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HANG ON! YOU HAVE A SAY

With the government keen on doing away with mandatory hangings, questions have arisen over the fate of 1,342 convicts currently on death row. Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar says the moratorium on the death penalty will stay but a tribunal may have to be set up to vet their cases – if it is constitutional.

The people will have a say, too. > See reports

by MAZWIN NIK ANIS and JOSEPH KAOS Jr on page 2

Lockdowns put paid to plastic waste campaign. It has yet to be revived.

> See reports on page 3 by IYLIA MARSYA ISKANDAR Photo: FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

Nation

‘There were more chillies than rice on Bella’s plate’ The 13-year-old didn’t want to eat the meal but welfare home founder held her chin and forced it down her throat anyway, witness tells court. ‘I was surprised, I didn’t want to say anything.’ > See report on page 5

2 Nation

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

‘No automatic reprieve for convicts on death row’ PUTRAJAYA: There is no automatic reprieve for the 1,342 convicts on death row now, despite the proposal to abolish the mandatory death sentence.

Instead, the government is considering setting up a tribunal to review their cases, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament), Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

However, he added that there are also questions over whether

such a tribunal is constitutional, and as such, the matter needs to be studied thoroughly.

“There are now 1,342 convicts on death row in the country. At present, the moratorium on executions, which was implemented in 2018, remains in effect while the relevant law amendments are being tabled.

“There have been some calls for the government to give a blanket pardon to all of those on death row, but there are also those who

feel it would be unfair to the victims’ families.

“These need to be studied, so the suggestion is that a tribunal be set up to look into each case.

“But we need to study the constitutional implication of reviewing these cases as many of them were decided in the Federal Court.

I will discuss this with the Chief Justice,” said Wan Junaidi at a press conference here yesterday.

On June 10, The Star reported

that the lives of nearly 1,350 deathrow inmates were in limbo as it is not known when their sentences would be carried out.

Of the number, 905 were involved drug trafficking, while 403 were sentenced for murder.

Of the 1,342 on death row, 844 are Malaysians and 498 are foreigners from 40 countries.

Wan Junaidi said there have also been suggestions that the Islamic concept of “diyat”, or financial com-

pensation to the kin of victims be implemented as an alternative to the mandatory death sentence.

“This is a proposal I received, but it needs to be discussed with shariah scholars or state muftis.

“There are also views that the diyat concept can only work with people who are rich, and therefore this will not help all sections of society. The Attorney General’s Chambers will be studying this proposal,” said Wan Junaidi.

Hangings on hold until new law set Groups laud changes as Minister wants mandatory sentence abolished

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS, JOSEPH KAOS Jr and ALIZA SHAH newsdesk@thestar.com.my PUTRAJAYA: The moratorium on executions will stay until amendments to the mandatory death sentence – set to be tabled in Parliament this October – are passed and solutions found for those now on death row.

Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, however, said the government could not commute the sentences.

“The moratorium on executions will remain as long as the amendments are not finalised,” the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) said yesterday.

The moratorium on executions was introduced in July 2018.

Wan Junaidi said the tabling of amendments to abolish the mandatory sentence should be expedited to resolve any “dilemmas”, including court cases carrying the sentence.

“If we can have the first reading in October, lawmakers can debate on this and it can be discussed in the Dewan Negara by December.

“I am confident there will be no objections from either House.

“By January, we should be able to

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Wan Junaidi: ‘I am confident there will be no objections from either House.’

— sHaaRI CHeMaT/The star

abolish the mandatory death sentence,” he said.

The government has decided to abolish the mandatory death sentences for 11 offences – nine under the Penal Code and two under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act.

The death sentence itself will not abolished. Instead, judges will have the discretion on sentencing.

“Mandatory death penalty refers to the provision where an accused, when convicted, will be sentenced to death without exception.

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“The judge has no choice in the matter even if he or she feels the accused does not deserve it,” he said.

Asked if Malaysia would eventually abolish the death sentence totally, the minister responded: “perhaps one day, we will see the end of the death penalty.”

Wan Junaidi said the AttorneyGeneral’s Chambers were prepared to have the relevant amendments ready to be tabled in October.

He added that a public survey would also be organised by the Legal Affairs Division to gather feedback on the abolition of the mandatory death penalty.

“If we find the public is overwhelmingly against the abolition, the Cabinet will discuss the matter again,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lawyers for Liberty adviser N. Surendran said the amendments to the mandatory death sentence should be tabled in the July parliament sitting.

In lauding the government’s announcement, however, he said he believed the tabling needs to be

expedited given that it is long overdue.

“This is because it involves life and death and it has already been delayed for too long by the successive government.

“It must take precedence over political Bills like anti-hoping.

“We urge the government to expedite the process.

“Since it is also clear the Opposition is supporting this, there is no reason for the delay until October,” he said.

Surendran said it is imperative to table the amendments as soon as possible given the possibility of a general election due to the current political situation.

“In this regard, the federal Opposition or any other potential ruling bloc must now undertake to pass the law should they form the government,” he said.

Wan Junaidi said he hoped to have the first reading in October and have the mandatory death sentence abolished by January next year.

Pro-life groups hail Bill reforms See next page

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PENANG Subuh 5:51 1:21 Zohor 4:47 Asar Maghrib 7:33 8:49 Isyak

K. LUMPUR 5:51 Subuh 1:16 Zohor 4:42 Asar Maghrib 7:25 8:41 Isyak

JOHOR BARU 5:45 Subuh 1:07 Zohor 4:33 Asar Maghrib 7:13 8:28 Isyak

KUANTAN 5:45 Subuh 1:10 Zohor 4:36 Asar Maghrib 7:19 8:34 Isyak

KOTA BARU Subuh 5:43 1:14 Zohor 4:40 Asar Maghrib 7:27 8:39 Isyak

Nation 3

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Youngsters do their part to fight plastic waste PETALING JAYA: While some Malaysians have responded to the call to reduce single-use plastics, others are still ignorant of the call and remain complacent with plastic usage.

Student Aidil Iman Aidid said staying prepared with a backpack filled with zero-waste alternatives is his key in reducing plastic use.

“This usually comes in the form of things like my own water container, cutlery set, food container and some mesh bags to pack food.

“This is easier to implement when you’re a student as you’re already carrying your own bag,” he said.

This is, however, not the case for most students.

Aidil said that there was simply too much plastic waste on his university campus which led him to

hold a “Plastic-free Friday” campaign during Ramadan at his college’s bazaar.

“Prior to buying, they don’t consider bringing a tote or their own zero-waste kit because they know that the vendors will give them a bag or packaging for free.

“That convenience takes away our preparation to have our zerowaste kit with us,” he said as he urged more Malaysians to reduce throwaways.

Fresh graduate Nor Ariani Wahida Mohd Nor has opted to bring her own metal straw when she dines in at restaurants.

“But I think my hometown in Negri Sembilan is not really enforcing the straw ban,” she said, adding that she always has a folded tote bag with her or a used plastic bag folded in my bag.

“I also bring water bottles every time I go out,” the 23 year-old said.

Nor Ariani is disappointed whenever she sees litter floating around.

“Last Friday I passed by the night market during closing time at around 11pm, and there were so many dirty plastic bags lying around.

“It’s not a norm here to bring your own bag to a night market. I agree that I’m guilty of that too sometimes, but I wish there was a better ‘no plastic’ initiative that people can comply with,” she said.

Final year student Muhd Zaim Nur Zaini, 23, believes that reducing plastics should be a collective effort.

“Personally, I do use my own containers for take outs, decrease my usage of plastic straws, and bring my own bags during grocery shop-

ping. However, this effort will only be successful when everyone is practising it,” he said.

Muhd Zaim added that due to the lack of enforcement and awareness, there is a declining momentum in his immediate community when it comes to the reduction of single-use plastics, with the effort confined only to a small number of adherents.

According to Statista.com, the estimated value of annual food plastic packaging consumption in Malaysia amounts to 148 thousand metric tonnes, with an annual per capita plastic packaging consumption equal to 16.78kg in 2020.

This is despite the implementation of the no-free plastic bag ruling that began in some municipalities in 2011, with Penang making it an every day affair early on.

Still hooked on plastics no let-up in consumption of single-use plastic, say nGOs

By IYLIA MARSYA ISKANDAR newsdesk@thestar.com.my PETALING JAYA: Only a small segment of the community is taking steps to reduce plastic usage, more than a decade after official discouragement on the use of single-use plastics was sparked, say NGOs and associations.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) president Prof Dr Ahmad Ismail said reducing the use of plastic straws and bags is not yet a habit among Malaysians.

“If you sit for one hour at a restaurant, you will see a lot of people still using straws. Some restaurants put the straws at the counter for the customer to decide whether to use a straw – and the customer will still opt for one,” he said.

Even though plastic usage increased during the pandemic, Ahmad noted that Malaysians still need to be aggressively educated on the effects of plastics to the environment.

“We saw more plastic usage from online shopping and food containers, and in the process of avoiding contact (during the pandemic), we used a lot of plastics from gloves and containers.

“It is a part of life, so we need to increase public awareness because for now, we can see that people are still using single-use plastics. If we still pollute the environment with plastics, it means that we are not aware,” he said.

According to him, plastic is a dangerous component as micro plastics can be carried by marine life. These plastics return to us in the form of food.

Harmful effects:

Plastic pollution is destroying not only the environment but it’s dangerous to marine life and ultimately to humans.

Micro plastics have been reported in the human lungs, blood and faeces.

— Bernama “Micro plastics have been reported in the human lungs, blood and faeces. This needs to be understood by all and together, we need to manage plastic pollution or avoid using plastics,” he said.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia’s Mageswari Sangaralingam seconded the opinion.

Behavioural change, she said, is not widespread enough as disposables are still widely used in the food sector and wet markets.

“There needs to be a clear phaseout and ban of non-essential single-use plastics and sachets.

“These can be replaced with alternative delivery systems. We also need policies to ensure corporations take responsibility for their products and packaging,” she said.

Mageswari urged the government to enforce the mandatory waste separation law to reduce mixing and contamination of plastic waste.

“Plastic pollution is of serious concern. We need to take action to protect ourselves, our families, our communities and the planet from plastic pollution,” he said.

Restaurant and Bistro Owners Association vice-president Jeremy Lim said there is a small but growing population of consumers bringing their own bags and containers for takeaway.

“There are no issues for restaurants complying with the single-use plastic bans.

“Majority of the businesses have reverted to alternatives (paper,

bamboo or steel straws), but there may be a population of consumers that still requires straws – kids, elderly or those with special needs,” he said.

“So far, we only issue these alternative straws upon requests. Plastic bags have generally been replaced by paper bags.

“We also noticed a small population of consumers in urban market centres that have been using their containers and their own carry bags,” he added.

Lim said that consumption of plastic packaging increased during the lockdown period, where almost 100% of orders were meant for delivery and they couldn’t source for alternative carry cases as shops were closed.

Go to rural areas to cut use of plastics, say experts PETALING JAYA: A single takeaway meal with beverage can use seven different types of plastics – the plastic bag, plastic container, plastic cutlery, plastic cup, plastic cup holder, plastic cap and a plastic straw.

The problem is especially bad in rural areas and the focus on promoting a zero plastic-waste community should shift to the rurals, says an environmental expert.

Environment and Waste Management specialist Dr Theng Lee Chong said the lack of focus coupled with low awareness among citizens in rural areas are the cause

of “plastic leakage” to the sea.

“In rural areas, you can still see plastic bottles lying around in ditches,” he said.

“They are then washed down to rivers and into the sea and no one is collecting them to recycle.

“There are no logistics to recycle in rural areas where a recycling system can be normalised. It is business-driven,” he explained.

Theng added that when he did research in the rural districts of Johor, one takeaway meal used at least seven different types of plastics.

“In urban areas, the local coun-

cils make an effort towards reducing plastic wastes.

“Most restaurants also provide biodegradable (packaging) or paper bags with paper straws,” he said.

Theng noted that even though banning plastic straws was a good way to reduce plastic use, the authorities should also pay attention to regulate the alternatives.

He also shared his concerns over paper straws.

“When these items are imported on the cheap, we are not sure of the materials used, such as the colouring or bleaching agents which can be hazardous.”

Commenting on the increased use of plastics during the MCO, Theng said that plastic straws are back in use now that people are allowed to dine-in.

In fact, plastic waste due to online ordering increased compared to pre-pandemic days.

Theng urged the government to implement a packaging law for Malaysian manufacturers to regulate the production of plastics.

“In Japan, manufacturers have to declare the percentage of plastic and recyclable materials in their containers. We need something like that,” he said.

Pro-life groups hail reforms on mandatory death penalty

By ALIZA SHAH alizashah@thestar.com.my PETALING JAYA: The legislative amendments needed to abolish the mandatory death penalty, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament in October, has been welcomed by pro-life groups and advocates.

Former diplomat Datuk Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin said many non-government organisations have been asking for the abolition of the death penalty for years.

“I think whichever political party that forms the government after the general election should also continue with the policy to abolish the death penalty,” she said when contacted yesterday.

Former de facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, a lawyer, said amendments to the law should have been done a long time ago.

“When I was Law Minister, I tried (to push for amendments to the laws) but we did not get the support. But today Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also a lawyer ... I believe he is also supporting this,” he said.

Nazri said besides setting a good example to other countries, the move would also give judges more options in sentencing.

“Our prime minister tried to appeal for a Malaysian who was sentenced to hang in Singapore (Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam), but the thing is, we don’t have the moral right to do so because we practice the same.

“So if we want to appeal for the over 200 Malaysians who were sentenced for being drug mules, we have to set an example.

“Secondly, ‘mandatory’ means that the judge will have no choice if the person is found guilty of possession drugs, they need to be sentenced to death, however, this might go against some of the judge’s beliefs.

“So the judge might just set the person free, saying that we don’t have enough evidence. This might lead to a miscarriage of justice,” he said.

The Padang Rengas MP also strongly believed that it is unfair to sentence drug mules to death given that some of them come from poor backgrounds, are less educated and could have been duped.

North-South Initiative executive director and co-founder Adrian Pereira said: “The death sentence is an inhumane and archaic punishment which has no positive impact on the criminal justice system in Malaysia.

“If we follow international human rights standards, we have to progress and proceed as a member of the UN Human Rights Council and this is a step in the right direction regardless of who sits in Putrajaya.”

The move, he said, will not only benefit Malaysians but also migrants currently on death row who will now have an opportunity for redemption.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had said that he hoped to have the first reading in October and for the mandatory death sentence to be abolished by next January.

4 Nation

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

‘Moveable’ ceiling price to be introduced to improve food security PUTRAJAYA: A “moveable” ceiling price for certain food items and improved mechanisms in hiring expatriates and foreign workers are among measures to be taken to improve food security and tackle the shortage of skilled workers in the electrical and electronics sector, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Prime Minister said the Economic Action Council (EAC) had agreed that a “moveable” ceiling rate be introduced, whereby the maximum price for certain produce would vary according to the items’ input price.

“This is in line with the recent announcement of plans to provide targeted aid to groups that need government assistance,” he said in a statement after chairing the EAC meeting yesterday.

The Prime Minister had recently announced that direct financial aid would be given to the B40 group in a bid to ease the impact of rising cost of goods.

The new policy – to take effect on July 1 – will see the end of subsidies for chicken breeders which will instead be given to those who need assistance, particularly in the B40

group.

Ismail Sabri said the meeting also decided that the agro-food ecosystem needed to be expanded with a supply chain led by governmentlinked companies and agencies to ensure quality of food, guaranteed supply and for yields to be at optimum.

“For example, the supply and price of chicken can be controlled if government agencies are involved in the industry’s ecosystem from supplying chicks, feed, transport and marketing,” he said.

The Prime Minister said private-

public collaboration must also be improved and the focus should be on modernisation and encouraging smart agriculture.

Besides that, the EAC discussed ease of doing business in Malaysia and the issue of workforce in the electrical and electronics sector.

“To facilitate doing business in Malaysia, Pemudah will continue to modernise business-related regulations.

“This is aimed at improving the country’s productivity and competitiveness,” he said.

Ismail Sabri said one of the deci-

Record RM2.1mil ganja haul

More than 800kg seized in largest crackdown this year

By IMRAN HILMY imran@thestar.com.my GEORGE TOWN: Some 840kg of ganja worth RM2.12mil have been seized, with police busting a ganja trafficking syndicate here in what is believed to be the biggest such crackdown so far this year.

Eight suspects, including two Thai nationals, were detained during the raids in Sungai Bakap and Simpang Ampat.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) director Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the suspects, aged between 35 and 59, were detained during a joint operation conducted with the state NCID from 10.50pm on Friday until 1am the following day.

“In the first raid at a residential area in Sungai Bakap, police stumbled upon a group of men who were busy unloading sacks containing ganja from a lorry,” Comm Ayob Khan told a press conference at the state police contingent headquarters here yesterday.

He said the ganja was believed to be for local distribution.

“Seven suspects were nabbed in the first raid, while another was detained in another raid in Simpang Ampat,” he said.

Comm Ayob also said police confiscated 848 slabs of ganja valued at about RM2.12mil, which could have been supplied to an estimat-

Successful operation: Comm ayob (left) showing some of the seized ganja during a press conference at the Penang police headquarters in George Town. — ZHaFaRan nasIB/The star ed 1.6 million drug users.

Three vehicles worth RM80,000 were also seized.

Comm Ayob said the syndicate had been operating since the end of last year and that it was believed to be smuggling drugs from southern Thailand through sea routes.

“Urine tests found that five of the suspects positive for THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and morphine,” he said, adding that the five were found to have criminal records.

Comm Ayob said the suspects were remanded for seven days

and the case was being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

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sions reached was that interviews for foreign workers would be done in states, compared to the current practice where it is done at the Human Resources Ministry’s onestop centre in Putrajaya.

“To address the lack of skilled workers in the electrical and electronics sector, a train-and-place programme for 1,000 engineers and 1,000 technicians will be carried out.

“The hiring of expatriates and foreign workers (for this sector) will also be expedited and improved,” he said.

Pushers peddling ‘special’ cookies held KUALA LUMPUR: These drug dealers were not only peddling narcotics; they also had “special” cookies for sale.

A series of drug raids on June 8 and 9 saw the arrest of a group of pushers who had cannabis cookies as part of their inventory.

During a press conference at the Sentul police headquarters here yesterday, Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Beh Eng Lai said seven suspects, aged 21 to 25, were arrested.

The first arrest was made on June 8 at a condominium in Bandar Menjalara, Kepong, he added.

“The 21-year-old suspect was caught with 13g of suspected methamphetamine.

“He then led the police to a condominium unit where more marijuana, meth and 12 cannabis biscuits were found,” said ACP Beh. Further questioning of the suspect led to another two raids on June 9 in Bandar Menjalara and Jalan Lintang Batu Caves, where six more suspects were caught.

In total, the police found 25.15kg of marijuana, 2.86kg of ecstasy ,and 83.4g of meth over the two-day operation.

Police said the cookies had a market price of RM100 for six pieces, while the drugs seized were estimated to be valued at RM248,490.

He said all the suspects were remanded until June 15.

Nation 5

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

M’sia needs to better develop EV sector, says Wee

By ALIZA SHAH alizashah@thestar.com.my PETALING JAYA: Malaysia needs to conduct more studies and implement new policies to allow for better development of the electric vehicle (EV) sector, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Dr Wee, who received a courtesy call from Alpha Ess Co Ltd chief executive and co-founder Alfred Wang, said with EVs becoming more prevalent globally, it was inevitable for EVs to become mainstream in Malaysia.

“Wang and I exchanged views on EV development in Malaysia and the world. I shared that for the EV sector to flourish in Malaysia, we need to look into implementing new policies that address the various issues surrounding EV,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Dr Wee said the country lacked the infrastructure for the development of the EV sector currently.

“With the emphasis for various transportation sectors to go green, it is time for us to conduct in-depth studies on the implementation plans of introducing more charging

Meeting of minds: dr Wee

meeting with (from left) Liu, Zhang and Wang at his office in Putrajaya.

— Photo courtesy of dr Wee’s Facebook page stations in public places, including shopping malls and highways, and on the disposal of old batteries.

“I believe Alpha ESS, as an energy storage solution company and service provider, will be able to share its vast experience in this relatively new industry with us,” he said.

Also present at the meeting were Alpha ESS vice-president and cofounder Zoe Zhang, and its general manager for Malaysia Arthur Liu. Meanwhile, in another Facebook post, Dr Wee said a detailed guideline on the use of micromobility

vehicles will be prepared by the Town and Country Planning Department (PlanMalaysia).

Dr Wee said this after a dialogue session with the association of importers and operators of micromobility vehicles at his office in Putrajaya, where he received several good suggestions that would be considered involving the use of such vehicles.

“Among them involved having the micromobility vehicle associations and operators in the ministry joint committee, besides continuing

the safety awareness campaign for the public, especially users of micromobility vehicles,” he said.

Also present during the dialogue were Micromobility Electric Industry Association (MEMI) president Mike Lee; MEMI vice-president Harry Wong, Micromobility Vehicle Association president Edi Khushairy Ab Kadir, Tryke Transportation Sdn Bhd head of operations Vinod Menon, OoGyaa Mobility Sdn Bhd founder Humayun Razzaq, Ride Beam Public Service Manager Diana Taty and Malaysian Micromo-

‘Bella force-fed with chillies’ Witness: Girl was made to eat fried rice with a lot of cut chilli

KUALA LUMPUR: The founder of a welfare home held down the chin of a Down syndrome girl and forcefed her with fried rice that was mixed with a lot of chillies, the Sessions Court here was told.

There was more chilli than rice on the plate, said legal research officer, Suhana Zam, 40.

Suhana said she was sitting at a dining table in a condominium unit in Wangsa Maju, when Rumah Bonda owner Siti Bainun Ahd Razali fed 13-year-old Bella.

“Bella was standing facing Siti Bainun in front of the refrigerator and there was a wooden bench there. I saw Bainun put a plate of fried rice and a lot of cut chilli, much more than the fried rice.

“She (Siti Bainun) mixed the fried rice, she held Bella’s chin and forced the girl to eat it. Bella refused but was forced to eat,” Bernama quoted Suhana as saying.

“I was surprised to see Bella being treated like that, I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to confront Bainun face-to-face. I was worried about her reaction if confronted,” Suhana said during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor, Nor Azizah Mohamad, at the trial of Siti Bainun’s case.

In previous proceedings, Rumah Bonda resident Yasmin Nahar Mahmood, 18, told the court that

In the dock: siti Bainun arriving for the trial at the court complex in Kuala Lumpur. — Bernama Bella had been fed a pot of rice mixed with vinegar, turmeric, salt, soy sauce, chilli and chilli flakes, as well as rotten fried chicken, by Siti Bainun during the fasting month.

Meanwhile, Suhana said she saw a palm-sized bruise on the right side of Bella’s face when she went to Siti Bainun’s house on June 13, 2021.

“I went to the house because Siti Bainun invited me to eat king crabs in “shell out” style. When I

arrived at the house at 5pm, I saw Bella’s hair cut short. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and looked scared. There was a bruise the size of a palm on the right side of her face. That was the worst condition I’d ever seen Bella in,” said the witness.

The eighth prosecution witness said that during her stay at the house, Bella’s meal times were irregular. The teenager was also

punished to stand for hours by Siti Bainun. Suhana said she did not see anyone giving the girl any food or drink.

To Nor Azizah’s question about Bella’s condition when the teenager was not given food and drink for hours, Suhana said the girl stood alone and could not speak.

Suhana added that Siti Bainun told her that Bella was not allowed to drink as she would urinate.

“I wanted to give food and drink to Bella but I wasn’t sure if my actions would anger Siti Bainun. I was also scared of not following the house rules. It is Siti Bainun’s house.”

Suhana also said Siti Bainun’s house was not easily accessible because visitors had to get a bar code to enter the lobby of the condominium.

Siti Bainun, 30, faces two counts of neglecting and abusing the girl, causing the victim to suffer physical and emotional injuries.

She is charged with committing the offences at a condominium in Wangsa Maju here between February and June 2021.

The charge was framed under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Child Act 2001, and carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment or a fine of RM50,000, or both, if convicted.

The trial before Judge Izralizam Sanusi continues.

bility Users Association president Eric Lee. Dr Wee emphasised that the government had never banned the use of such vehicles in Malaysia, but is regulating them so that the vehicles will be operated in a safe and controlled environment.

“The ban only applies on the road to preserve the safety of the public.

In fact, this decision was taken after taking into account the views of various stakeholders, including local authorities.

“I am very concerned about road safety and want our roads to be safe for all users. Our country recorded a high number of road accidents. Up to 67% of the road accidents here involve motorcycle users,” he said.

He also expressed his commitment and hoped to continue working with consumer associations, micromobility vehicle operators, PlanMalaysia, and the Housing and Local Government Ministry to ensure public safety.

On April 26, Dr Wee announced that micromobility vehicles such as mopeds, personal mobility devices, and personal mobility aids were not allowed on public roads.

Over 100 GROs face the music after nationwide raids KUALA LUMPUR: More than 100 foreign women working as guest relation officers (GROs) were nabbed in an operation conducted throughout the country.

The raids also uncovered entertainment outlets like KTVs, bars, pubs and bistros which provided special karaoke rooms priced between RM8,000 and RM30,000.

“They also provide the services of the GROs based on customers’ preferences,” said Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan.

He said the nationwide raids codenamed “Ops Noda Khas” were conducted simultaneously on Sunday.

“We detained the 102 foreign women along with 61 others who were workers at the various premises. We also conducted checks on 1,133 individuals consisting of customers and workers ... Two customers were wanted on drug-related offences,” he said in a statement.

Various items were seized during the raids including 27 speakers, 22 microphones, 18 amplifiers, 85 bottles of liquor and RM12,885 cash, said Comm Abd Jalil.

He said some of the premises also provided back door entrances for regular customers after the permitted operating hours to avoid detection by the authorities.

‘Sik berasa’ phrase goes viral, thanks to Abang Jo KUCHING: Two Sarawak Malay phrases have been making the rounds on social media in the Land of the Hornbills over the past month or so, following their use by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at events he had attended.

One of the phrases is “sik berasa”, which loosely translates into English as “didn’t feel it”, while the other is “ketek ajak”, which means “just click”.

Abang Johari used these phrases when he talked about how time passed so fast.

“Baruk ari marek ari Jemat, ari tok dah Jemat agik dah ... sik berasa (It is just like yesterday was Friday and today it’s Friday again ... didn’t feel it),” he had said at an event, and since then “sik berasa” had gone viral on social media.

Abang Johari kept using the phrase “sik berasa” when delivering speeches off the cuff at subse-

quent events.

This led other Sarawak leaders to repeat the phrase, besides memes and WhatsApp stickers being created, among others.

Despite the phrase being played up in a satirical context on social media, Abang Johari has accepted it in good spirits.

“Ada orang nak viralkan saya makei sik berasa, pakailah sik berasa. Bagus juak. (Some people want to make ‘sik berasa’ that I uttered

viral on social media; go ahead and use it. It’s good anyway),” he said at a recent event in Kuching.

“Sik berasa” and “ketek ajak” are a kind of political phenomenon in Sarawak now, said political communication expert Dr Jeniri Amir, who observed that this could have come straight from the heart of a leader.

According to the senior fellow of the National Professors Council, the usage of the common Sarawak Malay language had endeared

Abang Johari to the people, thus enhancing his image and reputation, as this approach had not only shown the people’s reaction to him as a leader but also their understanding of his statements and initiatives. “‘Ketek ajak’ also carries a message of his intention to drive Sarawak’s development via the digital economy that he has been promoting so much since taking over the leadership of the state,” he said.

6 Nation

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Covid-19 Current situation as at June 12

New cases

Total cases

1,571 4,526,298

Perlis

Kedah

Penang

Perak

5

28

133

106

Home quarantine

Hospitalised

Total recovered

(95.4%)

(4.4%)

(1,887 cases)

21,375

4,468,191

976

Negri Melaka Selangor Kelantan Terengganu Pahang Sembilan

714

9

20

24

84

55

VACCINATED IN MALAYSIA

(Daily figures in brackets)

TOTAL TWO DOSES

TOTAL BOOSTERS

27,142,837 16,117,584 (6,320) (645)

Johor

Sabah

Sarawak

55

58

40

FT FT FT K. Lumpur Putrajaya Labuan

221

15

4

Govt facilities to bridge meds gap

Khairy: Private sector can ‘borrow’ medicines to beat supply shortage

By ALIZA SHAH alizashah@thestar.com.my PETALING JAYA: Private health establishments are allowed to borrow supplies of medicines from government facilities, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

The measure, along with a few others, will be able to curb the issue of shortages of medicines currently faced by some private health facilities and community pharmacies, he said.

Other measures include having the patients referred to the near-

est public facility, where their medication regimens might be adjusted based on the availability of the medicine.

Alternatiely, patients can also buy their own medication at community pharmacies using the prescriptions given.

“The Health Ministry hopes the measures can give a temporary solution to the issue of medication shortages at private health facilities and ensure continuous quality health services to the people,” he said in a statement yesterday. He was responding to reports claiming med-

icine shortages at certain places.

Khairy said his ministry is working on long term solutions to address the issue. He added that the ministry has also shared information on alternative medicines that private health facilities and community pharmacies can offer patients to cope with current supply issues. The list will be updated from time to time.

This measure is taken to reduce the impact of the current shortage and to ensure optimal use of the other generic drugs which are still available in the market, he said.

Thank you:

Khairy giving a speech at Hospital sultanah Bahiyah, alor setar, during a medical equipment presentation ceremony by the Japanese government.

— Bernama

‘Doing our best to solve Sabah’s sekolah tumpang issue’ SANDAKAN: The Education Ministry is doing all it can to solve the problem of sekolah tumpang (a secondary school inhabiting the same space as a primary school) involving 23 schools in Sabah, says Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin.

The Education Minister said 20 of the schools have received RM706mil in allocations to erect a building while efforts to secure funds for the remaining three are ongoing.

“Sabah has more sekolah tumpang than any other state. It is an infrastructure challenge for us.

One for the album

education Minister datuk dr Radzi Jidin (right) taking a group selfie with students after opening sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Libaran in sandakan.

— Bernama

“We will focus on schools that are not finished on schedule.” datuk dr Radzi Jidin

“We will focus on schools that were not completed on schedule.

The most important thing is that our students get a first-rate learning facility,” he told reporters after opening the new SMK Libaran building yesterday.

Radzi said the school, which has 597 students and was one of the 23 sekolah tumpang, had co-existed with SK Sungai Padas, a primary school 3km away, for over 22 years.

Located 25km from Sandakan, SMK Libaran will start welcoming students July 1.

On another matter, Radzi said the ministry is in talks with several parties about how to instil a love for nature among students.

“Our children must understand that we need to take care of our natural treasures for future generations”. — Bernama

Committees investigating issues need more time

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS and JOSEPH KAOS Jr newsdesk@thestar.com.my PUTRAJAYA: The committees looking into allegations by former attorney general Tommy Thomas, the death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, and the review of the Pulau Batu Puteh case, have requested for more time.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the committees asked for an extra one month to finalise their reports.

“They needed the extra time due to several factors. One committee’s report was in English and it

has to be translated into Bahasa Malaysia with the help of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka,” he told reporters yesterday.

Wan Junaidi further explained the committees had also sought help from certain individual witnesses with documents but these could not be produced immediately.

“There are also cases where witnesses were no longer in the country and this needs to be sorted out.

“I believe that by August, reports from the committees will be ready,” he said.

In October last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the setting up of the three committees which were given six months to produce

findings and recommendations to the Cabinet.

The committee investigating allegations by the former AG in his book My Story: Justice in the Wilderness among others were directed to probe his allegations on abuse of power in appointing judges, interference of the executive branch in the judiciary and selective prosecution that is political in nature.

For Pulau Batu Puteh, the committee is tasked to review laws relating to the case, and is to propose suitable options by getting views from experts on international laws.

The Pakatan Harapan government withdrew an application

which was to have been heard in June 2018 to overturn the International Court of Justice’s ruling awarding legal jurisdiction of Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore in 2008.

For the case involving fire fighter Muhammad Adib Kassim, the committee’s responsibility is to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into his death.

Muhammad Adib, a member of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services unit from the Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue station suffered serious injuries during a fracas at a temple in USJ25, Subang Jaya on Nov 27, 2018. He died the following month.

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

7

8 Nation

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Majoriti and Yoodo team up

exclusive deals and staycation vouchers up for grabs

By RAGANANTHINI VETHASALAM raga@thestar.com.my PETALING JAYA: Bahasa Malaysia news portal Majoriti and Celcom Axiata Bhd’s (Celcom) fully digital service Yoodo have teamed up to bring consumers the latest and most exciting news on the go, with subscribers of both brands set to be rewarded with exciting offerings.

From July 15 to Oct 15, new and existing Yoodo users will be rewarded with a one-year complimentary subscription to Majoriti worth RM99 for referring their friends to Yoodo as part of the “Refer-To-Win Campaign”.

This also includes a staycation voucher worth RM200.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was inked between Celcom Axiata CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi and Alex Yeow, group chief executive officer, at @celcom in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Commenting on the collaboration, Majoriti product lead Chung Eng Lee said with people spending most of their time on mobile devices, it was to be expected that they would seek out news on the go.

She added that while Yoodo understood the needs and wants of modern consumers, Majoriti was aware of the importance of keep-

Chung also revealed that Majoriti will be introducing a weekly print publication dubbed Majoriti 7 that will hit the stands soon.

The publication will provide in-depth content focusing on current news and developments locally and internationally, as well as politics, social, sports and entertainment topics.

With its tagline Refleksi Tanpa Prejudis, Majoriti aims to provide unbiased news and views to the people. It will also be teaming up with a diverse line-up of partners to expand on each others’ offerings.

Partners and merchants currently on board include Grab Malaysia, Social Security Organisation, Aeon Co (M) Bhd, Malaysia Airlines Bhd, Secret Recipe Cakes and Cafe Sdn Bhd, Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Samsonite (M) Sdn Bhd and hotels under IOI Properties Group Bhd, with more in the pipeline.

To find out more about Majoriti or to subscribe, visit majoriti.com. my.

For more information on Yoodo, follow Yoodo at www.facebook. com/yoodoMY or visit www.yoodo. com.my.

Exciting partnership:

Group chief executive officer alex yeow (second from right) and Idham (second from left) posing with the MOu after the signing as Chow (left) and Chung look on at the @celcom building in Petaling Jaya.

— IZZRaFIQ aLIas/The star ing readers in the know.

“With Yoodo providing the perfect platform to peruse the news through their vast network coverage and Majoriti bringing enriching content, we hope that this partnership will bring the utmost to our readers.

“At Majoriti, we believe that the key to a strong brand is through the communities we engage. As a news media, we also have a social purpose to fulfil and our core focus is to bring trusted, credible news that matters closer to our readers,” she added.

As Malaysia’s only fully digital telecommunications company, Yoodo prides itself as a pioneer in allowing users to customise their Internet plan according to their specific needs.

Breaking free from conventional structured plans, Yoodo gives users the flexibility to create an experience that is completely personalised.

Head of Yoodo Chow Tuck Mun said: “As a fully digital brand, Yoodo is dedicated to providing consumers with accessibility and convenience on the go.

“We are laser-focused on seeking out partners that are likeminded in terms of providing such offerings to consumers.

“With this partnership, we can ensure that our users have easy access to quick and reliable news, alongside added benefits and exclusive deals.

“The partnership between a digital brand and digital media makes for a perfect pairing, and we look forward to finding other exciting ways of working together to bring more rewards to Malaysians,” he added.

Watch the video

TheStarTV.com

Councillor to adopt baby of domestic abuse victim

By YEE XIANG YUN newsdesk@thestar.com.my KLUANG: After assisting a pregnant victim of domestic abuse for the past four months, a municipal councillor has decided to help the woman further by agreeing to adopt her newborn baby.

Kluang Municipal Council’s Mengkibol zone councillor Joan Ng, 40, said she was willing to take on the responsibility as the 28-year-old woman, who already has two children, could not afford to care for the baby after giving birth to him

on June 5.

According to Ng, the woman alleged that she had been physically and emotionally abused by her husband since they had their second child a few years ago.

Ng, who is also Kluang MCA public complaints bureau chief, said the couple were facing financial difficulties at the time.

“The woman was the sole breadwinner of the family and often faced her husband’s wrath when she refused to give him money.

“She has since moved out of their house and now lives with her par-

ents, but she has to care for them too due to their health,” she said in an interview.

Ng added that the woman had decided to file for divorce and would be signing the legal documents next month.

“Back when the woman was still pregnant, she told me that she was very stressed and wanted to put her baby up for adoption as she did not want the infant to grow up in an unhealthy environment.

“However, she was also worried that once social services took over, she would no longer be able to

see her baby in the future,” she said.

Ng added that although she has three children of her own, she decided to volunteer to care for the woman’s newborn.

“As a mother, I feel saddened by her plight.

“This way, she can at least see her child any time she wants in the future,” she said.

Ng added that she had consulted a lawyer about the legal adoption process and would wait for the baby to be registered under the National Registration Department first.

A mother’s empathy: ng says she has consulted a lawyer about the adoption process.

Penang student gains entry into MIT

By JEREMY TAN north@thestar.com.my GEORGE TOWN: Years of hard work have paid off for Penang youngster Kingston Lew Yen Wei, who has been accepted into the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

The 18-year-old former student of Chung Ling Private High School will start his degree programme in Computer Science, Economics and Data Science on an almost full scholarship in August.

“I’m both happy and relieved as I’ve been hoping to get into a great school like MIT for a very long time.

It’s a place many notable individuals from around the world graduated from.

“I can’t wait to be part of a community of learners and scholars, and will do my best to bring honour to my state and country,” Lew said at a press conference in Komtar yesterday.

He received a RM3,000 contribution from the Penang state government, which was handed over by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy.

“We hope this will encourage more students in Penang to keep striving for academic excellence.

We hope they’ll return to Malaysia and contribute to the community,” Chow remarked.

MIT has been ranked as the No.1 university in the world by the QS World University Rankings for 11 straight years, and also ranks at the top in 12 subject areas, including Computer Science.

This will not be Lew’s first experience in the US. Prior to this, he did his two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at United World College in New Mexico under a scholarship from the Davis Foundation.

While there, he had to contend with pandemic restrictions and the state’s annual forest fires.

“When the fires happened, students had to be evacuated to relief centres. We did our final exams at a relief centre.

“It was a very stressful experience and I’m proud to have overcome it,” said Lew. His father Lew Park Leong and mother Chong Yueh Chin, who both run a hair salon, were also present.

“As parents, we’re definitely proud. We were initially worried about how he would cope in a new environment and struggled to let go. But he managed to pull through all by himself,” said Chong.

Lew said he did experience some culture shock while in the US previously, but a good command of English helped him cope.

“Schools in the US are less strict than the ones here – they have fewer rules and more flexibility for students. We weren’t required to wear uniforms.

“The best part was meeting lots of people from different parts of the world and learning about their cul-

Academic aid: Lew with his parents after receiving the RM3,000 contribution from the Penang state government. — KT GOH/The star tures,” he added.

Lew has always been active in co-curricular activities, particularly in debate and public speaking, where he regularly impresses audiences with trilingual presentations in English, Malay and Mandarin.

His mentor Dr Rebecca Ow Phui San, a life sciences consultant with

the Penang Science Cluster, reminded Lew to always practise lifelong learning.

“Be open-minded and explore different things as America is the land of opportunities,” she advised, adding that communication skills were one of the most important assets for a student to have.

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

9

10 Nation

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

‘Funds for political aid and as relief’ ex-uKsB director says contributions given to Rembau umno division SHAH ALAM: Khairy Jamaluddin’s Rembau Umno division received between RM50,000 and RM200,000 from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB), a former director of the company told the High Court.

The money was given by UKSB to the division as political aid and for disaster relief and humanitarian activities, said Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, 42.

Wan Quoris said the money was not given directly to the then youth and sports minister, who is now Health Minister.

He said the contributions were channelled through the Rembau division and not to Khairy, also known as KJ, who was then deputy head of the division.

Bernama reported that earlier, the 15th prosecution witness, former UKSB director VK Lee had told the court that “KJ” and “bomoh” were among words recorded in the UKSB ledger which was presented in the corruption trial of former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The UKSB ledger, also known as “Buku 555”, tendered at the trial contained records of payments made by UKSB to several indivi-

duals between 2014 and 2018.

Asked by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin during examination-in-chief on the ways he helped Khairy, Wan Quoris Shah said: “Political aid for KJ was not only at the division level but also at national level because at that time, he was a politician at the national level.

“For example, in times of disaster and the like, I would help under humanitarian aid programmes. If there were by-elections, I would also help.”

The 16th prosecution witness said the financial aid was extended according to needs and not on a monthly basis.

“Contributions for KJ were not given directly; I managed them myself. If there were programmes which needed aid, I would help. I could control in terms of using money.

“For sure, KJ was not connected to this matter (foreign visa system or VLN), and there were no big allocations for him.

“But VLN was linked to the Home Ministry.

“Datuk Seri Zahid (Hamidi) was the minister concerned at that time,

Greetings at court: ahmad Zahid welcomed by well-wishers upon arrival the shah alam High Court for his corruption trial in connection with the foreign visa system. — KK sHaM/The star

and he was also Umno deputy president. I think his responsibility was bigger,” he added.

Ahmad Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil from UKSB for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of OSC service in China

and the VLN system.

It was also for maintaining the contract agreement with the company to supply the VLN integrated system to the Home Ministry.

For another seven counts, he was charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3mil, €15,000 and US$15,000 from the same company

which has links with his official duty.

He was charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.

Hearing before judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues.

Witness: Over RM45.8mil transferred to Najib’s private account in 2014 Reports by NURBAITI HAMDAN nurbaiti@thestar.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court was told that more than £8.7mil was converted into over RM45.8mil and transferred into a private client’s bank account belonging to Datuk Seri Najib Razak between Oct 21 and Dec 19 in 2014.

Prosecution witness Salmah Daman Huri, 50, testified in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial involving the former prime minister that a total of £8,706,021.92 was converted into RM45,837,485.70 and banked into an AmBank account bearing the number 2112022011880 in five transactions.

Salmah, who is Ambank’s treasury operation department vice-

A day at the court: najib

leaving the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex at the end of the day’s the 1MdB trial. — Bernama

president, said the foreign exchanges were transfers from Vista Equity International Partners into the account ending 1880 under the name AmPrivate Banking 1MY. The witness said she did not know who owned the 1880 bank account as details of the private client was kept confidential at that time.

During cross-examination by Najib’s lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohamed, Salmah said that she only found out it was Najib’s account when she gave her statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) when the 1MDB investigations started.

Aizuddin: The AmPrivate 1MY (account 1880), do you know the identity of the account holder?

Salmah: During the transactions,

I did not know.

Wan Aizuddin: You only knew after the investigation?

Salmah: Yes, through the investigation officer.

To a question by deputy public prosecutor Najwa Bistamam, Salmah said that her department never received any report or complaint from Najib regarding the high volume of foreign exchange transactions.

Najib is on trial for 25 charges in total – four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28bil; and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.

The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah today.

Prosecution opposes QC’s application to defend Najib KUALA LUMPUR: A foreign lawyer who lacks knowledge of the domestic criminal laws and procedures could not possibly have special qualifications or experience applicable to the RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd’s appeal at the Federal Court, the prosecution said.

In an affidavit-in-opposition, the prosecution contended it to be “strange” that out of the 21,625 lawyers in the country, none was equipped to defend the said charges faced by Datuk Seri Najib Razak when the Pekan MP’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah himself and his team defended the appellant (Najib) at the High Court to the Federal Court.

The affidavit, affirmed deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul, was filed to oppose an application by British lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw, who is seeking to

be admitted as a lawyer in Malaysia for him to appear as the lead counsel in Najib’s final appeal.

The affidavit was filed on Sunday and was made available to the press yesterday.

DPP Mohd Ashrof said Muhammad Shafee and his team had handled the SRC case, including the various interlocutory matters, the trial and appeal from the High Court to the Federal Court over the last three years.

“It is an irony to say that there are no local lawyers with special qualification or experience when compared to the applicant (Laidlaw) to defend these charges.

“The applicant himself has no experience in arguing these charges before the Malaysian courts.

“It is hard to fathom how the applicant, being a stranger to the domestic law, is more equipped and qualified than senior local criminal

lawyers, including Muhammad Shafee, who regularly appears before all tiers of the Malaysian courts to argue similar cases,” he said.

Laidlaw also does not have the Bahasa Malaysia qualification as required under subsection 11(2) of the Legal Profession Act (LPA) 1976, DPP Mohd Ashrof said.

On the issue that a Queen’s Counsel (QC) could help with novel issues in the appeal, the prosecutor said the issues, though might be deemed novel, were not difficult and had been carefully deliberated by the respective judges at the trial and the appeal.

“So it is erroneous to claim that these issues remain novel or complex in light of the findings of the learned trial judge as found and affirmed by the Court of Appeal,” he said.

DPP Mohd Ashrof further assert-

ed that the application was unmeritorious and ought to be summarily dismissed.

On May 31, Laidlaw filed a notice of originating motion through Messrs Shafee & Co at the High Court for his admission as a lawyer in Malaysia.

It said that Najib, as the appellant, had sought to engage Laidlaw’s professional services to act as lead counsel in the appeal.

“For the purposes of the appeal, the applicant possesses special qualifications, experience and expertise, which is not available among advocates and solicitors in Malaysia,” it stated.

It also said that Laidlaw was eligible and qualified to be admitted and enrolled to practice as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya, pursuant to Section 18(1) of the LPA to appear as counsel for Najib in the appeal and all other

related causes or matters.

On Jan 25, Messrs Shafee & Co submitted a six-page letter to the secretariat of Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat on Najib’s intention to appoint a QC to assist him in complex issues and legal questions in his SRC appeal.

The QC appointment will be on an ad hoc basis after obtaining admission from the Malaysian court.

Najib’s appeal will be heard in a 10-day hearing from Aug 15 to 19 and Aug 22 to 26.

On July 28, 2020, Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali (now a Court of Appeal judge) convicted and sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and a fine of RM210mil on seven charges involving criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of position involving SRC funds.

The conviction and sentence were upheld by the Court of Appeal.

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

11

12 Nation

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Nation’s favourites as voted by M’sians

TM Group, Watsons and Matrix Concepts productions are the people’s choice of Raya videos

‘We hope we can bring a fresh take to our culture and make it relevant again. Together, let’s Mengukir Malaysia,’ said Shanti Jusnita.

‘We would like to remind everyone to believe in themselves, and that they are extraordinary no matter who and where they are,’ said Loh.

‘We must respect and understand each other’s traditions and cultures. Only then can we have peace and harmony,’ said Lim.

FOR Hari Raya this year, Star Media Group (SMG) invited Malaysians to vote their favourite from among 48 festive commercials by recognised brands.

With close to a whopping 23,000 votes garnered throughout the onemonth campaign, the results are now in. The nation’s top three favourites – in no particular order – are by Matrix Concepts, TM Group and Watsons.

Matrix Concepts’ Metaraya Matrix was inspired by a personal experience during the movement control order.

“For the past two years, my family and I were away from our elderly parents and it was quite upsetting and even frustrating to say the least. If I could feel it, what more so many other Malaysians out there. Phone and video calls are just not enough,” said Matrix Concept chief marketing officer Lim Kok Yee. “So, my team and I thought, why don’t we translate this yearning for a family gathering through virtual reality?

“When the announcement on inter-state travelling came about and with the borders opening, we decided to put this into reality.

Hence, the Metaraya Matrix video – a 14- hour overnight shoot at our Clover Resort Residence in Bandar Sri Sendaya, in Negeri Sembilan.”

TM Group’s Dari Hati looked to highlight and celebrate Malaysia’s many cultures and heritage during a festive season, when people are more attuned to the idea of how culture connects our humanity and brings families closer together.

“We also want to demonstrate TM’s role as the enabler of technol-

ogy, by empowering Malaysians to use technology to create art pieces,” said TM Group chief marketing officer Shanti Jusnita Johari.

“Many brands just produce a TVC for Raya, but we wanted to build on that in an innovative way.

We wanted to celebrate the culture of sharing words of wisdom from our elders by converting them into another form of Malay heritage – turning Jawi into beautiful Kufi art.

“This is told through our film Dari Hati that features the story of Iqbal and how he modernises these words of wisdom via modern kufi art.

“This is, to our knowledge, one of the first online platforms in the world to be able to transfer Bahasa Melayu into Kufi art. One of the many highlights was the team working together to learn and understand the nuances of Jawi and Kufi art.”

Watsons’ Gaya Raya Luar Biasa revolves around Malaysians’ renewed optimism as the country moves into the recovery period.

“With that in mind, Watsons created a star-studded, special effects-laden depicting a literal outof-this-world Hari Raya celebration on the moon with an out-of-thisworld experience for Malaysians,” said Watsons Malaysia managing director Caryn Loh. “Viewers get to watch an extraordinary futuristic style filled with excitement while shining a light on individual styles to encourage everyone to celebrate their uniqueness.

“We would like to remind everyone to believe in themselves, and that they are extraordinary no matter who and where they are.

We need to stay true to ourselves no matter how far we’ve come.”

Other brands that joined this festive Nation’s Choice Awards campaign are RHB, Super, Shopee, Coway Malaysia, Saji, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, Hong Leong Bank, Pernas, Petronas, KPJ Healthcare Berhad, OPPO, Sunway Property, Sime Darby Property, Yodoo, Good Day, Maxis, Axiata, Gamuda Land, Lim Tayar, Digi, Celcom, Suria FM, Julie’s, TNB, Standard Chartered, Agrobank, Guardian, Pos Malaysia, SP Setia, MR DIY, Siti Khadijah, MyDebit, Herbalife, Daikin Malaysia, UMW Toyota, MBSB Bank, Aeon Retail Malaysia, Boost, MSM Malaysia Holdings Berhad, Affin Bank, IJM Land, UEM Sunrise, SK Magic, Sunway Group Berhad and foodpanda.

The top 10 voters walked away with either a brand new smartwatch, RM200 e-voucher, power bank or AirPods based on their submission on “What makes Raya special for you this year?”

The winners were selected based on the most creative and heartfelt answers.

SMG thanks Malaysians for making this video voting campaign a success and promises more in the works to drive goodwill and spread beloved brands’ good vibes and cheer.

Stay tuned for SMG’s upcoming hunt for the most engaging National Day commercial of 2022.

‘KebangkiTen Raya 10 Budak Merah dan ejen ali’ by Boost: Boost, the fintech arm of axiata, collaborated with popular home-grown animated character ejen ali in this festive Raya video.

Scan QR code to catch the full show reel of Raya commercials.

‘nasihat dari Hati | #MengukirMalaysia’ by TM Group: When we do something, is it for praise, or because we’re following our hearts without expecting any returns?

‘Gaya Raya Luar Biasa’ by Watsons: Watsons takes the Raya celebrations to a whole new level – the moon! Join ayda Jebat, Fauziah ahmad daud, datuk Jalaluddin Hassan, dolla, Jinnyboy and nithyaa RV as as they take you on an out-of-this-world Raya experience.

‘Metaraya Matrix’ by Matrix Concepts: The world changes but traditions remain. Matrix Concepts takes the Hari Raya celebration into the metaverse – a futuristic musical featuring grandma (Janna nick) with lyrics that remind us of culture and traditions.

‘abah’ by MsM Malaysia Holdings: abah is a significant figure in the family, all firm in facial expressions and demeanour. Because of his male ego, grief over the loss of a loved one does not manifest easily.

‘Oppa vs Opah’ by standard Chartered: Oppa and Opah learn that while appearances may differ, people will always find a way to come together. Tune in to this video and find out how things turn out.

Nation 13

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

‘Terima Kasih, Pak Lang’ by aeon: Three siblings who lost their parents are under the care of Pak Lang. despite the hard times they’re going through, Pak Lang tries his best to bring hope to his wards this Raya.

‘aidilfitri 2022’ by ueM sunrise: Follow the journey of aidil who is on a highly covert mission. Will Malaysia’s no.1 secret agent save the day and make it back home in time for Raya?

‘Raya Macam Cara’ by TnB: a family reunites after not seeing each other for two years. Will the children be able to understand the different cultures of the north, south, east and west?

‘Ria Bersama, Raya Bermakna’ by sK Magic: Our parents show their gratitude in different ways. They may not thank us, but they will find a way to show how proud they are of us. This video tells the story of a son’s love and care for his father, and a dad’s unspoken appreciation.

‘Pesan atuk’ by agrobank: a grandchild journeys to his past as he recalls his childhood memories with his grandfather who was a padi farmer – a story about family love packed with the message on the importance of sustaining food supply for the younger generation.

‘Rezekey’ Raya by Gamuda Land: sometimes we take the little things in life for granted. But what may seem insignificant to us could be the key to change another person’s life. This Raya, remember that ‘reze-key’ can be found anywhere, if we are sincere in our hearts.

‘Kembalikan Kemeriahan Bersama Guardian’: a lighthearted yet heart-warming story of four sisters as they make their long-awaited journey to their hometown together to surprise their mother on Hari Raya. Will their plan work?

‘3 abang Garang’ by shopee: Three big bullies terrorise a sleepy village. They are loud and intimidating, making the villagers fear and loathe them. But is everything really as it seems?

‘sempurna Bersama’ by sunway Property: Preserving tradition through sunway Property’s dodol-themed campaign sempurna Bersama, to celebrate a harmonious community and a time of togetherness.

‘Kiriman Mak’ by Pos Malaysia: Whatever it takes to make mom happy. ahmad goes on an adventure to make his most important delivery yet, this Hari Raya.

‘Fobia di Hari Raya’ by foodpanda: The festivities are here, but for yana it also means an issue may crop up. What could it be and how will yana overcome this phobia?

‘Misi Balik Kampung safely’ by Lim Tayar: Raya is different this year now that we can balik kampung after two years.

This video highlights the importance of family values.

‘Kembali’ by affin Bank: arif and Irfan return to their village for Raya. Their destination is the same but there is a difference. There is something that Irfan doesn’t know about arif.

What is it? Watch out for a twist in the ending.

‘seri Cahaya aidilfitri’ by sunway Group: aida springs into action to fix a ‘light’ predicament this Raya. This video is a testament to sunway’s commitment to action against climate change.

‘Kita Rai, Kita Raya’ by daikin: Raya is here! Let’s take this chance to celebrate joyfully with our beloved elders in the kampung. ‘Kita rai, hari raya bermaafan semua. Hari murni hari raya ikhlaskan jiwa raga.’

14 Nation

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Couple tied to military scam duo in ticketing con duped 200 Koreans with fake contracts

By NELSON BENJAMIN nelson@thestar.com.my JOHOR BARU: Two persons, including a Korean woman who was recently nabbed for involvement in an airline ticketing scam, are also believed to have duped people into investing in fake military contracts in Sabah.

It is learnt that the couple, who promised lucrative returns, had purportedly showed their Korean victims an offer letter for multi-million ringgit maintenance work at an army camp in Sabah.

A Korean woman known as Kim said that she was asked to invest in

the project.

“I thought they were genuine as they are part of the Korean community in Malaysia. They also showed me documents, including a letter from a Malaysian army general about the project.

“I genuinely thought they needed money to help do this project and I decided to invest almost RM500,000,” she said, adding that she only heard about it being a scam following the recent media reports about the couple who had also been involved in an airline ticketing scam.

When asked how much in return was promised to her as an investor,

Kim said that her money was to double within a few months.

The couple, a Malaysian in his 20s and his Korean wife in her 30s, was arrested in Sabah last month after more than 40 police reports were lodged against them for being the masterminds of a flight ticket scam totalling more than RM2mil.

Most of the reports, lodged since April, were made in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang.

It is learnt that at least 200 Koreans may have fallen for the ticketing scam.

The couple was then brought back to Johor for investigations.

The ticketing scam involved the

duo taking deposits for cheap flights back to South Korea during the Covid-19 pandemic but tickets were not provided or refunded.

The couple, who set up a tour agency about three years ago, are believed to have used the money on themselves.

When contacted, a senior police officer said the couple has been handed over to their counterparts from other states for investigations due to the many reports lodged against the couple.

“They are being investigated for cheating,” he said, adding that they have since wrapped up their part of the investigation.

Local fruits in season, prices likely to go down

Bountiful harvest: Mohd

nazri showing off the various types of local fruits he sells at his stall at Kampung Pelet in Kubang semang, Bukit Mertajam.

— ZHaFaRan nasIB/The star

By LO TERN CHERN andylo@thestar.com.my BUKIT MERTAJAM: Apart from the king of fruits, other local favourites are also in season.

Fruit seller Mohd Nazri Mokhtar, 39, said jack fruit, mangosteen and rambutan are now plentiful, with more to come and expected to keep prices affordable.

“Although durian is the most pop-

ular choice, the country produces many other good fruits.

“There is so much fruit being harvested that I’m doubling my trips daily to the orchards.

“Prices have also gone down for cempedak, which is now at RM12 per kg, and expected to drop to RM6 per kg soon.

“Mangosteen and rambutan are both priced at RM10 per kg, and we expect them to also be cheaper by

next month,” said Mohd Nazri at his stall in Kampung Pelet here recently.

As for durians, Mohd Nazri said it still remains the most sought after fruit at his stall, going for as low as RM5 per kg.

Meanwhile, a fruit supplier who only wished to be known as Chin, 45, said mangosteen, also known as the queen of fruits, was popular for its benefits.

“Mangosteens are eaten as an ‘antidote’ to cool the body down after eating durians.

“Compared to durians, which are naturally heaty and considered high-energy food, mangosteens are the opposite and have a delicately flavoured sweetness and mild acidic taste.

“Mangosteens are rich in calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B and C as well,” he said.

Pakatan to meet PM on anti-party hopping Bill

By DURIE RAINER FONG newsdesk@thestar.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan leaders will hold an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the anti-party hopping Bill and three matters related to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the coalition and the Federal Government.

The Pakatan presidential council said the coalition hoped that the Bill would be tabled, debated and approved in the first week of the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting, which starts on July 18.

“By passing this Bill, 83% or 15 out of the 18 items under the MOU will be implemented,” it said in a statement.

Three other matters that still need to be implemented are setting a limit of two terms or 10 years for the prime minister’s tenure, tabling of the Parliamentary Services Bill and amending the Dewan Rakyat’s Standing Orders.

The council also expressed its disappointment over the government’s failure to convene a special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat to table the Bill.

The statement was jointly issued

by Opposition leader and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook and Upko president Datuk Seri Madius Tangau.

Recently, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan

Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said there was no need for the government to convene a special sitting to table and debate the Constitution (Amend-ment) (No. 3) Bill 2022 regarding the prohibition on switching parties by members of the Dewan Rakyat.

He said the Bill would be tabled and debated at the second meeting of the fifth session of the 14th Parliament, starting July 18, before being presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

In Kota Kinabalu, a Sabah party is hoping to resurrect its fortunes as it knocks on the doors of the ruling state coalition Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, which engineered the crossover of Parti Warisan’s Kukusan assembly-

man Rina Jainal on June 5 to strengthen the party, is now hoping for entry into GRS. However, party president Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah remained coy about the possibility of their application being accepted.

“We can only pray and will leave the decision to the GRS leadership,” he said when contacted.

“But what’s important for the party now is whether elected representatives who join us can perform,” he said.

“I hope Rina can do her best for the people.”

Liew also said that his party was fully behind GRS’ concept “Sabah for Sabah” and added that they had submitted the application to join the five-party coalition about a month ago.

Police arrest gang of car thieves on the prowl since 2014 KUALA LUMPUR: A gang of car thieves who have been active since 2014, were busted by Sentul police.

The gang comprised four men, including its mastermind.

Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Beh Eng Lai said members of the Remy Sentosa gang were arrested between June 4 and 8.

“The operation under Ops Lejang was launched to combat the actions of this crime syndicate.

“The syndicate has been active within the Klang Valley, especially in the areas under the Sentul police jurisdiction.

“Four gang members and two women, whom we believe are the girlfriends of those arrested, were caught after a number of raids in Selangor and Perak.

Among those arrested was the gang leader who goes by the nickname “Remy Sentosa”.

“Following their arrests, we managed to locate eight stolen cars.

“The suspects would identify cars before sending in one of their members, who is a car mechanic, to lockpick the cars.

“They would then disable the alarms before starting the engines with a modified Allen key,” he said.

One of those arrested had 33 previous criminal records and was wanted for car theft and drug offences.

Thirteen cases had been solved following the arrests.

Investigations are underway to trace the remaining stolen cars linked to the group.

The suspects have been handed over to the Ampang police following the end of their remand on June 11.

Bersatu not plotting to remove PM, says Faizal IPOH: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia fully supports the Prime Minister and there is no plot to remove him, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

Contrary to a news report, the Bersatu deputy president said no such plot was discussed during their recent supreme council meeting.

He said the meeting focused on the party’s preparations for the general election, cost of living and the increase in food prices.

“We never talked about the Prime Minister, we support him, and the party wants a stable government.

“We must put our focus on the problems faced by the people, and not to prioritise personal or political matters,” he said after opening a surau at SK Pasukan Polis Hutan in Tambun here yesterday.

According to the news report, the position of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as Prime Minister was discussed during the meeting. This included changing the government if Bersatu had the support of Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, Parti Warisan Sabah and Pakatan Harapan.

Nation 15

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

S’gor prepares for drought 60 ponds and lakes identified as new sources of water

KUALA LUMPUR: Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (Luas) has identified more than 60 ponds and lakes in the state that have the potential to be used as additional water resources should a drought hit the Klang Valley in 2025 as forecasted.

Its director Hasrolnizam Shaari said of the total, 21 ponds had been approved by the state government to be widened and deepened to increase their capacity.

“In the first stage, we have updat-

ed the status of more than 60 ponds and lakes, including the status of the land and their usability.

“We also have received approval from the Selangor government for 21 ponds to be prepared for widening and deepening, with the construction to be carried out by the Selangor government’s subsidiary, Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd,” he said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV’s Koresponden Bernama.

Hasrolnizam was on the show yesterday to talk about Selangor’s preparations to face any prolonged dry season.

He said Luas had also built other infrastructure to ensure that water from the ponds could be channelled to the water treatment plants by means of water pumps before water is drained into the river.

Hasrolnizam added that Luas had also developed an application which could record the amount of

water available in real-time.

Recently, he was reported to have said that water supply in the Klang Valley would be sufficient for eight months if a drought were to hit the region in 2025.

“Currently, the entire population in the Klang Valley, including Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur, covering 6.5 million residents, receives treated water supply from Selangor, with a total daily consumption of 500 million litres.

From fishes to wrecks

Kelantan deputy director of Maritime Operations Comm Khairun dalilah Baharin showing two Vietnamese fishing vessels being disposed of at the state Maritime Vessel detention Centre in Pasir Puteh. They were seized by the Malaysian Maritime enforcement agency last year. The court ordered the vessels to be destroyed on nov 30 last year.

— Bernama

Birthday boy and two cousins killed in crash IPOH: It was 19-year-old KC Thinakaran’s birthday and he and his four cousins were going home to celebrate in Teluk Intan.

They never made it. Three of them, including the birthday boy, were killed in a tragic accident when their car collided with a lorry.

The others killed are S. Srinivasa, 19, and M. Phoovendra, 26.

Srinivasa died on the spot while Phoovendra and Thinakaran died while receiving treatment at Hospital Teluk Intan.

The driver, 26-year-old V. Syarvin Kumar and another cousin CM Kaushin, 19, suffered serious injuries and are being treated at the hospital.

The lorry driver was unhurt.

According to Hilir Perak Asst Comm Ahmad Adnan Basri, the accident occurred at KM7 of Jalan Maharajalela-Teluk Intan around 9.30pm on Sunday.

“Syarvin, Thinakaran and their cousins Srinivasa, Phooveandra and Kaushin were on their way to Teluk Intan town from Hutan Melintang when the accident happened,” he said yesterday.

Earlier, police said firemen had to use special tools to retrieve one of the bodies.

ACP Ahmad Adnan said it was believed that Syarvin’s car entered the opposite lane before colliding with the lorry carrying palm oil.

Other news & views

Compiled by JunaId IBRaHIM, C. aRunO and R. aRaVInTHan

Aiming to be youngest M’sian to summit Everest MUHAMMAD Syahrulnizam Mohd Noor aims to be the youngest Malaysian to summit Mount Everest in 2024.

The 18-year-old reached the Everest Base Camp at the height of 5,364m last Tuesday, Utusan Malaysia reported.

Syahrulnizam said he started the ascent on May 31 with his father Mohd Noor Mat Amin along with a Nepali sherpa guide.

“I am determined to be the youngest Everest hero of Malaysia and currently I’m in training programmes arranged by my father,” he said.

He added that the technical training would be held in Nepal along the Himalayan range.

In 2008, Syahrulnizam was recognised by Malaysia Book of Records as the youngest stair climber to reach the top of KL Tower’s.

He is expected to return to the tower in August this year to take up a 24-hour challenge

going up and down the building. > Entertainment industry newcomer Mia Sara Shauki said it was hard not to walk in her father’s shadow.

The budding actress said there were those who claimed that her father, Datuk Afdlin Shauki, had been helping land roles but she ignored these naysayers, Kosmo! reported.

“I don’t care what people say because no one knows that I put in 150% effort into what I desire,” Mia said.

She added that her father was initially not supportive of her decision to become an actress but he changed his mind after seeing her determination.

Mia recently joined the cast of James Lee’s latest horror drama Histeria alongside reputable actors Nam Ron, Liyana Jasmay, Farah Ahmad and Ziana Zain.

Starting young: Filepic

showing Muhammad syahrulnizam, then four, leading his father Mohd noor as they climbed the 432-step of Felda Residence in Kuala Terengganu.

Increase music classes in primary school, ministry urged THE National Union of Heads of Schools has urged the Education Ministry to increase the number of music classes to give pupils more time to learn the subject, Sin Chew Daily reported.

Its president Lim Bee Khim said the 30 minutes allocated to primary school pupils each week currently was not enough for them to be proficient in the subject.

“I hope the ministry can increase music classes to one hour a week, just like the prior Standard Based Curriculum for Primary Schools (KSSR).

“Right now, we feel there is not enough emphasis on music. If that is the case, why do they (the minis-

try) keep insisting on hiring teachers with professional music qualifications to teach pupils?” she asked.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon reportedly said the ministry had failed to recruit enough teachers for three subjects – visual arts, physical education and music.

He said candidates applying for these subjects must have specialised qualifications. > A man who was forced to work in Thailand by human traffickers was left emaciated and unable to communicate, reported China Press.

The man by the surname Chen, 35, finally made it home to Mentakab, Pahang, after leaving to be a

chef in Thailand in January.

According to Chen’s father, family members received only one phone call from his son throughout the period, who claimed that he had fallen into a trap.

They lost contact with him until a friend visited their house recently.

“The friend came and said my son had been deported by Thailand and was sent to the Immigration office at Bukit Kayu Hitam. He was later sent to Hospital Alor Setar for treatment.

“The social worker there wanted us to identify our son and let us know about his condition,” the elder Chen said at a press conference held by the Mentakab MCA

Public Service and Complaints Bureau.

Initially, the elder Chen and his wife were unable to recognise the emaciated man, who looked unkempt.

“Our son has a tattoo on his back and when my wife saw it she could not help but cry,” he said.

The junior Chen was discharged last Saturday and was sent home by ambulance with the support of donors.

“The doctor at the hospital contacted us and told us that he needed physical therapy,” he said, adding: “Our son is unable to take care of himself. His hands kept trembling. I feel sad looking at him.”

RM50,000 to spruce up Tg Rambutan cemetery A RM50,000 cash aid to improve the condition of the Tanjung Rambutan cemetery was received from Datuk Seri M. Saravanan with more to follow, Malaysia Nanban reported.

The Human Resources Minister, who visited the cemetery near Ipoh, pledged to cover the upgrading costs and handed over a cheque for the amount.

Special officer to the Perak Mentri Besar, Datuk V. Elango, who was also present, said a special task force would be formed to manage the upgrade.

The task force would begin the preliminary works soon, he said. > The daily also reported that a man in Bhopal, India, was forced to carry home his dead daughter after a hospital refused to provide an ambulance.

Lashman Ahirwar’s four-year-old daughter died at the Chhatarpur district hospital in Madhya Pradesh after falling ill suddenly and receiving treatment there.

However, when the poor villager asked for an ambulance to transport his deceased daughter back to their village, about 50km away, his request was refused.

The distraught father was then forced to take a bus back to his village.

16 Views

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

EMAIL editor@thestar.com.my or MAIL The Editor, Menara Star, 15, Jalan 16/11, Section 16, 46350 Petaling Jaya.

Letters must carry the sender’s full name, address and telephone number.

A pseudonym may be included.

It’s a threat to national security PERSATUAN Patriot Kebangsaan refers to the news report in The Star yesterday headlined “Your personal data on sale – cheap” (online at bit.ly/star_data) and wishes to register our concern with the government over cybersecurity breaches as they have far reaching implications and raise serious concerns about national security.

This is not the first time in recent memory that we have read about such security breaches.

And each time we get the same reaction statements from officialdom. This cannot continue.

We need a permanent, effective and dependable resolution to this problem from all those charged with the responsibility of safeguarding citizens and the nation.

As per the news report, “Malaysians’ personal data has been allegedly sold openly on the Internet for a few ringgit”. The site allows a person to be searched for by name, address, phone number, MyKad or military ID or date of birth.

If searching for someone using a MyKad number can reveal the person’s full name, date of birth, gender and house address, Patriot

Photo: 123rf.com

deems it a very serious breach of security. What more when detailed information – including MySejah-tera vaccination info and loan and credit card application details – can be accessed by

all and sundry through a paywall.

If this is not a serious breach of security that has far reaching implications and consequences then pray tell us what is.

What is most worrisome is that

the website could be found with a mere Google search and needed no high-tech hacking wizardry.

While the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Department has responded, saying that it requested for the website to be blocked, Patriot believes this is not good enough. We question where was the preemptive, gatekeeping effort?

The fact that this cybersecurity breach has taken place without the knowledge of all those responsible for safeguarding information calls for none other than the Prime Minister himself to step in.

The cybersecurity consultant quoted in the report said the site was likely created by Malaysians or people who are familiar with the local market. This then raises more questions over the government’s vigilance.

While Patriot is cognisant of the fact that cybercrime has increased phenomenally, it is the duty and responsibility of the government, its ministers and all paid appointees and contracted service providers to guarantee the security of our personal data.

If citizens are required to fur-

Standardise rules for joint bank accounts WITH respect to joint savings or fixed deposit bank accounts, what happens when one of the two account holders dies?

Can the surviving account holder withdraw all the money in the account? I have discovered that the answer will depend on when the question is asked.

If it is at the time of the opening of the joint account, the usual positive response will be “No problem since both have agreed to the ‘either one can sign’ clause”, the bank officer will inform you politely.

But this is only a verbal assurance and we often take the word of the bank officer in good faith and don’t bother to prod further or insist on viewing the terms and conditions, especially the fine

print in the agreement.

When crunch time comes and we inform the bank officially that the other account holder has passed away, the bank changes its stance immediately.

As a precautionary measure, most banks freeze the account immediately.

If you insist on the assurance given when you opened the account, they will tell you that the “either one can sign” clause only applies when both account holders are alive.

However, you will be entitled to half the amount if all the provisions in the “letter of administration” are complied with – a process which will take time. Many fall into this trap by being misinformed.

This causes immense inconvenience to the surviving account holder (especially where elderly couples are concerned) who might have a pressing need for the money.

A few banks include as part of the joint account opening mandate a “survivorship clause”, which means in the event of the death of one of the joint account holders, the surviving joint account holder is entitled to the monies in the account.

Different banks have different policies. And even within the legal fraternity there are many different interpretations and opinions.

This lack of uniformity across Malaysian banks on joint accounts needs to be addressed urgently.

Hopefully Bank Negara

Malaysia and the Association of Banks in Malaysia can shed light on this matter and clarify whether the surviving account holder can have access to the money in the account.

More importantly, Bank Negara and the association should expeditiously draft a common banking policy on this matter. Let us clear the air once and for all.

Finally, bank officers/tellers should be briefed thoroughly and be made aware of all the provisions so that they can advise joint account customers accordingly and not give them misinformation – and false hope – when new joint accounts are opened.

DR POLA SINGH Kuala Lumpur

Plantations industry badly in need of stability THE plantations industry has always been an important economic asset for the country with rubber and oil palm being the dominant crops. Though rubber has lost some of its earlier shine, it still offers the potential to remain a vibrant source of economic wealth.

Oil palm, now more than 105 years old, is still riding high.

However, the oil palm sector has been under a lot of pressure from competition from other oils in the global edible oils business – it has to compete with 17 other oils.

The product is also attacked left and right by environmentalists despite the crop’s positive carbon emission data nowadays. The industry continues to engage and educate critics on the matter.

The Russia-Ukraine war has provided a breather in this aspect. As a result of the weakened supply of sunflower oil – Ukraine was the world’s biggest supplier – there is less criticism of palm oil. Companies that once shied away from using palm oil are now scrambling

for supply. This has helped push global palm oil prices northwards, far exceeding the usual prices.

As industry players and associations have been pointing out, it is a pity that this good fortune comes at a time when production, at least in Malaysia, is severely reduced because of the ongoing labour shortage. It is estimated that billions of ringgit have been lost in unharvested fruits.

The pandemic has been largely responsible for the labour issue.

But industry watchers also point to other factors that add to the problem. One such factor are the constant changes in leadership at the institutions in charge of the plantations sector. Since the last general election, the government has changed three times at least. And the plantations minister has changed three times as well, creating instability in the sector.

What is of greater concern is that every time a new minister is put in charge, there are changes to the people leading key plantation

institutions under the ministry.

This is bad for governance. It upsets the stable functioning of the institutions. It creates uncertainties in policy- and decision-making.

In the early days, the CEOs were all selected from professionals who had spent years working in the plantation sector. And chairmen were appointed from among experienced captains of industry. They understood the issues and were able to use their experience to steer policy direction for the institutions and, therefore, the sector.

The industry has urged the government to rethink the strategy of filling leadership positions.

This unfortunate situation is happening when both palm oil and rubber are in need of new directions. Palm oil production is reaching a limit with no more land to expand beyond the current six million hectares. One way to grow value is through downstream expansion and for this, the sector desperately needs guidance from people with industry knowledge

and experience.

Rubber is in even more dire straits. Except for the fortunes made in rubber gloves, the rest of the industry is not in the best of shapes. Rubber smallholders face the most grim future of all. They need a good strategy. But even a good strategy will not work if governance keeps changing. Stability in governance is what the plantations industry needs.

It is time we get the right professionals to lead plantation industry institutions. Good knowledge of industry issues and trends is of utmost importance. Otherwise, the future of the plantations industry will continue to be uncertain, which is unhealthy for investments in the sector.

PROF DATUK DR AHMAD IBRAHIM Tan Sri Omar Abdul Rahman Centre for STI (Science, Technology and Innovation) Policy Studies, UCSI University

nish personal data in various official applications and when registering for and accessing services online, then the onus rests with the initiator to ensure security gatekeeping is not compromised.

As ex-servicemen, we know how the misuse of crucial personal data of citizens (and the government’s) can jeopardise national security. In these times of global extremism when, for example, terrorism is a real threat, the inability to protect personal data cannot be tolerated.

Patriot demands immediate accountability from all those who are culpable in this matter of grave national interest. We register our concern with serious, patriotic intent and in representing ex-servicemen of the military and the police, as well as in the interest of citizens.

BRIGADIER GENERAL (RTD) DATUK MOHD ARSHAD RAJI President DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE (RTD) DATUK ZULKIFLI MOHAMED Deputy president Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan

The value of sports to the nation SPORTS is a major contributor to the economic and social development of a country. Its role is recognised by governments and even the United Nations, which says “We recognise the growing contribution of sport to ... development and peace in its promotion of tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to ... health, education and social inclusion objectives”.

Apart from its economic contributions – its global value is estimated at US$756bil (RM3.3tril) annually – sports has long been considered a valuable tool for fostering communication and building bridges between communities and generations. It teaches children to rise to a challenge, nurturing their character and discipline in ways that will help them get on in life.

The fact that sports education is a powerful means of fostering educational attainments and employability is also well established.

Healthwise, being active in sports can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30% to 40% and can also reduce the risk of suffering a range of medical conditions such as strokes, heart disease and depression. The cost of inactivity is high: British studies have shown that being physically inactive can cost an estimated £7.4bil (RM40bil) a year in healthcare costs.

Sports provides a platform for people to come together and support their country. International sporting events like the Olympics, World Cup football, badminton’s Thomas Cup, etc, allow us to show our national pride and unity.

We need to invest more in sports because it has this amazing, unique way of having a positive impact on society and makes a difference daily.

C. SATHASIVAM SITHERAVELLU Seremban

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THE STAR, TuESdAy 14 JunE 2022

Indonesia

Seeing double

Visitors wearing protective face masks while viewing an art exhibition at a shopping mall in Jakarta. — Reuters

Shinawatra – the next generation

Thaksin’s daughter takes family name to a new level ahead of 2023 polls She has half a million followers on Instagram, leads a glamorous lifestyle and describes herself as the “little girl” of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra – one of the most influential and controversial figures in modern Thai history.

The 35-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra, youngest of billionaire tycoon Thaksin’s three children, is now launching herself into the country’s deeply divided political scene ahead of a national election due by March 2023.

The move brings the Shinawatras’ influence to a new generation and sets the stage for the latest round in the ultra-rich clan’s 20-year tussle with the kingdom’s royalist-military elites.

For now, Paetongtarn has a lowkey role with the main opposition Pheu Thai party but she is widely tipped to be named its candidate for prime minister when an election is called.

Thaksin, ousted as prime minister in a military coup in 2006, pops up regularly in Paetongtarn’s social media posts hugging her baby or posing with his daughter.

Paetongtarn says she draws strength from her father’s “unwavering support” and insists she will always be his “little girl”.

It is a sentiment that endears her

Thailand

to the legion of supporters, many of them poor and rural, who swept Thaksin to election victories in 2001 and 2005.

“We need you. We miss your father,” a well-wisher told her during campaigning for Bangkok local elections last month.

But it will also raise the hackles of the powerful royalist and military elites who despise Thaksin and have long suspected him of manipulating the opposition to their political dominance from abroad.

Parties linked to the tycoon have won the most seats at every Thai election since 2001, only to find themselves toppled by coups or court rulings preceded by massive street protests.

Thaksin, the former Manchester City owner who built a telecoms empire with a fortune estimated by Forbes at nearly US$1.9bil (RM8.36bil), now lives in self-imposed exile in Dubai to avoid corruption charges he says are politically motivated. his sister Yingluck was elected prime minister in 2011, but was herself deposed by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha in a 2014 coup.

Despite her current placeholder role with Pheu Thai’s inclusion and innovation committee, Paetongtarn makes no secret of her ambitions.

“We can transform Thailand

Fresh face: Paetongtarn walking past her portrait during the Pheu Thai party’s annual meeting in Bangkok. — AFP

from a country that is riddled with debt, filled with misery, with no future in sight, into a country filled with opportunity and hope for us and future generations,” she said at a party conference last month.

Prayut – who became prime minister in a controversial election in 2019 – is viewed as a poor economic manager and increasingly unpopular, particularly among the young, thousands of whom took to the streets in 2020 to demand democratic change.

In a further sign of his weakening grip, the candidate Prayut backed for Bangkok governor was thrashed

in last month’s election, won resoundingly by a former Pheu Thai minister.

This was a first taste of campaigning for Paetongtarn, who manages the hotel branch of her family’s real estate company.

Thaksin’s five years in power saw an economic upturn and a boost for the rural poor, but critics say the period was marked by graft, nepotism and authoritarianism.

Paetongtarn insists Thailand improved under his rule, and says that like her father, she feeds off adversity.

Given Prayut’s unpopularity, and

the lack of a charismatic alternative in the army-linked Palang Pracharat Party, Pheu Thai believe they can win the election.

Paul Chambers, of the Centre of Asean Community Studies at Naresuan University in Thailand, said the party was hoping to capitalise on the “perfect storm” facing the current government.

Victory for Paetongtarn might also mean a way back to Thailand for the 72-year-old Thaksin. Last year he vowed to return to the kingdom “through the front door”.

But despite the power of the Shinawatra brand, Pheu Thai and Paetongtarn face formidable hurdles to winning power.

To become prime minister a candidate must win a majority in the 500-seat lower house and the 250seat senate.

But under the constitution drafted by the junta in 2017, the senate is full of handpicked military loyalists.

A similar scenario unfolded in the 2019 election – Pheu Thai won most seats in the lower house but the military-controlled senate allowed Prayut to form a coalition.

“Whatever happens following the next election, the pro-military parties will do all they can to take office and try to legitimise why Pheu Thai should not form a coalition,” Chambers says. — AFP

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THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Brisk business for breeders Industry thriving despite criticism from animal lovers

BUSINESSES will always have their positives and drawbacks, and the pet breeding business is no different. The industry has thrived, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

“Pet breeding has been very busy, especially in 2020-2021 – the early part of the pandemic when many people were looking for a business to do at home because they had the opportunity to work from home.

“Just see the booming trend of ornamental fish such as betta fish, and reptiles such as turtles and geckos,” said Andrie Kriesniawan, owner of Manggala Cattery in East Jakarta.

The pet breeding business itself, according to Astria Muktihapsari, a vet at Pet Hut Sinau Satwa Citra Raya in Tangerang, is where breeding is done for commercial purposes by rearing pets for profit.

“Business activities include the selection (process) by breeders to find superior seeds, arranging mating activity and assisting with the births of litters,” she said.

Andrie breeds other kinds of animals besides purebred and mixed cats, including tarantulas, leopard

Indonesia

Making meow-ney:

The pet breeding industry has seen booming business, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

— aFP geckos, betta fish and guppies.

But he says this is just a hobby, adding: “If it’s a business, it means I gain some sort of monetary profit.

“The advantage for me is just channelling my hobby. Even if I do make money, it goes back to my pets for maintenance costs as I’ve also rescued abandoned kittens.”

Pieter Richardo Jawono, a 24year-old pet enthusiast from Surabaya, shares the same point of view.

“Pet breeders are, in my opinion, people who love animals and want to do it as their business, doing

what they love,” said Pieter, who has been a compassionate fan of dogs since he was 10 years old.

But Maria Josephine Kriesye, a cat lover from Surabaya, has a different concern about the business.

Pet breeding has its own controversies such as animal abuse and ecological imbalance.

“To my limited knowledge, somehow they do some sort of modification to produce a new type of pet instead of having the mating process carried on naturally,” said the 46-year-old.

Andrie refuted this view, saying that most pet breeders did it based on their hobbies because, unlike breeding animals for human food consumption, most of the time, the profit did not cover the costs.

Regardless of the love or purity of the business purpose, pet breeders have existed in Indonesia for a long time. But being a pet breeder also comes with several challenges.

“Every business always (has) challenges of its own. For pet breeders, a bad or rainy season can impact the health of their pets and increase the price of (the animal’s) food,” said Pieter.

“The challenges for me are health problems and insufficient space in my house,” said Andrie.

He also said breeders had certain responsibilities to the animals.

“Breeders need to consider the future of their pets by releasing them to responsible people. By changing ownership, the responsibility for maintenance also changes,” he said.

“Breeders need to provide guidance and consultations if the new owner has problems with maintenance and health.” — The Jakarta Post/ANN

S’pore teen designed Ukraine president’s shirt W H E N Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed delegates virtually at the Shangri-La Dialogue recently, his choice of attire – and the Singaporean girl behind it – became an unexpected talking point of his speech.

The black T-shirt bearing an illustration of a girl spray-painting the blue and yellow colours of the Ukraine flag had been passed to Zelenskyy along with a handwritten letter from its Singaporean creator, 16-year-old Ava Soh. Speaking to 575 delegates from 40 countries at Asia’s top security summit last Saturday, Zelenskyy said: “She wrote me a letter asking to support her initiative called Spray Paint Ukraine – an initiative aiming to help Ukraine.”

His sartorial choice came as a shock to Ava, who said she sent the T-shirt to the president via the Ukrainian embassy in Singapore only a week ago.

“It was very unexpected for me,” said the Secondary Four student at St Joseph’s Institution International.

“I know he is going through something very important right now, so him wearing this girl’s shirt was probably not a top priority,” she said with reference to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

She said she wrote to Zelenskyy

Singapore

Creativity for a good cause:

ava started working on the illustration in late april after an ‘extremely inspiring’ meeting with ukraine’s ambassador to singapore.

— The straits Times/ann with a request that he wear the T-shirt in a photo or video clip with little expectation that he would fulfil the request, let alone wear it “at such a big event” as the dialogue.

Ava, who started her Daughters Of The Revolution (Dotr, pronounced “daughter”) brand when she was 14, said she started working on the illustration in April after an “extremely inspiring” meeting with Ukraine’s ambassador to Singapore, Kateryna Zelenko.

INSTANT noodle manufacturers in the country are being asked to maintain the retail price of their products for as long as possible, said Thailand’s Commerce Ministry.

In fact, the Commerce Ministry told the manufacturers of instant noodles – a popular food for many Thais – to maintain the retail price of a basic packet at six baht (RM0.13) for as long as possible.

The ministry’s Department of

Thailand

www.asianewsnet.net

Cops seize contraband FOuR separate operations by the Royal Customs and excise department resulted in 17 suspects being held and the seizure of a sizeable volume of assorted contraband including cigarettes, shisha and vapes. Five foreign men and one permanent resident were among those arrested.

— Borneo Bulletin/ann

Cambodia

Man with 191 swords arrested PHnOM Penh police are sending a man to court for illegal trafficking and sale of weapons after seizing 191 samurai swords he had advertised for sale online. His arrest followed media reports on youths using samurai swords in gang attacks. The suspect said he sold the swords for display only. — The Phnom Penh Post/ann

Vietnam

“I thought I should help people as it’s what I’ve always been taught. I did the Ukrainian rendition of the flag to promote self-belief, confidence and as a commentary that women too can build the country.”

Spray Paint Ukraine is being sold online as a “wearable non-fungible token (NFT)”, or T-shirts with the NFT printed on it, to raise funds for Ukraine. Sales proceeds will be donated to the Ukrainian Embassy in Singapore.

There are 1,000 pieces of the “wearable NFTs” for sale and Ava said she would like for the proceeds to go to the women and children displaced by the war.

But the teenager, who said there may be more Ukraine-themed NFTs in the mix, will leave the choice of beneficiaries to the discretion of the Ukrainian embassy.

“Of all the times, Ukraine needs it now,” she said. — The Strait Times/ ANN

No change in retail price of instant noodles

A group of leading Asian newspapers working toward improving coverage of Asian affairs.

Brunei

Internal Trade Director-general Wattanasak Sur-iam said manufacturers of several commodities had sought permission to up retail prices.

He said the department was mulling each request carefully to ensure it did not affect consumers.

“The department will discuss appropriate price increases with different manufacturers, but we want to emphasise that the price of instant noodles will remain the same for now,” he said.

Earlier, Saha Group had asked to increase the price of its popular Mama instant noodles as the cost of raw materials, especially wheat and palm oil, had risen significantly.

The group’s chairman Boonsithi Chokwatana said the current economic situation was worse than the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

He added that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was not as bad as that of the ongoing UkraineRussia conflict. — The Nation/ANN

Singer duets with Calum Scott seVen years after wowing judges on Britain’s Got Talent, Calum scott’s vocals have reached Vietnam with the music video Heaven featuring Vietnamese singer Hoang duyen. The video, released on June 9, has gained over 200,000 views on youTube and is a revamped version of scott’s single Heaven.

— Vietnam news/ann

Laos

US to aid UXO clearance THe united states has announced that it will provide us$45mil (RM198mil) for field surveys and the removal of unexploded ordnances in Laos this year. It will also deliver 200,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to immunise children in Laos over the course of this year.

— Vientiane Times/ann

StarAsean+ 19

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

IN PICTURES

Indonesia: Balinese women performing during a parade at the 44th Bali Art Festival in Denpasar. The annual month-long event celebrates and preserves Balinese art and culture. It also features performers from other parts of Indonesia and other countries. — AFP

Vietnam: Shops selling rice, nuts and cereal inside the Rong market in Ninh Binh. Rice has been the one staple grain that’s helping to keep the world food crisis from getting worse. Rice prices have been stable due to ample production and existing stockpiles. — Bloomberg

Thailand: One of six replica Easter Island statues seized by the police in Laem Chabang, some 50km southeast of Bangkok. Thai authorities have seized 200kg of crystal meth hidden inside a replica Easter Island statue awaiting shipment to Taiwan. — AFP

Bandung mourns gov’s son

Junta should restore Thousands attend man’s funeral who was found dead in swiss river democracy, says envoy Indonesia

TenS of thousands of people filled streets in the city of Bandung monday to mourn a governor’s son, who was found dead in a Swiss river last week after a search that captivated indonesia.

The disappearance of emmeril “eril” Kahn mumtadz last month gained national attention, with indonesians posting images and videos online of the eldest son of Ridwan Kamil, the governor of indonesia’s most populous province West Java.

The 22-year-old disappeared in the Swiss capital Bern’s Aare River on may 26 while swimming with his sister and friends.

Swiss authorities retrieved his body from a dam after a 12-day search and repatriated it to indonesia on Sunday.

Officials said the cause of death was drowning.

Bern police deployed drones, boats, divers and sniffer dogs as part of the search. indonesia’s Foreign ministry said at the time of the disappearance that the young man was in Switzerland as part of a search for a master’s programme.

Switzerland’s rivers and lakes are frequent sites for urban swimming and other forms of water recreation, particularly in the warmer spring and summer months. massive crowds gathered yesterday in Bandung, the capital of West Java, to bid goodbye to the politician’s son ahead of a burial broadcast on national television, where sobbing mourners were seen waving to his family as they travelled to a cemetery alongside his body.

THe junta likely cannot to defeat the rebels fighting its rule and should restore democracy after seizing power last year, a senior US diplomat said. “it’s hard to see today how they could realistically think they can win,” said Derek Chollet, the State Department counsellor.

“They’re losing territory. Their military is taking serious losses.”

Speaking to Reuters and another journalist in Bangkok on Friday, Chollet said the military government is becoming isolated not only internationally but also at home and should end the fight and return to democracy.

The junta overthrew the elected government of nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and has since used deadly force and mass arrests to suppress demonstrations.

Civilians have taken up arms to fight police and soldiers, answering a call by an alliance of lightly armed rebels for a people’s revolt.

The junta has declared the alliance “terrorists”.

A spokesperson for the military did not answer calls seeking comment on Sunday about Chollet’s remarks.

The diplomat is visiting Thailand, Singapore and Brunei to follow up on a meeting last month of the United States and Asean. in addition to imposing sanctions, Washington is working with Asean and countries such as Singapore, indonesia and malaysia regarding myanmar, Chollet said. — Reuters

Myanmar

Final goodbye: People saying a prayer during the funeral ceremony of emmeril in Bandung regency. — aP Some mourners travelled from other indonesian islands to pay their respects, local media reported. “i believe eril is very happy now and he is at peace. We are also at peace and we have accepted what happened,” his father told reporters outside the cemetery.

Kamil is a former mayor of Bandung and one of the most popular politicians in indonesia, frequently named as one of the figures expected to run in the 2024 presidential election.

President Joko Widodo on Friday said he contacted the governor to pay his “deepest condolences”.

Cabinet ministers and politicians also paid their respects, welcoming his son’s body on arrival in Jakarta and meeting Kamil before the funeral. “eril was a good person. god willing, eril will be granted the best place next to god,” ganjar Pranowo, the Central Java governor who is also a favourite to win the presidential election, tweeted yesterday. — AFP/AP

“I believe Eril is very happy now and he is at peace. We are also at peace.”

Ridwan Kamil

Army of mine detection rats begin months of training Demining e x p e r t s announced that a group of 20 mine detection rats have arrived in Cambodia and will go through three to six months of training before they begin operations.

They are reported to be in healthy condition and are currently acclimatising to their new home, and new handlers. michael Heiman, Cambodia programme manager for Apopo – an international ngO that trains southern giant pouched rats to detect landmines and tuberculosis – said on Sunday that the rats arrived in the Kingdom on June 5, after one year of intensive training at APOPO’s centre in Tanzania.

Cambodia

“in Cambodia, the rats will go through a six-week familiarisation training and accreditation.

Apopo has been working in collaboration with CmAC since 2016, and currently has 64 working rats in Cambodia,” he said, referring the Cambodia mine Action Centre.

CmAC director-general Heng Ratana said the newly arrived rats were still in training and would need between three and six months before they were ready to work.

Ratana said the new intake had arrived to replace some of the current pool of rats that were slated to retire from service.

A CmAC working group and Apopo were teaming up to create a new group of mine detection rats,

he noted.

He said after they are fully trained, the rats are expected to work on mine clearing for up to eight years. in the past, no rats had managed eight years of service, possibly due to climatic factors, as the heat in Cambodia does not suit them.

Ratana said the rats were extremely efficient in certain specific terrains.

“The rats are very effective in any location that suits their characteristics. if a place is not suitable, we don’t deploy them,” he said.

“We set out our tasks very specifically, and when we have a situation that suits their skills, we use them.”

— The Phnom Penh Post/Ann

Ready for work: The apopo mine-detecting rats with their handlers in Cambodia. — The Phnom Penh Post/ann

20 StarAsean+

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Heavy rainfall expected to linger

authorities warn storms and hail likely as evacuation orders go out Rain is expected to continue across the country this week, with some southern provinces issuing alerts and evacuating residents ahead of possible flooding.

From yesterday through Sunday, most parts of China will experience downpours, and parts of the eastern and southern provinces of Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Guangdong and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region are forecast to be hit by storms or hail, the national Meteorological Center said.

“This round of rain is forecast to be stronger than that seen from June 3 to 6 and is more likely to cause disasters,” the centre said.

The centre renewed its blue warning for heavy rain on Sunday morning, the lowest level of the nation’s four-tier system.

The China Meteorological administration issued a level iV emergency response to the rain nationwide on Sunday as it is expected to fall in areas that have suffered from downpours over the past several weeks.

Guangxi, which has experienced more rain than other areas of China, is seeing floods in its low-lying areas.

From May to early June, the amount of rainfall in the region was

China

Waterlogged: an aerial photo taken on June 13 showing flooded fields and buildings following heavy rains in Rongan, Guangxi region. — aFP the highest in 43 years over that period, Liu Guozhong, a chief forecaster from the region’s meteorological service said.

“Due to the warm, humid air con-

fronting cold air from the north, rainfall could become more frequent,” Liu said.

“Since May 15, the jet stream from the south has intensified, and

there was frequent cold air from the north,” he added.

On Saturday, more than 100 firefighters went to a village in Guangxi’s Beihai city to evacuate

Metro Manila may raise Covid-19 alert level Philippines

THE Department of Health raised the possibility of escalating the Covid-19 alert system to Level 2 amid an uptick in Covid-19 cases in the national Capital Region (nCR), Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

Currently, Metro Manila is under alert Level 1 until June 15.

“The possibility [of alert Level 2] would always be there as we are learning to live with the virus. it will stay with us,” she said on TeleRadyo’s Sakto on Monday.

“So, these mild and asymptomatic infections should be acceptable to the population.

“What’s important is we are not seeing a rise in severe and critical cases and there is no problem with our hospitals,” Vergeire continued.

Of the 17 local government units in nCR, 13 have a positive two-week growth rate of Covid-19 cases.

While the growth rate is positive, the number of cases is still insignifi-

cant in terms of crippling hospitals’ operations, Vergeire assured.

“Our monitoring here in the national Capital Region, last week, we saw 14 out of 17 cities and/or municipality with positive twoweek growth rate. Currently, it is 13 out of the 17,” she said.

“When we look at their average daily attack rate and cases in each area, we see that it is not still significant because it is not affecting the admissions in the hospitals,” added Vergeire. according to Vergeire, the slight rise in Covid-19 cases may be attributed to mobility, presence of transmissible subvariants, and the waning immunity of Covid-19 vaccines due to low booster shot coverage.

Based on Department of Health data, the country posted an additional 308 confirmed cases on Sunday, driving the active cases to 2,918. — Philippine Daily inquirer/ ann

SinCE the military takeover of Feb 1, 2021, to May 27, 2022, more than 40 teachers have been assassinated, 14 have sustained injuries, and 11 have gone missing in Sagaing Region alone.

Most of the assassinations of teachers have taken place in Sagaing region in which the number stands at 18.

This is followed by 11 assassinations in Magway region, seven in Mandalay region, two in Yangon region, one in Bago region, and one in Mon region, according to the figures released by the State administrative Council. in addition, of the 14 teachers

who were assassination targets but were not killed, four are from Sagaing region, four from Bago region, four from Magway region, and two from Yangon region.

Since the start of this academic school year (2022-2023) on June 2, three headmistresses have been killed while six have sustained injuries.

Some teachers joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) after the military takeover while other did not.

Recently, teachers and educators who did not join the CDM have been killed after being labelled as alleged military informants. in addition, schools and educa-

‘Chickens on cannabis give better meat, eggs’ Thailand

Careful observation: The government will be monitoring the slight

increase of Covid-19 cases, but insist the numbers are still insignificant in terms of crippling hospitals in the city. — aFP

Number of anti-military target killings on the rise Myanmar

more than 200 people from flooding, with the water level up to 2m due to the heavy rainfall, the fire rescue command centre said.

Elsewhere, more than 1.1 million residents in East China’s Jiangxi province were affected by torrential rain and flooding from May 28 local authorities said.

The province initiated a level iV flood-control emergency response on Saturday, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

The extreme weather destroyed houses and farmland, resulting in economic losses of 2.65 billion yuan (RM1.76bil). around 83,000 people were evacuated during the period.

The meteorological department predicted that Jiangxi will see a rainstorm moving from north to south from Sunday to today, with heavy downpours in some areas.

Meanwhile, temperatures will be high in places unaffected by the cold air, including the western part of north China, the national Meteorological Centre said.

On Monday, temperatures were around 30°C in Shanxi and Henan provinces and their surrounding areas. The centre reminded residents there to avoid going out at noon to prevent sunstroke. — China Daily/ann

tion offices have also been set on fire and/or been destroyed by mine blasts. after an official from the national Unity Government issued apparently threatening messages against non-CDM teachers and students, teachers’ assassinations and arsons of schools have become more widespread.

Like the murder of education staff, some healthcare staff have also been killed.

The medical superintendent from Kutkai People’s Hospital in Kutkai township, Muse district, Shan state, was shot dead at point-blank range by a group of armed men on her way back home after administering

Covid-19 vaccinations on Dec 14, 2021.

The doctor had served at the hospital for nearly 20 years.

Reportedly, she did not join the CDM but continued serving at her hospital though others were closed in Muse District after February last year. not only service personnel, but also war veterans, pensioners, community administrative officials and monks are being murdered after being accused of being military informants.

Since the takeover, 43 monks were killed, seven others injured and five others went missing. — Eleven Media Group/ann

a FaRMinG community in Lampang has been feeding its chickens cannabis and claims this new feeding regime has improved the quality of meat and eggs.

Sirin Chaemthet, president of the Peth Lanna community enterprise, said the experiment was conducted in cooperation with Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of agriculture.

She said farmers opted for marijuana after their brood was found to be suffering from avian bronchitis despite being given antibiotics.

Upon consuming cannabis, the chickens developed higher immunity against disease and were able to withstand inclement weather.

Eventually, the community enterprise decided to do away with antibiotics and only feed their chickens cannabis, she said.

Chaemthet added that the enterprise has been selling chicken meat and eggs at 100 baht (RM12.70) per kilo and 6 baht (RM0.75) apiece, respectively, via its website.

She said chicken rice made from the cannabis-fed chickens has received a good response, adding that the enterprise plans to sell roast chicken in the future.

She added that these products meet the demands of consumers who want healthy and organic food.

Meanwhile, national Farmers Council president Prapat Panyachatrak warned that antibiotics in chicken meat and eggs harm consumers’ health.

He added that apart from ensuring consumers’ safety, feeding chickens cannabis also helps boost the commercial value of chicken products. — The nation/ann

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THE STAR, TuESdAy 14 JunE 2022

Iraq’s ‘pearl of the south’ Lake Sawa dry amid water crisis laKe saWa, iraq: Hussam al-Aqouli remembers the exact spot along southern Iraq’s Lake Sawa where his two daughters once dipped their feet into clear waters.

Now he stands there two years on and the barren earth cracks beneath him.

This year, for the first time in its centuries-long history, the lake has dried up.

A combination of mismanagement by local investors, government neglect and climate change has ground down its azure shores to chunks of salt.

Lake Sawa is only the latest casualty in this broad country-wide struggle with water shortages that experts say is induced by climate change, including record low rainfall and back-to-back drought.

The stress on water resources is driving up competition for the precious resource among businessmen, farmers and herders, with the poorest Iraqis counting among the worst hit amid the disaster.

“This lake was known as the pearl of the south,” said al-Aqouli, 35, a native of the nearby city of Samawa, looking out onto the dry

cavernous emptiness.

“Now it is our tragedy.”

Between the capital Baghdad and the oil-rich heartland of Basra, Muthanna is among Iraq’s poorest provinces.

The number of those living under the poverty line in the province is almost three times the national average.

Desert expanses dominate the

landscape with a narrow ribbon of farmland along the Euphrates River in the north.

Economic development was hindered by the country’s turbulent history, neglect by the Baath party regime since the 1980s, then later by wars and sanctions.

Locals call the area surrounding Lake Sawa “atshan” - or simply “thirsty” in Arabic. — AP

New gun control deal mooted

Mexico mob lynches But bipartisan US senators propose limited safety reforms man over accusations

Washington: A bipartisan group of US senators has proposed steps to curb gun violence following devastating mass shootings in Texas and New York, but the limited measures fall far short of the president’s calls for change.

The shootings in May – one at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 young children and two teachers, and another at a New York supermarket that left 10 Black people dead – have piled pressure on politicians to take action.

Republicans lawmakers, who have repeatedly blocked tougher measures, are still resisting major changes to gun regulations, instead pointing to mental health issues as the root of the problem.

But the new framework notably has backing from at least 10 Republicans, meaning it has a strong chance of earning the supermajority of 60 votes needed to advance in the 100-seat US Senate.

The reforms include tougher background checks for gun buyers under 21, increasing resources for states to keep weapons out of the hands of people deemed a risk, and adding domestic violence convictions and restraining orders to the national background check database.

“Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country,” the group of 20 lawmakers said in a statement on Sunday.

“Our plan increases needed mental health resources, improves school safety and support for stu-

No to guns: A protest group performing in honour of victims of gun violence in New York City. The group holds a demonstration annually on June 12, the anniversary of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting. — AFP dents, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can’t purchase weapons.”

President Joe Biden praised the proposals and urged lawmakers to quickly turn them into legislation, while saying the measures do not go far enough.

“Obviously, it does not do

everything that I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction, and would be the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades,” he said in a statement.

“With bipartisan support, there are no excuses for delay, and no reason why it should not quickly move through the Senate and the House.”

Both Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell – the top Democrat and Republican in the Senate – expressed support for the bipartisan effort, signalling that legislation based on the proposals could make it through the upper house.

Biden had pushed for more substantive reforms, including a ban on assault rifles. — AFP

Mexico city: A mob in Mexico attacked a young political advisor and then set him on fire over child trafficking accusations shared on chat groups, local authorities said.

Daniel Picazo, 31, was lynched by a crowd of 200 people in the central state of Puebla after accusations that a suspected child kidnapper had entered the town were widely shared on telephone messaging groups, municipal authorities said on Sunday.

Police attempted to rescue Picazo and placed him inside a patrol car but the mob forced him out and into a sports field where he was beaten, doused with gasoline, and set on fire while still alive.

“This is not justice, but barbarism,” the municipality of Huachinango, which administers the town of Papatlazolco where the lynching took place, said in a statement.

“The competent authorities are already investigating what happened to determine responsibility.”

Picazo’s body was recovered after the mob left the area.

Until March 2022, he served as an advisor at the legislative Chamber of Deputies, the institution confirmed on social media while condemning the lynching.

Mob justice is not uncommon in parts of Mexico, particularly in more remote areas where police are slow to arrive.

One of the most dramatic cases occurred in 2019, also in Puebla, when seven men were beaten and burned alive. — AFP

Hope fades in search for journalist and expert in Amazon atalaia do norte, Brazil: Brazilian authorities say they have found a backpack and personal effects of a British journalist and an Indigenous expert who disappeared in the Amazon last week, with the Briton’s mother-in-law saying she has lost hope that they will emerge alive.

Fears have been mounting over the fate of Dom Phillips, 57, a veteran contributor to The Guardian newspaper, and 41-year-old Bruno Pereira, an expert with Brazil’s government agency for Indigenous affairs (Funai), since they disappeared last Sunday after receiving threats during a research trip to Brazil’s Javari Valley.

After a slow start, the Brazilian federal police and the army have intensified the search for the two men, who were last seen in the town of Sao Gabriel, not far from their destination, Atalaia do Norte.

“Objects belonging to the two missing persons have been found: a health card, black pants, a black sandal and a pair of boots belonging to Bruno Pereira, and a pair of boots and a backpack belonging to Dom Phillips containing personal clothing,” the Federal Police in Amazonas state said Sunday in a statement.

The Amazonas Fire Department had previously told local media that personal effects possibly belonging

to the missing men had been found “near the house” of Amarildo Costa de Oliveira, the only person arrested so far in the case and who witnesses say pursued the men upriver.

Police said search teams on Sunday covered about 25 square kilometers (10 square miles) with “thorough searches through the jungle, roads in the region and flooded vegetation,” especially in the area where a boat belonging to Oliveira was found.

Earlier, authorities described 41-year-old Oliveira as a “suspect,” and said they were analysing traces of blood found on his boat.

The finding of the men’s belong-

ings came just hours after friends and relatives of the pair held a vigil on a beach in Rio de Janeiro.

“At first we had a crazy faith that they had noticed some danger and had hidden in the jungle,” said Maria Lucia Farias, 78. “Now, not anymore.”

In a statement posted online and reported by The Guardian, a British newspaper to which Phillips contributed, his mother-in-law said: “They are no longer with us. Mother Nature has snatched them away with a grateful embrace.

“Their souls have joined those of so many others who gave their lives in defence of the rainforest and Indigenous peoples.” — AFP

Searching for answers: A

protester holds a banner depicting the missing men in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. — AFP

22 StarWorld

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

UK unveils first food plan

security trumps obesity in Britain’s national strategy LONDON: Britain will set out its first national food strategy, focused on increasing domestic production to boost food security rather than on tackling obesity after a recommendation to tax salt and sugar in processed food was rejected.

The government said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had hit food supplies and caused prices to spike, underlining the need to boost Britain’s food security.

The plan will broadly maintain the current level of food produced domestically, while boosting output in some sectors such as horticulture and seafood, it said.

Farming will receive a total of £270mil (RM1.4bil) of investment in innovation until 2029, it said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the strategy would support farmers and help protect food supplies against future economic shocks.

The strategy follows an independent review by restaurateur Henry

Dimbleby last year, which included a recommendation to tax salt and sugar to incentivise manufacturers to reduce their use.

The measure was not included in the strategy.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said the government had accepted most of Dimbleby’s recommendations, with policy initiatives to boost health and sustainability, while also recognising the challenges of the war in Ukraine and the impact of the pandemic on the global economy.

The opposition Labour Party said the government had failed to deliver much more than a new slogan and the re-announcement of existing funding.

“The UK is in a cost-of-living crisis with food prices spiralling, real wages falling and taxes up,” said Jim McMahon, the party’s environment, food and rural affairs spokesperson.

“It is clear now that the government has absolutely no ambition to fix the mess they have created.” — Reuters

Size matters:

Johnson (left) speaking with farm manger Gordon stokes as they look at courgette plants during a visit to southern england Farms Ltd in Hayle in south-west england.

— aFP

Life goes on as army holds war weddings DrUzhkivka (Ukraine): Air raid sirens wailed and one of the brides wore camouflage trousers as the Ukrainian army took a break from frontline fighting in the east to hold a double wedding.

Two young couples who met just months earlier while serving in the army tied the knot together on Sunday in the small town of Druzhkivka, 40km from frontline zones where Ukrainian forces are battling Russian invaders.

The sun shone and soldiers carried bouquets in a brief interlude from heavy fighting as Russians intensify efforts to push out Kiev’s forces in the east.

One of the brides, Khrystyna Lyuta, a 23-year-old contract soldier with the rank of private first class, wore camouflage trousers and army boots with a traditional red Ukrainian blouse embroidered with flowers.

“I’ve got used to this uniform,” she explained of her choice of outfit.

She met her husband Volodymyr Mykhalchuk, 28, just two months ago, when he was mobilised.

They live around 5km from each other in the same southwestern Vinnytska region but might never have met if it had not been for the war.

“War is war, but life goes on,”

Love amid the chaos:

Zdebskiy (centre) performing the wedding ceremony for (from left) Khrystyna, Volodymyr, Kristina and Vitaliy in the city of druzhkivka, eastern region of donbas.

— aFP Lyuta explained their decision to marry.

“This was not a hasty decision,” said Volodymyr.

“The main thing is that we love each other and we want to be together.”

The other bride, Kristina, 23, who works in the signals corps, opted for a traditional long white dress with red folk embroidery to marry Vitaliy Orlich, also 23, a sniper.

“I believe that this is about creating a new family – it doesn’t matter where it happens or how,” she said.

The grooms both wore soldiers’ uniforms.

The couples were set to return to serve in the war zone on the same day.

“I can’t give them free days as such. The only thing is that they won’t be on the frontline, they will stay in the rear,” said the brigade’s

commander Oleksandr Okhrimenko.

Neither couple had family present but they said relatives had been understanding.

Priest Yuriy Zdebskiy, said that “it’s the first marriage in the brigade in wartime”, since Russia launched its invasion on Feb 24.

“Now it’s wartime and there’s no time for big celebrations,” he said.

— AFP

Ex-PM says Putin ‘out of it’, war could last two years Friendlier times:

a file photo showing Kasyanov (left) and Putin during a meeting in Moscow’s Kremlin. after being sacked by Putin, Kasyanov joined Russia’s opposition and became one of the Kremlin’s most vocal critics.

— aFP

PariS: He was Vladimir Putin’s first prime minister but Mikhail Kasyanov never in his worst nightmares imagined that his former boss would unleash a full-scale war on Ukraine.

Speaking to AFP in a video interview, Kasyanov, Russia’s prime minister from 2000 to 2004, said he expected the war could last up to two years but he was convinced Russia could return to a democratic path.

The 64-year-old, who championed close ties with the West as prime minister, said that, like many other Russians, he did not believe in the weeks ahead of the war that it would actually happen.

Kasyanov only understood that

Putin was not bluffing when he saw him summon the country’s top leadership for a theatrical meeting of the security council three days before the invasion on Feb 24.

“When I saw the meeting of Russia’s Security Council I realised, yes, there will be a war,” he said.

He added that he felt that Putin was already not thinking properly.

“I just know these people and by looking at them I saw that Putin is already out of it. Not in a medical sense but in political terms,” he said.

“I knew a different Putin.”

After being sacked by Putin, Kasyanov joined Russia’s opposition and became one of the Kremlin’s most vocal critics. — AFP

N. Korea plans crackdown as Kim pushes for internal unity SeOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his top deputies have pushed for a crackdown on officials who abuse their power and commit other “unsound and non-revolutionary acts,” state media reported, as Kim seeks greater internal unity to overcome a Covid-19 outbreak and economic difficulties.

It wasn’t clear what specific acts were mentioned at the ruling Workers’ Party meeting on Sunday.

But possible state crackdowns on such alleged acts could be an attempt to solidify Kim’s control of his people and get them to rally behind his leadership in the face of the domestic hardships, some observers say.

Kim and other senior party secretaries discussed “waging more intensive struggle against unsound and non-revolutionary acts including abuse of power and bureaucratism revealed among some party officials,” the official Korean Central News Agency said yesterday.

Kim ordered the authority of the party’s auditing commission and other local discipline supervision systems to be bolstered to promote the party’s “monolithic leadership” and “the broad political activities of the party through the strong discipline system,” KCNA said.

Meanwhile, North Korea fired a series of artillery shots over the weekend, Seoul’s military said, days after Kim vowed to use “power for power” to defend the country’s sovereignty.

The South Korean military detected “several flight trajectories” that are understood to be shots from North Korean artillery, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said late Sunday.

The suspected shots were fired between 8.07am to 11.03am local time on Sunday morning, the JCS said, stressing Seoul maintains a firm military readiness in collaboration with treaty ally United States.

— Agencies

Cautious optimism at high-stakes WTO meet GeNeva: The World Trade Organisation chief voiced cautious optimism as global trade ministers gathered to tackle food security threatened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, overfishing and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Opening the WTO’s first ministerial meeting in nearly five years, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Sunday said to “expect a rocky, bumpy road with a few landmines along the way”.

But she told journalists she was “cautiously optimistic” that the more than 100 attending ministers would manage to agree on at least one or two of a long line of pressing issues, and that would be “a success”.

The WTO faces pressure to eke out long-sought trade deals on a range of issues and show unity amid the still raging pandemic and an impending global hunger crisis.

But since the global trade body only makes decisions by consensus, it can be more than tricky to reach agreements. — AFP

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

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THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Sport 25

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Lucky break for Max

Verstappen rides to Red Bull one-two in Baku as Ferrari implode

BAKU: Max Verstappen (pic) rode his luck to an unchallenged first Baku win, opening up a commanding championship lead after Ferrari’s challenge imploded at the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix.

The Dutchman eased across the line 20.8 seconds clear of Sergio Perez who, ordered not to fight Verstappen, completed a one-two for Red Bull.

George Russell kept his record of finishing every race this season in the top five with third for Mercedes.

Ferrari’s miserable afternoon ended after 20 of the race’s 51 laps.

Charles Leclerc, who is leading the team’s challenge and had started from pole, pulled into the pits from the lead with his Ferrari spewing smoke to chalk up his second retirement from three races.

His teammate Carlos Sainz had pulled to the side of the track 10 laps earlier with a hydraulic failure.

“Today we had incredible pace in the car, we could look after the tyres and chip away at it,” said Verstappen, all too familiar with the heartbreak of retiring from the lead, having crashed out while running first in Baku last year.

“A tiny bit lucky with the retirement but the car was quick today.”

The win was Verstappen’s fifth from eight races this year and made him the sixth different Baku winner from six races.

He extended his overall championship lead to 21 points over Perez, winner in Monaco two weeks ago, who has moved up to second.

Leclerc, who has won two races this year but none since the third of the season in Australia, slipped to third, 34 points adrift of his Dutch rival.

“It hurts, we need to look into it so it doesn’t happen again,” said Leclerc who left Australia with a 46-point lead over Verstappen.

Leclerc had gone into Sunday’s race determined to make good on

RESULTS

his fourth successive pole after being unable to convert top spot into victory at the last three races.

But he was on the back foot from the off, losing the lead to second-placed starter Perez into the first corner.

He did not appear to have the pace to match Perez and was instead busy fending off Verstappen.

But an opportunistic pitstop under a virtual safety car period, triggered by Sainz’s failure, allowed him to jump back into first until his car’s demise eventually dashed his hopes.

Verstappen, meanwhile, had moved past Perez, who was bidding to become the Baku race’s first repeat winner. Red Bull instructed the Mexican not to resist and the Dutchman inherited the lead when Leclerc retired.

“In this place anything can happen ... we managed to get a onetwo, so that’s a great team result,” said Perez who took the point for fastest lap. — Reuters

306km (51 laps): 1. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:34:05.941, 2. Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 20.823 seconds behind, 3. George Russell (Bri) Mercedes 45.995, 4. Lewis Hamilton (Bri) Mercedes 1:11.679, 5. Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alphatauri 1:17.299, 6. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 1:24.099, 7. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 1:28.596, 8. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) McLaren 1:32.207, 9. Lando Norris (Bri) McLaren 1:32.556, 10. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 1:48.184, 11. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo 1 lap, 12. Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 1 lap, 13. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Alphatauri 1 lap, 14. Mick Schumacher (Ger) Haas 1 lap, 15. Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1 lap, 16.

Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin DNF, 17. Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas DNF, 18. Guanyu Zhou (Chn) Alfa Romeo DNF, 19. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari DNF, 20. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spa) Ferrari DNF. Drivers’ standings: 1. Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 150 pts, 2. Sergio Perez (Mex) Red Bull 129, 3. Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 116, 4. George Russell (Bri) Mercedes 99, 5. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spa) Ferrari 83, 6. Lewis Hamilton (Bri) Mercedes 62, 7. Lando Norris (Bri) McLaren 50, 8. Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Alfa Romeo 40, 9. Esteban Ocon (Fra) Alpine 31, 10. Pierre Gasly (Fra) Alphatauri 16, 11. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Alpine 16, 12. Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas 15, 13. Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) McLaren 15, 14. Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Aston Martin 13, 15. Yuki Tsunoda (Jpn) Alphatauri 11, 16.

Alexander Albon (Tha) Williams 3, 17. Lance Stroll (Can) Aston Martin 2, 18. Guanyu Zhou (Chn) Alfa Romeo 1.

Constructors’ standings: 1. Red Bull 279 pts, 2.

Ferrari 199, 3. Mercedes 161, 4. McLaren 65, 5. Alpine 47, 6. Alfa Romeo 41, 7. Alphatauri 27, 8. Haas 15, 9. Aston Martin 15, 10.

Williams 3.

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THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Canada’s Henderson tops ShopRite LPGA Classic in playoff NEW YORK: Brooke Henderson eagled the first playoff hole to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic as Lindsey Weaver-Wright remained in search of a first career title.

Canada’s Henderson, who captured her 11th US LPGA Tour title, charged to the top of the leaderboard with a seven-under 64 at Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey.

She got off to a quick start with three birdies in the first six holes before an eagle at the parfive ninth. Henderson added birdies at 12 and 18 to grab the clubhouse lead.

She was quickly joined by Weaver-Wright, whose six birdies included three in the last four holes.

The American who joined the LPGA Tour in 2018 poured in a long birdie putt at the 17th then after coming up short of the green at 18 she drained a testing birdie attempt to force the playoff.

When they returned to 18 for the playoff, Henderson was dialled in. She stuck her approach six feet from the cup as Weaver again came up short of the green. After Weaver needed two putts, Henderson had the luxury of knowing she could take two for the victory.

The Canadian didn’t need them, rapping in the eagle effort.

“With playoffs you only really have one opportunity, so I just tried to hit really solid

shots,” Henderson, ranked 11th in the world, said.

“To walk up that fairway and see that I only had a pretty short (putt) was a big relief.

“And just needing two putts to win was also really clutch.”

Henderson, who changed her putting grip before last week’s US Women’s Open, said she was “more comfortable” with the new style.

“People are always telling me to work on my putting, so just trying to make slow progress and trying to get a little bit better and a little bit more consistent,” Henderson said.

“It’s been working really well.”

England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff eagled the 18th hole to card a four-under 67 that left her

alone in third on 202.

Former world No. 1 Lydia Ko flirted with the lead but finished tied for fourth on 10-under with Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela. Both carded 67s.

American Brittany Lincicome, expecting her second child in early September, was 10-under through 16 holes, but a three-putt bogey at the 17th slowed her down and she finished with a share of sixth alongside Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and American Marina Alex.

Hataoka had jumped to an early lead with birdies at four of the first five holes, but she couldn’t keep pace on the back nine as she closed the 54-hole tournament with a 68. — AFP

So rosy for Rory

McIlroy defends title, relishes ‘one more than norman’

TORONTO: Defending champion Rory McIlroy birdied his final two holes and shot an eight-under 62 to stave off a number of fellow stars and win the Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf and Country Club.

McIlroy’s 19-under 261 was two shots better than Tony Finau and four ahead of Justin Thomas.

McIlroy played in the final threesome of the day with Finau and Thomas, who kept it tight up until the final two holes.

The four-time Major champion from Northern Ireland earned his 21st career US PGA Tour win. He won the Canadian Open in 2019 at a different site, Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and in the two years since the tournament has been on hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

An outspoken critic of the LIV Golf Invitational Series financed by Saudi money and spearheaded by CEO Greg Norman, McIlroy took time to relish his first PGA Tour victory of the calendar year. In fact, McIlroy surpassed Norman’s career mark of 20 wins on Tour.

When the moderator of his press conference introduced him, saying he’d won for the 21st time, McIlroy interjected, “And one more than Norman.”

“I feel like it’s getting tougher and tougher to win on the PGA Tour,” McIlroy said.

“Just look at the two guys that I played with today. I went out with a lead and had to shoot eight-under to get the job done. So the depth of talent on this Tour is really, really impressive. And going up against guys like JT and Tony and coming out on top, that’s something to feel really good about ...

“And then, look, I alluded to it, I had extra motivation of what’s going on across the pond,” he added later.

“The guy that’s spear heading that Tour has 20 wins on the PGA Tour and I was tied with him and I

All smiles: Rory

McIlroy hoists the trophy after winning the Canadian Open in Toronto. — aP

Grant becomes first female golfer to win DP World Tour event

wanted to get one ahead of him.

And I did. So that was really cool for me, just a little sense of pride on that one.”

McIlroy started off hot with a five-under 29 on the front nine, the first time he’s broken 30 through nine holes in his decorated PGA Tour career. But after getting to eight-under through 12 holes, he stuttered, bogeying two par threes in a four-hole stretch.

At the par-four 17th hole, McIlroy sent his approach shot out of the first cut of rough to inside three feet for a birdie. Needing at least par at No. 18, he dialled in another sharp approach and made a four-foot birdie tap.

Thomas, still hot off his recent PGA Championship victory, was

tied with McIlroy at 17-under after the 16th. Thomas had birdied eight of his 14 holes, but a bogey-bogey finish took him out of the running and consigned him to a 64.

Finau made six birdies and no bogeys for his own 64. He drained a 42-foot birdie putt on the final hole to reach 17-under and ensure himself the solo second finish.

“Played really nicely all week,” Finau said. “Knew I was going to have a chance to win today if I just kind of stuck to my stuff.

“And I did. We were within one there going to the last couple, so I knew I had an opportunity in front of me.

“But Rory played great, he closed it out and hats off to him on a week like this. That’s fantastic playing on

the weekend.”

England’s Justin Rose came tantalisingly close to a 59, but bogeyed two of his final three holes and settled for a 60. He tied for fourth at 14 under with Sam Burns (65).

Rose tallied three eagles on the day. He holed out from the fairway at the par-four first, made a 29-foot eagle putt at the par-five 11th and had just an easy seven-footer for eagle at the par-five 15th.

After bogeying No. 16, he responded with a birdie at the 17th to get back to 11-under for the round. But his second shot at No. 18 sailed over the green and he couldn’t get up and down for par to preserve the 59.

“I’m totally disappointed, yeah,” Rose said. — Reuters

HALMSTAD: Linn Grant (pic) became the first female winner of a DP World Tour event after the Swede dominated the Scandinavian Mixed at the Halmstad Golf Club to triumph by nine strokes.

Grant, 22, was the overnight leader going into the final day and she saved her best round for last with a flawless eight-under 64 that included eight birdies to finish at 24-under overall in front of a roaring home crowd.

Scotland’s Marc Warren and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson finished tied for second and Grant, who had her boyfriend Pontus as her caddie, said beating the men in the field was the “most important thing”.

“It’s a nice feeling,” she said. “All week I just felt like it’s the girls against the guys and whoever picks up that trophy represents the field.

“It’s huge. Just playing at home and having the crowds here, my family by my side, boyfriend on the bag – it’s crazy and I’m proud of myself,” she added.

“I just hope that people recognise women’s golf, more sponsors go to the LET (Ladies European Tour) and hopefully this pumps up the women’s game a little bit more.

“Pontus has been amazing, keeping me calm and doing everything right.”

The event, co-hosted by Stenson and Annika Sorenstam, had a prize fund of €2mil (RM9.3mil). — Reuters

CYCLING

(Nor) UNO 3:51.

65-71-68-69.

SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC

69, Kelly Tan (Mas) 74-67-67.

CRITERIUM DU DAUPHINE

GOLF

SCANDINAVIAN MIXED

TENNIS

CANADIAN OPEN

Leading final round scores (Britain and Ireland unless stated) 264: Linn Grant (Swe) 66-68-66-64; 273: Henrik Stenson (Swe) 70-66-67-70, Marc Warren 69-68-7165; 274: Jason Scrivener (Aus) 68-64-70-72, Darius van Driel (Ned) 71-69-66-68, Santiago Tarrio (Spa) 65-71-71-67; 275: Maximilian Kieffer (Ger) 71-6670-68, Matthieu Pavon (Fra) 65-73-68-69, Romain Langasque (Fra) 68-70-69-68; 276: Sebastian Garcia (Spa) 68-69-67-72, Paul Waring 72-69-68-67, Niklas Noergaard Moeller (Den) 67-70-69-70; 277: Jacques Kruyswijk (Rsa) 69-70-68-70, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 68-66-72-71.

Leading final round scores (United States unless stated) 201: Brooke Henderson (Can) 67-70-64, Lindsey Weaver-Wright 68-68-65 (Henderson wins at first playoff hole); 202: Jodi Ewart Shadoff (Eng) 68-67-67; 203: Lydia Ko (Nzl) 71-65-67, Albane Valenzuela (Swi) 70-66-67; 204: Nasa Hataoka (Jpn) 68-68-68, Brittany Lincicome 69-68-67, Marina Alex 67-70-67; 205: Brittany Lang 69-69-67, Shin Jenny (Kor) 6970-66, Celine Boutier (Fra) 70-72-63; 206: Morgane Metraux (Swi) 68-67-71, Jennifer Song 71-69-66, Lauren Coughlin 69-65-72; 207: Park In-bee (Kor) 71-69-67, Park Sung Hyun (Kor) 68-69-70; 208: Choi Chella (Kor) 71-69-68, Choi Hye-jin (Kor) 69-70-69, Ko Jin-young (Kor) 67-71-70, Hinako Shibuno (Jpn) 71-70-67, Frida Kinhult (Swe) 66-67-75, Wichanee Meechai (Tha) 70-69-69, Lee6 Jeong-Eun (Kor) 68-71-

RESULTS WORLDWIDE

Final stage (137.5km): 1. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo 3’49:20, 2. Primoz Roglic (Slo) JUM same time, 3. Ben O’Connor (Aus) AG2 15 seconds behind, 4.

Esteban Chaves (Col) EF1 53, 5. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF1 s.t., 6. Damiano Caruso (Ita) BAH 55, 7. Louis Meintjes (Rsa) INT, 8. Jack Haig (Aus) BAH both same time, 9. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) JUM 1:20, 10. Tobias Johannessen (Nor) UNO 1:40.

Leading overall standings: 1. Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo 29’11:22, 2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den) JUM 40 seconds behind, 3. Ben O’Connor (Aus) AG2 1:41, 4. Damiano Caruso (Ita) BAH 2:33, 5. Jack Haig (Aus) BAH 3:13, 6.

Louis Meintjes (Rsa) INT 3:17, 7. Esteban Chaves (Col) EF1 3:18, 8. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Bri) INE 3:44, 9. Ruben Guerreiro (Por) EF1 3:48, 10. Tobias Johannessen

Leading final round scores (United States unless stated) 261: Rory McIlroy (Nir) 66-68-65-62; 263: Tony Finau 66-71-62-64; 265: Justin Thomas 69-69-63-64; 266: Justin Rose (Eng) 69-70-67-60, Sam Burns 67-6965-65; 268: Corey Conners (Can) 71-69-66-62; 270: Keith Mitchell 67-67-70-66, Chris Kirk 69-69-6666, Wyndham Clark 63-70-68-69; 271: Danny Lee (Nzl) 68-69-69-65, Shane Lowry (Irl) 67-69-69-66, Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng) 64-70-70-67; 272: Kelly Kraft 69-69-70-64, Brendon Todd 69-69-68-66, Aaron Rai (Eng) 69-70-67-66, Harold Varner 65-72-68-67, Austin Cook 71-64-68-69; 273: Patrick Rodgers 6769-72-65, Scottie Scheffler 69-67-71-66, Doug Ghim

NOTTINGHAM OPEN Final: Beatriz Haddad Maia (Bra) bt Alison Riske (US) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH OPEN Men’s final: Tim Van Rijthoven (Ned) bt Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-1.

Women’s final: Ekaterina Alexandrova bt Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 6-0.

STUTTGART OPEN Final: Matteo Berrettini (Ita) bt Andy Murray (Bri) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

Sport 27

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

World No. 205 Van Rijthoven topples Medvedev ‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH: Tim van Rijthoven made the most of a rare main Tour berth as he claimed a first title by sweeping aside Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-1 in the final of the grass court tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

The 25-year-old Dutchhman, ranked 205th in the world, took one hour five minutes to crush the Russian who, despite the loss, returned to No. 1 in ATP rankings yesterday in place of Novak Djokovic.

Van Rijthoven, who was invited into the Dutch event as a wild card, had spent this season, like most of his career, on the second tier Challenger Tour.

“This is new for me, it’s going to take some time getting used to,” said Van Rijthoven, who had not won a Tour-level match prior to this week, in his on-court interview.

“What a dream this week. I would like to thank my team for staying humble this week, doing the normal things, not making this thing any bigger than it was.”

Medvedev told the new champion: “First time in an ATP Tour final and you destroy the world No. 2.”

Van Rijthoven fell in the qualifying rounds of this year’s first two majors, but he is the only one of Sunday’s singles finalists in ‘s-Hertogenbosch eligible to play at Wimbledon.

Medvedev and the two women’s finalists, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and Russian Ekaterina Sabalenka, are banned from the grass-court major following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, world No. 30 Alexandrova sprung a surprise by beating top seed Sabalenka 7-5, 6-0.

— AFP

No man’s an island

W-Cup playoff not down to one person, says Kiwi Woods

WELLINGTON: Chris Wood would love to fire New Zealand into the World Cup finals in today’s playoff against Costa Rica but the Newcastle striker is experienced enough to know that it will take more than one man to get the job done.

The 30-year-old front man scored his first goal for his country in a friendly against Honduras in 2010 and a tally of 32 more over the last 12 years make him New Zealand’s most likely hero against the Central Americans in Qatar.

“I would love to be that guy,” Wood told the New Zealand Herald.

“But I have learnt over my career that even if it is not me and I do my job and someone else is that man, I’m more than happy.

“It is not going to be down to one player to win this game,” he added.

Woods accepts that his prolific goalscoring and experience in the English Premier league with Leicester, Burnley and now Newcastle will ensure he is a wellmarked man today.

He is also comfortable with the weight of expectation on the team from All Whites fans back in New Zealand.

“Luckily being 30-years-old and having the experience of 13 years as a professional, mentally you can take it as just another game,” he told the newspaper.

“It used to affect me a lot more when I was younger but you know what makes you tick and you know your game inside out. It’s you and your teammates ... you can’t control

In control: new Zealand forward Chris Wood (left) fights for the ball with Peru’s Carlos Zambrano during the international friendly last week. — aFP anything else.”

New Zealand last went to the World Cup finals in 2010, returning home unbeaten after drawing all three of their group matches.

Wood, then a teenager, featured as a substitute in every match in South Africa and he knows exactly what is on the line at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on Tuesday.

Pirlo takes charge of Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk

Berrettini overcomes Murray to win Stuttgart title STUTTGART: Matteo Berrettini won the Stuttgart Open for a second time after he beat Andy Murray 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 to deny the Scot what would have been his first title on grass in six years.

Second seed Berrettini, who missed the clay-court swing after undergoing surgery on his hand in March, was playing in his first tournament since Indian Wells and triumphed after Murray had injury issues of his own in the decider.

Murray, who has had hip surgeries that nearly ended his career, was not moving well as the match wore on and though he saved a championship point, he was only delaying the inevitable as Berrettini sealed victory in two hours and 40 minutes.

“It feels unbelievable, (winning the title) was the last thing that I imagined when I came here,” Berrettini said.

“Coming back from an injury like that, from the first surgery in my life and then winning the tournament not even playing my best tennis in the first round, so it feels even more special.” — Reuters

“It’s huge,” says Wood. “It gives you great hope and great courage to know that with this one game we could be off to a World Cup.” — Reuters

‘Magnificent’ Kom out of C’wealth Games NEW DELHI: India’s boxing queen Mary Kom (pic) will miss this year’s Commonwealth Games after limping out of the ring in a trial event, but her coach said she will “make a comeback”.

The 39-year-old six-time world champion twisted her left knee at India’s Commonwealth Games boxing trials at the weekend, meaning she will miss the Games beginning next month in Birmingham.

“She’s in a lot of pain. The swelling will take 10-15 days to subside,” Kom’s long-time coach Chhote Lal Yadav said yesterday.

“But she still says she will make a

comeback.”

Yadav said the six-time world champion known as “Magnificent Mary” will need surgery on the knee.

“It’s heartbreaking. But it is destiny, it’s God’s will,” said Yadav.

“The medical advice we have received now is that she needs to undergo surgery. But we are consulting other doctors as well for the best way possible.”

Kom, who turns 40 in November, became the country’s first woman boxer to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2018.

Kom reportedly fell trying to

duck a punch in her opening bout and had to be carried from the ring.

“I have never had a knee injury before,” she was quoted by the Times of India as saying before being taken to hospital.

Kom, from a humble background in the remote northeastern state of Manipur, has won six world championships and five Asian championships in a career stretching more than two decades.

She also won an Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 Games in London and Asian Games gold in 2014. — AFP

ISTANBUL: Italian Andrea Pirlo (pic) has signed a one-year contract to coach Fatih Karagumruk, the Turkish Super Lig club announced.

“Pirlo has signed a contract which makes him a member of Karagumruk for one year from July 1,” the Istanbul team said on Twitter, posting a photo of the former Italian world champion in front of the club logo.

Pirlo, who played 116 times for Italy and inspired their 2006 World Cup triumph, has been out of a job since the end of May 2021 when the 43-year-old was sacked by Juventus in spite of winning the Italian Cup and Super Cup. Fatih Karagumruk, founded in 1926, has never won the Turkish title, finishing eighth in the 2021-22 season. — AFP

28 Sport

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Czech mate!

Spain rule

Haaland strikes twice as Norway edge Sweden

In the thick of action: spain midfielder Ferran Torres (left) shoots next to Czech Republic forward Lukas Kalvach (centre) and midfielder alex Kral. — aFP

Goals from soler and sarabia see last year’s finalists in lead MALAGA: Goals from Carlos Soler and Pablo Sarabia earned Spain a 2-0 win over Czech Republic, a result that put them on top of Nations League Group A2.

Last year’s finalists dominated the game from the start and opened the scoring when Soler struck from close range in the 24th minute following a brilliant pass by man-ofthe-match Marco Asensio.

Substitute Sarabia extended Spain’s lead in the 75th minute, finishing a counter-attack started 17-year-old Gavi.

The Spaniards, who wore the women’s team jersey to support their female counterparts who will play the Women’s European Championship next month in England, top Group A2 standings with eight points from four matches.

Portugal dropped to second with seven points following a 1-0 defeat

by Switzerland.

Third-placed Czech Republic have four points, one ahead Switzerland, who recorded their first win in this year’s competition.

Luis Enrique made nine changes

RESULTS League A Group 2: Spain 2 Czech Republic 0; Switzerland 1 Portugal 0.

League B Group 4: Norway 3 Sweden 2; Slovenia 2 Serbia 2.

League C Group 2: Northern Ireland 2 Cyprus 2; Greece 2 Kosovo 0.

Group 4: Georgia 0 Bulgaria 0; North Macedonia 4 Gibraltar 0.

League D Group 2: Malta 1 San Marino 0.

to the starting line-up that beat Switzerland 1-0 on Thursday.

Making his first start for Spain since November 2020, Asensio provided the pass which Soler fired in from close range.

Spain kept threatening the Czechs and enjoyed 73% of possession but often lacked the precision to make it count. They only managed to score after Gavi came off the bench in the second half.

In the 75th minute, the teenager stole the ball and raced past two opposing players before passing through to Ferran Torres, who crossed to Sarabia. The Paris St Germain midfielder was left to fire the ball into an empty goal.

“It was all perfect,” Soler told

Perfect: spain’s Carlos soler celebrates scoring their first goal with alvaro Morata. — Reuters TVE. “We came wanting to give those fans who created an amazing atmosphere a win and it came accompanied by a great performance.

“Ending up the group leaders is the cherry on top, so it was a great effort and a fabulous night.

“I hope to return in the next inter-

national window and go to the World Cup. “But now I only think of going on vacation. It’s been a very tough season, which started with the Tokyo Olympics. I have made many dreams come true, but I hope to make many more come true.” — Agencies

OSLO: Erling Haaland scored twice and set up the third as Norway beat neighbours Sweden 3-2 in the Nations League at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.

“I’m speechless!” the 21-year-old striker told Norwegian television, before adding: “It’s the first time I’ve played for a sold-out Ullevaal.

And to win against Sweden in the last match of the season, it’s beautiful.”

Haaland, who is heading for Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund this summer, gave Norway the lead in the 10th minute heading in a near-post cross.

He added a penalty in the 54th minute after Hjalmar Ekdal fouled Alexander Sorloth.

It was Haaland’s 20th international goals in 18 Norway appearances.

Sweden replied eight minutes later when Emil Forsberg smashed home a pass from Dejan Kulusevski.

Haaland then crossed for Sorloth to head home and restore the host’s two-goal lead after 77 minutes.

Swedish skipper Forsberg was not impressed by the goals his team conceded.

“It is too easy to score against us,” he said.

Viktor Gyokeres gave the Swedes brief hope by rifling home a shot five minutes into added time.

“This tasted great,” said Norway coach Stale Solbakken.

“Sweden are better offensively than defensively at the moment ... I think we were the better team but it was important to get the early goal.

It gave us a mental boost.”

The victory gave Norway 10 points after four matches in Group B4. They lead second-place Serbia, who play away to Slovenia later Sunday, by four points and Sweden by seven. — AFP

Switzerland’s Seferovic scores in first minute to defeat Portugal GENEVA: Portugal left Cristiano Ronaldo at home and lost their unbeaten record in 2022 and the lead of their Nations League group.

A goal after 57 seconds by Switzerland forward Haris Seferovic was enough for a 1-0 win in Geneva despite late pressure by Portugal including two scoring chances for 39-year-old captain Pepe playing as an emergency forward.

Portugal’s slip, after letting Ronaldo skip the last game of a long season, let Spain take first place in Group 2 with a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in top-tier League A. Goals midway through each half from Carlos Soler and Pablo Sarabia lifted Spain one point clear of Portugal after four rounds. The last two rounds will be played in September.

Portugal had gone unbeaten in five games this year starting with two wins in their World Cup qualifying playoffs in March and including a 4-0 rout of the Swiss last weekend.

The Swiss had gone in the other direction with a five-match winless run since qualifying for the World Cup ahead of group rival Italy in November.

Portugal barely had time to miss Ronaldo, or touch the ball much, when falling behind within one minute. A quick series of passes linked by

Xherdan Shaqiri lined up right back Silvan Widmer for a dangerous cross.

It found Seferovic, who plays in Portugal for Benfica, to guide a header into the far bottom corner of the net.

Shaqiri was preparing to take a penalty kick 10 minutes later, after his cross struck the hand of leftback Nuno Mendes, but a video review found a foul in the centre circle in the buildup.

Starting on the bench after a tiring season in England and the Champions League, Bernardo Silva and Diogo Jota were sent on after an hour and within seconds Silva lashed a shot that was punched clear by Swiss goalkeeper Jonas Omlin.

Omlin impressed with eight saves though almost gifted Silva a goal in the 67th. His misjudged pass from the goalmouth rebounded off the Portugal forward close enough to the ’keeper that he could dive on the loose ball.

“We can’t concede a goal after 30 seconds of the game. It’s our mistake,” said Portugal coach Fernando Santos.

“We lacked aggression. We would have preferred to stay top of the group, but I have always said that the decisive match will be the one against Spain.” — Agencies

Missed it: Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes (centre) fights for the ball with switzerland defender Ricardo Rodriguez. — aP

Sport 29

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Southgate: Missing United players have a ‘lot to do’ to make World Cup squad LONDON: England manager Gareth Southgate said the Manchester United players who are currently out of the squad have a “lot to do” to get back into the frame for the World Cup. While leftback Luke Shaw is out injured, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have not been selected due to poor form, leaving Harry Maguire as the only United player in the squad for their Nations League game against Hungary today.

Rashford and Sancho have been

out of favour since England’s defeat byItalyintheEuropeanChampionship final last year but Southgate said last month they still had enough club matches remaining to show their quality and change his mind before the World Cup in November.

Both forwards were missing from United’s last three Premier League matches of the season as the club finished sixth, missing out on Champions League qualification.

When asked if United’s players

Hanging on:

would be fresher in the coming season without Champions League football to contend with, Southgate told reporters, “we’ve only got one with us. They’ve got a lot to do to get back in the squad.

“I think the lower the load then of course the less likely for injuries and the hope that players can be that little bit sharper but there’s no way of knowing. Some players are at their best when they’re in a rhythm of playing.” — Reuters

Citizen Haaland

norwegian star proud to make move to etihad MANCHESTER: Erling Haaland said his transfer to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund is a “great move” for his career as the Norwegian aims to fire the Premier League champions to more silverware.

City announced last month they had beaten off competition from Europe’s top clubs to agree a deal with the German giants after triggering Haaland’s reported £51mil (RM275mil) release clause.

The 21-year-old’s move was officially completed yesterday with Haaland penning a five-year contract to follow in the footsteps of his father Alfie Inge Haaland, who played for City between 2000 and 2003.

“This is a proud day for me and my family. I have always watched

City and have loved doing so in recent seasons,” said Haaland.

“I want to score goals, win trophies, and improve as a footballer and I am confident I can do that here. This is a great move for me, and I can’t wait to get started in pre-season.”

The arrival of one of world football’s biggest talents end City’s search for a specialist striker to succeed Sergio Aguero, who left the club last year.

City’s attempt to sign England captain Harry Kane from Tottenham fell short last summer, but Pep Guardiola’s men still had enough to pip Liverpool by a point to win a fourth Premier League title in five seasons.

However, the English champions again failed in their bid to win the

Champions League for the first time, losing a dramatic semi-final to Real Madrid 6-5 on aggregate.

Haaland has scored 23 goals in 19 Champions League appearances for Dortmund and Salzburg and will be expected to get City over the line when it matters most in Europe.

“There are so many world-class players in this squad and Pep is one of the greatest managers of all time, so I believe I am in the right place to fulfil my ambitions,” he added.

“You can’t help but admire their style of play, it’s exciting and they create a lot of chances, which is perfect for a player like me.”

Haaland had almost his pick of Europe’s top clubs thanks to a buyout clause below his market value and a stunning record of 86 goals in

89 games for Dortmund.

He rejected Manchester United’s advances when moving from Salzburg to Dortmund in January 2020 and his decision to choose the Etihad as his destination is a coup for City’s rising status.

“His rise has been remarkable, but he is still only 21. His best years are ahead of him, and we are confident he can get even better working with Pep,” said City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain.

“He is a huge talent and has been one of the best strikers in Europe over the last few seasons.

“His goalscoring record is exceptional and his performances at Borussia Dortmund and in the Champions League in particular have proved he can succeed at the highest level.” — AFP

england defender Harry Maguire is the only Manchester united player left in the squad playing against Hungary in the nations League match today. — aFP

IFAB approve permanent use of five subs for top games DOHA: Football’s ruling body yesterday said that five substitutes would be permanently introduced for all top games and that an automatic offside detector is closer to being introduced for this year’s World Cup. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the substitute change, which was started after the coronavirus pandemic, followed “strong support from the entire football community”.

He said after the annual meeting of the International Football Associations Board that experts would decide on whether semi-automatic offside detection would be used for the World Cup that starts Nov 21.

FIFA’s referees chief Pierluigi Collina said he was “confident” that the system would be introduced in time for the 32-nation tournament.

The system monitors 29 data points on the limbs of players to create a skeletal, three-dimensional model that is reviewed pitchside by the referee.

It has been tested at the FIFA Arab Cup last year in Doha and the Club World Cup in February.

“We are very satisfied so far and our experts are looking into it before deciding whether it will be introduced for the World Cup,” Infantino told a press conference.

It is officially known as “semi-automatic” as it will still be the referee that makes a final decision on an offside ruling.

As well as making the five substitutes permanent, IFAB said that teams can now name 15 substitutes on a team sheet instead of 12.

IFAB said trials with body cameras on referees may be started in a bid to counter a growing number of attacks on match officials. — AFP

Liverpool agree deal for Nunez LISBON: Liverpool have reached a deal with Benfica to buy the Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez for an initial 75mil (RM347mil), the Portuguese club said.

The transfer could eventually rise to 100mil (RM462mil), Benfica said in a statement, eclipsing Liverpool’s club-record £75mil (RM405mil) paid to Southampton for Dutch centreback Virgil van Dijk in 2018.

Nunez scored 26 goals in 28 league appearances last season in Portugal.

The 22-year-old, who was left out

of Uruguay’s squad for Saturday’s 5-0 friendly victory over Panama, was expected to begin a medical which could take two days to complete.

Personal terms are not anticipated to be a problem, with the player having expressed his desire to play for Reds manager Juergen Klopp despite interest from Manchester United.

Nunez is set to sign a reported six-year contract with Premier League and Champions League runners-up Liverpool, who have been in talks with Benfica for sev-

eral weeks.

He netted in both legs of Benfica’s Champions League quarter-final defeat against Liverpool in April, earning praise from Klopp.

Nunez is likely to arrive at Anfield as a direct replacement for Sadio Mane after Bayern Munich stepped up their pursuit of the Senegal forward.

Liverpool have rejected two offers from the Bundesliga champions and are holding out for a fee in excess of £40mil (RM216mil) for Mane, who has one year left on his contract. — AFP

Onwards to Anfield: darwin nunez (left) is set to sign a reported sixyear contract with Liverpool. — Reuters

30 Sport

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Multi-talented Syafiq’s the one to count on in high-stakes game PETALING JAYA: If there is one player who can inspire his teammates to step up a gear in a highstakes game, it has to be Syafiq Ahmad.

And Malaysia are in desperate need of that quality when they face Bangladesh in the final Group E game of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.

The 26-year-old multi-talented player, who can play as a striker, playmaker, second striker and winger, could well feature in the first 11 for the Harimau Malaya against the Bengal Tigers.

On the pitch, he does not need to rally his teammates with his words,

as his actions alone can push them to give their all for the nation.

During the pre-match press conference yesterday, the player fondly known as Pit knows what is at stake.

“Only a win. Nothing else matters. People have been talking about several possible ways on how we would finish, but as one of the players on the pitch, I want us to go all out for a win, if possible a big win,” said the Johor Darul Ta’zim player.

“Whatever the coach plans for us, we follow. Whoever starts needs to know that it is paramount that they go all out.

“For us, there is no bigger stage

than to get to the Asian Cup. “I hope we can absorb some of the crowd’s energy and give our best. Look, the people want to see us play on the big stage.

“Expectations are high and we will use it to fuel us.

“Also, we need to learn that just because we are leading in a game, it does not mean we are winning it.

Focus and concentration are really, really important!”

Only the group champions and top five runners-up will qualify for the finals next year.

If Malaysia win, they will most likely have to wait until the final day of the qualifying competition to know if they make it.

Calm and composed:

syafiq ahmad speaking at the pre-match press conference at the Grand dorsett Hotel.

— Bernama

Menacing ‘minnows’

Malaysia can’t afford to take Bangladesh lightly

By T. AVINESHWARAN PETALING JAYA: The Harimau Malaya know fully well that at this stage where the stakes are high it would be foolish to take their lesser known opponents lightly.

Although Bangladesh are ranked 188th in the world, Malaysia know they are not easy meat.

In the last two fixtures against the Bengal Tigers, Malaysia, ranked 154th, were held twice in friendly matches.

On Nov 20, 2012, the match ended 1-1 and on Aug 29, 2015, it was 0-0.

This time, the proposition is different for both teams.

Malaysia are gunning for a big win in their last Group E match of the Asian Cup qualifiers which could lead them to the promised land. For Bangladesh, whose hopes have ended after two defeats, they will be looking for some consolation from the qualifiers.

National coach Kim Pan-gon was surprised when told that Malaysia failed to win in their last two meetings.

“I was not aware of that at all,” he said at the pre-match press conference at the Grand Dorsett Hotel here yesterday.

“I do not know the history, but the Bangladesh team are different now. I am only concerned about the present.

“When they played Bahrain and Turkmenistan, they were outstanding in terms of organisation.

No you don’t:

Malaysia’s dion Cools (second from right) trying to stop Bahrain’s Mohamed Jasim Marhoon from advancing in their Group e match.

Malaysia lost 1-2. — Bernama “Bangladesh are strong opponents. We must be well prepared in all elements, technical, tactical and mental. We will approach this game properly. We will not disrespect them at all.

“But I have full confidence in my boys. Our players will play a good game tomorrow (today), especially knowing what’s at stake.”

Pan-gon also said Bangladesh, coached by Spaniard Javier Cabrera, can create chances with their tactical discipline but the one thing he has asked his boys to keep an eye on are two particular players.

Their wing backs Yeasin Arafat and Bishwanath Ghose have been a bane for the opposition with their long throw-ins.

Malaysia were on a three-game winning streak before the 1-2 defeat against Bahrain. So it was not surprising to see the sullen expression on the players’ faces.

But Pan-gon said as professionals, they have to bounce back and believe that they are ready for another battle.

“The players were rightly disappointed. We made mistakes, but we’re eager to improve.

“I highly respect the passion of

the players. Thus far, they did 100% for the country.”

However, Pan-gon said if he could successfully lead the team to the Cup finals, it was not because of him alone but all parties who worked hard in developing the game in the country.

“I have some achievements of my own but if we qualify for the Asian Cup, it should be a great honour to me but that’s not because of what I did but also the football fraternity that have worked together.

“So, if we achieve the target, I think it’s an honour for Malaysian football as well.”

We can sing Damok’s praises for his two podium finishes PETALING JAYA: Syarifuddin Azman (pic) made the nation proud with two podium finishes in round three of the FIM JuniorGP World Championship at the Catalunya circuit in Barcelona, Spain.

The 20-year-old rider, representing SIC Racing, claimed second spot in Race 1, clocking 29:29.888, trailing 11.364s behind race winner Jose Antonio Rueda of Spain on Sunday.

Italian rider Filippo Farioligas (29:29.990) completed the podium while another Malaysian, Danial Syahmi Ahmad Shahril (29:39.973), came in 14th.

In Race 2, the winners remained unchanged as Syarifuddin, who is better known as Damok, finished the 74.5km race in 29:39.669, behind Rueda (29:31.508) with Farioligas (29:40.094) coming in third. Danial Syahmi, who represents Asia Talent Team, failed to finish the race.

Syarifuddin was delighted with his efforts that he burst into song.

“I am singing because I am happy. The machine was excellent today and I have to thank the team for doing a great job,” said Syarifuddin.

“This week, I promised that I would work some magic and now I present you with two podiums. I want to dedicate this success to everyone in Malaysia.

“Race 1 was a bit difficult at first because Rueda made a gap. I tried to focus on maintaining my pace and finishing the race and I managed to get second place after competing with three riders.

“In Race 2, Rueda once again went ahead, and I tried to catch up but found myself fending off the other riders who were hot on my heels, making the gap between me and Rueda bigger. Overall, I’m very happy with the results today.”

The championship is a junior class event organised by Dorna Sports under FIM regulations.

It runs under Moto3 regulations and acts as a Moto3 World Championship feeder.

Bengal Tigers won’t look lost in Harimau Malaya’s den PETALING JAYA: The Bengal Tigers of Bangladesh will make themselves feel at home in the Harimau Malaya’s den in their final Group E game of the Asian Cup qualifiers.

Ranked 188th in the world, the minnows have nothing to lose as the pressure is all on Malaysia to meet their fans’ expectations to qualify for the prestigious tournament.

Bangladesh’s Spanish coach Javier Cabrera said his charges are just out to show that they can perform beyond what their world ranking suggests.

“For us, playing in front of a packed stadium is an extra motivation. And to take on a team aiming for something big is the perfect moment to show that we can compete with anyone,” said Cabrera at the pre-match press conference.

“The pressure’s all on Malaysia, they are higher ranked and this is their best chance to reach the Asian Cup. “We’ve been performing in a very positive way even though we’ve lost to Bahrain (0-2) and Turkmenistan (1-2). We deserve more and want to give our supporters something to cheer.”

The Bangladeshis can’t be taken lightly as they have shown good organisation and the ability to trouble teams with their work rate and energy.

They may not be as technically impressive as the other teams in the group but there is solidarity among the players to go the extra mile against stronger opposition.

Bangladesh goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico has also been outstanding in their last two matches, making some eye-catching saves.

Captain and midfielder Jamal Bhuyan said they have a game plan to frustrate Malaysia and would not be affected by the passionate home crowd.

“Malaysia is kind of similar to Indonesia (Bangladesh held them 0-0 in a friendly before flying to Kuala Lumpur last week). We have a plan to deal with them,” he said.

“As for the crowd, we won’t be focusing on them. Plus, we don’t understand Malay, so I don’t see a problem with crowd pressure.”

Sport 31

THE STAR, Tuesday 14 June 2022

Zii Jia and Kean Yew headed for potential last-eight clash PETALING JAYA: Singapore’s reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew could provide a stern test for Lee Zii Jia in his quest to win the Indonesian Open.

Pitted in the same half of the draw, Zii Jia and Kean Yew could meet in the quarter-finals if they win their opening two matches.

Kean Yew has not been at his best since being crowned world champion last year but showed glimpses of best form when he reached the semi-finals of the just-concluded Indonesian Masters.

The world No. 10 narrowly missed

out on the final after he lost a thrilling three-game encounter against Taiwan’s No. 4 Chou Tien-chen.

World No. 5 Zii Jia, meanwhile, will be out to bounce back after seeing his unbeaten streak since the Asian Championships in April come to an end when he lost another close-fought battle against sixth ranked home player Anthony Ginting in the Masters quarterfinals.

The Malaysian should win his opening two matches against Thailand’s Sitthikom Thammasin and the winner of the all-Indian match

between Sameer Verma and P. Kashyap.

Kean Yew, though, faces a trickier route to the quarter-finals as he opens his campaign against South Korea’s Heo Kwang-hee and a win could pit him against Denmark’s world No. 3 Anders Antonsen.

His chances of defeating both players, however, look bright after his recent improved showing.

Antonsen, on the other hand, has been suffering from a slump in form this year.

Thus, all indications point towards a

mouth-watering quarter-final clash between Zii Jia and his Singaporean rival.

Zii Jia holds a narrow 3-2 advantage in their head-to-head clashes and came out on top in their last encounter in the Asian Team Championships in February.

But Kean Yew got the better of the Malaysian in both matches last year in the Hylo and French Opens.

Meanwhile, the others to look out for in the upper half of the draw are Denmark’s newly crowned Indonesian Masters champion and top seed Viktor Axelsen and Anthony.

Making main draw only draws mixed emotions from Hon Jian and Yen Wei

Room for improvement: aaron

Chia (left) and soh Wooi yik in action against China’s Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in the quarterfinals of the Indonesian Masters.

— aP

Double up your fuel!

Rexy urges men’s pairs to go further at Indonesian Open

By R. KIRUBASHINI PETALING JAYA: Rexy Mainaky wants the men’s doubles shuttlers to go the extra mile in the Indonesian Open.

At the just concluded Indonesian Masters, none of them went beyond the quarter-finals.

Despite the outcome, the men’s doubles coaching director was reasonably satisfied with world No. 6 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani’s (No. 12) performances but hopes to see more from them in the Open which starts today at the same venue, the Istora Senayan Stadium.

“Our pairs performed well

In the lower half of the draw, the danger could come from Japan’s Kento Momota, India’s Thomas Cup winners Lakshya Sen and K. Srikanth, Thailand’s Hanoi SEA Games champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Taiwan’s Indonesian Masters runner-up Chou Tien-chen and home star Jonatan Christie.

Zii Jia’s training partner Liew Daren is also in the lower half of the draw and opens his campaign against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu. He faces an uphill battle if he wins as he will be pitted against either Kunlavut or Tien-chen in the second round.

enough. But to compete to be the best, they need to put in more effort.

I hope they can go far this week,” said Rexy.

In the Masters, Aaron-Wooi Yik and Sze Fei-Izzuddin were eliminated in the last eight by eventual finalists Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang from China and Indonesia’s world No. 1 Marcus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya respectively.

Rexy attributed Aaron-Wooi Yik’s loss to the latter’s condition after he was affected by food poisoning adding that Wooi Yik is feeling much better now.

Meanwhile, independent pair Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi (No.10) had a tournament to forget as they did not even

make it past the first round after going down to China’s Liu YuchenOu Xuanyi.

They will be looking to make amends and should get past their opening hurdle against Denmark’s unheralded Jeppe Bay-Lasse Molhede.

But they face a tough task in the second round as they are likely to go up against Japan’s reigning world champions Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi.

Hoki-Kobayashi will be fresh and raring to go after skipping the Indonesian Masters.

Meanwhile, there will be no respite for Sze Fei-Izzuddin as they have a mammoth task right from

the start against newly crowned Indonesian Masters champions and home pair Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (No. 7).

Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists Aaron-Wooi Yik will play compatriots Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the first round.

A win will most likely see them take on the up-and-coming Christo Popov-Toma Junior Popov (No. 28) of France.

If Aaron-Wooi Yik make the quarter-finals, they could be pitted against either Taiwan’s Olympic gold medallists Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin or Indonesia’s Asian champions Pramudya KusumawardanaYeremia Rambitan.

PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles pair Choong Hon Jian-Peck Yen Wei can thank their lucky stars after they found themselves in the main draw of the Indonesian Open.

Hon Jian-Yen Wei, who were in the reserve list, were promoted after the withdrawal of home pair Adnan Maulana-Mychelle Bandaso due to the latter’s injury.

The Malaysians, though, experienced mixed emotions as they will face compatriots Chen Tang JieValeree Siow in their opener.

To add to their bittersweet feelings, Tang Jie and Yen Wei were partners for more than four years and won the gold medal in the Hanoi SEA Games last month before their split.

Tang Jie had also partnered Hon Jian in the men’s doubles before.

“We feel grateful that we are in the main draw. Unfortunately, the match will be an all-Malaysian affair. ‘‘We know each other quite well, so let’s see who performs better on that day,” said Yen Wei. If recent form is any indication, Hon Jian-Yen Wei might hold a slight advantage.

At the recent Indonesian Masters, the pair, who started from the qualifying round, almost caused a huge upset against Denmark’s world No. 15 Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje before losing in three games in the first round.

In contrast, Tang Jie-Valeree lost tamely to home pair Rinov RivaldyPitha Haningtyas (No. 19) in straight games in the same round.

Tang Jie had beaten the same pair with Yen Wei in the semi-finals of the SEA Games.

Meanwhile, Yen Wei is satisfied with her first tournament with Hon Jian but said that there is room for improvement. ‘‘There are a lot of things we need to improve on,” said Yen Wei.

Li Jane hopes to hit the ground running with natasha in first partnership

By NG CHIA YIN PETALING JAYA: The awesome twosome.

That is what bowler Sin Li Jane is hoping to be called when she pairs up with Natasha Roslan at the World Games which will be held in Birmingham, the United States from July 7-17.

Despite being teammates for

years, this will be Li Jane’s first experience of playing in the women’s doubles with Natasha.

She hopes they can hit the ground running by doing well in their first tournament together.

“I have confidence partnering Natasha as we have been practising together for a long time,” said Li Jane.

The event will also be her first

international outing after the long layoff due to Covid-19.

However, Li Jane has not been idle during the pandemic.

“I continued with my training and workout routines even when there were no tournaments during that time,” she said.

“I’m excited and looking forward to compete in the World Games.

‘‘For now, I will stay focused and since this is my first tournament of the year, I just want to enjoy the journey.”

The 30-year-old from Perak added that she has been working hard to prepare for the Games.

“My daily routine is I will do some workouts to keep myself fit.

Then I’ll head to the alley, practise my shots to make sure that there’s

consistency in my game,” she explained.

The World Games is an international sports event held every four years, in the year following each Olympic Games.

Staged over 11 days, it will see the participation of more than 3,600 athletes from 100 countries where they will compete in more than 30 multi-disciplinary events.

THE STAR, TuESdAy 14 JunE 2022

Pit-fall

alert Safety first: Syafiq Ahmad (in yellow, back) heading the ball away during the Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain on Saturday. Inset: Bangladesh coach Javier Cabrera and captain Jamal Bhuyan at a press conference ahead of the clash with Malaysia today. — Bernama

MALAYSIA’S versatile forward Syafiq Ahmad knows the score when it comes to tonight’s do-or-die Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh. The Johor Darul Ta’zim player, fondly known as ‘Pit’, was quick to alert his teammates to the potential pitfalls when facing the world No. 188 minnows and has called for full focus till the final whistle. >By T. AVInESHWARAn on Pg 30

Rexy challenges men’s pairs to go the extra mile. >31

Bolt in

high gear Sprint legend Usain Bolt leaping over goalkeeper David James during an England XI vs World XI charity match at the London Stadium. — Reuters

It’s glory for Rory again in Canada. >26

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