Justice done?

Maid abuser sentenced to eight years'

jail [NSTTV]
By RAHMAT KHAIRULRIJAL - March 29, 2018 @ 12:29pm
SHAH ALAM: The High Court here today sentenced Rozita Mohamad Ali to eight years in
prison for abusing her Indonesian maid two years ago.
The decision came after Judge Datuk Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah set aside the sessions
court order sentencing her to be bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20,
000.
On March 15, Petaling Jaya sessions court judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar let Rozita
off with a mere good behaviour bond of five years, even though the prosecution had pressed
for a jail sentence considering the severity of the crime.
Counsel Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, who represented the accused, pleaded for the
minimum sentence on the grounds that his client is a housewife.
However, deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad pressed for a deterrent
sentence, stating that the case involved the public interest.
“This case also (strained) diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.
Rozita had admitted to abusing Suyanti Sutrinso, 19, using a kitchen knife, a steel mop, a
clothes hanger and an umbrella in 2016.
She caused multiple injuries to the victim’s head, hands, legs and internal organs between
7am and 12pm on Dec 21, 2016 at a house in Mutiara Damansara.
Rozita was initially charged under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, which
carries a maximum jail sentence of 20 years upon conviction.
However, the charge was later amended to causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or
means, under Section 326 of the Penal Code.
The accused pleaded guilty to the lesser charge and Mohammed Mokhzani sentenced her to
be bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20, 000.
Southeast Asia closes island beaches to recover
from climate change and tourism
By THOMAS REUTERS FOUNDATION - March 28, 2018 @ 9:54am
BANGKOK: More popular Southeast Asian islands will be off limits to visitors this year as
officials seek to protect eco-systems crumbling from warming seas and unchecked sprawl,
despite the risk to tourism revenues and tens of thousands of jobs.
Thailand will shut Maya Bay, which famously featured in "The Beach", starring Leonardo
DiCaprio, for four months a year, from June. In the Philippines, officials plan to close Boracay
Island for six months at the end of April.
"Islands have very fragile eco-systems that simply cannot handle so many people, pollution
from boats and beachfront hotels," said Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine expert in
Bangkok.
"Coral reefs have been degraded by warmer seas and overcrowding. Sometimes, a complete
closure is the only way for nature to heal," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
More than three-quarters of Thailand's coral reefs have been damaged by rising sea
temperatures and unchecked tourism, said Thon, who last week recommended limiting visitors
to its 22 marine parks to 6 million a year to enable their recovery.
Currently, they number about 5.5 million, he said.
Thailand closed dozens of dive sites to tourists in 2011, after unusually warm seas caused
severe damage to coral reefs in the Andaman Sea, one of the world's top diving regions. It
also shut some islands in 2016.
The country's sandy beaches helped draw record numbers of tourists last year, with revenues
contributing about 12 percent of the economy. The government expects 38 million visitors this
year.
Southeast Asia is expected to bear the brunt of rising damage to coral reefs, depriving
fishermen of incomes and leaving nations exposed to incoming storms and damage from
surging seas, recent research showed.
In the Philippines, which is among the most vulnerable to climate change, about 2 million
people visited Boracay last year, celebrated for its white-sand beaches.
On a visit last month, President Rodrigo Duterte called the island a "cesspool" because of
sewage dumped directly into the sea, and warned of a looming environmental disaster with
buildings constructed too close to the shore.
Government agencies have recommended closing the island for six months to fix the
problems.
Tour operators say more than 36,000 jobs are at stake.
"We support the government in adopting responsible and sustainable tourism practices ... but
not in shutting down the whole island," the Philippine Travel Agencies Association said.
But Thailand's Thon warned against short-term fixes.
"Tourism is important, but we need to preserve these spaces for our future generations, for
future livelihoods," he said. –- THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION
FashionValet adds to its success
March 29, 2018 @ 4:21pm
FASHIONVALET, one of Southeast Asia’s leading fashion e-commerce platforms, has
announced the successful closing of a Series C investment from Khazanah Nasional Berhad.
Now in its eight year of operations, FashionValet plans to use proceeds from the fundraise to
deepen its presence in the Malaysian market, expand to other markets, and build-out its
infrastructure, via enhanced use of technology and more physical stores.
Founded in 2010 by Imperial College Aeronautical Engineering graduate, Fadzarudin Shah
Anuar and London School of Economics Law graduate, Vivy Sofinas Yusof and supported by
a solid team, FashionValet is today home to over 300 fashion brands available on its
website, www.fashionvalet.com.
Led by Fadzarudin and Vivy, FashionValet has gone from strength-to-strength in the dynamic
e-commerce landscape, with its revenue having more than tripled in the past two years.
FashionValet’s current footprint extends beyond Malaysia, serving customers in more than 15
countries including Singapore, Brunei, the UK, the US, the Middle East and Australia.
“I am so excited to do more for the Malaysian fashion industry; it’s something I am very
passionate about. FashionValet is always on the lookout to help grow
more local brands to compete in the international arena, and I am confident our Malaysian
brands have the potential to do just that,” says Vivy who’s FashionValet’s chief creative officer.
“The investment by Khazanah will help us to pursue this reality,” she adds.
Echoing this, Fadzarudin, who is co-founder and chief executive officer of FashionValet says
they would like to thank Khazanah for the strong vote of confidence, not just confidence in
FashionValet, but also in the rising potential of Malaysian entrepreneurs in general.
“Khazanah’s investment will help us execute our strategic plans to expand the business, taking
FashionValet to greater heights,” he says.
What's so great about working abroad when Malaysia
has so many opportunities?
By THOMAS FOO - March 29, 2018 @ 10:08am
With so many opportunities in Malaysia, I wonder why some Malaysians want to work abroad
illegally.
Moreover, should something go wrong, there will be neither family members nor friends to
seek help from.
One should be wary of overseas job scams that promise social benefits.
For example, in Australia, medical consultations and procedures are free, but patients have to
buy their own medicines.
People in Australia take out expensive medical insurance to avoid having to pay for expensive
medications.
Recently, I took my brother-in-law to Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where he had consultations,
magnetic resonance imaging and other procedures and medicines, all for free.
My wife and I enjoy free consultations and medicines for diabetes and hypertension.
I have free blood tests and other tests regularly that have kept me healthy at 70 years of age.
In the past, people migrated overseas to give their children a good tertiary education.
From the 1960s to the 1980s, there were lack of places at local universities, so people had to
go overseas to further their education.
However, with the rapid improvement of tertiary education in Malaysia in the last two decades,
coupled with the establishment of foreign institutions here, our tertiary education opportunities
are plenty.
If people want their children to experience foreign cultures, they can sign them up for twinning
programmes with local institutions that have tie-ups with foreign universities.
People need to be careful when they seek migration overseas.
Quality of life must be taken into account as well.
For example, a person who earns RM150, 000 per year in Malaysia may have a better quality
of life than a person who earns A$150,000 (RM447,000) in Australia.
A 93sq-m apartment in the Sydney city centre costs around A$1.5 million, but the cost of the
same apartment in the Kuala Lumpur city centre may amount to RM1.5 million or less.
Taxes are higher in Australia and the higher cost of goods there may lead to low level of
savings.
Food is more expensive in Australia.
Malaysia has vast opportunities for those who are enterprising and are prepared to work hard.
Penang's reclamations threatening fishermen's
livelihood
By MUHAMMAD YUSRI MUZAMIR - March 28, 2018 @ 9:09am
BALIK PULAU: Massive reclamations have and will continue to plague Penang, threatening
the livelihood of thousands of fishermen.
Some 2,700 fishermen in the southern part of the state have been having nightmares following
the state government’s proposed RM46 billion Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) to
address traffic woes.
This is because the controversial project to build three man-made islands will almost certainly
affect their livelihood.
Penang South Fishermen Association chairman Arshad Omar said the 1,751ha reclamation
contained “omissions”.
He said the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by the project delivery
partner (PDP), SRS Consortium, and presented to the fishermen did not explain the negative
impact on them.
“SRS Consortium, in the EIA report, never mentioned about the ecosystem and that the catch
in the area will be severely affected.
“An independent consultant appointed by Balik Pulau Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr
Hilmi Yahaya told us otherwise.”
Prior to this, Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) chief consultant for the
project, Profesor Datuk Dr Sharifah Mastura Syed Abdullah, had, in a public briefing session,
said the coastal reclamation would destroy the turtle landing area and marine habitat.
She had said the coral reefs and rivers at the southern part of the island, as well as the
hydraulic parameters there, would be affected by the project.
During the May 2016 State Legislative Assembly sitting, the state government decided to
postpone the proposed reclamation to fund the PTMP until the DEIA has been approved by
the Department of Environment.
State Gerakan vice-chairman Oh Tong Keong said two other reclamation projects by the DAP-
led government were threatening the fishermen’s livelihood.
He said the Bayan Bay and Bayan Mutiara reclamations in Pantai Jerejak, both 24ha, and the
Gurney Wharf reclamation in Persiaran Gurney (54ha), would bring the total reclamation to
1,828ha.
“This proves that the state government did not take into account the ecosystem, resulting in
adverse impact on the environment that would affect the fishermen’s livelihood.
“What is worse is the state government’s betrayal of the people’s trust when it proceeded with
the coastal reclamation in Pantai Jerejak, which is against its 13th General Election manifesto.
“Residents near the Pantai Jerejak reclamation site are also facing pollution problems,
including complaints that the operators go beyond working hours until late at night.”
AI solutions for human problems
By ROZANA SANI - March 28, 2018 @ 11:15am
A search on the Internet on artificial intelligence (AI) produces various results. But in general,
the term AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems.
Recognising AI’s capacity to influence both business and social settings via innovative
solutions, several universities in Malaysia have focused on producing a diverse range of AI-
related research papers and patents in recent years.
One of the focuses on AI by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, for example, through its Centre for
AI and Robotics (CAIRO) — which was established by the varsity’s Malaysia Japan
International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) in 1997 — is machine vision.
“Applications such as pattern recognition using machine vision are very much needed in
various industries. Some examples are applications such as license plate recognition system,
tropical wood species recognition system, product grading system, and biometric system,”
said MJIIT dean Professor Dr Ali Selamat.
He said at CAIRO, intelligent robotics were also an area of focus and robotics vision was the
element that made robots intelligent.
A vision system enables autonomous robots to do path planning and path following, as well
as avoid dynamic obstacles. CAIRO also works on various autonomous guided vehicles, with
a focus on smart manufacturing.
“Apart from machine vision, CAIRO also uses AIs for control, optimisation, and scheduling and
fault diagnosis. One of the applications developed by Cairo is on power transformer fault
diagnosis, which provides utility companies an intelligent tool for preventive maintenance of
their power transformers,” he said.
Other than research at CAIRO, advancements in AI in deep learning are applied in various
disciplines.
“We are bringing AI technology into the classroom. Students can gain access to various open
platform Als for solving real engineering problems, such as Google’s TensorGlow or big data
analytics,” he said.
Ali said CAIRO was also working on new AI technologies, such as deep learning neural
networks, and looking at the prospect of using the technologies for applications in optimisation,
control, fault diagnosis and pattern recognition, among others.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has been actively looking into AI development since 2001,
said vice-chancellor Professor Aini Ideris.
According to her, AI research and development at the university was undertaken by
researchers from its Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Computer Science and Technology.
UPM has established research groups to focus on intelligent and control system design,
intelligence system engineering and intelligent computing, as well as smart farming
technology.
“The AI-related subject matters we focus on at UPM include algorithms, models, robotics and
intelligent systems — all of which are emerging technologies in AI,” she said.
“As AI research has seen positive development, UPM is looking forward to applying AI
technology to the field of agriculture for the benefit of humanity. In addition to that, UPM is
moving to being more translational in its research approach,” she said.
Among projects that reflect this is the Continuous Operating System for Microalgae Culture
Optimised for Sustainable Tropical Aquaculture (COSMOS), which facilitates the
establishment of an energy-efficient mass-culture system of high value microalgae using
recycled nutrients from aquaculture pond sludge.
University Malaya (UM) prides itself as the only university that offers a Computer Science
programme specialising in AI, and has a Department of Artificial Intelligence under its Faculty
of Computer Science and Information Technology, that was formed in 1997.
The fundamental AI subjects focused by the faculty are machine learning, numerical methods,
image processing and natural language processing.
“Natural language processing (NLP) is used to analyse text, allowing machines to understand
how people speak. This human-computer interaction enables real-world applications, like
automatic text summarisation, sentiment analysis, topic extraction, named entity recognition,
parts-of-speech tagging, relationship extraction, stemming, and more.
NLP is commonly used for text mining, machine translations and automated question
answering,” said Professor Abrizah Abdullah, dean of the faculty.
“Image processing gives improved information for human interpretation and processing of
image data for storage, transmission, and representation for machine perception. Image
processing is a technique to enhance raw images received from cameras/sensors placed on
satellites, space probes and aircrafts or pictures taken in normal day-to-day life for various
applications. Medical image processing is a huge field, mainly due to the digitisation of medical
images,” she said.
Abrizah said the main research area that the Faculty of Computer Science and Information
Technology is currently active in is deep learning, a sub-field of machine learning.
“Research topics for deep learning include all types of big data analytics applications,
especially those focused on computer vision, NLP, language translation, robotics and medical
diagnostics.
“In the past, we have worked with the Royal Botanic Gardens in the United Kingdom to study
how deep learning can be used in plant classification.
“We have also investigated deep learning models to teach a machine to synthetically draw
paintings from famous artists, such as Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso,” she said.
Other AI-related research works are in healthcare and medicine, medical big data/data mining,
medical image processing, text analytics/NLP and robotics.
“Some industries in Malaysia rely heavily on foreign workers simply because they do not
attract Malaysian workers. These industries usually involve manual labour and are considered
3D (dull/difficult, dirty and dangerous) industries. Robots are more suitable for these tasks,
which may also be life threatening in certain cases,” she said.
Heavily pregnant woman and hubby caught for drug
abuse...again
By ILI SHAZWANI - August 15, 2017 @ 10:41pm
KANGAR: Their children, aged 1 and 3, have not been fed with milk for over a week.
This wasn’t because the couple could not afford the milk formula, but instead had other
priorities, such as getting their drug fix.
The children's situation was uncovered by the National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) when they
inspected the couple's house during the three-day Ops Perdana, which ended today.
Not only did the couple test positive for methamphetamine abuse, the woman was found to
be five-months pregnant for their third child.
Perlis Nada director Azizah Ahmad said the children are now living with their grandmother.
She said there were three other children, aged between 3 and 6, living with the elderly woman.
It was learnt that two of them are the children of the female drug addict's sister, who is
apparently in jail, while the third child was adopted by the family.
Azizah said investigation revealed that the couple were repeat offenders, having been
released from prison for the same offence six months ago.
"The husband completed his sentence at the Perlis Correctional Centre in Guar Nangka while
his wife was released from the Pokok Sena Prison in March," she said in a statement.
She said the family’s case has been referred to the state Welfare Department for further action.
Immediate aid had been rendered to the family.
Azizah said the couple were among 34 junkies rounded up during the three-day joint-operation
with various agencies, focusing on Kampung Tok Kuning in Kuala Perlis, Sg Padang in
Simpang Empat, Kg Tanah Timbul in Kuala Sanglang and Changkat Jawi in Arau which ended
today.
“Out of 67 individuals screened, seven tested positive for opiates while the other 27 tested
positive for methamphetamine.
“The suspects, aged between 15 and 40, comprising 32 men and two women, are being
investigated under Section 3(1) of the Drug Addiction Act 1983 amendment 1998 for drug
abuse," she said.
During the operation, a pusher was also detained for possession of eight Eramin 5 pills, 17g
of morphine and 1.66g of syabu.
He is being investigated under Section 39 (B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Azizah said the Ops Perdana was participated by the National Border Security Agency
(Aksem), state Immigration Department, National Registration Department, Civil Defence
Force and Road Transport Department.
Grief and anger as Florida prepares to bury victims of
school massacre
By Reuters - February 16, 2018 @ 5:45pm
PARKLAND: As families prepared on Friday to bury victims of another U.S. mass shooting,
grief mixed with anger amid signs of possible lapses in school security and indications that
law enforcement may have missed clues about the suspected gunman’s plans.
One distraught mother who said she had just spent two hours making funeral preparations for
her 14-year-old child expressed disbelief that a gunman could just stroll into school and open
fire, and she appealed to President Donald Trump to take action.
Nikolas Cruz, 19, identified as a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in
Parkland, Florida, who had been expelled for disciplinary problems, walked into the school on
Wednesday and opened fire with an assault rifle, killing 17 students and facility members and
injuring 15 others, police said.
The shooting has raised questions among anguished parents about the adequacy of school
security measures and renewed a national debate on Capitol Hill and elsewhere about the
epidemic of gun violence in American schools.
“How do we allow a gunman to come into our children’s school? How did they get through
security? What security is there?” Lori Alhadeff shouted into the camera in an emotionally raw
appearance on CNN.
“The gunman, the crazy person, just walks right into the school, knocks down the window to
my child’s door and starts shooting, shooting her ...,” cried Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa
was among the dead.
Cruz, charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, made a brief initial court appearance
on Thursday, in which he was ordered held without bond.
“He’s a broken human being,” his lawyer, public defender Melissa McNeill, told reporters. “He’s
sad, he’s mournful, he’s remorseful.”
“PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL SHOOTER”
Cruz may have foreshadowed the attack in a comment on YouTube, investigated by the FBI.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation disclosed it received a tip in September about the
message that read: “I’m going to be a professional school shooter,” by a user named Nikolas
Cruz.
However, FBI agents had no information pointing to the “time, location or true identity” of the
person behind the message, Robert Lasky, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jacksonville
office, told reporters.
YouTube ultimately removed the material in question, and the FBI’s inquiry was dropped until
the name Nikolas Cruz surfaced again in connection with Wednesday’s massacre.
Authorities say Cruz, identified as a former student at Stoneman Douglas High who had been
expelled for disciplinary problems, walked into the school shortly before dismissal time, pulled
a fire alarm and opened fire as students and teachers streamed out of classrooms into the
halls.
The sheriff said Cruz arrived at the school by way of the Uber ride-sharing service and left the
scene on foot, mixing in “with a group that were running away, fearing for their lives.”
He walked into a Walmart, bought a beverage at a Subway outlet inside the store, then visited
a McDonald’s before he was spotted and detained by a police officer in the adjacent town of
Coconut Creek, Israel said.
Former classmates have described Cruz as a social outcast with a reputation as a trouble-
maker, as well as someone who was “crazy about guns.” The sheriff has said some of the
online and social media activity Cruz engaged in was “very, very disturbing.”
Wednesday’s shooting ranks as the greatest loss of life from school gun violence after the
2012 shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that left
20 first-graders and six adult educators dead.
“It is not enough to simply take actions that make us feel like we are making a difference,”
Trump said at the White House in a speech that emphasized school safety and mental health
while avoiding any mention of gun policy. “We must actually make that difference.”
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives criticized the Republican leadership on
Wednesday for refusing to take up legislation on tightening background checks for prospective
gun buyers.
Some gun control proponents and legal experts said Wednesday’s shooting might have been
averted if Florida were among the handful of U.S. states with laws allowing police and family
members to obtain restraining orders barring people suspected of being a threat from
possessing guns.
Cruz had recently moved in with another family after his mother’s November death, said Jim
Lewis, a lawyer representing the family, bringing his AR-15 along with other belongings.
The family believed Cruz was depressed, but attributed that to his mother’s death, not mental
illness, Lewis said. –Reuters
300m hepatitis B sufferers but only one in 20
treated: Study
By AFP - March 27, 2018 @ 1:13pm
PARIS: Some 300 million people worldwide are living with the deadly hepatitis B virus (HBV),
but only one in 20 received adequate treatment, researchers reported Tuesday.
For expectant mothers carrying the virus – which can be transmitted to their children – that
percentage drops to one in 100 they reported in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology
medical journal.
If left untreated, HBV can cause serious diseases of the liver, including cancer.
An estimated 600,000 people die every year from hepatitis-B related liver diseases, making
HBV a bigger killer than malaria.
A test for HBV has been available since the early 1970s, but only one in ten sufferers
worldwide have been diagnosed.
The virus is highly contagious via infected blood or other body fluids, and is mainly transmitted
from mothers to their infants, or between children.
There is no cure, but antiviral drugs have proven effective in coping with symptoms.
A vaccine against HBV became available in the early 1980s. Since 1992, the World Health
Organization has recommended a first dose within 24 hours of birth, but only half of newborns
are vaccinated that quickly.
“Most mother-to-child transmission occurs within days of birth, so the birth dose is vital,” said
lead investigator Homie Razavi, a virologist at the Center for Disease Analysis outside Denver,
Colorado.
“All children need to receive this life-saving vaccine at birth, not just half of them,” he said.
Of the 16 countries that account for more than 80 percent of infections among five-year-olds,
only China has scaled up vaccines-at-birth to 90 percent. Half of these nations have yet to put
such a policy in place.
To compile these statistics, Razavi and his team analysed data from 435 studies and
canvassed the work of more than 600 national experts.
They concluded that 292 million individuals were living with HBV in 2016, or nearly four percent
of the global population.
The virus is most common in East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where prevalence is as high
as 12 percent in the Central African Republic.
China, India, Nigeria, Indonesia and the Philippines account for nearly 60 percent of all
infections.
“This study details the inadequate focus and expenditure on HBV treatment,” Geoffrey
Dusheiko of UCL Medical School and Kosh Agarwal from King’s College Hospital wrote in a
comment.
“There is a need to raise awareness of HBV to the same level as that of HIV.”—AFP
Injured cadet officer looked tired and dehydrated the
day before he died, doctor tells court
KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) student, cadet officer
Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, returned to As-Salam Clinic to seek further treatment a day
before he died, the High Court heard.
Clinic As-Salam founder Dr Azfar Hussin said Zulfarhan was taken to his clinic by two of his
friends, who were now in the dock - Muhammad Akmar Zuhairi Azmal and Muhammad
Azamuddin Mad Sofi - on March 31, four days after he was first treated (on March 27).
“He came about 11am and wanted me to add more dressing on his wounds, especially on his
thighs and groin.
“Once again, I advised him to seek further treatment at the Serdang Hospital and issued a
second reference letter (to seek treatment at the hospital).
“He said he would go after receiving treatment at my clinic,” he said during examination-in-
chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Othman Abdullah today.
Q: Did you find any difference on Zulfarhan during his visit on March 31 compared to his first
visit on March 27?
A: Based on physical examination, I found that he was dehydrated and started to vomit. He
also need help from his friends to move and change clothes.
Q: Can you describe his condition on March 31 and March 27?
A: His vitals were normal and several of his wounds were healing. However, I noticed he was
tired and dehydrated. He also asked for water during treatment.
Dr Azfar said he knew about Zulfarhan passing on June 2 when a team of policemen and
Health Ministry officers went to his clinic to record his statement.
Trial continues on April 26 before Judge Datuk Azman Abdullah.
Akmar and Azamuddin together with three others - Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat,
Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri are jointly charged with murdering
Zulfarhan while Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali is charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
All six face mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
The six and 13 other students, all aged 22, also pleaded not guilty to voluntarily causing
grievous hurt to Zulfarhan with intention to get the victim to confess to theft of a laptop.
The offences were allegedly committed at room 04-10 Jebat Hostel Block, UPNM, between
2.30am and 5.30am on May 21 and in the same room between 1.30am and 4.30am on May
22.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Othman Abdullah prosecuted while the accused were represented
by Amer Hamzah, Datuk Ranjit Singh Dhillon, Zamri Idrus, Mohd. Fadly Hashim, A. G. Kalidas,
Datuk Hazizah Kassim, Datuk Seri M. Ramachelvam dan Azizul Shariman.
Zulfarhan was found with burn marks and bruises in an apartment in Serdang about 8pm on
June 1, and was pronounced dead about 10pm at Serdang Hospital.
Tebrau Toppen Shopping Centre to create 5,000
jobs, says Ikea
By Halim Said - March 29, 2018 @ 5:57pm

JOHOR: Ikea Southeast Asia continues to expand its footing in the state with the development
of its southern flagship shopping centre, Toppen Shopping Centre, which is slated to open in
Tebrau next year.
Taking its name from the Swedish word for awesome and fabulous, Toppen will be similar to
other shopping centres developed by Ikea Southeast Asia such as the IPC Shopping Centre
and MyTOWN Shopping Centre in the Klang Valley.
Toppen, with a retailing space of 1.02 million sq m, will be the group’s third shopping centre
in Malaysia and the first mall to be developed outside Klang Valley.
With a gross development value of RM900 million spent on its development, Toppen is
designed to bring in Ikea Southeast retailing brand partner retailers such as Harvey Norman
stores, Ben’s Independent Grocer (B.I.G) supermarket, and food and beverage operator
Seasons which will manage the mall food hall area. Toppen will also host a TGV Cineplex.
The group is spending a total of RM1.5 billion on the development of the Ikea Tebrau store
and Toppen.
Ikea Southeast Asia group managing director Christian Rojkjaer said Toppen’s development
was timely as dynamic economic growth was taking place In Johor.
“As with any of our shopping malls development which is anchored to Ikea stores
development, we want to personalise each mall in its own unique way while not forgetting to
include a touch of the Scandinavian feel in the malls’ interiors and stores ambience,” he said.
Rojkjaer said the group maintained a steady progress in the expansion of its business in
Malaysia as it values the long-lasting relationship forged with Malaysian and their love for Ikea
manufactured home furnishing products.
The group’s plans include opening a third Ikea store in Kuala Lumpur and a fourth Ikea store
in Batu Kawan, Penang.
He said the group valued the quality of experience that it offered rather than the number of
stores that opened.
“Our developments place strong value on connecting people and bridging relationships
through our products and shopping centres,” he said.
Rojkjaer said the opening of Toppen in the third quarter of 2019 would provide some 5,000
jobs as more than 300 tenant stores and retailers would be occupying the four-storey shopping
mall next to the Ikea Tebrau Store.
For visitors’ convenience, he said a rooftop pedestrian bridge would be built to connect Aeon
Tebrau and Toppen.
2-Year-Old Dies After His Neck Got Entangled In A
Curtain Rope While Playing
Published by Sadho Ram — 28 Mar 2018, 03:42 PM
In a tragic incident that occurred at a home in Halaman Meru Impian, Ipoh, a two-year-
old who playing with a curtain rope died of strangulation after his neck was entangled
in the rope

While paramedics were called to rush the toddler to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, they
pronounced the boy dead. The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon at around 2.30pm,
27 March, according to Bernama.

The toddler was at home with his stepmother, in her 30s

His biological mother died in February last year due to breast cancer.
According to The Star Online, which quoted Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Ali Tamby, the boy
was playing with a curtain rope that was used to secure the curtain at the staircase near the
kitchen at the time of the incident. "The boy's 30-year-old stepmother was at the house with
him prior to the incident.” The boy had asked for some food and was given biscuit before he
left to play at the living room while the stepmother went to the kitchen to cook," The Star Online
quoted ACP Tamby, who added that after a while when the stepmother went to check on the
boy, she "found him hanging from the curtain tie-back".

The stepmother immediately alerted her husband, the boy's father, who was in Bangi on work
matters and her sister who lived nearby. She also untangled the curtain rope from the boy's
neck and laid him on the floor. "She also called 999 and was asked to do CPR while waiting
for paramedics. While doing CPR she got a pulse and milk came out of his mouth. "CPR was
done until the paramedics arrived and they continued with it in the ambulance but the boy did
not make it,"

The case has been classified as sudden death

A post-mortem was conducted to determine the cause of the death which found the toddler's
death to be due compression of neck consistent with hanging. At the time of the incident, his
five-year-old sister was studying at a kindergarten not far from the house, ACP Tamby added.
Improving healthcare through connectivity
By YEN YEN TAN - March 29, 2018 @ 9:53am
Today’s digital technologies are expected to offer tremendous potential for the healthcare
industry. In fact, the digital health market is expected to exceed a staggering US$379 billion
(RM1,478 billion) by 2024. The reasons behind this growth are two-fold; the current
infrastructure in healthcare is already outdated, and the world around us continues to innovate.
As communities become more connected and technology continues to be ingrained in almost
every part of our life, healthcare needs to keep pace. Current healthcare practices mostly rely
on outdated infrastructure, and many pre-digital working practices cannot keep pace with the
needs of modern hospitals, doctors, researchers and patients. And, a core barrier to innovation
is connectivity. Modern medical technologies are limited by their reliance on traditional
connectivity and the limited speed and capacity.
To meet this challenge, we must strive to build the “Gigabit Society” — one where healthcare
professionals can benefit from widespread connectivity of one gigabit per second, low latency
and reliable performance. In a Gigabit Society, fibre-optic cables and networks provide the
core infrastructure to enable fast, seamless communication in healthcare. A gigabit
infrastructure enables speed, which can revolutionise progressive solutions like remote patient
monitoring, remote care and rehabilitation, tele-medicine, next-generation sequencing, faster
sharing of patient data, and even remote robotic surgery.
In healthcare, time is not a luxury, so being able to share patient information in “real time” is
critical. For example, it takes 14 minutes (840 seconds) to send an average CT scan between
hospitals using the current infrastructure. That time is shortened to 40 seconds via a fibre
network — 21 times faster.
Through the application of gigabit networks, physicians can provide patients with continued
monitoring for chronic illnesses or issue warnings in real time when critical situations occur
without having to physically be there in person. In a case where a patient has an adverse
reaction to treatment, being able to immediately address the cause can radically change a
patient’s medical condition and chances of survival. It enables constant monitoring to ensure
patients adhere to their treatment plan, or, identify if a change of these plans is required.
We’ve seen the profound benefits of digital health innovation in studies at the Karolinska
University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. By advancing their digital healthcare with high
bandwidth and low latency networks, the hospital has been able to provide, for example, a
remarkable home-based treatment programme for patients afflicted with Parkinson’s.
To allow the patient treatment in the comfort of his home, the hospital employed remote
monitoring and consultations facilitated through gigabit connectivity. Using HD (high definition)
video consultations, neurologists could monitor movements and tremors, often invisible over
traditional and “insensitive”, standard-definition video feeds.
With high-speed and HD connectivity, care providers are able to clearly oversee progress
remotely and adjust treatments accordingly. In addition to remote monitoring of patients, the
HD videoconferencing also allows doctors and specialists to communicate and consult
together on treatment plans and procedures.
Simply by updating their existing infrastructures, Karolinska University Hospital was able to
successfully reduce personal physician visits, and remote healthcare allow patients to
continue treatment from reassuring surroundings, reduce hospitalisation time, increase care
giver and doctors’ time with patients, and facilitate professional consultation and collaboration
for treatment.
Fibre connections in hospitals and health devices also allow doctors to implement tele-
medicine solutions to patients. This facility lets patients receive expert healthcare services
without the burden or inconvenience of hospitalisation.
With less people requiring in-person services, care givers will be able to make more efficient
use of their time. Additionally, more patients will benefit from specialist care while waiting time
in hospitals is shortened. By deploying stronger and more efficient connectivity, healthcare
professionals will be more confident in their ability to monitor treatment in real time, without
latency or unreliable connectivity which could have life threatening results.
These examples show how modern technology and a strong, reliable infrastructure can
transform the way healthcare providers engage with patients. In a Gigabit Society, patient
services are improved, healthcare is more efficient, and many more patients can be reached
by the specialists they need.
Healthcare in the Gigabit Society provides a personalised service, in real time from anywhere.
A matter of the heart
By ROZANA SANI - March 28, 2018 @ 11:09am
ONE of the major causes of death in Malaysia between 2005 and 2014 was heart disease.
According to the Statistics Department, in 2014, heart-disease accounted for 13.5 per cent of
all deaths recorded. Of that number 57.6 per cent were men and the rest were women.
With the rise of deaths caused by heart disease among Malaysians, there is a corresponding
increase in the number cardiovascular centres in the country — that offer prevention
programmes, diagnosis, and treatment to patients.
These centres use the latest technologies for investigative and surgical procedures for cardiac
care and are operated by cardiovascular technologists. They deal with the diagnosis and
treatment of patients with diseases of the heart (cardiac) or blood vessels (vascular).
“They perform cardiovascular examinations and therapeutic procedures with specific high-
tech equipment at the direction of qualified physicians, to create easily definable data from
which correct anatomic and physiological diagnosis may be developed for each patient.
“Cardiovascular technologists play an integral role in the treatment process, applying their
independent judgment, problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and ability to obtain and
integrate accurate diagnostic information while supporting the clinicians,” said Management &
Science University (MSU) healthcare professionals department, programme manager
Kamarul Azizi Satiman.
He remarked that abroad, the profession is well-regarded, well-paying and marketable, but in
Malaysia, it is just beginning to gain prominence.
To cater to the increased demand for technologists at cardiovascular centres around the
country, MSU’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences is offering a four-year Bachelor in
Cardiovascular Technology (Honours) programme.
The programme has been designed according to the recommendations of cardiovascular
technologists from the Malaysian Society of Cardiovascular Technologists. The society’s input
was used to craft 80 per cent of the syllabus.
“Previously, cardiovascular technologists were medical assistants, nurses, medical,
biomedical and technology students who either underwent in-house training at Institut Jantung
Negara (IJN) - the National Heart Institute - or those medical professionals who went for short
courses in the related field.
“The problem with short courses is the depth of learning in the programme. A four-year degree
course provides more comprehensive learning and training,” said Kamarul Azizi.
“Our four-year course covers cardiology, electrocardiography, echocardiography, radiology,
pacemakers, electrophysiology, and clinical pharmacology. Three years would be dedicated
to theoretical studies, while the fourth year would be dedicated to clinical placements at either
IJN or the soon-to-be-opened MSU hospital,” he said.
To enter the programme, candidates would need to hold either a Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran
Malaysia, Matriculation, A-Level or Pre-University qualification with at least a 2.50 cumulative
grade point average (CGPA) in Biology or Physics and Chemistry and pass Sijil Pelajaran
Malaysia with five credits, including Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Alternatively applicants could also use a Diploma (Malaysian Qualifications Framework Level
4) in a related field, from a recognised institution with a CGPA of at least 2.75.
“CGPA’s below 2.75 must be accompanied by at least three years, or 36 months of working
experience in the same field,” said Kamarul Azizi, adding that International students must
prove their English proficiency by scoring 6.0 on IELTS or 550 on TOEFL examinations.
When asked about job prospects for graduates of the programme, he said cardiovascular
technologists may specialise in invasive or non-invasive cardiovascular treatments, non-
invasive vascular, or cardiac pacing and electrophysiology.
“Most cardiovascular technologists work in hospitals, but they may also work in physicians’
offices, educational facilities, medical centres, non-invasive cardiovascular laboratories,
electrophysiology laboratories, and mobile diagnostic units.
“Cardiovascular technology related job titles include cardiac catheterization technologist,
cardiac stress technologist, cardiology technologist, electrocardiograph (ECG) technologist,
cardiopulmonary technologist, and vascular technologist,” said Kamarul Azizi.
MSU had its first Bachelor in Cardiovascular Technology (Honours) programme intake in
September last year with 15 students. Fees for the programme come up to RM119, 400.
Kamarul Azizi said under the programme students have the opportunity to seek more
exposure in partner medical schools abroad via global internship or global mobility
programmes.
Malaysia Global Talent programme expected to
further empower Malaysian talent
By LIDIANA ROSLI - March 29, 2018 @ 2:56pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today launched the Malaysia Global
Talent (MGT) programme, an initiative in line with the government's ongoing efforts to make
Kuala Lumpur (KL) a global hub for multinational companies (MNCs) investments.
The programme, which is a collaboration between Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd
(TalentCorp) and InvestKL Corporation (InvestKL), supported by Ministry of Higher Education,
aims to nurture 5,500 global Malaysian leaders by 2020.
“The first phase of MGT will see the coming together of 12 top global MNCs and 10 public
universities with the singular goal of creating leaders of tomorrow. This will soon be further
extended across more MNCs and universities,” he said at the launch during InvestKL’s annual
ministerial event 2018.
“The MGT will also drive the set-up of multiple world class Centres of Excellence as a
collaborative venture better industry and academia. I have every confidence that MGT will be
a huge success and an inspiration for similar collaborations.”
InvestKL chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Zainal Shah said there is a need to grow the
supply of good young local professionals as more MNCs makes way to KL.
“As of 2017, InvestKL has been successful at creating almost 11,000 high skilled regional jobs
and as such, there is a growing need to broaden the supply of good young professionals and
meet the demands of the MNCs here,” he said.
“The MGT will be able to develop Malaysian talent as strong leaders who will drive the
country's economic progress which in turn attract global companies to establish presence in
Malaysia.”
TalentCorp CEO Shareen Shariza Abdul Ghani said the scale of the MNC’s capabilities,
development, knowledge sharing and best practices will prepare local workforce for the future
of work.
The MGT programme is divided into three groups namely Young Executive, Senior Executive
and Apprenticeship.
It offers Malaysian professional opportunities such as secondment, internships, mentorship
programmes and knowledge-sharing with chief personalities from multiple MNCs.
Among the participating MNCs in the first phase are Schlumberger, Linde, Honeywell, IBM
and Cargill with participating universities are Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM) and Heriot-Watt University.
Saudi Arabia must face US lawsuits over Sept 11
attacks
By Reuters - March 29, 2018 @ 7:20am
NEW YORK: A US judge on Wednesday rejected Saudi Arabia’s bid to dismiss lawsuits
claiming that it helped plan the Sept 11, 2001, attacks and should pay billions of dollars in
damages to victims.
US District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said the plaintiffs’ allegations “narrowly
articulate a reasonable basis” for him to assert jurisdiction under a federal law, the Justice
Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.
Saudi Arabia had long had broad immunity from Sept 11 lawsuits in the United States, before
the US Congress in September 2016 overrode a veto by President Barack Obama to allow
such cases to proceed.
Lawyers for Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks, in which hijacked airplanes
crashed into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and a
Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died.
Daniels has overseen litigation against Saudi Arabia by the families of those killed, roughly
25,000 people who suffered injuries, and a variety of businesses and insurers.
“We’re delighted that Judge Daniels denied Saudi Arabia’s motion to dismiss,” James
Kreindler, a lawyer for many of the plaintiffs, said in a phone interview.
“We have been pressing to proceed with the case and conduct discovery from the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, so that the full story can come to light, and expose the Saudi role in the 9/11
attacks,” he added.
In two decisions, Daniels also dismissed claims by various plaintiffs against several other
defendants, saying he lacked jurisdiction.
Among these defendants were two Saudi banks, National Commercial Bank and Al Rajhi
Bank, and Saudi Binladin Group, a construction company controlled by the bin Laden family.
They were accused of knowingly providing material support to Osama bin Laden or al Qaeda,
in the form of funds and financial services, to carry out the attacks.--REUTERS
Bank Negara introduces 'living wage' concept
By NST Business - March 28, 2018 @ 5:11pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has introduced the concept of “living wage”,
which is the minimum income needed for a household to participate in society, the opportunity
for personal and family development and freedom over severe financial stress.
In its 2017 Annual Report, the central bank said based on a study in 2016, the living wage in
Kuala Lumpur ranges from RM2,700 a month for an individual, to RM6,500 monthly for a
couple with two children.
The central bank said the living wage concept can be used to guide policymakers and
employers on what is acceptable as minimum living standards.
Bank Negara said the minimum living standard should go beyond just affording the necessities
of food, and should include social participation and financial security.
The living wages estimates, accompanied by greater productivity, have to be representative
and reasonable enough to guide employers towards paying fair wages to employees.
With this guidance on living wages estimates, the government would then be able to see
positive spillovers to the economy such as improvement in employee morale and productivity
leading to lower turnover.
"Between 2014 and 2016, the bottom 40 per cent of household's (B40) monthly income grew
6 per cent from RM2, 537 to RM2, 848. With rising cost of living, however, the real income
growth worked out to be only 3.8 per cent," it said.
"For some households of more than two adults and two children, the small increment covers
the price hike of basic necessities but falls short of achieving the minimum acceptable living
standard," the central bank said.
Up to 27 per cent of Kuala Lumpur households are living below the 'living wage' and they are
mostly secondary school graduates with low-to-mid-skilled jobs.
Muslim World League's recognition proves the
government is upholding Islam in the country: PM
By EMBUN MAJID and SUZALINA HALID - March 27, 2018 @ 1:20pm
JITRA: The recognition given by the Muslim World League (MWL) to Malaysia as a model
country for national harmony in the world despite its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society,
proves that the Barisan Nasionl (BN) government is on the right path in upholding Islamic
teachings in the country.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the acknowledgement coming from a Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia-based organisation is indeed very significant.
"The latest MWL endorsement is to recognise Malaysia as an exemplary country due to our
introduction of moderation (wassatiyah) approach which is the basic principle in Islam.
"It is not easy...the league is not someone that we pay a fee to but a body which is based in
Riyadh and they look at all the countries in the world before recognising Malaysia as a role
model," he said in his speech during breakfast session with tahfiz students and teachers at
Madrasah Al-Ulum Ad-Diniah Al-Usmaniah Pondok Tanjung Kapor, near here today.
Some 1,000 people from tahfiz schools statewide attended the session.
Also present was Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah.
Najib also presented RM4 million for repair works for mosques and suraus in the state, RM2
million for hostels at 25 public religious schools and RM162, 000 for 11 tahfiz schools.
MWL secretary-general Mohamad Abdul Karim Al-Issa reportedly said that Malaysia is a great
example of national harmony in the world despite its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society.
Mohamad Abdul Karim said Najib made a wise move in introducing wassatiyah, which would
ensure no elements that could threaten the nation’s harmony.
On the same note, Najib said the recognition and the initiatives that the government has made
proves how committed the government is to dignify Malaysia as an Islamic country.
This include, the country’s initiative in becoming the first country in the world which introduced
the Malaysian Syariah Index in 2015, of which Malaysia scored 76.06 per cent last year.
“We are the only country in the world that introduced the index and our score last year was
76.06 per cent, which is good and we still have room to improve.
“If anyone want to accuse us of not being an Islamic country or our commitment to uphold the
Islamic teaching is not strong, we could show them that it is not true based on our 76.06 per
cent score,” he said.
Najib added that the government also uphold the tahfiz education as part of its important
agenda and policy and this was proven from the National Tahfiz Education Policy (DTPN)
based on the five ‘maqasid Syariah’ principal.
“When we mentioned DTPN, we have a long term goal to produce 125,000 professional huffaz
and we are also opening a channel for tahfiz students to further their studies at Universiti
Teknologi MARA (UiTM),” he said.
Najib also reminded all tahfiz schools nationwide to abide the quality standard set by the Fire
and Rescue Services Department to avoid a repetition of the fire tragedy at Tahfiz Darul Quran
Ittifaqiyah which killed 23 people.
Should you study what you love?
By HAZLINA AZIZ
March 28, 2018 @ 9:54am

Students who completed their matriculation studies or sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia and
Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia examinations last year are in the midst of applying for entry
to higher learning institutions.
Deciding the right course is probably one of the most difficult choices one would have to make
as it can be a life-changing decision. What and where to study are the two most important
questions students would attempt to answer, given the possible career-long consequences of
course choice. Employability is important to students and is usually among the top reasons for
wanting to go to a university. Another reason is often the love of the subject.
Is it then sensible and desirable to choose to study what you love?
Studying for something that you enjoy can be a fun way to spend the next three or four years.
But, can it pay through a job upon graduation? Some degrees pay for themselves; others
don’t. Stuck with a huge student loan upon graduation is a bad start for a better future.
Today, getting into a university is not a walk in the park, as the competition is stiff. While
aspirational advice like, “Follow your dreams” or “The world is at your fingertips” might be
idealistic, they might not be realistic when it comes to making tertiary education choices. And,
choices are usually determined by the exam results and the cost to complete your studies.
Degrees have become an expensive investment for a future career, especially those that
promise good remuneration. Tuition fees vary more between science and arts, or professional
and more general courses. Parents investing money on their child’s education are more
concerned about prospects and employability. Hence, the decision about what to study at a
university can be very crucial to ensure future earnings.
If your grades are high and money is not an obstacle, your options can be geared towards
choosing the course of study at private university to achieve that dream career. However, if
you think getting into public universities in this country is cheaper and a better option, think
again. For a start, with the limited places and tough competition, you might not be able to pick
the course of your choice.
UPU (Unit Pengambilan Universiti) is the online system which processes applications for
public universities in Malaysia. It has a database of all courses offered with their entry
requirements.
Last year, 208,000 students submitted their applications through the link for a place at public
higher learning institutions. There were only about 149,000 places available. Of that number,
43 per cent of the students went to public universities, 30 per cent went to polytechnics and
27 per cent to community colleges.
One problem from previous years was that students sometimes ended up not getting offers
from the institutions they have selected under UPU. This was because they chose courses
that they liked but did not match their results.
The entry requirements are used to define what counts to get a place for these prestigious
and usually favourite degrees among students and parents. You need to have the right grades
to back you up.
Even if you have the right requirements, the actual grades of those who applied and later
offered a place might be higher than yours. With the competition for a place, you might not get
an offer for that particular course.
This year, a new method has been adopted for UPU to assist students to make the right option;
it is to get to a university in the courses that are “hopefully” right for them. The system
automatically links the results to the courses students are eligible to apply for. The list of
courses would depend on the grading of each subject and also the overall number of As.
Students who do not meet the requirements automatically cannot opt for programmes that do
not suit them.
So, what do you do if you have to choose from the list of courses that are not of your interest,
but yet, they match your exam results according to UPU? Look at the course content for each
in the list and try to get standardised information before deciding.
A lot of the problems stem from a lack of background information on what particular
universities and courses are like. It’s best to check the subjects you will sit for to complete the
course.
You do not want to realise that the course you chose is something you are not interested in
after the first semester. Of course, there is always the possibility of developing an interest in
the course once you are introduced to it.
For those wishing to study for a qualification with a very high entry score but fall short, another
option is to enrol in similar courses and use credits at a later stage to transfer.
For instance, if you’re desperate to study a particular course, say, medicine, but are seriously
concerned about your chances of getting in, widen your horizons. Many universities offer
similar courses — with medicine, for example, you could apply for biomedical sciences or
medical sciences, then gain points towards a medicine degree or transfer later on. I personally
know of a student who did just that after completing his degree in biomedical sciences.
You would also want to double check the ratings of the universities of your choice through
MyQUEST, a system developed by the Ministry of Higher Education in 2010, to evaluate the
current quality standing of higher learning institutions in the country.
Finally, whatever you choose, do remember that university is ultimately about an education
for life in which the value is not something best captured in economic terms. If you enjoy being
good at what you are doing, you will get better at it and might enjoy more successes in the
future.
Dutch vegetable-breeding company picks Perak as
first R&D centre in SEA
By ZAHRATULHAYAT MAT ARIF - March 29, 2018 @ 5:51pm
KUALA KANGSAR: To create high-quality genetics in vegetable varieties and vegetable
seeds, Enza Zaden, a Dutch vegetable-breeding company, has picked Perak for its first
research and development (R&D) and highland breeding centre in Southeast Asia.
With 20 hectares (49.4 acres) of terraced irrigated trial fields, several greenhouses and tunnels
for breeding activities, phytopathology research and farm support buildings, Enza Zaden is
ready to develop new vegetable varieties that can attune to the region's market and climate
demands.
Among the vegetable seeds that are being tested at the centre are hot pepper, onion, tomato,
eggplant, corn, yard-long beans, watermelon, and pumpkin.
Launched by the state Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Saarani Mohamad today, on
behalf of the Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, this initiative also received
cooperation from the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA).
Speaking on behalf of Zambry, Saarani said Perak has emerged as the preferred destination
for foreign investors to set up their business operations due to the country's pro-business
policies, tax breaks incentives, competitive labour cost and excellent infrastructure and facility.
"The decision to locate the centre in Sauk here was established after an extensive study on
the environmental requirements. Sauk is the perfect location for breeding of vegetable seeds.
"With this centre, we are aiming to change the conventional methods of performing agricultural
activities to modern practices, which translates the national objective of introducing technology
and innovation in the agricultural sector," he said during the launch of the Enza Zaden Asia's
Research and Development (R&D) Facility in Kampung Biong, Sauk, here today.
Also present were NCIA chief executive Datuk Redza Rafiq, Enza Zaden chief executive
officer Jaap Mazereeuw, Enza Zaden Regional Director Asia Pankaj Malik and Ambassador
of the Netherlands to Malaysia Karin Mossenlechner.
"We are fully aware that the farmer's income is directly related to the efficient use of production
practices which will result in higher yield; which will translate into better cash flow and higher
income economy.
"What our local farmers need is well-adapted and resilient seeds that produce higher yields.
We also want better seeds supplied to local farmers as good quality seed is prerequisite to
good agricultural production. However, good quality vegetable seeds are hard to find," he said.
Saarani said one of the solutions that were introduced by the state government was to
embrace the use of hybrid seeds in order to enhance the productivity of the agricultural sector,
which gives opportunities for commercialisation of agricultural products and new business
ventures for farmers.
"However, the presence of Enza Zaden’s R&D Centre will be purely dedicated for breeding of
new hybrid seeds for varieties of vegetables and it is timely as the organisation will be offering
new varieties of breeding technologies that are tested and applicable within the local
environment.
"We believe that the outcome of the company’s breeding efforts will directly benefit the local
farmers in the state and throughout the country. Most importantly, the world-class R&D Centre
will play a much bigger role as it will bring new job opportunities for the locals to serve major
breeding farms in the region," he added.
Meanwhile, Mazereeuw said the growing population in Southeast Asia needed more and
healthier food, and this was where vegetables play an important role in making people's lives
healthier.
"There is urgency in Southeast Asia as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO) reported that the total vegetable usage per capita per year was only 61 kg (kilogramme)
compared to 145kg for the whole of Asia.
Mother of four forced to leave baby in launderette as
she goes to work
By Ernalisa Othman - March 28, 2018 @ 10:03pm
JOHOR BARU: An out-of-luck mother of four was forced to leave her four-month-old baby at
a launderette in Larkin Perdana while she goes to work.
This, according to Julia Isnin, 41, has been going on every day for the past two months, since
she started working as a sweeper.
She said life has dealt her a bad hand since her husband "left" them in August last year and
their family home in Chempaka Park seized.
Since then, Julia said she and her children had been wandering around town and slept
wherever possible including in mosques. If lucky enough, she said some kind souls would
offer them a short stay at their homes.
"I am really sorry I had to leave my child in a launderette like this, but I really can't afford a
babysitter," she said.
When at work, she said baby Mohd Iskandar will be under the care of her children, Nor
Farahin, 11, and twin, Mohd Azhar and Mohd Azhari, 13.
She said this year, only Nor Farahin was able to attend school as the twin had to help care for
their baby brother.
Julia said for now, the launderette is her temporary home and the safest place she could think
of to shelter her children.
"Allowing them to stay here makes sense because I work in the same building,"
"Sometimes when I go to work I worry about them...but if I don't go to work, how am I to provide
for my children?"
Julia added that she tried to look for her husband, a lorry driver, after he went "missing" but to
no avail.
"He just vanished, there's no phone calls, nothing. Sometimes the calls got deliberately cut
off.
"If he does not love me anymore, just let me go." she said.
Julia said apart from the sweeper job, she also works part time as a dish washer at a nearby
food outlet to make ends meet.
"There have been times when we had no money and forced to ask people for assistance but
got scolded instead."
Meanwhile, Muafakat Pendidikan Johor (MPJ) president, Ridhwan Othman, when contacted,
said he would assist in getting Julia's children back to school.
Johor Baru Welfare Department officer Normawarni Mahat said the department would visit
Julia and her children soon to determine the suitable assistance.