The Sun 03122025

Malaysian Paperwww.thesun.my RM1.00 PER COPYRM1WEDNESDAYDEC 3, 2025SCAN MENo. 8992 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) Speaking in the Parliament yesterday, Anwar said the statutory debt of Malaysia remains within the legal limits at 64% of gross domestic product. – BERNAMAPICCAP concerned about rising private healthcare costs Report on—page 4Amputee wins appeal for bigger compensationAppeals court raises damages awarded to cameraman in medical negligence case from RM783,011.88 to RM1,284,705.88. Report on—page 51MDB still M’sia’s biggest liabilityGovernment has so far settled RM42bil of sovereign wealth fund’s RM51bil debt, while assets recovered amount to RM29bil, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.Immediate past Miti minister says he remains committed to contributing to national development.Zafrul ready for whatever role deemed fit by PM Report on—page 3‘More Malaysians forced to abandon medical insurance, seek treatment at overloaded public hospitals.’Report on—page 2

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20252‘Support letter should not signify double standards’PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the disputed support letter linked to his former senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin was a request for consideration of six contractors for a hospital project, not an instruction to approve them, and should not be portrayed as evidence of double standards. He added that the type of support letter that Shamsul Iskandar was said to have issued must be understood in context. Responding to a question from Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Wira Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Anwar said the government does not dismiss officers simply for forwarding letters that request consideration. “We do not dismiss officers for writing letters asking that something be considered. A letter asking for consideration or attention should not be turned into political ammunition. “What is more serious is when there is influence or instructions, as has been alleged in cases involving Kelantan and Terengganu. “The hypocrisy here is that not a word is said about letters from Kelantan and Terengganu asking for approval. What hypocrisy is this? One letter clearly instructed that something be approved, yet it is not mentioned.” During the exchange, Hulu Terengganu MP Datuk Rosol Wahid pressed Anwar to identify the source of the Terengganu letter. The prime minister replied the letter existed and could be produced, prompting Rosol to say it should not be shown as it would “damage the image” of the state government. The Masjid Tanah MP pressed further, asking whether Anwar was embarrassed to cite integrity when Shamsul Iskandar resigned only after certain WhatsApp screenshots were widely circulated online. She also questioned why Anwar did not dismiss the officer earlier despite advice from Pandan MP Datuk Seri Mohd Rafizi Ramli. In response, Anwar said Shamsul Iskandar was subjected to the same enforcement process as anyone else. “The case is now being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Comission (MACC). What more you do want? “I have not instructed MACC at all. I said they are free to investigate. They investigated.” Anwar pointed to the opposition for selective outrage, and concluded that parliamentary debates should not be used to shield wrongdoing. Shamsul Iskandar was remanded beginning last Saturday to assist investigations into allegations of corruption. – By Faiz Ruzman‘No Msians affected by Sri Lanka storm’KUALA LUMPUR: The High Commission of Malaysia in Colombo said no Malaysians have been reported affected by Cyclonic Storm Ditwah, which swept across parts of Sri Lanka causing heavy rain, floods and landslides. In a statement, the mission said this was the situation as of the latest report on Monday. It urged Malaysians seeking consular assistance to contact the High Commission via its office at 26A/5, Alwis Place, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka, or by telephone at +94 11 755 7711/12/13 or via WhatsApp at +94 77 003 0303. The High Commission said Malaysians requiring assistance may also email the mission at [email protected] and [email protected]. The mission on Friday last week advised Malaysians in Sri Lanka to exercise extreme caution as Ditwah was forecast to bring severe weather conditions across the island. - Bernama1MDB remains largestliability of nation: PMPETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed that 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) remains the single largest outstanding liability in the country’s debt profile, amounting to RM34 billion.“The largest debt remains 1MDB, inherited since 2018, amounting to RM34 billion, alongside RM17 billion in interest commitments. “Therefore, 1MDB debt has reached almost RM50 billion. What has been paid by the government so far amounts to RM42 billion. “This includes principal and interest. But Alhamdulillah, we have also managed to recover funds. “RM29 billion has been financed due to the efforts of all agencies involved,” Anwar told Parliament yesterday. He added that the recovered funds reflected coordinated action across agencies, but the remaining liabilities were still significant. “The National Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre, Finance Ministry and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission have collectively recovered the o‘Debt has reached almost RM50 billion, RM42 billion paid by govt’Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN [email protected] billion mentioned earlier.” He said however, the statutory debt of Malaysia remains within legal limits at 64% of gross domestic product (GDP), rejecting claims that national borrowings exceeded the 65% ceiling as misinformation driven by “manipulated statistics”. “External debts are also under control. Our external exposure is now RM22.4 billion, below the 35% threshold set. “Treasury bills also remain below the limit. Currently they stand at RM4 billion while our ceiling is RM10 billion.” He was responding to Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, who asked for the latest national debt position, the principles of the government in reducing new borrowings and its strategy for ensuring long-term debt and fiscal deficit reduction. Earlier, Anwar said Malaysia’s broader fiscal position has shown improvement following the introduction of the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which sets a medium-term target of reducing the national deficit to 3% and the debt-to-GDP ratio to 60%. “The deficit level has clearly decreased. As I mentioned during the budget campaign, it has come down to 5% in 2023, 4.1% in 2024, and 3.8% in 2025. “And our projections show that it would continue to decline. There has also been confusion, which I have clarified, regarding the total debt. “New debt amounted to RM100 billion in 2021, now it is about RM75 billion. “That is the rate of reduction. Therefore, as we can see, the deficit statement recorded up to the end of September (2025)results in a federal debt of RM1.315 trillion.” Responding to Syahredzan’s follow-up question on claims that debt levels had exceeded the legal ceiling, Anwar said such assertions were based on distorted interpretations of the figures. “Yes, these figures are being spun. Statistics cannot lie, but there are situations (in which) statistics could be manipulated to deceive. “Therefore, I want to emphasise what statutory debt means. It is defined clearly in our law. Statutory debt refers to the total domestic borrowings and does not include our small external debt or treasury bills. “There is a reduction in this figure because the key is lowering it without creating a burden on the people. This is a decision we must make.” He added that while reducing new borrowings remained a priority, it had to be balanced with ongoing development commitments. “Could we reduce it to RM20 billion next year? Yes, but then state governments must not ask for reductions. The reduction must still allow us to implement essential development projects. Flood mitigation, basic infrastructure, education, healthcare and others, these must continue. “So I do not think this matter should cause confusion. When our deficit projections decrease, it means our debt obligations would also decline.” Anwar said government projections showed debt pressure would plateau by 2027 to 2028 and begin to decline starting late 2028 to 2029 if current fiscal measures continue consistently.RM500 million allocated for flood repairs, says AnwarKUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an allocation of RM500 million to repair public infrastructure damage caused by the recent floods. He said he instructed all departments under the state and federal governments to conduct damage assessments and implement repair work immediately. “This includes schools, clinics, basic facilities and roads. To expedite, I have approved RM500 million for the purpose of repairing flood damage,” he said when tabling the Supply (Budget) Bill 2026 for its second reading in the Dewan Negara yesterday. The Supply Bill was passed on Monday in the Dewan Rakyat after being tabled by him on Oct 10. Anwar, who is also Finance minister, said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) had increased its preparedness and implemented appropriate actions with local authorities and state governments in dealing with the disaster. “This year’s floods have seen more than 150 additional temporary relief centres activated recently, assisting more than 12,000 individuals.” The flood situation as of 8am yesterday showed a decrease in the number of victims in seven states, namely Selangor, Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Kedah, Pahang and Perlis. Earlier, the prime minister reiterated that the government has allocated RM470 billion through the Madani Budget 2026 with a focus on driving economic growth, strengthening governance and ensuring that aid reaches the people directly. He added that Sabah and Sarawak continued to be given priority for development through the implementation of water projects, improvement of school Anwar said Nadma had increased its preparedness and implemented appropriate actions with local authorities and state governments in dealing with the disaster. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUNfacilities, the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway project and digital facilities under the Madani Undersea Cable project. In terms of security and disaster preparedness, Anwar said Nadma received RM460 million, while RM2.2 billion was allocated to implement 43 flood mitigation projects nationwide. He also said the Education Ministry received the largest allocation of RM66.2 billion, followed by the Health Ministry at RM46.5 billion, including the permanent appointment of 4,500 contract doctors next year. Budget 2026 is the fourth budget under the Madani government and the first to be implemented within the framework of the 13th Malaysia Plan. – Bernama

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20253Zafrul ready for new national roleKUALA LUMPUR: Fresh off his final day helming the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said he stands ready to take on whatever role the prime minister assigns him next. Speaking to reporters, Tengku Zafrul said he remains committed to contributing to national development. “There is a new role for me to support the government,” said Tengku Zafrul during a dialogue session with the Concorde Club chaired by Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai at Wisma Bernama yesterday. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUNoFormer minister pledges full commitment while highlighting key trade moves in M’sia-US agreement and China-Malaysia FTA upgradeŰ BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI [email protected] takes over duties of entrepreneur, co-op ministry KUALA LUMPUR: Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi has been given the responsibility of carrying out the duties and functions of the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister effective today Chief Secretary to the Government, who is also Cabinet secretary Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said the decision was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Cabinet meeting held last Friday. “The government would like to express its appreciation and gratitude for all the contributions and services rendered by Datuk Ewon Benedick, MP for Penampang, throughout his tenure as Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives minister,” he said in a statement yesterday. Ewon, who is also the president of the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko), announced his resignation as Cabinet minister last month. According to media reports, Ewon was quoted as saying the decision was made to focus on political affairs in Sabah and strengthen Upko’s position in the state’s political landscape. Meanwhile, Nanta, via a Facebook post, expressed his appreciation to the prime minister and the Cabinet for the trust given to him to shoulder the responsibility. In addition to carrying out his duties as Works minister, he said the appointment would be carried out with full commitment to ensure the continuity of operations and the smooth functioning of the ministry. Nanta also expressed his appreciation for all of Ewon’s contributions throughout his leadership of the ministry. “I am committed to ensuring that the ministry’s work runs smoothly and that the policies currently being implemented can continue for the benefit of entrepreneurs, SMEs (small and medium enterprises), cooperatives and the people as a whole. “I hope to be able to work closely with all agencies, industry partners and stakeholders to ensure the smooth administration of the ministry throughout my term in office.” – BernamaSabah govt must honour mandate: GRS deputy sec-genKOTA KINABALU: All elected representatives and political parties that make up the new Sabah government must commit to delivering the aspirations of the people. Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy secretary-general Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said regardless of the newly-elected assemblymen’s party affiliation, the people’s aspirations must be translated into action through a government that is stable, inclusive and committed to integrity. Armizan, who is also Domestic Trade and Cost of Living minister, said the Sabah Cabinet line-up sworn in on Monday reflects the collective commitment of the participating parties to lay down the framework and foundation for the state’s direction. “Although no coalition secured a simple majority to form the government, the mandate from the people who came out to vote clearly shows their desire for a government that can deliver meaningful and valuable change. “The agenda of prioritising and safeguarding Sabah’s rights and interests will remain the core focus, as outlined in the election pledges of all contesting parties and assemblymen,” he said in a Facebook post. He said although all five Independent assemblymen were previously part of GRS leadership before nomination day, their voices now as Independents remain crucial in shaping the state’s political landscape. Armizan added that opposition assemblymen also play an important role in providing checks and balances to ensure that the state government remains relevant and responsive. On Monday, 10 state assemblymen were sworn in before Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Musa Aman as State Cabinet ministers in the newly-elected GRSled Sabah state government. Early on Sunday morning, GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor took his oath of office as the 17th chief minister of Sabah. The 10-member Cabinet who were sworn in on Monday comprises seven representatives from GRS and one each from Upko, BN and PH. - BernamaDAP opts out of state posts: LokeKUALA LUMPUR: Sabah DAP has decided not to accept any positions within the Sabah government, including appointments to the Sabah State Legislative Assembly, said secretarygeneral Anthony Loke., He said this decision was decided during an emergency meeting of the party’s central executive committee to discuss the results of the state election held on Monday night. Loke said although Sabah DAP will not be part of the state government structure, the party’s leaders will continue to serve the people of Sabah actively and work to restore their confidence. On the state election, Loke said the election results reflect a serious crisis of confidence in both DAP and Pakatan Harapan. “This is a clear signal from the voters. The leaders and members involved in the campaign were highly aware of the widespread dissatisfaction among the people throughout the campaign period,” he said in a statement yesterday. Loke also said DAP will gather all the feedback received and collaborate with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to fast-track the reform agenda in the next six months. DAP failed to secure any seats out of the eight it contested during the polls. – Bernama“There is a new role for me to support the government. We will wait until Dec 3rd (today). I did talk to the prime minister before and I told him I am willing to support in any capacity to help the government and the country. But I don’t know what he has decided.” Reflecting on the period overseeing the economic cluster of Asean, Tengku Zafrul described it as both challenging and rewarding. “To say it’s been an exciting year is an understatement. I’m lucky to have a strong team supporting me, the ministry and the government to navigate these challenges.” He also underscored the importance of the Malaysia-United States Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), saying it safeguards market access while protecting the livelihoods of millions of Malaysians. “We did the best we could, but we will continue to engage the US, diversify to other markets and strengthen our companies. “The challenge is to ensure Malaysian companies remain effective in global supply chains. If they are not, we risk being left out.” Tengku Zafrul also spoke on the upgrade of the China-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement, calling it vital for Asean’s trade balance with China. “China is the largest trading partner for Asean and Asean is the largest for China. Completing the upgrade allows for more balanced trade and increased market access for Asean countries including Malaysia.” He also addressed questions on the proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China, noting that discussions are still at an early stage. He said the idea was first raised during Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Kuala Lumpur, when Beijing voiced concern over Malaysia’s recently announced ART partnership with the US. “They don’t want a situation where we give preferential treatment to the US. We explained this during the meeting in KL and agreed to continue discussions in Beijing.” He added that a Malaysian delegation travelled to Beijing last week to clarify the ART framework, which reportedly satisfied Chinese officials. “They also expressed interest in strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties, prompting discussions on the MoU. “The details are still very preliminary, but the focus is on boosting investments for both countries, supporting Malaysian companies in China and Chinese companies in Malaysia, and identifying strategic sectors for collaboration across Asean.” He added that the discussions reflect China’s intent to work more closely with Malaysia, with both sides aiming for tangible outcomes. For the record, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Monday said Tengku Zafrul will be appointed to a new position, with the announcement scheduled for today. Anwar now has four Cabinet posts to fill – Investment, Trade and Industry, Economy, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability and Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives. Tengku Zafrul, who has been a senator since 2020, completed his six-year tenure in the Dewan Negara yesterday. He was reappointed for a second term in December 2022 and has held his ministerial post throughout his time in the senate, which is the maximum period allowed. He was first appointed as a senator under then prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and continued to serve in multiple administrations including under former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20254@thesundailyFOLLOW ON TWITTER Malaysian PaperRM323m tourism budget for SarawakKUCHING: The Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts has been allocated RM323 million under the 2026 State Budget as the industry continues to record strong performance with RM10.22 billion in tourism receipts between January and October. The state Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said from this amount, RM129 million would be utilised for development expenditure, while RM194 million as operating expenditure. “This budget is crucial for the ministry to continue developing relevant infrastructures, strengthening tourism marketing and organising events to ensure the advancement of tourism, creative industry and performing arts in 2026,” he said when winding up the debate on the state budget for his ministry at the state assembly sitting yesterday. He added that the encouraging performance of the sector this year reflected the tourism recovery of Sarawak, with 4.01 million visitor arrivals recorded in the first 10 months despite global geopolitical challenges. “Tourism continues to stimulate the economy. “The increase in visitor arrivals has translated into sbenefits for local communities, hospitality services and related sectors.” Abdul Karim said Asean remains the state’s strongest market, led by Brunei Darussalam with more than 1.3 million arrivals and Indonesia with 583,568 visitors. “Other top contributors were China with 58,822 visitors, Singapore with 52,406 visitors and the Philippines with 39,284 visitors. “Domestic tourism continues to be relevant with a total of 1,769,561 visitors from other parts of Malaysia, constituting 44.1% of total visitors.” He also said Sarawak is expected to experience further growth in visitor arrivals in the coming years, following continuous marketing, diversification of tourism products, enhanced air connectivity and stronger digital promotions. – BernamaPerak records 65 influenza-like clustersIPOH: The Perak legislative assembly was told a total of 65 influenza-like-illness (ILI) clusters have been reported in Perak as of Nov 29. State Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National Integration Committee chairman A. Sivanesan said of the total, 33 clusters were influenza infection clusters. “From the monitoring of ILI clusters that have been reported from Epidemiology Week 1/2025 to 48/2025, a total of 35 influenza cases were admitted to hospital,” he said during the question-and-answer session at the state assembly sitting yesterday. He was replying to a question from Rungkup assemblyman Shahrul Zaman Yahya, who asked about the immediate actions taken by the state government to ensure that the spread of influenza in schools could be effectively controlled, as well as guaranteeing the safety and well-being of students. Sivanesan added that there was an upward trend in reported ILI clusters from week 40/2025 to week 42/2025. However, he said the trend of reported ILI clusters decreased from 17 clusters in week 42/2025 to one cluster in week 43/2025, which is a reduction of 94.1%, with no clusters reported in week 47/2025. He also said throughout the year, the majority of reported clusters involved children. He said from the monitoring of 65 reported ILI clusters, 23 clusters or 35.38% involved educational institutions at the secondary school level and below, while only one cluster or 1.54% involved elderly care institutions. – BernamaMore than 887ha forest reserves gazettedIPOH: The Perak government continues to strengthen its environmental conservation efforts with the gazetting of 887.24ha of new permanent forest reserves (PFR) as of November. State Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Teh Kok Lim said the gazettement brings the total area of PFR in Perak to 988,412.84ha. “The successful gazetting of the new 887.24ha reserve comprises the Ulu Slim Forest Reserve in the Perak Selatan forest district covering 846.36ha, and the Kuala Gula Mangrove Forest Reserve covering 40.88ha in the Larut and Matang Forest district. “To strengthen forest management in the Kuala Gula Mangrove Forest Reserve, the State Forestry Department has prepared the Kuala Gula Forest Reserve management plan for the 2026 to 2030 period,” he said when winding up debate on the 2026 Supply Enactment at the state legislative assembly sitting on Monday. He added that the department, together with various government agencies, NGOs, institutions of higher learning and local communities remain committed to implementing the Malaysian Greening Programme via the 100 million trees planting campaign. Teh said the effort aims to increase forested areas in Perak and as of November, a total of 11.27 million trees have been planted statewide, surpassing the target of 10 million trees set for this year. “In addition, Sirim QAS International Sdn Bhd conducted a monitoring audit for sustainable forest management certification in September. “The audit found that Perak’s forest management certification remains valid until May 31, 2029. “The retention of this certification proves that the PFR in Perak are managed under the Sustainable Forest Management System and in accordance with international standards.” He added that representatives from the Netherlands also conducted a working visit under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and the Timber Procurement Assessment Committee to evaluate sustainable forest management certification in Malaysia in February. “Perak was among the locations visited, alongside Sarawak. “The evaluation found that the representatives were satisfied with the certification implemented and have issued a letter of appreciation to the parties involved.” – BernamaLocals struggling with private care costs: CAPPETALING JAYA: The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) said escalating private hospital charges are forcing more Malaysians, particularly ordinary wage earners, to rely heavily on public healthcare services, which are already operating at maximum capacity. Its president Mohideen Abdul Kader said many families struggling with the rising cost of living now view private medical treatment as increasingly unaffordable. “When private hospital charges increase, more people turn to public health facilities under the Health Ministry. These facilities are stretched to the limit.” He added that Malaysia continues to battle a significant burden from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. He also pointed out that NCDs, which are considered preventable conditions, account for about 67% of deaths and disabilities nationwide. “In 2021 alone, the government spent RM12.4 billion on direct public healthcare costs for NCD treatment. “If Malaysians could reduce the number of NCD cases, hospitals and clinics would become more manageable, and the financial burden of treatment would be reduced.” He said the rising cost of private care is also forcing more Malaysians to abandon medical insurance, a trend he described as a “ticking time bomb”. “Many people have given up their health insurance or are contemplating doing so after having paid for decades.” While health insurance is generally affordable when an individual is young and earning, premiums rise with age as income declines and age-related illnesses occur. “Older age groups are most likely to be affected by steep premium increases, forcing them to drop their insurance and making private healthcare unaffordable.” Mohideen added that this would result in Mohideen suggested some private hospital fees should be regulated and proposed the creation of competitively-priced private wards within public hospitals. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUNoMore relying on strained public healthcare services, abandoning insuranceŰ BY KIRTINEE RAMESH [email protected] patient loads at public hospitals, burnout among healthcare workers and surging government expenditure. He suggested some private hospital fees should be regulated or capped and proposed the creation of competitively-priced private wards within public hospitals. “As part of the public healthcare system, the charges could be lower than those in private hospitals for individuals who could afford enhanced facilities.” He also said consumers remain largely unaware of hospital pricing practices, including charges for room, equipment, consumables, tests and medication not covered under Act 586, are fuelling insurance premium hikes. He welcomed initiatives such as the Rahmah Insurance and Rahmah Takaful schemes for lower-income groups and gig workers, but said the need for deeper structural reforms, such as adopting publicprivate partnership models such as Universiti Malaya Medical Centre’s dual system. Meanwhile, Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia president Dr Shanmuganathan Ganesan said fee structures differ for insured and self-paying patients. “For insured patients, fees are based on schedules. Usually, hospitals charge out-ofpocket patients lower, so it may seem like they charge insured patients higher. As insured benefits are generous, patients receive optimum care.” “Curbing costs may translate to inferior care. One must be careful not to get sued because of cost containment practices,” he said, adding that aggressive cost-cutting could compromise treatment quality. He also said rising private healthcare costs are driven by factors including staff shortages, expensive medical technology, increasing drug prices, stricter regulations and compliance requirements, the need for hospitals to remain profitable and an ageing population with complex diseases. He agreed that escalating insurance premiums, if unchecked, would make health coverage unaffordable, putting long-term strain on public hospitals. Shanmuganathan said consumers have a role to play in keeping premiums affordable. “Honesty in insurance applications, proper declaration of pre-existing conditions and avoiding fraudulent claims are critical. All these contribute to eventual premium increases.” He also advised patients to consult general practitioners first instead of directly seeking specialist care, which could drive up costs unnecessarily.

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20255SHAH ALAM: Police believe they have busted a drug-laced vape syndicate with the arrest of three men during a raid on a premises used to store and pack illegal substances in Klang on Nov 27. Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said in the 2pm operation, they seized 2,068 cartridges, 550 pods and 240 bottles containing about 61 litres of ketamine-laced vape liquid worth RM3.04 million, believed to have been intended for the domestic market. He said the syndicate, which is believed to have been active for the past six months, procured the products online before selling them to buyers openly. “The suspects, aged between 33 and 49, worked as a salesperson, a storekeeper and a packer, respectively, with an income starting at RM1,200, and also depended on commission from selling the products containing the illegal substances. “The first suspect is a widower, the second suspect is married and the third is single. Only one has three criminal records. All tested negative for drugs,” he told a media conference at the Selangor Commercial Crime Investigation Department here. Shazeli said police also confiscated three cars and five pieces of jewellery worth a total of RM134,800. He added that the suspects have been remanded until Saturday, with the case being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. – BernamaZara Qairina shed tears in ambulance, says teacherKOTA KINABALU: The Coroner’s Court here heard that Zara Qairina Mahathir shed tears twice when her name was called while she was being taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha English teacher Nor Asima Zaiton, 49, said she rushed to the hostel after receiving a call from head warden Azhari Abd Sagap on the day Zara Qairina was found unconscious. “I did not know Zara Qairina personally as I did not teach her class. I only accompanied her to the hospital. During the journey, I helped the paramedics bandage her left hand, and when I called her name, I saw tears running down her cheeks. “Her leg was still bleeding when she was in the ambulance. After arriving at the hospital, I contacted her mother to inform her of our arrival. I remained at the hospital until 1pm,” said Nor Asima, who is also the school’s dormitory warden. The 55th witness was testifying on Monday when questioned by DPP Mohd Fairuz Johari, who is also the conducting officer, during the inquest into Zara Qairina’s death before coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan. The witness added that she handed over the clothes Zara Qairina had been wearing to her mother’s cousin while she was at the hospital. – BernamaDefamation suit to be heard in February 2027KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has fixed a two-day trial in February 2027 for a defamation suit filed by businessman Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan against social media influencer Caprice, whose real name is Ariz Ramli. Judge Roslan Mat Nor set the trial for Feb 2 and 3, 2027, and scheduled April 7, 2026 for case management. Counsel V. Muniandy, representing the plaintiff, said lawyers for Caprice were not present during Monday’s case proceedings. On Oct 15, the same court granted an inter partes injunction in favour of the plaintiff and ordered Caprice to pay RM8,000 in costs to him within two weeks. On Aug 5, the High Court allowed an ad interim injunction sought by the plaintiff against the defendant and ordered the defendant to immediately remove all defamatory posts about the plaintiff from his Instagram account, which were uploaded in July. Jeyenderan, a shipping company CEO, filed the suit on July 21, claiming that on July 10, the defendant uploaded several posts on Instagram, including photographs and videos of him, allegedly linking him to criminal activities, gangsterism and armed threats, without any credible evidence. Based on his statement of claim, the plaintiff asserts that the posts were intended to create suspicion, public hatred and social pressure against him, and the defendant had never contacted him or his representatives to seek verification before publishing such allegations. He contends that the defendant’s actions demonstrated no intent to provide fair and accurate information, but rather to tarnish his reputation, noting that the defendant commands significant influence on Instagram with over 1.5 million followers. The plaintiff alleges that as a result of the publications, his reputation as a global shipping and maritime expert was damaged, claiming that this led to special damages of RM1 million, after he lost several keynote speaking contracts in Dubai, Turkiye and India. The plaintiff is seeking RM3 million in damages for reputational harm, special damages, general damages and exemplary damages, along with costs and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. – BernamaPolice cripple drug-laced vape syndicateShazeli yesterday showing seized case items during a press conference on the success of the Selangor Commercial Crime Investigation Department at the state police contingent headquarters. – BERNAMAPICDamages awarded to cameraman raised to RM1mPUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has increased the damages awarded to a freelance videographer and cameraman to RM1,284,705.88 in a medical negligence case. A three-member panel led by justice Datuk Dr Choo Kah Sing partly allowed Wee You Kheong’s appeal on the quantum of damages, concluding that his appeal had merit. The panel, which also included justices Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril and Datuk Nadzarin Wok Nordin, ordered Putra Specialist Hospital (Malacca) Sdn Bhd and Dr Zulkefli Abdul Rashid to each pay RM30,000 in legal costs. In July last year, the High Court awarded Wee RM783,011.88 in damages along with RM190,000 in legal costs, ruling that the hospital and specialist were liable for medical negligence. The Court of Appeal has increased the damages by RM501,694. In delivering the decision on oAggravated compensation of RM300,000 and RM2,000 for home modifications grantedNine school wardens removed by Education DepartmentKOTA KINABALU: Nine wardens from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha have been removed by the state Education Department, the Coroner’s Court was told yesterday.English teacher Nor Asima Zaiton, who confirmed the matter, said she was among those removed. When asked if the removal was related to the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir last July, she said: “Maybe.” The 49-year-old witness was answering a question by lawyer Joan Goh, representing one of the children involved in Zara Qairina’s bullying case, during the inquest into Zara Qairina’s death before coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan. “I wanted to resign long before the incident. When the time came, we were informed by the state Education Department that we would no longer serve as wardens.” When asked about the six public phones available for students to contact their parents, which were shut down for two days following Zara Qairina’s death, Nor Asima said it was on the instructions of chief warden Azhari Abd Sagap and the measure was intended to minimise panic among parents. “The students were not completely barred from calling their parents. I even allowed a Form One student who was unwell to use my mobile phone to contact her mother. Just imagine if the students had spread uncertain news, as they did not know what had happened at that time.” When questioned whether she had gone against Azhari’s instruction, Nor Asima said: “He did not mention mobile phones, his instruction was only about the public phones.” When asked if the school had been negligent in connection with Zara Qairina’s death, she opted not to answer. Nor Asima, who did not deny that harsh words were sometimes used among students, said a child’s behaviour largely depends on parental upbringing and peer influence. Zara Qairina, 13, was confirmed dead at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory. – BernamaJohor Bahru for a job assignment. The van in which he was travelling with a production crew crashed into the rear of a motor-lorry, causing severe injury to his left leg. Wee filed a civil suit against the van driver, the van owner, the hospital and the specialist. The High Court found the van driver and owner negligent and ordered them to pay RM101,574 to Wee. The hospital and specialist were held responsible for medical negligence due to misdiagnosis and negligent delay in diagnosing a vascular injury, Bernama reported. Wee appealed to the Court of Appeal on the quantum against the hospital and specialist. The hospital and specialist, as well as the van driver and owner, did not appeal the decision of the High Court. In Monday’s proceeding, Wee was represented by lawyers K. Karthi, Alicia Chin and Lee Xin Yu while lawyers Nik Mohd Hasrul Nik Hamdan and Navamalar A. Ganesan represented the hospital and specialist, respectively. Monday, Choo increased the amount for the value of care provided by family members from RM6,000 to RM9,600, the cost of a hydraulic prosthetic leg that Wee purchased after the amputation from RM21,095 to RM42,188, and general damages for pain and suffering and loss of amenities of life from RM125,000 to RM300,000. Aggravated damages of RM300,000 and RM2,000 for home modifications, previously not awarded by the High Court, were also granted. Wee, 60, was involved in a road crash along the North/South Highway in August 2015 while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20256SUBSCRIBE TOtheSun TODAY!SUBSCRIBE NOW! Enjoy daily access to: The latest local & global newsTop entertainment & sportsstoriesAll in 32 Full Colour pages Stay informed 7 days a week! Justreal news, straight to you.ONLY RM 1 PER COPY! ONLY RM 1PER COPY!News anchor enters Book of Records for obtaining PhDSERDANG: Bernama TV English newsreader Dr Mogesh Sababathy, 27, made history on Monday when he graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Immunobiology from Universiti Putra Malaysia and was recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR). He was named the “First News Presenter with a Doctorate in Immunobiology” by MBOR. The second child of Sababathy and Nagaletchmi dedicated both accomplishments to his parents, family members, friends and supervisory committee who have supported him throughout his PhD journey. “I am very passionate about my research, specifically in stem cells and immunology. One of my biggest dreams and goals when I started my PhD was to become an immunologist, not only as a reference point locally, but also internationally.” The MBOR recognition plaque was presented by its official representative Siti Hajar Johor, witnessed by university Faculty of Veterinary Medicine dean Prof Dr Goh Yong Meng and Bernama Commercial Department head Mastura Hassan. Mogesh said his interest in stem cell therapy began many years ago when his father was involved in a serious accident. Doctors had suggested stem cell treatment, but it was too costly and the chances of recovery were low due to limited medical advancements in the field. The experience motivated him to pursue studies in immunology and stem cells, with the hope of contributing to future medical treatments that are more accessible and affordable, Bernama reported. “What inspired me to do this is that I thought medicine and medical advancements have to be accessible to more people, especially those who require critical therapeutic strategies. That is how I started my PhD and this research on lung Mogesh dedicated both accomplishments to his parents, family members, friends and supervisory committee who have supported him. – BERNAMAPICoGraduate hopes to contribute to more accessible, affordable medical treatmentsFeasibility study for railway in Sarawak underway KUCHING: The Trans-Borneo Railway project is progressing steadily as its feasibility study continues under the coordination of the Transport Ministry, with the Sarawak Transport Ministry actively contributing to the process. Sarawak Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said the first interim report was presented on Oct 30 and the feasibility study is expected to be completed latest by June next year. “Since its commencement in June this year, two technical workshops have been held with relevant agencies from Sabah to review preliminary findings and strengthen planning coordination. ”A preliminary railway alignment has also been proposed and will continue to be refined in the study.” Lee was speaking during the winding-up session for the ministry at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here yesterday. The Trans-Borneo Railway project, seen as a transformative regional initiative, aims to strengthen connectivity, support economic integration and improve mobility across Borneo. – Bernamainflammation using stem cells, which was once suggested by my dad’s doctors. “I hope that I can continue to contribute to this field and explore what else can be done to really make this whole therapy, medical practices and applications using stem cells more accessible and available.” Mogesh said he joined the news agency in 2022 after being spotted during one of his guest appearances on a programme discussing climate change and environmental issues. “I want to thank Cik Suriati Sanusi (Suriati Ahmad Sanusi) the head of the English desk at Bernama TV, for giving me the opportunity. I originally came in only as a guest to talk about climate change and sustainability, but she asked if I would like to try reading the news. After a few months of training, I finally went on screen.” He anchors weekend news, including the world news segment.

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20257Race to get aid to Asia flood survivorsBANDA ACEH: Governments and aid groups in Indonesia and Sri Lanka worked to rush aid yesterday to hundreds of thousands stranded by flooding that has killed around 1,200 people in four countries. Monsoon season deluges paired with two tropical cyclones last week dumped heavy rain across Sri Lanka and parts of Sumatra, southern Thailand and northern Malaysia. The floodwaters have largely receded, but the devastation means hundreds of thousands of people are living in shelters and struggling to secure clean water and food. In Aceh, residents said survivors who could afford to were stockpiling supplies. Kandy residents looking for survivors and lost belongings near a damaged house yesterday. – REUTERSPICoToll nears 1,200Where is Imran Khan?KARACHI: The sons of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan fear authorities are concealing “something irreversible” about his condition after more than three weeks with no evidence that he is still alive. As court-ordered prison visits stay blocked and rumours swirl about prison transfers, his son, Kasim Khan, said the family has had no direct or verifiable contact with Imran, despite a judicial order for weekly meetings. “Not knowing whether your father is safe, injured or even alive is a form of psychological torture,” he said in written remarks, adding that there had been no communication for a couple of months. “Today we have no verifiable information about his condition. Our greatest fear is that something irreversible is being hidden from us.” The family has repeatedly sought access for Imran’s personal physician, who has not been allowed to examine him for more than a year. Pakistan’s Interior Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. A jail official said Imran was in good health and he was not aware of any plan for a move to a higher-security facility. Imran, 73, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in a 2022 parliamentary vote. His first conviction centred on accusations that he unlawfully sold gifts received in office, in a proceeding referred to as the Toshakhana case. Later verdicts added lengthy jail terms, including 10 years on accusations of leaking a diplomatic cable and 14 years in a graft case tied to the Al-Qadir Trust, a charity project prosecutors say figured in improper land deals. Imran’s party, the Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI), says the prosecutions aim to exclude him from public life and elections. The family says the lack of communication has fuelled fears over what it calls a deliberate effort to push Imran out of public sight. Television channels have been told not to use Imran’s name or image, leaving only a grainy court picture on the internet as the only glimpse of him since his imprisonment. “This isolation is intentional,” Kasim said. “They are scared of him. He is Pakistan’s most popular leader and they know they cannot defeat him democratically.” Kasim and his older brother Suleiman Isa Khan, who live in London with their mother, Jemima Goldsmith, have kept a distance from Pakistan’s dynastic politics. The brothers, who call him “Abba”, have spoken publicly only sparingly mainly about Imran’s imprisonment. Kasim said that the last time they saw their father was in November 2022, when they visited Pakistan after he survived an assassination attempt. A supporter holds a poster of Imran. – AFPPICLocal assembly to vote on nuclear plant restartKASHIWAZAKI: A Japanese regional assembly yesterday began deliberations on whether to partially restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the world’s largest. The plant, about 300km northeast of Tokyo on the coast of the Sea of Japan, was shut down after a tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi reactor in 2011. Both are run by Tokyo Electric Power Co. The area encompassing Kashiwazaki city and Kariwa village, home to around 80,000 people, is gaining attention as the restart of the plant’s Unit No. 6 would be the first for Tepco since the disaster. “The use of nuclear energy is essential in Japan, which has few resources,” said Tepco president Tomiaki Kobayakawa on Monday as he gave Japan Business Federation delegates a tour of the plant. After the Fukushima disaster, Japan shuttered 54 nuclear reactors, which left it heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said she supports more nuclear relaunches to strengthen energy security and address the cost of imported energy, which accounts for 60% to 70% of Japan’s electricity generation. Tepco has been improving safety at its nuclear power business, Kobayakawa said, as around 20 staffers clad in hazmat suits performed safety drills at the plant. But Yukihiko Hoshino, a member of the Kashiwazaki city assembly, said local residents were concerned. “The biggest worry is whether they will be able to evacuate,” he said. He said there are still people who cannot return home to the plant area. The Niigata assembly’s final session for the year ends on Dec 22. Tepco plans to restart Unit No. 6 next month, pending the assembly’s vote. It is not clear when the assembly might vote on the plant’s restart. Tepco was looking to restart Unit No. 7 later and possibly decommission the other five. Of the 54 reactors that were in operation before the Fukushima incident, Japan has restarted 14 of the 33 that remained operable. On its own, Unit No. 6 could improve the supply situation for the energy-hungry Tokyo area by 2%, according to Japan’s Industry Ministry. Japan’s power demand is set to grow thanks to data centre expansions and AIdriven businesses. – Reutersleft behind while battling power and telecommunications outages. “It’s difficult for us (to get) clean water,” he said. “There are children who are starting to get fevers, and there’s no medicine.” The weather system that inundated Indonesia also brought heavy rain to southern Thailand, where at least 176 people were killed. A separate storm brought heavy rains across Sri Lanka, triggering flash floods and deadly landslides that killed at least 390 people. Another 352 remain missing, and some of the worst-hit areas in the country’s centre are still difficult to reach. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency to deal with what he called the “most challenging natural disaster in our history” and has called for international aid. Sri Lanka’s air force, backed by counterparts from India and Pakistan, has been evacuating stranded residents and delivering food and other supplies. In the mountainous Welimada region, security forces on Monday recovered the bodies of 11 residents buried by mudslides, a local official said. In the capital Colombo, floodwaters were slowly subsiding yesterday. The speed with which waters rose around the city surprised local residents used to seasonal flooding. “Every year we experience minor floods, but this is something else,” said delivery driver Dinusha Sanjaya. “It is not just the amount of water, but how quickly everything went under.” Rains have eased across the country, but landslide alerts remain in force across most of the hardesthit central region, officials said. – AFP“Road access is mostly cut off in flood-affected areas,” 29-year-old Erna Mardhiah said as she joined a long queue at a petrol station in Banda Aceh. Indonesia’s government said it was sending 34,000 tonnes of rice and 6.8 million litres of cooking oil to Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. Aid groups said they were working to ship supplies to affected areas, warning that local markets were running out of essential supplies and prices had tripled already. “Communities across Aceh are at severe risk of food shortages and hunger if supply lines are not reestablished in the next seven days,” aid group Islamic Relief said. A shipment of 12 tonnes of food from the group aboard an Indonesian navy vessel was due to arrive in Aceh yesterday. At least 631 people were killed in the floods across Sumatra and 472 are still listed as missing. A million people have evacuated from their homes, according to the disaster agency. Survivors have described terrifying waves of water that arrived without warning. In East Aceh, Zamzami said the floodwaters had been “unstoppable, like a tsunami”. “We can’t explain how big the water seemed, it was truly extraordinary,” said the 33-year-old, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. People in his village sheltered atop a two-storey fish market to escape the deluge and were now trying to clean the mud and debris “That image has stayed with me. Seeing our father in that state is something you don’t forget,” Kasim said. “We were told he would recover with time. Now, after weeks of total silence and no proof of life, that memory carries a different weight.” The family was pursuing internal and external avenues, such as appeals to rights organisations and wanted court-ordered access restored. “This is not just a political dispute. It is an emergency. Pressure must come from every direction. We draw strength from him, but we need to know he is safe.” – Reuters

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20258 READ OUR HERE/thesun Malaysian Paper‘Independent committee’ to probe fireSha Tin Fire Station personnel and Hong Kong residents pay their respects to deceased firefighter Ho Wai-ho, who died in the deadly blaze. – REUTERSPICInternet will be less safe, says teen challenging banSYDNEY: A teenager suing the Australian government to overturn a ban on social media for under-16s says the measure would make the internet more dangerous for young people and be widely circumvented. Noah Jones, 15, is a co-plaintiff in a High Court case against Communications Minister Anika Wells and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. The law would block minors from platforms such as Meta’s Instagram, TikTok and Snap’s Snapchat. The government says the ban will protect children from harmful content and online predators. Jones argues the policy will isolate teens and push them into riskier behaviour. “We should be cutting off the bad things about social media,” he said from his home in Sydney. “When kids do things in secret, that’s when things can be really harmful.” Jones said social media is essential for staying connected and sharing ideas, likening it to a modern-day town square. “I have almost all the people in my year on Snapchat. It’s a light way of being connected. Most people will get quite separated,” he said. Jones warned the ban would create a “social divide” between those who evade restrictions and those who do not. “I most likely will get around the ban. I know a lot of my mates will.” Jones said parents, not the government, should decide how children use social media. The communications minister and eSafety commissioner were not immediately available for comment. Wells has said the government stands by the law regardless of any legal challenges. The lawsuit, which includes another 15-year-old student, argues the ban infringes constitutional rights and should be replaced with targeted measures against cyberbullying and predatory behaviour. It is backed by an advocacy group run by a Libertarian Party member of the New South Wales state parliament. – ReutersCall for tougher data breach penalties SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for increased penalties for corporate negligence in data breaches, saying a massive leak at e-commerce giant Coupang had served as a wake-up call. The breach resulted in personal data for some 33 million Coupang customers being leaked. Coupang, which saw its New Yorklisted stock tumble 5% overnight, is grappling with a police investigation, potential hefty fines as well as a possible class-action suit. Ordering a review of fines and punitive damages in such cases, Lee told a Cabinet meeting it was “astonishing” that Coupang did not detect the breach for five months. “The wrong practice and the idea of not giving necessary care for personal data protection, which is a key asset in the age of artificial intelligence and digitalisation, must be completely changed,” he said. Under South Korean law, companies that fail to implement adequate data protection measures can be fined up to 3% of revenue. A former Coupang engineer who took part in developing the system’s authentication protocol is the suspected perpetrator, CEO Park Dae-jun said, adding that other people may have been involved. Park did not name the person. Coupang has apologised for the incident but members of parliament called for founder Bom Kim, a Korean American who established the company in 2010, to come forward and personally apologise. – Reuters Australia rolls out AI roadmapSYDNEY: Australia unveiled a roadmap to ramp up the adoption of artificial intelligence across its economy but said it would rely on existing laws to manage emerging risks, stepping back from earlier plans for tougher rules on high-risk scenarios. Australia has no specific AI laws though the centre-left Labor government last year signalled it would introduce voluntary guidelines amid concerns over privacy, safety and transparency. In its National AI Plan released yesterday, Labor said it would focus on luring investment in advanced data centres, building AI skills to support and protect jobs, and ensuring public oGovt steps back from tougher rulessafety as AI becomes more integrated into daily life. “The government’s regulatory approach to AI will continue to build on Australia’s robust existing legal and regulatory frameworks, ensuring that established laws remain the foundation for addressing and mitigating AIrelated risks,” it said in the plan. Agencies and regulators will remain responsible for identifying and managing potential AI-related harms within their sectors, it said. The roadmap comes after the government last month said it would set up an AI Safety Institute next year to help authorities monitor emerging risks and respond to threats. Global regulators have increasingly raised concerns about misinformation associated with generative AI tools such as Microsoftbacked OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, as their use becomes widespread. Industry Minister Tim Ayres said the AI roadmap aims to ensure Australians can benefit from new technology while maintaining a balance between innovation and risk management. “As the technology continues to evolve, we will continue to refine and strengthen this plan to seize new opportunities and act decisively to keep Australians safe,” Ayres said. But Australian Catholic University Associate Professor Niusha Shafiabady said there were critical gaps in the government’s updated AI roadmap. “The plan is ambitious in unlocking data and boosting productivity, but it leaves critical gaps in accountability, sovereignty, sustainability and democratic oversight,” Shafiabady said.“Without addressing these unexplored areas, Australia risks building an AI economy that is efficient but not equitable or trusted.” – ReutersHONG KONG: Chief Executive John Lee announced yesterday the creation of a judgeled “independent committee” to investigate the devastating fire at an apartment complex that killed 151 people last week.Authorities have said the blaze, which was the city’s worst fire in decades, spread quickly via netting used on exterior scaffolding that fell short of fire-resistance standards and failed to stop flames from spreading. “I will establish an independent committee to conduct comprehensive and in-depth review to reform the building work system and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future,” Lee told a news conference in English, adding that the committee would be led by a judge. Hong Kong has a legal mechanism to set up “commissions of inquiry”, which in the past were usually led by judges to undertake complex fact-finding exercises – a practice left over from British colonial rule. Lee used a different term, “independent committee”, yesterday. Lee told AFP that authorities had identified several failures, and that reforms would be needed in safety, supervision, construction and maintenance standards. “We must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are plugged so that those who are responsible will be accountable. The shortcomings will be addressed. The bottlenecks will be addressed,” he said. “We will reform the whole building renovation system to ensure that such things will not happen again.” Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog and police, running a joint investigation, have arrested a total of 14 people, 13 of them on suspicion of manslaughter over the blaze. “The responsible culprits tried to mix up substandard net with qualified nets so as to cheat inspection and law enforcement agencies,” Lee said, calling the suspects “evil”. The city has seen a massive outpouring of grief as well as calls for accountability, but local media reported the arrests of several people who were calling for answers. Miles Kwan, a 24-year-old student, was reportedly arrested by police for “seditious intent” after handing out flyers demanding government accountability. Two other people, including former district councillor Kenneth Cheung, were also taken in by police, according to local media reports. Asked about the arrests, Lee told AFP that “I will not tolerate any crimes, particularly crimes that exploit the tragedy that we have been facing”. Some families of victims returned to Wang Fuk Court on Monday to begin traditional funeral rites, which are expected to continue. – AFP

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 20259US govt backs bid to curb Roundup suitsWASHINGTON: US administration urged the Supreme Court on Monday to take up Bayer’s bid to curtail thousands of lawsuits claiming its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. In a brief filed at the court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer bolstered Bayer’s effort to limit the lawsuits and potentially avert billions of dollars in damages, saying the company was correct that the federal law governing pesticides preempts lawsuits that make claims over the products under state law. “We see the Solicitor General’s recommendation as an important step towards containing glyphosate litigation,” JPMorgan analysts said in a note, adding the Supreme Court was likely to rule next year. The analysts flagged there could be a reduction in provisions for glyphosate litigation, which Bayer has said were US$7.6 billion (RM31.4 billion) at the end of September. Bayer has asked the justices to hear its appeal of a lower court’s decision to uphold a US$1.25 million verdict awarded by a St Louis jury in a Missouri state court case in which a plaintiff named John Durnell sued after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma he attributed to his exposure to Roundup. Bayer is facing more than 67,000 such lawsuits. The German pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, which acquired Roundup as part of its US$63 billion purchase of Monsanto in 2018, has said that decades of studies have shown Roundup and its active ingredient, glyphosate, are safe for human use. Sauer told the justices that upholding the lower court’s decision would allow juries to second guess the science-based judgments of the Environmental Protection Agency. “EPA has repeatedly determined that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic in humans, and the agency has repeatedly approved Roundup labels that did not contain cancer warnings,” Sauer said in the brief. “Where, as here, EPA has specified the health warnings that should appear on a particular pesticide’s label, a manufacturer should not be left subject” to state labelling regimes each prescribing different requirements, Sauer said. The brief comes as the Trump administration – which has aimed to address concerns from agricultural groups about potential restrictions on agrochemicals – must also contend with supporters of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, who have highlighted health hazards associated with pesticides. Bayer’s effort has drawn support from probusiness groups like the Chamber of Commerce, which said that allowing Bayer to face the liability opens up many corporations that follow federal law to litigation. Lawyers for Durnell asked the Supreme Court to turn away Bayer’s appeal. They said the plaintiff relied on Bayer’s advertising and not just the label when he chose to use Roundup, and the company’s marketing failed to warn consumers of the risks. The Supreme Court asked the administration in June for its views. Roundup is among the most widely used weedkillers in the United States. The company has paid about US$10 billion to settle most of the Roundup lawsuits that were pending as of 2020, but failed to get a settlement covering future cases. New lawsuits have continued to pour in since then. Plaintiffs have said they developed cancer due to using Roundup. The company has had a mixed record at trial in the Roundup lawsuits. Bayer has prevailed in a series of Roundup trials, but it was also hit with large jury awards, including a US$2.1 billion verdict in a case in the state of Georgia in March. Bayer settled the Georgia case and three others that had been on appeal last month. Bayer has threatened to withdraw Roundup from the US market as it fights the litigation. The company replaced glyphosate in US consumer products with different weedkilling substances. – ReutersSpain busts neo-Nazi group on terror listsMADRID: Spanish police said they had broken up a cell of “The Base”, a transnational neo-Nazi white supremacist group designated a terrorist organisation by the European Union, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The US-founded movement operates through a decentralised, international network of paramilitary cells with the aim of perpetrating attacks and preparing for a “race war”, the police said in a statement. An investigation launched earlier this year uncovered a Spanish cell whose members were “highly radicalised” and had trained using “paramilitary techniques and equipment”. In recent months, the suspects had encouraged “violent acts, even stating openly that they were prepared to carry out targeted attacks”. The leader of the cell was in “direct contact” with the group’s founder, who one month ago called for “targeted attacks with the aim of bringing down democratic institutions”. Police arrested three suspects last week, including the leader who is in custody on charges of membership of a terrorist organisation, recruitment, indoctrination and training with terrorist aims and the illegal possession of weapons. They also seized two firearms, ammunition and neo-Nazi paraphernalia during raids in the eastern province of Castellon. US citizen Rinaldo Nazzaro started the group in 2018 as a network for radical right nationalists readying for armed conflict and then moved to Saint Petersburg and took up Russian citizenship, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. Last year, the European Union added “The Base” to its terrorist list, placing sanctions including a travel ban and a freeze of assets in Europe. – AFP‘Humanity’s future at risk’BEIRUT: Pope Leo made a fervent appeal to Lebanon’s diverse communities to unite to solve the crisis-hit country’s myriad problems at a Mass yesterday attended by tens of thousands which wrapped up his first overseas trip as Catholic leader. The first US pope, speaking to crowds on Beirut’s historic waterfront, pleaded for Lebanon’s people to “cast off the armour of our ethnic and political divisions” and address years of conflict, political paralysis and economic misery. “We must unite our efforts so that this land can return to its glory,” Leo said to a crowd of 150,000 people, according to Vatican figures. He spoke hours after praying near piles of rubble at the site of a 2020 chemical explosion that shredded parts of Beirut. Leo has been visiting Lebanon for three days on the second leg of a trip that started in Turkiye, in which he has pleaded for peace in the Middle East and warned that humanity’s future was at risk from bloody conflicts. Pope Leo prays at the site of the 2020 Beirut port explosion. – AFPPICoPope urges faiths to unite to heal LebanonLeo, who has said he is on a mission of peace, has urged the heads of religious sects in Lebanon to unite to heal the country and pressed political leaders to persevere with peace efforts after last year’s devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah, and continued Israeli strikes. The pope, a relative unknown on the world stage before his election to the papacy in May, has been closely watched as he made his first speeches overseas and interacted for the first time with people outside mainly Catholic Italy. Crowds gathered at the waterfront hours before the start of yesterday’s Mass. They waved Vatican and Lebanese flags as Leo toured in an enclosed popemobile, offering blessings as some in the crowd used umbrellas to guard against a strong Mediterranean sun. Maroun al-Mallah, a 21-year-old student of landscape engineering, arrived at the site of Leo’s Mass before dawn to volunteer and said the visit could be a reset for Lebanon. “It was lovely to know there was a sign of hope coming back to Lebanon,” Mallah said. “Even in university, we just think what could come next. It’s just pain after pain after pain ... especially after the third biggest explosion happened” at the port, he said. The 2020 explosion at the Beirut port killed more than 200 people and caused damage worth billions of dollars, but an investigation into the cause has been stymied and no one held to account. Leo prayed at the site, laid a wreath of flowers at a memorial and greeted about 60 blast survivors and relatives of the victims from different religions holding up photos of their lost loved ones. He gave them each a rosary in a pouch decorated with his coat of arms. One woman sobbed as she greeted Leo and asked if she could give him a hug. He nodded, and they embraced. Cecile Roukoz, who lost her brother in the explosion, said Leo “will raise his voice for justice, and we need justice for all the victims”. Leo also visited a psychiatric hospital run by nuns of the Franciscan order. Lebanon, which has the largest proportion of Christians in the Middle East, has been rocked by the spillover of the Gaza conflict as Israel and Hezbollah went to war, culminating in a devastating Israeli offensive. The country, which hosts 1 million Syrian and Palestinian refugees, is also struggling to overcome a severe economic crisis. – Reuters

10WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 2025/thesundailyFOLLOW ON FACEBOOK/Malaysian PaperEducation matters remain an important component of Malaysian society. Today the landscape is fast paced with new exciting developments in technology such as AI, coding, virtual reality, and cybersecurity, leading the way for changes in curriculum development. To showcase the latest and most updated content, we invite you join us in 2025, and be part of our Education Focus!Contact us now for special deals on digital, video and print advertising.Malaysian Paper 03-7784 6688 [email protected] to children key to preventing school violence SCHOOL violence does not happen overnight; it grows out of years of neglect when emotional well-being takes a back seat to exam scores, when moral guidance is left to overworked teachers and when busy families unintentionally overlook early warning signs. As we approach the end of the year, many parents, teachers and communities are taking stock of what our children have experienced – the pressures they carry, the expectations placed upon them and the environments in which they grow. These reflections remind us that violence is rarely sudden; it is often the result of unmet emotional needs, unspoken fears and long-standing gaps in connection. Whenever a troubling incident occurs in a school, our natural response is to demand stricter discipline or tighter rules. While understandable, these reactions seldom touch the deeper roots of the problem. Rules can correct behaviour but they cannot heal loneliness, teach empathy or build emotional resilience. Prevention requires something deliberate, deeper and more human: consistent empathy, meaningful connection and shared responsibility between home and school. Calls for stronger character development in schools are timely but character cannot be taught through slogans or assemblies; it must be built through relationships, reflection and example. When adults model empathy, respect and integrity, children learn to internalise those values far more effectively than through lectures about “good behaviour”. However, modelling alone is not enough; schools also need practical approaches to repair harm and strengthen relationships. Restorative justice Restorative justice (RJ) offers such a framework. Instead of asking, “Who’s to blame?”, RJ asks, “Who was harmed and how can we make things right?” It brings together those affected – victims, offenders, families and communities – to acknowledge harm, accept responsibility and repair relationships. This approach teaches accountability without humiliation and helps children facial expressions, managing uncomfortable feelings and navigating real-world conflicts. Children need adults who are present, not just providers. They need to learn that when something bothers them, they can seek support from a trusted adult rather than retreat behind a screen. The question is not whether children should have access to technology but whether children have access to genuine human attention. Strengthening relationships Globally and locally, World Vision has implemented programmes that strengthen parent-child relationships, such as “Celebrating Families” and “Positive Parenting” workshops. Valuations of these models report measurable increases in positive discipline practices, parent-child bonds and reductions in harmful attitudes and norms that justify violence. Listening to our children When adults take time to understand their frustrations, fears and hopes, we uncover problems early – before they turn into aggression or despair. Creating safe spaces for dialogue, at home and in school, teaches children that their feelings matter and that empathy is a strength, not a weakness. Working together Parents, teachers, school administrators and policymakers must work together, not in silos. Building character is not the task of one institution but a shared national mission, one that begins with listening to children and believing that their voices matter. Listening to children is not a soft response; it is the strongest, most lasting investment we can make in preventing school violence and nurturing a generation guided by compassion and conscience. Lydia Lee is the manager of Malaysian Programmes and Grants at World Vision Malaysia. She oversees local community development projects and the One Goal Malaysia initiative, and works with schools, families and local partners to create safe, nurturing environments for vulnerable children. Comments: [email protected]“A peaceful, respectful school environment cannot be achieved through fear or punishment alone; it begins with empathy, responsibility and presence, from adults and the systems that shape young lives.When adults take time to understand their frustrations, fears and hopes, we uncover problems early – before they turn into aggression or despair. – SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN/ THESUNCOMMENT by Lydia Leelearn empathy and remorse. RJ is not new; it is practised in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and across Europe, and is endorsed by the United Nations and European Union, proving its global credibility. Schools that adopt RJ often see fewer conflicts and stronger trust and belonging. But schools cannot do this alone. Teachers already carry heavy workloads and emotional burdens. When parents expect schools to handle everything – from discipline to moral education – the system becomes overstretched and ineffective. Furthermore, preventing school violence is not just about enforcing discipline; it is about nurturing connection. We need schools that integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into everyday lessons, teacher training that emphasises care and conflict resolution and a national culture that values emotional intelligence as much as academic success. When academics outweigh empathy and time spent on screens exceeds time spent making real connections, children lose the guidance they need most. Building safer schools begins with listening – at home and in the classroom. A peaceful, respectful school environment cannot be achieved through fear or punishment alone; it begins with empathy, responsibility and presence, from adults and the systems that shape young lives. Responsible parenting At the same time, it requires responsible parenting in the digital age. Technology offers tremendous educational benefits but it cannot replace the human connection children desperately need. When tablets become constant companions and video games serve as emotional regulators, children miss out on developing crucial skills – reading

11WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 2025The war has taken hundreds of thousands of military and civilian lives, displaced more than 11 million people and caused hundreds of billions of dollars in economic and infrastructure damage. – REUTERSPICWinners and losers of the Ukraine War“T HE Ukrainian conflict should never have happened and would not have happened if I were president.” – Donald Trump on Truth Social, September 2022. As the war in Ukraine stumbles into its endgame, analysts from the contesting sides will be evaluating the wins and losses in the struggle for power and dominance among Europe’s nations and other countries of the world having a stake in the outcome. What are the political and economic advantages gained or lost in this conflict, super-eminent in the arena of international geopolitics since it first started? For now, it is clear that the 28-point peace plan currently providing the basis of a post-war settlement will have two winners – Russia and the United States. Both will be gaining strategic and economic advantages from what appears to be an asymmetrical plan requiring significant territorial concessions on the part of Ukraine. An examination of the points likely to emerge from what could be the final Ukraine–Russia agreement reveals the following list of potential gains and losses for the five key players in what has been amongst the deadliest wars in European history, and which ranks as one of the most casualty-intensive conflicts since World War II. Ukraine For Ukraine, the end of active hostilities is likely to result in a loss of territorial sovereignty in Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk and other Russian-occupied areas. Its military is to be capped at yet-tobe-determined number, and no foreign troops are to be stationed on its soil. There will effectively be a ban on Nato membership – one of the catalysts of the war – though this is to be balanced by security guarantees already denounced as “vague”. On the positive side, Ukraine will receive reparations, primarily through a reconstruction fund, financed in part by US$100 billion (RM413 billion) in frozen Russian assets – a proposal which Russia has rejected as amounting to “theft” – and an additional US$100 billion investment from Europe. Whatever the amount of reparations and resources poured into reconstruction can never make up for the devastating combination of hundreds of thousands of military and civilian casualties, massive displacement of over 11 million people and hundreds of billions of dollars in economic and infrastructure damage that the present generation and future Ukrainians have to bear. European Union (EU) For the EU, the end of a devastating war on its doorstep has brought no territorial gain or enhanced security. Its waroriented and fear-mongering policies have not produced any advantage against Russia but rather they have deepened internal divisions within the EU and undermined cohesion on how to engage with Russia. Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – which share a border with Russia and imposed multiple rounds of sanctions – have had big hits to their economy. The alleged threat of a Kremlin invasion has driven tourists and investors away, and sanctions have effectively shut down cross-border trade, which is unlikely to resume or recover anytime soon. Forced by Trump to drastically increase their defence budgets, EU member states will struggle to find additional funding – that is unlikely to provide greater security against Russia’s nuclear arsenal. An arms race in Europe, which the EU has committed itself to, will result in greater losses for the continent’s people due to the significant economic and social costs, increased political fragmentation, dependence on external suppliers and heightened security risks and instability. It will also make the prospect of a nuclear conflict breaking out in Europe more likely. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) Whilst avoiding direct military confrontation with Russia, Nato has seen its expansion plans in Ukraine, Georgia and other potential countries from the Collective Security Treaty Organisation thwarted. Just as important is its loss of prestige and standing as a powerful and potent political military alliance, with its professed peacekeeping principles now seen by many as meaningless or hypocritical. Nato’s 32-member countries have a combined military forces and defence spending far exceeding that of Russia. This includes superiority in personnel, air forces and naval assets. But its military resources and industrial capacity, as well as financial resources, have been unable to provide a quick or delayed victory. As Ukraine’s military defeat is now almost inevitable, the end of the war is also seeing greater internal political disarray and coherence, particularly concerning long-term strategy and the relevance of Nato within Europe and in a multipolar world order. Russia The war in Ukraine has been enormously costly for Russia, with estimates suggesting the direct economic cost is over US$200 billion. Russia has also suffered a devastating human toll, with hundreds of thousands of casualties. However, President Vladimir Putin’s primary strategic objective to block Nato expansion into Russia’s eastern flank has been successful. Ukraine is now in the process of being neutralised and demilitarised. At the same time, it is highly probable that the territorial gains provided by the 2022 referendum in the four regions that were formerly part of Ukraine – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson voted overwhelmingly to formally join the Russian Federation – will be recognised and legitimised. Also significant are the likely economic outcomes, even if modifications are made to the current peace plan, in the attempt to push back on what is regarded as a US and Russian concocted agreement, incorporating the maximalist demands of Putin. With the lifting of sanctions, Russia will see its reintegration into the global economy. Perhaps most significant is that it will restore Russia’s image as a major and respected global power.Within Russia, the peace deal is seen as a clear victory for Putin, achieved on his own terms. The framing of the war’s conclusion as a triumph that has secured Russia’s national interest will undoubtedly enhance the Kremlin’s and Putin’s domestic and international prestige and standing. United States The US policy during Joe Biden’s presidency was defined by its leadership of Nato and the provision of sustained military and financial support for Ukraine’s defence. The mission – ostensibly to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity – saw the US become Ukraine’s largest military backer, providing billions in direct military aid, including advanced weaponry and intelligence. With Trump replacing Biden as the president, it is claimed that Trump’s realignment of American foreign policy in Europe – culminating with the peace agreement plan – will end US financial and military involvement in Ukraine’s war, reduce the drain on US resources and prioritise an “America First” foreign policy approach. Other key gains claimed include: 0 Financial benefits and reconstruction involvement: The proposed peace plan includes provisions where the US would receive 50% of the profits from investments in Ukraine’s reconstruction. There is also the potential for US companies to gain access to Ukraine’s natural resources, including critical rare-earth elements. 0 Leveraging alliances for greater European contribution: By conditioning US support and pushing a policy where the US sells weapons to Nato allies, who then pass them to Ukraine, Trump can claim to benefit US industry. 0 Demonstrating diplomatic leverage/power: By pursuing a separate US-Russia peace process and potentially recognising Russian territorial gains, Trump can claim to demonstrate US power. 0 Potential of Russian reintegration:A core part of the proposed plan involves the potential reintegration of Russia into the global economy and a lifting of sanctions, which could lead to renewed trade and economic cooperation benefiting US business interests. A big unknown is the potential of Russia as an ally against China, which both Republican and Democratic party leaders see as America’s existential rival in the world. Beyond the calculus of geopolitics The scale of recent combined military casualties (killed and wounded) for Ukraine and Russia may run to over a million. This is a casualty count that historians and others investigating the origins of the war and its extensive, debilitating sociocultural, political and economic impacts will certainly be focusing on while debating whether the war was preventable or avoidable. Besides questioning its inevitability – if Trump is right, this war should never have taken place –analysts should also be focusing on how or why the combat and its horrific toll were permitted to go on for so long. The possibility that Western leaders and their decision-making staff – Biden, Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and others instrumental in encouraging the war and its prolongation – have as much, if not more, blood on their hands as their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, is not as far-fetched as it may appear to be. This question should be a fundamental concern for all sceptical of the propaganda of government explanations and the supportive narratives in the mainstream media, in any pursuit of an independent, objective and critical account of the war.Lim Teck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy.Comments: [email protected]“For now, it is clear that the 28-point peace plan currently providing the basis of a post war settlement will have two winners –Russia and the United States.ANOTHER TAKEBY LIM TECK GHEE

ESGWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202512MONBanking & Finance TUESEducation News/Health & Wellness WEDESG THURPropertyAdvancing tangible climate action MALAYSIA is not simply setting goals; it is actively translating its ambition into reality. Following the introduction of the Malaysia Pavilion theme, “Climate Action Now: Net Zero Pathways Unlocked”, at the recent International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM 2025), we have cemented our commitment in the ‘whole-of-nation’ approach when it comes to all thing’s climate. This effort goes beyond high-level declarations. It is focused on mobilising all sectors including industry, energy, communities and government, towards climate action. Ultimately, our aim is to drive tangible and transformative change that will enable Malaysia to achieve carbon neutrality and secure a sustainable and resilient economic future. Over the past year, our focus has been on defining the ‘Shift for Sustainability’. This includes building foundational ecosystems like the National Climate Change Policy 2.0 (NCCP 2.0), NDC Roadmap and Action Plan, LongTerm Low Emissions Development Strategies (LTLEDS) and National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) which anchors our mission to balance the critical energy trilemma of security, affordability and sustainability. Beyond our local efforts, we also advanced regional efforts like the Asean Power Grid, which serves as the physical infrastructure that transforms our ambition into reality by facilitating cross-border renewable energy trade. These frameworks and policies were developed to help us transform our national targets into actionable blueprints. Having successfully established these foundational pillars, Malaysia is now holistically prepared to achieve Net Zero by 2050. Through both local and international collaboration, we believe this actionoriented mission transcends geopolitics or trends. It is a matter of national responsibility and economic prudence, ensuring a secure and sustainable future for our people and nation. Malaysia has long been committed to climate action. In line with its commitments under the Paris Agreement, through the oMalaysia has cemented its commitment to ‘whole-of-nation’ approach latest update of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), NDC 3.0 which we submitted in October 2025, Malaysia strives to peak its emissions by 2030 and intends to achieve an absolute reduction of 15–30 million tonnes of COŒ equivalent (MtCOŒeq) by 2035 from the peak level. This commitment is bolstered by a range of mitigation actions that have advanced Malaysia’s progress toward its NDC targets. Some notable initiatives include those related to renewable energy policies, energy efficiency improvements, rail-based public transport, biofuel adoption, waste recycling, and sustainable forestry management. Furthermore, Malaysia has set its sights on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, a visionary goal that calls for strong public-private collaboration and long-term policy clarity. The recent Budget 2026 reaffirms Malaysia’s commitment to a greener and more resilient economy, with a stronger emphasis on energy transition, carbon regulation, and sustainable living to safeguard longterm security, affordability, and sustainability for the rakyat (all Malaysians). A key measure under this commitment is the planned introduction of a Carbon Tax, which serves as a critical carbon pricing instrument to incentivise the private sector and industry players to adopt low-carbon technologies, enhance energy efficiency, and integrate sustainability into their operations. Beyond supporting Malaysia’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, the Carbon Tax also positions domestic industries to remain competitive under emerging global carbon pricing regimes, particularly the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). More importantly, revenues generated through carbon pricing will be reinvested domestically, ensuring that the economic benefits are channelled towards national decarbonisation efforts, technological innovation, and capacity building for a sustainable and inclusive transition. On the regional front, as the Asean Chair in 2025, Malaysia continues to drive leadership in sustainability. Under the chairmanship, Malaysia hosted the 18th Asean Mini-sterial Meeting on the Environment (AMME-18) and related meetings in Langkawi in early September emphasising the importance of climate change cooperation amidst pressing environmental challenges.A core achievement of AMME-18 was Asean’s agreement on the Asean Joint Statement on Climate Change for COP30. The unified statement was endorsed by the Asean Environment Ministers and will be delivered at COP30, following its formal approval at the 47th Asean Summit on October 26, 2025. The joint statement not only serves as a critical opportunity for Asean to collectively influence global climate action but also articulates Aseam’s common positions on key issues including climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, technology transfer and implementation of the Paris Agreement. During AMME-18, Malaysia also facilitated a dialogue between Asean Environment Ministers and the COP30 President Designate, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago. This engagement successfully aligned Asean’s priorities with Brazil’s “Amazon COP” vision, laying the groundwork for early coordination towards COP30 in Belém. As a result, we see Asean positioned as a united and influential voice in the global climate negotiations. Building on this momentum, the Malaysia Pavilion at COP30 served as an extension of this regional collaboration, highlighting both Malaysia’s national climate initiatives and Asean’s collective commitment to sustainability under Malaysia’s chairmanship. Through this platform, Malaysia aims to amplify the collective voice of Southeast Asian nations, anchored on the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities. The Pavilion also spotlighted regional initiatives, reinforcing Malaysia’s commitment to domestic transformation and regional leadership, ensuring that the voices, vulnerabilities and innovations of Southeast Asian nations are effectively represented and supported on the global stage. This article is contributed by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii (pic)KUALA LUMPUR: ESGReports.my, a 100% Malaysian-built and owned ESG reporting and consultancy platform, was recently launched, marking a historic milestone as Malaysia’s first and only Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)-licensed ESG reporting software and tools partner.Developed locally by a team of sustainability professionals, auditors, and software engineers, ESGReports.my integrates global ESG frameworks, AIpowered automation, and GRI-certified assurance systems to deliver a complete end-to-end ESG solution, from consultation and data collection to AIpowered report generation and independent audit verification. “Our goal is to democratise ESG and make it practical, affordable, and achievable for all Malaysian businesses,” said CEO Vasan Lingan, adding that they believe ESG should not be exclusive to large corporations as Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the heart of Malaysia’s economy, and they deserve access to affordable tools that help them compete globally. The launch of ESGReports.my supports Malaysia’s national sustainability and entrepreneurship agendas, including: Twelfth Malaysia Plan (RMK-12) – advancing sustainable, inclusive, and high-value economic growth; Malaysia Madani Framework – promoting ethical governance and sustainability; National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030 (DKN2030) – nurturing globally competitive entrepreneurs and SME Corp Business Strategic Plan 2022–2030 – promoting ESG adoption among MSMEs. Through these alignments, ESGReports.my aims to empower Malaysian MSMEs to meet international ESG standards, access green financing, and participate in global supply chains that demand responsible sourcing and transparent governance. ESGReports.my’s innovation lies in its AI-powered reporting engine, which helps organisations identify key ESG metrics, perform data validation, and generate reports aligned with GRI Standards, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and other internationally recognized frameworks. Combined with guidance from Exemplar Global-certified consultants and auditors, the platform ensures that every client benefits from both technical precision and human insight, creating a powerful synergy between technology and expert mentorship. “Our technology shortens the ESG reporting process,” explained Vasan. “But beyond speed, our focus is credibility, helping Malaysian MSMEs produce globally recognised ESG reports with full traceability and confidence.”ESGReports.my offers a comprehensive, end-to-end sustainability ecosystem, including:0 ESG Consultation & Readiness Assessments – expert guidance from certified consultants 0 AI-Powered ESG Report Creation – automated reporting aligned with GRI Standards 0 GRI-Compliant Reporting Software – secure digital data collection and analysis tools 0 ESG Auditing & Verification – independent validation by Exemplar Global certified auditor 0 Training & Certification – ESG awareness, practitioner courses, and Lead Implementer certification. This integrated approach ensures that Malaysian MSMEs not only understand ESG but can implement, measure, report, and continuously improve their sustainability practices.ESGReports.my officially launched Rehda forms committee to drive property sector’s sustainability agenda KUALA LUMPUR: The Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (Rehda) has established an environmental, social and governance (ESG) committee to strengthen the property industry’s sustainability agenda. President Datuk Ho Hon Sang said the committee will position the association as a national thought leader in sustainable and responsible development. “The committee’s focus includes promoting ESG awareness among members, adapting international sustainability standards to the Malaysian context, monitoring new policy developments and providing feedback to the government on the impact of ESG-related policies,” he said in his speech during the recent Rehda’s annual dinner here. Ho said more developers are embracing sustainability, showing that the industry players care about future-proofing its businesses, protecting the environment, and strengthening public trust. He said Rehda will later celebrate excellence through the GreenRE Sustainable Development Awards, honouring the nation’s top-performing greencertified projects. Since its inception in 2013, GreenRE has certified more than 800 projects, representing over 400 million square feet of gross floor area, including homes, malls, data centres and townships not only across Malaysia but also in the United Kingdom, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. “We also appreciate the Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s proactive efforts to promote digitisation and align local planning requirements with national housing goals, measures that will enhance efficiency, transparency and investor confidence. “A robust property sector contributes significantly to Malaysia’s gross domestic product, employment and social wellbeing. “Hence, public-private collaboration must continue to evolve to ensure a resilient, inclusive and sustainable housing ecosystem,” he added. – Bernama

WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 2025EditorialT: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] AdvertisingT: 03-7784 8888 E: [email protected] MEAdopt AI or be left behind: GobindKUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must confront an urgent question of whether its institutions, regulatory systems and workforce are prepared for an artificial intelligence-driven global economy, said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who warned that the country will fall behind its competitors if the government does not evolve as quickly as industry. Speaking at the Asia School of Business’ (ASB) inaugural AIPowered Leadership Conference yesterday, Gobind said Malaysia has entered a phase where economic outcomes will depend on the nation’s ability to lead responsibly and adopt AI at scale, rather than simply investing in hardware or infrastructure. He noted that while Malaysia had made impressive progress in building data centre capacity and strengthening digital foundations, the next challenge would be far more complex and human-driven. He illustrated this with a recent conversation in Penang, where a local innovator demonstrated an AIpowered wearable capable of predicting health indicators such as diabetes risk and blood pressure fluctuations. Gobind said such innovations Gobind and Cherian (right) at the AI-Powered Leadership Conference Conference.oMalaysia must be ready for artificial intellgence-driven world and innovations must reach the people to be of any good, says ministerŰ BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM [email protected] transform the healthcare system by reducing congestion in hospitals, improving early detection and lowering treatment costs, but only if the technology reaches ordinary Malaysians. “Innovation that does not reach the public does not create impact,” he said. “If we keep these solutions in labs or pilot projects, the country gains nothing.” Gobind stressed that Malaysia is now facing what he described as the rise of a new divide – not a divide of connectivity, but one of AI readiness. “We solved the problem of digital access,” he said. “Now we must solve the problem of AI adoption. Those who are able to adopt artificial intelligence will move forward much faster than those who cannot.” He acknowledged the industry’s long-standing concern that while companies are aggressively modernising, government agencies have remained slow to change. “Many in the industry have told us: ‘We are adapting, but government still works the same way.’ After 60 years of doing things a certain way, ministries think they know best. But this is a new world and we have to ask whether our structures still make sense,” he said. Gobind described a fundamental internal challenge: many ministries still store massive volumes of information in analogue or poorly structured formats, making meaningful AI integration impossible.“You cannot ask industry players for AI solutions when your data is not digitised, not structured, not secure,” he said. “This is a new layer of talent, a new layer of expertise and we must build it fast.” To accelerate institutional capability, the Digital Ministry has created the Government Innovation and Innovative Initiative under Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation to help ministries frame clear problem statements and invite private sector partners to co-develop solutions. He said this was necessary because traditional procurement methods frequently resulted in mismatched solutions. “If the problem is defined wrongly, the solution will never fit. This is a real issue today.” Gobind emphasised that Malaysia’s path forward would be anchored in trust, leadership capability and human-centred transformation. He said leaders must treat investments in people as seriously as investments in technology, and that responsible AI deployment required clarity, transparency and security. “People must trust the platforms and the systems that are being built,” he said. “If they cannot trust them, adoption fails. Leadership in the age of intelligence demands that technology must enhance the human touch, not erode it.” The ASB conference, supported by TRX City Sdn Bhd, brought together AI pioneers, industry leaders and policymakers. ASB CEO, president and dean Professor Joe Cherian said the institution has invested heavily in developing leaders who can navigate the ethical and strategic challenges of artificial intelligence. He highlighted ASB’s MicroCredential in AI for Business Leaders, as well as its Certified AI Leader and Certified AI Practitioner programmes, emphasising that “leaders today must pair technical literacy with sound judgment and ethical clarity.” TRX City CEO Datuk Azmar Talib said Malaysia’s financial sector must prepare for rapid technological disruption. AI-ready leadership, he added, would underpin competitiveness in the coming decade and added that TRX’s partnership with ASB reflected the organisation’s commitment to nurturing talent capable of driving innovation within Malaysia’s international financial centre. Gobind closed by reminding leaders that the pace of AI development is outstripping traditional planning cycles, noting that “solutions today often become outdated before they even reach the market”.He said Malaysia must therefore rethink how quickly it builds the structures, policies and talent needed for an AI-driven future. “It is a race against time. If we do not adapt, others will and they will move ahead much faster.”Big Caring Group teams up with Japan, Taiwan companiesPETALING JAYA: Big Caring Group has formed a strategic partnership with Taiwan’s leading pharmacy chain, Great Tree Pharmacy, and Japan’s 100-year-old health brand, B&S Corporation. The collaboration marks a major milestone in building a win-win ecosystem for Asia’s health and wellness industry. The partnership aims to introduce clinically proven, science-backed health products to markets across Asia by combining the group’s extensive retail pharmacy network with Great Tree Pharmacy’s market-leading expertise and B&S Corp’s advanced health research and stringent quality standards. It reflects the shared commitment of three leading health industry players across Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan, united by a shared mission to advance preventive healthcare and provide consumers in Asia with safer, more professional and trusted health solutions.Big Caring Group CEO Lee Meng Chuan said the company’s mission has always been to expand access to trusted, high-quality healthcare solutions for every community it serves. “We believe preventive healthcare is the future of wellness. By combining our collective strengths – Japan’s century-old health expertise, Taiwan’s market-leading pharmacy excellence, and our extensive pharmacy network – we are building a shared pathway to bring clinically proven, sciencebacked innovations to consumers across Asia,” he said in a statement. Big Caring Group is Malaysia’s largest pharmacy chain, comprising BIG Pharmacy, Caring Pharmacy, Georgetown Pharmacy, Ting Pharmacy and Wellings Pharmacy. As the first milestone of this alliance, the three partners jointly announced that Lactis, Japan’s renowned century-old postbiotic brand, will officially enter the Malaysian health supplement market this month. Following this, more clinically supported and scientifically formulated Japanese products, including Japan’s most clinically validated anti-ageing and senior wellness supplements, will be gradually introduced to Malaysian consumers.Since 2024, Big Caring Group and Great Tree Pharmacy have collaborated to introduce the globally From left: Lee, B&S Corp president and CEO Yuko Murakoshi and Great Tree Pharmacy president Cheng Ming Long.patented red yeast product Ankascin568, which has since garnered strong consumer acceptance. Building on this success, the addition of Japan’s B&S Corporation elevates this cooperation from a product-level partnership into a whole strategic alliance, marking the start of a new phase in integrated supply chain and retail development across Asia. This partnership represents a pivotal moment for Asia’s health industry. It signifies the beginning of a new era of cross-border collaboration, in which leading health brands from Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan create multi-win outcomes for both the healthcare sector and consumers. Together, they strive to advance preventive healthcare and help shape a healthier, safer and internationally benchmarked healthcare ecosystem across Asia.

BIZ & FINANCEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202514PAAB: Speed up green tech adoption in water sectorwant to make it more efficient and ensure that the whole water supply value chain conforms to a circular economy,” he told reporters at the WaterTech Asia 2025 Exhibition and Forum at the Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC), here yesterday. The event was officiated by Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hong Wai. Also present was Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) CEO Datuk K. Pathmanathan. Jaseni highlighted PBAPP’s successful initiative to recycle treatment plant residue as a model that could be expanded nationwide.He also noted that the industry is awaiting the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation’s decision to declassify water treatment residue as scheduled waste. He said many entrepreneurs are keen to invest in the sector, particularly since countries such as Japan, the United States and Australia do not categorise such residue as scheduled waste. Jaseni emphasised that WaterTech Asia serves as a key platform to encourage water operators, vendors, suppliers and innovators to prioritise green technology as the industry’s future. Meanwhile, Pathmanathan said WaterTech Asia 2025 is an international event that serves as a crucial platform bringing together exhibitors from various countries while stressing that Penang, being a water-stressed state with very high water demand, urgently needs innovative approaches and technologies to support its long-term water resilience. “This is a venue where exhibitors showcase solutions and at the same time, we are looking for innovators who can address the issues,” he said. More than 100 exhibitors from over five countries, including Indonesia, China, Canada, Germany and South Korea, are participating in the three-day exhibition and conference, which aims to amplify efforts to position Malaysia as a regional hub for water management proessionals and supporting industries, fostering both regional and global growth opportunities. – BernamaoInitiatives should prioritise strengthening supply system, says chairmanBoustead Heavy, French firm collaborate to supply motorised floating bridges to governmentPETALING JAYA: Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) has strengthened its position in the defence sector through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CNIM Systèmes Industriels to collaborate on the supply and delivery of motorised floating bridges to the government, particularly the Malaysian Armed Forces and other government agencies. The MoU establishes a framework for both parties to jointly explore and deliver advanced bridging systems designed to enhance the mobility, flexibility, and operational efficiency of the Armed Forces in field and tactical environments. The collaboration marks a strategic step towards advancing Malaysia’s defence infrastructure and promoting industrial self-reliance through local partnerships. BHIC CEO Feroz Razi Ramli said the partnership with CNIM Systèmes Industriels marks a new chapter for the company, reinforcing its role as a key industrial enabler in Malaysia’s defence ecosystem. “It reflects our commitment to national capability development, technology transfer, and long-term regional cooperation. Together, we aim to create sustainable value, strengthen our service offerings and support the government’s agenda for a self-reliant defence infrastructure,” he said in a statement. CNIM Systèmes Industriels is a French equipment manufacturer and industrial contractor, specialising in advanced bridging and mobility systems, and the original equipment manufacturer of the Pont Flottant Motorise Tactical Bridge System, a proven and fielded tactical bridging solution in service with several armed forces worldwide. Further, the partnership aligns with BHIC’s strategic direction to optimise its business portfolio, deepen its technical competencies, and enhance shareholder value while supporting Malaysia’s broader national defence objectives. Boustead Holdings Bhd group managing director Datuk Indera Dr Ahmad Sabirin Arshad said the collaboration exemplifies how Boustead and its subsidiaries are driving Malaysia’s defence modernisation through strategic partnerships and industrial integration. “By strengthening BHIC’s capabilities and leveraging technology-driven solutions, we are reinforcing our commitment to support the Ministry of Defence’s long-term goal of building a robust and self-sustaining defence industry. “This reflects Boustead’s broader transformation journey towards delivering sustainable value to LTAT, the Armed Forces, and the nation.” Through the initiative, BHIC continues to demonstrate its readiness to contribute to Malaysia’s defence modernisation, while fostering innovation and local industry participation in line with national aspirations for technological advancement and economic resilience.OM Holdings: Substantial progress in South African mining company stake salePETALING JAYA: OM Holdings Ltd, an international manganese and silicon smelting group, has reached a key milestone in the sale of its 26% interest in the South Africa-based Ntsimbintle Mining Proprietary Ltd (NMPL) to Exxaro Resources Ltd. In a Bursa Malaysia filing yesterday, the company reported substantial progress, noting that multiple material regulatory and shareholder approvals have now been secured for the ZAR 1.86 billion transaction, valued at about US$101.4 million (RM418.8 million). OM Holdings confirmed that several suspensive conditions central to the deal have been fulfilled. These include the granting of ministerial approval under section 11 of South Africa’s Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act in relation to Tshipi é Ntle Manganese Mining, as well as clearance from the country’s competition authorities. In addition, shareholders of Ntsimbintle Holdings approved the transaction in accordance with sections 112 and 115 of the South African Companies Act. OM Holdings also finalised the requisite escrow arrangements and obtained the necessary warranty and indemnity insurance policies. With these critical steps completed, OM Holdings is moving steadily towards the transaction’s completion, marking a significant development in the company’s strategic portfolio realignment. OM Holdings said the deal is not complete yet, as a few final conditions still need to be met. Once the remaining approvals are secured, the transaction is expected to be finalised in early 2026.OM Holdings executive chairman and CEO Low Ngee Tong (pic) said the transaction has advanced meaningfully with key material conditions now satisfied, including relevant regulatory approvals. “Reaching this stage reflects the collective effort and cooperation of all parties involved, and we appreciate the commitment shown throughout the process. “We look forward to completing the transaction successfully, unlocking value from our long-term investment, and begin a shift towards the next chapter for OM Holdings,“ he said in the filing. OM Holdings’ wholly owned subsidiary, OM Mauritius, entered into a conditional binding sale and purchase agreement with Exxaro Resources Ltd in May 2025 for the sale of its 26% interest in NMPL. NMPL holds a 50.1% interest in Tshipi e Ntle Manganese Mining (Pty) Ltd, which operates the Tshipi Borwa Mine in South Africa’s Kalahari Manganese Field. The Tshipi Mine is one of the largest manganese mines in South Africa by production and export volume, and ranks among the five largest manganese operations globally. OM Holdings holds an effective 13% interest in Tshipi.NIIF incentives based on outcome, not investment size: Tengku Zafrul KUALA LUMPUR: Incentives under the National Industry Investment Framework (NIIF) will vary based on actual outcomes rather than the size of the investment. Outgoing Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said that, unlike previously when incentives were tied directly to investment amounts, the NIIF focuses on what the investment delivers. “Some sectors may have different outcomes. It is not about how much you invest, but what the investment achieves. “For example, in supply chains and workforce needs, are you working with universities, and how much are you spending on research and development? Only then will the level of incentives vary,” he told Bernama in an interview on Monday. He said the NIIF also introduces stricter safeguards, particularly in relation to foreign labour and the reskilling of local talent. These measures are necessary because companies often opt for cheaper labour and are less willing to commit to workforce training. “So, this is why, under the budget, we are introducing the NIIF, which will set the criteria for incentives when companies invest in new technologies. “We want to see how many local workers you take on, the extent of technology transfer, and what other spillover benefits accrue to the economy. That is important,” he added. He said the NIIF will also support small and medium enterprises by strengthening their role and capabilities within supply chains. “I have just returned from MBSB Bank, where we discussed smart technology. Acceptance will depend on financial support not only from the government but also from development and commercial banks,” he noted. The NIIF will be fully implemented for the manufacturing sector in the first quarter of 2026, with the services sector following in the second quarter of 2026. – BernamaGEORGE TOWN: Malaysia must accelerate the adoption of green technology in the water sector to secure long-term sustainability of the nation’s water supply, said Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) chairman Datuk Seri Jaseni Maidinsa. He said green technology initiatives within the sector should prioritise strengthening the water supply system rather than focusing solely on flood mitigation. “In most of the PAAB projects, we have instructed our engineering unit to look at the latest green technology and our main objective is to reduce carbon footprint. “When we move towards green technology, we improve the sustainability of the water supply system and reduce operational costs. We

BIZ & FINANCEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202515Geohan seen riding Malaysia’s infrastructure upcycleKUALA LUMPUR: Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd has given a “Buy’ call on Geohan Corporation Bhd, as the company is poised to benefit from the country’s infrastructure-related project pipeline. The research firm sees domestic infrastructure projects remaining solid, including MRT3, the KL–SG HSR, RTS Johor, Penang LRT, and the ECRL, alongside ongoing transit-oriented developments. With Geohan operating as an integrated foundation and geotechnical specialist, providing a full suite of services from piling and ground improvement works to subcontracting and material supply, the company is well-positioned to capitalise on domestic projects. “Geohan expertise includes micropiling, conventional piling, and underpinning activities, supported by building engineering design and consultancy services. “Driven by its expansion plans, Geohan is expected to register net earnings of RM14.1 million and RM19.1 million in FY25 and FY26, respectively. “We peg a fair value of RM0.65 based on a 15x price-to-earnings ratio (PER), similar to its regional peers of comparable scale over FY26 earnings per share (EPS),“ Rakuten Trade vicepresident of research Thong Pak Leng said in a research note. As one of Malaysia’s reputable piling and geotechnical specialists, Geohan serves a diverse range of construction-related segments, including residential, mixed-use, commercial, and infrastructure projects. Geohan recorded strong revenue growth with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.78% from FY22–24, supported by a sizeable order book of RM390.4 million. The company is scheduled to be listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia on Dec 5. To support rising workload and improve operational efficiency, the Rakuten Trade report said Geohan is undertaking a fleet expansion initiative funded by IPO proceeds. This includes the purchase of 4 rotary boring rigs, eight crawler cranes and five excavators, which is expected to lift bored piling capacity by 10-15%. A larger in-house fleet will reduce reliance on rented machinery, enhance resource coordination and minimise the risk of project disruptions. For 2026, Geohan is positioning itself for regional expansion through entry into the Singapore foundation and geotechnical segment, where industry activity continues to strengthen. The company intends to establish permanent operations backed by a CRS specialist builder (piling works) licence (CR08, Financial Grade L1) and a fully staffed project and site team. This overseas venture broadens the group’s revenue base, Rakuten Trade noted. The research firm also noted that Geohan targets a payout ratio of 25% of its net profit to shareholders. “We expect the company to pay a dividend of 0.8 sen and 1.1 sen for FY25 and FY26, translating into yields of 1.5% and 2%. “Nonetheless, we are cautious of its financial leverage, with net gearing of 0.87x as of FY24. “However, with stronger earnings ahead, we expect its gearing ratio to fall below 0.25x post-listing, following the receipt of IPO proceeds and the completion of capital expenditure,“ Thong said.JF Technology on stronger footingFoong (third from left) with JF Technology Bhd financial controller Siew Chun Fai, CEO Andy Goh Joo Hwa, independent non-executive chairman Datuk Phang Ah Tong, Securities Services (Holdings) Sdn Bhd chartered secretary Chua Siew Chuan, and JF Technology Bhd independent non-executive director Chua Hui Chen at the AGM.oGroup enters highervalue test equipment space, completes five corporate exercises in six monthsKOTA DAMANSARA: JF Technology Bhd, a main market-listed leading innovator and manufacturer of highperformance test contacting and interface solutions for global integrated circuit (IC) makers, is now in a better position to become a one-stop centre for test solutions as it is now in the higher value test equipment space, on top of test consumables. Apart from that, JF Technology has also concluded five corporate exercises over the past six months as it continues to expand horizontally, and is now positioning itself to build on its record-breaking Q1’26 performance while leveraging the favourable industry outlook. Concluding its 19th AGM yesterday, JF Technology paid a dividend of 0.25 sen per share in FY25, reflecting a payout ratio of 65.2%. Speaking after the AGM, group managing director Datuk Foong Wei Kuong said it has been a couple of challenging years for the group, shaped by the industry cycle and broader macroeconomic conditions. “Against this backdrop, we are especially pleased to have begun FY26 on a solid footing with our record quarterly top-line performance. “We view this as a potential inflexion point as we forge ahead towards the promising opportunities on the horizon while riding on the global semiconductor market expansion. “At the same time, we are also continuously enhancing our capabilities via mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Over the past 6 months, we have concluded 5 corporate exercises to grow horizontally and vertically within the semiconductor industry test ecosystem. “With these corporate exercises, it better positions us to become a one-stop centre for test solutions. Besides test consumables, we are now in the higher-value test equipment space. More importantly, it positions us well for sustainable growth in the years ahead, underpinned by our 6 engines of growth and the JF 4.0 Transformation,” he said in a statement. CEO Andy Goh Joo Hwa said the JF Technology team is working tirelessly to build on the positive momentum gained following the company’s solid Q1’26 results. “On that note, I am pleased to highlight that our key strategic initiatives are progressing well, bringing us closer to establishing ourselves as a comprehensive onestop solution provider. “These enhanced capabilities place us in a strong position to benefit from the positive industry landscape, while continuing to leverage the strength of our resilient and sustainable business model, underpinned by recurring and expanding sales of test consumables across diverse industries,” he said. For FY25, the group declared a dividend of 0.25 sen per share, amounting to RM2.3 million. This works out to a dividend payout of 65.2% based on FY25 net profit of RM3.6 million. The group has consistently paid dividends to shareholders over the past 7 financial years.

BIZ & FINANCEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202516Apple will resist India order to preload cyber safety appNEW DELHI: Apple does not plan to comply with a mandate to preload its smartphones with a state-owned cyber safety app and will convey its concerns to New Delhi, three sources familiar with the matter said, after the government’s move sparked surveillance concerns. The Indian government has confidentially ordered companies including Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi to preload their phones with an app called Sanchar Saathi, or Communication Partner, within 90 days. The app is intended to track stolen phones, block them and prevent them from being misused. The government also wants manufacturers to ensure that the app is not disabled. And for devices already in the supply chain, manufacturers should push the app to phones via software updates, Reuters was first to report on Monday. India’s telecom ministry confirmed the move later, describing it as a security measure to combat “serious endangerment” of cyber security. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political opponents and privacy advocates criticized the move, saying it is a way for the government to gain access to India’s 730 million smartphones. Apple does not plan to comply with the directive and will tell the government it does not follow such mandates anywhere in the world as they raise a host of privacy and security issues for the company’s iOS ecosystem, said two of the industry sources who are familiar with Apple’s concerns. They declined to be named publicly as the company’s strategy is private. “Its not only like taking a sledgehammer, this is like a double-barrel gun,” said the first source. Apple and the telecom ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The app order comes as Apple is locked in a court fight with an Indian watchdog over the nation’s antitrust penalty law. Apple has said it risks facing a fine of up to US$38 billion (RM156.9 billion) in a case. The second source said Apple does not plan Apple iPhones are seen inside India’s first Apple retail store which opened in April 2023. A source says Apple will tell the government it cannot follow the order to install a safety app because of security vulnerabilities. – REUTERSPICoGovernment wants all smartphones sold to have state-run feature, triggers political stormChina said to have issued first batch of streamlined rare earth export licences BEIJING: China has issued the first batch of new rare earth export licenses that should accelerate shipments to certain customers, a source said yesterday, fulfilling a key outcome of the summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. China began designing a new streamlined rare earth licensing regime centred on so-called “general licences” following the late October meeting between Trump and Xi that eased trade tensions between the two countries, Reuters exclusively reported in early November. Chinese magnet maker JL Mag Rare Earth has received licences for nearly all of its clients, while Ningbo Yunsheng and Beijing Zhong Ke San Huan High-Tech have secured licences for some of their clients, the source said, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. The three firms and China’s Ministry of Commerce did not immediately respond to questions. All three companies sell to the automotive industry, according to their websites. JL Mag has a subsidiary in Europe and Yunsheng says it has clients in Europe and the Americas. The introduction of the licensing regime is the latest evidence that Beijing is following through on the commitments that Washington says were agreed at the leaders’ summit. The White House has previously likened general licenses to the effective end of China’s rare earth export controls. While China has said little publicly about the new licences, Reuters reported last month that they would supplement the existing licensing regime, not replace it, be valid for a year and allow much larger volumes of exports. Under the regime first introduced in April, companies must get a licence from Beijing for each shipment, a process that has caused major bottlenecks for customers around the world. Currently only large rare earth companies are eligible to apply for general licences, however, eligibility will widen if the regime is a success, the source said. – ReutersNomura projects India’s Nifty rising to 29,300 by 2026 as growth recoversBENGALURU: Nomura expects India’s benchmark Nifty 50 to climb to 29,300 by end-2026, about 12% above current levels, as cyclical economic momentum and earnings growth regain traction under supportive policies, its analyst Saion Mukherjee said. Mukherjee said in a note yesterday that the brokerage dropped its valuation concerns in May 2025 after markets steadied from the tariff-driven selloff triggered by the US hike in import duties. Calmer geopolitics, a firmer macro backdrop and signs of a cyclical pickup now reinforce the case for higher valuations, he added. The research firm’s outlook echoes similar 2026 calls from HSBC and JP.Morgan, coming as the Nifty 50 and the Sensex hit record highs last week for the first time in 14 months supported by improving earnings, steadier valuations, resilient domestic inflows and firm economic growth.The brokerage said India’s relative underperformance over the past year has helped valuation premiums normalise, with strong local flows anchoring market stability. It expects policy support aimed at growth, self-reliance and structural reforms to keep the medium-term outlook constructive. Nomura warned, however, that narrative-driven stocks with stretched valuations may deliver no returns, urging a selective, bottom-up approach. It favours commercial vehicles, pharma, IT and non-bank lenders and is overweight on financials, consumer discretionary, real estate, internet, cement, telecom and manufacturing. It remains cautious on consumer staples, infrastructure, capital goods and healthcare services, and neutral on autos. – Reuters BR I EFSSINGAPORE’S YOUTRIP TO ENTER AUSTRALIA SINGAPORE: Singapore-based fintech firm YouTrip said yesterday it will launch in Australia, its first new market since the Covid-19 pandemic, aiming to use it as a springboard for further expansion into other hightravel Asia-Pacific markets. YouTrip now operates in Singapore and Thailand, offering a multi-currency travel card and processing more than US$15 billion (RM61.95 billion) in annual transactions, the company said in a statement. “Our expansion into Australia, a market with substantial high-travel potential and familiar payment pain points, is a strong validation of our payment innovation and scalability,” said Caecilia Chu, YouTrip’s CEO and cofounder. – Reuters MARVELL IN TALKS TO BUY CELESTIAL AI: REPORT BENGALURU: US. chipmaker Marvell Technology is in advanced talks to acquire chip startup Celestial AI in a cash-and-stock deal worth multiple billions of dollars, The Informationreported on Monday, citing people with knowledge of the deal. The total deal price, including earnouts from product milestones could be higher than US$5 billion (RM20.6 billion), the report said. Marvell and Celestial AI did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. – Reutersto go to court or take a public stand, but it will tell the government it cannot follow the order because of security vulnerabilities. Apple “can’t do this. Period”, the person said. Other brands including Samsung are reviewing the order, said a fourth industry source who is familiar with the matter. Samsung did not respond to Reuters queries. Sources have said the government moved forward with the order without industry consultation. While Apple tightly controls its App Store and proprietary iOS software – which are crucial to its US$10-billion-per-year services business – Google’s Android is open-sourced, allowing manufacturers like Samsung and Xiaomi greater leeway to modify their software. India’s main opposition Congress Party has called for a rollback of the mandate. On X, KC Venugopal, a top Congress leader, said “Big Brother cannot watch us.” The government’s press release said the app can help tackle incidents of duplicated or spoofed IMEI numbers, which enable scams and network misuse. “India has big second-hand mobile device market,” the telecom ministry said in a statement late on Monday. “Cases have also been observed where stolen or blacklisted devices are being re-sold.” – Reuters

BIZ & FINANCEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202517Japan’s 30-year bond yields climb to record high as rate hike bets riseTOKYO: Japanese 30-year government bond yields climbed to a record high yesterday, as speculation grew that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) might raise interest rates as soon as this month. The 20-year JGB yield leapt to a 26-year high, while the 10-year yield reached a 17-year top before retreating in the wake of solid demand at an auction of the notes. Bond yields rise when prices fall. Yields had surged on Monday in the heaviest bond selloff in four months after BOJ governor Kazuo Ueda said in a speech that policymakers would consider the “pros and cons” of a December rate hike, sending the strongest signal yet of near-term policy tightening. “Since it is unusual for the BOJ governor to refer to a specific meeting in such a speech, we believe the likelihood of a December rate hike has further increased,” Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities analysts said in a client note. “A December rate hike is our base case.” Overnight Index Swaps yesterday indicated about a 71% chance of the BOJ raising rates by a quarter point to 0.75% at its meeting on Dec 18-19.Ueda also said in a Q&A session after his speech that he had “good discussions” with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which investors took as an indication that the new premier won’t stand in the way of higher rates despite previously expressing a preference for easy policy. The 30-year JGB yield jumped as much as 2 basis points (bps) to an unprecedented 3.41%, while the 20-year yield climbed as much as 1.5 bps to 2.905%, the highest since June 1999. The 10-year yield added 0.5 bp to 1.88%, the highest since June 2008, before easing back to 1.865%. With 10-year yields extremely elevated, “the issue appeared relatively inexpensive, which likely drew demand from a wide range of investors”, Shoki Omori, chief desk strategist at Mizuho Securities, said of the auction. “The auction result appears to have provided a measure of reassurance to the market.” The five-year yield was unchanged at the June 2008 peak of 1.38% reached on Monday. The two-year yield edged down 0.5 bp to 1.015% from Monday’s June 2008 high of 1.02%. – ReutersThailand planning support package for small businesses BANGKOK: Thailand is planning a 267 billion baht (RM34.4 billion) support package for small businesses, including soft loans and loan guarantees to boost liquidity, the finance minister said yesterday as the government looks to spark a struggling economy. The package, approved by the Cabinet yesterday, includes 217 billion baht of soft loans from state-owned banks and guarantees of 50 billion baht, Ekniti Nitithanprapas said in a statement. The package will help increase liquidity and reduce costs through low interest rates for smalland medium-sized businesses, he told a press conference. “Thai SMEs are running out of breath,” he told reporters. “Today, liquidity has dried up. We need to inject fuel into this sector to help them regain their strength,” he added. The stimulus is expected to help 107,000 smaller firms and add 0.36 percentage points to economic growth in 2026, he said. Ekniti also said Southeast Asia’s secondlargest economy could grow close to 1% annually in the final quarter of 2025. In the September quarter, the economy expanded just 1.2% from a year earlier, the weakest pace in four years. It has faced multiple headwinds this year, including US tariffs, stubbornly high household debt, and a strong baht currency. – ReutersHedging against India rupee weakness turns costlier MUMBAI: Hedging against the Indian rupee’s weakness became costlier yesterday with the currency nearing the 90 mark, reflecting heightened concerns about further depreciation and expectations that the central bank may allow more exchange rate adjustment.The one-year dollar/rupee forward premium climbed 7 basis points (bps) yesterday, taking its three-session rise to more than 12 bps. Meanwhile, the one-month premium hit 19.5 paisa, its highest level in nearly seven months. Forward premiums represent the cost of locking in a future exchange rate for the rupee. When companies want to hedge themselves against the risk of the rupee weakening further, they buy dollars for delivery at a later date. Forward premiums rise when demand for hedging increases. The rise in forward premiums further reflects increasing demand for taking speculative positions against the rupee, the banker said. Higher premiums make such positions more expensive, yet the willingness of speculators to pay up indicates conviction that the rupee’s weakness may persist, they explained. The speculative buildup has come at a time when pressure on the rupee has intensified, particularly after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed the currency to slip past the heavily defended 88.80 level. The rupee weakened to 89.9475 against the US dollar yesterday, down 0.4% on the day and marking a new all-time low. The currency is on track for its fifth straight session of losses. The break of the 88.80 level “altered” the market tone, emboldening participants who had previously been reluctant to bet against the central bank’s defence, a Singapore-based portfolio manager at an Asia-focussed hedge fund said. Forward premiums are largely driven by the interest-rate differential between the US and India. Bankers noted there has been no meaningful shift in policy expectations on either side in the last few days, suggesting that the recent rise in premiums is not interest rate-driven and instead appears to reflect demand-supply dynamics. The currency is losing ground despite robust economic growth in India in the quarter through September and low inflation that would typically lend support to the currency. Those fundamentals have been set aside by investors focused on currency flow dynamics, with both portfolio and investment inflows remaining tepid while India’s trade deficit has been widening. India’s ballooning trade deficit is expected to push the current account deficit wider in the ongoing fiscal year, economists say. HSBC forecasts that India’s current account deficit will rise to 1.4% of GDP in the current fiscal year from 0.6% last year. Underlying fundamentals point to further rupee weakness, suggesting the RBI may eventually allow the currency to slip past 90 over time, according to MUFG Bank. – ReutersBoE: Heightened risks to stability of financial systemLONDON: The Bank of England (BoE) said risks to Britain’s financial system had risen this year due to stretched valuations of companies investing in artificial intelligence (AI), risky lending to big companies and some trading in government bonds. “Risks to financial stability have increased during 2025,” the BoE said in its half-yearly Financial Stability Report. “Global risks remain elevated and material uncertainty in the global macroeconomic outlook persists. Key sources of risk include geopolitical tensions, fragmentation of trade and financial markets, and pressures on sovereign debt markets,” it added. However, the BoE lowered capital requirements for major banks operating in Britain and judged that the British banking A view outside the Bank of England building in London on Monday. The central bank intends to conduct a stress test focused on the resilience of the private market ecosystem. –REUTERSPICoStretched valuations of firms investing in AI, risky lending to big companies and some trading in government bonds citedsector was well capitalised and said aggregate indebtedness in the domestic corporate and household sector remained low. Many of the risks identified by the BoE in the report had been highlighted by members of the central bank’s Financial Policy Committee in previous months. Investor enthusiasm for AI had pushed share valuations in the United States to their most stretched since the dotcom bubble, and in Britain to their highest since the global financial crisis. “Deeper links between AI firms and credit markets, and increasing interconnections between those firms, mean that, should an asset price correction occur, losses on lending could increase financial stability risks,” the BoE said. The central bank also noted the collapse of US car parts maker First Brands and auto dealership and lender Tricolor which governor Andrew Bailey said in October might be a warning of bigger problems to come.The BoE intends to conduct a stress test focused on the resilience of the private market ecosystem. The central bank also highlighted that leveraged borrowing by hedge funds in the gilt repo market had reached close to £100 billion (RM546 billion) last month, dominated by a small number of hedge funds. “This reinforces the need for market participants to ensure the risk management of their positions takes account of potential shocks, including correlation shifts outside historical norms,” the BoE said. In another development, Britain’s private sector expects output to slide over the next three months in their gloomiest outlook since May, as cautious consumer spending and cost pressures continue to weigh on businesses, an industry survey showed yesterday. The Confederation of British Industry said the output expectations gauge of its surveys of the services sector, manufacturers and retailers for the three months to February fell to a net balance of -27 in November, down from -20 in October. Private sector activity fell at the fastest pace since August 2020 in the three months to November to -35, down from -32 a month earlier. British finance minister Rachel Reeves announced billions of pounds in tax rises in her annual budget on Nov 26 that will affect workers, people saving for a pension and investors. The CBI data was based on a survey of 909 companies between Oct 24 and Nov 13. – Reuters

BIZ & FINANCEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202518Bitcoin falls again after weak November as bearishness continuesNEW YORK: Bitcoin slumped on Monday, with the world’s largest cryptocurrency down about 6% and on track for its biggest daily percentage fall since early November, as risk aversion drove investors out of digital and other assets. Bitcoin was last down 6% at US$85,788 (RM354,123) and earlier fell as much as 8% to US$83,879.01. The day’s move followed bitcoin’s biggest monthly drop since mid-2021. Bitcoin shed more than US$18,000 in November, as a record amount of money rushed out of the market, making this its largest dollar loss since May 2021, when a number of cryptocurrencies collapsed. Adding to bearish sentiment around bitcoin on Monday, Strategy – the largest corporate holder of bitcoin – cut its earnings forecast for 2025, citing the weak run in bitcoin. Strategy’s shares fell 3.3%. Over the last 24 hours, crypto liquidations in both long and short positions totalled nearly US$1 billion, according to CoinGlass. “Bitcoin seems to be suffering from a fading enthusiasm across crypto as well as the tech world,“ said Juan Perez, director of trading at Monex USA in Washington. “The negativity at the moment seems tied to growing concerns about increased market concentration and questionable sustainability of overall growth in that sector, considering the issues of infrastructure as well as less cooperation in trade globally,“ he said. Ether also fell on Monday and was last 8.8% lower at US$2,756. It lost some 22% in value in November, the most since February’s 32% slide. Stocks recently sold off on concerns about exuberance over the artificial intelligence trade and lofty valuations in technology shares. Stocks were mostly lower on Monday, with MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe last down about 0.4%. The S&P 500 ended down 0.5%. Given its short lifespan, there is not much seasonality to guide traders’ expectations for how bitcoin usually behaves in December. On average, bitcoin has tended to rise by around 9.7% in December, ranking it third in terms of performance. October is typically the strongest month, with an average gain of 16.6%, and September the weakest month, with an average loss of 3.5%. Some strategists were keeping a close eye on bitcoin’s correlation with the stock market. Some see bitcoin as a possible leading indicator for risk assets. Joe Saluzz, co-founder of Themis Trading in Chatham, New Jersey, said crypto and stocks may be linked via exchange-traded funds but are not always correlated. For example, the stock market was down moderately on Monday while crypto-related assets sold off, he said. XTB research director Kathleen Brooks said in a note: “Bitcoin tends to be a leading indicator for overall risk sentiment right now, and its slide does not bode well for stocks at the start of this month.” “There is no obvious driver (on Monday). However, the sharp decline in volatility last week, the VIX fell back below the average for the last 12 months, may have unnerved some investors who remain concerned about an uncertain outlook into year-end,“ she said. CME bitcoin futures also showed the growing bearishness. Bitcoin futures that expire in three months’ time traded at their smallest premium to those that expire this month in at least a year, signaling investors were less inclined to bank on a sustained price rise. Jefferies strategist Mohit Kumar said a number of crypto-negative factors added to the pressure on bitcoin on Monday. S&P Global downgraded its rating of Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin last week, citing an increase in higher-risk assets in its reserves and “persistent gaps in disclosure,“ which Tether said it “strongly disagrees” with. Other crypto company shares were down as well, with Coinbase Global falling 4.8%. – Reuters Airbus hit by new A320 quality problem after software recallPARIS: Airbus confirmed on Monday it faced an industrial quality issue with metal panels on some A320-family jets, in its latest challenge after a recall to fix a computer glitch. Reuters exclusively reported earlier that Airbus had found quality problems affecting the fuselage panels of several dozen A320-family aircraft, delaying some deliveries. There were no indications that any had reached aircraft in service, but shares in the world’s largest planemaker fell as much as 11% as the glitch eclipsed the grounding of thousands of A320 jets for a software update. Shares closed down 5.9%. “Airbus confirms it has identified a quality issue affecting a limited number of A320 metal panels,“ it said, adding: “The source of the issue has been identified, contained and all newly produced panels conform to all requirements”. A spokesman said the problem stemmed from a supplier, who they declined to name. Airbus has internal and external suppliers for its aerostructures, with the front of the A320 fuselage broadly made in France and the rear in Germany. Upper panels tend to be produced in-house with the rest involving multiple suppliers. The problem is the latest for the bestselling model after a weekend recall of over half the A320-family fleet for repairs triggered by a software vulnerability to solar flares.Operations were returning to normal on Monday after a change of software version was implemented faster than expected, with fewer than 100 still needing a possibly deeper hardware repair. The A320, which recently ousted the Boeing 737 as the most-delivered jetliner, is also wrestling with repair bottlenecks that have grounded hundreds of jets for logistical reasons. On Friday, Airbus introduced limits on some cold weather take-offs. The quality problems emerged as Airbus is beefing up efforts to meet challenging delivery targets for the year and followed lower-than-expected indications for deliveries in November. Shares in airline customers Lufthansa and easyJet were also dragged lower, traders said. A person with direct knowledge of the matter said some deliveries were already being impacted, but there was no immediate confirmation of how many nor for how long. One source told Reuters the total number of jets affected was around 50. How badly the flaw affects deliveries and whether the impact will fall in the current year or in 2026 depends where on the aircraft the problem is located, and on how serious it is.Airbus said “only a portion” would need further action. Industry sources told Reuters that Airbus delivered 72 aircraft in November, fewer than many analysts had previously expected and bringing the total for the year so far to 657. Airbus, which declined comment, is targeting “around 820” deliveries for the year, meaning it would have to reach what analyst Rob Stallard called an “astronomical” performance of more than 160 jets in December. “It was already a big ask for Airbus to hit that 2025 delivery number, and so these fuselage issues could not have come at a worse time,“ the Vertical Research Partners aerospace expert said in a note. Demand for the jets is strong, he added. Illustrating Airbus’ huge reliance on production of one cash-cow model for its overall financial performance, analysts largely overlooked the weekend’s headlines on cosmic radiation, noting the financial impact of the software reset was limited.Jefferies analyst Chloe Lemarie said in a note before the quality problem was reported that Airbus’ delivery goal remains within reach, as underlying output rises. – ReutersSamsung debuts first multi-fold phoneSEOUL: Samsung Electronics unveiled yesterday its first multi-folding smartphone, in a bid to strengthen its position in a sector of the phone market where competition is expected to intensify. The launch of the Galaxy Z TriFold marks Samsung’s bid to reinforce its footing in a segment where Chinese rivals have been gaining ground, even as analysts say the high price and production challenges mean foldable devices are likely to remain a niche category for now. The model, priced at about 3.59 million won (RM10,072.80), unfolds into a 253.1mm (10-inch) display, using three panels and it is nearly 25% larger than Samsung’s latest foldable Galaxy Z Fold 7 model. “I believe the foldable market will continue to grow, and the TriFold in particular could act as a catalyst that drives more explosive growth in key parts of the segment,” said Alex Lim, Samsung Electronics executive vice-president and head of the Korea sales & marketing office. Lim said the new foldable device is intended for customers who specifically want it, rather than as a volume driver. Promoters show Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold smartphones during a launch event in Seoul. Samsung Electronics unveiled its first tri-fold phone on Dec 2, as the company rushes to show it can keep pace with rivals in generative AI. – AFPPIXoHigh-priced Galaxy Z TriFold targets niche buyers as competition from China and Apple buildsThe TriFold, produced in South Korea, will go on sale domestically on Dec 12 and be rolled out in China, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates within this year. The US launch is expected as early as the first quarter of next year. The device features Samsung’s largest battery in its flagship models and supports super-fast charging that powers the phone to 50% in 30 minutes. Lim said memory chips and other component costs have been rising sharply, making pricing a “difficult decision”. Analysts said the TriFold is more likely to be a showcase of the new technology rather than a volume-driving flagship. “The trifold is a first-generation product, and it’s the first time a trifold design is being commercialised, so it’s hard to see Samsung pushing large volumes at this stage,” said Ryu Young-ho, a senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities. He noted that while Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line has matured over seven generations with lower cost structures, “the trifold could still face issues around completeness or durability,” making it important to assess how the market responds first. Competition in the foldable smartphone market is set to heat up, with China’s Huawei launching the industry’s first three-way folding phone last September and Apple expected to release its first foldable next year. Still, analysts say high prices and limits to mass production are likely to hold back the sector. Foldable phones are expected to account for less than 2% of the total smartphone market this year and will make up under 3% by 2027, according to Counterpoint Research. Samsung’s shipment share of the foldable market jumped to 64% in the third quarter, up from 9% in the previous quarter, Counterpoint said, illustrating how market share can whipsaw depending on the timing of product launches. The firm forecasts the foldable smartphone market will grow 14% this year, followed by annual growth in the 30% range in 2026 and 2027 as Apple looks set to enter the segment. – Reuters

BIZ & FINANCEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202519STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) TENAGA 12.740 -0.580 210,057 PPB 10.100 -0.480 12,503 UTDPLT 28.000 -0.380 2,202 CHINTEK 10.800 -0.200 38 GAMUDA 5.150 -0.150 172,074 LSH 2.000 -0.140 14,400 PANAMY 7.080 -0.120 1,392 UMSINT 4.270 -0.120 85 GENM 2.250 -0.100 654,329 IDEAL 3.400 -0.100 20 KLK 19.000 -0.100 17,594 UNISEM 3.100 -0.100 12,927 SNS-CO 0.055 -0.095 53 DIALOG 1.750 -0.080 57,566 EDARAN 1.180 -0.080 653 HI 2.500 -0.080 9,402 KGB-WB 3.740 -0.080 794 KERJAYA 2.790 -0.080 17,166 NSOP 5.920 -0.080 92 SAMAIDEN 1.370 -0.080 14,335STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/-(RM) +/-(%) VOLUME (’00)HSI-PWLG 0.130 -0.015 -10.35 3,011,110 HSI-CWK8 0.085 - - 2,112,579 HSI-CWKH 0.175 -0.005 -2.78 1,987,511 HSI-PWLO 0.100 - - 1,752,175 CAPITALA 0.400 +0.151 +60.64 1,569,049 HSI-PWL4 0.120 -0.010 -7.69 1,522,216 HSI-CWK3 0.165 -0.005 -2.94 902,033 ZETRIX 0.835 +0.020 +2.45 713,385 GENM 2.250 -0.100 -4.26 654,329 BAIDU-C4 0.160 - - 543,062 TANCO 1.110 -0.050 -4.31 523,909 ALIBABA-C49 0.130 +0.005 +4.00 426,354 VELESTO 0.240 +0.015 +6.67 400,694 TWL 0.030 +0.005 +20.00 392,498 HSI-CWKO 0.240 - - 349,876 PTRANS 0.270 +0.010 +3.85 313,311 INARI 1.880 -0.050 -2.59 305,309 ZETRIX-CAN 0.055 -0.005 -8.33 270,000 MMAG 0.070 -0.005 -6.67 257,557 ZETRIX-CAM 0.075 -0.075 -50.00 240,000SUNBIZ presents a summary of the day’s trading activity on Bursa Malaysia and other markets in an easy to digest format.MARKET ROUND-UP: DEC 2[ Sources: Bursa Malaysia, Bernama, shareinvestor.com and websites DISCLAIMER: The data and reports are provided as a service to investors. Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd shall not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information.Top 20 ActivesTop 20 Losers (By RM)Bursa IndicesINDEX CLOSING DAILY DAILY CHANGE CHANGE (%)DJIA (US) 47,289.33 -427.09 -0.9 S&P 500 (US) 6,812.63 -36.46 -0.53 NASDAQ (US) 23,275.92 -89.77 -0.38 NYSE (US) 21,666.46 -158.21 -0.72 EURO STOXX 50 (EUR) 5,695.57 28.09 0.5 FTSE 100 (UK) 9,715.67 13.14 0.14 DAX (GER) 23,699.99 110.55 0.46 NIKKEI 225 (JPN) 49,303.45 0.17 0 TOPIX INDEX (JPN) 3,341.06 2.73 0.08 HANG SENG INDEX (HK) 26,095.05 61.79 0.24 CSI 300 (CHN) 4,554.33 -22.15 -0.48 MSCI ASIA PACIFIC 222.78 -0.46 -0.21 SHANGHAI SE COM (CHN) 3,897.71 -16.29 -0.42 KOSPI INDEX (SK) 3,994.93 74.56 1.9 SENSEX INDEX (IND) 85,165.19 -476.71 -0.56 ASX 200 (AUS) 8,579.70 14.5 0.17 ALL ORDINARIES INDX (AUS) 8,877.49 11.11 0.13 FBM KLCI 1,630.60 6.03 0.37 STRAITS TIMES INDEX (S’PORE) 4,538.43 12.21 0.27 WTI (US$/BBL.) 59.14 -0.18 -0.32 BRENT (US$/BBL.) 62.93 -0.24 -0.41 GOLD (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 4,241.60 -33.2 -0.78 SILVER (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 57.8 -1.35 -2.17 PLATINUM (US$/T OZ) 1,647.99 -18.81 -1.17 COPPER (COMEX) (US CENTS/LB.) 529 -1.3 -0.25 COPPER 3MO (LME) (US$/MT) 11,252.00 63 0.56 CORN (US CENTS/BU.) 446 1 0.22 WHEAT (US CENTS/BU.) 534 -1 -0.19 SOYBEAN OIL (CBOT) (US CENTS/LB.) 52.86 0.5 0.95 COCOA (ICE) (US$/MT) 5,556.00 52 0.94 RUBBER (S’PORE) (US CENTS/KG) 172.1 0.7 0.41World Stocks/CommoditiesAs at 6pm, Dec 2STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) ZETRIX-C8P 0.005 -91.67 29,500 GENTINGC3U 0.010 -75.00 2,141 TENAGA-C3B 0.010 -66.67 101 SNS-CO 0.055 -63.33 53 MALAKOFC70 0.015 -57.14 1,500 GENM-C3P 0.050 -52.38 21,290 BIOHLDG-WB 0.005 -50.00 406 CTOS-C19 0.005 -50.00 5,000 DNONCE-WB 0.005 -50.00 2,000 FBMKLCI-HEC 0.005 -50.00 20,042 GCB-C25 0.005 -50.00 200 HSI-PWLX 0.005 -50.00 127 INARI-C3T 0.010 -50.00 2,500 INARI-C4C 0.005 -50.00 10,500 KGB-C2 0.015 -50.00 160 OCK-WB 0.005 -50.00 47,686 RHONEMA-WA 0.005 -50.00 85,300 TENAGA-C3H 0.025 -50.00 210 TENAGA-C3J 0.020 -50.00 32,289 ZETRIX-C8X 0.020 -50.00 100Top 20 Losers (By %)STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) NESTLE 120.200 +8.600 2,220 F&N 36.360 +1.480 3,558 ALLIANZ 19.900 +0.400 1,724 MAYBANK 10.340 +0.370 236,487 ALLIANZ-PA 20.040 +0.340 176 HLIND 15.960 +0.320 1,950 CAPITALA-LA 1.150 +0.295 42,165 MCEMENT 6.900 +0.250 13,335 RHBBANK 7.250 +0.210 90,275 DKSH 5.300 +0.200 2,097 DLADY 31.600 +0.200 422 PETGAS 17.700 +0.200 6,168 SPRITZER 3.040 +0.200 32,446 BKAWAN 19.440 +0.180 91 VERSATL-WA 0.300 +0.180 155 AJI 13.680 +0.160 222 SOP 3.990 +0.160 8,916 CAPITALA 0.400 +0.151 1,569,049 KLCC 9.180 +0.150 3,119 AMBANK 6.150 +0.140 77,621Top 20 Gainers (By RM)STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) VERSATL-WA 0.300 +150.00 155 HSI-PWLQ 0.055 +120.00 1 ARTRONIQ-WA 0.010 +100.00 20,005 BORNOIL 0.010 +100.00 21,967 PHB 0.010 +100.00 65,498 SMTRACK 0.010 +100.00 5,059 SNS-CE 0.030 +100.00 3,085 ZENTECH 0.010 +100.00 2,079 AXIATA-C1R 0.105 +90.91 20 AAX-C28 0.045 +80.00 1,600 CAPITALA 0.400 +60.64 1,569,049 MAYBANKC2G 0.080 +60.00 5,347 AHB-WC 0.015 +50.00 81 MPAY-WB 0.015 +50.00 9,550 MRDIY-C47 0.015 +50.00 5,090 PERMAJU 0.015 +50.00 25,556 SP500-H57 0.015 +50.00 2 SUPERMX-C5G 0.015 +50.00 1,501 XDL 0.015 +50.00 16,772 MAYBANKC2E 0.170 +47.83 2,322Top 20 Gainers (By %)INDEX CHANGEFBMEMAS 12,031.29 +32.42 FBMKLCI 1,630.60 +6.03 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 536.00 +3.22 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 165.96 -0.00 CONSTRUCTION 307.65 -4.34 FINANCIAL SERVICES 19,110.98 +325.53 ENERGY 750.41 +0.96 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 480.53 +3.93 HEALTH CARE 1,507.90 +1.51 TRANSPORTATION 1,010.24 +7.08 PROPERTY 1,061.85 -1.06 PLANTATION 8,091.10 +57.18 FBMSHA 11,848.12 -55.34 FBMACE 4,780.87 -51.04 TECHNOLOGY 56.20 -0.15 TURNOVER: 3.938 bil VALUE: RM3.326 bil1,630.60 pts Dec 2, 2025Bursa ends higher, tracking improved regional sentimentBURSA Malaysia’s key index sustained its uptrend yesterday but closed off its intraday high as investor sentiment continued to improve amid broad gains across major Asian markets, said an analyst. At 5pm, the FBM KLCI added 6.03 points, or 0.37%, to 1,630.60 from Monday’s close of 1,624.57. The benchmark index, which opened 2.50 points firmer at 1,627.07, moved between 1,624.47 and 1,634.35 throughout the day. However, the broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing gainers 606 to 489. A total of 577 counters were unchanged, 1,016 untraded, and 10 suspended. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said that rising expectations of a potential US Federal Reserve rate cut lifted risk appetite despite firmer US Treasury yields. “Softer US data, including slowing manufacturing activity and retail sales, further strengthened hopes for monetary easing and supported regional equities,” he told Bernama. Among heavyweights, Maybank jumped 37 sen to RM10.34, Public Bank and CIMB Group advanced five sen each to RM4.41 and RM8, respectively, while Tenaga Nasional slipped 58 sen to RM12.74 and IHH Healthcare shed four sen to RM8.36. On the most active list, Capital A surged 15.5 sen to 40 sen, Zetrix AI added two sen to 83.5 sen, Velesto Energy improved 1.5 sen to 24 sen, while Genting Malaysia fell 10 sen to RM2.25 and Tanco eased five sen to RM1.11. Top gainers included Nestle which rose RM8.60 to RM120.20, Fraser & Neave increased RM1.48 to RM36.36, Allianz Malaysia climbed 40 sen to RM19.90, Hong Leong Industries advanced 32 sen to RM15.96, and Malayan Cement gained 25 sen to RM6.90. -61.2646.19%36.20%17.61%-94.44+155.702-Dec-2025

BIZ & FINANCEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202520SUNBIZ presents extracts of a selection of commentaries and research reports received from stockbrokers on counters that could be of interest to investors.[Compiled by SunBiz Team DISCLAIMER: The information is extracted from stockbrokers’ commentaries and research reports and do not represent the views or opinions of Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd. It is not a solicitation, recommendation or an offer to buy or sell the equities featured. Sun Media Corporation shall not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information.FOREIGN CURRENCY SELLING TT/OD BUYING TT BUYING OD 1 US Dollar 4.2050 4.0580 4.0480 1 Australian Dollar 2.7590 2.6460 2.6300 1 Brunei Dollar 3.2360 3.1340 3.1260 1 Canadian Dollar 2.9950 2.9110 2.8990 1 Euro 4.8750 4.7150 4.6950 1 New Zealand Dollar 2.4100 2.3210 2.3050 1 Singapore Dollar 3.2360 3.1340 3.1260 1 Sterling Pound 5.5480 5.3690 5.3490 1 Swiss Franc 5.2480 5.0220 5.0070 100 UAE Dirham 115.5600 109.5200 109.3200 100 Bangladesh Taka 3.5140 3.2580 3.0580 100 Chinese Renminbi 59.7100 57.1800 N/A 100 Danish Krone 66.9100 61.5400 61.3400 100 Hongkong Dollar 54.4300 51.7100 51.5100 100 Indian Rupee 4.7800 4.4400 4.2400 100 Indonesian Rupiah 0.0264 0.0233 0.0183 100 Japanese Yen 2.7190 2.5930 2.5830 100 New Taiwan Dollar N/A N/A N/A 100 Norwegian Krone 42.4900 39.0600 38.8600 100 Pakistan Rupee 1.5600 1.3700 1.1700 100 Philippine Peso 7.2900 6.8600 6.6600 100 Qatar Riyal 116.3700 110.4700 110.2700 100 Saudi Riyal 112.9900 107.2600 107.0600 100 South Africa Rand 25.4400 22.9700 22.7700 100 Sri Lanka Rupee 1.4300 1.2500 1.0500 100 Swedish Krona 45.7600 41.6600 41.4600 100 Thai Baht 13.6800 12.1300 11.7300Exchange Rates Source: Malayan Banking Bhd/BernamaRinggit edges up on soft US data, rate cut hopesMaybank IB upgrades banks to ‘positive’ for 2026KUALA LUMPUR: Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB) expects 2026 to be a more conducive operating year for the banking sector, with aggregate operating profit and net profit forecast to grow by 4.7% and 5%, respectively. In a note, Maybank IB said domestic economic growth of 4.5% in 2026 is expected to support industry loan growth of around 5%. Net interest margins (NIMs) are also expected to remain stable in the absence of further rate cuts and amid easing liquidity pressure. The bank noted that asset quality remains impeccable, supporting benign credit costs, while management overlays provide an additional buffer. “Dividend yields are decent, averaging about 5.5% for the financial year 2025 (FY25), and 5.8% for FY26. “We project dividend yields of above 5% for most banks this financial year, except for Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd (ABMB) and Hong Leong Bank Bhd, which are expected to come in at 4+%,” it said.Maybank IB named CIMB Bank Bhd, AmBank Group and ABMB as its top three “buy” picks. For CIMB, the bank expects an improved operating environment amid lower NIM pressure in Singapore and a stable economic outlook in Malaysia and Indonesia. Meanwhile, it noted AMMB Holdings Bhd’s proactive funding cost management and business banking operations are expected to support growth momentum, as it targets higher dividend payouts of potentially up to 60% compared with Maybank IB’s forecasts of 50%. In view of firmer macroeconomic momentum, stable interest margins and benign credit costs amid resilient asset quality, Maybank IB has upgraded its rating on the banking sector to “positive” from “neutral”. – BernamaMARKETS/FROM THE BROKERS THE ringgit ended marginally higher against the greenback yesterday as weaker-than-expected US manufacturing data strengthened expectations of a cut in US interest rates next week. At 6pm, the ringgit climbed to 4.1275/1330 versus the greenback compared to Monday’s close of 4.1300/1365. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the ringgit hovered in a narrow range yesterday, oscillating between RM4.1300 and RM4.1350 for much of the session. “This occurred despite the lower-than-expected Institute for Supply Management Index for the US manufacturing sector in November. While such data points support a cut in the US interest rate decision next week, there seems to be a cautious mode among the traders as some of the US Federal Reserve officials may not be comfortable with cutting the interest rate,” he told Bernama. However, he noted that the odds for a US interest rate cut based on the futures contract are currently at more than 90%. At the close, the ringgit trended higher against major currencies. It appreciated versus the British pound to 5.4524/4597 from 5.4644/4730 at Monday’s close, improved against the euro to 4.7920/7984 from 4.7995/8070, and climbed vis-a-vis the Japanese yen to 2.6463/6500 from 2.6594/6637. The local note traded mixed against Asean currencies. It gained versus the Singapore dollar to 3.1816/1861 from 3.1880/1932 at Monday’s close and strengthened vis-à-vis the Thai baht to 12.8928/9164 from 12.9026/9290.AS we expected, the GFLB recommended all 3 finalists (including GENM’s RWNYC) to the NYSGC in order for them to be issued downstate New York commercial casino licenses by Dec 31, 2025. The licence will enable RWNYC to expand and deploy table games as soon as June 2026. The NYSGC will now: - (i) carry out background and character reviews on key owners, board members, officers, and affiliated entities; (ii) examine compliance with all legal requirements (e.g. capital thresholds, diversity, tax commitments, site approvals); (iii) examine regulatory fit and oversight plans (e.g. internal controls, anti-money laundering compliance, operational integrity, responsible gaming programmes). GENM must then pay NYSGC the USD600m license fee to secure the license by Dec 31, 2025.Recall that RWNYC plans to open a new permanent casino featuring 4,000 slot machines and 250 table games by June 2026. An additional 150 tables is expected to be added by Jan 2027 in existing space, bringing the total number of table games to 400. The final casino should allow for 6,000 slots and 800 tables by Jan 2029. We estimate that net profit generated by its expansion to peak at a whopping RM1.93 billion in 2030. GENT’s mandatory general offer for GENM also expired on Dec 1. GENT now owns 73.1% of GENM, short of the 75% required to delist GENM and 95% required to compulsorily acquire minority shares. GENT has not requested for an extension to the MGO deadline. BUY with RM3.27 TP. – Maybank Investment Bank, Dec 2DURING its analyst briefing, BM Greentech (BMG) said it expects new opportunities arising from BESS integration solutions for C&I segment to weather through the temporary weakness in the residential segment. While its bio-energy and water treatment segments are expecting better earnings momentum in 2H’26 due to timing of project deliveries. The solar segment 6M’26 PBT came in lower at RM2.9 million (6M’25: RM8.9 million), primarily due to the temporarily residential rooftop solar policy gap and the still-subdued project volume at Plus Xnergy. To offset the weaker residential segment, BMG is engaging its C&I customer base to integrate BESS solutions, enabling greater energy cost savings by mitigating the higher maximum demand charges under TNB’s new tariff structure for medium voltage users. We understand that most of these new BESS opportunities were still at early stages during Q3’26, with stronger earnings contributions anticipated in Q4’26. Elsewhere, BMG noted that project deliveries for its bio-energy and water treatment segments are typically higher in 2H due to clients’ site readiness. Notably, its maiden water treatment project dedicated for data centre is scheduled for project delivery in Q3’26. We expect 2H’26 earnings to be supported primarily by growth in the bio-energy and water treatment segments. While the solar segment faces temporary headwinds, we believe its pivot into BESS solutions, together with the rollout of Solar ATAP programme should position it for stronger momentum in FY27. BUY with RM2.24 TP. – Maybank Investment Bank, Dec 2AURELIUS Technologies Bhd provides manufacturing solutions for industrial electronic products. The company has a long-standing history as a one-stop manufacturing solutions provider offering a range of EMS services (product design, prototyping, test software development, SMT and offline assembly; inspection and testing). It is also actively engaging new customers across key segments to diversify and expand its client base. ATECH’s NPI initiatives have enabled entry into new communications and IoT product cycles, though this transition away from legacy models, combined with end-customer deferments, has led to temporary softness in the segment. Plants P1–P3 continue to operate at 90% utilisation despite muted demand from its key O&G customer, where recovery visibility remains limited. Meanwhile, Customer F has shown improving traction, with run rates up 10–15% QoQ across seven lines in P1–P3. During the briefing, ATECH confirmed successful qualification for the second automotive marquee out of 13 brands currently undergoing validation under its automotive components’ customer. The second marquee has entered controlled mass production in P5, with efforts underway to qualify the third and fourth marquees in 2026. Meanwhile, P5 utilisation has improved to 15% (from 10% in Q2’25), signalling gradual progress in capacity ramp-up.We maintain our forecasts, noting that near-term growth could remain constrained by weakness in the electronic devices segment and USD headwinds, unless the automotive or fintech customer ramps up production faster-than-expected. BUY with RM1.17 TP. – Maybank Investment Bank, Dec 2Aurelius Technologies Bhd Buy. Target price: RM1.17Genting Malaysia Bhd Buy. Target price: RM3.27Source: Maybank Investment Bank Source: Maybank Investment Bank Source: Maybank Investment BankBM Greentech Bhd Buy. Target price: RM2.24Dec 2, 2025: RM2.25Dec 2, 2025: RM1.47Dec 2, 2025: RM0.90

C-beauty takeover! Chinese cosmetic industry on the rise – P22WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 2025EditorialT: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] AdvertisingT: 03-7784 8888 E: [email protected] SCAN MEp23 Majestic Christmas at Suria KLCC p25 Fresh outlets to up your fashion, wellness, business p26 Now You See Me trots out old tricksWEEKLYFOCUSMONDAYTechnology and social mediaTUESDAYFamily and parentingWEDNESDAYFashion and beautyTHURSDAYHomeand livingFRIDAYTravel and leisureSATURDAYFood and beverage–123RFPIC

LYFEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202522/theSunMediaFOLLOW ON YOUTUBE/Malaysian PaperBeauty industry looks East to ChinaCHINESE beauty (C-beauty) has been gaining traction globally since 2024, continuing into this year and projected to maintain its momentum into 2026 and beyond. With consumers looking to shift beyond the currently dominant K-beauty trend, TikTok trends driving new trend adoptions across continents and changing consumer demands in a saturated personal care market, C-beauty brands are bringing fresh products and aesthetics in the market seemingly tailored to consumer interests. The rise in the trend’s popularity is becoming evident by factors such as rising Chinese imports for personal care products as well as surging search interest in local brands. Rise in Chinese personal care global exportsTrade data suggested Chinese personal care is becoming increasingly popular globally, with imports of Chinese personal care products growing in value and volume terms worldwide. In value terms, personal care exports from mainland China to the rest of the world grew by an annual average of 10% between 2017–2024 (latest available data). Within the segment, perfumes and toilet water exports grew by an average of 16% a year, while beauty, make-up and skincare products by 11.7% a year, over the same period – despite a slight decline in % year-on-year growth. In volume terms, personal care exports from China to the world grew by an annual average of 8.9% from 2020 to 2024. Perfumes and toilet water exports over the same period expanded by a strong average of 37.8% a year and similarly beauty, make-up and skincare products by 20%. This vigorous growth over recent years highlights consumer demand shifts towards Chinese personal care. L’Oreal’s investment in Chinese beauty brandsOn Nov 1, beauty brand L’Oreal announced that it has taken an undisclosed minority stake in Chinese skincare brand Lan. This marks the second investment in a Chinese brand by L’Oreal over the year, with the first being a US$62 million (RM256 million) investment in brand Chando for a 6.7% stake in October. The brand has reportedly stated it continues to have interest in the Chinese market and in meeting the demands of Chinese consumers and aims to work with more Chinese brands in the future. These new ventures in China follow a string of similar developments by L’Oreal tapping into appealing consumer trends such as “dermocosmetics” and haircare (which has been growing in appeal). Therefore, the beauty brand’s move further highlights the momentum that C-beauty has been gaining, as it became a major motivating reason for these investments. In a competitive and saturated market where brands strive to stand out amid challenging macroeconomic headwinds limiting consumer spending appetite globally, taking advantage of the rising C-beauty trend will enable L’Oreal to maintain a strong market position. C-beauty brands are also benefitting as their market share and exposure grows, supplementing trend growth. Trend drivers behind C-beauty surgeSeveral popularised trends have contributed to the growth of C-beauty’s relevance in the personal care market. Combined with Chinese brands’ efficient supply chains enabling them to respond fast to market trends as well as local tech-savviness allowing for fast scale-ups and effective consumer reach (for example, via social media), C-beauty will continue experiencing heightened market attention. Strong cultural identity (guochao)Guochao is a term meaning “national trend/wave” and points to growing national pride and the embrace of Chinese culture, driving higher demand for local brands and products. This has resulted in the incorporation of Chinese beauty brands incorporate innovative formulas with quality ingredients in their products.oShift in consumer behaviours due to social media trendsDouyin make-up is a Chinese aesthetic, which entails dramatic, doll-like looks. – ALL PICS FROM 123RFChinese elements, such as traditional Chinese medicine ingredients in local products, resonating strongly with local consumers and sparking interest among international ones in this way driving market expansion. C-beauty products also particularly align with consumer trends such as clean beauty, which has peaked in demand over recent years as consumer preferences shift towards more natural and less toxic products that offer effective results. The Korean beauty (K-beauty) trend has seen significant growth due to such product offerings and following the peak of this, consumers are now looking for the next trend that will dominate the market. Distinct aesthetic (Douyin make-up)Like with most modern trends, TikTok has popularised Douyin make-up, a Chinese make-up aesthetic, which entails dramatic, doll-like looks. This brings a fresh aesthetic to K-beauty, intriguing consumers that are seeking to adopt new trends. The growth in popularity of the Douyin look has resultantly driven more attention towards Chinese beauty trends and relevant make-up and skincare brands, further popularising the trend on a global level. Innovative, well-researched productsLocal brands have moved beyond their historic reputation as “dupe brands” by investing heavily in research and development and focusing more on quality over volume. Blending science with traditional remedies and by specialising in niche, but high-demand areas, such as products for sensitive skin. Tapping into the “skinification” trend, which involves the use of skincare products for other personal care areas such as haircare and makeup, has allowed C-beauty brands to compete on an international level. These new formulas and targeted product solutions go against the traditional ingredients that have been used by bigger names for decades and are similar to K-beauty bringing new and improved aspects to personal care that are more appealing to modern consumers. Affordable pricing for qualityChinese personal care products are also known for their more affordable pricing, particularly when compared with luxury skincare brands. Consumers have been becoming more wary of what they pay for and more sceptical of what luxury actually entails. This has shifted demand toward more affordable brands that are deemed to have the same, if not better results, at lower price ranges. Chinese beauty brands incorporate innovative formulas with quality ingredients in their products, often tied to ancient Chinese remedies and medicines, hence offering quality and effectiveness – which is also differentiated from the rest of the market. The fact that Chinese brands can compete in pricing in a highly competitive and saturated market while also offering quality only draws more attention to relevant brands and therefore the C-beauty trend. This article is contributed by BMI, a FitchSolutions company.

LYFEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202523‘A Majestic Christmas’ at Suria KLCC SURIA KLCC is inviting Malaysians to step into a grand holiday narrative with “A Majestic Christmas”, featuring the first outdoor skating rink in Malaysia that surrounds an 80-foot Christmas tree at the Esplanade KLCC. It has also transformed the mall into a festive wonderland, blending breathtaking decor with enchanting interactive experiences until Jan 4, 2026. Record-breaking first: Outdoor skating at the Esplanade KLCCExtending the celebration outdoors, Suria KLCC has introduced a first for the mall – the first outdoor skating rink in Malaysia at the Esplanade KLCC, recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records. This festive skating experience surrounds the striking 80-foot Christmas tree, offering a memorable moment against the majestic view of the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers. The rink is available daily until Dec 25. “As an iconic destination at the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Suria KLCC is more than just a shopping mall – this is a place where memories are made and experiences are shared. This year, our ‘Majestic Christmas’ theme, highlighted by the breathtaking Christmas tree and the record-breaking first outdoor skating rink in Malaysia, is designed to deliver an unforgettable, world-class holiday experience that brings joy and togetherness to all our visitors,” Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd executive director and CEO Francis Tan said. Grandeur of Centre Court The journey into Christmas magic begins at the Centre Court, where the Tan (second from left) receives the Malaysia Book of Records recognition for the first outdoor skating rink in the country.oSeason of enchantment, featuring 80-foot tree, Malaysia’s first outdoor skating rink In the Mirror Room, reflective panels create a sparkling visual illusion. A multi-tiered Christmas tree in the centre and the surrounding decor create a magical, winter-wonderland feel. Performances that bring the festive mood to light. A music box that allows shoppers to immerse themselves in the spirit of Christmas. highlight is the magnificent multi-tiered Christmas tree, adorned with lights and festive accents. Shoppers are invited to embark on a magical journey through the installation, set to the backdrop of interactive lights and cheerful melodies. At the heart of the towering structure lies an immersive experience – the Mirror Room. Located on the first level of the multi-tiered tree, reflective panels create a sparkling visual illusion, offering an instant photo opportunity that is fun and perfect for social media. Adding an element of sensory delight, the Mirror Room will be scented by Lancome. Completing the Centre Court’s spectacle is an Interactive Music Box. Shoppers can personally choose their favourite classic holiday tunes from six song selections, triggering cheerful melodies and coordinated lights that sparkle in sync with the chosen song. A giant ornament structure further elevates the setting, and the Festive Photobooth offers complimentary printed and digital photos. Rewards and festive happenings Suria KLCC ensures a rewarding holiday with a tiered Shoppers’ Rewards Programme, available until Jan 4, 2026: 0 Tier 1 (festive skating experience): Shoppers who spend RM500 and above in one receipt will receive an exclusive festive skating experience for two pax. 0 Tier 2 (Christmas rewards): Those who spend RM2,500 and above in two receipts will receive a RM100 Suria KLCC shopping e-voucher and an exclusive festive skating experience for two pax. The festive atmosphere is further enhanced with a line-up of cheerful programmes: 0 Santa Claus meet & greet: Available on select Saturdays (Dec 6, 13, 20) and Dec 25. 0 Christmas carolling: Performances scheduled on select Sundays (Dec 7, 14, 21) and Dec 25. 0 Workshops and activities: Guests can engage in Christmas wreath workshops (Dec 6, 13, 20, 25) and capture memories at the Festive Photobooth. Hada Labo Premium Whitening LotionFunction: Hydrates, brightens and improves skin clarity Ingredients: Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Arbutin, Vitamin A, Centella Asiatica Extract Directions: Apply after cleansing face Pros: Lightweight, suitable for Malaysian climate, fragrance-free Cons: May need to reapply throughout the day Price: RM78.90 for 170ml Rating: 4/5 BEAUTY REVIEWSDododots Beauty PatchesFunction: Acne patches that absorb fluids, shrink pimples, speed up healing Ingredients: Clinical-grade hydrocolloid material Directions: Apply on active acne after cleansing face, before moisturiser Pros: Cute designs, provides protection for active acne, reduces the temptation Cons: Needs to be replaced often, might not be effective after one-time use Price: RM9.90 for 10 patches Rating: 3/5 Lifebouy Body WashFunction: Rinses pollution, controls excess oil, reduces sebum Ingredients: charcoal and mint, sea mineral and salt, lavender and oatmeal, shiso and pink clay Directions: Lather all over the body and rinse off thoroughly Pros: Controls sebum, hydrates, soothes sensitive skin, deep cleanses Cons: Fragrance might be too strong for some Price: RM22 for 900ml Rating: 4/5ssslrinse offŰ BY ASHIQIN AHMAD

LYFEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202524@thesundailyFOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM@tMalaysian PaperT Little black ‘revenge dress’ HE Grevin waxwork museum in Paris unveiled a new star attraction recently: Princess Diana in the “revenge dress” she wore after public revelations about her then-husband Prince Charles’s affair. The popular tourist destination, similar to Madame Tussauds in London, already has models of Charles, who is now King Charles III, and his late mother Queen Elizabeth II. But Diana was a notable absentee, despite her tragic association with the city where she died in a car crash in August 1997. At the museum, she was displayed in a copy of the black gown by designer Christina Stambolian that she wore for a public appearance in 1994 amid a media frenzy about the breakdown of her marriage to Charles. She stepped out in the dazzling off-the-shoulder dress on the same day as an interview was broadcast in which Charles admitted to being unfaithful. “More than 28 years after her tragic death in Paris, Diana is still a major figure in global pop culture, celebrated for her style, humanity and independence. “The gown became a statement of reclaimed self-assertion, a powerful image of determined femininity and renewed confidence,” the Grevin Museum said in a statement. Her waxwork is displayed among entertainment and fashion figures, far from King Charles and Queen Elizabeth, who are in a gallery for heads of state. The decision to feature the famous “revenge dress” is a bold choice that focuses attention on a hugely damaging episode for the British royal family. “From Charles’s point of view and Buckingham Palace, they wouldn’t be delighted about this entry at Grevin,” Bertrand Deckers, a royal expert who appears regularly on French television, said. Wronged, wounded“They’d clearly prefer that we forgot about all this and never spoke of it,” he added. But Diana’s image as a “wronged and wounded woman” had helped cement her enduring popularity, oPrincess Diana enters Paris waxwork museum in iconic outfit 28 years after deathPersonal stylist to princess leaves behind storied fashion legacyBritish designer Costelloe (centre) celebrates at the end of his Spring/Summer 2012 collection show, on the first day of the London Fashion Week in 2011.The wax effigy of Diana wearing the ‘revenge dress’ during its unveiling at the Musee Grevin in Paris. – ALL PICS FROM AFPIRISH-AMERICAN fashion titan Paul Costelloe, who was the late Princess Diana’s personal designer for over a decade, has died aged 80, his family said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Paul Costelloe following a short illness,” his family said, adding he was with his wife and seven children when he died in London. The luxury womenswear designer was one of the most prominent Irish stylists and a regular on the opening day of London Fashion Week since the inception of the show in 1984. Born in 1945 in Dublin, Costelloe trained as a design assistant at French luxury houses in Paris before joining British retailer Marks and Spencer in Milan. He was then appointed as Princess Diana’s personal stylist from 1983 and stayed in the role until her death in 1997. He told Irish state broadcaster that he felt he had “made it” when he was asked to be her designer. “She was very human, she didn’t act like a princess... She made a very good cup of tea and some scones,” Costelloe told RTE about his most famous client earlier this year. Known for his romantic, tailored designs, Costelloe’s collections tied old-school styles with new, innovative twists, frequently featuring pops of colour, tweed patterns and florals. Costelloe, who once compared being a fashion designer to being a tireless “athlete”, presented his latest 1960s-inspired Spring-Summer collection titled “We stroll down Rodeo Drive” at London Fashion Week in September. His brand is also a family business, with his son William the design director creating the prints and backdrops for his collections. “My ambition is to step back from fashion eventually. To hire an old car and drive around France and paint,” Costelloe told Vogue in 2024. – AFPhe said. The date chosen for the unveiling, Nov 20, was another “sly reference”, the museum said in its statement. It is the 30th anniversary of a bombshell and still hugely controversial interview Diana gave to the BBC in which she said “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a little bit crowded”. That was a reference to Charles’s mistress Camilla Parker Bowles, whom he has since married. Diana also admitted to her own affair, with James Hewitt, but the interview led the BBC to apologise in 2021 over the “deceptive” way in which it had been secured. The high-pressure waxwork commission, which will be highly scrutinised by defenders of Diana’s memory – was handed to Paris-based sculptor Laurent Mallamaci. The Grevin Museum had been in contact with Diana at the end of her life but abandoned the idea of making a figure of her after her death, a spokesperson said. Deckers, whose recent book is about Princess Catherine, said French people remained fascinated by the British royals despite having famously beheaded their own monarch after the 1789 Revolution. “It’s almost as if they consider the Windsors as their royal family, even though it would have been more logical to adopt the Grimaldis in Monaco,” Deckers, who is Belgian, said. – AFPThe ‘revenge dress’ is an evening gown worn by Diana to a 1994 dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens, London.

LYFEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202525BUZZ SPOTSLyn pop-up, KLCCMid-luxury brand Lyn redefines sophistication as it lands on Malaysian shores with a stunning collection of handbags and accessories – just the thing you need for that little extra touch to your outfit. Known for its stylish, sophisticated and elegant designs, Lyn boldly states that style should be for everyone by making its prices accessible. Made for the young adult woman, its collection delivers high-quality, fashion-forward products that appeal to those who are passionate about the latest trends. Established in 2001 as part of Jaspal Company Limited, Lyn is a popular choice across Asia for those seeking value and style. From minimalistic and casual chic pieces to glamorous ones, there is a little something for everyone. You can find Lyn’s pop-up at Lot C151, first floor. Inari Jewellery, KLGCC MallOpening its inaugural boutique, Inari Jewellery marks a new chapter for the Malaysian demi-fine and fine jewellery house. Known for its refined craftsmanship, emotive storytelling and modern interpretation of heritage, the boutique is envisioned as a serene gallery of artistry – a space where nature’s quiet poetry intertwines with modern design sensibilities. Within its sculptural interior, soft ambient lighting and earthy neutral tones, each collection comes alive as a reflection of transformation, balance and femininity.Under Armour Brand House, 1 UtamaFitness enthusiasts and sports lovers in Damansara can now rediscover their motivation at the newly reopened Under Armour Brand House at 1 Utama. The refreshed outlet marks a new chapter in the brand’s retail journey, offering a reimagined experience that combines performance, innovation and style. The brand house introduces the Brand House City Concept – a dynamic space designed to inspire and empower every athlete. Brought to life in the brand’s signature red, black and white, you can explore Under Armour’s latest performance and sportstyle gear at its refurbished outlet.LuxLexicon, LaLaport Bukit Bintang City CentreSingapore’s leading luxury handbag resale and consignment platform under Carousell Group, has announced its official launch in Malaysia with the opening of its first outlet at LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre and official Malaysia website. Inspired by the refined aesthetics of luxury maisons, the outlet is a significant departure from traditional resale formats and introduces a gallery-like experience that reimagines how resale luxury pieces are shopped. The boutique is structured around intentional zones such as “The Gallery”, which invites quiet appreciation of exclusive and highly-coveted pieces, and “The Collective”, a curated space for exploring seasonal and trending styles.Arc Holistic Wellness, Jaya One Arc Holistic Wellness, a boutique wellness centre, has launched, offering a suite of modern and traditional healing therapies designed to support holistic well-being, inner balance and long-term health. Built on the philosophy of healing from within, the centre bridges traditional wisdom and contemporary therapies, helping clients “regain your beautiful state” – a harmonious balance of body and mind. Its integrated approach focuses on root causes, not just symptoms, to provide long-lasting wellness.Epson Malaysia Centre, Johor Marking the next phase of the company’s nationwide expansion, the new centre provides customers and partners across southern Malaysia with an opportunity to experience and interact with its products and solutions firsthand, from advanced printing and visual technologies to business tools designed for efficiency and reliability. It will also host a range of activities designed to engage and support local industries, including seminars and training sessions, live demonstrations and collaborative events.

LYFEWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202526/thesuntelegramFOLLOW ON TELEGRAMmRAM/Malaysian PaperSame tricks, less magicNINE years after the last film, the new Now You See Meentry comes in feeling familiar in almost every way. The tricks are flashy, the pace is quick and the cast slip right back into their roles, but Now You See Me: Now You Don’t never fully shakes the sense that it is repeating a formula the franchise already locked in years ago. This new instalment follows the return of the Four Horsemen as they are pulled into a new mission involving a high-profile diamond heist that forces them to work with a younger trio of rising magicians. As they navigate new illusions and a powerful figure determined to stop them, the Horsemen attempt to pull off a globe-spanning operation filled with misdirection, high-tech trickery and the promise of something bigger lurking behind the scenes. Jesse Eisenberg as J. Daniel Atlas is still doing his fast-talking, neurotic thing. Woody Harrelson as Merritt McKinney and Dave Franco’s Jack Wilder are fun but noticeably underused. Isla Fisher as Henley Reeves finally returns after missing the second film, although the movie does not give her much room to shine. Morgan Freeman’s Thaddeus Bradley gets a sendoff that feels strangely small considering how important he has been to the series. The new cast is fine but not game-changing. Justice Smith as Charlie and Dominic Sessa as Bosco LeRoy bring a fresh dynamic, though Bosco’s whole impressionist talents are underused especially in the final The group navigates a surreal illusion space built from spiralling staircases and distorted reflections. – ALL PICS FROM IMDBoNow You See Me: Now You Don’t often leans on old gimmicksŰ BY AMEEN HAZIZIThe new trio. From left: Sessa (Bosco), Smith (Charlie), Greenblatt (June).Old cast and new cast unite for one last trick.Pike as Veronika holding The Heart, a priceless diamond and the object of the Horsemen’s latest heist.MOVIE REVIEWact. Ariana Greenblatt as June Rouclere has good presence but her skill set feels too similar to Franco’s, so she never really stands out. Rosamund Pike’s Veronika Vanderberg as the villain feels very flat – her motivations are basic, and the accent choice is distracting rather than interesting. Daniel Radcliffe in the second film was far more entertaining. The movie does have moments that work. There is a nicely choreographed single-take scene where everyone shows off different tricks, and overall there are fewer impossible illusions this time. The problem with the heists in this movie is that none of it feels truly high stakes. They are chasing a giant diamond and the movie tries to make it seem like a big deal, but the tension never builds. Nothing feels dangerous. No one feels like they could actually lose. The biggest issue is simply having too many characters and not enough story to hold them together. People disappear for long stretches and reappear suddenly, and the emotional beats never fully land. The big twist is also easy to see coming. And then there is the ending. Once again, the Eye pops in with the same message about how the Horsemen are “only getting started”. It was exciting when the franchise was new, but now it feels repetitive. The series keeps promising more but never actually reveals anything about the Eye beyond vague hints. Three movies in, Now You See Me is edging into Fast and Furiousterritory where it risks dragging on because the brand is familiar, not because the story needs to continue. There is still entertainment value and some clever moments, but the sense of wonder and surprise is fading.Now You See Me: Now You Don’tis fun enough for a casual watch, but the magic is not as sharp as it used to be.0 Director:Ruben Fleischer 0 Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, Rosamund Pike, Morgan Freeman.E-VALUE7ACTING6PLOT6

SPORTSWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202527SERENA WILLIAMS has raised eyebrows after her name was added to the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s latest International Registered Testing Pool list more than three years after she retired from professional tennis. Players cannot compete without entering the pool, and past competitors who have returned from retirement must sign up to make themselves available for out-of-competition testing at least six months prior to making a comeback. Caroline Wozniacki, a former world No. 1 and one of Williams’ good friends, did the same when she returned to competition in 2023, having retired at the 2020 Australian Open. And Williams’ appearance on the Itia’s testing pool has sparked speculation over a potential comeback. The 44-year-old ended her career on home soil at the 2022 US Open, upsetting second seed Anett Kontaveit before bowing out in the third round. Since retiring, Williams has still made time for tennis, sometimes taking to social media to share snaps of herself on the court. Williams’ older sister, Venus, is also still active on the tour. Venus returned from a 16-month hiatus at the Washington Open this year and also competed at the Cincinnati Open and US Open. In Flushing Meadows, she reached the doubles quarterfinals with Leylah Fernandez. And she’s set to compete in the ASB Classic in Auckland next month. Now, fans are wondering whether Williams will join her sister on the professional tennis circuit, be it on the singles tour or to revive their successful doubles partnership. The 23-time Grand Slam champion’s name appeared on the Itia’s latest testing pool list, published on Oct 6, 2025. Williams currently remains on the Itia’s “retired” players list. The organisation states that retired players “may not return to sanctioned events unless they have made themselves available for out-of-competition testing for at least six months prior to the event in question”. If the former world No. 1 is considering a comeback, then she’s taken the first step to be eligible for competition from mid-2026 onwards. Wozniacki went through a similar process before her comeback in 2023. Williams’ reason for rejoining the testing pool is still not known, but one of her old coaches, Rick Macci, had tipped the 44-yearold to team up with Venus at this year’s US Open. That never came to fruition, but Williams would be eligible to compete in Flushing Meadows in 2026 if she remains in the pool. “Asked if Serena will play doubles with Vee at the Open. My gut is probably because at the end of the day Serena can still play even though she has been away. Her serve is still one of the best on the planet and when she competes her mindset is like granite,” Macci tweeted. Venus herself also shared her wish to see her sister back on tour after making a comeback in July, and said they still hit together often. “I mean, I keep saying to my team, ‘The only thing that would make this better is if she was here’, like we always did everything together, so of course I miss her. But if she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let y’all know,” she said. – Express NewspapersT: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: [email protected] MEWEDNESDAY DEC 3, 2025Advertise with us & connect to our urban readers. KLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAHPERAK | PERLIS PAHANG | KELANTANTERENGGANUMS. Shoba / MS. BalqishTEL: 03-7784 8888WHATSAPP: 018 261 6626 MALACCAMR. RajahTEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051JOHOR BAHRUMS. Anne LimTEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT,2016 AND IN THE MATTER OFJMX (COMMODITIES) SDN. BHD. (202101001561 (1401859-D))(In Members’ Voluntary Liquidation)NOTICE OF RESOLUTIONNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT at anExtraordinary General Meeting of JMX(COMMODITIES) SDN. BHD. duly convenedand held at Venue: GOOGLE MALAYSIA SDN. BHD., of Physical Address at Axiata Tower, Level20, 9, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, Kuala LumpurSentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Meeting hosted virtuallyat https://meet.google.com/edu-uufr-mes on27th November, 2025, the following SpecialResolution was duly passed - (a) That the Company be placed in voluntary liquidation and that Mr. Wong Chee Siong ofCS Wong & Co, Suite 13-10, Level 13, JohorBahru City Square (Office Tower), 106-108,Jalan Wong Ah Fook, 80888 IIBD, Johor beappointed as the Liquidator of the Companyfor the purpose of such winding-up; (b) That the Liquidator be authorised todistribute either in cash or in specieamongst the contributories, the assetsof the Company in accordance with theirrespective rights and interests therein; and (c) That unless caused or contributed by wilfuldefault or negligence of the Liquidator, theLiquidator be indemnified by the Companyagainst all costs, charges, losses, expensesand liabilities incurred in or sustained byhim in the execution and discharge of hisduties as Liquidator and in relation thereto.Johor Bahru3rd December, 2025TAN MING XIONG, JASMENDirectorNOTICE TO CREDITORSNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the creditorsof the abovenamed Company which is beingwound up voluntarily are required on or before 5th January, 2026 to send in their names andaddresses with particulars of their debts orclaims and the names and addresses of theirsolicitors (if any) to Mr. Wong Chee Siong of CSWong & Co, Suite 13-10, Level 13, Johor BahruCity Square (Office Tower), 106-108, JalanWong Ah Fook, 80888 IIBD, Johor, the Liquidatorof the said Company and, if so required bynotice in writing from the said Liquidator, are,by their solicitors or personally, to come in andprove their said debts or claims at such timeand place as shall be specified in such noticeor in default thereof they will be excluded fromthe benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.Johor Bahru3rd December, 2025WONG CHEE SIONGLiquidator322 Notices IN THE MATTER OFTHE COMPANIES ACT, 2016ANDIN THE MATTER OFKATSU ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD. Company No:199801018481 (474610-D)(IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION)At an Extraordinary General Meeting ofthe members of KATSU ENTERPRISESDN. BHD. held on 2 December 2025,the following Special Resolutions were duly passed :-1. “THAT the Company will be liquidatedby way of members’ voluntary winding up pursuant to Section 439(1)(b) of the Companies Act, 2016.”2. “THAT MR KAM CHAI HONG of C.H.Kam Consultancy (2005) Sdn. Bhd.,55-A, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi,80400 Johor Bahru, Johor beappointed as Liquidator to act for thepurpose of winding up the company’s affairs and distributing its assets.” “THAT the Liquidator be indemnifiedby the Company against all costs,charges, losses, expenses andliabilities incurred or sustained byhim in the execution and discharge ofhis duties in relation thereto.”LOCK HON YEEChairmanDated : 3 December 2025IN THE MATTER OFTHE COMPANIES ACT, 2016ANDIN THE MATTER OFKATSU ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD. Company No:199801018481 (474610-D)(IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION)NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT theCreditors of the abovenamed Companywhich is being voluntarily wound up, are required on or before 4 January 2026 tosend in their names and addresses withparticulars of their debts and claimsand the names and addresses of theirsolicitors (if any) to the undersignedLiquidator and, if so required by noticein writing from the said Liquidator, or by their solicitors or personally tocome in and prove the said debts andclaims at such time and place as shallbe specified in such notice, or in defaultthereof, they will be excluded from thebenefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved.LiquidatorKam Chai Hong55-A, Jalan Perang,Taman Pelangi,80400 Johor Bahru.Dated this 3rd day of December 2025IN THE MATTER OFTHE COMPANIES ACT, 2016ANDIN THE MATTER OFGOODWILL ORION SDN. BHD. Company No:199201022792 (254296-K)(IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION)At an Extraordinary General Meetingof the members of GOODWILL ORIONSDN. BHD. held on 2 December 2025,the following Special Resolutions were duly passed :-1. “THAT the Company will be liquidatedby way of members’ voluntary winding up pursuant to Section 439(1)(b) of the Companies Act, 2016.”2. “THAT MR KAM CHAI HONG of C.H.Kam Consultancy (2005) Sdn. Bhd.,55-A, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi,80400 Johor Bahru, Johor beappointed as Liquidator to act for thepurpose of winding up the company’s affairs and distributing its assets.”“THAT the Liquidator be indemnifiedby the Company against all costs,charges, losses, expenses andliabilities incurred or sustained byhim in the execution and dischargeof his duties in relation thereto.”LOH TEH SOONChairmanDated : 3 December 2025IN THE MATTER OFTHE COMPANIES ACT, 2016ANDIN THE MATTER OFGOODWILL ORION SDN. BHD. Company No:199201022792 (254296-K)(IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION)NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT theCreditors of the abovenamed Companywhich is being voluntarily wound up, are required on or before 4 January 2026 tosend in their names and addresses withparticulars of their debts and claimsand the names and addresses of theirsolicitors (if any) to the undersignedLiquidator and, if so required by noticein writing from the said Liquidator, or by their solicitors or personally tocome in and prove the said debts andclaims at such time and place as shallbe specified in such notice, or in defaultthereof, they will be excluded from thebenefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved.LiquidatorKam Chai Hong55-A, Jalan Perang,Taman Pelangi,80400 Johor Bahru.Dated this 3rd day of December 2025IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT,2016 AND IN THE MATTER OFJMX (PLASTIC) SDN. BHD. (201701041850(1256023-T))(In Members’ Voluntary Liquidation)NOTICE OF RESOLUTIONNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT at anExtraordinary General Meeting of JMX(PLASTIC) SDN. BHD. duly convened andheld at Venue: GOOGLE MALAYSIA SDN. BHD.,of Physical Address at Axiata Tower, Level20, 9, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, Kuala LumpurSentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Meeting hosted virtuallyat https://meet.google.com/edu-uufr-mes on27th November, 2025, the following SpecialResolution was duly passed - (a) That the Company be placed in voluntary liquidation and that Mr. Wong Chee Siong ofCS Wong & Co, Suite 13-10, Level 13, JohorBahru City Square (Office Tower), 106-108,Jalan Wong Ah Fook, 80888 IIBD, Johor beappointed as the Liquidator of the Companyfor the purpose of such winding-up; (b) That the Liquidator be authorised todistribute either in cash or in specieamongst the contributories, the assetsof the Company in accordance with theirrespective rights and interests therein; and (c) That unless caused or contributed by wilfuldefault or negligence of the Liquidator, theLiquidator be indemnified by the Companyagainst all costs, charges, losses, expensesand liabilities incurred in or sustained byhim in the execution and discharge of hisduties as Liquidator and in relation thereto.Johor Bahru3rd December, 2025TAN MING XIONG, JASMENDirectorNOTICE TO CREDITORSNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the creditorsof the abovenamed Company which is beingwound up voluntarily are required on or before 5th January, 2026 to send in their names andaddresses with particulars of their debts orclaims and the names and addresses of theirsolicitors (if any) to Mr. Wong Chee Siong of CSWong & Co, Suite 13-10, Level 13, Johor BahruCity Square (Office Tower), 106-108, JalanWong Ah Fook, 80888 IIBD, Johor, the Liquidatorof the said Company and, if so required bynotice in writing from the said Liquidator, are,by their solicitors or personally, to come in andprove their said debts or claims at such timeand place as shall be specified in such noticeor in default thereof they will be excluded fromthe benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved.Johor Bahru3rd December, 2025WONG CHEE SIONGLiquidator322 NoticesJob Descriptiont

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4BCBI4BSBXBL302 JobsCALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADSKLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAHPERAK | PERLIS PAHANG |KELANTANTERENGGANUMS. Shoba /MS. BalqishTEL: 03-7784 8888WHATSAPP: 018 261 6626 MALACCA | SEREMBANMR. RajahTEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051JOHOR BAHRUMS. Anne LimTEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549 Serving upa storm Serena hints at sensational comeback three years after retiringBRITISH tennis great Andy Murray (pic) said yesterday he was “disappointed” with Novak Djokovic’s results while coaching his former rival. Murray joined Djokovic’s coaching team in November 2024 just three months after the 38-year-old Scot had ended his own playing career at the Paris Olympics. But the pair were only together for some six months, their alliance covering the 2025 Australian Open and three other tournaments. “I look back on it and I’m glad that I did it,” Murray told The Tennis Podcast. “It’s an amazing experience that I’ve had. It didn’t last long, but I put everything into it. “I was disappointed. Probably didn’t get the results I would have liked for him. “But it was a good opportunity because I felt I wanted to coach at some stage and if I didn’t take it I might look back and think, ‘It would have been really interesting, I could have learned a lot’, or potentially regretted it,” added Murray, who won three Grand Slam singles titles in an era where Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dominated men’s tennis. Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semifinals at the Australian Open but the 24-time Grand Slam singles champion was then forced to retire injured in his last-four clash with Alexander Zverev. The 38-year-old Serb then suffered firstround losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells on his return to action before being beaten in the Miami Open final by Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. “It was going well initially and it was unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play ridiculous tennis in that tournament,” said Murray. “After the injury, it was certainly a difficult few months for him but also I think for the team and all of us. “I learned a lot about what coaching is. I was fully invested, tried my hardest to help, and made some good relationships along the way with his team.” – AFPMurray ‘disappointed’ after coaching Djokovic

SPORTSWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202528AUSTRALIA opener Usman Khawaja has been ruled out of the second Ashes Test against England in Brisbane due to a back problem, the team said yesterday. Khawaja was unable to open either innings in the series opener in Perth because of back spasms and showed some discomfort on Monday in the nets at Brisbane’s Gabba ground, where the second Test starts tomorrow. “It’s hard, because he’s put in a lot of work since the last game just trying to get his body right but he hasn’t come up unfortunately,” Australia fast bowler Scott Boland told reporters yesterday. “I thought he looked pretty good in the nets, but he must have thought in himself that he wasn’t ready to go.” The 38-year-old will not be replaced in the squad, raising the likelihood that Travis Head will stay at the top of the order after his brilliant innings of 123 as a makeshift opener in Perth drove Australia to an eight-wicket victory. “I am not sure about the middle-order but expect Travis Head to open,” Boland said. “I think the best thing about our team over the last few years is when someone has come out, either due to form or an injury, someone’s always stood up and done their job.” Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith have both been used as openers in the nearly two years since David Warner retired, but the former said on Monday that neither would be reprising the role. Meanwhile in the England camp, spin-bowling all-rounder Will Jacks will replace paceman Mark Wood in an otherwise unchanged side. Wood experienced soreness in his left knee after the series opener in Perth, which Australia won by eight wickets inside two days to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. England believe Jacks is ready for another opportunity with the red ball. “Everyone knows what a brilliant cricketer he is,” batter Ollie Pope told reporters. “The way he’s grown over the last few years, we’ve seen his white-ball game really go forward. It’s a great opportunity for his red-ball game too. “He’s got that style of spin bowling where he can get some bounce and turn off the pitch, then everyone has seen the skills he’s got in the whiteball format. He can take on a really good attack.” Zak Crawley has retained his spot at the top of the England batting order despite picking up a pair in Perth, a decision that is consistent with the view of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes that the tourists should stick to their guns. – ReutersAussies ownthe nightWeight of history against England in pink-ball Gabba Ashes TestENGLAND head into today’s day-night second Ashes Test against pinkball masters Australia needing a rare victory at Brisbane’s Gabba to get back into the five-match series. Travis Head’s whirlwind century carried Australia to an eightwicket victory inside two days in Perth as they went 1-0 up. The hosts are again without captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood, leaving swing king Mitchell Starc, who is expected to be a force in humid Brisbane under lights, to carry the attack. England, who capitulated in four frantic hours in Perth from a winning position, cannot afford to slip 2-0 down with three matches to play if they are to have realistic hopes of regaining the urn. They will be without their own pace spearhead, Mark Wood, who is nursing a knee injury. Captain Ben Stokes says England have moved on from Perth and are not scarred by past results but they face a formidable weight of history in Brisbane, where they have been holding extra training sessions this week. England have not won a Test in Australia since their 2010/11 tour, losing 14 and drawing two. Moreover, they have not triumphed at the Gabba for 39 years and have lost all three previous day-nighters against the hosts. Australia thrive under lights, winning 13 of the 14 pink-ball Tests they have played worldwide, but England will take encouragement from the sole defeat coming at the Gabba against the West Indies a year ago. “On an evening it does seem to do a little bit more, especially if you have a slightly newer ball,” said England fast bowler Brydon Carse after a night session in the nets yesterday. England have included bowling allrounder Will Jacks to add depth to the batting. Steve Smith captains a slightly changed Australian team, with veteran opener Usman Khawaja ruled out of the second Test after he suffered from back spasms in Perth. Should Head move up alongside Jake Weatherald, then seaming all-rounder Beau Webster could come into the side at No. 6 with Cameron Green moving up to No. 5. Marnus Labuschagne filled in as an opener for Khawaja in the first innings at Perth and said yesterday he was unsure how the batting order would shape up. “It’s just game-by-game, and you work out what’s your best team and how does it best work for the game.” Head, who stunned England with a match-winning 123 from 83 balls, normally bats at No. 5 but said he would be ready to move up again, adding that fixed batting orders were “slightly overrated”. “The traditionalists will say that’s how it’s got to be,” Head said. “It’s ever evolving and we’ll see where we get to. I feel I can play in any role.” –AFPKhawaja ruled out of second TestBRYDON CARSE insists England’s bowlers can recapture the pace and hostility that had Australia rocking on the first day of the Ashes. Two batting collapses in the series opener, followed by a fearless fourthinnings century from Travis Head, condemned the tourists to a two-day loss in Perth but it was not one-way traffic. At the end of day one, England’s quicks had set the agenda and got the home side hopping with an average speed nudging 140kph. Australia were blown away for just 132, their lowest completed Ashes total since 2013. Pressed back into service the following evening England’s quicks were unable to recreate the same menace as Head took the game by storm, with a visible dip in their collective firepower. But they are well rested and raring to go when the day/night second Test begins at the Gabba on Thursday. Carse, who took five wickets in his Ashes debut, including a brute of a ball to dismiss Usman Khawaja, said: “I’d like to think there’ll certainly be moments in this game, and throughout the series, where we can have that sort of impact on the Australian batting line-up. “We’ve got to take massive amounts of confidence from that first day in Perth. “As a group of seamers we all offer different skills and attributes so hopefully we can continue to trouble some of the Australian batters. “It’s special to be part of a pace attack like that, we’ve certainly got players and bowlers that are exciting and can hopefully change games.” England already know their will be once change to their bowling group, with Mark Wood’s knee problems ruling him out of action, but Carse, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Ben Stokes will all be going again. Back-ups Josh Tongue, Matthew Potts and Jacob Bethell arrived in Brisbane in time for a first net session under lights on Monday, having joined England Lions for a warm-up match in Canberra over the weekend. England’s training session last week represented their best chance to come to terms with the idiosyncrasies of the pink Kookaburra ball. While they have packed their calendar with five days of workouts, only two take place at the crucial period when artificial light takes over and their second, on the eve of the game, will be less extensive. In the absence of exhaustive factfinding, the tourists will be looking to their opponents’ previous game plans, with Australia boasting more experience (14 games) and wins (13) than any other country. “It will be interesting to see how it goes,” Carse said. “Looking back at a couple of highlights of previous games played in Australia, it’s certainly very admirable how their new-ball bowling goes. “They’ve played some really good cricket with a pink ball and I’d like to say that we’ve had a look at some of the stuff that they’ve done over the previous years. “As soon as we get out there we’ll assess those conditions.” – The IndependentEngland can recapture hostility: CarseŰ BY RORY DOLLARDLatest Virat masterclass dispels doubtsVIRAT KOHLI dispelled any doubts about his enduring quality with the 50-over World Cup on the horizon after a matchwinning century for India against South Africa. The 37-year-old struck 135 off 120 balls – his 52nd one-day international hundred – to guide the hosts to a 17-run win in the opening match of the three-game series in Ranchi on Sunday. Virat, who now plays only the 50-over format after retiring from Tests and T20s, starred alongside fellow veteran Rohit Sharma, 38. Their futures have been widely debated, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar recently noting that it was rare for players to remain dominant while featuring in just one format of the game. But Virat’s latest knock – his 83rd international century across formats – silenced any immediate doubts about his longevity. The batsman is targeting the ODI World Cup in 2027. “I don’t see any reason to talk about his future,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said. “It’s just the way he’s batting, it’s just brilliant. “The way he’s performing, the way he maintains his fitness, there are no questions about anything.” Questions about a possible Test comeback resurfaced after India’s recent 2-0 series loss to South Africa, but Virat reiterated his commitment to the ODI format. “Yes, that’s how it’s always going to be,” he said. “I’m just playing one form of the game. You know, I’ve never been a big believer of a lot of preparation, if that makes sense,“ he said. “All my cricket has been mental. As long as I feel mentally I can play the game, I work physically very hard every day of my life. It’s got nothing to do with cricket anymore. It’s the way I live.” Former opener Virender Sehwag said: “Virat Virat has once again shown that making runs for him is as easy as we make tea. “Virat is not chasing records, records are chasing Virat. His hunger and passion remain the same today. King stays king!” – AFPIndia’s Virat Kohli reacts after playing a shot during the first ODI cricket match against South Africa at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday. – AFPPICTravis Head. – REUTERSPIC

SPORTSWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202529FOR all the smugness radiating off the face of Max Verstappen and, by the same token, the fumes of red mist emitting from furious McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, perhaps the first words should go to the true winner of the Qatar Grand Prix: Red Bull’s cool-headed strategy chief Hannah Schmitz. For it was Schmitz, the 40-year-old Cambridgeeducated engineer, who made the critical call amid yellow flags and muddled thinking on Sunday night. On lap seven, a crash and a safety car created a door of opportunity. Red Bull, and every other team on the grid for that matter, walked straight through. McLaren, however, turned a blind eye. “I think they (McLaren) are in a very difficult situation where they obviously want to treat the drivers fairly,” Schmitz told Dutch broadcaster Viaplay, moments after deservedly collecting the constructors’ trophy on the podium alongside race winner Verstappen. “I guess we’re in a position to take advantage of that.” You can say that again. It is the latest curveball in this impossible-topredict F1 title race. Verstappen duly raced two supreme 25-lap stints to victory with a raging Piastri languishing behind in second. Verstappen now trails by 12 points, with Piastri a further four points behind. Norris endured a torrid final few laps and looked set for a damaging fifth-place finish before Kimi Antonelli’s mistake saw him nick fourth. Two vital extra points which mean, despite the recent screw-ups which include the previous week’s shock disqualification in Las Vegas, a podium this week in Abu Dhabi will still be enough for the 26-year-old from Somerset to clinch his maiden championship. Anything less and a Verstappen win would complete the most remarkable of comebacks. And boy will McLaren CEO Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella be hoping and praying that Norris ends up victorious on Sunday, such is the manner in which the papaya-clad outfit have allowed the irrepressible Verstappen to claw back a deficit which looked completely unobtainable. Eight races ago, Verstappen trailed title leader Oscar Piastri by 104 points. In every round since, bar Brazil, the Dutchman has chewed away at that gap. Now, it is a mere 12 points. Verstappen is now actually four points clear of Piastri who, despite a much-needed strong weekend in Qatar, needs a minor miracle at the Yas Marina Circuit to win the championship from here. Yet it was Piastri who was the main fall guy in Lusail. With overtaking a rare commodity – a highspeed circuit but one with no clear overtaking opportunities, something which must be changed by organisers moving forward – track position was everything. Piastri grabbed pole position on Saturday with a stunning final lap and on Sunday got off the line sharply to keep the lead, while Verstappen stormed around the outside to take second place from Norris. Pierre Gasly, an ex-teammate of Verstappen’s at Red Bull, then collided with Nico Hulkenberg. A heavy crash, debris everywhere, and a safety car. This 57-lap race was already proceeding with a pre-set regulation surrounding tyres: no stint could be longer than 25 laps, given the risk of blowouts. The incident occurred on lap seven; it was almost too good to be true.How Verstappen has fought back in F1 title raceDutch GP : 104 points (gap to leader)Italian GP : 94 points Azerbaijan GP : 69 points Singapore GP : 63 points Utd States GP : 40 points Mexico GP : 36 points Brazil GP : 49 points Las Vegas GP : 24 points Qatar GP : 12 points It should be noted that McLaren, with Piastri the race leader, were in the unenviable position of being the first team to act. And while in hindsight a “free” pit-stop under yellow flags was the obvious route to pursue, the heat of battle can do funny things to the boffins on the pit-wall. Even Mercedes back in their pomp, in a similar scenario with Lewis Hamilton in Hungary in 2021, miscalculated and sent their star driver to last on the grid. It happens. Quite ironically, McLaren have recently hired ex-Red Bull strategy guru Will Courtenay as their sporting director, working alongside long-term racing director Randeep Singh. But the underlying question here is: why did it happen? Was it an honest error in the moment? Or did McLaren make the call to stay out, as they have stated all year, because they wanted to be fair to both drivers? Surely, at a minimum, it was in their best interests to at least split the strategy, pitting one and not the other? “In fairness, we didn’t expect everyone else to pit,” he admitted afterwards. “Once everyone has pitted, it makes that the right thing to do. When you have the lead car, you don’t know what the others are going to do. “There could have been a loss for Lando if we pitted both cars with the double stack, but, effectively, the main reason was not expecting everyone else to pit. It was a decision. As a matter of fact, it was not the correct decision.” Sat in his Red Bull cockpit, Verstappen could be forgiven for rubbing his hands together when the events unfolded in front of him. Asked about McLaren’s error, the provocative Dutchman replied: “Another one, yep!” Much like their disastrous double disqualification in Vegas, another McLaren mishap has given Verstappen a sniff in Abu Dhabi, where he so contentiously won his first title four years ago. This correspondent stated last week that McLaren must now ditch their “fairness” ethos and prioritise Norris before it’s too late. The leaderboard, with Verstappen in second and Piastri 16 points off Norris, makes that call altogether more digestible. How many more warnings do they need? Heading into the final furlong in Abu Dhabi, it is now or never. – The IndependentYou have been warned!OSCAR PIASTRI was robbed of victory in Qatar but the Australian can take hope from history in his bid to become Formula One champion next weekend, according to McLaren boss Andrea Stella. The 24-year-old did everything right at the Lusail circuit, winning the Saturday sprint from pole position and leading Sunday’s race from pole until a team strategy blunder left him having to settle for second to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The Australian said he was speechless with what had happened and McLaren were quick to apologise for a mistake that left him third overall and 16 points behind teammate Lando Norris, who finished fourth. Verstappen is second, 12 off the lead. “Clearly Oscar was in control of the race and deserved to win it, and we lost the podium as well with Lando,” Stella told reporters. “Oscar, from a points point of view, is definitely in condition to win the title,“ added the Italian. “We have seen before in the history of Formula One that when you have this kind of situation sometimes it’s the third one that actually wins.” Stella, who joined McLaren after years at Ferrari, spoke from personal experience. In 2007 Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen won the championship after going into the final race third overall and behind McLaren’s Fernando Alonso and a rookie Lewis Hamilton, who ended up level on points and missing out by one. In 2010 Sebastian Vettel took the first of his four championships with Red Bull after going to Abu Dhabi in third place and behind teammate Mark Webber, now Piastri’s manager, and Alonso who was by then at Ferrari. McLaren have said they are well aware of the precedents but will not abandon the policy of treating their drivers as equals and Stella emphasised that Piastri will be free to race while he still has a chance of the title. “We will let the drivers be in condition to race each other but above all what’s important for us is that we are in condition to beat Verstappen with one of our two drivers,” he added. “We want to be fair to our drivers, we want to race with integrity and we want to race in a way that doesn’t surprise our drivers. “So between now and Abu Dhabi there will be further conversations with Lando and Oscar. We will confirm our racing approach but certainly what I can say is that if any of the drivers is in condition to pursue the quest to win the title, then we will respect this.” – ReutersStella assures Piastri he can still be champion Ű BY KIERAN JACKSONRed Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrates winning the F1 Qatar GP at the Lusail International Circuit on Sunday. – AFPPICVerstappen laughing at McLaren after unlikely win takes F1 title race to season finale in Abu Dhabi

SPORTSWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202530PHIL FODEN believes a turning point in Manchester City’s dramatic win over Leeds was Pep Guardiola’s teamtalk and tactical reshuffle on the pitch after Gianluigi Donnarumma controversially went down to bring a stop in play. Leeds manager Daniel Farke accused the Italy captain of gamesmanship and said he believed there is a wider problem of goalkeepers feigning injury to bring about stoppages in play and allow their managers to give fresh instructions to the players. Foden, who went on to score an injury-time winner, looked back at the moment just before the hour, after Leeds had made a terrific start to the second half, and revealed the alterations Guardiola made to react to that. He said: “We got together with the manager at the side of the pitch and we changed a few things because we couldn’t figure out what was going on. “But from that moment when we spoke to the manager, we changed the way we press and the way we played. I think we became more relaxed again. “It was just changing the way we pressed because they were getting out every time. “I think I moved over to the right wing and stayed wider, which allowed us to have an extra pass in the build-up. “Since that moment, it was crucial to get together and find out the solution. “It felt like it was all a bit on different wavelengths. Some were pressing, some were staying. Even on the ball, we were not in good positions to receive it. “When we had that chat with the manager, it changed the game. I’m just happy we managed to get it as soon as we did because the game was getting away from us at one point.” Foden, who also scored in the first minute, trebled his total of Premier League goals for the season in the course of one afternoon at the Etihad Stadium and said he had the “hunger” to score more. The England international felt he had to make amends after failing to find the net in last week’s defeat at Newcastle and is determined to be the difference-maker again in the future. He added: “I have the hunger inside me. I know I was frustrated after the Newcastle game because I missed a few chances. “It was eating me up inside a little bit for the last few days, if I was honest. I just wanted to put it right today and try and make a difference. “I’m really thankful that today it came off for me. I managed to score two crucial goals to help us win the game. “That’s the kind of player I want to be. Deciding games and trying to be the player that people look to to try and make a difference.” – The IndependentWednesday docked six points SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, one of England’s oldest clubs, have been docked six points for breaching the English Football League’s rules regarding payment obligations. The second-tier Championship club were docked 12 points in October, after filing for administration amid mounting financial issues. Wednesday now have minus 10 points and sit bottom of the table, 23 below 23rd-placed Norwich City. The club’s former owner Dejphon Chansiri has also been prohibited from being an owner or director of any EFL club for the next three years. The EFL had charged Wednesday in June with multiple breaches of regulations after they failed to pay players’ wages on time. The 158-year-old club is currently up for sale. Birmingham hold on for Watford win BIRMINGHAM held on to edge Watford 2-1 yesterday to move within a point of the Championship playoff places. Midfielder Seung-ho Paik and winger Demarai Gray put Tom Brady’s outfit ahead before the break at St. Andrews. Seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady owns a minority stake in Birmingham and they were made to sweat in the second-half after winger Othmane Maama’s effort. The Blues, League One winners last season, claimed a fourth straight home victory, to trail sixth-placed Bristol by the smallest of margins in the English second division’s table.Vardy fires Cremonese past Bologna JAMIE VARDY struck his first brace in Serie A yesterday as Cremonese claimed a stunning 3-1 win at Bologna and the veteran forward continued his late-career adventure in Italy. Former Leicester City and England frontman Vardy rolled back the years with two classic striker’s goals either side of half-time as promoted Cremonese, in 11th on 17 points, inflicted a first home defeat of the season on their high-flying opponents. Bologna would have gone a point behind the division’s leading pair AC Milan and Napoli with a win but it was 38-year-old Vardy who took the glory at a wet Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. “I think we were just missing a bit of rain, this is a typical midweek in the UK,” joked Vardy after Cremonese ended a three-match losing streak. “The most important thing was getting the three points and keeping that progress going, it’s another step in the right direction. It’s all about commitment and wanting what’s best for the club. Everyone’s on that same page and everyone’s pushing forward to make sure that come the end of the season it will have been a successful year.” Barca skipper Araujo on indefinite leave BARCELONA defender and captain Ronald Araujo has been granted an indefinite leave of absence by the Spanish club upon his request, according to reports. The Uruguayan was not part of their matchday squad during Saturday’s 3-1 La Liga home win against Alaves, with manager Hansi Flick saying he is absent due to a “stomach virus”. According to a report in The Athletic, Barcelona’s sporting director Deco met with Araujo’s agents on Monday and granted the 28-year-old time to step away from football, with the club committing to giving him the time he needs. “It is a private situation, I don’t want to say more. And please, if you can respect it I would appreciate it,” Flick told reporters yesterday. Vinicius must be 100% fit, says Brazil coach Ancelotti BRAZIL coach Carlo Ancelotti said Vinicius Jr must be fully fit to make next year’s World Cup squad, reiterating his policy of picking only players who are 100% game-ready. In October, Ancelotti had sent a similar warning to Neymar saying the Santos forward would need to be fully fit to earn a recall to the squad. In an interview with the Brazilian sports programme Esporte Record, the Italian said he expects the same standards for every player in his team. “There are many high-quality players and I need to choose those who are at 100%,” Ancelotti said. “It’s not just about Neymar, it could be Vinicius. If Vinicius is at 90%, I will call up another player who is at 100%, because this is a team with a very high level of competitiveness, especially in attack, where we have many excellent players.”Pep talk turned tideTactical reshuffle during injury time out key factor in Leeds win, says FodenJames says 10-man Blues ‘dominated’ ArsenalCHELSEA captain Reece James reckons his “dominant” side made a statement in holding Premier League leaders Arsenal to a 1-1 draw despite losing Moises Caicedo to a first half red card. The Blues had been the better team at Stamford Bridge on Sunday before the sending-off of Caicedo in the 36th minute for a studs-up tackle on Mikel Merino and then prevented their London rivals from pulling clear. Defeat would have left Chelsea nine points behind Arsenal and all but out of the title race. But Enzo Maresca’s men went ahead through Trevor Chalobah’s header early in the second half despite being a man down. Merino equalised for Arsenal just before the hour but Chelsea dug in and held out in difficult circumstances. “We dominated the game in every area throughout, with 11 men and 10 men,” said James. “I think that was a big statement on where we are and what we’re fighting for. We’ve come a long way, we’re building on result after result and I think we showed that.” Chelsea’s resilience was in marked contrast to the two previous occasions this season when they had gone a man down in the first half, with the Blues losing to Manchester United and Brighton after Robert Sanchez and Chalobah saw red. “I’m proud,” said James. “The team is so young but we went toe to toe with the team at the top of the Premier League. We didn’t show fear and we tried to come out to win. “We knew it was going to be tough but it was a game we felt we probably could have won. It was difficult to only walk away with a point. We played 60 minutes with 10 men, having to cope with the league leaders.” – AFPVIRGIL VAN DIJK insists that there is “no point” in Liverpool examining the Premier League table following their 2-0 victory over West Ham that halted their alarming run of form. The Reds captain reckons the only method to silence critics is through improved displays and results after an agonising recent spell. Strikes from Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo secured a 2-0 win at the London Stadium, representing just a fourth victory in 13 games for Arne Slot’s struggling outfit. The result proved enough to propel Liverpool back into the division’s top half and within three points of the top four in a tightly-packed table. Van Dijk said: “It was an important win. We are pleased to keep a clean sheet but I don’t think there was extra determination needed in the situation that we were in. “Criticism is part of the game, so that’s what the guys who give criticism get paid for, we just have to deal with what we can control, and that’s playing football on the pitch. “We won, that’s about it. Now we focus on Wednesday (tomorrow 4.15am Malaysian time at home to Sunderland), on what will be a very hard, tough game that we will be ready for. “There’s no point for us to look at any table, we didn’t do it last year and we shouldn’t do it now either. “The only thing we should look at is trying to find consistency in the way we play, defend and attack. It was a good win and now we move on.” Liverpool received robust support from an enthusiastic away contingent who deliberately sang the name of embattled manager Slot throughout and following the match. And when quizzed about the level of backing, Van Dijk said: “It was very important. I don’t think that’s any issue at a club like Liverpool, in my opinion, from what I’ve experienced, so a big credit to all of them, and keep supporting us. “It’s obviously down to us on the pitch to try and get the results that we want, so that’s what we try to do.” – Express NewspapersNo point looking at EPL table: Van Dijk Ű BY RICHARD JOLLYSIDENETTINGChelsea captain Reece James reacts during the English Premier League match against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Monday. – AFPPIC

SPORTSWEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 202531Ticket rules leave Thai football fans seeing red THAI football fans pledged yesterday to skip cheering for their home team from stadium stands during upcoming Southeast Asian Games matches over ticket rules requiring registration with ID. Members of the Ultras Thailand supporters group said they also took issue with national team fans not being seated behind a goal, according to a statement posted on social media. The group vowed to travel to every match during the SEA Games hosted by Thailand this month – but said they would not set foot inside a stadium until the Sports Authority addressed their complaints. “Forcing people to register their personal information before entering a stadium is a violation of the basic freedoms of sports spectators,” the Ultras Thailand said. The group voiced concern about the ID requirement putting them at risk of being hacked, calling the condition “not safety, but an injustice”. They also rejected how stadium cheering zones were being managed. “The arrangement of the away team zone behind the goal provides an advantage to the visiting team and reduces the pressure behind the goal for the Ultras Thailand fans,” the statement said. “We stand side by side with the national team, but we will not surrender to the Sport Authority of Thailand’s management of this football event.” Tamil actor Ajith adds star power to 12H endurance race EXCITEMENT for the inaugural 12H Malaysia has grown following confirmation of leading Tamil actor Ajith Kumar’s participation in the Dec 5-6 endurance race at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC). Ajith, who commands a strong fanbase in Malaysia, will lead his team - Ajith Redant Racing – in the GT3 class alongside Belgian brothers Ayrton and Yannick Redant, as well as Kobe de Breucker, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. The two-day event marks the first-ever Far East stop for the 2025/2026 24H Series Middle East Trophy, with an expected grid of 21 cars featuring teams and drivers from Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Race organisers Creventic confirmed Ajith’s participation to Bernama, while social media posts showed the 54-year-old arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday. The endurance race is expected to attract not only motorsports fans but also supporters of the Tamil actor. SIDENETTING‘Players are victims’Fifpro says 12-month ban on heritage players ‘grossly disproportionate’THE 12-month ban from all football-related activities imposed on the seven players involved in the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) mixed heritage eligibility case is “grossly disproportionate” given the circumstances, said the International Federation of Professional Footballers (Fifpro). In a statement yesterday, Fifpro said it is clear that the players are victims, and the decision confirms they did not forge any documents to obtain eligibility, with Fifa explicitly acknowledging that the documents they submitted were authentic. “When not fewer than seven players find themselves in the exact same situation, it is evident that any possible forged documents were not the result of individual actions. “Players also have no means to individually obtain binding confirmation from Fifa regarding their eligibility, a procedure which is not even mandatory under the current rules. “It is therefore especially troubling that they are being held responsible for submissions made by a national association to Fifa, and that an apparent obligation is put on them to verify documents they neither issue nor submit,” the global footballers’ union added. Fifpro said the seven players had followed the full prescribed process, which included submitting their personal documents, appearing before Malaysian authorities, undergoing oath-taking procedures, receiving government-issued passports and awaiting the FAM’s eligibility clearance. “All steps were handled by institutions outside their control, yet they now face suspension from their clubs and the serious consequences that follow, through no fault of their own. “Fifpro expresses its full support for the players and trusts that the Court of Arbitration for Sport will overturn this injustice,” it said. On Nov 3, Fifa rejected appeals by FAM and the seven heritage players – Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano. The Fifa Appeal Committee upheld the penalties imposed by the Disciplinary Committee against FAM and the seven naturalised players for offences related to the falsification of documents under Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC). Consequently, FAM was ordered to pay a fine of CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (about RM11,000). The seven players were also suspended for 12 months from football-related activities. – BernamaSpeedy Tigers give Sarjit food for thoughtTHE 31st edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah (SAS) Cup Invitational Hockey Tournament which just concluded saw several teams gearing up for upcoming competitions. The major tournaments are the World Cup qualifier in February 2026 and the Asian Games in Japan at the end of next year. They came with mixed teams to make preparations and evaluate future tournaments. However the first two days the tournament was hit by heavy rain that resulted in organisers having to rescheduled games two hours early for the following three days which helped avoid the bad weather. However the rain did not deter die hard hockey fans from going to the stadium to support their favourite teams. As for the host team, the return of Faizal Saari after a nine months hiatus has been a blessing to coach Sarjit Singh. With 307 international caps, the 34-year-old has not lost his touch and found the net five times. He is regarded as a precious player in the team despite his age. His prowress in front of the goal saw him finishing fourth behind top scorer Sam Lane (9 goals) followed by FIH World Player of the Year, Belgian Tom Boon and Korean Kim Hyeonhong with six goals each. Malaysia finished fourth out of the six nation competition. Fans who braved the rain in the early part of the tournament to support Malaysia felt disappointed the Speedy Tigers could not go make the podium. The homesters was defeated by New Zealand 6-1 in third and fourth placing match. Now is the time for Malaysian Hockey Confederation and Sarjit to double their efforts and resources for the benefit of the team. Malaysia penalty corner specialist Syed Syafiq Syaed Cholan suffered a knee injury and needs to take a rest. “We rested him as the Olympic qualifier is at the end of February and beginning of March. “We have less then two and half months… but we still have main players. Our midfield is strong… our forwardd are strong,“ Sarjit said. NATIONAL women’s singles shuttler Wong Ling Ching (pic) is down with fever, but she isn’t letting it slow her down ahead of the Thailand SEA Games from Dec 9-20. The 22-year-old said that she has trained her sights on doing the best she can at the biennial Games, and that means there will be no let-up in her training, sick or not. “I have a slight fever but I still continue to train. The coach, however, has made some adjustments to accommodate my health,” she said when met after the training session at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur yesterday. “Anyway, I hope to recover soon and be in prime shape when we leave for Bangkok on Friday (Dec 5),” she added. Ling Ching is also hell bent on ensuring the embarrassment the women’s badminton team suffered at the previous edition in Cambodia is not repeated in Bangkok. In the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games in Phnom Penh, the national women’s team crashed out of the team competition after suffering a shock 3-0 semifinal loss to minnows Philippines. As such, Ling Ching said she will do her best to deliver a point whenever she is fielded and help Malaysia avoid another fiasco. In other badminton related news, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) is still considering roping in men’s singles professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia for the 2026 Thomas Cup campaign. BAM performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei said they still have plans to involve the 27-year-old Paris Olympics bronze medallist in the prestigious tournament. “We will call him up to join in the Thomas Cup preparations. Zii Jia should not be sidelined. “We do not know how his recovery (from a recurring left ankle ligament injury) is coming along, as we have not received any feedback. Hopefully, he can recover fully,” said Chong Wei at ABM. Meanwhile, Chong Wei admitted that the national men’s singles lineup is still struggling to perform consistently. As such, he will continue to monitor their performance from time to time to see who can be roped into the Thomas Cup squad. “There are still six months to go before the Thomas Cup Finals. So, we hope the coaches can get them ready by then,” he said. –BernamaLing Ching down but not outŰ BY P. CHANDRA SAGARANENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Birmingham 2 (Paik 31, Gray 43) Watford 1 (Maamma). P W D L F A Pts Coventry 18 13 4 1 50 18 43 Mid’boro 18 9 6 3 24 19 33 Millwall 18 9 4 5 22 25 31 Stoke 18 9 3 6 26 14 30 Preston 18 8 6 4 25 19 30 Bristol City 18 8 5 5 26 20 29 Birmingham 18 8 4 6 27 20 28 Hull 18 8 4 6 30 30 28 Ipswich 17 7 6 4 29 18 27 Wrexham 18 6 8 4 23 20 26 Derby 18 7 5 6 25 25 26 West Brom 18 7 4 7 20 22 25 QPR 18 7 4 7 22 28 25 Southampton 18 6 6 6 28 25 24 Watford 18 6 6 6 24 23 24 Leicester 18 6 6 6 22 23 24 Charlton 18 6 5 7 18 23 23 Blackburn 17 6 2 9 17 22 20 Sheff Utd 18 6 1 11 20 28 19 Oxford 18 4 6 8 20 25 18 Swansea 18 4 5 9 18 27 17 Portsmouth 18 4 5 9 15 25 17 Norwich 18 3 4 11 19 29 13 Sheff Wed 18 1 5 12 14 36 -10LA LIGA: Rayo Vallecano 1 (Mendy 37) Valencia 1 (Lopez 64). P W D L F A Pts Barcelona 14 11 1 2 39 16 34 Real Madrid 14 10 3 1 29 13 33 Villarreal 14 10 2 2 29 13 32 Atletico 14 9 4 1 27 11 31 Betis 14 6 6 2 22 14 24 Espanyol 14 7 3 4 18 16 24 Getafe 14 6 2 6 13 15 20 Athletic 14 6 2 6 14 17 20 Rayo 14 4 5 5 13 15 17 Real Sociedad 14 4 4 6 19 21 16 Elche 14 3 7 4 15 17 16 Celta 14 3 7 4 16 19 16 Sevilla 14 5 1 8 19 23 16 Alaves 14 4 3 7 12 15 15 Valencia 14 3 5 6 13 22 14 Mallorca 14 3 4 7 15 22 13 Osasuna 14 3 3 8 12 18 12 Girona 14 2 6 6 13 26 12 Levante 14 2 3 9 16 26 9 Oviedo 14 2 3 9 7 22 9SERIE A: Bologna 1 (Orsolini 45+3-pen) Cremonese 3 (Payero 31, Vardy 35, 50). P W D L F A Pts AC Milan 13 8 4 1 19 9 28 Napoli 13 9 1 3 20 11 28 Roma 13 9 0 4 15 7 27 Inter Milan 13 9 0 4 28 13 27 Como 13 6 6 1 19 7 24 Bologna 13 7 3 3 22 11 24 Juventus 13 6 5 2 17 12 23 Lazio 13 5 3 5 15 10 18 Udinese 13 5 3 5 14 20 18 Sassuolo 13 5 2 6 16 16 17 Cremonese 13 4 5 4 16 17 17 Atalanta 13 3 7 3 16 14 16 Torino 13 3 5 5 12 23 14 Lecce 13 3 4 6 10 17 13 Cagliari 13 2 5 6 13 19 11 Genoa 13 2 5 6 13 20 11 Parma 13 2 5 6 9 17 11 Pisa 13 1 7 5 10 18 10 Fiorentina 13 0 6 7 10 21 6 Verona 13 0 6 7 8 20 6RESULTS & STANDINGS

theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2625 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Email: [email protected] www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download SCAN MEMalaysian PaperRead iPaper at Malaysian Paperor download from appthe App Store or Google PlayTM.Malaysian PaperSCAN ME WEDNESDAY | DEC 3, 2025Beginning of the endOnce unthinkable, dropping Salah could now save Liverpool’s seasonSO it transpires that Mohamed Salah has something in common with much of the West Ham fanbase. They all have unhappy memories of the London Stadium. The Egyptian’s may stem less from the sense that a soulless bowl is illsuited to football or some particularly demoralising home defeats than from two low points in a Liverpool career of many a high. There was the argument with Jurgen Klopp when waiting to come on in May 2024, which highlighted that they were not soulmates. There was the next Premier League game he began on the bench, 18 months later, when he remained there, also giving him a chance to savour the London Stadium’s lack of atmosphere. Liverpool’s 2-0 win at West Ham could mark the beginning of the end for Salah. Or, Arne Slot suggested, squad rotation in a packed fixture list. Or, perhaps more accurately, a bit of both. That Slot benched Salah when his own future had become the subject of conversation, when Liverpool had lost nine of 12, meant it was not just another game. That it contained Florian Wirtz’s best Premier League performance so far and Alexander Isak’s first top-flight goal since his £125 million (RM725m) move meant it was laden with symbolism. Out with the old, in with the new? Yet even before the two record signings had delivered more than before, there was significance to Salah’s demotion. It came three days after Mauro Junior had strolled past Salah with conspicuous ease to set up PSV Eindhoven’s second goal in their 4-1 win at Anfield. Marc Cucurella had said Chelsea targeted attacks on Liverpool’s right because of Salah’s reluctance to track back. At Manchester City, he had left Conor Bradley isolated against the relentless Jeremy Doku. And at West Ham, Slot picked the most solid right flank available: Joe Gomez, more of a centreback, at rightback, the workaholic Dominik Szoboszlai in front of him. As a combination, it was an antidote to Salah. It was also a sequel of sorts. The common denominator in the three Premier League or Champions League matches this season that Salah has not started is that each was away from home: after Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt, the logical conclusion is that he will not begin next week’s more daunting test against Inter MIlan at San Siro. That three different players have started in his stead – Jeremie Frimpong in Turkey, Wirtz in Germany, Szoboszlai in east London – may indicate another failing in Liverpool’s squad building. There is no real natural alternative on the right flank, especially if Slot only seems to consider Federico Chiesa a substitute. There is no successor to Sadio Mane or Luis Diaz, versatile forwards who were very adept on the right, no obvious deputy like Xherdan Shaqiri was. An era of primacy may have come to a dramatic end. After 13 Premier League games last year, he had 11 goals and seven assists. Now those tallies have dropped to four and two, respectively. Slot has wrestled with the question of how to balance his side. If it has become clear he wants Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Szoboszlai to fill three of the six spots in front of the back four, it is often apparent he wants Cody Gakpo, too: the Dutchman is likeliest to supply work off the ball. Which, in turn, could only leave two places for Salah, Wirtz, Isak and Hugo Ekitike to contest. Indeed, the two £100 million (RM580m) men have only started two matches with the Egyptian, against Atletico Madrid and Crystal Palace. The fees paid for the three newcomers provided the first glimpse of Liverpool’s attempt to shape their attack after Salah. It would be an exaggeration to say a formula has been found now that Isak has found the net. But decision-making could be made with the long term in mind, or the short, given Salah’s form. And even if it was for one game only, it may be a sign of things to come. Bill Shankly started to break up his first great team after the 1970 FA Cup defeat to Watford, dropping Tommy Lawrence, Ron Yeats and Ian St John a week later. Bob Paisley allowed his slippers and cardigan to camouflage his ruthlessness as he moved on from the European Cup winners. Klopp ushered Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia in 2023 by opting not to give them the reassurances they wanted of their place in his plans. Salah got Slot’s support as his contract saga dragged on last season. The head coach wanted him to stay. But go back a year and Salah gave a rare, and infamous, interview when he said he was “more out than in”. Now he may be more out than in on Slot’s side. – The IndependentŰ BY RICHARD JOLLYServing up a storm-Story -on page 29Story on page 27You have been warned! -Story on page 31‘Players are victims’