surgery. The startup, cofounded by Musk in 2016, aims to build direct communication channels between the brain and computers. The ambition is to supercharge human capabilities, treat neurological disorders like ALS or Parkinson’s, and maybe one day achieve a symbiotic relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. Musk is hardly alone in trying to make advances in the field, which is officially known as brain-machine or brain-computer interface research. Hit with delays, the tycoon had reportedly reached out to join forces with implant developer Synchron. The Australia-based Synchron implanted its first device in a US patient in July 2022. – AFP Electric vehicle sales lose market share PARIS: The market share of electric vehicles dropped below 11% in Europe last month, despite an increase in sales as the overall auto market rebounded, data released on Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association showed. A total of 92,741 electric vehicles were sold in Europe last month, an increase of 28.9% from January last year. That gave electric vehicles a 10.9% share of the overall market, down from the record 14.6% for 2023 as a whole. An end to an environmental bonus for electric cars in Germany available to households made them much more expensive compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. The sale of diesel vehicles, which has been declining for the past few years, moved ahead of electric vehicles in terms of market share at 13.4%. Hybrids dipped to 28.8%, behind cars equipped with petrol engines at 35.2%. Even though overall auto sales rose by 12.1% from last January to 851,690, that remains low by historical standards. – AFP Europe’s gas demand shrinks to 10-year low PARIS: Europe has cut its gas demand by 20%, to its lowest level in 10 years, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) should peak next year thanks to renewables and efficiency gains, a study published yesterday said. The February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia triggered a massive shift by European nations away from Russian natural gas delivered by pipelines, with prices for LNG soaring as they competed on international markets for limited supplies. With a limited number of import terminals, European nations were also forced to undertake measures to restrain consumption, but made it through the oDecline due to deployment of renewables and energy efficiency winter of 2022 and 2023 without cuts to residential heating or electricity generation. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said European gas demand has declined by 20% since the start of the Russian invasion, driven mainly by Germany, Italy and Britain. It put the decline down to energy efficiency and demand management measures, the impact of high prices on demand as well as mild winter temperatures. “Europe has successfully navigated the energy crisis and has set itself up to continue curbing gas use, thanks in part to efficiency measures and renewables deployment,” IEEFA said in a report. The further deployment of solar and wind, the switch from gas boilers to heat pumps for home heating and added efficiency measures should mean that demand for LNG peaks next year. The international group which studies issues related to energy markets and policies, noted that rush to build LNG terminals was continuing despite imports holding steady in 2023 and the likely peak in demand next year. With 13 terminals expected to become operational by 2030, compared to eight operational in February 2022, IEEFA said there is the risk of having import capacity three times LNG demand by the end of the decade. It also noted that Russian LNG had replaced a portion of the Russian gas that Europe had been importing by pipeline, with Russian LNG imports rising by 11% between 2021 and 2023. But LNG from the United States dominated imports, which risks creating a new dependency. “Having experienced the dangers of risking security of energy supply by depending too much on one source, Europe must learn from its past mistakes and avoid becoming over-reliant on the US, which provided nearly half of its LNG imports last year,” said IEEFA’s lead Europe energy analyst Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewic. – AFP Eiffel Tower closed again as staff extend strike PARIS: The Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s top tourist attractions, remained closed for a second straight day on Tuesday as staff extended a strike over the monument’s financing. The strike started on Monday in protest over the way the monument is managed financially. The tower’s operator, Sete, has advised ticket holders to check its website before showing up, or to postpone their visit. E-ticket holders were asked to check their e-mails for further information. Ticketholders will be reimbursed, the operator said. The stoppage is the second strike at the Eiffel Tower within two months for the same reason. Unions have criticised Sete for its business model that they say is based on an inflated estimate of future visitor numbers, while under-estimating construction costs. They also want the city of Paris to stump up more funds to keep the landmark in good repair. The Eiffel Tower – Paris’s most famous landmark – attracts nearly seven million visitors a year, around three-quarters of them foreigners, according to its website. During the Covid pandemic numbers dropped sharply due to closures and travel restrictions, but recovered to 5.9 million in 2022. Last year, it attracted 6.3 million visitors. Visitor numbers to Paris are expected to swell this summer as the French capital hosts the Olympic Games. In a joint statement on Monday, the CGT Protesters holding CGT flags with the Eiffel Tower in the background. – AFPPIC and FO unions called on the city of Paris “to be reasonable with their financial demands to ensure the survival of the monument and the company operating it”. Alexandre Leborgne, a representative for the hard-left CGT labour union, told AFP that city hall, which is the majority owner of the monument, “refuses to negotiate for now”. Another CGT representative, Stephane Dieu, said city officials “refuse to even meet with us”. – AFP
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 19 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) ALLIANZ 19.06 -0.94 876 SHL 2.12 -7.83 2 AJI 17.2 -0.81 165 ALLIANZ-PA 20.48 -0.58 37 PETGAS 18.02 -0.66 13,390 PADINI 3.5 -3.05 3,517 AXIATA 2.79 -3.46 130,841 TEOSENG 2.2 -4.35 167,167 MSM 2.37 -3.66 34,386 RAPID 1.08 -7.69 36,189 MPI 26.18 -0.3 929 DAYANG 2.23 -3.04 111,959 MAXIS 3.79 -1.81 22,566 AHEALTH 3.01 -1.95 1,440 CARLSBG 19.14 -0.31 590 CDB 4.31 -1.37 42,943 HIBISCS 2.6 -2.26 43,903 KSENG 5.86 -1.01 1,010 TAANN 3.79 -1.56 4,189 UZMA 1.18 -4.84 142,172 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) HUMEIND-LA 4.39 0.25 109 SAM 4.18 0.23 15,497 DLADY 23.86 0.16 585 HLIND 9.58 0.16 379 HUMEIND 3.09 0.15 29,071 CHINAETF-MYR 4.48 0.15 439 FAREAST 3.7 0.1 4 F&N 29.2 0.1 1,634 HEIM 23.02 0.1 1,822 PARAGON 3.42 0.1 1,232 GESHEN 1.77 0.09 8,243 GREATEC 4.8 0.09 4,951 UWC 3.4 0.1 4,483 MCEMENT 4.9 0.08 25,101 CVIEW 1.27 0.07 165 DKSH 4.61 0.07 9,358 MNRB 1.92 0.07 41,150 CANONE 2.49 0.06 688 FRONTKN 3.56 0.06 114,916 HLFG 16.54 0.06 3,377 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/-(RM) +/-(%) VOLUME HONGSENG 1,778,505 0.02 - - MYEG 688,562 0.78 -0.01 -1.27 MMAG 685,521 0.11 - - RENEUCO 683,339 0.095 0.02 26.67 DIALOG 643,668 2.2 - - EKOVEST 609,740 0.5 -0.015 -2.91 TWL 515,874 0.035 0.005 16.67 TAWIN 421,117 0.035 - - MRCB 395,005 0.605 -0.03 -4.72 YTLPOWR 391,176 3.9 -0.02 -0.51 YTL 366,904 2.22 -0.03 -1.33 VELESTO 348,116 0.275 -0.005 -1.79 SCBUILD 313,593 0.015 0.005 50 LAYHONG 301,562 0.355 0.025 7.58 PBBANK 284,221 4.51 0.03 0.67 LHI 278,581 0.685 0.035 5.38 ARMADA 268,375 0.585 -0.01 -1.68 MINETEC 241,149 0.175 - - SIME 234,089 2.63 - - WIDAD 218,556 0.13 - - SUNBIZ presents a summary of the day’s trading activity on Bursa Malaysia and other markets in an easy to digest format. MARKET ROUND-UP: FEBRUARY 21 [ Sources: Bursa Malaysia, Bernama, shareinvestor.com and websites DISCLAIMER: The data and reports are provided as a service to investors. Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd shall not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information. INDEX CHANGE FBMEMAS 11,521.80 -27.38 FBMKLCI 1,552.40 -3.19 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 580.12 -0.31 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 177.66 -0.14 CONSTRUCTION 211.95 -1.11 FINANCIAL SERVICES 17,376.10 +21.95 ENERGY 934.77 -12.18 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 616.84 -4.91 HEALTH CARE 1,971.34 -20.47 TRANSPORTATION 965.08 -4.17 PROPERTY 924.87 -12.03 PLANTATION 7,328.86 -14.50 FBMSHA 11,582.80 -43.12 FBMACE 4,837.49 -43.11 TECHNOLOGY 63.66 +0.23 TURNOVER: 3.653 bil VALUE: RM2.712 bil Top 20 Actives Top 20 Gainers (By RM) Top 20 Losers (By RM) Bursa Indices STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) PHB 0.01 100 136,579 SCBUILD 0.015 50 313,593 ZENTECH 0.02 33.33 4,045 RENEUCO 0.095 26.67 683,339 CME 0.025 25 900 TWL-LA 0.03 20 200 JETSON 0.365 17.74 181,232 SINARAN 0.07 16.67 202 TWL 0.035 16.67 515,874 XOXNET 0.035 16.67 1 HM-PA 0.045 12.5 649 VELOCITY 0.05 11.11 2,500 ARBB 0.055 10 29,610 EKSONS 0.57 9.62 364 SEDANIA 0.205 7.89 74,742 INGENIEU 0.14 7.69 25,748 SNTORIA 0.07 7.69 74,446 LAYHONG 0.355 7.58 301,562 IVORY 0.075 7.14 5,893 LUSTER 0.075 7.14 1,372 Top 20 Gainers (By %) STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) XOX 0.01 -33.33 34,752 BCMALL 0.015 -25 11,155 MTRONIC 0.015 -25 5,530 MQTECH 0.02 -20 64,437 SANICHI 0.02 -20 2,100 ALRICH 0.03 -14.29 25,932 FLEXI 0.15 -11.76 1,400 PDZ 0.04 -11.11 9,635 KNM 0.085 -10.53 127,431 FITTERS 0.045 -10 45,342 KEYASIC 0.05 -9.09 37,672 SMI 0.58 -8.66 20 DGB 0.11 -8.33 16,680 MUIIND 0.055 -8.33 8,449 XOXTECH 0.055 -8.33 4,203 SHL 2.12 -7.83 2 LIENHOE 0.295 -7.81 74 PASDEC 0.295 -7.81 350 RAPID 1.08 -7.69 36,189 TRIVE 0.06 -7.69 3,102 Top 20 Losers (By %) INDEX CLOSING DAILY DAILY CHANGE CHANGE (%) DJIA (US) 38,563.80 -64.19 -0.17 S&P 500 (US) 4,975.51 -30.06 -0.60 NASDAQ (US) 15,630.79 -144.86 -0.92 NYSE (US) 17,340.17 -69.13 -0.40 EURO STOXX 50 (EUR) 4,760.62 +0.34 +0.01 FTSE 100 (UK) 7,670.06 -49.15 -0.64 DAX (GER) 17,073.09 +4.66 +0.03 NIKKEI 225 (JPN) 38,262.16 -101.45 -0.26 TOPIX (JPN) 2,627.30 -5.00 -0.19 HANG SENG INDEX (HK) 16,503.10 +255.59 +1.57 CSI 300 (CHN) 3,456.87 +46.02 +1.35 SH SE COM (CHN) 2,950.96 +28.23 +0.97 KOSPI INDEX (SK) 2,653.31 -4.48 -0.17 MSCI ASIA PACIFIC 171.37 +0.27 +0.16 ASX 200 (AUS) 7,608.36 -50.69 -0.66 ALL ORDINARIES INDX (AUS) 7,860.04 -51.43 -0.65 SENSEX INDEX (IND) 72,800.56 -256.84 -0.35 FBM KLCI 1,552.40 -3.19 -0.21 STRAITS TIMES INDEX (S’PORE) 3,216.46 -27.60 -0.85 WTI (US$/BBL.) 76.35 -0.69 -0.90 BRENT (US$/BBL.) 81.71 -0.63 -0.77 GOLD (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 2,037.20 -2.60 -0.13 SILVER (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 23.08 -0.06 -0.24 PLATINUM (US$/T OZ) 904.09 -1.25 -0.14 COPPER (COMEX) (US CENTS/LB.) 388.25 +0.70 +0.18 COPPER 3MO (LME) (US$/MT) 8,500.00 65.50 0.78 CORN (US CENTS/BU.) 431.50 -1.00 -0.23 WHEAT (US CENTS/BU.) 576.00 -3.25 -0.56 SOYBEAN OIL (CBOT) (US CENTS/LB.) 45.79 -0.13 -0.28 COCOA (ICE) (US$/MT) 5,629.00 +288.00 +5.39 RUBBER (S’PORE) (US CENTS/KG) 156.50 +0.80 +0.51 World Stocks/Commodities as at 5pm, Feb 21 Bursa ends weaker on broad-based profit-taking BURSA Malaysia ended trading on a weaker note yesterday due to broad-based profit-taking throughout the session, following three days of consecutive gains. At 5pm, the FBM KLCI slipped 3.19 points to 1,552.40 from Tuesday’s close of 1,555.59, after paring some of its earlier losses on the recovery in the financial sector. The benchmark index opened 1.49 points lower at 1,554.10 and moved between 1,547.49 and 1,554.95 throughout the day. The market breadth was negative with losers surpassing gainers 652 to 385, while 459 counters were unchanged, 801 untraded and 11 others suspended. Turnover narrowed slightly to 3.65 billion units worth RM2.71 billion from Tuesday’s 3.68 billion units worth RM2.94 billion. Head of wealth research & advisory, designated portfolio manager at UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors, Mohd Sedek Jantan said domestic selling was also influenced by profit-taking activities in Wall Street ahead of Nvidia’s results and the release of US Federal Open Market Committee minutes. Investors are awaiting the US Federal Reserve to shed light on inflation measures despite the widely expected delay in the interest rate cut. Despite this volatility, he said the local bourse’s ability to maintain its performance remained solid and is set to continue marching to the 1,600 level. The Main Market volume declined to 2.14 billion units valued at RM2.47 billion from Tuesday’s 2.46 billion units valued at RM2.7 billion. Warrants turnover, however, soared to 1.09 billion units worth RM139.4 million from 653.32 million units worth RM94.67 million yesterday. – Bernama 1,552.40pts Feb 21, 2024 Participation 19.0 45.3 35.7 100.0 Retail Institutions Foreign Bought RM m 518.4 1191.0 1003.5 2712.9 Sold RM m 512.9 1267.2 932.8 2712.9 Net RM m 5.5 -76.2 70.7 0.0 % 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) 21/2/2024
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 20 MARKETS/FROM THE BROKERS SUNBIZ presents extracts of a selection of commentaries and research reports received from stockbrokers on counters that could be of interest to investors. [Compiled by SunBiz Team DISCLAIMER: The information is extracted from stockbrokers’ commentaries and research reports and do not represent the views or opinions of Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd. It is not a solicitation, recommendation or an offer to buy or sell the equities featured. Sun Media Corporation shall not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information. DLADY’S FY23 core net profit of RM72 million (-8% YoY) beat our forecast by 8% but missed market expectation by 13%. The key variance against our forecast came largely from lower-thanexpected dairy input cost. The total dividend per share for FY23 remained steady at 50.0 sen, unchanged from FY22. YoY, its FY23 revenue advanced 8%, driven by 3% growth in volume, attributable to an increased market share in its dairy products and strategic price adjustments aimed at maintaining a balance between affordability and profitability. However, its gross profit surged by a sharper 21%, thanks to stabilising dairy input cost and enhanced operational efficiency. QoQ, its Q4’23 revenue declined by 2% due to unfavourable product and channel mix. However, its core net profit improved 36%, thanks to better margins coupled with lower taxation rate. Amidst generally weak spending sentiment, we favour consumer staples players (over consumer discretionary players) given the inelasticity of staple food demand. In addition, their target customers in the low-income group will also be shielded from the brunt of subsidy rationalisation and could potentially benefit from the introduction of progressive wage model. We continue to like DLADY for: (i) its resilient top line driven by the steady demand for staple food products, even amid the global economic uncertainties, (ii) its ability to offset rising costs through price adjustments, thanks to strong brand equity, and (iii) its wellestablished brand and the escalating recognition of the nutritional advantages of its dairy product. We raise our FY24F net profit forecast by 3%, lift our TP by 3% to RM26.90 (from RM26) and maintain our OUTPERFORM call. HIBISCUS hit a new production record of 22,192 barrel equivalent per day (boe/d), higher by 3,419 boe/d on a QoQ basis. This is mainly attributed to Kinabalu’s oil production performance increasing by 1,392 bbl/d to 4,096 bbl/d on the back of the completion of two new well drilling programmes in August 2023 and October 2023. The overall Anasuria production was badly impacted by planned maintenance activities that required the Anasuria FPSO to shut down for 15 days. The net operating expenses per bbl (Net Opex/bbl) is also higher due to one-off health and safety regulatory expenses. North Sabah production enhancement programme is on track. About RM111.6 million out of RM724.3 million of capital expenditure (capex) has been spent for its production enhancement on SF30 Water Flood Phase 2 and South Furious Near Field Exploring Drilling (SF NEED). Currently, 2 out of 3 NFED programme have been completed and pending data revision. The completion of the overall programme by Q4 CY2024 would add 2,000bbl/d to its production capacity for the field. Hibiscus Petroleum (Hibiscus) recorded a higher Q2’24 core net profit of RM113.4 million by 15.2% YoY due to the absence of deferred liability incurred in the previous year. On a sequential basis, Hibiscus recorded weaker core net profit by -27.6% QoQ due to lower crude offtake volume and realised oil price. Cumulatively, Hibiscus’ 1H FY24 core net profit of RM269.9 million is deemed to have met our estimates at 55% though exceeding consensus at 61.5% of full year FY24F numbers respectively. Based on the offtake schedule, we expect Q3’24 performance to be weaker QoQ due to lower volume. We upgrade our recommendation to OUTPERFORM from Trading Buy with higher TP of RM3.20 (from RM3), after we roll over our DCF-based valuation. KPJ expects sustained performance in Q1’24 with no sign of patient throughput slowing down as patients are expected to flock back following the year-end holiday period in Q4’23. Note that historically (i.e. for past three years pre-Covid, 2H accounted for an average of between 53-62% of full-year earnings). To recap, key operating indicators remained solid in both FY23 and Q4’23 despite the slower year-end holiday period that led to patients delaying treatment. FY23 earnings were driven by higher inpatient throughput (+19%), surgeries (+11%), average revenue per outpatient (+7%) and inpatient (+7%), bed occupancy rate (BOR) of 67% compared to 58% in FY22 and health tourism revenue (+42%). QoQ, Q4’23 topline was marginally lower by 2% due to lower throughput from inpatient (-4%) and outpatient (- 3%) mitigated by higher average revenue per outpatient (+2%). KPJ is optimistic that its five hospitals under gestation with losses totalling RM137 million in FY23 will be halved in FY24, which will work out to RM69 million or 25% of our FY24F net profit. It expects earnings to gain momentum moving into FY24 on better operational efficiencies from its cost optimisation effort and overhead absorption by adding new beds (+10%), which we have factored into our forecasts. With incremental revenues from higher patient throughput, the group’s three hospitals namely KPJ Perlis, KPJ Bandar Datuk Onn and KPJ Batu Pahat which were under gestation turned EBITDA-positive in FY23. The group expects these three hospitals to be profitable by end-FY24. Over the next two years, KPJ intends to increase its overall bed capacity by progressively adding 1,000 beds at its new hospitals and existing hospitals up to end-2025. We maintain our forecasts, TP of RM1.95 and OUTPERFORM call. FOREIGN CURRENCY SELLING TT/OD BUYING TT BUYING OD 1 US Dollar 4.8620 4.7280 4.7180 1 Australian Dollar 3.2070 3.0800 3.0640 1 Brunei Dollar 3.6200 3.5160 3.5080 1 Canadian Dollar 3.5950 3.5000 3.4880 1 Euro 5.2670 5.0990 5.0790 1 New Zealand Dollar 3.0140 2.9040 2.8880 1 Singapore Dollar 3.6200 3.5160 3.5080 1 Sterling Pound 6.1600 5.9710 5.9510 1 Swiss Franc 5.5120 5.3870 5.3720 100 UAE Dirham 134.0400 127.1500 126.9500 100 Bangladesh Taka 4.5180 4.2240 4.0240 100 Chinese Renminbi 68.1300 65.2600 N/A 100 Danish Krone 72.4400 66.6700 66.4700 100 Hongkong Dollar 62.8900 59.7700 59.5700 100 Indian Rupee 5.9700 5.6100 5.4100 100 Indonesian Rupiah 0.0322 0.0291 0.0241 100 Japanese Yen 3.2490 3.1470 3.1370 100 New Taiwan Dollar 16.5000 N/A N/A 100 Norwegian Krone 47.6800 43.8600 43.6600 100 Pakistan Rupee 1.7700 1.6600 1.4600 100 Philippine Peso 8.8200 8.3200 8.1200 100 Qatar Riyal 134.9500 128.1100 127.9100 100 Saudi Riyal 131.2200 124.5700 124.3700 100 South Africa Rand 26.6600 24.0800 23.8800 100 Sri Lanka Rupee 1.6000 1.4800 1.2800 100 Swedish Krona 48.4800 44.1400 43.9400 100 Thai Baht 14.1300 12.5400 12.1400 Exchange Rates Source: Malayan Banking Bhd/Bernama Malaysian currency up slightly against US dollar THE ringgit ended slightly higher against the US dollar yesterday, although the greenback had strengthened as investors focused on the upcoming release of the US Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) meeting minutes, an economist said. At 6pm, the ringgit rose to 4.7920/7965 versus the US dollar compared with Tuesday’s close of 4.7975/8000. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the ringgit was well supported against the US dollar at around RM4.7963. He said that while the ringgit was mostly steady yesterday, foreign exchange markets remain cautious ahead of the FOMC minutes’ release today. “As the US Federal Reserve is likely to keep the rate steady in the near term, the US dollar is likely to be the highly sought after currency,” he told Bernama. On Tuesday, the local currency briefly slipped past 4.80 against the greenback, its weakest level since reaching an all-time low of 4.8850 in 1998, resulting in Bank Negara Malaysia’s response by issuing its remarks on the prevailing market condition. At yesterday’s close, the ringgit also traded higher against a basket of major currencies. The local currency appreciated vis-a-vis the Japanese yen to 3.1925/1957 from 3.1926/1945 at Tuesday’s close, increased against the British pound to 6.0432/0489 from 6.0468/0499 yesterday, and rose versus the euro to 5.17541802 from 5.1799/1826 previously. The ringgit traded mixed against other Asean currencies. The local note rose vis-a-vis the Singapore dollar to 3.5652/5688 from 3.5672/5693 and was almost flat against the Philippine peso at 8.56/8.58 from 8.56/8.57 on Tuesday. Ringgit to recover on ongoing structural reforms: Economist KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the value of the ringgit should be better than what it is now due to the government’s ongoing structural reforms. He said currency fluctuations, especially for the ringgit, are normal and often driven by macroeconomic indicators given that Malaysia is an open trading nation. “Looking at the macroeconomic indicators, Malaysia’s current account is still in a surplus balance of 1.2% of GDP in 2023. This indicates that the country has savings which can be used for investments in the country. “Our labour market is in full employment status as reflected in the lower unemployment rate of 3.3% at the end of 2023. In that sense, the value of the ringgit should be better than what it is currently,” he told Bernama. In a statement on Feb 20, Bank Negara Malaysia governor Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the central bank is of the view that the current level of the ringgit does not reflect the positive prospects of the Malaysian economy. SPI Asset Management managing director Stephen Innes said the current weakness of the ringgit is temporary as global markets, especially Malaysia’s largest trading partner China, are rebalancing their inflation trends. He considers the present depreciation of the ringgit to be an overreaction. “Still, the broader context of many Asian countries struggling under tight financial conditions, especially those reliant on US dollar-denominated funding, makes accessing external funding prohibitively expensive,” said Innes. KPJ Healthcare Bhd Outperform. Target price: RM1.95 Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd Outperform. Target price: RM3.20 Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd Outperform. Target price: RM26.90 Source: Kenanga Research Source: PublicInvest Research Feb 21, 2024: RM2.60 Source: Kenanga Research Feb 21, 2024: RM23.86 Feb 21, 2024: RM1.64
INSIDE INSIDE Redefining edefining beauty Sonya Danita Charles’ onya Danita Charles’ impact on beauty norms mpact on beauty norms - P22 WEEKLY FOCUS MONDAY Discover cuttingedge world of Gaming and Tech TUESDAY Ultimate guide to Travel and Leisure WEDNESDAY Latest in Fashion and Beauty sense THURSDAY Inside the world of Social Media Influencers FRIDAY Culinary delights and Beverage trends THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 E: [email protected] SCAN ME p 23 Taylor Swift transforms the NFL p 24 The 1994 music scene p 25 Barbie’s casting conundrum p 26 Journey through fashion
LYFE LYFE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 22 /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE Malaysian Paper my skin and nothing really works,” shared Sonya. After putting her body through numerous medications, it came to a point that enough was enough and she decided to stop at the age of 17. “I started to realise that I needed to love myself better rather than trying to change,” shared Sonya. Dreams do come true After completing her BBA in Fashion and Business Marketing at Woodbury University, Los Angeles, California, Sonya had the opportunity to work backstage at the prestigious New York Fashion Week. She had always wanted to try her hand at modelling but lacked the confidence, noting that the models at these shows seemingly had perfect complexions. The opportunity to model did, however, unexpectedly pop up. Sonya, who was working in a marketing department based in Pavillion KL, was walking towards the washroom, when a photographer spotted her. “I took his name card and I did not think much. A couple of months later, he messaged me again and said everything was ready and that all I needed to do was show up. At the shoot, I was crying because I was feeling insecure and was not ready to show that side of me,” said Sonya. Making history at KL Fashion Week She revealed that previously, photos posted on social media had her body completely covered. Then thought about Canadian model Winnie Harlow, who overcame the stigma of vitiligo to become a massive success in the fashion industry. Then, she started to write “little stories” with every picture she posted, along with thoughts, struggles and insecurity she went through on social media. Soon, the public took notice and brands started to call her for ads in magazines, editorials and campaigns. She is the first model with vitiligo to walk the runway in the history of KL Fashion Week in 2018. Sonya, who founded the Vitiligo Association Malaysia, an online platform to create awareness and advocate, has worked with cosmetic brands like Lancome, Estee Lauder, Maybeline and Sephora. “I started using my platform to create more awareness and change the idea behind beauty, to restructure beauty and what it actually means, when I was growing up,“ explained Charles. “My idea is to change the whole narrative and also to raise awareness among people with skin conditions or who look different, in general and to teach that, regardless of how we look outside, what matters most is who we are inside. Redefining beauty “My idea of beauty is individuality because I feel everybody is made for a reason. I always believe beauty is not subjective to what the media tells me or what people tell me, but rather to what you choose to see as beautiful,” she expressed. This, she believes, is what makes a person beautiful. These days, Charles views her skin patterns as a work of art, saying that when colours get splattered on a blank canvas, different patterns emerge. “I see my skin as a form of art, the same way, some people have tattoos or piercings as a form of art. My skin is my version of art,” she confessed. Spreading positive messages As a social media influencer, Sonya describes herself as a “body positive activist”. She aims to help others feel more confident and to love and understand themselves better, but she also wants to be honest with her followers. “For me, it’s all about being authentic and showing vulnerability. I genuinely believe vulnerability is strength, even though we are told that vulnerability is a sign of weakness, but I feel the complete opposite, as that makes us human. We all have good days and bad days.” Sonya hopes to use social media platforms positively to make positive changes in the environment, culture and industry. Reach out to Sonya via her Instagram account: instagram.com/sonyadanita Sonya is changing the narrative on what beauty actually means. Sonya would be happy if she could change at least one person’s perspective on vitiligo. █ BY S. TAMARAI CHELVI Sonya defying beauty standards. – PIC BY AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN Changing perceptions of beauty oSonya embraces vitiligo to achieve runway dreams S ONYA DANITA CHARLES is not just another model with a social media page, but one that uses the platform to redefine what beauty actually means and shares her real struggles, insecurities and challenges. Sonya has a skin condition called vitiligo, which is caused by a lack of pigments called melanin, leading to the skin losing its colour. This often draws stares, curiosity and sometimes, even negative comments from random strangers, but the bold 30-year-old, who walks out with her vitiligo patches visible, takes it all in stride. Truly a role model, Sonya has not only embraced vitiligo but has never let her condition hold her back from achieving success in life. According to Sonya, vitiligo is a condition where the skin loses its pigmentation because the immune system attacks melanin skin cells (melanocytes), assuming it is a virus. Patches on the skin vary and look different in every individual. To date, about 1% of the world population has vitiligo. The art of self-love Some would have patches of light skin, a huge spot in one area or spots scattered all around the face and body, just like what Sonya has. “It started when I was eight years old with a small patch on my face and progressed through my teenage years,” said Sonya. “Growing up, it was challenging. They (students) called me names like dalmation and cow (due to patches on her skin),” said Sonya, who was bullied by other teenagers. However, she feels such a situation happens due to a lack of awareness and education among the students. “Basically, I have tried everything for Sonya admits it is harder to get jobs compared to a regular models. - PICS COURTESY OF SONYA DANITA CHARLES
LYFE LYFE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 23 Pop culture touchdown ONE of the biggest pop culture phenomena of recent times is the rise of Taylor Swift. Sell-out tours, multiple Grammys and record-breaking documentaries have all added to the 34-year-old singer’s marketing juggernaut, which shows no sign of slowing down. There has also been no hint of overexposure, as Swifties (Swift’s fans), lap up every morsel of information, merchandising and tittle-tattle there is about the pop diva. The singing megastar’s on-going relationship with one of America’s most popular gridiron football players Travis Kelce has had an exponential effect on the National Football League (NFL) franchise. Already hugely popular in its own right, the sport got an even bigger audience, with Swift putting it in touch with her massive fan base. Travis and his brother Jason Kelce are both professional NFL players and are hugely popular due to their on-field exploits. But the former’s romance with pop music’s biggest star has seen their profiles go stratospheric. These are some fascinating facts about the Kelce brothers and how this unlikely amalgamation of the ultra-macho spheres of gridiron and teenyboppers has created one of 2024’s most talked-about phenomena. Super Bowl triumphs and recordbreaking performances Travis, the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, has not only secured his place in Super Bowl history but has also etched his name in the record books. With a fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years and playoff records shattered, Travis is a force to be reckoned with on the football field. Meanwhile, his brother Jason, a standout centre for the Philadelphia Eagles, continues to showcase dominance and resilience, falling just short of a Super Bowl rematch but delivering another stellar season. The Kelces’ off-field ascendance Beyond their on-field accomplishments, the Kelce brothers have transcended the realm of the NFL. A documentary on Amazon Prime, appearances on Saturday Night Live and a burgeoning podcast New Heights, have all contributed to their skyrocketing popularity. Travis’s relationship with Swift has undoubtedly shifted a much bigger spotlight onto the brothers’ podcast, as it recently surged to becoming America’s sixth most popular webcast. A game-changer for the NFL The Kelces’ journey to cultural stardom took an unexpected turn with the Swift effect. The music megastar’s connection with Travis and her visible presence at games have added a new dimension to the brothers’ already glittering careers. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledges the positive impact, citing Swift’s ability to attract a younger audience, particularly women, to the sport. Swift’s influence extends beyond the sidelines, significantly impacting Travis’ popularity and the Chiefs’ viewership. Travis, reacting to being named on Google’s 2023 trending list, acknowledges the power of Swift’s fanbase merging with the Chiefs’ supporters. The spike in sales of Travis’ replica jersey following Swift’s attendance at games demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between music and sports. Ratings surge and streaming records Swift’s regular attendance at Chiefs games correlates with a surge in overall ratings, with eight out of nine regular-season games she attended ranking among the top 100 mostviewed TV broadcasts in the US for 2023. The strategic streaming of a game exclusively on Peacock, with Swift in attendance, resulted in a historic “most-streamed live event in US history” attracting an audience of 23 million. Despite the undeniable positive impact, Swift’s presence has yet to be without criticism. Complaints about the frequency of her appearance during TV coverage have surfaced, although the Grammy-winning artiste usually features only for a brief duration within the lengthy football broadcasts. The debate highlights the challenge of balancing star power with the essence of the game. Empowering each other Analysing the statistics, it becomes evident that Travis’ performance often reaches new heights when Swift is in the stadium. Increased catches, more yards and a higher touchdown rate during games attended by Swift suggest a unique synergy between the football star and the global icon. As Travis aimed for a third Super Bowl title, he found inspiration in Swift’s triumphant journey, recently crowned with success at the Grammys. The mutual admiration between Travis and Swift added an emotional layer to the Super Bowl quest as he brought home the Lombardi Trophy to match Swift’s historic achievements on Feb 11. A cultural fusion on the grand stage In the grand theatre of the Super Bowl, where sports and entertainment converge, the Kelce brothers stand as symbolic figures of success. Their journey, amplified by the Swift effect, symbolises the evolving landscape where sports stars become cultural influencers. As the world fixates on the Super Bowl spectacle, the Kelces’ trajectory reaffirms that the intersection of athleticism and celebrity can create a captivating narrative that resonates far beyond the confines of the football field. Swift and the Kelce brothers have been making headlines in the NFL. - BBC SPORT █ BYYASMIN ZULRAEZ The brothers catching the spotlight. - NFL Travis and Swift sharing an intimate moment after Chiefs’ win at the latest Super Bowl. - PIC BY EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES oSwift’s influence on the Kelce brothers’ popularity
LYFE LYFE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 24 READ OUR HERE /thesun Malaysian Paper THE 1990s were a heady, exciting time for the music scene, characterised by a vibrant fusion of genres and a spirit of rebellion against the mainstream. It was an era where boundaries melted away and new sounds emerged, giving rise to what became known as the “Alternative Nation”. Teenagers in the 90s were a defiant and eclectic lot, rejecting the labels of previous decades and pushing fringe movements into the spotlight. Diverse debut albums 1994 was a watershed year for music, marked by the release of several debut albums that would go on to become classics. Leading the charge was Oasis’s Definitely Maybe a monumental record that catapulted the Brothers Gallagher to stardom and set the stage for Britpop’s dominance in the years to come. But Oasis was not the only band making waves. A diverse array of artistes, including Dave Matthews Band, Jeff Buckley and Notorious BIG, also released debut albums that left an indelible mark on the industry, shaping the musical landscape of the 90s. Grunge domination The Seattle sound, with its raw energy and introspective lyrics, dominated the airwaves in 1994, propelling bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam to superstardom. Nirvana’s Nevermind had already exploded onto the scene in 1991, but it was in 1994 that the grunge movement reached its zenith, with albums like Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy and Soundgarden’s Superunknown topping the charts. The release of Alice in Chains’s Jar of Flies EP further cemented Seattle’s dominance, becoming the first extended play record to top the US Billboard charts. Punk revival Despite declarations of its demise in the late 70s, punk was alive and well in 1994, with bands like Rancid and Green Day leading the charge of a punk revival. Rancid’s Let’s Go and Green Day’s Dookie were both released in 1994, propelling the punk sound back into the mainstream with their catchy hooks and rebellious spirit. The success of these albums signalled a resurgence of interest in punk music, inspiring a new generation of fans to pick up guitars and start their own bands. Industrial revolution 1994 also saw the rise of industrial rock, with Nine Inch Nails leading the charge with their landmark album, The Downward Spiral. Frontman Trent Reznor’s tortured vocals and searing lyrics struck a chord with audiences, propelling the album to critical acclaim and commercial success. Concurrently, Korn burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album, ushering in the era of nu-metal with their blend of heavy riffs and anguished vocals. The success of The Downward Spiral and Korn’s debut paved the way for a wave of industrial and nu-metal bands to break into the mainstream, further diversifying the musical landscape of the 90s. Tours to parts unknown In an era before social media and streaming platforms, touring was a major avenue for artistes to reach new audiences and gauge their international appeal. In January 1994, Bryan Adams made history by becoming the first major Western artiste to perform in Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. His concert in Saigon marked a significant moment in the globalisation of music, showcasing the power of music to transcend cultural boundaries and unite people from diverse backgrounds. Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley In May 1994, the world was captivated by the Iconic moments in music oShaping the soundtrack of a generation Oasis’ debut album Definitely Maybe was released in August 1994 and has been certified eight-times platinum. – SPOTIFY Jackson (right) and Presley married in 1994 before parting ways in late 1995. –AP █ BY HAZIQUE ZAIRILL union of pop icon Jackson and Presley, daughter of the legendary Elvis. Their marriage, held in the Dominican Republic, sparked a media frenzy with speculation swirling about their motives and the nature of their relationship. While their union ultimately proved shortlived, ending in divorce just over a year later, it remains a defining moment in pop culture history. Weddings, funerals and births 1994 was a year of both joy and sorrow in the music world. It marked the loss of iconic musicians like Kurt Cobain, whose tragic death sent shockwaves through the industry and left a void in the hearts of fans worldwide. But amid the sorrow, there were moments of joy and new beginnings, as evidenced by the births of future stars like Justin Bieber and Harry Styles, who would go on to make their mark on the music world in the years to come. In conclusion, 1994 was a pivotal year in music history, characterised by innovation, diversity and seismic shifts in the industry. It was a time of rebellion and experimentation where anything seemed possible and the music reflected the spirit of the times. The legacy of 1994 continues to resonate with music lovers, serving as a testament to the power of art to shape culture and inspire generations to come. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home on April 5, 1994 from a self-inflicted gun shot. –MTV Green Day proudly flew the flag for punk in 1994 with its smash hit album Dookie. - NME Bryan Adam’s world tour in 1994 included stops in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. –BMG Alice in Chains’sJar of Flies is first EP to debut on US Billboard charts at number one. - REVOLVER Weezer released their debut Blue album in 1994 and are still going strong today. - ALTERNATIVE PRESS
LYFE LYFE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 25 by Neil’s brother Tim Finn as part of the group, but as of this writing, Crowded House consists of Finn, Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom and Neil’s sons Elroy and Liam Finn. Crowded House has had a string of big hits, most notably Don’t Dream It’s Over, which reached number two on the US Billboard charts in 1986. The band also announced that it will be doing an official album launch at London’s O2 Sheperd Bush Empire on June 13, followed by a UK tour. - BY R BALA Casting curveballs AS it currently exists, Barbie is already a star-studded affair. But according to Michael Cera, Greta Gerwig’s film was supposed to have another Hollywood A-lister however, it was not meant to be. During the recent Happy Sad Confused podcast, host Josh Horowitz quizzed Cera on the “fight scene” in Barbie involving the actor’s character Affleck dropped out due to his directorial and acting commitments for Air. - AMAZON STUDIOS oAffleck’s role reversal in Barbie and other surprises █ BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR Crowded House announces new album The band’s new album will drop end of May. - NME Chang-wook’s agency issues formal apology Si-won denies allegations of coin fraud involvement CHOI SI-WON of Super Junior recently addressed allegations surrounding his supposed connection to a fraudulent coin scheme. The allegations emerged in the wake of suspicions concerning a company accused of selling coins under false pretenses, leveraging its impending public listing as a lure. The involvement of the Korea Youth Committee’s Youth Pay and several individuals in the purported coin fraud added fuel to speculations as Si-won is alleged to have close ties with the organisation. Taking to his YouTube channel community on Feb 12, Si-won issued a firm rebuttal against the damaging rumours. He stressed unequivocally that he bears no association with the controversy encircling the Korea Youth Committee’s Youth Pay. Furthermore, Si-won clarified that he has never held the position of ambassador for the organisation. Any past recognition he received from the Korea Youth Committee, such as an award bestowed upon him, was solely in acknowledgement of his positive influence on youth, unrelated to the ongoing controversy. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN K-pop star refutes rumours amid coin fraud controversy. – PRESTIGE ONLINE MUCH loved Antipodean outfit Crowded House has announced an album of brand new material will be released on May 31. Titled Gravity Stairs, will be the band’s eighth album and this features the single Oh Hi, which saw the light of day several weeks ago. According to lead vocalist Neil Finn, the title was inspired by a heavy stone staircase near where he spends his holidays. He likens the staircase to his mindset as a creator. “It’s a metaphor for getting a little older and becoming aware of your own mortality and your own physicality, said Finn. “Things are getting a little harder and there’s more determination needed to get to the top, but there’s still the same compulsion to climb them,” he mused. Crowded House was originally formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1985 as an opportunity for Finn to step away from Split Enz, the band that brought him his initial burst of fame and start anew with a project of his own, alongside fellow founding members Paul Hester and Nick Seymour. The band’s lineup has been through several different incarnations over the years, particularly since the death of Hester in 2005, including a notable stint Allan with the “Construction Kens”. “I wasn’t even supposed to fight in the movie,” Cera said. “Am I allowed to say what was supposed to be?” He then dropped Affleck’s name before going on to say that the former Batman star had to drop out of the film due to his commitment to Air, the sports drama that also premiered last year. “I think Ben wanted to do it, but he was directing his movie Air, but they didn’t find that out until the 11th hour. They’re like, ‘Okay, Ben is out. Something has to happen here, so you’re going to fight them’,” Cera says, explaining that it was a struggle for him, as the actor had to learn the stunts while recovering from Covid19. “I had to jump in with the stunt team. I had just gotten over Covid and they had me trained and I almost died just doing a warm-up. I had to lie down in the trailer and they sent a nurse to see me.” Affleck joins Timothee Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Dan Levy and Bowen Yang in the list of actors that had to drop out of Barbie. Chang-wook is a South Korean actor known for his versatile roles in television dramas and films. - INSTAGRAM/@JICHANGWOOK JI CHANG-WOOK’S management Spring Company has formally addressed the recent controversy surrounding the actor’s indoor smoking incident. This issue arose when a behind-the-scene video from his drama Welcome to Samdalri captured him smoking an electronic cigarette on set, which led to public debate due to the strict regulations against indoor smoking in South Korea. Consequently, the scene was removed from the video by the production team. On Feb 11, Spring Company issued a statement expressing regret for any discomfort caused by Chang-wook’s actions. They acknowledged the inappropriateness of the scene and conveyed Chang-wook’s recognition of his error, along with his sincere apologies to those affected, including viewers, the cast, the crew and fans of the drama. Emphasising their commitment to preventing similar incidents in the future, the agency reassured the public of their proactive measures to uphold professional conduct on set. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN
LYFE LYFE THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 26 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON Malaysian Paper INSTAGRAM Riding the iding the style train UNIQLO’s 2024 Spring/ Summer LifeWear collection (SS24) has arrived and the new collection was unveiled in a unique way. The venue, Garden Canopy, at The Exchange TRX, was transformed into an underground station. Media and guests arrived at the preview session on Jan 31, were surprised to find a life-size train with coaches, resembling the interior of an LRT train, packed with Uniqlo’s latest offerings. The train had automatic doors, a seating area, and a handrail above, complete with announcements indicating the next station. The whole setting is a reflection of the daily routine of passengers. The concept was wholly appropriate, as the collection was designed with functionality and contemporary style in mind. Everyday wear need not be boring and staid. Stepping inside the coaches, instead of passengers, the space was filled with Uniqlo’s latest items, hung and displayed from the top railing. The SS24 collection was fresh and vibrant with the use of natural, flexible fabrics and muted colour palettes, fitting Uniqlo’s design brief of offering comfortable and yet stylish wardrobe essentials. The entire space had clothes, which were divided into different o Uniqlo’s SS24 Collection takes fashion underground █ BY S. TAMARAI CHELVI Uniqlo’s latest Lightness in Lifestyle collection is designed for everyday use - PICS BY S. TAMARAI CHELVI A train concept displays Uniqlo’s latest collection. The train coach was used as an extended wardrobe for the launch. Models showcasing clothes on the ‘station platform’. Spreading health and hope WITH the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, pneumonia and diabetes on the rise in Malaysia, the need for accessible and high-quality healthcare solutions has become paramount. In response to this pressing issue, Bpositive, a renowned international healthcare brand, has recently launched its operations in Malaysia, offering a range of medical and healthcare products aimed at improving the wellbeing of Malaysians. A healthier lifestyle Specialising in medical products, Bpositive aims to promote a healthier lifestyle by encouraging individuals to “think, feel and perform better.” The brand’s entry into the Malaysian market signifies its dedication to providing affordable and accessible healthcare options. Bpositive founder Corey Bryant envisioned the brand as a force for good, inspired by the acts of kindness and compassion witnessed during the pandemic. With a mission to help others through both products and profits, Bryant emphasises the importance of community support and collaboration in making a positive impact. Social responsibility initiatives Driven by a strong commitment to social responsibility, Bpositive operates its Buy1Help1 initiative, wherein customers can contribute to a cause of their choice with every purchase. The brand actively supports local charities such as Miasa Malaysia and Teach For Malaysia, alongside global organisations like OnetreePlanted, which focuses on reforestation efforts worldwide. Product quality and design Since its debut at Caring Pharmacy in TRX in late 2023, Bpositive’s wound care products have become available in over 250 Caring Pharmacy outlets nationwide, as well as in other prominent pharmacy chains across the country. Backed by the prestigious EN ISO 13485:2016 accreditation, Bpositive ensures that its products are of the highest quality standards. The brand’s wound care product line is designed to be comfortable, easy to use and A collection of the Bpositive products. - PICS BY BPOSITIVE visually appealing, featuring creatively packaged plasters with bright colours and a thumbsuperhero mascot, aligning with the company’s ethos of being “everyday superheroes”. As Bpositive continues to expand its presence in Malaysia, the brand remains committed to its goal of fostering healthier, happier and more hopeful communities. Through its emphasis on social responsibility, product excellence and a customer-centric approach, Bpositive invites Malaysians to join in spreading positivity and becoming everyday superheroes, one purchase at a time. - BY YASMIN ZULRAEZ segments: Lightness in Lifestyle, Lightness in Function, Lightness in Texture and Uniqlo C. In the Lightness of Lifestyle segment, the theme was a hybrid fusion of authentic and sporty styles. The curated selection featured genderless items designed with light silhouttes that meet practical daily wear with a touch of vibrancy and style. In the Lightness of Function segment, Uniqlo introduces Miracle Air, a lightweight, easy-to-care material designed for comfort and freedom of movement. The AIRism layers offer a smooth, silky feel, with the garments also incorporating UV protection for enhanced comfort. While in the Lightness in Texture segment, a significant emphasis is on texture, incorporating premium fabrics designed for warmer climates, featuring pure European flax linen and a range of linen blends like cotton. Lastly, Uniqlo C features the latest collection by renowned fashion designer Clare Waight Keller (who made Meghan Markle’s wedding dress) for Uniqlo. The C represents Clare. The designer had also designed a range for Uniqlo the previous year. Stepping outside the coaches, guests were met by male and female models wearing the latest Uniqlo collection, showcasing how items could be mixed and matched. A few steps further, a special space was allocated for premium linen clothes. This year, the existing premium linen clothes collection was expanded to include even more colours for wider appeal. Finally, visitors get to take a closer look at the popular Uniqlo C collection, whose latest spring collection featured flowy dresses and crop tops matched with flowy skirts. Using fabrics like linen that are light, comfortable and elegant, the spring collection is on sale now. The Bpositive superhero mascot.
SPORTS SPORTS THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 27 DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI SHAH ALAM DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN, MALAYSIA PENGGULUNGAN SYARIKAT NO.: BA-28NCC-617-11/2023 Dalam Perkara Seksyen 466(1)(a) dan 465(1)(e) Akta Syarikat 2016 Dan Dalam Perkara Yusri Holdings Legacies Sdn Bhd (No. Syarikat: 201901002783 (1312109-K)) Dan Dalam Perkara Kaedah-Kaedah (Penggulungan) Syarikat, 1972 ANTARA BAIJIAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE (M) SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 201901030246 (1339576-M)) .... PEMPETISYEN DAN YUSRI HOLDINGS LEGACIES SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 201901002783 (1312109-K)) .... RESPONDEN NOTIS IKLAN NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa suatu Petisyen untuk Penggulungan Syarikat yang dinamakan di atas oleh Mahkamah Tinggi telah pada 01 haribulan November, 2023 dikemukakan oleh BAIJIAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE (M) SDN BHD. DAN bahawa Petisyen tersebut diarahkan supaya dibicarakan di hadapan Mahkamah yang bersidang di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam pada pukul 9.00 pagi, pada 06 haribulan Mac, 2024. DAN mana-mana pihak pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang ingin menyokong atau menentang sesuatu perintah mengikut Petisyen tersebut boleh hadir dengan tujuan itu secara peribadi atau melalui peguambelanya pada masa perbicaraan. Salinan Petisyen tersebut akan dibekalkan oleh pihak yang bertandatangan di bawah ini kepada mana-mana pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang memintanya dengan membuat bayaran yang ditetapkan. Alamat pendaftaran Pempetisyen adalah di A-2-15 Street Mall, One South Jalan OS, Taman Serdang Perdana Seksyen 6, Seri Kembangan, 43300 Selangor dan/ atau alamat perniagaannya adalah di No. 27 & No. 29, 2nd Floor, Jalan Gambut 2, Kuantan, 25000 Pahang. Peguamcara Pempetisyen ialah Tetuan Azraai, Hazieq & Zikry yang beralamat di B-8-5A, Level 8, Block B, Menara Uncang Emas, Jalan Loke Yew, 55200, Kuala Lumpur. Bertarikh pada 04 haribulan Januari, 2024 t.t ............................................................... TETUAN AZRAAI, HAZIEQ & ZIKRY Peguamcara bagi pihak Pempetisyen PERINGATAN: Sesiapa yang ingin hadir pada perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut hendaklah menyampaikan, atau menghantar dengan pos, kepada peguamcara yang dinamakan di atas suatu notis bertulis tentang niatnya sebegitu. Notis tersebut mestilah menyatakan nama dan alamat pihak berkenaan, atau jika ia sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma, dan mestilah ditandatangani oleh pihak atau firma berkenaan atau peguamcaranya, jika ada. Notis hendaklah disampaikan, atau jika dihantar dengan pos, hendaklah dihantar dalam jangkamasa mencukupi, supaya sampai kepada pihak yang dinamakan di atas sebelum pukul 12 tengahari pada 05 haribulan Mac, 2024 (sehari sebelum tarikh yang ditetapkan untuk perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut). [Ruj Kami: AHZ/2.2/443/2022/BTIM(YHL)] IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT SHAH ALAM AT FEDERAL TERRITORY OF MALAYSIA COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO.: BA-28NCC-698-12/2023 In the matter of TRT Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd; And In the matter of Section 465(1)(e) of the Companies Act 2016 Between UBBIM RESOURCES SDN. BHD. (Company No.: 200101017995 (553752-T)) …Petitioner And TRT ENGINEERING (M) SDN. BHD. (Company No.: 200501007129 (684176-H)) …Respondent ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for winding-up of the abovenamed Company, TRT ENGINEERING (M) SDN BHD (Company No.: 200501007129 (684176-H)), by the High Court was, on the 12th day of December 2023, presented by UBBIM RESOURCES SDN. BHD. (Company No.: 200101017995 (553752-T)), and that the said Petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at the High Court of Malaya at Shah Alam at 9.00 a.m. on the 2nd day of May 2024; and any creditor or contributory of the said Company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said Petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose; and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same. The Petitioner’s registered address is at 240A, Jalan Bandar 13, Pusat Bandar Melawati, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan and business address is at No.219, Jalan S2B10, Uptown Avenue, Seremban 2, 70300, Negeri Sembilan. The Petitioner’s solicitors is Messrs. Tuang, Chu & Co of A-G-23A, Menara Prima, Jalan PJU 1/39, Dataran Prima, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Dated this 6th day of February 2024 -sgd- …………….......................... Messrs. Tuang, Chu & Co Solicitors for the Petitioner NOTE – Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Petitioner’s solicitors, Messrs. Tuang, Chu & Co, notice in writing of his intention so to do. The notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person or firm, or his or their solicitors (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed solicitors not later than twelve o’clock noon of the 1st day of May 2024 (the day before the day appointed for the hearing of the petition). This ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION is prepared by Messrs Tuang, Chu & Co, solicitors for the Petitioner and whose address for service is at A-G-23A, Menara Prima, Jalan PJU 1/39, Dataran Prima, 47301 Petaling Jaya. (Tel: +603 7490 2001) (Email: [email protected]) (Ref: NK.2023.07.000577) 322 Notices 322 Notices DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI SHAH ALAM SELANGOR DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN (BAHAGIAN SIVIL) GUAMAN NO.: BA-22NCvC-494-12/2023 ANTARA PARVATHY A/P SUBRAMANIAM (No.K/P:740615-05-5184) (sebagai Pentadbir Harta Pusaka si mati, Rajeanteran A/L Marimuthu) …PLAINTIF DAN AGAMBARAM A/L RAMACHANDRAN (No.K/P:730729-10-5291) …DEFENDAN IKLAN NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa Writ Saman Terpinda bertarikh 3 Januari 2024 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 6 Disember 2023 dan Perintah termeterai bertarikh 5 Februari 2024 untuk menyempurnakan penyampian kertas- kertas kausa tersebut kepada Defendan yang dinamakan diatas AGAMBARAM A/L RAMACHANDRAN (No.K/P: 730729- 10-5291) oleh Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Shah Alam mengikut Perintah Mahkamah pada 5 Februari 2024 yang difailkan oleh PARVATHY A/P SUBRAMANIAM (No. K/P:740615-05-5184) (sebagai Pentadbir Harta Pusaka si mati, Rajeanteran A/L Marimuthu), Plaintif. DAN bahawa Pengurusan Kes ditetapkan secara e-Review di Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Shah Alam di Kompleks Mahkamah SSAAS, Persiaran Pegawai, Seksyen 5, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia pada 12 Mac 2024, pukul 9.00 pagi. DAN mana-mana pihak yang ingin menentang Writ Saman Terpinda bertarikh 3 Januari 2024 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 6 Disember 2023 tersebut dikehendaki hadir dengan tujuan itu secara peribadi atau melalui peguamcaranya pada masa Pengurusan Kes. Sesalinan Writ Saman Terpinda bertarikh 3 Januari 2024 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 6 Disember 2023 tersebut akan dibekalkan oleh pihak yang bertandatangan di bawah ini kepada mana-mana pihak yang memintanya dengan membuat bayaran yang ditetapkan. Peguamcara untuk Plaintif ialah Tetuan Revathi & Partners yang beralamat di No.1-11, Jalan Cenuk 2, Prima Avenue 3, Batu 10, Jalan Puchong, 47100 Puchong, Selangor. Ditandatangani Tetuan Revathi & Partners Peguamcara bagi pihak Plaintif PERHATIAN: - Sesiapa yang ingin hadir pada tarikh Pengurusan kes Writ dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut hendaklah memasukkan kehadiran dalam tempoh empat belas (14) hari dari tarikh pengiklanan ini dengan menyampaikan atau menghantar dengan pos kepada Peguamcara Plaintif iaitu Revathi & Partners suatu notis bertulis tentang niatnya sebegitu. Notis tersebut hendaklah menyatakan nama dan alamat orang tersebut, atau sekiranya ia adalah sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma dan mestilah ditandatangani oleh orang atau firma yang berkenaan atau peguamcaranya jika ada dan notis hendaklah dihantar dalam jangka masa yang mencukupi supaya sampai kepada pihak yang dinamakan di atas sebelum pukul 12.00 tengahari pada 11 Mac 2024, satu (1) hari sebelum tarikh yang ditetapkan untuk Pengurusan Kes Writ dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut pada 12 Mac 2024. IKLAN ini disediakan oleh Tetuan Revathi & Partners, peguamcara bagi Plaintif yang dinamakan di atas yang mempunyai alamat penyampaiannya di No.1-11, Jalan Cenuk 2, Prima Avenue 3, Batu 10, Jalan Puchong,47100 Puchong Selangor. [Ruj Kami : RP/RK/LIT/1212/23] [No. Tel : 03-8082 2789] [No. Faks : 03-8082 3207] DIGITAL MARKETING SENIOR EXECUTIVE / ASSISTANT MANAGER Job Description: • Design and develop online marketing strategies, digital roadmap and creative campaign that align with the business goals and directions. • Provide creative ideas for content marketing. • Manage all digital marketing channels. • Plan and manage social media platforms. • Able to create content & produce graphics for social media posts. Requirement: • Diploma / Degree in Marketing, Digital Marketing or equivalent. • At least 3 years experience in digital marketing. • Excellent understanding of digital marketing concept and best practices. • Required skill(s): Google Analytics, SEO/SEM, social media marketing and optimisation. • Team player and great communication skills. ADVERTISING SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE / SENIOR EXECUTIVE Job Description: • Building and sustaining strong working relationship with advertising clients. • Plan and executive new, creative, exciting and innovative marketing campaigns for the company. • Develop and continuously improve marketing material, product/services presentations and proposals. • Passionate in serving client accounts to improve sales revenue. Requirement: • Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or other related fields. • At least 2 years of sales and marketing experience in media industry. • Good communication, presentation, problem-solving and organisational skills. • Possess own transport and willing to travel. • Able to start work immediately. Submit your CV with your photo via e-mail to: [email protected] Office based in Petaling Jaya (5-day week) WE ARE HIRING Manager – Finance and HR Job Description: • To handle full set of accounts, month-end closing, year - end closing, audit schedules, tax, stock control, etc. • Responsible for management, statutory and group reporting, development of business plans, budget and cash flow forecast. • Oversee recruitment, manage payroll system, staff benefit, yearly performance and appraisal. • Develop & implement HR policies to support company business objectives and compliance with law and regulatory requirements. • To handle legal and disciplinary matters including staff counselling in compliance with local Labour Law. • Other administration duties where required and part of job scope. • Any other duties as assigned by the superior / management from time to time. Requirements: • Candidate must possess at least Professional or Degree in Finance/Accountancy or equivalent. • At least 5 years managerial/supervising of working experience in audit, financial accounting and HR. • Familiarity with Accpac, ERP Accounting & HR software would be added advantages. • Computer literate and skillful in Ms Excel, Word & PowerPoint. • Good command of written and spoken English. Proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia & Mandarin will be added advantages. 322 Notices Ruj. Tuan (PEGUAM) : LCS/LTK/229/23 PEK. KPTG. 35/77 Ruj. Tuan (BANK) : - LAMPIRAN “B” Ruj. Pej. Tanah : PTKS/Q/01/2024 KANUN TANAH NEGARA Saman Kepada Penggadai Supaya Hadir Dalam Siasatan Di Bawah Seksyen 261 Kepada : Ketua Pengarah Insolvensi Pentadbir Harta Koor Chen Shiong (K/P :801103-02-5527) Chuah Hui Ching (K/P: 820723-02-5636) yang beralamat di : 1. Jabatan Insolvensi Malaysia Cawangan Kedah, Aras 3, Wisma Persekutuan Jalan Kampung Baru, 05000 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman. 2.No. 22B-06-08, Taman Tembaga, Solok Tembaga, 11600 Greenlane, Pulau Pinang. 3. No. 18-K, Lorong Gedebang 1, Taman Tiara Mas, Off Jalan Langgar, 05460 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman. 4. No. 990A, Lorong Shariff 8, Jalan Langgar, 05200 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman. Penggadai dalam gadaian yang tersebut dalam jadual di bawah ini bagi *tanah/pajakan/pajakan kecil sebagaimana yang tersebut di dalamnya. Bahawasanya saya telah menerima daripada pemegang gadai dalam gadaian yang tersebut suatu permohonan supaya perintah jual dikeluarkan dibawah Seksyen 260 (2) Kanun Tanah Negara. Dan bahawanya saya bercadang hendak mengadakan suatu siasatan berkenaan dengan permohonan tersebut di PEJABAT TANAH KOTA SETAR, KOMPLEKS PENTADBIRAN DAERAH & TANAH KOTA SETAR, PERSIARAN TAMAN JUBLI EMAS, JALAN SUKA MENANTI, 05150 ALOR SETAR. KEDAH DARUL AMAN pada hari ISNIN (15/01/2024) Jam : 9:30 pagi Maka oleh yang demikian, menurut Seksyen 261 (1)(c) Kanun Tanah Negara tuan/puan adalah dengan ini dikehendaki hadir dalam siasatan tersebut dan menunjukkan sebab-sebab mengapa perintah tersebut tidak patut dibuat. Bertarikh pada 08/01/2024 ..............t.t............... PENTADBIR TANAH KOTA SETAR. JADUAL TANAH * DAN KEPENTINGAN Bandar / Pekan / Mukim (1) No. Lot/ Petak/ P.T. (2) Jenis dan No. Hakmilik (3) Bahagian Tanah (jika ada) (4) No. Berdaftar * Pajakan/ Pajakan Kecil (jika ada) (5) No. Berdaftar Gadaian (jika ada) (6) B. ALOR SETAR Lot 1814 Seksyen 45 GM 25814 KESEMUA TIADA NO. PER: 402/2012 322 Notices KLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAH PERAK | PERLIS | PAHANG | KELANTAN TERENGGANU MS. Shoba / MS. Balqish TEL: 03-7784 8888 MALACCA | N.SEMBILAN MR. Rajah TEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051 JOHOR BAHRU MS. Anne Lim TEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549 CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS Bumrah rested for fourth Test INDIA seamer Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the fourth Test against England, while wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul remains out due to fitness issues, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said yesterday. The 30-year-old right-arm fast bowler, the leading wicket-taker of the five-match series with 17 wickets in six innings, has been released from the fourth Test in order to manage his workload. Mohammed Siraj will lead the Indian pace attack in the absence of Bumrah. Rahul, 31, has been battling fitness issues and missed the last two Test matches. Rahul’s participation in the final Test in Dharamsala is subject to fitness, the BCCI said. “Bumrah has been released from the squad for the fourth Test against England in Ranchi. The decision was taken keeping in mind the duration of the series and amount of cricket he has played in recent times,” the BCCI said in a statement. “Mukesh Kumar, who was released from the squad in the third Test in Rajkot, has joined the squad in Ranchi.” Hosts India lead the five-match Test series 2-1. The fourth Test will be held in Ranchi, Jharkhand, from tomorrow to next Monday. Virat ends speculation over absence VIRAT KOHLI has announced the birth of his second child, ending speculation over the reason for his absence from India’s ongoing home Test series against England. Virat said his wife, the Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, delivered a baby boy last Thursday. The couple already have a daughter named Vamika. “With abundant happiness and our hearts full of love, we are pleased to inform everyone that on Feb 15, we welcomed our baby boy Akaay and Vamika’s little brother into this world,” Virat, 35, said on Instagram. “We seek your blessings and good wishes in this beautiful time in our lives. We request you to kindly respect our privacy at this time,” he added yesterday. Star batsman Virat had opted out of the five-match series against England citing personal reasons. The lack of detail led to intense speculation. AJ brutally shuts down Ngannou after Fury boast ANTHONY JOSHUA had a brutal response when Francis Ngannou began to brag about knocking Tyson Fury to the floor in their fight last year. UFC star Ngannou dropped Fury on his boxing debut in October, but the Gypsy King got back to his feet and controversially claimed a split-decision win. Ngannou is continuing his switch to boxing and will next face Joshua in just his second bout on March 8 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Speaking to DAZN, the ex-UFC champion claimed that Joshua would not have been able to show the same resilience as Fury did last year, recovering from Ngannou’s knockdown. “Yeah, I have a doubt about that,” Ngannou said while sat down with AJ discussing his dropping of Fury. “Tyson showed that he’s very resilient. I saw him come back from a knockdown that you wouldn’t believe. “So I think he’s probably one of the most resistant person out there, and that’s not a disrespect to AJ. I don’t believe that AJ would take what Tyson did.” But Joshua brutally shut down Ngannou’s efforts to dismiss his chances of victory in the Middle East, quickly hitting back with: “Who hasn’t knocked Tyson down? So many people have knocked Tyson down.” SHORTS SCAN ME T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI SHAH ALAM DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN, MALAYSIA PENGGULUNGAN SYARIKAT NO.: BA-28NCC-617-11/2023 Dalam Perkara Seksyen 466(1)(a) dan 465(1)(e) Akta Syarikat 2016 Dan Dalam Perkara Yusri Holdings Legacies Sdn Bhd (No. Syarikat: 201901002783 (1312109-K)) Dan Dalam Perkara Kaedah-Kaedah (Penggulungan) Syarikat, 1972 ANTARA BAIJIAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE (M) SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 201901030246 (1339576-M)) .... PEMPETISYEN DAN YUSRI HOLDINGS LEGACIES SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 201901002783 (1312109-K)) .... RESPONDEN NOTIS IKLAN NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa suatu Petisyen untuk Penggulungan Syarikat yang dinamakan di atas oleh Mahkamah Tinggi telah pada 01 haribulan November, 2023 dikemukakan oleh BAIJIAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE (M) SDN BHD. DAN bahawa Petisyen tersebut diarahkan supaya dibicarakan di hadapan Mahkamah yang bersidang di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam pada pukul 9.00 pagi, pada 06 haribulan Mac, 2024. DAN mana-mana pihak pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang ingin menyokong atau menentang sesuatu perintah mengikut Petisyen tersebut boleh hadir dengan tujuan itu secara peribadi atau melalui peguambelanya pada masa perbicaraan. Salinan Petisyen tersebut akan dibekalkan oleh pihak yang bertandatangan di bawah ini kepada mana-mana pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang memintanya dengan membuat bayaran yang ditetapkan. Alamat pendaftaran Pempetisyen adalah di A-2-15 Street Mall, One South Jalan OS, Taman Serdang Perdana Seksyen 6, Seri Kembangan, 43300 Selangor dan/ atau alamat perniagaannya adalah di No. 27 & No. 29, 2nd Floor, Jalan Gambut 2, Kuantan, 25000 Pahang. Peguamcara Pempetisyen ialah Tetuan Azraai, Hazieq & Zikry yang beralamat di B-8-5A, Level 8, Block B, Menara Uncang Emas, Jalan Loke Yew, 55200, Kuala Lumpur. Bertarikh pada 04 haribulan Januari, 2024 t.t ............................................................... TETUAN AZRAAI, HAZIEQ & ZIKRY Peguamcara bagi pihak Pempetisyen PERINGATAN: Sesiapa yang ingin hadir pada perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut hendaklah menyampaikan, atau menghantar dengan pos, kepada peguamcara yang dinamakan di atas suatu notis bertulis tentang niatnya sebegitu. Notis tersebut mestilah menyatakan nama dan alamat pihak berkenaan, atau jika ia sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma, dan mestilah ditandatangani oleh pihak atau firma berkenaan atau peguamcaranya, jika ada. Notis hendaklah disampaikan, atau jika dihantar dengan pos, hendaklah dihantar dalam jangkamasa mencukupi, supaya sampai kepada pihak yang dinamakan di atas sebelum pukul 12 tengahari pada 05 haribulan Mac, 2024 (sehari sebelum tarikh yang ditetapkan untuk perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut). [Ruj Kami: AHZ/2.2/443/2022/BTIM(YHL)] IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT SHAH ALAM AT FEDERAL TERRITORY OF MALAYSIA COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO.: BA-28NCC-698-12/2023 In the matter of TRT Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd; And In the matter of Section 465(1)(e) of the Companies Act 2016 Between UBBIM RESOURCES SDN. BHD. (Company No.: 200101017995 (553752-T)) …Petitioner And TRT ENGINEERING (M) SDN. BHD. (Company No.: 200501007129 (684176-H)) …Respondent ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for winding-up of the abovenamed Company, TRT ENGINEERING (M) SDN BHD (Company No.: 200501007129 (684176-H)), by the High Court was, on the 12th day of December 2023, presented by UBBIM RESOURCES SDN. BHD. (Company No.: 200101017995 (553752-T)), and that the said Petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at the High Court of Malaya at Shah Alam at 9.00 a.m. on the 2nd day of May 2024; and any creditor or contributory of the said Company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said Petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose; and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same. The Petitioner’s registered address is at 240A, Jalan Bandar 13, Pusat Bandar Melawati, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan and business address is at No.219, Jalan S2B10, Uptown Avenue, Seremban 2, 70300, Negeri Sembilan. The Petitioner’s solicitors is Messrs. Tuang, Chu & Co of A-G-23A, Menara Prima, Jalan PJU 1/39, Dataran Prima, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Dated this 6th day of February 2024 -sgd- …………….......................... Messrs. Tuang, Chu & Co Solicitors for the Petitioner NOTE – Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Petitioner’s solicitors, Messrs. Tuang, Chu & Co, notice in writing of his intention so to do. The notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person or firm, or his or their solicitors (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed solicitors not later than twelve o’clock noon of the 1st day of May 2024 (the day before the day appointed for the hearing of the petition). This ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION is prepared by Messrs Tuang, Chu & Co, solicitors for the Petitioner and whose address for service is at A-G-23A, Menara Prima, Jalan PJU 1/39, Dataran Prima, 47301 Petaling Jaya. (Tel: +603 7490 2001) (Email: [email protected]) (Ref: NK.2023.07.000577) 322 Notices 322 Notices DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI SHAH ALAM SELANGOR DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN (BAHAGIAN SIVIL) GUAMAN NO.: BA-22NCvC-494-12/2023 ANTARA PARVATHY A/P SUBRAMANIAM (No.K/P:740615-05-5184) (sebagai Pentadbir Harta Pusaka si mati, Rajeanteran A/L Marimuthu) …PLAINTIF DAN AGAMBARAM A/L RAMACHANDRAN (No.K/P:730729-10-5291) …DEFENDAN IKLAN NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa Writ Saman Terpinda bertarikh 3 Januari 2024 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 6 Disember 2023 dan Perintah termeterai bertarikh 5 Februari 2024 untuk menyempurnakan penyampian kertas- kertas kausa tersebut kepada Defendan yang dinamakan diatas AGAMBARAM A/L RAMACHANDRAN (No.K/P: 730729- 10-5291) oleh Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Shah Alam mengikut Perintah Mahkamah pada 5 Februari 2024 yang difailkan oleh PARVATHY A/P SUBRAMANIAM (No. K/P:740615-05-5184) (sebagai Pentadbir Harta Pusaka si mati, Rajeanteran A/L Marimuthu), Plaintif. DAN bahawa Pengurusan Kes ditetapkan secara e-Review di Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Shah Alam di Kompleks Mahkamah SSAAS, Persiaran Pegawai, Seksyen 5, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia pada 12 Mac 2024, pukul 9.00 pagi. DAN mana-mana pihak yang ingin menentang Writ Saman Terpinda bertarikh 3 Januari 2024 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 6 Disember 2023 tersebut dikehendaki hadir dengan tujuan itu secara peribadi atau melalui peguamcaranya pada masa Pengurusan Kes. Sesalinan Writ Saman Terpinda bertarikh 3 Januari 2024 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 6 Disember 2023 tersebut akan dibekalkan oleh pihak yang bertandatangan di bawah ini kepada mana-mana pihak yang memintanya dengan membuat bayaran yang ditetapkan. Peguamcara untuk Plaintif ialah Tetuan Revathi & Partners yang beralamat di No.1-11, Jalan Cenuk 2, Prima Avenue 3, Batu 10, Jalan Puchong, 47100 Puchong, Selangor. Ditandatangani Tetuan Revathi & Partners Peguamcara bagi pihak Plaintif PERHATIAN: - Sesiapa yang ingin hadir pada tarikh Pengurusan kes Writ dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut hendaklah memasukkan kehadiran dalam tempoh empat belas (14) hari dari tarikh pengiklanan ini dengan menyampaikan atau menghantar dengan pos kepada Peguamcara Plaintif iaitu Revathi & Partners suatu notis bertulis tentang niatnya sebegitu. Notis tersebut hendaklah menyatakan nama dan alamat orang tersebut, atau sekiranya ia adalah sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma dan mestilah ditandatangani oleh orang atau firma yang berkenaan atau peguamcaranya jika ada dan notis hendaklah dihantar dalam jangka masa yang mencukupi supaya sampai kepada pihak yang dinamakan di atas sebelum pukul 12.00 tengahari pada 11 Mac 2024, satu (1) hari sebelum tarikh yang ditetapkan untuk Pengurusan Kes Writ dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut pada 12 Mac 2024. IKLAN ini disediakan oleh Tetuan Revathi & Partners, peguamcara bagi Plaintif yang dinamakan di atas yang mempunyai alamat penyampaiannya di No.1-11, Jalan Cenuk 2, Prima Avenue 3, Batu 10, Jalan Puchong,47100 Puchong Selangor. [Ruj Kami : RP/RK/LIT/1212/23] [No. Tel : 03-8082 2789] [No. Faks : 03-8082 3207] DIGITAL MARKETING SENIOR EXECUTIVE / ASSISTANT MANAGER Job Description: • Design and develop online marketing strategies, digital roadmap and creative campaign that align with the business goals and directions. • Provide creative ideas for content marketing. • Manage all digital marketing channels. • Plan and manage social media platforms. • Able to create content & produce graphics for social media posts. Requirement: • Diploma / Degree in Marketing, Digital Marketing or equivalent. • At least 3 years experience in digital marketing. • Excellent understanding of digital marketing concept and best practices. • Required skill(s): Google Analytics, SEO/SEM, social media marketing and optimisation. • Team player and great communication skills. ADVERTISING SALES & MARKETING EXECUTIVE / SENIOR EXECUTIVE Job Description: • Building and sustaining strong working relationship with advertising clients. • Plan and executive new, creative, exciting and innovative marketing campaigns for the company. • Develop and continuously improve marketing material, product/services presentations and proposals. • Passionate in serving client accounts to improve sales revenue. Requirement: • Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or other related fields. • At least 2 years of sales and marketing experience in media industry. • Good communication, presentation, problem-solving and organisational skills. • Possess own transport and willing to travel. • Able to start work immediately. Submit your CV with your photo via e-mail to: [email protected] Office based in Petaling Jaya (5-day week) WE ARE HIRING Manager – Finance and HR Job Description: • To handle full set of accounts, month-end closing, year - end closing, audit schedules, tax, stock control, etc. • Responsible for management, statutory and group reporting, development of business plans, budget and cash flow forecast. • Oversee recruitment, manage payroll system, staff benefit, yearly performance and appraisal. • Develop & implement HR policies to support company business objectives and compliance with law and regulatory requirements. • To handle legal and disciplinary matters including staff counselling in compliance with local Labour Law. • Other administration duties where required and part of job scope. • Any other duties as assigned by the superior / management from time to time. Requirements: • Candidate must possess at least Professional or Degree in Finance/Accountancy or equivalent. • At least 5 years managerial/supervising of working experience in audit, financial accounting and HR. • Familiarity with Accpac, ERP Accounting & HR software would be added advantages. • Computer literate and skillful in Ms Excel, Word & PowerPoint. • Good command of written and spoken English. Proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia & Mandarin will be added advantages. 322 Notices Ruj. Tuan (PEGUAM) : LCS/LTK/229/23 PEK. KPTG. 35/77 Ruj. Tuan (BANK) : - LAMPIRAN “B” Ruj. Pej. Tanah : PTKS/Q/01/2024 KANUN TANAH NEGARA Saman Kepada Penggadai Supaya Hadir Dalam Siasatan Di Bawah Seksyen 261 Kepada : Ketua Pengarah Insolvensi Pentadbir Harta Koor Chen Shiong (K/P :801103-02-5527) Chuah Hui Ching (K/P: 820723-02-5636) yang beralamat di : 1. Jabatan Insolvensi Malaysia Cawangan Kedah, Aras 3, Wisma Persekutuan Jalan Kampung Baru, 05000 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman. 2.No. 22B-06-08, Taman Tembaga, Solok Tembaga, 11600 Greenlane, Pulau Pinang. 3. No. 18-K, Lorong Gedebang 1, Taman Tiara Mas, Off Jalan Langgar, 05460 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman. 4. No. 990A, Lorong Shariff 8, Jalan Langgar, 05200 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman. Penggadai dalam gadaian yang tersebut dalam jadual di bawah ini bagi *tanah/pajakan/pajakan kecil sebagaimana yang tersebut di dalamnya. Bahawasanya saya telah menerima daripada pemegang gadai dalam gadaian yang tersebut suatu permohonan supaya perintah jual dikeluarkan dibawah Seksyen 260 (2) Kanun Tanah Negara. Dan bahawanya saya bercadang hendak mengadakan suatu siasatan berkenaan dengan permohonan tersebut di PEJABAT TANAH KOTA SETAR, KOMPLEKS PENTADBIRAN DAERAH & TANAH KOTA SETAR, PERSIARAN TAMAN JUBLI EMAS, JALAN SUKA MENANTI, 05150 ALOR SETAR. KEDAH DARUL AMAN pada hari ISNIN (15/01/2024) Jam : 9:30 pagi Maka oleh yang demikian, menurut Seksyen 261 (1)(c) Kanun Tanah Negara tuan/puan adalah dengan ini dikehendaki hadir dalam siasatan tersebut dan menunjukkan sebab-sebab mengapa perintah tersebut tidak patut dibuat. Bertarikh pada 08/01/2024 ..............t.t............... PENTADBIR TANAH KOTA SETAR. JADUAL TANAH * DAN KEPENTINGAN Bandar / Pekan / Mukim (1) No. Lot/ Petak/ P.T. (2) Jenis dan No. Hakmilik (3) Bahagian Tanah (jika ada) (4) No. Berdaftar * Pajakan/ Pajakan Kecil (jika ada) (5) No. Daftar Gadaian (jika ada) (6) B. ALOR SETAR Lot 1814 Seksyen 45 GM 25814 KESEMUA TIADA NO. PER: 402/2012 322 Notices KLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAH PERAK | PERLIS | PAHANG | KELANTAN TERENGGANU MS. Shoba / MS. Balqish TEL: 03-7784 8888 MALACCA | N.SEMBILAN MR. Rajah TEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051 JOHOR BAHRU MS. Anne Lim TEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549 CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS
SPORTS SPORTS THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 28 Still the one to beat No writing off Djokovic yet even as young guns gain ground FOR any other player but Novak Djokovic, a below-par Australian Open at the age of 36 would have had pundits brushing up his tennis obituary. Djokovic, of course, is no ordinary player. Yes, the Serbian fell short of winning a 25th major at Melbourne Park last month but those same pundits have learned the hard way over the last 15 years that you write off Djokovic at your peril. Single-handedly flying the flag for the “Big Three” last year following Roger Federer’s retirement and in Rafa Nadal’s prolonged absence, Djokovic played through injury to win the Australian, French and US Open titles. A loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon and a third defeat in his last four meetings with Jannik Sinner in Melbourne last month were cracks in his aura of invincibility but Djokovic was quick to shut down talk of terminal decline. “I still have high hopes for the Grand Slams, the Olympics and whatever tournaments I’ll play,” Djokovic said after his first loss at Melbourne Park for six years. “It’s not the feeling I’m used to. It has been incredibly satisfying to start most of my seasons with a Grand Slam win and I’ve never lost in semis or final of the Australian Open. “So this time it’s a bit different, but it is what it is. This tournament hasn’t been up to my standard or criteria or the level I’d normally play or expect myself to play, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the beginning of the end.” Djokovic is scheduled to return in the Masters tournament at Indian Wells next month where he will again be in the crosshairs of early twentysomethings like Alcaraz, Sinner and Holger Rune. Although talk of a power shift may be premature, former player and sports psychology consultant Jeff Greenwald said fans were witnessing the rise of a new generation. “Part of the magic needed at the highest level of the game, in any sport, and perhaps even more in an individual sport like tennis, is the invincibility factor, enjoyed by all the greats at one point in their careers,” Greenwald told Reuters. “But as the new generation gathers confidence and experience this illusive gap narrows. “Alcaraz, Sinner and Rune have already proven they can beat the King of Grand Slams, while Father Time continues to descend and increasingly become an obvious liability.” Djokovic showed at last year’s ATP Finals that he is far from being a spent force as he outclassed the young guns en route to the title but Greenwald believes he may need to dig deeper to beat them in the future. “But if motivation is the quality to hold the next gen off a little longer, he’ll be able to find it to win a few more Grand Slams,” Greenwald, the author of The Best Tennis of Your Life, added. “In fact, it may be the final ‘chip’ he needs to rise to the occasion. But the window of time needed to add to his all-time best record is definitely narrowing fast.” – Reuters WORLD NO. 2 Carlos Alcaraz retired from his first-round match yesterday at the ATP Rio Open after rolling his right ankle on just the second point of the contest against Thiago Monteiro. The Spanish star took a medical timeout, had the ankle taped and won the first game but after dropping his serve in the second game he called it quits, in another setback to a so-far disappointing 2024 campaign. Shortly after the match Alcaraz told reporters the decision to withdraw was a “precaution” and that the physiotherapists who treated him had indicated the injury “is not serious.” “I spoke with the physiotherapist on the court and we decided, together, that I would continue to see if it improved. It didn’t, so we preferred to be careful and withdraw as a precaution,” Alcaraz said, adding that he would have further tests today. “Tomorrow I’ll have a test for my ankle and let’s see if it’s something serious or not. I felt bad. That was the first impression I had. “I was feeling pain once I fell down, so I thought it was going to be difficult to continue if I was still having those feelings. “After a few points it didn’t feel better. I couldn’t move well and I knew that it was going to be impossible to continue. “I thought it was going to get worse if I kept playing for such a long match and that’s why I choose to retire.” He and 117th-ranked Brazilian Monteiro were two points into the match when Alcaraz’s right foot stuck in the red clay surface at Jockey Club Brasileiro, where rain had delayed the start of play for three hours. “These things happen, even more so on clay,” Alcaraz said. “It wasn’t a problem with the court, I got hurt in a change of direction and that happens on this type of surface,“ added the Spaniard. – AFP/Reuters RED BULL advisor Helmut Marko has defended the timing of the company’s “ i n a p p r o p r i a t e b e h a v i o u r ” investigation into F1 team principal and chief executive Christian Horner. Horner, the longestserving team principal on the F1 grid, has been accused of “ i n a p p r o p r i a t e , c o n t r o l l i n g behaviour” from a female colleague, with the team’s p a r e n t company Red Bull GmbH opening an investigation into the 50-year-old’s conduct. Horner strongly denied the claims when they were first publicised on Feb 5 and repeated those rebukes at the team’s 2024 F1 car launch last week in Milton Keynes. With the matter set to drag on into pre-season testing this week – with the first race of the season next Saturday on March 2 – F1 has urged Red Bull to conclude the investigation as soon as possible. Horner is set to be on the pitwall in Bahrain at testing, w h i c h started yesterday, but Marko defended the speed of the team’s probe into the team principal. Speaking to Red Bull’s ServusTV channel about the Horner situation, Marko said: “As you know, this is an internal investigation. “The sooner a result is available, the better because of course, rumours and other stories are bound to sprout due to the long duration. “(But) I think Red Bull has reacted very well in this matter. The long duration of this investigation is not their fault. They are endeavouring to (have) a fair investigation and then react accordingly.” Horner is also due to speak at an F1 press conference alongside four other team principals in Bahrain today. While unable to comment on the nature of the investigation at last week’s launch, Horner appeared composed and undeterred by the allegations, continually insisting it was “business as normal” at the world-championship winning team. “The support from within the business, partners within the industry, has been overwhelming,” Horner told the press at the launch last week. “Obviously there’s a process that’s ongoing at the moment, some allegations have been made which I fully deny and I’m complying obviously with that process and will continue to do so until its conclusion.” Horner said he also has the support of drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. – The Independent Marko defends Red Bull over Horner investigation █ BY KIERAN JACKSON SHORTS I’m prime to go on a run: Finau TONY FINAU finished the 2023 season with a flourish and has started the 2024 campaign on the right foot as well. Finau looks to successfully defend his title at The Mexico Open at Villarta starting today when he tees off at the par-71 Vidanta Vallarta. He won his sixth career PGA Tour title by defeating world No. 3 Jon Rahm of Spain by three strokes in 2023, one year after finishing in a tie for second at the tournament. The 34-year-old Finau hasn’t missed a cut in five starts this season. He finished T-6 at the Farmers Insurance Open on Jan 24-27 and T-19 at the Genesis Invitational last week. “Yeah, I feel prepared. I’ve done some good work in the offseason with my body just to be strong,” Finau said yesterday. “This golf course yields some birdies and I can really swing the driver with some freedom out here as there’s a few holes that are pretty lenient as far as hitting areas, so I love that, being able to hit it hard and play this type of golf course. I do feel like I’m prime to go on a run starting this week.” Swiatek slips past Stephens as Sabalenka crashes out IGA SWIATEK survived a gruelling affair against Sloane Stephens while Aryna Sabalenka blamed unfavourable conditions for her second round defeat to Donna Vekic in Dubai yesterday. The top-seeded Swiatek, who clinched her third consecutive Doha title on Saturday and had a first round bye in this event, had to dig deep to overcome former US Open champion Stephens 6-4, 6-4 in a tug of war that witnessed eight breaks of serve and a combined 23 break points. “We had a lot of tight games. I really needed to perform a little bit better in those important moments because I couldn’t convert some break points. But I’m happy that at the end I did,” said Swiatek. “Yeah, it wasn’t easy. It’s nice that I played even a longer match here so I could adjust to the surface.” Meanwhile, second seed Sabalenka fell 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-0 to familiar foe Vekic in what was her first appearance since she successfully defended her title at the Australian Open last month. “I feel like the conditions here don’t fit me well at all. It’s really tricky for me to compete here in Dubai. Really tricky court for me. It’s super-fast for me. Like no rhythm at all,” she said. Murray snaps six-match losing run FORMER world No. 1 Andy Murray ended a six-match losing run to topple qualifier Alexandre Muller 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) at the Qatar Open yesterday. The three-time Grand Slam champion raced through the first set but was made to dig deep by his French rival in the second to finally get his 2024 season off the ground. Backed by vociferous support in Doha the 36-year-old Scot conjured up a couple of sublime drop shots, including in the tense tie-break, to win for the first time since last October. How much the success meant to last year’s beaten finalist, now ranked 50th in the world, was clear when he raised his arms in triumph, exclaiming “Yes”. “The last few months have been really tough on court for me. It was getting tight at the end there, I’m delighted to get through,” the Doha winner in 2008 and 2009 said courtside. “I’m proud I managed to get through the match, and happy for my team who have been working hard with me to get through this difficult moment. “Hopefully this is the start of a better run.” Ankle injury forces Alcaraz out in Rio Christian Horner
SPORTS SPORTS THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 29 S IR JIM RATCLIFFE says Manchester United’s journey back to the top of world football starts now after completing his £1.3 billion (RM7.5b) deal to become minority owner of the Premier League giants A year and three months after the club announced a strategic review, and 58 days after a deal was struck, there is finally a new power structure in place at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe has completed his purchase of 25% of the shares owned by the Glazer family, who have been United’s majority owners since their controversial leveraged buyout in 2005. Ratcliffe takes control of football operations as part of the deal and plans to ramp up United’s rebuild after his team looked under the hood and began to make moves during the ratification process. “To become co-owner of Manchester United is a great honour and comes with great responsibility,” the British billionaire said. “This marks the completion of the transaction, but just the beginning of our journey to take Manchester United back to the top of English, European and world football, with world-class facilities for our fans. “Work to achieve those objectives will accelerate from today.” Faltering United have not added to their England record 20 League titles since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, winning just four major trophies in that period. The Red Devils have lost their way under the Glazer family and Ratcliffe’s involvement brings new hope to Old Trafford. Ratcliffe’s ownership of United stands at 27.7% It will increase to 28.9%t when he invests a further US$100m (RM470m) by Dec 31, 2024. That deal received Premier League and Football Association approval last week and was officially confirmed yesterday. The 71-year-old, who was born in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, was a United fan growing up and has been a regular presence around the club since the deal was announced on Christmas Eve. That included Ratcliffe attending United’s Premier League match against Tottenham on Jan 14 and the Munich air disaster memorial at Old Trafford on Feb 6. Sir Dave Brailsford, Ineos’ director of sport, is set for a key role as Ineos takes control of football operations. Changes have already started and United raised eyebrows across the football world last month when announcing Manchester City’s Omar Berrada as their new chief executive. United are hoping to bring in Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth as part of their rebuild. The former Football Association technical director has been placed on garden leave after telling the Magpies he was leaving. The completion of the deal marks the conclusion of a saga which began back in November 2022 when the Glazers announced plans for a strategic review, which could include the sale of the club. Ratcliffe and Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim were the front-runners when it became apparent a full sale would be considered, but the latter withdrew last October. Ratcliffe’s focus shifted to the purchase of a significant minority stake, which has now finally been completed. – The Independent Devils plan to accelerate New power structure in place at Old Trafford as Ratcliffe completes deal Saints miss chance to go second in Championship SOUTHAMPTON missed out on the chance to go second in the Championship when they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at home against rival promotion-challengers Hull City. Anass Zaroury put the visitors in front in the 11th minute and Jaden Philogene then slipped in Fabio Carvalho to make it 2-0 after 36 minutes as Southampton were caught trying to play out from the back. Substitute Joe Aribo pulled one back late on but Hull held on for the win to move back into the play-off places. “In the first half we went with a gameplan, which I felt we learned from the first game against them and had a lot of success in the second half, so that’s on me,” Southampton manager Russell Martin told BBC Radio Solent. “We started well but didn’t score and the first goal we conceded was really rubbish, especially considering we worked in training on that exact move because you see Hull do it a lot. “At Bristol City we lacked aggression and intensity, but tonight we lacked courage in the first half in a big, big way. Hull were very good and much braver than us. “The biggest difference is that Hull were all-in in what they were doing, and we weren’t.” Southampton’s defeat opened the door for Ipswich to climb above them into third as they struck late to beat bottom side Rotherham in a seven-goal thriller at Portman Road. Tom Eaves fired the visitors in front within two minutes but Ipswich quickly equalised through Wes Burns and looked on course for a comfortable win thanks to goals from Kieffer Moore and Burns again. Hakeem Odoffin pulled one back on the hour mark and Rotherham equalised in brilliant style in stoppage time courtesy of a “panenka” penalty from Cafu, only for Omari Hutchinson to snatch the winner seconds later in the fourth minute of added time. Ipswich move to 69 points, level with second-placed Leeds but nine points behind leaders Leicester. West Brom remain a point above Hull in fifth following a 3-0 win at Plymouth with second half goals from Cedric Kipre, Mikey Johnston and Tom Fellows who completed the scoring in stoppage time. Cardiff and Blackburn played out an uninspiring 0-0 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium. – AFP MARCUS RASHFORD is not actively seeking a Manchester United exit despite interest from Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports. The Ligue 1 giants have set aside a huge transfer war chest made up of funds which are set to be freed up when Kylian Mbappe departs in the summer. Mbappe is understood to have made it clear to PSG bosses that his seven-year association with the club will end this summer. The 25-yearold is set to leave as a free agent but the Parisians will no longer have to pay his extortionate £171 million-a-year (RM1 billion) contract. According to the i newspaper, PSG are poised to offset Mbappe’s departure by investing £200 million (RM 1.2b) in the summer transfer window. Victor Osimhen is their top attacking target but the Napoli hit man has already made clear his desire to play in the Premier League. Rashford h a s l o n g - standing admirers in the French capital and could be attainable for less than Osimhen’s £111 million (RM671m) release clause. While United would naturally be pained to lose their revered academy product, his sale would be accounted for as pure profit, which could serve as a catalyst for incoming partowner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to revamp the squad this summer. However, the same report states that Rashford and his agent, Dwaine Maynard, are not pushing to leave Old Trafford as things stand. It remains to be seen whether that stance changes as the summer draws closer and PSG’s interest firms up. Losing Rashford would have been unthinkable for United at the end of last season, in which the 26-year-old racked up 30 goals in all competitions. But his output has tailed off dramatically this term, finding the net only five times in 30 appearances. Rashford again drew a blank in the 2-1 win over Luton Town on Sunday, and he faced criticism on social media for a lack of intensity in the closing stages at Kenilworth Road. The forward became embroiled in controversy last month when he was caught on a night out in Belfast the day before calling in sick for training. Why Man Utd need a new striker amid Rasmus Hojlund’s emergence He subsequently returned to Carrington for showdown talks with sporting director John Murtough before slotting back into Erik ten Hag’s starting XI, where he has remained ever since. United have been less dependent on Rashford’s goals since Rasmus Hojlund found his shooting boots. The summer signing, 21, bagged twice against the Hatters and has now scored in six consecutive games. – Express Newspapers █ BY SIMON PEACH Milan’s Jovic hit with two-match ban LUKA JOVIC was banned for two Serie A matches yesterday after smacking an opponent during AC Milan’s dramatic 4-2 defeat at Monza at the weekend. In a statement, Serie A said that Serbia forward Jovic was sent off early in the second half, with his team two goals down, for slapping Monza’s Armando Izzo. Olivier Giroud and Christian Pulisic then made light of being a man down by pulling Milan level with two minutes remaining, but Monza stunned their opponents with last-gasp strikes from Warren Bondo and Lorenzo Colombo. Jovic will miss matches against Atalanta and Lazio, who are aiming for a spot in next season’s revamped Champions League. Also hit with a heavy ban was Lazio’s sporting director Mariano Fabiani, who was suspended for a month for a tirade against officials during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Bologna. Costly sandwich rant by Blades boss SHEFFIELD UNITED manager Chris Wilder has been fined £11,500 (RM67,000) for remarks he made about match officials following his side’s Premier League defeat by Crystal Palace last month. Wilder was upset with decisions during the 3-2 loss and his post-match comments intimated that officials were more likely to give decisions against the Yorkshire club. He also accused a referee’s assistant of being disrespectful for continuing to eat a sandwich while Wilder tried to talk to referee Tony Harrington after the game. Wilder’s anger was sparked after his goalkeeper Ivo Grbic was forced off with concussion after a collision with Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta who did not receive a yellow card. “It’s yet another ridiculous performance from the referee. Every tight decision goes against us. I’m not looking back over the last 10 games, it’s over a longer period, before I was here as well. Maybe the thought process is that, ‘They won’t be long in this division and I might be refereeing the other team next year, so I don’t want to upset too many people.’” Mbappe to join Madrid THE France captain, 25, has told PSG he intends to leave the club with his contract expiring in June. Mbappe has not signed a contract with Real yet, but the deal could be announced once it is no longer possible for the clubs to meet in this season’s Champions League. The World Cup winner is PSG’s record goalscorer with 244 goals. Mbappe wanted his future sorted before March, so on Feb 13, before training, he met PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and told him he was leaving and joining Real. The Frenchman is set to sign a five-year deal with Real, earning €15m (RM75m) a season, plus a €150m (RM750m) signing-on bonus to be paid over five years, and he will keep a percentage of his image rights. If Croatia midfielder No. 10 shirt he wears for France. SIDENETTING Rashford keen to stay at Old Trafford Marcus Rashford
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Right on the Mark Arnautovic gives Inter slender advantage over Atletico MARKO ARNAUTOVIC gave Inter Milan a single-goal advantage in their Champions League last-16 tie with Atletico Madrid after netting the only goal in yesterday’s hard-fought 1-0 win. Austria striker Arnautovic replaced Marcus Thuram at half-time and rammed home Inter’s winner with 11 minutes left at the San Siro after Jan Oblak failed to hold Lautaro Martinez’s shot. The 34-year-old turned jeers into deafening cheers with his goal, which came after a series of missed opportunities left home fans wondering whether Inter would get the win their performance deserved. “It is certainly one of the most important goals of my career,” said Arnautovic to Sky Sport. “In recent weeks I’ve missed a lot of chances. But the fans and the players showed they are behind me… It gave me the energy I needed to score the goal.” Arnautovic has had a hard time since returning to Inter on loan from Bologna last summer and those misses further frustrated supporters. However, thanks to him Simone Inzaghi’s side, who are nine points clear at the top of Serie A, take a slender lead to Madrid where they will face Atletico in the decisive second leg on March 13. Inzaghi said he was ready to give Arnautovic more game time as matches come thick and fast. “He will be really valuable to us as he has been up to now. He and Alexis Sanchez are doing well for how they work, how they train and how they are with teammates,” Inzaghi told reporters. “He came into the match really well, we were disappointed for the chances he missed but strikers should worry when they’re not getting any opportunities. “I was a striker, I had periods in which I didn’t have any chances and I was always more worried than when I did have them and I either had a great goalkeeper in front of me or I missed the target.” Atletico have been a more attacking proposition this season but retreated into the dogged defensive mode more representative of Diego Simeone’s long reign in Spain. They could not keep Inter out and now have to overturn yesterday’s result in order to reach the quarterfinals. “We have to keep our heads up, there is one game left and we are going to do everything possible to to get through,” said Oblak to Movistar. “They had two or three chances when we w e r e n ’ t p e r f e c t and in a game like this you have to be perfect all the time.” Coach Simeone said that he is positive for next month’s return leg in Madrid despite his team not having a single shot on target yesterday. “We didn’t have many chances unlike recent games. We controlled the match for long periods, but in the second half they created more chances,” he said. “I’m optimistic, we lost today but we still have the home leg to play. We know what we’ll come up against, and how they play as we’ve just played them. Hopefully we’ll be able to take advantage.” – AFP/Reuters PSV rue missed chances PSV EINDHOVEN coach Peter Bosz was left ruing missed chances after his side squandered several opportunities in a 1- 1 draw with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last-16 first-leg tie yesterday. “In the second half, we had loads of chances. It was a shame that we didn’t score a second,” Bosz told reporters after the game at the Philips Stadion. Donyell Malen snatched a vital goal to earn the Bundesliga giants the away draw at his old club but wasteful PSV were left to wonder what could have been. “We started very nervously, I think both sides were nervous in the first minutes,” said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic. The visitors punished PSV’s profligacy, taking the lead against the run of play in the 24th minute when Malen squeezed a deflected shot into the top corner. PSV haven’t lost at home all season and started the second half on the front foot. They were soon level. Malik Tillman redeemed his earlier errors by winning a penalty in the 56th minute, which Luuk De Jong slotted calmly past Alexander Meyer. Dortmund defenders were incensed at the penalty award, insisting veteran central defender Mats Hummels had nicked the ball before bringing down Tillman. Terzic described it as a “hard decision” and even Bosz acknowledged: “You could see from the reaction of the Dortmund players they didn’t agree with it.” “Zero per cent a penalty. Zero,” Hummels himself told Prime Video after the game. “Tillman was laughing all over the place. Bakayoko was laughing himself to death. They were all grinning for minutes later.” But Hummels was confident of advancing into the quarterfinals when the two sides meet again in three weeks. “I saw a very beatable Eindhoven today. In our home game, the second leg, we simply need to play better with the ball. Then, I am very confident that we will progress,” said Hummels. “We know we still have the second leg to play. Then, there will be 80,000 people on a Champions League night. We are unbeatable there,” added Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck. – AFP Inter Milan’s Marko Arnautovic celebrates scoring against Atletico Madrid. – REUTERSPIX
SPORTS SPORTS THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 31 FORMER national coach Muhammad Dharmaraj Abdullah is among four candidates shortlisted by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) for the post of new head coach for the Speedy Tigers, which is expected to be announced by the end of the month. MHC coaching committee chairman Datuk Majid Manjit Abdullah said the four, including Dharmaraj, were shortlisted from 23 candidates. They will go through the final interview that will be conducted by the national body’s committee this week. “We have gone through the applicants list and shortlisted four, comprising two locals and two foreigners. “The locals are Sarjit Singh and Dharmaraj while the foreign candidates are Brendon Carolan from South Africa and Glenn Turner from Australia. Carolan and Turner have been assistant coaches to former national coach A. Arul Selvaraj,” he said during a press conference held at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday. He added that the MHC would support the selected candidate who will be offered a twoyear contract with option for another two-year extension, while the main target for the national squad being the 2028 Olympics. Dharmaraj, 54, who is currently the technical director for the Indonesian national squad, was reported to have applied for the post of the national men’s hockey squad head coach. He was appointed as head coach of the national men’s hockey squad in early 2014 before being rested after the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He later decided to move to Indonesia to coach the Indonesian women’s team until the end of his contract in 2019. Dharmaraj later joined the Jawa Barat hockey team in 2020 before being offered the post of head coach of the Indonesian men’s team in March 2021. He rose to recognition when the Indonesian national junior squad qualified for the semifinals of the 2013 Junior World Cup. – Bernama All jackpot amounts stated above are for this Draw. Subject to T&Cs of the Scheme. Please visit to www.magnum4d.my for more info. THE BIGGER PLAY IS TO PLAY RESPONSIBLY 001/24 21/02/2024 4995 6980 0849 6832 6880 5813 5958 3517 5365 6701 5149 7346 1185 3500 4077 4927 8140 8895 3688 3064 6501 1103 6863 RM6,613,457.09 RM428,201.99 4995 + 6980 6980 + 4995 0849 + 4995 4995 + 0849 6980 + 0849 0849 + 6980 3 8 9 15 18 21 28 31 1 17 RM5,302,748.67 RM100,000.00 9 5 8 0 4 9 9 5 8 0 4 5 8 0 4 9 9 5 8 0 8 0 4 9 9 5 8 0 4 9 9 5 4 9 8 0 0 9 MHC shortlists four Dharmaraj in the running for head coach post Squash star Wee Wern retires AFTER two decades of participation in squash, national star Low Wee Wern has officially announced her retirement. The 33-year-old player made the announcement via Facebook at about midnight on Tuesday. “This day is inevitable but what a journey it has been! I am grateful to my team who stood by me, my sponsors and everyone along the way. The unwavering support I’ve received has been the driving force behind this memorable journey “Though this chapter concludes, my passion for the sport and inspiring others remains. Here’s to new beginnings, a new journey of encouragement, determination and motivation. “I am excited for the opportunities ahead. Thank you all for being a part of this incredible ride! I am blessed beyond words,” she said. The former world number five had earlier expressed her intention to quit when she struggled to perform her best after injuring her left anterior cruciate ligament. Wee Wern had excelled in the Professional Squash Association Tour by becoming only the second Malaysian after former great Datuk Nicol David to break into the top five. Among the achievements of the Penang-born Wee Wern was winning the team gold at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou and the 2014 Games in Incheon. – Bernama CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (Last 16, first leg) Inter Milan 1 (Arnautovic 79) Atletico Madrid 0, PSV Eindhoven 1 (de Jong 56-pen) Borussia Dortmund 1 (Malen 24). ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Manchester City 1 (Haaland 71) Brentford 0. P W D L F A Pts Liverpool 25 17 6 2 59 24 57 Man City 25 17 5 3 58 26 56 Arsenal 25 17 4 4 58 22 55 Aston Villa 25 15 4 6 52 33 49 Tottenham 25 14 5 6 52 38 47 Man Utd 25 14 2 9 35 34 44 Brighton 25 10 8 7 48 40 38 Newcastle 25 11 4 10 53 41 37 West Ham 25 10 6 9 36 44 36 Chelsea 25 10 5 10 42 41 35 Wolves 25 10 5 10 39 40 35 Fulham 25 8 5 12 34 41 29 Bournemouth 24 7 7 10 33 46 28 Brentford 25 7 4 14 35 44 25 Crystal Palace 25 6 7 12 28 44 25 Nottm Forest 25 6 6 13 32 44 24 Everton 25 8 6 11 27 33 20 Luton 24 5 5 14 34 47 20 Burnley 25 3 4 18 25 55 13 Sheff Utd 25 3 4 18 22 65 13 CHAMPIONSHIP Cardiff City 0 Blackburn 0, Ipswich Town 4 Rotherham United 3, Plymouth Argyle 0 West Bromwich Albion 3, Southampton 1 Hull City 2. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Leicester 33 25 3 5 69 26 78 Leeds 33 21 6 6 61 26 69 Ipswich 33 20 9 4 65 44 69 Southampton 33 20 7 6 64 40 67 West Brom 33 16 7 10 48 31 55 Hull 33 16 6 11 49 42 54 RESULTS & STANDINGS TOUCHLINES LIVERPOOL are interested in Crystal Palace’s 23-year-old England defender Marc Guehi. MANCHESTER UNITED and Liverpool are among a host of Premier League sides interested in Atalanta defensive midfielder Ederson, with Arsenal, Newcastle and Tottenham also monitoring the 24-year-old Brazilian. JUVENTUS also like Ederson, but the Serie A giants have decided to make signing Atalanta teammate Teun Koopmeiners – a 25-year-old Netherlands midfielder – their priority. MANCHESTER UNITED are interested in Juventus’ 26-year-old Brazil defender Gleison Bremer, who is valued at €70m (RM363m). FULHAM vice-chairman Tony Khan says the club will consider offers that “make sense” for 28-year-old Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha. MANCHESTER UNITED are considering reigniting their interest in Bayern Munich’s 30- year-old England striker Harry Kane and Barcelona’s 26-year-old Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer. ASTON VILLA are preparing to open the bidding for Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Oscar Gloukh – the 19-year-old Israeli who has also caught the eye of Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Barcelona – with an offer of €20m (RM104m). SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, Bolton Wanderers and Peterborough United are exploring a move for 31-year-old Jamaica midfielder Ravel Morrison, who is a free agent after leaving MLS side DC United. Low Wee Wern. – BERNAMAPIX Son apologises for bust-up SON HEUNG-MIN apologised yesterday for his role in a bust-up with South Korea teammate Lee Kang-in at the Asian Cup and urged fans to forgive the Paris SaintGermain player. South Korea were beaten 2-0 by Jordan at the tournament earlier this month and it later emerged that skipper Son had dislocated a finger in an altercation with Lee on the eve of the semifinal. Both players released social media statements yesterday, with Tottenham’s Son posting a picture of the pair together, smiling and with arms around each other’s shoulders. Addressing the controversy publicly for the first time, Son wrote in a statement on Instagram: “I am sincerely sorry for causing trouble and will work harder to make the national team grow further. “I think my actions could be criticised. I would do it again for the team if the same situation arrived because it’s one of the captain’s duties. “Kang-in has been going through a very difficult time after the incident. Please forgive him with an open mind. “Kang-in is sincerely reflecting on his actions and has apologised to me as well as every national team member.” Last week, Lee apologised and did so again yesterday. “My short-sighted thoughts and improper behaviour have let down Son, the national team and football fans,” Lee said in an Instagram post published around the same time as Son’s. “Through a long conversation I came to understand the heavy responsibility that weighs on Son as captain and reflect on myself.” – AFP
theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2625 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Email: [email protected] SCAN ME THURSDAY | FEB 22, 2024 or download app from the App Store or Google PlayTM . www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download SCAN ME Malaysian Paper Read iPaper at Malaysian Paper Malaysian Paper Still the one to beat -Story on page 29 -Story on page 28 Devils plan to accelerate PEP GUARDIOLA admitted his side needed the killer instinct of Erling Haaland after they edged out Brentford 1-0 in a nervy encounter that left his side one point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Haaland settled the contest in the 71st minute when he punished a slip from Kristoffer Ajer, running from the halfway line to slot the ball under the unfortunate Mark Flekken, who had another outstanding match against the reigning champions. After a week in which Guardiola had to answer questions about the Norwegian star, whose misses proved costly in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea, Haaland made no mistake with one of the very few clear chances a well-organised Brentford side afforded City on the night. It was Haaland’s third goal in seven games since returning from the foot injury that sidelined him for two months. Last week, he mourned the death of his grandmother Tone Rascal, mother of his father Alf-Inge, at the age of 80. Asked if he had needed to speak to the striker, Guardiola said: “We spoke about the moment and I realised this later, but he didn’t say anything about the passing away of his grandmother. We talked about how he feels and of course for his father. “In this type of game like Brentford, you need Erling. With not much space, you can play with a typical striker.” Guardiola took the opportunity post-match to warned Haaland’s critics “he will shut your mouth” after the prolific Norwegian scored his 22nd goal of the season. “With top scorers or strikers who score a lot of goals, don’t criticise because he will shut your mouth, that’s for sure,” said Guardiola. “Sooner or later, he is there. “Definitely, if I have to choose one (player to be running through on goal), I choose this one. “He was out with injury for two months and is not in his best shape and just had an incredibly tough week… That is not easy for a human being.” Guardiola, who said he never wanted to be a journalist, was asked what was wrong with being one and his response was immediate and cutting. “I am a manager,” he said. “My life is better than yours.” City struggled to break down a determined Brentford side. Kevin De Bruyne was kept on the bench throughout the night, not even emerging to warm up with the game in the balance, and Guardiola revealed the Belgian playmaker had a hamstring issue, having already missed five months of the season. “Today we could not use Kevin because he had niggles in his hamstring and I didn’t want to take risk,” he said, adding: “He’s okay. It’s just a precaution but he didn’t feel comfortable and so after five months off we didn’t take any risk.” Brentford had defended doggedly before the goal, more than once having all 11 players inside their own box in open play. Having taken six points off City last season, Brentford threatened to do damage to their title bid again this time before Haaland stepped in – he has now scored against all 21 opponents he has faced in the Premier League. “I think throughout the game we were brilliant, I’m very proud and pleased with the players’ performance,” Bees manager Thomas Frank said. “They believed and it gives me a lot of belief in them going forwards. The way we defended the whole game was magnificent in terms of structure, defensive principles, urgency. “Before the goal, we gave away two big chances. If you can limit City to two big chances, you have done a very good job. “If (Ajer) doesn’t slip I’m convinced it would not be a goal. Haaland is quick but Kristoffer is as quick. City are good so they don’t need the margins going their way.” – The Independent/Agencies Pep hailsHaaland Haaland You need Erling in this type of game, says Guardiola after Norway hitman scores winner against Brentford Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken in action with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (right) during their English Premier League match yesterday. – REUTERSPIX Right on the Mark -Story on page 231 -Story on page 230 Wee Wern retires