Malaysians Reunite With Families In Singapore After Being Separated For Years

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Church worker June Tan was among the first Malaysians to board the first bus from Malaysia under the land vaccinated travel lane (VTL) on Monday.

Tan, her husband Bruce Tum, and their two kids traveled via the Malaysian bus company known as Causeway Link to get into Singapore.
Adult bus tickets cost S$15 in Singapore and RM20 in Malaysia. Tickets for children cost S$8 and RM10.
We considered ourselves blessed to be able to get bus tickets. We were not sure we can get it, due to the overwhelming demand. Furthermore, the system crashed on day one when the system was open for booking. But good things come to those who wait. We try again in the afternoon and we manage to get tickets.Church worker June Tan to TRP
Tan said the last time they go back was the Chinese New Year in 2020.
They never expected to go back so soon as we heard many people would be trying their luck with the VTL.
READ MORE: Singapore-Malaysia Air Travel Is Back Via Vaccinated Travel Lane Starting 29 November
She expressed gratitude to have joined a Facebook group named Malaysia-Singapore Border Crossers (MSBC).
She said all the members are very helpful in sharing information.
Malaysian June Tan speaking to reporters at the Queen Street Bus Terminal. (Credit: Jeanelle Tum)
Meanwhile, Tum described the whole journey as fairly straightforward.
When we arrived at Larkin , it was very orderly. There were only two buses. Only half of each bus was used for seating, the other half was for putting luggages.Church pastor Bruce Tum to TRP
Tum, who is a pastor at Central Christian Church, said the journey takes a bit longer than pre-pandemic times.
Nevertheless, he said it’s certainly worth the effort especially for those who missed their loved ones across the causeway.
People are just excited to go back. As for us, we plan to take our children to visit Universal Studios Singapore. The kids are excited as this is their first time visiting the theme park.Church pastor Bruce Tum to TRP
He said the important thing is to make sure all the details are prepared in advance and typed in online for the Singapore side.
Accordingly, travelers to Singapore are required to submit the SG Arrival Card (which contains health declaration information) within three days before arriving.
The electronic SG Arrival Card. (Source: Google Playstore)
Upon arrival in Queen Street Bus Terminal, the family did the compulsory on-arrival antigen rapid test (ART).
Those who choose to travel by land using the VTL can purchase the bus tickets online at Transtar or Causeway Link.

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9 Million Meals Wasted Every Day By Malaysians

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According to Housing and Local Government Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Malaysians waste 9 million meals every single day.

He said Malaysians produce 38,000 tonnes of solid waste every day. Of that amount, about 17,000 tonnes is food waste, of which an estimated 4,046 tonnes, or 24%, is avoidable food waste.
This amount can feed three million people with three meals a day.Housing and Local Government Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican
In response, his ministry has launched the #JomTapau campaign, aimed at encouraging the community to value food and avoid waste.
Additionally, he also expects to see even more waste during the festive seasons, usually an increase of about 15%-20%!
It’s a lot of food, but most times we just can’t finish it all.(Credit: Malay Mail)
But what can we do about it?
Understandably, festive seasons must include plenty of food for the celebrations. It would be best if the amount of food required was well-controlled, but just in case there are surplus left, what can you do about it?
Not to worry, there are plenty of Malaysian organisations and foodbanks that are more than willing to distribute surplus foods to the hungry.
1. Food Aid Foundation
The NGO is essentially a food bank where unwanted foods from the supply chain are rescued and then distributed to people in need.
They accept donations from manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, companies, as well as personal donations.

2. The Lost Food Project
The Lost Food Project also works with multiple grocery stores to save food that are near their expiry date or would have been otherwise trashed.

3. What A Waste
What A Waste does take donations of cooked foods, but they have a team of professional kitchen helpers to ensure that the food is well-packed and still good to eat.

4. Kechara Soup Kitchen
Kechara Soup Kitchen serves freshly cooked food every day (except Sunday) to those in need. They also collect surplus groceries and food from hypermarkets to be delivered to needy families.
They have soup kitchen branches in KL, Johor, Penang, while they have food banks in other states.

5. KL SIKHS Community Services
KL SIKHS Community Services usually accepts surplus vegetables and groceries which they will then cook into delicious meals to be distributed.
However, they also accept donations of food items that are individually packed that can be easily distributed as well.

Throwing away food is a big waste of money, time, and effort to grow all the ingredients and cook them into delicious dishes, but also more importantly, it is a big waste of edible food that can feed hungry stomachs.
Let’s all do our part to save this important resource together!

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Mount Kinabalu Among Key Elements Of 2022 Miss Universe Malaysia’s National Costume

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Lesley Cheam, 26, the recently crowned 2022 Miss Universe Malaysia will be wearing a national costume inspired by the majestic Mount Kinabalu to represent Malaysia at the 71st Miss Universe competition in New Orleans, USA on 14 January 2023.

The costume is generous with the use of silver and grey colour, which symbolises large slabs of granite along Mount Kinabalu.
The colour also oozes strength and confidence, which is befitting of Mount Kinabalu stature as Malaysia’s tallest mountain. Weighing more than 10kg, it is designed by eco-conscious local designer, Hatta Dolmat, who is collaborating with the Miss Universe Malaysia Organization (MUMO) for the first time.
Another factor that makes this costume stand out is that it incorporates a sustainable theme to be kind to the environment, which is aligned with Cheam’s kindness campaign to be kind to everyone, including the environment. For instance, fabric and embellishment of the costume are made out of unwanted items like fabric, lace, bark, and rPET or recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is plastic used to make packaging like plastic water bottles and food containers.
As for the evening gown, which is also designed by the same designer, it draws its inspiration from a nebula, which is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space. Hatta features embellishment made out of purple, maroon and gold as the dominant colours in the evening gown to accentuate the skin tone and beauty of the reigning queen.
Elaine Daly, National Director of MUMO says the national costume sends a fashion statement that Malaysia is a progressive global citizen.
“The national costume is one of the highlights of the Miss Universe pageant. At MUMO, we go all out every year, and this year is no exception. We are promoting fashion upcycling on an international platform to help address climate change threats, which is one of mankind’s greatest challenges and global priorities now. We are also highlighting Mount Kinabalu as the pride of Malaysia, just as Lesley is to us as she represents Malaysia in the global arena next month,” she said.
MUMO is the country’s premier pageant and reality TV event conducted annually.Conceived 55 years ago in 1962 and revamped in 2010, it is conceptualized to provide a platform for young, ambitious Malaysian women to represent their nation on the international stage, which is Miss Universe.

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Over 1 Million Malaysians Think The Generational Endgame Is A Bad Idea

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Imagine you’re out chillin’ with friends. You’re all laughing and having a good time, when suddenly, one of your mates pulls out a vape and starts puffing away.

Immediately, the laughter stops, and everyone starts giving them the dreaded look of disapproval before one person scoffs, “You know that that’s bad for you right?”.
Your friend, feeling embarrassed and a lil’ annoyed, puts his vape away and sighed, “I know la! I’m trying to quit guys. It’s my right and my choice, what?”.

(Credit: our-team via Freepik)
Smoking has been a hot topic for Malaysians in recent years. And since the government announced that they were going to ban the use and sale of anything smoking-related — including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, shisha, e-cigs and vapes — to people born after 2007 with hopes of stopping future generations from picking up the habit, many have argued that a prohibitory Generational Endgame (GEG) policy might create more problems than it solves.

(Credit: via Malaysia Bersuara)
More than 1 million Malaysians have already petitioned and agreed that the GEG should be further studied to take into account how making it illegal for future generations to smoke, while the older generation can do so freely, might potentially be a bad idea.
It’s a freedom problem

(Credit: freepik via Freepik)
One of the main arguments against the GEG is that it violates the rights and freedoms of Malaysians to make their own choices. Though it is considered unhealthy, smoking is still a legal activity that the nation’s adults can choose to engage in, or not.
Former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Zaki Tun Azmi proposed that we should consider the legal, constitutional and criminal implications of such prohibitory laws, stating that “one simply cannot turn a blind eye to the inextricable legal perils it presents.”
The barrister explained that the GEG may ultimately result in discrimination towards certain groups of people. In an op-ed published by New Straits Times, he noted that the Federal Constitution promises each citizen fair and equal treatment under the law and that depriving a generation of consenting adults from exercising their civil liberty, while others are free to do as they wish, is rather unfair.

Allow me to illustrate this point further with a scenario in the near future: A group of colleagues, all of whom are of legal age, are lighting up during their cigarette break. Despite being in the same location and smoking cigarettes, only one of them is consuming a banned product because he was born in 2007 and one wonders where and how did that person purchase it.
Former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Zaki Tun Azmi via New Straits Times.
He also cautioned that such prohibitory laws may be impossible to enforce and could result in the rise of criminal activities accross the country.

For many years, we have had issues with abuse of enforcement powers and having a policy ban such as the GEG will create further opportunities for corruption. Using legislation to ban smoking entirely amongst future generations will lead to the black market and illicit tobacco sale with massive challenges of enforceability.
Former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Zaki Tun Azmi via New Straits Times.
Tun Zaki advised that Malaysia should instead follow in the footsteps of countries like Japan, the UK and New Zealand where harm-reduction strategies that provide the public with less harmful alternatives to cigarettes as a more humanising approach towards a smoke-free society.
Read More: Sweden Just Became The World’s 1st Smoke-Free Country. Can Malaysia Do The Same?

Policymakers need to bite the bullet and embrace new technology in nicotine delivery to wean society off harmful cigarettes. The harm reduction approach is not contradictory to the endgame legislation; it is the much-needed stop-gap measure to phase out cigarettes from future generations.
Former Chief Justice of Malaysia Tun Zaki Tun Azmi via New Straits Times.
It is prohibitive and punitive to smokers

(Credit: tirachardz via Freepik)
Being punitive by preventing smokers from accessing less harmful alternatives to help them kick the habit could also be dangerous to the public’s health and well-being.
The Addiction Medicine Association Malaysia (AMAM) President Dr Steven Chow and the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) President Dr Shanmuganathan Ganesan were quoted as saying that authorities should focus on ways to support smokers to quit their addiction instead of punishing them for their habits.

In our experience with engaging with smokers, we have learnt that many want to quit, but do not have the right support or tools to aid their journey. We are also cognizant of the fact that smokers who are not ready to quit or insistent on a cigarette will find access to the products they need by any means necessary.
AMAM President Dr Steven Chow and FPMPAM President Dr Shanmuganathan Ganesan via CodeBlue
Arguing that prohibition-focused policies would only drive people to look for back channels and the further consumption of unregulated (and possibly even more dangerous) products, the doctors call for policymakers to accept the science and look into how harm-reduction strategies could benefit Malaysia in its fight against the epidemic of smoking.
Read More: 42% Quit Smoking Using Vape In Malaysia

There are many credible studies that have highlighted the science behind harm reduction. Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians are two key reports that have shared overwhelming scientific data that harm reduction efforts can work with a proper regulatory framework in place. The field of tobacco harm reduction is in urgent need of research and a regulatory framework, particularly in Malaysia, and we must take the time to explore this option.
AMAM President Dr Steven Chow and FPMPAM President Dr Shanmuganathan Ganesan via CodeBlue
It’s bad for business

(Credit: Ahmad Zamzahuri via Malay Mail)
Smoking is big business. The tobacco industry is estimated to contribute around 0.2% of Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) and account for about 2% of the country’s tax revenue. Meanwhile, the vape industry is valued to be worth around RM2.27 billion and employs more than 15,000 people. And in contrast to this, the country’s illicit cigarette trade is gauged to be worth more than RM5 billion, or nearly 3% of the country’s tax receipts.
Being at the forefront of this industry, those who man the storefronts express their concern that the GEG’s effective ban on the sale of smoking products could affect their livelihoods and the nation’s overall economy.
“We do not advocate smoking but from a business perspective, the product has demand and it provides us with a steady flow of income which covers parts of our daily operational costs. This ban on sales of cigarettes and vape will eventually take this away from our revenue stream.” said the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia (FSGMAM) President Hong Chee Meng, who laments how the government was quick to make decisions without consulting retailers.
Chee Meng added that the lack of enforcement for the black market trade of smoking products would only result in them “easily dominating the market” and force local and law-abiding retailers to go out of business.
With those arguments in mind, authorities should consider adopting more balanced and reasonable measures such as providing better healthcare education and supporting alternative ways to support smokers to quit.
So where do you stand on the subject?

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Source:
Is the Generational Endgame the best way forward?
Sweden Just Became The World’s 1st Smoke-Free Country. Can Malaysia Do The Same?
Doctors’ Groups Tout Harm Reduction To Curb Smoking
42% Quit Smoking Using Vape In Malaysia
Generational endgame a bold beginning to end tobacco use but is there an economic cost?
Malaysian Vape Industry Worth RM2.27 Billion


Maszlee Leaves Mahathir’s Pejuang. Now An Independent MP

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Simpang Renggam MP and former Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik today announced that he has left the Pejuang political party and is now an independent MP.

In a statement posted on Twitter, in Bahasa and English, Maszlee said he had received many questions as to why a recent press statement by the party did not include his name.
“I wanted to fully concentrate my effort in helping the Rakyat that has been afflicted with Covid-19, especially for those in Simpang Renggam and Malaysia in general,” he wrote.
He said he will also continue pushing for changes in education as an independent MP through activism with NGOs and fellow activists.

https://twitter.com/maszlee/status/1323115704032264192

“I believe, efforts for changes do not require power and position solely, but with passion and opportunity.
“This decision was made based on the facts garnered through detailed observation and field research on the aspirations and needs of Rakyat. I believe, Rakyat has grown nauseous with the game of power and politics by the elit Politikus. Rakyat is in need of politicians who focuses on supporting and truly solving the adversities that they are currently facing with (sic).”
Maszlee was a founding member of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s new Pejuang party which, with Maszlee’s withdrawal, now holds just 4 seats in parliament.
Maszlee had backed Dr Mahathir when their previous party, Bersatu, had splintered during a political crisis.

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Man Ran Amok On PLUS Highway’s Fast Lane Near Kuala Kangsar

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A man had caused a stir after he ran amok on the North-South Expressway southbound, near the Kuala Kangsar district yesterday evening.

During the incident, the suspect, a Malay male, had stopped a car in the fast lane of the expressway.
He then alighted the vehicle before going on a rampage while clutching a gold chain, where he climbed on a car before kicking several nearby cars that had slowed down to evade the suspect and his vehicle.

The picture of the man running amok had also made its rounds on social media.
Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid had also confirmed the incident.
Mior Faridalathrash said that the police were alerted of the incident at about 7.12pm.
“The police report was lodged in Ipoh but the probe was carried out by the Kuala Kangsar Criminal Investigation Department, and the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department.
“The suspect and all witnesses will be traced to assist the investigations,” he was quoted by Bernama.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 and Section 283 of the Penal Code for causing mischief, as well as Section 48 of the Road Transport Act 1987 for obstruction of the road.

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Rocket Debris Punctured House Roof In Sibu, Allegedly From China’s Long March Rocket

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A piece believed to be from China’s Long March 5B rocket was found lodged in the roof of a home in Rumah Panjang Renyam in Sungai Asan Bayu, Sibu, yesterday night (13 August).

The homeowner thinks the rocket piece had been lodged on the roof for a few weeks. Based on a police report made at Sungai Merah police station, his neighbour heard a loud crash at his house on 30 July.
He only realized the hole in the roof yesterday when he dropped by the house and saw it was leaking.

According to Kosmo, he contacted the authorities right after spotting it. Bintangor Bomba received a call about the find around 8.50pm.
The rocket piece measured two inches wide and three inches long. It was found lodged in the wooden beams on the roof.
The rocket piece had been passed to the police for investigation.
Previously, some debris allegedly from the Long March rocket was found in Kampung Nyalau, Bintulu, and Kampung Sepupok in Miri, on 1 August.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry confirmed that the debris wasn’t radioactive and did not emit any radiation.

When did the rocket enter the Earth’s atmosphere?
On 31 July, the Chinese Long March rocket re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean around 12.45am.
The rocket blasted off on 24 July to deliver a laboratory module to the new Chinese space station under construction in orbit.
A few people in Sarawak managed to spot the burning debris in the sky, thinking it was a meteor before knowing what it truly was.
The Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) stated that some of the smaller debris fell around the Sulu Sea.
READ MORE: [Watch] ‘Meteor’ Over Kuching Was Actually Falling Debris From China’s Long March 5B Rocket

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[Watch] Malaysian Youtubers Get ChatGPT To Write A Hilarious Diss-Track About Jay Chou

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A trio of Malaysian Youtubers, collectively known as Steady Gang, is famous for making Mandopop parodies.

Their latest target was none other than the King of Mandopop, Jay Chou, and they decided to use ChatGPT to write a song about the popular singer.
For the first prompt, the group asked the AI (artificial intelligence) writer to write a song with Jay Chou as a topic.
ChatGPT provided a few lines singing praises of Chou saying he’s the king of music.
For the second prompt, Steady Gang asked for the lyrics to be funnier. In response, ChatGPT complained about Jay Chou’s songs being hard to comprehend.
Your lyrics are too hard to understand, like reading ancient text.ChatGPT writing the lyrics
This was a playful jibe at Chou’s way of singing and rapping. Listeners have always commented that they couldn’t make out what Chou sings most of the time because he mumbles his way through the song.
The third prompt requested ChatGPT to make the lyrics rhyme and that was when the masterpiece was formed.
We are Jay Chou fans, his music is very interesting. But there are some lyrics, I can’t clearly hear quite a few words. Maybe I’m too stupid and shallow. Maybe you would understand how I feel. Let me tell you now, what I hear.ChatGPT making the Chinese lyrics rhyme.
This was then followed by more nonsensical Chinese lyrics in the chorus (loosely translated by Today Online), mocking a typical rap by Chou.
Dragon Palace Admiralty, long-lasting pure love, longing for love, drawing you into my dreams.The crowd chant, sensational competition for love, pus flowing from the pipa, wait for me to enter the palace.Draw attention for love, tears like the river, heavy love, heavy lips.Do you understand? Oh~ChatGPT writing the nonsensical chorus
To add salt to the wound, ChatGPT titled the whole song, “Do You Understand?”
With the lyrics on hand, Steady Gang worked with Mr Choo, a Malaysian Mandopop singer, and a team of music producers to bring the song to life.
The music video garnered more than 533k views and 18k likes. The video was also ranked 20th on Youtube’s Trending for Music list.

Netizens praised the song’s originality and musical arrangement. They also praised the Youtubers for their stylish costumes and for taking the performance seriously.
Netizens also believe the song is proof that ChatGPT’s ability to write music shouldn’t be underestimated, but it still needs someone to compose and musically arrange it into a song.
The hilarity of the whole situation comes to a head when people find out that Jay Chou once said he wasn’t worried about AI taking over the jobs of music content creators like him.
Just last month, Chou, who’s a prolific lyricist and composer, wrote on Instagram that his special touch of musicality can’t be recreated by a machine.
Despite the praises, a viewer felt that there were racist undertones in ChatGPT’s lyrics, especially the chorus.
With the rise of AI technology, there have been worries that it’ll leave a lot of people jobless.
However, naysayers said there still needs to be humans cross-checking the work of AI because the technology isn’t perfect as its learning is based on human input such as codes.
        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Jay Chou 周杰倫 (@jaychou)

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We Were Not Sleeping In The Car: Girl Recalls Chronology Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Which Killed Her Friends

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Perhaps many still remember the carbon monoxide poisoning incident that happened to 4 girls that happened 2 years ago.

The September 2020 incident happened while the girls – all 21 years old then – were on their way home from vacation.
It caught the attention of many following the death of three of them in the blink of an eye.
The only survivor of the carbon monoxide poisoning tragedy, Nor Aqilah Mohd. Safwan recounted the tragedy on social media recently.
  @qillmyname Just to remember ‘) ♬ best buddies x traitor – ejaeja
Nor Aqilah made it clear in the TikTok video that the four of them did not sleep in their car, as believed by some parties.
First of all, we did not sleep. We just stop to buy food, get back in the car and then we don’t remember what happened. We chat for a while in the car but I can’t remember the rest. When I opened my eyes, I was in hospital. The first thing that came out of my mouth was where are my sisters.Carbon monoxide poisoining survivor Nor Aqilah recounting the incident.
Sedih kami menerima berita 4 sekawan yang berehat di dalam kereta, 2 daripadanya telah meninggal dunia akibat keracunan karbon monoksida dan 2 lagi sedang dirawat di ICU. Kami ucapkan takziah kepada ahli keluarga yang terlibat. Di sini, kami mengambil.. https://t.co/vXk2kivPYI pic.twitter.com/mT2I0v9PNP— Public Health Malaysia (@health_malaysia) September 17, 2020
A Holiday Turned Tragedy
The four of them are understood to have stopped at the petrol station in PLUS Samagagah, Penang.
They were resting while on the way back to their home in Sungai Petani and Gurun in Kedah.
The girls, who were awaiting graduation, were coming back from a holiday in Pulau Jerejak, Penang.
They were found unconscious in the car at about 1.40 am, with the engine still running.
Nor Aqilah was initially admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. She was in a coma and eventually survived.
Mangsa terakhir keracunan karbon monoksida sedar daripada komahttps://t.co/NLJ6GCZ17M pic.twitter.com/pslJchBv1G— BERNAMA (@bernamadotcom) September 25, 2020
After she was transferred to a regular ward, her father informed her of the sad news that her twin sister and two other friends were gone.
No one can reject destiny, but can only calm down and continue living. Al-Fatihah for my friends in heaven.Carbon monoxide poisoining survivor Nor Aqilah accepting the tragedy that befell them.
 The Danger Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The autopsy report found that various organs of the three victims failed to function due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
The vehicle in which the four friends were riding had a leak in the car’s exhaust and emitted a very strong noise and smell of smoke.
Nor Aqilah’s twin, Nor Adilah, died while receiving treatment at the Lumut Army Hospital, Perak.
A news report in 2020 on the tragedy. (Source: Facebook)
The two others were Sharifah Fariesha and Ayuni Shazwanie Sabri.
Sharifah was confirmed dead in the Honda Odyssey MPV while Ayuni died while being treated at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.
Ayuni’s father was said to have gone out to look for his daughter when she did not arrive home at 11 pm.
They last kept in touch when she sent a message to her mother at 9.15 pm.
Sad Story Touches Netizens
Nor Aqilah’s posting had since gone viral and has reached more than 600,000 views.
Netizens, including those who helped at the petrol station that day, gave their sympathy and words of encouragement to the girl.

Others said there are silver linings embedded within tragedy, while others remember the victims for their positive personalities.

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Wawasan 2020: Mâ€™sia 3rd national car to be unveiled in 2020!

Do you remember yelling out the lyrics of Keranamu Malaysia
in school?
So did the Malaysian government, because theyâ€™re taking the â€œBerkereta
jenama negara, Megah menyusur di jalan rayaâ€ line pretty seriously.

Credit: Wikipedia

Seriously enough to launch Malaysiaâ€™s THIRD national car!
Step aside, Proton & Perodua. Thereâ€™s gonna be a new player in town.
Credit: Facebook
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) made the announcement this morning (9th August) that Cyberjaya-based company DreamEDGE will produce the third national car.

â€œThe objective of new national car is to adopt science, technology and engineering. It is a fully-fledged vehicle developed in Malaysia.â€
Darell Leiking, International Trade and Industry Minister via Malay Mail.

Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking shakes hands with DreamEdge CEO Khairil Adri Adnan (second from left) during a press conference at i-Tech Tower, Cyberjaya August 9, 2019.(Credit: Shafwan Zaidon/Malay Mail)

Who is DreamEDGE?
The Malaysian company founded by 3 local engineers in 2007 boasts
a pretty impressive resume of design and R&D contracts by corporations in
Japan, the UK, Austria, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
In fact, DreamEDGE has a hand in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo!
Surprised Shocked GIF from Surprised GIFs

They helped create a next-gen eco-friendly shuttle vehicle that will be used during the games next year.

As a product of YAB Tun @chedetofficialâ€™s Look East Policy, Adri started DreamEDGE in 2007 with only 3 local engineers. Today, the team has grown substantially, with expertise to provide even next-gen eco-friendly shuttle vehicle for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. #MEA pic.twitter.com/p5XxNXvOw2
â€” Mohamed Azmin Ali (@AzminAli) July 24, 2019

The private company now has a manufacturing and prototyping centre in Cyberjaya, an innovation lab in Bukit Jalil, a design centre in Taiping, AND an R&D office in Tokyo, Japan!

DreamEDGE’s Electric Bus(Credit: DreamEDGE)

So it looks like weâ€™ll be in pretty good handsâ€¦
What will the 3rd national car look like?
According to MITI, the new national car will be a BRAND NEW MODEL with â€œadvanced technologyâ€.
Looking at DreamEDGEâ€™s past projects and Malaysiakini’s report, itâ€™s likely that Malaysiaâ€™s 3rd national car will be a Range Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV).

Image for illustration only.(Credit: The Sunday Times)

According to this research paper we found, a REEV is :

â€œa vehicle powered predominantly by a zero emission energy storage device, able to drive the vehicle for more than 75 all-electric miles (~120km), and also equipped with a backup auxiliary power unit (APU), which does not operate until the energy storage device is fully depletedâ€.

Long story short: Itâ€™s an electric vehicle with an APU used solely to recharge the energy storage system and extend the vehicleâ€™s electric range.

DreamEDGE’s Low Speed Electric Vehicle (LSEV)(Credit: DreamEDGE)

Exactly WHEN will we see this car?
According to Malay Mail, the first prototype is expected to be unveiled in March 2020.
Meanwhile the launch of the car will most likely be in March 2021.
Good Job Thumbs Up GIF from Goodjob GIFs

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34 Years Prison For British Woman Who Decapitated Malaysian Friend

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A 38-year-old woman in London has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering and decapitating a Malaysian woman.

According to Free Malaysia Today, Jenna Mitchell will serve at least 34 years in prison for killing Chong Mee Kuen, 67, in June 2021.
A post-mortem examination showed that Chong’s skull bore a fracture likely to be caused by being hit with a weapon.
There is the chilling aspect of what you did to and with her body after you killed her. You have shown absolutely no remorse and it appears you are in complete denial as to what you did, notwithstanding what in my judgment amounted to the overwhelming evidence against you.A judge at the Old Bailey said while handing the sentence to Mitchell in the first case to be broadcast live on television.
What happened last year?
On 11 June 2021, Jenna Mitchell murdered and decapitated Chong before allegedly stuffing the victim’s body into a large blue suitcase.
The headless body was later dumped in the woods in Salcombe, Devon, on 26 June, and was found by holidaymakers the next day. The victim’s head was only found a few days later.
According to Sky News, Mitchell also forged a will that would leave a bulk of Chong’s estate, valued at approximately RM3.9 million (£700,000), to her and her mother, Hilary Collard.
Police arrested Mitchell in July, and she was charged the same month.
Jemma Mitchell spotted on CCTV dragging a suitcase in Wembley, northwest London on 11 June last year. Image: Met Police
They were churchmates
Both women met through a church group. Chong was murdered after she allegedly backed out of an offer she made to invest more than RM1.1 million (£200,000) in renovating Mitchell’s rundown home in Willesden, northwest London.
Mitchell allegedly wanted to include a “church room with nature tweeting.”
Chong allegedly told Mitchell that it wasn’t logical to renovate the whole house when she didn’t have the funds to do so.
She also advised Mitchell to sell the £4 million house and use the money to live a simple life because “life is too short.”
The friendship deteriorated after that, with Chong telling Mitchell not to visit her on 8 June.
Until you sold house I won’t want you to come to me or my house. I’m stressed to the core.Chong’s message to Mitchell on 8 June

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Honestbee suspends services in Malaysia, owes thousands of ringgit to restaurant

If youâ€™ve been depending on Honestbee to do your grocery shopping, thereâ€™s bad news guys.
The food and grocery delivery service has just suspended its operations in Malaysia yesterday (July 22).
So Shocked GIF from Shocked GIFs

And thereâ€™s a lot of unhappy customers. A restaurant in SS15, called Jibril took to Facebook to share their story with Honestbee.

Picture Credit: @jibrilss15/Facebook

Jibril states that Honestbee owed them a couple thousand of
ringgit over the past months of business. After no communication for a few
months, Jibril received a call from them to take back their tab and disappeared
again.

Instead of coming back with the money they owed, Honestbee
emerged with a letter stating that theyâ€™re temporarily suspending operations
from 22nd July 2019 onwards.
In regard to the payment, the letter states:

â€œWe endeavour to meet our financial commitments to you, however at this moment our headquarters in Singapore is not able to provide a firm payment schedule. We would like to assure you that detailed timeline for the outstanding payment will be communicated as soon as it is available to us.â€

So it looks like Jibril canâ€™t know when theyâ€™ll receive
their money for now.
Not The Bees! GIF from Bees GIFs

However, this is hardly surprising as there was writing on the wall for some time already. They were reportedly running out of money and trying to sell its business, talking to Grab and Go-Jek about potential acquisition.
Then, the CEO and co-founder Joel Sng stepped down, followed by the departure of their Vice President of Marketing.

Picture Credit: Marketing Interactive

Marketing Interactive has also reported that Honestbee is having trouble paying the salary of their employees, and thatâ€™s AFTER laying off 10% of its global staff count in May this year.
Honestbee was founded in 2015, working with supermarkets and
retailers to deliver food and groceries to customers. Based in Singapore, it expanded
to 8 markets in Asia including Malaysia. However, it has been halting operations
in several of these markets, like Indonesia, Philippines and Hong Kong.

Thereâ€™s no word yet when the Malaysian operations will resume but looks like itâ€™s bees-ness is not as usual.

Picture Credit: CrankGamePlays/YouTube


PUBG declared HARAM by new Aceh fatwa

List of things Muslims considers forbidden:
Eating pork
Doing drugs and drinking alcohol
Gambling and premarital relationships
Multiplayer online game (MMOG)?
(Seriously?)

(Picture Credit: Mememaker)

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Aceh has issued a
fatwa against the online shooting game PlayerUnknownâ€™s
Battleground (PUBG).
Thatâ€™s right, the hugely popular online game was slapped with the Haram label on Wednesday.  (looks like no more chicken dinner guys…)

via GIPHY
The council took an exhausting TWO WHOLE DAYS of research and deliberation to conclude that the game is detrimental towards the religion and its followers.
In Islam, the term haram refers to anything that is prohibited in the Quran and Sunnah – spoken or written acts of the Prophet – committing a forbidden act would result in sin.

(Picture Credit:  mondcivitan)

According to the group, PUBG and other similar games are identified as haram because, not only does it insult Islam, but also triggers violent behavior in the individuals who play it.

via GIPHY
Alarmed by the soaring popularity of mobile gaming among Aceh’s Muslim majority, MUI stated that the ruling would apply to other games too. (no word yet to what titles they might ban next though… fingers crossed its not Pokemon…)

(Picture Credit: Memedroid)

 “We’ve seen that children and even adults in Aceh are starting to get addicted to the game and they’re playing it everywhere on their mobile phones… It’s getting worrying.”
Said MUI deputy chairman Faisal Ali as mentioned by Channel News Asia
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile or more affectionately known by its over 50 million player from accross the globe as simply, PUBG, is an online multiplayer game published by Tencent Games playable on mobile devices as well as consoles and PCs.

(Picture Credit: EXTREMETECH)

The game applies a battle royale format where players are pitted against each other in a free for all shoot-to-kill, scavenger hunt to the end, leaving only one winner emerging victorious.

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PUBG and other online multiplayer shooting games have been in the global headlines recently as governments around the world have been taking moves to ban the playing of such games in their countries.

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In May, the Iraqi parliament had banned several popular online games, including PUBG.
In India, the popular game title had also been restricted, with police officials even actively seeking and detaining those who are caught playing the game.
The government of Nepal had also made moves to ban the game too.
However, its worth mentioning that fatwas are not legally binding in Indonesia and Malaysia (too just fyiâ€¦) but they can be used as a basis for the passing of new laws and Sharia.
Letâ€™s hope the Malaysian government doesnâ€™t catch wind of this (ridiculous) idea. (cuz some of us are trying to take the season...)

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Nike fan designs Indomie themed Air Jordans and weâ€™re in love!

Ah…Indomie. Just the mere mention of it has us salivating for those salty fried noodles. They go so well is so many things..telur mata…burger…and apparently, a pair of Air Jordans too.

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Mr. Simply Custom or @mr.s.custom according to his Instagram handle, is the online alias of Jonathan â€œJonasâ€ Gustana. The 23-year-old Indonesian university graduate is a Singapore based artist who makes customised sneakers with hand drawn art as a personal hobby.
A week ago, he saw a photoshop rendition of a pair of Nike Air Jordans with an Indomie design on Instagram and was inspired to bring it to life.

â€œFor the Indomie custom design, I was actually inspired by a Photoshop rendition posted by @arifwhy on Instagram a week ago. I merely brought his design to life.â€
 Jonas Gustana via The Star

 View this post on Instagram

 Nike Air Jordan x Indomie “Seleraku Hype Abis” #nikeindonesia #nike #nikeairjordan #jordan1 #shoes #sneaker #sneakerheads #indomie #indomiegoreng #urbansneakersociety #photoshop #arifwhy #virgilabloh #indofood
A post shared by  Internet Person (@arifwhy) on Jun 11, 2019 at 2:07am PDT

Jonas then immediately got in touch with @arifwhy to ask permission to use the design for a physical pair of Air Jordans.

â€œI just thought it would be cool to have an actual pair of Air Jordans with the Indomie design. I think itâ€™s a cute way of expressing oneâ€™s loyalty to an Indonesian food brand that has also gained popularity in other countries.â€
  Jonas Gustana
Trust us, the shoes are more than cute.

 View this post on Instagram

 Kemarin ada konsep sepatu Jordan 1 kebanggan Indonesia. Jordan 1 Indomie. Produk yang Indonesia banget. I hereby present to you, Jordan 1 Indomie Custom, bisa lo pake kemana mana. Tunjukin generasi kita sekarang!!! Custom ini bakal di display di @indocomiccon loh ——— Mau banget Jordan 1 Indomie? Punya sepatu lain mau dibikin jadi Indomie? Ato udah punya Jordannya terus mau di custom? Ato mau beli Jadi? DM AJA! ——— Custom by : @mr.s.custom Concept by : @arifwhy ——— #nike #nikeindonesia #aj1custom #urbansneakersociety #uss #customsneaker #jordanindomie #indomie #icc2019exhibitor #indonesiacomiccon
A post shared by  Mr. Simply Custom (@mr.s.custom) on Jun 16, 2019 at 3:30am PDT

Jonas took the retro Nike footwear, which originally comes in black and white, and gave it a splash of red, yellow and green – paying homage to the colours found on Indomie packets.

 (Picture credit: Tjinâ€™s Toko)

Below the characteristic Nike swoosh, Jonas added the Indomie logo and patterned the shoe with yellow noodle-like shapes. How is it so beautiful?!

 View this post on Instagram

 Selamat pagi, jangan lupa sarapan dengan Indomie ya. We decided to do a limited pair of this Indomie x Air Jordan 1 custom. We will only make a total of 20 pairs of this custom. Kita bakal bikin limited buat 20 pairs aja. (Untuk yang BNIB beli langsung jadi) Authenticity card akan diberikan juga. Base sepatunya AJ1 Tripple white mid. Buat pantau udah berapa AJ1 Indomie yg confirmed for order, pantau terus Story nya yak. Jangan lupa empat sehat, indomie sempurna. #indomie #aj1indonesia
A post shared by  Mr. Simply Custom (@mr.s.custom) on Jun 17, 2019 at 6:50pm PDT

The eye-catching design also has â€œMicin Generationâ€ written on the heel, an ironic reference to the Indonesian term for millennials who have grown up consuming too much â€œmicinâ€ aka monosodium glutamate (MSG), which, if we have to be honest, Indomieâ€™s probably uses very liberally in its dry seasoning powder.

 View this post on Instagram

 Indomie spesial ya mas, pakai telor. . Coba dah, siapa di sini yang kalo makan Indomie di warung ato di kantin sekolah, rasanya jauh lebih enak daripada bikin sndri? The power of Mba Indomie. . #jordan1indomie #ussfeed #urbansneakerssociety
A post shared by  Mr. Simply Custom (@mr.s.custom) on Jun 17, 2019 at 1:04am PDT

Jonasâ€™ Nike x Indomie sneaker has over 8,000 likes at the time of writing.
According to an interview by The Star, the recent graduate from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore has since opened a limited order for 20 pairs of custom Indomie Air Jordans due to the high demand he was getting from his followers
Although Indomie is pretty cheap, Indomie sneakers are not. Jonas said he sells each pair for RM960. He has received orders from all over the globe, including those living in the United States, Thailand and Singapore.

via GIPHY
BRB while we go eat some Indomie while staring at these shoes weâ€™ll never have.

via GIPHY


Robber Gets Destroyed By Staff For Trying To Rob The Place

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Robberies are often risky business as the consequences that come with them might hurt or land someone in jail.

One man found that out the hard way as he was beaten up by the workers of a local restaurant after he tried to rob the place.
In a video posted by Facebook user Kim Leong Him that went viral recently, a man was seen entering the premises before heading straight to the counter to try and get some money.
However, the man didn’t realise that one of the staff members who was sitting nearby had noticed that there was something fishy going on and immediately went behind him.
Once the staff noticed that the man had bad intentions, he then proceeded to take one of the nearby chairs and smack the robber from behind, WWE-style.
A tussle then ensued between the robber, the cashier, and the staff who hit the man before two more people came into the scene and jumped in on the action.
Luckily during the altercation, the children who were nearby were brought out of the restaurant by a female worker.
You can watch the video here on Facebook.
Netizens rooted for the workers
Commenters who saw the video were bemused by the scuffle but most applauded the staff for acting swiftly to prevent the robbery.
One commenter said that the worker who hit the robber with the chair reminded him of the popular 90’s Asian gangster flick, Young and Dangerous.
Credit: Facebook
Another commenter even jokingly said that the chair, not the workers, was the true hero of the day.
Credit: Facebook
However, there were those who were concerned with the safety of the nearby children but were relieved that they were brought out before the brawl got worse.
Credit: Facebook
What we can learn from the video is that crime doesn’t pay and if it does, it costs an arm and a leg.

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“Why Was Anwar Able To Campaign From Behind Bars But Not My Father?” Asks Najib’s Daughter

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Nooryana Najwa, the daughter of former Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, questioned why Anwar Ibrahim was allowed to campaign from jail for his wife during the 2015 Permatang Pauh by-election while her imprisoned father was prohibited from releasing a statement on GE15.

She also shared screenshots of related news articles, one of which said that Anwar’s message to the public was conveyed by his lawyer at the time, Latheefa Koya, urging them to vote for the PKR and its candidate, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
In the second news article, Supri Hashim, the senior director of prison policy for the Prisons Department, said that Najib could not campaign for the upcoming general election.
        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by yananajib (@yananajib)
Why could Anwar do so but not Najib? Is it because his name is Najib?Yana Najib asked in a posting on Instagram yesterday.
Supri Hashim, the Senior Director of the Prison Policy Division, was quoted as saying earlier that no prisoner who is currently serving a sentence has been able to make a statement.
He stated that the restriction applies to all prisoners, including former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
If the previous prime minister has an opinion on how the political climate in the country is right now before the GE-15, that opinion is also relevant to the instruction.
The Prisons Department has nothing to do with politics and we discharge our responsibilities regardless of the ruling governmentSupri Hashim, Prisons Department senior director

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Malaysian Girl Sent Dr Noor Hisham A Friendship Bracelet And He Wrote Back

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If you thought our Malaysian Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah couldn’t get any better, he just made the whole country swoon- again.
Twitter user Iman posted that his little sister wrote a letter to Dr Noor Hisham and enclosed a blue-white friendship bracelet.
I have made the blue LoomBand for you to thank you for all the work you are doing to help the people of Malaysia to stay safe and healthy during this virus outbreak.Lara in her letter
While dated a month ago, no one was really expecting a reply considering how busy Dr Noor Hisham must be while handling the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet reply he did, with a letter of his own, complete with the official Ministry of Health letterhead and everything.
He starts off thanking Lara for the friendship bracelet, saying that his granddaughter loves it.
Your words are too kind but I am not doing it alone. I am lucky to have a great team with me to help our country. Fellow Malaysians like yourself have been a wonderful help by playing your part by staying at home.Datuk Dr Noor Hisham’s reply to Lara
He ends the letter signed “From your new friend, Dr. Hisham”, which is probably the best part of the letter. Regardless, it’s something that Lara will likely remember for life, simply because Datuk Dr Noor Hisham didn’t think it was beneath his station to answer a little girl’s letter.
See both the full letters here:

So my lil sister wrote a letter for Dr Hisham and sent it to his office. Then today got a whatsapp message with this pic of the official surat, Dr Hisham punya reply to my lil sis. He is so humble and I respect him a lot with what his contributions for our country. pic.twitter.com/IfXMRNaIDH— iman (@imancullen_) April 17, 2020

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MOHE Still Figuring Out How To Get “Marooned” Tertiary Students Home

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Malaysiaâ€™s Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) is discussing what to do with tertiary students who are stuck away from home since the start of the nationwide Movement Control Order (MCO).
In a statement posted on Twitter, its minister Datuk Dr. Noraini Ahmad said that MOHE is figuring out the best means to ensure that these marooned youths get to their respective homes and countries safely.
Susulan pengumuman yang dibuat YAB Perdana Menteri mengenai lanjutan tempoh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan, saya bersama Kementerian sebentar tadi meneruskan perbincangan & meneliti kaedah terbaik untuk menghantar pulang pelajar yg masih berada di kampus ke rumah masing-masing— Dato Dr Noraini Ahmad (@DrNorainiAhmad) April 10, 2020
Local and international students from colleges and universities across the country have been confined to their hostels, dorm rooms and rented homes due to the MCO, with their care placed in the hands of their respective institutions.
Though some institutions have opted to proceed with the 2020 semester through online classes and lectures, many schools still lack guidelines and infrastructure to coordinate remote learning.
Reportedly confused students stormed bus stations in Kuala Lumpur during the first night the MCO came into effect in order to get home.(Credit: Twitter)
MOHE had issued a directive for all private and public institutes to suspend all class activities including e-learning exercises.

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Source:
Tertiary students not allowed to leave dorms, hostels in new MCO guidelines
Students At Local Uni Wasted 100 Free Meals Given By Government
Suspension of e-learning irks many


Proton’s Putting Air Purifiers In X70s Like The Ones In Commercial Flights

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With the Covid-19 pandemic raging on across the globe, one can’t help but feel a bit paranoid over our general health and safety in the outside world, especially with the nation adjusting to life under the new normal with the nationwide Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
For months, weâ€™ve been drilled to maintain our hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting everything that we could think of to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from contracting the deadly disease.
Disinfecting work being done in the Klang Valley.(Credit: Firdaus Latif/Malay Mail)
Keeping up to date with the latest health and safety trends, Proton is introducing a neat new feature to its latest high-end MPV model, equipping it with a smart and contemporary air purification and filtration system.
The Intelligent Air Purification System (PIAPS) is said to combines the benefits of an N95 cabin filter that is able to remove 95% of harmful particles larger than 0.3 microns and 98% of PM2.5 dust particulates, with its High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter that collects 99.97% of particles larger than 0.3 microns, removing foul odors, and cleanse the air in your car with negative ions.
How PIAPS would work inside an X70.(Credit: Proton)
This system is rather similar to the methods used by airline companies on passenger airplanes to ensure air quality whilst airborne.
(Credit: TRP)
Proton claims that its PIAPS will essentially act as a sort of barrier against contaminated air making its way into your vehicle, offering some protection against airborne pollutants and contaminants.
Though the system will be fitted on all new X70 models, customers have the option to upgrade their existing dust and pollen filter to the N95 cabin filter for only RM79 (standard service and labor charges applied) at any Proton service outlets nationwide, from May 13 onwards.

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Source:
How I Survived Air Travel In Asia During The Coronavirus Outbreak


Tour Operators Target China and Europe Destinations To Make Up For Missing Business

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Tour operators are looking to sell China and European packages when Malaysians can travel, possibly by December, as recently announced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

As with the rest of the world, Malaysia’s tourism economy had been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, which restricted travel.
Already, tour operators had been seeing a spike of enquiries from holidaymakers.
Penang tour operator Irene Seng said the nation’s outbound tourism industry expects Malaysians to resume travel in large numbers once they are allowed to do so.
“China is a top choice due to its success in containing the Covid-19 outbreak, while European countries such as Switzerland have always been a significant outbound tourism market.
“Japan and Korea are also popular destinations, but the countries’ borders remain closed to international tourists,” she said.
Why Are Tour Packages More Expensive Right Now?
A plane takes off from the KLIA. (Fernando Fong)
Despite tour packages being more expensive than pre-pandemic times, that should not prevent a spark in holidaying.
It will be pricier because air tickets, which make up almost half the cost of tour packages, are more expensive.
“Due to the current coronavirus situation, there are expectations of rising travel demand which pushed up prices.
“But Malaysian travellers still have a lot of spending power and a lot of potentials,” she told The Rakyat Post in an interview.
Is It Time For The Next Family Vacation Again?
It is still especially risky for families with children to holiday abroad. (Fernando Fong)
Families with unvaccinated children would be less inclined to travel abroad anytime soon.
Kingston Khoo, Director of Marketing for Mutiara Taman Negara, said it is likely that only singles, married couples without kids and senior citizens will be itching to get overseas.
“We live in an age where the vaccine isn’t an option, and most children are not vaccinated yet.
“No parents in their right mind would take the risk, not when COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise among the unvaccinated,” said Khoo.
Families who plan to travel anyway are advised to assess the level of risk, including the destination and type of vacation.
Avoid More Flip Flops & U-turns On Travel Decision
A passenger walks on the tarmac at KLIA2. (Fernando Fong)
Khoo also calls for better clarity and detailed information on how a return to travel will work.
He said the travel industry is cautiously optimistic, particularly given the situation is still evolving.
“We are not rejoicing yet, as people are scared to travel because of hygiene concerns.
“Furthermore, lockdown guidance and quarantine standard operation procedures (SOPs) could change anytime,” said Khoo, who had been in the hospitality industry for 17 years.
Citing an example, he said Taman Negara was supposed to reopen by 1 October.
However, it had been postponed indefinitely pending higher vaccination rates.

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KL Flash Floods AGAIN, Key Roads Jammed Up

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Key roads in Kuala Lumpur are once again flooded in the sudden heavy rain that hit the city this evening.

CCTV images show that the flood waters are at waist-level, and in some parts have engulfed cars completely.
Commuters are asked to stay indoors for the time being if possible and avoid key areas in the city center and its surroundings, such as Bangsar and Brickfields.
Currently, these roads and areas are affected:
Jalan KuchingJalan TraversJalan MaarofJalan Raja ChulanJalan Changkat Thambi DollaJalan Tun PerakJalan IskandarJalan AlorJalan Tun SambanthanJalan DamansaraJalan ParlimenJalan Semantan
Lokasi terjejas teruk oleh Banjir Kilat. #kltu pic.twitter.com/OdHdwPDGde— ITIS DBKL (@ITIS_TRAFIK) April 25, 2022

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Peeping tom in George Town hotel shower suspended and handed over to police

Another peeping tom has been taken off the streets thanks to a determined woman who pushed for court action.
The 30-year-old woman, who wishes to be known as Chan, claims that someone filmed her with a mobile device. At the time, she was at a 5-star hotel in George Town using the hotel’s gym shower.

via GIPHY
Chan alleged that she saw a hand holding a cellphone in front of the curtain of her shower cubicle. She could not see the person.
Distressed, she informed the front desk of the hotel about the incident. She asked to see a CCTV recording as she suspected it was one of the gym staff, but claims the gym management refused to show her the CCTV footage.

via GIPHY
Sadly, Chan said that the hotel management did not seem to care about her report, which prompted her to lodge a police report later that night.
Two days after that, the management finally showed her the CCTV recording which clearly showed a male staff enter the women’s bathroom twice that night.
Still, a spokesperson for the hotel claims that the management has taken immediate action to find and suspend the alleged suspect from his work and duties effective immediately, pending full investigations to the allegation.

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They also said that the management has given full support in this matter and are keeping in constant contact with the victim everyday.
Chan says that she is making the case public to highlight how easily sexual harassment complaints are dismissed and ignored. It took almost two weeks, police reports, and an official complaint to Penang Gerakan for the suspect in this case to face punishment.

Chan and her husband had to lodge a report with Penang Gerakan before action was taken.Picture credit: Malay Mail

â€œWe do not want compensation. We want the hotel to take responsibility and ensure the safety of its gym members, but it seems they do not seem to care. We are talking about sexual harassment. My videos could have been spread online right now,â€ she said, breaking into tears.
Sexual harassment cases in Malaysia are aplenty, but even more cases go unnoticed as the victims are reluctant to fight for their rights publicly.

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Public cases almost always comes with public scrutiny and criticism, which causes additional undue psychological stress on the victims. As such, many victims choose the silent road and their predators are able to walk free.
Hopefully, Chan’s case can inspire all victims of harassment to fight to see justice and protect others from potential future harassment.


How Can I Get A Gun In Malaysia?

Police will be taking away the firearms license of rifle owners in Malaysia at the start of 2020 in a move to curb wildlife poaching within our borders.
Apparently, authorities were also no longer approving applications for gun licenses out of fear that the weapons could fall into the possession of militant groups.
A man suspected of illegally poaching animals in Sabah in 2017.(Credit: Malay Mail)
Naturally, TRP got a little trigger happy to find out how exactly does one attain a legal firearm here in Malaysia?
So can a Malaysian civilian carry a firearm?
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Yes, BUT Malaysiaâ€™s firearms laws are super strict and getting formal approval can be taxing.
 Youâ€™d need official permission from the authorities for everything, from owning a gun to being allowed to repair, sell, or even inheriting a weapon.
A fully loaded Taurus G3 9mm pistol.(Credit: Bo Harvey via Unsplash)
According to the Arms Act 1960, absolutely no one is allowed to possess, carry or use any firearms or ammunition (the gunâ€™s bullets) without a valid â€œarms licenceâ€ or an â€œarms permitâ€.
Youâ€™d also need to have a legal permit to own an imitation or fake gun that has the appearance of a real firearm. (Like an air-soft gun that shoots BB bullets.)
An assortment of air-rifles and pistols confiscated by authorities.(Credit: The Star)
Those who are caught in possession of an unlicensed firearm can face serious consequences.
For instance, if you are caught having a gun without any documentation, you could face a minimum sentence of 14 years in prison and six strokes of the cane.
If youâ€™re caught discharging or firing a gun at someone with the intent to injure or kill that person, then itâ€™s the death penalty.
(Credit: Max Kleinen via Unsplash)
Youâ€™d even be slapped with a charge if you fail to report to police if you have knowledge of someone carrying an unlicensed gun.
And non-Malaysians entering the country with a firearm must officially declare and register their weapons with the authorities, so itâ€™s worth knowing that having, or being seen with a gun in Malaysia is no joking matter.
(P.S. All these regulations and punishments are also listed in the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 if youâ€™d like to take a crack at it.)
How does one legally get a firearm?
Well, if you ever decide to go gun shopping, then you should know that acquiring a legal firearm in Malaysia is actually a relatively simple process, but getting the application approved might prove difficult.
If you are a Malaysian citizen over the age of 18, who is physically and mentally fit and don’t have any prior criminal record, you’re basically eligible to legally own a gun here in Malaysia.
A formal application can be made online through PDRMâ€™s official website or at your local District Police Headquarters where your request shall be reviewed and approved by the stateâ€™s Chief Police Officer.
(Credit: Malay Mail)
In order to own such a weapon, you must also state a valid reason to why you would need to possess a firearm, and legally there are only a few approved purposes for a civilian to own a gun;
For self-defence, protection or to protect personal or company property.To protect your land or farm from pests and predators.For recreational sport, such as game hunting or participating in a shooting club or firing range.
Some people skeet shooting.(Credit: Andy Falconer via Unsplash)
Once you have that down and have completed and submitted all the necessary forms and documents, the application typically takes up to 180 business days to process.
As soon as you receive your gun license, then purchasing a gun should be as easy as hitting the browser and looking up your friendly neighbourhood gun store.
With power comes responsibility
Being a gun owner is no cakewalk and thereâ€™s a whole lot of responsibilities attached to having the power to kill a person literally in your pocket.
Besides knowing how to use and maintain the weapon safely and responsibly, youâ€™d have to abide by strict restrictions on the type of weapon and the amount of ammunition youâ€™re allowed to carry.
A firearm must be serviced and maintained constantly regardless of use.(Credit: Fabnewz)
A gun owner would also need to file an application to purchase more bullets, having to return the spent ammo casings to the authorities every time they expend their ammunition.
Malaysian law also dictates that a firearms license would expire annually every June 30th. Meaning that youâ€™d need to renew your licence every year to continue owning a weapon.
A handgun being kept EXTRA safe inside a container.(Credit: Mayo Clinic)
And remember how we said that a gun owner needs to know how to handle a firearm RESPONSIBLY?
Well if a gun owner happens to slip up in any way, like misplacing a weapon or any of its bullets, or even being caught with a gun while being intoxicated, then be prepared to have that licensed revoked and be slapped with either heavy fines or jail sentences, or both.
(Credit: Malay Mail)
Malaysian gun ownership
Interestingly, despite how hard it is to actually get legal approval to own a firearm here in the country, there are still a whole lot of guns registered to Malaysians.
As of 2016, the Home Ministry reported that nearly 90,000 Malaysians were issued licences to bear arms.
Shots from a local shooting gallery in KL.(Credit: Facebook @City Square Shooting Gallery)
A total of 12,917 licences were issued for handguns while a total of 63,145 licenses were given out for shotguns and rifles.
Licenses were also issued to other types of firearms like stun guns, spear guns, nail guns and even flag pistols.
According to data collected by the international Small Arms Survey in 2017, there are a total of 142,038 registered firearms here in Malaysia and a total of 74,962 un-registered weapons lurking about somewhere on the streets of the nation.
Illegal firearms
How are there so many un-registered weapons you might ask?
Well, we can never know for certain, but the illegal black market would most likely be the main reason for it.
Supposedly you can even purchase a gun through illicit channels online.(Credit: rupixen.com via Unsplash)
Based on available reports, it would seem that weapons and illegal firearms can be easily obtained from neighbouring countries.
These weapons are transported and smuggled into Malaysia through either so-called â€˜rat trailsâ€™ along the Malaysian borders or directly through customs and security checkups in areas with weak enforcement.
These illegal firearms become the weapons of choice for the countryâ€™s criminals and crime syndicates as not only are they easy to acquire, they can also be incredibly cheap.
The infamous Sungai Golok at the Kelantan-Thai border.(Credit: Fathil Asri via NST)
Supposedly, a handgun can be purchased illegally for a mere RM60 and a dangerous weapon such as a semi-automatic rifle can cost as little as RM2,000.
Though there’s a shocking amount of both legal and illegal guns in Malaysia, you probably should not be too worried because the chances of getting shot here are still relatively low.
(Credit: The Coverage)
According to a study by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, between 2006 to 2016 there were only 204 reported cases of firearm-related deaths within the Klang Valley.
And data from the University of Sydney’s statistics and GunPolicy.org shows that 49 people died from being shot with a firearm in Malaysia in 2017, compared to 74 deaths recorded the previous year.
But, if knowing that still send shivers down your spine, just know that a bulletproof vest can easily be purchased on the many online shopping sites available out there. 😉

Have any concern or opinions regarding  Malaysia’s gun laws, hit us up on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


Neelofa beat traffic jam with a police escort: Here’s how you can get one, too

Local celebrity and businesswoman Neelofa is receiving a bit more attention than usual from the online community for apparently getting a police escort during her commute through heavy KL traffic.

Neelofa had originally shared an IG Story update on her official Instagram account, which caught the attention of one social media user, who reposted the videos on her own Twitter page.
The gist of the video was that Neelofa had gotten some help through rush hour traffic with the aid of an official police patrol car, flashy sirens and all, making her journey a whole lot more convenient.

The celebrity also mentioned in the video that without the escort, it would have taken close to 2 hours for her to reach her destination.
But with the â€œAbang Polisâ€ to the rescue, she managed to get to where she was going in a jiffy.
This prompted r/syazwani to ask the question, whether police escort service was available for hire.

Artis bleh request police escort ke smlm nengok ig neelopa dia guna police escort sambil ckp yukenduit abg polis utk ke launch oppo dia i mean is the service for hire? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/F07vY3uyVf
â€” r/syazwani (@AnnieVeeee) October 16, 2019

â€œCan a celebrity request for a police escort? Yesterday I saw Neelofa used a police escort while saying â€œyou can do it Abang Polisâ€ to get to the Oppo launch. I mean, is the service for hire?
via Twitter
Her question was quickly answered by several netizens who informed her that an official police escort service can, in fact, be obtained.

Anyone can hire. Tapi kena ada surat to request. Kena bayar. Tapi upon approval la. Dia bukan macam request grab.
â€” ElJefe Lissa Angking (@LissaLaila) October 16, 2019

“Anyone can hire, but you’d need a request letter. Have to pay, but upon approval. It’s not like Grab.”
via Twitter

RM400 sekali escort. Ada duit? Silakan. Takde duit, krik krik je lah. https://t.co/t7dgKf4XhN
â€” Kak Mira 👱🏼♀ (@mighvv) October 16, 2019

“RM400 per escort. Have the cash? Go ahead. No money, just be quiet.”
via Twitter
Curious to get more deets, TRP tried to get in touch with PDRM but unfortunately, they were too busy to layan us.

However, here’s what an unofficial source had to say;
YES, you can indeed hire an official police escort, but only on special conditions and circumstances.
The service is usually reserved for ministers, VVIPs or persons of interest with the permission and authorisation from PDRM HQ in Bukit Aman.

(Image Credit: Malay Mail)

To acquire such a service, an application must be made through official PDRM channels.
This requires a formal request letter made to any police contingent in the country and processing the request can take between a few weeks to a month.
There are 2 types of police escort available; one being for security and the other for road clearance assistance.

A clear and valid reason for the need of the escort must be presented with the application in order for the request to get the green light.
Unfortunately, we were unable to get an idea if there were in fact charges and pricing for the escort service.
But assumingly, certain terms and conditions must be met before PDRM would allocate manpower to be used for such things.
So there you have it, folks!
If you might be in need for an official police escort, head on over to your local police department and ask them how you can get one, then tell us all about it on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


New Cabinet Announcement Soon? Reports Suggest Ismail Sabri To Reveal New Cabinet By This Week

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There’s a possibility that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be announcing his Cabinet Ministers soon.

Sinar Harian reported that the Bera MP is scheduled to meet the Agong on today to present the list of the government’s new Cabinet Ministers.
The line-up, of those who the Agong consents to, is also expected to be sworn in tomorrow and the inaugural meeting of the new Cabinet is said to take place on Friday.
Previously, Ismail Sabri rejected the idea of a unity government – saying that the opposition MPs can instead join the Covid-19 Task Force and the National Recovery Council.
READ MORE: “No Cabinet Posts, But You Can Join Covid-19 Taskforce & NRC” PM Tells Opposition
Azmin Ali or Hamzah Zainuddin for DPM?
There’s speculation saying that Bersatu’s Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin are the top candidates for the Deputy Prime Minister position.
Utusan reported that both are believed to have received the ‘green light’ from party president, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Hamzah is said to be eligible to fill the post of DPM based on his work record as a mover and planner when Perikatan Nasional (PN) won in Sabah on September 26 last year.
Azmin is believed to be Mahiaddin’s confidant and this was proven when the Pagoh MP gave an assurance that Azmin would act on his behalf if he was not in the country at that time during his stint as the Prime Minister.

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Covid-19: Selangor Makes Stunning Improvement From Highest In The Nation To Zero New Cases Yesterday

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Selangor recorded zero new cases of Covid-19 yesterday, a stunning improvement for the state that, at one point, had the highest cases in the country.
This is the first time Selangor has recorded no new cases, either locally transmitted or imported.
Congratulations to the people of Selangor, but we must remain disciplined and practice social distancing because Covid-19 is still around us.Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Selangor Chief Minister via Berita Harian.

https://twitter.com/stfc_selangor/status/1270669224155901953?s=20

Previously, the districts of Hulu Langat, Petaling and Gombak were among the top Covid-19 red zones.
However, as of 10th June, Petaling and Gombak are now yellow zones with 18 and 13 active cases respectively. Only Hulu Langat with 76 active cases and Sepang with 68 active cases remain in the red.
Based on the latest data provided by the Selangor Task Force Covid-19, the state has 201 active cases. To date, Selangor records a total of 1,971 cases and 23 deaths.
Credit: @stfc_selangor/Twitter

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Source:
COVID-19: Selangor tiada kes baharu sehingga semalam
Statistik Covid-19 di Kawasan Zon Merah dan mukim Selangor - 10 Jun 2020


[Watch] Malaysian Model Shows Bruised And Cut Feet After Walking At KLFW 2022

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Some people are envious of models because their jobs look glamorous and fun. However, Malaysian model Jia Yii, who recently walked at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW2022), gave everyone a peek behind the scenes and it was horrifying.

In the now viral TikTok video, Jia Yii showed videos of her strutting multiple designer outfits before cutting to a video showing her bruised and cut heels.
She captioned the video with the phrase, “Runway vs Reality.”
  @jiayiii__ Runway VS reality👀 #klfw #klfw2022 ♬ original sound  – Jy
The injuries are believed to be sustained from the high heels she had to wear while walking down the runway.
Netizens were aghast when they saw her injuries and wondered how she put up with the pain during KLFW2022.
For all her trouble, netizens also hoped that she was well compensated and paid on time. They agreed that beauty was indeed pain.
READ MORE: [Watch] KLFW Allegedly Didn’t Pay Its Models, Alicia Amin Stages Protest At KLFW2022
READ MORE: “All Models Are Being Paid” Assures KLFW Founder
They also asked whether she could wear a plaster before walking down the runway. Jia Yii replied that she did but judging from the video, it didn’t help much.
Some of them said they could feel the pain just by watching the video and wish her a speedy recovery.

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AirAsia To Increase Aircrafts In Service By July, Says KPDNHEP Minister

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AirAsia pledged to increase the number of operational aircraft in stages by July in order to cope with consumers’ demand.

This was conveyed to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi during his meeting with the low-cost carrier management yesterday, reported Bernama.
The meeting was attended by the AirAsia Group executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, AirAsia Bhd chief executive officer Riad Asmat as well as Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Secretary-General Azman Mohd Yusof and KPDNHEP Deputy Secretary-General (Consumer Empowerment) Datin Roszanina Wahab.
In the meeting, the AirAsia management explained the issue at hand that caused a series of delays and cancellations of flights, and the mitigation plan in order not to repeat the fiasco.
“It includes increasing the number of aircraft in stages (compared to 40 currently) to meet demand, earliest by July, and customer complaints will be resolved through four AirAsia channels,” Nanta was quoted as saying.
He also added that AirAsia Bhd, excluding AirAsia X, had refunded its passengers without any issues, adding that the low-cost carrier management had agreed to cooperate with the ministry to address issues faced by the consumers.
In denying allegations that he sided with AirAsia on the incident, Nanta said that his ministry took proactive steps in dealing with the complaints from disgruntled consumers regarding the flight delays and their compensation claims made against the airline.
READ MORE: Air Asia To Respond On Flight Delay Fiasco Within 24 Hours, Says KPDNHEP Minister
“Due to the complaints made to the ministry and on the policy of this ministry that oversees consumer affairs, I have contacted AirAsia to seek further clarification on the problems besetting fliers.
“The accusations stating that I favour AirAsia are unfounded, and I hope it will stop.”

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TiNDLE Plant-Based Chicken – Did The Dishes Taste Good? [Review]

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Plant-based meats are great for those who need meat alternatives for health reasons.

However, some of these meats can sometimes be heavily flavoured which defeats the purpose of having a healthier meal.
Fortunately, Asia’s leading food-tech startup Next Gen Foods developed a plant-based meat that contains no antibiotics, hormones, cholesterol or genetically modified ingredients.
The TiNDLE plant-based chicken that’s made with only nine simple ingredients offers 17g of protein per 100g too.
Kuala Lumpur foodies will be able to enjoy the innovative TiNDLE dishes by some of the top chefs in the city in 9 restaurants today.
Following successful launches in Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and across the UAE, Next Gen Foods has brought its flagship product to some of Kuala Lumpur’s well-loved dining establishments.
I got to try it!
Plant-based meats have been a hit or miss for me. The last time I had plant-based meat, it was made out of mushrooms and it wasn’t great. I couldn’t even cut through the plant-based meat.
So when I had the opportunity to try TiNDLE’s plant-based chicken at Iketeru Hilton KL, I was curious and wary.
I was first served the TiNDLE Chicken Miso Hot Pot Set. At the first bite of the chicken ball without the miso soup, I was surprised that it tasted so good.
TiNDLE Chicken Miso Hot Pot Set and Chicken Katsu.
The texture reminded me of real chicken meat that is cooked until it’s tender. If no one told me it wasn’t real meat, I couldn’t tell the difference.
It was only when I had the TiNDLE Chicken Katsu that the real texture and flavour of the plant-based meat shone. It tasted like real chicken meat and had the texture to match too.
There’s no need to guess which dish I enjoyed more and happily gobbled up. If it was up to me, I would have it with Japanese curry too.
TiNDLE Chicken Gochujang Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries, and Chicken and Mushroom Dumplings.
I also enjoyed a hearty dish of Chicken and Mushroom Dumplings. What surprised me most was the nice spice kick from the Chicken Gochujang Wrap with Sweet Potato Fries.
By that time, I was feeling quite full but I managed to get in a few bites of the chicken wrap. I was a little sad that I couldn’t finish up the whole meal so I tapau it home.
Overall, I’m pleasantly surprised by the versatility of the plant-based chicken and would recommend everyone to try a variety of dishes using TiNDLE plant-based chicken at least once.
Try it for yourself
Beta’s TiNDLE Masak Lemak and Soleil’s TiNDLE Vol-Au-Vent
If you’re looking forward to try the dishes for yourself, TiNDLE is served at these 9 restaurant brands across Kuala Lumpur:
Beta
Bref by Darren Chin
Huckleberry
Soleil
VCR
Kay’s Steaks & Lobster
Iketeru, Hilton KL
Chynna, Hilton KL
Oro Café, Hilton KL
Don’t forget to let us know how the different dishes taste like for you!
For more information and updates, head over to TiNDLE’s official website and Instagram.

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Why Touch’nGo is our only payment option at highways

[UPDATE: It has recently been announced in Parliament that the 10% surcharge of Touch â€˜n Go card at parking facilities will be abolished in stages.  Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) also did not find Touch n’ Go card to be a monopoly as there are other e-payment cards in the market.]
Recently, #MansuhTouchnGo trended as the number one tweeted topic on Malaysian Twitter after social media users decided to protest against the electronic payment system.
The protest was triggered by PLUSâ€™s announcement that the reload service will no longer be available at toll plazas.

Stupid solution. Let me suggest another better solution: enable topup through online banking. Simple pun takleh fikir. Ngok. #MansuhTouchNGo https://t.co/t6R73mYj7k
â€” Bukan Sanim 🇲🇾 (@notsanim) November 4, 2019

The responses then led to an avalanche of other complaints against Touch â€˜n Go by Malaysians who havenâ€™t had an avenue to voice out how they were dissatisfied with the companyâ€™s overall service.
Problems highlighted included the extra charges incurred when users used Touch â€˜n Go to pay for parking (10% surcharge) or reloaded their card at petrol stations and convenience stores (50 cents).
The fact that these reload stations are usually offline and the fact that the card expires if not used for over a year was also a big source of anger.
Snow Crash GIF from Snow GIFs

It was so bad, that even a petition was launched to pressure Touch â€˜n Go into improving their service.

TouchNGo is the stupidest monopoly system I have ever seen in any country ever. Having almost all Malaysians using it but still inconvenient. No topups at tolls, lack of self reload stations at rnr and train stations, high service charge at Petronas, 7e #MansuhTouchNGo
â€” [] (@ouelily) November 4, 2019

kad touch n go, ada tempoh ye, bila dah habis tempoh, walaupun dalam tu ada balance lagi, tapi tak boleh transfer ke kad baru, nak minta refund, kena pergi ke tempat specific dia.. lepastu kena beli kad touch n go baru 10 ringgit, tapi dalam kosong, kena topap.. huh, kapitalis
â€” SaraHermosa🏹🦋 (@sarahzamri) November 4, 2019

Sabtu lepas aku nak naik LRT. Aku pergi 7E, Mynews even dekat LRT station tu sendiri semua offline. Dah lah offline, kena buat sendiri dekat kiosk. Ada sekali aku top up dekat kiosk, duit telan, benda tak masuk kad. Memalam call centre tapi dorang takboleh refund on the spot 🙄
â€” _Dayana (@DayanaAbdRahim) November 4, 2019

You see how slow they responded. Dah telan duit aku dekat RM30 lebih, and bila buat report on 15 May, 4 Nov baru respond balik. Wow you guys are so busy @MyTouchnGo #MansuhTouchNGo i donâ€™t need that RM30 but your system is getting shit and shit pic.twitter.com/2kcVWCl2eX
â€” Farah (@NFarahanisss) November 4, 2019

The complaints led people to question why Malaysians have ONLY Touch â€˜n Go as a toll payment option.
Especially when we have a lot of payment options in the country, including PayWave that functions very similarly to Touch ‘n Go and is free of service charge.

We better start #MansuhTouchNGo since we have better alternatives for cashless payment in our country. Paywave is easier, better and free of charge. Why Malaysian have to pay extra/service charge to use shitty cashless system like TnG? GUNA PAYWAVE TAKDAK SERVICE CHARGE PUN LA
â€” IÐŸJÎ›ÐŸGÐŸÎ›Æ¬IÓ¨ÐŸ (@InjangNation) November 4, 2019

Why Asking GIF from Why GIFs

It turns out PLUS already made a move to create alternative toll payment systems but ended up getting into a legal battle with CIMB over this.
The PLUSâ€™ RFID system is an open payment platform which allows the use of credit and debit cards, as well as e-wallets (including Touch â€˜n Goâ€™s e-wallet) to pay for tolls.
They launched the system two months ago, AFTER Touch â€˜n Go started their own RFID pilot programme earlier in April.

The future we are all anxiously waiting for (Picture credit: Malay Mail)

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, the parent company of Touch â€˜n Go reportedly took PLUS Malaysia Bhd to court in December last year to stop the highway concessionaire from launching PLUS RFID.
Apparently, CIMB and PLUS had signed a joint venture agreement in 1998 that resulted in the setting up of Touch â€˜n Go Sdn Bhd.
Under this agreement, CIMB has a 52% stake in Touch â€˜n Go, while PLUS and a company called MTD Equity Sdn Bhd hold 28% and 20% respectively.
However, it seems that the two company have reached a legal settlement.
Settle Liar GIF from Settle GIFs

And although information of the settlement hasnâ€™t been made public, it seems as though it was in PLUSâ€™ favour considering the fact that their RFID system is set to be rolled out by the end of the year.
This likely means that we will soon be able to start using our credit and debit cards as well as the many different e-wallet apps we have to pay for toll by 2020.

Have strong opinions about Touch â€˜n Go and this whole fiasco? Share your thoughts with us on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!


Aggressive Mutated Covid-19 Strain Responsible For 70% Of Cases

Researchers at Peking University’s School of Life Sciences and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai found that there has been a mutation in the Covid-19 coronavirus strain.
The new mutation accounts for roughly 70% of analyzed strains, while 30% is linked to the less aggressive mutation strain.
The more aggressive mutation strain is now called the L type, while the less aggressive strain is called the S type.
It’s highly probable that the frightening speed at which Covid-19 spread during the early stages of the outbreak in Wuhan was due to the L type coronavirus.
However, its ferocity seems to be short-lived as the frequency of this aggressive strain has decreased since January.
The scientists are cautious to say that data on the Covid-19 is still very limited, emphasizing a need for follow-up studies with a larger set of data to make a surer conclusion on the evolution and epidemiology of Covid-19.
For an up-to-date timeline of the Covid-19 issue in Malaysia, check out our TLDR story here.

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Rapid KL Temporarily Suspends Klang Valley Bus Routes And Masjid Jamek LRT

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Due to the flash floods in the Klang Valley, some Rapid KL bus routes within the Klang Valley has been temporarily suspended starting today (19 December 2021) until further notice.
The affected bus routes are listed in the post below:

Netizen shares alternative LRT route
In another statement, Rapid KL also announced that the Masjid Jamek Station is closed until further notice.
All trains will not stop at Masjid Jamek Station and passengers are advised to take alternative transport.
Fortunately, a netizen shared that there’s an alternative route.
Those from Sri Petaling line should transit at Plaza Rakyat station and proceed to the MRT via Merdeka station.
From there, they transit to Pasar Seni station and continue on to Kelana Jaya line.

Putra Heights LRT Station open as a shelter
Rapid KL added that the Bus Hub at Putra Heights LRT Station is open as a temporary shelter too.

For now, only travel if you have to and please stay safe. If you require help and more information, do contact the hotlines listed below.
Hotline yang boleh dihubungi semasa situasi bencana banjir. Sebarkan dan panjangkan kepada rakan-rakan dan ahli keluarga. pic.twitter.com/9XO0gPUmqY— Amirudin Shari (@AmirudinShari) December 18, 2021

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These 2019 Ramadan videos bring the feels (Part 1)

One of the best things about Ramadhan/Raya is not only the food, but the videos.
Here’s some touching or funny ones, both local and international, that we’ve found on YouTube.
Get your tissues on stand-by guys.
Ramadan 2019 #CelebratingGoodness with Tata Motors
This heart warming video shows how a little can go a long way.

Episod 1 – Makna Ramadan
Narrated by a cutie pie, this video shows us the essence of puasa month, a month more than just a diet change.

Ramadan Tokopedia – Janji 30 Hari Abim
Ramadhan radiates love, and surely that can be felt pulsating through this short 2 minute video.

Iklan Raya 2019 | Cikgu Baru
There’s nothing like the love of our parents. Miles apart, but always close to the heart.

So which was your favourite? Have you seen any good videos for 2019 that you think we should feature? Let us know in the comments or send us a message on Facebook!


Ministries To Hold Urgent Meeting Soon After Indonesia Imposes Immediate Worker Ban

The Ministry of Human Resources and the Home Ministry will hold a meeting to discuss Indonesia’s decision to abruptly pose a temporary ban on entry of its workers into the country, The Edge reported.
The meeting aims to handle issues related to the intake of Indonesian foreign workers into the country immediately, the ministry of human resources said in a statement.

Indonesia yesterday declared that it will temporarily freeze the sending of migrant workers to Malaysia effective immediately.
The decision was relayed to Human Resources Minister M. Saravanan via an official letter.
According to Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Hermono, the decision to temporarily freeze sending workers to the country was taken because Malaysia’s Immigration Department had allegedly continued to use the Maid Online System to recruit Indonesian domestic helpers.
The system had been dubbed as a tool that facilitates trafficking and forced labour, as it does not protect the welfare and safety of workers.
This, according to Hermono, is a breach of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the worker recruitment deal signed between the two countries on 1 April.
“We have solid evidence that the Immigration Department, under the Home Affairs Ministry, continued to use the MOS to facilitate the recruitment of Indonesian domestic workers into Malaysia,” Hermono said, adding that Malaysia was supposed to use the One Channel System under the MoU to protect the welfare of domestic workers.
“The MOS bypassed the One Channel System that was introduced in the MoU, especially to protect the welfare of domestic workers, as we will have full knowledge of the workers’ whereabouts, who their employers were and that their contracts safeguarded their rights.
“It engaged only with government-registered agents from both countries and linked the recruitment process between both countries so everyone involved is accountable,” he said further.
The decision is another blow that will threaten Malaysia’s economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic as it was reported that the country lacks at least 1.2 million workers across the manufacturing, plantation and also construction sectors.
Despite thousands of job vacancies available throughout the country, there are no takers for the jobs as the locals are not fond to work in the 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) sectors.
READ MORE: “Why Work In Plantations If They Can Become Grab Deliver Drivers?” HR Minister Says Locals Not Interested In 3D Jobs
Indonesia too had previously said that it will gradually stop sending its citizens to Malaysia to work as maids, as they are vulnerable to abuse and forced labour.
READ MORE: Modern Day Slavery, ‘Datuk’ Abuses Indonesian Maid And Makes Her Work Without Pay
In 2015, Indonesia stopped sending maids to 21 Middle Eastern countries following various reports of poor working conditions for labour workers and abuse of maids.
READ MORE: M’sia Treats Indonesian Maids So Badly Their Government Won’t Send Them Here Anymore

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[JUST IN] Here’s Who Can Operate During The Total Lockdown

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Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced the list of 17 essential service sector businesses that are permissible during the total lockdown starting on June 1.
These include:
Food and drink. Including for pets.Healthcare and medical. Including dietary supplements.Animal care and veterinary.Water.Energy.Safety and security. Including defence, charity, humanitarian, and emergency services.Solid waste and sewerage management.Transportation.Communication. Including media, telecommunication, and others for the spreading of news.Financial, insurance, and alike .Community credit including pawnshops and al-rahnu.Information technology and online businessFuel and lubricantHotel and accommodation. Only for the purposes of quarantine.Critical maintenance and repairForestry. Enforcement only.Logistics for essential services.
Only factories from these sectors may operate and only at 60% capacity:
Aerospace. Components, maintenance repair, and overhaul.Food and beverages.Packaging and printing for food and medicine.Personal care and cleaning products.Health and medicine.Farming and fishery. Including transportation, logistics, supplies, and processing factories.
Ismail Sabri said he received complaints via social media and other channels that some factory operators were not adhering to the SOPs. He hoped that workers would lodge complaints and the relevant authorities would enforce the rules to the fullest extent of the law.
Critical construction for infrastructure and repairs are permitted at full capacity. Including construction projects with internal housing for workers.
Only those shops that are permitted in the list of essential services are permitted to open, including in malls.
Meanwhile, the following trade services allowed to operate include:
Supermarkets and hypermarkets are only permitted to open their food, beverage and essential section only.Groceries, departmental stores, and pharmacies are permitted to open.Food sellers, stalls, and eateries are permitted for take or delivery away only.Dobi, including self service laundry facilities.Pet care and pet food stores.Glasses and optic stores.Hardware store.Car workshop.Online businesses.Wholesale and distribution of all permissible services.Communication. Including media, telecommunication, postal and courier service.
 The public is permitted to go out of the house only to buy essentials, such as food and medicine. Only 2 people per household is allowed at one time and can travel no more than 10 kilometers from home.
Daily markets, fresh markets, permanent farmer’s markets, wholesale markets, are all permissible. Night markets and temporary farmer’s markets are not.
Child care centres are not permitted except for frontliners who if both parents are working.
All permission letters for work related interstate travel that were previously issued by MITI will only be valid till 31 May.
Permission letters valid from 1 June onward will be issued by the related ministries. For example the Agriculture Ministry will issue letters for lorries transporting food.
Sports and recreation is limited to contactless individual sports, which are jogging and light exercise, and is only permissible until 8pm.

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Nagaenthran Loses Final Death Sentence Appeal, Possible Execution In The Next Few Days, Says Lawyer

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D. Nagaenthran, a 33-year old mentally impaired Malaysian citizen, saw his final plea against the death penalty for a drug trafficking case dismissed by the Singapore Court of Appeal.

The Singapore top court rejected both attempts by Nagaenthran’s lawyer to challenge the previous decision in his case and also a bid to get proceedings delayed for a psychiatric assessment.
“The Court of Appeal has just dismissed the application and considered the appeal an abuse of process and that international law does not apply.
“Nagenthren who is mentally disabled is due to be hanged possibly in the next few days,” his lawyer M. Ravi said in a Facebook posting.

The case was heard in front of a five-judge panel; Singapore’s Chief Justice M. Sundaresh, Judge Andrew Phang, Judith Prakash, Belinda Ang and Chao Hick Tin. It was reported that the panel took mere minutes before dismissing the case.
Nagaenthran’s previous appeal for clemency from the Singaporean President Halimah Yacob was also unsuccessful.
The Ipoh-born man was arrested in 2009 when he was 21, for trafficking 42.72 grams of heroin which was found to be strapped to his left thigh as he was entering Singapore via the Woodlands checkpoint.
He is believed to have an IQ of 69 and was coerced into committing the crime.

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