be turning 84. She and relatives and friends had come together for the live streaming of the awards ceremony, during which there were screams, cheers, embraces and tears of joy the moment Yeoh was announced as the winner. National badminton icon Datuk Lee Chong Wei said Yeoh made showbiz history at the ceremony when she took home the Best Actress award. “Tahniah! Big congrats. She’s also the first Malaysian to be nominated and won in the Academy Awards. #proudmalaysian,” he said on his Facebook page. Also congratulating Yeoh were Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching, model-turned-actresses Amber Chia, Nasha Aziz and Sangeeta Krishnasamy, apart from actor Henley Hii. Among netizens who took to social media to express their reaction was @PaanAriff, who tweeted “Super proud that she is making a name outside Malaysia, you deserve it Queen,” while @jonathan said “TSMY congrats for putting Malaysia on the map again and again”. Another netizen @Stephenson Decruz said: “You nailed it, an honour for us Malaysians too. It’s our dream coming true for you to outshine the rest of Hollywood. Malaysia Boleh”. Yeoh’s speech at the award ceremony also caught the attention of many Malaysians. “I’m taking this home to her (Yeoh’s mother). She’s watching it right now in Malaysia, KL, with my family and friends. I love you guys. I’m bringing this home to you,” Yeoh said during her acceptance speech. A former beauty queen, Yeoh started her movie career in a series of Hong Kong films in the 1990s. Since then, she has journeyed through sheer grit and resilience to achieve international stardom. A very talented actress, she has taken on numerous roles in various films and has been nominated for an array of awards, many of which she has won. Her early role in English films, including the Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), won her international acclaim. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) gave her a British KUALA LUMPUR: Throughout the nation, Malaysians are jubilant as our very own Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film Everything Everywhere All at Once at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 95th Academy Awards. It was held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. As congratulatory messages poured in for her, social media went supersonic with words of praise for the first Malaysian and Asian woman to win the Best Actress Oscar. Before her win, even our VIPs were abuzz with excitement over the impending announcement. Invited by Yeoh’s mother, Datin Janet Yeoh, to a special live streaming of the awards ceremony at a cinema here, Berjaya Group Founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan said before the announcement: “I believe Michelle Yeoh will win as she had won so many (times) now. So in this finale, God willing (she will). “We all should be very proud.” Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri also attended the live streaming event and in congratulating Yeoh, she said she was an inspiration to all Malaysians. “A mother’s love knows no limits. I witnessed the moment Janet heard that her daughter was announced as the Academy Award winner for Best Actress in a Leading Role this morning. Truly, a touching moment. Thank you for reminding us not to ever let anyone tell us we are past our prime,” she said in a Facebook post. Janet also let out a cry of Malaysia Boleh! in a video chat with her daughter minutes after her historic Oscar win was announced. “I’m very happy. I’m proud of my daughter. She is very hardworking. I’ll call her to come back (to Malaysia) and celebrate very soon. Next month is my birthday,” said Janet, who will oMalaysians rejoice as Michelle Yeoh makes Oscar history ‘all at once’ █ BY JOSHUA PURUSHOTMAN [email protected] Making us proud TELLING IT AS IT IS ON TUESDAY MARCH 14, 2023 No. 8227 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my A beaming Yeoh with the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 95th Annual Academy Awards ceremony. – AFPPIC 7 Abide by rules, Sultan tells S’gor polls participants - p2 7 ‘Political stability vital for unity and prosperity’ -p3 Academy Film Awards nomination. The 60-year-old actress also played a notable supporting role in the acclaimed romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians. As no one would say she is “past her prime”, Yeoh will continue to inspire Malaysians and prove that nothing can stop the talented.
2 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Abide by rules, Sultan tells S’gor polls participants SHAH ALAM: The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah called on all parties participating in the upcoming state election to abide by existing rules and respect one another. The Sultan reminded the Selangor Islamic Religious Council to continue to issue instructions from time to time to Muslims, especially politicians, not to use mosques and surau as platforms to give talks and for campaigning. “Remember, the conduct of politicians during the campaigning period will be witnessed and judged by the people before they make Sultan Sharafuddin and the Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin arriving at the state assembly yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC o‘State Islamic Religious Council should issue instructions to politicians not to use mosques, surau as campaign platforms’ their choice,” Sultan Sharafuddin said when opening the sixth session of the 14th Selangor state legislative assembly at the State Assembly building yesterday. The Ruler also expressed hope that the construction of the Shah Alam Sports Complex would be carried out expeditiously, transparently and in an orderly manner, according to schedule, maintaining quality and cost so as to benefit the people. “I am confident that the complex can be a catalyst for a new era of glory for the Selangor football team and become a symbol of pride for the people of Selangor.” The Sultan also congratulated the state government for the recognition that Gombak Hulu Langat Geopark project received as the first National Geopark. It involves 20 geo-sites in Gombak and Hulu Langat covering an area of 112,955sq km. “The Geopark recognition will strengthen the state government’s commitment to preserve the environment for the well-being of the people, and support efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and further preserve the geological, cultural and biological heritage. “I sincerely hope that Selangor will become a sustainable and green state, in line with various development technologies that support environmental protection. The degradation of the environment and its impact on flora and fauna as well as its impact on the well-being of the people can no longer be taken for granted.” The Sultan also expressed hope that the current achievements of the state’s economy would encourage more investors to explore Selangor’s potential. He said the state government should always play a role as a facilitator for investors to invest in the state, Bernama reported. “I take note of the investment performance for the period from January to September 2022. Selangor has recorded an investment value of RM9.7 billion with 199 approved manufacturing projects (during that period).” He added that of the amount, RM6.12 billion was from foreign investments while the rest were local investments, with 11,601 job opportunities successfully created through approved manufacturing projects in the state. The assembly is scheduled to meet for two weeks. Zambry leads delegation to Commonwealth events PUTRAJAYA: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir is leading Malaysia’s delegation on a working visit to three important Commonwealth events in London. The events are the Commonwealth Day Reception, Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) Meeting and Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM). The Foreign Ministry said the Commonwealth Day themed “Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future” was celebrated on Monday, hosted by Britain’s King Charles III for the first time as the Head of the Commonwealth, with the reception being held at the Buckingham Palace. “It is an annual event that celebrates the shared values and goals of the Commonwealth,” said the statement, adding that Malaysia became a member of CMAG in 2018, further cementing its status as a prominent member of the Commonwealth. The Foreign Ministry said Malaysia has been a member of the Commonwealth for the past 66 years, adding that the country hosted the 11th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1989 and had the honour of being the first Asian country to host the Commonwealth Games in 1998. “Malaysia’s active participation in these events is a reflection of the nation’s deep-rooted commitment in advancing the shared goals of the Commonwealth, particularly in promoting democracy, upholding human rights and fostering development among member countries.” The ministry said 2023 is significant for the Commonwealth as it involves the celebration of the Commonwealth Year of Peace and the Commonwealth Year of Youth, along with the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the signing of the historic Commonwealth Charter. It said Malaysia joined 55 other Commonwealth member countries to commemorate Commonwealth Day and looks forward to the upcoming Commonwealth events and meetings planned for this year as well as the continued implementation of CHOGM 2022 outcome documents to foster peace and ensure sustainable development for the entire Commonwealth family. – Bernama RM5m for entrepreneurship programmes for graduates KUALA LUMPUR: The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry has allocated RM5 million to implement entrepreneurship programmes for graduates this year. Its minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said the implementation of programmes through Professional Training and Education for Growing Entrepreneurs is expected to benefit about 12,450 graduates. “The programmes involve the New Gen Entrepreneur Online Bootcamp as well as the StudentPreneur and Biz Apprenticeship Programme. “Others are Graduate Capacity and Employability Enhancement Programme, Entrepreneurship Basic Training, and Reach Out, Awareness and Developmental Programme,” he said during the question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat yesterday. He was replying to a question from Manndzri Nasib (BNTenggara), who sought the government’s assurance that assistance for entrepreneurs, especially youths, would continue to ensure the survival of their businesses. Ewon said the ministry, through its agencies, has provided various funds and entrepreneurship training this year to help youth entrepreneurs. He added that these include a special allocation of RM10 million through the Tekun Niaga programme, which is expected to benefit 1,000 individuals. “In addition, youth entrepreneurs can apply for Tekun Nasional financing through products such as Graduate Entrepreneur Development Programme, Bumiputera Young Professional Entrepreneur Development Programme, KPTMEDAC Siswapreneur Programme and Online Financing Scheme. “Under SME Corp, a total of RM10 million has been allocated for implementing the Tunas Usahawan Belia Bumiputera programme, which is set to benefit 250 youth entrepreneurs.” – Bernama King attends reunion dinner KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah attended a reunion dinner on Sunday with former fellow cadets of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where the King studied between 1978 and 1979. The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah was in attendance. According to a post on Istana Negara’s Facebook page, Al-Sultan Abdullah was greeted upon arrival by 13 of his former college mates from the SMC 19 intake. They all arrived from the United Kingdom on Sunday for a visit to Malaysia at the King’s invitation. “At the event, the King mingled with his batchmates and recalled the sweet memories during their training days. “His presence at the reunion dinner also reflects the close friendship, strong bond and brotherhood forged over 40 years ago.” The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in London is a world-leading military training institution that provides a variety of leadership development training for army officers. – Bernama Cheaper internet fees likely soon KUALA LUMPUR: The move to expand 5G network coverage, which the government announced under Budget 2023, can further lower the internet prices offered to users now. Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching said this is because Digital Nasional Bhd, the body responsible for the development of the network, has offered 5G services for 13 sen per gigabyte (GB), through a reference cost offer. According to her, the price offered is lower compared with the current cost of 5G services, which is RM1.68 per GB. “So, we believe that with (this move of ) expanding the 5G network coverage, the prices of our internet can be lowered further,” she said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. She was answering a supplementary question from Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan), who wanted to know if the cost of 5G services could be reduced if it is implemented nationwide. – Bernama Flood-hit telco towers repaired JOHOR BAHRU: More than half of the 160 telecommunications towers affected by floods in Johor have been repaired as of Sunday, said Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil. He said only those in Batu Pahat are yet to be repaired as the area is still flooded. “The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has also identified several towers that need to undergo a site heightening process to prevent them from being affected by floods again. “We have successfully carried out the process in Kelantan and Terengganu, which are often hit by floods. In Johor, we will look at the trends and areas at risk to make sure we can raise the position of towers in as many locations as possible.” He was speaking after presenting aid to flood victims in the state and visiting the Digital Economy Centre at Kampung Sungai Tiram yesterday. – Bernama
3 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 MALACCA: Solid political stability will bring unity and prosperity to everyone, said the Yang Dipertua Negeri of Malacca Tun Mohd Ali Rustam. According to him, political stability is the most crucial factor for the development of a state, and no foreign investors will invest in it if the political situation is unstable. “I hope the people’s representatives will carry out the responsibilities entrusted to them by formulating policies that will attract more investors for the development and well-being of the people of Malacca,” he said at the opening ceremony of the first session of the second term of the 15th state legislative assembly at Seri Negara in Ayer Keroh here yesterday. Mohd Ali added that the state government must diversify efforts to generate the economy to attract domestic and foreign investors, especially to the economic corridors of the Malacca Waterfront Economic Zone (M-WEZ), reported Bernama. He urged the state government to ensure that the development of M-WEZ, along the 33km-long coastline of Malacca, will be a game changer for the state’s economic growth. “I hope the new economic corridor will boost the state’s gross domestic product by up to 2% annually.” Mohd Ali said the federal government can designate M-WEZ as a national project, allowing it to serve as a catalyst for the country’s economic development, besides channelling appropriate allocations to build and upgrade infrastructure to generate more investments to M-WEZ.” He added that due to the high demand from investors to invest in Malacca, land in 22 industrial areas has become scarce. As such, the Malacca Corporation has been tasked to identify potential industrial areas for development to fulfil the needs of investors. He noted that among the new projects being planned included the 2,023ha MCorp North Economic Hub Hi-Tech Park, the expansion of 243ha Elkay Industrial area in Lipat Kajang and the 809ha industrial area in the M-WEZ corridor. “Invest Malacca must also facilitate and manage industrial areas to ensure investors and manufacturers get the best service.” Mohd Ali said Malacca must also be an “easy and fun to do business” destination. “The local authorities and related agencies must make it easier for investors and traders (to do business) by increasing the number of locations, including (providing) cleaner and more comfortable trading spaces for hawkers.” Commenting on the 15th general election, Mohd Ali said he welcomed the agreement reached among the leaders of the unity government parties, which is in line with the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to form a stable and strong government. “The federal government can now focus its efforts on ensuring political stability and economic growth, thus guaranteeing the well-being of Malaysians. “I wish to congratulate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has been appointed as the 10th prime minister of Malaysia, and also to the entire line-up of ministers. “I would like to express my gratitude to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for all his services and contributions in leading the country as the ninth prime minister.” He also congratulated Bukit Katil state assemblyman and Alor Gajah MP Adly Zahari on his appointment as deputy minister of Defence and Hang Tuah Jaya MP Adam Adli Abdul Halim on his appointment as Youth and Sports deputy minister. State approves election of senators ALOR SETAR: The Kedah state legislative assembly yesterday approved a motion to elect Bayu assemblyman Abd Nasir Idris and Kedah PAS secretary Musoddak Ahmad as senators to represent the state. The motion to elect Abd Nasir and Musoddak was proposed by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor. They will replace Kedah PAS commissioner Datuk Ahmad Yahaya and former deputy finance minister Datuk Othman Aziz, who resigned from the post on Nov 1, 2022. Kedah state assembly speaker Datuk Juhari Bulat, when announcing the matter, said he had received a letter signed by Abd Nasir and Musoddak, informing him that they agreed to be elected to the post. “In accordance with the Seventh Schedule of the Federal Constitution, the Kedah state legislative assembly, which convened today, agreed to elect both of them as senators, effective March 20, 2023. “On behalf of the Kedah state legislative assembly, I would like to congratulate Tuan Haji Abd Nasir Idris and Encik Musoddak Haji Ahmad for being elected as senators,” he said. Juhari also hoped that Abd Nasir and Musoddak will contribute to the development of Malaysia and the state of Kedah. – Bernama ‘Political stability vital for unity and prosperity’ oFormulate strategic policies to attract more investors and boost growth, says Yang Dipertua Negeri of Malacca Public, private institutions equally important: Minister SHAH ALAM: Public and private institutions of higher learning in the country should not be differentiated because both play an equally important and critical role, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He added that what is often the focus of many parties when talking about higher education is the difference between public and private institutions, including which is better, more recognised and given attention by the government. “Such distinctions and classification should not happen. At least under my watch,” he said when inaugurating the Dual Campus programme of Management and Science University (MSU) Shah Alam and MSU Jakarta as well as the Double Degree programme between MSU, Universitas Airlangga and Jakarta Global University here yesterday. “I believe that both institutions play an equally important and critical role. Both are Malaysian universities. Both carry the banner and good name of Malaysia in a balanced and unique way.” Meanwhile, he said as of June last year, there were a total of 10,607 Indonesian students in Malaysia and 1,398 Malaysian students pursuing higher education in Indonesia, and the numbers are encouraging but can improve. He noted that the launch of the two programmes proves that the Malaysian higher education sector is capable of raising excellence across borders. “This matter is much in line with my ambition to make Malaysia a hub or talent development centre that is respected by the world. Malaysia should stand out as a country of knowledge and talent.” According to Mohamed Khaled, Malaysia needs to attract the world’s best talents, especially from developing countries, by convincing them to send their best talents and leaders who have the most potential to be nurtured in Malaysia. “They must choose Malaysia as a stepping stone to greater careers, latest innovations and meaningful contributions to the regional community as well as global citizens. “I am aware that this is a big ambition. But it is not impossible, especially if we mobilise our efforts together,” he added. – Bernama Ex-Umno Youth No.2 heads division LABUAN: Former Labuan Umno Youth vice-chief Saifful Pungot has been elected as the new division Youth chief for the 2023-2026 term. The result was confirmed by Umno division secretary Mohd Dzulfaizal Ab Manan. Saifful, 38, secured a comfortable win against his opponent Mohd Syukur Jiprih (Umno Ramsey branch chief) in the party election held on March 11. Normiyati Jumat won uncontested for the Labuan Puteri Umno chief, while Nurul Syakinah Sairna as vice-chief. Niswati Tarji also retained the Labuan Wanita Umno chief post unopposed. Meanwhile, newly minted Labuan Umno chief Datuk Rafi Alli Hassan urged the new division leaders to work together. “We must remain united as Umno will continue to be relevant for the Malays. Umno Youth and Puteri members must work together with newly elected leaders to improve public perception and restore confidence in the party,” he said. The Umno divisional delegates’ meetings and committee elections as well as contests for seats in the Umno Supreme Council will be held simultaneously nationwide on March 18. – Bernama Kedah names new opposition leader ALOR SETAR: Suka Menanti assemblyman Datuk Zamri Yusuf has been named the new opposition leader in the Kedah state assembly, replacing Datuk Johari Abdul, who vacated his Gurun assembly state seat in December last year. The appointment of the PKR assemblyman was announced by speaker Datuk Juhari Bulat at the Kedah state assembly sitting at Wisma Darul Aman here yesterday. Juhari also informed that the Gurun state seat would remain vacant until the end of the term. On Dec 18 last year, Johari announced his decision to vacate the Gurun state seat with immediate effect and said he had submitted a letter to the Kedah state assembly speaker on Dec 13. Meanwhile, Juhari also announced that Alor Mengkudu assemblyman Datuk Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi is now a PH elected representative. It was reported that the former Kedah Parti Amanah Negara chairman has been sacked from Amanah for violating the party’s constitution. – Bernama RIVERBANK PICNIC ... Sungai Golok Mayor Suchada Phannara (left) engaging with tourists after the reopening of the Thai-Malaysian border in Pasir Mas yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC
4 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Entrepreneur carves niche with helmet repair service KUALA LUMPUR: Damaged motorcycle helmets usually end up at dumpsites as most motorcyclists are unaware that they can be repaired. There are workshops dedicated to repairing helmets, one of them being 7Stone Helmet belonging to Mohd Azizul Adzmi, 37, located at Batu 7 in Gombak, Selangor. Mohd Azizul, also known as Ejoy, said he decided to offer helmet repair services in 2017 after often hearing his friends complain about not being able to find a place where they can get their damaged motorcycle helmets repaired. “I feel there’s a lot of potential for growth in this field, especially for young people,” said Ejoy, who now has over 30 vintage helmets of various brands in his collection, with the most expensive one being a yellow Magnum LTD model valued at RM13,000. Initially, after embarking on his helmet repair business, he only restored ordinary motorcycle helmets that were manufactured locally in the 1980s and 1990s, such as the Apollo and SGV models, before venturing into repairing premium brands such as Bell. 7Stone Helmet’s services include repairing the helmet’s chin strap, restoring the foam and rubber linings and replacing the visor clip buttons. Repairs to the chin strap, for example, can cost between RM30 and RM350, in the case of an imported helmet. Ahmad Tanusi Tajuddin, 57, who is one of Ejoy’s partners, said the first thing they have to do is prepare the helmet’s shell and stack its mould with three layers of fibreglass. Once the helmet is completed, it will be spray-painted by Ahmad Fadzil Ton, another of his partners. The colours and patterns on the helmets are either the product of the three business partners own creativity or the customer’s requests. The prices of the helmets are subject to the materials used, said Ejoy, adding that it costs about RM800 to make a good helmet. Those interested in engaging 7Stone Helmet’s services can contact them on Facebook at Ejoy Helmet. – Bernama Penang rejects 25 EIA reports in 2022 GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Environment Department received a total of 40 environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports for 27 projects that were to be evaluated under the Environmental Quality Order 2015 last year. Department director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said of the total, 15 assessments, or 37%, involving housing projects, waste processing and disposal and industrial estates were approved. “The remaining 25 reports involving 12 projects were not cleared for several reasons, including being technically incomplete for failing to address the comments from the relevant agencies. “The rejected projects include slope and quarry projects,” she told reporters after officiating at an environmental seminar in conjunction with Earth Day 2023 yesterday. – Bernama Ramadan blood donation drive KUALA NERUS: The Terengganu Health Department via the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital blood transfusion unit aims to collect between 30 and 50 bags of blood a day during the coming month of Ramadan. State health director Datuk Dr Kasemani Embong said in this regard, the department is planning to hold a blood donation drive at more than 30 selected mosques statewide. She said this was to ensure that the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital had sufficient blood supply. “On average, the state needs around 50 bags of blood a day and the current stock stands at 685 bags, which is enough for two weeks. “Therefore, we need to hold blood donation programmes during Ramadan to ensure that there is adequate supply.” – Bernama Schoolboy gets business headstart KUALA NERUS: Being young has not stopped 12-year-old Muhammad Khairie Danish Kamal Ariffin of Kampung Baru Seberang Takir from generating his own income selling “Hot Wheels” toy cars. In fact, the SK Kompleks Seberang Takir Year Six pupil has even harnessed the power of TikTok to fuel his sales. Muhammad Khairie Danish, the second of four siblings, said he started selling the toy cars after finding out that there were many Hot Wheels collectors in Terengganu. His efforts were encouraged by his parents. “Many people are looking for Hot Wheels to start a collection as these toy cars are beautifully made and resemble the actual cars that inspired them.” – Bernama Malaysia at risk from microplastics, wastewater from nuclear plants KUALA LUMPUR: Microplastics and discharge from treated wastewater from nuclear plants are seen as major threats to human health. Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Chemistry and Physics Department Prof Dr Zaidi Embong said Malaysia is unprotected from such risks and awareness levels remain low and proactive measures have yet to be taken. According to Zaidi, both types of pollution are capable of destroying marine ecosystems and eventually affecting global food security. “The nature of plastics that are not easily (biodegraded) will make it easier to be swallowed and collected in the organs and tissues of organisms (and marine life). “What is more damaging is when these microplastic particles are trapped in the gills, which will eventually be absorbed into their tissues, turning them into a polluted food source that will then be consumed by humans.” Based on statistics by scientific online publication “Our World in Data” a total of eight million tonnes, or 3% of global plastic waste, will flow into the ocean from various sources. In Malaysia, it is estimated that on average, residents use a total of nine billion plastic materials annually and a big portion of it will end up in the sea. He added that microplastics measuring less than 20 microns are capable of entering human organs, muscles and tissues and could potentially damage the respiratory system, blood vessels, kidneys and the digestive system. Zaidi also said aside from microplastics, the issue of treated water discharged into the sea from nuclear plants is also a concern. Recently, Japan expressed its intention to release water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea this year. In April 2021, Japan approved the release of more than one million tonnes of treated water from the nuclear plant into the sea. – Bernama Health-challenged single mother on a mission PETALING JAYA: Nurzaini Zahayup, who prefers to be known as Zai, is a single mother on a mission to ensure financial independence for her family, despite suffering from lupus, an energy-sapping autoimmune disease that severely limits her movement. Zai faces an uphill battle each day as she struggles to grow her catering business and run her cafe. “Up to 2015, I worked in the telecommunications industry and even made it to assistant manager. I consider myself a ‘beach bum’ as I love spending my annual holidays scuba-diving near islands and enjoying the sun and sea,” the 43-year-old told theSun. While holidaying at the Boracay resort island in the Philippines that same year, Zai became breathless all of a sudden. She was 35 years old then, and in a state of panic, she went for a medical check-up and was diagnosed with a lung infection. This later progressed to having fluid in her lungs. “From then on, it was a nightmare, as I was finally diagnosed with lupus. My whole world turned upside-down.” It was a difficult time for her as lupus, also known medically as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, progressively attacked her lungs and caused scarring, making it difficult to work full-time. She decided to pursue a career in the food industry and signed up Zai and her assistants serving customers at her cafe. – AMIRUL SAYFIQ/THESUN oRestaurateur with lupus set on ensuring family’s financial independence █ BYDHARSHINI GANESON [email protected] for a hotel management course. “After I graduated, I worked at a reputable restaurant in Damansara Heights, where I learned how to prepare western-style dishes, which turned out to be popular with my corporate clients. So, I switched career paths completely to catering food for upscale clients.” When the venture started to turn a profit, she opened a cafe, now located below her condominium in Damansara Perdana. The opening of the cafe was crucial as she could not meet the Islamic Development Department criteria to obtain halal certification if she continued to work from home. With the cafe housed in its own premises, she managed to get the halal certification, which attracted more customers. Her days were then spent preparing meals for her mostly corporate clients and running the cafe, Kylie’s Foodhall, which she named after her only child. Today, after nine years in the business, Zai employs four helpers. “There are times when I cannot do much work for up to four days in a week,” she said, adding that in September 2021, she found it difficult to walk long distances and had to purchase a motorised wheelchair. Despite her condition, the strong-willed divorcee strives to improve herself and last year, she travelled to England to attend classes conducted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. “It has not been easy for my daughter to accept my condition, but she is my rock and I’m grateful that she understands, as I share my struggles with her,” said Zai, who was married in 2007 and divorced two years later, when Kylie was only a year old. In the early days, Zai said she would cry herself to sleep and sometimes talk to herself. But when she became a single parent, her daughter became her reason to push herself towards business success. “There was a lack of awareness on lupus and many a time, I had no one to share my distress and to seek information, until I joined the Malaysian Lupus Association. “From there, I was introduced to the Lupus Community Support Group on Facebook,” said Zai, who was comforted by the information shared and the emotional support given by the group members.
5 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 Number of flood evacuees drop in four states KUALA LUMPUR: The number of flood evacuees housed at relief centres in four states dropped slightly yesterday morning to 41,154, compared with 41,994 on Sunday night. In Johor, the number of evacuees dropped to 40,847 at 8am compared with 41,661 at 8pm on Sunday. The Johor Disaster Management Committee said in a statement 11,496 families were still taking shelter at 139 relief centres in the four affected districts. “Batu Pahat remains the worst hit district with 39,256 evacuees, followed by Muar with 781 from 226 families, Tangkak with 576 from 241 families and Segamat with 234 from 63 families,” it said. The water levels of four rivers in Batu Pahat were still above the danger mark, with Sungai Bekok at Bekok Dam registering 19.47m, Sungai Senggarang in Senggarang at 3.63m, Sungai Simpang Kiri in Sri Medan at 2.40m and Sungai Simpang Kiri in Parit Sulong at 2.05m while Sungai Muar at Bukit Kepong in Muar was at 3.57m. In Malacca, the number of flood evacuees in Jasin dropped to 61 from 14 families as of 8am, compared with 87 from 20 families on Sunday night, following the closure of four relief centres in stages. The secretariat said in a statement the evacuees were housed at Sekolah Kebangsaan Parit Penghulu. In Pahang, the secretariat reported that the number of evacuees at two centres in Rompin district remained at 155 from 54 families. In Sarawak, the secretariat said the number of evacuees remained at 91 from 18 families in Kuching, housed at Dewan Sinaran Lumut and Dewan Kampung Sungai Bedaun, as of 7am. – Bernama Muhyiddin charged with receiving RM5m SHAH ALAM: Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was charged at the Sessions Court yesterday with one count of receiving RM5 million in proceeds from unlawful activities. Muhyiddin, 75, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Judge Rozilah Salleh. “I understand the charge. I plead not guilty,” he said. Muhyiddin, as Bersatu president, is alleged to have received proceeds from unlawful activities from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which was deposited into the AmBank account belonging to the party at the bank’s Amcorp oEx-premier claims trial to accepting proceeds from unlawful activities via deposit from Bukhary Equity into Bersatu bank account Actor claims trial to hurting wife KUALA KUBU BHARU: Actor Hafidz Roshdi pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt to his wife by punching her on the cheek earlier this month. Hafidz, 29, made the plea after the charge was read out before Magistrate Siti Fatimah Talib. The actor was charged with causing hurt to his wife Nurul Shuhada Mat Shukri, 29, by punching her on her left cheek three times, causing her to sustain cuts, bruises and swelling. He is alleged to have committed the offence near the Sungai Buaya toll exit at 3.22am on March 2. The charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of one year, or a fine of RM2,000, or both. The charge was read together with Section 326A of the same law, which provides imprisonment for a term which may extend to twice the maximum term under Section 323. – Bernama Ruling on Najib conviction review bid on March 31 PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has set March 31 to deliver its decision in former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s bid to review his conviction and sentence in the RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd case. The decision date was confirmed by one of Najib’s lawyers, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee as well as DPP Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul. The Federal Court five-member bench led by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli had reserved the court’s decision on Feb 28 after they heard submissions for six days from Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. The other four judges were Federal Court judges Datuk Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang and Datuk Nordin Hassan and Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais. On Aug 23, 2022, Najib was sent to Kajang Prison to begin serving his jail sentence after he lost his appeal to set aside his conviction, 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine for misappropriation of SRC International funds. – Bernama MACC tracing alleged mastermind of graft case KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is tracking down a man known as “Datuk Roy” to assist in an investigation into a corruption case involving the Jana Wibawa programme. In a statement issued yesterday, MACC said Datuk Roy’s full name is Mohd Hussein Mohd Nasir, aged 54. His last known address is No. 3, Lorong 3 RRM Semambu in Kuantan, Pahang. It urged anyone with information about the man to contact investigating officer Mohammad Asyraf Mustafa at 013-4405 210. On Sunday, Bernama reported that MACC had arrested one of its officers and three other individuals including a woman, for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM400,000 to avoid investigations involving the programme. According to sources, the woman was released on MACC bail, while the three other suspects have been remanded until today. MACC is now looking for Datuk Roy, who is believed to be the mastermind in the case. Govt dept staff held over bribes KUALA TERENGGANU: A manager at a federal government department in the state has been remanded for seven days starting yesterday, to assist in the investigation into a case of receiving bribes. The remand order against the 44-year-old man until March 19 was issued by Magistrate Nik Mohd Tarmizie Nik Mohd Shukri. Investigations are being carried out under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. According to MACC sources, the man is suspected of using his position to obtain bribes of between RM1,500 and RM6,000 for himself through the procurement of the department’s vehicle repair works between 2019 and 2022. The suspect was arrested at the Terengganu MACC office on Sunday evening when he went there to provide his statement. – Bernama M’sian artiste attacked in Singapore stable after surgery SINGAPORE: Malaysian celebrity Kamal Adli, who was injured after he was attacked by a man in Singapore on Sunday night, successfully underwent surgery at a hospital. “Kamal is conscious after surgery and I hope everyone prays for our safety,” said his wife Uqasha Senrose via her Instagram (IG) account yesterday. In an IG update, Uqasha said Kamal, 36, was repeatedly hit by a man with a chota (baton) on his head, face and body. Without revealing the hospital Kamal was admitted to, she added that Kamal underwent a major operation due to severe injuries to his head. She said the matter has been reported to the police for further investigation. The couple were in Singapore for a three-day Hari Raya Mega Sale event at the Singapore Expo building. According to Uqasha, the incident happened at the end of the event. She also included pictures of the incident and said the perpetrator has been arrested, Bernama reported. Preliminary investigations revealed that a 33-year-old man armed with a baton had allegedly assaulted Kamal at the location. The attacker was subsequently arrested for voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapon and possession of an offensive weapon. The baton was seized as a case exhibit. Police investigations are ongoing. Organised by Megaxpress International, the event also featured several other artistes from Malaysia. Mall branch at Petaling Jaya on Jan 7, 2022. The Pagoh MP was charged under Section 4(1)(b), read together with Section 87(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, AntiTerrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides for penalties under Section 4(1) of the same Act. The section provides for a jail term of 15 years and a fine of five times the value of the proceeds from the unlawful activities or RM5 million, whichever is higher. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission DPP Ahmad Akram Gharib proposed bail of RM2 million in two sureties and additional conditions set by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court last week. “I also request that this case be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court since it is related to another case there, the mention date of which has been set for May 26,” he said. Muhyiddin’s lawyer Datuk K. Kumaraendran did not object to the application. Rozilah then agreed to the bail amount and the additional conditions set, namely that the accused surrender his passport to the court, and allowed the case to be transferred to the same court, Bernama reported. On March 10, Muhyiddin pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court to four charges of corruption amounting to RM232.5 million and two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million. The prosecution was also conducted by DPPs Mohd Fadhly Mohd Zamry, Zander Lim Wai Keong, Kalai Vani Annadorai and Maziah Mohaide. Muhyiddin was also represented by lawyers Chetan Jethwani, Dev Kumaraendran, Amiratu Al Amirat Saleh Mohamed Garbaa, Mohamad Isa Mohamad Basir, Teh See Khoon, Varsha Chelvi and Raja Syuhada Raja Khairuddin. CAPTIVATING STUNTS ... Third Division Infantry members perform a demonstration during a ‘Tattoo Show’ at the Armed Forces Basic Training Centre in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC
6 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK SCAN ME Taiwan to focus on readying for ‘total blockade’ TAIPEI: Taiwan’s defence spending this year will focus on preparing weapons and equipment for a “total blockade” by China, including parts for F-16 fighters and replenishing weapons, the military said in a report. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, staged war games around the island in August, firing missiles over Taipei and declaring no-fly and no-sail zones in a simulation of how it would seek to cut Taiwan off in a war. In a report seeking parliamentary budget approval, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters yesterday, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said it began reviewing its strategic fuel reserves and repair abilities last year, but did not give details. In “anticipation of a total blockade of the Taiwan Strait”, spending this year would include replenishment of artillery and rocket stocks, and parts for F-16 fighters “to strengthen combat continuity”, the ministry said. In an update on its threat assessment, the ministry said China’s military has been conducting joint force operations with an eye to controlling strategic choke points and denying access to foreign forces. “Recently, the Communist military’s exercise and training model has been adjusted from a single military type to joint operations of land, sea, air and rocket forces,” it said in the report, issued ahead of Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng’s taking lawmakers’ questions in Parliament tomorrow. “It is adopting an actual war approach and shifting from training to combat preparation.” The ministry said China has systematically increased the strength of its “joint combat readiness” actions around Taiwan. China’s military’s Eastern Theatre Command last year sent more than 1,700 aircraft into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. That is more than double the number from a year earlier and poses a “substantial threat” to Taiwan’s defence, the ministry said. China has been “normalising” no-navigation zones around the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Taiwan Strait, it added. The ministry said China has also continued to use “grey zone” tactics to test Taiwan’s response, including sending drones, balloons and fishing boats to areas close to Taiwan. The ministry also said it would include prioritise funding in the budget this year for major US-made weapons, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. – Reuters Japan eases mask guidelines TOKYO: Japan’s government eased its mask guidelines yesterday, recommending them only on crowded trains and in hospitals or care homes, but there was little sign residents were keen to unmask. Japan has never had a mask mandate, but residents have adhered to guidelines to wear them indoors and outside from the early days of the pandemic, and masks were common even pre-Covid during cold and hayfever seasons. The country is one of the last places in Asia to end nationwide masking recommendations, and most commuters kept their faces covered, on trains and outdoors, yesterday. “I think I’ll keep wearing a mask for the moment,” said Tatsuhiko Ohashi, 56, on his way to work, outside Tokyo’s busy Shinagawa station. He still had “a bit of fear” of Covid and worried that getting infected unknowingly would “risk inconveniencing people around me”. Japan avoided lockdowns and other harsh restrictions during the pandemic but still fared better than many countries, with 73,199 deaths in a population of more than 125 million. Some observers have credited masks and other voluntary measures, along with strict border closures, with that relative success. There were just over 7,000 Covid cases reported nationwide on Sunday, and businesses have largely said they will leave it up to customers to decide whether to mask – though staff will continue to wear them. Hajime Yamaguchi, a professor of psychology at J.F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, said it was unlikely many Japanese would unmask quickly. “The Japanese worry a lot about what other people think and fear being judged if they’re the first to take off their masks. “They will watch to see what other people do and unmask bit by bit.” – AFP B R I E F SSTORM TRIGGERS FLOODS IN MALAWI, KILLING 11 LILONGWE: At least 11 people have died and 16 are missing in Malawi’s second-largest city Blantyre after tropical storm Freddy brought torrential rains that triggered floods and landslides, police said yesterday. Freddy is one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the southern hemisphere. Police spokesman Peter Kalaya said the number of people killed and missing is likely to grow as it had affected 10 districts and so far numbers were only in for Blantyre. He said rescue teams were looking for people in Chilobwe and Ndirande, two of the worst-affected townships in Blantyre, where it was still raining and most residents were without power. – Reuters 22 MIGRANTS DIE IN BOAT SINKING OFF MADAGASCAR ANTANARIVO: At least 22 migrants died when their boat sank off the coast of Madagascar over the weekend. “Forty-seven people had clandestinely taken a boat headed to (the French territory of) Mayotte, but that sank,” Madagascar maritime authority APMF said in a statement yesterday. “Twenty-three of the passengers were able to be saved. Twenty-two bodies were found,” it said, adding that the accident occurred on Saturday and that search operations were continuing for the two people who remained missing. Many migrants try each year to reach the French territory of Mayotte, which lies north of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. – AFP ‘Security is foundation for China’s development’ BEIJING: Xi Jinping yesterday emphasised the need to strengthen national security, in his first address since being handed a historic third term as China president. Xi became China’s most powerful leader in generations last week when he was reappointed for another five years at the helm of the world’s most populous nation, in a break with long-standing political precedent. The National People’s Congress (NPC) – a carefully choreographed conclave of China’s oStability is prerequisite for prosperity, says Xi in congress closing speech rubber-stamp Parliament – also appointed a key Xi ally, Li Qiang, as the new premier. Xi yesterday thanked the thousands of delegates at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People for giving him a third term, vowing to “take the needs of the country as my mission, and the interests of the people as my yardstick”. “Security is the bedrock of development, while stability is a prerequisite for prosperity,” the 69-year-old told the assembled delegates at the NPC’s closing session. “We must fully promote the modernisation of national defence and the armed forces, and build the people’s armed forces into a Great Wall of steel that effectively safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests.” He also called for consolidated stability in once-restive Hong Kong and unification with the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing views as part of its own territory. “The trust of the people is the greatest driving force pushing me forward, and also a heavy responsibility on my shoulders. “The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process.” Meanwhile, sources said Xi is planning to travel to Russia to meet with his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, as soon as next week, which would be sooner than previously expected. Plans for a visit come as China has been offering to broker peace in Ukraine, an effort that has been met with scepticism in the West given China’s diplomatic support for Russia. Russia’s Tass news agency reported on Jan 30 that Putin had invited Xi to visit in the spring. – Agencies North Korea launches missiles from submarine PYONGYANG: Nuclear-armed North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine on Sunday, state news agency KCNA said yesterday, just as US-South Korea military drills were due to begin. “Strategic” is typically used to describe weapons that have a nuclear capability. KCNA said the launch confirmed the reliability of the system and tested the offensive operations of the submarine units that form part of North Korea’s nuclear deterrent. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the military was on high alert and the country’s intelligence agency was working with its US counterpart to analyse the specifics of the launch. South Korean and American troops yesterday began 11 days of joint drills, dubbed Freedom Shield 23, which will be held on a scale not seen since 2017. North Korea has long bristled over drills it regards as a rehearsal for invasion. It has conducted a record number of missile tests and drills in the past year in what it says is an effort to boost its nuclear deterrent and make more weapons fully operational. KCNA said the submarine launches aimed to show North Korea’s determination to control a situation in which “the US imperialists and the South Korean puppet forces are getting evermore undisguised in their anti-DPRK (North Korea) military manoeuvres”. – Reuters COLOURFUL FEAST ... Elephants enjoying a buffet of fruits and vegetables during National Elephant Day celebrations at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in the Thai city of Pattaya yesterday. – REUTERSPIC
7 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 Russia suffering ‘extremely heavy casualties’: UK KYIV: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops are suffering “extremely heavy casualties” in Ukraine as the battle for Bakhmut rages on, according to British intelligence. Russia has made Bakhmut the main target of a winter push involving hundreds of thousands of reservists and mercenaries. It has captured the eastern part of the city and outskirts to the north and south, but has so far failed to close a ring around Ukrainian defenders. UK defence officials said Ukrainian forces were still in control of the west of Bakhmut, leaving them able to fire from fortified buildings at Russian lines. “This area has become a killing zone, likely making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westwards,” the UK Defence Ministry said. Seeking to replenish its heavy oFuelled by Ukraine conflict, European arms imports doubled last year losses, Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said his Wagner private army had opened recruitment centres in 42 cities – as the UK asserted that the impact of casualties “varies dramatically” across Russian regions. Losses are more than 30 times higher in many eastern regions than in Moscow, with the capital and St Petersburg “relatively unscathed” while in other places ethnic minorities bear the brunt of the Kremlin’s war, the ministry said. “Insulating the better-off and more influential elements of Russian society” is likely a “major consideration”, it said, adding that none of the officials in the two front rows of the audience at Putin’s state of the union speech on Feb 21 are known to have children in the military. Russian casualties are believed to have soared by tens of thousands as the fighting centred around Bakhmut in recent months, becoming one of the bloodiest battlegrounds of the entire war as Moscow aims to punch a hole in Ukraine’s defences in a step towards seizing the entire Donbas region. Meanwhile, researchers said yesterday arms imports into Europe almost doubled last year, driven by massive shipments to Ukraine, which has become the world’s third-largest destination. With a 93% jump compared with the year before, imports have also increased due to accelerating military spending by European states including Poland and Norway, said the report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). And the rate of imports is expected to accelerate further, it said. “The invasion has really caused a significant surge in demand for arms in Europe, which will have further effect and most likely will lead to increased arms imports by European states,” said Sipri senior researcher Pieter Wezeman. Ukraine was until last year a negligible importer of arms. But it very quickly became the third-largest arms destination in the world last year, behind Qatar and India, as Western nations delivered arms following Russia’s invasion. Ukraine alone accounted for 31% of arms transfers to Europe and 8% of world deliveries overall, according to Sipri data. – The Independent/AFP Bali wants visa requirements for Russian tourists to be tightened JAKARTA: Authorities in Indonesia’s popular holiday island of Bali have asked the central immigration agency to cancel a visaon-arrival policy for Russian and Ukrainian nationals after tourists were found working illegally. Russian nationals are among the biggest groups of foreign arrivals in Indonesia, according to official tourism data. At least four Russian citizens were deported this month for visa violations and immigration authorities have repeatedly warned foreigners in Bali against working on tourist visas. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster said he has asked the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to tighten visa requirements by cancelling the visa-on-arrival facility specifically for Russian and Ukrainian citizens due to a series of violations. “Because they are at war, so they flocked to Bali, including those who sought comfort or came to work here,” he said on Sunday, according to a post on the immigration agency’s Instagram account. He added these two countries were singled out because their citizens’ infractions were more “significant” than those of others. He did not provide details on the violations. The move comes as Indonesians take to social media to complain about some Russian tourists’ actions in Bali, including a model who posed nude at a sacred tree and a man who allegedly hit a pedestrian while driving under the influence of alcohol. A spokesman for Indonesia’s immigration agency, which is under the Law Ministry, declined to comment. The embassies of Russia and Ukraine in Jakarta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Indonesia allows nationals of certain countries to apply for a visa upon landing in the country, while others have to apply before departure. More than 77,500 Russians arrived in the country between September last year and January this year as Covid-19 restrictions were eased, compared with about 88,000 in the same period just before the pandemic. About 8,800 Ukrainian visitors arrived between September last year and January this year. Known for its beaches, temples, waterfalls and nightlife, Bali drew 6.2 million foreign visitors in 2019, the year before the pandemic. – Reuters SEEKING BETTER LIFE ... Migrants, mostly from Venezuela, trying to cross a barrier as they take part in a protest at the Paso del Norte International Bridge connecting the US city of El Paso with Ciudad Juárezto in Mexico. – REUTERSPIC Panel says fire at Rohingya camps ‘planned sabotage’ DHAKA: A fire that left thousands of Rohingyas homeless in Bangladesh camps was a “planned act of sabotage”, a panel investigating the blaze said on Sunday. Nearly 2,800 shelters and more than 90 facilities including hospitals and learning centres were destroyed in the fire on March 5, leaving more than 12,000 people without shelter, officials said. More than one million Rohingya refugees live in tens of thousands of huts made of bamboo and thin plastic sheeting in camps in the border district of Cox’s Bazar, most having fled a military-led crackdown in Myanmar in 2017. “The fire was a planned act of sabotage,” senior district government official Abu Sufian, head of the seven-member probe committee, told Reuters by phone from Cox’s Bazar. He said the blaze broke out in several places at the same time, proving it was a planned act. The official said it was a deliberate attempt to establish supremacy inside the camps by militant groups. He did not name the groups. “We recommended further investigation by the law-enforcing agency to identify the groups behind the incident,” he said, adding that the report was based on input from 150 eye witnesses. The panel also recommended the formation of a separate fire service unit for the Rohingya camps. Each block of Rohingya camps needs to be widened to accommodate fire service vehicles and the construction of water cisterns, and the camps should use less flammable materials in shelters, among other recommendations. – Reuters Nicaragua weighs cutting diplomatic ties with Vatican MANAGUA: Nicaragua on Sunday said it was considering suspending diplomatic ties with the Vatican, after Pope Francis days earlier called the Central American country’s government a “crude dictatorship”. “Between the Republic of Nicaragua and the Vatican, we propose a suspension of diplomatic relations given the information that has been divulged by sources apparently close to the Catholic Church,” a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The ministry statement did not directly reference Francis’ comments in the Friday interview with Argentine news outlet Infobae, during which the pontiff also called Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega “unbalanced”. The interview came days after the government last week shuttered two universities with ties to the Roman Catholic Church. The schools, which have campuses in several cities, had their legal status cancelled for alleged contraventions of the law, according to the government. The institutions were ordered to hand over all information on students, professors, study plans and other details to the country’s National Council of Universities (CNU), according to an official government register. The universities’ thousands of students will be integrated into CNU-approved institutions and all university property will be transferred to the state. That was the latest move in ongoing friction between the Church and Ortega’s government, which include the sentencing of Bishop Rolando Alvarez – an outspoken critic of what he called restrictions on religious freedom under Ortega – to 26 years in prison. The pontiff referenced but did not mention Alvarez by name in the interview, during which he also compared the situation in Nicaragua to the rise of communism in Russia and to Nazi Germany in the 1930s. – AFP B R I E F SIRAN PARDONS 22,000 PROTESTERS TEHRAN: Iranian judicial authorities have pardoned 22,000 people who took part in anti-government protests, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said yesterday, according to the IRNA news agency. State media reported early last month that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had pardoned “tens of thousands” of prisoners including some arrested in the protests in a deadly crackdown on dissent. “So far 82,000 people have been pardoned, including 22,000 people who participated in (the) protests,“ Gholamhossein said. Iran has been swept by protests since the death of an Iranian Kurdish woman in the custody of the morality police last September. – Reuters THOUSANDS OF BRITISH DOCTORS GO ON STRIKE LONDON: UK hospital doctors yesterday began a three-day strike over pay at the start of a week that will also see teachers, train staff and civil servants walk out, in the latest wave of industrial action. The doctors said years of below-inflation pay increases mean they have effectively had a 26% pay cut since 2008. Ahead of the stoppage, the body that represents them, British Medical Association, launched an advertising campaign claiming a newly qualified doctor earned less than some coffee shop staff. “Pret a Manger has announced it will pay up to £14.10 (RM76) per hour,” the ad said. “A junior doctor makes just £14.09. Thanks to this government you can make more serving coffee than saving patients.” – AFP
8 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 SPEAK UP Or download app on the AppStore or Google Play ENJOY A SEAMLESS READING EXPERIENCE. Read our iPaper at https://www.thesundaily.my/ Complacency of staff D to blame for data breaches ATA breaches are a rising global threat. According to IBM and the Ponemon Institute, data breaches reached a record high in the last two years. Over 2,200 cyberattacks happen daily, costing large companies US$4.24 million (RM19 million) with each attack. The most frustrating part of these recurring events is that the causes of data breaches remain much the same for private persons and companies alike. The mitigation of data breaches strictly depends on how highly you regard the data managed by your company. Do not underestimate the importance of data loss prevention (DLP) – it is key given the ongoing proliferation of cybercrime. Learning about the most common causes of data leaks is useless unless you take action to prevent these events. In the following lines, we discuss eight common causes of security breaches and how to solve these issues with effective measures. Weak passwords What is the number one cause of data breaches? You’ll likely find that weak passwords are the top reason. According to the Harris Poll, 75% of Americans are duly frustrated with maintaining secure passwords. Out of that number, over 24% use common passwords such as sequential numbers, a single word, or a combination of three letters and three numbers. Meanwhile, 49% of password users only change a single character or digit on their password when they are prompted to update them. Keeping a strong password is not that difficult. Many cybersecurity experts agree that combining a single sentence with different cases and numbers is more than enough. A single word won’t do the trick since you usually choose something inherent to your character. Hackers with experience in social engineering can pick up on that to figure out your digital keys. If keeping track of your passwords is a chore, we suggest you invest in a reliable password manager service to make life easier. Criminal hacking Criminal hacking is what causes the majority of data breaches. These are planned attacks by cybercriminals always looking to exploit computer systems or networks. Some common techniques include phishing, password attacks, structured query language injections, malware infection and domain name system spoofing. Cyber actors know their way around these methods and they know how to identify entry points or weaknesses in the network infrastructure of large organisations. Criminal hacking happens because many companies fail to set up adequate security measures. with consistently. Phishing, malware and ransomware When identifying what the most common cause of data breach is, it always boils down to any of these three. Phishing is a social engineering attack where cybercriminals manipulate their victims into giving up their personal information. Phishing scams are conducted mainly by email, often appealing to your sense of urgency or desire to win or receive mega prizes. Next, we have malware attacks, where cybercriminals use malicious software to breach a system or network. Cyber actors usually disguise malware as executable files or links you have to interact with to inject malicious code into your systems. Ransomware works similarly. The only difference is that this program is designed to lock you out of your data or system and hold it until you pay to get access back. The best way to prevent these attacks is with a very judgmental eye. You should always look at the sender’s address of any email, especially if it urges you to take action. Don’t click on links or open files sent by unknown senders, and stay away from untrusted websites. Examine such links, URLs, and files carefully and keep your antivirus updated. Antiviruses can pick up most malware threats and delete them from your systems. Improper permission management How many people have access to your company’s data flow? Many IT departments are happy to offer a key log to anyone needing access to the company’s network at any time. You can not afford to give these permissions out so easily. When identifying what causes security breaches, you are likely to find out how too many permissions put you in danger. If there is a need for ongoing access to all team members, keep an access registry. Make sure it shows who accesses your systems, where they go and what they take. You can eventually manage just how many people need restricted or limited access. Access protocols are part of any solid DLP strategy and an excellent way to keep your data safe. User error and insider threats If you ask someone in the IT department, what causes the majority of data breaches, they’ll tell you it is people. The worst part of this answer is they are right. Humans are the weakest link of any security measure to protect your company’s digital assets. A weak password, improper data extraction and lack of email security best practices can cause a data breach worth thousands of dollars. On the other hand, we have insider threats. Disgruntled employees can cause more damage to a company than black hat hackers. If you are getting the wrong vibes from someone working for you, it is best to restrict their access before things get ugly. An insider threat can easily lead to loss of intellectual property data exposure. Physical threats Are you sure your premises are safe and secure? One of the causes of security breaches is physical attacks. Not all hackers are sitting in a dirty basement spying on you. Many of them take proactive action to access your system. Cyber actors are often very knowledgeable about human psychology. Nothing prevents them from using their online charm in the real world. Cybercriminals can easily disguise themselves as delivery persons or even company employees to access your computers or servers. Once they are there, they only need seconds to plant their malicious code via a USB flash. Even if it sounds complex, these criminals are not above the challenge. You can solve this issue by implementing a strict access policy to your building, such as using badges, especially for sensitive areas. Final thoughts Knowing the causes of data breaches and how to mitigate them is paramount to cybersecurity. Determine what data loss prevention is to your company and set up protocols to protect your data. Knowledge is the best defence against data leaks. You and your team need to understand the machinations of these events. Train your team to have stronger passwords. Teach them about the dangers of criminal hacking. Ensure they know the importance of updating their systems with the latest security patches. It is also crucial to train them to understand social engineering risks and how malware, phishing and ransomware can affect the company. Keep a watchful eye on improper permissions and insider threats too. Your data is the most valuable asset of your company and you need to do everything to keep it safe. Comments: [email protected] COMMENT by George Mathews One of the best ways to prevent data loss is by implementing a proper set of protective measures. With solid data loss prevention, you can avoid cyberattacks and keep your data safe. Monitoring tools also identify anomalies, so you will know when a cyberattack occurs. A company without defences can be targeted and never notice the data leak until it is too late. App vulnerabilities and backdoors When it comes to apps, the most common cause of data breaches is usually an unpatched vulnerability. Applications are not built on perfect frameworks, they are pieces of software with vulnerabilities. A faulty app can be a backdoor to steal data such as your name, email, or even bank details. Initially, these cracks go unnoticed by software providers and regular users, while cybercriminals find them to initiate a zero-day attack. Most companies are constantly testing their software to fend off any potential attacks to address these exploits. When a company finds a vulnerability, they release a patch to fix any security issues. That is why many apps on your phone or laptop frequently request updates. You must accept these data patches promptly to increase your security and keep your devices and apps running smoothly. Social engineering Social engineering is the number one cause of data breaches for companies and organisations worldwide. Most cybercriminals are good at social engineering since it is much easier than creating access points to exploit a system. Social engineering attacks rely on psychological manipulation to trick users into giving up their credentials. These attacks are carried out using emails, SMS messages, social networks and even calls. The best way to prevent social engineering attacks is to pay close attention to all requests made in any suspicious emails, calls, or messages. No company asks for login information or personal data, especially not banks or payment platforms. Look at small details such as grammar and syntax. If you are being called, take note of the requested details but never divulge sensitive info over the phone. Most social engineering scams are run outside of the US by people pretending to be representatives of a company you deal
9 SPEAK UP theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 theSun ONWEDNESDAY | NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSun ON WEDNESDAY | NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS THE OBJECTIVES TO achieve greater unity among Malaysians TO maintain a democratic way of life TO create a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared TO ensure a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions TO build a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLES BELIEF IN GOD LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION THE RULE OF LAW COURTESY AND MORALITY THE OBJECTIVES TO achieve greater unity among Malaysians TO maintain a democratic way of life TO create a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared TO ensure a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions TO build a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLES BELIEF IN GOD LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION THE RULE OF LAW COURTESY AND MORALITY Is repatriation finally on the cards? BANGLADESH and Myanmar are working quickly to launch a pilot project for the Rohingyas’ repatriation before the monsoon season begins. Bangladesh has already handed a list of over 1,000 Rohingyas for repatriation while Myanmar’s government is quickly verifying it. Furthermore, the country is preparing for the rehabilitation of Rohingyas in Rakhine State. Myanmar wants to launch the pilot project as soon as possible in order to increase the military junta’s acceptance of the Rohingyas in the face of international pressure. Bangladesh’s top priority is the repatriation of Rohingyas, with the government working hard to achieve this goal. The situation in Rakhine State is now better than it has ever been. Security, living conditions, education and health care for Muslims in Rakhine State have all greatly improved. As a result, the two countries want to begin the repatriation process. Recently, Myanmar sent ambassadors or consul generals from 11 countries, including Bangladesh, India, China and eight Asean countries, to the area to monitor the situation. They also visited the Nakhua Reception Center opposite Teknaf and a nearby village, an internal displacement camp in Sittwe and another in the Chakto region. According to sources, the security situation in Rakhine State has improved. The conditions are favourable to begin the repatriation of Rohingyas there. Apart from this, the issue has become easier as India, China and other Asean countries have agreed on the solution to this problem. Why pilot projects? Due to the large number of Rohingyas, all parties agreed to send a small number of Rohingyas to assess the situation in the first instance. According to a report, after considering the pros and cons of the pilot project, everyone would want the main repatriation process to begin. If the pilot project is successful, it would help the process tremendously. Repatriation before monsoon In a few months, the rainy season will begin and Myanmar and Bangladesh are working to begin repatriation as soon as possible. According to a Bangladeshi media report, the verification process of the list of Rohingyas given for repatriation under the pilot project would be completed soon. Returning Rohingyas would be welcomed at two completed reception centres. After a few hours to 24 hours, the Rohingyas will be transferred to a transit camp, where thousands of their kind will be housed together. They will return to their homes after a week to a month in the camp, according to sources. Benefits for Muslims The security situation for Muslims is better than before and steps have been taken to improve it. Aside from that, there has been progress in terms of livelihood, health and education. According to a ministry official, who wished to remain anonymous, 200 Muslim students were admitted to Sittwe University last year after it had been closed for nine years. This year, many Muslim students have been admitted. As a result, educational opportunities for Muslims have greatly expanded. However, the overall health system in Rakhine State is underdeveloped and the official claims that the Arakanese people want to come to Bangladesh for treatment. Muslims, on the other hand, are receiving medical attention. Meanwhile, ambassadors from eight countries, including Bangladesh, India, and China, visited Rakhine State. These diplomats were sent to witness the preparations for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar’s Rakhine State. As part of repatriation preparations, the eight ambassadors from the Asean alliance were shown around the Maungdoo and Situwek repatriation camps. On Sunday, diplomatic sources in Yangon confirmed the envoys’ visit to various areas of Rakhine State last week. According to diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s military government gathered the ambassadors of Bangladesh, India, China and Asean for this first state event in Rakhine State. On the first day of the visit, the envoys were shown the renovation work of the interim camp set up five years ago in the village of Naquiya on the banks of the Naf River, just opposite the Teknaf border. It was revealed that those who would be returned from Bangladesh would be housed in that camp for the first few days. They would later be transferred to the Lapukha camp in Mangdu. After a month, they would be permanently relocated to camps under construction near Maungdoo and Sittwek. According to sources, diplomats have also been shown a camp for internally displaced people in the Chakfu area, which is known for its oil companies and deep-sea port, where Chinese investments are being built. It was also reported that those camps would be closed and the displaced Rohingyas would be relocated to nearby villages permanently. They were shown that there was still a mosque in the area. When asked if Myanmar had given any indication of when the repatriation would begin, an envoy who visited the area said no date for repatriation had been set yet. However under the pilot project, they intend to begin repatriation by accepting over 1,000 Rohingyas. The envoy said they would try to convey that Myanmar is serious about repatriation by doing so. There have been mixed reactions in the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar since the news of the visit by envoys from Bangladesh, India and China to Rakhine State. While many have praised the initiative, there are those that remain sceptical whether the Myanmar junta will actually begin repatriation process. Comments: [email protected] Toxic masculinity: The Andrew Tate effect POST International Women’s Day 2023, there is much to celebrate. Society’s treatment of women has generally improved over the decades such that we are approaching parity with men. However, we must take heed of the fact that all of this progress was achieved through consistent struggle and so will the progress to come. Even in 2023, there is much to be desired in the way women and gender minorities are treated. Recently, there has been a growing trend of misogyny portrayed as a desirable trait, especially on social media, which we must take time to carefully assess. The most famous example of social media being increasingly hostile towards women and gender minorities is Andrew Tate. The social media personality has grown to be somewhat of an icon on platforms such as TikTok where he continues to receive many views and admiration largely from men looking to adopt his brand of ultramasculine state of being. Even though Tate and his brother Tristan have been arrested and have been in jail since late 2022 on human trafficking charges related to coercing women into creating paid pornography for social media, this has not affected his aura much. In fact, many of his followers have become even more convinced of his legitimacy. This brand of masculinity is not just restricted to Tate but many other male influencers. Largely, the message being conveyed is for measuring one’s self-worth through material acquisition or deepening a certain brand of religiosity and characterising women as subordinate to men. This appeals to men who are looking for a way out of the oppressive system of capitalism and who feel threatened by the strengthening voice of women. On the influencers’ part, whether they are themselves from this community or are simply using it to boost their economic status, they have found a manipulable audience who will carry their word forward. The lure of this network of influencers and groups, collectively called the manosphere, prescribes specific simplified solutions to the highly complex problems faced by men created through both patriarchy and capitalism. Men today are falling behind in education. In Malaysia, enrolment figures show that 70% of university students are female. Malaysian male suicide rates have increased disproportionately to women as well. The common Asian mentality of expecting men to economically provide for their families further depresses men as the cost of living increases much more than salaries. Patriarchy has also inculcated the mentality that men need to be strong physically and mentally, leading to men facing a loneliness crisis as they seldom talk to others about their problems. Living in this hegemony, men are offered the solution of rejecting feminism, holding women responsible for them not getting jobs (blaming affirmative action programmes), rejecting them romantically and rejecting women’s role in society as equals to men, preferring so-called traditionalist values. Additionally, programmes to improve one’s economic status through any means necessary. Tate once called his webcam business model a total scam as a badge of honour for his success. Largely, fast luxury cars, expensive suits and a bombastic, embellished lifestyle are sold to vulnerable men as the desired end-state, with which women can be controlled as a commodity. This breeds a transactional nature of thinking that bleeds into other aspects of life. Often, men who are frustrated at lacking the social skills necessary to interact with women they are romantically interested in utilise language such as “high-value men” and “lowvalue women” to distinguish themselves and cope with their failures. Putting themselves above all others except for equally or more successful men, they chastise women who display individuality and request to be treated with respect. In conversations, there are times when these men demand subservience and impose themselves in making decisions on behalf of the women they are interested in, from ordering for them in restaurants and deciding what they should wear. The conversation should be treated not as between two individuals but as a master ordering their subordinate to behave a certain way. The larger attraction to this kind of behaviour is the feeling of taking back some control of a life that is scary and unpredictable. Tate sells a lifestyle where all of his desires are achievable and he is infallible. Through this, the ideal male is said to be traditional in nature, the right state of man before the modern world has stripped him of his alpha-ness or religiousness, which harkens back to a desirable (yet, false) image of a time when men were much more powerful. In reality, those in the margins are just centred a little more, though the oppression of the working class remains. According to Karl Marx, the working class is subject to a deep sense of dissonance, demotivation and unease due to their alienation from the means of production. As people are separated from the output of their labour, its full value and as they transition to become one of many cogs within a larger system made to enrich some other people, they will feel as if their humanity has been stripped from them. In this state of insecurity, coupled with low wages and a lack of social security, the working class as a whole is pushed to find solutions to their dilemma. Since the only real solution is a lengthy, difficult struggle to overthrow the system for a truly egalitarian one (socialism), simpler false solutions are sold instead, perversely monetising the unsettling social effect of capitalism. It is not the system that oppresses you, it is feminism gone wild. Or it is migrants who are flooding your country. Or it is social justice warriors and snowflakes asking for better work conditions. There are many iterations and the manosphere is one of them. In reality, there does need to be specific steps taken to address this in Malaysian society which is not immune to the manosphere. Already we have seen on social media the very mentality discussed above. Women are treated as if they are objects. Sexual videos and images of them are freely shared, deep fakes of them are made and complaints of women have often been pushed aside as feminism gone wild. A common narrative as well is that there is no such thing as marital rape, even! The ever-thickening nature of toxic masculinity fuelled by social media gurus needs to be addressed effectively. The only way to do this holistically is to understand the alienating nature of capitalism and provide an avenue to channel the frustration of all people to destroy it. Educating the masses on the role of the patriarchy in distracting them from this cause, just as racism, religious segregation and other forms of bigotry do, should be centred as well. We must understand relationships between human beings should be based on mutual respect irrespective of gender, sexuality, religion or creed. While we may hate to admit it, the sexist, misogynistic individuals we see on social media as recipients of the ideology sold by people such as Tate may just be vulnerable, scared individuals raging and barking up the wrong tree due to a manipulative teacher. It falls to us then, to re-educate them. Comments: [email protected] COMMENT by Arveent Kathirtchelvan COMMENT by Mehjabin Bhanu
10 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 MEDIA & MARKETING Get a jump start today on creating a successful tomorrow! For the best in local and international higher education institutions, catch theSun's fortnightly Education Focus. FOCUS 2023 EDUCATION Contact us now for special deals on digital, video and print advertising. RISE Educator Award is back again to celebrate and honour some of the nation’s most inspiring educators. Now in its third year, the RISE Educator Award organised by Taylor’s College and its student engagement arm, The Risers, look to reward RM10,000 each to the Top Five Finalists who are making a difference in the nation’s education ecosystem to support students in attaining quality and equitable education across various communities. An acronym for Remarkable Impact in Student Education, the RISE Educator Award is now open for nomination from 1 to 31 March 2023. Nomination is open to all participants through a 100-word story submission describing the inspiring deeds their teachers have done to impact their students’ education particularly in attaining quality and accessible education. With over 180 submissions garnered last year for RISE Educator Award, the campaign received many compelling and moving stories of selfless and passionate teachers who go above and beyond their line of duty to ensure their students are protected for their rights to quality and accessible education. Understanding the importance of education in shaping the minds of future leaders, innovators and citizens, Taylor’s College will be awarding RM10,000 each to the awards Top 5 finalists including the RISE Educator of the Year and RISE Educator Award winners to support these teachers in their endeavours to create a positive impact on Malaysia’s education ecosystem in ensuring quality education for all children in the nation. “As an education institution, we believe that we play a pivotal role in supporting various stakeholders with the country’s nation-building agenda especially in ensuring equitable and quality access to education for all students. To this, Taylor’s College is committed to optimising and supporting the nation’s education ecosystem to build better infrastructure and facilities for their schools,” said Josephine Tan, Taylor’s College Campus Director. She further shared that the RISE Educator Award, which is an initiative under The Risers’ ‘Engage, Equip and Empower’ movement, is aligned with the institution’s mission to be the best university in the world. “We will continue with our focus to build positive school culture, community, and identity by promoting positive values, skills, and knowledge outlined in the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to receive a quality education, and it is through the efforts of our exceptional teachers that we can make this a reality. That’s why we are committed to supporting and celebrating these dedicated educators through the RISE Educator Award and offering them the necessities they need to support their endeavours.” Last year’s RISE Educator of the Year winner, Cikgu Hazeem Azemi, made an outstanding contribution to education by bridging the digital knowledge divide between rural and urban students. As a teacher in a rural school, Cikgu Hazeem observed the disparity and took action to create SMK Kuala Krau’s OKU Multimedia Studio, the first multimedia studio in Malaysia specifically designed for specially-abled and Orang Asli students. The lab, equipped with gaming chairs and tables, computers, and accessories, provides a fun and motivating environment for students to learn essential IT skills such as video and photo editing, gaming-based learning, and broadcasting. Cikgu Hazeem’s innovative approach to education showcases his commitment to quality education for all and has inspired other educators to follow in his footsteps. The award recognises inspiring educators with the RISE Educator Award where the public can nominate the most inspiring story of teachers in national, private and international pre-, primary and secondary schools in the nation. Five finalists will be chosen from the entries and have their stories posted up on Taylor’s College and Taylor’s University social media platforms, for the public to vote for the winners. The teacher of the winning entry will walk away with RM2,000 while the nominator will also take home RM500 in cash prize. The award’s panel of judges will choose the grand champion for the RISE Educator of the Year title – where the winner will be awarded RM5,000 for the teacher and RM500 for the nominator. Winners of the RISE Educator Award will be announced in May in celebration of the country’s national Teacher’s Day. Rewarding educators who inspire For more information, scan the QR CODE to visit the Taylor’s College website
KLCI 1,421.83 STI 3,132.37 HANG SENG 19,695.97 376.05 SCI 3,268.70 38.62 NIKKEI 27,832.96 35.90 TSEC 15,560.49 34.29 KOSPI 2,410.60 S&P/ASX200 7,108.80 16.01 TUESDAY MARCH 14, 2023 Editorial Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] Advertising Tel: 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] 5 MOST ACTIVES March 13, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (sen) +/– (sen) SAPNRG 29,871,400 5.0 0.5 BSLCORP 16,037,700 6.0 -7.5 MYEG 12,454,000 77.0 4.0 HSI-HKO 74,690,100 32.0 -11.0 HONGSENG 69,689,200 14.0 -0.5 EXCHANGERATES MARCH 13, 2023 Foreign currency Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy TT/OD TT OD 1 US DOLLAR 4.5810 4.4470 4.4370 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 3.0450 2.9210 2.9050 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 3.3860 3.2840 3.2760 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.3160 3.2230 3.2110 1 EURO 4.8910 4.7280 4.7080 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.8250 2.7170 2.7010 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 3.3860 3.2840 3.2760 1 STERLING POUND 5.5390 5.3640 5.3440 1 SWISS FRANC 4.9690 4.8540 4.8390 100 UAE DIRHAM 125.8300 119.1800 118.9800 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 4.4030 4.1260 3.9260 100 CHINESE RENMINBI 66.3000 63.7000 N/A 100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 58.8200 55.8400 55.6400 100 INDIAN RUPEE 5.6700 5.3100 5.1100 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0306 0.0277 0.0227 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.4060 3.2990 3.2890 100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR 16.0000 N/A N/A 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 1.6900 1.5700 1.3700 100 QATAR RIYAL 126.2400 119.8400 119.6400 100 SAUDI RIYAL 122.9500 116.7200 116.5200 100 SOUTH AFRICA RAND 25.9700 23.4400 23.2400 100 THAI BAHT 13.7900 12.2200 11.8200 Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama KL MARKET SUMMARY March 13, 2023 INDICES CHANGE FBMEMAS 10,375.40 -74.59 FBMKLCI 1,421.83 -11.25 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 571.97 -0.57 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 172.57 -0.36 CONSTRUCTION 160.10 -1.06 FINANCIAL SERVICES 15,720.30 -244.50 ENERGY 852.83 -4.42 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 598.69 -7.00 HEALTH CARE 1,605.03 -13.44 TRANSPORTATION 920.04 -12.20 PROPERTY 682.52 -2.31 PLANTATION 6,792.33 +29.56 FBMSHA 10,649.90 -23.02 FBMACE 5,299.06 -28.73 TECHNOLOGY 61.97 -0.45 TURNOVER VALUE 3.498 BIL RM2.152 BIL 5 TOP GAINERS March 13, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM NESTLE 60,800 135.60 +1.10 F&N 515,900 26.16 +0.80 RAPID 6,000 17.26 +0.46 MPI 253,800 28.60 +0.40 YNHPROP 26,100 4.85 +0.30 5 TOP LOSERS March 13, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM AEONCR 151,800 11.28 -0.36 DLADY 11,000 26.74 -0.36 CFM-WA 6,355,600 0.415 -0.29 DIALOG-C96 4,000,100 0.08 -0.26 D&O 2,703,900 4.25 -0.23 11.25 45.06 311.01 Petronas records 55% jump in Q4 profit after tax KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas)’s profit after tax (PAT) increased 55.2% to RM24.4 billion in the fourth quarter ended compared with RM15.7 billion for its corresponding quarter in the previous year, in tandem with improved earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (ebitda) partially negated by higher taxation in line with higher profit. Revenue rose 38% to RM105.9 billion compared with RM76.6 billion for the same quarter last year, predominantly contributed by favourable price impact for all products and higher sales volume. For its full financial year, PAT increased to RM101.6 billion from RM50.9 billion in FY21, on the back of higher ebitda. Its revenue surged 51% to RM375.3 billion compared with RM248 billion for the same period, mainly due to the favourable price impact for all products aligned with higher benchmark prices. The group recorded ebitda of RM40.6 billion, improved by RM12.5 billion or 44% in line with higher revenue partially offset by higher product costs, cash payments and operating expenditure. Its dividend to the government stood at RM50 billion, with tax payments of RM30.9 billion and petroleum cash payment of RM11.7 billion. Its cash flows from operating activities increased to RM135.3 billion from RM78.5 billion in FY21. Executive vice-president and group CFO Liza Mustapha said that it is the strongest financial year posted in its recorded history, mainly driven by the profit registered this year. “Yes, its a combination of prices being favourable and also the ability to manage cost. (Its strong performance is mainly on the) profits and revenue but mostly on the profits side,” she said during its Q4 and FY22 financial results announcement press conference yesterday at Petronas Twin Tower, here. For FY22, the company’s capex increased 65% to RM50.1 billion from RM30.4 billion in FY21, with 75% accounted towards its core business while, 25% went towards its energy transition and decarbonisation efforts. Amidst the continued volatility of the energy market and the country’s energy transition, Liza said that the company remained steadfast in strengthening its portfolio through strict capital discipline. Meanwhile, president and group CEO Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik said in terms of outlook, he expects that the oil and gas industry could potentially see prices moderating in 2023 given an anticipated economic slowdown, even as it contends with prolonged market volatility. “In this environment, Petronas will continue to drive operational excellence in its core business while it pursues its growth and sustainability targets,” he said. – by Gloria Harry Beatty BCorp appoints new independent non-executive director KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Corporation Bhd (BCorp) announced the appointment of Nor Afida Abdul Ali as independent non-executive director to its all-female board of directors line-up, effective yesterday. Commenting on the appointment, BCorp chairman Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim Ismail said “On behalf of the board, I am pleased to welcome Nor Afida to the board of BCorp. Her extensive experience in the fields of commercial finance, financial planning & analysis, and treasury will be of value to the group. We look forward to working closely together to create long term sustainable value for our shareholders and wider stakeholders.” Nor Afida is currently the head of corporate services department at Hibiscus Oil & Gas Malaysia Ltd (formerly known as KPMG joins MDEC initiative to nurture M’sian unicorns CYBERJAYA: The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has partnered with KPMG Malaysia to accelerate its Founders Centre of Excellence (FOX) programme, which aims to nurture five Malaysian unicorns by 2025, get 10 of them listed on the exchange, and drive the digital economy in establishing Malaysia as the digital hub of Asean. KPMG’s involvement in the programme is to provide consulting and advisory support covering areas such as market insights, technology updates, risk management, governance, and regulatory compliance. KPMG’s management consulting (IT oFirm to provide consulting and advisory support for Founders Centre of Excellence scheme █ BY HAYATUN RAZAK [email protected] enabled transformation) executive director Alvin Gan Seng Heng said that there is tremendous potential for local startups to grow beyond the country’s borders and make their mark on the global map, starting with an innovative idea introduced at the right time to the right markets. “Malaysia as a nation has all the right ingredients for technology companies to grow, supported by modern infrastructure, progressive policies for business, and a skilled workforce,” he said at the event yesterday. Referring to Malaysia’s strong content creation and consumption culture and its proximity to financial hubs like Singapore, he said that these areas have sparked a lot of growth for local startup companies. However, he also noted that talent is still a key challenge for many startups, along with how to scale up and export their services beyond the border. “From our study in Malaysia, most of the companies with potential come from the fintech and payment space at the moment,” he shared. MDEC’s digital export senior vicepresident Gopi Ganesalingam said that it is looking at nine tech sectors including digital health, digital finance, Islamic digital economy, digital agriculture, digital content, digital trade, digital cities, and digital health, supported by tech enablers mostly from the 4IR technology. “The promoted sectors are fixed, but the technology enabler is fluid, because technology changes so fast. Any company involved in either the promoted sector or the tech sector would qualify. We have more than 400 to 500 companies that we are watching, and the number is growing fast,” he added. The FOX programme is an intervention initiative designed to provide support for 20 selected companies that have shown highspeed growth and the potential to become the next unicorn. It is in line with the Malaysia Digital programme, an initiative to accelerate the growth of the nation’s digital economy. The criteria of the FOX programme include privately held in Malaysia and have demonstrated a strong growth track record measured by having revenue above RM20 million or raised Series A or have a strong 3- year growth track record. Repsol Oil & Gas Malaysia Ltd). She has over 23 years of industry experience, mostly in the oil and gas industry. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Finance from University of Warwick, UK. She is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA). Following the new appointment, the members of the all-female board of directors of BCorp are: 0 Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim Ismail – non-independent nonexecutive chairman 0 Vivienne Cheng Chi Fan – joint group CEO/executive director 0 Nerine Tan Sheik Ping – joint group CEO/executive director 0 Norlela Baharudin – executive director 0 Chryseis Tan Sheik Ling – executive director 0 Dr Jayanti Naidu G. Danasamy – independent non-executive director 0 Penelope Gan Paik Ling – independent non-executive director 0 Datuk Leong Kwei Chun (Datuk Anne Eu) – independent non-executive director 0 Nor Afida Abdul Ali – independent nonexecutive director Participation 44.1 28.8 27.1 100.0 Institutions Retail Foreign Bought RM m 960.7 614.8 577.1 2152.6 Sold RM m 937.2 626.5 588.9 2152.6 Net RM m 23.5 -11.7 -11.8 0 % Preliminary stats (excluding trade amendments). For final data, please refer to www.bursamalaysia.com Source: Bursa Malaysia A Participating Organisation of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad A Trading Participant of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad S E C U R I T I E S S D N. B H D. 197201001092 (12738-U) 13/03/2023
12 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 SUNBIZ Sompo’s foundation grants RM32,000 to Seven Tea One KUALA LUMPUR: The Sompo Welfare Foundation presented a cheque amounting to RM32,000 to Seven Tea One Sdn Bhd. Seven Tea One is among the four recipients of the foundation’s FY2022 International Social Welfare Grant outside Japan. This is the tenth time Malaysia is receiving international grant support from the Sompo Welfare Foundation. Berjaya Sompo Insurance, the Malaysian operating entity and From left (front seated): Berjaya Sompo Insurance CEO Tan Sek Kee, Seven Tea One owner Lai Chong Haur, and Berjaya Sompo deputy CEO Tsuyoshi Seto during the cheque presentation ceremony. oFund will be used to set up a halal-certified production centre; social enterprise to continue employing and training speciallyabled individuals part of Sompo Holdings (Asia) Pte Ltd, recommended Seven Tea One to be one of the grant recipients for communities,” he added. Tan presented the RM32,000 mock cheque to Seven Tea One Sdn Bhd owner Lai Chong Haur. In his acceptance speech, Lai said, “It is an honour to be selected as one of the recipients of the Sompo Welfare Foundation Social Welfare Grant, which will go into expanding our business and equipping the production centre. In the coming year, we intend to provide more job opportunities to differently-abled and single mothers from the B40 group. Hence, we are grateful to receive the grant as it helps us further increase the business capital and grow our impact.” Currently, Seven Tea One employs six individuals with disabilities and provides training for 15 specially-abled trainees at their vocational training centre. They envision extending their impact to enable more individuals with disabilities to receive training and support for employment. With the growing consumer market of herbal infusion drinks, Seven Tea One looks to penetrate the halal food and beverage industry to enable more consumers to purchase their products and contribute to their cause. The Sompo Group boasts a global business network which include 218 cities in 30 countries and regions, including Europe, the Middle East, North America, Central and South America, Asia, Oceania and Africa. their continuous effort towards programmes aimed at equipping individuals with disabilities with skill sets that will improve their employability opportunities. The grant from the foundation will fund the setting up of a halalcertified production centre which will help Seven Tea One increase its market growth to supply halalcertified healthy infusion herbal blends for a growing community seeking natural, wellness and halal-friendly beverages. Berjaya Sompo CEO Tan Sek Kee said, “At Berjaya Sompo, we actively strive towards being a diverse and inclusive society. We are honoured to support Seven Tea One in their mission to provide vocational training and employment space for individuals with disabilities.” “We are encouraged to see Seven Tea One’s efforts in making the company production line sustainable through developing their infusion herbal blends market and training centre. We are confident that they will achieve their vision to produce socially responsible products and foster inclusivity in the RHB unveils green financing scheme for SME KUALAS LUMPUR: RHB Banking Group continues to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices amongst small and medium enterprises (SME) by introducing the RHB Green Financing Scheme. Through this, the group targets to extend a total of RM1.5 billion in sustainable financing to businesses, particularly SME by 2024. The RHB Green Financing Scheme forms part of the group’s existing Sustainable Financing Programme, which focuses on green product offerings comprising five financing schemes. The available financing facilities allow access to working capital of up to RM10 million with a repayment period of up to 10 years at preferential rates. This includes the SME Green Renewable Energy Financing, SME Green Construction Financing, SME Green Commercial Property Financing, SME Green Working Capital Financing and SME Green Capex Financing facilities. RHB Banking Group, group community banking managing director Jeffrey Ng said, “Our goals under this programme include raising awareness and to educate SME on the importance of adopting greener practices, and the financial and non-financial benefits it will bring to their businesses. The RHB Green Financing Scheme is designed to suit a wide range of business segments, with greater focus on SME, to facilitate their transition to low-carbon operations in line with global standards and best practices.” He added that they target to extend RM1.5 billion in sustainable financing to SME via this financing scheme by 2024 and this includes financing for renewable energy, construction, management and maintenance of green buildings, the manufacturing of biodegradable and eco-friendly products from recycled materials, as well as improved efficiency to reduce waste. The RHB Green Financing Scheme enables SME to tap into the Low Carbon Transition Facility initiative by Bank Negara Malaysia. KCI Metro Link to help Sri Lanka in oil palm cultivation, export KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian/Korean Joint Organisation, KCI Metro Link Sdn Bhd, has initiated a proposal for the cultivation of 15,000 acres of oil palm plantation and export in northern Sri Lanka. This move was mooted and initiated by Dr Parimalam Micheal to the Minister of Plantation and Industries Dr Ramesh Pathirana. That said, on March 7, the Letter of Commitment and Consideration was handed to Parimalam of KCI Metro Link Sdn Bhd from the coordinating secretary of the Minister of Plantation & Industries Wijayasundara Mudiyanselage in the presence of High Commissioner & Trade Commissioner Sumangala Dias of Democratic Socialist Republic (DSR) of Sri Lanka. This initiative was to meet with the President of the DSR of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe to advise the World Bank on Humanitarian Loan Scheme to support this venture and the possibility of tapping the buy-back contract of the products from this cultivation to the Indian market. The World Bank involvement through subsides such as the proposed above initiatives, will be a positive impact and benefit in the areas of employment, infrastructure & livelihood of the people of DSR Sri Lanka, acknowledging the initiative of the Ministry of Plantation & Industries. Contaminants of water canals and environment impact, caused by discharge smokes from the operating mills will also be reduced to the lowest level, where the cultivation of oil palm industry takes place, will be protected from the above, by recent technology from Malaysia, Korea and Japan. This collaboration between DSR Sri Lanka and KCI Metro Link will foster a unique working relationship that would envisage a growing & positive trend of coming out of the economic woes, betterment & positive impact and investments for the people in DSR Sri Lanka. Cagamas concludes sukuk issuances worth RM715m KUALA LUMPUR: Cagamas Bhd, the National Mortgage Corporation of Malaysia, announced the successful conclusion of a combined RM715 million worth of issuances, comprising 1-year Variable Rate Notes (VRN), 3-year Islamic Medium Term Notes (IMTN) and 5-year IMTN. Proceeds from the issuances will be used to fund house financing from the domestic financial system. “The 3-year and 5-year IMTNs were successfully concluded via book building exercises which allowed the company to achieve a final book-to-cover ratio of 2.0 times and 5.0 times respectively, with participation from a diversified pool of investors including corporates, insurers, financial institutions and a sovereign fund. “The issuances bring the total funds raised for the year to RM2.74 billion,” said president/CEO Datuk Chung Chee Leong. The papers will be redeemed at their full nominal value upon maturity, are unsecured obligations of the company, ranking pari passu with all other existing unsecured obligations of the company. Cagamas is the second largest issuer of debt instruments after the Malaysian government and the largest issuer of AAA corporate bonds and sukuk in the market. BAuto posts higher Q3 pre-tax profit of RM115.5m, declares 4.5 sen dividend KUALA LUMPUR: Bermaz Auto Berhad (BAuto) reported higher group revenue and pre-tax profit of RM976 million and RM115.5 million respectively for the third quarter ended Jan 31 2023 compared with the preceding year’s corresponding quarter which saw group revenue and pre-tax profit of RM623.1 million and RM55.1 million respectively. Higher group revenue of RM352.9 million or 56.6% was achieved mainly due to the continued fulfilment of the substantial backorders received for the group’s domestic operations prior to the expiry of the sales tax exemption incentive in June 2022. In line with the increase in revenue, the group’s pre-tax profit improved by RM60.4 million or 109.6% compared with the preceding year’s corresponding quarter. Gross margin for its Mazda domestic operations had improved due to the change in composition of sales mix and the appreciation of the MYR against JPY. Likewise, contribution from its associated company, Mazda Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MMSB), had improved in line with the higher sales volume in both the domestic and export markets. The group has also accounted for its Employees’ Share Scheme expense of about RM0.4 million in the current quarter under review which is similar to RM0.4 million in the preceding year corresponding quarter. For the nine-month period, the group reported higher revenue and pre-tax profit of RM2.48 billion and RM281.7 million respectively compared with revenue and pre-tax profit of RM1.43 billion and RM103.1 million respectively in the corresponding period of the preceding year. Higher group revenue of RM1.05 billion or 73.4% was achieved mainly due to the continued fulfilment of the substantial backorders received prior to June 30, 2022 for the group’s domestic operations. Preceding year’s corresponding period results were adversely impacted during the first quarter of the financial year 2022 when Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan was imposed in June and July 2021. Sales gradually improved when the country moved from Phase 1 to Phase 4 of the NRP in October 2021. Similarly, the group’s pre-tax profit had also improved by RM178.6 million or 173.1% compared to the preceding year corresponding period largely due to increase in the overall sales volume from the group’s domestic operations, better gross margin for its Mazda domestic operations, the appreciation of the MYR against JPY and higher share of results from MMSB. The board has approved and declared a third interim dividend of 4.50 sen single-tier dividend per share in respect of financial year ending April 30, 2023 (preceding year’s corresponding quarter ended Jan 31, 2022: 2.25 sen single-tier dividend per share). The entitlement date has been fixed on April 18, 2023 and payable on May 5, 2023. This will bring the total dividend declared for the financial period ended Jan 31, 2023 to 11 sen singletier dividend per share (previous financial period ended Jan 31, 2022: 4.25 sen single-tier dividend per share).
13 * SUNBIZ theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 Pengerang Energy Complex signs US$102b deals with partners SINGAPORE: Pengerang Energy Complex Sdn Bhd has signed key agreements with several blue-chip partners for the upcoming Pengerang Energy Complex (PEC), located within the dedicated Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC) in Johor. The strategic feedstock supply and product offtake agreement signings with energy majors Chevron and Equinor, Thai national oil company PTT, and marquee trading house Mitsui & Co. Ltd are worth a total of US$102 billion (RM457.5 billion) and together will support the full needs of PEC for its initial 12 years of operation. Pengerang Energy Complex Sdn Bhd CEO Alwyn Bowden said: “When it enters into operation in late 2026 the PEC Project will deliver the lowest carbon footprint per tonne of Paraxylene produced of any such facility globally, thereby delivering Industry pacesetting benchmarks, and allowing PEC to ‘start with the future’. It is against this background that we are especially pleased to successfully conclude negotiations on feedstock supply and off-take with our like-minded and forwardthinking partners, who together will form the cornerstone of PEC operations. These key agreement signings also signal the strong confidence that our various stakeholders have in the project and are set to be a catalyst for further exciting announcements and progress updates in the coming months.” PEC forecasts an annual export turnover of US$5 billion, propelling Malaysia further up the value chain in the petrochemical sector. With strong regional demand for fuels and downstream petrochemicals products, PEC’s hydrogen output holds potential for further downstream investments which will enable green initiatives such as Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), Biodiesel and other Biofuels. PEC, which is being developed by ChemOne Group, a leading energy and petrochemicals project developer based in Singapore, along with its strategic partners, has been designed to optimise energy efficiency, minimise equipment requirements, and significantly reduce carbon footprint and has been developed in line with International Financial Corporation’s (IFC) performance standards and Equator Principles 4. Once completed, the US$4.5 billion PEC facility is set to be one of the largest and most competitive as well as energy and resource efficient aromatics complexes in the world. UMW Group maintains strong auto sales momentum in February KUALA LUMPUR: The UMW Group’s automotive sales maintained their strong momentum in February with the delivery of 34,233 vehicles, 44% higher than the 23,853 units registered in the same month last year, as UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) and UMW’s associate company, Perodua, continued to fulfil its encouraging outstanding bookings. UMWT’s sales surged to 9,297 units in February 2023, 45% higher than the 6,432 units delivered in February 2022. It was also 37% higher than the 6,786 units registered in January 2023. For the first two months of 2023, UMWT registered 16,083 units, a 15% growth compared with the 13,960 units registered in the corresponding period of 2022. UMWT expects demand and sales to be sustained throughout the year, supported by the introduction of new and facelift models. On Feb 17, 2023, UMWT launched the GR Supra, GR 86, GR Corolla, Corolla Cross GR Sport as well as the Hilux GR Sport. To strengthen its market position, UMWT started taking orders for the all-new Toyota Vios on Feb 24, Perodua’s sales continued on an upward trajectory in February 2023 with the delivery of 24,936 units, 43% higher than the 17,421 units registered in February 2022 as well as 16% higher than the 21,449 units in January 2023. For the first two months of 2023, Perodua delivered 46,385 units, a 33% growth compared with the 34,865 units registered in the corresponding period of 2022. With the improving demand, Perodua has set a higher sales target of 314,000 units for 2023, a 11% growth compared with 2022. The higher sales will be driven by the all-new 2023 Perodua Axia that was launched on Feb 14, 2023. Wholesale, retail trade sales in January up 12.4% year-on-year KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade grew 12.4% year-on-year (y-o-y) in January to record monthly sales value of RM135.1 billion, according to Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin. He said the increase was attributed to the retail trade sub-sector, which recorded a jump of RM10.6 billion or 21.7% y-o-y to RM59.6 billion. Motor vehicles expanded by 20.1% y-o-y or RM2.5 billion to RM15.2 billion while wholesale trade went up 3.1% y-o-y or RM1.8 billion to RM60.4 billion. “However, for month-on-month (m-o-m) comparison, sales value of wholesale and retail trade declined 1.6%, mainly contributed by the motor vehicles sub-sector which decreased 13.4%,” he said in a statement yesterday. Mohd Uzir said the retail trade sub-sector growth of 21.7% in January was supported by retail sales in non-specialised stores which grew 24.6% or RM4.5 billion to RM22.7 billion. For m-o-m comparison, sales of this sub-sector went up 0.2%. He added the 20.1% growth in the motor vehicles sub-sector was attributed to sales of motor vehicles, which increased 25% or RM1.5 billion to RM7.7 billion. For wholesale trade sub-sector, the increase of 3.1% was attributed to the wholesale of household goods, which registered an increase of RM1 billion or 8.6% to RM12.8 billion. – Bernama Malaysia’s January IPI growth moderates to 1.8% PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s Industrial Production Index (IPI) moderated to 1.8% in January, weighed down by slower output growth in the manufacturing sector, according to the Department of Statistics, Malaysia (DoSM) report released yesterday. The publication presents IPI statistics, consisting of three sectors namely mining, manufacturing and electricity. According to the Chief Statistician Malaysia, Datuk Sri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, “The positive growth of IPI continued in January 2023, albeit at a more moderate rate of 1.8% as against 2.8% recorded in the preceding month. The moderation in industrial production was attributable to lower output growth in the manufacturing sector during the month which was 1.3% (December 2022: 3.0%) as well as a decline of the electricity output by 4.3% (December 2022: -2.2%). Meanwhile, mining production expanded by 5.9% as compared to 3.9% in December 2022. The year-on-year growth of IPI for January was also the lowest recorded since August 2021. In a month-on-month comparison, the IPI decreased further by 2.3%, after registering a marginal decline of 0.6% in the previous month.” Mohd Uzir said the lower output growth in the manufacturing sector was weighed down by the export-oriented industries which grew 0.6%, down from 2.7% in the previous month. He added that while the production of the manufacture of computer, electronics & optical products was the largest contributor to the manufacturing sector, the output growth diminished to 0.8% (December 2022: 7.6%), in line with the slower momentum of the external trade sector and declining trend in global semiconductor industry during the month. In the meantime, he said, rapid expansion was observed in the manufacture of coke & refined petroleum products with the output growth of 11.0% and in the manufacture of vegetable & animal oils and fats with 8.3%. The production of domestic-oriented industries which contributed to one-third of the manufacturing output, grew by 2.7% in January (December 2022: 3.8%), said Mohd Uzir, adding that the increase was propelled oIndustrial production weighed down by slower output increase in manufacturing sector by the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers & semi-trailers which accelerated by 12.2% (December 2022: 11.8%). He said the output growth was positive in almost all domestic-oriented industries products except for the manufacture of beverages; and the manufacture of basic metals which posted declines during the month. In comparison with the preceding month, the manufacturing output declined further by 3.3% after registering a decrease of 1.2% a month earlier. Commenting on the mining sector’s performance, Mohd Uzir said, “The expansion of 5.9% in the output of the mining sector was bolstered by the strong growth of 8.0% in the crude oil & condensate index (December 2022: 4.2%) and 4.5% in the natural gas index (December 2022: 3.7%). Compared with December 2022, the mining index grew by 1.7% as against 1.1% growth recorded in the previous month.” In the meantime, the electricity index posted a decline for two consecutive months to record a negative 4.3% in January after recording a fall of 2.2% last month. Month-onmonth, the electricity index shrank by 3.4% as against the positive growth of 0.9% recorded in December 2022. The government has declared National Statistics Day (MyStats Day) on Oct 20 each year. MyStats Day theme is “Connecting the World with Data We Can Trust” Hong Leong Bank’s new data centre gets top green certification KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Bank’s new data centre received a Titanium+ Tier recognition from the Green Climate Initiative (GCI), an industry-leading green technology accreditation organisation. With this accreditation, the bank’s data centre is officially a Certified Green Computing Facility and is the only facility in Malaysia to achieve the prestigious Titanium+ ranking by scoring 99 points out of 100 in the Certified Green Computing Facility Weighted Scorecard. This accreditation, which was presented at the Huawei Malaysia Digital Power Summit 2023, comes as the bank continues to execute its strategic environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, working towards its goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. In recent years, the bank has gradually embedded ESG considerations throughout its business operations by implementing sustainability and environmental frameworks. The bank’s new data centre, which uses open-source, latest data governance architecture to enable real-time data processing, data mining, and in-depth analysis, was developed in line with the bank’s overall ESG framework. HLB group managing director and CEO Domenic Fuda said: “We take both a shortterm, as well as, a long-term view when it comes to addressing climate change by being steadfast in incorporating sustainability actions and policies into our daily operations and strategic initiatives. These initiatives and actions throughout our business are designed Hong Leong Bank chief technology officer William Streitberg receiving the Titanium+ Tier Certification from Green Climate Initiative’s Avis Tan, head of sustainability committee (Asia & Middle East), witnessed by Huawei Enterprise Business Group financial services industry director GT Tan. to create a positive impact across our customers, community and the environment, whether it’s in business enablers like a data centre or through our products and services,” Operationally, HLB has set the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15% to 25% by 2026, achieving net zero Scope 1 and 2 by 2030 and being carbon neutral by 2050. Huawei Malaysia digital power business group vice-president, Chong Chern Peng said, “We are grateful that our customer Hong Leong Bank has received this certification and recognition for Huawei’s Data Centre Facility. In the pursuit of next-generation data centres, technological innovation will be a key force in ensuring sustainable development.”
14 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 SUNBIZ /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM SCAN ME LONDON: HSBC bought the UK arm of Silicon Valley Bank for a symbolic £1 (RM5.42) yesterday, rescuing a key lender for technology startups in Britain, as the biggest bank collapse since the financial crash continued to roil markets. The deal, which sees one of the world’s biggest banks, with US$2.9 trillion (RM13 trillion) of assets, take the doomed British arm of the tech lender under its wing, brought to an end frantic weekend talks between the government, regulators, and prospective buyers. It came after US authorities moved on Sunday to shore up deposits and try to stem any wider contagion from the sudden collapse of its parent Silicon Valley Bank. But a global rout in stocks continued yesterday, with European banks shedding as much as 6% on the day. That left them on track for their worst two-day drop since the Ukraine war began in February 2022. HSBC shares were down 3.8%. The rescue of SVB UK was welcomed by British government ministers, regulators and technology startups, who said customers would be able to bank as normal. “HSBC is Europe’s largest bank, and SVB UK customers should feel reassured by the strength, safety and security that brings them,” Britain’s finance minister Jeremy Hunt said. “We were faced with a situation where we could have seen some of our most important companies - our most strategic companies - wiped out, and that would have been extremely dangerous,” Hunt told reporters. Asked about HSBC’s white-knight role, Hunt said his priority had been to avoid using British taxpayers’ money. The Bank of England said it had organised the sale to underpin confidence in the financial system and minimise any fallout for British technology firms. It said deposits at the bank were safe as a result of the sale, and that the wider banking system was safe. “On the face of it appears a good deal,” Richard Marwood, senior fund manager and HSBC investor at Royal London Asset Management, said. “SVB lacked liquidity and depositor confidence – HSBC has both of those in spades.” SVB UK is ringfenced from the US group, and HSBC said the assets and liabilities of the parent company were excluded from the transaction. “This acquisition makes excellent strategic sense for our business in the UK,” HSBC CEO Noel Quinn said in a statement. SVB UK has loans of around £5.5 billion and deposits of around £6.7 billion, HSBC said, adding the takeover completes immediately. The Bank of England said SVB UK had a total balance sheet size of around £8.8 billion. Unlike the United States, Britain has not announced broader liquidity measures for the banking system. Industry bodies representing startups welcomed the takeover deal for shielding them from financial turmoil, including the biotech sector where about 40% of companies banked with SVB UK. – Reuters A giant screen displays a live broadcast of Li speaking at a news conference following the closing session of China’s parliament in Beijing yesterday. – REUTERSPIC Employers warn EU to cut costs or see businesses flee BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) must urgently lower energy prices and ease regulations to stop industry fleeing the continent, European businesses said yesterday, as Brussels prepares plans to stimulate the green economy. The EU is racing to make Europe more attractive for the companies that could be tempted by massive US and Chinese subsidies and lower energy costs. This week the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, will present plans to reform Europe’s electricity market, to boost the green transition and guarantee the supply of critical raw materials. But BusinessEurope, the EU’s main business lobby group, said Brussels’ efforts were insufficient and too slow. “The risk of deindustrialisation in Europe is real,” warned Markus Beyrer, director-general of BusinessEurope. Many companies are already “partially or totally relocating their production outside Europe,” said BusinessEurope, which represents employers’ associations from 35 countries. The commission last Thursday loosened state aid rules for companies in sectors that help reduce carbon emissions as part of its response to subsidies offered elsewhere. BusinessEurope however called for more action including cutting taxes on energy and keeping them low to reduce businesses’ bills. “Policymakers should not be fooled by ... declining energy prices,” Beyrer said, adding: “They will remain higher than for our main competitors.” The business lobby might be expected to demand cost cuts but some real world impact of the problem has already been seen. Beyrer also pointed to tougher regulation as their top problem after high energy prices, according to a recent survey of its members. “For 2023 alone, the European Commission plans to table 43 new policy initiatives on top of already 116 pending proposals ... an increasing number without a proper impact assessment.” The “regulatory burden” pushes companies and investments away from the continent and “harms Europe” as a place to do business, he warned. – AFP HSBC rescues UK arm of stricken Silicon Valley Bank oAcquisition of key lender to tech sector for symbolic £1 welcomed by government ministers, regulators, startups US acts to shore up banking system confidence WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE: US authorities have launched emergency measures to shore up confidence in the banking system after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank threatened to trigger a broader financial crisis. After a dramatic weekend, regulators said the failed bank’s customers will have access to all their deposits starting yesterday and set up a new facility to give banks access to emergency funds. The Federal Reserve (Fed) also made it easier for banks to borrow from it in emergencies. The US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said yesterday it had transferred all deposits of Silicon Valley Bank to a newly created bridge bank. “We think the steps taken by the Fed, Treasury and (the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp) will decisively break the psychological ‘doom loop’ across the regional banking sector,” said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at Corpay in Toronto. “But, fairly or not, the episode will contribute to higher levels of background volatility, with investors watching warily for other cracks to emerge as the Fed’s policy tightening continues.” Regulators also moved swiftly to close New York’s Signature Bank, which had come under pressure in recent days. In Singapore, the central bank said yesterday Singapore’s banking system has insignificant exposure to failed banks in the United States. Banks in Singapore are well capitalised and conduct regular stress tests against interest rate and other risks, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said in a statement. MAS is in close touch with local authorities to assess any potential impact on Singapore startups. – Reuters China’s new premier says ‘no easy task’ to hit growth target BEIJING: China’s new Premier Li Qiang warned yesterday it would be “no easy task” for the country to hit its annual growth target, already one of Beijing’s lowest in decades. “I’m afraid that reaching our growth target of around 5% will be no easy task, and will require that we redouble our efforts,” he said at a press conference in the Chinese capital. The modest figure “has been determined after a comprehensive consideration of various factors,” Li said in front of assembled domestic and international media as the annual meeting of China’s parliament drew to a close. He warned of “many new challenges” to growth, but added that he thought most people “don’t fix their sights every day” on China’s gross domestic product (GDP) figures. Instead, they care more about “specific issues close to them” such as housing, employment, income, education and health, he said. Li sought to reassure the country’s private sector, saying the environment for entrepreneurial businesses will improve and that equal treatment would be given to all types of companies. Li, the former Communist Party chief of Shanghai, was installed as premier on Saturday during the annual session of China’s parliament and is tasked with reviving the world’s second-largest economy after three years of Covid-19 curbs. At the opening of the parliamentary session, China set a GDP growth target of about 5%, its lowest goal in nearly three decades. Li said China will take measures to boost jobs and urged officials at all levels to “make friends” with entrepreneurs. “Developing the economy is the fundamental solution for creating jobs,” he said. “Private entrepreneurs or enterprises will enjoy a better environment and broader space for development ... we will create a level playing field for all kinds of market entities and we will make further efforts to support private entrepreneurs to grow and thrive,” he added. – AFP, Reuters B R I E F SUAE’S ADNOC GAS SHARES SURGE 25% IN US$2.5B IPO DUBAI: Shares in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Adnoc Gas soared 25% in opening trade yesterday in a US$2.5 billion (RM11.2 billion) initial public offering. Adnoc Gas, a subsidiary of state-owned energy giant Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), rose to 2.96 dirhams (RM3.60) from its launch price of 2.37 dirhams. Adnoc Gas, which only became operational at the start of this year, is the biggest flotation yet on the Abu Dhabi stock exchange. The final offer price of 2.37 dirhams, near the top of its range, implied a market capitalisation of around US$50 billion. – AFP CREDIT SUISSE SHARES SINK 14% TO RECORD LOW ZURICH: Credit Suisse shares plunged by more than 14% to hit a new historic low around midday yesterday, as the markets worried about European banks following the collapse of US lender SVB. Shares in Switzerland’s second biggest bank fell rapidly on the Swiss stock exchange, dropping 14.30 percent to 2.139 Swiss francs. Other European banks took a beating as well, with Germany’s Commerzbank down 12%, Spain’s Santander shedding 7.4% and the Netherlands’ ING falling 8.3%. – AFP
1 4 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 T U E S D A Y Triumph at the Oscars S URREAL sci-fi film Everything Everywhere All at Once dominated the Oscars yesterday, winning seven golden statuettes including best picture, Hollywood’s most coveted prize. The unorthodox but beloved movie – which features multiple universes, adult toys and hot dog fingers – also won best director, best actress, best original screenplay, best editing, and both the best supporting actor and actress prizes. Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh becomes the first ever Asian woman to win best actress, for her portrayal of an exhausted Chinese laundromat owner embroiled in battle with an inter-dimensional supervillain – who happens to be her daughter. “Thank you to the Academy, this is history in the making!” she said. “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime,” added the 60-year-old, whose career began decades ago with martial arts films in Hong Kong. Brendan Fraser won best actor for playing a morbidly obese teacher in The Whale, capping a remarkable career comeback. Fraser was a major action star in the late 1990s with films like The Mummy, before largely disappearing from the public view. “I started in this business 30 years ago, and things – they didn’t come easily to me,” he said. He thanked director Darren Aronofsky for “throwing me a creative lifeline and hauling me aboard the good ship The Whale.” American Dream Everything Everywhere, comfortably the night’s biggest winner, is a wordof-mouth smash hit that has grossed US$100 million (RM448.35 million) at the global box office. In a plot that is not easily described, Yeoh’s heroine Evelyn must harness the power of her alter egos living in parallel universes, which feature hot dogs as human fingers, talking rocks and giant dildos used as weapons. The film, which features a predominantly Asian cast, was directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – two young filmmakers who were previously best known for an oddball comedy about a talking corpse. Kwan thanked his “immigrant parents”, while his counterpart thanked his mother for never “squashing my creativity”, including when he had dressed in drag as a child. “Which is a threat to nobody,” he Producer Jonathan Wang speaks as the cast of Everything Everywhere look on after their best picture win. – REUTERS oEverything Everywhere All at Once conquers the Academy Awards with a near-clean sweep Acting award winners (from left) Quan, Yeoh, Fraser and Curtis. – AFO The Daniels have fun with their directing awards. – AFP All Quiet on the Western Front was named best international feature. – AFP Dancers perform best original song winner Nattu Nattu. – AFP Host Jimmy Kimmel kept the mood light. – AFP added, to enormous cheers. Vietnam-born Ke Huy Quan, 51, who was a major child star in the 1980s with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies, completed a stunning comeback from decades in the Hollywood wilderness by winning best supporting actor. “Mum, I just won an Oscar!” said a tearful Quan. “My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp. And somehow, I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage ... this is the American Dream!” Best supporting actress Jamie Lee Curtis paid tribute to her parents Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, both Oscar-nominated actors who never won. All Quiet makes noise All Quiet on the Western Front, Netflix’s German-language WWI film, finished the night in second place with four awards. It won best international feature and best cinematography early in Sunday’s ceremony. As the night progressed, it also gathered Oscars for best original score and best production design. But it ultimately could not stop the Everything Everywhere juggernaut, and lost adapted screenplay to Women Talking, and best sound to Top Gun: Maverick. Tom Cruise’s Top Gun sequel had been seen as another potential best picture contender, having helped bring audiences back to movie theatres after the pandemic. While Cruise did not attend Sunday’s ceremony, the night began with a thunderous flyover by two US Navy jets, soaring at 345 mph over the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Host Jimmy Kimmel was then lowered onto the stage, and he quickly launched into a monologue which laid into Will Smith’s infamous attack on Chris Rock at last year’s Oscars. The spectre of ‘The Slap’ has hung over the Oscars since Smith assaulted Rock on stage for cracking a joke about his wife. Smith was allowed to stay at the gala, and accept Hollywood’s top male acting prize soon after, but has since been banned from Academy events for a decade. “If anyone in this theatre commits an act of violence at any point during the show – you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor, and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech,” joked Kimmel. Plenty of entertainment In the night’s other prizes, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio won best animated film, and Avatar: The Way of Water won best visual effects. Navalny – about the imprisoned Russian dissident Alexei Navalny – won for best documentary. Dozens of dancers brought a colourful, energetic performance of Naatu Naatu, the showstopper tune from Indian crowd-pleaser RRR, which won the Oscar for best original song. Academy bosses hope that Oscars television ratings will pick up from recent years, calling in heavy hitters from the world of music to perform the other nominated songs. A dressed-down Lady Gaga sang an emotional, heartfelt rendition of her song Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick. And pregnant pop singer Rihanna – draped in diamonds, including over her baby bump – sang Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which won for best costume design. Lenny Kravitz performed the annual In Memoriam segment, which was introduced by a tearful John Tavolta, who paid tribute to his late Grease co-star Olivia NewtonJohn. – AFP
16 ENTERTAINMENT theSun LYFE ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE SCAN ME A Proud of our winner S early as 7am yesterday, family members of Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh congregated at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s Dadi Cinema, along with extended family members, friends, and guests from the entertainment industry such as Amber Chia, Sangeeta Krishnasamy and Joyce Harn. They were all there for a viewing party for the 95th Academy Awards, which was livestreamed across the world from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. From the moment the Academy Awards began, and for the next three hours or so, those in the viewing party’s audience waited with bated breath for the Best Performance by an Actress category, to be announced two awards before the Best Picture awards. Despite being there primarily for Yeoh, those in attendance also showed exuberant support for the film she was in, Everything Everywhere All at Once. The crowd cheered when the film began sweeping the awards, from Best Actress in a Supporting Role all the way to Best Directing, until the triumphant moment when Yeoh won the award for Best Performance by an Actress. In her acceptance speech, Yeoh stressed that her winning the award is a “beacon of hope and possibilities” for all “little boys and girls who look like me”. “This is proof that, dream big, and dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you [that] you are ever past your prime. Never give up,” the 60-year-old Malaysian icon said. The festive scene at the viewing party. – MARK MATHEN VICTOR/THESUN oMalaysians gather to celebrate Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar’s win █ BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR Angela Bassett in a stunning ultraviolet custom gown by Moschino. – REUTERS Datin Janet Yeoh (third from left) celebrating with well-wishers after daughter Michelle’s win. – AFP THE stars pulled out all the stops on the Academy Awards red carpet – which was a luxurious champagne colour this year – and delivered some old school glam with bright jewel colours and expertly crafted gowns and tuxedos. Here are our picks for some of the best outfits of the night which left us starstruck. Yeoh also thanked the film’s directors, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (the Daniels), the film studio A24, and the rest of the film’s cast and crew, who also won their respective awards; the Daniels won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and actor Ke Huy Quan won Best Supporting Actor, among several other awards. Towards the end of her speech, Yeoh saved the best for last, and dedicated the win to her mother, Datin Janet Yeoh, who was watching her daughter at the viewing party in KL. “This is for you. I’m bringing this home,” Yeoh said, thanking her family and those in Malaysia who supported her throughout the decades. Also present at the viewing event was Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Hajah Nancy Shukri, along with Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. Later, on behalf of her daughter, Janet accepted a token of appreciation from Shukri for her contribution to the country, as Malaysia’s first Oscar-winning actress. Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh is the nation’s first Oscar winner. – AFP Harry Shum Jr shows a twist to the standard tux with this outfit by Adeam. – AFP Stephanie Hsu is a fairy tale princess in this Valentino gown. – AFP Florence Pugh in an eyecatching voluminous Valentino & Co. dress. – AFP Rihanna shows off her baby bump in a sheer black form-fitting Alaïa dress. – AFP Cate Blanchett is elegant in a blue and black Louis Vuitton ensemble. – AFP Oscars red carpet fashion turns heads James Hong adds a touch of whimsy with googly eyes on his bowtie. – AFP
17 ENTERTAINMENT theSun LYFE ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER SCAN ME Music in his blood MA L A Y S I A N - B O R N Gabriel De Leon has music in his genes. Coming from a family of musicians in the Philippines, it was hard not to get influenced by music. His father Ronald, who once played on a cruise ship, moved from the Philippines to Penang in 1994, bringing both his family and love of music with him. Ronald then spotted Gabriel’s abilities at a young age, and later, both Gabriel and his brother Vincenzo formed a family band, which they called The De Leon Jazz Experience. The band has been playing at private events in Penang with orchestras such as the Musical Sinfonietta and the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra for years. The love of music motivated Gabriel to earn a scholarship to study at the Berklee College of Music and pursue jazz composition and music production. Currently, Gabriel is composing music for several music production libraries, as well as a video game expected to release on Steam. We recently caught up with the young freelance musician, and he revealed his aspirations to break into Hollywood and make a mark on himself in the music scene, and make Malaysians proud. Gabriel also spoke about how the recent nomination of Michelle Yeoh in the Best Actress category at the Academy Awards has been inspiring to him. Her achievement and success motivated the 23-year-old to take a bold step to go beyond the border. At what age did you begin developing a passion for music? “Since I was pretty much a toddler. My dad, a musician himself, would teach my older brother the piano at age two, and I was barely even born when he stuck me in the room to observe. It was probably when I was 14 or 15 that I started to realise my interest in composing. “My dad and music teachers were very supportive of my compositional Gabriel De Leon plays a number of different instruments. oGabriel De Leon aspires to break into the Hollywood music scene █ BY S. TAMARAI CHELVI Gabriel is both an adept musician and composer. uncles. I could either be a third or fourth generation Cristobal musician (the family on my dad’s mother’s side), and I am very proud of this lineage.” Where did you learn about composing, arranging, and producing music? “All three aspects were somewhat self-taught, at least from the start. Self research and professional feedback were necessary from my teachers and my parents. “When I started studying at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music, I had begun my studies in music production out of curiosity. I saw the importance of this knowledge and sought to do the best I could to master it. “Most of the basic skills I learned were through the syllabus, but in a way, I forced myself to practice music production pretty much every day. Now that I have both the traditional composition skills and the contemporary music programming skills under my belt, it has become a fun turnaround in my career that I never saw coming, but I am having a good time.” Tell us about the genres or music styles you have composed before. “Primarily, I used to compose mostly orchestral or symphonic music. I have also done chamber music. “Going to Berklee, I also majored Gabriel (far right) together with his family. in jazz composition, as I had never really done that before. “For about two years of my time there, I regularly composed jazz tunes and pieces, ranging from fakebookstyle tunes to big band arrangements and modern jazz from trio lineups to funk bands. Other styles would include EDM, salsa, house, and samba.” What is the hardest part when it comes to composing a song? “Getting the best melodic content Being primarily a drummer (and a non-improvising violinist), it’s definitely one of my weakest aspects. “I am definitely a harmony nerd, but I am still working really hard to get much better at writing a memorable topline.” What are your other interests? “Aside from music, I enjoy football. So much football. It’s been tough getting the time to go out and play, especially with a busy schedule teaching, composing, and performing, but I have met a group of people (also from Berklee) who regularly have a kickabout every weekend, so that is what has been keeping me most active lately. “I also like cooking, and once I settle down in Los Angeles, I will start trying new recipes.” What instruments do you play? “The drum set is my principal, and the violin is my co-principal. I have since picked up the viola, hand percussion, bass guitar, and guitar.” Who are your musical influences? “Too many. Tchaikovsky, Ludwig Goransson, my dad, Michael Giacchino. Some amazing drummers like Dave Weckl, Matt Garstka, Dafnis Prieto.” Who would you like to collaborate with in Hollywood? “More Malaysian creatives We lack representation, and that has been so important, given Michelle Yeoh’s recent awards for Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. Seeing people who look like you and have had the same struggles as you allows more people to believe that they can make it out here.” What is your ultimate goal? “Short-term goals are to score some smaller indie films and series, and write additional music for larger-scale projects. “In the long term, I hope to start a music production company that allows for future budding composers and producers like myself, provides meaningful opportunities, and teaches and shows them that exploitation of the younger workforce is not necessary for someone to break into the industry. “I also work in music production libraries, so I hope to get more hits on TV shows. Above all that, I would love to be able to maintain all of this while living a healthy lifestyle, physically and, most importantly, mentally.” endeavours and allowed us to showcase some original compositions or arrangements with the school orchestra.” Tell us about your family’s relationshop with music. “My father is originally from Las Piñas, a small town outside of Manila, the Philippines. He used to tell me that several of his uncles were musicians, and some were even stationed as far away as Hong Kong to pursue their careers as performing musicians. “He was involved in the Las Piñas Boys’ Choir, a renowned choir that toured the nation and the world, as they competed globally for trophies. Additionally, he also learned a few wind instruments from one of his
18 WELLNESS theSun LYFE ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 feeling overcommitted and worried. Be aware of your limitations You can never manage your time efficiently if you don’t know your efficiency rate, as well as what you have already promised to. Create a tenable calendar. Making a strategic calendar can help you to better organise your workload and determine how much time you have for work. Once you have committed to serving in this position, you will need to either decline new work or rework existing commitments to make room for it. Talk to someone It’s okay to get a second opinion from a third party if you are unsure if you can accept another commitment. Sometimes all it takes to clarify your response in your mind is to just talk about something while being aware that someone is paying attention to your Forced to make hard choices WOMEN face many obstacles in their working lives. Motherhood is one of them. Many female employees assert that their family responsibilities have slowed their progress in the professional sphere. More than 7,000 women from seven countries were asked about the impact of motherhood on their work in Avon’s Global Progress for Women survey, reported by Stylist magazine. A third of the women said that their family life, and more specifically childcare, has had a negative impact on their career advancement. And the underlying reason is that women often find it difficult to balance work and family responsibilities. Although many governments are extending paternity leaves in order to encourage fathers’ involvement in the home, mothers, still tend to be more involved in childcare and education in many parts of the world. This phenomenon is linked to the persistent idea of a natural maternal instinct and the idea that females are “born to be mothers”. As a result of pressure on women’s time combined with societal pressures, women often One-third of women report that their family life, in particular childcare, has hindered their career advancement. – 123RF choose to reduce or stop their professional activity when they have a child. However, more flexible approaches to how work is organised could help them to balance their family and professional lives more. While flexibility has become a key value in many companies since the Covid pandemic, the women interviewed by Avon found inequalities in practice. For example, 41% of women said it was more difficult for them to work flexibly than their male counterparts. The motherhood penalty This inequity is due to the fact that managers are often reluctant to allow mothers to work remotely, casting doubt on their commitment and mistakenly believing that women would be less focused on their tasks in their home environment. A study conducted in Germany in 2019, however, showed the opposite, establishing that women working from home spend, on average, more hours per day on their work tasks than when they are in the office. All these gender stereotypes show that women pay what sociologists call a “motherhood penalty.” This term refers to the preconception that female employees who have children are less dedicated to their work than their male counterparts. This hinders their career development prospects, as well as possibilities for promotions and salary increases. There is an urgent need for companies and governments to address these issues in order to enable women to reach their professional potential, according to Angela Cretu, CEO of Avon. “[M]any women are still experiencing barriers when it comes to freedom of choice, work and the opportunity to earn. We want to change that. Removing the barriers to economic participation that women face is crucial to help drive progress,” she told Stylist. – ETX Studio Ways to stop overcommitting NOT good. This can be better. These are just a handful of the self-talk we begin to tell ourselves when we are overcommitted, exhausted, and not obtaining the life we desire. We are doing too much for other people, which prevents us from achieving our goals. It’s time to take charge of your life and stop the cycle of overcommitting yourself. You can break this old habit, end the worry and overwhelm you have been feeling, and start enjoying life on your terms by committing to yourself first and putting the advice below into practise. Do not be hesitant to cancel If you have to cancel anything because of a conflict between business or personal obligations, don’t hesitate to do so. Inform the person you committed to by phone call or email that you are unable to keep your promise to them. You will want to delay doing this. That makes sense that way. The earlier you phone or send the email, the better. The discomfort to the other individual Carefully weight the importance of every commitment. – ALL PIXS VIA 123RF oOvercommitting yourself is one of the fastest ways you can destroy your health and success █ BYTHASHINE SELVAKUMARAN Taking on too much can be overwhelming ... it is okay to take a step back. Those who have acquired tendencies of perfectionism frequently overcommit. Being drained from having too much going on at the same time is counter productive to a happy life. increases with the length of your wait. You will benefit in the long term if cancelling enables you to reclaim control over your time. It’s also important to consider that the other person could benefit. After all, you will likely do poorly at whatever you committed yourself to if you are ideas and confirming your experiences. It’s also completely fine to learn declining a commitment with a friend so that you are more ready to say no later to someone else in the future. Make rest time top priority Today, we prioritise getting more things done in a day above relaxing. Humans are not really robots, though. The key to greater health and decision-making is to get enough sleep. Be sure to schedule the time you require for regular relaxation before accepting new obligations. This guarantees that you can fulfill the tasks that you’ve decided are crucial to your aims, objectives, and final achievement your entire attention. Create a weekly plan You will accomplish more if you start each week with a strategy for how you will use your time. The simplest method to maintain organisation and focus is to create a schedule. To somehow get your to-do list onto your calendar, set aside at least one hour each week. Pay close attention to your schedule, noting what functions and what doesn’t, and change your strategy the next week. Practice this skill frequently. Set limitations Work on setting boundaries by recognising when you are going to prioritise the demands of another person over your own, and by expressing your reluctance to do something. Having this understanding is crucial when setting boundaries. Knowing our boundaries will help us decide whether to commit to something and when not to. Don’t go into much detail. It’s fine to make your response brief and straightforward because they simply need to know whether you can or cannot accomplish anything. Focus on being straightforward and direct while eliminating any chance that you might do that thing later rather than listing all the reasons why you are unable to assist at this time. It might be challenging to manage a schedule that is overly full. Observing your actions in light of your objectives can enable you to obtain useful abilities that will help in your trustworthiness and balancemaintaining efforts.
19 EDUCATION theSun LYFE ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 Learning from the best S TAFF and student exchange is a norm at BERJAYA University College under the Erasmus + Programme. Guest lecturers from abroad are a normal sight here at BERJAYA University College. Last month, two guest lecturers from the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria Rüdiger Niemz and Werner Taurer were at BERJAYA University College’s 5-Star City Campus in Kuala Lumpur to share their knowledge and expertise with students and staff at BERJAYA UC. Much to the delight of the students, Niemz covered topics such as Introduction: Food Tourism and Gastrosophy, Culinary Communication, Food Trends and Innovation and Alpine Cuisine & European Cheese Tasting. Taurer covered topics in product development class I, lI, and Ill, and a site inspection of the Central Kitchen of Kenny Rogers Research & Development Department. Their visit is part of the BERJAYA UC-FH Salzburg ERASMUS + KA107 project. This project aims to intensify the institutional collaboration between Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria and BERJAYA University College in the field of tourism education, specifically in Culinary Tourism, Innovation and Product Development, and sustainable internationalisation-at-home. More importantly, to strengthen the quality of the tourism programmes offered by both institutions. BERJAYA University College (BERJAYA UC) is the first and only partner of Salzburg University of Applied Sciences (SUAS) in Malaysia. In 2010, both institutions signed a bilateral agreement for student and staff exchanges making this the first Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project for Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria with BERJAYA University College. This is also Salzburg University of Applied Sciences’ first and only project with an institution in Malaysia and the first project for BERJAYA University College with an institution in Austria. Through the distinct geographical, political and cultural contexts of both countries students and staff will gain an instructive educational experience at the institutional as well as individual levels. This two-way mobility allows students to study in a foreign university for 3-12 months and obtain credits which are then recognised at the sending institution as part of the higher education programme. The Erasmus+ programme also allows short-term mobility to World Class ... Guest lecturers share their knowledge and expertise with students and staff at BERJAYA UC. Rüdiger Niemz from the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences. Europe for researchers and staff for 5-60 days. Partaking in the staff exchange programme this time round is BERJAYA University College’s Professor Dr Chung Jee Fenn (Dean of the Faculty of Education and Arts cum Director of Teaching and Learning), Asst. Prof Dr Chris Ong Siew Har (Dean of Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism) and Nabila Mohd Yunus (Lecturer of School of Tourism) at BERJAYA UC). They visited Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria from Feb 27 to March 8 to teach the students about Malaysia’s culinary tourism cuisines such as Nasi Lemak, Jemput-jemput Pisang, Jagung, Teh Tarik, sauces from Nisa Gourmet and Hokkien mee as well as the etiquette of dining the Malaysian way and local food culture and spices. They also showcased Malaysian snacks such as murukku, kerepek pisang, kuih kapit and fortune cookies. Last month, two BERJAYA University College students Lee Ke Xin (Bachelor of Business Management) and Tan Suet Yong (Bachelor of Hospitality Management) flew to Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria under the student exchange programme for a semester abroad from February to July 2023. The sponsored student exchange programme is cofunded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. This coming May and June, BERJAYA University College will be welcoming exchange students Benedikt Matysek and Lisa Putzhammer from Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria to undergo an internship programme arranged by BERJAYA University College. By studying abroad, students can improve their communication, language and intercultural skills and gain soft skills highly valued by future employers. Enrol for its academic programmes today and study in a world-class learning environment.
20 EDUCATION theSun LYFE ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 management hiring market among MSU graduates. Management and Science University (MSU) is a Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a global multi-ranked institution focused on building holistic human capital. Envisioning a better, more sustainable future for all, MSU champions equality by providing a level playing field across extensive efforts in transforming lives, and enrich futures. The university’s award-winning academic programmes meet the stringent standards of local and international bodies. MSU accreditors include the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), the United Kingdom’s Accreditation Services for International Schools, Colleges & Universities (ASIC), Japan’s Alliance on Business Education and Scholarship for Tomorrow (ABEST21), the Netherland’s Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial & Engaged Universities (ACEEU), the United Kingdom’s Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) as well as Sri Lanka’s University Grant Commission (UGC). MSU currently ranks in the QS Top 100 among the world’s top young universities; QS Top 200 among Asia’s best universities; QS Top 30 among Southeast Asia’s best universities; QS Top 301+ for Graduate Employability Ranking; QS Top 601+ of the world’s best universities in the QS World University Rankings (WUR) 2023 and Times Higher Education Top 401+ for University Impact Rankings 2022. In QS WUR by Subject 2022, MSU has emerged as Malaysia’s #1 in for Subject’s Art and Design category, at World Top 151-200 list as well as places in the World’s Top 101-150 and Top 5 among Malaysia’s institutions of higher education offering Hospitality and Leisure Management programmes. Another category is Business and Management Studies, placing MSU in Malaysia’s Top 10 and World’s Top 451-500. MSU has also been awarded Platinum 5 Crowns by the ASIC; as well as QS 5-Stars Overall on the metrics of Teaching, Graduate Employability, Academic Development, Internationalization, Hospitality and Leisure Management, Online Learning, Social Responsibility and Inclusiveness. As an applied, enterprise, holistic and international university, MSU offers foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and flexible programmes through an entry system that facilitates admission of students from all walks of life, where it aims to TRANSFORM LIVES and ENRICH FUTURES. MANAGEMENT and Science University (MSU) School of Hospitality and Creative Arts (SHCA) has been presented with five more years of accreditation by the Asia Pacific Institute for Events Management (APIEM). Receiving the renewed accreditation from APIEM president Professor David Hind at the MSU main campus in Shah Alam Section 13 was MSU president Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Wira Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid. The School of Hospitality and Creative Arts (SHCA) had been the first in Malaysia to have received APIEM accreditation as an International Centre of Excellence in 2017. Offering the Diploma in Event Management and the Bachelor in Event Management (Hons) programmes, MSU was recognized as the first in Malaysia and Southeast Asia to offer a Master in International Event Management qualification. This accreditation places MSU on par with the best event management courses across the Asia Pacific region but also assures employers of a quality talent pool for the event APIEM renews MSU accreditation MSU president Professor Dr Mohd Shukri (centre) witnessed the presentation of the APIEM certificate by president Professor Hind (5th from right) to SHCA dean Azizul Jamaludin.
21 * SPORTS theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 AMERICAN Scottie Scheffler won The P l a y e r s Championship at TPC Sawgrass by five strokes yesterday to return to No. 1 in the world rankings. Scheffler ran away with the US PGA Tour showdown at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, after making five straight birdies between the eighth and 12th holes while his closest rival, Australian Min Woo Lee imploded. The defending Masters champion, who ended on 17-under 271, will replace Spain’s Jon Rahm atop the rankings on Monday. Rahm withdrew from the event due to illness. The 26-year-old from New Jersey won four events on the tour last year, including at Augusta, and now has two more already this season, having won in Phoenix last month. “I’m just trying to get a little bit better at a time, not over-think things, and fortunately to be able to see some good results and enjoy some wins and I’m very thankful,” he said. The wind might have become a factor in a closer battle but by the time he reached the testing final holes, Scheffler had wrapped things up. “It was a lot of fun. Long day, tough day,” he said. “I knew the conditions were going to get really hard late and I did a really good job of staying patient, not trying to force things, and then I got hot kind of in the middle of the round and tried to put things away as quickly as I could.” Scheffler began the day with a two-stroke lead over Lee, who immediately reduced the deficit with a birdie on the opening hole. When Scheffler bogeyed the third, the pair were in a tie for the lead but it was soon to change dramatically when Lee had a nightmare on the par4 fourth hole, where he made a triple bogey. A double bogey on the 11th, where he got in trouble in the trees, saw Lee fall totally out of contention and by then Scheffler was in his groove and moving away from the field. “It happened really quick,” said the Australian. “It’s one of those things where it’s Sunday and you just make a couple bad decisions and it all kind of falls down. “To make a seven there, it was pretty gut wrenching after I started really well.” England’s Tyrrell Hatton finished second after a sensational close with five straight birdies to complete the back nine in 29, the lowest score on the back section in a final round. Hatton ended on 12-under after his 65 with Norway’s Viktor Hovland and American Tom Hoge tied for third, a further two strokes back. – AFP IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR (COMMERCIAL DIVISION) COMPANIES WINDING-UP NO. WA-28NCC-1003-12/2022 In the matter of Section 465(1) (e) & (h) and Section 466 of the Companies Act, 2016. And In the matter of REGAL DEVELOPMENT SDN BHD. (Registration No.198901009237(186538-A)) Between REKHA A/P AWAT (NRIC NO.700827-10-6602) (Trading as a Sole Proprietor in the name of “Messrs Rekha Awat”) … Petitioner And REGAL DEVELOPMENT SDN BHD (Registration No.198901009237 (186538-A) … Respondent ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION NOTICE is hereby given that a Petition for the Winding-Up of the above-named company by the High Court was, on the 22nd day of December, 2022, presented by the above-named Petitioner, 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 15th day of August 2023; and any creditor or contributory of the said company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said Petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose; and a copy of the Petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same. The Petitioner’s address is at Suite 18-9 Menara 1MK, Kompleks 1 Mont’ Kiara, No.1, Jalan Kiara, Mont’ Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. The Petitioner’s solicitor is Messrs Thurairaj T. Kumar & Assciates, solicitors for the Petitioner abovenamed having its address for service at Suite 18-9 Menara 1MK, Kompleks 1 Mont’ Kiara, No.1, Jalan Kiara, Mont’ Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel : 03-62039759 Fax: 03-6201 3768 Ref : TTKA/5507/2019 -t.t.- ………………………………… Messrs. Thurairaj T. Kumar & Assciates. Solicitors for the Petitioner NOTE – Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Messrs. Thurairaj T. Kumar & Associates., notice in writing of his intention so to do. The notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person or firm, or his or their solicitor (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the above-named not later than twelve o’clock noon of the 14th day of August, 2023. [File ref: TTKA/5507/2019] 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF CIEL ET TERRE ENERGY SDN. BHD. (Company No. 202001022145 (1378465-K)) (In Member’s Voluntary Winding-Up) NOTICE OF RESOLUTION PURSUANT TO SECTION 439(2) OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 By way of the holding of a Member’s Meeting of the Company held at No 11, Jalan Seri Beringin 2, Seri Beringin, Bukit Damansara 50490 Kuala Lumpur on 13th day of March 2023 at 10 a.m. the following resolution was duly passed: SPECIAL RESOLUTION That the Company be wound up voluntarily and that Ms Caroline Ang Choo Bee (NRIC No. 690117-04-5036) of 113, Jalan Hujan Emas 5, Taman Bukit Indah, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, W.P. Kuala Lumpur be and is hereby appointed Liquidator for the purpose of the winding up. That the appointment of Ms Caroline Ang Choo Bee as Liquidator for the purpose of such winding up be at a fee to be mutually agreed upon and that Ms Caroline Ang Choo Bee be empowered to borrow monies and to do all such acts, deeds and things to complete the said liquidation and to exercise all the powers set out in the Eleventh Schedule of the Companies Act 2016. That the liquidator be hereby indemnified by the Company against all losses, damages, cause of action, claims, demands whatsoever, either at law or in equity, including legal fees incurred or sustained by Ms Caroline Ang Choo Bee in the execution and discharge of his duties as Liquidator and in relation thereto unless it is due to the willful misconduct, negligence and/or fraud of the Liquidator. Mathew Chandapillai A/L M M Chandapillai Director Dated : 13 March 2023 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF CIEL ET TERRE ENERGY SDN. BHD. (Company No. 202001022145 (1378465-K)) (In Member’s Voluntary Winding-Up) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the creditors of the above named Company which is being wound up voluntarily, are required on or before 20th day of February 2023 to send their names and addresses with particulars of their debts and claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the undersigned, being the Liquidator of the Company, and if so required by notice in writing by the Liquidator, either personally or by their solicitors, to come in and prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, and in default thereof, they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved. Caroline Ang Choo Bee Liquidator 113, Jalan Hujan Emas 5, Taman Bukit Indah, 58200 Kuala Lumpur, W.P. Kuala Lumpur Dated : 13 March 2023 322 Notices DI DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI KUALA LUMPUR (BAHAGIAN PERLAKSANAAN) DI DALAM WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN MALAYSIA NO. GUAMAN SIVIL: WA-37G-213-11/2022 ANTARA 1. TING KOI KIT (NO K/P: 830416-08-5240) 2. IME IMAGE HOUSE (NO PENDAFTARAN: 002299751-X) …PEMIUTANG PENGHAKIMAN DAN YAP ONG YIE …PENGHUTANG PENGHAKIMAN DAN 1. MALAYAN BANKING BERHAD (NO. SYARIKAT: 3813-K) 2. CIMB BANK BERHAD (NO. SYARIKAT: 13491-P) …PIHAK YANG DIGARNIS NOTIS Kepada: YAP ONG YIE E-01-04, Sri Alpinia Laman Puteri 1 Bandar Puteri 47100 Puchong Selangor AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa satu Penghakiman Persetujuan bertarikh 17.6.2019 (“Penghakiman Persetujuan”), Perintah Orang Digarnis Untuk Menunjukkan Sebab bertarikh 7.12.2022 (“Perintah Orang Digarnis Untuk Menunjukkan Sebab”) dan Perintah Penyampaian Ganti bertarikh 24.2.2023 (“Perintah Penyampaian Ganti”) telah dikeluarkan terhadap kamu di Mahkamah Tinggi di Kuala Lumpur oleh Ting Koi Kit yang beralamat di No. 16, Jalan TPT 16, Taman Puchong Tekali, 47100 Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan, (“Pemiutang Penghakiman) di mana Pemiutang Penghakiman menuntut suatu perintah bahawa segala hutang yang kena dibayar atau terakru kena bayar oleh Pihak Yang Digarnis yang dinamakan di atas (dengan wang sebanyak RM5, 7100.00), ditahan sebagai menjawab penghakiman yang diperolehi terhadap Penghutang Penghakiman ditahan menjawab Perintah yang diperolehi terhadap Penghutang Penghakiman oleh Pemiutang Penghakiman di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur dengan saman pemula No.: WA-23CY-59-11/2018 pada 17 Jun 2019 untuk jumlah penghakiman sebanyak RM 5,710.00. Dan adalah diperintahkan bahawa Penghakiman Persetujuan dan Perintah Orang Digarnis Untuk Menunjukkan Sebab dengan Perintah Penyampaian Ganti diserahkan secara penyampaian ganti terhadap kamu dengan menampalkan sesalinan Penghakiman Persetujuan dan Perintah Orang Digarnis Untuk Menunjukkan Sebab berserta dengan Perintah Penyampaian Ganti di Papan Notis Mahkamah Tinggi di Kuala Lumpur dan di alamat Penghutang Penghakiman yang tertera di atas, dan dengan cara pengiklanan satu Notis sekali dalam akhbar harian “The Sun”. DAN penampalan dan pengiklanan tersebut hendaklah dianggap sebagai serahan Penghakiman Persetujuan dan Perintah Orang Digarnis Untuk Menunjukkan Sebab yang sempurna ke atas kamu empat belas (14) hari selepas tarikh terakhir penampalan pengiklanan. Sekiranya kamu berhasrat untuk menentang, kamu harus hadir pada prosiding tunjuk sebab bagi tujuan tersebut. Jika kamu ingkar, Mahkamah boleh memasukkan satu Perintah Orang Digarnis Menjadi Mutlak terhadap orang digarnis. DAN AMBIL PERHATIAN selanjutnya bahawa Penghakiman Persetujuan dan Perintah Orang Digarnis Untuk Menunjukkan Sebab telah didengar di hadapan Penolong Kanan Berdaftar di Kuala Lumpur pada 26.01.2023. Bertarikh pada 7 Mac 2023 t.t ........................... Tetuan Christopher Yeo & KP Chang Peguamcara bagi pihak Pemiutang Penghakiman NOTIS ini telah dikeluarkan oleh Tetuan Christopher Yeo & KP Chang, Peguambela dan Peguamcara bagi pihak Pemiutang Penghakiman yang beralamat di 9.08, Menara MBMR, No. 1, Jalan Syed Putra, 58000 Kuala Lumpur. T: +603 2703 1605 F: +603 2703 1615 Ref: CC/CIV/2462/2022/ATCY 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF HAVSON GROUP BERHAD REGISTRATION NO.: 201601024790 (1195729-U) (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY WINDING UP) NOTICE OF FINAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to Section 459 of the Companies Act 2016, the Final Meeting of the abovenamed Company will be held at the broadcast venue, B-03-3A, Menara Bata, PJ Trade Centre, No. 8, Jalan PJU 8/8, Bandar Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor on 14 April 2023 at 11.00 a.m. for the following purposes: 1. To receive the Liquidators’ Statement of Accounts showing the manner in which the winding up has been conducted and to hear any explanations thereof. 2. To determine by ordinary resolution the manner and period within which all the books and documents of the Company and of the Liquidators, shall be disposed of. Dated: 14 March 2023 LIEW CHOON MENG Liquidator Unit 20-05, Level 20, Q Sentral 2A Jalan Stesen Sentral 2 Kuala Lumpur Sentral 50470 Kuala Lumpur 322 Notices 322 Notices DALAM MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET DI KUALA LUMPUR DALAM WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN KUALA LUMPUR SAMAN PEMULA NO. WA-A72NCvC-329-01 TAHUN 2023 ANTARA TAN ENG DEE (No. K/P: 661016-10-6546) … PEMOHON DAN YONG HENG WAH (No. K/P:770103-14-5933) …DEFENDAN NOTIS PENYAMPAIAN GANTI (BENTUK IKLAN) Kepada: 1) YONG HENG WAH (No. K/P:770103-14-5933) 24, Jalan 8/17, Taman Fadason Villa, Kepong, 52000 Kuala Lumpur AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa suatu tindakan telah dimulakan terhadap kamu di MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET di Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan di bawah Guaman Sivil No.WA-A72NCVC-329-01/2023 oleh Tan Eng Dee dan Mahkamah telah memerintahkan supaya Writ dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut disampaikan kepada kamu melalui Penyampaian Ganti. DAN AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa jika kamu berhasrat untuk membela tindakan tersebut, kamu mestilah secara sendiri atau melalui peguamcara kamu memfailkan Memorandum Kehadiran kamu di MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET di KUALA LUMPUR dalam tempoh tujuh (7) hari selepas tarikh akhir penyampaian secara penamplan dan pengiklanan tersebut menjadi sempurna dan wajar seperti yang dinyatakan di atas. Jika kamu ingkar memfailkan Memorandum Kehadiran anda dalam tempoh yang diperuntukkan tersebut Penghakiman boleh dimasukkan terhadap kamu. Diperintahkan mengikut Perintah Mahkamah bertarikh 3 March 2023 ............................... Peguamcara Plaintif Notis Penyampaian Ganti (Bentuk Iklan) ini difailkan oleh Tetuan Law Chambers of Low & Yow, Peguamcara bagi Plaintif yang dinamakan di atas dan mempunyai alamat penyampaiannya di No.28, Jalan Ambong Kanan 2 (Jalan 5), Kepong Baru, Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur. No. Tel: 03-6251 0543 No,. Faks:03-6251 0634 Ruj:CYL/2202TED/C 322 Notices CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS MS. SHOBA T 03 7784 8888 F 03 7784 4424 Scheffler returns to World No.1 after Players triumph SKIPPER Jos Buttler has defended England’s experimental selections after the world champions lost the Twenty20 series in Bangladesh with a match to spare. The hosts won the first T20 by six wickets and followed it up on Sunday with victory by four wickets in Dhaka. It was a wake-up call for England’s usually ruthless white-ball unit with the 50-over World Cup on similarly tricky low-bounce pitches later this year in India. Buttler’s side defeated Bangladesh in the preceding one-day series but lost batsman Will Jacks to injury and did not call up a replacement. T20 World Cup-winners Ben Stokes and Harry Brook were absent after Test duties. “It’s a different balance and it’s a different kind of feel to the team,” said Buttler, after his side was bowled out for 117 in a low-scoring match on Sunday. “I think we need to give exposure to guys, especially who, in these conditions, also will probably play a part in the 50-over World Cup. “Felt like a great chance to expose the all-rounders’ batting, maybe one spot higher than they may be in a normal team.” Defending the move not to call up any replacements, Buttler added: “It felt like instead of calling up someone else, trying to use some guys who will be exposed to these conditions in the 50- over World Cup.” Bangladesh reached their target with seven balls remaining but Buttler was fulsome in his praise of his bowlers, calling it “an outstanding bowling display”. “On another day we’ll probably pick up a couple more wickets in those middle overs and thought we did well to sort of put so much pressure on Bangladesh,” said the captain. Fast bowler Jofra Archer, who has struggled over the past couple of years with back and elbow injuries, was particularly impressive. He ended with figures of 3-13 to give England a chance. The T20 series concludes with the third match today, also in Dhaka. – AFP Buttler defends selections after T20 series loss against Bangladesh Kiwis beat Sri Lanka in thriller A Kane Williamson century led New Zealand to a dramatic last-ball, twowicket victory against Sri Lanka on a rain-disrupted final day in Christchurch yesterday. In a helterskelter finish, the only Sri Lankans not guarding the boundary for most of the closing 10 overs were the bowler and wicketkeeper as New Zealand chased down their target of 285. The winning run came from a bye after Williamson missed with his swipe at the ball. He finished 121 not out with New Zealand 285-8 and Sri Lanka two wickets shy of their target. The thrilling New Zealand win scuppered Sri Lanka’s chances of making the World Test Championship final, handing the spot to India instead. When rain wiped out the first two sessions on the fifth day, the umpires ruled there would be a minimum of 53 overs played in the evening, which meant New Zealand would have to average 4.85 an over. After a steady but slow start which saw the hosts at 90-3, Williamson and Daryl Mitchell picked up the pace. They put on 142 in 26 overs for the fourth wicket with the precision of a one-day partnership. Sri Lanka paid a heavy price for Williamson being dropped by Niroshan Dickwella on 33 as he went on to produce his 27th century. Could Hamilton leave Mercedes? LEWIS HAMILTON has already admitted that he is a Ferrari “fan”, on top of acknowledging that it would fulfil an F1 dream to drive for the Prancing Horse, with his Mercedes future currently hanging in the balance. The Briton is due to be out of contract this year and the Silver Arrows’ faltering performances could sway him towards a new challenge. Speculation on Hamilton’s future is now in full flow after a dreary start to the new season. The seven-time world champion has struggled to contain his frustration, telling engineers to “own up” and admit that they “did not listen to him” on the W14. With a record-breaking eighth world title in Hamilton’s sights, he would surely only move to a team at the business end of the grid, while a switch to bitter rivals Red Bull would be virtually inconceivable. Ferrari would therefore be the natural frontrunners, and Hamilton labelled himself a “Ferrari fan” last season. Later in the interview, Hamilton added: “Of course it would be nice to race for Ferrari during my career, but things happen because of a reason.” The former McLaren star did, however, reinforce his connection to Mercedes by explaining: “(They) are my family. I will always be a Mercedes driver, just like Stirling Moss.” BRIEFS Back on top Scottie Scheffler celebrates with the trophy after winning The Players Championship. – AFPPIX
22 theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 SPORTS RAPHINHA’S strike earned Barcelona an agonising 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao yesterday to restore their nine-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. In the club’s first game after being charged with corruption by Spanish prosecutors, Barcelona shut out the noise and took another step towards their first title since 2019. The Catalans secured their 19th clean sheet in 25 La Liga games this season as they held on to earn their ninth 1-0 win of the season, keeping second place Madrid at arm’s length after the champions beat Espanyol on Sunday. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made some superb saves in the second half and Alex Berenguer struck the post, but Athletic could not break down the league leaders. When Inaki W i l l i a m s eventually did late on, the goal was disallowed after VAR spotted a handball by Iker Muniain in the build-up. “In the end what counts (is holding on), we defended with everybody, including in goal, on the goal line, these are games we have to win,” Ter Stegen told DAZN. “I have not seen the disallowed goal, but that’s why we have VAR. It’s a decision (the officials) have to take. We are very happy to k e e p another clean sheet.” Athletic fans threw fake banknotes with the word “mafia” printed on them into the air, in protest after Barcelona’s corruption charge. On the pitch the Catalans were under the cosh too, with Ter Stegen denying Inaki Williams low at his near post. Raul Garcia crashed a header off the crossbar from the resulting corner, as Barcelona clung on. Against the run of play, they took the lead before halftime, when Sergio Busquets cleverly found Raphinha, who finished clinically with his weaker right foot. The goal was initially flagged offside but VAR showed Raphinha was in a legal position when he received the ball, and soon the Brazilian was able to celebrate. Raphinha’s goal helped Barcelona beat Valencia by the same scoreline last week, and the Brazilian is enjoying his best form since joining from Leeds United last summer. The win leaves the Catalans sitting comfortably clear ahead of Sunday’s Clasico at Camp Nou, while Athletic are winless in five in the top flight. “I think that VAR is there to correct big flagrant errors,” Valverde told DAZN. “Huge errors, balls that went in, or not. Calling the referee because it touched him, or it didn’t touch him… I don’t know if this belongs in the world of football.” Real Sociedad stumbled to a 1-1 draw at Real Mallorca, with their bid to finish in the top four losing steam at an alarming rate. “Today we wanted to win and the team’s reaction after their goal was phenomenal,” said Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil. “Being close (to winning), it escaped us, and we can do nothing else but reset and try to improve.” Struggling Sevilla earned an important 2-1 win over Almeria to climb to 13th, two points clear of the relegation zone, leaving their opponents 19th. – AFP ADRIEN RABIOT made sure Juventus continued their charge towards European football with a decisive brace in his team’s hard-fought 4-2 Serie A win over struggling Sampdoria. France midfielder Rabiot put Juve two ahead with a first-half header and then smashed them back in front in the 64th minute after Samp had stunned the home crowd by levelling before the break with two rapid-fire goals from Tommaso Augello and Filip Djuricic. Youngster Matias Soule nodded home in stoppage time to make the scoreline more flattering against Samp who are bottom and 12 points from safety. “We need to concentrate more for the whole match and not get distracted just because we scored two goals and were more comfortable,” said Rabiot to DAZN. “We needed to win to prepare well for Freiburg. I’m happy to be scoring so many goals here, let’s hope I can get some more between now and the end of the season.” Roma could have moved level on points with second-placed Inter Milan, who lost at struggling Spezia on Saturday, but were stunned 4-3 by Sassuolo thanks to an Armand Lauriente double, Domenico Berardi’s penalty and Andrea Pinamonti’s neat finish with 15 minutes remaining. Roma were without the suspended coach Jose Mourinho and had to play the entire second half a man down after Marash Kumbulla was sent off for kicking Berardi and conceding the spotkick from which the Italy international gave Sassuolo a 3-1 halftime lead. Mourinho’s team, who netted through Nicola Zalewski, substitute Paulo Dybala and Georginio Wijnaldum, are now fifth, level on 47 points with fourth-placed AC Milan but below the champions by virtue of having played a game more. – AFP READ OUR HERE /thesundaily SCAN ME Rabiot fires Juve as Roma’s top four hopes dented SIMONE INZAGHI is in the firing line as his Inter Milan side travel to Porto trying to make the last eight of the Champions League and turn a depressing tide of bad results away from home. Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at relegationthreatened Spezia was the latest poor effort away from the San Siro and left Inter once again 18 points behind champions-elect Napoli. Inzaghi and his team were booed and insulted by the Inter fans present at the Stadio Picco, who had to watch the son of AC Milan icon Paolo Maldini slot home the opening goal. Inter have only held on to second place in Italy’s top flight thanks to Lazio failing to win at Bologna, but their bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League is being damaged by their dreadful away form. Inzaghi said “we won’t be able to sleep” after Saturday’s hugely disappointing eighth loss of the Serie A season, which took their tally of goals conceded to 24 in 13 league away matches. “We’re not happy about our results away from the San Siro. Last year it was a different story,” said Inzaghi. “We have had some great results away, like at Barcelona (a 3-3 draw), and we know that we need to put in a great performance if we’re going to reach the quarterfinals.” Inter’s defensive wobbles were also present in their group stage campaign, with five goals conceded in matches at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. And elimination tomorrow (4am Malaysian time) would not only mean missing out on a first last-eight tie since 2011, it would also heap more pressure on Inzaghi with fierce rivals Juventus visiting the San Siro on Sunday. One piece of good news is that Milan Skriniar might be ready to return from a spell on the sidelines with lower back pain. Porto, gunning for a third quarterfinal in five seasons, have been a bogey side to Italian teams in recent years and are aiming to add to the series of Serie A scalps which include Juventus and Roma. – AFP Inzaghi under pressure as Inter take on Porto Ruud stunned by qualifier CHILEAN qualifier Cristian Garin shocked Casper Ruud 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells yesterday, handing the world No. 4 Norwegian another setback in a disappointing season. Garin’s attacking game paid off as he dispatched the tournament’s third seed in just under two hours, extending his record against Ruud to 3-1. “The way I played today I’m so happy,” said Garin, a 26-year-old ranked 97th in the world. “I was aggressive the whole match,” said Garin, whose 39 winners were too much for Ruud. “Even the second set when I was leading 3-1 and I lost those games I kept playing aggressive. “I tried to go a lot to the net, I tried to be aggressive with my forehand and backhand. When I attack I think I play very well, I take time from my opponent.” … as Medvedev rolls on at Indian Wells DANIIL MEDVEDEV, no fan of the slow hard courts of Indian Wells, nevertheless came out on top in a back and forth battle with Ilya Ivashka yesterday to push his ATP win streak to 16 matches. Medvedev, the world No. 6 who is coming off three straight titles at Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai, said his 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 third-round victory over 85th-ranked Ivashka was a “matter of a few points.” “Always tricky to play here,” said Medvedev, a former world No. 1 whose best showing in the California desert was the round of 16 in 2021. “(It’s) tough to make anything during the rallies, so just have to kind of see who puts more balls in court. If you lose a little momentum you lose a set. “I missed less. That’s the only thing you can do. You cannot do more,” Medvedev said. “It was a matter of a few points. “Second and third sets for me they were kind of the same, the score is completely different. It’s just who plays better the most important points – break points, 30-all. I managed to do better in the third set.” … and Pegula fights her way into 4th round AMERICAN Jessica Pegula still finds it “weird” to think of herself as the world’s No. 3 player, but she doesn’t feel any particular pressure to live up to the ranking. The American said her ability to compartmentalise keeps her focused on each match – just as it helps her take it point by point in the kind of comeback win she needed yesterday to reach the fourth round of the Indian Wells combined WTA and ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournament. “That was definitely a battle today,“ Pegula said after rallying for a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Anastasia Potapova, who lifted the WTA trophy in Linz last month. “I just felt like I started off a little slow,” Pegula said. “So I’m just glad I was able to work my way back into the match and ended up playing much better than how I started. “I’m good at just thinking one match at a time. I think that has helped where I haven’t felt really too much pressure as being top five,” she said. “It’s weird. It’s weird to think that I’m like three in the world. I don’t even like to say it. I guess it’s a good thing.” SHORTS UEFA Champions League 2022-23 LAST 16, 2ND LEG – MAR 15 CL form W D L Form Goals for / against Passes Corners Possession 12 / 8 11 / 7 PORTO vs INTER MILAN Estádio do Dragão First leg result: 0-1 Head-to-head Won 1 Drawn 1 Won 3 4 4 295 0 43% 10 Total shots / Shots on target 442 6 57% 18 First leg statistics Sources: UEFA, Gracenote Picture: Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS Mehdi Taremi Porto HOME HOPE: Despite one-goal first leg deficit, Porto buoyed by eliminating Italian opposition – Roma and Juventus – en route to quarterfinals in 2019 and 2021 2022 2021 2019 2018 2017 Group stage Q-final Q-final Last 16 Last 16 Chelsea ENG Liverpool ENG Liverpool ENG Juventus ITA 1-2 1-6 0-5 0-3 Porto: Recent Champions League history Fortunate win Raphinha restores Barcelona’s nine-point lead at top of La Liga Raphinha. – AFPPIX
23 * SPORTS theSUN ON TUESDAY | MARCH 14, 2023 PEP GUARDIOLA spurned suggestions that Manchester City’s four Premier League trophies in five seasons will give them an advantage in the title race. Erling Haaland’s spot-kick secured City a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday to ensure Guardiola’s men kept pace with leaders Arsenal, on course for their first title since 2003-04. Boss Guardiola, however, remained unconvinced by the notion that City’s winning ways over the past half-decade will give them the edge as they look to unseat the Gunners in the business end of the season. “Listen, if experience works the team who wins the previous season will win every single season. Experience in sport is a new challenge,” he said. “Look, Liverpool (on Saturday) lost to Bournemouth. A few months ago (they won) 9-0, you know everything is so difficult. “What they have done is the past. You have to do it again, because football is unpredictable. “Nobody expects, many things happen in football that people take for granted or guarantee and it is not the truth. The reality is that still we are there.” Guardiola suggested Arsenal’s best crack at a Premier League title since the “Invincibles” unbeaten run could in fact be giving the Gunners extra fuel as they look forward to the final stretch – including a trip to the Etihad on April 26 – before the campaign closes. “Arsenal are still the favourites because they are up front. They have for many years not won the Premier League, they give you this extra that helps you win games in (1991), 1998,” said Guardiola, reflecting on Arsenal’s past Premier League title in 1997-98 and Football League First Division trophy in 1990-91. “That is something they have that we don’t have, because we won back-to-back two times. That’s why, when people say ‘what about Europe, about the team, about the season?’, after two times back-to-back in which one team have had 50 points in the first (half of the season), still we are there. “Normally in this country, when you win a lot and you don’t start the season well, or someone is a bit better, you drop it. You are not this consistent. “Still we are there. This is the best ‘trophy’, and compliment, that we can have. I don’t know what’s going to happen at the end of the season, but still they know that we want to be there. And we will fight to be there, and this is great.” Palace have also failed to score in 12 of their 26 Premier League contests and increasingly face the threat of slipping deeper into the trenches of the relegation battle. Manager Patrick Vieira said: “This is the reality. It’s important to be more consistent overall in our game, how to defend well and how to create more chances to score those goals that we need. “But yes, of course we are part of the nine teams who will have to fight and to win games to stay in the Premier League.” – The Independent TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD has questioned Liverpool’s hunger in their surprise defeat to Premier League strugglers Bournemouth. The Reds slipped to a 1-0 loss at the Vitality Stadium as Philip Billing’s effort took the hosts off the bottom of the table. Mohamed Salah missed a second half penalty to top off a miserable trip to the south coast for Liverpool, who were brought back down to earth having thrashed fierce rivals Manchester United 7- 0 just six days earlier. “This is the time of the season when everyone knows what they are fighting for and obviously Bournemouth are in a relegation battle,” Alexander-Arnold told liverpoolfc.com. “They are fighting for survival. But every team in the League is fighting for something so it means a lot to get the three points. “I think looking back on it now, they probably wanted it more than us and that is something that is unacceptable and we need to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.” Liverpool now face a trip to Spain on Thursday (4am Malaysian time) for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid. Trailing 5-2 from the first leg, AlexanderArnold insists Jurgen Klopp’s side will give everything to try and turn around a hefty deficit at the Bernabeu. “There’s only one more game before the internationals and it’s a huge one for us,” added the England defender. “It’s one that we need to go and do something special, so all our focus is solely on that Real Madrid game now and it means that we can put everything into that game knowing that we’ve got days afterwards to recover. “So, it’s about throwing the kitchen sink at it and going all out and I think that’s what we’re going to do – it’s important to do that. Then we’ll get ready for an important run-in.” – The Independent @thesundaily FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM SCAN ME ‘Experience counts for nothing’ Pep pours cold water on benefits of past exploits in title race this season ERIC DIER has called on Tottenham to use their experience of last season’s successful push for a topfour finish to help them get back in the Champions League. Spurs put a disastrous week behind them with a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday after Harry Kane’s brace was followed up by a second half strike from Son Heung-min. FA Cup and Champions League exits this month had increased the pressure on boss Antonio Conte, who is expected to leave the club at the end of the season, but with 11 Premier League fixtures left Tottenham have the chance of a second consecutive fourth-place finish under the Italian. “Obviously missing that last game (through suspension) definitely hurt,” Dier told SpursPlay. “Those are the types of games you want to play in, but that’s football. It was nice for us to get back out there with a win and hopefully we can move on from here. “We have to take the experience from last season and use it to our advantage. “You know what the Premier League is like, they’ll be bumps along the way but we’ve got to try and give everything for these 11 games. We’ve got to try and give everything as a squad and as a club. “Yeah, obviously Wednesday (against AC Milan) was a huge disappointment but at the same time it is a good motivation for us to push for that top four because those are the nights you want to be involved in football.” Forest manager Steve Cooper was left disappointed their second half rally was too little too late. “First half performance is really where the game was won and lost,” he said. “I felt we didn’t compete well enough. Regardless of formation and players you play, those things don’t matter if you are not competing. I didn’t like us in the duals, in the one-v-ones and in the tackles.” – The Independent Tottenham has advantage in top-four race: Dier █ GEORGE SESSIONS █ RACHEL STEINBERG RESULTS & STANDINGS ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Fulham 0 Arsenal 3 (Gabriel 21, Martinelli 26, Odegaard 45+2), Manchester United 0 Southampton 0, Newcastle 2 (Isak 26, Almiron 79) Wolves 1 (Hwang 70), West Ham 1 (Benrahma 26-pen) Aston Villa 1 (Watkins 17). P W D L F A Pts Arsenal 27 21 3 3 62 25 66 Man City 27 19 4 4 67 25 61 Man Utd 26 15 5 6 41 35 50 Tottenham 27 15 3 9 49 37 48 Newcastle 25 11 11 3 37 18 44 Liverpool 26 12 6 8 47 29 42 Brighton 24 11 6 7 45 31 39 Fulham 27 11 6 10 38 37 39 Brentford 25 9 11 5 40 33 38 Chelsea 26 10 7 9 27 26 37 Aston Villa 26 10 5 11 32 39 35 Crystal Palace 26 6 9 11 21 33 27 Wolves 27 7 6 14 20 37 27 Nottm Forest 26 6 8 12 21 47 26 Everton 27 6 7 14 20 38 25 Leicester 26 7 3 16 37 46 24 West Ham 26 6 6 14 24 34 24 Bournemouth 26 6 6 14 25 51 24 Leeds 26 5 8 13 31 42 23 Southampton 26 6 4 16 20 41 22 LA LIGA: Real Mallorca 1 (Lee 50) Real Sociedad 1 (Fernandez 3), Sevilla 2 (Ocampos 45+2-pen, Lamela 73) Almeria 1 (Akieme 2), Villarreal 1 (Pino 55) Real Betis 1 (Iglesias 38), Athletic Bilbao 0 Barcelona 1 (Raphinha 45+1). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Barcelona 25 21 2 2 47 8 65 Real Madrid 25 17 5 3 50 19 56 Atletico 24 13 6 5 38 19 45 Sociedad 25 13 6 6 33 24 45 Real Betis 25 12 6 7 33 26 42 Villarreal 25 11 5 9 29 24 38 SERIE A: Cremonese 0 Fiorentina 2 (Mandragora 27, Cabral 50), Juventus 4 (Bremer 11, Rabiot 26, 64, Soule 90+4) Sampdoria 2 (Augello 31, Djuricic 32), Lecce 0 Torino 2 (Singo 20, Sanabria 23), Roma 3 (Zalewski 26, Dybala 50, Wijnaldum 90+4) Sassuolo 4 (Lauriente 13, 18, Berardi 45+4-pen, Pinamonti 75), Verona 1 (Verdi 51) Monza 1 (Sensi 55). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Napoli 26 22 2 2 60 16 68 Inter Milan 26 16 2 8 47 30 50 Lazio 26 14 7 5 41 19 49 AC Milan 25 14 5 6 42 32 47 Roma 26 14 5 7 35 25 47 Atalanta 26 12 6 8 42 30 42 BUNDESLIGA: Wolfsburg 1 Union Berlin 1, Freiburg 2 Hoffenheim 1, Werder Bremen 2 Bayer Leverkusen 3. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts B. Munich 24 15 7 2 71 25 52 Dortmund 24 16 2 6 49 30 50 RB Leipzig 24 13 6 5 49 29 45 Union Berlin 24 13 6 5 36 28 45 Freiburg 24 13 6 5 37 33 45 E. Frankfurt 24 11 7 6 46 34 40 FRENCH LIGUE 1: Clermont 0 Lens 4, Nantes 2 Nice 2, Ajaccio 0 Montpellier 1, Angers 0 Toulouse 2, Lorient 2 Troyes 0, Monaco 0 Reims 1, Marseille 2 Strasbourg 2. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Paris SG 27 21 3 3 68 26 66 Marseille 27 17 5 5 51 27 56 Lens 27 15 9 3 44 21 54 Monaco 27 15 6 6 55 37 51 Rennes 27 14 5 8 45 29 47 Lille 27 13 7 7 49 36 46 Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold (left) vies with Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi during the English Premier League match on Saturday. – AFPPIX Liverpool’s lack of fight unacceptable: Alexander-Arnold
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] TUESDAY • MARCH 14, 2023 Ten Hag criticises ‘inconsistent’ refereeing after United draw ERIK TEN HAG fumed about inconsistent officiating after Casemiro’s second red card in five weeks left Manchester United clinging on to a point against rock-bottom Southampton. Having bounced back from the seven-goal shellacking at Liverpool with a 4-1 win against Real Betis in the Europa League, the Red Devils had to show their character again. Casemiro was sent off in the 34th minute after VAR Andre Marriner advised referee Anthony Taylor to review the challenge on Saints midfielder Carlos Alcaraz on the pitchside monitor. Ten Hag was angered by that decision and calls for penalties – a potential foul from Kyle Walker-Peters and handball claim against Armel Bella-Kotchap – as United dug deep to stave off impressive Southampton’s threat in a hard-fought 0-0 draw. “The inconsistency (means) players don’t know any more what is the policy,” the United boss said on Casemiro’s sending off. “I think it’s all across. I mean, you see yesterday, Leicester-Chelsea, then VAR is not coming on the line. “Today it’s coming on the line and then it’s two penalty situations, but they don’t come on the line. I think especially the first one was for me clear and obvious handball, so what is the policy?” Ten Hag said they had “some questions” about the officiating on Sunday, when Casemiro picked up his second red card as a United player. The 31-year-old was shown the first straight red of his time in Europe’s top leagues in last month’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace and is now facing a four-match ban. “There is another one inconsistent,” Ten Hag said. “The refereeing is coming at the start of the season with a policy ‘we are Premier League, we are going strong here, we want intensity’. “Casemiro is across European leagues, in over 500 games he had never a red card and now he has twice. “He plays tough but he plays fair, also in this he is playing fair. Same as against Crystal Palace, so it is very debatable. “When you freeze it looks bad, but everyone who knows something about football, who is acting on top football, they know what is bad and what isn’t bad, what is fair.” Casemiro is understandably gutted and Ten Hag said “we have to consider that overnight” how to play without him in their next four domestic games. Ten Hag replied “we will see” when asked if United will appeal a decision that left United playing the best part of an hour with 10 men. “Once again this team showed big spirit, team spirit, good fighting spirit, supporting each other,” said the Dutchman, who downplayed Alejandro Garnacho’s injury after he was seen leaving Old Trafford on crutches with his right foot in a boot. “We played I think with 11 and with 10 a really good level. We played in the week, they didn’t. We were with 10 and we defended well, we had good counter breaks, we had some good attacks, some good opportunities. “The strike from Bruno (Fernandes) on the post. Of course I have also seen the strike from them on the post and that was a mistake on counter from a corner from us one-on-one when David (De Gea) saved. “But all in all the performance was quite well, then you are disappointed you only collect one point.” Saints shared that frustration after failing to turn a largely dominant performance into a victory as Ruben Selles’ side fight to beat the drop. “We take the game in two parts,” the Southampton manager said. “Disappointed about the point but very happy with the performance.” – The Independent █ SIMON PEACH All guns blazing MIKEL ARTETA hailed Leandro Trossard’s “football intelligence” after he set up all three goals as Arsenal restored their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win at Fulham. The 28-year-old joined Arsenal in January from Brighton and has shone for the Gunners, helping to compensate for the injuries to forward’s Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah. Trossard’s delivery at Craven Cottage was exceptional, with his first assist coming in the 21st minute as picked out Gabriel Magalhaes from a corner for the Brazilian to nod home. Gabriel Martinelli added a second five minutes later, with Martin Odegaard all but wrapping up all three points for the visitors just before half time. Arteta singled out Trossard’s contribution. “He got three assists and could have scored two. I think he was really impressive,” Arteta said. “Not only that, he had an injury three days ago which could have taken a week, or another 10 days, but he was really willing to come back early and the doctors and medical staff did a lot of good work. “It makes a big difference in the team. We needed him today and his contribution was superb. “It’s football intelligence. He’s really clever to understand straight away what we want, what’s required. He’s executed it really well.” A glorious day for the Gunners was capped off 13 minutes from time when Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to make his first appearance since undergoing knee surgery following an injury playing for Brazil at the World Cup in November. “(It was a) big boost. The first step today. We didn’t know if it was the right game today. He said to me a few days ago ‘I’m still missing something’,” Arteta said. “Yesterday I looked in his eyes and he said ‘I’m ready’. I said ‘OK!’ So then we had the opportunity to throw him in. “It’s that first step to give him the big boost. He looks free, he looks ready and straight away he generated those two big chances. It’s great to have him back.” Arteta would not be drawn on Pep Guardiola’s belief that Arsenal are favourites for the Premier League title despite yesterday’s easy win. “I don’t know,” he began. “We discuss what we discuss internally to be really humble, to work on the next training session and try to be better every day. That’s our focus, there’s still a huge part of the season to be played.” When asked about Arsenal fans chanting that the club would win the League, Arteta would not say if he would have joined in. He continued: “I don’t know, I would be singing with them to support the team. They did exceptionally, and the amount of people we have coming here, their attitude, commitment, the energy they’re putting in, it’s incredible. We’re going to need that. It’s a game changer for us. “It does push me to the limit because in the Premier League 1-0 or 2-0 is not enough. Obviously with 3-0 the game changes, but there was still a lot to play for. “We dropped the levels a bit in the first few minutes of the second half, but I think the boys had an outstanding performance against a top team so today is a day to praise them.” Marco Silva insisted the blame lies with Fulham for all of Arsenal’s goals as he lamented a rare poor performance from his side, who missed the chance to return to seventh in the table. “Three good goals? We were soft in all the goals, we were soft in all the first half. All credit to Arsenal they deserved the three points,” the Fulham boss said. “The goals, how they scored was completely our fault. It’s clear Arsenal deserved the three points. First half, we were on the pitch but at certain moments it looked like we weren’t. “Too soft, not brave enough, off the ball completely not aggressive and we let them play completely in the way that they wanted.” – The Independent/Agencies Fulham’s Harrison Reed (right) vies with Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard during the English Premier League match at Craven Cottage yesterday. – AFPPIX Arteta praises January signing Trossard for sparking win at Fulham Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag remonstrates with the fourth official on Sunday. – REUTERSPIX