Malaysian Paper www.thesun.my RM1.00 PER COPY RM1 WEDNESDAY JAN 31, 2024 SCAN ME No. 8448 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) Probe on Daim ongoing Heartfelt messages pour in for Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah as Malaysians bid farewell to the royal couple, who returned to their home state of Pahang yesterday at the conclusion of Al-Sultan Abdullah’s reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Goodbye Tuanku Health risks of extended time indoors Prolonged exposure to home air pollutants such as radon, formaldehyde, benzene, tobacco smoke and chemical fumes could lead to health problems such as respiratory issues, skin conditions, allergies and cancer: Expert Report on — page 4 The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah wipes away tears as she and Al-Sultan Abdullah bid an emotional farewell to well-wishers before boarding a special aircraft at KLIA to return to their home state of Pahang yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC - Report on page 2 MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said investigators looking into allegations of corruption and money laundering against ex-finance minister. Report on — page 6 The median multiple approach, which is used to establish “affordable housing” prices at three times the median annual salary, shows the price range of most houses in the country to be unaffordable: Economist Most houses still beyond reach of many Report on — page 3
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 2 Farewell messages pour in for King, Queen KUALA LUMPUR: Thank you and farewell messages poured in for AlSultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin AlMustafa Billah Shah and Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah who returned to their home state of Pahang after completing their reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong yesterday. “I’m grateful to Allah for the wisdom of both Your Majesties in fulfilling the trust, and unravelling the unprecedented issues facing the country,” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in his message aired on TV1. He said he was also proud to have served during Al-Sultan Abdullah’s reign. Ahmad Zahid said both AlSultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah would always be remembered as the King and Queen of People’s Hearts and a head of state committed to resolving all challenges faced by the country. “The benevolence of Your Majesties will remain engraved in oUnity govt leaders thank Al-Sultan Abdullah, Tunku Azizah for their wisdom, benevolence and dedication in resolving nation’s various challenges during reign our hearts, and we all pray that both Your Majesties are always blessed and bestowed with well-being to continue sheltering the people. Safe journey back to the state of Pahang.” Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof also expressed his highest appreciation to AlSultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah for their fair, wise and compassionate approach during their reign. “Thank you also for the wise advice to me as deputy prime minister and during my tenure leading three ministries under Your Majesty’s reign – the Works Ministry, the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry and currently the Energy Transition and Public Utilities Ministry. “As the coordinating minister for the Kembara Kenali Borneo tour, I believe that the sweet memories with Your Majesties and the royal children during the tour will forever be cherished by the people of Sabah and Sarawak.” Fadillah added that the world had witnessed how Malaysia had a compassionate and peopleoriented monarch, who personally drove over 2,300km to reach out to the people in the two states. “The concern, dedication, sacrifices and wisdom of Their Majesties in facing various challenges and obstacles for the people and the country, as well as in resolving the nation’s political turmoil, leading to the formation of a unity government, will forever be appreciated.” Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil expressed his gratitude and wished farewell to the outgoing King and Queen. “The deeds of Your Majesty and the Queen are invaluable to the people and the country, especially during Covid-19 and until now, as the nation successfully navigates through various challenges and obstacles. “I pray to Allah that both of Your Majesties are blessed with good health and long life. Daulat Tuanku,” he said. The send-off ceremony yesterday for the 16th Yang diPertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong was steeped in tradition, Bernama reported. Al-Sultan Abdullah will be replaced by the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, starting today. Regal send-off for 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong at Parliament Square KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang diPertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah attended a send-off ceremony to mark the end of the King’s five-year reign. The royal couple arrived at Parliament Square yesterday morning to the strains of nafiri (trumpets) played by 22 members of the Ceremonial Mounted Squadron of the Sungai Buloh Camp, Selangor, led by Sgt Ismail Katirin. Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah were welcomed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis as well as Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and wife Datin Seri Ruziah Mohd Tahir. Their Majesties were escorted to the royal dais past lance-bearers to receive the royal salute by the main guard of honour. The national anthem was then played by the Central Band of the Royal Malay Regiment led by Lt Muhammad Fauzee Japar and the Royal Standard of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was lowered, followed by a 21- gun salute by the 41st Battery of the Royal Artillery Regiment (Ceremonial). Al-Sultan Abdullah then inspected the guard of honour mounted by 103 members and four officers of the 1st Battalion Royal Malay Regiment led by Mej Adibadiuezshah Ahmad. A prayer recital by Federal Territory Mufti Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Luqman Abdullah followed, before the guard of honour performed the royal salute, and the national anthem was played for a second time. The royal couple bid farewell to Cabinet members, lawmakers, heads of government departments and agencies as well as representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps. After the ceremony, Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah waved to all attendees and placed their hand on their left chests as a sign of gratitude. The ceremony was broadcast live on RTM, other local television stations and on social media. The royal couple departed for the KL International Airport at 9.20am. As their motorcade proceeded along Jalan Parlimen, thousands of people lined both sides of the road to bid farewell to them. – Bernama Thousands gathered along Jalan Parlimen to give the King and Queen a majestic send-off yesterday. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN Rousing welcome in Pahang for royal couple KUANTAN: The Sultan of Pahang AlSultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin AlMustafa Billah Shah and the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah returned to the state yesterday after completing a five-year reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong. The special aircraft ferrying the royal couple touched down at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base here at 11.55am. Their Majesties were greeted on arrival by the Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah and royal family members. They were accorded a royal ceremonial welcome, attended by the state government leadership led by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, and thousands of members of the public. Al-Sultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah then proceeded to the royal dais. The ceremony included a guard of honour, after which the Negaraku was played, and a 21-gun salute was given by the 7th Royal Artillery Regiment, Temerloh. The outgoing King, who was clad in the official attire of the Yang diPertuan Agong known as Muskat, then inspected a guard of honour. It was followed by a prayer recited by Pahang Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Rahman Osman, Bernama reported. The guard of honour stood in salute for a second time, after which the Negaraku and Allah Selamatkan Sultan Kami were played. The royal couple then alighted from the dais and exchanged greetings with guests, before heading to Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah for a luncheon. Thousands of people gathered at several locations along the road from early morning to welcome AlSultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah. Accompanying the motorcade was a team on 16 horses from the Royal Pahang Polo Club, and two elephants from the Kuala Gandah National Elephant Conservation Centre in Lanchang, Temerloh. PM expresses gratitude to Monarch KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed gratitude to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah on the conclusion of His Majesty’s reign as the 16th King of Malaysia. In a post on his Facebook page, Anwar also prayed for the well-being of the royal couple, their children and the entire royal family, Bernama reported. “Deepest gratitude to the Yang diPertuan Agong XVI Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah on the occasion of the conclusion of Your Majesty’s reign as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI. “May Your Majesties, princes and princesses and the entire royal family be blessed with good health and always be protected by Allah SWT. Daulat Tuanku!” Memorable event for Al-Sultan Abdullah KUANTAN: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong AlSultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has described the send-off ceremony yesterday as a memorable event. He also expressed his appreciation to all parties involved in ensuring the ceremony’s smooth conduct. The outgoing King said the event touched his heart and also that of the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. “The send-off ceremony for me was quite memorable, from Istana Negara to Parliament and then to the KL International Airport, with various cultural performances. “I arrived in Kuantan feeling quite moved. It’s like I couldn’t believe this was my last day as King,” he said at the midday banquet held at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Silver Jubilee Hall here yesterday. – Bernama
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 3 New TVET approach proposed to meet market demand GEORGE TOWN: State-based thinktank Pertubuhan Badan Pemikir Melayu Pulau Pinang (Pemikir) has called for a new approach in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that allows graduates to receive additional knowledge and training in specific areas to better align with market demand. Its chairman Datuk Muhamad Farid Saad proposed that the National TVET Council and the Penang Bumiputera Development Council should consider such strategies, adding that the same methods could apply to graduates in other states. He said the proposal aligns with the commitment expressed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also National TVET Council chairman, to strengthen TVET education. “Penang is known for its strength in the electrical and electronics industry and requires more engineers. However, despite having many graduates, they often do not meet industry criteria,” he said. Muhamad Farid, who is also Penang Muslim Entrepreneurs Association president, said the commitment of the state government in developing the industrial sector was evident, Bernama reported. “This includes naming a newly reclaimed island as ‘Silicon Island’ and developing new factories in the Batu Kawan industrial area. “Therefore, this was the right time to re-evaluate the involvement of the Malay community before it becomes too late,” he said. He also said Bumiputera graduates, particularly in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics and mechatronics, struggle to secure employment, except for those from the top five universities with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) exceeding 3.5. Muhamad Farid said graduates from second-tier universities or those with a CGPA below 3.0 also face challenges in securing employment, adding that Bumiputera graduates often lack proficiency in English, as well as skills and self-confidence. He also suggested practical training be extended to six months, compared with the current three months. S’wak Yang Dipertua to meet media firms KUCHING: The Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) plans to set up a meeting between the 8th Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sarawak, Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and state media organisations. Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs, Information and Ukas) Datuk Abdullah Saidol said the meeting would provide an opportunity for the media to get to know Wan Junaidi. “Yesterday, I met him (Wan Junaidi) and informed him that we (media) will always provide the best cooperation. “InsyaAllah, Tun will take the opportunity to meet all media representatives soon. Apart from interviewing him, Ukas will arrange the meeting,” he said after attending a blood donation drive organised by Ukas and the Unit for Other Religions yesterday. On the blood donation campaign, Sarawak General Hospital medical officer Dr Lu Siew Ling said the stock of blood at the hospital is currently at a safe level. “However, we still need all donors to come and donate regularly because the hospital needs 70 to 75 bags of blood daily. “The blood collected also have an expiry date, so we need to make sure it is collected every day and is always enough for patients.” The blood bank at the hospital welcomes walk-in donors from Mondays to Fridays. – Bernama 11,300 housing issues resolved PUTRAJAYA: The Housing and Local Government Ministry successfully resolved a total of 11,361 Housing and Strata Management Tribunal cases last year, said its minister Nga Kor Ming. He added that of the total, 1,331 cases involved homebuyer claims and 10,030 involved strata management claims. “The number of cases successfully resolved is 99.87%, or 11,361 cases in 2023, which is the highest in history,” he told a press conference yesterday. Nga said the highest case registration for both tribunals was also recorded in 2023, with 11,263 cases registered compared with 9,617 the previous year. The main focus of the tribunal is to resolve disputes and adjudicate claims of homebuyers and strata management with integrity, cost efficiency and in the shortest possible time, Bernama reported. Nga said the e-TPS system, which was launched on Sept 12 last year, has so far recorded 1,500 cases filed online by the public. He also said the system is more convenient and time-saving as filing of claims and payments can be done online without having to go to the counters. House ownership still beyond reach of many PETALING JAYA: Despite residential properties dominating the real estate market in the third quarter of 2023, economists say most houses remain above what potential buyers can afford. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the average house price in the third quarter of last year stood at RM458,751, with the monthly mortgage repayment averaging RM1,971. “Residential properties comprised 62.9% of the total real estate market share, with transactions valued at RM28.4 billion. It contributed to a 22.6% increase in property transactions, reaching RM57.1 billion. “The number of unsold properties decreased to 25,311 units from 36,863 units during its peak in the last quarter of 2021, indicating a relatively stable residential property market characterised by steady house prices and reduced inventory,” he said. “However, despite the positive outlook, the ‘median multiple approach’, which is used to establish ‘affordable housing’ prices at three times the median annual salary, showed the price range of most houses in the country oStrict low-cost homes criteria and tight loan application rules pushing individuals to rent instead █ BYQALIF ZUHAIR [email protected] to be unaffordable.” Mohd Afzanizam said as of 2022, the median household income for the country stood at RM6,338 per month, so the average homebuyer in Malaysia could technically afford to purchase a house costing only about RM228,168. He said the figure pales in comparison to Kuala Lumpur’s average house price, which is a staggering RM770,543 when a potential homebuyer can only afford to purchase one costing RM368,424. “As for Selangor, the average house price is RM520,456 but affordable housing should be priced at only RM359,388. The average house price in Sarawak is RM504,542 but is only affordable if priced at RM179,208.” He also said the figures show that despite the strong demand for affordable homes, there is a disparity in terms of available houses, location and quality due to the discrepancy between average income levels and house prices. He said many Malaysians encounter formidable challenges in purchasing a house, particularly in urban locations such as the Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru. Mohd Afzanizam added that increased rural-to-urban migration has significantly raised the demand for housing in cities and intensified the challenges related to affordability, while the stigma associated with owning low-cost properties, which are often perceived as being of “inferior quality” makes such units less desirable. “This hampers investment and development in the low-cost housing segment, so it is crucial to foster an inclusive and sustainable housing market.” He said adding to these challenges are policy changes, such as the subsidy rationalisation, sales tax increase from 6% to 8%, and the new Low-Value Goods tax of 10%, which will weaken the buying power of potential house owners. Universiti Teknologi Mara senior economics lecturer Dr Mohamad Idham Md Razak said beyond just income, banks assess credit scores, debt-to-income ratios (DTI), employment stability and housing expenses before approving a mortgage. “Bank Negara Malaysia currently mandates a maximum DTI of 60%. This means a potential house buyer with a gross salary of RM4,000 can have maximum monthly instalments of only RM2,400, which is 40% of his income. “The criteria to purchase an affordable house is stringent, making it difficult for many deserving individuals and families to qualify. Even the process of applying for and securing an ‘affordable house’ is complex and challenging,” he said, adding that this has caused the expansion of the rental market. “A considerable portion of the population is now uninterested in owning a house, resulting in an increasing number of individuals who choose to rent for life.” Socso protection plan for taxi drivers PUTRAJAYA: The Transport Ministry aims to protect some 40,000 taxi drivers in the country under the Social Security Organisation (Socso). Its minister Anthony Loke said the initiative is also aimed at safeguarding the welfare of taxi drivers, most of whom are senior citizens and military veterans. “(Many of) these individuals may not have (contributions) with the Employees Provident Fund or protection from Socso. If anything happens to them, at least the initiative we provide can offer protection to this group. “This initiative is among our efforts to help the people with the proceeds collected from the vehicle registration number plates bidding, the benefits of which are given back to the people,” he told a press conference yesterday. In another development, Loke said the backlog in the issuing of driving licences would be addressed promptly, and details would be announced later. “We know there are backlogs for driving licences, and we will handle it and expedite the process. We have had discussions, and one of our approaches is the E-Testing system, which will be announced after the Chinese New Year,” he said. – Bernama Loke showing the special edition car number plates, accompanied by Road Transport Department Director-General Datuk Rospiagos Taha (left) and his deputy (Operations and Planning) Aedy Fadly Ramli. – BERNAMAPIC
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 4 READ OUR HERE /thesun Malaysian Paper SPM written exam running smoothly nationwide KUALA LUMPUR: The written examination for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2023 involving 395,870 candidates, which began yesterday, proceeded smoothly in 3,340 examination centres nationwide, including in flood-hit states of Pahang and Terengganu. “So far, the SPM examination is running smoothly and there are no issues with our students being unable to come to the centres, even though certain areas in several states are still affected by floods,” education deputy director-general (school operations sector) Azman Adnan said after visiting Sekolah Tun Fatimah in Johor Bahru yesterday. On the situation in Johor, Azman said 18 secondary schools in Batu Pahat, Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Segamat, Kulai and Tangkak are ready to be activated as temporary relief centres in case of flooding. He also said the SPM examination process in schools serving as relief centres would continue unaffected. It involves 48,426 candidates in 364 centres across 301 schools in the state. In Pahang, 20,271 candidates are sitting for the examination in 258 centres, involving 2,184 staff. There were no reports of examination centres being affected by floods, said state education director Amzan Abd Malek. In Terengganu, state education director Jelani Sulong said the Education Department is constantly monitoring weather developments and is well-prepared to activate Ops Payung should schools involved in the examination be impacted by floods. In Kelantan, state education SPM candidates in Seremban waiting to start on their Bahasa Melayu paper yesterday. A total of 395,870 students have registered for the exam nationwide. – BERNAMAPIC Plan to ensure fire safety in tall buildings KUALA LUMPUR: The Fire and Rescue Department has proposed the establishment of a Malaysia Super Tall Building Council, aiming to enhance and promote fire safety in towering structures. Its deputy director-general (development) Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman said ensuring fire safety is a collective responsibility involving all parties engaged in building management and operations, not just the authorities. “This council will provide training, education, prevention and public awareness programmes to prepare for emergencies. “It also facilitates the exchange of information and ideas concerning fire safety matters. It enables collaboration and interaction with the department in aspects such as building plans, fire certificates, licensing and public awareness of Radio-Frequency Identification, electric vehicles and solar panels to help the formulation of the department policies and legislation,” he said at the 2024 Fire Safety Organisation Seminar at the World Trade Centre here yesterday. He also said it is crucial to ensure these super tall buildings adhere to high safety standards and are resilient against fire threats. Ahmad Izram said the idea of forming the council was mooted during the Housing and Local Government Ministry’s retreat with its minister earlier this month. “Super tall buildings are structures with heights exceeding 300m. “There are six super tall buildings in Malaysia, namely KL Tower, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, TRX Exchange, Menara Merdeka 118, Four Seasons and Menara TM, making the establishment of the Malaysia Super Tall Building Council very significant,” he said. – Bernama Beware of invisible danger at home PETALING JAYA: With Malaysians increasingly spending majority of their time indoors, experts are now warning of the significant health risks caused by indoor air pollutants (IAP). Private hospital emergency services head and consultant physician Dr Siva Perumal said prolonged exposure to indoor air pollutants could lead to health problems such as respiratory issues, cancer, allergies and skin conditions. “Exposure to indoor pollutants like particulate matter, tobacco smoke, and fumes from household products can worsen symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. “Some indoor pollutants, such as radon, formaldehyde, benzene, tobacco smoke and chemical fumes have been linked to an elevated risk of various cancers, including lung and kidney cancers.” He also added that cognitive impairment and neurological effects can be linked to the effects of indoor air pollutants. Siva said individuals with prolonged exposure to indoor pollutants, including airborne chemicals, have a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. “Older adults may be more susceptible to the health effects of indoor air pollution due to weakened immune systems and the presence of pre-existing health conditions. “Low-income communities are oExposure to indoor air pollutants such as tobacco smoke, fumes from household products pose health risks that include respiratory issues, cancer: Expert █ BYALLEN WONG [email protected] Home for elderly gets appliance gifts KOTA BHARU: The Inland Revenue Board presented 18 electrical appliances and 45 hygiene kits under its corporate social responsibility programme to Rumah Kenangan Taman Kemumin, Pengkalan Chepa. Its deputy chief executive officer (taxation operations) Datuk Wan Ramiza Wan Ghazali presented the items that will benefit 83 senior citizens at the home. “On Monday, we presented three semi-auto washing machines, five ceiling fans, five stand fans and five reclining chairs along with 45 hygiene kits. We also handed a mock cheque for RM10,000 to be used for the construction of Ibadur Rasheed Mosque,” the board said in a statement. – Bernama more likely to live in housing with inadequate ventilation, overcrowding or rely on solid fuels for cooking and heating. These too can contribute to higher indoor pollution levels.” The Clean Air Forum Society of Malaysia (MyCAS) deputy president Prof Dr Juliana Jalaludin said most individuals are aware that outdoor air pollution can significantly impact their health due to extensive coverage given to issues such as haze. However, not many realise that IAP is more detrimental. “We face greater exposure to indoor air pollutants due to longer durations spent indoors. IAPs are usually higher in concentrations than ambient air pollutants, especially in urban areas. “People believe staying indoors is better. But not many are mindful that IAP maybe two to five times higher than outdoor air pollutants. IAP should be given more attention because most of our time is spent indoors either at home, in classrooms or closed office spaces.” Juliana said individuals should adopt crucial steps to control indoor humidity and stay informed about air quality issues. “Additionally, refrain from indoor smoking, ensure responsible storage of household chemicals, and maintain Mechanical Ventilation and Air Conditioning (MVAC).” Juliana said modern technologies and innovative solutions can significantly improve indoor air quality and should be implemented in households and office buildings. “Advanced air purifiers nowadays feature efficient filters, smart MVAC systems equipped with sensors, UV-C light disinfection for germ elimination, designs that prioritise natural ventilation, and real-time air quality monitoring devices.” She said the use of eco-friendly building materials, integration of biophilic design elements, and the application of technologies like electrostatic precipitators could also contribute to creating healthier indoor environments. With a mission aimed at achieving improved air quality, Juliana has taken a leadership position in supervising a project aimed at improving indoor environment quality for educational institutions. The initiative is integrated into the broader framework of the National Environmental Health Action Plan and is managed by the Health Ministry. “MyCAS has played a vital role as the main consultant for the Clean Air Action Plan for Malaysia, which is a project initiated by the Environment Department,” she said. director Datuk Mohd Zamri Abdul Aziz said seven alternative examination centres have been arranged for SPM and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia candidates in the event of floods. “They comprised six schools in Pasir Mas and one in Tumpat, which are prone to flooding. It is estimated that over 600 candidates might be affected if their schools are inundated,” he said after visiting Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato’ Ahmad Maher in Kota Bharu. Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Education director Roslan Abu Hassan said the SPM examination involved 19,765 candidates, comprising 15,817 from government schools, 240 from government agency schools, 2,500 from private schools and 1,208 private candidates. In Negeri Sembilan, Education deputy director-general (policy and curriculum sector) Dr Ahmad Rafee Che Kassim said 15,977 candidates are sitting for the examination in the state. In Selangor, a total of 72,929, including private candidates, have registered for SPM 2023, involving 491 examination centres and 8,046 appointed examination officers, said state education deputy director (learning sector) Hanisah Mohd Ali. In Malacca, 12,900 students are sitting for SPM at 103 centres, including 65 with special needs. Meanwhile, Kedah education director Ismail Othman has reminded 29,044 candidates to prioritise their health throughout the examination period. A total of 3,455 candidates in Perlis, 31,411 in Perak, 18,837 in Penang, and 38,778 in Sabah are also sitting for the examination. – Bernama
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 | 5
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 6 Graft, money laundering probe on Daim ongoing KUALA LUMPUR: The investigations on former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin is ongoing even after he was charged in court on Monday for failing to declare his assets. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the investigating officers are still looking into allegations of corruption and money laundering. “After he was charged on Monday, under Section 36(1) of the MACC Act, our investigations into Daim continued for other cases.” It is learnt that MACC officers are pursuing several other investigations against Daim, who owned banks, construction firms, real estate, ports, oil palm plantations and other businesses. He said the investigations are being carried out under Section 23 of the MACC Act, which stipulates offences regarding abuse of power for gratification, and Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act. On Monday, Daim pleaded not guilty at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for failure to abide by MACC’s notice to disclose his assets. The assets comprise Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad and Amanah Saham Nasional bank accounts, seven luxury vehicles including one Rolls Royce 2 Axle Rigid Body, three Mercedes Benz, one Jaguar XJS HE, one Austin Morris Austin and a Ford Prefect. The assets also involve 38 companies, while the properties include 25 condominium units, houses and hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Kedah. Earlier, MACC seized Ilham Tower, a high-value commercial building located in Kuala Lumpur owned by Daim’s family. On Jan 23, Daim’s wife Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid was charged in the Session Court with failure to declare her assets to the MACC. The 66-year-old pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. On Jan 10, when she was called for questioning at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, Naimah said it was public knowledge that Daim was a very successful businessman prior to joining the government. “He was already known as a tycoon and multi-millionaire before taking public office 40 years ago,” she said. Syazrul Aqram said with public support, physical bookstores could remain resilient and leverage their traditional strengths to remain a significant player in the industry. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN █ BYANDREW SAGAYAM [email protected] Closure of bookstores due to inability to compete, adapt oDecreased visitor footfall and company restructuring forced by effects of pandemic among factors, says association president PETALING JAYA: In the last six years, between 2018 and 2023, some 95 bookstores and branches of bookstore chains were closed, compared with 70 that opened. Malaysian Booksellers Association president Thong Yuet Sheng said some bookstores have ceased operations as they were unable to adapt quickly or compete with low-cost business strategies such as those practised by Big Bad Wolf Books, which is expanding rapidly. He said the primary factor contributing to the closure of bookstores is rooted in strategic business decisions. “For instance, when a bookstore location experiences lower (visitor) traffic, the decision to close may be necessary.” However, Thong said print readership in Malaysia is strong and growing. “The number of bookstore closures merely reflects the dynamic nature of the business. “The Covid-19 pandemic that caused many companies to restructure also contributed to the closure of some bookstore branches. “However, our data reveals that the readership for printed books and periodicals is growing. “This can be seen from the substantial increase in the number of people attending the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF), which attracted 1.3 million visitors in 2022 and grew to 1.6 million last year,” Thong said, adding that visitors were avid readers of books and other printed publications. Contrary to widespread perception, the print industry is holding its ground while bookstores are expanding their influence. He said the demand for booth space for KLIBF 2024, which will be held from May 24 to June 2, has exceeded expectations, with nearly 90% booked by exhibitors. “The National Book Council of Malaysia, the organiser of KLIBF 2024, had to open new halls at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur to accommodate the print media, which expects more visitors and book purchasers. “This indicates physical bookstores are still relevant, and gaining strength and influence in the country,” he said, adding that Malay medium bookstores also rebounded and have emerged stronger than English ones. On evolving customer demands, Thong said bookstores such as MPH Bookstores Sdn Bhd adopted strategies to consolidate their smaller outlets into larger establishments that offer an enhanced range and selection of books. Malaysian Book Publishers Association honorary secretary Syazrul Aqram Iman Sulaiman said reading habits among the younger generation are undergoing notable transformations. “The enthusiastic response from young people on social media platforms has been a driving force to promote books in the digital realm. “While the positive engagement with online literature is evident, it is important to note reading habits alone may not be the sole factor influencing the closure of some physical bookstores.” Syazrul Aqram said while the younger generation showed a preference for digital books, they are unwilling to pay for them. He said there is a growing pattern of buying soft and hard copies of books through online platforms. “This is also a contributing factor since online book promotions have a greater allure in contrast to buying them from brick-and-mortar bookstores. “This transformation is driven by the captivating content that is disseminated on social media and attracts readers to purchase books online,” he said, adding that bookstore closures merely reflect a response to evolving customer demands. “With public support, especially from the youth, physical bookstores will remain resilient and leverage their traditional strengths to remain a significant player in the industry.” █ BY MUHAMMAD AMMAR JALAL [email protected] Man jailed over death threat against PM KUALA LUMPUR: A lorry driver was sentenced to six months in jail by the Sessions Court yesterday for posting a death threat against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on TikTok last year. Judge N. Priscilla Hemamalini handed down the sentence, to be served from yesterday, on Faizal Mohamad, 35, who pleaded guilty to the charge. Faizal, who broke down in tears after hearing the sentence, was charged with making and initiating the transmission of a death threat against Anwar and other ministers on Nov 20, 2023 with the intention of annoying others. The charge, framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and punishable under Section 233(3) of the same law, provides a maximum fine of RM50,000 or one year’s jail, or both, and a further fine of RM1,000 for each day or part of a day the offence is continued after conviction. DPP Nurilya Ellyna Nor Azmal said the post was inappropriate and threatening when requesting the court to impose a deterrent sentence. – Bernama Police seize RM650,000 drugs MALACCA: Police have crippled a drug syndicate with the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of RM650,369 worth of drugs in a raid at Taman Saga in Malim on Sunday. State deputy police chief SAC Md Nazri Nawawi said the suspects, who were arrested in the raid conducted at about 8.15pm, were a local man and two Thai women, aged between 25 and 27. He said the drugs seized included liquid ketamine (279.84 litres), Erimin 5 pills (0.551kg), ecstasy pills (0.26kg), ketamine (6.734kg), ketamine powder (5.25kg) and ecstasy powder (1.224kg). “The police also seized one pistol, a car, jewellery and RM803 in cash,” he said, adding that one of the suspects had criminal records, but all of them tested negative for drugs. – Bernama Last relief centre in Pahang closed KUALA LUMPUR: According to the latest report by the National Disaster Command Centre of the National Disaster Management Agency, the only flood relief centre in Pahang that remained opened was closed at noon yesterday. The centre in Rompin housed 22 evacuees from five families. Meanwhile, the number of flood evacuees in Terengganu remained unchanged at 473 (157 families) yesterday, with all being housed at two relief centres in Dungun. The Department of Irrigation and Drainage telemetry station showed several rivers in Johor, Kedah, Pahang, Perlis, Sabah and Terengganu were at danger levels. The rivers are Sungai Johor in Kota Tinggi, Sungai Kedah in Kota Setar (Kedah), Sungai Pahang in Bera, Sungai Cameron Highlands and Sungai Rompin in Rompin (Pahang), Sungai Arau (Perlis), Sungai Kinabatangan (Sabah) and Sungai Terengganu in Hulu Terengganu (Terengganu). A total of 18 roads were closed due to floods, damaged bridges, collapsed roads and landslides. – Bernama
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 7 Hong Kong to have new national security laws HONG KONG: The city’s leader confirmed yesterday his intention to pass fresh national security laws soon to build on sweeping legislation Beijing imposed on the city in 2020, saying the city has the constitutional responsibility to impose the new laws. Some business people, diplomats and academics are watching developments closely, saying the prospect of new laws targeting espionage, state secrets and foreign influence, known as Article 23, could have a deep impact on the global financial hub. A consultation document will be released later on Tuesday, chief executive John Lee said, and the government will attempt to pass the legislation “as soon as possible”. “Why now? We can’t wait. We can’t afford to wait any longer,” Lee said. oDevelopments being closely watched as new rules may deeply impact global financial hub N. Korea fires cruise missiles into waters off west coast SEOUL: North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the waters off its west coast yesterday, Seoul’s military said, the latest in a string of weapons tests carried out by Pyongyang this year. South Korea’s military “detected several unknown cruise missiles launched into the West Sea of North Korea around 7am”, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. South Korean and US intelligence agencies “are conducting a detailed analysis”, the JCS said. “Our military is cooperating closely with the US while strengthening surveillance and vigilance, and is closely monitoring North Korea’s activities,” it added. Recent months have seen a sharp deterioration in ties between the two Koreas, with both sides jettisoning key tension-reducing agreements, ramping up frontier security, and conducting live-fire drills along the border. Pyongyang has accelerated weapons testing in the new year, including tests of what it called an “underwater nuclear weapon system” and a solid-fuelled hypersonic ballistic missile. On Monday, state media said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had overseen the test launch of a new strategic cruise missile from a submarine. Photos showed a missile soaring into the sky from the water, leaving a huge trail of white smoke, but it was not clear if it had been fired from a submarine. In recent weeks, Kim has declared the South his country’s “principal enemy”, jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach and threatened war over “even 0.001 mm” of territorial infringement. He also said Pyongyang would not recognise the two countries’ de facto maritime border, the Northern Limit Line, and called for constitutional changes allowing the North to “occupy” Seoul in war, the Korean Central News Agency said. Pyongyang’s latest launch comes after South Korea conducted a 10- day special forces infiltration drill off the country’s east coast, “in light of serious security situations” with the North, which ended on Jan 25. – AFP A test-fire of a submarine-launched strategic cruise missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. – AFPPIC Shark mauls woman in rare Sydney Harbour attack SYDNEY: A shark mauled a woman swimmer in the first attack in Sydney Harbour in 15 years, officials said yesterday, sending her to hospital with a “serious” leg injury. The predator struck Monday evening as the woman swam off a wharf at Elizabeth Bay, less than 2km from Sydney Opera House, police said. The woman suffered a “serious injury to her right leg”, New South Wales police said in a statement. It was the first shark attack in Sydney Harbour since February 2009, when an Australian navy diver fought off a bull shark that bit him in the arm and leg in Woolloomooloo Bay. Neighbours rushed to help the Elizabeth Bay victim, identified by the Sydney Morning Herald as 29-year-old Lauren O’Neill, a keen kayaker. “I got home from work and sat down on the couch. I heard a soft yell for help just outside the window,” nearby resident Michael Porter told reporters. Outside, he saw the woman trying to climb a ladder out of the harbour’s waters. “Behind her was her leg, which was limp and all completely open and full of dark red blood behind her,” Porter said. “She had obviously been mauled extremely badly by whatever shark it was that got her. “We have always worried and known about sharks in the harbour,” he added. “It’s only now that it feels very real.” – AFP Vietnamese students in S’pore celebrate new year HANOI: More than 100 Vietnamese students studying in Singapore gathered at the Embassy of Vietnam on Jan 28 to mark the approaching Year of Dragon. The event, organised by the Association of Vietnamese Students in Singapore, treated participants to myriad activities honouring Vietnam’s traditional celebration of the Lunar New Year, called Tet in Vietnamese which is the nation’s longest holiday. They learnt to make banh chung (square glutinous rice cake) and dried coconut flakes – the two typical culinary delights of the festive event. The students also played puzzle games, testing their knowledge of their home country’s culture, history, and geography. Addressing the celebration, Vietnamese Ambassador Mai Phuoc Dung lauded activities held by the association so far. He affirmed that the association has helped create a playground, attracting Vietnamese students to interact, share knowledge and skills, and support one another. – Bernama “While we, society as a whole, looks calm and very safe, we still have to watch out for potential sabotage, undercurrents that try to create troubles,” he said, adding that some foreign agents could still be active in Hong Kong. Lee said freedoms would be safeguarded and the laws would meet international standards. Security chief Chris Tang said the package would include sections covering state secrets and espionage, treason, sedition and the use of computers and electronics systems to conduct actions endangering national security. While Chinese and Hong Kong government officials said the 2020 law was vital to restore stability after months of pro-democracy protests shook the city in 2019, the new package has long been required under the mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law. That document guides the former British colony’s relationship with its Chinese sovereign, and Article 23 stipulates that the city “shall enact laws on its own to prohibit acts and activities that endanger national security”. Some legal scholars said as local laws, the new legislation could sharpen the at times vaguely worded 2020 law, and older colonial-era laws considered unworkable. “It almost certainly will set red lines where the existing laws are vague, particularly in defining state secrets and espionage,” said Simon Young, a professor at the University of Hong Kong’s law school. Tougher penalties against sedition, a colonial-era law which currently carries a two year sentence, are also expected in the package. A previous government attempt to pass Article 23 laws was shelved after an estimated 500,000 people staged a peaceful protest in 2003, forcing the resignation of the then security minister. – Reuters Vietnam, Philippines to boost coastguard cooperation HANOI: Vietnam and the Philippines agreed yesterday to boost cooperation among their coastguards and to prevent untoward incidents in the South China Sea, in an announcement during a state visit by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The two Southeast Asian countries have competing claims over some parts of the South China Sea, a route for US$3 trillion (RM14.2 trillion) of annual ship-borne trade that China claims almost in its entirety. The agreement in Hanoi, details of which were not disclosed, could risk angering Beijing, which has deployed its vast fleet of coastguard throughout the South China Sea to police its expansive territorial claims. Both Hanoi and Manila have had run-ins with China’s coastguard in the past, but altercations have been frequent in the last year between vessels of China and US-ally the Philippines, adding strain to deteriorating relations. Vietnam, one of the world’s biggest rice exporters, will also have an agreement with the Philippines, a top importer of the grain, covering rice trade in the next five years, Hanoi’s trade ministry said yesterday. – Reuters
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 8 Sanctions reimposed on Venezuela over court decision WASHINGTON: The US on Monday began reimposing sanctions on Venezuela and its mining sector after the South American nation’s top court upheld the disqualification of an opposition presidential hopeful. According to a statement by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, any US companies doing business with Venezuela state-owned mining concern Minerven have until Feb 13 to complete a “wind down of transactions” with the company. The move follows up on Washington’s weekend warning to Caracas that it could end some sanctions relief that was granted last year, when Venezuela agreed to a deal for elections in 2024, including setting up a process for would-be candidates to challenge their disqualification. On Friday Venezuela’s Supreme Court, loyal to President Nicolas Maduro’s government, upheld a 15-year ban on opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and also confirmed the ineligibility of her possible replacement, two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles. Maduro’s government had raised hopes with Washington and others when it reached a deal last year in Barbados with the Venezuelan opposition to hold a free and fair vote in 2024, with international observers present. That agreement saw the US ease sanctions against Venezuela, allowing US-based Chevron to resume limited oil extraction and leading the way to a prisoner swap. But Washington’s reimposition of some sanctions suggests it is displeased with backsliding related to Machado’s election eligibility. – AFP B R I E F SCONSTRUCTION OF INDIAN TUNNEL RESUMES NEW DELHI: Construction has resumed on an Indian tunnel that collapsed last year, trapping 41 workers for 17 days, with at least one of those men back on the job, reports yesterday said. Most of the trapped men were migrant workers who travelled hundreds of kilometres from home to work on the tunnel in northern Uttarakhand state, high in the bitterly cold Himalayan foothills. The men survived in the tunnel following the Nov 12 collapse with the help of a narrow tube through which air, food and water were delivered as they waited. After repeated setbacks in the rescue operation, including falling debris, fears of further cave-ins and drilling machine breakdowns, military engineers and skilled miners dug the final section by hand using a so-called rat-hole technique. The highways ministry gave permission last week for work to resume, nearly two months after the collapse. – AFP U.S. OFFERS REWARD FOR WANTED SUDAN EX-OFFICIAL WASHINGTON: The US on Monday offered a reward of up to US$5 million (RM24 million) for the arrest of a former Sudanese official sought over alleged Darfur war crimes who escaped prison, as charges grow of new atrocities. Ahmed Harun, a former top aide to deposed dictator Omar al-Bashir, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for helping form the notorious Janjaweed militia which carried out a scorched-earth campaign in Darfur in the 2000s. Harun announced in April that he and other former regime officials escaped Khartoum’s Kober prison days after fighting broke out between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The US pointed out that the Janjaweed has evolved into the Rapid Support Forces, which is accused of ethnic-based attacks against the non-Arab population in western Sudan. “Lasting peace in Sudan requires justice for victims and accountability for those responsible for human rights abuses and violations, both past and present,” State Departments spokesman Matthew Miller said. – AFP Ukraine battle gains in doubt without US funding WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Monday that Ukraine’s gains over two years of fighting were all in doubt without new US funding, as Nato’s chief visited to lobby Congress. Tens of billions of dollars in US aid has been sent to Ukraine since the invasion in February 2022, but Republican lawmakers have grown reluctant to keep supporting Kyiv, saying it lacks a clear end game as the fighting against President Vladimir Putin’s forces grinds on. As Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg made the case on a visit to Washington, Blinken offered an increasingly dire picture of Ukraine’s prospects without US approval of the so-called supplemental funding. “Without it, simply put, everything that Ukrainians achieved and that we’ve helped them achieve will be in jeopardy,” Blinken told a joint news conference with Stoltenberg. “Absent that supplemental, we’re going to be sending a strong and wrong message to all of our adversaries that we are not serious about the defence of freedom, the defence of democracy,” he said. “It will simply reinforce for Putin that he can somehow outlast Ukraine and outlast us.” US President Joe Biden has asked Congress to approve US$61 billion (RM288.4 billion) in new aid to Ukraine. But the talks have bogged down as Republican lawmakers, furious over record flows of migrants over the US border with Mexico, demand major changes in immigration and border control policy in exchange for approving more money for Ukraine. Stoltenberg said he would meet US lawmakers on Tuesday and make the case that support for Ukraine was “in our own security interest”. “It will be a tragedy for Ukrainians if oRepublican lawmakers reluctant to support Kyiv, saying it lacks clear end game as war drags on President Putin wins but it will also make the world more dangerous and all of us more insecure,” Stoltenberg said. “It will embolden other authoritarian leaders, not only President Putin, but also North Korea, Iran and China to use force.” With many Republicans focused on opposing China, Stoltenberg said: “Today it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it could be Taiwan.” US and Nato officials have acknowledged limited gains in a counteroffensive launched by Ukraine last year. But Stoltenberg said Ukrainians in the longer term have defied expectations, taking back half of the territory seized by Russia which had expected a swift takeover. “This idea that it doesn’t help to help them, actually, the Ukrainians have proved the opposite,” Stoltenberg said. Stoltenberg earlier met at the Pentagon with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and top US military officer General Charles “CQ” Brown and later at the White House with Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser. He also appeared on Fox News, a favourite network of Republicans, and made the case that US weapons help US workers as they are made in the US. – AFP Spain to vote on amnesty for Catalan separatists MADRID: Spanish lawmakers will vote on Tuesday on a deeply divisive law that would give amnesty to Catalan separatists and has sparked trenchant opposition from the right. Even if approved, the bill would still face a string of legal probes before becoming law. Passing the law was a condition laid down by the hardline Catalan separatist JxCat party in exchange for its crucial parliamentary support to enable Pedro Sanchez to begin a new term as prime minister in mid-November. The controversial law will apply to those wanted by the justice system over the failed 2017 Catalan independence bid, first and foremost JxCat’s exiled leader Carles Puigdemont, who was Catalan regional leader at the time and fled to Belgium to avoid prosecution. Lawmakers will gather to vote on the text, which should be backed by a majority of 178 within the 350-seat chamber, including the Socialists, their radical left-wing coalition partner Sumar, and the Catalan and Basque regional parties. Although the bill is expected to pass the first vote, it will face numerous hurdles before becoming law. The right-wing opposition Popular Party has vowed to do everything in its power to slow the bill’s passage through the Senate upper house, where it holds an absolute majority. It has already modified the procedural rules in the upper chamber and will ask for opinions and reports on the bill before amending it and sending it back to lawmakers for a final vote. The government has “swapped immunity for power” in the “worst version of power”, opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo told 45,000 protesters in central Madrid during the latest demonstration against the amnesty bill at the weekend. Lambasted for months by members of the judiciary, the bill is also facing a string of legal challenges that could jeopardise its future. On the eve of the vote, a Barcelona magistrate said he was extending his probe into alleged ties between Puigdemont and the Kremlin to determine whether he had sought Russian support for an eventual Catalan state. – AFP HEAVY PRESENCE ... French farmers taking part in road block protests on a highway near Ormoy, south of Paris amid nationwide rallies called by several unions on pay, tax and regulation issues. – AFPPIC
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 9 Gaza truce proposal to be sent to Hamas: Qatar oGood progress made in discussions, with hopes group will engage positively and constructively in process GAZASTRIP: A framework to halt the Gaza fighting and for hostage releases is to be relayed to Hamas, mediator Qatar said Monday, as a bitter row flared around the UN aid agency for Palestinians. While deadly fighting again rocked Gaza, fears mounted of a widening regional conflict after Israel’s top ally Washington vowed to respond to an attack that killed three US troops in Jordan. Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip killed 215 more people within 24 hours, including 20 members of one family, said the health ministry in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory. Ground forces backed by tanks have focused on the main southern city of Khan Younis, the hometown of Hamas’s Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar. Sinwar’s office, military sites and “a significant rocket manufacturing facility” were raided by troops, the army said. Since the war began, the Israeli military “eliminated over 2,000 terrorists above and below ground” in the Khan Younis area, spokesman Daniel Hagari said Monday, without offering evidence. With Gazans facing dire humanitarian conditions after nearly four months of war, 20 international aid organisations said they were “outraged” at the suspension of funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. At least 12 countries, including top donors the US and Germany, have halted funds over Israeli claims that some UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas’s Oct 7 attack that sparked the fighting. A UNRWA source, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, told AFP it would be “a major disaster” if donors insist on stopping their support. In the latest efforts to broker a new truce, CIA chief William Burns met top Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Paris on Sunday. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who attended the talks, said “good progress” had been made and the parties were “hoping to relay this proposal to Hamas and to get them to a place where they engage positively and constructively in the process”. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed hope for the deal. “Very important, productive work has been done. And there is some real hope going forward,” Blinken told reporters after the Paris talks. Sheikh Mohammed confirmed that the framework, which he said might lead to a permanent ceasefire, includes a phased truce that would see women and children hostages released first, with aid also entering besieged Gaza. A senior Hamas official, Taher alNunu, said it wanted a “complete and comprehensive ceasefire, not a temporary truce”, although it was not immediately clear if Hamas officials had received the text of the Qatari proposal. US being dragged further into proxy war with Iran WASHINGTON: The killing of three US troops is dragging the US further into a proxy war with Iran that President Joe Biden had hoped to avoid and that he still hopes can be contained. After years of trying to ease tensions with Iran through dialogue and then months seeking to keep the IsraelHamas war from escalating, the drone strike by Iranian-backed militants on US forces in Jordan crossed an unstated red line for the Biden administration. The US has already been hitting another Iranian-backed group, Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The strikes come after warnings failed to dissuade Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, which insurgents say are acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza being bombarded by US ally Israel. The White House has promised a “very consequential” response to the Jordan attack, which comes at the start of an election year in which Biden’s Republican rivals are going on the offensive and urging direct attacks on Iran. But the Biden administration has already stated that it does not want war with Iran, where officials have sought to distance themselves from the attack. “It’s a fork-in-the-road moment,” said Alex Vatanka, founding director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute. He said Iran’s goal since Oct 7 attack has been “to avoid war with Israel and the US, but to use this opportunity to squeeze both as part of a long-term game plan”. The clerical state knows that, “like Iran, the US is not interested in a regional escalation”. But Iranian officials also know that with elections approaching, “President Biden is already being hammered for being weak in the face of foreign adversaries and that politically he has to do something”. Vatanka expected further US strikes on Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance”, with messages sent to Iran to make clear that it cannot afford greater escalation. – AFP UN chief to meet donor nations B R I E F S22 KILLED IN WESTERN NIGER NIAMEY: Suspected extremists killed 22 people in an attack on a village in western Niger near the border with Mali, local sources said on Monday. The Sunday attack targeted the village of Motogatta in the vast Tillaberi region where Niger meets Mali and Burkina Faso, and where extremist groups have been active for years. “Unfortunately, 22 people died in the attack, including some self-defence militiamen,” a local elected official said. The toll was confirmed by a resident of a nearby town. Niger is battling two extremist insurgencies, a spillover in its southeast from a long-running conflict in neighbouring Nigeria, and an offensive in the west by militants crossing from Mali and Burkina Faso. – AFP CANADA DROPS BAN ON MILITARY EXPORTS OTTAWA: Canada announced Monday it would no longer bar certain arms exports to Turkiye, a move that comes approximately a week after Ankara ratified Sweden’s Nato membership. Permits for military items and certain types of weapons destined for Turkiye “will now be reviewed on a case-by-case basis,” the Canadian government said in a notice to exporters. It declared that the denial policy on exports was “no longer in place”. Canada officially blocked military arms exports to Turkiye in April 2021 after a probe found Canadian drone technology exported to Turkiye had been used by Azerbaijan in clashes with Armenia. – AFP NEW YORK: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will meet with key donors to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Tuesday after 12 of its staff were accused by Israel of involvement in the Oct 7 attacks, his spokesman said. Several countries, including the US, France, Britain, Germany and Japan, have announced the suspension of further funding to the agency. “The secretary-general is personally horrified by the accusations against employees of UNRWA,” Guterres’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday. “But his message to donors, especially those who have suspended their contributions, is to at least guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations, as we have tens of thousands of dedicated staff working throughout the region.” Guterres already met with Washington’s representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Monday and “he will be hosting a meeting here in New York with the major donors for UNRWA”, Dujarric said. UNRWA said it has acted promptly over allegations but that cuts in funding will affect ordinary Palestinians. The UN agency has long been under scrutiny by Israel, which accuses it of systematically going against the country’s interests. In the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where 1.5 million displaced people have taken refuge, Palestinians told AFP that the support they received from the agency amounted to a lifeline. Palestinians fleeing Khan Younis move towards Rafah amid the ongoing conflict. – REUTERSPIC
10 WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 Or download app on the AppStore or Google Play ENJOY A SEAMLESS READING EXPERIENCE. Read our iPaper at https://www.thesun.my/ Exploring realities of incarceration ON Jan 20, a team from the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia-Sustainable Development Goals (APPGMSDG), accompanied by Prakash Kalivannan from the Malaysian Needy Association, seized the opportunity to explore the inner workings of the criminal justice system firsthand by visiting the Sungai Buloh prison. The purpose was not only to satisfy our curiosity but to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of incarceration and its impact on individuals and society. The visit began with a rigorous security check. The prison, surrounded by towering walls topped with barbed wires, exuded a sense of confinement. The architectural layout, encompassing cell blocks and communal areas, revealed a purposeful design emphasising order and control. The initiative involved the participation of 10 inmates and was aligned with the project titled “Opportunity to reduce inequality among ex-prisoners and near-release prisoners”. The project is aimed to provide rehabilitation and skills development opportunities within correctional facilities for inmates. It includes establishing fully equipped barber training programmes and providing incarcerated individuals the chance to acquire the art and skills of barbering. Through comprehensive courses, inmates will receive hands-on training in haircutting, styling and grooming techniques. The objective is to provide inmates with a valuable trade and instil a sense of responsibility and discipline. The holistic approach to rehabilitation goes beyond vocational training, contributing to the overall well-being and self-esteem of prisoners. By promoting positive behavioural changes, it seeks to reduce recidivism. The essence of any correctional system revolves around the individuals it houses. Conversations with inmates gave us a nuanced insight into their narratives – stories of regret, transformation and optimism for a brighter future. Observing the human aspect of incarceration highlighted the intricate dynamics of justice, rehabilitation and the innate strength of the human spirit. An eagerly awaited part of the visit was the chance to engage with inmates. These interactions occurred in a designated communal area under the watchful eye of officers. The inmates shared their experiences, providing a glimpse into their lives within the prison walls. It was a humbling encounter witnessing the resilience of the inmates. In an interview with one inmate, our eyes welled up with emotion as he said: “Participating in the project has been truly transformative during my six years of incarceration for a drugrelated offence. This experience has broadened my perspective on rehabilitation. “It is not just about serving time but about acquiring skills that facilitate reintegration into society. The certification I will receive will open doors to legitimate employment, enabling me to contribute positively to my community upon release. “I am grateful for this opportunity, and I hope that more people will recognise the vital role of such initiatives in providing a pathway to rebuilding our lives through the project by APPGM-SDG”. The project has kindled hope for a better future for inmates, who are resolute in utilising newfound skills to build a stable and fulfilling life. Such programmes are paramount, offering individuals a chance to showcase their capacity for change, address the root causes of offences and break the cycle of reoffending. Ultimately, these initiatives will enable individuals to make amends for their past mistakes. The visit also provided an insight into the effects of imprisonment on families. Emotional reunions witnessed on specified days for family visits underscored the devastating effects and psychological costs of separation on the lives of prisoners and their families. It serves as a lesson that crime has far-reaching effects. The impact of sentencing on families and communities became apparent when we delved into the individual stories. In addition, the prison management highlighted its dedication to the process of rehabilitation. It was clear that there were numerous therapy sessions, support groups and counselling programmes designed to deal with the underlying causes of criminal behaviour. The emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment is a novel viewpoint that defies the popular perception of imprisonment. In an interview with another inmate, we were pleased when he said: “The acceptance of my family members is still strong. Through my six years of incarceration for a drug-related offence, I have always wanted to be a person that the community and my family can depend on. “This project will help me empower myself and offer me a successful pathway. I am grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank APPGM-SDG for giving me this chance.” At the end of our visit, we understood the intricacies of the criminal justice system, which requires listening to a variety of stories, obstacles that were overcome and opportunities created for a transformative change that extended beyond the prison walls. The visit highlighted the complex view of sentencing, exposing a system that is struggling to find a fine balance between holding people accountable for their actions and fostering an environment that promotes positive development. Beyond the facade and heavily guarded entry, the prison revealed itself as a multifaceted organisation striving to integrate punishment with rehabilitation. The writer is a project management officer with Community Farming Research at the APPGM-SDG Secretariat. APPGM-SDG is an independent body entrusted to deliver results for constituents while remaining focused on local issues and national priorities. Comments: [email protected] “The holistic approach to rehabilitation will contribute to the overall well-being and self-esteem of prisoners. By promoting positive behavioural changes, it seeks to reduce recidivism. The visit highlighted how the multifaceted organisation is striving to integrate punishment with rehabiltation. – PIC COURTESY OF APPGM-SDG Unsung Heroes in Localising SDGs █ BY DARSHINI RAWICHANDRAN
11 WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 Malaysia’s bold fiscal reforms AS Malaysia navigates its current economic landscape, the government is taking decisive steps to strengthen its fiscal health. According to the Finance Ministry, as of the end of June 2023, the country’s economic scenario is marked by a substantial national debt and liabilities of RM1.5 trillion, representing 82% of the gross domestic product (GDP). This situation necessitates a strategic overhaul, prompting the administration to implement a series of targeted subsidies and introduce new tax measures to address the burgeoning budget deficit and the escalating public debt. Malaysia’s budget deficit, estimated by RAM Ratings to be 5% of GDP for 2023 and projected to reduce to 4.3% in 2024, has been a longstanding issue, financed primarily through borrowing. With global interest rates rising, the cost of servicing this debt becomes increasingly burdensome. This presents a looming financial burden that, if left unchecked, can place an undue strain on future generations. The government’s response to this predicament involves a multipronged strategy. Central to this approach is the aim to reduce subsidies and augment revenue by introducing new taxes, such as a capital gains tax and an increased service levy. These measures are part of a broader ambition to expand the revenue base and curtail expenditures. Transition to targeted subsidies At the forefront of these reforms is the shift to targeted subsidies to enhance fiscal efficiency and social equity, as exemplified by the planned introduction of the targeted RON95 petroleum subsidy programme. This policy shift was highlighted by Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli in his opening address at the National Economic Outlook Conference organised by the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research on Nov 27, 2023, emphasising its implementation in the latter half of 2024. In 2022, Malaysia experienced a substantial increase in its subsidy expenses, escalating to RM55.443 billion. This amount represents a 322% hike compared with the previous year. A notable 81.5% of this total was attributed to the blanket petroleum subsidy. Recognising the unsustainable nature of this upward trend, the government is keen to implement a more streamlined subsidy system, focusing on the neediest sectors of society while simultaneously reducing the overall subsidy burden. A pivotal element in this new subsidy framework is the Central Database Hub (Padu), which is poised to play a crucial role in ensuring that subsidies are appropriately targeted, reaching the intended beneficiaries, especially those within the lower-income bracket. By leveraging accurate data, Padu aims to prevent misallocation and enhance the efficacy of subsidy distribution. The success of this targeted approach promises not just a reduction in government expenditure on subsidies but also a step towards fostering more significant social equity, allowing for the reallocation of funds towards other vital social safety net programmes. Effective enforcement and public engagement The targeted subsidy scheme necessitates robust enforcement mechanisms to ensure its success. The government is establishing stringent monitoring systems to guarantee that subsidies are disbursed to the deserving population, which involves implementing comprehensive eligibility checks, efficiently tracking the distribution of subsidies and putting in place measures to prevent fraud or misuse. Equally important is the role of proactive communication and public engagement. Given the sensitive nature of these reforms, it is imperative for the government to transparently address concerns and provide clear, accessible information about the changes, including the criteria for subsidy eligibility. Educating the public about the rationale and benefits behind these reforms is critical to fostering public understanding and support. Ensuring precision and security One of the ultimate outcomes of the Padu system is to utilise the database to provide targeted subsidies to the desired population in dire need of food and fuel subsidies, among others. The effectiveness of the programme hinges on the accuracy and security of the data processed by Padu. Addressing concerns related to data security is paramount in maintaining public trust in the system. The government’s commitment to fortifying Padu’s data protection measures and enhancing its cybersecurity protocols is crucial in safeguarding personal information and ensuring the correct allocation of subsidies. Regular audits, system updates and feedback mechanisms are instrumental in preserving the database’s integrity and accuracy. Adapting to behavioural economic implications As petrol prices increase, people will likely alter their transportation habits, potentially leading to a greater reliance on public transportation. Recognising this possibility, the government urgently needs to invest in and improve the country’s public transport infrastructure and services. Enhancing the efficiency and coverage of public transit systems will make them a more viable and attractive option for the general population. This shift will address immediate transportation needs and support long-term sustainable urban mobility. Furthermore, the government’s strategy may encourage carpooling as a cost-effective alternative, helping to mitigate individual fuel expenses and reduce traffic congestion. This transition may also lead to a growing preference for fuel-efficient or electric vehicles. The government can support this shift by offering incentives for adopting such vehicles, aligning with global environmental sustainability trends. In addition, these reforms will allow Malaysia to foster a more pedestrian-friendly and cyclingcentric urban environment. This can be achieved by developing dedicated bike lanes and pedestrian paths, coupled with improvements in amenities such as parking facilities at LRT stations. Such initiatives will support those opting to walk or cycle, especially for shorter commutes, and contribute to a healthier, more environmentally friendly lifestyle among the populace. As Malaysia forges ahead with its targeted subsidy policy, the focus must remain on enhancing the accuracy and security of Padu, adapting to the anticipated behavioural shifts among the populace and ensuring rigorous enforcement of the new measures. By effectively navigating this transition, the government aims to provide equitable subsidy distribution, foster sustainable economic resilience and pave the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future for all Malaysians. Targeted subsidies or replacing them with more effective social safety nets are always technically and politically complex. A well-designed targeted subsidy can reach the most vulnerable groups. This bold initiative aims to alleviate income disparity, optimise government expenditures and reduce debt, propelling Malaysia one step closer to realising the vision of a developed nation. Grace Lee Hooi Yean is the Head of the Economics Department, School of Business at Monash University Malaysia. Nafis Alam is a Finance Professor and Head of the School of Business at Monash University Malaysia. His research mainly focuses on financial regulation, and he is among the top global influencers on FinTech and RegTech. Comments: [email protected] COMMENT by Grace Lee and Nafis Alam LETTERS [email protected] “Targeted subsidies or replacing them with more effective social safety nets are always technically and politically complex. A well-designed targeted subsidy can reach the most vulnerable groups. Ethics in Malaysia’s AI age MALAYSIA’S enthusiastic adoption of digital advancements faces a crucial challenge: the imperative need for ensuring ethical artificial intelligence (AI) development. The potential of AI in driving progress is undeniable, yet its algorithms underpinning it can also pose inherent risks, including perpetuate bias, manipulate behaviour and threaten jobs. Navigating this ethical labyrinth requires a balanced and proactive approach. One key concern with AI development is the issue of bias, which has the potential to unfairly disadvantage marginalised groups in critical areas, such as loan approvals or job applications. While the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) provides some safeguards, there is a pressing need to fortify its enforcement mechanisms and broaden its scope. Strengthening regulatory measures will contribute to mitigating the risks associated with biased AI algorithms and enhance protection for vulnerable Navigating the ethical crossroads of AI requires a proactive and balanced approach. – BERNAMAPIC Continuous collaboration between policymakers, technologists and civil society is essential for adaptable and effective regulations. Promoting responsible AI development through ethical guidelines and collaboration is vital. Initiatives such as Malaysia’s AI Ethics Guidelines and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence are positive steps in this direction. By prioritising ethics, Malaysia can become a leader in responsible AI innovation. In conclusion, navigating the ethical crossroads of AI requires a proactive and balanced approach. By acknowledging the challenges, strengthening regulations, fostering public discourse and promoting responsible development, Malaysia can ensure its digital future is shaped by trust, transparency and inclusivity. Muhammad Irfan Wafiy Sharill Izmi Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia populations. The potential for automation to displace jobs adds another layer of complexity to Malaysia’s embrace of digital advancements. While the Employment Act and its amendments provide some protection against unfair dismissals and endorse reskilling initiatives, it becomes imperative to adapt these regulations to the evolving landscape shaped by AI. The intricate challenges extend to the “black box” of certain algorithms, contributing to the complexity of ethical AI development. The lack of transparency in decision-making processes raises concerns about accountability, especially in sensitive areas such as autonomous vehicles. It is essential to address this issue by promoting the use of explainable AI models, which provide insights into how decisions are reached. Independent audits can further enhance transparency, offering a means of validating algorithms and ensuring accountability. The potential of AI to manipulate behaviour, especially through the creation of deepfakes, adds another layer of complexity to the ethical considerations in Malaysia’s digital landscape. Current laws, such as the Communications and Multimedia Act, while providing a foundation, require thorough revision and stricter enforcement to effectively combat the rising threat of sophisticated AI-driven misinformation. Addressing these challenges requires a multi-pronged approach. Open public discourse and education are key to fostering responsible AI usage. Strengthening legal frameworks, such as the PDPA and the National AI policy, which is currently under development, is crucial.
ESG ESG WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 12 Graphjet ready to share green graphite tech KUALA LUMPUR: Graphjet Technology, a pioneer in sustainable green graphite technology made an impactful participation in the Future Minerals Forum held in Riyadh from Jan 9 to 11, 2024. The forum, a globally recognised gathering of government ministers, industry leaders, and investors, addressed the theme of “Creating Resilient And Responsible Mineral Value Chains in Africa, Western And Central Asia” and discussed the future of critical minerals and sustainability. Graphjet Technology CEO and co-founder Aiden Lee Ping Wei made a significant contribution to a high-level panel discussion at the forum. Focusing particularly on environmental sustainability, Lee emphasised the transformative impact of innovative solutions, underlining the crucial intersection of technological advancement and ecological responsibility within the critical mineral supply chain. His vision on sustainability and circular economy solutions, resonated with the Forum’s focus on sustainability reframe and Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) redesign. Graphjet Technology, known for its groundbreaking initiative that transforms biomass waste into high-quality graphite and graphene, stands at the forefront of Lee (third from left) taking part in a panel discussion at the Future Minerals Forum 2024 in Riyadh. oCEO highlights importance of collaboration to tackle global challenges technological breakthroughs in producing green battery materials. As the first and only producer of green graphite, Graphjet Technology’s innovative approach addresses the growing demand for critical minerals like graphite, essential for the battery industry, and significantly reduces carbon footprint by repurposing waste materials. During the panel discussions, Lee highlighted the importance of collaboration and thinking outside the box to tackle global challenges. “As the world gravitates towards sustainability and netzero ambitions, it is crucial for us to explore innovative methods that complement traditional mining practices. Our process of converting biomass waste into critical minerals exemplifies a sustainable and circular approach to mining, contributing to a greener supply chain and reducing our carbon footprint. We’re solving one issue while averting the creation of another, larger problem,” Lee said. This approach directly addresses concerns like the impurity of graphite and the risk of car self-incineration due to battery inefficiency. Graphjet Technology’s participation in the forum underscores its commitment to creating an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable supply chain for battery materials. The company’s work aligns with the United Nations SDGs and is a testament to its dedication to environmental stewardship and responsible business practices. The company also believes in global collaboration as Graphjet Technology announced its readiness to share technology and knowledge through joint venture methods with interested parties and industry players worldwide. This initiative aims to foster collaboration for creating a green ecosystem, underlining the company’s dedication to a green circular economy and a sustainable future for the mining industry. The forum concluded with an emphasis on the need for a holistic approach to sustainability standards, incorporating diverse perspectives and ensuring that mining practices are beneficial for all stakeholders, including local communities and the global environment. Public Bank and Yayasan Hijau sow ‘seeds of positive change’ KUALA LUMPUR: Public Bank, in collaboration with Yayasan Hijau Malaysia, is set to make a significant contribution to environmental conservation with the planting of 1,000 trees. The launching of the collaboration took place on Jan 20 at Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve with the commencing of 100 trees planted, observing the importance of preserving nature and aligns with the Bank’s ongoing commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. To ensure the success and sustainability of the initiative, Public Bank collaborates with Yayasan Hijau Malaysia which has been actively promoting the importance of green technology with programmes such as Greening Malaysia through the National 100 Million Tree Planting Campaign 2021-2025. “This programme is not just about planting trees; it is about sowing the seeds of positive change and nurturing a greener, more sustainable world,” Public Bank managing director and CEO Tan Sri Dr Tay Ah Lek said. “We recognise the critical role that businesses play in addressing environmental and social challenges. “With this in mind, we are initiating a tree planting project that involves planting 1,000 trees.” He said preserving nature and fostering environmental consciousness are integral parts of Public Bank’s ESG initiatives and this programme also aligns with one of the four sustainability themes that guide the group’s sustainability agenda, namely “Protecting the Environment”. Yayasan Hijau Malaysia CEO Dr Nurul Muiz Murad said that Public Bank Group is dedicated to fulfilling its social responsibilities by harnessing innovation for the betterment of society, the environment, and the world. “This involves efforts towards conserving Malaysia’s biodiversity, enhancing the natural environment and addressing climate change. “Continuous initiatives, such as tree planting, play a vital role in preserving the environment for the benefit of future generations.“ Selangor State Forestry Department director Azhar Ahmad said the execution of this programme demonstrates Public Bank’s priority and commitment in ensuring that the national forest heritage continue to be preserved and sustainable. He added the department has taken several initiatives to preserve and conserve the forest heritage in Selangor and among them are replanting programmes in impoverished and degraded forest areas, awareness campaigns on the importance of forests and working with local community through the Greening Programme. ESGpedia joins SEDG programme to facilitate disclosures by SME KUALA LUMPUR: ESGpedia has joined the Simplified ESG Disclosure Guide (SEDG) Adopter Programme as an environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting platform to support disclosures among small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and drive its adoption. The SEDG was first launched in October last year by Capital Markets Malaysia (CMM), an affiliate of the Securities Commission Malaysia, making Malaysia the first country globally to provide SME within global supply chains with a streamlined and standardised set of guidelines in relation to ESG disclosures. Asia’s leading ESG data and technology solutions company, STACS, will be integrating the SEDG into its ESGpedia reporting platform. The digitalised SEDG tool will be in the form of a digital assessment, equipped with guidance notes to provide SME additional information on the requirements of the disclosure. SME can also use ESGpedia platform’s embedded carbon calculator in accordance with GHG Protocol and ISO14064 methodologies to attain an automated carbon calculation and greater insights into their GHG emissions. This enables SME to leverage digitalisation to easily kickstart their ESG reporting journey in accordance with their local reporting requirements, and future-proof against looming ESG regulations globally, which will affect Asia’s supply chain competitiveness, especially for carbon-intensive markets. “SME enablement is key in maintaining competitiveness in the global supply chain,” said STACs founder and managing director Benjamin Soh. “We are delighted to be facilitating the SEDG programme for Malaysia, to streamline the ESG reporting journey for Malaysian SME, helping them better position themselves and manage the increasing ESG regulatory requirements and scrutiny today.” ESGpedia has presence across Asean, empowering corporates, SME, and the financial sector towards ESG reporting in accordance with international and country-specific frameworks such as the ISSB, GRI, PCAF, SEDG and more. Setia City Convention Centre supports plastic upcycling SHAH ALAM: SP Setia’s Setia City Convention Centre has joined Grab, F&N and KLEAN’s plastic upcycling initiative, serving as the location partner for the first-ever Reversible Vending Machine (RVM) for recycling plastic food packaging in Setia Alam. The sustainable initiative aims to redirect plastic food packaging waste away from the ocean and landfills, repurposing S P Setia head of convention centres Francis Teo demonstrating the process of recycling plastic food containers with RVM. them into reusable items. Conveniently located at the West Entrance of the convention centre, surrounding communities are welcomed to drive-thru to drop off rinsed plastic food containers at the AI-enhanced smart recycling machine without the need of entering the parking lot. Sponsored by Grab and F&N, users will get rewarded for recycling the plastic food containers via the KLEAN app. Simply download the app and collect points through recycling plastic containers and aluminium cans, regardless of sizes and shapes. Accumulated points can then be redeemed for various vouchers via the app, such as Grab vouchers and Touch ‘n Go credits. The RVM operates daily from 9am to 9.30pm and are subject to change based on demand. With every recyclable item deposited into the machine, Setia City Convention Centre will also receive 10% of the carbon offset score, which is reflected on the KLEAN dashboard. This partnership is in line with the convention centre’s ongoing sustainability efforts, consistent with SP Setia Bhd’s overarching dedication to creating sustainable communities and enriching lifestyles. “ We are excited to be part of Grab, F&N and KLEAN’s initiative to encourage our communities to recycle their plastic food containers, promoting greener choices in their daily lives and making a collective contribution to a greener future for all,” said SP Setia Bhd senior executive vice-president Datuk Yuslina Mohd Yunus.
WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2624/5 E: [email protected] Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 F: 03-7784 4424 SCAN ME E: [email protected] Malaysia can punch above its weight KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the challenges posed by ongoing geopolitical issues and economic risks, Malaysia is uniquely positioned to punch above its weight, as it did in the past, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Energy Transition and Public Utilities Minister. He noted that 2024 may yet be another unpredictable year, with unrest and conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, and that it is hard not to be concerned about their farreaching effects. “There is also a lot of talk about political changes around the world and it is interesting to see how these might play out. People are also worried about high interest rates which affect the cost of living. We will see how these impact the global economy as the year progresses. “I believe there will be a big focus on the United States and China relations. As their economies are huge, whatever happens they can sway things globally, ” Fadillah said in oFadillah says country well-positioned to do so, cautions that 2024 may be another unpredictable year a keynote address at the 2024 Global Economic and Strategic Outlook Forum jointly organised by KSI Strategic Institute for Asia-Pacific, the Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur and the World Digital Chamber. For 2024, he said Malaysia’s economy is expected to grow healthily between 4% and 5%, as forecast by the Finance Ministry. He added the government is taking steps to reduce fuel subsidies and tweak fuel prices to keep inflation in check. Additionally, the job market is strong, supported by a positive business outlook, low unemployment and steady increases in real wages. “The government continuously provides substantial fiscal support with a development expenditure allocation of RM90 billion in Budget 2024. Our focus areas include industrial development, green investments, infrastructure, and public utility enhancements,” he said. On another note, Fadillah highlighted that effective investment strategies have paid off, and based on January-September 2023 data, Malaysia attracted RM225 billion in investments, a 6.6% increase from the same period a year ago. These investments are from 3,949 projects and they are expected to create 89,495 new jobs, he said. The implementation of key strategic plans such as the Madani Economy, the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, the National Energy Transition Roadmap, and the midterm review of the 12th Malaysia Plan will further catalyse both foreign direct investment and domestic direct Investment in 2024, he added. Meanwhile, bolstered by political stability, as evidenced by the government’s two-thirds majority in Parliament, Fadillah said, Malaysia is exceptionally well-positioned for a prosperous future as this allows the government to engage in strategic planning, implement robust economic policies and nurture a dynamic, resilient economy. Moving into 2024, Fadillah said the need for collaboration in climate action is more pressing than ever before, hence, he is calling for publicprivate-people partnerships to collectively accelerate the progress to combat climate change to achieve sustainable development goals. “By working together, we can create impactful and lasting solutions in addressing the environmental challenges that we all face,” he added. – Bernama Sarawak set to increase its stake in Affin Bank KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak’s decision to increase its stake in Affin Bank Bhd is part of the state’s strategy for economic development, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. “Now we feel like we need a bank in order to boost our small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and also business activities in Sarawak. And since we have certain capital, because we have savings … we look at the bank as part of investment. The way you run the bank … will boost capital outlay. That’s why we are interested to look at banks,” he told reporters at “Malaysia Market Outlook 2024 – Propelling Malaysia Forward” at Menara Affin here yesterday. Abang Johari confirmed that the Sarawak state government is close to concluding discussions with the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) to buy its stake in Affin Bank. “Definitely we are looking at Affin. More or less we are conclusive in terms of our discussions with LTAT,” he said. In the past, Abang Johari said, as many as six banks originated from Sarawak, such as Bank Utama and Wah Tat Bank. “When there was a policy to merge all these banks (post Asian Financial Crisis), our banks were all swallowed by the big banks,” he said when asked why Sarawak is interested in banks. Currently, Sarawak holds a 4.796% stake in Affin Bank, acquired in April 2023 for RM1.97 per share or RM221.74 million. Meanwhile, LTAT has a direct 29.7% stake in the banking group while its wholly owned unit Boustead Holdings Bhd has a 20.65% interest. On the Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund, Abang Johari commented, “The revenue that Sarawak has, we must keep. Our reserves … boleh tahan juga (quite good/not bad). So what we do, we want to place our reserves somewhere for the future generations. “We have set aside RM8 billion as seed capital. And we will be contributing every year to this force saving. And we don’t touch them … that money … for the next 20 years. Even whoever takes over the government also can’t touch that money by law,” he said. - by Hayatun Razak ‘Real estate sector’s growth to continue in 2024’ KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian real estate sector’s growth is expected to continue this year despite the impending increase in Sales and Service Tax rate from 8% from 6% from March 1, according to international property consultants Rahim & Co International Sdn Bhd. Rahim & Co director of research and strategic planning Sulaiman Akhmadi Mohd Saheh said the market’s impressive performance in 2022 carried forward into 2023 is anticipated to extend into 2024, albeit at a slower rate. “The sector will continue to grow (this year), particularly in areas with strong existing infrastructure, strategic locations, and sufficient population and workplace amenities, as well as schools for children,” he told reporters at the company’s property market prospect for 2024 briefing and the release of its annual publication, Property Market Review 2023/2024 yesterday. Sulaiman said the higher SST rate will cause a knee-jerk reaction, but pointed out that it is not a sudden increase from 0% to 8%, but rather a hike from 6%. “The expectation is for a knee-jerk reaction, but in the long term or towards the second half of the year, it will normalise again, and the market will be good to grow. Short-term changes may appear significant, but as the market becomes accustomed to it, it will normalise,” he added. According to the publication, on the property market outlook for 2024, opportunities are seen for the landed homes segment as they remain the preferred choice as evidenced in the successful sales of projects On stage, from left: Rahim & Co International executive chairman Tan Sri (Dr) Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, CEO of estate agency Siva Shanker, Sulaiman, Petaling Jaya office director Choy Yue Kwong and valuation services senior manager Mohamad Alhafiz Farouk. █ BYHAYATUN RAZAK [email protected] offering units at affordable prices. For high-rise developments, the value-added presence of a transit station in transit-oriented developments will continue to attract both homebuyers and investors. The home purchasing trend has steadily shifted towards these high-rise units as demand from younger buyers for complete offerings and facilities within an integrated development gains traction. The publication stated that despite concerns about high prices, residential demand will always remain and will see continued shifts in terms of house prices, design and locality. The challenge of homeownership has also fostered growth in the rental market which is becoming a mainstream option for city dwellers. In short, the moderating growth pace of 2023 is likely to spill over into 2024. The market is also recalibrating itself with the injection of long-delayed new offerings. Policy-based enablers such as the revised MM2H programme and perhaps the oncedebated Residential Tenancy Act would be key to seeing more traffic for both the foreign buyers’ market and the rental segment of the property market. It said that as the property market is heterogeneous, opportunities are seen in several key areas – some of which are long-known hotspots that had dwindled down but recently invigorated through new catalytic infrastructures and policies. Across the different regions in the country, ongoing infrastructure projects and proposed plans are poised to strengthen local economic growth and opportunities. Kemal Rizadi Arbi appointed to Securities Commission board PETALING JAYA: The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has appointed Kemal Rizadi Arbi as its new board member for a two-year term, effective Jan 15. SC chairman Datuk Seri Awang Adek Hussin said as a seasoned financial and capital market practitioner in the Middle East as well as Malaysia, Kemal will bring a wealth of experience in wide ranging sectors. “His appointment will contribute to the SC Board in providing guidance and oversight to the regulator in protecting investors, and maintaining an orderly and transparent market,” he remarked in a statement. Kemal, a financial services and corporate professional with over three decades of global experience, has an in-depth knowledge of policy making, Islamic capital market, financial and investment industries as well as fintech. He is an advisor with the government of Oman and has been with the executive president and vice president’s office at the capital market authority, Sultanate of Oman since 2013. Prior to that, through various senior positions at the SC, he was instrumental in the development of the Malaysian and Asean+3 (together with China, Japan and Korea) capital markets (including Islamic capital markets). He has also served in senior management roles in asset management and investment banks in Malaysia.
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 14 Education remains an important pillar of Malaysian society; it equips students with the skills needed to become productive and useful members of society. We invite you to showcase the best of education and the difference your institution has brought to the education landscape. Education matters so join us in 2024! Contact us now for special deals on digital, video and print advertising. Malaysian Paper 03-7784 6688 [email protected] FMM calls for deferment of service tax on logistics sector oGroup proposes further study of exemption mechanism KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has called for the deferment of service tax for logistics services pending further study to reduce the impact on manufacturers and the people. FMM president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said in a statement that it views with concern the increase in service tax, especially on logistics, which is burdensome as it will impact all services along the sector’s supply chain. Budget 2024 unveiled an increase in the service tax rate from 6% to 8% for taxable services (excluding food and beverages services, telecommunications services and provision of parking spaces services) and the expansion of the scope to include logistics services (beyond forwarding agent, courier, air transport and warehousing) at the rate of 6% effective March 1, 2024. “We understand that the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is considering providing business-to-business (B2B) tax exemption for service providers providing similar logistics services to ensure no taxes are levied among themselves but only on the final consumer,” Soh said. FMM has recommended that the (B2B) tax bubble accorded to logistics service providers be extended to the services sector and the manufacturing sector so that any business with a sales and service tax (SST) licence number is not charged sales or service tax. “This will mean only the wholesale, retail and final consumer or non-registered SST business will pay the SST,” he explained. “We understand our recommendations will require further study and amendments to be made to the law such as bridging the Sales Tax and Service Tax Acts and Regulations or developing supplementary legislation to support the B2B tax exemption between manufacturers and service providers,” he added. In this regard, FMM requested that the service tax on logistics services be deferred to further study the exemption mechanism to help reduce the tax burden of manufacturers. “Considering that the service tax on logistics impacts not only manufacturing operations but its entire supply chain, we appreciate if the government could further consult with the industry to resolve all the concerns and introduce an effective exemption mechanism before the implementation of the taxation is finalised,” he said. Soh said FMM was informed the government is considering providing an exemption of the logistics service tax only for exports following its engagement session with the MoF on Dec 5, 2023. “While we welcome this proposal to provide an exemption for exports, it is important for the service tax exemption to be granted for all trade transactions including imports due to the nature of manufacturing and trade as well as the availability of material sources,” he added. – Bernama Matrade’s eBizLink to help MSME seize opportunities abroad PETALING JAYA: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) is encouraging more micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) to seize opportunities abroad with the launch of the Cross Border e-Commerce Development Programme or eBizLink. The new initiative serves as a platform to support local MSME to uncover new approaches for growth by embracing innovative technologies and digitalisation. It also aims to foster strategic partnerships and adapting to evolving market trends by Malaysian enterprises and established international solution providers. “At Matrade, we are confident that by prioritising digital trade including a strong emphasis on digital marketing and e-commerce solutions, we can cultivate new values and competencies for Malaysian MSMEs to scale up and future-proof their business” said deputy CEO Abu Bakar Yusof. By collaborating with a network of international industry partners, they aim to spearhead a series of campaigns and promotional activities abroad, leveraging cutting-edge digital channels for maximum impact, he added. The eBizLink programme which will run until 2025, has been crafted to support the government’s goal of achieving 15% contribution to exports from Malaysian MSME, as outlined in the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan. This initiative aligns with the Madani Economy Framework, the National Trade Blueprint, and the recently unveiled New Industrial Master Plan 2030 whereby these strategic frameworks prioritise digitalisation as a pivotal force driving economic development and resilience. By fostering digitalisation, the programme will also create a more optimistic global outlook and enhance inclusivity among local entrepreneurs. A comprehensive series of 13 digital campaigns and marketing initiatives will be executed across global markets, including Asean, China, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Chile and the United Arab Emirates. These activities will leverage on networks of established international partners and industry experts. Concurrently, Matrade is set to collaborate with key partners such as DHL Express, Amazon, TikTok Shop, and PGMall. Sunway Malls rewrites record with 5% sales growth in 2023 PETALING JAYA: Sunway Malls’ sales performance in 2023 was in line with expectations and registered 5% year-onyear (y-o-y) increase on the back of Sunway Carnival’s double-digit growth, resilient out-of-home dining and strong first-quarter (Q1) festive spending across its properties. With this, the mall group surpassed its re c o rd - b re a k i n g sales performance in 2022, which was the highest in its 26 years of business then. In 2023, Sunway Malls saw its sale performance come in above expectations in Q1 with growth at 19% y-o-y, before moderating for the remaining quarters of the year. For Q2, the group matched its previous year’s same-period performance, while Q3 came in at 2% higher and Q4 saw 1% growth. Sunway Malls & Theme Parks CEO HC Chan (pic) said, “Certainly, Sunway Malls’ strong Q1 performance provided a huge buffer to ease off the moderation effect of the remaining quarters. Throughout 2023, businesses and consumers faced escalating costs due to inflation and a weaker ringgit arising from the US Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate increases. “Still Sunway Malls managed to navigate the challenging business landscape and the high base of 2022 to achieve a commendable 5% growth.” Sunway Malls’ 5% sales increase was driven by high growth from travel, health & personal care and entertainment retail sub-sectors and supported by resilient performances of the food & beverage and fashion retail sub-sectors. Sunway is building two malls – Sunway Square with retail space of 300,000 sq ft in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur with expected completion at end-2024 and Sunway Ipoh Mall with retail space of 1 million sq ft in Sunway City Ipoh which is expected to be completed by 2026.
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 15 Principal Malaysia picks AWS for cloud transition KUALA LUMPUR: Principal Malaysia, a joint venture between Principal Financial Group® (PFG), a Nasdaq-listed global financial services company, and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com company, as its preferred cloud provider to progress its digital transformation journey and enhance customer experience. Principal is a financial services industry first-mover in full scale data centre migration from on-premises to AWS cloud in Malaysia and Asean. By moving 150 servers and 35 business-critical applications including core business systems such as customer relationship management to AWS, Principal gains the rapid scalability and agility of the cloud. This allows Principal to keep meeting evolving client needs. oInvestment firm aims to boost its digital journey and enhance customer experience to fuel growth OYO hotels in Malaysia record 60% revenue growth in H2’23 KUALA LUMPUR: Global hospitality technology company OYO hotels in Malaysia have recorded 60% revenue growth in the second half of 2023 in comparison to the preceding six months. OYO added 70 hotels in Malaysia from the January-June 2023 period, these hotels recorded average 60% growth on revenue in JulyDecember 2023 period as compared to January-June 2023 period. These hotels are in some of the most prominent tourist centres in Malaysia that include Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, and Kota Kinabalu. As part of its ongoing expansion programme, OYO also added hotels and homestays in upcoming tourist destinations such OYO’s effective platform fuels Hotel Ventura’s growth, connecting them with guests worldwide, notably from China and India. Unique Fire is distributor of Bridgehill’s car fire blankets SHAH ALAM: Unique Fire Holdings Bhd, a fire safety and protection company, is now the authorised distributor for Bridgehill’s car fire blankets. Bridgehill headquartered in Larvik, Norway is renowned for manufacturing cutting-edge fire blankets designed to extinguish fires in diverse settings from cars to forklifts. The company operates globally, collaborating with partners worldwide. Notably, Bridgehill’s products combine pioneering space-age technology with simplicity of use, positioning as the only solution capable of containing fires in lithium batteries and electric vehicles (EV). Unique Fire managing director Liew Sen Hoi said, “We are delighted to be appointed as the authorised distributor for Bridgehill’s car fire blankets. This distributorship no doubt comes at a right time as the Malaysian government is committed to facilitate EV industry growth. Aligning with this commitment, a target to have 100,000 EVs on the road by 2030 has been set. This distributorship therefore places advanced fire safety solutions at the forefront of ensuring the safety of an evolving landscape. With the distribution of Bridgehill fire protection blankets, Unique Fire is poised to contribute significantly to the evolving EV infrastructure, ensuring safety standards are placed with the rapid advancements in the EV industry.” Bridgehill’s car fire blanket utilises BridgeTech, a unique heat-resistant fabric based on the material used to protect spacecraft from intense heat. They are designed by engineers and tested by firefighters. The car fire blankets are also certified by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB for non-combustibility, offering an ideal solution for locations with a high concentration of vehicles including EV charging stations, parking lots and petrol stations. It is not only reusable for up to 20 car fires but also user-friendly, catering to train personnel, professional firefighters, and other organisations dealing with multiple fire scenarios. Unique Fire Holdings Bhd started off in 1997 as a distributor of fire protection systems, equipment and accessories. Since then, the group has expanded its activities to include assembly and manufacture of active fire protection systems, equipment and accessories for built environment, as well as the distribution of custom graphics designed fire extinguishers and other active fire protection systems, equipment and accessories plus other related services. Active fire protection refers to equipment and systems that need to be manually or automatically activated and applied in the event of a fire to perform its function. Alipay+ kicks off 2024 global Chinese New Year travel drive KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and more countries open borders visa-free to Chinese travellers, Alipay+, the cross-border mobile payments and marketing platform operated by Ant International, steps up the global travel drive for its hospitality and tourism partners on the eve of the first full Chinese New Year travel boom after the Covid pandemic. Operating across 57 markets, Alipay+ now connects over 88 million global merchants cross-border to 1.5 billion accounts on over 25 leading ewallets and payment apps. International travellers may pay online and offline with their home payment apps around the world with ease and security. Merchants utilise Alipay+ digital marketing and growth tools to build more effective consumer engagement at home and abroad. As of January 2024, Alipay+ partner wallets and bank apps include Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia), Alipay (Chinese Mainland), AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR), GCash (Philippines), TrueMoney (Thailand), OCBC Digital (Singapore) and more. “2024 will be a exciting year for Alipay+ to unlock many digital innovations in online and offline cross-border commerce,“ said Alipay+ president Douglas L. Feagin. As a global travel phenomenon, he added Chinese New Year is the perfect moment to kickstart their new range of partnerships, campaigns and product offerings to build a seamless and authentic travel experience and bring more business for merchants large and small. “At Principal, we are committed to empowering our customers on their financial journey. The collaboration with AWS demonstrates our commitment to accommodate our customers’ evolving needs and help improve their access to financial solutions. By leveraging AWS cloud technology, we strive to continue supporting our customers in building, protecting, and advancing their financial well-being,” said Munirah Khairuddin, CEO of Principal Malaysia and global Islamic, managing director of strategic distribution & institutional clients for Principal Southeast Asia. With a cloud-first strategy, Principal is enabled to constantly evaluate the industry landscape and pivot business decisions swiftly and with flexible options. Malaysia’s investing population is growing, and Principal needed a scalable and agile environment to rapidly and securely create sophisticated and engaging investing services that appeal to this expanding customer base across Malaysia and beyond. “Globally, Principal’s collaboration with AWS allows us to adapt quickly to meet customer demands, improve speed to market, and deliver more personalised experiences at a pace that we haven’t been able to in the past,” said Kathy Kay, executive vice-president and chief information officer at Principal Financial Group. “This helps us make faster and smarter decisions to meet the evolving needs of our customers.” Adopting AWS cloud, and training Principal staff on its use has radically shifted the organisation’s technology culture from functioning in silos, to thriving across business units that are enabled to adjust to changing consumer preferences with increased efficiency. “Financial service leaders in the asset management industry like Principal are increasingly turning to cloud technology to move from ideas to implementation quickly, while delivering personalized experiences that are secure and fully compliant with regulatory frameworks,” said Pete Murray, country manager Malaysia and head of financial services industry for Asean AWS. “AWS is proud to support Principal as they innovate, respond to new market opportunities, and evolve to meet changing customer needs here in Malaysia, and we look forward to supporting Principal’s mission to foster a world where financial security is accessible by all.” as Marang and Tambunan. The growth can be attributed to strategic partnerships with prominent online travel agents. OYO Malaysia country head Akshay Rathod said “Our commitment extends beyond providing comfortable accommodations; we are actively investing in initiatives that contribute to the local economy, support local businesses, and create employment opportunities. OYO is dedicated to fostering partnerships with local hoteliers and help enrich the overall guest experience with the distinct flavors of Malaysian hospitality”. Hotel Ventura owner Jason Lam said that the second half of 2023 turned out to be a period of significant growth for their hotel. “We have seen a surge in bookings, and the positive feedback from our guests has been truly gratifying. It is a testament to the collective effort of our staff and the effectiveness of OYO’s platform in connecting us with guests from all around the world specially from China and India,” he said. OYO currently has more than 500 hotels across 50 cities in Malaysia. OYO’s extensive presence in Malaysia with properties across major cities and popular destinations with multiple brands of hotels such as Capital O in premium category and OYO Rooms in budget category.
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 16 /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM Malaysian Paper Japan premier vows to boost household income could pave the way for the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to depart from its unconventional monetary stimulus. Last year, Japan’s blue chip firms offered a 3.6% wage hike, the highest in three decades, and economists now expect 2024 wage hikes could beat that at nearly 3.9%, reflecting a labour crunch and corporate cash pile of ¥343 trillion (RM11 trillion). However, small firms, which employ seven out of 10 workers, lag their larger peers in offering generous wage hikes. Analysts are watching to see if there is any correlation between the end of deflation and the timing of the BOJ’s policy change. While Japan’s economy is no longer in deflation, risks that price declines return have prevented authorities from declaring a decisive end to deflation. Kishida said his administration has lifted minimum wages and sought to raise pay for public-sector workers in medical and welfare services as well as truck drivers, and the class of non-regular workers including part-timers and contract workers. The premier said on top of wage hikes, temporary cuts in income and resident taxes of ¥40,000 per individual would be available from June, boosting disposable income. “By achieving rises in wages and disposable income through public and private-sector coordination, we will build a positive mindset in society that it’s natural for wages to rise,” he added. Kishida and Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki both stressed the need to tackle fiscal reform. “Japan’s fiscal situation will become even more severe due to several rounds of extra stimulus budgets in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and rising inflation,” Suzuki told Parliament. He referred to planned issuance of government bonds of around ¥182 trillion for the fiscal year ending March 2025. “We must secure market confidence in Japan’s fiscal sustainability by tackling fiscal reform in the medium to long term. “We will press ahead with expenditure and revenue reform with the aim of the primary budget surplus in fiscal 2025 by normalising spending structure.”– Reuters Toyota Industries president Koichi Ito (second from left) and other officials bow their heads at the beginning of a press conference in Tokyo. – AFPPIC oKishida says biggest mission for his administration is to revive economy Toyota remains world’s top-selling automaker TOKYO: Toyota Motor retained its crown as the world’s top-selling automaker for the fourth consecutive year after posting record annual sales of 11.2 million in 2023, though its chairman apologised yesterday for scandals at three group companies. The automaker reported a 7.2% jump in global group sales last year, including those at small-car maker Daihatsu and truck unit Hino Motors. Those two subsidiaries and affiliate Toyota Industries have been beset by governance issues involving certification test procedures for cars and engines that could potentially hurt the brand’s global reputation for quality and safety. “I would like to express my deepest apologies to our customers and stakeholders for the inconvenience and concern caused by the successive irregularities at Hino Motors, Daihatsu and Toyota Industries,” Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda told reporters at an event to announce a vision for the Toyota group founded by his great-grandfather Sakichi Toyoda that now includes 17 companies. One of the five attitudes laid out for employees to focus on was: “Be honest and make things in a right way.” Toyota’s global group sales have now topped 10 million vehicles for nine of the past 10 years. Second-ranked German rival Volkswagen Group this month reported a 12% rise in deliveries last year to 9.2 million cars. Yesterday’s data showed sales of Toyota’s parent-only vehicles, which include those of its namesake and Lexus brands, hit a record of 10.3 million vehicles in 2023. Gasoline-electric hybrids made up about a US business group in Taiwan sees falling but still high geopolitical concerns TAIPEI: Almost half of companies surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taiwan consider geopolitical concerns a deterrence to expanding or investing in the island but that number has significantly dropped even as China tensions remain. China, which views democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has been stepping up military and political pressure to assert the sovereignty claims. Lai Ching-te of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, who China views as a dangerous separatist, won this month’s presidential election and will take office on May 20, though his party lost its parliamentary majority. In a survey released yesterday, which took place between Nov 20 and Dec 15, AmCham Taiwan said 46% of respondents considered “geopolitical uncertainty” the top factor deterring them from expanding or investing in Taiwan. While that was down 20% from the previous survey, it was still higher than other factors like bureaucracy and a shortage of skilled labour. “So while they see geopolitics as a risk, it is not so much of a deterrence,” AmCham Taiwan chairman Dan Silver told reporters. More than half of respondents said relations with China should be a priority for Taiwan’s government in the next three years. “Although our members don’t express high levels of concern about action from China, businesses do need a stable and peaceful environment to prosper,” added AmCham Taiwan president Patrick Lin. AmCham Taiwan, which said that 223 of its 444 eligible members responded to the survey, said 92% planned to maintain or increase investment in the island this year, noting confidence in Taiwan is “flying high”. The group has called for an ambitious agenda to accelerate economic cooperation with Taiwan through a new Taiwan-US trade talks framework – and eventually a bilateral trade agreement, which Taiwan’s government has also pushed for. – Reuters Indian investors buy more long-term bonds MUMBAI: Indian funds, insurers and banks have increased their positions in longer-duration bonds in anticipation of the federal government’s interim budget being fiscally conservative with no pre-election spending surprises. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the country’s federal budget for 2024/25 on Feb 1, with expectations of the government reducing its fiscal deficit by at least 50 basis points (bps) and keeping its gross market borrowings flat in the range of 15 to 15.5 trillion rupees (RM853 to RM882 billion). Recent bond auctions saw bids that surpassed expectations, said CSB Bank group treasury head Alok Singh, suggesting the market is positioning for a favourable budget, especially for long-term bonds. The next fiscal could see demand for government securities exceeding supply, he added. Alongside local buyers, foreign investors have bought 446 billion rupees of government bonds in the last three months and are expected to continue purchasing ahead of the inclusion of such papers in JPMorgan’s global bond index in June. “Any gross borrowing figure above 15.50 trillion rupees could act as a negative surprise, and could see some rise in yields, but that would only be for a brief period,” said Vikas Goel, managing director at the primary dealer PNB Gilts. The benchmark 7.18% 2033 bond yield was last at 7.15%, 3 bps down this month, even as the 10-year US counterpart gained over 20 bps. Foreign banks have net bought bonds worth 759 billion rupees since October, while private banks purchased 193 billion rupees of notes from the secondary market. The “Others” category, which includes longer-term investors like insurance companies, has net bought 444 billion rupees of bonds, data showed. State-run banks have net sold bonds worth 308 billion rupees, but traders said that they remained aggressive bidders in the primary auction in last few weeks. “PSU banks have gone heavily long in auctions of 10-year and 14-year papers at current levels, as many are expecting a fall in yields during the remaining two months of this fiscal,” the treasury head of a mid-sized state-run bank said. In contrast to the outlook for longer duration bonds, the market is cautious on shorter duration securities due to uncertainty over the timing of rate cuts from the Reserve Bank of India. – Reuters TOKYO:Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said yesterday his government would do “everything possible” to achieve real income growth to put a decisive end to deflation. “The biggest mission for my administration is to revive the economy,” Kishida told the lower house plenary in a policy speech marking the start of the regular Parliament sessions. “The economy, particularly wage hikes, is an urgent issue.” While he did not announce any new policies, the premier stressed the need to regain public trust in politics amid a funding scandal that has sent support for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to its lowest in more than a decade. Achieving sustainable wage growth and stable inflation is a focus of this year’s spring wage talks between employers and workers and third of those while battery electric vehicles accounted for less than 1%. Toyota, however, risks a slowdown in the group’s sales momentum after Daihatsu last month suspended shipments of all its cars after a safety scandal investigation found issues involving 64 models, including almost two dozen sold under Toyota’s brand. On Monday, Toyota disclosed it was suspending shipments of some Toyota models including the Hilux truck and Land Cruiser 300 SUV after an independent panel uncovered wrongdoing in tests for diesel engines developed by supplier Toyota Industries. In 2022, another committee tasked with investigating an emissions scandal at Hino Motors found the truck unit had falsified engine emissions data going back to 2003. – Reuters
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 17 Fixing food could produce trillions in annual benefits French economy fails to grow in Q4’23 PARIS:The French economy failed to grow in the fourth quarter, preliminary data from the INSEE statistics agency showed on Tuesday, in line with analyst expectations. The euro zone’s second-biggest economy stagnated at 0.0% in the final three months of last year after a flat third quarter, INSEE said in its quarterly GDP report. The data for the third quarter was revised upwards from a 0.1% drop previously. A Reuters poll of 29 economists had on average forecast a 0.0% change in gross domestic product (GDP) in the fourth quarter, with estimates ranging from -0.2% to +0.2%. The Bank of France said earlier this month it had expected GDP growth of 0.2%. Both French domestic demand and inventories negatively contributed to the French GDP in the quarter, detracting -0.1 and -1.1 percentage points, respectively. In contrast, foreign trade was a positive factor, contributing 1.2 percentage points, said INSEE. On average, the French economy grew 0.9% in the whole 2023, compared with 2.5% growth in 2022 and a 6.4% increase in 2021, the agency said. Separately, the Ifo institute said on Tuesday that the German economy was expected to contract 0.2% in the first quarter of 2024. Timo Wollmershaeuser, the institute’s head of economic research, said that this would leave the euro zone’s largest economy in recession. – Reuters China property sector woes dent Asian shares SINGAPORE: Asian stocks stumbled on Tuesday as the court-ordered liquidation of property giant China Evergrande weighed on sentiment while geopolitical tensions lifted oil prices and dented risk appetite ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting U.S. Treasury yields remained under pressure in Asian hours, keeping a lid on dollar movement, after the Treasury Department said it would need to borrow less than its previous estimates. Uncertainty around how the court order to liquidate Evergrande Group will play out and its impact on the nation’s fragile property market is keeping investors on edge. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index shed 1.7%, with the mainland properties index down 3%. China stocks fell 0.69% and were on course for a near 4% drop for the month. China’s 10-year government bond yield dropped to the lowest in more than two decades as investors still expect more policy easing to defend equity markets after Beijing oMiddle East tensions lift oil prices, Federal Reserve meeting in focus announced a cut to bank reserves last week. “The latest development is a reminder of the risks of investing in the Chinese real estate sector and the challenges that the sector faces on the road to recovery,“ said Vasu Menon, managing director of investment strategy at OCBC Bank in Singapore. China and Hong Kong stocks dragged MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan down 0.4%. Japan’s Nikkei was up 0.11%, set for a nearly 8% gain for the month. European bourses though are expected to shrug off the weak sentiment seen in Asia and open much higher, with Eurostoxx 50 futures up 0.43%, German DAX futures 0.40% higher and FTSE futures up 0.54%. Overnight, the S&P 500 notched yet another record high close, as market participants looked ahead to this week’s slew of megacap earnings, including results from Microsoft and Alphabet later on Tuesday. While the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting and Chair Jerome Powell’s commentary will likely be the main event of the week, investors will also watch out for European inflation data, Bank of England policy meetings and the U.S. employment report this week to help gauge the direction markets will take in the months to come. “The Fed is expected to signal that though interest rates may have reached their peak, the central bank is not in a hurry to reduce them,“ said Gary Dugan, CIO at Dalma Capital. “A resurgence in economic growth could further strain the already tight labour market, potentially driving wages up.” The Fed in December surprised market with its dovish tilt, projecting 75 basis points of interest rate cuts in 2024, sparking an blistering year-end risk rally, with traders pricing in easing as early as March. But since then, a slate of strong economic data, sticky inflation and pushback from central bankers have led markets to significantly dial back their expectations. Markets now expect 47% chance of a Fed rate cut in March, the CME FedWatch tool showed, down from 88% a month earlier. They currently anticipate 134 bps of cuts in the year, compared with 160 bps of easing a month earlier. Investor jitters on rising tensions in Middle East has kept risk sentiment in check and fuelled supply concerns in the oil markets. The United States vowed to take “all necessary actions” to defend American forces after a drone attack killed three U.S. troops in Jordan. U.S. crude rose 0.6% to $77.24 per barrel and Brent was at $82.78, up 0.46% on the day. – Reuters Italy targets energy, migration in ‘new page’ with Africa ROME: Italy hosted a summit of African leaders Monday where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a “new page” in relations with the continent, focused on energy and stopping migration across the Mediterranean. Meloni, who came to power in 2022 on an anti-migrant ticket, unveiled a much-hyped plan for Africa focused on a “non-predatory” approach inspired by Enrico Mattei, the postwar founder of Italy’s state-owned energy giant Eni. The so-called Mattei Plan hopes to posit Italy as a key bridge between Africa and Europe, funnelling energy north while exchanging investment in the south for deals aimed at curbing migration. Meloni said the plan would initially be funded to the tune of 5.5 billion euros ($5.9 billion), some of which would be loans, with investments focused on energy, agriculture, water, health and education. Representatives of over 25 countries attended the summit at the Italian senate -- dubbed “A Bridge for Common Growth” -- along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and representatives of United Nations agencies and the World Bank. Meloni said Europe and Africa’s “destinies” were interconnected and she was determined to cooperate “as equals -- far from any predatory temptation, but also from that charitable approach to Africa that is ill-suited to its extraordinary potential for development”. Italy, a former colonial power in Libya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and what is now Somalia want to work with African nations to “write together a new page in our relations”, she said. Guests included African Union Commission chair Moussa Faki Mahamat, Tunisian President Kais Saied and Senegal President Macky Sall, as well as the presidents of Congo-Brazzaville, Eritrea, Kenya, Mauritania, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Other countries, including Algeria, Chad, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were represented by ministers. The AU’s Faki said Africa was “willing to discuss the content and implementation” of Meloni welcoming Ivory Coast Vice-President Tiemoko Meyliet Kone at the Italian Senate. – AFPPIC the plan but nonetheless said “We would have liked to have been consulted beforehand.” He added that he wanted to move “from words to deeds”, and that it was not enough to make “promises which are often not kept”. Rome holds the presidency of the G7 group of nations this year and has vowed to make African development a central theme, in part to increase influence in a continent where powers such as China, Russia, India, Japan and Turkey have been expanding their political clout. – AFP PARIS: The ways food is produced and consumed across the world is racking up hidden costs in health impacts and environmental damage amounting to some 12% of world GDP a year, according to a new report on Monday. In the research, a consortium of scientists and economists found that transforming food systems across the world could prevent 174 million premature deaths, help the world meet its climate goals, and provide economic benefits of US$5 trillion (RM24 trillion) to US$10 trillion. While intensive food production has helped to feed a global population that has doubled since the 1970s, the report found that this has come with a growing burden on people and the planet. Poor diets lead to obesity or undernutrition and associated chronic illness, while polluting farming practices drive global warming and biodiversity loss, threatening potentially catastrophic climate impacts that would whiplash back on the world’s ability to produce food. “We have an amazing food system,” said Vera Songwe, an economist with the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution, and part of the Food System Economics Commission, which produced the report. “But it has done that with a lot of cost to the environment, to people’s health, and to the future and to our economics.” Researchers estimated total underappreciated costs from food systems of up to US$15 trillion a year, including US$11 trillion from the loss in productivity caused by food-linked illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Environmental costs are estimated at US$3 trillion from current agricultural land use and food production methods, which scientists say account for a third of planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions. Imagining a better system, the report’s authors said more effective policies could improve diets, drastically reducing diet-related deaths due to chronic diseases while transforming food systems into a source of carbon storage by 2040, helping the world stay within its climate goals. – AFP
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 18 /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK Malaysian Paper Tech firms slash jobs as they pivot towards AI oSilicon Valley sees 24,584 layoffs this year as part of ‘new normal’ SAN FRANCISCO: Tech layoffs have piled up since the start of the year, but analysts say that it could be a new normal for Silicon Valley in a big pivot to artificial intelligence. The cuts are not on the same scale as late 2022 and early 2023 when tech companies got rid of hundreds of thousands – a blowback from the hiring frenzy during the pandemic when companies ramped up employee counts as everyday life turned online. That cull, dubbed the “year of efficiency” by Facebook-owner Meta, succeeded, with most big tech stocks now riding high as they enter a quarterly earnings week expected be stellar. “The majority of the massive layoffs are in the rearview mirror,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told AFP. “But now you’re seeing more repositioning in big tech, where they’re spending and doubling down on AI while cutting back on non strategic initiatives.” For analysts, all eyes will be on AI when Microsoft, Meta, Google and Amazon release their results in the next few days. In all, last year the tech industry lost 260,000 jobs according to layoffs.fyi, a California-based website that tracks the sector. So far this year, which is only four weeks old, layoffs are at 24,584, the site showed, from 93 companies. Again the Silicon Valley giants are part of the list, with the notable exception of Apple which has largely stayed clear of the post-pandemic wave. Google chief executive Sundar Pichai warned employees on Jan 18 that layoffs are in store at the search engine giant as it focused on new priorities, including artificial intelligence. “We have ambitious goals and will be investing in our big priorities this year,” Pichai told his staff. “The reality is that to create the capacity for this investment, we have to make tough choices.” This month, Google let staff go in a myriad divisions including ad sales, search, shopping, maps, policy, core engineering and YouTube teams. Still, the cull is far from when Google cut 12,000 jobs after Christmas last year. Around that time, Amazon also cut tens of thousands of jobs and is still implementing that wave with job cuts announced this month in its entertainment and streaming division. Microsoft announced that it is letting go nearly 2,000 workers from its gaming division, fallout from its blockbuster buyout of Activision Blizzard, the maker of Call of Duty. Ebay, Salesforce, Duolingo and dozens of other technology companies have also cut staff with struggling startups forced to keep employee numbers down as a high interest rate environment starves them of financing. For Roger Lee, creator of the layoffs.fyi website, the main thrust remains the aftershocks of over-hiring when everyone was locked down at home. Amazon, iRobot abandon merger deal WASHINGTON: Amazon and robot vacuum maker iRobot said Monday they would end their plans to merge in the face of opposition from EU and U.S. antitrust regulators. iRobot announced a significant restructuring plan to reduce costs and said it would cut about 31% of its workforce, or 350 jobs. The company also said founder Colin Angle has stepped down as its CEO of the Roomba robot vacuum manufacturer. Angle said given the current challenges, he and the board “mutually decided that iRobot will be better served by a new leader with turnaround experience.” Amazon said its proposed $1.4 billion acquisition of iRobot had no path to regulatory approval in the European Union. EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said Monday its in-depth investigation preliminarily showed “the acquisition of iRobot would have enabled Amazon to foreclose iRobot’s rivals by restricting or degrading access to Amazon stores.” Reuters reported earlier this month the deal would be blocked by European Commission antitrust regulators and that its main concerns were that Amazon could thwart iRobot rivals on its online marketplace, especially in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Amazon could have delisted rival robot vacuum cleaners, reduce visibility of rivals or raised costs of iRobot’s rivals to advertise and sell their robot vacuum cleaners on Amazon’s marketplace, Vestager added. Separately, the Federal Trade Commission was poised to reject Amazon’s deal before the companies announced they were abandoning it, a source told Reuters. The FTC staff met with Amazon last week to inform them they planned to recommend the commission vote to sue to block the acquisition, the source added, saying the commission was set to hold a final meeting on Monday with Amazon before the commission could have voted to approve a legal challenge to the merger. Amazon announced the deal in August 2022. The world’s largest online retailer, which already owns Alexa and Ring, was pushing to expand its stable of smart home devices as well as expanding the ecommerce giant’s virtual healthcare. “We’re disappointed that Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot could not proceed,“ said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s general counsel. “We’re believers in the future of consumer robotics in the home and have always been fans of iRobot’s products,“ he added in a statement. Bedford, Massachusetts-based iRobot said it expects to report fullyear 2023 revenue of $891 million, a 25% reduction and a loss of between $265 and $285 million. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Amazon will pay iRobot a $94 million termination fee. Amazon has had a mixed record with competition regulators in recent years, completing a deal for healthcare provider One Medical and MGM’s movie library. But it faces a lengthy court battle in a Seattle federal court with the FTC over accusations the company uses illegal strategies to boost profits at its online retail empire, including an algorithm that allegedly pushed up prices by more than $1 billion. – Musk’s Neuralink installs brain implant in first patient SAN FRANCISCO: Elon Musk (pix) on Tuesday said his Neuralink startup had installed a brain implant in its first human patient with “promising” initial results. The neurotechnology company co-founded by Musk in 2016 aims to build direct communication channels between the brain and computers. The ambition is to supercharge human capabilities, treat neurological disorders like ALS or Parkinson’s, and maybe one day achieve a symbiotic relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. “The first human received an implant from Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well,“ Musk said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Initial results show promising neuron spike detection,“ he added. The start-up last year said it won approval from US regulators to test its brain implants in people. Neuralink’s technology will mainly work through an implant called the “Link” -- a device about the size of five stacked coins that is placed inside the human brain through invasive surgery. According to data company Pitchbook, last year Californiabased Neuralink had more than 400 employees and has raised at least $363 million. Though he wins most of the headlines, Musk is hardly alone in trying to make advances in the field, which is officially known as brain-machine or brain-computer interface research. Hit with delays, the tycoon had reportedly reached out to join forces with implant developer Synchron about a potential investment. Unlike Neuralink’s Link, its implant version does not require cutting into the skull to install it. The Australia-based Synchron implanted its first device in a US patient in July 2022. – AFP Roomba vacuums by iRobot are displayed at Best Buy store in California. – AFPPIC He also pointed to a copycat effect where companies announce layoffs because their rivals do, seeking the tacit approval of Wall Street or venture capitalists who approve of sound spending. “That might be encouraging those companies in tech to cut costs and layoff staff,” Lee told NPR, the US radio network. For Ives, investors “like seeing that there’s adults in the rooms” when it comes to spending decisions. “It sends a prudent message to investors, which is usually well received” by Wall Street, the Wedbush analyst added. Layoffs.fyi estimates that about 20% of the job losses are brought on by AI and restructuring connected to it. Silicon Valley jobs are on the front line with some coding tasks largely carried out by generative AI. “The wave of AI usage to improve business operations will affect every industry in every country,” said John Blevins , guest lecturer at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business. “The tech sector, which moves faster than most others, is simply being altered by AI first.” – AFP Johnnie Walker maker Diageo misses first-half sales estimates LONDON: Diageo, the world’s top spirits maker, missed first-half sales estimates yesterday, as a sharp decline in Latin America weighed on its overall performance. The maker of Johnnie Walker whisky and Tanquery gin reported a 0.6% fall in organic net sales, slightly missing analyst estimates for flat organic sales, according to a company compiled consensus. Diageo warned in November that sales in Latin America and the Caribbean were set to decline by over 20% amid a build-up of unsold stock in Mexico and Brazil, where drinkers were buying less premium spirits. The move knocked investor confidence and some shareholders were unhappy with how the company, led by new chief executive Officer Debra Crew, had handled the run-up to the warning. “We have taken action and have further plans to reduce inventory to more appropriate levels for the current consumer environment in the region by the end of fiscal 24,” Crew said in a statement, adding this was a key priority. Sales in the region fell 23%. Excluding the impact of the division, organic net sales grew 2.5% driven by Asia Pacific, Europe and Africa, with a decline of 1.5% in North America. Organic operating profit fell 5.4%, a worse result than forecast by analysts, who expected a decline of 4.7%. – Reuters
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 19 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) HEIM 24.74 -1.16 1,365 MPI 28 -1.04 374 ALLIANZ-PA 19.4 -0.5 46 RAPID 1.33 -0.41 136,907 LCTITAN 1.23 -0.23 97,874 ALLIANZ 19.24 -0.22 576 CHINAETF-MYR 4.14 -0.16 349 YNHPROP 0.685 -0.16 1,161,619 BYD-C27 0.025 -0.125 100 HIBISCS 2.58 -0.12 25,548 MSM 2.28 -0.12 36,962 PPB 14.6 -0.12 2,277 TOCEAN 1.6 -0.12 142 GENM-HI 0.045 -0.105 3,000 HSI-CVD 0.345 -0.105 13,241 AJI 16.3 -0.1 43 HSI-CVC 0.53 -0.1 361 KSENG 5.94 -0.1 1,136 TALIWRK-CM 0.055 -0.095 4,500 AYER 7.01 -0.09 18 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (RM) VOLUME (’00) F&N 27.9 +0.380 304 EKOVEST-C49 0.4 +0.250 15 YTLPOWR 4.2 +0.250 627,805 AMWAY 6.83 +0.190 662 DIALOG-C1H 0.2 +0.160 1 HSI-HSG 0.81 +0.150 2,045 VITROX 7 +0.150 3,277 YTLPOWR-C30 1.45 +0.150 25 AFFIN 2.62 +0.120 185,849 KHIND 2.7 +0.120 1 GAMUDA 5.04 +0.110 120,305 OFI 1.73 +0.110 10,495 YTLPOWR-C38 0.99 +0.110 3,584 HSI-HPR 0.415 +0.105 129,316 CVIEW 1.26 +0.100 45 NESTLE 119.4 +0.100 266 PCHEM 6.83 +0.100 15,519 UTDPLT 19.82 +0.100 2,540 YTLPOWR-C33 1.63 +0.100 1,995 HSI-HSY 0.69 +0.095 7,415 STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/-(RM) +/-(%) VOLUME HEGROUP 0.325 +0.045 +16.07 2,093,718 WIDAD 0.145 -0.01 -6.45 1,813,380 TWL 0.04 - - 1,390,197 YNHPROP 0.685 -0.16 -18.93 1,161,619 SAPNRG 0.05 - - 875,251 HSI-CTE 0.05 -0.035 -41.18 847,675 MINETEC 0.145 -0.005 -3.33 773,755 SCIB 0.365 -0.045 -10.98 684,478 HSI-HSM 0.22 +0.040 +22.22 636,221 YTLPOWR 4.2 +0.250 +6.33 627,805 MRCB 0.635 -0.01 -1.55 522,665 YTL 2.39 +0.010 +0.42 512,273 JOHAN 0.075 +0.015 +25.00 411,836 VELESTO 0.265 +0.005 +1.92 397,330 LEFORM 0.165 - - 318,210 MRCB-WB 0.135 -0.01 -6.90 313,847 MYEG-C5Q 0.065 -0.005 -7.14 300,000 HSI-CVB 0.185 -0.065 -26.00 298,217 MYEG 0.79 +0.015 +1.94 297,850 TWL-LA 0.025 - - 296,213 SUNBIZ presents a summary of the day’s trading activity on Bursa Malaysia and other markets in an easy to digest format. MARKET ROUND-UP: JANUARY 30 [ Sources: Bursa Malaysia, Bernama, shareinvestor.com and websites DISCLAIMER: The data and reports are provided as a service to investors. Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd shall not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information. INDEX CHANGE FBMEMAS 11,256.80 -24.34 FBMKLCI 1,512.75 -2.64 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 560.79 -2.33 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 174.02 -0.86 CONSTRUCTION 211.22 +1.64 FINANCIAL SERVICES 16,950.60 +8.09 ENERGY 879.18 -4.38 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 593.65 -0.71 HEALTH CARE 1,969.59 -7.72 TRANSPORTATION 959.97 -4.00 PROPERTY 926.07 -2.83 PLANTATION 7,208.37 -54.23 FBMSHA 11,280.80 -50.58 FBMACE 4,785.30 -33.88 TECHNOLOGY 62.99 -0.19 TURNOVER: 3.776 bil VALUE: RM2.638 bil Top 20 Actives Top 20 Gainers (By RM) Top 20 Losers (By RM) Bursa Indices STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) DIALOG-C1H 0.2 +400.00 1 EKOVEST-C49 0.4 +166.67 15 BSLCORP-WB 0.01 +100.00 1,001 PUC-WA 0.02 +100.00 14 VIZIONE-WE 0.01 +100.00 25 XL-WA 0.01 +100.00 651 SUNWAY-C16 0.245 +58.06 100 APPASIA-WB 0.015 +50.00 95 HSI-HSO 0.015 +50.00 74,609 SLVEST-CF 0.095 +46.15 14,086 HSI-HSE 0.07 +40.00 25,251 AFFIN-C6 0.2 +37.93 3,415 HSI-HSN 0.055 +37.50 96,730 HSI-HSC 0.19 +35.71 193,300 FFB-CY 0.115 +35.29 3,000 HSI-HPR 0.415 +33.87 129,316 KANGER-WB 0.02 +33.33 100 HSI-HSB 0.39 +30.00 1,410 MPIRE-WB 0.045 +28.57 226 HSI-HSD 0.115 +27.78 1,465 Top 20 Gainers (By %) STOCKS CLOSING (RM) +/- (%) VOLUME (’00) HKEX-CM 0.005 -88.89 800 BYD-C27 0.025 -83.33 100 GENM-HI 0.045 -70.00 3,000 SAM-OR 0.005 -66.67 30,274 TALIWRK-CM 0.055 -63.33 4,500 KLK-C30 0.06 -60.00 10,000 MYEG-C5T 0.065 -56.67 500 LCTITAN-CN 0.06 -52.00 14,750 ASTRO-C57 0.01 -50.00 2,002 DNEX-C21 0.005 -50.00 258 EAH 0.005 -50.00 10,274 EDUSPEC-WB 0.005 -50.00 24 HARTA-C2B 0.075 -50.00 5,000 HSI-CR9 0.01 -50.00 3 HSI-CTB 0.005 -50.00 5,040 KGROUP 0.005 -50.00 2,100 VELESTO-WA 0.005 -50.00 14,399 HEIM-CB 0.08 -46.67 9,110 HSI-CR8 0.035 -46.15 79,914 FBMKLCI-HMS 0.025 -44.44 1,000 Top 20 Losers (By %) INDEX CLOSING DAILY DAILY CHANGE CHANGE (%) DJIA (US) 38333.45 +224.02 +0.59 S&P 500 (US) 4927.93 +36.96 +0.76 NASDAQ (US) 15628.04 +172.68 +1.12 NYSE (US) 17040.60 +91.49 +0.54 EURO STOXX 50 (EUR) 4653.13 +13.77 +0.30 FTSE 100 (UK) 7673.08 +40.34 +0.53 DAX (GER) 16951.89 +10.18 +0.06 NIKKEI 225 (JPN) 36065.86 +38.92 +0.11 TOPIX INDEX (JPN) 2526.93 -2.55 -0.10 HANG SENG INDEX (HK) 15703.45 -373.79 -2.33 CSI 300 (CHN) 3245.04 -58.92 -1.78 MSCI ASIA PACIFIC 166.68 +1.61 +0.98 SHANGHAI SE COM (CHN) 2830.53 -52.83 -1.83 KOSPI INDEX (SK) 2498.81 -1.84 -0.07 ASX 200 (AUS) 7600.19 +21.75 +0.29 ALL ORDINARIES INDX (AUS) 7835.03 +26.73 +0.34 SENSEX INDEX (IND) 71217.88 -723.69 -1.01 FBM KLCI 1512.75 -2.64 -0.17 STRAITS TIMES INDEX (S’PORE) 3150.04 +9.73 +0.31 WTI (US$/BBL.) 77.14 +0.36 +0.47 BRENT (US$/BBL.) 82.72 +0.32 +0.39 GOLD (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 2055.40 +10.80 +0.53 SILVER (COMEX) (US$/T OZ) 23.26 0.00 +0.02 PLATINUM (US$/T OZ) 929.71 -2.45 -0.26 COPPER (COMEX) (US CENTS/LB.) 387.50 -0.40 -0.10 COPPER 3MO (LME) (US$/MT) 8558.00 +12.50 +0.15 CORN (US CENTS/BU.) 439.00 -1.25 -0.28 WHEAT (US CENTS/BU.) 592.75 -0.75 -0.13 SOYBEAN OIL (CBOT) (US CENTS/LB.) 45.28 -0.27 -0.59 COCOA (ICE) (US$/MT) 4732.00 +60.00 +1.28 RUBBER (S’PORE) (US CENTS/KG) 153.30 -0.40 -0.26 World Stocks/Commodities as at 5pm, Jan 30 Profit-taking ends Bursa’s six-day winning streak KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia snapped its six-day winning streak to close lower yesterday as investors took profit from recent gains amid caution in regional markets as worries over China’s property sector weighed on sentiment, dealers said. The FBM KLCI slipped 2.64 points to end at 1,512.75 from Monday’s close of 1,515.39. The barometer index, which opened 2.36 points better at 1,517.75, moved between 1,511.84 and 1,520.31 throughout the day. Decliners led advancers 622 to 383 on the broader market, while 459 counters were unchanged, 794 untraded and 73 others suspended. Turnover dropped to 3.78 billion units valued at RM2.6 billion from 4.32 billion units worth RM2.98 billion on Monday. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the local bourse and other regional markets were generally lower yesterday on growing concerns over China’s main property developer Evergrande Group. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.11% to 36,065.86, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index tumbled 2.32% to 15,703.45 while Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 0.25% to 3,148.06. China’s SSE Composite Index slid 1.83% to 2,830.53. Among the heavyweight counters, Maybank perked up 1 sen to RM9.24, Public Bank dropped 1 sen to RM4.40 and Tenaga Nasional lost 2 sen to RM10.48. IHH Healthcare fell 9 sen to RM6.06 while CIMB was flat at RM6.22. Of the actives, HE Group added 4.5 sen to 32.5 sen, Widad Group declined 1 sen to 14.5 sen and YNH Property slid 16 sen to 68.5 sen. TWL Holdings was flat at 4 sen and Sapura Energy was unchanged at 5 sen. 1,512.75pts Jan 30, 2024 Participation 25.2 46.0 28.8 100.0 Retail Institutions Foreign Bought RM m 651.5 1240.8 746.6 2638.9 Sold RM m 680.3 1187.5 771.1 2638.9 Net RM m -28.8 53.3 -24.5 0.0 % Preliminary stats (excluding trade amendments). For final data, please refer to www.bursamalaysia.com Source: Bursa Malaysia A Participating Organisation of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad A Trading Participant of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad S E C U R I T I E S S D N. B H D. 197201001092 (12738-U) 30/1/2024
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 20 MARKETS/FROM THE BROKERS SUNBIZ presents extracts of a selection of commentaries and research reports received from stockbrokers on counters that could be of interest to investors. [Compiled by SunBiz Team DISCLAIMER: The information is extracted from stockbrokers’ commentaries and research reports and do not represent the views or opinions of Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd. It is not a solicitation, recommendation or an offer to buy or sell the equities featured. Sun Media Corporation shalll not be liable or responsible for any consequences resulting from usage of the information. SUNSURIA Bhd announced that it is acquiring an additional 33% stake in Bangsar Hill Park Development Sdn Bhd (BHP Development) for RM71.4 million, which will effectively raise its stake from 51% to 84%. Bangsar Hill Park Development (BHPD) was first mooted back in 2020, a project undertaken by BHP Development which owns and develops a strategically-located piece of land at a prime location in Bangsar. BHPD is proposed to be developed into a high-rise residential development comprising 8 blocks of residential apartment with a total number of 3,257 residential units. We understand that the estimated total gross profits to be derived from the project is c. RM0.9 billion based on the estimated total GDV of RM2.9 billion and the estimated total gross development costs of RM2 billion. Sunsuria currently has 2,052 acres of undeveloped landbank with potential GDV of RM8 billion which we estimate could take at least 8-10 years to develop. About RM6 billion GDV is mainly from Sunsuria City @ Salak Tinggi which has already completed projects with combined GDV of RM1.4 billion to-date. On-going residential development projects, among others, include Tower A, D and E of Bangsar Hill Park, Seni Residences and multi-facility serviced apartment Tangerine Suites at Sunsuria City township and integrated mixed development Forum 2 at Setia Alam. We understand that its subsidiary, Bangsar Hill Park Development Sdn Bhd will unveil Talisa, the second phase of its Bangsar Hill Park development soon. Talisa has a GDV of RM1.1 billion and comprises 802 units across two blocks (Blocks B and C). Pending more clarity, we keep our earnings estimates for now though we increase our TP to RM0.55 from RM0.40 previously, after narrowing our discount from c.0.4x to c.0.5x, pegged on par with sector average currently. We maintain our NEUTRAL call. 9M’24 earnings were slightly below expectations as we expect Tasco to book stronger numbers ahead – supported by a recovery in trade activities, sector tailwinds, contributions from new warehouses, and recognition of tax incentives. Q3’24 revenue and net profit stood at RM277.4 million (+1.4% QoQ, -29.3% YoY) and RM13.8 million (-12.8% QoQ, -32.4% YoY). Although we expect a bumper Q4’24, 9M’24 core earnings of RM43.9 million (-36.4% YoY) were below expectations at only 58% of our and consensus’ full-year estimates – this was due to a weaker freight environment and slower trade activities. The international business solutions (IBS) segment booked a Q3’24 revenue of RM109.8 million (+24.9% QoQ, -40.6% YoY). This was mainly dragged by the normalisation of freight rates and drop in shipments. Tasco’s air freight forwarding wing’s revenue for the quarter stood at RM78.3 million (+45.9% QoQ, -30.5% YoY) while ocean freight forwarding’s topline came in at RM23.7 million (-11.5% QoQ, -63% YoY). The domestic business solutions or DBS segment posted a Q3’24 revenue of RM167.6 million (-9.7% QoQ, -22.3% YoY). The sequential weaker quarters was attributable to lower contributions from Tasco’s contract logistics (CL) and cold supply chain (CSC) businesses. Within the CL segment, custom clearance and haulage sales dropped by 28.1% and 8.3% QoQ on a drop in shipments from solar panel and E&E customers. Despite the decrease in fast food, poultry, convenient retail, and ice cream customers, CSC revenue remained relatively stable thanks to a new customer secured in Q3’24. Still BUY and RM1.35 TP, 55% upside with 4% FY24F yield. SUNREIT has proposed to acquire a freehold prime retail mall, called 163 Retail Park located in Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur for RM215 million. Positioned 11km from Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Mont Kiara is a sought-after residential area for expatriates and affluent families in the upper-middle income group. The property features a gross floor area of 76,000 sq m spread across seven stories, including a net leasable area (NLA) of 23,000 sq m (or 255,500 sq ft). Currently, it is at a 94% occupancy rate. The acquisition cost of RM215 million translates to RM841 per sq ft. We believe this is a fair price, as compared to past transactions of close proximity malls in the last decade at RM774 per sq ft, or at an 8% premium, as the mall is located in densely populated and affluent well-established neighbourhood. Hence, we are positive in the acquisition as its suitable location should support sustainable occupancy rate as well as rental earnings. At an anticipated 6.5% yield from this acquisition, this should translate to an additional RM14 million in net profit to SUNREIT, which would increase our FY24F earnings by 4%. Maintain OUTPERFORM and TP of RM1.63. Our TP is based on our FY24F DPU of 10.6 sen against an unchanged target yield of 6.5% (derived from a 2.5% yield spread above our 10- year MGS assumption of 4%). The low yield spread reflects Sunway’s diversified asset portfolio in key urban regions. We reckon that the group’s brand equity also benefits greatly from its affiliation to the Sunway conglomerate. SUNREIT is one of our sector Top Picks. Risks to our call include: (i) bond yield expansion, (ii) lowerthan-expected rental reversions, and (iii) lower-than-expected occupancy rates. FOREIGN CURRENCY SELLING TT/OD BUYING TT BUYING OD 1 US Dollar 4.7930 4.6590 4.6490 1 Australian Dollar 3.1900 3.0650 3.0490 1 Brunei Dollar 3.5800 3.4770 3.4690 1 Canadian Dollar 3.5740 3.4780 3.4660 1 Euro 5.2060 5.0380 5.0180 1 New Zealand Dollar 2.9550 2.8460 2.8300 1 Singapore Dollar 3.5800 3.4770 3.4690 1 Sterling Pound 6.1070 5.9150 5.8950 1 Swiss Franc 5.5510 5.4230 5.4080 100 UAE Dirham 132.1300 125.3100 125.1100 100 Bangladesh Taka 4.4530 4.1630 3.9630 100 Chinese Renminbi 67.2500 64.4200 N/A 100 Danish Krone 71.5800 65.8900 65.6900 100 Hongkong Dollar 62.0400 58.9700 58.7700 100 Indian Rupee 5.8700 5.5100 5.3100 100 Indonesian Rupiah 0.0314 0.0284 0.0234 100 Japanese Yen 3.2610 3.1580 3.1480 100 New Taiwan Dollar 16.4000 N/A N/A 100 Norwegian Krone 47.2900 43.5000 43.3000 100 Pakistan Rupee 1.7500 1.6400 1.4400 100 Philippine Peso 8.6400 8.1500 7.9500 100 Qatar Riyal 133.0500 126.3100 126.1100 100 Saudi Riyal 129.3400 122.7900 122.5900 100 South Africa Rand 26.4500 23.8800 23.6800 100 Sri Lanka Rupee 1.5500 1.4300 1.2300 100 Swedish Krona 47.4200 43.1800 42.9800 100 Thai Baht 14.1700 12.5700 12.1700 Exchange Rates Source: Malayan Banking Bhd/Bernama Ringgit rebounds to end higher against US dollar KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit rebounded to end higher against the US dollar yesterday as investors shifted their focus away from the greenback ahead of the US interest rate decision on Wednesday, said an economist. At 6pm, the ringgit rose to 4.7255/7290 against the greenback compared to Monday’s closing rate of 4.7310/7360. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid believed market participants will be wary about the latest assessment by the US Federal Reserve (US Fed) during its latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting. In that sense, he said investors will closely monitor the Job Opening and Labour Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report tonight, with consensus estimates on job openings at 8.75 million in December 2023 against 8.79 million in the prior month. “Lower opening means lower demand for labour, which supports the view of a rate cut this year,” he told Bernama. Meanwhile, ActivTrades trader Dyogenes Rodrigues Diniz noted that the awaited interest rate decision is the most important news in the financial market as it can change the flow of money worldwide. “The expectation of most experts is that the US Fed will keep the interest rate unchanged, and if that happens, the US dollar against the ringgit can fall to the 4.7000 region in the coming days,” he said. The ringgit traded mostly higher yesterday against a basket of major currencies, except for the Japanese yen, where it fell to 3.2061/2087 from 3.2020/2056 at Monday’s close. At the same time, the local note traded mostly lower against Asean currencies. Poh Kong expects gold prices to rise on global developments KUALA LUMPUR: Poh Kong Holdings Bhd expects gold prices to climb higher to the US$2,005-2,050 (RM9,484-9,696) per troy ounce range in 2024 amidst expectations on the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts, ongoing geopolitical issues in the Middle East and the complex US-China relations. Director Ermin Siow Der Ming said although gold prices have practically hit an all-time high of around US$2,000 per troy ounce now, given the current development in the world, the company is bullish moving forward. “If prices continue to rise, we should see better financial results (for the financial year ending July 31, 2024) compared with last financial year’s result, provided that the economy continues to stay strong and the political scenario continues to remain sustainable,“ he told a virtual media briefing after the company’s annual general meeting yesterday. According to Poh Kong’s filing with Bursa Malaysia on Sept 26, 2023, the jeweller’s net profit fell to RM77.74 million in FY23 from RM92.19 million a year ago on the lack of demand for gold products due to weak market sentiment, and a rise in operating expenses. Meanwhile, Siow said the group and industry players have been in talks with the government regarding the implementation of the high-value goods tax (HVGT) on gold products. “After so many dialogue sessions with the government through the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and the Finance Ministry, nothing has been finalised yet. We are still waiting to see what is their final decision regarding this tax,“ he said. In Budget 2024, the government said it will draft new legislation to implement a HVGT at a rate of five to 10% on items such as jewellery and watches based on the goods’ threshold value. – Bernama Sunway REIT Outperform. Target price: RM1.63 Source: Public Investment Bank Source: Kenanga Research Jan 30, 2024: RM0.515 Jan 30, 2024: RM1.59 Sunsuria Bhd Neutral. Target price: RM0.55 Source: RHB Securities Research Jan 30, 2024: RM0.825 Tasco Bhd Buy. Target price: RM1.35
Beyond Blackpink’s journey as fashion and Blackpink’s journey as fashion and beauty revolutionaries - P22 eauty revolutionaries - P22 WEEKLY FOCUS MONDAY Discover cuttingedge world of Gaming and Tech TUESDAY Ultimate guide to Travel and Leisure WEDNESDAY Latest in Fashion and Beauty sense THURSDAY Inside the world of Social Media Influencers FRIDAY Culinary delights and Beverage trends WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2624/5 E: [email protected] Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 F: 03-7784 4424 SCAN ME E: [email protected] INSIDE p 23 Golden half century Moss p 24 Priscilla Presley’s timeless fashion p 25 Park Min-young speaks out p 26 Han So-hee’s return the stage he stage
LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 22 looks and Rose’s chic and bohemianinspired outfits. Each member brings a unique flair, turning airport moments into global fashion inspirations. Fans eagerly anticipate Blackpink’s airport appearances for glimpses of the latest fashion trends Blackpink’s fashion and beauty revolution COACHELLA 2024 was not merely a music festival — it transformed into a global runway where Blackpink, the unrivalled fashion and beauty revolutionaries, captivated not only with its chart-topping hits but also with awe-inspiring stage ensembles and makeup that showcased the group’s unparalleled influence on the fashion and beauty scene. The quartet — Lisa, Jennie, Jisoo and Rose — began their fashion journey in 2016 with the explosive debut of Boombayah, donning matching graphic tees and pleated mini skirts in a music video that set the stage for a paradigm-shifting group aesthetic. This commitment to synchronised style continued in 2018 when the group graced the Seoul red carpet of “Battle of the Bands” in an Alexander McQueen look that effortlessly blended sweetness with toughness. Despite Blackpink’s meteoric rise, the ladies’ devotion to a cohesive group aesthetic remained unwavering. The first Coachella performance in 2019 showcased black and silver ensembles, reminiscent of disco balls — just like the tank in the group’s hit Ddu-Du Ddu-Du and Shut Down music videos — a testament to its coordination without sacrificing individuality. At the 2022 (Video Music Awards) VMAs, a sleek, all-black look from Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent and Celine displayed the group’s adaptability while maintaining unity. Beyond aesthetics, Blackpink’s cultural influence extends into fashion as a cultural force that transcends conventions. The group’s outfits, regardless of price, sell out within minutes, creating a frenzy in the fashion world with each public appearance. In its quest to redefine norms, Blackpink commands custom looks from esteemed labels like Area, Dolce and Gabbana and Rui Zhou, while also reshaping tradition with its hit single, How You Like That, transforming the traditional hanbok into a symbol of contemporary style. The group’s impact goes beyond fashion — it extends to beauty, where the group’s makeup choices become instant trends. Fans worldwide seek to replicate the flawless looks that complement Blackpink’s iconic outfits, whether it is Lisa’s bold experimentation with Celine-inspired streetwear or Jennie’s understated elegance in all-black ensembles. The anticipation for Blackpink’s musical prowess at Coachella is rivalled by the expectation of Blackpink is a global fashion phenomenon -BLACKPINK INSTAGRAM oSynchronised glamour, tradition reimagined and airport chic redefined Blackpink performing at Coachella 2019. - BLACKPINK INSTAGRAM Fans eagerly wait to catch a glimpse of Blackpink’s outfits. witnessing a fashion and beauty revolution that challenges norms and celebrates the harmonious coexistence of tradition and contemporary style. In the grand tapestry of pop culture, Blackpink stands as the epitome of synchronised glamour and cultural evolution. The group’s journey, from matching graphic tees to reshaping tradition in How You Like That, not only conquered the music scene but also left an indelible mark on the world of fashion and beauty, proving that its influence knows no bounds. Blackpink’s fashion and beauty legacy transcends mere appearance — it narrates a story of empowerment, unity and breaking barriers in every aspect of selfexpression. With each coordinated ensemble and flawless makeup choice, the group redefines norms, challenging the notion that individuality must compromise unity — a celebration of diversity within harmony and an ode to the transformative power of synchronised glamour, captivating audiences worldwide. In addition to the group’s transformative impact on the stage, fashion and beauty realms, Blackpink’s influence extends further into the often-overlooked domain of airport fashion. Renowned for turning airport terminals into impromptu fashion runways, the quartet has elevated airport wear to new levels of chic sophistication. Blackpink’s airport fashion statements showcase the group’s style versatility — Lisa’s casual yet edgy streetwear, Jennie’s effortless elegance, Jisoo’s playful yet polished and inspiration on how to travel in comfort without compromising style. The quartet’s ability to effortlessly blend comfort and style has sparked a global fascination with airport fashion, turning mundane travel moments into opportunities for self-expression. The group’s casual yet impeccably curated airport outfits have made headlines and garnered attention from fashion enthusiasts and influencers, solidifying Blackpink’s status as trendsetters who redefine fashion norms beyond traditional confines. Blackpink’s influence on airport fashion exemplifies the group’s power to bring everyday scenarios into the limelight of fashion consciousness. With each departure and arrival, they make a statement, demonstrating that style is not limited to grand events but is a constant form of selfexpression that knows no bounds. As fans eagerly await the quartet’s next airport appearance, it is evident that Blackpink’s impact on fashion and beauty is an all-encompassing phenomenon, shaping trends in every facet of life. The evolution of the group’s airport fashion serves as a reminder that Blackpink’s influence goes beyond the stage and the runway, infiltrating every corner of the fashion world and redefining what it means to be a global fashion icon. The famous mirrored tank in the Ddu-Du Ddu-Du and Shut Down music videos. - REDDIT █ BYACE EMERSON
LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 23 I N an era dominated bystatuesque supermodels like Tyra Banks and Cindy Crawford, one particular beauty stood out for her waif-like charm — Kate Moss. Resembling a sibling of the original icon Twiggy from the 60s, Moss’s journey to fame and fortune began when she was spotted by a modelling agency at the tender age of 14. Despite being hounded by paparazzi, Moss celebrated her 50th birthday on Jan 16. Hailing from Croydon, the British model has been in denial about reaching the half-century mark, stating that she does not feel 50. However, the media flooded pages with commemorative articles, acknowledging her enduring career in the notoriously fickle industry. At 17, Moss spearheaded the Calvin Klein campaign, popularising the “heroin chic” look with her stick-like limbs. She became the poster girl for the “size zero” fashion, challenging the prevailing orthodoxy of curvaceous models. In the 90s, her high-profile image meant she could make or break a brand, as seen with the Hunter boots she wore at a muddy Glastonbury. Beyond the catwalk, Moss earned a reputation as the “ultimate party girl”, with highprofile relationships, including Pete Doherty and Johnny Depp. Her impact on popular culture extended to art institutions, with sculptor Marc Quinn creating an 18-carat gold statue titled Siren, depicting Moss in a yoga pose, showcased at the British Museum in 2008. Moss’s influence is evident in the National Portrait Gallery, featuring eight portraits and her contributions extend beyond modeling. She has her own clothing range, musical projects and serves as a contributing fashion editor for British Vogue. In 2012, she ranked second on Forbes’ top-earning models list with estimated earnings of US$9.2 million (RM43 million). The accolades include the 2013 British Fashion Awards and being named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in 2007. As photographer Kate Garner aptly stated, “You could not take a bad photo of her. She’s so British.” Moss’s impact on the fashion industry and popular culture r e m a i n s unparalleled. Moss embodied Cool Britannia in the 90s. – CINDY ORD/GETTY IMAGES LOVE, Bonito, Southeast Asia’s premiere omnichannel womenswear brand, celebrated the opening of its flagship store at Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), Kuala Lumpur, alongside the launch of its Lunar New Year Collection themed “Modern Reunions.” The collection harmonises contemporary aesthetics with traditional elements, capturing the essence of reunion dinners. It features modern oriental styles, including mother-daughter twinning looks and family ensembles, along with exclusive gifts like fortune red packets and scarlet tissue box holders. The Love, Bonito’s store offers a modern shopping experience and aspires to be a hub for women’s community events. The Lunar New Year Collection, priced from RM85 to RM249, embodies unity through auspicious colours, exclusive embroidery, and brocade textiles. The brand emphasises its dedication to embracing Asian heritage and creating a meaningful experience for Lunar New Year celebrations. Customers can enjoy exclusive gifts with a minimum spend, including fortune red packets, scarlet tissue box holders and gratitude chopsticks, adding a touch of tradition to the festive shopping experience. The limited-time gifts enhance the joy of reunion during the Lunar New Year festivities. To ensure timely delivery, customers can refer to the cutoff dates on its website for the online and in-store collections, available now. Milestone moments oMoss’s 50th birthday and fashion legacy █ BYR BALA Rocco Men’s embroidered collared shirt in rekindled blooms. (From Left to Right) melati embroidered babydoll mini dress and Lucas embroidered collared shirt in rekindled blooms. █ BYYASMIN ZULRAEZ Philippa embroidered ruffle maxi dress in rekindled blooms. - PICS BY LOVE, BONITO Modern reunions
LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 24 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER Malaysian Paper Retro elegance reigns THIS year’s fashion and beauty scene takes an unexpected departure from the dominating influence of the 1990s and 2000s, embracing the revival of captivating styles from the 1960s and 1970s. At the forefront of this shift is Priscilla Presley, a figure whose timeless style resonates notably with the younger demographic. Stepping away from her association with her iconic ex-husband Elvis, She once again commands attention with a biopic centred around her 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me. Directed by the accomplished Sofia Coppola and featuring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, this film embarks on a cinematic exploration of a pivotal phase in Presley’s life, delving into the complexities of her relationship, marriage and eventual separation from Elvis. This cinematic journey inevitably sheds light on Presley’s unique fashion sense, featuring avant-garde hairstyles, distinctive makeup choices and the iconic cat-eye eyeliner flick that has become synonymous with her beauty. Tracing back to her early days in the limelight, Presley’s fashion evolution began at the age of 16, when talent scouts noticed her in the borough of Brooklyn, New York. The transition to Graceland, Elvis’s iconic mansion, marked a significant turning point, influencing her style from a more understated look to embracing the glamourous aesthetic of the late 1960s. Throughout her time with Elvis, Presley’s wardrobe mirrored the ever-evolving trends of the era. The late 1960s witnessed a departure from the demure styles of the previous decade, with Presley embracing the bold and experimental fashion of the Swinging Sixties, incorporating mini skirts, geometric patterns and statement accessories into her iconic look. oReturn of Presley’s fashion in the modern era █ BY ACE EMERSON Couture and culture traditional textiles into colourful pant suits, intricate floral tops and a striking flamingo-pink raffia dress. Ayissi, a former dancer with a renowned boxer for a father, expressed the pain caused by the economic impact of foreign fabrics on Africa’s textile industry. Despite recognition for his work, including a prominent role in a successful African fashion exhibition at prestigious institutions like London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and New York’s Brooklyn Museum, Ayissi faces challenges as an independent designer. Joining the fashion week lineup coincided with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, adding complexity to his journey. Without a major investor, Ayissi acknowledges the difficulty of competing alongside fashion giants like Chanel and Dior. Sourcing quality materials from Africa is a key challenge, as the industry struggles to meet international standards. Ayissi stresses the importance of showcasing undiscovered African fabrics, calling for awareness and investment within the continent to A touch of Africa in Paris. - PICS COURTESY OF IMANE AYISSI BOUTIQUE THE Obom tree’s bark, kente cloth from Ghana and kapok fibres from Burkina Faso took centre stage at the haute couture show in Paris, showcasing textiles relatively unknown in Europe. A Cameroonian designer transformed these materials into bespoke dresses, challenging the stereotype that African fashion is solely defined by colourful fabrics. Speaking ahead of the show, the designer, Imane Ayissi, emphasised the misconception surrounding African fashion, noting that the vibrant fabrics associated with the continent were adopted relatively recently. Ayissi, who made history in 2020 as the first sub-Saharan African designer at haute couture week, aims to revive traditional fabrics like raffia, sourced from local trees and plants. These fabrics predate the influx of imports during the colonial era, which, according to Ayissi, negatively impacted the economy of authentic African textiles. The fashion presentation in Paris featured the transformation of Moving into the 1970s, Presley’s style underwent a transformation, immersing itself in the diverse and unrestrained fashion ethos of the era. Her closet became a haven for bohemian-inspired maxi dresses, wide-brimmed hats and flared pants, capturing the essence of the time. The disco era further revolutionised her fashion repertoire, introducing a kaleidoscope of sequins, metallics and vibrant hues. Presley’s unique fashion sensibilities have given rise to a social media phenomenon, with enthusiasts creating tutorials inspired by her iconic looks and actively seeking accessories that define her individualistic style. A recent analysis by the TrendSphere platform, focusing on Pinterest trends search data related to Presley, emphasises the widespread fascination with her fashion and beauty inclinations. The study uncovers an exceptional surge in searches over the past three months, signifying a revival of Presley’s cultural impact. Noteworthy are the searches for her hairstyling, which have experienced a substantial uptick, witnessing a remarkable 115% increase in the last quarter. The magnetic allure of her beauty extends beyond, exemplified by a striking 145% surge in searches for her makeup style since October. Presley’s influence extends beyond beauty alone, with her ensembles becoming a wellspring of inspiration for the younger generation. Searches for her outfits have soared impressively by 177% in the last three months, reflecting a collective embrace of her timeless fashion sensibilities. Presley’s enduring impact, transcending her association with Elvis, firmly establishes her as a revered fashion icon, enchanting and motivating successive generations with her perpetually appealing aesthetic. support the growth of the industry. Working with embroiderers in Ghana and beyond, Ayissi highlights the fragmentation of the industry and the need for a more cohesive approach. While he champions African pride and identity in fashion, he acknowledges the necessity of looking outside the continent for quality materials. Ayissi encourages Africans to recognise the significance of the fashion industry, not just as a form of artistic expression but as a substantial economic force that requires investment and support. - BY ACE EMERSON Presley inspires a new generation of fashion enthusiasts. - PIC BY STEFANIE REX/PICTURE ALLIANCE
LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 25 Setting the record straight HOOK Entertainment, the agency representing Park Min-young, has issued an official statement in response to recent news reports regarding the actress’s past relationships and financial transactions. In September 2022, Dispatch (a South Korean media outlet wellknown for its investigative journalism) alleged Min-young’s involvement with wealthy businessman Kang Jong-hyun and made various accusations against him. At that time, Hook Entertainment clarified the situation, confirming the breakup between the actress and her then-boyfriend. Recently, on Jan 15, Dispatch published additional information claiming that Min-young received 250 million won (RM850,000) in cash while dating Jong-hyun. According to the report, Jonghyun withdrew the amount as a loan and transferred it to Min-young under the guise of living expenses. In light of these claims, Hook Entertainment released a statement asserting Min-young’s position. The agency stated that in February 2023, the actress participated in a witness interview with the Min-young was said to be in a relationship with a wealthy businessman in September 2022. – INSTAGRAM oHook Entertainment breaks silence on Min-young’s financial controversy █ BYTHASHINE SELVAKUMARAN Red Velvet’s Wendy confirms solo comeback RED Velvet’s Wendy is set to captivate fans once again as she officially confirms her return with an upcoming solo comeback. According to the reports, Wendy is gearing up for the release of her second solo album in February. In light of the numerous reports, a representative from SM Entertainment confirmed Wendy’s dedicated preparations for the release of her upcoming solo album. The official release date has yet to be confirmed. This highly anticipated solo comeback comes approximately three years after Wendy’s solo debut with the mini album Like Water in April 2021, featuring the mesmerising hit singles Like Water and When This Rain Stops. This exciting announcement follows Red Velvet’s recent comeback in November with their third full-length album, Chill Kill. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN The singer’s imminent solo comeback marks her highly anticipated return after a three-year hiatus from solo releases. – INSTAGRAM Spider-Man moments TOM Holland and Zendaya express their enduring fondness for Spider-Man, as revealed during a red carpet interview at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards. The English actor shared that he and Zendaya occasionally revisit their 2017 film Spider-Man: Homecoming together. In these moments, they watch Spider-Man 1 and reminisce about being 19 and making those movies again. Continuing, Holland emphasised his love for those films and the importance of cherishing those moments. He admitted to not watching them as frequently as he might want to, recognising their special nature. According to him, it is a luxury and a gift to sit down and “relive your youth.” In July last year, the actor discussed the reasons behind his and Zendaya’s efforts to maintain privacy in their relationship during an appearance on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty Podcast. At that point, he conveyed that their relationship is something he refrains from discussing openly, emphasising his commitment to keeping it as private as possible. Both Holland and Zendaya strongly believe that this approach is the healthiest way for them to navigate their journey as a couple. Since their debut in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Holland and Zendaya Holland (left) and Zendaya have adeptly maintained a discreet profile regarding their relationship. – PEOPLE prosecution, addressing allegations of her account being used as a borrowed-name bank account. The investigation revealed that Min-young was not involved in any illegal activities, nor did she receive any unlawful benefits. The 250 million won in question was confirmed to be associated with Jong-hyun’s use of Min-young’s account, unrelated to the actress’s living expenses. Having faced a year-long period of misunderstanding due to misinformation, Min-young acknowledged the criticism from the public and expressed deep regret for not being more cautious. Despite this, she remains committed to her primary role as an actress, emphasising the importance of showcasing her talent through meaningful projects. In a personal response on her Instagram account, Min-young conveyed her weariness with the situation but expressed faith in the triumph of honesty. She affirmed her strong desire to protect her fans, endearingly referred to as “beans” and assured them not to worry amid the challenges she faces. The agency concluded its statement by expressing the hope that unfounded suspicions leading to the defamation of Min-young will cease in the future. have starred in two more solo SpiderMan films - Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). During a press conference with the Critics Choice Association in 2023, Holland conveyed a strong protective sentiment towards Spider-Man and discussed ongoing discussions about a potential fourth film. However, he acknowledged the challenges of doing another instalment, stating that whether or not they can find a way to do justice to the character is another thing. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN
LYFE LYFE WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 26 /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE Malaysian Paper oSo-hee’s journey with ‘Gyeongseong Creature’ HAN So-hee delves into her recent role in the drama Gyeongseong Creature in an exclusive feature with Elle Korea. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of April 1945, the series unfolds the challenges faced by an entrepreneur and a sleuth as they confront a monstrous manifestation. In a candid post-photo shoot interview with Elle, So-hee reflects on the significance of her role in Gyeongseong Creature. This marks her first drama in two years and her inaugural foray into a period piece. Submerged in the portrayal of the era, So-hee shares how her unwavering focus during filming kept her completely engrossed, oblivious to her surroundings. Drawing parallels between herself and her character, Chae-ok, So-hee underscores their shared determination to follow through once a decision is made. Exploring Chae-ok’s decade-long quest for her mother, So-hee asserts that it transcends mere yearning – it is a necessity to personally confirm certain truths. Gyeongseong Creature also heralds So-hee’s return to action dramas since My Name. When asked about her affinity for such roles, she expresses a genuine fondness for the physical engagement inherent in action dramas. Despite meticulous preparation, the unpredictability on set adds a thrilling dynamic, with the satisfaction of successful execution rooted in mutual trust. Known for her openness on social media, So-hee discusses the importance of acknowledging when things are not okay. This realisation has empowered her to move forward with a lighter heart. She shares her commitment to self-care in the coming year, emphasising the promise to prioritise her well-being. So-hee’s insightful reflections provide a glimpse into her multifaceted approach to her craft, blending dedication to her roles with a candid acknowledgment of the importance of personal well-being in the journey ahead. So-hee commited a year of self-care to prioritise her well-being. – WIKIPEDIA █ BYTHASHINE SELVAKUMARAN Styles almost joined Mean Girls movie musical cast HARRY Styles was under consideration for a role in the Mean Girls movie musical, as revealed by directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The directors mentioned that they had the idea of casting the musician in a specific role, emphasising the iconic lines and humorous moments in the film. Jayne and Perez playfully discussed the possibility of Styles taking on the role of Glen Coco, suggesting that he could have added his own flair to the character. During the conversation about memorable lines, Jayne and Perez joked about the importance of certain phrases, such as “You go, Glen Coco”. They considered the idea of Styles playing Glen Coco and shared their amusing thought process, imagining how Styles could have contributed to the film’s humour and iconic moments. Based on the 2018 Broadway musical and the 2004 film of the same name, the Mean Girls movie introduces a new generation of Plastics. Tina Fey, who wrote both the original film and the musical, announced plans for the musical movie in January 2020. The main cast, revealed in December 2022, features Angourie Rice as Cady Heron and Renee Rapp reprising her Broadway role as Regina George. The film, which has become a cult classic since its premiere almost two decades ago, topped the box office on its opening weekend in 2024. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN Directors of the film playfully explored the idea of casting the singer for an iconic role. – IMDB Lohan expresses hurt LINDSAY Lohan, renowned for her role in the original Mean Girls, expresses disappointment over a particular joke in the revamped movie musical. The joke, referring to the infamous term “fire crotch” linked to Lohan in 2006 due to crude comments by socialite Brandon Davis, has left the star hurt. Leslie Sloane, Lohan’s representative, conveyed her feelings of disappointment to the media. In this modern rendition of Mean Girls, Megan The Stallion, portraying herself, offers support to Cady, originally played by Lohan and now portrayed by Angourie Rice. Megan’s character playfully exclaims, “We are going back red. Y2K fire crotch is back.” Lohan perceives this as an inappropriate allusion to the derogatory nickname that plagued her during the mid-2000s. The original incident involved Davis making disparaging remarks about Lohan’s body in a viral 2006 video, with Paris Hilton in the background laughing. Hilton’s representative at the time sought to distance her from the tabloid scandal. Despite the controversy, Lohan made a surprise return to Mean Girls in a cameo role, earning the star thunderous applause at the New York premiere of the film. According to Variety, she received around US$500,000 (RM2.3 million) for a half day of work on the movie. She also flew in from Dubai to grace the red carpet at the Jan 8 premiere of the 2024 adaptation of Mean Girls, a cinematic interpretation of the Broadway musical inspired by the 2004 comedy. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN Lohan played the character Cady Heron in the Mean Girls 2004 release. – THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER In character and reality
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 27 NOTICE IN THE MAGISTRATE COURT AT JOHOR BAHRU WRIT NO: JA-A72NCC-1576-11/2023 Notice is hereby given to CHEN WEI KIONG (I/C No.: 930227- 01-5313) (trading as RISE DESIGN STUDIO (Registration No.: 201601014860 / 1185791- M)) to appear in the Johor Bahru Magistrate Court at 9.00 a.m. 13-02-2024, Tuesday or contact Messrs. S.K. SONG before the above date for the hearing of the above summon. Location of the Court is at Johor Bahru Magistrate Court, Level 23A, Menara MSC Cyberport, No.5, Jalan Bukit Meldrum, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor. In the event, if you failed to appear, the court may grant any order that the Court deems fit. This notice is filed by Messrs. S.K. SONG, Advocates & Solicitors, whose address for service is at No.75A, Jalan Mutiara 1/9, Taman Mutiara Mas, 81300 Skudai, Johor.[Ref: SKS/L 9336/23/LIM] TEL NO.: 07-556 8187 FAX NO.:07-556 8188 COURT BOX NO.: 95 322 Notices 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF PERFECT GRAPHIC (M) SDN. BHD. Company No: 198901000401 (177707-V) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the members of PERFECT GRAPHIC (M) SDN. BHD. held on 26 January 2024, the following Special Resolutions were duly passed :- 1. “THAT the Company will be liquidated by 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 be appointed as Liquidator to act for the purpose of winding up the company’s affairs and distributing its assets.” “THAT the Liquidator be indemnified by the Company against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred or sustained by him in the execution and discharge of his duties in relation thereto.” LIM SUNG HENG Chairman Dated : 31 January 2024 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF PERFECT GRAPHIC (M) SDN. BHD. Company No: 198901000401 (177707-V) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Creditors of the abovenamed Company which is being voluntarily wound up, are required on or before 1 April 2024 to send in their names and addresses with particulars of their debts and claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the undersigned Liquidator and, if so required by notice in writing from the said Liquidator, or by their solicitors or personally to come in and prove the said debts and claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof, they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved. Liquidator Kam Chai Hong 55-A, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru. Dated this 31st day of January 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO: WA-28NCC-33-01/2024 In the Matter of Section 465(1)(e) read with Section 466 (1)(a) of the Companies Act, 2016 And In the Matter of STP CHILLED & FROZEN PRODUCTS SDN. BHD. [Company No. 199501039747 (368950-V)] Between UNITED OVERSEAS BANK (MALAYSIA) BHD [Company No. 199301017069 (271809-K)] …Petitioner And In the Matter of STP CHILLED & FROZEN PRODUCTS SDN. BHD. [Company No. 199501039747 (368950-V)] …Respondent ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for the winding-up of the abovenamed company by the High court was on 15.1.2024 presented by the said company and that the said petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Kuala Lumpur at 9.00 o’clock in the morning, on the 22.4.2024, and any creditor or contributor of the said company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose, and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same. The Petitioner’s address is at UOB Plaza 1 Kuala Lumpur, 22nd Floor, No. 7, Jalan Raja Laut, 50350 Kuala Lumpur. The Petitioner’s solicitors is Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors of 46-01, Jalan Molek 1/28, Taman Molek 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor. Sgd. ……………………… Solicitors for the Petitioners Messrs Chua & Partners NOTE:- Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Messrs Chua & Partners, notice in writing of his intention so to do. This notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, or his or their solicitor (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed not later than 12:00 o’clock noon of the 19.4.2024. This Advertisement of Petition is prepared by Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors of 46-01, Jalan Molek 1/28, Taman Molek 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, solicitors for the Petitioners. DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI SHAH ALAM DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN, MALAYSIA DALAM PERKARA KEBANKRAPAN NO.: BA-29NCC-2729-11/2023 BERKENAAN: LEE CHIN HOCK (No. K/P: 710124-05-5043/A1784465) [Pemilik tunggal dan berniaga di bawah nama dan gaya SERI NUSANTARA CONSTRUCTION (No. Pendaftaran Perniagaan: 201603316789/ 002587598-A)] …PENGHUTANG PENGHAKIMAN EX-PARTE: WONG SAU HOONG (No. K/P: 700420-05-5225) …PEMIUTANG PENGHAKIMAN NOTIS IKLAN Dalam Perkara Notis Kebankrapan yang difailkan pada 06 November 2023. Kepada: LEE CHIN HOCK (No. K/P: 710124-05-5043/A1784465) [Pemilik tunggal dan berniaga di bawah nama dan gaya SERI NUSANTARA CONSTRUCTION (No. Pendaftaran Perniagaan: 201603316789/ 002587598-A)] No. 22-1, Jalan KP 1/3 Taman Kajang Prima Off Jalan Semenyih 43000 Kajang Selangor Dan LEE CHIN HOCK (No. K/P: 710124-05-5043/A1784465) [Pemilik tunggal dan berniaga di bawah nama dan gaya SERI NUSANTARA CONSTRUCTION (No. Pendaftaran Perniagaan: 201603316789/ 002587598-A)] No. 12A, Jalan KP 2/16 Kajang Prima 43000 Kajang Selangor AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa suatu Notis Kebankrapan telah dikeluarkan terhadap kamu di Mahkamah Tinggi di Shah Alam oleh WONG SAU HOONG (No. K/P: 700420- 05-5225) yang mempunyai alamat di 49, Jalan BU 12/3, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor dan Mahkamah ini telah memerintahkan bahawa Permintaan Mengeluarkan Notis Kebankrapan bertarikh 06 November 2023 dan Notis Kebankrapan bertarikh 06 November 2023 (“Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut”) disampaikan kepada kamu dengan cara penyampaian ganti, yakni dengan menampalkan satu salinan Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut serta satu salinan Perintah untuk Penyampaian Ganti termeterai yang akan diperbuat disini pada Papan Kenyataan Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam dan pada suatu tempat yang mudah dilihat di alamat-alamat terakhir kamu di No. 22-1, Jalan KP 1/3, Taman Kajang Prima, Off Jalan Semenyih, 43000 Kajang, Selangor dan No. 12A, Jalan KP 2/16, Kajang Prima, 43000 Kajang, Selangor dan menyebabkan suatu Notis diiklankan dalam akhbar harian “The Sun” untuk sekali dalam Bahasa Malaysia (“PenampalanPenampalan dan Pengiklanan tersebut”) dan Penampalan-Penampalan dan Pengiklanan tersebut hendaklah menjadi penyampaian yang sempurna dan cukup akan Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut ke atas kamu empat belas (14) hari selepas tarikh akhir PenampalanPenampalan dan Pengiklanan tersebut dibuat dan Kos permohonan ini dijadikan kos dalam kausa. Sekiranya kamu berhasrat untuk membantah Notis Kebankrapan ini, kamu mestilah dalam tempoh TUJUH (7) hari daripada penyampaian ganti ini dianggap sempurna, memfailkan satu Afidavit atau Saman Dalam Kamar disokong dengan Afidavit ke Mahkamah bagi maksud tersebut. Jika kamu ingkar, satu Petisyen Pemiutang boleh difailkan terhadap kamu. Notis Kebankrapan tersebut boleh diperiksa oleh kamu melalui satu permohonan di Mahkamah Tinggi di Shah Alam. Bertarikh 8 Januari 2024. t.t .................. NORAZEAN BINTI MOHD SOHAINI Penolong Kanan Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Shah Alam NOTIS IKLAN ini difailkan oleh Tetuan Fyiona, Lai & Dennis Thong, peguamcara bagi pihak Pemiutang Penghakiman yang dinamakan di atas dan mempunyai alamat penyampaiannya di No. 13A-3, Menara 1 Mont Kiara, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-6211 1128 / 017-666 2721 Fax: 03-6211 9393 Emel: [email protected] [Ruj: YF.FL.LIT(B).817.23.WSH] 322 Notices 322 Notices 322 Notices If you feel you have what it takes, to join us in the interesting media industry, send your resume (together with a photo of you) via email to [email protected] You can call us at +603 7784 6688 theSun is published by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd Lot 6, Level 4, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. MARKETING EXECUTIVE Responsibilities 1. Handle both local & outstation Agents and Vendors. 2. Handle sales of newspaper-corporate sales e.g.: Hospital, Hotels, etc. 3. Actively engage in outbound sales activities to acquire new newspaper subscribers. Requirements 1. Minimum Diploma in Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field with at least 2 years of experience. 2. Proven experience in sales, preferably in the media or publishing industry would be an advantage 3. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 4. Excellent selling, communication and negotiation skills. Malaysian Paper MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE / AGENT (FREELANCE) Requirements 1. Minimum 1 year sales experience in newspaper bulk sales and digital advertising 2. Attractice commision package and incentive 3. Able to start immediately 4. Central, Nothern, Southern, East Coast and Sabah/Sarawak 302 Jobs KLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAH PERAK | PERLIS | PAHANG | KELANTAN TERENGGANU MS. Shoba / MS. Balqish TEL: 03-7784 8888 FAX: 03-7784 4424 MALACCA | N.SEMBILAN MR. Rajah TEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051 JOHOR BAHRU MS. Anne Lim TEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549 CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS SCAN ME WEDNESDAY JAN 31, 2024 Chandler accepts McGregor’s UFC 300 challenge MICHAEL CHANDLER has accepted a challenge from Conor McGregor to fight at UFC 300. The two MMA stars have been eager to face each other in the Octagon for over a year, and with whispers of a June battle, the duo are keen to grapple sooner at UFC’s milestone event. Previously, former Bellator champion Chandler was linked to a match-up with fan favourite Irishman, who is making a comeback from an injury. McGregor’s last win at UFC was when he beat Donald Cerrone in January 2020. Since then, he’s suffered two losses to Dustin Poirier and hasn’t fought since his legbreaking defeat in their July 2021 match at UFC 264. UFC chief Dana White initially dismissed the idea of a clash between McGregor and Chandler at UFC 300. But, just recently, McGregor hinted the bout is possible. Last week on X, the fighter wrote: “McGregor on 300 seals the deal.” UFC 300 is set for April 13, but there’s no main event yet. Chandler quickly accepted a challenge from McGregor, writing: “I accept. See you soon @TheNotoriousMMA #UFC300.” White has reportedly struggled to put together an exciting card for the big show in April. McGregor could use the event as his comeback after years of injury recovery. There’s been lots of talk about when McGregor might return because he’s so popular with fans. But while the social media posts are interesting, it would be a huge surprise if he was added to the UFC 300 card. – Express Newspapers NOTICE IN THE MAGISTRATE COURT AT JOHOR BAHRU WRIT NO: JA-A72NCC-1576-11/2023 Notice is hereby given to CHEN WEI KIONG (I/C No.: 930227- 01-5313) (trading as RISE DESIGN STUDIO (Registration No.: 201601014860 / 1185791- M)) to appear in the Johor Bahru Magistrate Court at 9.00 a.m. 13-02-2024, Tuesday or contact Messrs. S.K. SONG before the above date for the hearing of the above summon. Location of the Court is at Johor Bahru Magistrate Court, Level 23A, Menara MSC Cyberport, No.5, Jalan Bukit Meldrum, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor. In the event, if you failed to appear, the court may grant any order that the Court deems fit. This notice is filed by Messrs. S.K. SONG, Advocates & Solicitors, whose address for service is at No.75A, Jalan Mutiara 1/9, Taman Mutiara Mas, 81300 Skudai, Johor.[Ref: SKS/L 9336/23/LIM] TEL NO.: 07-556 8187 FAX NO.:07-556 8188 COURT BOX NO.: 95 322 Notices 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF PERFECT GRAPHIC (M) SDN. BHD. Company No: 198901000401 (177707-V) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the members of PERFECT GRAPHIC (M) SDN. BHD. held on 26 January 2024, the following Special Resolutions were duly passed :- 1. “THAT the Company will be liquidated by 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 be appointed as Liquidator to act for the purpose of winding up the company’s affairs and distributing its assets.” “THAT the Liquidator be indemnified by the Company against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred or sustained by him in the execution and discharge of his duties in relation thereto.” LIM SUNG HENG Chairman Dated : 31 January 2024 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF PERFECT GRAPHIC (M) SDN. BHD. Company No: 198901000401 (177707-V) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Creditors of the abovenamed Company which is being voluntarily wound up, are required on or before 1 April 2024 to send in their names and addresses with particulars of their debts and claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the undersigned Liquidator and, if so required by notice in writing from the said Liquidator, or by their solicitors or personally to come in and prove the said debts and claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof, they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved. Liquidator Kam Chai Hong 55-A, Jalan Perang, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru. Dated this 31st day of January 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO: WA-28NCC-33-01/2024 In the Matter of Section 465(1)(e) read with Section 466 (1)(a) of the Companies Act, 2016 And In the Matter of STP CHILLED & FROZEN PRODUCTS SDN. BHD. [Company No. 199501039747 (368950-V)] Between UNITED OVERSEAS BANK (MALAYSIA) BHD [Company No. 199301017069 (271809-K)] …Petitioner And In the Matter of STP CHILLED & FROZEN PRODUCTS SDN. BHD. [Company No. 199501039747 (368950-V)] …Respondent ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for the winding-up of the abovenamed company by the High court was on 15.1.2024 presented by the said company and that the said petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Kuala Lumpur at 9.00 o’clock in the morning, on the 22.4.2024, and any creditor or contributor of the said company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose, and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same. The Petitioner’s address is at UOB Plaza 1 Kuala Lumpur, 22nd Floor, No. 7, Jalan Raja Laut, 50350 Kuala Lumpur. The Petitioner’s solicitors is Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors of 46-01, Jalan Molek 1/28, Taman Molek 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor. Sgd. ……………………… Solicitors for the Petitioners Messrs Chua & Partners NOTE:- Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Messrs Chua & Partners, notice in writing of his intention so to do. This notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, or his or their solicitor (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed not later than 12:00 o’clock noon of the 19.4.2024. This Advertisement of Petition is prepared by Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors of 46-01, Jalan Molek 1/28, Taman Molek 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, solicitors for the Petitioners. DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI SHAH ALAM DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN, MALAYSIA DALAM PERKARA KEBANKRAPAN NO.: BA-29NCC-2729-11/2023 BERKENAAN: LEE CHIN HOCK (No. K/P: 710124-05-5043/A1784465) [Pemilik tunggal dan berniaga di bawah nama dan gaya SERI NUSANTARA CONSTRUCTION (No. Pendaftaran Perniagaan: 201603316789/ 002587598-A)] …PENGHUTANG PENGHAKIMAN EX-PARTE: WONG SAU HOONG (No. K/P: 700420-05-5225) …PEMIUTANG PENGHAKIMAN NOTIS IKLAN Dalam Perkara Notis Kebankrapan yang difailkan pada 06 November 2023. Kepada: LEE CHIN HOCK (No. K/P: 710124-05-5043/A1784465) [Pemilik tunggal dan berniaga di bawah nama dan gaya SERI NUSANTARA CONSTRUCTION (No. Pendaftaran Perniagaan: 201603316789/ 002587598-A)] No. 22-1, Jalan KP 1/3 Taman Kajang Prima Off Jalan Semenyih 43000 Kajang Selangor Dan LEE CHIN HOCK (No. K/P: 710124-05-5043/A1784465) [Pemilik tunggal dan berniaga di bawah nama dan gaya SERI NUSANTARA CONSTRUCTION (No. Pendaftaran Perniagaan: 201603316789/ 002587598-A)] No. 12A, Jalan KP 2/16 Kajang Prima 43000 Kajang Selangor AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa suatu Notis Kebankrapan telah dikeluarkan terhadap kamu di Mahkamah Tinggi di Shah Alam oleh WONG SAU HOONG (No. K/P: 700420- 05-5225) yang mempunyai alamat di 49, Jalan BU 12/3, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor dan Mahkamah ini telah memerintahkan bahawa Permintaan Mengeluarkan Notis Kebankrapan bertarikh 06 November 2023 dan Notis Kebankrapan bertarikh 06 November 2023 (“Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut”) disampaikan kepada kamu dengan cara penyampaian ganti, yakni dengan menampalkan satu salinan Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut serta satu salinan Perintah untuk Penyampaian Ganti termeterai yang akan diperbuat disini pada Papan Kenyataan Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam dan pada suatu tempat yang mudah dilihat di alamat-alamat terakhir kamu di No. 22-1, Jalan KP 1/3, Taman Kajang Prima, Off Jalan Semenyih, 43000 Kajang, Selangor dan No. 12A, Jalan KP 2/16, Kajang Prima, 43000 Kajang, Selangor dan menyebabkan suatu Notis diiklankan dalam akhbar harian “The Sun” untuk sekali dalam Bahasa Malaysia (“PenampalanPenampalan dan Pengiklanan tersebut”) dan Penampalan-Penampalan dan Pengiklanan tersebut hendaklah menjadi penyampaian yang sempurna dan cukup akan Kertas-Kertas Kausa tersebut ke atas kamu empat belas (14) hari selepas tarikh akhir PenampalanPenampalan dan Pengiklanan tersebut dibuat dan Kos permohonan ini dijadikan kos dalam kausa. Sekiranya kamu berhasrat untuk membantah Notis Kebankrapan ini, kamu mestilah dalam tempoh TUJUH (7) hari daripada penyampaian ganti ini dianggap sempurna, memfailkan satu Afidavit atau Saman Dalam Kamar disokong dengan Afidavit ke Mahkamah bagi maksud tersebut. Jika kamu ingkar, satu Petisyen Pemiutang boleh difailkan terhadap kamu. Notis Kebankrapan tersebut boleh diperiksa oleh kamu melalui satu permohonan di Mahkamah Tinggi di Shah Alam. Bertarikh 8 Januari 2024. t.t .................. NORAZEAN BINTI MOHD SOHAINI Penolong Kanan Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Shah Alam NOTIS IKLAN ini difailkan oleh Tetuan Fyiona, Lai & Dennis Thong, peguamcara bagi pihak Pemiutang Penghakiman yang dinamakan di atas dan mempunyai alamat penyampaiannya di No. 13A-3, Menara 1 Mont Kiara, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-6211 1128 / 017-666 2721 Fax: 03-6211 9393 Emel: [email protected] [Ruj: YF.FL.LIT(B).817.23.WSH] 322 Notices 322 Notices 322 Notices If you feel you have what it takes, to join us in the interesting media industry, send your resume (together with a photo of you) via email to [email protected] You can call us at +603 7784 6688 theSun is published by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd Lot 6, Level 4, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. MARKETING EXECUTIVE Responsibilities 1. Handle both local & outstation Agents and Vendors. 2. Handle sales of newspaper-corporate sales e.g.: Hospital, Hotels, etc. 3. Actively engage in outbound sales activities to acquire new newspaper subscribers. Requirements 1. Minimum Diploma in Business, Marketing, Communications, or related field with at least 2 years of experience. 2. Proven experience in sales, preferably in the media or publishing industry would be an advantage 3. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 4. Excellent selling, communication and negotiation skills. Malaysian Paper MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVE / AGENT (FREELANCE) Requirements 1. Minimum 1 year sales experience in newspaper bulk sales and digital advertising 2. Attractice commision package and incentive 3. Able to start immediately 4. Central, Nothern, Southern, East Coast and Sabah/Sarawak 302 Jobs The successful candidate should be a skilled writer and editor, with an eye for detail. Have good knowledge of how to boost online trafic. Good with all social media platforms and SEO skills. Able to ensure legal compliance with all content. Minimum ffve years of working experience in same capacity for post of Web/Social Media Editor. Minimum three years of working experience in same capacity for post of Assistant Web/Social Media Editor. Minimum one year of working experience in same capacity for post of Web/Social Media Executives. IS HIRING WEB/SOSIAL MEDIA EDITOR ASSISTANT WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR WEB/SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVES theSun is also looking for an Assistant Web/Social Media Editor and Web/Social Media Executives to beef up our online team. We are also looking for an Assistant Web/Social Media Editor and Web/Social Media Executive to beef up our online team. JOB DESCRIPTION: EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: The Web/Social Media Editor is expected to research, plan, write and edit content for the portal and our social media sites. Able to oversee the daily online operations and web team. Monitor number of uploads to portal and social media platforms. Ensure content uploaded are correct and meet standards set by the company. Communicate well with team members and coordinate their work. The Assistant Web/Social Media Editor will help the Web/Social Media Editor in overseeing daily operations of the web team. If you feel you have what it takes, to join us in the interesting media industry, send your resume (together with a photo of you) via e-mail to [email protected] You can call us at +603 7784 6688 . theSun is published by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd, Lot 6, Level 4, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Malaysian Paper KLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAH PERAK | PERLIS | PAHANG | KELANTAN TERENGGANU MS. Shoba / MS. Balqish TEL: 03-7784 8888 FAX: 03-7784 4424 MALACCA | N.SEMBILAN MR. Rajah TEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051 JOHOR BAHRU MS. Anne Lim TEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549 CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 28 J ANNIK SINNER became tennis’ newest grand slam champion at the Australian Open while Aryna Sabalenka successfully defended her title. The year’s first grand slam brought plenty of long matches and late nights and set the tone for an intriguing season to come. Here’s a look at five things we learned at Melbourne Park. Changing of the guard The shifting sands of the sport have moved extremely slowly over the last decade, but there is no doubt change is here – and more is on the way. No one will be writing off Novak Djokovic after one off-colour tournament – he still reached the semifinals despite being nowhere near his best – but power is moving towards the youngest generation, led by Carlos Alcaraz and now Sinner. Rafael Nadal’s comeback adds extra intrigue heading towards the French Open. Sabalenka setting the standard Iga Swiatek remains world No. 1 but not by much and, based on the last five slams, Sabalenka can lay claim to be the best across all surfaces. While Swiatek will be favoured to sweep all before her on clay again, she has work to do to prove she can be a consistent force on hard courts and grass. Sabalenka was awesome in Melbourne, never dropping a set and maintaining a sense of emotional calm that the rest of the locker room would have observed with some trepidation. New Norrie Cameron Norrie has been Britain’s Mr Dependable over the last three years, using his physical and mental prowess to battle his way into the top 10. But in Melbourne the 2 8 - y e a r - o l d showed a whole new attacking side to his game that was a joy to watch. Norrie pulled off the best slam victory of his career over Casper Ruud in the third round and pushed Alexander Zverev all the way to a deciding tiebreak before bowing out. If he continues on the same path, he can put himself right in the mix at the biggest tournaments. Raducanu back on track Emma Raducanu may only have made the second round of her comeback slam before a tight loss to Wang Yafan but the signs were very encouraging. The 21-year-old played with conviction, looked good physically barring an unfortunate stomach bug and, most encouragingly, appeared happy and excited to be back on tour. It will take Raducanu time to find her level but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic, especially if she sticks with new coach Nick Cavaday for a sustained period. Late night addiction T o u r n a m e n t director Craig Tiley’s claim that extending the event to 15 days would somehow fix the problem of matches going late into the night was always farcical, and so it proved. Even only having two matches in the day session did not guarantee the night session began on time, and Daniil Medvedev’s secondround clash with Emil Ruusuvuori did not finish until 3.39am. Until tennis accepts that matches are becoming ever longer and schedules accordingly, nothing will change. – The Independent Superb Sinner and Sabalenka Five things we learned from the Australian Open Jadeja, Rahul ruled out of second Test against England INDIA have been dealt a blow ahead of the second Test match against England, with both Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul ruled out of the game at Visakhapatnam. Jadeja was the highest scorer for India with 87 in the first innings, and took five wickets in the match overall. He sustained a hamstring injury on the fourth day of the match, possibly when he went for a quick single and was run out by a spectacular piece of fielding from England captain Ben Stokes. Rahul meanwhile will miss the upcoming Test with a quadricep injury, also sustained during England’s 28-run victory in Hyderabad. Before the series started, India talisman Virat Kohli withdrew from the squad for the first two matches due to personal reasons, and Rahul replaced him in the middle order. Pace bowler Mohammed Shami and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant are the other notable absentees. Shami has a heel issue, while Pant has still not fully from a serious road accident in December 2022. With selection problems mounting, India have called up Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar and Washington Sundar to the squad for the next match, which starts on Friday. Sarfaraz, aged 26 is a middle-order batter with an impressive first-class average of 68.85, although he has not yet received an international cap. Spinning all-rounder Washington has played four Tests, including three during England’s previous tour in 2020-21, which India won 3-1. Sourabh is a left-arm spinner with almost 300 firstclass wickets. – The Independent LEWIS HAMILTON has brought back “long term friend” Marc Hynes to his support team for the 2024 F1 season. Hamilton is eyeing a return to form this year having not won a race for more than two years, with his last victory coming in Saudi Arabia in December 2021. The Brit’s time working with long-term performance coach Angela Cullen ended last March. Max Verstappen has won the last three world championships but Hynes – who worked with Hamilton from 2016-2021, when the Brit won four of his seven titles – has been brought back into the frame by the Mercedes driver to focus “solely on racing activities.” Hynes, who used to run Hamilton’s management company Project Forty Four, left Hamilton’s support camp prior to the 2021 season. However the split was cordial, and Hynes will be at the 39-year-old’s side at races throughout the year. Hamilton has known Hynes, a former British F3 champion, since their days racing against each other in karting. The Mercedes star, who last September signed a new two-year contract until the end of the 2025 season, will continue to work with Canadian talent manager Penni Thow on some of his non-racing ventures despite the termination of his contract with her company Copper. “Lewis is looking forward to the beginning of the new Formula One season and he will be working with Marc Hynes, his long term friend and former colleague who will be providing his expertise to assist Lewis on the track,” a spokesperson for Hamilton told The Telegraph. “Marc will be solely focused on racing activities and supporting Lewis’s commitment to bringing the fight back to the top spot.” The 2024 F1 season starts on Feb 29 - March 2 in Bahrain. Mercedes will launch their new car on Feb 14 at an event in Silverstone. – The Independent Hamilton reunited with ‘right-hand man’ █ BY ELEANOR CROOKS BRIEFS Murray beaten in first round ANDY MURRAY suffered another early exit as the former world No. 1 was knocked out of the ATP event in Montpellier by Benoit Paire in the first round yesterday. Paire came from behind to secure a 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 win over the Briton. Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray said earlier this month that retirement may not be far away after a poor run, following a comprehensive first-round Australian Open defeat by Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Murray has now won only one of his last eight matches and slipped to 49th in the world rankings. The 36-year-old cruised through the first set to hint at a return to form, but Paire forced a decider by edging a second-set tie-break. Murray bravely saved four match points, but home favourite Paire eventually got over the line. Nadal’s racket sells for RM5550,000 RAFAEL NADAL’S championship point winning racket from his 2007 French Open final victory over Roger Federer was sold for more than US$118,000 (RM555,000) at an auction yesterday, ranking among the highest-priced such memorabilia. Nadal beat Federer 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the 2007 final in Paris to win his third Grand Slam title before the Spaniard moved on to secure a further 19 – 14 of them at Roland Garros – becoming one of the sport’s greatest players. The racket, which Nadal also used in previous matches of the tournament, including his semifinal victory against Novak Djokovic, sold for US$118,206 (RM555,570) at an online auction, Prestige Memorabilia’s The Tennis Auction. It became the third most valuable tennis racket behind Nadal’s 2022 Australian Open racket auctioned at US$139,700 (RM656,590) and Billie Jean King’s “Battle of the Sexes” racket sold for US$125,000 (RM587,500). Accreditation ripped after Sinner selfie A MAN was left red-faced at the Australian Open after having his accreditation pass taken away for snapping a selfie with Jannik Sinner just minutes before Sunday’s final. Sinner fought back from two sets down to claim a 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev, marking the first Grand Slam title of his young career. As Sinner was preparing to enter the court, he was involved in a pre-match incident with an accredited person. The man approached Sinner and took a selfie with him but was immediately stripped of his accreditation pass by a security worker, who quickly guided him away. The Australian Open is famously strict in its protection of athletes, with media members prevented from taking selfies with players. It is likely that the man would have been evicted from the main arena given that his accreditation was no longer recognised. █ BY KIERAN JACKSON Iga Swiatek (left) and Aryna Sabalenka. – REUTERSPIX
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 29 MOUSSA NIAKHATE missed his penalty in the shoot-out as holders Senegal tumbled out of the Africa Cup of Nations after a drama-filled 5-4 loss to hosts Ivory Coast following a 1-1 draw at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in their last-16 clash yesterday. Senegal were quick out the blocks and took the lead inside four minutes as Sadio Mane’s cross from the left was chested down by Habib Diallo, whose thunderous shot from 10-yards settled in the top corner of the net. Mane was fortunate not to get a red card shortly after that following a poor challenge, but Senegal could not add to their lead and paid the price when the Ivorians were awarded a clear penalty and equalised through Franck Kessie four minutes from the end of the 90 minutes. The Elephants were in disarray just days ago. Hammered 4-0 in a record loss on home soil by Equatorial Guinea, they were on the verge of elimination and sacked coach Jean-Louis Gasset, replacing him with assistant Emerse Fae. But a fortuitous set of results elsewhere saw them squeeze into the last-16 and they put up a much-improved display against a Senegal side that had won all three of their pool matches with relative ease. “It’s very emotional, the last few days were tough for us,” Ivory Coast striker Sebastien Haller said. “We have opened the door and given ourselves a chance. We can forget now about what happened in the group stages.” The hosts were the better side on the night and might have wrapped things up before the need for penalties, but will simply be relieved to fight another day having avoided an embarrassing early exit from their own tournament. Leading 1-0, Senegal thought they should have had a penalty in the second half when Ismaila Sarr went down in the box, but the match officials decided there was not enough contact to send him sprawling, much to the annoyance of coach Aliou Cisse. The Ivorians could have been level when Nicolas Pepe had a clear shot of goal but could not beat Edouard Mendy, before they were awarded a clear spot-kick on VAR review as the former was clattered in the box by the latter and Kessie buried his kick. The game went to penalties and the unfortunate Niakhate missed his side’s third kick as he struck the post and the Ivorians held their nerve to secure a place in the quarterfinals. – Reuters Enclosed is my payment of RM payable to SUN MEDIA CORPORATION SDN BHD. Please WhatsApp your bank-in slip to 0182929936 or email to [email protected] *Not inclusive of vendor service charge Stay informed with the latest news and trends All the best articles from Monday to Friday 32 pages full colour Subscribe now for Monday-Friday copies of theSun newspaper 6 month subscription (128 issues) for only RM110* (Normal price RM128) 1 year subscription (258 issues) for only RM200* (Normal price RM258) 1 year subscription at normal price RM258* (258 issues) + RM50 administration fee to get 2nd year free PERSONAL PARTICULARS Name: NRIC: Race: Malay Chinese Indian Others Profession: Commencement date: Delivery Address: Residence Ofice Postcode: State: Tel: Mobile No: E-mail: DETAILS OF CURRENT NEWS VENDOR (IF ANY) Vendor name: Contact no: For your convenience, you may call or send in your subscription particulars via any of the following: Tel: KL/PJ 03-7781 4000, 03-7784 6688 (9.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday) Fax: 03-7781 4484 Post: P.O. 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Muruku Buntong entrepreneur’s Deepavali snack, made from a still a national favourite 60-year-old recipe, is constantly in high demand. Chicken price float benefits consumers A week after subsidies ended, market prices are competitive and lower than subsidised prices, says expert. Full report —on page 3 Full report —on page 6 Full report —on page 4 Citing protection of country’s interests in terms of diplomatic, economic relations and security as reasons for joining meeting, Anwar says he remains steadfast in defending justice and rights of Palestinians. I will show up at Apec Story on page 2 Full story -on page 2 SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE Elephants stamp their mark Ivory Coast send defending champions Senegal out of Afcon CAPE VERDE won an Africa Cup of Nations knockout tie for the first time in their history yesterday as a late Ryan Mendes penalty gave them a 1-0 victory over Mauritania in the last 16. The match at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan was drifting towards extra-time when Cape Verde won a spot-kick and captain Mendes converted with just two minutes of the 90 remaining to break Mauritania’s resistance. The Blue Sharks then held on through 10 added minutes to advance to a quarterfinal on Saturday in Yamoussoukro. The tiny Atlantic Ocean island nation had got out of their group in two of their three previous appearances at the Afcon, but had never before won a knockout tie. “We are proud of everything we have done up to now. We always tried to win the game and we thoroughly deserved the victory,” said Cape Verde coach Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito, who believes his side can go further still in the tournament. “We have our objective, which from day one has been to get to the semifinals. “We are one step away from that now and we are going to keep going, while obviously staying humble and respecting our opponents, but we believe. That is our focus and we are going to try and get there.” Mauritania had been hoping to extend their fine run in Ivory Coast, after they won a Cup of Nations match for the first time in nine attempts in their last group game, beating Algeria to eliminate one of the continent’s powerhouses. But a side coached by Amir Abdou, who took tiny Comoros to the last 16 in Cameroon two years ago, will go no further after failing to find a way past Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha. “Unfortunately we have lost to a ridiculous goal, which showed our naivety,” said Abdou. “But we will nevertheless take positives from this, from our run, and we will be back in a year’s time.” – AFP Cape Verde strike late to down Mauritania Senegal’s Ismail Jakobs (front) fights for the ball with Ivory Coast’s Oumar Diakite during their Cup of Nations round of 16 match. –AFPPIX
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 30 MIKEL ARTETA has slammed reports he was ready to quit Arsenal to become Barcelona manager as “fake news”. Reports in Spain on Sunday claimed Arteta had told colleagues he was going to leave the Emirates Stadium to return to Barcelona at the end of this season. Current Barca boss Xavi announced on Saturday he would step down in the summer after a string of disappointing results, leading to Arteta being installed as one of the favourites to replace him. Having come through the fabled academy at Barcelona, Arteta has a long-standing connection to the Nou Camp. But the 41-year-old yesterday insisted he is keen to stay put as he aims to lead Arsenal to their first Premier League title since 2004. “I am in the right place. I am with the right people,” Arteta told reporters. “I feel really good about it. And, as I said many times, I am invested in a beautiful journey with this football club, with these players, these staff, our people. “There is still a lot to do here. We all share that ambition and you can feel it as well, that we want more, that we aren’t satisfied and that the club wants to take another push and another level in everything we are doing. “This is where we are. We need everyone on board to achieve it and I am certainly on board.” Dismissing the Barca reports as completely fabricated, Arteta admitted he had been upset by the story. “That’s totally fake news. I don’t know where it is coming from and it is totally untrue. I am really upset about it,” he said. “I could not believe it. I don’t know where it is coming from and it has no source. “I understand we are in this industry, but I don’t think anyone deserves to hear news like that. “I have always been really straight and always said the complete opposite; how happy I am and how much I enjoy where I am now.” Arsenal welcome Premier League leaders Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (Mon 12.30am Malaysian time) for a crucial clash. It brings Arteta head-to-head with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp for the last time in their current jobs after the German stunningly announced on Friday he will leave Anfield at the end of the season. Klopp said he could never manage another club in England but, having served as an assistant under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Arteta did not rule out such a switch in the future. Asked if he could see himself managing another Premier League team, he replied: “Today, no. But I don’t know. “I played for two great clubs in this country (Arsenal and Everton). I moved around in different things. I am extremely young and I don’t know what’s going to happen. “I think he (Klopp) made this League much better. First of all the person. The character, the charisma, the ideas and his passion for the game is something special. I think he’s had a big contribution for the growth of this League.” – AFP @thesundaily FOLLOW ON Malaysian Paper INSTAGRAM ‘Fake news’ Arsenal boss Arteta slams Barca talk Butt says ‘Rashford must sort head out’ MANCHESTER UNITED legend Nicky Butt has defended Marcus Rashford - but admitted he “needs to sort his head out”. Rashford, 26, has landed himself in hot water after reporting ill for United’s training session on Friday, just hours after being spotted partying in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The United forward was left out of the squad that travelled to Wales for their FA Cup fourth round clash with Newport County on Sunday. A tight-lipped Erik ten Hag responded to questions about the Englishman in his postmatch interview by saying the matter was an “internal issue” which he would “deal with”. It is not the first time Rashford has found himself at the centre of controversy this season, having attended a nightclub in November following a 3-0 home defeat in the Manchester Derby. The off-field issues have gone hand-in-hand with his lacklustre performances on the pitch this season, with Rashford scoring a measly four goals in all competitions in comparison to the 30 he netted last season. But former United academy manager Butt has come to his defence by saying Rashford is “unhappy”, before blasting the first-team’s dressing room. Butt, who made 387 appearances for the club, told Man Utd The Religion: “Rashford is a world class talent who’s just not happy in his life or football or whatever it is. He’s just not happy. “And I tell my son who’s sixteen if you’re not happy playing football, then you’re not going to play well. “That’s the position he’s in. Whatever the dynamic is, I don’t know. I’m very defensive of Marcus because I’ve known him since he was eight. “Maybe I’m not the right person to speak about him because I’m very loyal to people that I really care about. “He’s one of ours and he’s a great lad. But even I will say he needs to sort his head out because he’s not happy at the minute and he’s not working hard enough. “I can’t compare myself to Marcus because he’s in a s***hole of a changing room right now, let’s be perfectly honest.” – The Independent SAMMIE SZMODICS scored twice as second tier Blackburn Rovers came from behind to beat lowly Wrexham 4-1 yesterday and secure an FA Cup fifth round clash with Premier League Newcastle United. Andy Cannon fired League Two (fourth division) Wrexham ahead against the run of play in the 19th minute but the Championship side hit back with two more first half goals in the space of two minutes. Szmodics, the Championship’s top scorer so far this season, equalised in the 32nd from close range and Sam Gallagher made it 2-1 in the 34th with Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo caught on the hop and an empty net beckoning. Szmodics then grabbed his second, and fifth of the FA Cup campaign, in first half stoppage time before Norwegian midfielder Sondre Tronstad made it 4-1 with a deflected shot in the 59th. Blackburn’s Danish manager Jon Dahl Tomasson, a former Newcastle player, told BBC television the Cup always held dangers for a side like his against lower opponents. “We started really well, could have been 2-0 up after five minutes and then we conceded a goal. But the players stayed calm and we scored three brilliant goals after that and dominated the game. It was a great win,” he said. Wrexham have won a new global support since movie A listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over and helped secure their return to the English Football League last season after a 15-year absence. Those with longer memories will know Wrexham as past giant-killers, famously dumping then-league champions Arsenal out of the third round of FA Cup in a huge 1992 upset as fourth tier opponents. In 1974, as a third tier side, they reached the quarterfinals. “It’s a great lesson for us against better quality opponents. You’ve got to be switched on all the time or you get punished, and they punished us tonight,” said Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson, who was serving a touchline ban. “Tonight wasn’t the night for us but we’ll concentrate on the second part of the season in the league.” – Reuters Five transfers that might still happen before deadline day THE end of the January transfer window is moving ever closer as clubs across Europe assess where improvements might be needed. It has been a slower window than usual, particularly in the Premier League, where financial fair play regulations have restricted spending. Here are five deals that could still be done before business is concluded at 7am on Friday (Malaysian time). Miguel Almiron to Al Shabab Newcastle forward Almiron has become a much-loved figure on Tyneside, but may be moved on with Al Shabab most strongly linked. The Saudi Pro League club are not one of those who have benefitted from the involvement of the country’s Public Investment Fund, but the obvious ties between Newcastle and the nation may make a deal more likely. His departure could allow Newcastle to invest, with Eddie Howe expressing frustration that the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have hindered the search for additions to his squad. Jhon Duran to Chelsea Chelsea’s pursuit of players high on potential continues apace with Aston Villa’s Duran identified as a forward option. The Colombia international hasn’t managed to command a regular starting spot under Unai Emery and a hamstring injury could be a complicating factor. Newcastle and West Ham have also been connected with the 20-year-old. Morgan Rogers to Aston Villa Aston Villa’s top target, meanwhile, is Middlesbrough’s Rogers. They have tested Middlesbrough’s resolve with a third bid for the youngster, who has thrived under Michael Carrick this season. The Championship club won’t let him leave if the financial terms aren’t right but Unai Emery is keen to secure his man. Gio Reyna to Nottingham Forest It would appear that Borussia Dortmund are happy to let Reyna leave on loan, with the American hoping to secure regular football with a home edition of the Copa America on the horizon. Sevilla have been linked, but reports suggest that Marseille and Nottingham Forest are leading the chase and may have agreed temporary deals in principle. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to Brighton Dewsbury-Hall has plenty of admirers having starred for Leicester this season as they chase an immediate return to the Premier League. It seems unlikely that they would let Dewsbury-Hall go at this juncture but Brighton have begun negotiations and will try to put together a compelling offer, with Leicester another club that risk falling foul of PSR. The Independent █ BY HARRY LATHAM-COYLE Blackburn end Wrexham’s FA Cup run Blackburn end Wrexham’s FA Cup run Blackburn Rovers’ Dominic Hyam (left) vies with Wrexham’s Paul Mullin during their FA Cup fourth round match. – AFPPIX
SPORTS SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 31 Launchpad for shuttlers Mei Xing says BATC 2024 best platform for junior players to measure performance THE 2024 Asian Team Badminton Championships (BATC 2024), scheduled to take place next month, is seen as the best platform for the national female young shuttlers to gauge their performance against top players in the region. National women’s doubles player Teoh Mei Xing reminded the junior players not to feel intimidated even though other countries are expected to send their strongest squads to this year’s edition. “It’s a good thing when other teams send strong players because the juniors can learn a lot about the standards and measure their performance level. “It will be challenging, but we cannot dwell on it too much and must fight to earn points for the country,” she told reporters after yesterday’s training session in Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, since her doubles pair, Anna Ching Yik Cheong, is injured, Mei Xing said she was ready to pair up with another player. Mei Xing said she refused to overthink it and is determined to deliver her best performance with her new mate. ‘What’s important is, I am ready. If there is a chance for me to step onto the court, I want to perform (excellently) no matter what happens,” she added. The national team includes Goh Jin Wei and the country’s No. 1 female shuttler, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, U-21 players, namely K. Letshanaa, Wong Ling Ching, Siti Nurshuhaini Azman, Go Pei Kee, Low Yeen Yuan, and Tan Zheng Yi. BATC 2024 will be held at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam from Feb 13 to 18. The national female squad bagged bronze medals after losing to South Korea 3-0 in the semifinals in 2022. – Bernama Australia skipper Ryan says ‘football isn’t easy’ AUSTRALIA captain Mat Ryan has dismissed criticism of the Socceroos’ Asian Cup campaign as “outside noise” while admitting that the team can improve ahead of the quarterfinals. Australia’s 4-0 win over 146th-ranked Indonesia drew only faint praise in home media while fans lamented the team’s lack of fluidity in attack. The victory came after coach Graham Arnold defended his squad’s performance after an unconvincing 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan in the group stage. Ryan said results were all that mattered. “There can be a lot of outside noise and all that about, you know, the team should be doing this and doing that,” he said. “But you know football isn’t easy … Everyone claims that it is from the outside. “When you’re out here and you’re a professional footballer and you take on another team that’s trying to do everything that they can to win a game, it’s not easy. All due respect to Indonesia, they gave it a good crack.” Australia will hope to have forward Craig Goodwin ready to start after he came off the bench against Indonesia around the hour-mark, having missed the Uzbekistan game with a hamstring strain. “I feel like we’ve still got a lot of improve ment in us and I think that’s a good sign going forward,” said Ryan. “We’re a tight-knit group of boys. We all treat each other like brothers and it’s like a family in here.” – Reuters HOSTS and holders Qatar fought back to defeat Palestine 2-1 and reach the Asian Cup quarterfinals yesterday, joining a Jordan side who struck twice in injury time to stun Iraq. Qatar will face the winner of Uzbekistan and Thailand, the lowest-ranked team left in Doha at 113 in the world. A young girl in the crowd at the tent-like Al-Bayt Stadium north of Doha held up a sign that said “Sorry Palestine” after the final whistle. Palestine coach Makram Daboub said he was proud of his “champions” as their best Asian Cup came to an end in the last 16. Palestine were playing in the knockout rounds for the first time and, against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, took a surprise first half lead. Fresh from beating Hong Kong 3-0 for their first win in the competition’s history, Palestine made a bright start and Oday Dabbagh fired them ahead on 37 minutes. He and his teammates celebrated by crossing their raised arms in a handcuffs gesture to symbolise the plight of the Palestinian people. Qatar had failed to settle in front of an expectant home crowd and the Palestinians. But captain Hassan Al-Haydos came to Qatar’s rescue on the stroke of halftime when he rammed the ball past goalkeeper Rami Hamada after a corner was neatly cut back to him by Akram Afif. Four minutes after the break Afif scored his fourth goal of the tournament, from the penalty spot, and Qatar cruised through the rest of the match. Daboub said his players “gave everything despite the very difficult circumstances”. “I can’t ask any more of them – they have honoured Palestinian football,” he said. Jordan will meet Tajikistan in the quarterfinals after scoring twice in three minutes deep in stoppage time to beat Iraq 3-2. There were chaotic scenes in Iraq’s post-match press conference when angry Iraqi reporters confronted the team’s Spanish coach Jesus Casas, before security stepped in to usher them away. “It pains me what happened,” Casas said of the incident. Jordan had a man advantage after the 77th-minute dismissal of Aymen Hussein – booked for celebrating. Jordan’s coach Hussein Ammouta agreed with Casas that the harsh dismissal of Hussein for a second yellow card for overcelebrating what he thought was Iraq’s winner changed the game. “The second half belonged to them, they scored two goals and then had to continue with 10 players,” said the Moroccan. – AFP Qatar end atar end Palestine run, alestine run, Jordan stun Iraq ordan stun Iraq LA LIGA: Getafe 2 (Greenwood 21, Mayoral 36) Granada 0. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Girona 22 17 4 1 52 25 55 Real Madrid 21 17 3 1 45 14 54 Atletico 21 14 2 5 42 23 44 Barcelona 21 13 5 3 43 29 44 Bilbao 22 12 6 4 38 21 42 Sociedad 22 9 9 4 32 21 36 SERIE A: Salernitana 1 (Kastanos 70) Roma 2 (Dybala 51-pen, Pellegrini 66). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Inter Milan 21 17 3 1 50 10 54 Juventus 22 16 5 1 36 13 53 AC Milan 22 14 4 4 43 25 46 Atalanta 21 11 3 7 37 21 36 Roma 22 10 5 7 36 26 35 Fiorentina 21 10 4 7 29 22 34 FA CUP (4th round): Blackburn 4 Wrexham 1. AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS (Last 16): Cape Verde 1 Mauritania 0, Senegal 1 Ivory Coast 1 (Ivory Coast win 5-4 on pen). ASIAN CUP (Last 16):Qatar 2 Palestine 1, Iraq 2 Jordan 3. RESULTS & STANDINGS eRimau aiming for last 16 THE eRimau e-sports squad aims to advance to the top 16 at the AFC eAsian Cup 2023, which will be held for the first time from Feb 1 to 5 at the Doha Festival City Mall, Doha, Qatar. eRimau squad coach Shaharil Shaifuddin Shaharuddin said the target was considered realistic based on the current performance of the national squad when participating in the central training camp. “Our friendly results were quite good during the previous training camp, in which we played against India and Vietnam and we won. “For starters, we aim to get through the group stage first, then we will focus on the next stages,” he said when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) yesterday, before departing for Doha to participate in the tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation in conjunction with the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. Commenting further, Shaharil Shaifuddin said their main challenger at the group stage would be Jordan, but he did not want to underestimate the ability of South Korea and Bahrain. “Jordan will probably be the strongest challenger because they have players who were world champions last year. But we are always positive because we will be playing in a 2 vs 2 format, instead of depending on just one individual, so chances are open for any team,” he said. Meanwhile, national player Mohamad Nor Haikal Mohamad Noh is optimistic that positive results can be achieved with his partner Muhamad Khairul Abdul Aziz considering that they have been together for more than five years. Malaysia will open the campaign against Jordan on Feb 1 before concluding the group E action against Bahrain and South Korea on Feb 2. – Bernama Iraq FA slam journalists IRAQ’S football association condemned the “abhorrent behaviour” of journalists who confronted coach Jesus Casas following the team’s exit in the Asian Cup last 16 yesterday. Iraq conceded two goals in stoppage time in a surprise 3-2 defeat to lower-ranked Jordan in Doha. Iraq’s football association released a statement in which it expressed its “great dismay” at the “scene that was more painful than the undeserved exit of our team”. “We denounce the blatant and abhorrent behaviour that occurred against the coach,” it said, vowing “not to deal with these media personnel who seek to cause chaos”. Casas was himself angered in the pre-match press conference by a question about interviews he has done with Spanish media during the Asian Cup. Some journalists from Iraq, the country which won the Asian title in 2007, believe the interviews distracted him from his work and were partly to blame for the defeat. Casas rubbished that notion, pointing out that his team had won all three of their group games, including beating pre-tournament favourites Japan 2-1. “Concerning my future, I’m calm and our goal is to qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” Casas, a former assistant coach to Luis Enrique at Spain’s national side, said after the Jordan loss. “Anything might happen and I’m very calm.” – AFP Qatar’s Ahmed Fathy front, left) fights for the ball with Palestine’s Zaid Qunbar (right) during their Asian Cup match yesterday. – AFPPIX Casas
theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7783 7435 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] SCAN ME or download app from the App Store or Google PlayTM . www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download SCAN ME Malaysian Paper Read iPaper at Malaysian Paper Malaysian Paper -Story on page 28 -Story on page 27 Superb Sinner and Sabalenka VIRGIL VAN DIJK has admitted that he “doesn’t know” what the future holds for him at Liverpool following the news of Jurgen Klopp’s impending departure. The 56-year-old took the football world by surprise on Friday when he announced that he will be leaving the Reds at the end of the campaign after nine years in charge. Van Dijk has just 18 months remaining on his current deal at Anfield, with his future up in the air despite his status as one of Liverpool’s most important assets. The Dutchman, who will celebrate his 33rd birthday later this year, is unsure whether he will be a part of the club’s long-term future with a huge summer of upheaval on the cards. “Listen, I don’t know,” he said. “The club will have a big job on their hands, that is well known. “To replace the manager and replace not only the manager, the staff is leaving, and there are so many things that will change, so the club has a big job on its hands. “I am very curious which direction that will go in. But when that will be announced we will see our situation. I can’t say now.” When asked directly if he sees himself as part of the new era at Liverpool, Van Dijk replied: “That’s a big question. Well, I don’t know.” Liverpool are usually reluctant to hand longterm deals to players over the age of 30, but it remains to be seen if an exception will be made for Van Dijk. He went on to insist that he is still fully committed to the job at hand, with Liverpool competing to win the Premier League, Champions League and both domestic cups this season. “Obviously it will be the end of Jurgen Klopp’s era, I am very glad that I am still part of it,” added the defender. “That is why I don’t like to speak about it. I am still part of it. That is my main focus now and we will see at the end of the season. “Hopefully we have the success that we all dream of and fight for each and every day. By then, there will probably be more clarification about what the club wants for the future and then we will see.” Xabi Alonso is thought to be the early favourite to replace Klopp in the Anfield dugout, with the Spaniard enjoying an incredible start to his career in management. He is currently in charge at Bayer Leverkusen, who lead the way in the Bundesliga and recently became the first side in German football history to stay unbeaten after their first 25 games in all competitions. Alonso was quizzed at the weekend about the idea of succeeding Klopp and was quick to insist that he remains happy at Leverkusen, although he stopped short of issuing a flat-out denial. “At the moment I’m really happy here, I’m enjoying my work,” he said. “Each day it’s a challenge and we are on a beautiful journey here in Leverkusen. “To be honest, I am not in that moment to think about the next step. I am thinking about where I am right now.” When asked directly if he would be willing to rule out a move to Liverpool at the end of the season, Alonso replied: “That’s a direct question! I don’t have a direct answer. “I’m happy here right now, that’s for sure, and only thinking about Leverkusen.” Klopp meanwhile has had the door opened to take charge of Barcelona as Bologna manager Thiago Motta will not be considered for the role, according to Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano. Klopp is expected to take time away from football to recuperate from his nine years at Anfield. But with the Barca job unexpectedly coming up for grabs, he may be tempted to reconsider whether he wants to take on a highprofile job without any sort of break. – Express Newspapers -Story on page 30 WEDNESDAY | JAN 31, 2024 Keeping Virgil Liverpool star Van Dijk casts doubt on Anfield future after Klopp departure McGregor challenge accept by Chandler Blackburn end Wrexham’s FA Cup run