Day: May 22, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Nadun, Sampath, and Callum, three friends from Sri Lanka, captivated the audience with their enchanting Kandyan dance performance at the Buddhist Maha Vihara temple in Brickfields on Wesak Day, here today.

The trio, who have been performing in Malaysia for the past 14 years, showcased their mastery of the traditional dance form, adding a vibrant touch to the celebrations.

Nadun and Sampath, both 40, and Callum, 41, have dedicated their lives to the popular traditional dance from Sri Lanka known for its intricate movements and colourful costumes.

“It’s a very popular Sri Lankan traditional dance, encompassing both the northern and southern regions of the country,” Nadun told Bernama at the temple.

The performers who have been dancing since they were 12 years old, share their lifelong passion for the art.

This year, their trip to Malaysia also included a procession in Melaka yesterday, where they showcased their talent to yet another appreciative audience.

The Wesak Day celebrations at Bric
kfields were enhanced by the rhythmic beats and graceful movements of the Kandyan dancers, offering a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka, while fostering a spirit of unity and celebration among the diverse attendees.

Meanwhile, the temple’s Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardana Society president Prematilaka KD Serisena reported that the celebrations drew an estimated crowd of 45,000 people from morning until 6 pm.

“We expect the crowd to grow, with about 20,000 to 30,000 people anticipated to join the procession.

“Despite the rain, the spirit of the devotees was not dampened, and they continued to fulfill their vows,” he said.

He further noted that people from all walks of life, regardless of race and religion, were observed in the temple during the Wesak Day celebrations.

Wesak Day holds paramount importance for Buddhists, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Siddharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.

The festival is marked by the lighting of incense sticks and lotus-shaped can
dles, offering flowers, and the symbolic bathing of the Buddha statue.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

“Therefore, we feel the counselling sessions are needed until they are ready to return to their normal lives,” she said when met after visiting the family of Constable Ahmad Azza Fahmi Azhar in Kampung Poh Tambahan 1, Bidor here today.

Earlier, Noraini presented the Skim Pemberian Ehsan Yayasan Kebajikan Negara amounting to RM3,000 to the late Ahmad Azza Fahmi’s family.

Noraini said her team expressed their condolences to the victim’s family and hoped they remained resilient in the face of adversity.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Azza Fahmi’s father Azhar Khaiden, 54, said he accepted his son’s fate as Allah SWT’s will, adding that he was grateful for the cooperation given by all parties to the family including facilitating the management of his son’s funeral.

He said he intends to name a new surau (Surau al-Fahmi), to be built in his village soon, after his son.

“This matter was already conveyed to the menteri besar during his visit here during the day and I hope it will be realised,” he added.

In the 2.45 am atta
ck on the police station, Ahmad Azza Fahmi and his colleague Constable Muhamad Syafiq Ahmad Said, 24, were killed by a man armed with a machete, while Corporal Mohd Hasif Roslan was shot and injured in the incident.

A 21-year-old suspect was shot dead in the incident too.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

TOKYO, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived here this evening for a three-day working visit to Japan.

The private aircraft carrying Anwar touched down at the Haneda International Airport at about 9 pm local time (8 pm Malaysian time).

Accompanying Anwar are Minister of Foreign Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan; Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz; and Minister of Human Resources Steven Sim Chee Keong.

On hand to welcome Anwar at the airport were Japan’s Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yasushi Hosaka and Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Katsuhiko Takahashi. Also present was Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Shahril Effendi Abd Ghany.

Specifically here for the 29th International Conference on the Future of Asia (Nikkei Conference), will also meet his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a bilateral meeting and attend a series of engagements with industry captains, students and academicians.

Japan has been Malay
sia’s fourth-largest trading partner for nine consecutive years. In 2023, total trade between Malaysia and Japan was valued at RM156.64 billion (US$34.39 billion).

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA TERENGGANU, A total of 14 yachts carrying 35 sailors from various countries have anchored in Terengganu in conjunction with the Sail Malaysia Passage to the East Yacht Rally 2024 (Sail Malaysia).

Terengganu Tourism Department (JPNT) director, Ahmad Ridzwan Abd Rahman said the 15-day programme, which started last Sunday and runs until June 2, involves participants from among others Australia, the United States, Hong Kong, Switzerland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

‘The youngest sailor in this programme is three-year-old Sawyer Anderson, while the oldest participant is 83-year-old Larry Green.

‘They have chosen several popular tourist destinations in Terengganu, including Kuala Terengganu, Pulau Kapas, Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian,’ he said in a statement today.

He said that the participants will be in Kuala Terengganu for five days starting from yesterday, where they will be introduced to the state’s culture and traditions and given the opportunity to sample traditional dishes provided b
y JPNT.

Ahmad Ridzwan noted that they will visit prominent locations in Kuala Terengganu, including Kampung Budaya Terengganu, the boat-making area in Kampung Pulau Rusa, Noor Arfa Batik and Pasar Payang.

‘A programme like this not only showcases the state as a sailing destination but also highlights the beauty of Terengganu’s islands and its culture to the world. JPNT hopes that such programmes will promote Kuala Terengganu as a yachting hub.

‘JPNT will continue to provide full cooperation for such programmes to attract more international sailors to Terengganu and will request feedback fromthe participants about their sailing experience,’ he said.

For the record, Sail Malaysia, which offers comprehensive programmes to promote nautical and boating tourism, is organised by Cruise Marine Tourism Association of Malaysia and managed by SM Yachting Sdn Bhd.

This programme has been promoting nautical tourism in Malaysia since 2005, with the last stop in Terengganu in 2017.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The Malaysian Corruption Watch (MCW) has proposed the government to use data from the Central Database Hub (PADU) and vehicle registration to ensure those from the B40 and M40 groups receive the targeted diesel subsidy and prevent leakage.

‘The database should be regularly updated and synchronised with relevant agencies or by using MyKad or national identification to ensure only eligible individuals can purchase subsidised diesel, which can be done by linking subsidised diesel purchases with a digital identification system,’ according to MCW in a statement posted on its Facebook page today.

MCW said a centralised monitoring system to oversee the sale and use of subsidised diesel using technologies such as blockchain could also be utilised to prevent transaction manipulations.

It said that a mobile application could also be developed to allow users to register and track the use of subsidised fuel, adding that the application can provide feedback and report directly to the authorities.

MCW sa
id the government should also establish cooperation with retailers to provide training on identifying eligible customers and ensuring compliance with subsidy regulations, among other things.

It said strict action against non-compliance should be implemented, including conducting audits and regular inspections at petrol stations and diesel sales outlets to prevent misappropriation.

MCW also urged the government to provide a dedicated channel to report any leakage or misappropriation and conduct awareness campaigns among the target groups about their rights and ways to get subsidised diesel.

‘This can also narrow the opportunities for manipulation and misuse by third parties. Perhaps PADU registration needs to be reopened and available for registration at any time,’ it added.

Last night, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Cabinet agreed to implement a targeted diesel subsidy for consumers in Peninsular Malaysia involving 10 types of public transport vehicles and 23 types of goods veh
icles under the diesel subsidy control system.

Anwar said the targeted diesel subsidy would not involve the T20 group and the 3.8 million foreigners and would save the government around RM4 billion annually.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency