Day: May 7, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia visited the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Singapore today, in conjunction with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia’s state visit to the republic.

According to the post on Sultan Ibrahim’s Facebook page, Her Majesty was welcomed by Singapore Prime Minister’s wife Datin Paduka Ho Ching, who is also Temasek Foundation chairman, and chief executive officer of the hospital Prof Alex Sia.

Also present were Joy Balakrishnan, the wife of Singapore’s Foreign Minister, and Datin Che Norhayati Soib, the wife of the High Commissioner of Malaysia to Singapore.

“The Queen was also taken to the KK Human Milk Bank and the world’s first donor human milk freezer locker which will facilitate a 24/7 drop-off and pick-up for registered donors and recipients,” according to the post.

Raja Zarith Sofiah then visited the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Special Care Nursery to observe the Therapeutic Touch for Infants’ Health Programme.

During the visit, the Queen was also briefed on the hospital and programmes organised in collaboration with the Temasek Foundation.

The two-day state visit beginning yesterday was the first since His Majesty’s ascension to the federal throne on Jan 31.

It was at the invitation of Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil described the International Conference of Religious Leaders here as the best event for emphasising the responsibilities and roles of religious leaders towards society.

Fahmi said this was the main message emphasised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his speech opening the conference, which gathered religious and intellectual figures from around the world.

“The Prime Minister’s main message in his opening speech relates to the need for religious leaders to step forward and assist in calming situations when necessary, especially in countries where extremism appears to be rampant, leading to tension or damage within society.

“The Prime Minister did not refer to any specific country but spoke generally, and he hoped that the discussions generated will produce the Kuala Lumpur Resolution, which will be announced at the end of this conference,” he told reporters after the opening of the conference today.

The Prime Minister also said the conference
will be a permanent feature in Malaysia.

The one-day event will be followed by the Conference of Asian Religious Scholars 2024 at the Mandarin Oriental in the capital tomorrow.

Both events are organised by the Office of the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) in collaboration with the Muslim World League (MWL).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

HULU SELANGOR, A total of 97 per cent or 769 police and military personnel as well as their spouses cast their ballots in early voting for the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) state by-election today.

Election Commission (EC) secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said the EC congratulated the returning officer and his team for carrying out their responsibilities excellently.

‘Our appreciation and thanks also go to the Royal Malaysia police, Malaysian Armed Forces, local authorities, Information Department, media practitioners and other parties directly and indirectly involved for their cooperation and support to the EC,’ he said in a statement.

Early voting was conducted at two voting centres, the 4th Infantry Division Signals Regiment, Camp Erskine and Royal Malaysia Police Multi-Purpose Hall, which had three voting streams.

The two voting centres were open from 8 am to 5 pm.

The by-election sees a four-cornered fight involving Pang Sock Tao (Pakatan Harapan), Khairul Azhari Saut (Perikatan Nasional), Hafizah Zainud
din (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Nyau Ke Xin (Independent).

Polling is on Saturday.

The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent Lee Kee Hiong, 58, of DAP on March 21 due to cancer.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PETALING JAYA, It is the responsibility and sacred duty of all religious leaders to bridge divides and teach their followers about the importance of creating harmony and understanding among different religions and cultures.

Swami Brahmaviharidas, the head of the BAPS Hindu Mandir of the United Arab Emirates, said that creating harmony is more than a mere aspiration, it is a force for universal peace.

‘We must ask ourselves, are the things we preach the same as what we teach our followers?

‘And is that the same thing we feel in our hearts? That harmony, unity, and diversity are indeed necessary?

‘It is very important that we understand this most basic idea of the world,’ he said at the International Conference of Religious Leaders 2024, themed ‘Unity Within Diversity’ held here today.

Elaborating, Swami Brahmaviharidas said he personally believed that every religion, culture, and civilisation share and care for the same values that sustain all mankind.

‘At the same time, can we create a little bit of he
aven on this earth, the one we keep promising year after year? It is our responsibility to generate that idea.

‘And how will we go about it? Less by our words but more by our actions,’ he added.

The International Conference of Religious Leaders 2024 kicked off this morning, drawing approximately 2,000 religious and intellectual figures from 57 countries.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, A 72-year-old Swedish woman has been identified as the second person who had suffered injuries when a large tree came crashing on 17 vehicles along busy Jalan Sultan Ismail in downtown Kuala Lumpur, here today.

Dang Wangi deputy police chief Supt Nazron Abd Yusof said the Swedish woman who suffered injuries was an e-hailing passenger while the 26-year-old who had also suffered injuries was the e-hailing driver.

Earlier reports had said a 47-year-old man died in the incident while a 26-year-old was treated by paramedics from the Ministry of Health after suffering injuries.

The 47-year-old man, pulled out of the wreckage, was pronounced dead by health officials from the Ministry of Health.

‘The 26-year-old was the e-hailing driver and the Swedish woman is the passenger,’ said Nazron when met at the location, here today.

Nazron said both the injured were taken to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) for treatment while the body of the man who died in the incident was sent to HKL’s Forensic Medicin
e Department for post-mortem.

He added that police were also trying to locate the dead man’s next-of-kin.

Nazron said clearence work was being carried out by the Fire and Rescue Department, General Defence Forces, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Police.

‘The roads that were closed after the incident will be reopened once the cleaning is completed. Motorists and members of the public are advised to use alternative routes to reach their destinations,’ he said.

A 47-year-old was confirmed dead while a 26-year-old man suffered serious injuries when a huge tree came crushing down on 17 vehicles along Jalan Sultan Ismail, just outside the Concorde Hotel, during a thunderstorm and heavy rain, at about 2.19pm here today.

Apart from damaging vehicles passing by the busy segment of downtown Kuala Lumpur, the fallen tree also damaged a bus stop and disrupted the monorail service temporarily as debris and branches of the fallen tree had damaged the monorail track.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency