Day: June 1, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has welcomed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe into the Selangor demand responsive transit (DRT) proof of concept.

In a post on the X platform, Hannah expressed her desire for the investigation to reveal the truth and provide vindication.

“Now that the probe has started, I want to see the truth and vindication come out of this investigation. Malaysia deserves nothing less,” she said.

Hannah added that it would not be appropriate for her to comment further on the issue as it might be construed as interference with ongoing investigations.

“For this reason, I had refrained from commenting earlier. In my view, the best way forward in dealing with such claims is to allow the relevant authorities to investigate them.

“I want to thank all who have reached out to me in solidarity,” she said.

It was reported yesterday that the MACC has initiated investigations into the awarding of a contract to a firm linked to Hannah’s husband, following n
ew leads received from several complaints.

According to sources, the MACC received new complaints regarding the appointment of a minister’s husband to provide proof of concept for a transportation project by the Selangor government.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

PUTRAJAYA, Unregulated and widespread promotion on social media, as well as expos and exhibitions of smoking products, are among the factors influencing users, particularly children and teenagers, to become lifelong smokers.

Additionally, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported that other factors include the appealing forms of smoking products such as toys and various flavors.

According to MOH, this issue is taken seriously and committed to being addressed through the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 [Act 852], which was gazetted on February 2 as a comprehensive form of control over all types of smoking products, including electronic cigarettes or vape.

Under Act 852, MOH will tighten restrictions on the sale, purchase, and use of all types of smoking products to minors under 18 years old.

“MOH will also continue to conduct smoking prevention advocacy programmes with various ministries, agencies, non-governmental organisations, and professional bodies. It is MOH’s desire and dream to
realise the goal of a smoking-free nation by 2040,” the ministyr said in a statement here today.

The statement was issued in conjunction with World No Tobacco Day, celebrated worldwide on May 31 each year.

MOH underscored that smoking tobacco products is a major factor leading to complications of non-communicable chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer and chronic lung diseases.

According to the ministry, the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) shows that the percentage of teenagers aged 13 to 17 who smoke conventional cigarettes decreased from 13.8 percent in 2017 to 6.2 percent in 2022.

This year’s World No Tobacco Day theme is “Protecting Children from Tobacco Industry Interference,” which aims to call on all individuals and layers of society to combat the tobacco industry’s influence on children.

The theme aligns with the objectives outlined under Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which states ‘protects against the
tobacco industry’s attempts to dilute and weaken effective and life-saving tobacco control legislation,’ of which Malaysia has been a party member since 2005.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

LAHAD DATU, The passing of Datuk M Chandrasekaran, 56, who died this morning, is a great loss for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM).

ESSCOM Commander Datuk Victor Sanjos said the late Chandrasekaran, who had been the ESSCOM Chief of Staff (Land Operations) since May 5, 2020, was a dedicated officer when carrying out his duties and had good manners.

“His demise is felt…the deceased was an officer with extensive experience, was diligent and honest, even in friendship he was a good person.

“Condolences to the family members of the deceased,” he told Bernama.

Meanwhile, ESSCOM Loyalty Services Division officer (BKK) Iqbal Rais said Chandrasekaran was a person with extensive knowledge in the field of policing in Sabah and possessed leadership qualities that were respected by many.

Iqbal also said that the deceased had a friendly personality, always ready with a smile, and this made him easily approachable.

“He was friendly to all ESSCOM officers and staff, as well as to the public; he was very e
asy to deal with,” he added.

Former ESSCOM BKK director Ab Rasil Hajatil, who is now the director of the Melaka Information Department, said that the deceased was a good person and his demise is considered a loss for the national security forces.

“A great loss for ESSCOM, because the deceased helped a lot in determining the policies and operations of ESSCOM, especially land operations.

Earlier, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun confirmed Chandrasekaran’s death at the Sabah Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Likas, Kota Kinabalu.

Chandrasekaran, who joined the Royal Malaysia Police in 1994, had served as the Kota Kinabalu district police chief between 2014 and 2018.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The government’s initiative to provide RM100 book vouchers to all students starting from Year Four can strengthen reading habit among young people and ease the financial burden on the parents.

Setting the guidelines that allow only specific genres that can be purchased with the voucher ensures that students obtain quality reading materials.

A student at Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), M. Eeswarri, 23, said certain types of reading material can build an individual’s character.

‘I do not deny that most of us are more interested in reading novels…it’s not wrong but reading materials should be balanced,’ she said, adding that she intends to use the voucher to get books on artificial intelligence.

Echoing her sentiment is Muhammad Syakir Iman bin Mohd Rafiz, 19, a sixth former at Forest Heights Six Form College in Seremban, NEGERI SEMBILAN, who believes the book voucher encourages students to buy quality reading materials in addition to cultivating reading culture among yo
uths.

A parent in PUTRAJAYA, Tuan Buqhairah Tuan Muhamad Adnan, 38, said the initiative can ease the financial burden of parents in fulfilling their children’s learning needs.

She said her daughters, aged 13 and 11, have already been searching for their preferred books at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2024 (PBAKL 2024), currently ongoing at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur, since the day that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the initiative.

In TERENGGANU, housewife Fatimah Jais, 47, said the giveaway was significant assistance for her as she has two daughters aged 14 and 17, especially when her husband can no longer work due to health problems.

A retired army in Gua Musang, KELANTAN, Ahmad Tarmizi Dollah Ahmad, 57, whose four children are still in school, said the voucher was a relief that allows his children to get books based on their interests.

Meanwhile, in SABAH, lecturer Christie Elbado, 41 said the mechanism to redeem the voucher that allows students to purchase b
ooks online through the DELIMa (Digital Educational Learning Initiative Malaysia) application helps more students to benefit from the initiative because of the lack of bookshops in the state and its geographical factor that limits book distribution, especially in rural areas.

A clerk in PENANG, Marsyitah Abdul Halim, 36, whose children are in Year Four and Form One, hopes the book voucher can revitalise the waning reading culture among students.

A polytechnic student in Merlimau, MELAKA Sharifah Nurin Amalin Syed Pakhrurazi, 20, said this initiative was a great help to her in obtaining reference books, considering some of the books she needs are expensive.

Meanwhile, a mother of two primary students in Lembah Pantai, KUALA LUMPUR, Fatin Ainor Abdullah, 35, said the book purchase process with the DELIMa application is convenient because the books can be delivered to their home address.

On Thursday, when officiating PBAKL 2024, Anwar announced the voucher giveaway to students in Year Four and above, seconda
ry school, higher learning institutions, and teaching institutes, starting on May 31.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

JOHOR BAHRU, Three people were killed after the Toyota Alphard MPV (multipurpose vehicle) they were travelling in skidded and landed in a ditch at Kilometre 14.3 of the Sultan Iskandar Highway here today.

Johor Bahru Utara district police deputy chief Supt Yusof Othman said in the incident that happened at 8.11 am, the woman driver in her 30s and two passengers, a 27-year-old man, and a 35 year-old woman, died at the scene.

He said the MPV was travelling from Bukit Indah towards Johor Bahru before it went out of control.

“The woman driver lost control of the vehicle before it skidded to the left shoulder of the road and plunged into a drain with a depth of water of about three metres as it had just stopped raining,” he said in a statement today.

“All victims who died at the scene were believed to have succumbed to internal injuries. The driver and male passenger were siblings, while the woman passenger was their friend.”

He said the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Ac
t 1987.

Meanwhile in a separate statement, Larkin Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Senior Fire Officer (PBK ) I Haizrul Rahmad said all victims were locals, with the driver identified as Chu Wan Rou, while the male passenger as Chu Wei Yean and female passenger as Aw Siew Chern.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency