How Budget 2015 Could Help The Working Class Cope With Rising Prices

With the petrol price increase and impending GST, the rising cost of living is becoming even more concerning

Concerned over the rising cost of living and worried about the impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the umbrella bodies of unions and employers want Putrajaya to cushion the blow through tax breaks and living allowances to lighten the burden of companies and their employees.

        themalaysianinsider.com

Union groups and employer bodies want Budget 2015 to lighten the burden of companies and employees through these measures

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said the GST would have a huge impact on both employers and the working class due to the overall nature of the tax.

        themalaysianinsider.com

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), meanwhile, said the lack of any cushion may push workers to take on more jobs or work more overtime to make ends meet, with negative consequences on productivity in the long term.

        themalaysianinsider.com

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) suggests that the cost of living allowance be implemented in the private sector as practised in civil service

Image via themalaysianinsider.com

MTUC secretary-general N. Gopal Kishnam suggested that a cost of living allowance (Cola) be implemented in the private sector, as practised in the civil service. "Putrajaya has been paying Cola to civil servants for several years, why can't the private sector follow suit?" Gopal asked.

        themalaysianinsider.com

The government has said that the GST will not be imposed on essential items such as basic food stuff and some services, and also gives yearly one-off cash assistance through the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) scheme. But Gopal said a longer-term measure like Cola would be more beneficial.

        themalaysianinsider.com

"All workers, whether in the private or public sector, are facing difficulties in making ends meet. Cola payments may go some way towards alleviating their burden. "Many poor workers only earn about RM1,500 a month, which they spend on their daily needs and to take care of their families. "These workers either try to maximise their overtime claims or take up a second job just to try and make ends meet," Gopal told The Malaysian Insider.

        themalaysianinsider.com

Putrajaya should postpone the removal of subsidies until the salaries of employees catch-up to that of a high-income society

Gopal added that Putrajaya should postpone the removal of subsidies until the salaries of Malaysian workers had increased to that of a high-income society. "Otherwise, their burden will just get heavier and heavier trying to juggle the various bills on a limited income," Gopal said, adding that subsidy removals meant higher prices.

        themalaysianinsider.com

As two-thirds of Malaysian families do not own their own properties, Putrajaya should make housing more affordable

Gopal added that Putrajaya should also focus on making housing more affordable, as more than two-thirds of Malaysian families did not have their own properties.

        themalaysianinsider.com

Helping women return to the workforce after maternity can help the working class keep up their household income

Image via asiasociety.org

The government can also help the working class keep up their household income by helping women return to the workforce after maternity by opening more daycare centres at the workplace, he said.

        themalaysianinsider.com

Reducing Malaysia's high corporate tax rate of 25% can help smaller companies to continue operating

Shamsuddin suggested that Putrajaya reduce corporate and individual income tax, noting that Malaysia's current corporate tax rate of 25% was still high compared to other Asean countries.

        themalaysianinsider.com

"MEF hopes that Putrajaya will assist the private sector by reducing taxes. If we look at neighbouring Asean countries, Malaysia's corporate tax rate is not low, it is too high," Shamsuddin said, suggesting it be lowered to 20%. "This will help the smaller companies to continue operating, especially during tough times like this. At the same time, companies do not need to lay off workers.

        themalaysianinsider.com

Lowering the individual income tax rate is critical to offset the burden middle-income groups would face when GST is implemented

Image via funnymalaysia.net

Besides corporate taxes, Shamsuddin also suggested lowering the individual income tax rate, especially for the middle-income group. "This is quite a critical matter as GST is being implemented, additional burdens will be shouldered by the middle-income group, who are the biggest contributors of income tax.

        themalaysianinsider.com

"The middle-income group spend a lot in the GST sector, such as at supermarkets, hypermarkets and major retail outlets," Shamsuddin said. "They are the ones who will feel the biggest effect of GST once it is implemented on April 1 next year. If they are used to spending RM1,000, the cost will increase by 6%."

        themalaysianinsider.com

The maximum rate for the individual income tax band is 26%, while the corporate tax rate is 25%.

        themalaysianinsider.com

Putrajaya should also review the current income tax relief and exemption for taxpayers as GST serves as a new source of income for the government

Besides reducing taxes, Putrajaya also needs to review the current income tax relief and exemptions for taxpayers, Shamsuddin said. "Is it friendly towards taxpayers? Does it really meet their needs? The introduction of GST means that Putrajaya has a new source of income."

        themalaysianinsider.com

Shamsuddin suggested a larger quantum in tax exemptions for contributions towards the Employees Provident Fund and the Private Retirement Scheme.

        themalaysianinsider.com


What Are Probiotics And Prebiotics & How Do They Help Support A Child’s Immunity?

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This Spotlight is sponsored by Danone Malaysia.

Is your child getting the right nutrition?

Image via @raisethemresilient (Instagram)

It is important to ensure that your child is consuming the right kinds of food to promote their development at a young age. While foods that are rich in essential vitamins and minerals contribute to their growth, probiotics and prebiotics are also beneficial for your child's digestive health.

So, what exactly are probiotics and prebiotics anyway?

Probiotics are "good bacteria" that provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. They aid in digestive health, as they help your intestines break down food. They can be supplied to the daily diet via fermented food such as yogurt, kombucha and tempeh.Whereas prebiotics are a type of fibre that is selectively digested by the bacteria found in your gut. Its purpose is to stimulate the growth of good bacteria. Consuming fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can boost your prebiotic intake.Synbiotics are a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics that are beneficial to your body. This is why this combination works well for the body, as prebiotics acts as food for probiotics by boosting the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

With this in mind, Danone Malaysia has launched a new and improved formulation for their leading milk brand AptaGro, which contains one billion probiotics^ and a unique mix of prebiotics!

Image via AptaGro (Provided to SAYS)

From Europe’s No 1* company in milk formula for children, AptaGro is specially formulated with ActiveDuoBio+, which is a combination of good bacteria (probiotics) and fibre (prebiotics).AptaGro contains the strain of probiotic B.breve M-16V, which is well accepted by the human body. It boosts the growth of good bacteria and reduces the growth of bad bacteria in the gut. The combination of this probiotic and the prebiotic unique mixture, GOS/IcFOS (9:11), is meant to support your child's body so they can grow strong and resilient.

^ 1 billion (1x10⁹ cfu) of probiotics from 100g milk powder* Source: Euromonitor International Limited, Packaged Food 2021ed, Groupe Danone in the growing up milk formula category (for children aged 13 months onwards), value sales RSP, 2020 data. Nutricia part of Groupe Danone.

Additionally, it contains the highest Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)**, a nutrient that is essential to a child’s brain and learning development

Image via @raisethemresilient (Instagram)

Thanks to over 40 years of pioneering research, AptaGro is Danone's most advanced growing up milk formula in Malaysia. With this new formula, parents can rest assured that their kids will be supplied with good bacteria and nutrients in their everyday diet to support their overall development for a stronger body.

** AptaGro consists of 101mg/100g DHA, the highest among all cow’s milk based growing up milk brands in Malaysia as of April 2021.

During the launch of AptaGro, Vera Saw, the Country Manager of Danone Malaysia, stated that she believes a healthy start plays an important role in determining the success of a child's future

Image via AptaGro (Provided to SAYS)

"Since immunity has become a priority, and resilience a crucial quality in today’s world, Danone endeavors to support parents in their journey to adopt healthier eating and drinking choices for their toddlers, and has been chosen more than two million times by mums in Southeast Asia¹," she said.

¹ Referring to brands under Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, estimates based on Kantar Worldpanel Division’s survey across 3,700 mothers with child aged 1-3 years old in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi between January and December 2019.

In a survey conducted with mums through the Home Tester Club, 100%² of users believe that AptaGro’s combination of Prebiotics and Probiotics and important nutrients provide good nutrition that help support their child’s immune system³

Image via @raisethemresilient (Instagram)

Plus, a study conducted among 767 Asian and European toddlers demonstrated that 23% of the group who drank growing up milk with prebiotics and Long chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LcPUFAs) had zero episodes of infections. Meanwhile, only 17% of toddlers who drank growing up milk without prebiotics and LcPUFA had zero episodes of infections.⁴

²Based on opinions and perspectives of mothers³ Survey conducted by Home Tester Club between 18th Sept 2020 and 30th Oct 2020 with 254 Home Testers.⁴ Chatchatee, P., Lee, W., Carrilho, E., Kosuwon, P., Simakachorn, N., Yavuz, Y., Schouten, B., Graaff, P. and Szajewska, H., 2014. Effects of Growing-Up Milk Supplemented with Prebiotics and LCPUFAs on Infections in Young Children. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, 58(4), pp.428-437.

Find out more about AptaGro on their website

The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care.

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Take a look at all our Spotlight stories to date here.


Najib Has Resigned As BN Chairman And UMNO President

Datuk Seri Najib Razak just resigned from his position as Barisan Nasional Chairman and UMNO President, effective immediately

"UMNO and Barisan Nasional have suffered heavy losses (in the GE14)."I as UMNO president and Barisan Nasional chairman have made the decision to step down," Najib said in a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the current UMNO acting Deputy President, will take over as President, Najib added

"We accept the decision of the rakyat with an open heart."I would like to thank all UMNO members and I guarantee that I will not leave the party and will continue to support UMNO," Najib said at the press conference held at Menara Dato' Onn.Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein will assume the role of UMNO deputy president.

Image via NST Online

While expressing his sadness, Najib said that UMNO lost on the war of perception with the rakyat

"Whoever wins the war of perception, they win the rakyat's trust," he said, adding that the "prosperity of the nation in the past 60 years is due to UMNO.""I am confident, people will remember the work UMNO has done for Malaysia. I will not leave UMNO and I will support UMNO."


[VIDEO] Customers Queue In Long Lines To Buy Aliff Syukri's Durian For Only RM5/KG

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The durian season is finally here and the market has been flooded with sellers offering attractive deals for customers to get a taste of the king of fruits

Among the sellers who have recently caught the attention of netizens is celebrity entrepreneur Aliff Syukri, who announced on social media that he has begun selling durians that come straight from his farm.On Thursday, 8 June, Aliff posted a video on his Instagram account in which he shared the scenery of his farm with his followers."Does my farm look good? See you all at Wisma Dherbs, Kota Damansara. Durians will arrive every day, even on weekends," he wrote in the caption of the Instagram post.

Image via @aliffsyukriterlajaklaris (Instagram)

Aliff also revealed that he successfully grew 300 duri hitam, 500 musang king, 1,000 udang merah and tembaga emas, and 300 durian kampung on his farm

What makes Aliff's durian business so unique is that he is selling the fruit for only RM5 per kilogramme."The price starts from RM5 per kilogramme, and if you want to buy by piece, you can get them for RM3 during happy hour," he said.He also advised the public to arrive earlier to take advantage of the special offer, as his durian sells out quickly.

Image via @aliffsyukriterlajaklaris (Instagram)

After only a few days in business, the entrepreneur expressed gratitude to his customers for their support of his new venture

In another video that he posted, some customers can be seen queuing in long lines to get to his shop, while others bought the durian in bulk."Thank you for your support, perhaps it's due to the prayers of my late father and my mother. I don't make much money selling durian, but it's more like doing charity. I still get to use the earnings to pay for my children's tuition," he wrote.He also revealed that his late father, who loved eating the fruit with him as a child, was the inspiration for his durian business."He's the reason why I sell durian, but what's sad is that my father can't enjoy the fruit I'm growing from my own farm," he said."Back then, he couldn't even afford to buy durian, and it was a blessing every time I got to buy him some."

Image via @aliffsyukriterlajaklaris (Instagram)

Watch Aliff selling his durian at his booth here:

        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Aliff syukri kamarzaman (@aliffsyukriterlajaklaris)

If you would like to check out Aliff's shop, here's where it's located.

Another durian seller in Terengganu recently went viral after TikTok users began thirsting over him for selling durian shirtless:

                [VIDEO] Single Father Of 3 Attracts Online Attention For Selling Durian Shirtless

"I'm not selling my dignity. I still have my pants on and not just wearing my underwear."

Read the full story


Raub Woman Causes Chaos After Escaping Court In Handcuffs

A 23-year-old woman staged a dramatic escape at Raub court after being charged with drug possession yesterday, 14 September

Image via News Straits Times

New Straits Times reported that the only female suspect, Saidatina Aida Sahabudin, was supposed to be escorted back to the Raub police station after court hearings with 11 other suspects.She was convicted under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, along with four past charges under the same act.Around 4.30pm, Saidatina was waiting in line for her turn to get on the police truck.

All of a sudden, a motorcyclist showed up and braked quickly next to the woman

Image via Abe V (Foursquare)

Like a scene straight out of an action movie, the handcuffed Saidatina got onto her accomplice's Yamaha LC and the duo sped away from the court area.A police officer fell and injured himself trying to run after the motorcycle.

Image via Info Roadblock JPJ/POLIS (Facebook)

The owner of the motorcycle has been identified as a 22-year-old man from Benta

According to Info Roadblock JPJ/POLIS, Raub district police chief Superintendent Kama Azural Mohamed said that police stations in neighbouring districts have been alerted about the suspects."Police have launched a hunt for both the suspects and we hope members of the public with information on both individuals to contact the nearest police station."


"Beri Limau Ketika Musim Perayaan Boleh Dikira Sebagai Bentuk Rasuah"

Baru-baru ini, Pengarah SPRM Kedah, Mohd Fauzi Mohamad menjelaskan bahawa sumbangan makanan seperti buah limau boleh dikategorikan sebagai satu bentuk rasuah

Image via New Straits Times

Beliau berkata, pemberian dengan mengharapkan adanya balasan ialah satu bentuk jenayah. Walau bagaimanapun pemberian seumpama itu bergantung kepada niat pemberi dan sukar untuk membuktikan sesuatu niat itu baik atau jahat.

"Semasa beri angpau, limau, atau hamper dengan berniat dapatkan sesuatu atau merasuah, itu merupakan rasuah," katanya

Image via Backpacking Malaysia

"Tetapi ketika dia beri dengan niat nak beri makan, saya rasa tidak adil kita nak kata itu rasuah. Bergantung kepada niat pemberi rasuah, namun jika ikut undang-undang ia rasuah," katanya lagi.

Manakala di media sosial, netizen mempunyai pandangan yang berlainan mengenai isu berkenaan

Image via Facebook / Sinar Harian

Apa pendapat anda pula? Rasuah ke bila hadiahkan limau?

LIKE Facebook dan follow Twitter SAYS SEISMIK dan temui segala cerita mesti kongsi sekarang!

Macam mana nak kekalkan kesegaran limau sepanjang Chinese New Year ini? Baca di bawah:

                How To Store Mandarin Oranges To Keep Them Fresh Way Past CNY

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Petrol Stations Might Operate For 18 Hours In Protest Of Weekly Float Pricing From 1 Jan

According to a report in The Star Online, petrol dealers might start limiting daily operating hours to 18 hours instead of 24 hours from 1 January if the government persists with its weekly fuel price float

Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz, president of the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM), was quoted saying by The Star Online that petrol dealers in the country have to resort to severe cost-cutting measures in the face of Pakatan Harapan Government's planned move to re-introduce weekly fuel float pricing, which kicks in from 1 January.Along with reducing the operating hours for petrol stations, the other thing in the cost-cutting measure includes letting go of employees due to the minimum wage increase.On 2 November, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had announced the new minimum salary in Parliament, setting it at RM1,100 to start from 1 January 2019.

A gathering of the PDAM during a news conference in Shah Alam 30 December 2018.
Image via Malay Mail

Khairul says PDAM is against the weekly pricing mechanism as petrol dealers would be exposed to the risks of oil price fluctuations

			"We are not against the price drop, but the quantum is very big, and moreover, we don't control our own stock ordering and fuel product pricing, so if prices go down, we are left with more stock at midnight, but even if prices go up, the gain is not a lot."
        Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz, president of the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM)

According to the PDAM president, when the monthly and then weekly floats were introduced respectively in December 2014 and in March 2017, it had caused dealers to lose a total of RM91 million

The Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia has also urged the government to raise their members' sales commission to 15 sen per litre for petrol and diesel from the current commission of 12 sen per litre for petrol and seven sen per litre for diesel.

			"To be honest, even with RM0.12 per litre for the commission, this is not really the sum we are getting as we have to deduct for oil licence fees to the oil companies, merchant discount rate for credit card payers, workers’ wages and utilities, and insurance and council fees."
        Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz, president of the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM)

He argues that they have been getting the same commission for 10 years, regardless of whether there is a rise or drop in the prices of the fuels, reported Malay Mail.And if their request for a higher commission was not fulfilled by the government, the dealers would have no other option but to resort to several drastic measures, one of which included shortening of daily operating hours from 24 hours to 18 hours.

Image via Bernama

Meanwhile, Petronas Brands has resumed operations at its Station Solaris Besraya following the Friday morning incident after a thorough investigation was conducted at the station:

                Petronas Says The Serdang Incident Happened After Leakage Contaminated The Fuel With Water

One of the fuel tanks at its Solaris Besraya station was leaking.

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"They Spit On Us" – Woman Sheds Light On The Dark Reality Of Child Beggars In Sabah

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram for the latest stories and breaking news.Editor's note: This story has been updated to include information relevant to the issue.

Recently, many videos of children begging on the streets of Sabah started to resurface online, drawing mixed responses

A TikTok user who goes by the handle @evoncutie6446 stitched a video showing a passenger seat filled with RM50 notes and a child looking in at the money. She said that there were many non-locals who expressed pity for the child.Evon then explained in the video why these children should not be pitied. She made the video to raise awareness, especially among those living in West Malaysia, as there were people who had expressed pity towards these children without knowing "the reality of it".She informed viewers that most of these children are pendatang asing tanpa izin (PATI), or illegal immigrants. Evon told SAYS that some people call them stateless because they do not belong to any particular country, while others consider them locals who live by the sea. Sabahans believe they come from either Indonesia or the Philippines."Most of them [have been] abandoned by their parents or forced to beg for money by their parents as an easy (way) to get cash," she said.

Image via @evoncutie6446 (TikTok)

The children would allegedly act violently towards them by hitting their vehicles, breaking their car mirrors, spitting on them, and so on

In the video, she explains that they (Sabahans) do not want to condemn or criticise them. However, the beggars' mean attitudes have prompted the locals to act cold towards them."Why we, as locals, don't like them is because they always ask for donations from other people. When we don't give them donations or money, they would hit our cars, spit on us, all of that," she said. Evon also mentioned, "The streets of Sabah are dirty because of them, not the locals. Other than that, they also act like gangsters in Sabah.""They are not nice at all," she added.

Image for illustration purposes only.
Image via New Straits Times

Evon told SAYS that this has been an ongoing issue since she was a young child

The problem happens in most cities in Sabah, mainly Semporna, Lahad Datu, Tawau, and Kota Kinabalu.Evon mentioned that teenagers are worse than children. She shared a personal story where she was molested at a mall in Kota Kinabalu by a teenager, which traumatised her for a while."I think it's (videos of the children) surfacing on the Internet now because they've been more aggressive than ever," she said. The children would usually just ask for money, but now they seem to be manipulating the locals into giving them money.

Image for illustration purposes only.
Image via New Straits Times

Even after giving RM1 or RM5, she said they would continue asking for more and would sometimes bring their 'gang' to get more money

Evon told SAYS, "Some people would offer them food, but they would throw it in your face and say they only want money.""These kids are drug addicts from a young age. They usually use the money given to them to buy glue to sniff," she said.The authorities do conduct operations on illegal immigrants and deport them, however, Evon said that they would just keep coming back. The authorities are also aware of these children.She added, "No government party has ever thought of educating these kids and no one really does anything about it. We just kinda live with it."

Sabahans applauded Evon for explaining why non-locals should not simply pity the kids and even shared their own traumatising experiences

One TikTok user commented, "OMG right!!! (I) have experienced it before, they stopped my car from moving. (I) was surrounded. At that time, I was so scared. First time experiencing it."

Image via TikTok

"That's right sis, I have also experienced it. When I gave [some money to] one, a whole bunch of them came. Then once when I didn't give [any], they didn't allow me to go. (I) was traumatised," another shared.

Image via TikTok

Image via TikTok

A TikTok user said that a tour guide had also warned them about the kids when they were visiting Sabah.

Image via TikTok

There have been numerous calls for authorities to solve the worsening child beggar issue in Sabah

Former chief minister Yong Teck Lee had urged the Sabah government to resolve the issue and suggested seeking advice from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) back in March, as reported by Free Malaysia Today.In response to Yong, Assistant Minister of Community Development and People’s Wellbeing Flovia Ng said that parents or guardians of these children would be tracked down and warnings would be issued before returning their children to them.“However, if the parents or guardians cannot be reached, these children will be placed in welfare homes,” she added.It was also reported by The Star in June that Sabah was set to issue a special foreigner card for migrants, which includes refugees and stateless people. The proposed foreigner identity card would enable children of inland foreigners to get an education, seek health care and pay for services set for foreigners, open bank accounts, and ensure that they would not be exploited by employers. The announcement was seen as a good move to address the issue of undocumented migrants living in Sabah by non-governmental organisations.Days later, however, a New Straits Times report said that the initiative was still being reviewed. Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan reportedly stated that no entity had been tasked to carry out the datafication process.He added that the special committee for undocumented foreign workers and nationals has yet to even present its full report to the Sabah cabinet.

In a discourse in 2014, the issue of stateless children in Sabah was debated by prominent Sabahan politicians:

                Rights VS Politics: Should We Give Birth Certs To Children Of Illegal Immigrants In Sabah?

This has become a debate of protecting the fundamental human rights of children, versus protecting the interests and ...

Read the full story


Sisters Can't Believe Rude M'sian Driver Flashes His Passport As An Excuse To Cut Queue

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram for the latest stories and breaking news.

A pair of sisters making their way home to Malaysia were struck by disbelief when a rude driver flashed his passport as an excuse to cut into their queue on the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link bridge

In a viral Facebook post, Joanna Loh shared that she and her sister, Vicky Sia, were stuck in a traffic jam for four hours during the long weekend ahead of Singapore's National Day despite leaving Singapore around 7am on Saturday, 6 August.During the slow crawl, while the siblings were inching forward, a black Honda Civic suddenly decided to cut in front of their car. In the video posted by the sisters, the driver of the black car can be seen glaring at them before he pulls himself back into the car and winds up his window.Loh said it was likely that the man was acting like a bully because she was driving a car with a Singaporean number plate.

Image via Joanna Loh (Facebook)

Not wanting to give in, Loh continued forward and was angered when the driver rolled his window down again to flash his Malaysian passport in all its red glory

Loh wrote in the post that she would have allowed him to cut into the line if he had turned on his signal and not glared at them."You saw that we were driving a car with a Singaporean number plate, and saw that we are only two girls, so you thought it was okay to bully us?!" she said."You also arrogantly took out your Malaysian passport to wave at us. So what?! Does your Malaysian passport give you priority?"She continued to rant saying, "We are also Malaysians! So you think if we drive a Singapore car [and] we are Singaporeans, we would allow a road hog like you to bully us?"She added that the man made her feel ashamed as a Malaysian.

Image via Joanna Loh (Facebook)

In another video, the incident continues with the man getting down from his car and pointing at his Malaysian car plate

The video shows the man, identified as a Johorean due to his licence plate number, pointing at them, then to his phone, and giving them a thumbs up before going back into his car.

Image via Joanna Loh (Facebook)

Image via Joanna Loh (Facebook)

The Facebook post garnered the attention of Malaysians who were amused by the incident and joked that they had found a new use for their passport

One Malaysian commented, "Next time I jump in line, I will also show my passport."

Image via Facebook

"Passport used as a Dato' card?" another questioned.

Image via Facebook

A Malaysian commented "You're out" as the usage of the passport is similar to the red card used in football matches.

Image via Facebook

A Facebook user wrote, "Who says Singapore's passport is the best? Malaysia's is more powerful, you can jump in line wherever you go."

Image via Facebook

Following the incident, the Johor man took to Facebook to respond to Loh's viral post

In a now deleted post, the male driver said that he was stuck in traffic for three hours on the same morning. The man reportedly said he saw a sign that indicated a lane for Malaysian cars, which is why he proceeded to turn on his signal to turn into the right lane. He went on to say that if the sisters did not want him to cut them, then they should have continued moving forward."But this car honked at me and, worse yet, I saw it was a Singaporean car," he said.He told members of the public that the reason he took out his passport was to show that he had a right to be in the lane for Malaysian cars."It's a good thing I didn't even flip my middle finger at you. F**k you, Malaysian turned Singapore permanent residents (PR)" he added.He also addressed the sisters as "two fat women" at the end of his statement.

Image via Joanna Loh (Facebook)

According to Loh, the man continued to dox her by posting her photos on his Facebook account

In one caption, he wrote mockingly, "I am a fat woman. My husband left me for someone else because I am a woman with issues."Speaking with SAYS, Loh said that as of Tuesday, 9 August, the man has yet to apologise to her and her sister."Even if he apologises now, we also won't accept it as he personally attacked and disrespected us," she said.

Last month, an angry woman went viral for throwing an SUV's licence plate at the Johor Bahru checkpoint:

                Angry Woman Who Flung SUV Licence Plate At JB Checkpoint Says She Was 'Protecting Her Son'

The incident happened at Malaysia-Singapore Second Link while trying to go through the immigration checkpoint.

Read the full story


The Japanese Have Created A Phone, The Real 'Eye' Phone...

You know how you've seen Professor X with those cool eye scanners that open up doors? Well, Japanese have come up with a phone that pretty much uses the same technology

Image via Giphy

Yes, trust the Japanese to release a phone that allows you to pay for things...with your eyes! NTT Docomo, a telecommunications company based in Japan unveiled a rather interesting phone called the Arrows NX, the first smartphone in the world that uses eye recognition.

NTT Docomo says the Arrows NX is the world's first smartphone to use iris recognition in conjunction with fingerprint authentication. Users will be able to unlock their phones and shop for things just by looking directly into the front-facing camera.

        mashable.com

The phone's built in camera is able to solve complex iris patterns. It is also a very secure payment method because everyone's iris is different.

Image via docomo

While the iris recognition is cool, Arrows NX is just another Android with a 5.2 inch screen, octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. The phone runs on Android 5.0.

Image via The Telegraph

Expected to release later this month, Arrows NX will be available in 3 colors: Iris Green, Black and White

Image via NTT Docomo

So how does it work exactly? Check out this entertaining video:

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Pretty cool, uh?


Selfie Lucah Dengan Bahulu 'Batang Hulu' Jadi Viral, Wanita Ini Buat Laporan Polis

Umum mengetahui, apa-apa informasi sekalipun pada zaman sekarang memang sangat mudah untuk disebarkan kepada khalayak ramai.
Kalau sesuatu itu lain daripada yang lain dan ada unsur kontroversi, lagilah cepat tersebar.

Image via playbuzz.com

Terbaru, satu selfie seorang wanita memegang kuih bahulu berbentuk zakar telah dikongsi secara meluas di laman sosial

Ini bahulu ke 'batang hulu'?
Image via Forum Cari

Maklumlah, zaman sekarang ini orang memang suka dengan benda-benda yang rare dan unik. Harus diakui, kuih bahulu berbentuk zakar ini sememangnya sukar ditemui.Namun begitu, melihatkan kepada bentuknya yang tak ubah seperti kemaluan lelaki, ia mungkin tidak sesuai untuk dijual di pasaran Malaysia.

Seperti yang dijangka, gambar terbabit menerima kutukan yang agak dahsyat sebaik menjadi viral. Ramai menganggap tindakan selfie oleh wanita itu memang tak boleh diterima.

Image via Astro Awani/Facebook

Menyedari gambarnya dikongsi secara berleluasa, wanita tersebut, Faridah Ulis atau dikenali sebagai Mamadot segera membuat laporan polis. Dia mendakwa penyebaran gambar itu telah mengaibkannya.

Pada Rabu, 17 Februari 2016, Faridah Ulis, 45, membuat laporan itu di Balai Polis Pusat Miri pada pagi dan Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) pada sebelah petang.Faridah mendakwa gambar itu disebarkan tanpa kebenarannya. Beliau memberitahu bahawa pada mulanya selfie berkenaan hanya bertujuan untuk dikongsi kepada rakan-rakannya di Facebook.Walau bagaimanapun, ada dalang yang bertindak untuk menyebarkan gambar tersebut sehingga mengaibkan dirinya.

Image via Faridah Ulis/Facebook

"Niat sebenar saya membuat laporan polis dan SKMM adalah untuk mencari dalang yang berkongsi gambar selfie saya tanpa kebenaran," jelas Faridah kepada Bernama.

Image via imgur.com

Katanya beliau berkongsi gambar itu dengan rakan Facebooknya dan bukan dengan mereka yang di luar daripada rangkaian sosial sahabatnya."Saya tidak mempunyai niat buruk apabila berkongsi selfie itu dengan rakan-rakan kerana ia untuk memberitahu mereka tentang bahulu itu. Ia unik, malah saya turut membelinya untuk rakan-rakan."Suami saya kecewa terhadap komen-komen negatif yang dilemparkan pengguna internet yang mengkritik tindakan saya mengambil gambar dengan bahulu tersebut," katanya.

        bernama.com

Faridah bagaimanapun berterima kasih kepada mana-mana pihak yang sentiasa menyokong dan mengambil berat terhadap dirinya

Image via Faridah Ulis/Facebook

Inginkan lebih cerita menarik seperti ini? LIKE Facebook SAYS SEISMIK serta follow kami di Twitter dan temui segala cerita mesti kongsi sekarang!


#Budget2020: E-Sports Gets RM20 Million Funding To Grow Local Talents

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced that the government will allocate RM20 million to grow local e-sports scene

Image via RTM

#NST2020Budget An increase in allocation by RM20 million for e-sports - FM Lim Guan Eng #Belanjawan2020 #Bajet2020 #2020Budget— New Straits Times (@NST_Online) October 11, 2019

Lim Guan Eng said the government recognises e-sports talents in Malaysia."The government wishes Malaysian e-gaming teams good luck in Southeast Asian Games, happening in Manilla this December," Guan Eng said.

Head over to our Facebook and Twitter account for more updates

Image via SAYS

Stay tuned for our overview story of the #Belanjawan2020!


"We Are Not Your Enemy" – Orang Asli Artist Depicts The Struggles Of His People In His Art

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram for the latest stories and breaking news.

Shahar "Shaq" Koyok is a contemporary artist from the indigenous Temuan tribe

Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

The 37-year-old's paintings, which exclusively feature Orang Asli, are part of his efforts to defend the rights of the indigenous people and shine a spotlight on the issues affecting the communities.Sometimes, he takes his activism a step further by painting his pieces on a pandanous woven mat instead of a regular canvas, as a mark of individuality and a way to preserve the Orang Asli culture.He also holds solo exhibitions to display his artwork and spread awareness to the public.

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Here's a look at some of his stunning pieces:

Confession Of Palm Oil (2013)
Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

Legacy (2020)
Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

Strong (2017)
Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

Shaq's desire to make a difference was sparked by personally witnessing the destruction of the land he grew up in

Living in Kampung Pulau Kempas, Banting, he grew up surrounded by nature and often did fun things like going fishing, collecting wild vegetables for his parents, and swimming with his friends.Despite living in a rural area as far as 10km away from the town, he was happy."I am blessed to have grown up in that kind of environment. The lifestyle made me stronger," the artist told SAYS.

Wounded Memories
Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

However, a particular incident from his childhood changed his life forever."I saw logging lorries [come] into my village when I was about five or six years old. It was very traumatising for me. Those forests [they destroyed] were actually my playground," he lamented, recalling how upsetting it was and how he was unable to do anything about it.When he grew up, the feelings sparked by that incident led him to become an activist. He decided to use his passion for arts to make a change and raise awareness about the rights of indigenous people."I wanted to become an artist and at the same time help my community," he affirmed.

When discussing hopes for the Orang Asli community in Malaysia, Shaq told SAYS that he wishes for their lands to be recognised by the government, not just verbally but also on paper

Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

According to him, many in the community have been living on the same land for generations, but they do not have the rights to those lands. "Can you imagine going on Google Maps and seeing your home being marked as a reserved forest? It's as if you're a part of the flora and fauna (and not regular people)," he said in dismay.He also noted how the demolition works impacted their villages — from destroyed roads to ruined vegetable crops, and even fatal accidents."It's not that the land belongs to us. It's we who belong to the land," he shared.These are the issues Shaq addresses through his art.

Shaq also highlighted the importance of the Malaysian education system in preserving the Orang Asli community's identity

Redtape (2019)
Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

According to Shaq, there is not much information about indigenous people in our education system. He mentioned how only having a few pictures of Orang Asli in textbooks is not really being inclusive, and suggested that school textbooks should include more information about the community.In Shaq's opinion, this lack of awareness and understanding about the community is one of the factors that causes many Orang Asli kids to get bullied in school, which results in high drop-out rates. "(We often get called) slurs and names, and we even experienced physical bullying," said Shaq, sharing his personal experience from secondary school."(During my time), only two out of 20 students got to finish school. Some of them dropped out after six months because they couldn't stand the racism and bullying," he added.

"We are not trying to threaten you," said Shaq, sharing a powerful message to all Malaysians

"Orang Asli are cool as well. The more you get to know us, the more you will (see) how cool we are. We are not trying to threaten you. We just want to maintain our identity and culture."If you have the opportunity to meet Orang Asli, please make friends with them. Of course, some of us may look different. But we are the same as you. We are not your enemy," affirmed Shaq.

Malok Hak Kan Nik (Where Are Our Rights) (2019)
Image via Shaq Koyok (Provided to SAYS)

The artist aims to continue spreading awareness on important issues for the Orang Asli community through his activism and artwork.To find out more about Shaq Koyok, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

All this month, SAYS will be featuring inspiring stories of extraordinary Malaysian changemakers in collaboration with Wiki Impact

Wiki Impact is an online platform dedicated to the impact industry. They share stories and data on issues that matter, highlighting impact-driven organisations and changemakers on the ground. Categories include poverty alleviation, social justice, gender equality, healthcare and education for all, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, impact influencers, and more!Find out more here.

Image via SAYS


Tiada Had Ditetapkan Untuk Kegelapan Cermin Belakang Kereta & Penumpang Bermula 8 Mei 2019

Bermula esok, 8 Mei 2019, penggunaan lapisan filem atau cermin gelap tanpa had dibenarkan pada cermin sisi kiri dan kanan penumpang serta cermin belakang kenderaan.

Gambar sekadar hiasan
Image via Murni Azman

Menurut laporan, sebelum ini ketelusan cahaya tampak ditetapkan pada kadar 30% seperti yang digariskan dalam Kaedah-Kaedah Kenderaan Motor (Larangan Mengenai Jenis-Jenis Kaca Tertentu) 1991.

Menteri Pengangkutan iaitu Anthony Loke Siew Fook telah mengumumkan pindaan ke atas peraturan baru lapisan filem atau cermin gelap ke atas kenderaan motor itu pada hari ini, 7 Mei 2019

Image via imgur.com

Menurut kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh YB Loke Siew Fook, peraturan yang sedia ada menetapkan ketelusan cahaya tampak bagi bahagian cermin hadapan kenderaan adalah 70%, bagi cermin sisi kiri dan kanan adalah 50% manakala cermin sisi kiri dan kanan serta cermin belakang penumpang adalah 30%.Kini, pindaan yang terbaru bermula hari esok, 8 Mei, adalah ketelusan cahaya tampak menerusi cermin sisi kiri dan kanan penumpang serta cermin belakang kenderaan boleh dikurangkan daripada 70%. Manakala cermin hadapan dan cermin sisi kanan dan kiri pemandu masih kekal seperti sedia ada iaitu 70% cermin hadapan dan 50% cermin sisi pemandu.Beliau juga turut menjelaskan bahawa kebenaran ini hanya untuk kenderaan motor milik persendirian sahaja.Manakala untuk kenderaan motor yang didaftar dan digunakan untuk pengangkutan awam dan barangan, kadar ketelusan cahaya tampak tidak boleh kurang dari 70%.

Image via JPJ Malaysia

Bagi individu yang merancang untuk menggunakan cermin gelap sepenuhnya dari peraturan yang dimaklumkan, boleh membuat permohonan atas sebab-sebab khusus

Contohnya atas faktor keselamatan atau faktor kesihatan yang tidak dapat dielakkan.YB Loke Siew Fook turut memaklumkan untuk setiap permohonan yang dikemukakan atas faktor keselamatan akan dikenakan fi sebanyak RM50, manakala untuk setiap permohonan yang lulus akan dikenakan fi sebanyak RM5,000 bagi dua (2) tahun.Individu yang telah diluluskan penggunaan cermin lebih gelap hendaklah memohon semula apabila tempoh sah laku tamat dan akan dikenakan fi yang sama dalam setiap permohonan.Individu terbabit perlu mendapatkan pengesahan bertulis daripada pakar perubatan kerajaan jika ingin memohon pengecualian di atas faktor kesihatan. Dengan cara itu, mereka akan dikecualikan daripada sebarang fi.

			“Kita lihat latar belakang kebanyakan mereka yang memohon atas faktor keselamatan adalah tan sri, datuk seri & orang berkemampuan. Saya berpendapat mereka golongan berkemampuan dan jika dikenakan fi, ia mampu memberi pendapatan kerajaan."
        Menteri Pengangkutan, Anthony Loke Siew Fook

Gambar sekadar hiasan.
Image via Johor Bahru Car Tinted

Selain itu, satu jawatankuasa juga telah ditubuhkan bagi menilai semua permohonan penggunaan cermin gelap sebelum memberi kelulusan. Ini juga termasuk melihat kembali semua rekod saman dan jenayah pemilik kenderaan terbabit.

LIKE Facebook dan follow Twitter SAYS SEISMIK dan temui segala cerita mesti kongsi sekarang!


"Authorities Will Never Call You" — Here's How To Avoid Being Tricked By Scams & Fake News

Subscribe to our Telegram channel for our latest stories and breaking news.

This Spotlight is sponsored by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

With the rise of scams and fake news in the country, Malaysians are strongly advised to take these issues seriously, to prevent the situation from getting out of hand

Image via Vecteezy

From the infamous Macau scam to misinformation regarding COVID-19 causing fear and panic, it is important for us to stay educated on the ways to prevent ourselves from falling victim to these crimes.

Luckily for us, MCMC has provided useful tips to help Malaysians spot the early warning signs of scams and detect fake news.
Check them out below:

1. One of the most important things to remember about scam calls is that authorities will never contact you via telephone

Image via MCMC (Provided to SAYS)

Based on this, we can determine that calls claiming to be from agencies such as The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (SPRM), the Inland Revenue Office (LHDN), Bank Negara Malaysia, and more are suspicious, and we should not comply with the scammer's instructions. In a nutshell, you should be cautious when receiving calls claiming to be from official agencies, requesting for payments, making threatening remarks, and asking for your personal information.

Image via MCMC (Provided to SAYS)

Here's what you should do (and not do) when you receive a scam call:

Image via MCMC (Provided to SAYS)

Encik Harme Mohamed, Head of the Network Security Division at MCMC, stated that if you ever receive scam calls, do not proceed further, hang up the phone, and immediately report it to the relevant authorities, such as PDRM and MCMC."Reporting the call to the relevant authorities is important, because we (MCMC) can take action towards the phone number used. Scammers will usually change their phone numbers from time to time to avoid being detected, and if we are informed about the numbers, we can prevent it from happening to someone else. So, aside from hanging up, it is important to make a report," he said.

2. Text messages which contain content that is meant to cause panic are most likely scams

Image via MCMC (Provided to SAYS)

For example, the SMS may state that your bank account has been suspended, or that you owe large amounts of money to a certain organisation. That is why you should be wary of SMSes received from unidentified or suspicious-looking numbers.And, similarly to scam calls, if the SMS asks for payments (via suspicious links), threatens you by stating information related to banking, or requests for personal information, know that these are red flags that indicate you are dealing with a scammer.

Image via MCMC (Provided to SAYS)

Here's what you should do (and not do) when you receive a scam SMS:

Image via MCMC (Provided to SAYS)

More often than not, scam text messages contain links, which you should NEVER click on, as this could allow scammers to hack into your device. You should also not call the number, or reply to the text message either. While deleting the SMS will prevent you from accidentally clicking any suspicious links or accessing the malicious content, you may want to take a screenshot of the SMS. This is so you can report the SMS scam to your bank or the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Scam Response Centre.

3. When it comes to fake news, it is important for us to do research to ensure the information we are presented with is accurate

Image via Sebenarnya.my

According to Encik Harme's observations, fake news can be a seasonal issue."During the pandemic, there was plenty of fake news regarding COVID-19. And, even during election season, there was misleading information involving politics going around as well. So, there are many categories of fake news, and it is quite seasonal," he said.By understanding this fact, we can take news stories that seem unbelievable or with outrageous claims on hot topics with a grain of salt. Plus, it helps to do a bit of digging, from finding out more about the site where the news came from, to the information published in the story. It is not recommended to take the information at face value, as we should ensure that it is verified before trusting it completely.

Image via MCMC

Sharing fake news with friends and family is a huge no-no. While this is sometimes done unintentionally, said Encik Harme, there are those who wish to cause panic and worry among the public, as well as gain more likes, clicks, and shares when spreading fake news on social media.While the first step is to lodge a complaint directly to the content owner or moderator, you can also lodge a complaint to MCMC through their portal.Additionally, Malaysians can check Sebenarnya.my, a one-stop centre for the public to find information about fake news in the country. Through the site, readers will discover news stories that have been proven false by the relevant agencies, and published on Sebenarnya.my for all to see.  "For example, if there is fake news involving the Ministry of Health, they will be asked to provide the actual facts, and based on that, Sebenarnya.my will issue the actual statement on their site. In addition to fact-checking, this portal also includes educational articles on things that people need to know, including scam-related issues. You can find this information and more with this portal," said Encik Harme.

On top of all these tips for the public to follow, MCMC is also doing its part to prevent scams and fake news from becoming rampant

Aside from providing the Sebenarnya.my portal to keep Malaysians up to date on the latest scams and fake news, the regulatory body is also working closely with social media providers such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google. This initiative aims to remove any content that is misleading and may cause panic among Malaysians. As for scams, MCMC has successfully blocked 1.6 billion scam calls, thanks to a set of 12 guidelines that were created to block scam calls. The organisation is in the midst of creating a new set of guidelines to deal with SMS scams as well.

To find out more about MCMC's initiatives, please visit their website.
You can also view the list of current fake news as well as information pertaining to scams by heading over to Sebenarnya.my.

Check out our #tech stories here:

                9 Highly-Rated Dashcams Under RM250 To Buy Online

Having proof during an accident can protect yourself and those around you.

Read the full story

                M'sian Software Developer Shares How Hackers Can Wire Money Out Of Your Bank Without OTPs

With growing cases of online scams, Ah Hong VS took his time out to share a detailed breakdown of how bad actors can ...

Read the full story

                VPN Study Says "Sayang" Is The Most Commonly Used Password In Malaysia

ExpressVPN called it a weak password though. :')

Read the full story

Got some cool brand news to share?

Image via SAYS

Take a look at all our Spotlight stories to date here.


A Sedition Probe Has Been Launched Against Lawyer Fadiah For The Dataran Merdeka Rally

Earlier today, 1 March, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri took to her Twitter to say that she is being investigated under the Sedition Act and has been summoned to Bukit Aman for questioning on Tuesday, 3 March

In her statement, the Oxford and International Islamic University graduate said that while many Malaysian — angry and frustrated over the scheming and power tussle by politicians over the week — were at the rally held last night at Dataran Merdeka, the police have decided to single her out.The lawyer is also being investigated over alleged "improper use of network facilities"."I'm now being investigated under Section 4(1)(a) of the Sedition Act and Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act. I have been summoned by the Classified Criminal Investigation Unit, Bukit Aman and will be there on Tuesday, 3 March at 11am," read the statement posted on Fadiah's Twitter.

Rally-goers at Dataran Merdeka last night.
Image via SAYS

She emphasised that this isn't just about her or any one person

"As yesterday's gathering showed, we have the strength in our solidarity. For decades we have pushed back against the State trying to divide and silence our voices and deny our rights. But we have persevered and we will continue to do so," said Fadiah, who did not make any speech at the rally on Saturday night."Now, more than ever, we must find and create spaces, knowledge, comfort, and strength together. We must not be intimidated. Our rights, dignity, and lives matter," she added.Fadiah had made a brief speech at an earlier gathering that was held on Tuesday, 25 February.

While asking others to stand in solidarity, the lawyer then said that standing up for all Malaysians, should not be considered "seditious"

			Standing up for ourselves and for each other is not, and cannot be harmful or 'seditious'.

The charges against her have since been confirmed by the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Huzir Mohamed

According to Malay Mail, the CID chief said that the Sedition probe against Fadiah is related to a social media post she made about the gathering at Dataran Merdeka last night, 29 February."The investigation is classified under the Sedition Act due to seditious tendencies as well as the Communications and Multimedia Act, which is the improper use of network facilities or services," he said.

Meanwhile, a women's rights coalition called the Joint-Action Group For Gender Equality (JAG) said that the police should stop investigating Fadiah under the Sedition Act 1948 or any other law

"We also urge the government to uphold and protect our citizens' rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association and assembly, more so during this critical time in our country," JAG said in a statement while noting that the investigation against Fadiah was "deeply troubling"."It has been less than a day since Tan Sri Muhyiddin was announced as Prime Minister. For the people, the political situation in the country appears to be regressing."It is the right of the rakyat to respond to the perspective that our democracy has been stolen, and we are angry," read the group's statement, which was first published by Malay Mail."All of us Malaysians have the right to assemble and freely express this in a peaceful and democratic manner," JAG said, adding that this is a right accorded under the Constitution.

Earlier today, Tan Sri Muhyiddin was sworn in as the 8th PM:

                It's Official: The Agong Has Sworn In Tan Sri Muhyiddin As Malaysia's 8th Prime Minister

The swearing-in took place at Balai Singgahsana Kecil at 10.33am.

Read the full story


TikToker Uses Bottles & Buckets To Show How God Created Malaysia — And We're Cackling

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram for the latest stories and breaking news.

After opening a TikTok account back in 2020, content creator Andrew Soh has created a slew of hilarious videos relating to Malaysian and Asian culture

From impersonating 'aunty behaviour' to making funny gym workout videos, Andrew also had his hand in joking around with some of the most typical Malaysian stereotypes known to many.

Some of Andrew's videos on TikTok.
Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

In a now-viral TikTok video, Andrew posted a three-part series depicting how 'God' created Malaysia

Posting the first TikTok of the series on 22 June, the video depicts Andrew as 'God', while using large water bottles and a bucket to 'create Malaysia'. Utilised as methods of symbolism of course, Andrew's video shows 'God' giving 'traits' (water from the water bottles) to 'Malaysia' (the bucket) to build the nation.What followed however, was a series of gut-busting references that'll leave you cackling.

Beginning with a fact rather than a stereotype, 'God' poured some 'fertile land and many resources' into 'Malaysia'. The video then speeds up to adding a lot of 'hot weather' to 'Malaysia', only to proceed with an intense splash of 'RAIN'. While the 'good food' stream was generous, Andrew's use of a dropper for a single drop that signified 'Malaysian punctuality' had to be the icing on the cake for the entire video.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

After a superb performance, Andrew then released the second and third instalments over the next few days — that were just as funny as its predecessor

"When God Created Malaysia Part 2" had a mix of true and funny content. Beginning with a pour of 'rich culture', arguably the best bit of the video was the pour for 'sense of humour'. While about a quarter cup pour through, 'God' (Andrew) stopped after looking at his phone.Speaking in the video, his character said, "[Eh], the video got a bit of backlash? [Some] people ah, so sensitive. never mind la, give Indonesia", proceeding to take a smaller basin, scoop water out of the bigger bucket that was 'Malaysia', and walk away.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

Some of the other funny parts even included a violent volley for 'traffic jams' and 'car prices'.One of the best bits, however, was when Andrew used two bottles to oscillate between pouring 'English' and 'Malay' into the bucket for 'maths and science education', adding some satire into the TikTok.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

The third and final instalment (thus far at least) was an apt departure from the former two. Not satisfied with his decisions, 'God' (Andrew) decides to give 'Malaysia' a tonne of positive traits, including 'good land', 'equal rights', 'integrity', 'punctuality', and 'unity', among others. All seems well, until the ending when 'God' realises that 'Malaysia' (the bucket) has a hole, causing all the traits he added to leak out entirely.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

Cumulating over five million views and over 470,000 likes since, Andrew garnered exceptionally positive responses under the videos

Plenty of users were taken by the "Oh my self!" bit in Andrew's videos.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

While others were simply entertained by the series as a whole, even comparing it to other Southeast Asian countries.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

A fair share of the comments across all three videos however, stemmed from international viewers, who pled with Andrew to make similar versions of the video, but for different countries; including Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

Hearing his audience loud and clear, Andrew went on to make sister versions of his series for other Southeast Asian countries

These videos were titled, "When God Created Thailand", "When God Created Singapore", and "When God Created Indonesia."Using the same overview for his "When God Created Malaysia" videos, all three of the other countries have also done phenomenally well, with the "When God Created Singapore" video racking up over four million views.

Image via @andrew_oppa (TikTok)

While we're not certain if Andrew will continue his "When God Created ____" series, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for any of his new creations

Follow Andrew on TikTok and Instagram.

You can watch Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of "When God Created Malaysia" below:

  @andrew_oppa Error404: Good government not found  original sound  - andrew_oppa

  @andrew_oppa Nah no one left behind  original sound  - andrew_oppa

  @andrew_oppa Lets see if it works now  original sound  - andrew_oppa

Andrew recently joined us for a new episode of Murah Vs Mahal on SAYS YouTube:

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This TikToker was thoroughly disappointed after trying Singapore's version of Nasi Lemak:

                "Teaspoon Sambal & 1 Piece Of Cucumber" — TikToker Sighs At S'pore Nasi Lemak Serving

After trying out the nasi lemak in Singapore, she suggested flying back to Malaysia and never looking back.

Read the full story


"Macam Karpet Rumput" - Kiambang Tumbuh Sebab Banjir Termenung Ini Jadi Bualan Ramai

Follow kami di Telegram, Instagram dan TikTok SAYS Seismik, jadi antara yang terawal untuk dapatkan berita serta artikel-artikel menarik.

Baru-baru ini, sering kali kita mendengar berita tentang banjir di beberapa kawasan

Kawasan yang terkena banjir itu, ada yang airnya surut dengan cepat. Tetapi ada juga segelintir tempat yang mengalami banjir termenung.Bagi sesiapa yang tidak tahu akan maksud banjir termenung ini, ia bermaksud air banjir yang bertahan dan mengambil masa yang lama untuk air surut.Tular sebuah video di laman sosial TikTok baru-baru ini, apabila seorang wanita berkongsi keadaan laman rumahnya yang mengalami air banjir termenung. Namun, kiambang membiak bagaikan rumput itu telah menarik perhatian ramai.Lihat video penuh itu di bawah:

  @kaksuzieee seminggu rumah kami menjadi Pulau Jadian, dikelilingi pokok kiambang kecil.  #mykampunggarden #kebun #kampung #village #indahnyakampung  Keindahan Alam - Album Version - Flybaits

Laman rumah nampak macam tanam karpet rumput

Menerusi video yang di muat naik oleh @kaksuzieee, dia berkongsi keadaan laman rumahnya yang penuh ditumbuhi kiambang dek kerana banjir termenung.Difahamkan, sudah seminggu dia mengalami banjir termenung. Kiambang tumbuh di air banjir itu seolah-olah macam laman yang ditumbuhi rumput.Menurutnya, dia juga tidak menyangka kiambang tumbuh banyak sebegitu. Keadaan itu membuatkan lamannya bertukar jadi cantik walhal ia hanya tumbuhan kiambang di dalam air sahaja.Lihat video sambungan itu di bawah:

  @kaksuzieee keluar dari rumah jer beginilah keadaan. dikelilingi kiambang bertaut selepas hujan. cepat betul dia membiak. cantik sangat, subhanallah.  #banjir #mykampunggarden #kiambang #kampung #banjir  Hujan Rintik-Rintik, Hujan - Tasya

"Kak, jangan bagi kering. Biar je dia ada dekat situ. Air surut akak bukalah paip haha. Sebab cantik sangat ni" - Warganet

Susulan tularnya video berkenaan, kini ia telah meraih sebanyak 1.7M views, 89.4K likes dan 3,581 comments di TikTok. Menjengah ke ruangan komen, rata-rata warganet memuji kecantikan lamannya walaupun tahu ia bukan rumput. Malah. ada juga yang menyuruh untuk jual kiambang itu kerana ia berharga. Berikut di bawah adalah antara komen menarik daripada warganet di TikTok:

Image via @kaksuzieee (TikTok)

Image via @kaksuzieee (TikTok)

Image via @kaksuzieee (TIkTok)

Image via @kaksuzieee (TikTok)

Nampak cantik, tapi min risau ada pacat atau lintah je tu :P

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Image via SAYS Seismik


Selalu Dijadikan Souvenir, Adakah Snek ‘Honey Butter’ Dari Korea Ini Baik Buat Umat Islam?

Alang-alang bercuti ke Korea Selatan, maka tidak lengkaplah percutian itu kalau tidak singgah ke tempat shopping

Image via Tirto ID

Korea sememangnya sangat terkenal sebagai syurga membeli-belah terutamanya untuk barangan kosmetik dan kecantikan. Bahkan ramai yang datang ke sana akan memborong barangan kecantikan seperti alat solek dan face mask untuk dipakai sendiri serta diberikan kepada ahli keluarga atau kawan-kawan sebagai souvenir.

Image via Blog Jessay Lovely

Tetapi selain daripada produk kosmetik Korea yang mendapat permintaan tinggi di Malaysia, produk Korea berunsurkan makanan juga menerima permintaan yang menggalakkan. Maka, tidak hairanlah banyak pasaraya besar di Malaysia ini yang mula menjual produk makanan keluaran negara K-Pop itu!

Bagaimanapun, ramai tidak tahu bahawa terdapat beberapa produk makanan dari Korea yang sebenarnya tidak halal dan tidak mendapat pengiktirafan sijil Halal dari Persatuan Islam Korea mahupun Malaysia.

Salah satu daripada produk yang dimaksudkan itu adalah snek kekacang Honey Butter Almond.
Apakah snek ini sebenarnya selamat bagi umat Islam?

Berita kurang baik buat kebanyakan daripada kita yang pernah memakan snek kekacang Honey Butter Almond ini kerana Persatuan Halal Korea telah mengesahkan bahawa makanan berkenaan adalah tidak halal.

Image via Gvado

Bukan itu sahaja, persatuan tersebut turut memaklumkan bahawa snek ini yang dijual di serata Malaysia telah dibuat di dalam kilang yang sama mengeluarkan makanan tidak halal.Perlu diingat bahawa status halal sesuatu produk bukan hanya berasaskan ramuannya sahaja tetapi juga berdasarkan sumber ramuan dan proses ianya dibuat.

Image via Have Halal Will Travel

Dalam hal snek kacang Honey Butter Almond ini pula, kandungannya mungkin baik-baik sahaja tetapi lokasi produk ini dibuat sebenarnya tidak sesuai untuk umat Islam. Tulisan 돼지 (dwe-ji) dalam gambar di atas bermaksud khinzir, menunjukkan bahawa produk itu dibuat di kilang yang juga memproses daging khinzir dan produk lain yang berasal daripada khinzir. Oleh itu, disarankan umat Islam agar tidak lagi membeli bukan sahaja snek Honey Butter Almond ini tetapi juga produk keluaran jenama yang sama seperti di bawah:

Image via Have Halal Will Travel

Selain itu, berikut adalah beberapa lagi jenama popular yang dihasilkan di kilang-kilang yang juga memproses produk daging khinzir:

Calbee Honey Butter Chip
Image via Have Halal Will Travel

Tom’s Farm Honey Butter Almond, Honey Butter Mix Nut, Honey Butter Wasabi Almond, dan Wasabi Almond
Image via Have Halal Will Travel

Tom’s Farm Honey Butter Cashew Nut dan Honey Butter Walnut
Image via Have Halal Will Travel

Meskipun senarai ini tidak lengkap, namun umat Islam dinasihatkan untuk menggunakan Terjemahan Google (Google Translate) bagi melihat dan memeriksa tulisan 돼지 (dwe-ji) pada pembungkusan untuk produk lain daripada Korea.

Hasil tinjauan di laman Twitter pula mendapati ramai sebenarnya di antara kita yang tanpa sengaja pernah termakan snek kekacang tersebut.

Image via Twitter

Image via Twitter

Image via Twitter

Image via Twitter

Walaupun begitu, usah khuatir kerana terdapat produk alternatif bagi snek kekacang ini yang tidak kurang kesedapannya!

Buat pengguna Islam yang mencari Halal Honey Butter Almond ini, sebenarnya, terdapat beberapa syarikat seperti Nuts Holic yang telah mula mengeluarkan versi snek ini yang disahkan halal!

Image via Facebook Halal Korea

Produk tersebut telah disahkan oleh Jawatankuasa Halal Persekutuan Muslim Korea, dan ditandai dengan logo hijau di penjuru pembungkusannya. Malahan syarikat tersebut turut mengeluarkan snek kekacang tersebut dalam perisa lain iaitu Hot Spicy dan Strawberry.

Image via Facebook Halal Korea

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Yay Jepun dah ada produk Brahim's!

                Produk Brahim's Kini Boleh Didapati Dalam ‘Mesin Gedegang’ Di Oita, Jepun. Itadakimasu!

Seronoknya boleh rasa makanan 'Malaysia mari' di Jepun!

Read the full story


Berhenti Sekolah Darjah 6, Gaji Pertama Beli Lembu, Kini Pendapatan RM1 Juta Setahun

Tak dinafikan, bukan begitu mudah untuk memperoleh pekerjaan pada zaman sekarang. Tidak kiralah anda mempunyai kelulusan apa sekalipun, ia belum tentu menjamin peluang kerjaya kepada anda.

Kata orang rezeki setiap individu itu berbeza-beza. Buat Saipol Azmir Zainuddin, ternyata keputusan beliau berhenti sekolah setakat darjah 6 bukanlah keputusan yang salah. Berkat usahanya yang gigih, pengembala yang berusia 33 tahun ini memperoleh pendapatan lebih RM1 juta hasil jualan lembu tahun lalu.

Menurut Saipol, berhenti sekolah lebih awal daripada rakan lain tidak mematahkan semangatnya untuk berjaya dan keputusan yang diambilnya itu bukan saja-saja

Saipol memotong rumput napier dalam mesin.
Image via Harian Metro

"Walaupun berhenti sekolah lebih awal daripada rakan lain, ia tidak mematahkan semangat saya untuk berjaya kerana itu impian sejak kecil.“Saya tak sekolah pun bukan saja-saja tapi kerana mahu bekerja sebagai buruh binaan membuat rumah,” katanya.

        hmetro.com.my

Kisah kejayaannya ini bermula selepas beliau membeli seekor anak lembu berharga RM450 dengan gaji pertamanya RM750 untuk diternak dan dibiakkan

Beliau membeli seekor lembu pada setiap bulan sehinggalah beliau mencapai usia 18 tahun.

Pekerja Saipol sedang membersihkan seekor lembu.
Image via Harian Metro

“Sejak itu, setiap kali dapat gaji bulanan saya akan beli seekor anak lembu. Hasilnya, pada usia 18 tahun saya berjaya memiliki 300 ekor lembu.“Sepanjang tempoh itu, saya dengan bantuan ayah (Zainuddin Mat Yatim, 69,) menternak dan menjual lembu kepada penduduk kampung.“Duit yang saya dapat hasil jualan lembu saya simpan kerana impian saya untuk memiliki ladang ternakan sendiri,” katanya lagi.

        hmetro.com.my

Kejayaannya itu membolehkan beliau menerima Anugerah Peladang Jaya Peringkat Kebangsaan sempena Hari Peladang, Penternak dan Nelayan Kebangsaan (HPPNK) 2015

Saipol kini sudah berumah tangga dan memiliki lima cahaya mata dan sehingga sekarang beliau mempunyai 700 ekor lembu, 150 ekor kambing dan 30 ekor kerbau.Beliau dianggap sebagai jutawan lembu kerana berjaya memperoleh pendapatan lebih RM1 juta hasil jualan tahun lalu terutama menjelang Aidiladha.

Beliau mula menjual lembu secara serius pada usia 19 tahun. Malah, Saipol juga sudah memiliki kenderaan dan rumah sendiri pada waktu itu sebelum mendirikan rumah tangga.

Saipol memberi rumput kepada ternakannya.
Image via Harian Metro

“Saya kemudian buat pinjaman dengan Lembaga Pertubuhan Peladang (LPP) sebanyak RM100,000 melalui Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan (PPK) Kuala Langat bagi mengembangkan perniagaan.“LPP dan PPK Kuala Langat juga banyak membantu saya dari segi pasaran dan promosi ke seluruh negara. Selain itu, jualan juga dilakukan melalui media sosial seperti WhatsApps dan Facebook,” kata Saipol.

        hmetro.com.my

Tambahnya lagi, selepas beberapa tahun mengumpul wang hasil jualan lembu, beliau membeli tanah seluas lebih 0.8 hektar untuk menempatkan ternakannya.

Beliau akan pastikan ternakan sihat dan tidak berpenyakit sebelum dijual kerana tidak mahu pelanggan menghadapi masalah dan dalam masa yang sama, beliau menawarkan kursus ternakan kepada golongan muda yang berminat

Sebahagian daripada lebih 700 ternakannya.
Image via Harian Metro

“Biasanya lembu yang mengalami masalah kesihatan akan saya kuarantin bagi mengelak ia berjangkit kepada ternakan lain,” katanya.Dia yang juga Ahli Jemaah Pengarah Peladang Muda PPK Kuala Langat dan mempunyai enam pekerja berjaya membina sebuah kandang fidlot yang boleh memuatkan sehingga 500 lembu.“Kos infrastruktur kompleks kandang dan ladang rumput napier saya berjumlah RM500,000 dan sudah beroperasi sepenuhnya.“Saya juga menawarkan kursus ternakan kepada mereka yang berminat. Golongan muda boleh mengambil kesempatan ini untuk memulakan projek ternakan masing-masing,” katanya.

        hmetro.com.my

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These 3 Roads In PJ That Were Closed Under The New CMCO Have Now Been Reopened

Last night, 15 October, the Petaling Jaya police reopened three roads in the Petaling district that were closed since midnight, 14 October

According to Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal, the roads, that were closed under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), have now been reopened for the public's convenience."This is done to avoid traffic congestion, rearrange the movement of frontline personnel for roadblock duties as well as to carry out monitoring of crowded areas such as supermarkets, markets, commercial, and leisure centres," ACP Nik Ezanee was quoted as saying by Bernama earlier today, 15 October.

Image via Bernama

The three reopened roads are:

Jalan Persiaran Mahogani in Seksyen 9

Image via Google Maps

Jalan Persiaran Jati in Seksyen 8

Image via Google Maps

Jalan Persiaran Sungai Buloh

Image via Google Maps

Keep practising physical distancing and wash your hands often. Watch the latest update on the COVID-19 situation:


The Country With The World's Coolest Currency Now Also Has The Best Looking Passport

Earlier in October 2014, Norges Bank, the central bank of Norway, unveiled Norway's new banknotes. The redesigned currency, to be put into circulation in 2017, are literally works of art. You can call it a designer case of kroner (the currency of Norway) gone kreative!

Norges Bank selected Metric System’s designs, like this one, to be featured on the fronts of the new krone banknotes.
Image via slate.com

The back of the new Norweigan krone banknote series will feature a pixelated interpretation of the sea from Oslo's Snøhetta Design.
Image via slate.com

They feature images by Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta on one side and Oslo-based graphic design firm The Metric System on the other.

However, this isn't the first time that art has been incorporated into Norway's currency. For example, the 1000-kroner note features an expressionist painting, The Sun, by painter Edvard Munch.

Image via theatlantic.com

Now, Neue studio, a multi-disciplinary design studio, has given the Norwegian passport a minimalist makeover by taking inspiration from the country's iconic landscape. The new designs have crisp, block colour covers which comes in white, red or turquoise.

Neue Design Studio’s new Norway passport covers.
Image via skift.com

Neue Design Studio’s interior spread for Norway’s new passport.
Image via skift.com

The pages reference Norway's stunning scenery and famous fjords.

However, what's more stunning than the minimalist approach to the design itself is when the pages are placed under UV light

An interior spread under florescent lights from Neue Design Studio’s Norway passports.
Image via skift.com

The design changes to a night time scene with the Northern Lights glowing in green and purple above the mountains. They are set against a backdrop of dark indigo and beside a solitary star.

        psfk.com

Here's how the new passport appears after identification elements

http://skift.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/National_ID_card_3840X2160.jpg
Image via skift.com

The new passport, alongside the country's new currency, shows that the Norwegian powers that be are way ahead of other countries in their appreciation of modern design.

        psfk.com

In contrast, the new series of Malaysian banknotes, drawing inspiration from the distinctive features of the country and incorporating elements of Malaysia's natural treasures, culture and heritage, features traditional expressions in the art and craft including natural wonders, flora and fauna and the economy

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Viral FB Post Warns Locals About A Shady Scam Being Run By A Pregnant Lady At KLCC

A pregnant injured lady at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is "looting" unsuspecting people, a recent Facebook post alleges

According to the Facebook post, which was uploaded on the social media platform on 19 October, the uploader was scammed by an anxious pregnant Indian lady who claimed that she was robbed in the KLCC car park and no one was willing to help.The uploader said that the pregnant woman approached her at the lift in KLCC, asking her to help as "her stomach was really in pain" and that she was "about to deliver"."I borrowed her my phone so that she could call her husband and also emergency 999. She called, with hands shaking and tears rolling," the uploader wrote on her post.According to the post on Facebook, the pregnant woman claimed her husband was not picking up the call because "he must be flying a plane now as he a pilot" and that 999 told her that she needs to go to a hospital in a private car."She was shivering and weeping, saying no one is helping her, including the KLCC security," read the post by the uploader who became sympathetic to her plight.

Seeing how the pregnant woman was "shivering and weeping", the uploader volunteered to help her call a Grab to a nearby hospital

However, the pregnant lady said that she needs to go to Subang Jaya Medical Centre because that's her labouring hospital and "other hospitals or clinic won't accept her"."I wanted to order a GrabCar and use GrabPay but she insisted on using GrabTaxi with cash payment method because leather seats will not get stained by her blood on her clothes. Before boarding the taxi, she asked for some money to cover her expenses."The Grab app estimated between RM50-RM80 so I gave her RM120 out of goodwill," read the uploader's post, which at the time of publishing this story had over 625 shares.

The sympathetic uploader, who was so far unsuspecting of the pregnant lady, realised she had been scammed as she got an alert on her phone about the GrabTaxi ending the journey within minutes

"The taxi cost is just RM1, looking at the grab receipt that I got."Looking back at my call logs, I realised 999 never actually answered her call. She was actually pretending to talk over the phone," the uploader wrote on her Facebook post.

The uploader suspects that this may be a new modus operandi used by the pregnant lady in cahoots with taxi drivers to con people

She ended her post by warning locals to be wary of any pregnant lady asking for money, saying that she regrets not being more alert herself.

I would like to bring to your attention a scam incident that happened to me in KLCC today

1. An anxious pregnant...Posted by Lee Wen Lin on Thursday, 18 October 2018

A couple of months back, Malaysians were warned to be careful of their belongings while flying because "criminals are everywhere", even onboard the business class of Malaysia Airlines flight:

                Malaysia Airlines' Business Class Passenger Shares How He Caught A Thief Red-Handed

The incident happened on 15 August while he was flying back to KL.

Read the full story


Teh Madu Float RM6 Di Kampung Baru Ini Cukup Kaw Dan Power. Rugi Kalau Tak Cuba!

Teh ais bukannya minuman yang baru di kalangan rakyat Malaysia. Tetapi kini, kita dikurniakan dengan pelbagai variasi unik kepada minuman yang terkenal ini.
Namun begitu, terdapat satu variasi teh ais yang begitu menarik sekali hanya di Warung Pak Mat Pulau Pisang, Kampung Baru.

Image via @warungpakmatpulaupisangkgbaru (Instagram)

Berasal dari Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Warung Pak Mat Pulau Pisang sememangnya terkenal di kalangan orang Kelantan tentang keunikan minuman ini. Kini, penduduk Lembah Klang juga berpeluang untuk menikmati teh ais yang padu ini di Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Rasa teh ais yang disediakan juga sama seperti di Kota Bharu. Memang kaw!

Warung Pak Mat Pulau Pisang di Kampung Baru menyediakan Teh Ais Madu (RM6) yang power sekali.
Untuk sesuatu yang extra, anda juga boleh mencuba Teh Madu Float (RM12). Lagi best!

Lihat gambar-gambar yang meliurkan di bawah:

Teh Ais Madu
Image via @rrhaus (Instagram)

Teh Madu Float
Image via @tanaka.33 (Instagram)

Teh Madu Float
Image via @syifazakaria (Instagram)

Apa yang menarik tentang teh ais madu ini ialah rasanya yang begitu creamy dan pekat sekali. Disebabkan madu digunakan sebagai pemanis, teh ais ini mempunyai rasa manis yang mantap tanpa mempunyai rasa yang memuakkan.Untuk Teh Madu Float pula, anda akan mendapat topping aiskrim teh tarik untuk memastikan air anda tidak menjadi terlalu cair dan kekal pekat dan berkrim. Memang lain daripada yang lain!

Selain dari Teh Ais Madu yang padu, Warung Pak Mat Pulau Pisang juga menyediakan pelbagai hidangan yang menarik seperti   Sup Kepala Ikan Siakap Laut, Ayam Bakar Madu dan Ikan Bakar

Image via @wahida.amalinn (Instagram)

Image via @wahida.amalinn (Instagram)

Anda sudah terliur? Dapatkan info penuh Warung Pak Mat Pulau Pisang Kampung Baru di sini:

Image via @warungpakmatpulaupisangkgbaru (Instagram)

Alamat: 103A, Jalan Raja Abdullah, Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur. Waktu Operasi: Buka 24 Jam (Setiap hari)No. Telefon: +6013-992 7327Dapatkan maklumat lanjut di sini: Instagram | Facebook

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Image via Seismik Makan


Family Accidentally Buys 70 Boxes Of Snacks In Excitement For Raya

A family in Singapore accidentally ordered too many Hari Raya treats in their preparation for the festive season this year.
Way too many that it's hilarious.

Twitter user @snabehh shared her family's dilemma after realising her uncle made the mistake of ordering 70 boxes of snacks instead of the 70 packets that they needed.Due to a miscommunication with the seller and no one bothering to check the invoice, the tens of boxes arrived at their house and they were forced to pay for the entirety of the giant order.She showed how the boxes took up her whole living room.

Image via Twitter @snabehhh

But all was not lost, as @snabehh shared the mistake on Twitter and made a quick call for help from her followers

"Hi all! Please help my family to clear these sambal balado sticks and singkong balado (cassava chips) because my uncle accidentally ordered too much and Raya is next week," she tweeted last Saturday, 16 May.She also added in later tweets that her family usually runs a business selling Raya kuih and their customers at the Raya bazaar in the past years have often looked for these snacks."Some of our customers were looking for the kerepeks and we wanted to get some for them and our family," she explained the already large order of 70 packets in the first place.To clear the current excess stock, she decided to sell the sambal balado sticks for SGD7 (RM21) per packet, and one box, which contains four packets, for SGD25 (RM77).

Image via Twitter @snabehh

Meanwhile, the singkong balado were priced at SGD7 (RM21) per packet, while one box, which contains five packets, was sold at SGD30 (RM92).She also said that delivery would cost an additional SGD10 (RM31) as she was using external delivery services.

Image via Twitter @snabehh

Netizens found her predicament amusing and offered their help to buy the delicious snacks off her hands

"What is Raya without singkong? Can I have a box, please? When I collect it, I'll laugh," a Twitter user said.

what is raya without singkong. nak singkong 1 kotak pls. bila collect nak gelak skali— N* (@nineteensteps_) May 16, 2020

Meanwhile, this user laughed at the overloaded living room and suggested that her family just give the snacks instead of duit raya this year.

Penuh ruang tamu.. tukar duit raya bg kerepek— La’ Parfumes (@La_ParfumesEDP) May 17, 2020

In less than two days, the happy Twitter user updated that she was overwhelmed by the support and offered her gratitude

At the time of writing, her tweet was retweeted over 3,400 times and had hundreds of others showing their interest in buying the excess."Hi you all, thank you so much for the support! You all are really the best. I wish I could reply to all of you!" she wrote while exclaiming disbelief that everyone loved eating kerepeks that much.

HI YALL HAIS THANKYOU SO MUCHH FOR THE SUPPORT YALL REALLY ARE THE BEST HEIS I WISH I COULD REPLY TO ALL OF YOU REALLY BUT HEIS YALL REALLY LOVE THE KEREPEKS AHH — shan (@snabehh) May 16, 2020

Read her original tweet here:

hi all pls help my fam to clear sambal balado sticks and singkong balado cause my uncle accidentally ordered too much and Raya is next week !! pic.twitter.com/M1Tou9Odd2— shan (@snabehh) May 16, 2020


Chinese Clash Over Controversial Dog-Meat Festival. Should They Eat Dogs?

Before we begin, here's a brief history on China's dog meat festival:

A platter of cooked dog meat in Guilin, China
Image via wikimedia.org

According to it's Wikipedia entry: "Dog meat has been a source of food in some areas of China from around 500 BC, and possibly even earlier. Researchers in the Royal University of Technology theorized that wolves in southern China may have been domesticated as a source of meat.

        wikipedia.org

The eating of dog meat in China dates back thousands of years. It is thought to have medicinal properties, and is especially popular in winter months, as it is believed to generate heat and promote bodily warmth. The meat is popular in Guangdong and Guangxi whence it went on the menu for Chinese astronauts to consume in outer space. Historical records have moreover shown how in times of food scarcities (as in war-time situations), dogs could also be eaten as an emergency food source.

        wikipedia.org

Over the weekend, a dog meat festival in southern China went ahead even as the local government tried to lower the profile of the controversial event

Traders meet on the outskirts of the city to sell live dogs for slaughter. Each dog is sold for roughly $60-$80.
Image via turner.com

Residents of a Chinese city where thousands of dogs are slaughtered for Summer Solstice events have failed to avoid the criticism of animal rights activists by holding feasts early. As part of annual celebrations usually held on 21 June, some people in Yulin, in southern China's autonomous Guangxi Zhuang region, eat dog meat served with lychees and drink liquor.

        independent.co.uk

But in light of negative attention from activists in recent years, the events have already taken place, with photos on state media appearing to show groups of Yulin city residents tucking into plates of dog meat and vegetables. Other photos, which circulated widely on Chinese microblogs, depict skinned, cooked dogs hanging from hooks at street stalls or piled on tables.

        huffingtonpost.co.uk

Animal rights advocates protested dog meat vendors, including one who demanded that protesters meet his price for a live dog or he would strangle it

Animal activists attempt to buy dogs from a trader, who says he wants triple the market price.
Image via turner.com

Sales of dog meat in Yulin, a city near Vietnam in the southern Chinese region of Guangxi, did climb during the festival period, but they were about a third of what was seen a year ago, the state news agency Xinhua reported.

        nytimes.com

The Yulin government, which had previously promoted the event, announced this year that it was not involved and said there was no official holiday to celebrate the eating of dogs.

        xinhuanet.com

Arguments ensued among those living in the city and the people who condemn the tradition

Dogs sit in cages, ready to be brought to butcher shops to be slaughtered.
Image via turner.com

"Don't you eat beef? If you stop eating beef, then we'll stop eating dog meat," yells one man frustrated with the intense media scrutiny in the Dong Kou open market, where an array of birds, snakes, cats and livestock are sold as daily fresh fare.

        cnn.com

While media reports counted only a few dozen activists at the festival, their presence precipitated a handful of dramatic scenes. One vendor held a live dog from a noose, threatening to kill it unless activists paid him an exorbitant ransom. A diner sustained injuries in a fight with an activist along a restaurant-lined road.

        theguardian.com

PHOTO: A dog waits to be sold for meat in a market in Yulin, in southern China

Image via independent.co.uk

Devout Buddhists from across China strolled through the city's Dongkou wet market performing a religious rite to "console the souls of the slaughtered dogs"

Many locals resent the backlash as an unwarranted moral stand against a deep-rooted – and technically legal – tradition. They claim that eating dog meat on the summer solstice confers health benefits that last through the winter. Some held the event a week early to avoid the expected animal rights protests.

        theguardian.com

Some local restaurants removed the word “dog” from their signs, and some local residents held dog meat banquets a week early to avoid the attention of animal rights activists. Seventeen restaurants stopped selling dog meat dishes on their own, and four were barred from doing so by the authorities, while 48 other restaurants continued serving dog, Xinhua reported.

        nytimes.com

China has no animal cruelty laws, and the consumption of dogs and cats is legal but poorly regulated

Dog meat vendors and local residents stood on cages of dogs as animal rights advocates protested nearby on Saturday during the annual dog meat festival in Yulin.
Image via nytimes.com

Dog meat is a traditional dish in parts of far northern and southern China, and in Yulin, residents eat dog meat and lychees to mark the summer solstice. They say the practice is both traditional and legal and resent outsiders trying to shut down the festival.

        nytimes.com

Yulin's annual dog meat festival is controversial, with more people in China objecting to the practice.

        cnn.com

Activists block a dog trader's motorcycle to prevent him from leaving.
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Several celebrities, including the actress and director Zhao Wei, have condemned the event, and other similar festivals have stopped because of public pressure. On the Sina Weibo microblog forum, the topic came close to the World Cup in the number of people following over the weekend, The Beijing News reported. At least one confrontation turned violent on Saturday, and one customer at a dog meat restaurant was injured in a clash with protesters, the state-run China News Service reported.

        sina.com.cn

PHOTO: Dog meat has long been a familiar ingredient in meals in countries like China and South Korea

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On Friday, activists purchased at least 200 live dogs from vendors to prevent them from being butchered

Six dogs are crammed into a cage to be sold to butchers.
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In one case, which was widely covered in the Chinese news media, a small yellow dog with a noose around its neck was held aloft by a vendor who asked activists how much they would pay to spare its life. Eventually a woman from Chongqing paid 350 renminbi, or about $55, to free it, Xinhua reported.

        nytimes.com

“The threat of the dog trader — ‘If you don’t buy this dog, I’m going to strangle him’ — that galvanized support of activists, but that’s just one factor,” said Peter Li, a China policy adviser for the Humane Society International. “The major factor is that more and more people in China believe dogs should not be food.”

        xinhuanet.com

While dogs are still considered a delicacy in parts of southern and north-east China, they have also become popular pets among the country's burgeoning middle class

Animal activists try to snatch puppies from a dog trader. The activists had already spent all their money buying 70 other dogs, and were unsuccessful in retrieving this puppy.
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Protesting against the festival has become a cause celebre online. "Dogs are more loyal to people than I'd imagined – I think of dogs as friends, not meat," the actor Yang Mi wrote to her 35 million followers. The message attracted more than 75,000 comments, most commending her for taking a stand.

        theguardian.com

For now it is a topic on which the Chinese authorities are allowing the country's netizens to vent. But the issue of animal rights is one thing.

Animal protection activists descended on the southern city of Yulin to try to rescue dogs being sold there
Image via bbcimg.co.uk

There can be no social media campaign for, say, the half a million people in China that Amnesty International estimates are currently enduring punitive detention without charge or trial. Yulin's dogs may be a reminder of the extraordinary speed with which moral and social concerns can rise to nationwide prominence.

        bbc.com

But as China's middle classes grow ever larger so the Communist Party employs an ever-growing army of censors to ensure they know well the limits of their newfound voice.

        huffingtonpost.co.uk