TLDR; Here’s Everything Apple Announced At 1am Last Night

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In the wee hours of the morning in Malaysia, Apple, in one of its signature keynotes, announced their latest gadgets and services for 2021.

There is a lot to go through, six announcements in all, so let’s get to it.
iPad – 9th Generation

The new iPad looks the same and still uses the first generation apple pencil. But inside, it has received some significant upgrades. Despite that, it is still relatively affostarrdable and compatible with previous accessories.
A13 Bionic
Run advanced apps and games on the most affordable iPad.Machine learning capabilities.Recognise text in a photo that users can take action on.
12MP Ultra Wide Front Camera
With Centre Stage.Automatically pans the camera to keep the subject in view.Smoothly zooms out to include more people.
10.2-inch Display
Retina display.True tone.Adjusts screen content to the colour temperature of a room.
Double the Storage
Starts with 64GB of storage.Up to 256GB.
iPadOS 15
All the new features that come with it.You can find out more about it here. Available beginning Tuesday, 21 September.
Environmentally Friendly
100 percent recycled aluminium in the enclosure.100 percent recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board.100 percent recycled rare earth elements in the magnets in the enclosure.
Pricing & Availability
Available to order soon on apple.com/my/store.Wi-Fi models starting price: RM1,499.Wi-Fi + Cellular models starting price: RM2,119.Colours: silver and space grey.Apple Pencil (1st generation): RM419.Smart Keyboard: RM649.Smart Covers: RM229.
New iPad mini

This newly redesigned iPad mini has more in common with the iPad Air and the iPad Pro series than the iPad. It is ultra portable and yet powerful.
Design & Finishes
Comes in pink, starlight (off white), purple, and space grey.8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with narrow borders.500 nits of brightness. P3 wide colour gamut.Anti-reflective screen coating.True Tone.Full lamination.Landscape stereo speakers.Touch ID on the top button.
A15 Bionic
All-day battery life.6-core CPU.Jump in performance.5-core GPU. Leap in graphics performance.16-core Neural Engine and new ML accelerators.Faster Machine Learning (ML) tasks.iPadOS 15.
Advanced Cameras
Centre Stage.Front Camera: Ultra Wide 12MP sensor.Back Camera: 12MP sensor with Focus Pixels.True Tone flash.Smart HDR.Improves image quality by recovering details in shadows and highlights.
Connectivity
5G.Wi-Fi 6.USB-C.
Accessories
Apple Pencil (second generation).New Smart Folio.Comes in black, white, dark cherry, English lavender, and electric orange.
Environmentally Friendly
100 percent recycled aluminium in the enclosure.100 percent recycled tin in the solder of the main logic board.100 percent recycled rare earth elements in the magnets in the enclosure.
Pricing & Availability
Coming soon to apple.com/my/store.Wi-Fi models start at RM2,299.Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at RM2,949.64GB and 256GB configurations.Comes in pink, starlight, purple, and space grey finishes.Apple Pencil (second generation): RM549.New Smart Folios: RM269.
Apple Watch Series 7

It is made tougher, with a bigger display, a softer design, and comes in a range of new colours.
What’s New?
Reengineered Always-On Retina display.More screen area.Thinner borders.Refractive edge that makes full-screen watch faces and apps appear seamless.Softer, more rounded corners.User interface optimised for the larger display.Two unique watch faces.Contour. Modular Duo.Stronger, more crack-resistant front crystal.IP6X certification for resistance to dust.Maintains a WR50 water resistance rating.Faster charging.Powered by watchOS 8.Find out more about it here.
Design & Interface
Nearly 20 percent more screen area.Compared to Series 6.Available in 41mm and 45mm sizes.Always-On Retina display is up to 70 percent brighter indoors when the wrist is down.Two additional larger font sizes.New QWERTY keyboard.Tap. Swiped with QuickPath.Larger menu titles and buttons in apps.
Faster Charging
18-hour battery life.New charging architecture.Magnetic Fast Charger USB-C Cable.
Cycling, Workout, and Fall Detection Updates
New features for cyclists.Detect when users begin a ride.Prompts workout.Display workout metrics.Auto-pause and resume.Accurately measure active calories when riding an e-bike.Voice feedback.Automatically announce workout milestones and Activity ring status.Fall detection.Updated and optimised for detecting falls during workouts — including cycling.
Lineup
Five new aluminium case colours.Midnight, starlight, green, and a new blue and (PRODUCT)RED.New bands.Compatible with previous bands.
Environmentally Friendly
100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets.nearly 100 percent recycled tungsten throughout the product.100 percent recycled case on aluminium models.
Availability
Available later this fall (late October to November).New Apple Watch bands available to order today from apple.com/my/store.watchOS 8 will be available for Apple Watch Series 3 and later on Tuesday, 21 September.
Apple Fitness+

Apple’s fitness programme is finally coming to Malaysia later this year and it has a lot of new features too.
Guided Meditation
Nine guided Meditation themes Purpose, Kindness, Gratitude, Awareness, Creativity, Wisdom, Calm, Focus, and Resilience.Five, 10, or 20 minutes long.Also available in audio form in the new Mindfulness app on Apple Watch.Meditation for Beginners program that helps users understand the fundamentals before diving into the studio sessions.
Pilates
10, 20, or 30 minutes long.Led by two new Fitness+ trainers.
Workouts for Snow Season
Studio workouts to build up strength, improve balance, and increase endurance.Include HIIT, Strength, Yoga, and Core.
Artist Spotlight & Time to Walk
Artist Spotlight series with new workouts featuring the music of Billie Eilish, Calvin Harris, Imagine Dragons, and Nicki Minaj.Monday for four weeksWorkout types include Cycling, Rowing, HIIT, Strength, Yoga, Dance, and Treadmill.New episodes of Time to Walk.Encourage Fitness+ users to get active by walking more often.Features some of the world’s most interesting and influential people, who share stories, photos, and music.New guests:Bebe Rexha, Camila Cabello, Reba McEntire, Tarana Burke, Carmelo Anthony, and Gabrielle Union.
Group Workouts with SharePlay
Group Workouts powered by SharePlay.Training with friends and family.FaceTime call on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV with AirPlay.Support for up to 32 people at a time.Introduces some friendly competition.
Availability
It will be available later this year in Malaysia.Fitness+ requires an Apple Watch Series 3 or later.
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini

Apple packed almost all the features that we saw on the previous generation Pro models into these.
Beautiful and Durable
6.1in and 5.4in displays.Ceramic Shield on the front.IP68 rating for water resistance.Diagonally arranged lenses.Super Retina XDR OLED displays.True blacks.A15 Bionic chip.Improved battery life.
Dual-Camera System
New Wide camera, with 1.7 µm pixels.Biggest sensor ever in an iPhone dual-camera system.Sensor-shift OIS.Also comes to the Wide camera, even in the more compact iPhone 13 mini.It stabilises the sensor instead of the lens.Cinematic mode.Simulates rack focus. Depth effect with automatic focus.Focus can be changed during and after capture.Edit the depth-of-field effect in video even after recording.Dolby Vision HDR.4K up to 60 fps on all cameras.Photographic Styles.Bring their personal photo preferences to every image.Support Smart HDR 4.
A15 Bionic
6-core CPU.4-core GPU.16-core Neural Engine.
Featuring iOS 15
Find out more here.
iPhone and the Environment
100 percent recycled rare earth elements in magnets.100 percent recycled tin in the solder.100 percent recycled gold in the plating.No plastics.
Availability
iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will be available in.Pink, blue, midnight, starlight, and (PRODUCT)RED.128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.iPhone 13 price starts at RM3,899iPhone 13 mini price starts at for RM3,399 Both are available for pre-order at apple.com/my/store.Both will be available in Malaysia starting Friday, 8 October.iOS 15 will be available as a free software update Tuesday, 21 September.
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max

When Apple announced all the new features for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, it seemed like there was nothing else left for the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Boy was I wrong.
Most Advanced Cameras Ever on iPhone
New sensors and lenses for all three rear cameras.Improved noise reduction and tone mapping.Wide camera.Larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels..Larger ƒ/1.5 aperture.Ultra Wide camera.Wider ƒ/1.8 aperture.Autofocus.Macro photography.Minimum focus distance of 2cm.Extends to video.New 77 mm Telephoto camera. 3x optical zoom for a total 6x optical zoom range.Photographic Styles.Night mode comes to all cameras.Smart HDR 4.
Leap in Smartphone Video
Cinematic mode.Dolby Vision HDR.ProRes.Advanced video codec used widely as the final delivery format.Coming later.
A15 Bionic
5-core GPU.6-core CPU.
Super Retina XDR with ProMotion
Adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz (FINALLY!)6.1in and 6.7in sizes.OLED panel.
Redesigned
Surgical-grade stainless steel band,Resistant to abrasion and corrosion.Textured matte glass back.Smaller TrueDepth camera system.IP68 rating for water resistance.All-day battery life.Longest battery life ever in an iPhone.
Featuring iOS 15
Find out more here.
iPhone and the Environment
100 percent recycled rare earth elements in magnets.100 percent recycled tin in the solder.100 percent recycled gold in the plating.No plastics.
Pricing and Availability
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will be available in. Graphite, gold, silver, and sierra blue.128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.iPhone 13 Pro starts at RM4,899.iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at RM5,299.Both are available for pre-order at apple.com/my/store.Both will be available in Malaysia starting Friday, 8 October.iOS 15 will be available as a free software update Tuesday, 21 September.

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I Waited 1 Hour And 20 Minutes To Try These Two Viral Kunafas At Bukit Bintang [Review]

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No kidding. When it came to viral stuff, we had to try it out whether it was worth it or not. It can sometimes be hyped for nothing, right? It’s ‘Cap or No Cap’ time.

But before that, what is Kunafa?
Also known as Konafeh or knafeh, it is a Middle Eastern dessert that’s made from layers of vermicelli-like pastry called kataifi, enclosing a soft cream-like pudding in the middle. The middle part can be in different flavours but the dominant ones are cream and cheese. The dish is then soaked in a sugary syrup called attar and topped with crushed pistachio nuts.
(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
I’ve had cream kunafas before and to my Malaysian tongue, it tasted like a bland milk pudding wrapped in sweet soaked vermicelli. It’s a nice thing to try once in a while but I wouldn’t crave for it.
However, I have never tasted cheese kunafa before. The viral ones on social media looked so tempting with the stringy cheese and handsome Middle Eastern seller bright, bright colour.👀
Dubai, Food Republic in Pavilion KL
This place went viral first because of its stringy cheese kunafa and also the dashing friendly (and generous!) seller.
It’s fairly easy to find this place in Pavilion KL. Just go to the food court section called Food Republic and find a section with the name Dubai. Whether it’s filled with people or not, it’s based on luck. I got there on a public holiday at 4 pm and there was a line, but it was only a few people at the time.
(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
The kunafa was out of stock at the moment and we had to wait for twenty minutes to get the next batch ready. But we paid for it first and at least got a seat somewhere while waiting. While lining up, the seller gave us free mini baklavas, which was quite good. Hey, at least he knows how to appease his customers.
The Taste Test
The thick cheese kunafa here is cut into a rectangular shape and put into a plastic food container. It’s brown at the top and white in the middle. You can have it to go or have it there at the food court (I recommend having it there).
(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
They have the cream kunafa (tastes like sweet wet vermicelli with pudding) and cheese kunafa. I tried both but of course, I like the cheese one better. I didn’t really taste much of the stringy pastry, just thick cheese and a soft nutty-like layer (like semolina) at the top.
The texture of the kunafa is soft and gooey. You have to eat this one with a spoon as the top layer crumbles easily. This cheese kunafa has a combination of rich, creamy, salty and sweet flavours.
It’s better served warm than eating it cold in the car. Warm up your kunafa guys!(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
Besides Kunafa, there’s also Baklava, Kebab, Shawarma, Mandi chicken and other yummy Middle Eastern snacks and desserts here.
Address: Dubai, Food Republic, Level 1, Gourmet Emporium, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Bukit Bintang St, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Operation Hours: 10 am – 10 pm
Price: RM15 for a slice of cheese kunafa and RM12 for cream kunafa
Kunafa Crisp in Bukit Bintang
This one is viral because of its bright orange colour, stringy cheese, honey ice cream and long long queue. I went to this place twice before and it was both a failed attempt. It’s either they’re out of kunafa or the line is too long.
They even had RELA officers to guard the queue, making sure there’s no line-jumping peeps. And don’t be confused, there’s only one line, not two – it’s just separated because there’s a road in the middle of the line.
They look like separate lines, but they’re NOT. 😩(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
You can find this place near McDonald’s Bukit Bintang and you’ll see a line of shops on the right. The lot is smushed in the midst of other Middle Eastern eateries and it is directly in front of Hong Leong bank.
On my third attempt, I got there at 4.20 pm on the same public holiday and stood in line for almost an hour! No kidding! If you’re keen to line up like me, do bring a drink or energy bar for fuel (or a portable fan too- I sweated like a pig).
The Taste Test
This crisp cheese kunafa comes in a round shape and is put into a box together with the syrup, separately. It is bright orange in colour and a bit flat.
(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
While it’s still warm, the kunafa really tasted crispy. It’s basically two crispy layers of vermicelli-pastry encoating a soft cream cheese filling. It’s quite hard and flat if you just have it without the syrup. With the sweet syrup, it makes the kunafa chewy enough.
Honestly I do not know why they bother giving a spoon as it’s quite hard to scoop it. They should’ve given a fork too.
(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
They have two shops over there. Both are just a stone’s throw away from each other. The new branch (opened in early July) sells the same products except for the ice cream (only at their new branch). You can also dine in at the new branch (the current one is only for take-aways).
Apparently, you can order first online and pick it up later at the second branch (I did not know this fact at the time- do your research people!).
Address: 51, Jln Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (near Bukit Bintang’s McDonalds)
Operation Hours: 2 pm – 2 am
Price: RM18.90 for a piece of crisp cheese kunafa and RM12.90 for creamy kunafa slice
Instagram
The Verdict
I would give the Dubai cheese kunafa a 7/10 and the Kunafa Crisp cheese kunafa a 7.5/10. Both are good in their own way.
The one from Dubai is definitely heavier and creamier. There’s a lot more cheese in that one compared to Kunafa Crisp and you’ll get the ultimate cheese-pulling satisfaction from this one. If you love cheese, I would definitely recommend this one over the other.
The ultimate cheese pull goes to? You decide. (Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)
The Kunafa Crisp is a bit hard and bland but if you put on the syrup while it’s warm, the saccharine and the saltiness of the cheese just mix perfectly! I smiled all the way while eating this.
Both should be eaten while they’re warm. For me, if they aren’t enjoyed warm, then you’d be eating regular salty pudding with dry vermicelli. It ruins the whole point of stringy cheese pulling viral-ness. So, if you take it home, reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds and you’ll definitely enjoy it better.
So, how about you? Tell us what you think if you’ve tasted both before.

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Bomba does CPR to save dying kitten (Video)

Hereâ€™s a lil something to pull on your heartstringsâ€¦
Bomba personnel managed to save the life of a dying kitten by performing CPR on the tiny animal in a video that is making rounds on social media.
Cat Cpr GIF from Cat GIFs

The video showed a firefighter doing chest compressions on a scruffy white kitten, rescued from inside the roofing of a home in Kedah.

(Image Credit: Youtube)

The kitty, seen lifeless at first, slowly began to regain consciousness following the relentless effort of its rescuer.

(Image Credit: Youtube)

A crowd of onlookers can be heard in the video rejoicing as the cat began meowing away as the firefighter continued on, making sure that the animal could breathe on its own.
It took the cat a few moments to get back on its feet, but the video ended on a pleasant note as the kitten is seen moving about, trailing the footsteps of the firemen as if to say thank you for saving its life.

(Image Credit: Youtube)

Netizens from across cyberspace showed their mushy side, giving thanks to the firefighters who revived the tiny soul.

(Image Credit: Facebook)

Not all heroes wear capes!

(Image Credit: imgflip)

Catch the amazing rescue here;


Cash Is Still King: Najib Razak Wants Another RM10K For Rakyat

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Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak urged the government to approve another round of  i-Citra scheme under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

The statement came in the wake of Barisan Nasional’s big win in the Melaka State Election (PRN) last Saturday.
READ MORE: Barisan Nasional Wins Melaka State Elections

In the statement, which was made through a post on his Facebook page, the Pekan MP asked Minister of Finance, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, to act immediately on the request.
The Power of ‘Bossku‘
Following the former Prime Minister’s proposal, netizens were filled with much enthusiasm.
They fully support the proposal and hoped that the government would immediately approve another i-Citra withdrawal of RM10,000.
Thank you Dato, in happily celebrating the victory, (you) still remember the people who are in difficulties,” wrote Naim Nazihar in the comments section.Netizen Naim Nazihar on the i-Citra proposal by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
I’ve applied for jobs everywhere, but not everyone wants to hire, they prefer those who are healthy and under 30 years old. That is why we need RM10,000 to use as capital for small business.Netizen Kal Lie on the i-Citra proposal by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Source: Facebook
At the time of writing, the post had attracted more than 17,000 comments and 96,000 likes.
Najib had been credited with suggesting the withdrawal scheme since the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
Alhamdulillah… Terima kasih kepada kepimpinan UMNO khasnya @NajibRazak yang banyak mendesak kepada kerajaan hari ini supaya memansuhkan kriteria dan syarat pengeluaran KWSP akaun 1 i-sinar dengan tanpa syarat…— Kanda Lanon (@LanonJohor5) February 12, 2021
Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Even if the scheme is approved, not all would get to enjoy.
The reason is simple: they don’t have that sufficient savings in their EPF account.
READ MORE: 6.1 Million EPF Members Have Less Than RM10,000 For Retirement, Says Finance Minister
Furthermore, such EPF withdrawals are meant as stop-gap measures and not to be taken as long-term solutions.
The idea is to replenish it once the person’s income returns to normal.
Credit: Yusof Mat Isa/Malay Mail
Those who had to dip into their retirement funds often have very little left in it in the first place.
Many would have cleared a massive amount of their savings in the previous i-Sinar and i-Lestari schemes.
READ MORE: i-Sinar: EPF Allows Account 1 Withdrawal Up To RM60,000. Here’s How
The money in EPF is meant to ensure a basic lifestyle after retirement, and so, be vigilant and count the cost before making the withdrawal.
Accordingly, one needs at least RM240,000 in EPF savings in order to support their basic retirement needs, based on the calculation of RM1,000 per month for 20 years from age 55 to 75.
Will The FM Sing The Same Tune Once More With Bossku?
Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul was first appointed by Najib’s rival, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in 2020 following the downfall of Pakatan Harapan’s government.
However, Tengku Zafrul certainly enjoys a good relationship with Najib, more than most people would imagine.
The technocrat was one of the singers in a music video for Najib’s 2018 election campaign.
The “Hebat Negaraku” music video, a four-and-a-half-minute clip, features several heads of government-linked companies (GLCs) showing support for Najib’s leadership.

Tengku Zafrul was Chief Executive of Malaysian banking group CIMB at that time, when Najib’s younger brother Nazir Razak was the Chairman.
Nevertheless, Tengku Zafrul is a professional banker.
It would be unreasonable to assume that he would support Najib’s proposal based simply on friendship.

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Education Minister Denies Violating SOP, Makes Police Report After Photo Went Viral On Social Media

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On October 3, Senior Minister of Education Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin was present in Kuala Terengganu to review the first day of the reopening of schools.

His entourage was said to have attended the opening of schools in Terengganu, including Sekolah Menengah Sains Dungun.
He also shared about the visit on his Facebook page.

Still, a Facebook post went viral along with several photos that purportedly showed the Education Minister not practising social distancing.
Radzi, however, denied the matter through a Facebook post uploaded by him a few hours ago.
I was informed of a Facebook post that went viral along with a picture that purportedly showed him as not maintaining social distancing during a press conference. As far as I remember, apart from Dungun MP Wan Hassan Mohd. Ramli and Terengganu Education Exco, Ustaz Satiful Bahari Mamat, no one was by my side during the press conference at Sekolah Menengah Sains Dungun on October 3.Senior Minister of Education Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin
In fact, after a review was made, the picture was actually fake.
He also considered that the malicious actions of the account owner were very irresponsible and his team had lodged a police report on the allegation.

If you look closely, it seems like the photos showing him breaking SOPs have been doctored.
Netizens began to pay attention to the pictures
In the comments section, netizens also scrutinized the pictures when it was mentioned that the pictures are fake and had been edited.

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Contract Doctors May Soon Get Their Dues

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Today, Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Md Yasin says that he will discuss the appeal of the contract doctors with the Cabinet.

He added that appointing the contract doctors into permanent positions in the civil service would cost the government more than RM2 billion.
Previously, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba had also advised the contract doctors to be patient as the matter would be discussed by the Cabinet.
The plight of contract Doctors
It has been five years since the Ministry of Health (MOH) introduced the contract system. However, the medical students who are the contract Medical Officers (MO) in the program have yet to see a significant improvement in their available career prospects.
All they want is to be appointed to permanent positions in the civil service after spending a maximum of 10 years in the system; from an undergraduate to housemanship to becoming a medical officer.
Taking action
The dissatisfaction of the contract MOs led to the Code Black campaign, initiated by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers, and Specialists (SCHOMOS).
The pent up frustration also spawned the #HartalDoktorKontrak movement which calls for contract MOs to go on strike.
At the same time, the ‘Black Monday’ project asks for supporters to blacken their social media profile and wear black to work on 12 July.
READ MORE: Why Are Malaysian Doctors Planning To Go On Strike?
READMORE: Contract Medical Officer Pleads For Better Treatment From Malaysian Health Ministry

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The Country’s Sewers Are Getting Old And Here’s How To Fix That

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With the increase in households and also growing operational costs, national sewerage company Indah Water Konsortium is facing an uphill challenge of maintaining Malaysia’s ever-growing sewerage assets and pipelines.

Despite IWK’s excellent performance, Environment and Water Minister, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said IWK’s main challenge is to ensure all sewerage assets operate optimally to sustain our water resources and public health.
He was quoted by Berita Harian saying that since the concession agreement on 1 April 1994 until now, IWK has been responsible for managing more than 7,000 sewage treatment plants and maintaining 22,000 kilometers of sewerage pipes – an increase of almost 10 times over the initial concessions signed.
The water treatment company is also tasked with maintaining about 1.3 million individual septic tanks and more than 800,000 traditional toilet tanks, an increase of almost 10 times over the initial concessions signed.
Tuan Ibrahim added that most of the public sewerage assets in the country have been around for a long time – a lot of them for a few decades – and IWK is now facing challenges to ensure they operate optimally, while at the same time needing to constantly upgrade systems and assets with cost-efficient, effective technology and new standards.
Credit: IWK
Increased costs make it difficult to sustain
One of the reasons why costs have been increasing is because of electricity charges, which constitute the highest expenditure for operation and maintenance costs, according to IWK CEO Narendran Maniam.
It’s reported that the cost of electricity in 2000 was RM22.52 million and last year, it was RM256.3 million – a tenfold increase in 20 years.
He mentioned that the increase in old and aging sewerage assets also adds up to the increase in operating costs, requiring maintenance and repair work to comply with the stipulated standards.
Another cost factor is the addition of public STPs every year which will have to be maintained by IWK, adding to the overall expenditure.
All this will add up to the average maintenance cost of about RM18 per month, compared to the current charges imposed by domestic connected consumers which are between RM2 to RM8 per month.
Furthermore, all these assets need to comply with the Department of Environment’s (DOE) standard of effluent discharge quality so that the treated effluent can be released into the rivers safely.
Additionally, a study conducted shows that the review of sewerage service tariffs should be carefully considered to offset the cost of maintaining old assets, the increase in electricity tariffs, and the emergence of new and complex threats of environmental crime.
Credit: IWK
IWK remains resilient with current times
Recent times haven’t made it easier for IWK with the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) last year resulting in people having to stay at home.
What this translates to is the increase of bathrooms, washing machine, and kitchen sink use, bringing domestic wastewater production from 5,887.4 million litres daily in 2019 to 6,205.53 million litres a day in 2021, according to reports from The Malaysian Reserve.
Despite the rise in consumption, IWK has taken on the challenge as frontliners, maintaining sewage treatment plants (STPs) that have been operating non-stop, even during the MCO period.
Join SPAN’S Public Consultation Session
In order for IWK to stay focused on its task to ensure the sustainability of the environment and public health, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) will open an online survey from 9 November to 23 November 2021, for the public to send in feedback on the proposed IWK’s tariff adjustment.
You can visit SPAN’s website here.
Credit: IWK

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Is It Snowing In Kota Kinabalu? Sabah Met Department Says It’s Just A Video Manipulation

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Malaysians get excited when they see bits of ice from a hail storm simply because it’s an unusual event in a hot, tropical country.

Thus, it’s not a surprise to see some netizens getting excited when a video allegedly showed snow falling in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on Saturday, 12 February.

However, the excitement is short-lived because Sabah Meteorological Department director Amir Zudi Hashim confirmed there was no snowfall at all in the state.
Sad to say, the video that was circulating on social media channels was just a manipulated clip.
According to The Star, it was a video of regular rainfall in slow motion using a phone. This made the slowed-down raindrops look like snowflakes falling in the video clip.
Observant viewers will notice that the cars in the background moved unusually slow too.
At least, the video made someone’s day brighter for a few minutes.

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[Watch] UTC Security Guard Acts Like Gangster, Shouts And Snatches Phone From Journalists

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Two reporters of a news portal claimed they were harassed by a security guard who ordered them to leave the premises.
The reporter uploaded a video of a security guard shouting, demanding they immediately leave the area outside the immigration office at Urban Transformation Center in Pudu, where people have been queuing since early morning.
One of the reporters was later seen in the video asking the crowd if they had waited more than five hours, and those who were queuing then raised their hands.
The video was interrupted when the same guard seized a phone belonging to another journalist recording the scene.
One of the security guards at UTC has since lodged a police report on the matter.

A Highly Unjustifiable Reaction
Gerakan Media Marah (Geramm), a group of journalist activists, also condemned the actions of the security guards.
In a Facebook post, they said the issue could be resolved professionally, but instead, the guards had committed intimidation and intrusion by taking the reporter’s phone.
Geramm said there should be criminal laws on any acts of intimidation and aggression against media personnel.

Meanwhile, the President of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Farah Marshita Abdul Patah, said serious measures were needed to protect the rights of journalists in the country.
Journalists have the right to report facts without hindrance from anyone. We urge all parties to stop harassing reporters while they are on duty. If we are prevented from carrying out the assigned task, the voice of the people will not be heard out there.NUJ Farah Marshita Abdul Patah on press freedom.
The guard was also condemned by netizens for behaving like a thug.

People First, Performance Now
UTC is the brainchild of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Najib described the establishment of the UTC nationwide as one of the government’s best innovations in serving the people.
He said the establishment of UTC was to ensure that the delivery of government services to the people was offered in the most innovative and creative methods.
UTC houses state and federal government agencies offering counter services such as the National Registration Department (JPN), Road Transport Department, Immigration Department and the police.
Other agencies operating at the UTC, past and present, are 1Malaysia Clinic, 1Malaysia Store, Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority, Pos Malaysia, Sabah State Library, Sabah State Water Department, Kota Kinabalu Water Department, Kota Kinabalu City Hall and the Inland Revenue Board.
Najib Makes Surprise Visit, Satisfied With Services At Pudu Sentral UTC https://t.co/cjdMFIjvnb pic.twitter.com/4DzVHhtvYd— BERNAMA (@bernamadotcom) November 26, 2015

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TM Resumes Unifi Installation Services In Green Zones

Telekom Malaysia (TM) has resumed their unifi installation services at premises which are located in Green Areas as declared by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Security Council (MKN).
For refurbishment activities, TM said their technical team will address any customer service issues including those within the premises, provided that the premises are located in Green Zone areas.
As for those living in the Yellow and Red Zone areas, repairs will be carried out up to the distribution point only and customers will need to install their own customer premise equipment with the help of TM technical team.
However, TM refurbishment activities will continue as is on premises such as hospitals, clinics and other critical agencies.
Meanwhile, for new Home unifi customers living in the Yellow Zone area awaiting installation of fiber broadband services; they will be given unifi Air as a temporary solution.


Sarawak Has Been Officially Declared A Covid-19 Green Zone

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The state of Sarawak confirmed to have returned to being a Covid-19 green zone yesterday, with the total number of active cases in the state being below 10.
What you need to know: According to Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that teachers entering Sarawak after the school break will not be required to quarantine.
All visitors traversing Brunei by land to cross the Sarawak border will not need to obtain approval from the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) or the police.
However, air travellers staying one night, or on transit to Brunei will still require JPBN’s approval to enter the state, and it is still compulsory for individuals returning from abroad to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test upon arrival.
They will also need to be quarantined until their test results were confirmed to be negative. Following this, they are required to home quarantine and a second test sample will be taken on the 10th day.
What’s next: The Sarawak Ministry of Housing and Local Government has enhanced operation guidelines for the retail sector in the state, such as laundry centres, garment and fashion accessory outlets, and cinemas with immediate effect.
How it got here: The state’s Covid-19 zone status changed to green after Kuching, the only district left to be a yellow zone switched to green after 14 days of no new positive cases.
Read more: Covid-19: Sarawak now a green zone, says deputy CM

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Dad makes schoolbag out of raffia string for his kid because he canâ€™t afford to buy one

Though Fatherâ€™s Day has just passed us by, the dad appreciation still continues.

via GIPHY
Today, the love goes to this Cambodian father who couldnâ€™t afford to buy a schoolbag for his child, so he made one instead â€“ with RAFFIA STRING.
Picture Credit: eezee.sg
In a Facebook post by Sophous Suon, pictures of a bright blue bag weaved together using raffia string were shown worn by a young schoolboy.

The bag appeared to be very well made with the string in perfect symmetry, complete with a clasp and straps.
Picture Credit: Sophous Suon via Facebook
 Picture Credit: Sophous Suon via Facebook
 Picture Credit: Sophous Suon via Facebook
It could even fit in a couple of schoolbooks.
 Picture Credit: Sophous Suon via Facebook
These pictures were accompanied with an explanation by Sophous that roughly translates to â€œThis bag, his father is the one who makes it (made of plastic string). Fatherâ€™s heart for the children is goodâ€

via GIPHY
The post which has garnered almost 6,000 shares at the time of writing was filled with positive messages and admiration for the incredible father.
Screenshot via Facebook
 Screenshot via Facebook
 Screenshot via Facebook
We donâ€™t know about you, but this story really warms our hearts
and goes to show how amazing dads can really be.

via GIPHY
If youâ€™re still thinking of getting a Fatherâ€™s Day gift for your dad (itâ€™s not tooooo late. We think), be sure to avoid getting these lame things by checking out our â€œ13 generic Fatherâ€™s Day gifts Malaysian dads are SO sick ofâ€ listicle.


Apple, Google and Microsoft devices might have been attacked by hackers for over 2 years

Last week the news broke that Apple iPhone users were under attack by hackers.
But it would seem that the threat might have been bigger than anticipated as reports are claiming that Google and Microsoftâ€™s operating systems were also being targeted.

(Image Credit: imgur)

Last week, security researchers from Google discovered that iPhone users have been vulnerable to attacks for over two years.
Shocked Omg GIF from Shocked GIFs

Google’s Project Zero exposed that a number of malicious websites have been used to secretly hack into most iPhone models using iOS 10 through to the latest version of iOS 12.
According to the research team, the attack was carried out using websites that would secretly install malicious software on to a userâ€™s iPhone to syphon off information including images, text messages, contact information, GPS locations and other valuable data.
Team Work GIF from Spy GIFs

Simply by visiting one of these â€˜trapâ€™ sites, attackers exploited flaws on iOS devices to install a monitoring implant or spyware that could also gather data from other apps on the device like WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram and others!
These flaws in the operating system were not fixed until the latest security patch by Apple on the latest iOS 12.4.1 update. (If you got yourself an iPhone, keep it updated to make sure youâ€™re protected!)
Reports also claimed that the mass attack was part of the Chinese governmentâ€™s surveillance efforts.

(Image Credit: imgflip)

Both Apple and Google have not provided comments on the matter but a spokesperson from Microsoft reportedly said they are currently investigating the claims and taking necessary actions to protect users.


15 Sci-Fi Shows Led By Stellar Female Characters

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In the past, women had been sidelined in the science fiction genre. They’re either occupying roles as side characters who are helpless, killed off quickly or, as some say, just serving as a ‘lamp post’ or background décor.

More often than not, female characters are used to propel a male character’s story arc, and the audience never gets to get to know the female character in depth.
Fortunately, the times are changing bit by bit, and there are more sci-fi films that have women in starring roles. These characters have their own stories and character arcs. Over the years, some of these characters such as X-Files’ Scully became role models to many young girls and encouraged them to go into science careers.
This International Women’s Day is a good time as any to revisit some of the amazing women-led sci-fi shows ever listed below and continue to #BreakTheBias.
1. Aliens
The sci-fi horror film Aliens (1979) stars Sigourney Weaver as Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, a character who has inspired tough, driven female characters in science fiction and beyond. In the story, Ripley had to face and fight dangerous aliens in space with her crew on their ship, Nostromo. The success of the first film spawned a franchise and introduced another strong female character, Alexa Woods, in its crossover AVP: Alien vs Predator (2004).

2. AVP: Alien vs Predator
AVP: Alien vs Predator stars Sanaa Lathan as Alexa Woods, an experienced mountaineering guide. She was hired by a wealthy industrialist, Charles Weyland, to lead a team on a dangerous trip off the coast of Antarctica where they get caught in between a battle of two alien species.

3. Prometheus
Prometheus is a prequel inspired by the Aliens franchise. Archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw (played by Noomi Rapace) discovered a star map in Scotland and interpreted it as an invitation from beings known as the Engineers. The CEO of Weyland Corporation quickly funds an expedition aboard the scientific vessel Prometheus, to seek the origins of humanity.

4. Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek: Discovery stars Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham, a science specialist on Discovery who eventually assumes captainship. The series begins around ten years before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series.
Burnham’s recklessness starts a war between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire, so she’s demoted and reassigned to the USS Discovery.
Throughout her adventures, she comes across brilliant female characters such as Sylvia Tilly (played by Mary Wiseman), an ensign on Discovery, and the formidable warlord/ emperor Philippa Georgiou (played by Michelle Yeoh).

5. Pacific Rim
Rinko Kikuchi stars as Mako Mori, a Ranger in training in the Pan-Pacific Defense Corps (PPDC) who eventually commandeers a Jaeger called Gipsy Danger with Raleigh Becket when monsters known as Kaijus attacked the world. In Pacific Rim: Uprising, she rose ranks and became the PPDC Secretary-General.

6. Psycho-Pass
Psycho-Pass is a Japanese cyberpunk psychological thriller anime series set in a futuristic Japan that’s governed by the Sibyl System, a powerful biomechatronic computer network.
The story follows Akane Tsunemori, a novice Inspector assigned to Division One of the Public Safety Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division who uncovers a conspiracy involving a criminal mastermind.
In this world, citizens are constantly assessed for their prevalence to commit a crime. Enforcers of the Bureau are tasked to get rid of citizens with a high Crime Coefficient score.

7. Alita: Battle Angel
Alita: Battle Angel chronicles the story of Alita (played by Rosa Salazar), who’s a cyborg who awakens in a new body with no memory of her past life. She lived a pretty sheltered life thanks to Ido, a compassionate cyber-doctor.
One day, she discovers that she’s well-versed in Panzer-Kunst, a lost combat art for machine bodies, when her father figure, Ido, is ambushed by a gang of cyborg killers. Believing she’ll eventually regain her memories through fighting, she soon crosses paths with a criminal mastermind.

8. Serenity
Serenity (2005) is a Space Western film that served as a continuation of the television series Firefly. The story focuses on the crew of Serenity who shelters River Tam (played by Summer Glau), a girl with special psychic abilities who’s also an assassin.
Due to their actions, the crew had to outrun an Alliance agent known as the Operative. The film also stars Gina Torres as Zoe Washburne, the second-in-command of Serenity, and Jewel Staite as Kaylee Frye, the ship’s mechanic.

9. Sunshine
Sunshine (2007) is said to be the bleakest and most beautiful sci-fi movie ever made. An international crew of astronauts aboard the spaceship Icarus II journeys towards the dying Sun to save the human race. The plan is to place a bomb in it in hopes to reignite the star. The film feature amazing characters such as Corazon (Michelle Yeoh), a biologist, and Cassie (Rose Byrne), the pilot of Icarus II.

10. Ex Machina
Alicia Vikander plays the humanoid AI Ava in this psychological thriller. A programmer named Caleb was invited by Nathan, the company’s CEO, to administer the Turing test on Ava to find out whether she can pass as a real person. All seems well enough until Ava tells Caleb not to trust Nathan and plots her way to freedom.

11. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One serves as the first instalment of the Star Wars anthology series and an immediate prequel to Star Wars: A New Hope. The story follows an orphaned girl named Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones) who eventually joins the Rebel Alliance and embarks on a dangerous mission to steal plans of the Death Star.

12. The Shape of Water
The Shape of Water is a romantic sci-fi movie that’s the first to win the Best Picture Oscar. Set in 1962 Baltimore, the story follows a mute cleaner named Elisa Esposito (played by Sally Hawkins) at a high-security government laboratory. She falls in love with a captured humanoid amphibian creature. Their riveting yet strange love story keeps the audience hooked right until the end.

13. IO
When Earth’s atmosphere became toxic, most of the human race settled on a space station near one of Jupiter’s moons, Io. Margaret Qualley plays Sam, a young scientist on Earth who’s trying to breed a bee species to save the world.

14. Annihilation
Annihilation follows a group of scientists and explorers investigating The Shimmer, a mysterious quarantined zone of mutating plants and animals caused by an alien presence.
Natalie Portman stars as Lena, a biology professor and Army veteran, who retells what she saw when she was in the Shimmer.
The film stars Jennifer Jason Leigh as the psychologist Dr Ventress, Tessa Thompson as the physicist Josie Radek, Tuva Novotny as a geomorphologist Cassie Sheppard and Gina Rodriguez as the paramedic Anya Thorensen.

15. Everything Everywhere All At Once
Everything Everywhere All At Once is an upcoming sci-fi show starring Michelle Yeoh. Yeoh plays Evelyn Wang, an ordinary immigrant woman working in a laundromat who’s trying to get her taxes done. One day, she discovers that she can access multiple emotions, memories, and skills of her alternate selves. To make things worse, she’s told she’s the world’s best chance of survival from an evil threat.

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FF9 License Plate Bidding Approaches RM1 Million In Malaysia

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According to recent reports, Malaysia’s FF series license plate bidding activity has garnered much attention, with intense competition driving up prices.

The highest bid for the FF9 license plate had reached a staggering RM 909,999, with the bidder reportedly being a young, attractive woman.
        View this post on Instagram            A post shared by Love de Von (@lovedevon99)
Other license plates that have received high bids include FF555, which had the highest bid of RM 70,555 as of last night.
The bidding price of another Chinese-favourite license plate, FF168, is also competitive.
Netizens pointed out that as of 10:33 last night, the highest bidding price for this license plate was RM38,000.
In addition, as of last night, netizens also provided the highest bids for FF license plates of other numbers.
The biddings included RM58,000 for FF12, RM35,000 for FF37, RM35,600 for FF24, RM113,000 for FF89, and FF26 is RM58,800.

The FF series license plates were launched to commemorate Malaysia’s 77th anniversary of the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
The bidding activity on JPJ eBid was originally scheduled to end at 10 pm on 18 May.
Still, due to technical issues with the electronic bidding system, the deadline has been extended by 24 hours to 19 May at 10 pm.
Many netizens have expressed interest in the bidding activity, particularly for license plates with special numbers.
However, as of now, no information regarding the highest bid for FF1 has been released.
The FF series license plate bidding activity has been highly competitive, with many people vying for these special plates.

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Short-Lived Joy: Police Raid 300-Pax Pool Party In Brickfields

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The easing of lockdown has allowed us to get back to as many people and things we love.

For a horde of partygoers, they took the saying that the more the merrier to the next level.
Numbering a total of 303 people, the group which included 111 women were arrested in a wild party at the swimming pool of a leading private club in Kuala Lumpur.
A scene during the arrest. (Source: Facebook)
Brickfields district police chief ACP Amihizam Abdul Shukor was quoted by Sinar Harian as saying that those detained in the party, which started at 4 pm, consisted of 161 foreign men and 55 women, as well as 31 local men and 56 women.
We conducted intelligence before the raid was carried out and it was understood that each individual was charged RM60 to join the party, invited through a social media application.ACP Amihizam Abdul Shukor speaking at a press conference on the wild party
In the raid, which took place at 10.50 pm, some women in bikinis were said to be dancing and bathing in the pool.
The raid was led by the Deputy Chief of the Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department, Assistant Commissioner Nasri Mansor together with members and officers from the Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Brickfields District Police Headquarters.
Meanwhile, urine tests were also conducted by the Kuala Lumpur Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) on all those detained.
A scene during the arrest. (Source: Facebook)
What Is Considered An ‘Illegal Gathering’ These Days
According to the latest National Recovery Plan Phase 4 SOP that was released on 7 November, there are still restrictions on gatherings.
READ MORE: Klang Valley & Melaka Goes Into Phase 4 On Monday
Among some of the restrictions, premise owners and business license holders must limit the number of customers in their premises to ensure physical distancing of at least 1 meter.
The limit of customers allowed inside a premise at any one time must be publicly displayed. Premises are encouraged to use a numbered queue system to better monitor and control the flow of customers.
Meeting parties are allowed for fully-vaccinated individuals, but the number of participants must not be more than 50% of the venue capacity and with physical distancing.
Under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), action can be taken against anyone found to have intentionally violated the rules.
Boys And Girls Just Want To Have Fun
The incident is hardly the first, especially since the Covid-19 lockdown started last year.
Even cops have found themselves on the wrong side of the law just because they wanted to have fun.
READ MORE: Two More Cops Nabbed At Wild Party In A Luxury Apartment KL
It is understandable that everyone wants to get some excitement and relief from stress and worry, and make room in our lives for things that bring us pleasure.
READ MORE: Police Station PP: Cops Caught Partying With Women, Liquor, Ketum & Porn Inside Police Station
Nevertheless, we still need to enjoy ourselves responsibly. After all, laws are meant to be obeyed.

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Tan Sri Datuk Mohamad Ariff Leaves Dewan Rakyat Speaker Seat

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Tan Sri Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof has vacated his position as the Speaker of the House of the Representatives after a motion was made for him to do so by the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Mohamad Ariff first assumed the role on 16 July 2018.
The motion was then was fiercely debated between the MPs where it escalated to a shouting match.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PKR-Port Dickson) asks that MPs be given time to debate and that the matter should not be rushed as it is of national importance.
He also said that this is the first time that this has happened in the nation’s history and argues that there was no wrongdoing by the Speaker to warrant his replacement, pointing out that previous replacements were made due to death or elections.
Shafie Apdal also argued that, “There is the Executive, Parliament and Judiciary. There is a separation of powers. The Executive cannot intervene in Parliament.”
Meanwhile, Tun Dr. Mahathir Muhammad (Independent-Langkawi) rejects the motion made by Muhyiddin to remove the Dewan Speaker as it goes against parliamentary norms.
The Dewan Rakyat then accepted the motion to a bloc vote on whether to remove the Speaker of the House.
111 voted for the removal of Mohamad Ariff, while voted 109 against the motion.
Today’s sitting (13 July) kickstarts the Second Meeting of the Third Term for Parliament, which would take place for 25 days from July 13 to August 27.
The First Meeting of the Third Term was originally scheduled to run from 9 March to 16 April, but it was postponed to a day-long session instead following the Covid-19 outbreak and the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
That meeting only featured the Royal address by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah as at the time, the country was still trying to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

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[Opinion] Will The Southern Thai Conflict In Patani Never Succeed?

By:Dr Abdul Razak Ahmad, Ph.D.Founding Director,Bait Al Amanah

On 13 January 2022, an agreement to form a joint working group to resolve an armed conflict in Southern Thailand was materialised by the Thai government and Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) as the sole representative of the insurgent group.

Since August 2018, the Malaysian government, led by the former police chief Abdul Rahim Noor has facilitated the negotiation process between the Thai government and the insurgent groups.
This conflict in Thailand’s Deep South has prolonged for over a century, making the conflict the oldest dispute in the Asian region.
However, due to the Covid pandemic outbreak, this negotiation process has been on hold for two years until recently during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
The Thai government expressed their gratitude and appreciation on 21 May 2022 for Malaysia’s leading role in facilitating conflict resolution in Southern Thailand.
Bait Al Amanah published a policy brief suggesting five reasons to explain the intricacies of this century-long conflict that have affected the developmental progress and societal cohesion in southern Thailand.
Firstly, the inclusiveness in negotiating with all the insurgent groups in the Southern Thailand region is crucial as part of the peace talk to craft holistic solutions in the forging path for lasting peace.
The #Thai army rounds up the usual suspects after the latest attack in Tak Bai. 18 years of insurgency and drug smuggling remains the default. The 3 wounded members of the security forces all succumbed. https://t.co/V5WJRaPMqf— Zachary Abuza (@ZachAbuza) May 28, 2022
The inclusiveness by inviting other insurgent groups to the negotiation table and playing a more significant part in the arrangement and agreement of the peace process will act as the antecedent to develop a consensus and harmonise the accord between the insurgent groups.
The stagnant progress of this conflict is caused by the Thai government’s lack of the political will to invite all the insurgent groups to the negotiation table, the disunity of the insurgent groups, the lack of strategic framework, and the Thai government’s unwillingness to sign a peace agreement.
To avoid further deadlock for peace talks in Southern Thailand, ending the violent conflict and peace process negotiations will require all the stakeholders involved to tap into these areas of work.
Thai and Malaysia leaders discuss insurgency, Myanmar crisis – Associated Press https://t.co/8oTtbml3Zs #AndyVermautLovesAP #Whatsapp0032499357495 pic.twitter.com/OVcpX4jckV— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) March 1, 2022
As contended by Patani Consultative Council, Dr Abu Hafez Al-Hakim, in a webinar organised by Bait Al Amanah, the Thai government’s commitment to this conflict is questioned of its sincerity in resolving it.
There has been no endorsement from the parliament since 2019, and it has never been part of the national agenda.
What Needs To Be Done
Following the Thai government’s unwillingness to sign a peace agreement, the construction of a framework for building Terms of Reference failed to take place.
Dr Hafez also articulated their frustration that the conflict progress is unable to move forward to a safe zone; to protect civilians from casualties.
Secondly, the effectiveness of Malaysia as the facilitator role in the conflict needs to be re-evaluated. As inclusiveness of the peace talk is paramount, Malaysia must up the ante of its facilitating capability by inviting all insurgent groups to the negotiation table.
To muster every confidence of its international counterparts, Malaysia must be able to bring together different parties to negotiate vehemently regardless of time and place.
Considering the nearness of the geographical location between Malaysia and Thailand, the facilitator role will continuously become an enormous challenge for Malaysia as a neighbouring country.
The navigation of Malaysia’s impartiality in this conflict is equally concerning as Malaysia is responsible for ensuring regional security stability that corresponds directly to domestic politics.
Thirdly, the need for brain trust support as the third party to come in as an independent monitoring investigation body is needed for the peace talk to succeed as the negotiation table has proceeded for over nine years with inconclusive outcomes.
To avoid a foundation that is detached from the reality presented on the ground, it is compulsory to involve a brain trust that can provide historical context, mirroring other global conflicts and conducting various research and holistic mechanisms to guide the negotiations process.
Fourth, the insurgent groups and the Thai government must be consistent and have sincere political willpower to resolve this conflict. Each party must play their role effectively.
Learning from the lesson of the global conflicts, the parties involved cannot afford to delay peace-seeking efforts for fear of reprehensible outcomes.
The continuity of finding common ground by addressing the root causes and developing viable solutions should remain the top priority.
Lastly, there is no international support given by the world. The step of amassing international support will tremendously contribute to the success of this negotiation process.
Why any negotiated solution to the Southern Thai insurgency will be extremely difficult #Thaideepsouth #Salafi #Thailand #whatshappeninginthailand #Malaysia #Thaiinsurgency #Rahimnor @DalastKimbasabi https://t.co/Vs24W7SP5K— Murray Hunter (@DalastKimbasabi) January 10, 2022
Strength And Unity In Islam
Turkey and Qatar are seen as reliable partners in the Muslim world to playsubstantial roles.
As progressive and modern Muslim nations, these countries are needed for their expertise in training and the aspects of negotiation.
These can facilitate the peace process and garner more significant support from the world in addition to the existing effort given by OIC and other Muslim countries.
Moving forward, it is a due season to rethink the strategy in the peacemaking process if the peace talk in Southern Thailand remains underwhelmed.
The values and actions of the Thai government must not be tolerated at the expense of the social and economic well-being of more people in the predominantly Muslim region of Southern Thailand.

Dr Abdul Razak Ahmad is the Founding Director of Bait Al Amanah. All opinions here are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the stand of TRP. For more information regarding Bait Al Amanah, you can visit the Bait Al Amanah website.

If you’d like to have your opinion shared on TRP, please send it via email at editorial@therakyatpost.com with the title “OPINION:” or through social media on TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


No more hidden flight charges starting June

Splendid news for those of you inflicted with wanderlust.
Starting this June, all commercial airlines
operating in the country are required to display the final airfare price on all
point of purchase locations as well as all promotional and advertising materials.
The Malaysian aviation Commission (MAVCOM) today announced an update to the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC), as reported by The Star.

via GIPHY
Gone are the days of hidden baggage
charges, vague administrative fees, and other mysterious troublesome costs that
usually creep up on you out of nowhere.
Now, what you see is what you pay!

(picture credit: memegenerator.net)

The new set of rule requirements is
also poised to make refunds a breeze, as airlines and travel agents are
required to provide a full refund – including all passenger service fees and other tax and charges – to all passengers who are unable to make
their flights (providing that the request is made within 30 days).
Even non-refundable ticket passengers are permitted
to gain a refund on paid airport tax, and airline companies are only allowed to
charge customers a maximum of 5% for the processing fee.
MAVCOM additionally announced the launch of FlySmart, a one-stop information portal for where consumers can gain access to information on all air travel related matters as well as a submit and track their complaints in one easy access channel.
You can check out the FlySmart platform here, or get the full amended MACPC at the official MAVCOM webpage.


[Watch] Local Student Cries When Friends Surprised Him With A Laptop For Uni

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A 20-year-old Malaysian student, Mohamad Nazrul Kamaruddin, was reduced to tears when his group of friends got him a brand-new laptop for his university studies.

The touching moment was caught on video and posted up by one of his friends on Tiktok. In the video, one of the boys handed Nazrul his gift and Nazrul couldn’t stop crying tears of joy.
You’re always helping people, and we remember every little thing.One of Nazrul’s friends in the video.
According to Harian Metro, Nazrul cried for almost half an hour because he felt so touched by the kindness of his friends.
  @5cammers thanks semua & all the best bro kat tempat baru  ♬ original sound  – FARHAN.N.N
It all started with a lost wallet
Nazrul recently got accepted to further his studies at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA).
However, he lost his wallet last week and could not get himself a new phone to celebrate his university acceptance either.
In order to cheer up their good friend, the gang decided to pool money together to get Nazrul a laptop to use in university.
One of Nazrul’s friends, Farhan Azman, said all 20 of them managed to gather RM1,600 in less than 24 hours to get him a laptop.
They went to buy the laptop on the same day they managed to gather the funds.
  @5cammers Replying to @shimmyyyyyy ♬ Takkan Berubah – Feby
Farhan told Harian Metro that he has known Nazrul since 2015 when they were in Form One together and he’s thankful that they’re still friends now.
He shared that Nazrul is not from a well-to-do family but has a habit of quietly treating his friends each time they hangout.
We hope that the gift will bring him happiness and that it will be useful for him throughout his studies on campus.Nazrul’s friend, Farhan Azman
Those who saw the video on Tiktok said Nazrul is lucky to have such good friends and hoped that the gang will remain good buddies for a long time.
They also praised the boys for being thoughtful by buying their friend a laptop which he’ll need to use for his studies.

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Local Car Club Blocks Emergency Lane For Viral Photo Op, Gets Called By Police For Questioning

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Police will soon call a group of individuals believed to be members of a local car club for their statements after pictures of them stopping at the emergency lane went viral on social media.

Based on reports from Bernama, the incident allegedly happened on the Temiang-Pantai Highway.
Nilai District Police Chief Superintendent Mohd Fazley Ab Rahman was quoted saying that they are taking action after the police detected the post via Facebook.
Credit: FCCM – FC/Facebook
It showed a group of individuals from the car club ‘FCCM-FC Club Malaysia’ parking their cars on the emergency lane to take pictures on the highway at about 6.30 pm last Saturday.
We will call the club chief first and we have identified about 48 cars so far. Stopping and parking a vehicle in the emergency lane without a reasonable cause is an offense as it can pose a danger to other road users.Nilai District Police Chief Superintendent Mohd Fazley Ab Rahman
Yesterday, the car club uploaded the photos on their Facebook account showing a row of vehicles that occupy the emergency lane in both directions to take pictures that were allegedly part of their leisure activities but the post has been deleted by the page.
He mentioned that legal action can be taken against individuals in accordance with Rule 53 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulations 1959 which states that no vehicle of any class is parked or left unattended in any emergency lane except in case of emergency.
Credit: FCCM – FC/Facebook
Fines could also be imposed on the individuals involved under Section 119 of the Road Transport Act 1987 as well as a maximum fine of RM2,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months.
Mohd Fazley also mentioned that talks are will be done between the Public Works Department and local authorities to coordinate further actions as well as proposals to provide a special place in the area for the public to take pictures and set up stalls.
The Temiang-Pantai highway is an attractive location and is the focus of people stopping to take pictures because of the beautiful scenery at the location, but the act of taking pictures like what happened previously can be dangerous.Nilai District Police Chief Superintendent Mohd Fazley Ab Rahman
He advised the public not to take actions that could endanger themselves and others.

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UMNO’s Datuk Saarani Mohamad Is Perak MB After State Assembly Fiasco

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Datuk Saarani Mohamad is now the new Menteri Besar of Perak after it was consented by Sultan Nazrin Shah.

Bernama reports that the Perak UMNO Liaison Committee Chairman had received the consent from the Sultan after considering that Saarani could gain the trust of most of the State Assemblymen.
He was picked to replace Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu who lost out on a majority confidence vote, who resigned along with his entire State Executive Council (Exco) line-up.
The motion of confidence was initiated by Aznel Ibrahim (BN/UMNO-Pengkalan Bharu) and Howard Lee Chuan How (HARAPAN-Pasir Pinji).
READ MORE: Perak Government Falls After MB Loses Vote Of Confidence 48-10
Then, speculations surfaced over who will be the next MB with political parties all lining up to meet the Sultan, even PAS, who initially declined to meet the monarch.
Even Faizal Azumu’s future piqued the interest of the media as reports surfaced that he is rumoured to be the next Deputy Prime Minister.
Credit: Malay Mail
Who is Datuk Saarani, actually?
Datuk Saraani Mohamad was born on 13 March, 1961 and started out his career as a teacher in 1982 after graduating from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with a Diploma in Science and Education (Physics and Mathematics).
He later joined UMNO in 1989 and became the Lenggong State Assemblyman from 1999 to 2004 and was also appointed as the Perak State Assembly opposition leader during Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) time.
Saarani also served as a EXCO for the Perak State Government by holding several portfolios including:
Chairman of the Rural Development and Plantation CommitteeChairman of Information and Human Capital Development Chairman for Rural Development, Entrepreneur Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Affairs
You can watch the swearing-in video below:

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This Company Grows Kale In Kajang “Suited For Asians” And It… Kinda Taste Like Gai Lan

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You may have heard of kale, which exploded in popularity a few years ago in the West. It was touted as a ‘superfood’ and was used in everything from salads to smoothies.

Yet it became a bit of a joke to make fun of fad-chasing ‘health freaks’, as the fibrous vegetable is quite well-known for being bitter and an acquired taste.
Kale isn’t as readily available in Southeast Asia since it is cultivated in Europe and the Americas. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can find imported kale on grocery shelves costing an arm and a leg.
But this company is aiming to change all that.
A man obsessed with kale
CEO and Co-Founder of Sustenir Agriculture, Benjamin Swan, originally began growing his own kale when he was stationed in Singapore in 2013.
These kales have never seen the sun or touched the soil… literally.(Credit: Sustenir Agriculture)
At that time, he couldn’t find good fresh kale, so he simply decided to grow his own kale. He learned about verticle farming to do so, and it turned out successful.
However, while his Caucasian friends enjoyed the vegetable, his Singaporean friends were less fond of the tough bitter vegetable.
Asian vegetables rarely taste bitter (with bittergourd being an exception, but it’s so special we name it after how bitter it is), so it was harder to accept for his Singaporean friends.
So what if kale tasted… Asian?
He turned to high-tech agri-farming methods using Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) to cultivate and tailor the taste of kale to be crunchier and sweeter so that Asians would find it more palatable. It worked.
Sustenir Agriculture kale does taste more palatable to asians now, because it actually kind of tastes like gai lan.
Top: The leafier Kinky Kale and bottom: the crunchier Tuscano Kale. Kinky Kale is sweet and zesty, ideal for salads, kale chips and juicing, or paired with white meats, while Toscano Kale is nutty and full bodied, great for stir-frys and oven-baked dishes, or paired with red meats. (Credit: TRP)
Which isn’t that surprising, because kale is part of the Brassica oleracea family, just like gai lan. In fact, there’s another name for gai lan— Chinese kale.
The taste and texture is not exactly similar: the kale we tried does not have gai lan‘s signature thick crunchy stem.
Instead, the kale has a much thinner stem with soft curly leaves and a subtle sweetness when eaten raw. Don’t worry, the proper Asian way to eat vegetables is to cook them– which works with kale too.
Or if you want to really up your cheese toast game, crisp up a kale leaf as decoration– it’s still healthy!(Credit: TRP)
Growing kale in Malaysia
Following their success in Singapore, Sustenir Agriculture is growing kale in Malaysia directly to keep the vegetables as fresh as possible with a longer shelf life.
Hence, they have launched the country’s first-ever indoor vertical farm right in Kajang, which will allow for zero-mile distribution to retailers, deeply slashing the usual carbon emissions associated with the distribution of consumer goods.
Each 125g pack comprises of full leaves and no stalks. No washing is needed, you can eat it straight out of the bag! (Although we know you’ll be too asian not to give it a rinse, at least.)(Credit: TRP)
However, it is also because of this that Sustenir Agriculture can only be found at selected Cold Storage and Mercato outlets within the Klang Valley retailing at RM9.90 per pack.

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We Need Different Laws For Vape & Cigarettes, Says Malaysian Advocacy Group

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The rules set for vape products must be different from traditional tobacco products to enable smokers to quit and reduce the rate of smokers nationwide, says the Malaysian Vape Industry Advocacy (MVIA) group.

It’s President Rizani Zakaria said that the country must set laws and regulations to take into account differences between vape and traditional tobacco products like cigarettes as the former has been proven less harmful and can aid smokers in their journeys to quit.
Rizani added that the majority of vapers in the country were made up of former smokers who support the internationally applied Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) strategy – a program that focuses to reduce and eliminate the use of regular combustible cigarettes by getting people to switch to other nicotine products like e-cigarettes and nicotine patches.
(Credit: Astro Awani)
The MVIA believes that it was time that Malaysia introduce vape regulations for its public health, economic and human capital benefits, especially for the Bumiputera community.
They say that the vape industry was responsible for creating thousands of local jobs and generated an industry worth RM2.27 billion with just around 3,300 currently registered businesses.
Regulations would effectively set the standard of quality for Malaysia’s vape industry and attract more direct foreign investments.
MVIA urges the government to introduce vape regulations as part of the Budget 2022 that is set to be tabled in October, and say that the industry was prepared to aid policymakers in achieving this goal.
We hope that our input gets the attention of the Government, and they are encouraged to immediately regulate the local vape industry. MVIA is ready to assist the government and be the voice of the industry to be jointly involved in the development of the regulations.
In 2019, the country was in a heated debate after the government introduced regulations that ban smoking and vaping at eateries and restaurants.
(Credit: KKM)
Here in Malaysia, tobacco products are regulated under the Food Act 1983 where tobacco products are defined as “tobacco, cigarette or cigar or any other form of tobacco including any mixture containing tobacco which is designed for human consumption.”
However, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah previously mentioned that any preparations containing nicotine are governed under the Poisons Act 1952 and the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 – under which only licensed pharmacists or registered medical practitioners can supply or sell them.
The government had also considered banning vape products with reports of death related to vaping in the United States and concerns of a rise in vaping among Malaysia’s youths.
But, the vaping-related deaths were apparently due to shoddily-produced drug-laced vaping liquids.

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Source:
Malaysia pushes for strict law to regulate vapes, e-cigarettes
Kenyataan Akhbar KPK 30 Disember 2019 – Penguatkuasaan Penuh Ke Atas Larangan Merokok Di Tempat Makan Bermula 1 Januari 2020
E-cigarette liquid with nicotine falls under Drugs Act 1952: Health ministry
Vape actually legal!
Outbreak of lung injury associated with vape, e cigarettes use


More Than 50% Of Malaysian Adults Vaccinated, 2 Weeks Ahead Of Schedule

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As of yesterday, 18 August, JKJAV reported that we have passed the 50% mark for adult second dose recipients. The number of adults who have received their second dose is now 11,743,096.

This result puts the country’s vaccination effort ahead of schedule by about two weeks, with the initial target being 50% at the end of the month.
Adults who have received their first dose total at 75.3% (17,625,760).
Credit: JKJAV
A whopping 531,114 doses of vaccination were given out yesterday.
Johor had the most first doses administered with a total of 33,120. Leading the second dose count was Selangor with 96,600 doses administered.

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“Beacon Of Hope” For Malaysia To Bring Home Gold At The Olympics

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Hearing our national anthem Negaraku played at Olympic venues in Tokyo would be just the morale booster this country needs in a time where morale is low.

Why? Because this would mean we’ve finally brought home a Gold at the world’s leading, most prestigious international sporting event.
In a hopeful speech made at the Demi Malaysia Champions’ Flag-off yesterday (17 July), Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Md Yasin is confident that those representing the country would shine at the Games by fighting till the end to raise the nation’s standing on the world stage and prove that Malaysians can be the best in their respective sports.
I am confident all of you will fight till the end for our beloved Malaysia (so as) to fly the Jalur Gemilang in the eyes of the world, to raise the nation’s standing on the world stage (and) to prove that Malaysians can be the best in their respective sports. Most importantly, to ensure that the national anthem of Negaraku is played at the competition venues.Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Md Yasin, 17 July 2021 via a report by The Malay Mail
In addressing the national contingent present at yesterday’s send-off, he said the whole contingent of 30 athletes, 21 coaches and 13 officials reflects the strength of Malaysia’s 32 million population.
30 athletes competing in 27 events covering 10 sports
As reported by the Malay Mail, Mahiaddin hopes that under the leadership of Datuk Lee Chong Wei, the Tokyo Olympics would see the national contingent produce their best-ever result in the history of the Games.
The sport and competitors representing Malaysia are:

It was reported earlier this month that Chong Wei, Malaysia’s chef de mission, would not be present at the Games due to his health condition and upon his doctor’s advice.
The 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo will take place Friday 23 July 2021 – Sunday 8 August 2021, and the Paralympic Games between 24 August and 5 September.
It was announced back in March that international fans would not be able to attend the games, but Ministers and organisers have now decided to ban all spectators.

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[Watch] Selfish Neighbour In Melaka Blocks Narrow Residential Road With Rubbish Bin

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Have you ever had a selfish neighbour who imposed their own rules in the neighbourhood without caring about others?

A recent viral video showed a woman who blocked the road in front of her house with a rubbish bin in Taman Datin Fatimah in Melaka.
The rubbish bin was placed near the middle of the road and it made the road narrow enough to be impassable for cars.
As shown in the video, a line of cars had difficulty passing the road and formed a long queue in the residential area.

A young girl pulled the rubbish bin to the side of the road to let the cars pass. However, a woman standing nearby pushed the bin back to its place, blocking the second car’s path.
The woman looked smug and proud of her actions when the driver panned his camera at her.
Image: Kelab Info Malaysia/ FB
Why did she do that?
According to the post caption, the woman allegedly blocked the road with the bin because she was bothered by the many cars passing by and disturbed by the sound of children playing in the area.
The netizen who shared the viral video said that the woman’s action and reasoning were unreasonable yet amusing.
We already know we’re living in a residential area so there must be some tolerance. It’s normal for cars to pass through. Are we supposed to close the back lane when all 44 of my nephews and nieces gather at my mother’s house here? The road in front of my mother-in-law’s house is also frequented by people moving to and fro from the mosque. Are we supposed to close that road too?The netizen wrote in the post caption.
Netizens also found the woman’s behaviour strange and suggested residents report it to the authorities.
They even questioned why she chose to live in a residential area if she didn’t like the noises.
Netizens also surmised maybe she thought the road in front of her house belonged to her alone.
Hopefully, the residents in the area will be able to resolve the issue with the woman peacefully.

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Malaysian Lecturer Dazzle Students & Social Media With A++ Online Class

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Malaysians were dazzled by the A+++++++ effort made by one local lecturer with his highly interactive and intuitive online classroom.

Twitter user roselxilx shared snippets of an open and distance learning (ODL) session she had with her Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) engineering lecturer, Dr Mohamad Ezral Baharudin, who taught and entertained his classroom using a DIY (do-it-yourself) lightboard he made using his own money.
Images showed the educator seemingly drawing up complex math and equations out of thin air, with a class of over 60 students tuning in.
okay boleh teruskan ODL untuk semua university kalau dapat lecturer yang put effort A+++++++ macam ni. and as student, kitorang happy gila plus menghargai gila nak mampos. siapa tak dapat A subjek sir ezral, patut rasa bersalah kot. ahhahahahhaaha.— laila. (@roselxilx) November 27, 2020
roselxilx mentioned that attending students were more than ecstatic by the level of dedication shown by “Sir Ezral” to make his online class session feel like an actual on-campus lecture.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, UniMAP had instructed students to remain at home and attend remote online classes from October 2020 onwards.
Social media users were arguably impressed and a little jelly over the amazing online learning setup the lecturer had for his class.
Omg the effort!!! Plus i thought kena tulis terbalik ksksksks but ive just watched the yt video so baru faham how it works✨— rai (@itsraimisyahmi) November 28, 2020
Bestnyaa, kalau laa kelas statistics saya macam ni. Mau faham saya dibuatnya 🥺— Ν Λ Μ Ι Λ (@tgimn_) November 27, 2020
Light the way
Well with a bit of cash and some elbow grease, you too can create your own DIY lightboards to use as a unique teaching tool or make those video-conference calls a bit more colorful.
A lightboard is basically a clear glass “whiteboard” with lights attached to it that make colourful neon markers “pop” when you write on it.
(Nerdist/YouTube)
A simple lightboard can be constructed out of plexiglass, LED lights and some wood or plastic to construct a frame to hold the entire board together.
There are a number of different tutorials on how you can assemble your own lightboards available on YouTube. Here’s one of our favourites;

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All Mega PPVs Will Close On 16 March 2022, Only Walk-Ins At 2 PPVs

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Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham announced on his Facebook page that all mega vaccination centres (PPVs) will be closed beginning 16 March 2022.

Until then, Covid-19 vaccinations will be open strictly for walk-ins only at PPV Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil and PPV World Trade Centre (WTC) Kuala Lumpur.
The two PPVs will be open from 9am to 6pm.
The targeted groups are:
Children aged 5 to 11 (1st Dose)Teenagers aged 12 to 17 (1st Dose/ 2nd Dose)Adults aged 18 and above (1st Dose/ 2nd Dose/ Booster Dose)

As of 5 March, Malay Mail reported that more than a million children between five and 11 years old had received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine under PICKids.
According to The Star, Pfizer remains the preferred choice for children’s vaccination, although Sinovac has been made available at selected vaccination centres.
Based on the CovidNow website, 14,984,241 adults (63.7% of the population) in the country have received the booster dose and 22,927,098 (97.4%) have completed the vaccination, while 23,203,753 (98.6%) have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
2,830,746 teens aged between 12 and 17 (91% of their population) have completed the vaccination, while 2,930,978 (94.2%) have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Meanwhile, according to the Health Ministry’s GitHub portal, a total of 67 deaths due to Covid-19 were recorded on 5 March, with Selangor recording 14 cases, followed by Kedah  (12), Johor (10), Perak (8), Sabah (7) and four cases each in Melaka and Perlis.
Pahang and Kelantan recorded three cases each. Negeri Sembilan and Penang had one death each.

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Kelantan River Partially Dries Up Due To Heatwave

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The heat wave has affected our fellow Malaysians for the past few days. Recently, two children in separate incidents in Kota Bharu and Kelantan died from severe heatstroke.

READ MORE: 18-Month-Old Child Dies Of Heat Stroke In Kelantan
Bernama also reported that the heat wave had caused a part of the river in Kuala Krai, Kelantan, to dry up with dead fish sticking on the ground.
During a survey of Kampung Pasir Era in Kelantan on 28 April, the river bed cracked from the dryness.
MetMalaysia said Peninsular Malaysia recorded an increase in temperature between 35 to 37 degrees Celcius, which puts it at a Level 1 (Alert) status.
Previously, it was stated that the heat wave was expected to last until August following the monsoon transition season.
To keep safe from heatstroke, it’s advisable to constantly stay hydrated and avoid outdoor activities for prolonged periods of time, if possible.
READ MORE: Hot And Bothered? Here’s How To Stay Safe In This Heaty And Hazy Season
Terjumpa bangkai ikan di kawasan lopak air yang kering berikutan cuaca panas ketika tinjauan di Kampung Pasir Era, Kuala Krai, Kelantan hari ini.Cuaca panas yang panjang bukan sahaja mengakibatkan tanah menjadi kering kontang dan merekah, malah turut menjejakan kehidupan harian… pic.twitter.com/N55v0NxK3M— BERNAMA (@bernamadotcom) April 28, 2023

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Police Looking For Indonesian Maid Who Allegedly Performed Lewd Acts On Baby

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Petaling Jaya police are currently on a manhunt for a maid who was captured in a viral video committing lewd acts on a baby.

According to reports by The Star, Petaling Jaya deputy district chief Supt Ku Mashariman Ku Mahmood said a report on the incident was received at 1.56pm last Thursday.
The report alleges that a woman was filmed committing a lewd act on a baby. Initial investigations revealed the woman in the video is a former maid of the complainant.Petaling Jaya deputy district chief Supt Ku Mashariman Ku Mahmood
According to Ku Mashariman, the suspect had gone back to Indonesia last year after her contract was not extended due to her disciplinary problems.
The statement also added that the police are looking for Nenobata Sri Marisa with the passport number AT618648 to assist in their investigation.
In the statement, Ku Mashariman added that officers are now in the process of contacting other witnesses to help with its investigation.
Police have classified the case under Section 8 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act for exchanging or publishing child pornography.
Those with information on the case can contact Insp M. Magenderan at 03-7966 2222 or 017-335 6810.

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“Cannot Take Video Because KJ Resigned” Says Vaccination Officer

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So we all know that last July, our former Vaccine Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that it was absolutely okay for the rakyat to take pictures or video recordings of their Covid-19 vaccination at national vaccination centres (PPV).

This, he said, allowed the public to have proof that their inoculations were performed correctly besides allowing people to keep a few memories along our journey to achieve herd immunity.
Go ahead and film yourself, take a video of your vaccination so that you have hard proof and we also have hard proof of you receiving a proper dose of the vaccineKhairy Jamaluddin via The Star.
But on 16 August, our then Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Md Yassin effectively announced his entire Cabinet’s resignation from the government, including KJ.
So does this mean any order issued by the Minister is now null and void?
A video uploaded by Twitter user healer 🐼 recently caused confusion among netizens.
At 8-seconds long, the clip shows him recording a selfie of himself about to receive his vaccine at a PPV in Johor before being interrupted by a medical officer who told him that recordings were no longer allowed.
Despite the nurse on duty saying okay to the video, the officer who remained off-screen can be heard saying that recordings were no longer allowed because KJ had resigned, and the Health Ministry’s (KKM) new procedure wouldn’t allow it.
Punya la happening nurse tu layan siap bagi record . Datang sorang pegawai ni tutup camera alasan KJ dah letak jawatan . biadap 😌 nasib record memang saja nak bagi family je pic.twitter.com/jdUdiTi5HC— healer 🐼 (@winraffm) August 25, 2021
Obviously, this left many Malaysians questioning what was going on and whether it was true.
Do you endorse this behavior @DGHisham @KKMPutrajaya https://t.co/Y839uI4r1D— sureshdr 🏴 (@sureshdr) August 26, 2021
The audacity of that person to just come in and block the camera feeling that she is in her utmost superiority 🤷🏻♂ KKM policy tak boleh rakam? Why? Anything suspicious to hide from? 👀 https://t.co/1ujAV8xs95— Jianheng1301 (@Jianheng1301) August 26, 2021
Furthermore, the official SOP released by the Special Committee for Ensuring Access to COVID-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) also clearly indicated that the public was allowed to take pictures or videos of their vaccinations.
(Credit: jkjavmy via Facebook)
Today, not long after his appointment as Health Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin issued a short and sweet response to the viral tweet, saying “Assalamualaikum.”

https://twitter.com/Khairykj/status/1431108127873638402

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Hardcore e-wallet user? Know how unified QR codes is going to make your life easier

It is a common sight when you want to pay at the cashier, there would be a bunch of QR codes at the cash register for multiple kinds of digital payments like Boost or Grab Pay, among others.
There’s like a lot of themPicture Credit : TRP
But in the future, you would only see one QR code because DuitNow QR is the universal QR code for you to pay your dinner.
What does a unified QR code mean?
Different digital wallets have their own QR codes. If it’s available at your favourite restaurant, you can easily scan that code and you’re good to go.
The problem is when your favourite e-wallet is not supported and you’re running short on cash and only have your money in a particular service.

For instance, if you’re using e-wallet B, and store only has QR codes for e-wallet A and C, you might have a problem because you can’t use e-wallet B to pay using A or C’s QR code.
This is the problem that the unified QR is trying to tackle by introducing only one QR code where you can pay with your favourite digital wallet.
What is DuitNow QR code?
Established under Bank Negara Malaysiaâ€™s Interoperable Credit Transfer Framework (ICTF), it mandates that Payments Network Malaysia or PayNet (the company which is responsible for DuitNow and DuitNow QR) as the countryâ€™s shared payment infrastructure provider.
As part of that mandate, the company has to implement an interoperable and common QR standard for Malaysia.
Who has already adopted DuitNow QR?
Currently, there are 4 banks are already offering DuitNow QR in their mobile banking apps and 25 Banks expected to implement DuitNow QR over the next 6 months, according to the company.
Recently PayNet and Grab have announced a landmark collaboration that will make GrabPay the first e-wallet to adopt DuitNow QR.

Grab will add DuitNow QR support in the Grab app by the first half of 2020.
It is great that there is a unified system that allows users to use their favourite service because it gives choices for people to use whichever digital wallet without having to worry about if it’s supported by the merchants.

Which e-wallet service do you use? Share your thoughts with us on TRPâ€™s Facebook,Â TwitterÂ andÂ Instagram!


Malaysians Overconfident On Their Personal Knowledge Wind Up Scoring Lowest On Nutrition Myth Survey

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Ah the Internet, a great way for one to access a plethora of nutritional information. So convenient and fast!

Unfortunately, it also comes with a high amount of myths and misinformation that might endanger the lives of the general public.
According to the Herbalife Nutrition Asia Pacific (APAC) Nutrition Myths Survey 2020, Malaysia has scored the third highest in having personal confidence about nutritional knowledge.
However, that confidence is misplaced as the country has also scored the least in answering nutrition-related questions.
The survey and quiz were conducted in March 2020 with 55,000 respondents from Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea , Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
The survey included 48 “True or False” questions such as general weight management, breakfast, general nutrition, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and caffeine.
Here are some myths debunked by the Herbalife Nutrition Asia Pacific (APAC) Nutrition Myths Survey 2020.
Myth #1 Intermittent Fasting Is An Effective Way To Lose Weight And Improve Health
Credit: Freepik
Fact: It is important to note that fasting does not help everyone lose weight, specifically those with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes.
Those on medication for blood pressure or heart disease should avoid intermittent fasting unless they discuss this with their health care provider.
This avoids their blood glucose levels from decreasing and it reduces the risk of electrolyte abnormalities.
Myth #2 Less Protein Is Required As We Grow Older
Fact: As we age, we may experience a gradual, progressive loss of muscle mass and function otherwise known as sarcopenia.
Fortunately, this process could be weakened by boosting our protein intake while also incorporating resistance exercise as part of our daily routine.
Myth #3 Caffeine Only Exists In Coffee, Tea & Soda
Credit: Pixabay
Fact: Caffeine is a natural compound which gives the central nervous system a bolt of energy, this compound can also be found in cocoa beans which are used to make chocolate.
The darker the chocolate, the higher the amount of caffeine. Caffeine is also found in guarana plants and these are often added to beverages.
However, the guarana plant is packed with antioxidants and it provides a gentle boost of energy to keep one energized throughout the day.
Myth #4 Peak Bone Mass Can Be Optimized At Any Age With Sufficient Calcium Intake
Fact: Our peak bone mass ( max bone size and strength) is dependent on our calcium intake and reaches its peak as we turn 30.
However, sufficient calcium intake throughout our life could reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Calcium supplementation can protect against bone loss at older ages, especially for post-menopausal women with naturally higher calcium needs.
Myth #5 Drinking Fruit Juice In The Morning Can Help The Body Cleanse Its Toxins
Credit: Unsplash
Fact: Our body already has its own way of removing toxins from various organs such as the lungs and kidneys.
However, there are ways for us to improve the body’s natural detoxification system which includes getting quality sleep, drinking more water, decreasing our salt intake and being more active.
Myth #6 A Very Low-Fat Diet Is The Best Way To Lose Weight
Fact: Studies have shown minimal weight loss after the first year from very low-fat diets, making it an ineffective long-term weight loss strategy.
Our bodies need some fat to stay healthy, as it helps build cell membranes and hormones while aiding absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Myth #7 The Glycemic Index Is A Good Tool For Choosing The Healthiest Carbohydrates
Fact: The Glycemic Index measures how carbs in food impact our blood sugar levels, but it cannot be completely relied on when choosing a healthy diet.
The amount of carbs and what it is being eaten with also need consideration.
Myth #8 Protein Powder Is Not A Healthy Source Of Protein As Compared To Protein From Natural Foods
Credit: Pixabay
Fact: Protein powder can be as good as protein from natural foods if derived from high-quality sources.
For example, soy protein from soybeans is a complete protein and it provides a full range of 9 essential amino acids for the body’s nutrition requirements.
According to Steven Chin, General Manager and Director of Herbalife Nutrition Malaysia, the widespread presence of nutrition myths on the Internet had led to a widespread of confusion over nutrition facts.
Steven Chin, General Manager and Director of Herbalife Nutrition Malaysia
To help heighten the nutrition knowledge among Malaysians, we have been working closely with the Nutrition Society of Malaysia to promote accurate knowledge on food and nutrition. Steven Chin, General Manager/Director of Herbalife Nutrition Malaysia.
“We hope that consumers will be better informed in the long run and help Malaysians lead healthier lives” he finished.
Herbalife Nutrition is a global company that offers high-quality, science-backed products, sold in over 90 countries by entrepreneurial distributors that provide a one-on-one coaching and a supportive community that inspires customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle.
 If you would like to test your knowledge on nutrition myths, check out the full survey and findings, on Herbalife’s website HERE.

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