StarLifestyle

Cracking the whip

Activists say the Anti-Sexual
Harassment Bill must be enforced
soundly to send a message of
zero tolerance of sexual
harassment of any kind. >1-3
Friday 29 July 2022 • PP19652/12/2020 (035234) (No. 22957) RM2.00 • 1300-88-7827 (Customer Service)

Anti-party hopping Bill

209 MPs say yes

It was a historic day in the Dewan Rakyat as the anti-hopping law was passed, with all MPs in the House
voting for it. The law should be gazetted by early September but this, say analysts, does not necessarily
mean that the general election is around the corner. > See reports on page 4

Nation
Bosses can start recruiting Indonesian workers next Monday. >2

trIBute to
unsung
heroes
Penang Island City
Council’s Urban
Services Department
executive officer
Mohamad Ariff Azhar
(right) congratulating
general workers who
received awards from
Yang di-Pertua Negeri
Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul
Razak in conjunction
with his 73rd birthday
celebration. > See
report on page 3

LIM BENG TATT/The Star

2 Nation THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

Photo op among Umno leaders sets tongues wagging

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS Separately, Perikatan Nasional
[email protected] said it would send a delegation to
meet the Prime Minister to discuss
PUTRAJAYA: Photographs of the implementation of terms of the
Umno’s top five leaders posted on agreement signed between them.
social media have piqued the No hidden Citing disappointment over what
interest of many, particularly since message: it claimed as a lack of determina-
it comes at a time when the party is (From left) tion and commitment to fulfil what
facing issues, including its applica- Mahdzir, ahmad had been agreed, the coalition
tion to the Registrar of Societies Zahid, ismail secretary-general Datuk Seri
(ROS) to defer the party’s election, Sabri, Hamzah Zainudin expressed hope
which is still pending. Mohamad and the meeting could be held soon.
Eyes are also on Umno, in par- Khaled Hamzah said this was decided at
ticular its vice-president and Prime document their the Perikatan supreme council
Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri meeting with a meeting on Wednesday night.
Yaakob, who was said to have photo. — Pic “We will send a delegation to dis-
signed an agreement with Perikatan cuss the execution of the terms of
from Khaled
Nasional last year. the agreement soon,” he said in a
Nordin’s FB
The photographs of Umno presi- statement.
dent Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid page According to reports, an agree-
Hamidi and the party’s top four ment was inked between Perikatan
office bearers were posted on the leadership being at odds or not “We discussed many things on June 30 last year, Umno post- chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Facebook page as well as the united is absolutely untrue,” wrote related to the party. Yes, we did dis- poned its party election for 18 and Ismail Sabri in August last year.
Instagram of Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled. cuss the general election, prepara- months, which meant that the polls The agreement is on the appoint-
Khaled Nordin, one of the three The five refer to Ahmad Zahid, tions, our machinery and other for the 2021/2023 term had to be ment of a deputy prime minister
vice-presidents. deputy president Datuk Seri matters,” he said. held before Dec 30 this year. from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malay-
Khaled uploaded two photo- Mohamad Hasan and vice-presi- When asked if the meeting had However, the general assembly sia, among other things.
graphs of the five of them sitting dents Ismail Sabri, Khaled and discussed possible dates to call for in March agreed to defer the party Muhyiddin resigned as prime
around a coffee table, with Ismail Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid. the national polls, the Umno vice- polls. minister on Aug 16 last year.
Sabri seated next to the party presi- When asked about the photo- president was non-committal. An extraordinary general meet- Hamzah also said the meeting
dent. graphs he uploaded, Khaled At the Umno general assembly in ing was then held in May, which discussed the Perikatan convention,
“Photographs of Umno’s Top 5. quipped, “There is a hidden mes- March, Ismail Sabri said the top five saw 2,586 delegates vote to support which would be held on Aug 27 in
Every meeting is conducted with sage there. What the message is, I leaders would make a decision a motion to amend the party consti- conjunction with its second anni-
respect, and discussions are open. will not tell. regarding the party’s intention to tution to defer the polls. versary, as well as the launching of
Our understanding is for the “But there is nothing, really. We push for early polls. Umno submitted its application Terengganu Perikatan tomorrow.
interest of the country and our just wanted to pose for photos.” The current Parliamentary term for amendments to be made to the “The meeting also made several
party. Khaled said the five of them had expires in July 2023. party constitution but has yet to important decisions to enhance pre-
“Any talk of clusters or the highest not held a meeting for some time. After the 2018/2021 term ended receive a reply from the ROS. paredness for GE15,” he said.

Indonesia lifts workers’ entry ban

Employers can begin hiring process for foreign labour from Monday
JAKARTA: Indonesia has lifted its PDI into Malaysia as agreed in the Malaysia starting Aug 1 (Monday),” On July 13, Indonesia announced mentation of the MOU, especially
restrictions on the entry of its work- previous Memorandum of Under- said Saravanan. its decision to temporarily freeze on the One Channel System.
force into Malaysia, says Human standing (MOU). He said he believed that the reso- the entry of the country’s workers Previously, the Joint Working
Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. “This system will be operational lution of the issues in the MOU of into Malaysia because the single Group had discovered several poli-
Saravanan. in three more weeks under the the PDI would lead to the smooth system as previously agreed was cy and technical implementation
The restrictions will be lifted supervision of the Malaysia- entry of Indonesian workers into not used. issues that could affect the imple-
from Monday, and bosses who wish Indonesia Joint Working Group,” he Malaysia in the domestic service Saravanan was in Jakarta in mentation of the MOU.
to employ Indonesian workers can said in a statement with his sector as well as other sectors conjunction with the meeting of the “We agree to take all the neces-
start recruiting from then. Indonesian counterpart, Ida allowed to employ foreign workers. Joint Working Group between sary steps to ensure that the terms
Indonesia, said Saravanan, had Fauziyah, as reported by Bernama. He reminded employers whose Malaysia and Indonesia as outlined in the MOU are fully complied with
also agreed to integrate the existing He said a pilot project would be foreign worker quotas had been in the MOU regarding the PDI, by all parties by involving the
system between Malaysia’s Immi- implemented for a period of three approved by the Human Resources which was completed on July 27. respective governments’ relevant
gration Department and its embas- months upon the completion of the Department to immediately make This meeting discussed policy agencies or institutions,” Ida said.
sy in Kuala Lumpur for the recruit- system’s integration to ensure its levy payments to Malaysia’s Immi- and technical issues in the imple- She added that the effectiveness
ment of Indonesian domestic work- smooth execution. gration Department. mentation of the MOU signed on of the implementation of the com-
ers (PDI). “Therefore, the Indonesian side “Employers who wish to employ April 1, 2022. mitments made in the MOU was
He said the integration of this has agreed to withdraw the restric- Indonesian workers can begin Earlier, Ida said a mutual agree- also important before Indonesia
system would act as a single chan- tions on the entry of PDI and recruitment from Monday,” said ment on the necessary steps was sent the PDI back to Malaysia in
nel for the recruitment and entry of Indonesian labourers (TKI) into Saravanan. important to ensure the full imple- August.
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Nation 3

Rewarded for doing a good job

Council workers proud to be given recognition for their service
By N. TRISHA job is to repair and upgrade public workers with MBPP, received the cleaning roads. Sheriff, 59, said his 34 years with
[email protected] toilets. Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (PJK), Pingat “Now, work has become easier as MBPP does not seem like enough.
“In the beginning, it was hard Jasa Masyarakat (PJM) and Pingat I am in charge of checking public He was doing odd jobs before
GEORGE TOWN: Their work is doing the work and being on call, Bakti Setia (PBS) awards for their toilets,” he said. joining the council and cleaning
usually referred to as the “three Ds” but after decades with the council, services. Kolandasamy said his day begins roads.
– dirty, difficult and dangerous – but I’ve got used to it,” he said. Yeoh, who was awarded the PBS, at 6.30am with breaks in between. He said of his many memorable
they carry out their duties come He followed in his father’s foot- said it was a pleasant surprise as he “It has been a good job, which is experiences, the one that stands out
rain or shine. steps by joining MBPP in 1981. His is retiring next year. why I never considered leaving. is the floods a few years ago.
Besides having to brave the ele- dad helped the teenage Yeoh apply “It is nice of them to recognise us Even after I retire, I hope to serve “I usually clean at the Jalan P.
ments, these unsung heroes of the for the job. for our service,” he said. MBPP part-time. Ramlee area, which is prone to
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) “My first salary was RM380, S. Kolandasamy, 60, who has “I have sent in my application to flooding. I remember working non-
also face the arduous tasks of clean- which felt like a great amount then. been with MBPP for 40 years and continue working and hope it will stop for a whole day, helping to
ing clogged drains, upkeeping pub- “I stayed on as the pay and perks five months, will also be retiring be approved. This is all I know to do clean up until late at night.”
lic toilets, clearing the debris from increased. It is a stable job,” he said this year, taking with him the inval- and I am sure I will fall ill if I do not Abdul Halim, who is set for retire-
flood-hit areas, and sweeping fallen when met at the investiture held at uable experience of being a council work!” he quipped. ment next year, said he would like
leaves – all this to ensure that the Dewan Sri Pinang here. worker. On his PBS award, Kolandasamy to continue working for MBPP.
people have a smooth and pleasant Yeoh and 11 other MBPP workers He started off doing hard labour, said it was unexpected but definite- “I hope they let me stay on as I
day in the city. received their awards from Yang carrying things and placing them in ly an honour. will be bored at home,” he said,
Among them is Yeoh Kin Weng, di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ahmad Fuzi lorries. “We never thought of receiving adding that he was touched by the
59, who has been with MBPP for Abdul Razak in conjunction with “It was hard work; we went such awards,” he said. award.
over 40 years. his 73rd birthday celebration. around in the lorry to clean up. Another of his colleague and fel- The Penang Governor conferred
“I’m on call 24 hours a day as my The 12 recipients, all general Then I moved on to sweeping and low PBS recipient, Abdul Halim 1,380 awards and medals this year.

Playing it safe in the netherworld

By LO TERN CHERN “Despite a 10% to 15% price quiet, unlike the usual hustle and
[email protected] increase in joss paper from local bustle before the festival from today
factories and effigies from China, I to Aug 26.
GEORGE TOWN: Even the spirits of have to ensure all items are availa- “Many Phor Thor festival organ-
ancestors are not being spared from ble at the store for my regular cus- isers are still holding on and are
the risk of Covid-19. tomers. unsure whether to organise it for
A wide variety of paper para- “Following the pandemic, we the public.
phernalia such as sanitisers, face now have Covid-19 test kits, sanitis- “But after missing it for the past
masks, and even vaccines are now ers, and vaccines, besides the usual two years, I foresee that this year
on sale for the Phor Thor (Hungry paraphernalia like fancy cars, big will be better.
Ghost Festival) this year. houses and smartphones. According to Chinese belief, the
These Covid-19-related essentials, “The stacks of foreign bank notes spirits enjoy a month-long “vaca-
together with hell notes, are among (hell notes) are also well worth the tion” in the human world when the
the popular paraphernalia sought exchange rate – only RM2 for a gates of hell open during the sev-
by those who want to keep their stack of US $100 notes,” he enth lunar month.
dearly departed in the netherworld remarked. It is customary to have Chinese
“safe” from the virus. Lim said that since the pandemic, opera performances, puppet shows
Kong Fatt Trading shop owner, he has had a larger client base and kotai (stage shows) to entertain
Kenny Lim, 38, said that due to thanks to online platforms. the community and wandering
inconsistent supply because of the “The younger generation wants spirits during the festival, which is
pandemic, he had stocked up an convenience and have items deliv- called Yu Lan in Mandarin or Phor
entire warehouse full of effigies and ered to their doorsteps. Thor in Hokkien, to ensure a peace-
prayer paraphernalia before the “I have drawn up specific sets of ful and prosperous year.
festival. prayer paraphernalia for different The festival proper falls on the
“After two years of silence during household sizes, purposes and price 15th day of the seventh month of Sanitise as you go: lim (right) showing the various sets of prayer
Phor Thor, this year is about recov- range. the lunar calendar, which is on Aug paraphernalia, thoughtfully curated for modern times to include Covid-19
ering from our losses. Yesterday, Lim’s shop was rather 12 this year. vaccination kits. — ZHaFaraN NaSiB/The Star

Govts urged to get new hiring system going quickly

By IYLIA MARSYA ISKANDAR cess is aligned with a memorandum integration with the Immigration ject was a good plan to improve the timeline for each party in the pro-
[email protected] of understanding (MOU) signed Department’s MyIMMs portal will integration of systems. cess so the duration can be stand-
between the two countries. be able to ensure a smoother and The Association of Employment ardised.
PETALING JAYA: Both the “Building a new system will take faster recruitment process. Agencies Malaysia (Papa) said it “We have few parties involved in
Malaysian and Indonesian govern- a long time. The most important “Malaysians are opting for the was thankful for the lifting of the the recruitment process like the
ments need to get an integrated thing is: no more visa conversion SMO because it is faster with less freeze but added that there should Human Resources Ministry, the
hiring system going quickly to from tourist visa into work permit,” documentation and less bureaucra- be transparency on the process to Immigration Department and the
ensure a smooth maid recruitment he said. cy. ensure the issue of illegal maids embassy,” he said.
process with no more hiccups, say Yesterday, Human Resources “An application for a calling visa does not recur. Malaysian Maid Employers
industry players. Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan (work permit) now takes at least “The reason why people are Association (Mama) president
They believe that maids had been announced that Indonesia has two months, which is too long. going for shortcuts to bring in ille- Engku Ahmad Fauzi Engku Muhsein
hired illegally simply because the agreed to lift the temporary freeze “We hope the process will now be gal maids is because the timeline of said the lifting of the temporary
legal process to hire them was tak- of migrant workers to Malaysia smoother so people won’t opt for a calling visa is too long, but they freeze was welcome news and the
ing too long. effective Aug 1 with the integration illegal domestic workers,” she said. need maids urgently and they don’t continued supply of labour would
The two countries had been at of the two systems. Zarina also urged the Indonesian mind paying more for that,” said its drive Malaysia’s economic growth.
loggerheads over Putrajaya’s Sistem National Association of Human government to ensure that domes- vice-president Suresh Tan. Indonesia had announced the
Maid Online (SMO) and Jakarta’s Resources Malaysia president tic workers already have a calling “If the government can expedite temporary freeze earlier this month
Once Channel System (OCS). Zarina Ismail welcomed the inte- visa before leaving the country. the whole process and recruitment due to the dispute over the maid
Indonesian Ambassador to grated system as both countries “Indonesia should also be more agencies are well-informed on the hiring system.
Malaysia Hermono said Indonesia would be able to track the worker’s serious in handling the issue of ille- documents needed, we can advise It is understood the system had
had agreed to integrate both the movement within Malaysia. gal maids on their end.” employers accordingly,” he added. been linked to allegations of traf-
systems as long as the business pro- However, she said she hopes the She said a three-month pilot pro- He said there should be a fixed ficking and forced labour.

WEATHER PRAYER TIMES

GEORGE TOWN K. LUMPUR JOHOR BARU KOTA BARU K. KINABALU KUCHING ALOR SETAR PENANG K. LUMPUR JOHOR BARU KUANTAN KOTA BARU
Subuh 6:00 Subuh 6:02 Subuh 6:00 Subuh 5:54 Subuh 5:55 Subuh 5:54

AM Rain Rain No rain No rain Isolated rain No rain Zohor

Asar
1:27
4:48
Zohor
Asar
1:27
4:49
Zohor
Asar
1:23
4:44
Zohor
Asar
1:14
4:36
Zohor
Asar
1:17
4:39
Zohor
Asar
1:20
4:41
Isolated Isolated Maghrib 7:38 Maghrib 7:37 Maghrib 7:30 Maghrib 7:19 Maghrib 7:24 Maghrib 7:31
PM Thunderstorms No rain Thunderstorms Thunderstorms
thunderstorms thunderstorms Isyak 8:52 Isyak 8:51 Isyak 8:43 Isyak 8:32 Isyak 8:37 Isyak 8:40
4 Nation THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

Reports by MARTIN CARVALHO, JOSEPH KAOS, TARRENCE TAN, MUGUNTAN VANAR, JUNAID IBRAHIM and RAGANANTHINI VETHASALAM

Ongkili: Sabah must quickly follow suit to stop crossovers Are to

Is Nato anti-party
really the
invasion
blame forhopping
Russia'slaws
solution And
of Ukraine? to Malaysia's
what does
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah, where party-hop- Rakyat passed the Anti-Hopping Law with the During the PBS rule of the state govern-
political
it all woes?
mean for Constitutional
Malaysia? Political
ping has seen the rise and fall of state govern- 209 MPs giving their approval. ment from 1985 to 1994, PBS passed an lawyer Wong
scientist New Sin
ChinYew
Huatshares
shareshis
ments over five decades, must adopt anti- The Minister in the Prime Minister’s anti-hopping law in 1988 but the enactment his #ExpertOpinion
#ExpertOpinion.
crossover laws in its constitution, says Datuk Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) said could not be enforced after the Federal Court
Seri Maximus Ongkili. it was necessary for Sabah and Sarawak to ruled that assemblymen had the right to free-
The Parti Bersatu Sabah president said that follow suit as the federal anti-hopping law did dom of association.
the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led state govern- not apply to the two Borneo state legislative The enactment was repealed from the state #expertopinion series
ment must pass the Anti-Hopping Law at the assemblies. constitution in 1995 when Barisan Nasional
state level within 60 days. “Sabah and Sarawak need to table the law took over the state government.
“This needs to be done within the next two at their respective state levels,” Ongkili added. Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who led PBS
months, and our seven PBS assemblymen are Describing the passing of the anti-hopping then, was forced to resign as chief minister
ready to lead in the tabling of the Anti- law as a “dream come true,” he said that PBS after the February 1994 state elections when
Hopping Law enactment at the Sabah state has been pushing for it for the last 37 years PBS assemblymen crossed over to Barisan
legislative assembly sitting,” he said yesterday. and the passing of the Bill was a recognition of just three weeks after PBS had retained the
His statement came shortly after the Dewan the party’s struggle to ensure political stability. state government.

100% backing for law Ismail Sabri

thanks
MPs want anti-hopping law, Bill goes to dewan Negara on aug 9 MPs for
KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat
voted a resounding yes to pass the
appointed to become Speakers of
the House.
their support
anti-hopping law which will be MPs who are sacked from politi-
ready for use before the general cal parties will not lose their seats. PETALING JAYA: After the historic
election. Also not affected by the law are anti-party hopping Bill was passed
“All Members of Parliament in MPs who vote against their party’s almost unanimously, Prime
the House voted for the law, all wishes. Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri
100% of them. Meanwhile, Wan Junaidi Yaakob expressed his gratitude to
“No one opposed it,” Minister in acknowledged that no Parti Pribumi MPs.
the Prime Minister’s Department Bersatu Malaysia MPs had taken In a statement, he also thanked
Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku part in the debates. the 54 MPs who took part in the
Jaafar said at a press conference in “Many of them wanted to speak, debate and gave their views on the
Parliament’s media centre yester- but most of them were sitting on the Bill, saying it was a sign of political
day. front bench (ministers and deputy maturity.
Earlier, 209 MPs present in the ministers). “I would like to thank all MPs –
House voted in favour of constitu- “This was the problem which from the Government, the
tional amendments to create anti- gave rise to some misconceptions. Opposition or independent bloc –
hopping provisions within the “We did not want to break tradi- who have made history today.
Federal Constitution. tion,” he said. “This Bill was achieved after va-
Wan Junaidi said that the By convention, ministers and rious engagement sessions and
Constitutional (Amendment) Bill deputy ministers do not participate views and through a bipartisan
2022 will now be tabled in Dewan in debates, which are mainly done Special Select Committee involving
Negara for the Senate’s approval. by backbenchers. representatives of the main parties
“We have a timeline and the Bill The clarification by Wan Juniadi in the Dewan Rakyat,” the Bera MP
will be brought to Dewan Negara came after Bersatu MPs were jibed said, adding that the Bill would
this Aug 9. and taunted by several Opposition ensure the long-term political sta-
“Once this is done, it will be pre- MPs for being “frogs” who did not bility of the country.
sented to the King for the royal Historic milestone: MPs voting on the anti-hopping Bill in the dewan participate in the debates. The constitutional amendments,
assent and date of gazettement. rakyat. — Bernama Later at a press conference, Larut which were passed yesterday, are
“It should be ready to become MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin likely to become law before the next
law by the first week of September,” “Congratulations to all MPs who On Wednesday, Prime Minister said that several Bersatu MPs want- general election is called.
added Wan Junaidi. have created history today,” Azhar Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob read ed to debate. The Bill required a two-thirds
The last time the House unani- said when announcing the final the Bill for the second reading. However, the Bersatu secretary- majority, or 148 votes, but it was
mously passed constitutional vote tally yesterday. The Bera MP described the law as general said most of their MPs were approved by all 209 MPs present.
amendments was in December last The House currently has 220 a historic milestone for the nation’s frontbenchers. Another 11 MPs were absent.
year to restore equal status to members following the deaths of political stability. “I am a minister, so is Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri had tabled the Bill on
Sarawak and Sabah under the Batu Sapi MP Datuk Liew Vui Keong The amendment comprises four Azmin Ali. There were only one or Wednesday for a second reading.
Malaysia Agreement (MA63). in October 2020 and Gerik MP paragraphs and six clauses. two of us who were left as back- He said the anti-hopping law
Earlier in the House, Dewan Datuk Hasbullah Osman in Among them is a clause that MPs benchers,” he said. sends a clear message to all MPs to
Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar November that same year. who defect from the political par- A total of 54 MPs had taken part hold on to the principles of the polit-
Azizan Harun explained to MPs that The Bill to amend the Constitution ties they represented as election in two days of debates. ical parties they represent and to
bloc voting was required for consti- was tabled for the first reading du- candidates or those who become uphold the mandate and confidence
tutional amendments. ring a special one-day Dewan independents will have to vacate bestowed upon them by voters.
Bloc voting was held at the second Rakyat sitting on April 11. their Parliamentary seats. Meanwhile, also passed by voice
and third reading stages of the Bill. However, the Bill was referred to However, there are exemptions No hopping, political vote was the Special Parliamentary
Both voting processes saw all a Special Parliamentary Select for MP’s who change political par- financing next! Select Committee report on the pro-
MPs voting in favour with none Committee for further scrutiny fol- ties when their former parties have See page 17 posed amendments, which was also
against, while 11 MPs were absent. lowing some hiccups. been de-registered or if they are tabled in the House on Wednesday.

Anti-hopping law will not hasten GE15, say analysts

PETALING JAYA: The passing of sociology professor from Universiti held after the general election. er for Ismail Sabri. He can call for their seats lost,” he said.
the anti-party hopping Bill does not Sains Malaysia. Otherwise, the party elections the election whenever he feels his Universiti Malaya’s Dr Awang
necessarily mean the general elec- “The anti-hopping law is some- must be held before Dec 30 this party is at its strongest,” said Azmi. Azman Awang Pawi, however, felt
tion is around the corner. thing all parties want, so there is year. “It is a political strategy for GE15 might be called sooner rather
Instead, there are many other enough interest to see the law Nusantara Academy for Strategic Barisan and Umno to keep others than later, as Barisan would want to
considerations for Prime Minister enforced before the 15th General Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan guessing when the election is. The secure a stable government as soon
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, say Election (GE15). Most likely, the law said the non-extension of the bipar- ball is in their court. as possible.
political analysts. will be in place before the polls,” he tisan memorandum of understand- “They can also use this advantage “You have party allies demanding
While the government is aiming said. ing (MOU) would also not affect to get a headstart and prepare for the deputy prime minister’s post
to enforce the anti-hopping law by The anti-party hopping law was Ismail Sabri’s decision. the election earlier than their oppo- even though there’s less than a year
September, observers feel Ismail one of the key elements in the bipar- “When it was decided that the nents,” he added. to the end of Parliament’s term.
Sabri will not feel pressured to call tisan cooperation between the gov- MOU would not be extended, the On the anti-hopping law, Azmi “There’s also the economic situa-
for polls immediately. ernment and Pakatan Harapan. general perception was that the said it would provide stability to the tion, and you need a stable govern-
“There are also factors like infla- Prof Sivamurugan added that the election would be called soon. political landscape, with elected ment and strong policies to manage
tion and unemployment that the uncertainty over the Registrar of However, I don’t see that as the representatives no longer able to this,” said Awang Azman.
government is handling now. The Societies’ review of Umno’s consti- case,” he said. jump parties at will. “With the anti-hopping law, the
Prime Minister might want this to tution amendment application Ismail Sabri has said the govern- “The Johor and Melaka elections political landscape will be more
be sorted first. could also influence Ismail Sabri’s ment and the Opposition have have shown that party hoppers will stable as there will be limited room
“He will go to the polls when he decision. agreed that the MOU would not be be in dire straits in the next elec- for political manipulation.”
feels the party is ready,” said Dr Umno had applied to amend its renewed after it expires on July 31. tion. We saw how those who The next general election has to
Sivamurugan Pandian, a political constitution so party polls could be “Without the MOU, it is now easi- jumped parties and tried to defend be called by July next year.
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 5
6 Nation THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

Covid-19 Current situation as of July 27 New cases Total cases Home quarantine Hospitalised Total recovered TOTAL TOTAL
VACCINATED TWO DOSES 1st BOOSTERS 2nd BOOSTERS
TOTAL

4,503 4,664,213 45,318 1,505 4,581,365 IN MALAYSIA 27,431,993 16,180,344 315,209

(96.6%) (3.2%) (3,847 cases) (Daily figures in brackets) (2,455) (1,420) (10,015)

Perlis Kedah Penang Perak Negri Melaka

Selangor Kelantan Terengganu Pahang Sembilan Johor Sabah Sarawak FT FT FT
K. Lumpur Putrajaya Labuan
6 159 265 306 1,706 62 42 74 173 171 120 238 81 989 100 11

King graces opening

of haemodialysis centre Royal visitor:
KUALA LUMPUR: The opening of with 12 kidney patients at the cen- Sultan abdullah
the Taman Melati Yayasan Al-Sultan tre. greeting one of
Abdullah (Yasa) Haemodialysis Comptroller of Istana Negara the patients dur-
Centre in the compound of the Royal Household Datuk Seri Ahmad ing the inaugura-
Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi Mosque in Fadil Shamsuddin said the opening tion ceremony of
Taman Melati here was graced by of the centre was in conjunction the haemodialy-
the presence of Yang di-Pertuan with His Majesty’s 63rd birthday on sis centre in
Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatud- July 30. Taman Melati,
din Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. Ahmad Fadil said His Majesty Kuala lumpur.
The centre is the fourth set up by prayed that all kidney patients also present are
Yasa and the first to be located in undergoing haemodialysis treat- dr Shahidan (left)
the compound of a mosque. ment would be blessed with and idris (second
Also in attendance was Tengku strength and patience as living with from left).
Panglima Raja Kol Tengku Amir kidney disease was not easy but full — Bernama
Nasser Ibrahim Shah Al-Sultan of challenges and risks of health
Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa complications.
Billah Shah. “His Majesty also advises the peo- and private companies, as well as financial burden of the groups con- Yasa haemodialysis centres were in
His Majesty was welcomed upon ple to always practise a healthy generous donors who extended cerned. Pekan, Pahang, which opened on
arrival by Health Minister Khairy lifestyle, to watch their daily diet, help and donations to make the “The setting up of Yasa haemodi- Dec 11, 2021; in Setiawangsa, Kuala
Jamaluddin, Federal Territories and to avoid consuming products setting up of the centre a success,” alysis centres is also purely aimed Lumpur (opened on Aug 12, 2020);
Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kas- that can harm their kidneys,” he he said. at helping the government because and in Cheras, KL (opened on Aug 7,
sim, Minister in the Prime Minister’s said in a statement yesterday. Ahmad Fadil added that His there are so many patients who 2019).
Department (Religious Affairs) Meanwhile, Ahmad Fadil said the Majesty’s great concern for chronic need such treatment, with the num- He said that these centres provid-
Datuk Idris Ahmad and Federal centre had 12 dialysis machines kidney patients and the need for ber of new cases reaching 8,000 a ed nearly 1,600 treatments per
Territories Islamic Religious Council and opened from 8am to 5pm from haemodialysis services for those year. month, with machine usage rang-
(MAIWP) chairman Tan Sri Dr Monday to Saturday. who could not afford them, espe- “The cost of treatment for all ing between 95% and 100% in each.
Mohd Daud Bakar. “It is a collaboration between cially from the M40 and B40 groups, patients is fully sponsored by Yasa,” “Yasa is also planning to open
After the opening ceremony, Yasa, MAIWP, the Federal Territories had prompted him to set up haemo- he said, Bernama reported. another haemodialysis centre in
Sultan Abdullah spent some time Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) dialysis centres to help ease the Ahmad Fadil said the first three Pahang early next year,” he added.

‘No worries, it’s far easier now’

Getting an australian visa faster with the procedures simplified
By PAUL GABRIEL venient for applicants to scan their Malaysians, adding that the High ble for certain types of travellers.
[email protected] passports and submit photographs, Commission was working hard to “Malaysian business visitor trav-
providing an improved user experi- overcome the backlog of applica- ellers may wish to consider a Visitor
KUALA LUMPUR: It’s “no worries” ence through a simple, secure, con- tions. (Business Stream) (subclass 600)
travelling to Australia these days – venient, fast and flexible platform Malaysian applicants had also visa. These visas can be granted
the up to two-month wait time for a from a mobile device by automat- complained of strict requirements with a validity of up to three years,
tourist visa has been halved with ing several steps within an ETA such as the need to provide bank meaning you don’t have to reapply
red tape scrapped and procedures application. records. for a visa every 12 months.
simplified. “Notification of the result of an Malaysians are among the select “The Apec Business Travel Card
It now takes up to four weeks for application lodged through the ETA passport holders eligible to apply (ABTC) is another option, providing
an Electronic Travel Authority app will be received within 12 for an ETA to travel to Australia to businesspeople faster and easier
(ETA) temporary visa to be issued to hours. visit family or friends, go on holiday entry to the Asia Pacific region.
Malaysians, with a smartphone app “Due to the ongoing high volume “If an application requires fur- or undertake business visitor activi- “It allows for a stay period of up
introduced for applicants to submit of applications, we still recommend ther information, a letter will be ties. to 90 days in Australia, provides fast
information. applying early – at least four weeks sent via email with instructions to ETAs allow visa holders to stay in track entry and exit lanes at major
A Digital Passenger Declaration in advance of travel.” complete an online form through Australia for up to three months per airports and is valid for five years
or providing evidence of vaccina- From Feb 19 to July 15, he said ImmiAccount,” he said, adding that visit and are valid for a year. from the date of issue,” he added.
tion status is no longer required. 43,774 visitor visas had been grant- instructional videos were available Multiple entries are permitted. Australia’s borders reopened to
Australian High Commissioner to ed to Malaysian passport holders on the Department of Home Affairs Lee said other visa options were all fully vaccinated visa holders,
Malaysia Dr Justin Lee (pic), who outside Australia. website homeaffairs.gov.au. available to Malaysians who need- including international tourists, on
disclosed this, said the ETA assess- “We are pleased to be welcoming Australian Foreign Minister ed to travel to Australia regularly. Feb 21.
ment processing period for Malay- these travellers back to Australia,” Penny Wong had said during her “ETAs are just one of many visas Malaysia remains the eighth
sians was expected to be further he told The Star. recent visit here that she was aware available to Malaysians. Other visa source country for short-term visi-
reduced. Lee said the ETA app made it con- of the delays in visa approvals for options may actually be more suita- tor arrivals Down Under.

Hotels and malls powered on despite blackout

By FARID WAHAB Lau said the power failure disabled limited space to install such a sys- “Although some guests com- lifts and escalators still worked
and CLARISSE SONIA reception systems. tem, which is quite costly too,” he plained, they understood that it was despite the power outage.
[email protected] “As a result, the workers were said. a nationwide problem and outside “Fortunately, this incident did not
unable to access details of their Malaysia Budget and Business of our control,” he said. happen on a weekend as the footfall
KUALA LUMPUR: Wednesday’s guests who were checking in and Hotel Association president Dr Sri At the Sunway Velocity Mall in would have been twice as high,” he
widespread blackout caused dis- out. Ganesh Michiel said hotels, which Cheras here, customers at certain said.
ruptions to the operations of hotels “This caused a minor disruption are still recovering from the fallout sections of the parking lot were TNB had attributed the wide-
and malls, but some of them got by as the process had to be done man- of the Covid-19 pandemic, should plunged into darkness for 15 min- spread outage to a fault at its Yong
with back-up generators and others ually instead. be compensated for any faulty utes. Peng North substation in Johor.
managed to pacify their frustrated “Other than that, most activities appliances. The mall’s branding and market- It said the disruption caused a
customers and resorted to working continued as usual, and it was not “Thankfully, we have yet to ing director Darren Chear said its loss of 2.2 gigawatts or 10% of
manually. as bad as during a water cut,” he receive reports of any major inci- management team was ordered to demand in Peninsular Malaysia.
Several states and many areas in said. dents caused by the blackout,” he activate the back-up generator The utility provider assured its
the Klang Valley were without elec- Lau added that budget hotels – added. immediately. consumers that it was an isolated
tricity after the outage that lasted rated two stars and below – were He, however, lauded Tenaga “Customers who were leaving case and that the country’s electrici-
from 12.40pm to around 3pm. usually not equipped with a power Nasional Bhd (TNB) for resolving were allowed to exit without paying ty supply was reliable and stable
Malaysia Budget Hotel generator. the issue quickly and providing reg- for parking. enough for immediate power resto-
Association representative Andy “Unlike bigger hotels, we have ular updates on social media. “However, facilities such as the ration.
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 7
8 Nation THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

JJ’s kids strike out suit over estate

Children’s grandmother claims she is entitled to a portion of rM13.7mil
By NURBAITI HAMDAN based on substantially similar facts The court ordered for the lawsuit of administration of their father’s them to do so.
[email protected] and issues on the administration of to be struck out and that costs of estate at the High Court and were On Aug 31 last year, High Court
the estate of the deceased RM15,000 be paid to each defendant granted the documents on July 6, judge Mohd Firuz Jaffril partially
KUALA LUMPUR: The two chil- (Jamaludin) that she had already in 14 days. 2017. allowed Aminah’s application for a
dren of former minister the late Tan raised before in a different court. Lawyers K. Shanmuga appeared The plaintiff said Jamaludin had declaration that she was entitled to
Sri Jamaludin Jarjis have successful- The judge said when a matter for the siblings while Wan Zafran cash assets comprising cash savings be a beneficiary of the former
ly struck out a lawsuit filed by their between two parties had been adju- Pawancheek represented Aminah. and deposits held in various finan- minister’s estate and has an interest
grandmother Aminah Abdullah dicated by a court of competent Both lawyers confirmed the mat- cial institutions in and outside of in companies worth over RM1bil
over the distribution of RM2.29mil jurisdiction, the parties and their ter when contacted. Malaysia. owned by his children.
from a RM21mil stash kept in the privies were not permitted to liti- On May 31 last year, Aminah filed As at May 23, 2019, the assets It was reported that the three
bank. gate once more because the judg- the lawsuit against her grandchil- amounted to RM21mil. companies which she was claiming
This is following a decision by ment becomes the truth between dren – Ikhwan and Nur Anis – over The cash available for distribu- a portion of are Rantai Wawasan
the High Court that allowed the the parties. the control of a purported amount tion was RM13.7mil after deducting Sdn Bhd, Alpine Motion Sdn Bhd
striking out application filed by “In other words, the parties of RM21mil kept in the bank. the deceased’s liabilities, totalling and Ivory Insights Sdn Bhd.
Ikhwan Hafiz Jamaludin, 35, and should accept it as the truth. The The grandchildren were sued in RM7.6mil then. The judge said only Rantai
Nur Anis Jamaludin, 37, on the public policy of the law is that it is in their capacity as joint administra- Aminah claimed she was entitled Wawasan was part of her deceased
grounds of res judicata (also known the public interest that there should tors of their late father’s estate. to RM2.29mil, which was one-sixth son’s estate.
as claim preclusion, which means a be finality in litigation,” she said According to the amended state- of the RM13.7mil cash, based on the He dismissed Aminah’s claims on
particular legal matter cannot be yesterday. ment of claim, Aminah said her son Islamic faraid system. the other two companies.
raised again). Justice Hayatul said the plaintiff’s had died in a helicopter crash on However, she claimed that her In the suit, Aminah claimed one-
In her brief judgment, High Court conduct in initiating multiple suits April 4, 2015 without leaving a will. grandchildren failed or refused to sixth of the value of the shares
Justice Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz was oppressive and an abuse of She said on June 23, 2017, Nur distribute the money and therefore (RM1.3bil) from the estate based on
said Aminah, 88, had filed the suit court process. Anis and Ikhwan applied for letters she sought a court order to compel the faraid system.

It was the last time

I saw my child alive

Beyond sad: razma looking lost sitting in what used to be her

home where her youngest daughter, Norain, died in a landslide.

By DURIE RAINER FONG the state capital on Wednesday

[email protected] night.
Both children were pro-
KOTA KINABALU: When she nounced dead at Queen Elizabeth
left for work in the morning, Hospital.
Razma Botong never expected The boy’s mother, Siti Nur, 28,
that it would be the last time she suffered a broken arm, and his
would see her youngest daugh- father Sabri Botong, also 28,
ter, Norain Julaziz, alive. injured his legs.
Last Wednesday, the 36-year- Razma’s father, Botong Jaafar,
old mother of three left their 57, said he saw how the landslip
squatter home near Taman Elok “swallowed” his grandchildren,
in Bukit Nenas here for work at a Isa and Norain.
restaurant like any other day. He said they had just finished
But a distraught Razma dinner, and the kids proceeded to
returned home at about 8pm play in the living room.
only to find in shock the rem- “Suddenly, I heard a loud noise
nants of her house that had col- coming from outside before real-
lapsed after it was hit by a land- ising it was a landslide,” he said.
slide moments earlier. Botong added that while they
“When the landslip occurred, were grateful Isa’s parents had
all my children were at home survived, the whole family was
with my parents. An incident like greatly traumatised by the inci-
this has never happened through- dent.
out our time living here,” she said Bernama reported the chil-
when met at the site yesterday. dren’s grandmother as saying
Razma said she immediately that they had felt tremors and
scoured the rubble. Norain, 11, heard the sound of gushing water
was the last of four trapped to be before the landslide.
pulled out of the ruins. Arisa Barahim, 58, said the
Her nephew, Isa Sabri, two, water and debris from the hill
also perished in the tragedy. came right into the kitchen.
“My nephew was the first to be “I leapt to save myself, so did
found, followed by his parents,” some other family members.
she added as she tried to hold However, one of my daughters
back tears. and my grandchildren were
The deceased were among the buried in the debris,” she said.
family of nine living in the house, “All of us tried to rescue the
which was buried in the land- children but it was unfortunate
slide after hours of heavy rain in that we couldn’t.”
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 9
10 Nation THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

At the dewan rakyat

reports by MarTiN CarValHO, TarrENCE TaN and raGaNaNTHiNi VETHaSalaM

More than 1.5 million children not vaccinated

UP until July 26 this year, 1,518,773 children Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) interjected Malaysia recorded 4,503 new Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centres through-
below the age of 12 have not been vaccinated and asked about the number of complications cases on Wednesday, bringing the total num- out the country.
against Covid-19 yet, said Deputy Health faced by children during vaccination. ber of infections in the country to 4,664,213 A total of 1,505 Covid-19 patients, or 3.2% of
Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali. In response, Dr Noor Azmi said the National since the pandemic began. Wednesday’s active infections, have been hos-
According to Dr Noor Azmi, 264,750 chil- Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency has The Health Ministry’s CovidNow portal pitalised, with 59 cases being treated at inten-
dren out of this number were not vaccinated received 500 suspected adverse events fol- reported that 4,497 of Wednesday’s new sive care units (ICU).
because they were under the age of five. lowing immunisation cases. Covid-19 cases were local transmissions, Of the patients in the ICU, 29 are unventila-
He said under the Covid-19 National “Out of the 500, there were only 31 serious while there were six imported infections. ted and 30 require ventilator support.
Immunisation Programme for Children, there cases, and they were fine after receiving It also reported that there were 3,847 recov- Malaysia’s overall ICU utilisation rate stood
are 1,777,078 children, or 49.8%, who are medical treatment at the hospital,” he added. eries, bringing the total number of people at 62.0%, with Covid-19 patients accounting
aged 5 to 11 years and have received at least He said Malaysia was seeing a recent rise in who have recovered from Covid-19 to for 15.8% of the ICU utilisation rate.
one dose of vaccine, as of July 26. Covid-19 cases and it could be due to the 4,581,365 since the pandemic began.
“1,485,265 children (41.8%) had completed emergence of new sub-variants of the virus. There are currently 46,906 active Covid-19
two doses of vaccine,” he said during “That is why the Health Ministry advises infections in Malaysia, with 96.6%, or 45,318 Watch the video
Parliament’s Oral Question and Answer ses- parents to bring their children for booster individuals, observing home quarantine and
sion yesterday morning. shots,” Dr Noor Azmi added. 24 patients, or 0.1%, being attended to at TheStarTV.com

Tackling online scams Eight Malaysian

companies in US
Govt to amend law to allow authorities to freeze accounts forced labour list
SCAMMERS and account mules beware! An EIGHT Malaysian companies were slapped
amendment to the law that will allow authori- with a Withhold Release Order (WRO) by the
ties to freeze the bank accounts of scammers US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in
and punish “account mules” who allow their the past two years, says Deputy Human
bank accounts to be used by these scammers Resources Minister Datuk Awang Hashim.
has been proposed. The companies were from the palm oil and
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ismail rubber sectors, he told the Dewan Rakyat
Mohamed Said told the Dewan the laws will yesterday.
be amended to tackle online scams which He was responding to a question by R.
have resulted in Malaysians losing over Sivarasa (PH-Sungai Buloh) on the names and
RM350mil in just six months this year. business fields of Malaysian companies that
“We need to amend Section 116B of the have from 2019 until now been subject to a
Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) to allow the Withhold Release Order or Finding order by
investigating officer to freeze the bank the CBP.
accounts of those suspected of being involved Sivarasa also asked about the actions taken
in online scams. by the government to ensure the Finding
“This includes Section 424 of the Penal order imposed on Sime Darby Bhd dated Jan
Code to punish account mules who allow 28 will be withdrawn by the CBP.
scammers to use their bank accounts,” he said “We have two companies which were taken
when answering a question raised by Datuk out from the WRO list,” Awang (PN-Pendang)
Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH-Kuala Lumpur) said during the Oral Question and Answer
in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday. session.
Dzulkefly asked if steps were being taken to He said there are 11 evaluation criteria that
address rampant online scams, including evaluate forced labour and human trafficking
data breaches resulting in such crimes. in labour practices.
Section 116B of the CPC relates to the po- “We have used each of the 11 items to
wers of a police investigating officer to gain ensure that forced labour and human traf-
access to computerised data, whether stored Taking the floor: ismail speaking at the dewan rakyat in Parliament Building, Kuala ficking do not happen in labour practices in
on a computer or otherwise. lumpur. — Bernama Malaysia,” he said.
Section 424 of the Penal Code relates to an Among the companies affected by the CBP’s
individual dishonestly or fraudulently tions resulting in 5,169 scammers being Asean and Interpol is crucial in dealing with actions are Top Glove Corp Bhd, Sime Darby
assisting in the release of any demand or charged. transboundary scams. Plantation Bhd, Supermax Corp Bhd and FGV
claim. He also said that there were 506 cases He cited several examples where Malaysian Holdings Bhd.
Earlier, Datuk Seri Azizah Mohd Dun between January and June this year linked to police worked closely with their counterparts
(PN-Beaufort) lamented that Malaysians lost unlicensed money lenders or Ah Long invol- in Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan to
some RM5.2bil between 2020 and May this
year to scammers who have now resorted to
ving RM4.28mil.
He said that 744 arrests were made, which
crack down on online scammers.
He said there were 255 cases with losses
Orang Asli policy
using various online platforms to dupe vic-
tims.
resulted in 241 suspects being charged.
Meanwhile, Ismail acknowledged difficul-
amounting to RM4.9mil last year involving
scammers operating call centres in Kuala to be finalised
Ismail had earlier informed the House that ties in investigating online scams, which are Lumpur, Johor and Singapore.
a total of RM362.6mil was lost to online scam-
mers between January and June this year.
transboundary crimes committed abroad but
whose victims are in Malaysia.
He said cooperation with police in
Singapore led to the arrest of 50 suspects here
by year-end
He said the cases led to 10,468 investiga- He said that cooperation with police from and seven others in Singapore. THE Orang Asli Development Policy (DPOA) is
expected to be finalised in the fourth quarter
of this year and be implemented in the mid-

Medical cannabis producers must register with DCA dle of 2023, says Rural Development Minister
Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.
He said the policy, which will focus on mat-
COMPANIES producing medical cannabis can medical purposes, as long as the activity is in can’t do anything. That’s why we need every- ters related to land management, education,
register their products with the Drug Control accordance with the law,” said Dr Noor Azmi one’s cooperation to amend them. Studies health, the economy, leadership, infrastruc-
Authority (DCA) before they’re approved for during Oral Question and Answer session. have shown that these products can be used ture, and culture, was aimed at boosting
sale in Malaysia, says Deputy Health Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda- and are efficient in treating certain illnesses. efforts to bring the Orang Asli community
Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali. Muar) then asked what would happen to “The issue here is the stigma. When we into the mainstream of development.
“If there are any groups with enough scien- people using medicinal cannabis and ketum mention cannabis, people are still scared. But “A core pillar of this policy is protection,
tific proof on the use of medicine containing for treatment. those involved are patients who are benefit- well-being, and development, as well as ser-
cannabis extract, they can register their pro- “(It is already legal in) Thailand and even in ing from it, so they shouldn’t be arrested or vice delivery,” he told the Dewan Rakyat yes-
ducts with the DCA which then permits the Indonesia, the process to approve medicinal jailed,” added Dr Noor Azmi. terday.
products to be sold in Malaysia. cannabis has started. Presently, he said, there were no clinical “The government, through the Orang Asli
“The Health Ministry does not reject any “Doctors here are ready to prescribe, but trials on any products containing cannabis Development Department, will intensify
study on the efficacy of medicinal cannabis. If according to the law, criminal charges can be extract for those who are using it for medical efforts to improve the socioeconomic status of
there are products concerning medical can- made against the doctor and even patients, as purposes in Malaysia. the Orang Asli community through existing
nabis that are approved overseas, the said well as their guardians,” said Syed Saddiq. Section 6 of the DDA prohibits the posses- programmes,” he said, adding that the policy
company can register their products in Dr Noor Azmi conceded that there are ben- sion of cannabis, which is an offence punish- would replace the Orang Asli Administration
Malaysia,” he said. efits to using medical cannabis to treat able by five years in prison or a fine not Policy 1961.
He added that medical cannabis falls under depression, cancer, epilepsy and other diseas- exceeding RM20,000. He said this when replying to a question
the purview of the Dangerous Drugs Act (DDA), es, but stressed that until present laws are Section 39A of the DDA states that those from Datuk Dr Hasan Bahrom (PH-Tampin)
the Poisons Act and the Sale of Drugs Act. amended, those who are using the drug will found with over 50g are punishable with five on developments regarding the Orang Asli
“It does not stop the imports, sale, supply, be charged. years of jail and at least 10 strokes of the Development Plan and the key focus of this
and mass production of cannabis extract for “If we are still stuck with previous laws, we rotan. development plan, Bernama reported.
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 11
12 THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Nation 13

Strange ‘Datuk Seri’ Technician

title lands man in court gets 64 years
KUALA LUMPUR: A businessman
has pleaded not guilty in a Sessions
and RM250,000 or imprisonment of
between a year and three years.
and rotan
Court here to a charge of using an
unrecognised “Datuk Seri” title.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurli-
yana Mohd Jafri offered RM50,000 for raping
Form One girl
Mak Hon Leong, 39, was charged bail with one surety.
on Wednesday with using and Asking for a reduced bail, lawyer
enjoying the title – which is not Amer Hamzah Arshad, who repre-
recognised – in his business and sented Mak, said this was to ensure
private dealings without the per- his client’s presence in court. MELAKA: A 40-year-old technician
mission of His Highness the Sultan “My client appeared in court to who abducted and raped a 13-year-
at the Kuala Lumpur High Court be charged and he is not a flight old has been ordered to be jailed for
(Commercial Division), Sentul, here risk,” he said, proposing RM10,000 64 years and whipped eight times.
at 9am on Oct 22, 2021. as bail with the accused’s wife as The accused, a father of two,
The charge under Section 4 (1) surety. pleaded guilty to eight charges of
Enactment 18 of the Pahang Enact- Judge Nor Hasniah Ab Razak set abducting the Form One student
ment of Emblems, Titles or Awards the bail at RM18,000 with one sure- A day at the court: Mak making his way to the Kuala lumpur High from her school in Klang, Selangor,
(Preventing Improper Use) 2017 ty and fixed Aug 19 for next men- Court where he has been charged with using an unrecognised ‘datuk and raping her.
carries a fine of between RM100,000 tion. — Bernama Seri’ title. — Bernama Based on the statement of facts,
the man had abducted the teenager
and her mother was later told by
the schoolbus driver that her

Fake title holders warned

daughter had gone missing.
The victim’s friend later told the
mother that she had seen the man
taking the girl away in his car.
On June 18, the victim returned
and told her mother she was raped

Wan Junaidi: We’ll act against those who misuse awards

between 10pm on June 16 and
10pm on June 17.
All the offences were committed
at a home in Bachang, Melaka
By ALLISON LAI ensuring that Act 787 is fully Tengah district, on June 16 and June
[email protected] enforced nationwide. 17.

PETALING JAYA: Action will be

“I would like to warn those still using ‘’I hope that the media and public
also play a role in exposing cases of
The man faces four charges
under Section 376(2) of the Penal
taken against those using fake or
unrecognised titles and awards to
fake titles and carrying out the abuse as mentioned earlier,” he Code, each of which carries a maxi-

organise activities and events, says activities I mentioned that the added.
Rigorous enforcement, he said,
mum 20 years’ jail and rotan upon
conviction.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s
Department (Parliament and Law) government and enforcement will not was important to preserve the
unique status and significance of
The accused was slapped with an
additional four charges under the
Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku
Jaafar. hesitate to take action ...” the awards, titles and honours con-
ferred by the Yang di-Pertuan
Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences
Against Children Act which also
He said they could be charged Agong, the Sultans and state gover- carries a maximum jail term of 20
under the Offences Relating to datuk Seri dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar nors. years and rotan.
Awards Act (Act 787) and punisha- ‘’This is actually the essence and Sessions Court judge Mohd Sabri
ble with a fine up to RM500,000 and main objective of Act 787,’’ he said. Ismail ordered him to be jailed 10
jail up to 20 years. Wan Junaidi also congratulated years for each of the four offences
‘Some of these people believe that ‘’I would like to warn those still Also present were MDDM presi- all MDDM founding members for under the Penal Code, to be served
by using the titles, they will be able using fake titles and carrying out dent Datuk Awalan Abdul Aziz, taking the initiative to set up and consecutively, and six years for
to convince and fool the public that the activities I mentioned that the secretary-general Datuk Samson register the council, expressing his each of the offences under the
they have a certain status and credi- government and enforcement will Maman and other executive council happiness with its strict screening Sexual Offences Against Children
bility among the community. not hesitate to take action according members. process to ensure that all member- Act, to be served concurrently.
‘’What is more worrying is that to the existing laws, especially Act In his speech, Wan Junaidi said ship applications were from legiti- The accused, who was unrepre-
these people misuse these titles for 787,’’ he said during the launch of members of the public and media mate recipients. sented, appealed for a lighter sen-
fraud and other crimes. the Council of Dato and Datuk continued to express concern about ‘’The setting up of MDDM is very tence, claiming that he regretted
‘’There are still those who openly Malaysia (MDDM) yesterday. the existence of unrecognised and well in line with the government’s committing the offence.
organise certain events, where they Wan Junaidi’s speech was read fake Datuks, including cases of fake effort in enforcing Act 787.
attend wearing the ‘Number 1 out by Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri titles. ‘’I hope MDDM will be the main
Dress’ or ‘Mess Kit’ complete with Legal Affairs Division director- ‘’I hope that enforcement authori- organisation and platform to regis-
medals, sashes and unrecognised general Datuk Abd Shukor ties, especially the police, will be ter all recognised Datuks in the
Watch the video
and fake titles. Mahmood. stricter and more comprehensive in country,” he said. TheStarTV.com

Preacher accused of raping minor arrested again

IPOH: A preacher has been remand- In another case, a 20-year-old
ed for a second time over the alleged food delivery rider pleaded not
rape of a 14-year-old girl. guilty to raping an underaged girl at
Magistrate Noor Azreen Liana the Sessions Court yesterday.
Mohd Darus granted a five-day Afiq Yan Muhammad Farid Yan is
remand here starting from yester- accused of committing the offence
day. at a hotel here at around 12.30am
It is believed that he committed on July 16.
the offence here in January. He is charged under Section 376
The suspect was arrested in Kuala (1) of the Penal Code, which carries
Lumpur on July 27 before he was a jail term of up to 20 years and
brought to the Ipoh Magistrate’s whipping upon conviction.
Court. Deputy public prosecutor Afiqa
The case was investigated under Liyana Rozman requested for a
Section 376 of the Penal Code for RM10,000 bail.
rape and Section 14(a) of the Sexual Lawyer Mahajoth Singh, who
Offences Against Children Act. represented the accused, asked for
The preacher was first arrested at a lower bail, saying that his client’s
the Kuala Selangor police head- parents were doing odd jobs and his
quarters on July 18 and remanded brother was about to enrol in a uni-
until July 23 after he allegedly raped versity.
the victim in Kuala Lumpur. “We would like to request for bail
On July 20, Perak police chief between RM5,000 and RM6,000,” he Facing justice: The preacher (left) being taken to the ipoh Magistrate’s Court to be remanded for raping an
Comm Datuk Mior Faridalathrash said. underaged girl. a policeman leading afiq yan out of the Sessions Court in ipoh. — rONNiE CHiN/The Star and
Wahid said the preacher was also Judge Norita Mohd Ardani set Bernama
being investigated in Perak follow- bail at RM5,000 with one surety and
ing a report lodged in the state. ordered the accused to not disturb between 16 and 21 were arrested daughter lying unconscious in a
In all, four police reports were the victim. for allegedly raping an underaged house at Panorama Lapangan
lodged over the case – two in The case is set for mention on victim. Terbang here.
Selangor and one each in Kuala Sept 9. The victim’s mother lodged a Police also arrested a female sus-
Watch the video
Lumpur and Perak. On July 20, six suspects aged police report after finding her pect yesterday to assist in the case. TheStarTV.com
14 THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Nation 15

No Sulu recruiting drive by any individuals or groups in Sabah

By MUGUNTAN VANAR “Sabah police can confirm that Security Command (Esscom) com- He said he had received several order on the Paris award secured
[email protected] no such group is actively recruiting mander Deputy Comm Datuk WhatsApp messages containing by controversial Spanish arbitrator
Filipinos of Sulu descent in Sabah,” Hamzah Ahmad confirmed that forms that looked like personal Gonzalo Stampa, who had moved
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police he said in a statement yesterday. they were investigating a police identity documents for the sultan- the arbitration to Paris despite
have dismissed claims that a group Idris said the police were, howev- report lodged in Lahad Datu about ate and also certificates of loyalty by superior courts in Spain having
is seeking support of “Sabahans with er, looking at the issue being spread the allegation. individuals from Sabah to the sul- issued a suspension order on the
Filipino descent” for the so-called on social media and also investigat- In a report lodged by the tanate. case, which involves Malaysia’s
Sulu heirs who are in the midst of ing a group that was issuing “Sulu Malaysian International Some parties do not rule out the national sovereignty.
pushing for a multibillion-dollar Sultaniyah Darul Islam” (SSDI) doc- Humanitarian Organisation with possibility of individuals attempting On July 12, the Financial Times
arbitration award against Malaysia. uments for a fee. the Kota Kinabalu police on to scam people following the after- reported that bailiffs in Luxembourg
Sabah police commissioner “This group of individuals is out Wednesday, the organisation’s math of the controversial and dis- seized subsidiaries PETRONAS
Datuk Idris Abdullah said investiga- for profiteering,” he added. Sabah coordinator, Jerry Jaimeh, puted US$14.6bil (RM64bil) Paris Azerbaijan (Shah Deniz) and
tion and intelligence had shown He urged the public not to spread urged police to probe the alleged Arbitration Court award to the PETRONAS South Caucasus on
that there were no individuals or any news or information that might movement to recruit local people in self-proclaimed heirs of the defunct behalf of their clients.
groups trying to mount the alleged cause panic or disturb public peace. Lahad Datu to declare loyalty to the Sulu Sultanate. PETRONAS said the assets had
recruitment drive. Earlier yesterday, Eastern Sabah sultanate. Malaysia has obtained a stay already been sold.

Finding their place in society Multicultural

dance the
Bringing the learning-disabled into the mainstream main draw for
By RAGANANTHINI
National Month
VETHASALAM
[email protected] PUTRAJAYA: The Malay joget,
Chinese ribbon dance, Indian clas-
PETALING JAYA: United Voice has sical dance, Ngiluk (Sabah) and
proven that learning disabilities are Ngajat (Sarawak), which will be
not a barrier for a person to stand accompanied by the Keluarga
on their own feet and earn a living. Malaysia song, is the main attrac-
Established in 2005, the organisa- tion during the National Month
tion has been working on self-advo- and Fly the Jalur Gemilang 2022
cacy and to reduce the isolation of launch at Dataran Putrajaya tomor-
people with learning disabilities row.
such as Down Syndrome, autism, The Information Department
attention deficit disorder, global Pentarama choreographer Jafly
development delay and cerebral Jaapar said the interpretive dance
palsy. moves that correspond with the
In addition, it also empowers Work skills: One of the classes united Voice lyrics of Keluarga Malaysia are
them with the tools and experience provides is a baking class. (inset) yeong believes expected to be the “wow” factor for
to work, socialise and take control the event.
those with learning disabilities can do many things if
of their lives. “We combine the five dances in
given a chance.
Its lead coordinator Yeong Moh one song ... to reflect the beauty of
Fong said United Voice is unique as Yeong also said United Voice organisations ethnic diversity in Malaysia,” he
all of its board members are per- started the I’mPossible Cafe project such as hotels, told Bernama.
sons with learning disabilities. to provide job opportunities for per- supermarkets, He said 11 dancers will be
“We work closely with young sons with difficulties. fast food chains involved in the three-minute per-
adults and adults,” she said, adding “It is a project where we hire and and others. formance accompanied by the
that membership is open to those provide them with a monthly allow- Yeong said despite their disabili- Keluarga Malaysia song.
aged 14 and above. ance, EPF and Socso,” she said, ties, they had potential in baking, given vocational training before The lyrics were written by
In contrary to the general percep- while acknowledging that it was sewing and coffee making. they go out to work. Communications and Multimedia
tion that persons with learning dis- difficult to find them employment. “They just need support and peo- United Voice also helps person Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.
abilities are “slow”, Yeong said they She said it initially started out ple to motivate them,” she said. with disabilities to secure employ- More than 10,000 people are
could speak up, voice their opinions with selling cards and magnets Located in Petaling Jaya, the ment outside besides hiring them expected to attend the ceremony,
and make their own choices if pro- before venturing into baking. Aside I’mPossible Cafe serves coffee, tea, through its own projects. which is one of the main events to
vided with the right opportunity. from that, the members have also pastries, cookies and cakes. “We want them to socialise, make enliven the National Month celebra-
United Voice has also been pro- been trained in weaving. Merchandise woven by members friends and increase job opportuni- tions.
moting self-advocacy for those with Besides jobs opportunities, Yeong and paintings are showcased there ties for them in the long term. Jafly, who had been involved in
learning disabilities and assisting said these initiatives have also too. “We hope to provide more sup- this for more than a decade, said he
them to become gainfully employed. ensured that members are able to She said some members would port to the community and have prioritises uniformity and dancers’
“While they can earn their own develop life skills. undergo a transition training to pre- more members know about their compatibility to ensure that they
living, they can also be part of soci- Presently, United Voice has about pare them for employment after rights and to speak up,” she said. can deliver the performance in line
ety. 120 members from Selangor and leaving school. Yeong expressed hope that per- with the National Day theme
“They can do many things if given Kuala Lumpur. “We teach them how to commu- sons with disabilities should be able “Keluarga Malaysia Teguh Bersama”
the chance and opportunity to min- There are about 30 to 40 mem- nicate and express themselves,” she to have a place in society and be (The Malaysian Family – Standing
gle with people,” she said. bers who are working in other said, adding they would also be comfortable being themselves. Strong Together).

Johor aims to bring back black pepper heyday

By REMAR NORDIN tonnes worth RM41mil in 2020. “We carried out a pilot project for
[email protected] “There is potential for the black our community farming pro-
pepper industry in Johor as the gramme at Felda Inas in Kulai some
JOHOR BARU: Johor is aiming to demand is very high,” Zahari two years back, which was a suc-
regain its spot as the largest black added. cess.
pepper producer in Malaysia. He said the 50ha total size area “Previously, farmers would work
State agriculture, agro-based for black pepper plantations in the their plantations individually,
industry and rural development state was in Batu Pahat, Johor Baru, which took a huge toll on them, but
committee chairman Datuk Zahari Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Kulai, Mersing, by working as a community, we can
Sarip said Johor was once the top Muar, Pontian, Segamat, and better manage the plantation and
producer in the country for black Tangkak. produce higher quality black pep-
pepper before independence. The state government, said pers,” he said.
“Following independence, the Zahari, was working closely with Sarawak is the leading producer
state’s black pepper production the Malaysian Pepper Board, which of black pepper, accounting for 98%
took a hit as this was replaced with is providing free training and tech- of the product in the local market,
palm oil cultivation,” he said here nical services for those interested in followed by Johor at 1.8%, and the
yesterday. Zahari: There is potential for the Huge potential: Nordin says the becoming black pepper farmers. rest is from Sabah.
Zahari said presently, Johor was black pepper industry in Johor as association is planning to turn Southern Black Pepper Farmer Nordin said the country imported
behind Sarawak in black pepper the demand is very high. Johor into a black pepper valley. and Entrepreneurs Association black pepper annually from
production in Malaysia. chairman Nordin Mohd Kanchil Vietnam and Indonesia due to its
He added that last year, the uting 220 tonnes. still had to import about 3,142 said it planned to turn Johor into a cheaper price to meet the high con-
country’s production was 31,636 This, he said, was not enough to tonnes of black pepper worth ‘’black pepper valley” through its sumer demand, but the quality was
tonnes, with the state only contrib- meet local demand as the country RM61mil last year, up from 2,680 community farming project. not as good.
16 THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Views 17

No hopping, political financing next!

after the anti-hopping Bill, there may be an opportunity to pass a Political Financing act that overhauls how
money is raised, spent and regulated for our politics.
THE Constitutional (Amendment) model adopted by the British hauls how money is raised, spent receive donations; a Parliamentary
(No 3) Bill 2022 – “the anti-hopping Conservative party in which highly and regulated for our politics. Select Committee and independent
Bill” – is journeying through the qualified individuals (usually from On July 13, a Private Member’s Commission on Political Financing
Dewan Rakyat as I write. With minority groups) are recommended Bill was submitted with these objec- shall be established; a Political Party
approval by the Dewan Negara and by party headquarters, but party tives, drafted by the All Party Fund will be established to adminis-
assent from the Yang di-Pertuan
Tunku ZAIn members within a constituency Parliamentary Group on Political ter public funding to parties based
Agong, Minister in the Prime Al-’AbIdIn have the final say. Financing. on the votes received during an
Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Ultimately, this is for parties to This APPG – established in April election; the Commission shall sub-
Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who reform internally, rather than be and comprising nine MPs and one mit a report on the Fund to the
is in charge of Parliament and law,
says it will be implemented by #abidinideas forced to change through legisla-
tion.
senator from different political par-
ties – is itself a creature of parlia-
Auditor-General; a cap of RM50,000,
RM100,000 and RM500,000 for
the end of September – though scep- There is yet another reform that mentary reform following the for- donations from individuals, compa-
tics voice concerns about a sudden can further halt party hopping, and mation of Parliamentary Select nies and a group of companies
U-turn. not taken place” with these provi- that is political financing, since hop- Committees, and officially recog- respectively; banning donations
Civil society groups have long sions in force, writes Bangi MP Ong ping often happens because of the nised by Parliament. from GLCs and statutory bodies;
been pushing for such a law, and Kian Ming, but a mid-term change enticement of resources. Its members include eleven CSO bonus money to parties if they have
finally, a majority of MPs have of government can still take place if Recent public outrage has focused members, of which the Institute for more women elected representa-
grasped that the repeated occur- a party decides to change coalition on large donations being made to Democracy and Economic Affairs tives; banning donations from
rence of party hopping devalues midway. politicians by companies winning (IDEAS) serves as Secretariat. foreign governments; and all
trust in all of them – thus the agree- And by “party”, in Malaysia government contracts or others The Bill defines “political financ- donations above RM3,000 to be
ment of this reform in last year’s one still really means the party perceived to want things from ing” as “the activity of sourcing recorded in a donation report to the
memorandum of understanding leadership, given the centralised ministers. Hardly anyone believes funds for expenditure incurred Commission.
between the government and way in which parties are struc- the inevitable denials from the during party activities and to sus- It is unlikely that this Bill will
Pakatan Harapan. tured. In theory, MPs will be able to accused as corruption is seen as tain the party machinery. These make it through; indeed, no Private
The theory is that with these new change sides – and against their will institutionalised and normal. activities include fundraising, costs Member’s Bill has ever succeeded.
provisions, MPs no longer can (or – for to resign in protest at the party I have even heard the defence of maintaining permanent offices, Yet, this effort shows that biparti-
need) to hedge their bets on which decision is to also lose one’s seat. that “clean politicians need to do it carrying out policy research, con- san support is possible, and per-
leader or party to follow for politi- That is why another important to compete with the (more) corrupt ducting polls and political educa- haps one day soon, just as with
cal success, because they will be mechanism to disincentive party for resources”. That is a tragic logic tion, running advertising cam- Undi18, automatic voter registra-
obliged to be loyal. hopping is to democratise the par- that will forever prevent change. paigns for policies, and mobilising tion and anti-hopping, such a law
Still, the significance and expect- ties themselves, particularly in Following the same principle that voters”. may become a reality.
ed effectiveness of these particular terms of candidate selection. all MPs realise such practices tar- The core contents of the Bill are
amendments will take time to be There are many options to choose nish their whole profession, there that only political parties (and not Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin is founding
proven. from: the caucuses and primaries of may be an opportunity to pass a candidates – though I wonder about president of Ideas. The views
The Sheraton Move “would have the United States, or the “A-list” Political Financing Act that over- Independents) are permitted to expressed here are the writer’s own.

Other news & views

Compiled by iylia MarSya iSKaNdar, C. aruNO and r. araViNTHaN

When an artiste is given an insultingly low offer Animal lover

SINGING idol of the 1960s, Datuk pore and Australia. while she was in prison.
dies while
Jeffrydin (pic), was recently asked to
perform at the rate of only RM1,500
per hour, reported Harian Metro.
“My pop yeh yeh songs are still
well known in Sabah and Sarawak.
“I don’t need to put a price for my
“I went to prison for the first time
in 2011. I will never forget the
regret I felt at that time. I have com-
doing
The 75-year-old, whose full name
is Raden Jeffrydin Raden Imbrom-
performance there because they
know how much to pay me. They
mitted so many sins against my
family. good deed
soekaman, said he would rather not also treat me well. “I have a mother who is already
get any request to perform if he “God willing, I have been offered 80. I will make sure that the same A MAN who was on his way to feed
were being offered such low rates. to perform in Australia after this,” thing will not happen again,” she stray dogs in Melaka was tragically
“That was my price when I first he said. said. killed in an accident, reported
started getting active in the indus- Over the past two years, the sing- She said being in prison had Makkal Osai.
try. er had seven major performances made her repentant, adding that Animal lover Jegathisan Visva-
“I feel sad because it’s not good cancelled because of the Covid-19 she took the time to improve on her nathan, 42, had 15 rescue dogs him-
for them (the organisers) to do that. pandemic. religious knowledge, including self at home.
I’ve struggled from Singapore to > Sinar Harian highlighted a learning and memorising the The victim, who owned a restau-
Kuala Lumpur and then Indonesia. the matter. female inmate in Kajang Women’s Quran. rant, would go around on his bike
They never offered a price this low,” “The organiser did not dare to Prison who is now feeling remorse- Amira is now determined to daily to feed stray dogs and cats
he said. deal with my wife. She is a strict ful after having to give birth and remove the social stigma towards around Jalan Malacca Baru.
Jeffrydin, who was born in Singa- person. I have set a reasonable raising her child behind bars for former prisoners by proving that In the incident on Tuesday, he
pore in 1947, was at one time a price for an hour’s performance three years. they can also be good members of had closed his shop as usual at
popular idol during the “pop yeh with a backing band. However, single mother Amira, society. around 10.30am and was on his
yeh” era in the 1960s and 1970s and “I know my place. They want to 38, is now ready to meet her family “People can look down on me but way to the feeding spot when he
has 30 albums to his name. compare me with new artistes and I and friends after serving time for a I don’t want my children to go was hit by a car. He died on the spot
He said that when his wife Datin don’t want that. I want to fight for drug offence under Section 39C of through what I went through. I from severe head injuries.
Rashidah Abdullah heard of the the sake of art,” he said, adding that the Dangerous Drugs Act. want them to study hard and be His uncle V. Saravanan said his
offer, she asked to take charge of he would be performing in Singa- Her father also passed away good children.” family was doubly devastated by
his untimely death, which came so
soon after his sister died in July

Don’t air divorce grievances for kids’ sake, Wang told 2021 of Covid-19.
> The Tamil daily also reported
that Indian martial arts group
TAIWANESE-AMERICAN singer public opinion. the furry rodent, China Press report- that her child’s hamster had gone Malaysia Silambam Porkalai
Wang Leehom, who is embroiled in Last year, Wang’s then wife Lee ed. missing. Mandram has been invited to start
a child custody battle, has deleted Jinglei dropped a nine-page bomb- It all started when the man, She said it was a miracle that the a chapter in Timor-Leste.
all his social media posts regarding shell accusing him of a long list of known by his Facebook handle Alex hamster had been found, adding The country’s ambassador to
his divorce, Sin Chew Daily report- wrongdoings such as infidelity. Ngoo, found a trembling hamster that her family had been taking Malaysia, Joana Veneranda Amaral,
ed. She also claimed that Wang had inside his cat’s cage. care of it for the past two months. extended the invitation during an
His manager said Wang, 46, had kept several “friends-with-bene- Knowing that the hamster Liu said she was thankful to exhibition of the traditional
received a letter from the Taipei fits”. could be someone else’s pet, he Ngoo’s cat who saved their pet ham- weapons used in the martial arts in
City Department of Social Welfare Wang eventually apologised to picked it up and placed it in a glass ster. Seremban.
to remove the posts to protect his his family and fans for failing to tank. It could have ended up being Joana said she was impressed by
children from witnessing their “manage the marriage properly”. Then he uploaded a video of the preyed on by other animals, she the skills and techniques of the
parents’ bickering. The couple are now fighting for animal and asked if anyone living added. Malaysian exponents.
The manager said Wang also custody of their two children. in Saleng, Kulai, was missing a ham- She said she and Ngoo did not The association president said
believed in Taiwan’s judicial system > A man in Johor managed to ster. know each other despite living just the group was formed with the
and that facts should be presented reunite a lost hamster with its A woman, whose surname is Liu, five houses apart. They have intention of continuously develop-
in court rather than in the court of owner, thanks to his cat who found responded to Ngoo’s video, saying become friends since. ing the ancient martial art.
18 Nation THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

CELEBRATING A MILESTONE
IT was a night of celebrations for UDA
Holdings Bhd (UDA), which revealed its new
corporate branding in conjunction with its
50th anniversary, which was held at One
World Hotel in Petaling Jaya.
Themed “Be part of our legacy”, the UDA uda launches its new corporate branding in conjunction with its 50th anniversary
50th anniversary gala night saw guests come
out dressed in their best batik attire to cele-
brate the occasion.
The company’s milestones were featured
on a wall mural, taking guests from its hum-
ble beginnings to where it is today.
A key leader in the planning and advance-
ment of modern Malaysia’s urban landscape,
the property development and asset manage-
ment company was initially established by
the Malaysian government on Nov 12, 1971
as the Urban Development Authority.
UDA has achieved numerous milestones
along its 50-year journey, the results of which
can be seen through its successful commer-
cial and residential projects across the coun-
try.
Since its establishment, UDA has been
committed to carrying out its mandate to
restructure society through urban develop-
ment by achieving a more equitable distribu-
tion of opportunities among the various races
in the fields of commerce, industry and hous-
ing.
Among the continuous developments
include the redevelopment of Bandar
Tanjong Tokong in Penang, where free hous-
ing units were given to 300 families.
In 1984, the Dayabumi Complex, the first
skyscraper in Malaysia, was built using
Japanese steel technology by UDA.
UDA prides itself on developing iconic
landmarks in the Kuala Lumpur city centre,
such as Bangunan Cahaya Suria and Pudu
Sentral, which was formerly known as
Puduraya.
In recent years, UDA built the Sungai Buloh
prison and the Pudu Prison site was redevel-
oped as Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC).
From the beginning of its establishment
until now, UDA has been committed to pro-
viding a conducive and competitive commer-
cial space, together with the Ministry of uda celebrated its 50th anniversary in style at One World Hotel in Petaling Jaya.
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives
(Kuskop) in producing more entrepreneurs.
Today, UDA is an agency under Kuskop,
with the vision of being the preferred organ-
isation with diversified property and asset
management businesses.
After 50 years of success, UDA is charting
its path forward with a new branding – LIFE
(Legacy, Integrated, Finesse and Enrich) as
the main pillar in creating success for the
next 50 years to come.
Speaking at the momentous occasion, UDA
chairman Datuk Norliza Abdul Rahim said
the company will continue to be committed
to modernising the country’s modern land-
scape as well as providing a beneficial and
competitive commercial space, together with
respective government ministries in produc-
ing entrepreneurs.
“LIFE will be the DNA to advance real
estate development, asset management, facil-
ities and hospitality in order to create an
inclusive community, in line with the spirit of
the Malaysian family and the country’s vision
of shared prosperity.
“LIFE can be expressed through a more
meaningful life by exploring new opportuni-
(From left) Kuskop secretary-general datuk Suriani ahmad, Noh, ismail Sabri, uda The new branding is uda’s initiative to step
ties and achieving higher dreams and goals
and continuing the legacy of life for future
chairman Norliza and uda president and chief executive officer Mohd Salem Kailany into the ‘from shy to shine’ phase, said
generations. launching the ‘50 years of uda, Continuing the legacy Together’ book. Norliza.
“This is the true meaning of LIFE that UDA
wants to instil in the heart of its business and Together book.
reflect across its portfolio – Embrace Life for The book documents the journey of UDA
real estate, Experience Life for shopping since its establishment and the development
malls, Enjoy Life for hospitality and Enhance throughout half a century and will serve as a
Life for facility management. reference for future generations.
“This new branding is UDA’s initiative to The Prime Minister also said he hoped that
step into the “from shy to shine” phase. UDA would continue to shine in creating an
“With the new branding, I believe that inclusive and sustainable community and
UDA will continue to play its role of creating work together with the government in restor-
an inclusive community in its business and ing the national economy.
development regions,” she said. To assist bumiputra commercial centres
Also present at the event was Kuskop and entrepreneurs, Ismail Sabri announced
Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar, who applauded a RM100mil fund for UDA in his speech.
UDA for the five decades of success building In conjunction with the anniversary cele-
a facilitative community environment bration, UDA has also organised a slew of
through real estate and business, especially programmes, including the UDA 50 Golden
in urban areas. Offers, UDA 50th Anniversary Logo Design
“I hope that UDA will continue to strengthen Competition, UDA Cares’ Project RE, as well
its role in producing more entrepreneurs as UDA Virtual Amazing50 Race.
together with the ministry as well as achieve As part of the event, the grand prize win-
success in every of its business segments,” he ner of UDA 50 Golden Offers received his
added. brand new Proton X50 at the gala night.
Gracing the grand celebration was Prime Ahmad Shahrul Mohamed, 52, purchased
uda 50 Golden Offers grand prize winner ahmad Shahrul Mohamed (second from left)
Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who a property at 38 Bangsar Residensi, which is
launched LIFE, followed by the launch of the UDA’s latest real estate product in Kuala
receiving his mock key from ismail Sabri (centre), accompanied by (from left) Noh, Norliza
50 Years of UDA, Continuing the Legacy Lumpur. and Mohd Salem.
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Views 19
EMAIL [email protected] or
MAIL The Editor, Menara Star, 15, Jalan 16/11, Section 16, 46350 Petaling Jaya.
Letters must carry the sender’s full name, address and telephone number.
A pseudonym may be included.

Explaining the Sulu claim

THE recent public discussion on
the “Seizure Notice” issued in
Luxembourg against assets belong-
ing to PETRONAS to satisfy the
US$14.92bil award by the Spanish
arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa has territory and the right reserved Sabah court that because the Sulu the British government correctly tration from Spain to France.
been marred by a fog of disinfor- was only the right to an annual claimants were personally and decided that a reference to a In December 2021, Malaysia
mation and lies. The Malaysian payment, a right which is in the directly involved in the Lahad Datu non-existent office like “Her appealed against the order of the
public are entitled to truthful dis- nature of movable property.” invasion, they had forfeited their Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General Paris Court to the Court of Appeal.
closure of matters concerning the B. Effect of the Confirmation right to receive future payments for Borneo” does not confer on the The French appellate court stayed
dispute between the Sulu claimants Deed of 1903 and that the 1878 Grant had ceased Courts of the UK a jurisdiction to the order of the lower court.
and the government of Malaysia On April 22, 1903, the Sultan of to operate. If that had occurred, the appoint a “British based” arbitra- Malaysia sent the order of the
that led to this massive but com- Sulu signed the Confirmation Deed, government’s action to cease pay- tor, it beggars belief that the courts French court to Stampa and
pletely illegitimate award. stating that some islands unnamed ment would have received judicial of Spain and France acted as they requested that the arbitration be
This note is to record my experi- in the 1878 Grant were also ceded imprimatur. did. discontinued immediately. Again,
ence in dealing with the dispute to the government of British North Without ever having given any G. Significance of the decision Stampa rejected Malaysia’s request.
after I was briefed on it in August/ Borneo. Further, “cession moneys” reason to cease payments to the of the High Court of Sabah in It must be emphasised that the
September 2019 during the last six were increased by 300 dollars a Sulu claimants after 50 years, and 2020 appointment of Stampa as sole
months of my tenure as Attorney year. From 1903, the annual com- without ever having sought judicial After due notice had been given arbitrator was made by a court in
General. At the outset, I should pensation has been fixed at 5,300 approval of the termination of pay- to the sole arbitrator, Stampa, and Spain. Further, the application was
state that I no longer have access to dollars. ments, Malaysia breached the 1878 the British lawyers acting for the made without proper service on
documents unless they are in the C. Significance of the 1939 Grant. In consequence, the Sulu Sulu claimants, the government of Malaysia. Likewise, the alleged
public domain. I hope this article Macaskie Judgment claimants would have a right to Malaysia instituted legal proceed- transfer to France was made
will prompt those who have the The Dayang Dayang Haji specific performance of the con- ings in the High Court of Sabah in “ex-parte” and without consent
full facts to join in the public dis- Piandao Kiram (f) v. The tract in question, which in practical December 2019, just as the Sulu from Malaysia. The courts of Paris
cussion. Government of North Borneo case terms means that Malaysia must claimants had done in 1939. too have no jurisdiction to deter-
The 1878 Grant is the sole and was filed in the High Court of restore the arrears of annual com- Because there is no arbitration mine the dispute.
exclusive basis of the claim by the North Borneo in 1939 by the pensation of RM5,300 from 2013 clause in the 1878 Grant, and the J. Legally unsustainable claim
descendants of the Sultan of Sulu. descendants of the Sultan of Sulu until 2022, and undertake to pay office of “Her Britannic Majesty’s by the Sulu claimants
That Grant ceded ownership and to determine which of them should the said sum annually thereafter. Consul-General for Borneo” had In rejecting Malaysia’s offer for
sovereignty in perpetuity of parts rightfully receive the annual com- By a letter dated Sept 19, 2019, I long ceased to exist, the only forum all arrears and interest totalling
of present day Sabah to the British pensation. It did not involve the wrote to the counsel representing for resolving disputes arising from RM48,230, as set out in my letter
North Borneo Company. It was a British North Borneo Company nor the Sulu claimants, offering to pay the 1878 Grant is the courts of dated Sept 19, 2019, Paul Cohen,
legacy of Empire. It was similar to the British government, neither of the arrears from 2013 to 2019 total- Sabah. The decision of any other counsel for the Sulu claimants in
the grant of Bombay by the which questioned their legal obli- ling RM37,100 together with 10% forum purporting to exercise juris- his reply letter dated Oct 21, 2019
Portuguese to the British in 1661, gation to continue paying compen- simple interest totalling RM11,130. diction over this matter is illegiti- set out as follows the claim that the
ceding of New York (New sation of 5,300 dollars annually. Hence, the tender that I made to mate and ought to be completely Sulu claimants were pursuing in
Amsterdam) by the Dutch to the Hence, it was the Sulu claimants them was for a total sum of disregarded by the Malaysian gov- the Spanish arbitration: “There
British in 1664, and, nearer home, who had a grievance among them- RM48,230. That represented in law ernment. remains the issue of the uncon-
Penang in 1786 by the Sultanate of selves and it was their choice to the loss they suffered in the sev- In a judgment reported in the scionable imbalance between the
Kedah and Singapore in 1819 by sue in the courts of North Borneo. en-year period. Further, accept- case of Government of Malaysia v. annual payment amount and the
the Sultanate of Johor, in both This is another factor pointing to ance by them of the said sum of Nurhima Kiram Fornan (2020: 6 actual value of the territory, in light
cases to the British. North Borneo (or present day RM48,230 would also have meant CLJ 429), Justice Mairin Idang of the unanticipated discovery and
In none of these cases is there a Sabah) as the natural and proper that there would no longer be any determined four issues that are development of certain substantial
similar claim in the 21st century forum for the resolution of dis- dispute between the parties. highly relevant, namely: natural resources (hydrocarbons,
arising from the original grant in putes relating to or arising from Assurance was also given to them i) there is no valid or binding crops and others). That is the heart
perpetuity. The Sulu claim must the 1878 Grant. that Malaysia would pay the said Arbitration Agreement; of the dispute. The quantum of
therefore be viewed in the context D. Effect of Malaysia’s estab- annual sum for future years. My ii) there is no waiver of your suggested payments to my cli-
of empire and colonialism. lishment in 1963 letter expressly stated that the case Malaysia’s sovereign immunity to ents is frankly derisory in compari-
A. The bargain under the 1878 The formation of Malaysia in was wrongly brought within the confer jurisdiction in proceedings son to the actual value of their
Grant 1963 presented a natural opportu- jurisdiction of Spain and that before the courts of Spain which claim.” (my emphasis)
The three material parts of the nity to end the annual payments. Malaysia was not recognising nor appointed the Spanish arbitrator, However, the 1878 Grant con-
Grant read as follows: Our founding fathers could have submitting to the jurisdiction of Gonzalo Stampa; tains no right for the claimant to
“We ... Sultan of Sulu ... hereby easily argued that the 1878 Grant Spain, whether exercised by its iii) the High Court of Sabah is the make such extravagant, unsustain-
grant and cede of our own free and was a colonial relic which did not court, arbitral tribunal or other- natural and proper forum to deter- able claims in law if a breach of
sovereign will to Gustavus Baron de bind the new Federation, and the wise. mine all disputes; and contract on the part of Malaysia
Overbeck of Hong Kong and Alfred annual obligation to pay compen- F. What is the basis of the arbi- iv) there was forum shopping by occurs. What the Sulu claimants
Dent Esquire of London as repre- sation shall remain with the tration commenced in 2018 by a the claimants. are demanding is a unilateral
sentatives of a British Company ... British. Regrettably, the new Spanish Court appointing a sole Although this judgment has no re-writing of the 1878 Grant. No
forever and in perpetuity all the Federation instead assumed the Spanish arbitrator? extra-territorial effect, it demon- doubt Stampa re-wrote the terms
rights and powers belonging to us legal obligation to pay annual com- It will be recalled that the 1878 strates that the High Court of Sabah of the 1878 Grant.
over all the territories and lands... pensation without hesitation or Grant contained this sentence: is the forum for resolving disputes. K. Sovereign immunity
“In consideration of this grant ... protest. “In case any dispute shall arise Regrettably, Stampa disregarded “State Immunity” is a well-estab-
to pay as compensation to the Malaysia made such payments between His Highness the Sultan the judgment. lished rule of customary public
Sultan the sum of five thousand dol- annually and without interruption his heirs or successors and the said H. Behaviour of Stampa international law whereby coun-
lars per annum. until 2013. Gustavus Baron de Overbeck or his It is the first duty of any person tries cannot be sued in the domes-
“In case any dispute shall arise E. Why did Malaysia cease pay- Company it is hereby agreed that invited to become an arbitrator tic courts of other countries against
between His Highness the Sultan his ments in 2013? the matter shall be submitted to over a dispute to carefully read the their will. As a sovereign and inde-
heirs or successors and the said To the best of my knowledge, the Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul- arbitration agreement. Potential pendent nation, Malaysia is
Gustavus Baron de Overbeck or his government did not publicly General for Borneo.” arbitrators prior to accepting office immune from the jurisdiction of
Company it is hereby agreed that explain in 2013 why it ceased A plain and ordinary reading of must satisfy themselves of their the courts of Spain and France.
the matter shall be submitted to Her annual payments of compensation this sentence will yield the follow- jurisdiction to sit and determine L. Arbitral imperialism
Britannic Majesty’s Consul-General to the Sulu claimants. This ing conclusions: the dispute. The parties must freely There is an underlying but
for Borneo.” (my emphasis) occurred during the administration i) the word “arbitration” is not and voluntarily agree in writing in unmistakable imperialist arro-
The first paragraph of the 1878 of Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The mentioned, although by 1878 arbi- clear terms to submit their dispute gance in the actions of Stampa as
Grant clearly, plainly and unequiv- prime minister, ministers of tration was well developed, par- to arbitration. Absent a written well as the French and Spanish
ocally grants “for ever and in per- Foreign Affairs or Defence or the ticularly under English law; arbitration agreement, arbitration courts in purporting to exercise
petuity” the lands identified in the Attorney General ought to have ii) the seat of the intended arbi- is not available. Thus, how Stampa jurisdiction over the government
document to two gentlemen as issued a public statement rational- tral tribunal is not mentioned; construed the relevant sentence in of Malaysia. There is similarly an
agents and representatives of the ising their decision. Indeed, until iii) the proper law of the contract the 1878 Grant (which is the rele- imperialist arrogance in these
British North Borneo Company. today, a decade later, members of that the intended Arbitral Tribunal vant operating contract) as an arbi- courts not immediately accepting
That paragraph cannot be inter- that administration have remained should apply is not mentioned; tration clause is beyond belief. that this dispute is clearly and
preted in any other manner but as silent, which has led to unneces- iv) the appointing authority for I. Spanish and French arbitra- unambiguously for the High Court
an outright grant, which had the sary speculation and confusion. the arbitrator(s) is not mentioned; tions of Sabah. The Malaysian govern-
legal effect of transferring owner- The often given, unofficial expla- v) whether the Arbitral Tribunal Malaysia applied to set aside all ment rightly rejected the validity of
ship of such lands from the Sultan nation is that Malaysia stopped the should comprise a single arbitrator rulings from the Superior Court of the arbitration from the outset and
of Sulu to the British company. It payments because of the armed or three arbitrators is not men- Justice of Madrid, including its Stampa’s arbitration award.
was not a lease, and never intend- incursion in 2013 into Lahad Datu, tioned; and appointment of Stampa. In June I am happy that Malaysia has
ed to be of a temporary duration. Sabah. However, there appears to vi) Spain is not mentioned; nei- 2021, the Spanish court found in commenced criminal proceedings
The “consideration” for the cession be no evidence linking the Sulu ther is France. favour of Malaysia, and set aside against Stampa. We must defend
was compensation in the sum of claimants, who were receiving the Hence, this sentence is a classic all the Superior Court’s prior deci- our national sovereignty and terri-
5,000 dollars per annum, impliedly annual compensation, with the example of a “pathologically sions against Malaysia. The torial integrity with all our
also for ever. armed invaders of Lahad Datu. flawed” attempt at arbitration. It is Superior Court then directed strength. Attack is the best form of
The legal effect of the 1878 Grant If the Malaysian government had incapable of compliance, partly Stampa to close the proceedings defence; and Malaysia must go on
was determined by the High Court such evidence, the prudent course because the office of “Her Britannic immediately, pursuant to its setting the offensive.
of North Borneo in 1939 in Dayang would have been to file an action Majesty’s Consul-General for aside order. Stampa, clearly a
Dayang Haji Piandao Kiram (f) v. in the High Court of Sabah at Kota Borneo” no longer exists and partly rogue operator, disobeyed. TAN SRI TOMMY THOMAS
The Government of North Borneo. Kinabalu against the Sulu claim- because of the six flaws listed The Sulu claimants then shifted Former Attorney General
The following statement was made ants (all of whom were known to above. That may explain why the their case to France. They applied
by Chief Justice Macaskie in that our embassy in the Philippines UK Foreign Office rejected a before a court in Paris, which (Note: This is an edited version.
case: “The deed of Cession was a where the annual payment was request apparently made in 2017 to granted their application to permit See https://bit.ly/3zgxIrC at thestar.
complete and irrevocable grant of disbursed), seeking an Order of the use Britain as a suitable forum. If Stampa to relocate the seat of arbi- com.my for the full article.)
20 THE STAR, FRidAy 29 July 2022

Covid-19 current situation (as of July 27)

Malaysia Brunei Cambodia China India Indonesia Japan Laos Myanmar Singapore South Korea Thailand The Philippines Vietnam
+4,503 +1,328 0 +1,111 +20,557 +6,438 +209,600 +86 +11 +8,763 +88,296 +1,902 +2,726 +2,676

Thailand

Long live the king

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Cabinet members paying tribute to a picture of Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn during a celebration to mark the king’s 70th birthday in
Bangkok. Vajiralongkorn ascended to the throne in May 2019 following the death of his highly revered father, Bhumibol Adulyadej. — Reuters

Big boost for new capital project

South Korea to step up cooperation on Nusantara construction
SOUTH Korea
Indonesia and Indonesia
share its experience from building
the administrative city of Sejong,
joint venture between Posco and
PT Krakatau Steel to 10 million
have revised their agreement to which was officially launched in tonnes a year, the Indonesian state-
ramp up cooperation on the South- 2012. owned steel producer said yester-
East Asian country’s new capital The revised agreement “laid the day.
project, paving the way for Korean groundwork for our companies to Joko received a total of US$6.7bil
companies to participate in build- actively contribute to building the (RM29.8bil) in investment pledges
ing digital infrastructure, both sides new Indonesian capital’s infrastruc- after a meeting with 10 leaders of
said. ture, electronic government and South Korean firms during his
The revision was made during a smart city systems,” Yoon told a visit to Seoul, where he vowed to
summit between South Korean joint news conference. cut red tape and speed up permits
President Yoon Suk-yeol and Widodo, better known as Jokowi, in South-East Asia’s largest econo-
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said early construction of the capi- my.
in Seoul yesterday. tal was under way during a visit Posco was also interested in join-
The two countries signed an there last month. ing the development of the new
agreement in 2019 to work Meanwhile, South Korea’s top capital in Kalimantan, Investment
together on the ambitious US$32bil steelmaker Posco and its Indo- Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said.
(RM142bil) project under which nesian partner plan to spend South Korea is the fifth largest
Indonesia will relocate its capital US$3.5bil (RM15bil) over five years source of Indonesia’s foreign direct
from heavily congested Jakarta to to expand capacity in the South- investment, totalling over US$9bil
the new city of Nusantara on East Asian nation, while seeking (RM40bil) since 2017 until the
Borneo island. opportunities to invest in the devel- second half of 2022, ministry data
No time frame has been opment of its new capital. showed. A third of this went to the
announced yet for its completion. The investment from 2023 to nation’s transport and utilities sec- Paying respects: Joko (centre) observing a moment of silence during
Yoon said South Korea could 2027 will ramp up production at a tor. — Agencies a visit to the National Cemetery in Seoul. — Bloomberg
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 StarAsean+ 21

Hunt for ex-cop after trio shot dead

Police offer uS$15k bounty for former officer decorated for bravery
Beijing: A manhunt was under- on Wednesday. in two separate instances, accord- an officer said she was “unaware”
way in southwest China with The suspect identified as Li Qiang ing to an article published by the of whether Li was still on active
the police offering a US$15,000 “injured two with guns and killed city public security bureau. duty at the time of the incident.
(RM67,000) bounty for a suspect in three with weapons”, police said That article has since been delet- The incident has led to heated
a gun attack that killed three people without offering details. ed from their website, but was still debate online, with related hash-
and injured two others, security Police said all “guns and ammu- available on Google cache. tags viewed over 250 million times.
officials said. nition involved in the case were AFP was able to confirm that the While guns are strictly controlled,
Gun violence is rare in China, seized” and offered a 100,000 yuan suspect was the same officer as China has been struggling with a
where the regulation on firearms is (RM67,000) reward for anyone who police had published the suspect’s spate of mass stabbings in recent
among the strictest in the world. “provides effective clues or cap- full name and birth date on both the years.
The shooting occurred on Tues- tures the criminal suspects”. bounty announcement and the Six people were killed and 14 And two children were killed and
day afternoon in Muchuan, a small The 36-year-old suspect was a accolade for bravery. injured after a knife-wielding man 16 others wounded when a
county under Leshan city in police officer decorated for bravery It is unclear whether Li was still a stabbed passersby on a shopping knife-wielding man entered a kin-
Sichuan province, the local public last year after saving an elderly serving officer and when AFP con- street in the eastern Chinese city of dergarten in southern China last
security bureau said in a statement man and a woman from drowning tacted the Muchuan county police, Anqing in June last year. April. — AFP

Indonesia
China closely tracking
‘Long March’ rocket debris
Beijing: Remnants of a large, 70km- wide, independent US-bas-
newly launched Chinese rocket ed analysts said on Wednesday.
are expected to streak back The probable location of the
through the atmosphere this debris field is impossible to pin-
coming weekend in an uncon- point in advance, though experts
trolled re-entry the Beijing gov- will be able to narrow the poten-
ernment said would be closely tial impact zone closer to re-entry
tracked but poses little risk to in the days ahead.
anyone on the ground. The latest available tracking
The Long March 5B rocket blas- data projects re-entry will occur
ted off on Sunday to deliver a around 12.24am GMT on Sunday,
laboratory to the new Chinese plus or minus 16 hours, accord-
space station under construction ing to the Aerospace Corp, a
in orbit, marking the third flight government funded non-profit
of China’s most powerful rocket research centre near Los Angeles.
since its maiden launch in 2020. The overall risk to people and
As occurred during its first two property on the ground is fairly
flights, the rocket’s main-core low, given that 75% of Earth’s sur-
stage – which is 30m-long and face in the potential debris path is
weighs 22 tonnes – has already water, desert or jungle, Aerospace
reached low orbit and is expected analyst Ted Muelhaupt said.
to tumble back to Earth once atm- Nevertheless, the possibility
ospheric friction drags it down, exists for pieces to come down
according to American experts. over a populated area, as they did
Ultimately, the rocket body will in May 2020 when fragments of
disintegrate as it plunges through another Long March 5B landed
the atmosphere but numerous on the Ivory Coast, damaging sev-
Timeless textiles chunks will likely survive a fiery eral buildings, though no injuries
a batik textile vendor waiting for customers during a handicraft exhibition at a shopping centre in Surabaya. — aFP re-entry to rain debris over an were reported, Muelhaupt said.
area 2,000km long by about — Reuters

UN Security Council slams executions

Myanmar THE United Nations
Security Council has
first in decades – and calling for the
immediate release of ousted leader
arbitrarily detained prisoners.”
The statement was endorsed by
condemned the Myanmar junta’s exe- Aung San Suu Kyi. Russia, China and India.
cution of four prisoners, drawing “The members of the Security “Welcome UN Security Council
praise from a shadow government of Council condemned the Myanmar condemning execution of democracy
ousted Myanmar lawmakers. military’s execution of opposition activists”, said the National Unity
In a rare consensus on the post- activists,” the Council said. Government on Twitter.
coup crisis, the Security Council on “They recalled the Secretary-Gene- It was time for the council to “take
Wednesday released a statement con- ral’s statement of 25 July 2022 and concrete actions against the junta,” it
demning the executions – Myanmar’s echoed his call for the release of all added. — AFP

Man’s ‘right’ to insult foreigners lands him in jail

Singapore A SINGAPOREAN
who berated two
ted them in Toa Payoh on July 12 last
year.
he had told the two men that “Sing-
apore doesn’t like them” and “they
foreign workers with xenophobic Court documents did not disclose should go far, far away”.
insults said in his defence that it was the foreign workers’ nationalities. He also admitted that he had told
his “constitutional right” to express Last month, District Judge Chay them that “the Singapore govern-
himself as the pair were in his neigh- Yuen Fatt convicted Lee of two counts ment would remove them from (the
bourhood. of harassment and an offence under country)”.
After a trial at a district court, Lee the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) The workers had never interacted
Poh Kian, 56, was yesterday sen- Act. with Lee prior to this incident, the
tenced to a week’s jail and fined The court heard that Ratnasingam court heard. DPP Teh said Lee’s
S$1,000 (RM3,200). and Krishnan were taking measure- tirade caused Krishnan to feel upset,
In response to Lee’s claims to his ments for the construction of a link- stressed and insulted.
rights, Deputy Public Prosecutor way in Lorong 5 Toa Payoh last July The prosecutor added that Ratna-
Sean Teh said in his submissions: when it started to rain. singam felt “very sad and stressed”.
“At no point did the accused make The pair sought shelter at a corri- DPP Teh said that Lee, who was not
any valid arguments regarding the dor when Lee, who was nearby, start- represented by a lawyer, had no valid
Constitution to support his case. ed berating them. defence and what he said “failed to
“It is also glaringly obvious that Ratnasingam recorded a video of hold an iota of logic”.
there is no such constitutional right.” the tirade, in which Lee said, among Lee had said he was entitled to
Lee also failed to wear a mask over other things: “You enter my country use those words because of the
his nose and mouth when he is wrong ... This government also ille- “crime situation” and “overcrowd-
approached Ratnasingam Jatheesan gal. We will get you out.” ing” caused by foreign nationals.
and Krishnan Karthikeyan and insul- During the trial, Lee admitted that — The Straits Times/ANN
22 StarAsean+ THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

Govt takes step to allow casinos to operate Laos

Thailand After decrimi-
nalising canna-
dollars from foreign investors, tra-
vellers and thai gamblers who
first country in Asia to decrimina-
lise cannabis and first in South-east
are built upon thailand’s Gambling
Act of 1935, which prohibits most
Boosting ties in
bis, the thai government is now
considering casinos to attract for-
would otherwise spend gaming
money in neighbouring countries,
Asia to move toward legalising
same-sex unions.
types of betting but contains a pro-
vision that gives the government tech, innovation
eign money and lure more tourists according to the panel. Greater Bangkok would be ideal powers to issue decrees or licenses
to galvanise its pandemic-hit econo- “We’re focused on attracting fo- for the initial casino, followed by that green-light certain gaming
The country and Vietnam
my. reigners to step up tourism and facilities in seaside southern pro- activities and venues. have agreed to further
A panel of thai lawmakers sub- draw more money out of their pock- vinces such as Phuket, Krabi or A key to successful facilities in collaboration in technol-
mitted a report on Wednesday to ets,” said Pichet Chuamuangphan, a Phang Nga, Pichet said. thailand would be to allow locals ogy and innovation by
Parliament, recommending that lawmaker from the Pheu thai Party, tourist destinations like Chiang to participate, as foreigner-only
the government issue a decree who is a vice-chairman of the panel. Mai in the north and Chonburi, properties in Vietnam and South
sharing the results of their
allowing “entertainment complex- “this will also stem the outflow of home to beach resort Pattaya, are Korea “showed how casinos suffer academic work to advance
es” that include legal casinos to be money from thai gamblers and also obvious contenders among the without steady foot traffic,” Bloom- research in the two coun-
built in key cities across the country. help the government collect hefty 77 provinces. berg Intelligence analysts Angela tries. an agreement was
the proposal comes as thailand taxes for our economic security.” At least 400 billion baht Hanlee and Kai Lin Choo said in a
seeks to revive its all-important the proposal for casinos comes (rM48.4bil) in additional tax reve- March report.
signed in Vientiane on
tourism industry, a key to rebooting amid thailand’s broader move nue would be collected annually Currently, casinos in Poipet, a Wednesday, under which
the country’s economy. toward a more-liberal legal land- once several facilities are operating, Cambodian city across the border, the two parties will host
the blueprint, if adopted, could scape. he said. “are fed by thai gamblers,” the the exchange of high-level
help thailand generate billions of Last month, thailand became the the panel’s recommendations report said. — Bloomberg
and departmental repre-
sentatives at least once a

Over 800 aftershocks

year. — Vientiane Times/
aNN

recorded after quake

Thailand
Drug crackdown
A group of leading Asian
newspapers working
budget okayed
toward improving coverage The Cabinet has approved
of Asian affairs.
a budget of 16 million baht
www.asianewsnet.net (rM1.9mil) for buying vehi-
cles and other equipment
Brunei as well as other costs to
enable drug suppression
passport is operations in four neigh-
bouring countries. The

22nd most ministry reasoned that the

budget would be spent to
increase cooperation with
powerful Myanmar, laos, Cambodia
and Vietnam in operations
Brunei tHe latest passport to eliminating cross-border
index by British con- drug-trafficking networks.
sulting firm Henley & Partners
ranked Brunei Darussalam as the
— The Nation/aNN
22nd most powerful passport in the
world in terms of the number of
countries that provide its holders
visa-free access for 166 countries. Vietnam
the Henley Passport Index ranks
countries based on the number of
destinations their passport holders Emergency
can access without a prior visa.
the company said it derives its landing in Danang
data from the International Air
transport Association (IAtA), which a VieTNaM airlines flight
the firm claims “maintains the Damaged ruins: a view of the damaged Bantay Bell Tower – a centuries-old church belfry – in the aftermath from danang to hanoi was
of an earthquake in Vigan City, ilocos Sur province. — reuters
world’s largest and most accurate forced to make an emer-
database of travel information”. gency landing not long
Japan took first place, with
visa-exempt status for 193 coun- residents sleep on the streets in fear of tremors after take-off on Wednes-
tries, followed by Singapore and day morning after smoke
South Korea, which tied for second.
Philippines ANxIouS resi- before moving back. and Seismology, told a briefing pre- was seen billowing from an
tied for the third spot are dents slept out- Hundreds of buildings were sided over by Marcos Jr.
Germany and Spain, while fourth side after hundreds of aftershocks damaged or destroyed, roads were there would be “a lot” in the first
engine. Technicians were
place is shared by finland, Italy, rattled the earthquake-hit northern blocked by landslides and power three days, then “hopefully it will inspecting the plane to
and Luxembourg. Philippines, locals said, as President was knocked out in affected areas. decline afterwards”, he said. determine the cause of the
Austria, Denmark, the Nether- ferdinand Marcos Jr inspected But in Abra, which felt the full In Vigan City, a unesco World problem. — Vietnam News/
lands and Sweden are tied in fifth damage in the region. force of the quake, overall damage Heritage site and tourist destination
place with visa-exempt access to five people were killed and more had been “very minimal”, said in Ilocos Sur province, centuries-old
aNN
188 countries. than 150 injured when a 7.0-magni- police chief Colonel Maly Cula. structures built during the Spanish
Japan holds the number one spot tude quake struck the lightly popu- “We don’t have a lot of people in colonial period were damaged.
on the index – the original ranking
of all the world’s passports accord-
lated province of Abra on Wednes-
day morning, authorities said.
evacuation sites, although many
people are staying in the streets
Governor Jeremias Singson told
tV broadcaster teleradyo that 460 Cambodia
ing to the number of destinations the powerful quake rippled because of the aftershocks,” he said. buildings in the province had been
their holders can access without a
prior visa – with a record-high visa-
across the mountainous area, top-
pling buildings, triggering land-
“Abra is back to normal.”
Marcos Jr, who took office last
affected, including the Bantay Bell
tower, which partially crumbled. Petroleum
free or visa-on-arrival score of 193,
while Singapore and South Korea
slides and shaking high-rise towers
hundreds of kilometres away in the
month, arrived in Bangued yester-
day to inspect the damage and dis-
“our tourism industry and small
business owners were really affect- demand to rise
come in joint-2nd place, with a capital Manila. cuss the response effort with gov- ed,” Singson said.
score of 192. “Aftershocks happen almost ernment, military and disaster offi- After visiting Vigan yesterday, The demand for petrole-
But despite the unprecedented every 20 minutes, 15 minutes since cials. Senator Imee Marcos, the presi- um products in the country
worldwide access afforded to the yesterday,” said reggi tolentino, a More than 800 aftershocks have dent’s elder sister, said the damage is projected to rise to 4.8
citizens of these three nations, restaurant owner in Abra’s provin- been recorded since the quake hit, to old churches in the city was
international passenger demand in cial capital Bangued yesterday. including 24 that were strong “overwhelming”.
million tonnes in 2030, up
the Asia-Pacific region has only “Many slept outside last night, enough to feel, the local seismologi- Wednesday’s quake was one of from 2.8 million tonnes in
reached 17% of pre-Covid levels, almost every family.” cal agency said. the strongest recorded in the 2020, the Minister of Mines
according to IAtA’s latest statistics, Some families have been given Aftershocks were expected to Philippines in recent years and was and energy Suy Sem said
having hovered below 10% for most modular tents to stay in. continue for “several weeks”, felt across swathes of Luzon island,
of the past two years. — Borneo Marcos Jr has urged people to renato Solidum, director of the the most populous in the archipela-
on Wednesday. — Xinhua
Bulletin/ANN wait for their homes to be inspected Philippine Institute of Volcanology go. — AfP
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 23
24 THE STAR, FRidAy 29 July 2022

North Korea ‘ready to mobilise’ nukes 42 dead in

seoUL: North Korean leader Kim Korean War – known as “Victory 1950-53 Korean War, Kim empha- the first time since 2019. india after
drinking
Jong-un said his country was “ready Day” in the North – he said the sised the country’s “thorough readi- Kim also slammed South Korea’s
to mobilise” its nuclear deterrent in country’s armed forces were “tho- ness” to “deal with any military new hawkish president Yoon Suk-
any future military clash with the roughly prepared” for any crisis. clash with the United States”. yeol, who took office in May and
United States and South Korea, state
media said.
Washington and Seoul have
“Our country’s nuclear war deter-
rent is also ready to mobilise its
absolute power faithfully, accurate-
His latest threats come as South
Korea and the United States move
to ramp up joint military exercises,
has vowed to take a tougher stance
against Pyongyang, which includes
a plan to mobilise a preemptive
toxic alcohol
repeatedly warned that Pyongyang ly and promptly in accordance with which have always infuriated the strike capability. AhmedAbAd: At least 42 people
is preparing to carry out its seventh its mission,” Kim said in a speech on North as Pyongyang considers them “Such a dangerous attempt will have died and nearly 100 others
nuclear test – a move that the United Wednesday, according to Pyong- rehearsals for invasion. be immediately punished by our have been hospitalised in western
States has warned would provoke a yang’s official Korean Central News This week, the joint exercise will powerful strength and the Yoon India after drinking toxic alcohol,
“swift and forceful” response. Agency. be holding live-fire drills using the Suk-yeol government and his mili- police said, with authorities order-
In Kim’s latest speech to mark the Speaking to war veterans on the Americans’ advanced Apache heli- tary will be annihilated,” Kim said. ing a crackdown on bootleggers.
armistice that ended fighting in the 69th anniversary of the end of the copters stationed in the South for — AFP Dozens of people became ill ear-
lier this week after drinking metha-
nol – a poisonous form of alcohol

Hitting a dubious milestone

sometimes used as an antifreeze –
sold in several villages across
Gujarat state.
Senior police official Ashok Yadav
said 31 people had since died in
Botad district.
Another 11 people died in nearby
NGOs ring alarm as Earth surpasses ‘Overshoot Day’ Ahmedabad district, V. Chandrase-
kar, another senior police official,
said yesterday.
PARis: Mankind has marked a “Investigation has revealed that
dubious milestone – the day by the victims had consumed indus-
which humanity has consumed all trial grade methanol which caused
Earth can sustainably produce for the deaths,” state Home Affairs
this year, with NGOs warning that Minister Harsh Sanghavi said.
the rest of 2022 will be lived in Sanghavi added that 97 people
resource deficit. had been admitted to hospital for
Yesterday’s date – dubbed “Earth treatment, with two in critical con-
Overshoot Day” – marks a tipping dition.
point when people have used up Gujarat, the home state of Prime
“all that ecosystems can regenerate Minister Narendra Modi, is one of
in one year”, according to the Global several states in India where the
Footprint Network and WWF. consumption and sale of liquor is
“From Jan 1 to July 28, humanity illegal.
has used as much from nature as Hundreds of people die every
the planet can renew in the entire year in India from cheap alcohol
year. That’s why July 28 is Earth made in backstreet distilleries.
Overshoot Day,” said Mathis Wac- The liquor is often spiked with
kernagel, president of the Global methanol to increase its potency. If
Footprint Network. ingested, methanol can cause blind-
“The Earth has a lot of stock, so ness, liver damage and death.
we can deplete Earth for some time Last year, 98 people died in the
but we cannot overuse it for ever. northern state of Punjab after
It’s like with money; we can spend Tipping point: Extinction Rebellion protesters holding a rally in Melbourne, Australia. NGOs are warning drinking bootleg booze. — AFP
more than we earn for some time humanity not to overuse Earth’s resources. — AFP
until we’re broke.”
It would take 1.75 Earths to pro- sooner over the last 50 years. the date would have fallen even planet’s biocapacity (55%) is used to
vide for the world’s population in
a sustainable way, according to the
In 2020, the date moved back
three weeks due to the Covid-19
earlier, on March 13, Wackernagel
said.
feed humanity,” they said.
“A large part of the food and raw July 4 parade
shooter
measure, which was created by pandemic, before returning to pre- The two NGOs point the finger at materials are used to feed animals
researchers in the early 1990s. pandemic levels. the food production system and its and animals that are consumed
Global Footprint Network said The burden is not evenly spread. “considerable” ecological footprint. afterwards”, said Pierre Cannet of
Earth Overshoot Day has fallen ever If everyone lived like an American, “In total, more than half of the WWF France. — AFP
slapped with
117 charges
Aviator Earhart honoured WAshington: US authorities
have indicted the 21-year-old man

with statue at US Capitol accused of carrying out a deadly

mass shooting at a July 4 parade
near Chicago on 117 counts of mur-
WAshington: Congressional back then, now and into the future, der and other charges, according to
leaders and Kansas officials praised women who fly planes are now an official statement.
aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart for called ‘pilots’,” Davids said. Robert Crimo, a young man with
advancing the cause of women’s House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a history of mental illness, opened
rights during her barrier-breaking noted that Earhart, who was born fire on an Independence Day
career at a ceremony unveiling her and raised in Atchison, Kansas, was parade in an affluent Chicago sub-
statue in the US Capitol. the first woman to ever receive the urb, killing seven people and injur-
Earhart, the first woman to fly Distinguished Flying Cross from the ing dozens more.
solo across the Atlantic Ocean, joins US Congress. The attack was the latest in the
President Dwight Eisenhower as “Not only was she an outstanding wave of gun violence plaguing the
Kansas icons enshrined in the aviator, but she had a strong moral United States.
National Statuary Hall Collection compass as an outspoken champion Crimo, who disguised in women’s
on Wednesday. for gender equality. clothing during the shooting, was
She is the 11th woman honoured “Amelia envisioned aviation as a arrested several hours afterwards.
with a statue in the collection, great equaliser and she fought He confessed to the crime and
where each state is represented by valiantly to close the gender gap,” Aviation said he was planning another strike.
two people of significance. Pelosi said. pioneer: A CrimowaschargedonWednesday
US Rep Sharice Davids of Kansas Earhart disappeared in July 1937 statue of Earhart with 21 counts of first-degree mur-
said that while Earhart is best on a flight over the Pacific Ocean is seen during der, as well as multiple counts of
known for flying across the ocean, while trying to become the first a dedication attempted murder and aggravated
she was also a military nurse, social pilot to circle the globe at the equa- ceremony for battery, according to a statement.
worker, author and champion for tor. the new statue “Our investigation continues, and
women’s advancement. No trace of her or her navigator, at the US Capitol our specialists are working 24/7 to
“Female pilots used to be called Fred Noonan, has ever been found, in Washington. support all those affected by this
‘ladybirds’, ‘sweethearts of the air’ sparking numerous theories about — Reuters crime,” Lake County State’s Attorney
and because of Amelia Earhart, what happened to them. — AP Eric Rinehart said. — AFP
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 25
26 StarWorld THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

IN PICTURES

India: The 44th Chess Olympiad’s mascot Thambi, Turkiye: Visitors viewing a Medusa-based column at the United Kingdom: a man walks past an ireland-themed
displayed on a chessboard near Marina beach, is hard Byzantine-era Basilica Cistern. The historical cistern, scarecrow as part of a group titled ‘around the World in 80
to miss as Chenna marks the inaugural day of the which is the biggest in istanbul, was built in the sixth Bales’ entered into ireland’s scarecrow championship
tournament. — aP century by Emperor Justinian i. — aP during the durrow Scarecrow Festival. — reuters

Russia fines Meta and Snap over data storage violations

MOSCOW: A Russian court fined and local representation in disputes Meta and Snap did not immedi- to exert greater control over infor- sphere, organisations and individu-
Meta Platforms Inc’s WhatsApp that have escalated since Russia ately respond to requests for com- mation flows. als are required to include the dis-
messenger and Snapchat owner sent forces into Ukraine on Feb 24. ment. Meta was found guilty of “extrem- claimer that Meta’s activities are
Snap Inc for an alleged refusal to Moscow’s Tagansky District Court Russia restricted access to Meta’s ist activity” in Russia and saw an banned on Russian territory.
store the data of Russian users fined WhatsApp 18 million roubles flagship platforms Facebook and appeal against the tag rejected in Microsoft’s LinkedIn has been
domestically, news agencies report- (RM1.3mil) and Snap 1 million rou- Instagram, as well as fellow social June, but Moscow has permitted blocked in Russia for years after a
ed. bles (RM74,029), news agencies network Twitter, soon after the con- WhatsApp to remain available. court found it breached the
Moscow has clashed with Big reported. WhatsApp was fined for flict in Ukraine began, a move crit- According to the ruling, when data-storage rule, which was passed
Tech over content, censorship, data the same offence last August. ics have cast as an effort by Russia referring to Meta in the public in 2015. — Reuters

Troops backed into a corner Australian

climber dies
russia-occupied Kherson cut off as ukraine counter-attacks trying to
KYIV: A Ukrainian counter-offen-
sive has virtually cut off the Russian-
conquer K2
occupied southern city of Kherson
and left thousands of Russian troops ISlAMABAD: An Australian climb-
stationed near the Dnipro River er has died while trying to scale K2,
“highly vulnerable”, British defence the world’s second-highest moun-
and intelligence officials said. tain, after he fell during his descent,
Ukraine has made clear that it Australian and Pakistani officials
intends to recapture Kherson, said.
which fell to Russia in the early Pakistani officials said a Canadian
days of the invasion launched by mountaineer, who was scaling K2
Russian President Vladimir Putin with the Australian, was missing
on Feb 24. and a search was underway.
Britain’s Defence Ministry said Yesterday, the Australian Dep-
Ukrainian forces had probably artment of Foreign Affairs and
established a bridgehead south of Trade confirmed the death of the
the Ingulets River and used new, Australian, saying it was “providing
long-range artillery to damage at consular assistance to the family of
least three of the bridges crossing an Australian man who died during
the Dnipro. a climbing expedition in northern
“Russia’s 49th Army, stationed on Pakistan”.
the west bank of the Dnipro River, It did not provide any further
now looks highly vulnerable,” it details, saying: “We extend our con-
said in a regular intelligence bulle- dolences to his family and friends.”
tin on Twitter yesterday, adding It did not disclose the name of the
that Kherson was virtually cut off Australian climber for privacy rea-
from the other territories occupied sons.
by Russia. Pakistan’s English-language The
“Its loss would severely under- Taken by force: a russian flag mounted above a monument in the russia-controlled village of Chornobaivka, Dawn newspaper reported this
mine Russia’s attempts to paint the ukraine, as both sides in the ukraine-russia conflict continue to wrestle for territory. — reuters week that the bodies of the two
occupation as a success.” missing Canadian and Australian
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Zelenskyy, said Russia was conduct- “We are doing everything to across the river. mountaineers had been found at a
Ukraine’s National Security and ing a “massive redeployment” of ensure that the occupying forces do Russian-backed forces on Wed- location between Camp 1 and Camp
Defence Council, earlier tweeted forces from the east to the south in not have any logistical opportuni- nesday said they had captured the 2 of K2.
that Russia was concentrating “the what amounted to a strategic shift ties in our country,” he said in a Soviet-era coal-fired Vuhlehirsk Citing unnamed sources, it said
maximum number of troops” in the from attack to defence. Wednesday evening address. power plant, Ukraine’s second-larg- the two men went missing on July
direction of the Kherson. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would Russian officials had earlier said est, in what was Moscow’s first sig- 19 in two separate incidents.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to rebuild the Antonivskyi bridge over they would turn instead to pontoon nificant gain in more than three The death came as dozens of
Ukrainian President Volodymyr the Dnipro and other crossings. bridges and ferries to get forces weeks. — Reuters climbers from across the globe
were trying to scale K2 in northern
Pakistan.

Schools across New Zealand hit by bomb threats

K2, on the Chinese-Pakistani bor-
der in the Karakorum Range, has
one of the deadliest records, with
most climbers dying on the descent,
WellIngtOn: At least a dozen in Waikato, Thames and Gisborne But authorities said they were found at any of the schools targeted. where the slightest mistake can trig-
schools across New Zealand on the North Island. still investigating threats to schools There was a similar incident in ger an avalanche and become fatal.
received bomb threats, causing Cherie Taylor-Patel, president of in affected regions including Mas- 2016 when schools across New Only a few hundred have suc-
widespread disruption in what is New Zealand’s Principal’s Federa- terton, Kaikoura, Takaka, Geraldine Zealand and Australia received cessfully reached its summit. In
believed to have been an overseas tion, told RNZ that she had spoken and Palmerston North. hoax calls that there were live contrast, Mount Everest has been
cyberattack. to the Ministry of Education, whose Tasman area commander Simon bombs on the premises. summited more than 9,000 times.
Many of the schools involved “understanding is that this was Feltham said they were speaking to In 2018, an Israeli-American was Considered extremely difficult to
were either locked down or evacu- actually a cyberbot coming in from “two young people” over a threat jailed for 10 years by a court in climb, K2 is not only the second-
ated yesterday as a result. overseas”. made against Marlborough Girls’ Israel for making about 2,000 hoax highest mountain after Mount Ever-
The fresh wave of threats came New Zealand police said in a College. threats in North America, Britain, est, its ascent and descent are con-
24 hours after hoax calls to four statement that they “do not believe So far there are no reports of Australia, New Zealand, Norway sidered much more challenging
New Zealand schools on Wednesday there is a safety risk”. explosive devices having been and Denmark. — AFP than the world’s highest. — AP
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 StarWorld 27

Macron defies critics to host MBS

amnesty international ‘profoundly troubled’ over meet with Saudi strongman
Paris: French President Emman- The topics set to loom over the Jamal (Khashoggi) and people like Reporters Without Borders secre- edly with a bonesaw.
uel Macron was to host Saudi meeting include energy supply as him,” Amnesty International secre- tary general Christophe Deloire “The visit by MBS to France and
Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed concern grows over possible power tary general Agnes Callamard said, said in a statement. Joe Biden to Saudi Arabia do not
bin Salman for talks in Paris, defy- shortages due to the Russian inva- describing MBS as a man who “does US intelligence agencies deter- change the fact that MBS is any-
ing criticism the invitation is deeply sion of Ukraine, as well as reining in not tolerate any dissent”. mined that MBS had “approved” the thing other than a killer,” said
inappropriate barely four years the nuclear programme of Iran. The visits mark MBS’ first trip to operation that led to Khashoggi’s Callamard, who at the time was the
after the murder by Saudi agents of MBS – who is portrayed at home the EU since the murder of Khash- death, although Riyadh denies this, UN special rapporteur on extrajudi-
journalist Jamal Khashoggi. as a champion of social and eco- oggi by Saudi agents at the king- blaming rogue operatives. cial killings and led the probe.
The meeting will be seen as the nomic reform but seen by critics as dom’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018, The killing drew outrage not just His reception by world leaders is
latest step in the readmission of the a murderous tyrant – arrives in a crime that a UN probe described over the elimination of a prominent “all the more shocking given many
de facto ruler of the kingdom into France fresh from a trip to Greece as an “extrajudicial killing for which critic of the Saudi regime, but also of them expressed disgust (over the
the international fold, after US to discuss energy ties. Saudi Arabia is responsible”. for the manner in which it was car- killing) and a commitment not to
President Joe Biden met the man “I feel profoundly troubled by the MBS’ “reintegration into interna- ried out. Khashoggi was lured into bring MBS back into the internation-
universally known as MBS earlier visit, because of what it means for tional relations cannot take place at the Saudi consulate on Oct 2, 2018, al community”, she added, denounc-
this month. our world and what is means for the expense of truth and justice”, strangled and dismembered, report- ing the “double standards”. — AFP

France closes Nasa to send

‘cookies’ two more
case against copters to
Facebook Red Planet
Paris: French privacy regulators
closed a case against Facebook after CaPE CanaVEraL: Nasa is
determining the US tech giant had launching two more mini helicop-
changed the way it collected user ters to Mars in its effort to return
data to comply with the law. Martian rocks and soil samples to
Facebook was slapped with a Earth.
€60mil (RM270mil) fine last Decem- Under the plan announced on
ber when the French regulator Wednesday, Nasa’s Perseverance
CNIL ruled it was failing to allow rover will do double duty and trans-
users to easily opt out of cookies, port the cache to the rocket that will
tiny data files that track online launch them off the red planet a
browsing. decade from now.
CNIL told the firm’s parent com- Perseverance already has gath-
pany Meta to fix the issue within ered 11 samples with more rock
three months or face further pun- drilling planned. The most recent
ishment. sample, a sedimentary rock, holds
Yesterday, the regulator the greatest promise of containing
announced that “the company had possible evidence of ancient Mart-
complied with the injunction ian life, said Arizona State Univer-
issued” by installing a button label- sity’s Meenakshi Wadhwa, chief sci-
led “only allow essential cookies”.
Cookies are installed on a user’s
Art in motion entist for the retrieval effort.
There’s “a diversity of materials
computer when they visit a website, a visitor attending the press presentation of the immersive exhibition of dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh, at the already in the bag, so to speak, and
allowing web browsers to save Barra da Tijuca mall in rio de Janeiro, Brazil. — aFP really excited about the potential
information about their session. for bringing these back,” she said.
They are hugely valuable for tech If Perseverance breaks down, the

UK seas rising quicker than a century ago

platforms as ways to personalise two helicopters being built and
advertising – the primary source of launched later this decade would
revenue for the likes of Facebook load the samples onto the rocket
and Google. But privacy advocates instead.
have long pushed back. London: Sea levels are increasing “This year’s report continues to recorded at the start of the 1900s. The helicopters will be modelled
Since the European Union passed around Britain at a far faster rate show the impact of global tempera- They have risen by around after Nasa’s successful Ingenuity,
a 2018 law on personal data, internet than a century ago while the coun- ture rises in the UK,” the Met Office, 16.5cm since 1990 – approximately which has made 29 flights since
companies have faced stricter rules try is warming slightly more than the country’s meteorological auth- three to 5.2mm each year, com- arriving with Perseverance at Mars
that oblige them to seek consent the global average, leading meteor- ority, said in a summary yesterday. pared to 1.5mm annually in the early last year. The chopper weighs
from users before installing cookies. ologists said. It said the findings were “reaf- early part of last century. just 1.8kg. The new versions would
The French regulator stressed The annual study – the State of firming that climate change is not This is exposing more coastal have wheels and grappling arms.
in its statement yesterday that the the UK Climate 2021 – found recent just a problem for the future and land to larger and more frequent Nasa officials said Perseverance’s
end of this procedure did not rule decades have been “warmer, wetter that it is already influencing the storm surges, the Met Office said. impressive performance at Mars
out further scrutiny of Facebook, and sunnier” than the 20th century. conditions we experience at home”. Svetlana Jevrejeva, of the Natio- prompted them to ditch their plan
particularly of the requirement to It comes hot on the heels of tem- Meteorologists noted in the rep- nal Oceanographic Centre, said the to launch a separate fetch rover.
give users “clear and complete” peratures topping 40ºC in England ort that sea levels over the last three rises were due to the increased rate Jeff Gramling, director of Nasa’s
information on data collection. last week for the first time, setting a decades had increased in some of ice loss from the Greenland and Mars sample return programme,
— AFP record at 40.3ºC. places at more than double the rate Antarctic ice sheets. — AFP said the revised path forward is
simpler. Each helicopter will be
designed to lift one sample tube at a

Model Hadid joins metaverse time, making multiple trips.

“We have confidence that we can
count on Perseverance to bring the
with NFT collection launch samples back and we’ve added the
helicopters as a backup means,”
Gramling said.
London: US supermodel Bella NFTs are a digital asset that exist Nasa is collaborating with the
Hadid has stepped into the meta- on blockchain, a record of transac- European Space Agency on the
verse with the launch of CY-B3LLA tions kept on networked computers. retrieval mission. If all goes as
– a collection of Non-Fungible All kinds of digital objects –
One in 11,111: planned, as many as 30 samples
Tokens featuring artwork based on including images, videos, music and
an image from would blast off from Mars in 2031
3D scans of her face and body. text – can be bought and sold as Hadid’s NFT and arrive at Earth in 2033.
Hadid, 25, said from New York NFTs. collection Lab analysis is needed to see
that she was intrigued by shared “It was super fun,” Hadid said of Cy-B3lla. whether any sample holds signs of
virtual world environments and the process. — reuters microbial life that may have existed
that she wanted to make “cool ver- Her collection comprises 11,111 on Mars billions of years ago when
sions” of herself after becoming NFTs made in collaboration with water flowed on the planet.
obsessed with video games during the NFT minting platform reBASE. and not ones that I could ever Hadid inspired by Japan. As for the grounded ExoMars
the Covid-19 lockdown. Inspiration for the CY-B3LLA dream up,” Hadid said. Each NFT also works as a pass- rover, it cannot be refashioned to
Earlier, she said on her Instagram NFTs came from 10 different coun- The locations and accompanying port to a global community, unlock- help retrieve these samples, said
page that she had created the NFTs tries, with input from local artists. digital assets are set to be revealed ing rewards and enabling the hold- David Parker, director of human
to “encourage travel, community, “There are so many different ver- by September, with the first batch er access to real events attended by and robotic exploration for ESA.
fantasy and human interactions”. sions of me that you could make featuring images of a robotic-style Hadid. — Reuters — AP
28 THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

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No words
can express
the feeling of
the dearly missed
presence
of a
departed one.

Memories
live on in
a photograph,
a poem,
a loving memory,
and/or a
joyful moment.

And we treasure
them and
hold them
close to
our hearts.
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Sport 29

Man City fans to sport high-tech scarves next season

LONDON: Select supporters of Manchester City will we’ve continuously looked for ways to connect fans to “Creating this technology from scratch has been an
sport the latest in wearable technology next season as the sport they love, on another level,” said Ashley incredible journey, and we’re incredibly excited about
the humble football scarf gets an upgrade, complete Marusak, the Global Sports Marketing Manager for how much this scarf can teach us about fans and club
with a biometric sensor integrated into the fabric to Cisco, which helped develop the product. culture,” he said.
monitor emotional, physiological and movement data. “The Connected Scarf is an exciting project for us Production and technology agency Unit9 also
Using an EmotiBit bio sensor that sits discreetly on to pilot together, as we seek to better understand and helped spearhead the initiative.
the neck, ‘The Connected Scarf’ captures the body’s measure the ups and downs of football fandom and The scarf will not be readily available to all fans yet
bio-signals throughout a match. how the game impacts supporters not only as only a select number will be distributed to
It also records a range of physiological measures, emotionally, but physically as well.” supporters of City and also those of their sister club
including heart rate, body temperature and emotional Ryan Shaw, Creative Director of Octagon UK, which New York City FC in the United States. New trend: a young fan holds a
responses – offering information on how fans feel at partnered with Cisco in the project, said ‘The “It’s a brilliant idea and gives us more of a special “Manchester City” scarf which may
different moments. Connected Scarf’ would help them understand the connection with the fans,” City defender Aymeric become a high-tech attire complete with
“In our work with City over the past few years, physiological emotions fans go through. Laporte said in a statement. — Reuters biometric sensor. — aP

Four-time

Popp-ular world F1
champion
Vettel

gal to retire

HuNgarOriNg: Four-time Formula

One world champion Sebastian Vettel
(pic) will retire at the end of the 2022
season.
“The decision to retire has been a
Skipper scores twice to lead Germany into Euros final difficult one for me to take, and I have
spent a lot of time thinking about it,”
MILTON KEYNES: Alexandra “But I also have to say a big been postponed to 2022 due to the Vettel, 35, said in an Aston Martin team
Popp (pic) missed the last two wom- thanks to everyone who has helped Covid-19 pandemic. statement.
en’s European Championships
through injuries but the German
“It’s not my main me – the medical staff at my club,
the coaches both at club level and
A positive Covid test last month
did not deter the forward either as
“At the end of the year I want to take
some more time to reflect on what I will
skipper has more than made up for
it with six goals in this edition fol-
objective to win here. They kept believing in me and
they gave me the opportunity to be
she put all her problems behind her
to score in every game so far – a
focus on next; it is very clear to me
that, being a father, I want to spend
lowing a double in Wednesday’s the Golden Boot, here. tournament record. more time with my family. But today is
not about saying goodbye.
semi-final win over France.
Eight-time champions Germany the main “I’ve become very dangerous
now, like in the past. It wasn’t the
On Sunday, she will not only be
fighting for the title but also the “Rather, it is about saying thank you
– to everyone – not least to the fans,
beat France 2-1 with Popp scoring
the opener in the first half and the objective is to win case for quite a while because I was
injured.”
Golden Boot having joined England’s
Beth Mead at the top of the tourna- without whose passionate support
Formula One could not exist.”
winner in the second to book a spot
in Sunday’s final at Wembley the Euros.” Popp blew her chances of win-
ning the title with Germany in 2013
ment’s goal scoring charts, but for
Popp it is all about the team. Vettel won four successive
championships with Red Bull from 2010
against hosts England. when she played through an ankle “If I don’t get these passes, I don’t
Popp is playing at her first Euros alexandra Popp ligament injury to help Wolfsburg score. It makes me happy when to 2013, but struggled to reproduce his
at the age of 31 but she is leading by win the treble in 2012-13, missing they create chances for me to best results after moving to Ferrari
example having scored nearly half the Euros as a result. score,” she said, praising the team’s before joining Aston Martin last year.
of Germany’s goals at the tourna- know how I have arrived at this A knee injury in 2017 saw her spirit as the best she had seen in a His 53 Grand Prix victories place him
ment, with the rest of her team- point. Being here, having the oppor- miss the Euros again and another decade. third on the all-time list behind Lewis
mates chipping in with seven. tunity to perform and being fully fit injury last year would have meant a “It’s not my main objective to win Hamilton (103) and Michael
“I have to admit I am more emo- at this stage makes me very proud,” third edition without a continental the Golden Boot, the main objective Schumacher (91). Vettel last won a race
tional than I used to be because I Popp told reporters. tournament for Popp had it not is to win the Euros.” — Reuters in Singapore in 2019.
“He is one of the all-time greats of
Formula One, and it has been a

Swiatek returns with one-sided win in Warsaw

privilege to have been able to work with
him,” said Aston Martin executive
chairman Lawrence Stroll, whose son
WARSAW: World number one Iga the zone and not let dominant best agai- “I’m shattered that I’m not able to Lance is the team’s other driver.
Swiatek (pic) eased into the second my head think about nst Frech, not facing a compete tonight,” Kyrgios told the “He will continue to race for us up to
round of the Poland Open with a other stuff.” single break point as crowd. and including the 2022 Abu Dhabi
straight-sets thrashing of fellow She added: “I’m she wrapped up the The hard-court event was due to Grand Prix, which will be his 300th
home player Magdalena Frech. happy that I was win in 73 minutes. be Kyrgios’ first tournament since Grand Prix entry. We will give him a
The French Open champion solid today because n PARIS: Wimble- his run to the Wimbledon final ear- fabulous send-off.”
romped to a 6-1, 6-2 victory at the Magda is not an easy don finalist Nick lier this month, when he lost to The German made his F1 debut with
Warsaw clay-court event in her first opponent. From the Kyrgios has pulled Novak Djokovic in four sets. BMW Sauber at the United States Grand
match since suffering a shock third- beginning I wanted out of the singles “I’ve won this tournament once Prix in 2007. He joined Toro Rosso that
round defeat by Alize Cornet in the to put pressure on draw at the ATP and I’m probably playing some of same year and raced the final seven
Wimbledon third round. her and I did that event in Atlanta due the best tennis in my career and all races of the season.
“For sure playing in your home- pretty well.” to a knee injury. I wanted to do was come out here He then spent a full season with Toro
town with all that crowd is pretty Swiatek had been The Australian was and give you guys a show,” Kyrgios Rosso before making the step up to Red
extraordinary,” Swiatek said. on a remarkable 37-match winning scheduled to face German Peter added. Bull in 2009.
“I didn’t get a chance to play streak before her early exit at Gojowczyk but withdrew from the “I’m going to keep my hopes up Vettel’s first title in 2010, aged 23
many tournaments in Poland so for Wimbledon, taking six successive tournament following an earlier and maybe be able to continue dou- years and 134 days, saw him become
sure I needed extra focus and deter- titles along the way. doubles win alongside compatriot bles with Thanasi this week.” — the youngest world champion in history.
mination to come here and stay in The 21-year-old was back to her Thanasi Kokkinakis. AFP He moved to Aston Martin last
season after six years at Ferrari, with
RESULTS WORLDWIDE whom he twice finished runner-up for
TENNIS Pablo Varillas (Per) 6-3, 6-4; Pedro Martínez (Spa) bt Tomova (Bul) 6-3, 6-3; Wang Qiang (Chn) bt Dalila WARSAW OPEN the world title to Hamilton in 2017 and
ATLANTA OPEN
Federico Coria (Arg) 6-4, 6-3; Roberto Bautista Agut Jakupovic (Slo) 6-3, 6-1; Marie Bouzkova (Cze) bt First round: Iga Swiatek (Pol) bt Magdalena Frech (Pol) 2018.
(Spa) bt Jurij Rodionov (Aut) 6-1, 6-4; Jiri Lehecka Dominika Salkova (Cze) 6-1, 6-2; Oksana Selekhmete-
Second round: Ilya Ivashka (Blr) bt Steve Johnson (US) (Cze) bt Joao Sousa (Por) 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-3; Filip va (Rus) bt Chloe Paquet (Fra) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
6-1, 6-2; Gabriela Talaba (Rom) bt Raluca Serban (Cyp) Vettel trailed in 12th in the 2021
3-6, 6-2, 7-5; Elisabetta Cocciaretto (Ita) bt Martyna
4-6, 6-2, 6-4; Tommy Paul (US) bt Kwon Soon-woo Misolic (Aut) bt Pablo Andujar (Spa) 6-4, 6-0; Dusan Kubka (Pol) 6-2, 6-3; Kristina Mladenovic (Fra) bt drivers’ championshp with his new
(Kor) 6-3, 6-3; Brandon Nakashima (US) bt John Lajovic (Srb) bt Aslan Karatsev (Rus) 7-5, 6-3; Dominic UMAG OPEN
Millman (Aus) 7-6 (10-8), 6-4; Frances Tiafoe (US) bt Thiem (Aut) bt Sebastian Ofner (Aut) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3;
Anna Bondar (Hun) 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-8); Petra Martic team after achieving just one podium
Second round: Bernabe Zapata Miralles (Spa) bt (Cro) bt Weronika Falkowska (Pol) 7-5, 6-4; Sara Errani
Taro Daniel (Jpn) 7-5, 6-4. Yannick Hanfmann (Ger) bt Ivan Gakhov (Rus) 6-3, Holger Rune (Den) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Giulio Zeppieri (Ita) (Ita) bt Arantxa Rus (Ned) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4; Kateryna finish. He is 14th in the standings this
6-7 (5-7), 6-4.
KITZBUEHEL OPEN
bt Daniel Elahi Galan (Col) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Roberto Car-
balles Baena (Spa) bt Alex Molcan (Svk) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3;
Kozlova (Ukr) bt Maryna Zanevska (Bel) 6-3, 6-3.
Second round: Ana Bogdan (Rom) bt Katerina
season with just 15 points and missed
Second round: Albert Ramos-Vinolas (Spa) bt Juan
PRAGUE OPEN Jannik Sinner (Ita) bt Jaume Munar (Spa) 6-4, 6-4. Siniakova (Cze) 6-0, 6-4; Laura Pigossi (Bra) bt Nadia the first two races with Covid-19. — AFP
Second round: Magda Linette (Pol) bt Viktoriya Podoroska (Arg) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4.
30 Sport THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

Not a ‘crazy’ choice ZZ wants to

be on top
of podium
JdT appoint former Bielsa’s protege Bidoglio at their helm in Solo
By T. AVINESHWARAN PETALING JAYA: Past experience
has made shot putter Mohd Zikri
PETALING JAYA: To be an under- Zakaria wiser.
study to renowned football coach After firing blanks in his first
Marcelo Bielsa is certainly a privi- Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur
lege. in 2017, Zikri has been honing his
His methods have influenced techniques and is aiming at least a
many high-profile managers in the silver medal in the men’s F55 wheel-
world. chair at the Games in Solo, Indo-
Among them are Manchester nesia, starting tomorrow.
City’s Pep Guardiola, former Chile “This is my second Games and I
and Argentina handler Jorge hope to keep my emotions in check.
Sampaoli, ex-Tottenham and Paris I hope to show improvement in my
St Germain coach Mauricio technique,” said Zikri, who is the
Pochettino and Atletico Madrid’s nation’s flagbearer.
Diego Simeone. At the 2017 edition, Zikri partici-
And Johor Darul Ta’zim have pated in three events – discus, jave-
roped in one of El Loco’s (The Crazy lin and shot putt – to find out which
One) students, Hector Bidoglio, to suited him the most.
replace Benjamin Mora, who left Even though he did not finish on
due to personal reasons. the podium, he decided on the shot
In a statement announcing putt because his result was better
Bidoglio’s arrival, the club said the than the other two events.
former Venezuelan international “I used the 2017 SEA Games to
will take over immediately. decide on which event to focus on. I
In JDT’s last three games, they opted for shot putt and I’ve no
were handled by assistant coach regrets,” said Zikri.
Hamzani Omar and fitness coach Zikri is unsure of the strength of
Jorge Alvarez. his potential opponents in Solo as it
“Hector rose through the ranks as had been five years since the Games
a coach with Argentinian club Experienced: Hector Bidoglio was unveiled as the new head coach of JdT. — JdT was held.
Newell’s Old Boys. He has previous- “It may be easy or it could be
ly coached in the top divisions in Born in Rosario, Argentina, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri scored for tions well and were focused on hard too. Rather than worrying
Argentina, Peru and Ecuador,” said Bidoglio has roots in Venezuela, the second consecutive game when scoring and creating an open about my opponents, I will just
the statement. which allowed him to represent the he found the net in the 13th minute. game,” said the Costa Rican. focus on doing my best,” he added.
“The 54-year-old had several country during his playing days as a Super League top scorer Bergson “Adam (Nor Azlin), Ramadhan Zikri is one of 73 athletes who
attachments with Spanish clubs midfielder. Da Silva notched his 14th goal in the (Saifullah) and Syahmi (Safari) are will compete in 91 events from the
such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Since Tunku Ismail Sultan 20th minute. usually not starters but against 11 out of 14 sports contested. They
Sevilla and Real Betis. He also took Ibrahim took over the club in 2012, In the second-half, substitutes Sarawak, the quality they showed are badminton, boccia, sit-down
tutelage under the renowned they have appointed seven coaches Syahmi Safari and Fernando was good. (Nathaniel) Hong Wan is volleyball, chess, goalball, table ten-
Marcelo Bielsa with the Chile – Fandi Ahmad, Cesar Jimenez, Forestieri piled on the misery for young and always learning so we nis, athletics, archery, swimming,
national team in 2009.” Bojan Hodak, Mario Gomez, Ulisses the Golden Hornbills in the 79th have great depth in the squad. powerlifting and wheelchair tennis.
Some of the top South American Morais, Luciano Figueroa and and 90th minute respectively. “Hazwan’s performances have
clubs he has coached include Peru’s Mora. Alvarez was happy that the been fantastic, I’m happy for him.”
Universidad San Martin and
Ecuador’s Sociedad Deportiva Aucas.
Bidoglio will take over a team full
of confidence after JDT thrashed
reserves stepped up to the plate.
“Some players who started are
JDT remain top with 32 points
from 12 matches while Sarawak
Khoo hopes to
He was also with Argentinian
club Colon from 2016 to 2017.
Sarawak United 4-0 at the State
Stadium in Kuching on Wednesday.
not regulars but they showed great
character. They followed instruc-
dropped one rung to 11th with 10
points from 13 games. do better with
new parts
Mintah makes heads turn supEr lEaguE
rEsults & staNdiNgs
and bike set-up
with brace against Kedah SARAWAK
N. SEMBILAN
K. LUMPUR
0
2
2
JDT
TERENGGANU
KEDAH
4
1
1
PETALING JAYA: Khoo Chee Yen is
hoping to hit the ground running in
the MSBK1000 B class in the season
opening round of the Malaysia
PETALING JAYA: After three PAHANG 2 SELANGOR 0 Superbike Championship at the
games, Ghanaian striker Jordan P W D L F A Pts Sepang International Circuit this
Mintah has finally broken his duck
with Kuala Lumpur.
“Now that I have JDT
SABAH
12
13
10
9
2
1
0
3
32
22
6
12
32
28
weekend.
The Suzuki GSX-1000R rider,
And he did in style by scoring
twice in the City Boys’ 2-1 win over
found my N. SEMBILAN 13 6 5 2 16 9 23 fondly known as C.Y. Khoo, emerged
champion at the end of Round 2
Kedah in their Super League
encounter at the Cheras Football
goalscoring K. LUMPUR
KEDAH
13
12
5
5
3
2
5
5
19
18
20
22
18
17 when he scored 66 points with two
wins and one second placed finish
Stadium on Wednesday. touch, I hope to SELANGOR
MELAKA
12
12
4
4
4
4
4
4
24
17
20
15
16
16 last season.
A loanee from Terengganu,
Mintah, 26, cut a forlorn figure up put the club in a TERENGGANU
PAHANG
11
12
5
3
1
2
5
7
14
15
13
20
16
11
In Round 1, Chee Yen took second
spot with a total of 65 points for
front in his first three matches. His
teammates failed to provide the better position by PJ CITY
SARAWAK
12
13
2
3
5
1
5
9
15
12
22
33
11
10
Hiap Aik Suzuki Racing Team who
will change their name this season
ammunition and when there were
chances, his shots were either saved scoring more.” PENANG 13 1 4 8 13 25 7
to Mobilub Suzuki Racing Team.
“With more than six months off
or they hit the posts. Kuala Lumpur have now moved season, the team had engaged the
But against Kedah, he stepped
Jordan Mintah up four rungs to fourth with 18 AS25 Academy to design training
onto the pitch with guns blazing. points from 13 games while Kedah programmes that helped us refine
The Canaries, however, drew are fifth with 17 points from 12 our riding techniques and also
first blood through Aiman Afif Md matches. maintain our fitness level.
Afizul in the 41st minute. But the easy as he joined them towards the Coach Bojan Hodak is optimistic “We also have new parts and set-
hosts fought back strongly in the tail end of the second transfer win- Mintah will keep on scoring. up for the bike this season, which
second half. dow. “When the confidence comes, we hope will improve our lap time.”
Mintah found the net when he “I joined them a bit late so I did every ball will go into the net. That’s With many experienced riders
converted a penalty in the 56th not have much time to train, get to the life of a striker. Mintah has got onboard this season, Chee Yen is
minute after rightback Kamal Azizi know the players and so on. But that and his two goals will give him determined to get back into the
Zabri was fouled in the box. game by game, things got better and a tremendous boost,” he said. groove.
And he showed his relief when he in my fourth game, I finally hit the As for the team’s performance, “I hope to clock more distance
thumped the Kuala Lumpur badge back of the net ... not once but Hodak said there’s always room for and find the right set-up to achieve
and did the panther prowl in front twice!” he exclaimed. improvement. my goals.
of the home fans. “I have to thank the coaches and “Attacking-wise, we have to be “My fastest lap time in the previ-
Sixteen minutes later, he capped teammates who kept motivating more clinical. We have been domi- ous season was approximately 2:15
a memorable night when he headed me. Now that I have found my nant in the second half in the last seconds.
in off a cross from Romel Morales. goalscoring touch, I hope to put the three games, but we need to convert On the prey: Jordan Mintah “It was my personal best before
Mintah admitted that the first club in a better position by scoring our chances. Defensively, we can be celebrating his goal by doing the the pandemic. I hope to hit the
few days with his new club was not more.” a bit better too.” panther prowl. — Photo by Kl FC same time.”
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Sport 31

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2022 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

JULY 28 - AUGUST 8

Lament over the omission of shooting and archery from Games

LAUSANNE: Archers and shooters are country’s most successful sport in the Olympian Vijay Kumar commented: “It is it’s going to be taken out, especially in a n The forgotten archery - By contrast,
still heartbroken because of the omission Games. A proposal to hold a separate very strange that shooting, despite being country where the sport is flourishing.” para table tennis, women’s cricket and
of their sports from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth archery and shooting an Olympic discipline, is still not included From a British Shooting spokesperson: beach volleyball were all accommodated
Commonwealth Games. championships in India in 2022 was in the Commonwealth Games curriculum, “From a parochial perspective, our home within Birmingham and cumulatively cost
Shooting had appeared in every abandoned due to Covid-19. If you take out a major Olympic discipline countries regularly secure around 30 less than £15mil (RM81.3mil). By the time
Commonwealth Games since Kingston n Boycott rescinded, hosting bid from the curriculum, it is bound to medals between them in shooting sports, they were included, the athlete quota for
1966, apart from Edinburgh 1970. The announced – At some point, the Indian disappoint the entire sports fraternity, and it would seem strange for a UK host additional sports was filled up, so there
decision by the hosts, supported by the Olympic Association withdrew their call to and it is no different with the shooting to ignore the opportunities for such was no space for shooting or archery
Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), boycott the Games over shooting’s community,” Kumar, winner of the men’s widespread home medal success for their which was ranked fourth and fifth, and
to omit these sports, had sparked exclusion, stating earlier their intention to 25m rapid fire pistol singles at Melbourne athletes.” inclusion was doable at Birmingham fairly
outrage, particularly in India and bid for either the 2026 or 2030 2006 and Delhi 2010, told the Indo-Asian n About Birmingham’s venue - cheaply. The real cap was athlete numbers.
Australia. Commonwealth Games. India will be News Service. According to Birmingham, the closest Even if someone wrote a cheque for £15m
Shooting was on the list of compulsory sending a delegation of over 185 athletes Russell Mark, a former Australian Olympic-standard shooting range Bisley and offered to pay for the shooting events,
sports until 2015 when it was moved to to Birmingham. Olympic and Commonwealth double trap Shooting Ground in Surrey, location of there would be no space for the athletes in
the optional sports list during the n Shoot for the Games Australia – As champion and current team captain said: shooting during the 2002 Manchester the Games Village.
Commonwealth Games Federation Victoria 2026 bid was announced earlier “It’s so disappointing that Birmingham, Games, is about 130 miles away, while this “Shooting is a thrilling sport with a
general assembly. in March, the Shooting Australia the home of shotgun shooting, chose to was not in itself a show-stopper as the proud and longstanding heritage at the
n Shooting, India and the Games – It Federation launched a social media throw it out – that’s a real slap in the face. cycling is being held in London, Lee Valley Commonwealth Games. We understand
is no secret that India’s overall campaign called “Shoot for the Games” Sadly, you have to put up such a fight to VeloPark, 135 miles away from that there will be a disappointment when
performance will be impacted by the for the sport to be included on the have shooting included in the Birmingham. an optional sport is not chosen and
absence of shooting events in programme for the 2026 Commonwealth Commonwealth Games.” However, shooting could be expensive especially so when a particular country
Birmingham. India boasts an all-time total Games in Victoria and future Games as Laetisha Scanlan, an Australian dual due to the need for local accommodation has enjoyed medal success in this sport
of 135 medals, finishing top of the medals controversy over its exclusion remains. Olympian and Glasgow 2014 outside the main village, additional historically,” said David Grevemberg,
table in the sport at three of the last four n Olympians reactions – India’s five- Commonwealth Games women’s trap gold security bubbles, addition to refurbishing former CEO of Commonwealth Games who
Games, including Melbourne 2006, Delhi time Commonwealth Games gold medalist commented: “I was very, very high cost for shooting ranges to be able to departed in March 2022 from his position.
2010 and Gold Coast 2018, and it is the medallist and 25m rapid fire pistol shocked (to hear the news). Surprisingly, accommodate this event. — AIPS

Buck the trend

Can the rest stop aussies from another medal sweep?
Bargain
basement
Games
is value
for money
More than a billion people would
have watched the Commonwealth
Games opening ceremony and
over 1.25 million tickets have
been sold for the July 28-Aug 8
multi-sport competition, organis-
ers said.
At a cost of around US$1bil
(rM4.45bil) that is not bad bang
for your buck, especially when
compared to top-tier extrava-
ganzas like an olympics which
could cost a host city between
More than 5,000 athletes are US$15bil (rM67bil) – 2021 Tokyo
primed for action in the english city Summer Games to US$51bil
of Birmingham from today at a (rM227bil) – 2014 Sochi Winter
Commonwealth Games lacking sev- Games.
eral track and field stars but still Birmingham’s ticket sales and
boasting elite performers. viewership expectations may
Competitors from 72 nations and impress but when it comes to
territories -- many of which are for- finding a host the “Friendly
mer British colonies -- will be vying Missing stars?: Gold medallist Shelly-ann Fraser-Pryce (centre), silver medallist Shericka Jackson (left) and Games” has been a hard sell for
for medals in 19 sports over a jam- bronze medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah, who swept the 100m podium in the recent worlds may not be at the Commonwealth Games Fed-
packed 11 days in the Midlands. Birmingham. Inset: One star who will be at the Games is ariarne Titmus of australia who broke the world eration (CGF).
Away from the marquee athletics 400m freestyle record in May. – aFP Britain’s second city came to
and swimming events, women’s the CGF’s rescue in 2017, stepping
Twenty20 cricket makes its debut world championships in Budapest hot on the heels of the world athletics ond-fastest time in history in the in as 2022 organisers after
and 3x3 basketball will feature for to keep herself fresh for championships in eugene, oregon, 200m. Durban, South Africa was
the first time while sedate lawn Birmingham. which only finished on Sunday. But there will still be star power stripped of the event for failing to
bowls is a fixture. “I am so excited and I think we’ve The worlds were rescheduled at the Alexander Stadium, with deliver on promises made in its
There is an integrated para sports got a great team going in. It’s insane from last year after the coronavirus Australian high jumper eleanor bid.
programme in some events. the depth we have,” said the pandemic forced a delay to the Patterson and Jake Wightman, who The search for a home for the
The Games, held every four years, Commonwealth Games 400m and Tokyo 2020 olympics but that has shocked Norway’s Jakob Inge- 2026 Games was no less fraught,
are often criticised as a quirky 800m freestyle champion. created a headache for athletes in a brigtsen to win 1,500m gold in the Victoria, Australia finally handed
sporting relic but was launched in McKeon, 28, who won seven crowded schedule. United States, will be one of big hosting duties in April three years
style at the opening ceremony, medals -- including four golds -- at olympic champions Andre De draws for home fans in the absence after a decision was to be
headlined by 1980s pop band Duran last year’s olympics in Tokyo, boasts Grasse, Kirani James and Neeraj of Asher-Smith, with Scottish announced as bid-after-bid got
Duran, formed in Birmingham. a phenomenal Commonwealth Chopra will definitely be absent olympic silver medallist Laura cold feet and dropped out of the
Sporting powerhouse Australia Games record, with eight gold and from Birmingham. Muir another major name. running.
have topped the medals table at four bronze medals in two appear- Chopra, who won javelin gold for Cricket last featured at the only once since 1998 (Delhi
every Games since 1990 except in ances. India in Tokyo last year, said he was Commonwealth Games in 1998 but 2010) have the Games not been
2014, when england finished top in Headlining for england will be “hurt” at not being able to defend the women will take part for the staged in Australia or Britain.
Glasgow -- the last time the event breaststroke superstar Adam Peaty, his Commonwealth title after suf- first time in Birmingham, with Meg “I had no idea of the size and
was held on British soil. who missed the recent world cham- fering a groin strain during the Lanning’s Australia hot favourites scale of this,” said Birmingham
england, Scotland, Wales and pionships with a foot injury. world championships, where he to win the T20 competition. 2022 chair John Crabtree, during
Northern Ireland compete as sepa- “I feel really good in myself, I feel won silver. Former Tour de France winner the CGF Congress on Tuesday.
rate teams during the Com- really good in my fitness,” he told There are major doubts over the Geraint Thomas will compete for “A thousand days became a
monwealths rather than as a com- Sky Sports. “But now it’s all about participation of Jamaican sprint trio Wales and Australian cycling sprint 1,000 days of sleepless nights.
bined British outfit. getting that cash out of the bank Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka ace Caleb ewan will also feature “Whenever people asked ‘How
In the pool, emma McKeon, and seeing where I’m at.” Jackson and elaine Thompson- after a disappointing Tour. is the preparation going?’ I would
Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown He said he was relishing compet- Herah, who swept the 100m podi- Mark Cavendish, riding for the say – with hands behind my back
and teenage sensation Mollie ing in front of home fans. um in oregon. Isle of Man rather than under the and fingers crossed – ‘We will be
o’Callaghan will lead the charge for “I was born in the Midlands, Jackson, who previously suggested British flag, will have something to on time and on budget’.
a star-studded Australian team. probably die in the Midlands, it’s she would be competing in Bir- prove after missing out on selec- “And here we are – we are on
Double olympic champion my home.” mingham, followed up her 100m sil- tion for the Tour de France this time, on budget and we are ready
Titmus, 21, opted out of the recent The Commonwealth Games comes ver at the worlds by running the sec- year. — AFP for you.” — reuters
32 Sport THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2022 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

JULY 28 - AUGUST 8

British sprinter Asher-Smith out of action due to injury Five things

SPRINT star Dina Asher-Smith
(pic) announced she had with-
drawn from the England team
in the 100m final in Eugene and
won a bronze medal in the
200m before suffering her
to know
for the Commonwealth Games
in Birmingham due to a
relay setback.
She pulled up sharply
about
hamstring injury.
Asher-Smith pulled up
midway through the wom-
midway through the third
leg but still managed to
hand the baton to teammate
host city
en’s 4x100m relay at the world
championships in Eugene, Oregon,
Daryll Neita, with the team finish-
ing sixth. Birmingham
over the weekend. Asher-Smith had intended to
“Thankfully I’ve only got a light race in the 100m and 4x100m relay THE Commonwealth Games get under way in
hamstring strain after pulling up in in Birmingham, but her diagnosis the central English city of Birmingham. AFP
the 4x100m a few days ago,” she now also casts serious doubt over Sports picks out five things to know about
said on Instagram. her participation at next month’s Birmingham.
“No major issue and nothing to European Championships.
worry about. “I was so excited to race in front l Steaming along
“But due to the short turnaround of a home crowd and all the British Birmingham in the late 18th century was
between the end of the worlds and fans,” she said. termed “the first manufacturing town in the
the start of the Commonwealth “It’s going to be such an amazing world” and earned the nickname “the city of
Games in a few days’ time, I’m competition and I know Team a thousand trades”.
going to have to withdraw.” England will do you all proud.” — Scottish inventor James Watt’s
Asher-Smith, 26, finished fourth AFP revolutionary steam engine was created

No Chopra,
there in 1776.
Letters may be a little outdated now, but it
was Birmingham school teacher Rowland Hill
who is widely credited with introducing the
first postage stamp and the roots of what
became the modern postal service.

l Playing a Blinder

no problem
Birmingham was represented on television
in the long-running soap opera “Crossroads”,
about life in a motel on the outskirts of the
city. It was much ridiculed but had very high
viewing figures.
“Some of the acting would have disgraced
the humblest of village halls. Many of the
plots were so farcical they could have been
written in a bad dream,” said television
historian Hilary Kingsley.
india hope to still pack a The more recent hit crime drama series
“Peaky Blinders” changed all that and helped

punch without Olympics champ

put Birmingham on the global map.
“An absolute winner internationally,”
purred one local tourism chief.

INDIA’S Commonwealth Games ambitions l Currying flavour

have been badly hit by the last-minute with- Birmingham boasts plenty of Michelin-
drawal of Olympics champion Neeraj Chopra starred restaurants but its most famous
but they still have high hopes of gold in sever- culinary experience is the Balti Curry.
al sports including boxing and badminton. The Balti made its first appearance in the
The Commonwealth’s most populous coun- United Kingdom in Birmingham, introduced
try is not generally known as a global sport- to the city in the 1970s by Pakistani
ing powerhouse – except for cricket – but it immigrants who adapted it from Kashmiri
has regularly performed well at the Games. recipes to a more westernised palate.
India came third in the medals table Its popularity has grown so much that
behind hosts Australia, and England, at the there is a Balti Triangle and even the Balti
last edition of the Games at the Gold Coast in Mile, which has 12 restaurants serving the
2018, and were in the top five at the previous curry.
four. For those with a sweeter tooth, Cadbury
But they could have a tough job replicating Chocolate began life in Birmingham.
that when the Commonwealths start in
Birmingham today. l Chamberlain to ‘Mr Blue Sky’
Shooting, traditionally India’s most suc- Perhaps Birmingham’s most famous son is
cessful discipline, has been dropped from the former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.
programme for these Games, much to India’s His “peace in our time” declaration proved
anger. to be quite the opposite – within months
And then Chopra, India’s flag-bearer and World War II had broken out and he was to
the reigning Commonwealth and Olympic eventually step down to be replaced by
javelin champion, pulled out on Tuesday Winston Churchill.
because of injury. The rest is history.
“Needless to say I am hurt about not being Other “Brummies” of note include Jeff
able to defend my title and missing out on Lynne and Roy Wood, co-founders of the
another opportunity to represent the nation,” Electric Light Orchestra, whose song “Mr Blue
the 24-year-old Chopra said. Sky” was used in the handover ceremony to
But there are still several gold hopefuls Birmingham at the end of the Gold Coast
among India’s more than 200-strong contin- Commonwealth Games in 2018.
gent.
India’s boxing squad will be without l ‘Second City’ derby
injured six-time world champion Mary Kom, Premier League side Aston Villa and
but will have her heir apparent, Nikhat Show must go on: double Olympics medallist P.V. Sindhu will lead india’s strong badminton second-tier Birmingham City enjoy a fierce
Zareen. challenge. Inset: Neeraj Chopra withdrew from the Games due to injury. — aFP rivalry, their matches titled the “Second City”
Zareen, who won the 52kg gold at the derby.
world championships in May, will be compet- Rising 20-year-old star Lakshya Sen, the aiming to finish on the podium but they only Villa were one of the founding members
ing in the 50kg category and is billed as the men’s world No. 10, has been laid low by inju- ended joint ninth with China at the recent both of the Football League and then the
favourite. ry but is another with medal hopes. World Cup in Spain. Premier League, and won the European Cup
As a woman from India’s minority Muslim India’s men’s badminton team are buoyant “Unfortunately, we couldn’t play to our in 1982. Birmingham is not a one-sport town
community, the 26-year-old’s struggles before after winning the prestigious Thomas Cup, potential at the FIH Hockey Women’s World though.
breaking out on the international stage have the world team championship, for the first Cup ... but we are very determined to turn Edgbaston regularly hosts Tests and other
made her a household name in India. time in May. our form around at the Commonwealth international cricket matches, and former
Zareen has spoken about how she was The men’s hockey team will look to clinch Games,” captain Savita Punia told Hockey England batsman Dennis Amiss and present
ridiculed for taking up boxing and looked their first Commonwealth gold after a disap- India. international Moeen Ali were born in the city.
down upon in the orthodox society she grew pointing 2018 campaign. India’s women cricketers led by Formula One’s 1992 world champion Nigel
up in. India used to dominate field hockey but Harmanpreet Kaur also have a shot at glory Mansell grew up in Birmingham and although
Double Olympics medallist P.V. Sindhu will their bronze in Tokyo last year was the team’s as women’s T20 makes its debut at the Games, he was often bullied at school, he looks back
lead India’s strong badminton challenge. She first Olympic medal in more than four dec- while the country is also traditionally strong with a certain fondness on those days and
prepared for Birmingham by clinching the ades. in wrestling and weightlifting. There is no calls himself “a proud Brummie”. — AFP
Singapore Open title this month. The women hockey players will also be men’s cricket. — AFP
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Sport 33

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2022 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

JULY 28 - AUGUST 8

Time to shine for Russell after troubled times

By T. AVINESHWARAN in April, he remains optimis- 19 pandemic, Australia’s worst not just for me but for everyone. So
tic. recorded floods in Queensland I hope to bring some cheer and lift
SPRINTER Russell Alexander Nasir “There were no competi- and a muscle injury which the gloom by getting good results.
Taib is hopeful to be among the tions, but my coach (Denise scuppered his plan to com- “I have posted quick times in the
upper echelons of Malaysian athlet- Boyd) programmed a couple pete in the Hanoi SEA Games 100m and 200m before. I’ve proven
ics and believes that the journey of time trials over the last in May. in the past that I can produce strong
starts at the Commonwealth fortnight to ensure I had “It had been challeng- results and I hope to get back to the
Games. a couple of competitive ing navigating through top again.”
Having waded through the runs under a race-like the lack of competitions His season’s best for the 100m
waves of adversity and holding the atmosphere,” said Russell. and international exposure due to and 200m is 10.50 and 21.02 respec-
belief that what comes next will be The Games will be Russell’s Covid,” said Russell. tively which he recorded in the Jai
better, the 24-year-old is eager to maiden outing and he hopes to “If that wasn’t bad enough, the Taurima Shield at the QSAC State
make the nation proud at the leave a mark. floods hit Queensland and I had to Athletics Facility in Brisbane earli-
Alexander Stadium in Birmingham “I’m in good spirit. It’s an honour evacuate my home for three and a er this year.
from Aug 2-7, where he will com- and I am very excited to make my half weeks and had to stay in But his times have been erased
pete in the 200m. first appearance. I want to play my motels while balancing prepara- by Mohd Azeem Fahmi in the 100m
Russell, who is based in Australia, part and help Malaysian athletics tions for the SEA Games, my uni- (10.28) and Mohd Arsyad Saat in
believes something special is in be more prominent on the interna- versity studies and work,” he the 200m (20.95).
store based on his fruitful training tional stage.” added. Russell is the national record
sessions in the last two months. In the past two years, Russell had “The final blow was when I holder in the 200m with a time of
Although there were no competi- gone through various challenges injured myself right before the 20.77, which he recorded in the Looking for a repeat: Mohd afiq
tions during that period as the but it has left him unfazed. Hanoi Games. Queensland International Track Mohd ali Hanafiah won bronze in
Australian athletics season ended He had to go through the Covid- “It’s been a tough couple of years Classic in 2019. the last Games in Gold Coast,

Beam
australia.

Afiq faces
huge hurdle
with
me up, absence
of his coach

Scotty!
By R. KIRUBASHINI

PARA athlete Mohd Afiq Mohd Ali

Hanafiah’s goal of winning a medal
has been made harder as he will
have to achieve this without his
coach by his side.
Afiq, who won bronze in the last

Hoe yean hopes training Games in Gold Coast, Australia, in

the men’s 100m T12 (visual impair-
ment) after clocking 11.28, is look-

stint with Olympics ing to at least equal that achieve-

ment in Birmingham.

champ will bring good results

He faces a huge challenge though
as his coach, Ahmad Rafee Ariffin,
will be handling the para athletes
in the Asean Para Games in Solo,
By LIM TEIK HUAT will be the country’s main Indonesia.
hope for gold when the “I really want to win a medal
IT’S not every day that a competition starts today. again but I face a big challenge as
Malaysian swimmer Likewise, an inspired my coach will not be with me.
gets to train with an Hoe Yean is also hoping There are more athletes who will
Olympics gold medallist. to make waves when he be participating in Solo, so his ser-
Khiew Hoe Yean did just make his bow in the 400m vices are much more needed
that for close to a month at the freestyle heats. there,” said Afiq, who is the coun-
University of Stirling in Scotland The Vietnam SEA Games gold try’s sole representative in para
leading up to the Commonwealth medallist will also compete in the athletics.
Games. 200m backstroke as well as the “I will face tough competitions
Among the swimmers there was 100m and 200m freestyles. from the host country and South
Duncan Scott who made history “It was certainly a very good train- Africa,” added the 27-year-old.
after winning four medals – more ing stint. It’s definitely more compet- Dashing: Khiew Hoe yean posing at the entrance of the university of “However, my coach advised me
than any other British athlete at a itive than in Bukit Jalil,” he said. Stirling after training. to stay focused and have confi-
single Olympic Games in Tokyo. “We travelled to Stirling right dence in myself. He also told me to
The 25-year-old splashed to one after the World Championships (in niques he taught me will prove val- place 20th in Budapest. not worry about performing in his
gold (4x200m freestyle) and three Budapest) last month. uable,” said Hoe Yean, who has “I will be pleased to swim and get absence. He stressed that the most
silvers (4x100m freestyle, 200m “Stirling University is the base for established himself as the nation’s some personal bests here. But it’s my important thing is to be strong
individual medley and 200m free- some of the top Scottish athletes top swimmer with one gold and first Games experience, so I’m just mentally,” said Afiq.
style) last year. heading to Birmingham. three silvers in Hanoi. trying to get better and learn from The Johorean’s bronze feat in
Scott, who is from Glasgow, “I got to know Scott and managed At the world meet, Hoe Yean the top swimmers,” said Hoe Yean. Australia was notable as it was the
bagged six medals in the previous to pick up some pointers. broke Welson Sim’s 400m freestyle The other Malaysian in the morn- first medal won by a Malaysian
Commonwealth Games in Gold “He is also a middle and long dis- national record of 3:49.29 set in ing heats is Bryan Leong, who will para athlete in the Games in 16
Coast, Australia, four years ago and tance swimmer like me so the tech- 2019. Hoe Yean clocked 3:48.72 to race in the 50m butterfly. years.
Afiq is coming into this Games in
reasonable form as he captured a
silver medal in the World Para
Mohd Saizul: It all boils down to the first 120 seconds Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai in
March with a time of 11.45.
“I’m so proud and happy to par-
THE first two minutes will be decisive their own. at the University of Warwick, about half “We don’t know their strengths, but ticipate in a big event like the
for the national squad when they face He believes that if his players can an hour’s drive from the city centre. we already know teams from the Pacific Commonwealth Games for the sec-
world champions, South Africa, in the overcome that phase, they will be able Mohd Saizul said the opening game Islands are very good. So, I am hoping ond time where I get to compete
opening game of the Rugby Sevens to compete and not make it easy for was also important for the “Hibiscus” in my players will bring out their best and against world-class athletes and
today. the number one ranked team in the preparing for their next two group give the opposition a good fight,” he push myself to greater heights,”
Coach Mohd Saizul Hafifi Md Noor world. matches against Scotland and Tonga. said. added Afiq.
said those opening 120 seconds will be “If the boys can’t settle down during On their game against Tonga, he said Mohd Saizul said they are looking to He had warmed up for the
very important for his men in adapting that period, we will face a lot of they had never played them before and be among the top 10 teams compared Games by competing in the Johor
to the playing style of the Africans problems until the end of the match,” only know about their game through to their 13th-place in the 2018 edition. Open in May against able-bodied
whom he admitted were in a class of he said when met at the Games village videos. — Bernama athletes and clocked 11.38 in the
heats.
34 Sport THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2022 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

JULY 28 - AUGUST 8

Lawn bowlers skip opening ceremony to get some much-needed rest

THE lawn bowlers were conspicuously miss- the early rounds of the men’s singles, “We need to get ready for competition conditions as it is different from the ones at
ing when the opening ceremony got under women’s triples, men’s pairs and wom- on Saturday so after considering all home. The grass pitches here are rather
way in Birmingham. en’s fours. the aspects we decided to skip the heavy so the ball rolls slower,” added
Head coach Zuraidi Puteh revealed that, “We are aware that all athletes would ceremony. Zuraidi.
after a discussion with the team’s manage- want to be part of their country’s The players, who had arrived on Seasoned campaigners Siti Zalina Ahmad
ment, it was decided that it would be better march past during the opening cere- July 4, have settled in nicely at the and Emma Firyana Saroji will carry the
for the bowlers to rest since the ceremony mony but we have to make the sacri- competition venue, the Royal hopes of the team to deliver again.
would have taken four to five hours. fice,” said Zuraidi. Leamington Spa Bowls, and had Siti Zalina and Emma pulled off a stun-
Lawn bowls is one of six sports targeted to “In every Commonwealth Games, competed in five friendlies against local ning come-from-behind win to bag the pairs
contribute to Malaysia’s gold medal count. the logistics to travel to the stadium clubs there. gold in the last edition in Gold Coast,
They will begin their campaign today in is a factor as it takes a long time. “We arrived early to adapt to the pitch Australia, four years ago.

Daunting
task Time to shine: Mohd
Shah Firdaus Sahrom is
looking to escape from
azizulhasni awang’s
Emma aims

beckons
shadow by doing well in

to crank
the men’s keirin event.
— Bernama

it up a
notch in
Shah Firdaus and newer gen Victoria Park
riders stay hopeful as they By T. AVINESHWARAN

face threats from top rivals NATIONAL lawn bowler Emma

Firyana Saroji (pic) will not be satis-
fied with one gold this time.
By LIM TEIK HUAT Qualifying takes place in team sprint at the be a great opportunity for Shah Not only she wants to retain the
the morning with the top four Commonwealth Games was Firdaus to escape from Azizulhasni’s pairs gold she won four years ago in
IT’S going to be a quiet opening day nations advancing to the when Azizul, Josiah Ng and shadow, especially in the men’s kei- Gold Coast, but Emma hopes to go
for Malaysia unless cyclist Mohd medal rounds later in the day. Rizal Tisin claimed bronze in rin event taking place tomorrow. one step better in the fours too.
Shah Firdaus Sahrom and his team- Shah Firdaus, Ridwan and the 2010 edition in New Delhi. Shah Firdaus and Fadhil will The 35-year-old bowler from
mates can beat the odds to deliver a Fadhil showed promise by Malaysia returned home carry the main hopes in the keirin Selangor said she was prime and
stunner in the team sprint event at taking silver at the Asian empty-handed from the last cam- but they are up against the likes of prepared for the competition start-
the Lee Valley Velodrome in London Track Cycling Cham- paign with Azizul weakened by a England’s Jack Carlin, New Zealand’s ing today at the Victoria Park in
today. pionships in New Delhi last viral infection in Gold Coast, Sam Webster, former world sprint Leamington Spa.
With Tokyo Olympic Games sil- month but the Commonwealth Australia, four years ago. champion Matthew Glaetzer of In the 2018 edition, Emma won
ver medallist Azizulhasni Awang Games is a different cup of tea Track cycling coach John Beasley Australia and also Nicholas. the pairs with seasoned campaign-
out of the picture as he is recover- altogether. is hoping the boys will snap the Webster won the sprint title for er Siti Zalina Ahmad, and in the
ing from corrective heart surgery, With the exception of Holland, drought this time. the Kiwis while Glaetzer took the 2014 Games in Glasgow, she won
his training partner Shah Firdaus the Commonwealth Games have “Officially, the National Sports keirin and 1km time trial for silver in the fours with Siti Zalina,
leads a newer generation of track gathered the strongest riders in the Council did not put a target on us as Australia in Gold Coast four years Nur Fidrah Noh, Nor Hashimah
riders for the Commonwealth world, especially those from Britain, they know what we are going up ago. Ismail and Azlina Arshad.
Games challenge this time. Australia and New Zealand. against. But I sure hope we can “Left and right, they are going to “We are in the best shape at the
Shah Firdaus will form the men’s Even Trinidad and Tobago will bring back a medal as we are well have to fight with world champion- moment. The only thing we have to
team sprint trio with younger also fancy their chance with the prepared,” said Beasley. ships and Olympics medallists, so do right now is to ensure we stay
brother Ridwan Sahrom and Mohd current sprint world record holder “I think the medal is going to it’s basically the men’s keirin where healthy throughout the Games.
Fadhil Zonis while Anis Amira Nicholas Paul in good form after come from the guys. I think Shah is we stand a chance to get a medal That is a must!” she said.
Rosidi, Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri and beating reigning Olympic Games our best chance in the keirin but we depending on the right execution of “All of us have roles to play dur-
Nurul Aliana Syafika Azizan will champion Harrie Lavreysen in the also have an outside chance with our plan if we get to the final. ing matches, so if we are focused on
see action in the women’s team sprint and keirin at the Track the other guys. “As for the women, the those tasks, I believe we can get
sprint. Nations World Cup in Cali, “What I would be happy to see is Commonwealth Games is already a medals in the Games.
Except for Shah Firdaus and Colombia, recently. a few national records going down big step up for them and the expo- “Of course, I want to retain the
Fadhil, the rest are all making their The only time Malaysia have as well,” said the Australian. sure is good for their long term pairs gold with Kak Siti, and yes,
debuts. made it to the podium in the men’s The Commonwealth Games will prospects,” added Beasley. getting the fours would be great. A
medal, nice, but gold, even better!”

Teen Isaac can’t wait to rub shoulders with his idols

Emma did say that competing
after two and a half years will be
interesting not just for the
Malaysians but for all the lawn
By NG CHIA YIN After recovering, he claimed back-to-back bowlers participating in the
World Cup wins in 2019 and claimed bronze at Commonwealth Games.
TEEN triathlete Isaac Tan Zhen Wei (pic) is the Under-23 world meet in 2021. She said there were no firm
pumped up to race against his idols. “I’m feeling very excited to race with them favourites.
Following the withdrawal of teammate Chong because they are my idols and future friends,” “We have not faced any of these
Xian Hao, who has not recovered from an elbow said Isaac. athletes for quite a while. The
injury, Isaac will have to go it alone in the compe- Triathlon is a physically demanding sport as it Covid-19 pandemic has changed
tition today. comprises three disciplines – swimming, biking many things. Don’t be surprised if
The 17-year-old Isaac, who has been diagnosed and running. names that are not so prominent in
with autism since he was three, is thrilled to race “Biking is the most challenging because every- the sport win something.
alongside former world junior champion Matt one will go all out. I can’t fall behind if I intend to “We can be a force, and the train-
Hauser of Australia, Alex Yee of the United keep pace with the leading pack,” he said. ing in England since last month has
Kingdom and New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde. A student at the Nexus International School given us the confidence.
He has not met any of them but knows their Malaysia, Isaac sees his teacher, Madeleine Proud “We also had friendlies in Victoria
fighting spirit well, especially the 24-year-old as someone important in his life. Park, so I do not see any issue in
Hauser. “Miss Maddy kept me on track with school terms of adaptability with the
After finishing fourth at the 2018 Gold Coast work and at the same time, gave me lots of sup- greens. Right now, it’s just mental,
Commonwealth Games, Hauser spent almost a port to go after my goals,” said Isaac. and that’s something we have
year out recovering from injuries sustained in a “I will continue to train hard because there is a worked on since coming here.”
training ride when he crashed into an opening lot more that I have to improve. My dream is to The men and women’s pairs and
car door. become an Olympian.” fours group stage start today.
THE STAR, Friday 29 July 2022 Sport 35

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2022 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

JULY 28 - AUGUST 8

Visa issue won’t stop gymnasts from doing their best MALAYSIANS IN ACTION TODAY
l All Malaysian time

Lawn bowls
THE show must go on. on Russian citizens due to the will be hoping that the issue will be are due to fly to Birmingham tomor- Women’s singles: Siti Zalina Ahmad vs Niue (3.30pm),
Siti Zalina Ahmad vs England (6.30pm)
The rhythmic gymnastics Russia-Ukraine conflict. resolved favourably. row. Men’s triples: Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple, Mohd
team have vowed to not let “We have yet to receive fur- The team of Koi Sie Yan, Izzah Meanwhile, Minister of Youth Soufi Rusli, Mohd Syamil Syazwan Ramli vs England
(3.30pm); Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple, Mohd Soufi Rusli,
the visa issue involving ther news on their visa status. Amzan and Ng Joe Ee have been and Sports Datuk Seri Ahmad Mohd Syamil Syazwan Ramli vs Canada (6.30pm).
two of the coaches disrupt We are trying our best to han- targeted to win a gold medal in the Faizal Azumu said if the coaches Badminton
Mixed team Group D: Malaysia vs Zambia (4pm)
their preparations. dle the situation. No matter competition. are barred entry, the honorary Table tennis
Women’s team: Malaysia vs Australia (4.30pm),
The team were hit by news what happens we will give our In the last Games in 2018, the secretary of the Malaysian Malaysia vs Maldives (11pm).
that their Russian coaches Yulia all in the competition,” said team team returned home with one gold, Gymnastics Federation Afrita Men’s team: Malaysia vs Australia (7pm), Malaysia vs
Mauritius (1.30am tomorrow).
Ivanova and Lidia Legotina were manager Beh Yeat Chen. three silvers and three bronzes. Ariany Nasril and coach Lim Win Swimming
affected by entry restrictions With their event just five days The team, currently in their last Chean will be flown to Birmingham Heats
Men’s 400m freestyle: Khiew Hoe Yean (5.30pm)
imposed by the British government away, Yeat Chen and the gymnasts phase of training in Minsk, Belarus, to handle the team. Men’s 50m butterfly: Bryan Leong (6.30pm)
Women’s 50m breaststroke: Phee Jinq En (6.45pm)

Don’t write them off

Triathlon
Men’s sprint: Isaac Tan (6pm)
Cycling
Team sprint qualification
Men: Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom, Mohd Fadhil Zonis,
Ridwan Sahrom (7.30pm)
Women: Anis Amira Rosidi, Nurul Aliana Syafika
Azizan, Nurul Izzah Izzati Mohd Asri (7pm)
Rugby
Group B: Malaysia vs South Africa (7pm)
Artistic gymnastics
Men’s individual: Mohd Sharul Aimy (7pm)
Squash
Men’s first round: Mohd Syafiq Kamal vs Papua New

Kian Meng-Peng Soon hope to serve surprise in doubles

Guinea (8pm), Ivan Yuen vs Barbados (8.15pm).

By R. KIRUBASHINI CDM calls on

WHILE all eyes
will be on Aaron athletes to
Chia-Soh Wooi Yik,
a scratch pair are quiet-
ly hoping to spring a
adhere to SOP
surprise in the individual THE Malaysian contingent have
event. been reminded not to be compla-
Aaron-Wooi Yik are cent towards the spread of Covid-19
one of the gold medal which is still rampant at the
hopefuls while nothing moment.
much is expected of Tan Kian Chef de mission Datuk Shahrul
Meng and Chan Peng Soon as their Zaman Yahya insisted that athletes
focus is in the mixed doubles with and officials take precautionary
Lai Pei Jing and Cheah Yee See measures by always wearing face
respectively. masks throughout the games in an
But Kian Meng is refusing to effort to avoid infection with the
play down his chances with Peng disease.
Soon. “Before departing, we have
“We have been given the respon- advised athletes to maintain stand-
sibility to play as the second men’s ard operating procedures (SOP)
doubles pair and we will give our even though England is very
very best. We will try to spring a relaxed regarding Covid-19.
surprise,” said Kian Meng. “We don’t want our athletes to get
The 28-year-old is satisfied with infected as it will indirectly cause
his training sessions with Peng Soon losses to the contingent in their
so far in Birmingham. efforts to reach the target of six
“After these few days in training, golds here,” he said at the sports
we feel quite good about our part- village in the University of
nership,” said Kian Meng. Birmingham.
Meanwhile, veteran Peng Soon He said this after two national
feels that they can play without contingent officers were confirmed
pressure as they are not considered No pressure: Scratch pair Tan Kian Meng (left) and Chan Peng Soon feel good about playing together for the positive for Covid-19 during a
a medal prospect. first time. screening test conducted by the
“Our main event is the mixed organisers, recently.
doubles. So we will play without Choong Tan Fook and won a silver Another pair forming a scratch event today. He said the two of them are cur-
pressure together,” said Peng Soon. after finishing runners-up to com- partnership will be Pei Jing-Yee See “The most important thing is to rently reported not to have serious
Kian Meng-Peng Soon need to patriots Koo Kien Keat-Chan Chong who will be the second women’s fight together as a team. I really infections and will be free after
look no further than current nation- Ming. In his pet event, Choong doubles pair behind Pearly Tan-M. want to play my part in ensuring undergoing self-quarantine at the
al singles coaching director Wong Hann lost to Lee Chong Wei in the Thinaah. the team regain the mixed team moment.
Choong Hann’s achievement in the all-Malaysian singles final. Meanwhile, Peng Soon, who is gold which we lost to India in 2018,” Malaysia were represented by 40
2006 Melbourne Games for inspira- It will indeed be special if Kian the most experienced member in said Peng Soon. athletes and six officials at the offi-
tion. Meng-Peng Soon could set-up the squad, has issued a rallying In the opening group stage, cial opening ceremony at Alexander
Then, singles specialist Choong another all-Malaysian final with cry to his teammates ahead of the Malaysia will play minnows Zambia Stadium, Perry Barr, yesterday. —
Hann formed a scratch pairing with Aaron-Wooi Yik. group stages of the mixed team and Jamaica today. Bernama

Boxers will be punching in the dark when competition starts

By T. AVINESHWARAN face either Scotland’s Matthew
McHale or Barbados’ Jabali
THE boxers will be entering unknown territory Breedy in the quarter-finals
when they begin their campaign in the Common- on Aug 3.
wealth Games. Both McHale and Breedy
In the draw released yesterday, coach Azmi were quarter-finalists at the
Md Yunus said his boys would be facing oppo- International Boxing Association (AIBA) men’s
nents they had not heard of. world championships in Belgrade last year.
The lack of knowledge on their rivals is under- In the men’s flyweight 51kg, Mohd Abdul
standable as the Covid-19 pandemic has scup- Qaiyum Ariffin will face Botswana’s Rajob
pered the plans of many amateurs. They were Mohammed in the first round on Monday.
either unable to spar or got the opportunity to Rajob took part in last year’s Tokyo Olympics
assess their rivals in international competitions. but lost to Colombia’s Yuberjen Martinez in the
And some have also pulled out at the last min- first round.
ute and were replaced which were not updated Azmi admitted it was hard to gauge their
in the Games’ database. opponents’ standard.
Even the Malaysian team have undergone “Not knowing our opponents is set to make the
some change. competition unpredictable. We will have to
Mohd Imdad Ahmad Shaharom will now get make quick assessment and adaptation on fight
to see action as he has replaced Sheikh day,” said Azmi.
Rahmatullah Ibrahim, who is unwell, in the “But my boys are ready. They have an equal
As ready as ever: Mohd abdul Qaiyum ariffin will face Botswana’s rajob men’s bantamweight 54kg. chance as anyone else out there but they must
Imdad, who received a first-round bye, will put their heart and soul in every bout.”
Mohammed in the first round on Monday. — Bernama
 THE STAR, FRidAy 29 July 2022

BULLISH
IN
BIRMINGHAM
JULY 28 - AUG 8

Hoe Yean hopes to

stir up competition
after stint with

Pedal to
Olympic champ. >33

In focus: (From left) Anis Amira

Rosidi, Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom,
Fadhil Zonis and Ridwan Sahrom will
be taking part in the team sprint event
today. — Bernama
the
The cycling event will be the first sport with a medal hope for Malaysia in the
medal?
Commonwealth Games and the task is on riders, led by Mohd Shah Firdaus Emma feels
Sahrom, to deliver in a competitive field. > By liM TEiK HuAT on Pg 34 confident of a
double. >34

Vettel to retire at
end of season. >29

Check and balance:

Kauahini Chathurya of
Sri Lanka performs on
the beam in a gymnas-
tics training session
ahead of the
Birmingham
Commonwealth
Games. — AP
Bidoglio takes
over JDT with
confidence. >30
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