Possible Salmonella Contamination Detected In Eggs From Malaysian Farm

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A Malaysian poultry farm had its eggs recalled in Singapore over fears of a possible Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) contamination.

These eggs were stamped with “CEM014” and were exported from Linggi Agriculture Sdn Bhd in Malacca.

As a precautionary measure, the importers of the egg products, An Hong Egg Supplies, Chuan Huat Poultry Farm Pte Ltd, Dasoon Pte Ltd, and FE Supply Pte Ltd, have been advised to recall all the eggs.
Salmonella fears
Salmonella is a foodborne illness and while not fatal, often leads to many days of misery that makes you wish you were dead. Salmonella infections lead to fevers, diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and bitter regret over the things you put in your mouth.
At least working from home gives you access to your own toilet.(Credit: Freepik)
The bacteria, however, will die when cooked fully. Hence, it is always advisable to eat food (especially eggs) that are not raw or undercooked. Malaysians tend to enjoy runny eggs such as telur mata or soft-boiled eggs, which err on the undercooked side.
If you are in Malaysia and have eggs stamped with CEM014, you can check if your grocery store is offering refunds, or simply make sure the egg is fully cooked before consuming.

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Source:
Singapore recalls eggs from another Malaysian farm


2 Malaysian Children Just Won International Drawing Competitions

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K. Kanniesh Theeran has has made the country proud after bagging first prize in the 2020 State-Fish Art Contest under the international category.

His painting of a Chinese Pangasius Catfish won him a certificate, letter of achievement and a trophy.
Kangathevi Ponnudorai, Theeran’s mother, said that the Year Three pupil has always shown interest in arts.
Meanwhile, his younger sister, Kanniesh Shindavy, a Year Two student, also made the family proud as her artwork was selected to be part of the Lucia Bocchino Fund for Promising Young Artists’ 2020 International Virtual Exhibition.
Picture Credit: Lucia Bocchino Fund
She drew a picture of her mother for the theme; “Who is the woman in your life that inspires you?”
Both seem to have great ambitions as well, according to their mother, as Theeran aspires to be a politician while his sister, Kanniesh wants to be a lawyer when she grows up.

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“Candidates Asked To Pledge Allegiance To Party President, Not Just UMNO,” Says Khaled Nordin

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UMNO has decided to demand their election candidates to pledge allegiance to president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi due to the painful lesson the party went through in the aftermath of losing the 14th General Election.

According to UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin, 63, the party is not alone in doing so as it was also the requirement of other political parties that their election candidates must state their support for their respective party’s chief.
“About the support to the party president, other parties had done the same. UMNO had learned a hard lesson before this so we don’t want history to repeat itself (party hopping).
“Furthermore, UMNO has yet to amend the party constitution with regard to party hopping so we want to prevent this matter from taking place again.
“We don’t want to see another episode of lawmakers making a pact among themselves and failing to follow the party’s directive,” the former Johor menteri besar told TRP when contacted today.
He added that this is especially crucial if next month’s election ends up in a hung Parliament where no political party has enough seats to secure a simple majority in Dewan Rakyat.
Previously, The Vibes, quoting a source, reported that BN election candidates were allegedly required to sign documents to back Zahid as the prime minister.
“Itu tipu (It’s a lie),” the UMNO president was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.

In the last general election, UMNO won 54 parliamentary seats but several of its elected reps then decided to quit the party, which include Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, Jeli MP Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Bagan Serai MP Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal and Kimanis MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.
Khaled also denied speculations that Zahid was making a run to become the next prime minister should Barisan Nasional (BN) manage to form the Federal government in the 15th General Election.
“We have to wait for the announcement (of BN candidates),” he said when asked whether it’s true that several UMNO heavyweights aligned to caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob failed to make the list of BN candidates for GE15.
Speculations are rife that several incumbent UMNO MP aligned to Ismail Sabri – including Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, caretaker Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa and his deputy Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, caretaker National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique, as well as Pasir Salak incumbent lawmaker Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman – did not make the candidate list.
The rumours have further fuelled the speculation that Ahmad Zahid is aiming to become the next prime minister.
UMNO and BN had previously named Ismail Sabri, another UMNO vice-president, as the sole choice for the prime minister post should the coalition reclaim Putrajaya in GE15.
BN is expected to announce the full list of its election candidates for the parliamentary seats nationwide today at the World Trade Centre. The announcement is set to be made by Ahmad Zahid.
“Wait for the announcement before making any speculations, I think that those who are making these claims are only out to tarnish the party’s name,” Khaled said.
When asked about his candidacy, Khaled refused to confirm whether he will be fielded as the coalition’s candidate in this 19 November general election.
“Of course as the vice-president of UMNO, I am invited to the candidate announcement ceremony but we have to wait for the announcement of whether I am going to be named as one of the candidates or not.”
Khaled’s name has been bandied about as Halimah’s replacement for the Kota Tinggi parliamentary seat.
Meanwhile, outgoing Padang Rengas MP, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, 64, said that in the past, the UMNO state liaison committee was the one tasked with selecting election candidates.
“I wouldn’t know about it, you have to ask them yourself,” he said when questioned whether it’s true that Ismail Sabri’s faction within UMNO will not be named as the party’s candidates in GE15.
“I’ve decided to take a step back so I don’t know about others,” added Nazri.
At least two Cabinet ministers – Shahidan Kassim and Annuar Musa – have hinted that they may not be picked to defend their parliamentary seats for UMNO. Annuar had also questioned the current UMNO process in selecting candidates.
“It was also promised that the (UMNO) Top Five would be given the authority to negotiate on behalf of the Supreme Council (which has the power to choose election candidates), but the Top Five members confirmed that the list was further filtered by the higher-ups,” Annuar wrote on his Facebook last night.
READ MORE: Several UMNO Heavyweights To Be Dropped For GE15?

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Singapore Mum Claims Male Masseur In KL Molests And Tries To Rape Her Daughter

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An outing by a family of four from the Lion City turned horrible when, during a massage in Kuala Lumpur, their 20-year-old daughter was molested.

The offence was allegedly perpetrated by a male masseuse who kissed her nipples and almost raped her.
It happened at about 12.30 am on Tuesday (6 September) at a massage parlour in Bukit Bintang.
The family had reported the incident to the police.
The mother also sought help and advice from an influencer and food reviewer, who exposed the incident online.
        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Diah Mastura (@etrangle)
Holiday Gone Wrong
The victim’s mother said in an interview that the family set out for a visit to Malaysia last Saturday.
On the last night of the trip, she and her husband brought a couple of children for a massage.
My husband and I were upstairs for a foot massage, and my daughter and son were downstairs for an oil massage.The victim’s mother recounting how the incident started.
After the massage, she pointed out that her daughter did not immediately inform her about the sexual assault because she was too frightened.
When the family returned to their residence, her daughter suddenly collapsed and cried, and she revealed the matter after questioning.
The daughter said that the masseuse played with her nipples and put his lips there.
The suspect allegedly almost penetrated her lower body with his fingers, but her daughter promptly stopped him.
Seeking Justice
The mother immediately returned to the massage parlour, but the businessman was uncooperative.
The masseuse even boldly said that such a massage was typical, and the mother was so angry that she immediately called the police.
The mother said that after returning to Singapore, she also brought her daughter to the police station for the record yesterday.
When questioned, the local police confirmed that they had received a report.
        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Diah Mastura (@etrangle)
The mother said her daughter was severely traumatized physically and mentally and is now emotionally unstable.
For a mother, seeing her daughter in this state left her heartbroken, and she blames herself.
My daughter cried every day. She told me that she tried to wash off the filth from her body every time she took a bath. I was very heartbroken and blamed myself for not being by her side when the incident happened. I have consulted a doctor, and I will let my daughter receive counseling later. The victim’s mother on the ordeal her daughter is going through.
Blame Game
In response, many netizens pointed out that her daughter should not seek a masseuse.
They made harsh criticisms, prompting the mother to call on netizens to stop.
The mother pointed out that her daughter was the victim and urged netizens not to make judgments before getting the complete picture of the incident.
First, I didn’t know that my daughter was being served by a masseur; second, I didn’t think there was a problem with finding a masseuse, just like women would ask a male doctor for gynaecological examinations and delivery; third, my daughter she is relatively big, and she usually finds a strong masseuse or male masseuse for massage.The victim’s mother responding to criticism from netizens.
She added that the massage parlour looks very high-end and the price is not cheap, hence she didn’t expect this to happen.
Eventually, she decided to turn off comments for the Instagram posts because some of the comments were not helping.
Some even started arguing and fighting, and the mother is sad that victims are always held accountable in molesting and rape cases.
She said this is why not many are brave enough to come forward to share their stories.
Rather than blame the victim, she urged others to try putting themselves in that person’s shoes and perhaps to have a little empathy instead.
Local rapper Ariz Ramli, better known as Caprice, came to her defence.
        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Tiger of AlQuds (@capricedaddycap)
Expectations And Disappointments With Police
The mother said that the masseur involved was released after being held for several hours.
She added that after the police arrived at the scene, they kept asking her and the daughter to repeat the incident, which made her feel humiliated.
According to her understanding, although the massage therapist was arrested on the spot, he was released after only a few hours of detention.
On the other hand, she and her daughter waited at the police station for more than 5 hours and did not record their statements until 6 am.
She also claimed that when she asked the Malaysian police for the report, they refused to give it.

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Coronavirus Made Flying More Expensive, Says Malaysia Airlines

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The pandemic has impacted airlines on what they charge, and Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) is no exception.

In a statement today, MAS said it has been operating a limited service of 21x weekly since 1 November 2021 to Kuching, as approved by the Sarawak Disaster Management Council (SDMC).
In comparison, it was 63x weekly in December 2019 before COVID-19.
The national airline said reduced flight frequency into Sarawak resulted in a fare increase.
As airlines execute dynamic pricing based on supply and demand, fares may vary depending on the date, time and remaining seat availability. When more capacity is available in the market, fares will naturally go down.Malaysia Airlines Bhd on fare increase
The announcement came in the wake of a complaint by a netizen on its official Facebook page.
The netizen had asked about the high ticket price for flights to Kuching.
READ MORE: “Cheaper To Fly To London Than Sarawak” Netizens Outraged Over Expensive Airline Tickets On Christmas Holidays
When more capacity is available in the market, fares will naturally go down.Malaysia Airlines Bhd on fare increase
The Pricing Equation
Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) has received approval from Sarawak Disaster Management Council (SDMC) to operate additional flights to Sarawak from 11 December 2021 to 5 January 2022.
The move is expected to positively affect fares, which are dynamically priced and depend on various factors such as demand, promotion, and seasonal period.
The additional frequencies are as below:
Additional flights to Sarawak. (Credit: Malaysia Airlines Bhd)
Accordingly, Malaysia Airlines filed an average fare of RM350 from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching one-way beginning October 2021.
On the week of 22 November 2021, bookings achieved a load factor of between 98% to 100% during the upcoming holiday season.
The airline also introduced a promo fare of RM109 one-way between 10 October 2021 and 31 October 2021 for the travel period October 2021 until 21 April 2022.
Malaysia Airlines added that it will continue to adjust the capacity/frequency as advised by SDMC.
Customers are encouraged to book their travels early to be able to obtain a lower fare.
Deals and offers from MAS were up for grabs during the recent MATTA Fair 2021. (Credit: Malaysia Airlines Bhd)

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Malaysia Prihatin Is This Year’s Theme For National and Malaysia Day Celebrations

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‘Malaysia Prihatin’ (Malaysia Cares) has been chosen as the theme for the National and Malaysia Day celebrations this year.
What you need to know: According to Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, the theme was chosen to recognise the caring, determined, and patient nature of the people in facing the trials and tribulations resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
In an effort to liven up the National and Malaysia Day celebrations this year, the government has planned to carry out four main activities; celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Rukun Negara in Putrajaya (9 July – 16 September), launching of the National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang also in Putrajaya(28 July), National Day in Kuala Lumpur (31 August), and Malaysia Day in Sibu, Sarawak (16 September).
There will be no parade, but Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) will be broadcasting a programme on 31 August to mark the occasion.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (centre) and Sarawak Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Stephen Rundi Utom launching the logo and theme for National Day and Malaysia Day 2020 at the Pelita Auditorium, Kuching, July 10, 2020. (Credit: Bernama)
Who said what:
“Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had on July 1 agreed to pick the logo for the 2020 National Day and Malaysia Day with the theme ‘Malaysia Prihatin’.”Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah via Malay Mail
How it got here: On 8 July, Senior Minister (Defence) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri announced that there would be no National Day parade this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the parade would involve thousands of people and would render social distancing a difficult practice among the public attendees.
Read more:‘Malaysia Prihatin’ is theme for 2020 National Day, Malaysia Day Celebrations, says minister

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Budget 2021: Students And Kids Get Benefits As Well

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According to Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz who tabled the budget today, the Ministry of Education will be getting the largest slice of Budget 2021.

A total of 15.4% (RM50.4 billion) of the budget will be spent by the government to ensure a better quality of life for the next generation.
Supplementary Food Programme
Under this initiative, the government will improve the Supplementary Food Programme (RMT) by increasing the provision of milk to school students from twice a week to every single school day.
For this, an extra RM420 million will be allocated for the programme, part of the proceeds will be given to local milk producers.
Laptop Loan Scheme and CERDIK Fund
To ensure IPT students who have taken PTPTN loans are able to follow online learning, the government, in collaboration with Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), will provide RM100 million to finance the BSN MyRinggit-i COMSIS scheme, a.k.a the laptop loan scheme.
Government-Linked Companies (GLC) and Government-Linked Investment Companies (GLIC) will also contribute RM150 million into the CERDIK Fund to provide laptops to 150,000 students in 500 schools as a pilot project that will be supervised by Yayasan Hasanah.
TVET Training
To encourage participation in TVET-based programmes, the government has introduced the National Dual Training System Plus with the allowance of participants being increased from RM625 to RM1,000 ringgit per month.
This initiative involved a total allocation of RM60 million ringgit and is meant to benefit 10,000 participants.
Monthly Travel Pass
An unlimited month travel pass priced at RM5 will be introduced for school students (Year 1 to Form 6) and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
These passes can be used for KTM Komuter trains in the Klang Valley, in the northern states, trains between Kuala Lipis and Tumpat citires, and Sabah train at the Beaufort-Tenom range.
If the current average cost of taking the train is RM5 a day, next year it will only cost RM5 a month.Tengku Zafrul Aziz
Pneumococcal Immunisation Program
The government will implement a pneumococcal immunisation program for children with an expected allocation on RM90 million to benefit 500,000 children nationwide.
Bantuan Kanak Kanak Keluarga Miskin
To assist with child care and nutrition for poor families, the government is increasing the rate under this programme from RM100 per child with a maximum of RM450 per family, to RM150 per child aged seven to 18 years old, RM200 for children aged six and below and a maximum of RM1,000 per family.
Vouchers For Professional Courses
Under their “Reskilling and Upskilling” initiative, the government is allocation RM150 million for the Ministry of Higher Education’s professional certification (KPT-PACE).
Under this allocation, fresh graduates are offered vouchers worth RM3,000 per person for obtaining professional certificates through courses offered at both public and private universities.
As many as 50,000 graduates are expected to benefit from this programme.
MySTEP
GLCs will provide 15,000 job opportunities that prioritise technical and finance fields and will extend these to graduates undergoing internship programmes.
Under this initiative, 35,000 job opportunities will also be offered at the public sector, prioritising nurses, medical attendants, community welfare officers, and temporary teacher positions.
This is part of the government’s MySTEP initiative (Short-term Employment Program), which is being allocated with RM700 million ringgit to offer 50,000 opportunities for contractual employment in the public sector and in GLCs starting January 2021.
Youth and Sports Development
To provide working experience to the youth, the government will provide incentives to private employers for as much as RM1,000 per month for up to three months for each new graduate hired under an internship program.
Employers can also claim a grant of up to RM4,000 ringgit for training programs. This is expected to benefit 50,000 fresh graduates with an allocation of RM250 million.
E-wallet Credits
To cultivate cashless transactions, the government, through the eBelia programme will credit a one-off RM50 credit to e-wallet accounts for youths aged 18 to 20 years old.
With an allocation of RM75 million, this inititative is expected to benefit over 1.5 million Malaysian youths.
The Budget will be debated for the next 3 weeks before being voted on by members of parliament.

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9 Foods You MUST Dine-In To Enjoy Properly

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After almost two years of only being able to enjoy our favourite foods delivered and taken-away, the time for dine-in food is finally here!

Because as much as we tried to make the best of our time in lockdown by learning how to cook, there are some things that are simply so much better when you dine-in at a restaurant.
Here’s a short list in case you’re feeling decision fatigue about what to eat now that you can go anywhere again.
1. Banana Leaf
There’s a reason why banana leaf rice is served the way it is.(Credit: TRP)
Yes, some people argue that you can have banana leaf to-go. All it comes with is like 10 plastic bags, not enough curry, and either too much or too little sides to go with it.
Banana leaf is just weird when you don’t get to sit down and have the servers pile food on your leaf in just the perfect amounts exactly as you want it. Have the right amount of vegetable sides to go with the right amount of rice and right amount of curry for how hungry you feel right now.
2. Steak
Anything that needs careful temperature control cannot survive being put in a take-away box and delivery. Food in a take-away box traps heat in the box but also loses heat as a whole, which can lead to food overcooking while also becoming cold.
Look at how much control is required to get this kind of doneness!(Credit: Maria’s SteakCafe)
A great steak requires careful control and application of heat, especially if you’re ordering it rare or medium rare. Which is why steak should be served directly from grill to plate, so hungry patrons can bite into steak the way it’s meat to be: juicy, sizzling hot, and perfect.
3. “Fragile” seafood
Like steaks, certain seafood need to be cooked exactly right and toe a fine line between undercooked and overcooked. For amateur cooks, seafood can be quite daunting!
Cold crab is a different dish than piping hot crab straight from the kitchen, trust me on this.(Credit: Sarawak Tourism)
For fans of seafood, consider ordering the more difficult but so satisfying kinds such as steamed fish, crabs, scallops, lobster, or mussels, now that you can dine-in and have a professional chef cook for you.
4. Buffet
The point of buffets is that you can eat whatever you want, whenever it takes your fancy. You get to feel like a king as you meander to the glorious food spread knowing you can eat it all, or go for seconds, or thirds, or fourths.
Since the pandemic, peole have raised concerns about the hygiene of such “open” spreads, but most restaurants now offer safer alternatives.(Credit: Freepik)
The good news is that while buffet restaurants previously had their selections laid out in an open area, certain restaurants are now turning the buffet experience into something more like an “unlimited menu”. You won’t get to walk around and visually see what you want, but you can order as many portions as many times you want from a menu.
It’s much safer, and you get impeccable service!
5. Korean BBQ
Look, the whole appeal of Korean BBQ is that other people do the hard parts of cooking for you. By this I mean the preparing of the meats and side dishes, checking and changing the grills, stoking the fire, refilling the vegetables, and cleaning up the dishes afterwards. If you end up doing all this with a “KBBQ take-away”, then that’s just called cooking at home.
DIY KBBQ is honestly miles better than actual DIY KBBQ in your own kitchen. Who does all the dishes after? Certainly not me.(Credit: Freepik)
While you technically “cook the meat yourself”, all you really do at a Korean BBQ is sit down, put meat slabs on the grill, and flip it around a few times. All the hard parts? Let the restaurant deal with it.
6. Dry noodles with sauce
Noodles are my life. There’s just something about slurpy goodness that is irresistable. Yet while soup noodles fare better in delivery, dry noodles with sauce generally do not hold on very well, such as chili pan mee or dry wanton mee.
You can already imagine how this would taste like if it was cold. A waste of perfectly great noodles, if you ask me.(Credit: Flickr)
The first problem is that the noodle tend to solidify very fast as it cools down. By the time the noodles reach you after delivery, it’s usually lost most of its springiness and will require effort to untangle the noodle brick without breaking the noodles.
The second problem is that if the noodles are not already stirred well, only the bottom half of the noodle absorbs the sauce while the top remains plain. Once again, when noodles cool down, they also lose some absorbancy of the sauce.
Y’alls every bit into a plate of cold char kuey teow and just felt really sad?(Credit: TRP)
Dry saucy noodles need to be eaten freshly made, just like most of the other dishes listed here. Still, this is merely a short basic list, and there’s certainly more kinds of food that simply doesn’t fare well after take-away or delivery.
7. Fried foods
This one is a bit of a given, really. While fast food outlets such as KFC seem to have miraculously perfected fried chicken that still stays crunchy when it’s not even hot anymore, most other fried foods turn soggy after being delivered due to condensation in the take-away box.
30 minutes later, the fries would have turned into limp potato sticks, a far cry from the glory of being freshly taken out of the fryer.(Credit: Wing Wing)
Whether that may be fried fish, fried mushrooms, or even regular fries, it’s all much better eaten hot.
8. Sushi
And of course, sushi! If you’re getting raw fish sushi such as salmon and tuna, having it sit around warm spells disaster, for both your stomach and your tastebuds.
Imagine this delicate sushi being served to you warm in a takeaway box. No thanks.(Credit: Nobu Kuala Lumpur)
I strongly believe temperature is a taste on its own. Don’t believe me? Try delicately made sushi with cold fish and warm rice, then try the same sushi that’s been sitting out for half an hour and is at a mushy room temperature.
Yeah, I thought so.
9. Anything with melty cheese
Malaysians love our cheese, and we want to put it on everything. The good news is that hot melty cheese is incredible on so many different things. The bad news is that hot melty cheese turns goopy and gross when it cools down.
Is it still trendy to put cheese all over EVERYTHING? We’re not complaing.(Credit: TRP)
Sure it’ll still taste pretty good, but if you’re someone who’s keen on texture, cheese in your delivery is no-go. But now with dine-in, you can finally satisfy your melty-cheese craving.

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We Got The Malaysian Prices For The New Samsung Galaxy Devices!

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It is official, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (256GB) will retail for RM6,699, and the Z Flip 3 5G (128GB) will retail for RM3,999.

Both models also come with a higher capacity variant and are priced lower than initially estimated.
The starting price of the Galaxy Watch4 Classic (42mm) (Bluetooth) is RM1,299 and the Galaxy Watch4 (40mm) (Bluetooth) starts at RM899.
Both models come in a larger variant and are no mention of the highly touted LTE version.
The Galaxy Buds2 will also go on sale for RM499, but Samsung did not mention when.
Want to know what all these latest releases from Samsung are all about? We got you covered.
READ MORE: Samsung Unfolds The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G Ahead Of August Release.
READ MORE: The Upcoming Samsung Smartwatch Can Tell You What You Are Made Of
Here is the full list of models, prices, and exclusive gifts available. Pre-order starts on 19 August and ends on 21 August. Available at Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung Authorized Partners and Samsung Malaysia Online Store
Galaxy Z Fold3.
Colours:Phantom Black. Phantom Silver.Phantom Green.Exclusive gifts:Samsung Care+ 1 Year Plan worth RM799.Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM850 (for certain items only).Model and price:256GB – RM6,699512GB – RM7,099
Galaxy Z Flip3.
Colours:Cream.Phantom Black. Green.Lavender.Exclusive gifts:Samsung Care+ 1 Year Plan worth RM699.Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM600 (for certain items only).Model and price:128GB – RM3,999512GB – RM4,199
Galaxy Watch4 Classic (Bluetooth)
Colours:Black SilverExclusive gifts:Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM250 (for certain items only).Model and price:42mm – RM1,29946mm – RM1,399
Galaxy Watch4
Colours:Black SilverGreen (44mm only)Pink (40mm only)Exclusive gifts:Samsung Online Store e-voucher worth RM150 (for certain items only).Model and price:40mm – RM89944mm – RM999

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Follow This Man’s Inspiring Journey From PandaRider To PhD Doctor

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We’re all about amazing feats achieved by Malaysian and this one adds to our list for inspiration.

In a social media post earlier this week, Foodpanda delivery rider Mohd Akmal wrote on the FoodPanda Rider Malaysia Facebook page “Alhamdulillah, finally finished my PhD after almost 4 years” followed by a collaged image of his achievement.
The post has since gone viral with over 6.7k likes, 600 comments and close to 1,000 shares.
His achievement certainly got the attention of media (TRP included) and mSTAR reports that it was Mohd Akmal’s discipline with time that made it all possible.
A 4-Year Journey
The father of five children took four years to earn his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in pharmaceutical technology from University Malaysia Pahang.
He went through the first three years of his studies fully funded, but during his final year, he needed a job to pay for his leftover student bills.
The 36-year-old said it was then that he started working as a delivery rider to help fund his education.
Luckily for him, his lab work and experiments had all been completed in the prior three years and the final year was to focus solely on writing his thesis.
He Made Time On His Side
One of the obstacles Mohd Akmal faced was making sure he’d stop doing deliveries till Maghrib prayers so he’d have time every night to work on his thesis.
Ultimately, he said it was his passion for knowledge that gave him the willpower to study and complete his studies.
A Ride Well Worth The Wait
FoodPanda Rider Malaysia / Facebook
Not only was Mohd Akmal learning a lot while earning his PhD, but he says he’s also learned a few skills as a delivery rider such as communication (with customers), patience and the importance of utilising time well.
For me what’s meaningful is the journey in getting that PhD — and the skills I’ve learned along the process. And to pray every day to ask God for guidance.-Mohd Akmal Azhar, Foodpanda delivery rider via Malay Mail.

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Malaysia’s Covid-19 Transmission Rate DROPPED For 5 Days Straight

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Although our number of Covid-19 cases have been rising steadily for the past week as patients begin showing symptoms of the virus, there is good news: our R-value, the rate of transmission, has been steadily declining for 5 days straight.

Kadar kebolehjangkitan Covid-19 atau Ro/Rt pada jangkaan mengikut kes seharian pada 27hb Mei 2021 untuk seluruh negara adalah 1.14. Manakala pecahan mengikut negeri adalah seperti di lampiran. pic.twitter.com/jZBqncsjUq— Noor Hisham Abdullah (@DGHisham) May 27, 2021
According to Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, we are currently at an R-value of 1.14, a rather large drop since peaking at 1.21 just 5 days ago.
The R-value has seen a quick drop after a consistent rise.(Credit: Dr Noor Hisham)
R-values
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Malaysia has been using R-values such as R0– pronounced R-naught– to determine the rate of infectivity of the virus.
In simple terms, the number means how many people can 1 infected person spread the virus to. An R0 of 1.5 means 1 infected person can spread it to 1.5 people.
Rt, which is the virus’ actual transmission rate, takes into account policies such as the various stages of MCO (Movement Control Order), which limits the virus’ potential spread, and the healthcare system’s way of quarantining infected individuals.

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How this Mâ€™sian activist got on the BBC’s 100 Women of 2019 list

Malaysian transgender activist Nisha Ayub has been named on BBCâ€™s 100 women of 2019, an annual list which highlights influential and inspiring women from around the world.

Picture credit: BBC

Nisha, the only Malaysian named on the list this year, is being highlighted for her work as an advocate for the rights of transgender people in Malaysia.
The list also mentioned a number of Nishaâ€™s efforts as a transgender rights advocate, including SEED – Malaysiaâ€™s first-ever trans-led organisation, of which Nisha is a co-founder, and T-Home, a home created by Nisha for older transwomen who have no family support and are homeless.

Picture credit: Malay Mail

Nisha Ayubâ€™s efforts as a transgender and human rights activist don’t stop there.
Besides SEED and T-Home, Nisha also co-founded Justice For Sisters, a grassroots campaign which highlights issues surrounding violence and persecution against transgender people, sex workers, HIV sufferers and other marginalised groups.
Although the Federal Court reversed the ruling in 2015, in 2014 the Court of Appeals upheld Justice For Sistersâ€™ legal challenge of a state Sharia law, ruling it to be discriminatory and unconstitutional.

Picture credit: Justice for Sisters

These three organisations give people access to counselling, job training, health services, legal support and social welfare.
BBCâ€™s list isnâ€™t the first time Nisha has been acknowledged for her work.Â
In 2015, Nisha Ayub was honoured by Human Rights Watch for â€œchallenging the discriminatory laws that prevent transgender people in Malaysia from living free of violence, fear, and oppressionâ€.

Picture credit: Human Rights Watch

In 2016, she became the first transgender woman to be named as one of the US State Departmentâ€™s International Women of Courage, which recognises women who are fighting for rights and equality.
Following her award for courage from the American government, the US city San Diego named April 5 as â€œNisha Ayub Dayâ€

Last year, Leena Wong, a Malaysian marine ecologist from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) discovered a new genus of sea slugs in Melaka and named one of itâ€™s species Sacoproteus nishae (S. nishae), after Nisha.

Find out more about Nisha and her struggle as a transgender woman in Malaysia on her TED Talk.

Besides Nisha, BBCâ€™s list also featured Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, US scientist Katie Bouman whoâ€™s algorithm resulted in the first-ever image of a black hole.

Picture credit: BBC

Also on the list are Australian footballer, Tayla Harris, who made headlines after a photo of her kicking a ball during a match attracted misogynistic comments, Chinese MMA athlete Huang Wensi who won the Asia Female Continental Super Flyweight Championship gold belt in 2018 and Yumi Ishikawa, founder of the #KuToo movement in Japan.
BBC 100 Woman was launched in 2013 to highlight the achievements of women as BBCâ€™s response to the fatal 2012 Delhi gang rape.
The series has highlighted Malaysian women in the past, namely Selangor Syariah High Court judge Nenney Shushaidah Shamsuddin last year who was appointed as one of Malaysiaâ€™s first two female Syariah High Court judges.

Picture credit: Malaysia Tatler

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SplashMania Water Park At Gamuda Cove, Worth A Visit?

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Other than camping and picnics, water activities also attract many local and international tourists to our country.

When the mood to jump into a pool arises, several water-based theme parks will come to mind and all of them have their own unique offerings.
Adding to the list is Gamuda Land’s SplashMania which opened its doors this week at Gamuda Cove, strategically located along the Elite Highway with a direct link to Cyberjaya.
If you happen to drive along the Elite highway, the giant replica ship that has become iconic in SplashMania will catch your attention as it can be viewed from far.
Sanjay Nadarajah, General Manager (Leisure & Hospitality) of Gamuda Land, said “Where Nature Meets Fun” is the essence of SplashMania theme park.
Taking into consideration the natural setting of the waterpark and the surrounding wetlands, we ensured that we dedicate 70% of the waterpark to green spaces. The rides and slides in SplashMania are designed by Polin Waterparks and ProSlide Technology who are slide trustable developers with outstanding technology and a safety record that is innovative.Sanjay Nadarajah, General Manager (Leisure & Hospitality) of Gamuda Land
The TRP team recently explored the SplashMania Waterpark in Gamuda Cove.
The water park sits on an18-acre land and has 24 slides and 15 main attractions.
Everyone present, old and young, were excited to try all the attractive slides available.
Starting your day at SplashMania
Entrance to SplashMania. – TRP photo by Farahin Fadzil
For those who are wondering about the safety of their belongings, do not worry as the management in SplashMania provide lockers to store your things at the following rate, payable only by cash:
Small – RM15Medium – RM35Large – RM40
Just like the other water parks, changing rooms and toilets are also available for visitors to change comfortably. If you wish to take a shower, then make sure to bring your own soap and shampoo as these are not provided.
For Muslim visitors, there is also a surau in the park.
If you wish to have a meal before exploring the park, there is a café available.
In our opinion, the prices of the foods served were quite expensive if compared with restaurants outside. A set of a small pizza and coke came up to RM 20.80.
Guests can order their food at the counter and wait till their number is called by the server.
Ready? Let’s explore SplashMania!
TRP photo by Farahin Fadzil
Once we got on the bridge opposite the entrance, we were ready to start having fun.
There are many water slides and one of the attractions at SplashMania include a 78-meter multimedia and audio water slide equipped with various LED light effects.
Among the slides and attractions that are open to visitors include: Whoopa Loopa, Titanic Experience, Amazonia, Omba’King Cove, Surf Mania, Rainforest-Style Rapids, Whacka Boom Boom, Rush Havoc, Shaka Waka, Plunge, Sumaumeira Drop, Wild Rush, Maniac Racers, Twin Turbo, Typhoon Terror, Curl & Swirl, Swaggy’s Cliff, Splash Sploosh, Tiny Twista, Mini Monsta, Mini Mania, Treasure Tower and Wave Ball Pool.
Rainforest-Style Rapids
TRP photo by Farahin Fadzil
The first attraction that we tried were the Rainforest-Styled Rapids. If you ever feel like ‘healing’ while sitting on a float, this attraction is perfect. The water currents are not too bad also. No need to push, the float will move by itself.
We ourselves were almost pushed by the water current when we were not holding on to anything.
In this circular Rainforest-Style Rapids, there are several types of interesting elements such as: Savage Ravage, Secret Lair, Donut Rapids, Bubbly Dip, Monsoon, Pinnacle Creek, Rain Shooters, Happy Feet and Wave Ball Pool.
The most challenging element is the Rain Shooters, because when you go through it the water will shoot out and attack you from the left and right.
Be careful as the water that is shooting at you is quite strong. Our advice is to cover your face or put your face down when passing through the area.
Treasure Tower
TRP photo by Farahin Fadzil
At Treasure Tower, there are various types of water slides suitable for children.
There are slides that are short and long and some of them have colourful LED lights. It is absolutely fun, and you won’t be satisfied if you ride it just once.
The main attraction of the Treasure Tower is a replica of a bucket located at the top which will pour water out when it is full.
You also need to be careful if you wish to go up to some parts of the ‘tower’ as there will be splashes from below that move upwards
Wild Rush
TRP photo by Farahin Fadzil
Another attraction that is worth trying is the Wild Rush but remember to exercise caution as the pool is three meters deep.
After you’ve twirled down the slide, you might be a little surprised to splash into a deep pool.
However, you don’t have to worry as there is a lifeguard to help you if necessary.
SplashMania ‘Early Bird’ Ticket Prices Until March 31
For those of you who want to try the exciting attractions at SplashMania for yourself, you can enjoy ‘early bird‘ tickets starting at RM63 for children and seniors while adults and those over 120cm tall can buy tickets at RM79.
This ‘early bird’ ticket price is only available until March 31, 2023.
SplashMania Water Park is open from 10am to 6pm every day except Tuesday unless it falls on a public or school holiday.
For more information visit their website.

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KWSP Is Giving Lesser Conventional Dividends Compared To Previous Year

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The Employees Provident Fund (KWSP) announced a dividend distribution of 5.35 per cent for Conventional Savings and 4.75 per cent for Shariah Savings for 2022.

The dividend rate is lower than in 2021, where the dividend for Conventional Savings is 6.10 per cent and 5.65 per cent for Shariah Savings.
The rate is also the lowest since 2020 for Conventional Savings (5.20 per cent) and the lowest for Shariah Savings since the scheme was first introduced in 2017.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, announced the dividend at today’s (4 March) KWSP financial performance briefing.
KWSP mengumumkan kadar dividen 5.35% untuk Simpanan Konvensional dengan jumlah pembayaran sebanyak RM45.44 bilion dan 4.75% untuk Simpanan Shariah dengan jumlah pembayaran sebanyak RM5.70 bilion. Maklumat lanjut di https://t.co/Y6kLO53aa6 #KWSP #KWSPAhli #DividenKWSP2022 pic.twitter.com/lwxYcK9ljU— KWSPMalaysia (@KWSPMalaysia) March 4, 2023
EPF 2022 Performance Highlights– Conventional: 5.35% (Total payout 45.4b)– Shariah: 4.75% (Total payout 5.7b)– Gross investment income 55.3b (⬇20% vs 2021 68.9b)ROI– Private equity 13.6%– REITs 10.5%– Foreign listed equities 9.2%– Fixed income 4.3%– Money market 3.4% pic.twitter.com/05AjE3JQlm— My Personal Finances (@mypf_my) March 4, 2023
Amir Hamzah said the total payment for the entire dividend for 2022 was as much as RM51.14 billion to 15 million members.
Conventional Savings amounted to RM45.44 billion, while Syariah Savings amounted to RM5.7 billion.
He informed that, as of 31 December 2022, the EPF recorded a lower total gross investment income of RM55.33 billion, compared to RM68.89 billion in 2021, driven by market uncertainty and weaker equity and fixed income market valuations.
In 2022, the EPF recorded a gross investment income of RM55.33 billion, with RM6.83 billion allocated to Simpanan Shariah.
Regarding member registration in 2022, Amir Hamzah informed that the EPF registered a growth of 635,989 new member registrations, bringing the total number of EPF members to 15.72 million as of December 2022.
Of that number, 8.39 million are active members, representing 50 per cent of the 16.7 million Malaysian labour force at the end of 2022.
Money No Enough
Meanwhile, netizens continue to rant on social media, demanding that the government allow them to make special withdrawals from their KWSP account.
It started in 2020 with the i-Lestari and i-Sinar schemes 2020 and i-Citra in July 2021.
They were part of economic stimulus measures to help Malaysians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In April 2022, KWSP members were once more allowed to take up to RM10,000 from their KWSP savings.
Instead of agreeing to another special withdrawal, the government adds RM500 to KWSP Savings Account 1 for members aged between 40 to 54 years with KWSP savings of less than RM10,000 in their Account 1.
pic.twitter.com/ZMYISslWRw— Mai Sargeant (@SargeantMai) February 27, 2023
READ MORE: 2023 Budget: No EPF Withdrawals But Government To Add RM500 To Members’ Savings
Just How Good Is KWSP?
KWSP was established to provide retirement benefits to private-sector employees in Malaysia.
As a savings fund, its primary objective is not to generate profits but to provide a secure and reliable source of retirement savings for its members.
However, the KWSP does invest its members’ savings in various financial instruments, such as equities, bonds, and other assets, to generate returns on these investments.
As of 2021, the KWSP reported a gross investment income of RM61.25 billion, representing a gross income of 5.2% for the year.
It is worth noting that the KWSP’s returns can vary depending on market conditions and the performance of its investments.
The KWSP’s returns are not guaranteed, and risk is always associated with any investment.
Overall, while the KWSP is not a for-profit organization.
It aims to generate a reasonable return on its investments to provide its members with a secure and reliable source of retirement savings.
The Ultimate Showdown: CPF (SG) vs EPF (MY) vs MPF (HK) vs 401K (USA) https://t.co/g4gXYrV0x3 pic.twitter.com/6QdIMo8WqC— Seedly (@seedlysg) April 25, 2019

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It’s Official, Covid-19 Vaccines Free For Malaysians & Foreigners Regardless Of Documentation

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Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a tweet that the vaccines will be given out to everyone in Malaysia, including non-Malaysians.

The Cabinet has decided that foreign citizens residing in Malaysia will receive Covid-19 vaccines free under the National Immunization Program. This will include diplomats, expatriates, students, foreign spouses & children, foreign workers & UNHCR card holders.Khairy Jamaluddin, Science, Technology & Innovation Minister via Twitter
In a subsequent tweet, the Minister said that the Cabinet, in principle, has also agreed to provide the vaccines for free to undocumented foreigners as well.
@JKJAVMY will be discussing further on how this can be implemented. We will be reaching out to state governments, foreign embassies, NGOs to assist.Khairy Jamaluddin, Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister via Twitter
He added that priority will be given to Malaysians first and the details on how foreigners will get the vaccine will be announced later.
The decision to give it for free is because the supply of Covid-19 vaccine obtained by Malaysia is sufficient and exceeds the number of Malaysians who are eligible to receive it.Khairy Jamaluddin, Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister via Twitter
In principle, Cabinet has also agreed to provide the vaccines free for undocumented foreigners. @JKJAVMY will be discussing further on how this can be implemented. We will be reaching out to state governments, foreign embassies, NGOs to assist.— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj) February 11, 2021
NPRA approved vaccines are safe for use
The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) has rigorously analysed the data to select the best Covid-19 vaccines, hence why their approval would mean that it’s safe to be used by Malaysians, said the Science Advisor to MOSTI, Associate Prof Dr Mohd Ghows Mohd Azzam.
According to Dr Mohd Ghows, he said that this is very important as it ensures that the people are confident in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he noted that the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which came into existence just a few years ago, is now being used for vaccine development and it has been proven to be safe and effective.
Credit: Malay Mail
Referring to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that use mRNA technology and achieved a high effectiveness rate of over 95 percent, Dr Mohd Ghows said that the technology is much easier and faster to make, adding that in the long run, this type of vaccine is likely to be cheaper to produce through the mRNA method.
He also mentioned that the new mRNA vaccines can be produced in about six weeks and are synthetic, which means that laboratories can create new ones based on the coronaviruses’ variants.

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Dogs, Squirrels and Cyborg Roaches: Doing Their Best To Save Humans From Disasters

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You’ve probably heard of sniffer dogs, but what about sniffer squirrels?

From train stations, airports, warehouses and border checkpoints, a squad of drug-sniffing squirrels have been trained to detect the presence of drugs and are set to join China’s police force.
According to Chinese media reports, the animals were selected as they are small enough to reach places that dogs cannot.
They will be deployed in a subunit of the Chongqing city police dog brigade.
The Eurasian red squirrels have been recognised by relevant scientific research institutions for their drug searching abilities, according to the Global Times.
The trainer of the squirrels, Yin Jin, said the training programme has shown good results and that the animals can quickly identify drugs.
Squirrels have quite an acute sense of smell, but we didn’t have sniffer squirrels in the past because we didn’t have mature techniques to train rodents.Yin Jin, Squirrel Squad Trainer
But the team found that the training used for sniffer dogs has been effective with the squirrels.
When the squirrel finds something they think might be illegal, they’ll scratch the item to let their trainer know.
As the squirrels are smaller and very nimble, the police hope they will be better than dogs at searching complex spaces with tight corners or elevated areas.
Squirrels have done an excellent job in drug detection exercises so far.Yin Jin, Squirrel Squad Trainer
She said that training the squad was the culmination of years of research, adding:
These squirrels have a rather keen sense of smell.Yin Jin, Squirrel Squad Trainer
On the other hand, if an earthquake strikes in the not too distant future and survivors are trapped under tonnes of rubble, the first responders to locate them could be swarms of cyborg cockroaches.
Yes, that lipas that terrifies you everytime it flies.
In September last year, Reuters reported a recent breakthrough by Japanese researchers who demonstrated the ability to mount “backpacks” of solar cells and electronics on the bugs and control their motion remotely.
Senior research scientist Kenjiro Fukuda and his team at the Thin-Film Device Laboratory at Japanese research giant Riken developed a flexible solar cell film that’s 4 microns thick, about 1/25 the width of a human hair, and can fit on the insect’s abdomen.
According to Fukuda, the film allows the roach to move freely while the solar cell generates enough power to process and send directional signals into sensory organs on the bug’s hindquarters.
Fukuda and his team chose Madagascar hissing cockroaches for the experiments because they are big enough to carry the equipment and have no wings that would get in the way.
Even when the backpack and film are glued to their backs, the bugs can traverse small obstacles or right themselves when flipped over.Senior research scientist Kenjiro Fukuda

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Govt To Allow A Special RM10,000 EPF Withdrawal

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The government today announced that the people will be allowed to withdraw a further RM10,000 from their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the “difficult decision” was reached taking into consideration the hardship of the people caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Based on studies, findings, and thorough revisions during this recovery phase after the pandemic, there are still those in Malaysian Families that are still impacted by the Covid-19, lost their income, and are still trying to rebuild their lives.
“The government listens, studied and considered the request from all parties to withdraw the EPF savings. Therefore, today, the government has agreed to allow a special EPF withdrawal amounting to RM10,000.

He however advised the people only to make the withdrawal if there is a pressing need.
Further announcement on the matter will be made by the Finance Ministry and EPF, said Ismail.

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Police In ‘Tik Tok Live’ Raid Will Be Transferred Out Of Bukit Aman

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The policewoman who had recently made headlines for making a live TikTok recording during a raid on an entertainment premise will be transferred out from the Bukit Aman Narcotic CID.

According to Bernama, the policewoman will be transferred to the Johor Police Contingent headquarters.
The matter was confirmed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Razarudin Husain.
Last Monday, Bukit Aman confirmed that the policewoman is an officer from its Narcotics CID. Director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said that based on preliminary investigation, it was learned that the TikTok post was a personal message to promote her TikTok account.
The Assistant Supt TikTok post went viral over social media with Netizens questioning her professionalism while conducting official police duty.
READ MORE: [Watch] Bukit Aman Probing Cop Who Did A TikTok Live During A Raid
In the one-minute and 38sec video, the policewoman is seen talking about a police raid at an unknown entertainment outlet.
She also told her followers to keep following her update and wish that she could reach 100,000 followers on her TikTok account.
Bukit Aman had also issued a directive to bar its personnel from sharing social media content of themselves while on duty.

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Cabinet Agrees To Enable Automatic Citizenship For Overseas-Born Children To Malaysian Mothers

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The Cabinet has agreed to amend the Federal Constitution to enable children born abroad to Malaysian mothers to gain automatic Malaysian citizenship.

The announcement was made by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said in a joint statement dated 17 February.
They expect the amendment to be tabled in the current Dewan Rakyat sitting, Malay Mail reported.
The proposed amendments in the Federal Constitution particularly highlight Section 1(1)(d) and Section 1(1)(e) of Part I in the Second Schedule, and Section 1(b) and Section 1(c) in Part II of the same schedule.
Part of the proposal is to have the sentence “whose father” in Part I and Part II of the Second Schedule be changed to “at least one of the parents” to automatically enable Malaysian mothers to confer Malaysian citizenship to their overseas-born children.
The Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2023 will next be expected to be tabled in this Parliament meeting after fulfilling legal requirements.
The other amendments concerning citizenship laws, especially Part III of the Federal Constitution, would undergo a more detailed study by a committee formed under the Home Ministry and presented to the Cabinet after the amendment proposal is finalised by taking into account engagement with all stakeholders.
The decision is in line with the unity government’s commitment to recognising equality for women and men to remove discrimination against women in Malaysia, and overcome weaknesses that arise in citizenship provisions.
It also helps to solve the high backlog of cases for affected Malaysian women who have to go through the arduously long and unreasonable process to apply for their children’s citizenship and to provide a clear definition and avoid providing a definition that’s different from the court’s.
The effect of today’s decision is that children born overseas before or after Malaysia Day where at least one of their parents is a Malaysian has the right to be citizens by operation of law according to Article 14(1) of the Federal Constitution.Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said in a joint statement.

A Malaysian mother’s battle
The current Federal Constitution only provides automatic citizenship for children born abroad to Malaysian fathers, while Malaysian mothers are required to apply for their overseas-born children to be registered as Malaysian citizens with no guarantees of success.
Thousands of Malaysian mothers have waited for several years to get a reply from the government regarding their applications, only to receive news of rejection without being given any reason.
READ MORE: 2,257 Days After Application, Malaysian Mother Still Waiting For Daughter’s Citizenship, NRD Sitting On Court Orders
Six Malaysian mothers and an advocacy group Family Frontiers launched a legal challenge against the discrimination against women in the current citizenship laws in the Federal Constitution on 18 December 2020.
On 9 September 2021, the Malaysian mothers and Family Frontiers won at the High Court which ruled that their overseas-born children are entitled to Malaysian citizenship.
READ MORE: KL High Court Rules Malaysian Mothers Can Now Confer Citizenship To Children Born Abroad
Right: A group of Malaysian mothers after the Court of Appeal decision on citizenship at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, August 5, 2022. Image: Shafwan Zaidon/ Malay Mail
However, the Malaysian government won its appeal in a 2-1 decision on 5 August 2022 at the Court of Appeal.
On 14 December 2022, the Federal Court allowed the Malaysian mothers and Family Frontiers to have their appeal heard.
READ MORE: Malaysian Mothers Cannot Pass Citizenship To Overseas-Born Children, Court Of Appeal Ruled
READ MORE: Malaysian Women’s Rights “Betrayed” By Government’s Appeal Against Child Citizenship Suit

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Rapid KL Bus Caught Fire At The SS15 LRT Station In Subang Jaya

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On Tuesday, a bus belonging to Rapid KL was burnt in a fire incident at the SS15 LRT Station.

Rapid KL, through a post on Twitter, informed that the fire occurred at about 3 pm involving a bus route 771 from Desa Mentari to Subang Mewah USJ 1.
It said the incident happened when the bus wanted to pick up passengers at the SS15 LRT Station.
There was a passenger in the bus. The passenger and the bus captain were not injured. There was also no damage to public property, and the fire was brought under control.Rapid KL commenting on the incident.
Rapid KL also pledged to provide full cooperation with the police to investigate the incident.
The public transportation company added that the incident will be taken seriously.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Rapid KL is owned by Prasarana Malaysia and operated by its subsidiaries Rapid Rail and Rapid Bus.
“Rapid Bus akan memberikan kerjasama penuh dengan pihak polis bagi menjalankan siasatan terhadap insiden berkenaan,” tambah kenyataan itu.— RapidKL 03-78852585 (@MyRapidKL) June 14, 2022
This is not the first time that a RapidKL had went up in flames. In March 2021, a RapidKL caught fire and burned up in Taman Bunga Raya in Kuala Lumpur.
Thankfully, there were no loss of life.
READ MORE: KTMB CEO Gets Challenged To Ride The KTM After Blaming Citizens For Not Using Public Transport

A Culture Of Incompetence
It is ironic that on one hand, we are encouraged to take public transportation to help ease traffic on the roads.
 And yet on the other, public transport has become a less and less attractive commute option for passengers, not that it was excellent to begin with.
The latest incident came in the wake of a jump in complaints against public transport operators.
LRT and KTM accounted for most of the complaints, given the spate of service disruptions and accidents.
Tajuddin MP Pasir Salak tu elok bagi dia jadi Duta Rel Rapid ni dari jadi Duta ke Indonesia. Sedap sikit makan makian pengguna LRT hari2. Baru berkhidmat untuk rakyat. https://t.co/xtYcjCOXIt— MHM (@mhmgrgie) June 10, 2022
READ MORE: KTMB CEO Gets Challenged To Ride The KTM After Blaming Citizens For Not Using Public Transport
One of the most pressing challenges facing public transportation today is the “First and Last Mile Problem”, which is the distance a commuter needs to travel from a transit stop to their destination, or vice versa.
At Setapak too, rapidKL bus frequency used to be every 20 minutes, now need to wait for at least 40 minutes— Arifdale (@arifdale) June 14, 2022
The public said if the government is serious about improving traffic conditions on the roads and air quality, it must do more.
Some said the government should mount an investigation and penalise the offending transportation companies if the complaints are justified.
READ MORE: Electricity Supply Problem Caused Today’s LRT Disruption, Says Prasarana
Then they blame rakyat for not utilising public transport when your service is like piece of shit. Especially bus service run by RapidKL. One reason because one entity control and monopolize the whole public transport. https://t.co/L2hHUzhlJB— 🌺 🇲🇾 🌺 V I G I L A N T E 🌺 🇲🇾 🌺 (@rebeldravidian) June 12, 2022
At the very least, it must ensure that the public transportation system is safe, efficient, clean and quiet.
The continual stream of complaints reflects badly on the government, as if passengers’ feedback are never taken seriously.
  @mikaelaneeza #rapidkl ♬ original sound  – Bubih

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9 things always confirm blow our budget

We recently wrote about how Malaysians make excuses to avoid going out and spending money, but there will come times when avoidance is not an option.
As we move into new chapters of our lives, it’s essentially impossible to decline celebrating each other’s successes. And, like most things in life, they now cost (at least a little bit of) money.
1. Meeting the friend you haven’t seen in 5 years
With friends flying overseas for job opportunities, or education, or returning to their kampung, or even just losing touch, we can say with certainty that we see a lot less of friends nowadays.
So when they return, it’s a cause for celebration and catching up. Naturally, this also results in many food trips to cram in as much Malaysian food before they need to leave again.

Picture credit: QuickMeme

2. Engagement brunches
Surprise! Your friends are getting engaged while you sit alone at home eating Maggi Kari.
Don’t dwell on it too much, just bring them out for a nice drink, listen to their excited plans, and be a good supportive friend. After that, you can go home and cry in forever alone- but it’s not your fault.

via GIPHY
3. Distant relative weddings
Your mom texts you one day and tells you that you need to go for your cousin’s-uncle’s-brother’s-adoptive-son’s-best-friend’s wedding, and you have nothing better to do except enjoy free food, so you agree.
Then you realize you still need to drop a few hundred ringgit on a gift either way and possibly spend more to get a nice-looking baju. Was it worth it? You tell us.

via GIPHY
4. Baby showers
After the weddings come the baby showers, naturally. You may be feeling a little overwhelmed, wondering if these people the same age as you are really meant to be parents at all.
Regardless, they’re parents now! And they have a child! A tiny human! What kind of monster would you be if you didn’t go to the baby shower?

via GIPHY
It’s almost like a rule that you need to bring the parents itty-bitty baby clothes or noisy baby toys and coo at the mini-person and say things like, “Oh he is adorable, he has his mother’s eyes”.
Ps. Pro tip: the best gift for the parents at this point is a lot of sleeping pills, ear plugs, and alcohol.
5. Birthday gifts and dinners
You know how it is: someone in your social circle has a birthday, you all agreed to chip in for a gift, and then get dinner together to catch up.
What you severely underestimated is that now all your friends are pretty much grown up and suddenly dinner at a mamak no longer suffices, and gifts now are elaborate and… expensive.

via GIPHY
6. (Extended) family gatherings
Everyone knows the ultimate power move: treating your family to dinner with your first paycheck. It’s how you show that you are now An Adult™  and no longer a child.
Of course the pride very quickly wears off when you realize that a large family gathering also means a very large bill. But that’s what credit cards were made for, right?

via GIPHY
7. Visiting the in-laws
You know when you’re out with the in-laws, you’re paying. Especially if you are a man (this is why we need feminism, betul?) and you’ve basically sworn to care for your wife when you married her.

via GIPHY
 So to save face, you gotta pay for a nice dinner, complete with dessert. Even if you didn’t budget for this expense, make sure to not let it turn into resentment.
8. I-quit-my-job dinners
With how often millennials struggle in the workplace, it’s not surprising to have you or your friends quit their jobs.
Since that often means a huge change in lifestyle, that also means you should meet up with them to make sure everything is A-OK.

via GIPHY
9. I-got-a-new-job lunches
Of course, after quitting a job there has to be a new job. So when your friends ace their interviews and land a new position (with a raise, hopefully!) it definitely is a reason to celebrate again.

via GIPHY

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Quick Thinking Cashier Saves Kajang Convenience Store From Big Losses During A Robbery

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A female cashier’s quick thinking might have just saved her store from suffering big losses in a robbery attempt in Taman Semenyih Indah, in Kajang last Monday.

According to Kajang OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Zaid Hassan, the 21-year-old female cashier was working at the store a man armed with a parang, barged in at about 7.20pm.
“The suspect, who covered his face with a yellow cloth, tried forcing the victim to open the cash register and hand over all the cash but the victim managed to stall by saying she did not have the key to do so.
“This angered the suspect who shouted at the victim,” Mohd Zaid was contacted as saying by The Star.
The robber then ordered the cashier to hand over her mobile phone but she decided against it and continued to run into the store room and lock the door behind her.
Realising that nothing else could be done, the suspect fled the scene but he did manage to grab several boxes of cigarettes, added Mohd Zaid.
He said the police are investigating the robbery under Section 392/397 of the Penal Code.
“We urge those with information to contact investigating officer Insp K. Suresh at 017-4333795 or any nearest police station to assist the investigation,” he said.

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CC By Mel – Are The Food And Drinks As Good As Its Presentation? [Review]

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CC By Mel is a premium casual dining spot known for its great tasting food and impeccable food presentation adorned with edible flowers.

The restaurant has moved to a larger space in Bukit Jalil and it was sure a hit with the locals nearby. I recently got to try the dishes for myself over the long weekend holidays.
What I liked
Tropica Nori and Ebi Matcha Sando. Image: Adeline Leong/ TRP
We ordered two of their signatures – the popular Tropica Nori and Ebi Matcha Sando – as well as Summer Karaage, Angus Don and Smoked Duck Olio.
Tropica Nori resembles a taco with a shell made of fried seaweed and served in a box. The fillings are comprised of Japanese rice, fresh salmon sashimi, tuna sashimi, avocado, fresh mango and furikake.
You have to squeeze a bit of soy sauce on the fillings before taking a bite. All the ingredients together give a refreshing blend of taste, and it’s a good snack to have to stir up your appetite.
The Ebi Matcha Sando is great for sharing because it’s cut into four sandwiches. The green hue of the bread loaf comes from the matcha. Sandwiched inside are ebi katsu, tamago and pickled purple cabbage. It was another delicious snack addition that was filling but not too heavy.
CLockwise: Smoked Duck Olio, Summer Karaage, and Angus Beef. Image: Adeline Leong/ TRP.
The rice mixed together with the egg in the Angus Beef makes it a heartwarming meal. The beef is cooked just right and soft to chew.
The same can be said about the duck meat in the Smoked Duck Olio, which I loved. Each tasty morsel was enjoyable because the meat wasn’t tough and the light spice from the chilli flakes kept the dish interesting until the end.
The Summer Karaage consists of rice and egg with soft tofu bits and chicken karaage. The seasoned and tender chicken paired with a light flavourful sauce gives the whole dish a balanced flavour so it’s not overwhelming by the end of the meal.
From left to right: Dirty Matcha latte, Houjicha Latte, and Apple Juice. Image: Adeline Leong/ TRP
CC By Mel also did well with the drinks. We tried Dirty Matcha Latte, Houjicha Latte and Apple Juice.
The Dirty Matcha Latte has a smooth and balanced blend of green tea and espresso. There isn’t a strong, bitter aftertaste.
If you don’t want espresso in your drink, do try the Houjicha Latte. The flavour is light and balanced so it complements your meal. The bonus: it’s topped with a cute white bear!
I liked that we could choose the sugar levels and the amount of ice we wanted in our drinks. For the apple juice, I went for no sugar with minimal ice to taste the naturally sweet taste of apples.
Clockwise: Watermelon Cake, Genmaicha Cheesecake, and Choux Squad.
Of course, no meal is complete without desserts. We treated ourselves to Genmaicha Cheesecake, Watermelon Cake, and the Choux Squad.
The Genmaicha Cheesecake is great if you want a dessert with light flavours. The cake has an almost fluffy texture. It’s creamy and the cornflakes provide a very mild sweetness to the dish.
If you’re looking for a healthier option, the Watermelon Cake gives a refreshing taste and it’s almost like a palate cleanser at the end of your meal. The sourness of the strawberries goes well with the sweetness of the watermelon. The tiny cake layers in between are also soft.
The Choux Squad is great for sharing because it comes with four balls – two chocolate and two earl grey. The wafer at the base of the choux was tasty as well and it didn’t have the bland, airy taste some wafers do.
How to get there?
Image: Adeline Leong/ TRP
As always, you can always use Google Maps or Waze to get there. There are parking spaces outside the restaurant and you can also park in the basement of the shopping lots.
However, you can also park at Pavilion Bukit Jalil and walk to CC By Mel if you want to move the Exercise ring in your Apple Watch.
It’s only a five-minute walk from the shopping mall and it’s a pretty direct route if you exit from the entrance with the giant Golden Rooster. That was what I did!
CC By Mel
Address: Residensi Park, 2-13, Persiaran Jalil Utama, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Website: https://www.ccbymel.com/

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[Watch] 2 Men With Parangs Robbed A Convenience Store In Ipoh

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Two men, believed to be locals, were caught on CCTV robbing a convenience store in Menglembu in Ipoh yesterday (23 February).

The men, wearing helmets and face masks, barged into the shop while armed with parangs around 6pm and forced the shop staff to hand over their personal belongings.
They emptied the cash register too before leaving the shop with the stolen goods.

According to Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, the victims suffered losses amounting to RM1,600.
The police are hunting for the two suspects and the case will be investigated under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code for committing gang and armed robbery, as reported by Kosmo.
Anyone with information is advised to contact senior investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Fadli Ahmad at 019-2500019.

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[Watch] Setapak Senior Citizen Seals His House With Cement After Burning His Car

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What do you do when you don’t want to leave the house?

An elderly man in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, cemented the entrance to his house after setting fire to his car.
The bizarre incident happened in a residential area in Jalan Cengal Selatan, Taman Setapak, on Saturday (3 September).
The man’s neighbour noticed the incident and saw him burning his car at about 9.40 pm before calling the police.
Bad News Travels Fast
The incident also captured the imagination and curiosity of netizens.
A video uploaded by the TikTok user bigbossm_iqbal97 shows the public gathering in front of the house.
Also seen were fire and police vehicles parked on the side of the road.
At the time of writing, the viral footage has amassed 407,000 views.
  @bigbossm_iqbal97 Kes terbaru tuan rumah dh naik gila kereta rumah di simen. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 #fyp ♬ 31 Ogos – Dato’ Sudirman
Mental Illness
Utusan Malaysia quoted the police as saying that the suspect lives alone and is also a mental patient registered with Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).
Police denied the incident was due to foul play and took the suspect to the hospital for further treatment.
Meanwhile, the Fire and Rescue Department said they received an emergency call from the police via the MERS 999 line at 9:45 pm.
They dispatched machinery and a team of nine firefighters to the scene.
When the fire brigade arrived at the scene at 9:58 pm, the police asked to help cut the padlocks.
The suspect has locked himself in by installing 20 padlocks.
Firefighters also demolished the cement wall built blocking the door.

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Mike Tyson To Fight Roy Jones Jr: Retired Boxing Legends Return To The Ring

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54-year-old boxing legend, Mike “Iron” Tyson will be stepping back into the ring against another retired fighter, Roy Jones Jr.

Announcing his comeback on social media, Tyson looks to be fired up for an anticipated historic match-up between “David and Goliath”, as Jones Jr. himself labeled the fight.
I. AM. BACK. #legendsonlyleague. September 12th vs @RealRoyJonesJr on #Triller and PPV #frontlinebattle @TysonLeague pic.twitter.com/eksSfdjDzK— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) July 23, 2020
Credited as the youngest, undisputed heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990, Iron Mike had raked up a total of 50 wins with 44 knockouts before retiring in 2006.
His opponent, 51-year-old Jones Jr., held championship titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight categories and won 66 matches including an impressive 47 knockouts before retiring in 2018.
The two giants are set to dance for eight-rounds during a special “Frontline Battle” exhibition match on September 12, 2020 at the Dignity Health Sports, California and broadcasted live on the content sharing network, Thriller.
Also known as the “Baddest Man on the Planet”, Tyson is famed for his ferocity both inside and outside the ring, having bitten a chunk out of an opponent’s ear in the ring, serving time in prison, as well as struggling with drug addiction and mental health problems.
But in his later years, Tyson has repeatedly gone on to say that he’s trying to make amends for his past life and has been working on making real change in the community.
Tyson nibbling on Evander Holyfield during the infamouse “Bite Fight” in 1997.(Fox Sports)
Besides the upcoming fight, Tyson also announced the launch of the “Legends Only League”, a new sports division aimed at honoring retired athletes by having them relive their glory days in the ring or on the field.
Introducing my new venture. Legends Only League, bringing back legends of all sports. @TysonLeague https://t.co/HllhUXyYG4 pic.twitter.com/647q4g5LTX— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) July 23, 2020

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Source:
Tyson to make boxing comeback at 54 against Roy Jones, 51
Mike Tyson admits to being high on drugs during major fights, and using a fake penis to avoid detection
Mike Tyson, 54, to return to boxing in exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr.


MOH Testing Out Two Drugs To Treat Covid-19, Says Dr Noor Hisham

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The Health Ministry is looking to test two drugs – Ivermectin (IVM) and Favipiravir to treat Covid-19 to see their effectiveness against the disease.

In a Facebook post, Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that further testing will be needed for both types of drugs but initial studies from other researchers look promising.
The Institute of Clinical Research and KKM Infectious Disease specialists are in the process of developing a clinical trial on IVM, as well as Favipiravir to further ascertain the efficacy of these medicine.Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah via Facebook
He said that IVM is listed under WHO’s essential medicines from 2019, primarily to treat various parasitic infestations and added that it’s cheap, easily available and safe for use.
Currently, it’s only being licensed in Malaysia for use in animals.
Laboratory work showed IVM has broad spectrum antiviral properties against RNA and DNA viruses. On that basis, some clinicians have repurposed IVM with other standard of care against Covid-19.Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah via Facebook
Dr Noor Hisham said that there are now case reports and case series indicative of potential beneficial outcomes if patients are prescribed the drug in the early stages of infection.
Meanwhile, based on reports from the MOH, Favipiravir has been approved for the treatment of Covid-19 on 15 February 2020 in China, but tests are still being conducted to be used here.
They’ve cited the studies conducted on the drug which showed that it can be considered as one of the potential treatments for Covid-19 as it showed significantly better treatment effects in terms of clinical recovery rate, disease progression and viral clearance.

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Big Bad Wolf Loses 2-3 Million Books To Floods, Outlet In Shah Alam Temporarily Closed For Maintenance

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About two to three million books were damaged after being submerged in water at the Big Bad Wolf warehouse and BookXcess @Wolf House bookstore.

The premises are located in Section 33, Taman Alam Indah, which were severely hit by floods that hit Selangor recently.

BookXcess and Big Bad Wolf Books co-founder Andrew Yap said in a statement that the total loss is still in the evaluation process as it will take some time to ascertain.
However, based on the initial assessment, millions of books have been damaged, destroyed and cannot be saved, as well as some warehouse equipment.BookXcess and Big Bad Wolf Books co-founder Andrew Yap on the losses
An excavator clearing away the damaged books. (Source: Facebook)
Yap said work to clean up the Big Bad Wolf Books warehouse and dispose of damaged books is underway.
Other than the BookXcess bookstore at Wolf House, all 14 BookXcess bookstores nationwide, BookXcess Online and BookXcess and Big Bad Wolf Books on the Shopee platform are still operating as usual and accepting orders.
However, the Wolf House in Section 33, Taman Alam Indah is temporarily closed as it needs to be renovated due to severe damage.
A boy rummaging through a pile of damaged books. (Source: Bernama)
Despite losing two to three million books, Yao said his company intends to donate books to communities severely affected by the floods.
At the same time, it is also understood that the damaged books will be recycled into paper pulps.
Sad Day For Bookworms
Netizens, ostensibly bookworms, were heartbroken at the loss of such a massive amount.
They offered words of comfort to Big Bad Wolf and promised to buy more books in the future.
Big Bad Wolf is known for its markdown books with plenty of titles for both adults and children.
Others pointed out that it’s one more reason for the government to prevent floods in the future.
Netizens expressing their sadness at the loss of so many books. (Source: Facebook)
As it is, the floods had caused massive losses in human life and properties.
READ MORE: 50,000 Cars Damage By Floods, But 95% Of Owners Won’t Get Insurance Compensation
The government had announced aid, but it may not be enough for the people to rebuild their lives, prompting calls for further assistance.
READ MORE: Floods Caused ‘Total Loss’: Umno Man Suggests That Victims Get RM5,000 Each

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This KL Restaurant’s New Mediterranean Menu Is Perfect For A Healthy Treat-Yourself Meal

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The Mediterranean diet has enjoyed relative popularity as one of the healthiest cuisines globally, touted for reasons ranging from weight loss to diabetic control.

This is because a traditional Mediterranean diet is not just “a lot of fish and wine”, though those components are the most well-known. Their diet actually revolves around the region’s traditional fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seafood, olive oil, and dairy—with perhaps a glass or two of red wine.
Now, Klang Valley’s own Maria’s SteakCafe, which brought us sizzling steaks and Ipoh-inspired cocktails, is introducing their new Mediterranean menu with two delicious meals; complete with salad, soup, and a main.
Maria’s Mediterranean Meals
Much like traditional Mediterranean diets, there isn’t much focus on carbs. Instead, the freshness of ingredients are highlighted, and there are plenty of fresh vegetables, nuts, and meat to fill you up.
Salad
Top: the Orange & Spinach salad, bottom: the Apple & Kale salad.(Credit: Maria’s SteakCafe)
For the salad starter, choose from either the Orange & Spinach Salad with poppy seed vinaigrette or Apple & Kale Salad with greek yoghurt dressing.
While I tend to stay away from vinaigrettes because of the vingery-smell and sour aftertaste, the poppy seed vinaigrette was a refreshing burst of flavour that only served to elevate the fresh salad and draw it together with a fragrant sweetness.
Soup
The soup is a delighful addition to your meal.(Credit: Maria’s SteakCafe)
They also have two options of soup to go with your meal: the pumpkin soup or the minestrone soup.
While pumpkin soup is self-explanatory, minestrone soup is a tomatoe-y vegetable- and bean-based Italian soup. It’s a fantastic way to get your servings of vegetables in without feeling like you’re eating vegetables.
Main
Left: the grilled salmon and right: the Australian grass-fed tenderloin.(Credit: Maria’s SteakCafe)
Now for the main course of either Grilled Salmon with couscous Mediterranean style or the Australian grass-fed Tenderloin.
I got to try the grilled salmon on a bed of savoury couscous with tomato, sliced eggplants, and capers. Couscous is small steamed granules of rolled durum wheat semolina, or in other words, it’s like rice with the texture and taste of pasta.
The lightly grilled salmon paired very well with the umami of the couscous, and would definitely go great if paired with a refreshing light drink.
Healthy Yet Delicious
Most of the meal is made up of protein (meat and nuts) and vegetables, with less emphasis on carbs such as pasta or rice. However, the meal is a satisfying one, perfect even for someone hungry or with a big appetite.
A full Mediterrenean meal including the soup, salad, and main for just RM75++.(Credit: Maria’s SteakCafe)
With Maria’s SteakCafe’s new menu, you can enjoy a full antioxidant- and nutrient-rich meal at starting at just RM75. If you want, you can add on a bottle of wine to complement your perfect meal at 20% off. Additionally, TRP readers get a further 10% discount with the code TRP10.
It’s definitely a great choice for those who want to eat well, both in terms of health and taste.
All branches of Maria’s SteakCafe in KLCC, Bangsar, Sunway Pyramid, and Damansara Perdana are currently open for dine-in, delivery, or take-away.

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Malaysia Selected By WHO In A Global Mega-Research For Possible Covid-19 Cure

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Itâ€™s clear to anyone that the Health Ministry (MOH) has been doing a spectacular job in battling the Covid-19 pandemic, especially with Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health Director-General at the helm.
But it turns out that weâ€™re not the only ones impressed by our healthcare experts.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has selected Malaysia to be a part of their global mega-research team on remdesivir, a novel antiviral drug that has been identified as a possible treatment for Covid-19.
Transmission electron microscope image of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, isolated from a patient in the United States.(Credit: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH)
The global trial, called SOLIDARITY, is to quickly and effectively find the best possible treatment for the novel coronavirus. This effort is described as an unprecedented effort. Itâ€™s an all-out, coordinated campaign involving thousands of patients across the world to rapidly collect data during a pandemic.
According to The Edge, Dr Noor Hisham said that Malaysia was selected for two reasons – its ability to conduct research at a high level and the availability of good medical research facilities in the country.
We already have a platform [to do this research] and our researchers are trained to conduct such research. So, among the reasons we were chosen is because we have been identified as a country with a good healthcare research system.Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health Director-General via The Edge.
 Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health Director-General.(Credit: Malay Mail)
Malay Mail quoted Dr Noor Hisham stating that remdesivir was identified by WHO as a possible treatment for the respiratory illness. The research will be focused at Sungai Buloh Hospital, as well as other hospitals that have been identified as Covid-19 hospitals.
We will gather the patients, give them the medicine and monitor the side effects and also its effectiveness.Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, health director-general via Malay Mail.
Originally developed by Gilead Sciences, remdesivir is an investigational broad-spectrum antiviral treatment that has been tested in humans with Ebola virus disease and shown promise in animal models to inhibit the coronaviruses that cause Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
So far, remdesivir has been used sporadically on Covid-19 patients in serious conditions who showed great improvement after being administered the drug.
Remdesivir chemical structure.(Credit: Wikipedia)
This isn’t Malaysiaâ€™s only effort to find a Covid-19 cure though.
Malaysia is also about to begin vaccine development for the novel coronavirus.
The effort is by Institute for Medical Research Malaysia (IMR) in collaboration with Malaysian Vaccines and Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd (MVP) and Universiti Malaya Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC).
Using existing local vaccines for an avian coronavirus called Infectious Bronchitis virus (IBV), New Straits Times reports that they hope to be able to successfully produce a human vaccine as IBV is shown to have high genetic similarity with human coronavirus.
If successful, the country will potentially have a human vaccine to go into clinical trials soon. So, it looks like weâ€™re one step closer to possibly finding a cure for Covid-19!

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Source:
Malaysia chosen by WHO to take part in joint research to test COVID-19 cure
WHO launches global megatrial of the four most promising coronavirus treatments
Malaysia picked by WHO to conduct research on Covid-19 drug, says Health D-G
NIH clinical trial of remdesivir to treat COVID-19 begins
IMR begins testing to develop vaccines for Covid-19


Malaysian Employers Are Considered The Most Stingy In Southeast Asia

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How much is a good salary in Malaysia?

If your income is below RM2,500 a month, you’ll have to live pretty frugally
Many people in Malaysia subsist on considerably less.
RM2,500 to RM4,000 will get you further, and anything above RM5,000 will afford you a pretty comfortable life in KL.
But the figure is among the lowest in the region compared to Singapore (40 per cent), Indonesia (84 per cent) and the Philippines (76 per cent) in the country’s major cities.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor said such a low percentage of payment did not make sense because the average employer could afford to pay more than the minimum wage of RM1,200.
Speaking to Utusan Malaysia, he said the government had assisted employers in various forms of assistance to regain lost income during the Covid-19 pandemic period.
They often say now is not the right time to raise the minimum wage to RM1,500 because of economic difficulties and Covid-19. This reason has become the standard, while the government has prioritized various types of assistance worth billions of ringgit.MTUC president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor on the excuses in delaying minimum wage increment.
He said employers should make society purchasing power, not let society accrue debts.
When paying low wages, this opens up space for debt, employees are forced to waste time working overtime.
I find it funny; why the ones with RM15k per month for salary or with all the C, C, Cs in front of their job titles are always the LOUDEST in making sure the lowest wage permissible in Malaysia stays low?Curious. Ada siapa faham tak kenapa? 🤔— seef 🇵🇸🇲🇾 #SaveSheikhJarrah (@hasifullah) February 20, 2022
As Malaysian employers only spend 25 per cent of GDP to pay the salaries of their employees, Malaysia has become the most stingy country in Southeast Asia, said Abdul Halim.
He was commenting on the stand of the Federation of Malaysian Employers (MEF), the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) and economists who objected and disagreed with the RM1,500 minimum wage increase based on various factors.
Still a sad story of wage and salary structure in Malaysia. 15 mil employees and if this is ever representative only 3 million is above 4.9k (with an upper limit of six digits figure I guess). No wonder only 2 mil is paying income tax. https://t.co/9WLoIhswT9— s(y) (@syzvvn) May 21, 2022
The Average Salary In Malaysia
The average salary in Malaysia is RM79,000 annually, while the annual minimum wage is RM19,815.
The minimum monthly wage was RM1,200, while the typical salary range in Malaysia is RM1,670 (lowest average monthly salary to RM29,400 (highest average monthly salary).
In 2020, Malaysia’s average mean monthly salary was around RM2,900.
The average monthly salary in Malaysia varies wildly, depending on the education level, the employment sector, and especially between urban and rural areas.
The lowest salary grade is D29. It is the basic salary received by fresh grads from Sijil Perguruan.It ranges from RM1,698 to RM5,717 and D29 teachers are entitled to an annual increment of RM145.For reference, Malaysia’s national poverty line is at RM2,208.3/8— Wiki Impact (@wikiimpact) October 7, 2021
In the long-term, Malaysia’s wages are projected to trend around RM3,840.00 per month in 2022.
In April 2022, Malaysia’s new minimum wage rate of RM1,500 has been officially gazetted and will take effect nationwide starting from Labour Day.
READ MORE: Minimum Wage Officially Raised To RM1,500 On 1 May
SMEs, which are still struggling from the effects of the pandemic, will not be required to pay the new minimum wage yet.
Prior to that, the government only managed to raise the minimum wage once in 2020, but only in 56 city and municipality councils. The minimum wage in non-city and town areas was set at RM1,100.
According to econometric models, it is expected to reach RM3,920 per month in 2023.
What Is Malaysian Income Classification?
Malaysians are categorised into three different income groups: Top 20% (T20), Middle 40% (M40), and Bottom 40% (B40).
This is based on the Department of Statistics’ (DOSM) Household Income and Basic Amenities (HIS/BA) survey of 2019. HIS/BA is conducted twice every five years.
The T20 upper group represents the top 20% of Malaysians with salaries of more than RM10,970 and above.
The middle class in Malaysia is the M40 or Middle 40% group.
Based on the Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey 2019, the middle class in Malaysia earn between RM4,851 to RM10,970 per month.
Also, the M40 group covered 37.2% of the total household income in 2019.
Household Income and Basic Survey Amenities Report 2019, DOSM.
B40 is the Bottom 40% of the Malaysian household income. They earn less than RM4,850 per month.
READ MORE: [Watch] “That’s Why I Can’t Sit With B40 People”, UiTM Professor’s Statement Angers Citizens

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Singapore Develops A Covid-19 Breathalyser That Gives You Results in 2 Minutes

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In case you haven’t heard, our neighbours Singapore have created a breathalyser that can detect Covid-19!

Gone are the days of uncomfortable nose swabs that tickle your brain…almost.
Results in less than 2 minutes
The breathalyser works similar to an alcohol one where the person would need to blow into the test for 10 seconds.
The system then tests for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air exhaled into a mouthpiece connected to analytic equipment.
The assessments can produce results in 40 to 60 seconds and anyone who tests positive will have to undergo a PCR screening for confirmation.
The brains behind the breathalyser
Credit goes to two Singaporean start-ups that individually worked on the device in a bid to open up Singapore’s economy while controlling the coronavirus.
The TracieX breathalyser was designed by medtech firm Silver Factory Technology. It has been shown to be almost as accurate as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and can detect a positive case 95% of the time.
Silver Factory, founded in January last year as a spin-off from Nanyang Technological University, aims to produce at least 200,000 breathalysers a month from June and has already begun testing at Singapore Changi Airport.
Meanwhile, BreFence™ Go was developed by Breathonix, a spin-off company of the National University of Singapore (NUS) which has launched a trial of its system at a checkpoint linking Singapore with Malaysia. Their system is said to have an 85.3% accuracy rate for detecting positive cases.

Breathonix’s system was developed from their cancer detection technology and is described by them and the NUS as “simple to administer by trained personnel but does not require medically trained staff or laboratory processing.”
Both companies have already been awarded provisionary licenses and both have also applied for licenses in other Southeast Asian countries, as well as in the Middle East.
What does this mean for Malaysia?
According to The Star, My EG Services Bhd (MyEG) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in May to bring in Breathonix’s test system to Malaysia and will apply for the requisite regulatory approvals and certifications for the breath tests to be made commercially available.
Breathalyser testing is already being used to test hundreds of truck drivers a day going in and out of Malaysia and Singapore.
Although there is no news yet of whether the system is currently available in other parts of Malaysia, it does provide some sense of security knowing less invasive tests are being made available with a faster turnaround time to detect and combat the virus.

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