KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 1,708 Malaysians committed suicide between January 2019 and May 2021. Of this figure, 872 (51%) were aged between 15 and 18, said the United Nations Children Education Fund in Malaysia, quoting latest police statistics made available. Commenting on the figures, Befrienders KL executive director Kenny Lim said Malaysia’s suicide rate is within the middle range of the 10 Asean countries. “The majority of those who were contemplating suicide and came to us for counselling cited financial constraints and depression brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Every individual who loses his life to suicide has been impacted emotionally, socially and economically. “Most of our callers are struggling with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, relationship issues as well as family matters.” As Befrienders is a multiracial, non-religious, non-profit organisation providing free emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to people who are lonely, in distress, in despair and having suicidal thoughts, Lim said it aims to help them develop better emotional self-awareness. This will lead to improved emotional health and well-being, he added. “Recognising warning signs is crucial to preventing suicides. Up to 80% of individuals who attempt or die by suicide exhibit warning signs, such as talking about death. “Other signs include a sense of hopelessness, withdrawal, loss of interest, absenteeism, making final preparations, behavioural changes and extreme changes in sleep and eating patterns. It is important to take these signs seriously and seek help immediately.” He said data from Malaysian Medics International, which is a medical student-led organisation based in Malaysia, indicates that as of February last year, the country only had 479 registered psychiatrists, which is much lower than the recommended ratio of one psychiatrist or psychologist per 10,000 population. Lim said it was important to focus on increasing the number of mental health professionals in the country, particularly in the public sector, to ensure affordability. He said the demand for treatment has created a burden on the public mental healthcare system, and there was a need to train more psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counsellors and social workers. “Awareness should begin at a young age. Topics such as mental well-being, resilience, self-care and coping skills should be incorporated into our primary school syllabus. “Parents should engage children in conversations and allow them to speak freely about their feelings and emotions, and not shy away from such topics just because it could become uncomfortable at times. “Public education is also needed to reduce the stigma around suicides and mental disorders. Awareness programmes can spread helpful information and destigmatise these issues.” Lim said empathy towards those who are struggling with mental health is necessary and “we must avoid labelling them with negative terms”. “Mental disorder is not a personal weakness, but rather a health condition which can be managed with proper treatment and support. “Self-care is important for everyone regardless of their emotional state. Digital detox or putting aside all electronic equipment for a spell may be helpful, apart from eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercising to improve oBefrienders KL says most callers seeking counselling over suicidal thoughts cite financial problems, post-Covid depression █ BYSIVANISVARRY MORHAN [email protected] Suicide risk factors INSIDE TELLING IT AS IT IS ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 19, 2023 No. 8253 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my RAYA EXODUS ... Thousands of people queueing for bus tickets at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Kuala Lumpur yesterday ahead of the Aidilfitri holidays. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN mental well-being. “It’s important to have a safe space to talk about your problems without the fear of being judged. A helpline like Befrienders KL is available for those who prefer to speak anonymously, and everything discussed is confidential,” he said. ‘Be well rested for long balik kampung drive’ 3 page Move to shift children from detention depots lauded 2 page
2 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Move to shift children from detention depots lauded KUALA LUMPUR: Removing children from immigration detention centres and placing them in a more conducive environment will have a huge impact on them since they have gone through an unfriendly process of arrest and detention. Children’s Commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki described detention depots as unsuitable for children’s mental and physical development. She added that the negative impact of being placed in detention depots is greater for unaccompanied children. “The younger the children, the more sensitive they are to their environment. Therefore, by taking them out and hopefully placing them in a more suitable and comfortable place, it can reduce the trauma they have gone through.” She said efforts to take children out of immigration detention depots are in line with Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, namely the principle of putting the best interest of the child as the main consideration. oPlacing the immigration detainees in more suitable, comfortable facilities would reduce trauma they have undergone, says expert Farah Nini said if children are placed in detention centres for an offence of violation of immigration laws, it is not their fault that they are in such a situation. She said the Home Ministry should collaborate with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to make available the infrastructure or a place conducive to detain children. She added that the Home Ministry should work with the Health Ministry to provide the necessary treatment for children who have been in detention for a long time, while the Education Ministry should provide the necessary education. Last Friday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail was reported as having said the Home Ministry would table a paper to the Cabinet regarding the government’s efforts to shift children from immigration detention depots. Meanwhile, Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisation president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said the government’s move to take children out of immigration detention depots is appropriate and in line with international law. He said access to health and education for children is one of the main issues that need to be given attention and that an alternative method should be devised for the detention of child immigrants in detention depots. “The detention of children on individual grounds or on the migrant status of their parents, is not at all regulated under the principle of exclusion and does not favour the interests of detained children. Therefore, it is contrary to international human rights law.” He said the council has proposed that immigration detention rules on children and other migrants be immediately abolished and alternative measures be drawn up to protect their dignity, humanity, health and wellbeing. Child activist Dr Hartini Zainudin said shifting children from immigration detention depots would help them have a better quality of life, emotionally and spiritually, Bernama reported. “I am so excited and thrilled the Home Ministry is working on releasing the children in detention and that we have a minister who understands how important it is to protect and care for children, that they do not belong in detention centres.” Hartini, who runs Yayasan Chow Kit, a 24-hour crisis centre for atrisk children and teenagers in the Chow Kit area, said she looked forward to pitching in and supporting the ministry in its efforts. SAFETY PLEDGE ... Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek witnessing the signing of a code in support of safe sports, by the Education and Higher Education Ministries in Putrajaya yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC Additional public holiday for Raya, says Anwar PUTRAJAYA: The government has declared an additional public holiday in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri to make it easier for people to make preparations for the festival and to return to their hometowns, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said if 1 Syawal falls on Friday (April 21), the government would fix April 24, Monday as the additional public holiday under Section 8 of the Holidays Act 1951 for Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan. He added that if 1 Syawal falls on Saturday (April 22), the government would fix Friday, April 21 as the additional public holiday. “For Sabah and Sarawak, the state governments can declare the public holiday on the relevant date in accordance with their respective Public Holiday Ordinance,” Anwar said. The official announcement of the date of 1 Syawal 1444H for celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri will be made on Thursday, April 20, by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal. Anwar also said that in conjunction with Aidilfitri, the Prisons Department would implement the Ihsan Madani Prisoners’ Release on Licence programme (Awaited Return). He said this would allow Muslim prisoners to celebrate Aidilfitri with their families and allow non-Muslim inmates to strengthen family ties. – Bernama Funding for state govts increased KUALA LUMPUR: The federal government has increased funding for state governments this year, including boosting the allocation for the Pemberian Tahap programme to RM400 million, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Tahap is an aid programme for states, based on the development level of their economy, infrastructure and well-being. Anwar said the National Finance Council 2023 chaired by him, made the decision at a meeting yesterday attended by all menteris besar and chief ministers. The premier said the meeting also agreed to review and improve the guidelines and indicators for the distribution of the Pemberian Tahap aid. “This decision reflects the commitment and determination of the federal government to provide opportunities to state governments to implement development projects according to their priority and strengthen economic recovery in line with the development of Malaysia Madani,” said Anwar in a statement. He added that the National Finance Council also agreed to expand the allocation for the Ecological Fiscal Transfer to RM150 million compared with RM70 million last year to encourage states which have gazetted new protected areas. He said the Finance Ministry has also agreed to assess and amend the methods of progressive payments involving new loans for development projects under the rolling plan. Anwar said such an approach would expedite the allocations provided through loans, helping states with cashflow problems. He added that the federal government also agreed that tax incentive packages for investments in the states be extended for two years until Dec 31, 2024, which will involve Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor and Sabah, in order to balance the development nationwide via investments by the private sector. “The federal government will also improve allocations for the maintenance of state roads and other works related to gated and guarded premises, besides the replacement of road signs.” Anwar said state governments are also encouraged to give priority to road maintenance works involving contractors in Class G1 to G4, instead of only focusing on major concessionaires as this would help the smaller contractors. The premier added that the Finance Ministry would increase allocation by RM250 million for the maintenance and pavement works of federal roads. “This will help to overcome potholes, which cause accidents. The extra allocation is especially for the benefit of small bumiputera contractors.” With the extra allocation, the amount for the maintenance of federal roads and pavements would be increased to RM1 billion compared with RM750 million announced in Budget 2023. Anwar said the federal government is committed to ensuring that relations with state governments are good and this has been manifested in the higher allocations to the states. – Bernama Free internet deals during Aidilfitri PUTRAJAYA: Prepaid package users will enjoy free additional internet quota and cash back in conjunction with the Aidilfitri celebration for a certain period until May 31, said Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil yesterday. He said the initiative has been made possible through a strategic collaboration between the Communications and Digital Ministry via the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and telecommunications service providers. One of the telecommunications service providers involved is Maxis, which is providing a 100 gigabit bonus with the HotlinkMU Internet plan, with a period subject to the validity period of the pass purchased, and it is valid until May 15, said Fahmi in a statement. CelcomDigi provides a 555GB HD video plan for RM5 to browse videos, with a validity period of four days, and it is valid until May 15, 2023. – Bernama Discounts for Menu Rahmah operators PUTRAJAYA: Menu Rahmah operators will be given special discounts on prices of ingredients to ensure the sustainability of the initiative, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said the government, with the cooperation of selected supermarkets, has agreed to offer special discounted rates to Menu Rahmah operators for raw materials such as chicken, onions and basic food items. “Through this effort, it is hoped that we will be able to provide relief to entrepreneurs and further ensure the continuation of the implementation of Menu Rahmah, which has provided great benefits especially to the poor,” he said at a media conference yesterday. – Bernama
3 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 PETALING JAYA: With the traditional balik kampung trek beginning soon for Muslims celebrating Hari Raya, motorists have been reminded that “safety comes first” and to take a short walk after four hours of driving. Universiti Putra Malaysia Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Community Health Prof Dr Kulanthayan K. C. Mani said such breaks would help motorists to stay alert. He said his advice applied to long-distance bus drivers as well, who should sleep at least six to eight hours daily. “This has to be a routine for a few days before a long-distance drive. A motorist or long-distance bus driver should not accumulate a lack of sleep and think one day of good rest is enough because it is not and will cause sleep deficiency. “It is important for drivers to know the symptoms as it (sleep deficiency) may cause them to lose concentration or fall asleep while driving. For instance, knowing where the exit is but being unable to remember it is a symptom of sleep deficiency.” Kulanthayan said other symptoms are knowing the exit but then missing it and not being able to keep the vehicle steady and slipping into other lanes. He said bus passengers also have a role to play. If they find the bus slipping into the other lane momentarily they should immediately speak up and tell the driver to stop at the nearest rest area, where he will able to refresh himself. Kulanthayan said if a driver feels drowsy after taking a short walk, he should take a power nap of not less than 30 minutes to refresh himself. He also said drivers may eat or drink something to give themselves a boost if they are tired. However, this would only last a short time and they would need to stop at a rest area. “Most long-distance bus drivers have gotten their bodies suited for odd hours of driving. But they will still need to be extra cautious when driving at night. “A co-driver will also be helpful for longdistance journeys as he will be able to take over from the other driver who is feeling tired or fatigued.” Kulanthayan urged passengers to use seat belts that are available on buses as a safety precaution even though they are not mandatory. On the issue of road crashes, he said last year there were 545,630 crashes or 1,495 per day, while there were 6,076 road fatalities or almost 17 per day. “The number of accidents involving buses was the lowest at 0.04% among all vehicles involved in road crashes,” he said, adding that this does not mean it is alright for bus drivers to throw caution into the wind. Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Civil Engineering (Transport Engineering) lecturer Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said it has always been the driver’s responsibility to manage fatigue. He said companies must ensure their drivers abide by procedures to get enough rest. Technology is available to track the activities of drivers and bus companies are expected to do so under their Code of Practice. “There is no real need for a co-driver to be on board if the driver understands his responsibility to be awake and safe. “It is not economical to have two drivers on board. Buses in first-world countries do not have co-drivers because they adhere to safety principles. “We must follow the biological clock that tells us when to rest and fall asleep, which is usually between midnight and 4am.” Ahmad Farhan said technology can be used to help passengers report unsafe drivers online to the company. He said this would allow the company to take remedial action to ensure their drivers adhere to safety procedures. Kedah BN, PH to finalise seat distribution after Hari Raya SUNGAI PETANI: The Kedah Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) are expected to resolve the distribution of seats for the coming state election after the Aidilfitri celebration. State Umno liaison committee chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said discussions would begin soon. “We are having an ‘ice breaking’ among BN and PH leaders at the divisional level, where they sit together at the same table and see what our preparations are like and then decide on who will contest where,” he told a press conference here on Monday. Earlier, he attended the 2023 Unity Round Table Conference, which was attended by BN and PH leaders at the state and divisional levels. It was held to get the leaders acquainted with each other and to strengthen cooperation in preparation for the state election. Meanwhile, Kedah PH chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar said he hoped the distribution of seats could be resolved before the Kedah Unity Convention on May 20. He said following the round table conference, BN and PH will form a Unity Leadership Council at the parliamentary or divisional level to determine the course of action to face the state election. Mahfuz said after the distribution of seats had been resolved, BN and PH will decide on a menteri besar candidate to be used as a poster boy for the election. “The MB candidate will be discussed after we have settled the distribution of seats.” – Bernama ‘Be well rested for long balik kampung drive’ oSymptoms of fatigue include being unable to keep vehicle steady, missing exits and veering into other lanes: Expert Drainage master plan to address flash floods PUTRAJAYA: The Environmentally Friendly Drainage Master Plan (Pisma) will be adopted in land development to tackle the issue of flash floods in the country, according to the Local Government Development Ministry. The adoption of the plan, which was formulated by the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry through the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, is among the matters agreed to at the 41st meeting of the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Monday. “Pisma is seen as one of the solutions in dealing with the issue of flash floods in this country,” the Local Government Development Ministry said in a statement issued in conjunction with the meeting. It said the ministry would also issue the Pisma adoption order in the land development process, especially in the planning approval process and review of local plans. Also agreed upon at the meeting was the proposal to strengthen the poultry farming industry through the adoption of the Poultry Farm Planning Guidelines provided by the ministry through the Department of Town and Country Planning. The ministry said the proposal involves the implementation of JKPTG Circular No. 1/2003 to facilitate the process of developing poultry farms from the aspect of land affairs where the state authorities are recommended to provide special guidelines for the implementation of the circular. Apart from that, the One Stop Centre 3.0 Plus procedures would be further improved by reducing the number of agencies to be referred to for approval from 19 to five. The ministry said the NPPC also accepted the proposal to designate 10% of the land area of Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Labuan as a national food resources area comprising padi fields and permanent food production parks, and an aquaculture industry zone. It said this is important to increase the selfsufficiency rate of agro-food production and reduce dependency on imported food sources. “The meeting also agreed that the 10% should also take into account the land contribution from Sabah and Sarawak,” it said. The NPPC also suggested that focus be given to increasing agro-food productivity rather than increasing the area of agricultural land, especially for states with large agricultural areas. – Bernama RM6m collected from ‘AMY’ car plate bids IPOH: The Perak Road Transport Department (RTD) has managed to collect RM6 million in bids for the “AMY” series of registration plates throughout the five days allowed for bidding. Its director Mohammad Yusoff Abustan said the bids, which were open via the JPJeBID system beginning April 9, had exceeded that of the previous AMG plate series. “The highest bid was RM400,000 for AMY 1 while AMY 2 to AMY 9 reached as much as RM80,000 each. Currently only 16 plates are left for popular numbers,” he said after the launch of the 2023 Hari Raya Aidilfitri road safety campaign by the Perak road safety council and Perak RTD at Mydin Mall Meru Raya yesterday. He added that successful bids needed to be registered to a vehicle within 12 months of the offer letter issued by the RTD. – Bernama █ BYRAJVINDER SINGH [email protected] Vegetable prices cheaper in Malacca MALACCA: The prices of vegetables in Malacca have dropped by up to 10% from the ceiling price in conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri, said state Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Ministry director Norena Jaafar. She added that these vegetables include cabbage, long beans, tomatoes, cucumber and choy sum, which are sold cheaper in Malacca compared with other states. “The drop in vegetable prices has been observed since the beginning of April, and among factors are sufficient supply of vegetables in Malacca and warmer climate,” she said at the launch of the state-level Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme In a separate matter, Norena said a total of 35 enforcement officers will monitor the prices of goods at supermarkets, markets, farmers mart and retail outlets to comply with the scheme from April 15 to 30. – Bernama RAYA STAPLE ... Two women rushing out orders of ketupat palas for customers ahead of Aidilfitri. – SYAZWAN KAMAL/THESUN
4 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Covid-19 cases under control: Minister KUALA LUMPUR: There is no need to panic as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country is still under control, said Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa. She said the number of deaths due to Covid-19 was also low, mostly involving the elderly and individuals with comorbidities. Zaliha said although the transmission rate of the latest Omicron sub-variants is faster than the previous ones, it is still under control with no severe symptoms. “The sub-variants that we have identified are XBB 1.5, XBB 1.16 and XBB 1.9.1 and it is still the Omicron type,” she told a press conference after attending a town hall session on the Health White Paper yesterday. Zaliha advised the public to wear face masks if they experience any symptoms. “We also encourage individuals with symptoms to do a screening test, especially during the festive period when meeting family and friends. “If you have symptoms, avoid spreading the virus to the rest of the family.” Meanwhile in another development, she said 4,264 contract medical officers have been appointed to permanent positions as of Monday. “I received positive feedback, some thanked the Health Ministry for helping the doctors involved.” On April 4, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that 12,800 of the 20,330 contract doctors would be absorbed into permanent positions within three years, involving an additional allocation of RM1.7 billion. Earlier, Zaliha also launched the Health White Paper website, which would allow the public to obtain information and provide suggestions or views on the initiative. She said the report would be presented in Parliament in June. – Bernama Schools to close if air quality worsens SEREMBAN: Schools need to cancel all outdoor activities if the Air Pollution Index (API) exceeds 101, said Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying. She said it was part of the ministry’s existing standard operating procedures (SOP) and a circular regarding the matter has been issued to every state and district education department for further action. “If the API reading goes up to 200 and above, the ministry will instruct the school to close. If the API reading is 101 and above, it means the air quality is not healthy, so any outdoor activity is prohibited. “Currently, all students have been advised to put on their face masks, drink lots of water frequently and reduce all activities because of the hot weather,” she told reporters after visiting Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Kampung Baru Rahang here yesterday. – Bernama Hospital inks deal with developer JOHOR BAHRU: KPJ Bandar Dato’ Onn Specialist Hospital has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with real estate developer Johor Land (Jland) involving the development of an all-modern housing community complete with special features, including emergency medical functions. KPJ Southern Region Hospitals CEO Mohd Azhar Abdullah said a special health package is available for every housing unit developed by JLand in Perjiranan 13, Bandar Dato’ Onn. He said this type of agreement is the first to be implemented by a private medical operator in Johor. “An estimated RM2 million investment is involved in this collaboration, where three main elements will be featured from KPJ Bandar Dato’ Onn involving the use of the hospital’s medical facilities, health packages and emergency assistance,” he said in a statement yesterday. – Bernama Dataran Merdeka gets festive makeover KUALA LUMPUR: The festive atmosphere for the coming Aidilfitri celebrations can be felt in the federal capital, with Dataran Merdeka illuminated with 100 LED Raya lamps. More interestingly, a replica of the Pelita Panjut Gergasi Lima Sumbu (Five Wicked Giant Lamp), which is a bamboo structure measuring 6.1m long has also been set up, making it the main attraction there and giving visitors a unique experience, as well as adding colour to the beauty of the night atmosphere. The Pelita Panjut was lit last Saturday in conjunction with the Iftar@KL programme organised by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry. A survey found that people of various ages and walks of life went to Dataran Merdeka and did not miss the opportunity to take pictures. One of them, Muhaimin Abdullah, 40, from Wangsa Maju, said he was amazed to see the beauty of Dataran Merdeka decorated with Raya lamps and the pelita panjut. “Being there was like my childhood days celebrating Aidilfitri in the village,” he said. “I went to Dataran Merdeka to break fast with my family and did not expect the place to be so well decorated. “Efforts to revive the tradition of lighting lamps for Aidilfitri in places like this, which is a tourist attraction, should continue to be carried out,” said Muhaimin, who also took the opportunity to take some pictures with his family and the pelita panjut. A tourist from Morocco, Mohammed Amine, 31, said he was excited as it was the first time he has seen such decorations. “It is amazing. It adds the excitement of the celebrations and I will share this uniqueness with my friends on social media.” – Bernama Celebrating Raya far from home PETALING JAYA: Despite celebrating Hari Raya away from home, Malaysians overseas continue to keep to time-tested traditions coupled with the warmth, friendly nature and lively atmosphere of the celebration wherever they are. Four Malaysians living abroad recently shared their stories and Hari Raya plans with theSun. Nureen Damiya Mohd Khuzairi, 22, who is a third-year Information Systems degree student at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea, said she misses her family and her mother’s ayam masak merah during Hari Raya. She said there were times when Hari Raya fell on weekdays and Malaysian Muslim students had to miss out as they had to attend classes, seminars and sit for examinations. “Although I am 6,000km from my family, I am lucky to have a Malaysian community (here). My friends and I would gather to cook Hari Raya dishes the night before while singing Selamat Hari Raya and Balik Kampung, which makes all of us feel nostalgic. “The next morning, after a brief video call with my family, I would attend classes. Then, my friends and I would enjoy the Raya dinner we cooked together.” Nureen said unfortunately, this year’s festivities fall exactly during midterm exams, so returning home was impossible. Muhammad Amir Safwan Mahayudin, 25, who is pursuing a master’s degree in architecture, said his Hari Raya will be spent with a small Malaysian community in Manchester. They plan to cook, play board games and end the day watching a movie. “A few Malaysians are pursuing their tertiary education in Manchester and they are new to the United Kingdom. I feel obliged to provide them with a warm and homely atmosphere as this will be their first Raya Nureen (fourth from left) and her friends in their Raya outfits in front of Gyeongbukgung Palace in Seoul. oMalaysians living abroad get together to keep Aidilfitri traditions, warmth and lively atmosphere of festivities alive █ BY ARINA MUSTHAFA newsdesk@thesundaily away from their families. “Since I will be wrapping up my thesis in November and returning home very soon, I just want to cherish my last Hari Raya abroad. “Hari Raya is expected to fall on a weekday, when some of us are working or having classes. Some friends and I plan to cook a Raya dinner, while waiting for those who are occupied during the day. We will celebrate Hari Raya as one big family.” Busy London-based digital marketer, Aliah Aziz, 26, applied for leave from work so she could celebrate Hari Raya with her friends. “My first Hari Raya abroad was during the pandemic. At the time, social distancing and health-related SOP were a lot more relaxed in the UK compared with Malaysia. “So, all of my siblings and relatives had to celebrate Hari Raya at home, while we could go out in London. “It was quite emotional as we could not gather to celebrate as a family. But thankfully, technology exists and despite the distance, we were able to celebrate together virtually via video calls.” Aliah said being in the UK allowed her to socialise with Muslims of other nationalities and experience Hari Raya from the perspective of other cultures. “Every year, there are open houses organised by Malaysian societies in different cities. So far, I have had good Hari Raya food thanks to my friends, who know how to cook traditional Malay dishes despite having to make do without some common ingredients, as they are hard to find here.” Balqis Badiuzaman, 22, who is doing her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design at Kingston University, said although she had celebrated Ramadan away from home, this year is different as it is her first time experiencing Ramadan and Hari Raya in a foreign country. “The long hours of fasting are challenging, along with adapting to Western culture. Fortunately, there are a lot of Muslims at my university, which is located 30 minutes from the heart of London, where they host a buka puasa event and prayers on campus. “Although I am away from the rest of my family, I am happy my sister is staying with me for a month. This Hari Raya, we plan to perform prayers at a nearby mosque, then proceed to a few Hari Raya events in London.”
5 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 Passport returned to Muar MP for overseas conferences KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court yesterday allowed an application by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for a temporary release of his passport to enable him to attend two international conferences in Switzerland and South Korea next month. Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid allowed the application after hearing submissions by lawyer Lim Wei Jiet, representing Syed Saddiq, 30, and DPP Mohd Afif Ali. Azhar ordered Syed Saddiq to return the passport to the court on May 20. Earlier, Lim told the court that the prosecution did not object to his client’s application and this was confirmed by Mohd Afif. Based on the affidavit, Syed Saddiq applied for the temporary release of his passport to go to Switzerland on May 1 to attend an international drug policy conference and return to Malaysia on May 6. On May 15, he is to go to South Korea to speak at the 2023 Asian Leadership Conference organised by the Centre for Asia Leadership. He is scheduled to return on May 19. According to Syed Saddiq, he needed the passport early as he needs to apply for a visa to visit the two countries, which will take time. On Oct 28 last year, Syed Saddiq was ordered to enter his defence on four charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and money laundering after the prosecution was able to prove a prima facie case against him. The former youth and sports minister testified in his own defence for two days from Feb 22 and five other individuals also gave evidence as defence witnesses, including former Armada information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, and Syed Saddiq’s former special officer Mohamed Amshar Aziz and former private secretary Siti Nurul Hidayah. Azhar will deliver his judgment on a date yet to be fixed. – Bernama Suspected trafficker held, 120kg drugs seized KUALA LUMPUR: Police arrested a local man for alleged drug trafficking and seized 123.2kg of drugs, estimated to be worth RM4.5 million, in a special operation in Cheras and Ampang on April 14 and 15. Acting state police chief Datuk Yahaya Othman said the man, 29, was arrested in the parking lot of a supermarket in Cheras during a special operation conducted between 11am and 4am. Police also seized 114kg of drugs from his car, Yahaya added. He said following the arrest of the suspect, police were led to a condominium unit in Ampang where 1.8kg of ecstasy, 1.3kg of eramin 5, 3kg of ketamine and 3.1kg of syabu were found. He added that the raid was conducted on April 15. “Preliminary screening by police found that the suspect, who has no permanent job, was negative for any drugs and has no records. “It is believed the suspect obtained the drug supply from the north of the peninsula and police are tracking down other members of the syndicate,” he added. Yahaya said the modus operandi of the syndicate was to store the drugs in guarded houses and cars before they were distributed to areas in the Klang Valley. “The suspect is on remand for seven days until April 22 for investigation under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952,” he said. – Bernama 500 cops to manage traffic KOTA BHARU: Kelantan police will deploy more than 500 of its personnel during the eight-day Op Selamat road safety campaign in Gua Musang beginning tomorrow. State police chief Datuk Muhamad Zaki Harun said the number included the deployment of 254 traffic policemen to control the anticipated traffic congestion. “This year, we will focus more on traffic flow due to the main road being temporarily closed for repair work. “We expect this road to be heavily congested because Kelantan folk will take the opportunity to return to their hometowns for the Aidilfitri celebrations after several years of Covid-19 restrictions,” he said. Muhamad Zaki added that Op Lancar would be held for two days starting yesterday as preliminary preparation to gauge traffic flow. He said through Op Lancar, police would determine the roads that would be closed, rerouted or turned into one-way lanes. “Only 10% of over 3,000 police personnel would be allowed to take leave during the holidays,” he said. – Bernama Pardoned after 40 years in jail TAIPING: After spending 40 years in jail, Jamil Arshad will forever cherish the date March 22, when he received a royal pardon from the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar. The period behind bars made Jamil, 63, the longestserving prisoner, and he finally returned to his hometown at Kampung Guang, Keliwang in Sembawa, Indonesia yesterday. “When I was informed that I will be getting a royal pardon, I didn’t believe it because I had been sentenced to life in prison. “In 2012, there was a mass amnesty programme in Johor, where the longest-serving prisoner at the time had served 37 years, while I had done 29. I said in my heart, I wouldn’t have a chance. “I believed I was going to die in prison. “All I could think of was what I would be bringing with me to the oLongest serving life-sentence prisoner returns to Indonesia to spend remaining days Trio nabbed with RM400,000 methamphetamine IPOH: Police arrested three men and seized drugs, believed to be methamphetamine, worth RM400,000 at the parking area of a supermarket in Bercham on Monday. The arrest of the suspects, all locals aged 40, 58 and 61, was made by the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division of the Ipoh district police headquarters in a special operation carried out at 2.20pm. Perak police chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the drugs, weighing 10.4kg and packed in 10 plastic packages, were found in a sack in a vehicle which one of the suspects was in. “The amount of drug seized can be used by about 20,000 addicts, and initial investigation found that the suspect obtained the drug supply from a foreigner in the northern region of the country,” he said. He added that police seized a vehicle and RM2,200 cash. Mohd Yusri said the 58-year-old suspect also tested positive for methamphetamine, and all three suspects will be on remand to facilitate investigations under sections 39B and 15(1)(A) of the Dangerous Drugs Act. – Bernama afterlife when I die, so I focused on praying. When the prisons director informed me that I will be getting a pardon, I didn’t react to it. “He then asked me: ‘Pak Jamil, can you sew a Baju Melayu like this? (while showing a picture of a man)’. “I looked at it and said: ‘Yes, I can.’ But the director insisted that I look at the picture again and asked me to guess who the person was. “I recognised the person but I could not recall where I met him before. “It turned out that it was my brother, and I immediately went to my room and cried,” he said. Jamil added that he felt grateful to be given an opportunity to spend his remaining days in his village. “But deep down, it was hard for him to leave the prison that helped him to turn around and be a useful member of society. “It’s nice to be released but it’s sad to be separated from the staff who looked after me like a friend.” During his time in prison, Jamil became a skillful tailor and sewed thousands of Baju Melayu and blazers for prison officers, Bernama reported. Jamil advised youngsters not to waste their youth and stay steadfast to religion to avoid doing bad deeds. “When we’re young, we feel empowered when holding a gun, Jamil said he thought he was going to be in prison until the day he dies. – BERNAMAPIC like the world is ours. “I was not a good person even when I was in Indonesia, I was in and out of prison. Thanks to the prison officers here, I was able to change my life. “I was determined to change everything. I prayed five times a day and did not dismiss any advice I was given, which made the last 36 years here feel like 36 months. “When I look in the mirror, I see that my hair is grey. “When I went to jail, I was chubby but now I am thin,” he said, while thanking Sultan Ibrahim and the entire staff the prison. Taiping Prison director SAC Nazri Mohamad said Jamil was sent to the prison in February 1983 after he was sentenced to life in jail by the Johor Bahru Sessions Court and given six strokes of the cane under Section 5 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 (Act 37).
6 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER SCAN ME DAMASCUS: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will land in Damascus early today, Syria’s Information Ministry told reporters in a written note, on his first visit to the country since conflict broke out in Syria in 2011. The visit is the most significant step yet towards ending Syria’s decade-long regional isolation over its response to protests against President Bashar al-Assad. Following the crackdown against demonstrators, Syria’s membership in the Arab League was suspended and several Gulf Arab states – including Saudi Arabia – began backing rebel groups fighting to oust Bashar from power. Bashar , with the help of Iran and Russia, regained control over much of Syria, and Saudi Arabia has said in recent months that isolating him was not working. The two sides agreed to resume diplomatic ties, and Reuters reported this month that Faisal would travel to Damascus to invite Bashar to the Arab League’s next summit in Riyadh on May 19, two sources familiar with the plans said. Saudi Arabia hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad last week and then held a summit in Jeddah among the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq to discuss Syria’s possible return to the Arab fold. – Reuters Two held over Chinese ‘police station’ in NY oBeijing claims detentions driven by ‘political manipulation’ WASHINGTON: US authorities arrested two men on Monday for allegedly setting up a Chinese “police station” in New York and charged dozens of Chinese security officials over a campaign to monitor and harass US-based dissidents. The arrests of Harry Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, are the first anywhere over a suspected campaign by China to establish surreptitious police posts in countries around the world, said federal prosecutor Breon Peace. The two men set up the office in Manhattan’s Chinatown last year at the behest of the Fuzhou branch of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), China’s national police force, ostensibly to offer services like Chinese driver’s licence renewal, according to Peace. But in fact their main job was to help track down and harass fugitive dissidents from China, officials said. “The MPS established a concrete outpost, an off-the-books police station right here in New York City, Saudi top diplomat heads to Syria for first visit since war 200 dead, thousands wounded in Sudan battles: UN KHARTOUM: Fighting between the army and paramilitaries in Sudan has killed around 200 people and wounded 1,800, damaging hospitals and hampering aid after three days of urban warfare. A weeks-long power struggle exploded into deadly violence on Saturday between the forces of two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Analysts said the fighting in the capital is unprecedented and could be prolonged, despite regional and global calls for a ceasefire. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had spoken with the two generals and “underscored the urgent need for a ceasefire”. “Too many civilian lives have already been lost,” Blinken tweeted, adding he had “stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of diplomatic personnel and aid workers”. Following the call, Hamdan said in a tweet that the pair had “discussed pressing issues in Sudan”, adding he was grateful for Blinken and the US’s “commitment to restoring stability in Sudan”. Blinken made his calls while in Japan for a meeting of G7 foreign ministers, who also urged the warring sides to “end hostilities immediately” and “ensure the safety of all civilians”. The European Union’s ambassador to Sudan was attacked in his home in Khartoum on Monday, the bloc’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said. A spokesman said the diplomat was “OK” following the assault. Battles have taken place throughout the vast country and there are fears of regional spillover. Terrified residents of the capital spent the last few days watching from their windows as tanks roll through the streets, buildings shake and smoke from fires triggered by the fighting hangs in the air. The conflict has seen air strikes, artillery and heavy gunfire. Those compelled to venture out face queues for bread and petrol at outlets that are not shuttered. Residents are also dealing with power outages. – AFP BURNING ANGER ... Garbage cans are set ablaze on a street in French capital Paris as protesters demonstrate following a special address to the nation by President Emmanuel Macron, after he signed into law a pension reform raising the retirement age. – REUTERSPIC to monitor and intimidate dissidents and other critics of the PRC within one of the United States’ most vibrant diaspora communities,” said Justice Department principal deputy assistant attorney-general for national security David Newman. Last year, the Spain-based human rights group Safeguard Defenders first revealed the existence of such outposts around the world. They often operate with little or no indication they are there – though US officials said the Manhattan office had been visited by officials from the China consulate in New York. Safeguard Defenders said the “police stations” have been involved in pressuring China nationals to return home to face criminal charges. Lu and Chen were charged with acting as unregistered agents of a foreign government and obstruction for destroying evidence of their communications with China officials. In a related case, the Justice Department announced charges against 34 members of China’s MPS who were allegedly involved in harassing dissidents overseas, including the US-based Falun Gong religious movement. The indictees are allegedly members of the “912 Special Project Working Group”, which the Justice Department described as an MPS task force set up “to target Chinese dissidents located throughout the world, including in the US”. The task force created thousands of fake social media accounts, according to the US charges, to target Chinese dissidents “through online harassment and threats”. “China firmly opposes the US side’s slandering, smearing, engaging in political manipulation, and maliciously concocting the so-called transnational repression narrative,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters. “Stop (the) smear attacks.” – AFP US man, 85, charged with shooting teen WASHINGTON: Prosecutors in the US state of Missouri announced felony charges on Monday against an 85-year-old white man after he allegedly shot and severely wounded a black teenager who mistakenly rang his doorbell. Ralph Paul Yarl, 16, was in critical condition after he was shot twice, once in the head, last Thursday night when he rang the doorbell at the wrong house while trying to pick up his twin brothers from a friend’s home nearby. Outrage rose over the case throughout the weekend, after it was revealed that the homeowner had been released without charges following 24 hours in custody. On Monday, Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson announced that the homeowner, identified as Andrew Lester, 85, had been charged with one count of felony assault in the first degree and one count of armed criminal action, also a felony. His bail was set at US$200,000. The boy’s aunt, Faith Spoonmoore, said on a GoFundMe campaign that her nephew was a gifted student who dreamed of studying chemical engineering. Deadly shootings are a regular occurrence in the US, a country that is awash with 400 million guns. But Yarl’s case has sparked a particular outcry as the nation continues to grapple with a long history of missing accountability for violence against African Americans. – AFPB R I E F SBEAR THAT KILLED RUNNER CAPTURED ROME: The female bear that killed a 26-year-old runner in the Italian Alps two weeks ago has been captured overnight, the Trento province said in a statement yesterday. The search for the bear began after Andrea Papi’s body was found on April 6 in the woods of the Peller mountain, where he had gone jogging. Local prosecutors later said the DNA samples taken after the attack on Papi matched a that of a 17-year-old female bear identified as “JJ4”. The bear had previously attacked two other people and Trento provincial leader Maurizio Fugatti has issued an order for JJ4 to be put down. However, the order was suspended by an administrative court on April 14, following appeals by environmental groups. – Reuters LEBANON POSTPONES LOCAL ELECTIONS BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Parliament yesterday voted to extend the terms of municipal councils and other local officials, delaying elections to avoid further political paralysis in a country still in the throes of an economic meltdown. State institutions are already in a power vacuum, with the presidency empty since October last year. The government is also operating in a limited caretaker capacity. Staggered municipal and council elections had been scheduled for May but funding has not yet been secured by the state. Lawmakers approved a “technical extension” until May 31 next year for the municipal councils and local officials responsible for issuing basic civil documents. – AFP
7 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 G7 vows ‘severe costs’ to those helping Russia TOKYO: G7 foreign ministers warned yesterday that those helping Russia wage war in Ukraine would face “severe costs”, as they offered a united front on another key policy challenge: China. After two days of talks in the bucolic Japanese mountain resort town Karuizawa, the top diplomats from leading economies unveiled no new sanctions on Moscow over its invasion but pledged to crack down on those helping Russia evade the measures and acquire weapons. The ministers also put Beijing on notice over its “militarisation activities” in the South China Sea and insisted their Taiwan policy was unchanged despite recent controversial comments from France’s president. While talks were dominated by Ukraine oWar in Ukraine and China’s growing clout dominate discussions Indonesia searches for soldiers missing after ambush JAKARTS: Indonesian forces were searching yesterday for four soldiers who went missing last week after a deadly rebel ambush in Papua. The missing troops were part of the search for Phillip Mark Mehrtens, a pilot with Indonesian airline Susi Air who was taken in February by armed separatists at Nduga Airport in Papua. They were on their way to the pilot’s location in the hilly Nduga region on Saturday when rebels started shooting at them, Indonesian military chief Yudo Margono said. “We had received information on the whereabouts of the kidnapped pilot. “We hoped that, together with local people, we could establish communication and negotiate for the pilot’s release,” Yudo told reporters in the Papuan city of Timika. “That’s what we hoped (for), but rebels shot at us when we were trying to reach the location.” One soldier was killed in the ambush, and the military was searching for the four troops still missing, he added. The military has not identified the rebel group responsible for the ambush, but the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) – the militant wing of Papua’s main separatist group – has claimed it. TPNPB said it had killed at least 13 Indonesian soldiers in the attack, but Yudo dismissed that as a “hoax”. AFP cannot independently verify claims from either side due to the remoteness of the location. The rebels have previously demanded that Indonesia recognise Papuan independence in exchange for the pilot. TPNPB has called on New Zealand and the United Nations to stop Indonesian military operations in the area. Indonesia maintains a heavy military presence in resource-rich but underdeveloped Papua to quell a long-running separatist insurgency. – AFP Japan blast suspect filed lawsuit over election rules TOKYO: A man accused of throwing an explosive at Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had previously filed a lawsuit against the government, a court spokesman said yesterday. Japanese media said the lawsuit filed in June by the suspect, named as 24-year-old Ryuji Kimura, was a complaint about the country’s minimum age for running in elections. Kishida was unharmed after the attack on Saturday, in which a suspected pipe bomb was tossed towards him at a campaign event at a port in western Japan. Kimura was arrested at the scene of the incident, which occurred less than a year after former prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated on the campaign trail. Under Japanese law, candidates for upper house elections must be 30 or older, while the minimum age to run for Parliament’s lower house is 25. The lawsuit argued it was unconstitutional Kimura could not run in last summer’s upper house vote, the Yomiuri Shimbun and other outlets reported, citing court records. An Osaka High Court spokesman told AFP that Kimura had sued the government but his claim was rejected by a lower court. Kimura has appealed, and the Osaka court will issue its ruling next month. Local media said Kimura had sought ¥100,000 (RM3,325) in damages for the “mental distress” of not being able to stand for election. As well as not meeting the age requirement, Kimura was unable to provide a mandatory ¥3 million deposit that all candidates must pay. Police are investigating if the explosive thrown at Kishida shortly before he gave a speech in Wakayama had lethal power, local media said. Two people reportedly suffered light injuries in the attack. – AFP B R I E F SSOARING TEMPERATURES CAUSE SCHOOL CLOSURES NEW DELHI: Authorities in parts of India have shut schools for a week after they recorded sweltering temperatures of more than 40°C. At least two states, Tripura in the northeast and West Bengal in the east, ordered schools to shut this week, as temperatures rose more than 5°C above normal, state governments said. Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, recorded temperatures of 40°C on April 13 and and 41°C on April 14, more than 5°C above normal for the time of year, said G K Das, an official at the state weather office. India is likely to experience heat waves between March and May, the national weather office said in February. – Reuters TEN-TIME EVEREST CLIMBER DIES ON NEPAL MOUNTAIN KATHMANDU: A mountaineer from Northern Ireland died while descending from the summit of the world’s 10th highest peak and an Indian climber is missing on the same mountain, officials said yesterday. Noel Hanna, who had climbed Mount Everest 10 times, scaled the 8,091m Annapurna peak in west Nepal on Monday and died overnight in Camp IV after descending from the peak. Department of Tourism official Yubaraj Khatiwada said the circumstances of Hanna’s death were unclear. He said an Indian climber, who fell into a crevasse on the lower reaches of Annapurna, has been missing since Monday. Two other Indian mountaineers, who were caught up in bad weather while climbing Annapurna, were being rescued, officials said. – Reuters Toxic alcohol kills at least 27 in ‘dry’ Indian state NEW DELHI: Toxic hooch has killed at least 27 people in the eastern Indian state of Bihar where alcohol is banned, officials said yesterday, with unconfirmed reports putting the death toll at 40. Selling and consuming liquor is prohibited in several parts of India, driving a thriving black market for potent and sometimes lethal backstreet moonshine that kills hundreds every year. Initial investigations into the latest tragedy showed that poisonous methyl alcohol was mixed with spirit that proved deadly. Police official Jitender Kumar told AFP that 27 deaths had been reported since Saturday. Kumar said most of the victims were from poor families and used to consume locally made cheap tipple known as desi daru. Some local media put the toll at 40. Police have arrested 174 people in connection with illegal manufacturing, sale and supply of liquor over the last three days. Police teams have also seized and destroyed over 900 litres of toxic liquor during raids. Local authorities have been using drones, helicopters and motorboats to crack down on the black market, but the most recent incident is just the latest in a string of similar deadly cases. – AFP and regional challenges, including a demand that North Korea “refrain” from new nuclear tests or ballistic missile launches, the ministers covered a broad sweep of global policy problems. They met as fighting continued in Sudan between the army and paramilitaries, forcing the insertion of last-minute language demanding both sides “end hostilities immediately without pre-conditions”. And there was renewed condemnation of the increasing restrictions placed on women and minorities by Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, described by the ministers as “systematic abuses”. They demanded the “immediate reversal” of “unacceptable decisions” including a ban on women working with NGOs and the United Nations in the country. But it was clear that two topics dominated discussions above all – the war in Ukraine, and China’s growing military and economic clout. The diplomats from Japan, Britain, the US, Canada, Germany, Italy and France promised to continue “intensifying” sanctions on Russia and increase efforts to respond to those offering Moscow arms or other support, warning of “severe costs”. They also slammed Russia’s “irresponsible nuclear rhetoric” and called a threat by Moscow to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus “unacceptable”. “As Ukraine prepares to launch a counteroffensive to take back its land ... we stand with Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters. The statement made clear the ministers were mindful of the furore caused by French President Emmanuel Macron’s comments last week, following a trip to Beijing, that Europe should avoid “crises that aren’t ours”. “There is no change in the basic positions of the G7 members on Taiwan,” the final statement said, calling peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait “indispensable” to global security and prosperity. “For the first time in G7 history, we were able to confirm, in writing, our commitment to a free and open international order based on the rule of law,” said Japan Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. – AFP WRECKED TRUCKS ... Security officials and onlookers gathering at the scene of a landside near Pakistan’s Torkham border town yesterday. At least two people were killed and eight injured, officials said. – AFPPIC
8 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 SPEAK UP can make it difficult for older workers to find or keep employment, even if they are highly qualified and experienced, especially those who may need to work longer to supplement their retirement income or want to remain active in the workforce for other reasons. It is important for employers to recognise the value that older workers can bring to the workplace and to avoid discriminatory practices that can limit their employment opportunities. On the other hand, some older workers may experience a range of common health issues, including physical and cognitive health problems as well as mental health issues that can make it difficult for them to continue working beyond the age of 60. Working for an extended period may also lead to burnout and depression. On the flip side, reduced job opportunities for younger workers can occur when older workers remain in the workforce longer and delay their retirement. This can create challenges for younger workers who are entering the workforce or looking for new job opportunities. The youth unemployment rate in Malaysia has been increasing in recent years as evidenced by data from the Statistics Department, which saw a rise from 10.8% in 2019 to 13.8% in 2020 for youths aged 15-24. This marked a significant increase that can be partially attributed to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the labour market. The same concern was also mirrored by the World Bank report, which highlighted that youth unemployment in Malaysia has been a persistent challenge, with the youth unemployment rate of 10.9% in 2018. The report noted that this was higher than the overall unemployment rate in Malaysia, which was 3.3% in 2019. Reduced job prospects for younger workers can also result in higher competition for available jobs, leading to lower wages and fewer benefits for these workers. This can have a long-term impact on their financial stability and career prospects as they may need to struggle to establish themselves in the workforce and advance in their careers. Ultimately, any decision to raise the retirement age must be thoroughly considered based on the country’s economic needs and workforce, including the well-being of the workers. It is important to consider the impact on all sectors of society and to ensure that appropriate policies and measures are in place to support workers of all ages. Dr Paul Anthony Mariadas and Dr Uma Murthy are lecturers for the School of Accounting and Finance at Taylor’s Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, Taylor’s University. Comments: [email protected] Implications of raising retirement age THERE have been discussions in our country lately about raising the retirement age from 60 to 65. This proposal has potential implications for the country’s workforce, economy and society. According to the Statistics Department, the labour force participation rate for individuals aged 55-64 was 67.5% in 2020, compared with 81.5% for individuals aged 25-54. By encouraging older workers to remain in the workforce, the country can increase its overall labour force participation rate. An increased labour force participation rate can lead to improved economic productivity. According to a report by the World Bank, a 1% increase in the labour force participation rate in Malaysia can result in a 0.5% increase in Gross Domestic Product per capita. The report also noted that increasing female labour force participation can benefit the country’s economy and society significantly. Furthermore, individuals who continue to work past the age of 60 can have added years to save for retirement and help them build a larger nest egg. According to a survey by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) in 2020, the average retirement savings for EPF members aged 54-59 was RM240,800, while the average retirement savings for those aged 60-69 was RM307,500. This suggests that individuals who work beyond the age of 60 may be able to accumulate extra retirement savings. In addition, if more individuals remain in the workforce past the age of 60, there may be a reduced need for social welfare programmes, such as old-age pensions. This can help reduce the burden on the government and taxpayers. However, there are also potential challenges associated with raising the retirement age. Older workers may face age discrimination in the workplace, making it difficult for them to find or keep employment. In the context of raising the retirement age to 65, some employers may view older workers as less productive or capable than their younger counterparts. This perception can lead to discriminatory practices, such as employers refusing to recruit older workers or offering them fewer opportunities for career advancement. Some employers may also have concerns about the higher cost of employing older workers, such as healthcare and pension benefits. This may lead to employers choosing to hire younger workers, who are perceived to be less expensive to employ. Furthermore, age discrimination can also occur in the form of harassment, where older workers may be subjected to comments or jokes about their age or stereotyped as being unable to keep up with the work pace. This can create a hostile work environment and make it difficult for older workers to feel valued or respected in their jobs. These forms of discrimination “Any decision to raise the retirement age must be thoroughly considered based on the country’s economic needs and workforce, including the well-being of the workers. Drive safely and make Raya a joyous occasion OVER two million vehicles are going to be on the highway for the Hari Raya balik kampung exodus beginning this week. It is an affair that adds to the festivity and joy of looking forward to visiting loved ones, families and friends. There will be excitement and anticipation to head back home. People will try to avoid the jams and congestion by hitting the roads in the wee hours of the morning and will not be surprised to see that others have done likewise to have an early start. There is no way to avoid the traffic snarl along some stretches of the highways and roads, and thus, one has to be prepared for this scenario and lengthy journey. Make the best of it and enjoy the drive back and think of your loved ones anxiously waiting for your arrival. The best part of going home is the journey itself and the precious time spent together with your family members on the road. Hence, there is no urgency to get to your destination. Your family and friends will be waiting for you even if you arrive late. Better to be safe than sorry. Drivers must exercise care, patience and discipline and obey all traffic rules and road signs. Keep to the speed limits on the highways and trunk roads. Do not drive on the emergency lane when the roads are congested. If you are feeling sleepy or fatigued, drive to an R&R and get some rest before continuing your journey. Avoid parking by the roadside to rest unless your car has stalled. Driving while fatigued or sleepy may impair your ability to drive safely and respond quickly and decisively. Service your car and ensure that it is roadworthy before you begin your journey. Check the tyre pressure, signal lights and wipers. And most importantly, ensure that the driver is well-rested before going on the journey. Remember, your family’s life is in your hands. Do not make irrational or reckless decisions while driving as it can cost the life of your loved ones. The traffic enforcement unit should also be diligent and monitor the traffic on highways and trunk roads to ensure offenders do not flout the rules. It will not be an easy task and will require a massive effort from the enforcement unit to keep our roads safe during this period. Heavy vehicles like express buses and lorries must adhere to and reduce their speed limits. All road users must work together with the enforcement units to ensure that our roads are safe. The police and highway authorities must also cooperate to make our highways safe. Let the balik kampung exodus be a happy affair and that everyone reaches their kampung safely to celebrate the festival joyfully with their loved ones. Samuel Yesuiah Seremban LETTERS [email protected] COMMENT by Dr Paul Anthony and Dr Uma Murthy
9 SPEAK UP theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 theSun ONWEDNESDAY | NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSun ON WEDNESDAY | NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS THE OBJECTIVES TO achieve greater unity among Malaysians TO maintain a democratic way of life TO create a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared TO ensure a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions TO build a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLES BELIEF IN GOD LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION THE RULE OF LAW COURTESY AND MORALITY THE OBJECTIVES TO achieve greater unity among Malaysians TO maintain a democratic way of life TO create a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared TO ensure a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions TO build a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLES BELIEF IN GOD LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION THE RULE OF LAW COURTESY AND MORALITY REVOLUTIONARY technology is again threatening to change the makeup of the workforce of the world. During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, millions of people found their jobs replaced by newly automated labour. The question loomed large: Which jobs are safe? How long before I lose my job? Who benefits from this automation? In 1971, philosopher John Rawls invited his readers to partake in a thought experiment. In A Theory of Justice, he asked people to design a society, the rules, laws, its economy and social structure, with the caveat that once you enter that society, you would have no idea what role you would play. How would you design taxes or benefits if you had no idea if you were to be rich or poor? Would you structure policing or the courts differently if you had no idea about your race or gender? Rawls argued that it is through this “veil of ignorance” that we can arrive at the most just society. Underpinning this concept is something Rawls called “distributive justice”. He used this model to decide how wealth, produced by a society, can be shared fairly. Say you have a productivity of one and I also have a productivity of one. By working together, we can produce something more than the value of two. The productivity, which is greater than the sum of its parts, can be harvested through cooperation for the benefit of all. When a company of a few hundred staff work together, it can produce billions but is dependent on the custodial staff as much as it is on the CEO. A society working together is exponentially more effective than an equal number of individuals but that productivity only exists because we are all working together. The question that Rawls asked his readers was, what do we do with this extra productivity? Do we build hospitals, schools and roads or is it vacuumed up into the personal bank accounts of a tiny minority? Rawls was writing in a turbulent time. Since the start of the 20th century, the American economy had exploded with mass industrialisation, culminating in several cycles of boom and bust and skyrocketing living standards for almost everyone in the country. But by the late 1960s, this was starting to change. Rawls observed a society where the automation of industrial processes resulted in the massive unemployment while productivity continued to increase. The extra cash did not end up in the hands of the people who made it possible: The teachers, the street sweepers, the people who grew the food that fuelled the people who designed the new systems. It ended up in the hands of an increasing number of billionaires while middle and lower-income Americans saw their living standards fall. To remedy this, Rawls advocated radical – for the time – positions: High-quality, statefunded education for all, a robust minimum wage and a free healthcare. With the oncoming AI (Artificial Intelligence) revolution, we face a similar period of disruption today. Just as machines automate physical labour, algorithms will set to automate intellectual labour, with some sectors losing jobs. Artists, writers, coders, lawyers and teachers all risk replacement under powerful and new AI systems. But while the human element may be removed, the productivity coming from these sectors is only set to grow. Like Rawls, we must ask ourselves what is going to happen to all this extra productivity? There have been countless articles decrying the dangers of AI. Doomsayers warn about everything from new forms of misinformation to a Skynet-style extinction of the human race. But few writers (and fewer politicians still) have grappled with the more mundane and more likely result of AI – will the spoils be hoovered up by a few while the society it disrupts be left wanting? If we are going to mitigate the biggest disruption that AI has to offer, we need to engage in some radical thought experiments of our own. How would you design the society of 20 years’ time after AI has become commonplace if you had no idea of your race, gender, age or education? Or if you did not know if you are going to be a tech billionaire or have your job taken by a machine? Is universal basic income inevitable? Can we capture some of the AI-generated productivity to fund free social housing for anyone who needs it? If we see an uptick in wealth inequality, do we need to radically reorganise and refund higher education? If Rawls were with us, he may argue that AI is only possible because of the collective pull of everyone in society, and if we want a fairer society, we need to build institutions that benefit everyone. Whether you are a techno-optimist or believe that an AI judgement day is upon us, we need to start having the conversations that build a fairer, more just society in the age of the algorithm. – The Independent █ BYCHARLIE CRAVEN Living in the age where AI rules Embrace the age of conciliation WHAT ever happened to the spark ignited by King Abdullah II and Prince Ghazi Muhammad of Jordan in 2010, when they proposed that the United Nations declare a World Interfaith Harmony Week to be celebrated every February? For many years, interfaith tours enjoyed respectability in Malaysia, with the National Unity Department and faith-based NGOs organising harmony walks to mosques, churches, temples and gurdwaras. Gradually, the spark fizzled because the public did not take to it. Last month, two occurrences – a pronouncement by one state religious council on the sensitivity of learning about other religions at their places of worship and the lodging of a police report by a political activist on a planned church visit – were taken by many as a signal to scrub interfaith walks from their hallowed calendar. A harmony tour is no walk in the park but is more like a dash along a potholed road. Behind the warning to “stay on safe grounds” is a suspicion that when you visit another house of worship, you may be influenced to change your religion and convert. This sounds like One Step Beyond, where you enter the unknown and return with your hair turned white. This fear is instilled by preachers and parents, who tell you that your religion is the only one that is truly right in all its teachings and that other religions have one thing or another wrong. We learn from religious teachers to take the double action of avoiding being influenced while also seeking to convert outsiders from their “wrong” beliefs. Proselytisation, conversion, apostasy – treat them as ghosts of a far, outdated, warring past. When you convert persons from another religion, you are asking them to commit apostasy unless it is in obeyance to marital requirements. Acts of conversion, especially of minors, can turn nasty and some cases have gone to court for legal redress. The age of conversion is over; it is now the age of conciliation. Do not compare your religion with others as if they are competitors for allegiance. Such wrong thinking stems from a mind-frame of combative exclusivism, common among Malaysians as they are never taught in school that all religions are more alike than they are different. Intense differences lie in the speculative field of theology. Each theology is a framework governing a world of psychological reality, confined to the civilisation to which that religion belongs. When you compare the metaphysics of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Confucianism, you will find contrasting points because you are traversing four worlds of psychological reality, with each reality separately bounded and independent from the other three. We live in a multiverse of theological systems and each belief system creates a psychological reality for its believers that explains God or the ultimate reality. But it is wrong to use the logic of one theology to analyse another religion in a different civilisation because the paradigms are different. This is the grievous error that all theologians have made through the centuries – an error that ignites religious wars across the globe. Theology is just a sideshow. The demonstrable importance of any religion lies in its ability to hold a large population together, which it does with two methods: Codifying moral practices and mandating public rituals. From civilisation’s early days, public rituals, such as weekly religious service and ceremonial rites, were obligatory to instil a sense of togetherness in citizens who may otherwise scatter. When you hear Christians singing at an Easter parade and see Muslims breaking fast in a padang, feel their joy and be happy for them. Congregational researchers have even found that interpersonal connections during public prayers, communal dining and religious festivals assist people in despair and depression to survive by lifting their spirits. They find that private prayer does not help as much to lower the risk of death. Civilisations also depended on religion to codify and enforce morally correct patterns of behaviour on the citizens, enabling societies to flourish despite their population size. Moral codes that could be passed on through rote instruction drilled generations of people into right conduct. However, claiming moral superiority by any religion over others is completely unfounded. Religions do not create morality: They codify moral practices handed down by nature. Stone Age humans, living in small, close-knit societies, possessed a deep sense of cooperation as tribal members went foraging or hunting together. They shared what they gathered or caught and such team spirit made sense, for without it, tribal members would disperse and die at the claws of beasts. Later, with the development of agriculture and the fusion of tribes into super-tribes, humans had to engage in highly complex economic and political activities, requiring a great degree of coordination and compliance with a rule-based order. To achieve this, nature endowed us with two genes, side by side: A selfish gene and a gene for cooperation. The contrasting effects of these two genes can be gleaned from a shipwreck incident in 1864. Two ships – Invercauld and Grafton – were wrecked on opposite sides of Auckland Island. The Invercauld had a selfish captain who asked every one of the 19 surviving crew members to look after themselves. Only three lived long enough to be rescued. The Grafton had only five survivors, but they stuck together and shared their resources equally. All five eventually made it off the island. The fuel to drive both these opposing genes is a hormone called oxytocin, produced by the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. Oxytocin is known as the “love hormone” because it fosters social bonding, trust and empathy. The higher your level of oxytocin, the more likely that you will sacrifice yourself to give others what they need. However, the flow of oxytocin is confined within the boundaries that separate the in-groups, whom we love, from outsiders who may pose a threat. At the boundary of contact with out-groups, oxytocin inclines you to view your ethnicity or religion as centrally important in position. You favour your community members and shower them with opportunities while at the same time derogating the out-groups to the extent of fighting them over grievances and fears. In the extreme example of the ship Invercauld, oxytocin induced each stranded sailor to care only for himself and to regard the rest as outsiders. Nature actually steers us to extend a hand of friendship to out-groups. In our brains, we have endorphins, which are “feel good” neurotransmitters, that give us a shot of happiness and satisfaction each time we engage in a peacemaking act. Regular experiences of connectivity and social bonding eventually propel diverse groups to build a higher community. That is how nations emerged. The call is for all religions to recognise their oneness of purpose and forge a global level of bonding that unifies humanity. As stated by research scientists Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods: “Making contact with people of different ideology, culture or race is a universally effective reminder that we all belong to a single group called Homo sapiens.” The harmony walk came as a first step for Malaysia; sadly, we fell into a pothole. If we cannot walk together, we cannot act together. The writer champions interfaith harmony. Comments: [email protected] “From civilisation’s early days, public rituals, such as weekly religious service and ceremonial rites, were obligatory to instil a sense of togetherness in citizens who may otherwise scatter.
10 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 MEDIA & MARKETING Get a jump start today on creating a successful tomorrow! For the best in local and international higher education institutions, catch theSun's fortnightly Education Focus. FOCUS 2023 EDUCATION Contact us now for special deals on digital, video and print advertising. SAMSONITE, the innovation pioneer for the world’s renowned luggage, recently launched a collection with New Balance that celebrates individual expression and versatility. Jetsetters can anticipate the following unique product offerings as a forever keepsake. All product offerings in this collection feature semi-transparent hard-shell materials for bags and can be used as a transparent case as well – whether for short-haul trips or to store prized possessions for their shoes display at home. Made from Polycarbonate, the products are easy to clean and enhanced with antimicrobial treatment. The products feature reversible pouches with leisure utility as well and high versatility that is suitable for any type of trip. Essentials for daily life Featuring a Small Crossbody Bag and a Shoe Box Crossbody Bag, available in monochrome colours Black and White. With a minimalistic design, each case also comes with two reversible coloured pouches, expressing the vibrancy of the collection. In addition, the Shoebox Crossbody Bags double up as stackable display cases that are perfect for showing off a sneakerhead’s prized shoe collection. Handy dandy carriers The partnership also features a semitransparent hard-side suitcase that comes in two colours Black and White. The 18-inch hard-side luggage comes with a large expandable pouch that can be reversed, and the 22-inch hard-side luggage has a large expandable pouch, and two medium-sized pouches. Available in various colour combinations, the pouches are also versatile and reversible which enables travellers the freedom to customize the look to suit the occasion and mood. Every product purchased will come with a sticker pack that is exclusively designed for the collection. The campaign “Live Undefined” is inspired by the expressive nature of the urban city dweller who is simultaneously juggling different professions and passions. The collection seeks to encourage individuals to live and pursue their dreams fearlessly, fuel their desire to stand out and foster a love of exploration. Samsonite strives to reimagine its travel and lifestyle products with purposeful usage in an explorative and confident manner. Unabashedly eye-catching and youthful, this sporty versatile collection meets the lifestyle needs of today’s traveller by delivering customisable utility and style while encouraging exploration and self-expression. The collection will be available at selected Samsonite retail stores, departmental stores and online at: samsonite.com.my, Lazada and Zalora. I N the APAC region, overworking is often seen as a sign of being successful in their careers which makes it challenging for employees to find time to socialise outside of work. In collaboration with global KDrama Star Park Hyung Sik, the latest Work Responsibly campaign by HEINEKEN hopes to help strike a balance in this hyperconnected world by shedding light on the overworking culture that is commonplace in Malaysia. Staying true to their enjoyment of life values, HEINEKEN wants to remind employees to work responsibly and not let their social life down by ‘ghosting’ their friends due to their work commitments. As part of the HEINEKEN Work Responsibly campaign, Park Hyung Sik went on Instagram live last week while at a bar and witnessed some unusual happenings – beer glasses moving on their own and chairs sliding across the room. The incident was filmed to highlight how a friend stuck in the office is a ghost at the bar – whenever a friend ‘ghosts’ because of work, their friends end up hanging out with his/her ‘ghost’ instead – which explains the ‘paranormal’ activities happening in the video shared by Park Hyung Sik. “Through this meaningful project by HEINEKEN, we want to encourage employees to start working responsibly,” says Park. “We should enjoy our social life and not let it be impacted by our work.” According to YouGov, 41% of employees in Malaysia have ‘ghosted’ their friends due to work obligations. Due to the lack of work-life balance, it has impacted their life significantly – many feel burned out at work and revealed that work has caused strains in their relationship with their friends and partners. A Culture of Overworking Over the years, employers have been placing more effort on helping employees achieve a work-life balance by implementing benefits such as extended annual leave, mental wellness days, and even flexible working arrangements. However, the commissioned study by YouGov shows that Malaysian employees still find that their social life is significantly impacted due to work. A reason for overworking that’s unique to not just Malaysia but the APAC region, is the workplace culture of presenteeism – the feeling of confusion and guilt over leaving on time despite finishing the day’s work or feeling obligated to stay back until their seniors leave. Employees Ghosting their Friends While Malaysian employees agree that their employers value work-life balance and encourage them to take time off, they still do not see improvement in their social life and often find themselves ‘ghosting’ their friends because of work. 65% of employees find themselves unable to reject extra work given to them – this is because it was assigned by their seniors or managers, and some are afraid that it will affect their promotions as they will be deemed lazy. Based on the YouGov statistics, 91% of Malaysian employees believe that having a good social life can help with the stresses at work. “The #WorkResponsibly platform is raising awareness of the sensitive work-life balance issue around the world. HEINEKEN has always encouraged and fostered socialisation and healthy human connections as we feel that workers need to embrace more social and leisure time. We’re thrilled to bring this platform to Singapore and Malaysia as a reminder to leave your duties on time and not let your social life fall behind,” says Bram Westenbrink, Global Head Heineken Brand. “When you don’t leave work on time, you also let someone else down: your friends. HEINEKEN’s campaign serves as a reminder to fans to prioritise having a work-life balance.We hope that with this campaign, Malaysians are inspired to reach a more sustainable way of working and to overcome stress,” said Willemijn Sneep, Head of Marketing at HEINEKEN Malaysia. Bringing the Message to the Bars In line with Heineken’s Work Responsibly campaign to remind Malaysians to clock out from work on time and socialise with friends, Heineken will be having ‘Ghosted Bar’ activations on weekdays from May 9-31 between 6pm and 10pm. There will be a total of 40 activations taking place at selected bars in Penang, Ipoh, the Klang Valley and Johor regions. The online Ghost Generator here is also available for Malaysians to remind their friends to leave work on time and to not let their social life down through a personalised GIF. Fans of the brand can visit the same website to register for the ‘Ghosted Bar’ activations and/or to find out more details about the ‘Ghosted Bar’. We hope that this campaign encourages Malaysians to clock off work on time and overcome stress by prioritising their social life. Staying socially connected oHeineken collaborates with K-Drama star Park Hyung Sik for its new campaign to raise the importance of working responsibly For a well packed trip
KLCI 1,432.36 STI 3,309.56 HANG SENG 20,650.51 SCI 3,393.33 7.72 NIKKEI 28,658.83 4.82 TSEC 15,869.44 KOSPI 2,571.09 S&P/ASX200 7,360.20 144.05 WEDNESDAY APRIL 19, 2023 Editorial Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] Advertising Tel: 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] 5 MOST ACTIVES April 18, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (sen) +/– (sen) DATAPRP 154,663,600 22.0 -1.0 HONGSENG 115,580,100 13.0 -1.0 SMRT 94,793,200 65.5 +1.0 CFM 92,193,500 24.5 +1.5 REVENUE 83,344,000 42.0 -2.5 EXCHANGERATES APRIL 18, 2023 Foreign currency Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy TT/OD TT OD 1 US DOLLAR 4.5060 4.3720 4.3380 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 3.0320 2.9090 2.8830 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 3.3700 3.2700 3.2570 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.3550 3.2620 3.2460 1 EURO 4.9220 4.7590 4.7470 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.7940 2.6900 2.6710 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 3.3700 3.2700 3.2570 1 STERLING POUND 5.5870 5.4100 5.3820 1 SWISS FRANC 5.0050 4.8890 4.8740 100 UAE DIRHAM 123.9400 117.4200 116.8700 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 4.3040 4.0340 3.8210 100 CHINESE RENMINBI 65.5000 63.0000 N/A 100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 57.9200 54.9900 54.6300 100 INDIAN RUPEE 5.5800 5.2300 5.0200 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0314 0.0284 0.0236 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.3530 3.2440 3.2340 100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR 15.8000 N/A N/A 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 1.6100 1.5100 1.3100 100 PHILIPPINE PESO 8.1500 7.6700 7.5500 100 QATAR RIYAL 124.5600 118.2500 117.2600 100 SAUDI RIYAL 121.2200 115.0700 114.5000 100 THAI BAHT 13.6300 12.0800 11.6900 Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama KL MARKET SUMMARY April 18, 2023 INDICES CHANGE FBMEMAS 10,540.40 -23.00 FBMKLCI 1,432.36 -2.54 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 581.43 -1.40 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 174.39 -0.70 CONSTRUCTION 162.13 +0.69 FINANCIAL SERVICES 15,731.40 -34.00 ENERGY 867.19 -11.00 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 629.26 +10.40 HEALTH CARE 1,839.80 +8.00 TRANSPORTATION 929.87 -2.80 PROPERTY 703.24 -4.70 PLANTATION 6,884.64 +64.60 FBMSHA 10,889.80 -34.00 FBMACE 5,389.71 +20.30 TECHNOLOGY 62.34 -0.40 TURNOVER VALUE 3.169 BIL RM1.849 BIL 5 TOP GAINERS April 18, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM NESTLE 14,000 136.10 +0.40 PARAGON 678,800 3.11 +0.26 SALUTE 60,618,300 1.65 +0.24 KESM 300 7.70 +0.20 KLK 1,586,700 21.68 +0.14 5 TOP LOSERS April 18, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM PETDAG 85,000 22.38 -0.48 HEXTECH 21,400 23.30 -0.46 HEIM 112,200 27.00 -0.30 HLBANK 973,600 20.20 -0.24 SIME-C67 2,000 0.065 -0.185 2.54 9.70 131.94 94.11 21.30 Malaysia Aviation Group back in the black in Q4 PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) registered a net profit after interest and tax of RM1.15 billion for its fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2022 compared with a net loss of RM0.67 billion in the corresponding quarter last year, driven by better passenger business. Revenue in the quarter surged to RM3.8 billion from RM1.58 billion in the same period last year. For its full financial year (FY22), the group recorded a net loss of RM0.34 billion, down from a net loss of RM1.65 billion in FY21. Revenue rose to RM10.75 billion from RM3.96 billion for the previous corresponding period. MAG said it was one of its best quarterly performances in the past two decades, attributed to robust demand, higher yield across passenger and cargo segments as well as effective cost management and cashflow optimisation. This was despite higher fuel prices and labour costs, weaker ringgit and lower than pre-pandemic flight capacity levels. On outlook, group managing director Captain Izham Ismail said that while it is much brighter than pre-pandemic, Malaysia’s aviation sector will continue to face challenges and is not expected to achieve profitability this year due to global economic uncertainties, rising business costs, intensifying competition and over capacity, labour and talent issues as well as increased attention on environmental social and governance. Despite that, he is confident that MAG will be able to record a profit this year, if fuel costs and foreign exchange rates (forex) remain within the company’s budget. “Our budget on fuel and forex is very high, that is an advantage to us. If fuel and forex remain at current levels plus or minus, From left: MAG group chief strategy officer Bryan Foong, Izham and group CFO Boo Hui Yee, during the press conference. oMD confident of profit this year if fuel prices and forex rates remain around current levels and within company’s budget █ BYGLORIA HARRY BEATTY [email protected] M’sia lacks large pool of carbon traders: Maybank IB KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has no large pool of domestic carbon buyers and sellers, and no supporting regulatory framework such as a carbon tax, said Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB). In its quarterly note on Malaysia’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG), the investment bank noted that the current modest carbon market ecosystem consists of carbon credit project developers, local certifiers, and sellers, including projects supported by state governments. These projects are often transacted through direct negotiations between buyers and sellers, given the longer time frames involved and the various tiers of value add pricing generated depending on the inclusion of other sustainable development goals, it added. “Hence, not amenable to trading on a standardised spot carbon market like Bursa Carbon Exchange (BCX) which, if not supported by appropriate government policy such as carbon tax and termination of carbon fuel subsidies as well as regulatory infrastructure, appears destined to conduct only a modest share of the country’s carbon credit trading,” it said. Bursa Malaysia via its subsidiary BCX carried out the nation’s inaugural carbon credit auction on March 16, with 15 buyers from various industries purchasing a total of 150,000 Verified Carbon Standard-registered carbon credits. The auction facilitated the price-discovery of carbon credits from two new products offered by the BCX namely the Global Technology-Based Carbon Contract and the Global Nature-Based Plus Carbon Contract. Successful bidders include a wide range of local banks and corporates, and the price discovery is expected to incentivise local project owners to develop carbon credit projects, helped by a government RM10 million seed funding incentive. – Bernama we should be able to (make a profit),” he told reporters during the press conference after its media briefing on MAG’s 2022 annual performance yesterday. As part of MAG’s network expansion plan, it will launch BKI (Kota Kinabalu) as a new hub for Firefly, increase Malaysia Airlines Bhd’s (MAB) frequency to India and receive four B737-8 MAX aircraft into its fleet this year. Firefly’s BKI Hub will officially launch its first flight on May 16, serving the Sabah and Sarawak markets. By year-end, the airline plans to fly to Narita (Japan) and Taipei (Taiwan) via BKI. Izham shared that the growing Indian economy has resulted in rising travel demand from India. MAB is looking at returning to pre-pandemic levels at 60 times weekly flights by the end of 2023. Effective May 1, he said, MAB Engineering Services (MABES) will be reorganised as a wholly owned entity of the group to explore and capitalise on its strength and future potential in the global aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market. MABES will be a platform that can allow the group to compete in the third party MRO market and lead the growth of the MRO business in Malaysia. On the AirAsia Super App issue, Izham said: “I would like to confirm that we have filed a court injunction, as we were not able to reach a commercial agreement before this and they continue to sell our inventory.” Earlier this week, Transport Minister Anthony Loke revealed that Malaysia Airlines, which is under MAG, is seeking a court injunction to stop AirAsia’s Super App from offering the former’s flight tickets for sale. Izham said the Super App, which is recognised as an online travel agency (OTA), has bought seats from aggregators and consolidators. “In this case they took inventory from Kiwi.com, who aren’t our partners and they take the inventories from their partners,” he remarked. Izham believes that while all airlines want to work with OTAs, consolidators, aggregators as well as travel agents, a commercial agreement needs to be reached due to key issues that need to be resolved, such as markups and after-sale services. He disclosed that the case is ongoing and the court proceedings are scheduled to be heard in August, following its filing early last year. In terms of inventory distribution, Izham said that about 60% is sold via its website, 25% to 30% via travel agents, 12% via OTA and 5% via ticketing offices. Participation 45.7 33.4 20.9 100.0 Institutions Retail Foreign Bought RM m 832.4 641.7 375.4 1849.5 Sold RM m 858.1 593.2 339.2 1849.5 Net RM m -25.7 48.5 -22.8 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) 18/04/2023
12 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 SUNBIZ /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE SCAN ME Funding Societies hits US$3b mark in regional SME financing KUALA LUMPUR: Funding Societies, the largest unified SME digital finance platform in Southeast Asia, has achieved US$3 billion (RM13.4 billion) over more than 5 million transactions of business financing to small and medium-sized enterprises across the region. As the company expands across five countries in Southeast Asia, almost 100,000 SMEs have benefited from access to financing. It continues to support underserved SMEs via its extensive range of short-term financing solutions while achieving an overall platform cohort default rate under 2%. In Malaysia, Funding Societies has disbursed RM2 billion in financing since its inception in 2017. In its move to empower SMEs, the company began offering solutions beyond lending, such as payments and collections. Since establishing its payments business, Funding Societies has tripled its gross transaction value (GTV) yearon-year through its proprietary solution Elevate, and its integration of CardUp’s payments solutions for oIn Malaysia, it has disbursed RM2b to small and medium firms since its inception in 2017 FY 2022. F u n d i n g Societies/Modalku co-founder & group CEO Kelvin Teo said,“2022 was a big year for Funding Societies despite the uncertain macro environment. “Committed to empowering SMEs in Southeast Asia, we’ve raised our Series C+; scaled up in Thailand and Vietnam; deepened localised financing propositions; secured our first credit line from a global commercial bank HSBC with US$50 million (RM224 million), entered into payments with CardUp and investment into Bank Index, because SMEs’ needs extend beyond financing. “While there are macro headwinds this year, we are optimistic to continue growing sustainably, as we did during Covid-19. We will continue to stay nimble, innovate, and scale up in financing, payments and other financial services – catering to various pain points of SMEs,” he added. Chai Kien Poon, Funding S o c i e t i e s ’ country head for Malaysia, remarked,: “We are proud of how the team in Malaysia carried us across another milestone: touching the RM2 billion disbursement mark within six years. SMEs will continue needing additional financial support as they contribute towards the projected 4.5% GDP growth in 2023. “We look forward – while working with stakeholders – to continue growing and positively impacting the Malaysian economy, and our society, by enabling MSMEs as well as creating and supporting jobs.” In line with their commitment towards uplifting the local SMEs, he said they are looking to introduce new products this year, including extending their Islamic Financing offerings. “We look towards forging new industry partnerships to enable us to deepen our reach to the underserved, creditworthy SMEs,” he added. In May 2022, Funding Societies introduced its first syariahcompliant Trade Financing solution based on Commodity Murabahah via Tawarruq, allowing SMEs to access a credit line of up to RM1 million – at zero collateral. It is working to launch its syariah-compliant micro & term financing this month, expanding their syariah financing propositions across their product offerings, in line with their focus to grow their leadership in Islamic finance. On the investor side, the fintech platform introduced its guaranteed investment notes which provide investors with a return of up to 8% per annum. Teo Chai SMRT receives shareholders’ approval to become pure play loT solutions provider PETALING JAYA: Shareholders of SMRT Holdings Bhd have approved the proposed acquisition of the remaining 36% equity interest that SMRT does not own in N’osairis Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd (NTS) from Permata Kirana Sdn Bhd. The purchase consideration of RM72 million will be satisfied entirely via cash. At an extraordinary general meeting held yesterday, shareholders also gave the nod for the proposed disposal of 100% equity interest in SMR Education Sdn Bhd to Special Flagship Holdings Sdn Bhd for a disposal consideration of RM49.5 million to be satisfied entirely via cash. They also approved the proposed establishment of a share grant plan of up to 20% of the total number of issued shares of SMRT (excluding treasury shares, if any) for the directors and employees of SMRT and its subsidiaries. Speaking after the conclusion of its EGM, SMRT Group managing director Maha Palan said, “We are certainly excited that our shareholders understand and share our vision for the future of the group, which is essentially transforming SMRT into a pure play Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider. “The acquisition of the remaining stake in NTS provides us greater flexibility in strategic planning and implementation. More importantly, it enables SMRT to fully capitalise on the robust growth and prospects of NTS. In turn, this would greatly enhance our earnings potential moving forward and boost the value for our shareholders.” “Since the acquisition of our initial stake in NTS back in 2016, we have been meticulously cultivating the seeds of growth and we are seeing the fruits of our labour as NTS has been growing at an exciting pace. Hence, this development is particularly opportune given that NTS is prime for further growth. “Looking ahead, we will continue to work tirelessly to keep up the healthy momentum while seizing the vast opportunities ahead of us both in Malaysia and overseas. “All in all, we are upbeat on the outlook of the group, underpinned by the aforementioned factors and our clear growth plans supported by a stronger financial position upon completion of the proposals.” For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2021 (FY21), NTS’ revenue jumped 27.4% to RM51.1 million from RM40.1 million a year ago. Meanwhile, profit attributable to owners of the company surged 43.5% to RM20.1 million versus RM14 million for FY20. The double-digit top- and bottom-line growth was mainly driven by higher orders for NTS’ IoT services as well as the progressive recovery of existing contracts in hand cumulated since 2019. The proposals are expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2023 barring any unforeseen circumstances and subject to approvals being obtained. TalentCorp forges partnership with Spain agency to enhance Malaysian talent ecosystem PETALING JAYA: Talent Corporation Malaysia (TalentCorp) yesterday entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain (Ofecome) under the Spanish Embassy in Malaysia to establish and develop a working collaboration in programmes that aim to build robust talent ecosystem. At the signing ceremony, TalentCorp group CEO Thomas Mathew said the partnership aligns with TalentCorp’s mandate from the Ministry of Human Resources to attract, nurture, and retain talent for Malaysia’s growth. “We look forward to strengthening and nurturing this strategic relationship with Spain, which we hope will facilitate the circulation of talent between our two countries and attract high-value investments into Malaysia,” he said. Under the MoU, TalentCorp will support the Spanish Embassy in Malaysia and Spanish companies based in Malaysia to develop and implement talent programmes. This includes the ease of facilitation for eligible participants of ICEX Vives, an annual graduate internship programme by the Spanish government to improve the practical experience of young Spaniards and contribute to the internationalisation of Spanish companies. At the same time, Ofecome will support TalentCorp programmes and provide the necessary information and input to strengthen talent agendas, as well as connect TalentCorp to the Spanish industry partners for talent development programmes especially TVET. Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of Spain in Malaysia, Ines Perez-Durantez, said the strategic collaboration with TalentCorp reaffirms Malaysia’s business-friendly policies and commitment to building a worldclass global workforce. “The programme will also enable our Spanish and EU youth to strengthen their global competency through work opportunities with Spanish companies abroad,” she said. According to Matrade, Malaysia’s trade with the EU grew 20.1% to RM216.53 billion in 2022 compared to RM180.23 billion in 2021. The export value to the Spanish market alone recorded RM5.74 billion, a 22% increase from the previous year. From left: TalentCorp MYXpats vice-president Sabihah Ahamad; Thomas Mathew, Inés Pérez-Durántez, and Alex Foo, Trade Analyst, Economic and Commercial Office, Embassy of Spain. MYAirline starts Tawau-Kota Kinabalu flights PETALING JAYA: MYAirline launched an intra-Sabah air route connecting Tawau and Kota Kinabalu, aimed to enhance connectivity and provide greater convenience for travellers, while promoting economic growth and tourism. From yesterday, there are daily flights between Kota Kinabalu and Tawau on MYAirline, offering a mode of transport that cuts travel time to only an hour compared with the usual journey of almost eight hours by road. “We are pleased to introduce this new route connecting Tawau and Kota Kinabalu as part of our domestic expansion plan,” said MYAirline CEO Rayner Teo. “This route will provide travellers with more options and greater convenience, while also contributing to the economic growth of Sabah. We look forward to serving our passengers with the highest level of service and ensuring a seamless travel experience with our penchant for having high reliability as evidence by our on-time performance,” he added. To celebrate the launch of the new air route, the airline is offering special promotional fares for flights between Kota Kinabalu and Tawau. Global HR firm Deel expands immigration service to Malaysia PETALING JAYA: Global HR company Deel has expanded its immigration service on-platform, giving more companies the ability to hire and move teams to other countries in the world. Now, businesses looking to relocate people can use Deel's self-service tools to streamline the immigration process in over 25 countries, including the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Karen Ng, regional head of expansion & market lead Hong Kong, Singapore, Asean, India, said: “We're excited to offer our expanded immigration service to Malaysian businesses and help them access global market opportunities. “Deel Immigration enables businesses to relocate, hire, manage employees from anywhere in the world without having to set up a legal entity in that country, taking care of all the compliance, payroll, and tax requirements. This allows businesses to focus on hiring the best talent and growing their operations globally. “We believe that this will help Malaysian companies thrive in the global market and contribute to the growth of the country's economy.”
13 * SUNBIZ theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 READ OUR HERE /thesundaily SCAN ME KUALA LUMPUR: UMW Group’s automotive sales increased by 17.2% in March 2023 with delivery of 41,315 units compared with 35,246 units registered in March 2022, as both UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) and UMW’s associate company Perodua continue to fulfil its encouraging outstanding bookings. UMWT registered 9,136 units in March 2023, 7.6% higher than the 8,487 units delivered in March 2022. For the first quarter of 2023, UMWT registered 25,219 units, its highest ever first quarter sales, which is a 12.3% growth compared with the 22,447 units registered in the corresponding period of 2022. UMWT expects the demand and sales to be sustained throughout the year, supported by the introduction of new and facelift models. On March 20, UMWT launched the all-new Toyota Vios. The new and highly anticipated model boasts improved performance, quicker acceleration and new technology, making it an even more compelling choice for customers looking for a reliable, efficient, and affordable car. The locally assembled popular subcompact sedan is offered in two variants and is priced from RM89,600 to RM95,500. Supported by the improving supply chain and heightened production volume, Perodua achieved its highest ever monthly sales with the delivery of 32,179 units, 20.3% more than the 26,759 units registered in March 2022. Perodua also achieved its highest monthly production since inception with 33,666 units in March 2023. For the first quarter of 2023, Perodua registered 78,564 units, 27.5% higher than the 61,624 units delivered in the same period of 2022. Accordingly, Perodua has achieved 25% of its sales target for 2023 of 314,000 units. Moving forward, Perodua is expected to continue to deliver its cars to fulfil the encouraging outstanding bookings which continues to remain healthy. UMW Holdings Bhd president and group CEO Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Kenali (pix) said, “We are pleased with the strong sales registered by UMWT and the record sales achieved by Perodua in March 2023. The group will continue to introduce competitive and exciting new models to meet its customers’ requirements. Based on the encouraging sales and strong demand for the newly launched models, we are cautiously optimistic that the automotive industry will continue to perform well in 2023. We would like to thank our customers for their continuous support of our products and services.” UMW’s March auto sales hit 41,315 units, 17% higher than a year ago MTC welcomes new chairman KUALA LUMPUR: Zainal Abidin Abdullah has been appointed as the new chairman of the Malaysian Timber Council effective April 11. A seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in forestry, Zainal, 54, brings extensive knowledge in strategic planning for the development of the sector in line with national policies. “I feel very privileged to take on this role at a challenging time for the Malaysian timber industry, especially on raw material availability and market accessibility including facing regulatory pressures from the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation, among others,” said Zainal, adding that he is looking forward to working with MTC’s management in addressing these issues in a thoughtful and innovative way that will benefit their stakeholders for years to come, while also prioritising environmental, social and governance principles in the timber industry. “We are thrilled that Tuan Haji Zainal has joined MTC to support us in achieving our objectives. His excellent leadership abilities will be invaluable in advancing our mission as well as enabling us to better serve our stakeholders,” said MTC CEO Noraihan Abdul Rahman. OYO: Special discount during Raya weekend KUALA LUMPUR: Global hospitality technology company OYO has announced a special discount scheme for the Hari Raya holiday in Malaysia. Under this scheme, guests will be eligible to avail up to 70% discount on their stay in more than 500 properties spread across 100 cities in Malaysia. There will be more than 10,000 rooms available for bookings in these hotels and available on all segments of OYO properties including OYO Rooms, Capital O, Collection O, OYO Townhouse and Townhouse OAK. OYO is focusing on the most popular destinations for Hari Raya holidays such as Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Cameron Highlands, Ipoh and Kuantan. To avail this discount, guests can download the OYO app, click on the red nearby icon to discover a valid participating hotel, and discounted prices will be activated via coupon code ‘HARIRAYA70’. They can complete the booking after hitting the Book Now button and resolve their queries quickly with OYO’s 24*7 chatbot – Yo! Chat. OYO is also planning to give OYO Money up to RM50 to every guest who signs in on OYO app. The amount can be redeemed while checking into OYO properties across Malaysia from April 19 to May 1. Aeon cautiously upbeat as consumers return to malls KUALA LUMPUR: Aeon Co (M) Bhd is cautiously optimistic to witness positive retail momentum, following the return of consumers to malls and shopping centres, as spending would be anchored on the stability of market conditions, improvements in overall income levels and continued policy support by the government, managing director Keiji Ono said. He said the company, nevertheless, remained resolute in its efforts to fortify Aeon’s business and at the same time, forge ahead on its transformation. “For 2023, digitalisation, innovation and sustainability will continue to be our game changers as we move towards realising sustainable digital transformation. “We will collectively accelerate and scale up our new retail model to ensure it is more demandbased and attuned to present market dynamics, customer consumption behaviours and patterns,” he said in the retailer’s annual report 2022 released yesterday. He said Aeon would focus on the rejuvenation of two malls in 2023 of which, the maintenance at these malls and stores would be enhanced to ensure they are equipped with facilities that reflected customers’ preferences. On the financial performance, Keiji said the company continued to demonstrate strong financial performance for the year under review, recording a profit before tax (PBT) of RM211.5 million, an increase of 61.4% from RM131 million in the financial year 2021 (FY21). He said the higher PBT was contributed by an increase in revenue, which managed to offset the rise in operating costs. Ono said total revenue stood at RM4.14 billion, 14.1% higher as compared with RM3.63 billion recorded in the preceding year. – Bernama City Energy, Gentari to study hydrogen supply chain SINGAPORE: Singapore’s sole piped town gas producer and the nation’s gas utility provider City Energy, and clean energy solutions provider Gentari Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Petronas, have signed two memorandums of understanding (MoU) to jointly conduct feasibility studies of a hydrogen supply chain from Malaysia to Singapore, as well as to work together to allow customers to access both parties’ electric vehicle (EV) charging networks, so that EV drivers can have a seamless cross-border charging experience across Singapore and Malaysia. Under the partnership, City Energy and Gentari will leverage each other’s strengths, expertise and resources to pursue opportunities in the import of hydrogen into Singapore. In addition to supporting Singapore’s National Hydrogen Strategy, which was announced in October 2022 as a key decarbonisation pathway to support Singapore’s international climate commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the agreements enable City Energy to explore alternate sources of hydrogen to reinforce its decarbonisation efforts. Both parties will also explore other hydrogen-related opportunities. The first MoU, in relation to the hydrogen feasibility studies, was signed between City Energy CEO Perry Ong, and Gentari chief hydrogen officer Michèle Azalbert. “This strategic partnership between City Energy and Gentari is a key development for us. As City Energy is the sole piped town gas provider for more than 880,000 homes and businesses, City Energy is well placed to establish a hydrogen supply for the future production of our town gas. We are excited to collaborate with Gentari to develop a hydrogen supply chain which will contribute to our nation’s hydrogen strategy,” said Ong. Hydrogen is the largest component in town gas produced at City Energy’s Senoko Gasworks plant, making City Energy one of the largest last-mile carrier of hydrogen in Singapore. The collaboration with Gentari follows City Energy’s ongoing feasibility studies with leading industry partners and institutes of higher learning to explore alternative sources of hydrogen. “While Gentari aims to become the go-to industry partner for clean hydrogen, we want to be able to provide integrated clean energy solutions for customers in Asia Pacific, among From left: Gentari Green Mobility Sdn Bhd COO M Haikal Zubir, Shah Yang, Gentari CEO Sushil Purohit, Ong, and City Energy assistant vice-president, EV business Heng Jung Seong. oSingapore’s gas utility provider and Petronas’ subsidiary will also work together to allow cross-border access to EV charging networks others. The collaboration with City Energy is taking a step towards the right path in providing that solution. We believe this partnership will be the first of many in Singapore. We are committed to support Singapore in achieving net zero emissions by 2050,” said Azalbert. Gentari aims to produce up to 1.2 million tonnes per annum of clean hydrogen to address the future increase of clean energy demand. The collaboration with City Energy will accelerate the adoption of clean hydrogen as an energy source and signifies commitment towards providing clean hydrogen from Malaysia to Singapore. The second MoU, signed between Ong and Gentari deputy CEO and chief green mobility officer Shah Yang Razalli, will see Go by City Energy (Go) and Gentari working together to deepen and expand the understanding of the EV market and behaviour of EV users in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as codeploying publicly accessible EV chargers on each other’s EV networks. The two parties will also explore and identify best practices for mobile roaming applications in both countries. Gentari is the second Malaysian firm City Energy is collaborating with for EV charging. The MoU between Gentari and Go will not only support EV infrastructure development in Singapore and Malaysia respectively, but also encourage the development of a robust cross-border EV network, ensuring a more seamless customer experience for EV drivers traveling between the two countries.
14 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 SUNBIZ China’s economy picks up steam as global risks persist oFirst quarter GDP rises faster than expected after Covid curbs end but economy still faces bumpy ride ahead BEIJING: China’s economy grew at a faster-than-expected pace in the first quarter, as the end of strict Covid curbs lifted businesses and consumers out of crippling pandemic disruptions, although headwinds from a global slowdown point to a bumpy ride ahead. More than a year-long sweeping streak of global monetary policy tightening to rein in red-hot inflation has dented world economic growth, leaving many countries including China reliant on domestic demand to spur momentum and raising the challenge for policymakers looking for post-Covid stability. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.5% year-on-year in the first three months of the year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed yesterday, faster than the 2.9% in the previous quarter. It beat analyst forecasts for a 4% expansion and marked the strongest growth in a year. Investors have been closely watching first quarter data to assess the strength of the recovery after Beijing abruptly lifted Covid curbs in December and eased a three-year crackdown on tech firms and property. GDP growth last year slumped to one of its worst Apple opens first India store, fans show off vintage devices UK unemployment edges up but pay growth beats forecasts LONDON: Britain’s unemployment rate rose unexpectedly in the three months to February but pay growth stayed higher than forecast, highlighting the dilemma for the Bank of England (BoE) as it judges whether to raise interest rates further. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the unemployment rate rose to 3.8% – its highest since the second quarter of 2022 – rather than holding at 3.7%, as forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. Annual pay growth for the three months to January was revised up to 5.9% and held at that level for the three months to February – well above the forecast of 5.1% in the Reuters poll. Excluding bonuses, wage growth held at 6.6%. “Pay continues to grow more slowly than prices, so earnings are still falling in real terms, although the gap between public and private sector earnings growth continues to narrow,” ONS statistician Darren Morgan said. British consumer price inflation hit its highest in more than 40 years at 11.1% in October, and was still in double digits in February. The BoE has forecast that inflation will fall below 4% by the end of the year as wholesale energy prices fall, but financial markets see an 80% chance that it will raise borrowing costs for a 12th meeting in a row next month to 4.5% from 4.25%. Wage pressures are a key concern for the central bank, and while the unexpectedly fast pay growth will be a concern, it may draw some comfort from some signs in yesterday’s data that the inflationary heat in the labour market is easing. Britain’s economic inactivity rate fell by 0.4 percentage points from the previous quarter to 21.1% – its lowest since the three months to May 2022 – while the number of job vacancies dropped by 47,000 to 1.105 million, the lowest since the three months to August 2021, although still 304,000 higher than before the pandemic. “Though optimism has been rising that the UK economy will avoid recession this year, we continue to see the labour market coming off the boil,” said Jack Kennedy, an economist at recruitment website Indeed. As well as lower vacancies in the ONS data, data from global job site Indeed showed that businesses were now less willing to offer signing bonuses to staff than late last year, he added. – Reuters in nearly half a century due to Covid restrictions. China’s rebound has so far remained uneven as its investmentfuelled growth of the past to one now reliant on consumption faces challenges. Consumption, services and infrastructure spending have perked up but factory output has lagged amid weak global growth, while slowing prices and surging bank savings are raising doubts about demand. China’s exports unexpectedly surged in March, but analysts cautioned the improvement partly reflects suppliers catching up with unfulfilled orders after the Covid19 disruptions. Analysts polled by Reuters expect China’s growth in 2023 to speed up to 5.4%, from 3% last year. The government has set a modest GDP growth target of MUMBAI: About 300 people queued at Apple’s store in Mumbai yesterday, as fans took selfies with CEO Tim Cook, who inaugurated the first retail store run by the tech giant in India, underscoring the importance of its market. “The energy, creativity, and passion in Mumbai is incredible!” Cook, who is making his first visit to India in seven years, said on Twitter. “We are so excited to open our first store in India.” People flocked to the store from across India, hoping to be among the first to enter, in an opening event featuring local music and folk dancers. Some queued outside from the previous night to get their hands on Apple products, even though they are available online in India. “The fanboy inside me would not listen,” Purav Mehta, 30, told Reuters, as he waited to get Cook’s signature on his boxed mint-condition iPod Touch, which he had bought on eBay, as well as waiting to buy the Apple Watch Ultra. Many visitors wore T-shirts in the style favoured by co-founder Steve Jobs, had their hair cut in the shape of an Apple logo and one fan even brought a version of the first Apple computer launched in 1984. “The vibe here is just different,” around 5% for this year, after badly missing the 2022 goal. Separate data on March activity yesterday showed retail sales growth quickened to 10.6%, beating expectations and hitting near twoyear highs. The nation’s central bank, which cut lenders’ reserve requirement ratio in March, said last week it will maintain ample liquidity, stabilise growth and jobs. On Monday, the central bank extended liquidity support to banks through its medium-term lending facility but kept the rate on such loans unchanged, an indication Beijing isn’t overly concerned about the immediate growth outlook. The government, which has refrained from taking big steps to spur consumption, is still relying heavily on infrastructure spending to spur investment and economic growth. – Reuters B R I E F SCHINA MOBILE EXPLORES BUYOUT OF HK’S TOP TELECOMS COMPANY HONG KONG: State-owned China Mobile Ltd is exploring a potential buyout of Hong Kong’s leading telecoms company HKBN Ltd, which is currently valued at US$1 billion (RM4.4 billion), four people with knowledge of the matter said. China Mobile in recent weeks sent a request for proposal to a small group of banks to advise on acquiring and taking-private the Hong Kong telecom provider, which offers services including broadband and Wi-Fi management, said the people. The Beijing-based company is still receiving pitches from investment banks and has yet to decide on making a formal offer, said the people. – Reuters AIRBUS INFORMS AIRLINES OF 2024 DELAYS, RETAINS OUTPUT GOALS PARIS: Europe’s Airbus is advising airlines of delivery delays for its bestselling single-aisle aircraft in 2024, with several hundred jets postponed by around three months, industry sources said yesterday. Airbus confirmed unspecified delays in a statement to Reuters but said they did not reflect any worsening of supply chain problems since it revised production plans earlier this year. It reaffirmed production targets for 2024 and beyond. The delays particularly affect the larger and more complex A321neo model, the sources told Reuters. The latest notices of disruption follow protests from airlines and leasing companies in recent months over a trickle of shortterm delay notices amid ongoing supply chain problems. – Reuters MAJOR RICE BUYER PHILIPPINES TARGETS SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY 2027 MANILA: The Philippines, the world’s second-biggest rice buyer behind China, aims to be fully self-sufficient in production of the staple crop by 2027, the agriculture ministry said yesterday. The pledge comes after previous administrations have failed to achieve the target due to policy missteps and the impact of more destructive weather dampening local productivity. The Southeast Asian country currently imports more than 3 million tonnes of rice annually, mainly from Vietnam, to beef up local supply and keep prices stable. Under a revamped five-year programme, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s administration has identified “key strategies” to enhance production, including climate change adaptation and using digital technology. – Reuters BP’S CHIEF ECONOMIST SEES TIGHTER OIL MARKET NEW DELHI: The global oil market will likely tighten in the second half of 2023 after the recent decision by Opec+ to cut oil production, Spencer Dale, BP plc’s chief economist said yesterday. There is a scope for oil markets to tighten a little bit in case China’s oil demand and its overall economy recovers, Dale told reporters in a press conference. – Reuters The inaugural store is located in the Reliance-owned Jio World Drive mall in Mumbai. Apple will open another store in the capital of Delhi tomorrow.- AFPPIX said 23-year old Aan Shah, who travelled from the western industrial city of Ahmedabad for the launch in India’s commercial capital. His love for Apple took him to store openings as a young student in New York and Boston, where he once got a chance to meet Cook, he said. Apple has previously faced hurdles in opening physical retail stores in the South Asian nation, but its products have been available on e-commerce websites, while its online store opened in 2020. The new store opens as Indian consumers increasingly look to upgrade their smartphones to glitzier models, with richer feature sets, from budget devices typically costing less than US$120 (RM530). Still, Apple’s pricey phones are affordable for only a few in India, where it accounts for just a 3% share of the market. The new store, located in the Reliance-owned Jio World Drive mall, opened for bloggers and tech analysts at a private event on Monday, while many Indian film and television celebrities were seen meeting Cook that night. A second store in Delhi, the capital, is set to open tomorrow. Cook is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the deputy IT minister later this week, sources told Reuters. As Apple pushes to make India a bigger manufacturing base, some of its products including iPhones, are being assembled in the country by Taiwanese contract electronics manufacturers Foxconn and Wistron Corp.
1 9 A P R I L 2 0 2 3 W E D N E S D A Y Young & sassy oKash Bhullar, a newcomer in the local film industry, hopes more opportunities will open up for her in the future YOUNG actress Kash Bhullar has a selfdescribed “burning passion” to become an actress, and had long hoped for her dream moment to come true, one day. Lucky for her, it arrived sooner than she expected. She first joined the film industry a year ago, but she has already bagged a leading role in a local telemovie about a Punjabi family titled Ik Parivaar (A Family). The local comedy-drama was screened on April 14 on BollyOne HD (Astro Ch251) in conjunction with Vaisakhi celebrations on the same day. “I have a burning passion [for acting] that never dies. I have had this passion since I was a child. I was acting by myself in front of the mirror,” said the 21-year-old pretty lass. “Something triggered my burning passion,” she said. “I am a person who doesn’t express myself very much. I don’t want to express my feelings to others, but when I act, I get to express myself in a way that I would not do in real life. “This is my very first lead role, and I am grateful. I just got into the industry about a year ago. I hope this will open doors for me (in the future).” Prior to her role in Ik Parivaar, she played a small part in the family drama television series Singapenny, about two sisters who start a food business during the lockdown. Kash played a personal assistant to one of the main characters. Two releases, one after another, in the same week It looks like the new year will turn out to be a great one for her, with plenty of opportunities. “I just loved switching my characters and playing different roles, she said. Now, all she hopes for is a growing career as an actress in the local film industry. She would also love to act in movies, television series, and telemovies in Punjabi or other languages, including Malay. Kash also opened up about her family. “It was very hard to tell my parents [about my chosen career path], at first. I started modeling in fashion shows, doing advertisements, and I started showing my family.” Initially, the family thought Kash was just exploring a new horizon, but soon they realised she was serious about her career option and that she was doing a great job. “After noticing my work, my mum encouraged me, she said Kash. In Ik Parivaar, Kash plays the role of Nimitha, a new bride who enters her husband’s family home and realises that her father-in-law does not like her. Speaking about the role, Kash said that in real life Nimitha’s personality is the complete opposite of her own. Kash describes herself as a strong, confident, and playful girl. Nimitha, on the other hand, is a very soft-spoken, family-oriented girl, who is able to accept the challenges that come her way a smile on her face throughout the whole movie. Kash elaborated a bit about those challenges, saying: “The father-in-law does not like Nimitha, so he tries his best to chase her out of the house. “I have to fight with the character in the movie, and he tries to ‘get’ me, but I ‘get’ him back.” As Nimitha, who is a traditional Punjabi girl, Kash had to wear traditional clothes throughout the movie, which was directed by Mansher Singh. The film also starred Chamkaur Singh and Nipun C. When asked about what were the most challenging scenes she had to film, she said that they were the baby delivery room scenes, but added that she thoroughly enjoyed making every scene, no matter how tough it was. After all, it’s all part of the process of becoming an actress. Just recently, Kash, who was also the first runner-up for Miss International Malaysia 2022 and the first Miss Star Malaysia 2022/2023, captured the attention of fashion photographers when she walked down the runway for Malaysia’s Northern Haute Couture Fashion Show 2022 in Kedah. What caught the eyes of the photographers were Kash’s confident looks, her stylish walk, and the way she carried herself, which reminded many of the character Gangubai, played by Alia Bhatt in the Hindi movie Gangubai Kahthiawadi, released in 2022. On the runway, Kash wore a long white haute couture gown (Alia wore a white saree in the film), had her hair up in a bun decorated with red roses, glamorous makeup, and black retro sunglasses. This prompted me to ask if she ever dreamed of stepping into Bollywood. “It’s [my] dream to be in Bollywood,” confessed Kash. █ BY S. TAMARAI CHELVI Model and a beauty pageant winner, Kash Bhullar looks set to take on the world – ALL PIX VIA ASTRO Kash is also an up and coming actress. Her dream is to be in a Bollywood movie.
16 ENTERTAINMENT theSun LYFE ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM SCAN ME A great honour THE Malaysian film industry has seen a significant transformation since the turn of the century. The first full-length film from Malaysia’s Ghost Grrrl Pictures, Tiger Stripes, which was produced by Foo Fei Ling and directed by Amanda Nell Eu, has been chosen for the renowned Cannes Critics’ Week, which runs concurrently with the esteemed Cannes Film Festival in 2023. This is the first participation of a Malaysian film at the renowned Cannes Film Festival since 2010. Directors like Alejandro González Inárritu, Guillermo Del Toro, Wong Kar Wai, and many more came to light during Critics’ Week. This selection is a notable accomplishment for Malaysia’s progressing film industry as there have only been three previous Malaysian films chosen for Cannes. The Malay-language horror film Tiger Stripes will highlight Eu’s skill as a promising young female director in Malaysia. Eu said did her best to express the tale of maturity Eu is the first Malaysian female director chosen to screen at Cannes. – GHOST GRRRL PICTURES oAmanda Nell Eu’s Tiger Stripes becomes the first local film by a female director to screen at Cannes Tiger Stripes is a film with a supernatural twist. – GHOST GRRRL PICTURES about young girls struggling against Malaysian society. Tiger Stripes follows 12-year-old Zaffan (played by Zafreen Zairizal) as she battles puberty and learns that her body is changing in a frightening way. She quickly discovers that accepting her own nature is the only way to achieve freedom. Along with seasoned local performers Shaheizy Sam, Jun Lojong, and Fatimah Abu Bakar, the movie will include fresh faces Deena Ezral and Piqa. Tiger Stripes is a co-production involving eight nations, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Qatar. The film’s importance to the local industry is further highlighted by the fact that it was awarded the Creative Industry Recovery Grant (PENJANA) by the Ministry of Communications and Digital for its production in Malaysia. The movie is scheduled to air any time between May 17 and May 25 at Cannes, and Malaysian viewers may be able to watch Tiger Stripes on the big screen. Congratulations to the team! – by Thashine Selvakumaran Jungkook leaves Coachella for J-Hope K-POP supergroup BTS, otherwise known as Bangtan Sonyeondan or Bangtan Boys, has captured millions of hearts around the world, and now, many hearts will be broken as one more member has begun his mandatory military service in South Korea. In 2022, Jin was the first to enlist, with the rest following by 2027. Yesterday, J-Hope began his basic training, and fellow BTS memeber Jungkook was not about to miss that moment. Just days earlier, Jungkook was spotted attending the Coachella music festival, and millions of fans shared videos and images on social media. But on Monday, he returned to Korea, and was spotted at Incheon International Airport. Jungkook explained that he wanted to go and watch Coachella quitely, but he did not expect fans to recognise him, considering that he had cut his bangs. His early return was said to be in order for him to be able to see off his friend J-Hope, who will begin his training at the New Recruit Training Center Division A in Gangwon-do. He is expected to complete his service on Oct 17, 2024. – by S. Tamarai Chelvi Jungkook reacting for cameras at Incheon Airport. – ALLKPOP Frank Ocean underperforms at Coachella CONCERTGOERS and fans at the Coachella festival were left dumbfounded after Frank Ocean’s recent subpar, bizarre and unorganised festival-closing performance, which ended prematurely with him leaving after citing a “curfew”. Ocean and his band delivered strong, often dramatically rearranged performances of many songs, but overall, the energy was low. There was also a seemingly random DJ set was dropped into the middle, which lead to fans thinking his performance was over. It also started an hour late. A post early Monday from the musicfestival-centric Twitter site the Festive Owl offered a seemingly plausible basic explanation for what transpired, several basic facts of which have been confirmed by A screen showing an obscured view of Ocean at the festival. – REUTERS Lilo & Stitch finds its David THE live-action adaptation of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch has cast its David, the cool surfer who later becomes Nani’s boyfriend and Lilo’s friend. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kahiau Machado will play the role of the live-action version of David Kawena, who has a genuine romantic interest in Lilo’s older sister Nani. Disney declined The Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment on the casting. Machado was previously a Defensive Specialist for the University of Hawaii Warriors men’s volleyball team. According to his Hawaii Athletics page, Machado stands six-foot-two, and is from Kane’ohe, O’ahu. Aside from Machado’s casting as David, actor Zach Galifianakis joined the live-action cast as the voice of Pleakley, a green special agent alien who works with Dr. Jumba to capture Experiment 626, also known as Stitch. Maia Kealoha, a newcomer, will play Lilo, while Sydney Elizabeth Agudong, a Kaua’i native, will play Nani, Lilo’s older sister. David, a fan favourite character, is one of the few people who is aware of the existence of aliens and the Experiments, including Stitch’s background as Experiment 626. David isn’t very intelligent, but his understanding and patience make up for it. David’s character appears in all of the Lilo & Stitch films, beginning with the original, then Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, Stitch! The Movie and also Lilo & Stitch: The Series. He also appears briefly in Leroy & Stitch and Stitch!. The live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch does not yet have a release date, but it will be available on Disney+. – by Hazique Zairill Machado will play fan favourite character David. – COMPOSITE credible sources to entertainment outlets. Citing these sources, the Festive Owl wrote: “Frank decided at the last minute that he no longer wanted it at all. All of the people walking around him at the start of the performance were actually ice skaters, had been practicing for weeks, and were supposed to be skating as part of the production.” It continued that Coachella had to deconstruct the approved stage, that had been planned and signed off on for months in advance, melt the entire ice rink, and then set it up how Frank decided today with no warning. TMZ and Rolling Stone’s reports also claimed that Ocean’s performance was “adjusted” to account for an alleged ankle injury that occurred on the sprawling Coachella grounds. There was also no explanation why, if the injury took place earlier in the week, the stage was so hastily dissembled just hours before the performance was scheduled to begin. Currently, Ocean is scheduled to close out Coachella’s weekend two this coming Sunday. Fans and concertgoers are pooling their hope that it will go better than the recent performance. – by Mark Mathen Victor
17 ENTERTAINMENT theSun LYFE ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 The wedding performer MANY couples have a dream of holding a oneof-a-kind wedding with an emphasis on trendiness and creativity, which includes having a live music performance, especially of their favourite romantic songs. Eugene Yong Chyan Shyion, 36, may be the man for the job. Apart from performing popular hits, the guitarist is offering a wedding songwriting service, which means every couple can have their own theme song. Eugene started out by playing his guitar in a bar but due to the limited income, he decided to think ‘out of the box’, and explored performing at weddings. That was 16 years ago. A wedding, Eugene explained, is an important moment for a couple, and as such, he wanted to make the moment memorable. Eugene found a way to do something different. He came up with the concept of an “LED guitar and saxophone duet march” to welcome the groom and bride as they walked down the aisle. According to Eugene, the instrument combination is the first in Malaysia when it comes to wedding music, and it’s more interesting than the usual violin and saxophone march-in. With his experience, skills, and passion for playing guitar, Eugene hopes to achieve goals and dreams in the future and also continue to add fresh musical elements to the wedding market, elevating the value of Malaysian wedding brands to a new level. theSun recently got the opportunity to speak with Eugene oEugene Yong Chyan Shyion wants to make an impact during a couple’s big day, as well as in the wedding music scene █ BYS. TAMARAICHELVI introducing the LED Guitar March In to our performances. However, this involved many challenges, including creating a custom LED guitar rather than just installing LED lights onto an existing one, as well as convincing customers to accept this new concept. Despite these difficulties, we successfully completed our first LED Guitar and Sax Duet March In at a wedding on Feb 23, 2022. “One might ask, with the existence of sax and violin march-ins, why would I spend money on creating an LED Guitar March In? The answer lies in the fact that, since 2019, live band prices have been decreasing due to the perception that all live bands provide similar services. Naturally, customers tend to choose the cheapest option. Our unique approach has allowed us to stand out from the crowd and add value to our services. “Previously, people’s impression of electric guitars was that they were noisy and not suitable for romantic occasions. However, with our LED Guitar March In, we have been able to change that perception and show how electric guitars can be both romantic and rock or metal. “Additionally, our guitarists now have an opportunity to stand out in the wedding industry. In addition, our LED Guitar March In provides customers with a unique and customisable option for their wedding march. With this concept, customers can choose between a more party-themed march or a more romantic and emotional one. “The ability to customise the LED Guitar March In also adds a personal touch to the wedding, making it more special and memorable for the bride, groom, and guests.” What are your future plans other than performing at weddings? “I plan to expand our services by providing a wedding songwriting service. Last year, we completed our first wedding songwriting service in Malaysia, as we also offer wedding videography and music band services. I want to bring these services together with songwriting. “The biggest value in offering this service is that each customer will have their own theme song. Every musician will have the opportunity to sing their original song for the newlyweds at their wedding. “Furthermore, this will create opportunities for other professionals to join the industry, such as lyricists, composers, arrangers, mastering engineers, and more. This will truly bring a new level of customisation to the wedding industry. “The full impact of this will take time to realise ... I believe if we maintain this service for ten years, we will surely see a revolution in the wedding industry. This is my ultimate goal for the future.” about his music and his plans for the future. Why do you like to perform at weddings? “As a musician who has had the privilege of performing at weddings, I find great enjoyment in bringing joy and happiness to my clients on their special days. While I have not performed on stage for a few months, my focus has been on ensuring that my fellow musicians, particularly the real electric guitarist, have enough wedding jobs. Nevertheless, I relish every opportunity to play at a wedding, be it the wedding march or as part of a live band. “Our job as wedding musicians is to create a memorable experience for the bridal couple and their guests, and receiving positive feedback from clients is extremely satisfying. Our Facebook page, YsE - Wedding Live Band and Cinematic Videographer, is a testament to the many satisfied clients we have had the pleasure of serving, with over 100 glowing reviews.” What makes your performances special compared to others? “I founded a company named Yong Sound Entertainment in 2016. Starting from 2023, we will officially become YsE Production Sdn Bhd. From 2016 - 2019, prior to that, my company’s approach was similar to other players in the industry. “Unfortunately, 2020 was one of the most difficult and challenging years for the wedding industry due to the pandemic. By October 2021, the industry started to recover as the pandemic situation improved and customers began to show renewed interest in weddings. I saw an opportunity to stand out from the competition and started investing heavily in Facebook advertising. As a result, I managed to secure over 100 wedding bookings in just a few short months, putting me ahead of my competitors by about six months. “During this period, I also began to work towards my goal of Eugene decided to add electric and LED guitar performances to create a better wedding experience for clients. TENAcity band search champions crowned TENA, a leading incontinence care brand worldwide and in Malaysia, is proud to introduce TENAcity, Malaysia’s first band composed of members 50 years old and above with the purpose of spreading the message of active ageing and inspiring Malaysians to continue living their best lives regardless of age. This past weekend saw Malaysians from across the nation showcase their musical talents in front of a panel of judges that included celebrated Malaysian artists Manbai and Reshmonu. A total of 111 participants composed of solo performers and bands took to the stage, belting out their favourite tunes for a spot in the TENAcity band and the grand prize of RM60,000. Gerard Singh, 56, Colin Thaddeus Jansen, 60, Raymond Chia, 52 and Mark George Felix, 56, took the spots for vocalist/bassist, guitarist, keyboardist and drummer respectively, with an impressive display of musicianship, stage presence and technical abilities that left the judges wanting for more. The band expressed their joy after being crowned champions of the TENAcity band search. Despite facing tough competition from a talented group of musicians, they were proud to represent their peers and spread the message of active ageing to more Malaysians across the country. They thanked TENA for the opportunity and platform to pursue their dreams in spreading the notion of active ageing. Gerard Singh, the band’s vocalist said: “The importance of maintaining an active lifestyle cannot be overstated, especially as one grows older. The band hopes to inspire more Malaysians to prioritise active ageing, which has not only physical but also mental implications.” He added: “We appreciate TENA’s efforts in creating an avenue for older Malaysians to stay active, as there are often few options available to this demographic.” Su Ting Nee, President of Vinda Group SEA said: “I am delighted and encouraged by the support and turnout for the first-ever TENAcity band search. It was both a humbling and unforgettable experience witnessing this group of Malaysians put their heart and soul out there on the stage today. “We witnessed some of the best performances we’ve seen and we can’t wait for TENAcity to take the story of active ageing to more Malaysians.” She added: “We couldn’t have chosen a better group to represent our brand and message. They are truly a testament and embodiment of active ageing and I am excited to share them with the rest of the nation in hopes that we continue empowering everyone to live their lives actively both physically and mentally.” TENAcity will embark on a tour of Malaysia starting in June 2023, kicking off with a performance in Shah Alam followed by Penang, Ipoh, Kuantan, Johor Bahru and Petaling Jaya. The focus will be on bringing the band to the grassroots communities to influence and encourage Malaysians to adopt active lifestyles without age as a barrier. Su added: “We believe in order to spread the message of active ageing, it is vital that we reach out to as many Malaysians as possible. We want to show Malaysians of all backgrounds that TENA is always here to support them to live their lives tenaciously unhindered by factors like age and socioeconomic status in order to continue their legacy. Throughout this tour, we will also be working with Malaysian NGOs and other organisations to amplify our message and bolster our efforts in advocating active ageing.” The TENAcity nationwide tour runs from June to November 2023. For more information, including tour dates and locations, visit Facebook.com/TENA.Malaysia or TENA.com.my. The TENAcity Band Search Winners (from left) Mark, Raymond, Gerard and Colin.
18 FASHION theSun LYFE ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 X marks the spot FASHION brands and designers have been collaborating in recent years to produce innovative and distinctive collections that appeal to both consumers and fashion enthusiasts. With each collaboration, we see the fusion of different styles, aesthetics, and techniques, resulting in a fresh and exciting new take on fashion. As we already reached the first quarter of the year, we eagerly anticipate the new fashion collaborations that will be unveiled throughout the year. While it’s still too early to predict which collaborations will be the most exciting, we can reflect on some of the past collaborations that have captivated the fashion world. Let’s take a closer look at the most exciting new fashion collaborations of 2023 so far. 0 LV X Yayoi Kusama Let us begin with the collaboration that kick-started the year, the one that’s responsible for declaring ‘technicolour’ the mood for the January wardrobes. Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama’s worlds have merged in a vibrant, joyful way for the brand-new, wildly popular fashion collaboration. This is the French luxury label’s second collaboration with the Japanese avant-garde artist, resulting in a collection that reinterprets the Maison’s iconic pieces by adorning them with Kusama’s signature, eyepopping motifs. As a result, there are painted dots, metallic dots, infinity dots, and psychedelic flowers on clothing, accessories, including, of course, bags, and limited-edition perfumes. 0 Nike X Tiffany & Co Nike’s history with high-profile fashion collaborations speaks for itself. The global leader in athletic apparel has seen designers like Jacquemus and Sacai, as well as OffWhite and Comme des Garçons, reimagine its signature sneakers. And now they’ve collaborated with luxury jewellery brand Tiffany & Co on a brand-new pair of sneakers, the Nike x Tiffany & Co Air Force 1 1837. The new fashion collab shoes are based on the iconic Air Force 1 (celebrating its 40th anniversary this year) and were released on March 7. The shoes are mostly black suede and The collection adds a mesmerising pattern to the brand’s monogram on bags, apparel, and perfumes. – LOUIS VUITTON █ BYHAZIQUE ZAIRILL Luxury brands court Middle East with Ramadan collections Moza el Katbi as she shopped in the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. Also soaking up the offerings in the opulent shopping centre was Feriale Faraj, an Iraqi who lives in Jordan but was visiting her son in Dubai. “I feel happy when we see something like that. It’s nice to encourage this if we have the means” to buy, she said, admiring the Dior and Louis Vuitton displays. “Western fashion isn’t the only fashion that is beautiful, the oriental style is also pretty,” she added. Booming industry The trend of releasing Ramadan Western luxury fashion brands are increasingly targeting the monied Middle Eastern market with Ramadan capsule collections. – AFP The combination of athleisure and jewellery is bound to raise some eyebrows. – TIFFANY & CO WITH flowing kaftans, fluid separates and glamorous maxi dresses, Western luxury fashion brands are increasingly targeting the monied Middle Eastern market with Ramadan capsule collections. “You’re about to be the bestdressed person at every iftar and suhoor that you attend,” declared Cosmopolitan Middle East magazine earlier this month in a Ramadan fashion spread, referring to the meals before and after the daily fast during the Muslim holy month. Top luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Versace have rolled out handbags and shoes, sunglasses and clothing that varies between sober pastels, florals and embroidered prints. Gucci’s 2023 Ramadan collection, Nojum (meaning stars), is inspired by the night sky, featuring deep purples and daywear options for men. “Luxury brands know more now about our local culture, our Islam. You can see abayas and jalabiyas, Ramadan and Eid collections in the windows of luxury brands,” said feature the Nike swoosh in the iconic Tiffany Blue. The trainer is embellished with a.925 sterling silver heel tab and a tongue tag with Tiffany script. 0 Jimmy Choo X Sailormoon Jimmy Choo’s partnership with Mugler last year was the talk of the fashion industry, and now they’re making waves again with another highly anticipated collaboration, this time in the manga genre. To mark the 30th anniversary of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, arguably the most fashionable Japanese manga of all time, Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi and Jimmy Choo’s creative director Sandra Choi have collaborated on a striking, vibrant-drenched capsule collection. Each of the key characters has been given their own unique shoe style, beginning with the made-toorder Sailor Moon boot, a vibrant fuchsia pink knee-high stretch style studded with Swarovski crystals and featuring a signature Jimmy Choo kick heel. 0 Miu Miu X New Balance The highly coveted Miu Miu x New Balance collaboration, which debuted on the Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2022 runway, is releasing three new colorways. The most recent releases continue to highlight the iconic 574 silhouette and come in fringed blue, cognac denim with a marble effect, and blanched white nappa leather. The trainers combine Miu Miu’s raw-edged style with New Balance’s retro-inspired designs to represent reinvention, moving from deconstruction to reconstruction while retaining its history. The end product is a pair of sneakers that combine Italian style with allAmerican athleticism. 0 Loewe X Howl’s Moving Castle Just five months after their initial collaboration, the Spanish fashion house Loewe has released a second collection that draws inspiration from the fantastical worlds created by Studio Ghibli, the animation and production company founded by renowned animator, director, and screenwriter Hayao Miyazaki. This particular collaboration honours the 2004 movie Howl’s Moving Castle. As a result, this is the third Loewe and Studio Ghibli fashion collaboration, following Spirited Away in 2020 and My Neighbour Totoro in 2021. collections in recent years reflects the development of the Middle East into a significant market for fashion brands, with increasingly demanding consumers who are among the highest spenders in the world. E-commerce is booming, influencers from the region have growing clout, and women are playing an increasingly active role in the workforce. “The post-pandemic shift of international luxury spending, the boom in tourism and changing consumer behaviour, new local interest in health and fitness regimes, strong economic prospects and relatively low inflation make the region particularly attractive for brands to invest in,” said Euromonitor analyst Marguerite Le Rolland. She said global brands were also keen to diversify, as Europe’s economy was vulnerable to the fallout of the Ukraine war, and Covid-19 lockdown policies in China had caused uncertainty in that major market for luxury brands. Avoiding cliches While some luxury houses clearly brand their collections for Ramadan, others merely reference the “sacred season” or “this special time of the year”. Some allude to the Middle East with tags about “a thousand and one nights” or “starry skies”. Sofiane Si Merabet, founder of the Dubai-based Karta cultural marketing group, highlighted the difficulty in balancing “the growing commercialisation of Ramadan and cultural appreciation of this key moment. “Some brands rush in with all the cliches: the moon, camels, the woman in the desert ... we can play with the rules but it really depends on how it is done. “What is fundamental when we talk about Ramadan is authenticity ... and not hypercommercialisation. Brands must rely on local communities and artists and not import everything from Paris.” – ETX Studio Miu Miu x New Balance. Classy looking style, perfect for casual occasions. – THE FEMIN One of Miyazaki’s most iconic works gets a high fashion update. – LOEWE In honour of Sailor Mercury, Jimmy Choo released glossy blue patent leather platform boots, sharply pointed scarlet pumps, and chunky emerald green leather combat boots. – JIMMY CHOO oFrom high-end to streetwear, these are the fashion industry’s most anticipated collaborations of 2023
19 BEAUTY theSun LYFE ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 FINALLY, a potent serum with retinol-like results and skin-soothing benefits. After years of rigorous research and testing, Tatcha has developed its most powerful wrinklesmoothing formula yet: an easy-to-use, kind-toskin serum that visibly firms, boosts radiance, and supports collagen-depleted skin while hydrating and reducing redness. Billed as Tatcha’s new retinol alternative, The Silk Serum makes for an effective addition to any skincare routine. A concentrated blend of silk and plant-based retinol alternatives works to create change on the skin. It will improve and leave your skin feeling firmer, more nourished and radiant. The Silk Serum delivers the wrinklesmoothing power of retinol in a positively potent alternative you can trust. It provides the smoothing benefits of retinol and beyond, adding moisture back into the skin and even soothing irritation. Unlike Vitamin A derivatives, which must be started slowly to build up tolerance, The Silk Serum is made to use when you want, up to two times daily starting day one. No ramp-up time or complicated skin-cycling necessary. The ingredients used by Tatcha – upcycled cranberry extract and sea fennel – have science behind it, with multiple case studies finding it to promote skin health with minimal irritation. By treating your skin with The Silk Serum, fine lines, textures, redness and wrinkles are visibly reduced within the first 14 days of use. The Silk Serum also promises to visibly evens out hyperpigmentation, reduces irritation, hydrates your skin and won’t increase photo-sensitivity. Tatcha The Silk Serum will be available exclusively at Sephora Malaysia from May 11, 2023. NOW that the mask mandate has been loosened, I have found myself looking forward to being able to wear lipstick again. So when I received a set of five lipstick shades from the new Shiseido TechnoSatin Gel Lipstick collection, I was eager to give them a try. The shades that were sent over for me to try were Pulsar Pink, Voltage Rose, Fuschia Flux, Heat Map and Red Shift. All colours were for people with slightly cooler toned skin, which fortunately suited me quite well. The rest of the collections 20-shade range also have colours that suit warmer skintones, and range from the pinkest pink, to an almost-black plum. So there is definitely something for everyone. The packaging is a bright Shiseido- red, with a pink strip running down one edge. The cap is magnetised, letting you snap it back on immediately after application. The lipstick bullet has a unique curved tip, allowing you to define your lip contours. And as for the lipstick itself? Shiseido claims it contains over 68% skincare ingredients, resulting in longlasting hydration. Ingredients include moisturising benibana (safflower) oil, traditionally used as a lipstick base in Kabuki theatre and in Geisha culture. Indeed, each time I applied the lipstick, my lips definitely felt moisturised. The lipstick also delivered in terms of full coverage and pigmentation; one swipe was enough to deliver a surprising amount of colour. Speaking of colours, I also enjoyed the range that was provided. My personal favourite was Voltage Rose, which I think suits most Asian skintones. For those with darker skintones, Pulsar Pink and Heat Map would definitely stand out, while Fuschia Flux and Red Shift are perfect for those who want something bold, but not too wild. There was only one area where I felt the lipstick let me down; it transfers easily. I found myself having to re-apply it throughout the day. Eating or drinking resulted in only a coloured outline left at the edge of my lips. This might be because the formulation is more suited to colder, drier temperatures. I was able to get longer lasting results with a setting spray, but this might be an issue for those who don’t utilise it as part of their makeup routine. Considering the premium price point of the lipsticks – RM125 each – I had hoped for something that would last me all day. Still, the range of colours alone are more than enough to make me take notice of this lipstick collection. Shiseido’s TechnoSatin Gel Lipstick is available at nationwide boutiques, selected Sephora stores as well as online at Shopee and Lazada. Tatcha promises silklike skin Tatcha’s The Silk Serum launches in May 2023. New wave of colour oShiseido’s new lipstick collection has 20 pretty shades and leaves your lips feeling moisturised We reviewed the shades Pulsar Pink, Voltage Rose, Fuschia Flux, Heat Map and Red Shift. █ BYANANSA JACOB IT has been years since I last wore mascara, as I began using eyeliner pencils for the sake of speed and efficiency. In addition, I had some bad experiences with clumpy, sticky lashes in the past, mainly due to some poor formulas and my own careless application skills. However, I had always wanted to give mascaras another try, and recently got to try a new mascara from Alnefre by Rana. Originating from Egypt, this company has built a reputation around a single product, known as the Tempt & Seduce Hybrid Dual Ended Waterproof Mascara. I liked the look of the simple matte black packaging, with gold embossed lettering that gave off an air of ‘old world luxury’. I was also quite surprised by the size of the tube. And no wonder; the names ‘Tempt’ and ‘Seduce’ refer to the mascara’s two wands at each end. ‘Tempt’ is a long, slightly curved wand whose bristles are meant to lengthen the lashes, while ‘Seduce’ is a thicker, slightly chunkier wand designed to build volume with each application. Pulling out the wands, I noticed that each side manage to extract a decent amount of product; not too much, not too little. Its formula consists of a trio of proteins – keratin, wheat, and oats – that are high in antioxidants and serve as rich conditioners, keeping lashes strong and promoting healthy growth. Alnefre also claims to have included panthenol (provitamin B5) to help draw and hold onto moisture for your lashes. Essentially, consumers should think of it not so much as a “makeup product”, and more as “skincare for your lashes”. After curling my lashes, I started out with the ‘Tempt’ wand. Upon application, I immediately noticed that the bristles lifted up each lash and coated it evenly with the mascara. What surprised me was how fast the product dried on my lashes – while still remaining liquid on the wand – allowing for a second coat to be applied sooner for added length. The ‘Seduce’ Wand also performed as expected. I was able to layer on a lot more product, and my lashes appeared thicker and fuller. In addition, the tube was easy to grip, which made the application process easier. But what impressed me the most was how light my lashes felt after the product had dried. They were still quite soft and pliable, and at times I almost forgot that I was wearing mascara at all. And removing the mascara after a long day was easy, without much resistance. The entire experience has made me reconsider my approach to mascara. Currently, my makeup routine consists of applying mascara using only the ‘Tempt’ wand for the day, and for special occasions, I layer on ‘Seduce’ for a little more definition. The Tempt & Seduce Hybrid Dual Ended Waterproof Mascara is priced at RM39, slightly higher compared to drugstore brands, but the end results speak for themselves. I would definitely recommend it for first-time mascara wearers, or those looking for a lighter, more natural feel for their lashes. It currently available for sale online and in selected AEON outlets in Malaysia. For more information, visit alnefrebyrana.com. – by Anansa Jacob Alnefre by Rana is making its first foray into Malaysia. The mascara’s dual wands lengthen and add volume to lashes, respectively. A mascara for natural-looking lashes A closer look at the sharp-edged lipstick bullet.
20 TECH theSun LYFE ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM SCAN ME On Facebook, AI might make Stories for you AFTER Snapchat, it’s Facebook’s turn to make use of artificial intelligence. The social network is testing a new feature that can automatically create Stories using AI. Some users recently received a notification informing them of a new option called “Advanced Stories,“ a trial feature that will allow users to generate content in Story format from photos and videos already posted via their account. Seen in a screenshot shared on Twitter by social networker Matt Navarra, the notification reads: “Allow Facebook to create high-quality, readymade stories for you using advanced photo and video data, including image quality, location, the presence of people or animals.” The option will analyse available content to gather items under a common theme in order to create a suitable Story. For Facebook, this new strategy could boost the creation of content in Story form, now one of the most widely used formats on social networks. It’s also a good way to generate more user engagement. For the moment, the “Advanced Stories” mode is not available to all Facebook users worldwide. The Meta group has not yet given a date for its general release. – ETX Studio The Meta group has started testing a new option to create Stories automatically using AI. – 123RF Lip-reading glasses RESEARCHERS at Cornell University in the United States have developed a pair of AI-equipped eyeglasses that can identify commands silently mouthed by a user to their smartphone, simply by analysing the wearer’s lip and mouth movements. Developed by the SciFi (Smart Computer Interfaces for Future Interactions) laboratory at Cornell University, the glasses, called EchoSpeech, were designed to allow people to unlock and use a smartphone in all circumstances, including when there is a lot of noise (like in a stadium or a nightclub) or, on the contrary, in a space where silence is required (like in a library). Currently, this involves, for example, silently pronouncing the phone’s access code or commands such as “louder”, “forward” or “stop” to control playlists. As designed, this concept is relatively compact and, above all, requires very little power. It takes just a few minutes of user training for the artificial intelligence to recognise about 30 commands and numbers to execute on the smartphone. Although still a prototype, this initiative could one day be commercialised. It could potentially be of assistance to people with speech impediments, or if one day combined with a voice synthesiser, it could give a voice to people who cannot usually express themselves. – ETX Studio The EchoSpeech glasses can read silent speech. – CORNELL UNIVERSITY Flip flopping on AI ELON MUSK is advancing an artificial intelligence project at Twitter despite recently calling for an overall pause in developing such technology, US media reports said this week. Musk has bought thousands of powerful, costly computing processors and hired AI engineering talent, Insider reported, while another tech-focused outlet, the Information, said the entrepreneur has floated the idea of starting a rival to ChatGPT. Meanwhile, Musk has slashed staff at Twitter as part of dramatic cost-cutting since his US$44 billion (RM193.6 billion) takeover Musk has bought thousands of powerful, costly computing processors and hired AI engineering talent according to various media reports. – AFP oTwitter working on AI despite Musk call for global pause: report of the San Francisco firm late last year. The Insider report came less than two weeks after Musk joined experts in signing a letter calling for a hiatus in the development of AI. The open letter, published on the website of the Musk-funded Future of Life Institute, urged a six-month pause in the development of powerful AI systems. The billionaire Tesla boss and other luminaries wrote that “AI systems with human-competitive intelligence can pose profound risks to society and humanity.” The signatories, who included academics and tech titans like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, argued that the pause should be used to bolster regulation and ensure the systems were safe. Critics however called the letter a “hot mess” of “AI hype” that even misrepresented an academic paper. Musk’s fledgling AI project at Twitter was said in the Insider report to involve training a language model to create written content. Generative AI could also be put to work as a search or advertising tool, but it remained unclear what Musk intended its purpose to be at Twitter, the report said. Twitter replied to a request for comment with a poop emoji, which has become its practice under Musk. Big tech companies like Google, Meta and Microsoft have spent years working on AI systems – previously known as machine learning or big data – to help with translations, search and targeted advertising. But late last year San Francisco firm OpenAI supercharged the interest in AI when it launched ChatGPT, a bot that can generate screeds of natural language text from a short prompt. Musk cofounded OpenAI but left the company in 2018. Microsoft has since announced it is investing billions of dollars in OpenAI and put its technology to work in its Bing internet search service. – ETX Studio Google TV provides access to streaming channels GOOD news for TV addicts: more than 800 channels are now available via Google TV, and what’s more they can be accessed completely free of charge. Google TV users can now enjoy hundreds of free channels such as NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, or Tubi in the United States, according to a statement from the American company. Viewers can watch these channels without having to launch or download each channel’s app. There’s a selection of channels from all over the world and programming is available in more than ten languages. Subscribers to YouTube TV and Sling TV have the ability to access these channels via the ‘Live’ tab, providing a more fluid experience. “The new live TV experience will be available on all Google TV devices in the U.S., including Chromecast with Google TV and TVs with Google TV built-in from Sony, TCL, Hisense and Philips. “We also plan to bring the new TV guide and free channels to eligible Android TV devices later this year,” the company specified in its release. Google TV is available for free on compatible TVs or via Chromecast. A Google account is required, however, in order to bookmark titles. Content is also organised by category: true crime, cooking Google TV now offers more than 800 free channels in the US. – GETTY shows, reruns. YouTube was already positioning itself as an alternative to traditional television with its own live and simulcast offering. With the boom in streaming platforms, online programmes are more popular than ever, especially with younger generations. – ETX Studio
21 SPORTS theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF CHANNEL LEGION SDN. BHD. [Registration No. 199501025446 (354651-M)] NOTICE OF REDUCTION OF SHARE CAPITAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 117 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a special resolution to reduce the share capital of the Company pursuant to Section 117 of the Companies Act 2016 has been passed on 14 April 2023. The extract of the special resolution is set out below: - AS SPECIAL RESOLUTION -PROPOSED CAPITAL REDUCTION EXERCISE PURSUANT TO SECTION 117 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 BY REDUCING AND CANCELLING THE ISSUED SHARE CAPITAL OF THE COMPANY FROM RM500,000.00 COMPRISING OF 500,000 ORDINARY SHARES TO RM250,000.00 COMPRISING OF 250,000 ORDINARY SHARES BY RETURNING TO SHAREHOLDER THE PAID-UP SHARE CAPITAL WHICH IS IN EXCESS OF THE NEEDS OF THE COMPANY (“CAPITAL REDUCTION”) RESOLVED THAT subject to the approvals of all relevant regulatory authorities and/or parties (where applicable) pursuant to Section 117 of the Companies Act 2016 being obtained, approval be and is hereby given for the Company and the Directors of the Company to reduce the issued share capital of the Company from RM500,000.00 comprising of 500,000 ordinary shares to RM250,000.00 comprising of 250,000 ordinary shares by cancelling RM250,000 of the share capital of the Company comprising of 250,000 ordinary shares that is in excess of the needs of the Company and such reduction be effected by returning to the holder of the Company to the extent of RM1.00 per share payable in cash (“Proposed Capital Reduction”). AND RESOLVED THAT the Board be hereby authorised with full power to do all such acts, deeds and things and execute, sign and deliver on behalf of the Company all such documents and/or agreement as the Board may deem fit, necessary or expedient or appropriate in the best interest of the Company, in order to finalise, implement and/or give effect to the above transactions with full power to assent to any terms, conditions, modifications, variations and/ or amendments as may be imposed or required by the relevant authorities. By Order of the Board Wong Mee Kiat (MAICSA 7058813) SSM Practicing No. 202008001958 Company Secretary Dated this 19th April 2023 DALAM MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET DI KUALA LUMPUR DALAM WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA GUAMAN SIVIL NO: WA-A72M-1219-01/2023 ANTARA YAYASAN IHSAN RAKYAT (No Syarikat.: 201201017719 [1003231-A]) … PLAINTIF DAN MOHD WADZIR BIN MOHD ZAINI (No. K/P: 860531-38-5617) … DEFENDAN NOTIS (IKLAN PENYAMPAIAN GANTI) Kepada: - 1) MOHD WADZIR BIN MOHD ZAINI SILA AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa suatu tindakan telah dimulakan terhadap kamu di Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Lumpur , dalam Guaman No.WAA72M-1219-01/2023 oleh Yayasan Ihsan Rakyat (“Plaintif”) yang beralamat di di Tingkat 20, Menara Teo Chew, No. 1, Jalan Lumut, 50400 Kuala Lumpur di mana Plaintif menuntut terhadap kamu antara lain untuk membayar semula pinjaman, faedah dan kos. DAN TELAH DIPERINTAHKAN bahawa Writ Saman dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 30.01.2023 dilaksanakan secara penyampaian ganti terhadap kamu dengan menghantar melalui serahan melalui menampalkan pada Papan Notis Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Lumpur dan mengiklankan sekali di suatu penerbitan akhbar ‘The Sun’ dan penyampaian Writ Saman dan Pernyataan Tuntutan sedemikian akan disifatkan sebagai penyerahan lengkap dan sempurna terhadap kamu dalam empat belas hari (14) hari selepas tarikh penampalan atau pengiklanan yang terakhir tersebut. Jika kamu berhasrat untuk membela tindakan tersebut, kamu mestilah memasukkan kehadiran sama ada secara sendiri atau melalui peguamcara kamu. Jika kamu ingkar hadir sedemikian, penghakiman boleh diberikan terhadap kamu. Bertarikh pada 19 haribulan Mac, 2023 …………t.t………… TETUAN GM TAN & COMPANY Peguamcara Plaintif NOTIS (IKLAN PENYAMPAIAN GANTI) ini telah difailkan oleh Tetuan GM Tan & Company,peguamcara pihak Plaintif yang beralamat di C-10-28, Block C, Lobby 2, Centum Oasis Corporate Park, No. 2, Jalan PJU 1A/2, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. Tel No. : +603 2714 5456 E-mel :[email protected] Faks No.: +603 2714 5457 Ruj Kami:GMT/YIR(RCE)/00764/2023 DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI PULAU PINANG PENGGULUNGAN SYARIKAT NO. PA-28NCC-19-03/2023 Dalam perkara Seksyen 465(1) (e) dan Seksyen 466 (1) (a) Akta SyarikatSyarikat 2016 Dan Dalam Perkara Famous Delicacies Sdn. Bhd. (No. Syarikat: 199601042214 (414567-D) Dan Dalam Perkara Kaedah-Kaedah (Penggulungan) Syarikat-Syarikat 1972 ANTARA Special Coral Sdn. Bhd. (No. Syarikat: 911874-U) PEMPETISYEN DAN Famous Delicacies Sdn. Bhd. (No. Syarikat : 199601042214 (414567-D)) RESPONDEN PENGIKLANAN PETISYEN Notis kini diberi bahawa suatu Petisyen untuk penggulungan syarikat Famous Delicacies Sdn. Bhd. (No. Syarikat: 199601042214 (414567-D) oleh Mahkamah Tinggi telah dikemukakan pada 14/2/2023 oleh Special Coral Sdn. Bhd. (No. Syarikat: 911874-U) yang beralamat di 1F-78 Queensbay Mall, 100 Persiaran Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang dan bahawa Petisyen tersebut telah diarah untuk didengar dihadapan Mahkamah yang bersidang di Pulau Pinang pada 9.00 pagi, pada 8 Mei 2023 dan sesiapa pemiutang atau penyumbang kepada syarikat tersebut yang berminat untuk menyokong atau membangkang terhadap mana-mana Perintah yang dibuat di atas Petisyen tersebut boleh menghadiri pada masa Pendengaran dengan sendiri atau melalui Peguamcaranya untuk tujuan ini; dan sesalinan Petisyen akan diberi kepada sesiapa Pemiutang atau Penyumbang kepada Syarikat tersebut yang memohon kepada penandatangan seperti dibawah dengan bayaran yang ditetapkan. Alamat Pempetisyen adalah di 1F-78 Queensbay Mall, 100 Persiaran Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang. Peguamcara bagi Pempetisyen adalah Tetuan San Law Chambers yang mana alamat untuk penyampaiannya adalah di Unit 6.2, Tingkat 6, Wisma Leader, No. 8, Jalan Larut, 10050 Pulau Pinang. Ditandatangani …………………………….…… Peguamcara untuk Pempetisyen Nota: Sesiapa yang ingin menghadiri pada pendengaran Petisyen tersebut mestilah menyampaikan ke atas atau kirim melalui pos kepada peguamcara yang dinamakan diatas satu notis bertulis akan tujuan untuk berbuat demikian. Notis ini mesti menyatakan nama dan alamat orang itu atau, jikalau sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma, atau peguamcara mereka (jika ada) dan mesti disampaikan atau jika dikirim melalui pos hendaklah dalam masa yang memadai sampai kepada yang dinamakan di atas tidak lewat daripada pukul 12 tengahari pada 7/5/2023 (hari sebelum hari ditetapkan untuk pendengaran Petisyen). (Ruj. : DLMS/DL/797/20/Awin)/Rse. IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF KLANG JAYA INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY SDN. BHD. (199501032212) (361418-A) (In Members’ Voluntary Winding Up) NOTICE OF FINAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to Section 459 of the Companies Act 2016, a Final Meeting of the abovementioned Company will be held at UOA Business Park, Tower 3, 5th Floor, K03-05-08, 1 Jalan Pengaturcara U1/51A, Section U1, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan on Monday, 22nd day of May, 2023 at 10.30 a.m., for the following purposes:- 1. To receive and consider the Liquidator’s account of winding up of the Company and any explanations arising thereof. 2. To resolve that under Section 518(3)(b) of the Companies Act 2016, all books and papers of the Company and of the Liquidator be destroyed upon the dissolution of the Company. Dated this 19th day of April, 2023 Jason Sia Sze Wan Liquidator 322 Notices DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI KUALA LUMPUR DALAM WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN MALAYSIA (BAHAGIAN KELUARGA) PETISYEN PERCERAIAN NO.: WA-33-99-03/2023 Dalam perkara pembubaran perkahwinan atas keretakan perkahwinan Dan Dalam perkara Seksyen 53, 54, 88, 89, 92 dan 93 Akta Membaharui Undang-Undang (Perkahwinan dan Perceraian) 1976 Dan Dalam perkara mengenai Kaedah-Kaedah Prosiding Perceraian dan Hal Ehwal Perkahwinan 1980 ANTARA RACHEAL CHEN SIM YIEW (NO. K/P: 980713-14-5602) … PEMPETISYEN DAN HENRY HONG WAI LAM (NO. K/P: 980520-14-5235) … RESPONDEN NOTIS PENYAMPAIAN GANTI BENTUK IKLAN Dalam perkara Petisyen Perceraian bertarikh 2 Mac 2023 dan melalui Perintah Penyampaian Ganti bertarikh 31 Mac 2023. Kepada: HENRY HONG WAI LAM (NO. K/P: 980520-14-5235) D-02-04, Greenfields Apartment, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 1, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa satu Petisyen Perceraian telah dikeluarkan terhadap kamu dalam Mahkamah ini oleh RACHEAL CHEN SIM YIEW (NO. K/P: 980713-14-5602) dan Mahkamah ini telah memerintahkan bahawa – (a) Penyampaian bagi Petisyen Perceraian bertarikh 02 Mac 2023, Notis Pelantikan Peguam Cara bertarikh 02 Mac 2023, Pernyataan Mengenai Pengaturan Anak bertarikh 02 Mac 2023,Afidavit Sokongan Pempetisyen yang diikrarkan pada 02 Mac 2023 dan Notis Prosiding bertarikh 02 Mac 2023 (secara kolektif, “KertasKertas Kausa”) hendaklah dilaksanakan ke atas kamu secara penyampaian ganti dengan (“Penyampaian Ganti”) – (i) menampalkan sesalinan Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut dan sesalinan Perintah Penyampaian Ganti di atas papan notis Mahkmah Tinggi Malaya di Kuala Lumpur (“Penampalan tersebut”); (ii) mengiklankan satu kali sahaja suatu notis mengenai Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut dalam surat akhbar “China Press” dan “The Sun Daily” yang luas edarannya di Malaysia (“Pengiklanan tersebut”); dan (iii) menyampaikan sesalinan Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut dan sesalinan Perintah Penyampaian Ganti kepada kamu melalui nombor WhatsApp kamu di +6012 444 8520 dan akaun Facebook kamu yang bernama akaun “Henry Hey” dan beralamat laman web di “https:// www.facebook.com/henryheyo0o” (“Penyampaian Melalui Sosial Media tersebut”); (b) Penyampaian Ganti tersebut hendaklah menjadi penyampaian yang sempurna dan mencukupi ke atas kamu selepas tamatnya tujuh (7) hari dari tarikh akhir Penampalan tersebut, Pengiklanan tersebut dan Penyampaian Melalui Sosial Media tersebut Bertarikh pada 9 April 2023. t.t. ……….………………… Timbalan Pendaftar / Penolong Kanan Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Kuala Lumpur NOTIS PENYAMPAIAN GANTI BENTUK IKLAN ini difailkan oleh TETUAN MARCUS NG, Suite 19-10, Level 19, Menara K1 (Commerce One), Lorong 3/137C, Off Jalan Klang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, peguam cara bagi pihak Pempetisyen yang dinamakan di atas. (No. Tel: 03-7773 3182 / 010-926 8681 No. Faks: 03-7773 3183 E-mel: ncy@marcusng. com.my) (Rujukan kami: MNSP.RCSY.2023) 322 Notices DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI DI JOHOR BAHRU DALAM NEGERI JOHOR DARUL TAKZIM, MALAYSIA PENGGULUNGAN SYARIKAT NO.: JA-28NCC-20-01/2023 Dalam Perkara Seksyen 466(1)(a) dan 465(1)(e) Akta Syarikat 2016 Dan Dalam Perkara Netforce Chemical Sdn Bhd (No. Syarikat: 199801016129 (472258-A)) Dan Dalam Perkara Kaedah-Kaedah (Penggulungan) Syarikat 1972 ANTARA CCM CHEMICALS SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 198701000832 [159498-A]) .... PEMPETISYEN DAN NETFORCE CHEMICAL SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 199801016129 (472258-A)) .... RESPONDEN NOTIS IKLAN NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa suatu Petisyen untuk Penggulungan Syarikat yang dinamakan di atas oleh Mahkamah Tinggi telah pada 31 haribulan Januari, 2023, dikemukakan oleh CCM CHEMICALS SDN BHD. DAN bahawa Petisyen tersebut diarahkan supaya dibicarakan di hadapan Mahkamah yang bersidang di Johor Bahru pada pukul 9.00 pagi, pada 1 haribulan Jun, 2023. 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 Pempetisyen adalah di Level 5, Menara KLK, No. 1, Jalan PJU 7/6, Mutiara Damansara. 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor dan/atau alamat perniagaannya di No.69, Jalan P10/21, Selaman Industrial Park, Seksyen 10, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. Peguamcara Pempetisyen ialah Tetuan Azraai, Hazieq & Zikry yang beralamat di B-8-5A, Level 10, Block B, Menara Uncang Emas, Jalan Loke Yew, 55200, Kuala Lumpur. Bertarikh pada 16 haribulan April, 2023 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 31 haribulan Mei, 2023 (sehari sebelum tarikh yang ditetapkan untuk perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut). [Ruj Kami: SA/2.2/466/2022/CCMC/(NCSB)] IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF SHAMHO CONSTRUCTION SDN. BHD. Company No:198301014014 (109407-V) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY WINDING UP) NOTICE OF FINAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT pursuant to Section 459(2) of the Companies Act, 2016, a Final Meeting of the members of the Company will be held at 55-A, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru, Johor on Monday, 22 May 2023 at 10.00 a.m. for the following purposes :- 1. To receive the Liquidator’s account of receipts and payments and statements of distribution among the contributories and to hear any explanations that maybe given by the liquidator; 2. To resolve that under Section 518(3)(b) of the Companies Act 2016, the books, accounts and documents of the Company be destroyed after the expiration of three (3) months from the date of the final meeting. KAM CHAI HONG Liquidator Dated this 19 April 2023 A member entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his stead. A proxy need not be a member of the Company. The instrument appointing a proxy has to be deposited at the office of the Liquidator not less than forty-eight hours before the time for holding the Meeting. BIO EFN (JB) SDN. BHD. 201201039481 (1023959-V) (In Members’ Voluntary Winding-Up) (Incorporated in Malaysia) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Final General Meeting of the Company will be held at the office of the Liquidator, Suite D23, 2nd Floor, Plaza Pekeliling, No. 2 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 19th May 2023 at 10.00 a.m. for the following purposes:- (1) To receive accounts from the Liquidator showing how the winding-up has been conducted and to receive any explanations thereon. (2) To resolve under Section 518 of the Companies Act 2016 that after the expiration of three months from the date of the Final Meeting, the books and papers of the company may be destroyed. 19th April 2023 Kuala Lumpur Yap Siew Cheng Liquidator CLASSIFIEDS *Terms And Conditions Apply Call 03-7784 6688 or email [email protected] RM138 6SHFLDO2HU for Limited time only! (excl 6% SST) 2 Units 3 Storey Shop House known as 178, 178A, 178B & 180, 180A, 180B Seang Teik Road, 10400 Penang. Price: RM2.5 million per unit Riverside Resort Sdn Bhd, 332D Chulia Street, 10200 Penang 04-2630337 PROPERTY FOR SALE GREAT RETAIL SPACE FOR RENT / SALE! For Viewing Appointment, please call Ms. Chloe : 03-2072 2562 Address: Kota Raya Complex Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock 50000 Kuala Lumpur Area: 5th Floor – 26,102 sf 4th Floor – 22,390 sf Other Floors – From 205 sf to 2,982 sf Size : 5cm x 1 column (3cm) Spec : Full Color Actual Price : RM198.00 5 Days duration *Value Added on website www.thesundaily.my Call : 017-320 8888 Home Repair Expert Plumbing, Tiling, Wiring and A/Cond From RM60 onward 322 Notices 322 Notices 322 Notices CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS MS. SHOBA T 03 7784 8888 F 03 7784 4424 CSK survive RCB fireworks CHENNAI Super Kings held on for an eight-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in a high-scoring IPL match yesterday, despite a blistering partnership from Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell. A game billed as the clash between Indian superstars Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni saw a record-equalling 33 sixes hit in Bengaluru. The IPL has witnessed that number of sixes in a game thrice, with Chennai involved each time. Devon Conway and Shivam Dube blasted 83 and 52 respectively to help Chennai post a commanding 226-6 batting first. “Dube is a clean hitter, is a tall guy with good reach,” Dhoni said of the 29-year-old. “He can hit spinners. He needs to believe that he can score runs in the middle overs more than us because he has the talent.” Bangalore skipper Du Plessis (62) and Maxwell (76) brought the home crowd alive in a blazing partnership of 126. Dhoni played his part with two high catches to dismiss the dangerous pair, with Maxwell and Du Plessis falling in the space of two overs. Dinesh Karthik attempted to keep up the attack with his 14-ball 28 but Chennai regained control with regular wickets as Bangalore failed to keep up with the asking rate. Black Caps win third Pakistan T20 ALL-ROUNDER James Neesham held his nerve in the final over to give New Zealand a dramatic four-run win over Pakistan in the third T20 international in Lahore yesterday despite Iftikhar Ahmed’s brilliant innings. Iftikhar brought Pakistan back into the contest from 88-7 with a whirlwind 24-ball 60 as they attempted to chase down New Zealand’s 163-5. Needing 15 to win from Neesham’s final over, he hit a six and a four to reduce the target to five off the last three deliveries. But Neesham had Iftikhar caught at longon by Daryl Mitchell and then after a dot ball dismissed last man Haris Rauf in the same manner. “It was a great game and it’s satisfying to get across the line and keep the series alive,” said visiting captain Tom Latham. “I think the whole squad will take a lot of confidence from this match moving forward. “The three early Pakistan wickets in the powerplay set us up and we pride ourselves on our fielding and keep the bar high every time we set foot into the middle.” The victory means New Zealand trail the five-match series 2-1 after Pakistan won the first two games, by 88 and 38 runs, also in Lahore. The last two matches are in Rawalpindi tomorrow and April 24. Stokes named Wisden’s ‘Leading Cricketer’ ENGLAND captain Ben Stokes has been named “Leading Cricketer in the World” in the latest edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, the publication said yesterday. The 31-year-old all-rounder guided England to nine wins in 10 Tests and played a vital role in their T20 World Cup final win against Pakistan in November. England had only one win in their previous 17 Tests before Stokes was appointed captain last April. England’s Jonny Bairstow received the new Wisden Trophy for outstanding individual Test performance of the year after twin hundreds in a record-breaking win over India in July. Protesters halt play at snooker world championship A “Just Stop Oil” protestor halted the world snooker championship yesterday after he climbed onto a table and scattered a bag of orange powder paint over the green cloth playing surface. The BBC reported that another tried to glue herself to the event’s second table after emerging from the audience at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, with referee Olivier Marteel intervening. World Snooker Tour said the vandalised table one would be reclothed overnight and the match rescheduled. “This is the Crucible. The show will go on,” they said on Twitter. BRIEFS
22 theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 SPORTS All or nothing for Inter Goal-shy Milan eye Champions League semis while crisis looms at home I NTER MILAN stand on the verge of making the Champions League semifinals for the first time since last being crowed European champions 13 years ago, but all is not well with a goal-shy team ahead of the visit of Benfica. Last week’s superb 2-0 win in Lisbon gives Inter a great chance of setting up a blockbuster all-Italian last four tie with either Napoli or local rivals AC Milan. Both are teams Inter have had the better of this season, and Simone Inzaghi’s side have shone more often than not in the headline matches. But judging by their domestic form, Inter should be nowhere near the semis, let alone have any hopes of making it through to the final in June. Inter have lost more than a third of their Serie fixtures this season – Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Monza their 11th in 30 games – and the win at Benfica is the only victory in their last eight matches. Having taken the title race down to the final day last season Inter sit outside the top four, a whopping 24 points behind league leaders Napoli and two behind fourth-placed AC Milan. Worse, they have lost their last three home matches without scoring as formerly prolific forwards have collectively misplaced their shooting boots. Inter are averaging less than a goal a game in the second half of the league season, and while Lautaro Martinez hasn’t scored since March 5 in his team’s last Serie A win, over Lecce, the numbers for the Argentine’s attacking partners are even worse. Edin Dzeko has been firing blanks since netting in the Super Cup against Milan on Jan 18 and Joaquin Correa’s drought extends to late October. Romelu Lukaku meanwhile has had a nightmare return to Inter and will almost certainly be sent back to Chelsea in the summer after failing to rediscover the form which made him a Scudetto winner and idol two seasons ago. The Belgium forward has scored just three times from open play all season, his other four goals in all competitions coming from the penalty spot. “Since the restart we’ve not been at our normal level. For 16 months we were the best attack in the country and now we’re not scoring enough,” said Inzaghi. The atrocious form and the spectre of not reaching next season’s Champions League for a club whose finances are in disarray has left Inzaghi’s position at Inter in serious doubt. Yet, there might be a case to be made that Inter would be favourites reach the final, assuming they don’t suffer what would be a stunning collapse tomorrow. Inter were the first Italian team to beat Napoli this season in the first round of fixtures after the World Cup, and were by far and away the better team on the day. Meanwhile, Inter have shone in recent derbies with Milan, smashing their local rivals 3- 0 in the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia before then winning a league derby in early February. There’s no doubt that Inzaghi is an adept cup manager. Under him Inter won last year’s Italian Cup and Super Cup before retaining the latter in January. This year, his team are in the semifinals of the Italian Cup and have repeatedly shown up when it matters in the Champions League, getting out of a group which contained Bayern Munich and Barcelona and not conceding a goal in three knockout matches. With a two-goal cushion and familiar rivals on the horizon, Inter could yet have a chance to make history. – AFP Sell-out crowd embrace Norman’s rebel tour Down Under THE rebel LIV Golf tour has faced resistance from traditionalists and sparked a civil war in the sport, but many in Australia are embracing it with the nation’s inaugural event this week a sell-out. Tour boss Greg Norman has long wanted to see top-level golf as a regular feature in his homeland, which has been starved of big tournaments and high-profile players, largely because of its isolated location. Although LIV is controversially backed by Saudi money and seen as gimmicky with its 54-hole no-cut format, Australian golf fans have jumped at the chance to see major winners in action. Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka will all tee off in Adelaide, along with home hero and British Open champion Cameron Smith. They will do battle from Friday to Sunday at The Grange Golf Club for the richest tournament ever on Australian shores – US$20 million (RM86m) in prize money across individual and team formats. Ground passes for all three days quickly sold out, forcing organisers to release extra tickets to cater for demand. Such is the interest, for the first time since LIV took shape and sparked turmoil last year, the gates will be opened for paying fans to watch the Pro-Am, featuring all 48 players tomorrow. “Since the first day we announced our league was coming to The Grange, the response and support from the people of Australia has been overwhelming,” said Norman. LIV Golf is reportedly considering a second event in Australia in 2024 to capitalise on demand, with talk of a third in the future. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson said there was untapped potential in Australia as the circuit seeks to broaden its appeal outside the United States, where interest in LIV has been more tepid. “When people want us there (in Australia), then, yeah, we obviously want to be there as many times as we can to make them happy,” the American told Australian media last week. “Nobody’s bad-mouthing us down there.” – AFP FERRARI boss Fred Vasseur insists Red Bull’s penalty for breaching the 2021 F1 cost cap was “very low” as Christian Horner’s team look set to run away with the world championship again this season. Red Bull, who won both titles last year as well as the Drivers’ Championship with Max Verstappen in 2021, were fined £6 million (RM32m) and docked 10% of their allotted car development time after being found guilty of a minor overspend of the budget cap. Despite Horner stating at the time that the punishment could cost them as much as half-a-second in lap time, Red Bull look even more dominant this year with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, at times, lapping a second-a-lap quicker than the rest of the field on raceday. While Red Bull have won all three opening races, Vasseur’s opening month in charge at Ferrari – where he took over from the axed Mattia Binotto in the off-season – has been challenging with retirements and penalties to contend with for both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Yet speaking to reporters this week, the Frenchman emphasised that the penalty applied to Red Bull was not severe enough. “The (cost cap) penalty for me was very low,” Vasseur said. “If you consider that basically we will improve a bit less than a second over the season in terms of aero, you get a penalty of 10% of this it’s one-tenth and as it’s not a linear progression it’s probably less. “And you are allowed to spend this money somewhere else, so it means for me the penalty is marginal. “They did a good job but I’m still convinced that the penalty was very light. If you consider the rate of development that we have during the season, if you consider the fact that if you have a 10% ban it’s at the end, that means it’s not something that’s linear; you are sum-toting the performance. “Then you can spend what you are saving on the wind tunnel somewhere else, on the weight saving and so on, I’m not sure that the effect is mega. “And if you consider that you have an advantage at the beginning of the season because you spend more the year before, then the compensation. “But I don’t want to say that they didn’t do a good job, because I think honestly that they did a very good job on the car. “I’m not trying to find an excuse at all. It’s not this. But if you ask me if the penalty is too light, I say yes.” – The Independent Ferrari boss unhappy with ‘light’ Red Bull penalty █ KIERAN JACKSON Heritage title means more than anything: Fitzpatrick MATT FITZPATRICK hailed his RBC Heritage triumph as “very, very special”, describing the tournament as his most coveted crown on the PGA Tour after taking victory in South Carolina. The Englishman outlasted Jordan Spieth to take victory on the third playoff hole, putting home for a birdie to take victory after a superb approach on to the 18th green. Fitzpatrick’s Heritage crown follows his maiden major win at last year’s US Open, and the title was all the more special given the 28-year-old used to holiday near the Harbour Town course as a youngster. “It’s hard to describe,” Fitzpatrick said of his victory. “It’s a course I dreamed of playing when I was young.” He added to Sky Sports: “I managed to play it a couple of times with my dad and this one means more than anything. “Of every single one on the calendar, this is the one that I would want to win the most.” Fitzpatrick win serves as a major confidence boost ahead of the rest of the major season, with the Yorkshireman also showing solid form at Augusta last weekend, finishing tied for 10th. Elbow trouble for Djokovic NOVAK DJOKOVIC says he is still dealing with an elbow issue heading into this week’s Srpska Open as the Serb looks to get his French Open preparations back on track following his early exit at the Monte Carlo Masters. Djokovic suffered a third-round defeat to Lorenzo Musetti in Monte Carlo last week, the 22-times Grand Slam champion’s serve broken eight times by the Italian. “My elbow is not in an ideal shape but good enough to be ready for the first match,” Djokovic told reporters. “One of the good things in tennis is that you get new opportunity to prove your worth every week and take a step forward. I’ve turned over a new leaf. “Naturally, I wasn’t satisfied with the result in Monte Carlo. But, ever since I landed, I’ve felt welcomed in Banja Luka, a lot of positive energy and positive emotions.” Djokovic will face 18-year-old Luca Van Assche in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina today after the Frenchman claimed a 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over threetimes Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka. Picture: Getty Images *Players still in competition UEFA Champions League 2022-23 Q-FINAL, 2ND LEG – APR 20 @ 3am in M’sia CL form W D L Form Goals for / against Passes Corners Possession 13 / 7 23 / 10 INTER vs BENFICA San Siro First leg result: 2-0 Head-to-head Won 3 Drawn 1 Won 0 4 2 381 6 43% 9 Total shots / Shots on target 546 4 57% 12 First leg statistics Source: UEFA © GRAPHIC NEWS André Onana Inter goalkeeper with six clean sheets in nine Champions League matches DRIVING SEAT: Inter have won 17 of 18 UEFA competition ties after securing victory away from home in first leg Champions League 2022-23: Saves* 22 20 19 27 Onana Courtois Arrizabalaga Meret Vlachodimos Inter Real Madrid Chelsea Napoli Benfica 40 SHORTS
23 * SPORTS theSUN ON WEDNESDAY | APRIL 19, 2023 /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK SCAN ME Haaland back to haunt Munich On-fire City striker shows Bayern what they are missing WHEN Erling Haaland takes the field for Manchester City tomorrow in Munich, the Norwegian will face the club who tried to sell the farm to buy him but failed. Bayern’s late first-leg capitulation in Manchester means the six-time winners need to overcome a 3-0 deficit to make it through to the semis. Not only must Bayern do so against Europe’s form team, but they need to somehow find the goals that the toothless front-line have lacked in 2023. Midway through the second half at the Etihad, Bayern, 1-0 down after a Rodri wonder goal, were dominating possession and had carved out several chances, but failed to put any away. Then, in a six-minute period, the brutally efficient Haaland showed what Bayern were missing up front, setting up a goal and then scoring another to put City on course for the semifinals. While Haaland’s flurry likely sunk Bayern’s Champions League hopes then and there, the seeds for their struggles were planted late last season, when the German champions tried and failed to sign the Norwegian. Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic was not alone in his desire to sign Haaland, but his open courting of the Norwegian put noses out of joint, particularly that of star striker Robert Lewandowski. In 2021, a clip emerged of Salihamidzic on the sidelines of a Bayern-Dortmund clash, speaking with an assistant coach after Haaland scored twice in seven minutes. “How good is Haaland? He’s a machine. I’ll call his agent tomorrow.” In that match, Haaland had given Dortmund a 2- 0 lead, Bayern fought back to win 4-2 – thanks to a Lewandowski hattrick. Bayern were willing to tear up their carefully constructed salary structure to sign the Norwegian in the summer of 2022. Lewandowski’s camp said the striker felt slighted by the German club’s failure to offer him a longerterm deal, with Bayern seemingly distracted by their pursuit of Haaland. Lewandowski had scored more than 40 goals for Bayern in seven straight seasons, scoring a remarkable 344 goals in 375 appearances. Ultimately, Bayern’s wandering eye cost them both Haaland and Lewandowski. Haaland – who later said he “felt sorry” for Lewandowski, calling Bayern’s treatment “disrespectful” – left the Bundesliga altogether. Despite a history of scoring against Bayern – Haaland has six goals and two assists in eight games against the Bavarians – last week’s 3-0 victory was the striker’s first win against the German champions. He lost seven from seven with Dortmund. Since moving to City, Haaland has been spectacular, smashing records on the way to scoring 47 goals in 40 appearances. Coming into tomorrow’s clash (3am Malaysian time), the Norwegian has somehow managed to up his form, with a scarcely believable 14 goals in his past six games. Bayern have eight across the same period, four of which came in one match against a wilting Dortmund. Big-name signing Sadio Mane has not scored since October and is returning from a one-match suspension for hitting Leroy Sane in the face after the first-leg loss to City. Instead, Serge Gnabry will likely lead the line, the same Gnabry who said in November he did not consider himself a striker “but it’s better than sitting on the bench”. – AFP Hammers found way to hurt Gunners: Coufal VLADIMIR COUFAL revealed West Ham found a way to “hurt” Arsenal after putting another dent in their Premier League title bid. The Hammers, still embroiled in the relegation battle, fell two goals behind against the leaders after just 10 minutes. But Said Benrahma’s penalty and Jarrod Bowen’s volley – either side of a missed spotkick by Bukayo Saka – secured an unlikely 2-2 draw as the Gunners slipped up in the title race again. “It was an unbelievable team performance,” said Czech right-back Coufal. “We were 2-0 down against one of the best teams in the world and it’s finished 2-2 so I am very grateful for every person from our team. “We were 2-0 down with nothing to lose and there was one situation where we pressed them and suddenly the crowd pushed us. We turned the game, we scored and we were pushing, pushing, pushing. “Suddenly, we were 2-2 and it was perfect. From this situation we found it is possible to play against them, it is possible to press them, it is possible to hurt them. We did it and we have to play like this from the beginning. “For us, it’s very important that we’re not in the relegation zone. We go stepby-step, game-by-game. “It’s important we are four points clear but we have to keep going like this until the end of the season.” Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table is now down to four points over Manchester City, who have a game in hand. “Once again, the three points were in our hands,” Gabriel Jesus told the club website. – The Independent DIOGO DALOT says Antony is reaping the rewards for his hard work after the big-money summer signing scored one and provided the other as Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest. Erik ten Hag splashed the cash to bring in the Brazil international from former club Ajax, who were paid an initial €95 million (RM456m) that could rise by a further €5m (RM24m) in add-ons. Antony is the fifth most expensive signing in Premier League history and that eye-catching outlay has led to heightened expectations on the young winger. The 23-year-old has not been effective in every match but shone at the City Ground on Monday, scoring his first Premier League goal since October before expertly slipping through Dalot to wrap up a 2-0 win. “I think everybody is seeing he’s getting his rewards now,” Dalot said of his fellow scorer against Forest. “He works very hard, he is a kid who works every day very hard to be at this top level. “He fights for the team, he is a team player, everybody can see that, and he’s getting his rewards. “I’m sure he will be very helpful for us. He showed with the goal and the assist that he’s a very important player for us. “I tried my best (to help him adapt). I was not the main character on his journey so far. He was and he still is, but I think everybody helped him to get comfortable. “He knew the manager already, so he knew how he likes to play, how he wants to play and we tried to help him settle in quickly and we’re very happy with him.” Dalot’s shared language has helped build a bond with Antony, with the Portuguese and Brazilian celebrating the second together with a posed handshake. “It’s our thing,” the United fullback said. “I’m happy that I have a good relationship with him. He’s a fantastic kid, I like to be around him. “We spoke, he was going to score… we were not expecting I was going to score as well! We both did and we were happy with that.” – The Independent Antony deserves success at United, says Dalot █ ANDY SIMS █ SIMON PEACH RESULTS & STANDINGS Martinez undergoes successful surgery MANCHESTER UNITED defender Lisandro Martinez has undergone successful surgery on the fractured metatarsal which prematurely ended his season. The Argentina centreback was carried off on a stretcher during Thursday’s Europa League draw with Sevilla and it quickly became apparent the 25-year-old would play no further part in the campaign. Martinez has now had an operation on his right foot and the player posted a picture on Instagram post-surgery with the message: “Everything went really well, thanks to God! Many thanks for all of your messages. Now focusing on the recovery.” Martinez is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of next season but his absence leaves United without either of their firstchoice centrebacks as Raphael Varane was also injured against Sevilla and is expected to be out for a few weeks. Atalanta held at Fiorentina ATALANTA slipped up in their bid to reach next season’s Champions League after being held 1-1 at Fiorentina in Serie A yesterday. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side had the chance to move level on points with fifth-placed Inter Milan with a win in Florence and looked good after Joakim Maehle poked the away side ahead eight minutes before the break. But Arthur Cabral earned Fiorentina a point and extended his team’s unbeaten record to 14 matches by rolling home a 56th-minute penalty following Rafael Toloi’s handball. A win would have greatly improved sixthplaced Atalanta’s top-four hopes after Inter and AC Milan both dropped points at the weekend. Roma sack CEO after transfer probe ROMA announced yesterday that they had sacked their CEO as prosecutors investigate the Serie A club’s past transfer dealings. In a short statement, Roma said that Pietro Berardi had been terminated from his role at the club and other businesses within its parent company Friedkin Group, “with immediate effect”. Roma did not say why Berardi, who had been CEO since October 2021, had been removed. Transfer dealings have been one of the major scandals in Italian football over the past year, with Juventus docked 15 points in January for using transactions to artificially boost their balance sheet. Son gives Spurs timely lift SON HEUNG-MIN has provided Tottenham supporters with a lift by revealing he is targeting a place in the top five of the club’s all-time scoring list. The Spurs attacker scored the opener in Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat to Bournemouth and in the process moved level with Jermain Defoe on 143 goals for the Premier League outfit. Son has two more years left to run on his contract and despite Barcelona and Real Madrid being reported as admirers in recent months, the 30-year-old is eager to push on at Tottenham and has double winner Cliff Jones’ tally of 159 goals next in his sights. “I think I’ve got a few more years to play yet, so I will try to keep scoring more goals. I want to go a little bit higher (on the list), so I will do my best,” he said. “It’s a big honour to have been playing for a few years now at this club. Obviously I’m not really focused to be tied with this goalscoring record, obviously I just want to help the team. But it’s a big honour to be compared with Jermain Defoe, who is a Spurs legend and scored so many goals for Spurs. So I think to tie this goal tally makes me hugely proud.” ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Leeds 1 (Sinisterra 47) Liverpool 6 (Gakpo 35, Salah 39, 64, Jota 52, 73, Nunez 90). P W D L F A Pts Arsenal 31 23 5 3 74 31 74 Man City 30 22 4 4 78 28 70 Man Utd 30 18 5 7 46 37 59 Newcastle 30 15 11 4 48 24 56 Tottenham 31 16 5 10 57 45 53 Aston Villa 31 15 5 11 44 40 50 Brighton 29 14 7 8 54 37 49 Liverpool 30 13 8 9 55 36 47 Brentford 31 10 13 8 47 42 43 Fulham 30 12 6 12 42 41 42 Chelsea 31 10 9 12 30 33 39 Crystal Palace 31 9 9 13 31 40 36 Wolves 31 9 7 15 26 42 34 Bournemouth 31 9 6 16 31 59 33 West Ham 30 8 7 15 29 41 31 Leeds 31 7 8 16 40 59 29 Everton 31 6 9 16 24 46 27 Forest 31 6 9 16 24 56 27 Leicester 31 7 4 20 41 55 25 Southampton 31 6 5 20 24 53 23 LA LIGA: Celta Vigo 0 Real Mallorca 1 (Ndiaye 21). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Barcelona 29 23 4 2 53 9 73 Real Madrid 29 19 5 5 61 24 62 Atletico 29 18 6 5 47 21 60 Sociedad 29 15 6 8 37 28 51 Real Betis 29 14 6 9 37 30 48 Villarreal 29 14 5 10 38 28 47 SERIE A: Fiorentina 1 (Cabral 56-pen) Atalanta 1 (Maehle 37). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Napoli 30 24 3 3 66 21 75 Lazio 30 18 7 5 49 20 61 Roma 30 17 5 8 42 26 56 AC Milan 30 15 8 7 49 37 53 Inter Milan 30 16 3 11 48 34 51 Atalanta 30 14 7 9 48 35 49 SIDENETTING Halland
theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7783 7435 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] or download app from the App Store or Google Play TM . Read iPaper at www.thesundaily.my FREE access Interactive WEDNESDAY • APRIL 19, 2023 Delighted Klopp hails Liverpool’s best performance of season JURGEN KLOPP said Liverpool turned in their best display of the season after a thumping 6-1 win at troubled relegation battlers Leeds. Klopp’s side halted a five-game winless run in all competitions in emphatic fashion as Leeds were put to the sword at Elland Road. Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both fired doubles after Cody Gakpo had given Liverpool the lead, while substitute Darwin Nunez completed the rout in the final minute. Luis Sinisterra reduced the deficit for Leeds when making it 2-1 early in the second half, but it was brief respite as Liverpool clicked into top gear. Klopp said: “The moment in the game I enjoyed the most was the 92nd minute. It’s already 6-1 and we lose the ball and we had four players chasing. “From a counter-pressing point of view that was definitely the best game we’ve played this season, in possession probably as well. “We were calm in the decisive moments to pass exceptional balls. I think Mo’s second was super play. Curtis (Jones) to Robbo (Andrew Robertson), then Cody (Gakpo) and then the ball to Mo. That was really good. “There were lots of good moments. Last goal, sensational pass from Trent (Alexander-Arnold) and Darwin (Nunez) can finish it off. It was a good game.” Liverpool had taken two points from their four previous Premier League games and lost in the Champions League at Real Madrid since their record-breaking 7-0 win against Manchester United early last month. They remain in eighth place, three points adrift of the Europa League places, and Klopp said he had “no clue where we can end up this season”. “We’ve played a really bad season, but some things are not really to explain,” the German added. “Some things are, some things aren’t. Some things are definitely not acceptable, but now we can put in good performances we can understand what is possible. “That’s really important for me and that’s why I don’t think where we can push to, I just want us to play top football and win games and we’ll see where we end up.” The win in West Yorkshire came after a much-improved showing against League leaders Arsenal in their previous game, when they came back from 2-0 down to draw despite a missed Salah penalty. “To play good football you need stability,” Klopp told BBC Sport. “Stability you only get from defending but when you are in this kind of negative flow, if we can use that phrase, then you make wrong decisions. “You think to play better you have to be foremost concerned with the offensive stuff. We can be super offensive-orientated, if we react in the right moment. “I can’t explain why our counterpressing didn’t work (in previous games) but tonight it clicked. It clicked in the second half against Arsenal. “Tonight I’m not sure how many goals we scored after we won the ball back, but that makes all the difference. “I think we know that, but there is always a bit of difference from knowing and understanding and really feeling it.” Leeds appear to be in free-fall after conceding 11 goals in their last two games, following up their 5-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace eight days ago with another devastating loss. They have now conceded 60 League goals this season, more than any other side, and remain two points above the drop zone with seven games to play. Head coach Javi Gracia admitted his side’s latest humbling was one of the low points of his managerial career. “It’s hard to manage, of course,” Gracia said. “I don’t remember in my career if in two games in a row I conceded five, then six goals. I don’t remember that. “It’s hard to manage, but I’m here to try to give my best, to try to help the team, to help the club and that is what I’m going to do.” – The Independent/Agencies Slip sliding away? Arsenal not winning League would be a disaster: Hasselbaink ROY KEANE has said that Arsenal’s season will not be a success unless Mikel Arteta’s side hold on to top spot and win the Premier League, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has claimed it would be a “disaster” if the Gunners do not beat Manchester City to the title. For the second game in succession, the League leaders let a lead slip, allowing West Ham to come from behind and secure a draw. The dropped points dented Arsenal’s hopes of securing a first title for nearly 20 years, with Manchester City closing the gap to just four points. Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand on Arsenal and face the London club in their next League fixture. While Arteta has quickly transformed a side that finished outside of the Champions League places last year into real contenders, former Manchester United midfielder Keane believes Arsenal are at risk of squandering a successful season. “It wouldn’t be an unbelievable season (if Arsenal don’t win the title),” Keane said on Sky Sports. “No chance. Second wouldn’t be a successful season. “They’re out of all the cup competitions. If they don’t go on to win the League it’s a huge disappointment. Arsenal have no distractions. “They looked tired at the end (at West Ham), they were hanging in there against Liverpool last week. “That’s not a great message to say they’re up for the fight and they’re enjoying it. It’s obviously playing tricks in their heads. “In the last week or two, Arsenal have lacked composure, particularly when they’ve got into winning positions. “They could still go on to win it because they’re in a fantastic position if they can just keep their heads and have a bit of composure, but the question was if they were to finish second, it’s a disappointment for Arsenal.” Hasselbaink added: “They were seven points clear. It would be a disaster, you’ve been leading the whole way. “To give it away in the last three matches, it’s a disaster. If doesn’t matter if you’re not thinking to be No. 1 at the beginning of the season, you’ve been No. 1 for the whole way!” Manchester City host Arsenal on April 27 (3am Malaysian time) in a clash that could decide the destination of the title. Before then, Arteta’s side welcome Southampton the Emirates Stadium hoping to distance the defending champions a little. Of concern for the Spanish manager will be the manner in which his side let West Ham come back in to a game that the visitors looked to be dominating at the London Stadium. Bukayo Saka’s missed penalty proved crucial as Jarrod Bowen’s volleyed finish secured the hosts a valuable point in their relegation fight. While Keane is clear that second would be a disappointment, his former Manchester United teammate Gary Neville disagrees. Neville explained: “If you said Arsenal would be challenging for the title at the start of the season, they would snap your hand off wouldn’t they? “Arsenal finishing second would still be an unbelievable season. They’ve gone from fifth. “They’ve got young players. I’m not saying they won’t be disappointed and heartbroken by it. “What’s happening now was always going to come. They were going to lose their nerve, lose their energy and make mistakes. “That was a wobble today, but you’re always going to have a wobble on the way to your first title. “When Blackburn beat us for the first title in 1995, they had lots of wobbles on the way and they got over the line. “And they stumbled over – and they might get there Arsenal, if they go that way. “It’s not a disaster. If I was Manchester City’s players and I didn’t win the League with Erling Haaland up front scoring 50-odd goals, with Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez as well – I think that would be a disaster.” – The Independent █ HARRY LATHAM-COYLE Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (left) in action with Leeds United’s Pascal Struijk during yesterday’s English Premier League match at Elland Road. – REUTERSPIX