July 1220, 1

PETALING JAYA: A nurse recounts with regret the day she had to tell an expectant mother that there was no place at the hospital for her to

deliver her baby. “She was about to go into labour and she

had already been turned away by two other government hospitals,” the nurse told theSun.

“In the end, I heard, she ended up giving birth in the car,” she said.

“She was later sent to a private hospital for follow-ups.”

This is just one case that illustrates the dire situation the healthcare system has sunk to.

It has reached a point where government healthcare workers are beginning to speak up out of frustration, ignoring a standing order that bars them from talking to the press.

Malaysia was once hailed as a model in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic that has gripped the world for 18 months now. Today, the country is likened to India where the situation is equally disastrous.

Even Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has sounded the alarm. He said last week that hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negri Sembilan

and Labuan have exceeded their maximum capacity for Covid-19 patients.

The nurse said she has been so deeply disturbed by the ordeal that she is losing hope for the country.

She and a doctor who also works in a government hospital said the healthcare system has been stretched to an unprecedented level.

The doctor said just like in India, patients are being treated on the floor because there are not enough beds and other facilities.

“But worse than that is having to reject non-Covid patients even if they are also at risk of dying,” he added.

To compound the matter, healthcare workers themselves are becoming patients.

According to several media reports, more than 40 healthcare staff, including doctors, nurses and even cleaners at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani, Kedah, have been infected. And that is just one hospital.

The doctor said a shortage of manpower has been worsened by the unnecessary

transfer of resources to areas where the infection rate eventually turned out to be low.

“Reports of doctors having to make life and death decisions are all true. With resources so short, we now have to decide who to save and who to deny items such as oxygen,” he said.

Noor Hisham cautioned last week that if the situation persists, the country’s healthcare system could be paralysed.

To address the problem, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba announced last Thursday that 60 more beds will be sent to the intensive care unit at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang. A total of RM1.1 million has been allocated for the initiative, that also includes the supply of additional equipment.

Apart from that, more field hospitals and low-risk treatment centres will be set up while oxygen supply for healthcare centres will be boosted.

oHealthcare workers speak up as situation deteriorates

█ BY ALISHA NUR MOHD NOOR [email protected]

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INSIDE

Vocal teacher sings new tune

with food venture6pageHigh daily numbers

due to mass screening: DPM

TELLING IT AS IT IS

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ARDUOUS TASK ... Medical frontliners in full protection suits using a rickety plank walkway at a mangrove forest to reach Kampung Muslim in Labuan to conduct Covid-19 screenings. – BERNAMAPIX

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2 theSUN ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

TNB staff raise over RM1.57m for needyKUALA LUMPUR: More than RM1.57 million has been collected from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) employees through salary deduction for the TNB Prihatin Citizens Fund (WTP) since last month.

TNB chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said from the total, more than RM1.14 million has been distributed to about 1,900 recipients in Peninsular Malaysia.

He said the staff had volunteered for a certain amount of their salary to be deducted for June and July for the fund.

The collection has been distributed to the poor, single mothers, the disabled, senior citizens as well as those who have lost their jobs and source of income,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said earlier this year, TNB contributed nearly RM9.5 million to more than 10,000 recipients from the B40 group to finance the rebuilding and repair of their houses, as well as provide food and basic necessities including pocket money.

Mahdzir said there were TNB staff in several states who also carried out their own initiatives in providing assistance to the local community, especially those affected by the implementation of the movement control order.

Among them were staff from Kluang TNB in Johor, who set up the “Gerobok Rezeki”, as well as staff from Kemaman TNB in Terengganu, who started a food bank initiative.

TNB employees at its subsidiary, Kapar Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Power Station in Kapar, Klang also set up food banks at selected shops in Kampung Tok Muda, Serdang and Pekan Kapar.

“These noble efforts by our employees reflect a deep understanding of the company’s concern and support in fulfilling its corporate responsibility to help the community,” he added. – Bernama

Indonesian woman rescued from forced labourPUTRAJAYA: An Indonesian woman, believed to be a victim of forced labour exploitation by her employer, was rescued in an operation carried out in Taiping, Perak, last Friday.

According to the Human Resources Ministry, the 6.30am rescue operation was carried out following a complaint and information from the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur on July 7, in cooperation with the Peninsular Malaysia Labour Department, the Council of Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants task force and the police.

The ministry said in a statement yesterday that the employer was said to be taking advantage by manipulating the victim, who did not have a valid work permit and was categorised as an illegal immigrant.

The employer also exploits her illegal status to force her to do various housework (tasks) causing physical and mental stress, the statement said.

The woman was brought into Malaysia by an agent, who informed her that she would work as a helper, and was promised a salary of RM1,000, Bernama reported.

She was asked to pay a total of three months’ salary as service fee to the agent after getting the job, and the payment had already been made to the agent, through deductions from the victim’s salary for December 2017, January and February 2018, it said.

The 36-year-old woman was also beaten up by her employer because he was not satisfied with her work, and was not given food each time she expressed a desire to return to Indonesia or stop working for her employer.

The ministry said the initial investigation found that there were

indications of forced labour, and the employer was suspected of committing offences under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007.

The victim, who is still in a state of trauma, is now placed at the central zone shelter after being given an interim protection order (IPO) by the Taiping magistrate’s court, the ministry said.

The IPO is valid for 21 days, until July 30, for the Labour Department to complete the investigation paper under the ATIPSOM Act 2007, to be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor for further action.

Stop politicking, focus on helping people: DPMKUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged all parties, especially politicians, to stop playing politics and instead focus on helping people who have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said that with Covid-19 cases still high, all parties needed to unite and work together to fight the pandemic.

“Let us not play politics in the current situation because the people are in dire need of help, not only from the government but also from political parties, so we need to help the people.

“Right now our focus must be to help people who are facing difficulties and at the same time

oAll parties must work together to fight Covid pandemic, says Ismail Sabri

Woman shows up wearing batik at PPV to mark momentous dayKUALA NERUS: The excitement and joy of getting the Covid-19 vaccine has prompted a woman to turn up at the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin vaccination centre (PPV) clad in batik from top to toe yesterday, much like Malay women of the olden days.

Hanan Hashem, 30, said she chose the theme to mark the historic

day of receiving her first dose of vaccine after waiting for almost four months since she registered via the MySejahtera application on March 1.

“This is the first time I wore this kind of attire in public. At first, I didn’t have the confidence but I decided to just do it because it is a historic date for me.

“This attire is special because the

entire ensemble belonged to my beloved late grandmother, Nor Mek Ab Rahman, who died in 2013. I wanted to feel the ‘aura’ of donning traditional Malay outfits,” she said when contacted by Bernama.

The native of Kampung Gelong Gajah Padang Kemunting, Kuala Nerus said she realised that many were perplexed but not for long as

batik is part of the locals’ cultural heritage especially at weddings and birthday celebrations.

“I just want to mark July 11 as a special date so that future generations can see that Malaysia has been hit by the Covid-19, which is very scary and I have been responsible by receiving the vaccine to protect others from infection.”

Eye out for suspected criminalPETALING JAYA: Police have launched a hunt for a suspected criminal who crashed into a police patrol car until it broke down during a chase in Bandar Sunway on Saturday.

Subang Jaya police chief ACP Abd Khalid Othman yesterday said that at about 7.30pm police on crime prevention rounds spotted the man in a car and behaving suspiciously.

He said the policemen approached the vehicle to carry out checks when the driver reversed his car at high speed and crashed into a patrol car, causing damage to it.

Abd Khalid said a chase by the patrolmen ensued when the driver sped off. He said the patrolmen managed to intercept the car at an exit of the New Pantai Expressway but again, the driver reversed his vehicle and smashed it into a patrol car before he sped off.

The patrol car was badly damaged and could no longer move, he added.

He said checks revealed that the car, a Proton Iswara Aeroback (WEK 424), used by the suspect was reported stolen in Cheras on June 21.

Abd Khalid said the car is yet to be found and police are on the lookout for the suspect. He urged those with information on the car or driver to contact Subang Jaya police at 03-56210343. – by Charles Ramendran

NO SWEAT ... Using a technique she learned from her uncle and grandfather, petite Nor Syazwani Nor Azman, 20, who weighs barely 40kg, lifts a 25kg oil palm bunch with ease at her family’s plantation at Felda Pasoh 4 in Jelebu, Negri Sembilan. – BERNAMAPIX

strategies to combat the Covid-19 pandemic must also be supported by all,” he told reporters after visiting the Kerinchi People’s Housing Project (PPR), which was placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) yesterday.

Also present was Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun.

The Kerinchi PPR comes under the EMCO from July 3 to 16.

Ismail Sabri said since January,

more than 500,000 food baskets worth more than RM50 million have been distributed through the Social Welfare Department to the people affected by Covid-19.

He said under the Kasih Prihatin programme, the government had allocated RM100 million involving a contribution of RM100 per person to about 300,000 people which would be distributed from this month to September.

“Although this is cashless assistance, the recipients can go to

selected stores of more than 300 retail partners and only need to show their identity card and they can get items worth RM100 for free. This is in addition to food basket assistance,” he said.

Ismail Sabri urged anyone who needs help or runs out of food to contact the department’s operations room in their respective districts, which is open 24 hours, and the MP service centres for assistance.

He expressed his gratitude to the people and NGOs who also helped the government to channel food aid and goods to those in need.

He said the government would discuss with NGOs to facilitate their movement, especially in areas placed under EMCO. - Bernama

3theSUN ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

With Best Wishes FromTan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, Founder/Chairman

Dato’ Sri Robin Tan, Deputy ChairmanEncik Jalil Rasheed, Group Chief Executive Officer

Board of Directors



Greater efforts needed to address unemployment: MEF

PETALING JAYA: The saying that there are opportunities even in a crisis holds true for some industries.

For instance, the rapid spread of Covid-19 across the globe has created a significant increase in the demand for medical equipment, rubber gloves and face masks. As a result, more jobs have been generated in these sectors.

However, this has done little to ease the unemployment situation in Malaysia, according to human resource specialist Muhd Hilman Rao.

Data from the Statistics Department shows that unemployment rate fell to 4.6% in April, the lowest since October last year. Nonetheless, it is still way higher than the 3.32% recorded in 2019.

A total of 107,024 people lost their jobs in 2020, accounting for a sharp increase in the jobless rate. From Jan 1 to June 18, another 32,760 employees had been laid off.

The hardest hit are professionals, managers,

o ‘Professionals, managers, executives and technicians account for 60% of those laid off’

█ BY ELWIN DAVA [email protected]

executives and technicians. They account for 60% of those who have been laid off, according to Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman.

“Most companies are unable to provide long-term and permanent employment because of business uncertainties. Moreover, some are already resorting to shorter, fixed-term contracts but those are unappealing to job seekers,” he told theSun.

Independent think-tank Emir Research social, law and human rights research head Jason Loh Seong Wei, said some steps have been taken to ease unemployment.

He pointed out that measures are being taken to create 500,000 jobs under the Employment Generation Guarantee Scheme, and another half a million employment opportunities are expected under the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDigital) from now until 2025.

“The government is committed to supporting reskilling and upskilling as part of

the digital transformation.” Under Budget 2021, a total of RM100 million

has been allocated to Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation for its MyDigitalWorkForce Work in Tech initiative to encourage companies to reskill and upskill their employees.

However, there is more to be done, according to Syed Hussein. He listed several initiatives that the government could take:

* speed up vaccination at all levels; * extend the six-month automatic loan

repayment moratorium for small and medium enterprises at zero interest;

* implement the Wage Subsidy Programme now, rather than wait until the second and third phases of the National Recovery Plan;

* have a dedicated task force to focus on Selangor and Kuala Lumpur where local authorities can provide details of factories while the federal authorities work on screening and vaccination urgently;

* base standard operating procedures and policies on international best practices and input by stakeholders; and

* allow businesses in non-red zone locations to resume operations.

Syed Hussein said those who have lost their jobs should also adapt to the new environment.

Vocal teacher singing new tune with food ventureKOTA BARU: A teacher’s decision to switch careers paid off when he became a successful entrepreneur operating Froogurtz, a cafe selling frozen yogurt as its specialty.

According to Mohamad Hafizuddin Che Soh, 29, he is able to earn RM100,000 a month from his business.

He said his career path changed when he had to quit his job as a vocal teacher at an international school in Kuala Lumpur and returned to his hometown a year ago due to the pandemic.

“I was with the school since 2018. However, when the country was hit by Covid-19 and the movement control order was implemented in

March last year, the school had to close and services of all contract teachers, including me, were suspended. “I struggled to survive and my savings were getting less. So, I decided to return to Kelantan to live with my parents in Kota Baru, and start a small business.”

Mohamad Hafizuddin, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Music Composition from Universiti Teknologi Mara, said he was grateful he made the right decision, Bernama reported.

“The frozen yogurt, made using my own recipe, is well-received, and the business I opened on Nov 1 last year is thriving.”

At Froogurtz, customers can get frozen yogurt or yogurt ice cream at a price of between

RM6 and RM17 depending on the size. There are various flavours and 40 toppings such as fruits, cereals, biscuits as well as chocolate and honey.

The youngest of five siblings, Mohamad Hafizuddin said he opted to sell frozen yogurt as it has been his favourite ice cream since his student days in university.

He said he started his business at a kiosk in a shophouse near Bandar Baru Tunjong before moving to a bigger outlet on March 1.

Mohamad Hafizuddin, who has six employees, is preparing to open his second Froogurtz outlet in Wakaf Baru next month. He has his eyes set on expanding the business.

Mohamad Hafizuddin with two

of his popular yogurt

creations.

Orang asli leaders to promote vaccination driveSUNGAI SIPUT: As communal leaders, Tok Batin provide guidance on customs, traditions, development, economy, education and the well-being of orang asli communities.

However, with the pandemic, their roles have expanded to include encouraging the community to get vaccinated, convincing those hesitant due to fears and misconceptions about vaccines.

A total of 40 Tok Batin in Perak recently became the first to receive the jabs, setting an example for their communities.

The group, whose members received the first dose of the vaccine at the Sungai Siput orang asli One Stop mobile vaccination centre, about 50km from Ipoh, came dressed in their traditional costumes.

One of the leaders, Tok Nasiri from Kampung Pisang in Jalong, said the first challenge for him was to dispel myths about the vaccine as some of his community members had been influenced by negative feedback on social media, Bernama reported.

Kampung Manggis Pesium Tok Batin, Alang Pandak, 66, said he would try to persuade his community members by informing them of the benefits of getting vaccinated.

“I will also tell them about my vaccination experience and convince them that the negative news that they read on social media is fake.

“Actually, most of the villagers from the Temiar tribe have accepted the need for vaccination and are waiting for it to be held in our area,” said Alang Pandak.

Pos Poi Tok Batin, Eley Busu, 53, expressed hope that a mobile vaccination centre would be located closer to his area as the distance to the current one from his village is about 30km, over muddy trails.

Ministry to discuss vaccine recognition with Saudi govtKOTA BARU: The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry will hold talks with Saudi Arabia on Covid-19 vaccine recognition for haj pilgrims.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said all the Covid-19 vaccines

obtained by the Malaysian government were recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“It is our hope that the Saudi Arabian government will accept all pilgrims who

have been vaccinated,” he said after attending a donation presentation

programme by the Islamic Economic Development Foundation in Kampung Sering yesterday.

It was reported earlier that the Saudi Arabian government would only accept pilgrims who had received either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines for the haj pilgrimage. – Bernama

80% refugee population tested, 10% positiveLABUAN: A mass Covid-19 active case detection (ACD) exercise in the newly-emerged Titian 2 cluster revealed that only 10% of the 80% population tested were positive.

Labuan Health Department director Dr Ismuni Bohari said the cluster in the Filipino refugee-settlement, with a population of 2,912, was under control and monitoring would be continued.

“Most of the people in the settlement are working in the town centre, and some are involved in the construction sector. Certainly, they have interactions with the local community. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are free from Covid-19 infections,” he told Bernama.

The ACD exercise, which started on Friday and ended on Saturday, was to ensure that the spread of the virus in the densely-populated settlement is contained effectively.

Labuan National Security Council (NSC) director Mohd Hafiez Daud said the settlement is registered with the NSC.

“These refugees are mostly holding IMM13 (document issued to Filipino refugees in Sabah and Labuan). There is also a small number of Malaysians as well as permanent residents in the settlement.”

Labuan natural disaster management committee chairman Rithuan Ismail said roadblocks at two entry points to the settlement, mounted last Friday, would be removed in the next few days, depending on the advice of the health department.

Labuan is seeing a downward trend in the number of individuals testing positive for Covid-19.

5theSUN ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021



836,296

87,841

961

9,105

742,297

5,194

6,158

91

1PERLIS

382KEDAH

243PENANG

207PERAK

4,682SELANGOR

1,247K. LUMPUR

49PUTRAJAYA

278MALACCA

392JOHOR

54LABUAN

150KELANTAN

300PAHANG

270SARAWAK

271SABAH

38TERENGGANU

541N.SEMBILAN

Registered

17,770,806Received first dose

7,649,848

PROGRESS STATISTICS FOR THE NATIONAL COVID-19 IMMUNISATION PROGRAMME

As of July 10

LIFE GOES ON ... A sundry shopkeeper tending to her store from within barbed wire barricades at the Sri Rakyat Apartments in Bandar Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, that has been placed under an enhanced movement control order. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

MMA: Learn from mistakes

Adham said the government is also joining hands with private hospitals and employers to set up more low-risk quarantine and assessment centres.

Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Datuk Dr M. Subramaniam described the situation as “catastrophic” and “close to collapse”.

“Hospitals, especially in the Klang Valley, are already overwhelmed with patients due to the rapid outbreak,” he said.

Subramaniam described the comparison with India as “meaningless”, given that both countries have such different systems. Nonetheless, he noted Malaysia has yet to learn from its mistakes more than a year into the pandemic.

“The total lockdown of two to three weeks in the past, with only essential services allowed to operate, had proven fruitful. But allowing some industries to resume operations now shows that we have not learned from our experience.

“The situation will get worse as healthcare staff are overworked and there is a shortage of professional medical personnel.”

Subramaniam said MMA is negotiating for a budget and to get the government to give permanent positions to contract medical officers.

“Otherwise, the least the government can do is to offer them a longer contract,” he added.

Aid with empathyoHusband and wife team starts food basket initiative based on what they themselves would need

PETALING JAYA: The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many to turn to extreme measures to make ends meet.

On the other hand, it has also brought out the best in humanity. Many have stepped up to give what they can to help even those they have never met.

One such person is a man who prefers to go by the name “G”.

“I learned through social media that there are many people who are facing a lot difficulties,” he said.

That prompted him to look for people living in his neighbourhood in Kelana Jaya who needed help.

G said he spoke to some friends about pooling their resources to help the less fortunate, but some of them were already giving to food kitchens.

“It was my wife who urged me to go ahead with my plan. With her help, I identified 30 families that needed help urgently.”

G said he started by asking those families what they needed.

“They asked for food that could last them at least two weeks.”

He and his wife then bought items such as rice, milk, eggs, instant noodles, salt and sugar and donated them to the families.

G said while shopping with his wife, she pointed out that the items they were buying for themselves

were very different from those they were giving to the families.

“Upon returning home, I drew up a list of items that one would need in the kitchen to make a simple meal.”

“We realised that we had left out many items.”

The following weekend, they did a trial run and bought all the items on their list.

“It cost us RM170 to fill up a food basket for a family.”

Several more items, such as dried noodles, ikan bilis, dried fish, soy sauce, onions, garlic, ginger and other items essential for a person to cook a meal were added to their original food basket.

Some days, his wife would add fish or vegetables. G now gives out two food baskets with all the items on his more comprehensive list to each household, twice a month.

He said he began the food basket routine because he realised that a one-off package would not last.

“When the items run out, they will be left with nothing.”

Spike in numbers due to mass screening, says DPMKUALA LUMPUR: The increase in the number of Covid-19 cases of late is due to large-scale screenings, especially in areas under enhanced movement control orders (EMCO), said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the government had projected Covid-19 cases to increase when the EMCO was enforced in 36

mukim in Selangor and 16 localities in Kuala Lumpur.

“When the government enforces EMCO, we will conduct screening on a large scale and of course, there will be an increase in cases (recorded).

“At the Kampung Kerinchi PPR (housing scheme), which is under EMCO, (large-scale) screening was

done and many tested positive,” he said after visiting the location.

“This is what caused the number increase, because these EMCO areas contribute to cases, which will eventually go down.“

Ismail Sabri, who is also defence minister, said the Health Ministry would conduct Covid screenings every day in EMCO areas.

“For residents in EMCO areas in Selangor, many private clinics are open on a walk-in basis for Covid-19 screening tests. That also contributes to the increase in cases.”

Ismail Sabri said the numbers are expected to increase and the next step is to provide facilities, including beds, to treat positive patients. – Bernama

█ BY RAJVINDER SINGH [email protected]

From front page

Herd immunity target for KelantanTUMPAT: Kelantan is on track to achieve herd community, with 70% to 80% of its population due to receive the Covid-19 vaccine by October, said Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob.

He said this was based on the vaccination process, which was running smoothly, and with the state expected to get more supply of the vaccine beginning his month.

“Kelantan is expected to receive 438,000 doses this month, with delivery to be done in stages every week,“ he told reporters after inspecting a vaccination outreach programme Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Falahiah in Pasir Pekan yesterday.

Ahmad advised people in the state to continue to adhere to the stipulated standard operating procedures, especially during the coming Aidiladha celebration, to ensure the state’s daily cases remain in a downward trend. – Bernama

To sustain his charity drive, he spoke to some neighbours and friends and they agreed to contribute some money each month to defray the costs for G.

There has been a few success stories, too.

“At one point, we were helping close to 60 families but now, a number of them have been able to overcome their difficulties,” he said.

G cited the case of a man who needed help to repair his car so he could work in the delivery service.

“We chipped in to get his car fixed, and now he and his family no longer require any help.”

The man now helps G deliver the food baskets to families that still need help.

Apart from offering food baskets, G and his friends also provide delivery services to several women who have begun selling home-cooked food online.

“We realised that giving food alone is not enough. We need to find ways to help them get back on their feet,” he said.

“There also are some households that do not need that much help now because a member of the family has found a job and that has helped to ease their burden,” he added.

7 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

theSUN ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

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Guardian of marine life

IF there is a superhero that Choong Yew Cherng (pix) can relate to, it has to be Aquaman. After all, his work revolves around denizens beneath the waves.

At Sea Life Malaysia in Johor, where he is as an aquarist, Choong literally babysits seahorses, sea jellies, stingrays and other marine creatures, all of which are found exclusively in Malaysian waters. He has 13,000 of them in his brood.

His task is to ensure the survival of these creatures that have been put at risk by human failures such as pollution and environmental degradation.

Choong’s love for aquatic creatures was nurtured from childhood. “My father had a beautiful pond filled with Japanese koi. I would help him take care of the fishes,” he told theSun.

He said his family would often spend time at waterfalls or beaches – activities that would shape his love for the ocean and its biodiversity.

This passion led him to study marine biology at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. “It

oAquarist tasked with ensuring survival of sea species takes pride in breeding programme to increase their population, that has been threatened by pollution

█ BY ELLY FAZANIZA [email protected]

Unusual professionsMedia urged to identify, uncover fake newsPUTRAJAYA: Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah yesterday urged media agencies on various platforms, including television, radio, print and online, to intensify efforts to identify and uncover fake news.

He expressed hope such agencies would intensify efforts to raise awareness on the threat of fake news as well as take measures to prevent such misinformation.

He said in a statement that there has been a significant increase in the spread of false information recently on the Covid-19 pandemic, vaccination, public health, social issues and politics. He added that the situation could cause confusion and concern among the public and affect efforts to combat the spread of the virus effectively.

“In the context of disseminating information, the media not only has the role of reporting accurate news but also to protect the people from false news that could potentially undermine the government’s efforts in combating Covid-19, and preserving the country’s prosperity and stability.”

Saifuddin said the media has been cooperating with the government in combating fake news since the crisis began.

He said the government, through the Communications and Multimedia Ministry as well as several agencies, has acted proactively in curbing the increase in fake news. Among them were monitoring by the ministry’s Quick Response Team since March last year in debunking 464 fake news reports or posts.

He added that the Emergency (Essential Powers) (No. 2) Ordinance 2021, was also enforced from March to prevent and take action against the spread of fake news about Covid-19. – Bernama

was there that I was encouraged to explore different marine habitats and see its beauty. We also had field trips to beaches, wetlands and seagrass beds, where submerged flowering plants bloom,” he said.

It was during his university days that he was certified as an advanced open water scuba diver, a qualification that would earn him an internship at a seaside resort during a semester break.

Choong’s work revolved around operations at the dive centre, giving him an opportunity to spend time getting to know the marine life around Pulau Redang.

“It was a fun time indeed, combining my interest and activities that became useful in a large part of my career,” he said.

It was in Singapore where he got his first taste of animal husbandry, specialising in the care of sea jellies. “I was able to breed four different species of sea jellies rather than buy them. It’s more sustainable,” he said.

“They are delicate and keeping them alive in an enclosed environment was difficult, but it was a challenge that I relished.”

During trips to Japan and Hong Kong, he also learned how to put creatures on public

display while keeping them safe. He said while sea jellies are not an

endangered species, they show signs when there is an imbalance in the marine ecosystem.

“When seawater temperature rises, it leads to algae bloom. Since sea jellies feed on algae, this means the temperature change increases food supply for them, enabling them to multiply rapidly,” he said.

“However, Mother Nature has her own way of ensuring balance in the ecosystem,” he added.

On a personal level, Choong takes pride in the breeding programme at Sea Life Malaysia. His efforts have led to an increase in the population of pot-bellied seahorses, blue spotted stingrays and epaulette sharks at the aquatic centre.

Ultimately, the objective is to make the aquarium self-sustainable when it comes to the animal population.

Sea Life Malaysia has also fostered an animal exchange partnership with Aquaria KLCC under a programme aimed at educating visitors about endangered species that are being rehabilitated.

Under the programme, Sea Life Malaysia provided 20 newly-hatched seahorse fries and eight juvenile pot-bellied seahorses in exchange for two Malaysian striped carps and six hampala barbs.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a new set of challenges, one of which is the difficulty in getting supplies.

But 41-year-old Choong, who is one of only 60 aquarists in Malaysia, is hopeful there is a future for his beloved sea creatures.

“They will still be here for future generations to see,” he said.



Widow of Haiti’s slain leader addresses nationPORT-AU-PRINCE: The widow of slain Haitian leader Jovenel Moise, who was critically wounded in the attack that claimed his life, on Saturday issued her first public remarks since the assault, calling on the nation not to “lose its way.”

Martine Moise’s comments came three days after she was airlifted to a Miami hospital for treatment of grave wounds suffered early on Wednesday when gunmen stormed the family home in Port-au-Prince.

They also come as the nation reels from the slaying of its leader, with no clear succession plan on the horizon.

“I am alive, thanks to God,” said Martine in an audio message in Creole that was posted on her Twitter account, and verified as authentic to AFP by Haiti’s Minister of Culture and Communications Pradel Henriquez.

“In the blink of an eye, the mercenaries entered my home and riddled my husband with bullets ... without even giving him a chance to say a word,” she said.

According to authorities, a hit squad of 28 men – 26 Colombians, many of them retired soldiers, and two Haitian-Americans – burst in and opened fire on the couple.

So far, 17 have been arrested, and at least three were killed while a handful remain at large, police say.

But no motive has been made public, and questions are swirling about who might have masterminded the assassination.

Martine pointed at a variety of possible reasons, saying the killers could have been sent by people who might have been displeased with her husband’s plans to provide “roads, water and electricity, a (constitutional) referendum and elections set for the end of the year”.

She suggested that perhaps those

behind the killing “do not want to see a transition in the country”.

“I am crying, it is true, but we cannot let the country lose its way.

“We cannot let his blood ... have been spilled in vain.”

Moise’s assassination has plunged already troubled Haiti into chaos.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said he is still in charge.

But a group of senators, with the backing of several opposition groups, have endorsed a plan to install Senate leader Joseph Lambert as the provisional president, with Ariel Henry as the new premier. – AFP

Australia reports first Covid-19 death this yearCANBERRA: Australia reported its first locally contracted Covid-19 death of the year yesterday and a 2021 record 77 new cases of the virus in the state of New South Wales, which is battling an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant.

State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the numbers in and around the country’s biggest city Sydney, already under a hard lockdown, are expected to rise.

“I’ll be shocked if it’s less than 100 this time tomorrow, of additional new cases,” Berejiklian told a televised briefing.

There were 50 cases on Saturday, the previous 2021 record high. The recent outbreak stands at 566 cases.

Of yesterday’s cases, 33 were people who had spent time in the community while they were infectious, raising the likelihood that the three-week lockdown of more than five million people in Sydney and surroundings will be extended.

“Given where we’re at and given the lockdown was supposed to be lifted on Friday, everybody can tell it’s highly unlikely at this stage,” said Berejiklian.

The neighbouring state of

Victoria, which yesterday recorded its 11th straight day without new infections, said it was closing its borders with New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory to prevent spreading of the virus.

In Sydney, there are 52 cases in hospital, or about one in 10 people infected in the current outbreak.

Fifteen people are in intensive care, with five requiring ventilators.

The death, Australia’s first locally contracted case since December, involved a woman in her 90s.

Australia has fared much better than many other developed

countries in keeping its Covid-19 numbers relatively low, seeing just over 31,000 cases since the start of the pandemic and 911 deaths.

The vaccination rollout, however, has been sluggish due to supply constraints and changing medical advice for its mainstay AstraZeneca shots.

Vaccinations are available for now only to people over 40 and groups at risk either due to their health or exposure to the virus at work.

Of those hospitalised in Sydney, 11 are under the age of 35, said health authorities. – Reuters

Thai beauty queens in hot water for not wearing masks

BANGKOK: Thai beauty queens who took part in a pageant last month could face criminal charges for not wearing masks, police warned yesterday, after a cluster of 22 infections emerged from the event.

Thirteen contestants and nine others associated with the Miss Grand Samut Sakhon pageant, which was held at a Bangkok venue, have tested positive for coronavirus.

Thailand is grappling with a deadly third wave of infections, with 9,539 new cases announced on Saturday and 86 deaths.

“There are likely to be many people involved in the pageant, including contestants who violated rules and regulations,” metropolitan police deputy commissioner Piya Tawichai told reporters.

Organisers had obtained permission to hold the event, but had to comply with 20 specific rules, including mask-wearing, police said.

“People who attended the pageant and did not wear masks also (breached) the emergency decree and diseases control laws,” Piya said.

Organisers and participants in the province-level pageant were being investigated and could face possible criminal charges, the force said.

Photos on the event’s Facebook page show finalists in gowns and sashes, not wearing masks and not practising social distancing.

Late last week, the Thai government announced a curfew across Bangkok and nine other hotspot provinces, which comes into effect today, barring people from venturing out between 9pm and 4am.

Thailand has registered a total of

Miss Grand Samut Sakhon contestants posing during the pageant in Bangkok. – AFPPIX

oContestants could face criminal charges after 22 cases emerge

Man pushes six-year-old off scooter and steals itWASHINGTON: A six-year-old boy in the US was shoved off his brother’s e-scooter by a masked man who then rode off on it.

Police said the brazen theft occurred at about 10pm on Wednesday in Borough Park, New York.

The father told the New York Post that the e-scooter belongs to the six-year-old’s older brother, who has special needs.

“There is no humanity. I don’t know who would do this. He is a sick guy,’’ neighbour Ruhul Amin told the paper.

Police said the thief approached the boy and asked “where is your mommy?” before pushing him off the scooter.

The boy told his sister what happened and their parents later reported it to law enforcement.

“At the police station, he was a little afraid,” the father told The Post concerning his son.

“We got him to say a few words.” He said the boy has not been to

school since the incident and is scared of riding a scooter again.

Addressing the thief, the father said he could “bring it back, no questions asked”.

“Turn the scooter back, I’m not going to press any charges.

“But if the police catch you, it’s going to be worse.”

The suspect is thought to be in his late 20s. – The Independent

BRIE

FS 30 MILLION PEOPLE

UNDER HEAT ALERTS WASHINGTON: Hot weather alerts were in place for 30 million people across western US on Saturday after a second heat wave in weeks brought another round of record high temperatures. Sweltering conditions have hit much of the Pacific seaboard and as far inland as the western edge of the Rocky Mountains over the weekend. “Over 30 million people remain under either excessive heat warnings or heat advisories,“ said the National Weather Service. – AFP 12 KILLED AS BUS CRASHES IN TURKEY ANKARA: A bus carrying Afghan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi migrants crashed in eastern Turkey early yesterday, killing 12 people and injuring 26 others. The crash occurred in Van province’s Muradiye district near the Turkish border with Iran, where the vehicle caught fire after tumbling into a ditch, two local sources said. They said the bus owner had been detained. Turkey has been a key transit point for migrants aiming to cross into Europe. – Reuters POPE’S FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE ROME: Pope Francis, seeming in good overall condition, appeared in public yesterday for the first time since undergoing intestinal surgery a week ago, stepping out on a hospital balcony to lead his weekly prayer before hundreds of people. The pope, 84, stood on the balcony of his suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli Hospital for 10 minutes, reading from a prepared text but also adding many impromptu remarks. – Reuters

336,371 cases and 2,711 fatalities. Most of the infections have occurred since April.

The country is fast running out of hospital beds and the government is facing heat over a slow vaccine roll-out and limited testing.

The Asia-Pacific region has seen a dramatic rise in cases in a number of countries.

Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation, reported yesterday its daily death toll hit a near-record 1,007 deaths, with over 36,000 new infections in the last 24 hours – a surge that has overwhelmed the country’s creaky healthcare system.

Health experts say low testing rates in Indonesia and the Philippines are also likely disguising the full extent of outbreaks, while Myanmar has seen a collapse in testing since February’s coup.

Vietnam’s reputation as a Covid success story is under threat, with more cases this month than during the first 14 months of the pandemic.

Australia-based Griffith University epidemiologist Dicky Budiman said the region was struggling to cope with the Delta variant and paying for inconsistencies in strategy, messaging and enforcement of protocols.

He highlighted a need to broaden the range of vaccines, noting the dominance of China’s Sinovac, owing to its vaccine diplomacy when Western brands were unavailable.

“In handling the pandemic on a bigger scale ... vaccines can’t stand alone.

“Vaccines need to be diversified. “Resources need to be diversified,”

he said. Immunisation rates remain low,

with 5.4% of Indonesia’s 270 million population fully inoculated, 2.7% of people in the Philippines and 4.7% of the population in Thailand. – Agencies

PICT

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ESY

OF

MYS

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IO71

Making a splash in the art world

>>> Page 4&5

The many faces of Stephy Thin

>>> Page 8

Actor Ernest Loh realises his dream and embraces the unknown

>>> Page 7

Chartingnew pathaa

Chartingnew patha

MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

TELLING IT AS IT IS

LIFESTYLE YOUTH FASHION ENTERTAINMENT

2BEAUTYtheSun LYFE ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

Creams, scrubs, makeup removers

A staple in our diets, rice is making an unexpected -- or at least nearly unexpected -- breakthrough in the cosmetics industry. This active

ingredient is not new, nor can it be called innovative, but it does respond to the desire of consumers to turn to (more) natural ingredients to care for their skin. And we have to admit that this ingredient in particular offers a multitude of benefits. Here are some of them.

Eggs, sugar, cream, honey, and even olive oil... not just in our kitchen but in our bathroom! Consumers are increasingly turning to DIY, with recipes found online and on social networks -- such as TikTok and the various videos espousing the joys of sugar-based hair removal -- while brands are focusing on natural ingredients as they concoct the formulas of their new cosmetics. Several studies have shown that the pandemic has signaled the return of the authentic, the natural and the essential, testifying to the desire of consumers to no longer use products with lengthy formulas, and to focus on preventing the ravages

Rice may become your new beauty staple.

oRice is a hot ingredient in the beauty department

of time, pollution, and stress, rather than treating or concealing them.

And so it’s in this context that we see the emergence of an active ingredient that no one saw coming: rice. A favorite new component for the beauty industry, rice, whether in grains, powder or water, is showing up in the products of various brands, at all price ranges and for all demographics, making its way into creams, serums, scrubs and makeup removers. Of course there is nothing particularly innovative about rice. The powder has even been used for centuries in some cultures, particularly in Asia, to enhance the hair and skin of women. Women use rice water -- that’s right, we’re talking about rice cooking water -- to take advantage of the vitamins and minerals it contains. Because rice does have many strong points.

Mattify and regenerate One of the advantages of rice is that it comes in different forms, each adapted to a different skin type. It meets the needs of mixed and oily skin types as well as dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin. That’s a lot of people! But it is undoubtedly those whose skin has a tendency to be shiny or oily who will most appreciate rice powder for its strong absorbent and thus mattifying capacity -- goodbye excess sebum. This means that it works well in

creams, milks, or masks, as well as in certain makeup products such as mattifying powders, eyeshadows, and even certain blushes.

But if you want to fight against skin aging and lack of firmness, you should look to rice water, packed with antioxidants, among other elements. Rice water can help fight the signs of aging, reduce wrinkles and fine lines, and promote smoother, firmer skin. And while rice powder has intense mattifying capacities, rice water also helps nourish dry skins with deep moisturizing abilities.

Stronger hair And rice water is not only good for skin; it is also

beneficial for hair. It can be used as a mask, left on for a few minutes, to make your hair stronger and shinier. It can also be used to help put an end to annoying frizz, while it can accelerate the growth of hair, even giving it more volume.

Numerous are the brands today that have products or ranges whose formula includes this everyday ingredient. Some examples are Korres, Pai Skincare, Tatcha and Elemis. But to take advantage of the benefits of water, there is a much less expensive solution: wash your rice and keep the water you use, or even use the water you use to cook your rice after cooling it down. Be careful though, it can only be kept for a few days. Get cooking! – ETX Studio

Solution for double troubleDEVELOPED in partnership with aesthetic doctors and dermatologists, French medi-cosmetique brand Laboratoires Filorga launches the Age Purify range - the perfect solution to target, at the same time, the two most troubling signs of premature ageing - imperfections and wrinkles.

A complete anti-ageing range designed with a unique double-correction programme, the Filorga Age-Purify range contains an exclusive core formula, the Dual-correcting Factors, to combat the infamous double trouble duo - imperfections and wrinkles! Bringing together two high-tech complexes, Hyaluro-youth CX and Dermo-rescue CX, the Dual-correcting Factors is formulated,

together with aesthetic doctors and dermatologists, to allow users to effectively treat wrinkles and imperfections including shine, pores, blackheads, spots, and redness.

Created with the belief that anti-ageing products should be accessible to all women, the Filorga Age-Purify range is perfect for imperfection-

prone skin and is also suitable for users with combination to oily skin. Designed to be a complete sensorial skin care ritual, the Filorga Age-Purify range, like all other Laboratoires Filorga products, is dermatologically tested and clinically

proven for visible results seven days. The range comprises Filorga Age-

Purify Clean cleanser, FILORGA AGE-PURIFY INTENSIVE Filorga Age-Purify Intensive serum, Filorga Age-Purify moisturiser and Filorga Age-Purify Mask.

Filorga Age-Purify range.

OLAY’S new Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24, a collection designed and formulated to deliver plump and bouncy morning skin that lasts all day long!

Each product in the line-up is packed with Collagen-Peptide – the highest level in any Olay formula – that works synergistically with Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) to stimulate collagen production and restore moisture.

Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Serum is a light, concentrated, and fragrance-free serum that nourishes and hydrates the skin all

day long, while the Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Moisturizer is a creamy moisturiser that gives 24 hours of hydration through a special formulation of tried-and-true ingredients like Collagen Peptide and Niacinamide to transform your skin and reveal hydrated, plump, and smooth skin.

Rounding out the collection is the Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 Eye Cream, a lightweight eye cream that delivers plumping moisture to the delicate eye area without a sticky, greasy or heavy feeling.

Olay’s new Regenerist Collagen Peptide 24 collection.

Skin deserves plumping moisture

IZIA La Nuit by Sisley is an olfactory journey with a chypre, woody, floral trail just as intense as the memory of a romantic encounter.

It is a fragrance for a daring, elegant woman looking for an olfactory signature that reveals her slightly but not completely. An extraordinary, rare and sophisticated perfume.

This nocturnal, opulent and deep fragrance is like an encounter that awakens the unconscious and stimulates the senses.

A dizzying array of sensual, full, radiant notes emerges, developing and evolving over time like a metaphor for the countless facets of love. Izia La Nuit is a new encounter, an ode to the night that follows on from Izia with a new intensity.

The sculptural bottle created by

An ode to the nightIzia La Nuit.

artist Bronislaw Krzysztof is adorned with a mysterious, glossy lacquer. Its deep black shade contrasts with the delicate golden film that reflects the luminous juice.

Regenerative power for your skinTUKUMA is a fruit of the Amazon native palm tree known for its ability to grow back even after fire, bringing life back to degraded areas of the Amazon Forest.

The butter and oil of Tukuma act together on the skin to stimulate cellular renewal and increase the levels of natural hyaluronic acid in the skin.

In the same way as the forest, T u k u m ã renews and r e p l e n i s h e s the skin from inside out, c o m b a t i n g body signs as skin matures over time.

Natura Ekos Tukuma Body Lotion is Enriched with pure Amazonian Tukumã butter and oil, this body lotion moisturises, protects and stimulates the skin’s natural

Tukuma Barsoap. and Tukuma Body Lotion.

production of hyaluronic acid, for smoother, more even and plumper skin.

Also available are Replenishing Tukuma Hand Cream and Tukuma Exfoliating Barsoap.

3BEAUTY

theSun LYFE ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

Sweat stuffAS much as deodorant and antiperspirant are a vital part of the daily hygiene routine,

sweating is in fact a normal – and essential – bodily function to get rid of toxins and regulate body temperature.

This brings us to aluminium – the most commonly used ingredient to block the sweat gland and pores, thereby reducing sweat and body odour.

Perhaps the biggest health concern about aluminium is that it could increase the risk of breast cancer; aluminium is said to build up in the breast tissue over time, disrupting the body endocrine system.

While the myth continues to be circulated, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no evidence or research data to substantiate the claim.

Aluminium has proven to be fine for most people, even though many have manifested painful cysts, itchy rashes and hyperpigmentation forming in the underarm area.

Furthermore, when aluminium reacts with sweat, it can cause yellow underarm stains on the clothes.

Since switching to natural deodorant, users have not experienced any of those problems that could further upset sensitive skin. There are some other issues, including a temporary increase in sweat production and sensitivity during the initial period of transition. They signify the body’s natural detoxing process from the sweat glands.

These changes can be challenging to go through but you can now rest easy knowing the days of using chemical-laden deodorants are in the past.

Some of the alternative absorbent ingredients in natural deodorant to replace aluminium are: baking soda, magnesium hydroxide, arrowroot powder, kaolin clay, bentonite clay, activated charcoal and many more.

1. Joi The vegan and cruelty-free deodorant brand is formulated without synthetic fragrance, alcohol, aluminium, parabens and phthalates, and instead incorporates baking soda as one of its main active ingredients to effectively neutralise bacteria and eliminate body odour. Its roll-on applicator spreads a thin layer of liquid onto the skin without feeling overly sticky. A little goes a long way, thus, a single bottle of 50ml is said to last up to three months.

Other than its four main scented deodorants, Joi also has a

oHomegrown natural deodorant brands offer us the reassurance of skin’s overall health and safety

(left) Siobhan Handcraft.

biodegradable push-up paper tube is quick to apply without requiring extra dry time.

The newly-introduced cream formula has a soft, non-greasy, lightweight texture that glides onto the skin easily, leaving the skin dry post-application.

Both versions are available in various scents derived from natural essential oils but they also come in an unscented version. 4. Siobhan Handcraft Siobhan Handcraft Organic Deodorant uses arrowroot powder, bentonite clay and kaolin clay instead to help draw out odour-causing b a c t e r i a a c c u m u l a t e d under the skin.

It is a d d i t i o n a l l y f o r m u l a t e d with natural e m o l l i e n t s including shea butter, rice bran oil, beeswax and vitamin E to soften the skin and keep the

a r m p i t s moisturised and fresh. Each deodorant stick contains a woody, floral or fruity scent enriched with essential oils such as cedarwood, ylang-ylang, lavender and frankincense.

The upside of the brand is that it uses sustainable paper packaging for its deodorant to be environmentally-

friendly.

Small acts of loveAT Love Beauty and Planet, they believe that #SmallActsOfLove has the power to make a huge impact on beauty and the planet. The portfolio was designed with purpose at its heart and permeated across the master brand of products within hair care, skin cleansing and skincare under Love, Beauty, and Planet.

Love: The products are all cleaner (0% parabens, silicones, dyes, phthalates), greener (90%+ naturally derived formulas), and cruelty-free and vegan.

Beauty: The products deliver key benefits and pleasurable sensorial. The brand believes there should be no compromise on beauty solutions to get natural and sustainable products. The delightful fragrances are ethically sourced supporting community welfare at the source of origin.

Planet: Pushing boundaries on

sustainability by reducing environmental impact while thriving towards making this planet a better place to live.

The variants made available in Malaysia are: Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower:

Designed to make skin soft and keep hair strong and full of bounce. Available as Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash and Body Lotion.

Muru Muru Butter & Rose: Designed to keep coloured hair vibrant and shiny with a fragrant juicy kiss of nature that lasts. Available as Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash and Body Lotion.

Tea Tree Oil: Designed to offer a deep, satisfying sigh of relief and care for your hair. Available as Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash and Body Lotion.

Argan Oil & Lavender: Designed to help smooth and tame frizzy hair, all with a

pampering fragrance. Available as Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash and Body Lotion.

Each fragrance is an artisanal blend and is carefully crafted to highlight an ethically-sourced essential oil or absolute and is obtained through responsible sourcing programmes. The

formulations of the product combine signature fragrances with expert techniques to make consumers look and feel even more beautiful, inside and out.

Beauty and Planet are available for purchase exclusively at Watsons.

Argan Oil & Lavender range.Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower range.

(top left) Joi.

█ BY JASON LIM

sensitive skin natural deodorant option specially formulated without baking soda. It uses magnesium hydroxide and arrowroot powder to keep the underarm area fresh and dry for 12 hours.

Joi is so confident in the efficacy of its natural deodorant that the brand will offer a 30-day money back guarantee. It really does show the level of confidence they have in their products. 2. Veri Natural The Veri Natural Deodorant Cream is not your average deodorant. As its name suggests, the cream form of deodorant unfamiliar to most people may be intimidating to use, but founders Syaiful and Saifullah assure you how a dollop size of it can allow you to go about your day, odour-free.

Controversial ingredients such as aluminium and other chemical stabilisers are replaced with a blend of corn starch, baking soda and kaolin clay as its active ingredients.

Coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil and vegetable glycerin are included for their m o i s t u -rising effects to soothe the skin.

The Veri Natural Deodorant Cream is vegan-friendly and doesn’t leave sweat stains on clothes. It is available in five scents: Tea Tree Lemon, Rose Vanilla,

Juniper Cedarwood, Lavender, and Jasmine.

3. Skind Naturals Unlike other regular natural deodorants that typically use baking soda as an absorbent, the plant-based deodorant brand Skind Naturals, however, opts for arrowroot powder to soak up moisture.

Its deodorant is completely vegan with no animal-derived ingredients, free from nasties, harmful chemicals, aluminium, sulfates, alcohol, parabens and synthetic fragrances. They are made with clean ingredients such as nourishing plant oils and butter to soothe and condition the skin.

The brand’s d e o d o r a n t stick in a

(above) Veri Natural.

(right) Skind Naturals.

4LIFESTYLEtheSun LYFE ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

An ocean of colours

WHEN it comes to art, Karen Cheok can rightly say that she was just born this way. Her conviction is so deep that, fresh

off graduating from a three-year Fine Arts course at Malaysian Institute of Art, the 23 year-old became a professional painter.

`` I started my career last year. Right now, I’m a full-time working artist,” revealed Karen, who also owns an online business based on her art.

While other children took lessons in ballet or piano, Karen’s parents sent her for art class from the age of nine.

`` I took art lessons until my high school,” she said.

She had a huge interest in art even at that young age.

“My parents decided I should take art lessons and see if it worked out. Later on in my last year of high school, we had to decide which college and course to choose for my career p a t h , ” K a r e n noted.

oBright new talent makes a splash in the art world with her free-spirited style

█ BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR

Ephemeral.

Eudaimonia.

Euphoria.

Gouache Studies.

After The Storm.

5LIFESTYLE


When artists get talking: podcasts and the visual artsWHO better to talk about art than those who are directly involved with its creation every day? While podcasts presented by exhibition curators or art historians are legion, visual artists are increasingly using the format to tell their own stories. We take a closer look.

“Over the years, I’ve given a great deal of thought to history and the way in which art can make the invisible visible.” With these words, spoken in the first episode of the podcast series “Artists Among Us,“ Carrie Mae Weems sets the tone. In this podcast launched by the Whitney Museum of American Art, the African-American artist and the podcast’s team “consider the complexities and contradictions that have culminated in the United States we experience today.” So far, Carrie Mae Weems has spoken with more than 30 historians, authors and artists to decipher the impact of David Hammons’ sculpture “Day’s End” on the space occupied by the Whitney Museum.

In the view of Anne Byrd, director of Interpretation and Research for the American museum, the podcast needed an artist as recognized as Carrie Mae Weems to lead it. “Weems proved to be the perfect host for the podcast because she was able to frame the dialogue between the work of art and the site’s history in ways that were both engaging and informative,“ she explained to The Art Newspaper.

Bringing different voices to the fore For its part, the Rubin Museum of Art has asked performer and

musician Laur ie

Anderson to host its latest podcast. Inspired by the exhibition “Awaken: a Tibetan Buddhist Journey Toward Enlightenment,“ “AWAKEN” invites different guests to talk about the personal transformation they have undertaken in their lives. Among them are comedian Aparna Nancherla, author and meditation teacher Tara Brach, doula Latham Thomas and artist Tsherin Sherpa.

“Enlightenment is a topic at the heart of the Rubin Museum’s collection. It’s even the focal point of an entire exhibition currently on view in our galleries,“ explains Dawn Eshelman, head of programs at the New York museum.”With the podcast, we wanted to bring a human scale to the sometimes intimidating concept of enlightenment, with voices from a variety of perspectives -- both religious and secular -- that offer very different, personal examples of what awakening can feel like.”

Who better to host “AWAKEN” than Laurie Anderson. Since the 1970s, the avant-garde performer has been practicing narrative art through a multitude of artistic mediums. “I was part of a family where you kind of had to talk. We were eight kids and we were expected to say what was going on in our lives,“ she once recounted when interviewed about her vision of art. “I’m always curious about the mechanics of the story, like who’s narrating and I like to play with that.”

Between conversation and confession An increasing number of artists are following the example of Carrie Mae Weems and Laurie Anderson, and speaking out through podcasts. While the phenomenon is not new, the pandemic has helped foster the emergence of audio programs where artists speak freely about their work. This is notably the case of “Chats with Artists in Lockdown.”

In this conversational podcast, Emma Cousin talks with Jean-Philippe Dordolo, Paloma Proudfoot and Dean Kenning about the impact of covid-19 on

their lives and work. A way “to keep ... artists in touch during the

strage pandemic period,“ as the London-based artist explains

in the first episode of “Chats with Artists in Lockdown.”

She and her guests discuss topics such as the postponement of

their exhibitions while the health

crisis was in full swing, the fear of the

blank page or the return to the creative studio.

T h i s i n t i m a t e

atmosphere is also present in

the “Arts to Hearts” podcast

where Charuka Arora welcomes artists who inspire

her such as Lizzy Taber, Halie Torris, Brandi Hofer and Ekaterinas Popova. They share their experience in the art world and their advice on how to make a place for themselves. A great way to inspire other artists to express themselves. – ETX Studio

“Artists Among Us” is part of a new

genre of podcasts

hosted by artists.

Karen enjoys painting with actual paint and seeing how everything unfolds. – PICTURES COURTESY OF KAREN CHEOK

“At that time, I was not interested in anything else except art. So I told my parents I wanted to go to art school. Right after I finished school, I applied for MIA and began my education in art.”

Paint is the way Karen was exposed to a multitude of art mediums, from screenprinting to animation.

“Digital art was not really my favourite medium. I was still fond of traditional painting methods like using gouache and acrylic,” she elaborated.

“It’s really easy to manipulate the paint that you can touch. Because when I create, I don’t really have a specific idea

in mind. What I usually do is I see what I have, and then I would

manipulate the paint and materials to see what is

produced”. Karen further

explained that she prefers paint and traditional painting methods due to the texture and seeing how paint reacts to other mediums.

Nothing extra

It is not a revelation that the more abstract

an art piece is, the more subjective it gets. For Karen’s artwork,

created with vivid splashes of colour and wildly kaleidoscopic, there is

no deep meaning, no attached political or background issues. The paintings are just

that; paintings. “It’s directly from my imagination and I want to

create it as it is. In my final year at art school, I

wanted to do something different because it was my final chance to get the lecturers to teach and guide me,” she explained.

As a final year student, Karen chose

environmental issues as the main theme; it

was something new that she never tried before. “I still went with it and

produced a black-and-white stencil drawing. For me, my final year

was an experimental period to try something new”.

When the feedback came from her lecturers, Karen noted that the results were okay. With the feedback came the realisation that she did not like doing art that had meaning.

“I just want to enjoy doing art and enjoying the process of making it,” she said.

“My paintings are influenced by my own imagination. I also take inspiration from my surroundings, pictures I’ve seen online, books, music and movies. I really like to infuse my paintings with really vibrant colours, and sometimes I will feature mythological elements”.

Given the heightened nature of her paintings and how each almost overwhelms the senses, Karen was asked whether she has ever painted while not sober.

“No, but I would really like to try,’’ she said. `` Actually a lot of people have commented that the type of art that I create is something people would see if they’re not sober.

Cyanea.

6HEALTHtheSun LYFE ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

What is bibliotherapy?SUMMER is a good time to

catch up on one’s reading list, indulge in some fun beach fiction or get back to a regular

reading rhythm that can be hard to maintain in busier seasons. And beyond its fun aspect, reading has many benefits, including for our health and our state of mind. In particular, it can help us feel less stressed and improve our memory. It can also be used to help heal certain traumas or as a crutch in difficult moments: this is the power of bibliotherapy.

Can a person heal oneself by reading books? When one thinks about a physical injury, the idea seems absurd at first. But looking at it from a psychological point of view, it starts to make sense. Bibliotherapy is a complementary solution, both for one-time issues and for everyday life.

This concept of “therapy” through reading takes its name from two Greek words: “biblios”, meaning book in Greek, and the word “therapeia”, which means “healing” or “curing”. This approach has been used for many years in Anglo-Saxon countries. As early as the beginning of the 20th century, Sadie Peterson Delaney, a librarian at a veterans’ hospital in Alabama in the United States, offered books to African-American servicemen to help them

Bibliotherapy is a way to heal oneself through reading.

oHow reading can help treat certain ailments

Spanish couple develop high-tech specs to help son seeWHEN their two-year-old son Biel started falling over a lot and had difficulty climbing stairs after learning to walk, Jaume Puig and his wife sought medical help to figure out the problem.

After visiting several doctors, the toddler was diagnosed with low vision, a condition far more common than blindness that makes daily tasks a challenge.

In Biel’s case, it was due to an optic nerve problem but the condition can also be caused by defects in the retina, brain or other parts of the visual system, or by conditions such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.

Low vision can’t be corrected with glasses or surgery. And while magnifiers can help with specific tasks like reading, there was no available technology to help the toddler get around.

So in 2017, Puig, a Spanish electrical engineer, and his wife Constanza Lucero, a doctor, founded Biel Glasses, a company which created a digital device to help those with low vision to move about safely on their own.

“There are canes and guide dogs. Nothing else. We got into this because we saw there was a need for it,” Puig, 52, told AFP at Barcelona’s

Mobile World C o n g r e s s

( M W C ) , t h e telecom

industry’s biggest annual gathering.

The headset is on display at the show.

A cross between gaming goggles and glasses, it creates a 3D image onto which text, graphics and video can be overlaid upon real-world images.

It also uses AI to detect and signal obstacles.

Real-time visual warning “We thought we could use these technologies to take advantage of the vision he does have so he can be more independent.

“Maybe we can’t cure him but we can help him,” said Puig of his son who is now eight.

When a wearer approaches an object blocking their path, a large red circle will appear on the screen warning them of the obstacle.

It also allows them to zoom in on a street sign or other object.

Developing the glasses cost 900,000 euros (US$1 million), of which the couple invested 65,000 euros of their own money, while the rest came from public institutions and crowd-funding.

They worked with a team of doctors and computer engineers, among them one of Spain’s top specialists on low vision, to create the product which has been approved for use in the European Union.

It is expected to go on sale in Spain and Denmark later this year.

The glasses, which need to be customised for the specific needs of each user, cost 4,900 euros (US$5,850).

Puig, who has founded several other technology startups, now hopes to add voice activation and a navigation system that works with Google Maps in future versions of the glasses. – ETX Studio

A man uses Biel

Digital glasses.

overcome the horrors of the First World War.

1001 benefits of reading Although bibliotherapy has been practiced for a long time, it was in 2009 that science took a serious look at the subject.

According to a study by English neuropsychologist David Lewis, reading lowers stress levels by 68%. This is more than music (61%), a cup of tea (54%) or a walk (42%). Reading can also strengthen our memory and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, according to an American study published in 2013. And according to researchers at Yale University in the United States in 2016, it could even extend our life expectancy. By following more than 3,600 people over the age of 50 for 12 years, these scientists observed that avid readers (more than 3.5 hours per week) lived on average 23 months longer than those who did not read.

A book “allows the reader to improve their memory, not be invaded by emotions and not to ruminate,“ outlines Regine Detambel, the author of Les livres prennent soin de nous [French only, Books Take Care of Us]. “It speaks to

us in an indirect way, allows us to structure and assemble our emotions.” It can also be a reassuring place for a reader to go to. “It’s a safe place that we can control, without the risk of being hacked or sharing personal data,” stresses the author, who is a physiotherapist by training. It contrasts with “the bottomless pit of the vast digital realm”.

But the very purpose of a book can be “off-putting”, the author acknowledges. That’s why she developed the concept of “creative bibliotherapy.” This method begins with reading aloud during workshops, stimulating the imagination and building curiosity. There is no “prescription” for a book. The specialist also encourages people to write, taking notes or putting their emotions to paper. “This allows you to leave a trace in the real world, not just in digital form,” she emphasises. But her method doesn’t stop there; she recommends reading aloud, doing exercises during workshops, essentially, externalising the book and being aware of the positive effects it has on us and on our socialisation. – ETX Studio

7ENTERTAINMENT


NOT too long ago, actor Ernest Loh was busy pursuing a different career path. Upon graduation, he made a great impression as an interior designer,

creating sophisticated concepts for interior spaces. From serving prominent clients to winning design competitions, he was building a name for himself in the field.

Despite his success, Ernest was craving alternative platforms to further expand his creativity and talents. This led him to rediscover his passion for acting.

“I had always fantasised about action movies when I was a kid, watching things blow up and how cool it was,’’ said Ernest, who embarked on his acting journey in 2017.

“But when you are a kid, you do not know what that entails.”

Ernest says he experienced that transition periods were always clouded by uncertainty.

“And for me, that was definitely scary. Because there is no straight path to becoming an actor.

“You need to figure out on your own what you need to do on a daily basis to become a better actor.”

But he seems to have everything on track, considering his recent achievements and projects.

What are the highlights of your acting career? One of them would be playing a lead role in a short film. I was also involved in the post-production of the film, which was submitted to Short and Sweet Malaysia, a film festival. And it won two awards, one of which was for Best Actor, which was me. This was when I first enrolled in acting school. Winning that was validation for the entire team and myself. It was pretty cool.

And the first thing I thought of was that I could finally tell my mum that I am an actor. I have a cool little trophy to show for it, which is a small validation that you sometimes need in life to keep you going when you embark on a new endeavour.

What is the best character you played on screen? The best so far was for an AirAsia commercial. I played an “Ah Beng” character, and it was my second commercial. I remember wanting to bring my A-game, thinking I had to put in a Hollywood kind of effort. So, a week before the shoot, I kept practising in front of my desk.

When I arrived on set, I was ready to play the character and was not overwhelmed by any pressure, unlike other times when I would

oActor Ernest Loh realises his dream and embraces the unknown

█ BY JOHN TAN

Ernest in a scene from a project. – PHOTO COURTESY OF RENEE LOH

Ernest on the set of a commercial. – PHOTO COURTESY OF ERNEST LOH

Elvis Presley streaming channel is comingDON’T get all shook up! A new streaming channel exclusively dedicated to Elvis Presley will be launched in early 2022. The opportunity for rock’n’roll fans to discover documentaries and other programs about the man who was nicknamed the King.

The Elvis Presley Channel is a collaboration between American entertainment company Cinedigm and Elvis Presley Enterprises. The streaming channel will allow music lovers to experience specials and documentaries about the King, including Singer Presents ... Elvis (the ‘68 Comeback Special), Elvis Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite and Elvis by the Presleys.

They will also be able to immerse themselves in rare footage shot at Graceland, the vast museum mansion that the singer owned in

Memphis, Tennessee. Every year, hundreds of thousands of rock’n’roll fans come to this property, which has been declared a National Historic Landmark, to retrace their idol’s steps.

“There are few individuals more iconic than Elvis Presley, he transcends time, genre and medium,” said Erick Opeka, President of Cinedigm Digital Networks. “The channel will allow a whole new audience to experience Elvis, while also giving his fans a more in-depth look at their idol”.

From Elvis Presley to Bob Ross In addition to features on The King, The Elvis Presley Channel will also air documentaries on other rock ‘n’ roll greats like Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, as well as specials on destinations like Memphis. Cinedigm

plans to make The Elvis Presley Channel available to its network of streaming distribution partners, including Samsung, Pluto TV, Roku, Hulu, Amazon and Fox Corp’s Tubi.

While the launch of a channel dedicated exclusively to the rock ‘n’ roll icon may come as a surprise, it is a testament to Cinedigm’s desire to reach out to fan communities as fervent as The King’s.

In May 2020, the company launched The Bob Ross Channel to expand its portfolio of themed channels. It offers a wealth of content about the cult painter and TV host of the 1980s. A wise choice given that the presenter of The Joy of Painting has been particularly in vogue since the start of the pandemic. The proof: his Twitch channel is followed by more than 1.9 million people. – ETX Studio

Cinedigm will launch next year a streaming channel dedicated exclusively to the original icon of American rock’n’roll.

Charting a new path

get anxious, especially in new environments. It was fun!

Which actors do you look up to? I like Ryan Reynolds for his acting chops and the way he runs his marketing company – he creates his own commercials for his projects.

I also like Kevin Hart for the roles he plays, and his work ethics, which he puts in so many projects. Others include Dwayne Johnson, Will Smith, Tom Hardy, Killian Murphy and Matthew McConaughey. If I were to pursue a career, I want it to be like theirs.

Has it been difficult working as an actor during the pandemic? Yes, it is hard. But thank God, I have a little bit of savings as back up. I maintain my sanity by working on various things. I was doing a lot of TikTok videos, painting and working out. When you are doing stuff like that, your brain stays focused. When you are preoccupied, you have no time to t h i n k

negative thoughts. So, the content that I have been putting out during the pandemic has been fun.

Where do you see your career in five years? I would like to have some capabilities so I can have control over the scripts and projects that come my way. I would also like to write and produce projects. In terms of social media work, I would like to have a small content team working with me to produce videos and short clips. And finally, more work as a presenter on television, especially in the travel adventure segment.

Ernest hopes to book crime and comedy feature films in the future. – PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMAARON PORTRAITS

8FEATUREtheSun LYFE ON MONDAY | JULY 12, 2021

build a communicative relationship with my clients. For every assignment as a bridal makeup artist, I like to request my clients to show me their bare face beforehand. This is because everyone has a different type of face shape and scale.

This is also to ensure that the product is suitable for the client’s skin. As mentioned earlier, safety and caution are the main ethics of my work. So, I think there can be more communication between the client and the makeup artist. It helps smoothen the working process as clients also have their own idea for themselves.

Who are some of your beauty gurus you are inspired by? I look up to people like James Charles and Keilidh Muaa. I think their ideas are quite refreshing. Aside from them, I also look up to people like Bearbrickjia, Flora Borsi, Desiree Mattson, and Laura H Rubin. I quite like their content and looks. What are your plans for the future? I hope to join a makeup competition. To this day, I have not been able to participate in any competitions for make-up artists or beauty creators. So once Covid is over, I hope to join one. Apart from that, I hope to try and explore more makeup looks!

Ready for a career change in 2021?

CAREERSCAREERS

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PUBLICATION DATE 17 AUGUST, 2021 (Tuesday)

BOOKING & STORY DEADLINE 3 AUGUST, 2021 (Tuesday)

MATERIAL DEADLINE 13 AUGUST, 2021 (Friday)

Many faces of Stephy

WE have all heard how important it is to stay true to ourselves. To be comfortable in our

skins and embrace our individuality. For a fulfilling and healthy life, this sentiment rings true. But makeup artist Stephy Thin proves it is also possible to attain one through constantly creating and reinventing yourself.

Thin is an online makeup creator who transforms herself into popular characters on her social platforms. From the infamous socialite Cruella to the villainous Venom, the Kuala Lumpur-born creator takes on different character looks on a weekly basis for her online viewers.

“My boyfriend is a photographer who enjoys travelling,’’ says the professional makeup artist. “I started ensuring that I am always dressed for any occasion. I wanted to look my best in every photo. And that slowly led me to what I am doing now.”

Thin holds a degree in makeup and began her career as a bridal makeup artist, putting on colours on brides for the past five years.

She hopes that her online work will eventually lead her to her ambition of being a high-fashion makeup artist.

Thin hopes to become a high fashion

makeup artist in the

future. – PHOTO

COURTESY OF DICKSON

oAdventurous makeup artist enjoys transforming herself into iconic pop culture characters

█ BY JOHN TAN

Thin modelling herself after the devil emoji. – PHOTO COURTESY OF DICKSON

What is your favourite character look and why? I do not think there is any particular look that is my favourite. I put my heart and soul into every look. In fact, there is a lot of preparation that goes behind the scenes. The ideas actually do not come very easily to me. Hence every character marks a new experience and growth as an individual and makeup artist. Walk us through your preparation process. For every makeup assignment, I begin by scrolling through social media. For instance, I go on Instagram to get inspiration from the trendy artists I follow. By looking at their work, it inspires some ideas and helps me get an idea of the makeup preparation for the day.

As a makeup artist, I believe preparation is crucial as every single theme and make-up have different cosmetics and material.

What is one makeup product you

must have? I need my lipstick. I am not able to work without it. Though I work with a lot of cosmetics products, lipstick makes my character look more enthusiastic. It is like a soul of makeup to me. How do you usually pick your makeup products? Before I choose, I go through customer reviews. I like to know if the product is really reliable before purchasing it. Once I do, I will head to the physical store and try the sample to ensure it is safe and comfortable on my skin. I think this is very important. In fact, there have not been any allergic reactions to the products that I have tried for this reason. What are some things you would like clients to know before working with you? I think communication between a client and a makeup artist is important. For instance, I like to

Thin posing as the infamous Cruella. – PHOTO COURTESY OF DICKSON

A look inspired by makeup artists, James Charles and Gabrielle Alexis. – PHOTO COURTESY OF DICKSON

9 SPEAK UP


theSun ON WEDNESDAY |


theSun ON WEDNESDAY |


THE OBJECTIVESTO achieve greater unity among Malaysians

TO maintain a democratic way of life

TO create a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared

TO ensure a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions

TO build a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology

RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLESBELIEFIN GOD

LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY

THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION

THE RULEOF LAW

COURTESY AND MORALITY

THE OBJECTIVESTO achieve greater unity among Malaysians

TO maintain a democratic way of life

TO create a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared

TO ensure a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions

TO build a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology

RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLESBELIEFIN GOD

LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY

THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION

THE RULEOF LAW

COURTESY AND MORALITY

Issue of statelessness still unresolvedSARAWAK has prided itself as a state that

has kept away illegal immigrants, but in its own backyard it finds itself in a bind with a host of problems related to its own

people. Many indigenous people remain stateless,

especially the Penan who have been waiting for decades to be accorded Malaysian citizenship and to be recognised as citizens of Malaysia.

Long delays and excessive bureaucracy on the part of the National Registration Department (NRD) have left many applicants in the lurch and their citizenship woes run into three generations.

The issue has been made difficult by their nomadic culture, and compounded by rural poverty and illiteracy as most Penans cannot read nor write in Bahasa Malaysia. Almost all of them cannot afford the luxury of travel.

The Penan is the last nomadic indigenous group residing mostly in Baram, Belaga and Ulu Limbang.

The State Planning Unit in 2010 estimated 77% of Penans have settled permanently, while 20% are semi-nomadic. The remaining 3% are still living nomads.

Those living in the heartlands of Sarawak do not possess birth certificates, any identification papers or MyKad.

According to Penan Affairs Department officer at the Sarawak Planning Unit Ezra Uda, the Penan population stood at 21,367 as of 2019.

But most of them do not have any form of identification papers to denote they are citizens, let alone enjoy the benefits of being classified as bumiputra.

Their cultures, practices and lifestyles have been mentioned in passing in travel and tourism-related articles but their trials and tribulations to getting recognition as citizens paint a totally different picture.

Peng Magut lives in Long Tevanga, a village at the border between Limbang and Baram districts. The terrain is beautiful, punctuated by the cool mountain air. But the village has no electricity, no running water, much less an internet connection.

Travel is expensive as there are no buses or taxis. It costs RM1,800 to charter a private four-wheel vehicle for the drive from Miri to the Baram interiors.

It was Godsend when a roving task force from the Miri Special Mobile Unit (UKBM) and the NRD came to the village to help Peng register his own birth for the first time more than 10 years ago.

Peng, who is in his 40s, has made that application four times and after the first, the next

three applications took a walk of three hours to other villages in Baram where such exercises were carried out.

The last time he made a late birth registration application was in 2019 but to date, he has yet to be informed of the status of his application.

His wife, June Along and their two sons Rudy and David are also waiting for news on their applications too.

While Peng and his entire family do not read or write in Bahasa Malaysia, Peng understands the importance of obtaining their MyKad.

Especially if that means being able to claim rights over ancestral land, besides a right to vote, access to education, healthcare, travel and basic necessities.

His awareness is in part because of the Penan Empowerment Network led by chairman Elia Bit, and their work to educate the Penan community on these issues.

In Lawas, Basar Arun, now 80, has been waiting more than half a century for the government to approve his citizenship application.

Although he was born in Indonesia, Basar had entered Sarawak through the Ba’kelalan border in the early 1950s for a better life.

Soon after, he volunteered to become a border scout and served during the Indonesian Confrontation in 1963.

For his contribution during the Confrontation, Basar was awarded with a General Service Medal with Borneo Clasp conferred by Queen Elizabeth II.

Basar previously held a temporary resident card (MyKas) before he was given the permanent resident (MyPR) status in 2013.

And it is not just Basar who has been waiting for over five decades to be recognised as a Malaysian citizen.

Six other former border scouts, Basar Paru, Tabed Raru, Baranabas Palong @ Branabas, Joseph Pengiran, Kedimus Liling and Sia Lupang – who served during the Confrontation – are also waiting government approval of their citizenship applications.

All seven served as border scouts and assisted the armed forces in fighting insurgents in the border area until 1974. They have been waiting for over 30 years for their applications to be approved.

There are more than 120 Penan settlements scattered across the Baram constituency alone.

In the villages of Long Menging, Long Saliang and Long Balau villages, there are at least 20 confirmed stateless Penans. But Long Menging headman Kala Konet estimates there are at least 100 more within the wider Ba’ Magoh area.

Bit said her organisation has established that about 200 Penans in Baram are either stateless or their citizenship status still undetermined.

The chairman of Sarawak Dayak Iban Association Rajang Bill Jugah said he collected about 200 applications for registration of birth from Balai Ringin, Sri Aman and Mongkos areas since 2016.

“Most of these cases have had their applications successful. However, I do not have the exact figures because they did not inform me of their status of applications,” he said.

Jugah has been collecting data on stateless individuals around the Sibu area as well.

These are individuals excluded from the “official government distribution list” when he was distributing aid, when Covid-19 hit the area last year. Another 180 (stateless persons) had met with Jugah last October.

“I believe a thorough study (on the number of stateless persons) or an Inquiry Committee ought to be set up to study this issue,” said Lawyer Kamek for Change (LK4C) director Simon Siah.

LK4C is a Kuching-based non-profit organisation led by lawyers fighting for marginalised voices, including work to bring public interest litigation to the fore.

The issue of statelessness in Sarawak is compounded by rural poverty, access, and stigma that treat indigenous groups as second-class bumiputras.

Jugah said the majority of those that are stateless also include the Ibans, Kenyahs and Kayans.

Even as people like headman Kala and Peng Magut are able to live comfortably through hunting and gathering, they deserve, at the very least, recognition from the state.

“We began to come out of the jungle and tried to lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle in the early 1980s. Some of us have adapted to the new living outside the jungle, but some still prefer the old way of living,” said Kala.

And when they do attempt to settle down in one area, they are threatened by people who claim to own the land they are on.

The NRD through its UKBM unit had previously reached out to the Penan community, in particular in Baram to get them registered.

Besides, a Special Task Force under the local Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry was set up in 2016 to assist in the citizenship application process for those below 21 years old.

The task force was under the purview of

Sarawak Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.

A source said that meetings were held every month between officials from the NRD office in Kuching and the special committee when it was still in force. They vetted applications but the results were nothing to shout about.

Over three years until July 2019, only 717 citizenship applications were submitted through the task force and it is not known how many were approved.

When the Pakatan Harapan took over the government in 2018, there was a rethink on the policies. In July 2019, the then home minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced there would be a federal-level committee to handle citizenship applications, including those from Sarawak.

After another change in government in March 2020, it was reported that Fatimah would seek the assistance of the Home Ministry to revive the committee but nothing has changed.

Her office declined comment on the records being kept on the number of applications and their status.

All that was said was that the final and sole decision still rests with NRD “headquarters” in Putrajaya.

Two months ago, Fatimah was quoted in the press as saying that the special task force has been revived and will have its first meeting in late April to continue its previous role in solving citizenship woes. However, nothing materialised.

It would be impossible to put an end to the issue of statelessness in the country if there are no statistics although there were many prior news reports in the last few years quoting various sources on the number of stateless persons in the country.

In October 2016, Malaysiakini quoted the then deputy prime minister and home minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as saying that there were 290,437 stateless children in Malaysia who are below the age of 18.

However, he did give a state-by-state breakdown.

Bit said: “Due to remoteness, financial and logistical issues many of them chose not to register birth. Some do not even know the importance of registering their marriage especially the older generation, hence leaving their children undocumented or born stateless.”

This article was written as part of the Kiniacademy Investigative Journalism

programme.

Penans in a chicken-and-egg situationFOR the Penans, it is a chicken-and-egg situation. They can’t solve the problems facing their community, including poverty, if they don’t go to school and get a decent education. But they can’t go to school if they don’t have identification papers.

It appears that the Penans have an entire system stacked against them.

Unless the government is able to acknowledge their problems with the infrastructure problems in rural areas, the issues of statelessness will persist.

LK4C’s Simon Siah said the main legal barriers for the situation are conditions in the Federal Constitution.

The federal constitution states that if a marriage is not registered, then citizenship follows the mother.

“NRD and Home Ministry interpret this strictly and even after the parents are properly married and reside in Malaysia, NRD still refuses to consider the child as a Malaysian citizen,” said Siah.

Kuala Lumpur-based lawyer Jasmine Wong concurs. She believes that the problem lies with a rigid interpretation of the Federal

Constitution. Wong acted for a stateless Sarawak-born

teenager who was adopted and was refused Malaysian citizenship. The case was before the appellate court after the High Court dismissed her application to compel the NRD (National Registration Department) to recognise the teenager as a citizen.

“In most cases, children who apply for citizenship will apply under Article 15A and this will be rejected many times without any assurance that they will even be approved,” Simon said.

Speaking from experience, he said NRD officers will either brush aside applicants who come from low-income or illiterate families, or claim the applications are incomplete.

All the more reason that special task forces, like the one Fatimah headed, could be useful as they can vet and make recommendations to the Home Ministry, said Siah.

But again, rejections are common and without any reasons given. Thus, applicants are required to go through the same process of making an application all over again.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah

Zainudin, when winding up the debate on Supply Bill 2021 in Parliament last December, said individuals who do not have an identity card would be given one year to submit valid documents to enable them to obtain citizenship.

However, Selangau MP Baru Bian, whose office had been working with many stateless individuals since 2013, urged the government not to limit the application window to one year as communication and transport continues to be problematic in remote areas of Sarawak.

Malaysia is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Article 7 of the CRC states that the child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right to acquire nationality but Malaysia does not appear to apply this clause.

As experience has shown, simply having filed an application and having the right documents will not guarantee a citizenship. Neither does being born in Malaysia for that matter.

“Malaysia has made a lot of progress in the protection of children as we are the signatory to the Conventions on Rights for Children. We

now have the Child Act 2001 and other laws protecting children.

“But we maintain that Article 7 has not been implemented and the government has not given a satisfactory answer to this,” said Siah.

Therefore, he believes that there would not even be a need to have a special task force once Article 7 is applied as the NRD can award a child citizenship upon birth.

It is a solution that breaks the cycle of stateless parents giving birth to stateless children.

“The government imposed many requirements and the biggest one of all is documentation,” said Wong.

Her proposal to solve the problem is to also amend the Constitution to recognise a child’s right to citizenship, as long as either one parent is a Malaysian, notwithstanding the marital status of parents, and not to discriminate between adoptive and biological parents.

This article was written as part of the Kiniacademy Investigative Journalism

programme.

COMMENTS by Jenifer Laeng, Natasha Sim and Lim Huck Hai

Shift towards a hybrid work arrangement

PETALING JAYA: In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, the hybrid work arrangement introduced to mitigate infection risk is expected to stay as surveys have found that most Malaysians want such arrangements to continue.

In this transformation, WorkSmartly CEO Victor Phang sees a change in workplace dynamics as some employees are afforded the option to either work remotely or in the office and some businesses have found success doing so. Nonetheless, for long-term success, there is a need for businesses to take a deep dive into their organisation from an interdepartmental and intradepartmental perspective.

“For example, in a manufacturing company, when we speak of interdepartmental, the sales team can perform their work remotely; meanwhile, the factory operators need to be on-premises to perform their job,” Phang told SunBiz.

As for the intradepartmental aspect, he noted that arrangements could be made for some of the back office staff, such as the finance department, to work remotely to create a balance in their work schedule.

In the journey towards a hybrid

A change in workplace dynamics as some employees are afforded the option to either work remotely or in the office

█ BY AMIR IMRAN HUSAIN SAFRI [email protected]

workplace, the head of the HR-tech firm said, employers should note that employees need the right tools to perform a specific task.

“The first focus will be to look into the availability of the hardware, from proper equipment, laptops, mobile phone, and internet accessibility to support the hybrid work arrangement,” he said.

This is followed by the software needed for each task, collaborative and task management tools required to organise their task and even the right communication tool for employee’s interaction.

“Not to forget, employee readiness for a hybrid work arrangement; as this will ensure that there is no negative impact on their productivity. Other factors to consider will be employee work attitude and, most importantly, the employee engagement.”

Despite the change in dynamics, Phang noted that the shift towards a productivity-oriented approach from a by-the-hour approach will be contingent upon job functions. While certain functions such as administration and finance could evolve to a productivity-oriented approach, work which has to be done during specific working hours such as customer service, could not benefit from such a change.

Weighing in on the matter, WORQ CEO Stephanie Ping said in-office workers are more likely to be favoured than their remote-working peers, by virtue of being more visible, and as a result remote workers are likely to shift towards fully-remote environments that invest in their remote workers.

“The trick here is to find the balance between in-office hours and remote work versus measures of productivity that are not bound by office space or clock-in hours, while also ensuring that communication,

engagement between teams and leadership is well-managed,” she said.

Ping said leaders of hybrid workforces need to be proactive, communicative and transparent, as they must be aware of the group dynamics and foster a collaborative environment where everyone is treated the same way, whether they work remotely or otherwise.

An advantage of the hybrid work arrangement is the flexibility it affords encourages productivity.

“To enforce a time-oriented approach to work would be replicating the old, office-bound model, which may undo the very flexibility that remote work is supposed to provide.

“If we want to reap the benefits of hybrid work, we need to go beyond the traditional — and this might mean moving towards a productivity-oriented approach, where all workers, regardless, are assessed based on their results or output rather than the time spent,” said the flexible coworking space provider’s CEO.

Nonetheless, Ping acknowledged that hybrid and remote work arrangements may not work for everyone immediately – some people, and some businesses require structure to thrive. In addition, the right digital tools need to be in place, and digital transformation takes time.

“However, the ‘traditional’ space of the office is transforming: The focus will move from cubicle work – that can happen outside of the office, in a place of employees’ choice – to the conference and meeting rooms, as sites of collaboration, creativity and serendipity are on the rise. As more and more spaces cater to these new work arrangements, the easier the shift will be,” she said.

Participation

43.7

39.1

17.2

100.0

Institutions

Retail

Foreign

Bought

RM m

1244.3

1112.0

505.7

2862.0

Sold

RM m

1259.2

1125.6

477.2

2862.0

Net

RM m

-14.9

-13.6

28.5

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

9/07/2021 SunBIZKLCI

1,520.58

11.87

STI 3,131.40

23.81

HANG SENG 27,344.54

191.41

SCI 3,524.09

NIKKEI 27,940.42

177.61

TSEC 17,661.48

KOSPI 3,217.95

S&P/ASX200 7,273.29

MONDAY JULY 12, 2021

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

Email: [email protected] Advertising Tel: 03-7784 8888

Fax: 03-7784 4424 Email: [email protected]

5 MOST ACTIVESJuly 9, 2021

STOCK VOL CLSG (sen) +/– (sen) SERBADK 311,156,000 45.5 +1.5 ASDION 178,838,400 41.5 -30.0 PHB 134,298,900 2.0 UNCH KANGER 88,070,500 6.0 +0.5 CAREPLS 76,051,200 175.0 +10.0

EXCHANGE RATES JULY 9, 2021

Foreign currency Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy TT/OD TT OD 1 US DOLLAR 4.2435 4.1185 4.1085 1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR 3.1710 3.0450 3.0290 1 BRUNEI DOLLAR 3.1360 3.0450 3.0370 1 CANADIAN DOLLAR 3.3840 3.2930 3.2810 1 EURO 5.0330 4.8720 4.8520 1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR 2.9580 2.8510 2.8350 1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 3.1360 3.0450 3.0370 1 STERLING POUND 5.8590 5.6760 5.6560 1 SWISS FRANC 4.6230 4.5160 4.5010 100 UAE DIRHAM 116.8900 110.8500 110.6500 100 BANGLADESH TAKA 5.0980 4.7730 4.5730 100 CHINESE RENMINBI N/A N/A N/A 100 HONGKONG DOLLAR 55.2100 52.4700 52.2700 100 INDIAN RUPEE 5.7800 5.4200 5.2200 100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH 0.0302 0.0274 0.0224 100 JAPANESE YEN 3.8670 3.7460 3.7360 100 NEW TAIWAN DOLLAR N/A N/A N/A 100 PAKISTAN RUPEE 2.7100 2.5300 2.3300 100 PHILIPPINE PESO 8.6000 8.1100 7.9100 100 QATAR RIYAL 115.9800 110.1100 109.9100 100 SAUDI RIYAL 114.4000 108.6000 108.4000 100 THAI BAHT 13.6200 12.0900 11.6900

Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama

KL MARKET SUMMARYJuly 9, 2021

INDICES CHANGE FBMEMAS 11,070.10 +81.36 FBMKLCI 1,520.58 +11.87 CONSUMER PRODUCTS 591.96 +3.87 INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS 187.52 +1.26 CONSTRUCTION 161.44 -0.59 FINANCIAL SERVICES 14,955.60 +78.77 ENERGY 784.21 +8.53 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 691.09 +4.14 HEALTH CARE 2,805.39 +57.39 TRANSPORTATION 859.40 +6.33 PROPERTY 697.68 -2.28 PLANTATION 6,290.43 +13.59 FBMSHA 12,110.70 +97.29 FBMACE 7,175.04 +111.52 TECHNOLOGY 81.42 +1.35 TURNOVER VALUE 3.981 BIL RM2.861 BIL

5 TOP GAINERSJuly 9, 2021

STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM HIGHTEC 17,860,100 5.64 1.30 MPI 355,900 41.00 1.20 WIDETEC 5,460,100 5.38 1.18 TOCEAN 3,688,400 5.05 1.00 TGL 943,300 2.86 0.66

5 TOP LOSERSJuly 9, 2021

STOCK VOL CLSG (RM) +/– RM CARLSBG 120,200 21.06 0.44 Y&G 4,442,700 1.24 0.41 HEIM 106,600 22.16 0.34 ASDION 178,838,400 0.415 0.30 HLFG 64,600 17.82 0.18

1.42 204.61 34.73 68.13

No compromise with errant factories, businesses in Covid fight: Ismail SabriKUALA LUMPUR: The government will not compromise with factories and business that violate stipulated regulations and standard operating procedures (SOPs) in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said stern action would be taken against the errant factories and business premises.

“We will wage an ‘all-out war’ against

Covid-19 and will take stern action against factories and business premises that remain stubborn,” he said in a post on his official Facebook yesterday.

In his post, Ismail Sabri said there were 108 factories and business premises that failed to comply with SOPs and were ordered to close.

Separately, he told reporters after visiting the Kampung Kerinchi PPR that the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases of

late is due to large-scale screening, especially in areas under the enhanced movement control order.

He said this when asked to comment on the drastic increase in Covid-19 cases in the country.

“When the government enforces the EMCO, we will conduct Covid-19 screening on a large scale and of course there will be an increase in Covid-19 cases,” he added. – Bernama

oEmployees need to be ready and be given the proper tools to perform their tasks, says expert

11* SUNBIZ


SUCCESS: THE INSIGHT STORY

HSI. Top Glove take spotlight amid market volatilityTRADING activity in structured warrants came in higher last week with the overall market turnover climbing to RM129.6 million from RM80.6 million in the previous week, which represented a 60.8% surge. There was a shift in trading with index warrants dominating the market and making up RM69.9 million or 53.9% of the week’s turnover compared with 45.3% in the previous week.

Among the actively traded index warrants were the Hang Seng Index (HSI) warrants following the intense volatility which saw the underlying HSI July futures plunging by up to 4.6% from Monday through Friday to their lowest level in more than six

months before gaining ground to end the week at 27,247 (down 3.2%) with four red days out of five.

Over the week, heavy selling pressure saw fresh position-taking and active trading activity with call warrants HSI-CFQ and HSI-CFW recording 111.5 million and 95.1 million units traded respectively, resulting in both warrants close to being sold out. Among others, HSI-HGR and HSI-CFR also topped the chart with 46.9 million and 31.7 million units traded respectively and taking third and fifth place.

Meanwhile on the local scene, warrants action continued to be subdued with investors remaining in cautious mode amid reports of rising

Covid-19 infections despite the nationwide lockdowns coupled with political uncertainties. The benchmark FBM KLCI finished a third consecutive week in the red, plumbing to its lowest since November 2020 to end at 1,520.58 (down 0.8% on the week).

Among the top active warrants over Malaysian stocks was TOPGLOV-C1R with up to 34.3 million units traded as its underlying fell most of the week before closing higher on Friday at RM3.82 (minus 4.7%) and recording a seventh straight weekly drop. Other warrants

which saw active trading were the SP500-HU, DNEX-CB and MYEG-C1G, with 27.4 million, 21.9 million and 21.3 million units respectively.

To view the full list of structured

warrants available on Bursa Malaysia, visit malaysiawarrants.com.my.

Provided for Malaysian residents’ information only. This commentary has not been reviewed by the Securities Commission Malaysia. It is not an offer or recommendation to trade and is not research material.

Past performance is not indicative of future performance. You should make your own assessment and seek professional advice. The warrants will not be offered to any US persons.

WARRANTS WATCH

Top stock warrants by volume traded Warrant Volume Issuer Exercise Expiry date name (’ mil) level HSI-CFQ 111.5 Macquarie 29,600 29 Jul 2021 HSI-CFW 95.1 Macquarie 30,400 30 Aug 2021 HSI-HGR 46.9 Macquarie 26,800 9 Jul 2021 TOPGLOV-C1R 34.3 Macquarie 3.88 31 Jan 2022 HSI-CFR 31.7 Macquarie 27,600 29 Jul 2021

Do your research, and adjust along the way

HOW has your life experience made you the leader you are today?

Being involved in corporate advisory and restructuring since early 2000, having held various director positions for companies in different industries over the past 20 years, focusing largely on value creation; it is important to always learn from past experiences to make the present better and create a future that is feasible for the next generation.

Life is full of ups and downs. When at its “ups”, enjoy it and don’t forget about giving back. When at its “downs”, take it slow and embrace it. Take a step at a time and break every thing into small parcels, and it will be easier to manage.

What traits do you look for in your talent or how do you decide who is right for a job? 1. The passion/fire in one’s determination to succeed.

It is important to have that drive to want to succeed in life, at work as motivation to do well and do things right. When you have that drive, all things will fall into place. With the right proactiveness to want to learn, to be curious, to find out how things can be done better.

2. Willingness to work and get things done. And even at times to get to the ground, to get

involved at all levels to understand the needs and processes. And it will definitely help with a great positive mindset that is able to view challenges as opportunities and see beyond the challenges.

3. Forward thinking. To be able to strategise and think ahead of

the competition or situation.

How do you think the industry you are in will evolve? Healthcare in the current world is of utmost importance, and this especially so with the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid has literally disrupted the world economy and one’s lifestyle to an extent that no one could have imagined. With the new normal of donning masks whenever we are out, adopting social distancing and distancing ourselves from the crowd and being mindful of high-risk locations, personal hygiene and self-care are elevated overnight.

Being in the healthcare sector, specifically in wellness, the emphasis is needed more than ever before. Things we used to take for granted will come into focus moving forward. And these involve simple things like spending more “me” time in taking care of one’s wellness and health, being mindful of how we eat, work and live; and staying protected and responsible to yourself and your loved ones.

What advice can you offer those looking to start their career/own business? 1. Don’t wait for the best time to start because there is never a best time to start. When you are ready, that is the time.

2. No such thing as risk free or guaranteed success. Do your research and start with calculated risks, and adjust when in progress.

We all know about the industrial revolution,

oMedi Lifestyle Ltd executive chairman & CEO Datuk Low Koon Poh tells SunBiz that there is no ‘best time’ to start – take the plunge when ready

are we in for a technological revolution? Your thoughts. Yes. E-wallets, e-commerce, e-logistics and artificial intelligence are in the forefront, again, with the push by the pandemic. Example, pre-Covid, many people were concerned about e-commerce fraud but now nearly everyone is an e-commerce user. E-logistics has also grown by leaps and bounds during this pandemic, and so have e-wallets. Technology is here to stay.

How has mentorship made a difference in your professional life? My mentorship times were the hardest days of my life. These mentors would always put me at the deep end of the ocean and see if I would swim or sink. Sometimes, I faced situations whereby any decision made would be detrimental. In hindsight, I am glad these mentors did what they did, and made me what I am today.

What do you want to accomplish in the next five years? My focus is to build Medi Lifestyle Limited into a regional personalised wellness solution company in Asia.

Best piece of advice you ever received on your career. “Don’t worry about making mistakes. It is not about how many mistakes you make. It is how fast you can solve those mistakes that count.”

Most-admired business leader? Why? Sirivat Voravetvuthikun. He is known as the “sandwich salesman”. He started as a successful stock broker and in 2003 his business collapsed and he went bankrupt. Instead of going into depression, he went to the street and sold sandwiches for a living. A few years on, he opened some F&B outlets and, fast forward to today, he is a successful businessman again. Perseverance is his key.

How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry? My phone is my knowledge companion. I read news through my phone on business and general matters. I read news on both business media as well as social media for a more balanced opinion.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced? What did you learn from it?

Biggest challenge: Right before the 2008 financial crisis, I was a CFO for an advertising company with offices around Asia. My boss absconded from the country with all of the company’s money, and left all staff to face the clients.

What I learned: Face the problems, and clear them one by one. Instead of choosing to resign and walk off, I took over the role and managed the staff and clients to resolve matters amicably Most importantly, be genuine to all stakeholders.

What was the most outlandish business proposal you have ever heard of? “Invest today, and you will get a fixed 20% ROI monthly for 18 months.”

Malaysia’s greatest brand. Ramli. Anywhere in the world, you meet a fellow Malaysian, the opinion of Ramli being the tastiest burger is unanimous.

A must-read for every business owner/manager is ... I don’t have a must read, but rather read everything from everywhere.

How do you expect policies on climate change to impact businesses in the future? Businesses may look at alternative solutions that will help them to tackle e n v i r o n m e n t a l and waste r e d u c t i o n issues. A g r e e n e r a p p r o a c h a n d solution will be

developed to sustain the eco system and balance it with care in which businesses should be more conscious and responsible wherever it’s possible.

What are the top three factors you would attribute your success to? Right people, right place and right time.

These are obvious and many people said that it’s fate but if you are knowledgeable enough, you can partly manage your fate, that is, create opportunities for these events to happen.

Tell us a joke. I am retiring tomorrow.


SUNBIZ

THE unit trust industry is huge in Malaysia and the Securities Commission Malaysia Annual Report 2020 states that the funds under the management of unit trusts in 2020 is RM519 billion. It is important to understand the tax position of the individuals investing in this instrument.

Why do individuals invest in unit trusts rather than invest themselves? The basic answer is unit trusts are managed by professionals who are in a better position to identify opportunities for your investments to grow.

What is a unit trust? The unit trust arrangement is a tripartite relationship between the unit holders, trustee and the fund

m a n a g e m e n t company/fund manager. The fund manager runs the trust for a profit. The trustee ensures and oversees that the fund manager keeps to the fund’s objective and safeguards the fund’s assets. The unit holders have the rights to trust assets and are effectively the beneficial owners of the assets.

Under the Income Tax Act 1967, the unit trust will pay the tax on the income earned during the tax year at the rate of 24%.

Taxation of income received by unit holders Unit holders will receive taxable and

non-taxable income in the form of distributions which may either be in the form of cash or additional units. Unit holders who sell their

units other than dealers in securities will not be

taxable on the sale or redemption of the units on the

grounds that it is a capital gain. Unit holders are subject to tax on

an amount equivalent to their share of the total taxable income of the unit trust for a year of assessment distributed to them by way of distributions in that year.

Unit holders receive the distributions net of tax. The attached tax credit will be available for set-off against the tax chargeable on the unit

holders. The taxpayer only pays additional taxes if his tax rate is higher than the tax rate applied on the unit trust. On the other hand, the taxpayer should be also entitled to a refund if his tax rate is below the tax rate applied on the unit trust.

Unit holders will be exempt from tax if the unit trust distributes income that is exempt from tax such as certain types of interest income and foreign sourced income or gains from disposal of investments. Bonus issues arising from the split of existing units or distribution of unrealised gains will not be taxable. However, if the bonus issue of units represents distribution of income derived from investments of the unit trust, it will be subject to tax.

The individuals would be taxed on

scaled rates ranging from 0% to 30% depending on their income. Non-resident individuals are not subject to withholding tax on the distribution of income from the unit trust, but they will be tax at a flat rate of 30%.

Filing of tax returns Unit holders need to declare their taxable distributions from unit trusts together with their income from other sources in the relevant Income Tax Return Forms.

Next week, we will set out the taxation of unit holders of real estate investment trusts and property trust funds.

This article was contributed by

Thannees Tax Consulting Services Sdn Bhd managing director SM

Thanneermalai.

Purposeful accountants during a pandemic

WHILE many industries and professions have been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, accountants can be considered more fortunate as we have been less severely impacted.

This is perhaps due to the role that accountants continue to play during turbulent times – serving public interest and supporting the preparation of reliable financial information, leading to trust in the capital markets. Technology too has been a pivotal enabler, allowing many home-bound accountants to carry out their duties despite a certain level of disruption. Imagine a lockdown where there is no internet, Zoom calls or electronic data transfers. The financial and capital markets would have probably grounded to a halt.

Despite this privileged role of accountants in the wider economy, working from home over a prolonged period is not easy. We are no more

immune to the consequential psychological effects than our friends and families in other industries and professions. Over the past year, I have interacted with many fellow accountants who have been psychologically affected, ranging from mild cases of lethargy and Netflix-binging, to more severe ones of isolation and depression.

It has been 16 months since the first lockdown began and I too have experienced several “down” moments. This has been an unprecedented experience for me and many others. However, one of the consistently uplifting reminders for me is when I anchor back to “purpose”.

Finding purpose at work There is a common saying that when we are lost, we feel like a hamster on a wheel, furiously churning, but

Accelerated digital governmentCOVID-19 has changed the way we live, transforming business models and consumer behaviours. It might be the main catalyst governments need to drive innovation. Many sectors that once resisted digitilisation are now compelled to turn to it for survival.

In embracing the digital economy, we look at readiness from two perspectives — consumers and businesses. Malaysian consumers are ready, as most are already connected through their mobile phones, and by 2024, Malaysian smartphone users is estimated to reach over 33 million!

For businesses, SMEs still have a lot to catch up on in terms of digitalisation, as well as to break into the international market. With only 54% beginning their digital journey in 2020 amid the pandemic, there remains much to be done.

While digital adoption has seen marked improvement recently, major challenges include the lack of digital literacy and the perceived difficulty of digital adoption. We are hopeful that through the National Digital Economy and 4IR Council chaired by the Prime Minister, this will accelerate local capabilities in embracing digitalisation.

To ensure the ability to serve efficiently, scale cheaply, and adapt

quickly, here are three major dimensions governments should take a look at, in their digital journey:

1. Scaling digital infrastructure With the implementation of the various movement control orders, citizens are required to study and work from home. With many businesses having to operate remotely, the government grappled with an explosion in demand for digital services, or new services that have never existed before. This pushed them to scale their digital capabilities significantly, where they turned to two complementary digital approaches to tackle each challenge:

i. Ramping up artificial intelligence (AI) and automation

With the disruption of business processes, it is time to rethink the role of automation in the new normal. From automating manual tasks to adopting AI, governments used automation tools to provide faster service while reducing human workload.

In grocery stores, we are seeing increased demand for contactless checkouts. Under healthcare, we see an increase in telemedicine and telehealth services, while in e-commerce, businesses are booming, superseding the performance of brick-and-mortar sales.

We have seen Microsoft used to streamline operations and how AI, machine learning, and data management facilities have been introduced at the MAEPS quarantine center. Meanwhile, a partnership between Huawei Malaysia and the Ministry of Health developed a cloud AI-assisted diagnosis solution that would reduce the time spent by doctors on CT images.

With the aim of strengthening economic recovery and growth, the Malaysian government has launched various initiatives such as the Strategic Programme to Empower the People and Economy (Pemerkasa) as well as the various stimulus packages.

With the Malaysia’s Federal 2021 Budget setting aside a sum of US$242.5 million for areas including cybersecurity, Internet of Things and connectivity, digital workforce, and digital transformation of small and medium enterprises, the country is definitely on the right track on its digitilisation journey.

ii. Harnessing cloud solutions Cloud technology is imperative

for business continuity. Cloud by nature is more quickly scalable, making it relatively easy to adapt, and promotes cost savings. Recognising this, the government plans to lead the growth of the cloud

industry by adopting a cloud-first strategy in the public sector and appointing cloud service providers and managed service providers to build Malaysia’s capabilities in the segment. Under the blueprint of the MyDigital initiative, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Telekom Malaysia Bhd have been given conditional approval to build and manage hyperscale data centres and cloud services in Malaysia.

2. Creating a more digital public workforce Building digital infrastructure is necessary to accelerate the digital drive of the government, but it can’t sustain that momentum by itself. Building a digitally fluent workforce is equally essential. The pandemic highlighted the growing need for a tech-savvy, digitally literate public workforce. Governments should be driving efforts to raise the digital literacy of their citizens. Huawei Malaysia collaborated with the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia to introduce the Huawei Asean Academy last year, a dedicated training module set to empower digital talent. The academy’s ICT training programs and courses are designed to target government bodies, industry professionals and university

students, providing a holistic approach in growing the country’s ICT ecosystem and digital economic growth.

3. Investing in citizen connectivity The benefits of ramping up digital solutions and promoting virtualisation of services can be fully realised only when citizens can access such services. It is thus necessary for governments to build public infrastructure that allows better access to digital solutions, especially for the most marginalised populations.

According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chairman Fadhlullah Suhaimi, the Covid-19 pandemic had galvanised the government to consider the importance of connectivity, especially in suburban and rural areas where even 4G coverage and quality is marginal at best. With that, Malaysia is speeding up 5G deployments in the country through a special purpose vehicle that will receive 5G spectra, as well as build, operate and lease 5G infrastructure to new and existing telcos by the end of 2021.

This article was contributed by

Deloitte Malaysia innovation and regulatory leader Justin Ong.

THE ACCOUNTANT‘S PERSPECTIVE

How are unit trust holders taxed?

somehow not getting anywhere. Then the blame game begins, whether it’s other people, circumstances or just bad luck. And quickly, things can spiral out of control.

Now this takes practice, but I find it helpful not to be trapped in this “tunnel-vision thinking”. Take a step back, as it is important for all of us to be able to see the forest for the trees.

For accountants, the big picture reminder is that we are more fortunate than many others and continue to be in employment. This may not necessarily be because we are good at what we do, but because many depend on us for our purpose — which is to uphold trust in the capital markets. Let’s not waste the fortunate position we are in and the duty we owe to our colleagues, clients, regulators, investors and others in the wider society.

This important reminder works for me and as a result, I get that extra oomph at work.

Finding purpose outside work

I have a confession. I never watched Netflix prior to March 18, 2020. Since then, I have done my share of Netflix-binging.

Personally, I find it easier to find purpose at work. The work-from-home arrangements are rather confusing to me. Am I working? Or at home? When do I switch on? Or off? I prefer to completely switch off in order to clearly distinguish between work and home, and as a result, finding purpose outside work is more difficult for me.

Whilst Netflix-binging was a good release, over time, I have come to the self-realisation that it is just not a productive use of my time. Similarly, I found the same trigger of “purpose” to be a simple yet useful motivation to help me outside work.

The good news is that outside work, we can also define what this “purpose” is. For example, we can decide to improve our fitness, or learn a new skill, be a better parent or child and/or even help those in need. On this note, I am particularly impressed with a fellow colleague,

Harun. Since March 18, 2020, he has decided to take up running after work and has managed to improve his fitness level by shedding nearly 20kgs and completing 20km runs in less than two hours.

In conclusion, I’m reminded of the following: “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” – Theodore Roosevelt

It is evidently clear that many of us are currently facing difficulties at varying levels. But let’s not give up on ourselves. Instead, let’s continue to fight and be reminded by our friend — “purpose”, so that we can be better at work and outside of work.

This article was contributed by The

Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA) council member

and Ernst & Young PLT assurance partner Datuk Megat Iskandar Shah.

The views reflected in the article

are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of the global

EY organisation or its member firms.

13 SPORTS


SHORTS

AMERICAN brawler Dustin Poirier overpowered Conor McGregor yesterday in Las Vegas, winning their lightweight UFC trilogy fight by a

TKO after the Irishman appeared to snap his left leg in the w a n i n g moments of the o p e n i n g round.

The fight w a s o f f i c i a l l y ruled as a

“doctor’s stoppage” at the end of the first round after a bloodied McGregor swung and missed a punch then stumbled backwards, his lower leg grotesquely buckling under him

near the edge of the octagon. Poirier then pounced on a helpless

McGregor, raining down a series of punches and elbows until McGregor was saved by the bell in front of the capacity crowd at the T-Mobile arena.

“This guy was saying he was going to murder me and kill me. I am going to leave here in a coffin,” said Poirier.

“You don’t talk to people like that. I hope this guy gets home safe to his beautiful family.”

Promoters said afterwards that McGregor’s injury was to his lower tibia and that he was expected to undergo

surgery today to repair the damage. The scheduled five-round

rubber match was expected to settle the score and complete

the trilogy between the former two-weight UFC

champ McGregor and his longtime rival

Poirier, who n o w

looks set to get a shot at an undisputed title and establish himself as one of the sport’s superstars.

There was plenty of bad blood between the two in the lead up to their third fight. McGregor insulted Poirier’s wife in a tweet and told Poirier he was going to leave the ring in the box.

Instead McGregor had to be carted out on a stretcher after doctors stabilized his leg.

Poirier said the fight settled the score between the two and his payback was karma.

“This guy is a dirt bag,” Poirier said. “Sometimes these things happen.”

In an expletive-laden interview inside the octagon as he waited for the stretcher to take him out, McGregor insisted he was winning the fight when the freak accident happened.

“I was boxing his bleeding head off. Kicking his bleeding leg off. This is not over,” said McGregor, who has had just one win in four and a half years.

In 2014, McGregor knocked out Poirier in under two minutes and Poirier returned the favour in January, demolishing McGregor with a second round KO.

It was the first time a capacity crowd has attended a UFC fight in

Nevada since the Covid-19 pandemic. With the United States lifting restrictions across the country, fans are returning to sporting events.

Yesterday’s crowd included former US President Donald

Trump, who was booed by a large contingent of the MMA crowd,

while others chanted “U-S-A.” – AFP

PERISYTIHARAN JUALANDALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI PULAU PINANG

PERMOHONAN UNTUK PERLAKSANAANNO: PA-38-272-08/2020

Dalam perkara mengenai Seksyen 256 dan 257 Kanun Tanah Negara, 1965Dan

Dalam perkara mengenai Gadaian Perserahan No: 0799SC2010037667 (bertarikh 17/09/2010) ke atas semua bahagian tanah yang dipegang di bawah GRN 66270 M1/3/41, 4147, Mukim 13, Daerah Seberang Perai Tengah, Pulau PinangDanDalam perkara mengenai Aturan 83 Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah, 2012

ANTARAPublic Bank Berhad (No. Syarikat : 6463-H)

. . . PLAINTIFDAN

Thanand Sae Chow (No. Kad Pengenalan : 831109715067) . . . DEFENDAN

Menurut Perintah Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya di PULAU PINANG mengenai PerintahJualan dan Perintah bertarikh 27 Mei 2019 dan 17 Mac 2021, adalah dengan ini diisytiharkan bahawa Timbalan Pendaftar/Penolong Kanan Pendaftar Pusat Operasi e-Lelong di Kuantan

AKAN MENJUAL SECARALELONG AWAM

Pada Hari Selasa, 03 Ogos 2021, Pada Jam 11:00 pagi,SECARA ELEKTRONIK DI LAMAN WEB e-LELONG, PUSAT OPERASI e-LELONG,

KOMPLEKS MAHKAMAH KUANTAN, PAHANG DARUL MAKMUR

NOTA: Bakal pembeli adalah dinasihatkan agar membuat carian Hakmilik secara rasmi di Pejabat Tanah dan memeriksa semua tanggungan, bebanan serta mengenal pasti dengan tepat hartanah tersebut sebelum jualan lelongan dijalankan.Sila layari https://elelong.kehakiman.gov.my/bidderweb

BUTIR-BUTIR HAKMILIKNo. Hakmilik : GRN 66270/M1/3/41No. Lot : 4147Mukim / Daerah / Negeri : 13 / Seberang Perai Tengah / Pulau PinangPegangan : Hakmilik KekalNo. Petak/No. Tingkat/No. :Bangunan :Keluasan Tanah : 657.00 kaki persegi

: 61.00 meter persegiPemilik Berdaftar : Thanand Sae ChowSyarat Nyata : Rumah PangsaSekatan Kepentingan : -Bebanan / Lain-Lain :

LOKASI DAN PERIHAL HARTANAH Hartanah tersebut adalah The subject property comprises a low cost flat unit situated on the floor no 2nd of a 5 storey walk up low cost flat building. yang beralamat pos di No. 2-05, Blok A, Lorong Sentul 12, Taman Bukit Minyak Indah, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang.

HARGA RIZAB Hartanah tersebut akan dijual atas “sepertimana sedia ada” tertakluk kepada satu harga rizab sebanyak RM 45,000.00 (RINGGIT MALAYSIA: EMPAT PULUH LIMA RIBU SAHAJA) dan kepada syarat-syarat jualan yang dilampirkan.Pembida yang berminat hendaklah mendepositkan 10% daripada harga rizab dalam bentuk Bank Draf di atas nama PUBLIC BANK BERHAD 1 HARI BEKERJA sebelum tarikh lelong awam. Baki harga belian hendaklah dibayar oleh pembida yang berjaya kepada PUBLIC BANK BERHAD dalam tempoh seratus dua puluh (120) hari dari tarikh jualan. Untuk butir-butir selanjutnya, sila berhubung dengan:-

Firma Guaman : WONG-CHOOI & MOHD NORAlamat : NO. 27, 1ST FLOOR JALAN MAJU JAYA

PUSAT PERNIAGAAN MAJU JAYA, 14000 BUKIT MERTAJAM, PULAU PINANG

No. Telefon : 04-5398855No. Fax : 04-5395855No. Rujukan : WCMN(BM)/PBB-HL/2019-067/TSC(RS/j)

322 Notices

Fitzpatrick, Detry lead Rahm by one ENGLAND’S Matt Fitzpatrick and Belgian Thomas Detry shared the lead after the third round of the Scottish Open, with world No. 1 Jon Rahm breathing down their necks heading into the final day at the Renaissance Club. Fitzpatrick rolled in six birdies and dropped two strokes in his round of 4-under 67 to climb up to 14-under. The six-times European Tour winner was joined by overnight co-leader Detry, who is hoping to break his title duck on the tour after a composed 68. Rahm, fine-tuning his preparations in North Berwick for this week’s British Open, was part of the leading group until the 16th hole where he three-putted from 16 feet to give up a stroke. “Just a couple errors, whether it’s me mentally or technically, whatever it is,” Rahm said. “It is unfortunate that it’s been happening quite a bit the last few days. Hopefully I can clean up the little mistakes and come out on top.” Hataoka in front at Marathon Classic JAPANESE star Nasa Hataoka will take a commanding six-stroke lead into the final round of the LPGA Marathon

Classic after firing a 7-under 64 in Sylvania, Ohio. The 22-year-old soared back up the leaderboard in the third round to reach a 19-under 194 total at the Highland Meadows Golf Club course. “Right now I’m not going to think about winning. I’m just going to concentrate on playing my best,” Hataoka said. Americans Elizabeth Szokol and Mina Harigae are tied for second at 13-under 200. Germany’s Esther Henseleit is in solo fourth at 12-under and US Women's Open champion Yuka Saso, of the Philippines, is tied for fifth at 11-under. Munoz snatches John Deere lead SEBASTIAN MUNOZ shot a third-round 67 amid a sea of low scores to grab a one-shot advantage with 18 holes to play in the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. The Colombian Munoz, 28, secured the tournament lead at 16-under on the strength of six birdies against two bogeys in the third round as he aims for his second career PGA victory. Brandon Hagy sits a shot behind at 15-under after also delivering a 67, with a birdie on 17 as one of his five on the day. A pack of five Americans are tied for third at 14-under, including Scott Brown, Adam Long (64), Cameron Champ (65), Kevin Na (66).

Tough break for McGregorIrish fighter snaps leg in latest UFC loss to Poirier

Schumacher record ‘in Hamilton’s head’A FORMER McLaren engineer has claimed that the thought of breaking Michael Schumacher’s record for the most Formula One driver’s titles of all time will be firmly in Lewis Hamilton’s mind this season, even if he says otherwise.

The Briton is falling further behind Max Verstappen in the title race after a disappointing result at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Recently, Hamilton signed a two-year extension with Mercedes that will give the 36-year-old at least two more chances to cement his legacy at the top of the sport.

Both Hamilton and Schumacher are currently on seven world titles apiece, and the Mercedes man has it all to do if he is to pull clear in 2021.

Marc Priestley recently told the F1 Live

podcast: “It’s looking more and more like (the world title) is going to Max Verstappen.

“So will Lewis settle for seven titles or will he go for that eighth? I think he wants that record.

“Lewis can say he doesn’t care about records, but I’ve worked with him and know that’s not the case.

“Those records are in his head, and I think he wants this one.”

Having missed the podium in three of his last five races, Hamilton must rediscover the consistency he has shown over the past few years to close the gap on Verstappen.

Now approaching his late-thirties, time is running out for Hamilton to secure the all-important eighth title and thrust himself into uncharted territory.

Although the clock is not necessarily on his side in the grand scheme of things, it is for the rest of the season with more than half of the 2021 racing calendar still to come.

Despite the Covid-related cancellation of Australia’s Grand Prix in Melbourne, F1 bosses remain committed to ensuring that Hamilton and Verstappen will have 23 races to battle it out for the top spot in 2021.

Thus far, nine races have been held thus far with the British Grand Prix next up at Silverstone on Sunday.

If the tide can be turned and the seven-time champion can mount an impressive comeback, another record which allegedly occupies his mind will be sent tumbling. – Express Newspapers

Mollema sizzles in Pyrenean heat DUTCH RIDER Bauke Mollema won stage 14 of the Tour de France on a baking, semi-mountainous run from the citadel at Carcassonne to the small town of Quillan at the foot of the Pyrenees.

Overall leader Tadej Pogacar was under no threat, even if he finished some seven minutes adrift on what he called a boring stage.

His UAE Emirates team raced at the front of the main peloton, with Ineos Grenadiers keeping an ever-watchful eye on them.

Frenchman Guillaume Martin of Cofidis was the day’s other big winner as he closed to second overall four minutes adrift of 22-year-old champion Pogacar.

“Anyone in the top ten is dangerous, if I have a bad day any of them can catch me,” Pogacar said. “Cycling is like that, one day you’re the strongest, another day you aren’t.”

Martin looked drawn when he spoke at the finish line with the mercury pushing over 30°C.

“I took a risk, but this is the Tour and you have to take risks,” said Martin, a former philosophy student and author of the novel Socrates on a bike.

“It was really hard. I saw an opportunity and it took a great deal of energy,” said Martin. “I’ll need to get back on form for tomorrow, this is the Tour, today it payed off, but who knows.” – AFP

PIN HIGH

‘Notorious’ told career is over CONOR MCGREGOR has been told his career is over after breaking his ankle in a freak accident at UFC 264 against Dustin Poirier. The Diamond has claimed victory in their trilogy fight, though the rivalry remains as heated as ever.

McGregor has been told his career is over after snapping his ankle against Poirier in brutal fashion at UFC 264. The ankle snap was a bad one and there are many who reckon that this is the end of the road for Notorious, who could need years to get back up to scratch.

YouTube sensation Logan Paul, whose brother Jake is attempting to stir up a rivlary, led the tweets, posting: “Damn. crazy to see a star with such a meteoric rise literally plummet into the ground just a few years later. It’s sad tbh. RIP Conor McGregor’s career.”

While this UFC fan said: “McGregor era is over imo. What a ride. Brought mma to the platform it is now. Wonderful career.”

And this supporter wrote: “Conor McGregor is finished. Focus on Proper Twelve #UFC264.”

A fourth said: “I feel like McGregor isn’t the same as he use to be I have a feeling his ufc career is almost over.”

Another tweeted: “RIP Conor Mcgregor. Unbelievable career. We held out hope for a return but he’s done. But he’s been bad for a while and it’s over.”

“Sorry bud, I feel like your career is over. You have accomplished A TON but your time is done,” this fan said. – Express Newspapers

… but UFC boss says otherwise UFC BOSS Dana White has said that Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier will meet for a fourth time after their trilogy fight at the T-Mobile Arena ended early when the Irishman suffered a broken leg at the end of the first round.

McGregor's left leg was in a protective cast as he was wheeled out of the arena on a stretcher and brought to a local hospital, where White said he would be operated on today morning.

“It sucks, it’s brutal, it’s not the way you want to see fights end. Dustin Poirier will fight for the title and when Conor is healed and ready to go, you do the rematch, I guess,” White told a news conference.

The UFC 264 lightweight match-up was supposed to bring what had become a bitter rivalry to an end, but White said the pair still had unfinished business in the cage.

“The fight didn’t get finished. You can’t have a fight finish that way. We’ll see how the whole thing plays out. I mean, who knows how long Conor is out? Poirier will do his thing until Conor is ready.” – AFP

Conor McGregor sits on the mat after breaking his leg during the first round of his lightweight bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in Las Vegas yesterday. – AFPPIX


SPORTS

NE W LY- C R O W N E D Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty says if she could be “half the

person” her fellow indigenous Australian and two-time Wimbledon victor Evonne Goolagong Cawley is, she

would be “very happy.” Barty overcame a few wobbles – including

being broken when serving for the match in the second set – to beat Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 and spark a feeling she said she had never experienced on a tennis court before.

The 25-year-old’s victory is extra special to her as it came on the 50th anniversary of her

“friend and mentor” Cawley’s first win at the All England Club.

“The stars aligned for me over the past fortnight,” said Barty.

“That it happened to fall on the 50th anniversary of Evonne’s first title here is absolutely incredible.”

Barty – who won the junior title at Wimbledon in 2011 – said it was a

“miracle” she had been able to play at all after she learned from her team post match

how serious the hip injury that forced her to retire from last month’s French Open had

been. However, it was Cawley who

dominated her thoughts – she had shed a tear when the now 69-year-old was mentioned in the immediate aftermath of her victory – and indeed her match kit.

She had had a dress specially designed as a tribute to Cawley’s

iconic scallop dress she wore in the 1971 final. “Evonne is a very special person in my life,”

said Barty. “I think she has been iconic in paving a way for

young indigenous youth to believe in their dreams and to chase their dream.

“She’s done exactly that for me as well. Her legacy off the court is incredible.

“I think if I could be half the person that Evonne is, I’d be a very, very happy person.”

Barty spoke with Cawley prior to The Championships and said having her at the other end of the phone if she ever has doubts is a great consolation.

“I think being able to have a relationship with her and talk with her through my experience, knowing she’s only ever a phone call away is really, really cool,” said Barty.

Barty is a master at keeping her emotions hidden on court, a fist pump from time to time or a raised thumb the extent of them, but once she was off court on Saturday she broke down.

Whether it was the enormity of her achievement – she added it to the 2019 French Open title – the thoughts about Cawley or that her team had told her how close a run thing it had been to get her fit she buried her head in boyfriend Gary Kissick’s shoulder.

“They (the team) kept a lot of cards close to their chest and didn’t tell me a lot of the odds, didn’t tell me a lot of the I suppose information that they’d got from other specialists,” she said.

“There weren’t too many radiologists in Australia who had seen my injury.

“In a sense, it was a two-month injury. Being able to be able to play here at Wimbledon was nothing short of a miracle.” – AFP

Gregory stars as England wrap series

LEWIS GREGORY starred with both bat and ball as England beat Pakistan by 52 runs in the second one-day international at Lord’s yesterday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in a three-match series. Set 248 to win in a game reduced to 47 overs per side by rain, Pakistan were dismissed for 195. Somerset pace-bowling all-rounder Gregory, in just his second match at this level, struck with his first ball on the way to 3-44 as England won with six overs to spare. That followed his valuable 40 and an eighth-wicket

stand of 69 with Brydon Carse (31), in a maiden ODI innings for both batsmen, after England had slumped to 160-7, with Pakistan fast bowler Hasan Ali taking 5-51. “It was a case of trying to bat as deep as possible, build a partnership with Carsey,” player of the match Gregory told Sky Sports. “The ball has nibbled a little all day, with the new ball we thought if we can pitch it up then we can take some wickets.” Hetmyer puts Aussies to the sword SHIMRON HETMYER led a formidable West Indies batting effort on the way to a comfortable 56-run victory and a 2-0 lead over Australia in the

second T20 International of their five-match series at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia yesterday. Hetmyer’s 61 off 36 balls with four sixes and two fours paced the home side to 196 for four after they were sent in to bat yet again by visiting captain Aaron Finch. Australia’s pursuit of that daunting target stuttered from the start with the loss of Matthew Wade to the second ball of their chase and despite a second consecutive half-century from Mitchell Marsh, they fell well short in being dismissed for 140. “This is probably the best innings I’ve played in this format,” said Hetmyer. “I was given the freedom to bat deep into the innings and everything worked out for us tonight.”

Goolagong hails ‘little sister’ Ash EVONNE GOOLAGONG CAWLEY yesterday said she couldn’t be more proud of “little sister” Ashleigh Barty after the Australian won Wimbledon exactly 50 years after her indigenous compatriot achieved the feat.

“I’m just so very proud of Ash, the way she handles herself not just on the court but off the court too,” said seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Cawley, who won Wimbledon a second time in 1980.

“Ash to me is like a little sister and part of my family. I think we treat each other that way.

“I was just so chuffed when she wore that dress… wasn’t that lovely. I said to her ‘if it brings you luck, great, because it bought me luck’. She’s amazing.”

Barty spoke with Cawley prior to The Championships and said she was a role model to her.

“I think she has been iconic in paving a way for young indigenous youth to believe in their dreams and to chase their dream,” said the world No. 1, who has Aboriginal heritage on her father’s side, after winning.

Cawley said one of the last messages she sent Barty was “dreams do come true, they came true for me”.

“All the way through (the final) I sort of had this feeling that she was going to win, this is her time. Somebody up there is looking down on her.”

… and always knew she was a champ AUSTRALIAN great Evonne Goolagong said Ash Barty’s Wimbledon win on Saturday made her more emotional than her own triumph at the grasscourt major 50 years ago.

“I’d never really watched myself play for years until I showed some kids from our national indigenous camp a film of me playing. It was more emotional for me watching Ash,” Goolagong said in a video released by Tennis Australia yesterday.

“Everybody reacts differently when they win Wimbledon for the first time. It didn’t hit me ‘til later on, because you turn numb. You’re in shock, just as Ash was at the end.

“We were so excited. Now I see the other side of it… my family, how they were when they were watching me win. They were jumping up, crying, screaming… exactly what we were doing.”

Barty said after her triumph that she hoped she had made her idol proud.

“She certainly did. She made me proud from the first time I saw her,” Goolagong said.

“She must have been about 13, playing at the Australian Open. (My husband) Roger and I watched a bit and we saw one whole point in which she had all the skills.

“We both looked at each other and said ‘she’s got it, she’s going to be our next champion.’ Look at her now.”

Pliskova not proud of her tears on Centre CourtKAROLINA PLISKOVA said she was “not proud” of her Centre Court tears after losing a rollercoaster Wimbledon final to Ashleigh Barty on Saturday.

Pliskova has now lost both major finals in which she has appeared having been beaten in three sets by Angelique Kerber at the 2016 US Open.

“It was not the plan to cry because I don’t want to cry on the court. I feel like cry in the locker room, but not on the court,” said the 29-year-old Czech after the tears fell at the on-court trophy ceremony.

“Just like too many emotions. Of course, it’s been three weeks since I was here in London, in the bubble.

“So of course you’re a bit tired. All the emotions, they just go. Yeah, not proud about that.”

Pliskova, a former world No. 1 who had never previously got past the fourth round at Wimbledon before this year, endured a final of contrasting fortunes.

She was 4-0 down in the first set, losing the first 14 points before she got on the board.

She then broke Barty in the 12th game of

the second set as the Australian served for the title before sweeping the tiebreaker.

But all her good work was undone in the second game of the decider when she was broken again and Barty did not need a second invitation to go on to take the title.

“It was a horrible start. That’s why I’m proud about how I found a way back in that match,” she added.

Despite her disappointment, Pliskova believes that her previous indifference to Wimbledon can help her crack her Grand Slam drought.

Her next chance is the US Open in New York which starts next month.

“It’s not that I didn’t like Wimbledon, but it was never my favourite place,” she said.

“I never played well here. I never felt so good here. But this time the feeling about this tournament changed, the feeling about the people.

“I’m just going to try to be back stronger. Of course there’s going to be a next chance. I think plenty of them. I’m not going to give up on that. So let’s see what it’s going to be.” – AFP

SHORTS

INSIDE EDGE

Written in the starsBarty wins Wimbledon on icon

Cawley’s 50th anniversary

Australia gushes over Barty’s Wimbledon winFELLOW indigenous star Cathy Freeman and Australian tennis great Rod Laver led tributes yesterday to Ashleigh Barty after her breakthrough at Wimbledon, hailing her as inspirational.

“Massive pride in our girl!,” tweeted Freeman, who famously lit the cauldron at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and then became the first Aboriginal Australian to win an individual gold medal in the 400 metres.

“Congratulations @ashbarty! We are all so very proud of you.”

Laver, the only player to win all four majors in the same season twice, noted it was “a wonderful follow up to Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s win on the 50th anniversary”.

“So happy for you @ashbarty, your dream

comes true and what a fight. Congratulations on your Wimbledon victory,” he added.

Even Australian pop royalty Kylie Minogue got in on in the act, simply tweeting: “ASSSSSSSSHHHHBAAAARRRTYYYYYYYY!!!”

Australian media called the down-to-earth Barty a “masterful performer” with the tabloid Sydney Daily Telegraph gushing that “the legacy Ash is creating is truly special”.

The Australian broadsheet was equally effusive in its praise.

“Ash Barty dared to dream and had the courage and conviction to deliver a famous triumph on the biggest stage in tennis,” it said.

“The most worthy of winners. A player universally respected and adored nationwide for her brilliance and sportsmanship.” – AFP

Australia’s Ashleigh Barty holds her trophy as she speaks to the crowd after defeating Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova (unseen) during their women’s singles final match of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All

England Tennis Club in London on Saturday.

– AFPPIX

15* SPORTS


SIDENETTING

Like no otherEuro 2008 win was a sensation I never felt before, says Iniesta

IT’S A strange thing, to win a European Championship. That’s not to speak from personal experience. But as children, it is predominantly the World Cup that fans and

footballers dream of winning for their country. As a young boy, did Andres Iniesta lie on a

duvet imprinted with Spain’s national team badge, in a bedroom adorned with La Roja wallpaper and posters of his footballing idols, dreaming of winning the Euros specifically?

Likely not, but as careers play out it becomes evident that winning any silverware for your country is a significant feat, whether that be on a global stage or continental one. International honours are rarer, partly due to the two-year gaps between each competition, whereas the Champions League and domestic tournaments – prestigious as they can be – are inherently more routine.

When it comes to international football, there are also greater trends in players succumbing to frailties of the psyche – ones that sometimes span generations.

England, as much as any other nation, understand that plague well. With only one trophy in their footballing history, the Three Lions’ sole success back in 1966 has made the absence of silverware in the decades since even more haunting.

Iniesta knows that spectre, a shadow clinging to the wall of a young child’s bedroom – perhaps even to their national team wallpaper.

Spain’s only triumph at a major tournament had come at the 1964 Euros, until Iniesta and his teammates banished that ghost in 2008 at the European Championship.

“It was something special,” Iniesta tells The Independent. “Very special, because it had been many years since the Spanish national team had won a title. And for each and every one of us it was something spectacular.

“We lived that European Championship with Luis Aragones, who was a fundamental person in the building of the team,” Iniesta says of Spain’s coach at the time, who also represented the country as a player – his first cap coming one year after the national team’s 1964 Euros win.

“As soon as the final against Germany was over, I got to enjoy a sensation I had never felt before.”

It was a sensation he would feel again, however. When Spain thrashed Italy to win Euro 2012 and complete a stunning hattrick of trophies – which included their 2010 World Cup victory – the then Barcelona midfielder was somewhat more accustomed to the ecstasy of holding silverware with Spain.

But he was not numb to it. “You never get used to success,” says Iniesta, now 37 and playing for Vissel Kobe in Japan.

“If you get used to it, you stop appreciating what each title means. Everything is exciting. And it’s simply because it involves a lot of work after each title.

“You have to give each victory the value it deserves. That’s why it’s not good to treat it as a routine. Quite the opposite: You have to take it as a challenge, to face it with the maximum possible energy to achieve triumphs that, in the end, lead you to the final success.”

Iniesta, given his involvement in Spain’s World Cup title win in South Africa, is in the rare position of being able to compare – or refrain from comparing – the feeling of winning the Euros to the sensation attached to becoming a world champion.

“The World Cup win was an indescribable emotion,” he said. “There are no words to express what I felt when I heard the referee blow the final whistle in Johannesburg. It’s something unique. Magical. Unrepeatable.

“But not only for me, but for all the players who had the privilege of playing in the final and

winning it. And, of course, for all the fans. And the whole country.

“There are so many different emotions. 2008 represented the highest of those emotions. In 2010, even more, of course. They’re different, but each one has a special value. I can’t compare them, nor do I want to. Each one was the best at that moment.

“Although, logically, the World Cup is unreal, so was the European Championship before it.”

Had Iniesta dreamt up such a moment in the wake of the Euro 2008 final in Vienna? Had his mind immediately turned to the thought of becoming a world champion, as well as a champion of Europe?

“In those moments you can’t help but to only think about what you have just achieved together with your colleagues,” Iniesta insists. “You don’t have time to go beyond that.

“But then, as the years go by, you see that without that 2008 Euros, nothing that came after that would have happened in the first place.” – The Independent

█ ALEX PATTLE

Hungary slams UEFA over sanctions HUNGARY yesterday claimed that UEFA is a “pathetic and cowardly body” after the country’s football federation was sanctioned for the “discriminatory behaviour” of the team’s fans during Euro 2020. European football’s governing body ordered Hungary to play their next three games behind closed doors and fined the federation €100,000 (RM500,000). UEFA investigated racist monkey chants and homophobic banners during Hungary’s matches in Budapest and Munich at Euro 2020, from which they were eliminated in the group stage. “It seems that UEFA continues to employ snitches, who have nothing else to do, just to write reports of what was said (or wasn’t said) in the audience,” Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook. “As in communism: no evidence is needed, the report of the snitch is enough.” … as English FA fined over fans, laser THE English Football Association has been fined €30,000 (RM150,000) by UEFA after a laser was pointed at Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel during England’s Euro 2020 semifinal win, European football’s governing body announced on Saturday. The FA was also sanctioned due to “disturbances during the national anthems and setting of fireworks” by England supporters at Wembley, some of whom booed the Danish anthem.

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MONDAY • JULY 12, 2021

Ronaldo or Leo ‘could join Pogba’ as PSG hatch transfer planPARIS SAINT-GERMAIN could be plotting a stunning swoop for Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo this summer, according to reports.

One of the world-class duo is being lined up to arrive alongside Paul Pogba in what could be a monumental summer for the French giants.

PSG have already enjoyed a busy summer transfer window with three massive additions and another on the way.

Georginio Wijnaldum, Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Ramos are confirmed arrivals at the Parc des Princes.

Gianluigi Donnarumma is also expected to join the club imminently on a free transfer from AC Milan.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo aren’t stopping there, though, if the latest reports from France are accurate.

According to Foot Mercato, PSG are closely monitoring both Messi and Ronaldo’s situations amid their uncertain futures.

The report states PSG are also eyeing a move for Manchester United midfielder Pogba, whose

contract expires next year. Pogba’s arrival wouldn’t be linked to the

signing of Messi or Ronaldo, though, which could see either star join with the Frenchman this summer.

Even adding one of these names, never mind two, would undoubtedly make PSG’s summer window one of the most spectacular in history.

Ronaldo is reportedly eyeing a Juventus departure after a disappointing campaign and the club’s continued links to the European Super League.

Messi, meanwhile, is astonishingly a free agent after his Barcelona contract expired last month.

However, the 34-year-old is widely expected to renew terms with the Catalan club shortly, despite their ongoing financial worries.

Both players are certainly attainable, though, so the developments in the coming weeks could be interesting.

The name that PSG will be most hopeful of

getting over the line after Donnarumma is Pogba.

Pogba is entering the final year of his United contract. With Pogba now in the final 12 months of his contract at Old Trafford, United may be willing to sell him at a cut-price this summer.

The Red Devils’ heavy links to Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga add fuel to the fire surrounding the likelihood of the 28-year-old’s exit.

If Foot Mercato’s report is anything to go by, PSG chiefs are hungry to make another heavyweight acquisition after the conclusion of Euro 2020.

United are highly unlikely to risk losing Pogba on another free transfer next year, so if the Ligue 1 outfit are serious in their interest, they could do a deal.

The France international’s supposed desire to leave Old Trafford and not renew his deal should make things all the easier.

Meanwhile at Old Trafford, Manchester

United are reportedly “very close” to agreeing a deal for Raphael Varane.

The France international has just a year left on his current Los Blancos deal, meaning the La Liga giants face selling him now or losing him for nothing next year.

While Carlo Ancelotti wants the 2018 World Cup winner to stay put, however, no renewal looks in sight. And Diario AS journalist Edu Cornago has claimed a deal taking Varane to Old Trafford is now “very close” to being completed this summer.

“The Varane-United agreement is very close to being produced,” he said on Twitter.

“Varane welcomes the option of going to Manchester. In Madrid, he is looking for a sports project that, for the moment, does not give him.”

And United are now hopeful he’ll partner Harry Maguire in the coming years ahead, in a partnership that has the potential to be the best in the entire Premier League. – Express Newspapers

Gift from an AngelMessi ends trophy drought as Argentina beat Brazil to win Copa

SUPERSTAR Lionel Messi won his first trophy with his national team as Angel Di Maria’s goal gave Argentina a 1-0 win over hosts

Brazil in the Copa America final yesterday.

The victory at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium ended Argentina’s 28-year wait for a major trophy, and also ended Brazil’s unbeaten home record that stretched back more than 2,500 days.

Argentina had last tasted success at a major tournament in 1993 when the great Gabriel Batistuta’s brace gave them a 2-1 win over Mexico in the Copa final in Ecuador.

“It’s a great title, especially for our people. The fans support the team unconditionally. I think they can identify with this team that never gives in,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.

He later paid tribute to Messi, praising his team captain and revealing the Barcelona stalwart had played in the tournament despite carrying an injury.

“If you knew the way that he played in the Copa America you’d love him even more,” Scaloni told reporters.

“You can never do without a player like him, even when he is not fully fit like in this game and the previous one.”

Scaloni did not say what the injury was but he showered Messi with praise on a night Argentines took to the streets in huge numbers to celebrate the win.

Messi, winner of the FIFA Player of the Year award a record six times, has won every club and individual honour with Barcelona but he had lost all four of his previous finals with Argentina.

The 34-year old had shown his frustration with the defeats, retiring after losing the 2016 Copa America to Chile only to return to the international fold a few weeks later.

“In the end he did not throw in the towel and he succeeded,” Scaloni said.

“We are talking about the best footballer of all time and everyone knew how important it was for him to win a title with the national team.”

“I have a relationship that is different than the (usual) coach-player relationship,” Scaloni added. “It’s closer.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi and teammate Angel Di Maria (top centre) stand behind the trophy as they celebrate on the podium with teammates after winning the Conmebol 2021 Copa America match against Brazil at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil yesterday. – AFPPIX

“We greet each other, we hug each other, and I am eternally grateful to him and his teammates.”

It was the first time in six editions playing at home that Brazil had failed to lift the trophy.

And while 34-year-old Messi’s odyssey has come to an end, Brazil’s Neymar, five years his junior, is still without a major title at international level having missed the Selecao’s win on home soil two years ago through injury.

Argentina edged a brutal and fractious affair thanks to Di Maria’s goal on 22 minutes.

The 33-year-old winger ran onto Rodrigo De Paul’s sumptuous through ball to lob Brazil goalkeeper Ederson with a first time finish.

“We fell short so many times, we dreamt so much about this, fought so hard,” said Di Maria, who was named man of the match.

“Many people said we wouldn’t manage it, we were criticized a lot. But we kept knocking at the door and kept going until today we knocked it down and entered.”

Messi could have wrapped up the win two minutes from time but slipped when clean through with only Ederson to beat.

“We have to be big enough to recognize (the defeat) regardless of how painful and difficult it is,” said Brazil coach Tite.

Argentina played with aggression and commitment, but no lack of quality with Di Maria tormenting Brazil’s left-back Renan Lodi, who probably should have cut out De Paul’s pass for the winger’s goal.

The game descended into a niggly affair with little fluid play between fouls and a plethora of theatrics and petulant bickering.

It was playing into Argentina’s hands as they looked to run down the clock and hold onto their slender lead.

“Only one team wanted to play. It’s a trap we knew about. That’s not an excuse,” complained Brazil captain Thiago Silva.

“It’s difficult to play such a stop-start match.” – AFP/Reuters

July 1220, 1

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