The Sun-070723

PETALING JAYA: A senior lawyer has dismissed as “mere perception” the common belief that Malaysian courts frequently allow the privilege of trial postponements in high-profile cases whenever the accused claim they are ill. Ragunath Kesavan, who is also a commissioner with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), said the idea that the courts are more lenient to accused who are VIPs is a perception created by the media, adding that no such “privileges” exist. “In my 32 years’ experience, I can say for certain that even the common man is allowed a postponement of his trial if, as an accused, he furnishes the necessary proof that he is ill. “High-profile cases are mostly highlighted in the media, and in some instances, such cases have been adjourned due to the ill health of the accused. “However, cases involving non-VIPs are also accorded the same treatment. But these are not reported by the media, perhaps because their trials are not considered ‘interesting’ enough to cover.” Ragunath said this has resulted in public perception that the courts are too lenient with accused persons in high-profile cases, while those involving the common man do not have such privileges. “This is a false narrative.” Cases that are often reported by the media include corruption and bribery involving political or business figures such as former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s SRC conviction, the 1MDB trial and 1MDB audit report trial. Ragunath, who is also a former president of the Malaysian Bar, said he does not think the courts have been too lenient in granting postponements of trials for high-profile individuals. “Malaysian courts are very consistent in considering the requests for adjournments on grounds of ill health. “In the last 10 years, the courts have been fairly strict in granting postponements of trials for whatever reason. Lawyers are bound by the fact that the accused must have very good reasons backed by documents when applying for an adjournment for whatever reason, ill health or otherwise,” he said. He added that official documents required to seek a trial postponement or adjournment are not fixed. Any medical certificate from a government or private hospital or clinic would suffice. Ragunath said there is also no necessity to amend any law to resolve the issue of postponements. “How often a judge is allowed to exercise his discretion is best left to him to decide, based on each case that he presides over. It has to be exercised based on the established legal principles and our judges take this matter seriously. “The public must have more faith in our judiciary system as every application has its own merits.” However, Ragunath noted that one factor surrounding high-profile cases is that the accused could afford a team of experienced lawyers to present their case. “Case law is very clear on the procedures to apply for trial rescheduling or bail. The defendant is responsible for producing the required documents during an adjournment application. “High-profile VIP cases are usually represented by a team of lawyers who can compile the various types of documents required to support an adjournment application. “These teams of lawyers are capable of mounting a variety of challenges and oUntrue that VIPs easily allowed adjournments, says senior lawyer █ BY ETHAN YEO [email protected] Mere perception INSIDE TELLING IT AS IT IS ON FRIDAY JULY 7, 2023 No. 8304 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my PLAY TIME ... A child participating at an event organised by Toys’R’Us at IOI City Mall in Putrajaya yesterday. – SYAZWAN KAMAL/THESUN presenting them in court, while the average person will find it a financial strain to afford such representation.” Ragunath said to resolve such issues, the government should ensure that legal aid is provided to a wider band of people so that they are able to access adequate representation. ‘Racial diversity reflected in 2 Constitution’ page Helping Orang Asli escape 3 poverty page

2 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Federal Constitution reflects racial diversity: Rais KUALA LUMPUR: There are several provisions in the Federal Constitution that in its implementation, reflect diversity and importance of the races in the country, said former Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim. He said among the provisions is Article 8, which states that all individuals are entitled to equal protection of the law and it is intended to promote racial diversity. “Under Article 8, all of them, regardless of whether they are Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan, Murut, Orang Ulu or Dayak, are equal before the law,” he said yesterday. He added that Article 153 provides for the special rights of the Malays and the Orang Asli population of any state, Sabah and Sarawak as well as the interests of other communities. He emphasised that it would not be right for any party to say that the o‘Article 8 guarantees all individuals equal under law regardless of race or religion’ Constitution places no value on racial diversity, Bernama reported. Rais also said according to Article 11, every individual in the country has the right to practise their religion in peace, while Article 12 mentions the importance of education without discrimination based on religion, race, descent or place of birth. “Everyone has the right to profess and practise their religion, so Article 11 is also an example of how racial diversity is recognised through religion.” Meanwhile, constitutional expert Prof Datuk Dr Wan Ahmad Fauzi Wan Husain said if promoting a multi-racial country shows that Malaysians are of multiple ethnicities but supports the identities given in the constitutional rights, it is therefore not in conflict with the Constitution. He said the identities include assimilating a godly life, being loyal to the King and country, speaking Malay and writing Jawi, practising decency and discipline based on Malaysian values and upholding the supremacy of the Constitution. “Others are accommodations in the acceptance of Islam as the federal and state religion, Malay custom and native custom within the framework of the Constitution as a source of legislation in the determination of local custom,” he said. Wan Ahmad Fauzi, who is International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation associate professor at International Islamic University Malaysia, said efforts to promote Malaysia must prioritise national identity as enshrined in the Constitution. He explained that Article 3 recognises Islam as the religion of the federation and it is the federal doctrine that establishes the criteria for accepting the diversity of ethnic cultural heritage in the country as Malaysia’s national culture. “There are two levels here. The first is the cultural diversity that is to be promoted as the official or national culture. “Its value and form should not be interpreted as compromising Islam’s position as the federal religion,” he said. “Secondly, cultural customs, including specific local ethnic beliefs that contradict Islamic teachings, can be practised by them but cannot be elevated as the cultural identity and beliefs of the Malaysian people or nation.” QUALITY CHECK ... Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub inspecting seafood at Jaya Grocer supermarket in KL East Mall, Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC RM3.9b to boost internet service at schools REMBAU: The Communications and Digital Ministry has allocated RM3.9 billion to continue the implementation of the Point of Presence (PoP) Phase 2 project, involving 3,693 PoP sites near schools in rural areas throughout the country. Its minister Fahmi Fadzil said the implementation of Phase Two of the project, which started in December last year to provide high-speed broadband services, would benefit at least 432,300 premises. As for the implementation of Phase One of the project involving 630 locations, he said it was expected to be completed by the end of the year. “The high-speed optical fibre broadband infrastructure will help to improve the learning process in schools more effectively with access to a wide range of information and reference sources. “It also allows the community to improve their income through the digital economy by conducting various activities, including home businesses online with better quality and comprehensive internet network access.” He was speaking at the launch of the south zone PoP at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato’ Undang Haji Adnan yesterday. Fahmi said the PoP initiative was one of the government’s commitments to encourage the use of digital technology by all levels of society, regardless of whether it is in cities or rural areas. It was also aimed at equipping people with digital skills to bridge the digitalisation gap as well as empower the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, and meeting the country’s needs in driving the digital economy. Fahmi said the PoP project implemented in locations near rural schools and interior areas such as SMK Dato’ Undang Haji Adnan functions as a hub for the provision of fibre optic broadband infrastructure, not only for schools but also for use by surrounding industrial areas and government premises. “The surrounding community also has the opportunity to enjoy more stable high-speed broadband services. “The speed of the internet service provided will also be a benchmark for the use of modern technology related to infrastructure and utilities, including the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Smart Grid, which can improve the quality of life of the people.” – Bernama Measures to protect pensioners KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government will come up with measures to protect pensioners, following a Federal Court decision that invalidated amendments to the pension law. Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the government is working on the details of the mechanism and will make an announcement soon. “We’ll deal with it. We have to respect the decision of the Federal Court. We have a mechanism to protect pensioners and will announce it soon,” he said after launching the International Social Well-being Conference yesterday. On June 27, the Federal Court ruled that legal amendments made in 2013, which introduced a new pension scheme that adjusts pension payments every year by a 2% increment, were less favourable to pensioners and unconstitutional. The decision meant that the older version of the law containing the old pension adjustment scheme would be restored. Meanwhile, Anwar said the government was open to a suggestion by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to make it mandatory for new EPF members in the future to withdraw their savings periodically instead of a lump sum upon reaching 55 years old. “I’m open to it,” Anwar said. However, he added that certain constraints have to be taken into consideration, including the fact that the savings of some EPF members were too little. On Wednesday, EPF CEO Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan was reported as saying that the existing option of periodic withdrawals every month was seen as offering members a better way to manage their retirement funds. He said making periodic withdrawals would also allow members to continue enjoying annual dividends for their remaining savings in EPF. – Bernama Zahid: I respect decision by MCA, MIC PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said he respects the decision of MCA and MIC not to contest in the coming state elections. The deputy prime minister and Umno president said their decision would be discussed at the BN supreme council meeting on Monday. “As BN chairman, I respect the decision made by both parties. We have allocated seats for MCA and MIC, but if that is what they have decided, we will discuss it,” he said after the Rural and Regional Development Ministry’s monthly assembly yesterday. On Wednesday, MCA and MIC announced that they would stay out of the state polls next month to focus on preparations for the 16th general election. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development minister, said the two BN component parties would help to campaign for the unity government in the polls. The Election Commission announced that Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan would go to the polls on Aug 12, with nominations set for July 29 and early voting on Aug 8. – Bernama RM100,000 to repair digital centre JEMPOL: A total of RM100,000 has been allocated to repair the Digital Economic Centre in Felda Palong 11 near here, which was badly damaged due to a storm on June 25, said Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil. He said his ministry provided RM50,000 while the remaining funds had been contributed by Jempol MP Datuk Shamshulkahar Mohd Deli. Fahmi said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has set up a temporary internet centre near the centre five days after the incident so that residents of Felda Palong 11 could resume their online business and learning activities. “The digital economy centre plays an important role as an economic catalyst for the local population, so we don’t want the activities here to be disrupted.” – Bernama

3 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 ALOR SETAR: The iDamak census system introduced by the Orang Asli Development Department is expected to help raise awareness among the community on the importance of breaking the cycle of hardcore poverty. Kampung Orang Asli Lubok Legong head Razali Kulim said the iDamak system has a well-structured framework in place to identify the needs of the Orang Asli community, Bernama reported. “The iDamak system developed by the department is one way to gather information and data. However, this system cannot fully eradicate poverty among Orang Asli. “The government has provided assistance and opportunities to Orang Asli by offering courses and skills, but only a few benefited from them, while others remain comfortable with the same lifestyle as their ancestors,” said Razali. He hoped that the government would find a new and effective formula or approach to raise awareness among the Orang Asli community to help them escape the poverty trap for good. “The Orang Asli community should be well aware of the importance of breaking free from the poverty trap for the future of their families, especially their children,” he said. Baling district officer Datuk Mohd Shahadan Abdullah said he is optimistic that the iDamak system can help identify the needs of Orang Asli and help them improve their living standards and economic wellbeing. “I cannot make hasty statements about this system as a whole because many programmes have been implemented for the Orang Asli community. “However, poverty has not been fully eradicated. We need to examine the content and details, and have discussions with the department as well. “However, we support any system or programme initiated by the government to help improve the living standards of the Orang Asli community, and we will make optimal use of such programmes.” Mohd Shahadan said during his three years of service as the district officer of Baling, many parties have come to the district to assist the Orang Asli community. He hopes that the iDamak system will be a more efficient step in eradicating poverty among Orang Asli. Helping Orang Asli escape poverty oLow participation in courses offered by govt, complacency in ancestral comfort zone among hitches Progress of ‘sick’ projects to be assessed JOHOR BAHRU: The Local Government Development Ministry is examining the progress of all “sick” projects nationwide before considering their removal from a list of developments. Its deputy minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said from the 481 “sick” projects in the country, some have shown good progress. “There are 52 ‘sick’ projects in Johor,” Akmal said after visiting the Residensi Larkin Indah project yesterday. “The ministry will continue to monitor and carry out interventions nationwide to mitigate the increase in the number of ‘sick’ projects in the country,” he added. “When we (unity government) took over, we expected an increase in ‘sick’ projects due to or following the Covid-19 period,” said Akmal, who is also the Johor Bahru MP. “During the movement control order period, we had a blanket law except for EOT (extension of time) to developers who applied for it. “With the EOT ending this year, developers of projects that were to be completed before Covid-19 or during the period applied for EOT, resulting in a sudden increase of ‘sick’ projects,” Akmal added. – Bernama 25,000 expected at Maal Hijrah event MALACCA: More than 25,000 visitors are expected at the Melaka Munajat programme, which will feature famous Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara at Dataran Sejarah in Ayer Keroh on July 13. State education, higher education and religious affairs committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman said the programme, held in conjunction with the Maal Hijrah 1445H celebration, will begin at 7pm with congregational maghrib prayers, followed by the reading of zikir munajat, salawat and nasyid performances. He said the highlight of the programme will be a special lecture by Abdul Somad. “I welcome Muslims from within and outside the state to come to the programme and take part in the activities that have been lined up,” he said after the Malacca state Islamic religious agencies’ monthly assembly here yesterday. – Bernama Kuching all set for 60th jubilee KUCHING: The gathering and parade at Padang Merdeka here on July 22 will be the highlight of the celebrations to commemorate Sarawak’s 60th anniversary of independence. State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is overseeing the organisation of the celebration, said about 3,900 participants representing 60 contingents will take part in the event starting at 8am. “Each contingent will march across the main stage and will compete in several categories. The contigents are from state and federal government, statutory bodies, government-related companies, local authorities and associations, organisations and clubs,” he said yesterday. He added that Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud and his wife Toh Puan Raghad Kurdi Taib, as well as Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg and his wife Puan Sri Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang are expected to attend the event. – Bernama Call for enhanced efforts to conserve forest reserves KANGAR: The efforts to conserve permanent forest reserves need to be strengthened as it is the “heart” of environmental balance, said Malaysian Ecological Society president Prof Dr Ahmad Ismail. He said the conservation of forest reserves is very important for people from the aspect of the climate, forest resources, and other environmental services (responsibility of caring for, maintaining and sustaining the basic resources such as water, air and forests). “With population growth and high demand for ecotourism, the position and authenticity of forest reserves need to be properly managed through regulations and law enforcement that are appropriate to current conditions,” he said yesterday. Ahmad was elaborating on the Perlis Forestry Department’s unique methods of open conservation concept to teach the community to love the forests as well as their biodiversity. He said forest reserves that are well managed will guarantee the stability and sustainability of flora, fauna and ecology. Ahmad, who is Malaysian Nature Society’s former president, said the department’s efforts are good and need to be strengthened by providing information continuously so that visitors are educated. He said forest reserves are not just to be kept but must be managed well for the benefit of mankind. “Mankind must benefit from the ecosystem that forests provide, so it is important to have steady and continuous research on flora, fauna and the forest ecology. “We will then get to understand how mankind and forests co-exist.” Ahmad said there are sensitive forest areas that must be fully protected while there are also forest areas that can be used for ecotourism. He suggested that the Perlis government allocates part of the forests for educational, research and ecotourism activities. “Nature education is also a focus, especially as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is the current trend,” he said. He added that the state government needs to continously ensure that forest reserves are maintained, well managed and protected for the benefit of environmental services. – Bernama COSPLAY DELIGHT ... Fans striking a pose with their favourite characters at the Animangaki festival at Sunway Velocity Mall in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur yesterday. – SYAZWAN KAMAL/THESUN Menu Rahmah at Sarawak eateries KUCHING: A total of 195 restaurants and eateries in Sarawak are now offering Menu Rahmah. Sarawak Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry director Matthew Dominic Barin said this was an encouraging response after the initiative was launched in the state last February. “The Menu Rahmah sets being offered are of very high quality as they comprise fish, vegetables and rice, which are rich in nutrients. We encourage other restaurant operators in the state to participate in the initiative,” he said after the Jelajah Menu Rahmah event with Restoran SugarBun here yesterday. – Bernama

4 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS /thesundaily FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK SCAN ME ‘High number of teens inactive’ PUTRAJAYA: Four out of five teenagers in the country are physically inactive and two out of three practise fitness activities at a sedentary level, said Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa during the Suara Menteri segment broadcast yesterday in conjunction with a virtual health promotion programme for learning institutions themed “We Want to Live Healthy”. “More and more teenagers are not active. So, why wait? Let’s start now. Exercise every day. Only 30 minutes, five times a week. Easy, isn’t it?”, she said, adding that despite being a busy person, her schedule does not stop her from doing daily exercises. Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek also gave speeches during the broadcast. Fahmi encouraged the public to do stretching moves known as “X-Break”, which is a physical activity performed in three to five minutes after sitting for more than two hours. Yeoh said at a young age, an individual needs to be active to build endurance and character, while Fadhlina said hot weather was not an excuse not to exercise, as it can be done indoors and in enclosed areas. The virtual assembly was attended by some 548,000 participants nationwide. – Bernama Anti-dengue crackdown in M’cca MALACCA: The Health Department here has issued a total of 93 notices under Section 8 of the Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act 1975 to owners of premises where mosquito-breeding sites were found as of July 1. State Health, Human Resources and Unity Committee chairman Ngwe Hee Sem said the notices were issued for the owners concerned to rid their premises of conditions likely to propagate or attract disease-bearing insects, adding that they were given seven days from the date of the notices to do so. He also said checks were conducted at 44,338 premises during the period and 11.1%, or 4,910 sites, were found to have mosquito breeding grounds. “From June 25 to July 1, a total of 21 dengue cases were recorded compared with only 13 during the corresponding week last year.” Ngwe said this brought the cumulative number of dengue cases recorded in the state this year to 498, an increase of 252 compared with the corresponding period last year, during which 246 cases were recorded. No deaths due to dengue has been reported in the state since last year. – Bernama Haj gallery enters book of records GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Haj Gallery has gained entry into the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) as the first haj gallery in Malaysia. MBOR chief operating officer Christopher H.W. Wong presented the certificate of recognition to Penang Islamic Foundation CEO Mohd Fitri Ibrahim at a ceremony held at the gallery in Lebuh Acheh yesterday, witnessed by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. Mohd Fitri said the gallery, which is an initiative by the foundation, was opened in 2015. “The uniqueness of the museum is its building at 87 Lebuh Acheh, which served as the haj centre and ticketing office for sea passage to the holy land from 1828 to the 1960s.” – Bernama Solar energy option to save on electricity bill KUALA LUMPUR: Petrol station manager Peter Wong’s electricity bill used to be around RM280 a month, but he has been smiling since installing 10 solar panels on his house last year as he now enjoys almost free electricity. Wong, 37, started worrying about his rather steep power bills three years ago after the movement control order (MCO) was enforced. “My house has three air-conditioning units and during the MCO and heatwave, we would keep them turned on for long hours. “As I couldn’t bear the higher electricity bills, I decided to invest in 10 solar panels with a capacity of 4.7kWp (kilowatt peak), with eight facing east and two facing west on the roof of my double-storey terrace house in George Town,” he said. The installation cost him over RM20,000 but after seeing a huge drop in his power bill, he was satisfied as he could save about RM280 per month on electricity and even have a oGovt backed initiative in collaboration with TNB gaining traction among domestic consumers negative balance if his household power usage comes to less than RM280 a month. Wong is among those who benefitted from the government’s initiative to push for solar energy usage through the net energy metering (NEM) programme, which involves a 10-year contract with Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to feed excess electricity generated by solar panels into the power grid. “Even when there is no one at home, the electricity from my solar panels goes into the power grid. TNB buys it and what we ‘sell’ is reflected in our power bill,” Wong said, adding that solar panels are not ideal if one’s monthly power bill is under RM200. He said once residential customers register for NEM with the Energy Commission, they can export any extra electricity generated to TNB, which would help offset their bills in the following months. “Under this scheme, we become ‘prosumers’ – producing and consuming energy at the same time.” Solar technologies enable sunlight to be converted into electrical energy through solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. The NEM programme, which allows excess PV-generated energy to be exported back to the grid on a one-on-one offset basis, has three categories, namely NEM Rakyat for domestic users, NEM GoMEn for government buildings and NEM net offset virtual aggregation (NOVA) for industrial and agricultural usage, Bernama reported. According to the Sustainable Energy Development Authority, approval has been granted for 84.5130 megawatts (MW) out of a 150MW solar energy quota under NEM Rakyat, 32.6740MW out of a 100MW quota under NEM GoMEn and 535.0091MW out of a 800MW quota under NEM NOVA. Meanwhile, local experts and industry players have recognised the significant potential of the government’s efforts to facilitate the adoption of renewable energy (RE), with particular emphasis on the solar sector, although the government has agreed not to raise the electricity tariff for nearly 99% of domestic users following the streamlining of electricity tariff for the peninsula through the imbalance cost pass-through (ICPT) mechanism for the July 1 to Dec 31 period. Under the implementation of the new ICPT mechanism, approximately 83,000 or 1% of electricity users in Peninsular Malaysia will be paying a higher tariff of at least RM187 more per month starting this month until December. In a recent interview with CNBC at the Energy Asia conference here, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad highlighted solar energy as the most promising and viable source of RE. Initiative to spruce up public toilets IPOH: The city council here is working towards having all public toilets at food premises achieve “bersih, menarik, wangi” (clean, attractive and fragrant) status from next year. Its mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin said among efforts being made are holding engagement sessions with restaurant associations involved and briefings on how to upgrade public toilets, as well as intensifying checks and monitoring. “The council has also organised a competition for the cleanest food premises and public toilet, and offers advice and guidance to premises owners in meeting the grade.” He said the measures were based on instructions and guidelines issued by the local government department and the Ministry of Local Government Development. Rumaizi said the decision to use toilet status conditions for the issuance and renewal of business licences would be reviewed based on the situation. “The ministry is refining and improving the implementation mechanism to ensure food premises toilets achieve the grade.” He said as of June 26, a total of 592 of the 897 toilets at restaurants and eateries under the council’s purview have been rated four stars and above, adding that some 288 compound notices onvolving RM67,500 were issued under the Food Operators Bylaw 1981 for various offences, including the cleanliness of public toilets. “The cooperation and commitment of every restaurant and food premises owner is essential to improve the star rating from three to four and further meet the criteria by the end of this year.” Earlier this year, Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said food and beverage premises located in city councils nationwide may fail to get their business licences renewed if their toilets do not achieve the “A” certification standard set by the ministry. He said the decision was in line with the “bersih, menarik, wangi” standard that he announced in January. Nga had also expressed hope that all 155 local authorities nationwide could establish a public toilet hygiene monitoring unit and carry out maintenance works according to schedule to ensure public toilets are in an orderly, clean and well-functioning condition. – Bernama Rumaizi said as of June 26, a total of 592 toilets have been rated four stars and above. – BERNAMAPIC

5 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 66 election flashpoints identified in Terengganu KUALA TERENGGANU: Police have identified 66 hotspots in Terengganu, including four under Category 1 that are at risk of sparking physical clashes between party supporters during the state elections. For Category 2, Terengganu police chief Datuk Mazli Mazlan said there is a risk of verbal clashes, while Category 3 involves possible war of words without offensive language. “However, assessments will continue to be made from time to time and these figures may increase or decrease.” The Election Commission on Wednesday announced that Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will go to the polls on Aug 12, with nominations set for July 29 and early voting on Aug 8. In June, former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said in the six states, 190 locations were classified as hotspots. “It is estimated Terengganu requires some 4,400 officers for election duties. “The state has about 3,200 personnel now, so we need reinforcements from Bukit Aman and other state police contingents to ensure the election process can be conducted smoothly,” Mazli said. He reminded parties and candidates involved to apply for permits to hold gatherings at least one week ahead of the event date. “We do not want a clash of locations or gathering dates among those involved. Applications can be made directly to the district police chief of the relevant state constituency. “All parties are also reminded not to touch on any sensitive issues, especially those involving 3R (race, religion and royalty) throughout the election period.” – Bernama Former ministry finance officer found guilty in RM38m case KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court yesterday found former Youth and Sports Ministry finance division secretary Otman Arshad guilty of 32 corruption charges and 64 money laundering charges. Judge Kamarudin Kamsun made the decision after finding that the prosecution succeeded in proving the case against Otman, 64, beyond reasonable doubt. On March 31, 2016, Otman was charged with 32 counts of power abuse and with submitting false claims involving RM38.4 million at the National Sports Council Office, Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex in Kuala Lumpur between Feb 28, 2012 and Nov 18, 2015. Seventeen of the charges involved submitting false claims, framed under Section 18 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, while the remaining were for misusing his position and framed under Section 23 (1) of the same law. On April 2016, Otman was charged with 64 counts of receiving RM16,623,000 in proceeds from unlawful activities through cheques deposited into his Maybank, RHB and CIMB accounts between March 7, 2012 and Dec 11, 2015. He was alleged to have committed the offences at different locations, including the RHB branch in Precinct 8, Putrajaya, Menara Maybank in Jalan Tun Perak and the Maybank branch in Jalan Raja. The charges were framed under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years, or a fine of not less than five times the sum of the proceeds from the unlawful activities. – Bernama Do not cover up bullying cases, schools warned MALACCA: Schools, and boarding institutions in particular, have been urged not to cover up any cases of student bullying, including ragging. State Education, Higher Learning and Religious Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman said stern action will be taken against those who conceal or allow such incidents to occur, especially if they pose a threat to lives. “Bullying does nothing good for students, either for the bully or the victim. Most of the time, the bullying or ragging occurs during the oStern action to be taken against those who allow, conceal ragging incidents Disabled man charged with murdering dad BENTONG: A 22-year-old man charged with murdering his father was yesterday ordered to be sent to the Permai Hospital for psychiatric observation. Magistrate Qasiratul Jannah Usmani Othman made the decision following a request by DPP S. Punitha and set Aug 3 for mention. Kan Kong Chen, who is a person with disability, nodded when the charge was read out to him, but no plea was recorded. He was charged with murdering Kan Kok Chong, 64, at Flat Purnama, Taman Gemilang in Jalan Tras between June 22 and 24. The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, that provides death or imprisonment of up to 40 years and whipping of not less than 12 strokes. – Bernama Youth run over by train PASIR MAS: A man was killed after being run over by a train in Kampung Tanjung yesterday. District police chief ACP Kama Azrual Mohamed said they received a report at 7.30am on the victim, identified as Mohammad Aqil Ifran Hizuan, 23. The victim’s father, Hizuan Jusoh, 52, said he learned about the incident from his brother-in-law. “As soon as I came to know about it, I rushed to the railway tracks. I was heartbroken when I saw my son dead with serious injuries to his head, hands and feet.” Hizuan said he last saw his son two days ago as the deceased had been living with his grandfather since he was 15. The body was sent to the Pasir Mas Hospital for post-mortem and will be buried at the Chengal Muslim Cemetery. – Bernama Director seeks to set aside graft charges KUALA LUMPUR: Company director Datuk Seri Sim Choo Thiam, who is facing four counts of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM15 million to secure projects from the Home Ministry, has filed a notice to set aside the charges. In the notice filed on July 4 at the Sessions Court, he is seeking a discharge, not amounting to an acquittal. Sim, 53, claimed the public prosecutor, as the respondent, breached his statutory obligations under sections 153 and 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) and that the investigation was incomplete. He is also seeking for the respondent to submit a written statement of facts in favour of the defence, as provided under Section 51A (1) (c) of CPC, within seven days from the court order date. – Bernama behaviour changes and pay attention to their learning and peer relationships so that problems can be addressed early, Bernama reported. It was reported recently that the father of a nine-year-old boy, who died after he is believed to have been strangled by his 14-year-old brother, claimed that the latter was a victim of bullying at a religious school in Alor Gajah. He said the encounter caused his son to experience trauma, leading to frequent outbursts, but no action was taken despite reports to the school and police. orientation session between seniors and juniors. “In some schools, especially boarding schools, these acts become a habit and continue even after the orientation session, resulting in physical and mental trauma on victims,” he said yesterday after attending the monthly assembly of Malacca Islamic religious agencies. Rahmad said the “Zero Bullying” campaign will be intensified to foster awareness on the effects of such incidents among regular and boarding school students, adding that it aims to create a more comfortable, safe and harmonious learning environment. He said parents should be concerned about their children’s Bodies of fishermen found in Sungai Besar SHAH ALAM: The body of a second fisherman reported missing on Wednesday was found by anglers in Sungai Besar waters at noon yesterday, said the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. Its deputy director Maritime Commander Mohd Shahrenliza Ghazali said the victim was found floating about 6.9 nautical miles from the Sungai Haji Dorani jetty. At 9.35am, the body of the first missing victim was found by fishermen about four nautical miles from the jetty. Mohd Shahrenliza said both bodies were taken to the fishermen’s jetty in Sungai Haji Dorani for identification by family members. He said the victims were identified as Kamarudin Che Om, 65, and Mohd Noh Wah, 55. The duo, who went out to sea at 5pm on July 4, could not be contacted by relatives after they failed to return home as scheduled. – Bernama SAFETY CHECK ... Senator Isaiah Jacob (front), who is a person with disability, inspecting public transportation facilities at the Kelana Jaya LRT station yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

6 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS @thesundaily FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM SCAN ME ‘Up to 40 aid workers killed in Myanmar since coup’ GENEVA: UN human rights chief Volker Turk said yesterday up to 40 aid workers have been killed in Myanmar since the military coup that ousted democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. In a report to the body’s Human Rights Council, Turk condemned “direct attacks” on aid workers, who mainly work for local organisations, amid fighting between the military junta behind the coup and its opponents. He said the deaths were part of “deliberate and targeted” efforts to obstruct aid and “a calculated denial of fundamental rights and freedoms for large swathes of the population”. The UN has already warned that obstruction or denial of humanitarian assistance may amount to serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws. The junta has killed and injured thousands of civilians while destroying goods and infrastructure necessary for survival, including food, shelter, and medical centres, according to Turk’s report. An estimated 1.5 million people have been internally displaced and 60,000 civilian structures have been burnt or destroyed, it said. More than 17.6 million people require some form of humanitarian assistance. – AFP B R I E F SHK ELECTED LOCAL COUNCIL SEATS CUT HONG KONG: The financial hub’s legislature voted unanimously yesterday to cut the number of elected seats in local councils, a move meant to prevent opposition figures from repeating their landslide win in 2019. The bill passed yesterday will slash directly elected seats at the councils from more than 90% to 20%. “We must plug the institutional loopholes and completely exclude those anti-China and destabilising forces from the (District Council),” Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said after the bill’s passage. Under the new rules, 80% of seats will either be filled via official appointment or selected by government proxy groups. Candidates also face strict vetting. The next council elections are scheduled for November. – AFP VIETNAM PROBES CONCERT ORGANISER HANOI: Vietnam is investigating “an incident” involving the organiser of a Blackpink concert in Hanoi, the government said, after social media users complained its website featured a map showing China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. K-pop megastar girl group Blackpink is due to host two concerts in the Vietnamese capital in late July. Early this week, reports surfaced on social media saying iME, a Beijing-based event and entertainment company, used a map on the front page of its official website featuring the “nine-dash line”. China has long used the line to illustrate its expansive claims over most of the resource-rich South China Sea. Hanoi also claims parts of the waterway. – AFP Yellen arrives in China BEIJING: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrived in Beijing yesterday, kicking off a visit aimed at improving communication and stabilising the tense relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Yellen’s trip through Sunday is her first to China as treasury secretary, and comes just weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid a rare visit to the country. She arrived in Beijing just after 5pm and was greeted on the tarmac by US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns as well as Chinese Finance Ministry official Yang Yingming. The visit will see her seek to expand lines of correspondence, avoid miscommunications and widen collaboration on the global economy, climate change, debt distress and other issues, according to a Treasury official. Her trip – which comes in the face of concerns over China’s economic recovery and US interest rate hikes – may also give officials on both sides a chance to speak about their countries’ growth outlooks. “The fact that she’s spending four days in Beijing, given all of her other oUS Treasury chief to lay groundwork for future collaboration: Analyst domestic and international pressures, underscores the importance she is attaching to this visit,” Asia Society Policy Institute vice-president Wendy Cutler said. And while each side will have a long list of complaints to raise with the other with little flexibility to adjust their policies, the visit could allow Yellen to lay the groundwork for future collaboration, Cutler added. Yellen’s trip continues an effort by America to reframe US-China ties diplomatically and in other areas, said Lindsay Gorman, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “It’s about managing the new realm of strategic competition., Gorman noted that the treasury secretary has pointed to competition only so far as it Fukushima water release may impact Japan exports TOKYO: Japanese officials are worried that China, the biggest buyer of its seafood exports, may halt purchases of those items after Tokyo begins releasing treated radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. The UN nuclear watchdog this week gave Japan the greenlight to begin discharging more than a million tonnes of water, enough to fill 500 Olympic swimming pools, used to cool the plant’s fuel rods after it was wrecked by a 2011 tsunami. The planned release of the water from the plant north of Tokyo has faced opposition at home and abroad despite Japanese assurances that it is safe after being filtered to remove most isotopes. China was the biggest buyer of Japanese seafood exports last year, even though it is among several countries that restrict imports from some Japanese regions because of the nuclear accident. China is also the fiercest critic of Japan’s planned release of the water, saying it threatens marine life and human health. China has not said what action it will take if the release goes head but it has warned Japan that it must “bear all the consequences” of its action. The release is due to start in coming weeks and take up to 40 years. Three Japanese government officials and a ruling party lawmaker, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the issue, said they expected China to expand restrictions on Japanese seafood. Two of the officials said that could include a blanket ban. “We think they may enforce a total ban on Japanese maritime products,” one of the officials said. “They want to punish Japan economically for this.” “For China, Japanese maritime product imports make up a small share of their market ... but for Japan this is a big market.” China’s Foreign Ministry said yesterday Japan did not fully consult the international community on the release and China would pay close attention to developments and would assess any possible effects to protect consumers. Japan’s government said it had sought scientific discussions with China on the release and would continue to do so. – Reuters implicates security and values like human rights. With technology export controls and competitive measures “dominating the economic policy agenda now, I think there’s a real role to explain and communicate what the purpose of these measures really is”, she said. Underscoring the challenges Yellen will face, The Wall Street Journal reported that Joe Biden’s administration is mulling restricting Chinese companies’ access to US cloud-computing services provided by companies like Amazon and Microsoft. Ahead of the trip, Beijing appears to have adopted reciprocal actions such as new export controls on metals key to semiconductor manufacturing, underscoring that a shift in relations could take time. – AFP UK warns against attacks on embassy LONDON: British Foreign Minister James Cleverly warned against any attacks on the Indian High Commission in London, following media reports about a poster promoting a rally for supporters of a separate state for the Sikh community. “Any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in London are completely unacceptable,” Cleverly said on Twitter yesterday. “We have made clear to @VDoraiswami (High Commissioner of India to Britain Vikram Doraiswami) and the Government of India that the safety of staff at the High Commission is paramount.” Indian media reported earlier yesterday that the poster had been circulating on Twitter to promote a rally on July 8 for “Khalistan”, a name created by supporters of an independent Sikh state which does not exist. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Britain to take action after a violent incident during protests by Sikh separatists outside its embassy in London in March. Earlier this week, the US condemned vandalism at the Indian consulate in San Francisco after Indian news agency ANI reported that Sikh separatists had tried to set fire to the offices. – Reuters MASK DANCE ... Tibetans performing in front of a portrait of the Dalai Lama during an event organised to mark the 88th birthday celebration of the spiritual leader in Nepali capital Kathmandu yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

7 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 Ten million join Twitter rival WASHINGTON: More than 10 million people have signed up to Threads, Meta’s rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of its launch, the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said yesterday. The app went live on Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries at 2300 GMT on Wednesday (7am yesterday in Malaysia), and will run with no ads for now, but its release in Europe has been delayed over data privacy concerns. oRelease of Threads in Europe delayed over data privacy concerns France to allow cops to spy through phones PARIS: French police should be able to spy on suspects by remotely activating the camera, microphone and GPS of their phones and other devices, lawmakers agreed on Wednesday. Part of a wider justice reform bill, the spying provision has been attacked by the left and rights defenders as an authoritarian snoopers’ charter, though Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti insists it would affect only “dozens of cases a year”. Covering laptops, cars and other connected objects as well as phones, the measure would allow geolocation of suspects in crimes punishable by at least five years’ jail. Devices could also be remotely activated to record sound and images of people suspected of terror offences, as well as delinquency and organised crime. The provisions “raise serious concerns over infringements of fundamental liberties”, digital rights group La Quadrature du Net. It cited the “right to security, right to a private life and to private correspondence” and “the right to come and go freely”, calling the proposal part of a “slide into heavy-handed security”. During debate, MPs in President Emmanuel Macron’s camp inserted an amendment limiting the use of remote spying to “when justified by the nature and seriousness of the crime” and “for a strictly proportional duration”. Any use of the provision must be approved by a judge, while the total duration of the surveillance cannot exceed six months. – AFP 17 dead in gas leak at South African slum JOHANNESBURG: The death toll from an overnight gas cylinder leak in a South African shantytown rose to 17 yesterday, as one local official blamed the accident on an illegal mining operation that went wrong. Gauteng Province Premier Panyaza Lesufi said investigations were under way to determine how the leak happened and what type of gas was involved. He visited the site of the disaster near Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, yesterday morning. In December, a gas tanker explosion in the same township killed dozens and destroyed houses and vehicles. Bodies of the victims of Wednesday’s leak were scattered over the area, Lesufi said, with the youngest a one-year-old child. “The scene was heartbreaking,” he said, adding that one person had died in a hospital overnight, raising the death toll to 17, while four others were in critical condition. A spokesman for the Disaster and Emergency Management Services in Ekurhuleni municipality, where the disaster occurred, linked it to illegal mining. “Whether the illegal miners are among the deceased, that is not yet known,” William Ntladi told broadcaster SABC, which gave no further details. – Reuters Threads is the biggest challenger yet to Elon Musk-owned Twitter, which has seen a series of potential competitors emerge but not yet replace one of the world’s biggest social media platforms, despite its struggles. “10 million sign ups in seven hours,” Zuckerberg wrote on his official Threads account yesterday. Accounts were already active for celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Hugh Jackman, as well as media outlets including The Washington Post and The Economist. Zuckerberg also offered a shot across the bow at Musk – the pair are known to be bitter rivals, and have offered to wrestle it out in a cage fight. In his first tweet in over a decade, Zuckerberg posted a Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme in an apparent reference to the similarities between Threads and Twitter. On Threads, he wrote: “It’ll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn’t nailed it. Hopefully we will.” Twitter has said it has more than 200 million daily users. Threads was introduced as a clear spin-off of Instagram, which offers a built-in audience of more than two billion users, sparing the new platform the challenge of starting from scratch. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri told users that Threads was intended to build “an open and friendly platform for conversations”. “The best thing you can do if you want that too is be kind.” Zuckerberg is widely understood to be taking advantage of Musk’s chaotic ownership of Twitter to push out the new product, which Meta hopes will become the go-to platform for celebrities, companies and politicians. “It’s as simple as that: if an Instagram user with a large number of followers such as Kardashian or a Bieber or a Messi begins posting on Threads regularly, a new platform could quickly thrive,” strategic financial analyst Brian Wieser said on Substack. Analyst Jasmine Engberg from Insider Intelligence said Threads only needs one out of four Instagram monthly users “to make it as big as Twitter.” “Twitter users are desperate for an alternative, and Musk has given Zuckerberg an opening.” Meta has its legion of critics too, especially in Europe, which could slow the growth of Threads. The company has been criticised for its handling of personal data, the essential ingredient for targeted ads that help it rake in billions of dollars in profits. Mosseri said he regretted that the launch was delayed in the European Union, but had Meta waited for regulatory clarity from Brussels, Threads would have been “many, many, many, months away”. “I was worried that our window would close, because timing is important,” he told the tech news site Platformer. – AFP B R I E F SGERMANY ARRESTS SEVEN OVER TERROR PLOT BERLIN: German police yesterday arrested seven men for allegedly planning a terrorist attack in the country. The men from central Asia had “known each other for some time and share a radical ideology”, the federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement. Shortly after the war in Ukraine broke out in early 2022, “they travelled from there to Germany almost at the same time“, prosecutors said. The seven, along with another suspect arrested in the Netherlands, formed a cell in June last year. “The suspects had already contemplated targets in Germany, scouted potential crime scenes and attempted to procure weapons” before they were stopped, prosecutors said. – AFP MEXICO BUS PLUNGES INTO RAVINE, 29 KILLED MEXICO CITY: At least 29 people were killed in Mexico when a passenger bus careened off a mountain road and plummeted into a ravine on Wednesday in the southern state of Oaxaca. “The figures we have 12 hours after the rescue work began are 29 people dead and 19 injured,” said state prosecutor Bernardo Rodriguez Alamilla. Images from the scene showed the mangled wreckage of the vehicle lying on its side at the bottom of a steep cliff as rescuers worked nearby. Fifteen women died as well as 13 men and a child. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the accident, with early indications suggesting mechanical failure. – AFP Wagner chief in Russia: Belarus leader MINSK: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who last month brokered a deal to end an armed mutiny in Russia, said yesterday that Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was no longer in Belarus. Lukashenko said on June 27 that Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group whose fighters briefly captured a southern Russian city and marched towards Moscow, had arrived in Belarus as part of the deal that defused the crisis three days earlier. But Lukashenko told reporters yesterday that Prigozhin was now in St Petersburg, Russia’s second city, or may have moved on to Moscow. “He is not on the territory of Belarus.” Lukashenko also said the question of Wagner units relocating to Belarus had not been resolved, and would depend on decisions by Russia and by Wagner. His comments highlighted the huge uncertainties surrounding the terms and implementation of the deal that ended the mutiny, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has said could have plunged the country into civil war. Russian state TV on Wednesday launched a fierce attack on Prigozhin and said an investigation into what had happened was still being vigorously pursued. Lukashenko said he had agreed to meet Putin in the near future and would discuss the Prigozhin situation with him. Prigozhin is “absolutely free” and Putin will not “wipe him out”, Lukashenko added. A business jet linked to Prigozhin left St Petersburg for Moscow on Wednesday and was heading for southern Russia yesterday, according to flight tracking data, but it was not clear if the mercenary chief was on board. Lukashenko said an offer for Wagner to station some of its fighters in Belarus – a prospect that has alarmed neighbouring Nato countries – still stands. “We are not building camps. We offered them several former military camps that were used in Soviet times, including near Osipovichi. If they agree. But Wagner has a different vision for deployment, of course, I won’t tell you about this vision.” Lukashenko also said he did not see a Wagner presence in Belarus as a risk to his country and did not believe Wagner would ever take up arms against Belarus. – Reuters Rescuers working at a residential building hit by a Russian missile in the Ukrainian city of Lviv yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

8 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 SPEAK UP /theSunMedia FOLLOW ON YOUTUBE SCAN ME Striving for quality education MALAYSIA has made remarkable progress in achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), namely in education, to provide fair and inclusive quality education for all students and to advance their opportunities. However, it still faces numerous obstacles in reaching its target. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment, Singapore ranks second globally for Mathematics, Science and Reading while Malaysia is positioned at 48th, 48th and 57th place, respectively. Furthermore, 90,000 out of the 373,974 students who took the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination in 2022 did not pass Mathematics, while over 52,000 failed English. It raises concerns when secondary students have low proficiency in Mathematics and English. Proficiency in Mathematics is crucial in assessing the economic performance and advancing science and technology. A strong grasp of Mathematics is essential for comprehending subjects, such as Engineering, Physics, Social Science and Arts. Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim proposed various strategies to improve English language proficiency. These include implementing teacher preparation programmes, leveraging technology and encouraging regular reading and speaking practice. Malaysia has made significant strides in achieving literacy and ensuring that teachers possess the necessary qualifications. However, the problem lies in the scarcity of competent teachers that continues to plague the nation’s educational system, which remains unresolved. Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying has highlighted the shortage of teachers in various subjects at both primary and secondary school levels. To address this issue, one possible solution is to create more employment opportunities for graduates. The government can explore the option of providing an alternative pathway for graduates to enter the teaching sector, thus effectively mitigating the problem of teacher shortage. Universities can also play a vital role in tackling teacher shortage by encouraging students to pursue a career in teaching. They should emphasise the importance and impact teachers have in society as incentives for choosing this profession. Additionally, universities should offer specialised courses and programmes to support the professional development of teachers. The Education Ministry has emphasised that every student in the country deserves equal access to education. Research conducted by Taylor’s University School of Education reveals that students who lack reading proficiency by Standard Five are at a higher risk of dropping out of school prematurely. Since reading is a fundamental skill, these students are unable to utilise their reading abilities to excel in other subjects. Based on data provided by the Education Ministry and Health Ministry in 2022, 4.5% of students are absent from school and 18% drop out before completing Form Five, indicating the dire state of our educational system. It is evident that our educational system is in trouble since it is not comprehensive and egalitarian. To ensure that every child receives adequate support and opportunities and no child is left behind, the quality of education and its accessibility need to be urgently reviewed. According to its minister Fadhlina Sidek, the Education Ministry is aiming to achieve a school dropout rate of zero per cent. It will remain vigilant and monitor these situations and take appropriate measures when students are at risk of leaving school before completing Form Five. In addition, she envisions schools free of issues, such as gangsterism, extremism and sexual harassment. The ministry also aims to protect the welfare of teachers, enhance digital learning tools in classrooms and revitalise and modernise schools in remote areas, particularly those in Sabah and Sarawak. Furthermore, education experts propose reinventing Form Six education as a post-SPM or postschool period to prepare students for a seamless transition into higher education. Education expert Dr Anuar Ahmad recommends developing an independent educational institution, replacing the traditional concept of “Form Six”. He suggests adopting a more fitting term like “Academic College”, and said it should not be perceived as a mere extension of secondary school. Significant improvements are necessary to achieve quality education as it holds transformative implications for other SDGs, and therefore, is important. Ensuring a high level of education for all children is essential for sustainable growth. Prof Dr Suhaiza Hanim Mohamad Zailani, Director, Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya. Comments: [email protected] Lording it over the Poms I WAS never a big cricket fan. I have had marriages that have lasted less time than a test match. It seemed like the sporting version of tantric *** where the only thing that gets sticky is the wicket. But that was before the Aussies started thrashing the Poms at this year’s Ashes. I became an overnight cricket convert. No Aussie in Britain has been able to resist a little light gloating. I mean, it is rare that we get to feel superior to the locals; especially the British upper class who tend to see us as a recessive gene; the Irish of the Pacific. I have looked up so many noses since moving here – even people shorter than me. When it comes to Antipodeans, many of the Gin and Jag brigades have a condescension chromosome. A snooty British book critic once explained to me that “condescension” means “talking down to”. So, when Australia pulled ahead, it proved irresistible not to swan off to Lord’s, to Lord it over the Poms. My friend Stephen Fry is this year’s MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) president and kindly asked me to his box. It was a glorious day. I sat between Stephen and jeweller Theo Fennell as they explained the finer points of the game. What better tutors could a sheila employ? I soon started to appreciate the subtle, chess-like stratagems and psychological skills at play, as well as the physical prowess. My mother saw Don Bradman score his hundredth hundred, so no wonder this latent love of cricket has finally set in. Radio and television presenter Adam Hills dropped in for tea and we did some light smirking, in stereo. We were feeling as effervescent as the bubbles in our celebratory champagne. By play’s end, I think we had exceeded the recommended daily allowance of smugness and risked seriously alienating our gracious hosts. Of course, all this changed on Sunday morning when Stephen texted to tell me that there had been a “dubious stumping” and that the Lord’s crowd were booing my countrymen and heckling, “same old Aussies, always cheating”. I felt a mortifying pang and immediately threw my kangaroo earrings in the bin. I live near Lord’s, so did not dare venture outside without shin pads in fear of getting LBW-ed (Lacerated, Bashed and Walloped). I ditched my Aussie accent and underwent a complete vowel transplant. My lips lost weight with the amount of vowel rounding I did. In the end, I decided to just pretend to be a Kiwi until the crisis passed. The scandal conjured embarrassing flashbacks to the 2018 ball-tampering disgrace that cost Steve Smith his captaincy and the team’s tough-talking coach, Darren Lehmann, his job. That scandal sent seismic shock waves through the Aussie “fair suck of the sauce bottle” psyche and made us the butt of derisive jokes worldwide. As a nation, our reality cheque bounced. National mourning set in. Put it this way, if we had been on a plane, oxygen masks would have been dropping from the overhead luggage lockers. (Although, like most women at the time, my secret thoughts were along the lines of: “Man fiddles with ***” – is it really such a shock? But by Sunday lunchtime, I no longer had to give the impression of a duck’s back as the pendulum of public opinion had now swung in favour of my team due to some very unsportsmanlike behaviour in the Lord’s long room at the lunch interval. Apparently, the Aussie players were given a hostile reception. The comments dished out to Usman Khawaja and David Warner were so “aggressive and abusive”, it led to the MCC suspending three members. But the controversial dismissal which saw Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey thrown down the stumps after Jonny Bairstow left his crease and meandered along the pitch to chat to Ben Stokes is now threatening to cause a diplomatic row between Australia and Britain. Rishi Sunak’s spokesman has confirmed that the prime minister feels the conduct of the Aussies in the Lord’s Test was not in the spirit of cricket. And now Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has responded, by saying, “Same old Aussies, always winning”, stoking the diplomatic row. I feel sure our prime minister was quick to recall the Bodyline series in 1932-33, when the English bowlers took to deliberately targeting the bodies of the Aussie batsmen in an effort to dent Bradman’s dominance. Before Sunak mounts his high horse and gallops off into the sanctimonious sunset, it may be worth also recalling the time British cricket captain Mike Atherton got caught cheating and was fined £2,000 (RM11,847). At least we Aussies have an excuse to cheat. I mean, we are of convict stock, after all. Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft were clearly just following in their forefathers’ fingerprints. (Although my convict ancestors were guilty of one thing only – not running fast enough!) But with the Aussies’ legal, but slightly unsporting piece of cricket and the MCC members’ rudeness, I think we can agree that when it came to dodgy behaviour this weekend, it ended up being a very level playing field. I am just so glad I can retrieve my kangaroo earrings from the bin, so that, just like said marsupial, I can bounce back and head to Lord’s to watch the women’s match over the weekend from the presidential box. One thing is sure, I doubt there will be any ball tampering, but then again, perhaps, I need Stephen to give me another tutorial. – The Independent Ensuring a high level of education for all children is essential for sustainable growth. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/ THESUN █ BYKATHY LETTE Maintain signages on Malaysian highways THE condition of road signs along our highways is unsatisfactory, with signs being dirty and poorly maintained. It is crucial to uphold the cleanliness and maintenance of road signs and other infrastructure to ensure the safety and convenience of drivers. It is possible that the highway concessionaires responsible for maintenance are not giving sufficient attention to cleaning the signs. Here are a few suggestions that the authorities, such as Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and highway concessionaires, can take into consideration: 1. Awareness and reporting: Increase awareness about the problem by reporting instances of dirty or damaged road signs to the relevant authorities, such as MHA or local highway authorities. Provide accurate and detailed information regarding the location and condition of the signs to facilitate thorough investigation and prompt action. 2. Regular maintenance: MHA, as the highway authority, should work closely with concessionaires to establish clear guidelines and schedules for regular signage maintenance. This can include cleaning, repairs and replacements as needed. In order to enforce compliance, penalties or fines can be imposed on concessionaires who fail to fulfil this obligation. 3. Inspection and audit: Conduct regular inspections and audits of highways, with specific emphasis on the cleanliness and condition of road signs. This proactive approach will enable the identification of areas in urgent need of attention, and ensure that concessionaires are held accountable and fulfil their responsibilities. 4. Collaborate with concessionaires: Promote open communication and foster collaboration between MHA and the concessionaires to collectively address the issues. Encourage them to prioritise signage cleanliness and undertake necessary maintenance measures. Regular meetings and discussions can play a pivotal role in cultivating a sense of responsibility and promoting continuous improvements. 5 . P u b l i c a w a r e n e s s : Educate the public, including drivers and senior citizens, on the importance of clean and visible road signages. Encourage them to report any issues they encounter and highlight the importance of everyone’s participation in ensuring road safety through proper signage maintenance. It is essential to engage with the relevant authorities and organisations responsible for highway upkeep to effectively address these concerns. By raising awareness, reporting problems and advocating for better maintenance practices, we can collectively contribute to improving the overall safety and visibility of road signages. I hope that MHA and highway concessionaires will take prompt action to address this matter. Ravindran Raman Kutty Kuala Lumpur LETTERS [email protected] COMMENT by Prof Dr Suhaiza Hanim Mohamad Zailani

ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 An extra cheesy edition

Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 S2 CHEESE, a culinary marvel that has tantalised taste buds for centuries holds a special place in our hearts and on our plates. Beyond its mouthwatering flavours and enticing textures, cheese boasts a myriad of benefits that make it an indulgence worth celebrating. In this captivating journey, we will delve into the enchanting world of cheese and unveil the intriguing health and culinary advantages it offers, transforming it from a simple delight into a truly extraordinary food. A symphony of flavours Step into the enchanting world of cheese, and you’ll discover an astonishing variety of flavours that cater to every palate. From creamy and mild Brie to tangy and pungent Roquefort, each cheese tells a story of craftsmanship and artistry. The diverse range of flavours available in cheese allows for endless culinary possibilities, elevating ordinary dishes into extraordinary experiences. Whether you’re a connoisseur or an adventurous food lover, cheese promises to take your taste buds on a thrilling and unforgettable journey. The perfect pairing Cheese possesses the magical ability to complement and enhance other ingredients. Its versatility makes it a perfect partner for an array of foods, from fruits and nuts to bread and wine. Whether it’s a classic combination like cheddar and apple Cheese is a versatile food that comes in numerous varieties, ranging from soft and creamy to hard and crumbly. – ALL PIX BY FREEPIK oCheese’s wonderful qualities will delight your senses and nourish your well-being. █ BYTHASHINE SELVAKUMARAN Most cheeses are manufactured from the milk of various animals, such as cows, goats, and sheep, resulting in distinct flavour. Cheese is high in calcium, protein, and vitamins, making it a healthy complement to any diet. or a daring fusion of blue cheese and dark chocolate, the marriage of flavours creates a harmonious symphony that tantalises the senses. The art of pairing cheese opens up a world of culinary exploration and endless opportunities for creating extraordinary taste sensations. A nutritional treasure trove Beyond its enchanting flavours, cheese is a treasure trove of essential nutrients. It is a rich source of highquality proteins, providing the building blocks for muscle growth and repair. Additionally, cheese contains vital minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and zinc, which fortify bones, teeth, and the immune system. With its abundance of vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B12, and riboflavin, cheese offers a nutritional powerhouse that supports overall well-being. Indulging in cheese not only delights the palate but also nourishes the body. The secret to culinary mastery In the realm of cooking, cheese holds the key to unlocking culinary mastery. Its versatility allows it to transcend cultural boundaries and be seamlessly incorporated into various cuisines. From gooey melted mozzarella in Italian pizzas to the rich creaminess of French soufflés, cheese adds depth, richness, and complexity to dishes. Its ability to melt, stretch, and impart a velvety texture makes it a prized ingredient in countless recipes. Embrace the enchantment of cheese and watch your culinary creations reach new heights of deliciousness. A voyage of artisanal delights Beyond the mass-produced varieties, artisanal cheeses offer a journey into the world of craftsmanship and tradition. These hand-crafted gems are made with meticulous care and expertise, often utilising ageold methods passed down through generations. Exploring artisanal cheeses is akin to embarking on a sensory adventure, where each bite unveils the distinct character and unique terror of a specific region. By supporting artisanal cheese makers, you not only savour extraordinary flavours but also contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage. A gourmet’s dream For the discerning palate, cheese is the epitome of gourmet indulgence. It graces the finest cheese boards and captures the hearts of food aficionados worldwide. Its complexity, elegance, and luxurious nature make it a staple in high-end culinary experiences. From the creamy elegance of Camembert to the crystalline crunch of aged ParmigianoReggiano, cheese embodies the epitome of gourmet pleasure. Elevate your dining experience and immerse yourself in the opulence of cheese, and you’ll understand why it remains a timeless symbol of sophistication. A catalyst for social bonding Cheese has a remarkable ability to bring people together. It serves as a catalyst for social bonding, fostering moments of connection, and creating lasting memories. Whether it’s a casual gathering with friends, a romantic date night, or a festive celebration, cheese acts as a centrepiece that encourages conversation, laughter, and shared enjoyment. Its presence on a platter signals warmth, hospitality, and a shared appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. Cheese is not just a food; it’s a facilitator of togetherness and joyful camaraderie. Cheese is more than a mere ingredient or indulgence; it’s a captivating tale of flavours, nutritional wonders, and cultural significance. From its ability to transform ordinary dishes into extraordinary delights to its role as a conduit for social connection, cheese holds a special place in our culinary and social experiences. Embrace the enchantment of cheese, explore its myriad varieties, and savour the captivating benefits it offers. Let the irresistible allure of cheese add a touch of magic to your palate and your life.

Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 S3 @thesundaily FOLLOW ON TWITTER SCAN ME THE Klang Valley is a true haven for dessert enthusiasts, especially if they have an uncontrollable urge for rich, creamy cheesecakes. This colourful urban enclave is a veritable refuge for people looking for heavenly slices of cheesecake, whether you find yourself steeped in the local culture or are just passing through. One of the earliest desserts known to mankind, cheesecakes have a long history that dates back to prehistoric times. Around 230 BC, the first version of this delicious treat’s recipe appeared, enticing diners ever since. Over time, cheesecakes have evolved into a vast range of delectable variants that are loved all over the world. There are numerous options, ranging from the famous New York cheesecake, which is renowned for its deep and velvety texture, to the delicate and light Japanese cheesecake. Since cheesecake has evolved, it has incorporated a variety of flavours, inventive toppings, and stunning presentations, making it a popular dessert that appeals to all palates. Discover five places in the Klang Valley that are a must-see for cheesecake as you set out on a delicious excursion. Prepare to savour a symphony of flavours and textures that will tantalise your palate and leave you yearning for more with every delectable bite. Huckleberry The best place to find decadently creamy cheesecakes, notably their renowned burnt cheesecake, is at Huckleberry in Kuala Lumpur. Huckleberry’s Basque Burnt Cheesecake, made with French cream cheese, organic eggs, and a delicately caramelised crust, is one of their hallmark dishes. It is cooked at high temperatures until it has a light charred exterior and a rich, creamy interior. It will definitely keep you coming back for more. The café’s serene ambiance, which is illuminated by natural sunlight coming through large windows, provides a tranquil and inviting space for customers to savour their delectable treats. 0 Address: G108 & GK2, Bangsar Shopping Centre, 285, Jalan Maarof, 59000 Kuala Lumpur Purple Monkey Purple Monkey’s frozen cheesecakes are a hit in Klang Valley, Penang, and Johor. In addition to having an establishment in Petaling Jaya where customers can dine, they also deliver cheesecakes online. The famous Enjoy Huckleberry’s world-class cheesecakes and savour a wonderful combination of flavours in a tranquil setting. – FOOD MALAYSIA █ BYHAZIQUE ZAIRILL Purple Monkey offers a wide selection of flavours, including, to name a few, salted caramel, peaches, and durian. – PURPLEMONKEY.COM Legasea offers more than 20 flavour options.. – THESMARTLOCAL Add Miligram Coffee & Eatery to your list of cafes to visit in the Klang Valley.. – FINDINGFATS.COM frozen mango cheesecake, a rich and velvety cheesecake garnished with copious pieces of mango placed in a beautiful rose design, is the centrepiece of their menu. The cheesecake is given a refreshing flavour by the use of frozen mangoes, which also prevents the heaviness often associated with cheesecakes that are thicker and leaves you feeling full but not overstuffed. 0 Address: 30, Jln 21/19, Sea Park, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor 28 Fireplace Cheesecakes have gained popularity as fusion food becomes more popular. When dining at 28 Fireplace, you’ll have the chance to savour a slice of their Figs and Dates Cheesecake. Although the dessert’s name may at first seem strange, it provides a very decadent and delicious culinary experience. A sprinkle of coconut flakes on top of the cheesecake enhances both its aesthetic appeal and its deliciously fragrant flavour. You won’t ever be late to have some cheesecake and a cup of coffee to start your day with an opening time as early as 8AM! 0 Address: 28, Persiaran Ampang, Desa Pahlawan, 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur Legasea Bakery The Cheesecake Factory can now be added to your list of cheesecakes you absolutely must try. This well-known California company is currently providing a variety of its distinctive cheesecakes at Legasea Bakery. They formally established a physical store in Sunway Pyramid in January 2021 after first being accessible for online orders and home delivery since April 2020. Over 35 different cheesecakes are available on the large menu of The Cheesecake Factory in the US. Legasea Bakery, in contrast, has an excellent menu that includes over 20 types of cheesecakes that are offered at their kiosk. The Halal-certified cheesecakes from Legasea Bakery are suitable for Halal followers’ dietary requirements. 0 Address: LG2.96B, Sunway Pyramid, No. 3, Jalan PJS 11/15, Sunway City, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Milligram Coffee & Eatery Desserts from Milligram are not only delectable but also aesthetically stunning, with a variety of food presentation styles available, from quirky to elegant and even downright adorable. Nestled in Taman Mayang, Milligram, is the kind of cafe where you can strategize with a coworker over an edgy coffee drink in addition to having a fantastic cheesecake. With their burnt charcoal cheesecake, Milligramme adds a distinctive spin to the current trend of burnt cheesecakes. This creative twist gives the classic burnt cheesecake a distinctive colour and a little whiff of sweet smokiness, enhancing the wonderful burnt aroma. 0 Address: No. 8, Jalan SS 26/4, Taman Mayang Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor oIndulge in the delectable world of cheesecakes with this list of the top five must-visit cheesecake spots in Klang Valley.

Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 S4 Different types of cheese to go with different types of dish. -PIX BY 123RF CHEESE is a staple in practically every cuisine in the world since it is both a favourite and a healthy food. This delicacy has been expertly developed over many years, making it one of the culinary world’s most sought-after ingredients. Although the term “cheese” is often used interchangeably, there are thousands of distinct varieties of cheese created using a wide range of milk and production techniques. These thousands of varieties can be utilised in an equally large number of applications, from upscale charcuterie platters to sloppy yet endearing nachos. Some examples of those various cheeses are as follows: 1. Mozzarella Being one of the known cheeses, Mozzarella is definitely more of a fresh kind of cheese. It originated in southern Italy and is made from Italian buffalo’s milk by the pasta filata (the process of heating and stretching curd directly before forming a final cheese) method. To live up to its freshness, Mozzarella cheese is not aged like most cheeses. It is eaten fresh within a few hours after it is made. While it can be kept in brine for up to a week, low-moisture mozzarella can be refrigerated for up to a month, so in turn, some shredded lowmoisture mozzarella’s shelf life is up to six months. This carefully made cheese can be made in the form of balls of different sizes, and the texture is springy, stringy, and supple. This is definitely one of the easy-tomake-at-home cheeses that is more commonly used in salads, meats, seafood, and vegetables. oLife is so much better with cheese █ BYYASMIN ZULRAEZ Mozzarella used in a dish. – 123RF Brie used in a dish. – BBC GOOD FOOD Gorgonzola paired with Wine. – XTRAWINE Several kinds of cheese on a cheese platter. – 123RF 2. Brie Known as “The Queen of Cheese”, Brie is a soft cheese named after the French region of Brie, where it was originally created. It is produced from either whole or semi-skimmed cow’s milk. Rennet is then added to the raw milk and heated to a temperature of 37°C to obtain the curd. The cheese is then cast into moulds, and several layers of cheese are filled into the mould and then kept for around 18 hours. After this, the cheese is salted and aged for a minimum of four weeks. Brie is slightly pale in colour with a greyish tinge under the rind. Its flavour varies depending on the ingredients added while producing the cheese. Recognised as one of the great dessert cheeses, it comes as a 1 to 2 kilogramme wheel and is packed within a wooden box. In order to indulge in the taste, it needs to be served at room temperature. 3. Parmesan Parmigiano Reggiano, better known as Parmesan cheese (as that is what it is called in English), is considered to be among the top cheeses by cheese connoisseurs. It is known as a hard cheese and is used in a lot of cuisines. This particular cheese was named after the provinces in which it is made, namely Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and Mantua. Real Parmesan cheese has a hard and gritty texture but is fruity and nutty in taste. Cheeses imitating Parmesan or inferior Parmesan may i n s t e a d have a bitter taste. This cheese is mostly grated over pasta or used in soups and risotto. It can also be eaten on its own as a snack (to each his own). 4. Gorgonzola Acknowledged as one of the world’s oldest blue-veined cheeses, Gorgonzola is mainly produced in the northern Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. To make it, unskimmed cow’s milk is used while preparing the cheese. Generally, it takes three to four months to attain full ripeness. This specific cheese has a crumbly and soft texture with a nutty aroma. It can have a mild to sharp taste, depending on its age. Gorgonzola Dolce (also called Sweet Gorgonzola) and Gorgonzola Piccante (also called Gorgonzola Naturale, G o r g o n z o l a Montagna, or M o u n t a i n Gorgonzola) are two varieties, that vary by their age. Gorgonzola can be consumed in many ways but is definitely best served with wines like Bordeaux Blend (Red), Zinfandel, and Sauternes.

Buzz theSun BUZZ ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 S5 Brie used in a dish. – BBC GOOD FOOD Gorgonzola paired with Wine. – XTRAWINE Cheese recipes GET ready to embark on a culinary adventure that celebrates the irresistible charm of cheese. From comforting classics to fresh and vibrant creations, these four recipes showcase the diverse ways cheese can elevate your dishes. Whether you are a cheese aficionado or simply enjoy the indulgence it brings, these recipes will tantalise your taste buds and leave you craving for more. Cheesy spinach-stuffed chicken breast Indulge in the ultimate combination of flavours with this recipe. Tender chicken breasts are filled with a luscious mixture of fresh spinach, melted mozzarella cheese, and grated Parmesan. Sear to perfection and then bake for a cheesy, spinach-filled delight that will impress your taste buds. Ingredients: 0 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 0 1 cup fresh spinach leaves 0 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 0 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 0 1 teaspoon garlic powder 0 Salt and pepper, to taste 0 Olive oil, for cooking Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). 2. Using a sharp knife, make a pocket in each chicken breast by cutting a horizontal slit. 3. Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 4. Stuff each chicken breast with a handful of fresh spinach leaves, followed by a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese. 5. Secure the opening with toothpicks to hold the filling inside. 6. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. 7. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. 8. Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy the cheesy, spinach-filled goodness! Caprese salad skewers Capture the essence of summer with these delightful Caprese Salad Skewers. Cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and fragrant basil leaves are threaded onto skewers, creating bite-sized bursts of flavour. Drizzled with balsamic glaze, these skewers make a refreshing and elegant appetiser or side dish. Ingredients: 0 Cherry tomatoes 0 Fresh mozzarella balls 0 Fresh basil leaves 0 Balsamic glaze 0 Skewers Instructions: 1. Take a skewer and thread a cherry tomato onto it, followed by a fresh basil leaf and a mozzarella ball. 2. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients until you have a few Caprese skewers. 3. Arrange the skewers on a platter or plate. 4. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the skewers for a tangy and sweet flavour. 5. Serve as an appetiser or a refreshing side dish. These bite-sized treats are sure to impress with their delightful combination of flavours. Three-cheese baked mac and cheese Experience the ultimate comfort food with this classic recipe. Elbow macaroni is coated in a creamy blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Baked to golden perfection, this mac and cheese offers a melty, gooey indulgence that will satisfy your cravings and warm your heart. Ingredients: 0 8 ounces elbow macaroni 0 2 tablespoons butter 0 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 0 2 cups milk 0 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 0 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1. Cheesy spinach stuffed chicken breast. – NATASHA’S KITCHEN oSavour the delightful flavours and textures that only cheese can deliver █ BY THASHINE SELVAKUMARAN 2. Caprese salad skewers. – COOKING FOR MY SOUL 3. Three-cheese baked mac and cheese. – COOKING CHANNEL 0 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 0 Salt and pepper, to taste 0 Bread crumbs (optional) Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside. 2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. 3. Gradually whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens. 4. Reduce the heat to low, then add the cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. 5. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring until well coated. 6. Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a baking dish. If desired, sprinkle bread crumbs on top for a crispy crust. 7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. 8. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Dive into the ultimate comfort food experience with this cheesy delight. Grilled vegetable and goat cheese wrap Fresh and vibrant, this grilled vegetable and goat cheese wrap is a delicious way to enjoy the flavours of summer. Grilled zucchini, bell peppers, and red onions are layered with creamy goat cheese and crisp baby spinach leaves. Wrapped in a tortilla, it’s a delightful vegetarian option that bursts with flavour and texture. Ingredients: 0 1 large tortilla wrap 0 1/2 zucchini, sliced 0 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced 0 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced 0 1/4 red onion, sliced 0 2 tablespoons olive oil 0 Salt and pepper, to taste 0 2 ounces goat cheese 0 Handful of baby spinach leaves Instructions: 1. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. 2. Toss the zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 3. Grill the vegetables for a few minutes on each side until they are tender and slightly charred. 4. Warm the tortilla wrap on the grill for a few seconds on each side. 5. Spread the goat cheese evenly on the tortilla wrap. 6. Layer the grilled vegetables and baby spinach leaves on top of the goat cheese. 7. Roll up the tortilla tightly, tucking in the sides as you go. 8. Slice the wrap in half diagonally and serve as a delicious and satisfying vegetarian lunch or dinner option. Discover the endless possibilities of cheese with these captivating recipes that will transform your meals into memorable culinary experiences. Let the magic of cheese elevate your dishes and bring joy to your taste buds. Enjoy these delectable recipes that showcase the versatility of cheese in various culinary creations! 4. Grilled vegetable and goat cheese wrap. – WHOLE FOODS MARKET Parmesan used in a dish. – 123RF

An American in Thailand ON FRIDAYJULY 7, 2023 ► Contributing Editor: KESHY DHILLON / [email protected] ► Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 / +6012-580 3470 ► To advertise email: [email protected] Experiencing Harley-Davidson like never before The Nightster Special was surprisingly agile on track. The new Sportster S is a different animal as compared to before, but an animal no less. The Harley-Davidson Pan America was surprisingly capable of managing everything the dirt track threw at it. The Harley-Davidson DRT experience let us ride on Dirt, Road and on Track on different models.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON WAS once known as the bike to have for those who liked to cruise on straight roads and were not bothered about getting anywhere fast. The image of a Harley on an iconic American highway like Route 66 was what the brand was all about – the love for the open road. Things have changed for the famous American thoroughbred. Faced with dwindling profits and fierce competition from Europe and Japan, Harley-Davidson had to make a decision, either face the traditionalists head on and change the motorcycles it produced, or face being relegated to the pages of history. The motorcycle world is undoubtedly grateful that the management chose the latter. The brand has moved on from the chrome and glitz of yesteryear and today offer models for just about everyone. There are tourers, adventure bikes and even sports bikes. And to try them all at one go, Harley-Davidson recently organised an event in Thailand called the Harley-Davidson Dirt, Road & Track (DRT) Experience. Hosted in beautiful Khao Yai, this exhilarating event, now in its second iteration, was aimed to showcase not only the iconic style but also the exceptional performance capabilities of HarleyDavidson motorcycles across a variety of terrains and venues. With roaring engines, the symphony of exhaust notes, and an atmosphere filled with excitement, the DRT Experience left participants with unforgettable memories and a deep appreciation for the brand. While style has always been synonymous with the brand, it is often overshadowed by the perception that performance was secondary. However, the DRT Experience aimed to challenge this conception, proving that Harley-Davidson bikes and engines can rival some of the finest motorcycles in the world. The event began with the road segment, where participants embarked on a scenic ride up to the stunning Khao Yai National Park which was the country’s first national park. With the powerful Fat Bob 114 – powered by the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine – at their disposal, riders could unleash the full potential of these machines. The open road beckoned, and as the group set off, the thunderous roar of the engines resonated through the picturesque countryside. The Fat Bob’s commanding presence and torque made every twist of the throttle a stirring experience. With the wind rushing against their faces, participants revelled in the freedom and power that the Harley-Davidson motorcycles offered. Although the bikes were not allowed to venture into the serene national park due to the noise levels, participants experienced a bike swap on the journey back. Transitioning to the Nightster, riders were treated to a comfortable yet dynamic riding experience, with its upright position and offset pedals adding to the overall enjoyment. The Nightster’s nimble handling and responsive engine provided a delightful balance between comfort and performance, making the journey back equally memorable. Next was the Track section of the DRT Experience, which proved to be a favourite among participants. Harley-Davidson Asia closed off the 8-Speed Khaoyai circuit, offering riders the opportunity to push the Nightster Special and Sportster S to their limit. As participants lined up at the starting line, anticipation filled the air. The green flag dropped, and engines roared to life as riders unleashed the power within. The Nightster’s agility and precise handling allowed riders to navigate the circuit’s twists and turns with confidence. Its exceptional ground clearance ensured that no corner was too tight, as participants leaned into the curves. Meanwhile, the Sportster S showcased its impressive power, propelling riders forward with every twist of the throttle, as the straights became a blur with the full thumping force of the Sportster S’s engine. The sound from the exhausts reverberated off the track’s walls, creating an auditory symphony that added to the overall thrill. For those accustomed to riding sports bikes, the chance to experience the thrill of a Harley-Davidson on a track was a revelation. It shattered preconceived notions and highlighted the performance capabilities that these motorcycles possess. The final adventure of the DRT Experience was the Dirt section, which took riders on the Pan America across a small section of the Khao Yai countryside. This formidable motorcycle truly shined in this terrain, thanks to its 1250cc Revolution Max engine, which effortlessly conquered any obstacles in its path. As participants veered off the paved roads and onto the rugged terrain, they were greeted with undulating trails, loose surfaces, and challenging inclines. The Pan America’s robust suspension and advanced electronics made conquering these obstacles feel like a Sunday morning joyride. With each twist of the throttle, the Pan America’s power was shocking yet buttery smooth. Its responsive handling and traction control instilled a sense of control and stability, even in the most challenging off-road conditions. Participants marvelled at the bike’s capabilities, appreciating its plug-and-play nature for off-road adventure. However, what made the DRT Experience truly remarkable extended beyond the motorcycles themselves. Harley-Davidson has cultivated a deep cult like following over the years, and this event epitomised the unique and vibrant culture that surrounds the brand. Beyond the thunderous engines and the distinctive exhaust notes, participants also felt a sense of kinship and camaraderie. They became part of a tight-knit family of likeminded individuals who share a passion for the freedom and exhilaration of riding on the open road. Whether it was bonding over shared experiences on the track, discussing the unique challenges of off-road riding, or simply admiring each other’s bikes, the DRT Experience fostered a sense of community that is truly unparalleled. The Harley-Davidson DRT Experience 2023 was an exceptional event that provided enthusiasts with the opportunity to explore the full range of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in a safe and exciting environment. It celebrated not only the power, versatility, and style that has made Harley-Davidson a legend in the motorcycle industry but also the vibrant community that accompanies it. Participants left with a profound appreciation for the brand, its motorcycles, and the camaraderie that exists among Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. The DRT Experience showcased the undeniable performance capabilities of HarleyDavidson motorcycles, proving that they can stand toe-to-toe with some of the finest machines in the world. For anyone seeking an unforgettable experience on two wheels, the Harley-Davidson DRT Experience is an absolute must-try. It is an invitation to embrace the freedom, power, and unity thatonly Harley-Davidson community can offer. █ AMIRUL AZREEN 7 JULY 7, 2023 The Pan America is HarleyDavidson’s first attempt at creating a dual-purpose adventure bike. The 1250 Rev Max engine has gargantuan torque and horsepower for long distance touring and off-roading. Harley-Davidson has done a remarkable job at creating models for all wants and needs. The Harley-Davidson wording with colourised stripes is a throwback to the 1970s. Chrome and glitz, this is what Harley-Davidson used to be about and are now quieter in comparison. In line with global safety standards, all new Harley-Davidson models come with LED headlights and tail lights. The exhaust of the Sportster is unique and despite how it looks, it channels heat away from the rider and pillion.

TYRES are the most important yet the most under rated part of a car. The fact that something the size of a human palm can keep a person safe in all types of conditions is something to be respected. Yet, many still do not understand the importance of having a good set of tyres. It is quite common to see tyres that are well past their “use by” dates and in terrible condition. But manufacturers are not to blame here, tyre technology is now at its best we have ever seen. The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is one such tyres. Those in the know will appreciate the fact that the Pilot Sport comes from a long line of great tyres. That is no surprise though as Michelin, the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world after Bridgestone, has nearly a hundred years of experience developing tyres. But what makes the new Pilot Sport 5 so special? The Michelin Pilot Sport has always been the go to tyre for those looking for a tyre that offers longevity, grip and quietness over all surfaces without breaking the bank. Known simply as PS5, the new tyre builds on those qualities, as we found out during a recent event at the Sepang International Circuit. Michelin says the new PS5 offers better wet weather grip, is quieter and longer lasting than its predecessor, the PS4, which curiously will still be available in the market together with the PS5. It is impossible to test the claim that the new PS5 lasts longer, but for every other claim, there was a specially laid out course. Michelin also has another product, but designed for SUV’s, known as the Primacy SUV+ which also promises all of the qualities of the PS5 but purpose built for SUVs. And so we began our test with SUV’s that were shod with Primacy and competitor tyres. The first aim was to test the quietness of the tyre. To do this, Michelin provided a decibel meter that captured the interior noise for us to compare against the competition. The results were quite remarkable. The first group recorded 56.3 decibels on the Primacy while the competitor tyre recorded 61.3 decibels over the same surface and at equal speed. The second group then confirmed the Primacy noise suppression superiority when they recorded 60.53 decibels over the competitors 64.2 decibels. The only thing that was different here were the cars, the first group did their test in Toyota Fortuners while the second group did it with Honda CRVs. The second test was the wet braking test. To do this, we were told to accelerate to about 80kph and slam on the brakes as hard as we could. The surface was of course inundated with flowing water. To do this we were provided with Mercedes-Benz cars, which were Michelin’s partners for the duration of the event. We did the test in four stints – twice in an A-Class sedan that was fitted with PS5’s and competitor tyres, and once again in an SUV, a GLA, that was fitted with Primacy SUV tyres and competitor tyres. Slamming on the brakes just as the tyres hit the wet patch, it must be said that all tyres held their grip and the cars did not squirm under hard braking with ABS engaged. But the point here was to see which tyre provided the least braking distance. The last thing you want is a tyre that takes too long to grip. And just to mix things up, Michelin also added worn down PS5’s and competitor tyre just to show how much grip levels deteriorate as the tyre goes through its life cycle. For starters we compared new versus used PS5, and the new tyre brought the car to a stop in just 25.12 meters while the competitor tyre did it in 30.39m. That’s about 15 feet in difference and hugely significant in heavy traffic conditions. The used PS5’s on the other hand brought the car to a standstill in 27.59m while the competitor’s tyres did it in 36.8m. That’s a 9.21m difference, or over 30 feet difference in stopping distance. Assuming new cars are between 10- 14 feet in length, that is about three and a half car lengths for the used competitor tyre to bring a MercedesBenz to a halt from 80kph. In an emergency, that would surely result in a collision. But just for reference sake, the Primacy SUV tyres brought the Mercedes GLA to a stop in just 27.4m while the competitor tyres needed 29.85m. The worn tyres on the other hand brought the GLA to a complete stop from 80kph in 36.92m and the worn competitor tyres did it in 39.07m. The difference is not as dramatic as the PS5’s but significant nontheless. The final course involved a highspeed turn that finished off with a dry condition emergency brake test. This time we were provided with a Mercedes-Benz EClass. Though there are no numbers to prove the claim, but the Michelin did turn towards where we wanted the car to go while the competitor tyres ended up understeering wide. The results were clear and there is little doubt that the Michelin PS5 and Primacy were the superior tyre in all conditions. But how did Michelin create such a superior tyre? Reserch and development coupled with advanced technology of course. Michelin says that it uses multiple technologies in a single tyre. Such as Dynamic Response Technology that reduces tyre flex for more accurate and direct handling. Then there is the MaxTouch Construction that evenly distributes forces of acceleration, braking and cornering which results in longer tread life. And for wet weather, the tyre offer Dual Sport Tread Design with an internal, side and large longitudinal grooves that flush water away for wet weather traction. It is also worth noting that all Michelin passenger and light truck tyres come with a six year warranty from the date of purchase, provided that the tyres were sold within three years of the manufacturing date. The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 and Primacy SUV+ tyres are now available in Malaysia. 8 JULY 7, 2023 Tried & tested █ KESHY DHILLON New Michelin Pilot Sport 5 and Primacy SUV+ prove their worth

KLCI 1,385.95 STI 3,150.43 HANG SENG 18,533.05 SCI 3,205.57 NIKKEI 32,773.02 565.68 TSEC 16,762.17 KOSPI 2,556.29 S&P/ASX200 7,163.40 FRIDAY JULY 7, 2023 Editorial Tel.: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: [email protected] Advertising Tel: 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected] 5 MOST ACTIVES July 6, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (sen) +/– (sen) WIDAD 77,021,400 42.0 +0.5 JADEM 71,255,700 22.5 +1.5 HSI-CO3 59,542,100 19.0 -0.5 BTM 52,466,600 10.0 +0.5 SCIB 51,755,100 46.5 -1.0 EXCHANGERATES JULY 6, 2023 Foreign currency Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy TT/OD TT OD 1 US DOLLAR 4.7270 4.5930 4.5750 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 3.1640 3.0400 3.0370 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 3.4930 3.3920 3.3880 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.5550 3.4610 3.4590 1 EURO 5.1410 4.9750 4.9620 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.9350 2.8270 2.8150 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 3.4930 3.3920 3.3880 1 STERLING POUND 6.0140 5.8270 5.8000 1 SWISS FRANC 5.2470 5.1280 5.1130 100 UAE DIRHAM 130.2900 123.5600 123.1100 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 4.4350 4.1620 3.9570 100 CHINESE RENMINBI 65.7100 62.9400 N/A 100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 61.1200 58.0900 57.7100 100 INDIAN RUPEE 5.8400 5.4800 5.3000 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0326 0.0295 0.0244 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.2790 3.1760 3.1610 100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR N/A N/A N/A 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 1.7400 1.6300 1.4300 100 PHILIPPINE PESO 8.6400 8.1400 7.9700 100 QATAR RIYAL 131.2400 124.5900 124.1500 100 SAUDI RIYAL 127.5100 121.0500 120.6300 100 THAI BAHT 14.1300 12.5400 12.1400 Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama KL MARKET SUMMARY July 6, 2023 INDICES CHANGE FBMEMAS 10,221.20 -30.20 FBMKLCI 1,385.95 -3.95 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 546.29 -0.30 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 157.86 -1.11 CONSTRUCTION 164.14 -0.71 FINANCIAL SERVICES 15,474.20 +9.67 ENERGY 792.16 -6.01 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 573.23 -6.20 HEALTH CARE 1,687.70 +6.07 TRANSPORTATION 898.90 -7.06 PROPERTY 704.77 +3.70 PLANTATION 6,861.37 -54.80 FBMSHA 10,476.30 -54.90 FBMACE 5,136.55 -28.80 TECHNOLOGY 61.44 -0.25 TURNOVER VALUE 2.454 BIL RM1.648 BIL 5 TOP GAINERS July 6, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM RAPID 21,000 21.82 +0.72 NESTLE 45,600 130.60 +0.30 SHL 11,500 2.00 +0.15 MPI 36,500 28.84 +0.14 EWEIN 14,055,600 1.18 +0.11 5 TOP LOSERS July 6, 2023 STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM DLADY 42,500 20.80 -0.70 HEXTECH 7,700 27.60 -0.40 HEIM 176,300 25.82 -0.38 HLFG 156,800 17.24 -0.24 F&N 45,900 25.20 -0.20 3.95 34.95 577.33 17.37 294.26 22.71 89.80 Co-opbank Pertama announces record dividend payout for FY22 KUALA LUMPUR: Co-opbank Pertama (CBP) has announced the highest dividend payment since its incorporation amounting to RM60.91 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2022 (FY22). CEO Khairil Anuar Mohamad Anuar said the higher dividend payout compared with RM58.94 million in FY2021 will benefit 91,133 eligible CBP members. “The total CBP shares amounted to RM985.43 million as at Dec 31, 2022,” he said in a statement yesterday. The net dividend rate for FY22 is 6.88% for Islamic Redeemable Convertible Preference Shares (iRCPS) and 6.30% for ordinary shares and this is comparable with the dividend rate paid by other investment funds in Malaysia, he added. The Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission has approved the dividend payment for ordinary shares and iRCPS for FY22 as applied. CBP members can make dividend withdrawals online through the e-Semakan CBP website starting from July 7, 2023, while the dividend statements can be reviewed from July 11 at https://dividen.cbp.com.my. For FY22, CBP recorded a profit before tax of RM103.43 million, up 20% from RM86.14 million in FY2021. – Bernama Govt will continue to drive oil palm’s sustainability KUALA LUMPUR: The government is committed to driving the oil palm industry’s sustainability and capping the size of oil palm cultivation areas in the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah, who is also Plantation and Commodities Minister, said the oil palm sector’s sustainability is a global issue that must be collectively addressed to ensure that there is a balance between economic prosperity and environmental conservation. “In line with the Malaysia Madani concept that emphasises sustainability as a core value, I urge all stakeholders in the oil palm industry to strongly hold on to the principle of sustainability in their efforts to strengthen the economy without compromising the environment or the people’s welfare,” he said at the launch of the Oil Palm Technology Transfer Programme at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) headquarters here yesterday. His speech was read out by MPOB chairman Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha. Fadillah said that in order to increase palm oil production, efforts should be focused on the existing plantation areas through replanting activities using highyield oil palm variants and good cultivation practices. The mandatory implementation of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Certification is to ensure the industry’s sustainability and to produce high-quality palm oil products, he said. “As of May 31, 2023, 95.81% of oil palm plantation areas are MSPO-certified. “I am confident that with the effective use of technology and adherence to sustainable agricultural practices, Malaysia’s oil palm industry will be able to compete at the global level and meet the growing demand for oil and fats,” he added. – Bernama Bank Negara’s MPC holds policy rate at 3% PETALING JAYA: Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has maintained the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 3%. BNM said in a statement yesterday that, at the current OPR level, the monetary policy stance is slightly accommodative and remains supportive of the economy. “The MPC continues to see limited risks of future financial imbalances. The MPC remains vigilant to ongoing developments, and will continue to monitor incoming data to inform the assessment on the outlook of domestic inflation and growth. The MPC will ensure that the monetary policy stance remains conducive to sustainable economic growth amid price stability.” The central bank added that the global economy continues to expand, driven by resilient domestic demand supported by strong labour market conditions. It said global economic growth, however, remains weighed down by persistent core inflation and higher interest rates. While China’s reopening remains supportive of the global economy, its pace of recovery has slowed in recent months. Globally, BNM said, headline inflation continues to moderate, but core inflation remains above historical averages. For most central banks, the monetary policy stance is likely to remain tight. The growth outlook remains subject to downside risks, mainly from a slower momentum in major Economic growth for the remainder of the year will continue to be driven by resilient domestic demand, says Bank Negara. – BERNAMAPIC oCentral bank says Malaysian economy has expanded at a more moderate pace recently economies, higher-than-anticipated inflation outturns, an escalation of geopolitical tensions, and a sharp tightening in financial market conditions. Following a strong outturn in the first quarter of the year, BNM said, the Malaysian economy expanded at a more moderate pace in recent months as exports were weighed down by slower external demand, as expected. Growth for the remainder of the year will continue to be driven by resilient domestic demand. Household spending continues to be underpinned by favourable labour market conditions, particularly in the domestic-oriented sectors. Tourist arrivals have been steadily improving, and are expected to continue rising, thereby lifting tourism-related activities. Investment activity will be supported by continued progress of multi-year infrastructure projects. Domestic financial conditions also remain conducive to financial intermediation amid sustained credit growth. While the growth outlook is subject to some downside risks stemming from weaker-than expected global growth, upside risks mainly emanate from domestic factors such as stronger-thanexpected tourism activity and faster implementation of projects. The central bank said headline inflation has continued to ease amid lower cost factors. While core inflation has also moderated, it remains elevated relative to the long-term average amid lingering demand and cost factors. For the second half of 2023, it said, both headline and core inflation are projected to trend lower, broadly within expectations. Risks to the inflation outlook remain highly subject to the degree of persistence in core inflation, changes to domestic policy on subsidies and price controls, as well as global commodity prices and financial market developments. See also page 10 Participation 29.7 41.3 29.0 100.0 Retail Institutions Foreign Bought RM m 514.6 701.5 432.7 1648.8 Sold RM m 463.1 660.9 524.8 1648.8 Net RM m 51.5 40.6 -92.1 0 % Preliminary stats (excluding trade amendments). For final data, please refer to www.bursamalaysia.com Source: Bursa Malaysia A Participating Organisation of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad A Trading Participant of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad S E C U R I T I E S S D N. B H D. 197201001092 (12738-U) 6/7/2023

10 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 SUNBIZ /thesuntelegram FOLLOW ON TELEGRAM SCAN ME Ringgit ‘more sensitive’ than its Asian peers KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit is far more sensitive to the movement of commodity prices than its Asian peers, said Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chief strategy officer Nurhisham Hussein. In an interview with Bernama recently, he shared his views regarding the weakness of the ringgit and equity market. Nurhisham opined that countries which rely on commodity exports for their economy can see their national currency’s exchange rates fluctuate with commodity prices. He explained that Malaysia’s trade in commodity exports, in particular, contributes largely to the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). Another consideration is that Malaysia’s commodity exports primarily consist of industrial inputs rather than agricultural produce, unlike Thailand, he said. “Exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude palm oil (CPO), and crude oil are equivalent to 70% of Malaysia’s trade surplus. “Price movements have a direct impact on both the reality and the perception of Malaysia’s trade fundamentals and the sentiment on the ringgit as well,” oMalaysian currency’s exchange rate fluctuates with commodity prices, says EPF chief strategy officer Nurhisham said. As a result, he believes that the recent ringgit weakness vis-a-vis regional and major currencies are part illusion and part reality, as the ringgit performed relatively well in the second half of 2022 (2H2022), buoyed by skyhigh LNG prices driven by the Ukraine-Russia war and panic buying in Europe. “With prices returning to more sane levels, with Asian spot LNG prices down 80% from last year’s peak, the ringgit has returned to the prevailing trend affecting most regional currencies versus the US dollar,” he said. To recap, the ringgit eased by 5.8% in the first half of 2023 (leading losses among emerging Asian currencies), while equities in Malaysia were the biggest losers (together with Thailand) in a mixed market. Over the long term, Nurhisham underscored that the continued influence of commodity exports in Malaysia’s trade mix would create further downward pressure on the ringgit against the currencies of non-commodity producers. “This phenomenon, known as the Prebisch-Singer hypothesis, postulates that the terms of trade between basic commodities versus manufactured goods will decline over time, as efficiencies and productivity improvements reduce the share of commodities used in final goods. “This manifests itself in progressively weaker exchange rates for commodity producers like Malaysia, Australia and Latin America against the major currencies,” he said. Nurhisham opined that any long-term practical solution to improving the ringgit’s value must, therefore, look beyond short-term financial measures, such as raising the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR), to improving domestic value-added by taking commodity production further downstream or phasing out commodity production entirely. The nation’s fundamentals are generally positive as Malaysia continues to generate a positive trade surplus and current account in the balance of payments, he said. The country owns substantial external assets comprising BNM’s international reserves, as well as financial and real asset holdings by Malaysian residents. “Markets are also forwardlooking, taking into account expectations of future events as much as current data. “Given the Federal Reserve or Fed is likely to continue hiking while the outlook for the emerging market interest rates is more stable, emerging market currencies will remain under pressure until the Fed signals it will stop,” he said. Nurhisham concluded that Bank Negara’s announcement that it will intervene in the foreign exchange market to stem currency movements that are deemed excessive is a signal to the market that it has overshot the mark, and this pledge should bring some breathing room for the ringgit. MN Holdings bags RM11m underground utilities contract PETALING JAYA: Underground utilities and substation engineering specialist MN Holdings Berhad has secured an underground utilities contract worth RM11.2 million in AirTrunk Data Centre, Johor. The company’s wholly owned subsidiary Mutu Nusantara Sdn Bhd received a letter of award (LoA) and acceptance from the main contractor Rentak Segar Sdn Bhd for its appointment as the sub-contractor. Mutu Nusantara will undertake the installation, testing and commissioning of 33KV aluminium cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and 132 KV copper XLPE single core underground cables and accessories from transmission main intake (PMU) Gelang Patah to AirTrunk Data Centre, Johor. Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) hyperscale data centre specialist AirTrunk had on Jan 19, 2023 announced its entry into Malaysia with plans to develop a 150-plus megawatt data centre. Named Air Trunk JHB 1, the facility will be its first in Malaysia and ninth in APJ, taking its data centre platform to over 1.35 gigawatts of capacity. The contract took effect immediately and is targeted for completion in November 2023. It is expected to contribute positively to the revenue and earnings of the company for the financial year ending June 30, 2024. MN Holdings executive director Datuk Toh Eng Keat said the award is a significant win for the company as it is MN Holdings’ fourth construction and engineering contract for data centres. “MN Holdings had in October 2022 been awarded RM22.5 million substation engineering contract to design, supply, install, maintain, test and commission 132KV and 33KV interim consumer landing station for GDS data centre. In April 2023, the company secured RM13.3 million underground utilities contracts for another two data centres in Johor. “Inclusive of the latest contract win, MN Holdings has increased its order book to about RM327.8 million, providing a strong earnings visibility to the group for the next two years,” he added. MN Holdings’ expertise includes the trenchless method of excavation where there is a need to minimise surface level disruption and surface restoration cost. – MN HOLDINGS WEBSITE PIC SMEs relieved that BNM’s key rate is maintained at 3% PETALING JAYA: The Small and Medium Enterprises Associations (Samenta) is relieved that Bank Negara Malaysia’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) maintained the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 3.00% as this allows stabilisation of economic conditions that are conducive to its members. SME Association of Malaysia secretary-general Chin Chee Seong said the central bank’s decision will allow the economic environment to remain stable and predictable. “This may allow businesses to maintain their borrowing costs, have more predictable consumer spending, and may be able to plan for cash flow. This stability allows businesses to plan and operate with more confidence,” he told SunBiz. He added that any increase would be a burden on SMEs and exacerbate the “already problematic cash flow issue”. Earlier this week, the association conducted a survey which found that more than 50% of SMEs are performing poorly, █ BYGLORIA HARRY BEATTY AND HAYATUN RAZAK [email protected] and more than 50% were either having difficulties in cash flow management or lack of funding. “Especially in retail, trade and services .... most SMEs are experiencing severe economic conditions where consumer spending is eroding especially after Hari Raya Adilfitri. “It is very important for the government to focus immediately on how to help, particularly to improve the economic situation. If the OPR increases again, it is certain that consumer spending will decrease further and that SMEs will eventually be seriously affected,” he remarked. Samenta national secretary Yeoh Seng Hooi said the decision is beneficial to SMEs as it keeps financial costs at bay. He added that importance should be placed on stimulating domestic demand and pointed out that political stability and ease of doing business will also improve the business climate. However, he believes that the retail sector is impacted due to belt-tightening and disposable income issues. “The threat of targeted subsidies has spooked the M40 which leads to controlled spending. Nonessential items such as white goods and furniture could be impacted,” he said. Furthermore, he said, inflation is not the main “bogeyman” at present and in order to boost the economy, consumer spending has to pick up. He cited a report, VistageMIER CEO Confidence Index, that found a significant drop in expected revenue growth from 151 for the first quarter in 2023 compared with 141 for the previous quarter, which he described as “alarming”. SME Association of Malaysia National president Ding Hong Sing said its members are pleased with the decision to maintain the OPR at 3% as they are able to maintain “business as usual”. He said it has removed the need for businesses to counter with cost-saving strategies, in order to maintain profit margins, such as increasing product prices, which will affect consumers. OCBC Bank senior Asean economist Lavanya Venkateswaran, meanwhile, hopes any OPR increase will be delayed for one or two years until the economy stabilises. “We believe that BNM is now more sanguine about the growth and inflation outlooks but stopped short of sounding less hawkish. “Our forecast, therefore, remains for BNM to remain on hold for the rest of this year,” she said, adding that BNM held onto its expectation of “resilient domestic demand” being the main driver of growth for the rest of 2023. Specifically, it noted that “tourist arrivals have been steadily improving, and are expected to continue rising”. Lavanya said: “BNM kept it policy rate unchanged at 30%, in line with consensus and our expectations. Following BNM’s surprise 25bp hike at its May 3 meeting, our view was that incoming weaker activity data and easing inflation will allow BNM room to remain on hold. Indeed, this proved to be the case.” SG-UOB Global Economics & Markets Research senior economist Julia Goh and economist Loke Siew Ting said in a note: “Today’s decision came in line with ours and market expectations. “However, we noted in the past week that recent yields offered via interest rate swaps, T-bills, and reverse repos were higher.” Cagamas raises RM3.2b equivalent of foreign currency, ringgit bonds in single month KUALA LUMPUR: Cagamas Bhd, the National Mortgage Corporation of Malaysia, has concluded an aggregate RM3.21 billion equivalent worth of funds raised, comprising a total of RM390 million 3-month funding via Conventional Commercial Papers (CCP), RM100 million multi tenure Asean Sustainability Bonds, RM1.36 billion multitenure Islamic Medium Term Notes (IMTN), RM850 million 3-year Conventional Medium Term Notes (CMTN) and S$150 million (RM511.95 million equivalent) 1-year Singapore Dollar Medium Term Notes (SGD EMTN). President/CEO Datuk Chung Chee Leong said: “Demand for investment grade papers, similar to Cagamas’, remain firm; while global markets continue to weigh in the prospect of longer than anticipated stiff monetary policy stance by the Federal Reserve. Proceeds raised from the issuances will be used to fund the purchase of housing loans and Islamic home financings from the domestic financial system, reflecting continued provision of liquidity by the company to the domestic banking system. “Total funds raised by the company stands at RM12.97 billion. Year-to-date, Cagamas has concluded six SGD issuances and one HKD issuance, amounting to RM2.86 billion equivalent in foreign currencies,” he added. The SGD-denominated bonds, issued via the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Cagamas Global PLC are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Cagamas while the ringgit issuances, which will be redeemed at their full nominal value upon maturity, are unsecured obligations of the company, ranking pari passu with all other existing unsecured obligations of the company.

11 * SUNBIZ theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 PETALING JAYA: Rakuten Trade is bullish on Kerjaya Prospek Group’s (KPG) future on solid prospects and attractive yields as the company gears for major project launches. KPG plans to launch two projects – The Vue @ Monterez and Papyrus North Kiara by the second half of 2023. Rakuten vice-president of research Thong Pak Leng said that its “buy” recommendation is premised on innovative construction solutions and efficient cost structure that result in above-average profit margins; hands on management team with a proven track record of successful executions; the ability to consistently winning external jobs; and solid outstanding order book of RM4.7 billion. Rakuten maintains KPG FY23 and FY24 earnings forecasts at RM139.2 million and RM167 million respectively attributed to higher revenue recognition. It recommends “buy” with a target price of RM1.76 based on a 13 times price-to-earnings ratio (5-year average) over FY24 earnings per share (EPS), indicating a 60% potential upside. “KPG is targeting construction job wins of between RM1.2-1.5 billion for FY23. Presently, the company has a tender book amounting to RM1.5-2 billion. Year to date, KPG has secured new projects worth more than RM937.8 million, bringing its total orderbook to RM4.7 billion. KPG has signed a framework agreement with Samsung C&T (KL) Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung C&T Corp (Engineering & Construction Group) (Samsung) in 2002. “The JV will pursue various types of business opportunities for construction contracts exceeding RM300 million. In October 2022, the Samsung-KPG JV received a letter of award from Texas Instruments Electronics Malaysia Sdn Bhd worth RM1.45 billion for the construction of a factory at Batu Berendam Industrial Park in Malacca Free Trade Zone,” Thong said in a note. He added that KPG has completed 29 projects with 36 ongoing projects notably Maya Bay – Residences Gamuda Land (T12) Sdn Bhd, Vivo – Aspen Vision City Sdn Bhd, Bloomsvale Mixed Commercial Development – KP Property Sdn Bhd, Conlay 491 – Patsawan Properties Sdn Bhd and Astrum Ampang – Nikmat Merpati SB. “The company has an outstanding construction order book of RM4.7 billion providing earnings visibility over the next 2- 3 years,” he said. Thong continued, “The construction division of KPG is primarily undertaken by its wholly owned subsidiary Kerjaya Prospek Sdn Bhd, which is a Grade 7 contractor registered with the Construction Industry Development Board under Category B, Category CE (Civil Engineering) and Category ME (Mechanical and Electrical). “Labour shortage is expected to be resolved with the admittance of 1,500 foreign workers in 2023 which will raise its workforce to roughly 3,000. In addition, the company has plans to add an additional 1,000 workers, bringing the total workforce to 4,000 workers,” he said. Rakuten expects KPG to pay a dividend of 8 sen and 8.5 sen for FY23 and FY24, translating into yields of 7.3% and 7.7% respectively. “The company’s balance sheet is strong with net cash of RM260.2 million as at Q1’23,” Thong said. From left: Leave a Nest Founder and Group CEO Dr Yukihiro Maru, Leave a Nest Malaysia managing director Abdul Hakim Sahidi, Dzuleira, and Mranti chief strategy officer Khalid Yashaiya at the signing of the MoU in Japan on June 15. Catcha launches i-Gov to support Malaysia’s digital transformation KUALA LUMPUR: Catcha Digital Bhd has formed a new business unit called “i-Gov”, specifically focused on working to develop technology solutions and software for the Malaysian government and the public sector. On May 15, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the establishment of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Malaysia (Malaysia Centre for 4IR), an independent centre within the World Economic Forum global ecosystem focusing on two priorities – digital transformation and GovTech, and energy transition. Catcha Digital’s i-Gov unit is established to contribute to the government’s effort in digital transformation and GovTech. Catcha has long maintained a meaningful dialogue with the Malaysian government on matters related to the digital economy and government digitisation, the technology ecosystem and opportunities for improving the government’s digital initiatives. “We see tremendous opportunities to work with the Malaysian government to unify and improve digital services for the nation and its people, in accordance with The Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint and Policy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We have spent considerable time in dialogue with various parts of the government brainstorming ways to bring Malaysia’s digital services to a world class level. Internationally, significant progress has been made in enhancing efficiency and convenience for countries through the introduction of world class software solutions and digital access to government services. “With the launch of i-Gov, we aim to accelerate Malaysia’s transformation towards a digital economy.” said Patrick Grove, chairman of Catcha Digital and the Catcha Group of companies. i-Gov will look to acquire existing software providers to the government and enhance their capabilities and services, as well as engaging directly with the Malaysian government on new initiatives and projects designed to advance the government’s technology agenda. i-Gov also expects to be able to announce a newly formed Board of Advisers to guide its efforts in the Government space in the near future. ‘Kerjaya Prospek has solid prospects, attractive yields’ oRakuten Trade bullish on stock as company gears up for major projects ExecuJet: Higher demand for MRO services from regional aviation operators PETALING JAYA: ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia has completed heavy maintenance checks on multiple Falcon aircraft which include cabin refurbishment work as the organisation moves to offer complete MRO services to Falcon operators in the region. ExecuJet said it continues to see higher demand for its maintenance services in 2023 from regional business aviation operators. ExecuJet MRO Services regional vice-president Asia Ivan Lim commented that its status as the region’s major Dassault MRO facility is driving new demand. “The customers appreciate that our engineers and technicians are trained by Dassault, coupled with our regional experience for which we have numerous testimonies from our clients over the years. “We now support all production Falcon models, and most legacy models. With the increasing number of Falcon aircraft in Asia, we are witnessing a surge in demand for line and base maintenance work as well as pre-purchase inspection work,” he said in a statement. ExecuJet has completed back-to-back maintenance checks on Dassault Falcon aircraft including Falcon 2000EX, Falcon 900LX, Falcon 7X and Falcon 8X at its facility in Subang Airport since early 2023. ExecuJet MRO Services has also expanded its Falcon service activities. In a recent case, the service centre repainted the livery and refurbished the cabin of a Falcon 8X, combined with scheduled heavy maintenance work to optimise the ground time. Today, Falcon work accounts for more than half of Executive MRO Services Malaysia’s business. It continues to ramp up efforts to onboard talent, including hiring maintenance technicians and engineers certified to work on Falcon aircraft. Mranti, Leave a Nest in pact to help M’sian startups enter Japan PETALING JAYA: Leave a Nest and the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (Mranti) is collaborating on the Global Market Fit Programme (GMP) Japan to support highgrowth startups seeking to expand their business presence in Japan. Mranti CEO Dzuleira Abu Bakar said, “GMP 2022 value creation for 18 companies was RM5.4 million. This year, Mranti is thrilled to assist 25 new innovative companies to embark on their next phase of growth.” The GMP is seeking companies prioritising R&D solutions with intellectual property registered in Malaysia or are majority Malaysian-owned. Startups in various sectors including manufacturing, robotics/drones, IoT, AI, agri-tech, biotech, healthcare, medtech, food-tech, care-tech, marine-tech and Ecotech are encouraged to apply. Over a two to three month period, from July to October, participants will engage in a series of physical and virtual workshops, match-making meetings, and mentorship sessions. The programme will guide participants on localising and validating their business models, strategising their market entry, and preparing their products and solutions for needs analysis and value creation frameworks. Other benefits include networking opportunities, gaining business insights, and receiving technical support through one-onone mentoring sessions from Leave a Nest ecosystem partners. They will meet with potential investors, industry associations, and prospective partners to explore collaboration opportunities and contracts during the validation trip to Tokyo and Osaka. Mah Sing in RM85m joint-venture project KUALA LUMPUR: Mah Sing Group Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary Star Residence Sdn Bhd has entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with Liberty Triangle Sdn Bhd to undertake land development worth RM85.3 million. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday, the company said the two pieces of land measuring approximately 1.97ha located at Mukim Batu will be developed as a mixed residential development called M Zenya. It said the proposed development of M Zenya will have an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM500 million. “It shall comprise two-bedroom, threebedroom and four-bedroom residential units, with indicative built-up ranging from 718 sq ft to 1,067 sq ft, as well as commercial or retail lots. The most affordable residential units’ indicative starting price is from RM420,000,” it said. According to Mah Sing, the proposed JV marks the group’s fourth land deal in 2023, with a total combined estimated GDV of approximately RM5 billion. – Bernama

12 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 SUNBIZ Or download app on the AppStore or Google Play ENJOY A SEAMLESS READING EXPERIENCE. Read our iPaper at https://www.thesundaily.my/ READ OUR HERE /thesundaily SCAN ME Airbus first-half deliveries up 6% on-year to 316 jets PARIS: Airbus deliveries increased by 6% in the first half of the year to reach 316 aircraft, industry sources said yesterday. The European planemaker delivered 72 planes in June, up 20% from 60 in the same month last year and up from 63 in May this year, they added. Airbus, which is targeting 720 deliveries for the year, declined to comment ahead of the publication of data today. Airbus’s first-half performance compares with industrial deliveries of 297 planes in the first six months of last year, before a negative adjustment of two units related to Russia. Aerospace deliveries have been plagued by supply chain problems and labour shortages since the Covid-19 pandemic. But after a rocky start to the year, chief commercial officer Christian Scherer told Reuters in June that Airbus was seeing a “more predictable” industrial pattern and what appeared to be the start of a more positive trend in deliveries. Based on tracking of test flights, Jefferies said in a report this week that underlying aircraft production remained soft compared with targeted rates but looked set to increase this summer. It predicted 70 deliveries for June. – Reuters B R I E F SSAMSUNG QUARTERLY PROFIT LIKELY LOWEST IN MORE THAN 14 YEARS SEOUL: Samsung Electronics’ June-quarter profit is expected to plunge 96% on-year to the lowest for any quarter in more than 14 years, as a chip glut continues to drive large losses in the tech giant’s cash cow business despite a supply cut. Operating profit for the world’s biggest maker of memory chips, smartphones and TVs likely fell to 555 billion won (RM1.9 billion) in the April-June quarter, according to a Refinitiv SmartEstimate from 27 analysts, weighted toward those who are more consistently accurate. If so, it would be Samsung’s lowest profit since the fourth quarter of 2008, when Samsung Electronics reported a consolidated operating loss of about 740 billion won. It compares with an operating profit of 14.1 trillion won in the AprilJune quarter last year. – Reuters TOYOTA SUSPENDS PACKAGING LINE AFTER CYBERATTACK TOKYO: Toyota Motor plans to suspend operations at a packaging line for export-bound components today, the automaker said yesterday, after a cyberattack at Japan’s biggest port triggered a system glitch and stalled work for more than two days. The port of Nagoya in central Japan, where Toyota exports most of its cars, was hit by a ransomware attack on Tuesday morning and was unable to load and unload containers from trailers. The port had partially resumed cargo operations yesterday afternoon, a half-day later than initially anticipated, but will not be fully functional until evening. – Reuters CHINA DEBUTS ITS FIRST OPEN-SOURCE DESKTOP OPERATING SYSTEM HONG KONG: China has released its first open-source desktop operating system (OS), named OpenKylin, state media said, as the country steps up its effort to cut reliance on US technology. The Linux-based operating system released on Wednesday was built by a community of about 4,000 developers, and is now used in China’s space programmes and many organisations in industries such as finance and energy, they added. – Reuters Dollar to stay firm on resilient US economy BENGALURU: The US dollar will hold its ground against most major currencies for the rest of the year despite expectations of narrowing interest rate differentials as the US economy stays resilient, according to FX strategists polled by Reuters. Although the greenback is still down around 0.5% against major currencies this year, it has gained nearly 1.3% over just the past week thanks to receding calls for a rate cut and wilting expectations for a US recession this year. Several US Fed officials, including Chair Jerome Powell, have argued in favour of at least two more rate hikes, against market expectations of one more, which also helped underpin the currency. The dollar will not give up those recent gains anytime soon, according to the June 30-July 5 poll of 80 FX strategists despite some major oGreenback expected to rebound in the near term, GDP growth better than that in Europe and Asia central banks, like the European Central Bank and Bank of England, set to keep raising rates for longer. “The tightness of the US labour market may help the economy and the dollar in the very short term,” said Kit Juckes, chief FX strategist at Societe Generale. “Even if we see (interest) rate convergence, it seems unlikely a new major euro uptrend will start without stronger growth.” Indeed, a majority of common contributors showed the dollar view against most major currencies for the coming six months has been either upgraded or kept unchanged from a month ago. Meanwhile, net USD short positions have eased since hitting a two-year high in May, according to Google accuses India antitrust body of protecting Amazon NEW DELHI: Google has accused India’s antitrust body of ordering changes to its business model “only to protect” rival Amazon, which complained about its struggles to develop a modified version of the Android system due to Google’s restrictions, legal papers show. Google has approached India’s Supreme Court to quash the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) October order asking the company to make 10 changes to its business model after the CCI found it abused its dominant position in the market with its Android operating system, which powers 97% of India’s smartphones. Google’s latest Supreme Court filing shows its deepening disagreement with how the CCI conducted its Android investigation. In an earlier December filing in a lower tribunal, Google said CCI officers had “copypasted” parts of a European ruling against the US firm in a similar case. CCI denied the accusation. In the CCI’s October order, which also fined Google US$163 million (RM758 million), the company was asked to allow modified versions of its Android operating system, called Android forks, to be liberally distributed without any licensing restrictions such as those related to preinstallation of Google apps. Amazon told the CCI during the investigation that Google’s restrictions hindered development of its Android fork called Fire OS, and Google said the watchdog unfairly relied on that in passing its adverse decision against it, the company said in the June 26 Supreme Court filing. “Globally, FireOS failed commercially due to poor user experience. In India, the Fire Phone was not even launched,” Google argued in its 1,004-page filing, which has not been made public but was reviewed by Reuters. “Thus, the Commission called Amazon’s lack of attempt to compete in India a failure and attributed it to Google’s agreements.” The CCI’s directive was issued “only to protect Amazon - who complained that its attempts at creating a forked version of the Android did not work because of (Google‘s) restrictions.” In 2021, South Korea fined Google US$159 million for blocking customised versions of Android. Google has been particularly concerned about India’s Android decision as the directives were seen even more sweeping than those imposed in the European Commission’s landmark 2018 ruling against the company’s Android market abuse. Google has challenged both the South Korean and European orders. – Reuters data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Recent data showed the world’s largest economy has remained stronger than expected and has fared better than the euro zone, which slid into a recession earlier this year. “We see room for a dollar rebound in the near term. The US economy looks in better shape than Europe and Asia, which suggests ‘higher for longer’ is somewhat more credible coming from the Fed than most others,” said Jonas Goltermann, deputy chief markets economist at Capital Economics. A double whammy of high interest rates and sticky inflation has already dragged on economic activity in Britain. “The dollar is getting a tailwind from the Fed ... the current strength is on a repricing of the Fed (rate) higher,” said John Hardy, head of FX strategy at Saxo Bank. “But at the same time, we have extremely strong global risk sentiment and liquidity and financial conditions are very easy. That normally associates with the dollar weakness. Those two things are balancing each other out.” – Reuters

13 * SPORTS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 KARIB BERSATU SDN. BHD. Registration No. 199201019636 (251140-W) (In Members’ Voluntary Winding-Up) (Incorporated in Malaysia) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Final General Meeting of the Company will be held at the office of the Liquidator, Suite D23, 2nd Floor, Plaza Pekeliling, No. 2 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 7th day of August 2023 at 11.00 a.m. for the following purposes:- (1) To receive accounts from the Liquidator showing how the winding-up has been conducted and to receive any explanations thereon. (2) To resolve under Section 518 of the Companies Act 2016 that after the expiration of three months from the date of the Final Meeting, the books and papers of the company may be destroyed. 7th July 2023 Kuala Lumpur Yap Siew Cheng Liquidator IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF KEMPAS RESOURCES & TRADING SDN. BHD. Company Registration No. 201401013878 (1089963-D) (Members’ Voluntary Winding-up) At an Extraordinary General Meeting that the resolutions set out below were duly passed by the Members of the Company on Friday, 30th day of June, 2023 at 10.00 a.m., as Special or Ordinary resolutions:- SPECIAL RESOLUTION NO. I - WINDING UP OF THE COMPANY “THAT the Company be wound up voluntarily by way of a Members’ Voluntary Winding-up pursuant to Section 439 (1)(b) of the Companies Act, 2016.” SPECIAL RESOLUTION NO. II - POWER OF LIQUIDATOR “THAT the Liquidator be authorized to exercise any of the powers set out in Section 456 of the Companies Act, 2016 and to distribute to the members any surplus assets of the Company in accordance with their existing rights and interests in specie or otherwise.” ORDINARY RESOLUTION - APPOINTMENT OF LIQUIDATOR “THAT pursuant to Section 445(1) of the Companies Act, 2016, Ms. Yap Yen Chin of 271-2, Jalan Perkasa Satu, Taman Maluri, Cheras, 55100 Kuala Lumpur be and is hereby appointed as Liquidator for the purpose of winding-up the Company’s affairs and distributing the assets of the Company in specie or otherwise.” Dated: 7 July 2023 Kuala Lumpur (Signed) YAP HON LOONG Director IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF KEMPAS RESOURCES & TRADING SDN. BHD. Company Registration No. 201401013878 (1089963-D) (Members’ Voluntary Winding-up) NOTICE is hereby given that the creditors of KEMPAS RESOURCES & TRADING SDN. BHD. Company Registration No. 201401013878 (1089963-D) which is being voluntarily wound up, are required on or before the 30 July 2023 to send their names and addresses and the particulars of their debts or claims, and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to Ms. Yap Yen Chin of 271-2, Jalan Perkasa Satu, Taman Maluri, Cheras, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, the Liquidator of the abovenamed company, and, if so required by notice in writing by the liquidators, either personally or by their solicitors to come in and prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, and in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved. Dated : 7 July 2023 Kuala Lumpur (Signed) YAP YEN CHIN Liquidator DALAM MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET DI KUALA KUBU BHARU DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN, MALAYSIA GUAMAN SIVIL NO. : BF-A72NCvC-27-03/2023 ANTARA MAJLIS PERBANDARAN HULU SELANGOR ... PLAINTIF DAN MOHAMAD OSMAN BIN BIDIN (NO. K/P : 650701-10-7797) … DEFENDAN NOTIS (Dalam perkara Writ Saman No. : BFA72NCvC-27-03/2023 bertarikh 23.03.2023 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan bertarikh 21.03.2023) Kepada : - MOHAMAD OSMAN BIN BIDIN No. 32, Jalan BU 10/4 Bandar Utama 47800 Petaling Jaya Selangor Dan/atau MOHAMAD OSMAN BIN BIDIN No. 19, Jalan Kemboja 3D Perniagaan Jalan Kemboja Bukit Sentosa 48300 Rawang Selangor AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa suatu Writ Saman bertarikh 23.03.2023 dan Pernyataan Tuntutan yang bertarikh 21.03.2023 (selepas ini dirujuk sebagai “Writ Saman dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut”) telah dimulakan terhadap kamu di Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Kubu Bharu dalam Guaman Sivil No. : BF-A72NCvC-27-03/2023 ini oleh MAJLIS PERBANDARAN HULU SELANGOR yang beralamat di Jalan Bukit Kerajaan, 44000 Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor Darul Ehsan dan Mahkamah ini telah memerintahkan supaya Writ Saman dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut di sampaikan kepada kamu secara penyampaian ganti iaitu dengan menampalkan satu salinan Writ Saman dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut beserta satu salinan Perintah bertarikh 06.06.2023 (selepas ini dirujuk sebagai “Perintah tersebut’) di papan notis Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Kubu Bharu dan dengan menampal satu salinan Writ Saman dan Pernyataan Tuntutan tersebut dan Perintah tersebut di alamat-alamat terakhir kamu yang diketahui di No. 32, Jalan BU 10/4, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor dan/ atau di No. 19, Jalan Kemboja 3D, Perniagaan Jalan Kemboja, Bukit Sentosa, 48300 Rawang, Selangor; dan dengan mengiklankan satu Notis Penyampaian Ganti mengenai tindakan ini sekali dalam mana-mana satu keluaran surat khabar “THE SUN”. DAN BAHAWA penyampaian secara penampalan dan pengiklanan tersebut akan dianggap sempurna dan sah ke atas kamu selepas tamatnya tempoh tujuh (7) hari daripada tarikh akhir penampalan dan/ atau pengiklanan yang mana lebih lewat. Dan Selanjutnya bahawa selepas tamatnya tempoh tujuh (7) hari dari tarikh akhir penampalan atau pengiklanan tersebut, yang mana lebih lewat, sekiranya kamu gagal untuk memasukkan memorandum Kehadiran dalam tempoh tersebut, Plaintif diberi kebenaran untuk memasukkan suatu Penghakiman Ingkar Kehadiran terhadap kamu. Jika kamu berhasrat untuk membela tindakan tersebut, kamu mestilah hadir samada secara sendiri atau melalui peguambela kamu di hadapan MAJISTRET, MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET KUALA KUBU BHARU, 44000 KUALA KUBU BHARU, SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN PADA 27.07.2023 PADA PUKUL 9.00 PAGI. Jika kamu ingkar hadir sedemikian, penghakiman boleh diberikan terhadap kamu. Notis boleh diperiksa oleh kamu dengan memohon kepada Mahkamah ini. Bertarikh pada 05 Julai, 2023 ...............t.t................ Tetuan Zainal Ithnin & Partners Peguamcara bagi pihak Plaintif NOTIS IKLAN ini difailkan oleh Tetuan Zainal Ithnin & Partners, peguamcara bagi pihak Plaintif yang dinamakan di atas yang beralamat di No 7-2-1, Tingkat 2 Jalan Medan PB4A, Pusat Bandar Seksyen 9, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan. (Tel : 03-89250234/0244/0264 Faks : 03-89250269) [Ruj : ZLT/MDHS/101/CT-F2(MOB)/19(NAR/FIR] 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF PAU PHYSIOTHERAPY SDN BHD [201701043698 (1257871-W)] (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY WINDING-UP) NOTICE OF RESOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company held at No. 21-2, Jalan Puteri 2/3, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan on the 7th day of July, 2023 the Special Resolution was duly passed:- PAU PHYSIOTHERAPY SDN BHD be wound up voluntarily and that CHOONG QIAN YI be appointed liquidator for the purpose of winding up the company. CHOONG QIAN YI Kuala Lumpur Dated this 7th day of July, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF PAU PHYSIOTHERAPY SDN BHD [201701043698 (1257871-W)] NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the creditors of the abovementioned Company which is being wound up voluntarily, are required on or before 7th day of August, 2023 to send their names and addresses with particulars of their debts or claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the undersigned, the liquidator of the said Company, and if so required in writing prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice or in default thereof, they will be excluded from the benefits of any distribution made before such debts are proven. CHOONG QIAN YI Liquidator B-01-05, Glomac Galeria Hartamas, Jalan 26A/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Dated this 7th day of July, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF AMPLY SDN. BHD. Registration No. 200701007037 (765038-U) (In Members’ Voluntary Winding Up) NOTICE OF RESOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT at a Members’ Meeting of Amply Sdn. Bhd. duly convened and held at 22A, Jalan SS21/35, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor on 1st July, 2023, the following Special Resolution was duly passed - (a) That the Company be placed in members’ voluntary winding up; (b) That Mr. Lim Beng Hong of 22A, Jalan SS21/35, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor be appointed as the Liquidator of the Company for winding-up the Company’s affairs and distributing its assets either in cash or in specie amongst the contributories; and (c) That unless caused by negligence of the Liquidator, the Liquidator be indemnified by the Company against all costs, charges, losses, expenses and liabilities incurred in or sustained by him in the discharge of his duties as Liquidator and in relation thereto. Gan Lian Pang Director Petaling Jaya 7th July, 2023 NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the creditors of the abovenamed Company which is being wound up voluntarily are required on or before 22nd August, 2023 to send in their names and addresses with particulars of their debts or claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to Mr. Lim Beng Hong of Pro-Team Solution Sdn. Bhd., 22A, Jalan SS21/35, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, the Liquidator of the said Company and, if so required by notice in writing from the said Liquidator, are, by their solicitors or personally, to come in and prove their said debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved. Lim Beng Hong Liquidator Petaling Jaya 7th July, 2023 DALAM MAHKAMAH SESYEN DI KUALA LUMPUR DALAM NEGERI WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN GUAMAN SIVIL NO.: WA-B52NCvC-213-05/2023 ANTARA LIU YU XIN (No. Pasport China: E75357862) ...PLAINTIF DAN JEFFERY FOH YEE HO (No. K/P: 821103-12-5155) …DEFENDAN NOTIS PENGIKLANAN Kepada:- JEFFERY FOH YEE HO (No. K/P: 821103-12-5155) Q Sentral, Level 21 Unit 08, KL Sentral Jalan Stesen Sentral 2 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa suatu tindakan telah dimulakan terhadap kamu dalam Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur dalam Guaman Sivil No. WA-B52NCvC-213-05/2023 oleh Liu Yu Xin yang beralamat di 20-5, Daerah Cao Qiao Feng Tai, Beijing, China, dalam mana tuntutan Plaintif untuk:- 1.1 RM420,000.00, sebagai wang yang dinyatakan dalam perenggan-perenggan 17.1 dan 17.2 di dalam Pernyataan Tuntutan; 1.2 Satu perintah bahawa Defendan membeli 50% saham Plaintif yang bersamaan dengan 50,000.00 saham biasa Syarikat tersebut pada harga RM150,000.00 atau pada harga dan terma yang akan ditentukan oleh Mahkamah Yang Mulia ini, yang mana lebih tinggi dan bahawa perbelanjaan undang-undang dan/atau perbelanjaan lain yang bersampingan hendaklah ditanggung oleh Defendan; 1.3 kos dan kos yang timbul dalam prosiding undang-undang ini ditanggung sendiri oleh Defendan dan dibayar kepada Plaintif atas dasar indemniti atau atas apaapa dasar yang difikirkan patut dan sesuai oleh Mahkamah Yang Mulia ini; 1.4 ganti rugi umum yang diakibatkan oleh kesalahan-kesalahan Defendan yang dinyatakan dalam perenggan-perenggan 13-16 dalam Pernyataan Tuntutan; 1.5 ganti rugi teladan yang diakibatkan oleh kesalahankesalahan Defendan yang dinyatakan dalam perengganperenggan 13-16 dalam Pernyataan Tuntutan; 1.6 faedah ke atas apa-apa jumlah yang diputus pada kadar 5% setahun untuk tempoh dari 24.10.2021 sehingga tarikh penghakiman menurut kepada Seksyen 11 Akta Undang-Undang Sivil 1956; 1.7 faedah ke atas apa-apa jumlah yang diputus pada kadar 5% setahun untuk tempoh dari tarikh penghakiman sehingga penyelesaian penuh dan muktamad menurut Aturan 42 Kaedah 12 Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah 2012; dan 1.8 apa-apa relif selanjutnya yang difikirkan patut dan sesuai oleh Mahkamah Yang Mulia ini. Dan bahawa telah diperintahkan bahawa penyampaian Writ dan Pernyataan Tuntutan itu dalam tindakan tersebut kepada kamu kena dilaksanakan melalui iklan ini. Jika kamu berhasrat untuk membela dalam tindakan tersebut kamu mestilah dalam masa 14 hari dari tarikh tersiarnya iklan ini, termasuk hari penyiaran itu, memasukkan kehadiran di Pejabat Pendaftaran Mahkamah. Jika ingkar apa-apa kehadiran yang demikian maka penghakiman boleh dibuat terhadap kamu. Bertarikh pada 7.7.2023 t.t ………………………………… Tetuan W.J. Sia Law Chambers Peguamcara bagi pihak Plaintif NOTIS PENGIKLANAN ini telah difailkan oleh Tetuan W. J. Sia Law Chambers, peguamcara bagi pihak Plaintif yang mempunyai alamat penyampaian di B3-U2-13A, Solaris Dutamas, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. No Tel: 03-62119772 E-mel: [email protected] (Ruj: WJS/GP/2023/LYX-LHSB) IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF EDM-TOOLS (PENANG) SDN. BHD. Company Registration No. 199701034692 (450191-U) (Members’ Voluntary Winding-up) At an Extraordinary General Meeting that the resolutions set out below were duly passed by the Members of the Company on Friday, 30th day of June, 2023 at 10.00 a.m., as Special or Ordinary resolutions:- SPECIAL RESOLUTION NO. I - WINDING UP OF THE COMPANY “THAT the Company be wound up voluntarily by way of a Members’ Voluntary Winding-up pursuant to Section 439 (1)(b) of the Companies Act, 2016.” SPECIAL RESOLUTION NO. II - POWER OF LIQUIDATOR “THAT the Liquidator be authorized to exercise any of the powers set out in Section 456 of the Companies Act, 2016 and to distribute to the members any surplus assets of the Company in accordance with their existing rights and interests in specie or otherwise.” ORDINARY RESOLUTION - APPOINTMENT OF LIQUIDATOR “THAT pursuant to Section 445(1) of the Companies Act, 2016, Mr. Chew Cheong Loong of PT 3477, Jalan 6/1, Kawasan Perusahaan Seri Kembangan, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor Darul Ehsan be and is hereby appointed as Liquidator for the purpose of winding-up the Company’s affairs and distributing the assets of the Company in specie or otherwise. Dated: 7 July 2023 Selangor (Signed) THAM KUT CHEONG Director IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF EDM-TOOLS (PENANG) SDN. BHD. Company Registration No. 199701034692 (450191-U) (Members’ Voluntary Winding-up) NOTICE is hereby given that the creditors of EDM-TOOLS (PENANG) SDN. BHD. [Company Registration No. 199701034692 (450191-U)] which is being voluntarily wound up, are required on or before the 30 July 2023 to send their names and addresses and the particulars of their debts or claims, and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to Mr. Chew Cheong Loong of PT 3477, Jalan 6/1, Kawasan Perusahaan Seri Kembangan, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor Darul Ehsan, the Liquidator of the abovenamed company, and, if so required by notice in writing by the liquidators, either personally or by their solicitors to come in and prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, and in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts and claims are proved. Dated : 7 July 2023 Selangor (Signed) CHEW CHEONG LOONG Liquidator 322 Notices 322 Notices IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF ONE FIVE FIVE HOLDINGS SDN BHD [201701001159 (1215309-T)] (IN MEMBERS’ VOLUNTARY WINDING-UP) NOTICE OF RESOLUTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company held at No. 21-2, Jalan Puteri 2/3, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan on the 7th day of July, 2023 the Special Resolution was duly passed:- ONE FIVE FIVE HOLDINGS SDN BHD be wound up voluntarily and that LIM TEIK CUAN be appointed liquidator for the purpose of winding up the company. LIM TEIK CUAN Kuala Lumpur Dated this 7th day of July, 2023 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF ONE FIVE FIVE HOLDINGS SDN BHD [201701001159 (1215309-T)] NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the creditors of the abovementioned Company which is being wound up voluntarily, are required on or before 7th day of August, 2023 to send their names and addresses with particulars of their debts or claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any) to the undersigned, the liquidator of the said Company, and if so required in writing prove their debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice or in default thereof, they will be excluded from the benefits of any distribution made before such debts are proven. LIM TEIK CUAN Liquidator G-1, Ken Bangsar 30, Jalan Kapas, Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar 59100 Kuala Lumpur. Dated this 7th day of July, 2023 CALL TO PLACE CLASSIFIED ADS MS. SHOBA T 03 7784 8888 F 03 7784 4424 Zach wants the best LIV players ‘technically’ eligible for Ryder team, says Johnson WITH the Ryder Cup just under three months away, United States captain Zach Johnson is trying to make sure that any ties between LIV Golf and other circuits, including the PGA Tour, don’t get in the way of putting together a winning roster. Johnson said yesterday that he and the Ryder Cup committee already determined how they wanted to navigate the treacherous landscape that LIV has created in the golf world, and they are sticking to their guns. “What’s transpiring in professional golf from a competitive level, competition level, is PGA Tour; right?” Johnson said. “It’s not PGA of America. “So the individuals that are Americans that play on other tours that are not the PGA Tour, they could play, I mean, technically the Latin Tour or the Asian Tour or wherever. “More times than not they’re going to be members of the PGA of America for a number of reasons. Our liability insurance is number one and some other benefits.” Although he didn’t outwardly come out and say that LIV Golf members were welcome on Team USA, Johnson made it clear that nothing was barring them from securing a spot on the squad. “These guys that left the PGA Tour that had status and left to play on that other tour, the LIV Tour, they’re still members of the PGA of America, so they are still able to garner points,” Johnson said. “They’re able to play in the PGA Championship as a result because that’s what the PGA of America runs. Obviously, technically, can still be a part of Team USA.” Brooks Koepka, who is ranked 12th on the Official World Golf Ranking and won the 2023 PGA Championship after finishing tied for second at the Masters, is among those competing on the LIV circuit that Johnson has his eye on. “Brooks is third on the list. The top six earn their berth after the BMW,” Johnson said. “I don’t know the date. Mid-August-ish in Chicago. So after that Sunday the top six are solidified, and then we make our six picks.” The Ryder Cup begins on Sept 29 and runs through Oct 1. – Field Level Media Brewery sends ‘England Bitter’ beer rivals AUSTRALIAN brewing giant Carlton says it is shipping a limited edition “England Bitter” beer to England’s cricketers to help them “cool off” from a row over their loss in the second Test. The newly named version of Victoria Bitter was being dispatched yesterday, Carlton United Breweries said. The marketing ploy follows England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal at Lord’s. “We know the English are bitter about the Lord’s Test, but when they’re feeling less bitter we’ve got a beer to shout them… our fresh new England Bitter,” said VB marketing manager Marc Lord. “England Bitter has got their name on it and we’re sending a few slabs (cases) to the English cricket team to enjoy once they’ve cooled off,” he added. Bairstow furore water under bridge: Stokes ENGLAND captain Ben Stokes insisted on Wednesday it was time “everyone moved on” from Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese have even traded verbal bouncers over the issue, which started when Bairstow was given out stumped by opposing wicketkeeper Alex Carey during what the England batsman thought was a break in play. Speaking to reporters at Headingley, where the third Test starts overnight, Stokes said: “I don’t think we can galvanise as a group any more than we are to be honest. There’s been obviously a lot of noise around the incident last week at Lord’s but, from me as a captain and from the England team, I think the best thing that everyone needs to do is just move on from it.” Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in first ODI OPENER Ibrahim Zadran struck 41 not out as Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by 17 runs on DLS method in a rain-shortened first one-day international in Chittagong yesterday. Rain prevented further play at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium after Afghanistan reached 83-2 in 21.4 overs, chasing a target of 164 runs in 43 overs. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan and off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman earlier claimed 2-21 and 2-23 respectively, to complement Farooqi, keeping Bangladesh in check after rain interrupted their innings twice. Rookie batsman Towhid Hridoy top-scored with 51 for Bangladesh, who struggled for momentum ever since Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bowl first. AUSTRALIA captain Pat Cummins said yesterday that England counterpart Ben Stokes’s match-winning 2019 hundred at Headingley will be a thing of the past during this week’s Ashes clash in Leeds. Cummins’s men have arrived for a third Test starting overnight 2-0 up in the fivematch series after wins at Edgbaston and Lord’s. Australia are now just one victory away from a first Ashes triumph in England in 22 years. Headingley, however, has been the scene of some extraordinary England victories, none more so than four years ago when Stokes’s astounding unbeaten hundred saw the hosts to a remarkable one-wicket win over arch-rivals Australia. It was Cummins who delivered the ball that Stokes square-cut for four to seal a scarcely credible win. “I remember at the time thinking, if I hang it outside off there might be a chance to nick it,” Cummins told reporters. “I’ve seen it about 1,000 times in the last four years. It was a fantastic Test match and the first two in this series have been fantastic.” But having starred with the bat earlier this month in Australia’s dramatic two-wicket win at Edgbaston – where England enjoyed a thrilling two-run Ashes win 18 years ago – Cummins said: “I’m sure that (Headingley) memory will be brought up quite a bit, just like 2005 was brought up at Edgbaston, but we’ve well and truly moved past that.” – AFP Cummins has ‘moved past’ Stokes’s heroics INSIDE EDGE Zach Johnson. – AFPPIX

14 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 SPORTS NOVAK DJOKOVIC booked his spot in the Wimbledon third round courtesy of a composed win over Jordan Thompson on Centre Court. The Australian challenger did his best to upset the 23-time Grand Slam champion with a catalogue of massive serves, but he was still unable to put a set on the board as Djokovic continues his perfect start at SW19. The 36-year-old has now won six sets from a possible six at the All England Club this year, having cast aside Argentine Pedro Cachin in the first round Tuesday. Thompson’s sledgehammer serve gave Djokovic something new to think about, but he ultimately rose to the challenge. Breaks of serve were hard to come by in the contest as Thompson’s biggest reached a whopping 211kph, but Djokovic was flawless on his own service games – at least according to the numbers – and he held his nerve to see out an important second-set tiebreak. Although a straight-sets win paints a picture of it being plain sailing for Djokovic, Thompson provided a stern enough test to fire up his legendary opponent. It was ultimately the second seed’s day on Centre Court, however, despite most of those in attendance cheering for the underdog, as he prevailed 6-3, 7-6, 7-5 in just under twoand-a-half hours. “I don’t really know if I wanted to meet him this early in the tournament,” said Djokovic of his big-serving opponent after the match. “Congratulations to him for the performance, he was a bit unlucky but he played a great match. “I try to enjoy every moment I spend on Centre Court. It’s a huge privilege, especially at this age when I’m still trying to push forward with the young guns. I don’t know how long that’s going to go on but so far, so good.” Yesterday’s victory earned Djokovic his 350th match win at the majors, becoming just the third player to reach that milestone, joining Roger Federer (369) and Serena Williams (365). The Belgrade-native is showing no signs of slowing down. “You’re only as young or as old as you feel. I feel young in my own body, in my own head, in my heart,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. “My children remind me of that, the time that I spend with them. The innocence, incredible curiosity, pure love and energy that I get to experience with them is something that really strengthens that inner child in you. “Also the fact that I’m still playing the sport that I fell in love with when I was very young. I think that is something that is very refreshing. “I have to say that I’m really fortunate and blessed to have a healthy body. Still at this stage, after 20 years of professional tennis, I’m able to compete at the highest level.” If Djokovic maintains that level, he could add to the Wimbledon record books this year. Should he win the title, he would tie Federer with eight Wimbledon crowns and become the oldest men’s champion at SW19 in the Open Era. Part of the reason why the Serbian has won 11 majors since turning 30 is that he is constantly improving even the smallest details of his game. “I never want to stop growing, learning, trying to improve, trying to understand the nuances, the details,” Djokovic said. “I feel very hungry for knowledge, for experiences. Life is a great journey that can offer a lot if one is open to experience. “I can only speak on my own behalf. I’ve been through a lot of things in life for these 36 years. Very, very grateful for all that I have experienced.” – Express Newspapers/ Agencies Flawless start Djokovic outclasses battling Thompson in straight-sets win Protestors warned of British GP ‘catastrophe’ “JUST STOP OIL” have been warned that protests at this weekend’s British Grand Prix could result in a “catastrophe” after Day Three of Wimbledon was the environmental group’s latest sporting target. SW19 fell victim to protestors yesterday as Court 18 was interrupted twice as orange confetti and jigsaw pieces were thrown as the court was invaded. There have been fears that a similar protest could take place at Silverstone on Sunday, after last year’s opening lap saw several spectators storm the track and sat down before being dragged away by marshals as drivers sped by – which led to seven arrests. British stars such as Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris have already pleaded for there not to be a repeat of last year’s protest, while former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has claimed that they could cause a “catastrophe” by joining the drivers on the grid – but he expects protests nonetheless. “I am sure there will be protestors hanging around,” Herbert said. “But they would be very stupid if they do go on the circuit. “If you want to protest, do it outside the circuit. Do not put a foot on the circuit. “The risk to drivers, to themselves and to the spectators is massive. You could have a catastrophe.” – Express Newspapers MANY Formula One fans will be recalling the accidental feat of Jean-Louis Schlesser this weekend as Max Verstappen leads Red Bull’s assault on one of the sport’s oldest records at the British Grand Prix. As the defending double world champion bids to add to his own sequence of five straight wins to boost his runaway lead en route to a third drivers’ world title, his team bid for an 11th straight win. If they succeed, they will equal the record set by McLaren in 1988, when the British team boasted a line-up of Alain Prost, who became a four-time champion, and Ayrton Senna, a three-time champion. Many fancied McLaren to complete the 1988 season unbeaten – as Red Bull bid to be this year – but their ambitions were undone when Senna tangled with a backmarker at the Italian Grand Prix. In his only F1 race start, Frenchman Schlesser, deputising for the unwell Nigel Mansell with Williams on the eve of his 40th birthday, collided with the raceleading Brazilian with three laps remaining and gifted Ferrari an emotional one-two win just weeks after the death of team founder Enzo Ferrari. It ended McLaren’s dream of invincibility. Such a scenario may be the only hope of preventing Red Bull claiming another win, probably through Verstappen, and gifting another team a taste of the victor’s champagne on Sunday. The Dutchman’s dominant display last weekend hoisted him 81 points clear of teammate Sergio Perez in the title race, making a third title appear inevitable, but others believe fate may yet intervene. “It’s going to be epic,” said Red Bull team chief Christian Horner, as if sensing the power of the occasion ahead at Silverstone. “But who knows what obstacles there could be? We saw what happened there last year and it’s a race we haven’t won since, I think, Mark Webber in 2012. So, it’s a big race for us on this calendar.” After winning 16 of the last 20 races, Verstappen will be brimming with confidence while Ferrari, revived by Charles Leclerc’s second-placed finish last Sunday, will hope they can triumph again, one year after their last victory and on a track where Carlos Sainz was successful a year ago. Despite a dismal display last Sunday, Mercedes’ seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will hope to impress, at least, if not to add to his record eight British victories. The Silverstone-based Aston Martin team’s two-time champion Fernando Alonso should not be discounted either, while the race organisers have tightened security following last year’s track invasion protest by “Just Stop Oil” activists. – AFP Red Bull ready for more records Kvitova beats Paolini in three sets TWICE champion Petra Kvitova booked her spot in the second round of Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 win over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini yesterday. The duo also met at the last year’s championships when the Czech ninth seed came on top in another three-setter. “She always makes it very hard for me,” Kvitova said in her on-court interview. “It’s never easy to play the beginning of the tournament, especially here when I’ve been moved to the Centre Court, it’s always a little bit different. “But thank you roof, for holding it up for me today.” Paolini found some momentum and made Kvitova work in the second set but the experienced Czech comfortably took the third, firing eight aces and 36 winners throughout the match. “I was trying hard in the second set to break her but this didn’t happen. In the third I got an opportunity and I made it, and I think that since then I just kept going,” Kvitova said. Superb Swiatek surges into third round WOMEN’S top seed Iga Swiatek outclassed Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 6-0 yesterday to sweep into the third round of Wimbledon with a dazzling display. The Pole has never managed to go beyond the fourth round on the SW19 grass but has looked in superb form this week. “I feel confident which doesn’t happen often at Wimbledon,” Swiatek said after the win. “This is the first year where I feel I learned a lot and can adjust my game to the grass. I’m getting there! In the future, this can be my tournament, but you have to work hard because there’s not much time to practise on grass. Every year it will be a bit easier. This year I feel really confident so that’s great.” Tiafoe fends off Wu AMERICAN world No. 10 Frances Tiafoe kicked off his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title by sealing a 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-4 victory over Chinese debutant Wu Yibing in a raininterrupted first round clash at Wimbledon yesterday. No American has won the trophy since Pete Sampras bagged his seventh title at the major in 2000, but Tiafoe led a cluster of his compatriots into round two on a rain-delayed day. Tiafoe recovered well after dropping his serve early in the first set to level at 2-2 before showers halted play. “It was tough but… it’s Wimbledon, you’ve got to expect stuff like that. I’m happy to get the win,” said Tiafoe. Wu, making his Wimbledon debut and his fourth appearance at a Grand Slam, took a medical timeout early in the second set and had his pulse checked but resumed after a lengthy off-court evaluation “It’s tough, he wasn’t feeling well. With that and all the rain delays there was a lot of waiting,” Tiafoe said. “I’m a really relaxed guy but I do like finishing a tennis match. I was happy how I handled it.” TRAMLINES 3 2 1 Source: FIA Pictures: Getty Images At Silverstone, Red Bull can equal McLaren’s 1988 record of 11 consecutive race victories, as Max Verstappen continues in imperious form Winning strategy: Two stop. Higher tyre degradation due to long, high-speed corners forces switch to hard tyres between two stints on medium tyres Carlos Sainz Sergio Perez Lewis Hamilton Charles Leclerc Fernando Alonso Lando Norris Max Verstappen Mick Schumacher Sebastian Vettel Kevin Magnussen Ferrari Red Bull Mercedes Ferrari Alpine McLaren Red Bull Haas Aston Martin Haas 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 JUL 9: Silverstone 2022 RESULT BEHIND THE WHEEL British Grand Prix F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2023 Most wins: Lewis Hamilton, 8 (2008, 2014-17, 2019-21) Lap record Max Verstappen, 1:27.097 (2020) Fastest lap 2022: Lewis Hamilton, 1:30.510 Timing sector DRS Distance: 52 laps – 306.198km DRS detection © GRAPHIC NEWS Team spirit: Wins by constructor McLaren Ferrari Red Bull Lotus, 3 Renault, 2 Williams Mercedes 15 12 8 5 8 4 Other SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT

15 * SPORTS theSUN ON FRIDAY | JULY 7, 2023 No guarantee Mount warned tough battle lies ahead after No. 7 honour MASON MOUNT has been warned by former Manchester United striker Louis Saha that he will not be guaranteed a starting spot next season despite being handed the legendary No. 7 shirt at Old Trafford. Mount was officially unveiled as a new Red Devils player on Wednesday after signing a five-year deal, with the England ace having left boyhood club Chelsea for a new start in Manchester. Mount, who ended up costing United a transfer fee in the region of £55 million (RM319m), was given the iconic No. 7 shirt upon his arrival and will be forced to deal with the pressure that comes with the territory over the coming weeks. The number was previously worn by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona at United but Saha has warned Mount that it will not guarantee him a weekly starting spot unless he earns it on merit. “Mason (Mount) isn’t necessarily going to go straight into the Manchester United team, it’s such a long season coming up and he’ll have to fight for his place,” Saha said yesterday. “It’s a big transfer fee for someone who’s only got a year left of his contract but he’s going to bring diversity to this team because he’s a very smart, active and busy player. “He’s also very creative and those are things that Manchester United have sometimes missed recently. “They need creativity, but also mobility and only Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes had that last season. Mount can do it but from midfield, rather than from someone like Antony or Rashford. “He’s like a playmaker but a bit more mobile and he’ll open up the way they play and give more options. He’ll create more one-on-ones for the strikers and it’s a brilliant signing.” It remains to be seen whether Mount will be able to establish himself as an important player for United next season after a less-than-impressive final campaign at Chelsea, during which he scored just three goals and offered two assists in 24 League games. However, it seems clear that he believes Ten Hag is the perfect manager to help him kick on and realise his full potential at Old Trafford over the coming years. “It’s never easy leaving the club where you grew up, but Manchester United will provide an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career,” Mount told United’s official channels after his move was officially confirmed. “Having competed against them, I know just how strong a squad it is that I’m joining, and I can’t wait to be part of this group’s drive to win major trophies. “Everyone can see that the club has made big steps forward under Erik ten Hag. Having met with the manager and discussed his plans, I couldn’t be more excited for the seasons ahead, and am ready for the hard work expected here. “I am hugely ambitious, I know how amazing it feels to win major trophies and what it takes to do it. I will be giving everything to experience that again at Manchester United.” – Express Newspapers Ratcliffe says still in hunt for Red Devils PROSPECTIVE owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said that Ineos are still “in the process” of attempting to win the Manchester United takeover battle. The chemical giant, who is led by boyhood United supporter Ratcliffe, remains one of the frontrunners to complete a takeover, alongside Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani. Ratcliffe’s bid is to secure a majority stake while Sheikh Jassim wants full control of the club. The battle to secure the keys to Old Trafford is now more than seven months old, with the Glazer family so far refusing to bring the saga to a conclusion. Both Ineos and Sheikh Jassim have each tabled a collection of bids, with the latter presenting a fifth bid last month. While the Qatari has continued to make bigmoney bids in an attempt to get a deal wrapped up, Ratcliffe and Ineos have taken a more reserved approach, patiently awaiting a decision from the Glazer family to be made. “We obviously can’t say too much because we’ve signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and we respect that but there’s still a process and we’re in the process,” said Ratcliffe, speaking at a Knightsbridge book launch. “We have a good offer – we’ve met the Glazers a couple of times and we had a good conversation but at the end of the day it’s their decision… we would still very much like to do it. “I also believe we would do a good job and do it for the right reasons. We keep very focused on it.” There is a general feeling that those in the bidding race to buy United from the Glazers are paying over the odds. However, Ratcliffe believes the Reds represent a positive investment. He continued: “They ain’t making them any more. Manchester United and these types of clubs, it’s like art or areas like that. “When you have special things and their value continues to pick up over time because they are very special and rare. I don’t like throwing money away or losing money. It doesn’t make me happy at all. “But we aren’t there to make money out of it. If it’s a really good asset it will increase its value over time.” Meanwhile, Ratcliffe also shut down suggestions that he could rename Old Trafford as a potential commercial opportunity, adding: “God no, that would be heresy.” – The Independent SIDENETTING Anti-racism law named after Vinicius Jr THE Rio de Janeiro government named an anti-racism law after Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr yesterday which will see sporting events stopped or suspended in the event of racist conduct. Brazil forward Vinicius was racially abused by fans when Madrid played Valencia in May, the 10th such incident involving the 22- year-old that La Liga has reported to prosecutors that season. Local media said the law was inspired by the player’s response to the incident at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, where the game was paused for several minutes while the player pointed at those racially abusing him in the stands. The “Vini Jr law”, unanimously approved by the Rio government in June, includes protocol on how to process complaints of racism and mandatory educational campaigns. “Today is a very special day and I hope my family is very proud,” said Vinicius during a ceremony at the Maracana Stadium, where he made his senior debut for Flamengo in 2017. “I am very young and I didn’t expect that I would be receiving this tribute.” Diniz dismisses idea of Ancelotti interference THE new coach of the Brazilian national team, Fernando Diniz, said yesterday he will have autonomy to work and will not suffer any interference from Italian Carlo Ancelotti, who will replace him in the position in the second half of next year. “I will have autonomy and freedom to do it and there will be no interference,” Diniz said at an introductory press conference at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) headquarters a day after being named Brazil’s coach for the next 12 months. CBF President Edinaldo Rodrigues reiterated after Diniz’s introduction that Ancelotti, who currently has a contract with Real Madrid until the middle of next year, will be in charge of the Brazilian national team in the second half of 2024. “He (Ancelotti) will be there, you can be sure,” Rodrigues said, adding, however, that only the Italian coach can say “when he will arrive.” Luis Enrique to lead PSG Euro charge PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN have moved to appoint former Barcelona and Spain national team head coach Luis Enrique (below) as their new boss, replacing Christophe Galtier. The Frenchman was dismissed on Wednesday despite winning the Ligue 1 title, after finishing ahead of Lens by only a single point and also exiting both the Champions League and Coupe de France at the round of 16 stage. Luis Enrique was then confirmed as boss later the same afternoon, on a two-year deal. For Luis Enrique, the job is one of part rebuild and part immediate quest to challenge for the biggest honours. The 53-year-old manager takes charge of a club in a third domestic league, having already managed Roma in Italy and both Barcelona and Celta Vigo in his homeland. “I am delighted to arrive in Paris to live a new experience,” Luis Enrique said upon signing. “It’s so exciting to meet new people, to live in this city, to learn a new language and above all to coach PSG.” CHELSEA have opened talks with the representatives of Paulo Dybala to discuss a sensational move for the AS Roma star as Mauricio Pochettino looks to seal a cut-price move. Reports suggest the new Blues head coach is keen to bring his compatriot to Stamford Bridge and the Premier League club have began negotiations after learning of a bargain release clause written into his contract at the Stadio Olimpico. The 29-year-old signed for the Serie A outfit on a free transfer after leaving Juventus last summer and he enjoyed a stellar campaign with the Giallorossi, scoring 17 goals in all competitions as Roma reached the Europa League final before their defeat to Sevilla. Dybala has been linked with a move away from the Italian giants, however, due to the fact that a release clause in his contract allows him to leave Roma for just £10 million (RM58m) in the event that a foreign club makes an offer. And according to transfer reporter Pedro Almeida, Chelsea have “made contact” with Dybala’s agent to discuss a potential move to west London as they look to take full advantage of the rare bargain. The move is likely to be driven by Pochettino as the 51-year-old has tried to sign Dybala twice in his managerial when at Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain. And now, with the Argentina international available for such a low fee, he could finally get his man as Chelsea look to spend some of the £200m (RM1.16b) raised through player sales this summer. Dybala, whose contract expires in June 2025, has been coy over his plans for the future and refused to be drawn on whether he would be at Roma beyond the summer transfer window. When quizzed after sealing Roma’s place in the Europa League with a 2-1 win over Spezia, he told reporters: “Now we must enjoy the moment. There will be time to talk about the future, I have two years left in my contract.” The departure of Mount, Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly will allow Pochettino the freedom to spend in the transfer market to secure his main targets, with Moises Caicedo, Gabriel Veiga and Diogo Costa on his shortlist. But Dybala would represent the marquee signing the Blues have been waiting for, and Pochettino will be eager to get the deal over the line after overseeing a player exodus at Stamford Bridge. – Express Newspapers Chelsea ‘in talks’ to sign Roma’s Dybala Paulo Dybala

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] MASON MOUNT may have just shown Harry Kane the way to force a move out of Tottenham this summer, with the former Chelsea midfielder having used a special tactic to finalise his own transfer to Manchester United. Mount was officially unveiled by the Red Devils on Wednesday, with the 24-year-old signing a fiveyear deal after Chelsea accepted a bid in the region of £55 million (RM319m) plus add ons in exchange for his signature. There has been speculation that Mount could be joined by Kane at Old Trafford before the new season gets underway, but the likelihood appears to be that he will end up staying at Tottenham until his contract expires next summer. United are known to be huge admirers of the England skipper but it seems unlikely that Spurs will entertain the idea of selling him in spite of his uncertain long-term future at the club. However, it remains to be seen whether Kane will use a similar tactic to Mount in order to push for a move elsewhere, which could potentially result in United securing his services in the near future. Mount, like Kane, has been represented by a family member throughout his career, with his father having played the role of agent since his Chelsea debut back in 2019. Kane, meanwhile, is represented by his brother Charlie and could take a leaf from Mount’s book by hiring a specialist agent to take care of his first high-profile transfer. Mount opted for this strategy in order to finalise his Chelsea exit, with the Blues having failed to agree fresh terms with the player despite lengthy contract negotiations over the course of last season. The agent also successfully oversaw negotiations with United, which suggests that Kane could reap the rewards of employing a similar tactic if he decides that he wants to leave Tottenham this summer. However, it seems clear that Tottenham would still be determined to keep hold of their attacking talisman for as long as possible, with chairman Daniel Levy never shy to put his foot down if his demands are not met. Tottenham have reportedly made a massive new contract offer to Kane that would significantly improve his £200,000-a-week (RM1.16m) terms. But the club’s talisman has no immediate intention to sign it and will certainly not do so while the transfer window remains open. Only time will tell if Kane manages to find a new club between now and the start of next season, with United far from the only side to have taken a liking to the forward in recent years. Bayern Munich have also been credited with a strong interest in Kane and reportedly submitted a formal offer in the region of £60m (RM348m) last week, although it was thought to have been swiftly rejected by Tottenham. The Daily Mail reports that an improved proposal is already in the works at the Allianz Arena, with the new bid likely to be submitted at some point over the coming days. It is said to be worth around £80m (RM464m) plus add-ons, which Bayern believe would get Levy talking in spite of his reluctance to part ways with Kane this summer. Meanwhile, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara recently insisted that Kane will be accused of lacking ambition if he fails to secure a move away this summer, with the 29-yearold still waiting for his first major trophy after spending his entire career in north London. “I feel like he’s got to leave, why would he stay? The guy wants to win something, the guy deserves to win trophies,” O’Hara told talkSPORT. “I just don’t see that changing next season. If he doesn’t leave, he lacks ambition doesn’t he? “Let’s be honest, if he doesn’t leave and a club does come in for him and Spurs go: ‘You know what, we will probably look at having to sell you’, and he doesn’t go to let’s say Manchester United, then I think he lacks ambition.” – Express Newspapers or download app from the App Store or Google Play TM . Read iPaper at www.thesundaily.my FREE access Interactive FRIDAY • JULY 7, 2023 Spurs handed new Kane fear as Mount shows the way Still more to do Still more to do Will Mac Allister, Szoboszlai be enough to get Reds back in contention? Will Mac Allister, Szoboszlai be enough to get Reds back in contention? TWO DONE, how many more to go? Ask Liverpool supporters at the end of last season how many new signings they needed to bring in across the summer and not too many would have suggested fewer than four. An upturn in form and fortunes between March and May probably reduced that from a higher number, too. But even with individuals showing better levels and the team looking capable of beating most they came up against, the new shape and certain ageing faces – as well as expiring contracts in the squad – meant a renewal, if not an outright overhaul, was required. That was especially the case in midfield and with almost £100 million (RM580m) now spent this summer on two new components, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, the Reds will definitely have a refreshed feel about them, regardless of what else happens. Both are expected to be first-team regulars and no wonder: one has won the World Cup, the other cost upwards of £60m (RM348m). But, thus far, no starters from last term have departed, so places will have to be earned if the regular line-up is to indeed alter. Jurgen Klopp refuted, last year and before, the idea that he keeps too many around for too long, that he has favourites who have a place in the team as long as they are available. James Milner and Roberto Firmino have now exited, two who were go-to lieutenants for so many seasons of the German’s tenure, while fringe pair Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are likewise out. Three midfielders, one forward; the trio from the centre of the park only contributed 2,261 minutes though across all competitions. Their new No. 10, Mac Allister, played far more than that by himself, over 3,300 minutes not including his mid-season international exploits, while his fellow new arrival, who will hope to wear the No. 8 with more distinction than Keita managed, tallied over 3,700 for Leipzig. While gametime doesn’t translate to immediacy in the team, the expectation is that they will sooner or later combine as the new more offensive pair in a traditional three or, in the Reds’ more recent shape, the forwardthinking pair ahead of the roving Trent Alexander-Arnold and a holding midfielder. The latter is, at present, still Fabinho. But it is the third area of the centre of the park where Liverpool must surely continue to seek out reinforcements and improvements. A deep midfielder more able to make up that extra ground has to remain the top priority, considering it appears a more defensive option for the right-sided role is not on the agenda. Whoever Klopp signs, the biggest decisions for the German may come in games against the best transition teams: does he want the greater experience or the greater athleticism in the side? But this is a Liverpool team being built once more to dominate play, first and foremost, and beat teams by outplaying them, not just by shutting them out. The new recruits will add more guile, more on-the-ball quality and more speed across the ground than those who played most of the season in midfield last year, up until Curtis Jones forced his way into the team. The big work in pre-season will be getting them to gel with Cody Gakpo, Mo Salah and Luis Diaz on a regular basis – and to find out how to get the best use out of Darwin Nunez, of course. Szoboszlai’s delivery from the channels, his driving runs and set-piece prowess are all expected to be enormous factors there. Liverpool’s squad suddenly looks more capable of competing among the top four once more, having looked stale and badly in need of a redesign. Which final touches are put on it across the next eight weeks will determine whether they push even higher across the following 10 months. – The Independent █ KARL MATCHETT Liverpool’s new No. 10, Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool’s No. 8, Dominik Szoboszlai,.