TELLING IT AS IT IS

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021ON THURSDAYNo. 7854 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my

PETALING JAYA: While the goals are obvious, doubts have been raised over the ability of the new Cabinet to achieve the desired results.

As an economist and a health expert pointed out, the economic and health crises are the priority but the return of the team that failed to make a difference leaves little room for confidence.

Universiti Malaya economist Datuk Dr Rajah Rasiah said Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz continues to pursue a strategy to ensure profits for the banking sector when the priority should be ensuring the survival of businesses.

“Even Economics Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed’s initiatives such as the Prihatin and Penjana have yielded little,” he told theSun.

Malaysian Medical Association president

Datuk Dr M. Subramaniam said little has changed since the new Cabinet line-up was announced, but conceded that it is still in the early days.

Rajah said for a start, the Cabinet must be transparent on how it will address the economic slowdown.

Referring to the new Cabinet as “old wine in a new bottle”, he expressed doubt that things would be any different from before the rise of the new government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Referring to the strategies still pursued by the finance minister, Rajah said most countries would adopt the Keynesian policy, that helps

the masses to recover. “This was the strategy that helped Malaysia

recover from the 1997/1998 global economic crisis. We introduced capital controls, and made banks lend a certain portfolio of their funds with capped interests to small and medium enterprises,” he said.

However, he agreed that some strategies introduced by the previous government should be retained, such as the moratorium on repayment of bank loans. He also proposed that banks be required to manage with zero profits while the country is still experiencing difficulties.

On Ismail Sabri’s pledge to require his

oMinisters must show they can succeed where they failed previously

█ BY SHIVANI SUPRAMANI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

SecondSecond chance chanceESSENTIAL CHORE ... A flat resident in Subang Jaya fetching water from a tanker yesterday as supply disruptions continue for a second day at some areas in Selangor. – ASYRAF RASID/THESUN

ministers to prove themselves with measurable results within their first 100 days in office, Rajah said it is difficult to believe that the same ministers would succeed now when they had failed previously.

He cited the objective to minimise impoverishment among the B40 and lower M40 groups as an example of the failures.

“I worry that they may not be able to manage these issues, that require immediate attention, within the 100 days given.”

However, he said it cannot be denied that Malaysia had achieved “splendid success” in exports and the balance of trade, as seen in the rise in trade surplus.

Subramaniam said it would be “hard to say” if a lot would change with the new Cabinet, given that it largely comprises the same people from the previous team.

“Besides a few switches here and there, not much has changed.”

Turn to —

page 3

INSIDE

Effects of relaxed SOP on

gig economy still unknown

3page

Teens run platform to aid

food distribution, job seekers

5page

2 theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS B

RIE

FS KING GRANTS

AUDIENCE TO SABRI KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah yesterday granted an audience to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for a pre-Cabinet meeting via video conferencing. Istana Negara, in a statement posted on its official Facebook page, said the meeting, which began at 8.30am, lasted about 30 minutes. “The session is also the first for Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri since being appointed Malaysia’s 9th prime minister. The pre-Cabinet meeting is among the weekly activities or the main routine of Al-Sultan Abdullah to discuss and exchange views with the prime minister on government affairs and related issues,” it said. – Bernama CABINET MEETING FOCUSES ON COVID KUALA LUMPUR: The new Cabinet’s first meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday focused on the Covid-19 situation in the country. Ismail Sabri, in a posting on his Facebook page, stressed on the need to proactively reinforce health measures taken by all ministries to spur economic activities benefiting the people. “I also reminded Cabinet ministers that each ministry needs to prove its achievements within 100 days.” – Bernama

PM to table 12MP on Sept 27PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be tabling the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) in Parliament on Sept 27.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the 12MP is almost complete, adding that the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) will brief the prime minister on the plan.

He said this after clocking in to start his duties at the EPU yesterday.

Also present was his deputy Datuk Eddin Syazlee Shith.

Mustapa said the tabling of the 12MP and the 2022 Development Budget would be the EPU’s main focus for the next 100 days.

He highlighted that under the 12MP, the key issues to be addressed in the next five years included bridging the development gap between the states.

“We have identified six states which are a little behind (in terms of development), including Sabah and Sarawak.

“Additionally, we will also focus on addressing the income gap between the B40, M40 and T20 groups, especially those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Mustapa also said the EPU will be finalising the 2022 Development Budget together with the Finance Ministry as soon as possible. – Bernama

Need to restructure economy, say expertso ‘Govt forced to increase expenditure although GDP dropped due to pandemic’

PETALING JAYA: The government needs to restructure the economy to deal with the reality on the ground if it aims to overcome the nation’s fiscal deficit, economists say.

Sunway University Business School professor of economics Dr Yeah Kim Leng said the government had to use funds to help ease the effects caused by the pandemic to people and businesses.

“The duration of the pandemic and its effect on the economy remain unknown as we do not know for how long global trade will be affected,” Yeah told theSun.

Economist Prof Dr Barjoyai Bardai said the fiscal deficit was

expected because of the pandemic He said economies around the

world have taken a hit due to Covid-19. “The pandemic caused the gross domestic product (GDP) to drop but the government was forced to increase its expenditure.

“The extra expenses were not budgeted for. At present, we are facing an abnormal situation which is akin to a depression. The most important thing now is to look after those in need while working out a recovery plan.”

The economists were responding to the Finance Ministry’s first-ever pre-Budget statement, which said that fiscal deficit would reach between 6.5% and 7% for this year, higher than the 5.4% initially estimated.

The deficit reached 6.7% during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

The ministry said on Tuesday there was a need to raise the ceiling for debt to GDP ratio, given the country’s economic situation. As of June, the ratio stood at 56.8%, with the ceiling set at 60%.

Yeah said the emergence of new Covid variants has also added to risk aversion among consumers.

“Consumers are afraid to go out and spend as they are worried about being infected by the virus. This worry extends even to those who have been fully vaccinated, thus it will have an impact on economic growth.”

Yeah said risk aversion among consumers will continue to hit consumption.

“We have a long battle ahead and people must learn how to live with the virus because it is going to be the new normal. Social and economic activities need to be adjusted to deal with the ever-changing

business environment. “The government must be

prudent in spending public funds and ensure that the money spent achieves the intended growth.”

He said the government needs to generate more revenue to overcome the fiscal deficit.

“Through growth, we will see the government’s position strengthen, leading to higher revenue,” Yeah said, adding that the government needs to make structural reforms to keep pace with the ever-changing economic situation.

Barjoyai said a 7% fiscal deficit is not that high because of the circumstances the country is facing.

“Economic growth rate is not going to be great but we will see positive growth as restrictions are eased.”

Barjoyai added that the government is facing a very delicate balancing act of protecting the public while opening up economic sectors to create growth.

Nonagenarian reminisces about Merdeka Bridge

█ BY RAJVINDER SINGH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Appreciate true meaning of independence: Crown princes KANGAR: Crown princes from five states, namely Perlis, Selangor, Terengganu, Kelantan and Negri Sembilan have called on the people to appreciate the true meaning of independence.

The call was made during the Harapan Diraja Pewaris Negara Merdeka programme organised by the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council, broadcast live on its Facebook page on Tuesday night.

Tunku Besar Seri Menanti Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz said that the people must always hold to the five principles of

the Rukunegara, which was instituted as the basis of national unity and the formation of the country.

“Unity among the people from all walks of life has become more vital when the country is facing challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

The Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan Dr Tengku Muhammad Fa-iz Petra Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail Petra said although this year’s National Day had to be celebrated under the new normal, the struggles of the country’s forefathers in securing freedom must always

be appreciated. The Yang di-Pertuan Muda of Terengganu

Tengku Muhammad Ismail Ibni Al-Wathiqu Billah Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin urged the people to remain united in the fight against the pandemic by adhering to standard operating procedures.

He added that the people should always remember the sacrifices of freedom fighters and continue to work together to develop the country.

The Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah

wanted all Malaysians to strengthen national unity and embrace diversity in the country to ensure that racial harmony is maintained.

“Let us all celebrate and fill the National Month with positivity.”

The Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail called on the people to free themselves from negative elements and always try to find common ground to develop the nation.

The crown princes also conveyed their condolences to the families of victims of the pandemic. – Bernama

KEPALA BATAS: “I can still recall the time when Tunku Abdul Rahman told residents of Kampung Guar Kepah and nearby villages not to worry any more about the colonialists, as the country had achieved independence. That was at the opening of the Merdeka Bridge,” said 90-year-old Salleh Din.

He said Tunku Abdul Rahman was speaking when opening the bridge in 1957.

He added that the speech by Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was prime minister then, had a huge impact on the residents, who had gone through hard times, especially during the Japanese Occupation.

Salleh said the bridge across Sungai Muda reflects “black” events that took place during the Japanese and British occupation.

“When Tunku Abdul Rahman succeeded in getting the country’s independence from the British in 1957, he came here and asked the people to gather near the bridge.

“He said all Japanese soldiers and the communists had left and that they were no longer in the jungle. He said we were now independent and then raised his hand, shouting Merdeka, Merdeka,” he told Bernama.

Salleh, better known as Pak Andak Leh, said the bridge was initially built around 1938 by the British, who then blew it up in 1941 to prevent the Japanese from advancing to Seberang Prai.

Salleh, who has seven children, suffered a stroke last year. He now lives with his wife, Eshah Yaacob, 64.

He also expressed hope that the tragic events of the colonial era would not happen again.

Universiti Sains Malaysia D i s t a n c e

Learning Centre senior lecturer in Malaysian and Indonesian history Dr Mohamad Muzammil Mohamad Noor said the Merdeka Bridge was initially an unnamed cement beam bridge used by locals to cross Sungai Muda either to Kepala Batas in Penang or Sungai Petani in Kedah.

“Tunku Abdul Rahman later named the bridge Jambatan Merdeka to commemorate the tragic events experienced there during the British and Japanese occupation, and to remember those

involved in building the bridge.”

The Merdeka Bridge across Sungai Muda and Salleh (inset). – BERNAMAPIX

3 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Ministers must keep an ear to the ground

Nonetheless, he expressed confidence that Khairy Jamaluddin would make a good health minister as he had proven himself in the youth and sports portfolio and more recently in the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.

“I think we can expect fresh ideas from him, which is exactly what we

need if we are to resolve issues such as that of contract medical officers,” he added.

Subramaniam said all ministers will need to be in touch

with the situation on the ground and understand the struggles faced by the people so that they can come up with better policies.

He stressed that ministries should emphasise the importance of vaccination and strict adherence to standard operating procedures for all economic sectors.

“Funds will be needed to help those who have lost their jobs and income. These are the immediate needs that must be taken care of in the first 100 days.”

He said steps must also be taken to ensure all migrant workers are inoculated against Covid-19.

Fate of gig workers in consumers’ hands

PETALING JAYA: Cost and convenience determine the shopping habits of consumers, and together they dictate the survivability of the gig economy.

With more restrictions on movements lifted, there will be a shift away from online shopping as consumers start to visit their convenience stores and shopping malls again.

However, the extend of the shift remains debatable.

Sunway University Business School professor of economics Dr Yeah Kim Leng said shipping cost that consumers have to pay when they shop online would dampen the desire to make purchases on the internet.

That, he told theSun, would have a negative impact on the gig economy.

On the other hand, Universiti Utara Malaysia professor of economics Dr K. Kuperan Viswanathan said the convenience of online shopping would keep the sector alive.

“There will be a dip initially, but people will return to online shopping because it is a more expedient option for many,” he said.

He told theSun that the delivery service that

oExperts divided on the extent of the shift away from online shopping as more movement curbs are lifted

█ BY RAJVINDER SINGH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

has served as a lifeline for thousands of Malaysians who have lost their jobs in the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic will maintain its advantage in the race to offer convenience to shoppers.

“The service has made shopping that much easier. Even after the standard operating procedures have been lifted, it will continue to serve shoppers well,” he said.

The service is a major component of the gig economy.

Viswanathan pointed out that people are not likely to rush out to do their shopping even after restrictions are lifted because the fear of getting infected will continue to prevail.

“Eventually, online and brick-and-mortar shopping will find their own plateau,” he said.

He believes that the gig economy “is here to stay”. “As we have seen, people were already shopping online before the Covid-19 pandemic hit us.”

A more pertinent question, Viswanathan said, is the income level of those in the gig economy.

“This depends very much on how demand is created for certain goods and services, a determinant that applies to all sectors of the economy,” he added.

Yeah agreed that the gig economy will continue to grow, but the long-term prospects for some of those involved are almost non-existent.

“For a start, it is difficult to earn enough to meet the cost of living, making it unsuitable as a long-term employment,” he said.

For many, he pointed out, the gig economy only serves as a second income. “For instance, some of those who are now in the food or parcel delivery service are likely to keep going even after they get a permanent job,” he said.

Yeah said online shopping and the delivery service played an important role in keeping the economy alive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“But as economic activities start up again, the cost of shipping for online shopping will feature significantly for shoppers,” he said.

He pointed out that if several items were purchased from different suppliers, the shipping cost would add up, making it a less attractive option.

Furthermore, people will want to feel the experience when purchasing big-ticket items and this is possible only at the physical store, he said.

Another factor that will have an impact on the long-term survival of the gig economy is the shift from remote to on-site work, and the extent of the hybrid of both.

He said that with the lifting of restrictions, more people would return to the office, bringing back the lunch crowd at eateries, and thereby reducing online orders for meals.

BR

IEF

S WATER SUPPLY TO BE FULLY RESTORED BY TOMORROW KUALA LUMPUR: Water supply to 463 areas, which experienced unscheduled water supply disruption following action to stop the operations of the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant after odour pollution was detected on Tuesday, is expected to be fully restored tomorrow. Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) Corporate Communications head Elina Baseri, in a statement yesterday, said the company has conducted water quality testing that complied with the standards set by the Health Ministry. “Treated water from the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant has also been certified safe for distribution to consumers by the National Water Services Commission. Currently, Air Selangor is working to stabilise the water supply distribution system to all affected areas,” she said. – Bernama DUE DILIGENCE ON DEGAZETTING KLNFR SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government has exercised due diligence before arriving at a decision to degazette the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR), according to the state Forestry Department (JPNS). In a statement yesterday, JPNS said the decision was in line with the state’s development goals towards socioeconomic stability and sustainability. JPNS also stressed that the state government still maintained about 46% of the forest reserve area in Mukim Tanjung Dua Belas, Kuala Langat as a permanent forest reserve. The department added that the proposal to degazette the forest reserve had gone through a thorough public investigation process since the decision on the matter was received in November 2019. – Bernama

From front page

Hitting the ground while aiming for the skyON Sunday, Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) announced its entry into the Malaysia Book of Records.

A total of 3,126 employees of the utility company had managed to sing as one voice. The song was none other than the late Sudirman Arshad’s Tanggal 31 Ogos, most appropriate to mark the country’s 64th National Day.

The record was verified on Aug 20 by the publisher of Malaysia’s very own compilation of sometimes extreme feats of human endeavour,

like getting several thousands people to chorus in unison.

It was perhaps fortunate that the announcement came with little fanfare. The restriction on movements probably ruled out an award presentation ceremony.

Just two days later, Air Selangor made yet another announcement; that of a water supply disruption, leaving millions of consumers in more than 400 localities in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur without clean water.

Most people would have lost

count of the number of times they have had to live with the inconvenience of seeing their taps run dry. Last year alone, there were water disruptions on at least eight occasions. Some of these disruptions lasted merely hours, while others went on for almost a week.

That could likely be another record worthy of entry into the Malaysia Book of Records. Of course it will never see print.

The causes of these water cuts are many, from burst pipes to pollution.

While it may just be a mere

inconvenience for the average consumer, a prolonged disruption in the supply of clean water will deal a heavy blow to the economy.

Work will have to stop for most industries, such as manufacturing, tourism, food and healthcare, leading to losses that amount to billions of ringgit. In a March 2018 news report, UniKL Business School dean Dr Aimi Zulhazmi Abdul Rashid was quoted as saying that a water supply disruption that lasts for a month would see the gross domestic product lose 0.3% to 0.5% of its value.

This is based on the impact it will have on the various sectors of the economy.

This is not an attempt to pour cold water on Air Selangor’s euphoria over its record-setting coup.

Any achievement should rightly be honoured, particularly so when it has been done in a show of patriotism for the nation.

However, the utility company must also pay equal attention to the reason for its very existence … to ensure the regular supply of clean water to paying consumers.

COMMENT by Yeoh Guan Jin

SLOW START ... A vendor waits for customers at his fruits stall in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Business is slowly picking up for petty traders in the city following the easing of movement restrictions last month. – AFPPIX

4 theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

CAs of noon yesterdayUPDATE

VID-19

506TERENGGANU

715PAHANG

1,993JOHOR

3 LABUAN

2,414SARAWAK

2,430 SABAH

1,504 KELANTAN33 PERLIS

1,585 KEDAH

1,762 PENANG

899 PERAK

3,711 SELANGOR

573 K.LUMPUR

34 PUTRAJAYA

309 MALACCA

291 N.SEMBILAN

Totalconfirmed

cases

Total ac�ve cases

Newcases

Newrecoveries

Newfatali�es

Totalin

ICU

1,765,016

265,274

Totalrecoveries

1,482,800

Deathtoll

16,942

18,762

21,073

278

1,007

PROGRESS STATISTICS FOR THE NATIONAL COVID-19 IMMUNISATION PROGRAMMEReceived �rst dose

19,741,754Received second doses

15,032,301 As of August 31

KUALA LUMPUR: Phase one payments of the Special Covid-19 Assistance will be credited to recipients’ accounts starting Sept 6.

The payments will be made in stages and are expected to be completed on Sept 10.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday said a total of RM3.1 billion has been channelled to relevant banking institutions for this purpose.

He added he had taken note of the delay in payments, which should have been implemented last month, and had instructed the Finance Ministry to expedite the process.

“I am aware of the people’s grievances and

hope that the payments would at least ease their burden after being affected by Covid-19,” he said.

The special assistance will benefit approximately 10 million eligible recipients in hardcore poor, B40 and M40 categories, as well as single individuals.

It is a direct cash assistance to alleviate the cost of living and burden faced by the people due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is also part of the comprehensive assistance for people under the National People’s Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package announced in June.

Ismail Sabri said the dates for phase two and three of the payments would be announced by the Finance Ministry.

“The government remains committed to ensuring the well-being of the Malaysian Family, especially the targeted groups,” he said.

Those eligible for the assistance are the hardcore poor and B40 households or senior citizens living alone and earning below RM5,000 per month or single individuals earning below RM2,500 per month based on the Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat recipient criteria.

Meanwhile, the M40

households earning between RM5,001 and RM9,000 or single individuals earning between RM2,501 and RM5,000 are also eligible.

Under the aid, each eligible household in the hardcore poor category will receive RM1,300, senior citizen living alone (RM500) and single individual (RM500).

In the B40 category, each eligible household will receive RM800, senior citizen living alone (RM200) and single individual (RM200), while those in the M40 category, each household will get RM250, senior citizen living alone (RM100) and single individual (RM100). – Bernama

LABUAN: People must continue to adhere to the standard operating procedures (SOP) even after they have received the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine, said Labuan health department director Dr Ismuni Bohari.

“This is because they are still at risk of contracting the virus and might infect others including family members, especially those aged below 18 who have yet to be vaccinated.

“Those who have been vaccinated must work with healthcare personnel by strictly adhering to health advisory and the SOP on movement restrictions and social activities,” he told Bernama yesterday.

Ismuni also said despite Labuan achieving herd immunity among the adult population, and had entered Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan, the duty-free island was still exposed to infections

due to its close proximity to Sabah and Sarawak, which are still grappling with positive Covid-19 cases.

“Labuan, being an oil and gas hub, continues to receive inflow of ship crew domestically and internationally.

“It is important for everyone to stay alert to possible infections around us,” he said.

He also cautioned that Labuan could return to difficult times when more than 8,000 positive cases were recorded in three months (from May) with about 140 deaths.

“We hope business operators will allow only vaccinated customers to enter their premises,” he said.

A total of 67,399 or 98.39% of Labuan’s adult population have completed their second dose as of Tuesday.

Adhere to SOP, Labuan’s vaccinated residents told

Phase one of special aid payments to start on Sept 6

KUALA LUMPUR: The debate over booster shots of the Covid-19 vaccine is heating up globally on concerns that the contagious Delta variant is capable of infecting fully vaccinated people.

The World Health Organisation argues that it may be too early to push for Covid-19 booster shots, especially when many people around the world have not even received their first dose.

On Aug 26, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the booster shots for those who have completed their vaccination will not curb the highly contagious Delta variant.

He said the current Covid-19 vaccines used in Malaysia have proven effective against the Delta variant, which resulted in the reduction of hospital admissions, intensive care unit bed usage, and ventilators for patients.

There are five vaccines approved under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP), namely Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinovac, AstraZeneca, CanSino Biologic, and the Janssen vaccine of Johnson & Johnson.

The Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said NIP should prioritise on getting as many people as possible to be vaccinated before considering booster shots.

He said giving a booster shot to increase

the efficacy for someone who already has protection should not be prioritised over those who have zero protection.

“There is no need to rush into giving booster shots to ward off the more transmissible Delta strain amid concerns over the mutation, which has been categorised as a variant of concern (VoC),” he told Bernama recently.

Zainal said some countries provide the third dose for their citizens because they have sufficient supply and have achieved herd immunity.

But in Malaysia, there are still many people who have yet to be vaccinated, he said.

“Some states like Kedah and Kelantan have not reached 40% of the fully vaccinated individuals.

“Some also have been facing shortages of vaccines.

“We have to focus on getting them vaccinated at least two shots to prevent the spreading of VoC. Yes, we have new variants now and might have other variants coming soon.

“But to achieve herd immunity we must get as many people vaccinated. When there is enough data and vaccines, we could consider to give them booster shots.”

Zainal said there is a need to have proper planning by the government whether to give mix-matching vaccines and booster shots to prevent the VoC of the virus.

Booster shot debate heats upoFocus on herd immunity first before considering additional dose, says expert

ENTRY ‘PERMIT’ ... A worker checking a customer’s digital vaccination certificate on the MySejahtera app before allowing her to enter a shop in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur. – ASYRAF RASID/THESUN

5 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Teens set up relief info website to serve needy

PETALING JAYA: As the impact of Covid-19 continues to deepen, and with more people seeking help, a few teenagers have come together to connect people who need assistance with those offering aid.

The initiative, led by Feed Malaysia, started out by connecting people who need food with food banks. Feed Malaysia also collaborates with OneStep Closer that helps job seekers get employment, and Care Lifeline that connects mentally-distressed people with counselling services establishments.

Feed Malaysia was founded by 19-year-olds Au Jun Wei, Himn Yau Leong, Karishma Menon, Natasha Lim and Max Chew.

Au said the strategy to connect the hungry with food banks began in July as Feed Selangor.

“Our objective was to help those in the Klang Valley who needed food, money and healthcare,” he told theSun.

He said the group focused on providing information on food banks in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, but as a result of the overwhelming response from other states, they decided to expand it nationwide, renaming it Feed Malaysia.

oFounded by five 19-year-olds, platform provides information on aid organisations to facilitate job hunting and access to food banks, counselling services

█ BY ELWIN DAVA newsdesk@thesundaily.com

The initiative has expanded its reach, with a team of 14 volunteers, with some coming from Negri Sembilan and as far as Johor, and some as young as 17. Au said Feed Selangor began by raising funds to purchase food for those seeking help under the #benderaputih movement.

“However, we realised there were already many good Samaritans and businesses that had stepped up with such efforts,” he said.

Instead of doing the same thing, Au and his team decided to make it easier for the needy to find the food banks.

“We found that the information on such aid was quite dispersed on the internet. Another challenge for many was the lack of access to the internet.”

He said this resulted in food banks in certain areas experiencing a high demand for food aid while others continued to have surpluses.

“We decided that we should serve as an information hub that connects individuals who need help with those who can help. We managed to extend our services across Malaysia with the support of our state representatives, who had been spurred on by the high demand for food aid,” Au said.

Through several collaborations, Feed Malaysia added new features to its website www.feed-malaysia.com, to make it easier for

people to seek help. “For instance, we have an improved map

function that shows the food banks within a specific radius from an individual’s location. There is also a Food Aid Delivery page that enables people to ask for food to be delivered to them.”

With OneStep Closer on board, people can now also seek help to look for jobs. OneStep Closer helps by reviewing resumes for job applicants, linking them to job portals and offering help to those who have been retrenched.

The range of services was further expanded, with the addition of Care Lifeline, a hotline service that links callers with counselling services for those having trouble getting through this crisis. Those who do not have access to the internet may also call a hotline, which was initiated by a Klang Valley pastor fellowship, to ask for food or other essentials.

Au said feedback from callers also helped Feed Malaysia and its partners to improve their services.

“Through them, we received insights on how we can serve them better,” he said.

“Understandably, many are in this predicament because they have lost their jobs. That is where our collaboration with OneStep Closer helps.”

While the default language is English, Au said Malay and Chinese will also be incorporated into the system to make it more accessible.

“Our objective is to tell people that help is always there and is easily accessible. Do not be afraid to reach out. As Malaysians, we are all in this together,” he added.

Exec duped of RM112,000

SEREMBAN: A 27-year-old company executive lost RM112,000 to e-commerce scammers after she responded to an advertisement by a syndicate that offered non-existent part-time work, purportedly with a popular e-commerce platform.

Negri Sembilan police commercial crime investigation department (CCID) chief Supt Aibee Ab Ghani said yesterday the woman, from Taman Bukit Senawang Perdana here, had responded to an advertisement she saw on Facebook.

“After speaking to three people, who claimed to be ‘staff’ of the company, she was offered a job as a marketing assistant.”

He said the job entailed making purchases, purportedly on the e-commerce website, with her own funds and she would be paid a 10% commission.

Aibee said the woman, upon taking the job, transferred almost RM112,000 from her father’s and her savings to four local bank accounts given by the scammers. It was the last she heard from the ‘company’. Realising she had been cheated, she lodged a report.

Syndicates behind the “e-commerce platform scam” have been actively luring unsuspecting internet users for more than a year. Many of the victims were those who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic and were seeking some source of income.

Last week, the federal CCID in a joint-operation with Singapore police busted such a syndicate after raiding a plush apartment in Skudai, Johor, where three suspects in their 20s were arrested.

The syndicate, which worked hand in glove with its international counterparts, had allegedly fleeced hundreds of Malaysians and Singaporeans through the scheme.

Police said 164 reports, with losses amounting to RM2.4 million, have been linked to the syndicate.

Police are on the hunt for several other members of the syndicate.

█ BY CHARLES RAMENDRAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

FINE OFFER ... Motorists paying summonses at the Road Transport Department in Kuala Lumpur yesterday to take advantage of the 70% discount offered in conjunction with National Day.

Zahid’s corruption trial postponed to Sept 28SHAH ALAM: The High Court here yesterday allowed Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s application to postpone his corruption trial involving a foreign visa system (FVS) as he is still on sick leave, but stressed that any other postponement after this will not be allowed.

Justice Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa said the medical certificate (MC) submitted by the defence showed that Ahmad Zahid is on sick leave until Sept 4.

He said the court had also taken judicial notice that Dr Mohd Shahir Anuar from the Avisena Specialist Hospital in Shah Alam had appeared before Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah to explain the medical condition of Ahmad Zahid.

“Based on the content of the MC as prima facie evidence, the court accepts that the

accused is not fit to return to duty until Sept 4. “The court appreciates the commitment

shown by the accused and asks that the same be continued in the remaining days of the trial.”

The judge set Sept 28, Oct 22, Nov 18 and 19 and Dec 20 to 24 to resume the trial of the former deputy prime minister, who is facing 40 corruption charges in connection with the FVS.

Earlier, Ahmad Zahid’s lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh informed the court about his client’s latest medical condition and requested that the proceedings set for yesterday and today be postponed.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin requested that the accused obtain an MC from a government hospital.

“If possible, an MC from the ministry of health or from a government (hospital). This is

because the MC from a private hospital has a footnote saying that it cannot be used in court proceedings,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid, 68, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd as inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and then home minister to extend the contract of the company as operator of One Stop Centre in China and the FVS system, as well as to maintain the agreement to supply FVS integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the Home Ministry.

For the other seven charges, Ahmad Zahid was charged for accepting S$1,150,000, RM3,000,000, €15,000 (RM75,663) and US$15,000 (RM62,115) while he was then home minister from the same company. – Bernama

BR

IEF

S BODY OF MISSING SOLDIER FOUND KUALA LUMPUR: The Army confirmed yesterday that the body of a soldier who went missing in Sungai Pahang while undergoing a Para Predator exercise last Sunday has been found. The Army said the body of L/Kpl Mohamad Azrin Mohamad Isa was found at 8.15am by villagers in Kampung Serengkam, Maran, about 70km from the exercise area. “The Army would like to express our deepest condolences to his wife Nor Aqila Syafiqa Safuan and family, and we will provide appropriate assistance to ensure the well-being of the family.” The Army expressed appreciation to Pahang police, the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department, as well as other agencies and villagers involved in the search and rescue operations. – Bernama ACCUSED TO UNDERGO PSYCHIATRIC EXAMINATION KOTA BARU: A sessions court here yesterday ordered a man who pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to murder his biological father to undergo a psychiatric examination at a hospital. Muhamad Nur Amin Azmail, 28, was charged with knowingly attempting to murder Azmail Mohd Salmon, 66, by stabbing the victim in the neck using a knife at a house near Bachok, at 10.40am on Aug 24. The charge was framed under Section 307 of the Penal Code, which provides a maximum jail term of 20 years. Deputy public prosecutor Wan Nurul Hanini Wan Ahmad Shukry informed the court that the accused has been undergoing psychiatric treatment at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital over the last five years and requested that the accused be referred to the Bahagia Ulu Kinta Hospital in Perak. Justice Ahmad Bazli Bahruddin allowed the request and set Sept 30 for mention – Bernama

6 theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

RIVER ROAD ... A man riding his cycle-rickshaw stumbles on a waterlogged street after heavy rains in New Delhi yesterday. – REUTERSPIX

BR

IEF

S

PUTIN SAYS FULFILLED CHILDHOOD DREAM MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said yesterday he has fulfilled his childhood dream of serving Russia as he spoke to teenagers to mark the start of the new school year. “Everything was aimed at – and I have to speak pompously in this case – devoting myself to serving the Fatherland,” Putin said during the televised meeting in the city of Vladivostok. “Today, I am doing just that and I believe that in this sense I managed to achieve what I dreamed of,” said the 68-year-old ex-KGB agent. – AFP GERMAN MAN ON TRIAL FOR SPYING BERLIN: The German employee of a security company went on trial yesterday for allegedly passing on floor plans of parliament buildings to Russian secret services. The suspect named only as Jens F, 56, is accused of handing over a CD-Rom with more than 300 files of floor plans of buildings used by the German Bundestag to the military attache of the Russian embassy in 2017. The attache in post at that time is believed to be an employee of Russia’s GRU military intelligence service. The suspect worked for a security firm contracted by the Bundestag. Before a Berlin court, prosecutor Frank Stuppi accused the man of espionage. – AFP

Lions, cheetahs close to extinction PARIS: Lions and cheetahs are closer to extinction than the authoritative Red List of Threatened Species suggests, according to conservation scientists who warn that sharp drops in populations could be going undetected.

Africa’s big cats are currently listed as “vulnerable”, but with declines in lion numbers close to the threshold for a higher risk category and heated debate over how many cheetahs are actually left in the wild, experts are asking if this is enough.

An “uplisting” does not guarantee protection, they say, but it would more accurately reflect their dire situation and could channel resources to help them survive in the wild, where they are most recently menaced by poaching and the pet trade.

For 50 years, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List has classified species along a spectrum from “least concern” and “near threatened” to “vulnerable”, “endangered”, “critically endangered” and “extinct in the wild”.

Lions and cheetahs were classified as “vulnerable” in 2014.

But some experts want the union to go further at its congress in Marseille from tomorrow.

“Cheetahs should be classified as ‘endangered’,” said Sarah Durant, an expert on cheetahs . – AFP

Era of US nation building is over, says Biden

KABUL: Facing sharp criticism over the tumultuous US withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Joe Biden said on Tuesday it was the best available option to end both the United States’ longest war and decades of fruitless efforts to remake other countries through military force.

Biden portrayed the chaotic exit as a logistical success that would have been just as messy even if it had been launched weeks earlier,

while staying in the country would have required committing more American troops.

“I was not going to extend this forever war,” he said in a speech from the White House.

Earlier in the day, the Taliban celebrated their victory in Afghanistan.

They fired guns into the air, paraded coffins draped in US and Nato flags and set about enforcing their rule after the last American troops withdrew.

In his first remarks since the final pullout on Monday, Biden said 90% of Americans who wanted to leave were able to do so, and that Washington had leverage over the Taliban to ensure 100 to 200 others could also depart if they wanted to.

He said Washington would continue to target militants in the country who posed a threat to the United States, but would no longer use its military to try to build cohesive, democratic societies in places that have never had them.

“This decision about Afghanistan is not just about Afghanistan. It’s about ending an era of major military operations to remake other countries.”

In Afghanistan, there was a mixture of triumph and elation on the one side as the Taliban celebrated their victory, and fear on the other.

“We are proud of these moments, that we liberated our country from a great power,” said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid at

Kabul airport after a C-17 aircraft took the last US troops out a minute before midnight.

While crowds lined the streets of the eastern city of Khost for a mock funeral with coffins draped with Western flags, long lines formed in Kabul outside banks closed since the fall of the capital.

“I had to go to the bank with my mother but when I went, the Taliban (were) beating women with sticks,” said a 22-year-old woman who spoke on condition of anonymity.

She said the assault occurred among a crowd outside a branch of the Azizi Bank next to the Kabul Star Hotel in the centre of the capital.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen something like that and it really frightened me.” – Reuters

China’s children get schooled in ‘Xi Jinping thought’BEIJING: Chinese pupils returned to school yesterday with new textbooks peppered with “Xi Jinping thought”, as the Communist Party aims to extend his personality cult to children as young as seven and rear a new generation of patriots.

The Education Ministry has said it will incorporate Xi’s vaguely defined political ideology into the national curriculum, from primary schools to graduate programmes, at the start of the new school year.

Primary school teachers must “plant the seeds of loving the party,

the country and socialism in young hearts”, according to a government notice on the new curriculum.

Buses full of schoolchildren sporting shiny new trainers and red scarves over their uniforms were dropped off at school gates this morning, weighed down by rainbow-hued oversized backpacks.

The new school books are decorated with the president’s pithy quotes and images of his smiling face, with elementary school students served up chapters on the achievements of Chinese

civilisation and the Communist Party’s role in poverty alleviation and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lessons are interspersed with quotes from Xi on patriotism and duty, as well as anecdotes of his meetings with citizens.

“Grandpa Xi Jinping is very busy with work, but no matter how busy he is, he still joins our activities and cares about our growth,” says one textbook.

Xi’s thought encompasses 14 principles including “absolute Party

leadership” over the military and “improving living standards through development”.

It was enshrined in the constitution during a 2018 legislative meeting that abolished term limits and paved the way for him to rule indefinitely.

The principles are now cited regularly by officials in wildly varying contexts from fighting the coronavirus to literature and art, and universities have opened institutes dedicated to Xi’s thought. – AFP

Singapore premier awarded S$370,000 in defamation damagesSINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was awarded S$370,000 (RM1.1 million) in damages yesterday after winning defamation suits against a news website editor and writer, the latest libel cases brought by the leader.

Terry Xu, chief editor of Online Citizen Asia, and a writer for the site were accused of defaming Lee in two separate lawsuits.

The writer, Rubaashini Shunmuganathan, had penned an article in 2019 about a bitter feud that has rocked the premier’s family.

Singapore’s High Court ordered Xu to pay

S$210,000 in damages. In the second suit against the author, the judge awarded damages of S$160,000 – bringing the total to S$370,000.

“Overall, I find that Xu had acted recklessly, with indifference to the truth and with ill-will towards (Lee), which aggravated the injury to (Lee),” said Justice Audrey Lim in her decision.

Lee will donate the damages to charity, the Straits Times newspaper reported.

The row covered by the website was between Lee and his siblings over the legacy of their father Lee Kuan Yew.

The drama captivated a city-state unused to public feuds among the elite.

Xu has launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover the cost of the damages.

“I hope many patriotic Singaporeans who love freedom, free speech and a free press will donate generously,” said his lawyer Lim Tean.

In March, blogger Leong Sze Hian was ordered to pay S$133,000 in damages for defaming Lee by sharing an article on Facebook linking the leader to a corruption scandal.

He launched a crowdfunding drive too –

and raised enough within a matter of days. While Singapore is economically successful

and ranks among the world’s least corrupt countries, rights groups frequently accuse the government of restricting free speech and civil liberties.

Watchdog Reporters Without Borders poorly rates Singapore’s press freedoms, listing it 160 out of 180 countries and regions.

Singapore’s leaders have defended bringing libel suits, saying they are necessary to protect their reputations. – AFP

oWitness: Taliban beat women with sticks in Kabul

7* NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Haircuts and dining in allowed as Thai malls reopenBANGKOK: Thailand yesterday allowed shopping malls in the capital to reopen and restaurants to operate at half capacity, after nearly three months of tough restrictions aimed at containing the country’s worst coronavirus outbreak.

The move comes after coronavirus infection numbers started falling in the middle of last month and with the government under pressure to ease lockdown

measures due to the impact on the economy.

“Thai citizens like me will come back to normal life,” said Wanvipa Luepromchian, who was getting her hair cut in a salon in the Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok.

The government in July started imposing strict measures, including closing malls and prohibiting restaurant dining as the number of new infections surged due to the

Delta variant. At its peak, authorities reported

over 23,000 new cases in a single day in mid-August.

The Health Ministry reported 14,802 new cases and 252 additional deaths yesterday.

The country has overall reported 1.2 million cases and 11,841 fatalities.

“If you (the government) lock down everything, that will be so dangerous for the economy in

Thailand,” said Wanvipa. Last week, the government also

allowed some domestic flights to resume.

Restaurants dining can also restart, but at half the capacity to allow for social distancing.

“Customers need to get temperatures checked before entering and maintain social distancing, with only two people to a table. But if they are family, they can

be seated together,” said restaurant manager Nichapha Jiwvaganont.

While a night time curfew remains in place in Bangkok, the partial reopening will be supportive for Thailand’s struggling economy.

A joint business group yesterday raised its economic forecast for this year from between a 0.5% contraction to 1% growth from a contraction of 1.5% to 0% growth as curbs were relaxed. – Reuters

WHO monitoring new Covid variant named ‘Mu’

GENEVA: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as “Mu”, which was first identified in Colombia in January.

Mu, known scientifically as B.1.621, has been classified as a “variant of interest”, the global health body said on Tuesday in its weekly pandemic bulletin.

WHO said the variant has mutations that

oStrain has mutations that indicate potential resistance to vaccines

indicate a risk of resistance to vaccines and stressed that further studies were needed to better understand it.

“The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape.”

There is widespread concern over the emergence of new virus mutations as infection rates are ticking up globally again, with the highly transmissible Delta variant taking hold – especially among the unvaccinated – and in regions where anti-virus measures have been relaxed.

All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, mutate over time and most mutations have little or no effect on the properties of the virus.

But certain mutations can impact the properties of a virus and influence how easily it spreads, the severity of the disease it causes, and its resistance to vaccines and drugs.

WHO currently identifies four Covid-19 variants of concern, including Alpha, which is present in 193 countries, and Delta, present in 170 countries.

Five variants, including Mu, are to be monitored.

After being detected in Colombia, Mu has since been reported in other South American countries and in Europe.

WHO said its global prevalence has declined to below 0.1% among sequenced cases.

However, in Colombia, it is at 39%. – AFP

Philippines hits two million virus cases MANILA: The Philippines topped two million coronavirus cases yesterday as the country battles a record surge in infections that the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed is being driven by the hyper-contagious Delta strain.

In recent weeks, daily case rates have hit the highest levels since the start of the pandemic and the health department warned the trend could continue.

Yesterday’s official data show the country recorded 14,216 new infections, taking the total caseload to just over two million, with 33,533 deaths in the country of 110 million people.

“It is possible the number of Covid-19 cases will rise some more in the coming days,” said the health department.

Daily cases exceeded 22,000 for the first time on Monday – more than double the number on Aug 6 when the sprawling national capital region went back into lockdown.

WHO representative in the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe said on Tuesday the latest resurgence was being driven by the Delta variant, which has ripped through neighbouring countries.

“More than 70% of the current transmission is attributable to the Delta variant,” Abeyasinghe told reporters, citing the results of genome sequencing.

The lockdown in the capital and nearby provinces has been extended until next week as authorities battle to slow the spread of the virus.

Abeyasinghe said the latest lockdown, accelerating the vaccination rate and increased hospital bed capacity had so far prevented “a complete overwhelming” of the country’s healthcare system.

But nurses groups complain there is a serious shortage of healthcare workers to look after the increased number of patients after many resigned.

They have been staging protests outside hospitals to demand higher pay, the release of financial benefits and the hiring of more staff. – AFP

Japan finds black particles in Moderna vialTOKYO: Japan reported a fresh contamination case involving Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, the fourth such incident in less than a week, threatening to slow the country’s sputtering inoculation campaign.

Kanagawa prefecture said on Tuesday several black particles in one Moderna vaccine vial were found upon checking for foreign substances before its use, and it has put the rest of the lot on hold.

Japan suspended the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna shots last week after being notified of contamination in some of the supply.

Moderna and Spanish pharma company Rovi, which bottles Moderna vaccines, have said the cause could be a manufacturing issue, and European safety regulators have launched an investigation.

Moderna has said no safety or efficacy issues had been identified from the issue.

No similar Moderna incident has been reported in other countries.

Kanagawa prefecture said the vaccine’s domestic distributor, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, had collected the vial with the suspected contaminant and that 3,790 people had already received shots from the same lot.

More Moderna shots were temporarily halted in two other regions this week.

In some cases, foreign substances have been found in unused vials, whereas others appear to be caused when bits of the vials’ rubber stopper break off when needles are incorrectly inserted.

The contamination incidents come as Japan is battling its worst wave of infections, with daily infections exceeding 25,000 last month for the first time. – Reuters

BR

IEF

S UN SAYS IDA COULD BECOME COSTLIEST WEATHER DISASTER GENEVA: Hurricane Ida, which slammed into the US Gulf Coast at the weekend, could become the costliest weather disaster on record, the United Nations said yesterday, although prevention measures had dramatically limited casualties. “There is a chance that the economic costs will be higher than Hurricane Katrina,“ Petteri Taalas, who heads the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation, told reporters. As an illustration, he pointed to the “major damage to the electric system in Louisiana”. Katrina destroyed large parts of New Orleans 16 years ago, causing nearly US$164 billion in economic losses. – AFP FIVE MISSING IN U.S. NAVY HELICOPTER CRASH WASHINGTON: Search and rescue operations were underway for five crew missing after an American Navy helicopter crashed into the sea off the coast of California, the US Pacific Fleet said on Tuesday. One crewman had been rescued but five were missing, said the Navy in a statement. The MH-60S helicopter took off from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier during “routine flight operations” 110km off the coast of San Diego at 4.30pm, it said. “Search and rescue operations are ongoing with multiple Coast Guard and Navy air and surface assets,“ it said. – AFP

FATAL PLUNGE ... Rescue workers and police officers standing at the crash site after a bus careened off a cliff in the Peruvian town of Matucana on Tuesday. At least 32 people died, including two children, and another 20 were injured. – AFPPIX

8 theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

SPEAK UP

China enhancing relations with Asean

DURING the 22nd Asean-China Joint Cooperation Committee meeting held in March 2021, both Asean and China agreed to enhance their

strategic partnership. Recently, there has been a stark increase in

Chinese engagement with Asean, given Southeast Asia’s economic and strategic significance.

In the past year, the Chinese foreign minister has paid a visit to every Southeast Asian country except Vietnam.

Constant high-level interactions with Asean have spoken volumes about China’s respect, trust and appreciation for its Southeast Asian partners.

In June 2021, the Special Asean-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting included discussions on how to combat the coronavirus pandemic together. Currently, China has shipped medical supplies and 100 million vaccines to most Asean nations.

As part of China’s vaccine diplomacy, China has donated 29% of its total vaccine donations to Asean nations. Irrefutably, China has played a great role in boosting vaccination rates in Southeast Asia.

The Special Asean-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting also marks the 30th anniversary of Dialogue Relations, and highlights the enduring and long-lasting ties between China and Southeast Asia.

At the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated that China will always go through difficult times such as the 2003 SARS outbreak and the current pandemic together with its friends from Asean, while caring and trusting one another.

Wang also emphasised that Asean-China relations can be raised to a strategic partnership.

Xu Liping, a director at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences adds that both Asean and China can further cooperate in the next few decades, in areas such as

digitalisation, environment, and supply chains. It is also worth noting that as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, China is developing infrastructure across Southeast Asia.

Indonesia has successfully signed a memorandum of understanding with China to work closely on developing technology and ensuring internet security.

As part of China’s Digital Silk Road initiative, Huawei is currently advancing digital infrastructure in Indonesia, while collaborating with the Southeast Asian state’s Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology.

Huawei will help to develop 5G networks, artificial intelligence and cloud computing in Indonesia, in line with the Indonesian government’s aim of creating an innovative and digitalised economy by 2035.

The Chinese firm will also train approximately 100,000 Indonesian government officials on digital literacy.

This year is earmarked as the Asean-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation. Both parties look to improve bilateral cooperation in advancing renewable and clean energy, reducing pollution, and to alleviate the negative effects of climate change.

Thailand is currently assigned as the Asean Coordinator on Sustainable Development Cooperation.

During the 27th Asean-China Senior Officials’ Consultation in May 2021, Thailand’s permanent secretary for foreign affairs reiterated that the Asean-China cooperation on sustainability initiatives and environmental protection is of paramount importance.

China can work with the Asean bloc via the Asean Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue to protect the environment and mitigate climate change.

In 2020, both Asean and China are each other’s biggest trading partner. Li Kuiwen, Chinese Customs spokesman mentioned in

January 2021 that trade volumes between Asean and China have reached approximately US$730 billion.

Recently, the Ministry of Commerce of China pledged to enhance China-Vietnam economic cooperation, trade, and investment.

Even during the pandemic, bilateral trade between the two economic partners has increased expeditiously, contributing to the economic development of both nations.

China has been supporting Vietnam by importing high volumes of Vietnamese aquatic and agricultural goods.

Since 2013, China has been Singapore’s biggest trading partner. The two Asian partners have always enjoyed close economic ties.

Singapore-China bilateral trade reached approximately SG$136.2 billion in 2020, which has contributed towards the Southeast Asian state’s economic development.

Singapore is a key strategic partner for China, being located at a strategic location, and has close ties to many of China’s trade partners.

China looks forward to enhancing trade relations with Singapore, with expectations that there will be further high-tech industrial cooperation between the two parties, and that Singapore’s exports of mineral fuels, chemical and metal goods to China will increase in 2021.

In support of the Asean-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030, and the Asean Smart City Network, China has cooperated closely with its Southeast Asian partners on high-quality smart city projects.

China has invested in smart city infrastructure ventures in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia’s Forest City Johor Baru, Myanmar’s New Yangon City Development, Philippines’s New Clark City, and Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor. While building these infrastructure, China has leveraged on digitalisation such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and automation.

There are also Belt and Road transport infrastructure projects such as the Laos-China Railway and the Thailand-China high-speed railway.

The Thailand-China railway project will connect Thailand’s Bangkok and Ayutthaya with China’s Kunming City, as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

This transport project will improve connectivity from the Thai capital to northeast Thailand, driving economic growth and creating business opportunities.

Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat mentioned recently at the FutureChina Global Forum that in order to ensure stability in Southeast Asia, it is of paramount importance to handle differences and conflicts well.

Both Asean and China have always believed in mutual respect, peace and prosperity, and that both parties can shape a better future together for their citizens.

The two parties look forward to deepen cooperation, while embracing multilateralism, inclusiveness, and solidarity. Unequivocally, there will be more high-profile bilateral meetings, public health cooperation to combat the Covid-19 pandemic together, as well as economic, infrastructure, sustainability, and digital partnerships.

During times of uncertainty, it has become even more imperative for Asean and China to work closely together, and to ensure peace and prosperity for its people.

Comment: letters@thesundaily.com

Both Asean and China have always believed in mutual respect, peace and prosperity, and that both parties can shape a better future together for their citizens

On course to hit four million Covid-19 cases

IN March, the average number of Covid-19 cases recorded was 1,443 per day and it rose to 2,107 in April as Ramadan bazaars were allowed to operate in addition to night markets.

The number rose to 5,279 in May as many people visited friends and family members not staying together.

On May 28, the Prime Minister’s office released an official statement announcing the implementation of the Phase 1 FMCO (Full MCO, also known as total lockdown) nationwide but instead of decreasing, average daily cases continued to rise, averaging 5,987 in June.

Clearly, whatever measures in place were inadequate to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Furthermore, infections almost doubled in July with an average of 11,655 cases per day and again in August with 20,419, or a total of 632,982 cases for the month and an

accumulative total of 1,746,254. Earlier, I had projected that August would

end up with 600,253 cases, and accumulative cases would reach 1,736,958 by Aug 31, 2,340,528 by Sept 30, 2,964,217 by Oct 31, 3,567,787 by Nov 30, and 4,191,476 by Dec 31.

With no choice but to open the economy after prolonged lockdowns and many people not changing their behaviours while dining in enclosed spaces, engaging in close conversation, and not fully complying with SOP in crowded places, it is unlikely that daily cases

would decrease. Meanwhile, do we do nothing but wait for it

to happen over the next four months, just as before?

At the beginning of the year, I wrote “2020 was a bad year for tourism, but 2021 could be even worse”.

Seeing what has happened so far for this year, I dread to imagine what 2022 will be.

YS Chan

Petaling Jaya

COMMENT by Ong Bo Yang

LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

PICT

URE

CO

URT

ESY

OF

SYCO

OKI

ES

Young eco-activist on a mission

>>> Page 6

Singer-songwriter makes a comeback

>>> Page 3

Stylingit up! Food stylist-photographer

Soo Yin gives insight into craft of dressing up dishes

>>> Page 4&5

THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

TELLING IT AS IT IS

LIFESTYLE YOUTH FASHION ENTERTAINMENT

2ENTERTAINMENTtheSun LYFE ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

script and six punishing months filming in Mexico led to many monumental sets being built and thousands of costumes.

But Lynch’s mad vision was fatally

undermined by the H o l l y w o o d

machine, and t h e

movie

bombed on release in 1984.

A trilogy? There have been popular TV adaptations since, including Children of Dune starring James McAvoy, but never on the grand scale that the novels seemed to demand.

Cue Villeneuve, and his all-star cast. Far from the “nightmare” experienced by

Lynch, he appears over the moon with his film, and is already thinking about two possible sequels, according to an interview he gave CBC Radio Canada.

But that will depend on the commercial success of the first instalment.

Villeneuve has already clashed with Warner Bros over its decision to release the film on streaming platforms and in theatres.

“There is absolutely no love for cinema, nor for the audience here. It is all about the survival of a telecom mammoth,” Villeneuve said in a statement about the decision last December.

While that clash plays out in Hollywood boardrooms, all eyes will turn to the battles on Arrakis when Dune premieres on Sept 3. – ETX Studio

The many takes on Princess DiTESTAMENT to the bottomless public appetite for the British royals and their most tragic figure, no less than three new portrayals of Princess Diana are on the way in the coming months.

The Crown returns to Netflix next year to cover her final terrible years, while a Broadway musical about the princess opens in November.

Before all that, Kristen Stewart will take on the role that has made and broken careers in Spencer, which premiered at the Venice film festival last week.

Here is a selection of the great and not-so-great attempts that have gone before her.

‘Diana’ (2013) To date, the biggest budget take on the Queen of Hearts was this Naomi Watts vehicle, widely acknowledged to be an absolute stinker.

Watts later admitted it was “a sinking ship”.

The Guardian could not help themselves: “I hesitate to use the term ‘car crash cinema’, but the awful truth is that, 16 years after that terrible day in 1997, (Diana) has died another awful death.”

‘Diana: Her True Story’ (1993) One of the least excruciating of the many TV movies dished up mostly

for American audiences, The Sun newspaper still found this adaptation of a popular biography “as shallow as a toddler’s play-pool”.

The biggest challenge was trying to recreate that famous hairdo, with the filmmakers reportedly auditioning seven wigs before they got the look right on Serena Scott Thomas (sister of Kristin).

‘Diana & Me’ (1997) The “lost” Diana movie stars Toni Collette as an Australian named Diana Spencer who travels to Britain to catch a glimpse of her famous namesake.

Unfortunately, it was due for release in September 1997 and was yanked from the schedules following Diana’s death on Aug 31.

Though the filmmakers reshot some scenes in a bid to win back the distributors, the plot, which includes Collette teaming up with a paparazzi photographer to chase down the princess, inevitably made for awkward viewing.

The film is now available only via a German DVD release.

‘The Crown’ (2020) The comparison that matters for Spencer is whether Stewart can match the revelatory turn by Emma Corrin, who won endless praise and a

Picture dated Nov 14, 1992 of Princess Diana leaving the first anti-AIDS bookshop in Paris.

Golden Globe this year for her performance in season four of the Netflix smash.

Many have quibbled over the details, including Diana’s brother Charles Spencer, who worried on Britain’s ITV: “I find Americans tell

me they have watched The Crown as if they have taken a history lesson. Well, they haven’t.”

But few could resist the drama, with the Daily Mail saying Corrin “captures the fact that there was something tragic about Diana before

she even became tragic”. There won’t be much of a

wait before another dollop of Diana, as The Crown returns next year, this time with Elizabeth Debicki (Tenet, The Night Manager) in the role.

‘William & Kate’ (2011) But if you have tired of Diana rehashes, her children now provide plenty of fodder for TV movies, too.

William & Kate, shot in Los Angeles for US channel Lifetime, was released to coincide with the royal wedding.

Newsday said it had “the dramatic vitality of a tree stump”.

Trying to find something positive to say, London’s Evening Standard came up with: “It is recognisably a film, in that it takes place on a screen. Events run in a forward direction.”

Clearly, the film was not made with snooty journalists in mind, and the film has a resounding five stars from royal fans on Amazon.

The good news for them is that Lifetime has followed it with no less than three Harry and Meghan movies: A Royal Romance, Becoming Royal and the forthcoming Escape from the Palace.

Escape for Meghan, that is, but not the rest of us. – ETX Studio

Time to deliver

WITH a US$165-million budget and a cast to rival the star system of Arrakis, hopes are high for Dune as it prepares to land in Venice next

Friday for its world premiere. The cast list is exciting enough, including

Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac and Javier Bardem.

But what has sci-fi fans really feverish is the man behind the camera: Canadian Denis Villeneuve.

Through hits like Sicario and Arrival, Villeneuve has put himself alongside Christopher Nolan as one of the rare directors who can deliver deadly serious cinema that also packs theatres.

Crucially, he has also proved a safe pair of hands when handling totems of 20th-century geekdom, after his critically adored Blade Runner 2049, a sequel to the sci-fi classic.

A prototype Set many millennia in the future, Dune follows the tribal battles for control of “spice”, a drug that extends life and delivers prophetic powers, on the inhospitable planet of Arrakis, which also happens to be infested with giant worms.

The brainchild of author Frank Herbert, Dune was first published in 1965 and became a six-volume space opera of massive influence, not leaston Star Wars.

“It is the biggest-selling and most-read science fiction novel ever, but also the most commented upon and the most studied,” said Renaud Guillemin, an eminent member of France’s community of “Duniens”.

“It was the prototype for the sort of world-building universe in science fiction books, with their own coherence, references and foundations,” said Guillemain, comparing it to what Lord of the Rings did for fantasy.

Some of the images and ideas have also become sci-fi staples, including its giant sandworms (hello “Tremors”), suits that recycle sweat, or the Bene Gesserit, an order of female martial arts experts with thought-control powers.

Chalamet in Dune.

oWill the curse of Dune be lifted in Venice?

Fans also praise its visionary edge, anticipating debates over global warming and the impact of technology.

‘Cursed’ Despite its ready-made audience and clear cinematic potential, previous transfers to film have been famously difficult.

“It is cursed by its excellence,” said Lloyd Chery, author of a French reference book about Dune.

Cult Franco-Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky was the first to try his hand, spending no less than four years in the 1970s on the project, with Salvador Dali, Alain Delon and Orson Welles lined up, along with Pink Floyd for the music.

In the end, the money could not match the ambition and it became part of tragic movie lore, recounted in the 2013 documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune.

In the 1980s, in the wake of Star Wars, studios grew more interested.

Fresh from Alien, Ridley Scott was tapped to direct, before it was passed to David Lynch.

Seven versions of the

Josh Brolin (left) and Bardem.

3ENTERTAINMENT

theSun LYFE ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

A wind of change is blowing through Broadway. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, show business professionals are introducing numerous initiatives for creating productions that better reflect American society.

It’s a moment that has been long awaited. Some of Broadway’s most powerful players recently signed an agreement to address the lack of diversity in the industry. The document was developed with the help of Black Theatre United, one of several activist organisations created last year after the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. Its founding members include such American theater icons as Billy Porter, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald.

The signatories of the document, titled A New Deal for Broadway, are committing to diversity training and mentoring programs, but also to a range of changes in the performing arts industry. They stated that they commit to “hiring creative talent from historically excluded and underrepresented groups in [the] industry on every new creative team,

regardless of the subject matter of the show”, as well as a “racial sensitivity coach”. The text also mentions developing new diversity rules for the Tony Awards and ending unpaid internships.

“For far too long, Black artists, theatre makers and technicians in all areas of our industry have been subjected to systemic and interpersonal racism that has harmed their lives and careers and diminished us all,” the “New Deal for Broadway” reads. “We know that we must do better, and we commit to leaning into change.”

Welcoming new talents And this revolution is already underway. Next year, Camille A. Brown will make her Broadway debut directing the new production of playwright Ntozake Shange’s 1976 classic, “for coloured girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf”. It’s the first time in more than 65 years that a black woman has served as both director and choreographer, according to the show’s producers. “I am quite confident that the ancestors and

Ntozake’s spirit are lifted,” said one of them, Ron Simons.

American theatre is becoming increasingly open to more diverse and inclusive themes and productions. This autumn, Keenan

Scott II will present his new play, Thoughts Of A Colored Man, at the John Golden Theatre. In it, he will address “the vibrant inner life of being Black, proud and thriving in the 21st century” with the help of actors

such as Dyllon Burnside, Bryan Terrell Clark, Luke James and Tristan “Mack” Wilds. Such casting is rare on Broadway, where roles remain dominated by whites.

That’s the conclusion reached by the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC) in the latest edition of its annual report on the lack of diversity in New York theaters. More than 58.5% of the roles offered during the 2018-2019 theatre season went to white actors, compared to 6.3% to people of Asian descent and 4.8% to members of the Latinx community. African Americans were the only group whose visibility increased from the previous season, from 23.2% to 29%.

“We want nothing more than to emerge from this pandemic with gratitude and joy, to embrace our beloved art form, and to welcome audiences again,” wrote Pun Bandhu and Julienne Hanzelka Kim for AAPAC.

“Let’s all work to create the conditions whereby that can happen for all of us. This report outlines where the work needs to begin.” – ETX Studio

One of the oldest Gibson electric guitars goes up for auction

IT IS tempting to say that singer Esty Richard is making a comeback to the music scene. But the former lead of pop rock band Once Upon A Time

There Was A Sausage Named Bob tells theSun that she never really went away.

“We never disbanded, by the way,” Esty said, laughing, “That’s something we’re proud of”.

In the early 2010s, the band that Esty was part of were the talk of the indie scene. The music landscape then was very different compared to what it has become now.

“It’s just that we all went to do our own thing. We branched out doing our personal work. But every once in a while, we still jammed together”.

Trading priorities For six years after the band “broke up”, Esty spent her time working in the corporate world.

“The music stopped because I wanted to focus on my professional career. It was not a decision that I made, it came naturally when I got my first corporate job and all my energy was focused on it,” she added.

While working in corporate sales, Esty was still writing music on the side.

“At first, it did feel weird (writing for others),” she said.

“But I think as I grew as a musician, I began to understand that perhaps some songs that I wrote needed a voice other than mine. So, it was either I sell the song or give it to another musician or artiste friend.”

So, Esty worked with a goal – to save some money so that in 2020, she could go back fully to the music world without having to worry about finances.

“I wanted to move to Bali or Langkawi and focus on music, travelling and all that kind of stuff. At the start of 2020, I thought: ‘Let’s get back into the music scene again’.”

Then, the pandemic hit.

Return to music Despite the pandemic forcing her to take her corporate work home, Esty said that it could also be considered a blessing in disguise.

Working from home meant that if she ever wanted a break, music could fill her free time.

Restless with the pandemic, Esty released her new single Through My Mind

in the middle of this year. “I just wanted to dance and to find

something on Spotify that was mine to dance to. It’s a dance song and during this time of pandemic, I didn’t want to write a sad song because that would amplify the whole situation,” Esty said.

“I also hoped that others who listened to it would feel: ‘Okay, we can get through this. Let’s rave at some point in the future after the pandemic is over’,” she quipped.

As she continues on her path to become a full-fledged musician again, Esty said there are plans for new songs and even remixes of the current single.

“I’ve been working with talented producers who really liked my single, and they will be adding their own twist to it. One of the remixes will have the drum and bass, which I’m waiting in anticipation to hear.”

Broadway boosts initiatives for diversity

AN “exceptional sale” for an instrument that is just as exceptional. Christie’s will soon put “Number One”, the oldest model of the Gibson Les Paul electric guitar model, up for auction. Mark your calendars!

Few names are as well known to music lovers as “Les Paul”. In 70 years, these electric guitars have become a rock’n’roll staple. And yet, they weren’t destined to be so successful. While losing ground to its competitor Fender, Gibson teamed up with renowned musician and inventor Les Paul to develop its own solid body guitar. A particularly difficult task, according to Tom Doyle, a long-time guitar builder, engineer and music producer.

“Les brought his idea to Gibson and they initially dismissed it outright, but Les was dogged. He held strong to his ideas and his beliefs, knowing that someday they would see the light. Les kept tinkering and inventing, and making his concept better and better. Then finally after about 10 years, and after lots of trial and error, the good folks at Gibson presented this very guitar to Les. He was smitten, and he was overjoyed ... and the rest, as they say, is history,“ he explained in a release.

The instrument in question is none other than “Number One”, the first “full body” electric guitar prototype approved by Les Paul. It will go under the hammer on Oct 13 during Christie’s upcoming “Exceptional Sale” in New York. The auction house estimates that it could fetch between US$100,000 and US$150,000.

However, bids could go higher given the rarity of the lot on offer. “In any creation narrative there are always multiple protagonists, but the name Les Paul ranks at the pinnacle when discussing the electric guitar,“ said Kerry Keane, Christie’s consultant and musical instruments specialist. “This guitar

physically embodies his endless passion that

produced the most iconic musical instrument in popular culture.”

In recent years, other Gibson Les Pauls have performed well on the auction market. A prototype guitar from 1982 sold for US$180,000 in 2012 at Julien’s Auctions. – ETX Studio

Return after long hiatus

Most Broadway roles go to white actors, according to a recent report.

Esty released her new single Through My Mind in the middle of this year. – PICTURE COURTESY OF ESTY RICHARD

oSinger-songwriter makes a comeback to the music scene

The first Gibson Les Paul prototype will be offered for sale this autumn in New York.

█ BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR

4FOODtheSun LYFE ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

to support local kuih vendors who have been adversely impacted by the current pandemic through an initiative themed

#MYCadburyFlavours. Made with Malaysians in mind,

Cadbury Dairy Milk Pandan Coconut is the third limited edition localised

variant from Cadbury Malaysia since 2018, following the well-received Cadbury Dairy Milk Kopi C and Cadbury Dairy Milk Durian in previous years. The iconic local heritage flavour of aromatic pandan and sweet coconut remains another timeless flavour that has been fondly enjoyed by Malaysians through generations.

Styling it up!

FOR Soo Yin, a picture is worth a thousand words, if not more when it comes to food. The food stylist and

photographer, better known as Sycookies, has a keen eye for tiny details that showcase the essence and origins of a specific dish in a picture.

“The most important aspect of a picture would be the storytelling factor,” she said.

“I believe every dish has a story to tell as it represents culture, history and roots. That is why it is very important to correctly and accurately deliver the story of the food and dish itself.”

Being one of the nation’s most prominent visual creatives for food, it seems like Soo Yin has successfully found and developed her niche. However, it was not too long ago that the Kuala Lumpur native was on a different career trajectory.

“I come from a science background. I did medical

oFood stylist-photographer gives insight into craft of dressing up dishes

█ BY JOHN TAN

New flavourSERI MUKA, Ketayap and Onde-Onde … these classic kuih-muihs share flavours that are synonymous with the nation’s identity – Pandan Coconut. As a tribute to the familiar tastes that shape our nation’s identity, Cadbury Dairy Milk is excited to introduce their latest innovation, Cadbury Dairy Milk Pandan Coconut which blends the brand’s signature smooth milk chocolate with fragrant pandan and dried coconut bits.

With this new flavour, the brand also aims to evoke the attribute of generosity amongst Malaysians

Cadbury Dairy Milk Pandan Coconut.

Some foods could take minutes off your lifeRESEARCHERS have established a scale that ranks thousands of foods according to their health benefits. This nutritional health index is scaled in time: from 74 minutes lost to 80 gained depending on the portion ingested. In addition to nutritional qualities, this guide also includes environmental data. Choosing your food wisely could allow you to slash your carbon footprint by a third and gain 48 healthy minutes per day.

Eat more vegetables, move more, opt for almond milk or oat milk ... people have become passionate about nutrition, and as

A close-up of bubble tea. – PHOTO COURTESY OF SYCOOKIES

science at university. But I did not enjoy my internship. At the time, I was already dabbling with food styling and photography through Facebook and my food blog. Thanks to support and practise, I realised this is what I enjoy doing.”

What is an average day like for you? Most of the days are usually the same. When I am not out on the field, it is like a desk bound job, more so during the current circumstances. But generally, I have to do a lot of planning before shooting, such as planning a mood board, dealing with clients and getting food ingredients. The planning part and the actual execution are two different processes. It can be very time consuming.

But apart from that, I spend my time doing post-processing, which is the editing work.

Are the skills of a food stylist innate or learned? Techniques are something you can learn, and creativity is also something you can brush up on. However, it helps if you are creative from young. For me, I was lucky because my parents are into art. I also have older siblings who are into art as well. For instance, my sister is a graphic designer who used to help me when with my artwork when I was young.

Art has also always been my thing since I was young. I used to represent my school in competitions. Although I did not think it was something I wanted to pursue, I am glad that I decided to do so.

Do you keep up with the latest photography trends for inspiration? Yes! I think keeping up with trends is very important because you can brush up on your techniques. I believe this will trigger my creativity. For instance, during the last movement control order, there was a trend on TikTok that presented pancakes in a bowl instead of the typical presentation. It gave me a fresher perspective on things.

Do you think social media has helped advance your industry? Absolutely! It helps open up opportunities and provides a larger footprint for your work. For me, it has helped tremendously as

A shot of a multi-level burger. – PHOTO COURTESY OF SYCOOKIES

A classic serving of prawn mee. – PHOTO COURTESY OF SYCOOKIES

I have received many job enquiries from clients through social media. It has also given my profile a bigger reach.

Although there is competition, I view them as a healthy opportunity to improve and progress.

I also treat social media as a platform to reach out to other creatives, where we can share thoughts, creative works and exchange ideas.

Beyond Meat’s

plant-based nuggets.

Food crushWHICH came first, the chicken or the egg? At Beyond Meat, neither. The California-based company recently launched its plant-based chicken bites. And these look just like traditional nuggets. The protein content of six nuggets is 18 grams of protein. They are, for the moment, intended just for the North American market.

This new product, debuting in a time-limited offer, expands on the existing partnership between A&W Canada and Beyond Meat. The restaurant chain has actually been serving plant-based meat since 2018. But the addition of plant-based chicken meat is a first.

For the brand, releasing the product in the summer is a strategic choice. “Beyond Meat Nuggets couldn’t come at a more perfect time. We’ve doubled down on plant-based chicken this summer, just as consumer demand for chicken is skyrocketing,” said Deanna Jurgens, Chief Growth Officer, Beyond Meat. The launch follows the rollout of Beyond Chicken Tenders in the US in recent weeks.

The brand seems to have combined two global food needs. On the one hand, poultry is the second most consumed meat in the world, and chicken is the most popular in this category. On the other hand, the demand for vegan meat is growing. The plant-based meat market is expected to be worth US$8.3 billion by 2025. – ETX Studio

5FOOD

theSun LYFE ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Japanese giant wants soy sauce to be the ‘ketchup of India’

A chef prepares a samosa filling with mince meat with Kikkoman Soy Sauce at the Ishaara restaurant in Mumbai.

Some foods could take minutes off your lifea result there are so many ideas about what is best for our bodies and our planet. Therefore it has become very difficult to understand what is good for us. To help us cut through the noise, researchers have published a new study on the quality of the food we eat. And to make the results accessible and understandable to as many people as possible, this guide is not in the form of a nutri-score, but of a time scale.

This study, published in the scientific journal Nature Food, on Aug 18, 2021, analyses 5,853 foods that are consumed in the United States, from leeks to hot

dogs. Not surprisingly, eating too much meat is bad for your health, these scientists outline in their analysis. A hot dog can thus cause a loss of 36 minutes of healthy life. Red meat 6 minutes and 29 seconds. On the other hand, fruits can add 11 minutes and 54 seconds, vegetables 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

The study concludes that replacing just 10% of daily caloric intake from beef and processed meat with fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and seafood could result in substantial health improvements of 48 minutes per person per day and a 33%

reduction in the carbon footprint of eating. So far, nothing out of the ordinary.

However, some findings from the study are more surprising. That American classic, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, for example, could add 33 minutes. That’s three times more than fruit. While candy could add 28 seconds of life while sugar causes loss of one second of life. To justify the validity of their scale, the scientists specify that it is a theoretical scale, intended to apply better choices, without radically changing our diet. – ETX Studio

Eating a hot dog could shave 36 minutes off your life.

EVERY dish tastes better with a dash of soy sauce, even dessert: that’s the ambitious pitch of Japanese food giant Kikkoman, hoping to persuade Indians to use it in curries, sweets and everything in between.

Convincing 1.3 billion people to add a staple of East Asian cuisine to their butter chicken and samosas is no cakewalk but it will likely be easier than the brand’s 1960s push into the United States.

“When we entered the US, people thought we were selling bug juice because of its dark colour,” Harry Hakuei Kosato, Kikkoman’s India representative, told AFP.

Today the brand’s funnel-shaped dispenser is a ubiquitous presence in US households, accounting for half of the firm’s US$4.4 billion revenues, and Kikkoman now hopes to replicate that success in India.

Sales were boosted by the West’s growing craze for Japanese cuisine since the 1980s, but the company is taking a different approach to India, which is home to a significant vegetarian population.

“It is not about getting everyone to eat sushi. We want our soy sauce to become the ketchup of India,” said Kosato.

He hopes that the move to market the sauce as an endlessly adaptable condiment will strike a chord in a country where culinary innovation is part of street food culture.

For instance, Mumbai’s grilled Bombay Sandwich – a hawker staple – is a buttered British-style toastie, but with a filling that includes boiled potato, onion, tomato, beetroot, and coriander

chutney, topped with a sprinkling of “sev”, a crunchy deep-fried Indian snack.

So it is perhaps unsurprising that some Indian chefs began using soy sauce in their dishes long before Kikkoman launched in the country earlier this year.

‘Chef’s secret’ Restaurateur Prashant Issar first deployed it in a biryani six years ago, while running Mirchi and Mime, a Mumbai restaurant showcasing modern Indian cuisine.

Since then he has added a dash of soy sauce to a range of local dishes, from samosas to lamb keema.

“When I tried it with keema pao, it was just like ‘oh my god’. It was an explosion of flavours,” Issar told AFP.

“It has this indefinable umami flavour, this tart, sharp quality you can’t find anywhere else,” he explained, describing it as “a bit of a chef’s secret”.

Kikkoman is now trying to get the word out to ordinary Indians and counting on social media influencers like Shalini Kapoor to drum up an appetite for its product.

For Kapoor, a home chef who never liked the “synthetic” taste of locally-available soy sauces and couldn’t imagine using the condiment in Indian food, the results have been revelatory.

She has even used it to make jalebis – a deep-fried pretzel soaked in sugar syrup.

“I think it’s amazing in Indian desserts,” she told AFP.

But it might take the rest of India more time to catch up to the idea, she acknowledged.

“They just need to get a taste of it.” – ETX Studio

Soo Yin pursued medical science in university. – PHOTO COURTESY OF SYCOOKIES

Is there a client or brand you would like to work with? No, but I am open to working with lifestyle brands. More importantly, I am keen on working with talented individuals in the creative field whose values are aligned with my philosophy. One person would be Zung Heng from Ninja Kitchen.

He has fully embraced our local food and enjoys telling the world stories about them. I think that is a wonderful thing.

Signature Market

breakfast. – PHOTO

COURTESY OF SYCOOKIES

An array of seafood. –

PHOTO COURTESY

OF SYCOOKIES

Nex

t Gen

6YOUTHtheSun LYFE ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Ready for a career change in 2021?

CAREERSCAREERS

Speak to theSun’s Sales team now for special deals ondigital, video and print advertising.

PUBLICATION DATE 21 SEPTEMBER, 2021 (Tuesday)

BOOKING & STORY DEADLINE 7 SEPTEMBER, 2021 (Tuesday)

MATERIAL DEADLINE 17 SEPTEMBER, 2021 (Friday)

Green heart of youth

AIDIL Iman Aidid has done more for social activism than many peers of his generation. An inspiring eco-warrior, the 22-year-old is working tirelessly to inspire

youths to seek social change. From a young age, Aidil has been raising

awareness on issues close to his heart and encouraging young people to take part in environmental campaigns as well as educating them through speeches and sharing information.

“I was inspired to get into climate activism as I understand the concept of climate justice, where everyone should be given fair and equitable resources,” said Aidil.

“I understand the fragile relationship between biodiversity loss and climate change and for years, it has been treated as independent issues when in fact, protecting carbon-rich ecosystems is part of climate action.”

He hopes that future generations will not face the consequences of animal species extinction and

oYoung eco-activist on mission to rally youth generation to act on environmental justice and climate change

█ BY S. TAMARAI CHELVI

Aidil has been encouraging young people to take part in environmental campaigns. - PICTURES COURTESY OF AIDIL IMAN AIDID

Aidil volunteers at Zoo Negara.

other eco-issues which have an impact on nature and the ecosystem, as well as human society.

How would you define environmental justice? It is about fair and equitable distribution of environmental benefits to the people, regardless of race, gender, class and other status. Orang Asli having inadequate water access, or women not being able to participate in discussions regarding conservation are among issues related to environmental justice.

What prompted you to advocate this cause? I was motivated when I saw how human rights were being affected by the consequences of environmental degradation. There is a connection between social justice and the environment as most of our basic human rights depend on nature, such as the right to food and water.

What do you do at MyHutan? It has been a year since I joined MyHutan and the experience has been great. MyHutan is a movement powered by Undi18, focusing on institutionalising forest conservation in Malaysia. I am one of the communication campaigners. I focus on building engagement with youths through social media curatorship and awareness-building. I also manage partnerships with other non-governmental organisations or movements for collaborative purposes and brainstorm new content with my team to mobilise sustainable forest action. I have also spoken on behalf of MyHutan in my webinars and events.

How do you reach out to youths to support the cause? I mainly use social media platforms to mobilise discussions and awareness relating to the environment. I use Twitter and Instagram to share news, petitions, opinions and infographics on issues such as the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. I have managed to get young people on board by urging them to share my posts. I had the privilege to speak at local universities, engaging students on environmental advocacy. I have also spoken at important interactive platforms such as UNICEF-UNDP, Awani Pagi and Bernama.

Why is it important for youths to get involved? Youths must engage in environmental activism as we should be the last generation to address these ecological crises. I am among the last generations of

the last century to witness the extinction of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in Malaysia. We cannot allow our future generations to see the same fate befall our Malayan tigers. We must realise that we are the force that demands accountability, driving change through petitions, forums and protests.

What can youths do to support the movement? Youths can contribute to climate action in many ways. I always advise my peers to volunteer and establish a network with local climate movements

like Klima Action Malaysia and Malaysian Youth Delegation. I encourage young people to support environmental movements like MyHutan, KUASA Perak and EcoKnights. Youths should also stay connected with members of Parliament as they can urge for action against polluters, demand accountability and better environmental governance.

What is your hope for the

future? I hope to see Malaysia achieve net zero

when it comes to emissions, and aligned with the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report. The climate crisis is not a future problem, it is already here affecting livelihoods and nature. I also hope we retain and widen the protected areas in Malaysia in order to allow biodiversity to heal.

What are your future plans? I plan to be a policymaker and to make good, sustainable changes for biodiversity conservation and climate action. I want to be a part of something meaningful, something that can save our species from extinction while protecting the livelihood of communities.

Favourite youth advocate:

Jasmin Irisha from Unicef

Malaysia. Pivotal moment in life: When I

first joined the Climate Strike in

Kuala Lumpur.

Favourite book: Anna Karenina

by Leo Tolstoy .

\TRIVIA

7FEATURE

theSun LYFE ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Joining forces

AT daybreak on a freezing cold day high in the Andes, dozens of Peruvian peasants clamber up a mountainside to carry out a centuries-old tradition of

shearing the highly-prized wool off vicunas, which are relatives of the llama.

One week each year, the peasants of Totoroma, a village 50 kilometres to the southwest of Lake Titicaca, join forces for a process of herding and shearing known locally as the “chaccu”.

They trudge up the mountainside and herd around 500 vicunas back down the slope into a pen made of posts and three-meter high mesh – a necessary precaution to keep the agile members of the camelid family from escaping.

The comuneros – men and women, some even carrying children – wrap up against the cold and wear wide-brimmed hats to protect them from the sun.

This year, they’re also wearing face masks to protect against Covid-19.

“It’s an ancestral activity that has been going on since time immemorial and now we’re helping out as a public state administration,” vet Jaime Figueroa told AFP.

Jesus Pilco Mamani is following in the footsteps of his father and grandfathers.

“I started working as a comunero in 1986,” he told AFP.

The vicuna appears on Peru’s national coat of arms and there are an estimated 200,000 of the Andean camelid in the country.

A member of the community of Totoroma holds a vicuna during the traditional Chaku, or Chaccu, an annual vicuna round-up and shearing festival, in the village of Totoroma.

o Ancient vicuna wool shearing tradition lives on in Peruvian Andes

The annual chaccu helps support families in 290 communities in the Peruvian Andes.

Vicuna wool is highly-prized for its soft qualities and is one of the most expensive in the world.

The vicunas live at least 3,500 metres above sea level so getting their wool – by rounding up and shearing them – is a difficult task.

The communities in the Peruvian Andes produce around 10 tons of vicuna wool a year.

Unlike llamas and alpacas, amongst Andean camelids, vicunas and guanacos have not been domesticated.

Alpaca wool is far more common, while llama wool can be used to make rugs and carpets but is considered too rough for clothing.

Guanaco wool is also highly-prized, although not as soft as vicuna.

Inside the pen, the comuneros hold each brown vicuna down on a blanket on the ground while an expert quickly shears them using a machine powered by a portable generator.

The wool of each vicuna is collected and placed inside individual plastic bags.

Once shorn, the vicuna is immediately released from the pen and runs at top speed back up the mountain.

A kilogram of unprocessed vicuna wool sells for US$400 – much more than alpaca wool.

But a single sheared alpaca produces three kilograms of wool, compared to “150 to 180 grams” from the much smaller vicuna, Erick Lleque Quisoe, an official in the regional Puno government, told AFP.

He said that in Totoroma the locals “took off 35-40kg” of wool from the 500 vicunas.

In 2019, Peru made US$3 million exporting seven tons of vicuna wool, whereas alpaca exports bring in around US$300 million, according to official figures. – ETX Studio

Smart lenses to help restore sight to visually impaired individualsCALIFORNIAN startup Mojo Vision is working on a novel concept of contact lenses featuring a screen capable of transcribing images in augmented reality. Still at the prototype stage, it could eventually help some visually impaired people better understand their environment.

The concept of this contact lens is the integration of a screen and a chip, allowing users to be offered images in augmented reality, that is to say, images which are superimposed over the real world. The lens, which goes by the name Mojo Lens, includes a screen displaying some 70,000 pixels and

measuring less than half a millimeter in diameter.

The chip that accompanies it ensures the processing of the image. Like a traditional lens, this screen is placed in front of the pupil, and the light that passes through it makes it possible to clearly view the image sent back by the screen.

The lenses also feature a wireless charging system.

For the moment, the prototype, in development, has not yet been unveiled. Whether it becomes available for purchase in the future will depend on its approval by the relevant authorities. – ETX Studio

The Mojo Lens is presented as a lens capable of augmented reality images thanks to its integrated screen.

Rotating presence at school, work limits Covid spread: studyTHE best way to keep Covid cases out of businesses and schools while maintaining some in-person presence is to create two rotating groups, a French study showed Thursday.

Several research institutions including the CNRS and the University of Paris mapped real-world contact networks using data from a high school, a primary school and a business in France.

They then used the networks to simulate the spread of coronavirus from a single case, testing what method of partial teleworking would most efficiently mitigate an outbreak.

They looked at scenarios in which an entire population would alternate its presence daily or weekly, as well as scenarios in which populations would be divided into two groups rotating daily or weekly.

For all three settings, two groups rotating weekly work best to slow transmission of an infection, the study published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology concluded.

The second most effective method is to have two groups rotate daily, it found.

Alternating the presence of a whole population of students or workers on a weekly or daily basis, however, was found to be least effective for social cohesion.

Researchers used information on real-world interactions between individuals and simulated the spread of coronavirus using known information about the virus’s behaviour.

They accounted for the fact that Covid can be contagious before symptoms appear and included random “super-spreader” events in their models.

In a baseline scenario – a primary

In a baseline scenario - a primary school with normal attendance - there was a 27% chance that a positive case will lead to an outbreak, which is defined as one person infecting at least five others.

school with normal attendance – there was a 27% chance that a positive case will lead to an outbreak, which is defined as one person infecting at least five others.

But that likelihood falls to just 12% if the population is divided into groups that rotate weekly. The risk is only slightly higher for groups that rotate daily, 12.3 per cent.

The weekly rotation model is also the most efficient at delaying an outbreak and at limiting the overall number of infections.

But these strategies only work if the amount of virus circulating in the local population remains limited.

If the average number of persons infected by a single case is more than

1.7, “then none of these strategies, except for the full-time telecommuting, suffices to prevent the onset of an outbreak”, the study says.

But if the virus is spreading at a rate of 1.4 new cases for each infected person, “all four of these strategies are satisfactory and manage to curb the epidemic”, the study shows.

An in-person return to school is planned for all students in France next week.

A system of weekly rotating groups applied to some middle- and high-schools across the country could return if cases start to rise again, officials have said. – ETX Studio

8FEATUREtheSun LYFE ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

The key to success is to first start somewhere.

POSTGRADPOSTGRAD

Speak to theSun’s Sales team now for special deals ondigital, video and print advertising.

PUBLICATION DATE 28 SEPTEMBER, 2021 (Tuesday)

BOOKING & STORY DEADLINE 14 SEPTEMBER, 2021 (Tuesday)

MATERIAL DEADLINE 24 SEPTEMBER, 2021 (Friday)

Craving for change

ENTREPRENEURS, big or small, are tasting the flavour of hard times, especially during the last six months.

The experience, however, has also worked up an appetite for change.

For instance, many have pivoted into a new business territory. One highly popular area is the food and beverage industry.

In fact, the sector has gone on to experience a sudden boom despite the challenging times.

While cafes and restaurants are still operating on a conditional basis, many local entrepreneurs have discovered newfound ways to survive and thrive in this line of work.

0 Vincent Paul Yong, co-founder of

Hakkaseng As a photographer, it was not a tough decision to pivot from the creative industry. However, it

Clockwise from right: The food and beverage industry is one popular destination that many has ventured into due to the pandemic. – PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY

oFormer creatives share their recent endeavours into the food and beverage line of business

█ BY JOHN TAN

Chung Liang lost his previous business to the pandemic. – PHOTO COURTESY OF CHUNG LIANG

Chuan Looi worked as a fashion photographer prior to the pandemic. – PHOTO COURTESY OF CHUAN LOOI

Melvin Lim was working as an event coordinator before the pandemic. – PHOTO COURTESY OF MELVIN LIM

was tough to begin something new in such a short time. But I am glad my current food business, Hakkaseng which specialises in Chinese dishes has blossomed into something beyond my imagination. I am only thankful that I am able to pursue cooking, another passion of mine and recreate the dishes I grew up eating.

0 Chung Liang, co-founder of

RedRedBotakHead Pivot and courage have been our keywords in this pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, I was a singer, emcee and a radio DJ for Capital FM before I went to culinary school. I then opened my restaurant in 2015 upon graduation before closing it last year due to the MCO.

I then had plans to open my new cafe, RedRedBotakHead in Sentul Depot. But due to the current circumstances, we had to work on something else to keep the brand visible. So, my friend and I decided to make food-centric music videos with original music on social media.

0 Melvin Lim, marketing executive at Three Stooges

To jump into a new industry and leave what I was confident doing was initially tough. As someone who was in the event management line, there was so much for me to learn about the planning and ideation that is required in serving food and drinks at a bar. But in time, practice does make it more bearable and interesting. My greatest support system has been my family and mentors at work.

Discovering new and alternative routes is crucial to cope and survive in a difficult time like this. Advancing the food and beverage sector, which is among the most important sectors, is one excellent way of surviving and reducing the negative impact of the pandemic on the nation’s economy.

Although the future is still very much uncertain and challenging, it is always encouraging to see inspiring individuals take control and craft their own paths.

9* SPEAK UP

theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

system suffered a disastrous brain drain.

Policy independence crucial Although they have not yet graduated, several LDCs have successfully begun diversifying their

economies. Their policy initiatives offer important lessons for others.

Neither Bangladesh nor Ethiopia would qualify as a “good governance” model by criteria once so beloved by the Bank and OECD. Instead, they have successfully intervened to address critical development bottlenecks.

Once considered a “basket case”, Bangladesh is now a lower MIC.

Diversifying deliberately, rather than pursuing Washington’s policies, it has become quite resilient, averaging 6% growth for over a decade, despite the 2008-09 global financial crisis and current pandemic.

Bangladesh saw the potential for exporting manpower to earn valuable foreign exchange and work experience. In 1976, it agreed to provide labour for Saudi Arabia’s oil-financed boom.

Similarly, as newly industrialised economies no longer qualified for privileged Multi-Fibre Arrangement market access, Dhaka worked with Seoul from 1978 to take over South Korean garment exports.

Bangladesh is also the only LDC to have taken advantage of the 1982 World Health Organisation’s essential drugs policy.

Its National Drug Policy blocks imports and sales of non-essential drugs. Thus, it’s now vibrant generic pharmaceutical industry has emerged.

Allow pragmatism During 2004-19, Ethiopia’s growth averaged over 9%. Poverty declined from 46% in 1995 to 24% in 2016 as industry’s share of output rose from 9.4% in 2010 to 24.8% in 2019.

Avoiding “Washington Consensus” policies, Ethiopian industrial policy drove structural change. Manufacturing grew by 10% yearly during 2005-10, and by 18% during 2015-17.

With improved governance, state-owned enterprises still dominate banks, utilities, airlines, chemical, sugar and other strategic industries.

Ethiopia opened banks to domestic investors, keeping foreign ones out. Meanwhile, privatisation has been limited and gradual.

Instead of full exchange rate liberalisation, it adopted a “managed float” system.

While market prices were liberalised, critical prices – e.g., for petroleum products and fertilisers – have remained regulated.

Neither Bangladesh nor Ethiopia have embraced central bank independence or formal “inflation targeting frameworks”, once demanded by the IMF and others, ostensibly for macroeconomic stability and growth.

Both countries retain reformed specialised development banks to direct credit to policy priorities, while Bangladesh’s central bank has “remained proactive in its mandated developmental role”.

Policy is destiny In development and structural transformation, “path dependency” implies policy is destiny.

LDCs’ current predicaments are largely due to policies from decades ago, pushed by international organisations and development partners.

Reform agendas now should avoid ambitious comprehensive efforts which will overwhelm LDCs with modest resources and capabilities. Also, there is no “magic bullet” or “one-size-fits-all” policy package for all LDCs.

Policies should be appropriate to country circumstances, considering their limited options and difficult trade-offs. They must be politically, economically and institutionally feasible, pragmatic, and target overcoming critical constraints.

OECD development partners must instead meet their commitments and support national development strategies. They must resist presuming to know what is best for LDCs, e.g., requiring them to ape Washington and OECD fads. – IPS

Allow least developed countries to developTHE pandemic is pushing back the

world’s poorest countries with the least means to finance economic recovery and contagion containment efforts.

Without international solidarity, economic gaps will grow again as Covid-19 threatens humanity for years to come.

Least developed While bringing some concessions, the ‘least developed countries’ (LDCs) designation – introduced five decades ago – has not generated changes needed to accelerate sustainable development for all.

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly created the LDCs category for its Second Development Decade (1971-80).

Its resolution sought support for its 25 poorest member states, with Sikkim out after India’s 1975 annexation.

With many others joining, the LDCs list rose to 49 in 2001.

Half a century later, with only seven having “graduated” – after meeting income, “human assets” and economic and environmental vulnerability criteria – the 44 remaining LDCs have 14% of the world’s people.

With more than two-thirds in Sub-Saharan Africa, LDCs have over half the world’s extreme poor, surviving on under US$1.9 daily. LDCs are 27% more vulnerable than other developing countries, where 12% are extreme poor.

LDC criteria differ from World Bank low-income country benchmarks for concessional loan eligibility.

Some LDCs – especially the resource-rich – are middle-income countries (MICs) disqualified from graduation by other criteria.

Most LDCs have become greatly aid reliant. Despite grandiloquent pronouncements, only 6 of 29 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) “development partners” have kept promises to give at least 0.15% of their national incomes as aid to LDCs. Chasing mirages? The UN has organised conferences every decade since to review progress and action programmes for LDC governments and development partners. The first – in Paris – was in 1981, while the fifth will be in Doha in

January 2022. The 2011 Istanbul conference ambitiously

sought to graduate at least half the LDCs by 2020. But only three – Samoa (2014), Equatorial Guinea (2017) and Vanuatu (2020) – have done so. Worse, most ex-LDCs have had difficulties sustaining development after graduating.

During the 1980s and 1990s, many developing countries implemented macroeconomic stabilisation and structural adjustment policies from the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.

These imposed liberalisation, privatisation and austerity across the board, including many LDCs. Unsurprisingly, “lost decades” followed for most of Africa and Latin America.

Midas curse Botswana, the first graduate in 1994, is now an upper MIC. Its diamond boom enabled 13.5% average annual growth during 1968-90. Unsurprisingly, Botswana’s “good governance”, institutions and “prudent” macroeconomic policies were hailed as parts of this “African success story”.

However, the accolades do not sit well. Mineral-rich Botswana remains vulnerable. Right after graduation, average growth fell sharply to 4.7% during 1995-2005, and has never exceeded 4.5% since 2008.

Manufacturing’s share of GDP fell to 5.2% in 2019, after rising from 5.6% in 2000 to 6.4% in 2010. Nearly 60% of its people have less than the Bank’s MIC poverty line of US$5.50 daily.

Botswana remains highly unequal. During 1986-2002, life expectancy fell 11 years, mainly due to HIV/AIDS. When the government embraced austerity, its already weak health

“Reform agendas now should avoid ambitious comprehensive efforts which will overwhelm LDCs with modest resources and capabilities. Also, there is no “magic bullet” or “one-size-fits-all” policy package for all LDCs.

10 useful tools to support online remote learningTHE year 2020 has been a challenging year owing to the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.

Everything has changed, including the way higher education institutions (HEIs) manage their teaching and learning (T&L) activities.

In Malaysia, since March 18, 2020, when the government announced the movement control order, up to the current National Recovery Plan (NRP), HEIs were operating their T&L activities in hybrid mode, with priority to conduct the classes online.

During the beginning months of the pandemic, educators had to scramble and find the best ways to set up a virtual classroom that would keep their learners engaged.

Eventually, educators learnt how to become tech-savvy and able to make use of some emerging technology-based teaching tools to support their online classes.

Most of these tools are available for free with options to subscribe to their advanced features.

These tools can be easily categorised based on their functions, namely online lectures, interactive presentation, online assessment, instructional videos and audio feedback.

Let’s look at these common tools one by one.

Online lectures: 1. Google Meet is one new feature replacing the older Google Hangouts that supports real-time meetings within the web browser. It allows screen sharing of video, desktop, and presentations with learners. 2. Zoom is a secured, reliable video platform that powers all of the communication needs, including online meeting with the learners. Interactive presentation: 3. Mentimeter is a useful tool to create interactive presentations and meetings. Educators are also able to use live polls, quizzes, word clouds, question and answers, and more to get real-time input regardless if they are remote, hybrid or face to face. 4. Visme is an online design tool that educators could make use of to create presentations, infographics, concept maps, schedules, reports and more. Online assessment: 5. Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to learners. Educators could make use of Kahoot! for learners to play engaging quiz-based games. 6. Quizlet is a web-based application developed to help students study information through interactive tools and games. Quizlet helps learners practise and master what they’re learning.

Instructional videos: 7. Screencast-O-Matic is a screen recorder that allows educators to record, trim, edit, save and share screencasts. Learners can submit their video assignments to their instructors as well. 8. Screencastify is an extension embedded in the Google Chrome browser that makes it easy to record, edit, and share videos on the computer screen. Audio feedback: 9. Kaizena is a free online tool that fosters social learning through feedback. The tool allows educators to provide multiple forms of feedback, including text comments, voice recording, attaching files and rating learners’ skills. 10. SpeakPipe allows both the educators and learners to send their voice messages (voicemail) right from a browser without any phone.

The above are some commonly available tools. Feel free to try them, and you will love them for sure.

Aw Yoke Cheng is a senior panel with a

few local and international higher education quality assurance and

accreditation bodies. He is currently the Registrar of Berjaya University College.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Forging ahead through unity and patriotismTHE spirit of unity and patriotism shown by Malaysians during our Merdeka Day celebrations this year must be commended. This is the second straight year that we are celebrating Merdeka Day under a new normal.

However, I must say that our spirits were not hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic and rightfully so as Malaysians took to social media to express their well wishes and celebrate virtually.

What moved me particularly was that Malaysians from all walks of life were proud to express not only their patriotism, but true love for our beloved nation.

There is no value one can place on patriotism. It is not measured by the size of the Jalur Gemilang flown or by how loud one chants the word Merdeka. It comes from the heart. It has always been from the heart. So, please do not let the Merdeka spirit taper off.

Keep flying the Jalur Gemilang majestically. It

doesn’t matter if it’s on top of your car or on a pole in your garden or even if it’s in the front of your business premises.

Allow the Jalur Gemilang and all its glory serve as a source of strength. Let it give our frontliners the hope to battle on one more day. Let it be a guide for us to nurture hope to overcome this pandemic together.

The Covid-19 pandemic while tragic brought out the best in Malaysians. We showed each other that we are family. We took care of each other. The Malaysian brotherhood was strengthened and reinforced.

So I humbly ask everyone to please carry on this renewed and strengthened bond of unity. We are all children of Malaysia. It is high time for us to unite in our battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, not as selfish individuals, but as a family.

Yeap Ming Liong

Subang Jaya

VOICES OF REASON by Aw Yoke Cheng LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

COMMENT by Anis Chowdhury and Jomo Kwame Sundaram

SunBIZSTI

3,087.84

32.79

HANG SENG 25,999.90

120.91

SCI 3,567.10

23.16

NIKKEI 28,451.02

KOSPI 3,207.02

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Editorial Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5

Email: sunbiz@thesundaily.com Advertising Tel: 03-7784 8888

Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: advertise@thesundaily.com

5 MOST ACTIVESSEPTEMBER 1, 2021

STOCK VOL CLSG (sen) +/– (sen) KNM 322,413,200 28.0 +2.5 BORNOIL 319,927,800 3.5 +0.5 BINTAI 179,374,000 56.5 +8.5 AVI 165,474,900 12.5 -2.0 KANGER 139,166,100 6.0 +1.5

EXCHANGE RATES SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

Foreign currency Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy TT/OD TT OD 1 US DOLLAR 4.2130 4.0880 4.0780 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 3.1000 2.9770 2.9610 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 3.1320 3.0410 3.0330 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.3340 3.2450 3.2330 1 EURO 4.9810 4.8200 4.8000 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.9830 2.8720 2.8560 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 3.1320 3.0410 3.0330 1 STERLING POUND 5.7990 5.6180 5.5980 1 SWISS FRANC 4.5850 4.4800 4.4650 100 UAE DIRHAM 116.0400 110.0400 109.8400 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 5.0370 4.7130 4.5130 100 CHINESE RENMINBI 65.2000 62.6000 N/A 100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 54.7500 52.0300 51.8300 100 INDIAN RUPEE 5.8700 5.5100 5.3100 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0305 0.0277 0.0227 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.8300 3.7100 3.7000 100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR 16.3000 N/A N/A 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 2.5800 2.4000 2.2000 100 PHILIPPINE PESO 8.6100 8.1100 7.9100 100 QATAR RIYAL 115.4200 109.5700 109.3700 100 SAUDI RIYAL 113.5800 107.8200 107.6200 100 THAI BAHT 13.6600 12.1200 11.7200

Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama

KL MARKET SUMMARYSEPTEMBER 1, 2021

INDICES CHANGE FBMEMAS 11,561.30 -66.50 FBMKLCI 1,586.89 -14.49 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 614.39 +4.54 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 199.57 +1.23 CONSTRUCTION 168.23 +0.69 FINANCIAL SERVICES 15,396.50 -160.00 ENERGY 766.98 +2.84 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 705.53 +5.92 HEALTH CARE 2,831.20 +25.82 TRANSPORTATION 876.83 -9.95 PROPERTY 721.75 +1.65 PLANTATION 6,757.59 +6.34 FBMSHA 12,699.00 -51.30 FBMACE 7,216.02 -28.80 TECHNOLOGY 89.68 -0.36 TURNOVER VALUE 4.910 BIL RM3.390 BIL

5 TOP GAINERSSEPTEMBER 1, 2021

STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM MPI 611,700 45.00 0.98 KOTRA 1,525,600 3.18 0.73 GESHEN 10,210,500 2.18 0.50 KHIND 4,736,400 4.46 0.50 NESTLE 84,300 135.10 0.40

5 TOP LOSERSSEPTEMBER 1, 2021

STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM GENETEC 581,300 30.42 0.68 HARTA 7,112,600 7.12 0.26 HLBANK 2,116,900 18.92 0.26 PETGAS 1,045,200 16.54 0.26 F&N 100,100 27.66 0.22

361.48 7.75

KLCI 1,586.89

14.49

TSEC 17,473.99

16.30

S&P/ASX200 7,527.10

7.80

Manufacturing downturn moderates in AugustPETALING JAYA: Malaysian manufacturers see the downturn moderating despite a further lack of momentum, as the IHS Markit Malaysia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) improved to 43.4 in August from 40.1 in the preceding month.

Nonetheless the reading remains below the 50 points threshold which marks an overall expansion.

IHS Markit reported that businesses had sustained reductions in both production levels and new orders as the latest rise in Covid-19 cases hampered output and sales across the sector, though both declined at the softest rates for three months. Moreover, the lack of demand pushed manufacturers to scale down workforces in August.

Nonetheless it cited that businesses were increasingly optimistic regarding the year-ahead outlook, with hopes that the end of the pandemic would drive a broad recovery in supply chains and demand.

IHS Markit chief business economist Chris Williamson commented that the easing of Covid-19 lockdown measures helped take some of the pressures off Malaysian manufacturing in August. IHS Markit’s Covid-19 containment index showed the lowest levels of restrictions since April, facilitating a rise in the headline PMI to its highest since May.

“Conditions remain tough for producers, however, with order books continuing to decline, supply chain

delays widely reported and raw material prices rising sharply again. Encouragingly, business expectations for the coming year improved during the month, as more companies grew optimistic that the worst of the pandemic has passed,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Nevertheless, Williamson noted concerns of the Delta variant meant the outlook remains more uncertain than earlier in the year, keeping a lid on the overall degree of optimism.

“Concerns over the spread of the Delta variant nevertheless meant the outlook remains more uncertain than earlier in the year, keeping a lid on the overall degree of optimism.”

Kulim to have another crack at listing in 2-3 years

PETALING JAYA: Kulim (Malaysia) Bhd is set to return to Bursa Malaysia within two to three years in line with its plan to become a leading agribusiness player, according to its managing director Mohd Faris Adli Shukery.

“With the timing and a favourable market, we should be able to list Kulim,” he said in a virtual press conference to unveil the group’s new logo yesterday.

In 2016, Kulim had opted for privatisation to grant it a greater flexibility and autonomy to embark on its business transformation after being listed on the local bourse in 1975.

Faris, who had taken the helm of the group in October last year, outlined that the listing plan is part of its five years transformation plan to become a leading agribusiness player in conjunction with its 88th anniversary.

“My goal is for Kulim to strengthen its position as a leading agribusiness player and establish not only a sustainable legacy but also a profitable organisation built on the right beliefs and foundation for the next generation.”

Upon assuming the role, he said one of his first tasks after joining Kulim in October last year was to streamline its strategic direction, which includes the divestment of non-core businesses and assets, striking-off dormant companies, as well as the enhancement of organisation structure.

Currently, its divestment plan is slated to be completed by next year.

With weak market sentiment due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic fallout, he acknowledged the group has taken this into account.

Kulim is also eyeing other growth areas in the agriculture sector including integrated farming and livestock management that will diversify its business revenue. - KULIM WEBSITE

oMove part of group’s five-year transformation plan to become a leading agribusiness player

█ BY AMIR IMRAN HUSAIN SAFRI sunbiz@thesundaily.com

“Hopefully, based on the negotiations we’re hoping to strike up the right deal with the disposals.”

Apart from the divestment and its listing plans, the group’s transformation plans entails the initiative to expand its productions and revenue streams not only through organic growth and acquisition but also collaborations and partnerships with third parties.

He elaborated that it aims to explore a move to the downstream segment with established players in a bid to capture the margin of the entire value chain.

Kulim is also eyeing other growth areas in the agriculture sector including integrated farming and livestock management that will diversify its business revenue and contribute to the country’s food security agenda.

As for the crude palm oil (CPO), the managing director stated that it has been

able to secure an average price of above RM3,500 per metric tonne (pmt) for the year.

He conceded that the group’s production does not come close when compared to the big boys in the sector, but it does have sizable offtake.

“On average, our prices are well secured while our production for this year has seen some shortage of above 10% compared to last year’s production.”

When asked about the group’s CPO price expectations for the coming year, Farid highlighted that analysts has estimated a price range of about RM2,800 and RM3,000 pmt in 2022 and it expects the price to be within that range.

In 2020, Kulim revealed its revenue grew 17% to RM1.41 billion from RM1.21 billion in 2019 driven by the company’s resilient manpower, aided by the digitalisation programme under the transformation plan.

Participation

44.4

31.0

24.6

100.0

Institutions

Retail

Foreign

Bought

RM m

1446.7

1052.6

891.5

3390.8

Sold

RM m

1568.1

1047.9

774.8

3390.8

Net

RM m

-121.4

4.7

116.7

0.0

%

Preliminary stats (excluding trade amendments). For final data, please refer to www.bursamalaysia.com Source: Bursa Malaysia

A Participating Organisation of Bursa Malaysia Securities BerhadA Trading Participant of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Berhad

S E C U R I T I E S S D N. B H D.(12738-U)197201001092

1/09/2021

11 SUNBIZ

theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 B

RIE

FS SOLARVEST TO BUILD

SOLAR FARM IN PERLIS PETALING JAYA: Clean energy specialist Solarvest Holdings Bhd yesterday secured a large-scale solar (LSS) project worth RM175 million under the LSS@Mentari programme. The contract awarded by Classic Solar Farm Sdn Bhd is for the development of a 50-megawatt LSS plant in Chuping, Perlis, which is expected to be the largest solar power plant in the state. With this contract, Solarvest’s EPCC orders secured from the LSS@Mentari programme have grown to RM371 million and its unbilled order book has increased to RM583 million. SCIB BAGS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT CONTRACT PETALING JAYA: Sarawak Consolidated Industries Bhd (SCIB) yesterday accepted an RM80 million contract from Kencana Healthcare Sdn Bhd to procure, supply, install, test and commission medical equipment for a specialist hospital. The proposed development will be on Majlis Agama Islam Johor’s waqf land in Johor Barur. The contract will be for a minimum of 10 years and can be extended for five years on mutual consent. PEKAT GROUP SECURES INDAH WATER SOLAR JOB PETALING JAYA: Solar photovoltaic (PV) and earthing and lightning protection specialist Pekat Group Bhd has secured a contract worth RM18.1 million to build a solar PV system for Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd’s (IWK) sewerage treatment plants in Malaysia. The contract was awarded to the company’s wholly owned subsidiary Pekat Solar Sdn Bhd (PSSB) by MFP Solar Sdn Bhd. MFP Solar is a 55:45 joint venture between Mega First C&I Solar Sdn Bhd, a unit of Mega First Corp Bhd, and Pekat Teknologi Sdn Bhd, which is wholly owned by Pekat. The solar power system will cover 16 IWK sewerage treatment plants in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Penang. PRESTAR EXTENDS TIE-UP WITH MURATA PETALING JAYA: Steel products and equipment maker Prestar Resources Bhd is extending its collaboration with Japan’s Murata Machinery Ltd for the supply of Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) Racking System. Prestar’s wholly owned subsidiary Prestar Storage System Sdn Bhd recently entered into a supplemental manufacturing partnership agreement with Murata’s logistic and automation division to include an additional nine subsidiaries of Murata from various regions and countries. Prestar Storage will now be covering 10 regions, including the main partnership located in Japan. MAA’S LOGISTICS UNIT PARTNERS IKOBANA PETALING JAYA: MAA Group Bhd’s logistics and warehousing subsidiary iSend Logistics Malaysia is expanding its last-mile delivery services through a partnership with Ikobana Sdn Bhd, a home-grown courier and freight-forwarding services provider with 70 outlets in Peninsular Malaysia. Customers using Ikobana’s iShop to drop and send off goods can now select iSend as their last-mile delivery provider and enjoy special rates. iSend is a full-suite, land-based logistics provider and warehousing company which has its main warehousing operations in the Klang Valley, Penang, Johor and, soon, in Kuantan and Malacca.

‘Business activity to remain sluggish in second-half 2021’oFMM-MIER Business Conditions Survey indicates challenging climate will persist, lacklustre oulook for manufacturing sector

PETALING JAYA: Difficult conditions brought on by uncertainties related to Covid-19 are expected to persist into the second half of 2021 (H2’21), according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers-Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (FMM-MIER), Business Conditions Survey for the first half of 2021 (H1’21).

It found that production costs are expected to climb, while all the other indicators have posted readings below the demarcation level of optimism, indicating a lacklustre outlook for the manufacturing sector in the coming months.

On the whole, the survey found

business activity for H2’21 is expected to remain as slow as it was in H1’21.

“The index for expected business activity fell to 60 from 87 points previously, with 55% of the respondents anticipating their business to be equally slow for the rest of the year. Only 15% are positive that their business will pick up soon.”

Meanwhile, it found that the expected indexes for both local and export sales declined to 51 and 68 points, respectively, an implication that domestic and external demand will likely remain weak in the coming months as well.

This weak sales outlook is also expected to translate into

dampened production and capacity utilisation as expected indexes for the indicators fell from 62 to 60 points.

However, the expected index for cost production shot up to 166 points with 73% of the respondents projected a higher production cost for the second half of 2021.

“Employment is expected to remain flat in the coming months, as indicated by the index for expected employment which, at 87, had sunk below the optimism threshold this time,” said the survey.

It implied that manufacturing sector jobs will be scarcer in the coming months as a quarter of the respondents intend to reduce their workforce while 12% will increase their headcount and 63% opt to maintain their workforce.

In regard to the impact from pandemic-led restrictions and lockdown, 55% of those surveyed had orders cancelled due to their inability to deliver, while 40% had their H2’21 order contracts reviewed

and 38% had to incur storage and demurrage costs for their cargoes which were stuck at the port or airport.

“Penalties due to delays in order deliveries were imposed on 21% of the respondents and 16% had to pay shipping cancellation fees as their cargoes could not be moved to the port/airport for export.”

To cope with the challenging conditions, the respondents revealed that a corporate tax reduction tops their government assistance wishlist for the remainder of this year and the next. This is followed by electricity and natural gas discounts and extension of targeted wage subsidy to all workers in all sectors.

“Delay/reduction in regulatory cost, including new laws and regulations in the pipeline with cost impact ranked fourth on the list, while the fifth most popular suggestion was the lowering of statutory costs (licensing, quit rent, assessment etc).”

UEM Edgenta pivots towards healthcare-focused solutions

PETALING JAYA: UEM Edgenta Bhd, whose digital healthcare solutions segment contributed 64% to the group’s revenue in the first six months ended June 30, 2021 (H1’21), is embarking on transforming itself into a technology-enabled solutions company with a focus on healthcare by 2025.

UEM Edgenta managing director and CEO Syahrunizam Samsudin said of all its business segments, healthcare offers the highest growth. This is not just because of Covid-19, but in general health is going to be the main agenda for the world in the next 15 to 20 years as technology continues to drive innovation and healthcare, to drive different types of solutions to diseases, and to provide data for assets management.

Besides, he added, all companies will be digital companies in the future.

“From a CAGR perspective, in the Asia-Pacific region alone, healthcare technology (will maintain a trajectory of) double digit or up to 15% (growth) in this segment. This is a segment we must focus on because the shaping of our revenue line will take shape in concession and non-concession (businessnes). The idea is to have a good 50/50 mix. Hopefully, as we get into ‘Edgenta of the Future 2025’ (EoTF25) we will take more commercial than concession projects which give us better diversifications,”

he told reporters during the virtual briefing (pix) on UEM Edgenta’s H1’21 results yesterday.

UEM Edgenta, an asset management and infrastructure solutions company completed its H1’21 with a net profit of RM12.83 million, on the back of RM1.02 billion in revenue.

“We will continue to focus on our digital solutions rollout, especially in powering sustainability across our businesses, notwithstanding the challenging backdrop, movement controls and shortcomings of the pandemic. We are resolute in managing and expanding our respective operations across multiple industries, driven by our EoTF25 vision as we tap into new markets with innovative and technological solutions, spearheaded by Edgenta NXT, our first digital ecosystem

platform, as well as the expansion of our healthcare support services offerings which include QuickMed, the first cloud-based digital healthcare solution,” said Syahrunizam.

In H1’21, its healthcare support division reported a 14.1% year-on-year (y-o-y) revenue growth that was supported by the operationalisation of key contract wins from Singapore and Taiwan, as well as higher variation orders for its concession business in Malaysia.

It added that for the remainder of FY21, the asset management segment led by the healthcare support division will continue to deliver on existing contracts while diversifying its solutions beyond the traditional healthcare support services as it helps to drive the nation’s recovery efforts.

On the infrastructure services

division, chief strategy officer Rais Imran said the outstanding of the order book amounting to RM7.2 billion of its infrastructure services arm with PLUS Malaysia Bhd extends to 2028.

“We have other contracts in infrastructure services with JKR Selangor and JKR Sawarak while PLUS dominates the concession work,” he said.

Meanwhile, the company does not foresee any further impairment in its property and facility solutions division, especially in the second half of this year.

On the RM50 million impairment of completed property inventories in its property development division, CFO Hillary Chua said the impairment loss booked last year was related to unsold properties.

“It was booked as a prudent approach or market best practice which the management took because with the weak market condition we were assessing the potential net realisable value of the inventory we had on hand; so this is merely a book entry of the RM50 million we have recorded,” she said.

Meanwhile, the recently launched digital ecosystem Edgenta NXT is expected to be the driver for growth as the group ventures into the technology business, as part of its EoTF25 vision.

UEM Edgenta is set to resume its dividend payment in FY21 after it withheld dividends last year.

█ BY JUNE MOH sunbiz@thesundaily.com

Ta Win drives deeper into the electric vehicle revolutionPETALING JAYA: Ta Win Holdings Bhd, which will undertake a private placement exercise, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RR One Capital d.o.o. for a joint venture relating to the application of smart contracts on blockchain in the infrastructure development of electric vehicle charging stations and integrated charging ecosystem.

Within a month, Ta Win and RR One will negotiate to form a joint venture company whereby RR One

will make available to Ta Win its technical know-how.

“In addition to participating in the equity of the joint venture company, RR One will potentially be a strategic investor in Ta Win through the subscription of shares via the proposed private placement,” Ta Win said in a statement yesterday.

Ta Win has tabled a minimum scenario of issuing a total of 682.7 million shares which will raise RM109.2 million in proceeds, based

on an illustrated issue price of 16 sen per placement share. The group has also tabled a maximum scenario of issuing a total of 1.2 billion shares, which will raise RM187.8 million in proceeds, based on the illustrated issue price of 16 sen per placement share.

Based on the minimum scenario, 68.7% of the proceeds will be used for the expansion of its signal and power solutions business. A further 30.6% of the proceeds have been earmarked for

future investments or projects. Ta Win is setting up the first

privately owned electron beam irradiation plant in Malaysia with patented proprietary cross-linking and ionizing irradiation treatment using electron beam irradiation technology.

After its maiden foray into Aptiv PLC’s global automotive supply chain, Ta Win intends to accelerate into the EV industry by establishing three electron beam irradiation plants.

12 theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

SUNBIZ

HONG KONG: State-backed firms are set to take a sizeable stake in a key Ant Group asset for the first time, three people told Reuters, in a move that will loosen the Chinese fintech giant’s grip on a data treasure trove of over one billion users but help revive its IPO.

The partners plan to establish a personal credit-scoring firm, said the people, adding that such a firm and ownership structure was one aspect of restructuring ordered by regulators who put a stop to Ant’s initial public offering (IPO) in November with just two days before its stock market debut.

The IPO highlighted the outsized role of Ant and e-commerce affiliate Alibaba in China, triggering a regulatory clampdown on the business empire of billionaire founder Jack Ma. The result was a restructuring order for Ant, a record US$2.75 billion (RM11.4 billion) fine for Alibaba Group Holding Ltd for antitrust violation, and a near-three month disappearance of

Ma from public view. Under the plan, Ant and Zhejiang

Tourism Investment Group Co Ltd will each own 35% of the venture, while other state-backed partners include Hangzhou Finance and Investment Group and Zhejiang Electronic Port, said one of the people.

The only non-state investor will be Transfar Group, parent of logistics and financial services firm Transfar Zhilian Co Ltd, said the people with knowledge of the matter, who declined to be identified as the information was private.

Transfar’s stake will total 7%, said one of the people.

Reuters phone calls to Zhejiang Tourism seeking comment went unanswered. Ant and other shareholders did not respond to emailed requests for comment. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) – China’s central bank, which is overseeing Ant’s restructuring, did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment.

The plan, part of Ant’s business revamp, would represent one of the most prominent outcomes of a government push for state-backed firms to exert more control and influence over fast-growing but previously lightly regulated new-economy businesses.

It follows the PBOC in April ordering Ant to become a more strictly regulated financial holding firm, break its “monopoly on information and strictly comply with the requirements of credit information business regulation.”

In June, Ant won operational approval for a consumer finance venture whose minority shareholders include state-owned firms. The venture puts Ant’s lucrative micro-lending businesses under tighter regulatory purview.

The proposed joint venture would collect, manage and analyse consumer data to score people’s credit, thereby bringing Ant’s main business-data operations together and making regulatory oversight easier, said one of the people.

Under the framework being discussed for the new venture, shareholders will invest about 500 million yuan (US$77.4 million) in the entity as registered capital, said another person.

BOJ’s deputy governor warns against premature monetary tighteningTOKYO: The Bank of Japan (BOJ) must avoid reducing stimulus prematurely and instead stand ready to ramp up monetary support if the economy worsens, deputy governor Masazumi Wakatabe said, warning of heightening uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Wakatabe said he saw no need to ease policy immediately as robust exports and capital expenditure underpin Japan’s fragile economy by offsetting the weakness consumption.

But he added the timing of the recovery would be delayed, as a spike in Delta variant cases threatens his earlier forecast that steady vaccinations will prop up growth.

“If risks materialise and lead to a severe economic downturn, we would of course need to consider how to respond with monetary policy,“ Wakatabe told a briefing yesterday.

Japan’s economy emerged from last year’s pandemic-induced slump helped by robust global demand. But a resurgence in infections and supply chain disruptions have dashed hopes among policymakers for a strong rebound in July-September growth.

Wakatabe said the BOJ must avoid reducing stimulus even if rising raw material costs push up inflation or the US Federal Reserve shifts to a tightening cycle.

Unless accompanied by strong domestic

demand, cost-push inflation alone will not generate a sustained pick-up in prices toward the central bank’s 2% target, he said.

Wakatabe is among members of the BOJ’s board who place more emphasis on hitting the bank’s 2% inflation target, while others are more keen to address the side-effects of prolonged easing.

With Japan struggling to secure hospital beds and find ways to co-exist with the virus, pandemic-relief programmes remain the BOJ’s policy priority, Wakatabe said.

“It’s hard to set a date” on when the BOJ can shift its focus back to policies aimed at hitting 2% inflation, he said. – Reuters

BR

IEF

S UNIVERSAL STUDIOS MAKES CHINA DEBUT WITH SOFT OPENING OF BEIJING PARK BEIJING: Visitors got a sneak peek at Universal Studios’ first theme park in China yesterday as the Beijing attraction had a soft opening, drawing queues from dawn. The park hosts rides inspired by blockbuster film franchises including Harry Potter and Jurassic World and is part of a larger Universal-themed resort that includes two hotels and a shopping street. The park promises water shows and close encounters with an animatronic dinosaur, while facial recognition cameras allow visitors to open storage lockers, pay for meals and join express queues for rides without physical tickets. The Beijing attraction, the US media conglomerate’s fifth park globally, was first announced in 2014 after receiving approval from Chinese authorities. – AFP THAILAND BEGINS COLLECTING VAT FROM FOREIGN TECH FIRMS BANGKOK: Thailand yesterday started collecting value added tax (VAT) from foreign technology companies and expects to raise at least 5 billion baht (RM643 million) in additional revenue each year, a senior official said. Foreign platforms providing electronic services in Thailand will have to register for VAT payments, senior finance ministry official, Ekniti Nitithanpraphas, told reporters. So far 69 companies have registered from a target 100, according to Ekniti. The companies are divided into five categories including platforms getting income from e-commerce and advertising like Facebook and Google, intermediaries such as ride-hailing app Grab have and streaming services such as Netflix, he added. Companies with revenue of over 1.8 million baht will have pay VAT of 7%, which has to be paid every month, he said. Thailand collects about 800 billion baht annually from VAT. – Reuters UK BUSINESS GROWTH SPURTS DURING 3 MONTHS TO AUGUST LONDON: British businesses grew at the fastest rate since May 2014 during the three months to August as Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said yesterday. The CBI said its monthly growth indicators, based on business surveys it conducted between July 27 and Aug 17, rose to +34 from July’s +33, driven by stronger growth in consumer services and retail. But manufacturing activity slowed, and most businesses expect a slower pace of growth over the next three months, in part due to supply-chain difficulties and a lack of workers. – Reuters

Chinese state firms to take big stake in Ant’s credit-scoring JVoMove will loosen fintech giant’s grip on a data treasure trove of over one billion users but help revive its IPO

SINGAPORE: Singapore Exchange is in advanced stages on unveiling new guidelines that will make it easier for special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) to list in the city-state after receiving market feedback that some proposals were too strict, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters yesterday.

Singapore Exchange’s regulatory arm is considering easing a minimum S$300 million (RM927 million) market value proposal for SPACs and a proposal that warrants cannot be detached from underlying shares, said two of the sources who declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak about the matter.

The moves by SGX come as the bourse has struggled to capture large listings of high-growth companies and faces prospects of losing out in courting Southeast Asian startups looking to list in their home markets or in the United States.

“We are carefully reviewing the feedback and carrying out our engagements with respondents,

regulators and other stakeholders,“ a SGX spokesman said in an email to Reuters.

SGX said that given the high level of interest, it is looking to publish the results of its consultation “as soon as possible.”

SPACs are shell corporations that list on stock exchanges and then merge with an existing company to take that public, offering it shorter listing timeframes and strong valuations.

Finalised SPAC rules would make SGX the first major Asian bourse to roll out a framework for blank check companies.

In a consultation paper for SPAC listings issued in late March, SGX had outlined measures to rein in risks seen in US SPACs such as excessive dilution by shareholders and sponsors and a rush by these firms to merge with targets.

All the sources Reuters spoke to said that SGX was likely to introduce other measures to safeguard investor interests but would simplify proposed guidelines to still make it attractive for SPACs.

Singapore Exchange to roll out Singapore Exchange to roll out easier rules for SPAC listingseasier rules for SPAC listings

SGX’s regulatory arm is considering easing a minimum S$300 million market value proposal for SPACs and a proposal that warrants cannot be detached from underlying shares. –REUTERSPIX

13* SPORTS

theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR

(COMMERCIAL DIVISION)COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) PETITION

NO.: WA-28NCC-448-07/2021

In the matter of Section 465 (1) (e) read with Section 466 (1) of the Companies Act, 2016

And

In the matter of the Companies (Winding-Up) Rules 1972

And

In the matter of MERCHANT BUILDERS (M) SDN BHD (COMPANY NO. 200901004694 / 847629-A)

BETWEEN

LIFOMAX WOODBUILD SDN BHD(COMPANY NO.: 200101021926 / 557684-M)

…PETITIONERAND

MERCHANT BUILDERS (M) SDN BHD(COMPANY NO.: 200901004694 / 847629-A)

…RESPONDENT

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITIONNOTICE is hereby given that an Amended Petition for the Winding-Up of the abovenamed Company by the High Court was, on the 18.08.2021, presented by LIFOMAX WOODBUILD SDN BHD (COMPANY NO. 200101021926 / 557684-M) AND that the said Amended Petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Kuala Lumpur, (NCC 10) on 12.10.2021 at 9.00 o’clock in the morning and any Creditor or Contributory of the said Company desiring to support or oppose the making of an Order on the said Amended Petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his Counsel for that purpose and a copy of the Amended Petition will be furnished to any Creditor or Contributory of the said Company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Petitioner’s address is No. 21-2, Jalan Puteri 2/3, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong.

The Petitioner’s solicitor is by Messrs San & Co of B-17-2, Jalan C180/1, Dataran C180, 43200 Cheras, Selangor.

t.t-------------------

MESSRS SAN & CO

NOTE: Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said Amended Petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Messrs San & Co notice in writing of his intention to do so. The Notice must state the name and address of the person or, if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person or firm or his or their solicitors (if any) and must be served, or if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed not later than 12.00 o’clock noon of 11.10.2021 (the day before the day appointed for the hearing of the Amended Petition).

This ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION is filed by Messrs San & Co, Solicitors for the Petitioner whose address for service is at B-17-2, Jalan C180/1, Dataran C180, 43200 Cheras, Selangor. Tel: 03-9082 0217 / 011-1627 2121; Email: legal.sanco@gmail.comRef: SC/LIT/21.0124/SAN

TT VISION HOLDINGS BERHAD[Registration No. 201801011030 (1273046-H)]

(Incorporated in Malaysia)

Notice of Third Annual General MeetingNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Third Annual General Meeting of TT Vision Holdings Berhad will be conducted in Malaysia virtually via an online platform on https://www.microsoft.com/en-my/microsoft-teams/log-in on Thursday, 23rd September 2021, at 10:30 a.m. for the following purposes:

NOTES:

a) The Agenda No. 1 is meant for discussion only as the provision of Section 340(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2016 does not require a formal approval from shareholders for the Audited Financial Statements. Hence, Agenda No. 1 is not put forward for voting.

b) The Board of Directors (“Board”) is cognisant of the COVID-19 pandemic as declared by the World Health Organisation which, to-date, is still subsisting. The health and safety of the Company’s members, Directors, staff and other stakeholders is of paramount concern for the Company. In view of the foregoing, the Company wishes to advise the members/proxies/corporate representatives who wish to participate online the 3rd AGM ARE REQUIRED TO PRE-REGISTER with the Company via https://agm.ttvision-tech.com/ no later than Tuesday, 21 September 2021 at 10.30 a.m. Please refer to our Administrative Guide as set out in our Bursa Announcement and check for latest update on any changes of the status of our 3rd AGM.

c) A shareholder who is entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting shall be entitled to appoint up to two (2) proxies to atten d and vote at the Meeting in his stead. Where a shareholder appoints two (2) proxies, he shall specify the proportions of his shareholdings to be represented by each proxy.

d) In accordance with Clause 73 of the Company’s Constitutions to issue a General Meeting Record of Depository as at 14 September 2021, only members whose names appear in the General Meeting Record of Depository as at 14 September 2021 shall be regarded as members and entitled to attend, speak and vote at the Meeting.

e) A Proxy may but need not be a member of the Company. A proxy appointed to attend and vote at the Meeting shall have the same rights as the member to speak at the Meeting.

f) The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorized in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under the seal or by at least two (2) authorised officers, one of whom shall be director (or in the case of a sole director, by that director in the presence of a witness who attests the signature) or under the hand of an officer or attorney duly authorised.

g) Where a member of the Company is an authorized nominee as defined under the Securities Industries (Central Depositories) Act 1991, it may appoint at least one(1)proxy in respect of each securities account it holds with ordinary shares of the Company standing to the credit of the said securities account.

h) Where a member of the Company is an exempt authorized nominee which holds ordinary shares in the Company for multiple beneficial owners in one securities account (“omnibus account”), there is no limit to the number of proxies which the exempt authorized nominee may appoint in respect of each omnibus account it holds. The appointment of multiple proxies shall not be valid unless the proportion of its shareholdings represented by each proxy is specified.

i) To be valid, the instrument appointing a proxy must be deposited in the letter box of the Registered Address of the Company situated at 9-1, 9th Floor, Wisma Penang Garden, 42, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang not less than forty eight(48) hours before the time for holding the Meeting or adjourned meeting at which person named in the instrument purposes to vote.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Item 6 of the Agenda

The Resolution 6 proposed under item 6 of the Agenda is a renewal of the general mandate for the Directors to issue and allot shares in the Company pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016 and subject to Rule 5.04 of the LEAP Market Listing Requirements of Bursa Securities.

This general mandate will provide flexibility to the Company for allotment of shares for any possible fund raising activities, including but not limited to further placing of shares, for the purposes of funding future investment project(s), working capital and/or acquisition(s). This would avoid any delay and cost involved in convening a general meeting to approve such an issue of shares. This authority will, unless revoked or varied by the Company at a general meeting, expire at the conclusion of next AGM or the expiration of the period within which the next AGM is required by law to be held, whichever is the earlier.

AS ORDINARY BUSINESS

1. To receive the Audited Financial Statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2020 together with the Reports of the Directors’ and Auditors’ thereon.

2. To re-elect the following Directors who retire pursuant to Clause 110 of the Company’s Constitutions and who being eligible, offer themselves for re-election:

(a) Jennie Tan Yen-Li (b) Mohd Jerry Tan Bin Mohd Safi

3. To approve the payment of the Directors’ fees of RM48,000.00 for the financial year ended 31 December 2020

4. To approve the payment of the Directors’ fees of RM48,000.00 for the financial year ending 31 December 2021.

5. To re-appoint Messrs Baker Tilly Monteiro Heng PLT as Auditors of the Company until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting and to authorize the Directors to fix their remuneration.

AS SPECIAL BUSINESS

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass with or without any modifications, the following resolutions:

6. General Authority to Directors to issue shares pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016

“THAT pursuant to Section 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016, and subject to Rule 5.04 of the LEAP Market Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (“Bursa Securities’), and approvals of the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities, the Directors be and are hereby empowered to allot and issue shares in the Company from time to time at such price, upon such terms and conditions, for such purposes and to such person or persons whomsoever as the Directors may deem fit provided that the aggregate number of shares issued pursuant to this resolution must be not more than 100% of the total number of issued shares of which the aggregate number of shares issued other than on a prorata basis to existing shareholders must be not more than 50% of the total number of issued shares of the Company for the time being AND THAT the Directors be and are also empowered to obtain approval from Bursa Securities for the listing of and quotation for the additional shares so issued AND THAT such authority shall continue in force until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of the Company.”

7. To transact any other businesses for which due notice shall have been given.

By Order of the Board

LIM YONG CHIATMAICSA7060553SSM Practicing Certificate No: 201908000066Company Secretary

Pulau Pinang2 September 2021

Resolution 1Resolution 2

Resolution 3

Resolution 4

Resolution 5

Resolution 6

Please refer to Note(a)

DALAM PERKARA MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI MUAR

PENGGULUNGAN SYARIKAT NO. JB - 28NCC – 6 – 07 / 2021

DALAM PERKARA SEKSYEN 465 (1) (e) AKTA SYARIKAT, 2016

DAN

DALAM PERKARA BPT ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD. (NO. SYARIKAT 199601006695 [379041-K])

ANTARA

RHB BANK BERHAD (NO. SYARIKAT 196501000373 [6171-M])

… PEMPETISYEN

DAN

BPT ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD.(NO. SYARIKAT 199601006695 [379041-K])

… RESPONDEN

IKLAN PETISYEN

NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa suatu Petisyen untuk penggulungan Syarikat yang dinamakan di atas oleh Mahkamah Tinggi telah, pada 5 Julai 2021, dikemukakan oleh RHB BANK BERHAD.

DAN bahawa Petisyen tersebut diarahkan supaya dibicarakan di hadapan Mahkamah yang bersidang di Muar pada pukul 12.30 tengahari pada 5 Oktober 2021.

DAN mana-mana pihak Pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang ingin menyokong atau menentang sesuatu Perintah mengikut Petisyen tersebut boleh hadir dengan tujuan itu secara peribadi atau melalui peguambelanya pada masa perbicaraan. Salinan Petisyen tersebut akan dibekalkan oleh pihak yang bertandatangan di bawah kepada mana-mana pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang memintanya dengan membuat bayaran yang ditetapkan.

Alamat berdaftar Pempetisyen adalah di Level 10, Tower One, RHB Centre, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur.

Peguamcara Pempetisyen ialah Tetuan Taye & Co. yang beralamat di No. 23F, Taman Harta Pertama, Bukit Baru, 75150 Melaka.

..............t.t............... TETUAN TAYE & COMPANY

Peguamcara bagi Pempetisyen

PERINGATAN :

Sesiapa yang ingin hadir pada perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut hendaklah menyampaikan atau menghantar dengan pos kepada Peguamcara Pempetisyen tersebut di atas suatu notis bertulis tentang niatnya sebegitu. Notis tersebut mestilah menyatakan nama dan alamat pihak berkenaan, atau jika ia sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma, dan mestilah ditandatangani oleh pihak atau firma berkenaan atau peguamcaranya, jika ada. Notis hendaklah disampaikan, atau jika dihantar dengan pos, hendaklah dihantar dalam jangkamasa mencukupi, supaya sampai kepada pihak yang dinamakan di atas sebelum pukul 12.00 tengahari pada 4 Oktober 2021.(Ruj : ALT/NZ/168/2020(1))

322 Notices 322 Notices

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR

COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO: WA-28NCC-526-08/2021

In the Matter of Section 465(1)(e) read with Section 466(2) of the Companies Act, 2016

And

In the Matter of DAPOQ CHE JUN SDN BHD(Company No. 1215791-P)

Between

KERETAPI TANAH MELAYU BERHAD(Company No. 225943-T)

…PetitionerAnd

DAPOQ CHE JUN SDN BHD(Company No. 1215791-P)

…Respondent

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION

NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for the winding-up of the abovenamed company by the High court was on 05.08.2021 presented by the said company and that the said petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Kuala Lumpur at 9.00 o’clock in the morning, on the 10.11.2021 and any creditor or contributor of the said company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose, and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Petitioner’s address is at Level 2, Legal & Secretarial Services Unit, Corporate Headquarters, Jalan Sultan Hishamudin, 50621 Kuala Lumpur.

The Petitioner’s solicitors is Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors of Suite 8-12A-6, Level 12A, Menara Olympia, No.8, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur.

Sgd……………………………Solicitors for the Petitioners

Messrs Chua & Partners

NOTE:-Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Messrs Chua & Partners, notice in writing of his intention so to do. This notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, or his or their solicitor (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed not later than 12:00 o’clock noon of the 09.11.2021.

This Advertisement of Petition is prepared by Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors Suite 8-12A-6, Level 12A, Menara Olympia, No.8, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur solicitors for the Petitioners.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR

(COMMERCIAL DIVISION)PETITION NO.

WA-26NCC-11-03/2021

In the matter of Unico Technology Sdn Bhd (Registration No. 198901012434 [189742-K]);

And

In the matter of Section 116 of the Companies Act 2016.

Unico Technology Sdn Bhd (Registration No.: 198901012434 [189742-K])

…Petitioner

NOTICE OF CAPITAL REDUCTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Order of the High Court in Malaya at Kuala Lumpur dated 21st day of May 2021 confirming the reduction of the capital of Unico Technology Sdn Bhd (“Company”) from RM50,000,000 to RM10,000,000 and the Minutes approved by the Court showing the reduction of the share capital of the Company and the several particulars required by the Companies Act 2016 were registered by the Registrar of Companies on 27th August 2021.

Dated this 2nd day of September 2021.

sgd……..…………………

Messrs Kee Sern, Siu & Huey

Solicitors for the PetitionerNo. 468-11E(2), 2nd Floor, Block C, Rivercity, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (formerly Jalan Ipoh), 51200 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel No: 03-92122688Faks No: 03-40440448 Email: general@ksshlegal.com [Ref:CLTF/LKS/GL07/UTB/200234]

Requirements: · Minimum 1 year sales experience in newspaper and digital advertising

· Attractive commission package and incentive

· Able to start immediately· Central, Northern, Southern, East Coast and Sabah/Sarawak

Send in your application with your photo to theSun.hr1@gmail.com

MEDIA SALESREPRESENTATIVE / AGENT

(FREELANCE)

252 DistributorsAgents Wanted 302 Jobs

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT JOHOR BAHRU

IN THE STATE OF JOHOR DARUL TAKZIM, MALAYSIA

COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO.: JA – 28NCC – 85 – 08/2021

In the matter of Section 465(1)(e) & 466(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2016

AND

In the matter of Taipan Engineering & Trading Sdn. Bhd. (Company No: 863902-H)

BETWEEN

KOW HOCK BUILDING MATERIALS (BANGI) SDN. BHD.(COMPANY NO: 1139847-H)

… PETITIONER

And

TAIPAN ENGINEERING & TRADING SDN. BHD. (COMPANY NO: 863902-H)

… RESPONDENT

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION

NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for the winding-up of the above-named company by the High Court was, on the 2nd day of August 2021, presented by Kow Hock Building Materials (Bangi) Sdn. Bhd. (Company No: 1139847-H). And that the said petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Johor Bahru at 9:00 o’clock in the morning, on the 5th day of October 2021 (Tuesday); and any creditor or contributory of the said company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose; and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charges for the same.

The Petitioner’s address is Lot 7524-13, Jalan Besar Off Jalan Reko, Batu 18, Sungai Tangkas, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.

The Petitioner’s solicitor is Messrs Chye Kwee Yeow & Co., Advocates & Solicitors, of No. 9-02, Blok C, Kompleks Austin Perdana, Jalan Austin Perdana 2, Taman Austin Perdana, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor.

Dated 13th day of August 2021

Messrs Chye Kwee Yeow & Co Petitioner’s Solicitors

Note – Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the above-named Solicitors, Messrs Chye Kwee Yeow & Co, notice in writing of his intention so to do. The notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person or firm, or his or their solicitors (if any) and must be served, or if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the above-named not later than twelve o’clock noon of the 4th day of October 2021 (the day before the day appointed for the hearing of the petition).[AP.YCW.0478]

322 Notices

Advertise with us & connect to our urban readers.

KLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAHPERAK | PERLIS

PAHANG | KELANTAN

TERENGGANU

MS. ShobaTEL: 03-7784 8888 FAX: 03-7784 4424

MALACCAMR. Rajah

TEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051

JOHOR BAHRUMS. Anne Lim

TEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR

(COMMERCIAL DIVISION)COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) PETITION

NO.: WA-28NCC-448-07/2021

In the matter of Section 465 (1) (e) read with Section 466 (1) of the Companies Act, 2016

And

In the matter of the Companies (Winding-Up) Rules 1972

And

In the matter of MERCHANT BUILDERS (M) SDN BHD (COMPANY NO. 200901004694 / 847629-A)

BETWEEN

LIFOMAX WOODBUILD SDN BHD(COMPANY NO.: 200101021926 / 557684-M)

…PETITIONERAND

MERCHANT BUILDERS (M) SDN BHD(COMPANY NO.: 200901004694 / 847629-A)

…RESPONDENT

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITIONNOTICE is hereby given that an Amended Petition for the Winding-Up of the abovenamed Company by the High Court was, on the 18.08.2021, presented by LIFOMAX WOODBUILD SDN BHD (COMPANY NO. 200101021926 / 557684-M) AND that the said Amended Petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Kuala Lumpur, (NCC 10) on 12.10.2021 at 9.00 o’clock in the morning and any Creditor or Contributory of the said Company desiring to support or oppose the making of an Order on the said Amended Petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his Counsel for that purpose and a copy of the Amended Petition will be furnished to any Creditor or Contributory of the said Company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Petitioner’s address is No. 21-2, Jalan Puteri 2/3, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong.

The Petitioner’s solicitor is by Messrs San & Co of B-17-2, Jalan C180/1, Dataran C180, 43200 Cheras, Selangor.

t.t-------------------

MESSRS SAN & CO

NOTE: Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said Amended Petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Messrs San & Co notice in writing of his intention to do so. The Notice must state the name and address of the person or, if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person or firm or his or their solicitors (if any) and must be served, or if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed not later than 12.00 o’clock noon of 11.10.2021 (the day before the day appointed for the hearing of the Amended Petition).

This ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION is filed by Messrs San & Co, Solicitors for the Petitioner whose address for service is at B-17-2, Jalan C180/1, Dataran C180, 43200 Cheras, Selangor. Tel: 03-9082 0217 / 011-1627 2121; Email: legal.sanco@gmail.comRef: SC/LIT/21.0124/SAN

TT VISION HOLDINGS BERHAD[Registration No. 201801011030 (1273046-H)]

(Incorporated in Malaysia)

Notice of Third Annual General MeetingNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Third Annual General Meeting of TT Vision Holdings Berhad will be conducted in Malaysia virtually via an online platform on https://www.microsoft.com/en-my/microsoft-teams/log-in on Thursday, 23rd September 2021, at 10:30 a.m. for the following purposes:

NOTES:

a) The Agenda No. 1 is meant for discussion only as the provision of Section 340(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2016 does not require a formal approval from shareholders for the Audited Financial Statements. Hence, Agenda No. 1 is not put forward for voting.

b) The Board of Directors (“Board”) is cognisant of the COVID-19 pandemic as declared by the World Health Organisation which, to-date, is still subsisting. The health and safety of the Company’s members, Directors, staff and other stakeholders is of paramount concern for the Company. In view of the foregoing, the Company wishes to advise the members/proxies/corporate representatives who wish to participate online the 3rd AGM ARE REQUIRED TO PRE-REGISTER with the Company via https://agm.ttvision-tech.com/ no later than Tuesday, 21 September 2021 at 10.30 a.m. Please refer to our Administrative Guide as set out in our Bursa Announcement and check for latest update on any changes of the status of our 3rd AGM.

c) A shareholder who is entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting shall be entitled to appoint up to two (2) proxies to atten d and vote at the Meeting in his stead. Where a shareholder appoints two (2) proxies, he shall specify the proportions of his shareholdings to be represented by each proxy.

d) In accordance with Clause 73 of the Company’s Constitutions to issue a General Meeting Record of Depository as at 14 September 2021, only members whose names appear in the General Meeting Record of Depository as at 14 September 2021 shall be regarded as members and entitled to attend, speak and vote at the Meeting.

e) A Proxy may but need not be a member of the Company. A proxy appointed to attend and vote at the Meeting shall have the same rights as the member to speak at the Meeting.

f) The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointor or of his attorney duly authorized in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under the seal or by at least two (2) authorised officers, one of whom shall be director (or in the case of a sole director, by that director in the presence of a witness who attests the signature) or under the hand of an officer or attorney duly authorised.

g) Where a member of the Company is an authorized nominee as defined under the Securities Industries (Central Depositories) Act 1991, it may appoint at least one(1)proxy in respect of each securities account it holds with ordinary shares of the Company standing to the credit of the said securities account.

h) Where a member of the Company is an exempt authorized nominee which holds ordinary shares in the Company for multiple beneficial owners in one securities account (“omnibus account”), there is no limit to the number of proxies which the exempt authorized nominee may appoint in respect of each omnibus account it holds. The appointment of multiple proxies shall not be valid unless the proportion of its shareholdings represented by each proxy is specified.

i) To be valid, the instrument appointing a proxy must be deposited in the letter box of the Registered Address of the Company situated at 9-1, 9th Floor, Wisma Penang Garden, 42, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang not less than forty eight(48) hours before the time for holding the Meeting or adjourned meeting at which person named in the instrument purposes to vote.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Item 6 of the Agenda

The Resolution 6 proposed under item 6 of the Agenda is a renewal of the general mandate for the Directors to issue and allot shares in the Company pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016 and subject to Rule 5.04 of the LEAP Market Listing Requirements of Bursa Securities.

This general mandate will provide flexibility to the Company for allotment of shares for any possible fund raising activities, including but not limited to further placing of shares, for the purposes of funding future investment project(s), working capital and/or acquisition(s). This would avoid any delay and cost involved in convening a general meeting to approve such an issue of shares. This authority will, unless revoked or varied by the Company at a general meeting, expire at the conclusion of next AGM or the expiration of the period within which the next AGM is required by law to be held, whichever is the earlier.

AS ORDINARY BUSINESS

1. To receive the Audited Financial Statements for the financial year ended 31 December 2020 together with the Reports of the Directors’ and Auditors’ thereon.

2. To re-elect the following Directors who retire pursuant to Clause 110 of the Company’s Constitutions and who being eligible, offer themselves for re-election:

(a) Jennie Tan Yen-Li (b) Mohd Jerry Tan Bin Mohd Safi

3. To approve the payment of the Directors’ fees of RM48,000.00 for the financial year ended 31 December 2020

4. To approve the payment of the Directors’ fees of RM48,000.00 for the financial year ending 31 December 2021.

5. To re-appoint Messrs Baker Tilly Monteiro Heng PLT as Auditors of the Company until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting and to authorize the Directors to fix their remuneration.

AS SPECIAL BUSINESS

To consider and, if thought fit, to pass with or without any modifications, the following resolutions:

6. General Authority to Directors to issue shares pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016

“THAT pursuant to Section 75 and 76 of the Companies Act 2016, and subject to Rule 5.04 of the LEAP Market Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (“Bursa Securities’), and approvals of the relevant governmental and/or regulatory authorities, the Directors be and are hereby empowered to allot and issue shares in the Company from time to time at such price, upon such terms and conditions, for such purposes and to such person or persons whomsoever as the Directors may deem fit provided that the aggregate number of shares issued pursuant to this resolution must be not more than 100% of the total number of issued shares of which the aggregate number of shares issued other than on a prorata basis to existing shareholders must be not more than 50% of the total number of issued shares of the Company for the time being AND THAT the Directors be and are also empowered to obtain approval from Bursa Securities for the listing of and quotation for the additional shares so issued AND THAT such authority shall continue in force until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of the Company.”

7. To transact any other businesses for which due notice shall have been given.

By Order of the Board

LIM YONG CHIATMAICSA7060553SSM Practicing Certificate No: 201908000066Company Secretary

Pulau Pinang2 September 2021

Resolution 1Resolution 2

Resolution 3

Resolution 4

Resolution 5

Resolution 6

Please refer to Note(a)

DALAM PERKARA MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI MUAR

PENGGULUNGAN SYARIKAT NO. JB - 28NCC – 6 – 07 / 2021

DALAM PERKARA SEKSYEN 465 (1) (e) AKTA SYARIKAT, 2016

DAN

DALAM PERKARA BPT ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD. (NO. SYARIKAT 199601006695 [379041-K])

ANTARA

RHB BANK BERHAD (NO. SYARIKAT 196501000373 [6171-M])

… PEMPETISYEN

DAN

BPT ENTERPRISE SDN. BHD.(NO. SYARIKAT 199601006695 [379041-K])

… RESPONDEN

IKLAN PETISYEN

NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa suatu Petisyen untuk penggulungan Syarikat yang dinamakan di atas oleh Mahkamah Tinggi telah, pada 5 Julai 2021, dikemukakan oleh RHB BANK BERHAD.

DAN bahawa Petisyen tersebut diarahkan supaya dibicarakan di hadapan Mahkamah yang bersidang di Muar pada pukul 12.30 tengahari pada 5 Oktober 2021.

DAN mana-mana pihak Pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang ingin menyokong atau menentang sesuatu Perintah mengikut Petisyen tersebut boleh hadir dengan tujuan itu secara peribadi atau melalui peguambelanya pada masa perbicaraan. Salinan Petisyen tersebut akan dibekalkan oleh pihak yang bertandatangan di bawah kepada mana-mana pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang memintanya dengan membuat bayaran yang ditetapkan.

Alamat berdaftar Pempetisyen adalah di Level 10, Tower One, RHB Centre, Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur.

Peguamcara Pempetisyen ialah Tetuan Taye & Co. yang beralamat di No. 23F, Taman Harta Pertama, Bukit Baru, 75150 Melaka.

..............t.t............... TETUAN TAYE & COMPANY

Peguamcara bagi Pempetisyen

PERINGATAN :

Sesiapa yang ingin hadir pada perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut hendaklah menyampaikan atau menghantar dengan pos kepada Peguamcara Pempetisyen tersebut di atas suatu notis bertulis tentang niatnya sebegitu. Notis tersebut mestilah menyatakan nama dan alamat pihak berkenaan, atau jika ia sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma, dan mestilah ditandatangani oleh pihak atau firma berkenaan atau peguamcaranya, jika ada. Notis hendaklah disampaikan, atau jika dihantar dengan pos, hendaklah dihantar dalam jangkamasa mencukupi, supaya sampai kepada pihak yang dinamakan di atas sebelum pukul 12.00 tengahari pada 4 Oktober 2021.(Ruj : ALT/NZ/168/2020(1))

322 Notices 322 Notices

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR

COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO: WA-28NCC-526-08/2021

In the Matter of Section 465(1)(e) read with Section 466(2) of the Companies Act, 2016

And

In the Matter of DAPOQ CHE JUN SDN BHD(Company No. 1215791-P)

Between

KERETAPI TANAH MELAYU BERHAD(Company No. 225943-T)

…PetitionerAnd

DAPOQ CHE JUN SDN BHD(Company No. 1215791-P)

…Respondent

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION

NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for the winding-up of the abovenamed company by the High court was on 05.08.2021 presented by the said company and that the said petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Kuala Lumpur at 9.00 o’clock in the morning, on the 10.11.2021 and any creditor or contributor of the said company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose, and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charge for the same.

The Petitioner’s address is at Level 2, Legal & Secretarial Services Unit, Corporate Headquarters, Jalan Sultan Hishamudin, 50621 Kuala Lumpur.

The Petitioner’s solicitors is Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors of Suite 8-12A-6, Level 12A, Menara Olympia, No.8, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur.

Sgd……………………………Solicitors for the Petitioners

Messrs Chua & Partners

NOTE:-Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Messrs Chua & Partners, notice in writing of his intention so to do. This notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, or his or their solicitor (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the abovenamed not later than 12:00 o’clock noon of the 09.11.2021.

This Advertisement of Petition is prepared by Messrs Chua & Partners, Advocates & Solicitors Suite 8-12A-6, Level 12A, Menara Olympia, No.8, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur solicitors for the Petitioners.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR

(COMMERCIAL DIVISION)PETITION NO.

WA-26NCC-11-03/2021

In the matter of Unico Technology Sdn Bhd (Registration No. 198901012434 [189742-K]);

And

In the matter of Section 116 of the Companies Act 2016.

Unico Technology Sdn Bhd (Registration No.: 198901012434 [189742-K])

…Petitioner

NOTICE OF CAPITAL REDUCTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Order of the High Court in Malaya at Kuala Lumpur dated 21st day of May 2021 confirming the reduction of the capital of Unico Technology Sdn Bhd (“Company”) from RM50,000,000 to RM10,000,000 and the Minutes approved by the Court showing the reduction of the share capital of the Company and the several particulars required by the Companies Act 2016 were registered by the Registrar of Companies on 27th August 2021.

Dated this 2nd day of September 2021.

sgd……..…………………

Messrs Kee Sern, Siu & Huey

Solicitors for the PetitionerNo. 468-11E(2), 2nd Floor, Block C, Rivercity, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (formerly Jalan Ipoh), 51200 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel No: 03-92122688Faks No: 03-40440448 Email: general@ksshlegal.com [Ref:CLTF/LKS/GL07/UTB/200234]

Requirements: · Minimum 1 year sales experience in newspaper and digital advertising

· Attractive commission package and incentive

· Able to start immediately· Central, Northern, Southern, East Coast and Sabah/Sarawak

Send in your application with your photo to theSun.hr1@gmail.com

MEDIA SALESREPRESENTATIVE / AGENT

(FREELANCE)

252 DistributorsAgents Wanted 302 Jobs

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT JOHOR BAHRU

IN THE STATE OF JOHOR DARUL TAKZIM, MALAYSIA

COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) NO.: JA – 28NCC – 85 – 08/2021

In the matter of Section 465(1)(e) & 466(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2016

AND

In the matter of Taipan Engineering & Trading Sdn. Bhd. (Company No: 863902-H)

BETWEEN

KOW HOCK BUILDING MATERIALS (BANGI) SDN. BHD.(COMPANY NO: 1139847-H)

… PETITIONER

And

TAIPAN ENGINEERING & TRADING SDN. BHD. (COMPANY NO: 863902-H)

… RESPONDENT

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION

NOTICE is hereby given that a petition for the winding-up of the above-named company by the High Court was, on the 2nd day of August 2021, presented by Kow Hock Building Materials (Bangi) Sdn. Bhd. (Company No: 1139847-H). And that the said petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at Johor Bahru at 9:00 o’clock in the morning, on the 5th day of October 2021 (Tuesday); and any creditor or contributory of the said company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his counsel for that purpose; and a copy of the petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment of the regulated charges for the same.

The Petitioner’s address is Lot 7524-13, Jalan Besar Off Jalan Reko, Batu 18, Sungai Tangkas, 43000 Kajang, Selangor.

The Petitioner’s solicitor is Messrs Chye Kwee Yeow & Co., Advocates & Solicitors, of No. 9-02, Blok C, Kompleks Austin Perdana, Jalan Austin Perdana 2, Taman Austin Perdana, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor.

Dated 13th day of August 2021

Messrs Chye Kwee Yeow & Co Petitioner’s Solicitors

Note – Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said petition must serve on or send by post to the above-named Solicitors, Messrs Chye Kwee Yeow & Co, notice in writing of his intention so to do. The notice must state the name and address of the person, or, if a firm, the name and address of the firm, and must be signed by the person or firm, or his or their solicitors (if any) and must be served, or if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the above-named not later than twelve o’clock noon of the 4th day of October 2021 (the day before the day appointed for the hearing of the petition).[AP.YCW.0478]

322 Notices

Advertise with us & connect to our urban readers.

KLANG VALLEY PENANG | KEDAHPERAK | PERLIS

PAHANG | KELANTAN

TERENGGANU

MS. ShobaTEL: 03-7784 8888 FAX: 03-7784 4424

MALACCAMR. Rajah

TEL: 012-628 2844 FAX: 06-764 2051

JOHOR BAHRUMS. Anne Lim

TEL: 013-770 6699 FAX: 07-355 5549

Rahm likes his chances

JON RAHM is not a fan of the FedEx Cup playoffs format but the world No. 1 said yesterday he would not let that impact his preparation for this week’s season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta where a U$15 million (RM60m) prize awaits the winner.

According to Rahm, while the PGA Tour's decision to move to a staggered scoring system for the finale at East Lake provides clarity compared to the previous method he feels it is not the best way to crown a season-long champion.

“I’m not going to say too much… but I’m not the biggest supporter of the format itself,” the Spaniard said.

Due to his place in the FedEx Cup standings after two of the three playoff events, Rahm will begin the week at 6-under par and four strokes behind American Patrick Cantlay.

But Rahm is confident that he can close that gap while playing on a course where he has managed two top-10 finishes in four appearances.

“This is a ball-striker’s golf course and my ball striking has been very, very good, and I’m only four shots back, so it’s only a one-shot difference each day, and we all know that four shots can be gone very, very quickly,” said Rahm.

PGA to crack down on DeChambeau taunts PGA TOUR chief Jay Monahan said yesterday that fans taunting Bryson DeChambeau by addressing him with the name of his arch-rival Brooks Koepka risked expulsion from future tournaments.

Speaking ahead of this week’s season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta, Monahan waded into the issue of fan

behaviour which has emerged during the simmering feud between

DeChambeau and Koepka. At several recent events,

DeChambeau has been heckled with cries of “Brooksie” from the galleries.

On Sunday, after an agonising playoff defeat to Patrick Cantlay at the BMW Championship, DeChambeau swore in

response to a fan who catcalled him with the words

“Great job, Brooksie!”. Monahan said “bad actors”

targeting DeChambeau for abuse with cries of “Brooksie” could be

subject to removal. “The reason I say yes is, the barometer that

we are all using is the word ‘respect,‘ and to me, when you hear ‘Brooksie!’ yelled or you hear any expression yelled, the question is: Is that respectful or disrespectful?,” Monahan said.

“That has been going on for an extended period of time. To me, at this point, it’s disrespectful, and that’s the kind of behavior that we’re not going to tolerate going forward.”

SHORTS

Jay Monahan

14 theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

SPORTS

TOKYO OLYMPIC champion Alexander Zverev stretched his win streak to 12 matches yesterday at the US Open and warned he’s aiming to deny top-ranked Novak Djokovic the calendar-year Grand Slam.

Fourth-seeded Zverev, coming off Japan gold and a title two weeks ago at Cincinnati, dispatched American Sam Querrey 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in a first-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I hope in two weeks’ time I’ll be on an 18-match winning streak,” said Zverev, who would claim his first Grand Slam title if he creates

such a run. The 24-year-old German, who lost to

Austrian Dominic Thiem in last year’s US Open final, hit 18 aces and 40 winners while never facing a break point in advancing after an hour and 40 minutes.

“It’s great to be back,” Zverev said. “Hopefully I’ll play a few more matches here and it will be even more entertaining.”

Djokovic, seeking a US Open title to complete the first men’s singles Slam since Rod Laver in 1969, is seeking his 21st career Grand Slam title, which would break his tie for the all-time record with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent due to injuries, as is Thiem.

“Novak is chasing history,” Zverev said. “But the young guys are going to try and get in the way of that. I’m going to try to give him a

challenge as well.” Zverev, who next faces Spain’s Albert Ramos-

Vinolas, is a potential semifinal foe for Djokovic and beat him in an Olympic semifinal, rallying from a set and a break down.

“I was also the only person to beat him at a very big event this year,” Zverev said. “Everything else he has won. He’s the favorite. No question about that.

“I hope I can keep the level up and maybe even play better because to beat Novak here is going to be an extremely difficult task.” – AFP

Pliskova rolls on in Big Apple

WORLD NO. 4 Karolina Pliskova fired off eight aces to defeat American wild card Caty McNally 6-3 6-4 in the first round of the US Open yesterday as she bids for an elusive maiden major. Pliskova, the 2016 runner-up, built up a 5-1 lead in the first set before her 19-year-old opponent set-tled her nerves, and hit 10 winners in the set compared to two from McNally, before breaking the American’s serve twice early in the second. McNally, who made it to the third round at Flushing Meadows a year ago, bounced back to level the score at 3-3, with the crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium cheering her on, but could not match Pliskova’s power as the Czech closed out the match with a pair of aces. “I started really well then lost my focus a little bit at the end of the first set,” said Pliskova, who lost to world No. 1 Ash Barty in the Wimbledon final earlier this year. “She played (at) a really good level,” she added. “She has a good future.” Shapovalov eases through CANADIAN Denis Shapovalov served up 14 aces to make easy work of Argentine Federico Delbonis and win 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the US Open yesterday. The seventh seed was up a break after the fifth game in the first set and held on to the momentum, firing off 38 winners to Delbonis’s 11 across the entire match and winning 90% of his first-serve points. Shapovalov never faced a break point and was the clear favourite of the crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium, who chanted “Let’s go Shapo” late in the third set from stands that sat empty a year ago when he reached the quarterfinals for the first time at Flushing Meadows. Qualifier Cressy stuns Busto FRENCH-BORN US qualifier Maxime Cressy fired 44 aces in pulling off a first-round US Open shocker yesterday, eliminating Spanish ninth seed Pablo Carreno Busta in a five-set thriller. The 24-year-old American saved four match points in battling back to defeat the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (9-7). “The fifth set he would not give me anything,” Cressy said. “I just kept telling myself to focus on holding my serve efficiently. One point at a time. I just tell myself the same thing at that point in the match and today it came out my way,” Cressy added. “I’m really happy things are starting to pay off.” Andreescu outlasts Golubic BIANCA ANDREESCU overcame stomach pain and a stiff challenge from Viktorija Golubic to advance 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 into the second round of the US Open yesterday. The 21-year-old, making her return to Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since she won the tournament in 2019, got all she could handle from the Swiss in the nearly three-hour affair on a hot and humid night in New York. But the sixth-seeded Andreescu’s seven aces and punishing groundstrokes ultimately proved too much for Golubic. The Canadian yelled “Come on” and pumped her fist after Golubic sent a forehand wide on match point to seal the win.

Murray fires bathroom break into orbit ANDY MURRAY launched a fresh rocket at his US Open conqueror Stefanos Tsitsipas yesterday, griping that the Greek player took longer on bathroom breaks than it took billionaire Jeff Bezos to reach outer space.

“Fact of the day. It takes Stefanos

Tsitsipas twice as long to go the bathroom as it takes Jeff Bezos to fly into space. Interesting,” the 34-year-old Scot tweeted yesterday.

Tsitsipas, 23, had pointed out after the match that he had not broken any rules, as there are no time limits on bathroom breaks.

“If there’s something that he has to tell me, we should speak the two of us to kind of understand what went wrong,” he said.

His incensed younger brother,

Petros, responded to Murray’s broadside on Twitter: “Never expected this kind of behaviour, from a supposedly tennis legend!”

… as Zverev pull plug on toilet humour THIRD-RANKED Stefanos Tsitsipas has been reduced to a US Open punchline for extended disruptive toilet breaks during matches.

German fourth seed Zverev, who

accused Tsitsipas of getting improper coaching during his toilet break in a match at Cincinnati, went out of his way to hurl a zinger at the Greek star after a first-round triumph.

After saying top-ranked Novak Djokovic is the favorite, he warned others are playing well, saying, “Daniil is in very good form. Stefanos can play well – if he doesn’t go to the moon and back for a toilet break, that will also help. I had to, I’m sorry.”

Barty made to sweat by ZvonarevaWORLD NO. 1 Ash Barty was made to sweat for a 6-1, 7-6(7) win over Vera Zvonareva and a spot in the second round of the US Open yesterday.

The top-seeded Australian came out firing on all cylinders and raced to a 3-0 lead in a rapid-fire opening set that was over in 24 minutes.

But what looked to be a straightforward afternoon for Barty turned tense in a grinding second set which the 36-year-old Zvonareva forced to a tiebreak before falling 9-7.

“Vera, without a doubt

she’s an experienced

campaigner,” said Barty. “I think in the first set I

served exceptionally well. “She was a little bit loose off

her racquet and she gave me a few cheapies.

“I think all in all being able to work my way

around that and kind of get through

that in straight sets was really pleasing.

“I think when my back was against the wall I came up with some really good stuff.

“That’s all we can ask when your back is against the wall.”

Barty has won five tournaments this season, including a second career Grand Slam at Wimbledon and her US Open tune-up in Cincinnati.

In between those two victories, however, the 25-year-old threw in a dismal performance when she was booted out of the opening round of the Tokyo Olympics by 48th-ranked Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Zvonareva is a former US Open and Wimbledon runner-up but her best results came more than a decade ago and the injury-ravaged Russian has had spotty performances at Grand Slams ever since, not advancing past the second round of any major since 2014. – Reuters

Hot Zverev issues warning

Heartless JokerRune loses to Djokovic but wins over fickle New York crowd

HOLGER RUNE lost his maiden Grand Slam match to Novak Djokovic yesterday but the brave

Dane won over the fickle New York crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium by refusing to retire despite struggling with painful cramp.

Djokovic, a three-times US Open champion and bidding to complete a rare calendar-year Grand Slam

on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts, is a popular

headliner on the New York stage.

But yesterday it was the dashing 1 8 - y e a r - o l d n e w c o m e r b e i n g

s h o w e r e d with cheers

for his p l u c k y

effort in a 6-1,

6 -

7(5), 6-2, 6-1 loss to the

world No. 1. “I never felt

anything like this,” said Rune. “It was u n b e l i e v a b l e feeling staying there.

“I tried to give the crowd something, fight

for every point, be pumped and

everything. “I mean, the

crowd was unbelievable. I

couldn’t have asked for more.”

Embracing his moment on tennis’s biggest stage,

Rune brought energy and a captivating swagger to the contest that endeared him to the audience.

When Rune broke Djokovic in the second set the teenager turned to the crowd and pumped his fist, drawing a huge roar.

But the biggest applause came later as Rune hobbled around the court with cramp, gutting it out to a predictable defeat but winning the respect of the crowd.

“I never want to stop matches. I want to complete them,” said Rune. “I want to try to see if I can find solution.

“Against a player like Novak it’s tough if you can’t move 100%. Even if you move 100%, you’re not sure you’re going to beat him.

“It’s tough if you have no legs.” After wrapping up victory,

Djokovic did not deliver his customary post-match celebration – sharing his heart with all four sides of the court – and he later said he thought the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd had been booing him.

“I didn’t know what t h e y

w e r e chanting honestly. I

thought they were booing,” Djokovic said at a news conference. I

don’t know, it was not ideal atmosphere for me… But I’ve been in these particular atmospheres before, so I knew how to handle it.

“It’s the largest stadium in sport. Definitely the loudest and the most entertaining stadium we have in our sport… Obviously you always wish to have crowd behind you, but it’s not always possible. That’s all I can say.

“There are things that you can always rely on, go back to when you are experiencing a little bit of a turbulence in terms of emotions on the court or off the court,” said Djokovic.

“When it gets too much, then I’ve developed a mechanism where I feel like I can mentally handle that.

“I do have a formula for many years that has worked well for me, that got me to where I am. At the same time, it’s not necessarily a guarantee that it will work every single time.” – Reuters

TRAMLINES

SHORTS

Holger Rune returns the ball against Novak Djokovic (unseen) during the Men’s Singles first round match on Day Two of the 2021 US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre. – AFPPIX

15* SPORTS

theSUN ON THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN got Lionel Messi but that has somehow turned out not to be the most remarkable moment of the transfer

window for them. There can hardly be a bigger

statement from the Qatar-owned club than turning their noses up at an offer understood to be worth €180 million (RM900m) from Real Madrid for Kylian Mbappe with the France striker in the final year of his contract.

Real are understood to have made two bids for Mbappe last week – and there were reports yesterday they were prepared to go to €200m (RM1b) – but PSG decided they would rather not sell, and risk losing the France forward for free at the end of the season.

“He is one of the best, one of the most important players in the world today and for

him to be with us is a gift,” said PSG coach Mauricio

Pochettino at the weekend.

Rejecting the money is an extraordinary decision from a club who are

hardly immune to the economic impact of the

pandemic, with losses of €125m (RM625m) in the curtailed 2019/20 campaign likely

to be dwarfed when the accounts

for last season are filed. Mbappe will be free to

negotiate a pre-contract agreement with Real, or

anyone else, in January, and PSG

will not be entitled to

any fee.

When Messi became available a month ago, they pounced without worrying about the impact his salary might have on their finances.

Now they will keep Mbappe to complete a dream attacking line-up they hope will deliver a first Champions League for PSG and all the prestige that brings in the year Qatar hosts the World Cup.

The French giants also added Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi in a remarkable recruitment drive.

Yesterday they added Portuguese international Nuno Mendes on loan from Sporting Lisbon.

Their rivals among Europe’s traditional elite cry foul but for now PSG cannot be stopped.

“State-owned clubs are as dangerous for football’s ecosystem as the Super League was,” tweeted La Liga president Javier Tebas.

“Covid losses of more than €300m (RM1.5b), TV revenue in France down 40%, and yet more than €500m (RM2.5b) in salaries? Unsustainable.”

In the meantime the arrival of Mbappe’s compatriot Eduardo Camavinga is an exciting one for Madrid fans and look in far better shape than their great rivals Barcelona, who were forced to let go of Messi as they drown in debts of over €1 billion (RM4.9b).

Their only signings this summer have been free agents Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero.

Yesterday they held a fire sale of young players – Emerson Royal to Tottenham Hotspur, Ilaix Moriba to RB Leipzig – in a

desperate attempt to raise funds and allowed Antoine Griezmann to return to Atletico Madrid on loan.

In comparison, Real missing out on Mbappe, if just for a year, looks like

no big deal. But PSG have won this transfer

window, and can now target the Champions League. – AFP

Martial turns down chance to leave

MANCHESTER UNITED forward Anthony Martial wants to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford after rejecting a deadline day move. The Frenchman has been linked with a transfer away from United all summer, but the 25-year-old has opted to remain at the club. According to French outlet L’Equipe, Lyon tried to make a late attempt to sign Martial on a loan deal. Italian giants Inter had also reportedly been interested in the signing the forward for a fee in the region of £50m (RM295m), but nothing ever came of it. When asked about Martial’s recent performances at United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was full of praise for his player. “Anthony has come back strong and hungry, with the determination to prove his fitness and his quality,” said Solskjaer. “Last season was a difficult and disappointing one for him and you can see that grit between his teeth again. He is up for the challenge, he is Man United player and we are happy to have him.” Van de Beek’s agent slams Devils DONNY VAN DE BEEK’S agent has criticised Manchester United after his client was prevented from leaving the club on transfer deadline day. The 24-year-old endured a disappointing first season at Old Trafford – which saw him make just four Premier League starts – following his £35m (RM206m) move from Dutch giants Ajax last summer. And there has been little sign of any change this season, with Van de Beek failing to register a single minute in any of United’s opening three League games. According to Dutch outlet AD Sportwereld, Van de Beek sought a loan move away from the club in the current window, with Rafa Benitez’s Everton rumoured to be interested in the midfielder. However, the report claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer “blocked” the move. Speaking to Voetbal International, Guido Albers claimed “Manchester United are holding everything back” and also suggested it’s “disappointing that United are not cooperating”.

SIDENETTING

TOUCHLINES

ATLETICO MADRID knocked back an £18m bid for England rightback Kieran Trippier, 30, from Manchester United, which prompted the Premier League club to block 22-year-old Portugal defender Diogo Dalot’s move to Borussia Dortmund. TOTTENHAM did not return with an improved bid for winger Adam Traore after having had a £30m offer rejected on Monday. Wolves demanded £50m for the 25-year-old Spain international. WOLVES pursued a deal for Marseille and France U-21 midfielder Boubacar Kamara, 21, after an attempt to sign Portugal’s Renato Sanches, 24, from Lille fell through. WEST HAM were keen on signing England mid-fielder Jesse Lingard, 28, from Manchester United following his successful loan spell last season, but were not willing to meet the Old Trafford club’s £25m asking price. NEWCASTLE failed with their attempt to sign former England U-21 midfielder Hamza Choudhury, 23, from Leicester after discussions between the two clubs broke down. RAYO VALLECANO are to sign former Manchester United and Chelsea striker Radamel Falcao, 35, on a two-year contract. The Colombian successfully negotiated the termination of his contract with Turkish club Galatasaray and rejected several offers from Italian clubs to join the La Liga side. OLYMPIQUE LYON secured the deadline-day signing of former Bayern Munich centreback and World Cup winner Jerome Boateng on a free transfer. The 32-year-old joins the French side on a two-year contract. FRANCE international Houssem Aouar, 23, will remain a Lyon player despite interest from Arsenal, Tottenham and Real Madrid. CRYSTAL PALACE were hopeful of signing Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, 22, but could not agree personal terms with the England U-21 international, who will remain at the Emirates.

£1 = RM5.90

Kane ‘conscience clear’ despite failed City move

HARRY KANE believes that his “conscience is clear” despite failing in his attempt to force a move from Tottenham Hotspur to Manchester City this summer.

Kane had hoped to join the Premier League champions and claimed to have reached a gentleman’s agreement with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy that he could leave.

Levy refused to do business with City unless they met Kane’s £150 million (RM885m) asking price, however, while the England captain failed to report back to pre-season training on time following the European Championship.

Kane insisted that he returned to training “as planned” in an apparent stand-off between the player and his club, but last week he announced that he would stay at Tottenham

beyond yesterday’s transfer deadline. The 28-year-old is now away with England

preparing for September’s World Cup qualifiers and, having played in Tottenham’s last three games, believes his relationship with the club has not been damaged.

“I think anyone involved in the football industry knows the ins and outs,” he told talkSPORT.

“I was quite calm with the situation, but when you’re in it, and you know the truth, then your conscience is clear.

“There’s always going to be noise. My whole career, I’ve had ups and downs from when I’m young to where I am. That’s just part of the parcel of it.

“A lot of people that know me will say I’m a professional athlete who’s dedicated my life to this game, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.

“I’ll look forward now, the aim has always been to win silverware with Tottenham, and

it’s been that aim every year.” Kane said that he did not focus on the

coverage of his transfer saga while away on holiday after England’s defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

“I’m quite good at getting away from everything,” he said. “After the final, I was in England for a few days then went off on holiday for a couple of weeks.

“When I’m away, I’m rarely on my phone, to be honest. I really try and use that time to get away from everything.

“I know there was a lot of noise surrounding me, but I was quite calm. I knew what the situation was between me and the club, and that’s the way it’ll stay.

“Everyone has their opinions on it, but that’s part of the parcel of the profession we’re in. I’m fully focussed with club and country and looking forward to a great year.” – The Independent

█ MARK CRITCHLEY

Real to wait for Mbappe… as PSG decide they don’t need the money

SAUL NIGUEZ insists the motivation to play his best position convinced him to join Chelsea on loan from Atletico Madrid.

The Spain international also admits that the Blues’ back-up goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga helped persuade him to move to London.

Saul revealed he is eager to be handed the chance to play his best position under Thomas Tuchel after a couple of seasons out of position under Diego Simeone.

“I spoke with (Diego) Simeone,” Saul told Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos on Twitch. “I

have been playing in different positions for three seasons.

“I owe everything to Diego and he must be selfish and think of the group.

“I saw myself stuck in a position that was not mine. Chelsea’s option was to get out of the comfort zone, a challenge. I asked Simeone and Miguel Angel to train in my position.

“I understand that he refused and from there they decided this. I’ve been here since I was 13 and it’s very hard.

“I want to take up other movements and positions that I did not perform from the other position. It is the most important

reason for my decision.” Saul knows Kepa well from their time

together with the Spanish national team and he revealed his presence at Chelsea made the decision easier to accept the new challenge.

“It is very important that he be there. It is an important step,” Saul added. “If he had not been there, it would have been different.

“Going on loan for a year and having a partner with whom I have been spending many years in the lower categories of the National Team is important.” – The Independent

Saul reveals motivation for joining Tuchel’s Blues█ JACK RATHBORN

Saul Niguez

theSun is published and printed by Sun Media Corporation Sdn Bhd (221220-K) of Lot 6, Jalan 51/217, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7783 7435 • Tel (Editorial): 03-7784 6688 Fax: 03-7785 2624/5 Email: newsdesk@thesundaily.com • Tel (Advertising): 03-7784 8888 Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: advertise@thesundaily.com

I’m quite good at getting away from everything… When I’m away, I’m rarely on my phone, to be honest. I really try and use that time to get away from everything. I know there was a lot of noise surrounding me, but I was quite calm.”

Harry Kane

QUOTE OF THE DAY

THURSDAY • SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Ronaldo headlines busy final day of EPL transfer dealsCRISTIANO RONALDO’S return to Manchester United was confirmed by the English giants yesterday as Premier League clubs scrambled to strengthen before the close of the transfer window.

United announced on Friday a deal had been struck with Juventus to bring the five-time Ballon d’Or winner back to Old Trafford for a fee that could rise to £20 million (RM118m) for the 36-year-old.

Ronaldo’s return has already had a knock-on effect with United winger Daniel James joining Leeds for a reported £25m (RM147m).

The Wales attacker has started two of United’s three Premier League games so far this season, but was expected to struggle for game time once Ronaldo arrived and Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani returned to full fitness.

James was on the verge of joining Leeds in January 2019 from Swansea before a deadline day deal collapsed.

“It’s all happened in the last day or two,” said James. “I got my head around it and this is where I wanted to be moving forward.”

Leeds director of football Victor Orta said: “I have to say a huge thank you to my team firstly – the football department have been monitoring Daniel for a number of years and every member of my team has worked hard to get this deal over the line.“

“It is no secret that Daniel is a player we have been keen to acquire for a number of years and today we achieved our goal.

“As a player we feel Daniel is an excellent fit for a Marcelo

Bielsa team, he is quick, direct and works hard – we look forward to him joining up with the squad, finally!”

Chelsea secured the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy to further strengthen Thomas Tuchel’s already deep squad.

“He is a proven winner, a player with huge experience and we know he will

be very well-suited to the challenges that face us on

all fronts in the coming year,“ said Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia.

Liverpool did not add to their only signing of the window, centreback Ibrahima Konate, but secured the future of captain Jordan Henderson on a long-term contract that runs till 2025.

Top-of-the-table Tottenham helped ease Barcelona’s financial woes with a £25 million deal for rightback Emerson Royal.

Another rightback is headed out of

Spurs as Serge Aurier’s contract was terminated to allow the Ivorian to leave on a free transfer.

At the other end of the table, rock bottom Arsenal took their summer spending to £150m (RM885m) after agreeing a £20 million fee with Bologna for Japanese international defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Hector Bellerin left the Gunners to join Real Betis on loan, while Reiss Nelson has

joined Feyenoord on a season-long loan.

West Ham have strengthened ahead of a busy season which will take in Europa League football with the signing of Croatia midfielder Nikola Vlasic.

The 23-year-old, who previously had a unsuccessful stint in England at Everton, joins from CSKA Moscow for a reported initial fee of £25m

(RM142.5m) having been named Russian Premier League player of the year in 2020.

“I was really impressed with how determined Nikola was to become a West Ham player,” said Hammers boss David

Moyes. “It’s that hunger and ambition that fits with what we are trying to build here at the club.”

West Ham also signed Czech Republic midfielder Alex Kral

on loan from Spartak Moscow.

Leicester have bolstered their

attacking options with the arrival of Ademola Lookman on loan from RB Leipzig.

Everton manager Rafael

Benitez has signed Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon for a third different club after spells

together at Newcastle and

Dalian. Rondon will

replace Moise Kean, who has rejoined Juventus on a two-year loan with an obligation to buy. – AFP/Agencies

Reason to believeSouthgate urges England to learn from the past as Germany look forward to action Flick

ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate believes the Three Lions are closer to ending their wait to win a first major tournament since 1966 than they have

been for generations, with the Qatar World Cup little over a year away.

Southgate’s side return to action this week for the first time since losing the Euro 2020 final on penalties to Italy in three World Cup qualifiers against Hungary, Andorra and Poland.

Reaching Qatar should be a formality for a nation ranked fourth in the world, with expectations now to compete to win the World Cup for a second time rather than make up the numbers in the Middle East.

England’s fortunes have been transformed since Southgate succeeded Sam Allardyce as manager in 2016.

A first World Cup semifinal for 28 years in Russia in 2018 was followed up by reaching the final of the European Championship for the first time in England’s history.

Yet, for all the progress and plaudits earned along the way, some old failings came back to haunt them at Euro 2020 just when everything seemed to have lined up for a coronation as champions.

In losing semifinals at the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Nations League and final of the Euro, Southgate’s men could not have wished for a better start as they scored early.

But they failed to build on those leads, sitting back as Croatia, the Netherlands and Italy dominated possession before reaping their rewards in the second half.

Defeat to Italy on penalties also added to a litany of painful major tournament defeats in shootouts.

However, there is plenty of reason to believe England should be only stronger come the World Cup having learned from those experiences with still a very young squad.

“We’ve always wanted to be knocking on the door in the latter stages of those competitions

because you eventually get to learn how to win semifinals and how to win finals,” said Southgate.

“It’s normally the process, if you look at our club teams (in European competition), that you have to go through. That’s the way we view it.

“We know we were the youngest team in the last 16 (at Euro 2020), the least experienced in terms of international caps and so there’s no doubt that individually these players are going to continue to improve and that’s got to be our aim as a team as well.

“We’ve learnt a huge amount from the wins we’ve had and the disappointment in the World Cup semi-final and the final this time. We’re obviously a lot closer than we’ve been for a long, long period of time.”

While England keep faith with Southgate, arch-enemy Germany will see a new man in the dugout after 15 years.

New head coach Hansi Flick has been tasked with winning back disgruntled Germany fans as he makes his mark on the squad for their World

Cup qualifiers. Flick inherits a team which has plummmeted

down the rankings to 16th since crashing out early at the 2018 World Cup and struggled with inconsistent results over the last three years.

Flick’s first three games are World Cup qualifiers away to minnows Liechtenstein tomorrow, then hosting Group J leaders Armenia in Stuttgart on Monday, before playing Iceland away three days later.

He has been given clear instructions to win back supporters disgruntled by Loew’s failure to turn results around since the World Cup debacle, highlighted by a 6-0 trashing in Spain last November.

“We want to win hearts again, come across as likeable and play successful, dynamic, attractive football,” said Oliver Bierhoff, Germany’s team director.

“During the European Championship, criticism came up again that we seemed a bit passionless. We want to change that.” – AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo Daniel James Ibrahima Konate