Malaysian Paper www.thesun.my RM1.00 PER COPY RM1 TUESDAY JAN 2, 2024 SCAN ME No. 8427 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) Extensive support plan for SME to remain backbone of economy Report on — page 2 Association’s confidence boosted by Budget 2024 allocation of RM44 billion to advance micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Focus on growth Report on — page 5 Probe on pro-Palestine rally outside US Embassy Police recording statements from Aksi Bertindak: Kepung Demi Palestin protest organisers to assist in investigation under Peaceful Assembly Act. Report on — page 6 Report on — page 3 Economists upbeat on outlook for M’sia Efforts to spur economic development remain unity government’s main thrust to ease people’s burden in various aspects, such as inflation and cost of living, apart from ensuring quality education and healthcare: Anwar ‘Nation poised for positive economic performance this year, signalling a resolute stride towards prosperity and resilience.’ HELLO 2024 ... Revellers throng the street outside the Sunway Velocity Mall in Kuala Lumpur to usher in the new year on Sunday night. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 2 PM expects 2024 to usher in brighter future o‘Efforts to spur economic growth to remain govt’s main focus to ease people’s burden due to inflation, cost of living, need for quality education and healthcare’ KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed hope that 2024 will usher in a brighter future for the people, with the unity government focusing on economic development to ensure their wellbeing. Anwar, who is also finance minister, said efforts to spur national economic growth would remain the government’s focus in order to ease the people’s burden due to inflation, cost of living, need for quality education and healthcare as well as other aspects. In his New Year message, he urged ministers, senior officers, enforcement agencies, security bodies, civil servants and the private sector to intensify efforts to turn Malaysia into a great country in the region. “As we draw the curtain on 2023, it is appropriate for me to start by giving a summary of what has been announced to the public, that our economic growth has been maintained at 4%. “This is among the best, but there are other blessings and successes, including the reduction of inflation to below 2% and drop in unemployment rate to a very low level,” he said in a video uploaded on his Facebook page. He said he does not want to get carried away by figures and data because the real measure of success lies in the people’s well-being, welfare and prosperity. He added that the cost of living issue is still being addressed. Anwar said there should be full focus on efforts to drive economic growth, and this calls for improving leadership and civil service governance. He expressed his appreciation to the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Customs Department and the Inland Revenue Board for discharging their duties effectively. He said to ensure that every government policy could be implemented more effectively, old service delivery methods should be improved, including speeding up the approval process at every department as if they are facing security issues and emergencies. “Only through this method can we drive the economy and make the country competitive.” Anwar added that the question of unity and security remains a challenge, demanding priority attention, including ensuring that provisions in the Federal Constitution on the position of Islam, sovereignty of Malay rulers, Bumiputera privileges and Bahasa Melayu are not disturbed. “The spirit of unity to embrace the people of various races and religions is a core duty which cannot be denied or trivialised. If this can be achieved, we can move away from the endless cycle of petty issues.” He said the unity government had managed to work as a team throughout last year due to the political stability achieved in the country recently after several years of uncertainty, Bernama reported. “With the benefit of the views, advice and guidance of the Malay rulers, especially the decision and wisdom of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, we have prevailed. “With strength and stability, we have worked as a team and tackled basic issues for the sake of the people and country.” FASCINATING ... Visitors enjoying New Year’s Day with a visit to the National Science Centre in Bukit Kiara in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said constructive discourses should be promoted and not criticised excessively, especially those involving discussions about the Quran. In a post on X, he touched on a recent event involving civil servants where he emphasised the importance of values and morals in carrying out duties, trust and responsibilities, linking them to the story of seven Ashabul Kahfi (men of the cave). “I related the story of the seven young men as mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf in the Quran, where during that time, the unjust system, government and a cruel king who worshipped idols were rejected by believers, including these youths who took refuge in a cave. “The message is about the steadfastness and firmness of these young men’s faith that shielded them from polytheism and depravity. Therefore, it is appropriate for civil servants to take lessons from this story.” Anwar said his views were misinterpreted to the extent that some were criticised and ridiculed by certain parties, including preachers and scholars. He added that his intention in delivering such a message was to remind civil servants that economic sustainability, progress and good governance should be aligned with faith, values and morals. “That is why when I was appointed as prime minister, among the first books that I requested the Islamic Development Department to distribute widely was Adabul Ikhtilaf Fil Islam by the late Sh Taha Jabir al-Alwani, which discusses ethics of disagreement in Islam.” He also cited those who display blind devotion to their political parties and resort to criticising, cursing and slandering people who are not with them to the extent of labelling them as the worst of enemies, Bernama reported. “That is why I requested that this book be read because there are ways of voicing differing opinions.” He said introducing Imam Nawawi’s 40 Hadis Appreciation module to Muslim students in schools from this year is to enhance their understanding of Islam. New Year greetings from royalty KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah have extended their 2024 New Year’s Day greetings and prayers for the well-being of the people and the country. In a post on Istana Negara’s official Facebook page, they also prayed for continued unity and harmony in the country. “May the entire nation be blessed with prosperity, well-being and abundance, and be protected from any disaster or calamity. “May we also be granted health, unity and lasting harmony.” The Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has also called on all parties, regardless of political affiliation, to focus on efforts to ensure the well-being of Malaysians. The Ruler expressed hope that 2024 would bring more success and excellence for the people, especially in terms of the economy. “The Sultan also hopes that the people will welcome the new year with new resolutions and goals that will not only benefit themselves but also the country, and work towards strengthening peace and prosperity.” – Bernama KANGAR: The Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail is encouraging more tourism-based investments in Perlis to improve the state’s tourism sector. In a statement by Istana Arau, the Raja Muda said such investments should be for hotels, theme parks and lookout points, among others. “Local youths are also encouraged to enter this field, especially in service-based sectors,” he said after presenting souvenirs to Holiday Villa Hotel and Residence Doha region general manager Joey Chen in conjunction with the Visit Perlis Year 2024- 2025 event held in Qatar recently. Also in attendance were the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Dr Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil and children Sharifah Khatreena Nuraniah, Sharifah Farah Adriana and Syed Sirajuddin Areeb Putra Jamalullail, Bernama reported. The Raja Muda was accompanied by Malaysian ambassador to Qatar Zamshari Shaharan and his wife Fazlinda Fudzil. Central Database Hub to be launched today KUALA LUMPUR: The Central Database Hub, a system containing individual and household profiles of citizens and permanent residents in the country will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today. The ceremony, which is scheduled to be held from 8.30am to 2pm, will include a presentation on the hub by Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin and a forum titled Driving Transition Through Padu. The Economy Ministry, in a post on its Facebook page, announced that the Padu system or hub would be open to all Malaysians after the launching ceremony. The objective of the Central Database Hub is to provide a safe, comprehensive and near realtime national main database that enables more accurate data analytics to be produced, policy formulation and data-driven decision-making processes, as well as targeted policy implementation to balance the fiscal position. Profile information will be obtained through the integration of administrative data from various sources while a part of it will be updated by individuals, Bernama reported. The implementation of the system is to improve management efficiency, facilitating the collection, storage and management of data from various sources. It also aims to improve the delivery of government services in a better and more efficient way. Apart from effective monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of national policies, the integrated and centralised database is able to save resources significantly. Citizens aged 18 and above need to register and check data on the hub’s portal as well as verify 39 required personal information details. Promote constructive discourses, says Anwar Raja Muda calls for tourism investments
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 3 PETALING JAYA: In the wake of robust economic expansion witnessed in 2023, the resilience of the national economy will stand as a testament to its stability in 2024, said economists. Malaysia University of Science and Technology economist and provost for research and innovation Prof Geoffrey Williams said Malaysia is poised for a positive economic performance this year, signalling a resolute stride towards prosperity and resilience. He cited the Statistics Department, which said the national economy exhibited resilience in the face of global uncertainties and registered positive growth in 2023, primarily driven by robust industrial production and retail sales. Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin reported a 3.9% economic growth for the first nine months of 2023, a notable contrast to the 9.2% growth recorded for the same period in 2022. Williams said: “The positive trajectory was underpinned by a significant upswing in the industrial production index, which grew to 2.7% year-on-year in October 2023. “This was driven by the mining sector’s robust performance.” He said the manufacturing sector faced challenges as its sales value experienced a 1.4% decline to RM156.7 billion in October 2023, influenced by a notable drop in the petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products sub-sectors. “On the other hand, the wholesale and retail trade sector saw a commendable increase in monthly sales value, reaching RM142.3 billion in October. “This was driven by the expansion of the wholesale trade sub-sector.” On the economic outlook for 2024, Williams foresees a scenario characterised by a moderation in growth compared with 2023 and a sustained and controlled level of inflation. However, he said there are persistent challenges in attracting investments due to various local and global events recently. As a result, on the trade front, a contraction of 2.4% was recorded year-on-year in October 2023, with both exports and imports experiencing a decline. “The trade surplus stood at RM12.9 billion, which reflected a 30.3% decrease from the previous year,” he said. Williams emphasised the diversification of the economy by promoting sectors with growth potential. “A diversified economy is less vulnerable to external shocks and provides a broader range of investment opportunities,” he said. He also underscored the need for conservative fiscal management and called for an analysis of tax reforms to improve revenue sources, and attention to good governance to reduce wastage and corruption. “My analysis stems from various factors influencing the economic landscape, including domestic and global conditions. Stakeholders and policymakers should formulate strategies and policies to navigate the evolving economic landscape this year,” he said. Monash University economic professor Dr Niaz Asadullah said 2024 will reflect confidence in the level of business investments and will contribute to job creation, innovation and overall economic expansion. “International trade, a crucial driver of economic interconnectedness, encapsulates the exchange of goods and services across borders. “Therefore, it is crucial to analyse key indicators such as GDP (growth domestic product) growth, consumption, investment, international trade, inflation and unemployment,” he said. However, Niaz highlighted Malaysia’s vulnerability to global economic trends and the importance of sustaining domestic demand. “Political stability has impacted the quarterly GDP growth in 2023, so there is a need for reforms to enhance the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises to drive growth in 2024. “Therefore, it is important to propose reforms to the labour market and balance fiscal strength with provisions for popular support, which will ensure political stability.” He said the government should work to overcome high-priority issues such as poverty and unemployment, subsidy rationalisation, raising incomes, improving job prospects and addressing long-term care and student loans this year. “By focusing on the importance of proactive measures, reforms and careful consideration of various factors to navigate the evolving economic landscape, Malaysia can experience a positive economic outlook in 2024,” he said. No plans to conduct redelineation: EC PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission (EC) has no plans to carry out a redelineation of electoral boundaries for states in the peninsula and Sabah as the eight-year interval period is still ongoing. EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh said for Sarawak, it was considering and evaluating the suitability of conducting such an exercise. He said a redelineation exercise could only be carried out after the expiration of the eight-year interval period from the date of completion of the previous exercise, or when there are amendments to the composition of members of the Dewan Rakyat or state legislative assemblies. “The last redelineation exercise for the (peninsula) was completed in 2018, while for Sarawak and Sabah, it was done in 2015 and 2017 respectively,” he said in a statement yesterday. Abdul Ghani said any redelineation proposal would only commence upon notification to the Dewan Rakyat speaker and the prime minister by the EC and a notice published as provided under Part II, Section 4, Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, Bernama reported. He said under Article 113 of the Federal Constitution, the EC shall, from time to time, as it deems necessary, review the division of the federation and the states into constituencies based on principles and procedures established by the Constitution. The principles include facilitating all voters to cast their votes during the election and ensuring electoral boundaries do not cross state borders, taking into account administrative facilities available within the constituencies to establish necessary machinery for registration and polling. “Also, the number of voters is more or less the same for each constituency in a state except when there are communication difficulties or other challenges faced by rural constituencies, during which the area of constituencies should be considered; and maintaining local ties,” he said. Economists upbeat on 2024 o‘Malaysia poised for positive economic performance, signalling resolute stride towards prosperity and resilience’ Madani govt has proven ability to unite, focus on people: Fahmi KUALA LUMPUR: The government has successfully demonstrated its ability to unite, carry out its duties and focus on helping the people despite “tales and myths” concocted by certain parties throughout 2023, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. He said these include claims that the Madani government would be unstable and engage in internal bickerings. Fahmi said last year, the government successfully formulated five historically significant policies for the people and country due to the strength and stability of unity. “The Madani Economy framework has boosted the economy of the country and its people. At the same time, the New Industrial Masterplan 2030 is capable of drawing investments and increasing new high-paying jobs focused on key industries. “The government is also reviewing the remuneration scheme for civil servants, which is an effort to raise the productivity of public servants. Apart from that, the government is working to increase the salary of private sector workers across Malaysia by introducing the Progressive Wage Policy. “In 2023, the government also introduced the Energy Transition Policy due to the urgent need for the country to shift to new energy sources,” he said on his Facebook page. At the ministry level, Fahmi said he was grateful for successfully implementing multiple new initiatives, including reducing internet prices seven times and bringing together all telco companies to the negotiating table, leading to their agreement to offer 5G services. “Areas facing frequent internet issues, such as Orang Asli villages and remote areas, can now utilise Starlink. “Meanwhile, the salary for managers and assistant managers at the Digital Economic Centres nationwide have been increased by RM500 per month. “Last year, we also witnessed new job opportunities for young people in the digital economic sector increase by 23% compared with the previous year,” he said. Fahmi hopes the positive start for the government in 2023 would continue and wishes for a better year for everyone in 2024. Meanwhile, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, in her New Year’s Day greetings that she posted on Facebook, expressed hope that all dreams and aspirations can be achieved and fulfilled with positive outcomes in the new year. – Bernama ‘Collaboration vital for VMY2026 success’ MALACCA: Strategic cooperation among various parties, including ministries, state governments and industry players are crucial to make a success of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) campaign, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. He said strategic and efficient preparations are essential for the VMY2026 campaign to maximise the economic impact and establish Malaysia as a key global tourism destination. He said his ministry was targeting 35.6 million tourists in conjunction with VMY2026, with an estimated domestic spend of RM147.1 billion. “Malaysia is rich in tourism attractions, including natural beauty, diverse culture and arts. However, some states overlook these aspects and miss the opportunity to maximise existing tourism resources to drive the industry,” he said at the launch of Visit Malacca Year 2024 on Sunday. Tiong said the ministry also welcomes the Malacca state government’s initiative to host international mega events, such as World Tourism Day and World Tourism Conference 2025 from Sept 27 to 29, 2025 and expects them to have a positive impact on the country. – Bernama SPOILT FOR CHOICE ... A woman helping her son choose uniforms at a shop in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, ahead of the opening of the new school term today. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN █ BY SIVANISVARRY MORHAN [email protected]
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 4 Enclosed is my payment of RM payable to SUN MEDIA CORPORATION SDN BHD. Please WhatsApp your bank-in slip to 0182929936 or email to [email protected] *Not inclusive of vendor service charge Stay informed with the latest news and trends All the best articles from Monday to Friday 32 pages full colour Subscribe now for Monday-Friday copies of theSun newspaper 6 month subscription (128 issues) for only RM110* (Normal price RM128) 1 year subscription (258 issues) for only RM200* (Normal price RM258) 1 year subscription at normal price RM258* (258 issues) + RM50 administration fee to get 2nd year free PERSONAL PARTICULARS Name: NRIC: Race: Malay Chinese Indian Others Profession: Commencement date: Delivery Address: Residence Ofice Postcode: State: Tel: Mobile No: E-mail: DETAILS OF CURRENT NEWS VENDOR (IF ANY) Vendor name: Contact no: For your convenience, you may call or send in your subscription particulars via any of the following: Tel: KL/PJ 03-7781 4000, 03-7784 6688 (9.30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday) Fax: 03-7781 4484 Post: P.O. Box 179, Jalan Sultan, 46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan Attn: Subscription Email: [email protected] *Terms & Conditions apply Important note: SMCSB reserves the right to revise the price at any time without prior notice. (*Limited to ffrst 1,000 subscribers) Pay to Maybank ( Account number 508177700420 ) Account name ( SUN MEDIA CORPORATION SDN BHD ) Nov 8 to Nov 10 Malaysian Paper www.thesun.my RM1 WEDNESDAY NOV 8, 2023 No. 8389 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) SCAN ME Casino chip heist: Five more identified Police have detained a total of 10 suspects, including a Chinese national, in connection with the RM4.6m theft at Genting Highlands on Oct 28. Congratulations! You are holding the first edition A new sunrise of our new 32-page paper featuring more of the great content you have loved for the past 30 years. Copies will be free until Friday and will be available via subscription and at newsstands beginning Monday for only RM1. Muruku Buntong entrepreneur’s Deepavali snack, made from a still a national favourite 60-year-old recipe, is constantly in high demand. Chicken price float benefits consumers A week after subsidies ended, market prices are competitive and lower than subsidised prices, says expert. Full report —on page 3 Full report —on page 6 Full report —on page 4 Citing protection of country’s interests in terms of diplomatic, economic relations and security as reasons for joining meeting, Anwar says he remains steadfast in defending justice and rights of Palestinians. I will show up at Apec Story on page 2 Full story -on page 2 SCAN TO SUBSCRIBE Sunny relief for keropok traders CHUKAI: The easing of the rainy weather in Terengganu provides much-needed relief to keropok keping ikan (dried fish crackers) traders here. The improved conditions allowed them to resume their daily routine, which includes drying the popular snack in the sun. Mohd Bukhori Zainal Abidin, 50, said keropok supply at his shop had been affected due to the incessant rain since the beginning of the month. “Compared with last year, this year has been worse as the rainy season started at the same time as the school holidays. “A large portion of the crackers were damaged by the rain. We could only dry them now. “Fortunately, we also stocked up early for sales this holiday season,” he said, adding that a batch of keropok weighing 50kg could generate about RM900 in earnings, and is usually in high demand among locals and visitors during the holiday season. “Alhamdulillah, I really hope it Keropok trader Mohd Bukhori Zainal Abidin taking advantage of the fine weather to sun his product at his yard in Kampung Geliga, Terengganu. – BERNAMAPIC oImproved weather conditions allow villagers to resume manufacturing process Flood-hit villagers receive donated used clothes PASIR MAS: Kedai Kopi Tok Doh in Kampung Serongga here turned lively yesterday as villagers returned after spending nearly five days at the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sri Kiambang relief centre due to the floods. However, their visit to the coffee shop was not for breakfast but to collect donated used clothes from an NGO for those affected by the third wave of flooding. Ruslizawati Che Ismail, 46, said nearly half of her clothes and those of her six children were either washed away or damaged. “The water rose very quickly and I could not save my belongings, including clothes. I only brought the few clothes I managed to salvage to the relief centre at SK Sri Kiambang. “It is sad to return home and find some clothes missing. Some are still there but need to be washed. This morning, I was informed that an NGO came to deliver used clothing, so I came to collect some for myself and my children,” she said, adding that the recurring flood situation discouraged her from buying new clothes. Kampung Serongga is among the severely affected areas in Pasir Mas, where the rubber-tapping community experienced water levels rising nearly three metres. Another resident, Mat Anuwa Senik, 61, a rubber tapper who lost his source of income since the beginning of the monsoon season, expressed dismay over his predicament. “I haven’t earned anything for almost two months. My house was flooded, and my belongings, including clothes, were damaged,” he said. – Bernama will be fine weather from morning to evening. The keropok that we dried today can be sold tomorrow.” Earlier, it was reported that a third wave of flooding, which hit Terengganu on Dec 23, has fully receded, Bernama reported. According to the Terengganu Disaster Management Committee secretariat, the last temporary evacuation centre in the state at Dewan Serbaguna Taman Perumahan Wakaf Tengah in Kuala Nerus, which housed six people, was closed on Sunday.
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 5 Budget 2024 a treasure chest of benefits: Expert KUALA LUMPUR: With a primary focus on boosting economic growth and improving standard of living, Budget 2024 introduces various initiatives and incentives for Malaysians to enjoy and benefit from this year. The government’s move to introduce the Central Database Hub (Padu), which is slated to be launched today, will ensure government aid reaches target groups without marginalising any party. Geostrategy expert Prof Dr Azmi Hassan pointed out that Budget 2024 is set to provide various incentives to the people, highlighting Rahmah Cash Aid (RCA) as the most beneficial among them. “In line with the Budget 2024 objective, which is to empower the people, I find that RCA stands as the most effective incentive because people currently need cash to spend on their necessities. “When people receive RCA, they will spend the money, thus creating more demand for goods and fostering a favourable economic cycle,” said the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow. Through Budget 2024, the maximum rate for RCA will be increased from RM3,100 to RM3,700 this year, while the minimum rate for youths will be raised from RM350 to RM500. Meanwhile, Universiti Kuala Lumpur Business School economic analyst Assoc Prof Dr Aimi Zulhazmi Abdul Rashid said Budget 2024 focuses on the government’s fiscal policy to stimulate the domestic economy and reach the 4% to 5% gross domestic product target for this year. – Bernama 390,000 students to sit for SPM exams PUTRAJAYA: A total of 395,870 candidates have registered to sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2023 examination at 3,340 examination centres nationwide. The Education Ministry said in a statement yesterday 129,635 invigilators have been appointed to ensure smooth management of the exams, Bernama reported. All candidates are advised to refer to the examination timetable, which can be downloaded from the Examinations Syndicate website via the link lp.moe.gov.my. Candidates are also reminded to bring identification documents and Examination Registration Statements to the examination centre and to comply with standard operating procedures and rules. Candidates may also call the examination room hotlines and state education department headquarters for additional information. Sarawak flag named ‘Ibu Pertiwi’ KUCHING: The state flag of Sarawak will now be known as “Ibu Pertiwi” (motherland). Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Abang Openg announced this at the state-level New Year’s Eve celebration at the Kuching Waterfront on Sunday night. He said prior to the naming, the Sarawak flag did not have a distinct name like the Malaysian flag, “Jalur Gemilang”. “Ibu Pertiwi signifies the sovereignty of Sarawak. It also represents the greatness of the state with the colours (of the flag) of red, black and yellow. “All Sarawakians must be determined to work hard to defend the motherland and together develop this state to greater heights,” he said. The New Year’s Eve celebration, with the theme “Let’s Celebrate Together”, was marked with various activities, including stage performances, fireworks shows and a New Year countdown. – Bernama Dip in Bumiputera composition in professional fields KUALA LUMPUR: The emergence of new careers such as social media influencing, which offers lucrative incomes, is among reasons the Bumiputera community is moving away from certain professional fields. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Diversity Education Research Centre senior lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Izwan Mahmud said although career migration has not shown significant development, the imbalance between Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera in professional fields needs to be narrowed. “Career imbalance would contribute to economic imbalance issues. We need to ensure the gap between ethnic groups is not too wide because when a particular career is monopolised by one ethnic group, unity issues would arise,” he said. Data for 2023 released by the Statistics Department last week recorded the participation of the Bumiputera at below 50% for certain professional careers such as architects (41.2%), lawyers (38.2%) and accountants (31.8%). However, Bumiputera professionals in 2022 were recorded at 92.7%, with 83.8% engaged as medical officers and nurses. Mohd Izwan said to produce future-ready graduates and ensure Bumiputera engage in professional careers, interests need to be cultivated from school, and curriculum adjustments at the university level should also be made. “Placement with the industry also needs to be done earlier to foster student interest until they complete their studies, as done by several countries by placing their students in the said industry from the early stages of their studies.” Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia Youth Development Education lecturer at the Faculty of Educational Studies Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Mursyid Arshad said many graduates do not work in fields that match their academic qualifications due to limited job opportunities. – Bernama Extensive SME support plan KUALA LUMPUR: With the dawn of 2024, the SME Association of Malaysia is looking forward to further promoting small and medium enterprises as the backbone of economic growth. Its president Ding Hong Sing said the association’s confidence has been boosted by Budget 2024’s allocation of RM44 billion to advance micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME). “MSME contributed 38.2% to the gross domestic product in 2021 and employed 7.3 million workers. “Our 2023 growth was due to the government’s promotion of initiatives such as the Corporate Green Power Programme, which presented SME with investment opportunities, especially for the environmental, social and governance (ESG) centric markets like Europe and the US.” Ding said the push towards high-tech industrial transformation benefitted SME by integrating technology and addressing global demand. “In Budget 2024, RM2 billion was allocated for the National Energy Transition Roadmap and RM900 million for digitalisation to boost SME productivity and green transition. “Recent policy shifts in Malaysia also underscore a collective effort to bolster SME, particularly in ESG and industrial transformation,” he said, adding that to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Malaysia has adopted Sustainable Development Goals and ESG frameworks. oAssociation hopeful of boosting sector via multiple initiatives involving training, financing and collaborations █ BY RAVEEN AINGARAN [email protected] Ding also said key budgetary provisions from 2024 include elevating salary ceilings and introducing initiatives to increase public sector integration. He anticipates a 20.2% increase in benefits for 1.45 million workers from such initiatives. “Simultaneously, there is a push for SME to move from labour-intensive to knowledgedriven industries in 2024, along with an emphasis on regional development, for which significant funding has been provided in Budget 2024 to improve infrastructure in Sabah and Sarawak.” Ding said SME in Malaysia are presented with an abundance of training opportunities to enhance competitiveness and adapt to evolving sectors, adding that these were aligned with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 missions, in which training will focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Training will also be provided in advanced innovations and ESG practices that are crucial for Industry 4.0 and artificial intelligence integration. “Collaborative efforts between the Human Resources Ministry (MOHR), Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) and industry partners also channelled RM6.8 billion for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes. “This includes RM1.6 billion for 1.7 million training slots as provided for in Budget 2024.” Ding said in fostering skills development for SME, the association would continue to collaborate with educational institutions and organisations to align talent supply with industry demands. He said the efforts encompass enhancing TVET programmes, fostering research and development partnerships on ESG and innovations, and crafting specialised training initiatives. These will be led by MOHR and MOHE, and supported by Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad and the Human Resource Development Corporation. The strategy will integrate talent evaluation from diverse educational institutions, forecast industry needs and tailor training to pivotal sectors. Ding said to support SME in international expansion, the government and associated entities have provided a variety of financial and non-financial aid. “Notably, the Market Development Grant by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) offers up to RM300,000 for overseas market penetration activities, covering costs from booth rentals to digital marketing. “Businesses are encouraged to engage with Matrade for market insights, training and access to international trade leads. Financing support is also available from institutions under Majlis Amanah Rakyat, SME Bank and Exim Bank, facilitating SME readiness for global markets.” He added that despite the association’s efforts, SME in Malaysia continue to grapple with multiple challenges, which will be looked into this year. These range from business strategies not being aligned with national goals to organisational constraints for transformative endeavours. “Accessing financing in challenging economic times and limited awareness of government support programmes further worsen our struggle. “Continuous engagement and support remain pivotal as SME navigate these obstacles,” he said. BUNDLES OF JOY ... Maternity ward nurses at the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital in Negeri Sembilan showing babies born between 1am and 9.30am on New Year’s Day. – BERNAMAPIC
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 6 Cops conducting probe on Gaza rally oStatements being recorded under the Peaceful Assembly Act before submission to DPP for further action KUALA LUMPUR: Police are still recording statements from the organisers of the “Aksi Bertindak: Kepung Demi Palestin” rally to assist in an investigation under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said once the statements are recorded, the investigation papers would be finalised before being handed to the deputy public prosecutor’s office for further action. “The six-day rally was conducted in a controlled manner and the organisers cooperated with police.” Allaudeen said police sympathise with the struggle of the Palestinian people, but they are responsible for ensuring public order and the safety of foreign diplomats. He added that the rally is subject to the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and it is the responsibility of police to ensure safety. The rally was an initiative by concerned Malaysians regarding the crisis in Gaza, which has resulted in the loss of approximately 21,822 Palestinian lives as of Dec 31. It was also a symbol of solidarity and a demonstration of love for peace. The gathering near the US Embassy in Jalan Tun Razak was symbolic of the blockade on Gaza. It aimed to demand an end to the killings of Palestinians and urged for an immediate ceasefire, Bernama reported. The rally involved 48 NGOs comprising community organisations, youth and student associations as well as political groups. Some of the participating NGOs included the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations, Viva Palestina Malaysia, Al-Quds Malaysia Foundation, Suara Rakyat Malaysia and Malaysian Women’s Coalition for Al-Quds and Palestine. Bitcoin ruse costs contractor RM140,000 ALOR GAJAH: A contractor in Malacca was cheated of RM146,313.60 after investing in a bogus Bitcoin scheme. District police chief Supt Arshad Abu said the victim, in his 30s, responded to an “MIT Investment” advertisement on Facebook on Dec 26. He said the scheme offered three packages – basic, premium and gold – with promised returns of between RM8,000 and RM50,000, depending on the rise of Bitcoin prices. “The man, who stays in Alor Gajah, got in touch with the suspect via WhatsApp and was given details of the capital investment needed and the promised returns. “Under the basic package, the victim was promised returns of between RM8,000 and RM12,000 in three hours, with an investment of RM300.” For the premium package, a RM1,000 investment promised returns of RM18,000 to RM25,000 within six hours, while the gold package involved a RM1,800 investment, with returns of RM30,000 to RM50,000. Attracted by the lucrative returns, the man made 12 transfers totalling RM146,313.60 to nine bank accounts in three days. Arshad said he lodged a report at the Rumbia police station on Saturday after failing to get any profits, adding that police are investigating the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. He advised the public not to fall for online investment schemes offering unusually high returns. “Anyone who suspects they have fallen prey to scammers should immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre at 997 so that the money transferred to the syndicates can be blocked.” – Bernama 590,000 road crashed recorded in 2023 KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department deputy director Datuk Mohd Nasri Omar said a total of 598,635 road crashes were reported nationwide from Jan 1 to Dec 30 last year, adding that 12,417 involved deaths. “A total of 2,331 cases involved serious crashes, 28,511 involved minor collisions and the rest involved damage to vehicles.” He said Selangor recorded the highest number with 173,129 cases, followed by Johor with 87,370 and Kuala Lumpur with 72,701. He added that Selangor also recorded the highest number of deaths with 2,092, followed by Johor with 2,010 and Perak with 1,321. Police, through the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department, carried out large-scale integrated operations nationwide involving all contingents and districts, from 8pm to 5am yesterday. The operations involved 4,378 officers and personnel, apart from various enforcement agencies such as the Road Transport Department, National Anti-Drug Agency, Environment Department and the Immigration Department. – Bernama Mother, daughter killed in hut fire IPOH: A senior citizen and her disabled daughter were burnt to death in a fire at Kampung Air Tarung in Gerik yesterday. Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Sayani Saidon said a police report on the incident was received by the Gerik Fire and Rescue station at 7.38am. He said upon arrival at the scene of the incident, a team from the department found 95% of a hut in an orchard was destroyed in the fire. “There were two victims, a 76-year-old woman and her 43-year-old daughter, who was visually impaired, were found burnt to death.” Sayani said the remains of the two victims were handed to police for further action. – Bernama Flood hit villages to be monitored TUMPAT: The Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department will continue to monitor villages that were affected by floods, although some residents have returned to their homes. State Fire and Rescue director Zainal Madasin said this is to ensure the safety of residents at several villages, including Teluk Jering, Kubang Sawa and Bendang Pak Yong. He said some residents chose not to evacuate and preferred to stay at home, while others returning from temporary relief centres found their homes were still uninhabitable due to stagnant floodwaters. “We advise residents to be more cautious because stagnant water poses dangers to the public as there may be sharp objects or venomous animals. In addition, parents should not allow young children to play in drainage areas because we believe the currents are swift and can sweep small children away.” – Bernama RM60,000 for temporary road JELI: The Public Works Department estimates the construction of a temporary road in Kampung Lata Janggut Seberang will cost RM60,000. Jeli district officer Mohd Shaifudeen Mohd Salleh said the costs include site clearance, earthworks, road construction and drainage to mitigate the risk of landslides. “At this stage, we are conducting a comprehensive study of several options to build an alternative route, especially one that we have identified adjacent to the landslide site. “Construction work on this alternative route can begin next week.” On Friday, heavy rain resulted in a road collapse at Kampung Lata Janggut Seberang, causing 210 residents from 43 families to be cut off. – Bernama Crack down on helmet use in Kedah JITRA: The Kedah Road Transport Department (RTD) will be focusing on several hotspots in the Kuala Muda, Kulim and Kota Setar districts through operations on helmet use among motorcyclists, starting this month. Its director Aman Shah Hashim said his department would work with other departments and agencies to deal with the mindset of motorcyclists, who are seen to be showing a lackadaisical attitude towards safety. He said according to RTD statistics, a total of 1,753 summonses were issued for not wearing a helmet or wearing a helmet not according to specifications, which is an increase compared with 676 notices issued last year. “Our focus for 2024 is Kuala Muda, Kota Setar and Kulim, but the majority of hotspots are in Kuala Muda. We will collaborate with traffic police, the National Anti-Drug Agency and the Environment Department. “Wearing a helmet is not only a legal requirement, but the awareness and understanding that wearing a helmet can protect the head from injury is more important. “Data released by the World Health Organisation states the correct and safe use of a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 70% and reduce the risk of death by up to 40%.” Aman Shah was speaking at a free helmet exchange programme in conjunction with Ambang Kedah Sejahtera 2024 at Tasik Darul Aman on Sunday. He said not wearing a helmet or using a helmet that does not meet specifications is one of the seven main offences and can carry a compound of up to RM300, according to the Motorcycle (Safety Helmets) Rule 1973. “There are many contributing factors in road accidents. We need to avoid wearing helmets that may be attractive and cheap, but do not provide adequate safety for the wearer, compared with the use of helmets approved by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia.” – Bernama UNSAFE GROUND ... Felda Neram 2 settler Ibrahim Awang examining the damage caused by a landslip due to soil movement behind his house in Kemaman yesterday – BERNAMAPIC
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 7 Pakistan ex-PM Imran barred from candidacy ISLAMABAD: Jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and most of his supporters have been rejected as candidates for the Feb 8 election, party officials said Sunday after nominations for the ballot closed. Imran has been in prison since August, facing trial over a slew of cases he insists have been orchestrated to prevent him from contesting the election as the figurehead of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The former cricket star was found guilty of graft earlier this year, but a court suspended his three-year sentence and the conviction is being appealed. The Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified him from office over the conviction, but PTI turned in nomination papers for Imran last week regardless. “Nomination papers of almost all national and provincial leaders of PTI, including Imran Khan, have been rejected... 90% to 95% of our candidates’ papers have been rejected,” ” said PTI spokesman Raoof Hasan. Raoof said the candidates were being blocked as part of an “agenda” to prevent PTI from contesting the election in six weeks. “All tactics are being tried for this purpose but, under any circumstances, we will not leave the political ground and will not boycott the elections,” he said. An election commission official confirmed that various PTI candidates had been rebuffed, including Imran, based on his conviction. Such widespread action against a single party is “unprecedented” in Pakistan, political analyst Hasan Askari told AFP. China urged to seek ‘peaceful coexistence’ TAIPEI: Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen expressed hope yesterday for Taipei and Beijing to seek “long-term peaceful coexistence” and said future relations should be decided by Taiwan’s “democratic procedures”. Taiwan is less than two weeks from an election, closely watched from Beijing to Washington as it determines the future of the self-ruled island’s relations with an increasingly bellicose China. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory to be seized one day. It has halted high-level communications with Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party government since her 2016 election and ramped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on the island. In her last New Year speech before leaving office in May, Tsai expressed hopes to restart communications with Beijing. “We hope that the two sides (of the Taiwan Strait) will resume healthy and sustainable exchanges as soon as possible,” she said. “We also hope that the two sides will jointly seek a long-term and stable way of peaceful coexistence under peace, parity, democracy and dialogue.” But Tsai, whom Beijing hates as she has refused to acknowledge China’s territorial claims, also stood firm on Taiwan’s need to defend its democracy. “Facing the renewed conflict between democracy, freedom and authoritarianism around the world, Taiwan’s only choice in the future is still to continue to uphold democracy and protect peace.” Tsai was also asked to comment on Chinese oTaiwanese president hopes to restart talks with Beijing to seek long-term, stable relations B R I E F SGERMAN POLICE NAB THREE OVER ATTACK PLOT NEW YORK: Police on Sunday detained three further suspects in an alleged plot to attack Germany’s famed Cologne Cathedral on New Year’s Eve, authorities said. The alleged attackers had planned to use a car to attack the 800-year-old Gothic edifice by the Rhine river, Cologne police director Frank Wissbaum told a news conference. The method of the planned attack was unclear, but an underground car park below the cathedral had been searched with explosives sniffer dogs overnight, he told reporters. “The three people are now securely in custody, which we are very glad about since they can no longer communicate with each other,” he said. Wissbaum said investigators had found evidence late on Saturday that linked the three to a 30-year-old Tajik man with alleged ties to the Islamic State militant movement, who has been in custody since Dec 24. Federal authorities were continuing their investigation into what he termed a “network of individuals” from Central Asia with links to several German states and European countries. – Reuters DENMARK QUEEN ANNOUNCES SURPRISE ABDICATION COPENHAGEN: Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II, Europe’s longest-serving monarch, will abdicate on Jan 14 after 52 years on the throne and will be succeeded by her eldest son Crown Prince Frederik, she announced on Sunday. The 83-year-old queen, who ascended the throne in 1972, made the surprise announcement on live TV during her traditional New Year’s Eve speech, which is viewed by many in the country of 5.9 million people. Referring to a successful back operation she underwent in February she said, “The surgery naturally gave rise to thinking about the future, whether the time had come to leave the responsibility to the next generation. I have decided that now is the right time. On Jan 14 – 52 years after I succeeded my beloved father – I will step down as queen of Denmark,” she said. “I leave the throne to my son, Crown Prince Frederik,” she said. – Reuters President Xi Jinping’s New Year’s Eve speech, in which he said Taiwan “will surely be reunified” with China. “Decisions must be made with the common will of the Taiwanese people. We are a democratic country after all,” she told reporters after her speech. “What kind of relationship we will form with China in the future must be determined by our democratic procedures to make the final decision.” Xi has previously said China would never rule out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Tsai’s ruling DPP has largely campaigned on a platform of sovereignty separate from China and their candidate, vice-president Lai Ching-te, has in past described himself as a “pragmatic worker of Taiwan independence”. Opposition Kuomintang party’s candidate Hou Yu-ih and Taiwan People’s Party Ko Wen-je have pledged friendlier ties with China, saying Lai’s pro-independence remarks could undermine Taiwan’s security. – AFP ‘Maintain, promote stability in Southeast Asia’ HANOI: The foreign ministers of Asean issued a statement, expressing concern over the recent developments in the East Sea. They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, safety, security, stability, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the maritime sphere of Southeast Asia, particularly the East Sea, reported Vietnam News Agency. “We also reaffirm the need to restore and enhance mutual trust and confidence as well as exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, avoid actions that may further complicate the situation and pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” said the statement. The foreign ministers underscored the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea in its entirety and committed to working towards the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea that is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS. They also reiterated the importance of peaceful dialogue that contributes constructively to the promotion of regional stability and cooperation in the maritime domain. Welcoming the recent maritime dialogue between China and the US in Beijing and the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in California, they hoped that such dialogues will continue to further Asean’s efforts to strengthen stability and cooperation in the region’s maritime sphere. This marked the fifth occasion Asean has addressed maritime issues since 1995, with the most recent statement concerning the East Sea released in 2014. – Bernama-VNA BLESSINGS ... People carry an illuminated ‘Mikoshi’ or portable shrine during a countdown event to celebrate the new year in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo yesterday. – REUTERSPIC
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 8 Fireworks, missiles light skies as world enters 2024 oHopes high to shake off high living costs, global tumult and end to wars in Gaza and Ukraine NEW YORK: Fireworks illuminated skies over Paris, Rio and Sydney to celebrate the entry to 2024, while in Israel, Gaza and Ukraine, rockets and strikes marked the year’s earliest hours. Much of the world’s population – now more than eight billion – is hoping to shake off high living costs and global tumult in 2024, which will bring elections concerning half the world’s population and the Paris Olympics. But with the new year barely started there were already ominous signs. At the stroke of midnight in Gaza a barrage of rockets was fired towards Israel, a twisted reflection of the fireworks lighting up night skies elsewhere around the world. In New York City, thousands of visitors lined up for a chance to see the annual dropping of a giant illuminated ball in Times Square. Nearby stallholders hawked vuvuzelas and 2024-branded hats as police fanned out across central Manhattan, towing suspicious cars, closing roads and manning a ring of steel screening would-be revelers. Hours earlier, more than a million partygoers had packed in around the harbor in Sydney, the self-proclaimed “New Year’s capital of the world,” to watch eight tonnes of fireworks. Pyrotechnics also illuminated the skies in Auckland, Hong Kong, Manila and Jakarta. Nudist bathers wearing Santa hats waded into the mild waters of southern France, while revelers danced in the streets in Greece’s Thessaloniki. The last 12 months brought “Barbenheimer” to the box office, a proliferation of human-seeming artificial intelligence tools, and a world-first whole-eye transplant. India outgrew China as the world’s most populous country, and then became the first nation to land an unmanned craft on the Moon’s south pole. It was also the hottest year since records began in 1880, with a spate of climate-fuelled disasters striking across the world. Fans bade adieu to “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” Tina Turner, “Friends” actor Matthew Perry, Xi, Biden celebrate 45 years of diplomatic ties BEIJING: China’s President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulations with US President Joe Biden on the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the official Xinhua news agency said on Monday. Xi also exchanged New Year’s messages with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un and both announced 2024 to be a “friendship year” for both countries, launching a series of activities for that. On New Year’s Eve, the Chinese leader exchanged New Year’s greetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin as well. This year is the 75th anniversary of China and Russia establishing diplomatic relations. Xi said China and Russia should “continuously consolidate” and develop ties “featuring permanent good-neighbourly friendship”, along with comprehensive strategic coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation that would serve both countries’ interests. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China by Mao Zedong, who defeated Republic of China forces led by Chiang Kai-shek in a bloody civil war. Mao declared the People’s Republic of China on Oct 1, 1949, while Chiang’s government fled into exile in Taiwan in December of that year. No peace treaty has ever been signed to end the war and the Republic of China remains Taiwan’s formal name. – Reuters Kim tells army to ‘annihilate’ S.Korea, US B R I E F SVISA-FREE TRAVEL TO EUROPE FOR KOSOVARS PRISTINA: A long-awaited European Union’s visa liberalisation scheme allowing Kosovo nationals to travel to Europe’s borderless zone without a visa came into force on Monday. The new regime, which came into force at midnight, enables Kosovars to travel to the passport-free Schengen zone without a visa for periods of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Kosovo, with a population of 1.8 million, was the last of the six countries in the Western Balkans to get the waiver. The reform is perceived in Pristina as another step towards full recognition and a boost for the ambition of the country that proclaimed independence in 2008 to join the EU. According to the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, Kosovo by 2018 met all the needed criteria for the visa-free regime, including border and migration management. But the approval has been held up by France and the Netherlands as well as by five other EU members. – AFP CYCLING CHAMP CHARGED OVER WIFE’S DEATH SYDNEY: Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis has been charged over the death of his Olympian wife, Australian media reported Monday, after allegedly hitting her with a car. Melissa Hoskins, a retired track cyclist who represented Australia at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, died in hospital after suffering what police said were “serious injuries” on Saturday evening. South Australia Police said a 33-year-old man, widely reported to be Dennis, had been charged with “causing death by dangerous driving” and “driving without due care and endangering life”. “The driver is known to the woman,” police said, without confirming his name. – AFP SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told his top military officers to use maximum force against South Korea and the US if they initiate a military confrontation, state media reported Monday. Seoul and Washington have ramped up defence cooperation in the face of a record-breaking series of weapons tests by Pyongyang over the past year. At a meeting with North Korea’s major commanding officers in Pyongyang on New Year’s Eve, Kim said his military should “annihilate” the enemy if provoked, the official Korean Central News Agency reported. “If the enemy opt for military confrontation and provocation against the DPRK, our army should deal a deadly blow to thoroughly annihilate them by mobilising all the toughest means and potentialities without moment’s hesitation,“ Kim said. Kim’s comments echo his threats made during year-end party meetings of a nuclear attack on Seoul and orders for a military arsenal build-up to prepare for a war that he said could “break out any time” on the peninsula. During the meetings to set the policy agenda for 2024, the North Korean leader accused the US of posing “various forms of military threat”. He also called on armed forces to “suppress the whole territory of south Korea mobilising all physical means, including nuclear forces” in case of a “great event”, referring to an armed conflict. – AFP hell-raising Anglo-Irish songsmith Shane MacGowan, and master dystopian novelist Cormac McCarthy. The year 2023 will be remembered for war in the Middle East. The United Nations estimates that almost two million Gazans have been displaced since Israel’s siege began, or about 85% of the peacetime population. With once-bustling Gaza City neighborhoods reduced to rubble, there were few places left to mark the new year and fewer loved ones to celebrate with. Some in Vladimir Putin’s Russia were also weary of conflict, this time in Ukraine. But Putin himself remained bullish in his New Year’s Eve address, vowing that Russia “will never back down”. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s New Year’s Eve address, after nearly two years of war, was defiant. Ukrainian pilots were mastering the F-16 warplanes supplied by their allies, he said. In 2024, “we will definitely see them in our skies. So that our enemies can certainly see what our real wrath is”. Russia would also feel the full force of Ukraine’s domestic arms production, he added, including at least a million drones. Fireworks seen over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Australia. – REUTERSPIC
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 9 JERUSALEM: Israeli jets intensified attacks on central Gaza on Sunday, residents and medics said, as battles raged through the rubble of towns and refugee camps in a war Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would take “many more months” to end. Netanyahu’s comments signal no let-up in a campaign that has killed many thousands and levelled much of Gaza, while his vow to restore Israeli control over the enclave’s border with Egypt raises new questions over an eventual two-state solution. The Israeli military will release some reservists who were called up to fight Hamas in Gaza, a move it said on Sunday would help the economy as the country prepares for a prolonged war. Air strikes pounded al-Maghazi and alBureij in the centre of Gaza, killing 10 people in one house and driving more to flee to Rafah on the border with Egypt from front lines where Israeli tanks are battling Hamas fighters. A Red Crescent video published on Sunday showed rescuers working in the dark to carry an injured child from smoking rubble in central Gaza. Six people died in a strike on the village of alMughraqa outside Gaza City, health officials said. A separate strike on a house in Khan Younis killed one person and wounded others, they added. As 2023 drew to a close, Palestinians in Gaza prayed for a ceasefire but had little hope the new year would be better. The US, Israel’s main ally, has urged it to scale down the war and European states have signalled alarm at the extent of Palestinian civilian suffering. However, Netanyahu’s comments on Saturday, when he said he would not resign despite opinion polls showing his government is broadly unpopular and defended his security record, indicate that there will be no easing anytime soon. Netanyahu said the “the war is at its height” and Israel would have to retake control of Gaza’s border with Egypt, an area now crammed with civilians who have fled the carnage across the rest of the enclave. Retaking the border could also constitute a de facto reversal of Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, raising new questions over the future of the enclave and prospects for a Palestinian state. Washington said Israel should allow a Palestinian government to control Gaza when the conflict is over. “We just take a fundamentally different view here in terms of what post-conflict Gaza needs to look like,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on ABC television. – Reuters Rocket barrage hits Israel JERUSALEM: Several rockets fired from the Gaza Strip targeted Tel Aviv and southern Israel as the country rang in the New Year yesterday, according to AFP journalists on the ground. Air-raid sirens sounded as journalists in Tel Aviv saw Israeli missile defence systems intercept the rockets. People who had gathered on the streets to celebrate New Year’s Eve took shelter, while others continued to party. The attack on southern Israel came at midnight and another targeting Tel Aviv occurred a minute later. “I was terrified, like it was the first time I saw missiles, its terrifying,” said Gabriel Zemelman outside a Tel Aviv bar where he had come to celebrate with friends. Hamas’s military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for both attacks in a video posted on social media. They said they used M90 rockets in “response to the massacres of civilians” perpetrated by Israel. The Israeli military confirmed the attack. Hamas “decided to start 2024 by launching a barrage of rockets at Israel”, the military said in a post on social media. The latest rocket attacks came as Israel continues its bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Gaza pounded as Netanyahu pledges long war oComments signal no let-up in assault as Israeli PM vows to restore control over enclave border with Egypt US sinks three ships after Houthi Red Sea attack CAIRO: US helicopters repelled an attack by Iranbacked Houthi militants on a Maersk container vessel in the Red Sea, sinking three ships and killing 10 militants, according to accounts by American, Maersk, and Houthi officials on Sunday. The naval battle occurred on Sunday as the attackers sought to board the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou, Maersk and US Central Command (Centcom) said. Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely joined the ship’s security team in repelling the attackers after receiving a distress call, Centcom said. Maersk said it was pausing all sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours after the attack. A spokesman for the Houthis said the group carried out the attack because the ship’s crew refused to heed warning calls. He said 10 Houthi naval personnel were “dead and missing” after their boats were attacked by US forces in the Red Sea. The naval battle underlines the risk of a regional escalation in fighting as Israel continues with its relentless bombing campaign. Yemen’s Houthis have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea since November to show their support for Hamas, prompting major shipping companies to take the longer and costlier route around the Africa’s Cape of Good Hope rather than through the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is the entry point for ships using the Suez Canal, which handles about 12% of global trade and vital for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe. The US launched Operation Prosperity Guardian on Dec 19, saying more than 20 countries had agreed to participate in the efforts to safeguard ships in Red Sea waters near Yemen. Maersk, one of the world’s top cargo shippers, said on Dec 24 it would resume sailing through the Red Sea. However, attacks have continued and US allies have proven reluctant to commit to the coalition, with nearly half not declaring their presence publicly. – Reuters A woman at a camp housing displaced Palestinians outside the European Hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza. – AFPPIC B R I E F SMACRON CALLS FOR UNITY IN NEW YEAR ADDRESS PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron called for unity in the country in his New Year’s Eve address Sunday as it prepares for the 2024 Olympic Games, after a difficult year for his government. Speaking from the gardens of the Elysee Palace, with the flags of the Olympic nations behind him, he promised a civic and economic “rearmament” for the country. And evoking the memory of former European Union leader Jacques Delors, who died on Wednesday, he said voters would have a decisive choice to make in June’s European elections. They would have choose between “continuing Europe or blocking it,” he said. “We will have to make the choice of a stronger, more sovereign Europe in the light of the legacy of Jacques Delors.” Macron was speaking at the end of a troubled year in which his government forced through deeply unpopular pensions reforms and faced summer riots over the police killing of youths. – AFP ‘DOZENS’ DEAD IN WEEK OF BURKINA ATTACKS OUAGADOUGOU: At least four suspected jihadist attacks in Burkina Faso have killed dozens of soldiers and civilians in a week, security and local sources said on Sunday. They said the attacks have targeted military contingents since last Sunday, leaving “dozens dead” mostly in the restive north of the country. One local source said “a large group of heavily armed terrorists attacked the military base at Nouna” in the northwest on Saturday, with the clash leaving “several victims,“ both military and civilian. A security source contacted by AFP confirmed an attack that was repelled and added that “another almost simultaneous attack targeted another northern detachment” but had likewise been beaten back. The sources said two other attacks on military bases took place on Dec 24. That attack has been claimed by the GSIM jihadist alliance linked to Al-Qaeda. The group claimed it killed around 60 soldiers.
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 10 Contact theSun's Sales & Marketing team to book your advertising space. Malaysian Paper 03-7784 6688 [email protected] Advertise with us on Chinese New Year Special on JAN 26, 2024 Chinese New Year SPECIAL Let’s welcome the Year of the Dragon with us! In the Chinese culture, the dragon represents good luck, strength and health, and those are what we wish for you, while you check out our Chinese New Year supplement, to let yourself be aware of the current and upcoming festive sales, deals and promotions. PUBLICATION DATE 26 JANUARY, 2024 (Friday) BOOKING DEADLINE 12 JANUARY, 2024 (Friday) Nurturing an altruistic society “ SAVE my parents, siblings and grandparents first. Then, save me. Save me last, I do not want to be the first.” These were the words of 13-year-old Palestinian girl, Alma, who was trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building during Israeli attacks. Altruism, the principle of prioritising the welfare of others over oneself, which was embedded in this girl’s soul became an unshakable social fortress, making her impervious to the enemy’s bullets and missile blasts. Drawing inspiration from this story, I implore readers to see altruism as a bedrock of our society amid the fabric of today’s socioeconomic landscape where power and influence are dominated by political authorities and capitalist markets. The agenda of empowering the people has ultimately turned into mere fodder for political campaigns during elections, governments’ promises at international forums or simply a chant for corporate social responsibility. This glaringly manifests in recent figures. In 2022, the gross national income gap between high-income nations and developing and poor nations surged by US$1.9 trillion (RM8.73 trillion) compared with 2015 figures. Nevertheless, official development assistance from these affluent nations falls short by US$200 billion of the agreed-upon target within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During that same year, chief executive officers of S&P 500-listed giant corporations received an average income of US$16.7 million, which was 272 times the median salary of their employees. More concerning is that only US$1.3 trillion was spent annually (with over 70% in the form of loans) compared with the required US$4 trillion each year before 2030 to curb global warming below the 1.5°C threshold. In my view, altruism, which is often undervalued, serves not only as a direct remedy for suffering through post-disaster aid and relief but also wields influence over the formulation of more inclusive government policies as well as corporate decisions that prioritise people’s well-being and environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, unlocking the true potential of altruism can prove challenging as long as our understanding of this dynamic concept of social contract remains tethered to an antiquated mindset. Here are three shifts essential for shaping a new way of thinking about the role of altruism in a world grappling with a poly-crisis – a scenario marked by complex and interconnected challenges such as economic sluggishness, geopolitical turmoil and climate change happening concurrently. Firstly, doing good to others should be seen as a moral duty, rather than a voluntary act of charity. Professor and philosopher at Princeton University Peter Singer asserts that when giving to those in need is “regarded as an act of charity, it is not thought that there is anything wrong with not giving”. As such, the charitable man will always be praised but the one amassing wealth for himself is rarely condemned. Islam, on the other hand, elevates altruism or ihsan to a higher level by linking it to faith, as the saying of Prophet Muhammad goes: “None of you (truly) believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Secondly, this sense of moral duty must extend beyond personal pursuit and infiltrate the formulation of corporate objectives and strategies. We need to break free from the orthodox belief that prioritising social values over profit will inevitably lead to losses for businesses. This change can be spearheaded by Islamic financial institutions, especially in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call in his Budget 2024 speech to revitalise the industry’s role in shaping a just and more compassionate economic system. Under Bank Negara Malaysia’s Value-Based Intermediation framework, Islamic banks and takaful operators are encouraged to actively engage with stakeholders in the spirit of syura for societal needs such as education, healthcare and social security by designing innovative financing and protection solutions that harmonise profit and social impact. In addition, blending Islamic philanthropic mechanisms, such as zakat, waqf and sadaqah, with financial instruments including microfinancing, as seen in initiatives such as iTEKAD, orchestrated through partnerships among Islamic banks, state religious councils, nongovernmental organisations and foundations, showcases an unequivocal commitment to altruism. Such approaches can promote trust and reputation within communities, bolster the brand image and secure unwavering customer loyalty. Thirdly, what is more important is the impact or quality of the assistance rendered rather than the quantity itself. Every company needs to develop a social impact measurement method that evaluates the efficacy of their various welfare programmes in bringing about long-term positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities in a more objective and evidence-based manner. This practice is important to ensure companies allocate their limited resources accountably, aiming to maximise social benefits for recipients, rather than using it as a marketing gimmick (virtue-washing). May this fresh outlook sculpt an altruistic and cohesive society that thrives on the principles of ethics, empathy and compassion, especially in times of turbulence. The writer is a lecturer at the Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance at International Islamic University Malaysia and a consultant at Masryef Advisory. Comments: [email protected] “Doing good to others should be seen as a moral duty rather than a voluntary act of charity, and it must extend beyond personal pursuit and infiltrate the formulation of corporate objectives and strategies. In 2022, the gross national income gap between high-income nations and developing and poor nations surged by US$1.9 trillion (RM8.73 trillion) compared with 2015 figures. – REUTERSPIC COMMENT by Dr Nazrul Hazizi Noordin
11 TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 Healthy lifestyle education vital THE initiation of a health education programme as a subject or curriculum must start at the elementary education level. The Health Ministry has sounded the alarm, revealing that 73% of deaths result from Noncommunicable diseases (NCD) or “silent killers” such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke and heart attacks. Recent statistics revealed that Malaysia is the “fattest nation” in Southeast Asia, attributing the rise in obesity to excessive sugar consumption, especially among school children who indulge in high intake of fast food and sweetened beverages. What has become of the physical education curriculum in our schools? We used to engage in easy jogging for warm-ups, followed by stretching exercises from head to toe, before participating in a short football, hockey or volleyball game. A survey conducted by the Institute of Public Health and the Health Ministry revealed that the daily sugar intake among our youths has significantly increased in 2017 compared with 2012. This trend is linked to a sedentary lifestyle, with many engaging in computer games. To make matters worse, many of our playing fields have been repurposed in the name of commercial development. Where are the days of knocking cards, kite flying, tops, ball chop, police and thief, spider and marble games – activities that filled our childhood throughout the year? The country once managed to produce outstanding athletes and foster healthy citizens, with a lifespan exceeding 72 for men and 79 for women. The government has recently implemented a sugar tax on sweetened beverages, however, exempting handcrafted beverages, such as bubble tea, may undermine the goal of promoting a healthier and sports-oriented nation. Relying on food and drink manufacturers to voluntarily adopt responsible and self-regulatory practices when selling sugary products may not be sufficient. Knowing that our daily high sugar intake is the main culprit, we need to exercise self-discipline, and there must be an ongoing awareness campaign to educate Malaysians through newspapers and electronic media about the hidden sugar content in numerous unsuspecting foods, including yoghurt and salad dressings, granola bars and sauces. Another big source of sugar in our diets comes from high-carbohydrate foods such as bagels and rice, which are quickly broken down into sugar in our bodies. The Food and Nutrition Research UK Journal pointed out that individuals tended to gain more weight with increased consumption of refined carbohydrates. The more sugar we consume, the more it tends to make us crave additional amounts. Studies have linked excessive sugar intake to various health issues, including heart diseases, high blood pressure, tumour growth, cognitive decline, liver failure and the development of insulin resistance – a precursor to diabetes. Why take chances with our precious lives? C. Sathasivam Sitheravellu Seremban LETTERS [email protected] Escape into oil palm THE first reason why I left Tanah Merah Estate was that I wanted to get away from the manager, Captain Charles Cook. He arrived in 1967 from an estate in Perak to replace the manager, Richard Bower, who had worked there for 50 years. It was clear from the start that they did not hit it off. Bower was set in his ways. He was nearly 70 years old, and he had worked there for most of his life. I worked with him for two years. Each morning I attended muster for a good reason, knowing he would be there too, facing the row of workers, most of whom he knew by name. He had a habit of not scolding me directly, but instead, if I was a minute late, he would salute me, and then would shout out that all were present. I did not make that mistake again. He kept the discipline high and made the rubber industry grow. When he visited each spot in the day to check the work, I would be there too. His lanky figure would step out of his Mini Moke and he would stay long enough to tell me about someone making a mistake in his work before he went to another division where a more senior assistant was working. Neither of us had been invited to his house or had a drink over the two years that I worked for him, even when the senior assistant, Brian Cooper, left on a promotion to run an estate as manager. After a time, Bower let me run a bigger division. I ensured that all the trees were tapped and latex production was high. The latex went to the tanks in the factory, was processed and dried to be turned into clear golden sheets. Bower also entrusted me with overseeing the rubber factory when the supervisor went on leave. This meant that my days were packed and often extended into late nights during the peak season due to ongoing processing, and all this was without extra pay. Nevertheless, I gained from the experience, and I got feedback from the staff that even minor mistakes that I made were being noted by Bower. When the owners, who were his friends, told Bower that it was time for him to retire, he built a house in the village and lived with his Malay wife, son, Hashim, and daughter, Rosenah, who was blonde, tall and pretty. I knew that she still had a year to go before she finished school. On some days, I would see her cycling home. Her older brother Hashim, who knew all about cars, would often come to my house and lend me copies of his Autocar magazines, but he did not talk about the family. The handing-over period was short. I organised a welcoming party for Cook but this turned out to be challenging as he and Bower had nothing in common. Cook, a bachelor, was a former army officer, balding with a military moustache. He obtained his degrees in forestry from Oxford and Cambridge. It turned out he had big plans. To expedite the process, he summoned contractors from the estate where he had previously worked. He wanted me to prune the rubber trees of the RRIM 623 and the RRIM 501 clones, so that the tall trunks and lean branches could stand strong winds. I have seen storms snapping rows of trees. Then he got me to build trenches on the slopes so rainwater could be retained during the dry spell, and the trees could give a higher yield. On his instructions, I spent long hours in the afternoons surveying the low areas using a dumpy level to find a way to drain the water and prevent the trees from having “wet feet”, which could slow their growth. Sometimes Bower would take a jog in the estate, where he was still a director, and would stop by my bungalow, which he had not done before. He would not sit but accept a glass of water, and would add that things were not as they used to be, and that introducing newfangled ideas would only add to costs. Cook had a tendency to choose his words carefully when speaking to me, and over time, I could sense that he did not trust me. He knew who had come by. The second reason I left Tanah Merah Estate was that my three-year contract was soon to expire and it was up to me to find a job in case I had to leave. However, the job I wanted was in Pamol estate near Kluang. I once had visited my friend and former schoolmate, Maurice Menon, who was working at the Federation Military College. He had a driver and a Volkswagen, and his bungalow had an air-conditioner. However, when I applied, I received a response stating that there were no vacancies. A few months later, I received another letter inviting me for an interview. As it happened, Maurice intended to relocate to Kuala Lumpur to be with his fiancee, creating a vacancy in his position. I met the personnel manager, Tim Swynnerton, and the acting manager, Reg Sumner, and they told me that the owner of the property was Unilever. It did not mean anything to me at the time. Later, I received the news that the job would be mine if I passed the medical test. Strangely, the telegram reached Cook one evening, and he came by to hand me the document through the window of his car. He said: “Strange how this came to me.” I also realised that under his guidance, I had learned more about the management of rubber trees, soil conservation and increasing yield on every piece of land. It helped with my examinations on soil and botany. I scored a distinction in surveying and passed the paper on estate practice, which was largely attributed to my reading of A. T. Edgar’s book, The Manual of Rubber Planting. At that time, I was 24 years old. However, now it was about oil palm, a new crop to me. In 1968, the national production of palm oil was below one million tonnes per year for the entire country. Subsequently, the scale expanded significantly, surpassing 20 million tonnes annually. However, during that period, Unilever operated only one estate in Peninsular Malaysia. I had heard that it had acquired a new area in Sabah. So, in a way, the team was even smaller than the companies that I had left. Competition would be fierce, and I was not sure if I could last. I arrived at the new place, still uncertain about what lay ahead, excited yet frightened. Was it a mistake to leave Tanah Merah? The writer has extensive experience in the management of oil palm plantations. Comments: [email protected] “Under Cook’s guidance, I realised I had learned more about the management of rubber trees, soil conservation and increasing yield on every piece of land. It helped with my examinations on soil and botany. E STATE MANAGERWRITE S BY MAHBOB ABDULLAH The more sugar we consume, the more it tends to make us crave additional amounts. – REUTERSPIC
HEALTH HEALTH 12 TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 I N over half a century of existence, Barbie has done many jobs. She has become a teacher, judge, wildlife photographer, chef and an astronaut. However, a study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that the most famous of dolls should take a closer look at the many careers in healthcare and science. Katherine Klamer has catalogued the many medical and scientific professions Barbie has practised since she was marketed in 1959. She based her research on an analysis of 92 models of the doll, including 53 doctors, 11 dentists and 10 scientists. The researcher also looked at the physical appearance, clothing and accessories of these different Barbies to determine whether they complied with the regulations in place in healthcare establishments and laboratories. The result is that Barbie’s careers in these two fields were sorely lacking in diversity. Most of the dolls analysed were white adult women. None were physically disabled, unlike some of the competing figurines on the market. Almost all the Barbie dolls working in the health sector seemed to be exclusively caring for children – only three of them take care of adults. They also do not seem to have any medical specialisation whatsoever. The study revealed that Barbies with health and science related professions gave an unrealistic picture of these sectors. While the overwhelming majority of Barbies working in the medical field have stethoscopes, very few wore masks. Not a single one wore disposable medical gloves, although these accessories are a significant safety precaution for both the carer and the patient. Many health and science Barbies also had loose hair, which goes against hygiene guidelines. While these details may seem anecdotal, Klamer claimed they can be more far-reaching than it might seem. “In a world where many girls struggle to picture women as scientists, Mattel depicting all the scientist dolls as female is commendable. “Yet, the dolls themselves misrepresent laboratory work. If these Barbies were real, all the academic achievements in the world would not allow them inside a single medical research or educational laboratory because they all, in some form, fail to follow basic laboratory safety protocol,” she wrote in the paper. “Since Barbie is a real source of inspiration for many young girls and boys, she must give a more accurate picture of the medical and scientific world. “Barbie has a commendable resume that spans various careers, many of them male-dominated. Dr Barbie should consider expanding her scientific and medical careers into subfields in which women remain a minority, for young girls’ sake as much as her own,” said Klamer. – ETX STUDIO Beyond pink oAssessing Barbie’s representation in healthcare and science careers Office air quality could impact employee creativity AIR pollutants potentially present in workplaces could impair employees’ creativity, according to a study by researchers at a Singapore-based university. They state that “this could have serious consequences for industries that rely on creativity for the bulk of their work.” The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that more than three million people will die each year from indoor air pollution. In a report dated December 2022, the health authority indicated that this type of pollution may be responsible for an increased risk of non-communicable diseases such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. While air quality in the home is most often cited, company premises are not spared and the impact appears not to be limited to workers’ physical health. A study by a team of researchers at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University has looked into the matter, suggesting that high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC), chemicals released by certain products, could impair employees’ creativity. Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the research was based on a specific technique, Serious Brick Play, inspired by the Lego Serious Play method. The technique is commonly used in seminars, training courses and meetings to improve business performance by stimulating reflection, imagination and communication using Lego bricks. Eighty-seven undergraduate and postgraduate students took part in the six-week study. In a controlled environment reminiscent of an indoor workspace, they were asked three times to read a summary of a global issue, such as climate change or mental health and then to propose a solution using the Serious Brick Play method, detailing it in writing. This took place in an environment in which air quality varied, notably for carbon dioxide and VOC, thanks to a partnership with global air filter manufacturer Camfil. The Lego models, like the descriptions, were subject to a scoring system based on originality, fluency and build. Pollution hampers creativity The researchers found that high levels of VOC affected the creativity of the study participants. The scientists reported that a 72% reduction in TVOC (total volatile organic compounds) could improve a participant’s creative potential by 12%. VOC can be much more prevalent in workplaces than you might think since they can originate from detergents, pesticides, perfumes, paints or even aerosols. WHO estimates that more than three million people will die each year from indoor air pollution. The study urged the creation of more realistic Barbies in health and science professions to inspire children. “While most people would correctly associate indoor air quality with effects on the lungs, especially since we just emerged from a pandemic, our study shows that it could also impact the mind and creative cognition or the ability to use knowledge unconventionally. “Our findings suggest that relatively low TVOC levels, even if well within the accepted threshold, could impact an individual’s creative potential,“ read a statement from assistant professor Ng Bing Feng, who co-led the research. Some sectors are more impacted than others, as the researchers point out, but this study highlights the need for companies to improve indoor air quality. “This could have serious consequences for industries that rely on creativity for the bulk of their work. “For instance, artists often use paints and thinners that release high levels of volatile organic compounds and may not know they need adequate ventilation to clear them from their workplace. “The findings also point to how making minor adjustments in the office, such as reducing aroma diffusers or ensuring adequate ventilation, could positively impact employees and their productivity,“ concludes study co-author and associate professor Wan Man Pun. – ETX STUDIO
TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2624/5 E: [email protected] Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 F: 03-7784 4424 SCAN ME E: [email protected] Lion Group plans to invest US$6b in Algeria: Envoy Agreement was signed in April 2002 and entered into force in September 2005. The agreement sets out a framework for the EUAlgeria relationship in all areas, including trade. It helps the EU and Algeria trade goods more freely, with some advantages for Algeria. The goal was to create a free trade area by September 2020, which mostly happened, except for a few tariffs that Algeria still needs to remove. SunBiz reached out to Lion Group and it confirmed the plan to invest in Algeria. However, it did not disclose further details. “We would like to inform you that we are in the preliminary stage of discussions with the authorities there. As such, we are not able to disclose any information at this time,” the group said via email. According to the Algeria Press Service, Lion Group has begun procedures for the construction of “structurally important” industrial projects worth US$6 billion in mineral-rich Algeria. oDiscussions are at preliminary stage, says Malaysian conglomerate Malaysia needs ecosystem-wide effort to build up cyber resilience, says expert PETALING JAYA: Malaysia needs to make an ecosystem-wide effort, through sharing information among stakeholders, to build up cyber resilience for the whole industry, said Cybersecurity World Economic Forum Centre head Akshay Joshi (pic). “We need to be sharing information among ourselves if we are to be able to enhance the cyber posture of the industry as a whole,” he said in an exclusive video interview at the recent Global Cybersecurity Forum held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He said that since adversaries are able to share information at scale in real time, legitimate businesses, especially financial institutions, should collaborate with each other in order to combat threats together. “Adversaries do not have as many institutional barriers to collaboration as the good guys do. How can we tear down those barriers and then make sure that we are collaborating with each other? We (need to) understand the risks on the horizon and then we can address them collectively,” said Akshay. He noted that the Malaysian government has invested significantly towards enhancing its cybersecurity capabilities and cited the Alliance for Financial Inclusion in Kuala Lumpur, which invested considerably in terms of capacity building efforts, among others . In terms of users who suffered financial losses due to personal data breaches, Akshay said it is a complex issue as it intersects the private and public sectors and involves “mechanisms that can work”. “For example, in the UK, if there is a victim, then invariably (there is) reimbursement but the burden of that is shared both by the bank where the transaction was initiated and the bank where the transaction was received. “This is a complex issue that needs great public and private cooperation in order to put in place the mechanisms,” Akshay said. He added that a lot more needs to be done to address consumer awareness and behaviour online. “As people are embracing technologies, are they aware of the checks and balances as well ... as the necessary hygiene that needs to be in place to ensure that they are operating safely within cyberspace?” he questioned. On the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, Akshay said the technology is utilised by defenders and attackers. He observed that attackers or adversaries have begun to use AI as a way to fine tune their scams to further convince potential victims. For example, previously, spam mails were easily identified due to misspelling and grammatical errors. However through generative AI, attackers are able to create compelling text and articulate arguments to victims. “Having said that, there is a lot that AI can do, in terms of equipping defenders in defending better. As we understand the technology, we start to integrate it within our enterprises and, more so, the security organisations. “In the short term, we might find that attackers just by virtue of the pace at which they operate, might leap frog a bit, but over the long term, I’m very optimistic that these technologies are going to provide a balance in the favour of defenders,” said Akshay. He stressed that cybersecurity should be a priority at board level for all organisations and should be treated as a business risk. “Cybersecurity needs to be a board-level agenda for all organisations … and no longer (just handled) at the technical level,” he added. This year marks important milestone for Malaysia-China ties: ACCCIM KUALA LUMPUR: This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, which is an important milestone, said the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM). Its president, Tan Sri Senator Lu Cheng Chuan, said MalaysiaChina relations “are at the best moment in history”. “In particular, the implementation of the mutual visa exemption measure between the two countries has facilitated exchanges between the two peoples. “This will further deepen the exchanges between Malaysia and China, and continue to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a community with a shared future,“ he said in his New Year’s message. Lu said he hopes the government will continue to build a better Malaysia and build a sustainable, inclusive and competitive economy under the framework of the “prosperous economic narrative”. This includes the National Energy Transformation Roadmap to achieve a low-carbon future, and the 2030 New Industrial Blueprint that promotes a new generation of industrial transformation in the green era. He said that ahead of challenges and opportunities for the Malaysian people and the business community, businesses should continue to explore new development opportunities in the field of innovation and build new impetus for Malaysia’s next round of economic takeoff. Lu noted that 2024 would see ACCCIM host the 17th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Conference in Kuala Lumpur from Sept 9 to 11, an international stage that focuses on global Chinese entrepreneurs that will do its part to attract investment to Malaysia. Looking back at 2023, he said the global geopolitical situation remained turbulent, noting that the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars have not yet ended. “At present, our country is still facing many economic challenges. There are also people’s expectations for reform. How to implement institutional reform, rebuild the system, and continue to pursue the moderate and rational line of governing the country. “The government must show determination and respond to the people’s expectations,“ he added. – Bernama PETALING JAYA: Lion Group is set to invest US$6 billion (RM27.5 billion) in Algeria, the country’s ambassador to Malaysia, Abdelhafid Bounour, told SunBiz in an exclusive interview. Abdelhafid said the Malaysian conglomerate’s substantial investment aligns with Algeria’s strategic vision to be the gateway to Africa and beyond. “For example, Asian and European countries can export to Africa via Algeria. We have all the necessary infrastructure for this. The same applies to African countries; if they want to send goods to Europe, for instance, they can do so via Algeria. This is because we have the advantage of an association agreement with Europe,” he said. The EU-Algeria Association █ BYHAYATUN RAZAK [email protected] █ BYGLORIA HARRY BEATTY [email protected] Meanwhile, Algeria Invest stated that Lion Group is interested in the country’s aluminium and steel industries. “Referring to opportunities for cooperation and investment, the Malaysian group expressed its willingness to explore investment opportunities and establish industrial projects in the aluminium and steel sectors in Algeria. “The two sides also discussed the opportunities for cooperation and partnership in many areas of common interest, particularly in the context of the Malaysian group’s strategy to set up structuring industrial projects in Algeria,” it stated. Lion Group was established in the 1930s and today has operations in Malaysia, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cambodia and Laos. It is involved in retail, property development, mining, steel, agriculture and services. Since 1992, the group has ventured into China with operations in retail and property businesses. The group has three companies listed on Bursa Malaysia with two in Singapore and one in Hong Kong. It has an annual group turnover of about RM10.86 billion (US$2.4 billion) and provides employment for more than 11,000 people. Abdelhafid says Algeria aims to be the gateway to Africa and beyond.
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 14 /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM Malaysian Paper Education remains an important pillar of Malaysian society; it equips students with the skills needed to become productive and useful members of society. We invite you to showcase the best of education and the difference your institution has brought to the education landscape. Education matters so join us in 2024! Contact us now for special deals on digital, video and print advertising. Malaysian Paper 03-7784 6688 [email protected] Kuchai Development to dispose of assets, liabilities to Sg Bagan Rubber KUALA LUMPUR: Kuchai Development Bhd has entered into a conditional master sale and purchase agreement with Sungei Bagan Rubber Company (Malaya) Bhd to dispose of substantially all the assets and liabilities in Kuchai Development to Sungei Bagan Rubber Company at a disposal consideration of RM275.47 million. In a recent filing with Bursa Malaysia0, Kuchai Development said the transaction would be satisfied entirely via the issuance of 27.52 million new Sungei Bagan Rubber Company shares at an issue price of RM10.01 per share. It said Kuchai Development also intended to undertake a proposed distribution to distribute all Sungei Bagan Rubber Company shares held by Kuchai Development arising from the proposed disposal to the entitled shareholders of Kuchai Development by way of a proposed capital reduction and repayment pursuant to Section 116 of the Companies Act, 2016 and proposed dividend-in-specie at an entitlement date to be determined later. “The disposal allows Kuchai Development and Sungei Bagan Rubber Company to consolidate, synergise and merge their investments to Sungei Bagan Rubber Company,” it said. Meanwhile, Kuchai Development said the company intended to undertake the proposed capital reduction and repayment and proposed dividend-in-specie under the proposed distribution to facilitate the distribution of the consideration shares to the entitled shareholders. “The proposed distribution will enable Kuchai Development to reward the entitled shareholders for their continuous support by allowing them to hold shares directly in Sungei Bagan Rubber Company instead of through Kuchai Development at no additional cost. “This will enable the entitled shareholders to make separate investment decisions on their shareholdings in Kuchai Development and Sungei Bagan Rubber Company and monetise their investments in either company should they wish to do so,” it said. Kuchai Development and Sungei Bagan Rubber Company are both controlled by a common major shareholder, KRCB, and invest in the same class of assets such as equity instruments listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, debt instruments (bonds and redeemable preference shares outside Malaysia) and investment properties. – Bernama Public Mutual to distribute more than RM71m for nine funds KUALA LUMPUR: Public Bank’s wholly owned subsidiary, Public Mutual, declared distributions amounting to more than RM71 million for nine funds for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2023. In a statement, Public Mutual said the funds included PB Aiman Sukuk Fund (5 sen per unit), PB Mixed Asset Conservative Fund (1 sen per unit), Public Islamic Enhanced Bond Fund (3.75 sen per unit), Public Strategic Bond Fund (3.25 sen), and Public Islamic Strategic Bond Fund (3.25 sen). Other funds were the Public Institutional Bond Fund (1 sen), Public Savings Fund (0.6 sen), Public Islamic Growth and Income Fund (0.15 sen), and Public Islamic Savings Fund (0.15 sen). – Bernama Sime Darby Property sukuk rated AA+IS/Stable PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby Property Bhd’s Sukuk Musharakah Programme has been accorded the AA+IS rating with a stable outlook by MARC Ratings Bhd. This is the third consecutive year the group has maintained the commendable rating from MARC Ratings. The outstanding under the rated programme stood at RM1.4 billion as of Nov 30, 2023. MARC Ratings noted Sime Darby Property’s strong sales track record in well-established townships, and strong balance sheet, characterised by low leverage as the key rating drivers. Other contributing factors include the overall take-up rate for launched projects in the first nine months of FY 2023 (9M23) with a combined gross development value (GDV) of RM3.2 billion and a 75% take-up rate as of Nov 5, 2023, which the agency stated are primarily within the group’s existing maturing townships with wellestablished connectivity. MARC Ratings stated that oMARC accords .commendable rating for third successive year with unbilled sales of RM3.7 billion as at endSeptember 2023, the group has strong earnings visibility through 2026. The rating agency said that relative to the size of its projects, Sime Darby Property’s completed inventory remained modest at RM433.1 million at the end of 9M23. MARC Ratings noted Sime Darby Property’s strategy to transform from a pure-play property developer into a sustainable real estate player with broader presence in property development, investment and asset management. It said the group is focused on growing its industrial and logistics segment as part of product diversification including buildto-lease properties to strengthen its recurring income stream. This is reflected by the group’s nine-month i n d u s t r i a l launches with a combined GDV of RM675.6 million which achieved an average take-up rate of 86% as of Nov 5, 2023. With developable landbank standing at about 13,640 acres, MARC Ratings sees that the group has a strong potential to undertake further township and industrial developments. Sime Darby Property group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican (pic) said the rating reflects the group’s strong fundamentals and continued growth prospects. “We are committed to maintaining robust financial channels, and the Sukuk Musharakah Programme exemplifies how we are transforming from a pure-play property developer to a real estate company in tandem with our 2030 Sustainability Goals.” In August 2023, the group announced the successful completion of its second sukuk issuance under the Sukuk Musharakah Programme with a nominal value of RM600 million. The issuance attracted a diverse group of fixed-income and high-calibre investors, reaching an oversubscription of more than eight times and accumulating an order book valued at over RM4.8 billion. Notably, RM200 million of the sukuk issuance was designated as Sustainability Sukuk, aligned with the Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) Sukuk Framework issued by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SRI Framework) and/or Asean Sustainability Bond Standards issued by the Asean Capital Markets Forum (Asean Sustainability Bond Standard). The group will use the sukuk proceeds to support its future investments, while refining its capital structure and optimising debt management.
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 15 Shaping the future of Malaysia’s food and beverage landscape THE Malaysian food & beverage (F&B) industry has been identified as a fast-growing market and one of the main contributors to the national economy. According to expert Professor of Economics in the Sunway University Business School, Sunway University mixed reviews on the F&B industry’s outlook, the industry is set for robust growth – projected to contribute an 8% increase to the GDP last year. This follows an impressive 22% growth in 2022, amounting to RM35.2 billion. The driving forces behind this growth include the recovery of consumer and tourist spending, buoyed by income and employment growth. However, challenges on the horizon such as a potential global economic slowdown could heighten consumer risk aversion. Rising inflation and tightening financial conditions may also temper consumer sentiments. Businesses adapting to post-pandemic consumer priorities, marked by a heightened focus on health and nutrition have become crucial for success in this evolving landscape. This requires not only keeping pace with the latest trends but also leading the change, addressing emerging challenges, and devising effective growth strategies amid stiff competition. Consumer priorities and trends A recent Tetra Pak study drawing insights from 5,000 consumers and experts globally unveiled a compelling interplay between consumer expectations and technological advancements in the F&B industry. The Tetra Pak Index 2023 sheds light on a substantial industry pivot towards a sugar-free era, capturing the largest consumer segment deeply invested in health and nutrition. This pursuit of healthier alternatives has sparked intense innovation, prompting companies to channel significant investments into research and development. However, the most transformative aspect of this shift extends beyond sugar reduction — it signals the era of personalised nutrition. This isn’t a passing trend; it signifies a fundamental change in consumer expectations. Brands are now tailoring recipes for specific demographic groups based on factors such as age and medical conditions. The emphasis on customisation reflects a commitment to catering to unique and diverse needs. Regardless of a product’s health benefits, consumers won’t compromise on taste. The key takeaway emphasises the importance of crafting products that meet health standards while satisfying consumer taste preferences. Achieving cost parity is crucial for new foods, highlighting the delicate balance between innovation and accessibility. Future outlook In response to the growing global trend towards healthier lifestyles, F&B businesses can connect with health-conscious consumers by adapting their product offerings. Tetra Pak goes beyond product development by actively fostering collaborative partnerships with customers. We place an emphasis on sharing valuable insights, encouraging a collaborative approach to effectively address the dynamic and evolving needs of the market. One of Tetra Pak’s innovative initiatives, Tastebud Tourism reflects this dedication through a wet sampling exercise which engaged with 100 participants from across the Klang Valley. This exercise was aimed at discovering new and interesting flavours in flavoured milk and plant-based beverages. It revealed that young Malaysian preferences are leaning towards natural flavours and avoiding overly sweet drinks. Moreover, there is a growing inclination towards products that offer additional benefits, such as protein. Take for example, we learnt from the exercise that when it comes to chocolate flavours, consumers have shifted towards minimal sweetness and a preference for natural options such as fruity blends raspberry chocolate or orange chocolate, or nutty combos like hazelnut or almond with chocolate. These findings from Tastebud Tourism align with the global trends highlighted in the Tetra Pak Index 2023. Initiatives like Tastebud Tourism underline the company’s commitment to help brand owners deliver products that resonate with the ever-changing tastes and preferences of consumers, positioning Tetra Pak at the forefront of the dynamic F&B industry. This article is contributed by Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia marketing director John Jose. Go digital for resilience and growth, restaurants advised IN THE rapidly evolving food industry landscape, digitalisation has become more than just a trend – it is now a necessity for survival and growth. The surge in technological advancements has propelled restaurants into a new era, reshaping the way they operate and connect with customers. Embarking on a journey through the impact of digitalisation on the food industry, we’ll explore recent changes and how food delivery platforms navigate this t r a n s f o r m a t i v e landscape, with a specific focus on its implications for local vendors in Malaysia. From a restaurant’s perspective, digitalisation is about leveraging technology to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and drive business growth. This is a crucial aspect of driving the business as a whole. The benefits of it are extensive, ranging from increased efficiency to data-driven insights that enable personalised customer interactions. The evolution of the food industry has resulted in several fundamental changes. One prominent shift is the rise of delivery services, enabling restaurants to expand their reach and increase revenue. Additionally, data-driven insights have become invaluable, allowing businesses to tailor their offerings to suit customer preferences. These components will put small business owners on a level playing field with mammoth chains. Even small roadside vendors can now showcase their offerings to a vast audience using platforms like foodpanda. Digitalisation upscales businesses, including food Embracing delivery services has not oDigitalisation is about leveraging technology to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and drive business revenue 1.09m active establishments in 2022, services sector makes up 87%: DoSM KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) has enumerated a total of 1.2 million establishments in the country following the Economic Census 2023 carried out from April to September 2023. Based on the operational findings of the census for the reference year 2022, 1.09 million, or 86.6%, of the total establishments recorded were operational or active, while 4.9% of establishments had ceased operations, and 8.5% were non-operational. “Out of the 1.09 million active establishments in 2022, the services sector accounted for 949,360 establishments or 87.1% share. “This was followed by construction with 71,165 establishments (6.5%), the manufacturing sector with 54,484 establishments (5%), the agriculture sector with 13,271 establishments (1.2%), and the mining and quarrying sector with 1,350 establishments (0.1%),“ said chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin in a statement. He said within the services sector, wholesale and retail trade recorded the highest share with 47.0%, followed by food and beverage (14.4%), and personal services and other activities (6.8%). “For construction, special trade activities were the main contributor with 36.5%, followed by civil engineering (22.7%) and nonresidential buildings (22.4%). “Meanwhile, for the manufacturing sector, non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated products subsector contributed the highest share with 19.0%, followed by wood products, furniture, paper products and printing (17.9%), and food products (17%). “Within the agriculture sector, crops sub-sector accounted for the largest share with 69.8%, followed by livestock, which contributed 15.1%, and fisheries (10%),” he said. Mohd Uzir elaborated that out of the total active establishments, Selangor registered the highest share at 25.3%, followed by Kuala Lumpur (13.8%) and Johor (11.4%). – Bernama only expanded revenue streams, but has also doing away with geographical barriers, allowing restaurants of all sizes to compete on a level playing field. The convenience of ordering from anywhere has become a customer expectation, providing businesses with a broader reach. Being part of a marketplace like foodpanda democratises visibility, giving even the smallest establishments a chance to showcase their offerings. A roadside stall will have the same opportunity for eyeballs via the app as a massive restaurant chain at the most valuable rental space in a busy shopping district. Additionally, the integration of technology has brought about datadriven insights, enabling personalised experiences by analysing customer preferences. This not only tailors menus and marketing strategies, but also enhances customers’ overall satisfaction. Digitalisation is not merely about efficiency, it’s a holistic approach aimed at creating memorable customer experiences and ensuring the sustained relevance of restaurants in an evolving landscape. Supporting the restaurants in their digital transformation is foodpanda with tools at their disposal. The Panda Partner app is available on both Google Play and Apple App Store, providing vendors with insights into sales, operations, and marketing, all from the convenience of their phones. Traditional advertising methods are being replaced by digital marketing through the Panda Partner app, making it easy for restaurant operators to market themselves through several simple clicks, even for those without prior digital marketing knowledge. The transparency in tracking results enables vendors to be more strategic in their marketing efforts, contributing to their growth as entrepreneurs. In the past, data and results simply weren’t trackable such as knowing how many customers visited their stores and placed an order from thereon. Restaurants and even large chains normally have had to spend big money to analyse these data for them. But with foodpanda’s digital marketing support, they would know how much they have spent and how much sales they generated from these marketing activities, fundamentally allowing them to be better entrepreneurs. Going beyond the pandemic lifeline Amid the challenges posed by the pandemic, there are restaurants that have adapted to digitalisation and have experienced significant differences in their business. For instance, one of our restaurant partners in Penang, Uncle Lan’z has strategically leveraged digitalisation to reach customers beyond the usual coverage area and saw a significant surge in sales and heightened brand recognition. Digitalisation became the backbone of Uncle Lan’z’s business with delivery alone accounting for 70% of total sales during this challenging lockdown period. Similarly, Gerai Ulique Corner faced adversity during the lockdown, leading to a temporary closure of the outlet. With digital platforms providing support, restaurant owner Cik Norlia started selling her fare from home, ensuring business continuity and fostering loyalty. The adaptability facilitated by digital platforms allowed Gerai Ulique Corner to resume business fully as the economy recovered, showcasing resilience in the face of challenges. On the other hand, the advent of food delivery platforms has contributed to the rise of F&B operators that exist purely for the food delivery market. For cloud kitchen operator Foodle, the partnership with foodpanda since Q3’22 has brought substantial growth through exclusive collaborations and benefits. Enjoying priority placement on platforms, dedicated marketing support, and access to specialised promotional opportunities, Foodle thrived as a dynamic and diverse cloud kitchen business. By leveraging digital tools to assess physical store potential, facilitate collaborations, and focus on topperforming items, Foodle’s success story exemplifies the symbiotic relationship between cloud kitchens and digital platforms in the evolving landscape of the food industry. The digital transformation facilitated by platforms like foodpanda is reshaping the restaurant landscape. The benefits of going digital are evident, from increased reach to data-driven insights and enhanced customer experiences. This article is contributed by foodpanda Malaysia senior commercial director Jay Ar Juan (pix).
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 16 LONDON: Big supermarket chains may be unlikely winners from deflation. Walmart and Tesco are expecting prices to fall in 2024 as they pile pressure on suppliers like Unilever. Even more competition will make it harder for minnows to retain market share. That could set up a new wave of consolidation. Walmart is bracing for falling prices. In November, CEO Doug McMillon said key grocery items like fish, eggs and chicken, as well as pantry items, could start to get cheaper. Deflation would represent an about-turn for a sector that has faced soaring inflation across Europe and the US over the past couple of years. For grocers, rising prices caused two problems. It prompted customers to rein in spending, and it also left supermarkets vulnerable to accusations of “greedflation” – taking advantage of inflation to boost profit margins. Conversely, falling prices ought to encourage consumers to fill up their trolleys and more customers to come to the stores. This will put the biggest grocers in a more powerful position. As wholesale prices ease, the likes of Tesco, which has over 27% of the UK market, French giant Carrefour and the US’ largest retailer Walmart will be able to pass on savings more quickly to customers. Ahold Delhaize CEO Frans Muller told a Breakingviews podcast in September that this was already happening. He noted that negotiations with suppliers were becoming easier because grocers produce a lot of private label items, so they have a more accurate reading on what goods cost. If the giants bring their pricing power to bear, they might crush, or gobble up, smaller players. In Britain, Waitrose, which generates around £6 billion (RM35 billion) of revenue, is a prime example of a chain that could be sold to a larger rival, not least because its troubled parent company John Lewis is looking for £2 billion from an investor to help fund its turnaround. Even larger supermarkets like Sainsbury’s, which generates around £30 billion of sales, could be a target if Tesco starts passing on wholesale price falls to consumers and it struggles to compete. Since May, valuations of supermarket chains, small and large, are coming down as investors worry about deflation’s impact on revenues and margins. But the larger grocers will be better equipped to respond by cutting prices and taking a bigger share of the market. If smaller rivals’ valuations keep coming down, they will soon find themselves in the bargain basement. – Reuters Mega bank mergers no longer taboo LONDON: Big bank mergers are no longer taboo. Ever since the 2008 crisis bosses have considered consolidation between large lenders unworkable, while regulators deemed it undesirable. UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti may change that if he safely and profitably absorbs local rival Credit Suisse. Big bank M&A is tainted by painful memories of hubristic transactions, culminating in the US$100 billion (RM459 billion) breakup of Dutch lender ABN Amro in 2007 by Royal Bank of Scotland, Banco Santander of Spain, and Belgium’s Fortis. That deal contributed to the collapse of two consortium members the following year and taught a generation of bank CEOs that buying a rival meant treading on financial landmines. Regulators, meanwhile, introduced rules penalising the largest and most complicated lenders. For the 30 global systemically important banks, mergers would mean holding even more capital. The implosion of Credit Suisse and its subsequent state-orchestrated rescue by UBS challenges the received wisdom. Start with regulators. Swiss watchdog FINMA for years watched as the Zurichbased lender limped from one crisis to another, while its shares traded at a big discount to book value. Investors and customers eventually lost faith. The lesson is that well-capitalised but unloved banks can fall out of favour fast. With hindsight, Swiss authorities may have preferred an earlier and more orderly merger. That experience will shape the thinking of supervisors responsible for lowly valued European lenders like Société Générale and Barclays. There is no reason to think either of those institutions will run into trouble soon. Yet investors are sending a pessimistic signal about their long-term prospects. A takeover by a more profitable rival might avoid a potential Credit Suisse-style headache. UBS’s Ermotti is setting a promising standard for would-be imitators by planning cuts equivalent to a quarter of the two banks’ combined adjusted total costs in 2022. After deducting tax at 24% and applying a 10% discount rate, the net present value of those savings is US$76 billion, before factoring in one-off costs like severance payments. That is close to UBS’s market value as of November. Admittedly, an M&A copycat would not get the same sweet terms. UBS paid just US$3.7 billion for its local rival while regulators also wiped out funky debt securities worth US$17 billion. But SocGen and Barclays are hardly expensive. The French bank is valued at one-third of forecast tangible book value for 2024, potentially appealing to local rival BNP Paribas or long-term suitor UniCredit. Barclays, which trades at two-fifths of expected book value, could be attractive for Santander, which could wring out cost savings in Britain while boosting its Wall Street presence. None of those deals are likely. But as memories of 2008 recede and UBS safely swallows Credit Suisse, they are more imaginable by the day. – Reuters oMore competition will make it harder for rivals to retain market share Maersk pauses Red Sea sailings after Houthi attack on container ship CAIRO: Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacked a Maersk container vessel with missiles and small boats, prompting the company to pause all sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours, Maersk said yesterday. The crew of the Maersk Hangzhou crew was safe and there was no indication of fire onboard the vessel, which continued its journey north to Port Suez, the shipping company said. A spokesman for the Houthis said the group carried out the attack because the ship’s crew refused to heed warning calls. He said 10 Houthi naval personnel were “dead and missing” after their boats were attacked by US forces in the Red Sea. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its helicopters sank three of four boats after responding to distress calls, with the fourth vessel fleeing. White House national security spokesman John Kirby declined to say what options are on or off the table when asked on ABC’s Good Morning America if Washington would consider a preemptive strike. “We have made it clear publicly to the Houthis, we’ve made it clear privately to our allies and partners in the region, that we take these threats seriously.” The attack on Maersk Hangzhou was the latest by Houthi militants in Yemen, who have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea since November to show their support for Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza. The attacks have disrupted world trade, with major shipping companies taking the longer and costlier route around the Africa’s Cape of Good Hope rather than through the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is the entry point for ships using the Suez Canal, which handles about 12% of global trade and vital for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe. The US launched Operation Prosperity Guardian on Dec 19, saying more than 20 countries had agreed to participate in the efforts to safeguard ships in Red Sea waters near Yemen. In response, Maersk said on Dec 24 it would resume sailing through the Red Sea. However, attacks have continued and US allies have proven reluctant to commit to the coalition, with nearly half not declaring their presence publicly. Yesterday, Maersk, one of the world’s major cargo shippers, said it would delay all transits through the area for 48 hours, after the Maersk Hangzhou was struck by a missile at around 1730 GMT on Saturday 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah, Yemen. A US warship shot down another two antiship ballistic missiles fired at the ship, CENTCOM said. Efforts to ward off the four boats at around 0330 GMT yesterday as the attackers sought to board the vessel involved the ship’s security team as well as helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, Maersk and CENTCOM said. The Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou with capacity to carry 14,000 containers was en route from Singapore. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said yesterday that he had told Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a call that Iran should help stop the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. “I made clear that Iran shares responsibility for preventing these attacks, given their longstanding support to the Houthis,” Cameron said in a post on social media site X, adding that the attacks “threaten innocent lives and the global economy”. The BIMCO shipping association condemned the attacks and thanked those states involved in repelling them. “We are thankful to US, French, and UK efforts so far and hope even more states will support the coalition with naval assets or other impactful means including diplomatic pressure on the Houthis and their sponsors,” Jakob Larsen, BIMCO’s head of maritime safety and security, told Reuters. The Red Sea is the entry point for ships using the Suez Canal, which handles about 12% of global trade and vital for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe. – AFPPIX Deflation will help big grocers gobble up minnows
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 17 Sri Lanka raises taxes ahead of foreign debt deal COLOMBO: Sri Lanka slapped a new 18% value added tax (VAT) on fuel, mobile phones and computers from yesterday to raise desperately needed revenue ahead of a foreign debt restructuring. An earlier VAT of 15% on other consumer goods was also increased to 18% as the government sought to shore up its finances while Sri Lanka emerges from its worst economic crisis. “In order to achieve economic stability, we must continue to forge ahead in this demanding path – one that is not adorned with flowers but presents formidable challenges,” President Ranil Wickremesinghe said in his New Year message. Months of civil unrest sparked by the economic crisis forced the resignation of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa when protesters stormed his residence in July 2022. His successor Wickremesinghe has raised taxes and cut government subsidies to comply with an International Monetary Fund bailout and cracked down on anti-government protests. The IMF rescue programme requires him to finalise by May a restructure of the island country’s US$46 billion (RM211 billion) external debt after a government default last year. The higher taxes kicked in as the government negotiated with its bilateral lenders and sovereign bond holders to reschedule repayments, a key condition of the IMF bailout. – AFP South Korea December exports up for third month SEOUL: South Korea’s exports rose for a third month in December but at a slower pace as weaker demand for Korean goods in China offset robust global sales for semiconductors, data showed yesterday. Exports by Asia’s fourth largest economy gained 5.1% to US$57.66 billion (RM265 billion) in December, slowing from a rise of 7.7% in November and also below 6.6% gain seen in Reuters poll of economists. Export data out of Asia’s fourth largest economy is a closely watched indicator to gauge momentum for global trade. Policymakers are pinning hope on recovering exports for an estimated 2.1% of economic expansion in 2024 as high borrowing costs and sticky inflation keep consumer spending sluggish. Chip exports turned a corner in November, rising for the first time in 16 months as slump in semiconductor demand began to ease. In December, chip exports surged 21.8% year-on-year after a jump of 12.9% a month earlier. Exports to China declined 2.9% on year. Imports declined 10.8% in December on-year, better than a 11.4% of drop seen in the poll and easing after a 11.6% of drop in November. That took the preliminary trade surplus for December to US$4.48 billion. For the whole 2023, exports declined 7.4% as restrictive monetary policies in many countries and a slowing Chinese economy weakened demand for Korean goods, the Trade Ministry said. – Reuters Xi hails ‘resilient’ economy BEIJING: President Xi Jinping said on Sunday the Chinese economy had grown “more resilient and dynamic” last year, despite financial figures continuing to disappoint as the post-Covid recovery stalls. He also promised in a bullish New Year’s address to the nation that China would “surely be reunified” – a reference to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has pledged to seize. Xi has endured a challenging 2023 at the helm of the world’s second-largest economy, with his administration struggling to sustain an economic rebound since rapidly dumping its onerous zero-Covid policy a year ago. But Xi said on state broadcaster CCTV the economy had “weathered the storm” and become “more resilient and dynamic than before”, hailing the promotion of “high-quality oChina President acknowledges some firms and people facing hardship development” and emerging industries such as electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar panels. He said next year “we must consolidate and enhance the positive trend of economic recovery, and achieve long-term economic stability”. Yet he also acknowledged some hardship, saying “some companies are facing operating pressure (and) some people are encountering difficulties in employment and living conditions”. “All of these things concern me greatly. “Our goal is both ambitious and yet very simple. In the end, it is to help people live better lives.” Record youth unemployment and a persistent debt crisis in the crucial property sector have hemmed in China’s growth this year. Official figures released on Sunday showed a decline in nationwide factory activity deepened in December, the third straight month of contraction. Analysts have said Beijing may struggle to achieve its stated annual growth target of around 5%, the lowest such ambition in years. Xi briefly mentioned Taiwan, weeks before the island heads to the polls on Jan 13. He declared in his Sunday speech “the motherland will surely be reunified”. “Compatriots on both sides of the (Taiwan) Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose to share in the glory of national rejuvenation.” Xi sent new year greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier on Sunday in which he hailed strengthening ties with Moscow in 2023, according to an official foreign ministry readout. The two longtime allies have drawn closer in recent years even as Western countries have turned their backs on Russia over its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. Xi said “the material and public opinion foundation of our relationship has become stronger”, according to CCTV. “In the face of changes unseen in a century and a turbulent regional and international situation, China-Russia relations have maintained healthy and stable development and moved steadily in the right direction. “Under our joint leadership, political mutual trust between the two sides has further deepened, strategic coordination has drawn closer, and mutually beneficial cooperation has continued to achieve new results.” – AFP Singapore economy grows 1.2% last year SINGAPORE: The city-state’s economy avoided a recession and expanded 1.2% in 2023, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday, warning however that geopolitical risks will weigh on next year’s growth. Singapore’s economic performance is often seen as a barometer of the global environment because of its reliance on international trade. “We made 1.2% growth this year, avoiding a recession,” Lee said in his New Year’s message. For next year, growth is projected to come in at 1% to 3% “but much will depend on the external environment”, he added, pointing to the continuing war in Ukraine and Israel’s conflict with Hamas. The economy has been hurt by softer global demand for its exports, with the return of air travel after the Covid-19 pandemic boosting domestic growth. “For some years to come, we must expect the external environment to be less favourable to our security and prosperity. Geopolitical uncertainties will continue weighing on the global economy,” Lee said. “In our own region, there are tensions and risks over rival claims in the South China Sea, and because of the cross-Strait situation. These can affect confidence in the region, and hence our growth.” Maritime tensions have risen recently in the sea after China and the Philippines traded blame for a series of incidents in the area, including a collision between their vessels. Lee also cited climate change as another challenge for the low-lying island-state. “We are already feeling its effects. “Singapore needs to adapt to and prepare for rising temperatures and sea levels, and to transition our economy to net-zero carbon emissions. “It will be costly and demanding.” Lee, who has been prime minister since 2004, called for unity as he prepares to hand over leadership in the coming year to his deputy Lawrence Wong, who is also the finance minister. “This is not the first time we are having a leadership transition. “But transitions are always delicate,“ he said, adding that Singapore “will come under close scrutiny” on whether it “can remain successful and exceptional”. If Wong takes over, it would be only the second time since Singapore’s independence in 1965 that the prime minister is not a member of the Lee family. Lee’s father, Lee Kuan Yew, was the country’s first prime minister. – AFP Fireworks exploding over Marina Bay ahead of the New Year celebrations in Singapore. – REUTERSPIC
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 18 /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK Malaysian Paper Saudi wealth fund splashes cash in 2023 oPIF’s lavish spending on soccer and golf made waves across sporting world LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) accounted for about a quarter of the almost US$124 billion (RM570 billion) spent by sovereign wealth funds worldwide last year, a report published yesterday showed. PIF’s whopping US$31.5 billion spend in 2023 compared with US$123.8 billion for all sovereign wealth funds, based on a preliminary annual report from industry specialist Global SWF, which tracks the world’s sovereign investment funds. The rally last year in global stocks helped to swell the assets managed by the sovereign wealth funds worldwide to a record US$11.2 trillion. Total sovereign-controlled spending on the energy transition – everything from green hydrogen to lithium mining – also hit a record US$25.9 billion in 2023, the report said. Despite this, total spending by the sovereign wealth funds last year was 21% below 2022. “This may signal an overly cautious approach, as there is no shortage of capital to put to work among these institutions,” SWF managing director Diego López said in the report. Singapore’s GIC, which led spending by wealth funds for the past six years, invested 48% less in 2023, despite a US$144 billion inflow from the country’s central bank. Gulf funds were able to increase their dealmaking dominance, largely at the expense of Canadian and Singaporean funds, the report showed. Gulf funds now account for nearly 40% of the investment value deployed by sovereign wealth funds. Data provided by groups such as Global SWF is closely watched as not all sovereign funds release annual reports, and five of the top 10 do not reveal an exact total of their assets under management. Global SWF’s report did not break out individual investments by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, but its lavish spending on soccer and golf has made waves across the sporting world. In June, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced PIF would take control of the country’s four leading soccer clubs: Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr. In June, Saudi Arabia stunned the golf world, with a shock merger agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and rival LIV circuit, which is backed by the Saudi PIF. That merger is not yet finalised. Aside from its splurge on sport, the kingdom’s biggest investments were in other sectors and 42% of this spending was at home. Big-ticket purchases included US$4.9 billion for US gaming company Scopely, US$3.6 billion to buy Standard Chartered’s aircraft leasing division and US$3.3 billion for steelmaker Hadeed. “The variety of deals shows the unparalleled bandwidth and reach of PIF and its subsidiaries, which are forming a wide net to capture any value-add for Saudi Vision 2030,” López said, referring to the country’s economic transformation plan. The SWR report also highlights PIF plans to launch an airline and its own electric vehicle brand. The report said the fund has an US$8.1 billion stake in gaming firms Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts and Take-Two – part of plans to turn the country into a gaming hub. Looking ahead to 2024, SWF expects assets for all state-owned investors – including sovereign wealth funds, central banks and pension funds – to surpass a previous peak in 2021 of US$50.8 trillion in assets under management as they take account of the paper gains of the past year. – Reuters No second trial for crypto fraudster SBF NEW YORK: A federal prosecutor here has decided against pursuing a second trial, this one over corruption and illegal political donations, against former crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried. The founder and CEO of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange platform, who is widely known as SBF, had been charged earlier with misappropriating billions of dollars of his clients’ funds without their consent. He was found guilty in early November of seven counts including fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. Bankman-Fried will face up to 110 years in prison when Judge Lewis Kaplan pronounces sentence on March 28. A second trial, including charges that prosecutor Damian Williams excluded from the earlier trial, had been scheduled to open on March 11. It was to have addressed counts including conspiracy to bribe foreign officials and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Those charges were not included in the first trial because they were not part of an agreement by which Bahamanian officials agreed to extradite Bankman-Fried in December 2022. Williams, in justifying the decision to drop the second trial, said that the Bahamas had still not given approval regarding those charges, and that prosecutors wanted to bring a “prompt resolution” to the file. In a letter on Friday to Kaplan, Williams said a second trial would also have meant delays in any restitution of funds to SBF’s victims. And Williams noted that much of the evidence alleging illegal campaign contributions by Bankman-Fried had been brought out in the first trial, and would play a factor in his sentencing. Bankman-Fried was accused of authorising the payment of around US$150 million (RM680 million) in bribes to Chinese officials to unblock FTX’s frozen assets in China. He was also accused of using clients’ funds to make political donations, notably to US President Joe Biden. – AFP Kenya lawsuit over alleged assaults at Del Monte farm NAIROBI: A rights group and community activists filed a lawsuit on Saturday against US multinational food giant Del Monte over accusations of killings and assaults at its vast pineapple plantation near Nairobi. The case, lodged at the High Court of Kenya, is also on behalf of people who say they had been attacked by Del Monte security guards, and relatives of alleged victims. The company, which employs 6,000 people in Kenya and has faced accusations of abuse and violence in the past, could not be immediately contacted for comment. In the most recent incident, Kenyan police are investigating the suspected murder this month of four men accused of trying to steal pineapples from the Del Monte farm near Thika, northeast of the capital Nairobi. Saturday’s lawsuit, a copy of which was seen by AFP, said Del Monte has been locked in a land ownership row with the local community, which claims the company’s land as its ancestral home. It said locals had been long been crossing the 4,000ha plantation “leading to conflicts with the security personnel deployed by Delmonte, who assault, beat, torture, maim, rape and/or kill the trespassers”. “Multiple killings have occurred at Del Monte’s pineapple farm in Kenya, where security guards allegedly murdered trespassers and showed general violence against locals,“ it added. Alleged thieves have been beaten to death by the guards, drowned in dams or dumped in the nearby river, it charged. In addition, it said waste water from Del Monte operations was laced with “toxic pesticides” deemed hazardous by the World Health Organisation. Several petitioners claimed they had suffered various injuries at the hands of guards in separate incidents over the past few years. One said he had been run over, while another claimed he had been sexually harassed then attacked with stones as he ran away. The lawsuit lists Del Monte’s Kenya operation as well as top police and legal officials as respondents. It is seeking compensation and punitive damages and has also called on the High Court to rule that the actions of the respondents were violations of human rights, environment and constitutional laws. Earlier this week, Kenyan police launched an investigation after the bodies of four men were discovered on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in a river near the plantation. Results of a post-mortem released on Friday found that at least three of the four had drowned and also bore signs of injury, according to Kenyan media reports. Kenyan National Commission for Human Rights official Kamanda Mucheke was quoted by the leading Daily Nation newspaper as saying the men were beaten by Del Monte security guards. “Our preliminary investigations reveal beyond reasonable doubt that the four men were attacked before they were forcibly drowned,” he said. The multinational company said CCTV footage showed the four had attempted to steal pineapples from its farm and showed “no foul play on Del Monte’s part”. “Del Monte Kenya is cooperating with Kenyan authorities as they continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the four bodies,” it said in a statement earlier this week. “Organised crime, particularly around pineapple theft, is becoming increasingly rampant in the area,” it added. – AFP NZ says China’s safeguard duties on milk powder over CANBERRA: New Zealand said yesterday all its dairy products were now able to enter China duty-free as safeguard duties on milk powder ended on Dec 31, marking the removal of all remaining tariffs agreed upon in the free trade deal between the two countries. New Zealand was the first developed country to sign a free trade agreement with China in 2008, with the imports of milk powder subjected to the longest phase-out. An upgraded trade deal was entered when former prime minister Jacinda Ardern met President Xi Jinping in 2022. “This is good news for our dairy sector. The removal of these remaining tariffs is expected to deliver additional annual tariff savings of approximately NZ$350 million (RM1 billion),” Trade Minister Todd McClay said in a statement. “The (free trade agreement) continues to deliver benefit to the New Zealand economy and to underpin the New Zealand-China trade relationship.” China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, with two-way trade exceeding NZ$37 billion in 2021. Annual dairy exports to China have averaged 1.4 million tonnes, worth about NZ$8 billion each year over the past three years, around half of which was milk powder. Safeguard duties are emergency tariffs that countries use to shield domestic industries against intense competition from a sudden surge in imports of a particular product. The so-called special agricultural safeguards mechanism in the free trade deal was designed as a temporary measure. The tariff preferences are applied up to a designated volume and China’s standard tariff applied to imports above the safeguard trigger. – Reuters Sam Bankman-Fried is facing up to 110 years in prison when during his sentencing on March 28. – REUTERSPIC
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 19 TOP SHOTS OF THE WEEK WIND POWER: Clean energy solutions provider Gentari, through its subsidiary Gentari International Renewables Pte Ltd, has acquired offshore wind capacity into its renewables portfolio, following an investment into Canada-based Northland Power Inc’s Hai Long offshore wind project located in the Taiwan Straits. Northland Power President and CEO Mike Crawley and Gentari CEO Sushil Purohit (centre) with Northland Power Offshore Wind executive VP David Povall (left) and Gentari Renewables Head of Global Offshore Wind Ghoh Ban Lee (right) officiating the strategic partnership at a ceremony on Dec 29, 2023. AWARD WINNER: FedEx Express Malaysia MD Tien Long Woon (centre) receiving the Best Companies to Work Award in Asia 2023 from Datuk William Ng, group publisher and editor in chief of Business Media International. FedEx received the award from HR Asia for strong employee engagement within its corporate culture and exemplary human resource management practices. It has also received Asia Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award and AMCHAM Cares Award presented by the American Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia. BEST CENTRE: Supply chain and logistics services provider BEST Inc is set to open its largest sorting centre in Southeast Asia, which is located in Selangor, this year. The Hangzhou, Zhejiang province-based company’s chairman and CEO Johnny Chou said BEST will build a 220,000 square metre facility in Malaysia to connect Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia in its logistics network, better enabling cross-border express delivery among these countries. AIRASIA ADVISER: On Dec 30, 2023, AirAsia Aviation Group announced the appointment of Riad Asmat to its board of advisers, as he relinquished his position as CEO of AirAsia Bhd (AirAsia Malaysia) effective Dec 31, 2023. IILM CEO: Mohamad Safri Shahul Hamid has been appointed CEO of International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM) for a three-year tenure, effective yesterday. Safri joins the IILM after spending 13 years at CIMB Bank where he served as deputy CEO of CIMB Islamic and as senior managing director at the bank’s Public Sector Group. He brings with him almost 30 years of experience in the banking and financial sector.
BIZ & FINANCE BIZ & FINANCE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 20 KUALA LUMPUR: DE-CIX, the leading global Internet Exchange operator, disclosed that the rapid evolution of technology is continuing to shape the business landscape, with advancements such as generative AI, Quantum computing, and more. Over the past year, these innovations have spurred companies to adapt strategies and build new infrastructures. Dr Thomas King (pic), CTO at DE-CIX, identifies five trends that will influence the connected business world, technology evolution and interconnection business in Malaysia in 2024. Here are the top 5 tech trends that will continue to elevate the business landscapes in Malaysia: AI interconnect services for optimised lowlatency AI delivery With the introduction of ChatGPT and the rise of several powerful generative artificial intelligence (AI) models becoming available for general use in the region this year, AI is here to stay and it is finding a place in many companies and providing a competitive advantage for those that can leverage it effectively. However, many companies lack the internal computing resources to enable the development and operation of their own AI models. Here, AI from the cloud and AI as a Service (AIaaS) providers offer convenient alternatives. For these, optimised connectivity to clouds and specifically to the AIaaS providers is an essential component for ensuring low latency and high bandwidth, and thus better performance of chatbots, analytics, and other tools. Moreover, companies engaged in research and development, where AI is fundamental to innovation, will increasingly find that establishing direct and secure connections to external AI models or service offerings is not just a matter of convenience but a strategic imperative. This is particularly relevant for industries like pharmaceuticals, where AI is utilised in drug discovery and development processes, or in manufacturing, where AI is integral to process optimisation and predictive maintenance. With that, the need for optimised connectivity to clouds and AIaaS providers is not a one-size-fits-all requirement. Instead, it is tailored to the specific needs of companies that rely on AI to gain a competitive edge in their respective industries. As the adoption of AIsupported services continues to grow in 2024, direct and secure connections to external AI resources will become a central pillar in the strategic planning and technological infrastructure of forward-thinking businesses in Malaysia’s dynamic technology landscape. AIOps for Network Operations Network optimisation can support better performance of AI, but AI can also support better performance of networks. Although it’s still early days for AIOps (AI for IT operations), it is beginning to show potential. While all areas of IT operations are covered by AIOps, one area which is now emerging as an important component is AIOps for network operations. Network engineers are being faced with increasingly complex network landscapes, combining a distributed workforce, a multitude of devices, and cloud infrastructure, etc. AIOps simplifies the management of network operations through automation, predictive analytics, and root cause analysis on the basis of big data and machine learning. AIOps can speed up troubleshooting and resolving issues for customers, and at the same time reduce costs, as precious NOC employees can work on more critical tasks that AI can’t solve today. In late 2023, one survey found that while only 4% of respondents have already integrated some kind of AIOps organisation-wide, a further 15% have implemented AIOps as a proof of concept, and 29% have identified use cases for its future implementation. The market is forecast to triple in size over the next four years, reaching nearly US$ 65 billion in 2028. The advent of the SD-WAN Exchange The market for SD-WAN has grown rapidly and substantially in recent years, as today many large enterprises are already making the most of its advantages. It is replacing the much more expensive and less flexible MPLS. SD-WAN intelligently uses existing Internet connectivity to integrate seamlessly with multi-cloud scenarios. It optimises data pathways by routing locally instead of routing all traffic back through the company infrastructure. SD-WAN achieves this by being a software-based overlay that separates the control plane from the underlying network infrastructure, the Internet connectivity. As is technology agnostic, it can function with agility over multiple network technologies, such as last-mile Internet connectivity via broadband or 4G LTE/5G. Internet Exchanges have the potential to evolve into SD-WAN Exchanges, meaning that they will provide different SD-WAN endpoints. Enterprises can then use their SD-WAN technology of choice to connect to SD-WAN Exchanges to either consume interconnection services like cloud connectivity or the Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS), or to route between different SD-WAN technologies. We are expecting to see the first SD-WAN Exchange solutions in 2024. Private communications in the postQuantum era With the increasing availability of quantum computing over the last few years, significant challenges have emerged in securing confidential communications. To ensure private communication channels in the post-quantum era, quantum encryption technology is being developed and is now becoming available in an experimental form. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is required in order to communicate quantum key material to a communication partner. One challenge with QKD lies in how far the key material needs to travel. The reason is that decoding a quantum signal is vastly more difficult than decoding signals with traditional network technology. As a result, only completely unobstructed fiber can be used for the networks to function effectively, and quantum repeaters will be needed every 80KM. Following initial testbeds, in 2024 we will see productive quantum networks being built in Europe to test QKD over longer distances, a challenge yet to be solved conclusively. New approaches to the interconnection of participants in quantum networks will also emerge, which will ensure the optimisation of data pathways to minimise distances. Network as a service goes global Network as a service (NaaS) enables enterprises to outsource the building and management of their Wide Area Network (WAN) to a service provider. The approach unifies the concepts of pay as you go, API-based operation, self-service portals, automated ad-hoc provisioning, and a broad set of interconnection services, all in one bundle. Having emerged around a decade ago, NaaS has developed especially strongly in the enterprise sector, with the main focus until now being placed on local and regional WAN connectivity. Today, NaaS is coming of age. Alongside traditional carriers, the first NaaS providers have now built their global networks to support multi-national organisations in connecting their many branch locations, manufacturing plants, and distributed workforces, and enabling them local access to the Internet, clouds, and partner networks. In 2024, we will see Network as a service offering becoming a global phenomenon. In conclusion, within the dynamic landscape of Malaysia’s technology sector, we find ourselves in a thrilling era of innovation. Technological advancements are continuously enhancing performance, providing a platform for competitive advantages, and addressing long standing challenges. The growth and evolution of digital technology are not only fostering global connectivity but are also facilitating improved accessibility to content, applications, and services for a broader audience. As organisations in Malaysia navigate this transformative period, it is imperative that they align their infrastructure and processes with the ongoing digital evolution, cater to geographical expansion, and proactively respond to the evolving needs of their customers. The key to success lies in embracing and adapting to these technological shifts and trends, ensuring that businesses in Malaysia remain at the forefront of the ever-changing and globally connected tech landscape. DE-CIX predictions: Five tech trends in Malaysia for 2024 oChief technology officer identifies developments that could influence the business landscape in the country Rubber market likely to trade higher this week KUALA LUMPUR: The rubber market is likely to trade higher this week on expectations of lower production as well as restocking activities. Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association past president Denis Low said many rubber-producing areas are currently flooded and rubber tapping activities have declined by 40 to 50% in most places. As such, there is a shortfall in rubber production, which ought to push up the prices, depending on the demand appetite, he noted. “It is also obvious that there seems to be a slight lack of interest as prices did not move in tandem with the worsening situation week on week. “However, taking into consideration that the wintering of the rubber trees will take effect right after this longish monsoon, which will mean several months of poor latex yield from the trees, we are expecting a stronger stocking demand this week, pushing the prices up as well,” he told Bernama. For the week just ended, the local rubber market was traded mostly higher, influenced by the performance of regional rubber futures and fluctuations in crude oil prices. A dealer said the Kuala Lumpur rubber market surged in the last trading week of 2023, buoyed by gains in the regional rubber futures markets, tracking ramped-up expectations that the United States will start cutting interest rates in 2024. She noted that China’s latest announcement on stimulus measures, coupled with favourable market fundamentals especially tighter rubber supply concerns due to wet weather in producing countries also added to the bullish sentiment in the market. “Nevertheless, further gains were capped by a stronger ringgit against the US dollar, volatile oil prices, and ongoing geopolitical tensions,” she added. On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the Malaysian Rubber Board’s (MRB) reference price for Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) rose 26.5 sen to close the week at 700.5 sen per kg versus 674.0 sen per kg a week earlier. Meanwhile, latex-in-bulk added 5.5 sen to close at 540.0 sen per kg from 534.5 sen per kg previously. At 5 pm on Friday, the MRB reference price for physical rubber SMR 20 stood at 703.5 sen per kg while latex-in-bulk was at 542.5 sen per kg. — Bernama
LYFE LYFE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 22 /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE Malaysian Paper Rio de Janeiro, Brazil If you are looking for a lively and festive celebration, Rio de Janeiro is the perfect place to kick off the new year. Known for its iconic Copacabana Beach, the city comes alive with energy and colour at night. Immerse yourself in the rhythmic beats of samba music, dance the night away on the sandy shores and indulge in authentic Brazilian cuisine. Rio de Janeiro’s carnival spirit, known worldwide, makes it an invigorating place to welcome the new year. Queenstown, New Zealand For those seeking an adrenaline-fueled start to the year, Queenstown in New Zealand is the ultimate playground. Nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by the Southern Alps, Queenstown is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and thrill-seekers. Embrace the summer warmth with activities like bungee jumping, skydiving, jet boating and hiking, amidst picturesque settings. Embrace the thrill of bungee jumping as you leap from historic sites like the Kawarau Bridge or challenge your limits with skydiving, offering unrivalled views of the stunningly beautiful landscapes below. Navigate the pristine waters of Lake Wakatipu with a jet-boating experience that combines speed and scenery. For a more grounded adventure, explore the hiking trails that weave through the Southern Alps, offering breathtaking vistas at every turn. Queenstown’s charming atmosphere and adrenaline-pumping experiences create a unique and exhilarating way to start the brand new year. Whether you are seeking high-flying adventures or tranquil moments by the lake, Queenstown offers a diverse range of activities to suit every adventurer’s palate. The beginning of the year presents a golden opportunity to embark on a journey of selfdiscovery, cultural exploration or adventure. These carefully selected destinations offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create lasting memories and embrace the new year with joy, wonder and the promise of new beginnings. Regardless of your destination, may your brand new year travels be filled with the excitement of exploration, the beauty of diverse cultures and the anticipation of extraordinary experiences that will shape the chapters of your life in the years to come. I T is a brand new year, offering a clean slate to embrace adventures in new destinations. The world extends an inviting embrace, presenting a diverse array of captivating destinations that promise to create lasting memories for years to come. Zurich, Switzerland Embark on a journey to Zurich, Switzerland, surrounded by breathtaking Alpine beauty in a winter wonderland. Zurich’s picturesque landscapes and charming old town provide an idyllic setting for those seeking sophistication and natural splendor. The city transforms into a haven of winter elegance, with historic architecture adorned in twinkling lights. Explore the cobblestone streets of Old Town and take a scenic train ride to the top of Uetliberg for panoramic views of the snowkissed Alps and a shimmering Lake Zurich. Immerse yourself in Zurich’s cultural offerings by visiting world-class museums like Kunsthaus Zurich and the Swiss National Museum. Experience the magic of winter sports in the nearby Swiss Alps, where opportunities for skiing and snowboarding abound. Indulge your palate in Swiss delicacies such as fondue and chocolate in one of the city’s cosy cafes, creating a sensory journey that complements the visual splendour. Kyoto, Japan For a serene start to the year, Kyoto, Japan, offers a perfect blend of tradition and tranquility. Renowned for its stunning temples, historic gardens and traditional tea houses, Kyoto allows you to step back in time whilst savouring the marvels of modern Japan. As winter blankets the city, temples and shrines take on a mystical charm, especially when dusted with snow. Visit the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine, where vibrant torii gates form a captivating pathway and the serene Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, where towering bamboo stalks create an enchanting and captivating landscape. Participate in a traditional tea ceremony, embracing the art of mindfulness and reflection. Kyoto’s serene ambiance and rich cultural heritage create a unique atmosphere that perfectly complements the reflective mood of the new year. Cape Town, South Africa Escape the winter chill and head south to Cape Town, where summer is in full swing at the beginning of the year. Nestled between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural richness and adventure. Celebrate the turning of the year with a sunset picnic at Signal Hill or take a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain for panoramic views. Explore the historic Robben Island, a poignant symbol of South Africa’s journey to freedom and delve into the vibrant and colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood. Indulge in the region’s worldclass wines by touring the renowned vineyards that dot the landscape. Cape Town’s diverse culinary scene invites you to savour delectable dishes reflecting the fusion of flavours from various cultures. Whether exploring the city’s cultural heritage or relaxing on its pristine beaches, Cape Town promises a lively and sun-kissed way to welcome the new year. New horizons beckon oEmbrace 2024 with wanderlust Kyoto, Japan - tranquilly amid tradition. –JAPAN TRAVEL Cape Town, South Africa - a summer celebration. –VIRGIN.COM Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - a festive carnival spirit. –TRAVELTOMORROW Queenstown, New Zealand - adventure in the Southern Hemisphere. –TRIPADVISOR. █ BY HAZIQUE ZAIRILL Zurich, Switzerland - Alpine splendour and winter wonderland. –SWISSINFO
LYFE LYFE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 23 without the leap from an aeroplane, Windlab Indoor Skydiving, formerly known as AirRider, offers a safe and controlled environment for the experience. No prior skills or training is required, making it an accessible adventure for everyone. Various packages are available, allowing you to share the excitement with family and friends. The beginner package offers a gentle introduction with two flights, each lasting approximately 50 seconds. Upon registration, participants are equipped with a bodysuit, goggles, helmet and earplugs. A brief instructional video guides you through body positioning in the wind tunnel before your free-fall experience. The wind speed and current in the tunnel are customised to match your skill level, with slower winds designed for beginners. Children as young as three years old can join in the fun, though those under 18 require parental or guardian consent. There is no upper age limit. Whitewater rafting adventure Just an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur lies the Kuala Kubu Bharu River, an eight-kilometre stretch offering an adrenaline-packed adventure for thrill-seekers. Brace yourself for the excitement of navigating through fastmoving rapids, where the cool, clear waters are sure to leave you drenched. Hold on tight as the raft takes you through steep falls, immersing you in the lush scenery. This activity not only offers a thrilling experience but also fosters team spirit as everyone works together to conquer the rapid flow of the river. The comprehensive package, inclusive of lunch, equipment and guides, ensures you get excellent value for more than half-a-day of exhilarating fun and an immense workout. It is also great for company bonding sessions as it is ideal for team building. MALAYSIA is renowned for its diverse landscapes and vibrant cultural heritage. It also provides adventure enthusiasts with a vast array of exciting activities. Often associated with the bustling city life of Kuala Lumpur, it is easy to overlook the adventurous side hidden beyond the facade of shopping malls and eateries. Kuala Lumpur, however, boasts a charm that extends far beyond its commercial spaces, offering lesser-known havens for thrill-seekers. If the idea of another weekend lost in a bustling mall fails to excite you, we have compiled a list of five exhilarating activities to inject adventure into your leisure time. Join us as we uncover the heart of excitement, exploring five top-notch adventure activities that promise to leave you breathless and eager for more. Wakeboarding at Mines Lake Water sports have evolved into a global phenomenon, extending beyond the realm of professionals. If the idea of making a splash in the mesmerising turquoise waters has been lingering in your dreams, the wakeboarding activity at Mines Lake might be the perfect outlet for your aquatic adventure cravings. Combining elements of snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding, wakeboarding involves riding a wide board and gliding over the water, propelled by the wake created by a high-speed boat. While it may appear daunting initially, this activity deserves a spot on your 2024 adventure bucket list in Malaysia. Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Mines Lake provides a unique setting, with the city’s modern skyscrapers serving as a captivating and surreal backdrop as you zip across the waters. For those concerned about their skill level, whether you are a novice or a complete beginner to wakeboarding, worry not. At an affordable rate, you can quickly find yourself gliding through the deep blue waters, guided by an expert coach. ATV Adventure Park, Kemensah Explore the thrill of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) with ATV Adventure Park, situated just 30 minutes away from the city centre in Kampung Kemensah, Malaysia. Offering a beginner-friendly adventure, ATV tours ranging from one-and-a-half to two hours take you through muddy jungles, along rivers and waterfalls, providing scenic views of the surrounding landscape. With five different packages catering to various difficulty levels, participants can navigate bumpy and rocky terrain in Ulu Klang’s lush jungle. Safety is paramount, as expert instructors provide a comprehensive briefing on ATV dos and don’ts. While walk-ins are accepted, booking in advance is recommended to secure a slot and avoid any disappointment. Paragliding, Kuala Kubu Baru Paragliding stands out as one of the locals’ most sought-after extreme adventure activities, offering an unparalleled thrill for enthusiasts. Choose a package that suits your preferences and experience the exhilaration of gliding over mountains, paddie fields and villages while soaking in the country’s beauty from breathtaking heights. For a unique twist, elevate your paragliding adventure by soaring over the lush green farmland of Kuala Kubu Baru in Selangor. Guided by certified tandem paragliders, this experience takes off from the peak of Bukit Batu Pahat, allowing you to relax and relish the flight while enjoying the spectacular views below. The package includes a GoPro-recorded video, ensuring you have a lasting memento of your time soaring through the skies. If the idea of gazing down at the landscape from a bird’seye view excites you more than it scares you, paragliding over Kuala Kubu Baru promises a truly unforgettable adventure. Windlab indoor skydiving For those who crave the thrill of skydiving Unleashing the wild oThrilling guide to adventure and outdoor activities in Klang Valley Enjoy a bird’s eye view of the landscape. - PEXELS Sky dive in safety. - INSTAGRAM / @AIRRIDERINDOORSJYDIVING Experience the adrenaline rush of white water rafting - VIATOR █ BY HAZIQUE ZAIRILL Enjoy navigating lush landscape on ATVs - TRIPADVISOR . Water sports has become highly popular. –PIXABAY
LYFE LYFE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 24 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON Malaysian Paper INSTAGRAM Scott almost slips during concert FACING a momentary loss of balance during his performance at Barclays Centre in New York, Travis Scott was taken aback while singing on stage during his Utopia — Circus Maximus Tour when a head-shaped prop unexpectedly struck him, causing him to nearly fall off a bridge-like structure onto the lower stage several feet below. A video captured by a fan reveals the incident as Scott gracefully recovers without misssing a beat. Despite the incident, Scott’s representatives chose not to comment on the matter. This mishap followed the cancellation of his Chicago concert due to flight delays, where he expressed frustration over spending 24 hours on a runway. In a now-deleted Instagram story, Scott elaborated on the ordeal, emphasising the challenges of spending such a prolonged period on a runway. Last month, he shared insights into the emotional toll of the tragic 2021 Astroworld Festival, where 10 attendees lost their lives. Scott acknowledged the profound impact on him and his fans, describing them as “like my family”. Addressing the festival’s aftermath, Scott revealed how the devastating incident affected the creation of his latest album, Utopia. The tragic events lingered in his mind, delaying his return to musicmaking for “months and months”. Despite the difficulties, he found solace and comfort in channelling the emotional energy into the new songs as well as in the producing of his latest album, describing the process as “therapeutic”. As Scott navigates through unexpected stage moments and confronts the weight of tragic events, his commitment to his fans remains evident, reflecting on the Astroworld tragedy with deep empathy. Despite these challenges, he continues to connect with his audience through his music, emphasising the therapeutic nature of the creative process as a means of coping and healing. - BY YASMIN ZULRAEZ Scott on stage. - PIC BY RICH POLK/GETTY Cardi B splits from Offset CARDI B has officially announced her separation from her husband Offset. Confirming the news during a recent Instagram Live session, she disclosed that she has been single for a while. Addressing recent events, she expressed complete indifference to rumours and emphasised her existing single status. The revelation seemed to have been prompted by speculation of infidelity, with Offset responding on social media to allegations made by fellow rapper Blueface. Cardi B candidly admitted her struggle with informing the public about the split, citing a desire for a fresh start and a new beginning in the coming year. The decision to part ways comes after fans noticed the couple unfollowing each other on Instagram. There was also a cryptic post on Cardi B’s stories about outgrowing relationships. The pair, who had been married since 2017, previously separated in 2018 but reconciled. Cardi B asserted that this split was not due to infidelity but rather a culmination of disagreements and a sense that things were no longer the same. The couple, who share two children, were in Arizona over the weekend for a music event. Representatives for Cardi B and Offset have yet to comment on the situation. - BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN The couple secretly got married in September 2017. – INSTAGRAM/@IAMCARDIB Ageing out of rom-coms ONCE a household name for romantic comedies, Hugh Grant has accepted the reality of ageing out of those films. In a recent episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, the star of films such as Love Actually and Two Weeks Notice was asked by Barrymore about how his career had changed, pivoting Grant away from rom-coms. “I got too old and fat and ugly to do romantic comedies, obviously,“ Grant joked. In recent years, Grant’s roles in films have diversified, starring as a nefarious private investigator in The Gentlemen, the villain in Paddington 2, an arms dealer in Operation Fortune and an Oompa-Loompa in Wonka. For Grant, ageing has allowed him to break out of his once typecast roles, which he believes has helped improve his acting. Grant’s performance in Paddington 2 received overwhelming praise. - JAY MAIDMENT WARNER BROS PICTURES Aquaman franchise update AMERICAN actor Jason Momoa recently candidly addressed the future of the Aquaman franchise. The star has hinted that his time portraying Arthur Curry is probably coming to an end. “I don’t necessarily want it to be the end but I don’t think it’s, like, a choice,” Momoa conveyed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight this week. The actor, whose real name is Joseph Jason Namakaeha Momoa, added that DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are Momoa is keen to reprise the Aquaman role. –IMDB. oMomoa teases possible end to role as DC hero █ BY HAZIQUE ZAIRILL keen on “starting their new thing up”. Despite the absence of a third Aquaman film in Gunn and Safran’s announced DCU titles in January, Momoa remains optimistic about reprising the role. “The truth of it is, I mean, if the audience loves it, then there’s a possibility,” emphasised the 44 yearold actor. “But right now, I’m like, it’s not looking too good.” With his dedication as an ocean activist, Momoa consistently expresses his love for the Aquaman character and his desire for additional cinematic opportunities. “I love this character and I would want to play it for a long time,” Momoa conveyed. “I kind of see where I would want it to go. “And even in the next 10 years or so, there are a lot of cool things they can do. And I do enjoy the role and the world. So, I mean, it just comes down to whether people love it.” Gunn has labelled movies outside of his and Safran’s new vision for the comic book universe as Elseworlds entries, leaving a possibility for future Aquaman installments. Momoa would be open to reprising the role if Gunn and Safran expressed interest. “If there’s a place in their world for me, I would love to be a part of it,” he affirmed. “This is my home. Warner and DC are my homes. So, that’s all I’ll say.” As reported by EW Magazine in September, when asked about the potential direction of a third Aquaman film, James Wan revealed uncertainty about the future. “I don’t know,” he commented at the time. “This film has taken up so much of my life, so much of my time - all I can think about now is taking a long break.” Momoa initially gained prominence as Arthur in 2017’s Justice League before headlining his solo superhero film in 2018. “I got a bit better,” he said. On the other hand, Barrymore suggested that they should do another rom-com together. The duo previously starred in Music and Lyrics, a musical rom-com in 2007, which showcased the pair’s on-screen chemistry. - BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR
LYFE LYFE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 25 No stage fright I N a recent interview with NME, the iconic American rock band Queens of the Stone Age (top) opened up about its upcoming headlining performance at the 2024 Download Festival, radiating a laidback attitude that suggests it sees “no reason to trip out” over the impending set. Lead vocalist Josh Homme and keyboardist/guitarist Dean Fertita shared their thoughts on the pressure of headlining the prestigious UK rock festival, expressing confidence in their ability to deliver a dynamic and engaging set. Both musicians acknowledged the significance of the event but oQueens of the Stone Age relaxed about headlining Download Festival █ BY HAZIQUE ZAIRILL THE acclaimed American rock band Paramore has opened up about its upcoming role as supporting artists on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour next year. Having recently completed an extensive world tour, the group, led by frontwoman Hayley Williams and accompanied by guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro, is gearing up to join Swift as the opening act during the UK and EU segments of her global trek in the coming year. In a recent interview with entertainment and popular culture news website Uproxx, Williams opened up about her enduring friendship with pop sensation Swift. The singer noted the band’s parallel artistic journeys, both breaking into the music industry at the same time and are still thriving and relevant today. The conversation highlighted the deep bond and shared experiences of both artistes over the years. “I mean, we know how rare it is to last this long in the music industry,” Williams said, adding, “It’s amazing what she’s traversed through and not only managed to last, but continue to get better as an artist, get bigger in her appeal.” In discussing the band’s supporting role on the Eras tour, Williams expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “To be able to play with an artist like her for me represents how long we’ve been at this and how much we’ve seen. Now, it’s time to have a fun summer.” Addressing the band’s current status as essentially free agents, Williams acknowledged the “level of uncertainty” it faces. Despite the unknowns, she emphasised, “The only thing that matters is that we will still get to be each other’s community.” Drummer Farro chimed in with optimism, saying, “I just hope we can keep building the Paramore empire and then rule the world.” The comments reflect both the band’s gratitude for its journey and its hopeful outlook on the future. In another recent incident Paramore are set to open for Taylor Swift on her European tour. –ZACHARY GRAY █ BY HAZIQUE ZAIRILL Paramore excited about touring with Taylor Swift during one of Paramore’s shows in Australia, Williams responded to persistent technical issues on stage. While performing Hard Times from its fifth album, After Laughter, the frontwoman looked at the stage in amusement due to pyrotechnic spark timing issues. Williams spontaneously changed the song’s outro lyrics after the incident. She ominously sang, “Somebody’s getting fired — Beyonce did it so we can too and I can’t wait to speak with you — it’s the third time this has happened to us.” emphasised their commitment to providing unique performances each night. Homme initiated the conversation by questioning whether the experience would become repetitive. He emphasised the band’s dedication to giving its all and changing its set every night. “You always have to give it your all and changing it every night is what we’re about, so it’s always going to be something different. I don’t think there’s any reason to trip out,” he stated. Fertita concurred, underscoring the positive impact of a relaxed approach on the quality of its shows. He highlighted the band’s spontaneity, mentioning, “We’ll decide five minutes before going on to play something that we haven’t played in 20 years.” Homme added to the discussion by expressing the joy of responding to audience requests in the moment. “And if you see someone with a sign that says, ‘Do this goddamn tune’, then it feels nice to just be able to react in the moment,” he explained. The frontman concluded the conversation with gratitude for the opportunity to perform at venues of varying sizes. He emphasised the band’s eagerness to share its music live, noting: “We come bearing gifts and we want to give everything away. It’s nice to play Donington, but it’s just as nice to play Bournemouth too. That’s not too cheap either – they’re both as good as it can get. These aren’t real problems.” In another segment of the interview, Homme discussed the possibility of working with Iggy Pop again after its 2016 collaboration with the artiste, Post Pop Depression. He expressed eagerness, saying, “Well, I would do that in a second.” Fertita echoed the sentiment, saying, “Oh my god, if there was ever the opportunity to do it, it would be amazing. But there are no plans.” The 21st Download Festival is scheduled to return to Donington Park from June 14–16, 2024, which will also feature Avenged Sevenfold and Fall Out Boy alongside Queens of the Stone Age.
LYFE LYFE TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 26 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER Malaysian Paper THE much-anticipated BVerse (BTS, singing the stars) exhibition has commenced its captivating journey at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, which will run until March 10. This groundbreaking event, orchestrated by The Fact Music Awards and meticulously crafted by Apollon Studio, transcends traditional exhibition norms, offering an immersive odyssey through BTS’s electrifying years from 2020 to 2022, inspired by The Fact BTS Photobook Special Edition. This is a 140 page photobook containing photos taken on stage, backstage plus special photos from MTV Unplugged Presents: BTS special that aired on Feb 24, 2021, and the 2020 The FACT Music Awards which was held on Dec 12, 2020. This limited edition book was highly popular among BTS fans. As the curtains rose on this extravaganza, visitors found themselves guided through eight exclusive sessions, each providing a treasure trove of visuals and activities. The virtual reality (VR) room, orbital tunnel, BTS universe, seven planets, the Army (BTS’s fans) way, immersive projection mapping, merchandise, and a photo zone awaited exploration, promising a multisensory adventure. A symphony of technology The VR and immersive projection mapping rooms, equipped with concert-like sound systems, elevate the experience by amplifying the beats of BTS’s most popular songs. Stepping into the VR Room offers a front-row seat to never-before-seen performances, virtually placing visitors amid the action and making it feel like the BTS members are right in front of them. The immersive projection mapping room takes it a step further, offering a 360-degree experience with surround sound, bringing BTS performances to life in a breathtaking display of technology and artistry. Live performances collated Delving into the seven planets, each curated by a different BTS member, visitors experience a unique journey through time. The exhibition traces the evolution of BTS from 2020 to 2022, meticulously curated with images and footage collected from the group’s performances at the Fact Music Awards. This rare opportunity allows left: The exhibition will captivate the Army until March 10. – PIC BY YASMIN ZULRAEZ/THE SUN █ BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN above: The Bverse was conceptualised as a costeffective platform to experience BTS, especially for younger fans – SENI JAYA oBVerse exhibition redefines concert experiences in Malaysia attendees to witness the group’s achievements and artistry, showcasing the multifaceted nature of their musical and visual expressions, all without the need for expensive concert tickets. Behind the scenes In an exclusive interview with Seni Jaya Corporation’s CEO, Jeff Cheah See Heong, revealed the driving force behind the BVerse exhibition in Malaysia and Singapore. The collaboration with The Fact Music Awards and Apollon Studio showcased meticulous planning and three years of effort invested in creating this unique exhibition. Cheah emphasised the vision to immerse Malaysians, especially Kpop enthusiasts, in cutting-edge virtual realiy technology. The goal was to instill confidence in stakeholders by pioneering unprecedented promotional avenues for artists and events, transforming Malaysia into a dynamic hub for the entertainment sector. Cheah also shed light on the intricate planning behind BVerse. The VR and projection mapping rooms, featuring actual stage performances, required over three years of meticulous planning and production, ensuring a truly unique and unparalleled experience for attendees of this project. Experience the BTS universe Cheah emphasised the inclusivity of BVerse, recognising that not all enthusiasts can attend live concerts. The exhibition serves as a costeffective alternative, bringing the electrifying concert experience to fans at a fraction of the usual cost, making it an accessible and memorable journey through the BTS universe, especially for younger fans. To ensure the success and longevity of BVerse, Cheah outlined a multi-faceted approach. The exhibition’s reach extends beyond borders, targeting neighbouring countries such as Thailand and the Philippines. The unwavering support from partners and sponsors further fortifies the exhibition’s foundation, guaranteeing a sustained and thriving presence in the entertainment landscape. Interactive engagement Strategic thinking permeates the promotional initiatives and gifts associated with BVerse. The promotional pricing structure and complimentary gifts, including a ziplock pouch, battery-operated Army Star badge and randomly selected photocard, are designed to reward and acknowledge the dedication and loyalty of BTS fans. Adding an interactive dimension, mystery postcards encourage fans to engage with each other, enhancing the overall immersive experience and fostering a sense of community among the Army. Surpassing expectations Having personally experienced the BVerse exhibition, the exceptional quality and attention to detail surpassed initial expectations. The exhibition showcased advanced technology and intricate room designs underlining the attention to detail by the producers. As a BTS fan, the VR experience, in particular, resonated deeply, offering a remarkably close encounter with the members. The high-definition pictures, captivating pathways, and meaningful quotes along the walkway allowed for a deep connection with the band. Even for those not familiar with BTS, the advanced technology and innovative design of BVerse make it an exhibition worth exploring. As the first country to host this global phenomenon, Malaysia has well and truly set the stage for an unparalleled experience in immersive entertainment. Secure your tickets now at the Ticket2u site and let the magic of BVerse transport you into the heart of BTS’s universe. Immerse yourself in a groundbreaking fusion of technology, artistry and the undeniable charisma of BTS as the BVerse exhibition takes you on a one-of-a-kind odyssey through the stars. Every detail through the VR experience will make fans feel like they are witnessing the band perform live. – SENI JAYA BTS Army rejoice The exhibition is a fully immersive experience allowing fans to dwelve into the BTS universe. – SENI JAYA
SPORTS SPORTS TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 27 SCAN ME TUESDAY JAN 2, 2024 PERISYTIHARAN JUALAN DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI SUNGAI PETANI PERMOHONAN UNTUK PERLAKSANAAN NO: KB-38-874-09/2023 Dalam perkara mengenai Seksyen 256 dan 257 Kanun Tanah Negara, 1965 Dan Dalam perkara mengenai Gadaian Perserahan No: 6412/2012 (bertarikh : 07/02/2012) ke atas semua bahagian tanah yang dipegang di bawah GRN 41553, 121, Mukim -, Daerah Kulim, Kedah Dan Dalam perkara mengenai Aturan 83 Kaedah- Kaedah Mahkamah, 2012 ANTARA PUBLIC BANK BERHAD (No. Syarikat : 6463-H) ...PLAINTIF DAN NYAM PENG SENG (No. Kad Pengenalan : 860922026267) ...DEFENDAN Menurut Perintah Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya di SUNGAI PETANI mengenai Perintah Jualan dan Perintah bertarikh 13 April 2023 dan 13 Disember 2023, adalah dengan ini diisytiharkan bahawa Timbalan Pendaftar/Penolong Kanan Pendaftar Pusat Operasi e-Lelong di Kuantan AKAN MENJUAL SECARA LELONG AWAM Pada Hari Rabu, 24 Januari 2024, Pada Jam 9:00 pagi, SECARA ELEKTRONIK DI LAMAN WEB e-LELONG, PUSAT OPERASI e-LELONG, KOMPLEKS MAHKAMAH KUANTAN, PAHANG DARUL MAKMUR NOTA: Bakal pembeli adalah dinasihatkan aqar membuat carian Hakmilik secara rasmi di Pejabat Tanah dan memeriksa semua tanqqunqan, bebanan serta mengenal pasti dengan tepat hartanah tersebut sebelum jualan lelonqan dijalankan. Sila layari https://elelong.kehakiman.gov.my/bidderweb BUTIR-BUTIR HAKMILIK: No. Hakmilik : GRN 41553 No. lot : 121 Mukim / Daerah / Negeri : - / Kulim / Kedah Pegangan : Hakmilik Kekal No. Petak/No. Tingkat/ No. Bangunan : Keluasan Tanah : 1399.0000000000 kaki persegi 130.0000000000 meter persegi Pemilik Berdaftar : Nyam Peng Seng Syarat Nyata : RUMAH TERES Tanah yang terkandung dalam hakmilik ini hendaklah digunakan sebagai tapak satu bangunan kediaman sahaja. Sekatan Kepentingan : Tiada Bebanan / Lain-Lain : Kawasan Rizab : Kaveat : LOKASI DAN PERIHAL HARTANAH : Hartanah tersebut adalah “An intermediate unit single storey terraced house” yang beralamat pos di No. 1052, Lorong Kenangan 10, Taman Kenangan (1001-1500), 09300, Padang Serai, Kedah HARGA RIZAB : Hartanah tersebut akan dijual atas “sepertimana sedia ada” tertakluk kepada satu harga rizab sebanyak RM 170,000.00 (RINGGIT MALAYSIA: SATU RATUS TUJUH PULUH RIBU SAHAJA) dan kepada syarat-syarat jualan yang dilampirkan. Pembida yang berminat hendaklah mendepositkan 10% daripada harga rizab dalam bentuk Bank Draf di atas nama PUBLIC BANK BERHAD 1 HARI BEKERJA sebelum tarikh lelong awam. Baki harga belian hendaklah dibayar oleh pembida yang berjaya kepada PUBLIC BANK BERHAD dalam tempoh seratus dua puluh (120) hari dari tarikh jualan. Untuk butir-butir selanjutnya, sila berhubung dengan:- Firma Guaman : WONG-CHOOI & MOHD NOR Alamat : NO. 27, 1ST FLOOR & 2ND FLOOR JALAN MAJU JAYA PUSAT PERNIAGAAN MAJU JAYA, 14000, PG, MY No. Telefon : 04-5398855 No. Fax : 04-5395855 No. Rujukan : WCMN(BM)/PBB-HL/2021-158/NPS(RS/j) PERISYTIHARAN JUALAN DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI SEREMBAN PERMOHONAN UNTUK PERLAKSANAAN NO: NA-38-1114-11/2023 Dalam perkara mengenai Seksyen 256 dan 257 Kanun Tanah Negara, 1965 Dan Dalam perkara mengenai Gadaian Perserahan No: 16758/2019 (bertarikh : 21/05/2019) ke atas semua bahagian tanah yang dipegang di bawah GRN 228780, Lot 219, Mukim Bandar Sri Sendayan, Daerah Seremban, Negeri Sembilan Dan Dalam perkara mengenai Aturan 83 Kaedah- Kaedah Mahkamah, 2012 ANTARA PUBLIC BANK BERHAD (No. Syarikat : 6463-H) ...PLAINTIF DAN INDRADEVI A/P SELVARAJ (No. Kad Pengenalan : 860205595328) ...DEFENDAN Menurut Perintah Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya di SEREMBAN mengenai Perintah Jualan dan Perintah bertarikh 14 Disember 2020 dan 7 Disember 2023, adalah dengan ini diisytiharkan bahawa Timbalan Pendaftar/Penolong Kanan Pendaftar Pusat Operasi e-Lelong di Kuantan AKAN MENJUAL SECARA LELONG AWAM Pada Hari Isnin, 29 Januari 2024, Pada Jam 11:00 pagi, SECARA ELEKTRONIK DI LAMAN WEB e-LELONG, PUSAT OPERASI e-LELONG, KOMPLEKS MAHKAMAH KUANTAN, PAHANG DARUL MAKMUR NOTA: Bakal pembeli adalah dinasihatkan aqar membuat carian Hakmilik secara rasmi di Pejabat Tanah dan memeriksa semua tanqqunqan, bebanan serta mengenal pasti dengan tepat hartanah tersebut sebelum jualan lelonqan dijalankan. Sila layari https://elelong.kehakiman.gov.my/bidderweb BUTIR-BUTIR HAKMILIK: No. Hakmilik : GRN 228780 No. lot : Lot 219 Mukim / Daerah / Negeri : Bandar Sri Sendayan / Seremban / Negeri Sembilan Pegangan : Hakmilik Kekal No. Petak/No. Tingkat/ No. Bangunan : Keluasan Tanah : 10010.0000000000 kaki persegi 930.0000000000 meter persegi Pemilik Berdaftar : Indradevi a/p Selvaraj Syarat Nyata : Tanah ini hendaklah digunakan untuk bangunan kediaman sahaja. Sekatan Kepentingan : Tanah yang diberimilik ini tidak boleh dipindahmilik, dipajak, digadai melainkan dengan kebenaran bertulis daripada Pihak Berkuasa Negeri Bebanan / Lain-Lain : Kawasan Rizab : Kaveat : Nombor Perserahan: 5975/2019 Kaveat Persendirian atas Tanah oleh PUBLIC BANK BERHAD No. Syarikat: 6463-H No. 87, Lebuh Bishop, 10200 Pulau Pinang di daftarkan pada 21 Mei 2019 jam 10:35:24 pagi Suratkuasa Wakil: 2/2018 LOKASI DAN PERIHAL HARTANAH : Hartanah tersebut adalah A single-storey detached house yang beralamat pos di No. 239, Jalan Idaman Villa 8, Idaman Villa, 71950, Bandar Sri Sendayan, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. HARGA RIZAB : Hartanah tersebut akan dijual atas “sepertimana sedia ada” tertakluk kepada satu harga rizab sebanyak RM 610,000.00 (RINGGIT MALAYSIA: ENAM RATUS SEPULUH RIBU SAHAJA) dan kepada syarat-syarat jualan yang dilampirkan. Pembida yang berminat hendaklah mendepositkan 10% daripada harga rizab dalam bentuk Bank Draf di atas nama PUBLIC BANK BERHAD 1 HARI BEKERJA sebelum tarikh lelong awam. Baki harga belian hendaklah dibayar oleh pembida yang berjaya kepada PUBLIC BANK BERHAD dalam tempoh seratus dua puluh (120) hari dari tarikh jualan. Untuk butir- butir selanjutnya, sila berhubung dengan:- Firma Guaman : WONG-CHOOI & MOHD NOR Alamat : NO. 27, 1ST FLOOR & 2ND FLOOR JALAN MAJU JAYA PUSAT PERNIAGAAN MAJU JAYA, 14000, PG, MY No. Telefon : 04-5398855 No. Fax : 04-5395855 No. Rujukan : WCMN(BM)/PBB-HL/2022-299/IS(RS/j) 322 Notices 322 Notices 322 Notices 322 Notices Work in progress PGA to extend ‘active and productive’ Saudi merger talks THE PGA Tour worked yesterday to extend a deadline into 2024 for finalising a merger agreement with Saudi Arabian investors, tour commissioner Jay Monahan calling talks “active and productive.” The update to players in a memo from Monahan came hours ahead of the yearend deadline to approve a framework agreement merging the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) that finances the upstart LIV Golf League. An update on the PGA Tour website regarding talks said the memo, which reportedly was obtained by The Golf Channel and ESPN, addressed efforts to extend the deadline into 2024. Monahan said in his memo, according to the Golf Channel, that the PGA Tour will “continue our active and productive conversations” with PIF and the DP World Tour. “While we had initially set a deadline of Dec 31, 2023, to reach an agreement, we are working to extend our negotiations into next year based on the progress we have made to date.” Monahan also said the PGA Tour had made “meaningful progress” in separate negotiations to have Strategic Sports Group (SSG) become a tour minority investor. Monahan’s memo said the goal remains to have PIF, the DP World Tour and SSG become minority co-investors in PGA Tour Enterprises in 2024. “These partnerships will allow us to unify, innovate and invest in the game for the benefit of the players, fans and sponsors,” Monahan said. ESPN reported the SSG would invest US$3 billion (RM14b) into the new entity, which would be financed to more than US$7 billion (RM32b) if the PIF investment were also included in any deal. The PGA Tour has been negotiating with PIF since June with a stated Dec 31 deadline on final details of a merger agreement, the announcement of which stunned PGA Tour players and led to players demanding and getting greater input in final approval of the deal. Spain’s Jon Rahm, the reigning Masters champion, jumped from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf in early December, serving notice that the Saudi-backed series and its plans for a 2024 campaign could pull even more talent from the PGA Tour as it did in 2022 for its inaugural season. – AFP JON RAHM became LIV Golf’s latest megamoney signing, after the Masters champion signed on the dotted line in December. Rahm made golfing history with his Saudi switch, after being handed a reported £450 million (RM2.6b) deal to join Greg Norman and the LIV setup. The Spaniard is the latest PGA Tour star to make the controversial jump, following in the footsteps of the likes of Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and fellow countryman Sergio Garcia. In the meantime though it appears the breakaway league are keen to add more big names to their history as talks of a merger with the PGA Tour is still being discussed. Tony Finau One man who looked destined to follow in the footsteps of Rahm was six-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau. According to the Telegraph Finau was in talks to join the breakaway league, with rumours circulating that he was set to join Rahm’s soon-to-beannounced team. The rumours were soon put to bed though, after Finau confirmed he would be returning to the PGA Tour in 2024 in a statement on social media. “I’m excited for 2024 and looking forward to playing my 10th season on the PGA Tour,” he wrote before signing off with the hashtag #Imnotleaving. Tyrrell Hatton Alongside Finau, one other big name who the LIV setup were reportedly keen to get their hands on was Tyrrell Hatton. Hatton played alongside Rahm in Europe’s 16.5-11.5 Ryder Cup victory over the USA, and there were hopes the pair would reunite on the breakaway series. It appears however that the Englishman is going to stay put for now, after it was announced he would join the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood in competing at this month’s Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour. Ludvig Aberg Similar to Hatton, Swede Ludvig Aberg also accompanied Rahm in October’s Ryder Cup win, and was also given the chance to sign with LIV Golf. The Swede has announced himself as golf’s hottest prospects since turning pro in June, and was unsurprisingly on the radar for Norman and his team. Aberg however has opted to turn down the offer from the breakaway league, one he has received on more than one occasion. In an interview with Eurosport he pledged his loyalties to the PGA Tour, admitting he saw a number of “red flags” when it came to the LIV setup. Scottie Scheffler It would take something special for LIV Golf to better the signing of Rahm, but one name who may just do that is Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler has announced himself as the best golfer on the planet in the past two seasons, and aside from the lucrative names of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, would prove to be a dream signing for CEO Norman. Like Aberg however Scheffler is said to have rejected the chance to join the breakaway league last year after being offered a deal worth “tens of millions” according to the Golf Channel. Will Zalatoris As well as stalwarts of the game, LIV has been keen to add some of golf’s biggest rising stars to their roster, and there is no doubt Will Zalatoris would be a sought after addition. The American burst onto the PGA Tour scene in 2021, landing three second place major finishes in 12 months. Since then though Zalatoris’ progress has been halted by a torrid back injury that kept him out for nine months during 2023. In that time, the 26-year-old admitted he received a “very intriguing offer” from the LIV setup, but has since opted to remain with the PGA Tour. – Express Newspapers Five stars LIV would love to sign █ BY JOSHUA LEE Scheffler. – REUTERSPIX
SPORTS SPORTS TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 28 NOVAK DJOKOVIC got the party started for 2024 as he sealed a 2-1 win for Serbia over China near the stroke of midnight yesterday at the United Cup in Perth. The world No. 1 kicked off the new season by teaming up in mixed doubles with compatriot and longtime friend Olga Danilovic to hold off Zheng Qinwen and ATP No. 58 Zhang Zhizhen for a 6-4, 1-6, 10-6 victory. Glancing at his watch after his on-court interview, Djokovic then implored the house DJ to fill in for five minutes before leading the RAC stadium crowd in a rousing countdown to the midnight hour. “Thanks to the fans for staying this late,” the winner of 24 Grand Slams said. “We’re glad you decided to spend this special night with us.” The Serbs were playing their first match at the competition while China now stand 1-1. Djokovic won his earlier singles over Zhang 6-3, 6-2 while Daniovic went down 6-4, 6-2 to her Chinese opponent Zheng, the WTA’s 2023 Most Improved Player who has risen to be world No. 15. The 22-year-old Danilovic could not praise her celebrated teammate enough. “This was No. 1 on my bucket list – to play with Novak and to win, I’m so happy. “This was an incredible match, I gave my all and I’m glad to finish 2023 like this, it could not be better. “I’ve looked up to Novak from the first moment I touched a racquet.” Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz had to fight through a deciding doubles match to conclude a 2-1 defeat of Britain for the United States to stay in title contention at the United Cup. The defending champions, who won the trophy last January over Italy, earned a 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-7 mixed doubles win to claim victory in Perth after the sides split the singles. “We have a team energy from last year here, we don’t want to take a loss and let it die,” said Fritz, who was broken twice in the opening set. World No. 5 Pegula added: “To get a win in this fashion after such a long day (on court) brings back a lot of memories. “It was a big win today, especially after losing such a tough singles match.” Britain, who beat Australia to open their tournament account, took a 1-0 lead when Pegula crashed 5- 7, 6-4, 6-4 to Katie Boulter in the singles. It was Boulter’s f i r s t win over a top-five player on her seventh attempt after she bounced back from a set and double-break down. Pegula’s 10th-ranked teammate Fritz kept the tie alive despite a thigh strain he blamed on over-training, defeating Cameron Norrie 7- 6 (5), 6-4. “I strained something but got through it,“ said Fritz. “Cam and I have played so many times (14). It’s always a battle, always close.” In Sydney, Leylah Fernandez led Canada to a fighting victory over Chile with the former US Open finalist winning her singles rubber and then backing up in a decisive mixed doubles. The 35th-ranked Fernandez got Canada off to a perfect start, cruising past Chile’s Daniela Seguel 6-2, 6-3 in 73 minutes. With Canadian number one Felix AugerAliassime sitting out the men’s singles, 314thranked Steven Diez stepped up but was toppled by world No. 19 Nicolas Jarry 7-5, 6-4. It set up a deciding mixed doubles, with Fernandez teaming with Diez to battle past Seguel and Tomas Barrios Vera 7-5, 4-6, 10-8. – AFP Perfect start to new year Djokovic sparks Serb celebration in the midnight hour FOUR-TIME Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka looked solid on her return to elite tennis after 15 months out as she beat Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 7-6(9) in the first round of the Brisbane International yesterday. The 26-year-old from Japan last competed on tour at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo in September 2022 and had her first child, daughter Shai, in July before stepping up her preparations for the Jan. 14- 28 Australian Open. Osaka displayed no signs of rust to break Korpatsch to love in her first game back and the former world No. 1 turned up the heat again towards the end of the opening set to close it out in 38 minutes with a sizzling forehand winner. Twice Melbourne Park champion Osaka dropped serve for a second time late in the next set to squander her advantage but continued her clean ball-striking in the fiercely contested tiebreak to secure the victory. “I was super nervous but I was really excited to be out here. It feels really good to be back,” Osaka said after taking pictures with fans courtside. “I feel like the last couple of years that I played before I had my daughter I didn’t return as much love as I was given, so I really feel like that’s what I want to do in this chapter. “I just really appreciate people coming out and cheering for me, because I feel there was a time that I was just a little kid trying to watch my role models play. So it feels really surreal sometimes to be playing on these courts.” – Reuters AUSTRALIAN OPEN champion Aryna Sabalenka does not expect the new season to be easier despite her breakthrough performances at the Grand Slams in 2023, but the world No. 2 said her fearless approach can help her handle any challenges. Sabalenka claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at Melbourne Parky last year and finished runner-up to Coco Gauff at the US Open to briefly top the rankings. She also reached the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon. “I did an amazing job. It wasn’t easy to do. It’s not going to be easy this season,” Sabalenka told reporters yesterday in Brisbane as she prepares for the Australian Open beginning on Jan 14. “Just having this thought in the back of your mind, actually having a title to defend, makes it actually not easy. “I’m trying not to put myself under pressure. I’m trying to prepare myself as good as I can. It’s not easy, especially with the Grand Slams. It can get super emotional. One thing can change everything. “But I think I did a great job in the preseason and I’m ready to do it.” Sabalenka will be among the favourites to win the Australian Open and she expects her brave attitude to play a key role again. “I accepted the fact that I can lose, that everyone can go there and beat me if I’m not bringing my best tennis. Accepting this fact gives you more belief,” Sabalenka said. “You’re more calm on the court in those crucial moments. I think that’s why I’m not putting myself under pressure. Worst case, what happens? I’m going to lose a Grand Slam, lose some points, drop a little bit in the rankings? “There are so many tournaments ahead. I’m going to try to do my best to be in another Grand Slam or other tournaments. “That’s why I like my mindset, you can beat me. But I’m going to prepare every match and have huge chances to win.” – The Independent Sabalenka channels ‘fearless approach’ Down Under █ BY SHRIVATHSA SRIDHAR Warner retires from ODIs, Tests AUSTRALIA opener David Warner said yesterday he had decided to call time on his one-day international and Test match careers to spend more time with his family. The 37-year-old, a key member of the Australia team that won the 50-overs World Cup for the sixth time in India last year, will play his 112th and final Test against Pakistan at his home Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) starting tomorrow. “I said at the World Cup that I wanted to get through that… but I’ve decided to also announce my retirement from that format,” Warner told reporters at the SCG. “It’ll help the one-day team move along a bit… but if they need me, they know where I am,” said an emotional Warner, with his wife and children also present. A sought-after name in franchise cricket, the aggressive opener remains available for Australia in the game’s shortest format and is hopeful of playing the T20 World Cup in June. “It was a decision that I was very, very comfortable with,” he said. “To win in India, from where we were, was absolutely amazing. “When we lost two games in a row in India, the bond just got stronger with each other and it’s not by fluke or by chance that we were able to get to where we were.” Kvitova to miss Aussie Open FORMER Australian Open runner-up Petra Kvitova said yesterday she is expecting her first child with husband and longtime coach Jiri Vanek and would miss the year’s first Grand Slam which begins in two weeks. Twice Wimbledon champion Kvitova, 33, is not playing in the ongoing tune-up tournaments in Australia, but her name featured in the entry list for the Jan. 14-28 Melbourne Park major. “On the first day of 2024 I wanted to wish you a happy new year and share the exciting news that Jiri and I will be welcoming a baby into our family this summer,” Kvitova said on X with pictures of the pair holding a sonogram and a onesie. She added on Instagram that she would miss her annual trip to Australia. “I’m looking forward to spending some time at home preparing for this exciting next chapter in our lives.” Kvitova added. SHORTS Novak Djokovic hits a return against China’s Zhang Zhizhen (not pictured) during their men’s singles match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Perth. – AFPPIX New mother Osaka makes winning return in Brisbane Osaka
SPORTS SPORTS TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 29 January targets Mbappe’s future to dominate transfer window THE future of Kylian Mbappe and his protracted courtship by Real Madrid is expected to be the key theme of the transfer window that opened in Europe yesterday. Arsenal’s search for a proven goalscorer to spearhead their challenge for a first Premier League title since 2004 could also loom large. Manchester City meanwhile are widely expected to let Kalvin Phillips leave the club, ending a disappointing stay for the former Leeds midfielder who has failed to make his mark at the world champions. Much attention though will again focus on Mbappe, Paris SaintGermain’s lethal finisher and the man who a year ago scored a hattrick for France in the World Cup final only to finish on the losing side. Real Madrid are again the main suitor for the 25-year-old whose contract at PSG expires in June – will the 14- time European champions finally get a commitment from the player they have been pursuing for years? It is far from certain though as Mbappe triggers an extraordinary reaction in F r a n c e , i l l u s t r a t e d w h e n P r e s i d e n t E m m a n u e l M a c r o n intervened to persuade him to stay at PSG in June 2022 when a move to Real seemed almost cut and dried. Real are not sitting on their hands though. Endrick, the latest Brazilian starlet, will join the club from Palmeiras when he turns 18 in July 2024 for a fee reported to be €72 million (RM346m). Arsenal’s lack of a goalscoring edge could lead them to plunge into the market. For weeks, their rumoured target has been Ivan Toney, the Brentford forward whose ban for over 200 breaches of the Football Association’s gambling rules ends in midJanuary. However, Brentford’s decline in form which has seen them drop to within four points of the relegation places could persuade the club to hang onto 27-yearold Toney, even in the face of a big offer from the Gunners. Kalvin Phillips was riding high when the m i d f i e l d e r joined City on the back of England’s run to the Euro 2022 final, but he has played barely a handful of games for the club and Pep Guardiola has admitted the move never worked out. Juventus have reportedly been keen to sign Phillips, who is desperate to force himself into England’s plans for Euro 2024, but reports from Italy say the club are cooling on the idea. A move to Newcastle looks a more realistic possibility as the Magpies look to bolster a squad seriously depleted by injuries and the 10-month ban handed down to Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali, also for gambling. Eddie Howe’s men have slumped down the Premier League table in recent weeks and the Saudi-owned club look badly in need of reinforcements if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Serhou Guirassy, the prolific Guinea international who has scored 17 Bundesliga goals so far this season for Stuttgart, has also been linked with a move to Tyneside. Newcastle could also turn to their connections in the Saudi Pro League. They are allowed to sign players on loan from sides also controlled by their Saudi owners, after a vote by Premier League clubs on a temporary ban on related-party loans failed to receive the required support. However, one target, Ruben Neves, said in early December he would not accept a move to Newcastle because his family was happy in Saudi Arabia. Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino also headed to the Saudi league in the summer, but is r e p o r t e d l y unsettled at Al Ahli. T h e Brazilian, 32, could now be heading to their rivals Al Ettifaq, the club coached by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, although Premier League strugglers Sheffield United are also said to be interested in his services. – AFP Luton’s Lockyer doing well after cardiac arrest LUTON TOWN captain Tom Lockyer said yesterday he was “doing very well” after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a Premier League match at Bournemouth earlier this month. The Wales international was admitted to hospital on Dec. 16 after he collapsed on the field during the 65th minute of the subsequently abandoned match. He was discharged on Dec. 21 after an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) device was fitted to prevent another cardiac arrest. “I would just like to say that I am doing very well and feeling very much myself,” the defender wrote on Instagram. “The reason I’m doing so well is all down to the heroic actions of the players, staff, doctors and paramedics. I feel thankful that this happened to me surrounded by these heroes. They saved my life. I will never forget what you did for me.” Lockyer’s post included a picture with the names of the doctors and officials who helped treat him. “I cannot stress enough how important it is for as many people as possible to know CPR. It literally saves lives, like mine,” Lockyer added. Luton returned to action on Dec. 23 with a 1- 0 home win over Newcastle United as fans paid tribute to Lockyer in the stadium. “Seeing the banners at the ground and hearing my name being sung really did mean a lot to me and my family,” Lockyer said. “While I’m sad not to be involved, I feel full of pride watching the boys carry on the battle without me. The fighting spirit I’ve seen in the last three games has given me a much needed lift.” The 29-year-old will continue his rehabilitation at home, Luton said in a statement on Dec. 21. “We’re so proud to have Locks as our captain and his leadership will continue from the sidelines where his courage will inspire his team mates, colleagues, and supporters,” the club added. – Reuters MANCHESTER UNITED have five options if Sir Jim Ratcliffe was to pull the trigger now and sack Erik ten Hag. Pressure has once again built on the Dutchman following Saturday’s loss to Nottingham Forest. United went down 2-1 at the City Ground, their ninth Premier League defeat of the campaign. It was their 14th in all competitions on a miserable evening for the Red Devils. Ten Hag claimed this week that he was looking forward to working with Ratcliffe and Ineos following their agreement to buy 25% of the club. He said the feeling was mutual and the British billionaire was keen to work with him. However, if Ratcliffe believes the Forest loss was the final straw, he will have several options he could turn to. Here’s a look at five candidates who could be in line to replace Ten Hag. Graham Potter Potter has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea last April. He had a poor spell at Stamford Bridge, lasting less than seven months. But he is thought to be a leading candidate for the new Old Trafford chiefs. Potter impressed at every club he had been at before Chelsea and has a supporter in Sir Dave Brailsford. Julen Lopetegui Former Spain boss Lopetegui left Wolves on the eve of the new season. He impressed in his only campaign at Molineux, leading Wanderers to a 13th-place finish after joining when they were in the relegation zone. Lopetegui recently claimed he wants to return to the Premier League. He has experience at a big club but lasted just 14 matches at Real Madrid in 2018. Zinedine Zidane Zidane has been linked with the United job whenever it has become available in recent years. The France legend has so far only managed Real Madrid in his coaching career. He wants to manage his country one day but Didier D e s c h a m p s ’ contract does not expire u n t i l June 2026. United may attempt to lure him to the Premier League. Roberto De Zerbi The only manager on this list who is still in a job. De Zerbi has built a strong reputation having led Brighton into Europe for the first time this season. He still has twoand-a-half years remaining on his contract at the Amex. But Brighton showed last season with Potter that they’d be willing to let a manager leave if the money is right. Antonio Conte Conte remains out of work since being sacked by Tottenham last March. He would certainly get United playing a set style of play, even if it’s not the most attractive football. Whether his style of management would suit the new United board is another question. He left Spurs shortly after a memorable rant criticising the club’s hierarchy. – Express Newspapers Five options to replace Ten Hag if he gets the sack █ BY LEWIS WINTER Neville raises Devils concerns GARY NEVILLE has warned Manchester United they must start afresh as Dave Brailsford gets to work on overhauling the football department at Old Trafford. Neville is concerned that ageing defenders Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane could be offered new contracts by Ineos following Jim Ratcliffe’s 25% purchase of the Premier League club. Brailsford is one of Ratcliffe’s most trusted lieutenants and will take up a major role in the Ineos project at Old Trafford. It has been reported that the 59-year-old former British Cycling chief got to work on Sunday ahead of the January transfer window. Reports claim that long-serving Swede Lindelof is set to be handed a new deal. The 29- year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season but United have the option to extend it. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail reports that United might allow Varane to leave in 2024. United have reportedly declined to take up their option to extend the deal by Jan 1, although they remain interested in holding talks over fresh reduced terms this year. However, Neville admits he is “worried” by the prospect of either player having their contracts extended. The Red Devils icon insists that a message must be sent to all players that the underperformance of the last few years will no longer be tolerated. “If United are looking to renew Lindelof and Varane (on reduced terms) I’m worried. We have to start afresh as much as possible,” Neville posted on X. “Whilst these two aren’t bad players by any stretch, a message must be sent to everyone inside and outside of the club that it’s not going to tolerate the levels over the last few years.” – Express Newspapers Roberto Firmino. Kylian Mbappe.
SPORTS SPORTS TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 30 READ OUR HERE /thesun Malaysian Paper ‘We were wishing a happy new year’ TOTTENHAM boss Ange Postecoglou played down his heated touchline exchange with Bournemouth’s backroom staff towards the end of an entertaining 3-1 home win. Pape Sarr, Son Heung-min and Richarlison were on target to fire fifth-placed Spurs to a fourth victory in five matches. The back and forth contest threatened to spill over towards its conclusion when young Tottenham substitute Alejo Veliz suffered a suspected knee injury and while he attempted to play on, he was repeatedly told by Postecoglou and his staff to stay down to receive treatment. It led to Postecoglou exchanging words with Bournemouth first-team coach Shaun Cooper in stoppage time before a melee ensued on the touchline, which resulted in referee Stuart Hooper booking the duo and Spurs midfielder Giovani Lo Celso. But Postecoglou joked: “We were just wishing each other happy new year. “It’s alright. Just a little bit of emotion in the game. I was more concerned with Alejo because we were kind of trying to get him off the field and, apart from my physically going on the pitch and dragging him off, he wasn’t really going to go down. “So, we were just shouting at him and I think the Bournemouth staff thought, I don’t know what they thought, maybe that we were trying to make a substitution but we knew we had none. It was just about getting him off.” Opposite number Andoni Iraola was also happy to brush off the incident, although suggested it was clever game management. “No, it is normal. I think it is what all the teams do. When you are winning the game, you want to play as less as possible, you want to stop,” Cherries head coach Iraola said. “They had Veliz injured and it is normal. We were putting a lot of pressure, even if it was 3-1 and it was a dangerous game for them. “It is something that when you are winning, we all do. We try to play as less as possible and we have to accept it. “He (Veliz) is injured but he has to go to the bench and sit. We cannot wait because he is injured. “It was obvious he was injured, for sure. I know otherwise he would continue playing and running, no? But he could just walk to the bench but it is normal. “He tried to play because it was good for them try to continue playing, stop a little bit, continue, stop because we were pushing a lot and sometimes you have to manage the game like this. It is normal and we have to accept it.” While Postecoglou was able to toast a victorious end to 2023, Spurs’ injury crisis reared its ugly head again with a tearful Sarr forced off with a hamstring injury and Veliz also emotional upon leaving the pitch. Sarr later suggested on X – formerly Twitter – that his injury was not as serious as first feared and that he would be available for Senegal duty next month. He wrote (in French): “More fear than harm, see you at CAN!” – The Independent Guardiola relishing quieter schedule in January PEP GUARDIOLA is looking forward to a quieter January after his all-conquering Manchester City side brought a hectic December to a satisfactory conclusion. City played nine games in the final month of 2023, including two during their successful trip to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup. It ended with a comfortable 2-0 victory over struggling Sheffield United on Saturday, a result which, coming after their midweek win at Everton, put the champions firmly at the forefront of the title picture. The intensity now slackens considerably in the coming weeks, with just two Premier League fixtures – and three games in total – scheduled for January. They will face an extra FA Cup tie if they beat Huddersfield in the third round on Sunday but, even so, it is a considerable contrast to the recent programme. “It is nice,” said City manager Guardiola. “We have 27million games in one month, (now) we have three games in the next month. “It’s like life – some have a lot and some don’t have anything. It is what it is, but I would say it is welcome. I like it.” Guardiola has regularly voiced his concerns about scheduling and players’ workloads and would welcome moves by the players’ union to try to limit any further increase of fixtures. It has been reported that the Professional Footballers’ Association is exploring legal options after the recent European Court of Justice ruling in relation to the Super League appeared to reduce the ability of governing bodies to control the sport’s calendar. Guardiola said: “Only they, the players, can change something – not just in the Premier League, everywhere. “I’ve said many times we have too many games. The problem is we have just three weeks’ holiday in the summer and it is impossible to regenerate. Just look at the number of injuries at all the teams. “The only ones who can change it are the players, if they really decide, to make it a better sport.” – The Independent DOUGLAS LUIZ says Aston Villa’s happy camp must keep going after the “important” win over Burnley that rounded off their impressive 2023. The Brazilian midfielder secured the three points with an 89th-minute penalty as Unai Emery’s side beat the Clarets 3-2 in Saturday’s Premier League contest at Villa Park. A return to winning ways after a draw against Sheffield United on Dec 22 and Boxing Day loss at Manchester United, it saw them move up to second. It was their 26th League win of 2023 and a clubrecord 32nd victory in all competitions across the calendar year, and Luiz said in quotes on Villa’s official website: “Everyone is so happy. “We believe in the group, we believe in Unai and we know he has so much experience. Everyone is happy and we need to keep going and continue.” Villa were ahead at half-time after Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby scored either side Zeki Amdouni’s equaliser. Burnley were then reduced to 10 men by Sander Berge’s 52nd-minute dismissal, but it looked as if it might end up a frustrating afternoon for the hosts as they failed to make the most of a series of chances and Lyle Foster then made it 2-2 on 71 minutes. Luiz subsequently had the final say via the late spot-kick awarded after a challenge on Jhon Duran by fellow substitute Aaron Ramsey, the former Villa player whose brother Jacob was in the home starting line-up. Luiz added: “It was so important for us because we didn’t play so well in the last two games. If we can win at home it’s so important for the fans. “The group is very tired and now we have a few days off to enjoy. There are so many important players who have injuries and it’s hard but you need to keep going.” Villa are unbeaten in their last 17 home league games, which includes a club-record sequence of winning 15 in a row before the Sheffield United match. Regarding the efforts of Vincent Kompany’s Burnley, who remained second-bottom, five points adrift of safety, midfielder Josh Brownhill told the club’s official website: “To put on a performance like that here, where they’re excellent and have been doing very well in the league is something that we can be proud about. “It’s a little bit unlucky that we didn’t come away with anything. There are things we can improve on still, there’s goals that you look back on and there’s things that you could have done to stop them. But we took our chances, to come here and score two is not easy.” – The Independent █ BY ANDY HAMPSON TOUCHLINES MANCHESTER CITY have agreed a deal to sign River Plate’s Argentina U-17 midfielder Claudio Echeverri on a six-year contract, with the 17- year-old set to remain with the South American club until December 2024. LEICESTER want to sign Liverpool winger Fabio Carvalho on loan after the 21-year-old Portugal U-21 international was recalled from his loan spell at RB Leipzig. LIVERPOOL have sent scouts to watch Crystal Palace’s England-born former France U-21 winger Michael Olise, 22, in recent weeks. TOTTENHAM’S Senegal midfielder Pape Matar Sarr, 21 – who limped off during Sunday’s game against Bournemouth with a hamstring problem – is close to agreeing a new long-term contract. TOTTENHAM are set to make a bid for Genoa’s Romania defender Radu Dragusin, with the 21- year-old’s agent saying the player is keen on the move. Grealish breaks silence on ‘traumatic’ burglary JACK GREALISH has opened up on his “devastation” after thieves reportedly made off with around £1 million (RM5.8m) worth of jewellery and watches while the winger was playing for Manchester City last week. Members of Grealish’s family were reportedly watching the 28- year-old play for the Premier League champions on television when burglars made their way into his £5.6 million (RM32m) property. Grealish purchased the abode last year but only just moved into the house. An alarm is believed to have been raised after frantic barking was heard from upstairs. The England international has now broken his silence on the ordeal with a message for fans on Instagram. He says that his family were unscathed and wished his followers a happy new year. “I can’t begin to explain how devastated I am over the burglary that took place at my home a few days ago,” Grealish said on Instagram. “My family mean the world to me and nothing is more important than ensuring their safety. This has been a traumatic experience for all of us, I am just so grateful that nobody was hurt. “I have had so many amazing experiences and achievements over the last 12 months, but to be honest the best year of my life in football now doesn’t feel like something I can celebrate. “The people that commit these terrible crimes have no idea of the damage they cause to peoples lives. I hope they are found and brought to justice so no other family has to go through what we have. “I appreciate the messages from everyone and the support from my friends, teammates and the club. “On a more positive note, I’d like to thank everyone for their support throughout this past year, I wish you and your family a happy 2024.” – Express Newspapers Postecoglou plays down touchline melee after Bournemouth win Luiz hopes Villans can sustain winning momentum █ BY GEORGE SESSIONS Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke (left) in action with Tottenham Hotspur’s Ben Davies. – REUTERSPIX
SPORTS SPORTS TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 31 THE Harimau Malaya squad under the guidance of Kim Pan Gon left for Doha, Qatar yesterday morning to play in the 2023 Asian Cup scheduled to be held from Jan 12 to Feb 10. The players and coaches looked fresh and in high spirits, as they took the opportunity to extend New Year greetings to fans and media personnel waiting for their arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 here tonight. Malaysia, who ended a 42-year wait to qualify on merit for the Asian Cup, will begin their Group E campaign against Jordan on Jan 15, followed by Bahrain (Jan 20) and two-time champions South Korea (Jan 25). Harimau Malaya are targeting to create history by qualifying for the round of 16 after failing to clear the group stage in the three editions they participated in. Pan Gon’s charges will first play Syria in an international friendly match in Doha on Jan 8. The last time Malaysia played in the Asian Cup was when they co-hosted the tournament in 2007. National right winger Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim said more vigorous training was implemented by Pan Gon during the weeklong national squad centralised training camp which began on Dec 26 at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya. “The higher pace can really be felt in a week of training as coach Kim made some changes in terms of intensity… from the first day of training until Saturday we were strenuously tested. “For me, we have another two weeks to adjust with faster training and the game will become more enjoyable,” he said yesterday. The Selangor FC star player said all his teammates were also eager to make an appearance in the Asian Cup which was described as the biggest opportunity for the team to raise the name of Malaysia again. “We went there not just to complete the quota but to give competition to other teams,” said the 25-year-old player. Commenting further, Mohamad Faisal said the team’s focus at the moment is the opening match against Jordan. “The match (against Jordan) is our turning point, if we manage to get a positive result in the first match, three points or even a draw, it will give the team motivation to face Bahrain,” he said. Only the champions and runners-up of each group along with the four best third teams will qualify for the round of 16 in Doha. Malaysia have never progressed to the last 16 of the Asian Cup after being eliminated in the group stage in the previous three editions. – Bernama THE Kedah Weightlifting Association (PABK) are targeting three gold medals in the 2024 Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Sarawak in August. PABK president Yahaya Sani said 16 of the state’s lifters, eight men and eight women, are being relied on to deliver the medals to the Kedah contingent at the Aug. 17- 24 Games. “We are counting on them to bring home a gold medal in the 64kg category. We will determine which category the other two golds will come from later and careful preparation is being carried out to achieve our target,” he told reporters here yesterday. Yahaya also said that they are determined to unearth more new talents in weightlifting for the country, like Aznil Bidin who clinched two gold medals in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Yahaya said another Kedahborn lifter, Nur Syazwani Radzi bagged bronze in the 2023 SEA Games, thus proving that the state does not lack talent in the sport. “We will continue to look for new talents not only for Sukma but also for the Commonwealth Games. Our talent search programme will be an ongoing effort,” he said. He added that, so far, they are grooming two lifters (one man and one woman) to represent the country in the 2026 Commonwealth Games and hope to train many more young talent for future international competitions. – Bernama New year, new hope … as Harimau Malaya leave for Asian Cup Kedah hope to lift three gold medals in Sarawak THIS season’s struggling team, Kelantan FC, is not eligible to compete in the 2024-2025 Super League after failing to obtain a national licence by the deadline on Sunday. Independent First Instance Body (FIB) chairman, Sheikh Mohd Nasir Sheikh Mohd Sharif, said that the decision was made during an online meeting of the Malaysian Football League (MFL) Club Licensing FIB held yesterday. He said the decision had to be made after Kelantan failed to fulfil two financial criteria under sub-criteria F.04 and subcriteria F.11 before their respective deadlines on Nov 30 and Dec 31 respectively. Financial Criteria under sub-criteria F.04 refers to No Payables Overdue Towards Employees, LHDN, KWSP, PERKESO & EIS – as at June, while sub-criteria F.11 refers to No Payables Overdue Towards Employees, LHDN, KWSP, PERKESO & EIS – as at August. “After failing to complete Step One and Step Two on Nov 30 and Dec 31, 2023, Kelantan FC failed to obtain the national licence for the 2024-2025 Super League,” he said in the MFL statement yesterday. However, he added that Kelantan has the opportunity to appeal to the MFL Club Licensing Appeals Body before 5 pm on Jan 8 against the FIB’s decision. The Red Warriors, facing financial issues this season, concluded the 2023 Super League at the bottom with eight points after losing 22 matches and securing only two wins and two draws. – Bernama Kelantan FC out of Super League ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Fulham 2 (Jimenez 29, De Cordova-Reid 59) Arsenal 1 (Saka 5), Tottenham 3 (Sarr 9, Son 71, Richarlison 80) Bournemouth 1 (Scott 84). P W D L F A Pts Liverpool 19 12 6 1 39 16 42 Aston Villa 20 13 3 4 43 27 42 Man City 19 12 4 3 45 21 40 Arsenal 20 12 4 4 37 20 40 Tottenham 20 12 3 5 42 29 39 West Ham 19 10 3 6 33 30 33 Man Utd 20 10 1 9 22 27 31 Brighton 19 8 6 5 38 33 30 Newcastle 19 9 2 8 37 25 29 Chelsea 20 8 4 8 34 31 28 Wolves 20 8 4 8 30 31 28 Bournemouth 19 7 4 8 28 35 25 Fulham 20 7 3 10 28 35 24 Crystal Palace 20 5 6 9 22 29 21 Nottm Forest 20 5 5 10 24 35 20 Brentford 19 5 4 10 26 31 19 Everton 20 8 2 10 24 28 16 Luton 19 4 3 12 23 37 15 Burnley 20 3 2 15 20 41 11 Sheff Utd 20 2 3 15 15 49 9 RESULTS & STANDINGS Natxo vows to bolster team Tigers GLAD to be part of the Harimau Malaya squad, Spanish-Malaysian midfielder Natxo Insa has vowed to help Malaysia do well at the Asian Cup 2023 in Doha. With 20 years of professional football experience, the 37-year-old Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player claimed he is more mature and capable of keeping his cool during high-pressure games, which will benefit Kim Pan Gon’s squad. “I am so happy to be here, this is an important tournament, so I expect I can help the team to achieve great things. “With my experience of around 20 years of professional football, in terms of tranquility, I can see things more calmly but to be honest we have a really good team. “We have good players, young players who obtained great exposure this year – they have good experience, so I think it’s going to be good for all,” he said when met before the team left for Doha yesterday. Despite facing higher-ranked teams in the group, Natxo believes Malaysia have a chance to qualify for the round of 16. “Of course they (opponents) are good teams but I think we have a good squad… so why can’t we get pass the group stage, I think we must believe and go game by game and work hard,” he said. Natxo added that the current national team has become more professional in all aspects compared to the last time he was with the team in 2018. Natxo who had one appearance with Malaysia during a 2-2 draw against Mongolia in 2018 said what is being done now makes the players to be better role models for the next generation. – Bernama Penang FC’s Andriano Aparecido Narcizo is fouled by JDT’s Ingnacio ‘Natxo’ Insa Bohigues (above) during their FA Cup match. – BERNAMAPIX The President of the Kedah Weightlifting Association (PABK) Yahaya Sani (fifth right) shakes hands with former President Ismasuhaimi Shariff during their general meeting yesterday. – BERNAMAPIX
theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7783 7435 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] SCAN ME TUESDAY | JAN 2, 2024 or download app from the App Store or Google PlayTM . www.thesun.my Free access to iPaper PDF Download SCAN ME Malaysian Paper Read iPaper at Malaysian Paper Malaysian Paper Perfect start to new year -Story - on page 27 Story on page 28 Five stars LIV would love to sign Arsenal title challenge suffers blow after setback at Craven Cottage MIKEL ARTETA lamented a “painful and sad” day as Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge suffered another setback with defeat at Fulham. The Gunners now sit fourth in the table after a 2-1 loss at Craven Cottage only added to a home defeat to West Ham on Thursday. Bukayo Saka had given the visitors the lead in west London, only for Raul Jimenez and Bobby Decordova-Reid to turn the game around for the Cottagers. Five games ago, Arsenal were six points clear of champions Manchester City but are now level, having played one more game with Pep Guardiola’s side in World Club Cup action before Christmas. Asked for his view on the game, Arteta said: “Painful and a sad day. That’s how I would sum it up. “We had the chance to be top of the table after 20 games with the consistency that we’ve shown. We haven’t managed well enough to earn the right to win the game. “Three days ago we lost a game that we deserved to win, today was a very different story.” Arsenal had 30 attempts on goal as they slipped to a 2-0 loss to West Ham – but it was a different story here as Arteta’s side toiled to create chances on a wet and windy afternoon by the Thames. “For sure,” the Spaniard replied when asked if the Fulham performance was more concerning than that against the Hammers. “The other one, we didn’t put the ball in the net and they scored the way they did. It’s OK. Today the overall performance was more worrying. “We weren’t good enough. We weren’t good enough in ball possession, we gave too many balls away. we didn’t have enough rhythm, enough threat. “Defensively we were second best. We could not control the direct play. It was so easy for them to win that first and second ball and have the opportunity to run. “Then we conceded two goals like we did against West Ham and when you do that in this league it’s going to be very difficult to win.” Speaking to Sky Sports later, Arteta stated his disapproval at not just the result but his own side’s performance, before hinting that there would be no January incomings with the window set to open on Monday. When asked what he needs in January Arteta replied: “What we have achieved in 19 other games, with the same players.” He was pressed on if reinforcements were necessary and the Spanish boss reiterated: “With the same players.” Ivan Toney, Dominic Solanke, Victor Osimhen and Pedro Neto had been some of the reported Arsenal targets but Arteta’s suggestion may mean it ends up being a quiet January for the Gunners. Fulham head coach Marco Silva was left raising a glass to a good 2023 as his side returned to winning ways after a three-game losing streak in the league. This was also the first time in over a year Fulham have come from behind to win in the Premier League and Silva was pleased with what he saw from his team. “It really the best way to finish 2023, definitely,” he said. “Our ambition was to finish on a high and react from the last two games. I really believe we deserve it. Over the 95 minutes we deserved it more. “It was very good reaction after the first goal. The way we beat their pressure and began to play our way. We even had more chances to score a third goal.” – The Independent/Express Newspapers █ MARK MANN-BRYANS Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli (right) is fouled by Fulham’s Alex Iwobi during their Premier League match. – AFPPIX -Story on page 31 Naxto vows to bolster Tigers ‘Painful’ defeat