PPH 8/12/2012 (031085) Vol. 131 Kota Kinabalu, Wednesday, May 18, 2022 RM1.
20 Established 1963
PBS to
decide on
Ranau
choice
PAGE 3
Dept was allocated billion$: Ex-official
Jo Ann Mool
KOTA KINABALU: The State Water
Department received over RM4bil-
lion in allocations for the 10 year pe-
riod between 2006 and 2016, ex-
cluding additional allocations also
running into billions of ringgit, the
Special Corruption Court heard,
Tuesday.
From 2006 until the 2016, the State’s
Supply estimates totalled RM201.7 bil-
lion while the records showed that dur-
ing the same period the allocation ap-
proved to the Water Department
amounted to RM4.132 billion, said the
prosecution’s 19th witness, Datuk Kaim
Kalimin, 62, a former Permanent Secre-
tary in the State Finance Ministry.
Kaim testified that the Department’s
Director is responsible for managing al-
location under the annual Revenue and
Expenditure Estimates Book.
When referred to the Revenue and Ex-
penditure Estimates Books for year 2006-
2016, Kaim verified they were the actual
books that were passed in the State Leg-
islative Assembly.
He also said there was a difference be-
tween the estimates books made before
2008 and afterwards due to a change in
the formats used.
Before 2008, the estimates book did
not use the Modified Budget System
(MBS), whereby the details were not
specifically put down.
As for allocations from Federal, the
warrant or letter of authority would be
given directly to the department.
“It does not require going through the
State Finance Ministry. The payment will
be processed by the Ministry that issued
the allocation itself or the Accountant-
General Office.
“As for state allocations, the Water De-
partment itself would be processing the
payment for the State Treasury Depart-
ment action,” said Kaim in his witness
statement.
Based on the records of the general al-
location warrant first supplementary sup-
ply statement, the total additional alloca-
tion given to the State Water Department
was about RM1.480 billion from 2006 to
2016.
In the same period, the total overall
supplementary allocation approved
amounted to about RM5.487 billion.
From 2006 until the 2016, the State’s
Supply estimates totalled RM201.7 billion
while the records also showed that dur-
ing the same period the allocation ap-
proved to the Water Department
amounted to RM4.132 billion.
Kaim verified that the warrants for the
State Supply estimate from 2006 to 2016
were signed by then Chief Minister cum
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Panglima
Musa Aman.
Kaim was posted to the State Finance
Ministry in 2005 as a Junior Administra-
tive Officer before being promoted to
Principal Assistant Secretary (Supply) in
2008 and later as the Budget Under Sec-
retary in the Budget Division in 2010.
Kaim also verified all the documents
which later tendered as exhibits by the
prosecution.
Meanwhile, wife of former Sabah Wa-
ter Department Director Ag Mohd Tahir
had a savings account and shares worth
RM84,658.84 in Bank Rakyat.
Salinah Lamat, an assistant branch
Usno now being seen as Sabah’s PBB
PETALING JAYA: For several years now, the
once-mighty United Sabah National Or-
ganisation has been trying to find its way
back into Sabah’s political mainstream
without much success.
Last Monday, that changed when the
party officially became a member of
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, the coalition in
charge of Malaysia’s second-largest state.
On the face of it, Usno’s entry into GRS
seems puzzling.
There is already a Muslim Bumiputera-
dominated party in the form of Bersatu,
lynchpin of the GRS coalition. Usno’s entry
raises questions about what the coalition’s
smallest member could possibly bring to
the table.
“It’s a vehicle to unite Sabah’s Muslim
Bumiputeras under one party. And it’s
manager of Bank Rakyat, Kota Kinabalu
Branch, certified that the balance of the
saving account of Fauziah Piut as of Nov.
8, 2016 was RM49,974.84.
Salinah during examination-in-chief
before Judge Abu Bakar on Tuesday said
the account was frozen starting Oct 4,
2019.
She said the balance of Fauziah’s
shares account was RM34,684 as of Nov 8,
2016 and that Fauziah had purchased the
shares on Sept 17, 2004.
The shares account was frozen under
the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terror-
ism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful
Activities Act (AMLATFUA) 2001 dated
Oct 4, 2016.
When referred to a document – AM-
LATFUA 2001 (Order under Subsection
50(1) dated Nov 4, 2016, Salinah certified
that it was from the Malaysian Anti-Cor-
ruption Commission (MACC) addressed
to Bank Rakyat Berhad on Fauziah’s two
accounts.
Fauziah, 55, was tried together with
her husband Ag Mohd Tahir, 58, and Lim
Lam Beng, 66, who had on Dec 29, 2016
pleaded not guilty to 37 counts of money
laundering, involving RM61.57 million.
Asked by Fauziah’s counsel during
cross-examination whether she had an
authorisation letter, as according to the
counsel an investigation into AMLA of-
fence for a bank account required a writ-
ten authorisation by the Deputy Public
Prosecutor (DPP), Salinah said she did
not know.
However, during re-examination, she
said the letter was not with her now.
“On the day of the incident, the MACC
did have a letter of authority when they
came to our office and the letter was for-
warded to the headquarters. We then is-
sued them (the documents) when head-
quarters said okay. I am just certifying,
said Salinah, adding that she did not
know where the letter is now.
During cross-examination, Salinah
disagreed with the counsel’s suggestion
that it was impossible for both accounts
to be involved in money laundering activ-
ities because they were under the thresh-
old limit of RM50,000.
Salinah said if one wanted to do evil
things, it is not necessarily a large
amount.
During cross-examination, Salinah
disagreed with the counsel’s suggestion
that her statement on the status of
Fauziah’s two accounts dated Nov 8, 2016,
without permission or a letter from the
DPP was her negligence.
Salinah explained during re-examina-
tion that there was an authorisation letter
from the MACC.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Mahadi Ab-
dul Jumaat and Haresh Prakash Somiah
appeared for the prosecution.
Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah were rep-
resented by counsel Marcel Jude, while
Lim was represented by counsel Datuk
Tan Hock Chuan, Aaron Lau, Baldev Singh
and Karpaljit Singh.
Trial continues.
about time,” one Sabah Umno veteran told
FMT.
The leader, who declined to be named,
said Usno was already reaching out to
Umno leaders to entice them to join them.
The party, led by former Dewan Rakyat
speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, could serve
as a new home for Sabah Bersatu leaders,
the Umno veteran said, as Bersatu is as
good as dead in Sabah, especially with
Muhyiddin Yassin no longer Prime Minis-
ter.
He said many Sabah members of
Bersatu and Umno were looking at Usno’s
possible rise into becoming the Sabah
equivalent of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera
Bersatu, the dominant party in Sarawak,
and thereby free Sabah of political control
from the Peninsula.
Timber
curse led
to rhino
extinction?
PAGE 4
The
group
on
Tambuyukon
Peak,
2,579.22m
above
sea level.
Tackling Sabah’s 13 highest back-to-back
Sherell Jeffrey
KOTA KINABALU: Tackling Sabah’s 13
highest points within 30 days – which
means going up and down every two days
on average – was what a group of 13 free-
lance film crew set out to do recently.
The aim was to promote on film the
many hiking spots available in Sabah
through their travelogue #SyurgaAlam-
Borneo.
Their challenge is expected to be aired
late this year or early next year and is cer-
tain to convince local and international
hikers why they should consider Sabah
more than anywhere else for a satisfying
climb.
The various high points were Sirong-
gol Hills, Bodgaya Hills, Tiger Hills, Bom-
balai Hills, Mt Lucia, Mt Magdalena, Per-
ahu Hills, Mt Tambuyukon (2,575.52 me-
tres), Mt Wakid (1,373 metres), Mt Alab,
Mt Sinsing, Mt Kaingaran, and Mt
Trusmadi are some of the peaks.
They started off with with Tawau Hills
Park Mount Magdalena (1,280 metres
above sea level) and Mount Lucia (1,240
metres above sea level) from March 17 to
March 19.
The final lap took them to Trus Madi
Peak via Mannan Trail (Sinua Sook) on
April 10 and 11.
They were accompanied by three
guides, led by Amizan Azmie.
“The expedition was quite difficult, es-
pecially for non-hikers like us,” said film
director Farid Zaid, who is based in Kuala
Lumpur.
“I was anticipating it to be easy and
imagined our  filming would be like  a
walk in the park,” said Farid, who spent
two months preparing for it.
According to Mira Arimah, the group’s
Production Manager in Sabah, it put their
mental and physical strength to test.
The end of the challenge left them
with bruises, feasted upon by leeches, suf-
fering lack of sleep, weariness and even a
bit of paranormal experience.
The experience involved camping in
the forest at night and bathing in the jun-
gle streams and rivers.
But it was worth it as it provided them
“This would be a big change. This
should be the goal.
“But making it work, getting everyone
to come and join Usno is the real chal-
lenge, particularly accommodating Umno
leaders.
“Many of us still have grassroots sup-
port, so how will we fit into the picture if
we ‘pindah rumah’ (jump to Usno)? This is
something Usno has to think about.”
Universiti Malaysia Sabah analyst Lee
Kuok Tiung said he believed Usno was
more of a “Plan B” for the Sabah Bersatu
and Umno leaders.
“The dynamic between Umno and
Bersatu in Sabah is very different from that
in Peninsular Malaysia. Here, they are still
very much friends,” he told FMT.
See Page 2, Col. 5
Cabotage policy
hampers trade,
Indonesian
Consul says
PAGE 6
the opportunity to see nature at its best
and what the real Bornean tropical rain-
forest really was like up close.
“There are so many lovely hills and
mountains in Sabah that are worth visit-
ing. It felt like I was in Europe while on
top of Mount Trus Madi, the scenery was
incredible,” Mira said.
“Mount Trus Madi at 2,642.281 metres
is Malaysia’s second highest mountain, lo-
cated within Forest Management Unit 10,
a conservation area in Sabah’s interior,”
she said.
Farid looks forward to another climb,
possibly Mount Kinabalu, but not an-
other back-to-back climbing expedition
of 13 points over 30 days,” he said.
The expedition also had its share of
unexplained occurrences. Production
Manager Mira Arimah, said each peak
had a tale.
During their trip to Mount Lucia
Tawau Hills Park, (1,240metres), Mira re-
calls being accompanied by an attractive
“man.”
“I got separated from the rest, some
were walking behind me and others were
ahead of me. I was walking down the trail
when I caught a whiff of perfume and
wondered who it belonged to.
“Then I heard the leaves rustling be-
hind me with each step I took, but there
was no one when I turned around.
“At that point, I realised something
wasn’t quite right. In order to not be
scared, I told whoever or whatever was
following me that I was only there to do
my job,” she said.
She thought that was the end of the
episode until ‘he’ appeared in her dream
that night.
“He introduced himself and said he
merely wanted to be friends with me. “he’
said that ‘he’ was present the entire time
we were in Lucia.
“Perhaps our presence had agitated his
“home”, causing his parents to become
enraged because later that same night I
had another dream in which ‘his’ father
claimed that we had wrecked their home
and demanded compensation.
“I asked him (in the dream) how much
Sabah’s new Covid cases dip to 27
Anthea Peter
KOTA KINABALU:
Sabah’s cases decreased
by 44 per cent, from 48
on Monday to 27 on
Tuesday, showing signs
of recovery after the
Aidilfitri peak, said
S a b a h ’ s
Covid-19
spokesperson
Datuk Seri
Masidi Man-
jun (pic).
“Whether
this (down-
ward) trend continues will depend on the
community’s attitude when celebrating
the Kaamatan festivity which will peak by
the end of May,” he said in a statement,
For
more
info
scan
here
compensation he wanted and his father
replied that he wanted me.
“I was terrified and informed our Head
Ranger (next morning), who said he
would speak with the “father”.
As it turned out, the Head Ranger said
they have encountered the “father” on nu-
merous occasions and were aware of
“their” presence, she said.
Mira said she kept her shoes in a bag
with those of another crew member the
night before they were set to leave.
“When we unpacked the next morn-
ing, there were just three shoes left. My
other pair had vanished.”
“I don’t mind if ‘he’ took my shoe as it’s
preferable to taking me,” she said, adding
there was always an unseen presence as
they prepared their meals during their
time at Mount Lucia and Mount Mag-
dalena.
“While we’re cooking, I felt something
was always watching us,” said Mira. She
could make out a person’s figure but
could not distinguish whether male or fe-
male.
“It didn’t annoy or bother me. It simply
stood in a corner staring at us cook, which
was rather unsettling,” she said.
There was another occasion while de-
scending from Gunung Alab along the
Crocker Range when film director Farid
Zaid noted that Mira was unusually quiet.
“Mira, kenapa diam saja,” Farid said,
but she just stared at me.
“At the rest stop, I told another crew
member to look at Mira since she was act-
ing unusual. Then Andreas arrived and
Mira told him, “Saya tahu kau nampak
saya,” (I know you see me).
Said Andreas: “When we got to the
hut, we all sat down except Mira, who sat
alone at the end of the bench for a few
minutes.
“She remained silent and I noticed that
she was staring at the woods and was see-
ing something.
When it was time to leave everyone
was packing up but Mira said that she
wanted to stay and asked me to accom-
pany her.
See Page 2, Col. 2
Tuesday, adding that no deaths or new
clusters were identified.
He added that all 27 cases were category
one and two infections, of which 62.96 per
cent were sporadic.
Kota Kinabalu topped the list with 16
cases, followed by Papar (2), Putatan (2),
Kota Marudu (1) and Kuala Penyu (1).
“Eight districts recorded a decrease, in-
cluding Kota Kinabalu (-7), Sandakan (-6),
Penampang (-6) and Tuaran (-4). Six dis-
tricts recorded a marginal increase of one
case.
“A total of 17 out of 27 districts in Sabah
did not record any new cases in the previ-
ous 24 hours,” he said.
On Sabah’s immunisation programme,
a total of 1,723 individuals took their vac-
cines, of which 465 were adults, 47 were
teenagers and 1,211 were children.
 2 Local
Tourism
Recovery
Plan 2022
launched
PETALING JAYA:
Tourism Malaysia on
Tuesday launched the
Tourism Recovery
Plan 2022 and the sec-
ond version of Cuti-
Cuti Malaysia song in
an effort to boost the
country’s domestic
tourism sector in line with the Transi-
tion to Endemic Phase.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister
Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (pic) said the
plan was a continuation of the Eco-
nomic Stimulus Package (PRE 1.0) and
was one of the initiatives under the
Tourism Industry Recovery Plan involv-
ing the distribution of incentives to
Malaysians in the form of discounts,
vouchers and rebates.
“It is hoped this initiative will restore
confidence to travel, boost domestic
tourism and maximise existing re-
sources,” she said in her speech at the
launch, here, Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after the event,
Nancy said the target of the plan was to
increase the mobility of Malaysians to
travel and spend through various dis-
counts on land, air and accommoda-
tion.
According to her, the giving of dis-
counts, vouchers and rebates, beginning
April 29 involved two clusters, namely
Land Transport Cluster and Tourism As-
sociation Cluster.
The initiative will be expanded in
stages involving three other clusters
namely the Air Travel, Accommodation
and Special Interest Tourism, which in-
clude scuba diving segments,
homestay, shopping and theme parks,
she said.
Nancy said this was to attract the
public to continue booking transport
tickets or tour packages at special dis-
counted prices.
She added one of the initiatives of-
fered to Malaysians through the plan
was a discount of RM100 for a travel
package purchase transaction worth
RM200 and above from April 29 to Octo-
ber 31, 2022, for the travel period until
December 31, 2022.
Each user or MyKad holder is eligible
to redeem this discount once and the
purchase must be made through Shopee
Pay.
An estimated 14,925 consumers will
receive this benefit with a target of sell-
ing a total holiday package worth
RM2,985,000, Nancy said.
Under the Land Transport Cluster,
Tourism Malaysia has entered into a
strategic partnership with KLIA Ekspres
and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad
(KTMB) services.
Meanwhile, Nancy said the second
version of the Cuti Cuti Malaysia song,
which was also launched on Tuesday,
was in line with the increased promo-
tion of the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia campaign
by Tourism Malaysia.
Titled Menemui Semula (Meeting
Again), the song which was sung by
popular artist Aina Abdul, has an ethnic
pop concept with a combination of
world music, hip-hop and electronic
dance music.
Nancy also launched Tourism
Malaysia’s new digital brochures app,
which is available on Google Play and
App Store. – Bernama
Tajuddin is
made envoy
PETALING JAYA:
Pasir Salak MP
Tajuddin Abdul
Rahman (pic) is the
country’s new am-
bassador to In-
donesia.
Tajuddin con-
firmed his appoint-
ment in a brief mes-
sage to Malaysiakini.
“It’s true,” said the former Umno elec-
tion director The post of ambassador to
Indonesia has remained vacant since
Zainal Abidin Bakar, who was appointed
on March 21, 2019, retired on April 4,
2021.
Tajuddin was in Prime Minister Ismail
Sabri Yaakob’s entourage to Indonesia
for a three-day official visit last Novem-
ber, leading to speculation that he
would be appointed as the Malaysian
ambassador to Indonesia.
Tajuddin was removed from his post
as Prasarana chairman last May, just days
after his much-criticised press confer-
ence following a collision involving two
LRT trains.
Slammed by netizens for being insen-
sitive and rude during the press confer-
ence, many also described the press
meet as a public relations disaster and
called for his dismissal.
YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
Tribute to late MPWS member for her contributions
KOTA KINABALU: Two
former chairpersons of
the Sabah Women’s
Advisory Council
(MPWS) and an ex-
Council member paid
tribute to the late Wan
Maria Othman Lee
(pic) for her contributions as a Council
member from the late 80s to the early
90s.
She passed away at the Queen Eliza-
beth Hospital on Sunday after a long ill-
ness.
MPWS Founder Chairperson Datuk
Adeline Leong said Wan Maria will be re-
membered for her role as the Chairperson
of the MPWS Legal Committee.
“We are saddened by the news, and
mourn the loss of a devoted founding
member who displayed great enthusiasm
in discharging her duty. I found her to be
Special Grant: 40pc
revenue parameter
KOTA KINABALU: The
parameter that should
be used to set the
amount of Special
Grant for Sabah is by
referring to the 40pc
net revenue as stipu-
lated in Article 112C of
the Federal Constitu-
tion, said Sabah Law Society (SLS) Presi-
dent Roger Chin (pic).
According to him, despite the ability to
debate on the issue of Sabah’s Special
Grant that is provided in Article 112D, it
does not explain in more depth on how to
review the amount.
“I do agree 112D does not say how you
review the thing. Right, so it seems to me
that you would go in, you would negoti-
ate, but how do you negotiate? Obviously
there has to be a starting point.
“There must be something that
Woman killed in croc attack
Patimang Abdul Ghani
PITAS: A 66-year-old woman was killed by
a crocodile in Sungai Bengkoka, Kg
Sinasak Batu, near here, on Monday.
The incident was witnessed by the
woman’s nine-year-old granddaughter
who could only watch in horror.
Kota Marudu District Police Chief Supt
Zairolnizal Ishak said initial findings
showed the incident happened at 10am
when the 66-year-old woman went down
to the river to repair a water pump, with
her granddaughter tagging along.
He said the public notified police
Unusual jungle experience
From Page One
“I was trailing her a few paces and no-
ticed that she was acting peculiar. Her
eyes were bigger and she had a grin on her
face.
“She suddenly turned to face me and
said, “Saya tahu kau nampak saya tadi” (I
know you saw me), but I didn’t under-
stand what she meant.
“We just continued walking and she
kept murmuring, “Saya mahu kasih ting-
gal kawan kau di sini,” (I want to leave
your friend here),” he said.
“I realised something wasn’t right and
told her to walk in front of me, but she
kept repeating, “Saya kasih tinggal kawan
kau” (I will leave your friend).
“All of a sudden, she fell face first to the
ground and began screaming in pain. I re-
alised she was not her normal self until
then.”
When she came to, Mira said she could-
n’t recall anything. “After regaining my
composure, Andreas and I began ascend-
ing the trail when I sensed a presence be-
hind us and turned around to see two
large trees,” Mira said.
“I saw a large hairy arm and what ap-
peared to be a winged creature emerge
from between the trees,” she said, and ran
in panic. The creature had claws and its
wings were attached to its hands and legs,
making it look like a bat,” she said.
Umno amendment allows focus on GE15 works: Suhaimi
Mardinah Jikur
SANDAKAN: The amendment to Clause 10.16 of the Umno
Constitution provides space for the central, division and
branch leadership to focus on the works to face the 15th
General Election (GE15).
Sabah Umno Treasurer Datuk Suhaimi Nasir said at the
same time, the party’s stability can continue to be pre-
served and good focus be given on facing GE.
The Umno Libaran Division Chief stressed that the
amendment can prevent the existence of factions in the
party election at the central, division and branch levels
such as team A, team B, team C which will affect the works
to face the next GE.
“We are very worried that this will happen if the Umno
election is to be held before GE15,” he said.
a very responsible and intelligent lady,”
she said.
According to Leong, Wan Maria took
her job seriously and played her role ef-
fectively as reflected in her legacy to the
Council.
“To create legal awareness, the Legal
Committee under her exemplary leader-
ship even produced a Legal Handbook for
Women in Sabah. It is a useful publica-
tion for handy reference.”
Acknowledging her immense contri-
butions, Leong’s successor Datuk Noni
Said described Wan Maria as a committed
and dedicated Council member who was
determined to enlighten women on their
legal rights through seminars, workshops
and talks.
She strongly believed in empowering
women through legal literacy, and this
became the Legal Committee’s priority
during her tenure.
grounds us.
“There must be some parameters that
we all need to adhere to when we are do-
ing this review.
“So, obviously the parameter that has
been given is Article 112C. It talks about the
40pc net revenue and again like I said, I
must stress, when you go into review, it is
not free for all, you cannot ask for what-
ever you want to ask for neither can the
State Government come to you and say ‘I
give you zero’,” he said when presenting
his talk on the webinar “Negotiate The
Special Grant Conferred by Article 112D
Thus Extinguishes Sabah’s 40pc Rights
Conferred by Article 112C of The Federal
Constitution?”, organised by Wisdom
Foundation, through Facebook and Zoom
recently.
Furthermore, Chin said an independent
assessor would have to assess the issue if
agreement between both sides (State and
about the crocodile attack.
Villagers managed to come to the vic-
tim’s aid and rushed her to the Pitas Hos-
pital. The victim sustained severe head
and knee injuries and was pronounced
dead at 1.20pm.
Witness recalled seeing the elderly
fetching water in the river while fixing
the water pump. Moments later, the wit-
ness heard screams and the water started
splashing.
The witness saw the crocodile attack-
ing the victim who managed to escape
and was rushed to the Pitas Hospital.
At Mount Trusmadi (Malaysia’s second
highest mountain at 2,642.281) Mira heard
what sounded like a classical melody
while descending along the Mannan Trail
(Sinua Sook).
“I could hear someone singing old-
fashioned songs. It sounded like a tradi-
tional tune with a small traditional gong-
like musical instrument, and the voice (a
female voice) sounded like those musi-
cians from back in the days,” she said.
At that same time, up ahead Farid three
other crew members came to two cross-
roads. “We were deciding which junction
to take when I noticed someone sitting up
ahead of us, as if anticipating our arrival.
“I informed Shah (our soundman) that
a porter was waiting for us. I pointed my
flashlight at the porter’s direction to show
them.
“That’s when Shah said ‘This is the
midst of the jungle, better stay quiet’. I
then realised that what I saw not one of
our porters since all three were with Mira
behind us. I don’t know if it was a real per-
son or something else,” he said.
Could it be exhaustion that caused
them to see things during the trip? Lead-
ing Guide Amizan Azmie had his doubts.
“Our bodies were worn out, especially
our legs, but our minds were clear. That’s
why I don’t think its exhaustion-induced
hallucinations,” he said.
Suhaimi said the approval given to this constitutional
amendment (to postpone the party election until after
GE) during the Umno Special General Assembly (PAU) in
Kuala Lumpur last year was supported by Umno Vice Pres-
ident and Prime Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob .The
proposed amendment was tabled by Vice President Datuk
Khalid Nordin.
“The Umno election will be held six months after GE15,
and thus Umno leaders and members are no longer wor-
ried about the party election but instead can focus on the
GE preparations,” he said after the Libaran Umno Division
Hari Raya Open House at Dewan PPR Muhibbah Batu 12,
here.
Also present were Sabah Umno Deputy Chief Datuk
Yakub Khan, Sabah Umno Secretary Datuk Jafry Ariffin,
“Wan Maria and her committee trav-
elled to districts throughout Sabah to ed-
ucate rural women, in particular about
their fundamental rights under the law.
“Based on feedback, husbands in one
district were reportedly surprised when
their wives started to talk about women’s
rights and gender equality,” Noni said,
adding that she was supposed to meet up
with Wan Maria last week, upon the lat-
ter’s return from Kuala Lumpur to visit
family members and relatives.
Former MPWS member Datuk Janet
Chee has fond memories of working to-
gether with her counterpart while con-
ducting legal workshops for women, and
also in the State Civil Service. She said
Wan Maria was very dedicated in her
work and sharp too in her observations
with regard to policies and public admin-
istration.
“We did our training together under
Federal Governments) cannot be achieved.
However, it should still refer to Article 112C
in the Federal Constitution.
“If you cannot agree, what happens?
Obviously, it goes to the independent as-
sessor.
“How does the independent assessor
come to an assessment? The parameters
should be the starting point of 40pc, and
from the 40pc you can then go to any
other figure that you want to, but the start-
ing point obviously has to be the 40pc.
Where you end up is entirely up to negoti-
ations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chin also said the Special
Grant is not entirely tied only to money
but paying through instalments can also
be negotiated if the Government faces fi-
nancial constraints.
“It can be paid by instalments or Pay-
ment-In-Kind (PIK) such as equity in
Petronas or Felda and so on,” said Chin.
All Upko
posts up
for grabs:
Tangau
KOTA KINABALU: The
Triennial General As-
sembly of United Pro-
gressive Kinabalu Or-
ganisation (Upko),
which will be held this
year, will be based on
ensuring that the
party’s unity, strength
and sincerity in its struggle are always
maintained, preserved and defended.
“As with every political party, there will
be members who want to take advantage
of this opportunity to contribute to the
party’s success by taking on more respon-
sibilities within the party,” said Upko Pres-
ident Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau
(pic).
“We applaud such passion and devo-
tion from our members,” he said in a state-
ment, Tuesday.
He said every position in the party, from
branch committee member to Permanent
Chairman, is up for grabs in the spirit of
the democratic process and the party’s
struggle for the people.
“Upko also recognises that being in op-
position will elicit a slew of ideas and pro-
posals for how Upko could position itself
in order to continue moving forward and
better serve the people. Especially now
when the general election is just around
the corner.
“But what is equally important, I am
certain and take comfort to know that the
election of the new leadership in this
year’s Triennial General Assembly will be
grounded in ensuring that the unity,
strength and sincerity in Upko’s struggle
will always be protected, preserved and de-
fended,” he said.
Usukan Assemblyman Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak,
Sungai Sibuga Assemblyman Mohd Hamsan Haji Awang
Supain, Sungai Manila Assemblyman Mokran Ingkat and
other Umno leaders.
Suhaimi said the stability and unity empowering
agenda in Umno will also remain intact without any divi-
sion.
“What is the meaning of the stability and unity em-
powering agenda offered to the people if we are divided
into factions in the party election which ultimately harms
us in Umno,” he said.
Suhaimi said the constitutional amendment is very
meaningful to them in restoring the dignity of the party
struggle and preparing for the continuity of the party’s
struggle for the future.
dailyexpress
the Civil Service Succession Plan. I found
her to be a deep thinker with critical
thinking skills and an analytical mind,”
recalled the retired Permanent Secretary.
Chee said it came as no surprise when
Wan Maria was duly promoted to be the
Deputy Director-General of Kota Kina-
balu City Hall (Corporate) in the new mil-
lennium, the first woman to hold this po-
sition.
Papar-born Wan Maria leaves behind
four children. Eldest Tiara, a lawyer, said
of her mother:
“A fiercely loving mother boundlessly
committed to providing the best for her
children through the darkest of nights
and brightest of days.
“Mum was like a sun who spent the last
of her light so that her children would
bloom, and her rays reached others
around her with empathy, love and kind-
ness.”
China-Sabah
Short Film
Competition
entries
uploaded
KOTA KINABALU: The Consulate General
of the People’s Republic of China, here, ex-
pressed heartfelt thanks to everyone who
participated and supported the 4th China-
Sabah Short Film Competition. The 4th
China-Sabah Short Film Competition was
held in collaboration with the Kota Kina-
balu Journalists Association (KKJA).
“Since the launch of the competition, it
has received attention and support from
friends from all walks of life in Sabah,” it
said in a statement, Tuesday.
At present, all the entries have been up-
loaded to the Facebook page of the com-
petition (Facebook.com/chinasabah) for
everyone to view and judge.
“Everyone is welcome to like and com-
ment on your favourite videos. It will affect
the final results of the awards,” they said,
adding that it will be up from May 16-22.
The result is expected to be announced
in early June.
“We have invited well-known director
from Sabah, President of the Kota Kina-
balu Film and Video Association, Director
Katak Chua Soon Min, who directed the
popular local film “Craze Below The
Wind”, and other professionals to serve as
judges for this competition.
Grading criteria for the entries are
theme and content (30 per cent), original-
ity and creativity (20 per cent), shooting
production (20 per cent), editing (20 per
cent) and popularity (10 per cent.
For theme and content, the content is
closely, fully and specifically related to the
theme, the theme and its expression are
clear, and it has a deep interpretation of
“the relationship between China and
Sabah”. For originality and creativity, inno-
vative content, novel perspectives and
techniques in script, videography, editing
and production are graded.
Shooting production looks into namely
good shooting stability, natural lens
switching, smooth playback, clear and nat-
ural pictures, and beautiful composition;
while editing looks into its smooth struc-
ture, the soundtrack is in harmony, the
content is consistent with the actual video,
and the subtitles are clear; Popularity is
based on the number of Likes from the
Facebook page (from May 16-22).
Oldest party
From Page One
But if they came under too much pres-
sure to fight each other, it was likely they
would all go to Usno, he said.
However, Lee said he believed state
Bersatu and Umno leaders would prefer the
status quo as it allows them to share power
without having to be under “one single boss”.
“In terms of branding too, their flags are
more recognisable than Usno’s. But I think
if their hands are forced, they may move to
Usno.”
Usno was founded in 1961 by Mustapha
Harun as a party largely based on Suluk-Ba-
jau support. It came to power in 1967 but
was defeated in 1976 by a breakaway group
who formed Berjaya. The two parties
merged in 1990 to form the Sabah chapter
of Umno.
Usno was deregistered by the registrar of
societies in 1996 but was revived in 2011.
dailyexpress
Concerned over poor command of English, activists call for reset
PETALING JAYA: Social activists have ex-
pressed concern over the poor command
of English across the board among
Malaysians and called for a reset to put the
country’s human resources on par with
world standards.
Parent Action Group for Education
(PAGE) President Datin Noor Azimah Ab-
dul Rahim said the group had for many
years advocated the creation of English
medium schools (EMS) at the secondary
level.
“Begin with one EMS in every state to
meet the demand for English language
teachers and teaching assistants. The aim
is not to quicken the brain drain, but in-
stead to enhance the labour force and at-
tract the much-needed foreign direct in-
vestments,” she said.
Azimah added that the number of class
YOUR LOCA L VOI CE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
children. I believe our Sultans, too, who
benefited from British education, and
their royal successors would wholeheart-
edly welcome it.”
Azimah said schools must entice stu-
dents to pursue an English language de-
gree abroad to reinforce their proficiency
and simultaneously adopt a worldview in
socio-economic affairs.
Meanwhile, senior economist Tan Sri
Noor Azimah Ra- mon Ramon Navaratnam said as Malaysia is a
periods for the English language under small economy, there is a need to commu-
the current school timetable is far from nicate in English, French, Chinese, or In-
adequate to produce proficient speakers. donesian, depending on the size of the
She believes many would welcome more market we are doing business in.
hours to learn English if it means landing “We can’t afford to follow Japan or
better jobs in the future. France’s system of speaking and doing
“Even our rural folk now realise the im- business in their language as we don’t
portance of the English language to want to end up like Sri Lanka,” he said.
achieving a better quality of life for their Ramon was commenting on how Sri
Lankans were suffering following the po-
litical crisis there since they adopted the
Sinhala only Bill (1956) Act, which made
the language the official one in the coun-
try.
He said many Sri Lankans today cannot
converse in English, and that makes it dif-
ficult for them to secure jobs abroad or en-
gage in international business dealings.
“While Bahasa Malaysia as the national
language should be given priority,
Malaysia cannot afford to ignore the Eng-
lish language as an important one, other-
wise the country and people will suffer,”
stress the former Transport Ministry secre-
tary-general.
He said if this happens, the country will
decline economically and face disaster.
“The best option is to follow the pres-
ent practice of keeping Bahasa Malaysia as
Local 3
a top priority while English, Chinese, and
Tamil should be taught as important lan-
guages in schools. By doing this, we will
enjoy international trade with other coun-
tries,“ he said.
Ramon said if Malaysians are multilin-
gual, we will be able to engage with China,
which is the second-largest world eco-
nomic power, and India, which is another
emerging global economic power.
He also warned that if the country failed
to acknowledge English as an important
language, those in the lower-income
groups will be the ones to suffer the most.
“Those who can afford private schools
and tutors will excel, leaving the lower-in-
come earners behind. That is the recipe for
keeping the poor down and enriching the
rich. In the long term, it will be bad for the
country,“ he said.

Anxiety over
stalled PBS to decide on Ranau choice
clinical trial, Clarence Dol
RANAU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Vice
Minister cum Industrial Development Min-
ister, welcomed the presence of PBS Presi-

says SAPP President and Kundasang Division Chief

KOTA KINABALU: The
Federal Health Min-
istry must engage in
more effective com-
munication and team-
work with Sabah med-
ical team on the vac-
cine clinical trial pro-
gramme protocol
PRO-nCOV-3002, said Chin Vui Kai (pic).
The SAPP Information Chief said chil-
dren and adolescent participants after
taking two shots, the programme was
stalled for over three weeks without any
information or communication from the
health authorities of the next schedule
or course of action.
Under the programme, children and
adolescent participants were supposed
to receive four injections of trial vaccine
or placebo.
“The parents of these children who
participated in the vaccine study pro-
gramme, protocol named PRO-nCOV-
3002, complained the health authorities
of passing the buck and left them with a
cloud of uncertainty over it,” he said.
“The programme was conducted at
the Likas Women and Children’s Hospi-
tal. However, the medical personnel
were not told or given directive by
KL/Putrajaya on what should be done
next. This further left the parents anx-
ious and confused.
“We don’t want to wait until the
relevant authorities start finger-point-
ing for such incident. They should re-
solve the matter as soon as possible,”
Chin opined.
According to Chin, feelings of uncer-
tainty, anxiety, stress or even panic
among the parents are listed as follows:
1) The registration for the National
Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for
Children (PICKids) is ending soon.
2) The interval between first and sec-
ond vaccine dose has exceeded the rec-
ommended 2-4 weeks, if their child were
given the real shot first and a placebo for
the second injection.
3) The immunity level of their child
against Covid-19 virus is still unclear.
PRO-nCOV-3002 is a multi-centre,
randomised, double-blind, placebo-con-
trolled, Phase III Clinical Trial to evaluate
the efficacy, immunogenicity and safety
of Covid-19 vaccine in children and ado-
lescents aged 3 to 17 years.
This study has been approved by the
Medical Research and Ethics Committee
under the Ministry of Health Malaysia.
Healthy participants took part voluntar-
ily in this study in Malaysia.
PAS: Time for
Sabah to have
Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam said he will
dent Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili at the
event.
support any candidate from whichever “We are thankful for the presence of our
component who is supported by the party President. Finally, we can face each other
leadership to contest in the coming 15th for the first time since the Covid-19 pan-
general election (GE15). demic.
He said specifically for the Ranau parlia- “Of course, the presence of the President
mentary seat, a committee has been estab- will give motivation and raise the spirits to
lished for the purpose. all PBS members present,” said Dr Joachim
Currently the Ranau seat is held by in his closing speech and closing remarks
Datuk Jonathan Yasin of Bersatu, who is of the seminar.
also Deputy Minister II of Home Affairs, While calling on all seminar partici-
who won the seat under the Pakatan Hara- pants to understand and appreciate what
pan (PH)-Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Maximus has presented in his keynote ad-
ticket, with a total of 14,880 votes. dress, Dr Joachim said the seminar can in-
In the previous election, Jonathan de- directly provide full preparation to PBS
feated Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin (Barisan Na- members in facing the upcoming general
sional) who received 13,804 votes, Soudi @ election (GE).”Who knows, the GE will take
Sami Andang (Star) with 3,148 votes and place soon,” he said.
Andau Bin Yasun (PCS) with 1,110 votes. He was grateful for the opportunity to
Maximus, accompanied by Dr Joachim, warmly
He said this at a seminar attended by organise the important seminar because it
welcomed by PBS members while entering the hall.
Tamparuli Division Head (KB) Datuk Jahid can empower PBS members when they are
Jahim, KB Kiulu Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, in their respective branches. volved in this seminar, namely Kundasang, and Suman Yasambun, Chief Exco of Cen-
KB Sulaman Juin Saman, KB Pantai Dalit Dr Joachim said through this seminar Tamparuli, Kiulu, Sulaman, Pantai Dalit, tral PBS Youth Movement Christoper Man-
Lizuan Sarabun, KB Karanaan Datuk all PBS members could better understand Karanaan and Paginatan together with the dut, Chief Eexo of Women’s Movement,
Bernard Dalinting and KB Paginatan the struggle of PBS and repel criticism from Chief Exco of the Women and Youth Move- Datin Malianah Ugau and Gerakan Belia-
Arthur Sen. certain parties in order to defend the party. ment. Also present were members of the Beliawanis Bersatu (GBBB) Ranau and Tu-
Dr Joachim, who is also Deputy Chief A total of seven PBS divisions were in- Supreme Council (AMT), Stanis Buandi aran.
15-fold increase in HFMD cases: DG Parents
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of Hand, Foot office. advised
and Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases in the In addition, he said that HFMD is closely related to personal
country has recorded an increase of 15 times,
to 31,661 as of May 14, compared with only
hygiene and environmental practices, with the infection rate
among children under 10 years old being almost 100 per cent,
to act
2,121 cases reported in the same period last especially in premises where children gather such as in kinder-
year, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr gartens, nurseries or schools. quickly
Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic). Therefore, parents and guardians of children with symptoms
He said a total of 7,526 cases were of infection are advised not to take them to public places; bring PUTRAJAYA: Parents have been advised
recorded during the epidemiological week children for treatment, and clean children’s toys and floors, es- to quickly take their children to health
(ME 19/2022) which ended on May 14 alone, an increase of 349 pecially the toilet. facilities if they have symptoms of the
per cent compared with the previous ME with only 1,676 cases As a proactive measure to curb the spread of infectious dis- hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD),
reported nationwide. eases, he said the MOH, through the MySejahtera application, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
“Selangor contributed the largest number of HFMD cases, had activated the latest infectious disease detection feature to He said among the similar early
with 8,864 cases or 28 per cent of the total cases, followed by detect cases other than Covid-19, such as rabies, dengue and symptoms of HFMD with Covid-19 are
Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 4,421 cases (14 per cent), Sabah measles. fever and rashes on the following day.
with 2,650 cases (8 per cent), Perak with 2,638 cases (8 per cent) “This helpful feature can help the public to check the status “Whatever the symptoms, the chil-
and Kelantan with 2,493 cases (7.9 per cent), while other states of red dots and cases of infectious diseases reported in an area, dren should be tested and they have to
reported fewer than 1,500 cases,” he said in a statement, Tues- and help them plan and carry out daily activities carefully,” said be brought to health facilities, we will
day. Dr Noor Hisham. know if it is HFMD or Covid-19,” he said
Meanwhile, a total of 889 outbreaks were reported in Meanwhile, he said a total of 1,074 dengue cases were when met by reporters during the 2022
Malaysia, and the three states to have recorded the highest num- recorded in ME 19, an increase of 365 cases or 51.5 per cent, from Health Ministry Hari Raya Aidilfitri at
ber of outbreaks were Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 309 out- the number of cases reported in the previous ME with only 709 Putrajaya International Convention Cen-
breaks (35 per cent), followed by Selangor with 111 outbreaks (12 cases. tre (PICC), here, Tuesday.
per cent), and Perak with 105 outbreaks (12 per cent). “This brings the cumulative number of dengue cases re- He admitted that the HFMD recorded
“The majority of cases occurred in kindergartens, nurseries ported thus far to 14,725, compared with 10,139 cases reported a worrying spike and state health de-
or pre-schools, with 575 outbreaks or 65 per cent of the total in the same period last year, an increase of 4,586 cases or 45.2 per partments have been instructed to con-
cases, followed by private homes with 305 outbreaks (34 per cent,” he said. duct intervention, apart from announce-
cent), and childcare centres with 27 outbreaks (three per cent),” Terengganu recorded the highest increase in the percentage ments by the district health offices on
he said. of dengue cases with 164.7 per cent, followed by Labuan (150 per HFMD in their areas.
Dr Noor Hisham said most of the HFMD cases occurred cent); Kedah (137.8 per cent); Negeri Sembilan (71.4 per cent); Khairy also asked nurseries (Taska) to
among children aged six and below, at 29,781 cases or 94 per Selangor (42.6 per cent); Sabah (40.8 per cent); Kelantan (27.1 check the cleanliness of their premises to
cent, followed by children aged seven to 12, at 1,473 cases. per cent); Perak (26.4 per cent); Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya prevent the spread of HFMD.
Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated during the incubation (14.3 per cent); Sarawak (13.7 per cent), and Penang (3.4 per Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr
period of HFMD. cent). Noor Hisham Abdullah on Tuesday said
Dr Noor Hisham also warned that HFMD is an infectious dis-
ease that needs to be notified under the Prevention and Control
Perlis, Melaka, Johor, and Pahang recorded a drop in the per-
centage of cases, while the cumulative number of deaths
the total HFMD cases in the country is in-
creasing at a worrying rate which is 15
of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), and the public can re-
port the occurrence of HFMD cases to the nearest district health
recorded due to dengue in ME 19 currently stood at nine.-
Bernama
times compared to the same period last
year with 31,661 cases reported.– Bernama

own emergency
call centre
SANDAKAN: It is time for Sabah to have
its own emergency call system to ensure
public safety, said Sabah PAS Deputy
Commissioner Sahar Abdul Majid.
He strongly agreed that establishing
Sabah’s own emergency call centre
would reduce the bureaucracy of Saba-
hans’ emergency calls, which currently
have to go through the MERS 999 Emer-
gency Call Centre in Kuala Lumpur,
Melaka, or Kuching before being con-
nected to security units and related
agencies in the State.
He was commenting on the issue that
has been hotly debated by various par-
ties, including politicians and the pub-
lic, in the aftermath of an accident in
Kolombong that resulted in the death of
a baker named Lew Kok Fai, 54, whose
medical team from the hospital was said
to have arrived at the scene late.
According to Sahar, all parties should
learn from the incident and work to-
gether to ensure Sabah has its own
emergency call system so that relevant
agencies can take prompt and proactive
action to save people’s lives.
Paxlovid for private hospitals and clinics
PUTRAJAYA: The antiviral drug
Paxlovid to treat Covid-19, which
was previously used in health clin-
ics and government hospitals, will
be extended to private hospitals
and clinics as well as teaching hos-
pitals, said Health Minister Khairy
Jamaluddin (pic).
“We have agreed to distribute
(Paxlovid antiviral drug) to private hospitals, private
clinics and training hospitals so that its use can be ex-
panded,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Health’s
(MOH) Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2022 celebration, here,
Tuesday.
Khairy said so far, 405 Covid-19 patients had been
given the drug and all of them had fully recovered.
“This medicine is given to those who are at high
risk… maybe the group that will receive this medicine
will be expanded,” he said.
On May 12, Khairy said 173 Covid-19 patients given
Paxlovid had fully recovered and no side effects were
reported as of May 9.
The use of the antiviral drug to treat Covid-19 pa-
tients started on April 15 at 512 Covid-19 Assessment
Centres (CAC) in health clinics and 78 government
hospitals.
On the increase in Covid-19 cases now, he said MOH
had expected this due to the increase in public move-
ments, especially during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri cele-
bration.
“Overall, the rate of infectivity (Rt) today dropped
to 1.04 and the daily death rate is one figure.
“Hospital admissions increased by 55 per cent in
categories one and two involving those with comor-
bidities. In terms of infection, there is an increase in
Covid-19 cases, which was expected,” he said.
He said the volatile wave of Covid-19 infection was
to be expected as the country was in the transition to
endemic phase.
“Infections will have ebb and flow, and MOH looks
at the seriousness of cases and not the number of
cases.
“If there are many cases but not severe, this means
we can live with the virus. If there is a new variant that
spreads quickly, we will take different actions,” he
said.
On Monday, it was reported that the number of new
Covid-19 cases in the country for the 19th Epidemio-
logical Week (ME) from May 8 to May 14 increased by
119.2 per cent to 19,137 cases, compared to 8,732 cases
in the previous week (18th ME).
Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham
Abdullah said with this development, the cumulative
number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia now stood at
4,475,873 cases with 29,762 being active cases.-
Bernama
Wheat flour supply
not affected
KUALA LUMPUR: The supply of wheat flour in the country
is not expected to be affected by the wheat ban by India
following a heatwave in the country.
According to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Af-
fairs Ministry (KPDNHEP), Malaysia imports 80 per cent
of its wheat from Australia with the balance from the
United States, Canada and Ukraine.
“Therefore, India’s wheat export ban following the
heatwave is not affecting the supply of wheat flour in
the country,” according to KPDNHEP in a Tweet, Tues-
day.
A total of 2,200 KPDNHEP enforcement personnel
would be monitoring to ensure the supply of subsidised
and non-subsidised flour is stable in the market.
External Trade Director-General under the Trade Min-
istry in a notice dated May 13 announced that India had
stopped the export of wheat with immediate effect to
boost its own food security.
Wheat export to other countries would only be al-
lowed on the approval of the government and is based on
the demand of their government.
India exports seven million tonnes of wheat worth
about US$2 billion in the 2021-22 finance year and half of
it was bought by Bangladesh.-Bernama
 4 Local
The doughnut economy is based on the premise that humanity’s 21st century
challenge is to meet the needs of all within the means of the planet.
Timber curse
led to rhino
extinction?
David Thien
KOTA KINABALU:
Past overexploitation
of Sabah’s forests for
the enrichment of the
political and business
classes could have
cost the extinction of
Sabah rhinoceros, be-
sides loss of other flora and fauna loss.
“What if we could get help to politi-
cians to move away from the very short
term of thinking about the GDP outcome,
just get away from that short-termism
and go to the long-term?” said Kate Ra-
worth (pic), the co-founder of Doughnut
Economics Action Lab and author of
“Doughnut Economics – Seven Ways to
Think like a 21st Century Economist”.
Renegade economist for sustainable
development economics Kate, who lives
in Oxford, England and is helping others
to explore the new economic mindset
needed to address the 21st century’s social
and ecological challenges, was a speaker
at a recent Hasanah Forum themed:
“From Charity to Justice”.
In promoting her doughnut economy
theory, Kate explained that the doughnut
economy is based on the premise that:
“Humanity’s 21st century challenge is to
meet the needs of all within the means of
the planet.
“In other words, to ensure that no one
falls short on life’s essentials, from food
and housing to healthcare and political
voice, while ensuring that collectively we
do not overshoot our pressure on Earth’s
life-supporting systems, on which we
fundamentally depend – such as a stable
climate, fertile soils, and a protective
ozone layer.
“My Doughnut of social and planetary
boundaries diagram is a new framing of
that challenge, and it acts as a compass
for human progress this century.”
Raworth states that “significant GDP
growth is very much needed” for low-
and middle-income countries to be able
to meet the goals of the social founda-
tion for their citizens.
According to Kate it is crucial now to
ask what it is that the economy is all
about.
“Twenty years ago, no one would pose
such a question, because the answer was
known beforehand: economic growth.
“But the issue is that even though
Religious teacher receives ‘Mutiara Al-Quran’ award
TAWAU: A Religious and Fardu Ain Class
teacher, Siti Hatijah Marsudi, was ac-
corded the “Mutiara Al-Quran” award at
the Bicara Bonda programme in conjunc-
tion with the State-level Recitation and
Quran-Memorising Ceremony, Tuesday.
Juliah presenting the award to Hatijah at the ceremony.
YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
politicians are hung up on keeping the
growth curve rising, what does GDP re-
ally tell us all we need to know about a
country’s wealth and well-being?”
She reminded the audience of “how
the 21st century has begun – with finan-
cial meltdown, climate breakdown, and
Covid lockdown. Humanity is living far
out of balance. Every nation must trans-
form. To change the future, change the
dynamics towards regenerative and dis-
tributive design.”
With pollution and environmental
woes, squatter problems, illegal immi-
grants, lack of decent housing, she said,
“There are some fundamental things that
we care that aren’t coming along with
economic growth, and there are three I
want to highlight: First, deprivation, sec-
ondly, degradation, and thirdly, inequal-
ity.”
That’s why it is time, Kate said, to re-
vise our economic thinking for the 21st
century. She showed how we could break
our addiction to growth; redesign
money, finance and business to be in
service to people; and create economies
that are regenerative and distributive by
design.
She likened economics as the mother
tongue of public policy. It dominates our
decision-making for the future, guides
multi-billion-dollar investments, and
shapes our responses to climate change,
inequality, and other environmental and
social challenges that define our times.
“Economics, supposedly, is about eco-
nomic growth. Is it? Pity then, or more
like disaster, that its fundamental ideas
are centuries out of date yet are still
taught in college courses worldwide and
still used to address critical issues in gov-
ernment and business alike.”
Raworth handpicks the best emergent
ideas – from ecological, behavioural, and
institutional economics to complexity
thinking and Earth-systems science – to
address this question:
“How can we turn economies that
need to grow, whether or not they make
us thrive, into economies that make us
thrive, whether or not they grow?”
She stressed that there is an urgent
need to change from being divisive in
capturing opportunity and value in the
hands of a few elites to being distributive
in sharing opportunity and value with all
who co-create it.
The Chief Minister’s wife, Datin Seri Ju-
liah Salag, presented the award to Siti
Hatijah after officiating at the programme
at the Tawau Community Hall.
Siti Hatijah, 50, the eldest of six siblings
from Kg Merotai Kecil, here, had repre-
KAAMATAN ROUND-UP
Another teacher wins UNK title in S’kan
Winnie Kasmir
SANDAKAN: Frenerietta Sobintun, a 25-
year-old teacher, was crowned Sandakan
Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan (UNK) on
Monday.
Fluent in her mother tongue, she de-
feated 12 participants and took home a
cash prize of RM3,000 cash, a crown, tro-
phy and certificate.
In addition to playing musical instru-
ments such as the keyboard, guitar and
ukulele, Frenerietta is also good at
singing.
Nelly Sim placed second and brought
home RM2,000 cash, a trophy and certifi-
cate while third place was won by Cizrinna
Nastasia Adaris who brought home
RM1,500 cash, a trophy and certificate.
Meanwhile, the Sandakan district-level
Sugandoi singing competition was won
by 20-year-old Erica Jeffry who performed
“Hangad Ku Tomoimo” and “Unduk
Ngadau”.
She brought home the main prize of
RM1,000 cash, a trophy and a certificate.
Frenerietta and Erica will represent
Cherisse
crowned
Kunak’s
Miss Popular
Ibrahim Tabir
KUNAK: Cherisse Tadius (pic), 21, was
crowned Miss Popular in a voting contest
held in conjunction with the Kunak dis-
trict’s Kaamatan Festival celebration,
here, Saturday.
Cherisse received the most votes from
visitors and guests at the Sri Kunak Com-
munity Hall during the Kaamatan cele-
bration highlight event.
The Miss Popular competition, ac-
cording to Kunak KDCA Chairman Josue
Petrus, was a new event held in conjunc-
tion with this year’s Kaamatan Festival,
which was held face-to-face after being
stopped for two years because to the
Covid-19 pandemic.
“The winner of the Miss Popular cate-
gory was chosen by the votes of the
guests in attendance,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Kunak District Officer
Awang Mohd Yusoff urged the district’s
residents to continue to foster bonds of
togetherness among people of all races
and cultures.
“Although the Kadazandusun minor-
ity lives in some village areas in Kunak,
the presence of a multi-racial commu-
nity to celebrate Kaamatan together
shows the closeness and harmony. This is
what makes us special,” he said.
The Miss Popular category, which went
to Cherisse, was chosen by the guests.
sented Sabah 11 times at national Al-Quran
recitation ceremonies previously.
Earlier, Juliah congratulated the recipi-
ents of the award and hoped they would
continue contributing in the field of Al-
Quran knowledge in the State.
dailyexpress
Frenerietta (seated at centre) flanked by the runner-ups.
Sandakan at the State-level Unduk Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar
Ngadau and Sugandoi Kaamatan celebra- Radin who was represented by Tourism,
tion which will be held at the end of May. Culture and Environment Minister Datuk
The Sandakan district-level Kaamatan Jafry Ariffin at the Sandakan Community
Celebration 2022 was officiated by Sabah Hall.
KUALA PENYU UNDUK NGADAU WINNER: A school teacher, Hemeliza Lasayung ,
26, has been crowned as the Kuala Penyu Unduk Ngadau 2022 after defeating 15
other contestants during the district-level Kaamatan Festival held at Dato’ Shahbandar
Makang hall, recently. The lass from Kg Kelampun brought home cash prize of
RM3,000, a trophy, and certificate of participation, among others, while first runner-up
went to a radio presenter and operation coordinator, Sherly Suzie, 27 who won cash
RM2500, a trophy, and a certificate of participation.
The wife of Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, Datin Seri Norashikin Ab-
dul Ghani, and the wife of Kuala Penyu Assemblyman Datuk Limus Jury, Datin Tracy
Tan, presented the prizes to the winners. Both will represent Kuala Penyu and sub-
district Menumbok in the final round of Unduk Ngadau competition at Hongkod Koisaan
KDCA, Penampang on May 31.
Alexia
crowned
Kunak
Sugandoi
champion
Ibrahim Tabir
KUNAK: Alexia Stella Antonius, 28, won
the Sugandoi competition recently held
in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festi-
val Kunak district-level here.
In the final round of the competition,
Alexia defeated six other competitors.
Marvin Primus V. Jinikol, 25, came in sec-
ond, while John Francis Andam, 34, came
in third.
In 2006, Alexia, a Keningau native,
was Johan Sugandoi Dazanak Kaamatan
at Mukim Apin-Apin, Keningau.
The Kunak district-level Kaamatan
Festival this year featured several new
events, according to Kunak KDCA Chair-
man Josue Petrus, including a Gala Night
that invited various government agen-
cies, private, associations, and individu-
The 28-year-old Alexia edged out six als to enliven the dinner with singing
other competitors to win the title. performances by seven Sugandoi final-
ists.
“We also distribute lucky draw tickets
to the visitors in attendance to liven up
the event,” he said.
Community Development Leader
“I hope this programme can be a plat- (PPM) Hussin Mohd Rais, Lahad Datu
form to invigorate the culture of knowl- Umno Division Head Khalid Harun, Ku-
edge and increase the community’s inter- nak District Council Executive Officer
est in activities to appreciate Islamic values Mohd Nazri Pintal, and Assistant District
in accordance with the demands of the Officer Rubert Salimon were also in at-
Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Mohammad tendance at the Gala Night.
(S.A.W.) According to Josue, this year’s Sugan-
“Hopefully, all the knowledge we doi Kaamatan gala night was memorable
gained during this talk can be shared with due to the attendance of unexpected vis-
other friends who did not have the oppor- itors, as well as various side events hosted
tunity to participate in this ceremony. by the Kunak KDCA to entertain the at-
“I hope such a ceremony can also be a tendees.
platform to strengthen the values of broth- “In conjunction with the Kaamatan
erhood and friendship among Muslims,”s Festival, we can reconnect face - to - face
he said, adding that these two values are with our friends and relatives who are far
the most important foundation of unity and near. He said, “I am pleased with the
and strength of the ummah as taught by Kaamatan Festival committee members’
the holy book al-Quran al-Karim. efforts in making this annual event a suc-
The programme was organised for the cess.”
second time by Mutiara GRS-BM in collab- Meanwhile, the Kaamatan Festival’s
oration with the Special Tasks Ministry Of- highlight was the appearance of six Ku-
fice, Sabah Islamic Religious Council nak Unduk Ngadau finalists who will
(Muis), Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs De- represent the district in Penampang.
partment (Jheains), Malaysian Islamic De- Local veteran singer Francis Landong
velopment Department (Jakim), Tawau from Tambunan also entertained the
Municipal Council (MPT) and several guests.
other agencies.
dailyexpress
Maid’s murder:
Couple’s forensic
reports pending
Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU: The forensic and DNA
reports in the case of a husband and wife,
charged with killing their maid who was a
MyKad holder, are still pending.
Magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun set
July 5 for mention of the case of former
Masterchef Malaysia Finalist Etiqah Siti
Noorashikeen Mohd Sulong, 33, and her
contractor husband Mohammad Ambree
Yunos @ Unos, 40.
The case was brought up on Tuesday for
pre-trial case management.
The couple is accused of murdering one
Nur Afiyah Daeng Damin, between Dec 10
and 13, 2021 at a unit of Amber Tower, Lido
Avenue, Jalan Lintas Lido, Penampang.
The charge, under Section 302 of the Pe-
nal Code and read together with Section
Jamaluddin’s mother’s bid to
adduce more evidence dismissed
PUTRAJAYA: The mother of Tan Sri Ja-
maluddin Mohd Jarjis failed in her appli-
cation in the Court of Appeal Tuesday to
adduce further evidence in her appeal re-
lating to a civil suit seeking to include
company shares as part of her late son’s es-
tate.
A three-member bench comprising Jus-
tices Datuk Lee Swee Seng, Datuk Had-
hariah Syed Ismail and Datuk M.Gunalan
dismissed Aminah Abdullah’s application
with costs of RM5,000.
In the court’s unanimous decision, Jus-
tice Lee said the court found no merits in
Aminah’s application to adduce the evi-
dence of Datuk Zakri Afandi Ismail in the
appeal.
He said Aminah had every opportunity
to call Zakri and had subpoenaed him but
chose not to call him for the reasons best
known to her (Aminah).
Justice Lee said the evidence sought by
Aminah was only in the form of an asser-
tion in an affidavit filed by Zakri in his law-
suit against Aminah’s two grandchildren,
adding that the court had not evaluated
that evidence at the trial which has yet to
commence.
Earlier, Aminah’s lawyer Wan Zafran
Pawancheek sought the court to admit Za-
kri’s affidavit which he had filed in sepa-
rate suits against Jamaluddin’s children –
Ikhwan Hafiz and Nur Anis – where the
former business associate wanted the re-
turn of shares in three companies includ-
ing Alpine Motion Sdn Bhd and Ivory In-
sights Sdn Bhd.
He said Zakri’s evidence supported Am-
inah’s entire case adding that the trial on
Aminah’s lawsuit against her grandchil-
dren had already ended with the High
Court delivering the decision in August
last year.
Wan Zafran told the court that they had
tried to call Zakri, a confidante of the late
Jamaluddin, to testify as a witness but de-
cided not to as he demanded exorbitant
fees of RM24,800 for him to testify.
He said the suit filed by Zakri showed
that Alpine Motion and Ivory Insights
shares should have been part of Jamalud-
din’s estate.
Lawyer Saheran Suhendran represent-
ing Ikhwan Hafiz submitted that the Za-
kri’s evidence should not be admitted as
the matter had not gone to trial. He said
Aminah had the opportunity to call Zakri
YOUR LOCA L VOI CE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
34 of the same Code, carries the death sen-
tence on conviction.
So far, no plea was taken from them as
their plea would only be taken once their
case was transferred to the High Court.
On April 26, Etiqah was released on a
bail of RM30,000 with several conditions
by the Court Of Appeal but her husband is
still under remand.
Inspector Suzie Kupit appeared for the
prosecution while counsel Ram Singh de-
fended Mohammad Ambree and his wife
was represented by counsel Dato Rakhbir
Singh.
to testify in the trial but chose not to.
On Aug 13, last year, the High Court in
Kuala Lumpur allowed Aminah’s applica-
tion for a declaration that three million
shares of Rantai Wawasan Sdn Bhd to be
included in the list of Jamaluddin’s estate.
The High Court, however, dismissed her
application for a declaration that six mil-
lion shares in Alpine Motion and two
shares in Ivory Insight were part of her
son’s estate.
The 87-year-old mother is appealing
against the High Court’s dismissal of her
application for a declaration to include
Alpine Motion and Ivory Insight shares as
part of the estate while her grandchildren
are cross-appealing against the High
Court’s decision to declare that the Rantai
Wawasan shares to be included in the es-
tate.
On Jan 3, 2019, Aminah sued Nur Anis
and Ikwan Hafiz, claiming that the duo, as
joint administrators of their father’s es-
tate, had failed to include three company
shares as an inheritance in the list of assets
in the letter of administration when Ja-
maluddin died in 2015 and they also failed
to enter the shares as a liability since July
6, 2017. – Bernama
‘Najib’s minutes to Zahid on visa contract not an order’
SHAH ALAM: The High Court was told that
the minutes of former Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to Datuk Seri
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the contract of
Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) to be ex-
tended as the sole operator of the Foreign
Visa System (VLN) to Malaysia in China was
not an order.
UKSB Director Datuk Fadzil Ahmad said
even though Najib was the prime minister
and head of the Cabinet then the power to
approve VLN contract was under the Home
Ministry (KDN).
“For me, the source and jurisdiction of
authority (to extend contract) of all my ap-
plications began only with KDN, it did not
start at the PM’s office, so to me, the PM can
merely assist to expedite, not to give an or-
der,” he said when re-examined by deputy
public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong at
the trial of Ahmad Zahid’s case on 40
charges of corruption.
Asked by Zander Lim who would be ap-
proving the contract extension, Fadzil
July 13
mention for
Kota Belud
murder charge
Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here,
Tuesday, set July 13 for mention the case
of a 37-year-old man charged with mur-
dering a man in Kota Belud two years
ago.
Judicial Commissioner Amelati Par-
nell fixed the date for Masdin Minin dur-
ing the pre-trial case management.
The prosecution informed the court
that all the documents had been served
to the defence.
But the prosecution applied for the
period of two months to wait for the out-
come of the representation letter wrote
by the defence.
On Dec 15, 2021, Masdin pleaded not
guilty to killing one Jaipin Girik, 37, be-
tween 1pm and 2pm on March 2020 at
Liang forest, Kg Rampayan Ulu, Kota Be-
lud.
The charge, under Section 302 of the
Penal Code, carries the death penalty on
conviction.
Pending the date, the court ordered
Masdin to be remanded further as the
charge against him has no provision for
bail.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Azreen Yas
Mohamad Ramli appeared for the pros-
ecution while counsel Abdul Fikry Jaafar
Abdullah defended Masdin.
Meanwhile, in another case, the court
set June 17 for further mention of the ap-
peal against the acquittal of a lawyer and
a businessman from the charge of cheat-
ing a man of RM300,000 over earthwork
projects in Kudat.
The court fixed the date for Siti Az-
izah Mohd Yusop, 44, and Rinius
Marung, 54, pending the grounds of
judgement.
The prosecution told the court that
the grounds of judgement had not been
received yet and that the prosecution ap-
plied for another date.
The prosecution had appealed
against the decision to free the duo with-
out their defence being called.
Siti Azizah and Rinius were accused of
cheating a man over an agreement letter
on the earthwork projects which caused
the man had issued two cheques worth
RM150,000 each.
The offence allegedly took place at
10am on Nov 10, 2016 in a law firm in
Api-Api Centre, here.
Siti Azizha and Rinius were repre-
sented by counsel Amli Nohin and Luke
Ressa Balang, respectively.
replied: The final decision is the Home Min-
ister (Ahmad Zahid).
Earlier, two prosecution witnesses, for-
mer KDN Deputy Secretary-General (TKSU)
(Policy and Control) Datuk Suriani Ahmad
and former principal assistant secretary at
KDN Immigration Affairs Division Azman
Azra Abdul Rahman @ Md Salleh told the
court that Najib had asked Ahmad Zahid to
extend the contract of UKSB as the sole op-
erator of the VLN system to Malaysia in
China.
The minutes by Najib to Ahmad Zahid
were written on three letters sent by UKSB to
the former prime minister between May 23,
2013 and Oct 27, 2015 to obtain support after
finding competition from other companies
interested in handling the one-stop-centre
(OSC) in China and several other countries.
Meanwhile, during a re-examination by
counsel Hamidi Mohd Nor, the 14th witness
agreed that the earlier extension of the con-
tract was something natural.
Hamidi: There was no need for UKSB to
Najib arriving at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex.
Unclear if Najib read SMS
on 1MDB mismanagement
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here
Tuesday was told that it could not be ascer-
tained whether Datuk Seri Najib Razak
had read an SMS sent by former 1Malaysia
Development Berhad (1MDB) Chairman
Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh over the com-
pany’s mismanagement.
The former prime minister’s lead coun-
sel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah
said the defence did not even have a copy
of the said SMS.
The counsel said this when questioning
Mohd Bakke, the 15th prosecution witness
at Najib’s trial on the misappropriation of
RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds.
Muhammad Shafee: We don’t know
how short or extended your SMS was to my
client. We don’t have a copy of your SMS.
Mohd Bakke: I remember … It was a
lengthy SMS. I explained the payment of
two tranches.
Muhammad Shafee: But we don’t know
whether the PM (Najib) managed to read
the SMS or not. It is not like WhatsApp
whereby we are able to see through the
blue tick that the recipient has read the
message.
Previously, it was reported that 1MDB’s
US$1 billion was placed in a joint venture,
and it was paid out in two batches of
US$700 million and US$300 million.
The US$300 million was channelled to
the joint-venture company while the
US$700 million was paid to Good Star Lim-
ited, a company owned by fugitive busi-
nessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.
Muhammad Shafee then questioned
the witness whether Najib might have
been misled by the 1MDB management
and Jho Low, to which Mohd Bakke an-
swered, “Yes, possible.”
expedite or receive its extension as you can
extend not less than six months before its ex-
piry.”
“Secondly it’s natural to extend. It is not
something new that needed incentive or
motivation to extend the contract. There is
nothing peculiar about it. It’s natural the
contract needs to be extended, right?”
Fadzil: It depends on why it needs to be
extended. I felt it was not automatically ex-
tended.
The witness agreed with the suggestion
of the lawyer that based on Clause 2.2.1, the
agreement to supply the integrated VLN sys-
tem was signed before the company can ap-
ply for a contract extension not less than six
months before the agreement expires.
Fadzil also agreed with the lawyer that it
was not an offence if the extension contract
was made two or three years earlier before it
expires.
Earlier, the sixth witness, Tan Sri Alwi
Ibrahim who was the former KDN secretary-
general told the court that he was not satis-
Local 5
During previous proceedings, Mohd
Bakke testified that before submitting his
resignation letter, he sent an SMS to the ac-
cused to inform him of several matters
which were instructed by the board of di-
rectors (BOD) to the 1MDB management
but were not followed.
“However, I did not receive any re-
sponse from Najib. It did not cross my
mind to report to any relevant authorities
the financial misconduct of the manage-
ment of 1MDB because I assumed that I
had already done so through my SMS to
Najib. I hoped Najib will take necessary ac-
tions against the management of 1MDB if
he found any misconduct on their part.
“Since my concerns did not get Najib’s
attention as he did not reply to my SMS, I
had a feeling that he was involved and
something wrong was happening without
my knowledge. This was one of the main
reasons I decided to resign,” said Mohd
Bakke.
On Tuesday, the court also heard that
the 2016 Public Accounts Committee
(PAC) report on issues faced by the sover-
eign wealth fund did not reflect what
Mohd Bakke had exposed then in its en-
tirety.
Mohd Bakke, who is now Petronas
chairman, said a lot of what he had re-
vealed to the PAC then had been omitted
from the report which was later made
public.
Najib, 68, is facing four charges of using
his position to obtain bribes totalling
RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 charges of
money laundering involving the same
amount.
The trial before Judge Datuk Collin
Lawrence Sequerah continues. – Bernama
fied with the decision of Ahmad Zahid to ex-
tend the contract of UKSB to implement the
VLN system too earlier when the expiry pe-
riod was still far away.
Ahmad Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of
receiving bribes amounting to SG$13.56 mil-
lion from UKSB for himself as Home Minis-
ter to extend the contract of the company as
the operator of OSC service in China and the
supply VLN system as well as to maintain
the contract agreement to supply the VLN
integrated system to the same company by
KDN.
For another seven counts, he was charged
with obtaining for himself SG$1,150,000,
RM3 million, EURO15,000 and US$15,000
from the same company which has official
links with his official duty.
He was charged with committing all the
offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya
and Country Heights Kajang between Octo-
ber 2014 and Mach 2018.
The trial before Judge Datuk Mohd Yazid
Mustafa continues Wednesday. – Bernama
 6 Local
Muhammad Muhsinin in a group photo with the FMM business community.
Cabotage policy
hampers trade,
Indonesian
Consul says
David Thien
KOTA KINABALU: The cabotage policy of
Malaysia hampers larger volume of trade
between Sabah and Indonesia, now being
conveyed by wooden hull ships and
smaller vessels not classified under IMO
steel hull vessels restricted by cabotage
limits, off Sabah’s Tawau waters and In-
donesia’s Kalimantan.
This was revealed to Daily Express by In-
donesian Consul Muhammad Muhsinin
Dolisada of the Consulate General of the
Republic of Indonesia, here, who acknowl-
edged that his country also has a cabotage
policy for transhipment of goods within
the archipelago of many islands.
“This is not only peculiar to Sabah, but
also evident between Johor and Batam (is-
land in Indonesia).
“This restriction has to be resolved be-
tween the Federal Government of Malaysia
and our Central Government,” he said,
when asked if the Provincial Governments
in Kalimantan could facilitate trade.
Muhammad said that the matter has
been brought up for deliberation for many
years in many for fora, including the BIMP-
EAGA and Maphilindo etc, but the issue re-
Flood along
the Jalan
Libawang
Bypass.
Floods: Call to build five
culverts along B’fort road
Ahmad Apong
BEAUFORT: Residents here want the Public
Works Department to build at least five
culverts on Jalan Limbawang Bypass to al-
leviate flooding concerns.
According to a local resident,
Mohamad Johawalia, the additional cul-
verts will help to prevent flooding in the
area.
“When it rains, the installation of cul-
verts will prevent water from pouring on
the road,” he said.
Flooding throughout the stretch, he
said, makes travel difficult for vehicles,
particularly smaller cars.
“Something like this should be taken
seriously by the Public Works Depart-
ment,” he said.
“I trust the Sabah Works Minister will
take prompt steps to address the matter.”
He says that at least five culverts are re-
quired to prevent floods from occurring
PM to officiate Firefighters’ Day
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will officiate
the Firefighters’ Day 2022 celebration
which will be held on May 22 in Kepala
Batas, Penang, said Malaysian Fire and
Rescue Department (JBPM) director-
general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan
Wahid.
He said the celebration would be en-
livened with a number of interesting pro-
grammes such as parades of fire engines,
personnel from state contingents as well
as the airport fire contigent, the Army Fire
YOUR LOC AL VOICE I WEDNESDA Y, MAY 18, 2022
mains unresolved. The Consulate General
could only encourage the progress for-
ward, but Putrajaya and Jakarta have to
settle the issue.
He was the speaker at the Federation of
Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Sabah
branch and the Consulate General of the
Republic of Indonesia organised a briefing
session on “Business Opportunities in Kali-
mantan Serudong-Simanggaris Infrastruc-
ture Development” at the SICC, recently.
The Consul opined that Sabah and In-
donesia are ready, but the Federal Govern-
ment responsible for completing the road,
the CIQ complex, might not be so, and like
the cabotage matter do take time to re-
alise.
Also present was Consul for Economic
Affairs Renny Meirina.
FMM Sabah Chairman James Ha, in his
speech, emphasised on the importance of
trade and infrastructure connectivity be-
tween Sabah and Kalimantan, and said the
business community looks forward to the
eventual road link of the Serudong-
Simanggaris border crossing to establish
business opportunities, network, and
build business contacts.
along the area.
Meanwhile, taxpayers in Beaufort want
the government to fix potholes on the
Beaufort- Sipitang routes.
Mazlan Awang, a resident, believes the
Public Works Department should investi-
gate the condition of the Beaufort-Sipi-
tang roads.
He says that because the roads have
been neglected, many potholes have ap-
peared along the route, leading cars to be
damaged.
“Are those in the Public Works Depart-
ment or the Pan Borneo uninformed of the
bad state of the roads here? Have they ever
driven through this area to assess the state
of the roads?
“Potholes pose a risk to vehicles on the
roads at night and on rainy days when vis-
ibility is limited,” he said.
He claims that many car tyres blow out
after hitting potholes.
Brigade and frontliners.
“Other programmes include the fire
and water safety exhibition as well as the
sale of fire extinguishers and smoke detec-
tors,” he said on TV3’s Malaysia Hari Ini
(MHI) programme Tuesday.
In line with the theme ‘Bomba Front-
liner Keluarga Malaysia’, Mohamad Ham-
dan said the department would honour its
personnel who died while carrying out
their duties with appreciation awards, in
recognition of their services and contribu-
tions. – Bernama
‘Not afraid’: Ukraine women
learn to demine in Kosovo
P
EJA (Kosovo): Kateryna Gry-
binichenko chose to sign up after
gion.
rockets fell on her home city of Slo-
viansk, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk re-
The 36-year-old wanted to help – so
she joined a band of Ukrainian women
taking part in an intensive demining
course in Kosovo, a place all too familiar
with clearing deadly explosives.
The trainees have travelled hundreds
of miles, hoping to protect their home-
land for decades to come.
After learning their craft from the ex-
perts, the women plan to return to
Ukraine and put it into practice in areas
where Russian troops have withdrawn.
“There are various ways to fight,” said
Anastasiia Minchukova, one of the eight
women who applied for the scheme.
The 20-year-old English teacher, who
dons a blue protective apron and a visor
for the training, said there is a “huge de-
mand for people who know (about) dem-
ining” in Ukraine.
“The only reason I’m here is to help my
country,” she said. The trainees are being
taught how to detect, identify and disable
explosives on the course organised by the
Mines Awareness Trust (MAT) Kosovo NGO.
Six women started the three-week pro-
gramme in the western town of Peja,
known as Pec to Serbs, on Monday, with
two others set to arrive soon. The organisers
plan to take on more trainees in the future.
The course has been specifically set up
in response to the invasion of Ukraine,
and focuses on Russian and former Soviet
arms, including guided weapons, mines
and rockets.
It is open to men too, but Ukrainian
males aged 18 to 60 are banned from
leaving the country. And the women here
want to take part in the defence of
Ukraine.
The MAT said this course is the first of
its kind outside Ukraine since the Russian
Steamed bun (mantou)
HOW to turn plain steamed buns into
beautiful and nutritious ones.
For the Chinese, steam buns are one of
the most common staple foods on the
family table as breakfast. Just like dinner
rolls, it will be served at a westernised
dinner.
The first time I made my steamed bun
it was a plain white colour. It is just like
taking the fermented dough, shaping it,
and then putting it into the streamer to
stream it. Ever since then, steamed buns
have always been served as breakfast for
kids before schooling. Sometimes, it
becomes very monotonous to have a
“plain steamed bun” as breakfast every
day.
Today I am going to transform this
plain steamed bun into a beautiful and
nutritious one. Just like us, we often wear
the same clothes and wear the same hair-
style, which will inevitably cause a weary
feeling for ourselves. A small change in
details can bring us completely different
confidence and a good mood. Do you
agree? This theory also applies the same
to our food, which requires constant
changes in outerwear and shape to win
the heart of the eater.
I am using sweet potatoes for this
streamed bun. These sweet potatoes-bi-
coloured buns are not only beautiful in
colour, but also nutritious. Sweet pota-
toes are sweet and starchy root vegeta-
bles, which provide a lot of health bene-
fits and are easy to add to our diet.
These bi-coloured potato buns are soft
and have a faint potato flavour in the
mouth. The more you chew, the more you
bring the fragrance out. When the two-
coloured doughs are rolled together, you
will see a distinct layer of dough. The roll,
cut and shape is the same as a cinnamon
roll.
This is a quick and easy recipe because
I am using both yeast and baking powder,
which will shorten the cooking process.
Make some to freeze or refrigerate in the
fridge. And it will be as soft and delicious
as steaming for breakfast. You may check
my blog for the right technique or the de-
tails throughout the process.
Ingredients (sweet potato dough)
(purple or orange)
200g flour (Hong Kong flour)
125g sweet potato (steamed
and mashed)
60g sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 Tbsp warm water
½ tsp baking powder (optional)
1 tsp instant yeast
Ingredients (white dough)
200g flour (Hong Kong flour)
40g sugar
1 Tbsp cooking oil
140 ml warm water
1 tsp baking powder (optional)
Anastasiia Minchukova attends a demining training near the town of Peja.
invasion began in February.
Kosovo was chosen to host the scheme
because of its “first-hand experience”,
chief instructor Artur Tigani said.
“We have gone through quite a similar
situation, especially when it comes to
contamination with unexploded de-
vices.” An estimated 13,000 people lost
their lives in the war between Serbian
forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas in
the late 1990s.
The conflict ended after a Nato air
campaign forced Serbian troops to with-
draw from the territory, paving the way
for independence in 2008.
But the war left the former Serbian
province with 4,500 minefields, accord-
ing to US estimates after the war.
The devices were scattered mainly in
the mountainous Peja region, close to the
Albanian border, where Tirana shipped
arms and supplies to Albanian guerrillas.
With international help, most of the
mines have been cleared, and the risk is
now officially assessed as “light”.
The Kosovo instructors have also deliv-
1 tsp instant yeast
Methods
1) Peel the sweet potatoes and cut
them into small cubes. Steam in the
steamer for 15 minutes or until they can
easily be mashed with a fork. Sieve them
through a mesh, so that they are more
delicate.
2) In a large bowl in your electric
mixer, add all the ingredients except oil,
and beat until all combines. Then add the
mashed potatoes and
beat until incorpo-
rated. If the dough
jessie_inthekitchen
jessiefoodinthekitchen.
blogspot.com
feels too dry, add
another tablespoon of
water. Once the dough is
smooth and elastic, add the cooking oil
and continue beating at medium-low
speed until the oil is completely incorpo-
rated and the dough is smooth, shiny,
and elastic.
3) Leave the dough on the table cov-
ered with plastic wrap or a bowl, and let
the dough rest for 5 minutes, to let the
dough look much smoother and well re-
laxed.
4) While the sweet potato dough is
resting on the table, make the white
dough following exactly the step as the
sweet potato dough.
5) Roll the two pieces of the dough
into two large and thin same rectangular
size. Layer the white dough underneath
and the purple dough layer on top. Or
vice versa. Brush some water on the over-
lapping dough, to let the two pieces of
dough stick together. Roll the dough to
form a log, from top to bottom. Make
sure you tuck and roll the dough, so it
forms a tight log.
6) Cut the log into small sections with
a sharp knife, about 2 inches wide. Place
the steaming paper underneath each
dough, then keep in a bamboo steamer,
to let it proof for 30 minutes or double in
size. Make sure you leave room for the
rolls to rise, so they do not stick together
after rising.
7) Prepare a pot with ware for steam-
ing. Turn on the heat and bring the water
to a boil. After the water boils, place the
bamboo steamer, and cover tightly.
Steam it at medium heat for 11 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and let it sit on the
steamer for another 5 minutes before
opening the lid. This will prevent the
steamed buns from deflating due to tem-
perature shock. Uncover the lid and serve
it warm.
Do I have to add all the water to the
dough?
dailyexpress
ered training in Syria, Iraq and Libya.
“It is our life’s mission to save lives and
help others save lives,” said Tigani.
The Ukrainian trainees are aware of
the huge challenge they face when they
get back home.
They expect to join emergency services
and get to work when they return on May
13. “I’ve seen, while travelling in (Ukraine),
the huge amount of the abandoned am-
munition and unexploded ordnance lay-
ing on the ground,” Grybinichenko said.
It is thought it could take decades to
rid Ukraine of mines. Perrine Benoist, of
the Handicap International NGO, has said
it will likely “take 50 years to clear every-
thing.”
Minchukova knows that she and her
fellow trainees have taken on a perilous
task. But she said: “It’s dangerous all over
Ukraine, even if you are in a relatively safe
region”.
“I’m ready for it. I’m a Ukrainian. I’m
not afraid of anything. “I know we will
have a chance to prove (we are) worthy of
doing the same as men.” – AFP
The common practice is to add a little
water if the dough feels too dry. In fact,
holding back a little of the water from the
recipe, and adding it in incrementally,
going by feel rather than the measure-
ment, is the preferred way to get a perfect
dough.
Do I need to windowpane test the
dough?
You are not making bread dough. So,
you do not have to do a windowpane test
with the dough. As far as the dough is
smooth, shining and elastic.
Type of flour to use for steamed bun
The choice of steamed bun flour is very
important. Flour is divided into high-
gluten flour, medium-gluten flour, and
low-gluten flour. Steamed buns made
with high-gluten flour are firmer and
chewier, which is not my preference.
White medium-gluten flour is softer. So,
it depends on your preference. I use Hong
Kong flour (also known as pao flour). It is
like cake flour, which is highly blenched.
It is recommended for making Chinese
steamed buns.
How to ferment the dough?
Prepare a pot with water for steaming.
Turn off the heat after the water in the
steamer is boiled. Keep the bamboo
steamer on the kitchen top which is be-
side the streamer.
How long does it take for the second
fermentation?
To ensure that the steamed buns are
soft and fragrant, they usually carry out
secondary fermentation. I set 30 minutes
for the second fermentation. But the
dough already rises in 20 minutes. You
may observe that both sides of the dough
are already puffed up.
Hope you find this guide useful and
learn how to make this beautiful and nu-
tritious steamed bun.
dailyexpress
Bicara Bonda for enlivening and appreciating Islamic values
TAWAU: The Bicara Bonda programme
serves as a platform for enlivening the cul-
ture of knowledge and appreciation for Is-
lamic values.
Yang Dipertua Gabungan Pertubuhan
Muafakat Titipan Amal Isteri Wakil Rakyat
(Mutiara GRS), Datin Seri Panglima Juliah
Salag said that such a ceremony could
serve as a platform to strengthen the val-
ues of ukhuwah and friendship among
Muslims.
“In accordance with the demands of the
Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet
SAW, this programme can be a platform to
invigorate the culture of knowledge and
Three Sabah SDG goals for awards
KOTA KINABALU: Head of the Institute of
Development Studies Sabah (IDS) Datuk
Adeline Leong is rooting for three Sustain-
able Development Goals directly related to
Sabah to be nominated for the JCI Sustain-
able Development Award this year.
The three are the Rotary Club of Kota
Kinabalu Pearl (RCKK Pearl) REAL (Rural
Focus English for All Project), the Marine
Ecology Research Centre (MERC) which fo-
cuses on marine conservation and the Sun
Bear Conservation Centre.
“They deserve the recognition because
of their unending enthusiasm for their
cause,” she said, while congratulating JCI
Malaysia for organising the Sustainable De-
velopment Award every year to give recog-
nition to deserving organisations who have
helped planet earth to be a better place to
live in and to preserve it for the future gen-
eration.
Adeline noted that the RCKK Pearl has
been doing a great job in upholding the
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Four
– Quality Education since 2016.
“English corners with 600 English books
in each Corner are provided in 16 primary
schools in the rural areas to help students
prepare for the UPSR Exam. It was gratify-
ing to note that there was a 100 per cent
pass in English in one school after Project
REAL.
Washroom woes at Tawau, KK airports
% The management of the airports in Tawau
and Kota Kinabalu will step up efforts to
maintain the toilets here given the growing
volume of passenger-traffic at both proper-
ties.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB)
spokesmen said the respective contractors
would be instructed to increase the fre-
quency with which the toilets were cleaned.
“Our staff will make regular inspections
to verify that the toilets and taps operate as
they should,” they said
“The faucets and bowls will be checked
to determine that they are not leaking.
“The same will be done for the stalls to
make sure that the doors are properly
hinged and can be securely latched.”
A spokesman for the Tawau Airport (TA)
said there were 14 sets of toilets inside the
building, while his counterpart in the State
Capital said the Kota Kinabalu International
Airport (KKIA) had 35 sets of these amenities.
They admitted that the number of pas-
sengers moving through the airports had
doubled since the interstate and interna-
tional borders for the country had re-
opened.
“Our janitorial staff are facing an uphill
task keeping up with the thousands who
use the airports daily.”
Both spokesmen were responding to a
traveller’s feedback about the poor condi-
tion of the toilets in the departure hall at
KKIA and the arrival hall in Tawau.
She was dismayed to find that she could
not flush the toilet she used at the latter.
To make matters worse, she had to scoop
water from a container to wash her hands af-
terwards as the taps at the sink had run dry.
She wanted to know how MAHB justified
collecting an airport tax when these ameni-
ties were not being properly attended to.
The passenger provided Hotline with the
date when she flew from the State Capital to
Tawau.
This information was forwarded to the
management of the respective airports.
The TA spokesman said the water tank
on the top of the building was found to be
damaged at the time.
He said the pressure of the supply in the
airport was severely impacted because of
this.
“Not a drop of water was reaching the
toilets on the first floor while only a trickle
was available at those on the ground floor,”
he said.
“Our technicians set about repairing the
tank shortly after we became aware of the
damage.”
When asked how often maintenance was
carried out on this receptacle, he said this
was done as and when it became necessary
to do so.
While waiting for the repairs to be com-
pleted, drums of water were temporarily
placed inside the toilets, according to him.
The spokesman explained that the air-
port had 22 janitorial staff who worked were
split into two shifts to look after these
amenities.
“One cleaner is stationed at each of the
men’s and women’s toilets in the critical ar-
YOUR LOCA L VOI CE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
Arifin (centre) and Julia
visit one of the stalls.
increase the community’s interest in activ-
ities to appreciate Islamic values among
“Over 3,000 Dictionaries were given to
the students individually and one student
actually read the Dictionary from A-Z! Col-
laboration with the Sabah Education De-
partment was good as under Project REAL,
annual interschool competitions for poem
writing, speech and storytelling competi-
tions were held. There was also a yearly
training workshop for English teachers,”
she said.
As for the SDG Goal 14 Life below Water,
which focuses on marine conservation, she
The contractor’s worker holds up a
faulty component servicing the water
tank at the top of the Tawau Airport.
eas of the airport.
“These are places which are accessed by
both passengers as well as the public.”
When it came to the departure and ar-
rival halls, he said a janitor was assigned to
look after a pair of toilets in these areas.
“These amenities are cleaned, on and off,
throughout the day especially after a flight
has landed and the passengers have been
cleared from the airport.”
NELLA, who flew from the State Capital
to Tawau, bemoaned the foul smell in the
women’s toilets at the KKIA.
“I almost fell while walking from the
stalls to the wash basins because there was
water all over the floor,” she said.
The dissatisfaction she felt for the sorry
state of these amenities was compounded
once she reached the TA.
“The ladies, inside the toilets I used,
grumbled that none of the flushes worked
and that they could not wash their hands at
any of the sinks.
“We had to queue to get to the container
of water at one section of the toilet.”
She said the line was so long that some of
the women gave up and left.
Nella said the poor condition of the toi-
lets made her wonder about of the stan-
Muslims.
“I also hope that all of the knowledge
we gained during this talk can be shared
with other friends who did not have the
opportunity to participate in this event.
“Hopefully, the ceremony will be a plat-
form to strengthen the values of brother-
hood and friendship among Muslims be-
cause these two values are indeed the most
important foundation of unity and
strength of the ummah as taught by the
holy book Al-Quran Al-Karim,” she said at
the Tawau Community Hall.
During the programme, Julia presented
the Al-Quran Pearl Award to Al-Quran and
Award – JCI
Malaysia
Executive Vice
President cum
Area Sabah
Chairman Michael
Chang (left),
]presenting
certificate to
Adeline. Also seen
is JCI Malaysia
Sustainable
Development
Award Organising
Chairman JCI
Senator Ivan
Ng (centre)
said, a significant project sponsored by a lo-
cal entrepreneur since 2007 is the MERC, a
non-profit organisation.
“It has been repopulating endangered
giant clams, including two species that are
commonly accepted as “locally extinct”.
MERC is located in Pulau Gaya, next to the
Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park and
holds seven national records with the
Malaysian Book of Records,” she said.
One of the earliest records was to be
recognised as the first centre in Malaysia to
The janitor for this toilet at
the Tawau Airport cleaning the
mirror and area around the sink.
dards of hygiene practised by the company
looking after the airports.
“I hope the management makes it a pri-
ority to ensure that the toilets are kept spick
and span at all times so that first time visi-
tors to Sabah don’t get a negative impres-
sion of the State.”
A KKIA spokesman said the toilets, which
the passenger was likely to have entered,
were among the most heavily used inside
the building.
“A check of our records reveals that we re-
ceived a total of 18,000 passengers on the
day she caught her flight,” he said.
“This number went up by 50 per cent two
days later.”
He described these figures as being
“higher than usual” for the airport, at the
time, and said the rise was indicative of the
sizeable pre-festive season traffic.
On average, some 14,000 passengers
generally moved through the KKIA under
normal circumstances, according to him.
“In view of their almost non-stop use, we
have asked the contractor to look into revis-
ing the cleaning schedule for the toilets.
“If need be, we might close them every
30, or 45, minutes to allow them to be at-
tended to properly.” (SS)
Fardhu Ain (Kafa) Burut Class Teacher, Siti
Hatijah Marsuki, 50, of Kg. Merotai Kecil
Siti Hatijah attended SRK Merotai Kecil,
SMK Merotai Besar, and Sijil Tinggi Taran-
num Al Quran (STTQ 2007) at Institut Lati-
han Islam Malaysia Bangi.
She has 11 times represented Sabah in
the MTQ at the primary and secondary
school levels, as well as at the state and na-
tional levels.
The program’s second edition was or-
ganised in collaboration with the Office of
the Minister of Special Duties, the Sabah Is-
lamic Religious Council (MUIS), the Sabah
Islamic Religious Affairs Department
successfully propagate all the seven species
of giant clams found in Malaysian waters
back in 2010.
“MERC’s dedication and commitment to
this cause has resulted in thousands of gi-
ant clams being returned to the sea to grow
and to reproduce on its own.
“Apart from spawning and nursing giant
clams, MERC is also actively involved in re-
habilitating coral reefs. Broken coral frag-
ments are collected, planted and stabilised
before reintroducing it back to the reef.
Healthy and thriving coral reefs would pro-
vide conducive habitat for the survival of gi-
ant clams.
“Other activities at MERC include re-
searching the behaviour and reproduction
of marine fish including the seahorse.
“MERC acknowledges that it cannot be
successful working alone. MERC needs the
participation and support from the public,
especially the local community. Every year,
MERC would host students from the two
schools in Pulau Gaya.
“The students who are from the villages
on the island would be invited MERC for a
talk on the importance of marine conser-
vation, followed by a tour and participate
in related activities. They would be encour-
aged to play an important role that would
contribute to the success of MERC’s objec-
tives.
Checks are frequently made of the toilet stalls at the
KKIA to ensure that the doors can be properly latched.
A cleaner attends to a urinal inside one of the toilets at the KKIA.
Local 7
(JHEAINS), the Malaysian Islamic Develop-
ment Department (JAKIM), and the Tawau
Municipal Council (MPT), among other
agencies.
Dr Das’ad Abdul Latif, a well-known re-
ligious figure and preacher in the archipel-
ago, warmed the mood with his straight-
forward remarks.
Also present were the Minister of Spe-
cial Duties, Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd
Arif, the Assistant Minister of Finance,
Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, the Con-
sul General of the Republic of Indonesia,
Heni Hamidah and the Deputy President
of Muis, Malai aali Malai Ahmad.
“The sustainability of this MERC project
for the past 15 years shows the passion of
the owner and his team to preserve marine
life and is a very good example of what the
private sector can do for this SDG Goal of
“Life Below Water”,” she said.
“One last project I would like to high-
light is under SDG Goal 15 “Life on Land”.
“Again it is the passion of one person, Dr
Wong Siew Te who has devoted his whole
life to the preservation of the sun bear in
Sabah,” she said.
She said the Bornean Sun Bear Conserva-
tion Centre is a non-profit organisation and
was established in 2008 in partnership with
the Sabah Wildlife Department and the
Sabah Forestry Department. It is located at
Sepilok, Sandakan and aims to conserve the
sun bear through education, research, re-
habilitation and promotion of ecotourism.
“The Centre survives on grants from the
private sector and for the past 14 years has
been struggling to preserve the endan-
gered sun bear.
“The sun bears play a vital role to main-
tain a healthy forest ecosystem. Their exis-
tence in our rainforest directly benefits
other plants and animals.
“Therefore it is hoped that through pub-
lic awareness, more sponsors would come
forward to contribute to saving the sun
bears,” she said.
One of the
technicians
puts his back
into repairing
the damage
inside the wa-
ter tank.
 8 Philippines and Indonesia
Marcos may rope in losers for govt posts
MANILA: The camp of presumptive Presi-
dent Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on
Monday said it is “looking” at the possibil-
ity of appointing to government positions
some candidates who lost in the 2022 local
and national elections.
Under the law, losing candidates may
only be appointed to a government office
at least one year after the elections.
“We’re looking at some possible person-
alities but I think most of them would
rather enjoy their much needed vacation
for 1 year,” Vic Rodiguez, Marcos Jr.’s
spokesperson, told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo.
“Pangit din naman magsabi ako ng pan-
gala at hindi pa sila nakakausap. We have
always been respectful of people’s prefer-
ences and their choices,” he said.
Marcos Jr. is not looking at party colors
when choosing his appointees, his
spokesperson said.
“After May 9, hindi na namin pinag-
uusapan yung color-color,” he said, adding
that Marcos Jr.’s call for unity was “not just
a campaign messaging.”
In terms of the qualities they are look-
ing for in officials who will work under the
Marcos Jr. administration, Rodriguez said:
“’Yung may pagmamahal sa bansa, ‘yung
may respeto sa Konstitusyon at ‘yung may
pagkilala sa watawat.”
“’Yung kailanman hindi nanawagan sa
pagpapabagsak ng gobyerno dahil bukod
sa unity, we need stability at this point in
time in our government and in our lives,”
he said.
“Kahit anong parti-partidong gawin we
will not have an election between now and
Papua District Heads support
creation of new provinces
JAKARTA: The As-
sociation of
Papua’s Pegunun-
gan Tengah Re-
gion District
Heads has ex-
pressed full sup-
port for the estab-
lishment of new
provinces in
Papua that will positively impact peo-
ple’s prosperity.
The association’s head, Befa Yi-
gibalom, urged Papuan intellectuals
and residents, particularly those from
Pegunungan Tengah region, to support
the establishment of the Papua Pegu-
nungan Tengah province (pic).
“As good citizens, we must remove all
negative thoughts (regarding govern-
ment policies) and instead welcome
them with open arms,” Yigibalom said
in a statement received here on Monday.
There has been a continuous out-
pouring of support for the creation of
the Pegunungan Tengah province from
mayors, district heads, and customary
heads in Pegunungan Tengah region,
the district head said while dismissing
criticism from some sections of the pub-
lic that the proposed province is being
established only for some elites.
“We clarify that the new province is
in the national politics’ interest and not
in the interest of the elites or other
groups,” he added.
Pursue intense anticipation of global crises
JAKARTA: Presi-
dent Joko
Widodo’s instruc-
tion to ministers
to implement an-
ticipatory meas-
ures to address
the impact of
global crises must
be accelerated,
deputy chairperson of the People’s
Consultative Assembly, Lestari Mo-
erdijat, has said (pic).
“President Jokowi’s (Widodo’s) di-
rectives (that were issued) in the meet-
ing on national development planning
at the end of April 2022 must be (ad-
hered to and implemented) in practice
by ministers, so that we are truly able
to face the threat of a global crisis,”
Moerdijat said.
The 2022 National Development
‘Build a democratic political culture’
JAKARTA: State officials and political
parties need to build a democratic po-
litical culture so that democratization
or the process of building a democracy
in Indonesia can proceed well.
National Research and Innovation
Agency’s (BRIN’s) main expert re-
searcher, Siti Zuhro, delivered the re-
marks at a seminar entitled ‘Develop-
ing Civilized Political Culture for Ad-
vanced Sovereign Indonesia’ on Mon-
day (pic).
“Democratisation will not proceed
well if it is not supported by the devel-
opment of a political culture that ad-
heres to the principles of democracy,”
she noted.
As conveyed by world politics ex-
perts, Gabriel A. Almond and Sidney
Verba, a democratic political culture is
a participative political culture, she
three years. We will not have a presidential
election between now and 2028 so ano pa
ba ang gagawin natin? Let us unite and
rally behind at tulungan natin,” he said.
“Hanggat [nasa] tama, samahan natin
at pag nagkamali-mali nang ginagawa at
hindi na tapat sa bayan, be the first to con-
demn him or her or us,” he said.
Marcos Jr. is waiting for the Commission
on Elections (Comelec) to officially pro-
claim him as the winner of the 2022 presi-
dential elections before he grants more in-
terviews to discuss his upcoming adminis-
tration, Rodriguez said.
“Tapusin lang natin yung proclamation.
Baka sabihin atat or something,” he said.
“Antayin lang natin and that’s the start
of when we move openly,” he said.
So far, Marcos Jr. has named incoming
Vice President Sara Duterte as his Depart-
ment of Education (DepEd) secretary, and
campaign manager Benhur Abalos as chief
of the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG).
When asked about her plans as the in-
coming Education secretary, Duterte-Car-
pio said she is awaiting her proclamation
so she can sit down with the team of in-
cumbent Education Sec. Leonor Briones.
“Sec. Briones already said that they are
following a medium-term plan under the
administration of President Duterte. Once
we get that proclamation, we will start talk-
ing to the Department of Education,” she
said.
After that, she intends to consult with
presumptive President Marcos, her Halalan
2022 running mate, for his directives.
He informed that the proposal for
the creation of the new province was de-
liberated in the Papuan People’s Assem-
bly (MRP) and the Papuan province’s
legislature (DPRP) before the new
province bill was passed by the House of
Representatives (DPR).
The Association of Papua Pegunun-
gan Tengah Region District Heads con-
sists of heads of Central Mamberamo,
Jayawijaya, Lanny Jaya, Nduga, Pegu-
nungan Tengah, Puncak, Puncak Jaya,
Tolikara, Yahukimo, and Yalimo dis-
tricts.
According to the recently-passed
Papua Pegunungan Province Law that
provides the legal basis for the carving
out of the new province, at least nine
out of the ten districts in the Pegunun-
gan Tengah region will be included in
the new province.
Earlier, a study conducted by the Yo-
gyakarta Finance Ministry’s Financial
Training Center had revealed that the
special autonomy funds disbursed for
Papua and West Papua provinces have
positively impacted the provinces’ hu-
man development index.
Despite the positive impact of the au-
tonomy scheme, geographical, demo-
graphic, and sociological issues have
hindered efforts to develop the region
further, particularly in West Papua,
which has recorded a lower develop-
ment score than Papua province, ac-
cording to the study.
Planning Meeting conducted on April
27, 2022, was themed “Increasing Pro-
ductivity for Inclusive and Sustain-
able Economic Transformation.”
Based on the theme, the President
had urged ministers to pursue some
measures to anticipate global crises.
Moerdijat listed some measures
that could be taken to fulfill the direc-
tive, including increasing the use of
domestic components and accelerat-
ing the downstreaming of domestic
industrial processes.
Ministers would also need to en-
courage productivity or independ-
ence in the food and energy sectors,
as well as boost investment to create
as many jobs as possible.
“Then, a number of strategic agen-
das to improve human resources must
also continue,” she added. – Antara
News
said here.
It refers to a collection of view-
points, beliefs, behaviors, norms, and
perceptions that support the realiza-
tion of public participation.
Moreover, a good democracy agenda
must have a vertical dimension, mean-
ing that it must open a space for people
to get involved in the process of politics
and governance. – Antara News
YOUR LOCAL VOIC E I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022 dailyexpress
Zubiri gaining
ground in Senate
Marcos supporters with newspaper coverage of his landslide win, outside
the campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.
presidency bid
Duterte-Carpio said she accepted the Duterte-Carpio will be overseeing the SENATE Majority Leader Juan Miguel
offer to take the helm of the DepEd be- agency responsible for the K-12 curriculum “Migz” Zubiri is said to be gaining ground
cause education is among her priori- taught to over 27 million students. This in- in his bid to corner the Senate presidency
ties, along with jobs and peaceful liv- cludes how it discusses the administra- post, some chamber sources said (pic).
ing. tions of Marcos’ father, which was marred At least 2 senators who will be part of
“Our learners should be competitive by human rights abuses and corruption, the incoming 19th Congress said that “ma-
among our neighboring countries, not just and of her father, President Rodrigo jority” of their present and incoming col-
in Asia, but globally, worldwide, and the Duterte. leagues have already committed their sup-
quality that our learners will produce,” she The DepEd is also trying to improve ed- port for Zubiri.
said in Cebuano. ucation quality following the Philippines’ An aspiring Senate President (SP) must
Duterte-Carpio said she will also look poor standing in international learning as- have at least 13 supporters to bag the post.
into the learnings that the students may sessments, and is in the process of gradu- Apart from Zubiri, other senators said
have missed during the Covid-19 pan- ally reopening schools for in-person to be vying for the upper house’s top post
demic, which has been raging on for more classes, which were banned in 2020 due to include Sherwin Gatchalian and Cynthia
than 2 years now. the pandemic. Villar.
“First, many students did not go to Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio agreed that Sources, however, frown at Gatchalian’s
school during the pandemic. Second, many face-to-face graduation ceremonies should intention to be the next Senate President
of our learners did not really adopt the be allowed again, noting that Davao City is “just because he landed number 4 in the
modular or online classes. I think their the first local government unit (LGU) in the
learning in the past 2 years would have country that created an executive order
2022 elections.”
“That’s not how it works. If topping the
been different if they were in a classroom that does not object in-person classes in all elections is the basis for wanting to be-
setup,” she said. levels. – ABS / CBN News come Senate President, then we should
make Robin Padilla SP,” one of the sources
Tulfo wants to decriminalise said.
“What we need as SP is someone who
can unify the chamber, someone who
libel, but keep civil liabilities knows the parliamentary rules,” the source
added.
One of the senators who requested
IF HE gets a seat in said. anonymity also claimed that having Villar
the Upper House, Two years ago, Tulfo was acquitted by a as their next Senate head would be “dan-
presumptive senator division of the Supreme Court (SC) on li- gerous” as future dealings of the chamber
broadcaster Raffy bel charges filed by an ex-Bureau of Cus- “might become transactional.”
Tulfo (pic) said he toms official over several columns he “The last person that you would want to
will prioritize the de- wrote in 1999. The case stemmed from a see in the podium is someone who is hot-
criminalization of li- complaint filed by Atty. Carlos So of the headed, who does not know the rules and
bel to protect jour- customs bureau. So complained about who doesn’t observe proper decorum,” the
nalists, but added he Tulfo’s columns about the alleged extor- source pointed out.
will keep the civil lia- tion on brokers and shippers, and a sup- “We need someone who is level-
bilities. posed illicit affair. The SC held that Tulfo headed, knows proper decorum and one
“On what I can do for media workers... “reported on the alleged illegal activities who follows the rules,” the source added.
first I will decriminalize libel. It’s causing of Atty. So in the exercise of his public Villar declined to comment on the mat-
headaches for media workers. [Libel] is be- functions.” ter, with her media officer saying that it
ing used by politicians and those seated in Under the Revised Penal Code, libel is was still “too early” to discuss the SP race.
the government to harass and threaten punishable by jail time of varying lengths, – ABS / CBN News
[the media],” Tulfo said in Filipino during with the highest being six years.
an interview with The Chiefs on Monday This isn’t the first proposal which seeks
evening.
He plans to do this through the passage
to decriminalize libel which was made
during the election period.
Petition reaches
of a bill, and by being part of the majority During the campaign season, presiden-
so that he can get more support for such
legislation despite perceived opposition
tial aspirant Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson
said that he seeks to decriminalize libel
Supreme Court
for a move. but “give more teeth” to the civil liabilities, A PETITION TO CANCEL the certificate of
However, Tulfo said he does not plan to citing the responsibility of the press. candidacy (COC) of presumptive president
removing the civil liabilities of libel “so Tulfo is known for letting people air Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in
that those who feel that they have been af- out their concerns and complaints on Eleksyon 2022 has reached the Supreme
fected by what they believe to be libelous his shows. His brand of justice, however, Court (SC), asking for an issuance of a tem-
can attain justice.” has been criticised for sometimes violat- porary restraining order (TRO) to block
“Let’s accept it, there are also people ing due process and for not following the counting of votes cast for him and his
from our ranks who are crazy, who are bi- the proper forums for grievances. – proclamation should he win.
ased in criticizing the government,” he Philstar Petitioners Father Christian Buenafe,
Fides Lim, Ma. Edeliza Hernandez, Celia
Lagman Sevilla, Roland Vibal, and
Josephine Lascano has asked the High
Three-year term for top military officials Court to issue a TRO enjoining and re-
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed manding general of the Philippine straining the Senate and House of Repre-
a law granting a three-year fixed term for Army, commanding general of the sentatives from canvassing the votes cast
key officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippine Air Force, flag officer in com- for Marcos and proclaiming him as presi-
Philippines, including the chief of staff. mand of the Philippine Navy, unified dent should he win the May 9 polls.
Duterte signed Republic Act 11709 — command commanders and inspector The petitioners have further asked the
or the Act Strengthening Professional- general. SC to:give due course to the petition;
ism and Promoting the Continuity of The tour of duty of the aforemen- grant the relief prayed for by reversing
Policies and Modernization Initiatives in tioned officers will commence on the and setting aside the resolution dated
the Armed Forces of the Philippines by date the appointment is signed and will May 10, 2022 and the resolution dated
Prescribing Fixed Terms for Key Officers occupy the post for three consecutive January 17, 2022 of the Commission on
thereof, Increasing the Mandatory Re- years unless terminated by the Presi- Elections (Comelec); cancel and declare
tirement Age of Generals/flag Officers, dent, provided that those mentioned void ab initio the COC for President filed
Providing for a More Effective Attrition will not be eligible for any other posi- by Marcos and, in the process, declare
System, and Providing Funds therefor — tion in the Armed Forces unless pro- him to have never been a candidate in the
on April 13 but it was only announced by moted to the position of chief of staff. 2022 national elections; and make perma-
Malacañang on Monday. In addition, the fixed tour of duty of nent the TRO issued against Congress and
Under the said law, military officials the chief of staff may be extended by the enjoin and restrain Congress from can-
who will get a fixed three-year term President “in times of war or other na- vassing the votes cast for Marcos for pres-
aside from the chief of staff are: vice tional emergency declared by Con- ident.
chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, com- gress.” – GMA News “Elections are more than a numbers
game. The will of the people as expressed
Five buoys to guide ships, fishermen
through the ballot cannot cure the vice of
ineligibility. The balance must always tilt
in favor of upholding and enforcing the
THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has they did not reply,” Abu said. law,” the petition read.
successfully placed five buoys in the The PCG will hold arrival honors on “A Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)
West Philippine Sea last week to guide Wednesday for the Coast Guard task from this Court is the only remedy avail-
ships and fishermen navigating the force who placed the five buoys success- able to enjoin and restrain the Congress of
country’s exclusive economic zone. fully in the West Philippine Sea. the Philippines from rendering this Peti-
One marker was placed each near Abu also said PCG ships will partici- tion moot and, in the event this Court
Lawak Island, Likas Island, and Parola Is- pate in the Regional Marine Pollution rules in favor of the petitioners, allowing a
land, according to a report on GMA Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2022 in Indonesia candidacy that should never have been to
News’ Unang Balita on Tuesday by Victo- on May 22-29. ripen into a presidency of an ineligible
ria Tulad. The said exercise will test the ability candidate,” it added.
Two buoys meanwhile were placed of the coast guards of the Philippines, In- The Commission on Elections En Banc
near Pag-asa Island. donesia and Japan in addressing oil earlier affirmed the Comelec former Sec-
There was no tension in the area dur- spills. ond Division’s resolution that junked the
ing the activity, even if the China Coast “And you know that oil spill knows no petition filed by Buenafe to cancel Marcos’
Guard was monitoring, according to PCG boundaries. So our country and our COC.
Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu. neighboring countries have to be ready Similar to the ruling on the disqualifi-
“There were five ships of the Coast to respond,” Abu said. cation cases, the Comelec En Banc said the
Guard in the area. They will be there for The PCG’s newest and largest multi- petitioners failed to raise new matters or
a week. My guidance to them was to be response vessel, BRP Teresa Magbanua issues that would warrant the reversal of
the first in challenging them. So what (MRRV-9701), will take part in MAR- the former Comelec Second Division’s rul-
happened? We challenged them but POLEX 2022. – GMA News ing. – GMA News
 WORLD
10 Sweden to apply Nato membership as deterrent
UN warns of ‘dire consequences’ of N Korea’s Covid response
GENEVA: The United Nations voiced alarm
Tuesday at the human rights implications
of North Korea’s response to the massive
coronavirus outbreak in the country.
Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered na-
tionwide lockdowns to try and slow the
spread of the disease through the coun-
try’s unvaccinated population, and de-
ployed the military after what he has
called a botched response to the outbreak.
“The latest restrictions, which include
putting people under strict isolation and
imposing further travel restrictions, will
have dire consequences for those already
struggling to meet their basic needs,” UN
rights office spokeswoman Liz Throssell
told reporters.
PM sees another two
NEW
months of hardship
DELHI: Sri
Lanka’s new Prime
Minister Ranil Wick-
remesinghe (pic) told
his people to prepare
for at least two more
months of hardships
in a grim speech that
offered candid details
about the country’s unprecedented finan-
cial crisis.
Wickremesinghe said today, “it is a
challenge for the treasury to find US$1 mil-
lion” compared with the country’s foreign
exchange reserves of US$7.5 billion in No-
vember 2019.
He said the Ministry of Finance is find-
ing it difficult to raise US$5 million re-
quired to import gas.
Sri Lankans have been protesting for
weeks against the government over its han-
dling of the economic crisis, which has
caused a critical shortage of fuel, medi-
cines and other essential goods.
“To ease the queues, we must obtain ap-
proximately US$75 million within the next
couple of days. At the moment, we only
have petrol stocks for a single day,” Wick-
remesinghe said.
“There is a severe shortage of a number
of medicines including medicine required
for heart disease as well as surgical equip-
ment. Payments have not been made for
four months to suppliers of medicine,
medical equipment, and food for patients.
The payment owed to them amounts to
SLR 34 billion (about US$94 million at
Monday’s exchange rate),” he said.
Amid mounting public anger and vio-
lence, Wickremesinghe’s predecessor
Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on May 9.
S’pore fines journalist for illegal freelancing
SINGAPORE: A foreign journalist was on
Tuesday (May 17) fined S$6,500 for doing
freelance work without a valid work pass.
Calum Arthur Alistair Stuart, 36,
pleaded guilty to one charge under the
Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
Another similar charge was considered for
sentencing.
The two co-accused who engaged his
services - Refinitiv Asia and media profes-
sional Muhammad Firdianshah Salimat -
were also fined S$5,500 and S$4,000 re-
spectively.
Stuart, a Briton, married a Singaporean
in 2014 and was on a long-term visit pass
when he offended in 2015 and 2016.
The Ministry of Manpower received in-
formation against Stuart for possible ille-
gal employment in September 2019 and
Man attacks US church over ‘hatred of Taiwan’
LOS ANGELES: A man who padlocked a
church and opened fire on its Taiwanese-
American congregation, killing one per-
son and injuring five others, was moti-
vated by hatred of the island and its peo-
ple, US investigators said Monday.
David Chou jammed the doors shut us-
ing chains and superglue as dozens of
parishioners enjoyed a post-service ban-
quet at the church in Laguna Woods, near
Los Angeles.
The 68-year-old, an American citizen,
also hid bags containing Molotov cocktails
and spare ammunition around the build-
ing, before opening fire with two hand-
guns, in what investigators say was a “me-
thodical” attempt to inflict carnage.
“We know that he formulated a strategy
that he wanted to employ,” Orange County
Sheriff Don Barnes said.
“It was very well thought out from how
he had prepared, both being there, secur-
ing the location, placing things about the
inside of the room to perpetuate addi-
tional victims if he had the opportunity,”
he added.
Chou, who works as a security guard in
Las Vegas, launched the attack out of “po-
litically motivated hate...(and) was upset
about political tensions between China
dailyexpress
YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
“We urge the... authorities to ensure
that all measures adopted to tackle the
pandemic are necessary, proportionate,
non-discriminatory, time-bound and
strictly in line with international human
rights law,” she said.
Authorities should evaluate “the im-
pact of any measures on vulnerable popu-
lations, taking into account experience
elsewhere in effectively addressing the
pandemic and to mitigate any adverse im-
pact”.
A total of 56 deaths and nearly 1.5 mil-
lion cases of “fever” have been reported in
North Korea since the country announced
its first Covid case a week ago, according
to the official Korean Central News Agency
Motorists queue to buy fuel at a fuel station in Colombo.
Wickremesinghe in his speech pro-
posed a number of measures, including
printing of money, privatisation of loss-
making Sri Lankan Airlines, and a new al-
ternative budget for the year to deal with
the crisis.
“The next couple of months will be the
most difficult ones of our lives. We must pre-
pare ourselves to make some sacrifices and
face the challenges of this period,” he said.
Anadolu Agency quoting the tweet re-
ported that the premier warned of power
outages for up to 15 hours a day as the
country relies on oil to generate electricity.
“We will face considerable challenges
and adversity. However, this will not be for
long. In the coming months, our foreign al-
lies will assist us. They have already
pledged their support,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s beleaguered president side-
stepped a censure motion on Tuesday after
his fractured coalition rallied to delay a res-
olution blaming him for the country’s
worst economic crisis.
investigated.
Stuart admitted to doing freelance tel-
evision and video production work for Re-
finitiv, then known as Thomson Reuters,
while he did not hold a valid work pass.
He was paid about S$30,000 for work
done over more than half a year from Nov
25, 2015 to Jul 8, 2016, except for a period
of about three weeks in June 2016.
The court heard that Stuart was offered
an assistant producer role with Refinitiv’s
news business in August 2015. He agreed
to the offer but did not sign the employ-
ment contract. The company subsequently
applied for an employment pass on Stu-
art’s behalf, but the application was re-
jected on Sep 9, 2015.
The company then applied for a letter
of consent for Stuart to work for them on
and Taiwan.”
Sheriff Barnes said Chou “is a US citizen
who immigrated from China.”
Meanwhile, an official at Taiwan’s trade
office in Los Angeles told AFP that he was
born on the island in 1953.
Taiwan has been ruled independently
since the end of a civil war in 1949.
It has its own democratically elected
government and a powerful military.
Authoritarian China claims the island
as its own, insisting it is a renegade
province that will one day be brought to
heel.
Details emerged Monday of the hero-
11 Fighting rocks Libya after rival PM enters city
(KCNA).
North Korea’s leader has slammed
healthcare officials for their failure to keep
pharmacies open, and has put himself
front and centre of the response, saying
the outbreak is causing “great upheaval”.
Throssell also reiterated a call from the
UN rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, for
countries “to relax sanctions to enable ur-
gent humanitarian and Covid-related as-
sistance” to the impoverished country.
North Korea has one of the world’s
worst healthcare systems, with poorly-
equipped hospitals, few intensive care
units, and no Covid treatment drugs or
mass testing ability, experts say.
“We encourage the DPRK as a matter of
Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s shaky coalition
voted against taking up the unprecedented
“displeasure of parliament” motion.
The non-binding motion was proposed
by the main opposition Tamil party, the
Tamil National Alliance, saying it echoed
the demands of thousands of anti-govern-
ment demonstrators who have for weeks
been seeking Rajapaksa’s resignation.
On May 9, clashes erupted between gov-
ernment supporters and protesters gath-
ered around the Prime Minister’s Office,
and military units were called to the capital
Colombo. Amid growing pressure from
the opposition, Mahinda Rajapaksa
stepped down as prime minister.
The government declared a nation-wide
curfew and ordered troops to open fire on
anyone looting public property or causing
harm to life.
In nationwide protests, eight people, in-
cluding a ruling party deputy and two po-
lice officers, lost their lives and nearly 250
people were injured. – Bernama
Nov 23, 2015. This was rejected on Dec 23
that year. Around Nov 25, 2015, while wait-
ing for approval of the letter of consent,
Refinitiv offered freelance work to Stuart
at a rate of S$4,500 a month.
Stuart accepted despite knowing that
he was prohibited from engaging in any
profession without a valid work pass, ac-
cording to court documents.
The prosecution asked for a fine of
S$7,000 to S$8,000, arguing that while
Stuart did not take active steps to be ille-
gally self-employed, he accepted the offer
only two days after the company had ap-
plied for his letter of consent.
The company pleaded guilty to one
charge of abetting Stuart to commit the of-
fence of being a self-employed foreigner
without a valid work pass. – AFP
A woman
places
flowers at a
makeshift
memorial
outside the
Geneva
Presbyterian
Church in
Laguna
Woods,
California.
ism of one parishioner, who tackled Chou
as he began shooting.
John Cheng, a doctor, charged Chou in
a bid to bring him to the ground, allowing
others to hogtie him until police arrived.
“Without the actions of Dr Cheng there
is no doubt that there would have been
numerous additional victims in this
crime,” said Barnes.
“Unfortunately, after Dr Cheng tackled
the suspect he was hit by gunshots and he
was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Five other people who were injured in
the attack were taken to hospital.
They ranged in age from 66 to 92. – AFP
urgency to discuss with the UN the open-
ing of channels for humanitarian support,
including medicines, vaccines, equipment
and other life-saving support,” Throssell
said.
“We also urged authorities to facilitate
the return of UN and other international
staff to the DPRK to assist in the provision
of support, including to vulnerable popu-
lations and those living in rural and bor-
der areas.”
On Tuesday, the North Korean military
medics ramped up the distribution of
medicines where hundreds of personnel
in camouflage uniforms from the Korean
People’s Army medical units were seen ral-
lying in the capital Pyongyang in photos
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle
Bachelet is seen on a monitor delivering a speech.
UN rights chief to visit China
GENEVA: The UN rights chief will be ar-
riving in China “shortly” for a long-antic-
ipated visit, including to the Xinjiang re-
gion where authorities stand accused of
widespread rights abuses, a spokes-
woman said Tuesday.
After years of requesting “meaningful
and unfettered” access to China’s far-
western Xinjiang region, United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights
Michelle Bachelet is set to begin her visit
before the end of this month, her office
said.
“We’ve consistently said that it will be
taking place by the end of May. We are
approaching the end of May. So it will be
happening shortly,” spokeswoman Liz
Throssell told reporters.
An advance team was sent to China
several weeks ago to prepare the visit,
and has completed a lengthy quarantine
in the country, gripped by fresh Covid
outbreaks.
Bachelet herself is set to travel to
Guangzhou and Xinjiang, but not to Bei-
jing due to the Covid restrictions there,
Throssell said, adding that the visit was
A woman talks with a worker on a street during in the Jing’an district in Shanghai.
Zero-Covid achieved in Shanghai
but millions remain in lockdown
SHANGHAI: Shanghai on Tuesday de-
clared it had achieved “zero-Covid” across
all its districts, sparking derision on social
media as millions in China’s biggest city
remained under lockdown.
Confronted with its worst outbreak
since the beginning of the pandemic,
China—the last major economy still closed
off to the world—put the city of 25 million
under heavy restrictions in early April.
The government’s insistence on
squashing the Omicron variant-driven
outbreak prompted rare protests and an-
gry scuffles with authorities as Shanghai
residents reject the prolonged confine-
ment and food shortages.
“All 16 districts of Shanghai have al-
ready achieved zero-Covid at the commu-
nity level,” Shanghai health commission
official Zhao Dandan told reporters on
Tuesday.
That means none of the over 1,000 new
infections recorded on Tuesday was de-
tected outside of quarantined areas, city
authorities said.
Vice mayor Chen Tong said Sunday that
the city would gradually reopen busi-
nesses starting this week, without giving
specifics.
But millions in Shanghai were still un-
able to leave their residential compounds
on Tuesday.
More than 3.8 million people officially
were still under the strictest forms of lock-
down in the city, according to official fig-
ures.
China’s strategy to achieve zero Covid
cases includes strict border closures,
9
released by the official Korean Central
News Agency (KCNA). The military “ur-
gently deployed its powerful forces to all
pharmacies in Pyongyang City and began
to supply medicines under the 24-hour
service system”, KCNA said.
One KCNA photo showed soldiers walk-
ing next to a long line of green trucks.
Authorities have stepped up media
awareness campaigns and pharmaceutical
factories have increased the production of
medicines, KCNA reported.
North Korea has one of the world’s
worst healthcare systems, with poorly-
equipped hospitals, few intensive care
units, and no Covid treatment drugs or
mass testing ability, experts say.
due to last around a week.
“She will be meeting high-level gov-
ernment officials,” she said, adding that
“the purpose of a visit is really... a dia-
logue with the Chinese government, with
the Chinese authorities on a range of do-
mestic, regional and global human rights
issues.”
“It’s really hoped that the visit will al-
low to build further engagement be-
tween the UN Human Rights Office and
China.”
There have long been calls for
Bachelet to visit Xinjiang and to publish
her office’s findings on the situation
there.
The US government and lawmakers in
a number of other Western countries
have labelled China’s treatment of the
Uygur minority in Xinjiang “genocide”—
a charge Beijing vehemently denies.
Rights groups say that at least one mil-
lion mostly Muslim minorities have been
incarcerated in “re-education camps” in
the region, and face widespread rights
abuses, including forced sterilisation and
forced labour. – AFP
length quarantines, mass testing and
rapid, targeted lockdowns.
Social media erupted in disbelief at the
gap between official statements and the
reality of life under an enduring lock-
down.
“Since society has reached Covid-zero,
why are people in Songjiang district still
only allowed to go out once every two
days?” a blogger on the Twitter-like Weibo
asked.
“Is this a parallel universe Shanghai?”
asked another.
In some areas of the city, restrictions
have even been quietly tightened in recent
days.
Live video broadcast Tuesday by Chi-
nese media showed crowds gathering at
Shanghai’s Hongqiao Railway Station as
train services leaving the city resumed.
People are only allowed to leave Shang-
hai after receiving permission and taking
multiple Covid tests.
China has shown no sign of giving up
its protracted struggle to maintain zero
Covid cases, despite the mounting eco-
nomic costs of miserable retail, house and
car sales and climbing unemployment.
Beijing is mass testing residents almost
every day after a surge in cases—counted
in the dozens each day but still enough to
prompt tight restrictions on movement
and association.
Millions of people in the capital have
been ordered to work from home and
transport services have been suspended as
people feared a repeat of Shanghai’s lock-
down chaos. – AFP
 10 World
Sweden officially announced it will apply for Nato membership
as a deterrent against Russian aggression. (AFPpic)
Sweden to
apply Nato
membership
as deterrent
STOCKHOLM: Sweden officially an-
nounced it will apply for Nato member-
ship as a deterrent against Russian ag-
gression, entering a “new era” as it re-
verses two centuries of military non-
alignment.
“The government has decided to in-
form Nato that Sweden wants to become
a member of the alliance,” Prime Minister
Magdalena Andersson told reporters a
day after neighbouring Finland made a
similar announcement.
“We are leaving one era and begin-
ning another,” Andersson said of the dra-
matic turnaround of her country’s posi-
tion less than three months after Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine.
Sweden’s Nato ambassador would
“shortly” inform the alliance, she said.
“Sweden is one of our closest partners
& membership would strengthen the se-
curity of Euro-Atlantic area & Sweden at
a critical time,” Nato chief Jens
Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter following a
telephone call with Andersson.
Sweden and Finland have both ex-
pressed a desire to act in lockstep on
Nato membership. They are expected to
submit their applications jointly this
11 migrants die in Algeria shipwreck
ALGIERS: Eleven people drowned and five
others were rescued after their boat sank
off Algeria as they attempted to reach Eu-
rope, a private television station and a
Spanish aid group said.
The El-Hayet channel said on its Face-
book page that “11 clandestine migrants
who set sail from Fouka (near Tipaza,
west of Algiers) have died and five young
people, two of them children, were res-
cued”.
Spanish NGO Cipimd, which spe-
cialises in identifying missing migrants,
tweeted that “a boat carrying 16 people,
including women and children, was ship-
wrecked on Sunday evening” off Tipaza.
“They were heading towards the
Balearic archipelago,” it said.
UK to unveil plans for post-
Brexit trade in North Ireland
LONDON: Britain will detail Tuesday how
it plans to overhaul post-Brexit trade rules
in Northern Ireland which have sparked a
political crisis in the province, amid fears
it is risking a UK-EU trade war.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will “set out
the rationale for our approach” in a state-
ment to MPs in parliament, according to
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s
spokesman.
The UK government is yet to confirm
what that entails, but media reports have
said it is planning legislation allowing
London to unilaterally override some of
the rules around Northern Irish trade.
London wants to rewrite the so-called
Northern Ireland protocol, which it agreed
as part of its 2019 divorce deal with the Eu-
ropean Union, amid trading frictions since
it came into force last year.
The arrangements, which mandate
checks on goods arriving into Northern Ire-
land from England, Scotland and Wales, have
angered the province’s unionists who claim
they undermine its place within the UK.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Brandon Lewis said Tuesday that the pro-
tocol “doesn’t work for business, it doesn’t
work for anybody in Northern Ireland”.
YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
week.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on
Monday warned that Nato’s expansion
may trigger a response from Moscow.
The expansion poses “no direct threat
for us... but the expansion of military in-
frastructure to these territories will cer-
tainly provoke our response,” Putin said
during a televised summit meeting of the
Collective Security Treaty Organisation, a
Moscow-led military alliance.
Andersson acknowledged Sweden
would be “vulnerable” to “attempts to
scare and divide us” in the interim period
before its application is ratified.
However, Stockholm has received se-
curity assurances from key partners, in-
cluding the United States, Britain, Ger-
many, France and the Nordic countries,
she added.
She expected “it shouldn’t take more
than a year” for the alliance’s 30 mem-
bers to unanimously ratify Sweden’s
membership application.
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Er-
dogan on Monday again confirmed
Ankara’s opposition to Sweden and Fin-
land joining Nato, citing the countries’
unclear stance against terrorism. – AFP
Several Algerian social media users
posted images of the victims, saying they
were all from the town of Fouka, some 70
kilometres (42 miles) west of Algiers.
Those who survived spent 14 hours in
the water before being rescued by an
Egyptian vessel which handed them over
to Algerian authorities, they said.
The Algerian coast guard has
“thwarted several attempts at illegal emi-
gration and rescued 172 people aboard
makeshift boats”, between May 4 and 11,
according to the defence ministry.
In 2021, 4,404 migrants died or went
missing during desperate attempts to
reach Spain, the worst toll since 2015, ac-
cording to the Spanish NGO Caminando
Fronteras. – AFP
He told Sky News that problems should
be solved “preferably by agreement with
the European Union” but “we will do what
we need to do to ensure that products can
move to Northern Ireland in the way they
should be able to... from Great Britain as
part of the United Kingdom’s internal
market.”
The largest pro-British party, the Dem-
ocratic Unionist Party (DUP), is currently
refusing to resume power-sharing in
Belfast with pro-Irish rivals Sinn Fein until
the protocol is reworked.
Its stance comes nearly two weeks after
Sinn Fein won a historic first victory in
elections for the devolved Stormont as-
sembly, which entitle the party to the role
of first minister in a joint executive with
the DUP.
The impasse threatens to leave North-
ern Ireland, which suffered three decades
of sectarian conflict until a 1998 accord
largely ended the violence, without a gov-
ernment.
Johnson is adamant the current situa-
tion risks peace and stability in Northern
Ireland and that his government has the
right to act if the EU refuses to meet its de-
mands. – AFP
Ukraine ‘unhappy’ as Hungary stalls EU Russian oil ban
BRUSSELS: Ukraine’s foreign minister
urged the EU to overcome Hungary’s re-
sistance to an embargo on Russian oil and
then look to “kill” all of Moscow’s exports
to starve its war machine of funds.
Budapest has been holding up a push
by Brussels, backed by other European
Union states, to ban Moscow’s vital oil ex-
ports, the cornerstone of a planned sixth
package of sanctions, arguing that it
would hammer its own economy.
“We are unhappy with the fact that the
oil embargo is not there,” Ukraine’s top
diplomat Dmytro Kuleba said after meet-
ing EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
“It’s clear who’s holding up the issue.
But time is running out because every day
Russia keeps making money and investing
this money into the war.”
Kuleba said he was convinced the oil
embargo would come and “the only ques-
tion is when and what will be the price
that the European Union will have to pay
to make it happen.”
He then called on the 27-nation bloc to
move on to a seventh package of sanctions
that would “kill Russian exports” and de-
liver a crushing blow to President Vladimir
Putin’s coffers.
Brussels is desperate to avoid the ap-
pearance of division in the face of the
Kremlin’s onslaught on Ukraine, and offi-
cials are scrambling behind the scenes to
Ukrainian soldiers sit on a armored military vehicule
in the city of Severodonetsk, Donbas region. (AFPpic)
Over 260 Ukrainian troops
evacuated from Azovstal
KYIV (Ukraine): More than 260 Ukrain-
ian soldiers were evacuated from the be-
sieged Azovstal steel plant in the port
city of Mariupol, Ukraine’s Deputy De-
fence Minister Ganna Malyar said.
“53 heavily wounded (soldiers) were
evacuated from Azovstal to the medical
mortgage near Novoazovsk for medical
aid,” Malyar said in a statement.
Another 211 were taken out through
the humanitarian corridor to Olenivka,
she added.
Both Novoazovsk and Olenivka are
now under the control of Russian troops
and Russia-backed separatists.
“An exchange procedure will be car-
ried out for their further return home,”
Malyar noted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Ze-
lensky said “we hope to save the lives of
our boys”.
Orban sworn in as Hungary’s PM
BUDAPEST: Fresh
from a landslide
election win in April,
Hungary’s combat-
ive Viktor Orban
(pic) was formally
sworn in as prime
minister, launching
a fresh attack against
Brussels and a “suici-
dal” West.
The central European country is cur-
rently in talks with other EU members
seeking to push through a Russian oil ban
following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Orban, who has sought close ties with
Russian President Vladimir Putin in re-
cent years, has said he would not support
the proposed ban, citing his country’s de-
pendency on Russian oil.
Urging the EU to respect the sover-
eignty of nation states, Orban said “cul-
tural alienation is growing between the
western half of Europe and Hungary”.
“That is because we believe in the
Christian civilisational foundations of Eu-
rope, and in the nation, which Brussels
El Salvador arrests 30,000 gang members
SAN SALVADOR: El Salvador has arrested
more than 30,000 suspected gang mem-
bers since President Nayib Bukele in March
launched his “war” on criminal groups ter-
rorising the country, police said.
Bukele announced a state of emergency
in late March following a bloody weekend
in which 87 people were killed in gang-re-
lated violence.
Since then, the police and military have
been rounding up suspected gang mem-
bers using emergency powers that have
done away with the need for arrest war-
rants.
The small Central American country
has also increased sentences for gang
membership five-fold, to up to 45 years.
Budapest has been holding up a push by Brussels to ban
Moscow’s crucial oil exports. (AFPpic)
patch up a compromise with Hungary af-
ter making the oil proposal on May 4.
“The whole union is being held
hostage by one member state who cannot
help us find the consensus,” Lithuanian
Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
declared.
Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoek-
stra said he “would have liked us to agree
today on the sixth package” and that he
hoped it would be clinched by the end of
“I want to underline: Ukraine needs
its Ukrainian heroes alive. This is our
principle,” he said in a video statement
late Monday.
Ukraine’s general staff said the sol-
diers in Mariupol “performed their com-
bat task” and now the main goal is to
“save the lives of personnel”.
By holding the Azovstal plant,
Ukrainian troops did not allow Russians
to rapidly capture the southern city of
Zaporizhzhia, a statement on Facebook
said.
“Defenders of Mariupol are the he-
roes of our time. They are forever in his-
tory,” it added.
The Azovstal plant has become a sym-
bol of resistance, with hundreds of
troops continuing to fight on there even
after the rest of the city had fallen to
Russian forces.-AFP
has given up,” he told parliament after
formally being reelected as premier in the
199-seat assembly by 133 votes to 27
against.
One opposition party walked out of
the chamber in protest over what they see
as an unlevel playing field, calling the
new government “illegitimate”.
European Commission President Ur-
sula von der Leyen and European Council
President Charles Michel both congratu-
lated Orban on Twitter on Monday for his
re-election.
“The EU faces unprecedented chal-
lenges. I look forward to working together
to ensure we can collectively address them
successfully,” von der Leyen wrote.
In his wide-ranging address, Orban
told newly-elected deputies that “the
coming decade will be an era of dangers,
uncertainty, and war”.
Alongside looming economic reces-
sion, an energy crisis and the threat of
pandemics Europe also has to contend
with “a regenerating suicidal wave in the
Western world”, said the 58-year-old. –
AFP
The national civil police force said on
Twitter that “536 terrorists were arrested
on Sunday May 15, the date at which we
reached 50 days since the beginning of the
state of emergency.”– AFP
French city approves Muslim swimsuit
GRENOBLE (France): The French city of
Grenoble authorised the wearing of the
so-called “burkini” by Muslim women in
state-run swimming pools, reigniting one
of France’s most contentious debates on
religous dress.
The all-in-one swimsuit, used by some
Muslim women to cover their bodies and
dailyexpress
the week.
Portugal’s top diplomat Joao Gomes
Cravinho estimated that it could take “a
couple of weeks”, a timescale that would
take the debate up to the next full summit
of EU leaders.
Brussels has offered Hungary, the Czech
Republic and Slovakia long grace periods
to phase out Russian oil imports but that
has not yet convinced Budapest to budge.
-AFP
Macron names
first French
female PM in
over 30 years
PARIS: President Em-
manuel Macron
named Labour Minis-
ter Elisabeth Borne
(pic) as his new
prime minister, the
first woman to head
the French govern-
ment in over 30 years,
the Elysee said in a
statement.
Outgoing French Prime Minister Jean
Castex earlier handed his resignation to
the president, part of a widely expected
reshuffle to make way for a new govern-
ment in the wake of Macron’s re-election in
April.
The departure of Castex, who was a sur-
prise choice for the role in 2020, enables
Macron to reshape the cabinet ahead of
crucial parliamentary polls in June.
The centrist will need a legislative ma-
jority to push through his domestic
agenda following his re-election, with a
new left-wing alliance and the far right
threatening to block his programme.
Speculation has been rife in recent
weeks about Castex’s replacement, with
Macron indicating he wanted a woman
with left-wing and environmental creden-
tials.
Those criteria reflect his desire to focus
on schools and health in the early part of
his second term, as well as the climate cri-
sis, which he has promised to prioritise.
Borne, 61, is seen as an able technocrat
who can negotiate prudently with unions,
as the president embarks on a new package
of social reforms that ris sparking protests.
The last woman premier, Edith Cresson,
told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper
on Sunday that French politics remained
“macho” more than 30 years after she
briefly headed the cabinet from May 1991
to April 1992 under president Francois Mit-
terrand.
“She’ll need lots of courage,” Cresson
said.
Macron, 44, registered a solid victory in
April 24 presidential polls against far-right
leader Marine Le Pen, winning by 59 to 41
percent.
Le Pen and defeated hard-left leader
Jean-Luc Melenchon are both eyeing come-
backs in the parliamentary elections on
June 12 and 19 that would give them the
ability to thwart Macron.
Melenchon recently persuaded the So-
cialist, Communist and Greens parties to
enter an alliance under his leadership that
unites the left around a common platform
for the first time in decades.
Castex had intended to resign immedi-
ately after the presidential election in line
with French tradition, but was persuaded
by Macron to stay on while he lined up a re-
placement.
The bespectacled 56-year-old from rural
southwest France has a no-frills style and a
strong regional accent which has endeared
him to many French people.
He will mostly be remembered for his
management of the latter stages of the
Covid-19 pandemic, delivering regular TV
briefings on infection figures, shutdowns
and social distancing measures.-AFP
hair while bathing, has become a contro-
versial talking point during the holiday
season in recent years.
Seen as a symbol of creeping Islamism
by its critics and an affront to France’s sec-
ular traditions, many right-wingers and
some feminists would like to ban it out-
right.– AFP
dailyexpress
Fighting rocks
Libya after
rival PM
enters city
TRIPOLI: The capital of war-battered Libya
was rocked by fighting between backers of
two rival administrations for several hours
Tuesday, threatening renewed chaos in the
oil-rich North African country.
The side backed by an eastern-based
military strongman then pulled out of the
western city of Tripoli, citing the “security
and safety of citizens”, as the United Na-
tions and European Union launched ur-
gent appeals for calm.
There were no immediate reports of ca-
sualties from the fighting that erupted be-
fore dawn, according to AFP correspon-
dents.
Libya has been ruled by Prime Minister
Abdulhamid Dbeibah, but he has been
challenged by Fathi Bashagha, who was
named as rival premier in February by the
parliament in the country’s eastern city of
Tobruk and is backed by strongman Khal-
ifa Haftar.
Violence flared before dawn after
Bashagha’s press service announced “the
arrival of the prime minister of the Libyan
US forces host a range day with the Danab Brigade in Somalia. (US Air Force pic)
Biden reestablishes US troop in Somalia
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden has or-
dered the reestablishment of a US troop
presence in Somalia to help local authori-
ties combat the Al-Shabaab militant group,
a senior American official told reporters.
The move reverses an order from Biden’s
predecessor Donald Trump, who in late
2020 pulled nearly all US forces from the
East African nation as he sought to wind
down US military engagements abroad
during his final weeks in office.
Biden “approved a request from the De-
fence Department to reposition US forces in
East Africa in order to reestablish a small
persistent US military presence in Somalia,”
the official said.
Fewer than 500 troops will be involved,
the official said, adding that it will “take a
little bit of time to reach that” level in So-
malia.
That is slightly smaller than the original
footprint of 750 US soldiers who spent years
in the country conducting operations
against Al-Shabaab, but were then removed
under Trump and rebased in neighbouring
countries Kenya and Djibouti.
In December 2020, just before he left of-
fice, Trump directed the withdrawal from
Mali junta thwarts coup attempt
BAMAKO: Mali’s military junta said it
thwarted an attempted coup last week led
by army officers and supported by an un-
named Western state.
The statement read out on state televi-
sion said a “small group of anti-progres-
sive Malian officers and non-commis-
sioned officers attempted a coup in the
night of May 11 to 12, 2022”.
“These soldiers were supported by a
Western state. The attempt was thwarted
thanks to the vigilance and professional-
ism of the defence and security forces.”
The statement gave few details on what
allegedly happened.
It mentioned arrests and said the de-
tainees would be handed over to justice.
Their identity and whereabouts were not
revealed.
It added that checks have been
strengthened around the capital Bamako
and at Mali’s borders.
A military source speaking on condi-
tion of anonymity spoke of around 10 ar-
rests and said others were underway.
The government statement said “all
necessary means” were being mobilised
for the investigation and to find accom-
plices.
YOUR LOCA L VOI CE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
government, Mr Fathi Bashagha, accompa-
nied by several ministers, in the capital
Tripoli to begin his work there”.
The fighting raised fears of a return to
the chaos that reigned after a Nato-
backed popular revolt in 2011 toppled dic-
tator Moamer Kadhafi, and to the all-out
conflict that gripped the capital in 2019-
20.
After several hours early Tuesday,
Bashagha’s camp announced that he and
his ministers “have left Tripoli to preserve
the security and safety of citizens”.
There was no immediate reaction from
the unity administration led by Dbeibah,
which was installed in 2020 as part of a
troubled UN-backed peace process and
which has since refused to step down.
The UN’s top in-country official,
Stephanie Williams, in a tweet called for
calm and stressed the necessity of “refrain-
ing from provocative actions including in-
flammatory rhetoric, participation in
clashes and the mobilisation of forces. –
AFP
Somalia “against the advice of senior US
military leadership,” the official said.
“Since then Al-Shabaab... has unfortu-
nately only grown stronger,” the official
added.
The official suggested that Biden’s deci-
sion had more to do with the security of US
forces than with the election on Sunday of
a new Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mo-
hamud, after more than a year of political
instability and a drought crisis.
Somalian leaders over recent years have
been constant in their support for cooper-
ation with the US military in battling Is-
lamic extremists, the official said, adding
that Washington remains confident the
new administration will continue to do so.
Congratulating the newly elected presi-
dent, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
urged him to develop “security forces to
prevent and counter terrorism and assume
full security responsibility from the African
Union Transition Mission in Somalia.”
By reinserting US troops, Washington
will reduce the risks involved in back-and-
forth mobilisations of forces that have been
conducting counterterrorism operations
inside Somalia. – AFP
No indication of the attempted coup
that reportedly happened last week had
surfaced until Monday evening.
Mali has undergone two military coups
since August 2020, when the army ousted
elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
The West African state has been fight-
ing a jihadist insurgency against groups
affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic
State group since 2012 in the north and
centre of the country. – AFP
Protest in northern Nigeria over fresh blasphemy case
KANO (Nigeria): Nigerian police dis-
persed an angry crowd searching for a
woman they accused of making a blas-
phemous comment online against
Prophet Muhammad, in the mainly Mus-
lim northeastern city of Maiduguri.
The protest, which residents and a se-
curity source said wasn’t violent, took
place days after another woman was ac-
cused of blasphemy and killed by a mob
in northwestern Sokoto state.
Three residents told AFP by phone that
around 300 people stormed the woman’s
neighbourhood in the outskirts of the
Fighters of a military battalion loyal to Libyan General Khalifa Hafta patrol the streets in the eastern city of Benghazi. (AFPpic)
Taliban promises ‘good news’ on girls’ education
WASHINGTON: Afghanistan’s interior
minister promised “very good news” soon
on the return of girls to secondary schools,
in a rare interview broadcast by CNN.
At the end of March, the Taliban, who
took power after US forces withdrew from
the country last August, closed high
schools and colleges for girls just hours af-
ter their reopening.
The unexpected reversal, ordered by Hi-
batullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader
of the Taliban and of the country, outraged
many Afghans and the international com-
munity.
“I would like to provide some clarifica-
tion. There is no one who opposes educa-
tion for women,” said Interior Minister Sir-
ajuddin Haqqani, long one of the most se-
cretive Taliban leaders and who only
showed his face in public for the first time
in March.
He argued that girls could already go to
primary school. “Above that grade, the
work is continuing on a mechanism” to al-
low girls to attend secondary school, he
said in his first televised interview.
“Very soon you will hear very good
news about this issue,” he said.
Haqqani hinted that the “mechanism”
was linked to school dress codes, explain-
ing that education should be based on
Afghan “culture” and “Islamic rules and
principles,” and referred “more broadly”
to the issue of women wearing the hijab.
After their return to power, the Taliban
demanded that women wear at least a hi-
jab, a scarf covering the head but revealing
Zimbabwe seeks EU backing
to sell $600m worth of ivory
HARARE: Zimbabwe sought the support
of the European Union to sell off US$600
million worth of ivory it has accumulated
due to the global ban on the sale of tusks.
International trade in ivory has been
banned since 1989 under the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Manage-
ment Authority director-general Fulton
Mangwanya told EU ambassadors to
Harare that the country has 163,000
tonnes of ivory and 67 tonnes of rhino
horns in vaults.
He estimated the value of the ivory at
around $600 million.
“The burden of managing a stockpile
that we cannot derive economic value, or
plough back into the communities and
conservation of the same species is quite
a great pain to us,” he said.
“We kindly request the support of the
EU for Zimbabwe to be allowed a once off
sale of our national ivory stock,” said
First defendant of CAR war crimes court
BANGUI (Central African Republic): A UN-
backed court set up in 2015 to prosecute
suspected war criminals in the Central
African Republic heard from its first defen-
dants.
The Special Criminal Court, a hybrid
body of local and foreign magistrates, has
been struggling for years to get going in
the face of logistical hurdles, lack of
money and local hostility.
In the dock are three members of a
powerful militia called the 3R, Issa Sallet
Adoum, Ousman Yaouba and Tahir Ma-
Borno state capital on Monday.
The mob was looking for her, but
couldn’t find her, they said.
“Policemen deployed and chased the
protesters away,” resident Abdulkarim
Adam told AFP.
“The police did not arrest anyone, they
just dispersed them by firing in the air
and hurling teargas grenades,” said
Adam, in an account supported by two
other residents, Bunu Mustapha and
Musa Grema.
A security source asking to remain
anonymous told AFP the incident in-
Girls attend a class after their school reopening in Kabul. (AFPpic)
the face.
But since the beginning of May, they
have instead forced them to wear a full veil
in public and preferably a burqa, which
had been compulsory when they first ran
the country between 1996 and 2001.
“If someone is giving away their daugh-
ters or sisters, they do that based on total
trust,” he said.
“We must establish the conditions so
that we can ensure their honour and secu-
rity. We are acting to ensure this.”
The Haqqani network that was founded
by his late father and which he now heads
is accused of carrying out some of the
most violent attacks perpetrated by the
Taliban in Afghanistan in the past 20 years.
Mangwanya.
The EU diplomats were taken on tour
of the vaults in Harare.
Mangwanya said if allowed, the funds
would be used to benefit local communi-
ties living around animal conservancies.
The country can support up to 55,000
elephants but the population has more
than doubled to 100,000, according to of-
ficials.
Elephants have so far this year killed 60
people, in a conservation success story
that has led to increased conflict with hu-
mans.
But the plea was did not immediately
garner support.
“Conservation and prevention of ille-
gal wildlife trade is an international issue
because of the involvement of criminal
syndicates in illegal wildlife trade hence
there is need to strengthen international
cooperation,” the Swiss ambassador Ni-
culin Jager responded on behalf of his col-
leagues. – AFP
hamat, who are accused of massacring 46
villagers in the northwestern villages of
Koundjili and Lemouna on May 21, 2019.
Their case had been formally opened,
and swiftly adjourned, on April 25.
The 3R (Return, Reclamation and Reha-
bilitation) is one of the CAR’s most power-
ful armed groups, drawn mainly from the
Fulani ethnic group.
The mandate of the Special Criminal
Court applies to war crimes and crimes
against humanity dating back to 2003. –
AFP
volved “a large crowd” who “were unruly
but not violent.”
“Military and police personnel de-
ployed,” he said, “and the protesters were
dispersed.”
He offered a different account to the
residents and said some suspects were de-
tained.
Local police chief Abdu Umar didn’t
confirm details of the protest but told re-
porters that they had received reports
that “some elements were planning to
disrupt the existing peace” in the state. –
AFP
World 11
Sirajuddin Haqqani himself is still on
the FBI’s most wanted list, with a $10 mil-
lion reward for any information that could
lead to his arrest.
On CNN, the minister said that “the last
20 years was a situation of defensive fight-
ing and war” but that he wanted in the fu-
ture “to have good relations with the
United States and the international com-
munity.”
“We do not look at them as enemies,”
he said, insisting that the Taliban intends
to respect the agreement signed with
Washington in 2020, in which they
pledged not to let Afghanistan become a
haven for terrorists targeting Americans
again. – AFP
Uproar in
S Africa
after ‘racist’
urine assault
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa was em-
broiled in a new racial flareup on Monday
after a white student was filmed urinating
on a black student’s books and laptop at
one of the country’s top universities.
Stellenbosch University, which de-
scribed the incident as “racist,” said it had
immediately suspended the undergradu-
ate student, whom it did not name.
According to a cellphone video circu-
lating on social media, the man barged
into the first-year black student’s room at
a hall of residence in the pre-dawn hours
of Sunday, and then urinated on his be-
longings.
The university “strongly condemns the
destructive, hurtful and racist incident,”
Stellenbosch said in a statement.
Wim de Villiers, the university’s vice-
chancellor, said, “We are appalled by this
type of behaviour. Such conduct will not
be tolerated at the university.”
South Africa has been roiled by a string
of racial disputes that have exposed deep
divisions 28 years after the end of white-
minority rule.
The South African Students’ Congress
said the victim had been asleep “when he
heard noise in his room.”
“When he woke up, the racist white boy
was urinating on his study desk, books and
on his laptop,” it said in a statement.
Asked what he was doing, the “racist re-
sponse was that it is what they do to black
boys,” it said.
The university’s students representative
council said the incident was an example
of “the harm that follows marginalised
communities, and in this case, Black stu-
dents.”
Protests were held on the campus on
Monday, gathering students of all races.
Many South Africans, including former
students, took to social media to vent their
anger about Stellenbosch, with some say-
ing the university, regularly ranked as one
of the best in Africa, had an entrenched
problem with elitism and racism.
De Villiers, in the statement, said, “We
acted swiftly and decisively to uphold our
commitment to a culture of inclusivity.
“What happened...is not acceptable. No
student has the right to diminish another
student’s human dignity or rights in this
way.” – AFP
 BUSINESS
13 Indian insurer slumps at IPO debut
MAS, Qatar Airways
see codeshare increase
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines Bhd
and Qatar Airways will significantly ex-
pand their codeshare cooperation to 96
combined destinations allowing passen-
gers to travel the world and enjoy seamless
connectivity via their leading hubs in
Kuala Lumpur and Doha.
The airlines said this in unveiling the
roadmap outlining the next phase of their
strategic partnership, following Malaysia
Airlines’ announcement to launch a non-
stop service from Kuala Lumpur to Doha
from May 25.
The airlines noted that their strategic
partnership evolved progressively begin-
ning 2001 and have significantly ex-
panded with the signing of a memoran-
dum of understanding in February 2022 to
leverage each other’s network strengths
and provide robust access for passengers
to travel to new destinations beyond their
individual network and ultimately lead
Asia Pacific travel.
In a joint statement today, the airlines
shared that their codeshare expansion,
which adds 34 destinations to the existing
62 codeshare destinations, marked an-
other milestone in the long-standing rela-
China Covid
policy to hit
Asia aviation
SINGAPORE: China’s zero-Covid policy will
hold back a full air travel recovery in the
Asia-Pacific region, a top airline industry
group warned Tuesday, adding to calls for
Beijing to ease its hardline stance.
The world’s second-biggest economy is
seeking to stamp out the coronavirus en-
tirely, with rapid lockdowns and mass test-
ing, and the measures have hammered
both domestic and international air travel.
The aviation sector’s recovery in Asia
was already relatively slow, and Willie
Walsh, the International Air Transport As-
sociation (IATA) chief, warned Beijing’s
approach made the picture bleaker.
“It has been a brutal two years for air-
lines. But we are seeing signs of recovery
now,” he told an aviation conference in
Singapore.
“Unfortunately, (the) Asia-Pacific re-
gion will lag this recovery as China contin-
ues to pursue zero-Covid.”
In 2021 in Asia, international travel was
only seven percent of what it was in 2019,
compared with a worldwide figure of 25
percent, he said.
While the picture had improved at the
start of this year, there was still a “long way
to go”, he added.
China’s decision to stick with zero-
Covid has put it at odds with many Asian
governments, which have started reopen-
ing borders and dropping quarantine and
testing requirements in recent months. –
AFP
Bursa closing report
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended
higher on Tuesday as bargain hunting
emerged in selected heavyweights, led by
the industrial products and services and
plantation counters.
At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI
(FBM KLCI) rose 4.19 points to 1,548.60
from Friday’s close of 1,544.41.
Bursa Malaysia and its subsidiaries
were closed on Monday for the Wesak
Day replacement holiday.
The benchmark index, which opened
11.27 points higher at 1,555.68, moved
steadily between 1,548.02 and 1,558.11
throughout the day.
On the broader market, gainers sur-
passed decliners 575 to 424, while 408
counters were unchanged, 848 untraded
and 10 others suspended.
Total turnover widened to 5.51 billion
units worth RM2.79 billion from 3.17 bil-
lion units worth RM2.51 billion previ-
ously.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity re-
search vice-president, Thong Pak Leng
said the benchmark index had closed in
positive territory after rising by 0.27 per
cent.
“Key regional markets are also in pos-
KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign investors turned
net buyers again for the week ended May 13
after a week of net selling the week before
with net inflows increased to RM56.9 mil-
lion, MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd
(MIDF Research) said.
In its weekly Fund Flow Report today, the
firm said local retailers remained net buy-
ers for the fifth consecutive week at
RM234.8 million while local institutions
turned net sellers after a week of net buying
with a net selling position of RM291.8 mil-
lion last week.
“To date, international funds have been
net buyers for 15 out of the 19 weeks of 2022,
dailyexpress
YOUR LOCAL VOIC E I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
tionship between the two countries’ na-
tional carriers and oneworld partners.
The agreement, they said would benefit
travellers from across the globe who will
have access to a much greater combined
network and enjoy a seamless travel expe-
rience on both airlines with a single ticket
including check-in, boarding and bag-
gage-check processes, frequent flyer ben-
efits and world-class lounge access for the
entire journey.
“In linking both route networks, the
partners are striving to develop Kuala
Lumpur as a leading aviation hub in the
Southeast Asia region connecting South-
east Asia, Australia and New Zealand with
the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and
Africa.
“Furthermore, Malaysia Airlines and
Qatar Airways will leverage synergies
across multiple business areas and de-
velop innovative products to benefit their
customers worldwide,” they said.
Malaysia Airlines’ group chief executive
officer (GCEO) Captain Izham Ismail said
as Malaysia is moving into the endemic
phase, this partnership is opportune in the
efforts to boost air traffic and expedite re-
Habib Hari Raya series
KUALA LUMPUR: HABIB kicked off its an-
nual Hari Raya campaign themed Ranta-
ian Kasih from 4th April until May 15 at
all showrooms nationwide.
Dato’ Sri Meer Habib said “Ramadhan
is a beautiful month where families take
time to reconnect, do things and share
moments together; for buka puasa, ter-
awih prayers and preparation, like shop-
ping for Raya. And this is where the
theme Rantaian Kasih takes centerstage
for us, embracing the ties that bind
among families and loved ones. And we
are happy to share in those precious mo-
ments.
When customers come to our show-
rooms, they have put their trust in our
brand to deliver the best quality and they
are excited to see new unique designs
that are modern yet timeless.”A lot of ef-
Tourism roadshows for Iran, Oman, Qatar
PUTRAJAYA: Tourism Malaysia is ramp-
ing up its marketing effort to lure inter-
national tourists from West Asia by
launching roadshows in Iran, Oman and
Qatar from 13 to 21 May 2022, in conjunc-
tion with Malaysia’s border reopening.
Led by Dato’ Zainuddin Abdul Wa-
hab, Director-General of Tourism
Malaysia, the roadshows will bring to-
gether Malaysia’s tourism fraternity
which consists of travel agents, hoteliers,
product owners, state tourism bodies
and medical tourism industry players, to
the capital cities of Tehran, Muscat and
Doha.
Bursa ends higher on bargain hunting
itive territory with high buying interest
in technology stocks.
“Sentiments also rose on news that
Shanghai plans to gradually reopen after
spending more than six weeks in lock-
down,” he said to Bernama.
On the FBM KLCI, Thong said Rakuten
Trade is cautiously optimistic given the
improvement in the local market senti-
ment and foreign support, while on the
other hand, investors shall stay alert to
the increasing market volatility and ex-
ternal uncertainties.
“Hence, we anticipate the benchmark
index to trend sideways within the 1,540-
1,560 range, with immediate support at
1,530 and resistance at 1,575,” he added.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank
and IHH Healthcare eased one sen each
to RM8.95 and RM6.43 respectively, while
Public Bank was flat at RM4.53.
Petronas Chemicals gained three sen
to RM10.02 and CIMB was two sen higher
at RM5.06.
Of the actives, Serba Dinamik rose 4.5
sen to 16.5 sen, Sapura Energy increased
Foreign investor inflows of up to RM56.9m
with a total net inflow of RM6.98 billion.
“They were net sellers on Wednesday
and Thursday at RM2.08 million and
RM145.2 million, respectively,” said the re-
search firm.
MIDF Research said local institutions
were net sellers on all the trading days of
the week, except on Thursday where they
were net buyers to the tune of RM41.38 mil-
lion.
“The highest net selling was recorded on
Tuesday at RM200.67 million and the small-
14 Sustainable palm oil price changes becoming a worry
covery to pre-pandemic levels, while also
enhancing the airline’s global brand visi-
bility.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways GCEO Akbar
Al Baker said the airline is experiencing a
new optimism in air travel and expect a
strong rebound in global demand.
“With our dynamic partnership with
Malaysia Airlines, we are aiming to pro-
vide unparalleled service and a superior
travel experience for our customers,” he
commented.
On another note, the airlines said the
enhanced cooperation will include recip-
rocal loyalty benefits allowing Qatar Air-
ways Privilege Club members to earn and
redeem Avios points when flying on
Malaysia Airlines, with similar benefits for
Malaysia Airlines Enrich members when
travelling on Qatar Airways.
Privilege Club and Enrich members will
also enjoy a wide range of other unique
benefits, depending on tier status, such as
complimentary lounge access, compli-
mentary extra baggage allowance, priority
check-in, priority boarding and priority
baggage delivery on Malaysia Airlines and
Qatar Airways, they added. – Bernama
fort is put in to ensure we offer the best
collections, at top notch craftsmanship.
Most importantly, we ensure our designs
cater to a wide customer base at compet-
itive prices,” said Dato Meer Habib. He
said customer have become more sophis-
ticated when buying jewellery. Many
choose quality over a bargain and we will
continue to ensure that we meet their ex-
pectations and produce only the best.”
The Rantaian Kasih collections featur-
ing exclusive diamond sets, Oro Italia 916
gold jewellery, multi-coloured precious
gemstones set in 18k white gold, beauti-
ful bold floral brooches, long chains
studded with diamonds, diamond ban-
gles with songket inspired motives,
stackable diamond rings, as well as
bracelets sets with matching rings.
For more information, visit the web-
Apart from formal briefings and pre-
sentations on Malaysia’s tourism indus-
try, travel trade partners from the West
Asian market will have the opportunities
to attend travel mart sessions and net-
working dinners to develop new part-
nerships with Malaysian counterparts.
Travellers from the West Asia market
dominate the top five international
tourists spending in Malaysia in terms of
per capita expenditure besides record-
ing longer average lengths of stay com-
pared to tourists from other markets.
Dato’ Zainuddin said: As we welcome
more West Asia travellers back to
three sen to 7.5 sen, KNM gained half-a-
sen to 18 sen, Hibiscus Petroleum was 12
sen higher at RM1.47, while Techna-X de-
clined 3.5 sen to eight sen.
Nestle stood as the top gainer Tuesday
after rising by RM1.30 to RM132.80, fol-
lowed by Petron Malaysia which
strengthened 69 sen to RM6.71 and
Hengyuan Refining which added 42 sen
to RM7.40, while Press Metal Aluminum
gained 34 sen to RM5.38 and Panasonic
bagged 30 sen to RM28.30.
On the index board, FBM ACE in-
creased 20.61 points to 5,363.24, FBM
Emas Index advanced 49.61 points to
11,060.41, FBMT 100 Index firmed 37.82
points to 10,725.08, FBM Emas Shariah In-
dex widened 80.86 points to 11,549.27,
and FBM 70 added 82.24 points to
13,138.85.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services In-
dex perked 0.12 of-a-point to 16,534.49,
the Industrial Products and Services In-
dex was 3.63 points higher at 200.42, and
the Plantation Index climbed 80.91
points to 8,260.19.
est net selling on Wednesday at RM40.44
million,” it added.
Meanwhile, it said local institutions have
been net sellers for 16 out of 19 weeks this
year.
To date, they have sold RM8.1 billion of
equities.
In addition, it said local retailers were
net buyers on all trading days of the week
with the highest net buying on Thursday at
RM103.83 million and the smallest on Tues-
day at RM21.34 million.
Air traffic forecast to recover 30-45pc
SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s air passenger traf-
fic this year is forecast to increase between
197 per cent and 347 per cent year-on-year
(YoY), representing between 32.6 million
and 49 million passengers, according to
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka
Siong.
These marked a 30 to 45 per cent recov-
ery from the pre-pandemic air passenger
traffic levels in 2019, he said in his opening
statement at a panel discussion titled, “Re-
viving Aviation, Rebuilding Connections”
at the Changi Aviation Summit 2022 (CAS
2022).
Wee is here at the invitation of the Sin-
gapore government.
On air cargo traffic for 2022, Wee said it
is projected to grow between 3.9 per cent
and 6.7 per cent YoY, which translates into
21.5 billion to 22 billion freight tonne kilo-
metres, underpinned by the progress of
vaccination programme, strong growth of
e-commerce, as well as increased activities
in international trade—imports and ex-
ports.
For a smooth and full recovery, Wee rec-
Flood behind up to RM6.5b econ losses
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Reinsurance
Bhd (Malaysian Re) disclosed that the De-
cember 2021 floods had resulted in eco-
nomic losses of between RM5.3 billion and
RM6.5 billion.
Malaysian Re said in a statement that
the amount was revealed in Malaysian In-
surance Highlights (MIH) 2021, its third
site at www.habibjewels.com or follow us
on our social media @habibjewelsofficial
on Instagram and Facebook @HABIB.
Malaysia, it is a timely occasion to
strengthen our partnership with inter-
national airlines such as Qatar Airways,
Oman Air and Mahan Air, which offer di-
rect flights to Kuala Lumpur.
“With an exciting line-up of new at-
tractions to be explored, including the
newly opened Genting SkyWorlds Theme
Park, the world’s second tallest sky-
scraper Merdeka 118, and the Sunway Re-
sort in Kuala Lumpur that just reopened
after a once-in-a-generation transforma-
tion, we are thrilled to welcome interna-
tional travellers worldwide to experience
our country again.” – Bernama
The Main Market volume widened to
4.72 billion shares worth RM2.59 billion
from 2.12 billion shares worth RM2.32 bil-
lion on Friday.
Warrants turnover reduced to 271.92
million units valued at RM55.55 million
versus 305.24 million units valued at
RM58.76 million.
The ACE Market volume declined to
514.40 million units worth RM144.57 mil-
lion from 736.17 million units worth
RM132.24 million previously.
Consumer products and services
counters accounted for 286.34 million
shares traded on the Main Market, indus-
trial products and services (509 million),
construction (120.73 million), technol-
ogy (210.91 million), SPAC (nil), financial
services (80.96 million), property (194.29
million), plantation (66.14 million), RE-
ITs (7.64 million), closed/fund (28,800),
energy (3.08 billion), healthcare (58.92
million), telecommunications and media
(40.56 million), transportation and logis-
tics (42.21 million), and utilities (24.05
million). – Bernama
In terms of participation, foreign in-
vestors saw a decrease in the average daily
trade value (ADTV) by 24.76 per cent.
Local retailers saw a decline of 6.9 per
cent while local institutions saw an increase
of 9.49 per cent.
MIDF Research said Hengyuan Refining
Company Bhd registered the highest net
money inflow of RM3.92 million last week
while Malayan Banking Bhd saw the largest
net money outflow of RM3.96 million. –
Bernama
12
ommended that health protocols imposed
for air travel must be consistent, simpler,
and more predictable.
Some measures, he said, required fur-
ther considerations, namely allowing vac-
cinated passengers to travel without addi-
tional measures; using pre-departure anti-
gen tests for non-vaccinated passengers;
and avoiding on-arrival testing.
Others included removing travel bans
and accelerating the ease of travel restric-
tions in cognizance of the fact that trav-
ellers pose no greater risk of COVID-19 in-
fection than what has already been in ex-
istence in the general population.
After delivering his opening statement,
Wee joined the discussions with fellow
panelists and speakers.
They were Indonesia’s Minister of Trans-
port Budi Karya Sumadi, European Com-
mission director-general for mobility and
transport Henrik Hololei, Singapore Air-
lines chief executive officer (CEO) Goh
Choon Phong, and Airports Company
South Africa CEO Nompumelelo Z.Mpofu.
– Bernama
edition of Thought Leadership publica-
tion launched on Tuesday which examines
the impact of flooding on the Malaysian
economy and the insurance markets.
“MIH 2021 explores the major chal-
lenges of underinsured flood risks in
Malaysia whereby on average only about
10 per cent of economic losses are covered.
“According to the publication,
Malaysia’s insurers shouldered about
RM1.5 billion to RM2.0 billion (US$360
million to US$480 million), or 20 per cent
to 30 per cent of the economic losses as a
high share of manufacturing properties
were hit in the Federal Territory of Kuala
Lumpur and Selangor,” it said.
Malaysian Re president and chief exec-
utive officer Zainudin Ishak said MIH 2021
addresses how livelihoods and properties
across the nation were severely impacted
by the catastrophe at unprecedented scale
and unusual timing.
“The cost of flood insurance is rather
nominal. The cover is available as an exten-
sion to the standard fire policy and costs
about 0.086 per cent of the sum insured.
“The pricing of the risk is perceived as
high and is often only purchased in flood-
prone regions or following recent events,”
he said.
MIH 2021 accentuates the need to ad-
dress this protection gap as the risk from
floods increases, whereby flood cover de-
mand is influenced by government sup-
port for losses sustained by the low in-
come segment.
“In the recent floods, the government
supported those affected with a financial
contribution of RM1.4 billion,” he added.
The third edition of MIH also noted that
the December floods impacted flood cover-
age pricing in Malaysia’s insurance markets.
Insurers are also expected to review
their reinsurance structures to ensure that
they have sufficient coverage as a result of
greater understanding of risks as a result
of flooding in the country. – Bernama
Stanchart expects
7pc econ growth
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian economy
is expected to return to above pre-pan-
demic levels with the 2022 gross domestic
product (GDP) growth forecast to 7.0 per
cent from 6.2 per cent given stronger-
than-expected first quarter (Q1) GDP
growth, said Standard Chartered Bank
(StanChart).
The bank also maintained Overnight
Policy Rate (OPR) hikes in 2022 totalling 75
basis points (bps), with two more hikes in
July and September 2022, bringing it up to
2.5 per cent by end-2022.
StanChart said the “growth recovery
was broad-based” which saw all compo-
nents expanding quarter-on-quarter (q-o-
q), with the exception of investment and
trade in services remaining below pre-
pandemic levels as of Q1.
“In terms of industries, 18 out of 21 sec-
tors expanded q-o-q, and we estimate that
74 per cent of the economy is above pre-
Covid levels,” it said in a research note
Tuesday.
The bank noted that the labour market
has also continued to recover, with strong
employment growth and tighter condi-
tions translating to higher wage growth.
It said the economic and labour market
recovery “justifies” the move by Bank Ne-
gara Malaysia (BNM) to begin the process
of normalising monetary policy from
emergency settings.
“We expect the process of normalising
monetary policy from emergency settings
to continue. While inflationary pressure is
not substantial, the current low policy rate
is not seen as commensurate with the eco-
nomic recovery,” it said.
StanChart noted that BNM may also
want “to take advantage of the robust
growth to build policy space” as the policy
guidance suggests that more rate hikes are
likely.
However, the bank lowered its 2023
GDP forecast to 4.2 per cent from 4.5 per
cent previously, due to higher base effects.
– Bernama
dailyexpress
US baby formula maker agrees to resume production
WASHINGTON: Amid a US shortage of
baby formula, officials announced a previ-
ously closed manufacturer would re-open
and encouraged foreign companies to ap-
ply to import their products—although it
will take weeks to see more stock back on
store shelves.
Abbott, which produces the popular
Similac brand used by millions of Ameri-
can families, announced a voluntary recall
on February 17 after the death of two ba-
bies.
In a separate move, the FDA also said it
Indian insurer slumps at IPO debut
MUMBAI: Indian state-owned insurance
giant LIC slumped on its market debut
Tuesday following the country’s biggest-
ever initial public offering, opening seven
percent below the offer price.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gov-
ernment raised $2.7 billion by selling 3.5
percent of Life Insurance Corporation of
India as his administration seeks to priva-
tise state assets to plug a gaping budget
deficit.
But it was forced to cut back the offer
from a planned five percent after markets
turned volatile following Russia’s inva-
sion of Ukraine and China’s Covid lock-
downs.
The offer price of 949 rupees had val-
ued LIC at $77 billion, but it opened Tues-
day on Mumbai’s exchange trading seven
percent lower. The share price dropped to
9.4 percent down, before recovering
slightly.
The muted debut could test the ap-
petite of new shareholders for further
flotations of nationalised companies as
Foreign tourists eat at a street-side stall along the popular Khaosan Road in Bangkok.
Covid-battered Thai economy rebounds
BANGKOK: Thailand’s economy grew 2.2
percent in the first quarter as exports and
tourism rebounded after the relaxation of
pandemic restrictions, the country’s main
economic agency said Tuesday.
During the pandemic, Southeast Asia’s
second-largest economy suffered its worst
economic performance since the 1997
Asian financial crisis, with visitor numbers
crashing from roughly 40 million annu-
ally.
But this month the tourism-dependent
kingdom dropped almost all restrictions
for fully vaccinated visitors, including the
need for Covid-19 tests to travel.
“The export sector is good... the tourism
industry is getting better due to the relax-
ation of entry requirements for tourists,”
National Economic and Social Develop-
ment Council secretary general Danucha
Pichayanan said.
The agency said the economy grew by
2.2 percent in January to March compared
with the same period last year, and by 1.1
UK unemployment dips but wages hit by inflation
LONDON: Britain’s unemployment rate
has fallen further to a near five-decade
low, official data showed Tuesday, but the
value of wages continues to erode as infla-
tion soars.
The unemployment rate eased to 3.7
percent in the three months to the end of
March, the Office for National Statistics
(ONS) said in a statement.
That was the lowest level in more than
47 years and compared with a rate of 3.8
foreign closing report
HONG KONG: Hong Kong led a rally
across Asian markets Tuesday on hopes
that China’s economic engine Shanghai
will ease its weeks-long lockdown and
gradually reopen businesses, though an-
alysts caution against any long-term re-
lief.
Much of the city of 25 million has been
under lockdown since April as Beijing at-
tempts to stamp out an Omicron-fuelled
virus surge under its strict zero-Covid pol-
icy.
Vice Mayor Chen Tong said Sunday
that the city would gradually reopen busi-
nesses starting this week.
Though no details were given and res-
idents were still in their homes on Tues-
day, Asian markets have cheered over the
announcement.
“Hopes that the Shanghai lockdowns
will ease, along with the ensuing supply
chain disruptions, have been enough to
lift Asian equities as well, which are stag-
YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNES DAY, MAY 18, 2022
plans to accept applications from interna-
tional baby formula manufacturers “who
don’t normally distribute their infant for-
mula products in the US,” FDA Commis-
sioner Robert Califf said in a statement.
Currently, the United States produces
about 98 percent of the formula it con-
sumes.
According to Califf, foreign-made baby
formula could appear on US shelves
within “weeks.”
The Biden administration was also
reaching out to US manufacturers to offer
Modi seeks to sell off state assets to plug
an estimated 16.6 trillion rupee ($213.5
billion) fiscal deficit.
The IPO saw enthusiastic participation
from small investors and was oversub-
scribed nearly three times during the six-
day application period.
But foreign investors have withdrawn
a net 1.71 trillion rupees ($22 billion) from
Indian equities so far this year, stock ex-
change data showed, as the US monetary
policy tightening further roiled senti-
ment.
Founded in 1956 by nationalising and
combining more than 240 firms, LIC was
for decades synonymous with life insur-
ance in post-independence India, until
the entry of private companies in 2000.
It continues to lead the pack with a 61
percent share of the market in India, with
its army of 1.3 million “LIC agents” giving
it huge reach, particularly in remote rural
areas.
But LIC’s market share has declined
steadily in the face of competition from
percent compared with the previous quar-
ter.
The figures are a stark turnaround from
the depths of the pandemic, which saw the
economy contract by 6.1 percent in 2020.
The agency said global market volatility
from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and a
slowdown in China’s economy thanks to
virus lockdowns across various cities, were
affecting the pace of the kingdom’s eco-
nomic recovery.
Ukraine is a key exporter of fertiliser
and the war has reduced supply in Thai-
land. The Thai government has sought to
ease the shortage by sourcing fertiliser
from Saudi Arabia.
The agency also raised its inflation fore-
casts this year to between 4.2-5.2 percent,
up from the earlier range of 1.5-2.5 percent.
Danucha attributed the inflation in-
crease to rising energy prices.
The country has a weekly average of
more than 6,500 daily new coronavirus in-
fections, although testing is limited. – AFP
percent in the quarter to the end of Febru-
ary. The ONS added that wages continued
to sink in real terms as Britain, like other
countries, faces runaway inflation.
“There continued to be a mixed picture
for the labour market,” said Darren Mor-
gan, ONS director of economic statistics.
Total employment remained below its
pre-pandemic level, with job vacancies at
a record-high of almost 1.3 million at the
end of April.
Asian stocks rally on hopes of Shanghai gradually reopening
ing a modest bounce,” said Jeffrey Halley
of OANDA.
Tuesday’s rally coincides with the third
day in a row that Shanghai has recorded
no Covid-19 cases outside of its quaran-
tine facilities, he said.
“We should continue watching the
headline ticker for daily Omicron cases.
Most especially, in Shanghai, where if lit-
erally one case appears again, any relief
rally in Chinese markets could disappear
in a puff of smoke.”
The impact of Beijing’s zero-Covid
strategy on the world’s second-largest
economy was revealed Monday when of-
ficial data showed that retail sales and in-
dustrial production in April on-year had
slumped to their lowest levels in more
than two years.
World markets have also been roiled
help with logistical challenges, such as
shipping, the officials said.
US families have grown increasingly
desperate for formula amid a perfect
storm of supply chain issues and the mas-
sive recall.
The average out-of-stock rate for baby
formula hit 43 percent earlier this month,
according to Datasembly, which collected
information from more than 11,000 retail-
ers.
Abbott’s agreement with the FDA to
restart production at the plant in Sturgis,
net-savvy private insurers offering spe-
cialised products.
The firm warned in its regulatory filing
that “there can be no assurance that our
corporation will not lose further market
share” to private companies.
The IPO followed a years-long effort by
bankers and bureaucrats to appraise the
mammoth insurer and prepare it for list-
ing.
LIC is also India’s largest asset man-
ager, with 39.55 trillion rupees under
management as of September 30, includ-
ing significant stakes in Indian blue chips
such as Reliance and Infosys.
LIC’s real estate assets include vast of-
fices at prime urban Indian locations, in-
cluding a 15-storey office in Chennai that
was once the country’s tallest building.
The firm is also believed to own a large
collection of rare and valuable artwork
that includes paintings by MF Husain—
known as the Pablo Picasso of India—al-
though the value of these holdings has
not been made public. – AFP
Euro wheat trade soars to record high
PARIS: Wheat prices surged to a new
record high in European trading this week
after India decided to ban exports of the
commodity as a heatwave hit production.
The price jumped to 438.25 euros
($456.68) per tonne as the Euronext mar-
ket closed, breaking the previous closing
record of 422.40 struck on March 7, accord-
ing to trader Damien Vercambre at grains
brokerage Inter-Courtage.
It had earlier set a record opening price
of 435 euros.
On the Chicago Board of Trade, wheat
was trading nearly six percent higher
in midday trading at $12.48 per bushel.
Global wheat prices have soared 40 per-
cent on supply fears since Russia’s Febru-
ary invasion of agricultural powerhouse
Ukraine, which previously accounted for
12 percent of global exports.
The spike, exacerbated by fertiliser
McDonald’s pulls investments from Russia
NEW YORK: American fast-food giant Mc-
Donald’s said it will exit Russia in the
wake of the Ukraine invasion, ending a
more than three-decade run begun in the
hopeful period near the end of the Cold
War.
The restaurant chain, which launched
in Moscow in January 1990 to great fanfare
almost two years before the Soviet Union
was dissolved, characterised the with-
drawal as difficult but necessary.
“The humanitarian crisis caused by the
war in Ukraine, and the precipitating un-
predictable operating environment, have
led McDonald’s to conclude that contin-
ued ownership of the business in Russia is
no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with
McDonald’s values,” the company said in a
statement.
The chain is looking to sell “its entire
“Indeed, with the latest fall in unem-
ployment to its lowest rate since 1974,
there were actually fewer unemployed
people than job vacancies for the first time
since records began,” Morgan said.
While companies struggle to fill posts
after the pandemic caused people to
change careers, Morgan noted that since
the outbreak of Covid, about half a million
more people in the UK “have completely
disengaged from the labour market”. – AFP
by surging inflation and Russia’s war in
Ukraine—leaving investors jittery.
“Markets remain in fight or flight
mode while rolling the dice on recession
odds,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Manage-
ment said.
“Investors’ hopes remain elevated that
yesterday’s worse than expected Chinese
outruns could prove to be a ‘whatever it
takes’ moment, and local policymakers
will step hard on the stimulus pedal.”
China has announced measures to
help young people find jobs, with the ur-
ban unemployment rate at its highest in
over two years, and officials have lowered
the mortgage rate for first-time homebuy-
ers as well.
On Tuesday, Hong Kong rose by more
than 3 percent, while the mainland’s two
indices—the Shanghai Composite Index
Michigan also needs to be reviewed by a
federal court after the Justice Department
filed a complaint.
The complaint says the facility “failed to
comply with regulations designed to en-
sure the quality and safety of infant for-
mula, including protection against the
risk of contamination from bacteria.”
“The actions we are announcing today
will help to safely increase the supply of
baby formula for families,” US Attorney
General Merrick Garland said in a state-
ment. – AFP
Mangalam Ramasubramanian
Kumar, chairman of LIC at the Bombay
Stock Exchange (BSE) in Mumbai.
shortages and poor harvests, has fuelled
inflation globally and raised fears of
famine and social unrest in poorer coun-
tries.
India, the world’s second-largest
wheat producer, said last week that it was
banning exports after its hottest March
on record, with traders needing express
government approval to enter into new
deals.
New Delhi said the move was needed to
protect the food security of its own 1.4 bil-
lion people in the face of lower production
and sharply higher global prices.
Some parts of India have seen prices in
wheat and flour jump 20 to 40 percent in
recent weeks, Commerce Secretary BVR
Subrahmanyam said.
Because of the sharp rise in global
prices, some farmers were selling to
traders and not to the government. – AFP
portfolio of McDonald’s restaurants in
Russia to a local buyer.”
The burger giant is one of numerous
foreign firms that have pulled out of the
country or suspended operations follow-
ing Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in late
February.
Earlier, French automaker Renault an-
nounced it had handed over its Russian as-
sets to the government, marking the first
major nationalisation since the onset of
Western sanctions against Moscow’s mili-
tary campaign.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin or-
dered troops into pro-Western Ukraine on
February 24, triggering unprecedented
sanctions and sparking an exodus of for-
eign corporations including H&M, Star-
bucks and Ikea.
In March, citing “unspeakable suffering
to innocent people,” McDonald’s closed all
of its 850 restaurants in the country, where
it says it employs 62,000 workers.
But the “Big Mac” maker went a step
further, saying the company “is pursuing
the sale of its entire portfolio of McDon-
ald’s restaurants in Russia to a local buyer.”
After the sale, the restaurants would no
longer be able to use the McDonald’s
name, logo, branding or menu, though
the company will retain its trademark in
the country, it said.
Russia currently accounts for nine per-
cent of the company’s revenue and three
percent of its operating profit. –AFP
and Shenzhen Composite Index—closed
higher.
Manila, Singapore, Seoul, and Sydney
were also in the green all day.
European markets followed the lead,
with Frankfurt, Paris and London all trad-
ing up at opening.
In commodities trade, wheat prices
soared to a record after major producer
India banned its export because of a heat-
wave hitting production.
New Delhi said the move was needed
to protect the food security of its 1.4 bil-
lion people in the face of lower produc-
tion and steep global prices.
Worldwide wheat prices had already
surged on tight supply concerns after Rus-
sia’s February invasion of agricultural
powerhouse Ukraine, which previously ac-
counted for 12 percent of global exports.
Business 13
US looks to
enhance ties to
Indo-pacific
WASHINGTON: The US-proposed Indo-Pa-
cific Economic Framework (IPEF) will help
further enhance the country’s economic
relations with countries in the region, a
White House spokesperson said.
Yonhap news agency reported Karine
Jean-Pierre said the new economic frame-
work will promote investment in green
economy, which she said in turn will help
level the playing field for workers and
businesses here at home and in the Indo-
Pacific region.
The remarks come as President Joe
Biden is set to travel to the region where he
is widely expected to unveil the details of
the US-led economic framework.
“So as it relates to our economic frame-
work, it’s going to focus on building agree-
ments with Indo-Pacific partners, and one,
developing a modern digital economy, in-
cluding opening the door for small and
medium businesses,” Jean-Pierre said of
the IPEF in a daily press briefing.
The new White House press secretary
added the IPEF will seek to reduce supply
chain vulnerability and drive investments
that will create good jobs for people in the
US and the Indo-Pacific, Yonhap reported.
She also said the new initiative will pro-
mote investment in the green economy,
adding that investment in the green econ-
omy and building an economy with fairer
tax and anti-corruption practices will level
“the playing field not just for workers, but
also for businesses.
“Biden is set to embark on a three-day
visit to Seoul from Friday, according to
Yonhap.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol
said that he will discuss IPEF details with
Biden when they meet over the weekend.
“The United States has strong eco-
nomic, trade ties in the Indo-Pacific, and
so we are agree it is essential for us to step
up economically in the region and to do it
fast,” said Jean-Pierre. –Bernama
Woolworths
in transition
to renewable
SYDNEY: Australia’s largest supermarket
chain, Woolworths, is set to transition its
stores in one state to 100 per cent green
energy, a trial run for going fully green na-
tionwide by 2025.
The retailer announced on Tuesday that
from July all of its operations would flip
the switch to carbon neutrality in South
Australia, said Xinhua.
“This is the way the world is moving.
Private capital is now leading the charge
in backing clean energy, which presents a
big opportunity for South Australian
jobs,” said South Australian Premier Peter
Malinauskas.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci
said the state-wide transition would be the
first step in the leap to all the stores across
the nation converting to green energy by
2025.
“South Australia has helped lead the
transition to renewable energy in Aus-
tralia, combining solar, wind and batteries
to enable us to make this leap forward in
our mission to be powered entirely by re-
newable sources by 2025,” said Banducci.
The transition of 87 stores would be
made possible by the Port Augusta Renew-
able Energy Park, which as the largest
wind and solar hybrid project in the
Southern Hemisphere has 50 wind tur-
bines and 250,000 solar panels.
The project produces on 900
megawatts (MW) of renewable energy
each year, enough to power an estimated
180,000 households.
Following the transition in July, the
chain is poised to gradually replace exist-
ing traditional energy contracts across the
country, which will convert an estimated 1
percent of Australia’s total energy going
green.
“We’re proud to be making tangible
changes today that will create a better to-
morrow for generations to come and we
look forward to building on this in other
states over the next three years,” added
Banducci. – Bernama
By Monday’s close of the Euronext
market, the price of wheat jumped to
438.25 euros ($456.68) per tonne, break-
ing the previous closing record of 422.40
struck on March 7, according to trader
Damien Vercambre at grains brokerage
Inter-Courtage.
Oil also jumped overnight, and by
Tuesday US crude benchmark WTI hov-
ered around $114 a barrel.
“The EU’s rising tensions with Russia
and the resulting uncertainties over the
bloc’s oil-and-gas supply remain front-
and-centre,” Vandana Hari, founder of
Vanda Insights in Singapore, told
Bloomberg.
“Having said that, with a $10 jump
since last Tuesday, it’s hard to see much
more upside in crude unless events take a
sudden turn for the worse.” –AFP
14 Business YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY , APRIL 18, 2022 dailyexpress
n 10 MOST ACTIVE STOCKS

COUNTER
TURNOVER
(UNITS)
hIgh
(SEN)
LOW
(SEN)
L/dONE
(SEN)
UP/dOWN
(SEN)
Sustainable palm
SAhAM AMANAh SAbAh
SERbAdK
SAPNRg
SERbAdK-WA
TEChNAx
1,061,713,800
948,562,900
298,804,000
202,784,700
22.0
8.0
8.0
11.5
12.5
4.5
4.0
7.5
16.5
7.5
5.5
8.0
+4.5
+3.0
+1.5
-3.5
oil price changes (MANAgER’S PRICES fOR MAy 13)

bUyINg:
SELLINg:
0.2818
0.2818

becoming a worry
SAPNRg-WA 141,529,400 5.5 2.5 5.0 +2.5 NAV: 0.2818
KNM 126,671,900 19.0 17.0 18.0 +0.5
bPURI 72,149,000 7.5 6.0 7.5 +1.0
hIbISCS 71,283,700 150.0 139.0 147.0 +12.0
n gold prices
ALAM 70,175,800 5.0 3.0 4.5 +1.5
yONgTAI 67,773,400 11.5 9.5 10.0 -1.0 KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is worried that currently there is no indication that these THE physical price of gold as at 9.30am stood at
benchmark standards keep on changing standards are being recognised by them as RM249.51 per gramme, up 57 sen from
and are difficult to comply with, especially they keep on referring to the more ad- RM248.94 at 5pm last friday. – Bernama
n bURSA SCOREbOARd for smallholders, as it continues to address vanced and stringent standards.
sustainability aspects and corrects the neg- “They need to be more open-minded to
UP dOWN UNChANgE TRAdEd ative perception and allegation towards its look and appreciate other contributions, es- n CLOSINg INdICES
palm oil, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board pecially during negotiations,” he said.
CONSUMER PROd & SERV 61 68 62 191 FBMEMAS 11,060.40 (+49.61)
(MPOB) said. Ahmad Parveez urged the EU not only fo-
INd-PROd & SERVICES 94 69 87 250 Citing an example, director-general cusing on deforestation but also looking at FBMKLCI 1,548.60 (+4.19)
CONSTRUCTION 26 13 27 66 Datuk Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said as the other efforts that the industry here is do- CONSUMER PRODUCTS 577.32 (-2.74)
TEChNOLOgy 36 9 6 51
SPAC 0 0 0 0 for the Indonesia-European Free Trade As- ing that need to be recognised, especially on INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 200.42 (+3.63)
fINANCIAL SERVICES 13 8 10 31 sociation issue, Indonesia is using the other aspect of sustainability and preserv- CONSTRUCTION 163.35 (+1.19)
PROPERTy 27 41 34 102 Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) ing the land bank.
and International Sustainability and Car- “As our commitment towards sustain- FINANCIAL SERVICES 16,534.40 (+0.12)
PLANTATION 19 11 6 36
REIT 6 5 7 18 bon Certification (ISCC) as its benchmarks, ability, Malaysia has voluntarily agreed to ENERGY 839.28 (+52.04)
CLOSEd ENd fUNd 1 0 0 1 for which both are using more advanced cut the greenhouse gas emission intensity TELECOMMUNICATIONS 606.85 (-1.50)
ENERgy 27 5 3 35 standards that are constantly revised, espe- by 45 per cent by 2030 and is focusing on
hEALTh CARE 5 9 1 15 HEALTH CARE 1,975.41 (-5.53)
cially RSPO. improving productivity and yield, rather
TELECOMMUNICATIONS/MEdIA 5 10 3 18 TRANSPORTATION 847.91 (+3.96)
RSPO and ISCC are the benchmark set by than expanding land,” he said.
TRANSPORTATION & LOgISTICS 16 9 9 34 PROPERTY 689.97 (+0.59)
UTILITIES 6 2 5 13 the European Union (EU). He noted that Malaysia has reiterated its
STRCWARR 172 115 60 347 “The newer standard, which also in- commitment made at the Rio Summit in PLANTATION 8,260.19 (+80.91)
ACE-MKT 54 48 86 188 cludes the Malaysian Palm Oil Sustainable 1992 to retain at least 50 per cent of the land FBMSHA 11,549.20 (+80.86)
bONd&LOAN 2 0 1 3 (MSPO) certification, will not be able to areas under forest cover. The area under for- FBMACE 5,363.24 (+20.61)
ETf 5 1 0 6 reach the same level, as once reached, RSPO est cover in Malaysia was 58.3 per cent in
LEAP-MKT 0 1 1 2 will be changed again and become more 2019. TECHNOLOGY 67.07 (+1.38)
stringent. With 3.16 tonnes production per hectare,
575 424 408 1,407 “It’s not fair to use the standard as a palm oil only utilises 23.45 million hectares
benchmark. Also as RSPO is for business to of land (in Malaysia and Indonesia com- n INTERbANK RATES
business and requires membership fees an- bined), compared with 0.45 tonnes produc-
n bURSA dERIVATIVES ExChANgE nually and a higher cost of auditing, it’s very tion per hectare of soybean oil from 129.15
KUALA LUMPUR INTERbANK
OffER RATES: MAy 17
KUALA LUMPUR COMPOSITE INdEx fUTURES difficult for RSPO to get smallholders on million hectares of land (Brazil, Argentina,
CONTRACT CLOSINg: MAy 17 board, and seen now a very small percent- the United States combined), 0.78 tonnes of
1M 2M 3M 6M 9M 12M
age of smallholders certified RSPO,” he said. rapeseed oil from 32.47 million hectares of
2.14 2.23 2.26 2.40 - 2.49
CONTRACT VOLUME OPEN OPEN hIgh LOW LAST SETTLE In addition, he said the continual chang- land (China, Canada, the EU combined) and
MONThS INTEREST TRAdEd PRC ing of RSPO standards and compliance re- 0.76 tonnes of sunflower oil from 28.1 mil- SIbOR (S$) SIbOR (US$) hIbOR (hK$)
quirements would make it becoming more lion hectares of land (the EU, Russia,
May-22 6,388 35,985 1546.5 1554.5 1546.0 1552.5 1552.5 expensive from time to time and making it Ukraine combined). 1M – 0.18863
Jun-22 75 800 1546.5 1552.5 1546.5 1550.0 1551.5 a sustainable standard which is non-sus- He expressed hope that the new revised
2M – 0.49899
Sep-22 9 286 1540.0 1540.0 1537.0 1540.0 1540.0 tainable as it will make palm oil lose it price MSPO 2.0 standards and other compliances
dec-22 5 48 1540.5 1542.0 1540.5 1541.0 1541.0 competitiveness in the long run. of relevant national and international laws 3M – 0.85399
Ahmad Parveez presented his views at a with regards to sustainability, product stan-
3-MONTh KLIbOR fUTURES CLOSINg: MAy 17 6M – 1.68750
hybrid forum titled: “Trade Agreements and dards and social wellbeing would help
Product Demands” which was jointly organ- Malaysia to gain greater market access with 12M – 2.58946
MONTh OPEN hIgh LOW SETTLE VOL OPEN ised by the World Trade Institute (WTI) bigger opportunities and global accept-
PRICE POSITION based in Bern, Switzerland; Institute of ance.
Malaysian & International Studies (IKMAS, Collectively, there are nearly four million n RINggIT WATCh
MAy-22 - - - 97.23 - - UKM); and the MPOB-UKM Endowment oil palm smallholder farmers in Indonesia
Chair. and Malaysia, including temporarily-con- THE ringgit appreciated against the US dollar at
JUN-22 - - - 97.23 - - closing today, tracking the improved sentiment for
“Developed countries also need to recog- tracted migrants from the wider Asia’s re- the Chinese yuan following positive developments
JULy-22 - - - 97.23 - - nise national standards such as MSPO as gion. – Bernama in Shanghai, amid concerns over recession in the
SEP-22 - - - 97.23 - - United States (US).
dEC-22
MAR-22
-
-
-
-
-
-
97.23
97.23
-
-
-
-
MIFF in bid to gather export momentum At 6 pm, the local currency was traded at
4.3880/3915 versus the greenback from last Fri-
day’s close of 4.3980/3995.
JUN-22 - - - 97.23 - - KUALA LUMPUR: This year’s edition of the “The pent-up demand will greatly ben- SPI Asset Management managing partner
SEP-23 - - - 97.23 - - Malaysian International Furniture Fair efit the business. It is crucial for exhibitors Stephen Innes said, as Shanghai records ‘zero-
(MIFF) scheduled from July 6 to July 9 will to meet buyers face-to-face, get feedback COVID’ cases across its districts, the city is expected
dEC-23 - - - 97.23 - - set positive momentum for furniture ex- on market conditions and see what they to gradually open up, hence, boosting the ringgit
and other regional Chinese foreign exchange prox-
MAR-23 - - - 97.23 - - port growth after a two-year hiatus due to want in order to better prepare for our an- ies. “If China can orchestrate a healthy reopening,
JUN-23 - - - 97.23 - - the Covid-19 pandemic. nual show next year, which will resume in the worst could be behind the ringgit,” Innes told
SEP-23 - - - 97.23 - - MIFF founder and chairman Datuk Tan March 2023,” he said. Bernama.
Chin Huat said the largest furniture trade He said as of May, more than 1,200 buy- The ringgit is positively correlated to the Chinese
dEC-24 - - - 97.23 - - yuan as China remains Malaysia’s most important
show in Southeast Asia would return as a ers from 81 countries have pre-registered
MAR-24 - - - 97.23 - - trading partner.
special hybrid in-person and virtual edi- with North American visitors making up Meanwhile, OANDA Asia Pacific senior market
JUN-24 - - - 97.23 - - tion to reinforce its important role in the largest group from outside Asia fol- analyst Jeffrey Halley said the concerns over reces-
SEP-24 - - - 97.23 - - meeting the global supply chain. lowed by Africa, Europe, Oceania and the sion talks in the US could likely lead to a decent cor-
“MIFF 2022 has a high expectation after Middle East. rection in the US dollar.
MAR-25 - - - 97.23 - - This, he said, should provide a respite to the
a two-year pandemic hiatus. It is the first “A significant 40 per cent of registered
JUN-25 - - - 97.23 - - euro and Asian currencies and possibly gold and
furniture show of the year in Asia to serve buyers are the first-timer, while 70 per cent cryptocurrencies, at least until the US Federal Re-
SEP-25 - - - 97.23 - - global buyers who are eager for new prod- of them indicated that they would be in serve (Fed) increases its core interest rate by an-
dEC-25 - - - 97.23 - - ucts as well as diversify their supply net- MIFF 2022 to source new products and to other 0.50 per cent in June.
work after the break,” he told reporters in place orders,” he said. The ringgit was, however, traded mostly lower
MAR-26 - - - 97.23 - - against a basket of major currencies.
a briefing on the return of MIFF 2022 to- He added that more than 200 ex-
JUN-26 - - - 97.23 - - It fell against the Singapore dollar to
day. hibitors from Malaysian companies, 3.1643/1671 from Friday’s close of 3.1482/1497
TOTAL OPEN INTEREST : NIL CTRS TOTAL TURNOVER : NIL LOTS He said the momentum for MIFF 2022 China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, South and decreased vis-a-vis the euro to 4.5969/6005
has surged since Malaysia further relaxed Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam are from 4.5625/5640.
Covid-19 restrictions for international coming with the newest products. The ringgit slid versus the British pound to
bURSA MALAySIA dERIVATIVES ExChANgE: MAy 17 travellers from May 1 this year. The four-day event organised by In- 5.4653/4696 from 5.3568/3586 last Friday and
strengthened versus the Japanese yen to
ThE CRUdE PALM OIL fUTURES CLOSINg (ALL PRCS ARE IN RM/MT) “We are delighted that MIFF can finally forma Markets will occupy two exhibition 3.3939/3969 from 3.4127/4142 previously.
reopen for business because buyers are ea- venues—the World Trade Centre Kuala The market was closed on Monday in lieu of
dEL OPEN hIgh LOW LAST VOLUME OPEN ger to reconnect with their suppliers and Lumpur and Malaysia International Trade Wesak Day public holiday which fell on Sunday. —
MONTh (RM) (RM) (RM) (RM) POSIITON meet new sources. and Exhibition Centre (Mitec). Bernama

JUN-22 6719 6730 6566 6662 1527 16,624

n COCOA n ExChANgE RATES
JUL-22 6372 6440 6224 6340 11,819 55,153
dAILy dEALER PURChASE PRICE Of COCOA ExChANgE RATES ISSUEd by MALAyAN bANKINg bhd: MAy 17
bEANS qUOTEd by ThE MALAySIAN COCOA
AUg-22 6166 6215 6010 6114 21,284 57,807 SELLINg bUyINg bUyINg
bOARd ON TUESdAy, MAy 17 2022
TT/Od TT Od
SEP-22 6046 6093 5903 5992 6,917 36,095 SMC 1 SMC 2 SMC 3 1 US dollar 4.4585 4.3255 4.3155
hIgh LOW hIgh LOW hIgh LOW hIgh LOW
OCT-22 5992 6037 5856 5945 3,088 20,451 1 Australian dollar 3.1320 3.0080 2.9920
1 brunei dollar 3.2040 3.1120 3.1040
TAWAU 130 130 7050 6900 6850 6750 – –
NOV-22 6010 6010 5845 5937 1,713 20,862 1 Canadian dollar 3.4710 3.3780 3.3660
TENOM 125 125 7050 6900 6850 6750 – – 1 Euro 4.6630 4.5140 4.4940
dEC-22 5995 5995 5839 5915 1099 11,325
MUAR – – – – – – – – 1 New Zealand dollar 2.8290 2.7250 2.7090
1 Papua N guinea Kina N/A N/A N/A
TOTAL OPEN POSITION : 248,321 CTRS JERANTUT – – – – – – – –
1 Singapore dollar 3.2040 3.1120 3.1040
TOTAL TURN OVER : 49,005 LOTS RAUb – – 7350 7350 6800 6800 – – 1 Sterling Pound 5.5050 5.3320 5.3120
MARKET TONE : LOWER KUChINg – – 6550 6400 6350 6250 – – 1 Swiss franc 4.4390 4.3370 4.3220
100 UAE dirham 122.7900 116.4500 116.2500
SARIKEI – – 6550 6400 6350 6250 – –
MPOb PALM OIL PRICES (RM/MT): MAy 17 NOTE : PRELIMINARy PRICES UP TO 100 bangladesh Taka 5.1840 4.8580 4.6580
4.30 P.M. NT – NO TRANSACTION SIbU – – 6550 6400 6350 6250 – –
MAy JUN JUL LOCAL MALAySIA CPO PRICE TRAdEd EASIER 100 Chinese Renminbi 65.7000 63.2000 N/A
CPO dELd 6,692.00 NT NT WEIghEd dOWN by WEAKER SOyAbEAN OIL PRICES 100 danish Krone 64.2400 59.1300 58.9300
ON ThE U.S ChICAgO bOARd Of TRAdE (CbOT) n RUbbER
PK Ex-MILL 3,700.00 NT NT ANd ChINA’S dALIAN COMMOdITy ExChANgE AS 100 hongkong dollar 57.3900 54.5500 54.3500
CPKO dELd 7,209.00 7,192.50 NT WELL AS RISINg ExPECTATIONS ThAT INdONESIA SMR CLOSINg PRICES (SEN/Kg): MAy 17 100 Indian Rupee 5.8200 5.4700 5.2700
Rbd P. OIL (fOb) NT NT NT WOULd SOON LIfT A bAN ON PALM OIL ExPORTS. TONE Of MARKET: STEAdy
CPO dELIVERy PRICES TRAdEd bETWEEN 100 Indonesian Rupiah 0.0316 0.0286 0.0236
Rbd P. OLEIN (fOb) NT NT NT RM6,600/TONNE ANd RM6,750/TONNE. PK PRICE JUNE SELLER’S OffER PRICE SEN/Kg US CENTS/Kg 100 Japanese yen 3.4570 3.3490 3.3390
Rbd P. STEARIN (fOb) NT NT NT TRAdEd bETWEEN RM3,680/TONNE ANd
RM3,720/TONNE. — bERNAMA 100 New Taiwan dollar 16.1000 N/A N/A
SMR CV – 1142.50 / 264.45 100 Norwegian Krone 46.9500 43.1700 42.9700

dAILy ffb REfERENCE PRICE SUMMARy 100 Pakistan Rupee 2.3500 2.1900 1.9900
SMR L – 1132.50 / 262.10
100 Philippine Peso 8.6200 8.1200 7.9200
by REgION (RM/TONNE) MAy 17 SMR 5 – 714.00 / 165.25
100 qatar Riyal 123.6200 117.3600 117.1600
dATE NORTh SOUTh CENTRAL EAST COAST SAbAh* SARAWAK* SMR 10 – 704.00 / 162.95 100 Saudi Riyal 120.1700 114.0800 113.8800
gRAdE gRAdE gRAdE gRAdE gRAdE gRAdE 100 South Africa Rand 28.6800 25.8900 25.6900
SMR 20 – 702.00 / 162.50
RM/ 1% OER 73.64 74.11 74.00 73.62 67.03 68.13 100 Sri Lanka Rupee 1.3100 1.1400 0.9400
Note : OER - Oil Extraction Rate (Kadar Perahan Minyak) * Sandakan, Lahad datu and Tawau CENTRIfUgEd LATEx: NOMINAL LOCAL PRICE (ISO 2004) 100 Swedish Krona 45.7800 41.7000 41.5000
NT - No Trade ** Miri and bintulu. SEN/KILO (WET): SELLERS LATEx IN bULK: 673.50 100 Thai baht 13.4200 11.9100 11.5100
Ph - Public holiday
 PEOPLE & PLACES
16 Patriots, arias: Italian opera seeks Unesco recognition
dailyexpress
YOUR LOCAL VOICE WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022

17 Divided soul: Rival Orthodox churches wage shadow war

15

Macklowe collection most expensive sold at auction

NEW YORK: The famed Macklowe collec-
tion, subject of a bitter divorce battle be-
tween a New York property developer and
his ex-wife, became the most expensive art
collection ever sold at auction.
Sotheby’s sold its second offering of
works from the collection for $246.1 mil-
lion, bringing the total value of the group
of paintings to $922.2 million, a
spokesman told AFP.
That exceeds the $835.1 million that the
Rockefeller collection sold for in 2018,
then the highest total ever made by a sin-
gle private collection at auction.
Among the highlights of Monday
evening’s sale were Mark Rothko’s “Unti-
tled,” which fetched $48 million and Ger-
hard Richter’s “Seestück””, which went for
$30.2 million. Andy Warhol’s “Self Portrait”
sold for $18.7 million while Willem de
Kooning’s “Untitled” went for $17.8 million.
Sotheby’s won the rights to sell the
Macklowe works back in September. It
sold 35 of the pieces in November for
$676.1 million before selling the remain-
ing 30 on Monday.
Sotheby’s had described the paintings
as the “most significant collection of mod-
ern and contemporary art to ever appear
on the market.” During divorce proceed-
ings, Harry Macklowe and his ex-wife
Linda had been unable to agree on how
much the vast collection was worth.
A New York judge ruled in 2018 that the
they should sell all 65 works and split the
profits. – AFP

Cannes kicks off with

veterans and zombies Heard (left) and Johnny Depp watch as the jury leaves the courtroom at the

C
ANNES (France): The red carpet is
ready for the opening of the 75th
Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday,
with Oscar winner Forest Whitaker as the
first guest of honour and a French zombie
comedy to kick off proceedings.
The masks are off, health passes are no
longer needed and the world’s leading cin-
ema get-together is ready to party after
two years in which the pandemic put a
dampener on proceedings.
Whitaker, the 60-year-old star of “The
Last King of Scotland” and cult films such
as “Ghost Dog” and recent TV hit “Godfa-
ther of Harlem”, will pick up an honorary
Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony on
the Cote d’Azur.
He won an acting award at the festival
back in 1988 for his role as jazz legend
Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood’s “Bird”.
The opening film on Tuesday is “Final
Cut”, a comedy love letter to filmmaking
and Z-list zombie movies from the team
behind the award-winning “The Artist”.
Its director Michel Hazanavicius told
AFP it was “a joyous celebration of film
people, which I hope will encourage oth-
ers to get involved.”
The 12-day festival will really turn on
the jets on Wednesday with the arrival of
Tom Cruise – his first trip to the festival in
exactly 30 years – for the European launch
of “Top Gun: Maverick”.
The sequel, long delayed by the pan-
demic, has been getting warm reviews
from critics and gives Cannes a chance to
honour Cruise, described by festival direc-
tor Thierry Fremaux as “someone who is
devoted to cinema”.
As well as the lighter fare playing out of
competition – which also includes Baz
Luhrmann’s much-anticipated rock’n’roll
biopic “Elvis” next week – there are 21 films
vying for the top prize Palme d’Or.
The first to be shown will be
“Tchaikovsky’s Wife” by Russian director
Kirill Serebrennikov, who left his country
(From Left) Fremaux, Ladj Ly, Lindon, Nichols, Farhadi, Padukone, Hall, Trinca
and Trier pose on the balcony of the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez on the eve
of the opening ceremony of the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes.
in March following a controversial embez-
zlement trial his supporters said was polit-
ically motivated.
The film is unlikely to win him any new
admirers in the Kremlin given that it fo-
cuses on the legendary composer’s brief
and tragic marriage that he entered into to
disguise his homosexuality – a story that
remains taboo for Russian conservatives.
Serebrennikov was unable to attend
Cannes for two previous nominations due
to the court case that banned him from
leaving Russia for three years.
That will not be the only reminder of
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during the fes-
tival. The final film by Lithuanian director
Mantas Kvedaravicius, who was killed in
Ukraine last month, will get a special
screening.
He was filming a follow-up to his cele-
brated documentary “Mariupolis” about
the conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas region,
when he was reportedly captured and
killed by Russian forces, according to Kyiv.
Ukraine’s beleaguered filmmakers will
get a special day at the industry market-
place and one of its most promising direc-
tors, Sergei Loznitsa, will show “The Natu-
ral History of Destruction”, about the
bombing of German cities in World War II.
The jury charged with selecting the
winners this year includes Indian super-
star Deepika Padukone and Iran’s two-
time Oscar-winning director Asghar
Farhadi, and is headed by French actor
Vincent Lindon.
Lindon starred in last year’s Palme-win-
ning gore-fest “Titane”, the only time a
Cannes jury has watched a woman being
impregnated by a car.
It was the sort of brash and radical
choice that has ensured Cannes has main-
tained its edge for three-quarters of a cen-
tury, having held its first edition in the im-
mediate aftermath of World War II.
The organisers have sought to refresh
their image this year, partnering with Tik-
Tok, which is sponsoring an award for
short films, and new media outlet Brut. –
AFP
Belgian court rules
out extradition for
Spanish rapper
end of the day at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Virginia.
Heard says Depp trial is 'torture'
WASHINGTON: Amber Heard testified
that the multi-million dollar defamation
suit filed against her by her former hus-
band Johnny Depp is “torture” and she
just wants him to leave her alone so she
can move on with her life.
The 36-year-old actress also told the
jury hearing the case that she filed for di-
vorce from the “Pirates of the Caribbean”
star in May 2016 because she feared for
her life.
“I had to leave him,” Heard said. “I
knew I wouldn’t survive if I didn’t. I was
so scared that it was going to end really
badly for me.”
Heard said Depp would become a
physically and sexually abusive “mon-
ster” when he was drinking and her ef-
forts to curtail his drug and alcohol use
had failed.
“The monster had been this thing that
was now the normal and not the excep-
tion,” she told the seven-person jury
hearing the case in Fairfax, Virginia. “The
violence was now normal.”
The 58-year-old Depp, during his four
days on the witness stand, denied ever
striking Heard and claimed that she was
the one who was frequently violent.
Depp filed suit against Heard over an
op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post
in December 2018 in which she described
herself as a “public figure representing
domestic abuse.”
Heard, who had a starring role in
“Aquaman,” did not name Depp in the
op-ed, but he sued her for implying he
was a domestic abuser and is seeking $50
million in damages.
The Texas-born Heard countersued,
asking for $100 million and claiming she
suffered “rampant physical violence and
abuse” at his hands.
Heard said the trial has forced her to
live “over and over again the most inti-
mate, embarrassing, deeply humiliating
and personal things that I’ve survived.”
“I want to move on and I want Johnny
to move on,” she said. “I just want him to
leave me alone.”
Filing for divorce was “the hardest
thing I’ve ever had to do,” the actress
said.
“It was hard because I loved Johnny so
much,” she said. “I loved him so much.”
Heard said the same week she filed for
divorce she sought a temporary restrain-
ing order following an argument during
which Depp threw a mobile phone at
her, hitting her in the face.
Under cross-examination, Depp’s
lawyers asked Heard about multiple in-
cidents of alleged domestic violence she
testified about and then showed photos
from subsequent days where no injuries
were visible.
“You should see what it looks like un-
der the makeup,” Heard retorted.
They also grilled her extensively about
a pledge she made to donate the $7 mil-
lion from her divorce settlement from
Depp to charity.
Heard acknowledged that she has not
donated the entire amount yet but said
that was because she needed the money
to fight the defamation suit filed against
her by Depp.
“I haven’t been able to fulfil those
pledges yet because I’ve been sued,” she
said.
Judge Penney Azcarate has scheduled
closing arguments in the case for May 27,
after which it will go to the jury.
Depp’s lawyers have put experts on
the stand who testified that he has lost
millions because of the abuse accusa-
tions, including a $22.5-million payday
for a sixth installment of “Pirates.”
Depp filed the defamation complaint
in the United States after losing a sepa-
rate libel case in London in November
2020 that he brought against The Sun for
calling him a “wife-beater.”
Depp, a three-time Oscar nominee,
and Heard met in 2009 on the set of “The
Rum Diary” and were married in Febru-
ary 2015. Their divorce was finalized two
years later. – AFP

Musk tweeted the poo emoji to the Twitter CEO. (Pic: Twitter)
Musk: No Twitter deal without
clarity on spam accounts
NEW YORK: Billionaire Elon Musk said
Tuesday that his purchase of Twitter would
not go ahead unless he was given assur-
ances on the bots that he says plague the
platform, further complicating his acri-
monious bid for the social media giant.
The chief of SpaceX as well as Tesla,
Musk is currently listed by Forbes as the
world’s wealthiest person, with a fortune
of about $230 billion, much of it in Tesla
stock.
Seen by his champions as an iconoclas-
tic genius and by his critics as an erratic
megalomaniac, Musk surprised many in-
vestors in April with news that he wanted
to purchase Twitter.
But his $44 billion bid for Twitter is now
“temporarily on hold,” pending questions
over the social media company’s estimates
of the number of fake accounts, or “bots.”
“Yesterday, Twitter’s CEO publicly re-
fused to show proof of <5pc,” tweeted
Musk, who has almost 94 million followers
on the social network.
“This deal cannot move forward until
he does.”
Twitter chief executive Parag Agrawal
has said the platform suspends more than
a half-million seemingly bogus accounts
daily, usually before they are even seen,
and locks millions more weekly that fail
checks to make sure they are controlled by
humans and not by software.
Internal measures show that fewer than
five per cent of accounts active on any
given day at Twitter are spam, but that
analysis can’t be replicated externally due
to the need to keep user data private,
Agrawal contended.
Musk, who has said bots plague Twitter
and that he would make getting rid of
them a priority if he owned the platform,
responded to that tweet by Agrawal with a
poo emoji. “So how do advertisers know
what they’re getting for their money?”
Musk tweeted in a subsequent response
about the need to prove Twitter users are
real people.
“This is fundamental to the financial
health of Twitter.”
The process used to estimate how many
accounts are bots has been shared with
Musk, Agrawal insisted.
“It appears the spam/bot issue is cas-
cading and clearly making the Twitter deal
a confusing one,” Wedbush analyst Dan
Ives said in a note to investors.
“The bot issue at the end of the day was
known by the New York City cab driver
and feels more to us like the ‘dog ate the
homework’ excuse to bail on the Twitter
deal or talk down a lower price.”
Musk has described his motivation as
stemming from a desire to ensure freedom
of speech on the platform and to boost
monetization of a website that is massively
influential but has struggled to attain
profitable growth.
He has also said he favored lifting the
ban on Donald Trump, who was kicked off
the platform in January 2021 shortly after
the former US president’s efforts to over-
turn his election defeat led to the January
6 assault on the US Capitol. – AFP
GHENT (Belgium):
A Belgian court on
Tuesday ruled
again that Spanish
rapper Valtonyc
(pic) should not be
extradited to Spain,
where he has been
sentenced to
prison accused of
writing lyrics that
praise terror groups and insult the royal
family.
The 28-year-old rapper, whose real
name is Jose Miguel Arenas Beltran and
who has been living in exile in Belgium
since 2018, faces prison sentences in Spain
totaling three-and-a-half years.
Francis Clarysse, a Ghent prosecutor,
told The Associated Press that the prose-
cution now has 24 hours to decide
whether to appeal the decision to Bel-
gium’s highest court, the court of cassa-
tion.
Tuesday’s ruling marked the fourth
time the Spanish judicial authorities’ re-
quests for extradition were denied.
Clarysse said the latest appeal was de-
clared “unfounded, meaning no extradi-
tion is possible.”
Valtonyc’s case has become popular in Test your logic skills with the Su Do Ku puzzle. The rules are simple: each of the smaller grids
Spain among organisations who claim should contain the number 1 to 9, and in the large grid each row and column should contain the
Spanish authorities are cracking down on number 1 to 9. These puzzle vary in difficulty and this is an easy one.
free speech.
The singer and composer from Palma (Solution below)
de Mallorca was sentenced to prison over
QUOTABLE QUOTES
songs he wrote when he was 18 that were solution
deemed to have praised terror groups,
threatened a Spanish politician with vio- ‘you don’t
lence and insulted the royal family.
During his trials in Spain, courts re-
jected Arenas’ argument that the point of
have to hold
rap lyrics is to be provocative and they
should be protected by free speech laws.
onto the pain
Rights organisations and activists re-
garded Valtonyc’s case as an example in a
wider legal and political dispute over free-
to hold onto
dom of expression, rebuking the way
prosecutors have overreached in using the
the memory’
criminal code to punish anyone who “glo-
rifies terrorism” or insults the Crown. – AP
– Janet Jackson
 16 People & Places YOUR LOCAL VOIC E WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022 dailyexpress

Patriots, arias: aries Mar 20 - april 19

LONG ago you decided certain people, places

Italian opera and activities are of little interest to you. Until re-
cently, that was true. Then exciting, if sudden,
events forced you to question those views. This
is timely. Next? Forget about discussion. Plunge
in. You’ll learn far more from what you experi-
ence than from any discussions.

seeks Unesco taurus apr 20 - May 20

THE time has come to tackle certain tedious but

increasingly important practical matters. In the
past you’ve managed to sidestep these, mostly

recognition because you’d convinced others you knew what

was needed and would do whatever was nec-
essary. But then time passed and nothing got
done. Now you’ve no choice. Take action
swiftly.

N
APLES (Italy): Opera originated in
Italy, it was sung by Italian patriots
and some of the world’s greatest
arias came from the peninsula. Now Rome
wants credit where credit is due.
Home to Scarlatti and Verdi, Italy has
put in a bid for Unesco – the UN’s cultural
agency – to recognise the art of Italian
opera singing on its list of intangible
global heritage. A decision is due at the
end of the year.
“Opera was born in Italy,” said Stephane
POPEYE
BLONDIE
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
crossword
rock out
Lissner, the French director of the San Spectators arrive at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples to attend a
Carlo theatre in Naples, which opened in show of "Tosca", a 1900 opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini.
1737 and claims to be the oldest opera
house in the world. teverdi, who lived from 1567 to 1643 – and
After various experiments with musical that was just the start.
theatre in the 16th century, opera came “If you look at the history of opera in
into being around 1600 in Florence, with the 18th century, there were 400 new com-
the founding of an academy promoting an positions during that century” in Naples
innovative combination of sung text and alone, Lissner told AFP. The southern city
music. was, at the time, the capital of a kingdom
The first great composer of opera is run by the Bourbons.
considered to be Italy’s Claudio Mon- But why should Italian opera be a more
ACROSS
1. Unexpected win
6. This instant
9. Tijuana’s peninsula, informally
13. Authorized substitute
14. The “A” in UAE
16. Bad day for Caesar
17. Uvula’s location (In this answer,
note the first letter + the last 4)
19. Beds that aren’t luxurious
20. Reason for couples therapy (...
first 3 letters + last 3)
22. Digital communication, for
short?
23. Martial arts masters
DOWN
1. FedEx rival
2. Event with teen royalty?
3. Den fixture with cushions
4. Actor in a crowd
5. Keyboard whiz
6. Simba’s mate
7. Taken by mouth
8. Lightbulb units
9. Teeth bordering canines
10. Photoshop maker
11. Martial artist in 2020’s “Mulan”
12. Beasts of burden
15. Hat worn in Paris
18. “Finally!”
21. Gibson garnish
24. One of six for Henry VIII
25. Colorful Hindu festival
26. Injury, to a 45-Across
28. Have a conversation
29. Spiritual emblem
32. They stir things up
34. Volcano known as Vulcan’s chimney
36. Neighbor of Vietnam
37. Ctrl+Z
38. Grps. involved with Scholastic Book Fairs
40. Illegal liquor
41. Add to a photo, perhaps
46. Provoke playfully
48. Long-distance lover’s query
50. Indiana baller
legitimate entrant into Unesco’s hall of
fame than its French or German counter-
parts? For Lissner, who also led the Scala
in Milan and the Paris opera before taking
the helm in Naples in 2020, there is no de-
bate.
“Singing in Italian... inspires the great-
est emotion in opera lovers,” he told AFP
in an interview in the heady confines of
the San Carlo, all red velvet chairs, shim-
mering lights and gilding.
In his dressing room backstage, Italian
baritone Gabriele Viviani practices his vo-
cal exercises before taking to the stage in
Puccini’s Tosca.
“Without taking away anything from
my colleagues, or from the French or Ger-
man composers ... I think Italian song has
something extra, which is the ability to ex-
press emotions like no one else can.”
A few minutes later, the audience spills
into the foyer, chatting before taking their
seats for the start of the performance.
Sumiko, a Japanese woman from New
York cutting a dash in the crowd in a ki-
mono, came to Naples especially for this
performance – and is enthusiastic about
Italy’s Unesco bid.
“The emotions which these composers
give us is universal. It’s beyond the history.
It’s beyond borders,” she told AFP.
For Culture Minister Dario Frances-
chini, opera is one of Italy’s “most authen-
tic and original cultural expressions”, one
that has spread worldwide.
He noted the moving scenes from the
Ukrainian city of Odessa in March when
locals took to the street to sing “Va, pen-
siero”, the stirring Hebrew Slaves’ Chorus
from Verdi’s Nabucco.
He described this as “yet more proof of
how Italian opera singing is an integral
part of the world’s cultural patrimony,
which provides light, strength and beauty
in the darkest hours”.
“Va, pensiero”, which was also the hymn
of Italian patriots battling the Austrian oc-
cupation in the 19th century, also illus-
trates popular support for opera.
“In the 19th century, when you arrived
in any Italian town, the entire population
sang opera arias. It was normal,” Lissner
noted.
“Italy is different, Italian theatres are
different... and if you go into the villages –
they’re not even towns – you find small
theatres.”
Even today, there are around 60 opera
houses across Italy – a global record –
while opera singers such as 20th-century
tenor Luciano Pavarotti have been vener-
ated as major stars.
In Italy, lyrical music “is not just re-
served for the elite”, said Lissner, although
he said “the majority of the public cannot
pay certain ticket prices and has been
abandoned”, which was a “huge error”.
This is a trend the San Carlo is trying to
counter, by reserving reduced price tickets
for young people. – AFP
24. Guess ___? (board game) 50. Cure-all
27. Diplomatic delicacy 54. Madre’s brother
30. What’s left at the end of a meal? 56. “Death on the Nile” author (...
31. Sioux City’s state first 4 letters + last 1)
33. Clog or wedge 61. Hunter’s attire, briefly
35. Lubricate 62. Impossible to change, or like 17-
39. Certain American employee (... , 20-, 39- and 56-Across?
first 3 letters + last 2) 64. At least once
42. “Old MacDonald” refrain 65. Orange-nosed muppet
43. Work, like a bar 66. Repairs
44. Word after “baking” or before 67. Some wines
“bread” 68. Key by the space bar
45. Young ‘un 69. Wipe away
47. Hurt badly
49. Maritime distress call
51. Source of mescal and tequila
52. Appointed
53. Train along the Northeast Corridor
55. Furry, aquatic frolicker
57. Web page code
58. Hilarious person
59. Gaels’ Division I college
60. Partner of “odds”
63. Language suffix
solution to today’s crossword
geMini May 21 - Jun 20
THIS is one of those tricky periods during which
what seems an easygoing discussion about
plans could easily turn into a heated debate.
The problem? Everybody’s on edge, including
you. If you must talk things over, stick to the
facts. Otherwise, focus on matters everybody re-
gards as uncomplicated, if not unimportant.
cancer June 21 - Jul 21
IT wasn’t easy, but eventually you acknowl-
edged that certain individuals you care about are
both selfish and emotionally immature. Once
you did, suddenly everything made sense and
better yet, you’re no longer facing constant dis-
appointments. It’s the same with certain recent
encounters. The less you expect, the better.
leo Jul 22 - aug 22
ONLY days ago you were struggling to keep cer-
tain once-prized arrangements going. Now, to
your surprise, not only have you moved on, the
powerful link between your ruler the Sun and
Pluto, planet of transformation, is ushering
ideas or options far beyond anything that, just
recently, you’d have imagined possible.
Virgo aug 23 - sep 22
AS you’ve undoubtedly noticed, you’re not
alone in struggling with a range of unexpected
and, often, unsettling events. While some are
welcome, if not exciting, others seem a nui-
sance. The irony is, the odds are good the latter
will turn out to be breakthroughs. The chal-
lenge? Being patient until you learn how.
liBra sep 23 - oct 22
IF you’re restless, it’s no surprise. After several
months of the planetary focus having been on
a range of practical matters and issues involv-
ing others, it’s shifting. And it’s now on broad-
ening your horizons, in anything from expan-
sive discussions to actually getting away. Take
that first step. You’ll be glad you did.
scorpio oct 23 - nov 21
ONLY recently, you made a promise to yourself
to stick with one particular plan or commit-
ment.While others mention doing this, often
they’ll give up, especially when faced with obsta-
cles you’d regard as an intriguing challenge. But,
then, that’s the difference between being a deter-
mined Scorpio and any other sign of the zodiac.
sagitarius nov 22 - dec 20
FOR ages you’ve intended to reorganise certain
arrangements. Once they were rewarding but re-
cently, it’s seemed they’ve taken more time but
given you far less joy. Discuss your thoughts
about these changes with others. Those conver-
sation will take a while, but they’ll result in con-
cepts that wouldn’t even have crossed your
mind.
capricorn dec 21 - Jan 19
YOU don’t think of yourself as being proud. The
real problem is you dislike asking for advice
and, when others offer thoughts of that nature,
you’ll nod but ignore them. Don’t. The individu-
als in question are both better informed than you
are, and have your best interests at heart. Listen
to their words.
aquaris Jan 20 - feb 17
FEW things are more annoying than being forced
to forget about plans you struggled to organise
because of sudden changes in circumstances.
Admittedly, these are no surprise and, in fact,
they’re a relief. Knowing that, ignore those who
say do the minimum and plunge into changes
with enthusiasm. You’ll be glad you did.
pisces feb 18 - Mar 19
BEING a sensitive water sign, you have emo-
tional ups and downs. These are so familiar
that, usually, you give them little thought. Now,
however, not only are you reviewing their im-
pact, you also feel you’re ready to discuss these
frankly with others. This won’t just be helpful, it
will be a huge relief.
Birthday Today
The rare link between the Sun and Pluto,
which accents truth and rebirth, marks this
as a turning point. While you may have had
certain changes in mind, the facts you learn
and the courage you develop will enable you
to break away from habits, beliefs or even
fears you thought you’d just have to live with.
What’s more, this is about courage. You’ll
plunge into exploring new ideas and making
changes you’d once have feared, if not
regarded as unrealistic or just plain
impossible.
dailyexpress
A Ukrainian flag is set in the cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin (Orthodox Church
of Ukraine, belonging to Moscow Patriarchy) in Kozelets, 80 km north of Kyiv.
Divided soul: Ri-
val Orthodox
churches wage
shadow war
K
YIV (Ukraine): As war rages across
Ukraine, Mykhaylo Tereshchenko is
locked in his own spiritual battle
that risks tearing his parish apart.
The priest is at a loss. He is a cleric of the
Moscow branch of Ukraine’s Orthodox
Church, which formally pledges allegiance
to Russia’s Patriarch Kirill.
But on the ground, Tereshchenko is a
fierce Ukrainian patriot, shocked by the
brutality of President Vladimir Putin’s in-
vasion of his country.
“This war has brought nothing good,”
Tereshchenko told AFP from his church in
Kozelets, around 50 miles (80 kilometres)
north of Kyiv.
“It has only brought us grief, destruc-
tion and death.”
He sighed, recounting the war’s chaotic
early days, when he sheltered people flee-
ing nearby fighting in the church cata-
combs, among icons and the tomb of the
parish’s founder.
“There are villages nearby where lots of
people died and houses were destroyed.
This pain is also ours,” the priest said.
Putin’s invasion has put Moscow-
backed priests in Ukraine in a precarious
position.
Russia lost a large number of Ukrainian
parishes in 2019, when a historic schism
fuelled by the Kremlin’s land grab of
Crimea and backing of a separatist insur-
gency in the Donbas led to the creation of
the Kyiv Patriarchate of the Orthodox
Church.
Now, with Russia’s full-scale invasion
which Patriarch Kirill has vocally sup-
ported, the Russian church is likely set to
lose even more clerics and parishes.
As waves of Russian forces crossed into
Ukraine, Kirill spoke out against the
“forces of evil” opposed to the historic
“unity” between Russia and Ukraine.
He later urged his followers to rally
against Moscow’s “external and internal
enemies”.
Kirill’s words led to Western calls for
sanctions against him and a searing warn-
ing from his old rival in the Vatican, Pope
Francis, to stop being “Putin’s altar boy”.
For priests in Ukraine like
Tereshchenko, standing by their leaders in
Moscow has become increasingly unten-
able. But breaking links with the church
also risks stirring unrest among their own
congregations.
Patriarch Kirill’s apparent blessing for
Putin’s invasion has infuriated Ukrainians,
where millions have fled their homes and
the civilian death toll rises every day.
“It’s hard to believe what the Patriarch
has said,” Tereshchenko bristled.
“Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians.
We are all Slavs. And yet, he gives his bless-
ings to go and kill his people.”
Some of his fellow clerics of the
Sudan sanctuary offers haven for exotic birds
KHARTOUM: Tucked away east of Sudan’s
capital Khartoum, a sanctuary of lush
green vegetation has been a haven for
dozens of exotic birds from far and wide.
“I have a passion for birds,” said Akram
Yehia, owner of the Marshall Nature Re-
serve which covers 400 square metres
(4,300 square feet).
“I wanted to create an ideal environ-
ment that simulates their natural habitat.”
Yehia, 45, set up the huge caged aviary
in his house’s front yard four years ago, and
has handcrafted dozens of birdhouses. He
created a habitat of trees, adding a garden
pond and mist nozzles for cooling off
against Sudan’s scorching heat.
Over 100 birds of 13 different species
currently inhabit the reserve.
Ring-necked parakeet, rosella birds, as
YOUR LOCAL VOIC E
Moscow church have gone further, with
hundreds signing an online petition call-
ing for Patriarch Kirill to face a religious
tribunal.
The head of the Moscow-backed church
in Ukraine, Metropolitan Onufriy, has so
far refrained from any criticism of his boss.
But his social media is full of funerals
for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and support
for Kyiv’s army.
He also had called for an Easter proces-
sion to retrieve trapped and wounded
Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal plant
in Mariupol, besieged by the Russian army.
Ukrainian priests who have already
broken ranks with Moscow say Kirill’s mes-
sage confirms what they have long said of
Russia’s religious authorities and accuse
him of blasphemy.
“The behaviour and statements of Kirill
the Patriarch are simply terrifying,” said
priest Oleksandr Shmuryhin from St
Volodymyr’s Cathedral – part of the Kyiv
Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church – in
the Ukrainian capital.
“This is propaganda and theology that
serves the war. It’s not Christianity.”
Now, some in Ukraine want the
Moscow church to be banned outright.
In March, a draft piece of legislation
was introduced in the Ukrainian parlia-
ment which if approved would formally
prohibit the Russian Orthodox Church
from operating in Ukraine and allow the
seizure of its properties.
In Moscow, the clergy hit back, saying
this proved that Putin’s “special military
operation” was justified.
The rhetoric is likely to backfire and
cost them more priests in Ukraine.
Some Ukrainians have turned their
backs on the Russian church.
“All Ukrainians all over the world have
to unite now and follow one mission to
help Ukraine in this victory,” said Daria
Kolomiec, a 33-year-old Kyiv resident.
But Kirill, who has not been to Ukraine
since before Moscow’s 2014 annexation of
Crimea, still has his defenders in Ukraine,
even in the heart of Kyiv.
“Yes, I have my worries,” 34-year-old
churchgoer Iryna Gen told AFP, comparing
Putin to “Satan” ahead of a service at a
Moscow Patriarchate church in Kyiv.
However, she insisted “Kirill has no
connection” to the Russian president’s ac-
tions.
But for priests like Tereshchenko, the
war has forced them to confront difficult
questions that have lingered for years and
an uncertain future.
“I want us to have our own Ukrainian
church – independent from Moscow and
any other state (including Ukraine),” said
Tereshchenko.
“You can’t do anything with aggression,
only with love.” – AFP
well as Meyers and red-rumped parrots flit
across branches and compete over bird-
houses in the reserve. “I have trained and
tamed them over the years so they won’t
attack each another,” he said.
Yehia says his favourite is an African
grey parrot who answers to the name
“Kuku” and has a knack for mimicking hu-
man sounds and movements as well.
Sudanese and foreign visitors are al-
lowed to drop in for two to three hours a
day only. “It’s only limited time so we don’t
disturb their habitat,” said Yehia.
Business, however, has been impacted
since an October military coup that has
triggered regular mass protests met by a
violent crackdown.
Visits often get called off on protest
days as streets are blocked, making it hard
People & Places 17
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
Algerian rapper plays Harlem’s Apollo during US tour
NEW YORK: As his merengue-inflected sin-
gle “Suavemente” once again topped
France’s songs chart, Algerian rapper
Soolking was stateside, delighting fans
and wooing new followers with his blend
of rap and Maghrebian folk music.
Already acclaimed in the Francophone
world, the Algerian rapper Soolking this
year set his sights on North America,
where he played historic venues including
New York’s Apollo and the Globe Theatre
in Los Angeles.
“I never thought that one day I would
come here to sing,” the artist born Abder-
raouf Derradji told AFP backstage ahead
of his set at Harlem’s esteemed venue,
which launched the careers of icons in-
cluding Billie Holiday and Aretha
Franklin, and where James Brown
recorded a groundbreaking live album.
“It’s a mythical hall like Paris’ Olympia...
where so many legendary artists have per-
formed,” said Soolking, wearing oval sun-
glasses and a black beanie.
“It’s an honor for me; it’s cool.”
Born and raised in a suburb of Algiers,
the 32-year-old was born to a percussionist
father and at a young age began playing
music and learning dance.
He first moved to France in 2008, but
returned to Algeria to be in the rap group
Indonesians mark Vesak at world’s largest Buddhist temple
MAGELANG (Indonesia): Hundreds of
lanterns were released into the sky by In-
donesian Buddhists celebrating Vesak day
at the temple of Borobudur for the first
time since the coronavirus pandemic hit
the country.
More than a thousand Buddhists from
across the archipelago gathered at the
largest Buddhist temple in the world, sit-
uated in Magelang, Central Java, to com-
memorate the birth, enlightenment and
death of Buddha Siddharta Gautama.
Celebrations on Monday night in-
cluded prayers and meditation, collecting
holy water and the release of flying
lanterns symbolising the letting go of neg-
ativity.
“This is the first time we were able to
hold the celebration since the pandemic
started, since we are still in the middle of
the pandemic, we limited the number of
participants to only 1,200 people,” Eric
Fernardo, the spokesman for the event,
told AFP on Monday.
Only those who received an invitation
and a double dose of a Covid-19 vaccine
were allowed to enter the sprawling com-
plex of Borobudur to join the ceremonies.
Before the pandemic, the event was
usually attended by more than 20,000
people from across the Muslim-majority
country and other places.
“After two years of not being able to cel-
ebrate Vesak Day here, now we finally can,
even though not exactly like before the
pandemic as there still are restrictions, but
I’m so happy”, Christina, a 20-year-old
Buddhist who goes by one name, told AFP.
“We can still feel the enthusiasm and
excitement, even though the number of at-
tendees are limited,” added the student
from Jakarta, the Indonesian capital.
Despite the restrictions and stringent
health protocols, monks and worshippers
reverently followed the three-day proces-
Young, poor and from minorities: The Russian troops killed in Ukraine
PARIS: The bulk of the thousands of Russ-
ian soldiers killed in Moscow’s onslaught
against Ukraine are very young, have poor
backgrounds and many are from ethnic
minority groups, observers say.
There has been close attention on the
numbers of Russian generals and high-
ranking officers killed since the invasion
launched by President Vladimir Putin on
February 24, which has proved far more
costly than the Kremlin wished.
But with observers believing the Russ-
ian toll could now be exceeding the 15,000
Soviet soldiers killed during the 1979-1989
occupation of Afghanistan, the losses
among Russian rank-and-file soldiers have
been devastating.
Russia has been remarkably tight-
lipped on the number of its soldiers killed,
giving a toll of 498 soldiers killed on
March 2 and updating this to 1,351 on
March 25, with no more information since.
Ukraine puts the toll of Russian soldiers
at 27,000 and while most Western sources
find this high, they also give figures many
times higher than the Russian estimates.
“Russia has now likely suffered losses of
one third of the ground combat force it
committed in February,” the British de-
to move around the capital.
“The tear gas fired during the protests
is very dangerous for the birds,” Yehia said.
“I know people living closer to large
protest sites and who’ve lost all the birds they
own.” Yehia has also been grappling with in-
creasing expenses in Sudan, where the local
currency has plummeted against the dollar,
and food and fuel prices have soared.
“I want to expand the reserve but it’s
very expensive now,” he said.
To visitors, the reserve is a welcome
break from the hustle and bustle of Khar-
toum. “I never knew that such a place ex-
ists in Khartoum,” said Anna
Shcherbakova, a visitor from Ukraine.
A local visitor, Hossameddine Sidahmed,
said he hopes the reserve expands and
grows “even more beautiful”. – AFP
Soolking performs at the Apollo
Theater in New York City.
Africa Jungle, with whom he released two
albums: “Ched Rohek” and “Eclipse.”
The artist returned to France several
years later, launching a solo career in 2016,
adopting the moniker Soolking and start-
ing to play small venues and drop music
online. He went viral shortly thereafter af-
ter performing his song “Guerilla” – a track
about his experience immigrating without
papers – on the popular French radio Show
“Planet Rap.”
With two successful albums under his
belt and another on the way, Soolking em-
Buddhist monks carry holy water as they circle Mendut temple
during Vesak Day celebrations in Magelang, Central Java.
Devotees light lanterns during Vesak
day celebration at the Borobudur
temple in Magelang, central Java.
fence ministry said Sunday, indicating that
some 50,000 Russian soldiers had been
killed or wounded. In a rare nod to the po-
tential significance of the losses, though
without going into any numbers, Putin
paid tribute to those killed at Russia’s Vic-
tory Day commemorations on May 9.
“We bow in front of our comrades in
arms who died courageously in a just
fight, for Russia. The death of every soldier
and officer is a cause of grief for us and an
irreplaceable loss for loved ones,” he said,
announcing a package of measures to help
the families of those wounded or killed.
The Russian-language website Media-
zona said it had been able to confirm the
deaths of 2,099 Russian soldiers in action
up to May 6 from open sources alone.
It said that the largest proportion of
those killed where age was mentioned was
among 21- to 23-year-olds, and 74 had not
even reached the age of 20.
A regional breakdown showed most of
the dead came from the south of Russia,
including the mainly Muslim Northern
Caucasus region, as well as central Siberia.
Only a handful of deaths were recorded
of soldiers from Moscow and the second-
largest city, Saint Petersburg, which are
A visitor posing for pictures with some of
the protected birds in the capital Khartoum.
barked this spring on a North American
tour that along with New York and Los An-
geles included dates in Montreal, Houston,
Chicago and Washington.
The artist who sings in both French and
Arabic is interested in expanding his
global reach but isn’t terribly concerned
with where his fans come from: “The most
important thing is my fans.”
“In my country of origin, there’s people
who listen to me and people who don’t lis-
ten to me,” the rapper continued. “I’m go-
ing to look for what’s human, because in
the end, music is feeling.”
As evidenced by his first New York
show, Soolking had broken ground in the
United States long before he played any of
its stages: fans danced and sang along at
the Apollo, waving Algerian flags and illu-
minating their phones.
“It’s just amazing to see someone from
our country in New York City and their
name in lights,” said 26-year-old Sarah
Hammadi, one of four cousins who trav-
eled from New Jersey to catch the show.
“It’s amazing – he’s really representing
for Algeria.”
“It just feels like you’re back at home,”
seconded her cousin Dilia, 18.
“He’s such a pop icon in our country... it
just brings warmth to our heart.” – AFP
sion and ceremonies, including the ritual
to collect holy water from the pristine
springs at Jumprit in nearby Temanggung
district.
The procession and the countdown to
Vesak, just before midnight on Monday,
were also livestreamed for those who did
not have an invitation to attend the event.
Indonesian Buddhists account for less
than one per cent of the country’s more
than 270 million people.
Built in the ninth century, the
Borobudur Temple was abandoned when
the Hindu kingdoms of Java island de-
clined and a majority of Javanese began to
convert to Islam.
Buried under volcanic ash and hidden
in the jungle, the temple’s existence was
largely forgotten until the 19th century. It
has undergone a major restoration and is
today a Unesco world heritage site. – AFP
considerably more affluent than the rest of
Russia. The largest numbers of confirmed
deaths (135) were of soldiers from the Mus-
lim Northern Caucasus region of Dagestan
followed by Buryatia, home to the Mongol
Buryat ethnic group, in Siberia (98).
“The largest number of soldiers and of-
ficers within the ground troops comes
from the small towns and villages of Rus-
sia. It is related to socio-economic and,
consequently, educational stratification,”
Pavel Luzin, a commentator for the Riddle
Russia online news site, told AFP.
“The requirements for military service
in the ground troops are relatively low, and
the best and educated soldiers and future
officers go to other branches of the Russian
armed forces like air and space forces,
strategic rocket forces and navy,” he added.
Local media and Telegram channels in
Dagestan, which for years battled an Is-
lamist insurgency and is one of Russia’s
poorest regions, have been filled with im-
ages of grieving relatives receiving condo-
lences from state officials.
In one example, Kamil Iziiev, head of the
Buynaksky district of Dagestan, on May 6
posted a video on his Telegram channel
showing him giving posthumous state
awards to families of five inhabitants of
Dagestan killed in the war, accepted by wives
and mothers wearing the Muslim headscarf.
“You have to live on as mothers of chil-
dren whose fathers heroically gave up
their lives. Dear relatives, I ask you to re-
member that a person is alive so long as
they are remembered. So let’s remember
these guys,” he said.
The very first Russian soldier officially
confirmed by Moscow to have been killed
was Nurmagomed Gadzhimagomedov, a
young Dagestani who state media said
died while saving fellow troops. He was
posthumously decorated by Putin with the
Hero of Russia award on March 4.
His death prompted Putin to publicly
pay tribute to the role played by non-Russ-
ian ethnic groups in Moscow’s assault, say-
ing he was “proud of being part of this
world, this powerful, strong and multina-
tional people of Russia.” – AFP
 18 Sport YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDN ESDAY , MAY 18, 2022 dailyexpress
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Smart ‘questionable’ for
JAWATAN KEKOSONGAN Date of Advertisement:
1. Satu orang tukang masak
restaurant (Muslim) Lelaki /
18.5.2022 & 19.5.2022 Celtics opener against Heat
Perempuan. 2. Satu orang LOS ANGELES: Boston Celtics star Marcus Smart is a fitness doubt
pembuat roti canai. Gaji boleh SABAH, MALAYSIA
berunding ketika interview. Sila for Tuesday’s opening NBA Eastern Conference finals playoff clash
DI PEJABAT PENOLONG PEMUNGUT HASIL TANAH
hubungi kami segera KUDAT with the Miami Heat after suffering a foot injury, coach Ime Udoka
+601115499189 - Datu Bugat SIASATAN TANAH PPHT (KUDAT) NO. 05 TAHUN 2022 said on Monday.
+60142829974 - Datu Bugat SCHEDULE XXIV (Section 120) Smart was diagnosed with a mid-foot sprain after landing heav-
VACANCY 088-386555 NOTICE OF LOSS OF DOCUMENT OF TITLE ily during Sunday’s series-clinching victory over the Milwaukee
Application having been made to the Collector at KUDAT Bucks and is listed as “questionable” for game one, Udoka told re-
by ROSLINAH BINTI BAYUK for a certified copy of FR NO
054004590 in the district of KUDAT on the ground that porters.
BUYUK B MUSTI is the registered owner thereof and that “He took a pretty bad fall... it’s pretty tender and sore right
the issue document of title has been lost / destroyed. now,” Udoka said. “He’s undergoing round the clock treatment
In accordance with the provisions of section 120 of the and he’ll be listed as questionable.”
LE: 24/2021 Land Ordinance, notice is hereby given that, unless within
SABAH, MALAYSIA Smart has been a key part of the Celtics’ return to the confer-
ONE (1) month of the date of publication of this notice
DI PEJABAT PENOLONG PEMUNGUT HASIL TANAH good cause be shown to the Collector of Land Revenue ence finals and scored 11 points with 10 assists and seven rebounds
BELURAN for refusing this application, the certified copy applied for in Sunday’s 109-81 defeat of the Bucks. There was a brighter med-
SIASATAN TANAH PPHT BELURAN NO. 24 TAHUN 2021 will, subject to the provisions of the said section, be is- ical bulletin for the Celtics’ Rob Williams, with Udoka saying the
SCHEDULE XXIV (Section 120) sued. towering center would be available following a bone bruise on his
NOTICE OF LOSS OF DOCUMENT OF TITLE Dated at KUDAT this 05.04.2022
Application having been made to the Collector at Beluran recently repaired left knee.
by BIDIN BIN ANGAU for a certified copy of NT No. “Rob is available, no minutes restriction,” Udoka said.
083183331 in the district of BELURAN / PAITAN on the Williams’ return has been managed carefully after the 24-year-
ground that BIDIN BIN ANGAU is the registered owner old underwent left knee surgery at the end of the regular season.
thereof and that the issue document of title has been lost “I’m always going to be a little bit cautious with guys coming
/ destroyed.
In accordance with the provisions of section 120 of the NOTIS off a layoff... but he’s available, looking better every day and get-
Land Ordinance, notice is hereby given that, unless PERMOHONAN LESEN MENJUAL ting more confident.” – AFP
within THREE (3) months of the date of publication of MINUMAN KERAS YANG MEMABUKKAN
this notice good cause be shown to the Collector of Land
Revenue for refusing this application, the certified copy
applied for will, subject to the provisions of the said sec-
Adalah dimaklumkan bahawa saya CHUA BOON Touring Irish to play
LEONG No. K/P: 730905-12-5203 yang berniaga
tion, be issued.
Dated at BELURAN this 24 March 2022
dengan nama ALAI CAFE telah pun membuat per-
mohonan kepada Pengerusi Lembaga Pelesenan
Maori All Blacks twice
Eksais Wilayah Persekutuan, bagi lesen menjual
minuman yang memabukkan jenis RUMAH AWAM WELLINGTON: Ireland will play two midweek matches against the
di LOT 16, BLOCK C, TINGKAT 2, JALAN TUN Maori All Blacks on their mid-year rugby tour of New Zealand, it was
MUSTAPHA, 87000 LABUAN, W.P. LABUAN. announced Tuesday, creating an intense fixture list of five games in
the space of 18 days.
SABAH, MALAYSIA Sebarang bantahan dari orang ramai hendaklah The Irish will open the tour against the Maori side in Hamilton
iMMediate Vacancies DI PEJABAT PENOLONG PEMUNGUT HASIL TANAH on Wednesday, June 29, three days out from the first Test against the
dikemukakan kepada Lembaga Pelesenan Eksais
TAMBUNAN All Blacks at Auckland’s Eden Park. A second midweek match is
SIASATAN TANAH PPHT TAMBUNAN berkenaan.
We are looking for the following positions to join our friendly working environment scheduled for Wellington on Tuesday, July 12, falling between the
Restaurant that welcomes new ideas and initiatives in the F&B services. NO. 16 TAHUN 2022
SCHEDULE XXIV (Section 120) Bertarikh: second and third Tests. Ireland plan to select an enlarged squad to
We are located at:
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NOTICE OF LOSS OF DOCUMENT OF TITLE 17/05/2022 cater for the additional fixtures. The Maori
Application having been made to the Collector at TAM- All Blacks have an impressive history against
2. polytechnic commercial centre, kkip PUBLIC NOTICE
BUNAN by JUSIUS GARIK for a certified copy of N.T.
143099281 in the district of TAMBUNAN on the ground MALAYSIA international teams, including wins over Ire-
a. restaurant Manager –2 positions
that JUSIUS GARIK is the registered owner thereof and IN THE HIGH COURT OF land in their only two meetings.
l Responsible for the efficient running of the Restaurant that the issue document of title has been lost / destroyed. SABAH AND SARAWAK In 1888, a “New Zealand Natives” team
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In accordance with the provisions of section 120 of the AT KOTA KINABALU beat the Irish 13-4 in Dublin while the Maori
Land Ordinance, notice is hereby given that, unless within ORIGINATING SUM- won a 31-28 thriller at Rotorua International
maximizing customer satisfaction THREE MONTHS of the date of publication of this notice MONS NO. BKI-32NCvC- Stadium in 2010. Ireland coach Andy Farrell
l Effectively recruiting and managing employees good cause be shown to the Collector of Land Revenue 78/4-2021
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IN THE ESTATE OF
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midweek matches.
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Dated at Tambunan 21st of April 2022 have a proud tradition and impressive
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l Chinese and English speaking, Chinese dialects speaking is an added [NRIC NO. 300909-12-
be of huge benefit to the group as we tour
advantage NEGERI SABAH, MALAYSIA 5097] of Bongawan, Sabah
l Monthly salary starting from RM5,000 or above come with EPF, SOCSO, who died testate on the 21 st for the first time since 2018.” – AFP
DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI SYARIAH DI KOTA KINABALU
Medical Expenses and Allowance KES MAL NO. 12100-099-0131 TAHUN 2022 day of November 2020 are

B. service crew – 8 positions

DALAM PERKARA: PERMOHONAN PENGANGKATAN ANAK
KANAK-KANAK NUR DAMIA IMANNIENA BINTI NORMIN
[SC 040297]
requested to submit their
claims to the Executor of the Tamim hits ton
l Delivering food and beverages and maximizing customer satisfaction said estate within 3 months
l Serving food and beverage to customers 1. MAHADIL BIN AYOH [NO. KP: 771128-12-5191] CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh): Tamim Iqbal
- PEMOHON
from the date of the publica-
l Cleaning and arranging tables tion of this Notice, after completed his 10th Test century before Sri
2. MARLINA BINTI ALBI [NO. K/P: 820110-12-5896]
l Provide excellent customer service to customers
- PEMOHON
VACANCY which the assets comprised Lanka clawed their way back into the contest
l Ad hoc duties assigned for quick response by the Restaurant Manager LOCATION: KOLOMBONG AREA in the said estate will be dis-
l Minimum 1 year experience with similar position
Kepada: NORMIN BIN ABD RAHMAN with quick strikes in the first Test against
Alamat terakhir KAMPUNG PULAU MANTANANI tributed among the benefi-
l Monthly Salary of RM1,600 come with EPF, SOCSO, Medical Expenses and JALAN PORT USUKAN, 89158 KOTA BELUD, SABAH
Bangladesh on Tuesday.
An established company seeking for: ciaries entitled thereto sub-
Meal provided Tamim was batting on 133 after reaching
ject only to just claims re-
PERMOHONAN PENGANGKATAN ANAK TYPISTS the milestone with a four and single off
ceived within the said period.
c. asst cook / kitchen Helper – 2 positions • Possess at least SPM or higher Asitha Fernando off successive balls but
l Knowledgeable in preparing in Chinese cuisine AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa MAHADIL BIN AYOH dan MARLINA
BINTI ALBI akan memohon ke Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah di Kota • Able to work irregular hours and on Dated this 18th day of Bangladesh were reduced to 220-3 at tea on
l Responsible for proper preparation for all dishes with regards to basic
preparations, tastes, temperature, garnishing and timing in accordance with Kinabalu pada 18 haribulan MEI tahun 2022 jam 09:00 pagi, un- certain public holidays May 2022 the third day.
the job requirements
tuk permohonan pengangkatan anak ke atas:
• Must be able to communicate and read English The hosts, who resumed on 76-0, were
1. NUR DAMIA IMANNIENA BINTI NORMIN
l Keeps the working area (kitchen) clean and tidy [NO. DAFTAR KELAHIRAN: SC 040297] • Fresh school leavers are welcome The Executor / trailing Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 397
l Ensure no cross-contamination TARIKH LAHIR: 08 SEPTEMBER 2018
Yapp Fook Sin @ runs by 177 at the break, with Mushfiqur
• Teamwork spirit a must Peter Yapp
l To prepare all relevant menus Sesiapa berhajat menentang permohonan, hendaklah memfailkan Rahim accompanying Tamim on 14.
l To ensure each kitchen staff is in compliance with company procedures Notis Bantahan dan Afidavit Bantahan di Mahkamah ini dan • Only those who are able to start immediately C/o. Messrs. Norbert
Fernando broke Tamim’s 162-run open-
l Handle ad-hoc duties as assigned by the Chef menyampaikan salinan kepada pemohon sebelum tarikh tersebut, need apply. Yapp & Associates
atau hadir di Mahkamah pada tarikh itu. 1st Floor, Shop No. 1, ing stand with Mahmudul Hasan, who
l Minimum 2 years working experience with similar position • Priority for those with own transport, however
l Monthly Salary of RM1,800 come with EPF, SOCSO, Medical Expenses and Block A, Alamesra Plaza edged a delivery on the leg side behind the
Pada 13 MEI 2022 accommodation can given to those from stumps after making 58 off 142 balls.
Meal provided Permai, Jalan Sulaman
Pendaftar outstation. 88400 Kota Kinabalu Concussion substitute Kasun Rajitha then
Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah
interested candidates please contact us at : Notis ini difailkan oleh dan MAHADIL BIN AYOH dan MARLINA (Ref: NYA/LIT/2021/007) removed Najmul Hossain for one and
Handphone : 016-5509211 (accept whatsapp) BINTI ALBI yang beralamat di KAMPUNG PULAU MANTANANI, Those interested please call 019-8819036 for Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque for two
email : tastygloriette@gmail.com P/S 187, 89150 KOTA BELUD, SABAH. arrangement of interview from 2pm onwards. to restore some parity in the game. – AFP
dailyexpress YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022 19

AL-FATIHAH PENGHARGAAN DAN

TERIMA KASIH

TAKZIAH
kepada seluruh keluarga
WAN MARIA HJ OTHMAN LEE
Semoga rohnya dicucuri rahmat dan ditempatkan
di kalangan mereka yang beriman
From:
Ex Pejabat Perjawatan Negeri dan
Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam Negeri Sabah
Datuk Jipanus Molukun
Kami keluarga ALLAYARHAMAH USTAZAH SABBERIAH BINTI HAJI ARSAT mengucapkan jutaan ter-
Susan Jill ima kasih atas ucapan Takziah dan titipan doa buat arwah yang kembali ke rahmatullah pada 5
Mei 2022 bersamaan 4 Syawal 1443 Hijrah di Hospital Papar dan khasnya kepada:
Junaidah Datuk H. A. Hassan
Thomas Logijin 1. Unit Kecemasan Hospital Papar
2. YB. Mohd Tamin Bin Zainal
Sapdin Ibrahim Pembantu Menteri Pembangunan Perindustrian Sabah
Merangkap ADUN N.29 Pantai Manis
Hjh Halizah Hj Bustamam 3. YB. Haji Ahmad bin Haji Hasan
Josie Lai Ahli Parlimen P.175 Papar
4. YB. Datuk Haji Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar
Arnold Joibi ADUN N.26 Kawang
5. YB. Datuk Juil Nuatin
Hjh Diyanah Abdullah ADUN N.27 Limbahau
Leonard Poyong 6.
7.
YBHG. Datuk Jamal Nerubi
YBHG. Datuk Aidi Moktar
Alesia Sion 8. YBHG. Datuk Hajjah Rosnah Haji Abd Rashid Shirlin
9. YBHG. Datuk Pg Saifudin Pg. Tahir
Connie Pudin 10. YBHG. Datuk Amirzan bin Mohd Ali
11. YBHG. Haji Abdul Ghani Haji Rashid
12. YBHG. Datuk Dr. Bibi Floriana
13. Ustaz Malai Ali Malai Ahmad

RETURN THANKS 14. Encik Roslie Ibrahim

PPM N.26 Kawang
In Loving Memory 15. Encik William Shim
Kapitan Cina Papar
16. Encik Redzuan bin Ismail
17. Encik Jalaludin Abdullah
18 Encik Rashid Tahir
19. Encik Osmanudin @ Basius Boilis
20. Tuan Haji Ghulam Rasul Hapil
21. Encik Mohd Fakhurazi Haji Aliudin
22. Encik Gerorge Jonik
23. Encik Abd Majid Haji Kifli
OF THE LATE JOHN MARIA AMBROSE 24. Tuan Haji MUsli bin Safan
20/10/1960 – 27/2/2022 25. Tuan Haji Idris Haji Yahya
Dr & Staff Hospital Berungis Panil Kota Siti Nooraisyah Mandin Mohd Razali & Rusananchi Sakumil 26. Tuan Haji Mohd Yusuf Pg. Badarudin
Jabatan Bomba Tuaran Adrian Simon Rosaliah Pengeran Akui Family 27. Chinese Chamber Of Commerce Papar
Balai Polis Daerah Tuaran Norbet Kee John @ Alan Edi Kandari Alias Gohok 28. Pegawai & Kakitangan Majlis Daerah Papar
Datuk Juil Nuatim Josli Kulambang Bernad Omin & Family Sumping Ekun Family
Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau Leong Wui Kian Celestina Ansadon Sayed Adam Sayed Kasim
29. Group Kerabat Papar/Meruntum
YB. Jasnih Hj. Daya Josue Mojiun Callista Rubina Okk Nonon Stanley Jungkat 30. Group Ex-AVS 70s & Gruop AVS 70/79
Decon. Terans Thadeus Luke Sunjoh Catherine Tan Rosnah Kopi 31. Group Ex Sabah College Papar (1969/1970)
Ambrose Komuji Family Felix Jolinu Christina Theresa Mail Paul Setia 32. Pengurus Besar dan Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan Papar
Mohinggal Family Sylvester Jarang Christine Steven @ Nurdiana Sosong Pati
Lajinggah Family Rostinah Masantum Dr. Nurhidayah Mohd Hafiz Ranti Bungal & Family
33. Puan Asmah Sulaiman
Malinggang Familly Repin Sungkit Doris Jungkat Helena Eman Asmah Catering Papar
Injin family Moijing Gidil Daigo Atung Mimi Tan 34. Wahab Furniture Papar
Pusu family Nikita Embon David Angkayun & Family Sundang Sarim 35. Ahli-ahli kariah Masjid Al-Mutaqeen Kampung Kelanahan, Papar
Staff LHDNKK Jonathan Quiban Evi @ Rozy Abdullah Mohd Yusof Hj. Abu Bakar
Kelab KADUS Loritah & Johnsil Floria Mak @ Faridah Tukimin Family
36. Warga penduduk Mukim Kelanahan, Papar
Staff S.M. La Salle KK Aspah Hj. Lamin Gustin Jungkat Zainah Sulaiman
Mr & Mrs Wenches Lajingah Mohd Sanusi Hj. Taripin Jenny Henry & Family Sylvia Ayung Dan semua dangsanak, ahli keluarga yang hadir menitipkan doa dan bacaan ayat suci Al-Quran se-
Mr & Mrs Adrian Lajingah Halimah Mohd Noor Julius Galawis Pauziah Ahmad masa jenazah berada di rumah hingga selesai upacara pengkebumian. Semoga Allah sentiasa mer-
Mr & Mrs Jonathan Poh Regina Daungkil Johnny Lawadin Tony Bongsu
Charmine & Zachary Mobijohn Selamat Lahante Johnny Songon Bayus Angkayun
ahmati dan memberikan yang terbaik buat kita semua.
Teo Family (Kuala Penyu) Nancy Tsen Johnny & Juliana Family Husim & Evelyn
Caroline Siol
Pouline Blasius
Mrs Jim Dangin
Augustine Tuuga
Kesmah Ekin
Normah Tanduk
Norsah Brahim
Siti Paridah Japar
Justina Dukim
Jack Joel Moringa
Juvinah Jikan
Poyoh Tingan
Irene Dorom Bidun
Kombinin Family
Embah Family
Julamu Family
Ikhlas daripada:
Christopher Tili Norhayati Karim Suntagi Sabar Saumi Bagou
Benjamin Quirin Dg. Damit Ahmad Parmah Sabar Lucy John Family 1. Tuan Haji Karim Haji Madun (Suami)
K.K Abdul Aziz Abdullah Hilda Pilang Ng. Ten Loi Micheal Ho 2. Sofia binti Haji Karim & Razeis Ismail
Mohd Bidin Amit family Honila Suiming Habibah Samuri Julia Ingku Amir Azizi bin Razeis, Nur Arina binti Razeis, Nur Izati binti Razeis,
Alex Tayar Tuaran Elizabeth Golingan Vincent Andelah Latingga Bagou
Anthony Yusuf Family Richard Bijiod Henry Chong Yusry & Family Adam Zukkarnain bin Razeis & Mohd Izat Zikri bin Razeis
Kee Rokiah Mohd Yusuf Sitimah Durin Sangau Omin Felix Amit 3. Mohamad Haniff Haji Karim & Dg Salbiah binti Yusuf
Dorothy May Mangaliag Lucy Yudin Maslie K. Hamzah Molly Perisai
Harold Panus Betty Batatal Nurul Syafika @ Maslinah Young Jinap
Md. Hadif bin Md Haniff, Sur Syazana Md Haniff & Md Hakimi bin Md Hanif
John Mojiun Helina Laipat Bahilan Hassan Mariana Serunai 4. Abd Rodzan Haji Karim & Junaidah Haji Ag Damit
William Lojinin Asiah Jari Roslen @ Norafizah Abudallah Rico Ayung Ahlami bin Abd Rodzan, Asnawi bin Abd Rodzan Ashraf bin Abd Rodzan &
Simon Munang Tuan Amat & Sabaritah K. Hamzah Thomas Bandan Korop Ombigan
Elisabeth Ting Geok Sun Tuan Mustakim Tuan Yahya Tuan. Kevin Lo Oyong Andung Azizi bin Abd Rodzan
Sataing Pindah Mohd Hafiz Abdullah Mohd Razali & Rusananchi Sakumil Zunaidah @ Lee Sia Binti Koyoi 5. Ahmad Jaludin bin Haji Karim & Hajjah Siti Nurbalqis Haji Paing
Hj. Azmie & Hjh. Azizah Upu Sindau Padiman Jabou Anas binti Ahmad Jaludin, Aniss binti Ahmad Jaludin,
Jason James
Rahayu Orok Aira binti Ahmad Jaludin & Aeisah binti Ahmad Jaludin
Jupilin Ajut 6. Nazariah Haji Karim & Ag Nurjayadi Haji Ibrahim
Bumiputera Undertaker
Nias Aiman bin Ag Nurjayadi & Nadirah binti Ag Nurjayadi
And all our relatives, neighbours, friends and those whom we are unable to mention individually for your kind attendance, assistance, condolences,
prayers, donations, messages, words of comfort sympathy and companionship during our recent bereavement. 7. Jahirah Husniati Nabilah Haji Karim & Ahmad Anuar bin Kamar
Auni Najiha binti Ahmad Anuar & Nazhan bin Ahmad Anuar
Deeply missed loved and remembered by:
FATHER: AMBROSE KOMUJI (D)
MOTHER: JOSEPHA LOIKIN (D)
WIFE : JULITA INJIN
AL-FATIHAH
CHILDREN: JOHNSON. DONNA. JOSHUA NOEL
20 YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022 dailyexpress
dailyexpress YOUR LOCAL VOIC E I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022 Sport 21

Chiellini says Damning

NZ Cycling
review follows
goodbye to athlete’s death
WELLINGTON: Cycling New Zealand has
apologised for “unresolved trauma” follow-
ing the death of a top athlete and a damn-

Juventus fans ing review into the sport’s high perform-

TURIN (Italy): Giorgio Chiellini bid
farewell to Juventus fans on Monday in his
last home match for the Turin giants, a
disappointing 2-2 draw which earned
Lazio a place in the Europa League after
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic levelled with the
last kick of the game.
Fans chanted “there’s only one cap-
tain” as a giant choreography depicting
his shirt number ‘3’ was displayed in the
stands ahead of the match and they then
gave Chiellini a huge round of applause
after he was substituted in the 18th
minute.
The 37-year-old had played the full 120
minutes of Juve’s Italian Cup final defeat
to arch rivals Inter Milan on Wednesday,
after which he announced that he would
be leaving Juve after 18 years at a club
where he has won nine league titles and a
clutch of other trophies.
“It’s been an emotional day,” said
Chiellini to DAZN, adding that he believes
he can “still play at a high level of foot-
ball”.
Following the announcement of his de-
parture from Juve he said he would think
about whether to hang up his boots after
having already decided to retire from in-
ternational football.
“I don’t know right now,” he said.
“I need to think about things. It’s a de-
cision that can’t be made in a day.”
When he left the field he handed his
captain’s armband to another player on
the way out — Paulo Dybala.
Argentina international Dybala, who
has been at Juve since 2015, will leave at
the end of the season after the club de-
cided not to renew his contract after a ver-
bal agreement with the 28-year-old struck
in the autumn was publicly rejected by the
club earlier this year.
Dusan Vlahovic did the Argentine’s
“mask” celebration when he headed in the
opener in the 10th minute, and when Dy-
Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini greets the supporters during the match against Lazio.
bala was substituted with 12 minutes re-
maining, with the hosts leading 2-1, he did
a tour of the stands and was embraced by
fans while he tried to hold back the tears.
Juve looked to be cruising to a routine
home win to honour their two departing
heroes when Alvaro Morata doubled the
hosts lead in the 36th minute.
However, Alex Sandro poked into his
own net five minutes after the break and
Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio pushed for a leveller
which came in the 95th minute,
Milinkovic-Savic rifling past Mattia Perin
from a tight angle to give Lazio a spot in
Europe’s second-tier competition.
“For next year we will need a few play-
ers in order to aim towards the Champi-
ons league,” said Milinkovic-Savic, who
has been linked with a move away from
the Roman club in the summer.
They sit fifth in one of two Europa
League places, four points away from sev-
enth-placed Fiorentina, who were ham-
mered 4-1 at a Sampdoria side in party
mood.
Samp were guaranteed their top flight
status on Sunday after Cagliari were
beaten 3-1 by title-chasing Inter Milan,
leaving Marco Giampaolo’s side four
points above the drop zone before they
kicked off in their penultimate fixture of
the season. – AFP
ance culture.
The independent review, launched in
August following the suspected suicide of
former Olympic track cyclist Olivia Pod-
more, found the country’s high perform-
ance sports system across the board needs
structural changes to address a “chilling”
power imbalance between athletes and
sports organisations.
In cycling’s case, it uncovered a culture
of “medals before process” which ignored
the wellbeing of athletes on its high per-
formance programme.
The 104-page report said there was gen-
der bias in the environment, team selec-
tions lacked transparency and there were
no support systems in place.
Podmore competed at the 2016 Rio
Olympics but missed selection for the sub-
sequent Games in Tokyo.
Hours before her death, she posted an
online message about the pressures associ-
ated with high performance sport.
Cycling NZ chairman Phil Holden said at
a press conference the report was difficult
to read.
“The very first finding in this document,
talks to the unresolved trauma from 2016 to
2018 (suffered by cyclists). That shocked us.

French hope Bardet biding his time as Giro plot thickens
PESCARA (Italy): As cycling’s Giro d’Italia
enters its second week French climber Ro-
main Bardet may be sitting pretty but is
taking nothing for granted on a treacher-
ous route that has already claimed the
scalp of three of the supposed front run-
ners.
British team Ineos are setting a fero-
cious pace at key moments with the aim
of wearing out any rider having a poor
day, and poor days have so far wrecked the
chances of 2017 winner Tom Dumoulin,
his Dutch compatriot Wilco Kelderman
and the 2018 Vuelta champion Simon
Yates.
Just 17 seconds separate six plausible
champions with Richard Carapaz of Ineos
and Mikel Landa of Bahrain Victorious the
main threats to Bardet’s chances of finally
landing a major prize at the age of 31.
“So far so good,” Bardet said on Mon-
day’s rest day ahead of two flat stages,
three hilly ones and a single mountain
stage on week two, before the mountain-
ous final week.
Bardet is fully aware of the old adage
that ‘You can’t win a grand tour on one
day, but you can lose it with one bad
stage’.
“There will be hazards every day this
week, you have to keep your wits about
you,” said Bardet, who feels Saturday’s
short but hilly run from Santena to Turin
could prove costly for someone.
“I’ve been through many highs and
lows on the grand tours,” said the man
who has been runner up on a Tour de
France and at a world championships.
“So I don’t get too carried away now,
this morning I went for a spin on the bike,
had a massage and a nice BBQ ,” said the
Team DSM leader.
Opportunities for such relaxing mo-
ments may be limited over the next two
weeks for pure climber Bardet, who was
pipped to the line on Sunday’s mountain
finish.
A stage win would have seen him join
21 other active riders in having won an in-
dividual stage on all three grand tours.
“I came here targeting the overall win,
but it would be nice to raise my arms at
the finish line somewhere down the line,”
said Bardet.
“It’s been a good start, but there’s more
than half way still to go.”
Giro rookie Juan Pedro Lopez took the
overall lead on Mount Etna on stage 4,
and while his days in pink are numbered,
he admirably clung on to his lead all
week.
Lurking in second place is Team UAE’s
Joao Almeida at 12sec, a strong time-trial-
ist who will be a threat if still in the run-
ning going into the potentially decisive fi-
nal day individual test.
Given Team UAE’s record of master-
minding two straight wins for Tadej
Pogacar on the Tour de France, Almeida
must be taken seriously.
Bardet is third three seconds back but
2019 Giro winner and Tokyo Olympic
champion Carapaz is breathing down his
neck with just a second separating them
after 10 stages.
“We will keep fighting,” Ineos leader
Carapaz told a throng of reporters at the
Blockhaus summit.
“Now we look to the second half of the
Giro,” he said.
That sentiment could be widely re-
flected, as this Giro has the cycling world
on the edge of its seat ahead of week two.
– AFP
Clearly Olivia was part of that group,” he
said.
“So, on behalf of Cycling New Zealand I
want to reiterate what I said last week to the
Podmore family: I am sorry for that experi-
ence. We should have done better, we did-
n’t, and I am sorry for your hurt and your
grief. “To the others that are still affected: I
also apologise. I am sorry. As we look to re-
pair and rebuild from here, we would be re-
ally open to some form of process to ad-
dress this trauma.”
High Performance Sports New Zealand
chief executive Raelene Castle also apolo-
gised to Podmore’s family and said athletes
still experiencing grief would be supported.
She said new strategies were being intro-
duced to address athlete welfare.
The report is the second of its kind in the
space of four years. An independent finding
in 2018 made similar observations about
Cycling NZ shortcomings, resulting in
widespread criticism of the sport in the
wake of Podmore’s death. – AFP

Sabah Clubs and
Non-Governmental Organisations
May 22 (Sunday)
Sabah Indian Association (SIA) Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Time: 3.30pm. Venue: SIA Hall. All relevant documentation for this
AGM has been dispatched to all members via email and is also avail-
able on the SIA web portal at https://sites.google.com/view/sia-por-
tal/home. Members who somehow have not received same are to
contact the Hon. Secretary, lr. Andrew Amaladoss at 0198526708
soonest. Current SOPs in relation to the Movement Control Order will
be applicable, especially the wearing of face masks.
Regular Events
Sabah AZ (Sabah Alzheimer’s Disease Support Association:
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain dis-
order that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventu-
ally, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. Sabah AZ conducts
Talks & Seminars, support, comfort families / caregivers / AD suf-
ferers. Bi-Monthly Memory Café sharing-session by caregivers/car-
ers. Details: enquiry@sabahaz.org, www.sabahaz.org, FB:@Saba-
halzheimer. Kent 019-8811030 (10am-6pm).
Sabah State Administrative Centre Galleria Artisan PPNS is open
to public from Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. Our gallery
boasts an array of local handicrafts from all over Sabah as well as
locally made Sabah Batik. All local entrepreneurs are welcome to
promote their products through this avenue. Come visit us: PPNS ,
Menara Tun Mustapha and Sabah Handicraft Centre, Keningau. De-
tails: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/galleria.artisan/ or Af-
nansyah Agimin at 088-332186 ext: 1501.
Parkinson Association of West Coast Sabah (PAWS) Conducts
monthly outdoor activities, hold regular fellowship and meetings
for people with Parkinson’s disease (PWP). Carers and volunteers
are welcomed to participate. The fellowship provides opportunity
for PWP to network, share experiences / info and also enjoys the
various complementary therapies such as body balancing, danc-
ing, voice and music therapy, physiotherapy. Details: 016-
8303888 Pat, 014-6706118 JC or 019-8126196 James.
Sabah Law Society a weekly Free legal consultation and advice
session for the public on Saturdays from 9am to 12.30pm (except
the first Saturday of the month). Members of the public who are in-
terested are advised to contact the SLS Secretariat at 088-251008
for an appointment or by email ybgk@sabahlawsociety.org.
Blood Bank Unit of Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital, Likas
(HWKKS) Blood Donation Drive “Bah, Mari Menderma” 1 pint of
blood can save 3 lives. Urging army, RELA, police, fire brigades,
uniform bodies, government agencies, healthy public people,
churches, mosques, corporate private companies with huge human
resources to donate generously to our SWACH. Details: 522600
Ext: 2314.
Heritage Toastmasters Club Learn to speak better and improve
leadership skills in a fun and supporting environment. Meetings are
held every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Time: 7.30pm. Venue:
6th Floor, Wisma Bandaraya. All are welcome. Details: President
Sabrina 016-8287675 or VPPR Ooi 012-4150046.
Sabah Chartered Volunteer Society invites affiliates to join as vol-
unteers for its community development projects for the benefits of
the local communities. Youths and college graduates are encour-
aged to apply for Free Entrepreneurship and financial planning pro-
grams in order to be offered career prospects as marketing execu-
tives or, financial advisors with a well-established financial institu-
tion through Sabah Chartered Volunteer Society. Details: Prof. Dr.
Benjamin 010-8887850.
Sabah Society For The Blind has moved to the 1st floor, Lot 3, Sri
Damai building, Jalan Kolam, Lorong Nibung, KK on Sept 1. Mon-
day to Friday 9am to 5pm. Saturday 9am to 12.30pm. Details:
250388, 218130 or Fax: 316588. Email: sabahblindsociety@ya-
hoo.com. Website: http://www.sabah.org.my/shsb.
Sheltered Workshop. Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm. Tel/ Fax:
788543. Address: Jalan Stesen Pertanian, ARC, 89207, Tuaran,
Sabah.
Sabah Family Planning Association provides services & treatments
relating to sexual reproductive health, family planning and general
health and cancer screening. Details: KK Branch 217553. San-
dakan Branch 089-212883, Tawau Branch 089-771172, Lahad
Datu Branch 089-882895 or Kudat Branch 088-611088. Un-
Tel: 088-430 727 Fax: 088-424 600
Please note that due to space constraints,
Sabah Week will only feature the immediate events
due to take place for the next three days.
The usual brief on the NGOs,
voluntary organisations and their activities
will appear on Sunday.
planned Pregnancy Careline: 088-210358. Facebook: Sabah
Family Planning Association. Email: hqsfpa@gmail.com
Gerak Kasih Recycling Collection waste paper – newspapers, card-
board, boxes, magazines, books, paper bags, soft toys, clothing,
plastic bottles, aluminium tins. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Time: 10am to 3pm. Venue: Rumah Titian Kasih, Lot 168, Lot 17,
Lorong Kerapu, Rumah Murah Kg Likas Phase 3, 89400 Likas. De-
tails: Nooraisah 014-8586350 or Salina 012-8449139.
Sabah Natives Land Owners Association (SANLODA) is dedicated
to promoting optimum utilisation and preservation of native lands
in Sabah. Membership Drive: Information for membership from var-
ious districts can be obtained from Datuk Stephen 0138658333,
Datuk George 013-851500, Petrus 0198529299 or Datuk Yusof
012-8331950.
Malaysia Blood Donors Society Daily Blood Donation Drive. Invit-
ing all NGO to collaborate and also calling members of the public
to join its membership. Details: 012-8222779, 016-3551987 or
014-7342886.
Sabah Cheshire Home & Asian Tourism International College Ba-
sic Pastry Skill Lesson for the physically disabled individuals aged
between 17 – 28. Details: 438202. Fax: 434570.
Taska Mesra Cheshire Early Education for children with physical
disabilities aged below four-years-old. Open Mon to Fri. Details:
Sabah Cheshire Home 438202.
School of Psychology and Social Work, UMS is offering Coun-
selling Service, Speech Therapy, Music Therapy, Sensory Integration
Therapy and Applied Behaviour Analysis Session. The services are
on appointment basis. Time: 9am to 5pm. Details: Nurul Fatiha
019-8114573, 320000 Ext: 8833 or
nurulfatihafirdaus@ums.edu.my
EXTOL is a non-profit youth club focusing on developing youths in
stewardship and leadership. Calling on all non-Muslim parents to
encourage their children between the ages of 13 to pre-university /
college to attend our meetings held every Friday. Time: 7.45pm to
9.30pm. Venue: Agape Methodist Church, Agape Hill, Jalan Shan-
tung Baru, Penampang. Details: Patrick 0109317118.
Pusat Jagaan Seri Murni provides counselling and support serv-
ices for women / girl in situation of crisis such as unplanned preg-
nancies and sexual gender based violence. Details: Counselling
or interview 019-5349044.
The Committee of Communication For Behavioural Impact
(COMBI) Lok Kawi Town, Papar invites the residents of Taman
Pantai Lok Kawi to be a promoter / volunteer of COMBI committee.
All are welcome. Details: Zainal 016-8450717, Hj Mataris 010-
9488846.
HANDPRINTS – Toy Library & Resource Centre is to educate, en-
able and empower parents, so that they are able to help and guide
their children with special needs. Thematic monthly play day on
2nd Saturday of each month. Operating hours: Tuesday, Thursday
and Friday 2pm to 5pm. Wednesday: 7pm to 9pm. Saturday:
9.30am to 2pm. Venue: Lorong Pokok Saka, Dah Yeh Villa, Off
Mile 2 3/4, Jalan Damai, Luyang. Tel: 016-4172298. Facebook:
www.facebook.com/handprintstoylibrary/. Email:
handprintslib@gmail.com.
Kota Kinabalu Lions Ambulance Service Society (LASS) Provides
24 Hour FREE Ambulance Service. Also providing First-Aid Training
to the public and Mobile Health Service to the rural areas. Call:
088-319699.
Malaysian Red Crescent Kota Kinabalu City Chapter is providing
Ambulance Services from 8pm to 6am (weekdays only), providing
Patient Transfer Services (daily), providing Basic First Aid and CPR
Courses (Certificate Courses) – every 2nd week of the month and
also providing Emergency First Aid Standby Services (any events).
Details: 232718 (O), 232718 (Fax) or email:
mrckkcc@gmail.com or bsmkkcc@gmail.com
Kinabalu Breast Cancer Support Association (Kinabalu Pink Rib-
bon) Offering emotional, social & material support to women with
breast cancer (before/during/after treatment) and their families.
Careline: 016-8038553. Office: 216237 or Fax: 253679. FB:
www.facebook.com/kinabalupinkribbon.
Email: kinabalupinkribbon@gmail.com.
Sabah Mental Health Association PKJS Day Care Centre is open
to suitable candidate and it carries out several activities on week-
days. Details: 248197.
Alamesra Youth-PREP Centre Provides a place for youths to seek
assistance and support on issues such as education, relationships,
work, family and financial stability. Legal aid and counselling serv-
ices are free and are on appointment basis. Venue: Ground Floor,
Lot 25, Block E, Phase 2, Alamesra, Jalan Sulaman. Opening
Hours: Weekdays 9am to 5pm. Tel: 395632 or fax: 485372.
Email: youthprepcentre@gmail.com
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/youthPREPCentreAlamesra.
The Sabah Australian Alumni Association (SAAA) invites all Grad-
uates from any Australian Institutions of higher learning to join as
members of SAAA. Details: Omar 019-8110125 or Khalilul 019-
8113777. Email: saaa.honsecretary@gmail.com.
The Kota Kinabalu AIDS Support Services Association (KASIH)
help line & free voluntary HIV screening tests, except sun & public
holidays. Office hours. Time: 9am to 5pm. Fri: 6pm to 9pm. Sat:
4pm to 7pm. provide confidential / free voluntary HIV screening test
(rapid test) during office hours, Mon to Fri. result available 10 to
15 minutes. Details: 712914 or email: kasihsabah@yahoo.com
National Stroke Association of Malaysia Sabah Club Wisma
Pandu Puteri, Kompleks Badan-Badan Sukarela, km 4, Jalan Tu-
aran, KK. Centre’s opening Hours: 9am to 5pm. Mon to Fri, closed
on Sat, Sun & Public holidays. Details: 261568.
Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Association of
Malaysia (FPMPAM) the public can obtain medical opinions, re-
ferrals or treatment for crisis intervention, detoxification, prevention
& counselling for drug abuse via www.no2drugs.org.
Special Olympics Sabah Weekly jogging exercise (so west coast).
Details: 016-8807703 or 223221.
Kota Kinabalu Falun Gong Exercise sessions every Saturday &
Sunday. Free of charge. All are welcome, Details: Kota Kinabalu
013-870-6558, Sandakan 089-229626, 089-229023 and
Tawau 019-8536333.
SWEPA Toastmasters Club Regular Training Meeting to en-
hance your public speaking, communication and leadership
skills. Time: 7.30pm (1 st & 3 rd Wednesday of the month).
Venue: Swepa Secretariat, 2 nd Floor, Wisma Wanita, Jalan Tu-
aran, KK. Details: President Dora 016-8300755 or VPPR 013-
8603871.
The Cancer Society Of Sabah Provide services on hospice, cancer
awareness / education, rural health project. Hotline / counselling
pertaining to cancer & clinic by a lady consultant gynaecologist.
Details: 210377 or 222315.
The Befrienders Kota Kinabalu offers confidential emotional sup-
port to those feeling depressed and in despair which may lead to
loss of life. Call us if you need to talk. We are here if you feel con-
fused or upset and need someone to talk to. We care, we listen.
Call: 088-255788, 088-335793 or 0168036945 every night,
7pm to 10pm. www:facebook.com/befrienderskk.
Sabah Society For The Deaf Registration for pre-school deaf chil-
dren ages 2 – 6 & hearing sibling ages 2 – 4. Language Develop-
ment & Vocational Programme for deaf children & adults ages 8
and above. Venue: SSD premise, Jalan Khidmat, Bukit Padang,
KK. Details: KK – Wong 230894, Sandakan – Wong 089-219160,
Keningau – Mahinah 087- 339716, Kudat – Chin 622697, Lahad
Datu – Asmah 089-887895.
Sabah Society for the Deaf Registration for Sign Language Class.
Details: KK – Wong 230894, Sandakan – Wong 089-219160,
Keningau – Mahinah 087- 339716, Kudat – Chin 622697, Lahad
Datu – Asmah 089-887895.
Sabah Women Action-Resource Group (SAWO) provides Helpline
services to support women and girls who face domestic violence,
rape, sexual harassment and other gender-based violence. Call:
088-280200. Mon-Fri, time: 9am-5pm
D-Dash Compact Car Club Welcomes all Perodua and compact
car owners to join in the club membership. For more info on club weekly
gathering and events contact martin 019-8036019 or d-dashclub.fo-
topages.com.
Sabah Government Pensioners’ Association Membership recruitment ex-
ercise & pensioners’ problem 9.30am to 1pm (Mon – Fri, except public hol-
idays) at Maksak Complex, Likas. Details: 211282 Lucy.
Agriculture Institute of Sabah Alumni Association Membership drive. In-
formation to obtain membership forms from various district near you, contact
Maidah 019-8414088 or Leong 019-8515893 or email
exipstm@yahoo.com.my.
Kent Teachers College Alumni Association Membership drive. Membership
forms are available at all district education offices in Sabah. Details: Tajuddin
787581, 019-537-1178 or Eddy 016-8223757.
Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary Resources Library is free for public to
use. Details: 246955 or fax: 247955.
Sandakan Toastmasters Club Platform to improve effective communication
and leadership skills on every 2nd & 4th Thursdays of every month. Venue: In-
corporated Society of Planters office, Taman Utama, Zone 3, Jalan Utara.
Details: Alex 013-8803622 or Jerry 012-8616743.
Kota Kinabalu Advanced Toastmasters Club – Communication and lead-
ership training meeting. Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 7.30pm.
Venue: Meeting Room 1, 1st Floor, Wisma Wanita, Jalan Tuaran. Those in-
terested are welcome to attend. Details: Irene 019-8211985 or Jess
0168302717.
Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation KK Centre Open to all, accept children
with Downs Syndrome below the age of 7. Details: Raneh 219809, Fax:
219808.
Consultancy Services & Training Centre For Consumerism, Environmen-
tal & Human Rights Seminar / talks consumer issues-your rights as con-
sumer, how to complain and get effective results, know about consumer
laws, tribunal for consumer claims, environmental, human rights & civil so-
ciety. Except Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday. Tel/fax: 234616 Datuk
Patrick Sindu (JP) 019-811-7369, 016-8007369 or
datukpatricksindu@yahoo.com.
United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO) Offer
opportunities to the public to voice their complaints on various issues and
offer advice to the complainants on how to go about their grouses. Monday
to Friday. Call: 721722 & 721723 or homepage:www.upko.org.my
Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting. Help available for those with alcohol related
problems. Anonymity assured. Meetings in English every Tuesday at 8pm.
Bahasa Malaysia every Thursday at 7pm. Details: 012-8039883 (ENG)
or 016-8386386 (BM).
Malaysian Ex-Police Association (Penampang Branch) Member-
ship recruitment exercise and other related matters. Time: 2pm to
5pm (Wednesday, Thursdays & Friday), except public holidays.
Venue: PME, 1st floor, Lot 3, Block 15, Penampang Baru (Protem
office). Details: Joseph 016-8213013, 710557 (o) or 714557
(fax).
Palliative Care Association of Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) Day Care
Centre Every Thursday from 9am to 1pm at PWD 7396 & 7397,
Taman Rose, Off Jalan Penampang for mobile patients who are
registered under our Home Care Programme. We help you to care
for your loved ones. Free Home Care Support service for your family
members, relatives or friends who are diagnosed with advanced
cancers. Referrals may be from private / government hospital or
self-referred. Details: Grace 231505 or 257507.
KK Mandarin Toastmasters Club Regular Training Meeting. Time: 7.30pm.
(2nd & 4th Thursday of each month). Venue: 3rd Floor, Lot 14, Block B,
Lintas Square, KK. Details: Yan 012-8023264, Chua 016-8100282 or
Lim 016-8302552.
Fama Pasar Tani Asia City variety of vegetables, fishes, sugar cane juice,
soya bean milk, pastries and many other food items will be on sale. Every
Wednesday & Saturday. Time: 6am to 5pm. all are welcome. Details: Wasri
013-5555451.
Happy Family Homes Malaysia KK we welcome volunteers to join us in
our house builds on Saturdays. Those with masonry & carpentry skills are
most welcome. Details: 088-395989.
Bukit Harapan 424567.
Sabata 255916.
Tun Haji Mohd Fuad Stephens Borneo Research Library Opening
Hours: Monday – Friday 8.30am to 5pm. Saturday / Sunday &
Public Holiday : Closed. Venue: Menara Tun Mustapha, Likas Bay.
Details: 326300 Ext: 1152 or 1154. Fax: 326490.
Email: ppbtfs@gmail.com or website: www.ysnet.org.my Open to
public.
 22 Sport
Newcastle blow up Arsenal’s CL dream
NEWCASTLE: Mikel Arteta castigated his
Arsenal side for throwing away a season’s
work in a limp 2-0 defeat at Newcastle
that looks set to see the Gunners miss out
on Champions League football for a sixth
successive season.
Tottenham remain two points above
their north London rivals in fourth place
in the Premier League.
Spurs now realistically only need a
draw away to already-relegated Norwich
on Sunday to secure a top-four finish
thanks to their superior goal difference.
Arsenal’s defeat also guaranteed third-
place Chelsea’s place in the Champions
League next season.
Ben White’s own goal and Bruno
Guimaraes’ late strike was the difference
between the sides.
But the manner of the Newcastle per-
formance was even more impressive as
Eddie Howe’s men sent a message they
could be challenging for a top-four finish
themselves next season.
“A really difficult night to swallow,”
said Arteta. “Newcastle deserved to win
comfortably. They were much better from
the first minute, we had nothing in the
game.
“They were much better than us in
everything that a football match requires.
We could not cope tonight with the game
we had to play here.”
Arteta’s men were in the driving seat
with three games to go as they lead Spurs
by four points.
But Tottenham’s 3-0 derby win on
Thursday cranked up the pressure on the
young Gunners who failed to respond.
“Newcastle were 10 times better than
us and the performance was nowhere
near what we need to play in the Champi-
ons League,” added Arteta. “We weren’t at
the races.”
Only Manchester City and Liverpool
have won more Premier League points
than the Magpies in 2022 since they be-
gan to splash to wealth of the Saudi sov-
ereign wealth fund in the transfer mar-
ket.
Huddersfield reach playoff final
LONDON: Jordan Rhodes’ solitary late
strike took Huddersfield to within one
game of a return to the Premier League as
the Terriers beat Luton 1-0 on Monday to
secure a 2-1 aggregate win.
Rhodes stole in at the far post eight
minutes from time to take his side to
Wembley for a meeting against Notting-
ham Forest or Sheffield United in the
Championship playoff final.
Defeat ends Luton’s dream to vault
Rangers and Frankfurt roll back the years for retro Europa League final
MADRID: Ten years after financial obliv-
ion plunged them into Scotland’s bottom
tier, Rangers are on the brink of lifting
their first European trophy in half a cen-
tury as they meet Eintracht Frankfurt in
the final of the Europa League on Wednes-
day.
Administration, liquidation and rele-
gation all blighted a broken club in 2012
but if the Rangers recovery was complete
when they won the Scottish Premiership
again last season, a final in Seville now of-
fers them a shot at European glory too.
“We’re one game away from making
history,” Rangers midfielder Aaron Ram-
sey said on Monday as the squad departed
for Spain, the final leg of a journey that be-
gan eight months ago in defeat and disap-
pointment.
With the chance to play in the Champi-
ons League on the back of winning the
Scottish title, Rangers instead lost to
Malmo in the third qualifying round, a re-
sult that set up a play-off to reach the Eu-
ropa League with Alashkert from Armenia.
There were more prestigious oppo-
nents to come as Rangers, under Giovanni
van Bronckhorst from November after
Steven Gerrard left for Aston Villa, de-
feated Borussia Dortmund, Red Star Bel-
grade, Braga and Leipzig in the knock-out
rounds to reach their first European final
in 14 years.
A victory would earn the club its first
cup on the continent since Rangers beat
Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in Barcelona to lift
the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972.
“This is a chance for them to be in the
history books of this club and really get an
historic win,” sad Van Bronckhorst.
“Then the stories they will tell in years
to come will be the same stories that the
players from 1972 tell to my players.
“I’ve said it before you have to dream of
something to really achieve it. You can
work hard and really give everything to
achieve your goal and that is beautiful.”
Frankfurt will start the match as
favourites after already knocking out Real
Betis, Barcelona and West Ham to elevate
an otherwise underwhelming campaign
that saw the team finish 11th in the Bun-
desliga.
It will be Frankfurt’s first European final
since beating Borussia Moenchenglad-
bach to win the Uefa Cup in 1980 while the
club retains happy memories of games
against Rangers, after thrashing the Glas-
gow side 12-4 on aggregate in the semi-fi-
nals of the European Cup 20 years before.
“They were the best team I’d ever seen
in my life,” said Alex Ferguson, the former
YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
More big money signings are expected
to arrive at St. James’ Park in the coming
months, but Arsenal’s budget in the
transfer market could be severely dented
by again missing out on the riches of the
Champions League.
“It was a brilliant all-round perform-
ance. It was front foot, we never let up and
that’s the most pleasing thing,” said
Howe.
“We have to improve and work incred-
ibly hard to improve everything about
the team over the summer. It’s a massive
club, we have big ambitions, but I have to
focus on how we do it rather than talk.”
Newcastle’s upturn under Howe had
been lacking a scalp against one of the
Premier League’s traditional top six.
But they got that and more as Arsenal
were lucky to escape without a more com-
prehensive defeat.
Aaron Ramsdale was nearly embar-
rassed when Miguel Almiron blocked his
clearance early on.
But the England international kept his
side in the game with a brilliant save to
deny Allan Saint-Maximin at his near
post.
The hosts’ pressure was finally re-
warded when Joelinton’s dangerous low
cross just evaded Callum Wilson and flew
into his own goal off the unfortunate
White.
Newcastle are firmly rooted in mid-
table, but looked like the side with more
on the line as they continued to storm
forward.
Wilson fired over from Guimaraes’
cross and then sent an audacious effort
from 40 yards floating inches past the
post.
In between times Ramsdale produced
another big stop from a one-on-one with
Jacob Murphy.
A second Newcastle goal seemed only
a matter of time and it duly arrived five
minutes from time when again Wilson
was denied by Ramsdale, but Guimaraes
swept home the rebound for his fifth goal
since a January move from Lyon. – AFP
from the fifth-tier National League to the
richest league in the world in eight years.
The visitors were the better side for
long periods on the night after being held
1-1 at Kenilworth Road in Friday’s first leg.
But Huddersfield goalkeeper Lee
Nicholls made several telling saves and
Rhodes’ goal-poaching instincts proved
the difference when the former Scotland
international turned in Sorba Thomas’
free-kick. – AFP
Manchester United manager who was in
the crowd at Hampden. “And then they got
slaughtered 7-3 by Real Madrid in the fi-
nal.”
The crowd are expected to play a huge
part at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, with
up to 100,000 Rangers fans and at least
60,000 Frankfurt supporters expected to
follow their teams to Seville, raising con-
cerns about security in the city.
Frankfurt fans clashed with West Ham
fans in Seville when the teams crossed
there in March while Rangers’ last Euro-
pean final against Zenit St Petersburg in
Manchester, in the Uefa Cup in 2008, was
marred by violence as 39 people were ar-
rested and riot police had to be called.
Legacy on the line for Rangers in Europa League final
GLASGOW: Rangers captain James Tav-
ernier wants to leave his legacy on the
Glasgow giants by delivering just the
club’s second European trophy on their
150th anniversary in Wednesday’s Europa
League final.
The Scottish side face Eintracht Frank-
furt in Seville aiming to add to their
1971/72 Cup Winners’ Cup success.
“It would put me in the category
amongst the greats in the club. That’s
where we all want to be,”Tavernier told
Sky Sports on the prospect of lifting the
trophy.
“We want to put a legacy down for the
day we retire. You can look back on your
career and be proud of it.”
No Scottish side has won a European
trophy since Alex Ferguson led Aberdeen
to the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983.
“It means a lot, it’s not often that you
play a final in Europe. As a Scottish team,
it’s very rare that it happens,” said
Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
“So I’m really honoured and proud that
we are in the final in Seville.”
The scale of the achievement is all the
greater given the journey Rangers have
been on for the past decade.
The Gers all-time top goalscorer Ally
McCoist was the manager when mount-
ing debts forced the club into liquidation
in 2012.
“Nine years ago we were playing East
Stirling in the Third Division,” said Mc-
Coist.
Rangers ascent through the leagues
was not as smooth as expected. McCoist
lost his job in 2014 during a season in
which they failed to gain promotion from
Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes (centre) scores his team’s second goal during the match against Arsenal.
Klopp confident Salah, Van Dijk
fit for Champions League final
LONDON: Liverpool manager Jurgen
Klopp is sure Mohamed Salah and Virgil
van Dijk will be fit to face Real Madrid in
the Champions League final despite going
off in Saturday’s FA Cup final win over
Chelsea.
Both will be left out of Klopp’s squad
for Tuesday’s visit to Southampton as a
precaution despite the Reds still being in
the running for the Premier League title.
Asked if either could play at St Mary’s,
Klopp said: “No. They are both OK, so the
target for both would be they could be in-
volved again at the weekend.
“It’s very positive, no doubt about the fi-
nal and we’re realistic about the Wolves
game (on Sunday), but for tomorrow,
(we’d) rather not.”
Klopp’s men were given fresh hope they
could pip Manchester City to the title
when Pep Guardiola’s team dropped two
points in a 2-2 draw at West Ham on Sun-
day.
Defending champions City, with one
game remaining, are four points clear at
the top of the table with a significantly
better goal difference than their rivals,
who have two games left.
Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties in
the FA Cup final at the weekend to com-
plete the second leg of a potential quadru-
Rangers fans without tickets will be
able to watch the game in a fan zone at the
La Cartuja stadium, located on the out-
skirts of Seville and nine kilometres from
the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, and ticketless
Frankfurt supporters will be urged to con-
gregate at the Prado de San Sebastian,
closer to the centre but six kilometres
away from La Cartuja.
“They’re expecting a rush in Seville that
the city hasn’t seen before,” Frankfurt chief
executive Axel Hellman said. “It’s going to
be a unique gathering of the most vocal
and enthusiastic fans in Europe.”
Former Rangers manager and player
Graeme Souness urged the team’s support-
ers to enjoy the final peacefully. “When
Rangers skipper Tavernier is
the Europa League top scorer.
the Championship.
Even when back in the top flight,
Rangers comparative lack of resources
and poor management at all levels strug-
gled to halt Celtic matching a record nine
consecutive league titles.
However, Rangers renaissance began
by winning the title without even losing
a game last season.
“It’s all about stages and steps on the
journey back. Last season was phenome-
nal to go through that campaign unde-
feated and win the title back. That was im-
mense, but this is just another level.”
The jubilation for the blue half of Glas-
gow at stopping Celtic’s bid for 10-in-a-
row was tempered by the full season be-
ing played behind closed doors.
With 50,000 back in the stands, Ibrox
has been a fortress on the road to Seville
with tens of thousands set to follow their
team to Spain.
Braga and RB Leipzig found to their
ple.
Brazilian midfielder Fabinho, who
missed the cup final with a muscle injury,
is not yet ready to return, but Scotland de-
fender Andy Robertson should be avail-
able after suffering cramp on Saturday.
“What I can promise and definitely say
is we will line up a team only for one rea-
son—to try to win the game at Southamp-
ton, as difficult as it is, because that obvi-
ously is the job to do,” added Klopp.
However, the Liverpool boss is not con-
fident that City will drop point against As-
ton Villa on Sunday to give his side a shot
at the title.
“I’m looking forward to the game to-
morrow,” said Klopp. “Is it a chance, a big
chance? I wouldn’t say so because I don’t
know when City dropped points the last
time two games in a row historically.
“So Aston Villa has to play in midweek
when they are not used to that. As much as
I’m sure they’re all professionals and these
kind of things, they want to go at City, but
City is a pretty good football team. So, I
don’t expect City to drop points there.”
Klopp said the FA Cup win, which fol-
lowed Liverpool’s League Cup triumph
earlier this season, took the pressure off
the club in the final weeks of the season. –
AFP
you think from the journey we’ve been on
over the last 10 years to getting to a serious
European final, it’s a fantastic achieve-
ment,” Souness said.
“They’ve done their bit, now it’s your
turn. Have a party but make sure you be-
have yourselves.”
Rangers’ top scorer Alfredo Morelos
will miss the game with a thigh injury
while Kemar Roofe is also struggling with
a knee problem, meaning Van Bronck-
horst could start without a natural striker
again.
Frankurt forward Jesper Lindstrom is
hoping to shake off a hamstring strain in
time for the final, with Jens Petter Hauge
ready to stand in. – AFP
cost that a 1-0 lead was not enough as
Rangers were inspired to 3-1 wins with
home advantage in the second legs of
quarter-finals and last four.
However, hope they can cope far from
home in the final comes from a stunning
4-2 win away to Borussia Dortmund in the
last 32.
Having come so far, Rangers are not a
crossroads with the outcome at the Ra-
mon Sanchez Pizjuan set to dictate their
path.
Celtic have already snatched back the
crown as Scottish champions and with it
direct entry to next season’s Champions
League.
Lift the Europa League and Rangers
will join them in the group stages for the
first time since 2010 with the extra bounty
of their European prize money from this
season and next season’s Super Cup to
come.
Van Bronckhorst replaced Steven Ger-
rard mid-season and an overhaul of the
squad is expected in the Dutchman’s first
summer window.
Veterans Allan McGregor and Steven
Davis, as well as influential centre-back
Connor Goldson are out of contract at the
end of the season.
Other heroes of the run to the final,
Ryan Kent, Joe Aribo and Alfredo Morelos
will also enter the final year of their deals
at Ibrox.
The cycle of a team that has restored
Rangers’ pride at home and abroad may
be coming to a close.
But they can make sure they will be
fondly remembered forever if they put
Frankfurt to the sword. – AFP
dailyexpress
Daniels ends
32-year wait
for gay UK
male footballer
to come out
LONDON: Black-
pool teenager
Jake Daniels’
(pic) decision to
come out as the
first gay profes-
sional footballer
in the UK men’s
game in more
than 30 years was
heralded as a historic moment on Mon-
day.
The 17-year-old forward made the an-
nouncement in a statement on the
Championship club’s website.
“Off the pitch I’ve been hiding the
real me and who I really am,” he said.
“I’ve known my whole life that I’m gay,
and I now feel that I’m ready to come out
and be myself.
Former Norwich and Nottingham
Forest striker Justin Fashanu came out
publicly as gay in 1990, during his play-
ing career.
A-League player Josh Cavallo, who
plays for Adelaide United, announced
he was gay in October.
Former Aston Villa and Germany
midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger came
out after his career ended, while ex-
Leeds defender Robbie Rogers revealed
he was gay in 2013 after leaving Elland
Road and before joining LA Galaxy.
“It’s a step into the unknown being
one of the first footballers in this coun-
try to reveal my sexuality, but I’ve been
inspired by Josh Cavallo, (non-league
manager) Matt Morton and athletes
from other sports, like (diver) Tom Da-
ley, to have the courage and determina-
tion to drive change,” added Daniels.
Daniels, who recently made his first-
team debut for the club, said he had
confided in his team-mates in the youth
team, who had supported him.
“I’ve hated lying my whole life and
feeling the need to change to fit in,” he
said. “I want to be a role model myself by
doing this.
“There are people out there in the
same space as me that may not feel com-
fortable revealing their sexuality. I just
want to tell them that you don’t have to
change who you are, or how you should
be, just to fit in.”
All 20 Premier League clubs tweeted
their support of Daniels, who received
praise from British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson.
“Thank you for your bravery Jake. It
would have taken huge courage to come
out and you will be an inspiration to
many both on and off the pitch,” John-
son said.
Former Manchester United captain
Gary Neville said Daniels’ decision was
“a big moment for football.”
“What he has just done takes incred-
ible courage,” said Neville in his role as a
pundit for Sky Sports. “I can’t imagine
how difficult that has been.
“All I would say is it’s a day of great
importance for Jake and his family, but
also for English football. It will go down
in history. It is a big moment for foot-
ball.”
Premier League teams have worn
rainbow laces for one weekend each sea-
son since 2013 as part of a campaign led
by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgen-
der rights charity Stonewall.
“We are proud that Jake has felt able
to share his truth with the world,” said
Stonewall’s director of programmes Liz
Ward,
“To come out publicly as the UK’s first
openly gay professional footballer in
nearly 30 years takes incredible courage,
and we’re heartened by the solidarity
and support he has received from Black-
pool FC and his team-mates.” – AFP
dailyexpress
Tiger buzz builds as rivals see threat
TULSA (United States): Tiger Woods ex-
cited spectators and rivals alike with a
back-nine practice round on Monday at
Southern Hills, continuing his comeback
from severe leg injuries before this week’s
PGA Championship.
Woods, whose incredible return at last
month’s Masters came only 14 months af-
ter a rollover car crash, brought a similar
buzz to the roars he created at Augusta Na-
tional.
“Just watching him at the Masters, that
was unreal, just the crowds and what it
does to a tournament when he tees it up,”
said Norway’s Viktor Hovland. “Just get-
ting used to big crowds, loud crowds.”
Woods played the front nine on Sunday
and said his surgically repaired right leg —
held together with pins, rods and screws —
feels stronger than it did a month ago.
“I’m excited,” Woods told reporters
Sunday. “I’m not going to play that much
going forward, so anytime I do play, it’s go-
ing to be fun.”
Woods made the cut at the Masters but
battled through pain simply to walk 72
holes and faded to his worst-ever Augusta
rounds of 78, the 15-time major winner
calling the effort to finish four rounds
among his greatest feats.
The former world number one, now
ranked 818th, won the 2007 PGA at South-
ern Hills, although the course underwent
an $11 million revamp in 2018. If his body
has the strength and stamina to walk 72
holes, his skill could make him a major
threat.
“If there’s ever a question if Tiger can
contend, we can all just kind of chuckle at
that. Never is he going to be in a field
where he can’t contend,” home-state hero
Talor Gooch said.
“He might not have as good of odds in
Siblings vow to rise back
HANOI: National
petanque athlete
Syed Afiq Fakhri
Syed Ali is deter-
mined to bounce
back from the
failure to advance
to the final of the
mixed doubles
event at the 31st
SEA Games.
The 8-13 defeat to Cambodian pair-
ing Vong Sin-Chantha Vorng saw Syed
Afiq, who was paired with his sister,
Sharifah Afiqah Farzana settle for the
bronze in their debut appearance at
the biennial sporting event.
“This defeat motivates us to move
forward and this defeat does not sad-
den us but rather lifts our spirit to con-
tinue to fight,” said Syed Afiq, who is
pursuing his Diploma in Sports and
Recreation Science at Universiti
Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam.
Immediately after the match which
took place at the Hanoi Sports and
Competition Training Centre, Syed
Afiq and his sister, who pulled off
shock wins against Vietnam and Thai-
land in the round-robin on Monday,
had tears rolling down their cheeks.
The success of winning a medal in
their first appearance must have been
gratifying, but Syed Afiq could not
hold back the tears after looking at the
disappointment on his sister’s face.
“Actually, I tried to hold back my
tears, but my sister cried, and out of
love a brother has for his younger sib-
ling, I also felt sad and overwhelmed,”
he said.
Meanwhile, Sharifah Afiqah admit-
FAM to look into futsal team’s failure
PETALING JAYA: The Football Associa-
tion of Malaysia (FAM) will analyse every
match report of the national men’s futsal
team in the 31st SEA Games to find out
what caused their dismal performance.
FAM secretary-general Mohd Saifud-
din Abu Bakar said the national body
would have to study the matter before he
could comment on their poor perform-
ance in Vietnam.
“It’s too early for me to comment. To
be fair to the team manager, coach and
players, we need to get the reports first
Singapore billiard king overthrown
HANOI: Singa-
pore’s English-
born Peter
Gilchrist (pic) saw
his remarkable
run of six billiard
golds in a row at
the SEA Games
dating back to
2009 come to a
crashing end on Tuesday.
The 54-year-old, who was born in
Middlesbrough in England’s northeast,
suffered a surprise 3-1 defeat to Myan-
mar’s Pauk Sa in their English Billiards
final and had to settle for silver.
“It’s been a good run, but all good
runs have got to come to an end, and
this one’s come to an end,” Gilchrist told
YOUR LOCA L VOI CE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
some places but I think as long as he’s in
the field, if he ever gets it slotted, no mat-
ter how old he is, no matter what’s going
on, he’s always going to have a chance.
“I mean, it’s Tiger Woods.”
Woods, 46, seeks his 16th career Grand
Slam title, two shy of the record set by Jack
Nicklaus, and a 73rd US PGA Tour triumph,
which would break the all-time record he
now shares with Sam Snead.
“When Tiger is in the field... there’s just
a different energy,” Gooch said. “Every
time he’s in the same field, you just cherish
it. We all know what he’s been through.”
Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 US
Open winner who underwent left hand
surgery last month after missing the cut at
the Masters, tweeted Monday he will prac-
tice the next two days and see about play-
ing the event.
“On my way to Southern Hills CC,”
tweeted DeChambeau. “Going to test how
I am feeling over these next couple days
and decide on whether to compete. Look-
ing forward to being in Tulsa.”
Jordan Spieth will try to complete a ca-
reer Grand Slam by winning the PGA after
a second-place finish in his hometown
PGA event last weekend and a win last
month at the Heritage, his game in rare
form.
Spieth captured the 2015 Masters and
US Open and the 2017 British Open and
makes his sixth attempt to join an elite
group to complete the sweep that includes
Woods, Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player
and Gene Sarazen.
Phil Mickelson, who became golf’s old-
est major winner last year when he won
the PGA at Kiawah Island at age 50, with-
drew from the event on Friday. It’s only the
fourth time in the past half-century a ma-
jor winner will not defend his crown.
Sharifah in tears after the
match against Cambodia.
ted that she could not hold back her
tears after failing to achieve her dream
of bringing home a gold medal for the
country.
“I cried because I couldn’t win the
gold medal for everyone and because I
gave my best,” said the 18-year-old ath-
lete who sat for the Sijil Pelajaran
Malaysia (SPM) examination recently.
Like her brother, the former student
of SMK Sultan Omar in Dungun, Kuala
Terengganu said Tuesday’s failure
would fuel her spirit to work harder
and achieve better success.
She also hoped that there would be
more opportunities to participate in
more international tournaments to
gain experience and feel the atmos-
phere and pressure of playing abroad.
Meanwhile, the gold medal was won
by Vong-Chantha after beating the
host nation’s Thach Pha Nara-Nguyen
Van Quang in the final while Thailand,
represented by Sunitra Phuangyoo-
Phongsakron Ainpu were joint win-
ners of the bronze. – Bernama
before sitting down together to discuss.
“This post-mortem thing is not new.
We have to wait for the reports to be
analysed by the technical unit,” he told
reporters at Wisma FAM here, Tuesday.
On Monday, the national futsal
squad’s hunt for a medal at the games
ended after they lost 0-3 to Indonesia.
That was the third straight defeat suf-
fered by Chiew Chun Yong’s team in the
round-robin competition, having been
thrashed by Thailand and Vietnam ear-
lier. – Bernama
reporters in the Vietnamese capital
Hanoi.
Gilchrist was Singapore’s coach at the
Games in 2003, but three years later he
took up citizenship in the city-state un-
der a special scheme for foreign ath-
letes.
He then played for Singapore’s na-
tional team before being named twice
the country’s Sportsman of the Year.
Despite tasting defeat and being in
the twilight of his career, Gilchrist is de-
termined to go for more SEA Games
gold, starting in Cambodia next year.
“I’ll try to win in Cambodia in a year’s
time, and maybe go on another six
golds running streak, who knows?” he
laughed.
“I’d love to keep on playing.” – AFP
Mickelson has not played since contro-
versial comments about the Saudi-backed
LIV Golf series were revealed in February,
the six-time major winner calling the
Saudis “scary” with a “horrible record on
human rights.” He later apologized and
said he needed a break from golf.
Mickelson’s absence was felt amongst
fellow pros in Tulsa on Monday.
“I know it has been a rough go the last
few months, a tough situation to be in,”
Mickelson’s former Ryder Cup playing
partner Rickie Fowler said. “It’s unfortu-
nate that he didn’t feel like the place that
he should be right now is here.”
Hovland said players wanted to see the
US left-hander return this week.
“It’s a bizarre situation, that’s for sure,”
Hovland said. “It’s not often the defending
major champion doesn’t come back to de-
fend.
“I think we all would have liked to have
Phil here and tee it up and see how he
would have done. It’s just a weird situa-
tion.” – AFP
Nicklaus turned down ‘$100m’ offer from Saudi-backed tour
TULSA (United
States): Golfing icon
Jack Nicklaus (pic)
said he turned down
an offer worth more
than $100 million to
act as one of the
faces of the new
Saudi Arabia-backed
LIV Golf Interna-
tional Series, US reports said Monday.
The 82-year-old 18-time major winner
revealed the lucrative offers in remarks
published by the Fire Pit Collective website
on Monday.
The new Saudi-funded series is being
fronted by Australian legend Greg Nor-
man, and tees off for the first time at an
event outside London next month.
Nicklaus said he turned down the offers
out of loyalty to the PGA Tour.
“I was offered something in excess of
$100 million by the Saudis, to do the job
probably similar to the one that Greg
Fowler says
undecided
on LIV Golf
TULSA (United States): Rickie Fowler, a
three-time major runner-up and former
world number four, says he hasn’t made a
decision about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf
series and wants more information on key
questions.
The 33-year-old American, whose most
recent of five career US PGA Tour titles
came at the 2019 Phoenix Open, said Mon-
day at the PGA Championship he needs
answers on player status as independent
contractors and what punishments await
PGA talent that plays in an LIV Golf Lon-
don event next month.
“To be straightforward with you guys, I
haven’t necessarily made a decision one
way or the other,” Fowler said at Southern
Hills.
“I’ve mentioned in the past, do I cur-
rently think that the PGA Tour is the best
place to play? I do. Do I think it can be bet-
ter? Yes. So I think it’s an interesting posi-
tion.”
Fowler, ranked 146th in the world, was a
college star at nearby Oklahoma State who
is still chasing his first major victory de-
spite 12 major top-10 finishes and eight
top-fives in majors, four in 2014 alone.
Fowler sees start up bids by two rivals as
a message to the PGA, exposing opportu-
nities for top talent.
“I’ve always thought competition is a
good thing and these leagues or tours
wouldn’t be coming up or popping up if
they didn’t see those opportunities out
there,” Fowler said.
“Competition ultimately makes people
better, whether it’s business, sport, so it’s
interesting, that’s for sure.”
The US PGA Tour last week rejected re-
quests for releases by members who
wanted to play the LIV London event,
which will be contested opposite the US
PGA’s Canadian Open in Toronto.
Fowler wonders what might happen to
any players who play at London and if LIV
Golf leader Greg Norman has a point when
he describes players as independent con-
tractors who should be able to play wher-
ever and whenever they want. – AFP
Labuan Open Amateur Golf swings back in June
LABUAN: After a two-year lapse, the
Labuan Open Amateur Golf Champi-
onship will be held at the Labuan Golf
Club (LGC) course from June 17-19.
LGC president Datuk Gapilin Nasarud-
din said the tournament would be the 29th
championship for men and 22nd for
women.
The organisers are targeting at least 112
participants, including 20 women golfers.
“We are holding this tournament
again after a two-year break due to the
Covid-19 pandemic. This time we are tar-
geting participants from Sabah, Sarawak,
the peninsula and Brunei Darussalam,” he
Tiger Woods watches a tee shot during a practice round
prior to the start of the 2022 PGA Championship.
(Norman) is doing,” Nicklaus was quoted
as saying.
“I turned it down. Once verbally, once
in writing. I said, ‘Guys, I have to stay with
the PGA Tour. I helped start the PGA Tour.’”
The emergence of LIV Golf has caused
shockwaves throughout the golfing world,
with several household names believed to
be ready to sign up for the series.
US veteran Phil Mickelson has not
played since the emergence of remarks
earlier this year about the new tour’s Saudi
backers, who he called “scary” with a “hor-
rible record on human rights.”
Mickelson, who has withdrawn from
defending his crown at this week’s PGA
Championship in Tulsa, later apologised
for the comments.
Nicklaus, meanwhile, said Mickelson
should be patient as he ponders his next
career move.
“My advice to Phil? My advice to Phil
would be to be patient,” Nicklaus said.
“The world is a very forgiving place. But
Questions swirl over Saudi-
backed breakaway golf tour
ST ALBANS (United Kingdom): Golf is in tur-
moil as it braces for the launch of a new
Saudi-backed breakaway tour but figure-
head Greg Norman is confident it will be a
success despite a host of unresolved issues.
The LIV Golf Invitational Series plans
eight events this year but no player names
have yet been announced.
There is also uncertainty over broadcast
deals and whether ranking points will be on
offer.
Questions over the source of the funding
persist — with Norman grilled over con-
cerns about Saudi backing for the new tour
when he faced the press in Britain last week.
The battle lines have been drawn, with
the US PGA Tour refusing to release mem-
bers for next month’s opening event in Eng-
land, which clashes with the PGA’s Canadian
Open.
The DP World Tour, formerly known as
the European Tour, has been more opaque,
saying it is “evaluating each request on a
case-by-case basis”.
Former world number one Norman,
chief executive of LIV Golf Investments, ac-
cused the US PGA Tour of “perpetuating its
illegal monopoly on what should be a free
and open market”.
Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson
and former world number one Lee West-
wood have asked for permission to play in
the inaugural LIV event at the Centurion
Club in St Albans, outside London, and Ser-
gio Garcia’s name is also understood to be
in the frame.
But others have rejected the new golf cir-
cuit, including world number two Jon Rahm
and four-time major champion Rory McIl-
roy, as players gather in Tulsa, Oklahoma for
the PGA Championship.
Two-time British Open champion Nor-
man, 67, appears unperturbed by the lack of
guaranteed star names just a few weeks
away from the start of the 54-hole tourna-
ment, which takes place from June 9 to 11.
The Australian believes, in the long term,
the top players will be attracted to the new
tour, but he does not think it needs the
biggest stars to be a success from the start.
“If none of the top 20 wanted to come in,
said at a press conference at LGC on Mon-
day.
He said as of May 15, a total of 106
golfers, including 18 women, from vari-
ous clubs had already confirmed their en-
tries.
“We are confident that the number
will increase as entries are open until June
16, the eve of the competition,” he said.
Gapilin said among the teams con-
firmed for the tournament are Keningau
Golf and Country Club (KUGCC), Sabah
Golf Association (SGC), Kudat GC (KGC),
LGC, KL Golf Academy, Sutera Harbour
Golf and Country Club, Sabah Golf and
Sport 23
he’s the one he has to decide where he
wants to play and what he wants to do.”
This week’s PGA Championship was ini-
tially due to be held at the Bedminster,
New Jersey, course of former President
Donald Trump.
However, the PGA of America stripped
Trump Bedminster of the major last year
following the violent assault on the US
Capitol by the former president’s support-
ers.
Nicklaus criticised that decision in ad-
ditional remarks to Fire Pit Collective, de-
scribing the move as “cancel culture.”
“This move is cancel culture,” Nicklaus
said. “Donald Trump may be a lot of
things, but he loves golf and he loves this
country. He’s a student of the game and a
formidable figure in the game.
“What he does in the future in golf will
depend on what the cancel culture will al-
low him to do.”
Trump Bedminster is set to host a LIV
Golf tournament in July. – AFP
we’re still going to go ahead,” he said.
“There’s still value in there. Imagine if
that 15-year-old kid TK (Thai golfer
Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat)... came in
and won if he’s playing here, if he won the
first event.
“He’s the next superstar. We’re giving
that opportunity to that kid or an amateur
to come in here to have that opportunity.”
Norman said he had spoken to “50 to 60
players” and they were starting to realise
their rights as independent contractors to
play where they wanted.
He is adamant that he is not spoiling for
a fight but is braced for a legal battle and
has pledged to pay players’ fines if neces-
sary.
Money is certainly not an issue for the LIV
Series, with an eye-watering $25 million of
prize money on offer at each regular-season
event, where players will compete as indi-
viduals and in teams.
Norman last week announced the tour
had been given an extra $2 billion in fund-
ing to expand the schedule.
But the source of that money — the Saudi
sovereign wealth fund — is proving contro-
versial, with Amnesty International
adamant that the tour is another example
of the “sportswashing” of Saudi Arabia’s hu-
man rights record.
There are a series of other unknowns
even as the spectator stands go up at Centu-
rion Club, including how will golf fans be
able to watch the tournament?
Chief commercial officer Sean Bratches,
former managing director of commercial
operations at F1, said LIV was aiming for
“broad distribution” online and was in dis-
cussions with more traditional broadcast-
ing partners.
“We don’t have any deals signed because
we’re right out of the gate,” he said. “When
we sign a deal we’ll announce it.”
There is also the thorny question of rank-
ing points — will top-level golfers be happy
to play in events with no points on offer?
Again there is no clear-cut answer, even
though chief operating officer Atul Khosla
said tour chiefs had held talks with world
ranking officials. – AFP
Country Club (SGCC), Kinabalu GC (KGC),
Tawau GC (TGC), Tambunan GC and
Staffield Country Resort KL.
He said eight players from Brunei
Darussalam have also registered for the
tournament but their participation
would depend on whether their country
opens its borders by then.
Gapilin said among the players who
will compete in the tournament are
Christopher Daniel James from Kudat GC,
2012 Labuan Open amateur champion
Kevin G. Pius and Sandakan Open and
Borneo Open champion Mohd Zariq En-
cho. – Bernama

YOUR LOCAL VOICE I WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
The MTB cycling squad pose with their gold medals.
MTB cycling
squad bag
historic gold
HANOI: The national MTB cycling squad
made history on Tuesday when they
bagged Malaysia’s first gold medal in the
mixed cross-country relay event which
took place in Hoa Binh province.
The best achievement of the squad be-
fore was winning the silver medal in the
games’ 2011 edition.
In the final event on Tuesday, the na-
tional squad comprising Ahmad Syazrin
Awang Ilah, Zulfikri Zulkifli, Nur Assyira
Zainal Abidin and Natahsya Soon clocked
1 hour, 23 minutes and 14 seconds to
emerge victorious and present the 20th
gold medal to Malaysia at the biennial
games.
The host team comprising Van Linh
Dinh, Thi Nhu Quynh Dinh, Van Nhat Bui
and Thi Thom Ca had to settle for the silver
medal after clocking 1’23.48s, while the
team from Thailand comprising Phunsiri
Sirimongkhon, Warinthorn Phetpraphan,
Supuksorn Nuntana and Keerati
Sukprasart took the bronze with 1’24.54s.
Team manager Firdaus Arshad de-
scribed the success as an amazing achieve-
ment as the national squad, which was la-
belled as an ‘underdog’, managed to spring
a surprise.
He said Tuesday’s achievement was also
made possible by the strong fighting spirit
at the national camp after Nur Assyira and
Natahsya bagged silver and bronze medals
respectively in the women’s cross-country
‘M’sia fired
up to take
on any team’
MALAYSIA are prepared to spring a sur-
prise on Vietnam in the 31st SEA Games
men’s football semi-finals, as part of their
mission to end an 11-year title drought by
snatching the ‘mother of all medals’ in the
biennial games.
Chief coach of the national Under-23
squad, Brad Maloney, is confident that his
charges would not be intimidated by Viet-
nam, who are coached by the fearsome
South Korean, Park Hang Seo.
He said it is a norm that no success
would come easy in any competitions.
“To win this tournament you must face
the best teams at one time or another. Of
course, the hosts will be a very difficult op-
ponent, but my players have shown that
they are not afraid to face anybody,” he
said when contacted here, Tuesday.
Group A champions Vietnam will play
Group B runners-up Malaysia at the Viet
Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province on Thurs-
day.
However, Maloney admitted that
Malaysia should be wary of Vietnam as
Hang Seo is a respected tactician.
“He has had an excellent record with
this nation since his appointment, and his
teams are always very competitive, both
physically and tactically,” he said.
Maloney said he was not disappointed
with his squad for letting slip the oppor-
tunity to be group champions, saying they
had shown their domination by remain-
ing unbeaten in all four matches.
In fact, the 50-year-old Australian-born
coach said the team did well by booking
their semi-final ticket early, allowing sev-
eral key players to be rested in the final
group match against Cambodia on Mon-
day. – Bernama
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Newcastle blow
up Arsenal’s
CL dream
M’sia’s ‘Usain
Bolt’ unafraid
to meet ‘Thai
wonderkid’
FACING Thailand’s
sensational young
sprinter, Puripol
Boonson, 16, in the
100m event in the
SEA Games today
(Wednesday), will
not
Muhammad
dampen
Azeem Fahmi’s (pic) spirit to perform his
best.
Muhammad Azeem, 18, who is known
as ‘Malaysia’s Usain Bolt’, said that the
presence of Puripol further fuelled his
spirit to perform his best at the My Dinh
National Stadium here.
“I thought I was the youngest at the
SEA Games, but then he showed up. Hon-
estly, we all know he’s a very talented and
young athlete, but that will be a really
good challenge for me.
“It didn’t put me in a comfortable po-
sition, thus making me to train hard to
compete against him.
“He is really fast, but to win this 100m
event, anything can happen. In less than
10 seconds (s) we can see all sorts of things
happen, so the best man wins,” he said.
Puripol, dubbed the ‘Thai Wonderkid’,
became the sensation of the SEA Games
MEDAL TALLY track events this time when he smashed
the SEA Games record twice on Saturday.
G S B that, the athletics team have achieved their
After breaking his compatriot Rean-
Vietnam 101 65 64 chai Seeharwong’s 23-year-old record of
Thailand 43 45 63 20.69s, set in the 1999 Brunei Games, in
Philippines 34 39 51 Heat 1 by clocking 20.41s earlier, Puripol
Singapore 30 32 36 blazed the tracks at the My Dinh National
Indonesia 27 40 38 Stadium, by improving further to record
MALAYSIA
Myanmar
23
5
26
6
55
11
20.37s in the finals.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Azeem, who
is participating in the SEA Games for the
Cambodia 2 5 11 first time, said that he aimed to advance
Brunei 1 1 1 to the finals and improve on his personal
Laos 0 2 14 best time of 10.37s, set during the KL All-
Timor-Leste 0 2 0 Comers tournament in March.
He also wants to continue the success,
event on Monday. after triumphantly helping the men’s
“Personally, I think this is an extraordi- 4x100m quartet defend the silver medal,
nary success. We came today with a hum- with a new national record.
ble mindset but still confident to win a “For the 4x100m event, I think I was in
medal after yesterday’s event. a good performance, perhaps, a little bit
“We only set a target to bring home one of improvement at the beginning. I really
medal from this year’s SEA Games,” he said hope everything goes well, and my fellow
when contacted. Malaysians will pray for my success,” he
The success of winning a silver and a said.
bronze medal on Monday also ended On Monday, Muhammad Azeem
Malaysia’s 11-year medal drought at the emerged as the first runner of the 4x100m
SEA Games. quartet, together with Muhammad Ar-
In the 2011 edition in Indonesia, Masziy- syad Md Saat, Muhammad Zulfiqar Ismail
aton Mohd Radzi clinched the silver medal and, defending champion of the men’s
in the women’s cross country even, improv- 100m event, Muhammad Haiqal Hanafi,
ing her own record of winning bronze at setting a new national record with 39.09s.
the 2009 SEA Games in Laos. – Bernama – Bernama
Kok Leong wins snooker 6-Red singles gold
CUEIST Lim Kok Leong, ensured that the has been contested again in the biennial
SEA Games men’s snooker 6-Red singles ti- Games after nine years.
tle remained in Malaysia’s grip, winning the
gold medal at the Ha Dong Gymnasium,
“There was no pressure on me and I also
took advantage of Jefrey’s inexperience as
Tuesday night. he is still young. I am very happy to win this.
The 27-year-old player defeated Jefrey I want to take this opportunity to thank the
Roda 5-3 in the finals to win his first indi- Malaysian Snooker and Billiards Federation
vidual gold in the SEA Games, as the event (MSBF) for their support,” he said.
Azman (seated, fourth right) poses with the zones’ representatives after the meeting at the Sandakan Sports Complex.
Entrance fees for Safa Inter-Club tourney revised
gl oh ate participation fee to cover the manage-
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Football Associa- ment cost.
tion (Safa) have decided to revise the en- “It involves the payment of competition
trance fee for the Safa Inter-Club football prizes, referees, pitch, security, medicine,
tournament scheduled to start next month. ball collectors and other logistical costs
The new amount charged is now from the zones’ competition up to the
RM3,500 including the RM500 registration grand finals,” he said.
fees as opposed to RM5,000 inclusive of According to him, the higher fees as
registration fee announced earlier. compared to the Under-18 and Sabah Cup
Safa Local Competition Committee tournaments held recently is due to the ab-
chairman Azman Mastar in a statement re- sence of financial support from govern-
leased on Tuesday stated that the amount ment link companies.
received will contribute to the manage- Azman, who held a meeting with repre-
ment costs. sentatives from the North East Coast Zone,
“The cost of organising the tournament South East Coast and Central Zone over the
between clubs is very high and we think weekend, also said they are always open to
that it should be charged with an appropri- suggestions from all parties.
o email: ads@dailyexpress.com.my (Advertising) l editorial@dailyexpress.com.my (News)
Woods buzz
builds as rivals
see threat
Irfan won the discus gold for a fifth consecutive time.
Two golds from athletics
Andre soaring to gold
in the triple jump.
M’sia out to retain karate crown
THE Malaysian Karate Federation (Makaf)
is confident that the national squad can re-
tain their overall champions status in the
31st SEA Games when the combat sport
competition gets underway at the Ninh
Binh Gymnasium today (Wednesday).
Makaf secretary-general Datuk Nur
Azmi Ahmad said the squad started prepar-
ing early for the biennial games and are tar-
geting to win at least three of the 15 golds
up for grabs.
“We have emerged champions for three
consecutive times (2013, 2017 and 2019), so
we want to retain the crown in Hanoi,” said
Nur Azmi, who is also Malaysia’s chef de
mission.
“I want my athletes to be focused. To get
more than that is better, because when we
go for tournaments, especially SEA Games,
we want to maintain our performance and
collect as many medals as possible,” he
said.
Six events – men’s and women’s individ-
Earlier in the semi-finals, Kok Leong
ousted Suchakree Poomjang of Thailand 5-
2, while Jefrey edged another Malaysian
Moh Keen Hoo 5-3. The losing semi-finalists
shares the bronze medals.
Kok Leong and Keen Hoo won the
snooker doubles title holder at the 2019
Philippines edition. – Bernama
“The committee always listens and takes
into account the view of all parties for the
good of the tournament.”
He added that the prize money has also
been revised with the top cash prize of
RM30,000 for the champions, the runners-
up will receive RM20,000 cash and
RM10,000 for third place, while the top
three places in the zone level will each re-
ceive RM3,000, RM2,000 and RM1,000 re-
spectively.
Meanwhile all clubs interested are
urged to register with their respective Safa
districts associations and the closing date
has also been extended from May 21 to a
new date to be notified to all the zones
later.
24
IRFAN Shamsuddin and Andre Anura An-
uar delivered a gold medal each at the My
Dinh Stadium here, Tuesday.
Discus thrower Irfan won his fifth
straight title with a throw of 58.26m.
Thailand’s Kiadpradid Srisai (51.18m)
and the Philippines’ William Morrison III
Edward (50.44m) finished second and
third.
Irfan, however, was some way off his na-
tional record of 62.55m which he had set
in 2017.
“I am grateful but disappointed for not
throwing beyond 60m.
“However, a gold is still a gold, and I
will use it to motivate myself for upcoming
events,” he said.
Meanwhile, Andre claimed the men’s
triple jump title to make up for disap-
pointment in the long jump on Monday.
Andre’s jump of 16.21m was enough to
deliver Malaysia’s fifth title here. With
SEA Games target.
The Philippines’ Mark Harry Diones
Aloto and Vietnam’s Tran Van Dien fin-
ished second and third. - NST
ual kata; women’s below 55 kg and below 61
kg kumite; and men’s below 60 kg and be-
low 67 kg kumite – will be contested today
in Ninh Binh, about 90 km from Hanoi.
Team manager Mohd Razlan Shah Mo-
hamad Rabii said the gold medal prospects
include S. Prem Kumar (below 60 kg), R.
Sharmendran (below 75 kg) and the men’s
kumite team.
“We also see our chance to win gold in
other categories. Kata events also present
opportunities. Insya-Allah we hope to suc-
cessfully defend the gold won in the Philip-
pines,” he said.
He is confident Malaysia can retain the
overall champions title by winning at least
four golds.
In the 2019 edition in the Philippines,
Malaysia won four golds through Prem Ku-
mar, Sharmendran, Madhuri (women’s be-
low 55 kg) and men’s kata team (Thomson
Hoe, Ivan Oh & Emmanuel Leong), and four
silvers. – Bernama
M’sia again win
silver in takraw
IT was a replay of an old script when the
national men’s sepak takraw squad
clinched silver in the regu event at the 31st
SEA Games here, Tuesday.
With Zarif Marican Ibrahim Marican
playing as tekong, Norfaizzul Abd Razak
as feeder and Afifuddin Razali as striker,
the national squad lost 0-2 to world cham-
pions Thailand in the final at the Hoang
Mai Gymnasium.
In the first set, Abdul Talib Ahmad’s
charges put up a strong fight against Thai-
land, represented by Siriwat Sakha
(tekong), Pattarapong Yupadee (feeder)
and Jirasak Pakbuangoen (striker), before
losing 18-21.
Thailand brought in Sittipong Kham-
can for Siriwat at the end of the first set,
and he collected many points through his
sharp services in the second set to help
Thailand romp home 21-13.
Malaysia’s silver medal win matched
their achievement in the 2019 edition in
the Philippines.
Indonesia and the Philippines shared
the bronze. Speaking to reporters, Abdul
Talib admitted that Thailand had the edge
by scoring many points through services
from the tekong although his charges had
put up their best performance.
“They used two tekong (through substi-
tution) and collected many points (via
services). Whatever it is, our players gave a
good account of themselves and it is a pos-
itive sign,” he added.
Meanwhile, the national women’s
squad had to be satisfied with bronze in a
repeat of their 2019 achievement after
beating Cambodia 21-10, 21-7 in the third
placing playoff.
As expected, Thailand also reigned
supreme in women’s regu by winning gold
while hosts Vietnam settled for silver. –
Bernama
 raBu, 18 Mei, 2022 / 17 syawal, 1443H

WAKTU SOLAT
Subuh Zohor Asar Maghrib Isyak
KK/Pantai Barat 4.50 12.16 3.38 6.26 7.40
MK tidak
Sandakan Timur 4.42 12.08 3.30 6.18 7.32
pernah Sandakan Barat 4.46 12.12 3.34 6.22 7.36
lupa Tawau Timur 4.40 12.05 3.28 6.15 7.29
asal-usul > 6 Tawau Barat 4.45 12.09 3.31 6.17 7.31
Kudat 4.44 12.12 3.34 6.24 7.38
Pedalaman Atas 4.48 12.14 3.36 6.24 7.37
Joachim sokong calon PRU15 Tiga sahabat bersyukur Ratusan pekebun kecil Pedalaman Bawah 4.51 12.17 3.39 6.26 7.40
disokong Pimpinan PBS > 2 sambut Kaamatan fizikal > 3 bantah larangan eksport > 5

Akaun simpanan dan saham Kes baharu

Sabah turun
Isteri bekas Pengarah kepada 27
KOTA KINABALU: Kes baharu Covid-19 di
Sabah Sabah menurun sebanyak 44 pera-
tus, daripada 48 Isnin lepas kepada 27 pada

JANS ada RM84,658.84

Jo ann Mool
KOTA KINABALU: Seorang saksi pendak-
waan mengesahkan kepada Mahkamah
Khas Rasuah di sini bahawa isteri bekas
Pengarah Jabatan Air Sabah Ag Mohd
Tahir mempunyai akaun simpanan dan sa-
ham bernilai RM84,658.84 dalam Bank
Rakyat.
Salinah Lamat, penolong pengurus
cawangan Bank Rakyat, Cawangan Kota
Kinabalu, mengesahkan bahawa baki
akaun simpanan di bawah nama Fauziah
Piut setakat 8 November 2016 ialah
RM49,974.84.
Salinah semasa pemeriksaan utama di
hadapan Hakim Abu Bakar pada Selasa
memberi keterangan bahawa akaun sim-
panan tersebut dibekukan mulai 4 Okto-
ber 2019.
Memberi keterangan lanjut sebagai
saksi ke-20 pihak pendakwaan, Salinah
berkata baki akaun saham Fauziah pada 8
Nov 2016 ialah RM34,684 dan Fauziah
membeli saham itu pada 17 September
2004.
Salinah memberi keterangan bahawa
akaun saham itu dibekukan di bawah Akta
Pencegahan Pengubahan Wang Haram,
Pencegahan Pembiayaan Keganasan dan
Warga
Hasil Daripada Aktiviti Haram (AMLAT-
FUA) 2001 bertarikh 4 Oktober 2016.
Apabila dirujuk kepada dokumen –
AMLATFUA 2001 (Perintah di bawah Sub-
seksyen 50(1) bertarikh 4 November 2016,
Salinah memperakui bahawa ia adalah
daripada Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah
Malaysia (SPRM) yang dialamatkan
kepada Bank Rakyat Berhad pada dua
akaun Fauziah.
Fauziah, 55, dibicarakan bersama
suaminya Ag Mohd Tahir, 58, dan Lim Lam
Beng, 66, yang pada 29 Disember 2016
mengaku tidak bersalah atas 37 per-
tuduhan pengubahan wang haram mem-
babitkan RM61.57 juta.
Sementara itu, kepada soalan peguam
bela Fauziah, semasa pemeriksaan balas,
sama ada beliau mempunyai surat
kebenaran bersamanya, seperti menurut
peguam, sebelum penyiasatan kesalahan
AMLA untuk akaun bank mesti ada
kebenaran bertulis oleh Timbalan Pen-
dakwa Raya (DPP), Salinah menjawab
tidak tahu.
Bagaimanapun, Salinah menjelaskan
semasa pemeriksaan semula bahawa surat
tersebut tidak ada bersamanya sekarang.
“Pada hari kejadian, SPRM memang
mempunyai surat kuasa apabila mereka
datang ke pejabat kami dan surat itu telah
dimajukan ke ibu pejabat. Kami kemudian
mengeluarkannya (dokumen) apabila ibu
pejabat berkata okey. Saya hanya memper-
akui, kata Salinah sambil menambah dia
tidak tahu di mana surat itu sekarang.
Semasa pemeriksaan balas, Salinah
tidak bersetuju dengan cadangan peguam
bela bahawa adalah mustahil untuk ke-
dua-dua akaun terbabit dalam aktiviti
pengubahan wang haram kerana berada
di bawah had ambang RM50,000.
Salinah menjelaskan semasa pemerik-
saan semula bahawa jika ingin melakukan
perkara yang mungkar, ia tidak se-
mestinya jumlah yang besar, malah jum-
lah yang sedikit pun boleh.
Semasa pemeriksaan balas, Salinah
tidak bersetuju dengan cadangan peguam
bela bahawa kenyataannya mengenai sta-
tus dua akaun Fauziah bertarikh 8 Novem-
ber 2016, tanpa kebenaran atau surat dari-
pada DPP adalah kecuaiannya.
Salinah menjelaskan semasa pemerik-
saan semula terdapat surat kebenaran
daripada SPRM.
Terdahulu, saksi ke-19 pihak pendak-
waan, Datuk Kaim Kalimin, 62, bekas Seti-
ausaha Tetap Kementerian Kewangan
Negeri memberi keterangan bahawa pen-
garah Jabatan Air Negeri bertanggung-
jawab menguruskan peruntukan jabatan
itu di bawah Buku Anggaran Hasil dan
Perbelanjaan Tahunan.
“Setahu saya, Pengarah Jabatan Air
adalah Pegawai Pengawal berdasarkan te-
guran dalam Buku Anggaran Hasil dan
Perbelanjaan serta surat pelantikan pen-
garah daripada Kerajaan Negeri,” kata
Kaim.
Apabila dirujuk kepada Buku
Anggaran Hasil dan Perbelanjaan bagi
tahun 2006-2016, Kaim mengesahkan ia
adalah buku sebenar yang diluluskan di
Dewan Undangan Negeri.
Lihat muka 4
Selasa, menunjukkan tanda-tanda pemuli-
han selepas kemuncak Aidilfitri, kata Juru-
cakap Covid-19 Sabah Datuk Seri Masidi
Manjun.
“Sama ada trend ini (menurun) berteru-
san bergantung kepada sikap masyarakat
ketika menyambut perayaan Kaamatan
yang akan memuncak pada penghujung
Mei,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan, Se-
lasa, sambil menambah tiada kematian
atau kluster baharu dikenal pasti.
Beliau menambah, kesemua 27 kes
adalah jangkitan kategori satu dan dua, di
mana 62.96 peratus adalah sporadik.
Kota Kinabalu mendahului dengan 16
kes, diikuti Papar (2), Putatan (2), Kota
Marudu (1) dan Kuala Penyu (1).
“Lapan daerah mencatatkan penurunan
antaranya Kota Kinabalu (-7), Sandakan (-
6), Penampang (-6) dan Tuaran (-4). Enam
daerah mencatatkan peningkatan kecil se-
banyak satu kes.
“Sebanyak 17 daripada 27 daerah di
Sabah tidak mencatatkan sebarang kes ba-
haru dalam tempoh 24 jam sebelum ini,”
katanya.
Mengenai program imunisasi Sabah,
seramai 1,723 individu telah mengambil
vaksin mereka, di mana 465 adalah dewasa,
47 adalah remaja dan 1,211 adalah kanak-
kanak.
Bomba kenal
pasti titik panas
termasuk di Sabah
KUALA LUMPUR: Jabatan Bomba dan

emas Penyelamat Malaysia mengenal pasti be-

berapa kawasan titik panas yang berisiko
berlaku kebakaran pada musim panas dan

dibaham kering, yang dijangka berlaku sehingga

buaya
depan cucu
patimang abdul ghani
PITAS: Seorang wanita warga emas
maut dibaham buaya di Sungai
Bengkoka, Kampung Sinasak Batu
dekat sini, Isnin lepas.
Lebih menyedihkan, kejadian
menyayat hati itu berlaku di depan
cucu perempuannya.
Ketua Polis Daerah Kota Marudu,
Superitendan Zairolnizal Ishak
berkata, dalam kejadian sekitar jam
10 pagi itu, mangsa yang berumur 66
tahun ditemani cucunya,9, ke sungai
itu untuk membaiki pam air.
Menurut Zairolnizal, berdasarkan
laporan daripada pengadu, mangsa
diserang buaya di Sungai Kampung
Sinasak Batu ketika sedang mem-
baiki pam air.
Katanya, mangsa yang mengalami
kecederaan parah di bahagian
kepala dan lutut, diselamatkan pen-
duduk kampung dan dibawa ke Hos-
pital Pitas untuk rawatan.
“Menurut saksi, ketika mangsa
sedang mengambil air di sungai
sambil membetulkan pam air, tiba-
tiba saksi terdengar mangsa men-
jerit dan mangsa nampak kocakan di
air.
“Saksi juga nampak seekor buaya
sedang menyerang mangsa. Mangsa
dapat melepaskan diri dan terus
dikejarkan ke Hospital Pitas untuk
rawatan.
“Bagaimanapun, mangsa dis-
ahkan meninggal dunia pada jam
1.20 petang oleh Pegawai Perubatan
Hospital Pitas, katanya.
Menurut Zairolnizal, pemerik-
saan fizikal mangsa oleh Pegawai Pe-
rubatan Hospital Pitas,  mendapati
terdapat kesan kecederaan parah di
kepala mangsa disebabkan gigitan
buaya yang mana ianya selari den-
gan keterangan yang diberikan oleh
saksi.
KOMPLEKS RHCC kini sedang dalam pembinaan.
Kompleks Kluster Koko Tanah Tinggi Ranau siap tahun depan
clarence dol
RANAU: Timbalan Menteri Perladangan
dan Komoditi, Datuk Willie Anak Mongin
berkata kompleks Kluster Koko Tanah
Tinggi Ranau (RHCC) yang terletak di Kg
Napong, Ranau akan siap tahun depan.
Beliau berkata, kompleks RHCC yang
dinanti-nantikan itu, yang mula dibina
pada Oktober 2019 dengan kos perbelan-
jaan RM12 juta, dijangka siap sepenuhnya
pada 2023.
“Kompleks itu akan menjadi mercu
tanda dan pusat pentadbiran serta operasi
utama Koperasi Kluster Koko Sabah
(KKSB) bagi menjalankan aktiviti berkai-
tan urus niaga biji koko basah dan kering,
produk berasaskan koko serta pusat agro
pelancongan.
“Dijangka permintaan untuk benih
Penggunaan Paxlovid rawat Covid-19 diperluas ke hospital, klinik swasta: KJ
PUTRAJAYA: Ubat antiviral Paxlovid bagi
merawat Covid-19 yang sebelum ini
digunakan di klinik kesihatan dan hospi-
tal kerajaan, akan diperluas ke hospital
dan klinik swasta serta hospital pengajar,
kata Menteri Kesihatan Khairy Jamalud-
din.
“Kita setuju agihkan (ubat antiviral
Paxlovid) kepada hospital swasta, klinik
swasta dan hospital pengajar supaya
penggunaannya dapat diperluaskan,”
katanya kepada pemberita pada Majlis
koko akan meningkat lebih tinggi dengan
kemudahan aktiviti penjualan koko tem-
patan yang lebih kondusif di kompleks
RHCC ini,” kata Willie yang juga Ahli Par-
limen Puncak Borneo.
Menurutnya, pembinaan projek kom-
pleks RHCC adalah komitmen kerajaan
dalam membantu petani koko di negeri
ini.
Model dan konsep kompleks yang
sama, katanya, sudah pun wujud di ban-
dar raya Samarahan, Sarawak yang dike-
nali sebagai Kompleks Sara Coco Cluster
(SCC).
“Justeru, saya yakin kompleks RHCC
jika beroperasi pada masa hadapan akan
memberi nilai tambah dan melengkapkan
rantaian ekosistem sokongan kepada pro-
duktiviti sektor huluan dan hiliran di
Sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri Kementer-
ian Kesihatan (KKM) di sini pada Selasa.
Khairy berkata setakat ini, 405 pesakit
Covid-19 telah diberikan ubat berkenaan
dan kesemua mereka telah sembuh
sepenuhnya daripada penyakit itu.
“Ubat ini diberikan kepada mereka
yang berisiko tinggi… mungkin kumpu-
lan yang akan terima ubat ini akan
dibesarkan,” katanya.
Pada Khamis lepas (12 Mei), Khairy
memaklumkan seramai 173 pesakit Covid-
negeri ini khususnya di Ranau,” katanya
semasa Program Jelajah Agrikomoditi
#KeluargaMalaysia 2022: Sesi pertemuan
dengan Rangsangan Pengeluaran Hasil
Koko (RPHK), peserta Program Tanaman
Baharu 2022 (TB22) di Rumah Rehat Lohan
pada Selasa.
Pada majlis itu, beliau turut menyak-
sikan penyerahan rasmi permohonan
kira-kira 100 penanam koko di sini untuk
menyertai Program RPHK.
Beliau berkata Program RPHK diperke-
nalkan di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ke-
dua (RMKe-12) yang merangkumi tiga
skop iaitu komponen projek TB, Projek
Pembinaan Mini Pengeringan Koko dan
aktiviti Pemindahan dan Pembesaran
Teknologi.
Lihat muka 2
19 yang diberikan ubat antiviral Paxlovid
telah sembuh sepenuhnya dan tiada se-
barang kesan sampingan dilaporkan
hingga 9 Mei lepas.
Penggunaan ubat antiviral itu bagi
merawat pesakit Covid-19 telah dimu-
lakan sejak 15 April lepas di 512 Pusat Peni-
laian Covid-19 (CAC) di klinik kesihatan
dan 78 hospital kerajaan.
Mengenai peningkatan kes Covid-19
ketika ini, beliau berkata perkara tersebut
adalah dalam jangkaan KKM berikutan
September ini.
Ketua Pengarah JBPM Datuk Seri Mo-
hammad Hamdan Wahid berkata pi-
haknya sudah bersiap siaga, dengan mem-
ulakan pemantauan di kawasan yang dike-
nal pasti selain persiapan dari segi keang-
gotaan dan aset-aset diperlukan.
Beliau berkata antara kawasan yang
dikenal pasti adalah seperti di Banting, Sep-
ang dan Johan Setia di  Selangor, di Miri
dan bahagian pertengahan Sarawak selain
selatan Sabah.
“Kita telah memobilisasikan aset dan
keanggotaan berasaskan maklumat yang
diterima,” katanya kepada pemberita se-
lepas majlis sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri,
Hari Gawai dan Pesta Keamatan JBPM Kuala
Lumpur di sini malam Isnin lepas.
Beliau berkata pihaknya turut berkolab-
orasi dengan Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia
(MetMalaysia) serta agensi berkaitan, bagi
koordinasi dari segi pengurusan bencana
yang melibatkan skala besar antaranya ke-
bakaran hutan dan kebakaran struktur.
Selain itu, Mohammad Hamdan berkata
pihaknya turut mendapatkan bantuan
penduduk tempatan, kerana terdapat
kawasan yang mempunyai topografi yang
amat mencabar, sekiranya berlaku ke-
bakaran. 
MetMalaysia  sebelum ini memak-
lumkan Monsun Barat Daya bermula Sabtu
lepas dan dijangka berterusan sehingga
pertengahan September ini.
Ini menyebabkan kurangnya pemben-
tukan awan hujan dan kebanyakan tempat
di seluruh negara akan mengalami bilan-
gan hari tanpa hujan lebih banyak
berbanding musim lain, serta meng-
hasilkan taburan hujan yang rendah. –
Bernama
peningkatan pergerakan orang ramai
terutama ketika sambutan Aidilfitri.
“Secara keseluruhan kadar nilai kebole-
hjangkitan (Rt) hari ini telah turun
kepada  1.04 dan kadar kematian setiap
hari adalah satu angka.
“Kemasukan ke hospital meningkat 55
peratus adalah kategori  1  dan 2  meli-
batkan mereka yang ada komobid. Dari
segi jangkitan, ada peningkatan kes
Covid-19 adalah sesuatu yang dijangka,”
katanya. – Bernama
 2 Tempatan
Pelbagai program menarik untuk siri Jelajah AKM di SICC
KOTA KINABALU: Rakyat Sabah berpelu-
ang untuk bersama-sama memeriahkan
lagi siri Jelajah Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia
(AKM) menerusi pelbagai program dan
aktiviti menarik yang disusun rapi bagi
edisi ‘Negeri Bawah Bayu’ pada kali ini.
Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Datuk Seri
Safar Untong berkata program diterajui
oleh Kementerian Pertanian dan Industri
Makanan (Mafi) itu akan berlangsung se-
lama tiga hari mulai Jumaat ini di Pusat
Konvensyen Antarabangsa Sabah (SICC),
di sini.
Beliau berkata antara aktiviti yang akan
menarik kehadiran pengunjung pada siri
jelajah AKM itu di Sabah ialah Jualan Agro
Pemilihan Upko
Ewon tawar rekod
kepimpinan di Kadamaian
Nikko Fabian
KOTA KINABALU : Naib
Presiden Pertubuhan
Progresif Kinabalu
Bersatu (Upko), Datuk
Ewon Benedik (gambar)
berazam mencabar
Datuk Wilfred Madius
Tangau bagi jawatan presiden pada pemil-
ihan parti, hujung tahun ini.
“Saya bersedia untuk mencabar
jawatan presiden parti... jika ahli mahu
saya berbuat demikian,” kata Ahli Dewan
Undangan Negeri Kadamaian itu semasa
mesyuarat tiga tahunan Upko Kota Belud
di Taginambur baru-baru ini.
Ewon berkata rekod dan kepimpinan-
nya di daerah itu harus bercakap untuk
dirinya dan dia akan menyerahkan kepada
ahli parti lain untuk menentukan sama
ada dia perlu menerima cabaran itu.
“Saya tidak mencabar kepimpinan sesi-
apa tetapi saya ingin menawarkan rekod
DR JOACHIM (kiri) menyampaikan cenderahati
kepada Dr Maximus sambil diperhatikan Sen (kanan).
Joachim sokong calon PRU15
disokong Pimpinan PBS
Clarence Dol
RANAU: Naib Presiden Parti Bersatu
Sabah (PBS) dan Ketua Bahagian Kun-
dasang, Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam,
berkata beliau akan menyokong mana-
mana calon yang disokong Pimpinan
Parti untuk bertanding pada Pilihan Raya
Umum (PRU15) akan datang.
“Kita akan sokong mana-mana calon
yang disokong Kepimpinan Parti sama
ada dari PBS atau parti komponen
Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS),” katanya
semasa Seminar PBS Zon Pantai Barat
Laut P170 Tuaran dan P 179 Ranau yang di-
adakan di Dewan Masyarakat Komuniti
Ranau, dekat sini, Isnin lepas.
Namun begitu, Dr Joachim yang juga
Pengerusi Pengelola seminar itu berkata,
khusus untuk parlimen Ranau, telah di-
tubuhkan ahli jawatankuasa (AJK) yang
boleh digunakan sebagai jentera bagi
membantu mana-mana ahli PBS yang
akan bertanding pada PRU15.
Ketika ini kerusi Parlimen Ranau
disandang oleh Ahli Parlimen Bersatu
yang juga Timbalan Menteri II Dalam
Negeri, Datuk Jonathan Yasin, yang
memenangi kerusi itu di bawah tiket
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Pakatan
Harapan (PH), dengan jumlah 14,880
undi.
Pada pilihan raya sebelum ini,
Jonathan menewaskan Datuk Dr Ewon
Ebin (BN) yang memperoleh 13,804 undi,
Soudi @ Sami Andang (Star) dengan
3,148 undi dan Andau Bin Yasun (PCS)
dengan 1,110 undi.
Seminar itu turut dihadiri Ketua Baha-
gian (KB) Tamparuli, Datuk Jahid Jahim,
KB Kiulu, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, KB
Sulaman, Juin Saman, KB Pantai Dalit,
Lizuan Sarabun, KB Karanaan, Datuk
Bernard Dalinting dan KB Paginatan,
Arthur Sen.
Sementara itu, Dr Joachim yang juga
Timbalan Ketua Menteri merangkap
S UARA TE MPATAN ANDA I RABU, 18 MEI, 2022
Keluarga Malaysia; Jualan Keluarga
Malaysia; sukan elektronik; sukan rakyat;
gotong-royong; kayuhan ‘Fun Ride’;
kenduri Keluarga Malaysia; serta pameran
kementerian dan agensi kerajaan.
“Selain itu, program Jamin Kerja Kelu-
arga Malaysia juga dijangka menarik perha-
tian pengunjung. Sabah sekarang sedang
dalam proses pemulihan ekonomi, maka
pihak industri dan majikan bersama kera-
jaan Pusat dan kerajaan negeri serta agensi-
agensi berusaha untuk melakukan padanan
keperluan tenaga kerja di pasaran.
“Dengan potensi rakyat Sabah yang
sedang mencari kerja atau kepada mereka
yang ingin mengembangkan kerjaya mas-
kepimpinan saya sendiri di sini di
Kadamaian kepada ahli parti yang lain...
Jika mereka rasa rekod ini boleh dijadikan
inspirasi kepada parti, dan jika mereka
rasa sudah tiba masanya , saya bersedia
menyahut cabaran itu,” tegasnya.
Pendedahan itu telah menamatkan
perbincangan baru-baru ini mengenai ke-
mungkinan pertembungan antara Tangau
dan Ewon semasa pemilihan parti yang di-
jangka pada Oktober tahun ini.
“Saya tahu orang ramai berkata akan
ada pengumuman hari ini. Saya serahkan
kepada parti, khususnya kepada baha-
gian Upko untuk mentafsir kenyataan
saya hari ini. Saya sedia menyahut
cabaran jika mereka mahu saya
memimpin parti ini,” katanya ketika
berucap pada majlis itu.
Ewon berkata bahawa ahli parti akan
menjadi cara terbaik untuk mengukur mi-
nat dan menilai tindakan parti seterusnya.
“Kita tidak boleh bertanding dalam pili-
Menteri Pembangunan Perindustrian
mengalu-alukan kehadiran Presiden PBS,
Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili ke majlis
itu.
“Kita bersyukur dengan kehadiran
Yang Dipertua kita. Kita akhirnya dapat
bersemuka buat kali pertama sejak pan-
demik Covid-19.
“Sudah tentu kehadiran Yang Diper-
tua akan memberi motivasi dan
menaikkan semangat kepada semua ahli
PBS yang hadir, ” kata Dr Joachim dalam
ucapan penggulungan dan penutup
seminar itu.
Sambil menyeru semua peserta semi-
nar agar memahami dan menghayati apa
yang telah disampaikan oleh Dr Maximus
dalam ucaptamanya, Dr Joachim berkata,
seminar ini secara tidak langsung dapat
memberi persediaan sepenuhnya kepada
ahli PBS dalam menghadapi Pilihan Raya
Umum (PRU) akan datang.
“Mana tahu PRU akan berlangsung
tidak lama lagi,” katanya.
Beliau bersyukur kerana berpeluang
menganjurkan seminar penting itu ker-
ana ia dapat memperkasakan ahli PBS
apabila berada di cawangan masing-mas-
ing.
Dr Joachim berkata, melalui seminar
ini semua ahli PBS dapat lebih mema-
hami perjuangan PBS dan dapat
menangkis kritikan pihak tertentu demi
mempertahankan parti.
ebanyak tujuh bahagian PBS terlibat
dalam seminar ini iaitu Kundasang, Tam-
paruli, Kiulu, Sulaman, Pantai Dalit,
Karanaan dan Paginatan bersama Ketua
Exco Pergerakan Wanita dan Pemuda.
Hadir sama, Ahli Majlis Tertinggi
(AMT), Stanis Buandi dan Suman Yasam-
bun, Ketua Exco Pergerakan Pemuda PBS
Pusat, Christoper Mandut, Ketua Exco
Pergerakan Wanita, Datin Malianah Ugau
dan Gerakan Belia-Beliawanis Bersatu
(GBBB) Ranau dan Tuaran.
ing-masing,” katanya dalam wawancara
rancangan Selamat Pagi Malaysia terbitan
RTM1 pada Selasa.
Sementara itu, Safar berkata pihaknya
akan memastikan program Jelajah AKM di
Sabah berjalan lancar mengikut perancan-
gan dan orang ramai dijemput hadir un-
tuk memeriahkan siri jelajah berkenaan
dengan mematuhi prosedur operasi stan-
dard ditetapkan.
Sabah merupakan destinasi ketiga siri
jelajah AKM yang diilhamkan Perdana
Menteri Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob se-
lepas siri pertama diadakan di Johor dan
diikuti Perlis sebagai destinasi kedua. –
Bernama
han raya akan datang jika ahli kita berpecah
dan keluar parti. Kita tidak akan mampu
bersaing dengan blok kerajaan tanpa inspi-
rasi segar yang boleh membina semula
sokongan terhadap parti,” tegasnya.
Sebelum ini dilaporkan bahawa Tangau
dikatakan telah ditawarkan jawatan “men-
tor presiden” oleh pemimpin kanan parti
dan seterusnya memberi laluan kepada
Ewon untuk mengambil alih jawatan pres-
iden.
Bagaimanapun, tiada sebarang petun-
juk daripada Tangau sama ada beliau
sanggup berundur dan memberi laluan
kepada kepimpinan baharu dalam Upko.
Tangau dilaporkan berada di United
Kingdom menghadiri graduasi anak
perempuannya.
Perlembagaan Upko menghendaki pe-
saing untuk jawatan presiden mendap-
atkan sekurang-kurangnya satu pertiga,
atau sembilan, pencalonan daripada 25
bahagian.
Bendung
elemen
politik kaum:
Saifuddin
KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan harus
berusaha bersungguh-sungguh untuk
membendung dan  mengelakkan se-
barang  elemen  politik perkauman di
negara ini daripada terus berleluasa,
kata Menteri Luar Datuk Seri Saifuddin
Abdullah.  tanaman dan demonstrasi teknologi akan
Saifuddin berkata ini kerana elemen
tersebut seperti ungkapan keben-
cian  (hate speech) banyak membawa
kepada faktor permusuhan sehingga
boleh menyebabkan keganasan
berlaku dalam sesebuah negara.
“Saya anggap politik perkauman itu
sebagai dasarnya iaitu  dari situ
bermula penyakit-penyakit lain… kalau
ada kerajaan yang mengizinkan
diskriminasi kaum berlaku, maka dari
situ wujudnya masalah.
“Ini kerana daripada situ diskrimi-
nasi kaum itu boleh berlaku seperti
dari segi penggunaan undang-undang,
dasar,  institusi awam, program kera-
jaan yang akhirnya tiada lain selain us-
aha untuk menang pilihan raya dan
kekal berkuasa,” katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian dalam
ucapan sempena Webinar Manifestasi
Falsafah Hidup Bersama Dalam Budaya
Damai di Ruang Digital anjuran Pusat
Serantau Asia Tenggara bagi
Mencegah Keganasan (SEARCCT) pada
Selasa.
Saifuddin berkata bagi memben-
dung perkara itu, sikap toleransi,
memahami dan meraikan kepelbaga-
ian budaya dan kaum perlu menjadi
paksi dalam mewujudkan perseki-
taran  hidup bersama dalam budaya
damai.
Katanya konsep  wasatiyyah, iaitu
bersederhana dalam mengamalkan
budaya yang berbeza, juga perlu diter-
apkan supaya rakyat dapat meraikan
kemajmukan dan menyantuni semua
golongan tanpa diskriminasi.  –
Bernama
Tourism Malaysia lancar Pelan Pemulihan Pelancongan 2022
PETALING JAYA: Tourism Malaysia pada
Selasa melancarkan Pelan Pemulihan
Pelancongan 2022 dan lagu Cuti-Cuti
Malaysia versi kedua dalam usaha meran-
cakkan sektor pelancongan domestik ne-
gara seiring Fasa Peralihan ke Endemik.  Malaysia untuk  melancong dan berbe-
Menteri Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya
Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri berkata pelan
pemulihan itu adalah kesinambungan
daripada Pakej Rangsangan Ekonomi
(PRE 1.0) dan melibatkan penyaluran in-
sentif kepada rakyat Malaysia dalam ben-
tuk diskaun, baucar dan rebat.
“Inisiatif ini diharap dapat mengemba-
likan keyakinan untuk melancong,
menyemarakkan pelancongan domestik
serta memaksimumkan sumber sedia
Wakil Sandakan
FRENERIETTA Sobintun (tengah) di-
nobatkan sebagai Unduk Ngadau Kaa-
matan Peringkat Daerah Sandakan
2022 dalam acara yang berlangsung di
Dewan Masyarakat Sandakan, Isnin
lepas.
Guru berusia 25 tahun yang petah
berbahasa ibunda itu menepis sain-
gan 12 peserta lain untuk membawa
pulang mahkota, wang tunai RM3,000,
piala serta sijil. Frenerietta akan
mewakili daerah Sandakan ke per-
tandingan Unduk Ngadau Kaamatan
Peringkat Negeri di Hongkod Koisaan
TB22 dilaksana melalui
penyumberan luar
Dari muka depan
“TB22 akan dilaksanakan melalui
penyumberan luar di seluruh Malaysia
dengan keluasan 350 hektar kawasan tana-
man. Di Sabah, TB22 akan dilaksanakan di
kawasan itu melibatkan sejumlah 300 hek-
tar tanaman.
“Menerusi program itu, khidmat kon-
traktor akan digunakan untuk menyiap-
kan kerja-kerja pembukaan dan pember-
sihan kawasan tanaman koko baharu. Ini
akan mengurangkan beban kewangan
dan aktiviti fizikal yang perlu ditanggung
sendiri oleh pekebun kecil koko,”
katanya.
Sementara itu, Willie berkata, program
RPHK juga akan melibatkan pembinaan 25
unit pemprosesan koko mini berkapasiti
dua tan di seluruh negara bagi membantu
pekebun kecil menjalankan aktiviti men-
geringkan biji koko mereka.
Selain itu, katanya, pelbagai kursus
dikendalikan oleh agen perluasan yang di-
lantik LKM kepada komuniti ladang koko
di bawah skop program RPHK.
Menyentuh pencapaian penanam koko
di sini, Willie berkata sebelum ini, sampel
biji koko dari Ranau telah dihantar untuk
menyertai pertandingan antarabangsa iaitu
Program Kecemerlangan Koko anjuran Bio-
diversity International di Paris, Perancis.
Katanya, matlamat utama penganjuran
dua tahunan ini adalah untuk mengiktiraf
kualiti biji koko yang dihasilkan oleh
penanam koko dari seluruh dunia.
“Mungkin tidak ramai di sini yang tahu
dan tidak pernah mendengar tentang dua
penanam dari Ranau yang pernah mena-
makan dan mencipta sejarah dalam acara
itu. Kita patut berbangga, biji koko kering
Kanak-kanak maut dihanyut kepala air
Patimang Abdul Ghani
KOTA MARUDU: Kanak-kanak perempuan
yang dilaporkan hilang dipercayai lemas
selepas dibawa arus kepala air di Sungai
Kampung Melangkap Darat, dekat sini
pada Jumaat lepas ditemukan meninggal
dunia, Sabtu lalu.
Elzanatira Asod, 10 tahun, ditemukan
penduduk kampung dan pasukan mencari
dan menyelamat (SAR) kira-kira jam 11.30
pagi pada jarak sejauh 7 kilometer dari
lokasi mangsa dilaporkan hilang.
Ketua Balai Bomba dan Penyelamat
(BBP) Kota Marudu, Rony Sikawan berkata,
pihaknya menerima panggilan kecemasan
berhubung kejadian pada jam 6.04
petang, Jumaat lepas.
Menurut Rony, Bilik Kawalan BBP Kota
Marudu, menerima panggilan kecemasan
ada,” katanya ketika berucap pada majlis
pelancaran pelan itu di sini pada Selasa.
Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas
majlis itu, Nancy berkata sasaran pelan
itu ialah meningkatkan mobiliti rakyat
lanja menerusi pelbagai diskaun pen-
gangkutan darat, udara dan pengina-
pan.
Menurut beliau, pemberian diskaun,
baucar dan rebat yang bermula pada 29
April lepas melibatkan dua kluster iaitu
Kluster Pengangkutan Darat dan Kluster
Persatuan Pelancongan.
Inisiatif itu  bakal diperluas  secara
berperingkat melibatkan  Kluster Pen-
gangkutan Udara dan Kluster Pengina-
harianekspres
KDCA hujung bulan ini.
Naib Johan dimenangi oleh Nelly
Sim (kiri) dan tempat ketiga ialah
Cizrinna Nastasia Adaris. Mereka mas-
ing-masing membawa pulang hadiah
wang tunai RM2,000 dan RM1,500 se-
lain piala dan sijil.
Sambutan Kaamatan Peringkat
Daerah Sandakan 2022 dirasmikan
Timbalan Menteri Sabah, Datuk Seri
Bung Moktar Radin yang diwakili oleh
Menteri Pelancangon, Kebudayaan
dan Alam Sekitar, Datuk Jafry Arifin. –
Winnie Kasmir
keluaran Nujarin Angandong.
“Nujarin merupakan pekebun kecil dari
Kg Togis, Ranau yang telah dianugerahkan
dengan Anugerah Koko Antarabangsa
bagi perisa buah-buahan pada tahun 2012.
“Manakala pada 2017, Jonisin Tambi,
pekebun kecil Kg Togis Laap, Ranau turut
dianugerahkan 50 Sampel Koko Entrans
Terbaik. Perjuangan ini tidak harus
berhenti di sini dan mesti diteruskan oleh
petani koko Ranau,” katanya.
Tambah Willie, agenda Kerajaan Kelu-
arga Malaysia adalah untuk melihat
penglibatan drastik golongan belia dan
golongan muda dalam memperkasa in-
dustri pertanian.
“Ke arah itu, saya juga menggesa golon-
gan muda di sekitar kawasan Ranau secara
khusus memanfaatkannya dan meneroka
potensi besar industri koko yang mampu
meningkatkan pendapatan dan ekonomi
keluarga mereka.
“Bermula dengan penanaman pokok
koko sehinggalah kepada penghasilan
produk berasaskan koko, semua peringkat
kejadian pokok koko boleh menjadi sum-
ber rezeki, jika kita rajin, inovatif dan ber-
daya tahan,” katanya.
Willie memuji semua pihak khususnya
LKM selaku penganjur program dan rakan-
rakan daripada Persatuan Penanam Koko
(PPKR) Ranau yang berjaya menganjurkan
majlis tersebut.
Turut hadir Timbalan Menteri Dalam
Negeri merangkap Ahli Parlimen Ranau,
Datuk Jonathan Yasin, Pengerusi Lembaga
Koko Malaysia, Rahimah Majid, Ketua Pen-
garah Lembaga Koko Malaysia, Dr Ramle
Hj Kasin dan Presiden Persatuan Penanam
Koko Ranau, Bidi Bongkok, antara yang
lain.
mengenai seorang kanak-kanak perem-
puan yang hilang di sungai selepas di-
hanyutkan kepala air ketika cuba menye-
berang sungai untuk pulang ke rumah dari
kebun kira-kira pada jam 4 petang, Jumaat
lepas.
Katanya, ketika operasi SAR hari kedua
dimulakan pada jam 7 pagi Sabtu lepas di
kawasan sepanjang sungai,  seluar milik
mangsa ditemui 2 kilometer dari tempat
mangsa dilaporkan hilang oleh penduduk
kampung. 
“Mangsa ditemui penduduk dan pihak
bomba serta agensi bantuan lain termasuk
Polis, APM dan Rela pada jam 11.15 pagi.
“Mangsa disahkan meninggal dunia
dan diserahkan kepada polis untuk tin-
dakan lanjut. Operasi SAR ditamatkan
pada jam 12.30 tengah hari,” katanya.
pan, selain Kluster Pelancongan Minat
Khas merangkumi segmen selam skuba,
inap desa, beli-belah dan taman tema,
katanya. 
Beliau berkata usaha itu  bertujuan
menarik minat orang ramai untuk mem-
buat tempahan tiket pengangkutan atau
pakej pelancongan pada harga diskaun is-
timewa.
Nancy berkata turut ditawarkan
kepada rakyat Malaysia menerusi pelan
tersebut ialah diskaun sebanyak RM100
untuk satu transaksi pembelian pakej
pelancongan bernilai RM200 ke atas,
bermula 29 April sehingga 31
Oktober  bagi tempoh perjalanan se-
hingga 31 Disember ini.  – Bernama
harianekspres
SITI Hatijah menerima cenderamata daripada Julia (keempat dari kiri).
Bicara Bonda wadah semarak budaya
ilmu, penghayatan nilai Islam
TAWAU: Program Bicara Bonda menjadi
wadah untuk menyemarakkan budaya keil-
muan serta penghayatan nilai Islam.
Yang Dipertua Gabungan Pertubuhan
Muafakat Titipan Amal Isteri Wakil Rakyat
(Mutiara GRS), Datin Seri Juliah Salag
berkata majlis seumpama dapat menjadi
landasan bagi mengeratkan nilai ukhuwah
dan silaturahim dalam kalangan umat Is-
lam.
“Program ini dapat menjadi wadah untuk
menyemarakkan budaya keilmuan dan
meningkatkan minat masyarakat terhadap
aktiviti penghayatan nilai Islam dalam
kalangan umat Islam, sesuai dengan tuntu-
tan al-Quran dan Sunnah Rasulullah SAW.
“Saya juga berharap semua ilmu yang
kita peroleh sepanjang bicara bonda ini
boleh dikongsi bersama rakan-rakan lain
yang tidak berpeluang menyertai majlis ini.
“Semoga majlis menjadi landasan untuk
mengeratkan nilai ukhuwah dan silatu-
rahim dalam kalangan umat Islam kerana
dua nilai ini sesungguhnya menjadi asas ter-
penting perpaduan dan kekuatan ummah
Kempen tembakau akan hadapi ujian berat
BARU-BARU ini, Kementerian Kesihatan
dan Pendidikan telah melancarkan kem-
pen Generational Endgame (GEG) Anti-
Rokok 18 (Gegar-18) untuk menekankan
mesej dalam kalangan murid sekolah
tentang bahaya merokok kepada kesi-
hatan.
Ini adalah sebahagian daripada
cadangan Kementerian Kesihatan untuk
mengharamkan penjualan produk tem-
bakau kepada mereka yang lahir mulai
2005, bermula tahun depan.
Tindakan berani itu disambut dengan
pelbagai reaksi oleh orang ramai. Cadan-
gan dasar ini berkemungkinan mendapat
inspirasi daripada dasar Generational
Endgame di New Zealand, yang mengikut
pendekatan berperingkat dari 2011.
New Zealand menyasarkan untuk
mengurangkan tabiat merokok kepada
bawah lima peratus daripada populasi
dewasa menjelang 2025, bermula dengan
mengurangkan bilangan peruncit rokok
dari 2024, mengurangkan nikotin dalam
rokok dari 2025 dan secara beransur-
ansur meningkatkan usia dibenarkan
bagi pembeli rokok untuk mewujudkan
“ generasi bebas tembakau”.
Ini bermakna orang yang berumur 14
tahun ke bawah pada 2027 tidak akan da-
pat membeli rokok.
Tidak dinafikan bahawa versi Malaysia
bagi dasar ini adalah baik untuk kesi-
hatan awam, terutamanya dalam mengu-
ruskan risiko kesihatan bagi generasi
akan datang.
Tetapi jalan di hadapan penuh dengan
cabaran. Jika kita tidak berhati-hati, dasar
yang paling berniat baik pun boleh gagal
jika tidak dilaksanakan dengan baik.
PERTAMA, pertimbangkan pelak-
sanaannya. Produk tembakau boleh dida-
pati secara meluas dan mudah di
pasaran.
Dengan dasar yang dicadangkan ini,
mereka yang lahir pada 2005 dan seterus-
nya akan dihalang daripada membeli
produk di kedai runcit. Ini boleh dipan-
tau jika pembelian dibuat secara fizikal
dan di dalam kedai.
Tetapi akan ada cabaran serius dalam
memantau keadaan dalam talian, teruta-
manya untuk produk tembakau bukan
rokok seperti vape dan e-rokok.
Malah bagi pembelian dalam kedai,
apakah jaminan yang ada bahawa pe-
runcit tidak akan lebih mementingkan
keuntungan daripada kesihatan awam?
Mewujudkan mekanisme punitif
mungkin boleh bertindak sebagai pence-
gahan kepada peruncit tetapi ia tetap
menjadi cabaran untuk men-
guatkuasakan undang-undang ini nanti.
Walaupun penguatkuasaan bukan do-
main eksklusif Kementerian Kesihatan,
memandangkan terdapat kementerian
dan agensi lain yang terbabit seperti Ke-
menterian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri
dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, kepraktikan
larangan ini akan menghadapi ujian
sukar.
Lihat sahaja “larangan” merokok di
kedai makan yang telah dilanggar
S UARA TEMPATAN ANDA I RABU, 18 MEI, 2022
seperti mana yang diajarkan oleh Kitab suci
Al-Quran Al-Karim,” ujarnya di Dewan
Masyarakat Tawau, Selasa.
Pada program tersebut Julia menyam-
paikan Anugerah Mutiara Al-Quran kepada
Guru Kelas Al-Quran dan Fardhu Ain (Kafa)
Burut, Siti Hatijah Marsuki, 50, berasal dari
Kg Merotai Kecil.
Program edisi kedua itu dianjurkan den-
gan kerjasama Pejabat Menteri Tugas-tugas
Khas, Majlis Ugama Islam Sabah (Muis), Ja-
batan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Sabah
(Jheains), Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia
(Jakim) dan Majlis Perbandaran Tawau
(MPT), antara agensi lain.
Tokoh agamawan dan pendakwah terke-
nal di nusantara, Dr Das’ad Abdul Latif turut
enghangatkan suasana dengan ceramahnya
yang bersahaja.
Hadir sama Menteri Tugas-Tugas Khas,
Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, Pembantu
Menteri Kewangan, Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar
Titingan, Ketua Konsul Republik Indonesia,
Heni Hamidah dan Timbalan Yang Dipertua
Muis, Malai Ali Malai Ahmad.
berkali-kali oleh pengusaha restoran dan
pelanggan.
KEDUA, apabila kerajaan tegas dalam
mengharamkan atau menyekat pembe-
lian produk tertentu, perdagangan
haram produk ini akan, kerap kali, lebih
berkembang.
Pengguna akan mencari jalan untuk
mendapatkan produk ini. Ketika ini, kita
memang sedia berdepan perdagangan
haram untuk rokok, yang menelan be-
lanja berbilion-bilion hasil cukai yang hi-
lang setiap tahun.
Langkah untuk melarang rokok dan
bukan rokok daripada sampai ke gen-
erasi baharu berkemungkinan besar akan
meningkatkan daya tarikan produk ini
dalam pasaran gelap.
KETIGA, dengan mengharamkan
bukan sahaja rokok tetapi juga alternatif
kepada rokok, kemungkinan produk ini
muncul di pasaran gelap tanpa sebarang
bentuk kawalan kualiti akan menjadi
lebih tinggi.
Generasi baharu akan mencari jalan
untuk mendapatkan produk yang tidak
teruji dan tidak dikawal ini, yang, meman-
dangkan sifat elektronik produk tersebut,
mungkin tidak memenuhi piawaian kual-
iti malah boleh membahayakan.
Hasrat untuk memperkenalkan dasar
ini sememangnya harus dipuji. Namun,
niat murni itu mesti sentiasa dilak-
sanakan dengan baik untuk mendap-
atkan hasil yang diinginkan.
Di New Zealand, kerajaan telah melak-
sanakan langkah lain, termasuk memer-
lukan pembungkusan biasa untuk rokok
dan menaikkan harga rokok secara men-
dadak kepada AS$20 sebungkus. Produk
vape juga dilarang dijual kepada sesiapa
di bawah umur 18 tahun.
Terdapat langkah-langkah yang perlu
diambil untuk melengkapkan larangan
itu kerana matlamat utamanya masih un-
tuk mengurangkan kadar merokok dan
melindungi generasi akan datang.
Oleh itu, adalah bijak bagi Kementer-
ian Kesihatan untuk mengambil pen-
dekatan lebih berhati-hati dan menen-
tukan dengan jelas sasarannya daripada
meneruskan sasaran yang mungkin tidak
praktikal. Akhirnya, ia mungkin mengga-
galkan objektif utama untuk mengu-
rangkan merokok.
Tingkah laku pengguna sentiasa
berubah, dan trend serta teknologi baharu
akan muncul. Perkara yang kelihatan
seperti langkah bijak hari ini mungkin
menjadi masalah baharu pada esoknya.
Semoga Kementerian Kesihatan tidak
akan terlepas perkara lebih besar
menumpu semata-mata pada larangan
ini, serta Akta Tembakau baharu yang di-
tunggu-tunggu.
Walaupun adanya peraturan lebih
baik daripada tiada peraturan, untuk ia
berhasil, mekanisme penguatkuasaan
mesti ada untuk memastikan peralihan
lancar kepada masyarakat bebas asap
rokok yang bermakna.
STH
Pemberian Khas 40 peratus
Perkara 112C titik mula
sebarang rundingan: SLS
KOTA KINABALU: Pa-
rameter yang harus
digunakan untuk
menetapkan jumlah
Pemberian Khas un-
tuk Sabah adalah
dengan merujuk
kepada 40 peratus
hasil bersih seperti
termaktub dalam
Perkara 112C Perlembagaan Persekutuan,
kata Presiden Persatuan Undang-undang
Sabah (SLS), Roger Chin (gambar).
Menurutnya, biarpun dengan kemam-
puan untuk membahaskan isu Pemberian
Khas Sabah yang diperuntukkan dalam
Perkara 112D, ia tidak menjelaskan dengan
lebih mendalam tentang cara menyemak
jumlah itu.
“Saya bersetuju 112D tidak menyatakan
cara anda menyemak perkara itu. Betul, jadi
nampaknya kamu akan masuk, kamu
berunding, tetapi bagaimana kamu berund-
ing? Jelas sekali mesti ada titik permulaan.
ANTARA lampu jalan yang rosak.
‘Selenggara lampu
jalan, cantas
pokok rimbun’
Winnie Kasmir
SANDAKAN: Pihak berwajib digesa mem-
baiki dan menyelenggara setiap tiang
lampu rosak dan lampu jalan tidak
berfungsi dengan segera bagi mengelak ke-
jadian tidak diingini.
ADUN Elopura, Calvin Chong
menyuarakan perkara itu selepas beberapa
tiang lampu rosak akibat dilanggar kender-
aan, dibiarkan di beberapa lokasi sekitar
daerah ini.
“Terdapat banyak lampu jalan yang tidak
berfungsi dari Pekan Sandakan utama ke
arah Batu 6 di mana beribu-ribu pengguna
jalan raya melalui kawasan itu.
“Ini akan menyusahkan orang ramai
lebih-lebih lagi yang mengalami masalah
penglihatan untuk memandu pada waktu
malam dan musim hujan, kerana ia menge-
hadkan penglihatan kita untuk melihat
sesuatu sama ada di hadapan atau pejalan
kaki yang melintas jalan.
“Justeru, saya berharap pihak berkenaan
dapat membaiki tiang lampu yang rosak ini
dan seterusnya menjalankan kerja-kerja
penyelenggaraan dengan kerap,” katanya
kepada Daily Express, Isnin.
Beliau berkata, adalah mustahil pihak
berkuasa ini tidak melihat kerosakan ini se-
masa melalui jalan utama ini kerana beber-
apa peralatan lampu jalan yang rosak dilihat
bertaburan di atas tanah.
Sementara itu, Calvin turut berharap Ma-
jlis Perbandaran Sandakan mencantas da-
han pokok rimbun di sepanjang jalan
utama dan kawasan perumahan yang nam-
paknya boleh patah pada bila-bila masa.
“Kami menerima aduan berhubung da-
han pokok yang perlu dicantas bagi menge-
lak kejadian tidak diingini termasuk menye-
babkan kerosakan serta kerugian kepada
kenderaan awam dan harta benda,” tam-
bahnya.
Tiga sahabat bersyukur sambut Kaamatan fizikal
Mardinah Jikur
BELURAN:  Tiga sahabat warga emas
bersyukur dan gembira kerana tahun ini
mereka dapat merayakan Pesta Kaamatan se-
cara fizikal serta dapat bertemu keluarga dan
rakan-rakan mereka.
Nurlia, 65, Isah, 80 dan Rombina, 79 dari
Kampung Iran, Jalan Kolapis, berkata anak-
anak mereka akhirnya dapat pulang selepas
dua tahun pandemik Covid-19.
Ujar Isah, tahun ini beliau gembira ker-
ana dapat bertemu anak-anak yang berada
jauh di perantauan serta bekerja di luar
daerah ini, yang kini dapat pulang ke kam-
pung untuk sama-sama meraikan Pesta Kaa-
matan tahun ini.
“Dalam tempoh dua tahun lepas, susulan
pandemik, kami tidak dapat meraikannya
bersama dan hanya bertanya khabar dari ke-
diaman masing-masing melalui panggilan
telefon,” katanya.
Beliau dan rakannya ditemui pada Pesta
Kaamatan Beluran yang dirasmikan oleh
Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Hamzah
Zainudin, di Dewan Serbaguna Beluran, di
sini, baru-baru ini.
“Mesti ada sesuatu yang menjadi asas un-
tuk kita. Mesti ada beberapa parameter yang
kita semua perlu patuhi apabila kita
melakukan semakan ini.
“Jadi, jelas sekali parameter yang telah
diberikan ialah Perkara 112C. Ia bercakap ten-
tang hasil bersih 40 peratus dan sekali lagi
seperti yang saya katakan, saya mesti
tegaskan, apabila kamu menyemak, ia
bukan percuma untuk semua, kamu tidak
boleh meminta apa sahaja yang kamu mahu,
begitu juga Kerajaan Negeri tidak boleh
datang kepada kamu dan berkata ‘Saya beri
kamu sifar’,” katanya ketika menyampaikan
ceramahnya dalam webinar “Negotiate The
Special Grant Conferred by Article 112D Thus
Extinguishes Sabah’s 40pc Rights Conferred
by Article 112C of The Federal Constitution?”,
anjuran Yayasan Wisdom, menerusi Face-
book dan Zoom baru-baru ini.
Tambahan pula, Chin berkata penaksir
bebas perlu menilai isu itu jika kata sepakat
antara kedua-dua pihak (Kerajaan Negeri
dan Persekutuan) tidak dapat dicapai.
Pindaan Perlembagaan Umno
beri ruang fokus kepada PRU15
SANDAKAN: Pindaan Fasal 10.16 Perlem-
bagaan Umno memberi ruang kepada
kepimpinan pusat, bahagian dan
cawangan untuk fokus kepada gerak
kerja menghadapi Pilihan Raya Umum
ke-15 (PRU15).
Bendahari Umno Sabah, Datuk
Suhaimi Nasir berkata, pada masa yang
sama, kestabilan parti akan terus ter-
pelihara dan fokus menghadapi pilihan
raya umum dapat lakukan dengan baik.
Ketua Umno Libaran itu menegaskan
pindaan tersebut dapat  mengelakkan
wujudnya puak dalam pemilihan parti
di peringkat pusat, bahagian dan
cawangan yang akan mencacatkan
gerak kerja PRU akan datang.
“Kita amat bimbang perkara ini akan
berlaku jika pemilihan Umno dilakukan
sebelum PRU15,” katanya.
Suhaimi berkata kelulusan pindaan
perlembagaan itu (bagi menangguhkan
pemilihan parti sehingga selepas
PRU15) pada Perhimpunan Agung
Umno (PAU) Khas di Kuala Lumpur pada
tahun lepas, disokong oleh Naib Presi-
den Umno yang juga Perdana Menteri,
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, semen-
tara usul pindaan berkenaan diben-
tangkan oleh Naib Presiden Datuk
Khalid Nordin.
“Pemilihan Umno akan dilaksanakan
PAS: Masa untuk Sabah punyai
Sistem Panggilan Kecemasan
SANDAKAN: Timbalan Pesuruhjaya PAS
Sabah, Sahar Abdul Majid berkata, su-
dah tiba masanya untuk Sabah mem-
punyai Sistem Panggilan Kecemasan
sendiri.
Beliau sangat bersetuju jika pusat
panggilan kecemasan ini diwujudkan di
Sabah bagi mengurangkan birokrasi
panggilan kecemasan dari warga Sabah,
yang ketika ini terpaksa melalui Pusat
Panggilan Kecemasan MERS999 di Kuala
Lumpur, Melaka atau Kuching sebelum
disambungkan ke unit keselamatan dan
agensi berkaitan di negeri ini.
Beliau mengulas isu itu yang hangat
diperkatakan pelbagai pihak, termasuk
ahli politik dan orang ramai, susulan in-
siden kemalangan di Kolombong yang
membawa kematian seorang pembuat
roti yang dikenali sebagai Lew Kok Fai,
54, yang mana pasukan perubatan dari
hospital dikatakan lambat sampai di
lokasi.
Menurut Sahar, semua pihak juga
Turut hadir, Menteri Pertanian Dan Indus-
tri Makanan yang juga Ahli Parlimen Belu-
ran, Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee dan Adun
Labuk, Samad Jambri.
Pada majlis itu, Isah bersama rakan-rakan
dari kampung turut mempersembahkan
Tarian Mongigol, yang difahamkan tarian
kebudayaan suku kaum Talantang.
Tempatan 3
Bagaimanapun, ia masih perlu merujuk
kepada Perkara 112C dalam Perlembagaan
Persekutuan.
“Jika kamu tidak bersetuju, apa yang
berlaku? Jelas sekali, ia dibawa kepada pe-
naksir bebas.
“Bagaimanakah penaksir bebas mem-
buat taksiran? Parameter haruslah titik per-
mulaan 40 peratus, dan daripada 40 peratus
itu kamu boleh pergi ke mana-mana angka
lain yang kamu mahu, tetapi titik permulaan
jelas mestilah 40 peratus itu. Di mana kesu-
dahannya, terpulang sepenuhnya kepada
rundingan,” katanya.
Sementara itu, Chin juga berkata Pem-
berian Khas itu tidak sepenuhnya terikat
kepada wang sahaja tetapi pembayaran se-
cara ansuran juga boleh dirundingkan seki-
ranya Kerajaan menghadapi kekangan ke-
wangan.
“Ia boleh dibayar secara ansuran atau Pay-
ment-In-Kind (PIK) seperti ekuiti dalam
Petronas atau Felda dan sebagainya,” kata
Chin.
enam bulan selepas PRU15, dengan itu
pemimpin serta ahli-ahli Umno tidak
lagi bimbang atau risau tentang pemil-
ihan ini sebaliknya memberi fokus
gerak kerja PRU,” katanya selepas Majlis
Rumah Terbuka Umno Bahagian
Libaran di Dewan PPR Muhibbah Batu
12, di sini, Isnin.
Hadir sama, Timbalan Pengerusi
Umno Sabah, Datuk Yakub Khan, Seti-
ausaha Umno Sabah, Datuk Jafry Ariffin,
Adun Usukan Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said
Keruak, Adun Sungai Sibuga Mohd
Hamsan Haji Awang Supain, serta Adun
Sungai Manila, Mokran Ingkat.
Dalam pada itu, Suhaimi berkata,
agenda kestabilan dan memperkasakan
perpaduan dalam Umno juga akan terus
utuh tanpa wujudnya perpecahan.
“Apakah maknanya agenda kestabi-
lan dan memperkasakan perpaduan
yang ditawarkan kepada rakyat, tetapi
kita berpecah kepada puak-puak dalam
pemilihan parti yang akhirnya
merugikan kita sendiri dalam Umno,”
tegasnya.
Suhaimi berkata pindaan perlemba-
gaan ini membawa erti besar kepada
mereka dalam mengembalikan maruah
perjuangan dan mempersiagakan
kesinambungan perjuangan parti untuk
masa depan.
harus mengambil iktibar daripada insi-
den ini dan perlu bersatu hati untuk
memastikan Sabah memiliki Sistem
Panggilan Kecemasan sendiri agar
agensi berkaitan dapat mengambil tin-
dakan pantas dan proaktif untuk
menyelamatkan nyawa rakyat.
Dalam pada itu, Sahar yang juga juga
Pengarah Khidmat Malaysia Negeri
Sabah, yang menguruskan isu bencana
di bawah PAS, menggesa pihak kerajaan
persekutuan melalui Kementerian
Telekomunikasi dan Multimedia agar
memastikan sistem rangkaian teleko-
munikasi di seluruh negeri ini dapat
dibangunkan segera.
“Kita dapati masih banyak lokasi di
Sabah yang tidak mendapat liputan in-
ternet atau rangkaian telekomunikasi
yang baik dan ini sangat menjejaskan
rakyat untuk berhubung kepada agensi
keselamatan sekiranya berlaku se-
barang bencana atau insiden yang tidak
diingini,” tegasnya.
DARI kiri:
Nurlia,
Isah dan
Rombina
gembira da-
pat bertemu
semula
anak-anak.
Majlis diisi dengan aktiviti termasuk per-
tandingan menyanyi Sugandoi yang dime-
nangi oleh Ray Asmadin, sementara Unduk
Ngadau Kaamatan peringkat daerah dime-
nangi oleh Tati Jelsi Jass James.
Dua pemenang itu akan mewakili daerah
Beluran pada sambutan Kaamatan peringkat
negeri di KDCA pada hujung bulan ini.
 4 Tempatan
Kes bunuh pembantu rumah
Laporan forensik,
DNA belum selesai
Cynthia D Baga
KOTA KINABALU: Laporan forensik dan
DNA dalam kes suami isteri yang didakwa
membunuh pembantu rumah mereka
yang memiliki MyKad, masih belum sele-
sai.
Majistret Jessica Ombou Kakayun ke-
mudian menetapkan 5 Julai ini untuk
sebutan semula kes bekas Finalis Mas-
terchef Malaysia, Etiqah Siti Noorashikeen
Mohd Sulong, 33, dan suaminya, kontrak-
tor Mohammad Ambree Yunos @ Unos,
40.
Kes itu dikemukakan pada Selasa un-
tuk pengurusan kes pra-perbicaraan.
Pasangan itu didakwa membunuh Nur
Afiyah Daeng Damin, antara 10 dan 13 Dis
2021 di sebuah unit di Menara Amber,
Lido Avenue, Jalan Lintas Lido, Penam-
pang.
Pertuduhan mengikut Seksyen 302 Ka-
nun Keseksaan itu yang dibaca bersama
PEKERJA kontraktor menunjukkan komponen rosak
dari tangki air di atas Lapangan Terbang Tawau.
Usaha selenggara tandas lapangan
terbang di KK, Tawau akan ditingkat
% PIHAK pengurusan lapangan terbang di
Tawau dan Kota Kinabalu akan
meningkatkan usaha untuk menyeleng-
gara tandas di sini memandangkan pen-
ingkatan bilangan penumpang di kedua-
dua tempat ini.
Jurucakap Malaysia Airports Holdings
Bhd (MAHB) berkata kontraktor masing-
masing akan diarahkan untuk
meningkatkan kekerapan pembersihan
tandas.
“Kakitangan kami akan membuat pe-
meriksaan berkala untuk mengesahkan
bahawa tandas dan paip beroperasi sewa-
jarnya,” kata mereka.
“Paip dan mangkuk akan diperiksa un-
tuk memastikan ia tidak bocor.
“Perkara sama akan dilakukan bagi bi-
lik tandas untuk memastikan engsel pintu
dalam keadaan baik dan boleh dikunci
dengan selamat.”
Seorang jurucakap Lapangan Terbang
Tawau (TA) berkata terdapat 14 set tandas
di bangunan itu, manakala rakan se-
jawatannya di Ibu Negeri berkata Lapan-
gan Terbang Antarabangsa Kota Kinabalu
(KKIA) mempunyai 35 set kemudahan
tersebut.
Mereka mengakui bahawa bilangan
penumpang yang bergerak melalui dua la-
pangan terbang itu meningkat dua kali
ganda sejak sempadan antara negeri dan
antarabangsa dibuka semula.
“Staf kebersihan kami menghadapi tu-
gas yang sukar untuk menampung ribuan
S UARA TE MPATAN ANDA I RABU, 18 MEI, 2022
Seksyen 34 Kanun sama, membawa huku-
man mati, jika sabit kesalahan.
Setakat ini, tiada pengakuan direkod-
kan daripada mereka kerana pengakuan
mereka hanya akan diambil setelah kes
mereka dipindahkan ke Mahkamah
Tinggi.
Pada 26 Apr, Etiqah dilepaskan dengan
ikat jamin RM30,000 dengan beberapa
syarat oleh Mahkamah Rayuan tetapi
suaminya masih ditahan reman.
Inspektor Suzie Kupit hadir untuk pen-
dakwaan manakala peguam Ram Singh
mewakili Mohammad Ambree dan is-
terinya diwakili peguam Dato Rakhbir
Singh.
PENYELIA memantau kerja
mengelap lantai tandas di TA.
orang yang menggunakan lapangan ter-
bang setiap hari.”
Kedua-dua jurucakap itu menjawab
maklum balas seorang pengembara men-
genai keadaan buruk tandas di balai
berlepas di KKIA dan balai ketibaan di
Tawau.
Dia berasa kecewa apabila mendapati
dia tidak dapat mengepam tandas yang di-
gunakannya (di Tawau).
Lebih memburukkan keadaan, dia ter-
paksa mencedok air dari sebuah bekas un-
tuk mencuci tangan selepas itu kerana
paip di singki tidak mempunyai air.
Dia ingin tahu bagaimana MAHB wajar
memungut cukai lapangan terbang sedan-
gkan kemudahan ini tidak dijaga dengan
baik.
Penumpang itu memberikan Hotline
tarikh apabila dia terbang dari Ibu Negeri
ke Tawau.
Maklumat ini diserahkan kepada pihak
pengurusan lapangan terbang masing-
masing.
Jurucakap TA berkata, tangki air di ba-
hagian atas bangunan itu didapati rosak
ketika itu. Dia berkata tekanan bekalan air
di lapangan terbang itu terjejas teruk ker-
ana ini.
“Tiada setitik air pun sampai ke tandas
di tingkat satu manakala hanya titisan air
boleh didapati di tingkat bawah,” katanya.
PEMERIKSAAN kerap dibuat
untuk memastikan pintu-pintu
tandas di KKIA dapat dikunci.
Sebutan kes lelaki didakwa membunuh 13 Jul
KOTA KINABALU: Mahkamah Tinggi di
sini pada Selasa menetapkan 13 Julai ini
untuk sebutan kes seorang lelaki berusia
37 tahun yang didakwa membunuh seo-
rang lelaki di Kota Belud dua tahun lepas.
Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Amelati Par-
nell menetapkan tarikh itu untuk Masdin
Minin semasa pengurusan kes pra-per-
bicaraan.
Pihak pendakwaan memberitahu
mahkamah bahawa semua dokumen
telah diserahkan kepada pihak pembe-
laan.
Namun pihak pendakwaan memohon
tempoh dua bulan untuk menunggu
keputusan surat representasi yang ditulis
oleh pihak pembelaan.
Pada 15 Dis 2021, Masdin mengaku
tidak bersalah membunuh Jaipin Girik, 37,
antara jam 1 tengah hari dan 2 petang
pada Mac 2020 di hutan Liang, Kg Ram-
payan Ulu, Kota Belud.
Pertuduhan mengikut Seksyen 302 Ka-
nun Keseksaan itu membawa hukuman
mati, jika sabit kesalahan.
Sementara menunggu tarikh itu,
mahkamah memerintahkan Masdin dire-
man lanjut kerana pertuduhan terhadap-
nya tidak mempunyai peruntukan ikat
jamin.
Pendakwaan dikendalikan oleh Tim-
PETUGAS membersihkan cermin
dan singki di tandas TA ini.
“Juruteknik kami membaiki tangki se-
jurus selepas kami menyedari kerosakan
itu.”
Apabila ditanya berapa kerap penye-
lenggaraan dilakukan untuk tangki itu, dia
berkata ini dilakukan jika dan bila perlu
berbuat demikian.
Sementara menunggu pembaikan sele-
sai, tong air diletakkan sementara di dalam
tandas-tandas, menurutnya.
Jurucakap itu menjelaskan bahawa la-
pangan terbang itu mempunyai 22 staf ke-
bersihan yang dibahagikan kepada dua
syif untuk menjaga kemudahan-kemuda-
han ini.
“Seorang tukang bersih ditempatkan di
setiap tandas lelaki dan wanita di kawasan
kritikal lapangan terbang.
“Ini adalah tempat yang diakses oleh
penumpang dan juga orang ramai.”
Bagi balai berlepas dan balai ketibaan,
dia berkata seorang tukang bersih ditu-
gaskan untuk menjaga sepasang tandas di
kawasan ini.
“Kemudahan ini dibersihkan, beberapa
kali, dalam sehari terutamanya selepas
penerbangan mendarat dan penumpang
telah keluar dari lapangan terbang.”
NELLA, yang terbang dari Ibu Negeri ke
Tawau, mengeluh mengenai bau busuk di
tandas wanita di KKIA.
“Saya hampir terjatuh ketika berjalan
PETUGAS membersihkan tempat
kencing di salah satu tandas di KKIA.
balan Pendakwa Raya Azreen Yas Mo-
hamad Ramli manakala peguam Abdul
Fikry Jaafar Abdullah mewakili Masdin.
Sementara itu, dalam kes lain,
mahkamah menetapkan 17 Jun ini untuk
sebutan lanjut rayuan terhadap pembe-
basan seorang peguam dan ahli pernia-
gaan daripada pertuduhan menipu seo-
rang lelaki sebanyak RM300,000
berhubung projek kerja tanah di Kudat.
Mahkamah menetapkan tarikh itu
bagi Siti Azizah Mohd Yusop, 44, dan
Rinius Marung, 54, sementara menunggu
alasan penghakiman.
Pihak pendakwaan memberitahu
mahkamah bahawa alasan penghakiman
masih belum diterima dan pihak pendak-
waan memohon tarikh lain.
Pihak pendakwaan telah merayu ter-
hadap keputusan membebaskan kedua-
dua mereka tanpa meminta tertuduh
membela diri.
Siti Azizah dan Rinius didakwa menipu
seorang lelaki berhubung surat perjan-
jian projek kerja tanah yang menye-
babkan lelaki itu mengeluarkan dua
keping cek bernilai RM150,000 setiap
satu.
Kesalahan itu didakwa berlaku pada 10
pagi 10 Nov 2016 di sebuah firma guaman
di Api-Api Centre, di sini.
dari bilik tandas ke singki kerana terdapat
air di seluruh lantai,” katanya.
Rasa tidak puas hatinya atas keadaan
yang buruk kemudahan ini bertambah
apabila dia sampai ke TA.
“Wanita-wanita di dalam tandas yang
saya gunakan, merungut kerana tiada satu
pun pam tandas berfungsi dan mereka
tidak dapat mencuci tangan di mana-
mana singki.
“Kami terpaksa beratur ke bekas air di
satu bahagian tandas itu.”
Dia berkata barisannya terlalu panjang
sehingga beberapa wanita berputus asa
dan terus pergi.
Nella berkata keadaan tandas yang
teruk membuatkan dia tertanya-tanya ten-
tang piawaian kebersihan yang diamalkan
oleh syarikat yang menjaga kebersihan la-
pangan terbang.
“Saya berharap pihak pengurusan
memberi keutamaan untuk memastikan
tandas sentiasa bersih dan kemas supaya
pengunjung pertama kali ke Sabah tidak
mendapat tanggapan negatif terhadap
negeri ini.”
Seorang jurucakap KKIA berkata tan-
das, yang mungkin dimasuki penumpang
itu, adalah antara yang paling banyak di-
gunakan di dalam bangunan tersebut.
“Semakan rekod kami mendedahkan
bahawa kami menerima sejumlah 18,000
penumpang pada hari dia menaiki pener-
bangannya,” katanya.
“Jumlah ini meningkat sebanyak 50 per-
atus dua hari kemudian.”
Dia menyifatkan angka ini sebagai
“lebih tinggi daripada biasa” untuk lapan-
gan terbang tersebut, pada masa itu, dan
berkata peningkatan ini menggambarkan
bilangan penumpang sebelum musim per-
ayaan.
Secara purata, kira-kira 14,000
penumpang secara amnya bergerak
melalui KKIA dalam keadaan biasa, menu-
rutnya.
“Memandangkan penggunaannya yang
hampir tanpa henti, kami telah meminta
kontraktor mengkaji semula jadual pem-
bersihan tandas.
“Jika perlu, kami mungkin menutupnya
setiap 30, atau 45 minit untuk mem-
bolehkan tandas-tandas dibersihkan sewa-
jarnya.” (SS)
harianekspres
Siti Azizah dan Rinius masing-masing
diwakili peguam Amli Nohin dan Luke
Ressa Balang. – CDB
Pemandu treler di-
dakwa pandu ba-
haya, sebabkan ke-
matian
%KUALA KANGSAR: Seorang pemandu
treler didakwa di Mahkamah Majistret di
sini hari ini atas lima pertuduhan me-
mandu dengan berbahaya hingga menye-
babkan kematian lima pelajar yang ren-
tung selepas kereta dinaiki mereka ter-
bakar pada Khamis lepas.
Mohammad Amirul Aznizam Razali, 28,
mengaku tidak bersalah atas lima per-
tuduhan yang dibacakan secara berasingan
di hadapan Majistret Mohd Shazmeer
Zamhari.
Tertuduh didakwa sebagai pemandu
treler jenis Volvo telah memandu kender-
aan itu di atas jalan raya dengan berbahaya
kepada orang awam hingga menyebabkan
kematian Ahmad Naim Najmi Ahmad
Hafizan, 21, Ahmad Akmal Ahmad Mokhlis,
20, Muhamad Nabil Haikal Muhamad Fariz,
19, Muhammad Nasrun Aidol Munir Akbar,
22, dan Iqbal Hasnun Halimi, 23.
Perbuatan itu didakwa dilakukan di KM
245.2 Lebuhraya Utara Selatan arah utara di
sini pada kira-kira pukul 1 pagi 12 Mei
lepas.
Pertuduhan dikemukakan di bawah
Seksyen 41(1) Akta Pengangkutan Jalan
1987 dan boleh dihukum di bawah perun-
tukan yang sama iaitu penjara minimum
lima tahun dan maksimum 10 tahun dan
denda tidak kurang daripada RM20,000
dan tidak melebihi RM50,000 jika sabit ke-
salahan serta butiran sabitan diendors
pada lesen memandu orang yang disabit
kesalahan.
Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Nur Asman-
iza Mohammad mencadangkan jaminan
sebanyak RM10,000 bagi setiap per-
tuduhan dan lesen digantung sehingga kes
selesai.
Bagaimanapun peguam G Ravishankar
yang mewakili tertuduh memohon jami-
nan rendah atas alasan anak guamnya
perlu menanggung isteri dan tiga anak
berusia dua hingga 14 tahun. – Bernama
Perbezaan buku
rekod sebelum,
selepas 2008
Dari muka depan
Beliau juga menjelaskan terdapat per-
bezaan antara buku anggaran yang
dibuat sebelum 2008 dan selepas itu dise-
babkan perubahan format yang digu-
nakan.
Sebelum 2008, buku anggaran tidak
menggunakan Sistem Belanjawan Di-
ubahsuai (MBS), yang mana butirannya
tidak dinyatakan secara khusus.
Bagi peruntukan daripada Perseku-
tuan, waran atau surat kuasa, katanya
akan diberikan terus kepada Jabatan Air
Sabah.
“Ia tidak perlu melalui Kementerian
Kewangan Negeri. Pembayaran akan
diproses oleh Kementerian yang men-
geluarkan peruntukan itu sendiri atau Ja-
batan Akauntan Negara.
“Bagi peruntukan negeri, Jabatan Air
sendiri akan memproses bayaran untuk
tindakan Jabatan Perbendaharaan
Negeri,” kata Kaim dalam keterangan
saksinya.
Berdasarkan rekod penyata bekalan
tambahan pertama waran peruntukan
am, jumlah peruntukan tambahan yang
diberikan kepada Jabatan Air Negeri
adalah kira-kira RM1.480 bilion dari 2006
hingga 2016.
Dalam tempoh sama, jumlah keselu-
ruhan peruntukan tambahan yang dilu-
luskan berjumlah kira-kira RM5.487 bil-
ion.
Dari 2006 hingga 2016, anggaran Per-
bekalan Negeri berjumlah RM201.7 bilion
manakala rekod juga menunjukkan
dalam tempoh yang sama peruntukan
yang diluluskan kepada Jabatan Air
berjumlah RM4.132 bilion.
Kaim mengesahkan bahawa waran
bagi anggaran Perbekalan Negeri dari
2006 hingga 2016 ditandatangani oleh
Ketua Menteri merangkap Menteri Ke-
wangan ketika itu Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
Kaim telah dilantik ke Kementerian
Kewangan Negeri pada 2005 sebagai Pe-
gawai Tadbir Rendah sebelum dinaikkan
pangkat sebagai Ketua Penolong Seti-
ausaha (Perbekalan) pada 2008 dan ke-
mudiannya sebagai Setiausaha Bajet di
Bahagian Belanjawan pada 2010.
Kaim juga mengesahkan semua doku-
men yang kemudiannya dikemukakan
sebagai eksibit oleh pihak pendakwaan.
Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Mahadi Ab-
dul Jumaat dan Haresh Prakash Somiah
hadir untuk pendakwaan.
Ag Mohd Tahir dan Fauziah diwakili
peguam Marcel Jude, manakala Lim di-
wakili peguam Datuk Tan Hock Chuan,
Aaron Lau, Baldev Singh dan Karpaljit
Singh.
Perbicaraan bersambung.
harianekspres
Putin beri amaran
kepada Sweden, Finland
KYIV: Presiden Ru-
sia, Vladimir Putin
(gambar) berkata,
penyertaan Sweden
dan Finland dalam
Pertubuhan Perjan-
jian Atlantik Utara
(Nato) tidak akan
menjadi ancaman
kepada Rusia.
Putin sebaliknya memberi amaran ba-
hawa tindakan sekutu Barat mengalihkan
tentera atau senjata ke kawasan kejiranan
Nordic akan menimbulkan tindak balas
negara komunis itu.
Dengan kemaraan Moscow di utara
wilayah sempadan Ukraine yang mema-
suki bulan ketiga sejak pencerobohannya,
Helsinki dan Stockholm bersedia
melepaskan dasar berkecuali ketenteraan-
nya kerana bimbang menjadi sasaran
seterusnya.
Bertahan dua bulan lagi: PM Sri Lanka
NEW DELHI: Perdana Menteri baharu Sri
Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe mengin-
gatkan rakyatnya supaya bersiap sedia
menghadapi kesusahan untuk tempoh seku-
rang-kurangnya dua bulan lagi susulan krisis
kewangan negara yang belum pernah
berlaku sebelum ini.
Wickremesinghe berkata “adalah men-
jadi satu cabaran bagi perbendaharaan men-
cari US$1 juta” berbanding rizab pertukaran
asing negara sebanyak US$7.5 bilion pada
November 2019.
Kementerian Kewangan mendapati sukar
untuk mengumpul US$5 juta bagi tujuan
mengimport gas, katanya.
Rakyat Sri Lanka menyuarakan bantahan
terhadap cara kerajaan mengendalikan kri-
sis ekonomi sejak beberapa minggu lalu,
hingga menyebabkan kekurangan bahan
api, ubat-ubatan dan barangan keperluan
lain.
“Kita perlu dapatkan kira-kira US$75 juta
dalam tempoh beberapa hari akan datang.
Pada masa ini, kita hanya mempunyai
bekalan petrol untuk satu hari.
“Terdapat kekurangan ketara dalam
bekalan ubat-ubatan penting termasuk
melibatkan penyakit jantung serta peralatan
pembedahan.
“Bayaran belum dijelaskan kepada pem-
bekal ubat, peralatan perubatan, dan
Jangkitan
FMD: Penternak
jual lembu
harga murah
elak rugi
JAWA TIMUR: Golongan penternak
berpakat menjual lembu dengan harga
yang murah daripada mengalami keru-
gian akibat dijangkiti penyakit kuku
dan mulut (FMD).
Penternak dari Kampung Nguter,
Lumajang, Fitria Lestari berkata, dia
nekad menjual empat lembunya den-
gan harga yang murah dari pasaran.
Katanya, daripada terus mengalami
kerugian lebih baik dia menjual bi-
natang ternakan itu sekarang.
“Seekor lembu berusia 10 tahun den-
gan berat 200 kilogram dijual dengan
harga 12 juta rupiah (RM3,596) sedan-
gkan lembu tersebut kebiasaannya di-
jual dengan 18 juta rupiah (RM5,394).
“Saya bimbang sekiranya lembu
mati akibat FMD dan sebab itu saya
jual murah,” katanya lapor
Kompas.com.
Minggu lalu, pihak kerajaan terpaksa
melaksanakan perintah berkurung di
Jawa Timur bagi mengelakkan jangki-
tan penyakit FMD yang menyerang ratu-
san ternakan di wilayah itu.
Situasi sama turut melanda Kam-
pung Kalibendo, di Pasirian.
Menurut Setiausahanya, Kasiyono
Efendo, golongan penternak di kam-
pungnya menjual lembu dengan sepa-
ruh daripada harga biasa.
Katanya, kebiasaannya lembu dijual
dengan harga 30 juta rupiah (RM8,991),
tetapi mereka jual dengan harga sekitar
15 hingga 19 juta rupiah (RM4,495-
RM5,694).
“Ya, memang harga tidak wajar
tetapi sekiranya haiwan itu mati mereka
akan mengalami kerugian lebih
banyak,” ujarnya.
Di Kampung Gredek, Gresik, Ahmad
Astadi Priyanto, 25, berkata, dia gagal
meraih keuntungan daripada ternakan
yang dimilikinya.
Katanya, selalunya dia mampu
meraih keuntungan sebelum Hari Raya
Aidiladha kerana permintaan terhadap
lembu akan meningkat.
Bagaimanapun, katanya, penyebaran
penyakit FMD menyebabkan per-
mintaan terhadap haiwan itu makin ter-
had. – Agensi
S UARA TEMPATAN ANDA I RABU, 18 MEI, 2022
Perdana Menteri Sweden, Magdalena
Andersson, pada Isnin, mengesahkan ne-
garanya akan memohon untuk menyertai
Nato, sehari selepas Finland, yang
berkongsi 1,300 kilometer sempadan den-
gan Rusia, menyatakan perkara sama.
Putin berkata, tindakan kedua negara
itu tidak memberi sebarang ancaman se-
cara langsung kepada Rusia, namun
mengembangkan infrastruktur ketenter-
aan ke wilayah itu pasti akan mencetuskan
tindak balas oleh negara berkenaan.
Reaksi bersahaja pemimpin Rusia itu
berbeza dengan kenyataan oleh Timbalan
Menteri Luar, Sergei Ryabkov, yang
menggelarkan pengembangan itu “kesila-
pan terbesar yang akan memberi akibat
yang meluas”.
Langkah itu bagaimanapun belum
dimuktamadkan, selepas Presiden Turki,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, mengesahkan has-
rat negaranya untuk menghalang permo-
makanan untuk pesakit sejak empat bulan
lepas. Hutang terkini berjumlah SLR 34 bil-
ion (kira-kira US$94 juta),” katanya.
Di tengah-tengah kemarahan dan tunjuk
perasaan semakin meningkat, Wick-
remesinghe memikul tugas sebagai Perdana
Menteri menggantikan Mahinda Rajapaksa
yang meletak jawatan pada 9 Mei.
Wickremesinghe dalam ucapannya men-
cadangkan beberapa langkah bagi menan-
gani krisis antaranya mencetak wang,
penswastaan Syarikat Penerbangan Sri
Lanka, dan bajet alternatif baharu.
“Beberapa bulan akan datang adalah
tempoh sukar dalam hidup kita. Kita mesti
mempersiapkan diri untuk berkorban dan
berdepan cabaran dalam tempoh sukar ini,”
katanya.
Sementara itu, kekurangan bahan api
mungkin memaksa 80 peratus bas
persendirian di Sri Lanka tidak dapat berop-
erasi mulai Selasa, menurut persatuan pen-
gangkutan. – Bernama
Persatuan bas mendapati sukar mendap-
atkan diesel meskipun pada Isnin Ceylon Pe-
troleum Corporation (CPC) telah menyam-
bung semula pengedaran bahan api di Sri
Lanka termasuk di Colombo, menurut lapo-
ran Daily Mirror memetik setiausaha sebuah
Persatuan Bas Persendirian Antara Wilayah,
Anjana Priyanjith. – Bernama
Minyak sawit
Ratusan pekebun kecil
bantah larangan eksport
JAKARTA: Ratusan pekebun kecil Indone-
sia melaksanakan protes di Jakarta dan be-
berapa kawasan lain di negara itu pada Se-
lasa bagi menuntut kerajaan menamatkan
larangan eksport minyak sawit, yang men-
jejaskan pendapatan mereka.
Pekebun yang bergerak bersama trak
yang dipenuhi buah sawit, berarak di luar
pejabat Kementerian Penyelaras Hal Ehwal
Ekonomi Indonesia, yang mengetuai pem-
buatan dasar kerajaan.
Antara sepanduk yang dibawa mereka
tertulis ‘Pekebun Malaysia tersenyum
lebar, pekebun Indonesia menderita’.
Malaysia adalah pengeluar minyak
sawit kedua terbesar dunia, dan memak-
lumkan menyasarkan untuk mem-
bekalkan kepada pasaran yang terkesan
dengan larangan eksport Indonesia.
Indonesia yang juga pengeksport
minyak sawit terbesar dunia, menghen-
tikan penghantaran minyak sawit mentah
dan beberapa produknya sejak 28 April
lalu, dalam usaha mengawal lonjakan
harga minyak masak tempatan, yang men-
jejaskan pasaran minyak sayur-sayuran
global.
Dalam satu kenyataan, kumpulan peke-
honan itu, dengan menuduh Finland dan
Sweden melindungi kumpulan peng-
ganas, termasuk militan Kurdish yang di-
haramkan.
Sumber Kementerian Kehakiman Turki
memberitahu agensi berita rasmi,
Anadolu, bahawa Sweden dan Finland ga-
gal memberi respon positif kepada 33 per-
mohonan ekstradisi Turki sepanjang lima
tahun.
Sebarang bidaan keahlian harus dilu-
luskan sebulat suara oleh semua 30 negara
anggota Nato.
Sementara itu, Setiausaha Negara
Amerika Syarikat (AS), Antony Blinken,
menyuarakan keyakinannya bahawa Swe-
den dan Finland akan menyertai Nato
walaupun ditentang oleh Turki.
Menteri Luar Turki, Mevlut Cavusoglu
bakal bertemu Blinken di Washington, di
mana bantahan Ankara menjadi agenda
teratas pada pertemuan itu. – AFP
Elisabeth
Borne PM
baharu Perancis
PARIS: Presiden Emmanuel Macron pada
Isnin melantik Elisabeth Borne sebagai
Perdana Menteri baharu Perancis, lapor
Xinhua.
Borne, 61, merupakan bekas Menteri
Pengangkutan, Ekologi dan Buruh.
Beliau adalah wanita kedua menyan-
dang jawatan itu selepas Edith Cresson
(1991-1992) di bawah Presiden Francois
Mitterrand.
Borne menggantikan Jean Castex,
yang mengetuai barisan kabinet Perancis
pada Julai 2020 tetapi meletak jawatan
lebih awal pada Isnin.
Pertukaran kerajaan telah dijangka se-
jak 24 April, apabila Macron memenangi
pilihan raya presiden menentang
pemimpin sayap kanan Marine Le Pen.
Penggal lima tahun kedua Macron se-
cara rasmi bermula pada Sabtu.
Borne menyokong Macron dalam pil-
ihan raya presiden 2017 dan kemudian
menyertai parti La Republique en
Marche. – Bernama
bun kecil APKASINDO berkata, sejak
pengumuman larangan eksport itu, harga
buah sawit jatuh 70 peratus di bawah
harga lantai yang ditetapkan pihak
berkuasa serantau.
Pada masa sama, APKASINDO mengun-
jurkan sekurang-kurangnya 25 peratus ki-
lang sawit berhenti membeli buah sawit
daripada pekebun persendirian.
Penunjuk perasaan itu turut meran-
cang untuk berarak ke Istana Presiden In-
donesia, kata kumpulan itu, selain protes
sama turut diadakan di 22 wilayah yang
lain.
Presiden Indonesia, Joko Widodo,
melaksanakan larangan eksport minyak
sawit dan produknya yang digunakan
dalam penghasilan minyak masak, selepas
beberapa dasar yang dilaksanakan gagal
mengawal kenaikan harga barangan
makanan asas bagi isi rumah.
Indonesia mengeluarkan kira-kira 60
peratus daripada minyak kelapa sawit
dunia, yang digunakan dalam pelbagai
produk, seperti kosmetik dan sapuan cok-
lat.
Satu pertiga daripada pengeluarannya
digunakan secara domestik.
SEORANG anggota unit khas tentera Ukraine memerhati kawasan jambatan musnah di
Rus’ka Lozova, utara Kharkiv, pada Isnin. – Gambar AFP
10 maut serangan terbaharu di timur Ukraine
KYIV: Sekurang-kurangnya 10 terbunuh
dalam serangan terbaru di Severodonetsk,
timur Ukraine, ketika bandar itu hampir
dikepung oleh tentera Rusia.
Perkara itu dimaklumkan Gabenor
wilayah Lugansk, Sergiy Gaiday, Isnin.
“Tentera Rusia membedil
Severodonetsk tanpa henti,” katanya
dalam kenyataan di Telegram.
Justeru, beliau juga menggesa pen-
duduk tempatan untuk tidak mening-
galkan tempat perlindungan.
“Sekurang-kurangnya 10 terbunuh.
Adalah sangat sukar untuk memeriksa
kawasan itu disebabkan bedilan baru,”
katanya.
Pada Isnin, Ukraine bersiap siaga den-
gan serangan baharu Rusia di wilayah
Donbas, ketika Kyiv memaklumkan seran-
gan balasnya di Kharkiv berjaya memper-
oleh momentum.
FDA akan benar dos penggalak
vaksin Covid-19 kanak-kanak
NEW YORK: Pentadbiran Makanan dan
Ubatan (FDA) Amerika Syarikat (AS) di-
jangka membenarkan suntikan peng-
galak vaksin Covid-19 Pfizer/BioNTech un-
tuk kanak-kanak berumur 5 hingga 11
tahun.
Menurut laporan New York Times,
syarikat itu mengemukakan permohonan
kepada FDA AS untuk mendapatkan kebe-
naran bulan lalu.
Mereka memetik data daripada kajian
pertengahan hingga akhir yang menun-
jukkan dos ketiga suntikan mereka
meningkatkan perlindungan terhadap
versi virus asal dan varian Omicron dalam
kalangan kanak-kanak dalam kumpulan
AHLI
persatuan
peladang sawit
membawa
buah sawit se-
masa satu ban-
tahan
terhadap
dasar larangan
eksport sawit
kerajaan,
di Jakarta,
pada Selasa.
– Gambar AFP
Menurut Pertubuhan Bangsa Bangsa
Bersatu (PBB) Organisasi Makanan dan
Pertanian, minyak sayuran antara barang
makanan ruji yang menyaksikan harga
mencecah paras tertinggi kebelakangan
ini, berikutan pencerobohan Rusia ke atas
kuasa pertanian, Ukraine.
Pengeluar di Indonesia pula keberatan
menjual di tempat sendiri kerana eksport
memberikan keuntungan yang lebih,
berikutan harga antarabangsa yang
tinggi.
Larangan eksport oleh Indonesia
menyebabkan harga kelapa sawit, kacang
soya, biji sesawi Eropah dan minyak
kanola, berada pada paras tertinggi dalam
sejarah.
Ketua Menteri Ekonomi Indonesia, Air-
langga Hartarto, berkata larangan itu
akan dikekalkan sehinggalah harga
minyak masak pukal menurun ke 14,000
rupiah (RM4.20) seliter di seluruh Indone-
sia.
Data Kementerian Perdagangan In-
donesia menunjukkan, purata harga
minyak masak pukal adalah 17,300 rupiah
(RM5.19) seliter setakat Jumaat lalu. –
Agensi
Dunia 5
Presiden Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky,
berkata pihaknya sedang bersedia untuk
berdepan cubaan terbaru Rusia untuk
menyerang wilayah itu, dalam usaha
Moscow menambah kemajuan di selatan
Ukraine.
Sejak kegagalan Rusia menawan Kyiv
ketika permulaan pencerobohan pada hu-
jung Februari lalu, kawalan di Donbas
menjadi antara objektif utama Moscow.
Bagaimanapun, perisikan Barat men-
jangkakan kempen ketenteraan Rusia
akan tersekat berikutan mereka berdepan
kekalahan teruk dan tentangan sengit
Ukraine.
Severodonetsk adalah bandar paling
timur yang masih di bawah kawalan
Ukraine, dan jika bandar itu berjaya di-
tumbangkan, Kremlin bakal mengawal
Lugansk, iaitu satu daripada dua wilayah
dalam Donbas. – AFP
umur.
Tidak jelas berapa banyak permintaan
yang ada untuk dos ketiga dalam kumpu-
lan umur. Hanya 28.8 peratus anak-kanak
berumur 5 hingga 11 tahun diberi vaksin
sepenuhnya, menurut data dari Pusat
Kawalan dan Pencegahan Penyakit (CDC)
AS.
Satu mesyuarat pakar vaksin luar
dalam jawatankuasa penasihat kepada
CDC dijadualkan pada Khamis, kata lapo-
ran itu.
Pfizer, BioNTech dan FDA tidak segera
bertindak balas terhadap permintaan
Reuters untuk mendapatkan komen. –
Reuters
4 kawasan
pesisir di
Jakarta Utara,
Kepulauan Seribu
terdedah banjir
JAKARTA: Badan Penanggulangan
Bencana Daerah (BPBD) Jakarta
memberi amaran mengenai
potensi banjir air pasang di empat
kawasan pantai Jakarta dari 15
hingga 19 Mei nanti.
Empat kawasan itu ialah Pade-
mangan, Penjaringan, Pelabuhan
Sunda Kelapa di Jakarta Utara, dan
Kepulauan Seribu.
“Penduduk di empat kawasan
pesisir itu diminta untuk berwas-
pada sepanjang tempoh ini ini,”
kata jurucakap BPBD Jakarta, Moh
Insaf dalam kenyataan, pada Isnin.
Jelasnya, perkara itu berkemu-
ngkinan berlaku berikutan pen-
ingkatan paras laut semasa fasa
bulan penuh.
Paras air diramalkan meningkat
pada jam 9 hingga 12 malam waktu
tempatan.
Agensi itu menggalakkan orang
ramai yang tinggal di sekitar
kawasan pantai untuk menyedi-
akan langkah berjaga-jaga dengan
memantau amaran awal gelom-
bang pasang dan membaca buku
panduan kesiapsiagaan bencana.
Agensi itu juga akan terus me-
mantau paras air di pintu air banjir
yang dikeluarkan oleh Agensi Sum-
ber Air Jakarta dan ramalan
potensi banjir daripada Agensi Me-
teorologi, Klimatologi dan Ge-
ofizik (BMKG).
BMKG dan Agensi Sumber Air
Jakarta akan menyiarkan mak-
lumat berkaitan potensi banjir
melalui akaun media sosial dan pe-
sanan WhatsApp masing-masing
kepada ketua mukim, ketua kam-
pung dan lain-lain, dalam usaha
mempercepatkan pengedaran
amaran banjir kepada orang ra-
mai.
“Jadi orang yang tinggal di
kawasan [banjir] boleh menge-
tahui dan bersedia lebih awal apa-
bila terdapat potensi bencana su-
paya dapat mengurangkan risiko
bencana,” kata Insaf. – Tempo
 6 Hiburan S UARA TE MPATAN ANDA I RABU, 18 MEI, 2022 harianekspres

MK tidak pernah
lupa asal-usul
L
“ AGU nyanyian ganas tetapi dalam hati ada taman.”
Begitulah ungkapan yang dapat menggambarkan sikap
sebenar jejaka yang sedang menjadi pematah hati banyak
gadis dan peminat wanitanya ketika ini.
Penyebaran video menunjukkan aksinya jalan berpegangan
tangan dengan gadis cantik dipercayai kekasihnya benar-
benarnya menghangatkan nama MK K-Clique.
Ketepikan kisah cinta dan orang muda yang tidak dapat
dipisahkan. Sementara menunggu penjelasan yang bakal
dikongsikan, MK yang diajak berbual baru-baru ini ternyata
seorang yang sangat berhati-hati dalam percakapan. Masih
malu-malu dan tersipu-sipu saat terusik.
JAIDIJAH (tengah) bersama Joel (kiri) dan Alexander (kanan). Itulah yang boleh menggambarkan keperibadian penyanyi
rap kelahiran Kota Kinabalu, Sabah itu.

Jaidijah juara Sugandoi Papar
Jeremy S Zabala
JAIDIJAH Jaidi dinobatkan sebagai juara
pada pertandingan nyanyian Sugandoi
Kaamatan peringkat daerah Papar pada
malam Ahad lalu.
Jaidijah memukau penonton dan juri
dengan suaranya ketika
mempersembahkan Hiti Noh Maso Ku
dan Bulangou pada peringkat akhir
pertandingan menewaskan empat
peserta lain.
Sementara itu, naib juara disandang
oleh Joel Moikon yang
mempersembahkan Huminodun dan
Ginavo Nosinduahan, manakala
Alexander Junior Eson yang
menyanyikan lagu berjudul Iziau Noh
Daa dan Kotumbayahai Noh Dogo
memenangi tempat ketiga dalam
pertandingan itu.
Pada acara sama, 15 finalis Unduk
Juara
Ngadau Kaamatan (UNK) Papar
memeriahkan pentas dengan busana
terbaik mereka untuk Malam Gala UNK.
Salah seorang finalis, Milka Bonong
dinobatkan Bazad-bazad Osuau pada
malam itu. Di sampingnya ialah Verollia
Ho Li Len yang dinobatkan sebagai
Bazad-bazad Gaun Ohidang, manakala
Esther Marius memenangi gelaran
Bazad-bazad Osongon.
Seramai 15 peserta itu akan berentap
di UNK Peringkat Daerah di mana tiga
daripadanya akan mewakili Papar.
Peserta lain ialah Melonie George
Gawis, Vinalyn Atom Jonnik, Lyonna
Rozanne Roger, Woni Andrea, Sharlene
Adelaide Alexandra, Avila Jane Mujim,
Recelme Mc Colen Michael, Rosalina
Junim, Vyolla Debra Isidore, Viviern
Angel Bernard, Fenny Binjamis dan
Michelle Dulin.
Seperti jauh panggang dari api sewaktu mempersembahkan
lagu-lagu berentak rap ‘underground’, rupa-rupanya sifat
pemalu dalam dirinya sangat menebal.
Bagaimanapun, penyanyi yang terkenal dengan lagu Pulang
itu berusaha keras untuk tidak akan sesekali membiarkan sifat
malu dalam diri ‘membunuh’ kerjaya nyanyian dan lakonannya.
Berkali-kali dihujani dengan komen kononnya sangat
pemalu sepanjang berada di set penggambaran, bahkan
pasangannya dalam filem Kayu dan Bunga iaitu Azira Shafinaz
turut menyatakan hal sama.
Bersuara mengenai hal tersebut, MK menjelaskan perasaan
sebegitu tercetus kerana berasakan diri terlalu ‘kecil’ untuk
berhadapan dengan individu yang lebih berjaya dan hebat.
“Sebenarnya malu saya jenis ‘segan’ dengan orang sekeliling
terutama yang baru dikenali.
“Saya bukan seorang yang sombong tetapi segan nak
bertegur dengan orang lebih berpengalaman,” kata pemilik baik,” ujarnya lagi.
nama lengkap Muhammad Hairi Amin Hamdan itu. Dilayang pertanyaan tentang populariti yang memuncak, MK
Tambahnya, meskipun seorang pemalu, dia bersyukur kerana menegaskan tidak pernah lupa dengan asal-usul ataupun
dikurniakan ramai individu yang membantu untuk mengikis kehidupan lalu sebelum bergelar selebriti.
sifat tersebut. Katanya, dia tidak malu untuk berkongsi pengalaman
“Syukur saya sering dikelilingi dengan individu yang hebat, pernah bekerja sebagai penarik kereta sementara menunggu
sentiasa beri semangat dan nasihat untuk saya atasi sifat malu tawaran pekerjaan selepas tamat pengajian diploma pada usia
yang sangat tebal dalam diri ini. 23 tahun.
“Sebenarnya jika saya sudah biasa dengan seseorang, tidak Katanya, kesukaran untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan
wujud frasa segan dalam kamus hidup. Mungkin saya jenis merupakan titik permulaan yang membuatkan dirinya bekerja
kenal dahulu, kemudian baru mesra,” tutur pelakon The Hotel sebagai penarik kereta selama dua tahun.
itu.
Berkongsi mengenai filem Bunga dan Kayu lakonan bersama
“Dahulu saya pernah hidup susah, kerja tarik kereta dengan
kawan-kawan selepas tamat diploma. Saya yakin semua pernah
beberapa pelakon hebat seperti Azira, Kazar dan Zaliff Sidek, alami keadaan ini dan sesuatu yang kita perlu hadapi.
aktor tinggi lampai itu memberitahu cabaran utamanya untuk “Sekarang, saya bersyukur dengan apa yang saya ada. Saya
filem tersebut ialah faktor bahasa. sentiasa beringat dan tidak pernah lupa tempat asal saya mula
“Jika ditanya, cabaran utama bagi saya ialah faktor bahasa. bertapak,” katanya.
Dialek Sabah saya masih pekat dan agak terganggu untuk Tidak pernah menyangka dengan populariti yang dikecapi
bertutur dalam bahasa Melayu dengan lancar. hari ini, dia menjelaskan semuanya berlaku berkat rezeki
“Seboleh-bolehnya saya tidak melihat perkara tersebut daripada Tuhan.
sebagai satu cabaran apatah lagi halangan untuk berikan hasil “Saya sendiri pun tidak menyangka yang saya boleh menjadi
yang terbaik. seorang MK seperti hari ini. Apa pun, saya sentiasa percaya
“Kalau boleh tak mahu lihatnya seperti cabaran tetapi rezeki hari ini adalah berkat usaha, minat dan kerja yang
sebagai proses pembelajaran untuk saya jadi pelakon lebih ikhlas,” katanya. – K! Online

Denden Gonjales tidak campur konflik Search

VOKALIS baharu Search yang juga
penyanyi asal Indonesia, Denden
Gonjales enggan mengambil pusing
tentang konflik melanda kumpulan
legenda berkenaan yang kini berpecah
dua.
Sebaliknya, Denden, 39,
ingin meletakkan 100 peratus
fokus dan perhatian dalam
Konsert Search Rocking On
Rooftop yang akan
berlangsung di bumbung
Kompleks Campbell, Jalan
Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur
pada 11 Jun depan pukul 9
malam.
“Saya sangat mengidolakan abang
Amy sejak dari kecil. Beliau sudah
PERTANDINGAN Sugandoi Kaamatan Peringkat Daerah Sandakan 2022 meletakkan tanda aras yang begitu
dimenangi oleh Erica Jeffry. tinggi sebagai vokalis Search. Susah
Gadis berusia 20 tahun yang menyanyikan lagu Hangad Ku Tomoimo dan untuk tandingi kehebatannya.
Unduk Ngadau itu membawa pulang hadiah utama iaitu wang tunai RM1,000, “Tekanan barangkali buat saya adalah
piala dan sijil. bagaimana saya untuk diterima peminat
Erica akan mewakili daerah Sandakan ke peringkat negeri di Hongkod Search. Kalau ada membeza-bezakan
Koisaan KDCA hujung bulan ini. antara saya dan abang Amy, saya tidak
mahu terlalu pusing memikirkan hal
tersebut,” katanya.
Denden yang bakat nyanyiannya
dihidu apabila memukau juri ketika
menyanyikan lagu She’s Gone nyanyian
asal Steelheart dalam program The
Voice Bulgaria 2021
memaklumkan, dia tidak akan
terikut-ikut gaya nyanyian
Amy dan hanya menjadi
dirinya sahaja di atas pentas.
“Search memberi saya
waktu dan ruang untuk
menonjolkan identiti sendiri
sebagai vokalis Search. Dari segi
gaya nyanyian, saya boleh katakan
yang nyanyian saya lebih kepada ‘slow
rock’.
“Barangkali, saya hanya akan jadi diri
sendiri. Saya bersetuju untuk ‘masuk’
Search sebab dari kecil, memang saya
mengidolakan kumpulan ini.
“Saya pernah bela atau simpan
rambut panjang sebelum ini. Sekarang
saya tak mahu, mungkin kerana keluarga
dan anak-anak semua sudah besar. Kalau
mereka tengok bapanya berambut
panjang, mereka tak suka.
“Seperkara lagi, saya tak mahu kalau
berambut panjang, orang membanding-
bandingkan saya dengan abang Amy.
Biarlah saya menyanyi dan menonjolkan
gaya dan identiti tersendiri tanpa
dibayangi kehebatan abang Amy,”
ujarnya.
Terdahulu, vokalis asal Search, Amy
atau sebenarnya, Suhaimi Abdul Rahman
meninggalkan kumpulan tersebut pada
Mac 2020 dan ‘disertai’ pula Nasir Daud
yang bergabung dengan vokalis
berkenaan bersama dua lagi bekas
anggota iaitu Hillary Ang dan Man Kidal
sebagai satu lagi Search.
Terbahagi kepada dua, Search yang
disifatkan sebagai ‘line up’ asal
dianggotai Denden selaku vokalis, Kid
(gitaris utama), Din (gitaris kedua), Yan
(bass) dan Pae (dram). Kontroversi
menimpa kumpulan rock ternama tanah
air itu tercetus sejak 2020. – K! Online

Endemik adalah terjemahan kepada pandemik – Amy Ellie Suriaty,

IBARAT satu tubuh berkepala dua,
Search yang kini dilihat terbahagi
kepada dua jentera, masing-masing
digerakkan dengan agenda berbeza.
Di sebalik perang dingin dan konflik
yang tercetus, harapan peminat hanyalah
satu. Sebagai penyokong dan pemuja
Search dari dahulu hingga sekarang,
peminat cuma mengharapkan muzik
dan kelangsungan rock Search tidak
terhenti oleh pergolakan zaman.
Jadi sempena peralihan musim
daripada pandemik kepada endemik
ketika ini, kumpulan Search yang
dianggotai oleh Amy, Nasir, Hillary Ang
dan Man Kidal sedang bersiap-siaga
menjelang agenda mereka untuk buat
julung kalinya beraksi di gelanggang
konsert terbaharu Zepp Hall Network
Inc. Kuala Lumpur pada 4 dan 5 Jun nanti.
Muncul ketika khalayak dan negara
sedang meraikan ‘kebebasan’ pendemik
yang seolah-olah sudah berakhir pada
masa sama Kuala Lumpur meriah dengan
banyak agenda konsert beberapa nama
besar tanah air, Amy menyifatkan
tempoh inilah yang ditunggu-tunggu
selama ini.
“Ya, saya rasa ini bagus untuk industri
dan semua orang, kita sedang bergerak
untuk kembali ‘all out’ ke arah lebih
baik.
“Sebenarnya juga, hasrat untuk
konsert ini muncul sejak kami buat
single Endemik dan kami memang
tertunggu-tunggu peluang ini,” kata Amy
(Dari kiri) Hillary, Nasir, Man Kidal dan Amy.
ketika sidang akhbar Konsert Endemik
Search baru-baru ini.
Bukan hanya menjadi artis pembuka
tirai beraksi di sebuah pentas tanah air
yang sememangnya dibina untuk sebuah sekarang tak boleh panjang-panjang tapi
persembahan bertaraf antarabangsa,
konsert berkenaan juga melakar sejarah
apabila bakal menjadi momen pertama
para peminat menikmati buah tangan
terbaharu Search berjudul Endemik.
“Untuk lagu Endemik, kami balik
kepada stail buat lagu enam minit
macam zaman Teguh dulu. Biasanya lagu
kami mahu kembali ke zaman itu,”
tambah Amy.
Ditanya justifikasi ’endemik’ sebagai
judul lagu single baharu dan konsert,
Amy menjelaskan, Endemik sebagai
terjemahan terhadap kemarau pandemik
yang dirasai semua orang selama ini.
“Endemik adalah terjemahan kepada
pandemik dan bagaimana dunia
kehilangan banyak orang yang
tersayang,” katanya tertawa saat diusik,
adakah endemik juga satu hal indah bagi
mententeramkan ‘pandemik’ bersama
serpihan kedua Search.
Seperkara yang menarik, selain
memperkenalkan seorang pemain drum
pengisi kerusi tinggalan Allahyarham
Yazit, Konsert Endemik Search juga buat
pertama kali menyaksikan persandingan
semula band asal Johor Baharu itu
dengan gitaris pertama mereka, Hillary
Ang.
Sejak meninggalkan Search sekitar
tahun 1988, inilah pentas pertama
menyaksikan gitaris handalan itu
sepentas dengan Amy dan Search.
“Orang kata kami rival (pesaing) tapi
tak pernah macam tu, jadi inilah
masanya,” jelas Hillary.
Berbalik tentang konsert, Ketua
Pegawai Eksekutif LOL Asia, Rizal Kamal
selaku penganjur berkata, pihak amat
berbesar hati dapat berkolaboratif tiga
penjuru antara Search LOL Asia dan Zepp
Kuala Lumpur sempena konsert kelak.
Berkapasiti 2,400 tempat duduk, LOL
Asia bagaimanapun menjual hanya 1,600
tiket persembahan untuk satu malam
sebagai sebahagian daripada SOP bagi
mengurangkan risiko. – K! Online
Azri Iskandar
bercerai
TIADA angin, tiada ribut, pasangan
pelakon berpengalaman, Ellie Suriaty
dan Azri Iskandar sah bercerai dalam
satu prosiding Mahkamah Rendah
Syariah Gombak Timur (Keramat),
Kuala Lumpur pagi Selasa.
Menurut satu laporan, Ellie atau
nama sebenarnya, Ellie Suriaty Omar
telah mengemukakan permohonan
cerai ke atas suaminya, Azri, 54,
sebelum Ramadan lalu.
Kata Ellie, perceraian berlaku
kerana tiada lagi keserasian antara
mereka selepas hampir 20 tahun
melayari bahtera perkahwinan
bersama.
“Ini adalah suatu keputusan yang
sukar untuk saya buat. Tetapi, saya
sudah memikirkannya masak-masak
dan akhirnya, ia perlu dilakukan.
“Saya juga ingin mengucapkan
terima kasih kepada Azri untuk segala
saat-saat indah, kenangan manis serta
pengalaman hidup yang kami lalui
bersama sebagai suami isteri,” ujarnya.
Ellie dan Azri berkahwin pada 2003
dah hasil perkongsian hidup hampir
dua dekad, pasangan tersebut
dikurniakan tiga cahaya mata, Azrell
Omar Azri Iskandar, 18 dan Nur Azreen,
13. – K! Online
harianekspres
Sarracenia Purpurea.
Mohd izham Bin Hashim
A
DEGAN perangkap lalat Venus
menutup ‘rahang’nya pada
mangsa kelihatan seperti ia
datang terus daripada filem seram yang
diilhamkan oleh Jules Verne —
merangsang imaginasi seperti yang lain.
Bagi penggemar tempatan, Justin
Chin dan Noah Raj, daya tarikan seperti
inilah yang menyemarakkan semangat
mereka untuk membina koleksi
tumbuhan karnivor mereka dari pitcher,
sundew dan perangkap lalat yang
menghiasi rak pameran mereka dengan
North Borneo Exotics di Jesselton
Artisan Market.
“Ia dirasakan seperti cereka sains,
bukan? Hakikat tumbuhan sebenarnya
boleh memakan mangsanya seolah-olah
ia daripada filem Little Shop of Horrors,”
kata Noah, yang merujuk kepada filem
muzikal seram klasik 1986.
Beliau berkata kebanyakan orang
biasanya akan menganggap tumbuhan
sebagai pegun, hampir tidak bernyawa
tetapi menariknya tumbuhan karnivor
boleh menangkap, memakan dan
menelan mangsa.
“Ini memberi tanggapan bahawa
tumbuhan itu hidup,” katanya, sambil
menyatakan ia adalah faktor ‘wow’ yang
membuatkan ramai orang tertarik
bagaimana sesetengah tumbuhan
mengembangkan keupayaan untuk
menjadi pemangsa dan mengubah
keadaan di alam haiwan.
Mujur, kebanyakan mangsa terdiri
daripada serangga dan labah-labah,
manakala tumbuhan karnivor yang
lebih besar boleh memakan amfibia
kecil, reptilia, burung kecil dan mamalia
seperti tikus.
Justin menjual tumbuhan karnivor
Sukan
Gandingan
adik-beradik tidak
mahu hanya
menangis,
tekad bangkit
HANOI: Atlet petanque kebangsaan, Syed
Afiq Fakhri Syed Ali berazam menjadikan
kegagalan mara ke final mixed doubles
Sukan SEA ke-31 sebagai motivasi untuk
mencipta pencapaian lebih cemerlang pada
edisi berikutnya.
Kekalahan 8-13 kepada gandingan
Kemboja Vong Sin-Chantha Vorng itu
menyaksikan Syed Afiq yang berpasangan
dengan adiknya, Sharifah Afiqah Farzana
terpaksa berpuas hati merangkul gangsa
pada penampilan sulung mereka di temasya
sukan dwitahunan itu.
“Kekalahan ini bagi kami motivasi untuk
maju dan kekalahan ini tidak menyedihkan
kami tetapi semangat untuk terus berjuang,”
katanya yang merupakan penuntut Diploma
Sains Sukan dan Rekreasi di Universiti
Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, kepada
Bernama di sini.
Sejurus tamat aksi yang berlangsung di
Pusat Latihan Sukan dan Pertandingan
Hanoi itu, beliau dan adiknya yang mencipta
kejutan menewaskan Vietnam dan Thailand
pada saingan liga sepusingan Isnin lalu,
dilihat tidak dapat menahan kesedihan
sehingga menitiskan air mata.
Kejayaan merangkul pingat pada
penampilan pertama semestinya
menggembirakan, namun Syed Afiq tetap
tidak dapat menahan daripada mengalirkan
air mata kerana kekecewaan yang jelas
terpancar di wajah adiknya.
“Sebenarnya saya cuba untuk tahan
supaya tidak menangis tetapi adik yang
menangis dulu, kerana kasih sayang abang-
adik saya turut merasai kesedihan dan
terharu,” katanya.
Sementara itu, Sharifah Afiqah mengakui
tidak dapat menahan air matanya selepas
tidak berjaya menggapai impian untuk
membawa pulang pingat emas buat negara.
“Saya menangis sebab tidak mampu nak
bagi semua orang pingat emas dan sebab
saya telah berikan yang terbaik,” kata atlet
berusia 18 tahun itu yang menduduki
peperiksaan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)
baru-baru ini.
Seperti abangnya, bekas pelajar Sekolah
Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Omar di
Dungun, Kuala Terengganu itu berkata
kegagalan hari ini akan membakar
semangat beliau untuk bekerja lebih keras
bagi melakar kejayaan lebih baik. –
Bernama
SUAR A TEMP ATAN ANDA I RABU, 18 MEI, 2022
PERANGKAP lalat Venus
dipamerkan di Lumayan Hut Store.
Hobi pelihara tumbuhan karnivor
semakin berkembang di Sabah
dari kedai dalam taliannya, Lumayan
Hut, serta tumbuhan eksotik, burung
kakak tua dan udang krai, dibantu oleh
Noah, yang juga rakan pengumpul.
Dengan koleksi mengagumkan
termasuk yang asli dan kacukan, kedua-
dua mereka bersama-sama membiakkan
tumbuhan mereka sendiri untuk
menyediakannya untuk dijual kepada
pelanggan dalam talian.
Beliau berkata tumbuhan karnivor
tumbuh di tanah yang sangat rendah
nutrien kerana mereka telah
membangunkan keupayaan untuk
mendapatkan makanan mereka dengan
menelan serangga.
“Tumbuhan periuk di Sabah yang
prolifik dan berwarna-warni
menghasilkan sejenis nektar di
sekeliling mulutnya yang menarik
serangga yang jatuh ke dalamnya
selepas cuba mendapatkan cecair itu
dan begitulah cara tumbuhan itu
mendapat nutriennya.
Menariknya, beberapa spesies tupai
dan kelawar juga hidup dalam ‘cawan’
itu sendiri, dan tumbuhan itu mendapat
nutrien menerusi najis haiwan yang
menyuburkan tumbuhan,” kata Noah.
Periuk kera atau Nepenthes sangat
unik di Borneo yang mempunyai
taburan Nepenthes terbesar di dunia.
Newcastle ranapkan impian Arsenal
NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom: Mikel
Arteta menyelar pasukannya Arsenal
kerana mensia-siakan usaha sepanjang
musim apabila tewas 2-0 di tangan
Newcastle yang akan menyaksikan
Gunners terlepas peluang ke Liga Juara-
Juara buat musim keenam berturut-turut.
Tottenham kekal dua mata di atas
pencabar London utara itu di tangga
keempat Liga Perdana Inggeris.
Spurs kini hanya memerlukan seri
berdepan pasukan yang sudah tersingkir,
Norwich pada Ahad untuk mengesahkan
kedudukan empat teratas disebabkan
perbezaan gol yang lebih memihak
kepada mereka.
Kekalahan Arsenal juga memastikan
tempat ketiga buat Chelsea yang akan ke
Liga Juara-Juara musim depan.
Gol sendiri Ben White dan jaringan
lewat permainan Bruno Guimaraes
menentukan keputusan pertemuan
kedua-dua pasukan itu.
Namun persembahan Newcastle lebih
menyerlah ketika skuad Eddie Howe
menghantar mesej bahawa mereka boleh
mencabar kedudukan empat teratas
musim depan.
“Malam yang sangat sukar untuk
ditelan,” kata Arteta. “Newcastle berhak
menang dengan selesa. Mereka jauh lebih
baik dari minit pertama, kami tiada
peluang dalam perlawanan itu.
“Mereka jauh lebih baik daripada kami
dalam semua diperlukan untuk
perlawanan bola sepak. Kami tidak
Skuad B-23 jumpa Vietnam di separuh akhir
HANOI: Malaysia akan membuat
perhitungan menentang juara bertahan,
Vietnam di peringkat separuh akhir acara
bola sepak lelaki Sukan SEA ke-31 yang
dijadual berlangsung di Stadium Viet Tri
di wilayah Phu Tho, esok.
Ia selepas skuad Bawah 23 Tahun (B-23)
kebangsaan menamatkan saingan
Kumpulan B di tempat kedua di belakang
pendahulu, Thailand yang akan berdepan
Indonesia pada satu lagi aksi separuh
akhir dalam persaingan memburu pingat
emas temasya sukan dwitahunan itu.
Skuad kebangsaan di bawah
bimbingan Brad Maloney sebelum ini
diramal mampu menamatkan saingan
kumpulan selaku juara selepas
memulakan kempen dengan cemerlang
apabila melakar kemenangan 2-1
berdepan Thailand dan menundukkan
Laos 3-1.
SEBUAH terarium mengandungi
Drosera Sundew.
“Melihatnya membuatkan saya terasa
nostalgia kerana semasa saya berada di
luar negara, tumbuhan seperti itu
sangat popular tetapi di sini lebih
mudah untuk menjaga mereka,” kata
Noah.
Antara koleksi tumbuhan pemangsa
yang menakjubkan yang dipaparkan di
kedai mereka termasuk sundew dari
keluarga Drosera, genus tumbuhan
karnivor terbesar, dengan sekurang-
kurangnya 194 spesies. Ahli Droseracae
ini memikat, menangkap dan mencerna
serangga menggunakan ‘embun’
melekit yang menutupi permukaan
daun, dan merupakan tumbuhan asli di
setiap benua kecuali Antartika.
Antara tumbuhan karnivor yang
dilihat termasuk sundew, Drosera
Capensis Alba dan Nepenthes seperti
Sarracenia purpurea, Nepenthes X Gaya
dan Nepenthes Rafflesiana, antara lain.
Mengenai jenis profil tanah, Noah
berkata tumbuhan karnivor mempunyai
keperluan yang sangat spesifik dan
lebih suka tanah yang sangat gembur,
berliang tetapi lembap kerana tempoh
kemarau yang berpanjangan boleh
membantutkan tumbuhan tetapi ia juga
tidak suka berada dalam keadaan berair
atau direndam dalam air terlalu lama.
Nuh berkata tumbuhan karnivor
PEMAIN tengah Newcastle, Bruno Guimaraes (tengah) menjaringkan
gol kedua pasukannya semasa perlawanan menentang Arsenal
di St James’ Park pada awal pagi Selasa. – Gambar AFP
mampu melawan malam ini dengan
permainan kami di sini.”
Skuad Arteta berada di petak depan
berbaki tiga perlawanan apabila mereka
mendahului Spurs dengan empat mata.
Namun kemenangan 3-0 Tottenham
pada Khamis memberikan tekanan
terhadap pasukan muda Gunners yang
gagal bertindak balas.
“Newcastle 10 kali lebih baik daripada
kami dan persembahan kami jauh
daripada apa yang sepatutnya kami
persembahankan untuk bermain dalam
Namun, pasukan negara sekadar
mengutip satu mata pada dua aksi
terakhir selepas seri 2-2 masing-masing
menentang Singapura dan Kemboja sekali
gus mengumpul lapan mata keseluruhan
sebagai naib juara.
Sementara Thailand bangkit daripada
kekecewaan tewas di tangan pasukan
negara untuk merakam tiga kemenangan
berturut-turut masing-masing 5-0
menewaskan Singapura, Kemboja (5-0)
sebelum mengatasi Laos 1-0 pada aksi
terakhir yang berlangsung pada Isnin lalu.
Pertembungan Malaysia dan Vietnam
ibarat ulangan aksi separuh akhir edisi
2005 di Filipina yang menyaksikan
pasukan lawan menang 2-1 dan skuad
kebangsaan menamatkan saingan dengan
meraih pingat gangsa selepas
menewaskan Indonesia 1-0 pada
perlawanan penentuan tempat ketiga.
JUSTIN bersama sebahagian tumbuhan
karnivor yang dipamerkan di Lumayan Hut.
adalah satu faktor ‘wow’ kerana ia unik,
menarik dan jarang ditemui di pusat
taman.
“Memelihara tumbuhan karnivor
adalah hobi serius yang boleh memberi
pulangan lumayan dan
mempesonakan,” kata Noah yang
menyimpan koleksi lebih 30 spesies asli
dan kacukan.
“Kami mendapat banyak kacukan
yang datang daripada pemborong,” kata
Noah, sambil menyatakan tumbuhan itu
dibiakkan menggunakan keratan
batang dan basal, manakala Justin telah
berjaya membangunkan kacukannya
sendiri.
Beliau berkata pembiakan agak
mudah tetapi prosesnya memerlukan
masa dan kesabaran untuk memastikan
kadar kejayaan yang lebih baik, apatah
lagi sesetengah spesies mempunyai
keperluan dan keutamaan yang berbeza
daripada yang lain.
Menurut Noah, banyak varieti tanah
pamah yang mereka miliki tumbuh
dengan cepat manakala varieti yang
tumbuh di altitud yang lebih tinggi
mungkin mengambil masa yang lebih
lama disebabkan iklim yang berbeza.
“Menanam dan membiak tumbuhan
karnivor tidaklah terlalu sukar, secara
amnya sesetengah keratan mengambil
Liga Juara-Juara,” kata Arteta. “Kami tidak
berada dalam perlumbaan.”
Hanya Manchester City dan Liverpool
menang lebih banyak mata dalam Liga
Perdana berbanding Magpies pada 2022
sejak mereka melaburkan wang milik
dana kekayaan berdaulat Arab Saudi
dalam pasaran perpindahan.
Lebih banyak pemain mahal dijangka
akan tiba di St. James’ Park selepas ini
namun pendekatan berjimat Arsenal
dalam pasaran perpindahan mungkin
sekali lagi menyebabkan mereka gagal ke
Malah, Malaysia juga terkandas di
tangan Vietnam di peringkat sama pada
edisi 2003 di sini, selepas tumbang 3-4 dan
turut membawa pulang gangsa dengan
mengatasi Myanmar.
Namun, dendam dua kekalahan itu
berjaya dilunaskan apabila Malaysia
membenam Vietnam 1-0 di pentas final
untuk merangkul emas edisi 2009 di Laos.
Sebagai rekod, kali terakhir Malaysia
memenangi pingat emas acara bola sepak
lelaki Sukan SEA pada edisi 2011 di
Indonesia sewaktu dibimbing Datuk Ong
Kim Swee.
Pencapaian terbaik Malaysia selepas itu
adalah muncul naib juara seterusnya
membawa pulang pingat perak pada edisi
2017 di Kuala Lumpur juga di bawah
kendalian Kim Swee, sebelum tersingkir
seawal peringkat kumpulan di Filipina
pada edisi 2019. – Bernama
Rencana 7
masa tiga minggu untuk tumbuh
manakala yang lain mengambil masa
dua bulan untuk benar-benar
menumbuhkan akar,” katanya.
Walaupun memelihara tumbuhan
karnivor popular di luar negara dan
mempunyai pengikut yang ramai di
Semenanjung, Justin berkata hobi itu
masih kecil di Sabah dan semakin
berkembang.
“Kami telah membawa impak positif
melalui jualan kami tetapi pada masa
yang sama ia juga penting untuk
membina kesedaran dan memastikan
pelanggan kami dimaklumkan dan
dididik tentang segala-galanya
mengenai tumbuhan karnivor,” katanya.
Bagi penggemar yang ingin tahu dan
serius, terdapat aplikasi di Google App
yang dipanggil Nepy yang
menyenaraikan semua spesies
tumbuhan karnivor, negara asal, lokasi,
profil altitud dan senarai Nepenthes
yang menarik dan mempesonakan.
Bagi mereka yang berminat
mendapatkan maklumat lanjut
mengenai Lumayan Hut boleh mencari
mereka di
https://www.facebook.com/Lumayan-Hut-
102614004814697/photos/?ref=page_inter
nal dan Instagram mereka di
https://www.instagram.com/lumayan_hut/.
Liga Juara-Juara.
“Ia adalah persembahan menyeluruh
yang cemerlang. Kami tidak pernah
terleka dan itu perkara yang paling
menggembirakan,” kata Howe.
“Kami perlu meningkat dan bekerja
keras untuk meningkatkan segalanya
mengenai pasukan pada musim panas. Ia
sebuah kelab yang besar, kami
mempunyai cita-cita besar, tetapi saya
perlu fokus terhadap bagaimana kami
melakukannya berbanding bercakap.” –
AFP
FAM analisis
laporan perlawanan
skuad futsal lelaki
PETALING JAYA: Persatuan Bolasepak
Malaysia (FAM) akan menganalisis laporan
setiap perlawanan skuad futsal lelaki
kebangsaan pada Sukan SEA Ke-31 di
Hanoi, Vietnam susulan prestasi hambar
skuad itu pada temasya berkenaan.
Setiausaha Agung FAM Mohd Saifuddin
Abu Bakar berkata laporan analisis
berkenaan dibuat, bagi mengenal pasti
kelemahan serta kekurangan skuad futsal
lelaki negara semasa beraksi di Vietnam.
“Terlalu awal untuk saya beritahu,
kerana kita kena tunggu juga laporan
supaya adil bagi pengurus pasukan,
jurulatih dan pemain, untuk sama-sama
kita duduk dan membincangkan
(sekiranya terdapat kelemahan).
“Analisis ini bagi saya bukanlah suatu
yang baharu, seperti mana yang saya
maklumkan tadi, kita kena tunggu laporan
yang akan dianalisis oleh unit teknikal
yang diketuai oleh skuad ordinal,” katanya
kepada pemberita di Wisma FAM, dekat
sini pada Isnin.
Isnin lalu, perjuangan skuad futsal lelaki
kebangsaan memburu pingat di Sukan SEA
berakhir, selepas tewas 0-3 kepada
Indonesia di Kompleks Sukan Ha Nam.
Ia merupakan kekalahan ketiga
berturut-turut skuad bimbingan Chiew
Chun Yong dalam saingan liga sepusingan
temasya sukan dwitahunan itu, selepas
dibelasah Thailand dan Vietnam sebelum
ini.
Anak buah Chun Yong akan
menamatkan baki saingan dengan
berdepan Myanmar, yang turut gagal
melakar sebarang kemenangan dalam dua
perlawanan pertama mereka di venue
sama, Jumaat ini. – Bernama
 SUKAN
Andre ubati kekecewaan,
tuai emas lompat kijang
HANOI: Atlet olahraga negara
Andre Anura Anuar berjaya
mengubati bukan satu tetapi
dua kekecewaan dihadapinya
sebelum ini dengan
merangkul pingat emas acara
lompat kijang lelaki Sukan
SEA ke-31 pada Selasa.
Kejayaan atlet muda Sabah
berusia 22 tahun itu di
Stadium Nasional My Dinh di sini turut
memastikan kem olahraga menepati
sasaran lima pingat emas pada temasya
kali ini yang juga emas ke-22 Malaysia.
Di sebalik kekecewaan dialami
apabila gagal menyumbang emas acara
lompat jauh serta enam lompatannya
dibatalkan, Andre Anura mencatat
sejarah tersendiri dengan emas
diraihnya hari ini selepas melakukan
16.51m, lompatan mengatasi catatan
terbaik peribadi 16.09m dilakukan di
Terbuka Malaysia Mac lepas.
Atlet Filipina Mark Harry Diones Aloto
(15.87m) dan wakil tuan rumah Tran Van
Dien (15.84m) masing-masing meraih
perak dan gangsa manakala seorang lagi
atlet negara Brendon Ting Li King
(15.48m) menamatkan saingan di tempat
ketujuh.
“Hari ini saya berpuas hati dapat
‘Usain Bolt
Malaysia’ tak
gentar jumpa
‘Thai Wonderkid’
HANOI: Bakal berdepan pelari muda
sensasi Thailand, Puripol Boonson pada
acara 100 meter (m) Sukan SEA hari ini,
tidak sedikit pun melunturkan semangat
Muhammad Azeem Fahmi.
Malah, pelari pecut berusia 18 tahun
yang dikenali dengan julukan ‘Usain Bolt
Malaysia’ itu, berkata kehadiran Puripol,
16, membakar lagi semangatnya untuk
menampilkan aksi lebih baik di Stadium
Nasional My Dinh di sini.
“Saya ingatkan saya paling muda di
Sukan SEA, tetapi muncul pula dia. Secara
jujurnya, kita tahu dia seorang atlet muda
yang sangat berbakat dan ini merupakan
satu cabaran yang baik untuk saya supaya
tidak berada dalam keadaan selesa,
sebaliknya terus berlatih untuk bersaing
dengannya.
“Dia memang laju, tetapi untuk
memenangi acara 100m ini macam-mana
boleh berlaku. Dalam masa yang singkat
iaitu kurang daripada 10 saat (s) kita
boleh lihat macam-macam berlaku, jadi
hanya yang terbaik akan menang,”
katanya.
Puripol yang digelar sebagai ‘Thai
Wonderkid’ itu, mencetus sensasi dalam
acara trek Sukan SEA kali ini, apabila
berjaya meleburkan rekod temasya bagi
acara 200m lelaki sebanyak dua kali pada
Sabtu lepas.
Atlet itu memecahkan rekod 20.69s
berusia 23 tahun milik rakan senegaranya,
Reanchai Seeharwong yang dicatatkan
pada Sukan SEA Brunei 1999, pada
Saringan 1 dengan catatan 20.41s sebelum
muncul juara dengan rekod 20.37s.
Sementara itu, Muhammad Azeem
yang menyertai temasya dwitahunan itu
buat kali pertama, berkata dia tidak
meletakkan harapan tinggi pada acara
esok, tetapi menyasarkan untuk mara ke
final dan memperbaiki catatan masa
terbaik peribadi 10.37s yang dilakukan
semasa kejohanan KL All-Comers, Mac
lepas.
Beliau juga mahu meneruskan rentak
kejayaan ketika membantu kuartet
4x100m lelaki mempertahankan pingat
perak dengan rekod kebangsaan baharu
bagi acara 100m.
“Ketika acara 4x100m, saya berada pada
prestasi terbaik, mungkin ada sedikit
perlu diperbaiki pada permulaan. Harap
semuanya berjalan lancar dan memohon
agar rakyat Malaysia mendoakan kejayaan
saya,” katanya.
Isnin lalu, Muhammad Azeem tampil
selaku pelari pertama kuartet 4x100m,
yang turut dibarisi Muhammad Arsyad
Md Saat, Muhammad Zulfiqar Ismail dan
juara bertahan acara 100m lelaki
Muhammad Haiqal Hanafi, berjaya
mencipta rekod kebangsaan baharu
dengan 39.09s.
Catatan itu berjaya meleburkan rekod
terdahulu 39.27s yang dicatatkan oleh
kuartet Nixson Kennedy, Muhammad
Haiqal Hanafi, Khairul Hafiz Jantan dan
Russel Alexander Nasir Taib pada Sukan
SEA 2019 di Filipina.
Seorang lagi pelari pecut yang menjadi
taruhan Malaysia pada acara reben biru
itu, adalah Muhammad Arsyad. – Bernama
harianekspres
S UARA TE MPATAN AN DA I RABU , 18 MEI, 2022
tebus balik kekalahan lompat
jauh dan bangga dengan
catatan peribadi baharu. Saya
kasihan dengan jurulatih
(Ahmad Firdaus Salim), yang
dua hari sedih, termenung
kerana kami memang datang
dengan harapan pingat emas.
“Jadi, pada hari ini saya
dapat menang emas, terima
kasih kepada jurulatih, rakan-rakan dan
semua yang bantu saya,” katanya kepada
pemberita.
Kejayaan itu turut memastikan
Malaysia mempertahankan gelaran
dimenangi Muhammad Hakimi Ismail
sejak edisi 2015, selepas beliau tidak
dapat menyertai edisi kali ini kerana
masih dalam proses pemulihan selepas
pembedahan.
Sementara itu, Norliyana Kamaruddin
meraih gangsa acara heptatlon selepas
berjaya mengumpul 5,262 mata di
belakang peserta tuan rumah Nguyen
Linh Na (5,415) dan Sarah Dequinan
Noveno (5,381) dari Filipina.
Pemenang pingat perak acara lempar
cakera wanita, Queenie Kung Ni Ting
yang mencuba nasib dalam acara lontar
peluru pula meraih tempat keenam
dengan lontaran sejauh 11.63m.
Muhammad Irfan juara lempar cakera
HANOI: Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin
memenangi pingat emas buat kali
kelima berturut-turut dalam acara
lempar cakera Sukan SEA, di sini pada
Selasa.
Atlet berusia 26 tahun yang bertubuh
tinggi dan sasa itu mencatat lemparan
terbaiknya pada jarak 58.26 meter (m)
dalam percubaan kedua di Stadium
Nasional My Dinh, di sini.
Wakil Thailand Kiadpradid Srisai
memperoleh perak dengan lemparan
51.18m dan atlet Filipina William
Morrison yang mencatat lemparan
50.44m membawa pulang gangsa.
Muhammad Irfan yang merupakan
pemegang rekod kebangsaan dengan
Malaysia raih perak takraw antara regu
HANOI: Skuad sepak takraw lelaki negara
mengulangi skrip yang sama apabila
meraih pingat perak acara antara regu
pada temasya Sukan SEA ke-31 di sini, pada
petang Selasa.
Membariskan Zarif Marican Ibrahim
Marican sebagai tekong, Norfaizzul Abd
Razak selaku pengumpan dan Afifuddin
Razali selaku perejam, pasukan negara
gagal menyaingi kehebatan jaguh dunia
Thailand, apabila tumpas 0-2 pada
saingan final berlangsung di Gimnasium
Hoang Mai.
Pada set pertama, anak buah Abdul
Talib Ahmad itu mampu memberi
tentangan sengit kepada regu Thailand
yang dibarisi Siriwat Sakha (tekong),
Pattarapong Yupadee (pengumpan) dan
Jirasak Pakbuangoen (perejam), sebelum
tumpas 18-21.
Untuk cipta kejayaan, kita perlu berdepan pasukan terbaik – Maloney
HANOI: Malaysia sudah bersedia untuk
mencipta kejutan ke atas Vietnam pada
perlawanan separuh akhir acara bola sepak
lelaki Sukan SEA ke-31 dalam usaha
menamatkan kemarau 11 tahun merangkul
‘ibu segala pingat’ temasya sukan
dwitahunan itu.
Ketua jurulatih skuad Bawah 23 Tahun
(B-23) kebangsaan Brad Maloney yakin
pasukan bimbingannya tidak gentar untuk
berdepan Vietnam yang dikendalikan
jurulatih ‘bengis’ dari Korea Selatan Park
Hang Seo.
Beliau berkata menjadi lumrah dalam
mana-mana pertandingan bahawa sesuatu
kejayaan itu tidak akan datang dengan
Yuran kejohanan bola sepak antara kelab Safa dikurangkan kepada RM3,500
GL Oh
KOTA KINABALU: Persatuan Bolasepak
Sabah (Safa) memutuskan untuk
menyemak semula yuran penyertaan
kejohanan bola sepak antara kelab Safa
yang dijadualkan bermula bulan depan.
Jumlah baharu yang dikenakan kini
ialah RM3,500 termasuk yuran
pendaftaran sebanyak RM500,
berbanding RM5,000 termasuk yuran
pendaftaran yang diumumkan sebelum
ini.
Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pertandingan
Tempatan Safa, Azman Mastar dalam satu
kenyataan dikeluarkan pada Selasa
ANDRE beraksi cemerlang untuk memenangi pingat Emas pada Sukan SEA
ke-31, di My Dinh National Stadium, Hanoi pada Selasa. – fotoBERNAMA
Acara trek dan balapan akan
bersambung hari ini dengan Nauraj
Singh Randhawa dijangka
mempertahankan emas acara lompat
lemparan 62.55m di Austria pada 2017,
memperoleh emas Sukan SEA
pertamanya semasa edisi Myanmar 2013.
Pemenang pingat perak Kejohanan
Asia 2017, kemudian mempertahankan
emas pada edisi 2015 di Singapura, Kuala
Lumpur 2017 dan Filipina 2019.
Biarpun penguasaan Muhammad
Irfan selama hampir sedekad dalam
Sukan SEA dan mempunyai rekod
peribadi lebih baik, rekod kejohanan
59.50m yang dipegang mantan Raja
Lempar Cakera Singapura Wong Tuck
Yim pada edisi Brunei 1999 masih belum
dapat dihampirinya.
Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas
itu, Muhammad Irfan berkata walaupun
Thailand yang memasukkan Sittipong
Khamcan bagi menggantikan Siriwat di
penghujung set pertama, ternyata
memberi kesukaran kepada skuad negara,
apabila servis tajamnya memberikan
banyak mata pada set kedua dan regu
Malaysia terpaksa akur dengan kekalahan
13-21.
Pencapaian pingat perak itu sekali gus
menyamai kejayaan pada edisi 2019 di
Filipina. Indonesia dan Filipina berkongsi
pingat gangsa acara berkenaan.
Ketika ditemui pemberita, Abdul Talib
mengakui Thailand memiliki kelebihan
memperoleh banyak mata menerusi servis
daripada tekong, biarpun secara
keseluruhan anak buahnya telah
menampilkan aksi terbaik pada saingan
final itu.
“Mereka menggunakan dua tekong
mudah.
“Untuk memenangi kejohanan ini,
kadang-kadang anda perlu berhadapan
dengan pasukan terbaik. Sudah tentu tuan
rumah akan menjadi lawan yang sangat
sukar, tetapi pemain saya telah
menunjukkan bahawa mereka tidak gentar
untuk berhadapan dengan sesiapa pun,”
katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama di sini
pada Selasa.
Pertembungan antara Vietnam yang
merupakan juara Kumpulan A, dengan
Malaysia selaku naib juara Kumpulan B
dijadual berlangsung di Stadium Viet Tri di
wilayah Phu Tho, esok.
Sementara itu, Maloney mengakui Hang
menyatakan bahawa jumlah yang
diterima akan disumbangkan kepada kos
pengurusan.
“Kos penganjuran kejohanan antara
kelab adalah sangat tinggi dan kami
berpendapat ia perlu dikenakan yuran
penyertaan yang bersesuaian bagi
menampung kos pengurusan.
“Ia melibatkan pembayaran hadiah
pertandingan, pengadil, padang,
keselamatan, perubatan, pemungut bola
dan kos logistik lain dari pertandingan
zon sehingga ke grand final,” katanya.
Menurutnya, yuran yang lebih tinggi
berbanding kejohanan Bawah -18 dan
Newcastle
ranapkan
impian Arsenal
tinggi lelaki manakala Muhammad
Azeem Fahmi dan Muhammad Arsyad
Md Saat akan membawa cabaran pada
acara 100m lelaki. – Bernama
beliau gembira dapat menyumbangkan
emas buat negara, beliau tidak gembira
dengan keputusan itu kerana percaya
mampu melakukan lemparan yang lebih
baik.
“Kecewa sebab dalam latihan saya
konsisten, setiap hari baling lebih 60m.
Bagaimanapun, masih ada ruang untuk
peningkatan dan saya akan kembali di
Kemboja tahun hadapan untuk
mempertahankan emas saya dengan
rekod baharu kejohanan.
Selepas ini saya akan berlepas untuk
menyertai Jelajah Eropah yang juga
merupakan persiapan saya untuk Sukan
Komanwel Birmingham 2022,” katanya. –
Bernama
(melakukan pertukaran) dan mereka
mendapatkan banyak mata (melalui
servis). Apa pun pemain kita telah
menunjukkan prestasi baik dan ia
memberi petanda positif,” katanya.
Sementara itu, skuad wanita negara
terpaksa berpuas hati dengan pingat
gangsa, sekali gus menyamai pencapaian
pada edisi 2019 apabila menumpaskan
Kemboja 21-10, 21-7 pada aksi penentuan
tempat ketiga dan keempat.
Seperti dijangka Thailand turut unggul
dalam kategori wanita antara regu,
apabila meraih pingat emas manakala
tuan rumah Vietnam memenangi perak.
Kali terakhir Malaysia meraih emas
dalam acara regu lelaki adalah di Sukan
SEA Kuala Lumpur pada 2017, namun
ketika itu tanpa penyertaan Thailand. –
Bernama
Seo yang juga jurulatih skuad kebangsaan
Vietnam seorang pengendali yang memiliki
pendekatan taktikal yang perlu diawasi.
“Beliau mempunyai rekod cemerlang
dengan negara ini sejak pelantikannya dan
anak buahnya sentiasa kompetitif, baik dari
segi fizikal mahupun taktikal,” katanya.
Mengulas lanjut, Maloney tidak terkilan
skuad bimbingannya mensia-siakan
peluang untuk menjuarai saingan
kumpulan dan menyifatkan mereka
mendominasi setiap aksi sehingga berjaya
mengekalkan rekod tanpa kalah dalam
empat perlawanan.
Malah, jurulatih kelahiran Australia
berusia 50 tahun itu juga berpuas hati
Piala Sabah yang diadakan baru-baru ini
adalah disebabkan ketiadaan sokongan
kewangan daripada syarikat berkaitan
kerajaan.
Azman yang mengadakan mesyuarat
dengan wakil dari Zon Pantai Timur
Utara, Pantai Timur Selatan dan Zon
Tengah pada hujung minggu juga
berkata mereka sentiasa terbuka
menerima cadangan daripada semua
pihak.
“Pihak jawatankuasa sentiasa
mendengar dan mengambil kira
pandangan semua pihak demi kebaikan
kejohanan.”
8
Skuad
berbasikal
MTB cipta
sejarah raih
emas pertama
HANOI: Skuad berbasikal MTB
kebangsaan mencipta pencapaian
bersejarah apabila merangkul pingat
emas pertama acara berganti-ganti
rentas desa campuran pada Sukan
SEA ke-31 yang berlangsung di
wilayah Hoa Binh, Vietnam, pada
Selasa.
Ia merupakan emas pertama
Malaysia dalam sukan itu sepanjang
penganjuran temasya Sukan SEA
dengan pencapaian terbaik sebelum
itu adalah pingat perak pada edisi
2011 yang menjadi pingat terakhir
diraih kem berbasikal MTB negara.
Pada saingan final pada Selasa,
skuad kebangsaan dibarisi Ahmad
Syazrin Awang Ilah, Zulfikri Zulkifli,
Nur Assyira Zainal Abidin dan
Natahsya Soon merekodkan masa 1
jam, 23 minit dan 14 saat untuk
muncul juara sekali gus
menghadiahkan Malaysia emas ke-
20 pada temasya sukan dwitahunan
itu.
Pasukan tuan rumah yang
diwakili Van Linh Dinh, Thi Nhu
Quynh Dinh, Van Nhat Bui dan Thi
Thom Ca terpaksa berpuas hati
dengan pingat perak selepas
mencatat masa 1’23.48s.
Pingat gangsa menjadi milik
gandingan Phunsiri Sirimongkhon,
Warinthorn Phetpraphan,
Supuksorn Nuntana dan Keerati
Sukprasart dari Thailand dengan
masa 1’24.54s.
Pengurus pasukan, Firdaus Arshad
menyifatkan kejayaan itu sesuatu
yang menakjubkan apabila skuad
kebangsaan yang dilabel sebagai
pasukan ‘underdog’ berjaya
mencipta kejutan.
Katanya pencapaian pada Selasa
dipengaruhi semangat kem negara
yang sedang membara rentetan
kejayaan membanggakan Nur Assyira
dan Natahsya selepas masing-masing
menghadiahkan pingat perak dan
gangsa dalam acara Merentas Desa di
venue sama, Isnin lalu.
“Bagi saya ini satu kejayaan yang
luar biasa, tetapi suntikan semangat
itu daripada acara semalam apabila
kami datang dengan penetapan
minda merendah diri tetapi yakin
untuk mencipta kejutan raih pingat
dalam acara individu mahupun
berpasukan.
“Kami sebenarnya sasarkan untuk
membawa pulang sekurang-
kurangnya satu pingat pada Sukan
SEA kali ini,” katanya ketika
dihubungi Bernama di sini.
Kejayaan meraih masing-masing
satu perak dan gangsa semalam
menamatkan kemarau 11 tahun kem
berbasikal MTB negara pada temasya
Sukan SEA.
Pada edisi 2011 di Indonesia, atlet
wanita Masziyaton Mohd Radzi
menghadiahkan perak menerusi
acara Merentas Desa sekali gus
memperbaiki pencapaiannya pada
edisi 2009 di Laos apabila membawa
pulang gangsa. – Bernama
apabila kelebihan layak ke separuh akhir
lebih awal memberikan beliau peluang
merehatkan beberapa pemain utama pada
aksi terakhir bertemu Kemboja, semalam.
Perlawanan Khamis ini ibarat ulangan
aksi separuh akhir edisi 2005 di Filipina
yang menyaksikan pasukan lawan menang
2-1 dan skuad kebangsaan menamatkan
saingan dengan meraih pingat gangsa
selepas menewaskan Indonesia 1-0 pada
perlawanan penentuan tempat ketiga.
Malaysia juga terkandas di tangan
Vietnam pada peringkat sama edisi 2003 di
sini, selepas tumbang 3-4 dan turut
membawa pulang gangsa dengan
mengatasi Myanmar. – Bernama
Tambahnya, hadiah wang juga telah
diubah dengan hadiah tunai RM30,000
untuk juara, naib juara akan menerima
tunai RM20,000 dan RM10,000 untuk
tempat ketiga, manakala tiga tempat
teratas peringkat zon masing-masing
akan menerima RM3,000, RM2,000 dan
RM1,000.
Sementara itu semua kelab yang
berminat digesa mendaftar dengan
persatuan daerah Safa masing-masing
dan tarikh tutup juga dilanjutkan dari 21
Mei ke tarikh baharu yang akan
dimaklumkan kemudian kepada semua
zon.