PPH 8/12/2012 (031085) Vol. 185 Kota Kinabalu, Saturday, July 13, 2024 RM1.

50 Established 1963

l Achievements since new Board took charge l MACC report lodged l End to lending outside Sabah

State to recover SDB’s RM5bil

KOTA KINABALU:
State Finance Minis-
ter Datuk Seri
Masidi Manjun (pic)
said the State Gov-
ernment is firm in
supporting the
Sabah Development
Bank (SDB) and that its RM5 billion
Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) are
secure and recoverable.
<I wish to reaffirm the State9s support
to the bank in times of need, particu-
larly on our commitment to ensure that
the bond obligations and repayments
are kept whole.
<The bank reflects the State9s financial
standing and has an important role in
the development of the State,= said
Masidi in a statement, Friday, in response
to media coverage following the
announcement on its NPLs from 2003
until 2018.
It clarified that the RM5 billion NPLs are
not losses and are recoverable as they are
mainly secured against land-based assets
that are under active recovery action.
Masidi informed the State Assembly
on Wednesday that the SDB would
announce an unprecedented loss for
FY2023-2024, in accordance with best
practices and accounting standards.
He noted that SDB has always fulfilled
its bond repayment obligations in the
past and that the bank has sufficient cap-
ital to honour its coming bond repay-
ment obligations.
<I was made to understand that the
bank had, after the announcement,
proactively engaged with key investors,
depositors and other stakeholders.
<The general response is that there is
full understanding and support for the
bank to undertake this house cleaning,
and they are reassured by the State9s
strong support towards the bank9s trans-
formation plan.
<The State9s strong support is not just
in the GLC loans repayment exercise, but
my Ministry has also issued letters to
other GLCs to place excess cash as Fixed
Deposits with SDB.
<We are also positioning SDB as the
lead lender/manager to provide local
content in financing large investment
projects coming into Sabah.
<Another important financial support
is the conversion of the State9s Deposits
of RM660 million to Redeemable Prefer-
ence Shares over the next few years to
strengthen the bank9s capitalisation,=
said Masidi.
Over the past years, legacy issues have
negatively affected SDB9s financial posi-
tion.
However, Masidi said achievements
have been recorded since the new Board
and Management came on board in the
second half of 2023.
GLC loan exposure was reduced from
RM2.2 billion in July 2023 to RM0.7 bil-
lion currently, and bond obligations
from RM5 billion to RM3.9 billion.
He said the new team has imple-
mented strict governance and reported
alleged wrongdoing to the Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The bank has adopted industry prac-
tices and BNM guidelines and com-
menced recovery of NPLs with an
aggressive target of RM1 billion recovery
per year for the next three years.
Saifuddin visiting the counters at the KKIA Immigration Department Office.
According to him, the bank expects to
exit the Peninsular Malaysia market by
then.
He said the bank is now firmly guided
by the mandate from the State Govern-
10-year passports soon: Saifuddin
ment to pursue economically and Jonathan Nicholas Saifuddin said this when launching opened at Kuala Lumpur International
socially meaningful and environmentally KOTA KINABALU: The Immigration the country9s first airport Immigration Airport compounds but not exactly
responsible development projects in Department is ready to issue passports office at Kota Kinabalu International Air- inside the airport. KKIA is concentrated,
Sabah and Sabah only. with a validity period of 10 years after a port (KKIA), here, Friday. It has been oper- so the decision for it to be placed here is
RM1.5 billion loan applications that feasibility study deemed it suitable for ating for two weeks (Monday to Friday) apt and people-centric,= he said.
did not fall within this mandate or did the country. from 8am to 5pm, processing only inter- Saifuddin said Sabah9s second interna-
not meet the bank9s new rigorous credit However, Home Minister Datuk Seri national passports for the time being tional airport, Tawau, will be receiving
test have been rejected, he added. Saifuddin Nasutian Ismail declined to with more services to follow. four new inbound and two outbound
On the other hand, RM616 million of reveal when this would be implemented, Saifuddin said based on feedback, cus- immigration counters in response to over-
loans in the focus areas of water, power saying it will be announced in due time. tomers were happy that it took them only whelming arrivals in the State9s East Coast.
and infrastructure have been approved. For now, the maximum passport validity an hour of waiting time. <Malaysia9s passport credibility allows
<The State once again makes clear that period is five years. <Malaysia Airlines Holdings Berhad visa-free travel to 183 countries, ranking
it fully supports SDB and the new leader- He said neighbouring countries such allocated the space and having the office the 12th most powerful in the world and
ship and that the bank will be turned as Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines in KKIA is strategic as Kota Kinabalu is fifth in Asia according to the Henley Pass-
around and become a development bank and Singapore have already implemented receiving an influx of international port Index which gets its data from the
that the State and the people can be it, alongside Europe and the United flights. International Air Transport Association,=
proud of,= he said. States. <An immigration office was also he said.

Chamber: No reason for surcharge anymore Anti-party

KOTA KINABALU: The said its President Datuk Michael Lui (pic),
Kota Kinabalu Chi- Friday.
nese Chamber of He also said it is incredible that SPSB
Commerce and Indus-
try (KKCCCI) hopes
only formulated timely measures to solve
the congestion problem after the imple-
Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd mentation of the Congestion Surcharge
(SPSB) will pressure triggered dissatisfaction among opera-
shipping lines to tors.
withdraw the Port <SPSB should always be prepared to
Congestion Surcharge deal with the port congestion problem
on Sapangar Bay Container Port because anytime, not wait until operators and con-
SPSB has ensured that the large number of sumers complain about the extra costs!=
containers piled up at the terminal will be Lui hopes SPSB will pay attention and
cleared by end of July and normal opera- focus on supervising the operational effi-
tions will be resumed. ciency of the port.
<If everything returns to normal as <KKCCCI agrees that simplifying the
assured by SPSB, there is no reason for the process of containers entering the termi-
shipping lines to impose any surcharges,= nal will help to quickly solve the terminal
Convenience
store
robberies:
Cops nab man
PAGE 2
congestion problem. Increasing man-
power to clear the containers piled up at
the terminal and for operators to clear the
accumulated containers at the terminal
promptly is also a feasible solution,= he
said.
The shipping companies recently
announced that a Congestion Surcharge
of RM500 to RM1,000 will be imposed on
all container types from July 16, on
grounds that the continuous congestion
at Kota Kinabalu Port has caused serious
delays in ship turnaround time, affecting
the shipping schedule, and thus causing a
significant increase in operating costs.
SPSB, in a statement Thursday,
expressed deep regret over the sudden
decision by the shipping lines and
Illegal tour
operators
a worry also
in Sukau
PAGE 3
appealed to reconsider to prevent addi-
tional costs for Sabah consumers and
adverse effects on local trade.
SPSB said it has outlined immediate
steps to address the congestion, and with
clear strategies in place, assures that con-
tainer backlogs would be cleared by end
of the month.
As an alternate option, SPSB would
consider for Ro-Ro operations to be tem-
porarily handled at KK Port until more
yard space is available at SBCP. Despite KK
Port having greatly reduced in land size,
and being surrounded by ongoing devel-
opments, this move will provide signifi-
cant relief to SBCP9s yard capacity and
berth availability.
See Page 2, Col. 4
Sabah, S Korea
working
on future
cooperation
PAGE 7
hopping law:
Govt open to
discussions
PUTRAJAYA: The Govern-
ment is open to discus-
sions on making legal
amendments to plug any
loopholes in the anti-
party hopping law, said
Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim (pic).
He said that Pakatan Harapan (PH) had
in 2022 proposed such amendments but
its suggestion was rejected by the govern-
ment then.
<Previously, we proposed that anyone
rejected by their party should vacate their
seat, but it was not agreed upon by the
government then. Because at that time,
Umno members were joining their party.
So for me, if we want to amend it, we can
discuss it so that no one is exempt. They
(the opposition) opposed it before; many
do not know,= he said, Friday.
See Page 2, Col. 1
 2 Local SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
dailyexpress
Double Six: M’sia rules out compensation talks with Australia
KUALA LUMPUR: clarified that the official report on the inci- closed the declassified findings of the the final approach for landing.= draft had not been approved by the civil
Malaysia has ruled dent, known as the <Double Six= tragedy, crash in compliance with a High Court Additionally, the report highlighted aviation department at the time.
out discussions with conclusively attributed it to human error order for the release of the investigation issues with the airline9s adherence to oper- Similar to Malaysia9s findings, the GAF
the Australian gov- rather than any technical malfunction or results. ational procedures and noted that the report dismissed fire or sabotage as likely
ernment regarding deliberate sabotage. The report, compiled by Malaysia9s civil pilot had exceeded his duty period by 67 causes, attributing the incident prelimi-
compensation for the =Therefore, the Ministry does not aviation authorities, the Royal Malaysian minutes. narily to overloading at the rear of the air-
families affected by intend to engage in talks with the Aus- Air Force and Australia9s Transport Depart- Weeks after Malaysia declassified its craft.
the 1976 plane crash, tralian government regarding compensa- ment, concluded that there was no indica- crash report, Canberra followed suit with The crash claimed the lives of Fuad
which tragically tion for the victims9 families,= he stated in tion of sabotage, fire, or explosion. the declassification of an investigation and 10 others, including state ministers
claimed the lives of a written parliamentary response to a According to the findings, the likely report from the aircraft manufacturer, Salleh Sulong, Chong Thien Vun, and
then Sabah Chief Minister Fuad Stephens question posed by Riduan Rubin (Inde- reason for the crash was <an aft centre of Government Aircraft Factories (GAF). Peter Mojuntin, occurred in Sembulan,
and 10 others. pendent-Tenom). gravity position, causing the control col- The GAF report revealed that the airline Kota Kinabalu, just 53 days after Fuad
Transport Minister Anthony Loke (pic) Last April, the Transport Ministry dis- umn to exceed its forward range during operated illegally as its operations manual took office.

Cut grass regularly, DBKK

tells concessionaire firm

The victim being brought
down to Timpohon Gate.
Sammy (second left) showing a photofit of the suspect being sought.
American
One suspect still at large
injured while
KOTA KINABALU: The concession com-
pany involved has been instructed to
increase the frequency of grass-cutting
along road shoulders, main roads and pro-
tocol roads throughout the city.
In a statement Friday, City Hall (DBKK)
said maintaining the cleanliness of the
city9s landscape is a top priority. It did not
name which of the three concession com-
panies was being referred to.
<This involves implementing a compre-
hensive plan for regular maintenance,
inspections, tree-trimming and grass-cut-
ting to ensure a satisfactory environment
for both residents and visitors.
<These efforts ensure that the grass
along road shoulders, main roads and pro-
along main roads and protocol roads in
Kota Kinabalu.
<Our survey revealed several areas
where the grass has grown too long and
requires immediate attention from the
concession company.
<Given this need, the responsible con-
cession company must take a more proac-
tive role and reassess the maintenance
schedule.
<Regular maintenance is crucial to pre-
vent overgrowth and maintain the attrac-
tive appearance of Kota Kinabalu, thereby
ensuring the comfort of city residents,= it
said.
The statement also highlighted that a
beautiful and tidy urban landscape

Convenience climbing Mt

Kinabalu
tocol roads remains neat and well-kept,
thus preventing any discomfort for road
users,= it said.
Recently, the DBKK Landscape Depart-
ment team conducted inspections and
enhances Kota Kinabalu9s appeal as a Nat-
ural Resort City.
<Therefore, improving the quality of
services through cooperative agreements
is essential for the benefit of the city9s citi-

store robberies:
RANAU: The slippery surface of the trail monitored the condition of the grass zens,= the statement concluded.
resulted in an American male being
injured after falling while climbing
Mount Kinabalu, here, Thursday.
Ranau Fire and Rescue Station Chief
Suhaili
Ridwan Mohd Taib said the incident hap-

Cops nab man

(centre)
pened at Km 6.7 of the climbing route
and four of
around noon.
<We received a call through the station the other

line and a six-member team of the Moun- five MPs at

tain Search and Rescue (Mosar) led by the press

Nora Ahmad able registration plate number,= Sammy operation commander Feranideh Medi conference

KOTA KINABALU: An unemployed man told reporters, Friday. rushed to the scene. at

was arrested on suspicion of being He said the suspect was jobless and had <When the team arrived at the location Parliament.

involved in an armed gang-robbery at a
24-hour convenience store, here, recently.
The 47-year-old male was arrested in a
village in Papar at 8.30pm last Tuesday
with the loot, three machetes, two rifles
and ammunitions.
Penampang Police Chief Supt Sammy
two previous criminal records involving
drugs and brawling.
<Following the arrest, we seized 22
items, including two self-made rifles,
spent shells, a box containing air rifle bul-
lets and three machetes.
<Further questioning revealed they had
1km from the Mosar post, we found that
a 53-year-old male climber slipped and
fell, before the back of his waist got
smashed on hard ground, resulting in dif-
ficulty to walk down.
<The Mosar team, assisted by 15 Kina- Six ex-Bersatu MPs will
balu Parks staff, a mountain ranger, three

Newton said the arrest was made follow-
ing a report about a gang robbery at a
store off Jalan Penampang on June 16.
According to the complainant, two
men wearing motorcycle helmets and face
masks entered the convenience store.
One of them brandished a machete and
demanded the staff surrender the outlet9s
money.
<The suspects made off with
RM1,081.50 from the safe and a staff mem-
ber9s mobile phone worth an estimated
RM2,000.
<The men then escaped on a dark-
colour motorcycle with an indistinguish-
Cable theft, drug abuse: 4 held in Ranau
also robbed convenience stores in Tanjung
Aru, Luyang and Keningau.
<We are actively tracking the other sus-
pect, identified as 8Samsul,9 who is about
180cm tall,= he said, holding up a photofit
of the suspect.
Sammy said the suspect still at large is
a local and urged anyone with informa-
tion on his whereabouts to contact inves-
tigating officer Insp Norisyam Syed Putra
Arsad at 018-9618072.
The case is being investigated under
Section 395/397 of the Penal Code for
armed gang robbery and the Arms Act
1960.
Clarence Dol
RANAU: Four men suspected involved in
cable theft and drug abuse were arrested,
here, on Thursday.
Ranau District Police Chief DSP Simiun
Lomudin said some 100kg of cables
belonging to Telekom Malaysia (TM),
worth an estimated RM6,000, were
seized.
He said the suspects, equipped with
weapons such as sling shots, were
porters and four Sutera Sanctuary Lodge
(SSL) staff, provided initial treatment and
then took the victim down to Timpohon
Gate using a stretcher,= he said.
He added that the victim was safely
brought down to Timpohon Gate and
then handed over to the Ministry of
Health (KKM) ambulance staff for further
action.
It was the second case in July and the
20th this year.
Ridwan reiterated his advice to all
future climbers to take a serious assess-
ment of their health before climbing
Mount Kinabalu. 3 Clarence Dol
believed to be syabu weighing 6.12gm,= he
said.
Simiun said investigations showed the
male suspects, aged between 25 and 30,
were on their way to Tambunan to sell the
stolen cables.
<Two of the suspects are locals while
the other two hold red identity cards,= he
told a press conference at IPD Ranau,
here, Friday.
He said all four suspects tested positive
remain as Independents
KUALA LUMPUR: Six former Bersatu MPs
will continue serving as Independent rep-
resentatives after Dewan Rakyat Speaker
Tan Sri Johari Abdul decided that their
seats need not be vacated.
Labuan MP Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul
Rahman said according to Article 49A of
the Federal Constitution, they cannot join
any party.
<What we have been advocating for,
which led us to become Independent MPs,
is the provision for MPs to serve and assist
the people in our constituencies.
<The letter we submitted to the Speaker
last year clearly stated that we remain loyal
to Bersatu, the party we represented, but it
was not accepted by the party leadership,=
Suhaili, representing the other five MPs,
told a press conference in Parliament.
The other five MPs are Zahari Kechik
(Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang)
who is also Nenggiri Assemblyman, Datuk
Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala
Kangsar), Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi
(Tanjong Karang) and Datuk Syed Abu
Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gan-
tang).
Regarding the seating arrangement of
all six MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, Suhaili
said the matter will be decided by the
Speaker.
<If the opposition bloc does not want us
to sit in the current seats, the Speaker can
decide.
<At the moment, we are sitting in the
usual seats, despite receiving various let-
ters from the party. We are still in the same
seats, but maybe it9s a big deal for them
(the party),= he said.
On Wednesday, Bersatu President Tan
Sri Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed that the
party has received a notification letter
dated July 9 from the Dewan Rakyat
Speaker that there are no vacancies of par-
liamentary seats involving its six former
members who pledged support to Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
On June 20, Bersatu Chief Whip Datuk
Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said the party has
submitted notices to the Dewan Rakyat
Speaker9s Office on the status of its six MPs,
whose memberships have been revoked by
the party, in accordance with Article 49A
of the Federal Constitution.

Budget 2025 on Oct 18

believed to have been carrying out cable for methamphetamine and
theft activities in the district for the past amphetamine.
three months. <Three of the suspects have five to 11
<On July 11 at 3.30pm, an enforcement past records of various offences, while the PUTRAJAYA: Budget 2025, the third Finance Ministry level to ensure it is in
team inspected two Perodua Bezza other has no past criminal record,= he under the Unity Government, will be line with the document or Budget
vehicles at a roadblock at Km 4, Jalan added. tabled in Parliament on Oct 18, Commu- Madani 2025,= he told a post-Cabinet
Ranau-Tambunan. The case is being investigated under nications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said. meeting press conference, here, Friday.
<The rented cars were found carrying Section 39A(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Fahmi, who is also the spokesperson On Tuesday, at the Budget 2025
Simiun (second left) and his officers various types of cables, cable cutters and Act 1952 and Section 431A of the Penal for the Unity Government, said Prime engagement session, Anwar said Budget
showing some of the confiscated cables. equipment, and a bag containing what is Code. Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has Madani 2025 will continue to focus on
instructed all ministers to conduct Bud- the benchmarks set within the Madani
get Madani 2025 dialogue sessions with Economic framework, including
their respective ministries and stake- enabling Malaysia to become a leading
Bersatu strongly opposed proposal holders in the relevant sectors. economy in Southeast Asia.
<The Prime Minister9s aim is to gather Anwar, who is also Finance Minister,
From Page One feedback from the industry and stake- emphasised the urgent need for the Gov-
Anwar said PH had proposed that anyone expelled by their party should auto- holders regarding policies, incentives, ernment to explore methods to further
matically lose their seat, but Bersatu strongly opposed the proposal. programmes, implementation, con- boost efforts to raise the economic ceil-
<We reached a compromise, and it became the current law. So, if they want to straints and challenges. ing, such as restructuring the economy to
amend it, we can discuss it,= he said. <This feedback will be reviewed at the achieve greater national wealth.
On June 20, Bersatu submitted a notice to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari
Abdul, requesting that the six parliamentary seats represented by their MPs who Fire damages
pledged support for the Prime Minister be vacated. SPSB has invested close to RM1b
The notice was submitted based on the provisions of Article 49A(1)(a)(ii) of the Tambunan From Page One
Federal Constitution, which states that a MP shall cease to be a member of the Sabah Ports Authority (SPA) and SPSB have already identiûed several areas near KK
supermarket
Dewan Rakyat and their seat becomes vacant when they are no longer a member Port as potential staging areas. A close collaboration between SPA, SPSB, Ro-Ro operators
of a political party. and cargo clearance authorities is essential to ensure a coordinated approach among
However, Johari has decided that the six MPs need not vacate their seats TAMBUNAN: The GMART supermarket in all agencies involved.
although they have ceased to be members of Bersatu. Tambunan town suffered a 15 per cent SPSB also stated that the SBCP9s outer berth was speciûcally designed to handle con-
Johari said he had conducted studies and read all statements regarding Article damage due to fire (pic) from a freezer at tainer cargoes and the two berths mentioned are, in fact, inner berths that primarily
49 of the Federal Constitution before deciding on the matter. midnight on Thursday. The District Fire cater to smaller vessels.
On Friday, Universiti Malaya senior lecturer Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub was and Rescue Station received a call at <One of the inner berths has already been blocked for the SBCP expansion while the
reported as suggesting that Parliament review the anti-party hopping law to plug 12.03am and deployed a nine-member other berth remains operational.
loopholes in the legislation. team led by operation commander David <During incidences of vessel bunching (arrival of multiple vessels within a short
The six MPs at the centre of the controversy are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Wong to the scene with machinery. period of time), berth availability is further impacted, preventing the port from taking
Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Also present were police personnel. on more ships
Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulka- The firemen managed to extinguish the <Since taking over the port operations from SPA in 2004, SPSB has invested close to
rnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong fire using water from the machinery. RM1 billion to develop the ports, with many initiatives speciûcally targeted towards
Karang). No casualties were reported. 3 Johan Aziz upgrading the capability of SBCP to cater for future demands,= it said.
dailyexpress
Illegal tour operators
a worry also in Sukau
SUKAU: This biodiversity haven is not
spared from the menace of unlicensed
tour operators who bring tourists and
negotiate deals with boat owners, affect-
ing local entrepreneurs9 income.
<If problems arise, it impacts all local
operators. The authorities should address
this issue as these touts are unlicensed,=
said Mohamad Mal Noro, who has worked
in this field since he was 12.
Located 358km from Kota Kinabalu,
Sukau is one of the areas within the San-
dakan area and the Kinabatangan parlia-
mentary constituency. It covers
approximately 4,972 sq km.
It is a top destination for eco-tourists
seeking the <Borneo Big 5= 3 Pygmy Ele-
phant, Proboscis Monkey, Orangutan, Rhi-
noceros Hornbill and crocodile.
The natural beauty and wildlife make it
a preferred choice for both domestic and
international visitors.
Dutch tourist Tijemen De Lorm who has
returned to Sukau five times because of its
unique and abundant wildlife, said it is an
excellent place to spot wildlife.
<Making places like Danum and Tabin
more accessible with budget accommoda-
tion will make more people visit these
rainforests,= said Tijemen, a PhD candidate
in Oil Palm Plantation Biodiversity at
Imperial College London.
Her friend, Tim Arbeid, Tijemen, said
Sukau9s facilities, including transportation
and homestays meet tourists9 needs.
<However, the roads around Sukau are
poor, with many large potholes. Despite
Quake: Anxious
moment for
Tamparuli family
R. Gonzales
TUARAN: A family of five faced an anx-
ious moment when a strong earthquake
measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck
Mindanao in the Southern Philippines,
shaking their home at Kampung Bongol,
Tamparuli, Thursday.
The house where Rembini Suanti, 45,
and her family lived suffered numerous
cracks in the 10.20am incident, but fortu-
nately, none of them were injured.
At the time of the incident, Rembini
was farming with his child and rushed
into the house to check on three other
family members.
<At that time, the wind was very
strong, making it quite difficult for us to
confirm whether it was an earthquake or
not.
<As soon as the wind started to die
down, we felt the shaking, which gradu-
ally subsided and we breathed a sigh of
relief.
<Afterward, I went outside to inspect
the cracks on the walls of the house. Pre-
viously, it had only suffered minor cracks
from the 2018 earthquake, but now, there
are larger cracks and many new ones,=
Rembini said.
She also said the location of their
Loke’s shortness of breath
not related to heart attack
IPOH: The incident of Transport Minister,
Anthony Loke who had a shortness of
breath while replying oral questions at
Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday was not
related to a heart attack.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanis-
man Awang Sauni said the shortness of
breath was due to fitness problems faced
by the minister.
He said Loke was in a hurry to get to
Parliament because he was stuck in a traf-
fic jam earlier and by chance it was his
turn to answer oral questions as soon as he
arrived at Parliament.
<When he arrived at Parliament in a
hurry, he (Loke) immediately entered the
hall and there was shortness of breath
while answering oral questions.
<So, it is not related to a heart attack or
anything (other diseases), it is all about
the fitness of the individual. If you have
PM’s visit abroad generated
RM431bil potential investments
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim9s visits abroad have
generated potential investment amount-
ing to RM431.18 billion from 2023 until last
May.
Minister in the Prime Minister9s Depart-
ment (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha
Mustafa said that the amount was RM253.6
billion in 2023 and RM77.58 billion from
January to May this year.
She said Anwar made 31 official and
working visits to 19 countries from
November 2022 to May 2024, including
Saudi Arabia, Australia, Brunei, the United
Arab Emirates, the Philippines, Indonesia
A tourist taking pictures
of a pygmy elephant.
this, I would return as the Kinabatangan
area offers so much wildlife to discover. I
highly recommend this place,= Tim said.
Local tourist Adi Songping from Kota
Kinabalu praised Sukau9s forests and rivers
as its main attractions.
<I encourage nature lovers to explore
Sukau9s preserved treasures by hiking
through dense forests and boating along
the Kinabatangan River.
<Many homestays and resorts offer var-
ious packages and guides to enhance the
Cracks on the wall of Rembini’s house.
house, which is located on the hillside,
has become familiar with earthquakes.
<However, the house that is getting
more and more cracks and I9m worried
for the safety of my family, especially the
younger ones,= Rembini said.
Earlier, the Department of Meteorol-
ogy Malaysia issued a statement on
Thursday stating that the epicentre of the
earthquake at 10.13am was located 154km
southeast of Isabela City, Philippines at
coordinates 6.1 degrees North and 123.3
East with a depth of 632km.
been running, sometimes you can get out
of breath,= he said.
On Wednesday, there were anxious
moments in the Dewan Rakyat when Loke
was seen to be gasping for breath when he
started speaking and then asked to be
given some time to calm down.
Following that, the Deputy Speaker of
the Dewan Rakyat, Alice Lau Kiong Yieng
requested that the Deputy Minister of
Transport, Datuk Hasbi Habibollah to con-
tinue the session.
However, Loke resumed his duties by
answering supplementary questions
posed by Subang Member of Parliament
Wong Chen.
In the meantime, Lukanisman said all
Members of Parliament are encouraged to
undergo a mandatory health screening to
detect any disease as an early preventive
measure. 3 Bernama
and Japan. Additionally, Germany, Kaza-
khstan, Cambodia, Egypt, Laos, China, Sin-
gapore, Thailand, Turkiye, Uzbekistan,
Vietnam and Qatar.
<This includes attending conferences
and scheduled international meetings
also attended by world leaders,= she said.
The response was provided to Muham-
mad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan (PN-Per-
matang Pauh), who inquired about the
details of the Prime Minister9s official and
unofficial visits abroad from 2022 to the
present, as well as the amount of invest-
ments successfully brought into Malaysia
as a result of these visits.
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
tourist experience,= he said.
Yanti Awang, a homestay entrepreneur,
left her job to open Mother Forest B&B,
recognising Sukau9s potential to attract
tourists.
<Sukau9s preserved flora and fauna
make it a famous tourist destination. My
husband and I started our homestay in
2023 with six rooms.
<Initially, the pandemic recovery phase
affected tourist numbers, but now we
often have more visitors than available
rooms.
<Popular activities include river cruises
on the Kinabatangan River, wildlife spot-
ting, and exploring caves like Gua Goman-
tong,= Yanti said.
Yanti noted challenges such as price
competition among operators, weather
impacts on planned activities and unequal
distribution of aid from the Sabah
Tourism Board (STB).
<Unhealthy price competition and lack
of fair aid distribution from STB are major
issues. Homestay operators like us also
need support, as we pay annual fees to
STB,= she said.
Deputy Prime Minister II, Datuk Seri Dr.
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, earlier highlighted
government initiatives to support tourism
operators, including homestay training,
funding, and facility upgrades.
<We are working with the Ministry of
Tourism, Arts and Culture to provide train-
ing, funding, and supervision to improve
homestay facilities,= he said at the Sen-
tuhan Kasih Desa Program @Sukau event.
Business permits
to be cancelled if
rented to foreigners
KUALA LUMPUR: Business licences can be
cancelled if rented to foreign workers, vio-
lating the conditions stipulated under
local authority (PBT) regulations, accord-
ing to the Economy Ministry.
The ministry said foreigners are not
allowed to apply for or hold licences for
hawkers, small traders, business premises,
grocery stores, eateries, car workshops and
market stalls, under the trade, business
and industrial licensing bylaws.
<Despite existing regulations, weak-
nesses such as lenient punishments and
lack of enforcement have led to wide-
spread violations,= the ministry said.
The Economy Ministry is reviewing
measures to enact an Anti Rent-Seeking
Act to address the causes, issues and chal-
lenges of rent-seeking.
<The government is conducting a study
to prepare the framework for the Anti-
Rent-Seeking Act. This study aims to iden-
tify the specifics of rent-seeking and the
actions required to strengthen enforce-
ment,= the ministry added.
The proposed Anti-Rent-Seeking Act
addresses the lack of comprehensive and
effective legislation to curb rent-seeking.
Existing laws, such as the Anti-Corrup-
tion Commission Act 2009, Competition
Act 2010, Companies Act 2016, and various
by-laws, are deemed insufficient, it said.
The ministry9s statement was in
response to Datuk Ahmad Amzad
Mohamed @ Hashim (PN-Kuala Tereng-
ganu), who inquired about the govern-
ment9s specific approach to the Anti-Ali
Baba law, including actions against parties
renting business licences to foreign work-
ers without meeting the prescribed condi-
tions. 3 Bernama
Cabinet informed
about Raja’s
decree: Fahmi
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim Friday informed the Cabi-
net about the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed
Sirajuddin Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail9s
decree expressing disapproval of using the
name of the Conference of Rulers to sup-
port the Mufti (Federal Territory) Bill,
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil
said.
Fahmi, who is also the spokesperson for
the Unity Government, said that the Prime
Minister would look into the decree before
referring it to the Conference of Rulers
meeting next week.
<All of this (the decree and views) will
serve as guidelines for us to ensure that the
bill achieves its original purpose and
intent,= he said.
Fahmi was responding to a news portal
report that Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin had
decreed against using the name of the
Conference of Rulers to support the bill,
which was tabled for its first reading in the
Dewan Rakyat by Minister in the Prime
Minister9s Department (Religious Affairs),
Datuk Dr Mohd Na9im Mokhtar, on July 2.
The decree was reportedly made
through Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri
Zainul Abidin, who then posted it on Face-
book. 3Bernama
Sukau’s flora and fauna make it a famous tourist destination.
Kampung chicken investment
scam syndicate smashed
KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman Commercial
Crime Investigation Department director,
Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, dis-
closed that police toppled a kampung (free
range) chicken investment scam syndi-
cate, involving losses of over RM3.2 million
through raids across several states on June
26.
He said that the states covered were
Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka,
Terengganu, and Labuan, leading to the
arrests of 11 individuals aged between 38
and 56, including the organisation9s
founders, directors, and volunteers.
<Initial investigations revealed that the
scam syndicate, operating under the guise
of Pertubuhan Amal Kita Kinta, Perak, had
been active since early last year, promising
returns of either one kampung chicken or
RM13 per month for every RM250 invested.
<Investors deposited funds into the
organisation9s bank account. However,
from September 2023 onwards, they
stopped receiving the promised returns. A
total of 85 police reports on the case were
received nationwide,= he said at a press
conference here Friday.
Police seized 13 luxury vehicles, 13 gold
chains, two gold rings, 20 smartphones, 17
laptops, eight checkbooks, 37 bank cards,
2,143 sheep, and numerous documents
suspected to be related to the scam.
They also froze the organisation9s 34
bank and unit trust accounts, totaling
RM6.5 million, under the Anti-Money
Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing,
and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act
2001, he said, adding that the case is being
investigated under Section 420 of the
Refining regulations related to
ban on sale of smoking products
PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH)
is refining regulations related to the ban
on the sale of all smoking products,
including through vending machines.
The ministry said that the regulations
are related to sales, where the ban on the
sale of smoking products will be enforced
together with the Control of Smoking
Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act
852), once approved.
<The MOH takes a serious view of com-
plaints regarding the sale of electronic cig-
arettes or vape through vending machines
as seen on the X application that went viral
on Wednesday (July 10).
<The ban on the sale of e-cigarettes
through vending machines is also a con-
tinuation of the ban on the sale of tobacco
products like cigarettes, cigars and loose
tobacco through vending machines under
the existing regulations, namely Regula-
tion 10 of the Control of Tobacco Product
Regulations (PPKHT) 2004 under the Food
Fertility rate continues on
a downward trend: Dept
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia9s fertility landscape
has undergone signiûcant changes with a
decline of 4.9 children in 1970 to 1.6 chil-
dren in 2022, below the replacement level
since 2013, according to the Department of
Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
DOSM said the transition is closely
related to delayed marriages, where a
woman chooses to plan a family at an
older age due to education or career fac-
tors.
<The average age of marriage has also
increased signiûcantly, from 24.7 years
(1990) to 28.9 in 2022, affecting fertility
levels,= said DOSM.
<If the fertility rate continues on a
downtrend, the size of a Malaysian family
will also shrink in future, and based on the
ûndings of the Malaysian Census 2020, the
average household size in Malaysia will
decline from 5.5 people in 1970 to 3.9 peo-
ple in 2020, which will result in a popula-
tion reduction of Malaysians.=
The statement was released in conjunc-
tion with World Population Day, aimed at
raising awareness of the importance of
population issues in the world, and cele-
brated on July 11 since 1989.
The theme of this year9s World Popula-
tion Day is 89Embracing the Power of Inclu-
sive Data Towards a Sustainable and
Equitable Future for All9. It is aimed at
using data and information as the main
source for the implementation of any ini-
tiative for various levels of society.
Regarding global demographics, DOSM
Local 3
Penal Code.
On a separate note, Ramli advised the
public to exercise caution when making
donations, especially if it involved unreg-
istered individuals or organisations.
He said the public9s tendency to sympa-
thise and offer help to individuals facing
adversity creates opportunities for
unscrupulous individuals to exploit these
sentiments for financial gain under the
guise of charity.
<The public must ensure that their
donations are made only to registered
organizations that undergo audit
processes. They also need to know how the
donations are used.
<Bank accounts of organisations col-
lecting donations must also undergo
audits to ensure that the funds received
are directed to the intended parties,= he
emphasised.
He was commenting on the recent
arrests related to the misappropriation of
donations.
On Thursday, a social media influencer
couple was remanded for four days to
assist in an investigation into the alleged
misappropriation of donations.
A source from the Malaysian Anti-Cor-
ruption Commission disclosed that the
couple is suspected of misappropriating
public donations estimated at RM3 mil-
lion, since 2020.
In another instance, police arrested a
man on July 9 at his residence in Wangsa
Maju, for allegedly being involved in a
fraud case related to the collection of
donations since last year, resulting in
losses exceeding RM140,000.
Act 1983 (Act 281),= it said in a statement.
The statement added that since the
issue of the sale of vapes through vending
machines went viral, the ministry had met
the management of the shopping centre
involved to explain the ban on sales via
vending machines. <The MOH also recom-
mended that the management shut down
the vending machine immediately as their
social responsibility and they agreed to it,=
it said.
The statement said that, in preparation
for the enforcement of the Act along with
its regulations and orders, the MOH has
held a series of briefings on the enforce-
ment of Act 852 for all enforcement offi-
cers from the MOH and the local
authorities nationwide since June 9.
<This is to inform them about the pro-
hibitions under Act 852 and the regula-
tions under it, including the ban on the
sale of smoking products through vending
machines,= it said. 3 Bernama
said the world population has increased
from one billion in 1800 to 8.1 billion in
2024.
<Although global population continues
to grow, its growth has slowed since 1950
due to declining fertility rates,= said
DOSM.
<The total fertility rate (TFR) at the
world level recorded 2.3 children, whereas
Malaysia9s TFR recorded 1.6 children in
2022.= Malaysia also experienced a decline
in the crude birth rate (CBR) since 1958
that is 43.3 births to 12.9 births in 2022 for
each 1,000 population.
Meanwhile, in 2022, Terengganu
recorded the highest CBR, with 21.3 births,
while Kuala Lumpur recorded the lowest
CBR, with 10.1 births.
At the district level, the highest CBR was
recorded in Song, Sarawak and Kuala
Terengganu, Terengganu, with 24.3 births
while the Kinabatangan in Sabah recorded
the lowest rate at 4.6 births.
With regard to the aspect of increasing
life expectancy, DOSM said that a baby
born in 2023 on average is expected to live
up to 74.8 years, with males and females
born in that year respectively expected to
live up to an average age of 72.5 and 77.4
years compared to 61.6 and 65.6 years in
1970.
The highest life expectancy at birth for
men and women by state for the year 2023
was recorded in Selangor (78.1 years) while
Terengganu recorded the lowest life
expectancy at birth at 71.2 years.
 4 Local
YB wants status for ‘oldest Likas village’
By Hayati Dzulkifli
KG LIKAS LAMA, the old-
est village in Likas, needs
proper status to ensure
the villagers of several
generations can continue
their lives without worry-
ing their houses might be
demolished by relevant authorities.
Darau assemblyman Azhar bin Datuk
Matussin (Warisan) said currently the Kg
Likas Lama, which has been inhabited for
over 100 years since in the 1920s, had been
gazetted as a sewage reserve.
He said Kg Likas Lama is the original
village of Kg Likas known as <Ta9dia=
which means <Below= in the Bajau Sama
language.
<The village is located about 50 metre
from Masjid Jamek in Kg Likas and the
irony is even though it has not been
gazetted as a village, facilities such as
water and electricity supplies have been
provided to the villagers, legally for a long
time.
<But what worries me is that Kg Likas
Lama might be listed as one of 285 squat-
ter colonies in Sabah recently identified
by the State Government through its com-
459 homestays across Sabah
Jonathan Nicholas
KOTA KINABLAU: There
are 459 homestay partici-
pants across 17 districts in
Sabah which operate as a
part of 37 clusters.
State Assistant
Tourism, Culture and
Environment Minister
Datuk Joniston Bangkuai (pic) said they
always established continuous engage-
ment with registered homestay operators.
<The Ministry always worked closely
with the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts
and Culture Malaysia (Motac) which is the
coordinator of the Homestay programme
in Malaysia,= he said.
Various courses had been offered by
Motac to improve the skills of homestay
entrepreneurs such as digital marketing,
basic language, Malaysia-friendly and
courses about the sustainability of nature
and others, he said.
<Motac also holds annual meetings
with the homestay cluster coordinators to
get feedback as well as about problems
faced including current issues regarding
scammers and fraud.
<To prevent such cases from occurring
widely, Motac has developed a website, the
Malaysian Homestay Programme, contain-
ing the list of homestay operators as a
guide for users and tourists,= said Joniston
when replying to Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob
(PGRS-Sindumin) who asked about the
coordination of infrastructure allocations
for those interested in setting up homes-
tays.
Joniston agreed with Dr Yusof9s sugges-
tion, saying the trend among tourists now
is <back to nature=.
<The Ministry has asked districts to
activate each tourist9s action council to see
potential that can be worked on.
<We will form a joint committee with
the Rural Development Ministry (KPLB)
Kuching-based
agency features
Kayan ‘Parap’,
among others
KUCHING: Kuching-based creative agency,
The Culture Capital, has recently launched
a 16-episode docuseries that features a
Kayan Parap & Takna practitioner from
Sarawak, Adrian Jo Milang, among other
global cultures.
8Indigenous Exchange9 is the com-
pany9s first social documentary series that
dives into five different tribes across Niue,
Cook Islands, Borneo, Samoa, and Maori,
uncovering stories, histories, ancestries,
languages, and cultural values and prac-
tices.
It can be viewed across various digital
and social media platforms, including
YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok.
Episodes one through five are currently
available on these platforms, while
episode six will launch in August.
The Culture Capital Chief Executive
Officer Azuar said the docuseries high-
lights these regions9 essence through vari-
ous themes.
He said the films could empower com-
munities and ensure that the ancient wis-
dom of ancestors continues to guide
future generations.
According to a news report by TVS on
Wednesday (July 10), The Culture Capital
executive creative director Koh Poh Leong
said the program aims to celebrate and
preserve indigenous communities9 unique
heritage, ensuring their stories and tradi-
tions are shared with the world.
With guidance from cultural authori-
ties, he believed that local cultural insights
would accurately empower and add value
to the local communities and not be mis-
represented. -DayakDaily
mittee addressing Squatter Colonies.
<That is why I am requesting the State
Government to take quick action to give
proper status as a village to Kg Likas Lama
so that the many houses in the village
area are not included in the list of
colonies to be demolished,= he said when
debating the Supplementary Supply Bill
2024 at the recent State Legislative Assem-
bly sitting.
According to him, he had requested the
cancellation of the sewage reserve gazette
through a letter to the Chief Minister on
June 22, 2020 and he extended the letter to
the Director of the Lands and Surveys
Department on the next day on June 23,
2020 for appropriate action to be taken.
On the floods on June 30, he said it was
the worst in 30 years in Darau con-
stituency which affected 700 families in
several villages such as Kg Rampayan Laut,
Kg Tobur Rampayan, Kg Seradan and Kg
Dambai.
He said the flood was not the common
flood that the villagers used to face before.
<Every time it rains heavily, there is
always flood happening in my con-
stituency, Darau.
<But the recent flood was very unusual
and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery
and Food Industry to look at the needs.
<If upgrading works involve the scope
of the KPLB for example, then we will see
how we can cooperate.
<There is also agrotourism, like you
said. Therefore, there should be a synergy
between these ministries so that we can
find ways forward.
<Motac is now in talks with the Chief
Minister and surely these matters will be
brought up. It9s also important for the Fed-
eral and State tourism ministries to be
working very closely,= he said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar
(Umno-Lamag) asked if the State Govern-
ment plans to reorganise the homestay
operators in Kundasang.
<If a family only has three rooms, of
course they no longer belong to those who
are under poverty. So, how will the govern-
ment benefit from these homestays
throughout Sabah?
<Sabah is known worldwide for its
beauty but its homestay organisation is
not up to the standard.
<What are the efforts to reorganise
Kundasang so that it continues to attract
tourists from all over the country?= he
asked.
Joniston replied that the Ministry has
constant engagements with the Tourism
Action Council, Sabah Homestay Associa-
tion and Sabah Rural Tourism Association
to find ways to upgrade where the Ministry
could get Motac9s involvement.
Five drug hotspots identified in Kuching
KUCHING: Samariang, Rampangi,
Bintawa, Tabuan and the surrounding
area of Jalan Datuk Ajibah Abol have
been identified as hotspots for drug
activities in Kuching.
Kuching District Police Chief ACP
Ahsmon Bajah disclosed that from Jan-
uary to June this year, a total of 1,182
individuals were arrested for involve-
ment in various criminal activities
including
drug distribution and abuse in
Kuching District alone.
The police also seized various drugs
weighing over three kilogrammes,
including 1,661 Eramin pills and 708
psychotropic pills, with an estimated
value of RM370,054.70.
<The Kuching District Police head-
quarters (IPD
Kuching) is among the districts
with highest number of arrests and
charges.
<Of these, a total of 1,146 investiga-
tion papers have been initiated with
952 cases, or 83 per cent, involving 963
arrests were charged,= he said in a
press conference at IPD Kuching on
Too many lottery firms in M’sia: Sng
KUCHING: Julau MP
Datuk Larry Sng (pic)
urged the government to
consolidate all the lottery
companies in Malaysia
into just one or at most
two.
He said it has been his
long-term opinion that there are too
many lottery companies in the country.
<These companies have made billions
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
as it affected 700 household heads (KIR)
who incurred losses in terms of property
damage, loss of personal belongings and
cleaning expenses after the floodwater
subsided.
<For this reason, I would like to remind
the State Government to take extraordi-
nary action to resolve the problem. If the
Government still takes an indifferent atti-
tude, then the result will remain the
same,= he said.
Azhar said the Government needs to
take drastic action of addressing the prob-
lems arising from the drainage system in
the villages involved.
Secondly, he said there is need to build
a larger bridge in Jalan Sulaman, Kg Ram-
payan immediately, and thirdly, he pro-
posed that the Sungai Rampayan be
widen and deepened after the Kg Ram-
payan bridge.
<If these three proposed measures are
not implemented, the flood mitigation of
Sungai Rampayan, under construction,
will not achieve its real objective,= he said.
Azhar urged the Government to
include the 700 KIR flood victims in Darau
to be given the RM1,000 monetary aid
that was also announced for Penampang
Limus (centre) together with Public Works Minister Datuk Ir. Shahelmey Yahya (right)
and Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Hendrus Anding.
Attending to Penampang sewerage woes
THE State Government through the Sabah
Department of Irrigation and Drainage
(JPPS) is committed to dealing with sewer-
age issues in Penampang district.
Assistant Minister of Public Works,
Datuk Limus Jury said JPPS carries out oper-
ations and maintenance of sewerage assets
regularly and upon receiving complaints.
<For sewerage assets that have been
identified as critical where there are
repeated complaints that require routine
operation and maintenance work, JPPS will
plan and enter into a three-year operation
and maintenance contract as well as an
annual one.
<Additionally, there are also sewerage
assets identified as critical included in the
scope of work under the Local Authority
Sewerage Scheme (PBT) programme in
2024.
<There are a total of 23 projects where
the main purpose of this programme is to
upgrade and repair existing assets owned
by the PBT that have been taken over by JPPS
since 2015,= he said.
According to Limus, RM10,931,085 had
June 10.
Ahsmon stressed that police analy-
sis has found that 85 per cent of sus-
pects arrested in various criminal
activities, including home break-ins,
theft of cables and vehicles, and bur-
glary, possessed past criminal records
related to drug abuse.
He revealed that home break-in
and theft cases in Kuching district have
surged by 119.61 per cent, with a total
of 112 cases reported in the past six
months of this year, resulting in a loss
of about RM345,435.
<Cases have increased by 61 com-
pared to 51 cases in the same period
last year.
<From January to June of 2024, a
total of 32 individuals have been
arrested throughout the operations
conducted in the hotspot areas of Jalan
over the years from the sweat and blood
of poor Malaysians.
<The government needs to address
this problem,= he said in a statement yes-
terday (July 11).
Meanwhile, Sng applauded Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim9s
move to eradicate illegal gambling and
prostitution in Malaysia while hoping
that the Ministry of Home Affairs would
follow through with this matter.
flood victims by the State Government on
July 1.
He reiterated his call to the Govern-
ment to carry out dredging works to
deepen shallow area of Sungai Likas river
mouth starting from the Fisheries Depart-
ment in Kg Likas right up to an area near
a helipad at Menara Kinabalu building.
He said such work is vital to facilitate
more than 100 full-time fishermen from
Kg- Bangka-Bangka, Kg likas, Kg. Ram-
payan, Kg Kalansanan and Kg Darau to go
out fishing.
<Over the past few years, Sungai Likas
river mouth has become shallow up to the
level of three-feet which makes it difficult
for fishermen boats to pass through.
<It was found by the fishermen, that
one of the causes the river become shal-
low is because the riverbed is filled with
plastic waste, waste products and thickr
mud.
<During low-tide the fishermen could
not return home due to the shallow paths
and they have to drag their boats between
one to two kilometres to go to a jetty.
Some have to sleep in their boats and
endure various security threats,= Azhar
said.
been allocated by the State Government in
2024 for the Local Authority Sewerage
Scheme programme.
In terms of maintenance allocation, JPPS
is allocated as much as RM42,644,554 in
2024.
He was answering a question posed by
Jannie Lasimbang (DAP-Kapayan) regard-
ing immediate action in dealing with
increasingly serious sewerage issues and the
addition of JPPS staff.
In relation to Penampang JPPS staff,
Limus said they are aware of the increase in
the number of complaints received this year
compared to last year in addition to receiv-
ing additional assets from PBT for Penam-
pang.
<Proactive measures by improving the
organisation at JPPS Penampang have been
taken in addition to replacing J29 District
Sewerage Work Officers J41 District Engi-
neer.
<This is to enable the Penampang JPPS to
function more effectively and deal with
complaints quickly,= he said at the State Leg-
islative Assembly on Thursday.
Sultan Tengah, Demak Laut, MetroCity
and Semerah Padi. Of these, 14 cases
have been charged and 37 cases have
been completed. The total value of
seizures amounted to RM32,152,= he
said.
Ahsmon highlighted the need for
public support and cooperation to
halt the supply and flow of drugs into
the community in order to curb drug
activities in Kuching and Sarawak
overall.
<We have deployed various strate-
gies in efforts to curb narcotic criminal
activities in Kuching. The police have
also launched operations targeting
repeat drug offenders with 28 suspects
charged,= he said, warning that repeat
offenders face imprisonment of
between seven to 13 years if convicted.
Ahsmon urged the public to come
forward and cooperate with the police
if they have information on any crimi-
nal activities, including scams.
Information may be channeled to
the IPD Kuching Control Centre at 082-
244444 or the nearest police stations.
4 DayakDaily
Sng said Sarawak has a big problem
when it comes to online gambling, and it
affects the people negatively.
<Everyone knows about this, includ-
ing the politicians, but no one dares to
speak up because the gangsters are
involved.
<Keeping silent in the long run will
wreak the State. Hopefully, something
needs to be done immediately,= he added.
4 DayakDaily
dailyexpress
RM6.2m Tenom
library in progress
TENOM9s new RM6.27 million state library is
under construction and expected to open in
December.
The two-storey building would provide
internet, audio-visual services, book borrow-
ing besides being a point of information.
State Science, Technology and Innova-
tion Minister Datuk Dr
Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif said when replying
Datuk Raime Unggi (Umno-Nominated
Assemblyman) at the State Legislative
Assembly on Thursday.
Arifin said the project was approved
under the 12th Malaysia Plan and offered to
Sejiwa Construction Company.
<In addition, this new building will also
be equipped with a multipurpose hall and
meeting rooms which can be rented out to
users.
<This project is regulated by the Sabah
Public Works Department and construction
progress as of June 2024 was 30.52 per cent,=
he said.
Datuk Jonnybone J. Kurum (PBS-Telupid)
asked about the Satellite Campus approved
two years ago.
Arifin said the Human Resources Devel-
opment Department (JPSM) had submitted
an official application to the Sandakan
Lands and Surveys Department to acquire
land.
He said a satellite campus is a campus
located far from the main campus or simply,
a branch.
<This campus aims to provide formal
educational opportunities to communities
that may face logistical and access chal-
lenges.
<With its existence, more individuals in
remote areas can obtain an education equiv-
alent to that offered on campus,= said Arifin
who is State Education Exco.
He said Sandakan Lands and Surveys is
currently taking prompt action to ensure the
application process runs smoothly and effi-
ciently. - Jonathan Nicholas
The Wildlife personnel fired a shot
at the crocodile near a house in
Kampung Sabah Baru.
Croc shot
dead in LD
Azmie Lim
LAHAD DATU: The Wildlife Department
shot dead a female crocodile following an
integrated operation carried out in Kam-
pung Sabah Baru, here, on Thursday.
Lahad Datu Wildlife Officer, Silvester
Saimin, said the operation was launched in
an effort to annihilate crocodiles that
accompanied by the Wildlife Department,
Police and Civil Defence Force.
The operation covered some areas,
including Palm Oil Industrial Cluster (Poic),
Kampung Dasar Baru, Kampung Desa
Bajau, Kampung Sabah Baru, Kampung
Tabanak and Kampung Terusan.
<In operation, the team spotted a croc-
odile near a house in Kampung Sabah Baru.
<A shot was fired towards the crocodile.
The carcass was later brought to the Lahad
Datu Wildlife Department for further
action,= he said.
The female crocodile is about 8.2 feet
long, while the operation will continue
from time to time.
Online forex scam:
18 suspects nabbed
KUALA LUMPUR: Eighteen individuals,
including a foreign woman, have been
arrested on suspicion of being involved in
online forex fraud targeting victims from
South Korea and the United States.
Wangsa Maju District Police hief ACP
Mohamad Lazim Ismail said the
suspects, comprising 16 local men, one local
woman and a foreign woman, were arrested
at two condominium units on Jalan Ampang
at 6 pm on Wednesday.
He said police also seized 62 types of
equipment, including 18 computers and 43
mobile phones, during the raid.
<The modus operandi (of this syndicate)
was getting people to invest in non-existent
forex investment schemes, targeting South
Korean and US citizens.
<They would invite investors to invest
using the 8Poly X9 platform, promising a
return of 1.5 per cent profit. However, it is
believed that after investing, they did
not receive the promised returns,= he said in
a statement Friday.
He said the suspects were believed to have
been carrying out their activities for the past
three months and received a payment of
RM3,000 per month.
<The suspects were remanded for one day
(July 12). The value of the profits obtained and
the ownership of the premises are still under
police investigation,= he said, adding that the
case is being investigated under Section 420
of the Penal Code for fraud. - Bernama
dailyexpress
Politician’s
review bid on
molest rejected
Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU: The
High Court here
rejected an applica-
tion by a politician to
review the order for
him to enter his
defence on a charge of
molesting a woman
three years ago.
Judge Datuk Zaleha
Rose Pandin dismissed Phillip Among9s
(pic) application after hearing both par-
ties9 submissions.
Philip had applied to review the deci-
sion by the Magistrate9s Court to order him
to enter his defence.
In October 2023, the Magistrate9s Court
had ordered Philip to enter his defence
after the court ruled that the prosecution
had established a prima facie case against
him.
Phillip is accused of committing the
offence against the woman at 11pm on
April 17, 2021 in the living room of Jessel-
ton Capsule Inn in Asia City.
On June 10, 2021, Phillip claimed trial to
the charge under Section 354 of the Penal
Code which provides for a jail term of up
to 10 years, or with a fine or with whipping
or with any two of such punishments, on
Cook charged with raping girl
Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU: A 35-year-old cook was
charged with raping a girl and inserting
his finger into her private part.
Arronny Janius pleaded not guilty
before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus
to the two charges against him.
On the first count, Arrony is accused of
raping the 18-year-old girl between 2am
and 6am on May 12 inside a car parked
near the TT Bar in Kepayan Point, Penam-
pang.
The offence under Section 376(1) of the
Penal Code carries a jail term of up to 20
years, and whipping, on conviction.
CEO fined RM15,000 for power abuse
MELAKA: A former chief executive officer
of a government-linked subsidiary in
Melaka was fined RM15,000 by the Ayer
Keroh Sessions Court here today after
pleading guilty to abuse of power
for appointing his daughter to the com-
pany in 2021.
Amir Ali, 58, was slapped with an alter-
native charge, namely, on his own behalf,
making arrangements concerning the
total salary payment of RM13,750 received
by his daughter, whom he had appointed
to the position of Financial Officer W41 at
Melaka Halal Hub Sdn Bhd.
He committed the offence at Melaka
Halal Hub, Lot 125, Bangunan Anchor,
Melaka Halal Hub Industrial Area, Serkam,
Jasin on April 1, 2021.
Amir was charged under Section 23 of
the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commis-
sion Act 2009 and sentenced under Sec-
tion 26 of the same act, which provides for
a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or a maxi-
mum imprisonment of seven years or
both.
His lawyer, Azrul Zulkifli Stork,
requested the court to impose a minimum
fine, saying Amir has to support a large
family.
However, deputy public prosecutor
Mohamad Azriff Firdaus Mohamad Ali
asked for a punishment commensurate
with the offence.
Judge Elesabet Paya Wan ordered Amir
to serve six months in jail if he could not
pay the fine.
Actor’s ex-wife withdraws police report
KUALA KUBU BHARU: The Magistrate9s
Court here was told Friday that the ex-wife
of actor Hafidz Roshdi, Nurul Shuhada
Mat Shukri, has withdrawn the police
report filed against him.
Lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader,
representing Hafidz, whose full name is
Muhammad Hafidz Roshdi, 30, said when
contacted that Nurul Shuhada had with-
drawn the police report on July 6.
Following the withdrawal, he informed
that Judge Siti Fatimah Talib, acting as the
magistrate, has set a new mention date for
Aug 2 for the prosecution to determine
whether the case will proceed or not.
On March 13, 2023, Hafidz pleaded not
guilty to the charge of voluntarily causing
hurt to Nurul Shuhada by punching her
left cheek three times, resulting in cuts,
bruises, and swelling.
The drama actor was alleged to have
committed the offence near the Sungai
Buaya Toll Plaza exit at 3.22 am on March
2 last year.
The charge, framed under Section 323
of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail
term of one year, or with a fine of up to
conviction.
After the High Court9s decision, Philip9s
case was mention at the Magistrate9s Court
to fix the date for his defence which mag-
istrate Lovely Natasha Charles set for Aug
28-29.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Hajar
Mazlan conducted the prosecution while
Philip was represented by counsel Abdul
Fikry Jaafar Abdullah.
Phillip, who was the technical head for
the 2021 Unduk Ngadau competition, is
also ordered to enter his defence on
another four charges of molesting a State
Unduk Ngadau contestant but the cases
are also awaiting for revision against the
decision.
He was a Parliamentary Coordinator for
Sabah Star9s Putatan Division but was sus-
pended from his position after two police
reports were lodged against him for sexual
assault.
On the second count, he allegedly com-
mitted sexual intercourse against the same
girl by inserting two fingers into the girl9s
private part on the same day inside the
same vehicle parked in Taman Awam Teluk
Likas, here.
The offence under Section 377CA of the
Penal Code provides for a jail term of
between five and 30 years, and whipping,
on conviction.
The court set Aug 7 for mention and no
bail was offered to Arrony pending the dis-
posal of his case. Deputy Public Prosecutor
Siti Hajar Mazlan appeared for the prose-
cution while Arrony was not represented.
Meanwhile, in MELAKA, a shop assis-
tant pleaded not guilty in the Ayer Keroh
Magistrate9s Court here to charges of driv-
ing under the influence of alcohol, which
resulted in the deaths of two women last
year.
Yong Sang Kein, 37, made the plea after
the charges were read to him by an inter-
preter before Magistrate Khairunnisak
Hassni.
Yong is accused of driving a car on Jalan
Pulau Gadong in the Melaka Tengah dis-
trict on July 17, 2023, around 8.30 am while
under the influence of alcohol and being
involved in an accident with a motorcycle,
resulting in the deaths of Iman Nur Azrin
Noriman, 18, and Nurul Rahimah Abdull
Samad, 32.
The charge is framed under Section 44
(1) of the Road Transport Act (Amend-
ment) 2020, which carries a penalty of not
less than 10 years and not more than 15
years in jail, a fine between RM50,000 and
RM100,000, and a 10-year disqualification
from holding a driving licence upon con-
viction.
The court allowed the accused a bail of
RM5,000 in one surety and ordered the
accused9s Class D licence to be suspended
until the disposal of the case and set
Aug 19 for remention and submission of
documents.
Deputy public prosecutor Fikri Hakim
Zamri appeared for the prosecution while
the accused was represented by lawyer Siti
Nur Alia Safri. 3 Bernama
Hafidz with his new wife Athira
at the court yesterday.
RM2,000, or both. The charge was read
together with Section 326A of the same
Code, which carries imprisonment for a
term which may extend to twice the maxi-
mum term on conviction under Section
323.
On July 27 last year, the Shah Alam
Lower Syariah Court decided that
Hafidz and Nurul Shuhada were divorced
with a single talak. 3 Bernama
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
Local 5
Extradition
Act: Court
allows apeal
by Ministry
and 4 others
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has
allowed an appeal by the Ministry of Home
Affairs and four others to reinstate two
provisions in the Extradition Act 1992 pre-
viously struck down by the High Court.
This ruling overturned the High Court9s
decision last year which ruled in favour
of businessmen Ling Yang Ching and
Wong Ong Hua9s suit regarding the validity
of certain provisions in the Extradition Act
1992.
A three-judge panel of the Appeals
Yuseri being led to court yesterday.
Court, led by Justice Datuk Azizah Nawawi,
ruled that the two sections are valid and do
not contravene the provision of judicial
power under Article 121 (1) of the Federal
Constitution as well as Articles 4, 5, 8 and 9
Baby Syifaa’s dad denies
concerning fundamental liberties.
In allowing the appeal by the public
prosecutor, the Minister of Home Affairs,
misappropriating RM67,000
the Ministry of Home Affairs and the
KUALA LUMPUR: The father of Nour Rania stable income.
Malaysian government, Justice Azizah said Asyifaa, also known as 8Baby Syifaa9, Magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan set bail
extradition proceedings were not
pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate9s at RM6,000 with one surety and sched-
intended to determine the guilt of a person Court here Friday to a charge of misappro- uled Aug 26 for case mention.
but the sufficiency of evidence for extradi-
priating RM67,000 belonging to a woman, On July 10, Bernama reported that
tion purposes. last year. police detained the man to assist in inves-
Justice Azizah, who sat with judges
Yuseri Yusoff, 41, was charged with mis- tigations related to a fraud case involving
Datuk See Mee Chun and Mohamed Zaini appropriating the money, which legal fees and fund collection since last
Mazlan, said extradition proceedings are
belonged to Nurul Ain Awatiff, at a prem- year, resulting in losses of RM140,000, fol-
committal proceedings and are not trials, ises in Wangsa Maju between July 20 lowing reports lodged by several individ-
adding that there is no issue of the Home
and Oct 12, 2023. uals claiming to be victims.
Minister interfering with the exercise of He was charged under Section 403 of On Feb 23, 2022, the media reported
judicial power of the Sessions Court.
the Penal Code, which carries up to five that Baby Syifaa, who was 15 months old at
Justice Azizah said: <We find the High
years imprisonment, caning, and a fine the time, was found unconscious after her
Court (judge) has erred in law in his deci-
upon conviction. neck was entangled in a cloth cradle at a
sion, warranting appellate intervention.
Deputy public prosecutor Hamizah daycare centre in Bandar Seri Sendayan,
She set aside the decision of the High
Hisan proposed bail at RM15,000 with one Negeri Sembilan. Following the incident,
Court.
In 2021, businessmen Ling and Wong,
sought by the US Department of Justice for
surety, while Yuseri9s lawyer T. Gaithri
appealed for a lower sum, on the basis that
many people donated to the baby9s family
to support them in hiring the best lawyer
her client supports his family and has no to defend her case. 3 Bernama
their alleged involvement in a major hack-
ing syndicate, filed a lawsuit asking the
High Court to determine several constitu-
tional questions on the validity of the
extradition law.
Filipino jailed 10 months
In January last year, High Court judge
Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh struck
down Sections 4 and 20 of the Act after rul-
for assaulting supervisor
ing the provisions contravened Article
Jo Ann Mool The complainant then went to see his
121(1) of the Federal Constitution and the
KOTA KINABALU: A Filipino factory employer before being advised to seek
fundamental liberties of the businessmen.
worker was jailed 10 months jail on Friday medical treatment while Arjun had fled.
Section 4 deals with the home minister9s
for assaulting his supervisor, last week. The complainant did not know the rea-
power to direct the extradition of a suspect
Arjun Damli Julhasad, 38, pleaded son why Arjun had acted in such a manner
to face criminal charges in a requesting
guilty before Magistrate Stephanie Sher- as they had never had any previous dis-
country. Section 20 states the court must
ron Abbie to voluntarily causing hurt to agreements.
commit the suspect to detention, pending
Md Niezam Firdaus Saidin, 22, on July 3, at As a result of the incident, the com-
the minister9s order to surrender him.
the Cement Industries (Sabah) Sdn Bhd in plainant sustained injuries, including lac-
The US government wants them to face
charges in the District of Columbia for Sepanggar. erations on his head for which he received
The prosecution said while the com- three stitches as well as bruises and
allegedly running a global hacking opera-
plainant was on duty, Arjun intentionally scratches on the face.
tion to steal identities, video game technol-
stepped on his supervisor9s foot without Arjun was subsequently arrested fol-
ogy and plant ransomware, as well as to
apologising. lowing a police report.
spy on Hong Kong activists.
They were produced before a Sessions The complainant reprimanded Arjun He was charged under Section 323 of
the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to
Court for the government to secure extra- for his action and he retaliated by punch-
one year or fine or up to RM2,000 or both,
dition orders. ing Md Niezam9s face which subsequently
on conviction.
In their application to the High Court, sparked into a fight.
The court ordered Arjun to serve the
they alleged that both provisions of the During the scuffle, Arjun grabbed an
sentence from the date of his arrest and to
Extradition Act violated the articles in the iron rod and struck the complainant on
be referred to the Immigration Depart-
constitution that touch on fundamental the head before the scuffle was broken up
ment thereafter.
liberties and judicial power. by other workers.
Senior federal counsels Shamsul Bolhas-
san and Liew Horng Bin appeared for the
public prosecutor, the Minister of Home
Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs and
Molest: RTD man freed
the Malaysian government while lawyer
KOTA KINABALU: A government servant fined RM25 or a day9s jail for behaving in a
Tey Jun Ren acted for the businessmen.
was freed from the charge of molesting a threatening manner towards a man.
woman by the Magistrate9s Court, Friday. Hubert Charles admitted before Magis-
Two friends Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles dis-
charged and acquitted Christopher Chiu,
trate Stephanie to committing the offence
towards Surezza Ng, 63, with the intention
charged with 51, without his defence being called, ruling
that the prosecution had failed to estab-
of disturbing the peace on June 24, at 6pm,
Bukit Bantayan Residence.
lish a prima facie case. The charge under Section 8(1)(e) of the
trafficking Chiu allegedly caressed the woman9s Minor Offences Ordinance provides for a
breasts at 10.20am on March 29 at the RM25 fine, on conviction.
underage girls Automation Engineering Division of the The facts of the case presented by the
Road Transport Department at Jalan Bun- prosecution stated that on the said day,
KANGAR: Two friends, including an dusan, Penampang. the complainant was at the car park when
underage girl, pleaded not guilty in the He had on Dec 1, 2023, claimed trial to Hubert approached him with a stick,
Sessions Court here Friday to two charges the charge under Section 354 of the Penal threatening and challenging him to a fight
of trafficking two underage girls for the Code. and accused him of throwing rotten eggs
purpose of sexual exploitation on July 2. Six prosecution9s witnesses testified into his house.
For the first charge, Shakila Latiff, 25, during the prosecution stage. Their argument was diffused by the
and her 17-year-old friend were charged Chiu was represented by counsels Yong security guard on duty. Deputy Public
together with trafficking a 16-year-old Pei Yi, Dicky Lo and Cornelius Chua. Prosecutor (DPP) Ling Guong Zhi and
teenage girl for the purpose of sexual Meanwhile, a 55-year-old man was Inspector Suzie S.K. prosecuted.
exploitation at a hotel in Persiaran Jubli
Emas here at 6.20 pm, July 2.
As for the second charge, the two
accused were charged with committing Social media influencers fail
the same act involving another 14-year-old
girl in a separate room at the same hotel at
6.25 pm, on the same date.
to set aside remand order
They were charged under Section 14 of KUALA LUMPUR: The social media influ- investigation is completed.
the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti- encer couple embroiled in allegations of <The MACC should be allowed to com-
Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 read misappropriating donations, remain in plete their investigation, and the remand
together with Section 34 of the Penal Code custody following the High Court9s dis- order issued by the magistrate against
which provides for life imprisonment or missal of their application to set aside the them is valid. Therefore, the application
imprisonment for a period of not less than remand order issued by the Putrajaya for review is dismissed,= said the judge.
five years and can be whipped if convicted. Magistrate9s Court, Thursday. Earlier, the couple9s lawyer, Abd Rahim
The prosecution of the case was han- Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin Ali, argued that his clients were not affili-
dled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Alia dismissed the review application filed by ated with any public body as stipulated
Suzila Chek Pi, while the accused were not Mohd Hazalif Mohd Hazani, 30, also under Section 3 of the MACC Act, which
represented. known as Alif Teega, and his wife Aisyah allows them to be investigated under Sec-
Judge Musyiri Peet allowed both Hijanah Azhari, 26, after finding that the tion 23 of the same Act.
accused to be bailed at RM15,000 with one Putrajaya Magistrate9s Court had complied <The shareholders in Hijanah Haul
surety for the first charge and RM10,000 with Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Holdings Sdn Bhd are only the first and
with one surety for the second charge. Code in granting the Malaysian Anti-Cor- second suspects (Mohd Hazalif and Aisyah
The two accused were also subject to ruption Commission9s (MACC) request for Hijanah). The members of the company
additional conditions by having to report the remand. are also not public officials, and we argue
to the nearest police station every month <The issue of absence of nexus between that there is no connection between the
and are not allowed to approach prosecu- the applicants and the alleged offence two suspects and the alleged offence.
tion witnesses and victims. under investigation lacks merit, and any <Due to the absence of any connection,
The court fixed August 22 for the re- offences committed by the applicants, if the remand order issued by the Magis-
mention of the case. any, can only be determined after the trate9s Court should be set aside,= he said.
 6 Local
Improving zakat collection in Sabah
Nora Ahmad
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Zakat and
Fitrah Division will be further strength-
ened by expanding branches at the district
level to collect zakat from the agricultural
sector in the state.
The Minister responsible for Islamic
affairs in Sabah, Datuk Mohd Arifin Mohd
Arif, said his party welcomes the proposal
submitted by Bugaya Assemblyman Jamil
Hamzah regarding zakat in the agricul-
tural sector.
<We will expand and broaden the
branches of the Sabah Islamic Religious
Council (Muis) zakat centre. So far, we
have established them in major towns
including Kota Marudu, Tawau, Sandakan,
Beaufort, Keningau, and Lahad Datu.
InsyaAllah, we will expand further.
<The purpose is, as suggested earlier, to
increase awareness among people to pay
zakat and help the relevant asnaf (benefi-
ciaries).
<We indeed have plans this year to open
several more branches, and the response
to this matter has been very good and
encouraging. We will promote it further
with various programmes in the districts,=
he said.
Mohd Arifin, who is also State Minister
Youths involved in policy making process: Ellron
Jonathan Nicholas
THE state is involving
the youth in its policy
making by empower-
ing them through
associations under
the Registrar of Soci-
eties or Registrar of
Youth Organisations.
The Sabah Youth
Council (SYC) acts as
the parent body and prime mover in shap-
ing the associations as well as looking after
their welfare and development.
Minister Datuk Ellron Angin (pic) was
Chinese community
see 33pc drop
in marriages
MARRIAGES in the country has seen a
declining trend within the Chinese com-
munity, according to Bayan Baru MP Sim
Tze Tzin.
The data, obtained from the annual
Social Statistics bulletin report on mar-
riages and divorce of Muslim and non-
Muslim citizens by the Department of
Statistics (DoSM).
From 2016, DoSM published statistics
specific to marriages and divorce
through the Marriage and Divorce statis-
tics report containing data according to
race which showed a decline in other
races except the Bumiputera commu-
nity.
In the report, the Bumiputera com-
munity recorded a 47 per cent jump
from 2016 to 2022 with 16.0 marriages
within a population of 1,000 individuals
in 2022 from 10.9 marriages in 2016, Tze
Tzin said in a written reply to the Dewan
Rakyat on Wednesday (July 10).
The Chinese community however,
saw a 33pc decline in marriages in 2016,
2020 and 2022, recording 9.8 marriages
per a population of 1,000 in 2016 while
2020 saw a drop 3.5 drop to 6.3 marriages
but rose to 6.6 marriages per population
of 1,000 in 2022, indicating a 0.3 jump.
The Indian community showed a 9pc
decline in the report with 12.2 marriages
per population of 1,000 in 2016 decreas-
ing to 11.1 marriages in 2022.
From these figures, the government
has gathered several reasons from single
Malaysian men and women aged 25 to
49-years-old according to the 2014 Study
of Population and Families in Malaysia.
The study showed 56.0pc of men list-
ing financial difficulties, together with
18.4pc having not found the right part-
ner as a reason and 9.4pc opt to priori-
tise their career development before
tying the knot.
About 35.7pc of women in the study
said they have not found the right part-
ner for marriage whereas 26pc also
listed financial difficulties while 18.1pc
chose to focus on building their career.
3 Sun
Over RM25b losses from road accidents
FINANCIAL losses stemming from road
accidents have amounted to over RM25 bil-
lion in 2023, according to Transport Minis-
ter Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Loke told the Dewan Rakyat the amount
indicated a jump from the previous year9s
figures.
In a written reply, yesterday, Malaysia
has estimated financial losses of nearly
RM18 billion, equivalent to 2.2pc in 2010,
according to the statistics of deaths and
serious injuries based on reports from the
police.
<It increased to over RM25 billion in
2023,= he was quoted as saying.
This was in response to Pang Hok
Liong9s (PH-Labis) request for clarification
regarding the losses estimated and effec-
tive measures to address the topic at hand.
Seeing this, the Transport Ministry
Mohd Arifin having a light moment with State Finance Minister Datuk Seri
Masidi Manjung (right) and Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim.
of Science, Technology and Innovation,
said after tabling the Bill to amend the
Zakat and Fitrah Enactment 1993 in the
State Legislative Assembly sitting on
Thursday.
Mohd Arifin, when tabling the Bill, said
the amendment to the enactment involves
only two clauses.
<As usual, Clause 1 of this Bill provides
replying to (PHRS-Kukusan) Datuk Rina
Jainal who asked about the government9s
involvement.
<The SYC is also an information provider
working with government and private agen-
cies from inside and outside the country.
<To ensure the voice of Sabah9s youth is
always heard, the State Ministry of Youth
and Sports has drawn up many youth
empowerment activities under the Sabah
Youth Leadership Incubator initiative
(IKEBS).
The minister said it led to the creation of
the Sabah Youth Assembly and Felo Sabah
Maju Jaya.
Directives in Bersatu Constitution
contravene Federal Constitution
KUALA LUMPUR:
Dewan Rakyat
Speaker Tan Sri Johari
Abdul (pic) said that
the directives under
Clause 10.5 of the
Bersatu Constitution
are contrary to the
Federal Constitution.
He said the
Bersatu Constitution denies the rights of its
five former members as enshrined in the Fed-
eral Constitution, the Dewan Rakyat Stand-
ing Orders and the Houses of Parliament
(Privileges and Powers) Act 1952, which guar-
antees the privileges, freedom of speech,
debate and voting rights to the MPs con-
cerned.
This is among the content of the letter
dated July 9 sent by the Speaker to Bersatu
Chief Whip Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, on
his decision relating to Bersatu9s notice con-
cerning the unexpected seat vacancies
involving six lawmakers who have been
stripped of their party membership.
Copies of the letter were also sent to five
of the MPs namely Datuk Syed Abu Hussin
Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang),
Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim
(Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain
Abdul Thalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Dr
Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang).
<About Bersatu9s application for the five
Child Witness Bill 2024 passed
THE Evidence of
Child Witness
(Amendment) Bill
2024 was passed in
the Dewan Rakyat on
Thursday (July 11).
In her winding-
up speech, Minister
in the Prime Minis-
ter9s Department
(Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri
Azalina Othman Said (pic) said no mini-
mum age limit was set under this Bill
because early childhood development
varies for each child.
<All child witnesses shall be deemed
(MoT) developed the Malaysian Road
Safety Plan 2022-2030 (PKJRM 2022-2030),
said Loke, adding the PJKRM targets a
reduction of road accident fatalities by at
least 50pc by 2030.
Loke added the PJKRM is also in line
with the goals of United Nations Resolu-
tion 74/299.
Furthermore, the MoT and Ministry of
Housing and Local Government (KPKT) are
researching the implementation of Transit
Oriented Development (TOD) based devel-
opment.
TOD aims to promote the use of public
transportation, while intending to reduce
the dependence on private vehicles to meet
individual needs for mobility.
Loke said the inter-ministerial collabo-
ration could help lower the risk of road
accidents indirectly. - Sun
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
for the short title and commencement of
this Bill.
<Clause 2 aims to amend subsection
2(1) regarding definitions in the parent
Enactment by replacing the definition of
8Court9 with the definition of Syariah Court
established under the Syariah Courts
Enactment 2024.
<In the definition of 8Council9, by replac-
The Sabah Youth Assembly simulates the
Sabah State Legislative Assembly conference
giving the youth an opportunity to voice
their ideas in the conference session.
<Under this programme, the youth can
discuss and give ideas and views to the State
Government regarding issues and govern-
ment policies during the conference.
<In addition, the Felo Sabah Maju Jaya
programme is also designed to provide
exposure on management and State Gov-
ernment administration systems.
<Youth involvement in the programme
gives them an opportunity to get involved
in the planning and formulation of state
MPs to return to the opposition seats, I
found that, until today, they are still seated
in the opposition bloc. Therefore, I found
and decided that there is no vacant seat
under Article 49A (1) of the Federal Consti-
tution,= he said in the letter.
In considering the notice, Johari said he
referred to several related documents such
as the Report of the Special Select Commit-
tee (JKPK) Reviewing the Constitution
(Amendment) Bill (No.3) 2022 and Regard-
ing the Provision Prohibiting Members of
the Dewan Rakyat from Party Hopping D.R 7
Year 2022 (JKPK Report).
Also the official report dated April 11,
2022, on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill
(No.3) 2022; and the official reports dated
July 27 and 28, 2022, on the Constitution
(Amendment) Bill (No. 3) 2022 and the
Motion Regarding the JKPK Report, he said.
<I have found from these documents that
the purpose of Article 49A of the Federal
Constitution was established to ensure the
political stability of the country for a long
period.
<In addition, I also consider the principle
of the Supremacy of the Constitution.
Malaysia practices the principle of the
Supremacy of the Constitution under the
Federal Constitution, and it is also the third
principle of the Rukun Negara.
<This is because under the Supremacy of
the Constitution, all laws or regulations are
competent to give testimony in any pro-
ceeding unless the Court finds that the child
witness is unable to understand the ques-
tions posed to them or provide rational
answers in that proceeding,= she said in the
Dewan Rakyat.
On whether the provisions regarding
child witness testimony under this Act also
apply to testimony given by children during
police investigations, Azalina said under the
Child Witness Testimony Act 2007, the tes-
timony of child witnesses pertains to testi-
mony given in court proceedings.
<During investigations, the testimony
can be submitted to the court as evidence if
it meets certain conditions.
<When a child9s testimony during an
investigation is recorded, the video record-
ing can be accepted as evidence as provided
by this Act,= noted Azalina.
When asked about the implementation
of giving testimony via video and whether
it can enhance the accuracy of the testimony
given by children, Azalina replied that tes-
timony via video is a facility that has already
been used for a long time since the estab-
lishment of the child sexual crimes court. It
allows children to give testimony more
comfortably without facing the accused,
thus preventing trauma.
<Although the testimony is given via
video, the weight or admissibility of the
child witness9s testimony is the same as giv-
ing testimony in an open court,= she said. -
Star
On Tuesday (July 11), Azalina, who tabled
the Bill for the first reading, said it aimed to
enhance provisions for child witness testi-
mony.
ing the words 8Administration of Islamic
Law Enactment 19929 with the words
8Sabah State Islamic Religious Council
Enactment 2004 [No. 5 of 2004]9.
<In the definition of 8Secretary9, by
replacing the words 8Administration of
Islamic Law Enactment 19929 with the
words 8Sabah State Islamic Religious Coun-
cil Enactment 20049,= he said.
Meanwhile, Jamil, who participated in
debating the Bill, suggested that zakat col-
lection be further expanded in the agricul-
tural sector in the state.
<Many of our community who are farm-
ers have oil palm plantations but do not
pay agricultural zakat.
<So there we might have a lot of loss,
that is, the worship is not carried out,
doing business and farming but the wor-
ship of zakat is neglected.
<My purpose in raising this matter is so
that our community implements the wor-
ship of zakat,= he said.
Previously, the amendment to the Zakat
and Fitrah Enactment 1993 and the
amendment to the Waqf Enactment
(Sabah State) 2018 which were presented
were unanimously approved through a
voice vote in this State Legislative Assem-
bly sitting.
government policies holistically.
<The Felo SMJ programme also provides
opportunities to deepen and learn the func-
tions and governance of at the highest level
of a ministry and agency and at the same
time they are being able to voice relevant
policies to the youth,= he said.
Ellron said the aspirations of the youth
deserve a place in the formulation of poli-
cies process.
<Apart from implementing their rights as
a citizen, youth participation in the process
of public policy formulation can also
improve their position in driving the devel-
opment of the country,= he said.
subject to the Federal Constitution,= he said.
Regarding the decision not to declare the
Labuan seat vacant, Johari, in a separate let-
ter, stated that he did not want to prejudice
the interests of the parties involved in the
ongoing court case, as the Labuan MP Datuk
Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman has filed a lawsuit
against Bersatu in the Shah Alam High
Court.
<Since this case is currently under judicial
consideration, I do not want to prejudice the
interests of the parties involved in the court
case with my decision under Article 49A (3)
of the Federal Constitution,= he said.
Earlier Thursday, Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim defended Johari9s deci-
sion, saying that the Speaker has acted in
accordance with the constitutional and legal
interpretations in deciding that the six MPs
would retain their seats.
Yesterday, Bersatu President Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed that the party
has received a notification letter from the
Dewan Rakyat Speaker that there are no
vacancies of parliamentary seats involving
the six MPs who pledged support to Anwar.
The six MPs were served with the notice
of immediate termination of party member-
ship on June 12 after failing to respond to a
notice to confirm their loyalty to Bersatu. -
Sun
Bumi student
enrollment at SJKCs
nearly doubled
CHINESE national-type primary schools
(SJKC) have experienced a notable increase in
Bumiputera student enrollment, nearly dou-
bling from 11.67pc in 2014 to 18.52pc this year,
according to the Education Ministry (MoE).
In a written response on the Parliament
website, the ministry reported that the enroll-
ment of non-Bumiputera students at SJKC
decreased from 88.33pc to 81.48pc over the
same period.
A similar trend was observed in national
schools (SK), where non-Bumiputera student
enrollment decreased from 6.19pc in 2014 to
4.88pc in 2024, while Bumiputera student
enrollment increased from 93.81pc to 95.12pc
during the same period.
<For Tamil national-type primary schools,
there has been an increase in the enrollment
of Bumiputera students from 0.38pc in 2014
to 0.49% this year and non-Bumiputera
pupils constitute approximately 99pc of the
enrollment at SJKTs during the same period,
said the Ministry.
Regarding international schools, as of
May 31 this year, there were a total of 88,951
students enrolled, with 67.1pc being citizens
and 32.9pc non-citizens. Among citizen stu-
dents, 19.9pc were Bumiputera and 80.1pc
were non-Bumiputera.
The MOE also highlighted that from 2019
to 2024, there was a 34 pc increase in citizen
student enrollment in international schools.
During the same period, Bumiputera student
enrollment increased by 49.4pc, while non-
Bumiputera enrollment increased by 30.6pc.
- Sun
dailyexpress
MPS needs to
fulfil two
more criteria,
says DCM
TWO out of 11 criteria
need to be satisfied
before Sandakan can
be upgraded from a
municipality to a full-
fledged city.
Local Government
and Housing Minis-
ter Datuk Dr Joachim
Gunsalam (pic) said
the district must first have a population of
no less than 500,000 and an annual revenue
of RM100 million or above.
<Towards that goal, the Sandakan Munic-
ipal Council (MPS) has drafted a strategic
plan scheduled to be launched this year.
<The MPS has set the goal of upgrading
Sandakan9s status from municipality to city
before or by 2030,= he told the August House
on Thursday.
The Deputy Chief Minister II was replying
to Datuk Mokran Ingkat (Umno-Sungai
Manila) who asked about transformation
progress.
Joachim said to achieve the RM100 mil-
lion annual target, the local government
would be enforcing by-laws to optimise rev-
enue collection.
<This is in addition to implementing a
new assessment rate that will be fully
gazetted by 2025, reviews of property rental
rates based on current market value and
empowering efforts to collect arrears
amounting to over RM40 million.
<For the second criterion, which is having
a total population of no less than 500,000
people, the MPS is currently intensifying var-
ious planning efforts to ensure Sandakan is
always a strategic investment destination to
increase job opportunities and to diversify
economic potential.
<To achieve this purpose, one of MPS9
plans is to boost the tourism industry
through the Sandakan Tourism Action Plan
2020-2030.
<MPS is trying to obtain various recogni-
tions either at national or international level
to ensure Sandakan always receives positive
highlight,= he said.
He noted among them were achieving
the national Asean Clean Tourist City Stan-
dards 2024-2026 in April 2024 through the
Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Cul-
ture, the MPS Voluntary Local Review and
SDG Roadmap in collaboration with Urban-
ice Malaysia which would be completed and
presented in New York, United States during
the High Level Political Forum in 2025.
<MPS is optimistic of the district9s strong
economic position as well as recognition
from various levels that can put it as one of
the cities on par with global habitable stan-
dards,= he added. - Jonathan Nicholas
MOE: Legal
action against
unlicensed
foreign docs
IPOH: The Ministry of Health (MOH) will
take legal action against unlicensed med-
ical practitioners, believed to be foreign
nationals, operating uncertified aesthetic
medical service centres in the country.
Its Deputy Minister Datuk Lukanisman
Awang Sauni said that foreigners cannot
run private clinics in the country without
being licensed by the Private Medical Prac-
tice Control Section (CKAPS).
<I will bring this matter to the post-cab-
inet meeting to ensure the responsible
agency investigates this in detail. Legal
action will be taken as the activity is
believed to be illegal,= he said at a press
conference after officiating the 13th Asean
and 10th Perak Health Congress Friday.
On July 9, the Malaysian International
Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) urged
the MOH to conduct an immediate inves-
tigation into fake medical practitioners,
believed to be foreigners, and their beauty
clinics operating in Kuala Lumpur and
Johor.
MHO Secretary-General Datuk
Hishamuddin Hashim called for action
following an incident involving a victim
who underwent breast surgery costing
RM23,400 on June 21, 2022.
Hishamuddin said the victim, known
only as Alice, was enticed by attractive
offers on social media, which led her to
trust an unlicensed aesthetic medical serv-
ice centre for the surgery. Unfortunately,
she suffered pain after the procedure.
In another development, Lukanisman
described the actions of shirtless, muscled
men strutting and posing with cleavers
while selling durian at a stall in Kajang,
Selangor, as inappropriate.
He said the action was inappropriate in
the food preparation process, as the food
seller was not dressed properly, which
involved personal hygiene. - Bernama
dailyexpress
KB padi area being extended
KOTA KINABALU: The Large-Scale Rice
Field Smart Programme (Smart SBB) Ala
Sekinchan is now being extended to Kg
Kesapang Tengah, Kota Belud, involving
181 local farmers.
Chairman of Padiberas Nasional Berhad
(Bernas), Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim,
said Sabah rice granary programme, cover-
ing an area of 187,000 hectares, increased
production to 4.2 tonnes per hectare, com-
pared to the previous production of about
2.6 tonnes per hectare.
<Smart SBB Ala Sekinchan is a new
model that applies high-yield farming
practices aimed at increasing rice farmers9
income through optimal rice cultivation
techniques and targeted production
through group area development.
<The Smart SBB pilot project, part of
Kota Belud9s Integrated Agricultural
Development Area (IADA), began in Kam-
Passing of
ex-CJ Md
Dzaiddin
great loss to
nation: Peers
KUALA LUMPUR: The
passing of former
Chief Justice Tun
Mohamed Dzaiddin
Abdullah (pic) is a
great loss to the
nation, especially to
the judiciary and
legal profession, said
legal practitioners.
Former Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif,
73, said Mohamed Dzaiddin was not only
known among their colleagues as a very kind
and patient person, but also as someone very
meticulous, especially when delivering his
judgments.
<If we read legal journals, some of his rul-
ings still serve as precedents today,= he said
when met after the burial of Mohamed
Dzaiddin at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery
here. In their younger years, Md Raus said
they often met at the Kota Bahru Court when
Mohamed Dzaiddin was still a lawyer and
had a law firm there.
<Then, he became a judge and I used to
appear before him as the deputy public pros-
ecutor (DPP) and senior federal counsel.
When I became a judge, he was already a Fed-
eral Court judge, and subsequently the Chief
Justice.
<I learned a lot from him and have been
keeping in touch after his retirement and
when I was the Chief Justice,= he said.
Sharing a mutual interest in golf, Md Raus
said they often spent time playing golf at the
Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC),
and the last time he met Mohamed Dzaiddin
was three months ago.
<When I visited him at his home, I held his
hand and said my name, and I saw tears in his
eyes because he recognised me even though
he could not speak,= he said.
Meanwhile, Shah Alam High Court Judge
Datuk Seri Mohd Firuz Jaffril, 55, who is also
Mohamed Dzaiddin9s nephew, said that his
uncle was a strict, highly disciplined person
and very punctual.
<When I was a child, he was already a
judge. At that time, I never thought of follow-
ing his footsteps because after seeing his
strict and disciplined way, I knew it was hard
to follow,= he said.
Former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Abu
Samah Nordin, 73, said the Mohamed Dzaid-
din was very considerate in making decisions
and was friendly with all the judges who
worked with him, including junior judges.
<I was a DPP when he was a judge, and
that was when I knew he was very considerate
when making decisions,= he said.
Meanwhile, former Perak Police Chief
Datuk Seri Noordin Omar, 67, said Mohamed
Dzaiddin should be an example for the cur-
rent generation, especially for his contribu-
tions to the nation, particularly in the
judiciary and policing fields, which are cru-
cial to national security.
<He also served as a police officer early in
his career, and the current generation should
emulate what he did during his lifetime,= he
said.
Among those present to pay their last
respects to Mohamed Dzaiddin were former
Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd
Noor, former Court of Appeal judge Datuk
Wan Adnan Muhamad, and former Johor
Bahru Member of Parliament Tan Sri Shahrir
Abdul Samad. 3 Bernama
Syndicate using chewing gum to conceal RM5m in drugs: Cops
KUALA LUMPUR: Police busted a syndicate
involved in lacing chewing gum with drugs
and seized various types of drugs worth
RM5.02 million in three separate raids 3 at
a parking area and an apartment unit in
Cheras as well as a condominium unit in
Seri Kembangan.
Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investi-
gation Department (NCID) Director Datuk
Khaw Kok Chin said following the raids,
two local men, both 22, believed to be
involved in storing and delivering the
drugs for the past three months, were
arrested.
pung Jawi-Jawi, involving 14 rice farmers
and reclaiming 40 hectares of abandoned
land.
<Bernas serves as the project manager,
providing services and supervising fer-
tiliser and pesticide use under contract
farming agreements with the rice farm-
ers,= she said to the Media after a courtesy
call to the Head of State, Tun Juhar
Mahiruddin, recently.
She also said Smart SBB Ala Sekinchan
Bernas-IADA Kota Belud initiative will be
launched by the Minister of Agriculture
and Food Security, Datuk Seri Muhamad
Sabu, on July 13, coinciding with the Paddy
Wave Programme.
Also present were Bernas Group Chief
Executive Officer, Zulkiflee Abdul Rahman
and Bernas Head of Upstream Activities
and Concession Division, Abdul Rahman
Mohd Nasri.
Sabah, S Korea working on future cooperation
The launching of the Korean World Natural Heritage
Jeju Exhibition at a local shopping mall, recently.
PM mobbed by mini fans
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minis-
ter Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim was joyfully
8mobbed9 by excited
schoolchildren eager to
catch a glimpse of him
when he stopped by a food
stall here for lunch before
performing Friday prayers.
His arrival at the An-
Najah Precinct 9 stall
around 12.45pm was
warmly received by the
crowd, particularly the
enthusiastic schoolchild-
Anwar being mobbed by pupils at a stall in An-Najah
ren from the nearby Seko-
Presint 9 in Putrajaya ahead of the Friday prayer.
lah Kebangsaan Putrajaya
Presint 9 (2).
As the Prime Minister, clad in a light
blue Baju Melayu, arrived at the stall, the nearby Surau An-Najah, located about 60
schoolchildren excitedly rushed to shake metres from the stall, to join nearly 1,000
hands with him.
Anwar spent about 30 minutes savour-
ing a variety of dishes at the stall, accom- day prayers and delivered a sermon enti-
panied by An-Najah Cooperative secretary tled <Perihal Mizan=.
P’pang panel to expedite distribution of accurate info
Carol in a
group photo
with the
Penampang
PPKK
committee
members.
Boy, 12, reels in RM30,000 prize
JERTIH: A Year Six student from Kampung
Dengir, near here, has struck gold with his
fishing hobby, earning him RM30,000
in prize money from various competitions
this year. Muhammad Alif Irfan Ahmad
Numan, 12, landed his biggest catch last
Thursday, winning a whopping RM20,000
after reeling in a massive 5.4-kilogramme cat-
fish, or ikan keli.
<In the competition, I used a rod with
He said the seized drugs from the raids
include MDMA weighing 165 kilogrammes
(kg), ketamine (9 kg), ecstasy (7.5 kg),
erimin 5 pills (4.5 kg), chewing gum (3.5
kg), cocaine (1.6 kg) and syabu weighing
0.485 kg.
<One suspect was responsible for storing
the drugs and earned a monthly salary of
RM6,000, while the other worked as a
courier and earned RM4,500 per month.
<The apartment and condominium
units were used as storage locations for the
drugs, rented under the names of other
syndicate members. The arrested suspects
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
Juhar in a group photo with Bernas officials.
Zainal Mohd Yusoh.
After lunch, Anwar made his way to the
congregants for Friday prayers.
Surau Imam Hazim Malim led the Fri-
homemade chicken bait prepared by my
mother. Almost immediately, a fish was
caught on the hook,= the Sekolah
Kebangsaan (SK) Bukit Puteri pupil told
Bernama when met at his home here.
Muhammad Alif Irfan shared that his sec-
ond biggest prize was RM5,000, which he
won in a fishing competition in Setiu just a
week before the recent Hari Raya Aidil Adha.
3 Bernama
were unaware of the identities of the actual
renters and the rental rates,= he explained
during a press conference at the Kuala
Lumpur contingent police headquarters.
He said that the vehicle used was regis-
tered under the names of other individuals,
and the seized drugs were intended for dis-
tribution in markets across the Klang Val-
ley, northern region, and southern region
of Peninsular Malaysia.
<Both suspects were remanded for
seven days until July 17 to assist in the
investigation and the case is investigated
under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government
is expected to further cooperate with the
South Korean in various ûelds in the
future.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environ-
ment Ministry permanent secretary Josie
Lai said South Korea through Jeju Special
Self-Governing Province and Sabah
through Sabah Parks shared a deep com-
mitment in preserving and showcasing
our natural heritage.
She said it was an example of shared
responsibility in safeguarding our planet9s
ecological balance.
Lai said her Ministry recognised the
importance of sustainable tourism and
conservation efforts in ensuring the
preservation of our natural resources,
especially for the future generation.
She added that Sabah, globally known
for its rich biodiversity and stunning land-
scapes, including the majestic Mount Kin-
abalu and its pristine marine
environments, stood as an example of
good environmental stewardship and sus-
tainable tourism practices.
<We are also looking forward to taking
our relationship and cooperation in vari-
ous fields to the next level through the
memorandum of understanding (MoU).
<The MoU will be signed in October in
Jeju Island, during the 2024 World Her-
itage Global Forum,= she said during the
launching of the Korean World Natural
Heritage Jeju Exhibition at a shopping
mall here.
Lai9s speech was read by the Ministry9s
senior assistant secretary (Environment)
Dayang Siti Maryam Mohd Hanan.
Speaking on the exhibition, Lai said it
did not only celebrate the natural wonders
of Jeju, but also served as a testament to
the bond shared between South Korea and
Malaysia, in terms of conservation and cul-
tural exchange.
She added that the exhibition was also
a testament to the cultural and environ-
mental significance of the respective
regions, which also foster mutual under-
standing and appreciation among the
communities.
Present was Sabah Parks Director Dr
Maklarin Lakim. 3 NST
PENAMPANG: The Health Clinic Advisory
Panel (PPKK) can help speed up and sim-
plify the distribution of accurate informa-
tion health-related issues among the local
community.
Penampang Area Health Officer, Dr
Carol Lim Kai Joo, said PPKK is an organisa-
tion based on a volunteering concept that
creates a two-way communication channel
for interaction between the community and
Health Department staff.
<PPKK always takes into account the
opinions and views of the community in
planning health activities such as open days,
gotong-royong and local health services.
<In addition, this panel functions to
obtain feedback from the community
regarding problems and the effectiveness of
the activities carried out, fostering a sense of
shared responsibility between the commu-
nity and the Department of Health in
addressing health issues.=
She said this after chairing the Commit-
tee Members9 Formation Meeting for PPKK
Penampang Area at the Penampang Health
Office. According to Carol, PPKK9s role can
further enhance the image of the Health
Department through a transparent
approach, reducing misunderstandings
between the public and health personnel.
Act 1952,= he said.
He said that a Toyota Vios car, estimated
to be worth RM25,000, was seized under
the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Prop-
erty) Act 1988, bringing the total value of
the drug and property seizure to RM5.05
million.
The NCID believes that many networks
of this syndicate are still active, particularly
suppliers, he added.
<Those with information about this syn-
dicate should alert the police by calling
NCID at 012-208 7222 to help with the inves-
tigation,= he said. 3 Malay Mail
Local 7
Series of events
to remember
MH17 victims
– decade on
KUALA LUMPUR: It has been a decade
since the downing of the Malaysia Airlines
flight MH17 tragedy in 2014, which took
the lives of all 298 people on board, includ-
ing 80 children.
As a tribute to the innocent souls that
perished in the devastating tragedy, the
10th commemoration will be held on July
17 at the National Monument MH17 at Park
Vijfhuizen near Amsterdam Schiphol Air-
port, according to the Embassy of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands in Malaysia.
To witness the historic events, five
Malaysian media representatives includ-
ing Malaysian National News Agency
(Bernama) have been invited to partici-
pate in the remembrance programmes,
which are scheduled for three days, start-
ing on July 15.
The programme includes a series of
events and site visits designed to provide
an in-depth understanding of the ongoing
efforts and cooperation between the
Netherlands and Malaysia in the aftermath
of the MH17 disaster.
On the first day, an interview session
was scheduled with Digna van Boetzelaer,
former Chief Public Prosecutor at the Pub-
lic Prosecution Service, District Public
Prosecutor9s Office 8Noord-Holland9. She
was leading the prosecution and criminal
investigation into the downing of flight
MH17.
Other than that, an interview was
scheduled with the next-of-kin, as well as
visits to the reconstruction of flight MH17,
which is placed in the military base in
Gilze-Rijen, central Netherlands.
<Apart from the next-of-kin, almost
1,500 people from across the world will
gather for the ceremony. The pain of their
passing (victims) is still felt intensely
today, by their families and friends all over
the world.
<As we approach ten years since this
tragedy, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the
Netherlands and Ukraine wish to under-
line that we remain steadfast in our com-
mitment to achieving truth, justice and
accountability for the victims of the down-
ing of flight MH17 and their next-of-kin.
<Those who have been left behind
deserve closure. They need to know that
everything that can be done has been done
to prevent these tragedies from happening
in the future,= according to the embassy.
On July 14, 2014, MH17 was downed by a
BUK missile while flying over the conflict-
hit eastern Ukraine, and everybody on
board was killed.
The victims came from 17 countries and
included 198 Dutch nationals, 43
Malaysians, 38 Australians, and 10 from
the United Kingdom.
Following the horrific incident, on
November 17, 2022, the Hague District
Court convicted in absentia two Russians
and a Ukrainian to life imprisonment after
finding them guilty on charges of causing
the downing of MH17 and the murders of
all 298 people on board.
They are Russians Igor Girkin and
Sergei Dubinsky and Ukrainian citizen
Leonid Kharchenko. However, the court
acquitted another Russian, Oleg Pulatov,
of the same charges.
The court also ordered the three men to
pay more than 16 million euros in com-
pensation to the relatives of the victims.
Why critical
conversations
on social
media matter
KAJANG: Conversations about various crit-
ical issues are important on social media
platforms and young people should be
encouraged to take part in such discourses,
says TikTok Malaysia9s public policy head
Anuar Fariz Fadzil.
Speaking during a panel discussion
titled <Surf9s up: deputies of digital liter-
acy=, Anuar said it is essential to question
decisions and have critical conversations on
various issues, such as policy changes and
societal problems.
<Society and governments need to be
mature about this. I would like to think our
audience is mature enough or is maturing.
It doesn9t matter what your age is.=
Anuar was asked by the moderator
about the social and moral responsibilities
of a social media platform in creating bet-
ter democratic spaces.
He also highlighted the importance of
digital literacy among young children, who
grow up with constant exposure to online
messages.
<They will grow up with a screen in their
hand. They will be inundated with so many
messages 3 they need to be able to discern
what is right and what is wrong.=
Anuar said TikTok9s community guide-
lines emphasise universal and local values,
such as respecting elders and not being
rude. These help create a safe and respectful
space for discourse.
Earlier, during the panel discussion,
Anuar also explained that TikTok uses a
multi-pronged strategy to remove content
that breaches community guidelines. 3 FMT
 8 Local
Roger (seated left) together with Lee, Chaw and Tan in a group photo.
Rotary’s RM209,000 gift to school
KOTA KINABALU: The Rotary Club of Kin-
abalu Sutera recently completed a spon-
sorship project at SJKC Yuk Kong in
Keningau in a move to enhance educa-
tional facilities in rural Sabah.
The initiative, carried out in collabo-
ration with the Latter-Day Saints Charity
Group, aimed to improve the learning
environment and security at the school.
The project, valued at RM 209,000,
saw the installation of various essential
resources. These included laptops to
support digital learning, bookshelves to
expand the library9s capacity, tables and
chairs to furnish classrooms and com-
mon areas, and a CCTV system to
enhance school security.
<This initiative reflects our commit-
ment to fostering educational develop-
ment and community well-being. We9re
grateful for the generous support from
the Latter-Day Saints Charity Group in
making this a reality,= said Club Presi-
dent Roger Yapp.
Yapp also highlighted the pivotal role
played by immediate past President
Fill up Sabah
Deputy OCPD
posts: Madius
KUALA LUMPUR:
Datuk Seri Wilfred
Madius Tangau
(pic) (Upko-Tuaran)
urged the Govern-
ment to fill the posi-
tion of Deputy
Police Chief in sev-
eral District Police
Headquarters (IPD)
in Sabah.
According to him, there are IPDs that
only have a District Police Chief but do not
have a Deputy District Police Chief posi-
tion.
<Through my observations in several
districts such as Tuaran, Kota Belud,
Kudat, Papar, Beluran, Kota Marudu and
Kinabatangan, all these IPDs have a Dis-
trict Police Chief with the rank of Superin-
tendent but do not have a Deputy District
Police Chief position.
<The absence of a Deputy District
Police Chief in these IPDs may place an
additional burden on the respective Dis-
trict Police Chiefs, especially in the admin-
istrative field, as they have to bear the
Family held over Millah cult ties
SEREMBAN: Negeri Sembilan Islamic Reli-
gious Affairs Department (Jheains)
detained three family members sus-
pected of following the Millah Abraham
sect declared as deviant.
Jheains Enforcement Division Opera-
tions Unit chief Ahmad Zaki Hamzah said
those detained were a married couple in
their 40s and their 16-year-old son, who
does not attend school.
The couple was apprehended at about
6pm at Felda Sungai Kelamah, Tampin
and their son at Felda Sungai Kelamah,
Tampin.
<The couple had been renting a house
in Felda Sungai Kelamah for the past six
months, while their son resided at their
original home in Felda Palong 3.
Although no activities were being con-
ducted at the time of arrest, investiga-
tions revealed they were followers of this
cult.
<Fifteen items, including notebooks, a
laptop and mobile phones were seized.
The Negeri Sembilan Mufti Department
issued a fatwa in 2019 declaring the
teaching as contradicting Islamic law,= he
told reporters after the operation.
He said the family had been recruiting
and spreading the teachings to close fam-
ily members and local residents. Based on
intelligence and public information, they
had likely been active for over a year.
Chaw Zie Der, whose aggressive liaison
efforts with SJKC Yuk Kong and the Lat-
ter-Day Saints Charity Group were
instrumental in securing substantial
funding.
The Rotary Club of Kinabalu Sutera
has long been dedicated to serving the
community through various initiatives
aimed at promoting education, health,
and overall well-being.
This latest project at SJKC Yuk Kong is
expected to significantly impact the
quality of education provided at the
school, equipping students with better
resources for learning in today9s digital
age.
As rural schools often face challenges
accessing modern educational tools, this
initiative by the Rotary Club of Kinabalu
Sutera serves as a model for how commu-
nity organisations can make a tangible
difference in educational development.
The club hopes that this project will
inspire similar efforts across Sabah and
beyond, furthering their mission of serv-
ice above self.
entire workload without a deputy,= he
said during the Debate Session on the
Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2024 at the
Parliamentary Sitting, here, on Wednes-
day.
Madius also requested clarification on
whether the Ministry of Home Affairs has
plans to fill these vacant positions in the
near future.
<This is important to ensure that the
administration of the Royal Malaysia
Police (PDRM) in maintaining and pre-
serving public safety and order, including
in matters of cyber security, is more
assured and can be implemented more
efficiently,= he said.
Earlier, Madius said the effort to
amend the Bill was the right step taken by
the government.
<Tuaran supports and requests the gov-
ernment to prioritise budget allocation to
PDRM and other related agencies, espe-
cially in the field of cybercrime security.
<This may include PDRM needing to
recruit new staff with the skills to handle
these matters,= said the Upko Honorary
President.
Ahmad Zaki said their beliefs
included the existence of a new prophet,
a different <syahadah=, and attempts to
merge three religions: Islam, Judaism,
and Christianity. They also believed that
meat slaughtered by non-followers was
forbidden.
<They operated discreetly, meeting in
restaurants or cafes. We believe their
members are not only in this state but
across the country, including profession-
als. They have a leader whom they refer
to,= he added.
The three individuals were detained
under Section 52 of the Negeri Sembilan
Syariah Criminal Enactment 1992 for
dubious teachings.
The operation follows a 2019 raid on
the Millah Abraham cult in Kampung Sri
Repah, with possible further arrests as
investigations continue.
Ahmad Zaki advised Muslims seeking
religious knowledge to find teachers
accredited by relevant authorities, includ-
ing the Negeri Sembilan Mufti Depart-
ment, to avoid confusion.
<With technology, it is easy for people
to access religious information. If in
doubt, Muslims should refer to the Mufti
Department or Jheains for verification.
We appreciate the interest in learning
Islam, but if misguided, they may be led
astray,= he said. 3 MM
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
W
HEN it comes to accurately
diagnosing a disease, you
might think you need expen-
sive, high-tech machinery and equip-
ment capable of looking deep beneath
the skin at what9s going on in the body.
But while these high-tech implements
certainly are incredible, they aren9t the
only instruments capable of detecting
disease. In fact, you may even share a
home with one of these powerful disease-
detecting agents.
There are numerous of instances of
unsuspecting pet owners learning they
had a health problem from their pet.
Examples include dogs licking, sniffing
and even trying to chew spots on their
owner9s skin 3 spots that were later diag-
nosed as malignant melanoma.
In fact, many species of animals 3 from
the microscopic worm C elegans, to ants,
mice and dogs 3 have all successfully
demonstrated the ability to detect dis-
eases in people and from biological sam-
ples during experiments.
The diseases detected are diverse 3
from cancer and urinary tract infections
to Covid-19 and the gastrointestinal
infection, Clostridium difficile.
Many of these diseases are potentially
serious, especially in vulnerable and
immunocompromised patients, so accu-
rate and early detection is essential.
Here are just a few of the amazing ani-
mals that are able to detect disease in
humans:
Dogs
Dogs are possibly the most well-
known example of an animal that can
detect a range of diseases 3 including
Parkinson9s disease, bladder cancer and
malaria. Epileptic seizures and low blood
sugar in diabetic patients can also be
detected by specially-trained medical
alert dogs.
It seems that a dog9s impressive olfac-
tory sense is key to their ability to detect
specific odours, even at incredibly low
concentrations. Indeed, the dog9s sense of
smell is thought to be more than 10,000
times better than our own. They can even
use their nostrils independently of each
other when investigating new scents.
Biodetection and medical alert dogs
are initially trained to associate specific
odours with a positive reward 3 such as a
tasty treat or toy. They then become
primed to recognise odour changes or
physical and behavioural changes in
their handler that predict a seizure (or
other health event).
Biodetection dogs will typically freeze
when they recognise a scent, awaiting
their reward. Medical alert dogs will
often interact with their handler 3 per-
haps pawing or nudging them to indi-
cate that they need to take action for
their safety.
Rats
Rats are also great at sniffing out spe-
cific smells.
The African giant pouched rat has
been trained to detect the odour of land
Car sickness: How to help pets
Marlene Cimons
for Washington Post
Raylan, my late shepherd mix, had a prob-
lem with car rides. He9d hop into the back
seat, excited for a new adventure, but
could last only about 15 minutes before
standing up, drooling and retching.
Within seconds, he would vomit. On long
trips, there could be as many as a half-
dozen such episodes.
I tried everything: a medication pre-
scribed by my veterinarian specifically for
dogs with motion sickness, over-the-
counter antihistamines, a human nausea
drug usually given to patients undergoing
chemotherapy, homeopathy and Chinese
herbs. Nothing worked. I always arrived at
my destination with a queasy dog and a
load of soggy, smelly towels.
During the holidays, many people are
planning vacations in pet-friendly places
reachable by car. But for humans whose
dogs (or cats) get carsick, these excursions
can become an unpleasant ordeal.
<It9s really sad, even traumatic, to see
your pet go through it, especially since
they can9t vocalize what is happening,=
said Matthew Lechner, an internal medi-
cine specialist at Veterinary Referral Asso-
ciates in Gaithersburg, Md. <It can be
visceral and emotional for both humans
and their pets.=
Motion sickness in dogs 3 as in humans
3 results from a disturbance in the body9s
vestibular system, a complex set of struc-
tures and neural pathways centrally
located in the inner ear that regulate bal-
ance and physical orientation. When there
is a conflict between certain stimuli 3 what
the eyes are seeing, for example, with what
the body is feeling 3 equilibrium is dis-
rupted and the vestibular system sends a
distress signal to the brain, including to its
vomiting centre.
<A driver almost never gets motion sick
because he is looking out the window,=
said Trisha Dowling, professor of veteri-
nary clinical pharmacology at Western
College of Veterinary Medicine in Saska-
Rats have an
incredibly
accurate sense
of smell. (Pic:
Rosa Jay/
Shutterstock)
Three animals that can
detect disease in humans
mine explosives in Mozambique. These
rats are also proving to be valuable med-
ical detection partners, playing an
important role in the detection of tuber-
culosis in sputum samples recovered
from suspected cases.
Rats have an incredibly accurate sense
of smell. Rosa Jay/ Shutterstock
The rats are fast, taking only 20 min-
utes to review 100 patient samples. They
use their sniffing skills to detect the dis-
tinctive chemical signature of tuberculo-
sis in samples.
Their payment for a job well done is
an avocado and banana treat. This makes
these trained rats a valuable option
where time and money might be limited
in diagnostic and screening facilities.
These rats have an incredible success rate
3 accurately detecting positive tuberculo-
sis cases 81% of the time.
Bees
Even honeybees can detect the signs
of certain diseases in samples 3 including
lung cancer, tuberculosis and Covid-19.
Honeybees are extremely sensitive to
low concentration odours, making them
able to detect chemical changes in a sim-
ilar way to dogs and rats.
Researchers have been able to train
honeybees to respond to the presence of
specific smells by rolling out their
tongues for a sugar reward. With train-
ing, this response becomes consistent
and highly sensitive for smells linked
with disease states.
This ability makes honeybees useful
for detecting disease in the same way as
other animals. Their size could make
them an even more efficient and low-cost
option for rapid sample screening.
Superior senses
But how are animals able to identify
the presence of specific diseases? It has to
do with many animals9 ability to detect
tiny changes in a person9s chemical scent
profile.
Some pets can get
sick traveling in a
vehicle. (Pic: iStock
via Washington Post)
toon, Saskatchewan. <He is focused on the
outside and how the world is moving in
relation to the car, and that helps. But a
dog9s visual field is limited to what the dog
sees sitting on the car seat. At the same
time, his body is feeling motion. There9s a
dissonance that trips the trigger.=
Yes. Cats also are anxious during car
rides. This, in addition to vomiting, can
result in urination, defecation and yowl-
ing. <Cats live 99 percent of their lives in a
house, so a car ride 3 a visit to the vet, for
example 3 is immensely stressful,= Lechner
said. <You are dragging them out of their
world.=
Cats, though, usually ride in carriers.
This contains the vomit and other sub-
stances, which keeps the car seat from get-
ting soiled. But you9ll still need to clean up
your cat and carrier, which can be nasty for
you and your cat. (Small dogs also can ride
in crates.)
Don9t give your pet anything without
consulting your veterinarian. Even over-
the-counter medications can cause side
effects. These recommendations should be
dailyexpress
Many species (including dogs, rats
and bees) can detect very subtle changes
in substances called volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) that the body
releases in very low levels, even when
healthy. In fact, exhaled human breath
contains approximately 3,500 different
VOCs. The composition and concentra-
tion of VOCs the body releases changes
based on a person9s health 3 and will be
different if they9re fighting an infection
or dealing with a health problem.
The disease-detecting abilities of ani-
mals aren9t just for human benefit, either.
The worm C elegans can not only detect
cancer in human samples, their superior
olfactory senses mean they can also detect
cancer in samples from dogs and cats.
The skills that different species have in
accurately sniffing out disease might just
make trained detection animals an effec-
tive, non-invasive, speedy and cost-effective
way to screen for particular health condi-
tions. It may even further enhance positive
interactions between people and animals.
Notably, because of regulations, ani-
mals used for disease detection are cur-
rently only viewed as screening <tools= to
be used alongside medical diagnostic
techniques. But if regulatory frameworks
permit, detection animals could one day
become a key diagnostic component.
Indeed, detection dogs were faster
(and cheaper) at screening samples for
Covid-19 than routine PCR testing. By
understanding the detection abilities of
animals, we might just help improve lab-
oratory diagnostic tests further by apply-
ing some of their amazing skills.
While exploiting the sniffing skills of
animals might be useful for us, it9s
important to remember that the health
and welfare of the animals involved must
be prioritised too. The ethics of working
animals must always be taken into
account alongside considerations of the
cost, safety and efficiency of any wide-
spread disease screening programmes
that involves them. 3 The Conversation
used only as a guide for your conversations:
Maropitant citrate, brand name Cere-
nia, is the gold standard for treating car-
sickness in dogs. It9s a prescription tablet
for dogs with motion sickness, which
research has shown to be safe and effec-
tive. It was approved by the Food and Drug
Administration in 2007, and a generic ver-
sion became available last year.
The writer9s dog Raylan, a shepherd
mix, would suffer from car sickness. (Mar-
lene Cimons)
Injectable Cerenia is licensed for both
dogs and cats and is often used for chronic
vomiting or nausea from surgery or
chemotherapy. It also can be given in a
vet9s office before a trip.
The tablets aren9t approved for cats,
although veterinarians prescribe them <off
label.= While Cerenia helps cats, other drugs
used in dogs usually don9t, Lechner said.
Maropitant citrate works by blocking a
neurotransmitter 3 or chemical messenger
3 called substance P involved in nausea
and vomiting, thus reducing their likeli-
hood. 3 Washington Post
dailyexpress
P’pines to ‘stand
our ground’
in South China
Sea dispute
MANILA: The Philippines will <stand our
ground= in a dispute with Beijing over the
South China Sea, a top security official said
Friday, eight years after an international
ruling against China in the territorial con-
test.
Tensions over the strategic waterway, a
key passage for sea-borne trade, have
soared in the past 18 months following a
series of escalating confrontations
between Philippine and Chinese ships.
The most serious happened on June 17,
when China Coast Guard personnel wield-
ing knives, sticks and an axe surrounded
and boarded three Philippine Navy boats
during a resupply mission to Second
Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.
While the countries agreed last week to
<de-escalate tensions= over the disputed
reefs and waters, Philippine National Secu-
rity Adviser Eduardo Ano said Friday that
Manila would not back down.
<We will continue to stand our ground
and push back against coercion, interfer-
ence, malign influence and other tactics
that seek to jeopardise our security and
stability,= Ano said at an event celebrating
the anniversary of the ruling by The
Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitra-
tion.
The Philippines filed a case against
China in 2013. Three years later, the Perma-
nent Court of Arbitration ruled in Manila9s
favour, declaring China9s expansive claims
had no legal basis.
China refused to take part in the pro-
ceedings and has ignored the judgement.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte, who
took office in 2016, set aside the ruling in
exchange for warmer ties with China.
That changed when Philippine Presi-
dent Ferdinand Marcos was elected in
2022, insisting he would not let China
trample on Manila9s maritime rights.
Since then, diplomatic relations
between Manila and Beijing have deterio-
rated as the Marcos administration pushes
back against Chinese actions.
P’pines marks 8th anniversary of
arbitral ruling on West P’pine Sea
MANILA: The Philippines marked on Fri-
day the eighth anniversary of the Perma-
nent Court of Arbitration9s 2016 ruling
that the nation has exclusive sovereign
rights over the West Philippine Sea (in the
South China Sea) and that China9s <nine-
dash line= is invalid.
<Over the years, the Philippines has
continued to demonstrate this commit-
ment to peace even in the face of the
unlawful actions which have caused seri-
ous incidents in the South China Sea,
without ever diminishing our resolve to
protect and promote our people9s inter-
est and the full and responsible enjoy-
ment of our legally settled maritime
entitlements and its accompanying
rights and jurisdictions,= the DFA said in
a statement.
<The Award is a reaffirmation of the
United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea and protects our rights as a coastal
M’sian, Indonesian armies
complete joint border patrols
JAKARTA: The Malaysian Army and the
Indonesian National Army conducted
joint patrols along the border of both
countries from June 29 to July 6.
The 1/2024 Patrol Series was carried out
in the North Kalimantan area, involving the
9th Battalion of the Border Regiment and
the Border Security Task Force of
Yonarhanud 12 Satria Bhuana Prakasa (SBP).
The official closing ceremony was held
in Desa Long Midang, Krayan Induk Dis-
trict, Nunukan Regency on July 6, accord-
ing to a statement by Yonarhanud 12 SBP.
Lt Col Arh Agus Prijambodo, Com-
mander of the Border Security Task Force,
commended the personnel involved for
their dedication and hard work in carrying
out the activities smoothly and safely.
<This activity can serve as an effective
Myanmar temple city pines for tourists amid conflict
BAGAN (Myanmar): The domes and spires
of Myanmar9s temple city of Bagan mark an
island of calm in the country9s raging civil
war, but with conflict keeping tourists away
locals are struggling to make ends meet.
The Unesco world heritage site on the
banks of the Ayeyarwady River became a
travel showpiece after decades of military
rule were relaxed in 2011.
China deploys coast guard and other
vessels to patrol waters around reefs
claimed by the Philippines.
That includes Second Thomas Shoal,
which lies about 200 kilometres (120
miles) from the western Philippine island
of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilome-
tres from China9s nearest major landmass,
Hainan island.
The Philippines deliberately grounded
a navy ship on the reef in 1999 to assert
Manila9s claims to the area.
A handful of Filipino troops stationed
on the rusty vessel rely on the regular
delivery of provisions for their survival.
Dozens of Filipino activists rallied in
Manila on Friday to insist that the West
Philippine Sea 3 the Philippines9 name for
the South China Sea waters to its immedi-
ate west 3 <is ours=.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
said in a statement for the anniversary that
Washington remained <deeply concerned=
about China9s claims <over vast areas that
are clearly within the maritime jurisdic-
tion of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia,
and Brunei=.
Blinken called on Beijing to <abide by
the 2016 arbitral ruling= and <cease its
dangerous and destabilising conduct=.
The Philippines has deepened defence
cooperation with the United States and
other countries in the face of China9s grow-
ing assertiveness.
On Monday, the Philippines signed a
key defence pact with Japan that will allow
the deployment of troops on each other9s
territory.
Ano said Friday the government would
continue to <foster closer ties with like-
minded countries= and remained open to
discussing <difficult issues=.
The Philippines was <always open to...
frank discussion based on mutual respect
and sincerity,= Ano told the gathering that
included ambassadors from the United
States, Australia, France and Japan.
<If you call, we will answer.=
state and a seafaring people. Every effort
to secure our legitimate interests in our
maritime domain is a testament to the
determination and courage of the Filipino
people, while showcasing the Philippines9
vision of peace and stability that inspires
and resonates beyond the waters of the
South China Sea,= it added.
According to DFA, the Philippines9
stand has only been strengthened by <the
broadening affirmation of the legal value
of the Award as a positive and legitimate
source of international law.=
The support aired by other states,
including the G7 3 only confirms that the
arbitral tribunal9s 2016 ruling is final and
binding, the DFA added.
<With our national interest and sover-
eign rights in mind, the Philippines will
move forward to chart a course anchored
on peace, security and prosperity in our
region,= DFA concluded. 3 Inquirer
platform to realise the spirit of together-
ness and mutual understanding between
the soldiers of both countries,= he said.
He also welcomed the presence of the
Commanding Officer of the 9th Battalion
of the Border Regiment, Lt Col Muham-
mad Samzie Gusang, and his delegation at
the event.
At the 43rd General Border Committee
Meeting (GBC Malindo) in Jakarta last
year, the defence ministers of both coun-
tries emphasised the importance of
enhancing collaboration to tackle issues in
the border regions.
This includes implementing joint
patrols through the <coordinated patrol=
mechanism to combat cross-border
crimes that threaten security and stability
in the border regions.
Myanmar became popular with trav-
ellers seeking a destination away from the
well-trodden backpacker haunts of South-
east Asia.
But the tourism industry was battered by
the coronavirus pandemic and then in Feb-
ruary 2021 the military seized power again,
unleashing conflict across swathes of the
country.
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
Laos, S’pore strengthen edu and clean energy ties
Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone with his
Singaporean counterpart PM Lawrence
Wong (right) during the meeting.
Indonesia govt
tightens cyber-
security after
ransomware attack
JAKARTA: The recent cyberattack in Indone-
sia, which massively disrupted its national
data system, has urged the country to
strengthen its cyber resilience and evaluate
its digital technology policy, reported Xin-
hua.
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for
Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Hadi
Tjahjanto, said on Friday that the govern-
ment would carry out digital security
improvement and strengthen the system
capabilities of its national data centre.
<We are designing the data centre with
the ability to have multiple back-ups, lay-
ered back-ups with strong security meas-
ures. We want it to be a system that cannot
be hacked. This will continue to be done to
support the government9s performance in
serving the public,= stated Tjahjanto.
Indonesia9s Ministry of Communication
and Informatics is currently preparing to
execute what it calls as <tenant redeploy=,
aimed at enhancing the digital security in
governance according to stricter standard
operating procedures.
<We9ll execute it from August to Septem-
ber 2024,= the ministry9s Director General of
Informatics Applications, Ismail, said on
Thursday. The ransomware attack that tar-
geted Indonesia9s national data centre and
created a massive data crisis started on June
17 and went on for almost one week. Ini-
tially, the hacker demanded a ransom of
US$8 million.
According to the Ministry of Communi-
cation and Informatics and the National
Cyber and Encryption Agency, at least 282
institutions were disrupted by the attack.
This included the immigration services,
leading to long queues at the airports due
to system bottlenecks at the immigration
checkpoints.
The attack also disrupted educational
institutions during the student enrolment
period ahead of the new academic year. Fol-
lowing the incident, there were reports that
many citizens in Indonesia demanded the
resignation of Communication and Infor-
matics Minister, citing his failure to protect
the public9s data.
Laos, Vietnam
sign pact to
deepen ties
VIENTIANE: The governments of Laos and
Vietnam signed seven pacts on various
areas of cooperation, aiming to deepen
and expand the 62-year solid relationship
and collaboration between the two
nations.
Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith and
President of Vietnam To Lam witnessed
the signing of the agreements on Thursday
in Laos capital of Vientiane, Xinhua
quoted the Lao national TV report on Fri-
day.
To Lam, accompanied by a high-rank-
ing delegation, arrived in Vientiane on
Thursday for a two-day state visit.
The visit symbolises the Vietnamese
Party and State's consistent policy of
attaching great importance to the great
friendship, special solidarity, and compre-
hensive cooperation between Laos and
Vietnam, said the report.
Cooperation in the fields of politics and
foreign affairs has strengthened signifi-
cantly and remains unwavering, with the
two sides enjoying mutual trust, it added.
Both sides also noted the strong
progress made in carrying out coopera-
tion projects and agreements over the past
years.
In the year following the coup around
200,000 international visitors came to
Myanmar, according to figures from the
junta9s tourism ministry.
Five years earlier the figure was 3.4 mil-
lion.
Hundreds of centuries-old Buddhist
pagodas rise from the dusty earth around
Bagan, once the capital of a regional empire.
VIENTIANE (Laotian Times): Laos and Sin-
gapore have agreed to enhance collabora-
tion on education and carbon credits, with
two agreements signed this week during
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone9s
official trip to the country.
During his visit, Sonexay met with his
Singaporean counterpart, Lawrence
Wong, to discuss cooperation between
their governments. Their talks focused on
political, economic, trade, and investment
sectors, with particular emphasis on clean
energy and cross-border electricity trade
involving Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and
Singapore.
According to the Lao Ministry of For-
eign Affairs, two-way trade between Laos
and Singapore has reached US$182.5 mil-
lion this year, with Lao exports exceed-
ing USD 96.3 million and imports over
USD 86.1 million. Additionally, Singa-
porean businesses have invested in 83
projects across Laos, totaling USD 362
million.
Gorontalo landslide: Search
for 23 missing continues
BONE BOLANGO (Gorontalo): The search
for 23 people still missing following a mas-
sive landslide that levelled an unautho-
rised gold mining pit in Gorontalo on July
7 was continued on Friday morning fol-
lowing the end of extreme weather condi-
tions.
On Thursday, the search operation was
stopped after torrential rains continued to
batter the landslide-hit mining pit area in
Tulabolo Timur Village, Suwawi Timur
Sub-district, Bone Bolango District.
On Friday, a joint team of rescuers
would also deliver logistics and deploy
more personnel to the landslide site,
Antara quoted Gorontalo Search and Res-
cue Agency9s operational head, Ida Bagus
Ngurah Asrama.
<Continued downpours in the mining
pit area have hampered the search opera-
tion,= the rescue agency official noted in a
press statement published here on Thurs-
day.
Nearly 200 nations agreed at the UN COP28 summit to launch a fund
for distributing aid for countries to rebuild after climate disasters.
‘We cannot wait another year’:
Disaster-hit nations call for climate aid
PARIS: Countries on the frontlines of climate
change have warned they cannot wait
another year for long-sought aid to recover
from disasters as floods and hurricanes
wreak havoc across the globe.
The appeal came during a meeting of the
<loss and damage= fund that will conclude
Friday amid concerns it is unlikely to be able
to approve climate aid until 2025.
<We cannot wait until the end of 2025 for
the first funds to get out the door,= Adao
Soares Barbosa, a board member from East
Timor and a long-standing negotiator for
the world9s poorest nations, told AFP.
<Loss and damage isn9t waiting for us.=
Nearly 200 nations agreed at the UN
COP28 summit last November to launch a
fund responsible for distributing aid to
developing countries to rebuild in the wake
of climate disasters.
That historic moment has given way to
complex negotiations to finalise the fund9s
design, which some countries worry will not
move at a pace or scale that matches the
tempo of extreme-weather disasters afflict-
ing their people.
<The urgency of needs of vulnerable
countries and communities cannot be left
until we have every hair in place for this
fund,= said Barbosa.
Damage bills for climate disasters can
run into the billions and there is barely
enough cash set aside for loss and damage
at present to cover just one such event,
experts say.
This year has witnessed a string of catas-
trophes on multiple continents, from floods
and landslides to heatwaves and wildfires.
Delegates met in South Korea for the sec-
ond meeting of the loss and damage fund
this week as Hurricane Beryl left a trail of
destruction across the Caribbean and North
America.
The <massive= destruction witnessed in
recent weeks <puts immense pressure on us
to deliver on our work=, Richard Sherman,
the South African co-chair of the board
steering the negotiations, told the meeting.
The fund said it wanted money approved
<as soon as possible, but realistically by mid-
2025=, according to an official document
seen by AFP.
In an appeal for faster action, Elizabeth
Thompson, a board member from Barbados,
said Hurricane Beryl alone had caused
<apocalyptic= damage worth <multiple bil-
Asean 9
Meanwhile, the two sides also pledged
collaboration in renewable energy, rare-
earth minerals, agriculture, health, and
tourism. In regional affairs, the two prime
ministers affirmed their commitment to
strengthen Asean community building
and support Laos as this year9s Asean chair.
The Lao PM expressed gratitude on
behalf of Laos for Singapore9s assistance
and support over the past years, particu-
larly in human resource development and
capacity building. He also congratulated
PM Wong on his appointment and
expressed readiness to elevate Laos-Singa-
pore relations.
This visit marks Sonexay9s first official
trip to Singapore since becoming prime
minister in December 2022, coinciding
with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic
relations between the two nations.
During the visit, Sonexay also paid
courtesy calls on President Tharman Shan-
mugaratnam and Senior Minister Lee
Hsien Loong. 3 Laotian Times
Asrama pointed out that the extreme
weather conditions have slowed not only
the search operation on the ground but
also the deployment of additional rescuers
and distribution of logistics, as these could
not be carried out by helicopters.
The agency9s operational head stated
that in bad weather, motorcycles are the
only vehicles that can deliver the logistics
and transport the personnel to the land-
slide site.
As of Thursday, the number of people
affected by the massive landslide totalled
190. Some 23 of those affected by the dis-
aster were confirmed dead, 144 were found
alive, and 23 were still missing, Asrama
remarked.
Torrential rains lashed several areas of
Gorontalo Province on Saturday (July 6),
triggering flash floods and landslides.
Several bridges connecting access roads
to the gold mining pit, located far from
residential areas, collapsed.
lion dollars=.
<In five islands of the Grenadines... 90 per
cent of the housing is gone... Houses look
like packs of cards and strips of wood, roofs
are gone, trees are gone, there is no food,
there is no water, there is no power,= she said.
<We cannot keep talking while people
live and die in a crisis that they do not cause.=
Thompson said the fund needed to
reflect <the urgency and the scale required
to respond to... the risk, the damage and the
devastation faced by people across the world
who need this fund=.
Wealthy nations have so far pledged
around $661 million to the loss and damage
fund. South Korea contributed an additional
$7 million at the start of this week9s meeting.
<That would hardly cover the likely losses
from one major climate-related disaster,=
Camilla More, of the International Institute
for Environment and Development, told
AFP.
Some estimates suggest developing
countries need over $400 billion annually to
rebuild after climate-related disasters. One
study put the global bill at between $290 bil-
lion and $580 billion a year by 2030, and ris-
ing after that.
In one example in 2022, unprecedented
flooding in Pakistan caused more than $30
billion in damages and economic losses,
according to a UN-backed assessment.
Developing nations had been pushing
for a specific fund to distribute aid to
recover from climate impacts for 30 years,
and the agreement struck in November was
hailed a major diplomatic breakthrough.
<(But) we can9t have a fund without
money,= said Brandon Wu from ActionAid.
Technical discussions are taking place
this year over the details of the loss and dam-
age fund, including with the World Bank
which will house the fund on an interim
basis.
The Philippines was chosen this week to
host the fund9s board.
Contentious discussions remain to
decide how the money is allocated and in
what form it should be made available to
countries.
On Tuesday, more than 350 nongovern-
mental organisations sent a letter to the
fund9s board demanding that a substantial
share of the money be made directly avail-
able as small grants to local communities
and indigenous groups.
 WORLD
11
Biden digs in as gaffes highlight election doubts
‘Assassination plot on
German arms supplier’
WASHINGTON: The
United States foiled a
Russian plot earlier this
year to assassinate the
chief executive of a major
German arms maker sup-
plying weaponry to
Ukraine, CNN reported.
The US cable television network, citing
five unidentified US and Western offi-
cials, said the United States informed
Germany of the Russian government9s
plan to kill Armin Papperger (pic), the
head of Rheinmetall, and he was given
protection by German security services.
It said the assassination plot was one
of a series of Russian plans discovered by
US intelligence to kill European defense
industry executives supporting Ukraine9s
war effort.
The Kremlin on Friday dismissed the
report.
<It9s all presented in the style of
another fake story, therefore such reports
cannot be taken seriously,= Kremlin
China-Russia
military drills
BEIJING: China said Friday it was conduct-
ing joint military drills with Russia along
its southern coast, after a US-led Western
defence alliance met in Washington and
Japan warned of a growing threat from Bei-
jing9s strong ties with Moscow.
China9s defence ministry said the two
militaries had begun the exercises, called
Joint Sea-2024, in <early July= and they
would last until the middle of this month.
The drills in the waters and airspace
around Zhanjiang, a city in southern
Guangdong province, are <to demonstrate
the resolve and capabilities of the two sides
in jointly addressing maritime security
threats and preserving global and regional
peace and stability=, the ministry said.
It added that the exercises <will further
deepen China-Russia comprehensive
strategic partnership of coordination for
the new era=.
They were taking place in accordance
with Beijing and Moscow9s annual plan for
military engagement, according to the
ministry. 3 AFP
F-35: Court rebuffs
fining Netherlands
THE HAGUE: Dutch judges on Friday
slapped down an urgent request by a trio
of rights groups to penalise the Nether-
lands for not respecting a ban on supply-
ing F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel.
In a landmark verdict in February, an
appeals court ordered the Netherlands to
stop delivering parts for fighter jets used
by Israel in its offensive in the Gaza Strip.
But the rights groups went back to
court in June, saying that the ban has not
prevented parts actually ending up in
Israeli planes.
Their lawyers accused the Dutch gov-
ernment for continuing <to deliver (parts)
to other countries, including the United
States.=
The three groups asked The Hague Dis-
trict Court in an urgent request to impose
a 50,000 euro per day fine on the state for
not respecting the verdict.
Their lawyers said F-35 parts exported
by the Netherlands continued to reach
Israel via other routes including the so-
called <Global Spares Pool=4a joint stock
of spare parts maintained by countries
that operate the F-35. 3 AFP
Escape from
Niger prison
NIAMEY (Niger): Several inmates have
escaped from a high-security prison near
Niger9s capital Niamey housing jihadists
and others, sparking a curfew.
The jailbreak at the Koutoukale prison
occurred on Wednesday.
Niger9s interior ministry asked local
security forces in a radio message to step
up security, without specifying the num-
ber of fugitives who escaped.
<We ask you upon reception of the pres-
ent message to alert all search units,= the
ministry said.
<Terrorist leaders= are amongst the
escapees, according to Nigerian news web-
site Actuniger.com.
The region of Tillaberi, located in the
vast and unstable border area of Niger,
Mali and Burkina Faso, is prone to attacks
by rebels linked to the Islamic State and
Al-Qaeda groups.
The interior ministry also asked local
authorities to <collaborate with traditional
and religious leaders= and to encourage
<the population to report any suspicious
individual.=3 AFP
dailyexpress
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
CNN said the plot against Papperger
was the <most mature= and quoted a
high-level German government official
as confirming that Germany was warned
about the plot by the United States.
Rheinmetall produces 155mm artillery
shells and plans to begin manufacturing
armored vehicles in Ukraine, according
to CNN.
The CNN report comes as NATO lead-
ers are holding meetings in Washington
to mark the 75th anniversary of the
defense bloc.
German Foreign Minister Annalena
Baerbock said: <In view of the latest
reports on Rheinmetall, this is what we
have actually been communicating more
and more clearly in recent months.
<Russia is waging a hybrid war of
aggression,= Baerbock said. <With sabo-
tage, with cyber attacks, with the paraly-
sis of GPS so that Baltic aircraft can no
longer land in neighbouring countries.
<We have seen that there have been
Biden: Time to end the war in Gaza
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden said
that US mediators were making progress in
reaching a Gaza ceasefire deal as he called
for an end to the Israel-Hamas war.
Biden, in a high-stakes, nearly hour-long
news conference aimed at repudiating
doubters of his reelection bid, acknowl-
edged concerns about Israeli actions
despite his overall support for the US ally.
<There9s a lot of things in retrospect I
wish I had been able to convince the Israelis
to do, but the bottom line is we have a
chance now. It9s time to end this war,= he
said after a NATO summit in Washington.
Biden acknowledged there remained
<difficult, complex issues= between Israel
and Hamas.
<There are still gaps to close. We9re mak-
ing progress,= Biden said.
<The trend is positive, and I9m deter-
mined to get this deal done and bring an
end to this war, which should end now,= he
said.
Biden more than a month ago laid out a
plan in which Israel would temporarily halt
its offensive in Gaza and Palestinian mili-
tants would release hostages, setting the
stage for talks for a permanent end to the
devastating nine-month war.
Hamas came back with counterpropos-
als and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu has faced pushback from some
of his hard-right government allies.
But diplomats have spoken of progress
in the latest round of talks that closed
Thursday in Qatar, the key mediator.
Biden, 81, recalled his meeting a half-
Zelensky: Drop all restrictions on striking Russia
WASHINGTON: Ukraine9s President
Volodymyr Zelensky called on NATO lead-
ers to drop all restrictions on letting Kyiv
strike inside Russia with Western
weaponry as they wrapped up a three-day
summit in Washington.
The 32-nation alliance has used the
pomp-filled 75th anniversary gala in the US
capital to showcase its resolve against
Moscow and backing for Kyiv.
The Ukrainian leader joined his NATO
counterparts after receiving promises of
new air defences for Ukraine and as allies
began the transfer of long-promised F-16
jets.
But Zelensky called on Kyiv9s backers,
especially the United States, to go fur-
ther4including by giving his outgunned
forces greater scope to strike inside Russia.
<If we want to win, if we want to prevail,
if we want to save our country and to
defend it, we need to lift all the limita-
tions,= Zelensky said.
Taiwan ends honour guard
at Chiang Kai-shek statue
TAIPEI: Taiwanese soldiers will stop per-
forming elaborate changing of the
guard ceremonies around a statue of late
president Chiang Kai-shek to avoid <wor-
shipping authoritarianism=, the govern-
ment said on Friday.
The fate of the 6.3-metre (21-foot)
bronze statue has long been the subject
of fierce and polarising debate in Tai-
wan, which has transformed from an
autocracy under Chiang into one of
Asia9s most vibrant democracies.
The changing of the guard there each
hour is a major tourist draw, but starting
Monday, the ceremony will be moved
outdoors to Democracy Boulevard, which
leads to Chiang9s eponymous blue-and-
white memorial hall4one of the island9s
most recognisable landmarks.
<Eliminating worshipping a cult of
personality and eliminating worship-
12
attacks on people on European territory,=
the foreign minister said. <We have seen
that there have been attacks on factories.
<And this emphasizes once again that
we as Europeans must protect ourselves
as best we can and not be naive.=
A German interior ministry
spokesman declined to comment
directly on the Rheinmetall report but
said the <German government takes the
threats from the Russian regime very seri-
ously.
<Our security authorities are very vig-
ilant and act accordingly, in close coop-
eration with our international partners,=
the spokesman said. <We cannot com-
ment on details, concrete protection
measures and intelligence findings.=
Rheinmetall spokesman Oliver Hoff-
mann said the company was <unable to
comment on issues relating to corporate
security.=
<The necessary measures are always
taken in regular consultation with secu-
rity authorities,= Hoffmann added. 3 AFP
century ago as a young senator with Israeli
prime minister Golda Meir4and acknowl-
edged that times have changed.
<We pushed it really hard, and Israel
occasionally was less than cooperative,=
Biden said of Netanyahu9s government.
<This war cabinet is one of the most
conservative war cabinets in the history of
Israel, and there9s no ultimate answer
other than a two-state solution here,= he
said.
Biden also stood firm on his decision to
hold up delivery of massive 2,000-pound
bombs, even as his administration moves
forward on other munitions.
<I9m not providing the 2,000-pound
bombs. They cannot be used in Gaza or any
populated area without causing great
British PM Keir Starmer (left) meets
Zelensky in Washington, DC.
Key allies such as Washington and Ger-
many relaxed conditions on Ukraine hit-
ting inside Russia in May in response to
Moscow9s offensive toward the second city
Kharkiv, but they kept in place some limits
on how far and under which circum-
stances Kyiv could strike.
<The only way to hit military targets,
missile launchers or airfields which are
ping authoritarianism is the current
goal for promoting transitional justice=
at the monument, Taiwan9s culture min-
istry said in a statement.
<The military honour guards9 sentry
duty at the hall will be removed... but
their performances will be maintained,
with the venue moving to the Democracy
Boulevard.=
Chiang and his nationalist Kuom-
intang (KMT) troops fled from mainland
China to Taiwan in 1949 to set up a rival
government after losing a civil war to
communist forces.
He is now seen by many as the
embodiment of a brutal military regime
that exiled, imprisoned and killed thou-
sands of opponents until his death in
1975.
For many Taiwanese youth, he is also
synonymous with the kind of authoritar-
Kenya’s Ruto dismisses Cabinet
US arms in Germany signal
Cold War: Kremlin
MOSCOW: The United States9 plan to peri-
odically station long-range missiles in Ger-
many will lead to Cold War-style
confrontation between Russia and the
West, the Kremlin said.
The White House announced the deci-
sion on Wednesday during a NATO sum-
mit in Washington, arguing the stationing
of long-range weapons including Toma-
hawk cruise missiles in Europe acts as a
deterrent.
<We are taking steady steps towards the
Cold War,= Kremlin spokesman Dmitry
Peskov told a state TV reporter.
<All the attributes of the Cold War with
Kira Korolev (left) and her
62-year-old husband Igor.
Families and
supporters of
Israeli hostages
march along the
high way near
Shoresh, toward
Jerusalem, in an
attempt to
pressure their
government to
negotiate a deal.
human tragedy and damage,= Biden said.
He again pressed Israel for a <day-after=
plan for the war9s end and spoke of his
diplomacy to persuade Arab states to help
with security.
<At the end of the day, there has to be no
occupation by Israel in the Gaza Strip,=
Biden said.
The militants seized 251 hostages, 116 of
whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the
military says are dead.
At least 38,345 people were killed in
Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to
data from the health ministry in Hamas-
ruled Gaza.
Israel also imposed a punishing siege on
the territory of 2.4 million people, pushing
many to the brink of starvation. 3 AFP
conducting attacks against Ukraine is to
hit military targets on Russian territory,
because the frontline and the borderline
is more or less the same,= NATO chief Jens
Stoltenberg said.
NATO allies have put together a pack-
age of support for Ukraine including the
pledge of more Patriot missile systems to
defend the skies over the war-torn coun-
try.
Zelensky said he hoped to see the air
defences4including one new Patriot sys-
tem from the United States4delivered <as
soon as possible.=
NATO9s leaders at the summit once
again risked disappointing Zelensky by
refusing to issue Ukraine a clear invitation
to join their alliance.
<We are doing and will continue to do
everything to ensure that the day comes
when Ukraine is invited and becomes a
NATO member, and I am confident we will
achieve this,= Zelensky said. 3 AFP
The fate of the 6.3-metre (21-foot) bronze
statue has long been the subject of fierce
and polarising debate in Taiwan.
ianism seen in mainland China, which
views Taiwan as its territory and has not
renounced the use of force to bring the
self-ruled island under its control.
Hundreds of other statues of Chiang
have already been moved to a lakeside
park close to his mausoleum in the
northern city of Taoyuan.
Families of the victims of a 1947 mas-
sacre by his nationalist troops have long
demanded his statue in the Taipei hall
likewise be removed. 3 AFP
10
the direct confrontation are returning,= he
said.
He added Washington9s decision gave
Russia <a reason to pull together= and <ful-
fil all the goals= of its military campaign in
Ukraine.
NATO countries spearheaded by the
United States have bolstered their defences
in Europe in the wake of Russia9s 2022
offensive against neighbouring Ukraine.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed
the planned deployment of the US
weapons in his country, calling the move a
<necessary and important decision at the
right time=. 3 AFP
Russian couple
charged in Australia
with spying
SYDNEY: Australian police have charged a
married Russian-born couple with spying
for Moscow, top officials said Friday, accus-
ing them of accessing national security-
related material from the military.
The 40-year-old woman, Kira Korolev,
and her 62-year-old husband Igor4both
holders of Russian passports4had lived in
Australia for more than 10 years and
obtained citizenship, the authorities said.
They were arrested at their home in Bris-
bane on Thursday and charged with
<preparing for an espionage offence=, fed-
eral police commissioner Reece Kershaw
told a news conference.
The charge carries a maximum sentence
of 15 years9 imprisonment.
The accused woman was a private in the
Australian defence force and had been
working there for several years as an infor-
mation systems technician, Kershaw said.
She took <non-declared= travel to Russia
during long-term leave from the military, he
said.
While in Russia, she allegedly told her
husband, a self-employed labourer, how to
log into her official account at home.
<We allege her husband would access
requested material and would send to his
wife in Russia,= Kershaw said.
<We allege they sought that information
with the intention of providing it to Russian
authorities,= he added.
<Whether that information was handed
over remains a key focus of our investiga-
tion.=
Kershaw said no <significant compro-
mise= had yet been identified, though police
said the material was related to Australian
national security interests.
Australia9s Five Eyes intelligence-sharing
partners4the United States, Britain, Canada
and New Zealand4can be <confident= in its
ability to disrupt foreign espionage, he said.
The police chief said the woman
obtained citizenship in 2016 and her hus-
band did so in 2020.
The couple appeared separately in Bris-
bane9s magistrates court on Friday for a
brief mention, a court official said.
Both were ordered to be held in custody
ahead of a court hearing on September 20.
The Russian embassy in Canberra was
contacted by AFP for comment but did not
immediately respond.
Australia9s top spymaster Mike Burgess
said security vetting was not a guarantee
against espionage because <it depends on
what you say=.
<If you meet the requirements to get a
security clearance, you will get a security
clearance. But that does not mean to say the
security journey stops at this point,= he told
journalists.3 AFP
Pro-Russian speaker,
12 others acquitted
over coup plot
PODGORICA (Montenegro): A Montenegro
court on Friday acquitted the pro-Moscow
speaker of parliament and 12 others who
were re-tried over an alleged Russian-backed
coup attempt.
In 2019, a court sentenced two leaders of
the pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF) group
of parties, then in the opposition, to five-year
prison terms each.
They are now part of Montenegro9s ruling
coalition as part of the new For The Future of
Montenegro coalition.
The two4current parliamentary speaker
Andrija Mandic and MP Milan Knezevic4
were accused of being part of a <criminal
organisation= that planned to overthrow
Djukanovic and prevent Montenegro from
joining NATO.
<There was no evidence that the defen-
dants were guilty of the acts they were
charged with, so they are acquitted,= judge
Zoran Radovic said on Friday.
Prosecutors can appeal.
After the verdict, Mandic posted a joint
photo with Knezevic on X with the message
<Courage and freedom=.
In 2019, all defendants were sentenced to
a total of 70 years in prison. The heaviest sen-
tences, 12 and 15 years, went to two alleged
Russian spies tried in absentia. A former Ser-
bian police general received eight years. 3 AFP
dailyexpress
Candidates loyal to Imran won the
largest share of seats. They were kept
from power however by an alliance of
military-backed parties.
Pakistan Supreme
Court grants seats
to Imran’s party
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan9s Supreme Court on
Friday granted jailed former prime
minister Imran Khan9s party around 20
seats in parliament reserved for women
and minorities, months after national
elections marred by allegations of pre-poll
rigging.
In February polls, candidates loyal to
Imran Khan won the largest share of
seats4despite being forced by an election
commission ruling to contest as
independents.
They were kept from power however by
an alliance of military-backed parties.
<Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was and is a
political party which secured and won...
general seats in the national and
provincial assemblies in the general
elections of 2024,= in the majority decision
read by Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah.
<It is declared that lack or denial of an
election symbol doesn9t in any manner
affect the constitutional or legal rights of
a political party to participate in an
election.=
<The PTI shall be entitled to reserved
seats for women and minorities in the
national assembly accordingly,= he
added.
Unelected seats reserved for women
and non-Muslims are handed out to
parties in proportion to the number of
elected seats they secured.
The ruling weakens the government of
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. 3 AFP
Four migrants
drown trying to
cross Channel
LILLE (France): Four migrants drowned in
the Channel overnight off France9s north-
ern coast while trying to cross to Britain,
French maritime police said Friday.
A navy patrol boat went to the site off
of Boulogne-sur-Mer after being alerted
that several migrants had fallen into the
sea, maritime police told AFP.
Four bodies were pulled from the
water, but people were also rescued, the
police added.
The UK9s new interior minister Yvette
Cooper described the deaths as <truly
awful=.
<Criminal gangs are making vast profit
from putting lives at risk,= she wrote on X.
<We are accelerating action with inter-
national partners to pursue & bring
down dangerous smuggler gangs,= she
added.
The UK9s Labour government on Satur-
day confirmed it was scrapping a plan to
deport migrants to Rwanda in an effort to
reduce the number of irregular migrants
arriving on the country9s shores. 3 AFP
63 missing in
Nepal landslide
KATHMANDU: At least 63 people were
missing in Nepal on Friday after a land-
slide triggered by heavy monsoon rains
swept two buses off a highway and into a
river, authorities said.
Dozens of search and rescue personnel
were combing the site for survivors of the
accident in the central district of Chitwan,
district official Khimananda Bhusal told
AFP.
Bhusal said that the buses were carry-
ing at least 66 people between them but
three passengers had been able to escape
before they crashed into the Trishuli river
and were now being treated in hospital.
<We are not sure of the total number
because the buses could have picked up
others on the road,= he said.
<The river has swollen and no one else
has been found yet.=
The accident took place along the
Narayanghat-Mugling highway, around
100 kilometres (60 miles) west of the cap-
ital Kathmandu early Friday at 3:30 am
local time (2145 GMT Thursday).
One bus was heading from the capital
Kathmandu to Gaur in Rautahat district in
southern Nepal and the other was en
route to Kathmandu from southern Bir-
gunj.
Nearly 2,400 people lost their lives on
Nepal9s roads in the 12 months to April,
according to government figures.
Floods, landslides and lightning strikes
have killed 88 people across the country
since the monsoon began in June, accord-
ing to police figures. 3 AFP
Biden digs in as
gaffes highlight
election doubts
WASHINGTON: A defiant Joe Biden
insisted that he will run for another term
as US president and beat Donald Trump, as
a string of verbal gaffes at a major summit
threw a harsh new spotlight on his fitness.
In a high stakes press conference at the
end of the NATO summit in Washington,
the 81-year-old acknowledged the need to
<allay fears= among Democrats but said he
was determined not to step aside.
His bid to portray himself as in com-
mand was undermined by introducing
Ukraine9s President Volodymyr Zelensky as
his Russian foe Vladimir Putin earlier in
the day, and then referring to Vice Presi-
dent Kamala Harris as <Vice President
Trump= at the news conference.
Biden9s candidacy has been in crisis
since a disastrous debate performance
against Trump two weeks ago renewed
concerns around his age4and the rare
solo press conference, lasting about an
hour, was designed to show he still has
what it takes.
<I9m the most qualified person to run
for president. I beat him once, and I will
beat him again,= Biden said of Trump.
Already the oldest president in US his-
tory, Biden said he was <not in this for my
legacy= but to <complete the job I started.=
The president has faced a steady drum-
beat of Democrats calling for him to aban-
don his 2024 candidacy, fearing that
Trump is in a position to beat him.
More calls from House representatives
came Thursday night after the news con-
ference.
Biden made clear he supported Harris4
who as vice president would take over
from him in the event of an emergency,
but is also seen by a growing number of
Iran demands
US$6.8b
for sanctions
impact on patients
TEHRAN: An Iranian court has ordered
the United States to pay almost $6.8
billion in damages for the effect of
sanctions on patients with a rare skin
disease, the judiciary said.
The International Court in Tehran
ordered its foe the United States to pay
$6.785 billion to patients with epider-
molysis bullosa, a disorder that causes
the skin to blister easily, the judiciary9s
Mizan Online website said on Thurs-
day.
Then-president Donald Trump in
2018 unilaterally withdrew the US from
a nuclear accord between Iran and sev-
eral global powers. He reimposed eco-
nomic sanctions that had been lifted
under the agreement.
Washington9s measures <deprived
these patients of medicines and oint-
ments=, leading to <the death of about
20 people=, Mizan Online said.
The trial began in November 2021,
when 295 complainants, including
patients, took 30 American officials to
court for <having participated in the
establishment of the sanctions,= Mizan
added.
They filed the case after independ-
ent United Nations experts in October
2021 cited the impact of the US meas-
ures on epidermolysis bullosa patients
as an example of <over-compliance
with sanctions=.
Washington had exempted human-
itarian goods, especially medicines
and medical equipment, from its sanc-
tions.
But international purchases of such
supplies were obstructed by banks
wary of conducting business with Iran.
UN experts cited the case of a
Swedish company that halted the sale
of special bandages to its Iranian
client. Such bandages provide vital
relief to patients with epidermolysis
bullosa.
In March, Mizan reported that Iran9s
judiciary had ordered the seizure of
American oil worth more than $50 mil-
lion aboard a tanker seized in 2023. 3
AFP
South Korea deploys drone-melting laser weapons
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
Democrats as a stronger candidate at the
top of the ticket.
Amid reports that Biden9s campaign
was quietly testing Harris9s strength in a
theoretical match-up against Trump, the
president said he would not have picked
her if <she was not qualified to be presi-
dent.=
He also denied reports that he needed
to go to bed by 8pm, a time at which he
was still holding his news conference on
Thursday.
But after blaming his debate debacle on
a mixture of jet lag and a cold he admitted
it would be <smarter for me to pace myself
a little more.=
He stressed too that neurological
exams showed he was in <good shape= and
said he would take another if his doctors
recommended one, but they hadn9t.
Biden also fielded a series of foreign
and domestic policy questions with
detailed if occasionally meandering
answers and relatively few slip-ups,
though he did mix up Europe and Asia.
With questions swirling about his abil-
ity to hold his own against autocratic lead-
ers like Putin or China9s Xi Jinping, Biden
said he was <ready to deal with them now
and three years from now.=
Yet his relatively assured performance
failed to stop the bleeding, with three
more Democratic lawmakers calling for
him to quit the race, bringing the total to
17.
Trump meanwhile mocked Biden over
his gaffes during the press conference
itself.
<Crooked Joe begins his 8Big Boy9 Press
Conference with, 8I wouldn9t have picked
Vice President Trump to be vice president...
Japan warns of China, N Korea threat
TOKYO: China and Russia9s joint military
activities around Japan are of <grave con-
cern= and North Korea poses a greater
threat than ever, Tokyo9s defence ministry
said Friday.
In its annual white paper, the ministry
outlined its stance on a range of issues,
from tensions around Taiwan to the inten-
sifying rivalry between China and the
United States.
Repeated joint sorties by Chinese and
Russian ships around Japan <are clearly
intended as a demonstration of force
against Japan and are a grave concern from
the perspective of national security,= it said.
North Korea, meanwhile, which often
conducts missile tests in Japan9s direction,
poses a <more grave and imminent threat
to Japan9s national security than ever
before=.
In previous years, the defence paper has
raised the need to counter regional threats
including growing Chinese military clout
and a nuclear-armed North Korea.
Japan plans to double its defence
spending to the NATO standard of two
percent of GDP by 2027, although the
falling value of the yen may dent its pur-
chasing power.
This year9s paper noted that Beijing has
regularly sent ships to areas near disputed
islands in the East China Sea4reiterating
that China9s military ambitions are <the
greatest strategic challenge= to Japan and
the world.
It seems China intends to make
increased military activities around Taiwan
Japan Admiral quits over security breaches
TOKYO: The Japanese
Navy9s chief of staff quit
on Friday after a raft of
scandals including over
people without ade-
quate security clear-
ances handling
classified defence mate-
rials.
<I will resign from the chief of maritime
staff job on July 19 and retire,= said Admi-
ral Ryo Sakai (pic), the most senior uni-
formed officer in the Maritime
Self-Defense Force (MSDF).
<As chief of the maritime staff, I am
responsible for the training of personnel
and the organisational management of
the force, and I9m rightly held accountable
for failing to fulfil my duties as the man-
SEOUL: South Korea will begin deploying
drone-melting laser weapons designed to
shoot down North Korean UAVs this year,
the country9s arms procurement agency
told AFP Friday.
The new laser weapons4dubbed the
<StarWars Project= by the South4are invis-
ible and noise-free, require no additional
ammunition, operate solely on electricity
and cost only about 2,000 won ($1.45) per
shot, according to the Defense Acquisition
Program Administration (DAPA).
‘I’m the most qualified
person to run for President.
I beat Trump once,
and I will beat him again.
It was not in my legacy
but to complete
the job I started’
3 Biden, at 81, already the oldest
president in US history.
Great job, Joe!= Trump said on his Truth
Social site.
The White House had dubbed it a <Big
Boy= press conference as it was Biden9s first
solo, unscripted appearance in eight
months4amid accusations that his aging
has been shielded from the public.
The concerns about Biden9s health were
exacerbated by Biden9s error on Zelensky9s
name, which drew gasps from the room.
Zelensky, Ukraine9s wartime leader against
Russia9s 2022 invasion, laughed it off.
Fellow leaders at the summit have
fielded questions about Biden, and their
answers have largely been supportive.
<Slips of the tongue happen,= German
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
A poll released showed more than half
of Democrats say Biden should end his bid
for a second term, and two-thirds of Amer-
icans believe he should quit the race.
Biden and Trump remain in a dead heat
at 46-47 percent support among voters,
respectively, according to the Washington
Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey. 3 AFP
a new normal for the region, said the
paper, which also listed heightened
defence risks associated with AI, cybersecu-
rity and disinformation.
<The international community is facing
its greatest trial since World War II and
competition among states, especially
between the US and China, and it is set to
intensify,= the white paper said.
Japan is forging closer defence ties with
like-minded countries in the region
including Australia and South Korea, and
on Monday signed a key defence pact with
the Philippines to allow the deployment of
troops on each other9s territory.
The Philippines and Japan are both
long-time allies of the United States, which
has been strengthening defence ties in Asia
to counter China9s growing military might
ager of specified secrets,= Sakai told
reporters.
Chief government spokesman Yoshi-
masa Hayashi also said that <disciplinary
action= had also been taken against more
than 200 people.
<The activities of the Self-Defense
Forces are underpinned by the trust of the
public, and these incidents, which must
never be allowed to happen, are extremely
regrettable,= Hayashi told reporters.
<From now on, under the leadership of
the defence minister, I hope that the min-
istry and the Self-Defense Forces will work
together to ensure that measures are taken
to prevent a recurrence of such an incident
and that it never happens again,= he said.
The defence ministry announced in
April that five senior officers including a
The <Block-I= system, developed by Han-
wha Aerospace, will be <put into opera-
tional deployment in the military this year=,
Lee Sang-yoon, a DAPA official, told AFP.
The two Koreas remain technically at
war because the 1950-53 conflict ended in
an armistice, not a peace treaty.
In December 2022, Seoul said five North
Korean drones crossed into the South, the
first such incident in five years, prompting
its military to fire warning shots and
deploy fighter jets, but they failed to shoot
World 11
Terrorist links:
UAE hands life
sentences to 43
DUBAI: A court in the United Arab Emi-
rates has handed life sentences to 43
Emiratis for <terrorist= links, state media
said, after a mass trial heavily criticised
by UN experts and rights groups.
Government critics and human
rights activists were among the 84
defendants brought before the Abu
Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal, most of
whom have been in jail since a similar
trial of 94 people in 2013, according to
rights groups.
The Abu Dhabi court <sentenced 43
defendants to life imprisonment for the
crime of creating, establishing, and man-
aging a terrorist organisation= linked to
the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the
official WAM news agency said.
Ten others were jailed for 10-15 years,
WAM said, with one defendant acquit-
ted and 24 cases ruled inadmissible. It
did not give details of the remaining
cases.
Defendants can still appeal the ver-
dicts before the Federal Supreme Court.
The trial, which kicked off in Decem-
ber, has been condemned by rights
groups and United Nations experts who
accuse the oil-rich Gulf monarchy of
cracking down on dissent.
Most of the defendants have already
been in prison for more than a decade
since the <UAE 94= trial 11 years ago,
according to Human Rights Watch
(HRW) and Amnesty International.
But UAE authorities say the latest
charges are <materially distinct= from
those brought in 2013, which did not
include accusations of financing a <ter-
rorist organisation=.
The UAE has not named the 84 defen-
dants but the Emirates Detainees Advo-
cacy Center, a UK-based watchdog, has
identified more than 70 people, most of
them already imprisoned.
Defamation as well as verbal and
written insults, whether published or
made privately, are crimes punishable
by fines and imprisonment. 3 AFP
China9s military
ambitions are
8the greatest
strategic
challenge9 to
Japan and
the world,
according to
the annual
white paper
report.
and influence.
Chinese officials have accused the
United States of trying to create an Asia-
Pacific version of NATO.
Beijing said Friday it was <strongly dis-
satisfied and resolutely opposed= to the
claims in the white paper.
<The latest version of Japan9s defence
white paper seriously interferes in China9s
internal affairs, plays the same old tune,
hypes up the so-called Chinese threat, and
exaggerates regional tensions,= foreign
ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
Japan9s top government spokesman
declined to comment Thursday on a report
by Kyodo News that a Japanese destroyer
had made a rare entry into China9s territo-
rial waters this month, prompting a com-
plaint from Beijing. 3 AFP
destroyer captain had been punished after
an unvetted officer handled information
on the location of other countries9 ships.
Defence Minister Minoru Kihara said at
the time that the material was not leaked
to outsiders but that the government
<takes these incidents extremely seri-
ously=.
It is just one of several controversies to
rock Japan9s military, which with US
encouragement is being beefed up in
response to China9s growing assertiveness.
These include three Japanese soldiers
sexually assaulting female colleague Rina
Gonoi in 2021, whose complaints were ini-
tially brushed aside in an internal military
probe.
The three men were convicted last year
in a high-profile trial. 3 AFP
any of them down.
The South9s <ability to respond to North
Korea9s drone provocations will be signifi-
cantly enhanced= by the laser weapons sys-
tem, DAPA said in a statement Thursday.
It has successfully achieved a 100 per-
cent shoot-down rate in previous tests,
and with future improvements, it could
become a <game-changing= weapons sys-
tem capable of countering aircraft and
ballistic missiles in the future, DAPA said.
3 AFP
12 World
Kenya’s Ruto dismisses Cabinet
NAIROBI: Kenyan Presi-
dent William Ruto (pic)
announced the dismissal
of almost his entire cabi-
net and consultations to
form a <broad-based gov-
ernment=, as he scram-
bled to contain the fallout
of deadly protests against his administra-
tion.
The East African nation was left reeling
after peaceful rallies last month over steep
tax increases escalated into violence with
police firing at crowds who stormed par-
liament, leaving it partly ablaze.
Organised online and led largely by
young, Gen-Z Kenyans, the protests
plunged Ruto9s administration into the
most serious crisis of his presidency, forc-
ing him to abandon the finance bill con-
taining the tax hikes.
In the latest move to defuse tensions,
Ruto said his decision would extend <with
immediate effect= to all ministers includ-
ing the attorney-general, but excluded
prime cabinet secretary and foreign min-
ister Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy Presi-
dent Rigathi Gachagua.
The president said he decided on the
dismissals <upon reflection, listening
keenly to what the people of Kenya have
said and after a holistic appraisal of the
performance of my cabinet and its
achievements and challenges=.
Prominent Gen-Z protester Hanifa
Adan welcomed the announcement, writ-
ing on X: <THE PRESIDENT OF KENYA HAS
DISSOLVED THE CABINET!!! THE POWER
LIES WITH THE PEOPLE ALWAYS!!!!!=
The rallies have widened into a broader
campaign against Ruto and his govern-
ment, with some demonstrations degen-
erating into violence that has left 39 dead,
I Coast, Benin
destabilising
Burkina: Junta
ABIDJAN: Burkina Faso9s junta leader
lashed out at neighbouring Ivory Coast and
Benin on Thursday, accusing them of try-
ing to destabilise the country amid diplo-
matic tensions in West Africa.
On Saturday, the military leaders ruling
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger entered a new
<confederation=4severing ties with
regional bloc ECOWAS, an organisation
they accused of being manipulated by
France, their former colonial ruler.
In a speech lasting more than 90 min-
utes, Captain Ibrahim Traore outlined the
major directions he wanted to take the
country over the next five years.
On the diplomatic front, he attacked the
<imperialists=, and accused them of want-
ing to plunder and destabilise Burkina
Faso, as well as some of his West African
neighbours.
<We have nothing against the Ivorian
people, but we do have something with
those who run Ivory Coast=, he said, claim-
ing that Abidjan was hosting <a centre of
operations to destabilise= Burkina Faso.
<We will show you physical evidence=,
he added. 3 AFP
$35.1b for
Indigenous
child welfare:
Canada
MONTREAL: The Canadian government
offered $35.1 billion (Can$47.8 billion) to
repair the <broken= Indigenous child wel-
fare system (pic).
After a ruling by the Canadian Human
Rights Tribunal determined child welfare
services in First Nations communities were
underfunded, the sum offered by the gov-
ernment4to be spent over the next
decade4aims to improve support for
impacted families, according to the First
Nations representatives who helped nego-
tiate the agreement.
<We9re trying to change a really broken
system. It9s going to be hard,= said Cindy
Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the
Assembly of First Nations (AFN), to the
applause of other chiefs at a press confer-
ence in Montreal.
<We encourage First Nations to take con-
trol back of our children, back to our
homes, back to our communities.=
According to the 2021 census, 53.8 per-
cent of children in foster care under the age
of 14 are Indigenous, despite comprising
only 7.7 percent of children in the country.
The money follows a pledge of $16.9 bil-
lion to benefit 300,000 First Nations chil-
dren and their families who were deemed
victims of discrimination by the foster care
system that often uprooted them from their
communities. 3 AFP
A tear gas canister explodes as protesters try to help injured people
outside the Kenya Parliament during the nationwide strike to protest
against tax hikes and the Finance Bill 2024 in downtown Nairobi, on June 25.
according to rights groups.
While large street protests have sub-
sided, anger against the government has
not, and hundreds of Kenyans attended a
memorial concert in Nairobi Sunday,
chanting <Ruto must go=.
Analysts said Ruto9s decision to sack
allies including former interior minister
Kithure Kindiki offered the possibility of a
fresh start, but warned of further risks.
<The challenge that Ruto now faces is
forming a new cabinet that includes vari-
ous vested interests, whilst simultaneously
calming popular anger in the face of an
explicitly leaderless movement,= Gabrielle
Lynch, professor of comparative politics at
Spain extradites
top Venezuelan
gang member
CARACAS: Spain extradited to Caracas a
powerful member of the Tren de Aragua
gang which has spread across Latin Amer-
ica and the United States, said Venezuela9s
attorney general.
Venezuela9s top prosecutor Tarek
William Saab wrote on the X social net-
work that Madrid had <agreed to the
extradition of Gerso Guerrero,= brother of
the gang9s leader, Hector Rusthenford
Guerrero, who is at-large.
He is due to arrive later Thursday and
<will be judged relentlessly= for crimes
such as extortion, money laundering, ille-
gal trafficking of weapons and ammuni-
tion, and terrorism, Saab said.
Tren de Aragua was on Thursday sanc-
tioned as a <transnational criminal organ-
isation= by the United States, which
highlighted <the escalating threat it poses
to American communities.=
Spain9s police announced Gerso Guer-
rero9s arrest in Barcelona on March 14.
His brother, known by the alias <Nino
Guerrero,= is among Venezuela9s 21 most-
wanted criminals, subject to an Interpol
Red Notice.
Mafia boss’ sister jailed for 14 years
ROME: An Italian court sentenced the sis-
ter of Sicilian crime boss Matteo Messina
Denaro to 14 years in prison for mafia
association, Italian media reported.
Rosalia Messina Denaro was arrested in
2023 on suspicions that she played a key
role in the mob led by her brother.
The 69-year-old, also the wife of jailed
mafioso Filippo Guttadauro, unintention-
ally helped police locate her fugitive
brother, thanks to a scribbled note she
had hidden in the hollow rail of a chair at
her residence.
The note also revealed key details
about his health condition.
Matteo Messina Denaro was one of the
most ruthless bosses in Cosa Nostra, the
real-life Sicilian crime syndicate depicted
in <The Godfather= movies.
Investigators had been combing the
Sicilian countryside for the mafia boss for
years, searching for hideouts and wiretap-
ping members of his family and his
friends.
It was his decision to seek treatment
for his cancer that led to his arrest in Jan-
uary 2023, when he visited a health clinic
Canadian guilty of killing Indigenous women
MONTREAL: Canadian
man was found guilty of
first-degree murder for
killing four Indigenous
women whose bodies he
dumped in landfill sites.
The case is seen by
many as a symbol of the plight of Indige-
nous women in a country where they
face disproportionate violence that was
called <genocide= by a national public
inquiry in 2019.
Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran
were raped, killed, dismembered and
thrown out with the trash in Winnipeg,
Manitoba.
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
the University of Warwick, told AFP.
Declan Galvin, managing director of
Exigent Risk Advisory, told AFP that <a
clean slate will be good for him... There is
no crisis without opportunity so maybe
Ruto can get this right the second time.=
Last week, the Kenyan leader
announced sharp cuts to government
spending, including travel and refurbish-
ment costs.
Ruto9s frequent high-profile trips
abroad, as well as news that the deputy
president9s office spent over $70,000 on
curtains, have infuriated ordinary citizens
burdened with a cost of living crisis.
Ruto said borrowing would have to
The United States recently offered a
reward of $5 million for information lead-
ing to his capture. Venezuelan authorities
have offered a reward of $250,000.
Caracas struck a major blow against
Tren de Aragua after the dramatic retak-
ing of the Tocoron prison in September
last year, which had served as its head-
quarters.
More than 11,000 police and soldiers,
backed up by tanks and armoured vehi-
cles, stormed the prison, where they
found bitcoin mining machines and
heavy weapons such as rocket launchers
and grenades4as well as amenities like a
small zoo, disco and swimming pool.
Nino Guerrero and other gang leaders
fled after apparently being tipped off
Matteo (left) was one of the most
ruthless bosses in Cosa Nostra, the
real-life Sicilian crime syndicate
depicted in 8The Godfather9 movies.
Rosalia (right) was arrested in 2023.
in Palermo.
He was captured in January 2023 and
died at the inmates9 ward of L9Aquila hos-
pital a few months later.
Rosalia, Denaro9s confidente and
<alter-ego=, was the only family member
to know about her brother9s cancer diag-
nosis, before he passed at L9Aquila prison9s
hospital aged 61.
Investigators believed Rosalia played a
Police believe their remains are
buried deep inside the Prairie Green
landfill.
The partial remains of another vic-
tim, Rebecca Contois, were found in two
places4a garbage bin in the city and in
a separate landfill.
The body of a fourth, unidentified,
woman in her 20s, is still missing.
Jeremy Skibicki, 37, (pic) was found
guilty of all four counts of first-degree
murder, Justice Glenn Loyal said in his
judgement, adding that the accused was
criminally responsible despite mental
health issues.
The accused had the mental capacity
increase to pay for some services even as
Kenya grapples with massive foreign debt
equivalent to roughly 70 percent of GDP.
He said the fiscal deficit would rise
from 3.3 percent to 4.6 percent.
The crisis led US-based Moody9s to
downgrade Kenya9s debt rating further
into junk territory, warning of a negative
outlook, which will make borrowing even
more expensive for the cash-strapped gov-
ernment.
The ratings agency said it was cutting
the ratings for Kenyan government debt to
Caa1 4 considered to have <very high
credit risk=4with the move reflecting
Ruto9s <significantly diminished capacity=
to raise taxes and reduce debt.
The businessman-turned-politician,
who won elections in 2022 on the promise
to lift the fortunes of the common man,
was caught off guard by the depth of pub-
lic anger over the proposed tax hikes,
which followed an earlier round of
increases last year.
Ruto said Thursday that he would
<immediately engage in extensive consul-
tations across different sectors and politi-
cal formations, with the aim of setting up
a broad-based government=.
This government would, he said, help
him to develop <radical programmes= to
deal with the country9s huge debt burden,
increase job opportunities, eliminate gov-
ernment waste and <slay the dragon of cor-
ruption=.
Ruto has sought to engage with some of
the protesters, hosting an event on X with
young Kenyans last week.
But this has failed to appease some
demonstrators, who are calling for him to
step down, using the hashtag #Ruto-
MustGo and staging smaller rallies across
Kenyan cities. 3 AFP
Caracas struck
a major blow
against Tren de
Aragua after the
dramatic
retaking of the
Tocoron prison
in September
last year, which
had served as its
headquarters.
about the huge operation, which had
been planned for a year.
Colombian police earlier this month
detained another of its leaders, Larry
Amaury Alvarez, alias <Larry Changa=.
Saab said that 44 members of the gang
had been detained since 2019 in
Venezuela and another 102 were subject
to arrest warrants.
Tren de Aragua emerged in Venezuela
a decade ago and has spread its tentacles
to Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Chile
and Bolivia.
It is involved in kidnappings, rob-
beries, drug trafficking, prostitution,
extortion and illegal gold mining. It is
also a major player in migrant smuggling.
3 AFP
major operational role in the merciless
Cosa Nostra, particularly in the last few
years of her brother9s run.
She was suspected of managing the
clan9s finances and the so-called pizzini
network4messages scrawled on pieces of
paper to secure communications between
the mobster and his gang members.
Rosalia is the mother of Lorenza Gut-
tadauro, a lawyer who defended her mob
boss uncle upon his arrest.
Matteo Messina Denaro was convicted
of involvement in the murder of anti-
mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo
Borsellino in 1992 and in deadly bomb-
ings in Rome, Florence and Milan in 1993.
One of his six life sentences was for the
kidnapping and subsequent murder of
the 12-year-old son of a witness in the Fal-
cone case.
He disappeared in the summer of 1993
and spent the next 30 years on the run as
the Italian state cracked down on the Sicil-
ian mob.
He remained at the top of Italy9s most-
wanted list and increasingly became a fig-
ure of legend. 3 AFP
to understand that the murders he com-
mitted in March and May 2022 were rep-
rehensible crimes, the judge said.
As the verdict was announced,
applause and cheers broke out in the
court, including from the victims9 fami-
lies, some with tears in their eyes.
<I9m flooded with emotions. I9m
extremely happy and I feel like a weight
has been lifted off my shoulders. Justice
was served today,= said Jorden Myran, a
relative of Marcedes.
Skibicki targeted Indigenous women
he met in homeless shelters, prosecutors
told his trial, which began in late April.3
AFP
dailyexpress
Covid-19 health emergency ended in
May 2023, more than three years on
from when the virus was first
detected in Wuhan, in late 2019.
WHO: Covid still
kills 1,700 a week
GENEVA: Covid-19 is still killing around
1,700 people a week around the world, the
World Health Organization said, as it urged
at-risk populations to keep up with their
vaccinations against the disease.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus sounded a warning on declin-
ing vaccine coverage.
Despite the continued death toll, <data
show that vaccine coverage has declined
among health workers and people over 60,
which are two of the most at-risk groups,=
the UN health agency9s chief told a press
conference.
<WHO recommends that people in the
highest-risk groups receive a Covid-19 vac-
cine within 12 months of their last dose.=
More than seven million Covid deaths
have been reported to the WHO, though the
true toll of the pandemic is thought to be
far higher.
Covid-19 also shredded economies and
crippled health systems.
Tedros declared an end to Covid-19 as an
international public health emergency in
May 2023, more than three years on from
when the virus was first detected in Wuhan,
China, in late 2019.
The WHO has urged governments to
maintain virus surveillance and sequencing,
and to ensure access to affordable and reli-
able tests, treatments and vaccines. 3 AFP
$48m worth of coke
seized in Senegal
DAKAR: Senegalese customs said in a state-
ment Thursday that they had intercepted
more than 360 kilogrammes of cocaine
worth $48.3 million in the southeast of the
country.
The authorities have made an increas-
ing number of cocaine seizures in recent
months from neighbouring countries4
notably Guinea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau
and Mali4which are reputed to be transit
zones for drugs produced in Latin America
on their way to Europe.
In a statement, customs police said they
seized 365.4 kilogrammes of cocaine in the
town of Koupentoum from a lorry travel-
ling from an unspecified <neighbouring=
country.
The drugs, worth 29.2 billion CFA francs
($48.3 million), were hidden under the bed
of the lorry.
This cocaine seizure is the third of its
kind since January, customs said.
The town of Koupentoum is located on
a road leading to Mali and Gambia.
Several seizures of cocaine have been
announced by customs in recent months,
including a one-tonne haul in mid-April in
the east of the country, near the border
with Mali, and several others earlier this
month.
In November 2023, the army announced
the seizure of nearly three tonnes of
cocaine from a vessel seized in interna-
tional waters off the coast of Senegal. 3 AFP
Appeal over
anti-gay law
in Uganda
KAMPALA: A group including rights
activists and a politician filed an appeal to
Uganda9s Supreme Court, the latest step in
an ongoing legal challenge to a ruling
upholding controversial anti-gay legisla-
tion adopted last year, their lawyer said.
In April, the Constitutional Court threw
out a challenge to the Anti-Homosexuality
Act, which is considered one of the harsh-
est such laws in the world.
It imposes penalties of up to life in
prison for consensual same-sex relations
and contains provisions that make <aggra-
vated homosexuality= an offence punish-
able by death.
The legislation, and the April court rul-
ing, have been widely condemned by
rights groups as well as by Western powers
including the United States.
The group had filed a formal notice of
appeal against the court9s decision in mid-
April, contesting its determination that
the law did not violate Uganda9s constitu-
tion.
<The Constitutional Appeal challeng-
ing the Ugandan Constitutional Court9s
decision to uphold vast sections of the
Anti-Homosexuality Act has been filed at
the Supreme Court today,= lawyer Nicholas
Opiyo said on X on Thursday.
<We will wait for the Supreme Court9s
directions and are optimistic for an expe-
dited hearing of the case.= 3 AFP
 BUSINESS
14 Estimated RM60.7b in investments for NETR
Manufacturing pushes IPI up 2.4pc
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia9s Industrial Pro-
duction Index (IPI) rose by 2.4 per cent
year-on-year (y-o-y) in May 2024, driven by
steady output growth in the manufactur-
ing sector, according to the Department of
Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir
Mahidin said the IPI remained positive in
May 2024 (April 2024: 6.1 per cent), with
the manufacturing sector growing by 4.6
per cent (April 2024: 4.9 per cent) and a 4.2
per cent expansion in electricity output
(April 2024: 7.8 per cent).
However, the mining sector output
plummeted by 6.9 per cent, in contrast
with the double-digit growth of 10.0 per
cent recorded in April 2024. Compared to
the previous month, the IPI rebounded to
3.5 per cent from -7.6 per cent.
<The steady output growth in the man-
ufacturing sector was bolstered by the
acceleration in export-oriented industries,
which grew by 3.7 per cent against 2.6 per
cent recorded in April 2024.
<This marked the highest growth regis-
tered since November 2022 (5.1 per cent),
amid a strong rebound in the manufac-
ture of computer, electronics and optical
products to 8.4 per cent (April 2024: -1.4
per cent), and a 4.8 per cent increase in the
manufacture of vegetable and animal oils
RHB upbeat on manufacturing
as investment appetite grows
KUALA LUMPUR: RHB Investment Bank
Bhd reiterated its optimistic view on
Malaysia9s manufacturing sector, under-
pinned by a rosier global and domestic
economic landscape, a global technology
upcycle and improved investment
appetite.
The investment bank cited ongoing
developments, including China9s positive
economic dynamics and strengthened
global semiconductor sales, as reinforcing
the positive outlook for Malaysia9s manu-
facturing sector and trade.
<Further out, we stay bullish on Asean
external environment in the third quarter
of 2024, assuming growth acceleration in
both the United States and China during
this period.
<As such, Malaysia9s growth will likely
stay underpinned by externally-facing
industries, specifically its manufacturing
and trade sectors,= it said in a note.
BNPL credit exposure stands at RM1.42b
KUALA LUMPUR: The credit exposure, or
total outstanding balance, of the Buy Now
Pay Later (BNPL) industry stood at RM1.42
billion as of the end of the first quarter of
2024 (1Q 2024), an increase of 34 per cent
from the end of 2023.
BNPL accounted for 0.07 per cent of
the total household debt as of the end of
2023.
<3.8 per cent of active BNPL account
holders missed their payments and
recorded as overdue as of the end of 1Q
2024 compared to 5.8 per cent at the end
of 1Q 2023,= the Consumer Credit Over-
City Coin Laundry eyes Vietnam
BANGKOK: City Coin Laundry Sdn Bhd, the
largest launderette operator in Malaysia, is
eyeing opportunities to expand into the
Vietnam market.
Founder and group managing director
Paul Ang said outside Malaysia, the group
has operations in Thailand, Brunei and
Turkey.
The group9s next target for expansion
would be Vietnam due to its large popula-
tion although the local laws for setting up
a business would be a concern, he added.
<Currently, we have more than 750
branches in Southeast Asia with a gross
turnover of RM75 million in Malaysia,= he
bursa closing report
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended
the week on a softer note as investors took
profit in selected technology and utilities
counters following the recent three-day
modest market rally.
At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI
(FBM KLCI) slipped 4.06 points, or 0.25
per cent, to 1,619.06 from Thursday9s close
of 1,623.12.
The benchmark index opened 0.39 of a
point lower at 1,622.73 and moved
between 1,616.22 and 1,622.97 throughout
the day.
Losers led gainers by 639 to 532, with
513 counters unchanged, 783 untraded
and 25 suspended.
Turnover slid to 4.58 billion units
worth RM3.72 billion from 5.39 billion
units worth RM4.41 billion Thursday.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research
vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the
key regional indices finished mostly
higher due to growing confidence in the
US interest rate cut.
Japan9s Nikkei 225 tumbled 2.45 per
cent to 41,190.68, South Korea9s Kospi
and fats (April 2024: 2.7 per cent),= he said
in a statement.
Mohd Uzir noted that the growth
momentum was also reflected in the coun-
The research note also highlighted that
Malaysia9s manufacturing sector activities
would be buoyed by resilience in export-
oriented industries alongside a turn-
around in trade performance.
<The electrical and electronic (E&E)
export momentum shows signs of sus-
tained improvement in the first five
months of the year, and we expect E&E
exports to remain well-supported by
strong global demand,= it said.
The bank also noted that commodity-
based sectors such as petroleum, petro-
leum-based products, and non-metal
mineral and metal products are
expected to benefit from higher com-
modity prices.
Additionally, the industrial production
index momentum remains positive for
May, supported by continued strength in
export-oriented industries and expansion
in domestic-oriented industries. 3Bernama
sight Board (CCOB) Task Force said in its
report.
The report also revealed that a majority
of 3.7 million BNPL account holders are
working adults, aged between 21 and 45
years old.
More than 700,000 merchants accept
BNPL, with a strong presence in three sec-
tors, namely food and restaurants, retail
and transportation.
<Most merchants operate online but
the proportion of physical or in-store mer-
chants has increased, reaching 12 per cent
in 1Q 2024,= it added. 3Bernama
told Bernama.
He explained that while expanding
overseas is a great opportunity, it is also
important to find a good local partner and
understand the local laws and practices.
Earlier, Minister of Entrepreneur Devel-
opment and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon
Benedick, who was on four-day Interna-
tional Franchise Trade Mission in Bangkok,
together with Malaysian Franchise Associ-
ation (MFA) chairman Datuk Dr Radzali
Hassan and Perbadanan Nasional Bhd
chairman Datuk Hazimah Zainuddin vis-
ited City Coin9s LaundryBar booth. -
Bernama
Bursa finishes the week on a softer note amid profit-taking
dipped 1.19 per cent to 2,857.00, while Sin-
gapore9s Straits Times Index climbed 0.73
per cent to 3,500.33, and Shanghai SSE
Composite Index rose 0.03 per cent to
2,971.29.
Thong said the overnight US yields fell
to 4.2 per cent as traders built bets for the
US Federal Reserve to soon begin lowering
its main interest rate.
<In key Asia data, China9s trade surplus
has soared to the highest since at least
June 1990 as exports jumped more than
expected while imports unexpectedly
weakened.
<As for the local bourse, we view the
profit-taking as a healthy correction as it
allows the market to digest the recent
rally and provide a stronger base for a
more sustainable uptrend,= he added.
Meanwhile, UOB Kay Hian Wealth
Advisors head of investment research
Mohd Sedek Jantan said the FBM KLCI
appeared to struggle to maintain the
dailyexpress
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
15 Germany bans Chinese telcos from 5G network
try9s manufactured goods export perform-
ance, which expanded by 13.5 per cent in
the month under review (April 2024: 11.9
per cent).
Subsidy reform, higher tax unpopular but needed
KUALA LUMPUR: The bold actions under-
taken to revitalise Malaysia9s economy
under the leadership of Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim may involve
unpopular measures, but they are essen-
tial for the country9s progress, said Bank
Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist
Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid.
He said the diesel subsidy reform and a
higher service tax rate would enable
Malaysia to withstand any potential future
economic challenges. <More importantly,
it is to allow more fiscal space for the gov-
ernment to spend more on areas that can
bring more productivity for the country,
especially in areas relating to education,
healthcare and infrastructure,= he told the
Bernama World television programme.
Mohd Afzanizam noted that these
reform measures have received a good
response from various stakeholders, espe-
cially from financial markets, which trans-
lated into better performance of the
ringgit and equity market. Elaborating
further, Mohd Afzanizam said Malaysia
PIVB maintains 3pc headline inflation forecast
KUALA LUMPUR: Public Investment Bank
Bhd (PIVB) has maintained the headline
inflation projection at 3.0 per cent year-
on-year, with risks skewed towards the
lower end of the official 2.0 per cent to
3.5 per cent range, contingent on the tim-
ing of the RON 95 subsidy rationalisa-
tion.
The bank said in light of renewed fiscal
discipline, the potential introduction of
targeted subsidies for RON 95 in the sec-
ond half of 2024 remains under review and
is still uncertain.
It said the fuel price for diesel has
Kenanga keeps 8pc sales growth forecast
KUALA LUMPUR: Kenanga Investment
Bank Bhd maintained its 2024 sales
growth forecast at 8.0 per cent compared
with 7.7 per cent in 2023 in anticipation of
sustained domestic demand.
Kenanga said that year-to-date, sales
growth grew by 6.0 per cent (January to
April: 5.7 per cent), lower than the 10.2 per
cent recorded in the same period last year.
<Nevertheless, we still expect growth to
be sustained in the coming months, this is
largely due to the positive impact of
Employees Provident Fund Account 3
withdrawals on domestic demand,= it said
1,620 level, having only reached this point
during the early session on Friday.
Investors seemed to be reconsidering
their positions on concerns that the
decline in the mega-cap tech sector in the
US was an indication of the corporate
earnings reports, which was scheduled to
commence Friday starting with the three
large US investment banks including JP
Morgan, he said.
Mohd Sedek said this has prompted
investors to secure their profits.
On the local bourse, heavyweights
Maybank fell two sen to RM10.04 and
Tenaga Nasional shed 14 sen to RM14.46,
Public Bank and IHH Healthcare dropped
one sen each to RM4.11 and RM6.33 respec-
tively, while CIMB gained four sen to
RM7.13.
Among the active counters, Nova and
G3 Global were flat at 20 sen and 3.5 sen
respectively, while Ekovest bagged three
sen to 50.5 sen, and Berjaya Corporation
On a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis,
he said export-oriented industries
bounced back by nine per cent from -11.6
per cent in April 2024, while the growth of
domestic-oriented industries output
remained sound at 6.4 per cent after regis-
tering 9.5 per cent in the preceding month.
On another note, Mohd Uzir said the
manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers
and semi-trailers contributed a significant
increase of 10.3 per cent, followed by the
manufacture of other non-metallic min-
eral products (9.8 per cent), and the man-
ufacture of fabricated metal products,
except machinery and equipment (6.5 per
cent).
Compared to the previous month, the
domestic-oriented industries expanded by
2.3 per cent (April 2024: -1.3 per cent) while
the generation of electricity grew by 4.2
per cent y-o-y in May 2024 (April 2024: 7.8
per cent).
On a m-o-m basis, the electricity index
rebounded to 5.6 per cent (April 2024: -4.0
per cent), he said.
He also highlighted that the IPI showed
an upward trend in several countries In
May 2024, such as the United States, Singa-
pore, Japan, Vietnam, and Taiwan, how-
ever, it slowed down in China and South
Korea while Thailand experienced a
has been dealing with the issue of budget
deficit for decades and the deficit has been
in existence irrespective of the economic
cycle.
<Ideally, the balanced budget should be
achieved when the economy has fully
recovered from any form of shocks, but I
think more than that, what we saw is that
the deficit has been ongoing and has
become structural.
remained at RM3.35 per litre since the
diesel subsidy rationalisation programme
commenced on June 10.
<Given diesel9s weight of just 0.2 per
cent in the overall headline consumer
price index, we assess that the potential for
significant inflationary effects is minimal.
<A straightforward calculation indi-
cates that a one per cent increase in diesel
prices would result in a mere 0.002 per
cent rise in the overall inflation rate,= it
said in a note.
Meanwhile, PIVB highlighted that the
substantial increase in civil servant
in a note.
According to the Finance Ministry in a
parliamentary written reply recently, EPF
members have withdrawn RM7.81 billion
from Account 3 as of June 24 which
involves 3.16 million members since
Account 3 started on May 11, it said.
Notably, a total transfer of RM11.52 bil-
lion to Account 3 was made by 3.61 million
members, indicating that around 450,000
members have yet to withdraw RM3.71 bil-
lion, while actual spending is expected to
have an impact on the real economy from
June onwards, it added.
and Reneuco increased 1.5 sen each to 34.5
sen and 10 sen respectively.
On the index board, the FBM Emas
Index shed 41.62 points to 12,540.70, the
FBMT 100 Index lost 44.68 points to
12,110.62, the FBM Emas Shariah Index
trimmed 48.49 points to 12,915.20, and the
FBM 70 Index slipped 121.13 points to
18,673.19.
However, the FBM ACE Index gained
39.22 points to 5,981.21.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services
Index rose 6.03 points to 17,800.11, the
Energy Index added 0.19 of-a-point to
984.52, but the Industrial Products and
Services Index decreased by 0.07 of-a-
point to 200.96, and the Plantation
Index shaved off 10.46 points to
6,943.71.
The Main Market volume declined to
2.75 billion units valued at RM3.31 billion
from 3.0 billion units valued at RM3.85
billion on Thursday.
13
decline.
For the January to May 2024 period, the
chief statistician said the IPI improved by
3.6 per cent as compared to 1.9 per cent
recorded in the same period of the previ-
ous year.
<During the period, all sectors posted
an expansion, namely the mining index
(4.1 per cent), manufacturing index (3.1
per cent), and electricity index (7.8 per
cent),= Mohd Uzir concluded.
Separately, DoSM in its Monthly Man-
ufacturing Statistics for May 2024
shared that the sales value of the manu-
facturing sector amounted to RM154.9
billion in the month, an increase of 5.5
per cent.
On the cumulative performance up to
May 2024, he said that the sales value of
the manufacturing sector reached
RM765.5 billion, up 3.3 per cent as com-
pared with the same period in 2023 (5.1 per
cent).
<The number of employees went up by
0.9 per cent to a total of 2.38 million per-
sons, while salaries and wages grew by 1.2
per cent to RM41.1 billion,= he said.
Subsequently, the sales value per
employee stood at RM321,927, posting a
growth of 2.3 per cent, Mohd Uzir added. 3
Bernama
<So I think that this present administra-
tion is making a bold move to ensure that
our fiscal position, especially in respect to
the deficit and debt level, will be reverted
to a level that is more sustainable,= he con-
tinued.
Mohd Afzanizam reckons that the
current administration9s strategies
would also appeal to foreign investors,
particularly because a stronger financial
position would result in a higher credit
score.
<This fiscal deficit or government debt
is closely associated with credit risk and
credit risk is always being assessed by the
credit rating agencies such as S&P and
Fitch Ratings.
<Rating agencies have been giving pos-
itive reviews on Malaysian markets and
this would become the selling point for
our Malaysian markets, which ultimately
would drive more foreign funds to
Malaysia and perhaps would contribute to
the further appreciation of the ringgit,= he
added. 3Bernama
salaries by over 13 per cent, totalling
approximately RM10 billion, would pose
challenges to fiscal targets and could
exacerbate inflationary pressures by ele-
vating wage expectations in the private
sector.
Additionally, the rollout of the Employ-
ees Provident Fund Account 3, injecting
around RM30 billion into consumer
spending, aims to counteract sluggish
global growth and rising living costs post-
subsidy rationalisation, though it may also
induce demand-pull inflationary pres-
sures. 3Bernama
<The continued increase in tourist
arrivals and the relaxation of require-
ments for Malaysia My Second Home are
expected to fuel further growth in the
retail trade segment, contributing to our
robust growth outlook.
<With that said, we have earlier revised
the second quarter 2024 (2Q 20240 Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) growth to
expand to 5.1 per cent from the previous
estimate of 4.3 per cent (1Q 2024: 4.2 per
cent), with overall 2024 GDP growth pro-
jected to settle at 4.5 per cent to 5.0 per
cent (2023: 3.6 per cent). 3Bernama
Warrants turnover dwindled to 897.40
million units worth RM119.60 million
compared with 1.15 billion units worth
RM144.65 million Thursday.
The ACE Market volume fell to 934.89
million shares valued at RM293.71 million
against 1.23 billion shares valued at
RM413.44 million previously.
Consumer products and services coun-
ters accounted for 436.52 million shares
traded on the Main Market; industrial
products and services (591.20 million);
construction (366.93 million); technology
(214.02 million); SPAC (nil); financial serv-
ices (103.22 million); property (355.48 mil-
lion); plantation (52.34 million); REITs
(12.34 million); closed/fund (12,000);
energy (276.68 million); healthcare (68.81
million); telecommunications and media
(97.53 million); transportation and logis-
tics (97.29 million); utilities (78.11 mil-
lion); and business trusts (171,700).
3Bernama
 14 Business
Estimated RM60.7b in
investments for NETR
KUALA LUMPUR: The latest estimates on
the effectiveness of the National Energy
Transition Roadmap9s (NETR) flagship
projects and initiatives show investments
involved will be worth RM60.7 billion
instead of the initial projection of RM25
billion when the roadmap was launched
on Aug 29, 2023.
The Economy Ministry said this was
based on the March 2024 progress report,
which also shows that 84,544 job opportu-
nities would be created (development and
post-project) compared with the initial
forecast of 23,000 jobs.
Furthermore, the reduction in green-
house gas (GHG) emissions is npw esti-
mated at 24,264 gigagrams of carbon
dioxide equivalent (Gg CO2eq) per year
compared with 10,000 Gg CO2eq per year
that was initially forecast, the ministry said
in a written reply posted on the Parliament
website this week.
This was in response to Datuk Seri Dr
Shahidan Kasim9s (PN-Arau) request for a
status report on the NETR and New Indus-
trial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).
The ministry added that the govern-
ment is committed to ensuring the energy
transition management is based on the
whole-of-nation approach encompassing
the Federal Government, state govern-
ments, general public and international
community for a unified policy planning
and implementation in balancing the
energy trilemma of security, affordability,
and sustainability.
<The effectiveness in the NETR imple-
mentation is expected to increase the con-
tribution to the national gross domestic
product, create job opportunities, enhance
the people9s socioeconomic status, and
ensure energy security and environmental
sustainability,= it added.
Meanwhile, the recent article published
by Forbes Magazine is compelling and
deserves attention from the Malaysian and
international press.
SPI Asset Management managing direc-
tor Stephen Innes told Bernama it is
refreshing to see a focus on Malaysia9s
political positives instead of political storm
clouds written by the writer, Benjamin
Laker.
M’sia poised as key source amid
US-China trade tensions: Miti
KUALA LUMPUR: The ongoing trade ten-
sion between the United States and China
may position Malaysia as a key source for
importing raw materials, parts and compo-
nents, and new finished products for com-
panies looking to reduce their reliance on
either of the two superpowers.
According to the Ministry of Investment,
Trade and Industry (Miti), the uncertainty
in US-China trade relations will encourage
multinational companies from other
nations to seek alternative production loca-
tions in third countries, including Malaysia.
<This could lead to increased foreign
investment and employment opportunities
in Malaysia,= the ministry said in a written
response posted on Parliament9s website on
Thursday.
Miti was responding to a query from
Delta quarterly profits drop despite solid demand
NEW YORK: Delta reported lower quarterly
profits this week despite still-strong travel
demand as it moderated a plan to add capac-
ity in the fall in light of industry overcapacity.
The big US carrier, which saw jet fuel and
salary costs increase in the second quarter,
also projected lower than expected third-
quarter profits, hitting airline shares amid
investor concerns over weakening airline
fares.
Executives offered an upbeat outlook on
demand during a conference call, but the
company also described growth as <normal-
ising= after a huge uptick following Covid-19
UK economy returns to growth
LONDON: Britain9s economic output grew
better-than-expected in May, official data
showed this week, handing an early boost
to the country9s newly-elected Labour gov-
ernment.
Gross domestic product growth came in
at 0.4 percent in May, which compared with
flat GDP in April, the Office for National Sta-
tistics (ONS) said in a statement.
Analysts9 consensus had been for eco-
nomic expansion of 0.2 percent in May.
<Delivering economic growth is our
national mission, and we don9t have a
minute to waste,= Britain9s new finance
minister Rachel Reeves said in response to
the data.
<A decade of national renewal has
begun, and we are just getting started,=
added Reeves, who became the country9s
first female chancellor of the exchequer on
her appointment by new Prime Minister
Keir Starmer.
His centre-left Labour party last week
won a resounding victory in Britain9s gen-
Anwar Ibrahim visits an exhibit at the launch of the second phase
of the NETRE at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Innes said beyond fiscal prudence and
subsidies, the government9s significant
move into the semiconductor space stands
out.
He said Malaysia, once known as the Sil-
icon Valley of the East until Taiwan and
South Korea took the lead in the chip
industry, aims to reclaim its former glory.
<Establishing a new semiconductor task
force underscores Malaysia9s commitment
to elevating its industry from back-end
assembly to high-tech front-end manufac-
turing.
<With a well-established semiconductor
ecosystem already in place, Malaysia is
well-positioned to attract significant
investments, especially in high-value sec-
tors such as semiconductor manufactur-
ing.
<Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim9s strategic move underscores
Malaysia9s potential to become a semicon-
ductor powerhouse in the region,= he
added.
Meanwhile, Bank Muamalat Malaysia
Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam
Abdul Rashid said the article suggested
that the government reforms agenda has
Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki (PN-Parit
Buntar) regarding the risks and implica-
tions for Malaysia amid the US-China trade
tensions.
Simultaneously, Miti noted that
Malaysia could seize the opportunity to
attract investment from China, particularly
as the United States increases tariffs on Chi-
nese goods.
<However, Malaysian companies are
advised to conduct thorough due diligence
to ensure that potential Chinese business
partners do not intend to use Malaysia as a
means to circumvent high US tariffs,= it said.
Miti affirmed that Malaysia will con-
tinue its policy of neutrality, maintaining
good relations with all its trading partners,
including the United States and China. 3
Bernama
lockdowns.
<Travel remains a top purchase priority,
and Delta9s core customers are in a healthy
position,= Chief Executive Ed Bastian said on
a conference call with analysts.
Profits for the quarter ending June 30
were $1.3 billion, down 29 percent.
Revenues rose seven percent to $16.7 bil-
lion, a record for the June quarter.
The company confirmed its full-year pro-
jections, but its third-quarter profit forecast
range was below median analyst estimates.
Bastian expressed confidence in a <more
constructive industry backdrop= in the sec-
eral election, ending 14 years of rule by the
Conservatives.
Reeves on Monday vowed to immedi-
ately <fix the foundations= of Britain9s econ-
omy, fuelled by onshore wind power and
house building.
ONS director of economic statistics, Liz
McKeown, said the UK economy grew
across all the main sectors in May.
<Many retailers and wholesalers had a
good month, with both bouncing back
from a weak April= when rainy weather
kept shoppers away from physical stores,
noted McKeown.
She added that <construction grew at its
fastest rate in almost a year after recent
weakness, with housebuilding and infra-
structure projects boosting the industry=.
The services sector meanwhile remained
a key driver of growth after Britain exited a
short-lived recession earlier this year.
Analysts said the GDP data could cause
the Bank of England to sit tight for a while
longer before starting to cut interest rates
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
been noticed by foreign parties.
<This would help build the credibility of
the present administration with respect to
their selling pitch to the foreign investors
and businesses to invest in Malaysia.
<The country certainly has what it takes
for them to invest and thrive as the govern-
ment reprioritise spending to boost the
country9s productivity in the mid to long
term,= he said.
Mohd Afzanizam further said reforms
are normally associated with unpopular
measures and the present government is
bold enough to take up the challenges
while simultaneously ensuring that the
reform agenda would be implemented at
a measured pace.
<I believe that is what caught Forbes9
attention given the abundance of potential
of the Malaysian economy,= he added.
In the article dated July 10, 2024, Laker
commended the measures taken by the
prime minister in attracting investments in
high-value sectors such as semiconductor
and digital technology, and the steps taken
to address inadequacies by introducing a
series of new taxes while optimising cost
amid persistent challenges. 3Bernama
HLIB expects positive sentiment
for construction from JS-SEZ
KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Investment
Bank Bhd (HLIB) expects positive senti-
ment for the construction sector coming
from the Johor-Singapore Special Eco-
nomic Zone (JS-SEZ) finalisation and
Budget 2025.
In a research note, HLIB also antici-
pates the rollout of big ticket infrastruc-
ture contracts and has retained the
Overweight sector call for the second half
of 2024 (2H 2024).
<This should lead to acceleration of
contract awards into the 2H 2024 possibly
leading to the second highest contract
awards tally of more than RM40 billion,=
it said.
Further to this, HLIB expects sustaining
private sector flows to be led by data cen-
tres (DCs) where the pipeline continues to
ond half of 2024 as rival carriers focus on
profitability through higher fares
Delta now expects third-quarter capacity
growth of five to six percent, a bit below the
increase in the second quarter.
Bastian emphasised Delta9s efforts to win
over premium consumers in a market in
which <value= has shifted from the lowest
price to a <better quality experience= that
includes a focus on reliability.
The company is investing in new cus-
tomer lounges in Boston, Los Angeles and
Seattle and in programs to improve in-flight
Internet service. 3AFP
in the face of slowing inflation.
<This snapshot of an economy growing
a bit faster than forecast could make Bank
of England policymakers that bit more ret-
icent about voting for an interest rate cut=
at their next meeting on August 1, noted
Susannah Streeter, head of money and mar-
kets at Hargreaves Lansdown.
Prior to this week9s figures, markets had
bet on a rate reduction at the BoE9s next reg-
ular policy meeting.
With analysts predicting a September
reduction as now more likely, the British
pound on Thursday hit a four-month high
against the dollar. 3AFP
dailyexpress
Shin Yang diversifies on acquisitions
KUALA LUMPUR: Shin Yang Group Bhd
(SYGroup) has signed a conditional share
sale agreement with Shin Yang Holding
Sdn Bhd, KTE Motors Sdn Bhd, and Ling
Chiong Sing to acquire 100 per cent
equity interest in Boulevard Jaya Sdn Bhd.
SYGroup also signed a conditional
share sale agreement with Dwi Bumijaya
Sdn Bhd to acquire 60 per cent equity
interest each in Boulevard Motor Sdn
Bhd, Boulevard Motor (Sabah) Sdn Bhd,
and Boulevard Motor (Labuan) Sdn Bhd,
collectively Boulevard Motor Group.
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia,
SYGroup, which services the shipping
industry, said the acquisitions to total
RM144.5 million, are related party trans-
actions and will be satisfied via a combi-
nation of cash and treasury shares held by
SYGroup.
The purchase aims to diversify and
bolster SYGroup9s revenue and income
stream, the filing said.
Unit price index of cement up
by 0.1-2.1pc in June: DoSM
KUALA LUMPUR: The unit price index of
cement recorded an increase of 0.1 per
cent to 2.1 per cent in June 2024 for
almost all areas in Malaysia, according to
the Statistics Department (DoSM).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd
Uzir Mahidin said in a special release for
Building and Structural Works for June
2024 that the highest increase was in
Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and
Negeri Sembilan (2.1 per cent), followed
by Pahang (1.6 per cent) and Kuching (0.1
per cent).
He noted that the unit price index of
aggregates also registered an increase of
between 0.4 per cent and 0.6 per cent for
almost all areas in June 2024 compared
to the previous month, with the highest
increase recorded in Penang, Kedah and
Perlis, as well as Kota Kinabalu (0.6 per
cent).
Mohd Uzir said the monthly compari-
son showed a slight increase in the unit
price index of steel for several areas, with
the highest increase in Sibu (0.4 per
cent), Kota Kinabalu (0.2 per cent), and
Penang, Kedah and Perlis (0.1 per cent).
<Meanwhile, the unit price index of
these materials recorded a decrease in
Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and
Negeri Sembilan (-0.8 per cent), followed
by Terengganu and Kelantan (-0.1 per
be strong.
<In the past year, the pipeline has been
further bolstered by Johor9s emergence as
the fastest growing DC market in the
Southeast Asia region.
<Several noteworthy investments are
Chindata Group (Bridge Data Centres)
RM15 billion, Microsoft (RM10.5 billion),
Google (RM9.4 billion), EdgeConneX
(RM9.3 billion) and AWS (RM25.5 bil-
lion),= it said.
HLIB said 2H 2024 could finally see siz-
able public infrastructure projects com-
ing to the fore. Several projects to be
rolled out in the near term include the
Penang LRT (RM10 billon), Sabah-Sarawak
Link Road Phase 2 (RM7.4 billion), North-
ern Coastal Sarawak road, Sabah hydro
and water, Penang airport expansion and
critical flood mitigation projects.
Meanwhile, potential developments on
prospective projects like the KL-Singapore
high speed rail and the Johor Automated
Rapid Transit could spur stronger sector
sentiment.
The top picks for this sector are
Gamuda Bhd with targer price (TP) of
RM9.08 and Sunway Construction Group
Bhd with a TP of RM5.60. 3Bernama
US unveils $241.5m settlement with
Marathon Oil for clean air violations
NEW YORK: US authorities announced this
week a $241.5 million settlement with
Marathon Oil to resolve alleged clean air
violations in North Dakota.
In a civil case, the Department of Justice
(DOJ) and Environmental Protection
Agency accused the Texas company of
flouting environmental laws at dozens of
sites in the Fort Berthold Indian Reserva-
tion.
The company will pay a civil penalty of
$64.5 million and spend an additional $177
million to upgrade operations to address
pollution through flare monitoring,
infrared camera inspections and storage
tank redesign, the DOJ said.
The agency added that the civil penalty
was the largest ever for violations of the
Clean Air Act at stationary sources.
Marathon, which announced in May a
$22.5 billion deal in which it would be
acquired by ConocoPhillips, already bud-
geted for more than 70 percent of the
operational upgrades, the company said
in a securities filing.
It added that the remaining would be
spent by the end of 2025.
US officials alleged that the oil com-
pany failed to meet design, operation and
maintenance requirements at some 66 oil
The filing said the shipping industry
<remains challenging= with the slight hike
in crude oil price and other issues and the
group is taking initiatives to establish
businesses in the automotive industry.
The move is expected to contribute
positively to the future earnings of the
enlarged group and strengthen the
group9s future financial performance.
It will also expand and diversify the
group9s product offerings, reduce
dependency on current business, leverage
the targetted companies9 networks to
cross-sell shipping services, and vertically
integrate automotive maintenance serv-
ices to achieve operational efficiencies.
On completion of the proposed acqui-
sition, the company will consolidate 100
per cent of the earnings of Boulevard Jaya
and 60 per cent of the earnings of Boule-
vard Motor, Boulevard Motor (Sabah),
and Boulevard Motor (Labuan). 3
Bernama
cent),= he said.
The monthly comparison of steel and
metal sections, he said, showed the unit
price index remained unchanged for
almost all areas in Malaysia in June 2024.
However, there was a slight decrease
in the price index of these materials in
Penang, Kedah and Perlis (-0.7 per cent),
followed by Kuching (-0.6 per cent) and
Kota Kinabalu (-0.2 per cent).
On another note, he shared that an
annual comparison for June 2023 and
June 2024 showed that the unit price
index of cement increased between 0.4
per cent to 4.7 per cent for all areas in
Malaysia, with the highest increase
recorded in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur,
Melaka and Negeri Sembilan (4.7 per
cent), followed by Tawau (2.2 per cent),
Penang, Kedah and Perlis (2.0 per cent)
and Pahang (1.6 per cent).
An annual comparison of the average
price per unit of steel recorded a
decrease of between 0.1 per cent to 5.3
per cent in June 2024 compared with the
same month last year for almost all areas
in Malaysia.
Mohd Uzir elaborated that the aver-
age price of cement (Ordinary Portland)
recorded a marginal increase (0.3 per
cent) with an average price of RM23.10
per 50 kilogramme (kg) bag compared to
May 2024 (RM23.04 per 50 kg bag).
Meanwhile, the average price per unit
of steel, consisting of mild steel round
bars and Mycon 60 high tensile
deformed bars, remained unchanged
compared to May 2024 with an average
price of RM3,730.49 per tonne.
The month-on-month Building Cost
Index (BCI) with steel bars for all building
categories in June 2024 increased between
0.1 per cent and 2.0 per cent for almost all
areas in Peninsular Malaysia with the
highest increase in Selangor, Kuala
Lumpur, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan for
the timber piling category (two per cent).
However, he said there was a slight
decrease between -0.1 per cent and -0.3
per cent for BCI with steel bars for several
building categories in Johor, Terengganu
and Kelantan as well as Sabah which also
showed a slight increase of 0.1 per cent
for almost all building categories in Kota
Kinabalu and Tawau, but remained
unchanged in Sandakan.
The monthly comparison of BCI with
steel bars in Sarawak registered a slight
decrease of between -0.1 per cent and -0.2
per cent in June 2024 for almost all cate-
gories of buildings in Kuching.
<Apart from that, there was a slight
increase of between 0.1 per cent and 0.2
per cent for almost all categories of
building in Sibu. However, BCI with steel
bars for almost all other building cate-
gories in Miri remained unchanged,= he
added. 3Bernama
and gas production facilities, leading to
unlawful emissions, according to a DOJ
complaint filed in a US court in North
Dakota.
Marathon also failed to obtain pre-con-
struction or operating permits at some 38
facilities. To avoid permitting require-
ments, the company submitted <artifi-
cially low= emission estimates, based on
<erroneous and unreasonable assump-
tions,= the complaint said.
This settlement <will ensure cleaner air
for the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation
and other communities in North Dakota,
while holding Marathon accountable for
its illegal pollution,= said Attorney General
Merrick Garland in a statement.
Marathon, which said the alleged viola-
tions took place between 2015 and 2019,
did not admit fault.
<Marathon does not admit liability
regarding any of the allegations in the
complaint associated with the consent
decree and elected to resolve the allega-
tions in a negotiated settlement rather
than litigation,= the company said in the
securities filing.
DOJ said the agreement will result in
deep cuts in emissions of methane, a
major contributor to climate change. 3AFP
dailyexpress
China exports rise but imports slump in June
BEIJING: China9s exports rose sharply in
June while imports declined unexpect-
edly, official figures showed Friday, in
further evidence that the world9s sec-
ond-largest economy is charting an
uneven recovery.
Officials in China are grappling with
a real estate debt crisis, weakening con-
sumption, an ageing population and
geopolitical tensions overseas.
And the latest figures come ahead of
a key conclave of leaders in Beijing next
week, with all eyes on how they might
kickstart lacklustre growth.
That meeting will kick off the same
day that China is expected to release its
economic growth figures for the second
quarter.
On Friday, China9s customs depart-
ment said overseas sales of products and
services overseas surged 8.6 percent on-
year, up from 7.6 percent in May and
Germany bans Chinese
telcos from 5G network
BERLIN: Germany said Thursday it will
phase out the use of components from
Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE in
its 5G networks in the coming years due to
national security concerns.
It was the latest move by Berlin to
reduce economic reliance on Beijing that
some fear have left it vulnerable, and fol-
lows warnings from the EU that the firms
pose a risk to the bloc.
Parts from Huawei and ZTE will no
longer be used in <core= 5G mobile net-
works by the end of 2026 at the latest, the
interior ministry in Berlin said.
In 5G access and transmission infra-
structure, the systems of the telecom firms
must be replaced by the end of 2029.
<We are protecting the central nerv-
ous systems of Germany as a business
location4and we are protecting the com-
munication of citizens, companies and
the state,= said Interior Minister Nancy
Faeser.
<We must reduce security risks and,
unlike in the past, avoid one-sided
dependencies.=
The ministry said that 5G networks
form part of Germany9s <critical infrastruc-
ture= and are important for the function-
ing of sectors ranging from health to
transport and energy.
Telecoms networks must be protected
from cyberattacks, which could be an
<existential threat=, it added.
Officials have reached agreements with
Germany9s 5G network operators,
Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefon-
ica, on banning Huawei and ZTE.
Government sources had already indi-
cated in September last year that Berlin
was considering such a move, although
the dates announced are later than those
originally envisaged to give companies
time to adopt the new measures.
Faeser would not be drawn on whether
she feared retaliatory measures from
China, although she said that Beijing had
Apple to open iPhone tap-to-pay to rivals
BRUSSELS: The EU has approved Apple9s
offer to allow rivals access to the iPhone9s
ability to tap-to-pay within the bloc, end-
ing a lengthy probe and sparing it a heavy
fine.
The case dates back to 2022 when
Brussels first accused Apple of blocking
rivals from its popular iPhone tap pay-
ment system in a breach of EU competi-
tion law.
<Apple has committed to allow rivals to
access the 8tap and go9 technology of
iPhones. Today9s decision makes Apple9s
commitments binding,= EU competition
chief Margrethe Vestager said in a state-
ment.
<From now on, competitors will be able
to effectively compete with Apple Pay for
mobile payments with the iPhone in
shops. So consumers will have a wider
range of safe and innovative mobile wal-
lets to choose from,= she said.
The EU previously found that Apple
TCS profits
grow 8.7pc
MUMBAI: Indian IT giant Tata Consultancy
Services posted this week an 8.7 percent
on-year rise in net proût for the June quar-
ter, matching analyst expectations and
reüecting higher levels of client spending.
The Mumbai-headquartered firm is
the second-biggest in India by market
cap and earns more than 80 percent of its
revenue from Western markets.
TCS had seen demand tamper after the
end of the coronavirus pandemic as cus-
tomers cut back on tech spending due to
higher inflation and an uncertain global
economic outlook.
But the company has forecast stronger
performance in the year ahead with a
global economic bounceback and will-
ingness by customers to spend on gener-
ative artificial intelligence technologies.
3AFP
better than the eight percent forecast in
a survey of analysts by Bloomberg.
Exports have historically served as an
important economic engine in China,
having a direct impact on employment
for thousands of companies.
June9s reading marked a third consec-
utive rise, after a year-on-year decline in
March.
However, imports unexpectedly
dropped 2.3 percent, the data showed,
reversing May9s 1.8 percent growth and
much worse than the 2.5 percent
expected.
<This reflects the economic condition
in China, with weak domestic demand
and strong production capacity relying
on exports,= Zhiwei Zhang, President
and Chief Economist at Pinpoint Asset
Management, said in a note.
<The sustainability of strong exports
is a major risk for China9s economy in
A woman browses her smartphone outside
a Huawei retail shop in Beijing. (AP)
been informed about the bans.
<For me, as interior minister, it is a mat-
ter of finding regulations for telecommu-
nications networks, for critical
infrastructure, and I have done that,= she
told a press conference.
In response to the ban, Huawei insisted
there was <no specific evidence= that the
firm9s <technology has cyber security
risks=.
<Huawei has developed into a continu-
ously innovative, secure, and reliable tele-
com equipment supplier in the German
market,= a spokesperson said.
Beijing9s embassy in Berlin also said the
move was driven by <groundless accusa-
tions=.
<There is no evidence indicating that
these Chinese companies are a danger to
any country,= the embassy said, according
to state news agency Xinhua.
<Whether Germany can handle this issue
fairly and justly will be a touchstone for its
own business environment,= it added.
Factors that authorities looked at when
deciding on the ban included whether the
manufacturer was directly or indirectly
controlled by the government, or whether
they had been involved in activities that
had a detrimental impact on Germany or
other EU states.
enjoyed a dominant position by restrict-
ing access to <tap-as-you-go= chips or near-
field communication (NFC), which allows
devices to interconnect within a very short
range, to favour its own system.
Now competitors will have access to the
standard technology behind contactless
payments to offer alternative tap-to-pay
tools to iPhone users in the European Eco-
nomic Area (EEA), which includes the EU
but also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Nor-
way.
Only customers with an Apple ID regis-
tered in the EEA would be able to make use
of these outside apps, the European Com-
mission said in a statement.
The changes must remain in force for 10
years and a <monitoring trustee= must be
chosen by Apple to report to the commis-
sion during that period on their imple-
mentation.
Apple had risked a fine of up to 10 per-
cent of its total worldwide annual
Oil demand growth slowing: IEA
PARIS: The International Energy Agency
trimmed its forecasts this week as it said
world oil demand growth continues to
slow and consumption in China dipped.
The Paris-based body that advises
industrial nations on energy policy said oil
demand increased by just 710,000 barrels
per day in the second quarter, the slowest
rate in over a year.
<Oil consumption in China, long the
engine of global oil demand growth, con-
tracted in both April and May= the IEA said
in its monthly report on the oil market.
Chinese demand in the second quarter
was also marginally below the same
period in 2023.
While demand in that quarter bene-
fited from the reopening of the Chinese
economy after Covid lockdowns, the IEA
said that the recent drop also <points to
an intrinsic slowdown= and that <the
downswing in the industrial fuels indi-
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
the second half of the year,= he added.
Economists at Goldman Sachs also
said that <with healthy ex-China
demand and Chinese products
extremely competitive, exports are
likely to stay strong in coming months=.
But they warned of <downside risks to
exports in 2025 and 2026= if former US
president Donald Trump is re-elected in
November and slaps <large tariffs on all
imports of Chinese goods, as he has sug-
gested in recent months=.
Despite mounting geopolitical
rivalry, Chinese exports to the United
States remained robust in June, rising
6.6 percent, Friday9s data showed.
And those to the European Union
increased by the same amount, despite
mounting trade tensions after the bloc
imposed up to 38 percent additional
customs duties on imports of Chinese
electric vehicles.
China and Germany have long had
close ties, with Germany9s crucial manu-
facturers4from auto companies to
machine-tool makers4exporting vast
quantities of products to the world9s num-
ber two economy.
But Russia9s invasion of Ukraine and the
subsequent energy crisis triggered soul-
searching in Europe9s top economy about
an over-reliance on authoritarian govern-
ments and led to Berlin seeking to <de-
risk= by cutting its reliance on China.
It unveiled a strategy for managing ties
with Beijing last year, in which it sought to
strike a balance between competing inter-
ests, with China described as a <partner,
competitor and systemic rival=.
There have been growing signs of the
government9s new tougher approach.
Last week, Berlin blocked the sale of a
gas turbine unit belonging to a subsidiary
of the Volkswagen group to a Chinese
investor after media reports suggested it
had close links to the Chinese armaments
industry.
EU countries are becoming increasingly
wary of using tech from Huawei or other
non-EU vendors that may not comply with
EU data protection laws.
The European Commission, the EU9s
executive arm, last year described Huawei
and ZTE as a risk to the bloc and called on
EU member states to exclude the compa-
nies9 equipment from their mobile net-
works.
After the UK in the summer of 2020,
Sweden became the second country in
Europe and the first in the EU to explicitly
ban Huawei from almost all of the net-
work infrastructure needed to run its 5G
mobile network.
There has also been growing pressure
from the United States to take action
against Huawei amid a technological
rivalry between Beijing and Washington
over US fears it could be used for Chinese
espionage operations. 3AFP
turnover. Apple9s total revenue in the year
to September 2023 stood at $383 billion.
<Apple Pay and Apple Wallet will con-
tinue to be available in the EEA for users
and developers, and will continue to pro-
vide an easy, secure and private way to pay,
as well as present passes seamlessly from
Apple Wallet,= the company said in a state-
ment.
The probe9s conclusion comes at a par-
ticularly difficult moment in relations
between the EU and Apple, especially over
the bloc9s new competition rules for big
tech.
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) seeks to
ensure tech titans do not privilege their
own services over rivals, but the iPhone
maker says it puts users9 privacy at risk.
One of the DMA9s main objectives is to
give consumers more choice in the web
browsers, app marketplaces, search
engines and other digital services they use.
3AFP
cates a broader weakness in manufactur-
ing=.
The world9s second-largest economy is
grappling with a real estate debt crisis,
weakening consumption, an ageing pop-
ulation and geopolitical tensions over-
seas.
The IEA trimmed its forecast for Chi-
nese oil demand this year by 0.2 million
barrels per day (mbd) to 17 mbd. While
that would be a gain of 0.5 mbd from
2023, it is far short of the 1.5 mbd gain last
year.
The IEA sees Chinese demand growth
slowing to 0.3 mbd in 2025, also a drop of
0.2 mbd from its previous forecast.
The return to pre-Covid normalcy and
weak growth will also see China9s weight
in global oil demand growth decline, from
about 70 percent of gains last year to 40
percent this year and next, according to
the IEA. -AFP
Brussels accuses Beijing of having
illegally favoured its manufacturers
with subsidies.
And trade between China and Russia
rose by 3.4 percent year-on-year, accord-
ing to AFP calculations based on official
US unveils $1.7b EV making boost
WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden9s
administration said it is issuing $1.7 billion
in grants to help expand or revive auto
facilities for making electric vehicles and
parts4including in election battle-
grounds Michigan and Georgia.
The funds will go towards converting 11
shuttered or at-risk facilities in eight
states, covering another battleground
Pennsylvania, and others like Ohio, Illinois
and Indiana.
The aim is to help them retrofit to make
EVs and officials said the investment4
paid for by the Inflation Reduction Act4
will save 15,000 jobs.
<This investment will create thousands
of good-paying, union manufacturing
jobs and retain even more4from Lansing,
Michigan to Fort Valley, Georgia4by help-
ing auto companies retool, reboot, and
rehire in the same factories and commu-
nities,= said Biden in a statement.
The announcement comes as Biden, 81,
battles calls to end his reelection bid after
a disastrous debate performance against
Republican Donald Trump last month.
foreign closing report
Stocks up on US rate hopes, yen
holds gains amid intervention talk
HONG KONG: Markets mostly rose Friday
after a largely negative day on Wall Street
despite growing confidence of a US inter-
est rate cut, while the yen saw big swings
as speculation swirled that Japan had
stepped into forex markets to support
the currency.
A smaller-than-expected read on the
June consumer price index ramped up
bets on the Federal Reserve lowering bor-
rowing costs in September, and possibly
again before January.
The news came after the central
bank9s boss Jerome Powell said decision-
makers would not wait until inflation
had hit the bank9s two percent target
before loosening monetary policy, warn-
ing that <if you waited that long, you9ve
probably waited too long=.
On Thursday, San Francisco Fed chief
Mary Daly said: <I do think with the
incoming information on inflation,
growth and the labour market, some
policy adjustments are likely to be war-
ranted.=
However, while the figures appeared
to give the all-clear for a cut in two
months, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq tum-
bled from record highs, with observers
blaming a shift from big-name tech
titans such as Amazon and into smaller,
largely overlooked stocks.
But most of Asia extended Thursday9s
rally.
Hong Kong climbed more than two
percent, while there were also advances
in Singapore, Sydney, Wellington, Mum-
bai, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila. Lon-
don, Paris and Frankfurt were all slightly
higher.
However, Tokyo sank with Seoul and
Taipei. Shanghai was flat.
Analysts, meanwhile, said the softer
US inflation print provided Japanese
authorities the perfect opportunity to
step into forex markets to provide sup-
port to the yen, which surged against the
dollar Thursday.
The Japanese currency spiked from
around 161.50 per dollar to as strong as
157.44, fuelling talk that officials had
intervened again, having done so in April
when the yen hit a 38-year low.
<The pronounced move in the yen
Ericsson posts $1b quarterly loss
STOCKHOLM: Swedish telecommunica-
tions equipment manufacturer Ericsson
said Friday it had suffered a $1.0 billion
quarterly loss after writing down the value
of its purchase of US cloud-based commu-
nications operator Vonage.
Ericsson acquired Vonage in 2022 for
$6.2 billion to expand its presence in wire-
less enterprise and broaden its global
offerings, but already last year it wrote
down its value by $2.9 billion as market
conditions shifted.
Another write down of 11.4 billion
Swedish kronor ($1.1 billion), mostly
attributable to Vonage, was behind the 1.0
billion kronor loss in the second quarter.
Business 15
Electric cars are
stacked for
export at the
international
container
terminal of
Taicang Port in
Suzhou, China.
data.
China-Russia trade has boomed since
the Ukraine invasion4which Beijing has
never condemned4and hit $240 billion
in 2023, according to Chinese customs
figures. 3AFP
It is also the latest Biden administration
effort to support US industries in the face
of competition from China.
US leaders in recent months have
warned that excess industrial capacity in
the world9s second largest economy could
bring a flood of low priced goods to the
market, potentially hurting budding clean
energy industries elsewhere.
Washington also announced sharp tar-
iff hikes on Chinese imports earlier this
year, including on EVs.
<There is nothing harder to a manufac-
turing community than to lose jobs to for-
eign competition and a changing
industry,= said Secretary of Energy Jennifer
Granholm.
She noted that the grants will help to
<ensure that our automotive industry stays
competitive,= saying that the sector needs
a federal partner when competing with
other countries who subsidise their auto
industries.
Beneficiaries include automakers like
General Motors, Fiat-Chrysler and Volvo. 3
AFP
appears to be coming on the back of
combined impact from US inflation and
intervention by Japanese authorities,=
Charu Chanana at Saxo Markets told AFP.
<There seems to be a new playbook for
Japanese interventions, coming in along
with supportive fundamentals, making
the strength in yen somewhat more
durable.=
And National Australia Bank9s Ray
Attrill told Friday9s <NAB Morning Call=
podcast that the <outsized move= makes
it <fairly inconceivable that it hasn9t had
a helping hand=.
The Bank of Japan has <been pretty
smart here... pushing on an open door
rather than the idea that they would just
intervene and do anything other than
just gift speculators the opportunity to
resell the yen at better levels=.
While speculation swirled about offi-
cial involvement, Japan9s top currency
diplomat Masato Kanda told reporters
late Thursday that authorities were <not
in a position to comment on whether
they intervened in the market=, accord-
ing to public broadcaster NHK.
<Objectively speaking, there have
been quite rapid fluctuations, which has
affected people9s lives.=
There was little major reaction to data
showing Chinese exports surged more
than expected last month but imports
confounded estimates to increase and
fell.
The figures came ahead of next week9s
Third Plenum, a key meeting of leaders
in Beijing that traders hope will see
announcements aimed at kick-starting
lacklustre economic growth.
The gathering will kick off the same
day China is expected to release its gross
domestic product figures for the second
quarter.
<The success of the Third Plenum
hinges on lifting household spending,=
said Harry Murphy Cruise and Sarah Tan
at Moody9s Analytics in a note.
<And that means reforms targeting
housing, labour markets and tax. To be
clear, policy changes are likely to be
modest because of budget constraints
and fears of reinflating a property bub-
ble.= 3AFP
Ericsson chief executive Borje Ekholm
defended the acquisition.
<Vonage remains foundational to build
out a global platform for network APIs,= he
said, referring to the interfaces which
allow for different software applications to
communicate.
<This is critical for the digitalisation of
enterprises and society, and will drive future
growth in the telecoms industry,= he added.
Ericsson, along with its Nordic rival
Nokia and China9s Huawei, dominates the
market for 5G mobile network communi-
cations equipment, and the Vonage acqui-
sition was aimed at diversifying into a
growth market. 3AFP
 16 Business SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024 dailyexpress
MELAKA: Banking
and financial insti-
tutions in the
country
reminded
always follow the
are
to
Banks reminded of SOPs SaHam amaNaH SaBaH

(maNaGer9S PrIceS For jUly 11)

over illegal withdrawals

list of standard
operating proce- BUyING: 0.3112

dures (SOPs) set in SellING: 0.3112

recognising com- NaV: 0.3112

plaints of cus-
tomers9 money being withdrawn n gold prices

illegally, said Deputy Finance Minister
Lim Hui Ying (pic).
Lim said the ministry had received
several complaints about bank officials
who did not take appropriate action on
complaints or investigate money with-
which was also attended by the Director hence the bank needs to be responsible. International Airport, Johor, Penang,
THe physical price of gold as at 5pm stood at
General of Royal Malaysian Customs <Bank account holders are advised to Sabah and Sarawak from July 14 to 19.
rm349.57 per gramme, up rm2.24 from
Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd make it a habit to check their bank She said the main objective of this
rm347.33 at 5pm Thursday. 3Bernama
Zainudin@Mohd Zainuddin. accounts and if this kind of thing still TRO 2.0 (Declaration Without Payment)
She said that at the same time the happens and they are not satisfied with is to increase revenue collection and the
implementation of the SOPs will also be the results of the bank9s investigation, level of registrant compliance with the n cloSING INDIceS

drawn without acknowledgement by tightened since all the steps are already the customer can complain to the Sales Tax Act 2018, the Service Tax Act
FBMEMAS 12,540.70 (-41.62)
bank account holders. in place and listed but there are still Ombudsman for Financial Services 2018 and the Tourism Tax Act 2017.
FBMKLCI 1,619.06 (-4.06)
<There are some cases being handled banks that refuse to follow them. (OFS) or directly to Bank Negara <It is to facilitate and even generate
by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) but <So we give a reminder because SOPs Malaysia,= she said. the impact of tax collection, and as of CONSUMER PRODUCTS 586.34 (-0.01)

they are only a low percentage and are and announcements like these are not Meanwhile, she said the TRO 2.0 (Dec- the beginning of this year, JKDM has INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 200.96 (-0.07)

still under control. We will investigate new, where customer complaints about laration Without Payment) ceremony achieved more than RM30 billion collec- CONSTRUCTION 298.21 (+0.37)

specific cases on a case by case basis,= their money being withdrawn illegally, was symbolic of the implementation of tion from indirect taxes. FINANCIAL SERVICES 17,800.10 (+6.04)
she told reporters after officiating at the the bank needs to investigate accord- a special integrated operation that the <With the current collection trend,
ENERGY 984.52 (+0.19)
launch of the Trace and Recovery Oper- ingly. If it can be proven that it is not the Royal Malaysian Customs Department we believe JKDM can achieve the projec-
TELECOMMUNICATIONS 600.74 (-3.94)
ation (TRO) 2.0 (Declaration Without customer9s negligence and that all steps (JKDM) will carry out in seven locations, tion set by MoF which is RM50 billion,=
Payment) Series 2/2024 here today, and procedures have been followed, namely Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, KL she said. 3 Bernama HEALTH CARE 2,185.54 (-9.09)

TRANSPORTATION 1,121.29 (+3.48)

Natural rubber production up 20.1pc in May

PROPERTY 1,126.39 (-2.77)

PLANTATION 6,943.71 (-10.46)

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia9s natural rub- Citing the Malaysia Rubber Board ported by China9s strong car sales and the FBMSHA 12,915.20 (-48.49)

ber (NR) production rose 20.1 per cent Digest published in May 2024, DoSM said latest stimulus measures announced to FBMACE 5,981.21 (+39.22)

month-on-month to 25,608 tonnes in the Kuala Lumpur rubber market started shore up the economy,= it said. TECHNOLOGY 79.05 (-0.76)
May 2024 from 21,325 tonnes in April with a bullish tone, with Standard In May 2024, the average monthly
2024, according to the Department of Malaysian Rubber (SMR) 20 surging to a price for concentrated latex improved 1.2
n INTerBaNK raTeS
Statistics Malaysia (DoSM). new high at 840.00 sen per kilogram per cent to 742.36 sen per kg from 733.58
Year-on-year, NR production (kg), the highest since April 2017 before sen per kg in April 2024, while scrap went KUala lUmPUr INTerBaNK
increased by 6.1 per cent from 24,126 fluctuating towards month end. up 2.7 per cent to 657.16 sen per kg versus oFFer raTeS: jUly 12
tonnes in May 2023. Generally, the market sentiment was 639.62 sen per kg in the previous month.
<NR production in May 2024 for boosted by firmer advice in regional rub- Prices for all SMR increased between tonnes in the previous month. 1m 2m 3m 6m 9m 12m
Malaysia was mainly contributed by the ber futures markets amid concerns over 1.2 per cent and 3.2 per cent in May 2024 <China remained as the main destina- 3.29 3.35 3.59 3.64 - 3.79
smallholders sector (88.2 per cent) as tight global raw materials supply in compared with the previous month. tion for NR exports which accounted for
compared to the estates sector (11.8 per major producing countries due to heavy Meanwhile, DoSM said total NR stock 39.2 per cent of total exports in May 2024, SIBor (S$) SIBor (US$) HIBor (HK$)
cent),= chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr rains. grew 16.9 per cent to 175,368 tonnes in followed by India (10.6 per cent), Ger-
1m 3 4.60000
Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement. <The market sentiment was also sup- May 2024 versus 211,119 tonnes in April many (9.4 per cent), the United Arab
2m 3 4.65762
2024, with rubber processors factory con- Emirates (6.5 per cent) and the United
n 10 moST acTIVe STocKS
tributing 91.4 per cent of the stocks, fol- States (4.6 per cent),= it said. 3m 3 4.71423

TUrNoVer HIGH loW l/DoNe UP/DoWN

lowed by rubber consumers factory (8.5 It added that gloves were the main 6m 3 4.80000

coUNTer (UNITS) (SeN) (SeN) (SeN) (SeN)

per cent) and rubber estates (0.1 per exports of rubber-based products with a 12m 3 4.90071
cent). value of RM1.25 billion in May 2024, an
NoVamSc 1,878,000 21.0 17.0 20.0 0.0
It said NR exports rose 6.3 per cent to increase of 14.1 per cent as compared to
VeleSTo 1,154,100 26.0 25.0 25.0 -0.5
50,796 tonnes in May 2024 from 47,795 RM1.09 billion in April 2024. 3Bernama n rINGGIT WaTcH
aHB-Wc 9,871,800 8.0 7.0 8.0 0.0

THe ringgit continued to appreciate against the US

eKoVeST 8,193,000 50.0 46.0 50.0 +3.0

Rubber higher with crude oil gains

dollar Friday, backed by improved sentiments and
BjcorP 7,335,600 35.0 33.0 34.0 +1.5
demand for the local note, analysts said. at 6 pm, the
HSI-HWW 6,376,100 19.0 16.0 16.0 -4.5 ringgit traded firmer at 4.6700/6730 against the US dol-

HSI-HWI 6,235,100 17.0 13.0 13.0 -6.0 KUALA LUMPUR: The Standard Bernama. lar from Thursday's close of 4.6855/6895.

HSI-cxN 5,757,300 23.0 17.0 22.0 +5.5 Malaysian Rubber grade 20 (SMR 20) According to the dealer, the NR pro- During the trading day, the ringgit touched an

intraday high of rm4.6630 versus the greenback and

reNeUco 5,733,200 10.0 8.0 10.0 +1.5
closed higher on Friday, tracking gains duction grew by 20.1 per cent in May
retreated to rm4.6757 later in the afternoon. year-to-

HSI-cxV 5,521,400 13.0 10.0 13.0 +4.0

in benchmark crude oil prices, said a 2024 (25,608 tonnes) compared to April date, the ringgit stands out as the second best-per-
dealer. 2024 (21,325 tonnes). forming currency in the asian region, experiencing a

However, she said that further gains At the time of writing, the Brent crude modest depreciation of 1.56 per cent against the US

n BUrSa ScoreBoarD were capped by a stronger ringgit oil price increased by 0.82 per cent to dollar, following closely behind the Indian rupee which

eased by 0.37 per cent against the greenback.

against the US dollar and weaker senti- US$86.12 per barrel.
The Brunei dollar and Singapore dollar each saw
UP DoWN UNcHaNGeD TraDeD ment in regional rubber futures markets The Malaysian Rubber Board9s (MRB) a 1.70 per cent decline, while the Indonesian rupiah
coNSUmer ProD & SerV 53 64 62 179 as traders digested increased local natu- price for SMR 20 rose by 2.5 sen to 785 slipped by 4.57 per cent and the Philippine peso slid
IND-ProD & SerVIceS 72 100 82 254
ral rubber (NR) production and mixed sen per kilogram (kg), while latex-in- by 5.15 per cent versus the US dollar. Bank muamalat
coNSTrUcTIoN 23 19 14 56
Chinese economic data. bulk fell by 3.0 sen to 654 sen per kg. malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr mohd afzanizam

TecHNoloGy 14 28 16 58 abdul rashid said the lower-than-expected US con-

<Japanese rubber futures dropped As of 5 pm, the MRB reference price
SPac 0 0 0 0 sumer Price Index (cPI) which came in at 3.0 per cent

FINaNcIal SerVIceS 11 9 13 33
today after a three-day rally, weighed for physical SMR 20 stood at 777.5 sen per (against the consensus estimate of 3.1 per cent) sug-

ProPerTy 34 33 35 102
down by a stronger yen, although firmer kg while latex-in-bulk was at 650 sen per gested that the disinflationary trend is proceeding well.

PlaNTaTIoN 15 15 14 44 oil prices limited losses,= she told kg. 3Bernama <Plus, the United States (US) Federal reserve

(Fed) chair jerome Powell, in his testimony to the US

reIT 3 8 7 18
congress, suggested that the interest rate cut could

Jaks, CPECC Int’l partner for

cloSeD eND FUND 0 0 1 1
happen, and that the inflation rate doesn't need to go
eNerGy 12 8 16 36
lower than two per cent before they can commence
HealTH care 2 9 9 20
the monetary easing decision.
TelecommUNIcaTIoNS/meDIa 6 7 5 18

large scale solar project bid

<It seems that the September timeline would be
TraNSPorTaTIoN & loGISTIcS 9 12 7 28 the probable time for the Fed to start reversing its

UTIlITIeS 4 7 2 13 restrictive stance. This has certainly helped to improve

BUSINeSS TrUST 1 0 0 1 the value of ringgit,= mohd afzanizam told Bernama.

KUALA LUMPUR: JAKS Resources Bhd has <By leveraging our combined capabil-
STrcWarr 200 250 145 595 meanwhile, the ringgit was traded lower against

ace-mKT 65 68 83 216
partnered with China Power Engineer- ities and expertise, we are confident in other major currencies. It had weakened against the

BoND&loaN 1 0 2 3
ing Consulting Group International the success of our bid. This collaboration japanese yen to 2.9338/9359 from Thursday9s close of

eTF 6 1 1 8 Engineering Co Ltd (CPECC Int9l) to par- aligns with the group9s overall vision to 2.9003/9030, slid against the euro to 5.0838/0870 from

5.0819/0862 yesterday, and depreciated against the

leaP-mKT 0 1 0 1 ticipate in the bid of development and grow our power and energy segment as
British pound to 6.0481/0520 from 6.0335/0387 previ-
submission of solar photovoltaic (PV) well as further enhancing the commit- ously.
531 639 514 1,684 plants under the Energy Commission9s ment to expand our renewable energy However, it traded mostly firmer against aSeaN

fifth Large Scale Solar programme portfolio. currencies, edging up against the Singapore dollar to

(LSS5). <Given the strong track record of both 3.4768/4793 from 3.4774/4807 yesterday, rising against

the Philippines9 peso to 8.00/8.00 from 8.03/8.05 on

BUrSa malaySIa DerIVaTIVeS excHaNGe: jUly 12 The construction and power utilities parties, we are optimistic that this part-
Thursday and appreciated against the Thai baht to
THe crUDe Palm oIl FUTUreS cloSING (all PrcS are IN rm/mT) company said in a statement that nership will deliver significant value to 12.9023/9160 from 12.9184/9341 previously.
through the memorandum of under- the group,= said JAKS chief executive offi- The local unit had marginally declined against the
Del oPeN HIGH loW laST VolUme oPeN standing (MoU), JAKS and CPECC Int9l cer Andy Ang Lam Poah. Indonesian rupiah to 289.3/289.7 from 289.2/289.7

moNTH (rm) (rm) (rm) (rm) PoSIIToN would jointly bid, develop, finance, con- CPECC Int9l is a subsidiary of China Power Thursday. 3 Bernama

jUl-24 3988 4000 3980 3980 77 1,775

struct and operate the solar PV plants Engineering Consult-
with a maximum aggregate capacity of ing Group Co Ltd. It is
n excHaNGe raTeS
aUG-24 3990 4027 3942 3947 4,104 19,634 500 megawatt alternating current a leading power engi-
SeP-24 3939 3991 3909 3914 29,917 88,770
(MWac) via a consortium. neering integrative excHaNGe raTeS ISSUeD By malayaN BaNKING BHD: jUly 12
Under the terms of the MoU, JAKS service provider in
ocT-24 3917 3965 3886 3893 9,314 47,873
would hold 51 per cent stake while CPECC China and interna- SellING BUyING BUyING

NoV-24 3903 3958 3879 3885 6,501 27,273 Int9l would hold 49 per cent share. tionally. 3Bernama TT/oD TT oD

Dec-24 3910 3963 3885 3893 3,057 21,843 1 US Dollar 4.7340 4.6010 4.5910

jaN-25 3921 3980 3902 3908 2678 20,334 Astro shares fall after 1 australian Dollar 3.2210 3.0950 3.0790

1 Brunei Dollar 3.5260 3.4250 3.4170

FeB-25 3946 4000 3922 3927 2854 11,489

RM734.88m tax blow

1 canadian Dollar 3.4710 3.3800 3.3680

mar-25 3950 3993 3927 3930 1612 19,098

1 euro 5.1560 4.9910 4.9710

aPr-25 3958 3980 3917 3920 602 8,582 1 New Zealand Dollar 2.8950 2.7900 2.7740
KUALA LUMPUR: Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd shares fell two
1 Papua N Guinea Kina N/a N/a N/a
ToTal oPeN PoSITIoN : 282,096 cTrS sen to 29 sen at the close on Friday after the pay TV operator
1 Singapore Dollar 3.5260 3.4250 3.4170
was slapped with an additional tax bill of RM734.88 million.
ToTal TUrN oVer : 62,285 loTS
At 5 pm, a total of 42.35 million shares were transacted. 1 Sterling Pound 6.1260 5.9360 5.9160

marKeT ToNe : loWer

The Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) is seeking additional 1 Swiss Franc 5.2720 5.1520 5.1370

taxes from the Astro group for the years of assessment 2019 to 100 Uae Dirham 130.4700 123.7800 123.5800
2023 totalling to RM734.88 million, including penalties.
mPoB Palm oIl PrIceS (rm/mT): jUly 12 NoTe : PrelImINary PrIceS UP To 100 Bangladesh Taka 4.1160 3.8330 3.6330
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, Astro said additional assess-
4.30 P.m. NT 3 No TraNSacTIoN 100 chinese renminbi 65.7000 62.9600 N/a
jUl924 aUG924 SeP924
ment notices were served on the company9s wholly-owned sub-
local malaySIa cPo PrIce TraDeD FIrm
cPo (local DelIVereD) 4,015.50 NT NT sidiaries, Astro Shaw Sdn Bhd and Measat Broadcast Network 100 Danish Krone 70.8500 65.2200 65.0200
TracKING STroNGer SoyaBeaN oIl PrIceS oN THe
PK (ex-mIll) NT NT NT Systems Sdn Bhd, on July 9 amounting to RM22.01 million and 100 Hongkong Dollar 61.3100 58.2900 58.0900

cPKo (local DelIVereD) NT NT NT

U.S. cHIcaGo BoarD oF TraDe (cBoT). Palm oIl IS
RM712.87 million, respectively. 100 Indian rupee 5.7700 5.4100 5.2100

rBD P. oIl (FoB) NT NT NT

aFFecTeD By PrIce moVemeNTS IN rIVal oIlS aS
The content and entertainment company said its sub-
100 Indonesian rupiah 0.0303 0.0274 0.0224
THey comPeTe For a SHare IN THe GloBal VeGeTaBle
sidiaries have 30 days to appeal and will do so.
rBD P. oleIN (FoB) NT NT NT
100 japanese yen 2.9850 2.8910 2.8810
oIlS marKeT. cPo DelIVery PrIce TraDeD BeTWeeN
If required, they will initiate legal proceedings to challenge
rBD P. STearIN (FoB) NT NT NT rm3,970/ToNNe aND rm4,035/ToNNe. 3 BerNama
the basis and validity of the notices raised by LHDN, it added. 100 New Taiwan Dollar 15.6000 N/a N/a

According to Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd (Kenanga IB), 100 Norwegian Krone 45.3700 41.7500 41.5500

in the worst case, this additional tax liability will push Astro9s 100 Pakistan rupee 1.7300 1.6200 1.4200
DaIly FFB reFereNce PrIce SUmmary
net tangible assets by 14 sen deeper into negative territory to -
100 Philippine Peso 8.2600 7.7900 7.5900
By reGIoN (rm/ToNNe) jUly 12 27 sen from -13 sen as of April, 2024.
100 Qatar riyal 131.3700 124.7100 124.5100
<Assuming a full settlement, Astro9s net debt and gearing of
DaTe NorTH SoUTH ceNTral eaST coaST SaBaH* SaraWaK* RM3.1 billion as of end-April 2024 will rise to RM3.8 billion. 100 Saudi riyal 127.7200 121.2500 121.0500

GraDe GraDe GraDe GraDe GraDe GraDe (This is) assuming debt is raised to pay for the additional 100 South africa rand 27.2900 24.6500 24.4500

rm/ 1% oer 43.07 43.18 43.49 42.39 38.60 39.20

taxes,= it said in a note. 100 Sri lanka rupee 1.6100 1.4800 1.2800
Kenanga IB maintained its forecasts pending the outcome of
Note : oer - oil extraction rate (Kadar Perahan minyak) * Sandakan, lahad Datu and Tawau 100 Swedish Krona 46.5200 42.3800 42.1800

NT - No Trade ** miri and Bintulu.

the appeal as well as <underperform= call on Astro with a target
100 Thai Baht 13.7000 12.1600 11.7600
PH - Public Holiday
price of 25 sen. 3Bernama
 PEOPLE PLACES
18 In Cuba, world’s tiniest bird
&
dailyexpress
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024 17

Biden under
pressure from

Hollywood’s

Kim Kardashian, accompanied by her

sister Khloe Kardashian, went on a

wealthy donors
tuk-tuk ride in Mumbai ahead of the

main wedding ceremony.
(Pic: Instagram via BBC)
Kardashians
in India for
billionaire
wedding gala
MUMBAI: Socialite sisters Kim and Khloe
Kardashian were among the global
celebrities spotted in India on Friday to
attend a lavish three-day wedding cere-
mony staged by Asia9s richest man
Mukesh Ambani.
Ambani9s youngest son Anant and
fiancee Radhika Merchant, both 29, will
tie the knot over the weekend in the
financial capital Mumbai following
months of pre-marriage parties that have
set a new benchmark in matrimonial
extravagance.
Earlier celebrations included a Euro-
pean cruise for 1,200 guests, a purpose-
built Hindu temple at the Ambani
family9s ancestral home and private per-
formances by R&B star Rihanna and
Canada9s Justin Bieber.
The Kardashians are the latest in a
long line of famous foreign VIPs to make
an appearance.
Elder sister Kim shared an Instagram
story showing her car mobbed by Indian
photographers shortly after her arrival
and both siblings receiving flower gar-
lands from staff at their luxury hotel.
Fellow celebrity guests including
actor John Cena posed for cameras on the
red carpet upon their arrival at the
venue, a huge convention centre owned
by the Ambani family9s conglomerate.
Former British prime ministers Boris
Johnson and Tony Blair were also spotted
by reporters arriving at Mumbai airport
ahead of the party beginning later on Fri-
day.
In June, the couple embarked on a
four-day Mediterranean cruise, where
singer Katy Perry performed at a mas-
querade ball at a French chateau in
Cannes.
The Backstreet Boys, US rapper Pitbull
and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli also pro-
vided entertainment.
Guests at earlier galas have included
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and
former US president Donald Trump9s
daughter Ivanka, along with a who9s who
of India9s sporting and entertainment
worlds.
This week9s opulent celebrations are
set to raise the bar further, with even
more celebrities, politicians and global
business elites jetting into monsoon-hit
Mumbai.
Several major roads around the venue
have been closed off to the public by
authorities for most of the weekend.
It will see the main formal ceremony
at the 16,000-person capacity venue,
with a separate <blessing ceremony= on
Saturday and a grand reception on Sun-
day.
Anant9s father Mukesh is chairman of
Reliance Industries, a family-founded
conglomerate that has grown into India9s
biggest company by market cap.
The patriarch is the world9s 11th rich-
est person with a fortune of more than
$123 billion, according to Forbes, and is
no stranger to making a statement when
it comes to family marriages.
He held the most expensive wedding
in India to date for his daughter in 2018,
which reportedly cost $100 million and
saw US singer Beyonce perform.
L
OS ANGELES (United States): What if
Hollywood, a key Democratic finan-
cial pillar, cut off Joe Biden9s campaign
funding? That possibility now looms large
after actor George Clooney and other
wealthy donors urged the US president to
withdraw from the White House race.
<I love Joe Biden. But we need a new
nominee,= Clooney wrote in a column in
the New York Times on Wednesday, after
Biden9s disastrous performance in a tele-
vised presidential debate against Republi-
can rival Donald Trump rekindled fears
around the 81-year-old9s fitness for office.
The statement dealt a serious blow to
Biden, coming just three weeks after
Clooney headlined a major fundraiser in
Los Angeles for his reelection campaign.
At the gala, the president was able to
‘The Shining’ actor Shelley
Duvall dies at age 75
NEW YORK: Shelley Duvall, the versatile
actor known for her role in <The Shin-
ing= and collaboration with director
Robert Altman, died aged 75.
Citing her partner Dan Gilroy, The
Hollywood Reporter said Duvall died in
her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas
following complications of diabetes.
Born July 7, 1949 in Fort Worth, Texas,
Duvall was discovered by Altman 3 the
maverick filmmaker known for his rich
characters, sharp social criticism and
keen satire 3 who cast her in 19709s dark
comedy <Brewster McCloud.=
The saucer-eyed actor developed a
broad repertoire and captivated audi-
ences, breaking through with 19759s
<Nashville,= and going on to portray
memorable and eccentric characters
that earned her a smattering of awards
including at Cannes for her role in the
acclaimed 1977 drama <3 Women.=
Her career was defined by her work
with Altman, who she said she kept
coming back to because <he offers me
damn good roles.=
<None of them have been alike,= she
told The New York Times in 1977.
<He has a great confidence in me, and
a trust and respect for me, and he
doesn9t put any restrictions on me or
intimidate me, and I love him.=
Guns n’ ganja: Weapons flood
Catalonia’s cannabis trade
CONSTANTÍ (Spain): In the
dead of the night, wearing
bullet-proof vests, their faces
masked, scores of armed
Spanish police staged a
stealthy pre-dawn raid on
homes in a small Catalan
town this week.
Despite being armed to
the teeth, this wasn9t an anti-
terror operation: they were
raiding marijuana planta-
tions 3 which are increas- Armed to the back teeth, Catalonia9s Mossos d9Esquadra
ingly run by gangs with police prepare to raid a marijuana plantation run
serious weaponry. by criminal gangs that are increasingly armed
With its eight million res-
idents, this wealthy north-
eastern region of Spain has in recent years explained Carlos Otamendi, head of crim-
morphed from being a transit route for inal investigations at the Mossos
drugs to becoming a notorious European d9Esquadra regional police.
production hub, mainly of marijuana.
And as a result, guns are becoming the public eye when a man pulled out a
increasingly visible and instances of weapon, allegedly a Kalashnikov, and shot
armed violence are on the rise.
raise more than $30 million in one evening,
a record amount that showcased the indus-
try9s might in financing the American left.
<If all these big donors pull out, he9s
sunk,= said Steve Ross, professor of history
at the University of Southern California
who wrote a book on the influence of Hol-
lywood on American politics.
<Hollywood is still the one shop stop for
candidates.=
Clooney is not the only one worried. In
recent days, Netflix co-founder Reed Hast-
ings, Walt Disney9s granddaughter Abigail
and Hollywood mega agent Ari Emanuel,
whose brother Rahm served as Barack
Obama9s chief of staff 3 said they would not
be financing Biden citing concerns over his
age.
Even though the millions generated by
In a 1977 interview Altman praised
Duvall for being able <to swing all sides
of the pendulum: charming, silly,
sophisticated, pathetic 3 even beautiful.=
But it was her work on the 1980 film
adaptation of Stephen King9s <The Shin-
ing= that would become her highest
profile role, which she played opposite
Jack Nicholson.
Director Stanley Kubrick put her
through the ringer to perform the part
of Wendy Torrance in the horror classic
that sees a writer husband descend into
homicidal madness and terrorize his
wife and young son.
Duvall has voiced admiration for
Kubrick but also has publicly discussed
how arduous the role was, telling People
in 1981 the 13-month job was gruelling
and that Kubrick had her <crying 12
hours a day for weeks on end.=
<I will never give that much again. If
you want to get into pain and call it art,
go ahead, but not with me.=
In one famous scene Nicholson9s
character tortures Duvall9s with a base-
ball bat, which reportedly took 127 takes
to satisfy Kubrick.
Duvall also made a cameo in 19779s
<Annie Hall= by Woody Allen, and
played opposite Robin Williams in Alt-
man9s 1980 live-action rendition of
and dangerous.
On June 23, gun violence exploded into
dead two people during an argument on
Disney heiress speaks up: Abigail E Disney withdrew her financial
support for the party due to Biden9s 8timidity9. (Pic: Getty Images)
the American entertainment industry are
essential to both parties, Hollywood9s
hearts and wallets have predominantly
leaned left for decades. Both Bill and
Hillary Clinton relied on Hollywood sup-
port in their respective White House bids.
In 2007, Obama famously benefited
from the <Oprah Winfrey effect,= receiving
a boost to his profile after the star TV host
organized a dinner to promote the man
who was then still only a senator.
During the presidential race in 2020,
the entertainment industry gave $104 mil-
lion to Democrats compared to $13 million
to Republicans, according to Open Secrets,
a nonprofit that tracks campaign financ-
ing. It wasn9t always that way.
<Popeye.=
Later in the 1980s she made her way
into children9s programming.
Her last film was 20239s <The Forest
Hills,= an independent horror-thriller
she played in after a two-decade hiatus
from professional acting. Duvall9s fade
from Hollywood prompted much spec-
ulation, over both her mental health
and her aged appearance. In a 2024
interview with The New York Times both
she and Gilroy voiced exasperation at
such treatment.
She indicated she felt betrayed by the
industry in which she excelled, even as
her body of work continues to earn her
new fans.
Test your logic skills with the Su Do Ku puzzle. The rules are simple: each of the smaller grids
should contain the number 1 to 9, and in the large grid each row and column should contain the
In the 1980s, Republican president
Ronald Reagan, himself a former actor,
enjoyed the support of stars like Frank
Sinatra and relied heavily on Hollywood9s
coffers.
<Hollywood actually started as a conser-
vative base for the Republican Party,= Ross
told AFP.
<When Louis B. Mayer took over MGM
Studios in the late 20s, he turned it into a
fundraising publicity wing for the GOP, and
he raised enormous amounts of money,=
Ross said, referring to the Republican party.
The four Warner brothers, on the other
hand, supported Democrat Franklin D.
Roosevelt in the 1930s with their studio
and their stars.
It was Shelley Duvall’s role in the film
adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining
that would become one of her highest
profile roles. (Pic: The Straits Times)
<I was a star; I had leading roles,= she
said in the rare interview. <People think
it9s just aging, but it9s not. It9s violence.=
<How would you feel if people were
really nice, and then, suddenly, on a
dime... they turn on you?=
Gilroy 3 a musician who was part of
the Breakfast Club band and had dated
Madonna 3 was Duvall9s longtime part-
ner after the pair met on the 1990 Disney
Channel Movie <Mother Goose Rock 8n9
Rhyme.=
<My dear, sweet, wonderful life part-
ner and friend left us. Too much suffer-
ing lately, now she9s free. Fly away,
beautiful Shelley,= Gilroy said in a
widely published statement.

Ambani is also a key ally of India9s In their pre-dawn raid in Constanti, the outskirts of the northern city of Girona. number 1 to 9. These puzzle vary in difficulty and this is an easy one.

right-wing Hindu nationalist leader,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He inherited a thriving industrial
enterprise spanning oil, gas and petro-
chemicals and grew it into a commercial
behemoth.
Its lucrative interests include retail
partnerships with Armani and other lux-
ury brands, more than 40 percent of
India9s mobile phone market and an
Indian Premier League cricket team.
His 27-floor family home Antilia is one
of Mumbai9s most prominent landmarks,
reportedly costing more than $1 billion
to build and with a permanent staff of
600 servants.
which lies 100 kilometres (60 miles) down Initial indications suggest the argu-
(Solution below)
the coast from Barcelona, police burst into ment was not drug-related but the alleged QUOTABLE QUOTES
seven homes that had been taken over by perpetrator 3 who is still at large 3 solution
squatters. belonged to a gang involved in marijuana
Inside, they found 2,000 marijuana trafficking.
plants growing under powerful lights in In a separate incident around the same
rooms equipped with large fans. time, police seized five weapons, two of { The traveller sees
<We9re fighting to stop this whole area them military-grade, while breaking up a
from turning into a mini narco-state,= said group that had smuggled hashish into the what he sees, the
Tarragona police chief Inspector Ramon region by boat, an increasingly common
Franques, referring to police efforts across practice. tourist sees what he
the region. <Gang violence didn9t start now with
Regional police say there has been a drug trafficking, nor with the establish- has come to see. |
worrying rise in gun violence brought on ment of organised crime networks smug-
by the growing presence of drug gangs. gling marijuana. But this use of
<The trafficking and cultivation of mar- military-grade weapons is new,= said Ger- – Gilbert K. Chesterton

Merchant is the daughter of well- ijuana is worrying, but mostly because of ardo Cavero of the anti-trafficking arm of
known pharmaceutical moguls. the associated increase in violence,= the Barcelona prosecutor9s office.
 18 People & Places
Gregory, child
star of ‘Alf ’,
dead at 46
NEW YORK: Benji Gregory, who gained
fame for his stint as a child star on the
1980s sitcom <Alf,= has died, likely of
heatstroke. He was 46 years old.
His sister, Rebecca Hertzberg-Pfaffin-
ger, posted the news on Facebook this
week, saying her brother was found
dead in June in his car with his service
dog, Hans.
The official cause of death is pending
but his sister wrote she believes <he fell
asleep and died from vehicular heat-
stroke.=
Much of the continental United
States has experienced intense heat in
recent weeks. The country9s west has
been particularly hard hit, with record
temperatures putting lives at risk.
Recurring heat waves are a marker of
climate change caused by humanity9s
use of fossil fuels, according to scien-
tists.
Gregory was found dead in a suburb
of Phoenix, Arizona in the southwest US.
<Alf = ran from 1985 to 1990, with Gre-
gory playing a child who became best
friends with the titular Alien Life Form.
The actor was born May 26, 1978, in
Encino, California.
His star turn as a child also earned
him a number of roles in commercials as
well as appearances on shows including
<The Twilight Zone.=
He left the entertainment industry in
the early 2000s, joining the United
States Navy.
TODD(THE(DINOSAUR
POPEYE
BLONDIE
crossword
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
In Cuba, world’s tiniest bird
Bernabe Hernandez feeds one of the bee
hummingbirds that frequent his garden in Cuba.
Across
1. Shopper’s paradise
5. Klutz’s cry
9. Recorded
14. Balm
15. Unadulterated
16. Poet ____ Dickinson
17. Bunched
19. Syrup tree
20. Hurry
21. Dog’s cry
23. Lobe site
24. First number
25. Formerly named
Down
1. Manly
2. Poe’s middle name
3. Certain parasite
4. “____ we forget”
5. Kitchen gadget
6. Possessive pronoun
7. The hunted
8. Hebrew feast
9. Type of paint
10. Physicians’ gp.
11. Tobacco holder
12. Jazz singer ____ Fitzger-
ald
13. Tinter
18. Care for
22. Rent contract
26. Roof overhangs
28. Appointments
30. French cap
32. Go by taxi
33. Baldwin or Guinness
P
ÁLPITE (Cuba): The wings of the to a shrub whose fruit is sought after by
world9s tiniest birds are a near-invis- birds.
ible blur as they whizz around He did not know that the shrub9s flow-
tourists visiting a private Cuban garden ers were a delicacy for bee hummingbirds,
that has become a haven for the declining who quickly flocked to his garden, which
species. also boasts mango, guava and avocado
The bee hummingbird, which measures trees.
just five to six centimetres (two inches) <When I first saw a zunzuncito, I
long, is only found in Cuba. Its losses have thought it was an insect,= he said.
been huge, with the International Union He decided to plant more of the shrubs
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) saying and his lush garden soon buzzed with
it has disappeared from many areas due to hummingbirds, which nested in nearby
deforestation. woods.
But in Palpite, in the southwest of the Another hummingbird, the Cuban
country, Bernabe Hernandez, 75, has Emerald, which measures up to 10 cen-
turned his garden into a paradise for the timetres, also frequents the garden, which
bitty bird. was opened to tourists in 2003 and is now
<We never get tired of it. We always dis- known as <The House of the Humming-
cover something new!= he said as he birds.=
watched two of the hummingbirds (Mel- Visitors hold up bird feeders to lure the
lisuga helenae) zip towards a hanging tiny birds closer.
water bath. Guides from the Cienaga de Zapata
Cubans call them <zunzuncito,= a word National Park, known for its diversity of
evoking the sound of the buzzing of their bird life, with over 175 species, aided Her-
tiny wings, which can flap up to 100 times nandez and his wife Juana Matos with the
a minute. precise mixture of water and sugar con-
When Hurricane Michelle, one of the tained in the feeders.
strongest to ever hit Cuba, devastated The two have become experts in the
crops and homes in the area in 2001, <the behaviour of the bird, pointing out the iri-
zunzuncito disappeared. There were no descent red head of a male bee humming-
more flowers, many died,= according to bird, who looks like he is wearing a glittery
local bird lover Orestes Martinez. mask 3 but only during the mating season.
Hernandez moved to the village of Pal- For the amateur ornithologist Martinez,
pite after the hurricane destroyed his the garden is an important sanctuary for
home. The government gave him land to the minuscule hummingbird, classified as
rebuild on the edge of the Cienaga de Zap- <near-threatened= by the IUCN, which esti-
ata, the largest wetland in the Caribbean. mates its numbers at between 22,000-
<I moved here, but there were no birds,= 60,000.
he told AFP. The garden helps <protect the bird. Dur-
<So I planted a 8ponasi9 to provide shade ing the breeding season, the female can
and attract some birds,= he said, referring more easily gather food for the chicks.=
Those left behind: Parents
who lose a child to suicide
MARSEILLE: <Why didn9t I pick up
on his pain?= asked Marie-Noelle
Cullieret, whose 24-year-old son
killed himself after he failed a
pilot9s exam.
Losing her only son was like
being hit by <a bomb=, she said, and
she is still struggling two years on.
<You can never prepare yourself
for the death of a child... But when
it happens like this, it9s the incom-
prehension, the why= which is so
hard.
<Why did I not see?= asked the
flight navigator, who wants to lift
the silence on the suffering of those
left behind to pick up the pieces
after a suicide. We had a lovely rela- Marie-Noelle Cullieret with a picture of her son
tionship, we talked...= the 57-year-
Bastien, who killed himself at the age of 24.
old told AFP.
A photo of her son surrounded by can- <It9s an earthquake. You have to start
dles and flowers sits on a shelf in her home again from zero,= said Belgium-based Fab-
in the southern French city of Marseille. rice and Helene de Carne, whose daughter
Bastien dreamed of being an airline pilot. Lou, a political science student, killed herself
But just after failing an exam he killed him- in 2021.
self. <He was stressed,= she said. Often parents find themselves alone to
Neither his mother nor Bastien9s friends deal with the <gigantic weight of guilt... and
could have ever imagined that someone so the infernal question, 8Why?9= said psychia-
<joyful= would take his own life. trist Christophe Faure. They also run a
Every year more than 700,000 people kill higher risk of killing themselves than others
themselves globally, according to the World going through grief, he added.
Health Organization (WHO). <When a child dies in hospital it is terri-
For young people between 15 and 29, sui- ble, but there is a team of carers around
cide was the fourth most common cause of you,= Cullieret said.
death in 2019. The Covid lockdowns have <There was no one to help me when I had
since taken a toll on teenagers9 mental to go to the police station to get Bastien9s
health, the WHO warned. things and then go find a coffin,= she said.
<In France alone, some 1.6 million chil- To make it worse, <sometimes other par-
dren and teenagers suffer from psychologi- ents avoid you because of the fear suicide
cal disorders,= Adeline Hazan, the local head stirs up in them,= she added.
of Unicef, the UN9s children9s agency, esti- Suicide remains a major taboo. Indeed it
mated. <But only 750,000 to 850,000= are is still a crime in 20 countries and was only
getting appropriate treatment, she said. decriminalised in Ireland in 1993.
In the United States, South Africa, Finland Even countries where prevention plans
and Guyana 3 some of the countries most have been put in place, past stigmas 3 often
impacted by youth suicides 3 thousands of religious 3 have left their trace.
parents a year are floored by the death of In France, as in many other countries,
their child. <there are very few therapy options... and not
The WHO calls them suicide9s <survivors=. many voluntary groups trained to help sup-
port people through post-suicide grief,= said
Marie Tournigand, of the French charity
Empreintes.
27. Swamp plant 54. Asphalt After the death of their daughter Lou, the
29. Lackluster 57. Explosive inits. de Carnes sought help from psychologists at
31. Biblical mountain 60. Threesome work. But being specialists in burnout, they
35. Recipe units (abbr.) 62. Unpolished were unable to help.
39. Having many uses 64. ____ blue They were finally taken on by psychia-
41. Ledger entry 66. Exaggerate trists at the Centre for Suicide Prevention in
42. Uncanny 68. Eve’s fruit the Belgian capital Brussels, who are trained
43. Genesis garden 69. Swipe
to help devastated parents.
44. Large sets of computer info 70. Keats poems
46. Religious group 71. Rinds Unable to work after her son killed him-
47. Shoelace hole 72. Winter vehicle self, and close to going over the edge herself,
48. Quiz 73. Simple Cullieret finally found succour from other
51. Sly glance Puzzle Grid parents who had gone through hell like her.
53. Lumberjack’s tool A support group called La Point Rose
(The Pink Dot) brings together parents from
34. Portable shelter solution to today9s the south of France who have lost children.
35. Ocean current crossword Its founder Nathalie Paoli welcomed a
36. Hang around group of them for a <family day= on the
37. ____ Sampras of tennis sunny terrace of her home in Cabries, north
38. Little
40. Gets up of Marseille.
42. Diner Croissants and traditional orange flower
45. Ladybugs, e.g. biscuits were laid out on tables with tea and
49. Holy coffee. A circle formed around Paoli, 55,
50. Deuces whose daughter Carla-Marie died from
52. Uprisings
54. Vocation leukaemia aged eight.
55. Fall flower <The first year you have to accept you can-
56. Actress ____ Witherspoon not control anything,= she said. <Often the
57. Ambush second year is even harder because people
58. Informal denial are less understanding, they think you
59. Category
61. Track shape should have the gumption to get yourself
63. Molecule part back on our feet.=
65. Everything Tears flowed as parents shared their sto-
67. Squeak by ries, but there was always a hand on a shoul-
der or a word of comfort.
dailyexpress SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
19
s
Property

LAND FOR SALE

Beaufort CL land 9.25ac Batu
60, Kg Mentonoir, 12km away
from the town. Selling
RM250,000 lump sum.
019-8228289 Mr. Soon
-----------------------
CONDO FOR SALE
Pelagos 1098 sq.ft. RM630K.
Rent RM3000.
0168127767 Jenny
-----------------------
RUMAH UNTUK DIJUAL
Blok M70, Lot 0003 (Ground
Floor), Taman Mutiara Sg.
Bedaun 87000 Labuan. Harga:
RM190K (Nego). Call:
0128247427
s 2. ACCOUNT ASSISTANT - 1 Post (Male or Female)
General
INDAH PERKASA JSJ
CONTRACTOR
PLUMBING SERVICE
Pakar mengubahsuai rumah,
buat pagar, gate grill, manhole
sumbat, pasang mozek, plaster
siling, pasang water pump,
water heater, paip air,
membaiki atap bocor, tandas
leaking, paip leaking dan lain-
VACANCIES
1. Billing Clerk - 1 post (Male or Female)
Qualification: Diploma or Degree
Qualification:
- Diploma or Degree in Account / Finance
- Fresh graduates are encouraged to apply
Location: Fortuna Commercial Centre,
KM4, Jalan Penampang
Email: hrserbamahir@gmail.com
RESTAURANT ROYAL DREAM,
NOTIS
PERMOHONAN LESEN MENJUAL MINUMAN KERAS
Adalah dengan ini dimaklumkan bahawa GOH THIAN
TECK No. Kad Pengenalan 691014-12-5003 yang
berniaga dengan BATARAS SUPERSTORE telah
membuat permohonan kepada Pengerusi Lembaga
Pelesenan Eksais Bahagian Pantai Barat Kota
Kinabalu, Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu, No. 1,
Jalan Bandaran, 88675 Kota Kinabalu bagi lesen
menjual minuman keras RUNCIT di LOT C1, C2, C3,
C4, C5 & C6 INANAM PLAZA, NEW TOWNSHIP,
INANAM, 88450 KOTA KINABALU, SABAH.
Jika ada sebarang bantahan secara bertulis, sila
maklumkan Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan Eksais
Bahagian Pantai Barat di alamat tersebut di atas
dalam tempoh 14 hari daripada tarikh notis ini
dikeluarkan. Bantahan selepas tempoh berakhir tidak
akan dilayan.
Tarikh Iklan:
12.07.2024 & 13.07.2024
SABAH, MALAYSIA

lain. Bukit Bintang, KL Dl PEJABAT PENOLONG PEMUNGUT HASIL TANAH

PITAS
013-3788527 SHAH
SIASATAN TANAH PPHT PITAS NO. ACLR.23. 0032/2024
014-6226753 JAMRAN SCHEDULE XXIV
We are looking for suitable candidates (Section 120)

NOTICE OF LOSS OF TITLE OF DOCUMENT OF TITLE

for the following positions:-
Application having been made to the Collector at Pitas by TANG YEW HING

(IC. No. 830412-10-5187) for a certified copy of Title No. C.L. 235157221

CASHIER RM1,800 in the district of Pitas on the ground that TAN CHAI SING is the registered

owner thereof and that the issue document of title has been lost.

WAITER / WAITRESS RM2,000 In accordance with the provisions of section 120 of the Land Ordinance, notice

is hereby given that, unless within 1 month of the date of publication of this

notice good cause be shown to the Collector of Land Revenue for refusing

Interested please contact: this application, the certified copy applied for will, subject to the provisions of

the said section, be issued.

Shafiqa 014-2072023 Dated at PITAS this 29

th
May 2024.

VACANCY
LOCATION: KOLOMBONG AREA
SABAH, MALAYSIA
An established newspaper seeking for: DI PEJABAT PENOLONG PEMUNGUT HASIL TANAH

PITAS

SIASATAN TANAH PPHT PITAS NO. ACLR.23. 0031/2024

1. COMPUTER OPERATOR SCHEDULE XXIV

(Transferring images from computer to aluminium plate) (Section 120)

NOTICE OF LOSS OF TITLE OF DOCUMENT OF TITLE

• Possess at least SPM or higher

Application having been made to the Collector at Pitas by TANG YEW

• Able to work irregular hours and on certain public holidays HING (IC. No.830412-10-5187) for a certified copy of Title No. P.L.

236183752 in the district of Pitas on the ground that TAN CHAI SING is the
• Must be able to communicate and read English registered owner thereof and that the issue document of title has been lost.

(Chinese an advantage) In accordance with the provisions of Section 120 of the Land Ordinance, notice

• Fresh school leavers are welcome as training will be provided is hereby given that, unless within 1 month of the date of publication of this

notice good cause be shown to the Collector of Land Revenue for refusing this
• Teamwork spirit a must application, the certified copy applied for will, subject to the provisions of the

said section, be issued.

• Only those who are able to start at short notice need apply.
Dated at PITAS this 29
th
May 2024
• Priority for those with own transport.
• Friendly working environment.

Those interested please call 019-8819036

for arrangement of interview from 2pm onwards.

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20 Sport SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
dailyexpress

Girmay wants ‘more black riders’ in Tour

IN THE HIGH COURT

IN SABAH AND SARAWAK

AT KOTA KINABALU

APPLICATION FOR

EXECUTION

NO. BKI-38-5/6-2022 (HC2)

[SUIT NO. VILLENEUVE-SUR-LOT (France): Biniam derful. After the last win I had nearly 600 traffic island and took down around a
BKI-22C-4/6-2018 (HC1)]
Girmay said he hoped to encourage more messages from home,= he said. dozen riders.
BETWEEN diversity in elite cycling after the Eritrean Girmay now has 328 points to Jasper Overnight leader Tadej Pogacar
won a third stage in this year9s Tour de Philipsen9s 217 with few real sprint stages remains 1min 06sec ahead of Remco
SIVLI (M) SDN BHD

(COMPANY NO. 1188390-W)

France on Thursday to extend his lead in remaining, with the exception of Friday9s Evenepoel in second, with Jonas Vinge-
…JUDGEMENT CREDITOR the sprint points race. stage. gaard in third, another 8sec behind.
AND Girmay became the first black African Title pretender Primoz Roglic provided Pogacar9s thoughts were for his compa-
UNI-WAY SDN BHD
to win a stage on the Tour on the third day the shock of the day as he fell further triot Roglic.
(COMPANY NO. 174874-A) of this year9s edition in Turin and was first behind and seemingly out of contention <I heard the crash but didn9t look
again on stage eight. for the title. round. I was shocked by the bad news,= he
ST
…1 JUDGEMENT DEBTOR

TING SIEW MING The 24-year-old then proved fastest in a He had been fourth overnight but said.
(NRIC NO. 610502-13-5035)
ND
bunch sprint finish on stage 12, as he trailed home 2min 27sec behind Girmay <I9m really disappointed for him. It
…2 JUDGEMENT DEBTOR
topped the podium ahead of Wout van after a fall that left his shoulder bleeding. really sucks. I hope he can carry on. We
LAI KOOK FUNG

(NRIC NO. 580131-12-5385)

Aert and Pascal Ackermann. Roglic started the day 2min 15sec adrift know he9s a big fighter.=
…3
RD
JUDGEMENT DEBTOR
Asked if he was comfortable as a role but looked haggard as he crossed the line When asked about his thoughts on
AND
model, Girmay said: <Cycling is not a after struggling home over the final being beaten to the line Wednesday by
PUBLIC BANK BERHAD
global sport yet, so for African cycling this 12.5km. Vingegaard, he said he was happy in his
(COMPANY NO. (his stage wins) is a good thing. The fall happened outside the zone yellow overall leader9s jersey.
196501000672 (6462-H) <Now maybe the European teams may where late crashes are overlooked for over- <I9m comfortable in the lead. It9s up to
…CHARGEE
take more Africans. For now I9m the only all times. him to attack if he wants the lead,= said the
PROCLAMATION OF SALE
one and I wish there were more black rid- An Astana rider failed to see a slender 2020 and 2021 champion. 3 AFP
IN PURSUANT of an Order of ers in the peloton,= he said.
Sale granted by High Court of

Kota Kinabalu at the instance of

the Judgement Creditor made on

<I9m in the best shape of my life. I get up
every morning and look in the mirror and
Roglic withdraws from Tour after crash
the 21
ST
JUNE 2024, NOTICE IS
Girmay (front) cycles to the finish line to tell myself to live the day. AGEN (France): Leading contender Primoz Roglic has withdrawn from the Tour de
HEREBY GIVEN that the under-
win the 12th stage of the Tour de France. <To win three stages in one race is won- France before the start of stage 13, the day after being involved in a crash, his team said
mentioned property will be sold

by public auction on 23
RD
JULY
on Friday.
2024 AT 9:30 A.M. at the Court Roglic dropped to sixth place in the overall standings after suffering a crash on Thurs-
MALAYSIA
House of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

IN THE HIGH COURT

day9s stage 12 and ending it with a grazed and bloodied shoulder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE
IN SABAH AND SARAWAK
The 34-year-old Slovenian from the Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe team is now likely to
PROPERTY REFERRED TO:-
AT KOTA KINABALU turn his focus to the Vuelta a Espana, which begins on August 17.
Title No: PETITION NO.
<Primoz Roglic underwent careful examination by our medical team after yesterday9s
BKI-32NCvC-131-6/2024
Country Lease 015609953

Address: (HC3)
stage and again this morning,= the outfit said on social media.
Lot No. 111 (DBKK House No. 5, <The decision has been taken that he will not start today, to focus on upcoming goals.
Lorong Bunga Raja 10), Taman
IN THE ESTATE OF ANTHONY <We wish you a speedy recovery Primoz,= they added.
Bunga Raja Phase 3, Off Jalan

Lintas, 88450 Kota Kinabalu,

LAMB [United Kingdom of Three-time Vuelta winner and last year9s Giro d9Italia champion was among a quartet
Great Britain and Northern
Sabah.
Ireland Passport No.
of favourites for the Tour.
The Property:
124200088], DECEASED
A double storey intermediate

terraced house
PUBLIC NOTICE
District:

Kota Kinabalu
All persons having any claims
Tenure:
against the estate of ANTHONY
Leasehold – 999 years
LAMB [United Kingdom of
Effective 12 June 1925 to
Great Britain and Northern
11 June 2924
Ireland Passport No.
Unexpired – 900 years,
124200088] who died testate
more or less

Land Area: at Hospital Queen Elizabeth 1,

Victoria Glory set to dominate Race 3 this Sunday
189.50m2 (2,040) ft2), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on

more or less. 31.01.2024 are required to

Tambalang: Come Sunday, July 14, Victoria track. Despite the top weight, Victoria Glory’s
Registered Owner:
submit their claims in writing to Glory will be a focal point in Race 3, a 1000- team is confident in her ability to perform at her
Ting Siew Ming
the undersigned within three
Encumbrances:
meter sprint on sand track in Class D. Carrying best and secure a top spot.
(3) months from the date of
Charged to Public Bank Berhad
this notice publication, after
top weight in the field at 57.0kg, Victoria Glory Punters should keep a close eye on Victoria
Reserved Price:

RM774,000.00
which the estate will be is set to showcase her strength and racing Glory in Race 3. Her proven track record on
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL
distributed among the persons prowess in this highly anticipated event. sand track plus the addition of a talented jockey
entitled thereto subject only to
INTENDED BIDDERS
the claims received within the
Victoria Glory has an impressive record on Clinton suggest she is well-positioned to make
Intended bidders are advised to:-
said period.
1000-meter sand tracks, making her a formida- a significant impact. With the right strategy and
(1) Inspect the said Property; ble contender in this race. Although her last win execution, Victoria Glory has the potential to out-
(2) Conduct an official search on This notice is published by

the Title Deed at the relevant

was 1100-meter sand track, her consistent per- pace her rivals and claim victory.
Messrs Roland Cheng &
Land Office and/or other
Co., Suite Nos. 10 & 11, 8
th
formances in shorter sprints highlight her capa- As race day approaches, excitement builds
relevant authority(ies).
Floor, Menara Jubilee, No. 53, bility and adaptability. This race will also mark for what promises to be an exciting and com-
(3) Make the necessary

enquiries with the relevant

Jalan Gaya, 88000 Kota the first-time jockey Clinton rides Victoria Glory. petitive event. Victoria Glory is set to demonstrate
Kinabalu, Sabah.
authority(ies) on the terms Known for his skill and strategic insights, Clin- her resilience and racing talent, and many will
and conditions of consent as

successful bidder is required

Dated this 13
th
July 2024 ton’s involvement brings fresh optimism to the be eager to see if she can continue her winning
to pay outstanding charges
MESSRS ROLAND CHENG
team. ways in this 1000-meter sand track sprint.
due before the auction to the

relevant authority(ies) for

& CO. Her preparation has been meticulous, with Good luck and happy racing to all punters.
Advocates & Solicitors,
effecting the transfer of the training sessions focused on maintaining her
Suite Nos. 10 & 11,
said Property;
8
th
Floor, Menara Jubilee,
speed and endurance for the demanding sand
(4) Obtain a copy of the

Conditions of Sale and No. 53, Jalan Gaya, 88000

Memorandum of Contract Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

from the Auctioneer or

Solicitors; (Advocates for the Executor,

(5) Ascertain all the relevant
ANTHEA HELEN
outgoing and other payments
KATHLEEN PHILLIPPS)
or charges to be paid before

an interest in the said

Property can be acquired;

STATE OF SABAH,
(6) Seek independent legal
MALAYSIA
advice on the Conditions of

Sale and Memorandum of

Contract prior to the auction THE LAND ORDINANCE

sale. 1930 CAP.68

SECTION 111 (Rules 14 (16))

Prior to the commencement of

the auction sale, all bidder(s)

(PENOLONG PEMUNGUT
is/are required to register with
HASIL TANAH)
the Auctioneer appointed by the
PAPAR
Judgment Creditor. The bidder(s)

shall submit the following to the

Land Enquiry 125 of 2023
Auctioneer:-

NOTICE OF SCHEDULE K

(7) An amount equivalent to OF CL. 025410717

twenty-five per cent (25%)

of the reserved price;

(8) Board of Directors’ Resolution

BETWEEN VACANCIES
and written authorization
BANK KERJASAMA
where the

company bidding through an

bidder is a
RAKYAT MALAYSIA We are an established Plantation Company seeking for suitable
authorized person;
BERHAD

...CHARGEE
applicants to apply for the post of :
(9) Written authorization where

the bidder is acting as a

proxy. AND
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
A deposit of twenty-five

cent (25%) of the successful bid

per ABDUL RAHIM BIN MUSTAPA Qualifications :
NUR IZYANI BINTI ABDULLAH
to be paid by cash or by
...CHARGOR
• Possess at least a Degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field
cashier’s order or by bank

draft payable to “AKAUNTAN

WHEREAS the land comprised
• Minimum 3 years’ working experience in financial accounting
NEGARA MALAYSIA”,

immediately after the fall of the

in CL.025410717 was fixed for • Extensive knowledge and experience in handling full sets of accounts
th
Schedule J on the 17 day of
hammer and the balance of the

purchase price shall be paid April, 2024 at the office of the

• Experience in an audit firm will be an added advantage
within ninety (90) days from the Assistant Collector of the Land • Computer literate with proficient in Quarto Accounting System and
date of auction. Failure to pay the Revenue, Papar was under

balance as stipulated above will Rule 14(11), I hereby order the

MS Excel / Words
result in forfeiture of the deposit. land to be again put up for

auction on Thursday the 01

st
• Good working attitude, responsibility personnel, strong ability to
The Judgment Creditor at the

request of the purchaser and

day of August, 2024 at 11.30 work independently, disciplined and self-motivated
pm at the office of Assistant
their

grant
absolute

to the
discretion

purchaser
may

an Collector of Land Revenue

• Good communication and writing skills in Malay and English
extension of time immediately Papar. language
following the expiry of the

aforesaid ninety (90) days to The Reserve Price is fixed at

pay the balance of the purchase

price subject to the terms and

RM 530,000.00
ADMIN CUM HUMAN RESOURCE ASSISTANT
conditions to be determined by

the Judgment Creditor.

I hereby appoint Messrs Qualifications :
Interior Auctioneers Bangunan

CNF Hypermarket, Po box

• Possess at least a Diploma in Administration & Human Resource
The auction and all bidders shall

be SUBJECT TO the Conditions

398, 88830 Beaufort Sabah to Management or related field
conduct the sale by auction.
of Sale and Memorandum

Contract, details of which may be

of
• Minimum 3 years’ working experience in an Administration &
obtained from:- The Proclamation of Sale shall Human Resource field (Experiences dealing with Government
be published for two issue

1. MESSRS. WONG & CO. namely fourteen (14) and

Departments)
Advocates & Solicitors

Lot 72-2, Second Floor, Block I,

there (3) days before the date

of Auction Sale.
• Computer literate with proficient in MS Office and MS Excel / Words
Lorong Plaza 333-3A,

Plaza 333 Kobusak

• Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively
Dated at Papar this
Commercial Centre,
24
th
June 2024
• Good working attitude, able to work under minimal supervision,
Jalan Pintas, 89500

Penampang, Sabah. willing to learn, self-motivated and strong team work personally
T: 017-249 7424/ 088-711 650

E: wkslegal@gmail.com
• Good communication and writing skills in Malay and English
2. MESSRS. HERMAN LIOW
language
& ASSOCIATES • An accounting knowledge will be an added advantage
Auctioneer

Suite No. 6, 10
th
Floor,
Cc. Messr. lnterior
Menara Jubilee

Jalan Gaya, 88000

Auctioneers Interested applicants are invited to email your personal resume,
P.O Box 398,
Kota Kinabalu.

T : 088-224 369
88830 Beaufort, Sabah.
certificates, recent non-returnable passport size photo to
H/P: 012- 833 8971/ plhsbest@yahoo.com.my. Only shortlisted applicants will be notified
013- 869 9789 Tei: 019 8511198
dailyexpress SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
Sport 21

IOC says has ‘full confidence in Wada’

LAUSANNE: The International Olympic
Committee expressed its <full confi-
dence= in the World Anti-Doping Agency
(Wada) on Thursday after a report said it
had not mishandled the case of Chinese
swimmers cleared to compete after test-
ing positive for a banned drug.
<Based on this report, the IOC reaf-
firms its full confidence in Wada and its
leadership, who have implemented a
number of initiatives that have strength-
ened the system in recent years,= read the
IOC statement.
The IOC also said Wada should receive
unqualified support from its stakehold-
ers.
Travis Tygart, head of the US Anti-Dop-
ing Agency (Usada) and a long-time critic
of Wada, has accused its president Witold
Banka of orchestrating a cover-up in the
case of the Chinese swimmers.
That claim was dismissed by Banka fol-
lowing the release of the report on Tues-
day, telling AFP they were one of several
<disgusting allegations= made about the
case and adding that external lawyers
were looking at the remarks.
The IOC4who partly fund Wada4
called for calm to be restored and the
global anti-doping body to be left alone
to get on with its job.
<The IOC appeals to all stakeholders to
respect the supreme authority of Wada in
the fight against doping,= read the IOC
statement.
<This respect forms the basis on which
Wada was founded by the governments
of the world and the Olympic Movement.
This respect is essential for any fair inter-
national competition.=
The crisis arose when in April, the New
York Times and German broadcaster ARD
reported the swimmers had tested posi-
tive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a banned
heart medicine which can enhance per-
formance, at a domestic competition in
late 2020 and early 2021.
It was determined by Chinese anti-
doping authorities they ingested the sub-
stance unwittingly from tainted food at
their hotel and no action against them
was warranted.
Wada accepted the argument of the
Chinese authorities and did not sanction
the swimmers.
Some of them went on to compete in
the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Zhang Yufei
won two golds and Wang Shun was also
crowned Olympic champion.
Eleven of the swimmers have been
selected for the Paris Olympics which
start this month.
The case caused a global uproar, with
US anti-doping authorities accusing
Wada of a cover-up.
As a result, Wada set up an independ-
ent investigation overseen by retired
Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, whose
interim findings were released on Tues-
day.
<There is nothing in the file4which is
complete4to suggest that Wada showed
favouritism or deference, or in any way
favoured the 23 swimmers who tested
positive for TMZ,= the report said. 3 AFP

Warholm targets hurdling consistency in Olympic defence

Warholm celebrates winning
gold at the European Athletics
Championships in June.
MONACO: Karsten Warholm insisted on
Thursday he would not be using a magic
wand in his bid to defend his Olympic 400m
hurdles title at the Paris Games that get
under way in three weeks.
Warholm, 28, smashed the world record
to win gold in the Covid-delayed Tokyo
Olympics, clocking a stunning 45.94 sec-
onds to win ahead of American Rai Ben-
jamin (46.17) and Brazil9s Alison Dos Santos
(46.72).
Their performances in 2021 were a true
stand-out of the Tokyo Games and the trio
will come head-to-head at Friday9s Dia-
mond League in Monaco as they fine-tune
preparations for Paris.
Warholm brazenly claimed the men9s
hurdles are at the <highest level of any event
in track and field=.
But he warned consistency was his goal
in the run-in to Paris.
<It9s a bad idea trying to do magic stuff in
a big year because you know that can also
create some difficulties,= the Norwegian
said.
<For me it9s been about building on the
foundation that I feel like we that we have
done for many years,= he added.
<I think also I found a coldness in what
I9m doing. I9ve ticked up a lot of the boxes. It
feels very good. I9m very confident about it.
<Every time I go into a championship, I
know that we9ve done everything that we
could.
<You want to feel like you deserve this
the most. If you do that you have very good
starting points. And of course there were
probably eight other guys that feel the
same way. But you9ve got to believe in the
work you9ve done and that9s what I always
do.=
Warholm said he and both Benjamin
and Dos Santos <feel competent otherwise
we wouldn9t be here=, but refused to be
drawn on a potential winning time in
Monaco.
<The thrill of the race is going to be good
no matter what the time is,= he said.
<It9s going to be a race, I can guarantee
that!=
Benjamin said he felt fans and the media
under-appreciated the trio.
<We9ve gotten so used to seeing 46 sec-
onds,= the American said.
<We9ve opened up our seasons under the
previous world record, which is just insane
and hadn9t been done for years and now we
were just cranking out 46sec like it9s just a
normal day.=
Los Angeles-based Benjamin does not
often travel to Diamond League events in
Europe, citing problems with jetlag, but he
dubbed Friday9s race as the <dress rehearsal
before the big dance=.
<I mean, whatever happens here, it does-
n9t really matter!= the 26-year-old said.
<It does matter in some sense, I guess. But
the main goal is the Olympics.=
Warholm, a three-time world champion
who last month won his second European
title, recalled the final in Tokyo as a <special
moment=. 3 AFP

Manaudou, Robert-Michon chosen S Arabia to host first Esports Olympics in 2025

as France’s Olympic flagbearers
PARIS: Host France9s flagbearers at the Paris
Games9 opening ceremony on the River
Seine will be former Olympic swimming
champion Florent Manaudou and discus
thrower Melina Robert-Michon, it was
reported on Thursday.
Manaudou, four-time Olympic medal-
list including gold in London 2012, and Rio
2016 silver medallist Robert-Michon were
chosen by a vote of their fellow athletes, a
souce close to the Games9 organisers indi-
cated to newspaper Le Parisien.
The July 26 opening ceremony is due to
break with Olympic tradition and be held
away from the Games9 main stadium and
instead on the French capital9s River Seine.
Manaudou and Robert-Michon will be
at the forefront of the French delegation
when thousands of athletes4out of a total
of 10,500 competitors4will sail down the
river on 85 boats.
The ceremony along six kilometres (3.7
miles) of the Seine will feature some 3,000
dancers, musicians, actors and circus per-
formers performing along the banks and
bridges with an estimated 326,000 specta-
tors.
It is hoped more than a billion viewers
will follow the broadcast around the
world.
Manaudou was chosen as the first torch
bearer when the Olympic flame arrived on
board a 19th century ship from Greece to
Marseille on May 9 at the start of its 78-day
torch relay around France and its overseas
territories including Guadeloupe, New
Caledonia and Reunion. 3 AFP
LAUSANNE: Saudi Arabia will host the
inaugural Esports Olympics in 2025 the
International Olympic Committee said on
Friday.
<The International Olympic Committee
(IOC) today announced that it has part-
nered with the National Olympic Commit-
tee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia to host the
inaugural Olympic Esports Games 2025 in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,= the body
said.
<The proposal will be made to the IOC
Session, which will be held on the eve of the
Olympic Games Paris 2024. The duration of
the partnership between the IOC and the
Saudi NOC will be 12 years, with Olympic
Esports Games held regularly.=
Riyadh is already to host the Esports
World Cup in July and August, when 2,500
gamers will battle for $60 million in prize
money.
The IOC, in its perpetual quest to recon-
cile Olympic tradition with attempts to
attract a younger audience, held an initial
<Olympic e-sport week= in Singapore in
June 2023, consisting of <ten mixed-gender
category events=.
Last October, the IOC set up an <e-sport
commission= chaired by Frenchman David
Lappartient, the president of the interna-
tional cycling union (UCI), to consider a
dedicated competition.
However, IOC president Thomas Bach
has said in the past he does not see e-sports
as part of the traditional Olympics.
<With respect to esports, our values are
and remain the red line that we will never
cross,= he said. Nevertheless he expressed
his delight that the Esports Games had a
natural home in Saudi Arabia.
<We are very fortunate to be able to
work with the Saudi NOC on the Olympic
Esports Games, because it has great4if not
unique4expertise in the field of esports
with all its stakeholders,= Bach said in a
statement.
<The Olympic Esports Games will
greatly benefit from this experience.
<By partnering with the Saudi NOC
(National Olympic Committee) we have
also ensured that the Olympic values are
respected.
<In particular, with regard to the game
titles on the programme, the promotion of
gender equality and engagement with the
young audience, which is embracing
esports.=
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal,
Minister of Sport and President of the
Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic
Committee, said he was happy his country
was part of sporting history.
<Saudi Arabia is hugely excited by the
prospect of partnering with the IOC and
helping to welcome a completely new era
for international sport,= he said.

Sabah Clubs and
Non-Governmental Organisations
AUGUST 4 (SUNDAY)
Borneo Campers' Exchange Meet at La Salle School Field, Tanjung
Aru. Time: 9am - 6pm. This event is a perfect opportunity to swap,
exchange, or sell your unused camping gear. We invite both
exhibitors and visitors to participate in this event. Details: Jason
0143717176.
Regular Events
Sabah Tai-Chi Association new classes. Monday, Wednesday and
Friday: 7pm to 8pm. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: 6.30pm to
7.30pm. Details: Lee at 0168044512.
Sabah AZ (Sabah Alzheimer’s Disease Support Association:
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain
disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and,
eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. Sabah AZ
conducts Talks & Seminars, support, comfort families / caregivers /
AD sufferers. Bi-Monthly Memory Café sharing-session by
caregivers/carers. Details: enquiry@sabahaz.org,
www.sabahaz.org, FB:@Sabahalzheimer. Kent 019-8811030
(10am-6pm).
Sabah State Administrative Centre Galleria Artisan PPNS is open
to public from Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. Our gallery
boasts an array of local handicrafts from all over Sabah as well as
locally made Sabah Batik. All local entrepreneurs are welcome to
promote their products through this avenue. Come visit us: PPNS ,
Menara Tun Mustapha and Sabah Handicraft Centre, Keningau.
Details: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/galleria.artisan/ or
Afnansyah Agimin at 088-332186 ext: 1501.
Parkinson Association of West Coast Sabah (PAWS) Conducts
monthly outdoor activities, hold regular fellowship and meetings for
people with Parkinson’s disease (PWP). Carers and volunteers are
welcomed to participate. The fellowship provides opportunity for
PWP to network, share experiences / info and also enjoys the
various complementary therapies such as body balancing, dancing,
voice and music therapy, physiotherapy. Details: PAWS:
01110706633.
Sabah Law Society a weekly Free legal consultation and advice
session for the public on Saturdays from 9am to 12.30pm (except
the first Saturday of the month). Members of the public who are
interested are advised to contact the SLS Secretariat at 088-251008
for an appointment or by email ybgk@sabahlawsociety.org.
Blood Bank Unit of Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital, Likas
(HWKKS) Blood Donation Drive “Bah, Mari Menderma” 1 pint of
blood can save 3 lives. Urging army, RELA, police, fire brigades,
uniform bodies, government agencies, healthy public people,
churches, mosques, corporate private companies with huge human
resources to donate generously to our SWACH. Details: 522600 Ext:
2314.
Heritage Toastmasters Club Learn to speak better and improve
leadership skills in a fun and supporting environment. Meetings are
held every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Time: 7.30pm. Venue:
6th Floor, Wisma Bandaraya. All are welcome. Details: President
Sabrina 016-8287675 or VPPR Ooi 012-4150046.
Sabah Chartered Volunteer Society invites affiliates to join as
volunteers for its community development projects for the benefits
of the local communities. Youths and college graduates are
encouraged to apply for Free Entrepreneurship and financial
planning programs in order to be offered career prospects as
marketing executives or, financial advisors with a well-established
financial institution through Sabah Chartered Volunteer Society.
Details: Prof. Dr. Benjamin 010-8887850.
Sabah Society For The Blind has moved to the 1st floor, Lot 3, Sri
Damai building, Jalan Kolam, Lorong Nibung, KK on Sept 1.
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Saturday 9am to 12.30pm. Details:
250388, 218130 or Fax: 316588. Email:
sabahblindsociety@yahoo.com. Website:
http://www.sabah.org.my/shsb.
Sheltered Workshop. Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm. Tel/ Fax:
788543. Address: Jalan Stesen Pertanian, ARC, 89207, Tuaran,
Sabah.
Sabah Family Planning Association provides services & treatments
relating to sexual reproductive health, family planning and general
health screening. Details: KK Branch 016-8899865 (Clinic
Helpline), 088-222703; Tawau Branch 089-771172, Lahad Datu
Branch 016-8309868; Kudat Branch 088-611088. Harrington
Tel: 088-430 727 Fax: 088-424 600
Please note that due to space constraints,
Sabah Week will only feature the immediate
events due to take place for the next three days.
The usual brief on the NGOs, voluntary
organisations and their activities
will appear on Sunday.
Family Clinic 8am-5pm (Mon-Sat) Facebook: Sabah Family
Planning Association. Instagram: sabahfpa. Email:
hqsfpa@gmail.com
Gerak Kasih Recycling Collection waste paper – newspapers,
cardboard, boxes, magazines, books, paper bags, soft toys,
clothing, plastic bottles, aluminium tins. Every Friday, Saturday and
Sunday. Time: 10am to 3pm. Venue: Rumah Titian Kasih, Lot 168,
Lot 17, Lorong Kerapu, Rumah Murah Kg Likas Phase 3, 89400
Likas. Details: Nooraisah 014-8586350 or Salina 012-8449139.
Sabah Natives Land Owners Association (SANLODA) is dedicated
to promoting optimum utilisation and preservation of native lands
in Sabah. Membership Drive: Information for membership from
various districts can be obtained from Datuk Stephen 0138658333,
Datuk George 013-851500, Petrus 0198529299 or Datuk Yusof
012-8331950.
Malaysia Blood Donors Society Daily Blood Donation Drive.
Inviting all NGO to collaborate and also calling members of the
public to join its membership. Details: 012-8222779, 016-
3551987 or 014-7342886.
Sabah Cheshire Home & Asian Tourism International College
Basic Pastry Skill Lesson for the physically disabled individuals
aged between 17 – 28. Details: 438202. Fax: 434570.
Taska Mesra Cheshire Early Education for children with physical
disabilities aged below four-years-old. Open Mon to Fri. Details:
Sabah Cheshire Home 438202.
School of Psychology and Social Work, UMS is offering
Counselling Service, Speech Therapy, Music Therapy, Sensory
Integration Therapy and Applied Behaviour Analysis Session. The
services are on appointment basis. Time: 9am to 5pm. Details:
Nurul Fatiha 019-8114573, 320000 Ext: 8833 or
nurulfatihafirdaus@ums.edu.my
EXTOL is a non-profit youth club focusing on developing youths
in stewardship and leadership. Calling on all non-Muslim parents
to encourage their children between the ages of 13 to pre-
university / college to attend our meetings held every Friday. Time:
7.45pm to 9.30pm. Venue: Agape Methodist Church, Agape Hill,
Jalan Shantung Baru, Penampang. Details: Patrick
0109317118.
Pusat Jagaan Seri Murni provides counselling and support services
for women / girl in situation of crisis such as unplanned pregnancies
and sexual gender based violence. Details: Counselling or interview
019-5349044.
The Committee of Communication For Behavioural Impact
(COMBI) Lok Kawi Town, Papar invites the residents of Taman
Pantai Lok Kawi to be a promoter / volunteer of COMBI committee.
All are welcome. Details: Zainal 016-8450717, Hj Mataris 010-
9488846.
HANDPRINTS – Toy Library & Resource Centre is to educate, enable
and empower parents, so that they are able to help and guide their
children with special needs. Thematic monthly play day on 2nd
Saturday of each month. Operating hours: Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday 2pm to 5pm. Wednesday: 7pm to 9pm. Saturday: 9.30am
to 2pm. Venue: Lorong Pokok Saka, Dah Yeh Villa, Off Mile 2 3/4,
Jalan Damai, Luyang. Tel: 016-4172298. Facebook:
www.facebook.com/handprintstoylibrary/. Email:
handprintslib@gmail.com.
Kota Kinabalu Lions Ambulance Service Society (LASS) Provides
24 Hour FREE Ambulance Service. Also providing First-Aid Training
to the public and Mobile Health Service to the rural areas. Call: 088-
319699.
Malaysian Red Crescent Kota Kinabalu City Chapter is providing
Ambulance Services from 8pm to 6am (weekdays only), providing
Patient Transfer Services (daily), providing Basic First Aid and CPR
Courses (Certificate Courses) – every 2nd week of the month and
also providing Emergency First Aid Standby Services (any events).
Details: 232718 (O), 232718 (Fax) or email: mrckkcc@gmail.com
or bsmkkcc@gmail.com
Kinabalu Breast Cancer Support Association (Kinabalu Pink
Ribbon) Offering emotional, social & material support to women
with breast cancer (before/during/after treatment) and their families.
Careline: 016-8038553. Office: 216237 or Fax: 253679. FB:
www.facebook.com/kinabalupinkribbon.
Email: kinabalupinkribbon@gmail.com.
Sabah Mental Health Association PKJS Day Care Centre is open
to suitable candidate and it carries out several activities on
weekdays. Details: 248197.
Alamesra Youth-PREP Centre Provides a place for youths to seek
assistance and support on issues such as education, relationships,
work, family and financial stability. Legal aid and counselling
services are free and are on appointment basis. Venue: Ground
Floor, Lot 25, Block E, Phase 2, Alamesra, Jalan Sulaman. Opening
Hours: Weekdays 9am to 5pm. Tel: 395632 or fax: 485372.
Email: youthprepcentre@gmail.com
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/youthPREPCentreAlamesra.
The Sabah Australian Alumni Association (SAAA) invites
graduates from any Australian Institutions of higher learning to join
as members of SAAA (2022). Detail: EDD 01116137889 or
sabahausalumni2022@gmail.com
The Kota Kinabalu AIDS Support Services Association (KASIH)
help line & free voluntary HIV screening tests, except sun & public
holidays. Office hours. Time: 9am to 5pm. Fri: 6pm to 9pm. Sat:
4pm to 7pm. provide confidential / free voluntary HIV screening test
(rapid test) during office hours, Mon to Fri. result available 10 to
15 minutes. Details: 712914 or email: kasihsabah@yahoo.com
National Stroke Association of Malaysia Sabah Club Wisma
Pandu Puteri, Kompleks Badan-Badan Sukarela, km 4, Jalan
Tuaran, KK. Centre’s opening Hours: 9am to 5pm. Mon to Fri, closed
on Sat, Sun & Public holidays. Details: 261568.
Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Association of
Malaysia (FPMPAM) the public can obtain medical opinions,
referrals or treatment for crisis intervention, detoxification, prevention
& counselling for drug abuse via www.no2drugs.org.
Special Olympics Sabah Weekly jogging exercise (so west coast).
Details: 016-8807703 or 223221.
Kota Kinabalu Falun Gong Exercise sessions every Saturday &
Sunday. Free of charge. All are welcome, Details: Kota Kinabalu
013-870-6558, Sandakan 089-229626, 089-229023 and Tawau
019-8536333.
SWEPA Toastmasters Club Regular Training Meeting to enhance
your public speaking, communication and leadership skills. Time:
7.30pm (1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month). Venue: Swepa
Secretariat, 2nd Floor, Wisma Wanita, Jalan Tuaran, KK. Details:
President Dora 016-8300755 or VPPR 013-8603871.
The Cancer Society Of Sabah Provide services on hospice, cancer
awareness / education, rural health project. Hotline / counselling
pertaining to cancer & clinic by a lady consultant gynaecologist.
Details: 210377 or 222315.
The Befrienders Kota Kinabalu offers confidential emotional support
to those feeling depressed and in despair which may lead to loss of
life. Call us if you need to talk. We are here if you feel confused or
upset and need someone to talk to. We care, we listen. Call: 088-
255788, 088-335793 or 0168036945 every night, 7pm to
10pm. www:facebook.com/befrienderskk.
Sabah Society For The Deaf Registration for pre-school deaf
children ages 2 – 6 & hearing sibling ages 2 – 4. Language
Development & Vocational Programme for deaf children & adults
ages 8 and above. Venue: SSD premise, Jalan Khidmat, Bukit
Padang, KK. Details: KK – Wong 230894, Sandakan – Wong 089-
219160, Keningau – Mahinah 087- 339716, Kudat – Chin
622697, Lahad Datu – Asmah 089-887895.
Sabah Society for the Deaf Registration for Sign Language Class.
Details: KK – Wong 230894, Sandakan – Wong 089-219160,
Keningau – Mahinah 087- 339716, Kudat – Chin 622697, Lahad
Datu – Asmah 089-887895.
Sabah Women Action-Resource Group (SAWO) provides Helpline
services to support women and girls who face domestic violence,
rape, sexual harassment and other gender-based violence. Call:
088-280200. Mon-Fri, time: 9am-5pm
D-Dash Compact Car Club Welcomes all Perodua and compact
car owners to join in the club membership. For more info on club
weekly gathering and events contact martin 019-8036019 or d-
dashclub.fotopages.com.
Sabah Government Pensioners’ Association Membership
recruitment exercise & pensioners’ problem 9.30am to 1pm (Mon
– Fri, except public holidays) at Maksak Complex, Likas. Details:
211282 Lucy.
Agriculture Institute of Sabah Alumni Association Membership
drive. Information to obtain membership forms from various district
near you, contact Maidah 019-8414088 or Leong 019-8515893
or email exipstm@yahoo.com.my.
Kent Teachers College Alumni Association Membership drive.
Membership forms are available at all district education offices in
Sabah. Details: Tajuddin 787581, 019-537-1178 or Eddy 016-
8223757.
Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary Resources Library is free for
public to use. Details: 246955 or fax: 247955.
Sandakan Toastmasters Club Platform to improve effective
communication and leadership skills on every 2nd & 4th Thursdays
of every month. Venue: Incorporated Society of Planters office,
Taman Utama, Zone 3, Jalan Utara. Details: Alex 013-8803622 or
Jerry 012-8616743.
Kota Kinabalu Advanced Toastmasters Club – Communication and
leadership training meeting. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month
at 7.30pm. Venue: Meeting Room 1, 1st Floor, Wisma Wanita, Jalan
Tuaran. Those interested are welcome to attend. Details: Irene 019-
8211985 or Jess 0168302717.
Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation KK Centre Open to all, accept
children with Downs Syndrome below the age of 7. Details: Raneh
219809, Fax: 219808.
Consultancy Services & Training Centre For Consumerism,
Environmental & Human Rights Seminar / talks consumer issues-
your rights as consumer, how to complain and get effective results,
know about consumer laws, tribunal for consumer claims,
environmental, human rights & civil society. Except Saturday,
Sunday and Public Holiday. Tel/fax: 234616 Datuk Patrick Sindu
(JP) 019-811-7369, 016-8007369 or
datukpatricksindu@yahoo.com.
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation
(UPKO) Offer opportunities to the public to voice their complaints
on various issues and offer advice to the complainants on how to
go about their grouses. Monday to Friday. Call: 721722 & 721723
or homepage:www.upko.org.my
Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting. Help available for those with
alcohol related problems. Anonymity assured. Meetings in English
every Tuesday at 8pm. Bahasa Malaysia every Thursday at 7pm.
Details: 012-8039883 (ENG) or 016-8386386 (BM).
Malaysian Ex-Police Association (Penampang Branch)
Membership recruitment exercise and other related matters. Time:
2pm to 5pm (Wednesday, Thursdays & Friday), except public
holidays. Venue: PME, 1st floor, Lot 3, Block 15, Penampang Baru
(Protem office). Details: Joseph 016-8213013, 710557 (o) or
714557 (fax).
Palliative Care Association of Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) Day
Care Centre Every Thursday from 9am to 1pm at PWD 7396 &
7397, Taman Rose, Off Jalan Penampang for mobile patients
who are registered under our Home Care Programme. We help
you to care for your loved ones. Free Home Care Support
service for your family members, relatives or friends who are
diagnosed with advanced cancers. Referrals may be from
private / government hospital or self-referred. Details: Grace
231505 or 257507.
KK Mandarin Toastmasters Club Regular Training Meeting. Time:
7.30pm. (2nd & 4th Thursday of each month). Venue: 3rd Floor,
Lot 14, Block B, Lintas Square, KK. Details: Yan 012-8023264,
Chua 016-8100282 or Lim 016-8302552.
Fama Pasar Tani Asia City variety of vegetables, fishes, sugar cane
juice, soya bean milk, pastries and many other food items will be
on sale. Every Wednesday & Saturday. Time: 6am to 5pm. all are
welcome. Details: Wasri 013-5555451.
Happy Family Homes Malaysia KK we welcome volunteers to join
us in our house builds on Saturdays. Those with masonry &
carpentry skills are most welcome. Details: 088-395989.
Bukit Harapan 424567. Sabata 255916.
Tun Haji Mohd Fuad Stephens Borneo Research Library Opening
Hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am to 5pm. Saturday / Sunday &
Public Holiday : Closed. Venue: Menara Tun Mustapha, Likas Bay.
Details: 326300 Ext: 1152 or 1154. Fax: 326490.
Email: ppbtfs@gmail.com or website: www.ysnet.org.my Open to
public.
 22 Sport SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024 dailyexpress

Spain bring much-needed thrills to Euros

BERLIN: England
and Spain face off in
Sunday9s Euro 2024
final after taking
very different routes
to Berlin in a tourna-
ment that has at
times lacked for
thrills.
Spain have been a
class apart despite a devilishly difficult
draw that has seen them beat 2022 World
Cup semi-finalists Croatia, holders Italy,
hosts Germany and the pre-tournament
favourites in France.
By contrast, England have stumbled
their way into a first ever final on foreign
soil thanks to a series of late goals to paper
over the cracks despite the wealth of talent
available to manager Gareth Southgate.
They were among the continent9s pow-
erhouses who were accused of turning
European football9s showpiece into a
tough watch.
England topped Group C despite scor-
ing just two goals in three games, form
which drew such opprobrium from their
own fans that Southgate was pelted with
beer cups after a 0-0 draw against Slovenia.
Should Southgate9s men go on to lift the
trophy, Jude Bellingham9s 95th-minute
overhead kick to avoid a last-16 exit to Slo-
vakia will go down as one of the most sig-
nificant goals in English history.
But it was also their first shot on target
of the match.
Similarly, Bukayo Saka9s stunning strike
to equalise against Switzerland on 80 min-
utes in the quarter-final was the first time
England hit the target.
<Our intention is always to play well
with the ball4in football you have an
opponent that9s trying to stop you,= said
Southgate when quizzed on the lack of
entertainment in England games. <None of
this is easy.=
Yet Southgate was far from the only
coach who stood accused of failing to max-
imise bountiful resources by deploying
overly-cautious tactics.
France advanced to the semi-finals
without one of their players scoring a sin-
gle goal from open play.
Despite that, coach Didier Deschamps
was defiant when questioned by a Swedish
journalist over the lack of entertainment
offered by his side.
<If you are bored you can watch some-
thing else. It9s ok. You are not obliged,= the
French boss hit back when criticised over
his side9s lack of goals.
<We have the ability to share emotions,
to make lots of French people happy with
the results we have had, especially in what
is a difficult time in our country...if Swedish
people are bored that is not too important
for me.=
Portugal were another of the favourites
who failed to fire.
Blessed with one of the deepest squads
in the tournament, coach Roberto Mar-
tinez9s refusal to drop Cristiano Ronaldo
backfired as his side crashed out on penal-
ties to France in the quarter-finals having
failed to score in any of their last three
games in Germany.
The 114 goals at the tournament so far,
at an average of 2.28 per match, is down on
the 2.78 at the previous Euros three years
ago and the 2.69 at the 2022 World Cup.
Bucking the trend has been Spain9s new
generation, looking to follow in the steps
of the all-conquering side that won three
consecutive major tournaments between
2008 and 2012.
Drawn into the toughest group, Luis de
la Fuente9s men shone from the start, scor-
ing three times in the opening half in a 3-0
win over Croatia.
A 1-0 victory over Italy did little justice
for the scale of Spanish domination in
Gelsenkirchen, before they rounded off the
group stage with a 1-0 win over Albania
despite making 10 changes.
Even an early own goal to give Georgia
a shock lead in the last 16 did not derail the
Spanish charge as they stormed back to
dish out a 4-1 thrashing.
Spain ended German dreams in
Stuttgart with their own piece of late
drama as Mikel Merino9s header edged the
highest quality game of the tournament 2-
1.
Lamine Yamal9s stunning strike to
become the youngest ever Euros goalscorer
lit up the 2-1 semi-final win over France.
<They9ve been the best team,= added
Southgate, on the challenge of facing
Spain. <We9ll have to get the ball off them
first.=
England will need their best display to
stop the Spanish juggernaut but the tour-
nament could also do with a classic final if
it is to be remembered fondly by neutrals
in years to come. 3 AFP

How Spain Spain star Yamal’s hometown

have risen buzzing over teen’s Euros success

after dire
decade
BERLIN: After spending over a decade
bogged down in disappointment, Spain
waltzed their way back to football9s peak by
reaching Sunday9s Euro 2024 final in Berlin.
Winning two European Championships
in 2008 and 2012, either side of their 2010
World Cup triumph, La Roja were set to
dominate football for years to come.
However, they fell from grace at aston-
ishing speed. The players destined to
replace their golden generation fell desper-
ately short.
Spain9s 2014 World Cup defence ended in
early humiliation, battered 5-1 by the
Netherlands, crashing out in the group
stage.
The two-time defending champions
were eliminated by Italy in the Euro 2016
last-16, with newspaper Marca labelling it
<The End= for Vicente del Bosque9s La Roja.
Spain fell at the same stage in the 2018
World Cup against Russia on penalties,
completing over 1,000 passes but failing to
hurt the limited hosts.
A better showing at Euro 2020 took a
young side to the semi-finals but the 2022
World Cup last-16 defeat by Morocco was
another painful exit.
However, the Spanish football federation
believed the team was close to where they
needed to be.
They replaced coach Luis Enrique with
Luis de la Fuente, who had coached national
youth sides for years with success.
Despite early jitters, including a 2-0
defeat by Scotland last year, Spain stuck
with their little-known coach and are now
reaping the rewards.
De la Fuente earned their first silverware
in 11 years by lifting the Nations League last
Lamine Yamal (right) along with teammates take part in a Spain
training session at the team’s base camp in Donaueschingen.
summer, pledging it was only the begin-
ning.
And so it proved, with La Roja the stand-
out Euros team, dominating the toughest
group featuring defending champions Italy,
before beating hosts Germany and France.
What they have achieved seems remark-
able given their line-up boasts few recognis-
able stars beyond Manchester City
midfielder Rodri.
Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, 16, will
dazzle the football world for years to come
and could earn that billing, but he is only
just starting his career.
On the opposite flank Nico Williams has
also burst into the limelight and may get a
big move this summer from Athletic Bil-
bao.
Elsewhere the team features many 8mis-
fits9, including Marc Cucurella who has
struggled at Chelsea, Saudi Arabia-based
Aymeric Laporte, and others who are not
standouts for their clubs.
However, their lack of superstars poses
no problems. <I have 26 great players and
I9m just lucky that they are Spanish,= said De
la Fuente.
Unlike final opponents England, whose
coach Gareth Southgate is sometimes reluc-
tant to replace struggling icons, or France
building around a sub-par Kylian Mbappe,
Spain accept everyone is on an equal foot-
ing.
<The big difference to all the (other)
countries is that we are a team and there is
no one leader above the rest,= explained
Barcelona9s Pedri before the tournament.
De la Fuente, more pragmatic than his
predecessor, is profiting from his willing-
ness to try different approaches.
Spain still enjoy possession but also
release the explosive Yamal and Williams,
fire in crosses and let them take risks to beat
their markers.
While other coaches might have opted
for one winger and a possession-friendly
midfielder on the other flank, the 63-year-
old goes full throttle with both.
Luis Enrique9s Spain tried to pass teams
to death but at times in Euro 2024 La Roja
have had less than 50 percent possession. 3
AFP
MATARÓ (Spain): Every time Lamine Yamal
scores, he holds up his fingers to sign the
numbers 304 3 the postcode of Rocafonda,
the modest Catalan district where he grew
up, which is bursting with pride over the
16-year-old9s success in Euro 2024.
It9s not yet midday but there is a real
buzz inside the local bar, El Cordobes,
which is still reeling with excitement after
Yamal, who used to come in with his dad,
clutching a football, shot home the
sublime goal against France that helped
propel Spain to Sunday9s Euro 2024 final.
For years, people here to the north of
Barcelona knew he was different but
nobody could have predicted the lad
would go on to become the youngest
player to score in a European
Championship.
<We knew he was going to play with
Barcelona9s first team,= bar owner Juan
Carlos Serrano says with a proud smile.
<But we had no idea would have the
kind of impact he9s having now.=
On the wall behind him is a framed
Barcelona shirt signed by Yamal that his
father gave Serrano as thanks for his
support during the years when the pair
used to go to the bar before taking the
train into the city for him to train with
the club9s youth team4until he signed
with their famed La Masia youth
academy.
That was the last day Yamal came into
the bar, but not the last time he came back
to this district of Mataro, a city of 130,000
people that lies 30 killometres (18 miles)
up the coast from Barcelona where he
spent some of his childhood and where
many locals proudly show off photos with
him.
After his parents separated, Yamal lived
between the nearby town of Granollers
and Mataro, but his constant visits to his
grandmother, who arrived from Morocco
decades ago and still lives in Rocafonda,
has kept up his ties to the neighbourhood
where his father is greeted as a local hero.
Just back from Germany, where he
watched Spain9s semi-final victory over
France semi-final match, his neighbours
are crowding around to congratulate him
over his son9s stunning goal, which he still
gets excited about.
<I lived every moment in that stadium
just like any other Spanish fan, going
crazy,= says Mounir Nasraoui exuberantly
standing in the doorway of the bar.
And he will soon be going back, with
more to celebrate: his son turns 17 on
Saturday and on Sunday, he9s hoping for
victory in the final against England.
<As a father, I am proud, happy and
grateful,= he said, thanking his neighbours
for their support.
<This neighbourhood is proud of being
the place where Lamine Yamal comes
from.=
Several streets away, the blazing sun is
not enough to stop the kids from playing
football on a local pitch where Yamal too
spent hours playing when he was small.
Everyone wants to be like him in this
neighbourhood which is thrown into the
limelight every time the young star player
signs its 304 postcode.
<People get really excited about Lamine
Yamal because nothing like this has ever
happened here before,= explains
Mamadou Sow, 32, who works in catering.
<That gives the kids even more desire to
do sports and other things ,= he told AFP,
saying he was overjoyed to <finally= see the
neighbourhood, which has come in for
some negative press in recent years, being
mentioned on TV for positive reasons.
<It9s exciting.=
Life has not been simple in this district
on the outskirts of Mataro whose postcode
is 08304 and which has a large immigrant
population and a lower income than other
more affluent neighbourhoods. 3 AFP

OBITUARY
England’s decade of devt rewarded with Euro final
IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE LATE BERLIN: England9s progression to a first
ever major tournament final on foreign
soil at Euro 2024 is the fruit of a decade of
work on a player development
programme that has turned perennial
underachievers into serial contenders.
Ending a 58-year wait to win a major
trophy at senior men9s international level
is the final hurdle left to clear for Gareth
Southgate9s men in Sunday9s final against
Spain after serial success at youth level
and in the women9s game.
Just months after the Three Lions had
MDM. MELISSA YONG VUN FUI crashed out of 2014 World Cup with one
game to spare of the group stage,
BORN: 20TH OCTOBER 1980 Southgate4then in his role as under-21
AGE: 43 YEARS OLD boss4appeared alongside the English
Football Association9s technical director
Dan Ashworth.
Was called home to the Lord at 7:45 am on They presented a plan termed
12 July 2024 (Friday) at Hospital Queen Elizabeth.
th
<England DNA= that had the goal of
blending the passion English football was
Funeral service will be held at 9 am famous for with better technique and a
on 15th July 2024 (Monday) at Fook Lu Siew Funeral Parlour stronger mentality to handle the
pressures of major tournament football.
(1st Floor – Room 2B), Mile 2 Tuaran Road and thereafter will proceed to <One of the mantras we have is 8The
Nirvana Memorial Park, Mile 17 Off Tuaran Road for burial. only thing that changes is the size of the
shirt9,= said Ashworth, who was recently
Sadly Missed Always Loved & Forever Remembered in Our Hearts:
appointed Manchester United9s sporting
Parents: Yong Yun Choi / Susie Patrick director after successful spells at Brighton
and Newcastle.
Parents-In-Law: Datuk John Choo / Datin Chung Lai Wan <So as they come through that player
Husband: Edmond Choo Wu Fung pathway, from an under-15 boy or girl, all
Children: Jayden Choo Chen Hee, Hayden Hazel Choo Ya Ru the way through to the seniors, we have
some consistent messages around them.
Siblings / In-Law: Niece & Nephew: <If everyone is on the same page and
everyone buys into and believes what you
Winnie Yong / Tharumaraj A/L Sivaperumal Jayshenaa Tharumaraj are trying to do it can become so much
Nishal Tharumaraj more powerful.=
Alvin Yong / Sophia Wong Siew Wui The results since speak for themselves
at every level.
And all family members & friends who mourn her passing Many of Southgate9s squad in Germany
have already experienced winning
MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE
tournaments at youth level.
Anthony Gordon and Cole Palmer
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: were part of the side that beat Spain in the
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6
final to win England9s first under-21 Euros
for 39 years 12 months ago.
TEL: 010-881-9778 EDMOND CHOO, 011-1600-6138 Ezri Konsa won the Under-20 World
(FOOK LU SIEW OFFICE) Cup in 2017, while the same year Phil
Foden won player of the tournament
alongside Marc Guehi and Conor
Gallagher in winning the under-17 World
Cup.
England9s women won their first major
tournament on home soil at the Euros in
2022 and followed that up by reaching
the World Cup final last year.
<As a football nation we have long
been characterised by our passion,
fighting spirit and effort,= Ashworth said
at the time.
<Although there are aspects of these
characteristics we wish to retain, we do
not wish to be solely defined by them.=
The blend of an old fashioned never-
say-die attitude with players of a higher
technical standard has carried England
on a rollercoaster to the Euro 2024 final.
Hyped before the tournament as one
of the favourites, Southgate admitted the
expectation weighed heavy as his side
stumbled through the group stage,
scoring just two goals in three games.
They then needed late fightbacks and
individual moments of brilliance from
Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka to keep
them alive in sneaking past lower ranked
opposition in Slovakia and Switzerland to
make the last four.
But in Dortmund against the Dutch,
England9s decade of planning had its
reward in a famous 2-1 semi-final win.
<It will be I would imagine a long time,
if ever an English side had 60 percent
England’s
success comes
a decade after
a player
development
programme
was introduced.
possession of the ball against a side from
the Netherlands. So it shows the more
modern England way,= said a beaming
Southgate afterwards.
The ultimate test lies ahead against a
Spain side that have swept all before
them, including Germany and France on
the tougher side of the draw.
England have previously suffered a
series of near misses under Southgate.
They defied expectations to reach the
semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup before
missing out on penalties to Italy in the
Euro 2020 final on home soil.
More heartbreak came in Qatar two
years ago when Harry Kane ballooned
over a late penalty against France in a 2-1
quarter-final defeat.
But that experience has put them in
a better place than ever before to
become champions of Europe for the
first time.
<We9re more calm going into the
knockout games because the first time we
did it in Russia, we hadn9t won a knockout
game for 10 years,= added Southgate.
<We hadn9t been through the
experience. Quarter-finals, semi-finals,
we9ve managed a lot of those games now.
<The last final was the first European
Championship final I9ve ever managed. If
I didn9t get anything right, apologies for
that. I9m going to try and do better this
week.= 3 AFP
dailyexpress
Krejcikova sets up final with Paolini
LONDON: Czech 31st seed Barbora Krej-
cikova will face Italy9s Jasmine Paolini in
the Wimbledon final after battling back
for a shock 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over former
champion Elena Rybakina on Thursday.
Just hours after Paolini beat tearful
Croatian Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) in
the longest women9s semi-final at the All
England Club, it was Krejcikova9s turn to
dig deep for victory against fourth seeded
Rybakina in two hours and seven minutes
on Centre Court.
Krejcikova faces seventh seed Paolini on
Saturday in what will be the second Grand
Slam final of the 28-year-old9s career after
her French Open triumph in 2021.
<I9m so proud about my game and my
fighting spirit today,= said Krejcikova.
The Czech started 2024 with a run to the
quarter-finals of the Australian Open, but
a first round exit at the French Open was a
major setback.
She struggled with a back injury and ill-
ness, winning just three singles matches in
the five months before finally finding her
form in remarkable style at Wimbledon.
Krejcikova shocked 11th seed Danielle
Collins in the fourth round and former
French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko
in the quarter-finals, before turning her
sights on Rybakina.
The two-time Wimbledon doubles
champion is now one win away from an
unexpected triumph in the singles.
<Unbelievable. It is very tough to
explain, but a lot of joy and a lot of emo-
tions,= Krejcikova said.
<When I broke her in the second set, I
started to be in the zone and I didn9t want
to leave the zone.=
Rybakina had been in formidable form,
dropping just one set as she extended her
impressive All England Club record to 19
wins from 21 matches.
The 25-year-old, who won Wimbledon
in 2022, made a fast start with two quick
breaks for an early 4-0 lead in a one-sided
first set against Krejcikova.
Krejcikova hails late Novotna for Wimbledon final spot
LONDON: Barbora Krejcikova reached her
first Wimbledon final on Thursday, hail-
ing her late coach and former champion
Jana Novotna for teaching her <to fight for
every ball=.
Krejcikova, 28, stunned 2022 champion
Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set-up a title
showdown against Italy9s Jasmine Paolini
on Saturday.
The Czech said she never imagined she
would reach a Wimbledon singles final.
She then became emotional during her
France ruggers to be charged
as rape accuser hospitalised
BUENOS AIRES: Two French international
rugby players accused of raping and beat-
ing an Argentine woman4who has since
been hospitalised4will be charged in the
case, a judicial source said on Thursday.
Hugo Auradou, 20, and Oscar Jegou, 21,
were arrested Monday in Buenos Aires
after the woman accused them of raping
her multiple times and savagely beating
her in a hotel room in the city of Mendoza
after a match.
They have denied the accusation, and
say sexual relations with the woman were
consensual.
The players were transferred Thursday
by car from Interpol9s Buenos Aires head-
quarters to Mendoza, where they are
expected to be formally charged on Friday.
Meanwhile, the 39-year-old woman9s
lawyer, Natacha Romano, said her client
was hospitalised Thursday after feeling ill
emotionally and physically <because of
everything that happened.=
Psychologist Nicolas Yungman, who
was not treating the woman, told local
Medical expert criticises lack of timely medical attention to Zhang
KUALA LUMPUR: There have been numerous
cases of social badminton players collapsing
on court and dying over the years.
But, the badminton world was shocked by
the recent passing of Chinese player Zhang
Zhijie.
On June 30, in what could be the first in-
competition casualty in badminton, 17-year-
old Zhang collapsed on the court during the
2024 Badminton Asian Junior Championship
in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
The cause of death is believed to be a car-
diac arrest. He was pronounced dead on
arrival at the hospital.
His death has now sparked a huge contro-
versy in the face of the long duration it took
to administer first aid by the medical team
on duty at the tournament.
As the match involving Zhang was tele-
vised live and the video of the incident widely
shared in social media platforms, the delay
also caused consternation among spectators
who, like players and officials, are now
demanding answers.
All-Indonesia Badminton Association
(PBSI) has denied any delay in respect of
medical aid rendered to Zhang, as its
spokesperson reportedly said the medical
In her first Wimbledon semi-final, Kre-
jcikova turned the tide in the second set,
landing a priceless break in the sixth
game.
She levelled the match on her sixth set
point, making it the first time in 20 years
that both Wimbledon women9s semi-
finals had gone to the final set.
The Czech held all the momentum
and she eventually wore down Rybakina,
who had committed over 35 unforced
errors by the time she surrendered her
serve in the decisive, seventh game of the
final set.
<Barbora played very well but I think it9s
still a positive tournament for me,= said
Rybakina.
Paolini had never won a main draw
match at Wimbledon before this year, but
the world number seven tenaciously saw
off Vekic in two hours and 51 minutes to
secure a second successive Grand Slam
final appearance.
The 28-year-old, who lost the French
Open final to Iga Swiatek last month, is the
first Italian woman to reach the Wimble-
don final.
Paolini, who also made the Australia
Vekic reacts during her
match against Paolini.
TV interview on Centre Court as she
remembered Novotna who died from can-
cer in 2017 at the age of 49.
<She was telling me a lot of stories about
her journey here and how she was trying to
win Wimbledon,= said the Czech 31st seed.
<I was so far away when we had this talk.
Now I am here and I am in a final.=
She added: <I remember thinking about
her a lot. I have so many beautiful memo-
ries and when I step on the court I fight for
every single ball as that is what she would
media that her symptoms, as described,
could be indicative of post-traumatic
stress disorder.
The woman will receive treatment at a
health facility for 24 to 48 hours, Romano
said.
Auradou and Jegou will spend Thurs-
day night at a police detention unit and be
brought before prosecutor Cecilia Bignert
at 9:00 am local time (1200 GMT) on Fri-
day, said Martin Ahumada, a spokesman
for the Mendoza prosecutor9s office.
Upon being charged, the pair could be
ordered held until a hearing 10 days later
to determine whether they will have to
await trial in custody.
Within the 10 days, the pair could
bring an application to be released on
probation or under house arrest, accord-
ing to Ahumada.
The sentence for sexual assault in
Argentina ranges from six to 15 years,
according to the penal code. The penalty
can increase to 20 years in the case of two
aggressors. 3 AFP
team had to wait for referee9s permission to
enter the court. The badminton world is off
course at odds with this contention and
rightly too.
Badminton World Federation (BWF)
Medical Commission chairman Datuk Dr
Gurcharan Singh, who is better known as Dr
Guru, is one of those who feels strongly that
Zhang9s death was in vain, that the player
ranked world number eight among juniors,
could have been saved if he had received
timely help.
<I have looked at the video clip of Zhang9s
collapse on court several times. I feel there
was a serious lapse in respect of the profes-
sional approach towards rendering emer-
gency medical attention to the player. There
were multiple errors involved.
<In a sudden cardiac arrest situation, the
medical officer must assess and perform CPR
(cardiopulmonary resuscitation) within two
minutes of the player collapsing on court. It
includes the use of an AED (automated exter-
nal defibrillator) to stabilise his or her con-
dition and then be taken quickly to the
nearest hospital.
<During a medical emergency like a sud-
den cardiac arrest, the medical team needs to
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
Open last 16 in January, had not gone past
the second round in any Slam before this
year.
Without a win at the All England Club
heading into the tournament, Paolini now
has six victories under her belt and has
dropped just two sets in the process.
<The last months have been crazy for
me. It is a dream. I was watching finals
when I was a kid on this Wimbledon,= she
said.
<You know there is no place better than
here to fight for every ball and every point.
I will remember this forever.=
Vekic paid the price for 57 unforced
errors, with the semi-final fittingly ending
on another wild forehand from the
unseeded Croatian.
Unable to contain her frustration at let-
ting 3-1 and 4-3 leads slip in the last set,
Vekic broke down in tears in the closing
stages of a rollercoaster clash.
<I was crying because I had so much
pain. I didn9t know how I could keep play-
ing,= Vekic said.
<I thought I was going to die in the
third set. I had so much pain in my arm, in
my leg.= 3 AFP
I thought I was going to die, says Vekic
LONDON: Donna Vekic broke down in
floods of tears on Centre Court as her
Wimbledon dream was crushed in the
semi-finals on Thursday with the Croa-
tian racked by such intense pain that
she thought she <was going to die=.
The 28-year-old, playing in her first
Grand Slam last-four clash at the 43rd
attempt and after 11 years on tour,
slumped to a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) loss to
Italy9s Jasmine Paolini in the longest
women9s semi-final played at the All
England Club.
Vekic was 3-1 ahead in the decider
and then just two points from victory in
want me to do.=
Novotna was Wimbledon champion in
1998 but only after losing finals at the All
England Club in 1993 and 1997.
She famously wept on the shoulder of
Britain9s Duchess of Kent after the 1993
final which she lost to Steffi Graf.
Novotna had led 4-1 in the third set and
was a point away from going 5-1 up only to
serve a double fault.
She lost the next five games and was
defeated 7-6 (8/6), 1-6, 6-4. 3 AFP
Three-way tie
for lead at
Evian C’ship
EVIAN (France): Sweden9s Ingrid Lindblad,
Thai Patty Tavatanakit and Gemma Dry-
burgh of Scotland shared the lead after the
opening round of the Evian Champi-
onship on Thursday.
The trio set the pace on the first day of
the fourth of five women9s majors this sea-
son in Evian, France.
Dryburgh conjured up seven birdies to
take joint custody of the top of the leader-
board with a round of 64.
Her haul of birdies matched that of
Tavatanakit and first-season professional
Lindblad.
Tavatanakit said: <I came out and didn9t
know what to expect. It was a really early
morning tee time.
<I just played golf and it was a really
good round. I hit the ball really solid.=
Lindblad described her round as <simple=.
<There are no flat lies so you9re kind of
always hitting into a green that9s sloping
one way and the fairway is sloping the
same way, so you9ve just got to be careful
where you hit the ball,= she said. 3 AFP
act fast to save a life. They don9t have to even
wait for the umpire or referee9s permission to
run onto the court to treat a player...It is com-
mon sense. BWF on-court medical officers
are well trained to cope and act to such an
emergency.
<For every minute that is wasted, the
chance of survival is reduced by 10 per cent.
Enroute to the hospital if no oxygen, CPR
and/or AED administered, he might be in a
vegetative state,= he told Bernama.
He said the fact that the medical team at
the Asian Junior Championship, firstly
responded late to diagnose sudden cardiac
arrest and failure to initiate CPR as well as
use of the AED, basically removed any
chance of Zhang9s survival. <The CPR and
AED should have been the first line of treat-
ment before removing the player from the
court. The medical team failed in that
aspect,= he added.
Dr Guru highlighted that it was the
responsibility of Badminton Asia and the
local organising committee to ensure trained
medical doctors were appointed during
international events to address emergency
situations such as a cardiac arrest.
According to Dr Guru, AED is an impor-
Krejcikova
the tie-break.
However, her brittle emotions
sparked tears as the match slipped
away.
<I thought I was going to die in the
third set. I had so much pain in my arm,
in my leg. It was not easy out there,= said
the unseeded Vekic as she struggled to
compose herself at a news conference.
Five of Vekic9s six matches at Wim-
bledon went to three sets. She spent just
shy of 13 hours on court.
<I was more crying because I had so
much pain, I didn9t know how I could
keep playing,= she said.
Thomas frustrated despite leading
Scottish Open with round of 62
NORTH BERWICK (United Kingdom):
Two-time major champion Justin Thomas
was annoyed with himself after he missed
the chance to make golf history on Thurs-
day even though he carded a superb
bogey-free round of 62 to establish a one-
shot lead on the first day of the Scottish
Open.
The American was on course to shoot
just the second 59 in the history of the DP
World (European) Tour when eight under
par through 13 holes at the Renaissance
Club coastal course, east of Edinburgh.
But Thomas, twice a winner of the US
PGA Championship, could only par the
last five holes.
<I thought the par was 71 and then I
looked up and I saw it was 70 and I was
like, 8I just need a couple more9 (birdies)
and I can shoot 59,= Thomas said. <And
then, shocking, I made five pars in a row...
I definitely wanted a 59 and was even
thinking a couple lower, so we all know
Coody grabs Kentucky PGA lead
WASHINGTON: US PGA Tour rookie Pierce-
son Coody fired a career-low 11-under par 61
on Thursday to grab a three-shot lead in the
fist round of the ISCO Championship in
Nicholasville, Kentucky.
The 24-year-old American ranked 175th in
the world needed just 20 putts, reeling off 11
birdies4including six in a row from the fifth
through the 10th4at Keen Trace Golf Club.
He had a three-shot lead over Rico Hoey
of the Philippines and American Hayden
Springer.
Hoey9s 64 included six birdies and an
eagle from off the green at the par-five
eighth - his penultimate hole.
Springer, who shot a sensational 12-
tant user-friendly piece of equipment that a
layman can operate. It gives step by step
directions in vernacular languages when to
shock or not to shock the person as well as
provides information on the quality of the
CPR in real time.
The competitiveness and the level of play
in badminton is continuously very high,
thus, players routinely face intense physical
and mental stress as well as the tight sched-
ule of international and national competi-
tions that players need to participate
provides little recovery time.
This sad incident did not surprise Dr Guru
as he had forewarned all involved in World
Badminton at meetings that sudden cardiac
arrest will happen during badminton com-
petitions without warning and the need to
be prepared and respond professionally to
save the life of an elite young athlete.
He said doctors and supporting staff
trained to handle medical emergencies are
the appropriate personnel to be appointed
to such tournaments.
Dr Guru opined that, no badminton event
should commence without the presence of
emergency equipment, especially oxygen,
AED, spinal board stretcher and the presence
Sport 23
Paolini
Vekic was also undone by a barrage
of mistakes, with 57 unforced errors
outweighing her 42 winners.
She converted just four of 14 break
points as Paolini moved into her second
successive Grand Slam final after finish-
ing runner-up to Iga Swiatek at the
French Open last month.
<My team tells me that I can be proud
of myself. It9s tough right now. It9s really
tough,= added Vekic.
<For sure I will need to take couple of
days to see everything. It9s tough to be
positive right now. It was so close. I had
a lot of chances.= 3 AFP
how that works out when you get ahead of
yourself.
<But it9s always good to get off to a good
start, and even better to get off to a great
one. I felt like I was in great control of
everything.=
Thomas was not the only player to
enjoy a low first round in a tournament
that also acts as a warm-up event for next
week9s British Open4golf 9s oldest major
championship4which this year takes
place at Troon, on Scotland9s west coast.
South Korea9s Im Sung-jae was just one
shot behind, with Ludvig Aberg on six
under and defending Scottish Open cham-
pion Rory McIlroy one of several players on
five under.
This was McIlroy9s first tournament
since his agonising finish at last month9s
US Open, where the 35-year-old Northern
Irishman missed out on a fifth major title
after a dramatic collapse on the closing
holes at Pinehurst, North Carolina. 3 AFP
under par 59 in the first round of the John
Deere Classic last week, rattled in a 20-foot
birdie putt at 18 to join him on eight-
under4his ninth birdie of the day with just
one bogey.
Nine players shared fourth on seven-
under 65.
<I9ve been putting really nice all season,=
said Coody, whose 61 was three strokes bet-
ter than his previous tour low, a 64 on Sun-
day at the John Deere Classic.
<It9s kind of a core set, if you keep it in
play, keep it in front of you, you have a lot of
wedges, you end up with a lot of looks for
birdie and it9s just one of those days that I
saw a ton of putts go in.= 3 AFP
of an ambulance 3 a minimum requirement.
The Chinese Badminton Association
through a statement on July 1 expressed pro-
found grief over the tragic passing of the out-
standing athlete, while BWF said it is taking
all necessary steps to thoroughly review the
emergency response protocols and guide-
lines if required. Following that, China9s Xin-
hua news agency reported that, Zhang9s
sister demanded explanation for his death
on Chinese social media platform Weibo on
last Wednesday.
The Chinese badminton team showed
resilience despite the sorrow of Zhang9s pass-
ing during the final group stage against
Japan, to march on and defeat Taiwan and
Malaysia in the quarter-finals and semi-finals
as well as South Korea in final to claim the
team event crown.
Dr Guru has served as a medical officer at
all the Fifa World Cup tournaments since the
2002 Korea/Japan edition and six Olympics
Games since the 2000 Sydney Games in bad-
minton and football (2004 Athens, 2008 Bei-
jing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio, and 2020 Tokyo)
competitions. He will be officiating for the
seventh time at the Paris 2024 Games for bad-
minton. 3 Bernama
 Spain bring I thought I
much-needed was going
thrills to die, 24
to Euros says Vekic

YOUR LOCAL VOICE I SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024

Rhinos missing key

duo for JDT clash
gl oh
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah FC will be with-
out Saddil Ramdani and Darren Lok for
the match against Johor Darul Ta9zim FC
at the Likas Stadium tonight (Saturday).
Their absence is likely to deal a fur-
ther blow to the team following the
departure of Ramon Machado last week.
Head coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee
said on Friday that the duo are still suf-
fering from injuries and are likely to be
fit for the match, but confident their
replacement will be able to carry out
the task.
<Saddil and Darren are still suffering
from their injuries and it will be a big
challenge for the team without them.
<However, we have players that are
ready to take over their positions and it
is important that they can grab this
opportunity as best as possible.
<Apart from showing commitment,
they must be prepared mentally and
physically to play against the top team
in the country,= he said.
He also hoped the players can
bounce back from the disappointing
home defeat in the FA Cup to Tereng-
ganu FC last Saturday. <It is not an easy
matter to play in the league especially
against JDT FC, but we must perform
better to give them competition, espe-
cially after losing to Terengganu FC in
the FA Cup recently.=
He also brushed aside the negative
comments on a number of issues involv-
ing Sabah FC that went viral on social
media recently.
<All the issues have been resolved. I
hope all the players will focus fully on
the important match tomorrow and we
are confident that these external issues
will not disturb the players9 concentra-
tion and focus. Ong (left) giving instruction to the players
<The players must know that they during training session on Thursday.
need to improve their performance
after failing to win the last two matches. important role to boost the players9 have to continue and it is very impor-
They should forget the defeat by focus- confidence and hopes they will come to tant for us to get continuous support
ing on tomorrow9s match so that they the stadium to give their support. especially from the supporters who will
can return to their true form,= he said. <I know many people are disap- motivate the players more with their
He added that the fans can play an pointed with the recent results, but we presence in the stadium.=

Kim Swee
refutes claims
of more players
leaving
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah FC head coach
Datuk Ong Kim Swee has refuted claims
that more players are set to leave the team.
Kim Swee said instead it is more likely
that new players would be recruited to
strengthen the Rhinos.
<There is a lot of speculation and claims
that more players will leave Sabah FC fol-
lowing import striker Ramon Machado
after the FA Cup quarter-final match last
Saturday.
<But we need to know the reason why
Ramon left Sabah FC which was due to a
family matter,= he told reporters here on
Friday.
He said now Sabah FC will continue to
focus on the Super League which is still
early in the season.
Meanwhile, team manager Rafie Robert
said the previously viral issue stating that
Sabah FC lost two matches against Tereng-
ganu FC in the FA Cup due to salary arrears
is untrue.
<The players had already received their
salaries before the first match against
Terengganu FC. I hope the supporters will
not believe the rumours that are being
spread.
<Actually, I don9t have the authority to
explain the player9s salary issue...but as the
team manager, I want to explain that the
players have been paid and that9s not the
reason we lost two games in a row,= he
said. 3 Bernama
World-class
racing from
Down Under
KOTA KINABALU: Racing fans can look
forward to regular world-class racing
actions from Australia starting this week-
end.
Today9s (Saturday) line-up includes
four cracking races from the fabled Rand-
wick racetrack.
In particular, Race 7 is worth attention
with fast improving Bear On The Loose
and rising star Aramco taking on the
establishment in Amberite, Redstone Well
and Caboche.
In Singapore, Sabah Star is entered for
Race 7 over 1200m with tempered expec-
tations.
The talented Ravalli, former HK-trained
galloper, Goldenfield and Pacific Hero are
tipped to battle for top spot.
Race 4 this Sunday at Tambalang fea-
tures a talented field of 12 starters.
Top picks are Madani and Go Tommy
Go.
Kokorriko and well-prepared Ratu First
can challenge.
Ember, Lucky Lady II, Victoria Glory
and Magic Net at Race 3 should be in the
running with Lucky Lady II having an
edge. Lucky Lady II is honest and hard-
working type always ready for a good
fight.
For this Saturday (Australia, Singapore
& Selangor) and Sunday (Tambalang,
Hong Kong and Perak meetings) race
details and timings and locations of RSTC
<live= Off-Course telecast venues in Tan-
jung Aru and Keningau, please visit the
Royal Sabah Turf Club (RSTC) website.
Zii Jia gets easy draw, Pearly-Thinaah face tough battle
KUALA LUMPUR: If the Kedah-born world number Rahayu-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of director of coaching Rexy Mainaky is
National men9s sin- seven Zii Jia tops Group G, he is set to Indonesia in Group A. optimistic that the mixed doubles pair
gles professional face his first tricky test in the round of There is better news for national will be able to get past the group stage
shuttler Lee Zii Jia 16 as he is likely to meet Indonesia9s mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee and he also called on the women9s dou-
(pic) faces an easy world number nine Anthony Sinisuka Wei after they were drawn in Group D bles pair to have faith in themselves in
mission to clear the Ginting, who has been drawn in Group with second seeds Feng Yan Zhe-Huang the quadrennial Games.
group stage after H. Dong Ping of China, Americans Vinson <The opportunity is there for them to
receiving a National women9s singles profes- Chiu-Jennie Gai and Singapore9s Terry get past the group stage, that doesn9t
favourable draw for sional shuttler Goh Jin Wei has been Hee Yong Kai-Jessica Tan Wei Han. The mean it9s an easy one, (but) there9s an
the Paris Olympic given a tougher draw after being pitted top two pairs in the group will qualify opportunity. Tang Jie-Ee Wei must be
badminton competition. against 12th seed Kim Ga Eun of South for the quarter-finals. mentally well prepared and it is also
In the draw held at the Badminton Korea and Johanita Scholtz of South Meanwhile, following a Court of important that they stay fit and healthy.
World Federation (BWF) headquarters Africa in Group H. Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing, the <I hope Pearly-Thinaah can play like
here Friday, the seventh-seeded 2021 All- Malaysian women9s doubles pair BWF announced that it will conduct the they have nothing to lose. They must
England champion should have no Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah, the world num- men9s doubles draw on another date yet realise that if they want to win, they can-
problems getting past Group G, where ber 13, could not have asked for a to be determined. not expect an easy time. They must pre-
he will have world number 63 Pablo tougher group assignment after being The Paris Olympic badminton com- pare well if they want to get past the
Abian of Spain and world number 72 drawn with world number one and top petition will be held at the Porte de la group stage& and be confident,= he said
Viren Nettasinghe of Sri Lanka for com- seeds Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan of Chapelle Arena from July 27 to Aug 5. through an audio recording shared with
pany. China and world number nine Apriyani Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) reporters on Friday. 3 Bernama
Crucial for Rhinos to maintain self-belief S’wak willing to ‘lend’
SABAH FC will be taking on give them a fight and show
the mighty Johor Darul them we are capable of beating athletes to other states
Ta9zim FC in the Super League the odds.
match tonight at the Likas I am not sure who the play- KUCHING: Host Sarawak is prepared to 8lend9 its athletes to other
stadium. ers Datuk Ong Kim Swee will states to overcome the problem of lack of participation in certain
It is certainly a bad time to line up for the match tonight, events at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024, scheduled to be held
play against a team who but whoever goes down to the from Aug 17 to 24.
seemed to be unbeaten in the pitch must be ready to give his Sarawak State Sports Council (SSC) director Awang Putra Yusrie
local scene for the longest best. said that based on information received last week, 30 of the 488
time. It makes the task even We have to keep JDT at bay events to be featured at the games seem unlikely to get the mini-
harder without the goalscor- right from the start. The mum participation of six states and thus risk being dropped.
ing prowess of Ramon Machado who left the team defence needs to be absolutely tight with lots of help Awang Putra, who is also Sarawak Sports Corporation chief exec-
on mutual understanding last week. coming from the midfield. I don9t expect we will utive officer, said dropping these events would have a negative
I also came to understand that Saddil Ramdani have many scoring chances given the strength of our impact on the development of athletes.
and Darren Lok who are also proven goalscorers may opponents in this match, so the players must be very <We (Sarawak) have backup athletes; previously, we had also
not be in the team line-up as well. clinical in front of goal with any opportunities if we offered several divers to help other states and we had also offered
This is certainly bad news. The odds may be up are to get it right tonight. our women9s futsal team. If other states need athletes in other
against us, but let9s not be overawed by our oppo- I also know that many fans are not happy at this sports, we are ready (to lend them).
<They (athletes on loan) can train with our athletes here using
nents9 presence tonight. We must have the belief moment after our terrible loss to Terengganu FC and
that nothing is a foregone conclusion until the final the departure of Ramon. our facilities. We have talent and it9s a pity if they can9t participate
whistle is blown especially in football. However, we need to move on as I had said earlier, in Sukma. It would be a loss ... the talent will be wasted. But if there9s
JDT FC may be a tough team to beat or even get- it is only the fourth match of the season and there a request (to borrow), we will definitely help,= said Awang Putra,
ting a draw, but we must bank on the home ground are lots more games to go. adding that he wants all the 488 events to be contested.
advantage and at the same time put behind the two The fans must continue to support the team espe- He said this in a special interview with the Malaysian National
defeats in the FA Cup by Terengganu FC last week to cially at this moment in time to lift the players9 News Agency (Bernama) at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Complex
try to get the right result. morale. here.
To be able to achieve the near impossible, the Let9s find that winning momentum again The Bernama delegation was headed by editor-in-chief Arul
players need to be fully focused and play hard. No tonight. All the best to the team and I am hoping for Rajoo Durar Raj and deputy executive editor Elmi Rizal Elias.
one will doubt it will be a very tough match but let9s a nice surprise. Awang Putra felt that it would be unfair to states that have made
thorough preparations, including purchasing plane tickets and
paying their athletes9 allowances, if the events are eventually
dropped.
Paolini eyes Wimbledon Conmebol opens <I hope the SSC of other states are aligned with our purpose for
holding Sukma and sending athletes this time. The costs in Sarawak
probe into
are quite high, but this is our opportunity to develop athletes in
title after ‘crazy’ run Malaysia,= he said.
He said a decision on whether any events would be dropped due
LONDON: Italy9s Jasmine Paolini (pic) has set
violent clashes
to lack of participation would be finalised at the Sukma Sarawak
her sights on capping a <crazy= run to Satur-
2024 Special Technical Committee meeting to be chaired by Youth
day9s Wimbledon final against Barbora Krej-
and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh in Kuala Lumpur on July 18.
cikova by winning a maiden Grand Slam title. MIAMI: Copa America organisers Con-
Sukma 2024 will feature 37 types of sports involving 488 events,
Paolini survived the longest women9s sin- mebol have opened a disciplinary
comprising 236 men9s events, 217 women9s events and 35 mixed
gles semi-final in Wimbledon history to beat investigation into the <acts of violence=
events. The competitions will be staged in nine divisions - Kuching,
Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) after two at the end of Wednesday9s semi-final
Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu and
hours and 51 minutes of Centre Court drama between Uruguay and Colombia in
Miri.
on Thursday. Charlotte.
Sukma was introduced in 1986 and Sarawak has hosted it twice
The 28-year-old is the first Italian woman Uruguay9s Liverpool striker Darwin
before, in 1990 and 2016. 3 Bernama
to reach the final of the grass-court Grand Slam. Nunez was among the players who
She will face Czech 31st seed Krejcikova, who enjoyed a shock 3- waded into the stands at the Bank of
6, 6-3, 6-4 win over 2022 champion Elena Rybakina in the other America Stadium and exchanged
semi-final. punches with fans during what Con- Bahasa Sub-Editor
It is an astonishing achievement for Paolini, who had not won a mebol called <unacceptable= scenes.
THE Daily Express, the leading newspaper in Sabah and
Tour-level match on grass until 15 days ago in Eastbourne, and lost Uruguay central defender Jose Maria
Labuan, has a vacancy for those suitably qualified to be
in the first round on her previous three visits to Wimbledon. Gimenez said players had leapt into the
Sub-Editor in the Bahasa Malaysia section.
She had also failed to go beyond the second round of a melee out of concern for the safety of
Only those who have achieved good grades, especially
Grand Slam until this year. But 2024 has been a breakthrough family members and loved ones watch-
in Bahasa Malaysia and English at SPM level or equiva-
campaign for Paolini, who reached her maiden Grand Slam ing the game in that section of the
lent, would be considered.
final at the French Open before losing to world number one Iga ground.
Experience would be an advantage but not compulsory
Swiatek. Uruguay are scheduled to face
as training would be provided. Retired teachers are
Even Paolini can9t quite believe her remarkable rise. Canada, at the same stadium, in the
encouraged to apply.
<You are crazy, I would say, yes,= she said. <Yeah, I don9t have third place game on Saturday and it
Submit resume to: editorial@dailyexpress.com.my
words. Just, yeah, you are crazy,= said Paolini, who started her unex- remains to be seen if any of their play-
Closing date: July. 15, 2024
pected rise by making the Australian Open last 16 in January. 3 AFP ers are suspended for that game. 3 AFP

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 sabtu, 13 julai, 2024 /7 MuHaraM, 1446H

WAKTU SOLAT
Subuh Zohor Asar Maghrib Isyak

KK/Pantai Barat 4.55 12.24 3.48 6.35 7.50

Sandakan Timur 4.48 12.16 3.41 6.28 7.43

Sandakan Barat 4.52 12.20 3.45 6.31 7.46

Tawau Timur 4.46 12.14 3.39 6.25 7.40

Tawau Barat 4.51 12.17 3.42 6.27 7.42

Kudat 4.49 12.20 3.44 6.34 7.49

Pedalaman Atas 4.54 12.23 3.47 6.34 7.49

Penganggur ditahan, Dua lagi kriteria untuk ‘Air di dalam cawan Israel arah kosongkan
Pedalaman Bawah 4.57 12.25 3.50 6.36 7.51
seorang lagi diburu > 2 Sandakan jadi bandaraya > 3 bergoyang’ > 4 Gaza City > 5

l Pencapaian SDB sejak ada Lembaga baru l Laporan SPRM dibuat l Tiada lagi pinjaman dari luar Sabah

Sabah akan dapat balik RM5bil

KOTA KINABALU:
Menteri Kewangan
Negeri Datuk Seri Masidi
Manjun (gambar)
berkata Kerajaan Sabah
tegas dalam menyokong
Bank Pembangunan
Sabah (SDB), sementara
Pinjaman Tidak Berbayar (NPL)
berjumlah RM5 bilion adalah selamat
dan boleh dipulihkan.
<Saya ingin menegaskan semula
sokongan Kerajaan Negeri kepada
bank ini pada masa ia memerlukan,
khususnya berhubung komitmen kami
untuk memastikan bahawa obligasi
bon dan pembayaran balik dilak-
sanakan.
<Bank mencerminkan kedudukan
kewangan Negeri dan mempunyai per-
anan penting dalam pembangunan
Negeri,= kata Masidi dalam satu keny-
ataan, Jumaat, sebagai respons kepada
liputan media berikutan pengumuman
NPL bank itu dari 2003 hingga 2018.
Ia menjelaskan bahawa NPL RM5 bil-
ion itu bukan kerugian dan boleh
diperoleh semula kerana ia teruta-
manya dijamin dengan aset berasaskan
tanah yang berada di bawah tindakan
pemerolehan aktif.
Masidi memberitahu Dewan Undan-
gan Negeri pada Rabu bahawa SDB
akan mengumumkan kerugian yang
tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini
untuk tahun kewangan 2023-2024,
selaras dengan amalan terbaik dan
piawaian perakaunan.
Beliau berkata SDB sentiasa
memenuhi obligasi pembayaran balik
bonnya pada masa lalu dan bank itu
mempunyai modal yang mencukupi
untuk memenuhi obligasi pembayaran
balik bonnya yang akan datang.
<Saya difahamkan bahawa bank itu,
selepas pengumuman tersebut, men-
gadakan libat urus secara proaktif den-
gan pelabur utama, pendeposit dan
pemegang kepentingan lain.
<Respons umum adalah terdapat
pemahaman dan sokongan penuh
kepada bank untuk melaksanakan
pembaharuan ini, dan mereka yakin
dengan sokongan padu Kerajaan
Negeri terhadap pelan transformasi
bank.
<Sokongan padu Negeri bukan
sahaja dalam urusan pembayaran balik
pinjaman GLC, tetapi Kementerian saya
juga telah mengeluarkan surat kepada
GLC lain untuk meletakkan lebihan
Kerajaan masih teliti semula
subsidi, bantuan termasuk RON95
KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan pada masa ini
masih meneliti dan menilai semula sub-
sidi dan bantuan yang diberikan kepada
rakyat, termasuk petrol RON95, menurut
Kementerian Ekonomi.
Kementerian itu menjelaskan pelak-
sanaan subsidi bersasar RON95 akan
diperincikan dari semua aspek supaya
inisiatif itu dapat berjalan dengan lancar
dan meningkatkan keberkesanan pen-
gagihan bantuan kepada rakyat.
<Kerajaan juga sedang meneliti keper-
luan pelaksanaan rasionalisasi subsidi ke
atas petrol RON95. Walau bagaimanapun,
buat masa ini, tumpuan dan keutamaan
akan diberikan kepada pelaksanaan sub-
sidi diesel sehingga penyasaran subsidi
diesel menjadi stabil, sekali gus mencapai
objektif yang ditetapkan,= menurut
kementerian itu dalam jawapan bertulis
disiarkan di laman sesawang Parlimen
pada Khamis.
Sesi libat urus dengan pihak berke-
pentingan juga akan diadakan bagi
memastikan setiap aspek diambil kira,
termasuk garis masa pelaksanaan serta
mekanisme yang bersesuaian bagi mem-
bolehkan rakyat yang terkesan, menerima
manfaat yang sewajarnya, tambahnya.
Kementerian Ekonomi memaklumkan
pelbagai cadangan sedang dipertim-
bangkan oleh kerajaan berdasarkan
tunai sebagai Simpanan Tetap dengan
SDB. Kami juga meletakkan SDB seba-
gai pemberi pinjaman/pengurus utama
untuk menyediakan kandungan tem-
patan dalam membiayai projek pelabu-
ran besar yang datang ke Sabah.
<Satu lagi sokongan kewangan pent-
ing ialah penukaran Deposit Negeri
sebanyak RM660 juta kepada Saham
Keutamaan Boleh Tebus dalam tempoh
beberapa tahun akan datang untuk
mengukuhkan permodalan bank,= kata
Masidi.
Sejak beberapa tahun lalu, isu
warisan telah menjejaskan kedudukan
kewangan SDB secara negatif.
Bagaimanapun, Masidi berkata pen-
capaian direkodkan sejak Lembaga dan
Pengurusan baharu dilantik pada sep-
aruh kedua 2023. Pendedahan pinja-
man GLC dikurangkan daripada RM2.2
bilion pada Julai 2023 kepada RM0.7
bilion pada masa ini, dan obligasi bon
daripada RM5 bilion kepada RM3.9 bil-
ion.
Beliau berkata pasukan baharu itu
telah melaksanakan tadbir urus yang
ketat dan melaporkan salah laku
didakwa kepada Suruhanjaya Pencega-
han Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM). Bank itu
telah menerima pakai amalan industri
dan garis panduan Bank Negara
Malaysia (BNM) dan memulakan usaha
mendapat balik NPL dengan sasaran
agresif RM1 bilion setahun untuk tiga
tahun akan datang.
Menurutnya, bank itu men-
jangkakan keluar dari pasaran Seme-
nanjung Malaysia menjelang masa itu.
Beliau berkata bank itu kini
berpandu teguh kepada mandat dari-
pada Kerajaan Negeri untuk
meneruskan projek pembangunan
penting dari segi ekonomi dan sosial
serta bertanggungjawab terhadap
alam sekitar di Sabah dan Sabah sahaja.
Permohonan pinjaman RM1.5 bilion
yang tidak termasuk dalam mandat ini
atau tidak memenuhi ujian kredit ketat
baharu bank telah ditolak, tambahnya.
Sebaliknya, pinjaman berjumlah
RM616 juta dalam bidang tumpuan air,
kuasa dan infrastruktur telah dilu-
luskan.
<Negeri sekali lagi menjelaskan
bahawa ia menyokong penuh SDB dan
kepimpinan baharu, dan bahawa bank
ini akan dipulihkan dan menjadi
sebuah bank pembangunan yang
boleh dibanggakan oleh Negeri dan
rakyat,= katanya.
keperluan fungsian yang dijalankan
menggunakan sistem Pangkalan Data
Utama (Padu).
<Selain itu, pengagihan bantuan sosial
juga sedang dikaji bagi memastikan
rakyat, khususnya penerima bantuan
tidak terlalu terbeban dengan jangkaan
kenaikan harga barangan apabila kera-
jaan melaksanakan penyasaran semula
subsidi,= jelasnya.
Kementerian Ekonomi menjawab per-
tanyaan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin
(PN-Pagoh) mengenai mekanisme
rasionalisasi subsidi petrol dan diesel ter-
masuk garis masa pelaksanaan, implikasi
kewangan yang terlibat serta pen-
dekatan.
Kementerian itu menjelaskan
bagaimanapun, sebarang keputusan
yang diambil oleh kerajaan akan disam-
paikan dengan jelas kepada rakyat bagi
mengelakkan kekeliruan terhadap peran-
cangan dasar yang dilaksanakan.
<Kerajaan juga telah merancang
beberapa inisiatif bagi memastikan kuasa
beli rakyat dapat dikekalkan. Majlis Tin-
dakan Sara Hidup Negara di bawah
Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri
dan Kos Sara Hidup akan mempergiatkan
usaha untuk menangani kos sara hidup
supaya kuasa beli dan kesejahteraan
rakyat tidak terjejas,= jelasnya. 3 Bernama
Kerajaan sedia
bincang pinda
Akta Antilompat
Parti baiki
kelompangan
PUTRAJAYA: Kerajaan
terbuka untuk men-
gadakan perbincangan
bagi membaiki kelom-
pangan yang wujud
dalam Akta Perlemba-
gaan (Pindaan) (No. 3)
2022 (Akta A1663) atau
Akta Antilompat Parti,
kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim (gambar).
Beliau berkata Pakatan Harapan pada
2022 pernah mengusulkan supaya pindaan
terhadap akta itu dibuat, namun ditolak
kerajaan pada masa itu.
<Dahulu, kita cadang supaya mana-
mana yang ditolak oleh parti, perlu ditolak
(mengosongkan kerusi) tetapi tidak diper-
setujui kerajaan ketika itu.
<Jadi, bagi saya kalau nak pinda boleh,
kita bincang supaya sesiapa sahaja (tidak
terkecuali jika lompat parti),= kata beliau
kepada media.
Anwar berkata pada masa itu, PH men-
gusulkan supaya Ahli Parlimen yang dito-
lak parti masing-masing, secara automatik
kehilangan kerusi mereka, namun Bersatu
menolak keras usul berkenaan.
<Sampai kita bertolak ansur dan jadi
undang-undang sekarang. Jadi, kalau nak
pinda kita boleh bincang,= kata Anwar.
Pada 20 Jun lepas, Bersatu menge-
mukakan notis kepada Speaker Dewan
Rakyat Tan Sri Johari Abdul meminta
supaya enam kerusi Parlimen wakil rakyat-
nya yang sebelum ini menyokong Perdana
Menteri dikosongkan.
Notis itu dikemukakan berdasarkan
peruntukan Perkara 49A(1)(a)(ii) Perlem-
bagaan, iaitu seseorang ahli Dewan Rakyat
hendaklah terhenti menjadi ahli Dewan
dan kerusinya menjadi kosong apabila
tidak lagi menjadi anggota parti politik.
Bagaimanapun, Johari pada Khamis
menegaskan keputusan berhubung status
enam bekas Ahli Parlimen Bersatu yang
mengisytiharkan sokongan kepada kera-
jaan adalah kekal, menyebabkan pem-
bangkang keluar Dewan beramai-ramai
kerana tidak berpuas hati.
Johari berkata pihaknya telah membuat
kajian sebelum memutuskan perkara
terbabit dan membaca semua kenyataan
mengenai Perkara 49 Perlembagaan
Persekutuan.
Enam Ahli Parlimen berkenaan ialah
Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul
Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Dr Suhaili
Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Zahari Kechik
(Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang),
Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid
(Kuala Kangsar) dan Datuk Dr Zulkafperi
Hanapi (Tanjong Karang). 3 Bernama
Belanjawan 2025
dibentang 18 Okt
PUTRAJAYA: Belanjawan 2025, yang meru-
pakan belanjawan ketiga di bawah Kera-
jaan Perpaduan, akan dibentang pada 18
Okt ini di Dewan Rakyat, kata Menteri
Komunikasi Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi, yang juga jurucakap Kerajaan
Perpaduan, berkata sehubungan itu, Per-
dana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
telah mengarahkan semua menteri untuk
mengadakan sesi dialog Belanjawan
Madani 2025 bersama kementerian mas-
ing-masing dan semua pemegang taruh
dalam sektor yang terlibat.
<Hasrat Perdana Menteri adalah untuk
mendapatkan maklum balas daripada
industri serta pemegang taruh mengenai
sama ada dasar, insentif, program, pelak-
sanaan, kekangan dan cabaran.
<Ini akan dibawa semula untuk penelit-
ian di peringkat Kementerian Kewangan
agar dapat disesuaikan dengan dokumen
atau Belanjawan Madani 2025 nanti,=
katanya pada sidang media pada Jumaat.
SAIFUDDIN melawat kaunter di Pejabat Jabatan Imigresen KKIA.
Pasport 10-tahun tidak lama lagi
Jonathan Nicholas
KOTA KINABALU: Kementerian Dalam
Negeri bakal mengeluarkan pasport
dengan tempoh sah laku 10 tahun
selepas kajian kebolehlaksanaan men-
dapati ia sesuai untuk negara.
Bagaimanapun, Menterinya Datuk
Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail enggan
mendedahkan bila ia akan dilak-
sanakan, berkata ia akan diumumkan
bila tiba masanya. Buat masa ini, tem-
poh sah laku pasport maksimum ialah
lima tahun.
Beliau berkata negara jiran seperti
Thailand, Indonesia, Filipina dan Singa-
pura telah pun melaksanakannya,
bersama Eropah dan Amerika Syarikat.
Saifuddin berkata demikian ketika
melancarkan pejabat Imigresen lapan-
gan terbang pertama negara di Lapan-
gan Terbang Antarabangsa Kota
Kinabalu (KKIA), di sini, Jumaat.
Ia telah beroperasi selama dua
minggu (Isnin hingga Jumaat) dari 8
pagi hingga 5 petang, hanya memproses
pasport antarabangsa buat masa ini
dengan lebih banyak perkhidmatan
bakal menyusul.
Saifuddin berkata berdasarkan mak-
‘Tidak ditakrif sebagai lompat parti’
PUTRAJAYA: Pemecatan enam Ahli Parli-
men yang merupakan bekas ahli Bersatu
tidak ditakrifkan sebagai lompat parti
sehingga mereka perlu mengosongkan
kerusi masing-masing ketika ini, kata
Menteri Komunikasi Fahmi Fadzil.
Beliau merujuk kepada tindakan enam
bekas ahli Bersatu yang telah mengisyti-
harkan sokongan kepada Perdana Menteri
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
<Kita semua sedia maklum perkara 49A
(2) menyatakan dengan jelas bahawa
pemecatan tidak bererti kekosongan
kerusi, ia tidak bererti lompat parti. Jadi
kalau kita teliti apa yang telah berlaku ia
adalah ditafsirkan sebagai pemecatan ter-
ancang,= katanya pada sidang media pasca
mesyuarat Jemaah Menteri di sini.
Enam Ahli Parlimen yang terkait den-
gan isu itu ialah Datuk Syed Abu Hussin
Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang),
Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan),
Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim
(Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkar-
nain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) dan
Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong
Karang).
Mengulas keputusan Speaker Dewan
Rakyat Tan Sri Johari Abdul bahawa
keenam-enam Ahli Parlimen kekal sebagai
wakil rakyat, Fahmi berkata tindakan
diambil itu berlandaskan Perlembagaan
Persekutuan dan tafsiran undang-undang.
<Ini adalah perkara asas dalam peratu-
ran urusan mesyuarat (Peraturan Majlis
Mesyuarat Dewan Rakyat),= katanya sam-
bil menambah sebarang kritikan terhadap
keputusan Johari adalah tidak berasas.
Beliau turut mengingatkan pem-
bangkang supaya tidak menjadi 8hero9
dalam isu itu kerana sebelum ini Bersatu
lum balas, pelanggan gembira kerana
mereka hanya mengambil masa sejam
menunggu.
<Malaysia Airlines Holdings Berhad
memperuntukkan ruang, dan mempun-
yai pejabat di KKIA adalah strategik ker-
ana Kota Kinabalu menerima
kemasukan penerbangan antarabangsa.
<Pejabat imigresen juga dibuka di
pekarangan Lapangan Terbang Antara-
bangsa Kuala Lumpur tetapi tidak betul-
betul di dalam lapangan terbang.
<KKIA tertumpu, jadi keputusan
untuk ditempatkan di sini adalah tepat
dan mementingkan rakyat,= katanya.
Saifuddin berkata lapangan terbang
antarabangsa kedua Sabah, Tawau, akan
menerima empat kaunter imigresen
masuk dan dua kaunter keluar baharu
sebagai respons kepada ketibaan luar
biasa di Pantai Timur negeri ini.
<Kredibiliti pasport Malaysia mem-
bolehkan perjalanan tanpa visa ke 183
negara, menduduki tempat ke-12 paling
berkuasa di dunia dan kelima di Asia
mengikut Indeks Pasport Henley yang
mendapat datanya daripada Persatuan
Pengangkutan Udara Antarabangsa,=
katanya.
membantah pindaan Rang Undang-
Undang Akta Lompat Parti 2022 apabila
dicadang oleh Menteri di Jabatan Perdana
Menteri (Parlimen dan Undang-Undang)
ketika itu, Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaa-
far.
<Dalam banyak-banyak parti, Bersatu
paling tidak mahu menyaksikan sejumlah
pindaan yang telah dicadangkan oleh
Menteri Undang-Undang waktu itu. Kalau
nak salahkan seseorang, salahkan Tan Sri
Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Hamzah
Zainudin dan Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md
Jidin.
<Merekalah antara yang paling tidak
bersetuju dengan pindaan, yang sekiranya
dilakukan akan menghalang daripada
kejadian yang kita saksikan sekarang.
(Sekarang) terpekik terlolong dalam
Dewan Rakyat, merekalah yang tidak
bersetuju. (Kini) Senjata makan tuan,=
katanya.
Rabu lepas, Muhyiddin mengesahkan
Bersatu telah menerima surat daripada
Johari yang memaklumkan bahawa tidak
berlaku kekosongan kerusi Parlimen meli-
batkan enam bekas ahlinya yang memberi
sokongan kepada Anwar.
Pada 20 Jun lepas, Ketua Whip Bersatu
yang juga Naib Presidennya Datuk Dr
Ronald Kiandee telah mengemukakan
notis kepada Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat
mengenai kekosongan kerusi enam Ahli
Dewan itu kerana keahlian mereka dalam
parti telah terhenti.
Keenam-enam Ahli Parlimen diberikan
notis gugur keahlian pada 12 Jun lepas
apabila mereka gagal menjawab surat ara-
han bertulis Majlis Pimpinan Tertinggi
Bersatu untuk menzahirkan ikrar taat
setia kepada parti. 3 Bernama
2 Tempatan SUARA TEMPATAN ANDA I SABTU, 13 JULAI, 2024
SAMMY (kedua dari kanan) menunjukkan rampasan dan lakaran wajah suspek diburu.
Samun kedai serbaneka
Penganggur ditahan,
seorang lagi diburu
Nora Ahmad
PENAMPANG: Seorang penganggur lelaki ditahan
selepas disyaki terlibat dalam kes samun berkumpu-
lan menggunakan senjata di sebuah kedai serbaneka
24 jam, di sini, baru-baru ini.
Suspek lelaki berusia 47 tahun itu ditahan di
sebuah kampung di Papar kira-kira jam 8.30 malam
Selasa lalu bersama barang curi, tiga parang, dua
senapang dengan peluru, dan pisau.
Ketua Polis Daerah Penampang, Superintenden
Sammy Newton berkata, tangkapan itu dibuat susu-
lan laporan diterima 16 Jun lalu berkaitan kes samun
di sebuah pusat industri di Jalan Penampang.
Menurut pengadu, dua suspek lelaki masuk ke
dalam kedai serbaneka tersebut dengan menggu-
nakan topi keledar dan memakai pelitup muka.
<Salah seorang suspek bertindak mengeluarkan
parang dan meminta wang daripada pengadu.
<Suspek mengambil wang sebanyak RM1,081.50
yang disimpan dalam peti wang dan telefon bimbit
milik pengadu yang dianggarkan bernilai RM2,000.
<Mereka kemudian beredar dari lokasi kejadian
menggunakan sebuah motosikal berwarna gelap
dengan nombor plat sukar dikenal pasti,= katanya
dalam sidang akhbar di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah
(IPD) Penampang, di sini pada Jumaat.
Beliau berkata, susulan kejadian itu pihaknya
SIMIUN (kedua, kiri) dan pegawainya
menunjukkan sebahagian kabel dirampas.
Curi kabel, hisap
dadah: 4 ditangkap
Clarence Dol
RANAU: Empat lelaki disyaki terlibat dalam pencu-
rian kabel dan salah guna dadah ditangkap di sini,
pada Khamis.
Ketua Polis Daerah Ranau DSP Simiun Lomudin
berkata lebih 100kg kabel milik Telekom Malaysia
(TM) bernilai kira-kira RM6,000 turut dirampas.
Menurut beliau, kumpulan itu dipercayai
melakukan aktiviti mencuri kabel di daerah ini sejak
tiga bulan lepas.
Katanya, suspek juga dianggap berbahaya kerana
dilengkapi senjata seperti lastik, yang mereka
gunakan apabila berdepan orang awam semasa
melakukan aktiviti mereka.
<Pada jam 3.30 petang 11 Julai, pasukan pen-
guatkuasaan kami memeriksa dua kereta Perodua
Bezza di sekatan jalan raya Op Utama di KM4, Jalan
Ranau-Tambunan.
<Dua kereta sewa itu didapati membawa pelbagai
jenis kabel seberat 126kg, pemotong kabel serta per-
alatan menghisap dadah jenis syabu, dan sebuah
beg mengandungi bahan dipercayai syabu seberat
6.12 gram,= katanya.
Simiun berkata, siasatan mendapati empat sus-
pek lelaki itu, berumur antara 25 dan 30 tahun,
dalam perjalanan ke Tambunan untuk menjual
kabel curi tersebut.
harianekspres
menerima maklumat mengenai salah seorang suspek
dan serbuan dibuat oleh sepasukan polis Bahagian
Siasatan Jenayah (IPD) Penampang bersama cawan-
gan D9 Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah (JSJ) Ibu Pejabat Kon-
tinjen (IPK) Sabah.
<Suspek seorang lelaki tempatan mempunyai dua
rekod kesalahan lampau iaitu di bawah Seksyen
15(1)(a) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 dan Seksyen 160
Kanun Keseksaan kerana terlibat dalam pergaduhan.
<Hasil ujian air kencing juga mendapati suspek
positif dadah jenis methamphetamine. Sebanyak 28
barang dirampas dan dibawa ke IPD Penampang
untuk siasatan lanjut.
<Kita percaya terdapat empat lagi kes rompakan
yang dilakukan suspek iaitu di Penampang, dua di
Kota Kinabalu dan Keningau di mana suspek meng-
gunakan modus operandi samun secara berkumpu-
lan dengan menggunakan senjata,= katanya.
<Kami kini memburu seorang lagi suspek, dikenal
pasti sebagai 8Samsul9 dan setinggi kira-kira 180cm,=
katanya, sambil menunjukkan gambar lakaran wajah
(fotofit) suspek.
Sammy berkata suspek masih bebas itu adalah
orang tempatan dan menggesa orang ramai dengan
maklumat untuk menghubungi pegawai penyiasat
Inspektor Norisyam Syed Putera Arsad pada 018-
9618072.
Kes disiasat di bawah Seksyen 395/397 Kanun
Keseksaan kerana rompakan kumpulan bersenjata
dan Akta Senjata Api 1960 kerana memiliki senjata
api dan peluru tanpa lesen atau permit yang sah.
DBKK arah konsesi tingkat
kekerapan potong rumput
KOTA KINABALU: Syarikat konsesi terbabit diarah
meningkatkan kekerapan memotong rumput di bahu
jalan, jalan utama dan jalan protokol di seluruh Ban-
daraya.
Dalam satu kenyataan pada Jumaat, Dewan Ban-
daraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK) berkata penjagaan
kebersihan landskap Bandaraya adalah keutamaan
penting. Ia tidak menamakan mana satu antara tiga
syarikat konsesi yang dimaksudkan.
<Ini melibatkan pelaksanaan pelan komprehensif
untuk penyelenggaraan berkala, pemeriksaan,
pemangkasan pokok dan pemotongan rumput bagi
memastikan persekitaran yang memuaskan untuk
penduduk serta pengunjung.
<Usaha ini memastikan rumput di bahu jalan, jalan
utama dan jalan protokol kekal kemas dan terjaga,
sekali gus mengelakkan sebarang ketidakselesaan
kepada pengguna jalan raya,= katanya.
Baru-baru ini, pasukan Jabatan Landskap DBKK
menjalankan pemeriksaan dan memantau keadaan
rumput di sepanjang jalan utama dan jalan protokol
di Kota Kinabalu.
Buaya ditembak mati di LD
Azmie Lim
LAHAD DATU: Jabatan Hidupan Liar menembak mati
seekor buaya betina susulan operasi bersepadu yang
dijalankan di Kampung Sabah Baru, di sini, pada
Khamis.
Pegawai Hidupan Liar Lahad Datu, Silvester Saimin
berkata, operasi bersepadu itu dilancarkan pada Khamis
dalam usaha memburu buaya, disertai Jabatan Hidupan
Liar, Polis dan Angkatan Pertahanan Awam.
Silvester berkata, operasi itu meliputi beberapa
kawasan termasuk Kluster Industri Minyak Sawit (POIC),
Kampung Dasar Baru, Kampung Desa Bajau, Kampung
Sabah Baru, Kampung Tabanak dan Kampung Terusan.
<Semasa operasi, pasukan mengesan seekor buaya
berhampiran sebuah rumah di Kampung Sabah Baru.
<Tembakan dilepaskan ke arah buaya itu. Bangkai
kemudiannya dibawa ke Jabatan Hidupan Liar Lahad
Datu untuk tindakan lanjut,= katanya.
Menurut Silvester, buaya itu sepanjang kira-kira 8.2
kaki.
Tambahnya, operasi itu akan diteruskan dari semasa
ke semasa.
PETUGAS Jabatan sedia menembak buaya itu.
harianekspres
Dua lagi kriteria untuk
Sandakan jadi bandaraya
Jonathan Nicholas
KOTA KINABALU: Dua daripada 11 kriteria
perlu dipenuhi sebelum Sandakan boleh
dinaik taraf daripada sebuah majlis perban-
daran kepada sebuah bandaraya penuh.
Menteri Kerajaan Tempatan dan Peruma-
han Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam (PBS-Kun-
dasang) menjelaskan daerah itu perlu terlebih
dahulu mempunyai penduduk tidak kurang
daripada 500,000 dan pendapatan tahunan
RM100 juta ke atas.
<Untuk mencapai matlamat itu, Majlis Per-
bandaran Sandakan (MPS) telah merangka
pelan strategik yang dijadualkan dilancarkan
tahun ini.
<MPS telah menetapkan matlamat untuk
menaik taraf status Sandakan daripada per-
bandaran kepada bandaraya sebelum atau
menjelang 2030,= katanya kepada Dewan
Undangan Negeri (DUN), pada Khamis.
Timbalan Ketua Menteri II itu menjawab
soalan Datuk Mokran Ingkat (Umno - Sungai
Manila) yang bertanya mengenai perkemban-
gan transformasi itu.
Joachim berkata, dalam mencapai sasaran
tahunan RM100 juta, MPS akan men-
guatkuasakan undang-undang kecil untuk
mengoptimumkan kutipan hasil.
<Ini sebagai tambahan kepada pelak-
sanaan kadar taksiran baharu yang akan
diwartakan sepenuhnya menjelang 2025,
semakan kadar sewa hartanah berdasarkan
nilai pasaran semasa dan memperkasakan
Kg Likas Lama perlu diberi
status sewajarnya: Azhar
Hayati Dzulkifli
KOTA KINABALU: Kg
Likas Lama, yang
merupakan kam-
pung tertua di Likas,
perlu segera diberi
status sewajarnya,
bagi memastikan
penduduk beberapa
generasi di kam-
pung itu dapat
meneruskan kehidupan tanpa bimbang
rumah mereka mungkin dirobohkan oleh
pihak berkuasa.
Membuat gesaan itu, Adun Darau Azhar
Matussin (gambar) berkata Kg Likas Lama
yang telah didiami lebih 100 tahun sejak
1920-an, diwartakan sebagai rizab kumba-
han.
Beliau berkata Kg Likas Lama adalah
kampung asal Kg Likas yang dikenali seba-
gai 8Ta9dia9 bermaksud 8Bawah9 dalam
bahasa Bajau Sama.
<Kampung itu terletak kira-kira 50
meter dari Masjid Jamek Kg Likas dan
ironinya walaupun belum diwartakan
sebagai kampung, kemudahan seperti
bekalan air dan elektrik telah disediakan
kepada penduduk kampung secara sah
sejak sekian lama.
<Tetapi apa yang membimbangkan saya
ialah Kg Likas Lama mungkin tersenarai
sebagai salah satu daripada 285 koloni set-
inggan di Sabah, yang baru-baru ini dike-
nal pasti oleh kerajaan melalui
Jawatankuasa Induk Menangani Setinggan.
<Sebab itu saya mohon kerajaan negeri
mengambil tindakan segera memberikan
status sewajarnya supaya rumah yang
banyak di kawasan kampung itu tidak ter-
masuk dalam senarai koloni setinggan
yang akan dirobohkan,= katanya.
Azhar berkata demikian ketika memba-
haskan pembentangan Rang Undang-
undang Perbekalan Tambahan 2024 pada
persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri, di
sini baru-baru ini.
Menurutnya, beliau telah meminta
pembatalan warta rizab kumbahan
melalui surat kepada Ketua Menteri pada
22 Jun 2020 dan juga kepada Pengarah
Jabatan Tanah dan Ukur, pada 23 Jun 2020
untuk tindakan sewajarnya.
Mengenai kejadian banjir pada 30 Jun
baru-baru ini, beliau berkata ia kejadian
terburuk dalam tempoh 30 tahun di Darau,
menjejaskan 700 keluarga di beberapa
kampung termasuk Kg Rampayan Laut, Kg
Tobur Rampayan, Kg Seradan dan Kg
Dambai.
Katanya, banjir itu bukan banjir yang
biasa dilalui penduduk kampung sebelum
ini.
Lima RUU berkaitan perundangan Islam lulus
PERSIDANGAN Dewan Undangan Negeri
(DUN) Sabah pada Khamis meluluskan lima
rang undang-undang (RUU) berkaitan hal
ehwal perundangan Islam di Sabah.
RUU yang dibentangkan oleh Menteri
Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi Sabah Datuk
Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif itu antara lain bagi
memastikan pelaksanaan perundangan
Islam di negeri itu lebih kemas dan teratur
selaras dengan kuasa Mahkamah Syariah,
Majlis Ugama Islam Negeri Sabah dan
hukum syarak.
RUU terlibat ialah RUU Enakmen Tatacara
Jenayah Syariah (Pindaan) 2024, RUU
Enakmen Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam
(Pindaan) 2024, RUU Enakmen Zakat dan
Fitrah (Pindaan) 2024, RUU Enakmen Wakaf
(Negeri Sabah) (Pindaan) 2024 dan RUU
Enakmen Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah (Pin-
daan) 2024.
Empat Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri
(Adun) mengambil bahagian dalam perba-
SUARA TEMPATAN ANDA I
JOACHIM (kedua, kiri) bersama Ketua Menteri Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor (kanan)
dan dua lagi Timbalan Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (kedua, kanan)
dan Datuk Shahelmey Yahya pada sidang DUN, Khamis.
usaha mengutip tunggakan berjumlah lebih
RM40 juta.
<Bagi kriteria kedua iaitu mempunyai jum-
lah penduduk tidak kurang 500,000 orang,
MPS kini sedang mempergiatkan pelbagai
usaha perancangan bagi memastikan San-
dakan sentiasa menjadi destinasi pelaburan
strategik bagi menambah peluang pekerjaan
dan mempelbagaikan potensi ekonomi.
<Untuk mencapai tujuan ini, salah satu
rancangan MPS adalah untuk merancakkan
industri pelancongan melalui Pelan Tindakan
Pelancongan Sandakan 2020-2030.
<MPS sedang berusaha mendapatkan pel-
bagai pengiktirafan sama ada di peringkat
kebangsaan atau antarabangsa bagi memas-
tikan Sandakan sentiasa mendapat sorotan
<Setiap kali hujan lebat, banjir selalu
berlaku di kawasan saya, Darau.
<Tetapi banjir baru-baru ini sangat luar
biasa kerana menjejaskan 700 ketua isi
rumah (KIR) yang mengalami kerugian
dari segi kerosakan harta benda, kehilan-
gan barang peribadi dan perbelanjaan
pembersihan selepas air banjir surut.
<Atas sebab itu, saya ingin mengin-
gatkan Kerajaan Negeri supaya mengambil
tindakan luar biasa bagi menyelesaikan
masalah tersebut. Jika Kerajaan masih
mengambil sikap acuh tak acuh, maka
hasilnya tetap sama,= katanya.
Azhar berkata kerajaan perlu mengam-
bil tindakan drastik bagi menangani
segera masalah yang timbul daripada sis-
tem perparitan di kampung terbabit.
Kedua, katanya, pembinaan jambatan
lebih besar di Jalan Sulaman, Kg Rampayan
perlu dilaksanakan segera dan ketiga,
beliau mencadangkan Sungai Rampayan
dilebarkan dan didalamkan selepas jam-
batan Kg Rampayan.
<Jika ketiga-tiga langkah cadangan ini
tidak dilaksanakan segera, tebatan banjir
Sungai Rampayan yang kini dalam pembi-
naan tidak akan mencapai objektif sebe-
nar,= katanya.
Azhar menggesa kerajaan memasukkan
700 KIR mangsa banjir di Darau dalam
senarai bantuan kewangan RM1,000 yang
diumumkan kerajaan negeri untuk
mangsa banjir Penampang pada 1 Julai lalu.
Dalam perkembangan lain, beliau men-
gulangi gesaan agar kerajaan menjalankan
kerja-kerja pengorekan untuk men-
dalamkan kawasan cetek muara Sungai
Likas bermula dari kawasan hadapan
Jabatan Perikanan di Kg Likas sehingga ke
kawasan berhampiran helipad di bangu-
nan Menara Kinabalu.
Beliau berkata ia amat penting bagi
memudahkan lebih 100 nelayan sepenuh
masa dari Kg Bangka-Bangka, Kg Likas, Kg
Rampayan, Kg Kalansanan dan Kg Darau
untuk keluar menangkap ikan dengan
melalui muara tersebut.
<Sejak beberapa tahun lalu, muara Sun-
gai Likas menjadi cetek sehingga paras tiga
kaki sehingga menyukarkan bot nelayan
melaluinya.
<Nelayan mendapati, antara punca sun-
gai menjadi cetek adalah dasar sungai
dipenuhi sisa plastik, bahan buangan dan
lumpur lebih tebal.
<Ketika air surut, nelayan tidak dapat
pulang ke rumah kerana laluan cetek dan
terpaksa mengheret bot antara satu hingga
dua kilometer untuk ke jeti, malah ada
yang terpaksa tidur di dalam bot yang
boleh mengancam keselamatan mereka,=
kata Azhar.
hasan RUU berkenaan sebelum ia diluluskan
dengan suara terbanyak oleh Speaker Datuk
Kadzim M Yahya.
Mohd Arifin yang bertanggungjawab
dalam hal ehwal Islam Sabah ketika mem-
bentangkan RUU Enakmen Tatacara Jenayah
Syariah (Pindaan) 2024 berkata ia bertujuan
meminda takrif tertentu bagi istilah tertentu
dalam subseksyen 2(1) enakmen itu supaya
selaras dengan istilah masa kini yang digu-
nakan dalam undang-undang berkaitan.
Beliau berkata ia termasuk pindaan lain
yang berkaitan dengan perubahan proses
rayuan dengan wujudnya Mahkamah Utama
Syariah.
Menurutnya, RUU Enakmen Undang-
Undang Keluarga Islam (Pindaan) 2024 pula
bertujuan meminda takrif tertentu bagi isti-
lah tertentu dalam subseksyen 2(1) Enakmen
tersebut supaya selaras dengan istilah masa
kini yang digunakan dalam undang-undang
berkaitan.
SABTU, 13 JULAI, 2024
positif,= katanya.
Beliau berkata antaranya ialah pencapaian
Piawaian Bandar Pelancong Bersih Asean
2024-2026 pada April 2024 melalui Kementer-
ian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya Malaysia
serta Tinjauan Tempatan Sukarela MPS dan
Pelan Hala Tuju SDG dengan kerjasama
Urbanice Malaysia yang akan disiapkan dan
dibentangkan di New York, Amerika Syarikat
semasa Forum Politik Peringkat Tinggi pada
2025.
<MPS optimis dengan kedudukan
ekonomi daerah yang kukuh serta pengikti-
rafan daripada pelbagai peringkat, boleh
meletakkannya sebagai salah satu bandar
yang setanding dengan piawaian boleh huni
global,= tambahnya.
RM400j naik taraf
hospital Sandakan
MENTERI Pembangunan Masyarakat dan
Kesejahteraan Rakyat Datuk James Ratib
berkata Kementerian Kesihatan telah men-
cadangkan pembesaran Hospital Duchess of
Kent (HDOK) Sandakan dengan peruntukan
RM400 juta di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ke-
13 (RMK13).
<Kerja-kerja awal sedang dijalankan, dan
kita telah menerima peruntukan sebanyak
RM2 juta,= katanya ketika menjawab soalan
tambahan Adun Elopura Calvin Chong pada
sesi soal jawab persidangan Dewan Undangan
Negeri, Khamis.
James seterusnya berkata beliau telah
berbincang baru-baru ini dengan Menteri
Kesihatan Persekutuan untuk menaik taraf
hospital Sandakan dan Tawau kepada hospital
negeri yang mampu menampung lebih ramai
pakar.
Menjawab soalan lain oleh Adun Senallang
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, James berkata
Kementerian Kesihatan bercadang menem-
patkan pakar atau subpakar di hospital-hos-
pital daerah.
Kepada soalan asal Chong, James berkata
bilangan mesin dialisis sedia ada di HDOK
Sandakan adalah mencukupi untuk
memenuhi keperluan pesakit.
<HDOK mempunyai 30 water points dan 45
mesin dialisis.
<Sebanyak 121 pesakit sedang menerima
rawatan hemodialisis, dan 52 pesakit sedang
menerima rawatan dialisis peritoneal ambu-
latori berterusan (CAPD) di hospital,= katanya.
3 Ricardo Unto
63 peratus
Sabah masih
diliputi hutan
PEMBANTU Menteri kepada Ketua Menteri,
Datuk Abidin Madingkir, berkata kira-kira 63
peratus daripada 7.4 juta hektar kawasan
tanah negeri masih diliputi hutan simpan,
taman-taman Sabah, kawasan perlindungan
hidupan liar dan hutan tanah negeri, milik
kerajaan.
<Hutan simpan kekal di negeri ini telah
meningkat sebanyak 566.57 hektar. Pada 2020,
Sabah mempunyai 3,574,468.003 hektar.
<Ia meningkat kepada 3,575,035.573 hektar
sekarang, kira-kira 49 peratus daripada kelu-
asan tanah Sabah,= katanya ketika menjawab
soalan Adun Moyog Datuk Darell Leiking
pada Rabu. 3 Ricardo Unto
Bagi RUU Enakmen Zakat dan Fitrah (Pin-
daan) 2024, Mohd Arifin berkata ia bertu-
juan meminda takrif mahkamah, majlis dan
setiausaha supaya konsisten dengan takrif
diperuntukkan dalam Enakmen Mahkamah
Syariah 2024.
Mohd Arifin berkata RUU Enakmen
Wakaf (Negeri Sabah) (Pindaan) 2024 bertu-
juan meminda Enakmen Wakaf (Negeri
Sabah) 2018 berkaitan takrifan mahkamah
selaras dengan pewujudan Mahkamah
Utama Syariah dalam Enakmen Mahkamah
Syariah 2024.
RUU Enakmen Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah
(Pindaan) 2024 pula bertujuan meminda
takrif tertentu bagi istilah tertentu dalam
subseksyen 2(1) enakmen itu supaya selaras
dengan istilah masa kini yang digunakan
dalam undang-undang berkaitan.
Persidangan DUN Sabah kemudian
ditangguhkan pada satu tarikh yang akan
dimaklumkan kemudian. 3 Bernama
MIDE sasar RM50 juta nilai
potensi jualan usahawan Sabah
Ricardo Unto
KEMENTERIAN
Pembangunan
Perindustrian dan
Keusahawanan
Sabah (MIDE)
menyasarkan nilai
potensi jualan RM50
juta untuk usa-
hawan perusahaan
kecil dan sederhana
(PKS) Sabah tahun ini, berbanding
RM30.25 juta tahun lepas.
Pembantu Menteri Pembangunan
Perindustrian dan Keusahawanan Sabah
Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy
berkata, jika sasaran ini dapat dicapai
maka anggaran peratus pencapaian nilai
potensi jualan Usahawan PKS Sabah dapat
ditingkatkan sebanyak 40 peratus
berbanding pencapaian tahun lepas.
Antara ekspo yang telah dan akan dis-
ertai tahun ini iaitu Gulfood Expo di
Dubai, Foodex di Tokyo, Thaifex Anuga
Asia di Bangkok, World9s Food Expo di
Manila, HKTDC Food Expo Pro di Hong
Kong dan MIHAS @Dubai, katanya.
<Hasil penyertaan enam ekspo yang
telah berlangsung, usahawan PKS Sabah
berjaya menjana nilai jualan kaunter
sebanyak RM830,000 dan potensi jualan
sebanyak RM30.3 juta.
<Nilai ini telah melepasi pencapaian
pada tahun lepas dan diharap sasaran
yang ditetapkan dapat dicapai,= katanya.
Beliau menjawab soalan lisan Datuk
Suhaimi Nasir (Adun Dilantik) pada per-
sidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri di sini,
Khamis.
Beliau berkata kerajaan Sabah bersama
Persatuan-persatuan badan bukan kera-
jaan (NGO) Komuniti Cina tempatan dan
Dewan-dewan Perniagaan Cina akan men-
ganjurkan Sabah-China Business Summit
2024 (SCBS2024) di Pusat Konvensyen
Antarabangsa Sabah (SICC) di sini, dari 22
hingga 24 November.
<SCBS 2024 ini dilaksanakan sempena
sambutan ulang tahun yang ke-50
penubuhan hubungan diplomatik antara
Malaysia dan China, khususnya Sabah dan
China.=
Beliau berkata Kementeriannya telah
menggariskan beberapa program untuk
meningkatkan keupayaan PKS di Sabah.
Antara inisiatif itu ialah program SME-
Up di bawah Jabatan Pembangunan
Perindustrian dan Penyelidikan (DIDR).
<Program ini dirangka untuk mem-
bantu usahawan meningkatkan kapasiti
pengeluaran dan kualiti produk yang
berpotensi untuk dikomersialkan di
dalam dan luar Sabah.
<Kategori bantuan yang ditawarkan
Pemergian pengasas bersama G25
Noor Farida suatu kerugian besar
DATUK Noor Farida Ariffin, seorang
aktivis hak asasi manusia terkenal yang
meninggal dunia selepas sakit pada 27
Jun pada usia 76 tahun, adalah salah seo-
rang daripada segelintir peguam yang
dilantik ke dalam perkhidmatan diplo-
matik Malaysia.
Dia memasuki perkhidmatan itu
selepas lama berkhidmat dalam perkhid-
matan kehakiman dan undang-undang,
dan tiga tahun di Sekretariat Komanwel
di London, di mana dia mengendalikan
isu wanita dan pembangunan.
Perkhidmatan Luar Malaysia mem-
punyai beberapa rekrut awal dengan
latar belakang undang-undang 3 seperti
Tun M, Ghazali Shafie, Datuk Hussein
Mohd Osman, Datuk Zainal Abidin
Ibrahim, dan Datuk Renji Sathiah 3 tetapi
hampir tiada peguam pengamal. Noor
Farida dan rakan seangkatannya, Datuk
Azzat Kamaluddin, adalah pengecualian
yang jarang berlaku.
Dua peguam pengamal terkemuka,
Datuk Dr R. Ramani dan Tan Sri PG Lim,
telah dimasukkan ke dalam Perkhid-
matan Luar pada 1960-an, dan Noor
Farida mewakili kesinambungan tradisi
yang hampir dilupakan itu.
Tetapi tidak seperti dua peguam itu,
dia pada dasarnya seorang penjawat
awam yang sedang berkhidmat. Dia juga
merupakan generasi terkemudian dan
telah terdedah kepada pemikiran
birokrasi yang tertanam dalam pegawai
kerajaan yang berkembang pada 1980-an
dan 1990-an.
Namun dia seorang patriot, setia,
diplomat dan jiwa yang baik, sentiasa
komited dan lantang bersuara tentang
kesopanan, permainan adil, keadilan,
kelakuan baik, integriti dan ketelusan
tertinggi.
Selepas bersara daripada perkhid-
matan kerajaan, beliau mengasaskan
kumpulan G25 dan mendedikasikan
dirinya kepada misi mempromosikan
Tempatan 3
tahun ini termasuk mesin dan peralatan
serta peningkatan kualiti pembungkusan.
<Usahawan yang berminat boleh mem-
ohon tahun ini melalui portal SME-Up di
laman web DIDR,= katanya.
Beliau berkata, Kementerian juga
melaksanakan Program Transformasi Usa-
hawan Sabah atau Trus-MIDE bagi mem-
bantu usahawan meningkatkan kualiti
pembungkusan untuk menembusi
pasaran pasar raya tempatan dan antara-
bangsa.
Bantuan yang ditawarkan kepada pro-
duk usahawan termasuk reka bentuk pro-
duk baharu, maklumat pemakanan,
percetakan kod bar dan maklumat tarikh
luput.
<Kementerian juga komited untuk
menganjurkan pelbagai kursus pemban-
gunan keusahawanan bagi membantu
usahawan meningkatkan kemahiran
mereka untuk mengembangkan potensi
perniagaan.=
Antara kursus yang dianjurkan oleh
Kementerian ialah kursus pensijilan
<Makanan Selamat Tanggungjawab Indus-
tri= (Mesti), kursus peningkatan kualiti
produk melalui teknologi retort, kursus
pematuhan pensijilan halal, dan program
pemerkasaan usahawan Sabah (Push).
Di samping itu, DIDR bekerjasama den-
gan pasar raya tempatan seperti Bataras
Hypermarket dan Kedai Mesra Petronas
untuk membantu usahawan tempatan
memasarkan produk mereka.
<Melalui kerjasama ini, jualan produk
usahawan tempatan mencatatkan jumlah
yang memberangsangkan.
<Sebagai contoh, produk usahawan di
Bataras Hypermarket mencatatkan jualan
RM3.64 juta pada 2023.
<Manakala, jualan di Petronas Kedai
Mesra berjumlah RM2.46 juta,= katanya.
Beliau berkata MIDE juga mengan-
jurkan Karnival PMKS Sabah 3 satu pro-
gram untuk membantu usahawan
meneroka peluang pasaran baharu,
meningkatkan jualan, menjalankan
pemadanan perniagaan dengan pasar
raya tempatan, dan mempromosikan pro-
duk mereka.
<Tahun ini, dua Karnival PMKS Sabah
telah diadakan di Luyang dan Tawau.
<Dua lagi Karnival PMKS Sabah akan
diadakan di Keningau dari 26 hingga 28
Julai dan di Beaufort pada Oktober,=
katanya.
<Saya berharap Usahawan PKS, khusus-
nya di Sabah mampu memanfaatkan pelu-
ang yang ada seperti program, kursus dan
bantuan disediakan di bawah kementer-
ian saya agar mampu bersaing diper-
ingkat global dan seterusnya
meningkatkan ekonomi Sabah,= katanya.
akauntabiliti, tadbir urus baik, keseder-
hanaan dan ketelusan ke arah membina
masyarakat majmuk yang harmoni dan
sihat.
Sentiasa berpakaian rapi, sikapnya
yang penuh belas kasihan dan pen-
dekatan kosmopolitan membuatkan dia
disenangi semua rakan sekerja dan
sekutu.
Keupayaan beliau untuk mengatasi
perbezaan etnik, agama dan status
menyebabkan beliau amat disayangi dan
dihormati.
Dia mahir dalam seni percakapan
yang baik, mesra, layanan sempurna dan
sempadan kelakuan diplomatik yang
betul.
Dia boleh, dengan keikhlasan dan
keberanian yang jelas, bercakap benar
kepada mereka yang berkuasa, sifat yang
jarang dilihat dalam sistem yang terkenal
dengan tingkah laku <bodek orang
atasan, tindas orang bawahan=.
Pengetua sekolahnya [King Edward VII
Secondary School di Taiping, Perak], Long
Heng Hua yang terkenal 3 seorang pen-
didik terbilang yang secara konsisten
menolak kenaikan pangkat ke jawatan
lebih tinggi 3 pasti berbangga dengan
pujian dan pencapaian yang diberikan
kepada muridnya.
Pemergian Noor Farida, memandan-
gkan aktivismenya pada peringkat pem-
bangunan yang penting dalam sejarah
Malaysia, merupakan kehilangan besar
kepada negara.
Dia meninggalkan warisan cinta, kese-
tiaan kepada negara, pemikiran tenang
mengenai isu polemik dan dedikasi
kepada kedaulatan undang-undang.
Datuk M.Santhananaban
l Penulis adalah seorang diplomat
bersara dengan pengalaman lebih 45 tahun
dalam sektor awam; beliau kini timbalan
presiden Persatuan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu
Malaysia.
 4 Tempatan
Pemandu pelancong cabul
wanita dipenjara, disebat
Lagatah Toyos
TAWAU: Seorang pemandu pelancong
tanpa dokumen, dipenjara lapan tahun
dan dikenakan dua sebatan oleh
Mahkamah Sesyen di sini, pada Jumaat
kerana melakukan amang seksual ter-
hadap seorang pelancong remaja, 17, di
Semporna, minggu lepas.
Bara Madasah, 18, mengaku bersalah di
hadapan Hakim Rosli Ahmad bahawa dia
melakukan perbuatan itu ke atas mangsa
ketika aktiviti menyelam di kawasan
perairan Pulau Kapalai kira-kira 1.49
petang 3 Julai.
Tertuduh didakwa mengikut Seksyen
14(a) Akta Kesalahan Seksual Kanak-Kanak
2017 yang memperuntukkan hukuman
penjara maksimum selama 20 tahun dan
sebat, jika sabit kesalahan.
Mahkamah memerintahkan tertuduh
Pekerja kilang serang
penyelia dijel 10 bulan
Jo Ann Mool
KOTA KINABALU: Seorang pekerja kilang
warga Filipina dipenjara 10 bulan pada
Jumaat kerana menyerang penyelianya,
minggu lalu.
Arjun Damli Julhasad, 38, mengaku
bersalah di hadapan Majistret Stephanie
Sherron Abbie atas tuduhan menye-
babkan kecederaan terhadap Md Niezam
Firdaus Saidin, 22, pada 3 Julai lalu di
Cement Industries (Sabah) Sdn Bhd, di
Sepanggar.
Fakta kes yang dikemukakan oleh
pihak pendakwaan menyatakan pada hari
tersebut, semasa pengadu sedang men-
jalankan tugas, Arjun yang merupakan
pekerja kontrak kilang itu, dengan sen-
gaja memijak kakinya dan menjeling
marah ke arahnya tanpa meminta maaf.
Pengadu menegur tindakan Arjun,
tetapi Arjun tiba-tiba menumbuk muka
pengadu sehingga mencetuskan per-
gaduhan.
Semasa pergelutan itu, Arjun mengam-
bil sebatang besi berhampiran dan
memukul kepala pengadu sebelum perge-
lutan mereka dileraikan oleh pekerja lain
yang hadir di lokasi.
Pengadu kemudian pergi berjumpa
majikannya sebelum dinasihatkan untuk
mendapatkan rawatan, manakala Arjun
sudah meninggalkan tempat kejadian.
Pengadu tidak tahu sebab kenapa
Arjun bertindak sedemikian, kerana
mereka tidak pernah berselisih faham
sebelum ini.
Akibat kejadian itu, pengadu men-
galami kecederaan termasuk luka di
kepala, yang menyebabkan dia menerima
tiga jahitan, serta lebam dan calar di
muka.
Arjun kemudiannya ditahan berikutan
laporan polis yang dibuat oleh pengadu.
Dia didakwa mengikut Seksyen 323
Kanun Keseksaan yang membawa huku-
man penjara sehingga setahun atau denda
sehingga RM2,000, atau kedua-duanya
sekali, jika sabit kesalahan.
Mahkamah memerintahkan Arjun
Bapa Baby Syifaa didakwa
salah guna wang RM67,000
KUALA LUMPUR: Bapa kepada Nour
Rania Asyifaa atau lebih dikenali seba-
gai Baby Syifaa mengaku tidak bersalah
di Mahkamah Majistret di sini pada
Jumaat atas pertuduhan menyalahgu-
nakan harta iaitu wang berjumlah
RM67,000 milik seorang wanita, tahun
lepas.
Yuseri Yusoff, 41, didakwa
menyalahgunakan harta kepunyaan
Nurul Ain Awatiff di sebuah premis di
Wangsa Maju di sini pada 20 Julai
hingga 12 Okt 2023.
Pertuduhan dikemukakan mengikut
Seksyen 403 Kanun Keseksaan yang
memperuntukkan hukuman penjara
maksimum lima tahun dan dengan
sebat dan denda, jika sabit kesalahan.
Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Hamizah
Hisan menawarkan jaminan RM15,000
Bekas CEO salah guna kuasa
lantik anak dalam syarikat
MELAKA: Seorang bekas ketua pegawai
eksekutif sebuah anak syarikat berkai-
tan kerajaaan Melaka didenda
RM15,000 oleh Mahkamah Sesyen Ayer
Keroh di sini pada Jumaat selepas men-
gaku bersalah melantik anak perem-
puannya ke dalam syarikat terbabit
pada 2021.
Hakim Elesabet Paya Wan men-
jatuhkan hukuman itu selepas Amir Ali,
58, membuat pengakuan itu terhadap per-
tuduhan pilihan iaitu bagi pihak dirinya
sendiri, telah membuat urusan
berhubung suatu harta iaitu bayaran gaji
keseluruhan berjumlah RM13,750 yang
diterima anak perempuannya yang dilan-
SUARA TEMPATAN ANDA I
menjalani hukuman itu berkuatkuasa dari
tarikh tangkapan iaitu 4 Julai dan dirujuk
ke Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia untuk pen-
gusiran keluar ke negara asal selepas sele-
sai menjalani hukuman.
Menurut fakta kes, mangsa bersama
keluarga yang berasal dari Klang, Selan-
gor menggunakan khidmat ejen pelan-
congan datang ke Semporna untuk
bercuti dan melancong ke beberapa
pulau dan pusat peranginan di daerah
itu.
Bagaimanapun, semasa melakukan
aktiviti menyelam bersnorkel di
perairan Pulau Kapalai, tertuduh
melakukan amang seksual terhadap
mangsa dengan meraba payudara
mangsa beberapa kali.
Mangsa turut menegur tertuduh,
namun lelaki itu tetap melakukan perbu-
menjalani hukuman itu dari tarikh dia
ditangkap dan dirujuk ke Jabatan Imigre-
sen selepas itu.
Dalam kes lain, seorang penjawat
awam, yang didakwa mencabul seorang
wanita, dibebaskan daripada pertuduhan
itu.
Majistret Lovely Natasha Charles
melepas dan membebaskan Christopher
Chiu, 51, tanpa memanggil pembelaannya,
memutuskan bahawa pihak pendakwaan
gagal membuktikan kes prima facie.
Chiu, 51, didakwa meraba payudara
wanita itu pada 10.20 pagi 29 Mac tahun
ini di Bahagian Kejuruteraan Automotif,
Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan, Penampang.
Tertuduh pada 1 Dis 2023, meminta
dibicarakan atas pertuduhan mengikut
Seksyen 354 Kanun Keseksaan.
Enam saksi pendakwaan dipanggil
untuk memberi keterangan di peringkat
pendakwaan.
Chiu diwakili peguam Yong Pei Yi,
Dicky Lo dan Cornelius Chua.
Sementara itu, seorang lelaki berusia 55
tahun didenda RM25 atau penjara sehari
kerana berkelakuan secara mengancam
terhadap seorang lelaki.
Hubert Charles mengaku di hadapan
Majistret Stephanie melakukan kesalahan
itu terhadap Surezza Ng, 63, dengan niat
mengganggu ketenteraman pada 24 Jun,
jam 6 petang, di Bukit Bantayan Residence.
Pertuduhan mengikut Seksyen 8(1)(e)
Ordinan Kesalahan Kecil itu memperun-
tukkan denda RM25, jika sabit kesalahan.
Fakta kes yang dikemukakan oleh
pihak pendakwaan menyatakan bahawa
pada hari tersebut, pengadu berada di
tempat letak kereta apabila Hubert meng-
hampirinya dengan kayu, mengugut dan
mencabarnya untuk bergaduh, menuduh-
nya membaling telur busuk ke dalam
rumahnya.
Pertelingkahan mereka dileraikan oleh
pengawal keselamatan yang bertugas.
Timbalan Pendakwa Raya (DPP) Ling
Guong Zhi dan Inspektor Suzie S.K. men-
jalankan pendakwaan.
dengan seorang penjamin, manakala
peguam T. Gaithri memohon jaminan
rendah atas alasan anak guamnya
menanggung keluarga dan tidak mem-
punyai pendapatan tetap.
Majistret Illi Marisqa Khalizan kemu-
dian membenarkan tertuduh diikat
jamin RM6,000 dengan seorang pen-
jamin dan menetapkan 26 Ogos ini
untuk sebutan semula kes bagi serahan
dokumen.
Pada 10 Julai lepas, Bernama mela-
porkan lelaki itu ditahan polis bagi
membantu siasatan berkaitan kes
penipuan dalam urusan yuran guaman
dan kutipan dana sejak tahun lepas
melibatkan kerugian RM140,000, susu-
lan laporan polis oleh beberapa indi-
vidu yang mendakwa menjadi mangsa
penipuan tertuduh. 3 Bernama
tik ke jawatan Pegawai Kewangan W41 di
Syarikat Melaka Halal Hub Sdn Bhd.
Dia dituduh melakukan kesalahan itu
di Syarikat Melaka Halal Hub Sdn Bhd, Lot
125, Bangunan Anchor, Kawasan Perindus-
trian Melaka Halal Hub Serkam, Jasin pada
1 April 2021.
Amir didakwa di bawah Seksyen 23
Akta Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah
Malaysia 2009 dan melakukan kesalahan
di bawah Seksyen 26 akta sama serta boleh
dihukum di bawah akta berkenaan yang
membawa hukuman denda tidak
melebihi RM50,000 atau penjara maksi-
mum tujuh tahun atau kedua-duanya
sekali. 3 Bernama
SABTU, 13 JULAI, 2024
atannya. Kejadian itu turut terakam dalam
video kamera kalis air yang dibawa oleh
mangsa semasa kejadian.
Mangsa kemudiannya memaklumkan
kejadian tersebut kepada ahli keluar-
ganya sebelum tampil membuat laporan
polis.
Terdahulu, Pegawai Pendakwa, ASP Nur
Intan Jamrin memohon mahkamah men-
jatuhkan hukuman berat terhadap ter-
tuduh untuk memberi pengajaran
kepadanya, memandangkan kesalahan itu
adalah serius dan membabitkan kepentin-
gan awam.
Permohonan
semakan Philip
Among ditolak
Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU:
Mahkamah Tinggi di sini
menolak permohonan
seorang ahli politik,
untuk menyemak perin-
tah supaya dia membela
diri atas pertuduhan
mencabul seorang
wanita, yang juga
peserta Unduk Ngadau
Kaamatan (UNK), tiga tahun lalu.
Hakim Datuk Zaleha Rose Pandin meno-
lak permohonan Phillip Among selepas
mendengar hujahan kedua-dua pihak.
Philip telah memohon untuk menye-
mak semula keputusan Mahkamah
Majistret yang memerintahnya membela
diri atas pertuduhan tersebut.
Pada Oktober 2023, Mahkamah
Majistret telah memerintahkan Philip
membela diri selepas mahkamah memu-
tuskan bahawa pihak pendakwaan telah
membuktikan kes prima facie terhadapnya.
Phillip didakwa melakukan kesalahan
itu terhadap wanita itu pada jam 11 malam
17 April 2021 di ruang tamu Jesselton Cap-
sule Inn di Asia City.
Pada 10 Jun 2021, Phillip meminta
dibicarakan atas pertuduhan mengikut
Seksyen 354 Kanun Keseksaan yang mem-
peruntukkan hukuman penjara sehingga
10 tahun, atau dengan denda atau dengan
sebatan, atau dengan mana-mana dua
daripada hukuman itu, jika sabit kesala-
han.
Selepas keputusan di Mahkamah Tinggi,
kes Philip disebut di Mahkamah Majistret
untuk menetapkan tarikh pembelaannya.
Majistret Lovely Natasha Charles kemu-
dian menetapkan 28-29 Ogos tahun ini
untuk pembelaan Philip.
Pendakwaan dikendalikan Timbalan
Pendakwa Raya Siti Hajar Mazlan manakala
Philip diwakili peguam Abdul Fikry Jaafar
Abdullah.
Philip, yang merupakan ketua teknikal
pertandingan Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan
2021, juga diperintah membela diri atas
empat lagi pertuduhan mencabul seorang
peserta Unduk Ngadau Negeri, tetapi kes-
kes itu juga sedang menunggu untuk
semakan terhadap keputusan itu.
Tukang masak
didakwa rogol,
cabul wanita
KOTA KINABALU: Seorang tukang masak
berusia 35 tahun didakwa merogol seo-
rang wanita dan memasukkan jarinya ke
dalam kemaluan wanita itu.
Arronny Janius mengaku tidak
bersalah di hadapan Hakim Mahkamah
Sesyen Elsie Primus, atas dua pertuduhan
terhadapnya.
Bagi pertuduhan pertama, Arrony
didakwa merogol wanita berusia 18 tahun
dan empat bulan itu, antara 2 pagi dan 6
pagi pada 12 Mei tahun ini, di dalam
sebuah kereta yang diletakkan berhampi-
ran TT Bar di Kepayan Point, Penampang.
Kesalahan mengikut Seksyen 376(1)
Kanun Keseksaan itu membawa hukuman
penjara sehingga 20 tahun, dan sebat, jika
sabit kesalahan.
Bagi pertuduhan kedua, dia didakwa
melakukan persetubuhan terhadap
wanita sama dengan memasukkan dua
jarinya ke dalam kemaluan mangsa pada
hari sama di dalam kenderaan sama, yang
diletakkan di Taman Awam Teluk Likas, di
sini.
Kesalahan mengikut Seksyen 377CA
Kanun Keseksaan itu memperuntukkan
hukuman penjara antara lima dan 30
tahun, dan sebatan, jika sabit kesalahan.
Mahkamah menetapkan 7 Ogos ini
untuk sebutan dan tiada jaminan
ditawarkan kepada Arrony sementara
menunggu kesnya selesai.
Pendakwaan dikendalikan Timbalan
Pendakwa Raya Siti Hajar Mazlan man-
akala Arrony tidak diwakili peguam.3
CDB
Smart SBB Ala Sekinchan
diperluas ke Kota Belud
KOTA KINABALU: Program SMART Sawah
Berskala Besar (Smart SBB) Ala Sekinchan
kini diperluas ke Kg Kesapang Tengah,
Kota Belud melibatkan 181 petani tem-
patan.
Pengerusi Padiberas Nasional Berhad
(Bernas), Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim
berkata pelaksanaan program jelapang
padi Sabah di kawasan seluas 187,000 hek-
tar itu mampu meningkatkan pengelu-
aran sehingga 4.2 tan per hektar
berbanding kira-kira 2.6 tan pengeluaran
padi sebelum ini.
<Smart SBB Ala Sekinchan ialah
model baharu dengan menerapkan
amalan pertanian berhasil tinggi yang
bermatlamat meningkatkan pendap-
atan pesawah dengan mengaplikasikan
amalan penanaman padi terbaik dan
mengeluarkan padi lebih bersasar
menerusi pembangunan kawasan secara
berkelompok.
<Projek perintis Smart SBB - Kawasan
KAKITANGAN serta pengunjung Wisma Persekutuan
berkumpul di luar bangunan ketika kejadian itu.
‘Air di dalam cawan bergoyang’
Lagatah Toyos
TAWAU: Ratusan individu termasuk
pegawai, kakitangan, pekerja awam, klien
serta orang ramai yang berurusan di ban-
gunan Wisma Persekutuan Tawau, diarah
mengosongkan bangunan tujuh tingkat
itu susulan gegaran yang turut dirasai di
daerah ini akibat gempa bumi di Min-
danao, Filipina, pada Khamis.
Pengerusi bangunan Wisma Perseku-
tuan Tawau, Amir Kanje berkata, beliau
membuat pengumuman mengosongkan
bangunan pada jam 10.30 pagi selepas
dimaklumkan berlaku gegaran agak kuat
pada jam 10.15 pagi.
<Gegaran berlangsung tiga kali, sekitar
satu minit dan paling ketara di tingkat
lima, enam dan tujuh,= katanya.
Menurutnya, pasukan bomba dan
penyelamat daerah yang tiba di lokasi
selepas dihubungi, turut membuat
pemeriksaan di kesemua pejabat bangu-
nan itu memandangkan terdapat juga
individu yang enggan turun.
Katanya, bangunan itu yang menem-
patkan 480 pegawai dan kakitangan, ter-
masuk pekerja awam ditutup sementara
dan beroperasi semula pada jam 2 petang
(Khamis).
Sementara itu, pegawai farmasi Cawan-
gan Penguatkuasaan Farmasi, Ooi Kah
Geap, 36, yang berpejabat di tingkat tujuh
berkata, gegaran dirasai agak kuat
sehingga air di dalam cawan turut
Dinding rumah bertambah retak
R. Gonzales
TUARAN: Lima sekeluarga berdepan detik
cemas apabila gempa bumi kuat bermagni-
tud 6.6 skala Richter yang melanda Min-
danao, Filipina, turut dirasai di kediaman
rumah mereka di Jalan Tamparuli-Ranau,
Kampung Bongol, Tamparuli di sini, pagi
Khamis.
Dalam kejadian jam 10.20 pagi itu, struk-
tur rumah didiami Rembini Suanti, 45, dan
keluarganya mengalami banyak kesan kere-
takan namun dia dan ahli keluarganya
bersyukur tidak mengalami sebarang
kecederaan akibat kejadian itu.
Katanya, ketika kejadian dia sedang
berkebun bersama seorang anaknya dan
bergegas memasuki rumah untuk melihat
keadaan tiga lagi ahli keluarganya.
<Angin terlalu kuat sehingga menye-
babkan atap zink rumah yang bergoyang
turut berbunyi sehingga kami agak sukar
memastikan ia adalah gempa bumi atau
sebaliknya.
<Sebaik angin mulai reda, barulah
gegaran itu dirasai dan perlahan-lahan
menghilang sebelum kami sekeluarga
menarik nafas lega.
<Susulan itu saya keluar semula melihat
keretakan dinding rumah yang sebelum ini
hanya mengalami keretakan kecil akibat
gempa bumi pada 2018, kini bertambah
besar dan banyak kesan retak baharu dind-
Paras laut normal di Kunak
Ibrahim Tabir
KUNAK: Paras laut naik sedikit di kawasan
perairan dekat jeti pendaratan ikan di
Pangkalan Kunak pada tengah hari
Khamis, namun itu normal kerana situasi
ini biasa berlaku.
Operasi harian penduduk berjalan
seperti biasa di Pasar Ikan Basah dan
pekan serta sekitarnya.
Didapati bot-bot nelayan dilihat
berlabuh tidak jauh dari kawasan jeti
harianekspres
Pertanian Pembangunan Bersepadu
(IADA) Kota Belud bermula di Kampung
Jawi-Jawi melibatkan 14 pesawah dan
kawasan tanah terbiar seluas 40 hektar.
<Bernas bertindak sebagai pengurus
projek, penyedia perkhidmatan dan
penyeliaan penggunaan baja serta racun
mengikut pertanian kontrak bersama
pesawah terlibat,= katanya ketika ditemui
media selepas mengadakan kunjungan
hormat kepada Yang di-Pertua Negeri
Sabah, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, Rabu lepas.
Beliau turut memaklumkan Smart SBB
Ala Sekinchan Bernas - IADA Kota Belud
akan dilancarkan oleh Menteri Pertanian
dan Keterjaminan Makanan, Datuk Seri
Muhamad Sabu hari ini (Sabtu) sempena
Program Gelombang Padi.
Turut hadir Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif
Kumpulan Bernas, Zulkiflee Abdul Rah-
man dan Ketua Bahagian Aktiviti Huluan
dan Konsesi Bernas, Abdul Rahman Mohd
Nasri.
bergoyang.
<Ini bukan pertama kali saya terasa
gegaran gempa bumi sejak bertugas di
sini tiga tahun lepas, tapi kali ini
(gegaran) lebih kuat dan lama sehingga
mencecah satu minit.
<Semua kami lapan orang dalam peja-
bat ketika itu menyedari gegaran bergegas
turun ke bawah selepas mendengar
pengumuman arahan mengosongkan
bangunan,= katanya yang turut merasai
gempa bumi pada 2022 lalu.
Manakala, Ag Marzuki Ag Latif, 41, yang
bertugas di Jabatan Penerangan Tawau
pula menyangkakan ada simulasi
kebakaran ketika hendak kembali ke peja-
bat mereka di tingkat dua selepas menye-
lesaikan tugasan di luar.
Menurutnya, dia tidak merasai gegaran
kerana berada di luar, namun dimak-
lumkan rakannya ada yang berasa pening
dan loya akibat gegaran tersebut, khusus-
nya di tingkat lima dan ke atas.
Sementara itu, Ketua Balai Bomba dan
Penyelamat Tawau, Jemishin Ujin berkata,
pihaknya menerima satu panggilan sahaja
berhubung gegaran akibat gempa bumi
tersebut, iaitu di Wisma Persekutuan
Tawau.
Untuk rekod, gempa bumi magnitud
6.6 di Mindanao, Filipina direkodkan
berlaku jam 10.13 pagi dengan kedalaman
632 kilometer turut dirasai di Sabah dan
Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan.
KESAN retak pada dinding
rumah Rembini.
ing rumah,= katanya.
Menurutnya, kedudukan rumah mereka
yang terletak di kawasan tebing bukit,
sudah menjadi kebiasaan dengan kejadian
gempa bumi itu.
<Namun, rumah yang semakin bertam-
bah retak ini sangat membimbangkan kese-
lamatan keluarga saya apatah lagi masih
ada cucu yang masih kecil,= tambahnya.
tersebut dalam tinjauan Daily Express sek-
itar jam 12 tengah hari di sini.
Sementara itu, kawasan daerah ini
tidak merasai gegaran berikutan kejadian
gempa bumi di Filipina itu.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Ketua
Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat JBPM
Kunak, Mohamad Omarbatha ketika
dihubungi berkata, pihaknya tidak mener-
ima sebarang laporan mengenai gegaran
atau kesan kejadian itu.
harianekspres
WHO beri amaran mpox kekal ancaman kesihatan global
GENEVA: Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia
(WHO) pada Khamis memberi amaran
mpox atau dulunya dikenali sebagai cacar
monyet kekal sebagai ancaman kesihatan
global.
Organisasi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa
Bersatu (PBB) itu yang menerima laporan
kes dari 26 negara bulan lalu menyuarakan
kebimbangan terhadap wabak mpox yang
lebih membunuh, menular di Republik
Demokratik Congo (DRC).
Dalam taklimat media, Ketua WHO,
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Mpox,
berkata mpox kekal sebagai ancaman kesi-
hatan global dan Afrika Selatan baru-baru
Saya calon
paling layak
bertanding
jawatan presiden:
Joe Biden
WASHINGTON: Presiden Amerika Syarikat
(AS) Joe Biden pada Khamis berkata beliau
layak bertanding jawatan presiden dalam
pilihan raya November ini, meskipun ter-
dapat desakan agar beliau menarik balik
pencalonannya, lapor Agensi Anadolu.
<Saya fikir saya paling layak untuk
bertanding jawatan presiden. Saya pernah
kalahkan beliau (Donald Trump) dan saya
akan menewaskannya sekali lagi,= kata
Biden semasa sidang media pada akhir
sidang kemuncak Pertubuhan Perjanjian
Atlantik Utara (Nato).
Pada 2020, Biden menewaskan calon
Republikan Donald Trump yang ketika ini
sudah pun mengumumkan hasratnya
untuk kembali menerajui Rumah Putih.
<Saya tidak bertanding untuk
meneruskan legasi. Saya bertanding untuk
menyelesaikan tugas yang saya mulakan.
<Kita telah membuat begitu banyak
kemajuan. Fikirkanlah. Saya optimis men-
genai arah tuju perkara ini,= katanya.
Biden membuat kenyataan itu sebagai
respons terhadap desakan yang semakin
meningkat, menggesa beliau menarik diri
daripada pilihan raya Presiden 2024.
Pemimpin itu juga menyebut bahawa
sekutu AS di sidang kemuncak Nato
menggalakkan beliau untuk bertanding
semula jawatan presiden.
Biden ketika ini merupakan presiden
paling tua dalam sejarah dan akan berusia
86 tahun apabila penggal keduanya
tamat. 3 Bernama-Anadolu
IKN rangsang
ekonomi
seimbang:
Thohir
JAKARTA: Pembinaan Ibu Kota Nusantara
(IKN) merupakan antara langkah strategik
yang diambil kerajaan untuk merangsang
ekonomi yang seimbang dan pembangu-
nan merata di seluruh Indonesia, kata
Menteri Perusahaan Milik Negara Erick Tho-
hir.
<Mengapa kerajaan membangunkan
IKN? Objektif kita hanyalah untuk
mengekalkan pertumbuhan ekonomi dan
mencapai pembangunan yang lebih seim-
bang,= jelasnya semasa pertemuan dengan
Suruhanjaya VI Dewan Rakyat (DPR) di
Jakarta pada Rabu.
Thohir menggariskan bahawa kerajaan
membayangkan Nusantara sebagai pusat
pentadbiran baharu yang dijangka dapat
menangani jurang pembangunan antara
wilayah dan mengukuhkan infrastruktur
negara, yang seterusnya dijangka
merangsang pertumbuhan ekonomi.
Beliau berkata kerusi kerajaan Indonesia
pada masa depan tidak hanya akan berdiri
sebagai ikon pemodenan infrastruktur, ker-
ana ia juga akan menjadi instrumen untuk
menghentikan hujah bahawa pembangu-
nan di negara itu terlalu tertumpu di Pulau
Jawa.
Thohir menegaskan bahawa kerajaan
komited untuk membawa kemajuan ke
semua wilayah di Indonesia.3 Bernama-
Antara
Istana Negara IKN dijangka siap hujung bulan ini
JAKARTA: Istana Negara di Ibu Kota Nusan-
tara (IKN), yang ketika ini dalam pembi-
naan, akan digunakan pada hujung bulan
ini, menurut Kementerian Kerja Raya dan
Perumahan Rakyat (PUPR), seperti dila-
porkan portal Antara.
Imam Santoso Ernawi, ketua pasukan
petugas khas untuk perancangan pemban-
gunan infrastruktur Nusantara kementer-
ian, berkata sebahagian besar ruangan di
istana, termasuk suite utama, akan siap
untuk digunakan.
Bercakap pada sidang media dalam tal-
ian di sini pada Khamis, katanya, kerja-
kerja-kerja pembinaan ruangan acara, yang
akan menjadi tuan rumah sambutan ulang
tahun Hari Kemerdekaan Indonesia ke-79
pada 17 Ogos ini, sudah pun siap.
<Ruangan acara dan podiumnya sudah
100 peratus siap untuk digunakan sebagai
SUARA TEMPATAN ANDA I
ini melaporkan 20 kes, termasuk tiga kema-
tian, kes pertama di negara itu sejak 2022.
Tiada satu pun daripada kes itu mem-
punyai sejarah perjalanan antarabangsa,
katanya.
Kebimbangan khusus ialah situasi di
DRC di mana satu jenis virus baharu mere-
bak sejak September lalu.
Wabak itu tidak menunjukkan tanda
perlahan, kata Tedros, sambil menun-
jukkan 11,000 kes telah dilaporkan tahun
ini, termasuk 445 kematian, dengan kanak-
kanak paling terjejas.
Rosamund Lewis, ketua teknikal WHO
untuk mpox, berkata agensi kesihatan PBB
Israel arah kosongkan Gaza City
BAITULMAQDIS: Tentera Israel men-
garahkan rakyat Palestin men-
gosongkan Gaza City dan menuju ke
selatan ketika rejim itu meningkatkan
serangan merentasi wilayah utara, sela-
tan dan tengah Semenanjung Gaza.
Israel memaklumkan kepada pen-
duduk Gaza mengenai perintah
pemindahan dengan menggugurkan
risalah menggesa <semua mereka di
Gaza City= untuk mengambil dua
<laluan selamat= ke selatan ke kawasan
sekitar bandar tengah Deir al-Balah.
Gaza City yang dulunya sebuah ban-
dar paling ramai penduduk katanya,
akan <kekal sebagai zon tempur berba-
haya.=
Tentera Israel mengusir rakyat
Palestin dari Gaza City denganmen-
garahkan mereka ke selatan ketika rejim
itu meningkatkan serangannya
merentasi wilayah utara, selatan dan
tengah Semenanjung Gaza.
Israel memaklumkan kepada pen-
duduk Gaza mengenai perintah
pemindahan dengan menggugurkan
risalah menggesa <semua mereka di
Gaza City= untuk mengambil dua
India kekal negara paling ramai penduduk abad ini – Laporan PBB
NEW DELHI: India dijangka kekal sebagai
negara paling ramai penduduk di dunia
dan berdepan tekanan ekonomi dan alam
sekitar, menurut laporan World Population
Prospects 2024 yang diterbitkan Pertubuhan
Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) pada Khamis.
India memintas China sebagai negara
paling ramai penduduk pada tahun lalu.
Menurut laporan itu, populasi di India
dijangka kekal sebagai terbesar di dunia
sepanjang abad ini dan dijangka menurun
Serangan perisian tebusan
Indonesia perkukuh
keselamatan siber
JAKARTA: Serangan siber di Indonesia
baru-baru ini yang mengganggu sistem
data nasional telah mendorong negara
itu untuk memperkukuh keselamatan
sibernya dan menilai semula dasar
teknologi digital, lapor Xinhua.
Menteri Penyelaras Politik, Undang-
undang dan Hal Ehwal Keselamatan
Indonesia, Hadi Tjahjanto berkata pada
Jumaat bahawa kerajaan akan melak-
sanakan penambahbaikan keselamatan
digital dan mengukuhkan keupayaan sis-
tem pusat data nasionalnya.
<Kami sedang mereka bentuk pusat
data dengan keupayaan pelbagai san-
daran (back-ups) dan langkah kesela-
matan yang kukuh.
<Kami berhasrat menjadikan ia sistem
yang tidak boleh digodam. Usaha ini
akan berterusan bagi menyokong kera-
jaan dalam berkhidmat kepada
masyarakat,= kata Tjahjanto.
Kementerian Komunikasi dan Infor-
masi Indonesia kini bersedia untuk
melaksanakan < tenant redeploy= bertu-
juan meningkatkan keselamatan digital
dalam tadbir urus berdasarkan prosedur
operasi standard yang lebih ketat.
tempat sambutan ulang tahun Hari
Kemerdekaan,= katanya, dan menambah
ruangan acara itu dapat menampung
sehingga 8,000 orang.
SABTU, 13 JULAI, 2024
sangat prihatin dengan keadaan itu.
<Terdapat risiko rentas sempadan dan
virus terus bergerak,= katanya.
Mpox pertama kali ditemui pada manu-
sia pada 1970 di DRC, dengan penyebaran
subjenis Clade I.
Pada Mei 2022, jangkitan mpox melon-
jak di seluruh dunia, kebanyakannya mem-
babitkan lelaki gay dan biseksual dan ia
adalah subjenis Clade II.
Sejak September lalu, strain Clade I
yang baharu dan lebih mematikan mere-
bak di DRC, yang menular secara seksual
juga di kalangan heteroseksual dengan
wabak itu bermula dalam kalangan
<laluan selamat= ke selatan ke kawasan
sekitar bandar tengah Deir al-Balah.
Gaza City, katanya, akan <kekal seba-
gai zon tempur berbahaya.=
Awal minggu ini tentera telah men-
gusir rakyat Palestin dari bahagian
timur dan tengah bandar itu tetapi
ramai yang tinggal di situ selepas mem-
buat kesimpulan tiada tempat lain
untuk mencari perlindungan di Seme-
nanjung Gaza.
Tindakan ketenteraan yang diper-
sebanyak 12 peratus selepas mencapai
kemuncaknya sekitar awal 2060-an dengan
kira-kira 1.7 bilion penduduk.
Populasi India pada 2024 dianggarkan
mencecah 1.45 bilion berbanding 1.41 bilion
di China.
Menurut unjuran PBB, menjelang 2054,
India akan menjadi tempat tinggal bagi
kira-kira 1.69 bilion orang manakala popu-
lasi China akan menyusut kepada 1.21 bil-
ion.
<Kami akan melaksanakannya dari
Ogos hingga September 2024,= kata Ketua
Pengarah Aplikasi Informasi kementerian
itu, Ismail pada Khamis.
Serangan perisian tebusan yang
menyasarkan pusat data nasional
Indonesia mewujudkan krisis data besar-
besaran bermula pada 17 Jun dan berteru-
san selama hampir satu minggu. Pada
mulanya, penggodam menuntut tebusan
sebanyak US$8 juta.
Menurut Kementerian Komunikasi
dan Informasi serta National Cyber and
Encryption Agency, sekurang-kurangnya
282 institusi terganggu akibat serangan
itu termasuk perkhidmatan imigresen
yang menyebabkan orang ramai terpaksa
beratur panjang di lapangan terbang aki-
bat masalah sistem.
Serangan itu juga mengganggu insti-
tusi pendidikan untuk pendaftaran pela-
jar menjelang sesi akademik baharu.
Susulan kejadian itu, terdapat laporan
bahawa ramai rakyat Indonesia menun-
tut peletakan jawatan Menteri Komu-
nikasi dan Informasi, dengan alasan
kegagalannya melindungi data orang
ramai.
PEMBINAAN Istana
Negara di IKN,
Kalimantan Timur. 3
Foto Fail Antara
Pembinaan Istana Negara dan ruangan
acara sudah siap lebih 83 peratus, manakala
kerja-kerja pembinaan di Pejabat Presiden
mencecah lebih 88 peratus.3 Agensi
pekerja seks.
Ujian mendedahkan ia adalah varian
bermutasi Clade I, dipanggil Clade Ib.
Wabak mpox global dua tahun lalu
menyebabkan WHO mengisytiharkan
kecemasan kesihatan awam yang membim-
bangkan antarabangsa pada Julai 2022.
Ia menamatkan amaran pada Mei tahun
lalu, tetapi terus menasihati penduduk
untuk terus berwaspada.
<Mpox tidak akan hilang. Kita hidup
dalam dunia yang saling berkaitan, jadi
penyebaran virus ini boleh terus berlaku,=
kata Maria Van Kerkhove, ketua kesiapsia-
gaan pandemik WHO. 3 AFP
RAKYAT Palestin
meninggalkan
kawasan kejiranan
Shujaiya
(Shijaiyah), timur
Gaza City selepas
kawasan itu
dimusnahkan dalam
operasi dua minggu
tentera Israel. 3
Foto AFP
giatkan itu berlaku ketika pengantara
Amerika Syarikat, Mesir dan Qatar
bertemu dengan pegawai Israel di ibu
negara Qatar, Doha, untuk menyam-
bung semula rundingan gencatan sen-
jata dengan Hamas sebagai pertukaran
untuk pembebasan puluhan tebusan
Israel yang ditahannya.
Israel mendakwa ia menggempur
pejuang Hamas yang berkumpul semula
di pelbagai bahagian di Gaza sembilan
bulan selepas perang.3 Agensi
Populasi China pada 2100 diunjurkan
sekitar 633 juta.
Bangladesh, Indonesia, Maghribi, Peru
dan Filipina adalah antara negara yang
dijangka mengalami penurunan populasi
pada separuh kedua abad ke-21.
Cabaran utama bagi negara-negara yang
menyaksikan pertumbuhan penduduk
yang pesat adalah bagaimana mengu-
rangkan impak alam sekitar pada masa
hadapan sambil memenuhi keperluan pen-
Industri kewangan di Indonesia, yang
dianggap paling terdedah kepada peng-
godam, terus meningkatkan keselamatan
sibernya untuk mengantisipasi ancaman
serangan siber.
Penguasa Perkhidmatan Kewangan
Indonesia, sebuah agensi kerajaan yang
mengawal selia dan menyelia sektor
perkhidmatan kewangan melancarkan
garis panduan keselamatan siber pada
Selasa yang memenuhi keperluan semua
penyelenggara inovasi teknologi dalam
sektor kewangan di negara itu.
Garis panduan itu merangkumi per-
lindungan data, pengurusan risiko, tin-
dak balas insiden, 8maturity assessment9,
latihan dan kesedaran, dengan menguta-
makan prinsip kerjasama dan pertukaran
maklumat.
Sementara itu, Persatuan Penyedia
Perkhidmatan Internet Indonesia (APJII)
memaklumkan bahawa mereka sedang
membentuk pasukan khas yang akan
memberi tumpuan kepada keselamatan
siber, khususnya untuk mengelakkan
kesan negatif daripada inovasi teknologi
yang berkembang pesat. 3 Bernama-Xin-
hua
BKSDA Cirebon siasat kehadiran
harimau bintang di Jawa Barat
CIREBON, Jawa Barat: Balai Konservasi Sum-
ber Daya Alam (BKSDA) Cirebon bertindak
pantas setelah menerima laporan menge-
nai seekor harimau bintang yang dilihat di
Desa Gunungmanik, Kecamatan Kuningan,
Jawa Barat, untuk mencegah konflik antara
penduduk dan haiwan liar tersebut.
<Pada Selasa malam (9 Julai), kami
menerima laporan tentang kehadiran
seekor harimau bintang di Desa Gunung-
manik,= kata Selamet Priambodo, ketua
BKSDA Cirebon, portal Antara melaporkan.
BKSDA segera melakukan siasatan dan
memeriksa kesan tapak kaki serta rakaman
video haiwan tersebut. Bukti menunjukkan
haiwan itu berkeliaran berdekatan desa
berkenaan.
<Berdasarkan maklumat dan bukti
Dunia 5
12 terbunuh,
65 hilang
dalam tanah
runtuh
di Nepal
KATHMANDU: Dua belas orang terbunuh
manakala 65 lagi hilang dalam kejadian
tanah runtuh berasingan di Nepal pada
Khamis malam dan pagi Jumaat, lapor
Xinhua yang memetik kenyataan polis
tempatan.
Jurucakap polis daerah Kaski, Basant
Kumar Sharma, berkata tujuh dipercayai
sekeluarga dan tiga yang lain maut dalam
tanah runtuh di Pokhara pada Khamis
malam manakala seorang lagi mangsa
terkorban di perbandaran Madi di daerah
itu.
<Kami telah menemukan 11 mayat di
tiga tempat di daerah itu,= kata Sharma
kepada Xinhua.
Sementara itu, 65 penumpang hilang
selepas dua bas dihanyutkan ke sungai
oleh tanah runtuh di daerah Chitwan di
lebuh raya Mugling-Narayanghat yang
menghubungkan Kathmandu dengan
seluruh negara.
Sebuah bas dengan 24 penumpang
dalam perjalanan ke Kathmandu dari Bir-
gunj manakala sebuah lagi membawa 41
penumpang menuju ke Gaur di daerah
Rautahat dari Kathmandu.
<Kedua-dua bas disyaki terjatuh di Sun-
gai Trishuli. Pasukan penyelamat yang ter-
masuk penyelam telah dikerah untuk
mengesan mereka,= kata Bhesh Raj Rijal,
jurucakap polis daerah, kepada Xinhua.
Dalam kejadian lain, seorang pemandu
bas terbunuh selepas ditimpa batu di Chit-
wan di laluan lebuh raya yang sama.
Perdana Menteri Nepal, Pushpa Kamal
Daha telah mengarahkan pasukan kesela-
matan menyegerakan usaha menyelamat
mangsa. 3 Bernama-Xinhua
duduk mereka.
<Kerosakan alam sekitar selalunya tim-
bul hasil daripada aktiviti ekonomi yang
membawa kepada taraf hidup yang lebih
tinggi.
<Peningkatan populasi pula memberi
tekanan terhadap alam sekitar susulan pen-
ingkatan permintaan ekonomi secara
keseluruhan,= menurut laporan Jabatan Hal
Ehwal Ekonomi dan Sosial PBB (Desa) pada
Hari Populasi Sedunia.3 Bernama
Tanah runtuh:
Pencarian 23
individu hilang
diteruskan
BONE BOLANGO (Gorontalo): Usaha
mencari 23 individu yang masih hilang
susulan kejadian tanah runtuh di sebuah
lombong emas di Bone Bolango wilayah
Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia pada 7
Julai lalu diteruskan pagi Jumaat.
Operasi mencari terpaksa dihentikan
pada Khamis selepas hujan lebat terus
melanda kawasan lombong berkenaan.
Pada Jumaat, pasukan penyelamat
menghantar logistik dan mengerah lebih
ramai anggota ke lokasi kejadian, lapor
Antara memetik Ketua Operasi Agensi
Mencari dan Menyelamat Gorontalo, Ida
Bagus Ngurah Asrama.
<Hujan yang berterusan di kawasan
lombong telah membantutkan operasi
mencari,= kata pegawai agensi penyela-
mat itu dalam satu kenyataan media
pada Khamis.
Beliau menegaskan bahawa keadaan
cuaca yang buruk telah melambatkan
bukan sahaja operasi mencari tetapi juga
penempatan penyelamat dan
pengedaran logistik.
Setakat Khamis, jumlah orang yang
terjejas akibat kejadian tanah runtuh
besar berjumlah 190. Seramai 23 orang
disahkan meninggal dunia, 144 ditemui
masih hidup dan 23 lagi masih hilang,
kata Asrama.3 Bernama-Antara
visual, sememangnya ada jejak harimau
bintang itu dan mengesahkan ia dilihat di
kampung tersebut,= katanya.
Untuk memastikan keselamatan sama
ada harimau bintang itu atau penduduk,
BKSDA mengambil beberapa langkah
pencegahan.
Ia bekerjasama dengan ketua kampung
Desa Gunungmanik dan polis setempat
untuk menasihati penduduk kampung
supaya mengurangkan aktiviti di luar
rumah pada waktu malam.
<Kami bersiap siaga bersama polis, TNI
(Tentera Nasional Indonesia), dan Badan
Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD).
Kami dilengkapi dengan mercun untuk
menakut-nakutkan harimau itu jika ia
muncul kembali,= ujar Priambodo.3 Agensi
 6 Hiburan
Once Mekel
Once, Elica
gegar KDCA
31 Ogos ini
Kazalinah Kamaludin
harianekspres@ymail.co
P
ENYANYI popular
Indonesia, yang juga
bekas anggota kumpu-
lan Dewa 19, Once Mekel bakal
menggegarkan Dewan KDCA
di Penampang sempena Kina-
balu Music Fest - Art & Culi-
nary 2024 pada 31 Ogos ini.
Selain itu, festival selama
tiga hari dari 30 Ogos 3 1 Sep-
tember ini juga bakal
menampilkan barisan artis
dan kumpulan terkenal
antaranya, Masdo Band, Bunk-
face Band, Elica Paujin and
Atmosfera Band.
Penganjur, Fazura Azima Ag
Sha, yang juga Pengarah Acara
Fazbuzz Events & Media
berkata mereka gembira untuk mem-
bawakan barisan artis yang pelbagai dan
berbakat untuk festival itu tahun ini.
<Kehadiran Once Mekel, bekas vokalis
Dewa 19, menjadi tumpuan utama untuk
malam konsert yang diadakan pada 31
Ogos, bertepatan dengan sambutan Hari
Kemerdekaan.
<Dengan vokal dan persembahan pen-
tas hebat, kehadirannya pasti akan
memukau penonton yang hadir dan
mencipta pengalaman konsert yang
belum pernah dirasakan.
<Kami yakin persembahan Once tidak
hanya akan memukau tetapi juga
meninggalkan kesan yang mendalam
kepada semua yang hadir.
<Ini adalah peluang yang jarang
Shuhada
tarik balik
laporan polis
terhadap
Hafidz
Roshdi
MAHKAMAH Majistret di Kuala Kubu
Bharu pada Jumaat dimaklumkan bahawa
bekas isteri pelakon Hafidz Roshdi iaitu
Nurul Shuhada Mat Shukri telah menarik
balik laporan polis yang dibuat terhadap
pelakon itu berhubung pertuduhan
mencederakan wanita tersebut.
Peguam Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader,
yang mewakili Hafidz atau nama sebe-
narnya Muhammad Hafidz Roshdi, 30,
ketika dihubungi berkata Nurul Shuhada
telah menarik balik laporan polis itu
pada 6 Julai lepas.
Susulan itu, beliau memaklumkan
Hakim Siti Fatimah Talib yang bertindak
sebagai Majistret menetapkan tarikh
baharu bagi sebutan semula pada 2 Ogos
ini untuk pendakwaan menentukan
sama ada kes akan diteruskan atau seba-
liknya.
Pada 13 Mac 2023, Hafidz mengaku
tidak bersalah atas pertuduhan dengan
sengaja menyebabkan kecederaan ter-
hadap Nurul Shuhada dengan menum-
buk pipi kiri wanita itu sebanyak tiga kali
sehingga luka, lebam dan bengkak.
Pelakon drama itu didakwa
melakukan perbuatan itu berhampiran
susur keluar Tol Sungai Buaya di sini
pada 3.22 pagi 2 Mac tahun lepas
mengikut Seksyen 323 Kanun Keseksaan
yang membawa hukuman maksimum
penjara setahun atau denda RM2,000
atau kedua-duanya dan dibaca bersama
Seksyen 326A kanun sama yang mem-
bawa hukuman penjara dua kali ganda
tempoh maksimum bagi sabitan di
bawah Seksyen 323. 3 Bernama
SUARA TEMPATAN ANDA I
Elica Paujin
Kugiran Masdo
berlaku untuk menyaksikan seorang leg-
enda muzik beraksi, dan ia bakal men-
jadi tumpuan utama festival ini,=
katanya.
Kinabalu Music Fest - Art & Culinary
yang menggabungkan muzik, seni dan
kulinari mensasarkan untuk mempro-
mosikan Kota Kinabalu sebagai destinasi
budaya utama di Malaysia.
Selain konsert pada malam 31 Ogos,
festival itu turut menampilkan beberapa
aktiviti lain seperti, pameran seni,
bengkel interaktif, gerai 8pop-up9 kulinari
yang menawarkan pelbagai masakan
serta hidangan tempatan dan antara-
bangsa, dan banyak lagi.
Maklumat lanjut, layari Facebook di
KinabaluMusicFest2024 and TikTok
@Fazbuzzm.
HAFIDZ (kiri) ditemani
isteri baharunya Athira Yuhada
hadir di Mahkamah Majistret
Kuala Kubu Bharu pada
Jumaat. 3 fotoBERNAMA
Tiada provokasi, Hafidz dan bekas isteri dah berdamai
PEGUAM yang mewakili pelakon, Hafidz
Roshdi iaitu Datuk Akberdin Abdul
Kader menjelaskan tidak ada sebarang
provokasi mahupun ugutan yang men-
jadi faktor mengapa pengadu yang juga
bekas isteri Hafidz, Nurul Shuhada Mat
Shukri menarik balik kes dakwaan ter-
hadap anak guamnya
Akberdin berkata, laporan polis
penarikan balik kes Hafidz yang didakwa
menumbuk wanita itu pada tahun lalu
itu dibuat secara suka rela.
<Sebenarnya, pihak-pihak sudah sele-
saikan perkara ini secara baik. Tiada
sebarang provokasi atau ugutan. Mereka
dah selesaikan semua isu berkenaan
rumah tangga secara baik.
<Seperti mana yang saya cakap, lapo-
ran yang dibuat adalah tanpa paksaan
dan dengan suka rela,= katanya.
Menurut Akberdin, laporan penarikan
balik yang dibuat Shuhada pada 6 Julai
SABTU, 13 JULAI, 2024
Single, janda tapi
maaf tak ‘available’:
Nonny Nadirah
MASIH solo selepas
bergelar janda,
pelakon Nonny
Nadirah (gambar)
mengakui sedang
menunggu jejaka
baik kurniaan Tuhan
yang sesuai dengan-
nya.
Percaya dengan
kuasa doa, Nonny atau nama sebenarnya
Nonny Nadirah Zainuddin, 34, juga mene-
tapkan kriteria tertentu yang diinginkan
daripada seorang lelaki yang bakal men-
jadi imamnya.
<Status saya sekarang, single, janda.
Tapi maaf, tak 8available9.
<Saya sedang menunggu putera saya
daripada Allah. Nak yang tinggi cecah
julang ke langit!
<Saya percaya dengan doa, tak dapat
dekat dunia Allah pasti bagi dekat akhi-
rat,= katanya menerusi Instagram Story.
Sering dipersalahkan dalam perhubun-
gan, pelakon drama Luka Di Hati Diya itu
menzahirkan rasa kesal selain menasi-
hatkan kaum Adam supaya tidak bersikap
berat sebelah pihak.
<Dulu saya selalu terkena, asyik saya
sahaja yang dianggap nakal.
<Sekarang lelaki, hmm& saya simpan
komen saya. Jangan asyik cari 8point9 isteri
sahaja yang salah. Tolonglah,= ujarnya.
Terdahulu, Nonny pernah bercinta den-
gan aktor Niezam Zaidi namun hubungan
mereka tidak kesampaian apabila perkah-
winan yang dirancang dibatalkan.
Sebelum itu, Nonny pernah
mendirikan rumah tangga dengan Mus-
tain Adnan pada 2018 tetapi jodoh
mereka hanya bertahan selama setahun.
Lama menghilang, Nonny baru-baru
ini mencetuskan kontroversi dengan
memuat naik video menari sambil
berkemban. 3 Kosmo! Online
Peguam sahkan kes cerai Harith, Dr Jezamine ditunda
PERBICARAAN kes cerai antara pelawak
Harith Iskander dan isterinya, Dr Jezamine
Lim yang sepatutnya berlangsung di
Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Wilayah
Persekutuan, Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur
pada 15 Julai ini akan ditunda ke satu tarikh
lain.
Perkara itu disahkan oleh peguam
mewakili Dr Jezamine, Datuk Akberdin
Abdul Kader, selain menjelaskan, kedua-
dua pihak memberikan kerjasama baik
sepanjang perbincangan.
<Memang sekarang sudah jelas kes itu
memang wujud. Tarikh sudah ada, tapi
ditunda kerana mahkamah ada urusan
lain. Kami akan maklumkan tarikh
baharu selepas ini.
<Kedua-duanya memberi kerjasama
yang baik. Jadi, tunggu tarikh baharu
yang akan dimaklumkan,= katanya dite-
mui di Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Kubu
Bharu, pada Jumaat selepas perbicaraan
kes pelakon Hafidz Roshdi dan bekas
isteri, Nurul Shuhada Mat Shukri.
Terdahulu, BH Online melaporkan,
lalu itu juga akan diteliti sebelum dimak-
lumkan semula oleh Timbalan Pendakwa
Raya (DPP) kepada mahkamah pada 2
Ogos ini.
<Seperti yang dimaklumkan DPP
kepada Hakim, pengadu, Shuhada sudah
buat laporan polis menarik balik pada 6
Julai. Jadi, pihak polis dah terima dan
kami pun dah terima daripada peguam
Shuhada.
<Jadi, oleh kerana prosedur pendak-
waan adalah untuk memastikan kandun-
gan laporan itu, maka, mereka akan
ambil kenyataan tambahan daripada
pengadu. Jadi, mereka perlukan sedikit
waktu dan sebab itulah Hakim setuju
dan beri dua minggu.
<Ini peringkat daerah, jadi akan diru-
juk kepada 8bos9 (Pengarah Pendakwaan
Negeri). Jadi, mereka akan teliti laporan
dan arahkan Pegawai Penyiasat untuk
ambil percakapan tambahan, adakah
Salah Mamat sendiri – Ajai
PEMAIN keyboard Exists dan komposer,
Ajai, 49, berpendapat masalah pengambi-
lan dadah yang dialami penyanyinya,
Mamat adalah kesilapannya sendiri.
Ajai berkata, hati Mamat sendiri tidak
kuat hingga dia terjebak dalam perbu-
atan itu.
<Apa yang jadi bukan salah orang lain,
tetapi berlaku sebab hati Mamat sendiri.
Hati dia sendiri yang tak kuat dan 8on off9
benda itu,99 katanya.
Ajai berkata, Mamat sepatutnya perlu
ada semangat kental dalam dirinya untuk
menolak pengambilan barang terlarang
itu meskipun jika ada orang lain cuba
memberikan kepadanya.
<Sebenarnya, ambil atau tak ambil
benda itu terletak pada hati Mamat. Kalau
ada orang cuba atau nak bagi dia
sekalipun dan hati kamu tak nak, tidak
jadi juga. Oleh itu, pucuk pangkalnya hati
Mamat sendiri.
<Saya juga percaya setiap kesilapan
yang dilakukan itu datangnya daripada
diri kita sendiri dan bukan kerana dipen-
garuhi oleh mana-mana individu lain.
Kita ada hati dan boleh fikir sendiri,=
katanya ketika ditemui pada program
realiti Gimme The Mic di Publika, Khamis.
Selain itu, mengulas kenyataan
pemain bass Exists, Musa Radhi yang
menyifatkan kehidupan di kampung
merosakkan Mamat, Ajai berkata, dia
faham rasa kecewa seorang sahabat apa-
bila melihat sahabatnya terus dibelenggu
kesilapan berulang.
<Saya rasa apa yang diluahkan Musa
pada kenyataan dikeluarkannya itu tidak
bermaksud pun menyalahkan orang lain
sepenuhnya. Cuma, dia dalam keadaan
sedih dan hampa melihat nasib dihadapi
Mamat.
<Sebagai sahabat Mamat dalam Exists,
kami semua sayang dan sentiasa ambil
berat mengenai dia. Kami juga selalu
menasihatinya dan jaga dia dengan baik.
Boleh dikatakan, Mamat nampak 8fresh9
dan tiada masalah sekiranya dia ada
bersama dengan kami,= katanya.
DR Jezamine mengesahkan memfailkan
permohonan cerai terhadap Harith, bulan lalu.
Harith memohon untuk diberikan masa
sebelum memberikan penjelasan.
<Terima kasih atas panggilan atau
mesej. Saya mohon maaf atas lambat
menjawab.
<Kami akan membuat kenyataan tidak
apa-apa bentuk ugutan atau apa.
<Selepas itu, apabila mereka sudah
berpuas hati, jadi dia akan tarik baliklah.
Tarikh akan datang adalah 2 Ogos dan
pendakwaan akan maklumkan kepada
mahkamah hasil penelitian,= katanya.
Ditanya mengenai pengakhiran kes
ini, Akberdin berkata, berdasarkan pen-
galamannya, semuanya dapat disele-
saikan secara damai apabila semua pihak
meneruskan kehidupan.
<Ini ekoran masalah rumah tangga
dan kebanyakan kes begini boleh disele-
saikan. Memanglah tegang, tapi selepas
seketika, selepas semua pihak berfikir
masak-masak, sebab ada anak dan seba-
gainya, boleh diselesaikan.
<Sebelum ini saya pernah buat kes
seperti ini. Kalau dah ada penyelesaian
dan terma dah jelas, teruskan kehidupan,
jadi kawan untuk anak-anak. Jadi kawan
baiklah.
harianekspres
AJAI berpendapat masalah
pengambilan dadah yang dialami
Mamat adalah kesilapannya
sendiri. 3 Foto Harian Metro
Baru-baru ini, Mamat yang berdepan
dua pertuduhan mengambil dadah pada
2019, berjaya dalam rayuannya, namun
dijatuhi hukuman denda RM4,000 serta
dua tahun pengawasan di Agensi Anti-
dadah Kebangsaan (AADK) Bentong,
Pahang untuk rawatan dan pemulihan.
Mamat yang tampil bersama Exists
pada 1991 popular dengan lagu-lagu
seperti Untukmu Ibu, Rahsia Pohon Cemara,
Langkah Seiringan dan banyak lagi.
Bagaimanapun, Mamat meninggalkan
Exists pada 1994 dan memilih bergerak
sebagai penyanyi solo dan popular den-
gan lagu Salju Di Danau Rindu, Hanya
Engkau Kekasih dan Inspirasi Kamar Hati.
Mamat mendirikan rumah tangga
dengan Marshila Mustapha Kamal pada
2001, tetapi mereka yang dikurniakan
tiga anak bercerai pada 2009.
Kini, Mamat juga mempunyai seorang
cucu. 3 Harian Metro
lama lagi dan anda pasti menjadi orang
pertama mengetahuinya. Terima kasih
banyak atas kesabaran anda,= katanya.
Pada 9 Julai lalu, BH Online melaporkan
Dr Jezamine dipercayai memfailkan cerai
terhadap suaminya. 3 BH Online
Shuhada tak hadir
sebab tak sihat
BEKAS isteri pelakon Hafidz Roshdi iaitu
Nurul Shuhada Mat Shukri (gambar)
tidak hadir ke Mahkamah Majistret Kuala
Kubu Bharu pada Jumaat kerana tidak
sihat.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan peguam
yang mewakili Hafidz, Datuk Akberdin
Abdul Kader.
<Sebenarnya subpoena tak dikelu-
arkan sebab hari ini sebutan. Saya dengar
dia pun tak berapa sihat hari ini.
<Tapi, kalau dia datang pun, pendak-
waan kena buat pengesahan secara bebas
dan ada prosedurnya,= katanya.
Mahkamah pada Jumaat memberi
tarikh baharu, 2 Ogos untuk Timbalan
Pendakwa Raya (DPP) memaklumkan
maklumat terperinci kepada mahkamah
selepas Nurul Shuhada menarik balik kes
menumbuk pipi kiri yang didakwa
dilakukan Hafidz pada 13 Mac lalu
sebanyak tiga kali di susur keluar Plaza
Tol Sungai Buaya, di Kuala Kubu Bharu.
Sementara itu, cubaan Harian Metro
menghubungi Shuhada bagi mendap-
atkan komennya tidak berjaya apabila
dia tidak menjawab panggilan telefon
dan membalas mesej. 3 Harian Metro
harianekspres
Humazag Doid Anau
K
OTOODO nopo di Soimon i kalaja9
daamin pinonuuan di mosital disido
om potutubo9 no dau i buuk
ponunuatan. Nokokutub i buuk Onggilis
babasaon. Mantad no dii buuk o pino-
gonuan di mosital di kalaja9 todoon
daamin. Induvo disido piguguhiai minam-
basa9 di susuzan doid buuk teks. Nolotian
disido om nosimba disido.
<Mundoong podii,= ka di Soimon om
sondiu no di tobon hamin. Tinindu9 disido i
poingumbangan do vavaan hamin. Doiho9
no i toibutan tongus mantad danau. Minu-
zoop mato disido.
<Ongoi podu9 Mon!= ka di ina9 disido.
Aiso do gua9 di tinan disido.
<Guzuoon o tanak dino, Ginis,= ka di
ama9 di Soimon.
<Au9 avasi modop do tumonob tadau.
Mosik om mongoi no podu9,= ka di inai
Ginis minonginsasamod di tanak kusai
dau.
<Biio9 gia i kantung diaha9 nung notoodo
no ngavi9 dau o homework,= ka di ama9 di
Soimon.
<Odoi kupo diau Jiim. Onu noihaan ku
dino homework. Migit po pinsil nga9 au9
koiho,= ka di inai Ginis.
Au9 nadadi i mamai Jiim minonguot di
buuk doid kantung di Soimon. Kivaa buuk
poimbihiu doid hisiu id doos di Soimon.
Pointampak i pinsil om pupuhas di buuk.
Vahado9 no di mamai Jiim i buuk
ponunuatan. Nium disido i lambal nongo-
suatan. Kokito no disido i lambal touvi no
di nosuatan. Poinsuat o tadau vuhan
kinosuatan do tadau dii.
<Mogot ko iziau Jiim tu9 kotutun do ABC.
Onu ngavi9 o nabasa9 nu?= ka di inai Ginis.
<Notoodo no di Imon o homework dau,=
ka di mamai Jiim. Nokougad isido sikul do
duvo no toun. Tuminood isido tu9 au9 ohi-
das o tinan. Gongoson isido. Opusakan do
momuobo om au9 kaanu mumpazat minto-
tongkuson miampai di tampon ngaavi9
dau. Nokohogos i toluo disido. Pinaakan
isido di mohoing dau do tinumbu9 gavi do
insan tadau. Nopiuman di mamai Jiim do
nahangga9 i luak todung disido. Aiso do
hangou kuminodou do kaavang mobuobo.
Kivaa do impipio isido paakano9 do tin-
imbu9 gavi om ponginut nodii do tumina-
gak i gongos disido.
Nokotonduhi9 i kohidasan disido. Nga9
noduanan nodii isido di tampon disido
doid sikul. Notihombusan disido do au9
minugad sikul.
<Kosikul po kozo zi Jiim diti nga9 aiso
guno nung au9 no ohidas tinan,= ka di ama
di mamai Jiim.
Uzogo9 no di mamai Jiim i tinan di Soi-
SUARA TEMPATAN ANDA I
mon. Minimpulagiu i Soimon. Tuminungag
isido om unduk no minooi doiho9 id
toobong dioho9. Kopongintuntug nopo
isido di vaig toobong om sisikapo9 no
disido do minongisu9 di tinan dau.
Nokoolog i tinan disido. Minonongkuihib
isido di tuala9 dau om sagou no do sombo-
lidi9 di vaig toobong. Nakahasu9 o tinan
disido songian nokoikot doid sosoiba9
hamin. Nouzat tuminakad di tisan nuhu
vinaahon di mohoing disido.
Koiib nopo disido i vaig doid tipang om
tutuludu9 no disido kuminaa doid hintuun
hamin. Minanambasaan isido di unifoom
sikul. Kupiho9 disido i buuk Onggilis i
pinovihiu haid dau di ontok kopongo
minonoodo homework. Kosuang doid kan-
tung om songgito9 no. Doiho9 nodii isido id
pantaan poingumba mindau9 di tukad.
<Monguo ko Imon?= ka di inai Ginis.
<Au9 tagal makan ina9. Akasip zou mugad
sikul,= ka di Saimon.
<Jiim! Biio9 po iho9 tanak nu. Mogompu-
vang!= ka di inai Ginis.
Nakatangkus i mamai Jiim. Zinadaan
disido mamahaas di suduvon i pinosusut
haid dau doid puzut. Tumonob kozo i
tadau om otiungan di konuhuan ponong
kotonobon.
<Monguo ko Imon tu9 poinsanggit ko do
kantung?= ka di mamai Jiim. Nokopituka9
izioho9 do doiho9 id puun tukad.
Aiso simba di Soimon. Bagahon i disido
mintong di lahan undukon doid anau.
Doiho9 no vavazaan disido songian mugad
sikul. Gokomo9 no di mamai Jiim di pahad
dau i pingas di Soimon miampaping.
Puzazo9 no disido i voos di Soimon.
<Mosik Imon! Mogompuvang ko diti,= ka
di mamai Jiim.
Minimang vahad i mato di Soimon.
Nosusuvazan. Nokopisoomo9 i hinsou mato
disido om di ama9 dau. Nokoonsom i
pomooson disido. Kivaza9 do nasasangi9.
Nokosupan do mamanau moginipi. Osikap
isido minogkovihi. Aiso poingintong
disido. Zi ama9 no disido i nokoiho do
kinaantakan doiho9 id puun tukad. Toodo9 i
disido om indakod no pinakaazan doiho9 id
himput toodopon di mohoing disido. Nidu9
disido i unifoom sikul om dahin no do
basaan gogoungon id daamin.
<Kanou makan Imon,= ka di inai Ginis.
Ohinuud zosido. Nga9 nokokidum daa.
Osikap zosido minomisok di kidum dau
koosi do atantaman do magagasab di tanak
kusai dau.
<Kada9 tokou booso9 do mogompuvang
mamanau zi Imon. Asabi9 mai9 ziaha9 do
moniou. Okubong o tipus tuhun diti,= ka di
mamai Jiim doid di inai Ginis. Opiian.
TADAUKOONOM, 13 VUHAN KOTUU, 2024
Di mamaso zioho9 poinhamas
poindikau di hisiu hinapak poing do9
makan sumoom tadau, nokokihap o pitu-
vongon om susuutono9 no do tinggoud.
Noguzu9 i hamin. Nokongook o asam
nokootung doid taap hamin. Ahasau i hin-
sou di asam. Miaga ko ogolongou i9 ii taap
loun umbizo doid tingguzusan di hamin.
Nokoikot i tongus topuod. Pinosuang di
mamai Jiim i sumbu tumau tana9 doid gan-
tang mooi do au9 nodii opisok. Pinahantop
di inai Ginis i toongobon di jinjila9. Kahan-
top i kozo dosido om pigugusa9 nodii i
tinggoon. Moit-boit po i piumaat do
tumahib.
Dadi9kovizau nopo izioho9 do
kohipupuun dii om ongoi no pomohiung
pahad i Soimon doiho9 id pomougan.
Minongimumug isido om tounda9 no do
miniikau doiho9 id tikam vinatu mantad
sakot bundusan. Aiso nodii tososoou disido
do onu mangan. Notoodo o homework.
Nga9 au9 tuminahup doid tutok disido i
kinaantakan do mugad sikul isido ontok
tumonob tadau.
<Otuvong po do tosuvab om mosik zou
no. Akasip mai9 do mugad sikul,= ka di
sinoou di Soimon. Kaandak isido do aanan-
gan disido i mongingia9 dau om kopipa-
paas doid panaasan sikul.
<Kada9 nopo do kivaa tambahut koiho
do minogompuvang zou mugad sikul
tumonob tadau,= ka di suang ginavo di Soi-
mon om kopuhizangai no minodop.
Sumaang nogi9 o tudan om koposik no i
Soimon. Huminabus isido mantad lopuan
poingginding do bolidi9. Uminagab isido
do mininduuk mantad hamin kuminaa di
toobong.
Tohu apat haang nogi9 napanau disido
mantad lopuan om koimpa9 no disido
doiho9 id siibo9 di nuhu vinaahon di hamin
dioho9. Aiso do anau. Natagak i vinatang. I
tisan papas nga9 aino9. I kabang di toobong
nga9 aino9. Nokohizud i kinoizonon di Soi-
mon.
Au9 duminadi isido do minunduk om
guhi9 no doid sosoiba9 di hamin. Pinasagou
disido i gazung doid di dolom pinonohu-
dan vaig asam om pintuntug no. Induvo
intohu om au9 nodii kasabak isido di
sinogit di vaig asam do kosuvabon dii.
Kopogintuu9 po isido om inum no di tinu-
mon pinotounda9 di ina9 disido. Vagas
ginoui om tunguai no vaig di mohok-
gohok po. Iibai no disido i sangkil disido
om tiim no. Oongid miaga do vagas mata9
di hahabakan do vaig piasau. Nga9 aanau tu9
aiso do gula9.
Nanamot disido do tumiim di kupi9
tinoodo vagas ginoui, nukab disido i buuk
Hivang Kadazan 7
Sinuat di
Blasius Binjua
teks di paajalon doid sikul do tadau dii.
Nopiumanan disido do aiso kobohingkan-
gan dau do mamalati9 di songinsuat id
suang buuk teks id boos Onggilis.
Au9 kougad isido sikul. Zi ina9 om zi ama9
disido nga9 id daamin. Au9 osoboong i anau
pobuvatan tu9 aahom o vaig om au9 di
koongoi pangavit puun gata. Suminigugul
izioho9 minikau doid hintuun hamin di
potoguvang di vavazaan kumaa doid pan-
taan. Kakaal do maasam-asam nga9 au9 no
kaaga sinapou di asam di tosodopon
koniab.
Minitotongkuovo di hintuun hamin zi
Soimon. Notikid disido minonohiduk i
pisuk hamin.
<Onu kozo o katangkangau diau dino
Imon?= ka di inai Ginis. Novunduk ngaavi9
di Soimon i tapi9 di ina9 disido di songin-
dambai doid hintuun. Au9 miho posidan-
gan doiho9 id dahabus tu9 maasam-asam.
<Nombo i pinakai nu di ama9?= ka di Soi-
mon.
<Ponguo nu? Pinasavit ku haid di sangau
tambang duhia9 lopuan,= ka di mamai Jiim.
<Monoodo zou do gakit. Ombuingoton
zou aiso totoinaon doiti daamin.=
<Kada9 panagad do poing. Oubat. Mooi
paganu di kumba duhia9 tisan
koumbizaan,= ka di mamai Jiim.
<Koiho zou,= ka di Soimon om katagak
no miampai di pinakai di ama9 disido.
Ahahaid nodii kinotongkizadon di Soi-
mon mantad suang hamin. Biio9 nopo di
mamai Jiim i jaam poinggini doid tobon
hamin om osomok no jaam ko-12 tan-
gaadau.
<Au9 ko koosi do kivaa nununu di Imon?
Ngozo kama biio9 dunia id disan umbizo,=
ka di inai Ginis.
Tinupi9 di mamai Jiim i tupi; gugunoon
disido do momutung gata om indauu9 no
pointangau di binungkus dau kakaal miik-
ilou. Doiho9 no id sosoiba9 hamin gisom
disido. Nokoongou isido do kivaa mopok-
hopok.
Minomohongguk i mamai Jiim, <Iziau
ino Imon?!=
Nokotood i mopok-hopok doiho9 id
tisan di koumbizaan, <Doiti9 zou id duuk!
Notoodo kuno gakit!=
BLASIUS BINJUA –
Pinakalaja haid doid
Malaysia Airlines do 37
toun. Mininggiat monuat
di toun 2009. Nokoponuat
hobi 200 suzanibo maza
radio om 7 novel Kadazan.
Vookon nopo novel sinuat
disido nga’ Pangkis Pangazou, Sumidang
Mai Tadau, Tavan om Tana, Butiza doid
Tana’ om Vaig Babagon. Minoguhud KSS
Kadazan Dictionary 2011 om Kalindol
Kadazan. Nokotoimo Anugerah Penggiat
Bahasa Etnik 2021.
Pisosohiduk no i mamai Jiim di tisan
koumbizaan om kagakom no di mato
disido. Nokito disido do mamaso no
popobundus i Jiim di gakit disido mantad
koumbizaan pakaazan doid anau di noko-
tohop. Nohizudan. Poingkakat i Jiim doid
tampak di gakit do kumba. Kivaa do
pinatadan do poing miaga no hunggazan
do tanak. I no ponukod disido minggogoki-
tonhumintanga9 di anau.
<Nombo dati9 pakaazan nu dino Imon?
Kada9 kama ongoi doiho9 id bavang.
Ohosog vaig doiho9!= ka di mamai Jiim.
<Sumoboong zou duhia tisan anau!
Doiho9 i tambahut ku poingidad! Minha-
hazagon zikoi. Wuhuuu!= ka di Soimon.
<Bah! Piimpa9-impa9 ku iziau mantad
doiho9 daamin. Kada9 kahaid kama,= ka di
ama9 di Soimon.
<Ohosog vaig doiti9 ama9. Mimpodouhon
po zikoi. Umasak iho9 vaig!=
Koguhi9 nopo i mamai Jiim doid sosoiba9
hamin om tuminindooi isido doiho9 id
puzut. Mongimato do nombo pakaazan di
Soimon miampai di gakit dau. Potuintog o
songuhun dazanak kusai doiho9 id tisan
babaton. Kasakai nopo i tambahut di Soi-
mon di gakit disido om noikot no o baut
dioho9 oondos om ounsikou. Minsaazo om
mimbugus no izioho9. Somoonu9 do
songuhun tumuun mantad gakit om
mintotohopon. Nidu9 dioho9 i gaung.
Noohu9 po o souva tonibo9 takod.
<Himbata9!= ka di Soimon noongou di
mamai Jiim.
<Nombo?!= ka di tambahut disido.
<Dunia takod nu! Kada9 gua9!= ka di Soi-
mon maso minsomok di koluang dau. Miad
toongou di mamai Jiim.
Nakagaum miniad nokoongou di Soi-
mon om poboos no, <Ogumu9 zaa9 takod
nu!=
<Iduon nopo ino himbata9 Imon! Kada9
undoosizo9 o tambahut!= ka di mamai Jiim.
Tumininda i tambahut di Soimon om
takad no di nuhu pinouhian doid hamin
dau. Kakaal miad-iad.
Kouhi9 nopo i Soimon do tangaadau dii
om nakaagang o mato dau tokito di mamai
Jiim. Nouzan minhahazagon doid anau di
nokotohop nohizudan.
 SUKAN harianekspres
SUARA TEMPATAN ANDA I SABTU, 13 JULAI, 2024
8

Sabah FC ‘tempang’ lawan JDT

GL Oh
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah FC akan bermain
tanpa Saddil Ramdani dan Darren Lok
untuk perlawanan menentang Johor
Darul Ta9zim FC di Stadium Likas malam
ini (Jumaat).
Ketiadaan mereka mungkin mem-
berikan tamparan besar kepada pasukan
selepas pemergian Ramon Machado
minggu lalu.
Datuk Ong Kim Swee pada Jumaat
berkata kedua-dua pemain tersebut masih
mengalami kecederaan dan mungkin
tidak cergas untuk perlawanan, tetapi
yakin bahawa pengganti mereka akan
dapat menjalankan tugas tersebut.
<Saddil dan Darren masih mengalami
kecederaan dan tanpa mereka ini akan
menjadi cabaran besar buat pasukan.
<Namun, kami mempunyai pemain
yang bersedia mengambil alih posisi
mereka dan penting untuk mereka dapat
merebut peluang ini sebaik mungkin.
<Selain menunjukkan komitmen,
mereka mesti bersedia secara mental dan
fizikal untuk bermain menentang
pasukan teratas di negara ini,= katanya.
Beliau juga berharap pemain dapat
bangkit daripada kekalahan di tempat
sendiri dalam Piala FA kepada Terengganu
FC pada Sabtu lalu.
<Bukan mudah untuk bermain dalam
liga terutamanya menentang JDT FC,
tetapi kita mesti bermain dengan lebih
baik untuk memberikan persaingan
kepada mereka, terutamanya selepas
tewas kepada Terengganu FC dalam Piala
FA baru-baru ini.=
Beliau juga menepis komen negatif
mengenai beberapa isu melibatkan Sabah
FC yang tular di media sosial baru-baru
ini.
<Semua isu telah diselesaikan. Saya
berharap semua pemain akan mem-
berikan tumpuan sepenuhnya kepada per-
lawanan penting esok dan kami yakin
isu-isu luaran ini tidak akan mengganggu
tumpuan dan fokus pemain.=
<Pemain mesti tahu mereka perlu
meningkatkan prestasi mereka selepas
gagal memenangi dua perlawanan ter-
akhir. Mereka harus melupakan kekalahan
dengan menumpukan perhatian pada per-
lawanan esok supaya mereka dapat kem-
bali ke prestasi sebenar mereka,= katanya.
Beliau menambah peminat boleh
memainkan peranan penting untuk
meningkatkan keyakinan pemain dan
berharap mereka akan datang ke stadium
untuk memberikan sokongan.
<Saya tahu ramai yang kecewa dengan
keputusan baru-baru ini, tetapi kita harus
teruskan dan sangat penting untuk kami
mendapatkan sokongan berterusan
terutamanya daripada penyokong yang ONG memberi arahan
akan memberikan motivasi lebih kepada kepada pemain semasa
pemain dengan kehadiran mereka di sta- sesi latihan pada Khamis.
dium.=

Paris 2024: Jin Wei, Sukma 2024:

jurulatih berhubung
melalui telefon
GEORGE TOWN: Perseorangan profesional
wanita negara Goh Jin Wei akan menerima
panduan, bimbingan dan sokongan
berterusan daripada jurulatihnya Nova
Armada menerusi panggilan telefon
apabila beraksi di Sukan Olimpik Paris
2024, hujung bulan ini.
Ia berikutan permintaannya untuk
membawa jurulatih dari Indonesia itu
kepada Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM)
tidak berjaya susulan kuota kad akreditasi
yang terhad dikeluarkan Jawatankuasa
Olimpik Antarabangsa (IOC).
Pemain berusia 24 tahun itu berkata
walaupun tanpa jurulatihnya, namun
Persatuan Badminton (BAM) telah
menyediakan jurulatih dan beliau telah
menyesuaikan diri dengan jurulatih
berkenaan.
<Jurulatih (Nova Armada) akan terus
beri sokongan, bimbingan dan panduan
menerusi panggilan telefon sepanjang saya
di Sukan Olimpik. Walaupun kecewa beliau
tidak dapat bersama saya di sana (Paris)
namun terima kasih kepada BAM yang
telah sediakan jurulatih.
<Secara keseluruhanya iaitu mental dan
fizikal saya sekarang ini adalah baik. Ada
tempoh dalam dua minggu lagi...walaupun
ini saya akan cuba yang terbaik untuk
semua terutama negara Malaysia,= katanya
kepada pemberita di pejabat Persatuan
Badminton Pulau Pinang (PBA), di Bukit
Dumbar di sini, Jumaat.
Beliau ditemui selepas menerima
sumbangan daripada PBA sebanyak
RM20,000 yang disampaikan oleh
Presidennya Datuk Kah Kau Kiak.
Pada majlis itu, Jin Wei turut menerima
sumbangan RM5,000 daripada Kerajaan
Negeri Pulau Pinang yang disampaikan
oleh Pengerusi Belia, Sukan dan Kesihatan
Daniel Gooi.
Menurut Jin Wei, beliau akan berlepas
ke Paris pada 23 Julai ini, dan badminton
akan membuka gelanggang pada 27 Julai
manakala undian pemain dijalankan hari
ini.
<Saya pernah bermain di gelanggang
sama pada Terbuka Perancis baru-baru ini.
Saya harap kali ini di Olimpik akan berikan
peluang lebih cerah dan bertuah kepada
saya,= katanya yang turut menyampaikan
penghargaan kepada PBA dan kerajaan
negeri atas sumbangan diberikan
kepadanya pada Jumaat. 3 Bernama
Kes perenang China positif TMZ: IOC nyata sokongan penuh ke atas Wada
LAUSANNE: Jawatankuasa Olimpik
Antarabangsa (IOC) menyatakan <keyak-
inan penuh= terhadap Agensi Anti-Dop-
ing Dunia (Wada) selepas laporan
mengatakan bahawa ia tidak salah men-
gendalikan kes perenang China yang
dibenarkan bersaing selepas diuji positif
menggunakan dadah terlarang.
<Berdasarkan laporan ini, IOC menge-
sahkan semula keyakinan penuhnya
kepada Wada dan kepimpinannya, yang
telah melaksanakan sejumlah inisiatif
bagi memperkukuhkan sistem beberapa
tahun kebelakangan ini,= demikian
kenyataan IOC.
IOC juga berkata Wada harus mener-
ima sokongan sepenuhnya daripada
pemegang taruh.
Travis Tygart, ketua Agensi Anti-Dop-
ing Amerika Syarikat (Usada) dan
pengkritik Wada, menuduh Presiden-
Conmebol siasat insiden gaduh pada separuh akhir Copa
MIAMI, Amerika Syarikat: Penganjur
Copa America yang juga badan induk
bola sepak Amerika Selatan (Conmebol)
membuka siasatan disiplin susulan 8tin-
dakan keganasan9 selepas aksi separuh
akhir antara Uruguay dan Colombia di
Charlotte.
Penyerang Uruguay dan Liverpool,
Darwin Nunez antara pemain yang
meluru ke tempat duduk penonton di
Stadium Bank of America selain
melepaskan beberapa tumbukan ter-
hadap penyokong yang disifatkan Con-
mebol sebagai 8situasi yang tidak boleh
diterima.9
Pertahanan Uruguay, Jose Maria
Gimenez berkata pemain terpaksa
berbuat sedmikian kerana bimbang
akan keselamatan ahli keluarga mereka
yang hadir menyaksikan pertembungan
itu.
<Susulan tindakan keganasan yang
berlaku di hujung perlawanan antara
Uruguay dan Colombia, unit disiplin
Conmebol membuat keputusan untuk
memulakan siasatan bagi menjelaskan
insiden itu dan tanggungjawab oleh
pihak yang terbabit,= menurut Con-
mebol dalam satu kenyataan.
Conmebol menegaskan mereka tidak
mahu kejadian sama berulang apabila
penyokong kedua-dua pasukan
bergaduh pada aksi final antara
Argentina menentang Colombia di Sta-
dium Hard Rock, Miami.
<Menjelang aksi final Copa America,
kami ingin menegaskan dan memberi
Sepanyol bawa ‘hiburan’ diperlukan ke dalam Euro
BERLIN: England
dan Sepanyol akan
berentap pada final
Euro 2024 awal pagi
Isnin selepas meng-
harungi laluan
berbeza ke Berlin
dalam kejohanan
yang disifatkan
kurang mengujakan.
Sepanyol berada dalam kelas tersendiri
yang menyaksikan mereka menum-
bangkan semifinalis Piala Dunia 2022,
Croatia, juara bertahan Itali, tuan rumah
Jerman dan pasukan pilihan Perancis.
Lain ceritanya dengan England yang
memerlukan beberapa gol lewat per-
mainan untuk membawa mereka ke final
buat kali pertama di negara luar meskipun
nya, Witold Banka, mengatur penutupan
dalam kes perenang China itu.
Dakwaan itu ditolak oleh Banka
selepas laporan tersebut dikeluarkan
pada Selasa, dengan memberitahu AFP
bahawa ia salah satu daripada beberapa
<tuduhan menjijikkan= yang dibuat
mengenai kes itu dan menambah,
peguam luar sedang meneliti kenyataan
itu.
IOC 4 antara yang membiayai Wada
4 menyeru agar keadaan kembali ten-
ang dan membiarkan badan anti-doping
global itu menjalankan tugasnya.
<IOC menyeru semua pihak berke-
pentingan untuk menghormati kuasa
mutlak Wada dalam memerangi dop-
ing,= demikian kenyataan IOC.
<Penghormatan ini menjadi asas
penubuhan Wada oleh kerajaan dunia
dan Gerakan Olimpik. Penghormatan ini
PEMAIN Uruguay melihat ke arah bangku penonton di tempat
duduk keluarga mereka ketika penyokong Colombia dan Uruguay
bergaduh pada separuh akhir Copa America di Stadium Bank of
America di Charlotte, North Carolina, Rabu lalu. – Foto AFP
amaran kami tidak akan bertolak-ansur
dengan apa sahaja tindakan yang mence-
markan Copa America, membabitkan
pasukan atau penyokong yang hadir
untuk aksi final yang akan disaksikan
ratusan juta penonton di seluruh dunia.
<Ini situasi yang tidak dapat diterima
apabila insiden ini mengubah semangat
bola sepak kepada keganasan. Justeru,
tiada tolak ansur ke atas sebarang tin-
dakan yang mencemari semangat bola
sepak yang menjadi milik setiap orang.=
Gimenez berkata pemain terpaksa
terbabit dengan insiden itu untuk melin-
pengurus Gareth Southgate memiliki
ramai pemain berbakat.
England dilabel sebagai antara pasukan
membosankan pada Euro 2024 apabila
mengungguli Kumpulan C walaupun
hanya meledak dua gol dalam tiga per-
lawanan.
Mereka hanya mendapat percubaan
tepat pertama pada minit ke-95 menerusi
Jude Bellingham yang menjadi gol keme-
nangan ketika menentang Slovakia pada
pusingan 16 terbaik.
Begitu juga dengan jaringan penya-
maan Bukayo Saka pada minit ke-80 ketika
menentang Switzerland pada aksi suku
akhir yang menjadi percubaan tepat per-
tama mereka pada perlawanan itu.
Perancis pula mara ke separuh akhir
tanpa ada seorang pun pemain mereka
penting untuk pertandingan antara-
bangsa yang adil.=
Krisis berlaku apabila pada April,
New York Times dan penyiar Jerman ARD
melaporkan bahawa perenang tersebut
didapati positif trimetazidine (TMZ),
ubat jantung yang diharamkan yang
boleh meningkatkan prestasi, dalam
satu pertandingan domestik pada
hujung 2020 dan awal 2021.
Pihak berkuasa anti-doping China
mendapati bahawa mereka tidak sen-
gaja mengambil bahan tersebut dari-
pada makanan yang tercemar di hotel
mereka dan tindakan terhadap mereka
tidak diperlukan.
Wada menerima alasan pihak
berkuasa China itu dan tidak menge-
nakan hukuman ke atas perenang-pere-
nang tersebut.
Beberapa perenang ini kemudian
dungi ahli keluarga mereka memandan-
gkan polis tidak kelihatan di stadium itu.
<Ahli keluarga kami dalam bahaya.
Kami terpaksa pergi ke tempat duduk
penonton untuk menyelamatkan
mereka, dengan ada juga bayi yang baru
lahir,= kata pemain Atletico Madrid itu.
<Tidak ada seorang pun anggota
polis... saya harap penganjur dapat lebih
berhati-hati dengan keluarga kami.=
Pergaduhan juga tercetus di tengah
padang selepas wisel penamat ditiup
membabitkan pemain dan pegawai
kedua-dua pasukan. 3 AFP
menghasilkan jaringan menerusi per-
mainan terbuka.
Namun, Didier Deschamps tetap berk-
eras apabila ditanyakan oleh wartawan
dari Sweden selepas pasukannya gagal
mempamerkan persembahan yang
menghiburkan.
<Kalau anda bosan, anda boleh menon-
ton perkara lain. Anda tidak perlu tengok
pun.
<Kami sentiasa berkongsi emosi untuk
menggembirakan rakyat Perancis khusus-
nya dengan situasi sukar dalam negara
kami. Kalau rakyat Sweden kebosanan, itu
tidak penting buat saya.=
Portugal juga salah satu pasukan pili-
han yang gagal untuk melangkah jauh
meskipun memiliki skuad yang boleh
dikatakan mantap bagi Euro 2024. 3 AFP
bertanding dalam Olimpik Tokyo pada
2021. Zhang Yufei memenangi dua pin-
gat emas dan Wang Shun juga dino-
batkan sebagai juara Olimpik.
Sebelas perenang telah dipilih untuk
Olimpik Paris yang bermula bulan ini.
Kes ini menyebabkan kemarahan
global, dengan pihak berkuasa anti-dop-
ing Amerika Syarikat menuduh Wada
menutup kes berkenaan.
Susulan itu, Wada menubuhkan
siasatan bebas yang dipantau oleh pen-
dakwa raya bersara dari Switzerland,
Eric Cottier, yang mana hasil interim
siasatan itu dikeluarkan pada Selasa.
<Tidak ada apa-apa dalam fail4yang
mana adalah lengkap4yang mencadan-
gkan Wada menunjukkan pilih kasih
atau tunduk, atau dalam mana-mana
cara menyebelahi 23 perenang yang diuji
positif TMZ,= kata laporan itu. 3 AFP
Sarawak
sedia
‘pinjamkan’
atlet
KUCHING: Tuan rumah Sukan Malaysia
(Sukma) 2024, Sarawak, sedia 8memin-
jamkan9 atletnya kepada negeri lain bagi
mengatasi masalah kekurangan penyer-
taan di temasya itu yang dijadual berlang-
sung pada 17 hingga 24 Ogos depan.
Pengarah Majlis Sukan Negeri Sarawak
Awang Putra Yusrie berkata berdasarkan
maklumat diterima minggu lepas,
sebanyak 30 daripada keseluruhan 488
acara yang dipertandingkan seakan sukar
mencapai jumlah penyertaan minimum
enam negeri sekali gus berdepan risiko
digugurkan.
Beliau yang juga Ketua Pegawai Ekseku-
tif Perbadanan Sukan Sarawak berpandan-
gan jika pengguguran acara berlaku, ia
akan memberi kesan negatif terhadap
aspek kemajuan atlet.
<Kita (Sarawak) ada atlet pelapis, kita
memang (ada) tawarkan. Sebelum ini pun
kita dah tawarkan beberapa atlet terjun
kepada negeri lain untuk bantu mereka
dan pernah tawarkan pasukan futsal
wanita dulu. Untuk sukan-sukan lain seki-
ranya negeri lain perlukan atlet memang
kita bersedia (pinjamkan).
<Mereka (atlet yang dipinjamkan)
boleh berlatih menggunakan kemudahan
dan berlatih bersama atlet kita di sini.
Sayang kita ada bakat tapi kalau tak dapat
atau terlepas beraksi di Sukma itu satu
kerugian...bakat akan hilang, tapi kalau
ada permintaan (pinjam) kita memang
akan membantu,= kata Awang Putra.
Beliau yang mengharapkan keselu-
ruhan 488 acara dapat dikekalkan berkata
demikian pada sesi temu bual khas
bersama Pertubuhan Berita Nasional
Malaysia (Bernama) di Kompleks Akuatik
Pandelela Rinong di sini.
Delegasi Bernama diketuai Ketua Pen-
garang Arul Rajoo Durar Raj dan Timbalan
Editor Eksekutif Elmi Rizal Elias.
Pada masa sama, Awang Putra turut
menyifatkan adalah tidak adil bagi negeri-
negeri yang sudah membuat persiapan
rapi lebih awal termasuk membeli tiket
kapal terbang dan membayar elaun atlet
masing-masing jika akhirnya penggugu-
ran acara berlaku.
<Saya harap MSN negeri lain seiring
dengan tujuan kita kenapa Sukma
diadakan dan hantar atlet kali ini,
memang kos agak tinggi di Sarawak tapi
itulah peluang kita untuk bangunkan
atlet di Malaysia,= katanya.
Sementara itu, beliau berkata keputu-
san sama ada 488 acara kekal atau
digugurkan kerana kurang penyertaan
akan dimuktamadkan pada mesyuarat
Jawatankuasa Khas Teknikal Sukma
Sarawak 2024 yang dipengerusikan
Menteri Belia dan Sukan Hannah Yeoh di
Kuala Lumpur pada 18 Julai ini.
Sukma 2024 menyaksikan 37 jenis
sukan dipertandingkan membabitkan 488
acara terdiri daripada 236 acara lelaki, 217
acara wanita dan 35 lagi acara campuran
lelaki dan wanita, selain melibatkan sem-
bilan bahagian iaitu di Kuching, Samara-
han, Serian, Sri Aman, Betong, Sibu,
Mukah, Bintulu dan Miri.
Sukma yang diperkenalkan pada 1986
telah dianjurkan di Sarawak sebanyak dua
kali iaitu pada 1990 dan 2016. 3 Bernama